bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dynamics of the Mindlin plate and its modal vibration control
Authors: Ni B , Hu C
Published: December 2011

Based on Mindlin’s theory of elastic thick plates and Hamiltonian formulism to structural vibration of cantilever plates, the solution of the problem is given. Using Lagrangian density function and Hamiltonian function, the flexural wave equation of plates is derived, and the relation of the transverse eigenvalue and longitudinal eigenvalue is given. Different from traditional engineering analysis, dispersion equations of the propagation mode of the Mindlin plate are deduced from the eigenfunction expansion method. By satisfying the boundary conditions of plates, the wavenumber of vibration modes in the plate structure can be obtained. The independent modal space control is applied to study the active vibration control of cantilever plates. Feedback gain is adjusted to change the eigenstructure of the original vibration system in order to improve the modal damping and stiffness of the system. The applicability of plates based on two theories (Mindlin’s theory and classical thin plate theory) is studied. Finally, the results are analyzed and discussed by numerical simulations.
Applying the Technology Acceptance Model to Assess Outcomes in a Globally Linked Strategic Communication Project
Authors: Kelleher Tom , O'Malley Michelle
Published: December 2011

Public relations students at two U.S. universities separated by several time zones were assigned to use online message boards to communicate with each other as well as cultural consultants in Korea to write an issue statement and promotional plan for an international strategic communications project. The technology acceptance model was found to fit well with student attitudes and behaviors related to online bulletin board systems used in the class project. Student perceptions of the ease of using online technology were the strongest predictors of their intentions to use this technology in their careers beyond the classroom.
Capstone Courses in Mass Communication Programs
Authors: Rosenberry Jack , Vicker Lauren A.
Published: December 2011

Many colleges and universities emphasize helping students make the transition into higher education. But transition to post-graduation life through approaches such as capstone courses has not received much attention. A survey of mass communication programs indicated that capstones are commonly used for both integration of prior learning and for transition to what students may face after graduation, and that mass communication programs appear to be meeting the challenge of blending these somewhat incongruous approaches. Mass communication capstones employ a wide variety of methods and content, but teachers and administrators appear satisfied with how the courses serve their programs. The survey's results are interpreted with suggestions for achieving more consistency in mass media capstones.
How Post-secondary Journalism Educators Teach Advanced CAR Data Analysis Skills in the Digital Age
Authors: Yarnall Louise , Johnson J.T. , Rinne Luke , Ranney Michael Andrew
Published: December 2011

Survey responses from 232 journalism educators in 33 nations were analyzed for descriptions of how they have taught a subset of the most pedagogically challenging computer-assisted reporting (CAR) skills-advanced data analysis. Respondents' programs were sorted into three instructional groupings: (1) Comprehensive programs offering coherent curricula for learning three basic and six advanced analytic reporting competencies, (2) mixed adoption programs that make data analytic learning optional and student directed, and (3) lagging programs that provide weak learning opportunities. We also statistically address U.S. versus non-U.S. contrasts, and features of U.S. programs offering analytic training also are statistically addressed. Barriers to expanding such training are discussed.
The New Global J-School: Issues Arising from the Internationalization and Monetization of Journalism Education
Authors: Knight Megan , Hawtin Caroline
Published: December 2011

The researchers examined the curriculum, assessment, and teaching practices of fourteen institutions running linked programs between the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand on the one hand, and Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Singapore, and China on the other. Researchers examined the extent to which staff members were free to teach what they would in the Anglo-Saxon universities, adhered to or adapted the curriculum for local constraints, and felt they were being permitted to maintain the ideological stance that is inherent in the teaching and practice of journalism in that world.
Public Journalism and Commercial Local Television News: In Search of a Model
Authors: Kurpius David D.
Published: December 2011

This research examines how commercial local television news operations alter organizational routines by changing coverage expectations. It is a case study of eight top television news organizations in small, medium, and large television markets. This research provides a better understanding of how news managers can change work routines without upsetting the journalistic normative structure. It looks at how television stations can operate within a profit-driven system to achieve goals of value to the civic community.
How Interest Groups Attempt to Shape Public Opinion with Competing News Frames
Authors: Andsager Julie L.
Published: December 2011

In competing to shape policy, interest groups develop rhetoric to garner media coverage and favorable public opinion, influencing how journalists frame issues because interest groups' positions can become pervasive. This study examined how pro-choice and pro-life groups attempted to frame the late-term abortion debate in 1995–1996. Interest groups' frames were derived from their press releases and direct quotations in news stories. Pro-life rhetoric was more frequent in six major newspapers' coverage and was more closely associated with the issue than prochoice rhetoric. Findings add to framing knowledge by illustrating how the sources selected and their own words can influence news.
Disengaged and Uninformed: 2000 Presidential Election Coverage in Consumer Magazines Popular with Young Adults
Authors: Reichert Tom , Mueller James E. , Nitz Michael
Published: December 2011

This study examines content and tone of political information in five leading general interest and lifestyle magazines from December 1999 through November 2000. The analysis revealed a low level of political information in the selected magazines. With the exception of Rolling Stone and Glamour, the nature of coverage was strategy oriented and superficial, while the tone was mostly cynical in men's magazines, yet favorable toward Gore. The results provide a glimpse of the political information available for typical young adults and insight into the apathetic attitudes of young adults toward the American political system.
Revisiting the Clinton/Lewinsky Scandal: The Convergence of Agenda Setting and Framing
Authors: Yioutas Julie , Segvic Ivana
Published: December 2011

This study examines Clinton/Lewinsky scandal coverage from an agenda-setting perspective—while polls show morality is important to the public, why wasn't Clinton and Lewinsky's relationship? We argue that it was a case of compelling arguments, where the media's choice of attributes negatively affected the public's salience of the story. The “sex scandal/adultery?” attribute was used most often, was of low relevance, and we speculate that because of its high use in the beginning, persisted in people's minds, influencing the way they viewed continuing coverage of the scandal. Finally, ramifications of Clinton/Lewinsky coverage on the 2000 presidential election are discussed.
Mapping an Economic “Globalization” News Paradigm: A Multi-National Comparative Analysis
Authors: Kim Sung Tae
Published: December 2011

Although “globalization” has been widely addressed in the tradition of international communication, media reporting of it has not gained much attention in the globalization debate. This study is designed to collect some empirical evidence on the meaning construction of the 1997 Asian economic crisis and the International Monetary Fund bailouts within the context of the newly emerged “globalization” news paradigm. The examination of major themes, described causes and solutions to the crisis, and story context of five countries' news reports helps to detect the existence of a pro-neoliberal news frame.
Voter Learning in the 2004 Presidential Election: Did the Media Matter?
Authors: Drew Dan , Weaver David
Published: December 2011

This study examines the relationships of exposure and attention to various news media, including the Internet, with information learned about the issue positions of candidates George Bush and John Kerry, interest in the 2004 election campaign, and intention to vote among a random sample of adult residents of Indiana who were interviewed by telephone in October 2004. The results are compared with our previous studies of the 1988, 1992, 1996, and 2000 U.S. presidential elections. In general, our studies suggest that attention to television news, televised debates, and now Internet news are important predictors, or at least correlates, of voter learning of candidate issue positions and voter interest in the election campaigns. These findings contradict the hypothesis that increased news media use leads to increased voter apathy and alienation from the political process.
Blogswarms and Press Norms: News Coverage of the Downing Street Memo Controversy
Authors: Schiffer Adam J.
Published: December 2011

Among well-documented factors that shape political news coverage are reliance on official sources, indexing of coverage to the range of opinion among officials, and privileging of “episodes” over “themes.” The Downing Street Memo controversy of 2005 embodies a clash among those media agenda-setting factors and the intense desire of Internet activists to bring coverage to an issue that most political and media elites initially ignored. This case study analyzes the brief burst of mainstream coverage of the controversy. While straight news and television coverage was pegged mostly to official words and action, activists apparently had an easier time penetrating the op-ed pages of major newspapers.
Food and Beverage Advertising to Children on US. Television: Did National Food Advertisers Respond?
Authors: Warren Ron , Wicks Jan LeBlanc , Wicks Robert H. , Fosu Ignatius , Chung Donghung
Published: December 2011

In 2005, after criticism of the U.S. food industry for advertising's role in childhood obesity, national advertisers announced new policies to reduce children's exposure to ads for unhealthy foods. However, limits on these policies suggested that the food advertisements viewed by children would not change significantly. Content analysis was conducted on television food advertisements aired just before and one year after these announcements. The advertisements were coded for product type, persuasive appeals, and production techniques. The results suggest few changes in food advertising seen by children.
Mean Girls? The Influence of Gender Portrayals in Teen Movies on Emerging Adults' Gender-Based Attitudes and Beliefs
Authors: Behm-Morawitz Elizabeth , Mastro Dana E.
Published: December 2011

This two-part exploratory study utilized a social cognitive theory framework in documenting gender portrayals in teen movies and investigating the influence of exposure to these images on gender-based beliefs about friendships, social aggression, and roles of women in society. First, a content analysis of gender portrayals in teen movies was conducted, revealing that female characters are more likely to be portrayed as socially aggressive than male characters. Second, college students were surveyed about their teen movie-viewing habits, gender-related beliefs, and attitudes. Findings suggest that viewing teen movies is associated with negative stereotypes about female friendships and gender roles.
From Convergence to Webvergence: Tracking the Evolution of Broadcast-Print Partnerships through the Lens of Change Theory
Authors: Thornton Leslie-Jean , Keith Susan M.
Published: December 2011

This study, based on a 2008 survey of news directors in the top 100 U.S. markets and editors at U.S. newspapers with circulations greater than 25, 000, found evidence of a decline in the print-broadcast convergence model. Only about half the responding newsrooms had convergence partners, and notable percentages had ended collaborations. Among the remaining partners, convergence was often practiced at a low level of integration that did not include online collaboration. Instead, most TV stations and newspapers were following what the authors call a “Webvergence” model, producing multimedia independently for their own Web sites.
Role Call: 2008 Campaign and Election Coverage on the Web Sites of Leading U.S. Newspapers
Authors: Singer Jane B.
Published: December 2011

This study explores how Web sites affiliated with leading U.S. newspapers covered the 2008 campaign and election. It traces changes over a decade in which the Internet moved from the periphery to the center of political, public, and media attention. Although a 2004 study suggested online editors were rethinking their function as information gatekeepers, this study indicates a reassertion of traditional journalistic roles despite an increase in options for user input.
What Farmers Think about Advertising
Authors: Sandage C. H.
Published: December 2011

Responses from 985 Illinois farmers indicate that they regard advertising as useful and generally truthful, yet may question its basic efficiency. The author concludes that advertisers who wish to reach farm audiences should prepare ads specifically for farmers and should consider specialized media.
How the “Gatekeepers” View Local Civil Liberties News
Authors: Gieber Walter
Published: December 2011

Interviews with reporters and news sources in four California cities produced evidence of a preoccupation with “craft conditions” among newsmen and disclosed major reporter-source differences in the definition of news. The author describes various factors which influence the “fate” of the civil rights news story.
New York's Non-English Dailies and the Deliverymen's Strike
Authors: Fishman Joshua A.
Published: December 2011

Analysis of the performance of the foreign-language press disclosed four patterns of response to the situation in which English-language papers were no longer available. In general, the more “adaptive” dailies were low in ideological partisanship, privately controlled, and directed to larger and younger minority groups.
Information Needs of Publishers: Basis for Newspaper Research
Authors: Haskins Jack B.
Published: December 2011

National survey of publishers adopted as guidepost for assigning problem priorities for research. Greatest needs are in the mechanical/ production and personnel categories.
Present at the Creation: The Media and the Moss Committee
Authors: Blanchard Robert O.
Published: December 2011

This detailed study describes events just preceding and following the establishment of the Special Subcommittee on Government Information, in 1955, and analyzes interaction between the media and it.
Articles on Mass Communication in U.S. and Foreign Journals
Authors: Knight Robert P.
Published: December 2011

Bibliographers: Luci L. Bardi, Missouri; Chris J. Burns, Colorado: Roger D. Dorson, Missouri; Steve Lamoreux, Colorado State; Mervin D. Lynch, Northeastern; Don S. Somerville, Colorado; Mary Thornton, Missouri.
Mass Media and Ethnic Strife in Multi-National Yugoslavia
Authors: Robinson Gertrude Joch
Published: December 2011

Study concludes that mass media tend to reinforce existing ethnic attitudes rather than inculcate more universal, less-parochial values.
A Political Profile of Newspaper Editors
Authors: Parsons Malcolm B.
Published: December 2011

Survey finds most editors consider themselves independents. Difference between liberals and conservatives varies considerably on various issues.
Comparison of Retail Store Images Based on Shopping and Ad Exposure
Authors: Crane Edgar , Parks Michael S. , Haefner James
Published: December 2011

Three factors—two involving customer prototypes and one store attributes—explain images of retail stores.
The Effect of Framing on Selection of Photographs of Men and Women
Authors: Adams R.C. , Copeland Gary A. , Fish Marjorie J. , Hughes Melissa
Published: December 2011

Close-ups of men and bust shot of women preferred, with no difference in rankings by men and women.
Female Stereotyping in Advertising: An Experiment on Male-Female Perceptions of Leadership
Authors: Kilbourne William E.
Published: December 2011

This experimental study portrayed women in several advertisements in two major conditions. In one, women were portrayed in stereotypical settings with products. Women and men student subjects evaluated a “neutral” female photograph following the experiment, on such traits as aggressiveness, leadership, analytical ability, rationality, and liking for doing complex tasks. After viewing nonstereotypical advertisements, men students rated the neutral woman as higher on these dimensions, but the experiment had little effect on women subjects. The study advises advertisers to avoid portraying women in stereotypical roles.
Media Roles and Legislators' News Media Use
Authors: Riffe Daniel
Published: December 2011

This mail survey of 82 Alabama legislators (59% return) finds that officials' view of the press as adversary or agent of consensus was related to perceived value of media for job-relevant information. Legislators believing the consensus model found the press more useful than did legislators seeing the press as an adversary, suggesting a possible dysfunction of the “watch-dog” role.
Recent Trends in Adversarial Attitudes among American Newspaper Journalists: A Cohort Analysis
Authors: Zhu Jian-Hua
Published: December 2011

This study examines journalists' perceptions of the adversarial role of the press toward public officials and business, based on two national samples of newspaper journalists, surveyed in 1983 and 1988 respectively. After the journalists were broken down into various age cohorts, three distinctive trends emerged. During the five-year period, the oldest cohorts demonstrated a drop in adversarial position, the middle-aged cohorts became more adversarial, and the youngest cohorts showed a tendency toward the middle-of-the-road. A log-linear analysis suggested that these trends were related to age effect and cohort effect, but not period effect.
Farm Journalists and Advertiser Influence: Pressures on Ethical Standards
Authors: Hays Robert G. , Reisner Ann E.
Published: December 2011

Some advertisers try to make sure copy in farm journals is favorable to their product, according to a mail survey of 190 members of the American Agricultural Editors Association (78% response rate). Many farmers rely on farm journals for information in an increasingly complex industry. Yet 62% of the farm journalists reported receiving pressures from advertisers, while about half said that advertising had actually been withdrawn on occasion. About half also reported that keeping distance from advertisers is a challenge.
Newspaper Column Readers' Gender Bias: Perceived Interest and Credibility
Authors: White H. Allen , Andsager Julie L.
Published: December 2011

This article reports results of an experiment designed to test effects of gender on perceived credibility of a newspaper columnist and on subjects' interest in a newspaper columnist's writing. Quantitative methods—factor analysis and analysis of variance—enabled the authors to draw these conclusions: gender does affect the perceived interest level of newspaper columns, with males preferring columns written by men and females preferring columns written by women; gender did not have an effect on columnist credibility.
Audience Selectivity of Local Television Newscasts
Authors: Lin Carolyn A.
Published: December 2011

Audiences make television news choices based on several factors, such as liking the newscaster, the content and scope of news programs, or from the carry-over effect of the preceding or following programs. Here, evaluation of the anchor person appeared to be most important in picking a weather program, less important for selected news and sports programs. Viewers reported that quality and scope of local news also drew them to particular programs. Findings are based on a telephone survey.
Factors Affecting Gatekeepers' Selection of Foreign News: A National Survey of Newspaper Editors
Authors: Chang Tsan-Kuo , Lee Jae-Won
Published: December 2011

A national survey of newspaper editors examined how editors view the importance of different criteria in selecting foreign news to run. Results show that editors considered these factors important in making choices: threat to the United States and world peace, anticipated reader interest, timeliness, and U.S. involvement. Editors also regarded loss of lives and property as important but less so than other factors. Most editors appear to focus more on factors having significant impact or consequences, especially when American security and national interest are involved. Canonical correlational analysis indicates that editors' perceptions of foreign news factors are determined by individual differences and organizational constraints in the newsroom.
Internal Work Motivation: Predictor of Using Ethical Heuristics and Motivations
Authors: White H. Allen , Singletary Michael W.
Published: December 2011

This study examines the relationship between the construct Internal Work Motivation and the use of Extrinsic Guides, concerns for Personal Advancement, and Religion/Moral Beliefs for making ethical journalistic decisions. The study reports that journalists who use extrinsic guides such as peers, employers, or the law as ethical heuristics are motivated to perform well on the job. Journalists who use concerns for personal advancement as an ethical motivation are not motivated to perform well on the job. Journalists who use religion/moral beliefs as an ethical motivation may or may not be motivated to perform well on the job depending on how they would deal with an ethical dilemma.
Effect of Corporate Structure on Autonomy of Top Editors at U.S. Dailies
Authors: Demers David Pearce
Published: December 2011

This study sought to determine whether top editors at chain-owned and large newspapers would have more autonomy and freedom to improve editorial content than top editors at independent and small newspapers. The theoretical rationale is that role specialization promotes increased emphasis on news and editorials and, at the same time, removes the influence of publishers and owners from the news production process. The study found that differences between chain and independent ownership were not significant, but that top editors at larger newspapers did have more autonomy.
How Message Evaluation and Source Attributes May Influence Credibility Assessment and Belief Change
Authors: Slater Michael D. , Rouner Donna
Published: December 2011

Although source credibility's importance in communication, particularly in persuasion, is well documented, audience processes in assessing source credibility and the resulting impact are inadequately specified. We hypothesize message quality will have direct effects and mediate partially the effects of initial credibility assessments on subsequent source credibility assessments and on belief change. Also, subsequent credibility assessments are expected to mediate effects of initial credibility assessments and message quality assessments on belief change. Reanalyses of experimental data (N=74) support the hypothesized direct effects and several proposed mediating relationships.
The World Outside: Local TV News Treatment of Imported News
Authors: Carroll Raymond L. , Tuggle C. A.
Published: December 2011

This study sought to determine whether stations located in larger or smaller markets gave different treatment to news and to resolve whether disparities noted among small and large television market news programs extended to their treatment of news imported from outside the market. McManus's economic model of inexpensive, passive discovery held true over the journalistic model of active surveillance in smaller markets, where stations not only devoted less time to news than those in larger markets, but a greater proportion of their news content was imported, thus passively discovered. The larger the market size, the more active the discovery. Some evidence that imported news supplants strictly local news in smaller television markets was found. Furthermore, although major-, large-, and medium-market stations devoted higher proportions of their news hole to sensational and human interest news, stations in the smallest markets imported a greater proportion of sensational/human interest news than they originated locally.
The Chicago Newspaper Scene: An Ecological Perspective
Authors: Bekken Jon
Published: December 2011

This article examines Chicago's newspaper ecology between 1880 and 1930, demonstrating that the Chicago newspaper scene was far more complex than generally recognized. A rich variety of specialized and foreign-language newspapers coexisted with the English-language dailies that dominate historians' accounts.
Employing the Arts in Research as an Analytical Tool and Dissemination Method
Authors: Lapum Jennifer , Ruttonsha Perin , Church Kathryn , Yau Terrence , David Alison Matthews
Published: December 2011

The process to knowing entails perpetual curiosity as well as wearied surrender in which one’s understandings transform. This philosophy describes the approach that our team took to research, interpret and exhibit patients’ narratives of open-heart surgery in “The 7,024th Patient” project – an arts-informed, narrative study that resulted in an installation that is 1,739 square feet in area and over 9 feet in height. With the intention to physically and emotionally engage viewers, patients’ stories were aesthetically translated into an installation of poetry and photography that was configured as a winding, labryinth-like path. In this article, we recount the journey of creating “The 7,024th Patient” exhibition illustrating the employment of the arts as a tool in research for acquiring understanding. In order to vividly highlight our journey, poetic excerpts and photographic images from the installation are embedded.
Examination of the Diurnal Assumptions of the Test of Variables of Attention for Elementary Students
Authors: Hurford David P. , Lasater Kara A. , Erickson Sara E. , Kiesling Nicole E.
Published: December 2011

Objective: To examine the diurnal assumptions of the Test of Variables of Attention (TOVA). Method: The present study assessed 122 elementary students aged 5.5 to 10.0 years who were randomly assigned to one of four different groups based on time of administration (M-M: Morning–Morning, M-A: Morning–Afternoon, A-M: Afternoon–Morning, and A-A: Afternoon–Afternoon). Morning administration occurred between 8:00 and 10:00 a.m., and afternoon administration occurred between 1:00 and 3:00 p.m. Results: Reliability was consistent across groups, and there were no significant differences between groups. Classification of the students into ADHD or non-ADHD groups was similar across groups, and the children who were identified as ADHD with the Vanderbilt ADHD Diagnostic Teacher Rating Scale were consistently classified as ADHD on the TOVA regardless of time of day. Conclusion: The results of the present study indicate that the psychometric values of the TOVA remain intact whether its administration was in the morning or afternoon.
Sustainable Cleveland 2019
Authors: Meyer-Emerick Nancy
Published: December 2011

Many cities across the United States are struggling to transition to sustainable development. The city of Cleveland, Ohio, is no exception; however, in 2009, it took the unusual path of using the Appreciative Inquiry (AI) Summit process to engage a broad group of stakeholders in envisioning a new sustainable local economy for the Cleveland region. Cleveland’s plan, Sustainable Cleveland 2019, is built on the vision of the city becoming a Green City on a Blue Lake by 2019, the 50th anniversary of the Cuyahoga River fire that helped to launch the environmental movement in the United States This article describes the AI Summit process, how it was applied in Cleveland and the outcomes of the two summits that have been held thus far.
A Conversation on Multicultural Competence in Evaluation
Authors: Trimble Joseph , Trickett Ed , Fisher Celia , Goodyear Leslie
Published: December 2011

This contribution to the Ethics section is intended to foster discussion about the relationship between multicultural competence and ethics; a timely discussion especially in view of the release in 2011 of the American Evaluation Association's Public Statement on Cultural Competence (http://www.eval.org/ccstatement.asp). Over the course of 2011, Leslie Goodyear, Ethics Section editor, conducted interviews with three experts on research with multicultural communities. Represented here, these discussions among Joseph Trimble, Ed Trickett and Celia Fisher covered important topics such as the meaning of multiculturalism, the ethical imperative of multicultural competence, and essential practices for competence in conducting research and evaluation in multicultural communities.
Association Between Oxidized LDL and Folate During Pregnancy
Authors: Shiraishi Mie , Haruna Megumi , Matsuzaki Masayo , Ota Erika , Murayama Ryoko , Watanabe Etsuko , Sasaki Satoshi , Yeo SeonAe , Murashima Sachiyo
Published: December 2011

High levels of oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) during pregnancy are a risk factor for preeclampsia. Ox-LDL levels might be affected by folate and total homocysteine (tHcy) levels because of their effects on oxygen free radicals. The relationships between ox-LDL and folate and tHcy during pregnancy, however, remain unclear. The present study investigated whether serum folate levels and plasma tHcy levels were associated with plasma ox-LDL levels in pregnant women. A sample of 137 healthy subjects with singleton pregnancies (age 30.3 ± 4.5 years) was recruited from a prenatal clinic in metropolitan Tokyo between June and October 2008. Their levels of plasma ox-LDL, plasma tHcy, and serum folate were measured, and lifestyle variables were obtained using a questionnaire. Dietary intake was assessed by means of a validated self-administered diet history questionnaire. A negative correlation between plasma ox-LDL levels and serum folate levels was found ( rs = −.218, p =.011). However, there was no association between plasma ox-LDL levels and plasma tHcy levels ( rs = .055, p = .525). The mean of the logarithmic ox-LDL levels was significantly lower among the participants taking folic acid–containing supplements regularly than among those who were not, after adjusting for confounding factors ( p = .024). Serum folate levels and folic acid supplementation might be associated with plasma ox-LDL levels, independent of tHcy levels. The association observed between ox-LDL and folate can be used as evidence for dietary instruction by prenatal care providers.
Organizational de-integration of political parties and interest groups in Denmark
Authors: Christiansen Flemming J
Published: December 2011

Political parties and major economic interest groups often used to be closely linked, but over recent decades they seem to have become more and more detached. Until now, this process has primarily been described in almost deterministic structural models that tell us little about how this detachment takes place and imply that it affects all players at around the same time. The article analyses this development with a simple exchange model that explains changes in organizational integration between political parties and interest groups from its effect on their respective goal-seeking as collective actors. The model is tested on four sets of political parties and interest groups in Denmark in a longitudinal analysis covering developments since 1920. The variation found largely confirms the expectations of the model that the timing of the detachment across party families depends on the strength of resources both sides can derive from the other.
Don’t Blame Donors for Ideological Polarization of Political Parties
Authors: La Raja Raymond J. , Wiltse David L.
Published: December 2011

Are campaign contributors to parties and candidates in the United States becoming more ideological? Popular and scholarly accounts suggest that political contributors have disproportionate influence in politics, which suggests an important role for them in shaping party ideology and widening the divide between the major American parties. Using the American National Election Studies (ANES) time series data from 1972 to 2008, we find that although the importance of ideology in motivating donations fluctuates from election to election, there is substantial ideological stability in the donor population over time until 2002 when the proportion of ideological donors sharply increases. Ideological extremism has not become a stronger predictor of contributing money. We conclude that mass donors are not necessarily driving partisan polarization. The implication is that politicians are not so much responsive to ideological extremism as they are strategic in mobilizing ideologues in pursuit of resources and electoral goals.
Cultural Socialization in Black Middle-Class Families
Authors: Banks Patricia Ann
Published: December 2011

While cultural capital is broadly documented as an important mechanism of class reproduction, there is less understanding of cultural capital within black middle-class families. This paper addresses this gap in knowledge by exploring how black middle-class parents approach their children’s socialization in the fine arts. Drawing on in-depth interviews with black middle-class parents, I develop a conceptual framework outlining how such parents adopt a concerted cultivation approach to their children’s socialization in visual art. I outline how rather than leaving their children’s artistic tastes and preferences to develop without their intervention, some black middle-class parents actively nurture their children’s appreciation and understanding of fine art by arranging for them to attend exhibitions and activities at arts organizations, and by involving them in art collecting. By elaborating how black middle-class parents socialize their children in fine art, this paper contributes to a richer understanding of cultural capital within black middle-class families, and highlights how Pierre Bourdieu’s research on cultural capital is relevant for a minority middle-class group.
The quadriga phenomenon: a review and clinical relevance
Authors: Schreuders T. A. R.
Published: December 2011

The flexor digitorum profundus tendons are markedly interconnected, making them less able to move independently than the tendons of the flexor digitorum superficialis. This difference is often attributed to the common muscle belly of the profundus, but also, more importantly, to cross-connections between the tendons of the profundus. The effect of this quadriga phenomenon is important in several clinical situations, including testing for strength, assessing movement of the tendons, and when deciding which exercises to teach the patient after a tendon injury. The anatomy and biomechanics of this phenomenon are reviewed in this article to help explain why certain conditions occur, and to improve the diagnosis and treatment of some conditions in rehabilitation medicine.
Isolated, extra-articular neck and shaft fractures of the 4th and 5th metacarpals: a comparison of transverse and bouquet (intra-medullary) pinning in 67 patients
Authors: Sletten I. N. , Nordsletten L. , Husby T. , Ødegaard R. A. , Hellund J. C. , Kvernmo H. D.
Published: December 2011

Although extra-articular metacarpal fractures are common, there is no consensus on the mode of treatment. We evaluated the outcome in 67 patients operated for isolated, extra-articular fractures in the neck or shaft of the ulnar two metacarpals 28 months post-operatively. There were 22 bouquet (intra-medullary) pinnings and 45 transverse pinnings; 11 were lost to follow-up. Overall, hand function was good, and no difference was detected between the two methods ( QuickDASH, grip strength, range of motion, VAS pain and VAS satisfaction). Many patients suffered complications: 12% had a superficial infection (all treated with transverse pinning with wires left exposed); 39% had some impairment in skin sensation; 29% reported cold intolerance; and 10% had other complications. Due to the potential risk of a secondary fracture of the neighbouring metacarpal after transverse pinning, we recommend bouquet (intra-medullary) pinning. We also recommend burying wires beneath the skin surface to avoid infection.
The Basic Science of Human Knee Menisci
Authors: Fox Alice J. S. , Bedi Asheesh , Rodeo Scott A.
Published: December 2011

Context:

Information regarding the structure, composition, and function of the knee menisci has been scattered across multiple sources and fields. This review contains a concise, detailed description of the knee menisci—including anatomy, etymology, phylogeny, ultrastructure and biochemistry, vascular anatomy and neuroanatomy, biomechanical function, maturation and aging, and imaging modalities.

Evidence Acquisition:

A literature search was performed by a review of PubMed and OVID articles published from 1858 to 2011.

Results:

This study highlights the structural, compositional, and functional characteristics of the menisci, which may be relevant to clinical presentations, diagnosis, and surgical repairs.

Conclusions:

An understanding of the normal anatomy and biomechanics of the menisci is a necessary prerequisite to understanding the pathogenesis of disorders involving the knee.
Cyclotides
Authors: Pinto Michelle F. S. , Almeida Renato G. , Porto William F. , Fensterseifer Isabel C. M. , Lima Loiane A. , Dias Simoni C. , Franco Octávio L.
Published: December 2011

In recent years, a number of peptides containing a cyclic structural fold have been described. Among them, the cyclotides family was widely reported in different plant tissues, being composed of small cyclic peptides containing 6 conserved cysteine residues connected by disulfide bonds and forming a cysteine-binding cyclic structure known as a cyclic cysteine knot. This structural scaffold is responsible for an enhanced structural stability against chemical, thermal, and proteolytic degradation. Because of the observed stability and multifunctionality, including insecticidal, antimicrobial, and anti-HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) action, much effort has gone into trying to elucidate the structural-function relations of cyclotide compounds. This review focuses on the novelties involving gene structure, precursor formation and processing, and protein folding of the cyclotide family, shedding some light on molecular mechanisms of cyclotide production. Because cyclotides are clear targets for drug development and also biotechnology applications, their chemical synthesis, heterologous systems production, and protein grafting are also addressed.
Myofascial Structural Integration: A Promising Complementary Therapy for Young Children With Spastic Cerebral Palsy
Authors: Hansen Alexis B. , Price Karen S. , Feldman Heidi M.
Published: December 2011

Increasing evidence suggests that structural changes within muscle and surrounding tissues are associated with creating and/or increasing muscle stiffness and resistance to stretch in spastic cerebral palsy. The goal of this preliminary study was to determine whether myofascial structural integration, a specific, complementary, deep-tissue manipulation technique designed to reorganize muscle and surrounding soft tissue, would improve motor function in young children with spastic cerebral palsy. In a randomized crossover design, the authors assessed motor function using established measurement techniques at baseline and after the treatment and control conditions in 8 children with spastic cerebral palsy, aged 2 to 7 years. The average change for the group after therapy was greater than the change after the control condition. Results showed that there were major improvements in 6 children after the therapy; 3 of the children also showed improvements after the control phase. Myofascial structural integration holds promise as a novel complementary treatment for spastic cerebral palsy.
Novel Markov model of induced pluripotency predicts gene expression changes in reprogramming
Authors: Hu Zhirui , Qian Minping , Zhang Michael Q
Published: December 2011

Background

Somatic cells can be reprogrammed to induced-pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) by introducing few reprogramming factors, which challenges the long held view that cell differentiation is irreversible. However, the mechanism of induced pluripotency is still unknown.

Methods

Inspired by the phenomenological reprogramming model of Artyomov et al (2010), we proposed a novel Markov model, stepwise reprogramming Markov (SRM) model, with simpler gene regulation rules and explored various properties of the model with Monte Carlo simulation. We calculated the reprogramming rate and showed that it would increase in the condition of knockdown of somatic transcription factors or inhibition of DNA methylation globally, consistent with the real reprogramming experiments. Furthermore, we demonstrated the utility of our model by testing it with the real dynamic gene expression data spanning across different intermediate stages in the iPS reprogramming process.

Results

The gene expression data at several stages in reprogramming and the reprogramming rate under several typically experiment conditions coincided with our simulation results. The function of reprogramming factors and gene expression change during reprogramming could be partly explained by our model reasonably well.

Conclusions

This lands further support on our general rules of gene regulation network in iPSC reprogramming. This model may help uncover the basic mechanism of reprogramming and improve the efficiency of converting somatic cells to iPSCs.
Multiple-server system with flexible arrivals
Authors: Akgun Osman T. , Righter Rhonda , Wolff Ronald
Published: December 2011

In many service, production, and traffic systems there are multiple types of customers requiring different types of ‘servers’, i.e. different services, products, or routes. Often, however, a proportion of the customers are flexible, i.e. they are willing to change their type in order to achieve faster service, and even if this proportion is small, it has the potential of achieving large performance gains. We generalize earlier results on the optimality of ‘join the shortest queue’ (JSQ) for flexible arrivals to the following: arbitrary arrivals where only a subset are flexible, multiple-server stations, and abandonments. Surprisingly, with abandonments, the optimality of JSQ for minimizing the number of customers in the system depends on the relative abandonment and service rates. We extend our model to finite buffers and resequencing. We assume exponential service. Our optimality results are very strong; we minimize the queue length process in the weak majorization sense.
Connecting discrete and continuous lookback or hindsight options in exponential Lévy models
Authors: Dia E. H. A. , Lamberton D.
Published: December 2011

Motivated by the pricing of lookback options in exponential Lévy models, we study the difference between the continuous and discrete supremums of Lévy processes. In particular, we extend the results of Broadie, Glasserman and Kou (1999) to jump diffusion models. We also derive bounds for general exponential Lévy models.
Proof of the Hamiltonicity-Trace Conjecture for Singularly Perturbed Markov Chains
Authors: Ejov Vladimir , Litvak Nelly , Nguyen Giang T. , Taylor Peter G.
Published: December 2011

We prove the conjecture formulated in Litvak and Ejov (2009), namely, that the trace of the fundamental matrix of a singularly perturbed Markov chain that corresponds to a stochastic policy feasible for a given graph is minimised at policies corresponding to Hamiltonian cycles.
Multimodality of the Markov Binomial Distribution
Authors: Dekking Michel , Kong Derong
Published: December 2011

We study the shape of the probability mass function of the Markov binomial distribution, and give necessary and sufficient conditions for the probability mass function to be unimodal, bimodal, or trimodal. These are useful to analyze the double-peaking results of a reactive transport model from the engineering literature. Moreover, we give a closed-form expression for the variance of the Markov binomial distribution, and expressions for the mean and the variance conditioned on the state at timen.
Scaling of High-Quantile Estimators
Authors: Degen Matthias , Embrechts Paul
Published: December 2011

Enhanced by the global financial crisis, the discussion about an accurate estimation of regulatory (risk) capital a financial institution needs to hold in order to safeguard against unexpected losses has become highly relevant again. The presence of heavy tails in combination with small sample sizes turns estimation at such extreme quantile levels into an inherently difficult statistical issue. We discuss some of the problems and pitfalls that may arise. In particular, based on the framework of second-order extended regular variation, we compare different high-quantile estimators and propose methods for the improvement of standard methods by focusing on the concept of penultimate approximations.
Online Selection of Alternating Subsequences from a Random Sample
Authors: Arlotto Alessandro , Chen Robert W. , Shepp Lawrence A. , Steele J. Michael
Published: December 2011

We consider sequential selection of an alternating subsequence from a sequence of independent, identically distributed, continuous random variables, and we determine the exact asymptotic behavior of an optimal sequentially selected subsequence. Moreover, we find (in a sense we make precise) that a person who is constrained to make sequential selections does only about 12 percent worse than a person who can make selections with full knowledge of the random sequence.
A Dynamic Network in a Dynamic Population: Asymptotic Properties
Authors: Britton Tom , Lindholm Mathias , Turova Tatyana
Published: December 2011

We derive asymptotic properties for a stochastic dynamic network model in a stochastic dynamic population. In the model, nodes give birth to new nodes until they die, each node being equipped with a social index given at birth. During the life of a node it creates edges to other nodes, nodes with high social index at higher rate, and edges disappear randomly in time. For this model, we derive a criterion for when a giant connected component exists after the process has evolved for a long period of time, assuming that the node population grows to infinity. We also obtain an explicit expression for the degree correlation ρ (of neighbouring nodes) which shows that ρ is always positive irrespective of parameter values in one of the two treated submodels, and may be either positive or negative in the other model, depending on the parameters.
The Epigenetics of Normal Pregnancy
Authors: Best Jonathan D , Carey Nessa
Published: December 2011

Epigenetic modifications to chromatin are essential for the specification and maintenance of cell fate, enabling the same genome to programme a variety of cellular outcomes. Epigenetic modulation of gene expression is also a critical mechanism by which cells stabilize their responses to environmental stimuli, including both nutritional cues and hormonal signalling. Unsurprisingly, epigenetics is proving to be vitally important in fetal development, and this review addresses our current understanding of the roles of epigenetic regulation in the prenatal phase. It is striking that while there has been a major interest in the intersection of fetal health with epigenetics, there has been relatively little discussion in the literature on epigenetic changes in the pregnant woman, and we attempt to redress this balance, drawing on the fragmented but intriguing experimental literature in this field.