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Social workers are increasingly encouraged to become research minded and integrate research findings into their practice. However, there is a paucity of high-quality accessible training for social workers in research methods and critical appraisal skills. We developed an e-learning version of an MSc degree module to widen access to this kind of training and this paper presents the findings of an evaluation of a pilot of this e-learning course. To test the effectiveness of the e-learning environment in delivering research methods and critical appraisal skills training to social workers in comparison with a classroom group, we adopted a mixed methods approach which comprised concept mapping exercises, semistructured interviews and evaluation questionnaires administered to the e-learners (n ¼ 3) and a classroom comparison group (n ¼ 12). Our analysis of the students' concept maps revealed no conspicuous differences in the quality of student knowledge changes that were a consequence of the mode of teaching delivery. The e-learners met the learning outcomes of the module to the same extent as the classroom group and were highly satisfied with the mode of delivery. Although this was a small pilot, it provided tentative evidence that social workers can use e-learning to develop evidence-based practice skills.

Bordetella pertussis is the causative agent of whooping cough. Traditional vaccines against this disease are inherently reactogenic, thus research is currently focussed on the production of less reactive, acellular vaccines. Expression of candidate antigens for these vaccines in Escherichia coli would be preferable, however, several B. pertussis antigens undergo incorrect post-translational processing in E. coli. The leader peptidase gene (lep) of B. pertussis encodes a protein of 294 amino acid residues that shares homology with other prokaryote leader peptidase I sequences. Hydrophilicity analysis based on the predicted amino acid sequence has demonstrated a similar membrane topology to that of E. coli and Salmonella typhimurium leader peptidase I. Co-expression of the B. pertussis lep gene in E. coli strain TOPP2 expressing the pertussis toxin S1 subunit was found to markedly increase the expression and post-translational processing of the S1 protein.

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Debates about the nature and extent of women's offending, whether women's crime rates are rising faster than men's and whether women offenders are becoming more masculine (Adler, 1975;Simon, 1975) have been highly contested criminological issues since the 1970s (Box & Hale, 1983). At the turn of the century, in the wake of the antifeminist backlash (Faludi, 1991), arguably a more pertinent, less mediacentric question needs to be addressed: Why is it that there has been a significant increase in women's imprisonment? International research points to the increasing rates of women's imprisonment globally (see, for example, Collins, 1997; Gelsthorpe & Morris, 2002) as a by-product of the so-called gender-blind treatment of women in the criminal justice system. The adage if women "want equality of opportunity they can also have equality of punishment" (van Wormer & Bartollas, 2000, p. 74) seems to be alive and well.What connects the books under review within this article is that they all variously explore, in the American context, (a) the issue of women's imprisonment, (b) how women's imprisonment far from reflects an equality of punishment, and (c) the debate on women's empowerment. Empowerment of women, in turn, is an underlying goal of all three texts. The primary audience for all three books are students from the various disciplines of criminology and social work, and any other students interested in women's involvement in the criminal justice system. Sharp's text is also intended for contemporary feminist criminologists, policy makers, and correctional officers. Each of the books is presented in textbook style, with chapters divided by frequent subheadings; highlighted boxes are used to distinguish important points and examples; and key statistics are listed and bullet pointed. The layout of Sharp, with references at the end of each chapter, instead of being a single list at the end of the book, and without an index, makes it hard to relocate citations and occasional references.Taking the texts in chronological order then, van Wormer and Bartollas have produced a succinct, well-written overview of women in the criminal justice system. From the outset, the 207 Book Review Essays