bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prognostic Impact of Underlying Liver Fibrosis and Cirrhosis After Curative Resection of Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Gassmann Peter , Spieker Tilmann , Haier Joerg , Schmidt Fabian , Mardin Wolf Arif , Senninger Norbert
Published: June 2010

Background

In the case of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), underlying liver pathology may not only determine the feasibility of surgery but may also affect the postsurgical outcome. We report our experience after curative liver resection for HCC in patients with normal liver, liver fibrosis, and liver cirrhosis.

Methods

A total of 72 patients after liver resection with curative intention were analyzed. Histopathologic findings of tumor‐unaffected liver tissue were used for retrospective classification: group A (normal liver); group B (liver fibrosis); group C (liver cirrhosis). The groups were compared for differences in short‐term surgical results, total survival, and recurrence‐free survival.

Results

The rate of major complications was 34.7% and did not significantly differ among groups. The overall perioperative mortality rate was 9.7%, with one patient dying in group A and three patients dying in each of the other two groups. Including perioperative mortality, the median overall survival for the whole group was 37.3 months (95% confidence interval 29.3–45.2 months). The respective 1‐, 2‐, and 5‐year survival rates for group A (n = 21) were 86%, 71%, and 50% and for group C (n = 24) 62%, 50%, and 17%. The overall survival of group B (n = 27) was intermediate (log‐rank, P = 0.032). The respective recurrence‐free survival rates were 76%, 42%, and 20% for group A and 39%, 13%, and 4% for group C, with group B being intermediate (log‐rank, P = 0.016).

Conclusions

Our data demonstrate that liver resection in the presence of compensated liver cirrhosis is feasible but associated with a significantly impaired prognosis for overall and recurrence‐free survival. The management of cirrhotic patients with compensated liver function and HCC therefore also requires the opportunity for transplantation.
Geographical distribution pattern and interisland movements of Orii's flying fox in Okinawa Islands, the Ryukyu Archipelago, Japan
Authors: Nakamoto Atsushi , Itabe Shinichi , Sato Akiko , Kinjo Kazumitsu , Izawa Masako
Published: June 2010

The study of mobile animals such as flying foxes in insular habitats involves clarifying the population status on each island and determining the factors affecting movement patterns among the islands in their distributional range. We visited 25 of the Okinawa Islands and documented the number of Orii's flying foxes Pteropus dasymallus inopinatus from August 2005 to May 2006. We also conducted a monthly road census on the main island (Okinawa‐jima Island) and six adjacent islands from June 2006 to January 2007 and counted the number of fruit‐bearing trees of the bats’ four main food plants. The results of classification and regression tree analysis suggested that distance from the main island was a primary factor in determining the distribution pattern and population size of this flying fox, whereas island area, number of plant species, and food availability did not directly affect population size. The number of flying foxes on each island tended to decrease with an increase in distance from the main island; no flying foxes existed on islands >30 km away from the main island. On the other hand, the results of the monthly census showed that the population size on each island fluctuated seasonally. Individuals may move between islands in response to seasonal changes in food availability. In conclusion, the distribution and abundance of Orii's flying foxes in the Okinawa Islands may be determined by the rate of immigration/emigration, depending on each island's distance from the main island. Seasonal changes in food availability may act as a trigger for interisland movement, but that movement may be restricted by island connectivity.
Klinik und Genetik des familiären Darmkrebses
Authors: Steinke V. , Vogt S. , Aretz S.
Published: June 2010

Eine familiäre Häufung von Dickdarmkrebs (CRC) und ein früher Erkrankungsbeginn sind Hinweise auf erbliche Tumorsyndrome, die für etwa 3–5% aller CRC verantwortlich sind. Bei diesen monogenen Dispositionen wird der erbliche Dickdarmkrebs ohne Polyposis (HNPCC/Lynch-Syndrom) von der Gruppe der gastrointestinalen Polyposis-Syndrome unterschieden. Bei vielen hereditären Formen besteht ein z. T. charakteristisches Spektrum extrakolonischer Tumoren. Die frühe Erkennung und korrekte Einordnung ist wichtig, da effektive Methoden der Vorsorge und Therapie für Betroffene und Risikopersonen bestehen.

Die Initialdiagnostik umfasst das endoskopische Bild und den histologischen Befund, ergänzt um extraintestinale Manifestationen und die Familienanamnese. Die molekulargenetische Abklärung erfolgt nach weitgehend etablierten und standardisierten Algorithmen. Differenzialdiagnostische Probleme bereiten insbesondere Patienten mit wenigen kolorektalen Adenomen sowie phänotypische Überlappungen bei hamartomatösen Polyposis-Syndromen. Für HNPCC und häufige Polyposis-Syndrome existieren etablierte risikoadaptierte Früherkennungsprogramme.

Der außerhalb der etablierten Tumorsyndrome beobachteten familiären Häufung des – oft spätmanifesten – CRC und dem Auftreten weniger Adenome liegt vermutlich eine multifaktorielle Ätiologie zugrunde. Die Aufklärung der genetischen Faktoren und das Verständnis der beteiligten Signalwege steht hier noch am Anfang, macht aber durch die rasanten methodischen Entwicklungen (z. B. genomweite Assoziationsstudien, CNV-Analysen) rasche Fortschritte.
The Quest for Renal Disease Proteomic Signatures: Where Should We Look?
Authors: Konvalinka Ana , Scholey James W. , Diamandis Eleftherios P.
Published: June 2010

Renal diseases are prevalent and important. However, despite significant strides in medicine, clinical nephrology still relies on nonspecific and inadequate markers such as serum creatinine and total urine protein for monitoring and diagnosis of renal disease. In case of glomerular renal diseases, biopsy is often necessary to establish the diagnosis. With new developments in proteomics technology, numerous studies have emerged, searching for better markers of kidney disease diagnosis and/or prognosis. Blood, urine, and renal biopsy tissue have been explored as potential sources of biomarkers. Some interesting individual or multiparametric biomarkers have been found; however, none have yet been validated or entered clinical practice. This review focuses on some studies of biomarkers of glomerular renal diseases, as well as addresses the question of which sample type(s) might be most promising in preliminary discovery phases of candidate proteins.
Radiology and primary care in Europe
Authors:   The Executive Council of the European Society of Radiology (ESR) and the Council of the World Organization of National Colleges, Academies and Academic Associations of General Practitioners/Family Physicians/ European regional branch (WONCA Europe)
Published: June 2010

This joint paper outlines the current status and future outlook of the cooperation between radiology specialists and general practitioners. It discusses issues of referrals in primary care, imaging requirements, quality of care, types of radiology services and finances, all seen by both sides—radiologists and primary care physicians.
The level of expressed emotion scale: A useful measure of expressed emotion in adolescents?
Authors: Nelis Sharon M. , Rae Gordon , Liddell Christine
Published: June 2010

Research has suggested that self‐report measures of expressed emotion (EE) may be employed as a proxy measure of environmental stress in the home. The appropriateness of the Level of Expressed Emotion scale as a measure of perceived expressed emotion was examined in a sample of adolescents. Participants were 239 male and 422 female adolescents with a mean age of 15.9 years (SD = 1.26). Principal component analysis and confirmatory factor analysis suggested a shortened thirty three item scale with three subscales, interpreted as Lack of Emotional Support, Irritability and Intrusiveness. The Intrusiveness and Irritability subscales were positively correlated with adolescents’ self reports of psychological symptoms. Researchers seeking adolescents’ reports of the family environment should consider the use of this shortened LEE scale.
Ethnic composition of school classes, majority–minority friendships, and adolescents’ intergroup attitudes in the Netherlands
Authors: Vervoort Miranda H.M. , Scholte Ron H.J. , Scheepers Peer L.H.
Published: June 2010

The relationships between the proportion of ethnic minority adolescents in school classes, the proportion and quality of majority–minority friendships and intergroup attitudes were examined using multi‐level analysis (N = 2386 adolescents in 117 school classes in the Netherlands). In school classes with high proportions of ethnic minority adolescents, both ethnic majority and ethnic minority adolescents reported more negative out‐group attitudes. Moreover, in these school classes, ethnic majority adolescents showed more positive in‐group attitudes, whereas ethnic minority adolescents showed less positive in‐group attitudes. The proportion of majority–minority friendships was related to less negative out‐group attitudes for ethnic majority adolescents only. The quality of majority–minority friendships was related to less negative out‐group and in‐group attitudes for both the ethnic majority and ethnic minority adolescents. The results are discussed in the light of contact theory and ethnic competition theory.
Telepsychiatry and carer education for schizophrenia
Authors: Haley C. , O’Callaghan E. , Hill S. , Mannion N. , Donnelly B. , Kinsella A. , Murtagh A. , Turner N.
Published: June 2010

Objective

Despite the scientific evidence, most families of people with schizophrenia in Europe never receive a carer education programme. We evaluated whether a carer education course delivered by telepsychiatry was as effective as a carer education course delivered in situ.

Method

We delivered the carer education course for schizophrenia simultaneously to a carers group in rural north west Ireland (remote) via three ISDN lines and live to a carers group in a city (host). We compared knowledge gains using the Knowledge Questionnaire before and after each course.

Results

Fifty-six carers of people with schizophrenia participated in the trial. At baseline, participants at the remote and host centers did not differ in terms of knowledge about schizophrenia. After the course, carers at both centers improved significantly and the knowledge gains between groups were equivalent at 6 weeks.

Conclusion

Telepsychiatry can deliver effective carer education programmes about schizophrenia and may provide one solution to bridging the chasm between scientific evidence and clinical reality.
Treatment of atypical depression: Post-hoc analysis of a randomized controlled study testing the efficacy of sertraline and cognitive behavioural therapy in mildly depressed outpatients
Authors: Henkel V. , Mergl R. , Allgaier A.-K. , Hautzinger M. , Kohnen R. , Coyne J.C. , Möller H.-J. , Hegerl U.
Published: June 2010

Objective

Atypical features are common among depressed primary care patients, but clinical trials testing the efficacy of psychopharmacological and/or psychotherapeutic treatment are lacking. This paper examines the efficacy of sertraline and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) among depressed patients with atypical features.

Subjects and methods

Analyses involve a double-blind comparison of sertraline versus placebo (N= 47) and a single-blind comparison between CBT versus a guided self-help group (GSG) (N= 48), with primary efficacy endpoints being the Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (IDSC) and Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD-17).

Results

In intent-to-treat (ITT) analyses, the decrease on the IDSCscale (and HAMD-17) was greater after CBT compared to GSG:p= 0.01 (HAMD-17:p= 0.01). The difference between selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) versus placebo was not significant:p= 0.22 (HAMD-17:p= 0.36).

Limitations

The number of cases in each treatment group was small, thereby limiting statistical power. Patients medicated with sertraline were 10 to 15 years younger than those included in the other groups of treatment.

Conclusions

CBT may be an effective alternative to GSG for mildly depressed patients with atypical features. Although SSRI were not superior to placebo, it would be premature to rule out SSRI as efficacious in atypical depression.
Contingency theory of capacity planning: The link between process types and planning methods
Authors: Tenhiälä Antti
Published: June 2010

Although the reliability of production plans is crucial for the performance of manufacturing organizations, most practitioners use considerably simpler planning methods than what is recommended in the operations management literature. This article employs the contingency theory of organizations to explain the gap between the practice and the academic models of production planning. Arguments on the contingency effects of process complexity lead to a hypothesis that expects simple capacity planning methods to be most effective in certain production processes. A strong inference research setting is used to test the contingency hypothesis against a conventional hypothesis that expects the most sophisticated planning techniques to always be most effective. Multisource data from the machinery manufacturing industry support the contingency hypothesis and reject the universalistic hypothesis. The findings are explained using the concepts of task interdependence and bounded rationality. The results have several managerial implications, and they elaborate how classic concepts in organization theory can bring practically relevant insights to operations management research.
A historical examination of optimal real return portfolios for non‐US investors
Authors: Bruno Salvatore , Chincarini Ludwig
Published: June 2010

The objective of this paper is to explore and identify inflation as it is embedded in a broad range of asset classes beyond simply TIPS, oil, gold and real estate. The analysis is conducted primarily from the perspective of investors in a range of countries that span the developed and emerging world including resource intense economies and those that have previously experienced hyperinflation. We find that an investor who is looking for a reasonable positive real return of 4.5% while minimizing the downside risk with respect to inflation will have an allocation that consists primarily of short‐term bonds, longer‐term bonds, some gold, some oil, and some emerging market equities. The weight of gold and oil together is less than 10% of the portfolio and is not always relevant for all countries. We find that achieving stable real returns during hyperinflationary periods is virtually impossible without access to a vast array of short‐term fixed income instruments. Despite this, the out‐of‐sample performance of the real return optimizations is quite promising, providing an emulative inflation protection strategy for international investors of all sorts.
Fulminant Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus Leading to Fetal Loss in a Pregnant Chinese Woman
Authors: Lee Mei Yueh , Lin Kun‐Der , Chang Yu‐Hung , Hsieh Ming‐Chia , Hsiao Pi‐Jung , Shin Shyi‐Jang
Published: June 2010

We describe a case of diabetic ketoacidosis that lead to fetal loss during week 33 of gestation in a woman who had normal glucose tolerance 11 days previously. We believe this represents a case of fulminant type 1 diabetes.
Making a Life in the Life Sciences and the Role of Mentoring for Female Scientists
Authors: Kaplan Gisela
Published: June 2010

Evidence of sex differences in intellectual capabilities remains scant and, rather than revealing genetic origin, it is complicated by the influence of social circumstances. Some inequities persist, and although these have been decreasing in recent decades, therefore, it remains a major task for policy makers and educators to assist in setting up programs, including mentoring opportunities, that are directed at alleviating such inequities. This paper outlines some historical circumstances in science and suggests that mentoring has to be understood in a wide systemic framework. The freedom to think and act and follow research ideas through is intrinsically rewarding to society and to the individual. For female scientists, it is a freedom that has yet to be fully developed and mentoring is just one way in which such a process can be legitimized. The paper outlines how institutions can best do this, and how this might work in practice for the individual, and argues that science needs to have its own code of mentoring.
A Journey of No Return and No Regrets
Authors: Yeh Nai‐Chang
Published: June 2010

This article describes the author's personal journey from childhood to a career in physics. The beauty and truth that the author finds in physics has been the primary driving force and inspiration for her relentless pursuit of knowledge and her constant push for cutting‐edge research, despite all obstacles and odds against her as a “double minority” (an Asian woman) in a predominantly white male profession. Based on her 20 years of research and teaching at one of the world's leading academic institutions, the California Institute of Technology, the author observes no differences between men and women in their scientific talents, thereby dispelling the misconception of possible inferiority of women as scientists. She further stresses the urgent societal needs for more talent in various sciences to address many of the important issues facing the planet. In this context, society must promote gender equality in science so that one half of the talent does not go to waste. Finally, the author shares her thoughts with young people about how to be better prepared to face the challenges in life and fulfill their dreams.
Asking the Why Questions: A Career in Science
Authors: Heitkemper Margaret M.
Published: June 2010

This paper describes the career path of one woman scientist and identifies the factors that promote a productive and rewarding career. Factors include a strong personal interest in the area of study, mentorship at all stages of development, collaborative relationships with colleagues in and beyond one's discipline, and family and social support. A career focused on understanding the role of stress in gastrointestinal distress is described.
Women Scientists in Taiwan: An Update
Authors: Wang Hsiu‐Yun , Stocker Joel Floyd
Published: June 2010

This paper reflects upon issues of gender and science in Taiwan. Its starting point is the first academic paper on the subject published in Taiwan in 1996 by Fu and Wang, and then it draws upon the biographical accounts of 20 women scientists. We emphasize the importance of focusing on the specific contexts of the history of science and women in Taiwan. Partly as a result of Taiwan's colonial past and women's limited access to education, women scientists did not emerge in Taiwan until the second half of the 20th century when higher education became available to women. The gender issues with which women scientists in Taiwan have had to cope include the ways in which women have been excluded or included, their marital and career status, the local and global politics of scientific knowledge, and negotiating social networks. These issues have remained largely the same since the Fu and Wang study, but they have certainly gained wider attention and understanding, and greater articulation, both within academia and society.
Elementary symplectic orbits and improved K1-stability
Authors: Chattopadhyay Pratyusha , Rao Ravi A.
Published: June 2010

It is shown that the set of orbits of the action of the elementary symplectic group on all unimodular rows over a commutative ring of characteristic not 2 is identical with the set of orbits of the action of the corresponding elementary general linear group. This result is used to improve injective stability for K1 of the symplectic group over non-singular affine algebras.
The full orbifold K-theory of abelian symplectic quotients
Authors: Goldin Rebecca , Harada Megumi , Holm Tara S. , Kimura Takashi
Published: June 2010

In their 2007 paper, Jarvis, Kaufmann, and Kimura defined the full orbifoldK-theory of an orbifold , analogous to the Chen-Ruan orbifold cohomology of in that it uses the obstruction bundle as a quantum correction to the multiplicative structure. We give an explicit algorithm for the computation of this orbifold invariant in the case when arises as an abelian symplectic quotient. To this end, we introduce the inertial K-theory associated to a T -action on a stably complex manifold M, where T is a compact abelian Lie group. Our methods are integral K-theoretic analogues of those used in the orbifold cohomology case by Goldin, Holm, and Knutson in 2005. We rely on the K-theoretic Kirwan surjectivity methods developed by Harada and Landweber. As a worked class of examples, we compute the full orbifold K-theory of weighted projective spaces that occur as a symplectic quotient of a complex affine space by a circle. Our computations hold over the integers, and in the particular case of these weighted projective spaces, we show that the associated invariant is torsion-free.
Structure of a steady drain-hole vortex in a viscous fluid
Authors: BØHLING L. , ANDERSEN A. , FABRE D.
Published: June 2010

We use direct numerical simulations to study a steady bathtub vortex in a cylindrical tank with a central drain-hole, a flat stress-free surface and velocity prescribed at the inlet. We find that the qualitative structure of the meridional flow does not depend on the radial Reynolds number, whereas we observe a weak overall rotation at a low radial Reynolds number and a concentrated vortex above the drain-hole at a high radial Reynolds number. We introduce a simple analytically integrable model that shows the same qualitative dependence on the radial Reynolds number as the simulations and compares favourably with the results for the radial velocity and the azimuthal velocity at the surface. Finally, we describe the height dependence of the radius of the vortex core and the maximum of the azimuthal velocity at a high radial Reynolds number, and we show that the data on the radius of the vortex core and the maximum of the azimuthal velocity as functions of height collapse on single curves by appropriate scaling.
Divine omnipotence and moral perfection
Authors: LOKE ANDREW
Published: June 2010

Divine omnipotence entails that God can choose to do evil (even though He will not) by taking up a human nature. In showing others by way of example how temptations are to be overcome, His exposure to evil desires in such circumstances is consistent with moral perfection. The view that ‘God has the greatest power and is morally perfect simpliciter’, is religiously more adequate than ‘God has great power and is essentially morally perfect’. The essentiality of other divine attributes to God is discussed, and rebuttals to Anselmian arguments are offered.
Taking nature mysticism seriously: Marshall and the metaphysics of the self
Authors: PEROVICH ANTHONY N.
Published: June 2010

Paul Marshall takes extrovertive mystical experience seriously by providing a metaphysical framework inspired by Plotinus and Leibniz that aims to interpret it non-reductively and to explain it persuasively. However praiseworthy Marshall's intentions, his account fails for a variety of reasons, among them an inability to establish convincingly why natural objects appear as transfigured and alive, characteristics frequently encountered in the reports of nature mystics. An alternative approach, rooted in contemporary pan-experientialist philosophy of mind, is able to take extrovertive mysticism equally seriously while accounting more successfully for its pre-eminent features at a less extravagant metaphysical cost.
Second language teacher education: Review of recent research on practice
Authors: Wright Tony
Published: June 2010

Second language teacher education (SLTE) has undergone considerable change over the past 25 years. The question of how language teaching is learnt and how programmes of professional preparation can contribute to this process now elicits quite different answers. A new agenda of theory and practice has emerged as SLTE has incorporated many of the ideas and practices of reflection (Schön 1983). At the same time, it has drawn increasingly on feeder fields of research and practice such as teacher cognition and professional cultures. These have augmented, and to some extent displaced, the original roots of SLTE in Applied Linguistics and Psychology, and a new knowledge base (Freeman & Johnson 1998) has been established, contributing to the formulation of theory about language teachers' learning-to-teach, and its practices. The focus of this review is on the extent to which the new agenda has influenced SLTE practices in recent years. It examines accounts of activities teacher educators and student teachers engage in during SLTE programmes in formal learning experiences. The paper identifies a thriving practitioner research culture in SLTE but argues that much more research is required to establish the true extent to which new conceptualisations of the process of learning-to-teach second languages guides SLTE practice.
Research in English language teaching and learning in Israel (2004–2009)
Authors: Aronin Larissa , Spolsky Bernard
Published: June 2010

The goal of this article is to make research on English language teaching and learning published locally in Israel more widely available. Given that so many Israeli researchers are internationally trained and maintain wide connections, it necessarily omits much important work that appears in European and US journals. It focuses on shorter studies, commonly unfunded, that university teachers in EFL programs or in teacher training programs at smaller colleges conduct in their own time. It represents a wide range of good quality research, ‘glocal’ in that its local production does not compromise potential contributions to global concerns. The main themes treated are the early start of teaching English, the development of an integrated methodology, detailed studies of the teaching of lexicon and writing, specialized studies of dyslexia, computer-assisted instruction, English for academic purposes, and teaching Israeli students who already know some English from home or visits abroad. The overall quality of the research is high, matching all but a few top international journals.
The development of theories of second language acquisition
Authors: Myles Florence
Published: June 2010

Second language acquisition (SLA) is a relatively new field of enquiry. Before the late 1960s, educators did write about L2 learning, but very much as an adjunct of language teaching pedagogy, underpinned by behaviourism, the then-dominant learning theory in psychology. In this view, the task facing learners of foreign languages was to rote-learn and practise the grammatical patterns and vocabulary of the language to be learnt, in order to form new ‘habits’, that is to create new stimulus–response pairings which would become stronger with reinforcement. In order for the ‘old habits’ of the L1 not to interfere with this process by being ‘copied’, or transferred, into the L2, researchers embarked on thorough descriptions of pairs of languages to be learnt, in order to identify areas that are different and would thus be difficult.
English Language and Literature Academic Group at the National Institute of Education, Singapore
Authors: Lee Benny P. H.
Published: June 2010

The National Institute of Education in Singapore (which is part of the Nanyang Technological University) is the leading national pre-service and in-service teacher training tertiary institution. It offers diploma, undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. The academic departments are called Academic Groups (AGs). The English Language and Literature (ELL) AG has over 70 academic staff with very diverse research interests. The sheer size of the AG results in several clusters of research interests in language teaching methodology and curriculum, language teacher training, language learning, literacy issues, classroom discourse, and sociolinguistic issues of relevance to Singapore and other parts of Asia. In this report, I highlight some of the recent research, completed in the years 2008–2009.
Symposium – Perspectives on Motivation for Second Language Learning on the 50th Anniversary of Gardner & Lambert (1959)
Authors: MacIntyre Peter
Published: June 2010

Held at the Association canadienne de linguistique appliquée/Canadian Association of Applied Linguistics Conference, Ottawa, Canada; 28 May 2009.

With the 50th anniversary of Robert C. Gardner and Wallace Lambert's seminal paper ‘Motivational variables in second language acquisition’ (Gardner & Lambert 1959), we paused to reflect on the contributions the work has inspired and the state of the art in the study of motivation research.
Sprawl, Squatters and Sustainable Cities: Can Archaeological Data Shed Light on Modern Urban Issues?
Authors: Smith Michael E.
Published: June 2010

Ancient cities as documented by archaeologists and historians have considerable relevance for a broader understanding of modern cities and general processes of urbanization. This article reviews three themes that illustrate such relevance: sprawl, squatter settlements and urban sustainability. Archaeology's potential for illuminating these and other topics, however, remains largely unrealized because we have failed to develop the concepts and methods required to analyse such processes in the past. The following aspects are examined for each of the three themes: the modern situation, the potential insights that archaeology could contribute, and what archaeologists would need to do to produce those insights. The author then discusses some of the benefits that would accrue from increased communication between archaeologists and other scholars of urbanism.
U.S. CORE INFLATION: A WAVELET ANALYSIS
Authors: Dowd Kevin , Cotter John , Loh Lixia
Published: June 2010

This paper proposes the use of wavelet methods to estimate U.S. core inflation. It explains wavelet methods and suggests that they are ideally suited to this task. Comparisons are made with traditional Consumer Price Index–based and regression-based measures for their performance in following trend inflation and predicting future inflation. Results suggest that wavelet-based measures perform better, and sometimes much better, than the traditional approaches. These results suggest that wavelet methods are a promising avenue for future research on core inflation.
Mobilizing Religion for Democracy: Explaining Catholic Church Support for Democratization in South America
Authors: Mantilla Luis Felipe
Published: June 2010

This article explores the conditions under which religious organizations push for democratization by addressing variation in support for democracy among Catholic Church authorities in South America. It argues that this can be best explained by leveraging key concepts used in the study of social movements: cultural frames, mobilizing resources, and political opportunity structures. This approach yields counter-intuitive insights about the role played by the Second Vatican Council, the size of national churches, and the crucial role of political parties. The empirical argument is formulated in terms of necessary and sufficient conditions, and tested using fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis.
Liberalism, Multiculturalism, and the Case for Public Religion
Authors: Sikka Sonia
Published: June 2010

Liberalism, as a political paradigm, is committed to maintaining a stance of neutrality toward religion(s), along with other comprehensive systems of belief. Multiculturalism is premised on the view that the political policies of internally diverse nations should respect the beliefs and practices of the various cultural, ethnic, and religious groups of which those nations are composed. Sometimes synthesized, sometimes standing in tension, these two political frameworks share a common goal of minimizing conflict while respecting diversity. Although this goal is, in principle, laudable, I argue in this article that the operation of liberal and multiculturalist forms of public reasoning inadvertently diminishes critical reflection and revision in the area of religion, with potentially dangerous consequences both for the health of religion and for social stability. Measures to counter these dangers, I propose, include a relaxation of the restrictive rules that define liberal public reason, and education about religion in schools.
Multidimensionale Familientherapie (MDFT) in der Praxis
Authors: Gantner Andreas , Spohr Birgit
Published: June 2010

Hintergrund: Angesichts des europaweit steigenden Behandlungsbedarfs für Jugendliche mit Substanzstörungen, insbesondere Cannabisstörungen, wird im Rahmen der europäischen INCANT-Studie (International Cannabis Need of Treatment ) die in den USA entwickelte Multidimensionale Familientherapie (MDFT) in fünf europäischen Ländern eingeführt und wissenschaftlich evaluiert. Methodik: Zentral in dem evidenzbasierten Therapieansatz ist die parallele therapeutische Arbeit auf mehreren Ebenen: Mit den Jugendlichen, den Eltern, der Familie und anderen relevanten Personen im sozialen Kontext. Schlussfolgerungen: Die ersten klinischen Erfahrungen mit MDFT in Deutschland sind sehr positiv und bestätigen die praktische Übertragbarkeit des manualorientierten Programms, wobei die Implementierung von MDFT sowohl die Therapeuten als auch die Hilfesysteme vor neue Herausforderungen stellt.
Die Wirksamkeit Systemischer Therapie bei Substanzstörungen des Jugend- und Erwachsenenalters
Authors: von Sydow Kirsten , Schindler Andreas , Beher Stefan , Schweitzer-Rothers Jochen , Retzlaff Rüdiger
Published: June 2010

Hintergrund: Systemische (Familien-, Paar-, Gruppen-, Multi-Familien-Gruppen-, Einzel-)Therapie ist in den USA und vielen europäischen Ländern ein anerkanntes und etabliertes Psychotherapieverfahren, in Deutschland jedoch erst seit 2008 wissenschaftlich anerkannt und bisher nur unzureichend in der klinischen Versorgung etabliert. Methode: Über Datenbankrecherchen und Querverweise in Metaanalysen und Reviews wurden alle bis Ende 2008 publizierten kontrollierten, randomisierten (oder parallelisierten) Outcome-Studien zur systemischen Therapie (alle Settings) bei ICD-10-/DSM-IV-Substanzstörungen des Erwachsenen- und des Jugendalters identifiziert und systematisch inhaltsanalytisch ausgewertet (Meta-Inhaltsanalyse). Ergebnisse: Es wurden 10 RCT zur systemischen Therapie bei Störungen des Erwachsenenalters und 17 RCT zum Jugendalter identifiziert – trotz internationaler Recherchen ausschließlich englischsprachige Publikationen. Sehr gut belegt ist die Wirksamkeit systemischer Familientherapie bei Substanzstörungen des Jugendalters, insbes. Cannabisstörungen (auch in Kombination mit dissozialen und/oder internalisierenden Störungen). Bei erwachsenen Heroinabhängigen ist ST kombiniert mit Methadonsubstitution nachweislich wirksamer als Methadonsubstitution allein. Weniger überzeugend ist die Evidenz zu Alkoholstörungen im Erwachsenenalter. Die Ergebnisse sind meist zeitlich stabil über Katamnese-Zeiträume von bis zu fünf Jahren. Schlussfolgerungen: Bei Substanzstörungen des Jugendalters ist systemische Therapie weltweit das am besten evaluierte Verfahren. In Bezug auf das Erwachsenenalter sind die Befunde auch positiv, aber weniger umfassend.
Food-Evoked Changes in Humans
Authors: Walla Peter , Richter Maria , Färber Stella , Leodolter Ulrich , Bauer Herbert
Published: June 2010

Two experiments investigate effects related to food intake in humans. In Experiment 1, we measured startle response modulation while study participants ate ice cream, yoghurt, and chocolate. Statistical analysis revealed that ice cream intake resulted in the most robust startle inhibition compared to no food. Contrasting females and males, we found significant differences related to the conditions yoghurt and chocolate. In females, chocolate elicited the lowest response amplitude followed by yoghurt and ice cream. In males, chocolate produced the highest startle response amplitude even higher than eating nothing, whereas ice cream produced the lowest. Assuming that high response amplitudes reflect aversive motivation while low response amplitudes reflect appetitive motivational states, it is interpreted that eating ice cream is associated with the most appetitive state given the alternatives of chocolate and yoghurt across gender. However, in females alone eating chocolate, and in males alone eating ice cream, led to the most appetitive state. Experiment 2 was conducted to describe food intake-related brain activity by means of source localization analysis applied to electroencephalography data (EEG). Ice cream, yoghurt, a soft drink, and water were compared. Brain activity in rostral portions of the superior frontal gyrus was found in all conditions. No localization differences between conditions occurred. While EEG was found to be insensitive, startle response modulation seems to be a reliable method to objectively quantify motivational states related to the intake of different foods.
Fish Consumption and Heart Rate Variability
Authors: Hansen Anita L. , Dahl Lisbeth , Bakke Lene , Frøyland Livar , Thayer Julian F.
Published: June 2010

The present study investigates the impact of seafood intake on biological markers in blood such as the marine very long-chain polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D), in addition to heart rate variability (HRV), which is an important biological marker of good health, both physical and mental. A total of 53 male inmates from a Norwegian prison were randomly assigned to intervention and control groups, although attrition reduced some comparisons at the end of the study to 13 (intervention group (n = 6) and control group (n = 7). The intervention group received seafood (mainly fatty fish, > 8% fat) for dinner three times per week for a period of 6 months. Both groups were requested to eat their usual diet provided by the prison. Blood samples were collected and HRV (high frequency (HF) and low frequency (LF) power) was measured before and after the study period. Overall, the intervention group showed significant increase in levels of 25(OH)D and HF-power, and a significant reduction in the sympathovagal balance (LF/HF). The present findings may have important implications with regard to health improvement.
Development and Construct Validation of the German Workplace Trust Survey (G-WTS)
Authors: Lehmann-Willenbrock Nale , Kauffeld Simone
Published: June 2010

In research on trust in the organizational context, there is some agreement evolving that trust should be measured with respect to various foci. The Workplace Trust Survey (WTS) by Ferres (2002) provides reliable assessment of coworker, supervisor, and organizational trust. By means of a functionally equivalent translation, we developed a German version of the questionnaire (G-WTS) comprising 21 items. A total of 427 employees were surveyed with the G-WTS and questionnaires concerning several work-related attitudes and behaviors and 92 of these completed the survey twice. The hypothesized three-dimensional conceptualization of organizational trust was confirmed by confirmatory factor analysis. The G-WTS showed good internal consistency and retest reliability values. Concerning convergent validity, all of the three G-WTS dimensions positively predicted job satisfaction. In terms of discriminant validity, Coworker Trust enhanced group cohesion; Supervisor Trust fostered innovative behavior, while Organizational Trust was associated with affective commitment. Theoretical and practical contributions as well as opportunities for future research with the G-WTS are discussed.
The German Version of the Generalized Expectancies for Negative Mood Regulation Scale
Authors: Backenstrass Matthias , Joest Katharina , Gehrig Nicole , Pfeiffer Nils , Mearns Jack , Catanzaro Salvatore J.
Published: June 2010

The Generalized Expectancies for Negative Mood Regulation (NMR) Scale has been developed to assess beliefs about one’s ability to do something to feel better when emotionally upset. One aim of the present study was to replicate convergent and discriminant relationships with constructs such as coping behavior, emotion regulation strategies, and social desirability using the German version of the NMR Scale. Furthermore, the series of studies reported in this paper examined the incremental validity of the NMR Scale. The correlations found between the NMR Scale and the studied constructs are in accordance with theoretical assumptions and replicate results found with the original English language NMR Scale. Tests of incremental validity showed that the German version of the NMR Scale explained variance in depressive symptoms beyond that explained by task-oriented, emotion-oriented, and avoidance-oriented coping; emotion regulation strategies; locus of control variables; and self-efficacy. Finally, depressive patients were found to have lower NMR expectancies than a healthy control group – even when the severity of depressive symptoms was statistically controlled. Thus, the present study confirmed the validity of the German version of the NMR Scale and, by analyzing its incremental validity, emphasized the significance the NMR construct has for emotion regulation research.
Psychological Disorders in Old Age
Authors: Ayis Salma , Paul Constanca , Ebrahim Shah
Published: June 2010

Optimal cutoff points based on response to the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) used to identify cases of psychological disorder have serious limitations. We used a latent class model (LCM) to improve case identification, on a national survey data of 999 individuals aged 65 + years, living in Britain. The method suggested three clusters of homogeneous response to GHQ-12, comprising 70% noncases, 24% possible, and 6%, probable cases. The three groups differ in characteristics including objective ones, such as health and subjective such as optimism. The solution seems sensible in recognizing a range of case severity, which will help in applying suitable interventions on mild and moderate cases that are common among older people and are likely to become more serious.
Group Leadership Climate and Individual Organizational Commitment
Authors: Schyns Birgit , Van Veldhoven Marc J. P. M.
Published: June 2010

Most research about the effects of leadership on employee work outcomes ignores the fact that the relationship between supervisor and employee is embedded within a group. In this article, we answer the questions what is the effect of group leadership climate strength, conceptualized as the variability in leadership climate within groups, on individual organizational commitment of employees, and how this adds to the effect of group leadership climate level, conceptualized as mean leadership climate within a group. Using data from 16,299 employees within 1,826 groups, we conducted multilevel analyses which showed that group leadership climate level and strength are related to individual organizational commitment after controlling for the influence of individual level leadership climate. In the discussion, the practical and scientific implications of these results are discussed.
Personal and Situational Determinants of Multitasking at Work
Authors: König Cornelius J. , Oberacher Lourdes , Kleinmann Martin
Published: June 2010

Many people work on more than one task during a typical work hour, but despite its commonness, multitasking behavior has so far been ignored by researchers. This study is the first to explore predictors of the extent of multitasking behavior at work. Questionnaire data from 192 employees were analyzed. The findings showed that polychronicity (the preference to multitask) was the most important predictor, but impulsivity and work demands were also predictors. Surprisingly, neither cognitive interference (the proneness to engage in off-task cognitions) nor family demands predicted the extent of multitasking behavior. The implications of these findings for organizations are discussed.
Is there a Weed Shift in Roundup Ready Maize?
Authors: Verschwele Arnd
Published: June 2010

The cultivation of transgenic glyphosate-resistant crop varieties can simplify weed control in crops such as maize and others. On the other hand, the repeated use of broadly effective herbicides like glyphosate, especially in the same crop, can have a negative effect on biodiversity. Additionally there is a risk for a spread of more tolerant or even resistant weed species.It was the aim of a 6-years field study (2003-2008) to investigate weed effects of use of glyphosate in a continuous transgenic herbicide-resistant maize rotation at three sites in Germany. These sites differed significantly in terms of soil, climate and initial weed spectrum. The studies focussed on the comparison between local herbicide standards and split applications of Roundup Ready (360 g L^-1^ glyphosate) applied at dosages of 1,5 + 1,5; 2 + 2 and 3 + 3 L ha^-1^ Roundup Ready.Concerning the potential changes in weed communities over longer periods of time, the study did not indicate any negative effect on weed infestation, communities or diversity, of the glyphosate treatments compared to the local herbicide standard. Concerning species richness, there was no clear trend of the Roundup Ready treatments. Possible changes of the abundances of individual species were affected by the initial weed spectrum and consequently by the site conditions. As far as the conventional herbicides are efficiently used, they have no other effect than the glyphosate applications. Similar results were seen for the Shannon’s diversity index and Shannon’s evenness index.In sum, and looking at annual effects, it could be concluded from this 6 years study that 1) there are no statistically significant differences between local standard herbicide treatments and the glyphosate treatments assessed in this study on the mean values of seed bank, species richness, species diversity and dominance; 2) the data collected on the different parameters showed an enormous variability within sites and years; 3) a dosage of 3 + 3 L ha^-1^ Roundup Ready avoids spread of certain weed species like _Chenopodium album_ or Urtica urens; 3) as far as the standard herbicides were applied correctly in terms of a high and wide efficiency, they will have the same effect as the Roundup Ready treatments.