bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Differential toxic effects of methyl tertiary butyl ether and tert-butanol on rat fibroblasts in vitro
Authors: Sgambato A , Iavicoli I , De Paola B , Bianchino G , Boninsegna A , Bergamaschi A , Pietroiusti A , Cittadini A
Published: May 2009

Methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) is the most widely used motor vehicle fuel oxygenate since it reduces harmful emissions due to gasoline combustion. However, the significant increase in its use in recent years has raised new questions related to its potential toxicity. In fact, although available data are somehow conflicting, there is evidence that MTBE is a toxic substance that may have harmful effects on both animals and humans and an unresolved problem is the role played by MTBE metabolites, especially tertiary butyl alcohol (TBA), in determining toxic effects due to MTBE exposure. In this study, the toxic effects of MTBE have been analyzed on a normal diploid rat fibroblast cell line (Rat-1) and compared to the effects of TBA. The results obtained suggest that both MTBE and TBA inhibit cell growth in vitro but with different mechanisms in terms of effects on the cell cycle progression and on the modulation of cell cycle regulatory proteins. In fact, MTBE caused an accumulation of cells in the S-phase of the cell cycle, whereas TBA caused an accumulation in the G0/G1-phase with different effects on the expression of cyclin D1, p27Kip1, and p53. Moreover, both MTBE and TBA were also shown to induce DNA damage, as assessed in terms of oxidative DNA damage and nuclear DNA fragmentation, that appeared to be susceptible of repair by the cell DNA-repair machinery. In conclusion, these findings suggest that both MTBE and TBA can exert, by acting through different molecular mechanisms, important biological effects on fibroblasts in vitro. Further studies are warranted to shed light on the mechanisms responsible for the observed effects and on their potential significance for the in-vivo exposure.
A study of particulates and metallic element concentrations in temple
Authors: Fang GC , Lin SJ , Lee JF , Chang CC
Published: May 2009

Concentrations of ambient suspended particulates were measured at Tzu Yun Yen temple in Taiwan (120°, 34 ′, 46.2 ″E, 24°, 16 ′, 17.1 ″N), where semi-open incense burning is characteristic. Many pilgrims from different areas with various beliefs visit the temple and burn incense. Samples were collected with a universal sampler used for measuring suspended particulate concentrations. Sampling period was from August 8, 2006, to October 6, 2006. The average PM10 concentrations measured at the temple were 16% higher than 125 μg/m3 (this value is the outdoor air quality standard according to Taiwan Environmental Protection Administration (EPA)). In coarse particulates (PM2.5–10), the mean metallic elements concentrations are in the order of Ca>Mg>Zn>Fe>Mn>Cr>Cu>Pb during weekend and weekday sampling. In addition, the fine particulates (PM2.5) mean metallic elements concentrations are in the order of Ca>Mg>Fe>Zn>Cr>Mn>Pb>Cu during weekend sampling and Ca>Fe>Mg>Zn>Cr>Mn>Pb>Cu during weekday sampling.
Sexually Harassing Behavior Against Adolescent Girls in Rural Bangladesh
Authors: Alam Nurul , Roy Swapan K. , Ahmed Tahmeed
Published: May 2009

This study examines the extent and type of sexually harassing behavior or intimidations unmarried adolescent girls experienced on their way to school, college or social visits and type of perpetrators in victims’ view in rural Bangladesh using data of the 2004 National Nutrition Programme baseline survey. The survey collected self-reported data on sexual harassments of 5,106 girls aged 13-19 years selected randomly. Results reveal that gendered harassments were experienced by 35% of the girls, unwanted sexual attentions by 34%, and sexual intimidations by 14%, yielding prevalence of sexual harassments of any type 43%. Higher girls’ education and household economic status heightened their risks of being harassed. Perpetrators were male young spoilt bullies (64%), neighborhood youths (30%), students (22%) and hoodlums (6%). High prevalence of sexual harassments mirrors vulnerability of adolescent girls in the community and deserves to be tackled to achieve millennium development goals (MDGs) in gender equality in health and social development.
Injuries and the Cost of Falls Among Older Adults—How Pharmacists Can Help
Authors: Limona Donald
Published: May 2009

Fall-related injuries are a serious public health issue among older adults. In addition to having a significant impact on our economy, these injuries are associated with considerable morbidity. Each year, 1 out of every 3 adults aged 65 and older fall; of these adults, 10% to 20% sustain serious injuries such as fractures or head traumas. Such injuries account for about 6% of medical expenditures for adults 65 years and older. Pharmacist interventions can prevent falls, thereby improving the quality of life of these older adults, preserving their independence, and significantly reducing health care costs.
The abolition of capital punishment: contributions from two nineteenth-century Italian psychiatrists
Authors: Peloso Paolo Francesco , Dening Tom
Published: May 2009

Capital punishment was the source of lively debate in Italy, from unification in 1861 until 1888. The precedent for abolishing the death penalty had been set in Tuscany in 1786. This paper presents the arguments put forward by two eminent psychiatrists who opposed the death penalty, Carlo Livi and Andrea Verga. Livi set out his scientific case for abolition in two addresses given to the Accademia dei Fisiocritici in Siena in 1862. In 1889 Verga wrote a commentary on the Senate sitting and argued in favour of approving the Italian Penal Code. Verga agreed with Livi's arguments and disagreed with the School of Criminal Anthropology, led by Cesare Lombroso and Raffaele Garofalo, who were both in favour of capital punishment.
Emergency compulsory admissions in the Netherlands: fluctuating patterns in Rotterdam, 1929—2005
Authors: Wierdsma André I.
Published: May 2009

This paper identifies the social changes and developments in public mental health that have contributed to fluctuations in the use of emergency compulsory admissions in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Annual reports and administrative data over the years 1929—2005 indicate the impact of general and local factors. Demographic changes and statutory regulations were important general factors, but do not explain particular swings in the number of compulsory admissions. Key local factors were: the availability of alternative arrangements such as emergency centres and sheltered homes; an interpretation of the criteria for compulsory admissions shared by all disciplines involved; and better collaboration between services. These factors suggest that if the increasing use of compulsory admissions is to be reversed, a coordinated effort is needed.
Creating order. A quantitative analysis of psychiatric practice at the Swiss mental institutions of Burghölzli and Rheinau between 1870 and 1970
Authors: Meier Marietta
Published: May 2009

This paper analyses the concepts of order and normality underlying the daily psychiatric practice of two Swiss mental health institutions between 1870 and 1970, based on a representative random sample of 1330 patient records from the two state institutions in the Canton of Zurich. The quantitative analysis covers the types of psychiatric measure taken in these cases, as well as the rationales behind them. It is concluded that the order of the institution, of society and, above all, the order of gender played an important role in the choice and implementation of various measures.
Reforming the Anglo-Saxon Model of Labour Inspection: The Case of the Republic of Ireland
Authors: Teague Paul
Published: May 2009

Labour inspection is an increasingly important part of employment standard-setting, as trade union membership and collective bargaining decline. Research identifies two broad approaches to labour inspection. A defining characteristic of the Latin model is that flexibility and enforcement are successfully combined in the one regulatory regime. In contrast, the Anglo-Saxon model involves institutional fragmentation and a lack of symmetry between `hard' and `soft' regulatory interventions. The case of the Republic of Ireland highlights the weaknesses of the Anglo-Saxon model of labour inspection: both the `hard' and `soft' dimensions to this labour standard-setting regime need reforming and strengthening.
International Cooperation, Transnational Restructuring and Virtual Networking in Europe
Authors: Pulignano Valeria
Published: May 2009

Social networks represent one possible trade union response to cross-border industrial restructuring. The aim is to bring together independent actors so as to generate interaction, cooperation and coordination of cross-national practices and integration of policies. This article draws on empirical evidence from four sectors. It first examines whether unions make effective use of the Internet when developing networking and coordination activities to respond to transnational change in Europe. Second, it discusses the reasons for cross-sectoral variation in the use of virtual networking. It is argued that the use of the Internet by European unions becomes a matter of strategic choices and politics, and reflects sector-based differences in the way that transparency, coordination, social cohesion and democracy are secured for representation and bargaining purposes among employees and unions across borders.
Multiproxy evidence of `Little Ice Age' palaeoenvironmental changes in a peat bog from northern Poland
Authors: De Vleeschouwer François , Piotrowska Natalia , Sikorski Jarosław , Pawlyta Jacek , Cheburkin Andriy , Le Roux Gaël , Lamentowicz Mariusz , Fagel Nathalie , Mauquoy Dmitri
Published: May 2009

`Little Ice Age' (LIA) climatic deteriorations have been abundantly documented in various archives such as ice, lake sediments and peat bog deposits. Palaeoecological analyses of peat samples have identified these climatic deteriorations using a range of techniques, for example palynology, plant macrofossils, testate amoebae or carbon isotopic analyses. The use of inorganic geochemistry and the reconstruction of dust fluxes has remained a challenge in tracing the nature of LIA climatic changes. Although the idea of enhanced erosion conditions and storminess is commonly discussed, the conditions for dust deposition in peatlands over Europe during the LIA are rarely favourable, because the natural forest cover over Europe was much more important than nowadays, preventing dust deposition. This intense forest canopy masks the deposition of dust in peatlands. In northern Poland, near the Baltic shore, the Słowińskie Błota area was deforested around AD 1100, ie, just before the LIA, and therefore constitutes a key area for the reconstruction of LIA climatic change. With the support of a well-constrained chronology, climatic fluctuations are recorded in an ombrotrophic bog using inorganic geochemistry, plant macrofossils and carbon isotopic analyses. The reconstruction of LIA climatic changes is in good agreement with other records from Poland and NE Europe. However, a c. 50-year discrepancy can be observed between various records. This discrepancy is possibly due to progressive time-dependent cooling gradient from north to south Europe.
Controls on δ18O and δ13C profiles within the aragonite bivalve Arctica islandica
Authors: Foster L.C. , Allison N. , Finch A.A. , Andersson C. , Ninnemann U.S.
Published: May 2009

The geochemistry of Arctica islandica shells provides an opportunity to reconstruct intra-annual resolution climate records in temperate latitudes, and the annual banding allows close temporal constraint. Stable isotope analyses of carbon and oxygen from an Arctica islandica live-collected at 6 m depth from Irvine Bay, UK are presented. Seawater temperature ranges reconstructed from shell δ18O agree, within error, with instrumental sea surface temperature measurements. The saw-tooth profile of the seasonal δ 18O signal (compared with the sinusoidal seawater temperature) indicates that shell accretion rate is not constant throughout the year. Modelling the expected δ18O profile from water temperature, salinity and shell growth rate suggest that A. islandica at this site has significant variation in the shell extension rate during the year. Material deposited during shell damage shows a positive shift in δ18O. A strong ontogenetic effect is seen in δ13C and damage to the shell is associated with a significant (>0.5‰) and sustained shift of δ 13C.
Holocene fire-related alluvial-fan deposition and climate in ponderosa pine and mixed-conifer forests, Sacramento Mountains, New Mexico, USA
Authors: Frechette Jedediah D. , Meyer Grant A.
Published: May 2009

We employed 14C dating of alluvial-fan deposits in ponderosa pine and mixed-conifer forests of the Sacramento Mountains, New Mexico to document Holocene fires and related geomorphic impacts. Rapid aggradation by charcoal-rich debris flows occurred in the middle Holocene (5800—4200 cal. yr BP), indicating episodic sedimentation following severe fires. Fire-related deposition virtually ceased ~4200 cal. yr BP, with most fan deposits indicating slower aggradation with cumulic soil development until 1800 cal. yr BP. From 1800 to 500 cal. yr BP, fire-related sedimentation increased again, although not to middle Holocene levels. A peak in fire-related sedimentation c . 650 cal. yr BP corresponds to widespread severe drought in the southwestern USA. Limited fire-related sedimentation is evident from 500 to 100 cal. yr BP, consistent with `Little Ice Age' climate and tree-ring records indicating frequent low-severity fires, although at least one severe fire burned in this interval. Increased fire-related sedimentation corresponds to generally warmer conditions. We infer that higher climate variability was also involved, including multidecadal wet periods that limited surface fires and allowed stand densities to increase, promoting severe fires in subsequent severe droughts. Fire has contributed significantly to Holocene valley aggradation. Local fan channel incision followed recent fires, but major nineteenth—twentieth century arroyo cutting appears unprecedented during the Holocene.
Late-Holocene climatic variability south of the Alps as recorded by lake-level fluctuations at Lake Ledro, Trentino, Italy
Authors: Magny Michel , Galop Didier , Bellintani Paolo , Desmet Marc , Didier Julien , Haas Jean Nicolas , Martinelli Nicoletta , Pedrotti Annaluisa , Scandolari Romana , Stock Agnès , Vannière Boris
Published: May 2009

A lake-level record for the late Holocene at Lake Ledro (Trentino, northeastern Italy) is presented. It is based on the sediment and pollen analysis of a 1.75 m high stratigraphic section observed on the southern shore (site Ledro I) and a 3.2 m long sediment core taken from a littoral mire on the southeastern shore (site Ledro II). The chronology is derived from 15 radiocarbon dates and pollen stratigraphy. The late-Holocene composite record established from these two sediment sequences gives evidence of centennial-scale fluctuations with highstands at c. 3400, 2600, 1700, 1200 and 400 cal. BP, in agreement with various palaeohydrological records established in central and northern Italy, as well as north of theAlps. In addition, high lake-level conditions at c. 2000 cal. BP may be the equivalent of stronger river discharge observed at the same time in Central Italy’s rivers. In agreement with the lake-level record of Accesa (Tuscany), the Ledro record also suggests a relatively complex palaeohydrological pattern for the period around 4000 cal. BP. On a millennial scale, sediment hiatuses observed in the lower part of the Ledro I sediment sequence indicate that, except for a highstand occurring just after 7500 cal. BP, lower lake levels generally prevailed rather before c. 4000 cal. BP than afterwards. Finally, the lake-level data obtained at Lake Ledro indicate that the relative continuity of settlements in humid areas of northern Italy during the Bronze Age (in contrast to their general abandonment north of the Alps between c. 3450 and 3150 cal. BP), does not reflect different regional patterns of climatic and palaeohydrological conditions. In contrast, the rise in lake level dated to c. 3400 cal. BP at Ledro appears to coincide with a worldwide climate reversal, observed in both the hemispheres, while palaeoenvironmental and archaeological data collected at Lake Ledro may suggest, as a working hypothesis, a relative emancipation of protohistoric societies from climatic conditions.
Sand mass accumulation rate as a proxy for wind regimes in the SW Barents Sea during the past 3 ka
Authors: Sjögren Per
Published: May 2009

Aeolian sand mass accumulation rates were determined in a coastal mire complex on the north Norwegian island Sørøya. This measure of aeolian activity is used as a proxy for past storm intensity in the SW Barents Sea region, at least until the seventeenth century when human activities began to obscure the natural signal. Aeolian erosion started to increase in the sixth century and consistently high values are recorded from the eleventh century onwards. Periods of relatively increased aeolian activity can be seen >1200—800 BC, 550—150 BC, AD 500—850, AD 1000—1400 and AD 1700—2000. Increased aeolian activity here indicates a higher frequency of east-tracking storm systems at 70°N. Potential causes for such conditions are increased advection of Atlantic water and intensification and/or northward displacement of the main winter storm tracks, normally associated with moist westerlies and positive NAO conditions. Other noteworthy climatic events are: (1) a short but severe wet spell is recorded in the late tenth century, marking the onset of a more oceanic climatic period; (2) what seems to be an exceptionally dry, cold and calm period in the centuries around AD 0, a climatic amelioration discernible from the Alps to the Arctic and America; and (3) for the last 1500 years a cyclicity of 150—200 years can be seen. Comparison with several European marine and terrestrial proxy records suggested that the main shifts in aeolian activity are part of a continental-scale climatic system, and highlights the causal link(s) between oceanic circulation, coastal wind pattern, and continental atmospheric conditions.
Repeated short-term bioproductivity changes in a coastal lake on Store Koldewey, northeast Greenland: an indicator of varying sea-ice coverage?
Authors: Klug Martin , Bennike Ole , Wagner Bernd
Published: May 2009

A lacustrine sediment core from Store Koldewey, northeast Greenland, was biogeochemically, biologically and sedimentologically investigated in order to reconstruct long- and short-term climatic and environmental variability. The chronology of the uppermost 189 cm of the record is based on ten 14C AMS age determinations of aquatic mosses. The record covers almost the entire Holocene and revealed changes on multidecadal to centennial scales. Dating of the oldest mosses shows that lacustrine biogenic productivity already began at around 11 cal. kyr BP. This age pre-dates the onset of biogenic productivity in other lakes on Store Koldewey by about 2 kyr. In spite of the early onset of biogenic production organic matter accumulation remained low and minerogenic sedimentation dominated. At about 9.5 cal. kyr BP moss, sulphur, organic carbon and biogenic silica content started to increase, indicating that the environment stabilized and the biogenic production in the lake adjusted to more preferable conditions. Subsequently, the biogenic productivity experienced repeated changes and varied both on long- and short-term scales. The long-term trend shows a maximum during the early Holocene thus responding to increased temperatures during the Holocene Thermal Maximum. Superimposed on the long-term trend, biogenic productivity also experienced repeated short-term fluctuations that match partly the NGRIP temperatures. The most pronounced decrease of biogenic productivity occurred at around 8.2 cal. kyr BP. Perennial lake ice coverage resulting from low temperatures is supposed to have caused decreased lacustrine biogenic productivity. From the middle Holocene to the present repeated decreases of productivity occurred that could be related to periods with severe sea-ice conditions of the East Greenland Current. Besides the dependence on air temperature it therefore demonstrates the sensitivity of lacustrine biogenic productivity in coastal high arctic areas to short-term cold spells that are mediated by the currents emanating from the Arctic Ocean. However, the data also emphasize the difficulties associated with the interpretation of lacustrine records.
The nature and role of empathy in public librarianship
Authors: Birdi Briony , Wilson Kerry , Hin Man Tso
Published: May 2009

This article presents two recent studies, an AHRC-funded exploration of the role of empathy in community librarianship (Study 1) and an investigation of the role of empathy in service to minority ethnic users (Study 2). Qualitative elements of each methodology are presented, namely a series of focus groups with frontline staff, interviews with senior managers and a research workshop (Study 1), and a case study investigation of a public library in the heart of a Chinese community (Study 2). Synthesizing the data of both studies, an analysis is conducted of the relationship between the cultural identities of library staff and their ability to empathize with the public. It is concluded that empathy plays a role in facilitating effective communication between staff and users, but that a distinction should be made between intuitive and cognitive empathy, in considering the potential of staff training to develop appropriate levels of emotional response to members of all communities.
Role and justification of web archiving by national libraries
Authors: Shiozaki Ryo , Eisenschitz Tamara
Published: May 2009

This paper reports on a questionnaire survey of 16 national libraries designed to clarify how national libraries attempt to justify their web archiving activities. Results indicate they envisage that a) the benefits brought about by their initiatives are greater than the overall costs, b) the costs imposed on libraries are greater than the costs imposed on stakeholders, and c) all of them are making efforts to respond to legal risks in various ways (e.g. legislation, contracting and opt-out policies) although there are trade-off relations in terms of costs for negotiation, scope of access and size and scope of the web archive. The paper discusses whether a basic logic for justification of their web archiving is valid from the perspective of balancing cost—benefit. Further, it highlights the potential, underlying premises of the logic that motivates the intervention of national libraries as public sector organizations.
Evaluating the impact of a Special Library and Information Service
Authors: Botha Erika , Erasmus René , Van Deventer Martie
Published: May 2009

The mere fact that a library service is being used does not mean that the service makes a difference or has a positive impact on the user. This has significant implications for Special Library and Information Services (SL&IS) that have to constantly prove that they add value. Because of the difficulty of measuring impact effectively, the majority of libraries still appear to measure performance quantitatively (how many books do we have, how many are used etc.) instead of looking at the difference the service actually makes. This paper discusses specifically the impact an information service has on the ability of natural science researchers to perform their research effectively and efficiently. A focus group, short survey and 15 interviews were conducted with researchers that use SL&IS in their research at the South African Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) — the largest research Council in Africa. The results showed that researchers felt that Library and Information Services have a positive impact on the research process. The two most important indicators of impact chosen by the researchers were firstly, time saved in information retrieval and delivery and secondly, higher success rate in research. In contrast with Poll's (2005) view, researchers felt that Library and Information Services do not necessarily impact on growing their skills and competencies or their attitude and behaviour as researchers. The relationship between the librarian and the researcher also came to light as very important in the research process. The study also identified further important indicators of impact which will serve as the foundation for a more in-depth research study.
In the public interest: assessing expert and stakeholder influence in public deliberation about biobanks
Authors: MacLean Samantha , Burgess Michael M.
Published: May 2009

Providing technical and experiential information without overwhelming participants’ perspectives presents a major challenge to public involvement in policy decisions. This article reports the design and analysis of a case study on incorporating expert and stakeholder knowledge without including them as deliberators, while supporting deliberative participants’ ability to introduce and critically assess different perspectives. Analysis of audio-recorded deliberations illustrates how expert and stakeholder knowledge was cited, criticized and incorporated into deliberations. In conclusion, separating experts and stakeholders from deliberations may be an important prima facie principle when the goal is to enhance citizen representation on technical issues and related policy.
Underage Sex and Romance in Japanese Homoerotic Manga and Anime
Authors: Zanghellini Aleardo
Published: May 2009

This article discusses a genre of Japanese cartoons and comics known as yaoi or BL (`Boys Love') and produced by female artists for essentially female audiences. The subject matter of yaoi/BL works is romantic and sexual relationships between males. Often these works depict homoerotic relationships involving underage people, and as such they are liable to being censored on the basis of legal provisions restricting the circulation and consumption of `child pornography' as defined in some western countries. After identifying the reasons for the social and legal acceptability of yaoi/BL in Japan, the article discusses its vulnerability to censorship in Australia and Canada. It then goes on to examine the distinctive features of the yaoi/BL genre and its value as a form of speech, particularly in light of the fundamental questions it raises in relation to our self-conception as sexual beings. Lastly, after arguing that the harm-fulness of yaoi/BL is very much open to debate, the article concludes by casting doubt on the desirability of restricting the circulation of yaoi/BL material.
Accommodating Power: the `Common Sense' of Regulators
Authors: Snider Laureen
Published: May 2009

This article examines the perspectives, strategies and practical `common sense' of those charged with regulating and enforcing securities laws in the post-Enron era. It argues that crackdown periods following stock market disasters disrupt dominant patterns of governance and empower regulators to proactively enforce laws against powerful financial actors. The article shows how officials negotiate their regulatory terrain and accommodate the economic and social capital of the `stakeholders' they are charged with regulating outside crisis periods and how they re-interpret and redefine their mission in response to political, economic and ideological change. Empirically the article is based on 21 interviews with regulators and enforcement staff in securities commissions and law enforcement, and on the discourses and directives found in key regulatory documents.
Lawless Sovereignty: Challenging the State of Exception
Authors: Brophy Susan Dianne
Published: May 2009

Giorgio Agamben describes the origins of sovereign power, that power which constitutes the state of exception, as a force that gains its strength in the `unlocalizable' space between fact and law. Terming this space the `zone of indistinction', Agamben illustrates the particular manner in which the state employs law through exception, helping to reveal the paradoxical and omnipotent qualities of sovereign power. While the implications of his analysis hold that this form of power should be confronted and challenged, Agamben does not arrive at how this may be pursued. By reading Agamben's writings alongside selected anti-colonialist texts by Frantz Fanon and Aimé Césaire, it is possible to gain insights regarding both the dangers inherent to this type of sovereign power, and how it can be challenged. It is argued that the type of state that governs by means of exception creates the conditions that lead to its own undoing. Groups whose consent to the state's juridical order was historically tenuous, if not altogether absent, lay claim to a distinct position that is always already external to state sovereignty and law. Challenges from this position gain force by appealing to an extra-state sovereignty that represents universalized justice rooted in lawlessness.
What's in a Handshake? Legal Equality and Legal Consciousness in the Netherlands
Authors: Hertogh Marc
Published: May 2009

In this article, I examine how ordinary citizens and legal professionals in The Netherlands understand non-discrimination law, using the theoretical framework of legal consciousness. In 2006, the Dutch Equal Treatment Commission ruled that a school was wrong to suspend a female Muslim teacher who, for religious reasons, refused to shake hands with men. This ruling provoked a wave of controversy. This article examines to what extent these critical reactions were indicative of the overall level of public support for the Dutch Equal Treatment Act. I first provide a brief summary of Dutch non-discrimination law. Next, following recent critiques in the literature, I introduce three modifications to the original legal consciousness framework. People's understandings of legal equality are then examined using data from a large-scale multi-method study, which included an online survey, case-studies and in-depth interviews. Moreover, I provide a brief reconstruction of the handshake case. I argue that the controversy in this case was not an isolated incident, but an important illustration of how non-discrimination law matters — or fails to matter — in The Netherlands.
An Information Support Approach for Machine Design & Building Companies
Authors: Ding L. , Matthews J. , McMahon C.A. , Mullineux G.
Published: May 2009

The recording of information regarding machine function, performance, and failure, which is generated during the machine development, commissioning, and service is vital to an organization. Previous research has shown this information is often poorly recorded or even missed during these critical stages. The work presented in this article offers a solution based on the core product model, offering the potential to be revisit and retrieved the information throughout the product life cycle and into any next iteration of the design. An industrial case study presenting the operation of the approach is presented.
An Uncertainty Analysis Approach to Multidisciplinary Design Optimization
Authors: Chu X.Z. , Gao L. , Li W.D. , Qiu H.B. , Shao X.Y.
Published: May 2009

Uncertainty management is an important research issue in multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO), especially at the conceptual design stage. The good uncertainty management can significantly improve the quality of product design. In this research, three types of uncertainties of MDO in conceptual design are analyzed, and a novel systematic approach is proposed to reduce these uncertainties. Uncertain variables are represented by probabilistic forms to reduce the variable uncertainties. A rough sets theory-based method is utilized to deduce the knowledge that can assist designers making configuration decisions. Furthermore, a re-sampled method is developed according to mean square error for reducing the uncertainties of the advanced kriging model. Finally, the validity and necessity of the proposed approach are demonstrated through the conceptual design of a bulk carrier.
Aircraft Tooling Collaborative Design Based on Multi-agent and PDM
Authors: Yingguang Li  , Jianbang Jian  , Ruijie Yan  , Wenhe Liao
Published: May 2009

In airplane research and development, tooling design is desired to be undertaken with airplane product design concurrently together with the considerations of downstream processes such as manufacturing and assembling. However, so far, collaborative design for aircraft tooling, especially in large-sized one, is difficult. To solve this, a self-adaptive collaborative design method of aircraft tooling based on a natural neuron-endocrine-immunity system, multi-agent and product data management (PDM) technologies has been developed and is presented in this article. Firstly, with the similar working principle of the neuron-endocrine-immunity system model that is able to manage cells and tissues of a human body in a self-adaptive means, a tooling collaborative design model has been developed to enhance the responsiveness and adaptability for changes during aircraft design. Secondly, a collaborative design framework has been proposed by applying the multi-agent and PDM technologies to implement this model. The multi-agent technology focuses on managing the frequent changes, and the PDM has been used to manage the mass aircraft product design and tooling. This framework incorporates the PDM Client/Server architecture and adopts a federated structure for effective collaboration in terms of unified data sharing, convenient tool wrapping, decentralized control, coordination, etc. Finally, a multi-agent-based prototype system, developed, and testified in an aircraft manufacturing enterprise, is demonstrated for aircraft tooling collaborative design. Case studies show that optimized and re-configurable aircraft tooling design can be achieved with the help of the developed collaboration framework.
OMBMDID: A Preliminary Attempt at Automatic Utilization of Knowledge Contained in Mechanical Design Documents
Authors: Jiang Liang  , Sun Tiebing  , Qu Fuzheng
Published: May 2009

Studies show that, in engineering design, above 70% of designer's working time is spent on the searching of design documents and the execution of simple but repeating design tasks like looking up table, calculation, simple reasoning, etc. Can we develop a kind of intelligent design document to make these simple tasks done by computers instead of designers? For this purpose, by borrowing idea from the Semantic Web vision and employing ontology and multi-agent system (MAS) technologies, an architecture of Ontology- and MAS-Based Mechanical Design Intelligent Documents (OMBMDID), which can enable intelligent agents to locate needed document segments oriented by their content, grasp the knowledge contained in documents and put it into use automatically, is proposed. First, similar works are reviewed. Then, aiming at knowledge contained in mechanical design documents, semantic annotation granularity and semantic annotation categories are analyzed. On the basis of above works, the architecture of OMBMDID is proposed. In the end, by studying a case about a piece of shaft design document, the feasibility of this architecture is proved.
Heterotopic Gastric Mucosa in the Cystic Duct
Authors: Orizio Paolo , Villanacci Vincenzo , Bassotti Gabrio , Falchetti Diego , Torri Fabio , Ekema George
Published: May 2009

Heterotopic gastric mucosa in the gallbladder is rare (with about 100 reported cases), and its occurrence is even rarer in the biliary ductal system.The authors report a pediatric case of heterotopic gastric mucosa in the cystic duct associated with cholelitiasis.
Being Driven to Work Excessively Hard
Authors: Schaufeli Wilmar B. , Shimazu Akihito , Taris Toon W.
Published: May 2009

Based on a conceptual analysis, a two-dimensional self-report questionnaire for assessing workaholism (work addiction) is proposed, including (1) working excessively hard and (2) working compulsively. Using independent explorative and confirmative samples that include employees from The Netherlands ( N = 7,594) and Japan ( N = 3,311), a questionnaire is developed and psychometrically evaluated. Results show that both scales (five items each) are internally consistent and that the hypothesized two-factor structure fits to the data of both countries. Furthermore, convergent validity was shown with measures of excess working time and discriminant validity was shown with measures of burnout and work engagement. Workaholics who work excessively hard and compulsively have a high relative risk on burnout and a low relative risk on work engagement. It is concluded that the two-dimensional measure—dubbed the Dutch Workaholism Scale (DUWAS)—is useful tool in future (cross-cultural) research on workaholism.
Influence of NCI Cancer Center Attendance on Mortality in Lung, Breast, Colorectal, and Prostate Cancer Patients
Authors: Onega Tracy , Duell Eric J. , Shi Xun , Demidenko Eugene , Gottlieb Daniel , Goodman David C.
Published: May 2009

Some evidence links cancer outcomes to place of service, but the influence of NCI (National Cancer Institute) cancer centers on outcomes has not been established. We compared mortality for NCI cancer center attendees versus nonattendees. This retrospective cohort study included individuals with incident cancers of the lung, breast, colon/rectum, or prostate from 1998 to 2002 ( N = 211,084) from SEER (Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results)—Medicare linked data, with claims through 2003. We examined the relation of NCI cancer center attendance with 1- and 3-year all-cause and cancer-specific mortality using multilevel logistic regression models. NCI cancer center attendance was associated with a significant reduction in the odds of 1- and 3-year all-cause and cancer-specific mortality. The mortality risk reduction associated with NCI cancer center attendance was most apparent in late-stage cancers and was evident across all levels of comorbidities. Attendance at NCI cancer centers is associated with a significant survival benefit for the four major cancers among Medicare beneficiaries.
Accurate and Efficient Estimation of Parameters of Heterogeneous Communication Performance Models
Authors: Lastovetsky Alexey , Rychkov Vladimir
Published: May 2009

Analytical predictive communication models play an important role in the optimization of communication operations in scientific applications running on computational clusters. The effectiveness of this model-based optimization strongly depends on the accuracy of the estimation of the parameters of these models. The task of accurate estimation of the model is particularly challenging for heterogeneous communication models that use a much larger number of point-to-point parameters than their homogeneous counterparts. One particular challenge occurs when the number of point-to-point parameters describing communication between a pair of processors becomes larger than the number of independent point-to-point communication experiments traditionally used for estimation of the parameters. In this paper, we address this and other related issues and propose an approach that allows us to design a set of communication experiments sufficient for the accurate and efficient estimation of the parameters of a heterogeneous communication performance model. The experiments on heterogeneous clusters demonstrate the accuracy and efficiency of the proposed solution.
Parallel Algorithms for the Execution of Relational Database Operations Revisited On Grids
Authors: Mach Werner , Schikuta Erich
Published: May 2009

This paper presents an analytical discussion of algorithms for relational database operations in a grid environment, compares the findings with the classical generalized multiprocessor framework, and describes an optimization algorithm to maximize performance for a heterogeneous environment.

We develop a concise but comprehensive analytical model of parallel algorithms for sorting, joining, and aggregation. In our approach we focus on a limited number of characteristic parameters to keep the analytical model clear. It is shown that an expressive model can be built upon just three characteristic parameter sets, namely the node processing performance and the network and the disk bandwidths. These parameters are the input for the optimization process for the orchestration of the execution workflow on the grid. Based on these results the paper proves that using smart enhancement to exploit the heterogeneity of the grid, the performance of the algorithms for database operations can be increased remarkably.
Multi-Criteria Scheduling of Pipeline Workflows (and Application To the JPEG Encoder)
Authors: Benoit Anne , Kosch Harald , Rehn-Sonigo Veronika , Robert Yves
Published: May 2009

Mapping workflow applications onto parallel platforms is a challenging problem, even for simple application patterns such as pipeline graphs. Several antagonist criteria should be optimized, such as throughput and latency (or a combination). A typical application class is digital image coding, where images are processed in steady-state mode. In this paper, we study the general bi-criteria mapping problem (minimizing period and latency) for pipeline graphs on communication homogeneous platforms. We present an integer linear programming formulation for this NP-hard problem. Furthermore, we provide several efficient polynomial bi-criteria heuristics, whose relative performance is evaluated through extensive simulations. As a case study, we provide simulations and MPI experimental results for the JPEG encoder application pipeline on a cluster of workstations.
Sowing the Seeds of Solidarity in Public Space: Case Study of the Poznan March of Equality
Authors: Gruszczynska Anna
Published: May 2009

Drawing upon qualitative research in gay and lesbian public activism, this article explores the links between mobilization and repression on the basis of a case study of the Poznan March of Equality. In the context of the repressive right-wing political climate following the 2005 governmental and presidential elections in Poland, organizers of the Poznan march drew on the legacy of the Polish Solidarity movement in order to gain legitimacy for introducing issues of sexuality in public space. This article contributes to existing literature on new social movements in Poland and critiques the thesis that collective mobilization in present-day Poland is extremely rare and not centred on the affirmation of subjectivity.
Influences on nurses' scoring of children's post-operative pain
Authors: Simons Joan , Moseley Laurence
Published: May 2009

There is a lack of clarity as to why some nurses are not delivering optimal pain management to children post-operatively. This retrospective chart review study examined nurses' pain scoring on 175 children during the first 24 hours post-operatively. Data were analysed on the amount of assessments made, assessment scores recorded, as well as the age, gender and type of surgery performed. One-quarter of children had no assessment record of their pain in the first 24 hours post-operatively. When the pain tool was part of an observation chart, nurses recorded more pain scores. Nurses' scoring of children's pain is influenced positively by children under five years of age and those who undergo abdominal surgery. Nurses who had access to one document for recording vital signs as well as pain scores were more likely to assess and record a child's pain score than nurses who had to use a separate chart.
Psychological outcomes in children following pediatric intensive care unit hospitalization: a systematic review of the research
Authors: Rennick Janet E. , Rashotte Judy
Published: May 2009

A systematic review of published research on children's psychological outcomes following Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) hospitalization was conducted. Of the 275 papers published between 1970 and April 2008 which were identified using keywords, reference lists and one author's collections, a total of 28 papers met the inclusion criteria for this review. The papers fell into four categories based on the focus of the research: (1) children's PICU perceptions and recall; (2) children's psychological outcomes, broadly defined; (3) post-traumatic stress responses; and (4) general health status and quality of life. The findings suggest that PICU hospitalization can result in negative psychological sequelae in children, which can manifest themselves up to one year post-discharge. While a small number of studies have attempted to identify predictors of psychological outcome, this work remains in its infancy. The importance of the child's interpretation of the illness experience in influencing subsequent behavioral and emotional responses is highlighted.
Analysing the politics of self-help books on depression
Authors: Philip Brigid
Published: May 2009

This article provides a Foucauldian analysis of the politics of self-help books on depression, via a case study of David Burns's top-selling and clinically recommended book Feeling Good — The New Mood Therapy. The article draws on the governmentality literature inspired by Foucault's work, particularly Nikolas Rose's analysis of psychological expertise as a technology of liberal government. The aim is to understand how and to what effects self-help texts construct truths about depression. The central argument is that psychological expertise is arranged in Feeling Good to confer truthfulness, technical authority and ethical legitimacy upon the self-help advice, and to encourage readers to regulate their conduct according to liberal virtues. This has the effect of stifling debate about depression, disavowing the socio-political context in which individuals become depressed, and promoting a model of `active citizenship' that limits how individuality can be expressed.
Conceptualizing otherness
Authors: Calcutt Lyn , Woodward Ian , Skrbis Zlatko
Published: May 2009

The Australian cosmopolitan is an important symbolic figure in popular discourse and the political landscape. Regardless of the actual scope and scale of `cosmopolitanness' in Australia, the spectre of cosmopolitanism, and its close relatives such as tolerance of diversity or openness to difference, is a powerful figure in contemporary culture. The cosmopolitan willingness to accommodate otherness is perceived as a betrayal of Australian culture, yet continuing high levels of immigration from diverse sources demand cosmopolitan tolerance. Sociologists know that cosmopolitan people can accommodate diversity, but how this is achieved is the subject of much theoretical debate. It is reasonable to assume that cosmopolitans conceptualize otherness in ways that reduce or eliminate a sense of threat, but how can we reliably access individual conceptualizations? Informed by a cultural sociology approach, this project utilized the concept of cognitive schemas from psychology, and formal semantics from linguistics, to access cosmopolitan conceptualizations. Analysis of focus group data concluded that cosmopolitan schemas are constructed using a repertoire of strategies which compartmentalize categories of otherness into manageable portions. It is argued that, from the cosmopolitan perspective, Australian cultural integrity remains the intact and dominant host of smaller, harmless or manageable cultural fragments.