bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Effect of Prolonged and Exclusive Breast-Feeding on Dental Caries in Early School-Age Children
Authors: Kramer M.S. , Vanilovich I. , Matush L. , Bogdanovich N. , Zhang X. , Shishko G. , Muller-Bolla M. , Platt R.W.
Published: September 2007

To study the effects of prolonged and exclusive breast-feeding on dental caries, we followed up children participating in the Promotion of Breastfeeding Intervention Trial (PROBIT), a cluster-randomized trial of a breast-feeding promotion intervention based on the WHO/UNICEF Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative. A total of 17,046 healthy, mother-infant breast-feeding pairs were enrolled from 31 Belarussian maternity hospitals and affiliated polyclinics, of whom 13,889 (81.5%) were followed up at 6.5 years. At follow-up, polyclinic pediatricians transcribed the reports of a standard dental examination performed by public health dentists at age 6 years and recorded in the children’s polyclinic charts. Analysis was based on intention to treat, with a statistical model that accounts for clustering within hospitals/clinics to permit inferences at the individual level. The experimental intervention led to a large increase in exclusive breast-feeding at 3 months (43.3 vs. 6.4%, p < 0.001) and a significantly higher prevalence of any breast-feeding at all ages up to and including 12 months. No significant intervention effects were observed on dental caries. Our results, based on the largest randomized trial ever conducted in the area of human lactation, provide no evidence of beneficial or harmful effects of prolonged and exclusive breast-feeding on dental caries at early school age.
Telomere Metabolism and Diagnostic Demonstration of Telomere Measurement in the Human Esophagus for Distinguishing Benign from Malignant Tissue by Tissue Quantitative Fluorescence in situ Hybridization
Authors: Kammori Makoto , Izumiyama Naotaka , Nakamura Ken-ichi , Kurabayashi Rie , Kashio Mitsuhiko , Aida Junko , Poon Steven S.S. , Kaminishi Michio
Published: September 2007

Objective: We have developed a novel method for evaluating telomere length in four different cell types in non-cancerous and cancerous mucosal tissue from 15 cases of squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus using tissue quantitative fluorescence in situ hybridization (Q-FISH). We hypothesized that the very rapid cell proliferation observed in esophageal squamous cell carcinomas might accelerate the telomere shortening and chromosomal instability associated with carcinogenesis. Methods: Tissue Q-FISH and the telomere to centromere intensity ratio (TCR) were used to compare telomere shortening in tissue sections taken from esophageal squamous cell carcinomas and adjacent non-cancerous esophageal tissues. Results: The peak percentage of TCR was <1 for esophageal squamous carcinoma cells and >1 for the non-cancerous esophageal cell types. Basal layer cells had the longest telomeres in comparison with prickle, cancer, and stromal cells, and strongly expressed hTERT, cytokeratin 14 and CD49f, but not MIB-1. Conclusion: These results suggest the presence of stem cells in the basal layer of the esophagus. Esophageal squamous cell carcinomas also display anaphase bridges, evidencing chromosomal instability.In conclusion, our TCR method can be used to distinguish between benign and malignant tissue in esophageal lesions. In order to apply this approach clinically to individual cases, further studies are in progress.
Ecomorphology of Orbit Orientation and the Adaptive Significance of Binocular Vision in Primates and Other Mammals
Authors: Heesy Christopher P.
Published: September 2007

Primates are characterized by forward-facing, or convergent, orbits and associated binocular field overlap. Hypotheses explaining the adaptive significance of these traits often relate to ecological factors, such as arboreality, nocturnal visual predation, or saltatory locomotion in a complex nocturnal, arboreal environment. This study re-examines the ecological factors that are associated with high orbit convergence in mammals. Orbit orientation data were collected for 321 extant taxa from sixteen orders of metatherian (marsupial) and eutherian mammals. These taxa were coded for activity pattern, degree of faunivory, and substrate preference. Results demonstrate that nocturnal and cathemeral mammals have significantly more convergent orbits than diurnal taxa, both within and across orders. Faunivorous eutherians (both nocturnal and diurnal) have higher mean orbit convergence than opportunistically foraging or non-faunivorous taxa. However, substrate preference is not associated with higher orbit convergence and, by extension, greater binocular visual field overlap. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that mammalian predators evolved higher orbit convergence, binocular vision, and stereopsis to counter camouflage in prey inhabiting a nocturnal environment. Strepsirhine primates have a range of orbit convergence values similar to nocturnal or cathemeral predatory non-primate mammals. These data are entirely consistent with the nocturnal visual predation hypothesis of primate origins.
Enzyme INtr, NPr and IIANtr Are Involved in Regulation of the Poly-β-Hydroxybutyrate Biosynthetic Genes in Azotobacter vinelandii
Authors: Noguez Raúl , Segura Daniel , Moreno Soledad , Hernandez Alberto , Juarez Katy , Espín Guadalupe
Published: September 2007

The ptsP, ptsO, and ptsN genes encode Enzyme INtr, NPr, and enzyme IIANtr (IIANtr) proteins of the nitrogen-related phosphotransferase system. These proteins participate in a phosphoryl transfer chain in several bacteria, where IIANtr appears to be the terminal phosphoryl acceptor. Inactivation of the ptsP gene in Azotobacter vinelandii was previously shown to reduce poly-β-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) production. Therefore, the question of a role of the ptsO and ptsN gene products in PHB synthesis was raised. In this work we constructed strains carrying mutations in the ptsO and ptsN genes and tested their effects on PHB accumulation. In the ptsO mutant, PHB accumulation diminished as in the ptsP mutant, while the ptsN mutant accumulated more PHB than the wild-type strain. The negative effects of the ptsP and ptsO mutations on PHB accumulation was suppressed by the ptsN mutation, and a H68A mutation in the phosphorylatable site of IIANtr, impaired PHB accumulation similar to the ptsP mutation. The ptsP and ptsO mutations negatively affected transcription of the phbBAC biosynthetic operon and of the phbR gene coding for a transcriptional activator of phbBAC, whereas the ptsN mutation increased expression of this operon. Taken together our data provide genetic evidence suggesting that the non-phosphorylated form of IIANtr is involved in negative regulation of phbR and phbBAC expression in A. vinelandii.
Coal Tar‐Containing Asphalt Resource or Hazardous Waste?
Authors: Andersson‐Sköld Yvonne , Andersson Karin , Lind Bo , Claesson Anna (Nyström) , Larsson Lennart , Suer Pascal , Jacobson Torbjörn
Published: September 2007

Abstract: Coal tar was used in Sweden for the production of asphalt and for the drenching of stabilization gravel until 1973. The tar has high concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), some of which may be strongly carcinogenic. Approximately 20 million tonnes of tar‐containing asphalt is present in the public roads in Sweden. Used asphalt from rebuilding can be classified as hazardous waste according to the Swedish Waste Act. The cost of treating the material removed as hazardous waste can be very high due to the large amount that has to be treated, and the total environmental benefit is unclear. The transport of used asphalt to landfill or combustion will affect other environmental targets. The present project, based on three case studies of road projects in Sweden, evaluates the consequences of four scenarios for handling the material: reuse, landfill, biological treatment, and incineration. The results show that reuse of the coal tar‐containing materials in new road construction is the most favorable alternative in terms of cost, material use, land use, energy consumption, and air emissions.
Promoting Green Innovation or Prolonging the Existing Technology
Authors: Yarime Masaru
Published: September 2007

Abstract: A case study of the chlor‐alkali industry in Western Europe and Japan is presented examining the effects of environmental regulation on technological change. In Western Europe, standards were set for mercury emissions from chlor‐alkali plants, which were gradually tightened subsequently. Research and development (R&D) efforts were directed to end‐of‐pipe technologies as well as process improvements for reducing mercury emissions, rather than to clean technologies, which eliminate mercury from within the production process. With a significant reduction in mercury emissions with end‐of‐pipe technologies, new plants continued to be built that relied on the mercury process. As long as these relatively new plants could be utilized, technological transition to the clean ion‐exchange membrane process remained slow. The success in reducing mercury emissions with end‐of‐pipe technologies, in effect, helped to prolong the lifetime of the existing mercury process. In Japan, the government introduced policies to phase out the existing mercury process. The strict approach encouraged innovative companies to make R&D efforts on clean technologies, instead of end‐of‐pipe technologies for pollution abatement. Applied in a hasty and inflexible way, however, the stringent regulation initially induced most of the chlor‐alkali producers to choose the diaphragm process, which later turned out to be inappropriate. After the regulatory schedule was modified to allow more time for process conversion, the remaining mercury‐based plants were converted directly to the most efficient ion‐exchange membrane process. The technological transition, however, was costly, as most of the diaphragm‐based plants introduced following the regulatory mandate were operated only for a short period of time, with the large investment wasted.
Enhancing Life‐Cycle Inventories via Reconciliation with the Laws of Thermodynamics
Authors: Hau Jorge L. , Yi Heui‐seok , Bakshi Bhavik R.
Published: September 2007

Abstract:Obtaining reliable results from life‐cycle assessment studies is often quite difficult because life‐cycle inventory (LCI) data are usually erroneous, incomplete, and even physically meaningless. The real data must satisfy the laws of thermodynamics, so the quality of LCI data may be enhanced by adjusting them to satisfy these laws. This is not a new idea, but a formal thermodynamically sound and statistically rigorous approach for accomplishing this task is not yet available. This article proposes such an approach based on methods for data rectification developed in process systems engineering. This approach exploits redundancy in the available data and models and solves a constrained optimization problem to remove random errors and estimate some missing values. The quality of the results and presence of gross errors are determined by statistical tests on the constraints and measurements. The accuracy of the rectified data is strongly dependent on the accuracy and completeness of the available models, which should capture information such as the life‐cycle network, stream compositions, and reactions. Such models are often not provided in LCI databases, so the proposed approach tackles many new challenges that are not encountered in process data rectification. An iterative approach is developed that relies on increasingly detailed information about the life‐cycle processes from the user. A comprehensive application of the method to the chlor‐alkali inventory being compiled by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory demonstrates the benefits and challenges of this approach.
Empirical Master Equations. Part II: Application to Stratospheric QBO, Solar Cycle, and Northern Annular Mode
Authors: Dall’Amico Mauro , Egger Joseph
Published: September 2007

Time series of stratospheric climate variables are used to derive master equations in the discretized phase space spanned by three variables. The empirical master equation (EME) predicts the probability density function (PDF) in this phase space. The numerical properties of EMEs have been investigated in the first part of this paper using synthetic time series. In this part of the paper, the time series consist of normalized and deseasonalized daily and zonally averaged meteorologically relevant quantities obtained from the 40-yr ECMWF Re-Analysis (ERA-40) and observations. One EME reproduces the climatological features of the quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) of stratospheric equatorial zonal wind including the probabilistic character of transitions between phases. Also, the Arctic stratosphere at 10 hPa is about 2 K warmer during the easterly phase of the QBO than during the westerly phase. Another EME including a time series of the solar radio flux at 10.7 cm hints that the relationship between the QBO and the temperature in the Arctic stratosphere is shifted toward warmer (colder) states by about 1 K during periods of high (low) solar activity. Finally, an EME is derived from time series of variables highly correlated with the northern annular mode (NAM). The EME shows that NAM anomalies in the middle stratosphere propagate into the lower stratosphere and then into the lower troposphere with a time scale of about two and four weeks, respectively. The influence of strong tropospheric NAM anomalies is confined to the lower stratosphere.
The Very Stable Boundary Layer on Nights with Weak Low-Level Jets
Authors: Banta Robert M. , Mahrt Larry , Vickers Dean , Sun Jielun , Balsley Ben B. , Pichugina Yelena L. , Williams Eric J.
Published: September 2007

The light-wind, clear-sky, very stable boundary layer (vSBL) is characterized by large values of bulk Richardson number. The light winds produce weak shear, turbulence, and mixing, and resulting strong temperature gradients near the surface. Here five nights with weak-wind, very stable boundary layers during the Cooperative Atmosphere–Surface Exchange Study (CASES-99) are investigated. Although the winds were light and variable near the surface, Doppler lidar profiles of wind speed often indicated persistent profile shapes and magnitudes for periods of an hour or more, sometimes exhibiting jetlike maxima. The near-surface structure of the boundary layer (BL) on the five nights all showed characteristics typical of the vSBL. These characteristics included a shallow traditional BL only 10–30 m deep with weak intermittent turbulence within the strong surface-based radiation inversion. Above this shallow BL sat a layer of very weak turbulence and negligible turbulent mixing. The focus of this paper is on the effects of this quiescent layer just above the shallow BL, and the impacts of this quiescent layer on turbulent transport and numerical modeling. High-frequency time series of temperature T on a 60-m tower showed that 1) the amplitudes of the T fluctuations were dramatically suppressed at levels above 30 m in contrast to the relatively larger intermittent T fluctuations in the shallow BL below, and 2) the temperature at 40- to 60-m height was nearly constant for several hours, indicating that the very cold air near the surface was not being mixed upward to those levels. The presence of this quiescent layer indicates that the atmosphere above the shallow BL was isolated and detached both from the surface and from the shallow BL.

Although some of the nights studied had modestly stronger winds and traveling disturbances (density currents, gravity waves, shear instabilities), these disturbances seemed to pass through the region without having much effect on either the SBL structure or on the atmosphere–surface decoupling. The decoupling suggests that under very stable conditions, the surface-layer lower boundary condition for numerical weather prediction models should act to decouple and isolate the surface from the atmosphere, for example, as a free-slip, thermally insulated layer.

A multiday time series of ozone from an air quality campaign in Tennessee, which exhibited nocturnal behavior typical of polluted air, showed the disappearance of ozone on weak low-level jets (LLJ) nights. This behavior is consistent with the two-stratum structure of the vSBL, and with the nearly complete isolation of the surface and the shallow BL from the rest of the atmosphere above, in contrast to cases with stronger LLJs, where such coupling was stronger.
Numerical Simulations of Forced Shallow-Water Turbulence: Effects of Moist Convection on the Large-Scale Circulation of Jupiter and Saturn
Authors: Showman Adam P.
Published: September 2007

To test the hypothesis that the zonal jets on Jupiter and Saturn result from energy injected by thunderstorms into the cloud layer, forced-dissipative numerical simulations of the shallow-water equations in spherical geometry are presented. The forcing consists of sporadic, isolated circular mass pulses intended to represent thunderstorms; the damping, representing radiation, removes mass evenly from the layer. These results show that the deformation radius provides strong control over the behavior. At deformation radii <2000 km (0.03 Jupiter radii), the simulations produce broad jets near the equator, but regions poleward of 15°–30° latitude instead become dominated by vortices. However, simulations at deformation radii >4000 km (0.06 Jupiter radii) become dominated by barotropically stable zonal jets with only weak vortices. The lack of midlatitude jets at a small deformation radii results from the suppression of the beta effect by column stretching; this effect has been previously documented in the quasigeostrophic system but never before in the full shallow-water system. In agreement with decaying shallow-water turbulence simulations, but in disagreement with Jupiter and Saturn, the equatorial flows in these forced simulations are always westward. In analogy with purely two-dimensional turbulence, the size of the coherent structures (jets and vortices) depends on the relative strengths of forcing and damping; stronger damping removes energy faster as it cascades upscale, leading to smaller vortices and more closely spaced jets in the equilibrated state. Forcing and damping parameters relevant to Jupiter produce flows with speeds up to 50–200 m s−1 and a predominance of anticyclones over cyclones, both in agreement with observations. However, the dominance of vortices over jets at deformation radii thought to be relevant to Jupiter (1000–3000 km) suggests that either the actual deformation radius is larger than previously believed or that three-dimensional effects, not included in the shallow-water equations, alter the dynamics in a fundamental manner.
The Reflection of a Stationary Gravity Wave by a Viscous Boundary Layer
Authors: Lott François
Published: September 2007

The backward reflection of a stationary gravity wave (GW) propagating toward the ground is examined in the linear viscous case and for large Reynolds numbers (Re). In this case, the stationary GW presents a critical level at the ground because the mean wind is null there. When the mean flow Richardson number at the surface (J) is below 0.25, the GW reflection by the viscous boundary layer is total in the inviscid limit Re → ∞. The GW is a little absorbed when Re is finite, and the reflection decreases when both the dissipation and J increase. When J > 0.25, the GW is absorbed for all values of the Reynolds number, with a general tendency for the GW reflection to decrease when J increases. As a large ground reflection favors the downstream development of a trapped lee wave, the fact that it decreases when J increases explains why the more unstable boundary layers favor the onset of mountain lee waves. It is also shown that the GW reflection when J > 0.25 is substantially larger than that predicted by the conventional inviscid critical level theory and larger than that predicted when the dissipations are represented by Rayleigh friction and Newtonian cooling.

The fact that the GW reflection depends strongly on the Richardson number indicates that there is some correspondence between the dynamics of trapped lee waves and the dynamics of Kelvin–Helmholtz instabilities. Accordingly, and in one classical example, it is shown that some among the neutral modes for Kelvin–Helmholtz instabilities that exist in an unbounded flow when J < 0.25 can also be stationary trapped-wave solutions when there is a ground and in the inviscid limit Re → ∞. When Re is finite, these solutions are affected by the dissipation in the boundary layer and decay in the downstream direction. Interestingly, their decay rate increases when both the dissipation and J increase, as does the GW absorption by the viscous boundary layer.
Weather Noise Forcing of Surface Climate Variability
Authors: Schneider Edwin K. , Fan Meizhu
Published: September 2007

A model-based method to evaluate the role of weather noise forcing of low-frequency variability of surface properties, including SST, surface currents, land surface temperature, and soil moisture, is presented. In this procedure, an “interactive ensemble” coupled model, in which the ocean and land components are coupled to the mean of an ensemble of atmospheric models, is externally forced by the time-dependent surface fluxes due to the weather noise. The coupling to the ensemble mean atmosphere has the effect of strongly reducing the internally generated atmospheric weather noise so that, for example, observed weather noise forcing can meaningfully be prescribed. The surface flux due to weather noise is determined by removing the ensemble mean surface flux response of an ensemble of atmospheric models to specified surface boundary conditions from the total surface flux. When the system is entirely noise forced and the forcing is specified in this manner, the interactive ensemble model will reproduce the observed evolution of the surface properties. The method is illustrated in the context of two models: 1) a well-known simple coupled model of low-frequency climate variability, which considers the response of a slab thermodynamic surface model coupled to a thermodynamic atmosphere, and 2) a coupled GCM. The simple model is applied to the diagnosis of both observational and model-generated data, while the coupled GCM example illustrates the potential of the method if both model and data are perfect.
Modeling the Effects of Land–Sea Roughness Contrast on Tropical Cyclone Winds
Authors: Wong Martin L. M. , Chan Johnny C. L.
Published: September 2007

The fifth-generation Pennsylvania State University–National Center for Atmospheric Research (PSU–NCAR) Mesoscale Model (MM5) is used to simulate tropical cyclone (TC) wind distribution near landfall. On an f plane at 15°N, the effects of the different surface roughness between the land and sea on the wind asymmetry is examined under a strong constraint of a dry atmosphere and time-invariant axisymmetric mass fields. The winds are found to adjust toward a steady state for prelandfall (50, 100, and 150 km offshore), landfall, and postlandfall (50, 100, and 150 km inland) TC positions.

The TC core is asymmetric even when it lies completely offshore or inland. The surface (10 m) wind asymmetry at the core for pre- (post) landfall position is apparently related to the acceleration (deceleration) of the flow that has just moved over the sea (land) as a response to the sudden change of surface friction. For prelandfall TC positions, the resulted strong surface inflow to the left and front left (relative to the direction pointing from sea to land) also induces a tangential (or total) wind maxima at a smaller radius, about 90° downstream of the maximum inflow, consistent with the absolute angular momentum advection (or work done by pressure). The surface maximum wind is of similar magnitude as the gradient wind. There is also a small region of weak outflow just inside the wind maxima. For postlandfall TC positions, inflow is weakened to the right and rear right associated with the onshore flow. Both onshore and offshore flows affect the surface wind asymmetry of the core in the landfall case. Above the surface and near the top of the planetary boundary layer (PBL), the wind is also asymmetric and a strongly supergradient tangential wind is primarily maintained by vertical advection of the radial wind. Much of the steady-state vertical structure of the asymmetric wind is similar to that forced by the motion-induced frictional asymmetry, as found in previous studies.

The associated asymmetry of surface and PBL convergences has radial dependence. For example, the landfall case has stronger PBL convergence to the left for the 0–50-km core region, due to the radial inflow, but to the right for the 100–500-km outer region, due to the tangential wind convergence along the coastline.

The strong constraint is then removed by considering an experiment that includes moisture, cumulus heating, and the free adjustments of mass fields. The TC is weakening and the sea level pressure has a slightly wavenumber-1 feature with larger gradient wind to the right than to the left, consistent with the drift toward the land. The asymmetric features of the wind are found to be very similar to those in the conceptual experiments.
Thorough Clinical Investigation of Low Cardiac Output Syndrome After Subxiphoid Pericardiostomy
Authors: Dosios Theodosios , Stefanidis Alexander , Chatziantoniou Christos , Sgouropoulou Sophia
Published: September 2007

The paradoxical hemodynamic response after surgical or catheter pericardial drainage for cardiac tamponade is an infrequent complication. This case report describes this occasional ominous consequence of surgical pericardial decompression and suggests possible physiological explanations of rapidly progressive heart failure and death.
Serum Uric Acid Level and Risk for Peripheral Arterial Disease: Analysis of Data From the Multiple Risk Factor Intervention Trial
Authors: Baker Joshua F. , Schumacher H. Ralph , Krishnan Eswar
Published: September 2007

Although several studies report an association between hyperuricemia and coronary artery disease, little is known about the effect of hyperuricemia and gout on the risk of peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Data on 283 incident clinical cases of PAD during a randomized controlled trial of multiple cardiovascular risk factor intervention are evaluated. The serum uric acid levels among these individuals are compared with those of individuals who did not develop PAD during the study period. Multivariate logistic regression analyses measure the risk of developing PAD associated with higher levels of serum uric acid after adjusting for the effect of traditional vascular risk factors. Age and smoking are independently associated with development of PAD, with odds ratios of 1.08 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.06-1.09) and 3.83 (95% CI, 2.49-5.91) per year, respectively. Hyperuricemia (serum uric acid level, >7.0 mg/dL) is an independent risk factor, with an odds ratio of 1.23, but the confidence interval of the estimate is wide (95% CI, 0.98-1.54). In this multivariate model, a history of gout was associated with an odds ratio of 1.33 (95% CI, 1.07-1.66). Serum uric acid level is independently associated with a higher (but statistically nonsignificant) risk of PAD. A history of gouty arthritis is an independent and statistically significant predictor of incidence of PAD even after adjustment for the effect of underlying hyperuricemia.
Malondialdehyde as an Indicator of Oxidative Stress During Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair
Authors: Papalambros Efstathios , Sigala Fragiska , Georgopoulos Sotiris , Paraskevas Kosmas I. , Andreadou Ioanna , Menenakos Xaralambos , Sigalas Panagiotis , Papalambros Alexandros L. , Vourliotakis Georgios , Giannopoulos Athanasios , Bakoyiannis Christos , Bastounis Elias
Published: September 2007

Ischemia-reperfusion injury significantly contributes to abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA)— related mortality and morbidity; therefore, we measured oxidative stress during open AAA repair and investigated any potential associations with intraoperative or perioperative events (aortic clamping time, blood loss, and the need to transfer to the intensive care unit). Blood samples were collected at specific time points from 53 patients undergoing open AAA repair: (1) before induction of anesthesia; (2) 15, 30, 60, and 120 minutes after aortic clamping; (3) 15 and 60 minutes after clamp removal; and (4) 24 hours postoperatively. Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were measured by a spectrophotometric method. Baseline MDA values in patients with AAA were significantly higher than in controls (P < .0001). A positive correlation was found between preoperative MDA levels and the size of AAAs (Pearson correlation = 0.578, P < .001). No difference was observed in MDA levels between ruptured and nonruptured AAAs; however, when all symptomatic patients (ruptured and elective symptomatic AAAs, n = 18) were considered, there was a significant elevation in MDA levels (P < .001). There was also a significant increase in MDA values in patients transferred postoperatively to the intensive care unit (P < .001). Finally, a positive association was found between the duration of aortic clamping with MDA values at 15 and 60 minutes after declamping, but not after 24 hours (Pearson correlation = 0.467, P < .001). MDA levels may predict the postoperative course of elective and ruptured AAAs.
Reaching Beyond Identification Through The "Identi-Form" System
Authors: Weber Patricia , Battaglia Catherine
Published: September 2007

The "Identi-Form" is a tool that comprises a total system which includes defensible identification and prescriptive programming. It utilizes a holistic, multi-dimensional approach which incorporates test performance and anecdotal data in a total assessment package for each child. Placement decisions are not made by rank ordering scores or by the use of "cut-off" scores. Patterns are "read" from the collected data that has been recorded on the individual "Identi-Form." A formula approach can be used to select only necessary data, making the instrument suitable for any type gifted program or for separate strands within a program.
How Did Six Highly Accelerated Gifted Students Fare in Graduate School?
Authors: Stanley Julian C.
Published: September 2007

This article reports follow-up information on six very young college graduates. The myth of "early ripe, early rot" is clearly refuted by the outstanding success of each of these six young accelerants.
More About "Young Entrants to College: How Did They Fare?"
Authors: Stanley Julian C. , McGill Ann M.
Published: September 2007

This study reports on a group of 25 educationally accelerated entrants to Johns Hopkins University. It supports the ability of students who enter a highly selective college two to five years early to make good grades, win honors, and graduate promptly.
Beyond the Use of Full Scale IQ Scores
Authors: Hollinger Constance L. , Kosek Sharyn
Published: September 2007

The purpose of the present study was to examine the WISC-R profiles of a sample of intellectually gifted students with respect to idiographic and normative variability in performance between scales and among subtests. The sample consisted of 26 intellectually gifted students (WISC R Full Scale IQ ≥ 130) who had been assessed for possible GT placement. The results of the study indicated that even among a highly homogeneous ability group, significant variability in levels of performance, reflecting individual differences across diverse cognitive ability areas, exist. While 84.6% of the sample was characterized by idiographic strengths and/or weaknesses, 96% of the sample obtained only normatively average-ability scaled scores on one or more WISC-R subtests. Implications for selection decisions and instruction are discussed.
Differentiating Inservice Through Teacher Concerns About Education for the Gifted
Authors: Roberts Julia Link , Roberts Richard A.
Published: September 2007

Gifted students require differentiated curriculum, and teachers of gifted students require differentiated inservice which addresses their needs with those students. The Concerns-Based Adoption Model (CBAM) developed at the Texas Research and Development Center for Teacher Education provides a framework for developing differentiated inservice. This article describes the use of one CBAM dimension, Stages of Concern About The Innovation, to match inservice opportunities to the needs of teachers.
Inservice and Preservice Teachers' Attitudes Toward the Academically Brilliant
Authors: Cramond Bonnie , Martin Charles E.
Published: September 2007

Attitudes toward the academically gifted were examined in 83 experienced teachers and 100 juniors and seniors enrolled in a teacher education program. Using a questionnaire developed by Tannenbaum (1962), the characteristics of athleticism, diligence, and academic brilliance were examined as they affected perceptions of hypothetical high school students. Attitude correlates were defined as scholastic achievement, sex, and previous teaching experience of the rater. Results indicated that experienced teachers and future teachers, like the high school students in Tannenbaum's study, viewed athleticism as the critical determinant of a person's likability.
Specific Program Information: A Key to Attitudes About the Gifted Education Program
Authors: Bransky Trish
Published: September 2007

This study found differences in attitudes of administrators, gifted program teachers, and regular program teachers about the gifted education program in their buildings, with regular program teachers' attitudes least favorable. The finding of a strong correlation between favorable. The finding of a strong correlation between regular program teachers' knowledge about specific aspects of the program and their attitudes toward the attitudes and on organizational research.
Using Judgment Analysis in the Identification of Gifted and Talented Children
Authors: Moore Alan D. , Betts George T.
Published: September 2007

When multiple criteria are used to identify gifted and talented students personnel responsible for identification are often unaware of the weighting scheme they have chosen to use. If some kind of weighting scheme is chosen in order to reflect relative importance of criteria, the statistical properties of the combination of criteria and weights can lead to rankings of students which do not reflect the philosophy ofthose creating the weighting system. The method of Judgment Analysis (JAN) can be used to determine a weighting system which reflects an identification philosophy accurately.
Metamemory in Gifted Children
Authors: Carr Martha , Borkowski John G.
Published: September 2007

This study examined relationships among divergent thinking, metamory, achievement, and IQ in gifted children. Ninety-eight fifth and sixth graders enrolled in programs for creatively and intellectually gifted children participated in the study. Metamemory and divergent thinking were found to be related; this cor-IQ was removed. Metamemory also correlated with achievement but not with IQ. A canonical correlation and divergent thinking and metamemory as the independent measures indicated that metamemory and achievement were the major contributors to the equation. The concept of metamemory is an important process that appears independent from, yet essential for, convergent and divergent thinking and that may underlie creative achievements.
Differences in Attitudes and Practices Between Fathers of Young Gifted and Fathers of Young Non-Gifted Children: A Pilot Study
Authors: Karnes Merle B. , Shwedel Allan
Published: September 2007

An interview protocol containing 119 items was administered to identify patterns of attitudes and practices among fathers of young gifted children (N = 9) which differed from those among fathers of young non-gifted children (N = 10). Although there were many similarities, differences were observed in six thematic areas: general involvement, reading emphasis, orallanguage emphasis, psychomotor emphasis, concern for the child's self-esteem, and push for independence. Implications for educational practice and for research are discussed.
Accelerative Strategies: How Effective are they for the Gifted?
Authors: Brody Linda E. , Persson Benbow Camilla
Published: September 2007

Accelerative strategies offer gifted students the opportunity to participate in educational programs suited to their particular needs and interests. Yet, fear of possible negative effects of acceleration prevents many educators from advocating these options. The Study of Mathematically Precocious Youth (SMPY) has evaluated the long-term effects of a variety of accelerative options for a group of highly gifted students. Academic achievements, extracurricular activities, goals and aspirations, and social and emotional adjustment were considered, and no discernible negative effects of various accelerative strategies were found.
A Current Report on Graduate Degree Programs in Gifted and Talented Education
Authors: Parker Jeanette P. , Karnes Frances A.
Published: September 2007

Since the closing of the U.S. Office of Gifted and Talented, there has existed a need for information on professional training programs in the education of the gifted. In spring 1984, the authors offered their first directory of graduate degree programs in gifted education. Recent requests from state directors, psychologists, university faculty, prospective graduate students, and others have indicated a need for an update of this information. The current search revealed that 134 colleges and universities in 42 states and the District of Columbia offered such programs. All reported programs are listed in the 1986-87 directory, along with the appropriate contact persons and their addresses.
Goals for Gifted Programs: Perceptions of Interested Groups
Authors: Hickey Gail
Published: September 2007

This study assessed the status of goat development for elementary school gifted programs as perceived by national leaders in gifted education, administrators, teachers, and parents of gifted students. Opinion was sought using the Delphi technique, a method for obtaining reliable group consensus through a series of questionnaires interspersed with controlled feedback. The Delphi panel, consisting of 36 respondents, reached consensus for three goal statements from among 11 goals presented for consideration as appropriate for elementary school programs for the gifted:

to provide a learning environment that will permit and encourage the capable student to develop to his/her individual potential while interacting with intellectual peers;

to establish a climate that values and enhances intellectual ability, talent, creativity, and decision-making;

to encourage the development of and provide opportunities for using higher level thinking skills (analysis, synthesis, evaiuation).
Family Systems Characteristics and Underachieving Gifted Adolescent Males
Authors: Green Katherine , Fine Marvin J. , Tollefson Nona
Published: September 2007

The family systems of 45 underachieving and 45 achieving gifted male adolescents were compared on the variables of family functionality, family satisfaction, family environment (conflict, achievement orientation, independence, and expressiveness), and achievement satisfaction. Families with achieving and underachieving gifted students did not differ on the measure of family functionality. Achievement satisfaction and family satisfaction differentiated families on the basis of the status of their gifted student; achievement satisfaction differentiated functional from dysfunctional families. Families with achieving gifted students expressed higher achievement satisfaction than families with underachieving gifted students, and dysfunctional families with an underachieving adolescent were less satisfied with their child's achievement than were functional families with an underachieving student.
Comparison of Gifted Children and Their Parents' Perception of the Home Environment
Authors: Karnes Frances A. , D'llio Victor R.
Published: September 2007

The purpose of this study was to determine the degree of agreement of the perceptions of the home environment between gifted students and their parents The Family Environment Scale was administered to 63 gifted students enrolled in a summer residential program and their parents. Subscale scores for children and their parents were compared and several significant differences were found; Suggestions were made as to how parents may be able to further improve the family enviroment for their gifted children.
WISC-R Profiles of High Ability Children: Interpretation of Verbal-Performance Discrepancies
Authors: Silver Stephen J. , Clampit Michael K.
Published: September 2007

In the administration and interpretation of WISC R profiles of children with high IQs (124+), clinicians may be misled if they follow the standard rules for subtest substitution and omission or use the standard "frequen cy of Verbal-Performance discrepancy" tables. Although . such tables are accurate for the "average" child, they greatly overestimate the rarity of rarity of V-P discrepancies in high IQ children (over half of whom show a V-P discrepancy larger than 15 points). To lend greater accuracy to the interpretation of WISC-R profiles of high IQ children, a specialized table is provided for determin ing the frequency of occurrence of V-P discrepancies in profiles of high IQ children and warnings are offered regarding the adverse effect of subtest substitution or omission when administering the WISC-R to high IQ children.
Assessing the Social Status of Gifted Students by Their Age Peers
Authors: Luftig Richard L. , Nichols Marci L.
Published: September 2007

This study investigated the social status of gifted children enrolled in an educational pull-out program with same-aged peers not identified as gifted. Both groups completed a sociometric nomination instrument in which they rated classmates. Results were analyzed in terms of the percentage of students assigned to popular, rejected, or neglected categories by peers. A 2 (gifted) x 2 (gender) analysis was used. Gifted boys were most popular while gifted girls were least popular. Boys and girls not identified as gifted were rejected more than gifted pupils, and boys were more rejected than girls.
An Academic Model for Educating the Mathematically Talented
Authors: Stanley Julian C.
Published: September 2007

A usually unrecognized aspect of the "school reform" movement during the past two decades has been the huge increase in extracurricular academic efforts on behalf of intellectually exceptionally able boys and girls. Whereas in 1971 few students less than 14 years old took the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), by 1990 more than 100,000 did. Those who score well are offered special, supplemental educational opportunities. The movement began at Johns Hopkins University in 1971 with the creation of the Study of Mathematically Precocious Youth (SMPY) and spread within a dozen years to other private universities, i.e., Duke, Northwestern, and the University of Denver. Also, many public universities have begun such talent searching and educational facilitating. This article traces the origin and development of the network of independent centers and projects based on the SMPY model.
Critique of "Socioemotional Adjustment of Adolescent Girls Enrolled in a Residential Acceleration Program"
Authors: Stanley Julian C.
Published: September 2007

The professional literature on entering college underage is reviewed briefly. Several spectacularly young college graduates are mentioned. Two high-schools-within-college institutions are discussed. Then several critical points about the article are made. A few suggestions for conducting a longer-term, more definitive follow-up of educationally accelerated girls are given. Finally, the value of social adjustment, as usually defined, for the great occupational success of intellectually extremely able persons is questioned.
Research on Early College Entrance: A Few More Adjustments are Needed
Authors: Cornell Dewey G. , Callahan Carolyn M. , Loyd Brenda H.
Published: September 2007

We reply to the comments Dr. Julian Stanley made in his critique (Stanley, 1991) of our article, "Socioemotional adjustment of adolescent girls enrolled in a residential acceleration program" (Cornell, Callahan, & Loyd, 1991) . Our main points are that research on early college entrance has emphasized academic adjustment over socioemotional adjustment and that further research on adjustment of both types is needed.
The Education of Gifted Children in the United States: A Delphi Study
Authors: Cramer Roxanne Herrick
Published: September 2007

This Delphi study investigated issues in the education of gifted children in the United States. A panel of 29 experts in the field of gifted education responded to the following questions:

1. Which key issues are perceived by the panel of experts as being the most important?

2. Which of the issues deserves top priority?

3. On issues deemed most important, what action should be taken at the federal, state, and local levels?

4 . What are the experts' definitions of the term "gifted"? Six issues were identified as being most critical; 53 actions were suggested for the federal, state, and local levels ; and a three-part definition of the term "gifted" was developed.

Details of the study are shared, and an issue not designated by the panelists as a high priority issue is discussed.
Giftedness and Flexibility on a Mathematical Set-Breaking Task
Authors: Dover Arlene , Shore Bruce M.
Published: September 2007

Accuracy, speed, flexibility, and metacognitive knowledge were studied in 19 school-identified gifted and 11 average ability 11-year-old students. The most intet-esting result was a significant three-way interaction among giftedness, speed, and flexibility, with metacognitive knowledge as the criterion. Regardless of speed, rigid (inflexible) gifted children had less metacognitive knowledge than flexible gifted children. Flexible gifted children who solved the problems quickly had more metacognitive knowledge than those who solved them slowly. Among average children, rigid subjects had less metacognitive knowledge, regardless of speed, and flexible average children showed more metacognitive knowledge when they were slower on the problems.
Parental Beliefs about Giftedness in Young Children and Their Relation to Actual Ability Level
Authors: Louis Barbara , Lewis Michael
Published: September 2007

Some parents believe their preschool children to be gifted, but little is known concerning these implicit beliefs. This study provides data on the relationship between specific items perceived by parents to be indicators of giftedness in their young children and the children's actual measured ability level. Parental beliefs were found to be associated with actual IQ status. In particular, parents' beliefs about memory, creativity-imagination, and abstract thinking abilities were associated with higher IQ, and knowledge of body parts with lower IQ. These data suggest that (a) parents have specific and differentiated beliefs concerning the constituents of giftedness in their young children, (b) parents exhibit a fairly high degree of accuracy in their judgments of their children's ability level, and (c) parental beliefs differ as a function of the actual ability level of their children.