bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Melanoma Proliferation and Chemoresistance Controlled by the DEK Oncogene
Authors: Khodadoust Michael S. , Verhaegen Monique , Kappes Ferdinand , Riveiro-Falkenbach Erica , Cigudosa Juan C. , Kim David S.L. , Chinnaiyan Arul M. , Markovitz David M. , Soengas María S.
Published: August 2009

Gain of chromosome 6p is a consistent feature of advanced melanomas. However, the identity of putative oncogene(s) associated with this amplification has remained elusive. The chromatin remodeling factor DEK is an attractive candidate as it maps to 6p (within common melanoma-amplified loci). Moreover, DEK expression is increased in metastatic melanomas, although the functional relevance of this induction remains unclear. Importantly, in other tumor types, DEK can display various tumorigenic effects in part through its ability to promote proliferation and inhibit p53-dependent apoptosis. Here, we report a generalized up-regulation of DEK protein in aggressive melanoma cells and tumors. In addition, we provide genetic and mechanistic evidence to support a key role of DEK in the maintenance of malignant phenotypes of melanoma cells. Specifically, we show that long-term DEK down-regulation by independent short hairpin RNAs resulted in premature senescence of a variety of melanoma cell lines. Short-term abrogation of DEK expression was also functionally relevant, as it attenuated the traditional resistance of melanomas to DNA-damaging agents. Unexpectedly, DEK short hairpin RNA had no effect on p53 levels or p53-dependent apoptosis. Instead, we identified a new role for DEK in the transcriptional activation of the antiapoptotic MCL-1. Other MCL-1–related factors such as BCL-2 or BCL-xL were unaffected by changes in the endogenous levels of DEK, indicating a selective effect of this gene on the apoptotic machinery of melanoma cells. These results provide support for DEK as a long sought-after oncogene mapping at chromosome 6, with novel functions in melanoma proliferation and chemoresistance. [Cancer Res 2009;69(16):6405–13]
Cullin 1 Functions as a Centrosomal Suppressor of Centriole Multiplication by Regulating Polo-like Kinase 4 Protein Levels
Authors: Korzeniewski Nina , Zheng Leon , Cuevas Rolando , Parry Joshua , Chatterjee Payel , Anderton Brittany , Duensing Anette , Münger Karl , Duensing Stefan
Published: August 2009

Abnormal centrosome and centriole numbers are frequently detected in tumor cells where they can contribute to mitotic aberrations that cause chromosome missegregation and aneuploidy. The molecular mechanisms of centriole overduplication in malignant cells, however, are poorly characterized. Here, we show that the core SKP1-cullin-F-box component cullin 1 (CUL1) localizes to maternal centrioles and that CUL1 is critical for suppressing centriole overduplication through multiplication, a recently discovered mechanism whereby multiple daughter centrioles form concurrently at single maternal centrioles. We found that this activity of CUL1 involves the degradation of Polo-like kinase 4 (PLK4) at maternal centrioles. PLK4 is required for centriole duplication and strongly stimulates centriole multiplication when aberrantly expressed. We found that CUL1 is critical for the degradation of active PLK4 following deregulation of cyclin E/cyclin-dependent kinase 2 activity, as is frequently observed in human cancer cells, as well as for baseline PLK4 protein stability. Collectively, our results suggest that CUL1 may function as a tumor suppressor by regulating PLK4 protein levels and thereby restraining excessive daughter centriole formation at maternal centrioles. [Cancer Res 2009;69(16):6668–75]
A Model for Vibrational Effects of Nonrigid Vehicles
Authors: Dekker H.
Published: August 2009

The wheel polygonization of state‐of‐the‐art lightrail streetcars is studied using a mechanical model for the vibrational frequency response of a vehicle with a nonrigid body, which reveals relevant novel wheel resonances.
Analytical Method for Residual Stresses Determination in Thin Welded Joints
Authors: Rogante M. , Cesari F.G. , Ferrari G.
Published: August 2009

Residual stresses (RS) in welded joints can contribute to the stress enhancement concentrated in the connection of different components, mainly concerning structures and piping. A fast method for assessing RS in a thin weld through the calculation of heat flow and thermal expansion data is explained ‐ obtained by implementing a previous programme in a personal computer (PC) code ‐ to evaluate the through‐wall temperature distribution and the RS field due to multi‐pass welding of flat or axi‐symmetric joints. The calculation of temperature distribution, axial and hoop thermal stresses through the finite thickness of a specimen is described, in particular, considering some basic simplifying assumptions. Validation of experimental is shown, related to thin welded joints, comparing finite elements method (FEM) analysis, direct measurements and the considered analytical method results.
Study of Magnetic Phase Transition and Spin Frustration in Cobalt Aluminium Oxide Materials based on High Temperature Series Expansions Model
Authors: Masrour R. , Hamedoun M.
Published: August 2009

The magnetic properties of CoAl2−2xCo2xO4 for 0 ≤ x ≤ 1 are studied. The values of the nearest neighbour (J1), next‐nearest neighbour (J2), intra‐plane (Jaa) and inter‐plane (Jab,Jac) exchange interactions are calculated by the mean field theory for ordered region and by the probability law adapted of the nature of dilution problem in A‐spinel lattice in spin glass region. The high‐temperature series expansions have been applied in the CoAl2−2xCo2xO4 systems, combined with the Padé approximants method, to determine the Néel temperature TN (K) or freezing temperature TSG (K) in the range 0 ≤ x ≤ 1. The critical exponents associated with the magnetic susceptibility (y) and the correlation lengths (v) are deduced in the range ordered 0.3 ≤ x ≤ 1. The obtained values of y and v are insensitive to the dilution ratio x and may be compared with other theoretical results based on 3D Heisenberg model.
Critical Behavior Ising Model S = 1, 3/2 and 2 on Directed Networks
Authors: Lima F.W.S. , Luz Edina M.S. , Costa Filho R.N.
Published: August 2009

Barabási‐Albert and small‐world networks. In this model, the order‐disorder phase transition of the order parameter is well defined on small‐world networks. We calculate the value of the critical temperature Tc for several values of rewiring probability p of the directed small‐world network. For directed small‐world networks we obtained a second‐order phase transition for p = 0.2 and first‐order phase transition for p = 0.8. On directed Barabási‐Albert we show that phase transition do not exist for Ising model with spin S = 1, 3/2 and 2.
Impact Strength and Hardness Properties of Banana Pseudo‐Stem Filled Unplastisized PVC Composites
Authors: Zainudin E.S. , Sapuan S.M.
Published: August 2009

Specific responses of thermoplastic components are required when they are subjected to impact conditions to minimize the damage in human body. Hardness property gives material, high resistance to various kinds of shape change when force is applied. In this study, mechanical properties such as impact strength and hardness of banana pseudo‐stem (BPS) unplastisized polyvinyl chloride (UPVC) composites were determined. It was found that fibre loading of BPS filler could enhance the properties of the impact strength and hardness of BPS/UPVC composites. The results on the addition of acrylic modifier to the composites have been discussed.
Variable Thermal Loading Analysis of Single Crystal Tungsten (111)
Authors: Rathinam Murugavel , Thillaigovindan Ramesh , Paramasivam Prema
Published: August 2009

The temperature response of properties of Single crystal tungsten (111) at high temperature is still not been thoroughly understood. All the mechanical properties are temperature dependent. The experiments are performed with tailor made Berkovich tip of radius 100 nm with temperatures of 373 K, 473 K and 623 K to study the behavior of Single crystal Tungsten at various temperatures. The new phenomena of material under the indenter bouncing back at the end of unloading were clearly noticed, due to the accumulation of high energy. One particularly interesting observation is the appearance of discrete plasticity during the unloading segment as evidenced by a displacement burst or pop‐in at ∼1 mN at elevated temperatures. It is also noted that the elastic recovery reduces at higher temperatures. The results for different temperatures are compared. Our experiments clearly show the periodic bursts and the softening effects. Pile up is observed. It is noticed that there is significant drop in hardness, elastic modulus and increase in displacement with increasing temperature. This softening phenomenon corresponds to the increase of indentation depth for the same loading conditions. Clear bursts are seen showing the nucleation of dislocations. At higher peak loads, the indentation contact in tungsten is not just elastic. Tungsten is chosen to illustrate the temperature dependence behaviour because of its isotropic elastic behaviour at low loads. This work attempts to explore the complete behaviour of metals at various temperatures, including the initial burst, the complete elastic recovery, the softening effect and the modulus and Hardness.
Seasonal Effects of Indian Ocean Freshwater Forcing in a Regional Coupled Model*
Authors: Seo Hyodae , Xie Shang-Ping , Murtugudde Raghu , Jochum Markus , Miller Arthur J.
Published: August 2009

Effects of freshwater forcing from river discharge into the Indian Ocean on oceanic vertical structure and the Indian monsoons are investigated using a fully coupled, high-resolution, regional climate model. The effect of river discharge is included in the model by restoring sea surface salinity (SSS) toward observations. The simulations with and without this effect in the coupled model reveal a highly seasonal influence of salinity and the barrier layer (BL) on oceanic vertical density stratification, which is in turn linked to changes in sea surface temperature (SST), surface winds, and precipitation.

During both boreal summer and winter, SSS relaxation leads to a more realistic spatial distribution of salinity and the BL in the model. In summer, the BL in the Bay of Bengal enhances the upper-ocean stratification and increases the SST near the river mouths where the freshwater forcing is largest. However, the warming is limited to the coastal ocean and the amplitude is not large enough to give a significant impact on monsoon rainfall.

The strengthened BL during boreal winter leads to a shallower mixed layer. Atmospheric heat flux forcing acting on a thin mixed layer results in an extensive reduction of SST over the northern Indian Ocean. Relatively suppressed mixing below the mixed layer warms the subsurface layer, leading to a temperature inversion. The cooling of the sea surface induces a large-scale adjustment in the winter atmosphere with amplified northeasterly winds. This impedes atmospheric convection north of the equator while facilitating it in the austral summer intertropical convergence zone, resulting in a hemispheric-asymmetric response pattern. Overall, the results suggest that freshwater forcing from the river discharges plays an important role during the boreal winter by affecting SST and the coupled ocean–atmosphere interaction, with potential impacts on the broadscale regional climate.
Parameterizing Turbulent Exchange over Sea Ice in Winter
Authors: Andreas Edgar L. , Persson P. Ola G. , Grachev Andrey A. , Jordan Rachel E. , Horst Thomas W. , Guest Peter S. , Fairall Christopher W.
Published: August 2009

The Surface Heat Budget of the Arctic Ocean (SHEBA) experiment produced 18 000 h of turbulence data from the atmospheric surface layer over sea ice while the ice camp drifted for a year in the Beaufort Gyre. Multiple sites instrumented during SHEBA suggest only two aerodynamic seasons over sea ice. In “winter” (October 1997 through 14 May 1998 and 15 September 1998 through the end of the SHEBA deployment in early October 1998), the ice was compact and snow covered, and the snow was dry enough to drift and blow. In “summer” (15 May through 14 September 1998 in this dataset), the snow melted, and melt ponds and leads appeared and covered as much as 40% of the surface with open water. This paper develops a bulk turbulent flux algorithm to explain the winter data. This algorithm predicts the surface fluxes of momentum, and sensible and latent heat from more readily measured or modeled quantities. A main result of the analysis is that the roughness length for wind speed z0 does not depend on the friction velocity u* in the drifting snow regime (u* ≥ 0.30 m s−1) but, rather, is constant in the SHEBA dataset at about 2.3 × 10−4 m. Previous analyses that found z0 to increase with u* during drifting snow may have suffered from fictitious correlation because u* also appears in z0. The present analysis mitigates this fictitious correlation by plotting measured z0 against the corresponding u* computed from the bulk flux algorithm. Such plots, created with data from six different SHEBA sites, show z0 to be independent of the bulk u* for 0.15 < u* ≤ 0.65 m s−1. This study also evaluates the roughness lengths for temperature zT and humidity zQ, incorporates new profile stratification corrections for stable stratification, addresses the singularities that often occur in iterative flux algorithms in very light winds, and includes an extensive analysis of whether atmospheric stratification affects z0, zT, and zQ.
Thunderstorm Strike Probability Nowcasting
Authors: Dance Sandy , Ebert Elizabeth , Scurrah David
Published: August 2009

To assist in thunderstorm warning, automated nowcasting systems have been developed that detect thunderstorm cells in radar images and propagate them forward in time to generate forecasted threat areas. Current methods, however, fail to quantify the probabilistic nature of the error structure of such forecasts. This paper introduces the Thunderstorm Environment Strike Probability Algorithm (THESPA), which forecasters can use to provide probabilistic thunderstorm nowcasts for risk assessment and emergency decision making. This method accounts for the prediction error by transforming thunderstorm nowcasts into a strike probability, or the probability that a given location will be impacted by a thunderstorm in a given period, by specifying a bivariate Gaussian distribution of speed and direction errors. This paper presents the development and analysis of the THESPA method and verifies performance using experimental data. Results from a statistical analysis of Thunderstorm Identification, Tracking, Analysis, and Nowcasting (TITAN) tracking errors of nowcasts made near Sydney, Australia, were used to specify the distribution, which was then applied to data collected from the World Weather Research Programme (WWRP) Beijing 2008 Forecast Demonstration Project. The results are encouraging and show Brier skill scores between 0.36 and 0.44 with respect to a deterministic advected threat area forecast.
A High-Resolution Coupled Riverine Flow, Tide, Wind, Wind Wave, and Storm Surge Model for Southern Louisiana and Mississippi. Part I: Model Development and Validation
Authors: Bunya S. , Dietrich J. C. , Westerink J. J. , Ebersole B. A. , Smith J. M. , Atkinson J. H. , Jensen R. , Resio D. T. , Luettich R. A. , Dawson C. , Cardone V. J. , Cox A. T. , Powell M. D. , Westerink H. J. , Roberts H. J.
Published: August 2009

A coupled system of wind, wind wave, and coastal circulation models has been implemented for southern Louisiana and Mississippi to simulate riverine flows, tides, wind waves, and hurricane storm surge in the region. The system combines the NOAA Hurricane Research Division Wind Analysis System (H*WIND) and the Interactive Objective Kinematic Analysis (IOKA) kinematic wind analyses, the Wave Model (WAM) offshore and Steady-State Irregular Wave (STWAVE) nearshore wind wave models, and the Advanced Circulation (ADCIRC) basin to channel-scale unstructured grid circulation model. The system emphasizes a high-resolution (down to 50 m) representation of the geometry, bathymetry, and topography; nonlinear coupling of all processes including wind wave radiation stress-induced set up; and objective specification of frictional parameters based on land-cover databases and commonly used parameters. Riverine flows and tides are validated for no storm conditions, while winds, wind waves, hydrographs, and high water marks are validated for Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
An Investigation of the Links between ENSO Flavors and Rainfall Processes in Southeastern Australia
Authors: Brown Jaclyn N. , McIntosh Peter C. , Pook Michael J. , Risbey James S.
Published: August 2009

The causes of rainfall variations in southeastern Australia associated with three key El Niño years (1982, 1997, and 2002) are explored. Whereas 1982 and 2002 were exceptionally dry years, 1997 had near-average rainfall. These variations in rainfall can be explained by changes in the behavior of cutoff low pressure systems. Although each year had a similar number of cutoff low events, 1997 had higher rainfall per cutoff low event when compared with the other years. In particular, rain in 1997 is attributable to five large wet events from cutoff low pressure systems. In each of these wet events, the moist air originated from the marine boundary layer off the coast of northeastern Australia. Cutoff lows in 1982 and 2002 were much drier and did not draw in moist air from the northeastern coast. In typical classifications, 1982 and 1997 are grouped together as “canonical” El Niños whereas 2002 is a Modoki El Niño. The results presented here imply that these groupings are not definitive in explaining variations in southeastern Australian rainfall.
The Influence of Monsoonal Gulf Surges on Precipitation and Diurnal Precipitation Patterns in Central Arizona
Authors: Svoma Bohumil M.
Published: August 2009

North American gulf-surge events, northward low-level influxes of cool and moist air from the Gulf of California, were statistically related to monsoonal precipitation and the associated diurnal cycle for the state of Arizona. Using Dixon’s Assessing Low-Level Atmospheric Moisture using Soundings (ALARMS) method as an indicator for gulf surges, a sequence of surge events was identified for the months of July and August for the period from 1957 to 2008. A network of Arizona precipitation gauges was stratified by the surge events occurring over this period. The findings indicate that gulf surges accounted for a significant majority of rainfall events in Arizona. This signal was most apparent in the drier central and southwestern deserts (including the Phoenix metropolitan area) and least apparent in the wetter eastern and southeastern portions of the state. Diurnal patterns in rainfall were identified for the Phoenix metropolitan area and its surroundings. A strong diurnal cycle was apparent in precipitation associated with both surge and nonsurge periods over the Phoenix area, with a greater tendency toward nocturnal precipitation during gulf-surge events. These findings suggest that dissipating afternoon thunderstorms east and northeast of the Phoenix area act as catalysts for the nocturnal storm development that is prevalent in this area.
Overcoming dysfunctional momentum: Organizational safety as a social achievement
Authors: Barton Michelle A. , Sutcliffe Kathleen M.
Published: August 2009

Research on organizational safety and reliability largely has emphasized system-level structures and processes neglecting the more micro-level, social processes necessary to enact organizational safety. In this qualitative study we remedy this gap by exploring these processes in the context of wildland fire management. In particular, using interview data gathered from 28 individuals involved in wildland firefighting, we explore the validity of the idea that a deterrent to organizational safety is an inability to redirect ongoing actions once they are underway. The findings suggest four major themes. First, individuals and groups redirect ongoing action as a result of re-evaluating that action. Second, noticing early warning signs, while necessary, is not sufficient to drive change. Third, two social processes — giving voice to concerns and actively seeking alternative perspectives — appear to be key drivers of re-evaluation. Fourth, the process of redirecting action is moderated by two social factors: institutional pressures and self-interest. We discuss the implications of these patterns for organization theory and for future research.
Reclaiming resilience and safety: Resilience activation in the critical period of crisis
Authors: Powley Edward H.
Published: August 2009

When external events disrupt the normal flow of organizational and relational routines and practices, an organization’s latent capacity to rebound activates to enable positive adaptation and bounce back. This article examines an unexpected organizational crisis (a shooting and standoff in a business school) and presents a model for how resilience becomes activated in such situations. Three social mechanisms describe resilience activation. Liminal suspension describes how crisis temporarily undoes and alters formal relational structures and opens a temporal space for organization members to form and renew relationships. Compassionate witnessing describes how organization members’ interpersonal connections and opportunities for engagement respond to individuals’ needs. And relational redundancy describes how organization members’ social capital and connections across organizational and functional boundaries activate relational networks that enable resilience. Narrative accounts from the incident support the induced model.
Reconciliation can lead to better application: A rejoinder to Perrow (2009)
Authors: Shrivastava Samir , Sonpar Karan , Pazzaglia Federica
Published: August 2009

In his brief commentary, Perrow raises four issues. First, he alludes to how the misuse of bureaucratic power could explain some accidents. Second, he reiterates that normal accidents occur owing to the characteristics inherent in a system, and such accidents, irrespective of whether high reliability practices are followed or not, are inevitable. Third, Perrow asserts that complexity and coupling are independent of time of operation. The time dimension’s irrelevance, he claims, ought to be apparent from his analysis of normal accidents in systems such as the air transport and chemical industry (see Perrow, 1984). Fourth, Perrow implies that High Reliability Theory (HRT) cannot explain the sub-class of accidents that Normal Accident Theory (NAT) concerns itself with. He thus makes a case for retaining NAT alongside other theories and finds little value in our reconciliation. In fact, he finds the reconciliation inappropriate because we supposedly err in implicating time. We respond to the four issues in turn.
Fault-tolerant Gang Scheduling in Distributed Real-time Systems Utilizing Imprecise Computations
Authors: Stavrinides Georgios L. , Karatza Helen D.
Published: August 2009

Distributed real-time systems play an increasingly vital role in our society. The most important aspect of such systems is the scheduling algorithm, which must guarantee that every job in the system will meet its deadline, providing high-quality (precise) results. In this paper we evaluate by simulation the performance of strategies for the scheduling of parallel jobs (gangs) in a homogeneous distributed real-time system with possible software faults. For each scheduling policy we provide an alternative version which allows imprecise computations. We propose a performance metric applicable to our problem, which takes into account the number of jobs guaranteed, as well as the precision of the results of each guaranteed job. The simulation results show that the alternative versions of the algorithms outperform their respective counterparts. To the best of our knowledge, a real-time gang scheduling approach that utilizes imprecise computations has never been discussed in the literature before.
Analysis of Minimum-energy Path-preserving Graphs for Ad-hoc Wireless Networks *
Authors: Rahman Ashikur , Ahmed Mahmuda , Zerin Shobnom
Published: August 2009

We consider ad-hoc wireless networks and the topology control problem defined as minimizing the amount of power needed to maintain connectivity. The issue boils down to selecting the optimum transmission power level at each node based on the position information of reachable nodes. Local decisions regarding the transmission power level induce a subgraph of the maximum powered graph Gmax in which edges represent direct reachability at maximum power. In this paper we propose an analysis for constructing minimum-energy path-preserving subgraphs of Gmax, i.e. subgraphs minimizing the energy consumption between node pairs. We also propose an algorithm for constructing subgraph of Gmax based on one-hop neighbor information. By presenting experimental results we show the effectiveness of our proposed algorithm.
Distributed Response Time Analysis of GSPN Models with MapReduce
Authors: Haggarty Oliver J. , Knottenbelt William J. , Bradley Jeremy T.
Published: August 2009

Generalized stochastic Petri nets (GSPNs) are widely used in the performance analysis of computer and communications systems. Response time densities and quantiles are often key outputs of such analysis. These can be extracted from a GSPN’s underlying semi-Markov process using a method based on numerical Laplace transform inversion. This method typically requires the solution of thousands of systems of complex linear equations, each of rank n, where n is the number of states in the model. For large models substantial processing power is needed and the computation must therefore be distributed. In this paper we describe the implementation of a response time analysis module for the Platform Independent Petri net Editor (PIPE2) which interfaces with Hadoop, an open-source implementation of Google’s MapReduce distributed programming environment, to provide distributed calculation of response time densities in GSPN models. The software is validated with results calculated analytically as well as simulated results for larger models. Excellent scalability is shown.
Towards Formal Analysis of Multi-paradigm Model Transformations
Authors: Asztalos Márk , Madari István , Lengyel László
Published: August 2009

The Multi-Paradigm Modeling (MPM) approach of model-based development emphasizes the specification of a system by multiple models. We use transformations to automatically transform, integrate and synchronize models. Verification and validation of model transformations are fundamental issues: we need to express what a valid model is and how a valid model transformation may transform the models; otherwise, we have to analyze each transformed model individually, which makes it difficult to automate the process of using models. We have formally analyzed various model transformations in several case studies and industrial projects. From this experience, we have distilled the frequently recurring techniques and solutions, referred to as Model Transformation Analysis (MTA) methods. These instances, similarly to design patterns in object-oriented programming, define special constructions as solutions for recurring problems that arise when one implements a model transformation. Moreover, MTA methods contain special techniques and language features that should be taken into account when one designs a model transformation framework or a model transformation language. We hope that MTA methods may be the basis of automated formal analysis techniques of model transformations. This paper contributes the concept and instances of MTA methods and provides a case study based on an industrial project of mobile application development. With this real-world example, we want to demonstrate the role and use of MTA methods. The case study is implemented in Visual Modeling and Transformation System (VMTS), which is a tool that realizes the MPM concept to provide a model and model transformation-based environment for software development.
Using Descriptive Assessment in the Treatment of Bite Acceptance and Food Refusal
Authors: Casey Sean D. , Perrin Christopher J. , Lesser Aaron D. , Perrin Stefanie H. , Casey Cheryl L. , Reed Gregory K.
Published: August 2009

The feeding behaviors of two children who maintained failure to thrive diagnoses and displayed food refusal are assessed in their homes. Descriptive assessments are used to identify schedules of consequence provided by each child’s care providers for bite acceptance and food refusal behaviors. Assessments reveal rich schedules of praise and access to social interaction and preferred activities for bite acceptance and escape for food refusal. These schedule arrangements result in hypotheses that modifications to the schedule of praise and access to social interaction and preferred activities for bite acceptance would result in little to no effect and that modifications to the schedule of escape for food refusal would be necessary for treatment success. Successful interventions are subsequently implemented by manipulating the existing schedules of escape for food refusal by each child’s care providers. Implications for the use of descriptive assessments for feeding problems are discussed.
The Dialectic of Social Exchange: Theorizing Corporate—Social Enterprise Collaboration
Authors: Di Domenico MariaLaura , Tracey Paul , Haugh Helen
Published: August 2009

We augment social exchange theory with dialectical theory to build a framework to examine corporate—social enterprise collaborations. These cross-sector collaborations represent a novel form of political-economic arrangement seeking to reconcile the efficient functioning of markets with the welfare of communities. We propose that corporate—social enterprise collaborations are shaped by (1) the value that each member of the collaboration attributes to their partner’s inputs, (2) competing practices and priorities intrinsic to the corporation and the social enterprise, and (3) expected benefits of the collaboration to each partner. For a synthesized state of collaboration to emerge and the partnership to be sustained, we posit that the antithetical forces inherent within the relationship must be resolved.
Linguistic Accommodation and the Salience of National Identity Markers in a Border Town
Authors: Llamas Carmen , Watt Dominic , Johnson Daniel Ezra
Published: August 2009

This study tests the extent of speakers’ linguistic accommodation to members of putative in-groups and out-groups in a border locality where such categorizations can be said to be particularly accentuated. Variation in the speech of informants in dialect contact interactions with separate interviewers is analyzed for evidence of speech accommodation in the form of phonological convergence or divergence. The data do not support a straightforward interpretation of accommodation, and findings are considered in terms of evidence required for such an account. Implications for the notion of salience in explanations of contact-induced language change are also considered, as is the significance of the “interviewer effect” in the compilation of data sets for use in quantitative studies of phonological variation and change.
Effectiveness of a video-based exercise programme to reduce falls and improve health-related quality of life among older adults discharged from hospital: a pilot randomized controlled trial
Authors: Haines Terry P , Russell Trevor , Brauer Sandra G , Erwin Sheree , Lane Paul , Urry Stephen , Jasiewicz Jan , Condie Peter
Published: August 2009

Objective: Falls, loss of health-related quality of life and physical capacity, reduced participation in activities of daily living, and increased fear of falling are all potential outcomes for older adults discharged from hospital. A low-cost video based exercise programme may address this.

Design: This study was a randomized controlled trial with blinded outcomes assessment and a six-month follow-up.

Subjects and setting: Participants were older adults (>65 years) using a mobility aid discharged from a tertiary hospital in Brisbane, Australia, without referral for community-based rehabilitation services.

Intervention: A digital video disk-based programme encompassing six exercise types each with six levels of difficulty. A home visit from a project physiotherapist was conducted to ensure patient safety. Control group patients received usual care.

Main measures: Falls, health-related quality of life, participation in activities of daily living, physical capacity and fear of falling.

Results: Study participants (n = 53, 19 intervention, 34 control) experienced decreasing health-related quality of life, several falls (72), and lower levels of participation in activities of daily living over the six-month follow-up. The intervention group did not differ significantly from the control group in terms of the outcomes examined, though a non-significant reduction in the rate of falls was observed. Intervention group participants complied with the exercise programme well during the first two weeks following discharge from hospital but then reduced their compliance levels thereafter.

Conclusions: The intervention may be beneficial for reducing the rate of falls in this patient population though further research with a larger sample size is indicated.
Improving Decision Making at the End of Life With Video Images
Authors: Volandes Angelo E. , Barry Michael J. , Chang Yuchiao , Paasche-Orlow Michael K.
Published: August 2009

Background. Decision making at the end of life is frequently complex and often filled with uncertainty. We hypothesized that people with limited health literacy would have more uncertainty about end-of-life decision making than people with adequate literacy. We also hypothesized that video images would decrease uncertainty. Design. Before and after oral survey. Participants. Subjects presenting to their primary care physicians. Methods. Subjects were asked about their preferences for end-of-life care after they heard a verbal description of advanced dementia and were asked to rate the level of their uncertainty. Subjects then viewed a video of a patient with advanced dementia and were asked again about their preferences and uncertainty. Uncertainty was measured using the Decisional Conflict Scale with score ranges from 3 (high uncertainty) to 15 (no uncertainty). Health literacy was measured using the Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine, and subjects were divided into 3 literacy categories: low (0—45, 6th grade and below), marginal (46— 60, 7th—8th grade), and adequate (61—66, 9th grade and above). Results. A total of 146 patients completed the interview. Prior to the video, the average uncertainty scores for subjects with low, marginal, and adequate health literacy were 10.8, 12.4, and 13.5, respectively (P < 0.0001). After the video, the 3 groups had similar uncertainty about their decisions. The average uncertainty scores for subjects with low, marginal, and adequate health literacy were 13.6, 14.1, and 14.5, respectively (P = 0.046). Conclusions. Subjects with limited health literacy expressed more uncertainty about their preferences for end-of-life care than did subjects with adequate literacy. Our video decision aid improved end-of-life decision making by decreasing uncertainty regarding subjects’ preferences, especially for those with limited literacy.
Bayesian Hierarchical Models for Cost-Effectiveness Analyses that Use Data from Cluster Randomized Trials
Authors: Grieve Richard , Nixon Richard , Thompson Simon G.
Published: August 2009

Cost-effectiveness analyses (CEA) may be undertaken alongside cluster randomized trials (CRTs) where randomization is at the level of the cluster (for example, the hospital or primary care provider) rather than the individual. Costs (and outcomes) within clusters may be correlated so that the assumption made by standard bivariate regression models, that observations are independent, is incorrect. This study develops a flexible modeling framework to acknowledge the clustering in CEA that use CRTs. The authors extend previous Bayesian bivariate models for CEA of multicenter trials to recognize the specific form of clustering in CRTs. They develop new Bayesian hierarchical models (BHMs) that allow mean costs and outcomes, and also variances, to differ across clusters. They illustrate how each model can be applied using data from a large (1732 cases, 70 primary care providers) CRT evaluating alternative interventions for reducing postnatal depression. The analyses compare cost-effectiveness estimates from BHMs with standard bivariate regression models that ignore the data hierarchy. The BHMs show high levels of cost heterogeneity across clusters (intracluster correlation coefficient, 0.17). Compared with standard regression models, the BHMs yield substantially increased uncertainty surrounding the cost-effectiveness estimates, and altered point estimates. The authors conclude that ignoring clustering can lead to incorrect inferences. The BHMs that they present offer a flexible modeling framework that can be applied more generally to CEA that use CRTs.
Gender Differences in Sense of Coherence, Perceived Social Support, and Negative Emotions Among Drug-Abstinent Israeli Inmates
Authors: Gila Chen
Published: August 2009

This study examines gender differences in the sense of coherence, perceived social support, and negative emotions among drug-abstinent Israeli inmates. One hundred nineteen inmates have participated in this study (65 men and 54 women). The findings indicate that among female inmates, abstinence of more than a year is related to a decrease in sense of coherence and to an increase in their perceived friend support. In contrast, among male inmates, abstinence of more than a year is related to an increase in sense of coherence and no change at all in their perceived friend support. In addition, hostility level is lower and sense of coherence is higher when the length of abstinence exceeds a year among male inmates. In contrast, among female inmates hostility level is higher when the sense of coherence is lower, without any connection to the length of abstinence. The implications of these findings to treatment intervention are discussed.
Group Learning in Participatory Planning Processes
Authors: Deyle Robert , Schively Slotterback Carissa
Published: August 2009

Scholars have identified group learning as both an outcome of effective participatory planning processes and as the means to achieving agreement on planning outputs and to building constituencies for plan implementation. This article examines the challenges of designing empirical studies of group learning in participatory planning processes that have strong internal and external validity and reports the results of a quasiexperimental analysis of how different degrees of participation increase mutual understanding of planning problems and solutions.
The Use of LEED in Planning and Development Regulation
Authors: Retzlaff Rebecca C.
Published: August 2009

Some jurisdictions in the United States have enacted green building policies and incentives that use a building assessment system to rate their sustainability. One such system is Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). Using data from a survey of LEED policy administrators and a comparison of LEED policies, this research seeks to understand the status and structure of such policies, their impacts on the built environment, how they work in practice, and the role of planners. The article outlines three types of policies that use the LEED system— government requirements, requirements for private development, and incentives— and finds that LEED policies have been very narrowly applied. Planners have an important role in administering green building polices because they address issues beyond building design and construction and require a holistic and integrative perspective.
Latvia
Authors: Plakans Andrejs
Published: August 2009

Nearly two decades after renewed independence, the population of Latvia is quite unhappy with the status quo. The number of inhabitants in the country continues to decline due to outmigration and a low fertility level; the international image of the country is believed by Latvians to be ambiguous at best, negative at worst; there is widespread disillusionment with the new political elite, which is thought to be incompetent as well as corrupt; the market economy has not produced straight-line economic progress but rather a growing subpopulation living at the minimal standard of living; continuing divisions of opinion over a wide range of subjects (such as the meaning of World War II and the question of the country’s official language) continue to suggest at least incomplete social integration; and the openness brought by the instruments of the information revolution appears to many to contribute to dissension and not cohesion. This was not the normality Latvians had aspired to during the heady years of unified opposition to Soviet power in the 1988—91 period, but the characteristics of this normality are shared in different combinations by many members of the European Union.
Staff Perceptions of Variables Affecting Performance in Human Service Organizations
Authors: Packard Thomas
Published: August 2009

This article summarizes results of a study of programs providing workforce and educational development services for high-risk youth. A model of management functioning and program performance is used as a structure for program staff to rate the relative importance of selected inputs (clients, staff, resources, etc.) and throughputs (management and service delivery processes, framed here as management and program capacity) as they affect results. Factors seen to be most important in affecting performance included adequate funding for the program, leaders having a positive attitude, staff being motivated and committed, a facilitative organizational structure, and a budgeting process which ensures effective resource allocation. Because performance measurement is seen as multidimensional and socially constructed, findings also include respondents’ opinions on the most relevant measures of performance. These results can provide insights and guidance to researchers and agency managers regarding studying and improving organizational performance.
Effects of Learner-Centered Activities in Preparation of Music Educators: Finding the Teacher Within
Authors: Killian Janice N. , Dye Keith G.
Published: August 2009

The authors followed the progress of 43 undergraduate music education majors through three semesters of peer teaching, field-based teaching of school-age students, and student teaching. Each semester, students followed a reflective practice model that included plan/teach/archive/reflect procedures following every teaching experience. The reflective practice model, as explained in this study, is a learner-centered model that emphasizes self-evaluation and professional responsibility rather than traditional instructor grading and feedback.The report includes student responses to three semesters of surveys requiring Likert-type scale responses, recall of self-reported skill levels during previous semesters, and responses to open-ended questions.
“Teach the Controversy”
Authors: Grimm Joshua
Published: August 2009

This study examined sources and frames in the debate over whether to teach evolution or intelligent design in public schools. A content analysis of 12 newspapers from Kansas, Ohio, and Pennsylvania was conducted to see how geography and sourcing affected the framing of the controversial science issue. Established patterns of reporting science were repeated in the news coverage, but location and sources played an important role in how the issue was framed. The frames varied by region, suggesting a new direction for future research of framing.
Employees’ Willingness to Report Service Complaints
Authors: Luria Gil , Gal Iddo , Yagil Dana
Published: August 2009

This article presents the concept of service workers’ willingness to report service complaints (WRC) and examines frontline workers’ discretion about reporting customer complaints in two qualitative studies and a quantitative study. The qualitative studies conceptualize WRC based on a critical incident technique and interviews with service providers and reveal that service providers practice much discretion in their decision to report both informal and formal complaints, weighing cost/ benefit considerations, customer motivation and complaint justification, and numerous organizational and other factors. The quantitative study examines a preliminary WRC scale and its relationship with several correlates and shows that WRC levels are associated with measures of organizational citizenship behavior, service climate, and empowerment. The discussion examines the contribution of the findings regarding WRC to research on service recovery and improving customer satisfaction and presents managerial implications.
Mixing Methods
Authors: Luetgert Brooke , Dannwolf Tanja
Published: August 2009

European compliance research has benefited greatly from both quantitative and qualitative studies. Scholars have raised our awareness of potential country, policy sector and Directive-specific compliance patterns, while drawing on very different samples of transposition and infringement data as well as institutional and preference-driven explanations for the observed trends. In our nested analysis of transposition timeliness across nine member states and 1192 directives, we critically assess the fit of our event history model as well as explicit patterns among countryvs. sector-specific trends. We then discuss the relative position of existing case studies within the larger sample based on their deviance and consider the extent to which member state transposition patterns can be generalized or remain individual, Directive-specific phenomena.
Separating the Willing from the Able
Authors: Bodenstein Thilo , Furness Mark
Published: August 2009

The European Union’s ambitious Mediterranean policy has the declared goal of bringing about economic and political transformation by explicitly linking reform with rewards. Drawing on mechanism design theory, we argue that the EU’s Mediterranean policy has the potential to reveal information about the respective partner countries’ reform ‘types’. However, the current incentive structure of the EU’s Mediterranean policy does not fit with the requirements of incentive compatibility, which would allow for screening, because it does not encourage partner countries to reveal the costs of reform. Data on the political and economic reform performance of Mediterranean partner countries reveal the pooling pattern that we would expect from a screening model. By offering two differentiated reward agreements that are not specifically targeted towards each country’s progress on reform, the European Commission could learn which countries are sincere about reforming.
Perspectives on European Immigration Policies
Authors: Franchino Fabio
Published: August 2009

Three books studying European immigration from the perspectives of economics, political science and sociology reach different conclusions on some key aspects of this policy. I suggest three avenues for future research. First, there is a need to develop institutionally richer political economy models of migration to examine the conditional nature of state control over immigration. Second, case selection bias in assessing the legacy of immigration for nationality laws should be redressed starting with a more encompassing theory of policy reform. Third, the impact of national welfare policies on the mode of integration of immigrants in the receiving countries could be a promising area of investigation. I illustrate this using employment protection legislation and family policies.