bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Volumetric (3D) imaging reduces inter‐ and intraobserver variation of fetal biometry measurements
Authors: Chan L. W. , Fung T. Y. , Leung T. Y. , Sahota D. S. , Lau T. K.
Published: March 2009

Objective

To compare the inter‐ and intraobserver variation of fetal biometric measurements utilizing two‐dimensional (2D) and three‐dimensional (3D) ultrasound imaging.

Methods

This prospective study, utilizing three pairs of doctors trained in sonography, evaluated singleton pregnancies in the mid‐trimester. Measurements of the biparietal diameter (BPD), head circumference (HC), abdominal circumference (AC) and femur length (FL) were taken in duplicate by each doctor using 2D imaging and then again using 3D volume datasets. Each set of paired doctors evaluated 12 patients. Inter‐ and intraobserver variation were calculated as the SD of the difference between paired measurements performed by the doctor pairs and by the individual doctors, respectively. Bland–Altman plots were used to visually compare measurement bias and agreement by 2D and 3D methods.

Results

Inter‐ and intraobserver variation for 2D and 3D ultrasound were small. The intraobserver variation of HC, AC and FL was significantly lower for 3D compared with 2D ultrasound. Interobserver variation was not significantly different when measured with 2D and 3D ultrasound, with the exception of FL, which was lower when measured with 3D ultrasound. The Bland–Altman plots showed that in 95% of the measurements, the percentage difference between 2D and 3D ultrasound techniques was within 5.3%, 4.6%, 9.6% and 9.6% for BPD, HC, AC and FL, respectively.

Conclusions

2D and 3D fetal biometric measurements are reproducible. The use of 3D ultrasound significantly reduces intraobserver variation for HC, AC and FL and reduces interobserver variation for FL. Copyright © 2009 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Reference range for cervical length throughout pregnancy: non‐parametric LMS‐based model applied to a large sample
Authors: Salomon L. J. , Diaz‐Garcia C. , Bernard J. P. , Ville Y.
Published: March 2009

Objective

Short cervical length is an important risk factor for preterm delivery. However, because cervical length changes throughout pregnancy, adequate risk estimation needs to take into account the gestational age (GA) at which the measurement is taken. We aimed to model cervical changes throughout pregnancy in order to be able to use Z‐scores, avoiding the confounding effect of GA.

Methods

Cervical length was prospectively measured in singleton pregnancies, as part of routine antenatal care over a 3‐year period. Measurements were taken at GA ranging from 16 to 36 weeks and only one measurement per pregnancy was used in the analysis. Because cervical length measurements are not normally distributed, we used a non‐parametric approach (LMS method) to best describe the distribution of the measurements with gestation.

Results

We included 6614 cervical length measurements. The LMS method identified changes in cervical length measurement across GA. We computed new reference charts and provide L, M and S values that allow the calculation of Z‐score at any GA from any cervical length measurement ‘Y’ using the formula: Z‐score = ((Y/M)L − 1)/(L × S).

Conclusion

Cervical length measurements do not have a normal distribution at a given GA and so require a statistical model that takes this into account. The model that we developed allows easy Z‐score calculation, therefore avoiding the confounding effect of GA and allowing straightforward monitoring of cervical length. Copyright © 2009 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Assessment of mitochondrial respiratory chain function in hyperphenylalaninaemia
Authors: Kyprianou N. , Murphy E. , Lee P. , Hargreaves I.
Published: March 2009

Phenylketonuria (PKU) is an autosomal recessive disorder resulting in neurological and intellectual disability when untreated. However, even in treated patients there may be residual neurological impairment such as tremor. It has been suggested that the hyperphenylalaninaemia in patients with PKU reduces complex I (NADH:ubiquinone reductase) activity of the mitochondrial respiratory chain (MRC) and/or biosynthesis of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), which acts as an electron carrier in the MRC, leading to impaired energy metabolism in the brain of patients with PKU and hence the neurological pathology. The aim of this study was to elucidate the mechanism of phenylalanine (Phe) toxicity on the MRC. We compared mean plasma and blood‐spot Phe and mononuclear CoQ10 levels in 17 patients with PKU and a tremor compared to 22 patients without tremor. Human 1321N1 astrocytoma cells were exposed to hyperphenylalaninaemia by the addition of 300 or 900 μmol/L of Phe to the cell culture medium. Following 96 h of culture we measured complex I and citrate synthase activities and CoQ10 level. Results showed no significant difference in Phe or CoQ10 levels in patients with tremor compared to those without tremor. Further, hyperphenylalaninaemia did not cause a significant reduction in complex I activity or CoQ10 biosynthesis, even when taking into account the mitochondrial enrichment of the cell samples by expressing complex I and CoQ10 as a ratio to citrate synthase. In conclusion, the results of this study suggest that hyperphenylalaninaemia does not contribute to the pathophysiology of PKU by causing a decrease in MRC complex I activity and/or CoQ10 biosynthesis.
Autism: Is there a folate connection?
Authors: Leeming R. J. , Lucock M.
Published: March 2009

Autism is increasing—but why? Birth defect prevention trials were based on the teleological assumption that folic acid could prevent neural tube defects without consideration of long‐term effects, some of which could be beneficial, some of which might be harmful. We therefore ask—Is it impossible to look again at these cohorts?
Genetic Risk Communication: Experiences of Adolescent Girls and Young Women from Families with Fragile X Syndrome
Authors: McConkie‐Rosell Allyn , Heise Elizabeth Melvin , Spiridigliozzi Gail A.
Published: March 2009

Little is known about how and what genetic risk information parents communicate to their children and even less is known about what children hear and remember. To address this void, we explored how genetic risk information was learned, what information was given and who primarily provided information to adolescent girls and young adult women in families with fragile X syndrome. We explored three levels of risk knowledge: learning that fragile X syndrome was an inherited disorder, that they could be a carrier, and for those who had been tested, actual carrier status. These data were collected as part of a study that also explored adolescent self concept and age preferences about when to inform about genetic risk. Those findings have been presented separately. The purpose of this paper is to present the communication data. Using a multi‐group cross‐sectional design this study focused on girls ages 14–25 years from families previously diagnosed with fragile X syndrome, 1) who knew they were carriers (n = 20), 2) noncarriers (n = 18), or 3) at‐risk to be carriers (n = 15). For all three stages of information the majority of the study participants were informed by a family member. We identified three different communication styles: open, sought information, and indirect. The content of the remembered conversations varied based on the stage of genetic risk information being disclosed as well as the girls’ knowledge of her own carrier status. Girls who had been tested and knew their actual carrier status were more likely to report an open communication pattern than girls who knew only that they were at‐risk.
Variations of soil enzyme activities in a temperate forest soil
Authors: Kang Hojeong , Kang Sinkyu , Lee Dowon
Published: March 2009

Soil enzyme activities (dehydrogenase, urease, phosphatase, and arylsulfatase) in a temperate forest soil were determined in relation to landscape position and seasons. Overstory of the area is dominated by Quercus mongolica, Kalopanax pictus, Carpicus cordata, and Acer pseudo‐sieboldianum. The activities were measured in three patches, namely a north‐facing backslope, a ridge, and a south‐facing backslope in autumn and spring over 2 years. In addition, spatially more detailed analysis for phosphatase was conducted before and after litterfall production in six patches. Dehydrogenase, urease, phosphatase, and arylsulfatase activities varied 1.8–18.5 μg INT‐formazan g−1 h−1, 45.4–347.0 μg NH4+ g−1 h−1, 0.9–4.5 mmol pNP g−1 h−1, and 0.7–2.6 mmol pNP g−1 h−1, respectively. In general, higher enzyme activities were found in the northern aspect than in the southern aspect. This variation appears to be related to differences in chemical properties (e.g., Fe, Al, and Mg) of soil as well as distribution of leaf litter. Two patterns were discernible in relation to seasonal variations. Dehydrogenase and urease exhibited a positive correlation with mean air temperature, suggesting that temperature would be a major controlling variable for those enzymes. In contrast, higher activities were detected in autumn for phosphatase and arylsulfatase activities, which appeared to be closely related to litter production and distribution. Overall results of this study indicate that soil enzyme activities in a forest floor are influenced by several variables such as temperature, nutrient availability, and input of leaf litter, which are closely related to landscape position.
Re-Certification for Urologists: Is the SHEFFPAT Questionnaire Valid for Assessing Clinicians' ‘Relationships with Patients’?
Authors: Sinclair A.M. , Gunendran T. , Archer J. , Bridgewater B. , O'Flynn K.J. , Pearce I.
Published: March 2009

Objective:

In urology there is currently no validated and objective way to measure the ‘Relationship with Patients’ aspect of re-validation. The Sheffield Patient Assessment Tool (SHEFFPAT) questionnaire has been validated in a paediatric setting and is recommended by the Picker institute for patient feedback. The aim of this study is to assess the feasibility, reliability and validity of the SHEFFPAT questionnaire in urology to determine if it is an appropriate tool to be used for patient feedback.

Subjects and methods:

Ten consultants in the North West Region gave permission for the SHEFFPAT questionnaire to be distributed to their patients. A minimum of 25 completed questionnaires was required per consultant. A detailed analysis looking at reliability, bias, feasibility and validity was then carried out.

Results:

In total there were 464 completed questionnaires. The cohort mean score was 4.66 (S.D. 0.19) ranging from 2.0 to 5.0. Twenty-three patients are needed to provide feedback in order to achieve a reliability of 0.7 (95% CI 0.21). The gender and ethnicity of the patient nor their familiarity with the urologist helped to explain the variability in scores ( R = 0.27, R2 0.072, standard error of estimate 0.525).

Conclusion:

The SHEFFPAT questionnaire appears to provide reliable, valid and unbiased feedback from the patients' perspective fulfilling the White Paper and Health Minister's request for patient involvement in the re-validation process.
Activation of c‐Jun‐N‐terminal kinase and decline of mitochondrial pyruvate dehydrogenase activity during brain aging
Authors: Zhou Qiongqiong , Lam Philip Y. , Han Derick , Cadenas Enrique
Published: March 2009

Mitochondrial dysfunction is often associated with aging and neurodegeneration. c‐Jun‐N‐terminal kinase (JNK) phosphorylation and its translocation to mitochondria increased as a function of age in rat brain. This was associated with a decrease of pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) activity upon phosphorylation of the subunit of PDH. Phosphorylation of PDH is likely mediated by PDH kinase, the protein levels and activity of which increased with age. ATP levels were diminished, whereas lactic acid levels increased, thus indicating a shift toward anaerobic glycolysis. The energy transduction deficit due to impairment of PDH activity during aging may be associated with JNK signaling.
A CBM20 low‐affinity starch‐binding domain from glucan, water dikinase
Authors: Christiansen Camilla , Hachem Maher Abou , Glaring Mikkel A. , Viksø-Nielsen Anders , Sigurskjold Bent W. , Svensson Birte , Blennow Andreas
Published: March 2009

The family 20 carbohydrate‐binding module (CBM20) of the Arabidopsis starch phosphorylator glucan, water dikinase 3 (GWD3) was heterologously produced and its properties were compared to the CBM20 from a fungal glucoamylase (GA). The GWD3 CBM20 has 50‐fold lower affinity for cyclodextrins than that from GA. Homology modelling identified possible structural elements responsible for this weak binding of the intracellular CBM20. Differential binding of fluorescein‐labelled GWD3 and GA modules to starch granules in vitro was demonstrated by confocal laser scanning microscopy and yellow fluorescent protein‐tagged GWD3 CBM20 expressed in tobacco confirmed binding to starch granules in planta.
The ADP‐ribosylation of Sulfolobus solfataricus Sso7 modulates protein/DNA interactions in vitro
Authors: Castellano Sabrina , Farina Benedetta , Faraone-Mennella Maria Rosaria
Published: March 2009

The 7 kDa Sso7 is a basic protein particularly abundant in Sulfolobus solfataricus and is involved in DNA assembly. This protein undergoes in vitro ADP‐ribosylation by an endogenous poly(ADP‐ribose) polymerase‐like enzyme. The circular dichroism spectrum of purified ADP‐ribosylated Sso7 shows that this modification stabilizes the prevalent protein β‐conformation, as suggested by shifting of negative ellipticity minimum to 220 nm. Moreover, a short ADP‐ribose chain (up to 6‐mers) bound to Sso7 is able to reduce drastically the thermoprotective and DNA condensing ability of the protein, suggesting a possible regulatory role of ADP‐ribosylation in sulfolobal DNA organization.
Influence of water intake on the waiting time prior to gynecologic transabdominal ultrasound
Authors: Titapant Vitaya , Phithakwatchara Nisarat , Chuenwattana Prakong , Tontisirin Pornpen , Viboonchard Sommai , Butsansee Watcharaporn
Published: March 2009

Objective

To investigate the effect of volume of water intake on the length of time before the bladder is sufficiently full prior to undergoing transabdominal ultrasound.

Methods

Ninety‐three patients scheduled for transabdominal ultrasound were enrolled between November 2007 and April 2008 and randomly allocated to 3 study groups by volume of water intake: 300, 400, and 500 mL. The total waiting time was recorded when the bladder was sufficiently full to undergo transabdominal ultrasound. The final bladder volume was measured using three‐dimensional ultrasound.

Results

Mean waiting times were 68.65 ±30.12 min, 64.2 ± 26.18 min, and 54.38 ± 12.75 min for patients ingesting 300, 400, and 500 mL of water, respectively (P = 0.060). The final bladder volumes for the 3 groups were not statistically different (263.06 ±99.21 mL, 275.37 ± 113.05 ml, and 316.17 ± 101.31 mL; P = 0.113).

Conclusion

Differences in the volume of water ingested in the range of 300–500 mL did not affect the waiting time before undergoing transabdominal ultrasound.
Knowing your costumer better
Authors: Förster Jens
Published: March 2009

Regulatory engagement theory's strength over alternative accounts of consumer attitudes is highlighted. In line with the theory, it is argued that in order to predict behavior, one needs to understand the processes involved in goal pursuit, including the dynamic processes of value creation. The paper also attempts to integrate processes (e.g. multifinality, distance from the goal, inhibition upon goal fulfillment) known from other classic and modern self‐regulation models. Furthermore, the role of difficulty as a basis for value creation is discussed. In sum, regulatory engagement theory seems to be a rich and thought provoking account to predict people's behavior.

As he walks in the door […] we hear a voice say:

STORE VOICE: Hello, Mr. Yakamoto! Welcome back to the Gap. How'd those assorted tank tops work out for you?

A lady enters the shop:

STORE VOICE: Hey Miss Belfor, did you come back for another pair of those chammy lace ups?
The ethmo‐frontal angle: A new anatomic and radiologic landmark for use in sinus surgery
Authors: Becker Samuel S. , Beddow Peter A. , Duncavage James A.
Published: March 2009

Objective

To identify anatomic and radiologic landmarks to assist with frontal sinus surgery.

Study Design

Retrospective review.

Subjects and Methods

Sinus CT scans of 50 patients were evaluated with respect to a new radiologic and anatomic landmark, the ethmo‐frontal angle (EFA).

Results

Right‐sided EFA ranged from 135 to 171 degrees. Left‐sided EFA ranged from 136 to 167 degrees. Measurements of both sides displayed a normal distribution. When right and left sides within individuals were compared, there was no correlation to indicate a high degree of variation between any particular patient's right and left side EFA.

Conclusion

The EFA is a new landmark to assist otolaryngologists during surgery on and around the frontal sinus. Normal values for this angle have been presented. Surgeons should be aware that asymmetry in a patient's EFA is common, and each side should be examined individually.
Radiologic staging system for allergic fungal rhinosinusitis (AFRS)
Authors: Wise Sarah K. , Rogers Gamwell A. , Ghegan Mark D. , Harvey Richard J. , DelGaudio John M. , Schlosser Rodney J.
Published: March 2009

Objectives

1) Develop an objective method for quantifying radiologic bone erosion in allergic fungal rhinosinusitis (AFRS); and 2) assess the utility of the new CT scan staging system in differentiating AFRS patient groups.

Methods

Patients from two tertiary care rhinology practices with AFRS and available CT scans (1999–2007) were included for review by trained graders. The following novel assessment scale was used: Each paranasal sinus wall with expansion/erosion was scored 1 point, with maximum 3 points possible for each frontal sinus, 2 points for each ethmoid complex, 3 points for each sphenoid sinus, 3 points for each maxillary sinus, and 1 point each for the frontal and sphenoid intersinus septae, yielding maximum of 24 possible points.

Results

A total of 111 CT scans were reviewed. Mean score was 7.8 (range, 0–24). Males scored significantly higher than females (mean, 9.3 vs 5.6, P = 0.001). African Americans scored significantly higher than Caucasians (mean, 9.6 vs 5.0, P < 0.001).

Conclusions

A scoring system for bone remodeling in AFRS is presented. Males and African‐Americans with AFRS demonstrate significantly more bone erosion. Additional analysis of disease course will assess the utility of this staging system in predicting outcomes.
Arytenoid prolapse: A source of obstruction following laryngotracheoplasty
Authors: Hart Catherine K. , Richter Gresham T. , Cotton Robin T. , Rutter Michael J.
Published: March 2009

Objective

Arytenoid prolapse is a potential source of upper airway obstruction following laryngotracheoplasty, and may be difficult to identify. We explored the incidence, clinical features, etiology, and surgical approach to patients with arytenoid prolapse following laryngotracheoplasty.

Study Design

Case series with chart review.

Subjects and Methods

The charts of 93 patients diagnosed with arytenoid prolapse following laryngotracheoplasty from 1981 to 2007 were reviewed.

Results

The incidence was 5.7 percent (93/1634). Forty‐nine patients had unilateral prolapse; 44 had bilateral prolapse. Average time from laryngotracheoplasty to presentation was 36.8 months. Common symptoms were dyspnea on exertion, tracheostomy dependence, and sleep‐disordered breathing. Fifty‐four patients (58%) required surgical intervention, with arytenoid reduction performed in 45 patients. Nine underwent reduction during revision laryngotracheoplasty or cricotracheal resection. Fourteen patients required a second procedure for persistent prolapse. Thirty‐nine (42%) required no intervention. Symptom resolution or decannulation was achieved in all patients in whom prolapse was the source of obstruction. Statistically significant differences were found when anterior vs posterior graft utilization was compared.

Conclusions

Arytenoid prolapse is a cause of airway obstruction following laryngotracheoplasty. Subtle airway complaints and decannulation failures are common features. Both endoscopic and open procedures can successfully treat arytenoid prolapse. Potential etiologies are discussed.
Surgical management of obstructive sleep apnea in infants and young toddlers
Authors: Brigance Joseph S. , Miyamoto R. Christopher , Schilt Peter , Houston Derek , Wiebke Jennifer L. , Givan Deborah , Matt Bruce H.
Published: March 2009

Objective

Review surgical management of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in infants and young toddlers compared with a medically treated group.

Study Design

Case series with chart review of children younger than 24 months treated at a tertiary pediatric hospital between 2000 and 2005.

Subjects and Methods

Surgical treatment included adenotonsillectomy, adenoidectomy, and tonsillectomy. Polysomnography results, comorbidities, and major complications were recorded. The change in apnea‐hypopnea index (AHI) before and after treatment was analyzed. Logistic regression analysis reviewed effects of comorbidities and OSA severity on complications.

Results

A total of 73 children met inclusion criteria. The surgical treatment group (AHI) improved posttreatment: mean AHI change was 9.6 (95% CI, 5.8‐13.4). The medical treatment group did not improve posttreatment: mean AHI change was −3.0 (95% CI, −15.1 to 9.1). The difference in AHI change between surgical and medical groups was 12.56 (95% CI, 2.7‐22.4). An independent t test found this difference to be statistically significant (P = 0.01). Eleven (18%) patients suffered significant postoperative surgical complications; 55 surgical patients and 8 medical patients had comorbidities. There were no long‐term morbidities or mortalities.

Conclusions

AHI in the surgically treated group significantly improved. The complication rate for a tertiary pediatric hospital population that included patients with multiple comorbidities was acceptable.
A KATO PERTURBATION-TYPE RESULT FOR OPEN LINEAR RELATIONS IN NORMED SPACES
Authors: GHEORGHE DANA
Published: March 2009

Using some techniques of perturbation theory for Banach space complexes, we obtain necessary and sufficient conditions for the stability of the topological index of an open linear relation under small (with respect to the gap topology) perturbations with linear relations.
Paulus Oecumenicus: Interculturality in the Shaping of Paul's Theology
Authors: Du Toit Andrie
Published: March 2009

The growing recognition that Judaism and Hellenism were not mutually exclusive suggests that Paul should be studied from a point beyond the Judaism/Hellenism divide. After attending to the apostle's own multiculturality, the relevance and implications of the ‘beyond’ position are assessed by means of an enquiry into Paul's use ofcharisandecclesia. In both instances, intercultural convergence is indicated. However, the farewell to a dichotomous point of departure does not imply the denial of all distinctiveness. Studying the biblical documents from the ‘beyond’ position opens up new vistas and holds great promise for future NT research.
Zwei harte Knoten: Todes- und Gerichtsangst im Hebräerbrief
Authors: Backhaus Knut
Published: March 2009

Hebrews 2.14–15 goes beyond the epistle's cultic symbolism and embeds its image of Christ in a poly-mythic framework, thereby illuminating its existential relevance. Faith enables the believer to see through death in order to cope with fear of death. The author does not reflect explicitly on anxiety about death but integrates it into the Christ drama, thus inspiring his addressees to transform their conceptualization of self and purpose (‘terror management’). Arousing eschatological fear of judgment (6.4–8; 10.26–31; 12.16–17) forms part of the deliberative rhetorical strategy. Immediately subsequent to the warnings, the addressees are guided to the opposite emotion of hope. To postulate a theologicalperpetuum(exclusion of ‘second repentance’) on the basis of a pathetictemporalewould be to miss the emotion-centred guidance of the hearer, the rhetorical truth game, and the pragmatic intention of Hebrews.
“Is she a wife or a mother?” Social order, respect, and address in Mijikenda
Authors: McGivney James
Published: March 2009

Mijikenda social relationships are of two types, “respectful” and “joking.” In this northeastern Bantu language of Kenya, respect based on kinship requires an overt linguistic marker: adjacent generations (parents and children) “respect” one another and address each other using plural forms. Kin of the same generation (siblings, cousins) and of alternate generations (grandparents, grandchildren) “joke” with one another and address each other in the singular. Accordingly, address form in Mijikenda signals and reaffirms generational identity and relative position in a well-defined social structure. It is also normatively associated with “correct” behavior. As pronouns of respect occur in such small-scale, nonstratified Bantu societies (and throughout the world), it is suggested that Brown and Gilman's (1960) particular hypothesis for the origin and spread of T/V respect systems needs to be replaced by a more socially persuasive and general explanation for a widespread phenomenon. (Sociolinguistics, pronouns of address, T/V systems, kinship, Kenya languages, Bantu)
Right throughs, rings and taws: Marbles terminology in Trinidad and Tobago
Authors: Winer Lise , Boos Hans E. A.
Published: March 2009

Marbles games (“pitch”), perhaps the most widely played of all traditional boys' games in Trinidad and Tobago, have declined precipitously in the last two decades. This article documents close to 200 marbles terms found in Trinidad and Tobago English Creole. Although most are British in origin, there are East Indian, French Creole, and possible African influences on this lexicon. An analysis of the discourse of marbles talk in its sociocultural context was prompted by its high affect for men who had played pitch as boys. Using frameworks from the sociology of games and from studies in language and gender, marbles talk is shown to demonstrate features of ”masculine“ gender-linked use of language and games, including highly elaborated rules and strategies, and competitive and confrontational use of language. (Caribbean, change, Creole, discourse, games, gender, marbles, obsolescence)
Discursive bias and ideology in the administration of minority group interests
Authors: Corson David J.
Published: March 2009

This study suggests how easily distorted communication can arise in formal administrative discourse when the interests of those with some stake in the matter under discussion are not represented among the participants. After discussing the nature of power and its exercise in administrative settings, the article presents three episodes of discourse analysis. Members of a Board of Trustees were highly successful in debating and reaching suitable conclusions when the agenda items concerned their own close interests; they were able to create a discursive context that was relatively free of distorting ideologies, and which allowed participants to judge the sincerity, truth, justifiability, and meaningfulness of what was said. However, when the meeting agenda broached the affairs of an out-group with no known patronage on the Board, distortions in communication and small injustices became common; the out-group's interests were compromised. The article generalizes from the use of discursive power in this instance to the treatment of other culturally different minorities whose views and interests are not well represented among administrators and policy makers. It recommends how discursive power could be exercised more fairly in social institutions, and in public administration generally. (Discourse, power, minority groups, ideology, educational administration)
“You gotta know how to tell a story”: Telling, tales, and tellers in American and Israeli narrative events at dinner
Authors: Blum-Kulka Shoshana
Published: March 2009

This study explores the degree of cultural diversity in the dinner-table conversation narrative events of eight middle-class Jewish-American and eight Israeli families, matched on family constellation. Conceptualized in terms of a threefold framework of telling, tales, and tellers, the analysis reveals both shared and unshared narrative event properties. Narrative events unfold in both groups in similar patterns with respect to multiple participation in the telling, the prevalence of personal experience tales, and the respect for children's story-telling rights. Yet cultural styles come to the fore in regard to each realm as well as their interrelations. American families locate tales outside the home but close in time, ritualizing recounts of “today”; Israeli families favor tales more distant in time but closer to home. While most narratives foreground individual selves, Israeli families are more likely to recount shared events that center around the family “us” as protagonist. In modes of telling, American families claim access to story ownership through familiarity with the tale, celebrating monologic performances; but in Israeli families, ownership is achievable through polyphonic participation in the telling. (Ethnography of communication, language and culture, conversation analysis, folklore, narrative).
Proverbial dog names of the Baatombu: A strategic alternative to silence
Authors: Schottman Wendy
Published: March 2009

A theoretical framework is presented to account for various means of indirect verbal communication used by the Baatombu of northern Benin to accomplish face-threatening acts, and a particular technique involving dog names is discussed. By carefully choosing a proverbial name for a puppy, the owner can then, simply by calling the dog, convey a message meant either for a particular neighbor or for anyone who hears it and feels concerned by its content. This diplomatic way of expressing oneself when a difference arises is doubly indirect: (a) The dog's owner makes use of a pseudo-addressee (the dog), and (b) the message is formulated with a proverb, therefore with words of which the owner is not the author. (Animal names, Africa, communicative acts, ethnography of speaking, indirectness, politeness, speech acts)
Constituting and maintaining activities across sequences:And-prefacing as a feature of question design
Authors: Heritage John , Sorjonen Marja-Leena
Published: March 2009

The role of the connectiveandis here considered as a preface to questions in spoken interaction. Using data from informal medical encounters, it is argued thatand-prefacing is used to link a question to a preceding question/answer pair or pairs. In such contexts,and-prefacing indicates that the questions it prefaces have a routine or agenda-based character. This in turn can be a resource which invokes and sustains an orientation to an activity or course of action that is implemented through a series of question/answer pairs, but transcends any individual pair. The general characteristics ofand-prefaced questions are contrasted with “contingent” or “follow-up” questions, which are not normallyand-prefaced. Some strategic uses ofand-prefaced questions are described, and the role of the device within the more general sociolinguistic context of the data is discussed. (Connectives, conversation analysis, discourse, institutional interaction, medical encounters, turn design)
Amish newsletters inThe Budget: A genre study of written communication
Authors: Galindo René
Published: March 2009

The Budgetis a newspaper which has served Amish communities for over a hundred years by disseminating community news to Amish settlements across North America. The main feature of this newspaper are newsletters written by volunteers from local Amish settlements, called “scribes,” who report news and happenings from their church districts. In this study the generic characteristics of the newsletters are identified, as is their role in the reproduction of Amish cultural values. The newsletters display generic consistency demonstrated in the predictable location, form, and content of the components of the newsletter. Scribes' reports of community news report events which are central to maintaining the importance of the interpersonal basis of Amish community life, and serve to maintain those items as reportable and noteworthy topics in the Amish communicative economy. (Amish, genre, written communication)
Appropriating others' words: Traces of literature and peer culture in a third-grader's writing
Authors: Lensmire Timothy J. , Beals Diane E.
Published: March 2009

Mikhail Bakhtin's notion ofappropriationis a potentially powerful way to conceptualize discourse development in children. Typically, studies of discourse development have emphasized structural aspects of text. However, children appropriate not only forms, but also words, themes, purposes, and styles. From a developmental point of view, the concept of appropriation raises at least three questions: What is it that children appropriate? Where do they get their material? And what do they do with that material? In an attempt to make sense of appropriation as a developmental construct, we examine one third-grader's writing: Suzanne's book,The missing piece. We find that Suzanne appropriated material from two major sources: (a) adult-authored text – Margaret Sidney's novel,Five little Peppers and how they grew– and (b) the meanings and values of a stratified local peer culture. We conclude by discussing the significance of this work for future research on children's discourse development. (Discourse development, Mikhail Bakhtin, peer culture, social context of writing, children's writing, appropriation)
Language,Nineteen eighty-four, and 1989
Authors: Buchowski Michał , Kronenfeld David B. , Peterman William , Thomas Lynn
Published: March 2009

The article examines the fact that the push for democracy and the end of Communist rule in Central Europe was phrased in terms of traditional European notions of freedom and democracy, in spite of longlived Communist attempts to redefine these and related terms in order to make them a Communist reality. Communist language usage was forcefully brought home to the West by George Orwell inNineteen Eighty-Four, especially in his notion of “doublethink”. We use the semantic theory of David Kronenfeld, along with Leon Festinger's theory of cognitive dissonance and Jean Piaget's views of how children's cognitive systems develop (including natural language), to derive a theoretical explanation for the failure of the Orwellian prediction and of the Communist linguistic efforts on which it was predicated. The explanation involves Ferdinand de Saussure's central idea that language is an interlinked system which is crucially social, and points to the critical role of childre's early language learning (in mundane, everyday contexts) on the development and structuring of their adult system. (Extensionist semantics, politics and language, cognitive dissonance, Central Europe, Poland, George Orwell, propaganda, language change)
Tense variation as a performance feature in a Scottish folktale
Authors: Leith Dick
Published: March 2009

Analysis of two versions of a long fairy tale, “The Green Man of Knowledge,” as narrated by the same storyteller on two separate occasions, shows considerable variation in the use of performance features, especially the historic present tense. One narration is in “additive” style, with the historic present as the norm; the other shows a gradual “breakthrough to performance,” with the historic present dominant in certain segments. There are more patterns in the use of this tense, and more factors affecting it, than have hitherto been acknowledged; it may be instructive to see how it co-occurs with other performance features. The discussion raises questions about the usefulness of quantitative analysis, and about issues of meaning, genre, audience, and the individuality of the storyteller. (Folklore; Scots; narratology; genre; rhetoric; qualitative analysis)
The political economy of code choice in a “revolutionary society”: Tamil-English bilingualism in Jaffna, Sri Lanka
Authors: Canagarajah A. Suresh
Published: March 2009

This article explores the persistence of Tamil-English bilingualism in the Marxist/Nationalist de-facto separate state of Jaffna (Sri Lanka) through an integrated macro- and micro-sociolinguistic analysis of code choice in the community. While Tamil is dominant at present, the international hegemony of English is nevertheless subtly felt. There are now few L2 dominant or balanced bilinguals; grammatical competence in “standard English” is declining; Tamil has taken over many conventionally English domains; extensive use of unmixed English is reduced to a few formal contexts; and political pressure proscribes English. However, through code-switching activity, English continues to be used in a more pervasive form than ever before, in conventional and unconventional contexts, with complex communicative competence. Code-switching helps reconcile the socio-psychological conflicts of the community and assures the continuity of bilingualism (defying prophecies of English death), with the possibility of an Englishized Tamil becoming an independent code. (Bilingualism, code-switching, English, language choice)
Working toward play: Complexity in children's fantasy activities
Authors: Whalen Marilyn R.
Published: March 2009

Children's play activities are widely perceived as developing from primitive to increasingly complex forms of social organization, as children mature and acquire interactional competency. Research following this traditional, developmentally oriented approach postulates that sports and games with rules are the most advanced and complex form of play activity; activities involving fantasy and pretend-play are viewed in comparison as considerably less complex. This article argues that fantasy play encounters exhibit complex features in their own right, and that long-held distinctions between higher-order games and fantasy play are conceptually overdrawn. The argument is grounded in a conversation analytic study of the play activities of a cross-sex, mixed-age neighborhood play group. This analysis focuses on the endogenous social organization of a fantasy play encounter. (Conversation analysis, children's play, socialization, social psychology)
A Sociolinguistic analysis of address forms in Yoruba
Authors: Oyetade Solomon Oluwọle
Published: March 2009

This article provides a descriptive analysis of the entire system of address forms in Yoruba, a Defoid language of the Niger-Congo phylum, spoken principally in the western part of Nigeria and to a lesser extent in the Republics of Benin and Togo. With data from short radio and TV plays, unobtrusive observation of actual usage, and introspection, it was discovered that the choices made by interlocutors are guided by the perceived social relationship that exists between them. The principal indices of this among the Yoruba are age, social status, and kinship. Nevertheless, certain peculiarities are noticeable. For instance, the dichotomy of power vs. solidarity (Brown & Gilman 1960) becomes blurred with respect to Yoruba kinship terms of address; thus solidarity does not necessarily imply equality among the Yoruba. (Politeness, address, kinship, Africa, Yoruba)
ThePhilosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London, 1675–1975: A sociohistorical discourse analysis
Authors: Atkinson Dwight
Published: March 2009

This study traces the evolution of scientific research writing in English from 1675 to 1975. Two separate methods of discourse analysis – rhetorical analysis focusing on broad genre characteristics, and sociolinguistic register analysis – are applied to a large corpus of articles from thePhilosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. The two sets of results are then interpreted vis-à-vis the Royal Society's social history to yield an integrated description. Findings indicate that: (a) research writing in the 17th – 18th centuries was substantially influenced by communicative norms of author-centered genteel conduct; (b) greater attention to methodology and precision in the interest of scientific specialization brought about pronounced textual changes in the 19th century, although gentlemanly norms were still in evidence; and (c) by the late 20th century, expanded theoretical description/discussions appear to have replaced experiments and methods as the rhetorical centerpiece of the research article. (Discourse analysis, rhetorical analysis, register, social studies of science, scientific writing, corpus linguistics)
Fishermen, farmers, traders: Language and economic history on St. Barthélemy, French West Indies
Authors: Maher Julianne
Published: March 2009

St. Barthélemy, a small island in the northeastern Caribbean, is populated primarily by descendants of 17th century French settlers, and hosts seven language varieties. To explain the linguistic complexity of the island, this article reconstructs both its social history (using censuses, church records, and land registries) and its economic history, analyzing the effects of economic change on the island's population. The two offshoot communities on St. Thomas provide evidence of social fragmentation related to occupational differences. Functional explanations for St. Barth's linguistic diversity are inadequate; however, the social network theory of Milroy & Milroy 1992 proves useful in explaining the persistence of language differences in this small isolated community. (Social networks, life-modes, economic change, societal multilingualism, creole languages, French, West Indies, St. Barthélemy)
The ancient Greek address system and some proposed sociolinguistic universals
Authors: Dickey Eleanor
Published: March 2009

This article summarizes the results of a longer study of address forms in Ancient Greek, based on 11,891 address tokens from a variety of sources. It argues that the Greek evidence appears to contradict two tendencies, found in address forms in other languages, which have been claimed as possible sociolinguistic universals: the tendency toward T/V distinctions, and the principle that “What is new is polite.” It is suggested that these alleged universals should perhaps be re-examined in light of the Greek evidence, and that ancient languages in general have more to contribute to sociolinguistics than is sometimes realized. (Address, Ancient Greek, T/V distinctions)
Dialect contact and phonological reallocation: “Canadian Raising” in the English Fens
Authors: Britain David
Published: March 2009

This article reports on research carried out in the Fens in Eastern England, a region noted in the dialectological literature as the site of a number of important phonological transitions, most notably [] and [a – a:], which separate northern and southern varieties of British English. Recordings of 81 speakers from across the Fens were analyzed for the use of (ai), a particularly salient local variable. A “Canadian Raising” type of allophonic variation was found in the central Fenland: speakers in this area used raised onsets of (ai) before voiceless consonants but open onsets before voiced consonants, morpheme boundaries, and //. The article weighs a number of possible explanations for the emergence of this variation in the Fens. Based on compelling evidence from the demographic history of the area, it supports a view that such an allophonic distribution, previously thought not to be found in Britain, emerged as the result of dialect contact. The sociolinguistic process of koinéization that is commonly associated with post-contact speech communities (Trudgill 1986) is held responsible for the focusing of this allophonic variation from the input dialects of an initially mixed variety. The article concludes by suggesting a socially based explanatory model to account for the way that speakers implement processes of focusing and koinéization in areas of dialect contact. [English, dialects, contact, koiné, geographical linguistics, social networks, structuration theory)
Sex, speech, and stereotypes: Why women use prestige speech forms more than men
Authors: Gordon Elizabeth
Published: March 2009

It is widely reported that women use more prestige speech forms than men, and style-shift more dramatically than men. This article puts forward the view that this behavior of women is not a matter of self-promotion, but of avoidance. Evidence from a survey of New Zealand middle-class speakers shows that their stereotype of a lower-class female speaker includes potential sexual immorality. Because of society's double standard regarding men's and women's sexual behavior, the stereotype affects women more than men, and could be an explanation for middle-class women's use of prestige forms as a way of avoiding association with the lower-class stereotype. (Women's speech, social class, speech varieties, sex and language, stereotypes, New Zealand)
Affect and letter-writing: Unconventional conventions in casual writing by young Japanese women
Authors: Kataoka Kuniyoshi
Published: March 2009

With special attention to the use of unconventional practices and pictorial signs in casual letter writing, this article shows how young Japanese women effectively exploit affect-laden shape, form, and function in order to establish intimate and solidary relationships. They rely on both conventional and unconventional aspects of Japanese orthography, encoding affect specific to the given context and merging spoken with written modes of self-representation. In so doing, they seem to draw on diverse “frames” of written language, and to manipulate symbolic means of association and integration for achieving reciprocity. These features not only provide the basis for reciprocity, but may also suggest a new mode of literacy caused by social change. (Writing, literacy, affect, Japanese, pictorial signs, letter-writing)
Naming practices and the power of words in China
Authors: Blum Susan D.
Published: March 2009

This article examines use of kinship terms, pronouns, and proper names in China, in an overall framework termed “naming” that demonstrates the performative power of uttering relational terms, especially by the junior in the relationship. It also describes the prototypical routine of introductions, which consist of three participants, in contrast to the more typical conversation in Western analysis which posits two participants. In this three-party exchange, the animator is not the author of the words, but rather the willing and necessary namer of the relationship. Finally, it situates this performative function of naming within a general discussion of language ideology in Chinese society, in which signifiers and their homophones are seen as somehow inseparable from the signifieds. (Naming, speech act theory, ideology, kinship, China)
From Fisin to Pijin: Creolization in process in the Solomon Islands
Authors: Jourdan Christine , Keesing Roger
Published: March 2009

In a combination of ethnohistorical records and longitudinal data gathered over a period of 30 years, the development of Solomon Islands Pijin is documented and analyzed in light of the current debate surrounding creolization theory. Using a pragmatic definition of a Creole (Jourdan 1991), the authors argue that pidgins can be very elaborate codes even before they become the mother tongue of children, and that this elaboration is the result of the linguistic creativity of adults. It is further shown that, in sociolinguistic niches where adults and children use the pidgin as their main language, the impact of the latter on the evolution of the language is of a different nature. (Creolization theory, pidgin languages, substrate influences, urbanization, Solomon Islands Pijin)