bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Applying Social Marketing in Health Care: Communicating Evidence to Change Consumer Behavior
Authors: Evans W. Douglas , McCormack Lauren
Published: June 2008

Social marketing uses commercial marketing strategies to change individual and organizational behavior and policies. It has been effective on a population level across a wide range of public health and health care domains. There is limited evidence of the effectiveness of social marketing in changing health care consumer behavior through its impact on patient-provider interaction or provider behavior. Social marketers need to identify translatable strategies (e.g., competition analysis, branding, and tailored messages) that can be applied to health care provider and consumer behavior. Three case studies from social marketing illustrate potential strategies to change provider and consumer behavior. Countermarketing is a rapidly growing social marketing strategy that has been effective in tobacco control and may be effective in countering pharmaceutical marketing using specific message strategies. Informed decision making is a useful strategy when there is medical uncertainty, such as in prostate cancer screening and treatment. Pharmaceutical industry marketing practices offer valuable lessons for developing competing messages to reach providers and consumers. Social marketing is an effective population-based behavior change strategy that can be applied in individual clinical settings and as a complement to reinforce messages communicated on a population level. There is a need for more research on message strategies that work in health care and population-level effectiveness studies.
Beyond Shared Decision Making: An Expanded Typology of Medical Decisions
Authors: Whitney Simon N. , Holmes-Rovner Margaret , Brody Howard , Schneider Carl , McCullough Laurence B. , Volk Robert J. , McGuire Amy L.
Published: June 2008

The most popular current models of medical decision making, identified by names such as shared decision making, informed decision making, and evidence-based patient choice, portray an empowered patient actively involved in his or her medical choices and generally assume that patient and physician reach agreement. These models are limited to a specific type of decision (in which there is more than one choice) and a specific process (in which agreement is reached). The authors extend the model of medical decision making beyond shared decisions in 2 dimensions. First, the authors incorporate a class of medical decisions in which there is only one medically reasonable treatment option, such as the removal of a primary melanoma. Patient preferences are irrelevant to whether or not the melanoma should be removed, so there is no treatment choice in which the patient can share. When there is only one realistic treatment option, the clinician's job is not to offer alternatives but to explain why there is only one viable choice and move the decision-making process forward. The physician does not thereby abridge the patient's autonomy; rather, the disease process itself constrains both patient and physician. Second, the authors include decisions in which patient and physician do not reach agreement. Sometimes the patient insists on a particular treatment and the physician reluctantly yields, sometimes it is the other way around, but disagreement is commonplace in clinical medicine and its presence deserves inclusion in the way we think about medical decisions. Conflict resolution requires acknowledging the potential for conflict.
Predictors of Diagnostic Accuracy and Safe Management in Difficult Diagnostic Problems in Family Medicine
Authors: Kostopoulou Olga , Oudhoff Jurriaan , Nath Radhika , Delaney Brendan C. , Munro Craig W. , Harries Clare , Holder Roger
Published: June 2008

Objective. To investigate the role of information gathering and clinical experience on the diagnosis and management of difficult diagnostic problems in family medicine. Method. Seven diagnostic scenarios including 1 to 4 predetermined features of difficulty were constructed and presented on a computer to 84 physicians: 21 residents in family medicine, 21 family physicians with 1 to 3 y in practice, and 42 family physicians with ≥ 10 y in practice. Following the Active Information Search process tracing approach, participants were initially presented with a patient description and presenting complaint and were subsequently able to request further information to diagnose and manage the patient. Evidence-based scoring criteria for information gathering, diagnosis, and management were derived from the literature and a separate study of expert opinion. Results. Rates of misdiagnosis were in accordance with the number of features of difficulty. Seventy-eight percent of incorrect diagnoses were followed by inappropriate management and 92% of correct diagnoses by appropriate management. Number of critical cues requested (cues diagnostic of any relevant differential diagnoses in a scenario) was a significant predictor of accuracy in 6 scenarios: 1 additional critical cue increased the odds of obtaining the correct diagnosis by between 1.3 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.0— 1.8) and 7.5 (95% CI, 3.2— 17.7), depending on the scenario. No effect of experience was detected on either diagnostic accuracy or management. Residents requested significantly more cues than experienced family physicians did. Conclusions. Supporting the gathering of critical information has the potential to improve the diagnosis and management of difficult problems in family medicine.
Beyond Ideal Types of Municipal Structure
Authors: Carr Jered B. , Karuppusamy Shanthi
Published: June 2008

Increasingly, scholars of local governments are calling attention to a new era of municipal reform and to the convergence of the mayor-council and council-manager forms of governments. A major conclusion of this literature is that these two familiar ideal types no longer adequately describe the structure of most American cities. This article contributes to this question by examining the charters of 263 Michigan cities. We use the adapted cities framework advanced by H. George Frederickson, Gary Johnson, and Curtis Wood to examine the patterns of adaptation to Michigan's mayor-council and council-manager cities. We find that the governance structure in most Michigan cities is not accurately described by either of the ideal types. Mayor-council cities are especially likely to use charter provisions that deviate significantly from conventional depictions of the form.
Bureaucratic Adaptation and the Politics of Multiple Principals in Policy Implementation
Authors: Joaquin M. Ernita
Published: June 2008

The phenomenon of competitive sourcing (A-76) recently tested the federal agencies' ability to adapt to a fluid environment. The Bush administration policy of regularized job competitions between government employees and contractors threatened not just agency staffing levels but also the foundation of civil service. As many agencies were neither equipped for competition nor functionally suited to A-76, policy implementation for them became not just a matter of compliance but also management of uncertainties and defending their organizations. Through the lens of organization theory and bureaucratic politics, this article tries to capture the responses of two federal agencies to A-76. Taking the focus away from efficiency of privatization initiatives to the dynamics of agency response to a threatening mandate, this study finds support for previous theories of policy implementation. It likewise contributes to theory by demonstrating the mechanisms of adaptation and compliance given the different organizational attributes and multiple political interests that agencies had to balance in competitive sourcing.
Implementing Full and Partial Work Sanctions
Authors: Lens Vicki
Published: June 2008

This study examines the implementation of work sanctions in Texas, a state that switched from partial to full benefit sanctions. A qualitative research design is used consisting of 255 individual case studies obtained from administrative fair hearing data under Texas's full and partial sanction regimes. Recipients' explanations for not complying with the work rules and how workers assessed these explanations and whether sanctions were appropriate are examined. This study found that recipients' reasons for not complying with work rules were similar for both full and partial sanctions. The primary reasons for their noncompliance were family obstacles and situational challenges or lack of notice. Workers responses under both regimes were also very similar, with workers using their discretion to apply sanctions punitively. Workers focused on the paper-processing tasks of sanctioning rather than the larger goal of encouraging self-sufficiency, with workers failing to distinguish between procedural and substantive violations of the work rules.
The Civil Service Reform Act of 1978: A 30-Year Retrospective and a Look Ahead
Authors: Perry James L.
Published: June 2008

President Jimmy Carter initiated the most sweeping reforms of the U.S. federal civil service in 95 years when he signed the Civil Service Reform Act (CSRA) on October 13, 1978. This introduction reviews the substantive reforms whose implementation began with creation of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), on January 1, 1979. CSRA's provisions were wide-ranging. They included reorganization of the agencies tasked with civil service management and regulation, establishment of a Senior Executive Service, creation of performance appraisal and merit pay programs, and clarification and simplification of appeal procedures for personnel actions. The introduction concludes with summaries of the five articles that appear in the symposium and their significance in the context of CSRA and developments of the past 30 years.
The Diffusion of the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 in OECD Countries
Authors: Lah T. J. , Perry James L.
Published: June 2008

This study investigates cross-national diffusion of the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 (CSRA). Two theoretical lenses are used to analyze the diffusion of performance appraisal, merit pay, the Senior Executive Service (SES), and the separation of positive and regulatory functions. The analysis indicates that most CSRA provisions have diffused more broadly internationally than would be expected based on their technical efficiency and effectiveness in the United States. Both the extent and patterns of diffusion indicate that institutional theory better explains diffusion than does communication theory. Although communication theory is helpful for explaining the early diffusion of CSRA provisions, primarily to English-speaking countries, later diffusion appears to be the result of institutional isomorphism. Regardless of which theories account for their diffusion, provisions from CSRA have diffused widely among OECD countries. The analysis suggests that CSRA has profoundly influenced civil service systems around the world.
The Ethnic Niche as an Economic Pathway for the Dark Skinned
Authors: Morales Maria Cristina
Published: June 2008

A significant number of Latina/os are turning to employment in ethnic niches as an alternative to general labor markets. This study places special focus on how skin color segmentation or colorism influences job-market allocation. The hypothesis is that dark-skinned Latina/os are more likely to be employed in ethnically homogeneous jobsites or niches. The author tests the hypothesis using survey logistic regression on a sample of 322 Central American-(Guatemalan, Nicaraguan, and Salvadoran) and Mexican-origin workers utilizing data from the Los Angeles Study of Urban Inequality. The results show that dark-skinned Latina/o workers are more likely to be employed in ethnic niches as opposed to lighter-skinned individuals. It is concluded that skin color stratifies Latina/o workers into distinct markets that can have implications for their socioeconomic incorporation.
Outre-Mer and Métropole: French Officers' Reflections on the Use of the Tank in the 1920s
Authors: Finch M.P.M.
Published: June 2008

During the 1920s the French army benefited from a surplus of Renault FT-17 light tanks, whose capabilities had been assessed on the battlefields of 1917 and 1918. Following the First World War, these machines were used in operations during the Russo-Polish conflict in 1919—1920, and subsequently during the Druze uprising in Syria and the Rif War in Morocco in the mid-1920s. Writing in the pages of published military periodicals, enthusiastic officers could consider the future capabilities of the tank, and assess its capacities with reference to those conflicts. In Poland, the Renault FT was considered to have shown a surprising robustness. In Syria and Morocco, French officers were able to consider the utility of the tank in acting against a general rebellion, rather than against a European-style opponent. Moreover, in these theatres the tank's potential to act both in conjunction with the infantry and independently could be demonstrated. Thus French officers were drawn to the conclusion that in some circumstances the tank could be used as a true `armoured infantryman': a substitute for the regular soldier and a means to avoid casualties. Nevertheless, the exceptionality of the colonial theatre, and in particular the lack of enemy anti-tank capabilities there, meant that officers were cautious when attempting to apply these conclusions to the future European theatre. Rather, their approach was pragmatic, and in keeping with the idea of the `methodical battle' which was developed towards the end of the First World War.
Experiences from the Swedish determinants-based public health policy
Authors: Lundgren Bernt
Published: June 2008

A comprehensive Swedish public health policy was adopted by the Swedish Parliament, the Riksdag, in April 2003. It pushes health up on the political agenda and affords equity in health high priority. The first phase of implementation of the policy, 2003—5, is described in the 2005 Public Health Policy Report published by the Swedish National Institute of Public Health (SNIPH). For the purpose of investigating the implementation, SNIPH has monitored the development of 42 determinants and used reports from 22 central agencies and eight county administrative boards together with interviews with all Sweden's county councils (21) and a questionnaire sent out to all municipalities (290). The experiences from the implementation of the policy are that: the determinants approach — focusing on structural factors in society, people's living conditions and health behaviours that affect health — is in general well understood and emphasises the role of other sectors in public health; the use of indicators to follow up exposures to determinants is of key importance; the support to actors outside the health service is needed to identify their public health role; a continuous steering from the government and other political bodies is of vital importance; public health promotion on the regional level needs a higher level of co-ordination; municipalities need more skills development; Sweden has a new government that was elected in September 2006; the new government has retracted the former government's public health policy communication submitted to the Riksdag in the spring of 2006, but does not intend to change the public health policy. (Promot Educ 2008;15(2): 27-33)
Commentary: Improving the quality and effectiveness of IUHPE communications: work plan 2007—2010
Authors: Perry Martha W. , Mittelmark Maurice B.
Published: June 2008

The article presents the work plan of the IUHPE Communications portfolio during the present term of the Vice-President for communications in the IUHPE Board of Trustees (2007—10). The plan has been put together after a comprehensive review of the existing IUHPE communications areas. The result is a plan that aims to provide overarching support for the development of the organisation. In the plan, existing IUHPE communication tools are strengthened to respond better to today's communications' aims and objectives; while new tools are designed to make an impact through all communications' channels. The quality and effectiveness of these tools will contribute to shape a sustainable communications strategy and priorities. (Promot Educ 2008,15(2): 40-41)
Commentary: A strategic agenda for IUHPE's scientific and technical development
Authors: Lin Vivian
Published: June 2008

The growth in the scientific agenda for IUHPE has reflected both the growth of the membership globally as well as the rapid development of the field. Through the numerous projects, working groups and partnerships, it can be seen that IUHPE has made much progress in such areas as health promotion infrastructure and capacity mapping, and on health promotion evidence and effectiveness. Looking to the next few years, these issues will remain core to the IUHPE scientific agenda, but more attention is needed on low and middle income countries. An additional frontier for exploration is the translation of evidence into decision-making, both within and outside the health sector, and with particular attention to health equity and social determinants of health. The further development of the scientific agenda will require collaborative work across the IUHPE executive and with the staff. (Promot Educ 2008;15(2): 42-43)
Validity and Validation in the Making in the Context of Qualitative Research
Authors: Koro-Ljungberg Mirka
Published: June 2008

In this article, I focus on two ways of conceptualizing validity and validation, by using reductionist and (e)pistemological approaches, respectively. I question some common understandings of reductionist validation and describe an (e)pistemological standpoint that provides an alternative to reductionist views. In addition, I argue that validity and validation, as concepts, are tools rather than reflections of truth. Furthermore, fallibility, which is embedded in all views of validity and validation, can be compensated with pluralism, as well as acceptance, coexistence, and collaboration with the Other.
Changes in Emotion Work at Interdisciplinary Conferences Following Clinical Supervision in a Palliative Outpatient Ward
Authors: Nordentoft Helle Merete
Published: June 2008

In this article, I describe changes in emotion work at weekly interdisciplinary conferences in a palliative 1 outpatient ward following clinical supervision (CS). I conceive emotions as constantly negotiated in interaction, and I researched the similarity between how this is done during CS and at interdisciplinary conferences following CS. In this respect, CS is seen as a particular discursive practice for emotion work. The findings show how conferences following supervision become inspired by the “language game” in CS, initiating metaperspectives on the care and treatment of patients. These metaperspectives illuminate a dual aspect of care in the sense that it serves the needs not only of patients but also team members. I argue that this recognition captures one of the great challenges in palliative care, namely, to separate the carer's own needs and emotions from those of patients. I therefore conclude that CS enhances professional development and may prevent burnout in palliative care.
Factors Related to Alcohol and Drug Consumption in Swedish Widows
Authors: Grimby Agneta , Johansson Asa K
Published: June 2008

The use of alcohol and medications among Swedish widows was analyzed in relation to various background variables. In Total, 1053 widows (640 widows younger than 65 years and 413 widows older than 65 years) answered the questionnaire. Many reported increased fatigue and sleeping problems. Around one-third of the widows reported drinking alcohol for relief of grief and inadequate support. Association existed between grief and increased intake of sedatives and sleeping pills, and between grief and drinking for relief of grief, as well as increase in intake of sedatives. In widows older than 65 years, perception of bad health, negative outlook for the future, and insufficient support seemed to increase the risk of more sedatives and sleeping pills. Negative outlook for the future also tended to lead to a heightened risk for increased intake of alcohol. There seems to be remaining health problems a long time after bereavement, and counseling may be needed especially when drugs and alcohol are extensively used.
Death-Talks: Transformative Learning for Physicians
Authors: Moon Paul J.
Published: June 2008

Conversations between physicians and their patients concerning terminal conditions are undoubtedly an uneasy process. These conversations are referred in this article as death-talks. Death-talks are social engagements among meaning-making human beings, and such encounters comprise complex grief dynamics as well as opportunities for personal insight. Towards preparing for and improving upon such sensitive and crucial talks, physicians must become growingly informed of their own existential standpoints in order to exude a more authentic presence. Transformative Learning is a theory of adult learning offering a rationale for physicians to exercise critically reflexive learning towards formulating a more meaningful medical and human care for those who are dying and their grieving relations.
Provider Insights About Palliative Care Barriers and Facilitators: Results of a Rapid Ethnographic Assessment
Authors: Goepp Julius G. , Meykler Simon , Mooney Nancy E. , Lyon Claudia , Raso Rosanne , Julliard Kell
Published: June 2008

Palliative care remains underutilized in the United States. This may represent failure of translation of research into practice (diffusion of innovation). Qualitative methods can identify barriers to and facilitators of diffusion of innovation. The aim is to identify potential barriers to and facilitators of inpatient palliative care utilization at a large urban hospital, as articulated by health professionals. Rapid ethnographic assessment methods were used among health professionals with subsequent extraction of predominant themes illuminating factors influencing adoption of palliative care services. In all, 3 stakeholder categories and 7 major themes emerged. Analysis revealed consistent need for organized, cross-disciplinary education/training services and a clearly-defined team approach. Denial at all stakeholder levels and in most themes was a barrier to implementation of palliative care. Consistent, defined educational, policymaking, and procedural standards were requirements for best adoption of palliative care. Denial was a striking obstruction to diffusion of innovation.
The Attitudes of Physicians Toward the New “Dying Patient Act” Enacted in Israel
Authors: Bentur Netta
Published: June 2008

This study aims to determine what clinicians know about Israel's new “Dying Patient Act” and its recommendations, to examine their attitudes and perceptions about it, and to assess their willingness to increase their involvement in advance care planning. In-depth face-to-face interviews with 10 stakeholders and specialists in the health care system, and 4 focus groups with family physicians and geriatricians working in the hospital system and the community, were conducted. There was general agreement that most people, including those in the medical profession, have little exposure to end-of-life discussion and few write advance care planning documents. The medical establishment is aware of the issue of the dying patient but is concerned about the barriers facing it in implementing the Dying Patient Act. These barriers can be divided into three main categories: the medical system, the law itself, and the characteristics of the Israeli population. The results may help augment educational programs on related subjects and increase the use of advance care planning.
A Decision-Making Support System on a Products Recovery Management Framework. A Fuzzy Approach
Authors: Fernández Isabel , Puente Javier , García Nazario , Gómez Alberto
Published: June 2008

The considerable amount of uncertainty involved in defining the factors that affect reverse logistics (RL) decision-making and the complex interrelationships between those factors make it rather difficult to decide what recovery policy a business should pursue. This article proposes a fuzzy system that helps in such decision-making and thereby mitigates these difficulties. The knowledge related to the decision is incorporated into the system by means of conditional rules, which serve to provide the ideal recovery policy for each particular case. The model proposed is applied to the analysis of a number of examples and proves to be a versatile tool that provides coherent results. These characteristics could be of critical importance especially in the point of entry into the RL pipeline and in the centralized return centres.
A Model for Preliminary Design Procedures of Satellite Systems
Authors: Di Domizio Davide , Gaudenzi Paolo
Published: June 2008

The article describes a model for satellite systems preliminary design based on European Space Agency concurrent design approach. Space systems preliminary design aspects based on a concurrent engineering methodology are first briefly illustrated. A general description of a typical space system and its subsystems is provided and sizing criteria are provided for each subsystem. The design procedure is formalized according to Unified Modeling Language formalism. A description of the implementation of the model and some conclusive remarks are then included.
A Hybrid Model for Optimal Concurrent Design of Solid Oxide Fuel Cell System Considering Functional Performance and Production Cost
Authors: Dong Zhao  , Wei Dong  , Deyi Xue
Published: June 2008

This research addresses the issues to identify the optimal design of solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) system considering functional performance and production cost. In this research, modeling of the relations between design parameters and evaluation parameters is first discussed. Due to uncertainties of parameter relations, a hybrid model is introduced in this work to describe two types of parameter relations, mathematical relations and neural network relations, and associate these two types of relations through a parameter relation network. The optimal SOFC system design considering function performance and production cost is achieved by changing values of design parameters based on evaluation of performance and cost parameters through multi-objective optimization. A software system has been developed based on the introduced method. A case study has also been conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness of the optimal SOFC system design approach.
Acquired Factor VIII and von Willebrand Factor (aFVIII/VWF) Deficiency and Hypothyroidism in a Case With Hypopituitarism
Authors: Oliveira Miriam C. , Kramer Caroline K. , Marroni Caroline P. , Leães Carolina G.S. , Viana Luciana , Roithman Sérgio , Schmaedecke Alexandre , Pereira-Lima Júlia F.S.
Published: June 2008

This article reports a female who presented with bleeding, acquired factor VIII and von Willebrand factor (aFVIII-VWF) deficiency, and central deficiency in the thyroid and adrenal axis (Sheehan’s syndrome). After starting hormone replacement therapy, relief of bleeding manifestations was associated with correction of both FVIII and VWF to normal. This report draws attention to a rare association between the acquired form of von Willebrand disease and hypothyroidism of central origin.
Effect of aprepitant on intravenous tacrolimus disposition in reduced intensity hematopoietic stem cell transplantation
Authors: Ibrahim Rami B , Abidi Muneer H , Ayash Lois J , Cronin Simon M , Cadotte Cheryl , Mulawa Jason , Jacobson Pamela A , Smith Daryn W , Uberti Joseph P , Edwards David J
Published: June 2008

Aprepitant (AP) is a known inhibitor of cytochrome P450 3A4 which may affect tacrolimus metabolism. We retrospectively examined the effect of oral AP on intravenous tacrolimus concentrations in 26 patients undergoing reduced intensity transplantation from 09/2005 to 09/2006. Oral AP 125 mg daily was administered on transplant day +1 and 80 mg on days +2 and +3. Intravenous tacrolimus was administered as a 0.03 mg/kg/day continuous infusion on day -6 through day +1 (pre-AP), during-AP (days +2 to +7), and post-AP starting on day +8. Tacrolimus doses were adjusted to achieve concentrations of 5—20 ng/mL. Dose-corrected tacrolimus concentrations (ng/mL/mg per dose) in the pre-AP, during-AP, and post-AP time periods were: 8.12 (95% CI: 7.3—9.1), 11.63 (95% CI: 9.63—13.63), and 11.42 (95% CI: 8.12—14.7), respectively (P<0.01 between pre-AP and during-AP, P<0.01 between during-AP and post-AP, P = 0.01 between pre-AP and post-AP time periods). Although statistically significant, the observed rise was not clinically significant between during-AP and post-AP time periods. Previous work has shown that AP is not expected to exert an inhibitory effect within 48 h of AP discontinuation. Collectively, these data suggest that AP effect on tacrolimus metabolism is of minor clinical significance. A controlled trial is needed to confirm these findings. J Oncol Pharm Practice (2008) 14: 113—121.
`Meat, Mask, Burden`
Authors: Hearn Alison
Published: June 2008

This article will argue that the `reflexive project of the self' (Giddens) has become an explicit form of labour under post-Fordist capital in the form of `self-branding'. Here, work on the self is purposeful and outer-directed; self-production is heavily narrated, marked by the visual codes of the mainstream culture industry, and subject to the extraction of value. The article will explore inflections of self-branding across several different mediated forms. Contemporary marketing literature identifies the construction of a branded persona as a central strategy in the negotiation of increasingly complex corporate environments. Recently the practice and logic of personal branding has moved out of the boardroom and into the television studio. Television shows such as The Apprentice and American Idol invent a narrative of self-branding and simultaneously produce branded personae. Websites such as 2night.com extract value from partying young people; photographers take pictures at nightclubs and link them to advertisements online, blurring the distinction between product and consumer, private self and instrumental associative object. The logic and practice of self-branding is inflected differently again on social network sites such as facebook.com or myspace.com, which are inventories of various types of `selves'. These forms of self-branding, found across several different kinds of media, illustrate the erosion of any meaningful distinction between notions of the self and capitalist processes of production and consumption.
Putting Consumers to Work
Authors: Zwick Detlev , Bonsu Samuel K. , Darmody Aron
Published: June 2008

Co-creation is a new paradigm that has captured the imagination of marketing and management professionals and scholars. Drawing on Foucault's notion of government and neo-Marxist theories of labor and value, we critically interrogate the cultural, social, and economic politics of this new management technique. We suggest that co-creation represents a political form of power aimed at generating particular forms of consumer life at once free and controllable, creative and docile. We argue that the discourse of value co-creation stands for a notion of modern corporate power that is no longer aimed at disciplining consumers and shaping actions according to a given norm, but at working with and through the freedom of the consumer. In short, administering consumption in ways that allow for the continuous emergence and exploitation of creative and valuable forms of consumer labor is the true meaning of the concept of co-creation.
Housing Starts and the Political Business Cycle
Authors: Ladewig Jeffrey W.
Published: June 2008

The political business cycle (PBC) literature has, generally, been characterized by a relatively narrow set of economic variables and by unidirectional causal analysis. I challenge both of these traditional constructions. First, I expand the search by examining a surprisingly understudied component of the political economy: the housing market. As a vital component of the American macroeconomy, housing is an uncharacteristically powerful tool for politicians and political analyses alike. Second, I use vector autoregression to more accurately model the dynamic and reciprocal nature of the economic and political interrelations found in PBCs. I find significant evidence of PBCs in the U.S. housing market from 1959 to 2005.
Errorless Priming
Authors: Folino Anthony , Ducharme Joseph M. , Conn Nathalie K.
Published: June 2008

Reactive aggressive children experience social encoding and interpretation difficulties. Such deficits increase the likelihood that reactive aggressive children perceive the actions of others as provocative and respond in an aggressive manner. Errorless priming was developed as a proactive and success-focused treatment for an 8-year-old boy demonstrating severe reactive aggression (RA). Observations of the child revealed several antecedents that immediately preceded his aggression. This information enabled prediction of aggressive outbursts and development of an intervention that involved providing the child with preparatory information (i.e., priming statements) to moderate his reaction to upcoming stressors. As is characteristic of errorless approaches, a graduated hierarchy was used to systematically fade priming statements. Following treatment, the child was able to tolerate, without problem behavior, antecedent conditions that he found challenging prior to treatment. Errorless priming may have broad potential as a brief and time-efficient intervention for RA.
(No) Support for a New Principal in an Urban District
Authors: Peters April L.
Published: June 2008

A large, urban public school district has been engaged in high school reform over several years. The reform involves creating small learning communities (SLC) from large underperforming neighborhood high schools. In many cases, brand new principals have been chosen to found and lead the SLC schools into reform. The district has had some difficulty with providing support to principals in these roles. This case is designed to highlight issues of providing support and mentoring in a structured way to individuals new to the principalship. The case can be used in courses on the principalship as well as courses that prepare central office leaders.
Quantification of absolute iron content in mineral cores of cytosolic ferritin molecules in human liver
Authors: Pan Y.-H. , Brown A. , Sader K. , Brydson R. , Gass M. , Bleloch A.
Published: June 2008

The authors present aberration corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy (SuperSTEM) and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) spectrum imaging data for the iron hydroxide mineral cores of cytosolic ferritin molecules in situ within human liver sections measured at a controlled electron dose. The authors have quantified the absolute iron content in individual cores using EELS and have checked the results against similar data obtained from synthetic maghemite nanoparticles of known composition and dimensions. Using these results the authors have then determined the quantitative relationship between the STEM high angle annular dark field (HAADF) image intensity of a ferritin core normalised to the background matrix intensity and the absolute iron content of the core as determined by EELS. This procedure then allows us to perform a rapid assessment of the iron content of any core within a tissue section based on the STEM HAADF image intensity.
High resolution transmission electron microscopy and three-dimensional atom probe microscopy as complementary techniques for the high spatial resolution analysis of GaN based quantum well systems
Authors: Oliver R. A. , Galtrey M. J. , Humphreys C. J.
Published: June 2008

GaN based light emitting diodes containing InxGa1−xN quantum wells represent a successful and broadly commercialised optoelectronic technology. However, significant questions remain regarding their surprisingly bright and long lived luminescence given the high densities of threading dislocations which they contain. The threading dislocations’ limited impact is due to localisation of excitons in the quantum wells, preventing their diffusion to dislocation cores. However, the nature of the localisation sites is unclear. Transmission electron microscopy studies suggested that gross indium clustering occurs at a ∼3 nm scale. Here, the authors will review the evidence and show that such gross indium clusters are an artefact of electron beam damage, and that three-dimensional atom probe studies reveal InxGa1−xN to be a random alloy. However, fluctuations in quantum well width either at the few nanometre or the broader (50–100 nm) lateral scale, or both, may contribute to localisation and hence to improved device performance.
Applications and theoretical simulation of low-loss electron energy-loss spectra
Authors: Keast V. J. , Bosman M.
Published: June 2008

Spectrum imaging using the low-loss part of the electron energy-loss spectrum plays a role in developing the understanding of the optical response of nanostructured materials. Applications to metal nanoparticles and quantum wells are given here. However, the effects of delocalisation prevent the measurement of bandgaps in embedded quantum wells, when a standard scanning transmission electron microscope is used (i.e. one without monochromation or aberration correction). The complex nature of the low-loss spectrum means that interpreting the features in the spectra is greatly aided by ab initio calculations based on the density functional theory. Examples of full potential and pseudopotential calculations are presented here and their limitations are highlighted.
Mannose-binding lectin status is associated with risk of major infection following myeloablative sibling allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation
Authors: Mullighan Charles G. , Heatley Susan L. , Danner Silke , Dean Melinda M. , Doherty Kathleen , Hahn Uwe , Bradstock Kenneth F. , Minchinton Robyn , Schwarer Anthony P. , Szer Jeff , Bardy Peter G.
Published: June 2008

Mannose-binding lectin (MBL) is a mediator of innate immunity that influences the risk of infection in a range of clinical settings. We previously reported associations between MBL2 genotype and infection in a retrospective study of myeloablative allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HCT). However, other studies have been inconclusive, and the role of MBL in reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC) transplantation is unknown. Here we report a prospective study examining MBL2 genotype, MBL levels, and risk of major infection following HLA-matched sibling myeloablative (n = 83) and RIC (n = 59) HCT. Baseline MBL levels were higher in recipients than donors (P < .001), and recipient MBL levels increased during the peritransplantation period (P = .001), most notably in MBL2 wild-type individuals receiving myeloablative total body irradiation (mTBI). MBL2 coding mutations were associated with major infection in recipients receiving mTBI. The cumulative incidence of major infection in recipient harboring an MBL2 mutation receiving mTBI was 70.6%, compared with 31.1% of those without mutations not receiving mTBI (P = .01). MBL status was not associated with infection in RIC transplants. These results confirm the association of MBL status with risk of infection in myeloablative, TBI-conditioned transplantation. Studies examining the role of MBL replacement therapy to prevent infection in this setting should be considered.
Transcriptional repression of c-Myb and GATA-2 is involved in the biologic effects of C/EBPα in p210BCR/ABL-expressing cells
Authors: Soliera Angela Rachele , Lidonnici Maria Rosa , Ferrari-Amorotti Giovanna , Prisco Marco , Zhang Ying , Martinez Robert V. , Donato Nick J. , Calabretta Bruno
Published: June 2008

Ectopic C/EBPα expression in p210BCR/ABL-expressing hematopoietic cells induces granulocytic differentiation, inhibits proliferation, and suppresses leukemogenesis. To assess the underlying mechanisms, C/EBPα targets were identified by microarray analyses. Upon C/EBPα activation, expression of c-Myb and GATA-2 was repressed in 32D-BCR/ABL, K562, and chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) blast crisis (BC) primary cells but only c-Myb levels decreased slightly in CD34+ normal progenitors. The role of these 2 genes for the effects of C/EBPα was assessed by perturbing their expression in K562 cells. Ectopic c-Myb expression blocked the proliferation inhibition– and differentiation-inducing effects of C/EBPα, whereas c-Myb siRNA treatment enhanced C/EBPα-mediated proliferation inhibition and induced changes in gene expression indicative of monocytic differentiation. Ectopic GATA-2 expression suppressed the proliferation inhibitory effect of C/EBPα but blocked in part the effect on differentiation; GATA-2 siRNA treatment had no effects on C/EBPα induction of differentiation but inhibited proliferation of K562 cells, alone or upon C/EBPα activation. In summary, the effects of C/EBPα in p210BCR/ABL-expressing cells depend, in part, on transcriptional repression of c-Myb and GATA-2. Since perturbation of c-Myb and GATA-2 expression has nonidentical consequences for proliferation and differentiation of K562 cells, the effects of C/EBPα appear to involve dif-ferent transcription-regulated targets.
High expression of CD40 on B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia blasts is an independent risk factor associated with improved survival and enhanced capacity to up-regulate the death receptor CD95
Authors: Troeger Anja , Glouchkova Ludmila , Ackermann Birgit , Escherich Gabriele , Meisel Roland , Hanenberg Helmut , den Boer Monique L. , Pieters Rob , Janka-Schaub Gritta E. , Goebel Ulrich , Laws Hans-Juergen , Dilloo Dagmar
Published: June 2008

CD40 and CD27, members of the tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR) family, are critical regulators of lymphocyte growth and differentiation. In B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (BCP-ALL), we prospectively assessed the impact of CD40 and CD27 on outcome in 121 children treated according to the CoALL06-97 protocol. Expression of both CD40 and CD27 was found to be significantly higher in low- than in high-risk patients as defined by standard clinical risk parameters such as age and white blood cell count. In addition, in multivariable analysis, a very high percentage of CD40+ blasts at diagnosis was identified as an independent favorable prognostic factor for relapse-free survival. Of note, high CD40 expression particularly protected against late relapse. In B cells, CD40 is known to enhance both antigen-presenting capacity and sensitivity to proapoptotic signals. Yet, although CD40 ligation does result in significant up-regulation of CD80/CD86 in our cohort, it is up-regulation of the death receptor CD95 that significantly correlates with the percentage of CD40+ blasts. Thus very high expression of CD40 on BCP-ALL blasts is an independent prognostic marker indicative of superior relapse-free survival that may in part be due to CD40-dependent death receptor up-regulation.
Differential use of SCL/TAL-1 DNA-binding domain in developmental hematopoiesis
Authors: Kassouf Mira T. , Chagraoui Hedia , Vyas Paresh , Porcher Catherine
Published: June 2008

Dissecting the molecular mechanisms used by developmental regulators is essential to understand tissue specification/differentiation. SCL/TAL-1 is a basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor absolutely critical for hematopoietic stem/progenitor cell specification and lineage maturation. Using in vitro and forced expression experimental systems, we previously suggested that SCL might have DNA-binding–independent functions. Here, to assess the requirements for SCL DNA-binding activity in vivo, we examined hematopoietic development in mice carrying a germline DNA-binding mutation. Remarkably, in contrast to complete absence of hematopoiesis and early lethality in scl-null embryos, specification of hematopoietic cells occurred in homozygous mutant embryos, indicating that direct DNA binding is dispensable for this process. Lethality was forestalled to later in development, although some mice survived to adulthood. Anemia was documented throughout development and in adulthood. Cellular and molecular studies showed requirements for SCL direct DNA binding in red cell maturation and indicated that scl expression is positively autoregulated in terminally differentiating erythroid cells. Thus, different mechanisms of SCL's action predominate depending on the developmental/cellular context: indirect DNA binding activities and/or sequestration of other nuclear regulators are sufficient in specification processes, whereas direct DNA binding functions with transcriptional autoregulation are critically required in terminal maturation processes.
Increased serum levels of the chemokine CXCL13 and up-regulation of its gene expression are distinctive features of HCV-related cryoglobulinemia and correlate with active cutaneous vasculitis
Authors: Sansonno Domenico , Tucci Felicia Anna , Troiani Laura , Lauletta Gianfranco , Montrone Michele , Conteduca Vincenza , Sansonno Loredana , Dammacco Franco
Published: June 2008

Chemokine CXCL13, also known as BCA-1 (B cell–attracting chemokine-1) or BLC (B-lymphocyte chemoattractant), is a major regulator of B-cell trafficking. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection may be associated with B-cell dysfunction and lymphoproliferative disorders, including mixed cryoglobulinemia (MC). This study evaluates circulating levels of CXCL13 protein and specific mRNA expression in chronically HCV-infected patients with and without MC. Compared with healthy controls and HCV-infected patients without MC, CXCL13 serum levels were significantly higher in MC patients. The highest CXCL13 levels strongly correlated with active cutaneous vasculitis. CXCL13 gene expression in portal tracts, isolated from liver biopsy tissues with laser capture microdissection, showed enhanced levels of specific mRNA in MC patients with active cutaneous vasculitis. Specific CXCL13 gene mRNA expression was also up-regulated in skin tissue of these patients. These findings paralleled specific deposits of CXCL13 protein both in the liver and in the skin. Our results indicate that up-regulation of CXCL13 gene expression is a distinctive feature of HCV-infected patients. Higher levels of this chemokine in the liver as well as in the skin of patients with active MC vasculitis suggest a possible interrelation between these biologic compartments.
Notch1 and TGFβ1 cooperatively regulate Foxp3 expression and the maintenance of peripheral regulatory T cells
Authors: Samon Jeremy B. , Champhekar Ameya , Minter Lisa M. , Telfer Janice C. , Miele Lucio , Fauq Abdul , Das Pritam , Golde Todd E. , Osborne Barbara A.
Published: June 2008

Notch and its ligands have been implicated in the regulation and differentiation of various CD4+ T-helper cells. Regulatory T cells (Tregs), which express the transcription factor Foxp3, suppress aberrant immune responses that are typically associated with autoimmunity or excessive inflammation. Previous studies have shown that transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ1) induces Foxp3 expression and a regulatory phenotype in peripheral T cells. Here, we show that pharmacologic inhibition of Notch signaling using γ-secretase inhibitor (GSI) treatment blocks (1) TGFβ1-induced Foxp3 expression, (2) the up-regulation of Foxp3-target genes, and (3) the ability to suppress naive T-cell proliferation. In addition, the binding of Notch1, CSL, and Smad to conserved binding sites in the foxp3 promoter can be inhibited by treatment with GSI. Finally, in vivo administration of GSI results in reduced Foxp3 expression and development of symptoms consistent with autoimmune hepatitis, a disease previously found to result from dysregulation of TGFβ signaling and regulatory T cells. Together, these findings indicate that the Notch and TGFβ signaling pathways cooperatively regulate Foxp3 expression and regulatory T-cell maintenance both in vitro and in vivo.