bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bisphosphonate Therapy for Secondary Osteoporosis: Adult Perspective
Authors: Reid Ian R.
Published: July 2011

Background: A number of disease states and drugs can upset the balance between bone formation and resorption resulting in increased fracture risk. Glucocorticoids are the most recognized cause of secondary osteoporosis. Hypogonadism, weight loss, and chronic inflammation are other contributors to bone loss in a variety of disease states. Bisphosphonates are potent inhibitors of bone resorption, and there is a variety of secondary osteoporosis where they produce substantial increases in bone density and reduce fracture risk by about 50%. Upper gastrointestinal tract intolerance with oral agents and a flu-like syndrome with intravenous bisphosphonates are the principal adverse effects associated with their use. Conclusions: Numerous disease states and medications can adversely affect the skeleton. Additional effects of aging and menopause can substantially increase an individual’s fracture risk. It is important that physicians assess fracture risk in susceptible patients and initiate treatment when indicated.
Pathogenesis of Type 1 Diabetes: Implications for Incidence Trends
Authors: Knip Mikael
Published: July 2011

Background: The incidence of type 1 diabetes (T1D) has increased markedly after World War II among children and adolescents, while the mean age at diagnosis has decreased. These trends support a critical role of exogenous factors in the development of T1D, since genetic factors alone can hardly explain the rapid increase. Evidence supporting a crucial role of environmental determinants in the pathogenesis of T1D includes: (a) the fact that <10% of those with human leukocyte antigen-conferred diabetes susceptibility progress to clinical disease; (b) a pair-wise concordance of T1D of <40% among monozygotic twins; (c) a close to 20-fold difference in the disease incidence among Caucasians living in Europe, and (d) migration studies indicating that the incidence increases in population groups who have moved from a low- to a high-incidence region. Conclusions: Accumulating data suggest that the T1D disease process may be triggered by a diabetogenic enterovirus infection and driven by a dietary antigen. The strongest candidate for the latter is bovine insulin, which differs from human insulin by three amino acids. The increasing disease incidence and decreasing age at diagnosis will culminate in an increased number of patients with a longer disease duration and, eventually, an increased frequency of macro- and microvascular complications if the trend cannot be counteracted by improved metabolic control.
Thyroid Disease in Pregnancy
Authors: Rivkees Scott A. , Mandel Susan J.
Published: July 2011

Background: During pregnancy, changes in maternal physiology influence thyroid status. In addition, maternal thyroid disease can have substantial adverse effects on the fetus. Therefore, evaluating and treating women with thyroid disease during pregnancy requires careful observation and management to ensure favorable pregnancy outcomes. To evaluate thyroid hormone levels during gestation, gestational age-specific values should be used. When hyperthyroidism is treated, the goals of therapy are to achieve a subclinical hyperthyroid state and monitor fetal development. Care must be taken so as not to induce a state of maternal hypothyroidism during pregnancy, since such a diagnosis is also associated with adverse outcomes for both mother and infant. Conclusions: Consideration should be given to routine screening of pregnant women and all women of childbearing age for thyroid disease.
Pegvisomant and Improvement of Quality of Life in Acromegalic Patients
Authors: Neggers S.J. , van der Lely A.J.
Published: July 2011

Background: Acromegaly is a growth disorder, but mostly it is a metabolic disease related to excessive production of growth hormone (GH). It is characterized by progressive somatic disfigurement in combination with sometimes severe systemic manifestations. Long-acting somatostatin analog (SSA) therapy normalizes serum insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) levels in approximately 55% of patients, but we postulate that these patients still have acromegaly in many tissues other than the liver. Direct and indirect effects of SSA reduce hepatic IGF-I generation and make the liver behave as if it is GH resistant. The remaining ‘peripheral’ or non- hepatic acromegaly has a significant negative impact on the quality of life of these patients. Conclusions: Pegvisomant is the most effective medical treatment for acromegaly. Due to its mode of action and pharmacodynamic properties, it is the ideal partner for combination therapy with an SSA for acromegalic patients with a remaining, peripheral form of the disease.
Insulin-Like Growth Factor I: Pros and Cons of a Bioassay
Authors: Janssen J.A.M.J.L.
Published: July 2011

Background: Insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) immunoassays are primarily used to estimate IGF-I status. Recently an IGF-I-specific kinase receptor activation assay (KIRA) was developed as an alternative method for measuring IGF-I bioactivity. When compared with IGF-I immunoassays, the IGF-I KIRA has the theoretical advantage of measuring the net effects of IGF-binding proteins on IGF-I receptor activation. The IGF-I KIRA is sensitive and specific and has, for a bioassay, a very low intra- and inter-assay coefficient of variation (<7 and <15%, respectively). Several studies have shown that the IGF-I KIRA is more sensitive than IGF-I immunoassays for detecting differences in clinical state. In addition, the IGF-I KIRA seems superior to IGF-I immunoassays for monitoring acute effects of therapeutic interventions. Conclusions: It is not known if IGF-I KIRA is superior to IGF-I immunoassays for evaluating the efficacy of growth hormone (GH) treatment for GH deficiency and of GH receptor antagonist treatment for acromegaly. However, IGF-I KIRA undoubtedly will provide new insights into the factors that regulate IGF-I bioactivity in the circulation in both healthy and diseased states.
Inhibiting Effect of Bioactive Metabolites Produced by Mushroom Cultivation on Bacterial Quorum Sensing-Regulated Behaviors
Authors: Zhu Hu , Wang Shou-xian , Zhang Shuai-shuai , Cao Chun-xu
Published: July 2011

Aims: This study aimed to search for novel quorum sensing (QS) inhibitors from mushroom and to analyze their inhibitory activity, with a view to their possible use in controlling detrimental infections. Methods: The bioactive metabolites produced by mushroom cultivation were tested for their abilities to inhibit QS-regulated behavior. All mushroom strains were cultivated in potato-dextrose medium by large-scale submerged fermentation. The culture supernatant was condensed into 0.2 vol by freeze-drying. The condensed supernatant was sterilized by filtration through a 0.22-µm membrane filter and added to Chromobacterium violaceum CV026 cultures, which were used to monitor QS inhibition. Inhibitory activity was measured by quantifying violacein production using a microplate reader. Results: The results have revealed that, of 102 mushroom strains, the bioactive metabolites produced by 14 basidiomycetes were found to inhibit violacein production, a QS-regulated behavior in C. violaceum. Conclusions: Higher fungi can produce QS-inhibitory compounds.
Trace Fear Conditioning Detects Hypoxic-Ischemic Brain Injury in Neonatal Mice
Authors: Järlestedt Katarina , Atkins Alison L. , Hagberg Henrik , Pekna Marcela , Mallard Carina
Published: July 2011

Trace fear conditioning is a well-established test for the assessment of learning deficits in rodents. The aim of this study was to determine whether hypoxia-ischemia (HI) on postnatal day 9 (P9) in mice prevents the acquisition and expression of cued and contextual fear learning in early adulthood. Brain injury was induced in mice on P9 by 30 min of HI. On P49 and P50, animals were tested for: (1) trace fear conditioning with a short delay (2 s) between a shock-paired tone plus light and shock, (2) trace fear conditioning with a longer delay (20 s) between a shock-paired tone and shock, and (3) trace fear conditioning with a 2-second delay between a shock-paired tone and shock with additional visual, olfactory and tactile contextual cues in the fear conditioning apparatus. Outcome was assessed as percent of time spent freezing during a 2-min test. Histological assessment of the hippocampus and amygdala was performed on P51 to determine the extent of HI injury. Both shock-paired tone plus light with a short delay and shock-paired tone with a short delay plus additional contextual cues enhanced tone-induced freezing behavior in a nonhandled control group, but not in the HI group. For trace fear conditioning with a 20-second delay between the tone and the shock, freezing behavior did not differ significantly between nonhandled control and HI animals. Dorsal hippocampal and amygdala volumes were smaller in the ischemic hemispheres of the HI mice that displayed impaired fear memory with shock-paired tone plus light. In summary, we have shown that trace fear conditioning is a sensitive method for detecting memory impairments in adolescent mice following mild HI injury during the neonatal period. Combining a discrete conditioned stimulus (shock-paired tone plus light) with a short trace delay was the most sensitive method for using the fear conditioning paradigm to detect mild HI damage to the hippocampus and amygdala.
Effect of Transient Ischemic Attack on Hearing Thresholds of Older Subjects
Authors: Hwang J.H. , Ho H.C. , Hsu M.C. , Chen J.C.
Published: July 2011

The effects of transient ischemic attack (TIA) on pure tone average of low frequencies (PTA-low), of middle frequencies (PTA-mid), and of high frequencies (PTA-high), and audiometric configurations, which were classified by cluster analysis, were analyzed in older subjects. TIA showed significant positive association with PTA-high [β coefficient (β) ± standard error (SE) = 8.63 ± 2.81, p = 0.002] after adjusting for age, sex, hypertension, and coronary artery disease. Besides, multinomial logistic regression for audiogram patterns showed that the moderate 8-kHz dip pattern (β ± SE = 1.70 ± 0.78, p = 0.029) was significantly more prevalent in the TIA group after adjusting for age, sex, and mean hearing level at all frequencies. We concluded that TIA without an obvious infarct lesion could contribute to hearing degeneration in older subjects, especially in high frequencies.
CCBE1 Is Essential for Mammalian Lymphatic Vascular Development and Enhances the Lymphangiogenic Effect of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor-C In Vivo
Authors: Bos Frank L. , Caunt Maresa , Peterson-Maduro Josi , Planas-Paz Lara , Kowalski Joe , Karpanen Terhi , van Impel Andreas , Tong Raymond , Ernst James A. , Korving Jeroen , van Es Johan H. , Lammert Eckhard , Duckers Henricus J. , Schulte-Merker Stefan
Published: July 2011

Rationale:

Collagen- and calcium-binding EGF domains 1 (CCBE1) has been associated with Hennekam syndrome, in which patients have lymphedema, lymphangiectasias, and other cardiovascular anomalies. Insight into the molecular role of CCBE1 is completely lacking, and mouse models for the disease do not exist.

Objective:

CCBE1 deficient mice were generated to understand the function of CCBE1 in cardiovascular development, and CCBE1 recombinant protein was used in both in vivo and in vitro settings to gain insight into the molecular function of CCBE1.

Methods and Results:

Phenotypic analysis of murine
Ccbe1
mutant embryos showed a complete lack of definitive lymphatic structures, even though Prox1
+
lymphatic endothelial cells get specified within the cardinal vein. Mutant mice die prenatally. Proximity ligation assays indicate that vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 3 activation appears unaltered in mutants. Human CCBE1 protein binds to components of the extracellular matrix in vitro, and CCBE1 protein strongly enhances vascular endothelial growth factor-C–mediated lymphangiogenesis in a corneal micropocket assay.

Conclusions:

Our data identify CCBE1 as a factor critically required for budding and migration of Prox-1
+
lymphatic endothelial cells from the cardinal vein. CCBE1 probably exerts these effects through binding to components of the extracellular matrix. CCBE1 has little lymphangiogenic effect on its own but dramatically enhances the lymphangiogenic effect of vascular endothelial growth factor-C in vivo. Thus, our data suggest CCBE1 to be essential but not sufficient for lymphangiogenesis.
Improved Late Survival and Disability After Stroke With Therapeutic Anticoagulation for Atrial Fibrillation
Authors: Hannon Niamh , Callaly Elizabeth , Moore Alan , Ní Chróinín Danielle , Sheehan Órla , Marnane Michael , Merwick Áine , Kyne Lorraine , Duggan Joseph , McCormack Patricia M.E. , Dolan Eamon , Crispino-O'Connell Gloria , Harris Dawn , Horgan Gillian , Williams David , Kelly Peter J.
Published: July 2011

Background and Purpose—

Although therapeutic anticoagulation improves early (within 1 month) outcomes after ischemic stroke in hospital-admitted patients with atrial fibrillation, no information exists on late outcomes in unselected population-based studies, including patients with all stroke (ischemic and hemorrhagic).

Methods—

We identified patients with atrial fibrillation and stroke in a prospective, population-based study in North Dublin. Clinical characteristics, stroke subtype, stroke severity (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale), prestroke antithrombotic medication, and International Normalized Ratio (INR) at onset were documented. Modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score was measured before stroke and at 7, 28, and 90 days; 1 year; and 2 years after stroke.

Results—

One hundred seventy-five patients had atrial fibrillation–associated stroke and medication data at stroke onset (159 ischemic, 16 hemorrhagic); 17% of those with ischemic stroke were anticoagulated before stroke (27 of 159.) On multivariable analysis, therapeutic INR was associated with improved late survival after ischemic stroke (adjusted 2-year odds ratio for death=0.08; 95% CI, 0.01 to 0.78;
P
=0.03). This survival benefit persisted when patients with hemorrhagic stroke were included (2-year survival; 70.5% therapeutic INR, 14.3% nontherapeutic INR; log-rank
P
<0.001; odds ratio for death=0.27; 95% CI, 0.09 to 0.88;
P
=0.03). Admission INR was inversely correlated with early and late modified Rankin Scale score (2-year Spearman ρ=−0.65;
P
<0.0003). An INR of 2 to 3 at ischemic stroke onset was associated with greater early (72 hours to 28 days) modified Rankin Scale score improvement (
P
=0.04) and good functional outcome (modified Rankin Scale score=0 to 2) at 1 year (adjusted odds ratio=4.8; 95% CI, 1.45 to 23.8;
P
=0.04).

Conclusions—

In addition to improving short-term outcome in selected hospital-treated patient groups, therapeutic anticoagulation may provide important benefits for long-term stroke outcomes in unselected populations.
Stroke Declines From Third to Fourth Leading Cause of Death in the United States
Authors: Towfighi Amytis , Saver Jeffrey L.
Published: July 2011

Background and Purpose—

Stroke recently declined from the third to the fourth leading cause of death in the United States, its first rank transition among sources of American mortality in nearly 75 years.

Methods—

This is a narrative review supplemented by new analyses of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Vital Statistics Reports from 1931 to 2008.

Results—

Historically, stroke transitioned from the second to the third leading cause of death in the United States in 1937, but stroke death rates were essentially stable from 1930 to 1960. Then a long, great decline began, moderate in the 1960s, precipitous in the 1970s and 1980s, and moderate again in the 1990s and 2000s. By 2008, age-adjusted annual death rates from stroke were three fourths less than the historic 1931 to 1960 norm (40.6 versus 175.0 per 100 000). Total actual stroke deaths in the United States declined from a high of 214 000 in 1973 to 134 000 in 2008. Improved stroke prevention, through control of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and tobacco, contributed most greatly to the mortality decline with a lesser but still substantial contribution of improved acute stroke care. Persisting challenges include race–ethnicity, sex, and geographic disparities in stroke mortality; the burden of stroke disability; the expanding obesity epidemic and aging of the US population; and the epidemic of cerebrovascular disease in low- and middle-income countries worldwide.

Conclusions—

The recent rank decline of stroke among leading causes of American death is testament to a half century of societal progress in cerebrovascular disease prevention and acute care. Renewed commitments are needed to preserve and broaden this historic achievement.
Alternative Certification Pathways
Authors: Ludlow Carlyn
Published: July 2011

The purpose of this article is to examine the proliferation of alternative certification pathways through an analysis of the role and history of teacher certification and supply followed by a synthesis of national, regional, and state research studies on alternative routes to certification programs and a review of studies conducted on well-known national teacher training programs. Conclusions of the alternative certification pathway research are outlined.
The Europeanization of the Nation-State
Authors: Palmowski Jan
Published: July 2011

This article explores the interrelationship between national and supranational politics in contemporary history. In Europe, the nature of national and transnational politics, law and economics has been completely transformed through the emergence of the European Union (EU) and its predecessor, the European Community (EC). We cannot understand the European nation-state (and its regions) without appreciating the EC’s or EU’s dynamic (and often asymmetric) impact on public law, economics, the environment, social legislation, human rights and culture. This Europeanization of the nation-state has affected in different ways members and non-members of the EC and EU. The interplay between national and transnational politics, while not unique to the contemporary world, presents particular challenges to the contemporary historian. The enmeshing of national and supra- as well as international spheres means that the contemporary state cannot be analysed with the same tools and assumptions about political sovereignty as its nineteenth-century predecessors. Instead, this article calls for a greater readiness to engage in the complexities of national and EC/EU history and engage in a new dialogue with other disciplines, notably the political sciences.
The Shadow of the Gunman: Irish Historians and the IRA
Authors: McBride Ian
Published: July 2011

This article explores the ways in which Irish historiography has been shaped by paramilitary violence, counter-insurgency and the intimate, close-quarter killings that characterized the Troubles. Irish historiography, as a professional or academic enterprise, had long been committed to ideals of impartiality influenced by Herbert Butterfield and Michael Oakeshott. It was also acutely conscious of its proximity to violent political upheaval, and during the 1970s would display a heightened sense of the urgency of dispassionate historical inquiry. Prominent scholars believed that professional research would dispel the ‘myths’ that sustained the gunmen of the Provisional IRA. In the aftermath of the Good Friday Agreement, however, historians face the challenge of explaining the militant republicanism which they had previously sought to defuse. This article considers several recent analyses of the Provisional movement. It reveals the extent to which the most vociferous criticism of the Provisionals descends from the far Left of republicanism itself — from those who belonged to the Official IRA or its successor organization the Workers’ Party, or from the ‘dissident’ republicans of the 1990s.
Where Does the World Historian Write From? Objectivity, Moral Conscience and the Past and Present of Imperialism
Authors: Drayton Richard
Published: July 2011

The contemporary historian, as she or he speaks to the public about the origins and meanings of the present, has important ethical responsibilities. ‘Imperial’ historians, in particular, shape how politicians and the public imagine the future of the world. This article examines how British imperial history, as it emerged as an academic subject since about 1900, often lent ideological support to imperialism, while more generally it suppressed or avoided the role of violence and terror in the making and keeping of the Empire. It suggests that after 2001, and during the Iraq War, in particular, a new Whig historiography sought to retail a flattering narrative of the British Empire’s past, and concludes with a call for a post-patriotic imperial history which is sceptical of power and speaks for those on the underside of global processes.
Foreign Nation Visibility in U.S. News Coverage
Authors: Jones Timothy M. , Van Aelst Peter , Vliegenthart Rens
Published: July 2011

Previous scholarship has neglected to fully explore the dynamic nature of international news flow over time. This study uses content analysis to track foreign nation visibility on a yearly basis in two major U.S. news outlets: the New York Times (1950-2006) and NBC Nightly News (1968-2006). Time-series analysis is used to evaluate the influence of five contextual factors on foreign nation visibility in the news: (a) geographic proximity, (b) bilateral trade flow, (c) U.S. troop deployment, (d) GDP per capita, and (e) population. The research findings build on earlier news flow studies by adding a longitudinal dimension that has been absent from previous news “flow” scholarship.
Global Civil Society
Authors: Benessaieh Afef
Published: July 2011

Extensive socio-ethnographic fieldwork among nongovernmental organizations, international donor agencies, and Church-related organizations in Chiapas, Mexico, suggests that global civil society—as an imagined terrain of transnational social action—can be viewed both as a site of expanded possibilities for social action and as a source of significant new constraints. It is a terrain where not all ideas and values are heard, promoted, or given legitimacy. There is, however, a transnationally resonant language into which Southern activists need to translate their issues and concerns if they wish to be heard.
Restoring Discipline in the Ranks
Authors: Young Kevin
Published: July 2011

The Triangular Plan of the 1960s was a key moment in the rightward shift of the Bolivian Revolution (1952–1964). Billed by the United States, West Germany, and the Inter-American Development Bank as a generous loan program to “rehabilitate” the Bolivian tin mines, the plan also gave its architects a chance to discipline Bolivian workers, further privatize the Bolivian economy, and test the usefulness of conditional economic aid in containing revolutionary nationalism. From an analysis of the Triangular Plan it is possible to draw three major conclusions about postwar U.S. policy with regard to Latin America: (1) independent nationalism and popular militancy, rather than Soviet-style Communism, were the primary fears of policy makers; (2) the response to the Bolivian Revolution was not, as some have implied, indicative of benign intentions in the face of revolutionary nationalism; and (3) Bolivia often served as a “test case” or laboratory for policy measures.
Dimensions of Academic Contingencies Among African American College Students
Authors: Griffin Tiffany Monique , Chavous Tabbye , Cogburn Courtney , Branch LaToya , Sellers Robert
Published: July 2011

Drawing from existing literature, the authors conceptualized a two-dimensional framework of African American students’ academic contingencies of self-worth. The results from exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses with a sample of African American college freshmen ( N = 330) supported this prediction. Self-Worth Dependent academic contingencies were characterized by students’ self-worth being more wholly reliant on academic performance. Self-Worth Enhancing academic contingencies represented linkages between self-worth and academics where self-worth is reinforced by positive achievement but not necessarily diminished by negative feedback in the educational setting. Correlational and multiple regression analyses were used to test relationships between academic contingencies of self-worth dimensions, race-related factors (identity and discrimination experiences), academic outcomes, and psychological outcomes. Findings showed that Self-Worth Dependent academic contingencies predicted less positive beliefs about Blacks and worse psychological outcomes. Self-Worth Enhancing academic contingencies predicted more positive personal beliefs about Blacks and feeling more connected to Blacks. Implications for African American student motivation, achievement, and adjustment are discussed.
By the Numbers
Authors: Rothschild Zachary K. , Landau Mark J. , Sullivan Daniel
Published: July 2011

What combination of dispositional and situational factors leads people to represent their personal value in quantitative terms (e.g., salary) rather than qualitative terms (e.g., virtue)? Integrating research on quantitative information seeking, dispositional epistemic motivation, and learned helplessness, the current article hypothesized that individuals high, but not low, in uncertainty avoidance (measured with the Personal Need for Structure Scale [PNS]) would prefer quantitative (over qualitative) value representations to compensate for the diminished self-esteem certainty caused by exposure to unclear performance contingencies. Accordingly, in Study 1 high-PNS participants exposed to unclear (vs. clear) performance contingencies in one domain (visual intelligence) preferred a quantitative value representation in another domain (verbal intelligence). Study 2 showed that this effect is mediated by self-esteem certainty, not self-esteem level. Study 3 included a failure feedback condition to further isolate the role of epistemic motivation, as distinct from self-enhancement motivation, in driving the tendency to quantify personal value.
Competition, contest, and cooperation: The analytic framework of the issue market
Authors: Franzmann Simon T
Published: July 2011

Although party competition is widely regarded as an important part of a working democracy, it is rarely analysed in political science literature. This article discusses the basic properties of party competition, especially the patterns of interaction in contemporary party systems. Competition as a phenomenon at the macro level has to be carefully distinguished from contest and cooperation as the forms of interaction at the micro level. The article gives special attention to the creation of issue innovations. Contrary to existing approaches, I argue that not only responsiveness but also innovation are necessary to guarantee a workable democratic competition. Competition takes place on an issue market, where parties can discover voters’ demands. Combined with the concept of institutional veto points, the article presents hypotheses on how institutions shape the possibility for programmatic innovations.
Domestic reform as a rationale for gradualism in international cooperation
Authors: Urpelainen Johannes
Published: July 2011

Gradualism is common in international cooperation, as states begin with limited cooperation and choose more ambitious targets slowly over time. However, most models of international cooperation are static and thus cannot explain gradualism. I show that when states can implement domestic reforms to reduce the cost of international cooperation, enforcement concerns prompt gradualism. First, to achieve ambitious international cooperation, states must internationally enforce costly domestic reform. Second, defection at the reform stage is particularly pernicious. When other states reform, their ability to punish the defector by suspending cooperation is reduced. States choose the extent of reform to maximize the benefits of expected international cooperation in the future. As collective enforcement power increases or the number of states decreases, the extent and pace of reform increase. Gradualism is also most probable in international public good provision because excludable benefits mitigate enforcement problems.
‘While there’s a breath in my body’: The systemic effects of politically motivated retirement from the Supreme Court
Authors: Bailey Michael A , Yoon Albert
Published: July 2011

Many observers of the US Supreme Court suspect that justices time their departures from the Court based on ideological and political factors. This paper assesses the theoretical effects of such behavior. Does political timing of retirement devalue the appointment process and thereby make the Court less responsive to the public? Do politically motivated retirements lead to more justices serving beyond their productive years? Based on a formal model of retirements, we find that politically motivated retirements have little effect on political influence on the Court because, on average, for every liberal justice who declines to retire because there is a Republican president, there is a conservative justice who retires early because there is a Republican president. The model also implies modest, but non-linear effects of politically motivated retirement on the age composition of the Court as small amounts of such behavior leads to an older Court, but large amounts of politically motivated behavior lead to a younger Court. Imposing term limits on justices would increase responsiveness to electoral outcomes, lower the age of justices and dramatically increase Court turnover.
Prediction of surface roughness in magnetic abrasive finishing using acoustic emission and force sensor data fusion
Authors: Oh J H , Lee S H
Published: July 2011

The configuration of automated polishing systems requires the implementation of monitoring schemes to estimate surface roughness. In this study, a precision polishing process – magnetic abrasive finishing (MAF) – was investigated together with an in-process monitoring set-up. A specially designed magnetic quill was connected to a CNC machining center to polish the surface of Stavax (S136) die steel workpieces. During finishing experiments, both acoustic emission (AE) signals and force signals were sampled and analyzed. The finishing results show that MAF has nanoscale finishing capability (up to 8nm in surface roughness), and the sensor signals have strong correlations with parameters such as the gap between the tool and workpiece, feed rate, and abrasive size. In addition, the signals were utilized as input parameters of artificial neural networks (ANNs) to predict generated surface roughness. To increase accuracy and resolve ambiguities in decision making/prediction from the vast amount of data generated, sensor data fusion (AE + force)-based ANN and sensor information-based ANN were constructed. Among the three types of networks, the ANN constructed using sensor fusion produced the most stable outcomes. The results of this analysis demonstrate that the proposed sensor (fusion) scheme is appropriate for monitoring and prediction of nanoscale precision finishing processes.
Enterprise competence organization schema: publishing the published competences
Authors: Khilwani N , Harding J A , Tiwari M K
Published: July 2011

Competence is a standardized way to define the profile of an enterprise. Understanding and auditing competences acquired, required, and desired by a company and further representing them in a structured manner is a beneficial step for enhancing the company’s performance. Ontology is emerging as an effective tool to structure competences for comprehensive and transportable machine understanding. In the present paper, ECOS (Enterprise Competence Organization Schema) is presented as a mechanism to capture enterprise competence in a manner understandable by computers. The objective behind this concept is to create a web of machine-readable pages describing basic information and competences of enterprises with sets of interconnected data and semantic models. The ECOS ontology captures enterprise competences using a consistent and comprehensive list of concepts and vocabulary and converts them into a semantic web resource using the Web Ontology Language (OWL). The novel concept of an ECOS-card and ECOS-form is proposed and used for developing and publishing enterprise competences. Examples from real-life enterprise applications of ECOS are also shown in the paper.
Parameter analysis of batoid fin motions using fluid–structure interaction-based simulation and design of experiments
Authors: Lee J , H Kwon D
Published: July 2011

Recently, much attention has been focused on the development of bio-mimetic underwater vehicles with a view to emulate the characteristics and performances of fishes and marine mammals. This study examines the thrust motions of batoids, which have excellent cruise and manoeuvrability characteristics during underwater movement. Numerical results concerning moving distance and velocity derived from batoid fin motions are studied. The commercial software package ADINA is employed for three-dimensional time-dependent fluid–structure interaction analysis. Following the numerical identification of fin motion under the simplified model of an actual cownose ray, a parameter design is performed to predict the optimal levels of fin width, thickness, frequency, and amplitude, and the significant factor effects of these in the design of experiments are discussed. This study also shows that fin frequency has strong interaction with amplitude and width.
Continuity and change in Swedish family policy reforms
Authors: Tunberger Pernilla , Sigle-Rushton Wendy
Published: July 2011

This paper examines whether and to what extent three recently implemented family policies in Sweden change incentives regarding employment and choice of childcare for parents of young children, and whether these incentives differ by income level. These policy innovations warrant close examination because they represent a decisive ideological shift from what was a coherent set of policies that created incentives for high levels of female employment and that has been identified as a model of best practice in Europe. Simulating the economic incentive effects of the three new policies for heterosexual couple families with different levels of income, we find that while family policy in Sweden continues to provide the strongest support for a model of gender equality that combines full-time dual earning with public childcare, alternative organizations of family life are now more affordable. Nonetheless, the extent to which the costs of deviation from this model have changed varies by income level.
Grandchild care and welfare state arrangements in Europe
Authors: Igel Corinne , Szydlik Marc
Published: July 2011

As a consequence of increased life expectancies and the overall improved health status of elderly people in industrialized countries, grandparents and grandchildren are now sharing a longer period of their lives together, from which they can both actively benefit. In addition, grandparents help their children by looking after their grandchildren and are consequently an important service provider in the domain of childcare, especially for mothers active in the labour market. The analyses, which are based on the Survey of Health, Aging and Retirement in Europe (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland), show significant country differences in the occurrence and intensity of grandchild care in Europe: whereas grandparents in southern Europe engage less often but more intensively in childcare, grandchild care is provided more often but much less intensively in northern Europe. Multilevel logistic regression models show that country-specific differences are associated with welfare state arrangements and, specifically, with public investments in childcare infrastructures. Public investments ‘crowd in’ grandparental willingness to engage in childcare but ‘crowd out’ the intensity of this intergenerational time transfer. Family and state thus complement one another, with grandparents taking over sporadic, less time-intensive care while public institutions provide regular, time-consuming childcare services.
The Lisbon strategy and the alignment of economic and social concerns
Authors: Hansen Magnus Paulsen , Triantafillou Peter
Published: July 2011

This paper examines the economic and social thought that has evolved around the Lisbon strategy, which aimed to turn the European Union into the world’s most competitive knowledge economy by 2010. It argues that a new regime of rationality has emerged in which economic and social objectives, which were previously thought to be at odds with one another, have become increasingly aligned. The supposed antinomy between economic efficiency and social security has been gradually replaced by a Rawlsian-inspired understanding of social justice in which the individual right to self-development and employment is seen to go hand-in-hand with economic innovation and competitiveness. This alignment, which is expressed through the worshipping of the Nordic welfare model in general and the notion of flexicurity in particular, seems to have a strong depoliticizing effect.
Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Elementary School Success Profile for Teachers
Authors: Webber Kristina C. , Rizo Cynthia F. , Bowen Natasha K.
Published: July 2011

Objectives: This study examines the factor structure and scale quality of data collected with the online Elementary School Success Profile (ESSP) for Teachers from a sample of teachers of 1,145 third through fifth graders. Methods: Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) using Mplus and weighted least squares means and variances adjusted (WLSMV) estimation took into account the ordinal and clustered nature of the data. Models were tested on four random subsamples. Results using maximum likelihood (ML) estimation are presented for comparison. Results: A five-factor, first-order model demonstrated superior fit. Scores from the five scales demonstrated acceptable reliability. Conclusions: Results suggest the ESSP for Teachers provides school practitioners with quality data to guide intervention choices in schools. Implications for future research are discussed.
Generating periodic forces with the pendulum actuator
Authors: Grasso Emanuele , May Chris , Janocha Hartmut , Naso David
Published: July 2011

This paper presents the construction, modeling and properties of a compact, efficient electro-mechanical device called a ‘pendulum actuator’, used for generating periodic dynamic forces. Essentially, the device is composed of a transducer based on a smart material (e.g., a piezoelectric stack or a magnetostrictive rod), placed in a mechanical structure dedicated to hosting the electric or magnetic circuit for transducer excitation, and the mechanical displacement amplifier. This type of actuator can potentially cover a wide range of applications, but it also presents some fundamental challenges. In particular, generating periodic force signals demands special provisions due to the inherent nonlinear kinematics of the actuator device. This paper illustrates the potential and the limits of the device by developing an accurate mathematical model and presenting an extensive experimental investigation.
An Urban Physiognomy of the 1964 Kitty Genovese Murder
Authors: Rentschler Carrie A.
Published: July 2011

This article analyzes how news photographs and textual accounts of the 1964 Kitty Genovese murder and its 38 witnesses formulated the problem of crime in the city as one of failed witnessing in urban conditions. It analyzes the press images of Austin Street in Kew Gardens and a police portrait of the victim as facialized surfaces that journalists and editors used to interpret the failure of witnesses who were said to have watched or heard Winston Moseley’s assaults on Genovese. In years since, the number of witnesses has been called into question, as has the claim that Genovese’s neighbors did not call the police or offer direct assistance. In reviewing a case made famous through the construction of its 38 witnesses, the author shows how crime scene photography and victim portraiture played their part in conjuring the witnesses and their presumed inaction. Through these representations, this famous story of failed witnessing created an urban physiognomy of the Genovese murder whose truths lie not in the veracity of the witnesses themselves but in the ability of news and police photography to spectate the crime scene and murder victim for readers.
Developing environmentally friendly rolling lubricants
Authors: Johnsson A , Ekman M , Janols A
Published: July 2011

Swerea MEFOS pilot mill has been used as a rolling lubricant development tool. The objectives were to improve the lubrication during rolling and thereby improve the operation of the rolling mills. This was done taking into account both the technological aspect, rolling mill output, and the ecological aspect, investigating ways to use rolling lubricants that are more ecologic sustainable, i.e. alternatives to oil-based lubricants as well as the recycling/recovering of oil-based lubricants. Oil-in-water emulsions and an aqueous solution, by the producer termed a conditional emulsion, were tested where the lubricant formulation was altered to optimize the performance for hot rolling of aluminium. Cold-rolling tests were also run on steel coils, where the presence of rust protective oil was studied as well as the influence of aged emulsion behaviour compared with fresh emulsion. Finally, Sapa developed a vacuum evaporator system for recovering oil from dumped emulsion generated during aluminium hot rolling, followed by separation, centrifugation, and flocculation. The cleaned concentrates were reconditioned for reuse. The recycled and recovered emulsion was tested and compared with the original fresh emulsion in Swerea MEFOS pilot mill with results as good as the fresh emulsion.
Gender differences in the daily physical activities of Danish school children
Authors: Nielsen Glen , Pfister Gertrud , Bo Andersen Lars
Published: July 2011

The purpose of this study was to explore the daily physical activities of Danish children with a focus on describing and explaining gender differences. Accelerometer measurements of physical activity in different contexts, as well as questionnaire data, were collected from more than 500 children at pre-school and later at third grade. The study showed that boys were generally more physically active than girls (18% at age 6—7, and 16% at age 9—10, both p < 0.001) and found differences in the types of activities undertaken by the two genders. These findings are in accordance with numerous other studies in Denmark as well as internationally. However, this study adds to this knowledge by showing that the gender difference in total amounts of activity was mainly due to large gender differences in the amounts of self-organized physical activity such as after-school day care (difference at age 6—7 = 45%, difference at age 9—10 = 58%, both p < 0.001) and school breaks (difference at age 6—7 = 32%, difference at age 9—10 = 36%, both p < 0.001). This could be partly explained by boys being more interested in playing football in contexts for children’s self-organized activities.
Exploring the role of film in promoting domestic tourism: A case study of Al Fayoum, Egypt
Authors: Soliman Dalia Mohammad
Published: July 2011

This study aims at investigating the effects of film on the perceived image of the domestic destination portrayed in the film, and it offers insight to understand the recently emerging field of film-induced tourism. Films have the potential to offer fantastic marketing opportunities as they act as virtual holiday brochures. A strong film industry also helps in successful film tourism, whether on the domestic or the regional scale. The literature review revealed that little is known about the effect of film on domestic tourism. Furthermore, there is a shortage of research into eastern settings where the film is not in English; there is also a deficiency of studies on the issue of film-induced tourism in the Middle East region. The current study aims at filling this gap and contributes to the existing film-induced tourism literature by assessing the perception of a domestic tourist destination before and after watching a film featuring this destination. To fulfill this aim, a questionnaire containing 19 image attributes drawn from the literature was designed and a paired sample t-test on these attributes was applied. The study also examines the influence of the different film elements on the tendency to visit the filmed location. The findings of the study generally affirm the notion that films could positively affect audiences’ perceptions of domestic destination in various ways. Practical implications and succeeding research directions are highlighted.
Assessment of Depression among African American Light Smokers
Authors: Berg Carla J. , Cox Lisa Sanderson , Choi Won S. , Mayo Matthew S. , Krebill Ron , Bronars Carrie A. , Ahluwalia Jasjit S.
Published: July 2011

Given the relationship between depression and smoking, we compared the two-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-2) and 10-item Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CESD-10) in assessing depressive symptoms among African American light smokers in a clinical trial of bupropion. Of 539 participants, 21.3 percent reported significant depressive symptoms on the PHQ-2, 31.0 percent screened positive per CESD-10, 36.8 percent reported symptoms on either, and 15.6 percent screened positive on both ( r = 0.47, p < .001). Having depressive symptoms was associated with less education, decreased positive affect and social support, and greater levels of negative affect and perceived stress. Cessation treatment should assess depression and address these symptoms.
Early-Elective Single-Incision Laparoscopic Sigmoidectomy for Perforated Diverticulitis Using a Totally Reusable Single-Port Device
Authors: Reibetanz Joachim , Kerscher Alexander , Kim Mia , Wierlemann Alexander , Germer Christoph-Thomas , Krajinovic Katica
Published: July 2011

Background: Single-port access (SPA) is an emerging concept in minimally invasive colorectal surgery. The authors report their experience using SPA sigmoidectomy as an early-elective approach to complicated diverticulitis with paracolic abscess. Methods: Between September 2009 und April 2010, 4 patients underwent SPA sigmoidectomy for Hinchey-I diverticulitis using the reusable X-Cone device. Results: After a median time of antibiotic treatment of 8 days, SPA sigmoidectomy was performed successfully in all patients. The median operative time was 200 minutes (range, 187-221 minutes). No intraoperative or postoperative complications were recorded; the median postoperative hospital stay was 7 days (range, 5-7 days). No incisional hernias were observed at midterm follow-up (median, 11.5 months; range, 8-14 months). Conclusions: When performed by an experienced laparoscopic surgeon, early-elective SPA sigmoidectomy is a feasible and safe approach to complicated diverticulitis. The reusability of the X-Cone device ensures that the costs of the procedure are not high.