bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Concurrent Relations Between Mindful Attention and Awareness and Psychopathology Among Trauma-Exposed Adults
Authors: Bernstein Amit , Tanay Galia , Vujanovic Anka A.
Published: April 2011

This study evaluated the concurrent associations between mindful attention and awareness and psychopathology symptoms among adults exposed to trauma. Participants included 76 adults (35 women; Mage = 30.0 years, SD = 12.5) who reported experiencing one or more traumatic events. As hypothesized, levels of mindful attention and awareness were significantly negatively associated with levels of posttraumatic stress symptom severity, psychiatric multimorbidity, anxious arousal, and anhedonic depression symptoms, beyond the large, positive effect of number of traumatic event types. In addition, statistical evaluation of the phenomenological pattern of these associations showed that high levels of mindfulness exclusively co-occurred with low levels of psychopathology symptoms or high rates of mental health; whereas low levels of mindfulness did not similarly exclusively co-occur with either low or high levels of psychopathology symptoms but rather co-occurred with a broad range of symptom levels. Findings are conceptualized in terms of transdiagnostic resilience and discussed in regard to extant empirical and theoretical work.
Psychometric Characteristics of the Physical Education Activities Scale
Authors: Thomason Diane L. , Schepp Karen G.
Published: April 2011

Measuring adolescent perceptions of physical education (PE) activities is necessary in understanding determinants of school PE activity participation. The purpose of this study was to test initial estimates of reliability and validity of a new scale assessing high school adolescent perceptions of school PE activity with the Physical Education Activities Scale (PEAS). The 41-item visual analog scale consisted of 6 subscales: Self-Efficacy, PE Enjoyment, Personal Factors Influencing PE Participation, Behavioral Control, Barriers, and Subjective Norms that were tested on a sample (N= 90) interurban high school adolescents Grades 9–12. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of the total PEAS was α = .89, and for the subscales α ranged from .57–.81. Using known-groups analysis with male vs. female data, initial estimates of construct validity were supported withttests for the total scale showing boys scoring significantly higher than girls for the total scale (t= −3.26,df= 88,p= .002) and for 5 of the 6 subscales: Self-Efficacy (t= −2.65,df= 88,p= .01); PE Enjoyment (t= −3.05,df= 88,p= .003); Personal Factors Influencing PE Participation (t= −2.66,df= 88,p= .009); Behavioral Control (t= −2.20,df= 88,p= .03), and Barriers (t= −3.41,df= 88,p= .001). There was not a gender difference for the subjective norms subscale. Evidence indicated that the PEAS was sensitive enough to distinguish between female and male perceptions in the expected direction on factors that influence PE activity participation. The PEAS demonstrated acceptable reliability and validity evidence in measuring adolescents’ perception of school PE activities.
How Do Consumer-Directed Health Plans Affect Vulnerable Populations?
Authors: Haviland Amelia M , Sood Neeraj , McDevitt Roland , Marquis M Susan
Published: April 2011

We use health care claims data from 59 large employers to estimate how consumer-directed health plans (CDHPs)—plans that combine a high deductible with personal accounts—affect health care costs and the use of preventive services by vulnerable populations. The vulnerable populations studied are those that will have increased access to health insurance under health care reform: families with high health care needs and low income families. A difference-in-difference framework is used with costs and use available for a full year before and after enrolling in a CDHP and for controls.

Our key finding is that in almost all cases, CDHP benefit designs affect lower income populations and the chronically ill to the same extent as non-vulnerable populations. These effects include significant reductions in overall spending that increase with the level of the deductible and greater reductions for high deductible plans when paired with health savings accounts (HSAs) in comparison to health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs). However, enrollment in CDHPs also leads to reductions in care that is considered beneficial for all groups, and this may have greater health consequences for lower income and chronically ill people than for others.
Characterization of two Egyptian native chicken breeds using genetic and immunological parameters
Authors: Ramadan H.A.I. , Galal A. , Fathi M.M. , El Fiky , Yakoub H.A.
Published: April 2011

In order to identify and characterize our native chicken breeds we used two
approaches, one of them is genetic and the other concerns with the
immunological status of the chickens. In this study, the first 539 bases of
the mtDNA D-loop region of two Egyptian native breeds (Fayoumi and Dandarawi,
from El-Fayoum research station) were amplified and sequenced. The alignment
results showed an approximate tandem repeat of 60-base units with the first
34 nucleotides being exact. These 34-base units were completely identical and
conserved in both Egyptian and GenBank database samples. The multiple
alignment results showed also that there are three transversions specific for
the Egyptian breeds only. Two of them are not specific for certain breed
since both of the two breeds showed the normal and mutated nucleotide. The
third transversions seems to be specific to Egyptian Dandarawi breed only.
The first mutation site is at the position (457) where Adenine nucleotide
transversed to Cytosine nucleotide. The second mutation site is at the
position (464) where Guanine nucleotide transversed to Thymine nucleotide.
The third mutation site is at the position (483) where Adenine nucleotide
transversed to Thymine nucleotide. With respect to immunological parameters,
it could be speculated that the Fayoumi strain had hyper responders to
phytohemagglutinin-P (PHA-P) injection compared to Dandarawi ones. Opposite
trend was noticed for anti-SRBCs antibody response.The results may give an
insight into the genetic differentiation and immunological status of the
Egyptian domestic fowl. The results did not show direct relation between the
two approaches used. However, the results of the two approaches can complete
the identification and characterization of the chickens. Also, they could be
used in future as bases for more studies.
Estimation of heritability coefficients of number of born alive piglets in the first three farrowings swedish landrace sows
Authors: Savic R. , Petrovic M. , Radovic C.
Published: April 2011

The main objective of this study was to evaluate phenotypic and genetic
variation of the number of piglets born alive (NBA) Swedish Landrace sows
(SL) in three consecutive parities under the influence of sires, year and
season of mating. The study included: 618 litters in the first, 470 in the
second and 403 litter in the third farrowing. Testing the homogeneity of
variance was performed with Levene?s test. The data were analyzed using
analysis of variance (Statistica Ver. 6.0., 2003). Heritability coefficients
were evaluated by intra-class correlation. Swedish Landrace sires have
influenced on the variability of the NBA's daughter in the first and second
farrowing (p<0.05), but not in the third farrowing. Year and season of mating
was not influenced on the variability of the NBA (p>0.05). The estimated
heritability coefficients for the NBA were the highest in the second (0.123),
then the first (0.092) and lowest in the third farrowing (0.030).
Corporate leadership and knowledge management
Authors: Petkovic Mirjana , Aleksic-Miric Ana , Bozinovic Ivana
Published: April 2011

The aim of this paper is to investigate the role of managers with leadership
potentials in knowledge management within organization. This aim is further
developed through the research questions: (1) Does leadership have important
role in knowledge management? (2) Under which conditions leadership
influences knowledge management and what is the direction of this influence?
(3) Which elements of the leadership, skills and virtues of the leader, are
important and what roles do they have in knowledge management? The paper is
based on the field investigation, employing interviews and survey as the
research techniques, on the random sample of Serbian companies.
The micro-macro dilemma in sociology: Perplexities and perspectives
Authors: Tsekeris Charalambos , Lydaki Anna
Published: April 2011

The micro-macro or agency-structure question is indisputably one of the most
important theoretical issues within the human and social sciences. The main
purpose of this paper is to carefully explore, fruitfully overview and
comprehensively critique the contemporary sociological literature on micro
(agency) and macro (structure), from a reflexive-dialectical standpoint. This
particular standpoint strategically emphasizes both the circularity and the
relative autonomy of structures vis ? vis actors, or of institutions vis ?
vis individuals. In this analytic context, it is critically discussed the
varied notion of a middle position on the ongoing theoretical debate between
positivism and constructivism, as well as the epistemologically beneficial
role that meta-theoretical reflexivity and the internal conversation can
potentially play in this debate. In specific, the internal conversation
(Margaret Archer) gives a reflexive-dialectical impetus to the micro-macro
relationship, while embracing a needed analytical dualism (not necessarily an
ontological one).
The influence of race, religion and class on election behavior in the United States of America (1930-2008)
Authors: Vareca Ana
Published: April 2011

In this paper the author evaluates constancy of the influence of race,
religion and class on election behavior in America in period 1930-2008. It
appears that the findings from the early stages of this period have set the
trend which has not significantly change to these days. Findings from
electoral 2008 show us very small differences in political behavior
throughout these period, except in 1960's when African Americans have become
mostly supporters of Democratic party, thanks to efforts of Democrats to sign
Civil Rights Act.
The Islamofascists are coming! (or are they?) Assessing the accuracy of a common contemporary analogy
Authors: Bloomfield Alan
Published: April 2011

This paper assesses the accuracy of the common analogy by which contemporary Islamists are casually conflated with classical fascists. It argues that there are some parallels, in particular the manner in which Islamists and fascists, when pursuing their political agendas, are and were both deeply intolerant of “deviants” and prepared to readily deploy violence against opponents. But it also argues that the analogy remains substantially flawed: in the context of domestic politics, Islamists face authoritarian regimes prepared to use violence against them and which are therefore very different to the liberalist regimes the fascists faced. And from an international perspective the Islamists face great powers united in their determination to ensure they do not rise to power by “capturing” a state, unlike the fascists. While current changes in the Arab world may create conditions more amenable for Islamists to carry out “stealthy” take-overs, until such occur the analogy remains at best only partially valid.
Authoritarian states and internet social media: Instruments of democratisation or instruments of control?
Authors: Kyriakopoulou Kalliopi
Published: April 2011

Internet-enabled technologies are said to allow individuals to consume, create and distribute their own content without governmental control. They also provide opportunities for new forms of activism and mobilisation that can challenge repressive governments. Recent reports on citizens’ mobilisation in authoritarian states suggest that the Internet can generate new forms of opposition against totalitarian rules. The aim of this paper is to examine whether these new technologies can be regarded as vehicles of democracy or instruments of authoritarianism. Can Internet-enabled technologies promote values of openness and freedom that gradually and significantly act as anti-totalitarian tools?
Anti-totalitarian rhetoric in contemporary German politics (its ambivalent objects and consistent
Authors: Carrier Peter
Published: April 2011

The concept of totalitarianism was particularly prevalent in intellectual and political debate in Germany in the 1970s, and was motivated largely by anti-totalitarian convictions. Although it did not enter everyday language, it persists in political rhetoric, where it is used today as a political football in speeches and constitutional reports. In response to historical approaches to the concept of totalitarianism, which generally contextualise the term and put forward alternative terms, this article probes the meaning of this term as it is actually used and misused in political and educational contexts in contemporary Germany. It concludes by highlighting the fictitious (figurative, semantic and epistemological) dimensions of the rhetoric of anti-totalitarianism, and calls for a more genuinely liberal, non-totalitarian, posture.
The shadow of fascism over the Italian Republic
Authors: Amyot Grant
Published: April 2011

The Italian Republic was created at the close of World War II by the political forces that had taken part in the Resistance, with an explicitly anti-fascist ideological foundation. However, the official commitment to anti-fascism and democracy was belied by the continuing role of neo-fascist parties and organizations in the political system. This role was firstly as a potential alternative source of support for the ruling Christian Democrats, and secondly as the key element of a hidden network ready to use violent and undemocratic means to condition the normal political process. This network moved into action at the height of the “strategy of tension” (1969–80). Analysis of this period leads us to reassess the nature of postwar Italian democracy. In the “Second Republic” (post-1994) Silvio Berlusconi has promoted a revisionist approach to Fascism and the Resistance as part of his own strategy to maintain himself in power, while also espousing a plebiscitarian conception of democracy that presents certain analogies with the methods and style of the Fascist regime.
Tracing the sign národ in political thinking in post-totalitarian Slovakia
Authors: Menzies Catriona
Published: April 2011

This paper sets out to examine political thinking in post-totalitarian Slovakia. Using the discourse theory and signification of Laclau and Mouffe, it considers the sign národ (a specific conception of the Slovak nation) in relation to democracy and the EU. Seeking to pinpoint political thinking amongst the general populace, it bases its analysis on an examination of newspaper articles on “Building the State” published in the 1990s. It traces the roots of the sign from the 1960s to the present day and predicts that the EU signifier will impact on the content of the floating signifier of národ.
The Post-Communist Manifesto
Authors: Bělohradsky Václav
Published: April 2011

The essay is the critical reflection on the current state of global politics. It points to the importance of reconnecting politics with more substantial “human affairs”. The search for new understanding and conceptual tools is necessary on both sides of the political spectrum, however, the left should press for its lost identity more urgently. But what is even more urgent is the planetary vision based on reflexive rationality and a politics of dialogue, respect for the environment and civil society, overcoming obsolete and pointless political strategies and forms of life. Knowledge and nature are to be taken as public assets.
The function of moral norms in the legal system: The Krausists’s restoration of the fundamental concepts of law
Authors: Manzanero Delia , Vázquez Romero José
Published: April 2011

There are multiple and diverse voices of jurists who have expressed their fear of the unrestricted power of law enforcement and have announced the crisis of the formalist sense of Law. The widespread reaction against the abstract and formalist character of the positivist theory of law manifested itself as the Krausist philosophy of law and was backed by the philosophy of Krause, Schelling, Hegel and the most recent Natural Law theories that seek to establish substantial criteria for moral action. This distrust was caused by the heteronomy of modest and obedient civil servants of the judicial order that rely on political balance of power in which nothing depends on the human bottom of institutions. Let us consider briefly the impressive analyses performed by different thinkers on this issue, which they considered characteristic of their era, but that continues to constitute a difficulty that challenges contemporary society.
Artificial Ground Nest Survival in two Abandoned Farmland Habitats on Šolta Island (Croatia)
Authors: Purger Jenő J. , Mužinić Jasmina , Purger Dragica
Published: April 2011

On the Dalmatian Islands native large bodied ground-nesting bird species are rare, while the introduced Ring-necked Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) is currently very common and often breed in abandoned farmlands. The survival chance of its nests in two different habitats was surveyed by using artificial ground nests on Šolta Island in May 2008. Within a week, predators found and damaged all (100%) of the nests in the abandoned vineyards and 88% of those located in abandoned fields. The daily survival rate of artificial nests in the abandoned vineyard (41.86%) was significantly lower than that in the abandoned fields (79.82%). Predation patterns of chicken eggs versus plasticine eggs were similar in the two habitats. Predators removed 72% of chicken eggs and 72% of plasticine eggs from nests in the abandoned vineyard, and 64% of chicken eggs and 44% of plasticine eggs from nests in the abandoned fields. The primary predators to nests of ground-nesting birds on Šolta Island are Hooded Crows (Corvus cornix). Damage to nests caused by small bodied birds, small mammals and snakes was quite insignificant. Wild boars (Sus scrofa) that colonised the island about a decade ago did not damage the experimental nests.
Importance of Nest Type on the Regulation of Humidity in Bird Nests
Authors: Deeming D. Charles
Published: April 2011

Nest humidity is a function of how water vapour is retained within the nest. Previous analysis suggested that in general, nest humidity was largely unaffected by ambient humidity but there was no consideration of the type of nest involved. This study examined data collected from the literature to test the hypothesis that the relationship between nest and ambient humidity is a function of the type of nest. Data for water vapour pressure for the egg (PE), nest (PN) and ambient air (PA) were collected for 48 examples of nests from 44 species of bird from a range of Orders. Initial egg mass and water vapour conductance of the eggshell was also recorded for each species. Analysis showed that birds on scrape nests are able to raise PN above PA by on average 5 Torr irrespective of PA. By contrast, PN in cup nests was unaffected by PA, such that at low values nests are well insulated against water vapour loss. The balance between the proportion of water vapour lost from the egg to the ambient air that is controlled by the nest varied with the type of nest and PA. For eggs in scrape nests mass specific water vapour conductance showed a positive relationship with PA. By contrast, for eggs in cup nests the relationship was negative and under conditions of low PA the high PN means that mass specific shell conductance values have to be high so as to ensure the appropriate rate of weight loss from the egg. Whilst birds do not control nest humidity directly the inter-relationship between weight loss from an egg, its initial mass, its shell conductance, and the incubation period can now be extended to include the water vapour conductance of the nest wall.
The basal roughness of Pine Island Glacier, West Antarctica
Authors: Rippin D.M. , Vaughan D.G. , Corr H.F.J.
Published: April 2011

We assess basal roughness beneath Pine Island Glacier (PIG), West Antarctica, based on a recent airborne radio-echo sounding dataset. We identify a clear relationship between faster ice flow and decreased basal roughness in significant parts of PIG. The central portion and two of its tributaries are particularly smooth, but the majority of the tributaries feeding the main trunk are rougher. We interpret the presence of a smooth bed as being a consequence of the deposition of marine sediments following disappearance of the West Antarctic ice sheet in the Pliocene or Pleistocene, and, conversely, a lack of marine sedimentation where the bed is rough. Importantly, we also identify a patchy distribution of marine sediments, and thus a bed over which the controls on flow vary. While there is a notable correspondence between ice velocity and bed roughness, we do not assume a direct causal relationship, but find that an indirect one is likely. Where low basal roughness results in low basal resistance to flow, a lower driving stress is required to produce the flux required to achieve mass balance. This, in turn, means that the surface in that area will be lower than surrounding areas with a rougher bed, and this will tend to draw flow into the area with low bed roughness. Since our studies shows that bed roughness beneath the tributaries of the trunk varies substantially, there is a strong likelihood that these tributaries will differ in the rate at which they transmit current velocity changes on the main trunk into the interior of the glacier basin.
The ice-dammed lake Isvand, West Greenland, has lost its water
Authors: Weidick Anker , Citterio Michele
Published: April 2011

Isvand is an ice-dammed lake situated on the western flank of Kangiata Nunaata Sermia, a large ice stream from the Inland Ice, producing calf ice into Kangersuneq fjord at the head of Godtha˚bsfjord (Nuup Kangerlua), West Greenland (Fig. 1). This outlet of the Inland Ice is the only significant calving outlet of the ice sheet met with between 628 and 698 N.
Subgrain boundaries in Antarctic ice quantified by X-ray Laue diffraction
Authors: Weikusat Ilka , Miyamoto Atsushi , Faria Sérgio H. , Kipfstuhl Sepp , Azuma Nobuhiko , Hondoh Takeo
Published: April 2011

Ice in polar ice sheets undergoes deformation during its flow towards the coast. Deformation and recrystallization microstructures such as subgrain boundaries can be observed and recorded using high-resolution light microscopy of sublimation-edged sample surfaces (microstructure mapping). Subgrain boundaries observed by microstructure mapping reveal characteristic shapes and arrangements. As these arrangements are related to the basal plane orientation, full crystallographic orientation measurements are needed for further characterization and interpretation of the subgrain boundary types. X-ray Laue diffraction measurements validate the sensitivity of different boundary types with sublimation used by microstructure mapping for the classification. X-ray Laue diffraction provides misorientation values of all four crystal axes. Line scans across a subgrain boundary pre-located by microstructure mapping can determine the rotation axis and angle. Together with the orientation of the subgrain boundary this yields information on the dislocation types. Tilt and twist boundaries composed of dislocations lying in the basal plane, and tilt boundaries composed of nonbasal dislocations were found. A statistical analysis shows that nonbasal dislocations play a significant role in the formation of all subgrain boundaries.
Size of snow particles in a powder-snow avalanche
Authors: Rastello Marie , Rastello Fabrice , Bellot Hervé , Ousset Frédéric , Dufour François , Meier Lorenz
Published: April 2011

Little quantitative information is available concerning the size of ice particles in the turbulent clouds of powder-snow avalanches. To quantify particle size distributions, we have developed an experimental device that collects particles in real-scale powder avalanches. The device was placed on the concrete bunker of the Swiss Vallée de la Sionne avalanche dynamics test site. On 31 January 2003, a large powder-snow avalanche struck the bunker and we were able to collect particle samples. The collected particles have been photographed and the pictures digitized. An image analysis tool allows us to determine an equivalent particle radius. The captured particles have a geometric mean of 0.16 mm; the largest particles were 0.8 mm in size and the smallest particles 0.03 mm.
Comment on Singh and others, ‘Hyperspectral analysis of snow reflectance to understand the effects of contamination and grain size’
Authors: Painter Thomas H.
Published: April 2011

Imaging spectroscopy is emerging as a critical tool in our ability to move beyond simple detection of changes in cryosphere–climate interactions to attribution of these changes to forcings by changes in greenhouse gases and absorbing impurities (Dozier and others, 2009; Singh and others, 2010). Fresh in the growing literature related to imaging spectroscopy of snow and ice, Singh and others (2010) have explored the impact of dust on the hyperspectral reflectance of snow with the intent of understanding the capacity of imaging spectroscopy to quantify snow properties. The paper reaches relatively robust conclusions about the impact of soil on snow reflectance. As such, the efforts of the authors and the importance of their paper in providing foundational work on imaging spectroscopy of the cryosphere should be appreciated.
Extracting the temporal signal from a winter and summer mass-balance series: application to a six-decade record at Glacier de Sarennes, French Alps
Authors: Eckert N. , Baya H. , Thibert E. , Vincent C.
Published: April 2011

Temporal trends related to recent climatic fluctuations are extracted from the longest glacier-wide winter and summer mass-balance series recorded in the Alps, at Glacier de Sarennes, France. For this, all point balances measured at the glacier surface are used, and different statistical models are developed and tested. First, Lliboutry’s linear variance analysis model is extended to the two seasonal components of the balance. The explicit modelling of variability sources and correlations is proved useful for appropriately quantifying uncertainties in the different components of the balance and estimating missing data. Next, a non-exchangeable structure is added to model the winter and summer balance time series. Two change points separating different underlying trends are thus detected. The first change was in 1976, with a shift of +23% in the winter balance. The second was in 1982 for the summer balance series. These systematic changes explain 20–30% of the variability of the different components of the balance, the rest being made up of random interannual fluctuations. Simplified and/or less physically based models are less efficient in capturing data variability. As a result, the cumulative glacier-wide balance shows systematic parabolic trends, which result in an accelerated mass loss for Glacier de Sarennes over the last 25 years.
Greenland ice sheet mass balance: distribution of increased mass loss with climate warming; 2003–07 versus 1992–2002
Authors: Zwally H. Jay , Li Jun , Brenner Anita C. , Beckley Matthew , Cornejo Helen G. , DiMarzio John , Giovinetto Mario B. , Neumann Thomas A. , Robbins John , Saba Jack L. , Yi Donghui , Wang Weili
Published: April 2011

We derive mass changes of the Greenland ice sheet (GIS) for 2003–07 from ICESat laser altimetry and compare them with results for 1992–2002 from ERS radar and airborne laser altimetry. The GIS continued to grow inland and thin at the margins during 2003–07, but surface melting and accelerated flow significantly increased the marginal thinning compared with the 1990s. The net balance changed from a small loss of 7 ± 3 Gt a−1 in the 1990s to 171 ± 4 Gt a−1 for 2003–07, contributing 0.5 mm a−1 to recent global sea-level rise. We divide the derived mass changes into two components: (1) from changes in melting and ice dynamics and (2) from changes in precipitation and accumulation rate. We use our firn compaction model to calculate the elevation changes driven by changes in both temperature and accumulation rate and to calculate the appropriate density to convert the accumulation-driven changes to mass changes. Increased losses from melting and ice dynamics (17–206 Gt a−1) are over seven times larger than increased gains from precipitation (10–35 Gt a−1) during a warming period of ∼2 K (10 a)−1 over the GIS. Above 2000 m elevation, the rate of gain decreased from 44 to 28 Gt a−1, while below 2000 m the rate of loss increased from 51 to 198 Gt a−1. Enhanced thinning below the equilibrium line on outlet glaciers indicates that increased melting has a significant impact on outlet glaciers, as well as accelerating ice flow. Increased thinning at higher elevations appears to be induced by dynamic coupling to thinning at the margins on decadal timescales.
Ross Ice Shelf (Antarctica) in situ radio-frequency attenuation
Authors: Barrella Taylor , Barwick Steven , Saltzberg David
Published: April 2011

We have measured the in situ average electric field attenuation length, 〈Lα〉, for radio-frequency signals broadcast vertically through the Ross Ice Shelf, Antarctica. We chose a location, Moore Embayment, south of Minna Bluff, known for its high reflectivity at the ice–sea interface. We confirmed specular reflection and used the return pulses to measure the average attenuation length from 75–1250 MHz over the round-trip distance of 1155 m. We find 〈Lα〉 to vary from ∼500 m at 75 MHz to ∼300 m at 1250 MHz, with an experimental uncertainty of 55–15 m.
Glacier subsurface heat-flux characterizations for energy-balance modelling in the Donjek Range, southwest Yukon, Canada
Authors: Wheler Brett A. , Flowers Gwenn E.
Published: April 2011

We apply a point-scale energy-balance model to a small polythermal glacier in the St Elias Mountains of Canada in order to investigate the applicability and limitations of different treatments of the glacier surface temperature and subsurface heat flux. These treatments range in complexity from a multilayer subsurface model that simulates snowpack evolution, to the assumption of a constant glacier surface temperature equal to 0°C. The most sophisticated model includes dry densification of the snowpack, penetration of shortwave radiation into the subsurface, internal melting, refreezing of percolating meltwater and generation of slush layers. Measurements of subsurface temperature and surface lowering are used for model validation, and highlight the importance of including subsurface penetration of shortwave radiation in the model. Using an iterative scheme to solve for the subsurface heat flux as the residual of the energy-balance equation results in an overestimation of total ablation by 18%, while the multilayer subsurface model underestimates ablation by 6%. By comparison, the 0°C surface assumption leads to an overestimation of ablation of 29% in this study where the mean annual air temperature is about −8°C.
Modeling time series of microwave brightness temperature at Dome C, Antarctica, using vertically resolved snow temperature and microstructure measurements
Authors: Brucker Ludovic , Picard Ghislain , Arnaud Laurent , Barnola Jean-Marc , Schneebeli Martin , Brunjail Hélène , Lefebvre Eric , Fily Michel
Published: April 2011

Time series of observed microwave brightness temperatures at Dome C, East Antarctic plateau, were modeled over 27 months with a multilayer microwave emission model based on dense-medium radiative transfer theory. The modeled time series of brightness temperature at 18.7 and 36.5 GHz were compared with Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer–EOS observations. The model uses in situ high-resolution vertical profiles of temperature, snow density and grain size. The snow grain-size profile was derived from near-infrared (NIR) reflectance photography of a snow pit wall in the range 850–1100 nm. To establish the snow grain-size profile, from the NIR reflectance and the specific surface area of snow, two empirical relationships and a theoretical relationship were considered. In all cases, the modeled brightness temperatures were overestimated, and the grain-size profile had to be scaled to increase the scattering by snow grains. Using a scaling factor and a constant snow grain size below 3 m depth (i.e. below the image-derived snow pit grain-size profile), brightness temperatures were explained with a root-mean-square error close to 1 K. Most of this error is due to an overestimation of the predicted brightness temperature in summer at 36.5 GHz.
A variationally derived, depth-integrated approximation to a higher-order glaciological flow model
Authors: Goldberg Daniel N.
Published: April 2011

An approximation to the first-order momentum balance with consistent boundary conditions is derived using variational methods. Longitudinal and lateral stresses are treated as depth-independent, but vertical velocity gradients are accounted for both in the nonlinear viscosity and in the treatment of basal stress, allowing for flow over a frozen bed. A numerical scheme is presented that is significantly less computationally expensive than that of a fully three-dimensional (3-D) solver. The numerical solver is subjected to the ISMIP-HOM experiments and experiments involving nonlinear sliding laws, and results are compared with those of 3-D models. The agreement with first-order surface velocities is favorable down to length scales of 10 km for flow over a flat bed with periodic basal traction, and ∼40 km for flow over periodic basal topography.
A Neuroregenerative Human Ensheathing Glia Cell Line with Conditional Rapid Growth
Authors: García-Escudero Vega , Gargini Ricardo , Gallego-Hernández María Teresa , García-Gómez Ana , Martín-Bermejo María Jesús , Simón Diana , Delicado Alicia , Moreno-Flores María Teresa , Ávila Jesús , Lim Filip
Published: April 2011

Ensheathing glia have been demonstrated to have neuroregenerative properties but this cell type from human sources has not been extensively studied because tissue samples are not easily obtained, primary cultures are slow growing, and human cell lines are not available. We previously isolated immortalized ensheathing glia by gene transfer of BMI1 and telomerase catalytic subunit into primary cultures derived from olfactory bulbs of an elderly human cadaver donor. These cells escape the replicative senescence characteristic of primary human cells while conserving antigenic and neuroregenerative properties of ensheathing glia, but their low proliferative rate in culture complicates their utility as cell models and their application for preclinical cell therapy experiments. In this study we describe the use of a conditional SV40 T antigen (TAg) transgene to generate human ensheathing glia cell lines, which are easy to maintain due to their robust growth in culture. Although these fast growing clones exhibited polyploid karyotypes frequently observed in cells immortalized by TAg, they did not acquire a transformed phenotype, all of them maintaining neuroregenerative capacity and antigenic markers typical of ensheathing glia. These markers were also retained even after elimination of the TAg transgene using Cre/LoxP technology, although the cells died shortly after, confirming that their survival depended on the presence of the immortalizing genes. We have also demonstrated here the feasibility of using these human cell lines in animal models by genetically marking the cells with GFP and implanting them into the injured spinal cord of immunosuppressed rats. Our conditionally immortalized human ensheathing glia cell lines will thus serve as useful tools for advancing cell therapy approaches and understanding neuroregenerative mechanisms of this unique cell type.
Using Hand-Held Point and Shoot Video Cameras in Clinical Education
Authors: Stoten Sharon
Published: April 2011

Clinical educators are challenged to design and implement creative instructional strategies to provide employees with optimal clinical practice learning opportunities. Using hand-held video cameras to capture patient encounters or skills demonstrations involves employees in active learning and can increase dialogue between employees and clinical educators. The video that is created also can be used for evaluation and feedback. Hands-on experiences may energize employees with different talents and styles of learning.
Professional Development for an Advanced Practice Nursing Team
Authors: Pye Sherry , Green Angela
Published: April 2011

Since its development in 1998, the Cardiology Advanced Practice Nurse team has been plagued by retention issues. The coordinator for the team developed this leadership project while participating in the 2008 to 2009 Maternal-Child Health Leadership Academy sponsored by Sigma Theta Tau International and Johnson & Johnson. The focus of this project was to develop, implement, and evaluate initiatives to empower the advanced practice nurse team, promote their professional development, and ultimately improve retention of team members. Although evaluation data show progress toward addressing work environment issues, retention remains an ongoing problem.
Using High-Fidelity Simulation to Develop Nurse-Physician Teams
Authors: Klipfel Janee M. , Gettman Matthew T. , Johnson Kristine M. , Olson Marianne E. , Derscheid Della J. , Maxson Pamela M. , Arnold Jacqueline J. , Moehnke Darcie E. , Nelson Elise A. S. , Vierstraete Helen T.
Published: April 2011

Background:

This study was undertaken to determine whether interdisciplinary high-fidelity simulation training improves group cohesion in nurse-physician teams. In addition, perceptions of collaboration and satisfaction with patient care decisions were measured in nurse-physician participants.

Methods:

Clinical scenarios relevant to the general surgical urology inpatient unit were conducted in an interdisciplinary high-fidelity simulation center. Participants included physicians and staff nurses.

Results:

Participants reported a positive shift in group cohesion over time. In addition, the results suggested a positive shift in perceptions of collaboration and satisfaction with patient care decisions over time. The youngest participants (Millennial Generation, born in the 1980s and 1990s) showed the most significant growth in response to the training.

Conclusion:

This study provides evidence of benefits of high-fidelity simulation that extend beyond the training. Simulation training may be a strategy to build and strengthen relationships across nurse-physician teams. In addition, this type of training may positively affect collaboration and satisfaction with patient care decisions. When data were analyzed by generational grouping, the most significant growth occurred in the Millennial Generation participants. These influences need to be explored further.
Medication Adherence and Spiritual Perspectives Among African American Older Women with Hypertension
Authors: Lewis Lisa M.
Published: April 2011

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how African American older adults use spirituality to adhere to their antihypertensive medications. Data collection included in-depth individual interviews with 21 older African American women. Content analysis revealed five themes: The Lord Helps Those Who Help Themselves; Staying in the Lord for Guidance; God Is My Rock; Guardian Angels and Saints; and Brings Me Peace, Ease of Burdens, and Ability to Cope. Findings of this study suggest that spirituality is perceived as a positive resource that helps study participants adhere to their antihypertensive medication regimen. Possible faith-based interventions for nurses and other health care professionals to use with their patients are discussed.
Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids
Authors: Hardin-Fanning Frances , Boissonneault Gilbert A. , Lennie Terry A.
Published: April 2011

The immune system tends to become less efficient as people age, and nutrition plays a significant role in older adults’ immune responses. In particular, dietary fatty acids are precursors to important immune system components. Certain fatty acids, predominantly those that are polyunsaturated, also tend to decrease the risk of certain neurological diseases in older adults. This article describes the impact of dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) on older adults’ immune system and discusses the roles of age and immune status with regard to PUFA supplements.
Access to Mental Health Care Among Older Adults
Authors: Knight Margaret
Published: April 2011

Many older adults experience common mental health problems that can have a negative impact on physiological health, functional status, and quality of life. Lack of access to mental health care for community-dwelling older adults is a significant problem. Busy primary care practices, few mental health professionals, inadequate problem recognition, and flaws in the health care system all contribute to restricted access to mental health care. As the population of adults 65 and older continues to grow, the need for mental health care for this group will increase. Strategies to improve access to mental health care must be targeted at the individual level, the provider level, and the system level.
Effects of Peer Review on Communication Skills and Learning Motivation Among Nursing Students
Authors: Yoo Moon Sook , Chae Sun-Mi
Published: April 2011

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of video-based peer review on communication skills and learning motivation among nursing students. A non-equivalent control with pretest-posttest design was used. The participants were 47 sophomore nursing students taking a fundamentals of nursing course at a nursing college in Korea. Communication with a standardized patient was videotaped for evaluation. The intervention group used peer reviews to evaluate the videotaped performance; a small group of four students watched the videotape of each student and then provided feedback. The control group assessed themselves alone after watching their own videos. Communication skills and learning motivation were measured. The intervention group showed significantly higher communication skills and learning motivation after the intervention than did the control group. The findings suggest that peer review is an effective learning method for nursing students to improve their communication skills and increase their motivation to learn.
Impact of Double Testing on Student Knowledge in a Professional Issues Course
Authors: Heglund Stephen , Wink Diane
Published: April 2011

Collaborative testing, allowing students to work together on the completion of an examination, is used in a wide variety of disciplines. This study examines the impact of this testing technique on knowledge of students in an undergraduate Health Care Issues, Policy and Economics course. Results indicate that although this approach does not increase student knowledge to a statistically significant level, it does increase individual student scores. This increase in examination scores may be of significance to the learner.
Effectiveness of Cultural Immersion and Culture Classes for Enhancing Nursing Students’ Transcultural Self-Efficacy
Authors: Larsen Rachelle , Reif LuAnn
Published: April 2011

With diversity increasing in the United States, educators are struggling to find the most effective methods to prepare nursing students to care for diverse populations. This study’s purpose was to determine the impact of immersion experiences and cultural classes on nursing students’ transcultural competence. A pretest-posttest, quasi-experimental design was used. Nursing students completing a 2-week to 3-week immersion experience (
n
= 14) completed the Transcultural Self-Efficacy Tool online 1 week prior to and immediately following an immersion experience. The control group (
n
= 25), who were students not participating in an immersion experience, completed the instrument during the same time frame. Students who participated in an immersion experience had significantly higher posttest transcultural self-efficacy scores (
p
< 0.001). Compared with the control group, the students in the immersion group had significantly higher change scores (
p
< 0.001). In addition, the number of culture classes completed was not correlated with transcultural self-efficacy scores. Recommendations included encouraging student participation in immersion experiences to enhance transcultural competence.
Predictors of Turnover Intention in Nurse Faculty
Authors: Gormley Denise K. , Kennerly Susan
Published: April 2011

Turnover of nurse faculty is an increasingly important issue in nursing as the available number of qualified faculty continues to decrease. Understanding the factors that contribute to turnover is important to academic administrators to retain and recruit qualified nursing faculty. The purpose of this study was to examine predictors of turnover intention in nurse faculty working in departments and schools of nursing in Carnegie Doctoral/Research Universities–Extensive, public and private, not-for-profit institutions. The multidimensional model of organizational commitment was used to frame this study. The predictor variables explored were organizational climate, organizational commitment, work role balance, role ambiguity, and role conflict. The work roles examined were research, teaching, and service. Logistical regression was performed to examine the predictors of turnover intention. Organizational climate intimacy and disengagement, affective and continuance organizational commitment, and role ambiguity were shown to predict turnover intention in nurse faculty.
Screening for Retinopathy of Prematurity in a Tertiary Hospital in Istanbul: Incidence and Risk Factors
Authors: Akçakaya Aylin Ardagil , Yaylali Sevil Ari , Erbil Hasan Hasbi , Sadigov Fariz , Aybar Asiye , Aydin Nihat , Akçay Güzide , Acar Hüseyin , Mesçi Cem , Yetik Hüseyin
Published: April 2011

Purpose:

To study the incidence and risk factors of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in premature infants examined in a tertiary hospital in Istanbul.

Methods:

Data of infants screened for ROP from April 2007 to September 2009 were retrospectively reviewed. Possible risk factors and eye examinations were recorded and analyzed using the chi-square test and univariate and multivariate regressions.

Results:

ROP was detected in 177 (34.3%) of the 517 infants enrolled in the study; 64 had mild ROP (77.4%) and 38 had severe ROP (22.6%). The mean gestational age and birth weight of patients who were treated for ROP were 28.6 ± 2.3 and 1,143.5 ± 337.4, respectively. Two of these infants had a gestational age of 32 g or greater and three had a birth weight of 1,500 g or greater. The multivariate regression analyses showed gestational age, birth weight, sepsis, respiratory distress syndrome, and length of oxygen therapy as independent predictors of ROP.

Conclusion:

The incidence of ROP observed in this study was higher than that in developed countries and relatively more mature infants were affected. Criteria including gestational age of less than 34 weeks or birth weight of less than 2,000 g would have identified all infants who were at risk.