bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
ThehCurrent Is a Candidate Mechanism for Regulating the Sliding Modification Threshold in a BCM-Like Synaptic Learning Rule
Authors: Narayanan Rishikesh , Johnston Daniel
Published: June 2010

Hebbian synaptic plasticity acts as a positive feedback mechanism and can destabilize a neuronal network unless concomitant homeostatic processes that counterbalance this instability are activated. Within a Bienenstock-Cooper-Munro (BCM)-like plasticity framework, such compensation is achieved through a modification threshold that slides in an activity-dependent fashion. Although the BCM-like plasticity framework has been a useful formulation to understand synaptic plasticity and metaplasticity, a mechanism for the activity-dependent regulation of this modification threshold has remained an open question. In this simulation study based on CA1 pyramidal cells, we use a modification of the calcium-dependent hypothesis proposed elsewhere and show that a change in the hyperpolarization-activated, nonspecific-cation h current is capable of shifting the modification threshold. Based on the direction of such a shift in relation to changes in the h current, and supported by previous experimental results, we argue that the h current fits the requirements for an activity-dependent regulator of this modification threshold. Additionally, using the same framework, we show that multiple voltage- and ligand-gated ion channels present in a neuronal compartment can regulate the modification threshold through complex interactions among themselves. Our results underscore the heavy mutual interdependence of synaptic and intrinsic properties/plasticity in regulating learning and homeostasis in single neurons and their networks under both physiological and pathological brain states.
Prolonged Neuromuscular Blockade Following Succinylcholine Administration to a Patient with a Reduced Butyrylcholinesterase Activity
Authors: Panhuizen Ivo F. , Snoeck Marc M. J. , Levano Soledad , Girard Thierry
Published: June 2010

This case is about a 48-year-old woman known with a reduced butyrylcholinesterase activity, who developed prolonged neuromuscular blockade following the unintentional administration of succinylcholine. We took the opportunity to monitor the development of neuromuscular function during this period and blood samples were taken for molecular genetic analysis and for quantitative and qualitative analysis since not all causative mutations are functionally characterized. Reduced butyrylcholinesterase activity is discussed in many aspects. Clinical considerations are suggested concerning genetic counselling.
Compact Printed Arrays with Embedded Coupling Mitigation for Energy-Efficient Wireless Sensor Networking
Authors: Kakoyiannis Constantine G. , Constantinou Philip
Published: June 2010

Wireless sensors emerged as narrowband, resource-constrained devices to provide monitoring services over a wide life span. Future applications of sensor networks are multimedia-driven and include sensor mobility. Thus, sensors must combine small size, large bandwidth, and diversity capabilities. Compact arrays, offering transmit/receive diversity, suffer from strong mutual coupling (MC), which causes lower antenna efficiency, loss of bandwidth, and signal correlation. An efficient technique to reduce coupling in compact arrays is described herein: a defect was inserted in the ground plane (GNDP) area between each pair of elements. The defect disturbed the GNDP currents and offered multidecibel coupling suppression, bandwidth recovery, and reduction of in-band correlation. Minimal pattern distortion was estimated. Computational results were supported by measurements. The bandwidth of unloaded arrays degraded gracefully from 38% to 28% with decreasing interelement distance (0.25 to 0.10). Defect-loaded arrays exhibited active impedance bandwidths 37–45%, respectively. Measured coupling was reduced by 15–20 dB.
Lateral Infrared Photovoltaic Effects in Ag-Doped ZnO Thin Films
Authors: Liu Wenwei , Zhao Songqing , Zhao Kun , Sun Wei
Published: June 2010

A transient lateral photovoltaic effect has been observed in Ag-doped ZnO thin films. Under the nonuniform irradiation of a 1064 nm pulsed laser, the photovoltaic response shows high sensitivity to the spot position on the film surface. The highest photovoltaic responsivity of 27.1 mV mJ−1was observed, with a decline time of ∼1.5 ns and a full width at half-maximum (FWHM) of ∼4 ns. The photovoltaic position sensitivity can reach about 3.8 mV mJ−1 mm−1. This paper demonstrates the potential of Ag-doped ZnO films in the position-sensitive infrared detection
Diclofenac-Induced Apoptosis in the Neuroblastoma Cell Line SH-SY5Y: Possible Involvement of the Mitochondrial Superoxide Dismutase
Authors: Cecere Francesca , Iuliano Annarita , Albano Francesco , Zappelli Claudia , Castellano Immacolata , Grimaldi Pasquale , Masullo Mariorosario , De Vendittis Emmanuele , Ruocco Maria Rosaria
Published: June 2010

Diclofenac, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, induces apoptosis on the neuroblastoma cell line SH-SY5Y through a mitochondrial dysfunction, affecting some antioxidant mechanisms. Indeed, the time- and dose-dependent increase of apoptosis is associated to an early enhancement of the reactive oxygen species (ROS). Mitochondrial superoxide dismutase (SOD2) plays a crucial role in the defence against ROS, thus protecting against several apoptotic stimuli. Diclofenac decreased the protein levels and the enzymatic activity of SOD2, without any significant impairment of the corresponding mRNA levels in the SH-SY5Y extracts. When cells were incubated with an archaeal exogenous thioredoxin, an attenuation of the diclofenac-induced apoptosis was observed, together with an increase of SOD2 protein levels. Furthermore, diclofenac impaired the mitochondrial membrane potential, leading to a release of cytochromec. These data suggest that mitochondria are involved in the diclofenac-induced apoptosis of SH-SY5Y cells and point to a possible role of SOD2 in this process.
Dystrophins, Utrophins, and Associated Scaffolding Complexes: Role in Mammalian Brain and Implications for Therapeutic Strategies
Authors: Perronnet Caroline , Vaillend Cyrille
Published: June 2010

Two decades of molecular, cellular, and functional studies considerably increased our understanding of dystrophins function and unveiled the complex etiology of the cognitive deficits in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), which involves altered expression of several dystrophin-gene products in brain. Dystrophins are normally part of critical cytoskeleton-associated membrane-bound molecular scaffolds involved in the clustering of receptors, ion channels, and signaling proteins that contribute to synapse physiology and blood-brain barrier function. The utrophin gene also drives brain expression of several paralogs proteins, which cellular expression and biological roles remain to be elucidated. Here we review the structural and functional properties of dystrophins and utrophins in brain, the consequences of dystrophins loss-of-function as revealed by numerous studies in mouse models of DMD, and we discuss future challenges and putative therapeutic strategies that may compensate for the cognitive impairment in DMD based on experimental manipulation of dystrophins and/or utrophins brain expression.
Comparison of IgE-Binding Capacity, Cross-Reactivity and Biological Potency of Allergenic Non-Specific Lipid Transfer Proteins from Peach, Cherry and Hazelnut
Authors: Hartz Christina , Lauer Iris , del Mar San Miguel Moncin Maria , Cistero-Bahima Anna , Foetisch Kay , Lidholm Jonas , Vieths Stefan , Scheurer Stephan
Published: June 2010

Background: Whether the observed clinical pattern of non-specific lipid transfer protein (nsLTP)-mediated food allergies is attributable to a primary sensitization by Pru p 3 from peach and subsequent cross-reactivity with Rosaceae- and non-Rosaceae-derived foods expressing homologous allergens is still unclear. Objective: To investigate the allergenic properties of nsLTPs from Rosaceae and non-Rosaceae foods. Methods: In peach-, cherry- or hazelnut-allergic patients, prevalence of sensitization, IgE-binding capacity, cross-reactivity and allergenic potency of Pru p 3 was compared with Pru av 3 (cherry) and Cor a 8 (hazelnut). Results: Frequency of sensitization to corresponding nsLTPs was 88, 85, and 77% in peach-, hazelnut- and cherry-allergic patients, respectively. Concomitant allergic reactions to cherry and hazelnut were reported in 51 and 44% of peach-allergic patients, respectively. In contrast to cherry allergy, hazelnut allergy was not strictly associated to peach allergy. Sensitization to Cor a 8 or Pru av 3 was strongly correlated with IgE reactivity to Pru p 3, even when subjects tolerated peach. Specific IgE was highest for Rosaceae LTPs, and cross-inhibition experiments confirmed a stronger IgE-binding capacity of Pru p 3 than Cor a 8. The biological potency of Pru p 3 and Pru av 3 was similar but stronger for both nsLTPs than that of Cor a 8. Conclusion: Clinical cross-reactivity of food-allergic patients in the Mediterranean area is likely attributed to a primary sensitization to Pru p 3 and serological cross-reactivity with homologous food nsLTPs. In comparison to Cor a 8, Rosaceae nsLTPs showed a stronger IgE-binding capacity and allergenic potency indicating a different epitope pattern.
Plant-Expressed Recombinant Mountain Cedar Allergen Jun a 1 Is Allergenic and Has Limited Pectate Lyase Activity
Authors: Liu Zun , Bhattacharyya Shikha , Ning Bo , Midoro-Horiuti Terumi , Czerwinski Edmund W. , Goldblum Randall M. , Mort Andrew , Kearney Christopher M.
Published: June 2010

Background: Mountain cedar (Juniperus ashei) pollen commonly causes a winter time allergic rhinitis in the central USA. Jun a 1 is the dominant allergenic protein, but biologically active recombinant Jun a 1 has not been successfully expressed, despite numerous attempts with several expression systems. Method: Jun a 1 cDNA was inserted into a tobacco mosaic virus vector and transferred to Agrobacterium tumefaciens. Bacteria were syringe-inoculated into leaves of Nicotiana benthamiana (agroinoculation). The interstitial (apoplastic) fluid containing Jun a 1 was isolated. The recombinant protein was analyzed by SDS-PAGE, N-terminal sequencing and MALDI-TOF to confirm identity. Immunogenicity was examined with IgE from allergic patient’s sera, mouse monoclonal anti-Jun a 1 antibodies, IgE-binding inhibition and by degranulation of RBL SX-38 cells sensitized with sera from allergic patients. Pectate lyase activity was assayed by capillary zone electrophoresis and mass spectrometry analysis. Results: Recombinant Jun a 1 was recovered in good quantity (100 µg/g leaf material), was confirmed as Jun a 1, bound IgE from sera from cedar hypersensitive patients and inhibited IgE binding to native Jun a 1. Jun a 1 mutants were created and their pectate lyase activity quantified. For the first time, Jun a 1 pectate lyase activity was demonstrated, which may explain the necrosis seen on host plants, which was similar to that of control plants expressing banana pectate lyase. Conclusions: A means of producing recombinant Jun a 1 is now available for structure/function studies and potentially for diagnostic and therapeutic uses.
Pen ch 13 Major Fungal Allergen Decreases CD44 Expression in Human Bronchial Epithelial Cells
Authors: Tai Hsiao-Yun , Tam Ming F. , Chou Hong , Perng Diahn-Wang , Shen Horng-Der
Published: June 2010

Background: Pen ch 13 is an alkaline serine protease major allergen from Penicilliumchrysogenum. CD44 adhesion molecules play important roles in resolving lung inflammation and repairing epithelial damages during bronchial asthma. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Pen ch 13 on CD44 of human bronchial epithelial cells. Methods: Cells of the SV40-transformed immortalized bronchial epithelial cell line 16HBE14o– and primary cultures of human bronchial epithelial cells were exposed to purified Pen ch 13. CD44 expression on Pen ch 13-treated cells was analyzed by immunoblot analysis and flow cytometry. The release of soluble CD44 (sCD44) into culture supernatants was determined using human sCD44std ELISA kits. Results: Pen ch 13 (0.01–1.0 µg/ml) dose-dependently down-regulates CD44 expression in 16HBE14o– cells. In addition, the decrease in CD44 expression can be abolished by pre-treating Pen ch 13 with a serine protease inhibitor, phenylmethyl-sulfonyl fluoride. Results from flow-cytometric analysis showed that the population mean fluorescence intensity for CD44 was significantly lower (p < 0.05) in Pen ch 13 (1.0 µg/ml)-treated 16HBE14o– cells (18 ± 4) than that of non-treated control cells (41 ± 7). Furthermore, Pen ch 13 induced increased shedding of sCD44 into the culture media compared with the shedding of non-treated 16HBE14o– and primary bronchial epithelial cells. Conclusions: Pen ch 13 allergen down-regulated CD44 protein expression in airway epithelial cells. It may contribute to atopic asthma by influencing the resolution of lung inflammation and prolonging the repair response of damaged bronchial epithelial cells.
A Note on Problems with the Representation of 1 John 1:7 in Codex Alexandrinus
Authors: Ciampa Roy E.
Published: June 2010

The reading of Codex Alexandrinus at 1 John 1:7 (where most MSS read λλλων) has not been clearly or accurately reported in modern critical editions. Some editions suggest there is some trace of ατο in the MS and/or that a corrector provided the reading λλλων. That portion of Alexandrinus is damaged and no trace remains of whatever word followed μετ/μετ (which is also not fully present) or of a corrector’s hand at this point in the MS. As the earliest scholars to address this subject indicated, there does not seem to be sufficient space available for the missing word to have been λλλων.
Gift of the Body in Islam: The Prophet Muhammad's Camel Sacrifice and Distribution of Hair and Nails at his Farewell Pilgrimage
Authors: Wheeler Brannon
Published: June 2010

The following pages examine the relationship between the prophet Muhammad's sacrifice of the camels and the distribution of his hair at the conclusion of his farewell pilgrimage just before his death. A study of the accounts of the Prophet's camel sacrifice shows that it prefigures the annual rites of the Hajj using the biblical model of Abraham's sacrifice to align other pre-Islamic practices, including those associated with the cult at Mecca, with the origins of a specifically Islamic civilization. The prophet Muhammad's distribution of his hair, detached from his body at the time of his desacralization from the Hajj delineates the Meccan sanctuary as the place of origination from which was spread both the physical and textual corpus of the Prophet's life. Whether by design or not, the traditional Islamic descriptions of this episode from the life of the prophet Muhammad are not unlike narratives found in Buddhist, Iranian, Christian and other traditions in which the body of a primal being is dismembered to create a new social order. Through the gift of the sacrificial camels and parts of his own body, the prophet Muhammad is portrayed, in this episode, as making a figurative and literal offering of himself at the origins of Islamic civilization.
Torah and Taboo: Containing Jewish Relics and Jewish Identity at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
Authors: Stier Oren Baruch
Published: June 2010

Is museum space religious space? Do strategies of display, i.e., the ways certain objects such as human remains and ritual items are presented and/or experienced, make them into sacred objects? Who or what determines whether or not a particular object may be appropriately displayed in a museum context? In focusing on the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM) and on a series of staged encounters there with spaces, objects, and other people, this article considers the possibility that the USHMM serves as a contemporary Jewish reliquary as well as the implications of such a notion, especially in relation to the performance of different types of Jewish identity at the museum. Using archival sources, it examines the debates over the treatment and display of selected artifacts and how those decisions impact the Museum's Jewish character.
Van Seters’ Saga of King David
Authors: Yoreh Tzemah
Published: June 2010

The Saga of King David by John Van Seters is an engrossing yet scholarly book, written with an originality that has challenged the field of bible for more than forty years. Expanding and revising a series of articles and the less detailed analysis of his sweeping opus In Search of History, Van Seters puts the final nails in the coffin of the Solomonic dating of the books of Samuel and the Succession Narrative. He offers his own original hypothesis, namely that the Succession Narrative was composed in the late Persian period as a satirical response to the Deuteronomistic Historian’s account of David’s reign. He submits that the Sitz im Leben of the account is the mercenary dominated martial culture of the late fifth and early fourth century Near East. As is typical to much of Van Seters’ work, he mostly disregards language as a means of dating the Court History. In the absence of linguistic criteria in the bulk of the material under discussion which would indicate a Persian date of composition, many scholars will look in askance at Van Seters’ very late dating of I and II Samuel. This problem and others identified in this review should, however, should not deter scholarship from deeply engaging with Van Seters’ ideas.
Mixing Private and Public Treatment in the UK’s National Health Service: A Challenge to Core Constitutional Principles?
Authors: Syrett Keith
Published: June 2010

The question of whether those patients who privately purchase treatments which are not available on the National Health Service should, as a consequence, lose entitlement to free care for their condition has proved highly controversial in the United Kingdom. This article considers the debate upon this issue. It focuses in particular upon the degree to which the solution adopted conflicts with the foundational principles of the National Health Service which have recently been enshrined in the NHS Constitution.
News and Views
Authors: Aasen Henriette Sinding , Soini Sirpa , Rynning Elisabeth , Arnardottir Oddný Mjöll , Hartlev Mette
Published: June 2010

The five Nordic countries — Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden — share a considerable part of their cultural and historical heritage. They have collaborated closely in their development of legislation during most of the 20th century and are also all traditional welfare states, but nevertheless demonstrate a surprising degree of variety in the area of health law. The Nordic Network for Research in Biomedical Law was founded in 2006, with the aim to promote intra-disciplinary collaboration and stimulate comparative Nordic research in this field of law. Exchange of information on recent legal developments has been a recurrent point on the agenda at the Network meetings.
News and Views
Authors: Laurie Graeme
Published: June 2010

The second conference of the European Association of Health Law took place in the Royal College of Physicians in Edinburgh, Scotland on 15-16 October 2009. The event was generously sponsored by the British Academy and the AHRC/SCRIPT research centre based in the School of Law at the University of Edinburgh.2 The meeting was attended by 115 delegates from 26 countries and preceded by a public debate on assisted dying. This report gives an account of these events and the future direction of the work of the Association.
Sex Discrimination within Kuwaiti Laws. Part 2
Authors: Alessa Amani Saleh
Published: June 2010

This article focuses on several different issues of discrimination against women. While some such discriminatory issues are based on law, others are in fact based on just a matter of practice. Interestingly enough, some of the sex discrimination issues actually dispute the Shari‘a. One example can be found in education. The Shari‘a encourages education for both sexes while, historically, women have been denied education. The importance of mentioning the Shari‘a here is that, while Kuwait claims that it is an Islamic country and devoted to the Shari‘a, especially when it comes to women, this article proves that it is culture, not the Shari‘a, that represses women.
Prohibition of Interest and Economic Rationality
Authors: Iqbal Muhammad Mazhar
Published: June 2010

This research evaluates three reasons against the use of interest. One reason is that interest is a tool of exploitation. It contradicts facts because nowadays ultimate borrowers are businessmen and ultimate lenders are salaried individuals, the former being financially better off than the latter. The second reason is that interest-based external financing leads to unfair distribution of profits. Although this reasoning is not wrong, it is not very appealing in positive economics. Having noted that risk aversion is applauded in both conventional and Islamic economics, this author has propounded a third reason which states that the risk of an investment is least when financed exclusively by equity. This reasoning is easily understandable to conventional economists and is proved mathematically in this article. Therefore it provides a sound economic footing for prohibition of interest.
Fides et Ratio: An Early Enlightenment Defence of Non-confessional Religion by Poiret and his Circle
Authors: Krop Henri Adrien
Published: June 2010

In 1707 an anonymous collection of treatises Fides et ratio was published in Amsterdam. The voluminous work of several authors contains a fierce critique of Locke's notion of faith and the moderate Enlightenment's conception of a reasonable Christianity. The sympathiser with mystic theology Pierre Poiret (1646–1719) wrote the general introduction. In the preface Poiret outlined a counter philosophy. However, the book deserves the interest of modern scholars because of the notions of religion and faith conceived by its authors. They are basically modern. Fides et ratio exemplifies the intense intellectual connections between Great Britain, the Netherlands and the German hinterland during the early modern period. The authors of the collection were part of an international non-denominational web. With some exceptions relations between the philosophes and the counter philosophers among the illuminati are neglected in modern research. In the final parts of this essay it will be argued that the ideas on faith and the ensuing separation of religion and the state created a common ground between Poiret and Christian Thomasius, the luminary of early German Enlightenment, who for some years had been directly influenced by the former's ideas.
Apocalyptic Lollards?: The Conservative Use of The Book of Daniel in the English Wycliffite Sermons
Authors: Hill II Bracy
Published: June 2010

Too frequently the biblical hermeneutics of the Lollards have been oversimplified and described as “sola scriptura” or “literal” for the purpose of comparison. Limited attention has been given to the hermeneutic of Scripture particularly that of the Old Testament, present in the Wycliffite homiletic tradition as espoused in the Middle English Wycliffite festial. Building on the work of Kantik Ghosh and Curtis V. Bostick, this study asserts that the Middle English Wycliffite sermons' focus upon the Old Testament prophetic literature as a source of figures fulfilled in the New Testament, the reluctance of the politically conservative Wycliffite movement to embrace a radical apocalyptic vision, and the overriding concern of Lollard hermeneuts to acquire certitude resulted in the limited use of the book of Daniel in Wycliffite sermonic literature. When compared to contemporary sermon cycles and later uses of Daniel by more radical English groups, it becomes obvious that the Wycliffite sermons did not utilize a radical critique of empire or maintain a radical apocalyptic vision that might have found greater use for Daniel.
The Shifting Geography of Urban Education
Authors: Freeman Eric
Published: June 2010

Poverty in the United States is migrating far beyond the urban core and transforming the suburbs into places increasingly stratified by income, wealth, opportunity, and education. Census data from the 2005 American Community Survey reveal new patterns of income inequality, residential mobility, and spatial segregation that make the suburbs less of a place apart and more like the rest of the United States. For the first time, a larger number of America’s poor are living in the suburbs than in the cities. This article describes the shifting geography of poverty in the metropolitan Atlanta area and how this trend relates to schools. Atlanta is a good location in which to observe the changing residential patterns of poor and working-poor families because the challenges facing suburban school systems in this Sunbelt city of more than 5 million can be read as a bellwether of major political, economic, and educational policy choices to come and the social context within which these choices will be decided.
Cortical Orofacial Motor Representation
Authors: Avivi-Arber L. , Lee J.-C. , Sessle B.J.
Published: June 2010

Jaw and tongue motor alterations may occur following changes in food consistency, but whether such changes are associated with re-organization of motor representations within the facial sensorimotor cortex is unclear. We used intracortical microstimulation (ICMS) and recordings of evoked electromyographic responses to determine jaw (anterior digastric) and tongue (genioglossus) motor representations within the histologically defined face primary motor cortex (face-M1) and adjacent somatosensory cortex (face-S1) of rats fed hard (N = 6) or soft (N = 6) diet for 2 to 3 weeks. ICMS evoked jaw and tongue responses from an extensive area within the face-M1 and a smaller area within the face-S1. A significant contralateral predominance was reflected in the number and latency of ICMS-evoked jaw responses (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences between the hard- and soft-diet groups in jaw and tongue motor representations, suggesting that the rat’s ability to adapt to changes in diet consistency may not be associated with significant neuroplasticity of sensorimotor cortex motor outputs.
Socialising Snake Society
Authors: Konar Arup Kanti , Modak Biplob Kumar
Published: June 2010

Needless slaughter of snakes continues despite their undeniable contribution to the ecology and human society. The unprecedented unsustainability of the diverse snake species is a loss not only to biological diversity, but also to cultural diversity. Evidence discloses that tribal snake charming communities still safeguard the sustainability of the variety of snake species to safeguard their own survival. Unfortunately, due to the imposition of bans and the crackdown on snake charming by the Indian Wildlife Protection Act (1972), the tribal snake charming communities are on the verge of extinction. Hence, positive socialisation has become inevitable for the restoration of sustainability of both snake society and tribal snake charming communities through the effective formation of ‘tribal snake charmers’ cooperative societies’ like the Irula Cooperative Society (ICS), established in Tamil Nadu in India in 1978, or similar institutions, which may be an Indian instance for a sustainable way of conserving biological diversity vis-à-vis cultural diversity.
Development for What and Whom and at Whose Cost?
Authors: Sharma Subhash
Published: June 2010

Here, at first, an attempt is made to demystify development which has several myths attached with it. Second, we will discuss about the conception and categorisation of tribes. Third, we will discuss about development for what and for whom and at whose cost? Finally, we would suggest real social development for the people living at the margins of society.
Sociology of Land Reforms and Dalits in Uttar Pradesh
Authors: Trivedi Prashant Kumar
Published: June 2010

From Dalit standpoint land reform is not just transfer of an economic asset in their favour but it also involves upsetting of the existing socio-political structure. Land reform through market skips this crucial element. This article argues that in a state like Uttar Pradesh where land ownership pattern still follows caste hierarchy reflecting the dominance of upper caste and a few sections of OBCs on agrarian structure and where scope of distribution of ceiling surplus land still remains wide, land reforms through market would perhaps prove counter-productive. This article submits for further discussion that with increasing productivity of arable land, land ceiling should be lowered down especially in irrigated areas.
Decomposing the Change in the Wage Gap Between White and Black Men Over Time, 1980-2005: An Extension of the Blinder-Oaxaca Decomposition Method
Authors: Kim ChangHwan
Published: June 2010

This article extends the Blinder—Oaxaca decomposition method to the decomposition of changes in the wage gap between white and black men over time. The previously implemented technique, in which the contributions of two decomposition components are estimated by subtracting those at time 0 from the corresponding ones at time 1, can yield an untenable conclusion about the extent to which the contributions of the coefficient and endowment effects account for changes in the wage gap over time. This article presents a modified version of Smith and Welch’s (1989) decomposition method through which the sources of the change over time are decomposed into five components. The extents to which the education, age, region, metro residence, and marital status variables contribute to the rising racial wage gap between white and black men from 1980 to 2005 are estimated using the five-component detailed decomposition method and are contrasted with the results of the old simple subtraction decomposition technique. In conclusion, this article shows that changes in the racial wage gap between 1980 and 2005 result from many contradicting forces and cannot be reduced to one explanation.
Cross-Survey Analysis to Estimate Low-Incidence Religious Groups
Authors: Tighe Elizabeth , Livert David , Barnett Melissa , Saxe Leonard
Published: June 2010

Population-based surveys are of limited utility to estimate rare or low-incidence groups, particularly for those defined by religion or ethnicity not included in the U.S. Census. Methods of cross-survey analysis and small area estimation, however, can be used to provide reliable estimates of such low-incidence groups. To illustrate these methods, data from 50 national surveys are combined to examine the Jewish population in the United States. Hierarchical models are used to examine clustering of respondents within surveys and geographic regions. Bayesian analyses with Monte Carlo simulations are used to obtain pooled, state-level estimates poststratified by sex, race, education, and age to obtain certainty intervals about the estimates. This cross-survey approach provides a useful and practical analytic framework that can be generalized both to more extensive study of religion in the United States and to other social science problems in which single data sources are insufficient for reliable statistical inference.
The Effect of Level of College Entry on Midcareer Occupational Attainments
Authors: Levey Tania
Published: June 2010

The economic benefits of attending community colleges, as opposed to other higher education sectors, have been a subject of intense debate since the 1960s. Using the 1979 cohort of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY79), this study compares the midcareer occupational attainments (in terms of income and occupational prestige) of students who began postsecondary study at community colleges and students who began postsecondary study at 4-year colleges. Study participants were between 14 and 22 years of age in 1979; income and occupational prestige data used in the analyses were the latest available for the respondents from the 1996, 1998, and 2000 waves of the NLSY79 study. Controlling for a variety of student background characteristics, regression analysis and matched models using propensity scores revealed that the gap in earnings between the community college and 4-year college entrants remained small for most groups, with the exception of Black and Hispanic males. This overall finding runs counter to what one might expect on the basis of previous studies showing that at early stages of one’s career, community college entrants hold relatively low-prestige jobs in comparison to those held by 4-year college entrants and that the income gaps between the two groups might therefore be expected to increase over time.
The Recipe for Promising Practices in Community Colleges
Authors: Levin John S. , Cox Elizabeth M. , Cerven Christine , Haberler Zachary
Published: June 2010

This study identifies and examines the key practices of California community college programs that have demonstrated success in improving (or that have shown significant potential to improve) the achievement of underrepresented groups whose educational attainment often lags behind the attainment of relatively well-off White students. Unlike many examinations that focus only on the transfer mission, this study includes other vital areas of the community college, including workforce preparation and developmental education. Study findings reveal that the practices of these programs had four common characteristics: cohesion—the ability of program personnel to operate as a unit in which behaviors and actions mesh or are rationally consistent; cooperation —the degree to which program personnel work together toward common goals and form good working relationships with each other and with students; connection—the ability of program personnel to sustain interdependent relationships with internal and external entities, such as other departments within the college and industry representatives; and consistency—the presence of a distinctive and stable pattern of program behaviors that promote program goals. In addition, study results show the central and critical role played by the faculty in assuring program success.
The Role of Causality in Information Acceptance in Narratives: An Example From Science Communication
Authors: Dahlstrom Michael F.
Published: June 2010

Narratives represent a powerful and ubiquitous form of communication that influence what individuals believe about the world. While the field of narrative persuasion investigates how narratives affect attitudes and behaviors, it rarely considers structural variables discussed in the field of discourse psychology. This study examines the utility of bridging these fields by testing the persuasive influence of novel science information relative to the internal causal structure of a narrative. Results suggest that information placed at causal locations of a narrative result in greater acceptance of information than the same information placed at noncausal locations within the same narrative. These findings suggest that the within-narrative variable of causality can influence the persuasive impact of information inserted into a narrative. In response, this study identifies a significant source of variance that has thus far been overlooked in studies of narrative persuasion.
Testing Causal Direction in the Influence of Presumed Media Influence
Authors: Tal-Or Nurit , Cohen Jonathan , Tsfati Yariv , Gunther Albert C.
Published: June 2010

According to the influence of presumed media influence hypothesis, people estimate the potential effects of media on other people and change their attitudes or behaviors as a consequence. In recent years, many studies offered some support for this idea. However, a central limitation of these studies is that all of them utilized correlational methodology and thus do not offer a valid way to infer causality. The current research examined the causal direction in the influence of presumed media influence using experimental methodology. In Study 1, the authors manipulated the perceived influence of watching pornography and measured the effects of this manipulation on support for censorship. In Study 2, perceptions regarding the influence of a news story about an expected shortage in sugar were manipulated indirectly, by manipulating the perceived exposure to the news story, and behavioral intentions resulting from the story were consequently measured. In both studies, results supported the causal direction postulated by the “presumed influence” hypothesis.
Peeking Inside the “Black Box” of the Flynn Effect: Evidence From Three Wechsler Instruments
Authors: Xiaobin Zhou  , Jianjun Zhu  , Weiss Lawrence G.
Published: June 2010

This study investigated the Wechsler Performance IQ (PIQ) or Perceptual Reasoning Index (PRI)/ Perceptual Organization Index (POI) change over time and its relation to ability levels. PIQ or PRI/ POI was analyzed because of the known sensitivity of nonverbal scales to the Flynn effect. Scores were analyzed using two methods. First, analysis of covariance was applied to the combination of four representative samples of individuals who were administered the following pairs of Wechsler batteries in counterbalanced order: Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence—Revised (WPPSI-R) and WPPSI-III ( N = 174), Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children — Third Edition (WISC-III) and WISC-IV ( N = 239), Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale—Revised (WAIS-R) and WAIS-III ( N = 191), and WAIS-III and WAIS-IV ( N = 240). Second, equal percentile equating was applied to each of the samples independently. Although the two methods produced different patterns of results, both methods showed some evidence of variation in the magnitude of the Flynn effect across ability levels. These results call into question the practice of adjusting IQs based on an average expected Flynn effect in routine clinical evaluations.
“In What Way Are Apples and Oranges Alike?” A Critique of Flynn’s Interpretation of the Flynn Effect
Authors: Kaufman Alan S.
Published: June 2010

Flynn wrote a book devoted to the Flynn effect, featuring his theoretical explanation of why the intelligence of worldwide populations has apparently increased from generation to generation. The essence of his theorizing is that because of the societal impact of scientific technology, people of today are much more guided by abstract, rather than concrete, approaches to problem solving. He bases his theory in large part on gains on specific tasks, most notably Raven’s matrices, Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC) Performance subtests, and, most important, on WISC Similarities. The gains on these separate tasks over more than half a century (1947-2002) are striking. However, Flynn failed to take into account the sweeping changes in test content, administration procedures, and scoring guidelines when the 1974 WISC-R was developed from the 1949 WISC. These substantial changes challenge the meaningfulness of comparing children’s performance in 1947 with their performance in 2002 on Similarities and other WISC subtests— and therefore challenge Flynn’s explanation of the effect that bears his name.
Turning Weakness into Strength
Authors: Nilsson Desirée
Published: June 2010

The fact that many civil wars involve several warring parties is often highlighted as an obstacle to conflict resolution. However, this issue has so far attracted little attention in previous research. This article aims to contribute to filling this gap. It is argued that whereas only very strong rebel groups should be able to force concessions, a multiparty context can turn the tables and increase the chances for weak rebel groups to reach a deal. The empirical analysis is based on dyadic data covering the government and each rebel group in all internal armed conflicts, 1989—2003. In accordance with the theory, it is found that the likelihood that the government and a weak rebel group will reach a negotiated settlement increases with the number of warring parties in the conflict.
Ameliorative effects of vitamin C on short-term sensorimotor and cognitive changes induced by acute chlorpyrifos exposure in Wistar rats
Authors: Ambali Suleiman F , Idris Sherifat B , Onukak Charles , Shittu Mufta'u , Ayo Joseph O
Published: June 2010

Human and experimental animal studies have shown long- and short-term neurological sequelae following acute organophosphate (OP) exposure. Although the main molecular mechanism of OP neurotoxiicty involves acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition, studies have also implicated the induction of oxidative stress. The present study was therefore aimed at evaluating the effect of acute chlorpyrifos (CPF) exposure on short-term sensorimotor and cognitive changes in Wistar rats, the role of brain lipoperoxidative changes and the effect of pretreatment with vitamin C. Twenty-eight rats divided into four groups of seven rats in each group served as subjects for this study. Rats in group I were given soya oil (2 ml/kg) while those in group II were dosed vitamin C (100 mg/kg). Group III were administered CPF only (42.5 mg/kg ∼50% of LD50), while group IV were pretreated with vitamin C (100 mg/kg) and then exposed to CPF (42.5 mg/kg), 30 min later. The regimens were administered once orally and the animals were examined for clinical signs, death and subjected to periodic neurobehavioral evaluation for motor strength, coordinated gait, neuromuscular coordination, learning and memory. At the end of 8 weeks of evaluation, the rats were sacrificed and the brain tissue evaluated for AChE activity and malonaldehyde (MDA) concentration, as an index of lipoperoxidative changes. The rats administered with CPF showed deficits in motor strength, coordinated gaits, neuromuscular coordination, learning and memory, slight decrease in AChE activity and an increase in brain MDA concentration. Pretreatment with vitamin C improved the neurobehavioral deficits and AChE activity, and caused a significant reduction in MDA concentration. In conclusion, the study has demonstrated that acute CPF exposure in Wistar rats caused short-term impairment in sensorimotor and cognitive functions partly due to brain lipoperoxidative changes, which were ameliorated by pretreatment with vitamin C.
The Limitations of Evidenced-Based Practice
Authors: Baumann Steven L.
Published: June 2010

Evidence based practice seeks to replace practice as usual, with practice guided by rigorous outcome-oriented research, ideally randomized controlled trials. It also seeks to make practice a less subjective enterprise, and to raise it to a higher level of accountability. It is associated with efforts to identify best practices in nursing and other disciplines. The limitations of evidence-based practice for nursing are not routinely discussed or considered by many clinicians. In this article the author raises several critical questions about the use of evidence-based practice in nursing. The author also suggests that nurses need to develop and use their own nursing perspective to help guide their synthesis of knowledge from diverse sources, which needs to be creatively and respectfully applied in each patient encounter.
A Story of Family
Authors: Condon Barbara Backer
Published: June 2010

The author of this column gives a vivid description of Parse’s humanbecoming family model as lived in community. The story of M’Barek (Mark), who was imprisoned for 18 years, draws readers to a new understanding of family and community. Through the process of storytelling, Parse’s essences of family are discussed.
Palliative Care Research
Authors: Ferrell Betty
Published: June 2010

The focus of this column is to describe a body of research on palliative care and end-of-life that has been the focus of Dr. Betty Ferrell’s career and her work at the City of Hope. The impact of this work on the nursing workforce is described and research resources for nurses are included.
My Life
Authors: Biley Francis C.
Published: June 2010

Evocative memories of an early career in mental health nursing contextualize an alienation from traditional psychiatric practices. These memories tell tales that center on exploring a personal rejection of mental health nursing practices that were based on a reductive-pharmacological approach. In its place, it is suggested, should be the adoption of more holistic ideology that places the person at the very center of mental health nursing as a holistic, human-centered activity. This process may be guided by, for example, the adoption of the principles of the Tidal Model.
Homeopathy: Clarifying its relationship to hormesis
Authors: Calabrese Edward J , Jonas Wayne B
Published: June 2010

This paper presents the case that certain types of homeopathic medicine may represent a form of hormesis, that is, either pre- or post-conditioning hormesis. An example of a post-conditioning model by van Wijk and colleagues demonstrated successful enhancement of adaptive responses using below-toxic threshold doses (i.e. hormetic doses) of inducing agents when administered subsequent to a highly toxic chemical exposure, thus satisfying a basic experimental biomedical standard. Of note is that this model uses exposures within a measurable predicted hormetic range, unlike most forms of homeopathy. This experimental framework (along with a pre-conditioning model developed by Bellavite) provides a possible vehicle by which certain aspect(s) of homeopathy may be integrated into mainstream biomedical assessment and clinical practice.
The Art of (Re)Learning to Walk: Trust on the Rehabilitation Ward
Authors: Manderson Lenore , Warren Narelle
Published: June 2010

Although trust has significant implications for health outcomes, the mechanisms by which its presence or absence influences these outcomes require elucidation. Drawing on ethnographic research conducted in southeast Australia, we explore the tasks of rehabilitation for people who lost a limb because of vascular disease, and the importance of trust in the relationships of patients with their health professionals. Trust underpins procedures and practices designed to minimize problems that might delay rehabilitation or result in the continuing need for medical support and surveillance. Patients develop trust in the rehabilitation team based on three factors: competence, agency, and caring. Our findings emphasize how social skills, as well as technical competence, enable health professionals to gain and maintain their patients’ trust.
Morphine to Methadone Conversion: An Interpretation of Published Data
Authors: Pollock Ashley B. , Tegeler Monica L. , Morgan Vickie , Baumrucker Steven J.
Published: June 2010

For the past 20 years, methadone has been experiencing resurgence in the palliative care community as a second-line opioid for the treatment of cancer pain. The advantages of using methadone for refractory pain in patients with cancer or in those who could not tolerate the side effects of other opioids such as morphine are well cited in recent literature. Advantages of methadone over other opioids include dual elimination without active metabolites, allowing safe use with renal and liver failure, N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) and delta receptor activity in addition to mu receptor agonism, multiple routes of administration, rapid onset of action, long half-life, low cost, and fewer adverse effects. Despite the abundance of recent case reports and literature reviews demonstrating the effective use of methadone in patients with cancer, there is a lack of consensus for an appropriate method for converting morphine (and by extension, other opioids) to methadone. This article will review methadone pharmacology and multiple proposed conversion methods; a case report illustrating a popular method for high-dose conversion is also included.