bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Link between Thyroid Function and Depression
Authors: Hage Mirella P. , Azar Sami T.
Published: December 2011

The relation between thyroid function and depression has long been recognized. Patients with thyroid disorders are more prone to develop depressive symptoms and conversely depression may be accompanied by various subtle thyroid abnormalities. Traditionally, the most commonly documented abnormalities are elevated T4 levels, low T3, elevated rT3, a blunted TSH response to TRH, positive antithyroid antibodies, and elevated CSF TRH concentrations. In addition, thyroid hormone supplements appear to accelerate and enhance the clinical response to antidepressant drugs. However, the mechanisms underlying the interaction between thyroid function and depression remain to be further clarified. Recently, advances in biochemical, genetic, and neuroimaging fields have provided new insights into the thyroid-depression relationship.
Single-Cell Pharmacodynamic Monitoring of S6 Ribosomal Protein Phosphorylation in AML Blasts during a Clinical Trial Combining the mTOR Inhibitor Sirolimus and Intensive Chemotherapy
Authors: Perl Alexander E. , Kasner Margaret T. , Shank Doris , Luger Selina M. , Carroll Martin
Published: December 2011

Purpose: Integration of signal transduction inhibitors into chemotherapy regimens generally has generally not led to anticipated increases in response and survival. However, it remains unclear whether this is because of inadequate or inconsistent inhibition of target or other complex biology. The mTOR signaling pathway is frequently activated in acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) and we previously showed the safety of combining the mTOR inhibitor, sirolimus, with mitoxantrone, etoposide, and cytarabine (MEC) chemotherapy. However, we did not reliably determine the extent of mTOR inhibition on that study. Here, we sought to develop an assay that allowed us to serially quantify the activation state of mTOR kinase during therapy.

Experimental Design: To provide evidence of mTOR kinase activation and inhibition, we applied a validated whole blood fixation/permeabilization technique for flow cytometry to serially monitor S6 ribosomal protein (S6) phosphorylation in immunophenotypically identified AML blasts.

Results: With this approach, we show activation of mTOR signaling in 8 of 10 subjects' samples (80%) and conclusively show inhibition of mTOR in the majority of subjects' tumor cell during therapy. Of note, S6 phosphorylation in AML blasts is heterogeneous and, in some cases, intrinsically resistant to rapamycin at clinically achieved concentrations.

Conclusions: The methodology described is rapid and reproducible. We show the feasibility of real-time, direct pharmacodynamic monitoring by flow cytometry during clinical trials combining intensive chemotherapy and signal transduction inhibitors. This approach greatly clarifies pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic relationships and has broad application to preclinical and clinical testing of drugs whose direct or downstream effects disrupt PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling. Clin Cancer Res; 18(6); 1716–25. ©2011 AACR.
Iron Status and Analysis of Efficacy and Safety of Ferric Carboxymaltose Treatment in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Authors: Beigel Florian , Löhr Beate , Laubender Rüdiger P. , Tillack Cornelia , Schnitzler Fabian , Breiteneicher Simone , Weidinger Maria , Göke Burkhard , Seiderer Julia , Ochsenkühn Thomas , Brand Stephan
Published: December 2011

Background and Aims: We analyzed iron deficiency and the therapeutic response following intravenous ferric carboxymaltose in a large single-center inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) cohort. Methods: 250 IBD patients were retrospectively analyzed for iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia. A subgroup was analyzed regarding efficacy and side effects of iron supplementation with ferric carboxymaltose. Results: In the cohort (n = 250), 54.4% of the patients had serum iron levels ≤60 µg/dl, 81.2% had ferritin ≤100 ng/ml, and 25.6% had hemoglobin (Hb) of ≤12 g/dl (females) or ≤13 g/dl (males). In the treatment subcohort (n = 80), 83.1% of the patients had iron ≤60 µg/dl, 90.4% had ferritin ≤100 ng/ml, and 66.7% had Hb ≤12/13 g/dl before ferric carboxymaltose treatment. After a median dose of 500 mg ferric carboxymaltose, 74.7% of the patients reached iron >60 µg/dl, 61.6% had ferritin >100 ng/ml, and 90.7% reached Hb >12/13 g/dl at follow-up (p < 0.0001 for all parameters vs. pretreatment values). The most frequent adverse event was a transient increase of liver enzymes with male gender as risk factor (p = 0.008, OR 8.62, 95% CI 1.74–41.66). Conclusions: Iron deficiency and anemia are frequent in IBD patients. Treatment with ferric carboxymaltose is efficious, safe and well tolerated in iron-deficient IBD patients.
Urinary Trypsin Inhibitor Attenuates Seawater-Induced Acute Lung Injury by Influencing the Activities of Nuclear Factor-ĸB and Its Related Inflammatory Mediators
Authors: Rui Meng , Duan Yun-you , Zhang Xin-hong , Wang Hai-long , Wang Da-peng
Published: December 2011

Background: Few data are available on the role of neutrophil elastase (NE) and nuclear factor-ĸB (NF-ĸB) in the course of seawater drowning-induced acute lung injury (SWD-ALI), and there is no evidence on the value of giving urinary trypsin inhibitor (UTI) in the case of SWD-ALI. Objective: To investigate the role of NF-ĸB and NE in the pathogenesis of SWD-ALI and whether UTI treatment can attenuate SWD-ALI in rabbits. Methods: Rabbits were randomly assigned to control, seawater drowning, and UTI treatment groups. The rabbits in the control group only suffered from intubation, whereas the rabbits in the seawater drowning group and the UTI treatment group received arterial injection of normal saline without/with 50,000 U/kg body weight of UTI after instillation of seawater into an endotracheal catheter. The activities or contents of NF-ĸB, MPO, NE, TNF-α, and IL-10 in lung tissue were measured by nonradioactive EMSA, biochemical methods, and ELISA, respectively. Results: After the seawater challenge, all of the rabbits demonstrated immediate drops in arterial PaO2/FiO2 and pronounced pulmonary edema and inflammatory cell infiltration with evidence of an increase in the ratio of wet weight to dry weight, lung permeability index, lung injury scores, and the activities or contents of NF-ĸB, NE, MPO, TNF-α, and IL-10. UTI treatment markedly attenuated lung histopathological changes with evidence of a decrease in all of the parameters, except for upregulation of IL-10. Arterial PaO2/FiO2 was significantly improved after 6 h of UTI treatment. Conclusion: These results suggest that NF-ĸB and NE play an important role in SWD-ALI. UTI protects against SWD-ALI, at least partly, through inhibition of the enhanced local activity of NF-ĸB, contents of TNF-α and NE, and infiltration of neutrophils and promotion of the level of IL-10.
Atrial Remodeling in Atrial Fibrillation and Some Related MicroRNAs
Authors: Sharma Deepak , Li Guangping , Xu Gang , Liu Yuzhi , Xu Yanmin
Published: December 2011

Atrial fibrillation is the most common sustained arrhythmia associated with substantial cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, with stroke being the most critical complication. The role of atrial remodeling has emerged as the new pathophysiological mechanism of atrial fibrillation. Electrical remodeling and structural remodeling will increase the probability of generating multiple atrial wavelets by enabling rapid atrial activation and dispersion of refractoriness. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs of 20–25 nucleotides in length that regulate expression of target genes through sequence-specific hybridization to the 3’ untranslated region of messenger RNAs and either block translation or direct degradation of their target messenger RNA. They have also been implicated in a variety of pathological conditions, such as arrhythmogenesis and atrial fibrillation. Target genes of miRNAs have the potential to affect atrial fibrillation vulnerability.
Overview of the Investigation and Management of Cystic Neoplasms of the Pancreas
Authors: Spence Robert A.J. , Dasari Bobby , Love Mark , Kelly Barry , Taylor Mark
Published: December 2011

Background: Cystic neoplasms of the pancreas contribute to 10–20% of pancreatic tumours. Malignant cystic tumours of the pancreas behave similar to adenocarcinomas and thus warrant aggressive management. However, certain benign cystic neoplasms do not require operative intervention. It is, therefore, important to differentiate benign lesions from malignant lesions and from those with malignant potential. Aims: To provide an overview of the role of radiological investigations in the management of cystic neoplasms of the pancreas, with emphasis on the characteristic features of aggressive tumours. The role of different imaging modalities is discussed, and an investigative algorithm suggested. Methods: A literature review was carried out on Medline, Cochrane library, and PubMed using the MeSH terms ‘pancreas’ and ‘cysts’ to source relevant papers. Search criteria were limited to English literature, meta-analyses, systematic reviews, prospective and retrospective case series, published during or after 1998. Discussion: Each pancreatic cystic lesion has characteristic radiological findings. However, the diagnostic accuracy of individual imaging techniques is still limited. A combination of imaging modalities is essential for preoperative diagnosis. CT complemented by endoscopic ultrasound and cyst fluid analysis appears to be the most promising investigation in diagnosing cystic neoplasms. Follow-up with serial imaging is useful for lesions of uncertain aetiology.
Chromosome Breakage in Human Preimplantation Embryos from Carriers of Structural Chromosomal Abnormalities in Relation to Fragile Sites, Maternal Age, and Poor Sperm Factors
Authors: Xanthopoulou L. , Ghevaria H. , Mantzouratou A. , Serhal P. , Doshi A. , Delhanty J.D.A.
Published: December 2011

Chromosome breakage is a fairly widespread phenomenon in preimplantation embryos affecting at least 10% of day 3 cleavage stage embryos. It may be detected during preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD). For carriers of structural chromosomal abnormalities, PGD involves the removal and testing of single blastomeres from cleavage stage embryos, aiming towards an unaffected pregnancy. Twenty-two such couples were referred for PGD, and biopsied blastomeres on day 3 and untransferred embryos (day 5/6) were tested using fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) with appropriate probes. This study investigated whether chromosome breakage (a) was detected more frequently in cases where the breakpoint of the aberration was in the same chromosomal band as a fragile site and (b) was influenced by maternal age, sperm parameters, reproductive history, or the sex of the carrier parent. The frequency of breakage seemed to be independent of fragile sites, maternal age, reproductive history, and sex of the carrier parent. However, chromosome breakage was very significantly higher in embryos from male carriers with poor sperm parameters versus embryos from male carriers with normal sperm parameters. Consequently, embryos from certain couples were more prone to chromosome breakage, fragment loss, and hence chromosomally unbalanced embryos, independently of meiotic segregation.
Much Ado About Nothing? How Banks Respond to Climate Change
Authors: Furrer Bettina , Hamprecht Jens , Hoffmann Volker H.
Published: December 2011

The effect of the financial sector on climate change remains largely underestimated. Banks can steer investments of their customers in low-emission technologies and adjust the conditions of loans that they provide to greenhouse gas intensive sectors. However, the authors’ research shows that few banks take such substantive action when they implement their climate strategy. The authors analyze 114 listed banks around the world and find evidence for deflective decoupling. This evidence means that banks that implement a climate strategy often decouple it from their main value creating processes such as lending and investment. Those banks that engage in more substantive action still combine it with symbolic activities which may facilitate the strategic change process. This study contributes to the literature on organizations and the natural environment as the authors specify which kind of banks implement substantive climate strategies. This research holds important implications for policy makers and managers who aim to implement a climate strategy in organizations that create value through information and financial flows but not with a physical transfer of goods.
MicroRNAs in an Oral Cancer Context – from Basic Biology to Clinical Utility
Authors: Gorenchtein M. , Poh C.F. , Saini R. , Garnis C.
Published: December 2011

Oral cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed malignancies worldwide. Its dismal five-year survival rate of ~50% has barely changed for decades. A better understanding of the molecular basis of tumorigenesis – with particular emphasis on disease initiation and progression – is needed to improve clinical outcomes, since this will facilitate the development of drugs and management strategies based on the specific genetic changes underpinning disease behaviors. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), a class of short non-coding RNAs that down-regulate gene expression, have been demonstrated to play essential roles in human cancers. miRNA deregulation has been observed in many tumor types and is implicated in oncogenic cell processes, including proliferation, survival, apoptosis, metastasis, and chemoresistance. In addition, miRNA alterations have been associated with specific clinical phenotypes such as disease progression or recurrence, development of metastases, and post-operative survival. Recent studies have explored the utility of miRNAs as diagnostic and prognostic tools and as potential therapeutic targets. Herein, we discuss miRNA biology and provide a summary of the key findings on the role of miRNAs in oral malignancies.
‘Keeping SCORE’: Reflective Practice Through Classroom Observations
Authors: Farrell Thomas S.C.
Published: December 2011

Reflective practice means that teachers must subject their own teaching beliefs and practices to critical examination. One way of facilitating reflective practice in ESL teachers is to encourage them to engage in classroom observations as part of their professional development. This paper reports on a case study of a short series of classroom observations in which this author, acting as a facilitator, aided a novice teacher as she negotiated her first year of teaching ESL. The classroom observation process included the use of a method of using seating chart observation record, or SCORE chart, to help a novice teacher not only to become more aware of her classroom practices, but also to improve her instruction.
Students’ Social Positioning in the Language Classroom: Implications for Interaction
Authors: Stone Paul , Kidd Andrew
Published: December 2011

This paper outlines some findings of a three-month investigation into the effects of students’ interpersonal relationships on communication in two EFL classrooms in a Japanese university. Data was collected to identify and describe the various social subgroups that existed within the classes, and samples of classroom discourse were then analysed to investigate how students’ social positioning in the classroom affected the observed interaction. The analysis suggests that the relationships that students develop in the classroom do have implications for interaction, and that conducting research into those relationships could have a positive impact on teachers management of classroom interaction.
Evaluation of the “Lose Your Excuse” Public Service Advertising Campaign for Tweens to Save Energy
Authors: Bertrand Jane T. , Goldman Patty , Zhivan Natalia , Agyeman Yaw , Barber Erin
Published: December 2011

This study evaluates the 2008–2009 “Lose your Excuse” public service advertising (PSA) campaign on energy efficiency targeting 8- to 12-year-olds, intended to increase knowledge, foster proactive attitudes, and change energy usage behaviors. Baseline and two follow-up surveys were conducted with online samples representative of the national population of households with kids with online access. Almost half (47%) of the tweens recognized at least one ad from the campaign. Ad recognition was positively associated with knowledge, proactive attitudes, and energy-saving behavior. Propensity score analysis confirmed a small but measurable and statistically significant effect on energy-saving behavior. The discussion section compares these results to public health campaigns in terms of ghost awareness, reach, and effect size.
Tumor Location Is an Independent Prognostic Factor in Head and Neck Merkel Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Smith Valerie A. , MaDan Olivia P. , Lentsch Eric J.
Published: December 2011

Objective

Explore the relationship between tumor location and prognosis among patients with Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) of the head and neck.

Study Design

Retrospective analysis of large population database.

Setting

Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database/multiple settings.

Subjects and Methods

Using the SEER database, the authors identified patients with MCC of the head and neck. They compared clinicopathologic characteristics and disease‐specific survival (DSS) between patients with head and neck MCC at different anatomic subsites. DSS was estimated by the Kaplan‐Meier method, and a multivariable regression model was constructed so that independent predictors of DSS could be determined.

Results

Of the 2104 patients identified, 61.0% were men. The mean age at diagnosis was 77.5 years. Tumors were most commonly located on the face (61.1%). Scalp tumors were significantly larger (10.4% >5 cm, P =. 0001) and more likely to present with distant metastasis (8.7%, P =. 07) than other head and neck tumors. Lip tumors had the highest rate of invasion into bone, cartilage, and muscle (13.7%, P =. 012), and ear tumors had the highest rate of nodal metastasis (63.2%, P =. 011). Patients with scalp/neck and lip primary sites had significantly worse survival on univariable analysis (P =. 0054 and P =. 0007, respectively); however, the lip was the only site associated with worse survival on multivariable analysis (hazard ratio = 1.8, P =. 005).

Conclusions

This study is the first to report lip location as an independent prognostic factor in head and neck MCC. More aggressive treatment of patients with MCC of the lip may be warranted to improve outcomes.
How do Young Adolescents Cope With Social Problems? An Examination of Social Goals, Coping With Friends, and Social Adjustment
Authors: Shin Huiyoung , Ryan Allison M.
Published: December 2011

This study investigated individual differences in sixth-grade students (N = 181; 47% girls, ethnically diverse) use of friends as a coping resource when dealing with a social stressor with another peer at school. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the hypothesized three factor structure of coping with friends: mastery, avoidance, and nonchalance. Controlling for levels of social self-efficacy, social goal orientations were linked to different types of coping. Specifically, a social development goal was positively associated with mastery coping. A social demonstration-avoid goal was positively associated with avoidance coping. A social demonstration-approach goal was positively associated with nonchalance coping. In turn, individual differences in coping were associated with subsequent social adjustment (measured 3 months later). Specifically, mastery coping was associated with best friendship quality, avoidance coping was associated with anxious solitude, and nonchalance coping was associated with overt aggression.
Mechanical properties of polypropylene composites
Authors: Shubhra Quazi TH , Alam AKMM , Quaiyyum MA
Published: December 2011

There has been a growing interest in utilizing fibers as reinforcement to produce composite materials. Scientists prefer thermoplastic polymeric matrices than thermosets due to the low production cycle, lower cost of processing and high reparability of thermoplastics. Fiber-reinforced thermoplastic matrix composites have gained commercial success in the semistructural and structural applications. Various fibers are widely used as reinforcement in thermoplastic polypropylene (PP) matrix to prepare composites. Mechanical properties of fiber-reinforced PP composites (FRPCs) are studied by many researchers and few of them are discussed in this article. Various fiber treatments, which are carried out to improve the fiber–matrix adhesion to get improved mechanical properties, are also discussed in this article. This article also focuses on coupling agents and fiber loading which affect the mechanical properties of FRPCs significantly.
The effect of integration and social democratic welfare states on immigrants’ educational attainment: a multilevel estimate
Authors: Fossati Flavia
Published: December 2011

Through the analysis of 22 European countries and Canada, this article seeks to investigate the assumption that political macro level variables such as welfare state systems and immigration regimes shape the conditions encountered by young immigrants and thus have an impact on their school performance. The results show that native students benefit from social-democratic welfare states and immigration-friendly integration regimes, whereas immigrant students underperform under these types of regimes. Thus, while the finding for native students supports the argument found in the body of literature, claiming that social-democratic welfare states lead to a reduction in inequality and to less stratification, the findings for immigrant students suggest that positive discrimination may under some circumstances lead to a counterproductive result. The argument is tested with a multilevel modelling procedure on three levels (student, school and country) based on different data sources.
The paradox of the social investment state: growth, employment and poverty in the Lisbon era
Authors: Cantillon Bea
Published: December 2011

After the European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion, on the eve of the elaboration of policies designed to help reach the Europe 2020 target of lifting 20 million people out of poverty, it is important to take stock of the outcomes of the Lisbon agenda for growth, employment and social inclusion. The question arises why, despite growth of average incomes and of employment, poverty rates have not gone down, but have either stagnated or even increased. In this paper we identify the following trends: rising employment has benefited workless households only partially; income protection for the working-age population out of work has become less adequate; social policies and, more generally, social redistribution have become less pro-poor. These observations are indicative of the ambivalence of the Lisbon Strategy and its underlying investment paradigm.
Disappointing poverty trends: is the social investment state to blame?
Authors: Vandenbroucke Frank , Vleminckx Koen
Published: December 2011

Should we explain the disappointing outcomes of the Open Method of Co-ordination on Inclusion by methodological weaknesses or by substantive contradictions in the ‘social investment’ paradigm? To clarify the underlying concepts, we first revisit the original ‘Lisbon inspiration’ and then relate it to the idea of the ‘new welfare state’, as proposed in the literature on new risks in post-industrial societies. We then discuss two explanations for disappointing poverty trends, suggested by critical accounts of the ‘social investment state’: ‘resource competition’ and a ‘re-commodification’. We do not find these explanations convincing per se and conclude that the jury is still out on the ‘social investment state’. However, policy-makers cannot ignore the failure of employment policies to reduce the proportion of children and working-age adults living in jobless households in the EU, and they should not deny the reality of a ‘trilemma of activation’. Finally, we identify policy conditions that may facilitate the complementarity of social investment and social inclusion.
Othering intellectual disability: Two models of classification from the 19th century
Authors: Simpson Murray K.
Published: December 2011

This paper considers two models of idiocy: one based around quantitative deviation from the norm and the other on qualitative variation. In doing so, the paper shows three things. First, it shows that apparently contradictory strategies coexist within the same discourses. Second, both cases produce the idiot as Other. Third, that the production and reproduction of Otherness creates difficulties in policing the conceptual boundary between the normal and the abnormal. The maintenance of boundaries does not adhere to either the essential nature of intellectual disability or logical coherence. Instead it is something that has to be perpetually accomplished. This has important consequences for the linkage between psychological models of intellectual disability and social inclusion. The paper concludes that no discourse on intellectual disability can eliminate Otherness.
Attributions, causes, and actions: Is the consciousness of will a perceptual illusion?
Authors: McClure John
Published: December 2011

Wegner’s theory of conscious will applies Michotte’s causal perception model to people’s consciousness of will. The model proposes that people’s perception of conscious will reflects causal inferences about the temporal priority of the intention, the consistency of the intention with the action, and the exclusivity of their intention as the cause. This model has generated much discussion, but few commentators have examined the attribution model underpinning the theory. This analysis examines this theory of conscious will and relevant research, and finds that the research fails to provide strong support for the theory. Several conceptual propositions assumed by the theory also lack support. Research supports alternative models of intentionality that construe conscious cognitions as causes as well as effects.
The modularity debate in evolutionary psychology
Authors: Chiappe Dan , Gardner Ricca
Published: December 2011

The adherence of evolutionary psychology (EP) to the massive modularity thesis has generated considerable controversy. Barrett and Kurzban argue that much of the debate is misplaced because critics have incorrectly characterized the sense of modularity involved in EP. They offer an account centered on “functional specialization,” an emphasis on formal properties of representations, and an eschewing of references to content domains. We argue that their concept of modularity is at odds with the claims made by EP advocates. Indeed, their definition of modularity is so broad that it includes mechanisms traditionally rejected by EP. Furthermore, their concept of modularity has limited usefulness in explaining the existence of mechanisms designed to deal with novel challenges and with the development of novel solutions to longstanding adaptive problems. A model based on Potts’ concept of “variability selection” is offered as an explanation of such mechanisms.
Towards an institutionalized language policy for the French Basque country? Actors, processes and outcomes
Authors: Harguindéguy Jean-Baptiste , Itçaina Xabier
Published: December 2011

This paper focuses on the progressive institutionalization of the Basque language policy (also called Euskera) in the French Basque Country (Iparralde) since the Second World War. In view of this, it questions how such a policy programme emerged in such a centralized country as France. According to this study, this policy shift was favoured not only by a combination of endogenous factors (for example, the new French territorial polity, the new institutional capacities reached after decentralization, the new relationship with central state services, the establishment of stable territorial coalitions between civil society and local representatives, the new and more peaceful repertoire of collective actions among activists) but also by exogenous variables (for example, the rise of cross-border relations between French and Spanish Basque actors). In sum, the strong political institutions and social movements of the southern Basque Country partially compensated for the institutional weakness of French Basque actors and contributed, along with endogenous factors, to the institutionalization of a specific language policy for Euskera.
Effective Stress Management
Authors: Houghton Jeffery D. , Wu Jinpei , Godwin Jeffrey L. , Neck Christopher P. , Manz Charles C.
Published: December 2011

This article develops and presents a model of the relationships among emotional intelligence, self-leadership, and stress coping among management students. In short, the authors’ model suggests that effective emotion regulation and self-leadership, as mediated through positive affect and self-efficacy, has the potential to facilitate stress coping among students. A primary implication of the model is that basic emotion regulation and self-leadership strategies could be included in introductory management courses to potentially increase management students’ abilities to cope with stress. Furthermore, because the model has the potential to generalize to the workplace, management students exposed to emotion regulation and self-leadership strategies may be better equipped to effectively manage stress in their future careers.
A Methodology for Building Faculty Support for the United Nations Principles for Responsible Management Education
Authors: Maloni Michael J. , Smith Shane D. , Napshin Stuart
Published: December 2011

Evidence from extant literature indicates that faculty support is a critical driver for implementing the United Nations Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME), particularly for schools pursuing an advanced, cross-disciplinary level of sustainability integration. However, there is limited existing research offering insight into how to build faculty support for sustainability programs. Addressing this gap, the authors present an exploratory methodology using a survey and structural model to measure differential faculty support for sustainability. The methodology also increases awareness of the underlying drivers of and barriers to expanding the reach of sustainability across business faculty, ultimately allowing PRME institutions to address their distinct needs. The authors describe application of the methodology at a recent PRME signatory institution, including actions taken as a result of intriguing findings that identified difficulties in gaining broad faculty acceptance of PRME.
Preventing Students With Disabilities From Dropping Out
Authors: Pyle Nicole , Wexler Jade
Published: December 2011

Schools are tasked with the challenge of not only raising graduation rates for students with and without disabilities but also preparing these students to meet college and career readiness standards. Recent studies and reviews of the literature suggest promising practices to ensure that educators meet these goals by increasing students’ engagement in school. This article provides an overview of the research on evidence-based drop-out prevention practices organized within the framework of the six recommendations provided by the Institute of Education Sciences. After an explanation of each drop-out prevention intervention component, implications for practice are highlighted, with particular emphasis on academic and behavioral practices that can be readily implemented to prevent students with and without learning and behavioral disabilities from dropping out of school.
The Influence of Decreased Low-Molecular-Weight Heparin Nadroparin Dose on Diastolic Blood Pressure in Patients on Hemodialysis
Authors: Sain Milenka , Ljutic Dragan , Kovacic Vedran , Radic Josipa , Jelicic Ivo
Published: December 2011

The aim of present study was to assess the impact of decreasing single bolus dose of nadroparin on blood pressure in patients on hemodialysis (HD). Forty HD patients were included in this study. The bolus dose of nadroparin was decreased twice by 25%; this lower dose was maintained for last 4 weeks, during which the dose was adjusted. There were no significant differences between the first and the last predialysis: systolic blood pressure ([pre-SBP]; 131.05 ± 25.58 vs 125.92 ± 25.49 mm Hg; P = .133), diastolic blood pressure ([pre-DBP]; 73.82 ± 11.82 vs 72.89 ± 9.13 mm Hg; P = .653), and pulse pressure ([pre-PP]; 57.24 ± 20.39 vs 53.03 ± 21.20 mm Hg; P = .121). We found correlation between delta nadroparin and pre-DBP in the last HD (rho = 0.310; P = .031) but not between delta nadroparin and pre-SBP and pre-PP values. This is the first report of influence of nadroparin dose lowering on pre-DBP in HD patients.
Assessing Faculty Performance for Merit: An Academic Accomplishment Index
Authors: Adams Jonathan
Published: December 2011

This paper outlines a quantitative procedure developed for assessing the scholarly, teaching, and service accomplishments of faculty members being reviewed for promotion and tenure. This Academic Assessment Index (AAI) is based on the responses of 109 university and college administrators (chairpersons, department heads, and deans) in a national survey. Based on the Law of Comparative Judgment, the AAI was developed from a statistical analysis of these responses. The results may provide an important perspective on the difficult issue of how faculty career advancement portfolios including teaching, scholarly works, and service activities are fudged by senior colleagues and administrators.
Annual Enrollment Report: Graduate and Undergraduate Enrollments Increase Sharply
Authors: Becker Lee B. , Vlad Tudor , Huh Jisu , Mace Nancy R.
Published: December 2011

Enrollments at both the graduate and undergraduate level increased in the autumn of 2002, resulting in the largest number of students enrolled in journalism and mass communication ever. The growth in graduate enrollment follows a period of decline, while the increase in undergraduate enrollment continues a pattern of growth. The percentage of undergraduates enrolled who were female increased slightly, as did the percentage of students who were African-American.
The Perception and Reality of Student and Workplace Teams
Authors: Ahles Catherine B. , Bosworth Courtney C.
Published: December 2011

This paper presents a study of characteristics of effective teams in classrooms and in the workplace. First, it looks at research identifying the characteristics of high-performing teams within organizations. Then, it presents a study of students' perceptions of effective teams as they enter the integrated marketing communications campaigns class at a major urban university, then again as they leave the campaigns class. Changes in perceptions are identified and discussed. Finally, it makes recommendations regarding how faculty members can sensitize their students early in the semester about the characteristics of high-performing teams and facilitate positive behavior in teams.
Balancing Academic and Corporate Interests in Canadian Journalism Education
Authors: Edge Marc
Published: December 2011

Journalism education in Canada lags far behind the field in the United States, both in history and numbers. The first university-level schools of journalism in Canada did not open until the late 1940s, and until the mid-1970s there were only three four-year journalism schools there, all in the dominant province of Ontario. Two major reasons for this belated development have been practitioner resistance and a lack of funding. Despite the former, the number of university journalism programs in Canada has seen a recent upturn. This is largely a result of increased corporate funding, which has raised concern for academic independence.
Self-Efficacy Theory: A Prescriptive Model for Teaching Research Methods
Authors: Maier Scott R. , Curtin Patricia A.
Published: December 2011

This case study examines self-efficacy theory as a prescriptive model for helping journalism and mass communication students acquire the skills and confidence they need to learn and apply research methods. Journalism students enrolled in a graduate research methods class widely reported high math anxiety. But students attending optional classes designed to nurture mathematics self-efficacy showed significant improvement in fundamental math skills, overcoming a performance gap with other students in the course. Strategies are proposed for applying self-efficacy theory to research methods instruction.
Doing What Comes Naturally-Suggestions for Supporting Research
Authors: Dennis Everette E.
Published: December 2011

Expanded from remarks given on acceptance of the Eleanor Blum Award for Support for Research at the AEJMC's 2004 convention in Toronto, 6 August 2004.
Predictors of Convergence Curricula in Journalism and Mass Communication Programs
Authors: Lowrey Wilson , Daniels George L. , Becker Lee B.
Published: December 2011

This study is an attempt to understand the mechanism driving programs of journalism and mass communication to converge media sequences. The study also describes the extent and variation of these changes. Findings from a national survey show that a majority of programs are at least experimenting with convergence, though most are also maintaining specialized tracks in some form. Findings also suggest that faculty perceptions of industry changes explain movement away from a sole reliance on separate tracks, but small program size and lack of accreditation are more important in explaining the decision to merge sequences.
Teaching Print, Broadcast, and Online Journalism Concurrently: A Case Study Assessing a Convergence Curriculum
Authors: Castañeda Laura , Murphy Sheila , Hether Heather Jane
Published: December 2011

About 60% of U.S. journalism schools are preparing students to work across multiple media platforms. In fall 2002, the University of Southern California launched a Convergence Core Curriculum (CCC) in which all journalism students learned print, broadcast, and online journalism concurrently. Both students and instructors reported that the classes slowed the learning process, and that class content was diluted. However, students nevertheless showed marked improvement in key skills. These results and a review of the relevant literature provide insight for educators and practitioners as they assess convergence teaching practices.
Faculty Productivity and Carnegie Institutional Characteristics within AEJMC Programs
Authors: Morton Linda , Beard Fred K.
Published: December 2011

This article reports the results of a content analysis of faculty vitae from eighteen ACEJMC programs drawn using stratified random sampling by Carnegie Classification. The findings indicate that faculty members differ by Carnegie Classification on research productivity, highest earned degrees, professional experience, time assignments (for research, teaching, and service), contact and credit hours, and external grants.
Little Common Ground for Magazine Editors and Professors Surveyed on Journalism Curriculum
Authors: Lepre Carolyn , Bleske Glen L.
Published: December 2011

This study was designed to fill a gap in the literature by analyzing the attitudes of magazine editors and educators toward various skills that job applicants should exhibit. The survey results detail significant differences between the editors and educators on eighteen of twenty-three skills. Open-ended questions also indicated that editors appeared to value nonskills such as cheerfulness, while overlooking a favorite of educators—clips.
Media Literacy in Journalism/Mass Communication Education: Can the United States Learn from Sweden?
Authors: Mihailidis Paul
Published: December 2011

Exploratory studies were conducted in the United States and Sweden in the spring and autumn of 2004 to determine how faculty in journalism/mass communication programs acknowledged and conceptualized media literacy both as a teaching tool and educational concept. The Swedish participants' feedback was markedly different from U.S. academics' in terms of acknowledgement and conceptualization of media literacy. Conclusions drawn may help clarify media literacy's intentions as both a curricular benefit and new teaching tool for programs of journalism/mass communication/media in the United States. Comparisons also provide a base for future rigid exploration into this topic.
What British Journalism Students Think about Ethics and Journalism
Authors: Ball Amanda , Hanna Mark , Sanders Karen
Published: December 2011

The study reports the results of the most extensive survey of its kind conducted in British journalism education, examining attitudes towards journalism ethics and news media roles held by 653 first-year undergraduates as they began British university journalism courses in 2002 and 2003. Findings are compared with similar data for British journalists. Influences such as social background, gender, and time spent in newsrooms are examined. The findings provide some evidence for a distinct British journalistic “culture” already embedded in students' attitudes when they begin formal journalism education, as well as for a gender difference in views of journalism ethics
An Assessment of Media Ethics Education: Course Content and the Values and Ethical Ideologies of Media Ethics Students
Authors: Plaisance Patrick Lee
Published: December 2011

This study seeks to address the dearth of efforts in mass communications research to assess the efficacy of media ethics curriculum by examining the value systems and ethical ideologies of media ethics students. A pre-post-test survey of 106 students enrolled in a media ethics course in 2001, 2003, and 2004 found significant changes in how students ranked key media-related and journalistic values such as “Fair,” “Independent,” “Aboveboard,” and “Avoiding harm” at the beginning of the course compared with at the end. The study also found significant decreases in students' degrees of idealism and relativism after taking the course, though degrees of both remained high overall.
Organ Donation Awareness Campaigns in the PR Campaigns Course
Authors: Silverman Deborah A.
Published: December 2011

Public relations campaigns classes are generally regarded as capstone courses for students considering PR careers because they combine classroom instruction with service learning opportunities to design campaigns for real clients. This article discusses a case study, the author's experiences in teaching a unique PR campaigns course, funded by a federal grant. Its purpose is to study the effectiveness of student-designed PR campaigns to increase organ donation registry efforts and awareness among college students. Through surveys of enrolled students, logs of signed donor cards, attendance records at campaign events, students' post-campaign reflection papers, and students' e-mails to the author, the study found that tactics such as information tabling, classroom presentations, and class members' social networks yielded the largest number of signed donor cards. The percentage of class members who signed organ donor registry cards increased significantly, from 18.5% prior to the course to 52% at its conclusion. This paper provides preliminary findings and recommendations for communication professors who anticipate teaching a similar course.
Final Report of a National Study on Diversity in Journalism and Mass Communication Education, Phase II
Authors: Ross Felecia G. Jones , Stroman Carolyn A. , Callahan Linda Florence , Dates Jannette L. , Egwu Chetachi , Whitmore Evonne
Published: December 2011

This study explored the effectiveness of the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications' diversity standard from 1989 to 2002. Although this standard, known as Standard 12, had the most non-compliances, the findings credit the standard for increasing non-white and female faculty and students in accredited journalism units. The findings also credit the standard for the development of courses that focus on issues pertaining to women and non-whites in journalism. But the study also concluded that stronger enforcement and additional strategies were needed to fully achieve diversity in journalism and mass communication education.
Doing Learning: Investigative Reporting and Service Learning
Authors: Flournoy Craig
Published: December 2011

This study examines four classes of college students involved in service learning projects. Each class researched and wrote an investigative story that was published. The majority of students said they believe the projects provided them with the skills required for investigative reporting, increased their motivation to study, and enhanced their desire to make a positive difference in their community. The projects also prompted two foundations to award $150,000 in grant money to support similar work in the future. The study suggests that investigative reporting provides a viable approach for service learning.
Choosing Wisely: A Comparison of Online, Televised, and Face-to-Face Instructional Methods on Knowledge Acquisition of Broadcast Audience Concepts
Authors: Hollerbach Karie , Mims Bruce
Published: December 2011

Selecting an appropriate course content delivery method is a challenge educators face. Are online, televised, and face-to-face forms of instruction equally effective? Is any method superior in fostering knowledge acquisition? An experiment using students from three sections of a mass communication survey course utilized these instructional methods to teach students about radio audience measurement. Evaluations of the pre- and post-test results indicate that significant student knowledge acquisition occurred through exposure to all of the instructional methods. No method was found to be superior. Thus, this study demonstrated the viability of all three methods.
Assessing Students' Engagement with Pedagogies of Diversity
Authors: Brooks Dwight E. , Ward Christa J.
Published: December 2011

This study analyzes student discourse to assess the influence of multiple pedagogies on student engagement and understanding of diversity course content. Student discourse demonstrates the value of synthesizing lectures, class and small group discussions, videotapes, and other pedagogical practices. Students' high engagement with the course enhanced their ability to interpret media representation of diversity. Students' colorblind discourse on race and gender underscores the need for diversity courses to use videos and group discussion to help students become more media literate. Students are still reluctant to embrace a race/gender cognizant perspective.
Posting for Points: Edublogs in the JMC Curriculum
Authors: Singer Jane B.
Published: December 2011

Despite the spread of blogs in mass media and in academia, little scholarly work has explored their use within the journalism and mass communication curriculum. This study, based on incorporation of blogs in ten classes during five semesters—undergraduate and graduate, skills and conceptual—examines student use of the format in relation to theories of social and blended learning. Findings suggest that although students tend to approach blogging as yet another assignment, blogs facilitate their engagement with course material and one another.
The Role of Journalism History, and the Academy, in the Development of Core Knowledge in Journalism Education
Authors: King Elliot
Published: December 2011

University-based journalism education has suffered from a lack of respect in the academy and the profession. One contributing factor may be that outside of the professional skill set, it is not clear if a defined body of knowledge about journalism exists that all journalism students, journalists, or the public should know. While the concept has several different meanings, developing a core body of knowledge could help journalism education improve its standing as an academic discipline and make an important contribution to the professional practice of journalism. The contribution of journalism history to the development of core knowledge in journalism could be identifying the specific incidents that have resulted in, or are representative of, the defining characteristics and features of American journalism