bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Do social allowance transfers crowd out private transfers? An analysis of responses among elderly households in Taiwan
Authors: Chuang Jason Cheng‐Chung
Published: March 2011

Chuang JCC. Do social allowance transfers crowd out private transfers? An analysis of responses among elderly households in Taiwan

This article examines whether public transfers ‘crowd out’ private inter‐household transfers in Taiwan, focusing on two old age social allowance schemes (old age allowance and old age farmer allowance) during the 2002–2008 period. This study used a data set from the Survey of Family Income and Expenditure in Taiwan. Empirical evidence suggests that Taiwanese donors are strongly motivated by altruism, and that the increase of public transfers will crowd out private transfers, and vice versa. Besides, altruism is more likely to dominate among poorer elderly recipients, whereas the exchange motive would dominate among richer recipients. Thus, the response of Taiwanese donors is likely to neutralise the distributional impact of public transfers. Finally, the elderly are not a homogenous group, and the effect of public transfers on private transfers varies significantly by household characteristics, in particular depending on age, marital status and living arrangements.
Therapeutic agents and herbs in topical application for acne treatment
Authors: Kanlayavattanakul M. , Lourith N.
Published: March 2011

Synopsis

Acne vulgaris suppresses an individual’s self‐confidence by causing distress with regard to physical appearance, which affects a significant number of individuals during puberty and is delineated by adolescence. Several treatments have been introduced to decrease the aesthetic and psychological problems caused by acne. The topical application of therapeutic agents has been found to be more feasible than hormonal treatment and laser therapy. The ingredients in topical acne treatments, particularly herbs and naturally derived compounds, have received considerable interest as they have fewer adverse effects than synthetic agents.
Advantages of preoperative ultrasound in conjunction with lymphoscintigraphy in detecting malignant melanoma metastases in sentinel lymph nodes: a retrospective analysis in 221 patients with malignant melanoma AJCC Stages I and II
Authors: Stoffels I. , Dissemond J. , Poeppel T. , Klötgen K. , Hillen U. , Körber A. , Schadendorf D. , Klode J.
Published: March 2011

Background  Sentinel lymph node excision (SLNE) for the detection of regional nodal metastases and staging of malignant melanoma has resulted in some controversies in international discussions as it is a surgical intervention with potential morbidity.

Objective  The present retrospective study seeks to clarify the reliability of preoperative ultrasonography (US) in direct comparison to the result of SLNE and seeks to identify potential advantages of preoperative ultrasound if performed in conjunction with lymphoscintigraphy in detecting malignant melanoma metastases in sentinel lymph node (SLN).

Patients  We retrospectively analysed data from 221 patients with primary malignant melanoma with a Breslow index of ≥1.0 mm.

Results  Of the 221 patients, 77.4% (n = 171) had a negative SLN. In 50 patients (22.6%), the histopathological investigation of 71 excised lymph nodes resulted in a positive SLN. The US examination demonstrated a sensitivity of 13.6%, a specificity of 96.9%, a positive predictive value of 97.2% and a negative predictive value of 12.6%. SLNE alone shows a sensitivity of 94%, a specificity of 98.6%, a positive predictive value of 100% and a negative predictive value of 98.3%. Preoperative US in conjunction with dynamic lymphoscintigraphy, followed by SLNE, demonstrated a detecting ratio of 100% (n = 28) for micrometastases and 98.6% (n = 42/43) for macrometastases.

Conclusion  In conclusion, this study confirms that preoperative US alone cannot replace the vital information obtained during dynamic lymphoscintigraphy. But preoperative US is an important component of the staging procedure in melanoma patients and has clear advantages when performed in conjunction with dynamic lymphoscintigraphy. Therefore, we recommend preoperative US before every SLNE.
Development and preliminary validation of the PC‐SAD5, a screener‐derived short depression severity measure
Authors: Picardi A. , Adler D.A. , Chang H. , Lega I. , Gigantesco A. , Pasquini P. , Matteucci G. , Zerella M.P. , Caredda M. , Tarsitani L. , Biondi M. , Rogers W.H.
Published: March 2011

Background  The prevalence of depressive disorders is high among patients with skin disease. The PC‐SAD is a 37‐item self‐administered depression screening questionnaire that has been validated in dermatological patients.

Objective  The aim of this study was to develop and validate a brief depression severity instrument derived from the PC‐SAD that can be used to assess severity and monitor ongoing clinical course.

Methods  Two patient samples participated in the study: 72 adult dermatological inpatients and 73 adults attending six primary care practices. Psychiatric assessment included the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM‐IV and an 18‐item version of the PC‐SAD; moreover, dermatological patients completed the Patient Health Questionnaire depression scale (PHQ‐9), while primary care patients were administered the Montgomery‐Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS). A subset of five PC‐SAD items showing the best psychometric properties were selected, and the reliability and validity of the resulting instrument (PC‐SAD5) were examined.

Results  The PC‐SAD5 showed satisfactory internal consistency in both samples. There was a high correlation between PC‐SAD5 and PHQ‐9 and MADRS scores. Multiple regression analysis revealed a gradient of PC‐SAD5 scores from patients with no mental disorder, those with milder forms of depression, to those with Major Depressive Disorder. Similar results were observed for the 18‐item version of the PC‐SAD.

Conclusion  The availability of valid and reliable continuous measures of depression severity derived from the PC‐SAD extends its field of application from depression screening to use as a follow‐up measure of depression severity in routine clinical practice. A validated very short instrument such as the PC‐SAD5 may have substantial clinical value.
Advanced protein glycation in psoriasis
Authors: Damasiewicz‐Bodzek A. , Wielkoszyński T.
Published: March 2011

Background  The aetiopathogenesis of psoriasis is very complex and has not been well known. Recently, it has been proposed that mechanisms dependent on free radicals may be involved in the development of this dermatosis. Also, psoriasis coincides with lipid disturbances, diabetes and diseases of cardiovascular system. However, the common mechanism connecting these diseases is still unknown.

Objectives  The aim of this study was to measure concentration of peptides containing glycated residues (AGE‐peptides) and IgG, IgA and IgM antibodies against carboxymethyllysine (anti‐CML) and carboxyethyllysine (anti‐CEL) in the sera of patients at different phases of psoriasis activity in comparison with the sera of healthy individuals.

Methods  The study material consisted of sera from psoriasis patients (n = 80) in active phase and in the remission phase and healthy individuals (n = 80) (controls). Concentrations of AGE‐peptides were measured spectrofluorimetrically. Anti‐CML and anti‐CEL antibody concentrations were determined using ELISA.

Results  In psoriasis patients in active phase disease concentrations of AGE‐peptides and anti‐CML and anti‐CEL antibodies in all tested classes were significantly higher than those in healthy individuals. At remission, concentrations of AGE‐peptides and tested antibodies decreased significantly, but concentrations of anti‐CEL IgG and anti‐CML IgG and IgM antibodies were remaining significantly higher in comparison with the control group.

Conclusion  The obtained results indicate for existence of increased oxidative stress in psoriasis and resulting increased protein glycation and stimulation of the immune system to response to these end‐products. Increased protein glyco‐oxidation consist a linker between psoriasis and increased prevalence of atherosclerosis, cardiovascular incidents and vascular complications of diabetes.
Corporate Governance Quality, Audit Fees and Non‐Audit Services Fees
Authors: Zaman Mahbub , Hudaib Mohammed , Haniffa Roszaini
Published: March 2011

Abstract:  This paper extends prior research on the relationship between governance quality and auditor remuneration. We examine the influence of audit committee effectiveness (ACE), a proxy for governance quality, on audit fees (AF) and non‐audit services fees (NASF) using a new composite measure comprising audit committee independence, expertise, diligence and size. We find that after controlling for board of director characteristics, there is a significant positive association between ACE and AF only for larger clients. Our results indicate that effective audit committees undertake more monitoring which results in wider audit scope and higher audit fees. Contrary to our expectations, we find the association between ACE and NASF to be positive and significant, especially for larger clients. This suggests that larger clients are more likely to purchase non‐audit services (NAS) even in the presence of effective audit committees probably due to the complexity of their activities. Overall, our findings support regulatory initiatives aimed at improving corporate governance quality.
Can intensive agricultural landscapes favour some raptor species? The Marsh harrier in north‐eastern Spain
Authors: Cardador L. , Carrete M. , Mañosa S.
Published: March 2011

Agricultural intensification over the last 60 decades has been linked to decreases in biodiversity and in the breeding populations of several avian species in farmlands. However, agricultural intensification has not affected all species in the same way and transformed landscapes can still provide suitable habitats for species tolerant to some degree of anthropogenic change. Understanding habitat selection in man‐made landscapes is a pre‐requisite to effective management and conservation of the species that use them. However, habitat‐related choices made by individuals occupying these landscapes are often difficult to explain, as the cues they use may be decoupled from the ecological context in which they evolved. Here, we investigated nesting habitat selection in a ground‐nesting raptor breeding mainly in wetlands, which, unlike many other species occupying farmlands, has experienced a population increase in some agricultural regions. We used multivariate analysis to assess the extent to which habitat characteristics, human disturbance or proximity to other occupied sites influenced nesting‐site occupancy. Our results indicate that Marsh harriers occupied breeding sites according to habitat cues obtained at two complementary spatial scales (i.e. the breeding site and the foraging area). This study indicates that a raptor species that uses human‐made structures such as ponds for breeding while exploiting their surrounding crops for hunting can take advantage of agricultural intensification. Environmental disturbances are often viewed only in terms of their harmful impacts on the affected species. However, human activities are causing many types of alterations in natural landscapes that can be exploited by certain species with positive responses towards these transformations. The adaptation of some raptors to human‐altered environments, such as the Marsh harrier in our study area, raises doubts regarding the appropriateness of using such species as indicators of natural habitat quality.
Are balance problems connected to reading speed or the familial risk of dyslexia?
Authors: VIHOLAINEN HELENA , ARO MIKKO , AHONEN TIMO , CRAWFORD SUSAN , CANTELL MARJA , KOOISTRA LIBBE
Published: March 2011

Aim  The aim of this study was to examine the connection between balance problems and reading speed in children with and without a familial risk of dyslexia by controlling for the effects of attention, hyperactivity, and cognitive and motor functioning.

Method  The prevalence of balance problems was studied in 94 children (48 females, 46 males) with a familial risk of dyslexia (at‐risk group) and 85 children (38 females, 47 males) without a risk of dyslexia (comparison group). Further, the relationships between balance problems (at age 8y 6mo), reading proficiency (at age 9y), attention‐deficit–hyperactivity disorder (at age 8y), and cognitive (at age 8y 6mo) and motor functioning (at age 6y 6mo) were examined. Inclusion criteria for the at‐risk group were that at least one parent had a confirmed reading problem and one or more of the parents’ close relatives also had a reading problem. The Good Balance System was used to assess static standing balance, word‐list and text reading tasks were used to measure reading proficiency. The Behavioural Assessment System for Children – Parent Rating Scale was used to assess attention‐deficit–hyperactivity disorder, the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children was used to assess cognitive functioning, and the Movement Assessment Battery for Children was used to measure motor functioning.

Results  Balance (F(1,177)=4.82; p=0.029; =0.027) and reading (F(1,176)=11.95; p=0.001; =0.064) problems were more common in the at‐risk group than in the comparison group. Furthermore, attention, hyperactivity, IQ, and motor functioning were not related to balance problems. However, attention (F(1,154)=10.80; p=0.001; =0.066) and IQ (F(1,170)=22.08; p<0.001; =0.115) were individually connected to reading speed.

Interpretation  Balance problems alone could not produce any differences in reading skills. Instead, both balance problems and reduced reading skills were mainly associated separately with a familial risk of dyslexia. This indicates that there may be a shared genetic mechanism between balance and reading problems.
Randomized trial of constraint‐induced movement therapy and bimanual training on activity outcomes for children with congenital hemiplegia
Authors: SAKZEWSKI LEANNE , ZIVIANI JENNY , ABBOTT DAVID F , MACDONELL RICHARD A L , JACKSON GRAEME D , BOYD ROSLYN N
Published: March 2011

Aim  To determine if constraint‐induced movement therapy (CIMT) is more effective than bimanual training (BIM) in improving upper limb activity outcomes for children with congenital hemiplegia in a matched‐pairs randomized trial.

Method  Sixty‐three children (mean age 10.2, SD 2.7, range 5–16y; 33 males, 30 females), 16 in Manual Ability Classification System level I, 46 level II, and 1 level III and 16 in Gross Motor Function Classification level I, 47 level II) were randomly allocated to either CIMT or BIM group day camps (60 hours over 10 days). The Melbourne Assessment of Unilateral Upper Limb Function assessed unimanual capacity of the impaired limb and Assisting Hand Assessment evaluated bimanual coordination at baseline, 3 and 26 weeks, scored by blinded raters.

Results  After concealed random allocation, there was no baseline difference between groups. CIMT had superior outcomes compared with BIM for unimanual capacity at 26 weeks (estimated mean difference [EMD] 4.4, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.2–6.7; p<0.001). There was no other significant difference between groups post‐intervention. Both groups demonstrated significant improvements in bimanual performance at 3 weeks, with gains maintained by BIM at 26 weeks (EMD 2.3; 95% CI 0.6–4.0; p=0.008).

Interpretation  Overall, there were only small differences between the two training approaches. CIMT yielded greater changes in unimanual capacity of the impaired upper limb compared with BIM. Results generally reflect specificity of practice, with CIMT improving unimanual capacity and BIM improving bimanual performance. Considerable inter‐individual variation in response to either intervention was evident. Future research should consider serial sequencing unimanual then BIM approaches to optimize upper limb outcomes for children with congenital hemiplegia.
Outcomes in pediatric neurology: a review of conceptual issues and recommendationsThe 2010 Ronnie Mac Keith Lecture
Authors: RONEN GABRIEL M , FAYED NORA , ROSENBAUM PETER L
Published: March 2011

This paper discusses how to evaluate whether, and in what ways, treatments affect the lives of children with neurological conditions and their families. We argue that professionals should incorporate perspectives from patients and families to help them make decisions about what ‘outcomes’ are important, and we discuss how those outcomes might be assessed. A case vignette illustrates the differences and complementarity between the perspectives of clinicians and those of children and their parents. We recommend methods for expanding the range of relevant health outcomes in child neurology to include those that reflect the ways patients and families view their conditions and our interventions. We explore the added value of a ‘non‐categorical’ approach to the choice of outcomes. The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health is a useful biopsychosocial framework to ‘rule in’ relevant aspects of child and family issues to create a dynamic system of possible influences on outcomes. We examine the meaning of ‘health’, ‘health‐related quality of life’, and ‘quality of life’ as related but conceptually distinct outcomes. Specific issues are discussed about the construction, validation, and appraisal of outcome measures, as well as practical recommendations on how to select outcome measures in the clinical setting and research.
Optimisation of bacteriocin production of Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis MA23, a strain isolated from Boza
Authors: AKKOÇ NEFISE , GHAMAT AYLA , AKÇELIK MUSTAFA
Published: March 2011

Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis MA23 produces a bacteriocin (6400 AU/mL) that inhibits the growth of many Gram‐positive bacteria but is not active against Gram‐negative bacteria. This bacteriocin inhibits growth of lactococcal strains that are producing nisin, lacticin or lactococcin suggesting it to be different from these bacteriocins. The nutritional requirements and optimal growth conditions for MA23 bacteriocin production were studied with fed‐batch fermentations. The optimal pH, carbon source and nitrogen source for bacteriocin production were pH 6.5, sucrose (0.5%) and yeast extract (1%), respectively.
Expression of human equilibrative nucleoside transporter 1 in mouse neurons regulates adenosine levels in physiological and hypoxic‐ischemic conditions
Authors: Zhang Dali , Xiong Wei , Albensi Benedict C. , Parkinson Fiona E.
Published: March 2011

J. Neurochem. (2011) 10.1111/j.1471‐4159.2011.07242.x

Activation of adenosine A1 receptors inhibits excitatory synaptic transmission. Equilibrative nucleoside transporters (ENTs) regulate extracellular adenosine levels; however, the role of neuronal ENTs in adenosine influx and efflux during cerebral ischemia has not been determined. We used mice with neuronal expression of human ENT type 1 and wild type (Wt) littermates to compare responses to in vitro hypoxic or ischemic conditions. Extracellular recordings in the CA1 region of hippocampal slices from transgenic (Tg) mice revealed increased basal synaptic transmission, relative to Wt slices, and an absence of 8‐cyclopentyl‐1,3‐dipropyl‐xanthine mediated augmentation of excitatory neurotransmission. Adenosine (10–100 μM) had a reduced potency for inhibiting synaptic transmission in slices from Tg mice; inhibitory concentration 50% values were approximately 25 and 50 μM in Wt and Tg slices, respectively. Potency of the A1 receptor agonist N6‐cyclopentyladenosine (1 nM–1 μM) was unchanged. Transient hypoxia or oxygen‐glucose deprivation produced greater inhibition of excitatory neurotransmission in slices from Wt than Tg, mice. The ENT1 inhibitor S‐(4‐nitrobenzyl)‐6‐thioinosine abolished these differences. Taken together, our data provide evidence that neuronal ENTs reduce hypoxia‐ and ischemia‐induced increases in extracellular adenosine levels and suggest that inhibition of neuronal adenosine transporters may be a target for the treatment of cerebral ischemia.
Stromatoporoid palaeoecology in the Frasnian (Upper Devonian) Belgian platform, and its applications in interpretation of carbonate platform environments
Authors: DA SILVA ANNE‐CHRISTINE , KERSHAW STEPHEN , BOULVAIN FREDERIC
Published: March 2011

Abstract:  Stromatoporoid faunas in the Frasnian of southern Belgium are abundant in the carbonate platform environments present in this area. Stromatoporoids dominate the large skeletal organisms and occur principally in biostromes. The stromatoporoid assemblage is represented by a small number of taxa. Stromatoporoid genera include Actinostroma, Amphipora, Atelodictyon, Clathrocoilona, Salairella, Stachyodes, Stictostroma, Stromatopora and Trupetostroma which are present in environments ranging from the outer, outer intermediate, inner intermediate and inner zones and associated biostromes. Most large skeletal stromatoporoids are low profile, which reinforces the conclusions of previous studies that low‐profile growth forms were the most successful stromatoporoid forms. These low‐profile forms are likely to have been important sediment stabilisers that may have led to expansion of the carbonate factory. Growth forms vary between facies, indicating some degree of environmental control on form; for example, laminar in the intermediate zone, bulbous and domical in the inner and outer zones. Stromatoporoid taxa vary in occurrence across the environmental gradient from shallow to deep. There is some taxonomic control on growth forms, with some taxa showing more variability than others in different environments.
A revision of the fossil Canidae (Mammalia) of north‐western Africa
Authors: GERAADS DENIS
Published: March 2011

Abstract:  The fossil record of the Canidae in North‐western Africa begins near the Miocene–Pliocene boundary with a form close to Nyctereutes, a genus best known in the late Pliocene of Ahl al Oughlam. This site yields two other canids. Vulpes hassani sp. nov. is a small fox, probably ancestral to the modern V. rueppelli, recorded from the Middle Pleistocene onwards. Lupulella paralius sp. nov. is a primitive jackal that probably belongs to the clade of modern African jackals. In the middle Pleistocene, the most common canid is Lupulella mohibi sp. nov., remarkable by its Nyctereutes‐like dentition and primitive skull‐features. These are all endemic forms, but V. vulpes and C. aureus, of northern origin, appear in the course of the middle Pleistocene. Lycaon has a sparse record in the middle and late Pleistocene.
MEASURING THE ATTRIBUTES OF POVERTY AND ITS PERSISTENCE: A CASE STUDY OF ERITREA
Authors: FISSUH EYOB , SERIEUX JOHN , HARRIS MARK N.
Published: March 2011

This paper tries to identify the correlates of poverty in urban Eritrea using an estimation technique (the DOGEV model) that also allows for the inclusion of a measure of “persistence” in poverty levels from cross‐sectional estimation. The results suggest that 17 percent of the probability of being moderately poor and 22 percent of the probability of being extremely poor in Eritrea was attributable to this “persistence”—a predisposition toward poverty likely due to latent attributes related to past experience of poverty itself. The results also suggest that, in the post‐war economy of the mid‐1990s, those with vocational training fared best among all education groups. Being a war veteran also had a strong negative association with the poverty—reflecting successful attempts to support that group. The receipt of remittances also reduced the likelihood of poverty; though receipts from outside Eritrea had a much stronger effect than receipts from within Eritrea.
THE IMPORTANCE OF SKILL MEASUREMENT FOR GROWTH ACCOUNTING
Authors: NILSEN ØIVIND A. , RAKNERUD ARVID , RYBALKA MARINA , SKJERPEN TERJE
Published: March 2011

In a growth accounting context one usually constructs a quality adjusted index of labor services by aggregating over predefined groups of workers, using the groups' relative wage bills as weights. In this article we suggest a method based on decomposing individual predicted wages into a skill‐related part and a part unrelated to skill, where the former consists of both observed and unobserved components. The predicted wages, associated with individual skill attributes, are sorted and classified into deciles. The median predicted skill‐related wage in each decile is used to construct an alternative skill‐adjusted index of labor services. We find that total factor productivity (TFP) growth decreases significantly when using the latter method. This means that when using the alternative method one explains more of the growth in labor productivity than what a more traditional labor quality adjustment procedure does.
The Views of People With Spinal Cord Injury About the Use of Functional Electrical Stimulation
Authors: Donovan‐Hall Maggie K. , Burridge Jane , Dibb Bridget , Ellis‐Hill Caroline , Rushton David
Published: March 2011

Functional electrical stimulation (FES) is a specialist technique that can be applied in several areas of spinal rehabilitation. The aim of the study was to explore views of people with spinal cord injuries (SCI), health care professionals specializing in SCI, and researchers in FES about the current and future use of FES. A qualitative design using eight focus groups lasting 90 to 120 min was carried out throughout the UK. Purposive sampling was used to ensure diversity in age, level of SCI, severity of injury, and experience using FES. Thematic analysis identified five key themes. Decisions to use FES related to concerns over the screening and suitability of FES, ensuring parity between patients, and offering FES at the right stage of rehabilitation. Positive aspects of using FES related to themes regarding “physical improvements” and “doing something active.” Barriers to using FES concerned a lack of resources, such as equipment and staff training, and the view that some FES devices were unreliable. This research highlights the importance of understanding the user's needs in the design of FES devices; improving provision, prescription and allocation of FES resources, and the need to consider psychosocial issues related to the initiation and use of FES.
Can the Human Lumbar Posterior Columns Be Stimulated by Transcutaneous Spinal Cord Stimulation? A Modeling Study
Authors: Danner Simon M. , Hofstoetter Ursula S. , Ladenbauer Josef , Rattay Frank , Minassian Karen
Published: March 2011

Stimulation of different spinal cord segments in humans is a widely developed clinical practice for modification of pain, altered sensation, and movement. The human lumbar cord has become a target for modification of motor control by epidural and, more recently, by transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation. Posterior columns of the lumbar spinal cord represent a vertical system of axons and when activated can add other inputs to the motor control of the spinal cord than stimulated posterior roots. We used a detailed three‐dimensional volume conductor model of the torso and the McIntyre–Richard–Grill axon model to calculate the thresholds of axons within the posterior columns in response to transcutaneous lumbar spinal cord stimulation. Superficially located large‐diameter posterior column fibers with multiple collaterals have a threshold of 45.4 V, three times higher than posterior root fibers (14.1 V). With the stimulation strength needed to activate posterior column axons, posterior root fibers of large and small diameters as well as anterior root fibers are coactivated. The reported results inform on these threshold differences, when stimulation is applied to the posterior structures of the lumbar cord at intensities above the threshold of large‐diameter posterior root fibers.
“Society Very Definitely Needs Our Aid”: Reflecting on SPSSI in History
Authors: Rutherford Alexandra , Cherry Frances , Unger Rhoda
Published: March 2011

The year 2011 marks the 75th anniversary of the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues (SPSSI). One of the primary reasons SPSSI was established was the desire, on the part of its founders, to use scientific research for social action and to bring the insights of social science into national‐level debates about social issues. This anniversary affords us the opportunity to examine when, where, why, and how SPSSI has been more and less successful in its efforts to impact society. Historical analyses focusing on the long‐standing tension between scientific objectivity and political advocacy are used as a lens through which to examine SPSSI's legacy and to provide a more informed basis for future action.
Looking Again at SPSSI: History, Activism, and Advocacy
Authors: Mednick Martha T
Published: March 2011

SPSSI has a well‐established history of self‐scrutiny. Central to any self‐evaluation effort is the presence of an archival record that documents the aspirations and struggles of an organization and its members, perspectives that may never make it into the “official” published record. In this reflection, I describe my efforts in the 1980s, on the occasion of my presidential address, to use the archival record of SPSSI to examine how the organization had dealt with advocacy in the then‐46+ years of its existence. I then mention a contemporary archival project for Psychologists for Social Responsibility, and comment on changes in the institutional landscape that have created a new context for SPSSI's historic role as an activist organization.
Psychologists, Race, and Housing in Postwar America
Authors: Pickren Wade E.
Published: March 2011

Housing in postwar America became a critical focal point for issues of race and social equality. Housing and race relations became a real‐world laboratory for psychologists and other social scientists, including several of the leaders of Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues, to examine developing theories of intergroup relations, especially as potential means to reduce prejudice. Further, it is argued that psychologists sought to impact emerging housing policy and to ameliorate an enduring social problem. The author concludes that the efforts by social scientists to provide workable solutions, typically from an unacknowledged place of White privilege, proved largely ineffective.
ReclaimingSPSSI's Sociological Past: Marie Jahoda and the Immersion Tradition in Social Psychology
Authors: Rutherford Alexandra , Unger Rhoda , Cherry Frances
Published: March 2011

Aspects of the life and work of Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues (SPSSI)'s first female president, Marie Jahoda (1907–2001), are examined to help reclaim social psychology's, and SPSSI's,lost connection to sociology. Throughout her career, Jahoda promoted a nonreductionistic, problem‐focused sociological social psychology that was profoundly influenced by her early interdisciplinary training and by subsequent collaborations with other SPSSI members in New York City in the decade following WWII. Her use of the participant observation method, or immersion approach, was an outgrowth of her sociological sensibility. She used this approach to describe and explain the complex interactions between individuals and social structures in real‐life settings. By placing Jahoda at the center of our analysis, we aim to complicate standard historical narratives about the loss of the sociological tradition within social psychology and re‐assess the relationship between the two social psychologies. We argue that her legacy should be brought to bear on contemporary debates about SPSSI's social relevance and may help re‐envision the disciplinary boundaries of contemporary social psychology.
SPSSI Leaders: Collective Biography and the Dilemma of Value‐Laden Action and Value‐Neutral Research
Authors: Unger Rhoda
Published: March 2011

This study provides a collective biography of Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues (SPSSI)'s most recent cohort of leaders and compares their characteristics with those of previous generations of leaders. Unlike previous collective biographies, I use responses to an e‐mail questionnaire from 90 individuals who have been elected to SPSSI office, most since 1986. I examine the social categories to which individuals belong; educational experiences; the branch of psychology in which they received their PhD; and the role of collegial networks in the recruitment of leaders. I also introduce an historical perspective by comparing data on early and more recent cohorts of SPSSI leaders. Finally, through this study I explore possible links between leaders’ characteristics and their reasons for becoming involved in SPSSI. In particular, I examine relationships between the variables previously discussed and leaders’ reasons for being involved in SPSSI, with special attention to differential views about the role of values in research.
Foreground and Background: Environment as Site and Social Issue
Authors: Opotow Susan , Gieseking Jen
Published: March 2011

To examine how the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues (SPSSI) has engaged with environmental issues throughout its 75‐year history, we consulted five SPSSI‐based data sources. Our analysis, attentive to the larger sociopolitical contexts over time, focuses on SPSSI's attention to the physical environment, the places in which social living and interactions occur. In SPSSI's early years, social issues research was often situated within specific locales. Since 1960 and the emergence of environmental psychology and the environmental movement, SPSSI increasing focuses on environment as a social issue in its own right as well part of other social issues. Over time there has been a decline in mentions of the physical environment in SPSSI's methods texts. This historical analysis highlights the specifics of context in SPSSI's environmental research and urges attention to the physical as well as social aspects of environment in research and activism.
How This Was Possible: Interpreting the Holocaust
Authors: Opotow Susan
Published: March 2011

Moral exclusion occurs when individuals or groups are seen as outside the boundary in which moral values, rules, and considerations of fairness apply. It can render violence and injustice normal and acceptable. This talk describes research conducted at the House of Wannsee Conference, a cultural institution near Berlin, where the liquidation of Europe's Jews was planned in 1942. Now a commemorative site and education center, this institution's interpretive strategies increase visitors’ knowledge about past exclusionary processes. The House of Wannsee's interpretive strategies emphasize the role of occupational groups in society. Consistent with that focus, this talk discusses psychology at two points in time: Gestalt psychology, which flourished in Germany from 1920 to 1933, and psychology from 2002 to the present in light of contemporary concerns about psychologists’ involvement in detention and torture.
Fetal and Neonatal Presentation of Long QT Syndrome
Authors: KOMARLU RUKMINI , BEERMAN LEE , FREEMAN DAVID , ARORA GAURAV
Published: March 2011

This report describes a fetus presenting with intrauterine tachycardia and hydrops fetalis. Soon after birth the neonate was noted to be in torsades de pointes that responded dramatically to medical management. Long QT syndrome (LQTS) was diagnosed on electrocardiogram obtained soon after birth. The prognosis is poor when LQTS presents in utero or during the first week of life. However, our infant did well with medical management and has remained free of arrhythmias at follow‐up. PACE 2012; 35:e87–e90)
Safe and Efficient Isolation of a Common Inferior Pulmonary Vein Aided by Recent Advancements in Electroanatomical Mapping
Authors: KALBFLEISCH STEVEN , DAOUD EMILE
Published: March 2011

An accurate representation of a common inferior pulmonary vein (CIPV) during three‐dimensional mapping is difficult, which may lead to concerns regarding the safety of ablation. A preablation computed tomography scan revealed a CIPV with a large common ostium in close proximity to the esophagus. A detailed representation of the CIPV was possible using the new CARTO 3TM (Biosense Webster Inc., Diamond Bar, CA, USA). This allowed for safe and efficient en bloc isolation of the CIPV with no applications required near the esophagus. (PACE 2012; 35:e309–e311)
Qualitative and Quantitative Real Time Myocardial Contrast Echocardiography for Detecting Hibernating Myocardium
Authors: Fernandes Daniela Ribeiro Aleixo , Tsutsui Jeane Mike , Bocchi Edimar Alcides , César Luiz Antônio Machado , Sbano João César Nunes , Ramires José Antonio Franchini , Mathias Jr Wilson
Published: March 2011

Background: Real time myocardial contrast echocardiography (RTMCE) is an emerging imaging modality for assessing myocardial perfusion that allows for noninvasive quantification of regional myocardial blood flow (MBF). Aim: We sought to assess the value of qualitative analysis of myocardial perfusion and quantitative assessment of myocardial blood flow (MBF) by RTMCE for predicting regional function recovery in patients with ischemic heart disease who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Methods: Twenty‐four patients with coronary disease and left ventricular systolic dysfunction (ejection fraction <45%) underwent RTMCE before and 3 months after CABG. RTMCE was performed using continuous intravenous infusion of commercially available contrast agent with low mechanical index power modulation imaging. Viability was defined by qualitative assessment of myocardial perfusion as homogenous opacification at rest in ≥2 segments of anterior or ≥1 segment of posterior territory. Viability by quantitative assessment of MBF was determined by receiver‐operating characteristics curve analysis. Results: Regional function recovery was observed in 74% of territories considered viable by qualitative analysis of myocardial perfusion and 40% of nonviable (P = 0.03). Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of qualitative RTMCE for detecting regional function recovery were 74%, 60%, 77%, and 56%, respectively. Cutoff value of MBF for predicting regional function recovery was 1.76 (AUC = 0.77; 95% CI = 0.62–0.92). MBF obtained by RTMCE had sensitivity of 91%, specificity of 50%, positive predictive value of 75%, and negative predictive value of 78%. Conclusion: Qualitative and quantitative RTMCE provide good accuracy for predicting regional function recovery after CABG. Determination of MBF increases the sensitivity for detecting hibernating myocardium. (Echocardiography 2011;28:342‐349)
Tissue Doppler Imaging of the Tricuspid Annulus and Myocardial Performance Index in the Evaluation of Right Ventricular Involvement in the Acute and Late Phase of a First Inferior Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Kakouros Nicholaos , Kakouros Stavros , Lekakis John , Rizos Ioannis , Cokkinos Dennis
Published: March 2011

Background: Ischemic involvement of the right ventricle (RV) can complicate the early course of inferior ST elevation myocardial infarction (IMI) and has significant management implications but its diagnosis is difficult. This study assessed RV involvement in the acute and late phase of IMI by pulse‐wave tissue Doppler (PW‐TDI) and RV myocardial performance index (RVMPI). Methods: We prospectively evaluated 38 patients with first IMI, of whom 14 had RV involvement and 24 no RV involvement, as defined by ST segment elevation ≥0.1 mV in lead V4R. Thirty age‐matched healthy subjects served as controls. Echocardiographic assessment included PW‐TDI measurements from the lateral tricuspid annulus with MPI evaluation and was repeated at 6‐month follow‐up. Results: Peak systolic velocity of the tricuspid annulus, S’, was significantly lower and RVMPI higher in patients with RVMI compared to patients without RVMI and controls. Patients with proximal RCA lesion had lower S’ and higher RVMPI than patients with distal RCA or left coronary lesion. In the acute setting, the index S’/MPI < 17 was perfectly discriminatory for RV involvement and had moderate sensitivity and specificity (85%, 87%) for identifying proximal RCA disease. S’/MPI < 23 at 6 months had moderate‐to‐good sensitivity and specificity in identifying patients with previous RVMI. Conclusions: Echocardiographic assessment of the RV by PW‐TDI of the lateral tricuspid annulus, with derivation of MPI is a sensitive and specific marker of RV involvement in first IMI and remains so 6 months after the ischemic event. The novel index of S’/MPI appears to have potentially improved diagnostic accuracy in identifying RV involvement and proximal RCA lesion. (Echocardiography 2011;28:311‐319)
Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Dysplasia/Cardiomyopathy (ARVD/C) Presenting as Congestive Heart Failure, Ventricular Tachycardia, and Right Atrial Mass in a Young Male: Role of Echocardiography in Connecting the Missing Link
Authors: Moorthy Nagaraja , Kapoor Aditya
Published: March 2011

(Echocardiography 2011;28:363‐368)
Effects of Size of Spray‐Dried PZT Powder and Dipole Density of Polymer Matrix on the Electrical Properties of PZT/Odd–Odd Nylons 0–3 Composites
Authors: Petchsuk Atitsa , Supmak Wilairat , Thanaboonsombut Aree
Published: March 2011

A series of 0–3 composites of lead zirconate titanate (PZT)/ferroelectric odd–odd nylons was prepared with variations in the size of PZT powder and in the dipole density of ferroelectric odd–odd nylons. The as‐formed PZT powder prepared by a spray‐drying technique consists of spherical granules composed of large numbers of interconnected fine particles. Electrical properties of the composites as a function of the size of this particular PZT powder and the dipole density of ferroelectric odd–odd nylons were studied. With the PZT powder sintered at 1100°C, the relative permittivity, polarization, and piezoelectric strain coefficient (d33) of the PZT/nylon composites increased with increasing powder size of PZT. The electrical properties of the composites also increased as the dipole density of the polymer increased. The PZT/nylon 57 composite exhibited a high‐relative permittivity and piezoelectric strain coefficient d33 due to an increase in its dipole density. The optimum relative permittivity and polarization of this composite were obtained by the PZT with an average granule size of 95 μm. The highest piezoelectric strain coefficient d33 of the 0–3 composite was found at 28 pC/N whereas the relative permittivity was approximately 73.
Influence of Pressure‐Induced Transition from Nanocrystals to Nanoceramic Form on Optical Properties of Ce‐Doped Y3Al5O12
Authors: Podhorodecki Artur , Gluchowski Pawel , Zatryb Grzegorz , Syperek Marcin , Misiewicz Jan , Lojkowski Witold , Strek Wieslaw
Published: March 2011

In this work, we have examined modifications of structural and optical properties of Y3Al5O15:Ce3+ (Ce3+:YAG) material when transforming from nanograins to nanoceramic form under high pressure. Initial YAG material with 0.5% of Ce3+ was prepared using modified Pechini and transformed to nanoceramic at low temperature with a working pressure of 4 GPa. Structural properties of both samples (nanopowder and nanoceramic) have been examined with X‐ray diffraction and scanning electron microscope. Optical properties have been examined using photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy, PL‐excitation spectroscopy at different temperatures, and time‐resolved spectroscopy. Based on results obtained, excitation mechanism of Ce3+ ions has been explained. The main 560 nm emission band along with a new 400 nm emission band allowed to cover the whole visible spectral range. Moreover, it has been found that under high‐pressure treatment the amorphous shell of YAG core appears, leading to increased 5d electrons–lattice interaction. This, in turn, reduces PL decay time and increases emission intensity of nanoceramic sample.
Synthesis and White Light Emission of Rare Earth‐Doped HfO2 Nanotubes
Authors: Liu Lixin , Wang Yuan , Su Yurong , Ma Ziwei , Xie Yizhu , Zhao Haiting , Chen Changcheng , Zhang Zhenxing , Xie Erqing
Published: March 2011

Luminescent nanotubes based on rare earth (RE) (Eu, Tb)‐doped hafnia (HfO2) were prepared by radio frequency (RF) sputtering with electrospun polyvinylpyrolidone (PVP) nanofibers as templates. The nanotubes annealed at 500°C have a uniform structure with desired tubular morphologies. Various colors of photoluminescence (PL) could be easily obtained by tuning the concentrations of the RE ions in the HfO2 host. The Eu‐ and Tb‐codoped HfO2 (HfO2:Eu&Tb) nanotubes exhibited white light emissions under a 325 nm excitation. Good Commission International de I'Eclairage (CIE) coordinates (0.333, 0.323) and color temperature (Tc) (5465 K) were achieved in the HfO2:Eu&Tb nanotubes. Experimental evidence showed that the presence of blue emission originates from the defect states in HfO2 nanotubes, the green and the red emissions can be attributed to the inner 4f shell transitions of corresponding Tb3+ ions and Eu3+ ions in HfO2 shells, respectively. Compared with RE‐doped HfO2 films, the nanotube samples showed intense white light emissions, revealing that the HfO2:Eu&Tb nanotubes are an efficient white light‐emission material.
ZnO–Bi2O3–B2O3 Glasses as Molding Glasses with High Refractive Indices and Low Coloration Codes
Authors: Hashimoto Tadanori , Shimoda Yohei , Nasu Hiroyuki , Ishihara Atsushi
Published: March 2011

When Bi2O3‐containing glasses are melted at relatively high melting temperatures, they often show brown coloration due to the reduced Bi species, which is undesirable as optical glasses. In the present study, the low melting temperature (900°C) compared with conventional ones (1000°–1200°C) was used, in order to avoid the formation of reduced Bi species. ZnO–Bi2O3–B2O3 (ZBiB) glasses were selected for developing molding glasses with low Tg (≤600°C) and high nd (≥1.8). Most ZBiB glasses containing both B2O3≥40 mol% and Bi2O3≤40 mol% have much higher nd (=1.87–2.10) than those of ZnO–Bi2O3–P2O5 glasses (nd=1.68–1.97), much lower Tg (=400°–470°C) than those of Li2O–ZnO–TiO2–B2O3–P2O5 glasses (Tg=550°–570°C), and much lower λ70% (=39–45) than those of commercially available molding glasses (λ70%=44–50) with nd≥1.85. Some of the ZBiB glasses have properties suitable for precision glass molding (Tg=466°C, nd=1.929, λ70%=41 for 10ZnO·30Bi2O3·60B2O3 glass; Tg=440°C, nd=1.946, λ70%=42 for 40ZnO·20Bi2O3·40B2O3 glass). Thus, ZBiB glasses containing both B2O3≥40 mol% and Bi2O3≤40 mol% melted at 900°C are considered to be promising materials as molding glasses with high nd and low λ70%.
Hydroxyapatite Coatings Incorporating Silicon Ion Releasing System on Titanium Prepared Using Water Glass and Vaterite
Authors: Obata Akiko , Kasuga Toshihiro , Jones Julian R.
Published: March 2011

A new type of bioactive coating with the ability to release soluble silica species was prepared on a titanium substrate surface using water glass and vaterite (CaCO3) particles and precipitating hydroxycarbonate apatite (HCA) from solution. Silica was incorporated because soluble silica and calcium ions have been reported to stimulate osteogenic cells to produce new bone matrix. Water glass was coated on the substrate surface and then heated at 300°C for 2 h and then soaked in 0.1M HCl aqueous solution at 50°C for 120 min, resulting in the formation of silica layer on the surface. One of vaterite, calcite, aragonite, or CaCl2 was coated on the silica layer to enhance HCA formation on the surface in modified simulated body fluid (1.5 SBF). Vaterite was found to encourage the most rapid HCA formation. The titanium substrates coated with silica and HCA layers, continuously released about 53 mM of silicon species a day. The HCA layer contained a trace amount of silicon, which was expected to be released from the silica layer and trapped in the layer during 1.5 SBF‐soaking. Osteoblast‐like cells (MC3T3‐E1) proliferated better on the substrate releasing soluble silica than on an HCA layer on titanium containing no silica.