bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fatally flawed? Discursive evidence from the movement to establish Lesbian Studies programs
Authors: Taylor Catherine
Published: June 2011

While related areas such as Queer Studies and Sexuality Studies have become established as disciplinary formations in North American and British universities, Lesbian Studies has not. This article reports on an analysis of key publications by critics and advocates of Lesbian Studies to explore the possibility that Lesbian Studies was flawed in ways that account for its non-emergence. Charges against Lesbian Studies include naïve essentialism, white middle-classness, separatism, and paranoia. Discourse analysis of books by Lesbian Studies advocates examines evidence of each of these qualities and concludes that Lesbian Studies was above all too lesbian to be successfully integrated into the enduringly heteropatriarchal institution of the university.
‘What blokes want lesbians to be’: On FHM and the socialization of pro-lesbian attitudes among heterosexual-identified men
Authors: Hegarty Peter , Buechel Carmen
Published: June 2011

We develop a critique of the social psychological hypothesis that media images of women engaged in same-sex activity have a positive effect on heterosexual men’s general attitudes to lesbians. A content analysis suggests that British print media usually represent lesbians either in news stories that also include gay men, or in entertainment stories. In focus groups, both gay and straight men were presented with photographs of ‘heteroflexible’ representations from the ‘lad mag’ FHMand photographs of ‘real’ lesbians from Gay Times. Men were asked to define what made a woman a real lesbian. Straight men rejected the formulation that there was a single ‘stereotype’ of lesbians in favor of the claim that the FHM images did not represent real lesbians. Gay men came to agree that the heteroflexible women were not identified as lesbian. Our analysis suggests that both gay and straight men perform bounded sexual identities in response to heteroflexible images which are scripted to be attractive to heterosexual men.
The contribution of rice agriculture and livestock pastoralism to prehistoric methane levels
Authors: Fuller Dorian Q , van Etten Jacob , Manning Katie , Castillo Cristina , Kingwell-Banham Eleanor , Weisskopf Alison , Qin Ling , Sato Yo-Ichiro , Hijmans Robert J
Published: June 2011

We review the origins and dispersal of rice in Asia based on a data base of 443 archaeobotanical reports. Evidence is considered in terms of quality, and especially whether there are data indicating the mode of cultivation, in flooded (‘paddy’ or ‘wet’) or non-flooded (‘dry’) fields. At present it appears that early rice cultivation in the Yangtze region and southern China was based on wet, paddy-field systems from early on, before 4000 bc, whereas early rice in northern India and Thailand was predominantly dry rice at 2000 bc, with a transition to flooded rice documented for India at c. 1000 bc. On the basis of these data we have developed a GIS spatial model of the spread of rice and the growth of land area under paddy rice. This is then compared with a review of the spread of ungulate livestock (cattle, water buffalo, sheep, goat) throughout the Old World. After the initial dispersal through Europe and around the Mediterranean (7000–4000 bc), the major period of livestock expansion is after 3000 bc, into the Sub-Saharan savannas, through monsoonal India and into central China. Further expansion, to southern Africa and Southeast Asia dates mostly after 1000 bc. Based on these two data sets we provide a quantitative model of the land area under irrigated rice, and its likely methane output, through the mid to late Holocene, for comparison to a more preliminary estimate of the expansion of methane-producing livestock. Both data sets are congruent with an anthropogenic source of later Holocene methane after 3000 bc, although it may be that increase in methane input from livestock was most significant in the 3000–1000 bc period, whereas rice paddies become an increasingly significant source especially after 2000 bc.
Where were the northern elephant seals? Holocene archaeology and biogeography of Mirounga angustirostris
Authors: Rick Torben C. , DeLong Robert L. , Erlandson Jon M. , Braje Todd J. , Jones Terry L. , Arnold Jeanne E. , Des Lauriers Matthew R. , Hildebrandt William R. , Kennett Douglas J. , Vellanoweth René L. , Wake Thomas A.
Published: June 2011

Driven to the brink of extinction during the nineteenth century commercial fur and oil trade, northern elephant seal (NES, Mirounga angustirostris) populations now exceed 100 000 animals in the northeast Pacific from Alaska to Baja California. Because little is known about the biogeography and ecology of NES prior to the mid-nineteenth century, we synthesize and analyze the occurrence of NES remains in North American archaeological sites. Comparing these archaeological data with modern biogeographical, genetic, and behavioral data, we provide a trans-Holocene perspective on NES distribution and abundance. Compared with other pinnipeds, NES bones are relatively rare throughout the Holocene, even in California where they currently breed in large numbers. Low numbers of NES north of California match contemporary NES distribution, but extremely low occurrences in California suggest their abundance in this area was very different during the Holocene than today. We propose four hypotheses to explain this discrepancy, concluding that ancient human settlement and other activities may have displaced NES from many of their preferred modern habitats during much of the Holocene.
Association of GPX1 polymorphism, GPX activity and prostate cancer risk
Authors: Erdem O , Eken A , Akay C , Arsova-Sarafinovska Z , Matevska N , Suturkova L , Erten K , Özgök Y , Dimovski A , Sayal A , Aydın A
Published: June 2011

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men worldwide. Although the aetiology of this disease remains largely unclear, several lines of evidence suggest that oxidative stress plays a role in prostate carcinogenesis. The antioxidant enzyme glutathione peroxidase 1 (GPX1) is part of the enzymatic antioxidant defence, preventing oxidative damage to DNA, proteins and lipids by detoxifying hydrogen and lipid peroxides that may contribute to prostate cancer development. Some studies indicate an association between GPX1 Pro198Leu polymorphism and an increased risk of cancer. The purpose of the present study was to determine the possible association of GPX1 Pro198Leu polymorphism and erythrocyte GPX activity with the risk of developing prostate cancer and to clarify whether erythrocyte GPX activity levels were correlated with the GPX1 Pro198Leu genotype in the Turkish population. The GPX1 Pro198Leu genotype was determined in 33 prostate cancer patients and 91 control individuals. As evident from our results, there was no difference between genotype and/or allele frequencies in prostate cancer patients and controls. No significant difference was found in GPX1 genotype or allele frequency between aggressive and non-aggressive prostate cancer patients. It can be suggested with these findings that individual susceptibility of prostate cancer may be modulated by GPX1 polymorphism, but it needs further studies.
Information behaviour and information literacy: The ultimate in transdisciplinary phenomena?
Authors: Shenton Andrew K , Hay-Gibson Naomi V
Published: June 2011

This article investigates transdisciplinarity in relation to information behaviour and information literacy. It demonstrates how these areas are especially suited to transdisciplinarity thought, notes the potential that transdisciplinarity offers in these contexts and presents the key components of transdisciplinarity in two complementary breakdowns designed to help academics and information professionals recognize the value of the concept to their own work. The article considers how transdisciplinarity may be understood in terms of transferable skills, collaboration across different areas, phenomena that affect various disciplines and the use in one field of ideas associated with another. It concludes with reflections on the overall strengths and weaknesses of transdisciplinarity.
Library use by medical students: A comparison of two curricula
Authors: Chen Kuan-nien , Lin Pei-chun , Chang Sung-Shan , Sun Hao-chang
Published: June 2011

This study explored 1) whether there were any differences in the way medical students used library resources under problem-based learning (PBL) and scenario-based learning (SBL) curricula; and 2) what improvements the library could make to facilitate its use by medical students using the different curricula. Twenty medical students selected from two different medical universities in different countries were interviewed in depth. The study found that a) PBL and SBL students used the library significantly differently; b) SBL students presented a wider range of demands and behaviors in seeking information; c) more PBL students preferred using solely electronic resources to solve PBL problems; and d) more SBL students preferred using textbooks in their study and to solve the problems. It is concluded that the characteristics of the two learning approaches affect the medical students in their uses of library resources. The library staff must interact differently with students depending on the curriculum they are following. The study suggests several directions (‘SHELTER’) to the library and recommends it to provide service targeting students’ needs after exploring the following three dimensions of the curriculum: students’ perceptions of the library’s collection related to the curriculum, course requirements for gathering information, and the librarian’s role in the curriculum. When new reforms are initiated it is necessary for the library to undertake a comprehensive review and to gain understanding of the curriculum at the outset.
Chronic polyarthritis as the first manifestation of juvenile systemic lupus erythematosus patients
Authors: Cavalcante EGN , Aikawa NE , Lozano RG , Lotito APN , Jesus AA , Silva CA
Published: June 2011

Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of chronic polyarthritis in juvenile systemic lupus erythematosus (JSLE) and to describe the manifestations, treatments, and outcomes in these patients.

Methods: From January 1983 to July 2010, 5419 patients were followed up at the Pediatric Rheumatology Unit of the University Hospital and 271 (5%) of them had JSLE (American College of Rheumatology [ACR] criteria). ‘Rhupus’ was classified as the overlap of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (International League of Associations for Rheumatology [ILAR] criteria) and JSLE. We evaluated demographic data, polyarthritis and other clinical manifestations, disease activity and damage, laboratory exams, radiographic findings, treatments, and outcomes.

Results: The prevalence of chronic polyarthritis in this JSLE population was 2.6% (7/271). This articular involvement was the initial manifestation in all seven JSLE patients. The median duration of chronic polyarthritis was 11 months (range 2–15 months). Interestingly, rhupus with chronic polyarthritis and limitation of movement, presence of rheumatoid factor, autoantibodies, and/or radiographic abnormalities (juxtaarticular osteopenia, joint-space narrowing, or erosions) was evidenced in three patients. No patient had deformities of hands and feet associated with Jaccoud’s arthropathy or osteonecrosis. All patients were treated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs, naproxen 10–15 mg/kg/day) when polyarthritis diagnosis was established. Prednisone and antimalarials were administered at JSLE diagnosis. The three non-responsive rhupus patients were treated in conjunction with immunosuppressive drugs (methotrexate, azathioprine, and/or cyclosporine).

Conclusions: Chronic polyarthritis was a rare lupus manifestation in active pediatric patients. The interesting overlap between chronic arthritis and lupus, called rhupus suggests a new entity with a different clinical profile and a poor response to treatment with NSAIDs alone. In addition, the occurrence of this association in JSLE patients could be classified as a clinical sub-group of JSLE with possible specific genetic determinants.
Lack of association of interleukin-18 gene promoter −607 A/C polymorphism with susceptibility to autoimmune diseases: a meta-analysis
Authors: Pan H-F , Leng R-X , Ye D-Q
Published: June 2011

Objective: Published data on the association between interleukin (IL)-18 gene promoter −607 A/C polymorphism and autoimmune diseases risk are inconclusive. To derive a more precise estimation of the relationship, a meta-analysis was performed.

Methods: A total of 17 studies, including six studies on type 1 diabetes (T1D), four on rheumatoid arthritis (RA), five on systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), three on Crohn’s Disease (CD) and three on ulcerative colitis (UC), were available for the meta-analysis. Meta-analysis was performed for genotypes A/A (recessive effect), genotypes A/A + A/C (dominant effect), and A allele in fixed or random-effects models.

Results: Overall, no significantly elevated autoimmune diseases risk was found in all genetic models when all studies were pooled into the meta-analysis. The overall odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for A-allele were T1D (OR = 0.938, 95% CI = 0.757–1.162), RA (OR = 0.759, 95% CI = 0.540–1.067), SLE (OR = 0.858, 95% CI = 0.609–1.208), CD (OR = 1.159, 95% CI = 0.975–1.379) and UC (OR = 1.170, 95% CI = 0.977–1.402), respectively. In the subgroup analysis by ethnicity, there was still no significant association detected in all genetic models.

Conclusions: To date, there is still not enough evidence to indicate the association of IL-18 gene promoter −607 A/C polymorphism and the development of autoimmune diseases.
Emasculated Bodies of Hijras
Authors: Taparia Swadha
Published: June 2011

The article examines through a historical lens, how the emasculated body of hijras takes on different and often contrasting meanings embodied in social roles, statuses and identities. It follows the trajectory of the historical space occupied by hijras since the beginning of the Mughal Empire in the 16th century and traces the roles and identities of hijras that have continuously been in a state of dynamism through their construction, reconstruction and reinvention in time and space. It is argued in the article that the corporeal act of emasculation performed on the body of hijras is a medium through which identities have been imposed, resisted and negotiated. From eunuch-slaves to cultural performers, religious ascetics and followers of Bahuchara Mata, the differentiated bodies of hijras have served as the single most important vehicle of their identity formation and their social interaction with society. What is essentially brought out then is the interplay of traditional and rational action through the retention of the ritualised practice of emasculation centred on the worship of the goddess Bahuchara, and the redefinition of traditional roles in response to changing social structures.
‘A Tactful Union’
Authors: Devika J. , Nisha P.R. , Rajasree A.K.
Published: June 2011

Recently, researchers and activists in India have been calling for attention towards the rising numbers of women entering the labour force as domestic workers, who have remained at the rock-bottom of the working-class hierarchy here. SEWA Kerala’s union displays marked differences from mainstream unions. This article reflects upon the agency of the SEWA domestic worker in contemporary Kerala through the analysis of workers’ narratives, and the specific strategies they deploy through SEWA’s unionisation in the changing context of the demand for domestic labour here. Second, we highlight SEWA Kerala’s strategies to transform domestic workers, generally positioned at the very margins of politics and the public in Kerala, into citizens. Third, we reflect on SEWA workers’ perception of full citizenship, and on their self-chosen distance from mainstream, formal politics.
Prospects of Women Construction Workers in Tamil Nadu, South India
Authors: Barnabas Annette , D. Joseph Anbarasu , S. Clifford Paul
Published: June 2011

The construction sector is one of the largest employers of women next to agriculture in India. This article analyses the data from a large sample of men and women construction workers, and proposes ways to empower women workers. Most of them are very poor and destitute, face harassment at both home and workplace and do the heaviest work. This study suggests training for women as masons to equalise their opportunities.
Report on the National Seminar on ‘Indian Nursing in the New Era of Healthcare’
Authors: Nair Sreelekha
Published: June 2011

Two day deliberations (2–3 December 2010) on Indian Nursing in the New Era of Healthcare were organised in New Delhi by the Centre for Women’s Development Studies, New Delhi and was supported by the Indian Council of Social Sciences on the occasion of the International Year of the Nurse. This was a national seminar with a difference as the participants included social science researchers, faculty of nursing in various universities across India, nurse leaders, activists and clinical practitioners. Various issues like structures of healthcare in India, its globalisation, status of nursing, collective bargaining, gendered nature of nursing profession within the hospital hierarchy and nursing education were discussed. The seminar exhorted the participants to encourage research on nursing and further collaborations between the social sciences and nursing professionals.
Development and Women
Authors: Sabhlok Smita G.
Published: June 2011

This article examines the significance of trust in women’s collective efforts for development through self-help groups (SHGs). Community building efforts cannot ignore the importance of trust among group members and, between group members and organisational members. The article explores the manner and forms in which trust manifests itself during periods of formation, activity and defunct stages of SHGs in India. Personalised trust forms the centre of the radius of trust in SHGs and it gets extended to generalised and institutionalised trust. Development interventions for communities often aim to build social capital which is an important corollary of trust. Community and group development efforts aimed at building social capital must take into consideration the factors associated with building and generating trust.
Urban Giants
Authors: Sankhe Shirish , Vittal Ireena , Mohan Ajit
Published: June 2011

The economic rise of the developing world is emphatically under way and driving a wave of global urban expansion. At the heart of this story is the spectacular renaissance that we are seeing in Asia, with China and India at its vanguard in returning to the global prominence they played before the European and North American industrial revolutions (Figure 1). Underpinning this economic renaissance is a wave of global urban expansion. In both economies, urbanization is unfolding on a huge scale and with unprecedented pace. The scale benefits, network effects and superior productivity of dense population centres mean that urbanization has very significant economic consequences for both nations. In this article, we take a comparative look at urbanization trends in both countries, drawing out both similarities and differences.
Tapping Capital for Water
Authors: Platz Daniel
Published: June 2011

Urbanization, rapid economic growth and increasing populations in Asia pose great challenges on municipal governments to improve their water supply systems. The successful development of municipal bond markets could open new sources for investments into the water sector. There are three basic prerequisites for the successful sale of municipal debt, namely, the development of a modern and diversified financial sector, investor confidence and issuer familiarity, as well as a conducive regulatory environment. The article provides a detailed account of how these factors evolved in the nineteenth century United States and how they provided the basic tenets for the development of the world’s largest and most efficient municipal bond market. It concludes that the development of the municipal bond market was closely linked to the emergence and expansion of public water supply systems. Taking the US experience into consideration the article explores the potential demand for municipal bonds in China, Indonesia and India. The three countries face very different financial, economic and regulatory constraints, yet, all could gain from certain policy interventions geared towards the development of the municipal bond market.
Slum Planning Schemes
Authors: Patel Bimal , Joshi Rajendra , Ballaney Shirley , Nohn Matthias
Published: June 2011

Public agencies and NGOs in India have been pursuing slum-improvement projects since a long time, often with remarkable success. However, though political resolve, finances and basic institutional capacity are not a constraint today, scaling-up has become a formidable challenge. This article argues that officers in government agencies are unable to rapidly structure and implement slum-improvement projects because they lack an effective slum-improvement-specific statutory framework within which to operate. Moreover, lacking overriding legal powers, they are unable to cut through accumulated revenue and planning related regulatory tangles. In addition, they are unable to adjudicate between and compensate claimants and to grant secure tenure so that public officials may deliver basic infrastructure on formerly disputed land and slum dwellers can access finance and invest into their homes in a then safe environment. Therefore, the key to scaling-up—as the ambitious Rajiv Awas Yojana proposes to do—is to institute a comprehensive statutory process enabling agencies to concurrently deal with technical, financial, organizational and tenure complexities. The introduction explains the need for the statutory framework. Section I proposes the process. ‘slum Planning Schemes’ strengthen participation, enable collaboration with NGOs and the private sector, promote transparency, encourage professional excellence and support fiscal prudence. The tool acknowledges the importance of tenure history and upholds formal and informal rights of landowners, communities and the government. The process is pragmatic and promotes fairness. Eschewing a one-size-fits-all policy approach, it allows flexibility in structuring slum-specific improvement projects while assigning tenure rights. Section II briefly describes a network of local, state and national agencies for rapidly structuring and implementing SPSs, promising rapid and sustainable improvement and integration of slum communities within the formal city.
Institutions and Megaprojects
Authors: Mann Anupama , Banerjee Tridib
Published: June 2011

In this article we attempt to develop an institutional theoretic framework for examining the biography of a megaproject—the recently implemented Delhi metrorail system. We use Hirschman’s arguments on the trait-taking and trait-making aspects of development projects to understand how the project interacted with its institutional conditions especially in the context of transfer of Western planning technology to the developing world. The case study of the Delhi metrorail shows how the project attributes, institutional circumstances, and socio-political conditions affected not just the outcomes of this project but also its subsequent spin-offs like the Bus Rapid Transit project, conceived as an integral component of an Integrated Multi-Modal Transport System. We conclude that institutional innovations don’t happen in a vacuum, they occur within the existing matrix of socio-political forces defined in this case by the constitutional democracy of India and the culture of bureaucracy inherited from the instruments of modern state imposed during the colonial era.
Living on the Floating Houses for Sustainable Livelihoods at Lake Tempe, South Sulawesi
Authors: Naing Naidah , Santosa Happy Ratna , Soemarno Ispurwono
Published: June 2011

Living both inland and in floating houses are two aspects or life for the ethnic Buginese who dwell on the coast of Lake Tempe in South Sulawesi. Their primary occupations include fishing and farming, which resulted in the community’s decision to build their traditional houses in the form of stilted houses inland and floating houses over water. The unique characteristics of Lake Tempe which has both flood tide and ebb tide every year, enable them to live in floating houses and work as fishermen during the flood tide and live inland, working as farmers during the ebb tide. The aim of this study was to determine how the ethnic Buginese use both their stilted houses and the floating houses as a means of adaptation in order to sustain their livelihoods. The study employed qualitative methods through the Ethno-Architecture approach, which was then analyzed using the Spradley Model. The study found that the upper spaces in the houses over the lake that are used for fishing serve an economic function to the fisherman in helping to improve their livelihoods. In addition to being a comfortable dwelling, the floating house is also used to store and process the fresh fish into dried fish. The use of the upper space is not only regulated by the local government’s regulations, but also by customary law in order to maintain the harmony and sustainability of the relationship between humans and their environment. When the lake water recedes during dry season, the community settles inland and farms there around the lake, planting such crops as corns, beans and vegetables. Thus, living in the stilted houses inland and floating houses over the lake forms the community’s process of adapting to the environmental condition present on the coast of Lake Tempe and a means by which to improve livelihoods.
Revisiting the Urban Electoral Processes
Authors: Ajay Anamika , Govindarajan Unna V.
Published: June 2011

With increasing urbanization in India, citizens’ expectations and demands regarding the quality of democratic institutions are likely to increase. Consequently, democratic institutions are under pressure to evaluate and improve the quality of services. One of the key institutions that determine the future of urban India is the electoral system and its processes. Given this context, this study attempts to discuss the two key electoral processes: registration and balloting. The objective is to analyze these processes and argue for developing an Electoral System Index (ESI) as a tool to identify areas of concern and make recommendations to reform municipal election processes for the city of Bangalore. This study endeavours to address the above-stated problem through the theoretical perspective of the Dreze-Sen model of democracy and the conceptual framework of applying customer service standards to public institutions (responsiveness). The study, based on both qualitative and quantitative research methods and through sampled wards, demonstrates that citizens’ experiences with certain aspects of the electoral processes were not uniform, thereby validating the need for ESI to make data-driven recommendations for future reforms.
Bridging the Urban Infrastructure Project Preparation Gap in Asia
Authors: Duenas Stefanie , Wegelin Emiel
Published: June 2011

The speed of Asia’s urbanization is without historical precedent. According to UN estimates 1.7 billion urban dwellers will be added to the urban population in the next 40 years. Faced with the forces of a globalizing economy and with the stress imposed upon urban infrastructure by migration and informal development, traditional approaches to urban planning and development are seen as inadequate. Existing urban development strategies and/or urban master plans in cities generally cannot be translated into medium-term structured infrastructure investment programs (constrained by realistic financing limitations), with prioritized projects. Governments, particularly of medium-sized cities, often have difficulties to match plans with financing. This article provides an introductory overview of an innovative regional development program which was created in response to these challenges. The Cities Development Initiative for Asia (CDIA) was created in 2007 as a multi-agency regional partnership program to assist medium-sized cities (with functional urban population ranging between 250,000 to 5 million) in the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB’s) Developing Member Countries to bridge the gap between their development plans and implementation of their strategic infrastructure investments. The initiative is an international partnership program based in Manila, Philippines co-managed by the ADB and German Technical Co-operation (GTZ).2 The article describes CDIAs rationale including information about its governance and operational structure, as well as initial operational experience in cities by focusing on expected developmental impacts. The article ends by presenting a reflection and probable scenario of CDIA beyond 2012.
Pneumocystis carinii Pneumonia Prophylaxis
Authors: Crozier Faith
Published: June 2011

Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) can be life threatening for children receiving chemotherapy and immunosuppressive medication, including high-dose steroids. Although there are no current guidelines for prophylaxis in pediatric oncology patients, ongoing studies are evaluating the efficacy, side effects, ease of administration, and compliance of drugs used for PCP prophylaxis. Drugs currently being prescribed in practice include Bactrim, pentamidine, dapsone, and atovaquone. Bactrim remains superior for preventing PCP, but alternatives are being analyzed and investigated for those unable to tolerate Bactrim because of drug allergy or side effects. Educating patients and families about the importance of PCP prophylaxis and compliance should be a priority for all health care providers caring for children receiving immunosuppressive medications, including chemotherapy.
Development of 2D Microdisplay Using an Integrated Microresonating Waveguide Scanning System
Authors: Hua Wei-Shu , Wang Wei-Chih , Wu Wen-Jong , Leung Tsui Chi , Cui Wei , Shih Wen-Pin
Published: June 2011

Our research team has developed a 2D micro image display device that can potentially overcome the size reduction limits while maintaining the high-image resolution and field of view obtained by mirror-based display systems. The basic design of the optical scanner includes a microfabricated SU-8 cantilever waveguide that is electromechanically deflected by a piezoelectric actuator. From the distal tip of the cantilever waveguide, a light beam is emitted and the direction of propagation is displaced along two orthogonal directions. The waveforms for the actuator and the LED light modulation are generated and controlled using a field programmable gate array. Our recent study is an update to the previously-reported mechanical scanner, replacing the hand-built PZT scanner and fiber waveguide with a microfabricated system incorporating aerosol-deposited PZT thin film and a polymeric SU-8 wave guide. In this article, we report on the design and fabrication of a prototype miniaturized 2D scanner, discuss optical and mechanical the modeling of the system's properties and present the experimental results.
When Critical Knowledge Is Most Critical
Authors: Huang Siyuan , Cummings Jonathon N.
Published: June 2011

Knowledge-intensive teams rely on the task-relevant knowledge held by members to perform effectively. In this article, we focus on critical knowledge, defined as the most influential information, know-how, or feedback that contributes directly to task outcomes. From a social network perspective, the critical knowledge structure in a team can be defined by who shares critical knowledge with whom. In a highly centralized critical knowledge structure, everyone shares critical knowledge with a single person on the team. Alternatively, in a highly decentralized critical knowledge structure, critical knowledge is shared evenly across members of the team. Drawing from small group research and network theory, we theorize about critical knowledge structures in teams and make hypotheses regarding the consequences of centralized critical knowledge structures for executive-rated team performance. Data analyses from a field study of 177 teams in a multinational organization indicate support for our theory that centralized critical knowledge structures are negatively related to executive-rated team performance. Furthermore, the negative relationship is exacerbated when (a) business unit diversity on the team is greater, and (b) critical knowledge shared in the team is exploratory rather than exploitative.
Evidence-Based Practice at a Crossroads
Authors: Barth Richard P. , Lee Bethany R. , Lindsey Michael A. , Collins Kathryn S. , Strieder Frederick , Chorpita Bruce F. , Becker Kimberly D. , Sparks Jacqueline A.
Published: June 2011

Social work is increasingly embracing evidence-based practice (EBP) as a decision-making process that incorporates the best available evidence about effective treatments given client values and preferences, in addition to social worker expertise. Yet, social work practitioners have typically encountered challenges with the application of manualized evidence-supported treatments. For social work, the path to implementing the delivery of science-informed practice remains at a crossroads. This article describes two emergent strategies that offer a plausible means by which many social workers can integrate an EBP model into their service delivery—common factors and common elements. Each strategy will be presented, and related evidence provided. Tools to implement a common elements approach and to incorporate client feedback consistent with a common factors perspective will also be described. These strategies will be placed in the broader context of the EBP framework to suggest possible advances in social work practice and research.
Cultural Competency and Diversity Among Hospice Palliative Care Volunteers
Authors: Jovanovic Maja
Published: June 2011

This case study examines the current state of cultural competence in hospice and palliative care in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). Because of changing demographic trends and ethnic minorities underutilizing hospice palliative care services, this research examined the current state of culturally competent care in a hospice setting, and the challenges to providing culturally competent care in a hospice in the GTA. A case study was conducted with a hospice and included in-depth interviews with 14 hospice volunteers. The findings reveal that volunteers encountered cultural clashes when their level of cultural competency was weak. Second, volunteers revealed there was a lack of adequate cultural competency training with their hospice, and finally, there was a lack of ethnic, cultural, and linguistic diversity among the hospice volunteers.
Hospice Use Among African Americans, Asians, Hispanics, and Whites
Authors: Carrion Iraida V. , Park Nan Sook , Lee Beom S.
Published: June 2011

Objective: This study examined the characteristics of individuals in hospice care by racial/ethnic groups. Methods: A total of 22,936 patients served by a hospice in Central Florida during a four-year period, from 2002 to 2006, were included. Of these, 80.6% were White, 9.6% were Black/African-American, 9.3% were Hispanic and 0.5% were Asian American/Pacific Islander. We examined the associations between the characteristics of hospice users and race/ethnicity, and change of hospice user characteristics over time using chi-square and ANOVA tests. Results: More females than males were represented. Spouse caregivers were most common for Whites (35%) and Asian/Pacific Islanders (36%). However, “other” (41%) caregivers were most frequent for African Americans and daughters (33%) were most often caregivers for Hispanics. Cancer was the primary diagnosis across the four groups. Racial/ethnic minorities were more likely to rely on Medicaid than Whites (10-70% vs. 4%) and African Americans were most likely to be transferred from hospital (57%), whereas Whites were referred from assisted living/nursing homes more frequently than others(16% vs. 7-10%). Conclusion: As the hospice settings become more racially/ethnically diverse, it is essential to attend to the different circumstances and needs of the various groups in providing optimal care.
Factors Influencing Staff Perceptions of Administrator Support for Tier 2 and 3 Interventions
Authors: Debnam Katrina J. , Pas Elise T. , Bradshaw Catherine P.
Published: June 2011

Although the number of schools implementing School-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (SWPBIS) is increasing, and there is great demand for evidence-based Tier 2 and 3 interventions for students requiring additional support, little systematic research has examined administrator support for such programming. This article examines staff- and school-level factors associated with staff members’ perception of administrator support for SWPBIS and the implementation of Tier 2 and 3 interventions. Using data from 2,717 staff members in 45 elementary schools implementing SWPBIS, multilevel analyses were conducted. Results indicated that the schools’ organizational health played an important role in staff members’ perceptions of administrator support for SWPBIS and Tier 2 and 3 interventions, whereas the implementation quality of these interventions did not. Furthermore, perceived administrator support for Tier 2 and 3 interventions varied as a function of the staff members’ role in the school. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.
Diagnosis of Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor (GIST) on Transurethral Resection of the Prostate
Authors: Anagnostou Eleftherios , Miliaras Dimosthenis , Panagiotakopoulos Victor
Published: June 2011

Gastrointesinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are the most common mesenchymal neoplasms of the gastrointestinal tract and they show differentiation towards interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC). Herein, we describe a case of a 60-year-old man presenting with symptoms mimicking adenomatous hyperplasia of the prostate that was subjected to repeated transurethral prostatectomies. Histologic and immunohistochemical examination showed a neoplastic process with characteristics consistent with GIST. Imaging studies confirmed a rectal origin of the tumor. Review of the literature revealed 20 cases of GISTs occurring in the prostate gland, either diagnosed as either primary GISTs or, more commonly, as rectal neoplasms extending to this organ. We add our case in this short list, emphasizing on the importance of inclusion of GISTs in the differential diagnosis of every spindle cell lesion encountered in the prostate.
Prostate Involvement by Intravascular Large B-Cell Lymphoma
Authors: Xu Man , Yang Qingping , Li Mingxu , Geng Weipu , Huang Wenlian , Chen Yu
Published: June 2011

Prostate involvement by intravascular large B-cell lymphoma (IVLBL) is extremely rare. Until now, only 6 cases have been reported in the literature. In this article, the authors report a case of a 65-year-old Chinese man with IVLBL located in the prostate. The diagnosis of IVLBL was obtained incidentally from a biopsy of his prostatectomy specimen. The patient underwent CHOP therapy for 5 cycles and had a favorable clinical outcome.
Mobile Encapsulated Adipose Tissue (MEAT) of Cows and Humans
Authors: Burgdorf Walter H. C. , Hurt Mark A.
Published: June 2011

Mobile encapsulated adipose tissue can be found in both the subcutis and peritoneal cavity. The cutaneous lesions are more common and better described; they are usually designated as “mobile encapsulated lipoma” or “nodular-cystic fat necrosis.” The clinical name of abacus tumor describes best the small marble-like nodules that often can be moved freely through the subcutaneous tissue planes. Histopathologically, the nodules are composed of a dense fibrous capsule surrounding fat that may show varying degrees of necrosis, calcification, and lipomembranous changes. The peritoneal nodules are thought to originate from detached epiploic appendices. They are described occasionally in humans but more commonly in cows. Because these bovine mobile peritoneal bodies are clinically and histopathologically identical to the nodules in human subcutaneous tissue, the authors suggest that one can better understand both processes by comparing them. Because the lesions are reactive, not neoplastic, and necrosis is not an invariable feature, the authors suggest the neutral designation of mobile encapsulated adipose tissue.
Extranodal Rosai–Dorfman Disease Arising in the Right Atrium
Authors: Ajise Oluyomi Edith , Stahl-Herz Jay , Goozner Barry , Cassai Nicholas , McRae Gerald , Wieczorek Rosemary
Published: June 2011

Rosai–Dorfman disease is a rare, benign histiocytic proliferative disorder that commonly affects the lymph nodes. Although extranodal involvement has been reported in diverse sites, manifestation in the cardiovascular system is extremely uncommon. Specifically, the involvement of the heart by Rosai–Dorfman disease is an extraordinarily infrequent event. Here, the authors present a case of Rosai–Dorfman disease arising in the right atrium in a symptomatic 61-year-old man who initially presented with pleuritic chest pain and was found to have a large, lobulated, and circumscribed right atrial mass. The lesion exhibited an exuberant histiocytic and chronic fibroinflammatory process with focal emperipolesis within histiocytes. Immunohistochemical studies demonstrated strong S100 positivity in CD68+ CD1a− histiocytes. Although rare, Rosai–Dorfman disease should be considered in the differential diagnosis of a right atrial mass.
Peritoneal Bile Granulomas Identified at Cesarean Section and Mimicking Disseminated Malignancy
Authors: McVeigh Gerard , McComiskey Mark , McCluggage W. Glenn
Published: June 2011

A 37-year-old woman was found to have multiple peritoneal nodules, including on the uterine serosa, at Cesarean section. Histology showed yellow crystalline material surrounded by histiocytes and occasional multinucleate giant cells. Further enquiry revealed that the patient underwent a cholecystectomy for a perforated gallbladder 3 years earlier. Pathologists should be aware of this uncommon complication of bile leakage, which has the potential to clinically mimic disseminated malignancy. This may become increasingly common in the future since bile leakage is more likely to occur with laparoscopic than open cholecystectomy.
Crushing Artifacts Resulting in Small Blue Cellular Clusters That Simulate Small Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Flamminio Federica , Tosi Anna Lisa , Fellegara Giovanni
Published: June 2011

The presence of “crushing” artifacts in histological sections is a very common finding and represents a potentially major pitfall for the surgical pathologist, particularly in small biopsy specimens. Microscopically, it appears as bluish clusters in which the cellular details are not recognizable. Here the authors report examples of this phenomenon that have been reported or that they have personally observed and emphasize some diagnostic clue to avoid its overinterpretation and the dire clinical consequences that this may entail.
Plasticity of Cortical Maps
Authors: Xerri Christian
Published: June 2011

Sensory and motor representations embedded in topographic cortical maps are use-dependent, dynamically maintained, and self-organizing functional mosaics that constitute idiosyncratic entities involved in perceptual and motor learning abilities. Studies of cortical map plasticity have substantiated the view that local reorganization of sensory and motor areas has great significance in recovery of function following brain damage or spinal cord injury. In addition, the transfer of function to distributed cortical areas and subcortical structures represents an adaptive strategy for functional compensation. There is a growing consensus that subject-environment interactions, by continuously refining the canvas of synaptic connectivity and reshaping the anatomical and functional architecture of neural circuits, promote adaptive behavior throughout life. Taking advantage of use-dependent neural plasticity, early initiated rehabilitative procedures improve the potential for recovery.
The Frontoparietal Attention Network of the Human Brain
Authors: Ptak Radek
Published: June 2011

The dorsal convexity of the human frontal and parietal lobes forms a network that is crucially involved in the selection of sensory contents by attention. This network comprehends cortex along the intraparietal sulcus, the inferior parietal lobe, and dorsal premotor cortex, including the frontal eye field. These regions are richly interconnected with recurrent fibers passing through the superior longitudinal fasciculus. The posterior parietal cortex has several functional characteristics—such as feature-independent coding, enhancement of activity by attention, representation of task-related signals, and access to multiple reference frames—that point to a central role of this region in the computation of a feature- and modality-independent priority map of the environment. The priority map integrates feature information elaborated in sensory cortex and top-down representations of behavioral goals and expectations originating in the dorsolateral prefrontal and premotor cortex. This review presents converging evidence from single-unit studies of the primate brain, functional neuroimaging, and investigations of neuropsychological disorders such as Bálint syndrome and spatial neglect for a decisive role of the frontoparietal attention network in the selection of relevant environmental information.
Gender and Health Lifestyle
Authors: Grzywacz Joseph G. , Stoller Eleanor Palo , Brewer-Lowry A. Nichol , Bell Ronny A. , Quandt Sara A. , Arcury Thomas A.
Published: June 2011

Objective. Evaluate similarities and differences in the self-care domain of health lifestyle among older, rural-dwelling women and men. Method. Qualitative analysis of in-depth interview data from 62 community-dwelling older ( M = 74.3 years) African and European American women and men. Results. Both older women and men rely heavily on over-the-counter medications and home remedies for self-care; professional health care is typically sought when self-care is not effective. However, relative to men, women were more knowledgeable about different approaches to self-care, especially home remedies; they used a wider range of self-care activities; and they placed greater priority on self-care over professional health care. Discussion. The structure of older women’s and men’s self-care domain of health lifestyle is similar. However, there are subtle differences in health lifestyle that are likely embedded in gendered role behavior and may contribute to women’s greater health complaints.
Effect of Enoxacin, Felbinac, and Sparfloxacin on Fatty Acid Metabolism and Glucose Concentrations in Rat Tissues
Authors: Kasuya Fumiyo , Miwa Yasushi , Kazumi Maya , Inoue Hiroyuki , Ohta Hiroyuki
Published: June 2011

Multiple changes in metabolic levels could be useful for understanding physiological toxicity. To explore further risk factors for the convulsions induced by the interaction of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory and new quinolone antimicrobial drugs, the effect of sparfloxacin, enoxacin, and felbinac on fatty acid metabolism and glucose concentrations in the liver, brain, and blood of rats was investigated. The levels of long-chain acyl-CoAs (C18:1 and C20:4) in the liver and brain were decreased at the onset of convulsions induced by the coadministration of enoxacin with felbinac. Then, glucose concentrations in the liver and blood were decreased, whereas they were increased in a dose-dependant manner in the brain. However, the formation of acyl-CoAs and glucose levels in the liver, brain, and blood was not significantly influenced by enoxacin, felbinac, and sparfloxacin alone, respectively. The disturbance of both fatty acid metabolism and glucose levels might be associated with the increased susceptibility to convulsions, which may contribute to further understanding of the toxic effects associated with these drugs.