bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prediction of Preterm Delivery among Women with Threatened Preterm Labor
Authors: Eroglu Derya , Yanık Filiz , Oktem Mesut , Zeyneloglu Hulusi Bulent , Kuscu Esra
Published: February 2007

Background/Aims: To determine predictive values of fetal fibronectin and phosphorylated insulin-like growth factor binding protein-1 (phIGFBP-1) in cervicovaginal secretions and ultrasonographic measurement of cervical length for delivery <35 weeks in patients with uterine contractions. Methods: Our study included 51 women between 24 and 35 weeks’ gestation with uterine contractions and 90 controls. Cervicovaginal samples were analyzed for presence of fetal fibronectin and phIGFBP-1. Cervical length was measured by transvaginal sonography. Results: Preterm birth rate was 19.6% (10/51) in the study group. Negative predictive values of fetal fibronectin, phIGFBP-1 and ultrasonographic cervical length <20 mm, and <25 mm for delivery <35 weeks were 91.9, 92.3, 91.1, and 90.5%, respectively. Positive predictive values were 50, 58.3, 100 and 66.7%, respectively. When results of fetal fibronectin/phIGFBP-1 test and ultrasonographic cervical length <25 mm were combined, specificity and positive predictive values of each test for delivery within 7 days increased. Conclusion: Fetal fibronectin and phIGFBP-1 tests have approximately equivalent ability to predict delivery <35 weeks’ gestation. An ultrasonographic cervical length measurement >20 mm or a negative fetal fibronectin/phIGFBP-1 test obtained from patients with uterine contractions at 24–35 weeks’ gestation may avoid overdiagnosis.
Pulmonary Vascular Disease in Adults With Congenital Heart Disease
Authors: Diller Gerhard-Paul , Gatzoulis Michael A.
Published: February 2007

Pulmonary arterial hypertension of variable degree is commonly associated with adult congenital heart disease. Depending on size and location of the underlying cardiac defect as well as on repair status, pulmonary arterial hypertension may present with or without reversed shunting and associated cyanosis (ie, Eisenmenger syndrome). We review available data on etiology, clinical presentation, prognosis, and management strategies of pulmonary arterial hypertension in adult patients with congenital heart disease. In addition, we discuss the numerous complications associated with Eisenmenger syndrome, representing a multisystem disorder. Finally, we present general management strategies and emerging disease-targeting therapies.
Drug-Eluting Stent and Coronary Thrombosis
Authors: Lüscher Thomas F. , Steffel Jan , Eberli Franz R. , Joner Michael , Nakazawa Gaku , Tanner Felix C. , Virmani Renu
Published: February 2007

Although rare, stent thrombosis remains a severe complication after stent implantation owing to its high morbidity and mortality. Since the introduction of drug-eluting stents (DES), most interventional centers have noted stent thrombosis up to 3 years after implantation, a complication rarely seen with bare-metal stents. Some data from large registries and meta-analyses of randomized trials indicate a higher risk for DES thrombosis, whereas others suggest an absence of such a risk. Several factors are associated with an increased risk of stent thrombosis, including the procedure itself (stent malapposition and/or underexpansion, number of implanted stents, stent length, persistent slow coronary blood flow, and dissections), patient and lesion characteristics, stent design, and premature cessation of antiplatelet drugs. Drugs released from DES exert distinct biological effects, such as activation of signal transduction pathways and inhibition of cell proliferation. As a result, although primarily aimed at preventing vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation and migration (ie, key factors in the development of restenosis), they also impair reendothelialization, which leads to delayed arterial healing, and induce tissue factor expression, which results in a prothrombogenic environment. In the same way, polymers used to load these drugs have been associated with DES thrombosis. Finally, DES impair endothelial function of the coronary artery distal to the stent, which potentially promotes the risk of ischemia and coronary occlusion. Although several reports raise the possibility of a substantially higher risk of stent thrombosis in DES, evidence remains inconclusive; as a consequence, both large-scale and long-term clinical trials, as well as further mechanistic studies, are needed. The present review focuses on the pathophysiological mechanisms and pathological findings of stent thrombosis in DES.
The Effect of Interface Chemical Bonds on the Behaviour of Nanotube-Polyethylene Composites Under Nano-Particle Impacts
Authors: Mylvaganam K. , Zhang L. C. , Cheong W. C. D.
Published: February 2007

This paper uses the molecular dynamics method to investigate the influence of chemical bonds on the mechanical behaviour of nanotube–polyethylene composites subjected to nano-particle impacts. In the analysis, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were incorporated into the polyethylene (PE)
matrix in two ways, with and without radical centres, so that the resulting nano-composites had two corresponding properties, i.e., with and without chemical bonds at the CNT–PE interfaces. A spherical diamond nano-particle was used to impact and penetrate into the composites with a
high velocity. It was found that the interface chemical bonds play an important role in the composite reinforcement.
Toward Science-Based Design in Organization Development
Authors: Romme A. Georges L. , Damen Inge C. M.
Published: February 2007

Herbert Simon once suggested that the social sciences are actually the hard sciences due to the enormous complexity and interconnectedness of the elements within social systems. This insight is also critical in understanding the nature of change and development of large organizational systems. Adopting a science-based design approach, the authors place emphasis on the importance of developing construction principles and design rules for the implementation of large-scale organization development (OD) interventions. The empirical part of the article draws on several case studies of OD projects that employ the methods of circular redesign. The first case illustrates how implementation may fail as a result of a lack of awareness of the complexity of OD implementation and experimentation processes. The second case suggests that a coherent set of principles and rules can provide a common framework and language for scholars, managers, and consultants working together in large-scale organizational change projects.
Toward More User-Centric OD
Authors: Bate Paul , Robert Glenn
Published: February 2007

This article argues for a major shift in focus from the strong management orientation of organization development (OD) to a more “user-centric” OD, one that seeks to mobilize and privilege change on behalf of the consumers or users of an organization’s product or service, involving them at every stage of the design process, from problem diagnosis to solution generation and implementation. This reconceptualization of OD draws its inspiration from the rapidly expanding field of experience-based design (EBD), a subfield of the design sciences whose distinctive features are direct user participation in the design process and a focus on designing experiences as opposed to systems or processes. The article reports on an original EBD intervention methodology designed and tested by the authors and colleagues in a cancer clinic within the National Health Service, which following successful “proof of concept,” offers OD some promising new directions for the future.
What a Design Approach Offers to Organization Development
Authors: Trullen Jordi , Bartunek Jean M.
Published: February 2007

In this article, the authors describe characteristics of design science as a type of organization development (OD) intervention and as an approach to actionable theorizing. The authors discuss ways that design science approaches are typically but not necessarily consistent with OD’s values as well as the types of intervention motors they typically use. That is, they often reflect humanistic values, but they need not necessarily do so. Design science typically uses action research and participation intervention motors but does not include as much self-reflection as is the case in much OD work. Design approaches focus much more on action than do most current OD interventions; thus they add an important dimension to OD practice. In addition, they suggest ways of linking this focus on action with hypothesis testing and theorizing more than do most current OD interventions. Thus, they offer the possibility of revitalizing OD.
Weighting for Recognition: Accounting for Advanced Placement and Honors Courses When Calculating High School Grade Point Average
Authors: Sadler Philip M. , Tai Robert H.
Published: February 2007

Honors and advanced placement (AP) courses are commonly viewed as more demanding than standard high school offerings. Schools employ a range of methods to account for such differences when calculating grade point average and the associated rank in class for graduating students. In turn, these statistics have a sizeable impact on college admission and access to financial aid. The authors establish the relationship between the grade earned and type of high school science course taken for 7,613 students by modeling their later performance in an introductory college course. The sample is drawn from more than 100 introductory science courses at 55 randomly chosen college and universities. Accounting for variations in college grading systems, strong evidence is found in favor of the practice of adding bonus points to students’ high school course grades in the sciences, namely, on a 4-point scale, 1 point for AP courses and .5 for honors courses.
Employment and ex-offenders in the United States: Effects of legal and extra legal factors
Authors: Kethineni Sesha , Falcone David N.
Published: February 2007

One of the critical issues facing the US correctional system is recidivism among male offenders. Although some studies suggest a link between post-incarceration unemployment and crime, others have taken a contrary theoretical approach and consider unemployment to be a major risk factor. To address the unemploymen-crime relationship, this article examines the following: rates of incarceration; cultural factors and social pathologies; factors in prison affecting inmates' ability to gain employment skills; post-prison factors such as stigma, employers' concerns toward hiring ex-offenders, and legal barriers restricting the employment of ex-offenders.
Moving up the value chain
Authors: Foster Allan
Published: February 2007

Survey of the use of business information in UK libraries and information services, based on in-depth interviews with leading business information managers. Key findings are:

Expansion of business in India and the Far East is having implications for information infrastructure domestically and in this region. Business information services staffing is very stable, excepting the offshoring dimension. Staff development is increasingly being conducted internally. 20 per cent of those sampled offshore some aspects of their information and research services; another 25 per cent are investigating this option. Knowledge sharing is increasingly recognized as necessary in companies, and most information services are playing their part. There is a distinct trend for information services to move up the value chain through more evaluation and analysis functions. The majority (70%) of business information services are involved in supporting compliance work. Factiva tops the expenditure league. European private company information is still underprovided. Business information services are committed to training users. Social technology tools are not being used much but have great potential. Improving customer services is still the highest strategic priority.
Know Before You Go
Authors: Nutting Diana
Published: February 2007

Describes how an underused internal information service serving a small business advice organization was revitalized by the introduction of identifiable information products instead of simply providing general information services. Focuses on one product, Know Before You Go, a briefing report supplied to business advisers in advance of their company visits and set out in a standard format. Lists and describes the main external business information services and publications that staff use to compile it. Emphasizes the importance of marketing this service internally and securing senior management buy-in first, and demonstrates its impact in terms of increased use of the service. Explains how the information staff developed their skills beyond merely sourcing and supplying information to include measurable analytical skills. As a result the information unit has been able to acquire new responsibilities, including website content, management of primary market research and knowledge management.
Fee or free?
Authors: Clark Mike
Published: February 2007

Reviews the arguments for and against charging for access to information gathered at taxpayers' expense. Compares and contrasts policy and practice in the United States and the European Union, suggesting that their different historical and geopolitical backgrounds render such comparisons misleading. Suggests that the principle that public sector information should normally be free ignores the cost implications to the taxpayer resulting from commercial revenue lost by public sector bodies that currently exploit their own information for gain. Also suggests that the resulting loss of public sector employment would not immediately be taken up by the private sector. Using case studies, concludes that if society at large is the principal beneficiary of the information, then the taxpayer should pay, whereas if only a relatively small number of organizations benefits then they should pay. Suggests that, either way, the solution should be in the public interest.
Sidney Levy: Challenging the Philosophical Assumptions of Marketing
Authors: Harris Garth E.
Published: February 2007

Sidney Levy has been one of the main contributors to marketing and consumer behavior in the twentieth century and is a living legend among marketers today. This historical essay will look at how Levy was able to have a substantial impact on the field of marketing by pushing it in new directions. He saw well before others the value of doing research on brand image, symbolism, and cultural meaning in marketing and of broadening the marketing concept. Levy was able to achieve these insights by questioning the prevailing assumptions of the day, by taking an interdisciplinary perspective to solve what he saw as marketing problems, and by encouraging philosophical pluralism.
The Myth of the Marketing Revolution
Authors: Jones D. G. Brian , Richardson Alan J.
Published: February 2007

This study used content analysis of source material from the 1890s to examine the enduring historical theory of a marketing revolution first proposed in 1960 by Robert Keith and still popular in introductory marketing textbooks today. The results are consistent with earlier studies. Strong evidence exists of sales and marketing orientations during the period known as the production era. We conclude that there was no marketing revolution.
“Aunt Jemima is Alive and Cookin’?” An Advertiser’s Dilemma of Competing Collective Memories
Authors: Davis Judy Foster
Published: February 2007

This article discusses how a proposed advertising theme created a strategic and public relations dilemma for a team of modern-day marketing executives when viewed in the context of the promotional history of the Aunt Jemima brand. Using collective memory theory as a framework, this article explores alternative perspectives of the brand’s image among black and white consumers in light of a controversial proposed advertising theme. Archival records housed in the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History allow for a reconstruction of the executives’ decision scenario, ramifications of the advertising strategy, and a discussion of implications for contemporary practitioners.
Pansies to Parents: Gay Male Images in American Print Advertising
Authors: Branchik Blaine J.
Published: February 2007

Common and diverse depictions of gay men in American print advertising are recent phenomena, dating from the mid-1990s. However, gay male images have appeared in print advertisements since early in the last century. Using a framework categorizing minority depictions in media over time and adapted for this study, a chronological series of twenty-five print advertisements are analyzed dating from 1917 through 2004. In these ads, gay male images complying with one or more of the ten criteria established for this study are found to change over time. This evolution of imagery is categorized into four stages: (1) targeted recognition, (2) ridicule/scorn, (3) cutting edge, and ultimately, (4) respect. The evolution reflects society’s changing view of homosexuality and the media’s changing role in portraying gay men. It further can be analyzed within the context of the history of the United States’ gay community.
Transfer Time Complexity of Conflict-free Vehicle Routing with no Communications
Authors: Sharma Vikrant , Savchenko Michael , Frazzoli Emilio , Voulgaris Petros G.
Published: February 2007

The following motion coordination problem is studied: given n mobile vehicles and n source-destination pairs in the plane, what is the minimum time needed to transfer each vehicle from its source to its destination, avoiding conflicts with other vehicles? In the proposed model, vehicles do not explicitly communicate their intentions, and only have sensory information about the current position and velocity of their neighbors to ensure no conflicts. The environment is free of obstacles and a conflict occurs when the distance between any two vehicles is smaller than a velocity-dependent safety distance. The situation analyzed in which the vehicle size is such that at least a constant fraction of the n vehicles can be fitted inside the environment simultaneously. In the “best” case in which the source and destination points can be chosen ideally to maximize the transfer efficiency, it is shown that the transfer takes Θ ([UNKNOWN][UNKNOWN]n) time to complete, where [UNKNOWN] is the average distance between the source and destination points. It is shown that there exist a “worst” case distribution of the source and destination points, for which the transfer of vehicles takes at least Ω(n) time. The case is also analyzed in which source and destination points are generated randomly according to a uniform distribution, and an algorithm is presented providing a constructive upper bound on the time needed to transfer vehicles from sources to their corresponding destinations, proving that the transfer takes Θ ([UNKNOWN]n) time, with high probability, thus recovering the best case performance.
The Low-Stiffness Teleoperator Slave — a Trade-off between Stability and Performance
Authors: Christiansson Göran A. V. , van der Helm Frans C. T.
Published: February 2007

Stability is essential for teleoperation and a prerequisite for performance. This paper analyzes the the stability/performance trade-off of a teleoperator where the slave device has a built-in passive intrinsic stiffness. Stability is quantified as time delay robustness and performance is expressed using teleoperator damping and teleoperator stiffness, the boundaries of the Colgate Z-width

Two classic control schemes, position error and Lawrence 4-channel, are used along with a novel 5-channel scheme where the slave stiffness deflection is measured, and compensated for, to improve the performance.

The teleoperator system was analyzed theoretically using a linear model and the findings were experimentally validated on a one degree of freedom teleoperation setup.

It was found that:

• A lower slave stiffness improves stability for all three teleoperator architectures. • The stability boundary of the three controllers is similar. • The performance of the controllers increases from: (poor) position error, 4-Channel to (excellent) 5-channel. • A classical linear analysis method can accurately predict the stability characteristics of the teleoperator system.

Therefore it can be concluded that a compliant slave device offers a stability advantage for a range of teleoperation situations and that the loss of performance can be partly compensated.
Surveillance Strategies for a Pursuer with Finite Sensor Range
Authors: Murrieta-Cid Rafael , Muppirala Teja , Sarmiento Alejandro , Bhattacharya Sourabh , Hutchinson Seth
Published: February 2007

This paper addresses the pursuit-evasion problem of maintaining surveillance by a pursuer of an evader in a world populated by polygonal obstacles. This requires the pursuer to plan colision-free motions that honor distance constraints imposed by sensor capabilities, while avoiding occlusion of the evader by any obstacle. The paper extends the three-dimensional cellular decomposition of Schwartz and Sharir to represent the four-dimensional configuration space of the pursuer-evader system, and derive necessary conditions for surveillance (equivalently, sufficient conditions for escape) in terms of this new representation A game theoretic formulation of the problem is then given, and this formulation is used to characterize optimal escape trajectories for the evader. A shooting algorithm is proposed that finds these trajectories using the minimun principle. Finally, noting the similarities between this surveillance problem and the problem of cooperative manipulation by two robots, several cooperation strategies are presented that maximize system performance for cooperative motions.
Discursive Choices
Authors: Slayton Rebecca
Published: February 2007

Few presidential initiatives have attracted more public ridicule from scientists and engineers than ‘Star Wars’, Ronald Reagan’s 1983 proposal to build a missile defense system that would render the Soviet nuclear arsenal ‘impotent and obsolete’. Scientists found multiple ways of critiquing what Reagan’s vision became: not a working weapons system, but a dramatically escalated research and development program known as the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), which stalled arms-control negotiations near the end of the Cold War. This paper examines how scientists crossed discursive boundaries between science and politics as they staged a social movement against SDI: a nationwide boycott of Star Wars research funds. It argues that scientists made discursive choices that furthered their immediate challenge to practices of military-academic research, while still shaping emergent identities in line with existing institutions. Significantly, this account cannot be simply incorporated into existing traditions of research in lay-expert communication. Whereas these traditions suggest that communicative practices either enable or constrain actors, this account shows they simultaneously did both. It advances the notion of ‘discursive choices’ as a concept that may help mediate between structure and agency in studies of public communication with technical experts. This account suggests that an examination of discursive choices may contribute to understanding how expertise is maintained and reconfigured within a particular political culture.
Self-Transcendence and Well-Being in Homeless Adults
Authors: Runquist Jennifer J. , Reed Pamela G.
Published: February 2007

This study examines the relationships of spiritually and physically related variables to well-being among homeless adults. A convenience sample of 61 sheltered homeless persons completed the Spiritual Perspective Scale, the Self-Transcendence Scale, the Index of Well-Being, and items measuring fatigue and health status. The data were subjected to correlational and multiple regression analysis. Positive, significant correlations were found among spiritual perspective, self-transcendence, health status, and well-being. Fatigue was inversely correlated with health status and well-being. Self-transcendence and health status together explained 59% of the variance in well-being. The findings support Reed’s theory of self-transcendence, in which there is the basic assumption that human beings have the potential to integrate difficult life situations. This study contributes to the growing body of evidence that conceptualizes homeless persons as having spiritual, emotional, and physical capacities that can be used by health care professionals to promote well-being in this vulnerable population.
Narrative Criticism
Authors: Pellico Linda Honan , Chinn Peggy L.
Published: February 2007

Research reveals that writing about one’s experiences offers an individual the opportunity to improve function, develop insight, and foster growth. Storytelling and story writing are pedagogical tools used frequently in practice professions. It is reasonable to see these writings as a rich source for research. They are vehicles for understanding human experience and aesthetic knowing. This article presents an innovation in the method used for analysis of stories. It is a blending of two established methods, those of narrative analysis as described by Riessman (1993), and aesthetic criticism by Chinn, Maeve, and Bostick (1997). The merging of both methods, termed narrative criticism, allows for a rich level of insight into unique human experiences.
What the Camera Sees and from Whose Perspective
Authors: Cook Tina , Hess Else
Published: February 2007

This article draws on the experience of three research projects where photography was used with children as a data collection method and presentation tool. It was used as a way of trying to enhance opportunities for adults to hear about topics from the perspective of children. The projects were not designed to investigate the use of cameras as a research methodology; the article is a synthesis of incidentally observed outcomes and issues raised by the use of cameras within these projects. Watching young children has told us a lot about how they engage with their environment and how to help them fit into the adult agendas we call ‘education’, ‘growing up’ and ‘life’, but how much does it tell us about how children really experience their worlds?
The Moral Rhetoric of Childhood
Authors: Meyer Anneke
Published: February 2007

In the UK, the discourse of innocence currently prevails as a major way of understanding children. This article argues that the strength of this discourse lies in its prevalence, its resistance to challenges and the ways in which it connects ideas of innocence and vulnerability. The moral quality of the discourse of innocence works in conjunction with the sacred status of the child, to produce childhood as a moral rhetoric. Children and childhood function to explain and legitimize any practice or opinion as right while removing the necessity to provide reasons: children are the reason. The article also considers how issues around childhood and morality are implicated in the generation of social concern with risks affecting children.
Symposium article: Role-plays as a data collection method for research on apology speech acts
Authors: Demeter Gusztav
Published: February 2007

The study of speech acts in different languages is a complex endeavor, with many factors that could influence the outcome of the research if not carefully attended to. One of these factors is the methodology and instrument used in collecting the data for the study. The instruments used in most of the studies on apologies are discourse completion tests, interviews, questionnaires, corpus linguistics, or natural interactions. Only few used role-plays. The aim of this article is to demonstrate that the use of role-plays is a valid and effective method of collecting data for the analysis of apologies. To support this claim, data collected through the use of role-plays are compared to data collected with the help of a discourse completion test at a university in Romania.
Symposium article: ESP needs washback and the fine tuning of driving instruction
Authors: Freiermuth Mark R.
Published: February 2007

Workplace needs are often difficult for English for Specific Purposes (ESP) teachers to assess due to a variety of obstacles that can restrict opportunities to analyze the existing needs. Nevertheless, the workers' needs may be recognized by employing techniques aimed at extracting information from the workers themselves. Japanese university students, working as in-automobile interpreters for American employees stationed in Japan, were asked to interpret Japanese instructions provided to the Americans during practice sessions at a local drivers'training facility. During think-aloud interviews with students, it was determined that the interpreters had not gained sufficient control of specialized vocabulary related to automobiles; moreover, they were unable to adequately interpret the commands that were given by the Japanese instructors during the training sessions. The students pointed to a specialized vocabulary worksheet that was developed, simulated driving lessons, and general discussion as being effective measures to better prepare them for the in-automobile interpretation.
Symposium article: Simulation in JFL: Business writing
Authors: Fukushima Tatsuya
Published: February 2007

This article discusses a simulation wherein learners of Japanese as a Foreign Language (JFL) in a business writing course at an American university are assigned tasks to write a series of business letters based on situations that are likely to occur in actual business settings. After an overview of the theoretical background, this article describes the design and procedure of class meetings and evaluates pedagogical benefits of the activities. This article suggests that the activities in this simulation provide a suitable medium for the learners' use of keigo, kaki-kotoba/kango, and a rhetorical structure that is common in business letters. At the same time, they maintain their integrity as content-oriented tasks because of realistic situations and time constraints established by the instructor and instrumental goals that the learners pursue. In particular, they place their primary emphasis on the participating learners' performance in a socioculturally appropriate form of Japanese business correspondence.
Symposium article: Data generation through role-play: Assessing oral proficiency
Authors: Halleck Gene
Published: February 2007

This study analyzes the use of role-play as an elicitation device for the evaluation of a nonnative speaker's oral language. In this analysis of role-play as a methodology to generate data for assessment purposes, the study examines the role that interlocutors play in two types of interactions. It raises questions about the validity and reliability of dialogic role-plays used to elicit a ratable sample of a nonnative speaker';s oral proficiency and proposes that a monologic situation may provide a more reliable and accurate sample. The study also suggests how implications for simulation-based teaching can be implemented in second/ foreign language classes.
The relationship between healthcare professionals and the parents of chronically ill children: negotiating the boundaries between dependence and expertise
Authors: Hummelinck Alda , Pollock Kristian
Published: February 2007

Objective Mutual respect and understanding between parents and healthcare professionals are fundamental to the realisation of a partnership in the provision of care to chronically ill children. The aim of this study was an exploration of parents' perspectives on their relationship with healthcare professionals and their involvement in decisions about their child's care.

Setting The paediatric department of a district general hospital in the West Midlands, England.

Method Qualitative methodology using semi-structured interviews with 27 parents from 20 families with a chronically ill child.

Key findings In the time following the child's diagnosis, parents' attitudes towards healthcare professionals often moved from reliance and trust to scepticism and suspicion. This change in attitude derived from their experience of inadequate communication and perception of professionals' failure to understand the reality of the intense and relentless demands and challenges that confront families providing care for a chronically ill child. Parents tended to be initially accepting and deferential to professional expertise. Over time, however, as their experience and confidence increased, they often desired a greater involvement in decisions about treatment and care. This transition, between initial, or episodic, dependency and active partnership, was often not recognised or accommodated by professionals. It was difficult for both parties to negotiate the transition from parents' dependency on health professionals to becoming more independent managers of care.

Conclusions Professionals should be aware of parents' preferred and changing level of involvement in care and decision making, and endeavour to accommodate these throughout the process of providing care for chronically ill children.
Children's prescription medicines: parents' perceptions on dosing intervals, dosing devices and prescription advice
Authors: Kairuz Therése , Svirskis Darren , Sheridan Janie
Published: February 2007

Objective To gather information on devices used to administer liquid medicines, dosing intervals for antibiotic administration, and parents' perceptions of the advice received from pharmacists about prescription medicines, for children up to the age of six years.

Setting Six schools from different socio-economic areas were selected within the Auckland area of New Zealand. To facilitate distribution and collection of questionnaires, the headmaster or a teacher was known to the researchers.

Method An anonymous questionnaire was distributed to year 1 and 2 students (aged five and six years) to take home for completion by a parent or primary caregiver. Respondents were asked to refer to their youngest child and/or to the last time they had given medicines or received a prescription for a child.

Key findings A total of 299 completed questionnaires were received (48.2%); 60 questionnaires had not been distributed by school teachers in error, and the overall return rate was thus adjusted to 53.4%. The device used most frequently to administer medicines to younger children up to the age of three years was an oral medicine syringe, while nearly one-third of children aged three to six years received medicine in a ‘teaspoon’. Almost half the respondents (48.8%) indicated they would be most likely to forget the midday dose of antibiotics, and dosing deviated from recommended intervals. Most respondents had received advice from a pharmacist on how to take the medicine, and had understood instructions and had the opportunity to ask questions.

Conclusion This study highlights areas that pharmacists can include when advising parents and guardians about children's medicines, such as ideal dosing intervals of antibiotics and the use of accurate dosing devices.
Children's over-the-counter medicines pharmacoepidemiological (COPE) study
Authors: Wong Ian CK , Chua Siew Siang , Edmondson Hilary
Published: February 2007

Objective To quantify the extent and types of minor ailments in children that were presented at community pharmacies and the types of over-the-counter (OTC) medicines purchased in response to these ailments.

Method Data on all requests and sales of OTC medicines for children (aged 16 years and under) and consultations for minor ailments in children were recorded in eight community pharmacies for one week every month over a 12-month period. Participants were members of the public who consulted the pharmacists or other pharmacy staff in the community pharmacies.

Key findings A total of 976 consultations was recorded with 61.5% requesting an OTC medicine by name and 38.5% by symptom presentation. An average of 10.2 consultations was made per pharmacy per week. Requests for treatment were usually made within five days of symptom occurrence (86%). Most of the consultations were made by mothers (75%), although 17% were by fathers. The most commonly purchased OTC medicine was paracetamol. There were five requests for aspirin and one was for a 2-year old child. A total of 62 cases (6%) was referred back to the child's primary care physician (general practitioner).

Conclusions Symptoms related to cough and cold were the most common problems in children presenting to community pharmacies for treatment. Paracetamol was the most widely used OTC medicine in children. Pharmacy staff do question the request for OTC medicines such as aspirin, to ensure its safe use. Community pharmacies play an important role as the first port of call for advice on minor ailments in children and have an opportunity to provide health promotion to carers of children.
Does community pharmacy offer women family-friendly working conditions and equal opportunities? The accounts of female community pharmacists over the age of 30
Authors: Gidman Wendy K , Hassell Karen , Day Jennie , Payne Katherine
Published: February 2007

Objective The sex mix of the pharmacy workforce has altered significantly over the last 60 years such that in 2005 54% of the practising pharmacy workforce was female. After the age of 30 years, part-time working is common and it is often assumed that pharmacy working attracts and suits women because it is flexible and family friendly. This paper aims to explore to what extent that is true.

Setting This study was based in the North West of England.

Method Face-to-face interviews (n=30) were conducted with women over the age of 30 years who worked as community pharmacists. The interview schedule was designed to explore: interviewees' motivation for choosing pharmacy; employment history; motivation for choosing a particular pattern of working; views of recent changes in pharmacy; and future career plans.

Key findings In line with previous studies this sample of female community pharmacists adopted heterogenous work patterns, and personal and extrinsic structural factors were found to influence work patterns. Importantly, there was evidence of a lack of family-friendly practices, with antisocial hours, difficulties accommodating annual leave, and the restrictive legislative framework that necessitates that a pharmacist is always present in a store, all affecting work patterns.

Conclusion Our study, in contrast to other studies, suggests that for about half of the women interviewed, community pharmacy working was difficult to combine with family commitments. This finding has implications for employers and workforce planners because an increasing proportion of the community pharmacy workforce is female.
What if continuing education became mandatory? Opinions of Belgian community pharmacists
Authors: Driesen Annelies , Airaksinen Marja , Simoens Steven , Laekeman Gert
Published: February 2007

Objective In July 2003, a survey (n = 1032) was conducted on issues related to continuing education for community pharmacists. This study aims to explore specific results of this survey in-depth. The objectives were to examine how current continuing education courses can be optimised, how much interest pharmacists have in distance learning, and how pharmacists think about mandatory continuing education.

Setting Community pharmacy in the Dutch-speaking part of Belgium.

Method Six focus group discussions were held: two with attenders (n = 14), two with non-attenders (n = 13), and two with the management of the Institute for Permanent Study for Pharmacists (n = 12). A theme plan was used to moderate discussions. Framework analysis was applied to analyse data.

Key findings To optimise live courses, continuing education providers should select good speakers, provide extensive course notes, and focus on issues that are relevant to day-to-day pharmacy practice. The interest in distance learning as a continuing education format was limited. Non-attenders are likely to need a formal obligation to engage in continuing education, with the preferred format being live courses. By increasing patients' awareness and appreciation of pharmacists' capabilities, pharmacists could be more motivated to counsel patients, to engage in continuing education, and to accept a system of mandatory continuing education.

Conclusion Implementation of mandatory continuing education in Belgium might encourage more pharmacists to take part in live continuing education courses than in distance learning. The arguments for and against mandatory continuing education as well as the suggestions for improvement of live continuing education courses should be taken into account when implementing a system of mandatory continuing education.
Using theory to improve communication: designing a communication skills training package for medicine counter assistants
Authors: Cleland Jennifer , Francis Jill , Watson Margaret , Inch Jackie , Bond Christine
Published: February 2007

Objective To design (i) a theory-based communication skills training package for medicine counter assistants (MCAs) and (ii) a method of evaluating its effect on consultation behaviours.

Method Thirty MCAs from 20 community pharmacies in Grampian, Scotland were recruited and randomised to the intervention (n = 20) and control (n = 10) groups. The intervention comprised 2 times 4 h of interactive learning sessions. The content of the sessions was based on a model of teaching and learning communication skills, while the teaching and learning techniques used in the sessions were based on active learning and cognitive-behavioural principles. Training focused on information-gathering and information-giving skills. The Theory of Planned Behaviour was used to develop a questionnaire to explore the effect of communication skills training.

Key findings The results of the full study are reported elsewhere but, in summary, some improvements in communication were seen in the intervention group in terms of the number of questions asked, although no improvement was shown with the use of open questions.

Conclusion The results of this study suggest that using theory to underpin training might well allow the mapping of specific mediators of behaviour change onto intervention components, which in turn provides information on which aspects of training might be successful. Thus, using theory as a basis for interventions may increase the effectiveness of future interventions.
Solvothermal Preparation and Characterization of Barium Titanate Nanocubes
Authors: Liu Qiang , Yan Zhiying , Sun Guixiang , Zheng Wenjun
Published: February 2007

A simple low-temperature solvothermal scheme has been developed to produce pure, well-controlled characteristics in terms of size, morphology, and monodispersity of barium titanate (BaTiO3) nanocubes. Characterizations of products were performed by XRD, TEM, HRTEM, EDS, and their sizes were 40–50 nm. The formation process of the BaTiO3 nanocubes was also discussed.
Preparation of Three-dimensionally ordered Macroporous SiO2 Membranes with Controllable Pore Size
Authors: Zhao Kui , Fan Yiqun , Xu Nanping
Published: February 2007

Three-dimensionally ordered macroporous SiO2 membranes are prepared by the codeposition method using SiO2 colloidal particles as building blocks and polymethyl methacrylate as the templates. The pore size of ordered macroporous SiO2 membranes can be controlled by changing the volume ratio of templates to SiO2.
Plastic and Solid-state Dye-sensitized Solar Cells Incorporating Single-wall Carbon Nanotubes
Authors: Ikeda Nobuyuki , Miyasaka Tsutomu
Published: February 2007

A clay-like conductive material comprising single-wall carbon nanotube and imidazorium iodide derivative was combined with dye-sensitized mesoporous TiO2 layer formed on a plastic substrate. A thin, plastic, solid-state photocell was devised, which works with a highest conversion efficiency of 2.3% under simulated sunlight intensity of 23 mW cm−2.
Location-Routing Problems with Distance Constraints
Authors: Berger Rosemary T. , Coullard Collette R. , Daskin Mark S.
Published: February 2007

An important aspect of designing a distribution system is determining the locations of the facilities. For systems in which deliveries are made along multiple stop routes, the routing problem and location problem must be considered simultaneously. In this paper, a set-partitioning-based formulation of an uncapacitated location-routing model with distance constraints is presented. An alternate set of constraints is identified that significantly reduces the total number of constraints and dramatically improves the linear programming relaxation bound. A branch and price algorithm is developed to solve instances of the model. The algorithm provides optimal solutions in reasonable computation time for problems involving as many as 10 candidate facilities and 100 customers with various distance constraints.
An Efficient Heuristic Algorithm for a Two-Echelon Joint Inventory and Routing Problem
Authors: Jung Jaeheon , Mathur Kamlesh
Published: February 2007

With an increasing emphasis on coordination in the supply chain, the inventory and distribution decisions, which in most part had been dealt with independently of each other, need to be considered jointly. This research considers a two-echelon distribution system consisting of one warehouse and N retailers that face external demand at a constant rate. Inventories are kept at retailers as well as at the warehouse. The products are delivered to the retailers by a fleet of vehicles with limited capacity. We develop an efficient heuristic procedure that finds a reorder interval for the warehouse, the replenishment quantities (and associated reorder interval) for each retailer, and the delivery routes so as to minimize the long-run average inventory and transportation costs.
A Column-Generation Approach to Line Planning in Public Transport
Authors: Borndörfer Ralf , Grötschel Martin , Pfetsch Marc E.
Published: February 2007

The line-planning problem is one of the fundamental problems in strategic planning of public and rail transport. It involves finding lines and corresponding frequencies in a transport network such that a given travel demand can be satisfied. There are (at least) two objectives: the transport company wishes to minimize operating costs, and the passengers want to minimize traveling times. We propose a new multicommodity flow model for line planning. Its main features, in comparison to existing models, are that the passenger paths can be freely routed and lines are generated dynamically. We discuss properties of this model, investigate its complexity, and present a column-generation algorithm for its solution. Computational results with data for the city of Potsdam, Germany, are reported.
Territory Planning and Vehicle Dispatching with Driver Learning
Authors: Zhong Hongsheng , Hall Randolph W. , Dessouky Maged
Published: February 2007

This paper investigates the construction of routes for local delivery of packages. The primary objective of this research is to provide realistic models to optimize vehicle dispatching when customer locations and demands vary from day to day while maintaining driver familiarity with their service territories, hence dispatch consistency. The objective of increasing driver familiarity tends to make routes or service territories fixed. On the other hand, to serve varying demand it is advantageous to reassign vehicles/drivers and service territories each day. To balance the trade-offs between these two objectives, we developed the concepts of “cell,” “core area,” and “flex zone,” and created a two-stage vehicle routing model—strategic core area design and operational cell routing—and explicitly evaluated the effect of driver familiarity through the use of learning and forgetting curves.