This paper analyses the impact of the University of Cape Town's first-year microeconomics academic development course on performance in examinations. The paper makes two advances to existing empirical literature in this area. Firstly, we compare performance with a control group drawn from the mainstream economic course. Secondly, we evaluate performance in subsequent courses in first-year macroeconomics and second-year microeconomics. The results suggest that the academic development course has a major impact on students' performance in the structured/essay questions, relative to the control group, in first- and second-year microeconomics, and for the multiple-choice questions in first-year macroeconomics. Copyright (c) 2007 The Authors. Journal compilation (c) 2007 Economic Society of South Africa.

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are a group of neurodevelopmental conditions whose incidence is reaching epidemic proportions, afflicting approximately 1 in 166 children. Autistic disorder, or autism is the most common form of ASD. Although several neurophysiological alterations have been associated with autism, immune abnormalities and neural hypoperfusion appear to be broadly consistent. These appear to be causative since correlation of altered inflammatory responses, and hypoperfusion with symptology is reported. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) are in late phases of clinical development for treatment of graft versus host disease and Crohn's Disease, two conditions of immune dysregulation. Cord blood CD34+ cells are known to be potent angiogenic stimulators, having demonstrated positive effects in not only peripheral ischemia, but also in models of cerebral ischemia. Additionally, anecdotal clinical cases have reported responses in autistic children receiving cord blood CD34+ cells. We propose the combined use of MSC and cord blood CD34+cells may be useful in the treatment of autism.

To overcome barriers to teaching requires more reciprocal links between hospital staff and medical schools, opportunities for consultants to understand and to comment on curricular and timetable developments, and, perhaps most importantly, recognition (in contractual, financial, managerial and personal terms) of the importance of undergraduate teaching in the competing triad of service, research and education.

Amorphous silicate minerals, often described as rock flour, were once common in natural water sources and abundant in glacial stream waters. Not only do the silica mineral particles bond water and other elements for transport; they also can be adsorbed with reduced hydrogen, which releases electrons, providing antioxidant or reducing potential to surrounding fluids. The purpose of this investigation was to examine the cardiovascular responses during exercise after consumption of a dietary silicate mineral antioxidant supplement, Microhydrin((R)) (Royal BodyCare, Inc., Irving, TX). A clinical trial incorporating a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover experimental design was employed. Subjects received either active agent or placebo, four capsules per day, for 7 days before the trial. The trial evaluated six exercise bicycle-trained subjects performing a 40-km bicycling time trial. Ratings of perceived exertion and measurements of oxygen uptake, heart rate, performance workload, and preexercise and postexercise blood lactate concentrations were obtained. Although there were no differences (P >/=.05) in work performed, heart rate, oxygen uptake, and ratings of perceived exertion during the time trial, the postexercise blood lactate concentrations were significantly lower (P