bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Metronomic Chemotherapy Enhances the Efficacy of Antivascular Therapy in Ovarian Cancer
Authors: Kamat Aparna A. , Kim Tae Jin , Landen Charles N. , Lu Chunhua , Han Liz Y. , Lin Yvonne G. , Merritt William M. , Thaker Premal H. , Gershenson David M. , Bischoff Farideh Z. , Heymach John V. , Jaffe Robert B. , Coleman Robert L. , Sood Anil K.
Published: January 2007

Metronomic chemotherapy is the frequent administration of low doses of chemotherapeutic agents targeting tumor-associated endothelial cells. We examined the efficacy of metronomic taxanes alone and in combination with AEE788—a dual epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) inhibitor—in an orthotopic mouse model of ovarian cancer. Growth-modulating effects of metronomic and maximum tolerated dose (MTD) regimens on overall survival were tested in vivo using both chemotherapy-sensitive (HeyA8 and SKOV3ip1) and chemotherapy-resistant (HeyA8-MDR) models. Treated tumors were stained for microvessel density (CD31), proliferation index (proliferating cell nuclear antigen), and apoptosis (terminal deoxyribonucleotide transferase–mediated nick-end labeling). The cytotoxic effects of MTD and metronomic dosing were tested with 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assays. Effects of metronomic regimens on circulating endothelial precursors (CEP) and tumor-specific cell-free DNA levels were assessed. In vivo, metronomic docetaxel resulted in significant reduction of tumor growth in the taxane-sensitive cell lines, whereas metronomic docetaxel plus AEE788 had an additive effect resulting in significant prolongation in survival. Combination therapy was effective even in the taxane-resistant model. Metronomic chemotherapy alone and combined with AEE788 resulted in a decrease in the proliferative index and microvessel density of treated tumors, whereas combination therapy increased the apoptotic index (P < 0.001). In vitro, metronomic taxanes caused endothelial cell toxicity at 10- to 100-fold lower concentrations compared with MTD dosing. Metronomic regimens inhibited mobilization of CEPs (P < 0.05) and led to a decrease in cell-free DNA levels (P < 0.05). Our results suggest that metronomic taxane chemotherapy with dual EGFR and VEGFR inhibition is highly efficacious and should be considered for future clinical trials. [Cancer Res 2007;67(1):281–8]
Increased Renal Expression of Aquaporin-3 in Rats Inhibited Type 2 11β-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase
Authors: Ma Seong Kwon , Nam Kwang Il , Kim Soo Wan , Bae Eun Hui , Choi Ki Chul , Lee JongUn
Published: January 2007

Aims: To investigate whether the regulation of aquaporin (AQP) channels is altered by inhibition of type 2 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11βHSD2). Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with glycyrrhizic acid (GA, 2 g/l drinking water) for 7 days. The expression of AQP2 and AQP3 was determined in the kidney by immunoblotting and immunohistochemistry. The expression of Gsα and type VI adenylyl cyclase, and the activity of adenylyl cyclase were also determined. Results: Following the GA treatment, the expression of 11βHSD2 was significantly decreased in the kidney. The expression of AQP3 was increased, while that of AQP2 remained unchanged. Plasma renin activity and serum aldosterone levels were decreased. Plasma arginine vasopressin (AVP) levels were comparable between the groups. Neither the forskolin-stimulated cAMP generation nor the expression of Gsα and type VI adenylyl cyclase was altered significantly. Conclusion: A decreased expression of 11βHSD2 may result in an upregulation of AQP3, in which AVP/cAMP-dependent mechanisms are unlikely to be involved.
Efficacy of Bioactive Polypeptides on Bleeding and Intra-Abdominal Adhesions
Authors: Tingstedt Bobby , Nehéz László , Lindman Björn , Andersson Roland
Published: January 2007

Background:Perioperative bleeding and postoperative adhesions are two problems encountered in abdominal surgery. Commercial products are available that decrease both bleeding and development of abdominal adhesions, but no products are effective in both situations. The combination of differently charged bioactive polypeptides, administered intraperitoneally, has previously been shown effective in decreasing postoperative adhesions. The present study is a pilot examination of the effects on perioperative bleeding and postoperative adhesions, applying the polypeptide concept. Methods:Standardized wounds in the liver and spleen were induced in 52 NMRI mice. The amounts of bleeding and postoperative adhesions were measured after 1 and 7 days, respectively. Separate animals were examined after 8 weeks for long-term healing of the parenchymal wounds. Results:Both parenchymal bleeding and the extent of adhesions significantly decreased (p = 0.001 and p = 0.029, respectively) as compared to controls. Histology after 8 weeks showed no clear signs of impaired or altered healing. Conclusion:Intraperitoneal administration of differently charged polypeptides significantly decreased postoperative bleeding and postoperative adhesions. Bioactive polypeptides appear promising in the promotion of peritoneal healing and merits further studies.
A New Chemosensitivity Assay for Ascites Tumor Cells Using a Thermoreversible Gelation Polymer as a Culture Medium and the Observed Clinical Responses
Authors: Isogai Akiko , Nagaya Masaki , Matsuoka Hiromitu , Watanabe Taiji , Tsukikawa Satoshi , Kubota Sunao
Published: January 2007

Background/Aim: Ascites tumor cells from patients with peritonitis carcinomatosa were tested for cis-diamminedichloroplatinum (CDDP) sensitivity. The patients were divided into CDDP-sensitive and resistant groups. Survival and time to progression (TTP) rates were compared. Materials and Methods: 18 peritonitis carcinomatosa patients with class V ascites based on cytologic diagnosis were enrolled in this study. Chemosensitivity testing of the ascites tumor cells was done to determine their sensitivity to CDDP using a three-dimensional culture matrix of thermoreversible gelation polymer (TGP). CDDP at a dose calculated to achieve ascitic fluid drug levels equivalent to the IC50 was given intraperitoneally to 12 CDDP-sensitive patients and 6 CDDP-resistant patients. Results: Both the median survival time and the median TTP were significantly longer in CDDP-sensitive patients than in CDDP-resistant patients (survival time 105 vs. 13 days, p = 0.019; TTP 90 vs. 5 days, p = 0.029). Conclusion: The results indicate the potential feasibility of controlling ascites in cancer patients in whom a maximal dose effect can be achieved with a minimal dose of chemotherapy.
Influence of Motor Symptoms upon the Quality of Life of Patients with Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Gómez-Esteban J.C. , Zarranz J.J. , Lezcano E. , Tijero B. , Luna A. , Velasco F. , Rouco I. , Garamendi I.
Published: January 2007

We studied the impact of various motor and nonmotor symptoms upon quality of life in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD). The study comprised 110 patients with PD (age: 68.6 years, course of the disease: 7.6 years). The Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS; I–IV) and Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire (PDQ-39) were recorded. We recorded the correlations between years of disease and UPDRS IV, as well as PDQ-39 and UPDRS I, II, III and IV. Introduction of all variables into a linear regression model showed that 3 variables accounted for 51% of the variance in PDQ-39. Mental condition, gait disorders and complications of dopaminergic drugs are the variables that most affect the quality of life of patients with PD.
Cerebrospinal Fluid Anti-SSA Autoantibodies in Primary Sjögren’s Syndrome with Central Nervous System Involvement
Authors: Mégevand Pierre , Chizzolini Carlo , Chofflon Michel , Roux-Lombard Pascale , Lalive Patrice H. , Picard Fabienne
Published: January 2007

Background: Central nervous system involvement in primary Sjögren’s syndrome is a matter of controversy, and its diagnosis remains difficult. Methods: We report 3 patients with primary Sjögren’s syndrome and central nervous system involvement in whom we assessed intrathecal immunoglobulin G synthesis and the presence of cerebrospinal fluid anti-SSA and anti-SSB autoantibodies. Results: We found intrathecal immunoglobulin G synthesis and presence of cerebrospinal fluid anti-SSA autoantibodies in all patients, with demonstration for the first time of specific anti-SSA autoantibody intrathecal synthesis in 2 patients. Conclusion: We suggest that cerebrospinal fluid anti-SSA autoantibodies could serve as a biomarker for Sjögren’s-syndrome-related central nervous system involvement.
Normal Growth Spurt and Final Height despite Low Levels of All Forms of Circulating Insulin-Like Growth Factor-I in a Patient with Acid-Labile Subunit Deficiency
Authors: Domené Horacio M. , Martínez Alicia S. , Frystyk Jan , Bengolea Sonia V. , Ropelato María G. , Scaglia Paula A. , Chen Jian-Wen , Heuck Carsten , Wolthers Ole D. , Heinrich Juan J. , Jasper Héctor G.
Published: January 2007

Background: In a recently described patient with acid-labile subunit (ALS) deficiency, the inability to form ternary complexes resulted in a marked reduction in circulating total insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I, whereas skeletal growth was only marginally affected. To further study the role of circulating versus locally produced IGF-I in skeletal growth in this patient, we now describe in detail growth changes and their relationship with several components of the circulating IGF system. Design and Methods: We followed growth and development up to the final height in a patient with complete ALS deficiency and determined both spontaneous and growth hormone (GH)-stimulated changes in the IGF system, including measurements of total, free and bioactive IGF-I, total IGF-II and insulin-like growth factor binding protein (IGFBP)-1, IGFBP-2 and IGFBP-3. Results: The patient had a delayed growth and pubertal onset. Six months of GH treatment had no effect on growth. At the age of 19.3 years, he spontaneously completed puberty and had a normal growth spurt for a late adolescent (peak height velocity of 8.4 cm/year). A normal final height was attained at 21.3 years (167.5 cm; –0.78 SDS). During as well as after puberty, basal levels of total, free and bioactive IGF-I were low, as were total IGF-II, IGFBP-1, IGFBP-2 and IGFBP-3. GH treatment for 6 months normalized free IGF-I and increased bioactive IGF-I, but had no effect on growth velocity. Conclusions: This case story shows that in the presence of complete ALS deficiency, a height within normal limits can be obtained despite low levels of all forms of circulating IGF-I. Furthermore, the patient presented a delayed but normal growth spurt without any marked increment of circulating IGF-I.
Body Fat Estimation Using Bioelectrical Impedance
Authors: Shaikh M.G. , Crabtree N.J. , Shaw N.J. , Kirk J.M.W.
Published: January 2007

Background/Aims: Although childhood obesity is a major problem, routine assessment methods do not reflect fat mass. Body mass index, which is most commonly used, gives an indication of weight for height and not a degree of adiposity. Methods: Bioelectrical impedance and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) were used in a group of obese children to assess body fat. Results: Comparison between DEXA and commercial bioelectrical impedance scales in 46 children showed a highly significant correlation (R = 0.944, p < 0.001) in fat mass. Fat mass measured using bioelectrical impedance was 2.4 kg lower compared to measurement using DEXA. Conclusion: These bioelectrical scales may prove useful in the management of childhood obesity as they are able to provide important clinical information regarding fat mass and adiposity.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Ruptured Plaques in the Rabbit with Ultrasmall Superparamagnetic Particles of Iron Oxide
Authors: Durand E. , Raynaud J.S. , Bruneval P. , Brigger I. , Al Haj Zen A. , Mandet C. , Lancelot E. , Lafont A.
Published: January 2007

Background: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) enhanced with ultrasmall superparamagnetic particles of iron oxide (USPIO) has previously been evaluated in hyperlipidemic rabbits. The aim of this study was therefore to compare USPIO in ruptured and non-ruptured arteries in an atherosclerotic rabbit model. Methods: Atherosclerotic-like lesions were induced by the combination of endothelial abrasion and high-cholesterol diet in iliac rabbit arteries (n = 16). Rupture of atherosclerotic lesions was realized by oversized balloon angioplasty in one iliac artery, whereas the contralateral artery was used as control. USPIO (ferumoxtran-10: 1 mmol Fe/kg) was administered immediately (n = 10) or 28 days (n = 6) after injury. MRI and histological analysis were performed 7 and 35 days after injury and in control arteries. Results: In vivo MRI analysis showed extended susceptibility artifact with transluminal signal loss in all ruptured arteries 7 days after injury. In contrast, hyposignal was reduced 35 days following injury (i.e. after healing), and absent in non-ruptured arteries. Similarly, histological analysis of iron uptake was significantly increased 7 days after injury compared to healed-ruptured and control arteries. Conclusions: Accumulation ofUSPIO is significantly increased in ruptured as compared to non-ruptured arteries in the atherosclerotic rabbit model.
Existence and Pluralism: The Rediscovery of Karl Jaspers
Authors: Ghaemi S. Nassir
Published: January 2007

Karl Jaspers has been recognized in psychiatry mostly for his influence on phenomenology and on certain aspects of psychopathology, such as our understanding of delusions. In this paper, I will highlight the need to rediscover Jaspers’ work in terms of other important ideas that he can contribute to psychiatry, in particular the concepts of limit situations, transcendence and pluralism. Limit situations refer to the fact that human life is characterized by existential situations, or crises, which become opportunities for authentic existence. Transcendence refers to the notion that freedom is an important aspect of human existence and cannot be explained by purely scientific understanding or encompassed by any purely rationalistic system of thought. Pluralism is perhaps Jaspers’ most original perspective, which has still failed to be adequately appreciated by the psychiatric profession. The idea here is that science means understanding the methods by which we obtain knowledge, along with the presuppositions and limits of those methods. Contemporary psychiatry has only a limited appreciation of Jaspers’ work. In this paper, I attempt to describe these important concepts that can help us understand what we do in psychiatry, what we should be doing and why.
Obsession in the Strict Sense: A Helpful Psychopathological Phenomenon in the Differential Diagnosis between Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Schizophrenia
Authors: Bürgy M.
Published: January 2007

The paper presented follows the hypothesis that differentiation between obsessive-compulsive disorder and schizophrenia is possible only by focusing on the single phenomenon of obsession. The statement of a nosological specificity of obsession, called obsession in the strict sense, is set against the current views of ICD-10 and DSM-IV of obsession as a ubiquitous, non-specific phenomenon appearing in comorbidities. In the succession of the paper, the historical development of these two very different views and their clinically mixing is reconstructed. The phenomenological clarification of the structure of the obsessive phenomena leads to the term of obsession in the strict sense. The distinction between obsessive-compulsive disorder and schizophrenia can take place at the psychopathological interface between obsession in the strict sense and delusional idea. The examination of the literature on the connection between obsessive-compulsive disorder and schizophrenia shows that there is no definitive connection between obsession in the strict sense and schizophrenia. Finally, some case reports are presented to sharpen clinical suspicion for other possibly wrong diagnoses.
Functional Analysis of an Established Mouse Vascular Endothelial Cell Line
Authors: Nishiyama Tatsuaki , Mishima Kenji , Ide Fumio , Yamada Koichi , Obara Kumi , Sato Aki , Hitosugi Noriko , Inoue Hiroko , Tsubota Kazuo , Saito Ichiro
Published: January 2007

Background: In vitrostudies using cell lines are useful for the understanding of cellular mechanisms. The purpose of our study is to develop a new immortalized aortic vascular endothelial cell (EC) line that retains endothelial characteristics and can facilitate the study of ECs. Methods: A mouse aortic vascular EC line (MAEC) was established from p53-deficient mouse aorta and cultured for over 100 passages. The expression of endothelial markers was assessed, and the function of this cell line was analyzed by tube formation and binding assays. Results: MAEC retained many endothelial properties such as cobblestone appearance, contact-inhibited growth, active uptake of acetylated low-density lipoprotein, existence of Weibel-Palade bodies and several EC markers. MAECs exhibited tube formation activity both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, crucially, tumor necrosis factor α, an inflammatory cytokine, promoted lymphocyte adhesion to MAECs, suggesting that MAECs may facilitate the study of atherosclerosis and local inflammatory reactions in vitro. Conclusion: We describe the morphological and cell biological characteristics of MAEC, providing strong evidence that it retained endothelial properties. This novel cell line can be a useful tool for studying the biology of ECs.
Understanding Equatorial Atlantic Interannual Variability
Authors: Keenlyside Noel S. , Latif Mojib
Published: January 2007

An observational-based analysis of coupled variability in the equatorial Atlantic and its seasonality is presented. Regression analysis shows that the three elements of the Bjerknes positive feedback exist in the Atlantic and are spatially similar to those of the Pacific. The cross-correlation functions of the elements of the Bjerknes feedback are also similar and consistent with an ocean–atmosphere coupled mode. However, the growth rate in the Atlantic is up to 50% weaker, and explained variance is significantly lower. The Bjerknes feedback in the Atlantic is strong in boreal spring and summer, and weak in other seasons, which explains why the largest sea surface temperature anomalies (SSTAs) occur in boreal summer. Its seasonality is determined by seasonal variations in both atmospheric sensitivity to SSTA and SSTA sensitivity to subsurface temperature anomalies.
Closeness and Competition in the Inter-Ethnic and Co-Ethnic Friendships of Early Adolescents in Toronto and Montreal
Authors: Schneider Barry H. , Dixon Kristopher , Udvari Stephen
Published: January 2007

The purpose of this study is to compare the inter-ethnic and co-ethnic friend-ships of 390 junior high school students in multi-ethnic neighborhoods of Montreal and Toronto. Friendship dyads were identified on the basis of reciprocal nomination as close friends. The quality of the friendships was measured by questionnaires completed by both members of each friendship dyad. Co-ethnic friendships were characterized by greater closeness and more conflict than interethnic friendships. Co-ethnic friendships were more likely than inter-ethnic friendships to survive during a 6-month interval. Inter-ethnic friendships that survived after 6 months tended to increase in conflict. Regardless of sex composition, friendships characterized by conflict and lacking in overall positive quality were more likely than others to dissolve later in the school year. Male friends who enjoyed competing with each other in nonhostile ways tended to maintain their relationships.
Building Little Safe and Civilized Communities
Authors: Zhong Lena Y. , Broadhurst Roderic G.
Published: January 2007

This article describes a community crime prevention program in China, set against a background of rapid economic development, large internal population migration, and increasing crime rates. Traditional social control in China has been transformed to adapt to the new reform era, yet some mechanisms remain intact. Crime prevention measures and strategies resemble those adopted in the West; however, the differences, constituting the so-called Chinese characteristics with community crime prevention are significant.
Provincial Laws on the Protection of Women in China
Authors: Lu Hong , Miethe Terance D.
Published: January 2007

Using data extracted from 29 provincial laws on the protection of women in China promulgated during the 1980s, this study tests Black’s (1976) proposition that the quantity of law varies with stratification, morphology, culture, organization, and social control. Analyses yielded little support for Black’s propositions except significant direct relationships between morphology and the quantity of five types of provincial laws. The article concludes with a discussion of alternative explanations for the observed findings and the implications of this research for further studies on the development of law.
Bureaucratic Justice
Authors: Laidler Karen Joe , Petersen Carole , Emerton Robyn
Published: January 2007

Since Hong Kong’s return to the People’s Republic of China (PRC) there has been a significant rise in the number of Chinese visitors to Hong Kong, including women crossing the border to engage in sex work. Sex work itself is not a crime in Hong Kong, but related activities, like soliciting, are prohibited. Sex work is treated as work for immigration purposes, and visitors who engage in work without an employment visa are breaching their conditions of stay. More than 10,000 mainland Chinese women have been arrested, prosecuted, and sentenced in recent years, causing the correctional population to expand beyond capacity. The authors examine the experiences of 58 incarcerated women in their encounters with the Hong Kong criminal justice system and find that women are processed in a highly routinized bureaucratic manner. They consider the purpose served by the largely bureaucratic form of justice that has emerged in response to migrant sex workers in Hong Kong.
Developing Comparative Criminology and the Case of China
Authors: Liu Jianhong
Published: January 2007

Although comparative criminology has made significant development during the past decade or so, systematic empirical research has only developed along a few topics. Comparative criminology has never occupied a central position in criminology. This article analyzes the major theoretical and methodological impediments in the development of comparative criminology. It stresses a need to shift methodology from a conventional primary approach that uses the nation as the unit of analysis to an in-depth case study method as a primary methodological approach. The article maintains that case study method can overcome the limitation of its descriptive tradition and become a promising methodological approach for comparative criminology.
Partners or Competitors? Perceptions of Regional Economic Development Cooperation in Illinois
Authors: Gordon Victoria
Published: January 2007

This article explores the perceptions of economic development decision makers regarding regional economic development competition and cooperation. This research contributes to an understanding of the interlocal cooperative interactions that exist between and among local governments and to an understanding of what the obstacles are to cooperative efforts. The author uses a qualitative approach utilizing in-depth interviews of participants within a 14-county central region of Illinois. This setting encompasses both small and moderate-sized cities and both urban and rural areas. The findings suggest that although communities participate in cooperative efforts, understand the benefits of cooperation, and express a willingness to cooperate in regional economic development efforts, the obstacles to cooperation continue to curtail cooperative efforts. State policies and support for cooperation could lessen the impact of some of these obstacles to cooperative regional economic development efforts.
Finding an Impact of Preservation Policies: Price Effects of Historic Landmarks on Attached Homes in Chicago, 1990-1999
Authors: Noonan Douglas S.
Published: January 2007

The impact of landmark designation on prices of the property and its neighbors sits at the core of the policy debate and empirical research on historic preservation. Yet these studies suffer from serious methodological limitations and biases. First, as important unobserved characteristics likely correlate with landmark designation, an omitted-variable bias results. Second, if designations depend on property values or neighborhood housing market conditions, the endogenous selection process further undermines inferences about preservation policies’ effects. This article outlines more robust empirical strategies and presents new evidence on landmark designation effects on property values. For a sample of Chicago home sales during the 1990s, a hedonic price analysis suggests that landmark buildings and districts sell at a small premium. To address the omitted-variable bias, a repeat-sales approach demonstrates significant spillover effects of landmark designation on prices. These estimates are also robust to sample-selection bias and some forms of spatial autocorrelation.
Do Riverboat Casinos Act as Competitors? A Look at the St. Louis Market
Authors: Navin John C. , Sullivan Timothy S.
Published: January 2007

Using monthly data covering 1991 to 2003 for the five casinos located in the St. Louis, Missouri, metropolitan area, the authors examine how the return to gaming, as measured by the payout rate on electronic gaming devices, changes as new firms enter the market. The clear timing of the new entrants into the market and the availability of monthly data allow the authors to examine how competition has affected the payout rates. They find that new entrants into the market have clearly reduced the hold rate (increased the payout rate) on electronic gaming devices and increased the return to gamblers. Given that the tax revenue from riverboat gambling is based on adjusted gross revenue (total revenue less payout), the decrease in hold rates and, therefore, adjusted gross revenue has significant policy implications for local governments, the majority of which rely on a single casino for their local tax revenue.
Evaluation of the effects of hydrophilic organic solvents on CYP3A-mediated drug-drug interactionin vitro
Authors: Iwase M , Kurata N , Ehana R , Nishimura Y , Masamoto T , Yasuhara H
Published: January 2007

This study evaluated the effects of the commonly used hydrophilic organic solvents, acetonitrile, methanol, ethanol, 1-propanol, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), N,N-dimethylformamide, polyethylene glycol and propylene glycol, on CYP3A in pooled human liver microsomes, using testosterone and midazolam as substrates. Furthermore, we examined the modulation effect of organic solvents on CYP3A inhibition by ketoconazole. Testosterone 6b-hydroxylation activity was potently inhibited in the presence of DMSO and 1-propanol in a concentration-dependent manner. Midazolam 1'-hydroxylation activity, however, was weakly inhibited only by 1% of DMSO, the highest concentration used in this study. Moreover, the potency of ketoconazole to inhibit CYP3A activities was variable, depending on the organic solvent used as a dissolving solvent for ketoconazole. Our data indicate that each organic solvent had an effect on CYP3A4 activity, evaluated by both substrates with different magnitudes. Furthermore, it was shown that the effects of organic solvents on CYP3A activity are substrate-dependent. The present study also shows that methanol had little effect on either substrate.
Adapting Life History Calendars for Qualitative Research on Welfare Transitions
Authors: Harris Deborah A. , Parisi Domenico “Mimmo”
Published: January 2007

The interest in examining patterns of life course events has resulted in the creation of several techniques to gather accurate retrospective data. One of these techniques, the life history calendar, was developed to record and graphically display the interrelatedness of multiple life events. A main advantage of the life history calendar is that it can be applied not only to quantitative studies but also to qualitative research. In this article, we provide the rationale behind life history calendars, discuss their potential use in qualitative research, and describe a research project that used life history calendars to gather qualitative data on welfare dynamics.
The Stories Metaphors Tell: Metaphors as a Tool to Decipher Tacit Aspects in Narratives
Authors: Steger Thomas
Published: January 2007

Metaphors are often unconscious and taken-for-granted parts of our daily life and common communication. This article deals with the explorative and descriptive aspects of metaphors used in organizational settings. I introduce a three-step metaphor analysis including several particular tools that focus on the specific metaphor meaning. Two case studies of East German managers' narratives will demonstrate how metaphors can help us better understand highly emotional contexts and complex situations within organizations.
Communication Sensei's Storytelling: Projecting Identity into Critical Pedagogy
Authors: Toyosaki Satoshi
Published: January 2007

Identity politics in culturally diverse U.S.-American higher education is so complex that it is difficult to completely account for all of its elements. As a communication sensei, I enter this arena taking an approach informed by critical pedagogy and employing performative and/or autoethnographic writing as a mode of critical interrogation. Via storytelling, I investigate my becoming and the role of a critical pedagogue as a sociotemporal actor in today's culturally diverse U.S.-American education. Critical pedagogues should enter education as an intersubjective identity project where educational participants' stories meet, and their “hoped-for future” emerges from their storytelling.
Television as Lover, Part I: Writing Dirty Theory
Authors: Ott Brian L.
Published: January 2007

Treating television as a semiotic system, this article charts the various pleasure/meaning/identity configurations that are possible when audiences engage televisual texts. Reflecting on the uniquely postmodern character of television as a communication medium, it is argued that traditional hermeneutic and interpretive approaches to television such as artistic or ideological criticism should be accompanied by alternative approaches rooted in erotics. Developing the simile “television as lover,” the article theorizes a transgressive pleasure of television viewing that undermines hegemonic ideology by transforming viewers from patrons into producers. The concluding section explores how such a practice necessitates fundamentally shifting the aim of criticism from critical explication to critical pedagogy. A follow-up article models this approach to television by undertaking a sustained auto(erotic)ethnography.
Visual Culture Archaeology: A Criti/Politi/cal Methodology of Image and Identity
Authors: Rolling James Haywood
Published: January 2007

This study argues the efficacy of the liberatory cultural work of a visual culture archaeology that reveals a political and critical identity, resistant to domination, authoring social change and its own agency through multiple and incommensurable positions. Built on Foucauldian premises, visual culture archaeology is developed as a methodology for discursive un-naming and renaming and emerges from the inherence and attenuation of inscripted meanings in the reinterpretation of identity during a postmodern confluence of ideas and images. The hybridized representation of the African American in Western visual culture has been unique in the effort by some to define us over significant periods as less than human, less than American, or less than statistically significant in the purpose to maintain an unequal relation of economic and political power. This article continues the author's effort to establish the efficacy of a poststructural and poetic aesthetic in qualitative research writing.
History under Cover: The Problematic Relationship between Business Management and the Past
Authors: Maielli Giuliano
Published: January 2007

This article is intended as the introductory chapter to the special issue on Business History and its Value for Managers, which also includes contributions from Peter Clark, Terry Gourvish, John Wilson and Andrew Thomson. Maielli's contribution identifies some of the main components of the Business History research agenda and analyses whether and to what extent they might contribute to the development of actionable knowledge for business decision making. After setting the theoretical framework, the article analyses the other contributions to the issues and their implications with regard to the relevance of Business History for managers. While Wilson and Thomson support History of Management as a core component of Business Management academic curricula, Gourvish confines the main cognitive domain of Business History in the analysis of the past. Finally, Clark and Maielli see History acting ‘under cover’ at the core of many disciplinary approaches, inspiring interdisciplinary research agendas and the development of analytical tools for decision making.
Management in Historical Perspective: Stages and Paradigms
Authors: Wilson John F. , Thomson Andrew
Published: January 2007

Based on the premise that ‘History matters’, and looking at the main trends and stages in British management since the late nineteenth century through to the present day, this article provides a rationale for including management history in business school curricula. In particular, in looking at how British managers have made the transition from an essentially ‘salaried’ to a ‘professional’ status, as well as applying Lewin's force-field analysis to tracing the rise of managerial capitalism, we stress the value of taking a long-term perspective in studying the essence and dynamics of managerial change.
What Can Business History Tell Us about Business Performance?
Authors: Gourvish Terry
Published: January 2007

This article reveals how business historians, analysts and managers tackle the key subject of business performance, and identifies the tensions between the principal approaches. Particular attention is devoted to Chandler, Porter and the FMA literature, financial measures, and broader measures, including benchmarking and performance indicators. The conclusion is that historians provide historical assessments that contrast with the more predictive measures of economists and analysts. It is argued that business historians, who emphasise profits, survivability and adaptive capability, can inform the strategic decision-making of the contemporary business manager.
Superfactuals, Structural Repertoires and Productive Units: Explaining the Evolution of the British Auto Industry
Authors: Clark Peter
Published: January 2007

This article seeks to demonstrate the use of superfactuals combining structural repertoires and product units for analyzing the elective affinities between corporate strategic choices and their contexts, typically national domestic contexts. By focusing on Rover, the producer of quality saloon cars within the British Leyland galaxy, this article develops the following superfactual proposition: ‘Even if British Leyland focused on quality saloon and sports vehicles, the British-owned car industry would have suffered terminal failure.’ On this basis, the article develops a new counterfactual proposition: ‘Had Rover sold its saloon operations to British Leyland while focusing on the production and development of its 4WD products, the company would have probably survived as a British-owned concern.’ The perspective of structural repertoires in a morphological perspective provides a sound basis for actionable strategic knowledge, especially when combined with superfactuals and counterfactuals.
Investigation on imidazoline amide adsorption and electrochemical behaviour of coupled steels
Authors: Ai J. Z. , Mei P. , Chen W. , Guo X. P.
Published: January 2007

The adsorption behaviour of imidazoline derivative as a cationic inhibitor on the galvanic electrode has been investigated by electrochemical methods, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The galvanic electrode was prepared by coupling N80 carbon steel and S31803 stainless steel, and all experiments were performed in NaCl solution in the presence or absence of the inhibitor. Electrochemical experiments reveal stainless steel and carbon steel carry positive and negative excess charges in NaCl solution. For the galvanic electrode, positive and negative charges are carried on the carbon steel side and stainless steel side respectively, and the inhibitor is a type of cathodic inhibitor for galvanic corrosion. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and AFM were used to analyse the protective layer formed on the electrodes, a weaker adsorbability of the inhibitor on the anode (carbon steel side) of the galvanic electrode was measured. Results show the protective layer formed on the single carbon steel electrode is compact. In the case of coupling carbon steel and stainless steel, the adsorption film on the anode (carbon steel side) of galvanic electrode (GE) is not intact but defective. A major cause of failure of inhibiting galvanic corrosion is proposed based on the results obtained from electrochemical methods, FTIR and AFM.
Microstructural characterisation of a plasma carburised low carbon Co–Cr alloy
Authors: Li X. Y. , Habibi N. , Bell T. , Dong H.
Published: January 2007

One of the major concerns over long term metal on metal articulations is the carcinogenic effect of metal particles. How to improve the surface hardness and wear resistance of Co–Cr–Mo alloys and thus extend the life span of the metal on metal joint prostheses is a timely task from both a scientific and clinical viewpoint. The present investigation indicated that plasma carburising a Co–Cr alloy between 400 and 600°C can produce a hardened layer on the surface which can significantly improve its wear resistance. Detailed structural, composition and microstructural characterisation have advanced the scientific understanding of the hardening effect. This is the first report that S phase can be formed in Co–Cr alloys during low temperature plasma carburising.
Interpretation of instrumented hardness measurements on stainless steel with different surface preparations
Authors: Chicot D. , Roudet F. , Soom A. , Lesage J.
Published: January 2007

When measuring the indentation hardness of a material, the hardness number is generally not constant in the micro- and nano-hardness ranges but varies with the applied load. In the present work, we examine the role of surface modifications produced by different levels of polishing on this load dependence. The Vickers hardness of four stainless steel samples, three polished and one ground were measured in the micro- (0·1–10 N load) and macro-hardness (10–2500 N load) ranges. At loads exceeding ∼10 N, a constant, low bulk hardness that is the same for all polished samples, is found. We also find that each of the four methods of surface preparation leads to different rates of increase in microhardness with decreasing load. Although this pattern of hardness change is consistent with real variations of microhardness with depth, we examine various models that have been used to describe the indentation size effect to interpret and model the measurements. We note that most of the existing models can be fitted to the data but do not always allow for a reasonable physical interpretation. We propose a modification to the model of Abu Al-Rub and Voyiadjis (2004) to best capture the pattern of hardness variation. This model can be considered a hybrid of models based on dislocation or strain gradient plasticity theory.
Properties of zinc oxide thin films prepared on silicon (100) and glass substrates by pulsed laser deposition technique with different oxygen gas pressures
Authors: Rusop M. , Uma K. , Soga T. , Jimbo T.
Published: January 2007

Nanostructured zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films were prepared on silicon (100) and Corning glass substrates by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique with different oxygen gas pressures. The microstructure, crystallinity and resistivity of the ZnO films are found to be dependant on the oxygen gas pressure. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis showed that the growth of grains occurred along the c-axis of ZnO films obtained under high oxygen gas pressures. The ZnO films were oriented preferentially along the (002) direction, which is responsible for good electrical and optical properties. Pulsed laser deposited ZnO films, with the c-axis orientation (except for the ZnO films grown at room temperatures), show low structural defects. By applying higher oxygen gas pressures, the grain size of the films is found to increase, the electrical resistivity tends to decrease and the optical transmittance in the visible region becomes higher. The surface morphology of the films measured by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed nanostructures with surface which is smooth and without any cracks.
Improvements in thermo reactive deposition of carbide layers
Authors: Matijević B. , Stupnišek M.
Published: January 2007

This paper presents developments contributing to the improvement of the process of producing hard carbide layers, with special attention to the application on tools and dies. The quantitative impact of the chemical composition of the steel and the process temperature on the kinetics of the carbide layer formation has been determined. In conventional processes of diffusion formation of carbide layers the phenomenon of partial decarburisation of steel occurring beneath the carbide layer during the process of its formation has been dealt with by the introduction of controlled precarburisation. Diffusion formation of carbide layers has been improved by the development of duplex processes that enable the formation of a case hardened layer which is harder than the core. Thus, the substrate for the hard and brittle carbide layer is improved. This development should contribute to the improvement of properties of the surface layers produced by the diffusion formation of carbide layers. In this way this process can be applied to the manufacturing of tools and dies.
Method for fast determination of thin films hardness from standard microindentation tests
Authors: Tricoteaux A. , Puchi-Cabrera E. S. , Lesage J.
Published: January 2007

The present investigation has been carried out in order to propose a simple and fast method to determine the hardness of thin films using only standard microindentation measurements. The method is based on the consideration that at low indentation loads the predominant behaviour is that of the film. Therefore the hardness can be evaluated by extrapolating hardness measurements results at the lower loads when they are plotted as a function of the inverse of the Vickers indentation diagonal. This method was applied for the determination of the hardness of a number of films, including Al2O3, Cr, CrN, diamond like carbon, Ti, TiC, TiCN, TiN, TiNx and ZrNx, deposited onto various hard or soft substrates. It is shown that the results obtained are in good agreement with the predictions provided by other models reported in the literature.
Effect of carrier gas on mechanical properties and fracture behaviour of cold sprayed aluminium coatings
Authors: Bakshi S. R. , Laha T. , Balani K. , Agarwal A. , Karthikeyan J.
Published: January 2007

Two different coatings of 1100 aluminium were cold sprayed onto similar substrates, using He and He–20N2 (vol.-%) mixture as carrier gases. Three point bend testing was carried out. The elastic moduli of the coatings were found to be close to each other and the substrate. The He processed coating showed higher fracture strength which was attributed to the higher degree of strain hardening. The He–20N2 processed coating failed at lower stress owing to its strain relaxed structure. The mode 1 fracture of the coating substrate system was found to be higher for the helium processed coating. The toughness was correlated to the microstructure. The delaminated coating showed a higher degree of brittle failure of the interface for the He processed coating.
Influence of nitrogen flow rate on growth of TiAlN films prepared by DC magnetron sputtering
Authors: Irudayaraj A. A. , Kuppusami P. , Thirumurugesan R. , Mohandas E. , Kalainathan S. , Raghunathan V. S.
Published: January 2007

Thin films of TiAlN were deposited on (111) oriented silicon single crystal substrates from a composite Ti–Al target by DC reactive magnetron sputtering at 773 K under various N2 flow rates. Substantial influence of N2 flow rate on the rate of deposition, grain size, crystallinity, composition, hardness and resistivity was observed. While the deposition rate, grain size and the ratio of concentration of Ti to Al of the deposited TiAlN films decreased with increasing N2 flow rate, the resistivity of the films increased with increasing N2 flow rate.
Preparation and characterisation of chemically deposited mixed (Bi1−x,Sbx)2S3 thin films
Authors: Patil V. A. , Patil A. R. , Choi J.-W. , Paik D. S. , Yoon S.-J.
Published: January 2007

Bismuth antimony sulphide (Bi1−x,Sbx)2S3 thin films have been deposited on glass substrates using arrested precipitation technique. Ingredients used for the deposition include triethanolamine complex of bismuth, aqueous thioacetamide and antimony trichloride. Stoichiometric mixtures of these ingredients are used for deposition of thin uniform and adhesive films on microslides. The preparative parameters such as temperature, pH, time, concentration of the reactants and substrate rotations are optimised to obtain good quality films. The morphology of as deposited films was examined by SEM and X-ray diffraction pattern. The optoelectronic properties of bismuth antimony chalcogenide thin films are strongly influenced by chemical composition of the films. Optical study shows that the films have an optical band gap of 2·3 eV for Sb2S3 and 1·8 eV for Bi2S3. Therefore, it is proposed to determine chemical composition of as deposited thin films by energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis and atomic absorption spectroscopy methods. The results obtained by these techniques show correct stoichiometry for all composition of the films grown by arrested precipitation technique. The purpose of the present paper is to study the preparative parameters, optical, electrical properties and morphology of bismuth antimony sulphide thin films. These films have ‘n’ type conduction with high electric resistance. X-ray diffraction study shows that (Bi1−x,Sbx)2S3 is a ternary mixed chalcogenide, microcrystalline in nature. The growth mechanism, optical and structural properties of as deposited mixed metal chalcogenide thin films of (Bi1−x, Sbx)2S3 are discussed in the present paper.
Investigation of processing parameters for pulsed closed field unbalanced magnetron sputtered titanium carbide thin films
Authors: Anton J. M. , Mishra B. , Moore J. J.
Published: January 2007

Titanium carbide is a well established wear resistant coating owing to its excellent tribological properties including high hardness and elastic modulus, good wear resistance, low coefficient of friction against steel and high temperature stability. Recent advances in sputtering technology have resulted in improvements in the properties and performance of wear resistant coatings. Closed field unbalanced magnetron sputtering and pulsed magnetron sputtering have greatly improved the structure and properties of titanium carbide films by increasing ion bombardment at the substrate. However, film quality is highly dependent on the placement of the substrate relative to the sputtering targets. Titanium carbide films were deposited using a cosputtering configuration from one graphite target and one titanium target. At short substrate to target distances films exhibited an open, porous structure with low hardness and a high coefficient of friction. As the substrate to target distance was increased, along with the angle of incident particles, improvements were seen in both the microstructure and tribological properties.