bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Visual attention in the first years: typical development and developmental disorders
Authors: ATKINSON JANETTE , BRADDICK OLIVER
Published: May 2012

The development of attention is critical for the young child’s competence in dealing with the demands of everyday life. Here we review evidence from infants and preschool children regarding the development of three neural subsystems of attention: selective attention, sustained attention, and attentional (executive) control. These systems overlap with dorsal cortical visual streams and their disorders are related to the general hypothesis of ‘dorsal stream vulnerability’. Infants’ ability to control spatial selective attention can be measured using the ‘Fixation Shift’ task. From around 4 months of age, infants start to show cortical control in disengaging to switch between competing targets. Fixation shifts have proved to be an effective early indicator of attentional disorders associated with perinatal brain damage. Executive function emerges slowly, starting around 1 year of age. The new Early Childhood Attention Battery has identified the three attention subsystems as distinct before 5 years of age in typical development and allows assessment of individual attention profiles across these subsystems. The Early Childhood Attention Battery is now being used to identify specific profiles associated with developmental syndromes such as Williams, Down, and fragile X. These new methods offer the possibility of very early identification of attention disorders, raising the challenge of effective remediation and treatment at an early age.
The human testis‐determining factor SRY localizes in midbrain dopamine neurons and regulates multiple components of catecholamine synthesis and metabolism
Authors: Czech Daniel P. , Lee Joohyung , Sim Helena , Parish Clare L. , Vilain Eric , Harley Vincent R.
Published: May 2012

J. Neurochem. (2012) 122, 260–271.

The male gender is determined by the sex‐determining region on the Y chromosome (SRY) transcription factor. The unexpected action of SRY in the control of voluntary movement in male rodents suggests a role in the regulation of dopamine transmission and dopamine‐related disorders with gender bias, such as Parkinson’s disease. We investigated SRY expression in the human brain and function in vitro. SRY immunoreactivity was detected in the human male, but not female substantia nigra pars compacta, within a sub‐population of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) positive neurons. SRY protein also co‐localized with TH positive neurons in the ventral tegmental area, and with GAD‐positive neurons in the substantia nigra pars reticulata. Retinoic acid‐induced differentiation of human precursor NT2 cells into dopaminergic cells increased expression of TH, NURR1, D2R and SRY. In the human neuroblastoma cell line, M17, SRY knockdown resulted in a reduction in TH, DDC, DBH and MAO‐A expression; enzymes which control dopamine synthesis and metabolism. Conversely, SRY over‐expression increased TH, DDC, DBH, D2R and MAO‐A levels, accompanied by increased extracellular dopamine levels. A luciferase assay demonstrated that SRY activated a 4.6 kb 5′ upstream regulatory region of the human TH promoter/nigral enhancer. Combined, these results suggest that SRY plays a role as a positive regulator of catecholamine synthesis and metabolism in the human male midbrain. This ancillary genetic mechanism might contribute to gender bias in fight‐flight behaviours in men or their increased susceptibility to dopamine disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease and schizophrenia.
Child mental health and service needs in Iraq: beliefs and attitudes of primary school teachers
Authors: Al‐Obaidi Abdul Kareem , Nelson Brett D. , Al Badawi Ghazwan , Hicks Madelyn Hsiao‐Rei , Guarino Anthony J.
Published: May 2012

Objective

To survey Iraqi primary school teachers' beliefs and attitudes about mental health and behavioural problems of children.

Methods

From 10 primary schools in Baghdad, 148 teachers were surveyed using a closed‐response questionnaire to assess beliefs and attitudes regarding students' mental health and behavioural problems, needs, resources and limitations to teaching.

Results

Disruptive behaviours were rated as main problems by the largest proportions of teachers. In‐service training on ‘identifying students with social, emotional, or behavioural problems’ and ‘effective behaviour management’ was rated very important by 70% of teachers. Most teachers received no training on mental health during their teaching career. There was low reported availability of a wide range of school‐based mental health resources.

Conclusions

Teachers in Iraq report substantial mental health and behavioural problems in primary school children and identify high unmet need for school‐based mental health programmes and training.
The Portrayal of Migraine in Popular Music: Observations and Implications
Authors: Roberts Daniel L. , Vargas Bert B.
Published: May 2012

Objective.— To describe the manner in which migraine and migaineurs are depicted in popular music.

Background.— Prior studies have elucidated the ways in which the popular perception of neurological disorders is shaped by popular culture, from the inflated expectations of the prognosis of coma patients in television dramas to the association of intractable headaches with demonic possession and death by violence in the cinema.

Methods.— We searched popular online music sites for songs with the word “migraine” in their titles. Song lyrics were studied for tone, content, and the light in which they portrayed migraine sufferers.

Results.— One hundred thirty‐four songs met inclusion criteria, representing the work of 126 artists. The majority of the recording artists were male (112 of 126 artists, 89%). One hundred seven of the 134 songs (80%) were recorded since 2000. Of the 79 songs that contained lyrics, 16 (20%) included explicit content; 43 (54%) make reference to hopelessness, despair, or severe pain; and 27 (34%) contained references to killing or death. Only 9 songs (11%) made any reference to successful treatment, resolution, or hope of any sort, the same number that made lyrical references to explosions or bombs.

Conclusions.— The portrayal of a disease in popular music can reflect the artist's perceptions, anxieties, and prejudices about the disease and its victims. The public, including patients, may accept these portrayals as accurate. Clinicians familiar with the portrayal of headache sufferers in cinema will not be surprised that popular musicians (both migraineurs and non‐migraineurs) portray migraines as intractable, violent, and all‐consuming. The lack of any balancing view is disheartening, especially in light of the advances in migraine awareness and treatment over the past decade. Perhaps the most surprising finding is that the vast majority of migraine songs are written and performed by men.
The Development of Fairness Expectations and Prosocial Behavior in the Second Year of Life
Authors: Sommerville Jessica A. , Schmidt Marco F. H. , Yun Jung‐eun , Burns Monica
Published: May 2012

Recent work provides evidence that expectations regarding a fair (i.e., equal) distribution of goods and resources arise sometime in the second year of life. To investigate the developmental trajectory of fairness expectations, and their potential relation to prosocial behavior, infants participated in a violation‐of‐expectancy (VOE) paradigm designed to assess expectations regarding how resources are typically distributed, and in a sharing task, an informational helping task, and an instrumental helping task. Infants’ expectations regarding resource distribution showed age‐related changes between 12 and 15 months, with only 15‐month‐old infants showing greater attention to unfair (unequal) over fair (equal) outcomes in the VOE. Individual differences in infants’ sensitivity to unfair outcomes were related to infants’ willingness to share a preferred toy. In contrast, helping behavior was unrelated to infants’ sensitivity to unfair outcomes and did not vary according to whether infants shared a preferred or non‐preferred toy during the sharing task. Our findings suggest a developmental transition in expectations regarding how resources are distributed from 12 to 15 months of age, linked to infants’ sharing behavior, suggesting that such expectations are learned through experience. Our results also contribute to the ongoing discussion regarding how best to assess the construct of prosociality in infancy.
Spatial‐Temporal Modeling of the Association between Air Pollution Exposure and Preterm Birth: Identifying Critical Windows of Exposure
Authors: Warren Joshua , Fuentes Montserrat , Herring Amy , Langlois Peter
Published: May 2012

Summary Exposure to high levels of air pollution during the pregnancy is associated with increased probability of preterm birth (PTB), a major cause of infant morbidity and mortality. New statistical methodology is required to specifically determine when a particular pollutant impacts the PTB outcome, to determine the role of different pollutants, and to characterize the spatial variability in these results. We develop a new Bayesian spatial model for PTB which identifies susceptible windows throughout the pregnancy jointly for multiple pollutants (PM2.5, ozone) while allowing these windows to vary continuously across space and time. We geo‐code vital record birth data from Texas (2002–2004) and link them with standard pollution monitoring data and a newly introduced EPA product of calibrated air pollution model output. We apply the fully spatial model to a region of 13 counties in eastern Texas consisting of highly urban as well as rural areas. Our results indicate significant signal in the first two trimesters of pregnancy with different pollutants leading to different critical windows. Introducing the spatial aspect uncovers critical windows previously unidentified when space is ignored. A proper inference procedure is introduced to correctly analyze these windows.
Reflections on #Occupy Everywhere: Social media, public space, and emerging logics of aggregation
Authors: Juris Jeffrey S.
Published: May 2012

This article explores the links between social media and public space within the #Occupy Everywhere movements. Whereas listservs and websites helped give rise to a widespread logic of networking within the movements for global justice of the 1990s–2000s, I argue that social media have contributed to an emerging logic of aggregation in the more recent #Occupy movements—one that involves the assembling of masses of individuals from diverse backgrounds within physical spaces. However, the recent shift toward more decentralized forms of organizing and networking may help to ensure the sustainability of the #Occupy movements in a posteviction phase. [social movements, globalization, political protest, public space, social media, new technologies, inequality]
Commentary: Democracy, temporalities of capitalism, and dilemmas of inclusion in Occupy movements
Authors: Nugent David
Published: May 2012

The two articles in this issue that I consider here raise fascinating questions about the temporalities of capitalism and about the dilemmas of inclusion in the recent Occupy movements. I explore some of these questions by focusing on three features of the movements: their temporal registers, their moral imaginaries, and their implicit and explicit understandings of democracy. I connect these different threads by showing their relationships to one another and also to what activists believe Occupy has emerged in opposition to: the interrelated crises of global capitalism and representative democracy. [democracy, capitalism, public protest, Occupy, temporality]
One way or another: Erotic subjectivity in Cuba
Authors: Allen Jafari
Published: May 2012

Intervening at the nexus of queer anthropology, black resistance, and Latin American and Caribbean culture and politics, I examine sites, modalities, and limits of “erotic subjectivity” during Cuba's Special Period in Time of Peace (Período Especial en Tiempo de Paz)—the economic crisis of the 1990s. I trace how nonheteronormative black Cubans have been reinventing ways to participate, officially and unofficially, in a number of fraught, uneven exchanges on the ground. I aim to outline a genealogy of the political possibilities for nonheteronormative black Cubans. [queer, black, Cuba, subjectivity, gender]
The Green Revolution's ghost: Unruly subjects of participatory development in rural Indonesia
Authors: Welker Marina
Published: May 2012

After the Batu Hijau mine in Sumbawa, Indonesia, began operating in 2000, mine managers identified area farmers as a top security risk because they were threatening to shut down the mine unless they were given jobs there. Among various efforts to get local residents “back on the land,” the mine began sponsoring participatory integrated pest management trainings that were supposed to turn residents into productive and self‐reliant subjects. Instead, these trainings evoked subjects who claimed—through their resistance to certain aspects of the trainings—that they were dependent on and entitled to conventional forms of development aid from the mine. [participatory development, subjectivity, Indonesia, mining, environment]
“The world is a forest of symbols”: Italian Freemasonry and the practice of discretion
Authors: Mahmud Lilith
Published: May 2012

Members of Italian Masonic lodges, esoteric organizations widely perceived as secret societies, prefer to explain their elaborate practices of concealment and disclosure in terms of discretion. Through the aesthetics and epistemology of discretion, Freemasons view the world as a “forest of symbols” hidden in plain sight and awaiting interpretation. Taking “discretion” as both an ethnographic and analytic category, I ask how an anthropological study of discretion may reveal not only forms of cultural practice deemed secret but also the interpretive art of decoding that underlies the process of knowledge formation at the heart of Masonic communities of practice. [discretion, secrecy, Freemasonry, Italy, secret societies, aesthetics, epistemology]
Drug‐Ceramic 2‐Dimensional Nanoassemblies for Drug Delivery System in Physiological Condition
Authors: Choi Goeun , Kim Su Yeon , Oh Jae‐Min , Choy Jin‐Ho
Published: May 2012

The anticancer drug methotrexate (MTX) was successfully incorporated into the layered ceramic nanoparticles of layered double hydroxides (LDHs). The prepared MTX‐LDH two‐dimensional nanoassemblies showed enhanced chemical and thermal stability of intercalated MTX molecules through the effective electrostatic interaction with ceramic LDH layers. And the surface charge of MTX‐LDHs was determined to be highly positive whereas that of MTX is fairly negative. The anticancer effect of MTX‐LDH compared with MTX was evaluated in the human osteosarcoma cell culture line SaOS‐2, showing much faster drug efficacy with low concentration. The time‐dependent cellular uptake of MTX determined by high performance liquid chromatography showed the much enhanced cellular drug concentration of MTX‐LDH treated cancer cells than the MTX treated ones. The particle size of MTX‐LDH nanoassemblies was estimated in various solutions such as saline, phosphate saline, and RPMI 1640 cell culture medium, showing that the hydrodynamic size maintains at ~100 nm, regardless of the suspension media. The positive surface charge and ~100 nm size of MTX‐LDHs is considered to be the major factor in the high cellular uptake and enhanced drug efficacy.
DWPF Startup Frit Viscosity Measurement Round Robin Results
Authors: Crum Jarrod V. , Edwards Tommy B. , Russell Renee L. , Workman Phyllis J. , Schweiger Michael J. , Schumacher Ray F. , Smith Don E. , Peeler David K. , Vienna John D.
Published: May 2012

A viscosity standard is needed to replace the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) glasses currently being used to calibrate viscosity measurement equipment. The current NIST glasses are either unavailable or less than ideal for calibrating equipment to measure the viscosity of high‐level waste glasses. This report documents the results of a viscosity round robin study conducted on the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) startup frit. DWPF startup frit was selected because its viscosity‐temperature relationship is similar to most DWPF and Hanford high‐level waste glass compositions. The glass underwent grinding and blending to homogenize the large batch. Portions of the batch were supplied to eight laboratories for viscosity measurements, which were conducted following a specified temperature schedule with a temperature range of 1150°C–950°C, with an option to measure viscosity at temperatures below 950°C if their equipment was capable. Results were used to fit the Vogel‐Fulcher‐Tamman‐Hesse and Arrhenius equations to viscosity as a function of temperature for the entire temperature range of 460°C through 1250°C as well as the limited temperature interval of ~ 950°C through 1250°C. The standard errors for confidence and prediction were determined for the fitted models.
Microemulsion‐Mediated Synthesis and Characterization of YBO3:Ce3+ Phosphors
Authors: Syu Jhen‐Rong , Kumar Sunil , Das Subrata , Lu Chung‐Hsin
Published: May 2012

Monophasic YBO3:Ce3+ phosphors were successfully synthesized via microemulsion route with various volumetric ratios of water to oil (Ws). The phosphors had uniform size distribution on the nanometer scale with spherical morphology owing to confinement of the constituent cations by the aqueous micelles. As Ws was decreased from 0.1 to 0.025, the average size of the produced particles decreased from 189 to 90 nm due to reduced sizes of aqueous micelles. Upon 363 nm excitation, the phosphors exhibited strong and broad blue emission ranging from 375 to 520 nm, which arise from the 5d to 2F5/2 and 2F7/2 transitions of Ce3+ ions. The emission intensity declined with the decrease of particle size, and this result can be ascribed to the increment of surface defects in small particles. YBO3:Ce3+ phosphors, that were prepared with Ws = 0.1 at high calcination temperatures, exhibited high luminescent intensity due to less defects. The mechanisms of enhanced crystallinity and luminescence as a function of Ws and calcinations temperature were investigated in detail.
Concept Mapping as a Program Assessment Tool: Connecting Course and Program Objectives
Authors: Burgess Brigitte , Yaoyuneyong Gallayanee
Published: May 2012

University faculty are increasingly assuming responsibility for program assessment, with results being used in part to determine program quality. In some cases, results are being used to rationalize allocation of shrinking university resources. As a result, many faculty members are seeking simple and meaningful ways to prepare for and collect data for assessment purposes. Fashion Merchandising faculty at a medium‐sized, southern university decided to experiment with concept mapping, a creative tool based on constructive learning theory, to plan for program assessment. The purpose of this paper is to explain the use of concept mapping in this context. Results show that concept maps have much to offer in assessment planning. Additional benefits of concept mapping are also discussed.
The Motivation for Intergenerational Time and Financial Transfers
Authors: Kim Jinhee , Choi Saeeun , Chatterjee Swarn , Kim Haejeong
Published: May 2012

This study investigated the motivation for intergenerational financial and time transfers between parents and adult children using data from the Health and Retirement Study. The results showed that emotional closeness between parents and adult children was significantly associated with both adult children to parent and parent to adult children transfers. In addition, parents and adult children who met frequently were more likely to help each other by making financial or time transfers. Also, financial transfers between parents and adult children were motivated by the donor’s altruism to the disadvantaged adult children or parents. However, wealthier parents and adult children with full‐time jobs were less likely to make time transfers. The results of this study help in understanding the motivation for various types of intergenerational transfers in an aging society.
The Effect of Socialization and Information Source on Financial Management Behaviors among Low‐ and Moderate‐Income Adults
Authors: Cho Soo Hyun , Gutter Michael , Kim Jinhee , Mauldin Teresa
Published: May 2012

Previous studies on financial socialization have focused on adolescents or college students. This study examined the effect of financial socialization on the financial behaviors of adults aged 24–66 from low‐ and moderate‐income households. Data from the NC‐1172 Complex Nature of Saving data set were analyzed using ordinary least squares regressions and logistic regressions. The four dependent variables were spending less than income, making financial plans, monitoring spending, and having savings goals. Among other results, the regression analyses showed that (i) discussions about money with parents as a child and (ii) learning from financial planners significantly influenced adults’ financial management behavior. The findings suggest that financial socialization has a significant effect beyond adolescent or college years.
The impact of periodontal therapy on oral health‐related quality of life in adults: a systematic review
Authors: Shanbhag Siddharth , Dahiya Manu , Croucher Ray
Published: May 2012

Background

Periodontal disease negatively affects oral health‐related quality of life (OHRQoL). While there is sufficient evidence for the clinical efficacy of periodontal therapy, data on patient‐based outcomes are limited.

Objectives

To systematically review the available evidence on the impact of periodontal therapy on OHRQoL in adults.

Material & Methods

MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL and LILACS were searched without language restrictions. Longitudinal observational and intervention studies assessing changes in OHRQoL using validated measures, in adults with periodontal disease undergoing non‐surgical (NST) or surgical therapy (ST), were eligible for inclusion. Study quality was assessed using the Newcastle‐Ottawa scale and CONSORT‐checklist. No meta‐analysis was performed.

Results

Eleven studies (seven prospective case‐series', one controlled before‐after study and three randomized controlled trials) of “medium” methodological quality were included in the review. All studies reported impaired OHRQoL before therapy. Nine studies reported a statistically significant improvement in OHRQoL after NST (follow‐up = 1 week to 12 months, p < 0.05). The effect size for this improvement ranged from small (0.27) to large (0.8). No significant differences were reported between different forms of NST. Surgical therapy had a relatively lower impact on OHRQoL. A correlation between poor clinical response to therapy and poor OHRQoL outcomes was observed.

Conclusion

Routine non‐surgical therapy can moderately improve the OHRQoL in adults with periodontal disease.
Trait but not species convergence during plant community assembly in restored semi‐natural grasslands
Authors: Helsen Kenny , Hermy Martin , Honnay Olivier
Published: May 2012

Community assembly or succession was traditionally thought of as being deterministic and directional, leading to a clearly defined climax state. The alternative view, however, keeps gaining attention. This view states that community assembly is influenced by historical processes, where differences in the sequence and timing of species arrival result in distinct communities. Here we tested the hypothesis that both views are valid, but at a different level, with increasing dissimilarity in species composition among sites with increasing age (divergence), caused by historical processes (priority effects), and with increasing similarity in mean trait composition (convergence) among sites, indicating a directional development at the niche level. We surveyed a chronosequence of restored semi‐natural grassland patches on former pine plantations over seven restoration age classes, covering 22 grasslands. Pairwise multivariate distances were calculated between the different grassland patches based on species abundance on the one hand, and on mean community trait values for 28 plant life history traits on the other. Trait composition showed a clear decrease in multivariate distance with increasing restoration age, indicating trait convergence through time. At the species level, we found no evidence of convergence through time, with even a trend towards divergence. Furthermore, spatial variation and environmental heterogeneity were found to remain constant through time. These results confirm our hypothesis. At the trait level, limited niches occur, only filled by species having the appropriate traits, resulting in a clear deterministic model of assembly. Species identity, on the contrary, has no role in this niche filling. The first appropriate species to reach a restoration site will be most likely the ones that get established, resulting in divergence of the species composition among restored grasslands.
Oral health – not a priority issue A Grounded Theory analysis of barriers for young patients with disabilities to receive oral health care on the same premise as others
Authors: Klingberg Gunilla , Hallberg Ulrika
Published: May 2012

Oral health problems are reported more frequently in children with disabilities, but the reasons for this are not fully known. The present study was conducted to illuminate and to gain a deeper understanding of the possible barriers preventing children with disabilities from receiving oral health care on the same premise as others. Transcribed in‐depth interviews with 65 informants (14 parents, 18 dental health‐care professionals, 17 medical health‐care professionals, and 16 individuals with disabilities) were analysed in open, axial, and selective coding processes according to Grounded Theory. The results showed that no‐one seems to take an overriding responsibility for the oral health of young patients with disabilities. This was described in a formal theory showing that defective knowledge about importance of oral health, limited ability to focus on oral health, and uncertainty in treating the unknown in patients, family, and dental and medical health‐care professionals result in a situation in which oral health is left out in young patients with disabilities; it is not a priority issue.
Titanium alloy surface oxide modulates the conformation of adsorbed fibronectin to enhance its binding to α5β1 integrins in osteoblasts
Authors: Rapuano Bruce E. , Lee Jani J. E. , MacDonald Daniel E.
Published: May 2012

Rapuano BE, Lee JJE, MacDonald DE. Titanium alloy surface oxide modulates the conformation of adsorbed fibronectin to enhance its binding to α5β1 integrins in osteoblasts.  Eur J Oral Sci 2012; 120: 185–194. © 2012 Eur J Oral Sci

Our laboratory has previously demonstrated that heat (600°C) or radiofrequency plasma glow discharge (RFGD) pretreatment of a titanium alloy (Ti6Al4V) increased the net negative charge of the alloy's surface oxide and the attachment of osteoblastic cells to adsorbed fibronectin. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the biological mechanism by which these surface pretreatments enhance the capacity of fibronectin to stimulate osteoblastic cell attachment. Each pretreatment was found to increase the binding (measured by ELISA) of a monoclonal anti‐fibronectin Ig to the central integrin‐binding domain of adsorbed fibronectin, and to increase the antibody's inhibition of osteogenic cell attachment (measured by hexosaminidase assay). Pretreatments also increased the binding (measured by ELISA) of anti‐integrin IgG’s to the α5 and β1 integrin subunits that became attached to fibronectin during cell incubation. These findings suggest that negatively charged surface oxides of Ti6Al4V cause conformational changes in fibronectin that increase the availability of its integrin‐binding domain to α5β1 integrins.
Does Tort Law Improve the Health of Newborns, or Miscarry? A Longitudinal Analysis of the Effect of Liability Pressure on Birth Outcomes
Authors: Yang Y. Tony , Studdert David M. , Subramanian S. V. , Mello Michelle M.
Published: May 2012

Previous research has identified an association between malpractice liability risk levels in a state and greater use of cesarean sections in obstetrical care. However, it is unclear whether such practice changes are associated with better birth outcomes. Using a mixed‐effects model, we investigate the impact of malpractice risk, as measured by malpractice insurance premiums and various state tort reforms, on four adverse birth outcomes. We use a longitudinal research design to examine millions of individual births from 51 jurisdictions over 12 years (1991–2002). We find that the odds of adverse birth outcomes are not associated with premium levels or tort reforms. Our results suggest that rather than having a socially desirable deterrent effect on substandard care, liability pressure may produce a level of precaution taking in obstetrics that is higher than socially optimal. By the same token, the results also suggest that the adoption of liability‐limiting reforms is unlikely to have an adverse impact on outcomes.
Does the Judge Matter? Exploiting Random Assignment on a Court of Last Resort to Assess Judge and Case Selection Effects
Authors: Eisenberg Theodore , Fisher Talia , Rosen‐Zvi Issi
Published: May 2012

We study 1,410 mandatory jurisdiction and 48 discretionary jurisdiction criminal law case outcomes in cases appealed to the Israel Supreme Court in 2006 and 2007 to assess influences on case outcomes. A methodological innovation is accounting for factors—case specialization, seniority, and workload—that modify random case assignment. To the extent one accounts for nonrandom assignment, one can infer that case outcome differences are judge effects. In mandatory jurisdiction cases, individual justices cast 3,986 votes and differed by as much as 15 percent in the probability of casting a vote favoring defendants. Female justices were about 2 to 3 percent more likely than male justices to vote for defendants but this effect is sensitive to including one justice. Defendant gender was associated with outcome, with female defendants about 17 percent more likely than male defendants to receive a favorable vote on appeal. Our data's samples of mandatory and discretionary jurisdiction cases allow us to show that studies limited to discretionary jurisdiction case outcomes can distort perceptions of judges' preferences. Justices' ordinal rank in rate of voting for defendants or the state was uncorrelated across mandatory and discretionary jurisdiction cases. For example, the justice who sat on the most criminal cases was the fourth (of 16 justices) most favorable to the state in mandatory jurisdiction cases but the 12th most favorable in discretionary jurisdiction cases. This result casts doubt on some inferences based on studies of judges on discretionary jurisdiction courts, such as the U.S. Supreme Court, in which only discretionary case outcomes are observed.
Catholic Schools and Broken Windows
Authors: Brinig Margaret F. , Garnett Nicole Stelle
Published: May 2012

Our previous work has suggested that the closure of Catholic elementary schools generates disorder and suppresses social cohesion in urban neighborhoods—findings that support the conclusion that Catholic elementary schools create neighborhood social capital. We extend our inquiry here by asking if Catholic school closures might also affect crime rates. Using factors independent from neighborhood indicators, specifically school and parish leadership characteristics, we created an exogenous factor that predicted which Catholic schools might close in urban Chicago, and used that factor, with sociodemographic variables, to predict police‐beat‐level crime rates. We find that Catholic school closures slow the rate of decline of crime in a police beat compared to beats with no Catholic school closure. We also find that higher perceived disorder predicted higher initial levels of crime. Our findings provide insight into which policing policies are effective and the benefits of involving religious institutions in crime‐prevention efforts. They also lend support to “school‐choice” mechanisms, such as vouchers or tax credits, that would provide financial resources to students attending urban Catholic schools.
Experimental pig model of clinically relevant wound healing delay by intrinsic factors
Authors: Jung Youngjin , Son Daegu , Kwon Sunyoung , Kim Junhyung , Han Kihwan
Published: May 2012

The intrinsic factors associated with delayed wounds are ischaemia, infection, the presence of necrotic tissue and the presence of foreign bodies. This study was designed to create adaptable intrinsic factors induced delayed wound healing model in the pig, similar to clinical conditions. Four pigs were used in this study. Ten 4 × 4 cm fresh full‐thickness skin defect wounds were made on the back of each pig. Double‐flanged blocks made of silicon, a material that induces foreign body reactions, tissue ischaemia and causes local wound infection, were inserted into half of the wounds (n = 5) and removed at weeks 1, 2 or 3. The other wounds (n = 5) were left open for control purposes. Biopsies were obtained at weeks 1–4 for histological examinations and to evaluate inflammatory cytokines, which included tumour necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α), interleukin (IL)‐1β and IL‐6. A Periscan PIM 3 Laser was used to measure degrees of ischaemia. A Visitrak Digital® device was used to measure the sizes of unhealed wounds. After 3 weeks, unhealed mean wound sizes were 30·72 ± 3·36 and 2·91 ± 1·51 cm2, in the experimental and control groups, respectively. Laser Doppler showed limited perfusion at wound margins in wounds containing silicone blocks. Histological findings corresponding to the severity of chronic inflammation were markedly higher and persisted until week 3 in the experimental group. The levels of IL‐1 and TNF‐α in the third week were statistically significantly higher in the model group. Also, in the fourth week, the level of TNF‐α in the model group was significantly higher. Epithelialisation was not complete at the end of the fourth week despite removing silicone blocks in the experimental group. On the basis of macroscopic and histological evaluations and molecular assessments, the described wound model has the characteristics of wound ischaemia and necrosis and persistent inflammation, which are very similar to delayed wounds of patients.
The radio–far-infrared correlation in the faintest star-forming dwarf galaxies
Authors: Roychowdhury Sambit , Chengalur Jayaram N.
Published: May 2012

We study the radio–far-infrared (FIR) correlation in a sample of faint dwarf irregular galaxies using NRAO VLA Sky Survey (NVSS) data for 1.4-GHz radio flux, Spitzer Multiband Imaging Photometer (MIPS) 70-μm data for FIR flux and GALEX far-ultraviolet data to estimate the star formation rates (SFRs). Since our target galaxies are extremely faint, we stack images of many galaxies together to estimate the average radio and FIR fluxes. We find that for a given SFR both 70-μm and 1.4-GHz fluxes are low compared to the calibration for large spirals. None the less, the ratio of 70 μm to 1.4 GHz flux agrees within error bars with that seen for large galaxies. The radio–FIR correlation thus appears to be the result of a ‘conspiracy’. We use the SFR to estimate the non-thermal fraction of the 1.4-GHz radio emission and find it to be around 50 per cent, much smaller than the 90 per cent typical for spirals. We also estimate the equipartition magnetic field and find it to be ∼2 μG, about five times smaller than that typical for spirals.
The role of the nurse practitioner in the diagnosis and early management of type 2 diabetes
Authors: Robertson Carolyn
Published: May 2012

Abstract  Purpose: To review the early diagnosis and early effective treatment of type 2 diabetes and its role in reducing the risk of complications. This article discusses the diagnosis of T2D and the initial stages of disease management with oral monotherapy.

Data sources: Extensive literature review of textbooks and clinical, medical, and nursing journals.

Conclusions: There are clear evidence‐based recommendations for disease management in the early stages of T2D, with therapy focusing on implementation of lifestyle changes and use of pharmacologic monotherapy. A vital part of early T2D treatment is patient education, which can lay the foundation for treatment throughout the disease continuum. The lifestyle changes recommended for management of T2D can be difficult for patients to sustain, and treatment regimens are often complex.

Implications for practice: Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a progressive disease, associated with a long‐term risk of morbidity and mortality. Therefore, it is important that treatment is individualized, and that ongoing support is provided to maximize the possibility of achieving treatment goals. Current standards for T2D treatment are designed for a patient‐centered treatment approach managed by team of healthcare practitioners, in which the nurse practitioner (NP) is central.
Insulin initiation in type 2 diabetes: What are the treatment regimen options and how can we best help patients feel empowered?
Authors: Spollett Geralyn R.
Published: May 2012

Abstract  Purpose: This article summarizes treatment regimens and issues involved in initiating insulin therapy in type 2 diabetes (T2D). Progressive deterioration of beta‐cell mass and function characterizes the course of T2D. Following diet and exercise, oral antidiabetic drugs (OADs), and incretin therapies, many patients require insulin, but initiation is often delayed until complications develop.

Data sources: Published guidelines for the management of T2D, primary and review articles, and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) prescribing information.

Conclusions: The diabetes nurse practitioner should encourage patients to initiate insulin when appropriate; patients need to know that this represents a natural step in treatment, not a personal failing. Initiation often occurs when OADs no longer confer adequate glycemic control. Treatment regimens available include once‐daily basal insulin, sometimes with addition of prandial insulin, or premix/biphasic insulin. Insulin analogs confer less risk of hypoglycemia and weight gain, and greater dosing flexibility compared with conventional insulins. Insulin efficacy may be enhanced by continuing metformin and/or incretin therapies, while discontinuing other drugs as appropriate.

Implications for practice: The well‐versed diabetes nurse practitioner assists the patient in selecting the most appropriate option for his/her specific needs. It is essential to help patients overcome barriers, including fears of injection pain, public embarrassment, and hypoglycemia risk.
Intensifying insulin treatment: Options, practical issues, and the role of the nurse practitioner
Authors: Kruger Davida F.
Published: May 2012

Abstract  Purpose: Failure to achieve and maintain glycemic targets in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a major clinical issue. Effectively combating the barriers that postpone timely intensification, and educating patients on available treatment options, are key roles of the nurse practitioner. This article summarizes practical considerations in the management of T2D at this stage.

Data sources: Published guidelines for the management of T2D, primary and review articles, and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) prescribing information.

Conclusions: In patients receiving insulin therapy not achieving targets despite dose titration, a change in insulin regimen may be necessary to achieve clinical targets while minimizing hypoglycemia and weight gain. Whichever strategy is initiated first must be tailored to the individual and include on‐going monitoring to manage both hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia. In addition to considerations of glycemic control, the timing and method of insulin intensification will depend on patient willingness, overall health status, meal patterns and routines, and risk of hypoglycemia. Common patient barriers to insulin intensification include regimen complexity and increased risk of hypoglycemia and weight gain.

Implications for practice: Support and education on available treatment regimens are key to achieve a comfort level with intensifying insulin therapy that will lead to improved treatment adherence.
Religion and Sports in America
Authors: Blazer Annie
Published: May 2012

This article provides an overview of major scholarly contributions to the field of religion and sport. The article begins with scholarship that addresses the question: is sport a religion? Recognizing that Christianity and sports have a particularly strong relationship within the United States, the article turns to scholarship on muscular Christianity, theological and anthropological critiques of sports ministry, and how the relationship between Christianity and sports has affected Jewish and Catholic interactions with sport in the United States. As a model for future scholarship, the article briefly turns to investigations beyond the bounds of the United States that address the intersection of religion, embodiment, gender, and politics.
Nutritional support in acute pancreatitis
Authors: ONG Jeannie PL , FOCK Kwong Ming
Published: May 2012

Acute pancreatitis can present as a mild or severe disease. Most patients have a mild disease and recover without requiring nutritional support. Patients with severe acute pancreatitis may develop systemic inflammatory response syndrome and progress to multi‐organ failure. These ill patients have high metabolism and protein catabolism. Hence, the nutritional management of these patients can be challenging. The aim of nutritional support is to meet the elevated metabolic demands as far as possible without stimulating pancreatic secretion and yet maintaining the gut integrity. The concept of pancreatic rest has evolved over the years. To date, there is a substantial scientific proof that enteral nutrition (EN) in comparison to parenteral nutrition significantly reduces infectious complications, surgical interventions and mortality in predicted severe acute pancreatitis. EN may be able to improve outcome in these patients if given early. In this review, we summarized the current knowledge on nutrition in acute pancreatitis and shared our local experience.
The Training Value of the Psychodynamic Psychotherapy Long Case: A Psychiatry Trainee's Perspective
Authors: Green Jonathan
Published: May 2012

abstract

In order to fully satisfy eligibility criteria for membership of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, trainees must demonstrate satisfactory attainment of competencies in psychotherapy. Evidence required includes a Psychotherapy ‘ACE’ (assessment of clinical expertise) and completion of two psychotherapy cases in two modalities.

With training posts in the Yorkshire deanery becoming European Working Time Directive compliant, a trainee gains less experience in their actual clinical post. Therefore, what benefit could a trainee derive from further time away from their posts in order to gain experience in a subspecialty that very few of us will pursue long‐term? I have conducted a 40‐week period of psychodynamic psychotherapy. I also received weekly supervision sessions with an experienced therapist. I will reflect on my positive experiences completing a psychodynamic long case and describe how the skills I have developed are transferable to most aspects of practice.

The role of the psychiatrist within the NHS is continually being redefined. The Department of Health's New Ways of Working initiative may result in fleeting patient contact, which may not be conducive to in‐depth psychodynamic work. I would suggest that, at this uncertain time, psychiatrists might wish to push for further involvement with psychotherapy. The first step in this process is to ensure that all psychiatric trainees are adequately trained in psychotherapy. Efforts should be made to ensure that, as working hours become more unpredictable, psychiatric trainees are afforded protected time slots in order to complete psychotherapy training.
The Effect of DBT Provision in Reducing the Cost of Adults Displaying the Symptoms of BPD
Authors: Amner Karen
Published: May 2012

abstract  Background:  Individuals experiencing Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) suffer high‐level dysfunction and distress, creating considerable service pressures. Heavy National Health Service (NHS) use often relieves only immediate crises, making BPD one of the most costly psychiatric disorders. Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) has been shown to be valuable in helping such individuals manage their emotions more effectively, thereby using services available to them more appropriately. Hywel Dda Health Board introduced DBT to improve standards of care for these clients.

Aims:  To produce the first DBT cost analysis within normal UK treatment provision.

Method:  Data were collected over three years. Comparisons were made between pre‐ and post‐treatment service use costs with one year of DBT. Unit costs were combined to demonstrate the financial implications. Service establishment costs were included.

Results:  A £36,000 saving was evident by the end of the post‐treatment year, mainly from lowered in‐patient and community nursing contacts.

Conclusions:  This study is the first to show that a year's treatment with DBT can reduce secondary mental health care costs associated with BPD relative to pre‐referral cost. Although promising, further research is necessary given the small participant numbers, rural hospital perspective and unknown level of effect from factors such as spontaneous remission.
Family Therapy and Lithium Deficiency*
Authors: Keith David V.
Published: May 2012

Lithium carbonate's usefulness in relieving the more dramatic symptoms of bipolar‐affective disorder can obscure the family systems components of this illness. A compromised form of family therapy results which may stabilize the marriage but cause troubles for the larger family system. This paper offers a partial modus operandi for keeping family therapy systems oriented and avoiding the infantilization of the identified patient which occurs when the importance of purely medical treatment is overplayed.
Marital Role Ideals and Perception of Marital Role Behavior in Distressed and Non Distressed Couples
Authors: Frank Ellen , Anderson Carol , Rubinstein Debra
Published: May 2012

Eighty non‐patient couples, 50 couples seeking sex therapy, and 50 couples seeking marital therapy, were asked to report on whom they felt should and who actually does assume responsibility in eight major marital role areas. When the degree of individual “role strain”, that is, the discrepancy between role ideals and role behavior was examined, the marital therapy patients were found to be experiencing the most role strain. Husband‐wife discrepancies with respect to who does have the various role assignments were found to be higher in the marital therapy couples. These data are interpreted in terms of their implications for diagnosis and treatment of sexually and maritally distressed couples.
Research on Mentoring Language Teachers: Its Role in Language Education
Authors: Asención Delaney Yuly
Published: May 2012

Mentoring has been considered a key component in teacher education and professional development. This literature review considers publications on language mentoring from the last 10 years that have described programs and mentoring practices in pre‐service (i.e., student teaching) and in‐service contexts (i.e., graduate teaching assistants and beginning language teachers) in the United States and abroad. The main goal of this review is to document the effects that some variables have on the mentor‐mentee relationship, to describe the impact of mentoring on language teachers’ professional development, and to identify areas of further research that can help improve mentoring practices in language teaching.