bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Toll-Like Receptor 4 Activation in Microvascular Endothelial Cells Triggers a Robust Inflammatory Response and Cross Talk With Mononuclear Cells via Interleukin-6
Authors: Lu Zhongyang , Li Yanchun , Jin Junfei , Zhang Xiaoming , Lopes-Virella Maria F. , Huang Yan
Published: May 2012

Objective—

It is known that toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) plays an important role in atherosclerosis. Because both microvascular (MIC) and macrovascular (MAC) endothelial cells (ECs) are present in atherosclerotic lesions, the present study compared TLR4-triggered inflammatory response and cross talk with mononuclear cells between MIC and MAC ECs.

Methods and Results—

ELISA, real-time polymerase chain reaction, and gene expression profiling showed that TLR4 activation by lipopolysaccharide stimulated a much higher expression of inflammatory genes including cytokines, chemokines, growth factors, and adhesion molecules in MIC ECs than MAC ECs. Furthermore, coculture studies showed that TLR4 activation in MIC ECs, but not MAC ECs, induced a cross talk with U937 mononuclear cells through MIC EC-released interleukin-6 to upregulate matrix metalloproteinase-1 expression in U937 cells. To explore molecular mechanisms underlying the different responses to TLR4 activation between MIC and MAC ECs, we showed that MIC ECs had a higher expression of TLR4 and CD14 and a higher TLR4-mediated nuclear factor-kappaB activity than MAC ECs.

Conclusion—

The present study showed that TLR4 activation triggers a more robust inflammatory response in MIC ECs than MAC ECs. Given the importance of inflammatory cytokines and matrix metalloproteinases in plaque rupture, MIC ECs may play a key role in plaque destabilization through a TLR4-dependent mechanism.
The Qualifications and Classroom Performance of Teachers Moving to Charter Schools
Authors: Carruthers Celeste K.
Published: May 2012

Do charter schools draw good teachers from traditional, mainstream public schools? Using a thirteen-year panel of North Carolina public schoolteachers, I find that less qualified and less effective teachers move to charter schools, particularly if they move to urban schools, low-performing schools, or schools with higher shares of nonwhite students. It is unclear whether these findings reflect lower demand for teachers’ credentials and value added or resource constraints unique to charter schools, but the inability to recruit teachers who are at least as effective as those in traditional public schools will likely hinder charter student achievement.
The Medium-Run Effects of Florida’s Test-Based Promotion Policy
Authors: Winters Marcus A. , Greene Jay P.
Published: May 2012

We use a regression discontinuity strategy to produce causal estimates for the effect of remediation under Florida’s test-based promotion policy on multiple outcomes for up to five years after the intervention. Students subjected to the policy were retained in the third grade, were required to be assigned to a high-quality teacher during the retained year, and were required to attend summer school. Exposure to these interventions has a statistically significant and substantial positive effect on student achievement in math, reading, and science in the years immediately following the treatment. But the effect of the treatment dissipates over time. Nonetheless, we find that the effect of remediation under the policy on academic achievement is statistically significant and of a meaningful magnitude several years after the student is exposed to the intervention. Though we cannot completely separate the differential effects of the treatments attached to the policy, we provide some evidence that assignment to a higher-quality teacher in the retained year is not the primary driver of the policy’s effect.
Efficiency-Based Funding for Public Four-Year Colleges and Universities
Authors: Sexton Thomas R. , Comunale Christie L. , Gara Stephen C.
Published: May 2012

We propose an efficiency-based mechanism for state funding of public colleges and universities using data envelopment analysis. We describe the philosophy and the mathematics that underlie the approach and apply\break the proposed model to data from 362 U.S. public four-year colleges and universities. The model provides incentives to institution administrators to eliminate wasteful spending and increase positive outcomes while maintaining educational quality and research productivity. The institutions in our study spent $96.74 billion, and states would reimburse $88.02 billion. Thus efficiency-based funding would reduce state government expenditures on these institutions by $8.72 billion, or approximately 9.0 percent. Efficiency-based funding is politically viable, as demonstrated by North Carolina’s successful use of this approach in pupil transportation operations since 1994. The model will be of interest to state legislators, state education officials, and others who are concerned with funding formulas for institutions of higher education.
Policy Evaluation versus Explanation of Outcomes in Education: That Is, Is It the Teachers? Is It the Parents?
Authors: Startz Richard
Published: May 2012

Education reform advocates who base policy decisions on empirical research often face the argument that because background variables explain so much of student outcomes, it follows that policy interventions cannot be effective. This policy brief explains the logical fallacy in the argument, illustrating with two examples, one taken from the teacher quality literature and one taken from the class size literature.
Geographic Variability of Childhood Food Allergy in the United States
Authors: Gupta Ruchi S. , Springston Elizabeth E. , Smith Bridget , Warrier Manoj R. , Pongracic Jacqueline , Holl Jane L.
Published: May 2012

Objective

The aim of this study was to describe the distribution of childhood food allergy in the United States.

Methods

A randomized survey was administered electronically from June 2009 to February 2010 to adults in US households with at least 1 child younger than 18 years. Data were analyzed as weighted proportions to estimate prevalence and severity of food allergy by geographic location. Multiple logistic regression models were constructed to estimate the association between geographic location and food allergy.

Results

Data were analyzed for 38 465 children. Increasing population density corresponded with increasing prevalence, from 6.2% in rural areas (95% confidence interval [CI] = 5.6-6.8) to 9.8% in urban centers (95% CI = 8.6-11.0). Odds of food allergy were graded, with odds in urban versus rural areas highest (odds ratio [OR] = 1.7, 95% CI = 1.5-2.0), followed by metropolitan versus rural areas (OR = 1.4, 95% CI = 1.2-1.5), and so on. Significance remained after adjusting for race/ethnicity, gender, age, household income, and latitude.

Conclusions

An association between urban/rural status and food allergy prevalence was observed.
Therapist Use of Client Strengths
Authors: Scheel Michael J. , Davis Chelsi Klentz , Henderson Justin D.
Published: May 2012

Gelso and Woodhouse highlight a lack of empirical efforts to bring a core identity of counseling psychology, the use of client strengths, into therapy. Additionally, the positive psychology movement is devoid of a system of positive therapeutic processes designed to help clients toward optimal human functioning. This investigation sought to explicitly identify positive processes thought to regularly occur in mainstream therapies by interviewing therapists. Interviews produced 266 significant statements leading to five themes: (a) amplification of strengths, (b) contextual considerations, (c) strength-oriented processes, (d) strength-oriented outcomes, and (e) positive meaning-making. Therapists reported using client strengths to broaden client perspectives and create hope and motivation, to create positive meanings through reframing and metaphors, to identify strengths through the interpersonal therapeutic process, to match client contexts through strengths, and to amplify strengths through encouragement and exception finding. Identified themes are recommended as a taxonomy of positive processes for future research.
Navigating Between a Rock and a Hard Place
Authors: Eslinger James C.
Published: May 2012

The educational accountability movement in the United States under No Child Left Behind has negatively affected urban teachers because of high-stakes testing, narrowed curriculum, and scripted pedagogy. Such conditions have led to teacher stress, burnout, and attrition. Missing from the scholarly literature are the ways in which teachers work to overcome these conditions. This article offers a self-study that examines an urban elementary teacher’s journey as he navigated both within and against the structural mandates of No Child Left Behind. Using Anthony Giddens’s theory of structuration, the author elaborates on four key factors—strong teacher preparation, cultivation of caring relationships with students and families, collaboration with other teachers, and development of an informal contract with administration—that ultimately were responsible for his success and well-being.
Item Selection for the Development of Parallel Forms From an IRT-Based Seed Test Using a Sampling and Classification Approach
Authors: Chen Pei-Hua , Chang Hua-Hua , Wu Haiyan
Published: May 2012

Two sampling-and-classification–based procedures were developed for automated test assembly: the Cell Only and the Cell and Cube methods. A simulation study based on a 540-item bank was conducted to compare the performance of the procedures with the performance of a mixed-integer programming (MIP) method for assembling multiple parallel test forms. The study investigated the statistical equivalence of the forms generated by the three test assembly methods (Cell Only, Cell and Cube, and MIP) in terms of test information functions, test characteristic curves, mean square deviations, and practical constraints, such as content balancing and nonoverlap among forms. The results indicated that the 13-point MIP method outperformed the other two methods in terms of the “closeness” test information functions between the reference form and the assembled parallel tests. Regarding test characteristic curves, the Cell Only and Cell and Cube methods yielded more similar test characteristic curves than the MIP method. Constraining test information functions apparently does not guarantee that the assembled forms will yield similar test characteristic curves. Overall, the Cell Only and Cell and Cube methods have the potential to provide results similar to the optimization approach.
‘Not knowing that I donot know and not wanting to know’: Reflections of a white Australian social worker
Authors: Zufferey Carole
Published: May 2012

In this article I critically reflect on how white power and privilege constitutes my personal power and professional experiences as a social work practitioner and social work educator in Australia. I explore my white privilege in the context of the colonization of Australia and social work practice in child protection.
The sum should be greater than its parts: Why comparable social work curricula under the Bologna system?
Authors: Engelberg Elisabeth , Limbach-Reich Arthur , Maus Friedrich , Mayrhofer Hemma
Published: May 2012

The harmonization project of European higher education puts social work practice at risk in some respects, yet presents an opportunity to strengthen the profession. This article argues that social work should capitalize on the so-called Bologna reform by paying closer attention to common features of the different practice traditions throughout Europe. With a comparative studies approach, there is potential to gain greater influence in shaping social work training to measure up to the profession at its core.
Lame Ducks and Coercive Diplomacy
Authors: Haynes Kyle
Published: May 2012

The literature on “audience costs” in International Relations suggests that a democratic leader’s electoral accountability lends him or her a significant advantage in crisis-bargaining situations. But if elections are the primary source of a democratic leader’s accountability, a democracy’s advantage in crisis situations should disappear when its leader is no longer eligible for reelection. Accordingly, this article asks whether “lame-duck” presidents, those who are constitutionally prohibited from reelection, are systematically less effective than their reelectable counterparts in crisis-bargaining situations. Using a data set of all post–World War II militarized interstate disputes initiated by presidential democracies, the author tests several hypotheses regarding lame-duck crisis behavior derived from Fearon’s bargaining model. The findings generally support the audience costs model. Observed patterns of threat reciprocation and crisis hostility are consistent with Fearon’s predictions. Crisis outcomes, however, do not appear to be affected by a democratic leader’s lame-duck status.
The Positive Side of Negative Emotion
Authors: Behrendt Hadar , Ben-Ari Rachel
Published: May 2012

Two studies examined the effects of guilt and shame on coping with situations of interpersonal conflict. The first study used quantitative self-report measures to evaluate the relationship between guilt-proneness and shame-proneness and conflict coping style. The second study content-analyzed participants’ narrative reports of interpersonal conflicts to evaluate the distinguishing characteristics of guilt versus shame, and the causal relationship between state guilt and shame and styles of coping with conflict. Findings highlight the characteristics of guilt and shame that may explain their differential influence on coping. Theoretical contributions and applications for conflict resolution and mediation are discussed.
An Analysis of Noun Definition in Cantonese
Authors: To Carol Kit Sum , Stokes Stephanie , Man Yonnie , T’sou Benjamin
Published: May 2012

This study investigated the noun definitions given by Cantonese speakers at different ages. Definitional responses on six concrete nouns from 1075 children aged 4;10 to 12;01 and 15 adults were analyzed with reference to the semantic content and the syntactic form. Results showed that conventional definitions produced by Cantonese adult speakers were realized with specific superordinates and more perceptual than functional attributes. The content was carried by a syntactic frame, “NP1 is NP2”, where relative clause was not the predominant form of NP2 as in the English definition forms. Core attributes signifying the defining properties increased significantly with age while non-core attributes were observed relatively evenly throughout all groups. Preschoolers tended to drop the sentential-subject (i.e., NP1) and the copula is, and produce more functional than perceptual attributes. By Primary-2 (P2) (about 7;0), the taxonomic relation was coded with the frame of “NP1 is NP2”. Beginning at P4 (about 9;0), children included a superordinate but the specificity of the adult-like superordinate was not achieved even by P6 (about 11;0). In general, developmental trends accorded with the trends observed in other languages, but typological features played a role in framing the development of the syntactic form.
Can Online Courses Deliver In-class Results?
Authors: Driscoll Adam , Jicha Karl , Hunt Andrea N. , Tichavsky Lisa , Thompson Gretchen
Published: May 2012

This study uses a quasi-experimental design to assess differences in student performance and satisfaction across online and face-to-face (F2F) classroom settings. Data were collected from 368 students enrolled in three online and three F2F sections of an introductory-level sociology course. The instructor, course materials, and assessments were consistent between the two delivery formats. The investigators compare student satisfaction and student performance on midterm exams and an integrating data analysis assignment. Ordinary least squares regression is used to evaluate the effect of the different course settings, independent of a number of demographic and control variables. Results indicate that differences in student performance between the two settings may be accounted for by the presence of a selection effect and that student satisfaction does not significantly differ across the two settings. These findings are interpreted to mean that when online courses are designed using pedagogically sound practices, they may provide equally effective learning environments.
Three Strategies for Teaching Research Methods
Authors: Pfeffer Carla A. , Rogalin Christabel L.
Published: May 2012

The authors provide a brief case study of a three-strategy approach for teaching undergraduate research methods that (1) incorporates active learning assignments and discussion-based learning, (2) integrates a cross-discipline and cross-method faculty guest discussion facilitators series, and (3) focuses on the challenges and rewards of conducting research. The authors propose that opportunities for faculty teaching and research collaborations may result from the implementation of these strategies in the context of dwindling institutional resources and increasing professional demands. Finally, the authors consider how involving students in active learning projects focusing on research, and encouraging more open and honest dialogue about the challenges, struggles, and failures faculty members experience when conducting their own research, generates a reciprocal learning environment that is enriching for both students and faculty members.
Forgiveness in the United States and China
Authors: Merolla Andy J. , Zhang Shuangyue , Sun Shaojing
Published: May 2012

To better understand how culture influences the interpersonal forgiveness process, this study examined forgiveness communication in United States and Chinese relationships. Four key forgiveness antecedents—social harmony, empathy, apology, and blame—were examined as predictors of forgiveness communication. Social harmony, counter to predictions, positively predicted direct, rather than indirect, forgiveness in Chinese relationships. Empathy, expected to be a robust predictor of forgiveness communication across cultures, was not a good predictor in either. Instead, the best predictors of forgiveness communication were offender apology and, to a lesser extent, blame. In both cultures, apology positively predicted direct and conditional forgiveness and negatively predicted nonexpression, while blame positively predicted conditional forgiveness. In both cultures, moreover, direct forgiveness negatively, and nonexpression positively, predicted relational damage. These results suggest direct forgiveness is an important component of relational repair in individualistic and collectivistic contexts. Conditional forgiveness, though unrelated to relational damage, positively predicted ongoing negative affect in Chinese and United States relationships.
Empowered by Persuasive Deception
Authors: Dunbar Norah E. , Jensen Matthew L. , Bessarabova Elena , Burgoon Judee K. , Bernard Daniel Rex , Harrison Kylie J. , Kelley Katherine M. , Adame Bradley J. , Eckstein Jacqueline M.
Published: May 2012

This paper examines how power differences and deception jointly influence interactional dominance, credibility, and the outcomes of decision-making. Two theories, interpersonal deception theory and dyadic power theory, were merged to produce hypotheses about the effects of power and deception. A 3 (power: unequal-high, unequal-low, equal) × 3 (deception: truth-truth, truthful with deceptive partner, deceptive with truthful partner) experiment ( N = 120) was conducted in which participants were asked to make a series of mock hiring decisions. Actor-partner analyses revealed that participants in the deception condition reported a significant increase in perceptions of their own power whereas their truthful partners reported a significant decrease in perceptions of their own power. Further, interactional dominance fostered credibility and goal attainment (i.e., making the best hiring decision in the truthful condition and hiring a friend in the deceptive condition) for both truth-tellers and deceivers.
Ambidexterity and Survival in Corporate Venture Units
Authors: Hill Susan A. , Birkinshaw Julian
Published: May 2012

Corporate venture (CV) units constitute vehicles through which firms may act ambidextrously, thereby increasing their longevity, but they suffer from a high failure rate. The authors examine why and how some CV units last significantly longer than others. They argue that CV units endure by developing an ambidextrous orientation themselves—they build new capabilities for the parent firm while simultaneously leveraging its existing strengths. They argue that CV units become ambidextrous by nurturing a supportive relational context, defined by the strength of their relationships with three different sets of actors—parent firm executives, business unit managers, and members of the venture capital community. Using primary data collected from 95 CV units over a three-year period, the authors test and find support for these arguments.
Preservation of Viscoelastic Properties of Rabbit Vocal Folds after Implantation of Hyaluronic Acid‐Based Biomaterials
Authors: Choi Jeong‐Seok , Kim Nahn Ju , Klemuk Sarah , Jang Yun Ho , Park In Suh , Ahn Kyung Hyun , Lim Jae‐Yol , Kim Young‐Mo
Published: May 2012

Objectives

To compare the rheological characteristics of structurally different hyaluronic acid (HA)‐based biomaterials that are presently used for phonosurgery and to investigate their influence on the viscoelastic properties of vocal folds after implantation in an in vivo rabbit model.

Study Design

In vitro and in vivo rheometric investigation.

Setting

Experimental laboratory, Inha and Seoul National Universities.

Methods

Viscoelastic shear properties of 3 HA‐based biomaterials (Rofilan, Restylane, and Reviderm) were measured with a strain‐controlled rheometer. These biomaterials were injected into the deep layers of rabbit vocal folds, and viscoelastic moduli of the injected vocal folds were determined 2 months after the injection. The vocal fold specimens were observed using a light microscope and a transmission electron microscope.

Results

All HA‐based biomaterials showed similar levels of shear viscosity, which were slightly higher than that of human vocal folds reported in previous studies. Compared with noninjected control vocal folds, there were no significant differences in the magnitudes of both elastic shear modulus (G’) and viscous modulus (G”) of injected vocal folds among all of the materials. Light microscopic images showed that all materials were observed in the deep layers of vocal folds and electron scanning images revealed that injected HA particles were homogeneously distributed in regions of collagenous fibers.

Conclusion

HA‐based biomaterials could preserve the viscoelastic properties of the vocal folds, when they were injected into vocal folds in an in vivo rabbit model. However, further studies on the influence of the biomaterials on the viscoelasticity of human vocal folds in ECM surroundings are still needed.
How Good Is Google?
Authors: Pusz Max D. , Brietzke Scott E.
Published: May 2012

Objective

To assess the quality of the information a patient (parent) may encounter using a Google search for typical otolaryngology ailments.

Study Design

Cross‐sectional study.

Setting

Tertiary care center.

Methods

A Google keyword search was performed for 10 common otolaryngology problems including ear infection, hearing loss, tonsillitis, and so on. The top 10 search results for each were critically examined using the 16‐item (1‐5 scale) standardized DISCERN instrument. The DISCERN instrument was developed to assess the quality and comprehensiveness of patient treatment choice literature.

Results

A total of 100 Web sites were assessed. Of these, 19 (19%) were primarily advertisements for products and were excluded from DISCERN scoring. Searches for more typically chronic otolaryngic problems (eg, tinnitus, sleep apnea, etc) resulted in more biased, advertisement‐type results than those for typically acute problems (eg, ear infection, sinus infection, P =. 03). The search for “sleep apnea treatment” produced the highest scoring results (mean overall DISCERN score = 3.49, range = 1.81‐4.56), and the search for “hoarseness treatment” produced the lowest scores (mean = 2.49, range = 1.56‐3.56). Results from major comprehensive Web sites (WebMD, EMedicinehealth.com, Wikipedia, etc.) scored higher than other Web sites (mean DISCERN score = 3.46 vs 2.48, P <. 001).

Conclusion

There is marked variability in the quality of Web site information for the treatment of common otolaryngologic problems. Searches on more chronic problems resulted in a higher proportion of biased advertisement Web sites. Larger, comprehensive Web sites generally provided better information but were less than perfect in presenting complete information on treatment options.
Audiovestibular Dysfunction Associated with Adoptive Cell Immunotherapy for Melanoma
Authors: Seaman Bradley J. , Guardiani Elizabeth A. , Brewer Carmen C. , Zalewski Christopher K. , King Kelly A. , Rudy Susan , Van Waes Carter , Morgan Richard A. , Dudley Mark E. , Yang James C. , Rosenberg Steven A. , Kim H. Jeffrey
Published: May 2012

Objective

To understand the audiologic and vestibular toxicities associated with adoptive cell immunotherapy (ACI) targeting pigment‐pathway antigens on melanoma and to investigate the use of intratympanic steroid injections in the treatment of these toxicities.

Study Design

Prospective nonrandomized study.

Setting

Tertiary clinical research center.

Methods

Thirty‐two patients with progressive metastatic melanoma who failed conventional therapy underwent ACI with T cells genetically modified to target MART‐1 (n = 18) or gp100 (n = 14). All patients received serial audiometric testing. Vestibular testing was performed on patients with vestibular complaints. Patients with significant deficits received intratympanic steroid injections.

Results

Of 32 patients, 15 had no hearing change, 9 had mild hearing loss, and 8 had moderate hearing loss following treatment. Ten patients received intratympanic steroid injections for mild (n = 2) or moderate (n = 7) hearing loss or for significant imbalance (n = 1). Of those with mild hearing loss (n = 9), all but 1 recovered to pretreatment hearing levels. Four of 8 patients with moderate hearing loss recovered to baseline hearing levels, and 4 had partial recovery. All 7 patients with posttreatment vestibular complaints had demonstrable vestibular dysfunction. Three of these patients demonstrated recovery to normal vestibular function. The number of modified T cells infused for therapy correlated with the degree of audiovestibular deficit.

Conclusion

Adoptive cell immunotherapy targeting pigment‐pathway cell proteins, a novel therapy for melanoma, can induce hearing loss and vestibular dysfunction. The presumed mechanism of autoimmune attack on normal melanocytes in the cochlear stria vascularis and in the vestibular organs demonstrates the importance of melanocytes in normal inner ear function.
Regrets, I’ve had a few
Authors: Schoemann Alexander M. , Gillath Omri , Sesko Amanda K.
Published: May 2012

Despite extensive research on regret, relatively little is known about the underlying mechanisms of regret within close relationships. Attachment theory provides a theoretical framework to study regret within close relationships. Specifically, anxiously attached people tend to have negative views of themselves and their past acts, which is likely to result in a higher tendency to experience regret. Attachment security is likely to attenuate this tendency. Two studies provide support for these claims. Study 1 used a correlational design and showed that attachment anxiety is positively associated with the tendency to feel regret within close relationships but not with regrets in other domains. Study 2 used an experimental design and showed that reducing attachment anxiety via attachment security enhancement reduces the tendency to feel regret mainly for participants high in attachment anxiety.
The time allocation to children by parents in Europe
Authors: Gauthier Anne H , DeGusti Berenice
Published: May 2012

This article examines cross-national differences in the time parents allocate to their children using aggregate data from 15 countries collected as part of the Harmonized European Time Use Survey (HETUS). The analysis is restricted to married or cohabiting parents with at least one child under the age of seven. Results show large differences between countries; differences which appear to be associated with four main national characteristics: the countries’ level of economic development, the number of hours spent in paid work, values regarding gender roles, and post-materialist values. Some elements of the countries’ work–family policies also appear to matter but their overall effect is less conclusive.
Who or what do we care about in the 21st century?
Authors: Mukta Parita
Published: May 2012

The article explores the importance of Richard Titmuss’s 1970 book, The Gift Relationship. It analyses the substance of the gift relationship, and its steady erosion through the embrace of neoliberalism globally, by seeing how the ‘gift of life’ has become a ‘theft of life’ through the work of Nancy Scheper-Hughes. It sets out the importance of redistribution and recognition to the study of sociology, outlines the lacuna in Honneth and Fraser, and argues that the preciousness of the gift relationship can only be kept alive by scrupulous attention to social structures that nurture this; and by rejecting the death-fetish that is implicitly and explicitly present in scholarship that explores death as resistance (Mbembe). The article calls for an end to the romance with death, and for the work of mourning to be undertaken, without which there can be no going forward into the futures we wish to create.
Withdrawal and psychological sequelae, and patient satisfaction associated with subcutaneous flumazenil infusion for the management of benzodiazepine withdrawal: a case series
Authors: Hulse Gary , O’Neil George , Morris Noella , Bennett Kellie , Norman Amanda , Hood Sean
Published: May 2012

Our group and others internationally have previously reported data on the use of low-dose flumazenil administered intravenously for the management of benzodiazepine withdrawal. This paper describes the first reported use of subcutaneous flumazenil infusion in the management of acute benzodiazepine withdrawal. Self-reported withdrawal symptoms and psychological state and anxiety sequelae were collected at baseline and then at intervals to 5 days following initiation of subcutaneous flumazenil infusion. Data indicate that patient subjective benzodiazepine withdrawal symptoms were well managed, with significant reduction in psychological distress seen over the duration of treatment. Perceived difficulty in performing everyday functions was positively correlated with withdrawal severity and improved over treatment. Patients reported high treatment comfort, willingness to undertake a future subsequent treatment using this technique, and willingness to recommend this treatment to a friend. This small proof-of-concept study indicates that subcutaneous flumazenil infusion has excellent tolerability, efficacy and improvement on measures of psychological distress. Given this technique is less invasive and requires fewer staff resources compared with intravenous administration, it may prove a significant asset in the management of benzodiazepine withdrawal.
Does olanzapine inhibit the psychomimetic effects of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol?
Authors: Kleinloog Daniël , Liem-Moolenaar Marieke , Jacobs Gabriël , Klaassen Erica , de Kam Marieke , Hijman Ron , van Gerven Joop
Published: May 2012

Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) produces transient psychomimetic effects in healthy volunteers, constituting a pharmacological model for psychosis. The dopaminergic antagonist haloperidol has previously been shown to reduce these effects. This placebo-controlled, cross-over study in 49 healthy, male, mild cannabis users aimed to further explore this model by examining the effect of a single oral dose of olanzapine (with dopaminergic, serotonergic, adrenergic, muscarinergic and histaminergic properties) or two oral doses of diphenhydramine (histamine antagonist) on the effects of intrapulmonarily administered THC. Transient psychomimetic symptoms were seen after THC administration, as measured on the positive and negative syndrome scale (20.6% increase on positive subscale, p<0.001) and the visual analogue scale for psychedelic effects (increase of 10.7 mm on feeling high). Following the combination of THC and olanzapine, the positive subscale increased by only 13.7% and feeling high by only 8.7 mm. This reduction of THC effects on the positive subscale failed to reach statistical significance ( p=0.066). However, one-third of the subjects did not show an increase in psychomimetic symptoms after THC alone. Within responders, olanzapine reduced the effects of THC on the positive subscale ( p=0.005). Other outcome measures included pharmacokinetics, eye movements, postural stability, pupil/iris ratio, and serum concentrations of cortisol and prolactin.
Public Pay Disclosure in State Government
Authors: Bowman James S. , Stevens Kelly A.
Published: May 2012

This qualitative analysis examines state legislation that discloses public employee salary information. It asks, “Is such legislation ethical?” To address this question, an approach—the “ethics triangle”—is used that encompasses results-based utilitarian ethics, rule-based duty ethics, and virtue-based character ethics. The study begins with the importance of the problem, followed by its evolution and current status. After describing the method of study, the article analyzes arguments for and against the ethics of salary disclosure using the ethics triangle. Although there are no easy answers, the Discussion section provides a synthesis of the findings. The concluding section suggests that open compensation systems encourage justifiable salary decisions and help personnel to better understand agency missions and why they earn what they do whereas a closed pay system can compromise the greatest good, duty, and integrity. Yet disclosure requirements applied across the board to all employees, with no distinction regarding the nature of the work or position involved, disregards important factors that deserve consideration. Alternative ways to disclose salary data without revealing individual identities and directions for future research are offered.
Collaborative Public Management
Authors: O’Leary Rosemary , Vij Nidhi
Published: May 2012

This article analyzes the most important issues, concepts, and ideas in collaborative public management research and practice today. The issues, concepts, and ideas are (a) competing definitions of collaboration; (b) changes in the environment of public management that have encouraged the growth of collaborative public management; (c) “thinking DaVinci”—lateral thinking and interdisciplinarity; (d) the management challenges of working in networks; (e) the paradox of balancing autonomy and interdependence; (f) factors to consider before collaborating; (g) the importance of the individual; (h) the shifting leadership challenge; (i) weaknesses in collaborative public management research; and (j) the missing link between theory and practice. The authors conclude that the study and practice of collaborative public management is generally fragmented with low level of consensus. From a research perspective, it is a low-paradigm field. The authors close with a view to the future. To advance the study and practice of collaborative public management the authors urge (a) agreement on definitions of commonly used terms, beginning with the term “collaboration”; (b) agreement on pressing collaborative public management challenges and substantive research and practice questions; (c) more precise theoretical models of behavior; and (d) agreement on the measurement of relevant variables.
Framework for life cycle sustainability assessment of municipal solid waste management systems with an application to a case study in Thailand
Authors: Menikpura SNM , Gheewala Shabbir H , Bonnet Sébastien
Published: May 2012

At present, there are many environmental, economic and social problems associated with poor municipal solid waste (MSW) management in Thailand. The development of sustainable solid waste management systems is a crucial aspect and should be based on an integrated approach. Therefore, an integrated system was designed for Nonthaburi Municipality incorporating recycling, anaerobic digestion, incineration and landfill technologies. In order to assess sustainability, a clear methodology was developed via life cycle thinking and a set of endpoint composite indicators has been proposed considering the most critical ultimate damages/effects of MSW management on the environment, the economy and society. The results showed that the appropriate integration of technologies offers important prospects with regards to socio-economic and environmental aspects, contributing, therefore, to improved sustainability for the overall MSW management system. The methodology and the proposed indicators would be useful in strategic planning, including decision- and policy-making with respect to the development of appropriate sustainable MSW management systems.
The Effects of the Concrete–Representational–Abstract Integration Strategy on the Ability of Students With Learning Disabilities to Multiply Linear Expressions Within Area Problems
Authors: Strickland Tricia K. , Maccini Paula
Published: May 2012

We examined the effects of the Concrete–Representational–Abstract Integration strategy on the ability of secondary students with learning disabilities to multiply linear algebraic expressions embedded within contextualized area problems. A multiple-probe design across three participants was used. Results indicated that the integration of the concrete manipulatives, sketches of manipulatives, and abstract notation with the support of a graphic organizer (i.e., expansion box) was an effective strategy to improve students’ conceptual understanding and procedural fluency of multiplying two linear expressions. Furthermore, participants generalized the algebraic material to novel problem tasks and maintained performance up to 6 weeks following intervention.
The Dual-Factor Model of Mental Health
Authors: Lyons Michael D. , Huebner E. Scott , Hills Kimberly J. , Shinkareva Svetlana V.
Published: May 2012

Consistent with a positive psychology framework, this study examined the contributions of personality, environmental, and perceived social support variables in classifying adolescents using Greenspoon and Saklofske’s Dual-Factor model of mental health. This model incorporates information about positive subjective well-being (SWB), along with psychopathology (PTH), to identify four groups of adolescents: positive mental health (high SWB, low PTH), vulnerable (low SWB, low PTH), symptomatic but content (high SWB, high PTH) and troubled (low SWB, high PTH). Using multinomial logistic regression analyses, adolescents were accurately classified into the four groups above chance. The contribution of the personality, social support, and stressful life events variables differed across the groups. Differences in perceived parent social support statistically significantly differentiated ( p < .05) the vulnerable and troubled groups from the positive mental health group. The experience of stressful life events significantly differentiated the troubled group from the positive mental health group. The personality characteristics of Extraversion and Neuroticism significantly differentiated symptomatic but content and troubled students from the positive mental health group. The study thus identified relatively malleable factors (e.g., parent support) that relate to optimal mental health.
Rawlsian Justice and the Ayers Settlement
Authors: Chambers Crystal Renée
Published: May 2012

In 2004 a near 30-year legal battle over higher education desegregation in Mississippi was settled with the state’s historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) to receive US$503 million over the course of 17 years. Nearly 65% of this funding is directed toward the recruitment and support of White students, with a significant share of endowment funding tied to the attainment and maintenance of 10% non-Black enrollments. To analyze the fairness of this settlement, I use the theoretical framework of justice as fairness and apply the tenets of Rawlsian theory. I find a mismatch between settlement terms and justice as fairness. Thus, as Rawls predicts, while the settlement is final, it fails to bring closure.
Deconstructing neoliberal childhood: Towards a feminist antipsychological approach
Authors: Burman Erica
Published: May 2012

This article analyses child development as text to highlight newly emerging contemporary tropes of northern, normalized childhoods in relation to gender, racialization and familial organization. A recent UK marketing campaign for the washing powder Persil is analysed for the ways it mobilizes discourses of childhood and child rights. This indicates some key consolidations, especially around the configuration of gendered and racialized representations as ushered in through recent modes of psychologization and feminization. Discussion focuses on how text such as this deconstructs the opposition between popular cultural and expert (developmental psychological) knowledges to mediate their mutual elaboration and legitimation. The article ends by reflecting on the consequences of the focus on psychologization and feminization in relation to possible alliances and antagonisms of inter- and cross-disciplinary approaches to childhood, and their contributions to challenging wider development discourses.
A critical appraisal of anti-child trafficking discourse and policy in Southern Benin
Authors: Howard Neil Philip
Published: May 2012

This article offers a critical overview of anti-child trafficking discourse and policy in Southern Benin. The article examines the major trends in interventions pioneered by the dominant institutional actors in the field, and looks at the discursive background against which they are formed. The article contrasts mainstream policy and discourse with the alternative narratives and policy suggestions pertaining at the level of the communities who find themselves targeted by the anti-trafficking establishment. It offers suggestions for the improvement of policy.
Vibration suppression and energy transfer by parametric excitation in drive systems
Authors: Ecker Horst , Pumhössel Thomas
Published: May 2012

Drive systems may experience torsional vibrations due to various kinds of excitation mechanisms. In many engineering systems, however, such vibrations may have a negative impact on the performance and must be avoided or reduced to an acceptable level by all means. Self-excited vibrations are especially unwanted, since they may grow rapidly and not only degrade the performance but even damage machinery. In this contribution it is suggested to employ parametric stiffness excitation to suppress self-excited vibrations. In the first part of the article we study the basic energy transfer mechanism that is initiated by parametric excitation, and some general conclusions are drawn. In the second part, a hypothetic drivetrain, consisting of an electrical motor, a drive shaft and working rolls is investigated. A self-excitation mechanism is assumed to destabilize the drive system. Parametric excitation is introduced via the speed control of the electrical drive, and the capability of stabilizing the system by this measure is investigated. It is shown that the damping available in the system can be used much more effectively if parametric stiffness excitation is employed.
An empirical model for the carbon dioxide emissions of a diesel engine
Authors: Pennycott A , Zhang Q , Brace CJ , Burke RD , Akehurst S
Published: May 2012

Carbon dioxide emissions from vehicles are a particular focus and challenge for automotive designers and manufacturers due to increasingly stringent engine emissions legislation. In addition to the potential environmental impacts, the rate of carbon dioxide production is strongly indicative of the efficiency and therefore fuel economy of an engine at its different operating conditions.

In this paper, a neural network model is developed in order to predict the carbon dioxide production rate from a number of engine variables including engine speed, torque, temperature and parameters controlling fuel injection timing. The model structure accurately predicts the rate of carbon dioxide production and has applications in future efficiency and emissions optimisation during engine design and also in online engine control.
Psychiatric case notes: symptoms of mental illness and their attribution at the Maudsley Hospital, 1924–35
Authors: Jones Edgar , Rahman Shahina , Everitt Brian
Published: May 2012

Case notes of patients treated at the Maudsley Hospital during the interwar period provided data about diagnosis, symptoms and beliefs about mental illness. In the absence of effective treatments, patients were investigated in detail in the hope that connections between disease processes might be revealed. We analysed a randomly-selected sample of 700 patients taken equally from 1924, 1928, 1931 and 1935. Eight groups (three representing psychosis and five indicating psychological disorders) were identified on the basis of symptom clusters. Formal diagnosis did not correlate with clusters. Although there was a measure of agreement between patients and doctors about the cause of mental illness, stigma may have inhibited discussion of some themes. Psychiatric diagnosis was informed by symptoms but not determined by them. In an era before classification systems were tested for reliability, diagnosis was fluid, reflecting changing hypotheses about causation, pathology and treatment. Attributions were associated with diagnosis rather than symptoms.
Psychiatric illness and suicide in the heroic age of Antarctic exploration
Authors: Guly HR
Published: May 2012

During the heroic age of Antarctic exploration, a number of the early explorers developed psychiatric illness either in the Antarctic or shortly after leaving it. Most of these were psychotic illnesses and stress reactions. At least six explorers committed suicide either in the Antarctic or after their return. These cases are described, and possible reasons for the apparent high incidence of psychiatric disease and suicide are discussed. There are also examples of the possible misuse of psychiatric labels.
Victor Kandinsky (1849–89): a pioneer of modern Russian forensic psychiatry
Authors: Lerner Vladimir , Margolin Jacob , Witztum Eliezer
Published: May 2012

The paper describes Victor Kandinsky’s professional achievements within nineteenth-century Russian forensic psychiatry. A thorough review of nineteenth-century Russian psychiatry is presented, followed by a short biographical account of Kandinsky’s personal life. Within the backdrop of Russian forensic psychiatry toward the end of nineteenth century, Kandinsky’s pioneer innovations in psychopathology and classification as well as his contributions to Russian forensic psychiatry are reviewed. These are exemplified by two of his forensic case studies relating to forensic responsibility and malingering, which are included in his famous book ‘On Irresponsibility’.
Recent rhetorical studies in public understanding of science: Multiple purposes and strengths
Authors: Condit Celeste M. , Lynch John , Winderman Emily
Published: May 2012

We review rhetorical studies of the public understanding of science that were published in journals since the last major review in this journal (1994–2011). Our review suggests that a vibrant and increasingly sophisticated body of research 1) has pursued Gross’s (1994) emphasis on contextual studies and studies emphasizing judgment of scientific rhetorics, 2) is producing a growing body of work designed to develop specific strategies for scientific rhetorics, and 3) has produced a host of studies exploring science–public interactions (rather than producing sustained fora for such interactions, as Gross argued for). It has, however, 4) produced only modest independent development of rhetorical theories.