Issues in the Development of Universities - Strategies for Internationalisation

Universities have always tended to be internationally oriented institutions in terms of research, scholarly activities, and access to the world of knowledge by a wide variety of academics from different disciplines with different needs. However, the considerable expansion of international activities over the last decade is a phenomenon closely linked with financial reduction, the rise of academic entrepreneurialism, as well as, of course, a genuine philosophical commitment to cross cultural perspectives in the advancement and dissemination of knowledge. The principal purpose of this paper is to examine some of the strategic and policy implications of this development. The discussion is based on a conceptual framework of strategic analysis (Davies 1995), drawing on work by Keller (1983), from conclusions derived by the author from R and D and consultancy projects and experience of institutional life. The bulk of the evidence, however, is derived from two major action research projects directed by the author, the first co-sponsored by the Association of European Universities (CRE) and UNESCO (Davies 1997), and the second by CRE and the European Commission (Davies 1998). These projects based on some 40 European universities yield rich evidence of future agendas for the international effort of universities

Are Recent Peculiar Velocity Surveys Consistent?

We compare the bulk flow of the SMAC sample to the predictions of popular cosmological models and to other recent large-scale peculiar velocity surveys. Both analyses account for aliasing of small-scale power due to the sparse and non-uniform sampling of the surveys. We conclude that the SMAC bulk flow is in marginal conflict with flat COBE-normalized Lambda-CDM models which fit the cluster abundance constraint. However, power spectra which are steeper shortward of the peak are consistent with all of the above constraints. When recent large-scale peculiar velocity surveys are compared, we conclude that all measured bulk flows (with the possible exception of that of Lauer & Postman) are consistent with each other given the errors, provided the latter allow for `cosmic covariance'. A rough estimate of the mean bulk flow of all surveys (except Lauer & Postman) is ~400 km/s towards l=270, b=0.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures. To appear in Proceedings of the Cosmic Flows Workshop, Victoria, B. C., Canada, July 1999, eds. S. Courteau, M. Strauss, and J. Willic

Rare earth doped silica nanoparticles via thermolysis of a single source metallasilsesquioxane precursor

Rare earth metal doped silica nanoparticles have significant advantages over traditional organic dyes and quantum dots. Silsesquioxanes are promising precursors in the production of silica nanoparticles by thermolysis, due to their structural similarities with silica materials. This manuscript describes the production of a new Eu(3+)-based metallasilsesquioxane species and its use as a single source precursor in the thermolytic production of luminescent rare earth metal doped silica nanoparticles with characteristic emission in the visible region of the spectrum

Scientific Objectives, Measurement Needs, and Challenges Motivating the PARAGON Aerosol Initiative

Aerosols are involved in a complex set of processes that operate across many spatial and temporal scales. Understanding these processes, and ensuring their accurate representation in models of transport, radiation transfer, and climate, requires knowledge of aerosol physical, chemical, and optical properties and the distributions of these properties in space and time. To derive aerosol climate forcing, aerosol optical and microphysical properties and their spatial and temporal distributions, and aerosol interactions with clouds, need to be understood. Such data are also required in conjunction with size-resolved chemical composition in order to evaluate chemical transport models and to distinguish natural and anthropogenic forcing. Other basic parameters needed for modeling the radiative influences of aerosols are surface reflectivity and three-dimensional cloud fields. This large suite of parameters mandates an integrated observing and modeling system of commensurate scope. The Progressive Aerosol Retrieval and Assimilation Global Observing Network (PARAGON) concept, designed to meet this requirement, is motivated by the need to understand climate system sensitivity to changes in atmospheric constituents, to reduce climate model uncertainties, and to analyze diverse collections of data pertaining to aerosols. This paper highlights several challenges resulting from the complexity of the problem. Approaches for dealing with them are offered in the set of companion papers

Perceptions of alcohol health warning labels in a large international cross sectional survey of people who drink alcohol

Aims: This paper aimed to explore perceptions of alcohol health warning labels among a large international sample of people who drink alcohol. Methods: The Global Drug Survey (GDS) is the world’s largest annual cross sectional survey of drug use. Seven health warning labels were presented (relating to heart disease, liver, cancer, calories, violence, taking two days off and the myth of benefits to moderate drinking). People were asked if they were aware of the information, believed it, if it was personally relevant, and if it would change their drinking. This paper included data from 75,969 respondents from 29 countries/regions who reported the use of alcohol in the last 12 months, collected during November-December 2017 (GDS2018). Results: The fact that drinking less can reduce the risk of seven types of cancer was the least well known, and yet was demonstrated to encourage almost 40% of drinkers to consider drinking less. Women and high risk drinkers were more likely to indicate they would reduce their drinking in response to all labels. Personal relevance was identified as a key predictor of individual responses. Conclusions: Findings highlight the potential of a range of health messages displayed on alcoholic beverages to raise awareness of alcohol related harms and potentially support a reduction in drinking. Further research should explore what influences personal relevance of messages as this may be a barrier to effectiveness

A new glacier inventory for 2009 reveals spatial and temporal variability in glacier response to atmospheric warming in the Northern Antarctic Peninsula, 1988–2009

The Northern Antarctic Peninsula has recently exhibited ice-shelf disintegration, glacier recession and acceleration. However, the dynamic response of land-terminating, ice-shelf tributary and tidewater glaciers has not yet been quantified or assessed for variability, and there are sparse published data for glacier classification, morphology, area, length or altitude. This paper firstly uses ASTER images from 2009 and a SPIRIT DEM from 2006 to classify the area, length, altitude, slope, aspect, geomorphology, type and hypsometry of 194 glaciers on Trinity Peninsula, Vega Island and James Ross Island. Secondly, this paper uses LANDSAT-4 and ASTER images from 1988 and 2001 and data from the Antarctic Digital Database (ADD) from 1997 to document glacier change 1988–2009. From 1988–2001, 90 % of glaciers receded, and from 2001–2009, 79 % receded. Glaciers on the western side of Trinity Peninsula retreated relatively little. On the eastern side of Trinity Peninsula, the rate of recession of ice-shelf tributary glaciers has slowed from 12.9 km² a⁻¹ (1988–2001) to 2.4 km² a⁻¹ (2001–2009). Tidewater glaciers on the drier, cooler Eastern Trinity Peninsula experienced fastest recession from 1988–2001, with limited frontal retreat after 2001. Land-terminating glaciers on James Ross Island also retreated fastest in the period 1988–2001. Large tidewater glaciers on James Ross Island are now declining in areal extent at rates of up to 0.04 km² a⁻¹. This east-west difference is largely a result of orographic temperature and precipitation gradients across the Antarctic Peninsula. Strong variability in tidewater glacier recession rates may result from the influence of glacier length, altitude, slope and hypsometry on glacier mass balance. High snowfall means that the glaciers on the Western Peninsula are not currently rapidly receding. Recession rates on the eastern side of Trinity Peninsula are slowing as the floating ice tongues retreat into the fjords and the glaciers reach a new dynamic equilibrium. The rapid glacier recession of tidewater glaciers on James Ross Island is likely to continue because of their low elevations and flat profiles. In contrast, the higher and steeper tidewater glaciers on the Eastern Antarctic Peninsula will attain more stable frontal positions after low-lying ablation areas are removed

Optimal ex vivo expansion of neutrophils from PBSC CD34+ cells by a combination of SCF, Flt3-L and G-CSF and its inhibition by further addition of TPO

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Autologous mobilised peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) transplantation is now a standard approach in the treatment of haematological diseases to reconstitute haematopoiesis following myeloablative chemotherapy. However, there remains a period of severe neutropenia and thrombocytopenia before haematopoietic reconstitution is achieved. <it>Ex vivo </it>expanded PBSC have been employed as an adjunct to unmanipulated HSC transplantation, but have tended to be produced using complex cytokine mixtures aimed at multilineage (neutrophil and megakaryocyte) progenitor expansion. These have been reported to reduce or abrogate neutropenia but have little major effect on thrombocytopenia. Selective megakaryocyte expansion has been to date ineffective in reducing thrombocytopenia. This study was implemented to evaluate neutrophil specific rather than multilineage <it>ex vivo </it>expansion of PBSC for specifically focusing on reduction or abrogation of neutropenia.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>CD34⁺cells (PBSC) were enriched from peripheral blood mononuclear cells following G-CSF-mobilisation and cultured with different permutations of cytokines to determine optimal cytokine combinations and doses for expansion and functional differentiation and maturation of neutrophils and their progenitors. Results were assessed by cell number, morphology, phenotype and function.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A simple cytokine combination, SCF + Flt3-L + G-CSF, synergised to optimally expand and mature neutrophil progenitors assessed by cell number, phenotype, morphology and function (superoxide respiratory burst measured by chemiluminescence). G-CSF appears mandatory for functional maturation. Addition of other commonly employed cytokines, IL-3 and IL-6, had no demonstrable additive effect on numbers or function compared to this optimal combination. Addition of TPO, commonly included in multilineage progenitor expansion for development of megakaryocytes, reduced the maturation of neutrophil progenitors as assessed by number, morphology and function (respiratory burst activity).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Given that platelet transfusion support is available for autologous PBSC transplantation but granulocyte transfusion is generally lacking, and that multilineage expanded PBSC do not reduce thrombocytopenia, we suggest that instead of multilineage expansion selective neutrophil expansion based on this relatively simple cytokine combination might be prioritized for development for clinical use as an adjunct to unmanipulated PBSC transplantation to reduce or abrogate post-transplant neutropenia.</p

Absence of a relationship between immunophenotypic and colony enumeration analysis of endothelial progenitor cells in clinical haematopoietic cell sources

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The discovery of adult endothelial progenitor cells (EPC) offers potential for vascular regenerative therapies. The expression of CD34 and VEGFR2 by EPC indicates a close relationship with haematopoietic progenitor cells (HPC), and HPC-rich sources have been used to treat cardiac and limb ischaemias with apparent clinical benefit. However, the laboratory characterisation of the vasculogenic capability of potential or actual therapeutic cell autograft sources is uncertain since the description of EPC remains elusive. Various definitions of EPC based on phenotype and more recently on colony formation (CFU-EPC) have been proposed.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We determined EPC as defined by proposed phenotype definitions (flow cytometry) and by CFU-EPC in HPC-rich sources: bone marrow (BM); cord blood (CB); and G-CSF-mobilised peripheral blood (mPB), and in HPC-poor normal peripheral blood (nPB).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>As expected, the highest numbers of cells expressing the HPC markers CD34 or CD133 were found in mPB and least in nPB. The proportions of CD34⁺cells co-expressing CD133 is of the order mPB>CB>BM≈nPB. CD34⁺cells co-expressing VEGFR2 were also most frequent in mPB. In contrast, CFU-EPC were virtually absent in mPB and were most readily detected in nPB, the source lowest in HPC.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>HPC sources differ in their content of putative EPC. Normal peripheral blood, poor in HPC and in HPC-related phenotypically defined EPC, is the richest source of CFU-EPC, suggesting no direct relationship between the proposed EPC immunophenotypes and CFU-EPC potential. It is not apparent whether either of these EPC measurements, or any, is an appropriate indicator of the therapeutic vasculogenic potential of autologous HSC sources.</p

Adaptive immunity to rhinoviruses: sex and age matter

Background: Rhinoviruses (RV) are key triggers in acute asthma exacerbations. Previous studies suggest that men suffer from infectious diseases more frequently and with greater severity than women. Additionally, the immune response to most infections and vaccinations decreases with age. Most immune function studies do not account for such differences, therefore the aim of this study was to determine if the immune response to rhinovirus varies with sex or age