University of Westminster

About: University of Westminster is a education organization based out in London, United Kingdom. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Context (language use). The organization has 2944 authors who have published 8426 publications receiving 200236 citations. The organization is also known as: Westminster University & Royal Polytechnic Institution.

Proteome analysis enables separate clustering of normal breast, benign breast and breast cancer tissues.

Abstract: We have used proteomics with cluster analysis for the classification of breast tumour tissues. In our approach, we can distinguish between normal breast, benign breast and breast cancer tissues on the basis of the protein expression profiles. We propose an objective method for the classification of breast tumour specimens.

Managing money in new heterosexual forms of intimate relationships

Abstract: Drawing on British data from the 1994 and 2002 International Social Survey Programme modules on “Family and Changing Gender Roles,” this paper attempts to analyse the ways in which different subcategories of cohabiting couples organise money and to compare them with their married counterparts in the same age range and family situations. The results indicate that while young cohabiting parents tend to see their relationships as similar or equivalent to marriage and organise money in very similar ways to married parents, young childless and older post-marital cohabiting couples are overwhelmingly likely to keep money partly or completely separate, especially when one partner earns more than the other.

Pensions and retirement savings: cluster analysis of consumer behaviour and attitudes

Abstract: Purpose - The aim of this article is to obtain a better understanding of people's motivation and behaviour with respect to provision for their retirement. Design/methodology/approach - This study examines variation in behaviour and attitudes towards pensions and retirement saving among consumers of financial service products, using data from a questionnaire survey. Findings - A cluster analysis indicates that consumers can be divided into six clusters, with distinctive demographic, economic, behavioural and attitudinal traits for each cluster. Of particular interest is the finding that members of two of the clusters reported a general tendency to be in debt in the short term, whilst at the same time putting money away for retirement through either a company pension or voluntary regular saving. Research limitations/implications - The data set is composed of people who enquired about products offered by the financial services industry. This makes the findings by definition relevant to marketing pensions and retirement savings products to this set of people. It is not clear to what extent they apply to the population as a whole; this would be a useful further study. Originality/value - The key contribution of this study is that the identification of target groups could ultimately lead to enhanced abilities for pension providers to develop customised pension and saving products for those groups.

Examining conspiracist beliefs about the disappearance of Amelia Earhart.

Abstract: Previous studies have suggested that conspiracist ideation forms part of a monological belief system in which one conspiracist idea acts as evidence for new conspiracist ideas. Here, we examined this possibility in relation to an event lacking reliable or conclusive evidence, namely the disappearance of Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan. A total of 914 members of the British general public completed scales measuring their beliefs about the disappearance of Earhart and Noonan, belief in conspiracy theories, the Big Five personality factors, support for democratic principles, political cynicism, self-esteem, and self-assessed intelligence. Results showed that belief in conspiracy theories was associated with the endorsement of less plausible explanations for the disappearance of Earhart and Noonan. In addition, belief in less plausible explanations was also significantly associated with lower self-assessed intelligence, greater political cynicism, lower self-esteem, and higher Agreeableness scores. These results are discussed in relation to monological belief systems.

Regulatory volume increase (RVI) by in situ and isolated bovine articular chondrocytes.

Abstract: Metabolism of the matrix by chondrocytes is sensitive to alterations in cell volume that occur, for example, during static loading and osteoarthritis. The ability of chondrocytes to respond to changes in volume could be important, and this study was aimed at testing the hypothesis that chondrocytes can regulate their volume following cell shrinking by regulatory volume increase (RVI). We used single cell fluorescence imaging of in situ bovine articular chondrocytes, cells freshly isolated into 280 or 380 mOsm, or 2-D cultured chondrocytes loaded with calcein or fura-2, to investigate RVI and changes to [Ca2+]i during shrinkage. Following a 42% hyperosmotic challenge, chondrocytes rapidly shrunk, however, only ∼6% of the in situ or freshly isolated chondrocytes demonstrated RVI. This contrasted with 2D-cultured chondrocytes where ∼54% of the cells exhibited RVI. The rate of RVI was the same for all preparations. During the ‘post-RVD/RVI protocol’, ∼60% of the in situ and freshly isolated chondrocytes demonstrated RVD, but only ∼5% showed RVI. There was no relationship between [Ca2+]i and RVI either during hyperosmotic challenge, or during RVD suggesting that changes to [Ca2+]i were not required for RVI. Depolymerisation of the actin cytoskeleton by latrunculin, increased RVI by freshly isolated chondrocytes, in a bumetanide-sensitive manner. The results showed that in situ and freshly isolated articular chondrocytes have only limited RVI capacity. However, RVI was stimulated by treating freshly isolated chondrocytes with latrunculin B and following 2D culture of chondrocytes, suggesting that cytoskeletal integrity plays a role in regulating RVI activity which appears to be mediated principally by the Na+K+2Cl− cotransporter. J. Cell. Physiol. 209: 481–492, 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.