bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Stair Climbing in the Functional Assessment of Lung Resection Candidates
Authors: Koegelenberg Coenraad F.N. , Diacon Andreas H. , Irani Sarosh , Bolliger Chris T.
Published: February 2008

Background: Algorithms for the pre-operative evaluation of lung resection candidates with impaired lung function invariably include maximum oxygen uptake (v̇O2MAX) as a critical parameter of functional reserves, with a v̇O2MAX ≧20 ml/kg/min generally considered sufficient for pneumonectomy. Stair climbing is a low-cost alternative to assess exercise capacity. Objectives: As stair climbing is not standardised, we aimed to compare the altitude reached and the speed of ascent with v̇O2MAX measured by cycle ergometry. Methods: We prospectively enrolled 44 pulmonary resection candidates (mean age: 47.6 ± 12.5 years) with an FEV1 <80%. Patients were asked to climb as high and as fast as they could, to a maximum elevation of 20 m. The altitude reached and the average speed of ascent were compared to v̇O2MAX. Results: Forty-three patients reached a 20-metre elevation. Thirteen of them, as well as the patient who did not reach this height, had a v̇O2MAX <20 ml/kg/min. There was a linear correlation between speed of ascent and v̇O2MAX/kg (R2 = 0.67), but not between altitude and v̇O2MAX/kg. All 24 patients with a speed ≧15 m/min had a v̇O2MAX ≧20 ml/kg/min. Thirty-nine of 40 patients with a speed ≧12 m/min had a v̇O2MAX ≧15 ml/kg/min. Conclusions: The average speed of ascent during stair climbing was an accurate semiquantitative predictor of v̇O2MAX/kg, whereas altitude was not. We were able to identify potential cut-off values for lobectomy or pneumonectomy. Pending validation with clinical endpoints, stair climbing may replace formal exercise testing at much lower costs in a large proportion of lung resection candidates.
PPAR-Alpha Agonist Fenofibrate Induces Renal CYP Enzymes and Reduces Blood Pressure and Glomerular Hypertrophy in Zucker Diabetic Fatty Rats
Authors: Zhao Xueying , Li Ling-Yun
Published: February 2008

We have previously shown that fenofibrate, a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α activator, increases renal cytochrome P450 (CYP)-derived eicosanoids and improves endothelial function in pre-diabetic obese rats. The present study was designed to explore the efficacy of fenofibrate on blood pressure and renal injury in the advanced stage of type-2 diabetes. 26-week-old male Zucker diabetic fatty rats (ZDF) were fed fenofibrate (100 mg/kg/day) for 6 weeks. Chronic treatment with fenofibrate normalized systolic blood pressure and reduced glomerular size by 19% in diabetic rats. Western blot and fluorescent immunostaining revealed that the over-expression of collagen type IV and α-smooth muscle actin was significantly attenuated in the kidney of fenofibrate-treated ZDF (F-ZDF) rats. In addition, fenofibrate administration dramatically decreased the cyclin D1 protein level in the kidney of diabetic rats. In contrast, renal CYP2C23 and CYP4A proteins were significantly increased in F-ZDF rats. These fenofibrate effects were observed in the absence of significant changes in glucose, insulin or lipid levels. Taken together, our results demonstrate that fenofibrate may lower blood pressure and attenuate glomerular hypertrophy and collagen accumulation through the downregulation of cyclin D1 and upregulation of CYP monooxygenases in the late stage of type-2 diabetes.
Comparisons of Instantaneous TRMM Ground Validation and Satellite Rain-Rate Estimates at Different Spatial Scales
Authors: Wolff David B. , Fisher Brad L.
Published: February 2008

This study provides a comprehensive intercomparison of instantaneous rain rates observed by the two rain sensors aboard the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite with ground data from two regional sites established for long-term ground validation: Kwajalein Atoll and Melbourne, Florida. The satellite rain algorithms utilize remote observations of precipitation collected by the TRMM Microwave Imager (TMI) and the Precipitation Radar (PR) aboard the TRMM satellite. Three standard level II rain products are generated from operational applications of the TMI, PR, and combined (COM) rain algorithms using rain information collected from the TMI and the PR along the orbital track of the TRMM satellite. In the first part of the study, 0.5° × 0.5° instantaneous rain rates obtained from the TRMM 3G68 product were analyzed and compared to instantaneous Ground Validation (GV) program rain rates gridded at a scale of 0.5° × 0.5°. In the second part of the study, TMI, PR, COM, and GV rain rates were spatiotemporally matched and averaged at the scale of the TMI footprint (∼150 km2). This study covered a 6-yr period (1999–2004) and consisted of over 50 000 footprints for each GV site. In the first analysis, the results showed that all of the respective rain-rate estimates agree well, with some exceptions. The more salient differences were associated with heavy rain events in which one or more of the algorithms failed to properly retrieve these extreme events. Also, it appears that there is a preferred mode of precipitation for TMI rain rates at or near 2 mm h−1 over the ocean. This mode was noted over ocean areas of Kwajalein and Melbourne and has been observed in TRMM tropical–global ocean areas as well.
A Comparison of Climate Prediction and Simulation over the Tropical Pacific
Authors: Misra Vasubandhu , Marx L. , Fennessy M. , Kirtman B. , Kinter J. L.
Published: February 2008

This study compares an ensemble of seasonal hindcasts with a multidecadal integration from the same global coupled climate model over the tropical Pacific Ocean. It is shown that the annual mean state of the SST and its variability are different over the tropical Pacific Ocean in the two operating modes of the model.

These differences are symptoms of an inherent difference in the physics of coupled air–sea interactions and upper ocean variability. It is argued that in the presence of large coupled model errors and in the absence of coupled data assimilation, the competing and at times additive influence of the initialization and model errors can change the behavior of the air–sea interaction physics and upper ocean dynamics.
Boils and Turbulence in a Weakly Stratified Shallow Tidal Sea
Authors: Thorpe S. A. , Green J. A. M. , Simpson J. H. , Osborn T. R. , Smith W. A. M. Nimmo
Published: February 2008

Measurements of turbulence are made in a weakly but variably stratified region of tidal straining in the eastern Irish Sea using turbulence sensors profiling vertically through the water column on the Fast Light Yo-yo (FLY) profiler and horizontally on the Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) Autosub. The tidal currents exceed 1 m s−1 at the location of the measurements in water of a depth of about 43.5 m, and result in turbulence extending from the seabed to the surface with a cycle period that is half that of the tides, as previously observed. The time of onset of enhanced turbulence that is measured by the sensors on FLY and Autosub as the speed of tidal currents increases are in good agreement, as are their mean levels. Boils on the sea surface are identified using the Autonomously Recording Inverted Echo Sounder, version 2 (ARIES II), a two-beam upward-pointing side-scan sonar mounted on a rig resting on the seabed. The boils have mean horizontal dimensions of about 25 m. They are continually present when turbulence within the water column near the surface is large, typically when the rate of dissipation of turbulent kinetic energy per unit mass ɛ exceeds about 3 × 10−6 W kg−1, compared to the rate of about 1 × 10−7 W kg−1 near times of slack tide when no boils are observed. The top of a region with a relatively high ɛ gradually extends upward from the seabed as the tidal flow increases and, in stably stratified conditions resulting from tidal straining during ebb tides, can be detected in the ARIES II sonographs as it approaches the sea surface, although only after sound reflection from the sea surface. Upward-moving bursts of enhanced turbulence below the surface with horizontal dimensions of about 5–9 m in the direction of the tidal flow are identified in the AUV record in periods of high tidal flow using conditional sampling. The bursts result in slight upward displacements of the AUV from its set operational depth. Boils first appear at times before the region of generally enhanced turbulence reaches the surface: large localized upward-moving bursts appear to precede the main advancing region of small-scale turbulence.
The ECMWF Ocean Analysis System: ORA-S3
Authors: Balmaseda Magdalena A. , Vidard Arthur , Anderson David L. T.
Published: February 2008

A new operational ocean analysis/reanalysis system (ORA-S3) has been implemented at ECMWF. The reanalysis, started from 1 January 1959, is continuously maintained up to 11 days behind real time and is used to initialize seasonal forecasts as well as to provide a historical representation of the ocean for climate studies. It has several innovative features, including an online bias-correction algorithm, the assimilation of salinity data on temperature surfaces, and the assimilation of altimeter-derived sea level anomalies and global sea level trends. It is designed to reduce spurious climate variability in the resulting ocean reanalysis due to the nonstationary nature of the observing system, while still taking advantage of the observation information. The new analysis system is compared with the previous operational version; the equatorial temperature biases are reduced and equatorial currents are improved. The impact of assimilation in the ocean state is discussed by diagnosis of the assimilation increment and bias correction terms. The resulting analysis not only improves the fit to the data, but also improves the representation of the interannual variability. In addition to the basic analysis, a real-time analysis is produced (RT-S3). This is needed for monthly forecasts and in the future may be needed for shorter-range forecasts. It is initialized from the near-real-time ORA-S3 and run each day from it.
Moving from Monologue to Dialogue to Collaboration: The Three Layers of Public Diplomacy
Authors: Cowan Geoffrey , Arsenault Amelia
Published: February 2008

For a number of years, commentators and professionals have noted that effective public diplomacy requires that state and private actors communicate with the people of other nations by moving from monologue to dialogue. This article argues that both monologue and dialogue are essential public diplomacy tools and that collaboration is a third layer of public diplomacy that should also be examined. Collaboration, defined in this article as initiatives that feature cross-national participation in a joint venture or project with a clearly defined goal, may in certain instances be a more effective public diplomacy technique than either monologue or dialogue. By examining related social science research, this article seeks to start a systematic examination of the circumstances in which each of these three layers of public diplomacy—monologue, dialogue, and collaboration—is most appropriate.
Buena Vista Solidarity and the Axis of Aid: Cuban and Venezuelan Public Diplomacy
Authors: Bustamante Michael J. , Sweig Julia E.
Published: February 2008

Eager to capitalize on the sensationalist appeal of a new anti-U.S. “axis,” the international press often perpetuates a perception that Cuba and Venezuela are, in spirit and in deed, inseparable. Such depictions diminish the significant differences in the ways and the success with which each country promotes its image abroad. Although Cuba and Venezuela employ many of the same public diplomacy tactics to advance their related anti-U.S. worldviews, the Cuban regime has proven much more successful at playing the role of the victim and using this position as a way to increase its international legitimacy. Likewise, Cuba is far more sophisticated at employing cultural products to support diverse political, diplomatic, and economic ends—many of which arguably serve a market-oriented purpose rather than a strictly anti-imperialist or antiglobalization agenda.
Mapping the Undefinable: Some Thoughts on the Relevance of Exchange Programs within International Relations Theory
Authors: Scott-Smith Giles
Published: February 2008

This article examines the importance of exchange programs as channels of political influence and the value that can be gained from examining their impact via various theoretical positions in international relations (IR). Although there are clear possibilities for linking the study of public diplomacy with IR theory, so far this has not occurred to any real extent. Following World War II, a whole swathe of social scientific and behavioralist research, mainly in the fields of communications and psychology, laid the basis for understanding the political implications of public diplomacy and exchanges. Using these studies as a springboard, the article moves on first to consider their continuing relevance and then to insert exchanges within reflections on IR fields such as regime theory, Gramscian-based critical theory, constructivism, epistemic communities, and transnational networks. The article concludes with some observations on the relevance of exchanges as forms of cultural–political interchange and the use of case studies for confirming their importance as an object of study for IR.
Hard Power, Soft Power, Smart Power
Authors: Wilson Ernest J.
Published: February 2008

This article pushes beyond hard power and soft power to insist on smart power, defined as the capacity of an actor to combine elements of hard power and soft power in ways that are mutually reinforcing such that the actor's purposes are advanced effectively and efficiently. It argues that advancing smart power has become a national security imperative, driven both by long-term structural changes in international conditions and by short-term failures of the current administration. The current debates over public diplomacy and soft power suffer from failures to address conceptual, institutional, and political dimensions of the challenge, three dimensions the author addresses in this article.
Public Diplomacy and the Rise of Chinese Soft Power
Authors: Wang Yiwei
Published: February 2008

In recent years, China has sought to supplement its traditional use of hard power with soft power, and thus the Chinese government has paid more and more attention to public diplomacy. Chinese governments have previously demonstrated a limited understanding of public diplomacy, seeing it either as external propaganda or a form of internal public affairs, but this has not prevented China from becoming a skilled public diplomacy player. Key aspects of traditional Chinese culture and politics have presented major obstacles for Chinese public diplomacy. In comparison to the United States, China needs an enduring and effective public diplomacy strategy and needs to improve its skills to make full use of the modern media. The peaceful rise/peaceful development policy in Chinese grand strategy has sought to integrate Chinese hard power and soft power to create a soft rise for China.
Examining contemporary careers: A call for interdisciplinary inquiry
Authors: Arthur Michael B.
Published: February 2008

This article describes an urgent need for interdisciplinary careers research in the emerging global knowledge economy. It begins by identifying a range of traditions in careers research, including both occupational and organizational research traditions from professional schools of education and management. It proceeds by offering a view on contemporary careers, and examining three directions for contemporary careers research — reflecting what organizational careers scholars see, what other organizational scholars see, and what is suggested by evidence on the knowledge economy — while leaving the door open for others to join the conversation by suggesting further research directions. The article then turns to propose three topics for future interdisciplinary research collaboration: a more accessible definition of career, application of contrasting methodologies and adoption of wider research agendas. The overall message is for careers scholars to become both more collaborative and more `imaginative' in their further research endeavors.
How much do you value your family and does it matter? The joint effects of family identity salience, family-interference-with-work, and gender
Authors: Bagger Jessica , Li Andrew , Gutek Barbara A.
Published: February 2008

Using identity theory and the gender role framework, this study examined the interactive effects of family identity salience, family-interference-with-work (FIW), and gender on two outcome variables: job satisfaction and job distress. Results from a sample of 163 employees support the proposed buffering hypothesis for job distress and job satisfaction, such that individuals who experienced a high level of FIW reported more job distress and less job satisfaction only when they were low in family identity salience. Additionally, we found support for a three-way interaction, such that the two-way interactive effects of family identity salience and FIW on job satisfaction were stronger for women than for men. Theoretical and practical implications of the results, as well as directions for future research, are discussed.
Into hot air: A critical perspective on Everest
Authors: Elmes Michael , Frame Bob
Published: February 2008

The May 1996 `disaster' on Mount Everest in which eight mountaineers died and its subsequent media exposure is re-examined from the perspective of discourse, myth, and spectacle. We draw from Foucault to talk about the disciplinary aspects of the discourse of `disaster and tragedy', and how Jon Krakauer's Into thin air, as the leading text in this episode, has perpetuated explanations of disaster that are rooted primarily in notions of failed leadership and decision-making, dysfunctional group dynamics, flawed personality, and the absence of appropriate planning and control. We also discuss how, in part through this discourse, the May 1996 episode has evolved into myth and spectacle that have spawned even more fantastic spectacles while being devoid of contextual influences and the voices of other silent members (Sherpas and participants on the climb). By considering other contextual variables and listening to other voices, we try to unpack the dominant narrative and show how it has both entertained and served various parties (the public, media companies, publishers and authors, governments) while tending to normalize disaster and leadership in a psychological, gendered way. We also consider how the dominant narrative has migrated into the management classroom in the form of `leadership lessons', a predictable outcome, we suggest, given the fascination that the field holds for other masculine adventures and misadventures such as the explorations of Shackleton.
Institutionalizing change in a high-technology optronics company: The role of information and communication technologies
Authors: Hayes Niall
Published: February 2008

This study examines how the introduction of a collaborative technology was utilized by some institutional groups to assert their dominance over other groups during boundary crossing encounters. To do this we detail an in-depth case study of the introduction of a collaborative workflow technology in a high-technology optronics company. The workflow technology sought to establish accountabilities and responsibilities, and engender quicker lines of communication between functions. Conceptually we draw on social constructivist literature on institutional theory and argue that in addition to looking to the broad socio-economic context, institutional change needs to be understood by attending to the fine-grained practices that are undertaken by staff in organizations. Specifically we will add to the limited accounts that have considered the ways in which ICTs are inextricably interlinked with institutionalization processes.
Determinants of Public Service Employee Corruption: A Conceptual Model from the Psychological Contract Perspective
Authors: Kingshott Russel P. J. , Dincer Oguzhan C.
Published: February 2008

A conceptual model is presented that explores the potential role of psychological contracts (PCs) upon corrupt acts within the public sector. The propositions we offer are based upon theoretical and empirical studies within the economics and management literatures. These have significant managerial implications because we postulate that even functional work environments can help foster corruption. Corruption may result when managerial decision makers overlook the range of expectations, embedded within the PC. On the one hand, contracts stimulate functional behaviours but when violations to these employee contracts occur, it is postulated that the resultant behaviour could lead to corruption because of the need for employees to recoup what they perceived are owed to them. Such propositions need to be empirically tested because, if confirmed will widen current thinking in relation to the antecedent factors causing corruption within the public service.
Gender Differences in Perceptions of Organizational Cultures in the Banking Industry in Taiwan
Authors: Chen Chih-Chieh , Fosh Patricia , Foster Deborah
Published: February 2008

This article examines differences in perceptions of organizational cultures found in a survey of male and female managers in three types of banks in Taiwan. Instead of a consistent pattern of differences between male and female managers' perceptions across the three bank types, we found that each bank type was characterized by a distinct pattern of gender differences that was related to the ownership, history and type of business of that bank type. Important in explaining differences in perceptions of organizational cultures were the extent of organizational socialization and the adoption of various human resource practices, including team-working and targeted recruitment and selection, and the respondents' age and education.
Catholic Social Thought and Labouring Ideals in Australia's New Industrial Context
Authors: Abbott Keith
Published: February 2008

This article sets out the principles of Catholic social doctrine as they pertain to the rights of employees, the duties of the employers and the obligations of the state. It relates these to the historical development of industrial work and employment in Australia, noting the close proximity of the principles to the social and political arrangements that emerged over the period of the Australian Settlement. It goes on to identify the more recent demise of Catholic activism, which, in combination with the pursuit of neo-liberal policy solutions and market reforms, has purged previous arrangements of their former notions of `fairness' and equity. It concludes that those opposing such solutions and reforms should think beyond simply framing arguments in terms of the economic or the instrumental, and might usefully draw on the labouring ideals set out in Catholic social doctrine to develop a more thorough set of moral and ethical principles to support their cause.
Uncovering Preservice Teachers' Beliefs About Diversity Through Reflective Writing
Authors: Kyles Carli R. , Olafson Lori
Published: February 2008

This article reports findings from a mixed-method investigation of a cohort of teacher candidates who were placed in an urban and culturally diverse practicum site at an elementary school. Fifteen preservice teachers completed pre- and posttest measures related to hope, motivation for teaching, and efficacy for teaching. Throughout the semester, they were required to investigate personal beliefs and past experiences with cultural diversity in the form of writing reflective response letters and cultural autobiographies. Providing the students with these opportunities was beneficial; however, findings are consistent with previous studies that suggest that (a) multiple opportunities across time are needed to uncover and dialogue about beliefs to present significant change rather than single, isolated opportunities and (b) teacher candidates with multicultural schooling and life experiences are more likely to have favorable beliefs and attitudes regarding cultural diversity than are candidates with monocultural schooling and life experiences.
Heterogeneity and Harmony: Neighbouring Relationships among Whites in Ethnically Diverse Neighbourhoods in Seattle
Authors: Guest Avery M. , Kubrin Charis E. , Cover Jane K.
Published: February 2008

Does ethnic heterogeneity in neighbourhoods create co-operative or conflict-oriented relationships among residents? Social theorists have long noted both the positive and negative aspects of heterogeneity, but the limited research on large samples of neighbourhoods documents ambiguous or weak effects. In this survey-based study of Seattle, it is found that ethnic heterogeneity is among the strongest community characteristics that negatively predict the degree to which Whites view neighbour relations as calm, trusting and helpful. In addition, it is found that Whites in heterogeneous neighbourhoods are somewhat less likely than other Whites to report that they would miss the neighbourhood if they moved away. However, the negative effects of heterogeneity should be interpreted cautiously. Residents of heterogeneous areas do not view their neighbour relationships as unacceptable on an absolute scale. Moreover, much of the tendency for Whites to have low sentimental ties in diverse neighbourhoods is found to be due to the relatively lower level of affluence and newer age of these areas.
The Curious Case of the Mis-claimed Myth Claims: Ethnic Segregation, Polarisation and the Future of Bradford
Authors: Carling Alan
Published: February 2008

The claims made by a number of authors about the mythical status of ethnic residential segregation in the Bradford District are shown to be untenable. There is clear evidence of segregation, self-segregation and increasing levels of segregation in the Bradford context. These social patterns give rise to concerns about the possibility of cultural and political polarisation, and accompanying social conflict, between population groups with differing racial, ethnic and religious backgrounds. An open and inclusive dialogue about a shared future would help to avoid any danger of this possibility materialising.
A New Measure of the Local Regulatory Environment for Housing Markets: The Wharton Residential Land Use Regulatory Index
Authors: Gyourko Joseph , Saiz Albert , Summers Anita
Published: February 2008

A new survey of over 2000 jurisdictions across all major housing markets in the US documents how regulation of residential building varies across space. New evidence on what a `typical' degree of local regulation entails is provided. In addition, data on how the stringency of land use control varies across markets are analysed. Coastal markets tend to be more highly regulated, with communities in the Northeast region of America being the most highly regulated on average, followed by those in the West region (California especially).
When Attitudes Do Not Fit: Discordance of Acculturation Attitudes as an Antecedent of Intergroup Threat
Authors: Rohmann Anette , Piontkowski Ursula , van Randenborgh Annette
Published: February 2008

Recent research has shown that the perspectives of both minorities and majorities should be taken into account to reach a deeper understanding of the acculturation process and its consequences for intergroup relations. The authors report two experiments that investigated the impact of discordant acculturation attitudes on perceived threat. In Study 1 (N = 183), Germans were asked for their attitudes toward Turks and Italians. Different levels of concordance of acculturation attitudes were induced by presenting participants with newspaper articles describing the acculturation attitude of the respective out-group and perceived threat was measured. In Study 2 (N = 100), two fictitious immigrant groups were used as target groups. Results in both studies showed that discordance of acculturation attitudes leads to higher perceptions of intergroup threat than concordance of acculturation attitudes. Furthermore, both studies supported the assumption that a similar out-group is perceived as less threatening than a dissimilar out-group.
Culture, Interpersonal Perceptions, and Happiness in Social Interactions
Authors: Oishi Shigehiro , Koo Minkyung , Akimoto Sharon
Published: February 2008

The authors examined cultural differences in interpersonal processes associated with happiness felt in social interactions. In a false feedback experiment (Study 1a), they found that European Americans felt happier when their interaction partner perceived their personal self accurately, whereas Asian Americans felt happier when their interaction partner perceived their collective self accurately. In Study 1b, the authors further demonstrated that the results from Study 1a were not because of cultural differences in desirability of the traits used in Study 1a. In Studies 2 and 3, they used a 2-week event sampling method and replicated Study 1. Unlike Asian Americans, African Americans were not significantly different from European Americans in the predictors of happiness in social interactions. Together, this research shows that interpersonal affirmation of important aspects of the self leads to happiness and that cultural differences are likely to emerge from the emphasis placed on different aspects of the self.
Beyond Contact: Intergroup Contact in the Context of Power Relations
Authors: Saguy Tamar , Dovidio John F. , Pratto Felicia
Published: February 2008

This work investigated how group-based power affects the motivations and preferences that members of advantaged and disadvantaged groups bring to situations of contact. To measure the preferred content of interactions, desires to address particular topics in intergroup contact were assessed for both experimental groups (Study 1) and real groups (Study 2). As predicted, across both studies, the desire to talk about power was greater among members of disadvantaged than of advantaged groups. This difference was mediated by motivation for change in group-based power. Study 2 further demonstrated that more highly identified members of disadvantaged groups wanted to talk about power more. Members of advantaged groups generally preferred to talk about commonalities between the groups more than about group-based power, and this desire was greater with higher levels of identification. However, perceiving that their group's advantage was illegitimate increased the desire of advantaged group members to address power in intergroup interactions.
A Tarnished Silver Lining: Victim Suffering and Support for Reparations
Authors: Starzyk Katherine B. , Ross Michael
Published: February 2008

Groups around the world are seeking reparations for historical harms. In three studies, the authors examined if people are more inclined to support a historical victim group if the group continues to suffer today because of an earlier harm. In Study 1, participants perceived greater victim suffering when the harm was recent and the degree of perceived suffering positively related to victim group support. In Studies 2 and 3, the authors manipulated continued victim suffering and the feasibility of material reparations. Both variables affected victim group support, but experienced sympathy and injustice judgments mediated their effects. Suffering victims elicited more compassion when reparations seemed feasible but were treated the same as nonsuffering victims when reparations seemed unfeasible. Suffering victims were also treated equally irrespective of feasibility of reparations, whereas nonsuffering victims were treated significantly less favorably when reparations seemed feasible, versus unfeasible.
Persuasion and Social Psychology
Authors: Marková Ivana
Published: February 2008

This editor's introduction to the issue recalls the main methodological approaches to persuasion, rhetoric and propaganda in social psychology. It summarizes the classical theories issued from Hovland's Yale Communication Program in experimental social psychology, like dissonance, attitude changes, inoculation approach, elaboration likelihood model. Yet there are, today, competing perspectives on persuasion, which turn attention to the meaning of persuasion in modern complex societies, in technology and the media. These perspectives place emphasis not on changes of attitudes, but on communication, social influence and group processes. It is shown that the collection of articles in this issue brings out these diverse approaches in social psychology. Broadly, it encompasses social psychological studies based on the research of attitudes and attitude changes on the one hand, and those based on the studies of influence and communication on the other.
Hidden Effects of Influence and Persuasion
Authors: Laurens Stéphane
Published: February 2008

This paper revisits the different notions of influence, persuasion and influencebound subjects. It illustrates and critiques the dominant prevailing concept of influence and its effects, which, though diversely denominated and presented through various theories, always comes down to reaffirming the relationship of dominance and the possibility of the nullification of the subject within the relationship with the other. With this aim, it studies the classical theories of interpersonal influence and brings to attention some of the bodies of information which have been systematically neglected or set aside, particularly concerning suggestion, possession, mesmerism and somnambulism.
Persuasion, Rhetoric and Authority
Authors: Scarantino Luca Maria
Published: February 2008

The author argues that the persuasive process is articulated within a dynamic linking beliefs and emotions. The different possible states of equilibrium balancing these two aspects define a persuasive process as more inherently rational or more inherently rhetorical. This latter, being marked by an immediate emotional participation, functions within a social context of the community type. It is dominated by an aesthetic form of communication, where epistemic belief proceeds out of a conformist adherence to the ethos of the group. Its extreme form is represented by the discourse of propaganda. Linked to the epistemic structure of the rhetorical discourse there corresponds a moral structure of resentment and an authoritarian social structure. Although rational elements and emotional elements still coexist within concrete discourses, the possibility of distinguishing them in terms of autonomous functionalities represents the specific adjunct brought by philosophical reflection to the determination of the epistemic structure of persuasion.
Persuasion and Propaganda
Authors: Marková Ivana
Published: February 2008

This paper aims to show that propaganda and persuasion are underlined by two forms of communication, one aiming at a monologue, and the other aiming at a dialogue, which in practice do often coexist, with one or the other prevailing at a particular time. In order to understand propaganda or persuasion, we need to study them as part of the systems (e.g. institutions, organizations, communication) to which they belong, rather than treat them as decontextualized phenomena. Both propaganda and persuasion involve conscious and unconscious communicative processes. Nevertheless, the majority of social psychology experiments still assume that the experimenter should deal with phenomena only at a conscious level. In dialogical communication, however, latent and unconscious thought, inner dialogue, and ‘the depth of consciousness’, are presupposed to be unavoidable aspects of communication, whether it is concerned with influence processes, persuasion or social representations. They all are established through cultural-historical processes and determine symbolic meanings of social communication of the present and future.
Lost in Translation: From Influence to Persuasion
Authors: Jesuino Jorge Correia
Published: February 2008

Social influence and persuasion are not synonyms. This paper traces back the different approaches and distinctions constituting the two concepts and argues that the two research traditions focused respectively on social influence in group processes and on individual attitude change through persuasive communication, could be re-examined from a different vantage point, casting a new light on the continuities between them.
Yang and Yin in Communication: Towards a Typology and Logic of Persuasion in China
Authors: Liu Li
Published: February 2008

In contrast to the individualistically focused paradigm, this article suggests that persuasion is a relationship- and context-specific phenomenon. The article analyses how interpersonal and mass persuasion operates in Chinese daily life. The key concepts of filial piety and guanxi as a major feature of persuasion in the public sphere are thoroughly analysed. It is argued that persuasion is indispensable in dialogical relationships between the self and other, and between the individual and society; yet at the same time it is indigenous to the socio-cultural context.
Instructional Practice in the Context of Converging Policies
Authors: Mayrowetz David
Published: February 2008

In this study, the author explores elementary mathematics instruction in the context of standards-based reform and special education policy. Based on observation of inclusive classrooms and interviews with 12 teachers, the author finds that instructional practice was only somewhat consistent with the policy messages to include students with disabilities under the standards umbrella and to individualize instruction. Moreover, the author suggests three ways in which teachers respond to converging policies: skimming the surface of both policies without engaging the ideological core of either, finding the common ground while remaining true to the spirit of both policies, and privileging one policy at the expense of the other.
Tobit and Moses Redux
Authors: Kiel Micah D.
Published: February 2008

This article argues that the book of Tobit is a tapestry woven from many different traditions within Israel and the wider culture. One of the primary influences on the book of Tobit according to most scholars is the book of Deuteronomy and its theology of retribution, one in which humans are responsible for their own fortunes by way of their obedience. The author of Tobit depicts the title character as one who emulates the figure of Moses in Numbers and Deuteronomy. Tobit assumes a Moses-like place among his exiled people, an intertextual strategy with which the author addresses the problem of individual misfortune and its eventual alleviation.
Swallows and Amazons, or the Sporting Exception To the Gender Recognition Act
Authors: Mcardle David
Published: February 2008

The Gender Recognition Act 2004 purports to restrict transgendered persons' opportunities to participate in sports if their involvement is not conducive to either `competitive fairness' or `safety'. This article considers the difficulties in founding a prohibition on either ground, through reference to the medical literature and by considering relevant developments in other jurisdictions. It works towards a theoretical framework for consideration of the broader issues concerning sport and sexed/ gendered bodies by suggesting that transgender sport may be regarded as a struggle over the legitimate use of the sporting body; and one that both reinforces and challenges the significance of sports as a gendering practice.
Ethical Considerations of Refusing Nutrition After Stroke
Authors: Sandman Lars , Ågren Bolmsjö Ingrid , Westergren Albert
Published: February 2008

The aim of this article is to analyse and discuss the ethically problematic conflict raised by patients with stroke who refuse nutritional treatment. In analysing this conflict, the focus is on four different aspects: (1) Is nutritional treatment biologically necessary? (2) If necessary, is the reason for refusal a functional disability, lack of appetite or motivation, misunderstanding of the situation or a genuine conflict of values? (3) If the latter, what values are involved in the conflict? (4) How should we deal with the different kinds of refusal of nutritional treatment? We argue that patients' autonomy should be respected as far as possible, while also considering that those who have suffered a stroke might re-evaluate their life as a result of a beneficial prognosis. However, if patients persist with their refusal, health care professionals should force nutritional treatment only when it is clear that the patients will re-evaluate their future life.
Attitudes About Prenatal Hiv Testing in Turkey
Authors: Ersoy Nermin , Akpınar Aslıhan
Published: February 2008

The aim of this study was to assess the attitudes of Turkish pregnant women and antenatal health care providers towards prenatal HIV testing. A self-administered questionnaire was used. The relationships between the different groups' knowledge and attitudes were analysed by using the chi-squared statistic. A total of 494 pregnant women and 181 care providers participated. Forty-four per cent of the pregnant women thought that prenatal HIV testing should be mandatory, and 84% of the health care providers thought it should be performed routinely or be mandatory. The majority of the pregnant women (74%) and half of the care providers agreed that the test results should be disclosed first to the pregnant woman. The study results also revealed that most of the prenatal care providers would not protect pregnant women's autonomy and privacy, contrary to the pregnant women's own preferences. It is essential to establish national prenatal HIV testing policies in order to prevent unethical practices and ensure satisfaction for pregnant women and health care providers.
Nurse Leaders as Stewards At the Point of Service
Authors: Murphy Norma , Roberts Deborah
Published: February 2008

Nurse leaders, including clinical nurse educators, who exercise stewardship at the point of service, may facilitate practising nurses' articulation of their shared value priorities, including respect for persons' dignity and self-determination, as well as equity and fairness. A steward preserves and promotes what is intrinsically valuable in an experience. Theories of virtue ethics and discourse ethics supply contexts for clinical nurse educators to clarify how they may facilitate nurses' articulation of their shared value priorities through particularism and universalism, as well as how they may safeguard nurses' self-interpretation and discursive reasoning. Together, clinical nurse educators and nurses may contribute to management decisions that affect the point of service, and thus the health care organization.
Do Patients Have Responsibilities in a Free-Market System? a Personal Perspective
Authors: Civaner Murat , Arda Berna
Published: February 2008

The current debate that surrounds the issue of patient rights and the transformation of health care, social insurance, and reimbursement systems has put the topic of patient responsibility on both the public and health care sectors' agenda. This climate of debate and transition provides an ideal time to rethink patient responsibilities, together with their underlying rationale, and to determine if they are properly represented when being called `patient' responsibilities. In this article we analyze the various types of patient responsibilities, identify the underlying motivations behind their creation, and conclude upon their sensibleness and merit. The range of patient responsibilities that have been proposed and implemented can be reclassified and placed into one of four groups, which are more accurate descriptors of the nature of these responsibilities. We suggest that, within the framework of a free-market system, where health care services are provided based on the ability to pay for them, none of these can properly be justified as a patient responsibility.
Defects in Tongue Papillae and Taste Sensation Indicate a Problem with Neurotrophic Support in Various Neurological Diseases
Authors: Gardiner John , Barton Deborah , May Vanslambrouck Jessica , Braet Filip , Hall David , Marc Jan , Overall Robyn
Published: February 2008

Neurotrophic support of developing neurons by neurotrophins is of critical importance in the development of fungiform papillae and taste buds. A number of neurological disorders show a decrease or increase in fungiform papillae or taste sensation. These can be grouped into disorders with reduced papillae (Machado-Joseph disease, Stüve-Wiedemann syndrome, familial dysautonomia, dystonia musculorum, and Behçet's disease) and those with taste defects only (Alzheimer's disease, Huntington's disease, hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathy type IV, and diabetes mellitus). In addition, Parkinson's disease results in increased taste sensation. Here, we hypothesize that the main problem in these disorders is either not enough or too much neurotrophic support. Proneurotrophic drugs such as some antidepressants and aldose reductase inhibitors may prove useful in the treatment of these sensory and central nervous system disorders. Similarly, antineurotrophic drugs may also be useful in Parkinson's disease. Here we show that the protein involved in familial dysautonomia, IKAP, localizes to keratin filaments in HeLa cells, suggesting a role for the keratin cytoskeleton in neurotrophic support. NEUROSCIENTIST 14(3):240–250, 2008. DOI: 10.1177/1073858407312382
Displacement Field Due to a Rectangular Tension Crack in a Half-space in Welded Contact with Another Half-space
Authors: Singh Kuldip , Kumar Vinay
Published: February 2008

The expressions for the displacements caused by a point tensile dislocation source in a two phase medium are integrated analytically to obtain the displacement field produced by a finite rectangular tensile crack in a homogeneous, isotropic, elastic half-space in welded contact with another elastic half-space. The results are valid for arbitrary values of the Poisson's ratio of the two media and for the arbitrary observer locations. The variation of the displacement field with the distance from the interface as well as with the distance from the fault is studied numerically.
Forums for citizen journalists? Adoption of user generated content initiatives by online news media
Authors: Thurman Neil
Published: February 2008

The mainstream online news media face accusations of being slow to respond to so-called `grassroots' or `citizen journalism', which uses the world wide web, and in particular blogs and wikis, to publish and promote independent news-related content. This article argues that the adaptation of established news websites to the increasing demand from readers for space to express their views is driven as much by local organizational and technical conditions as it is by any attachment to traditional editorial practices. The article uses qualitative research interviews with the editors and managing editors of nine major British news websites to reveal the debates journalists are having about their changing roles, the challenges of meeting commercial expectations and legal obligations, and the innovations taking place in online newsrooms. It provides journalism and interactive media scholars with case studies on the changes taking place in journalism's relationship with its consumers.