bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Beyond Nongovernmental Development Action into Social Entrepreneurship
Authors: Chand Vijaya Sherry
Published: October 2009

This article presents a reflective perspective on the scope that social entrepreneurship offers to non-governmental development work in the Indian context. Beginning with the early corporate efforts to do good to society, the article outlines the history of nongovernmental action through its charity, community welfare, developmental and mobilisational and ‘post-developmentalist neo-liberal political economy’ phases. It then reviews the concept of social entrepreneurship as it has developed in Western liberal democracies where a rethinking of the welfare state has taken place. While the ideology of social entrepreneurship seems to reside naturally in the current phase, only some of its aspects seem to offer growth trajectories for non-governmental work in the near future. Though the foundations and trusts that the early business entrepreneurs established did provide the initial stratum for future non-governmental work, in recent times the charitable-philanthropic orientation of business has evolved into a socially entrepreneurial form, often involving partnerships with the third sector. For the mix of non-governmental organisations (NGOs), especially those which have political goals like empowerment and social justice, social entrepreneurship, in its strict form, seems to have little to offer. But key features of the social entrepreneurial process, namely socially entrepreneurial behaviour, and more importantly social innovation—new ways of solving social problems, resourcefulness, larger scale and wider impact and solutions that are transferable, scalable and cost-effective—are important future directions for all kinds of NGOs, including those whose primary thrust is empowerment and social justice. However, non-governmental organisations need to reaffirm the primacy of the civic in their purpose constantly—aware and positively critical of the ideological undercurrents that influence and shape their responses.
A Dynamic Model of Technology-based Opportunity Recognition
Authors: García-Cabrera Antonia Mercedes , García-Soto María Gracia
Published: October 2009

Studies on the factors determining recognition of business opportunities are based on partial analyses of one or more of the variables that influence that process. But economic relationships between actors are conditioned by ongoing structures of social relationships. This work uses the cognitive approach and presents an integrated study of psychological and sociological variables, and of the interactions between these variables, both of which affect the opportunity recognition stage for technology businesses. The research makes use of a method based on a case study; the work provides a dynamic model in which the key interactions that explain the technology-based opportunity recognition are: (1) the interactions between entrepreneurs with complementary backgrounds, (2) the proactive management of involvement in networks, (3) the entrepreneurial-technological alertness and (4) learning and continuous evaluation.
Ownership Patterns and Ethical Practices of Small Enterprises in Kolkata
Authors: Dutta Sraboni , Banerjee Sharmistha
Published: October 2009

The modern business environment is characterised by increased scrutiny of ethical practices. Given the ubiquitous role of small businesses and their expanding realm in the globalised era, it is becoming imperative that these enterprises reckon with the ethical dimension of business on a much more stringent basis. The issues of business ethics, which were primarily addressing problems of large corporations, are gradually encompassing the small enterprises. The objective of this research was to scrutinise the extent to which SMEs conform to ethical norms. With the use of empirical data, we tested whether proprietorship/partnership firms in the Kolkata district of West Bengal are more inclined to indulge in unethical practices in comparison with limited companies. There is clear support for the hypothesis that proprietorship and partnership firms tend to be more ethically infractious than the limited companies.
Teachers as Educational-Social Entrepreneurs
Authors: Chand Vijaya Sherry , Misra Sasi
Published: October 2009

This article extends the ideas underpinning the concept of ‘social entrepreneurs’ to teachers who have created social value in the contexts of socio-economic and educational deprivation. Such teachers develop innovative practices that are tailored to their situations, in order to address issues like poor demand for education in the community; social barriers to enrolment, particularly of girls, social problems that spill into the educational domain; lack of resources for education and poor schooling environments. While the teachers do tend to form a new identity which is defined by a mix of educational and social leadership qualities, their social entre-preneurial and innovative behaviour tends to be circumscribed in its impact. A policy entrepreneurship focus that encourages diffusion processes, which are different from those of the innovation generation, allows the pooling and sharing of locally effective social entrepreneurship practices, and contributes to wider social impact.
Navigating Between Illness Paradigms: Treatment Seeking by Samoan People in Samoa and New Zealand
Authors: Norris Pauline , Fa'alau Fuafiva , Va'ai Cecilia , Churchward Marianna , Arroll Bruce
Published: October 2009

There are substantial Samoan communities in New Zealand. Most Samoan people use both palagi (Western) and traditional Samoan health care. Western practitioners sometimes comment on Samoan patients’ seemingly erratic patterns of seeking and using health care. Within a larger study on knowledge and the use of antibiotics, we carried out semistructured interviews with 31 Samoan people in Samoa and New Zealand.Accounts of participants’ responses to illness and patterns of treatment seeking reveal how Samoan people draw on traditional and Western models of treatment and healing resources. Samoan people are very active interpreters of illness symptoms, using (at least) the two illness paradigms they know of to make sense of symptoms.These paradigms and systems of treatment are sometimes used experimentally, to determine whether illnesses are Samoan or Western. Symptom interpretation and decision making about treatment are done at the family level as well as the individual level. The individual might hold a particular view of what symptoms mean and what to do about them, but might not act on this if overruled or persuaded by other family members.
Family Presence During Resuscitation and Invasive Procedures: The Nurse Experience
Authors: Miller Juleann H. , Stiles Anne
Published: October 2009

The purpose of this study was to understand the experiences of nurses who participate with families during resuscitation and invasive procedures in the hospital. Seventeen nurses in a large metropolitan area in the northeastern United States were interviewed about their thoughts and feelings about participating with families during these procedures. Conversations were audiotaped and transcribed verbatim for analysis. Transcripts were analyzed using van Manen’s technique of isolating thematic statements. Four main themes were identified from the data: forging a connection, engaging the family, transition to acceptance, and a cautious approach.The experience of participating in family presence during resuscitation or invasive procedures can be a positive experience for the nurse by forging a connection with family.The experience for the nurse might include a transition to acceptance and a committed change in practice.
Adjusting to Life After Esophagectomy: The Experience of Survivors and Carers
Authors: McCorry Noleen K. , Dempster Martin , Clarke Ceara , Doyle Robert
Published: October 2009

Following surgery for esophageal cancer, patients can experience complex physical, social, and emotional changes. Investigation of these challenges, particularly from the perspective of the patient and his or her carer, has been limited. The current study explored the emotional and cognitive experiences of esophageal cancer survivors and those of their carers, using focus groups conducted with members of a patient support group. Analysis of the patients’ data yielded three themes: coping with a death sentence, adjusting to and accepting an altered self, and the unique benefits of peer support. Analysis of the carers’ data also yielded three themes: the carer as buffer, representations of recovery and recurrence, and normalizing experiences through peer support. Esophageal cancer patients and their carers require holistic support in their efforts to adjust to the social, emotional, and physical consequences of esophagectomy. Peers could be an effective channel for the support of patients and carers.
“Making it All Normal”: The Role of the Internet in Problematic Pregnancy
Authors: Lowe Pam , Powell John , Griffiths Frances , Thorogood Margaret , Locock Louise
Published: October 2009

Women are actively encouraged to educate themselves about pregnancy from formal sources (e.g., information leaflets, antenatal classes, books). In addition, informal stories of pregnancy and birth are routinely told between women. However, increased prenatal testing means that more fetuses are diagnosed with abnormalities, shifting the information requirements during pregnancy. Traditional sources of information cannot cover all possible outcomes, and the Internet is beginning to fill this gap. In this article, we draw from interviews about experiences of antenatal screening and pregnancy to explore how the Internet provides a unique resource for problematic pregnancies. It allows access to information about rarer conditions beyond standard pregnancy texts, as well as personal narratives about conditions. Learning how others have coped or are coping in similar situations can help alleviate feelings of isolation, and also places women back in a familiar territory of shared pregnancy narratives.
Experiencing Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest: Significant Others’ Lifeworld Perspective
Authors: Bremer Anders , Dahlberg Karin , Sandman Lars
Published: October 2009

When patients suffer out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCA), significant others find themselves with no choice about being there. After the event they are often left with unanswered questions about the life-threatening circumstances, or the patient’s death, or emergency treatment and future needs. When it is unclear how the care and the event itself will affect significant others’ well-being, prehospital emergency personnel face ethical decisions. In this article we describe the experiences of significant others present at OHCA, focusing on ethical aspects and values. Using a lifeworld phenomenological approach, 7 significant others were interviewed. The essence of the phenomenon of OHCA can be stated as unreality in the reality, which is characterized by overwhelming responsibility. The significant others experience inadequacy and limitation, they move between hope and hopelessness, and they struggle with ethical considerations and an insecurity about the future.The study findings show how significant others’ sense of an OHCA situation, when life is trembling, can threaten values deemed important for a good life.
From Trauma to PTSD: Beliefs About Sensations, Symptoms, and Mental Illness
Authors: Spoont Michele R. , Sayer Nina , Friedemann-Sanchez Greta , Parker Louise E. , Murdoch Maureen , Chiros Christine
Published: October 2009

Despite the ongoing debate about its legitimacy as a diagnostic entity, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) continues to be the prevailing model for posttrauma suffering in Western societies. In this article, we examine how U.S. veterans came to conceptualize their posttrauma suffering as reflecting the mental disorder of PTSD. We describe the criteria veterans used to evaluate the potential clinical importance of their posttrauma reactions, and the process by which they came to label these reactions as PTSD. Difficulties that veterans experienced in evaluating their posttrauma reactions and in labeling them as PTSD mirror issues that have been raised about the diagnosis of PTSD in the professional literature.
Relationships Between Humor, Subversion, and Genuine Connection Among Persons With Severe Mental Illness
Authors: Kidd Sean A. , Miller Rebecca , Boyd Geoffrey M. , Cardeña Ivette
Published: October 2009

Although humor has been linked to resilience among many populations, little is known regarding the role of humor in the coping of individuals with severe mental illness (SMI). In this study, a series of interviews focused on humor was completed by 15 individuals with SMI, with narratives analyzed using grounded theory methods.The marginalized and stigmatized social position occupied by persons with SMI was found to affect both the use and meanings of humor. Humor was described as being the subject of clinical scrutiny. Humor was also emphasized as a means of subverting power differentials revolving around the identity of SMI with, for many, the primary goal being the development of “real” and genuine connections with service providers.
Patient Real-Time and 12-Month Retrospective Perceptions of Difficult Communications in the Cancer Diagnostic Period
Authors: Thorne Sally , Armstrong Elizabeth-Anne , Harris Susan R. , Hislop T. Gregory , Kim-Sing Charmaine , Oglov Valerie , Oliffe John L. , Stajduhar Kelli I.
Published: October 2009

Communication is a notoriously complex challenge in the cancer care context. Our program of research involves exploration of patient—provider communications across the cancer trajectory from the patient perspective.Toward this end, we have been following a cohort of 60 cancer patients, representing a range of tumor sites, from immediately after diagnosis through to recovery, chronic, or advanced disease. Drawing on interpretive description analytic techniques, we documented patterns and themes related to various components of the cancer journey. In this article, we report on findings pertaining to poor communication during the initial diagnostic period, as described by patients at the time of diagnosis and 1 year later.These findings illuminate the dynamics of communication problems during that complex period, and depict the mechanisms by which patients sought to confront these challenges to optimize their cancer care experience. On the basis of these findings, considered in the context of the body of available evidence, suggestions are proposed as to appropriate directions for system-level solutions to the complex communication challenges within cancer care.
Understanding the Ecological Validity of Neuropsychological Testing Using an Ethnographic Approach
Authors: Gioia Deborah
Published: October 2009

Neurocognitive impairment is a defining and disabling feature of schizophrenia and other physical disorders. Most of our understanding about neurocognitive deficits comes from laboratory-based testing in research protocols. There has been little research using direct behavioral community observation over a prolonged period to understand the association of daily functioning with cognitive performance.The purpose of this study was to develop an observational method that could be replicated by researchers interested in viewing cognitive deficits in vivo, and then comparing this data to laboratory measures to affirm the ecological validity of those measures.The eight-step method explained here was developed from the targeted ethnographic study of 10 persons with schizophrenia. Obtaining real world context with this method will help to increase the generalizability of effective cognitive treatments, create improved interventions for this population, and bring into greater relief the coping and compensatory strategies already used by individuals to complete daily tasks.
Toward an Agenda for Evaluation of Qualitative Research
Authors: Stige Brynjulf , Malterud Kirsti , Midtgarden Torjus
Published: October 2009

Evaluation is essential for research quality and development, but the diversity of traditions that characterize qualitative research suggests that general checklists or shared criteria for evaluation are problematic. We propose an approach to research evaluation that encourages reflexive dialogue through use of an evaluation agenda . In proposing an evaluation agenda we shift attention from rule-based judgment to reflexive dialogue. Unlike criteria, an agenda may embrace pluralism, and does not request consensus on ontological, epistemological, and methodological issues, only consensus on what themes warrant discussion. We suggest an evaluation agenda—EPICURE—with two dimensions communicated through use of two acronyms.The first, EPIC, refers to the challenge of producing rich and substantive accounts based on engagement, processing, interpretation, and (self-)critique. The second—CURE—refers to the challenge of dealing with preconditions and consequences of research, with a focus on (social) critique, usefulness, relevance, and ethics. The seven items of the composite agenda EPICURE are presented and exemplified. Features and implications of the agenda approach to research evaluation are then discussed.
Perceived Susceptibility to Illness and Perceived Benefits of Preventive Care: An Exploration of Behavioral Theory Constructs in a Transcultural Context
Authors: Joseph Galen , Burke Nancy J. , Tuason Noe , Barker Judith C. , Pasick Rena J.
Published: October 2009

This article describes how the social context of transculturation (cultural change processes) and transmigration (migration in which relationships are sustained across national boundaries) can directly influence use of mammography screening. The authors conducted semistructured interviews with Latino and Filipino academics and social service providers and with U.S.-born and immigrant Latinas and Filipinas to explore direct and indirect influences of social context on health behavior (Behavioral Constructs and Culture in Cancer Screening study). Iterative analyses identified themes of the transcultural domain: colonialism, immigration, discrimination, and therapeutic engagement. In this domain, the authors examine two key behavioral theory constructs, perceptions of susceptibility to illness and perceptions of benefits of preventive medical care. The findings raise concerns about interventions to promote mammography screening primarily based on provision of scientific information. The authors conclude that social context affects behavior directly rather than exclusively through beliefs as behavioral theory implies and that understanding contextual influences, such as transculturation, points to different forms of intervention.
Behavioral Theory in a Diverse Society: Like a Compass on Mars
Authors: Pasick Rena J. , Burke Nancy J. , Barker Judith C. , Joseph Galen , Bird Joyce A. , Otero-Sabogal Regina , Tuason Noe , Stewart Susan L. , Rakowski William , Clark Melissa A. , Washington Pamela K. , Guerra Claudia
Published: October 2009

The behavioral theory constructs most often used to study mammography utilization—perceived benefit, perceived susceptibility, self-efficacy, intention, and subjective norms—have neither been developed nor sufficiently tested among diverse racial/ethnic subgroups. The authors explored these constructs and their underlying assumptions relating to the social context of Filipina and Latina women. The mixed-methods study included testing construct measures in the multilingual surveys of a concurrent intervention study of 1,463 women from five ethnic groups. An intensive inductive investigation then targeted Latina and Filipina women to elucidate connections between social context and individual screening behavior. In-depth interviews were conducted with 11 key informant scholars, 13 community gatekeepers, and 29 lay women, and a supplemental study videotaped and interviewed 9 mother—daughter dyads. Three social context domains emerged: relational culture, social capital, and transculturation and transmigration. The meaning and appropriateness of the five behavioral constructs were analyzed in relation to these domains. In contradistinction to tenets of behavioral theory, the authors found that social context can influence behavior directly, circumventing or attenuating the influence of individual beliefs; contextual influences, synthesized from multiple p erspectives, can operate at an unconscious level not accessible to the individual; and contextual influences are dynamic, contingent on distal and proximal forces coming together in a given moment and are thus not consistent with an exclusive focus at the individual level. This article describes the study methods, summarizes main findings, and previews the detailed results presented in the other articles in this issue.
Behavioral Constructs and Mammography in Five Ethnic Groups
Authors: Stewart Susan L. , Rakowski William , Pasick Rena J.
Published: October 2009

Intention, self-efficacy, perceived susceptibility, perceived benefits, and subjective norms are key constructs of health behavior theories; their predictive validity for cancer screening has not been ascertained in multiethnic populations. Participants were 1,463 African American, Chinese, Filipina, Latina, and White women aged 40 to 74 interviewed by telephone in their preferred languages. The relationship between baseline constructs and mammography 2 years later was assessed using multivariable logistic regression. Intention predicted mammography overall and among Whites (odds ratio [OR] = 5.0, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.4, 10), with racial/ethnic differences in association (p = .020). Self-efficacy predicted mammography overall and among Whites (OR = 3.5, 95% CI = 1.1, 11), with no racial/ethnic interaction. Perceived benefits and subjective norms were associated with screening overall and in some racial/ethnic groups. These results generally support cross-cultural applicability of four of the five constructs to screening with mixed predictive value of measures across racial/ethnic groups. Additional in-depth inquiry is required to refine assessment of constructs.
Intention, Subjective Norms, and Cancer Screening in the Context of Relational Culture
Authors: Pasick Rena J. , Barker Judith C. , Otero-Sabogal Regina , Burke Nancy J. , Joseph Galen , Guerra Claudia
Published: October 2009

Research targeting disparities in breast cancer detection has mainly utilized theories that do not account for social context and culture. Most mammography promotion studies have used a conceptual framework centered in the cognitive constructs of intention (commonly regarded as the most important determinant of screening behavior), self-efficacy, perceived benefit, perceived susceptibility, and/or subjective norms. The meaning and applicability of these constructs in diverse communities are unknown. The purpose of this study is to inductively explore the social context of Filipina and Latina women (the sociocultural forces that shape people’s day-to-day experiences and that directly and indirectly affect health and behavior) to better understand mammography screening behavior. One powerful aspect of social context that emerged from the findings was relational culture, the processes of interdependence and interconnectedness among individuals and groups and the prioritization of these connections above virtually all else. The authors examine the appropriateness of subjective norms and intentions in the context of relational culture and identify inconsistencies that suggest varied meanings from those intended by behavioral theorists.
Does pictorial elucidation foster recollection of idioms?
Authors: Boers Frank , Piquer Píriz Ana María , Stengers Hélène , Eyckmans June
Published: October 2009

Experimental evidence suggests that pictorial elucidation helps learners comprehend and remember the meaning of second language (L2) idioms. In this article we address the question whether it also helps retention of the form of idioms, i.e. their precise lexical composition. In a small-scale experiment, the meaning of English idioms was clarified to students with reference to the original, literal use of the expressions. This was done with a view to stimulating dual coding, i.e. the association of the figurative phrases with images of concrete scenes. For half of the idioms, photographs or drawings depicting those concrete scenes were added to the verbal explanations. The learners’ recollection of the content words of the expressions was subsequently gauged in a gap-fill test. Overall, the results suggest that the addition of pictorial elucidation contributes little to learners’ retention of linguistic form. Distraction by pictures may even have a detrimental effect when it comes to retaining unfamiliar and difficult words, and this seems to apply especially to learners whose learning style shows a predisposition for processing vocabulary through imagery. Insofar as our findings are transferable to vocabulary learning in general, they may call into question the rather indiscriminate and abundant use of pictorials in modern textbooks and CALL packages.
Extensive reading in a challenging environment: a comparison of extensive and intensive reading approaches in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Al-Homoud Faisal , Schmitt Norbert
Published: October 2009

Many studies have shown that reading can have a beneficial effect on second language learning, but relatively few of these have focused on extensive reading in classroom environments over a period of time. This study compares an extensive reading class against a more traditional class involving intensive reading and vocabulary exercises. The classes were part of a Saudi college presessional course, and this classroom setting posed several problems for the extensive reading approach, including relatively weak students, an environment where pleasure reading is atypical, and the course being of short duration. The result is that the reported extensive reading class was carried out in what could be considered challenging conditions. Nevertheless, gain scores in reading comprehension ability, reading speed, and vocabulary acquisition showed that the extensive reading approach was just as effective as the intensive approach, even though some of the measurement instruments for these variables should have favored the intensive approach. Moreover, the extensive reading participants reported much more positive attitudes toward reading, their class, and their learning than the participants in the intensive reading group. Overall, these results indicate that, for the variables studied, the extensive reading approach was as good as, or better than, the more focused intensive reading approach.
The effect of keeping vocabulary notebooks on vocabulary acquisition
Authors: Walters JoDee , Bozkurt Neval
Published: October 2009

Vocabulary notebooks are frequently advocated as a way for students to take control of their vocabulary learning (Fowle, 2002), with the added benefit of improvements in vocabulary learning (Schmitt and Schmitt, 1995; Laufer and Nation, 1999). The study described in this article attempts to lend empirical support to these claims, by investigating the effect of vocabulary notebooks on EFL students’ vocabulary acquisition. Students in three lower intermediate EFL classes participated in the study. A vocabulary notebook program was implemented in one class over a 4-week period, with the remaining two classes acting as control groups, following the same curriculum with the same materials but without keeping vocabulary notebooks. Receptive and controlled productive vocabulary tests revealed significantly greater learning of the target words in the treatment group. In addition, students in the treatment group demonstrated a greater tendency to use the target words in free writing compositions. However, a positive impact on learner autonomy — as has been reported in previous studies (McCarthy, 1990) — was not observed. These findings lead the authors to conclude that vocabulary notebooks can be an effective learning tool in EFL classrooms, but positive impacts on learner autonomy may not be seen in the absence of appropriate motivation for language learning.
Listening to our learners' voices: what demotivates Japanese high school students?
Authors: Kikuchi Keita
Published: October 2009

Interview guides and a questionnaire were developed in order to find what f actors demotivated students in Japanese high school English classrooms. Five college students who were attending two private universities and one public university shared their views about demotivation in the interviews. Forty-two students at a public university responded to a questionnaire consisting of mainly open-ended response questions. Through qualitative analysis five factors were found: (1) individual teacher behavior in classroom; (2) the grammar—translation method used in instruction; (3) tests and university entrance examinations; (4) the memorization nature of vocabulary learning; and (5) textbook/reference book-related issues. It is hoped that these learners’ stories will help Japanese and other teachers to realize what pitfalls to avoid in their instruction.
Making the instructional curriculum as an interactive, contextualized process: case studies of seven ESOL teachers
Authors: Wette Rosemary
Published: October 2009

This article reports on data from interpretive case studies of seven well-qualified, experienced teachers of adult ESOL, collected through weekly interviews and analysis of documents and materials produced over the duration of a whole course for each teacher. Teachers’ knowledge and experience was apparent in their ability to conceptualize and plan globally in the pre-course phase, to establish rapport and diagnose learners’ developmental priorities as soon as teaching began, and to weave a coherent instructional curriculum1 from a variety of components and dimensions of conceptual content according to the developmental needs, wishes and responses of learners, syllabus pre-specifications, constraints of the teaching context and their own personal theories of best practice.

The study draws attention to a number of differences between the curriculum making practices of experienced teachers and the content of language teacher education texts with regard to pre-course planning procedures and the separation of syllabus and methodology. Dissonances were also apparent between conventional descriptions of process—product orientations and strong—weak versions of communicative language teaching on the one hand, and the blended, non-standard approaches apparent in the courses in this study. The article identifies curriculum making principles and practices that were common to a number of teachers as a contribution to practice-based disciplinary knowledge and second language teacher education literature.
Phase I/II Study of Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy for Localized Nasal Natural Killer/T-Cell Lymphoma: Japan Clinical Oncology Group Study JCOG0211
Authors: Yamaguchi Motoko , Tobinai Kensei , Oguchi Masahiko , Ishizuka Naoki , Kobayashi Yukio , Isobe Yasushi , Ishizawa Kenichi , Maseki Nobuo , Itoh Kuniaki , Usui Noriko , Wasada Izumi , Kinoshita Tomohiro , Ohshima Koichi , Matsuno Yoshihiro , Terauchi Takashi , Nawano Shigeru , Ishikura Satoshi , Kagami Yoshikazu , Hotta Tomomitsu , Oshimi Kazuo
Published: October 2009

Purpose

To explore a more effective treatment for localized nasal natural killer (NK)/T-cell lymphoma, we conducted a phase I/II study of concurrent chemoradiotherapy.

Patients and Methods

Treatments comprised concurrent radiotherapy (50 Gy) and 3 courses of dexamethasone, etoposide, ifosfamide, and carboplatin (DeVIC). Patients with a newly diagnosed stage IE or contiguous IIE disease with cervical node involvement and a performance status (PS) of 0 to 2 were eligible for enrollment. The primary end point of the phase II portion was a 2-year overall survival in patients treated with the recommended dose.

Results

Of the 33 patients enrolled, 10 patients were enrolled in the phase I portion and a two thirds dose of DeVIC was established as the recommended dose. Twenty-seven patients (range, 21 to 68; median, 56 years) treated with the recommended dose showed the following clinical features: male:female, 17:10; stage IE, 18; stage IIE, 9; B symptoms present, 10; elevated serum lactate dehydrogenase, 5; and PS 2, 2. With a median follow-up of 32 months, the 2-year overall survival was 78% (95% CI, 57% to 89%). This compared favorably with the historical control of radiotherapy alone (45%). Of the 26 patients assessable for a response, 20 (77%) achieved a complete response, with one partial response. The overall response rate was 81%. The most common grade 3 nonhematologic toxicity was mucositis related to radiation (30%). No treatment-related deaths were observed.

Conclusion

Concurrent chemoradiotherapy using multidrug resistance-nonrelated agents and etoposide is a safe and effective treatment for localized nasal NK/T-cell lymphoma and warrants further investigation.
Hydrothermal-reduction Synthesis of Ni Nanoparticles by Superrapid Heating Using a Micromixer
Authors: Sue Kiwamu , Suzuki Akira , Hakuta Yukiya , Hayashi Hiromichi , Arai Kunio , Takebayashi Yoshihiro , Yoda Satoshi , Furuya Takeshi
Published: October 2009

Single-phase, high-crystalline, and single-crystalline Ni nanoparticles under 20 nm were continuously prepared through hydrothermal reduction by superrapid heating of Ni(HCOO)2 solution using a micromixer in a homogeneous mixture field of H2O and H2 at 673 K and 30 MPa over 0.5 s.
Why is Indigo Photostable over Extremely Long Periods?
Authors: Iwakura Izumi , Yabushita Atushi , Kobayashi Takayoshi
Published: October 2009

This experimental work clarifies the mechanism for the ultra-photostability of indigo carmine by direct observation of a transition state using a sub 5-fs laser pulse. The molecular structural changes during the photoexcited proton-transfer process were traced as the time-dependent instantaneous frequency of molecular vibrations. The mono-alcohol intermediate generated by proton transfer via stepwise path was found to be unstable, and it immediately reverted to indigo carmine. This regression to the reactant is the reason for the ultraphotostability of indigo over extremely long periods.
Preparations of Triangular Gold Nanoplates by Chemical and Photoreduction Methods
Authors: Takezaki Makoto , Kida Ryosuke , Kato Yuya , Tominaga Toshihiro
Published: October 2009

Triangular gold nanoplates were prepared both by chemical and photoreduction methods. Uniformly sized nanoplates were obtained and their extinction spectra agree with those calculated by discrete dipole approximation with aspect ratios obtained by a transmission electron microscope.
Unique Coordination Mode of Potassium Ions to Glycyrrhizin: X-ray Crystal Structure of Glycyrrhizin Dipotassium Salt
Authors: In Yasuko , Uchida Masaru , Watanabe Masamichi , Aimi Norio , Ishida Toshimasa
Published: October 2009

The coordination of six potassium ions to glycyrrhizin (1) is shown in a crystal: two crystallographically independent (K1 and K2) and four symmetry-translated potassium ions coordinate to the oxygen atoms of the sugar-linkage moiety, and the K1 and K2 ions form seven and six coordination bonds with the neighboring oxygen atoms, respectively. Although three carboxyl groups of 1 are in an anionic state, two of the glycosides participate in the coordination bonds with the potassium ions.
New Lecithin Organogels with Sugars of RNA and DNA
Authors: Hashizaki Kaname , Taguchi Hiroyuki , Saito Yoshihiro
Published: October 2009

We report a new method for forming lecithin organogels that consist of reverse worm-like micelles. This method utilizes trace amounts of d-ribose or 2-deoxy-d-ribose in combination with lecithin and a nonpolar organic solvent.
Ion Transport across a Bilayer Lipid Membrane in the Presence of Hydrophobic Ions
Authors: Shirai Osamu , Ozaki Shunsuke , Onishi Jun , Kozai Naofumi , Ohnuki Toshihiko , Kano Kenji
Published: October 2009

Potential-controlled electrolysis was performed between two aqueous phases containing 0.1 M NaCl across a bilayer lipid membrane (BLM) in the presence of dipicrylaminate (DPA−). By use of radioisotope (22Na), it has been confirmed that Na+ is transported mainly and that DPA− serves as a carrier of Na+ transport.
Synthesis and Carrier Transport Properties of Triarylamine-based Amorphous Polymers for Organic Field-effect Transistors
Authors: Yasuda Takeshi , Suzuki Takao , Takahashi Mitsuru , Tsutsui Tetsuo
Published: October 2009

Twenty-three kinds of triarylamine-based polymers, which are a new class of p-type semiconducting materials for organic field-effect transistors (OFETs), were synthesized by Pd-catalyzed amination of the corresponding aryldihalide and arylamine. All triarylamine-based polymers in this study exhibited p-channel behavior in OFETs, and field-effect hole mobilities ranged from 10−6 to 10−3 cm2 V−1 s−1.
Fluorescent Two-photon Absorption Benzothiadiazole Dyes Having Photoreleasing Quenchers
Authors: Ishi-i Tsutomu , Nakamura Nami , Mine Tomonori , Imamura Satoru , Shigeiwa Motoyuki , Gorohmaru Hideki , Maeda Shuuichi
Published: October 2009

Fluorescent two-photon absorption benzothiadiazole dye 5 provides significant fluorescence quenching by introducing nitrobenzene quencher moieties. The florescence intensity is recovered by photoreleasing of the quencher moieties upon irradiation.
Enhanced Faraday Effect in Magnetic Opal of Spherical Silica Particles
Authors: Sogoshi Norihito , Kobayashi Kazushi , Kosaka Masashi , Katano Susumu , Nakabayashi Seiichiro
Published: October 2009

The Faraday effect of magnetic opal films is studied at the visible wavelength slightly detuned from the Bragg diffraction wavelength. At this wavelength, we can expect the reduced group velocity of light and the enhancement of the Faraday rotation. The magnetic opal was self-assembled from a suspension of magnetic-core/silica-shell spherical particles onto glass substrates using vertical deposition. Despite of the structural disorder in the thick opal film, the optical rotation was enhanced 70 times over that of the structure less bulk at 10 T. The thin film with the highest structural quality shows an enhancement factor of 175. Thus, structure-induced enhancement was explicitly demonstrated.
Design and Synthesis of Thalidomide–Deoxyribonucleoside Chimeras
Authors: Suzuki Shigeru , Yamamoto Takeshi , Tokunaga Etsuko , Nakamura Shuichi , Tanaka Motohiro , Sasaki Takuma , Shibata Norio
Published: October 2009

Novel thalidomide–deoxyribonucleoside chimeras have been synthesized as potentially safe, thalidomide-based antitumour agents.
A Chemically Amplified, Negative-type Photosensitive Poly(phenylene ether ketone) (PEK) Resist Based on Ketal-protected PEK and a Photoacid Generator
Authors: Saito Yuta , Matsumoto Kazuya , Higashihara Tomoya , Ueda Mitsuru
Published: October 2009

A novel chemically amplified photosensitive poly(phenylene ether ketone) (PEK) based on ketal-protected PEK as a precursor polymer and diphenylidonium 9,10-dimethoxyanthracene-2-sulfonate (DIAS) as a PAG has been developed to remedy warpage of thinner silicon wafers. This resist does not require high thermal treatment after development. The 8-μm negative pattern was obtained on 1.5-μm thick film consisting of ketal-protected PEK (90 wt %) and DIAS (10 wt %).
Comparing Interval Breast Cancer Rates in Norway and North Carolina: Results and Challenges
Authors: Hofvind Solveig , Yankaskas Bonnie C , Bulliard Jean-Luc , Klabunde Carrie N , Fracheboud Jacques
Published: October 2009

Objective

To compare interval breast cancer rates (ICR) between a biennial organized screening programme in Norway and annual opportunistic screening in North Carolina (NC) for different conceptualizations of interval cancer.

Setting

Two regions with different screening practices and performance.

Methods

620,145 subsequent screens (1996–2002) performed in women aged 50–69 and 1280 interval cancers were analysed. Various definitions and quantification methods for interval cancers were compared.

Results

ICR for one year follow-up were lower in Norway compared with NC both when the rate was based on all screens (0.54 versus 1.29 per 1000 screens), negative final assessments (0.54 versus 1.29 per 1000 screens), and negative screening assessments (0.53 versus 1.28 per 1000 screens). The rate of ductal carcinoma in situ was significantly lower in Norway than in NC for cases diagnosed in both the first and second year after screening. The distributions of histopathological tumour size and lymph node involvement in invasive cases did not differ between the two regions for interval cancers diagnosed during the first year after screening. In contrast, in the second year after screening, tumour characteristics remained stable in Norway but became prognostically more favorable in NC.

Conclusion

Even when applying a common set of definitions of interval cancer, the ICR was lower in Norway than in NC. Different definitions of interval cancer did not influence the ICR within Norway or NC. Organization of screening and screening performance might be major contributors to the differences in ICR between Norway and NC.
Carotid Ultrasound Screening for Coronary Heart Disease: Results Based on a meta-analysis of 18 Studies and 44,861 Subjects
Authors: Wald David S , Bestwick Jonathan P
Published: October 2009

Background

Carotid artery ultrasound is a possible screening test for future coronary heart disease (CHD) events to select individuals for preventive treatment.

Objectives

To assess the screening performance of carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT) and carotid plaque in the identification of individuals with CHD.

Methods

meta-analysis of case-control and cohort studies, reporting carotid IMT or plaque in individuals with and without CHD. Screening performance (detection rates [DRs] for specified false-positive rates [FPRs]) was assessed from the relative Gaussian distributions of IMT among individuals with and without CHD and from the proportion of affected and unaffected individuals with plaque.

Results

Eighteen studies, involving 2920 individuals with CHD (mean age range 46–73 years) and 41,941 without (aged 44–73 years) were included in the meta-analysis. For plaque the DR was 62% for an FPR of 30%; likelihood ratio (2.1 [95% CI 1.6–2.4]). For IMT, the DR was 65% for the same 30% FPR (IMT cut-off ≥0.82 mm); likelihood ratio 2.2 (1.9–2.5). The results were similar in case-control and cohort studies.

Conclusion

Neither carotid plaque nor IMT has a CHD screening performance that is sufficiently discriminatory between affected and unaffected individuals to be a worthwhile screening test.
Combining Carotid Intima-media Thickness with Carotid Plaque on Screening for Coronary Heart Disease
Authors: Wald David S , Bestwick Jonathan P , Morton Geraint , Drummond Linda , Jenkins Nick , Khodabakhsh Pouran , Curzen Nick P
Published: October 2009

Background

Ultrasound-detected carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT) and carotid plaque are possible screening tests for coronary heart disease (CHD) among asymptomatic individuals.

Objective

To assess the increase in screening performance of combining carotid IMT and plaque compared with each measurement alone in the identification of individuals with CHD.

Methods

Ultrasound examination of left and right carotid arteries was performed on 100 individuals (median age 57), 55 with a history of CHD (unstable angina or myocardial infarction) and 45 without. IMT measurements were taken from the common carotid artery and plaque was identified above, at and below the carotid bifurcation. Associations between IMT and plaque were determined using logistic regression, and screening performance was assessed from the distributions of IMT and plaque among cases and controls.

Results

At a false-positive rate of 5%, IMT (cut-off >0.75 mm) identified 30% (95% CI 14–58) of affected individuals. There was an increase in the detection rate of 8 percentage points (1–33%) using IMT and plaque combined compared with IMT alone. As the false-positive increased, the difference in the detection rate increased, up to a maximum of 20 percentage points (5–38%) at a false-positive rate of 20%. The comparison of IMT and plaque combined with plaque alone could only be estimated for the false-positive rate observed using plaque alone (18%); at this point the detection rate was 72% for plaque and 75% for plaque and IMT combined, an increase of 3 percentage points (0–4%).

Conclusion

In screening for CHD, combining carotid IMT measurement with plaque assessment is better than using either measurement alone, but the improvement in discrimination is not sufficient to make carotid ultrasound screening for CHD worthwhile.
The Psychological Impact of Being Offered Surveillance Colonoscopy following Attendance at Colorectal Screening Using Flexible Sigmoidoscopy
Authors: Miles Anne , Atkin Wendy S , Kralj-Hans Ines , Wardle Jane
Published: October 2009

Objectives

To examine the psychological impact of being assigned to colonoscopic surveillance following detection of adenomatous polyps at flexible sigmoidoscopy (FS) screening.

Setting

Participants invited for screening in 12 of the 14 study centres in the UK FS Trial.

Methods

A postal survey following FS screening assessed bowel cancer worry, psychological distress, generalized anxiety, bowel symptoms, general practitioner (GP) visits, positive emotional consequences of screening, and reassurance among people with no polyps ( n = 26,573), lower-risk polyps removed at FS ( n = 7401) and higher-risk polyps who underwent colonoscopy and were either assigned to colonoscopic surveillance ( n = 1543) or discharged ( n = 183). A sub-sample ( n = 6389) also completed a questionnaire prior to screening attendance that measured bowel cancer worry, generalized anxiety, bowel symptoms and GP visits, making it possible to examine longitudinal changes in this group.

Results

People offered surveillance reported lower psychological distress and anxiety than those with either no polyps or lower-risk polyps. The surveillance group also reported more positive emotional benefits of screening than the other outcome groups. Post-screening bowel cancer worry and bowel symptoms were higher in people assigned to surveillance, but both declined over time, reaching levels observed in either one or both of the other two groups found to have polyps, suggesting these results were a consequence of polyp detection rather than surveillance per se. Few differences were observed between the group assigned surveillance and the group discharged following colonoscopy.

Conclusion

The results of the current study are broadly reassuring and indicate that referral for colonoscopic surveillance is not associated with adverse psychological consequences.
Ductus Venosus Pulsatility Index as an Antenatal Screening Marker for Down'S Syndrome: Use with the Combined and Integrated Tests
Authors: Borrell A , Borobio V , Bestwick J P , Wald N J
Published: October 2009

Objectives

To assess the value of ductus venosus blood flow (expressed as pulsatility index, DVPI) in antenatal Down's syndrome screening when used with the Combined and Integrated tests.

Methods

DVPI measurements between 10 and 13 weeks’ gestation in 66 Down's syndrome and 7184 unaffected pregnancies were collected from women attending the Hospital Clinic, Barcelona, for antenatal care from 1999 to 2007 and combined with the Serum Urine and Ultrasound Screening Study (SURUSS) data to model screening performance, safety and cost-effectiveness of the screening tests with and without DVPI.

Results

The median DVPI multiple of the normal median in Down's syndrome pregnancies was 1.55 (95% CI 1.36–1.73). As a single screening marker without using maternal age, DVPI has a 62% detection rate for a 5% false-positive rate. At a 90% detection rate (first trimester measurements at 11 weeks’ gestation) the addition of DVPI reduced the false-positive rate of the Combined test from 8.5% to 4.6% and the Integrated test from 2.0% to 1.1%, with a corresponding reduction in fetal losses from diagnostic procedures. There was no material loss of cost-effectiveness.

Conclusion

Addition of DVPI measurements to the Combined and Integrated tests substantially improves the efficacy and safety of antenatal Down's syndrome screening.