bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Social Relationships and Dental Care Service Utilization Among Older Adults
Authors: Burr Jeffrey A. , Lee Hyo Jung
Published: November 2012

Objectives: This study described the association between dental care service utilization and two domains of social relationships (social integration and social support) among older adults. Methods: The study employed data from the 2008 Health and Retirement Study, examining regression models for whether a person visited a dentist in the past 2 years, including adjustments for demographic, socioeconomic, and health characteristics. Results: Social interaction, social participation, neighborhood cohesion, and marital status were related to an increased likelihood of having visited a dentist. Older persons exhibiting loneliness and having received financial aid from network members demonstrated a decreased likelihood of visiting a dentist. The increased likelihood of visiting a dentist when a child lives nearby only occurred after introducing health covariates. Discussion: The article discusses the implications of the study findings as they relate to social relationships and oral health and recommends some additional research directions to explore the etiology of dental care use.
Insects, instincts and boundary work in early social psychology
Authors: Rodgers Diane M.
Published: November 2012

Insects factored as ‘symbols of instinct’, necessary as a rhetorical device in the boundary work of early social psychology. They were symbolically used to draw a dividing line between humans and animals, clarifying views on instinct and consciousness. These debates were also waged to determine if social psychology was a subfield of sociology or psychology. The exchange between psychologist James Mark Baldwin and sociologist Charles Abram Ellwood exemplifies this particular aspect of boundary work. After providing a general background of the debates, I turn specifically to the writings of Baldwin and Ellwood between 1890 and 1936, tracing the use of insects as ‘symbols of instinct’.
A new design approach for the determination of the buckling load of rectangular plates
Authors: Ahmed H , Durodola JF , Beale RG
Published: November 2012

The objective of this article is to introduce and assess a new plate buckling analysis procedure which can be used for quick, approximate analysis of buckling loads in preliminary design. The method is applied to a range of plate edge support condition combinations including many where results are not readily available. The results obtained using the new procedure were compared against theoretical formulae available in the literature and by finite element analyses with good agreement.
Development of a three-dimensional road texture measurement method as a first step towards tyre road contact simulation
Authors: Grollius Stefanie , Kühbauch Benjamin , Gauterin Frank
Published: November 2012

When analysing tyre vibration excitation and the energy transmission of tyre vibration into vehicle passenger compartments, a three-dimensional road texture profile of the surface course is of special interest. Tyre analyses are performed inside an inner drum test-bench at the Institute of Vehicle System Technology. This paper describes the development of a three-dimensional road texture measurement method in the test-bench. Measured data was converted to the distance domain and interpolated to fit a regular grid, resulting in a resolution of lower than 0.1 mm in the driving direction. Power spectra, Abbott–Firestone curve and the shape factor were determined for the measured road tracks. Analysis of the measured road texture profiles of two concrete road tracks showed that the spectral density of the almost unused drum tracks without potholes has to be approximated by two linear functions, depending on the wavelength ranges. Both textures turned out to have a convex shape but differing maximum texture depth. Convex-shaped textures are usually expected to result in stronger vibration excitations. In order to demonstrate the surface courses’ capacity for tyre vibration excitation, a passenger car tyre was driven on each track. It could be shown that both textures are appropriate for the analysis of tyre vibration characteristics.
Improvement of power system frequency stability using alkaline electrolysis plants
Authors: Kiaee Mahdi , Cruden Andrew , Infield David , Chladek Petr
Published: November 2012

Hydrogen could become an important energy carrier, in particular used as an input to fuel cell electric vehicles. Alkaline electrolysers are an attractive technology to produce carbon-free hydrogen from renewable generated electricity. Large-scale alkaline electrolysers used in future hydrogen-filling stations could also be utilised to improve the frequency stability of the electricity power system. The electrolyser load can be controlled to respond to power system frequency variations, and in the case of a sudden loss of generation, these electrolysers could rapidly decrease their load on the system to maintain the power balance. In this study, the potential of alkaline electrolysers to dynamically stabilise the frequency of the power system is assessed. A model of steam turbine generation unit has been developed in MATLAB SIMULINK environment, and a scenario in which there is a sudden loss of generation in the system is examined. It is demonstrated that alkaline electrolysers could prevent unacceptable frequency drop, i.e. below the statutory limit, following by an abrupt loss of generation, even with no spinning reserve on the system. In this article for the first time, the ramping rate of an alkaline electrolyser is shown through experimental data.
Social capital, network governance and the strategic delivery of grassroots sport in England
Authors: Adams Andrew
Published: November 2012

There has been a growing debate concerning the increasing salience of sport to government in the UK and the role and value of community-level sport policy. Much of this debate has centred on the role of voluntary sport clubs (VSCs) and the extent to which they can contribute to the creation of social capital. This paper contributes to this debate through a case study of sport policy implementation in England. The case study firstly highlights the strategic importance attached to social capital and its associated policy context and secondly presents key stakeholder interpretations of the likelihood that VSCs will act as agents of delivery. The analysis is served by three considerations. Firstly, what is the political and policy context for a strategic orientation to social capital? Secondly, how does this orientation relate to stakeholder perceptions of what VSCs do? Thirdly, how do stakeholder perceptions of what VSCs do affect their perceptions of how they do it? The analysis is informed by a series of 14 semi-structured interviews with a number of key stakeholders and a range of public documents produced by government, local authorities and regional agencies. The conclusions suggest that, firstly, the democratic form of social capital is most dominant in relation to sport policy and, secondly, that when considered alongside VSC stakeholder perceptions, then anticipated democratic social capital outcomes may become distorted and even corrupted.
Out of the darkness: the impact of a mood disorder over time
Authors: Parker Gordon , Paterson Amelia , Fletcher Kathryn , Hyett Matthew , Blanch Bianca
Published: November 2012

Objective:

Being diagnosed with depression or bipolar disorder has a significant impact on an individual’s life. This paper reports data examining how patients view having had such a condition.

Method:

Patients attending the Black Dog Institute Depression Clinic were asked to complete questionnaires examining the impact of being diagnosed with a mood disorder and dealing with that condition over time.

Results:

Patient responses were analysed qualitatively (in terms of positive, negative and neutral responses) and their quantitative distribution was examined. Themes were relatively consistent across unipolar and bipolar patients. Negative themes included family and work consequences, social impairment and a loss of self-confidence. Positive themes included the development of stronger familial bonds, the provision of relief and hope, positive treatment outcomes and the explanatory benefits of receiving a diagnosis.

Conclusions:

Findings indicate quite contrasting courses reported by patients with mood disorders (irrespective of polarity), ranging from negative to very positive evaluations.
A Self-Care Retreat for Pediatric Hematology Oncology Nurses
Authors: Altounji Diane , Morgan Helene , Grover Monica , Daldumyan Sona , Secola Rita
Published: November 2012

Pediatric hematology oncology nurses face a variety of stressors while working in this specialty field. Through hematology oncology staff group discussions, nurses identified a myriad physical and emotional stressors they experienced, and expressed concern regarding possible burnout. They described facing stressors related to experiencing loss, grief, moral and ethical dilemmas, and administering complex treatment regimens. To address these concerns, a hematology oncology nursing supportive care committee envisioned and implemented 3 off-site self-care retreats. The committee’s primary purpose was to create a therapeutic and supportive environment for all participants, while allowing time for relaxation, reflection, and serenity. The primary goals for the retreats were to heal nurses from their reported past trauma and stress and to provide them effective coping strategies for the ongoing stressors they will inevitably face. In a collaborative effort, the committee members developed an agenda including presentations, group discussions, and relaxation activities. Written evaluations were completed by each participant to assess the benefit of the retreat. Overall feedback was extremely positive, with the majority of the participants finding great value in this experience.
Energy harvesting module for the improvement of the damping performance of autonomous synchronized switching on inductance
Authors: Delpero Tommaso , Di Lillo Luigi , Bergamini Andrea E , Ermanni Paolo
Published: November 2012

Shunted piezoelectric transducers can be used to dissipate vibration energy of a host structure. The synchronized switch damping on inductance is a shunting technique characterized by a nearly rectangular shape of the resulting voltage on the transducer being in antiphase with the structure’s velocity. As for these systems, previous studies have reported the strong relationship between the dissipated energy and the slope of the voltage signal occurring during the switch. This implies that any electrical losses have to be minimized in order to increase the slope of the voltage signal and, thus, the damping performance. The rate of change of the voltage represents a critical issue for autonomous shunts, where the switch can be inefficient because the power for switching the circuit is not supplied by an external source but is supplied by the vibrating structure itself. In this study, a new technique for improving the damping performance of autonomous synchronized switch damping on inductance is proposed based on controlling the switch with a square wave signal that reduces its electrical losses. An experimental validation of the proposed shunting technique is carried out in order to assess the performance in both the cases of a single-tone and multimodal responses of the structure.
Disentangling Consumer and Provider Predictors of Advance Care Planning
Authors: Baughman Kristin R. , Ludwick Ruth , Merolla David , Palmisano Barbara , Hazelett Susan , Allen Kyle R. , Sanders Margaret
Published: November 2012

Factorial surveys were used to examine community-based long-term care providers' judgments about consumers' need for advance care planning (ACP) and comfort levels in discussing ACP. Providers (448 registered nurses and social workers) judged vignettes based on hypothetical consumers. Hierarchical linear models indicated providers judged consumers who were older, had end-stage diagnoses, multiple emergency department visits, and uninvolved caregivers as most in need of ACP. These variables explained 10% of the variance in judgments. Providers' beliefs about ACP predicted judgments of need for ACP and comfort level in discussing ACP. Provider characteristics explained more variance in comfort levels (44%) than in judgments of need (20%). This study demonstrates the need for tailored educational programs to increase comfort levels and address ACP misconceptions.
Looking Back, Moving Forward
Authors: Heckscher Charles , Martin-Rios Carlos
Published: November 2012

Research universities and faculty face challenges to the very foundations of their legitimacy. Although many factors contribute to these strains, we focus on the organization and culture of universities to suggest that academicians need to rethink their age-old organizing norms to avoid outside pressures for more bureaucratic control that ostensibly seeks to improve institutional efficiency and responsiveness. We contend that these pressures, which are not beneficial for scholars, can only be avoided by opening universities to a wider range of stakeholders and by adopting more collaborative organizational practices. We offer a few reasonable suggestions for such changes.
Chaotic system synchronization with tridiagonal structure and its initial investigation in complex power systems
Authors: Gong Xuan , Liu Dichen , Wang Bo
Published: November 2012

Recently, existence of dynamical bifurcations and chaos has been shown by some researchers in simple power system networks. In this paper, a novel approach is first proposed to design stabilizing controllers for synchronization of chaotic systems with a tridiagonal structure and its initial investigation in complex power systems. During the design procedure, an original nonlinear affine system is firstly transformed into a stable system with special tridiagonal structure. Secondly, controllers are developed to synchronize the transformed chaotic system. It is the first time that chaotic synchronization and its initial application have been studied in complex power systems with tridiagonal structure. Finally, the Lü system, the Chua circuit system and the Van der Pol system are used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach by applying them to a standard power system.
Unraveling Sexual Associations in Contact and Noncontact Child Sex Offenders Using the Single Category – Implicit Association Test
Authors: Hempel I. S. , Buck N. M. L. , Goethals K. R. , van Marle H. J. C.
Published: November 2012

Previous studies found associations between children and sex in child sex offenders (CSOs) using the Implicit Association Test (IAT). We used a modification of this task, the Single Category–Implicit Association Test (SC-IAT) to unravel child-sex associations in CSOs. Using the SC-IAT, we were able to test whether CSOs indeed hold stronger child-sex associations relative to adult-sex associations, compared to adult sex offenders and nonoffenders. Furthermore, we examined whether contact CSOs differed from noncontact CSOs in their child-sex associations. The hypothesis that CSOs would have stronger child-sex associations, relative to their adult-sex associations, than adult sex offenders and nonoffenders was confirmed. No difference between contact CSOs and noncontact CSOs was found. Although the Sex SC-IAT was able to distinguish CSOs from nonoffenders, the sensitivity and specificity of the test was poor (AUC of .65) and needs refinement. The results of this study support the existence of a child-sex association as a distinctive characteristic of CSOs. These findings are discussed in the context of theories on deviant cognitions in CSOs and risk for sexual offending.
The Role of Metaperception on the Effectiveness of Referral Reward Programs
Authors: Wirtz Jochen , Orsingher Chiara , Chew Patricia , Tambyah Siok Kuan
Published: November 2012

It is generally believed that referral reward programs (RRPs) work because recommendations from friends or relatives are perceived as impartial and trustworthy in analogy to what happens with word-of-mouth recommendations. To understand how an incentivized recommendation affects recommendation behavior, we conducted qualitative interviews and two experiments. We show that recommendation behavior is driven by the givers perception (i.e., their metaperception) of how they will be viewed by the receivers. Metaperception, in turn, is affected negatively by the presence of an incentive, and positively affected by the tie strength between the giver and the receiver. Our findings show that RRPs can have a positive, neutral, and negative effect on recommendation behavior depending on the relative strengths of the negative indirect effect of incentive on recommendation behavior via metaperception, and the positive effect of the perceived attractiveness of the incentive on recommendation behavior.
EPAC – a new dataset on ethnonationalism in party competition in 22 European democracies
Authors: Szöcsik Edina , Zuber Christina Isabel
Published: November 2012

Datasets in the field of ethnic politics still tend to treat ethnonational groups as unitary actors and do not differentiate between the positions of the organizations representing these groups. Datasets in the field of party politics differentiate between the positions of political parties, yet fail convincingly to conceptualize an ethnonational dimension of competition. This Research Note presents EPAC, a new dataset on Ethnonationalism in Party Competition that seeks to fill this gap. Based on an expert survey, EPAC provides cross-sectional data on the ethnonational positions of 210 political parties in 22 multinational European democracies. The conceptualization of an ethnonational dimension of competition underlying the dataset is introduced and a series of validity and reliability tests performed. Test results show that EPAC provides valid and reliable measures of party positions on an ethnonational dimension that can serve as an empirical base for study of the causes and effects of the mobilization of ethnicity in party competition.
The structural relationship between politicians’ web visibility and political finance networks: A case study of South Korea’s National Assembly members
Authors: Lim Yon Soo , Park Han Woo
Published: November 2012

This study examines whether the network characteristics represented on the Internet drive or reflect other events and occurrences in the offline environment. More specifically, the purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between the web visibility network of Korea’s National Assembly members and the amount of financial donations they receive from the public. The results of the linear correlation analysis indicate a positive direction, suggesting that politicians who occupy a central position in the web visibility network are more likely to receive financial donations than those occupying a peripheral position. The quadratic assignment procedure (QAP) correlation results revealed a significant correlation between politicians’ web visibility network and their political finance network. This study identifies the structural relationship between Korean politicians’ online and offline networks.
Interpreting the nature of business to business exchanges through the use of Fiske’s Relational Models Theory
Authors: Blois Keith , Ryan Annmarie
Published: November 2012

Organizational strategies determine with which other businesses a firm will interact. However, organizational strategies are in part implemented through the interactions of the two businesses’ boundary-spanning personnel. This paper uses Fiske’s Relational Models Theory (Fiske, 1992, 2004) to develop an analysis of the interplay between the macro- and micro-level dimensions of business-to-business interactions. The analysis provides insights into the nature of an exchange that evolves through the macro- and micro-interactions which occur in organizational exchanges as they change over time.
Exhibitions and the role of fashion in the sustenance of the Kylie Brand mythology
Authors: Hewer Paul , Hamilton Kathy
Published: November 2012

Central to the logic of the aesthetic economy (Entwistle, 2002) is celebrity culture, the two go hand in hand and the boundaries between them are increasingly blurred in the spirit and name of commerce, capitalism and marketing. Celebrity demands a stage, or better, an exhibition space, a frame for further performance and sustainment of appeal, a space to induce inspiration among followers and fans alike. Celebrity by this reckoning is less about advertising and the transfer of meaning through such overly narrow and confined media processes (McCracken, 1989); rather celebrity affect, as we seek to demonstrate in this paper, works through specific stagings, one such being the celebrity fashion exhibition, where the appeal of celebrity is broadened and staged anew to cultivate new forms of attraction, intimacy and public participation.
Character analysis and racism in marketing theory and practice
Authors: Tadajewski Mark
Published: November 2012

This paper discusses how early marketing scholars and practitioners drew upon the insights offered by physiognomy and phrenology. These ancient ways of understanding ‘character’ and personality types were used as tools to encourage practitioners to be more analytic and systematic in their dealings with customers. And these variants of psychological thought, it is argued, provided interesting but racially charged ways of thinking about and reflecting on consumer behaviour. While this literature is not unproblematic, given the racism that can be discerned in the output of certain scholars, those working in the intellectual domain that was known as ‘character analysis’ were quick to enunciate their racial pluralism. Racism, it is suggested, remains an issue that marketing scholars and practitioners still need to confront and critique.
‘It’s not just a pap-smear’: Women speak of their experiences of hospital treatment after miscarriage
Authors: McLean Alexis , Flynn Catherine
Published: November 2012

This exploratory study sought to investigate how a small sample of self-selected women attending hospital for a miscarriage in the first 20 weeks of pregnancy experienced the treatment they received. Six women who had a miscarriage between June 2006 and December 2007, and sought treatment at six Melbourne metropolitan hospitals, participated in semi-structured interviews during August–September 2008. Thematic analysis revealed that participants perceived hospital responses to miscarriage to be inadequate. Findings suggested that there was no consistent response, there was little compassion or acknowledgement of the miscarriage and that information provision was largely absent; social workers were rarely involved. Participants indicated that they wanted a more consistent and specialized hospital response, with timely access to diagnostic testing equipment as necessary, the offer of social work, information provision and staff to be compassionate in their care and to acknowledge their pregnancy loss.
A practitioner in the academy: An interview with Bob Dick
Authors: Zhao Juanjuan , Wight Alan , Dick Bob
Published: November 2012

This interview provides insight into the career and mindset of action researcher Bob Dick. Over the years, Bob has worked as a consultant, facilitator, and independent scholar in Australia. We believe that the mindset Bob uses to guide his practice and research has great value for practitioners and academics alike. This interview is one in a series that introduces influential thinkers in the field of AR. It is our hope that this conversation will benefit the theory and practice of current action researchers.
Understanding Preferences in Experience-Based Choice
Authors: McAndrew Claire , Gore Julie
Published: November 2012

The objective of this article is to improve our understanding of preferences in experienced-based choice. Positioned within the framework of naturalistic decision making, this article responds to the recent call to complement the examination of experience-based choice with studies of cognition in the “wild.” We document an exploratory field study that uses applied cognitive task analysis (ACTA) to examine financial day traders’ preferences. Providing real-world examples, our study illustrates how day traders construct their understanding of gains relative to losses and emphasizes the relevance of prospect theory for understanding the asymmetry of human choice. The fourfold pattern of preferences as studied in the wild is risk seeking for medium- and high-probability gains, risk averse for small-probability gains, risk averse for small-probability losses, and risk averse for medium- and high-probability losses. Our results differ from the fourfold pattern of preferences exhibited by experience-based choice when studied in the laboratory. The implications of this work for prospect theory and the distinction between “experience through learning” and “experience through professional training” are discussed alongside the merits of the ACTA technique for professional expert domain-based knowledge elicitation.
Development of a wireless sensor network for use as an automated system for monitoring swimming starts
Authors: Le Sage Tanya , Conway Paul , Slawson Sian , West Andrew
Published: November 2012

A wireless sensor network has been developed and used to monitor the important performance parameters pertaining to a swimmer’s start. The variables identified as important include time to back foot leaving the block, time to hip entry into the water, time to first kick, time to first stroke, number and rate of the underwater kick and stroke count and rate. These parameters were specified by the users (coaches, biomechanists and swimmers) of the system. The measurements were validated against the vision analysis system currently used during in-water training with the national swimming team. From the results, it can be suggested that the wireless sensor network can be used as an automated system for monitoring performance parameters considered of importance to the user during the swimming start.
The Media’s Role in Fighting Corruption
Authors: Camaj Lindita
Published: November 2012

This study measures the relationship between media freedom and corruption, accounting for elements of vertical accountability (electoral competitiveness, civil society, and voter turnout) and horizontal accountability (judicial independence and political system). Results suggest a strong association between media freedom and corruption that runs from high levels of media freedom to low levels of corruption. This study also implies that media freedom might have a stronger indirect effect on corruption when coupled with powerful institutions of horizontal accountability. The data suggest that the association between media freedom and corruption is strongest in countries with parliamentary systems than in those with presidential systems, and that this impact amplifies as the judiciary independence increases.
A conceptual framework for the study of popularity in the workplace
Authors: Scott Brent A.
Published: November 2012

Although popularity is a salient social phenomenon influencing individuals during their school-age years, little research has considered popularity as a factor affecting employee attitudes and behaviors in organizational settings. To address this void, and to stimulate and guide research on employee popularity, I develop a model of popularity relevant to the workplace. I discuss the concept of popularity and differentiate it from other organizational concepts. Drawing from theories of self-categorization and social capital, I propose workplace antecedents and outcomes of popularity, along with boundary conditions of the proposed relationships. Finally, I discuss theoretical and empirical implications of examining popularity in the workplace. In doing so, I demonstrate how the consideration of popularity can extend theory and research on behavior in organizations.
Social Mood, Stock Market Performance, and U.S. Presidential Elections
Authors: Prechter Robert R. , Goel Deepak , Parker Wayne D. , Lampert Matthew
Published: November 2012

We analyze all U.S. presidential election bids. We find a positive, significant relationship between the incumbent’s vote margin and the prior net percentage change in the stock market. This relationship does not extend to the incumbent’s party when the incumbent does not run for reelection. We find no significant relationships between the incumbent’s vote margin and inflation or unemployment. Gross domestic product (GDP) is a significant predictor of the incumbent’s popular vote margin in simple regression but is rendered insignificant when combined with the stock market in multiple regression. Hypotheses of economic voting fail to account for the findings. The results are consistent with socionomic voting theory, which includes the hypotheses that (a) social mood as reflected by the stock market is a more powerful regulator of reelection outcomes than economic variables such as GDP, inflation, and unemployment; and (b) voters unconsciously credit or blame the leader for their mood.
A Cross-Cultural Comparative Study of Undergraduate Health Care Professional Students’ Knowledge, Definitions, Education, and Training Experience of Domestic Violence in Northern Ireland and Jordan
Authors: Al-Ali Nahla Mansour , Lazenbatt Anne
Published: November 2012

The purpose of this study was to examine the cross-cultural differences in the knowledge, definitions, and current training and educational experiences of domestic violence (DV) among third-year undergraduate nursing, dental, and medical students from two distinct universities in Northern Ireland and Jordan. A convenience sample of 774 undergraduate students was recruited. Analysis was based on gender, culture, and educational speciality, as seen through the integrated lens of a social ecological and feminist theory model. The results showed that a substantial percentage of all participants had never received any education or training on DV in their undergraduate programs. The majority of participants had good knowledge about DV, and half of the participants believed that DV is “common” in their respective countries. Significant gender and cultural differences in the definition of DV were also revealed, with Northern Irish students and female students in both cultures more likely to regard a range of behaviors as a form of DV. The research findings suggest several potential directions for change, emphasizing the importance of establishing a systematic evidence-based multidisciplinary and interagency approach to teaching and learning for student health care professionals on the topic of DV in their undergraduate programs.
A Cultural Models Approach to Osteoporosis Prevention and Treatment
Authors: Otmar Renée , Reventlow Susanne D. , Morrow Martha , Nicholson Geoffrey C. , Kotowicz Mark A. , Pasco Julie A.
Published: November 2012

This article identifies cultural models of osteoporosis, as shared by community-dwelling older women in southeastern Australia, and compares these with cultural knowledge conveyed through social marketing. Cultural models are mental constructs about specific domains in everyday life, such as health and illness, which are shared within a community. We applied domain analyses to data obtained from in-depth interviews and stakeholder-identified print materials. The response domains identified from our case studies made up the shared cultural model “Osteoporosis has low salience,” particularly when ranked against other threats to health. The cultural knowledge reflected in the print materials supported a cultural model of low salience. Cultural cues embedded in social marketing messages on osteoporosis may be internalized and motivating in unintended ways. Identifying and understanding cultural models of osteoporosis within a community may provide valuable insights to inform the development of targeted health messages.
Communication Stereotypes and Perceptions of Managers
Authors: Carlson Jessica H. , Crawford Mary
Published: November 2012

Previous research has documented that gender and racial stereotypes affect beliefs about communication style. This study sought to investigate whether these stereotypes would be replicated in a sample of White working adults and whether participants thought that a social skills training program that is usually targeted at women would have an impact on managerial targets’ speech. Results indicated that racial stereotypes were more salient than gender stereotypes, with participants viewing White managers’ speech as more socially appropriate and less emotional, but also as more dominant and articulate than Black managers’ speech. Participants also perceived female managers’ speech as more emotional than male managers’. After training, participants thought that men’s and White managers’ speech would become more emotional, despite the fact that this training has been targeted specifically at female managers. Overall, our findings highlight the importance of examining race and gender in evaluating managerial communication.
Locating Ancestry in Notions of Britishness/Germanness
Authors: Pöllmann Andreas
Published: November 2012

This article focuses on ancestry as a controversial marker of Britishness/Germanness. Considering developments in nationality law and large-scale survey data for England and Germany, it illustrates that macrocontextual distinctions into civic and ethnic nations tend to overestimate cross-national differences, while underestimating important within-country variations according to people’s educational background. The fact that—in both countries—higher levels of formal education are strongly associated with more ethnically inclusive notions of legitimate national membership underlines the formative potential of formal education in contemporary multicultural societies.
Sesamin stimulates osteoblast differentiation through p38 and ERK1/2 MAPK signaling pathways
Authors: Wanachewin Orawan , Boonmaleerat Kanchanit , Pothacharoen Peraphan , Reutrakul Vichai , Kongtawelert Prachya
Published: November 2012

Background

Osteoporosis is a worldwide health problem predominantly affecting post-menopausal women. Therapies aimed at increasing bone mass in osteoporetic patients lag behind comparable investigation of therapeutic strategies focusing on the bone resorption process. Sesamin, a major lignan compound found in Sesamun indicum Linn., has a variety of pharmacological effects, though its activity on bone cell function is unclear. Herein we examine the effect of this lignan on osteoblast differentiation and function.

Method

Cell cytotoxicity and proliferative in hFOB1.19 were examined by MTT and alamar blue assay up to 96 h of treatment. Gene expression of COL1, ALP, BMP-2, Runx2, OC, RANKL and OPG were detected after 24 h of sesamin treatment. ALP activity was measured at day 7, 14 and 21 of cultured. For mineralized assay, ADSCs were cultured in the presence of osteogenic media supplement with or without sesamin for 21 days and then stained with Alizarin Red S. MAPK signaling pathway activation was observed by using western blotting.

Results

Sesamin promoted the gene expression of COL1, ALP, OCN, BMP-2 and Runx2 in hFOB1.19. On the other hand, sesamin was able to up-regulate OPG and down-regulate RANKL gene expression. ALP activity also significantly increased after sesamin treatment. Interestingly, sesamin induced formation of mineralized nodules in adipose derived stem cells (ADSCs) as observed by Alizarin Red S staining; this implies that sesamin has anabolic effects both on progenitor and committed cell stages of osteoblasts. Western blotting data showed that sesamin activated phosphorylation of p38 and ERK1/2 in hFOB1.19.

Conclusions

The data suggest that sesamin has the ability to trigger osteoblast differentiation by activation of the p38 and ERK MAPK signaling pathway and possibly indirectly regulate osteoclast development via the expression of OPG and RANKL in osteoblasts. Therefore, sesamin may be a promising phytochemical that could be developed for supplementation of osteoporotic therapy.
Modulation of endogenous pathways enhances bioethanol yield and productivity in Escherichia coli
Authors: Munjal Neha , Mattam AnuJose , Pramanik Dibyajyoti , Srivastava PremShankar , Yazdani Syed Shams
Published: November 2012

Background

E. coli is a robust host for various genetic manipulations and has been used commonly for bioconversion of hexose and pentose sugars into valuable products. One of the products that E. coli make under fermentative condition is ethanol. However, availability of limited reducing equivalence and generation of competing co-products undermine ethanol yield and productivity. Here, we have constructed an E. coli strain to produce high yield of ethanol from hexose and pentose sugars by modulating the expression of pyruvate dehydrogenase and acetate kinase and by deleting pathways for competing co-products.

Results

The availability of reducing equivalence in E. coli was increased by inducing the expression of the pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) operon under anaerobic condition after replacement of its promoter with the promoters of ldhA, frdA, pflB, adhE and gapA. The SSY05 strain, where PDH operon was expressed under gapA promoter, demonstrated highest PDH activity and maximum improvement in ethanol yield. Deletion of genes responsible for competing products, such as lactate (ldhA), succinate (frdA), acetate (ack) and formate (pflB), led to significant reduction in growth rate under anaerobic condition. Modulation of acetate kinase expression in SSY09 strain regained cell growth rate and ethanol was produced at the maximum rate of 12 mmol/l/h from glucose. The resultant SSY09(pZSack) strain efficiently fermented xylose under microaerobic condition and produced 25 g/l ethanol at the maximum rate of 6.84 mmol/l/h with 97% of the theoretical yield. More importantly, fermentation of mixture of glucose and xylose was achieved by SSY09(pZSack) strain under microaerobic condition and ethanol was produced at the maximum rate of 0.7 g/l/h (15 mmol/l/h), respectively, with greater than 85% of theoretical yield.

Conclusions

The E. coli strain SSY09(pZSack) constructed via endogenous pathway engineering fermented glucose and xylose to ethanol with high yield and productivity. This strain lacking any foreign gene for ethanol fermentation is likely to be genetically more stable and therefore should be tested further for the fermentation of lignocellulosic hydrolysate at higher scale.
Left ventricular twist is load-dependent as shown in a large animal model with controlled cardiac load
Authors: A’roch Roman , Gustafsson Ulf , Poelaert Jan , Johansson Göran , Haney Michael
Published: November 2012

Background

Left ventricular rotation and twist can be assessed noninvasively by speckle tracking echocardiography. We sought to characterize the effects of acute load change and change in inotropic state on rotation parameters as a measure of left ventricular (LV) contractility.

Methods

Seven anesthetised juvenile pigs were studied, using direct measurement of left ventricular pressure and volume and simultaneous transthoracic echocardiography. Transient inflation of an inferior vena cava balloon (IVCB) catheter produced controlled load reduction. First and last beats in the sequence of eight were analysed with speckle tracking (STE) during the load alteration and analysed for change in rotation/twist during controlled load alteration at same contractile status. Two pharmacological inotropic interventions were also included to examine the same hypothesis in additionally conditions of increased and decreased myocardial contractility in each animal. Paired comparisons were made for different load states using the Wilcoxon’s Signed Rank test.

Results

The inferior vena cava balloon occlusion (IVCBO) load change compared for first to last beat resulted in LV twist increase (11.67° ±2.65° vs. 16.17° ±3.56° respectively, p < 0.004) during the load alteration and under adrenaline stimulation LV twist increase 12.56° ±5.1° vs. 16.57° ±4.6° (p < 0.013), and though increased, didn’t reach significance in negative inotropic condition. Untwisting rate increased significantly at baseline from −41.7°/s ±41.6°/s vs.−122.6°/s ±55.8°/s (P < 0.039) and under adrenaline stimulation untwisting rate increased (−55.3°/s ±3.8°/s vs.−111.4°/s ±24.0°/s (p < 0.05), but did not systematically changed in negative inotropic condition.

Conclusions

Peak systolic LV twist and peak early diastolic untwisting rate are load dependent. Differences in LV load should be included in the interpretation when serial measures of twist are compared.
Clinicodemographic aspect of resectable pancreatic cancer and prognostic factors for resectable cancer
Authors: Chiang Kun-Chun , Yeh Chun-Nan , Ueng Shir-Hwa , Hsu Jun-Te , Yeh Ta-Sen , Jan Yi-Yin , Hwang Tsann-Long , Chen Miin-Fu
Published: November 2012

Background

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PCA) is one of the most lethal human malignancies, and radical surgery remains the cornerstone of treatment. After resection, the overall 5-year survival rate is only 10% to 29%. At the time of presentation, however, about 40% of patients generally have distant metastases and another 40% are usually diagnosed with locally advanced cancers. The remaining 20% of patients are indicated for surgery on the basis of the results of preoperative imaging studies; however, about half of these patients are found to be unsuitable for resection during surgical exploration. In the current study, we aimed to determine the clinicopathological characteristics that predict the resectability of PCA and to conduct a prognostic analysis of PCA after resection to identify favorable survival factors.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed the medical files of 688 patients (422 men and 266 women) who had undergone surgery for histopathologically proven PCA in the Department of Surgery at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in Taiwan from 1981 to 2006. We compared the clinical characteristics of patients who underwent resection and patients who did not undergo resection in order to identify the predictive factors for successful resectability of PCA, and we conducted prognostic analysis for PCA after resection.

Results

A carbohydrate antigen 19–9 (CA 19–9) level of 37 U/ml or greater and a tumor size of 3 cm or more independently predicted resectability of PCA. In terms of survival after resection, PCA patients with better nutritional status (measured as having an albumin level greater than 3.5 g/dl), radical resection, early tumor stage and better-differentiated tumors were associated with favorable survival.

Conclusions

Besides traditional imaging studies, preoperative CA 19–9 levels and tumor size can also be used to determine the resectability of PCA. Better nutritional status, curative resection, early tumor stage and well-differentiated tumors predict the favorable prognosis of PCA patients after resection.
Delayed apoptosis by neutrophils from COPD patients is associated with altered bak, bcl-xl, and mcl-1 mRNA expression
Authors: Zhang Jisong , He Jian , Xia Jingwen , Chen Zhen , Chen Xiaodong
Published: November 2012

Background

Delayed neutrophil apoptosis may be an important factor in the persistent inflammation associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Bcl-2 family proteins are important regulators of neutrophil apoptosis. We determined the mRNA levels of pro-apoptotic Bak and anti-aptototic Bcl-xl and Mcl-1 members of the Bcl-2 family in unstimulated peripheral blood neutrophils from patients with mild to moderate COPD and compared these to neutrophils from healthy controls.

Methods

Neutrophils were isolated from peripheral blood samples of 47 COPD patients (smokers: N = 24) and 47 healthy controls (smokers: N = 24). Percentages of apoptotic cells were determined at 4, 24, and 36 h for unstimulated neutrophils culturedin vitro. Neutrophil mRNA expression of Bak, Bcl-xl, and Mcl-1 was determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). FEV1 (% predicted) and FVC were determined by spirometry and correlations between mRNA levels and lung function parameters were determined.

Results

The percentages of apoptotic cells among unstimulated neutrophils from COPD patients were significantly lower compared to cells from controls after 4, 24, and 36 h in culture; smoking history had only a minimal effect on these differences. Unstimulated neutrophils from COPD patients had significantly lower Bak mRNA expression and higher expressions of Bcl-xl and Mcl-1 mRNA than cells from healthy controls. Again, smoking history had only a minimal effect on these trends. Bak mRNA expression was significantly positively correlated with both % predicted FEV1 and the FEV1/FVC ratio, while Bcl-xl and Mcl-1 mRNA expressions were significantly negatively correlated with %predicted FEV1 and the FEV1/FVC ratio.

Conclusions

The genes for pro-apoptotic Bak, and anti-apoptotic Bcl-xl and Mcl-1 may be important in regulating the delayed neutrophil apoptosis observed in COPD, which may contribute to COPD pathogenesis.

Virtual Slides

The virtual slide(s) for this article can be found here: http://www.diagnosticpathology.diagnomx.eu/vs/1605269445677066
Urea for treatment of acute SIADH in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage: a single-center experience
Authors: Pierrakos Charalampos , Taccone Fabio Silvio , Decaux Guy , Vincent Jean-Louis , Brimioulle Serge
Published: November 2012

Background

Hyponatremia occurring as a result of the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH) or cerebral salt wasting syndrome is a common complication in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). The efficacy and safety of urea as treatment for SIADH-induced hyponatremia has not been reported in this population.

Methods

This is a retrospective analysis of all patients admitted to our department for nontraumatic SAH between January 2003 and December 2008 (n = 368). All patients with SIADH-induced hyponatremia (plasma sodium < 135 mEq/L, urine sodium > 20 mEq/L, and osmolality > 200 mOsm/kg; absence of overt dehydration or hypovolemia; no peripheral edema or renal failure; no history of adrenal or thyroid disease) routinely received urea per os when hyponatremia was associated with clinical deterioration or remained less than 130 mEq/L despite saline solution administration.

Results

Forty-two patients developed SIADH and were treated with urea. Urea was started after a median of 7 (IQR, 5–10) days and given orally at doses of 15–30 g tid or qid for a median of 5 (IQR, 3–7) days. The median plasma sodium increase over the first day of treatment was 3 (IQR, 1–6) mEq/L. Hyponatremia was corrected in all patients, with median times to Na+ >130 and >135 mEq/L of 1 (IQR, 1–2) and 3 (IQR, 2–4) days, respectively. Urea was well tolerated, and no adverse effects were reported.

Conclusions

Oral urea is an effective and well-tolerated treatment for SIADH-induced hyponatremia in SAH patients.