bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reference Sets, Identities, and Aspirations in a Complex Organizational Field: The Case of American Four-Year Colleges and Universities
Authors: Brint Steven , Riddle Mark , Hanneman Robert A.
Published: December 2009

This article introduces cluster analysis and reference set analysis as tools for understanding structure, identity, and aspiration in complex organizational fields. Cluster analysis is used to identify the structure of the organizational field in American four-year colleges and universities. The article shows that presidential choices of reference institutions closely parallel the major locations in this structure. By contrast, several widely used classifications of higher education institutions fail to correspond either to the “objective” or to the “perceived” structure of the field. The article also identifies the major locations of presidential discontent within the field, measured as differences between presidents' current and aspiration reference sets. This analysis shows that only presidents in research universities and highly selective liberal arts colleges are content with their current locations. Finally, the article shows that aspirations for change are conditioned by location in the field and that presidents of the stronger institutions within each major category are more likely to indicate mobility aspirations.
Schooling Behaviors or Prior Skills? A Cautionary Tale of Omitted Variable Bias Within Oppositional Culture Theory
Authors: Harris Angel L. , Robinson Keith
Published: December 2009

Prior research on oppositional culture theory has generally focused on beliefs about the opportunity structure, or the “acting white” hypothesis, as an explanation for racial differences in school achievement. However, little attention has been given to the mechanism by which these beliefs affect achievement: schooling behaviors. The authors posit that students' prior level of skills may be an important omitted factor that biases the effect of schooling behaviors on achievement. Using data from the National Educational Longitudinal Survey, they found that whereas behaviors account for a larger proportion of Asian Americans' achievement advantage than do prior skills, prior skills explain half to nearly three-quarters of blacks' low achievement relative to that of whites and that dramatic declines in behavioral effects on achievement are observed after prior skills are controlled. Finally, the findings show that schooling behaviors are partially shaped by prior skills. They suggest that students with low skill levels prior to high school are likely to have poor achievement at the end of their high school careers, regardless of their schooling behaviors during high school.
State High School Exit Examinations and Postsecondary Labor Market Outcomes
Authors: Warren Robert Warren , Grodsky Eric , Lee Jennifer C.
Published: December 2009

Since the late 1970s, an increasing number of states have required students to pass statewide high school exit examinations (HSEEs) in order to graduate. States have usually adopted HSEEs in response to the perception that a substantial number of graduates lack skills that are required for success in the modern economy. What do these educational reforms mean for students' postsecondary economic and labor market prospects? The central hypothesis of the study presented here was that state HSEE policies have the effect of widening gaps in labor force status and earnings between young people who have high school diplomas and those who do not. To test this hypothesis, the authors modeled the association between state HSEE policies and these labor market outcomes using data from the 1980–2000 U.S. censuses and the 1984–2002 Outgoing Rotation Groups of the Current Population Survey. The results revealed no evidence that state HSEEs positively affect labor force status or earnings or that the connections between state HSEE policies and these outcomes vary by students' race/ethnicity or the level of difficulty of state HSEEs.
How Changes in Families and Schools Are Related to Trends in Black-White Test Scores
Authors: Berends Mark , Lucas Samuel R. , Peñaloza Roberto V.
Published: December 2009

Through several decades of research, a great deal has been written about trends in black-white test scores and the factors that may explain the gaps in different subject areas. Only a few studies have examined the changing relationships between gaps in students' test scores and family and school measures in nationally representative data over several periods. This article builds on this previous work and addresses some of its limitations by analyzing nationally representative data in 1972, 1982, 1992, and 2004 that provide consistent measures of high school seniors' mathematics achievement and several school and family measures. Together, these databases for four cohorts of high school seniors provide the opportunity to analyze associations between the gaps in black-white test scores and changes in family background and school characteristics (in terms of both changes in means and coefficients). The analyses reveal positive changes for black students relative to white students between 1972 and 2004, such as improvement in some socioeconomic family background characteristics. Yet, some school conditions (racial/ethnic and socioeconomic composition) did not improve for black students, and despite some beneficial changes, inequalities persist.
Warming Up, Cooling Out, or Holding Steady? Persistence and Change in Educational Expectations After High School
Authors: Alexander Karl , Bozick Robert , Entwisle Doris
Published: December 2009

This article examines the expectation to complete a bachelor's degree among a predominantly low-income, mainly African American, panel of Baltimore youths at the end of high school, at age 22, and at age 28. Across this time, stability is the modal pattern, but when expectations change, declines are more frequent than increases. Although disadvantaged youths and those with limited academic resources from high school are the most prone to give up the expectation to complete college, both factors recede in importance during the transition to adulthood when postsecondary enrollment becomes more salient. Clark's “cooling-out” thesis and Rosenbaum,s “college-for-all” thesis predict a downward leveling of ambition, especially among youths with high expectations and limited resources and those who attend two-year colleges. The results indicate, however, that the expectations of low-resource youths are not distinctively cooled out by the college experience, and, net of other considerations, two-year college attendance is associated more with warming up than with cooling out. Hence, the dynamics proposed by Clark and Rosenbaum do not adequately account for changes in college expectations over the years after high school. A broader framework, situated in life-course ideas, is recommended.
The Black-White-Other Achievement Gap: Testing Theories of Academic Performance Among Multiracial and Monoracial Adolescents
Authors: Herman Melissa R.
Published: December 2009

The study presented here tested three theories of racial differences in academic performance among monoracial and multiracial high school students. These theories (status attainment, oppositional culture, and educational attitudes) were developed to explain differences in achievement among monoracial groups, but the study tested how the theories apply to a multiracial sample. The results show that ethnic identity and experiences of ethnic discrimination are not strong factors in explaining academic performance among multiracial or monoracial students. Instead, the grades of multiracial students are related to their concrete beliefs about the consequences of school failure, the educational values of their peers, and the racial composition of their neighborhoods and schools. Additional descriptive statistics found that multiracial students who self-identify as black or Hispanic achieve lower grades than do those who self-identify as white or Asian. The author suggests a transracial theory of academic performance that considers the effects of contexts.
Beyond the Classroom: An Exploratory Study of Out-Of-Class Learning in Sociology
Authors: McKinney Kathleen , Vacca Karey , Medvedeva Maria A. , Malak Janice
Published: December 2009

In this article, we report on a study about the experiences of graduating sociology majors with out-of-class learning opportunities (OOCLO). Research questions included the following: (1) What is the nature of participation in out-of-class learning for our sociology majors? (2) What barriers do students see to engaging in such experiences? (3) What supports for involvement do students recognize? (4) What are students' overall attitudes about OOCLO? (5) What variables are associated with participation in OOCLO? All students from one medium-sized, public, Midwestern university who were enrolled in the required sociology senior experience course in one academic year were given the self-administered questionnaire. Results indicate most students participate most frequently in OOCLO that involve low student initiative, effort, and commitment. Lack of time is reported as a critical barrier to participation. Factors viewed as key supports for participation include convenient/spare time, useful and interesting activities, no cost, and teacher encouragement. Involvement in OOCLO was significantly related to engagement in the discipline and to skipping fewer classes. Structural factors were more important for participation than were individual characteristics.
A Crack in the Door: Critical Race Theory in Practice at a Predominantly White Institution
Authors: Chaisson Reba L.
Published: December 2009

Midwest Central University1 has a population of 3,500 students, predominantly working class and 95 percent White. The racial composition of the university suggests, and rightly so, that the students have minimal contact with Asians, Blacks, Hispanics/Latinos, Indians, Middle-Easterners, and people of mixed race, even though there is a predominantly black community about two miles from the campus. Given the lack of opportunities for cross-racial interaction among the student body, unless there is some intervention built into the curricula, students can complete their studies at the college with their limited ideological views on race and members of the aforementioned racial groups intact. If we have any hope of attaining a fair and just society, this cycle must be interrupted in the classroom. In this paper, I describe methods that I have used in my teaching and discuss my classroom experiences in an effort to provide some ideas for catalyzing white students to critically examine their own stance on race as well as their particular position of privilege in the racial hierarchy.
Searching for Structure: Creating Coherence in the Sociology Curriculum
Authors: Berheide Catherine White
Published: December 2009

For over 30 years, sociologists have expressed concern that the undergraduate curriculum in sociology lacks coherence. The sociology major continues to be loosely structured with few opportunities for sequential learning. To achieve greater coherence in the major, I recommend that departments sequence more courses or infuse both empirical and theoretical skills as well as key sociological concepts throughout their course offerings. Both approaches lead to a more sophisticated understanding of a complex discipline.
Course Preparation Assignments: A Strategy for Creating Discussion-Based Courses
Authors: Yamane David
Published: December 2009

Although many of us would like to get beyond lecturing, we often lack concrete strategies for doing so, particularly in our larger classes. This paper suggests one such strategy for creating a discussion-based course. The success of such a course is predicated on students reading and thinking about the course material (receiving “first exposure”) prior to attending class so that class time can be devoted to more substantively engaging activities grounded in guided discussion. The vehicle I propose for achieving this first exposure to the course material is the “Course Preparation Assignment” (CPA). This article explains the rationale for discussion-based courses, describes the development and use of CPAs, and assesses a discussion-based course by comparing it to a traditional lecture course on several outcomes. The assessment reveals that the use of these assignments to create a discussion-based course has been a great success, allowing me to foster student engagement with the course material by spending the majority of class time coordinating, facilitating, and leading discussions, rather than constantly lecturing at the students.
Learning to Understand Inequality and Diversity: Getting Students Past Ideologies
Authors: Pat António Goldsmith
Published: December 2009

In this paper I present a pedagogical method called Writing Answers to Learn (WAL) which combines Problem-Based Learning (PBL) and Exploratory Writing to address the interrelated pedagogical problems of misconceptions, resistance, retention, and transfer. I analyze the use of this combined method in a course on racial and ethnic relations and provide examples to suggest that students commonly use four ideologies to understand racial and ethnic inequality: blaming the victim, justification, naturalization, and colorblind racism. I describe how I helped students identify and unlearn these ideological misconceptions and replace them with a sociological conceptual framework. I analyze the results of a pre-test, post-test, and follow-up test showing that students' use of ideology declined on each subsequent exam while their use of sociology increased during the semester and was partially retained months later. Finally I discuss the study's limitations and the utility of students learning the falseness of ideology.
The Sociology Major at Institutions of Higher Education in the United States
Authors: Kain Edward L.
Published: December 2009

In this article I examine how the sociology major is structured at institutions of higher education in the United States. I use content analysis of college catalogs from 100 institutions to examine the sociology major at top institutions among regional and national universities and liberal arts colleges. I first examine the basic structure of sociology programs and then evaluate implementation of the recommendations from Liberal Learning and the Sociology Major (Eberts et al. 1990). In 1990 the Council of the American Sociological Association voted to “encourage departments to consider and implement the recommendations” for the undergraduate curriculum found in Liberal Learning. These recommendations suggest a cumulative curriculum, including a four-level sequence and a capstone course. I assess the extent to which these recommendations had been adopted a decade after the report (by the year 2000), and conclude with suggestions for expanding the implementation of recommendations for study in depth in sociology.
Inquiry-Guided Learning in Sociology
Authors: Atkinson Maxine P. , Hunt Andrea N.
Published: December 2009

This paper is based on a workshop of the same name presented at the 2007 American Sociological Association meetings. The purpose of the workshop and this article is to focus attention on teaching methods that require students to actively investigate sociological phenomena. During the workshop, participants practiced constructing inquiry-guided learning activities suitable for a range of different courses taught throughout the curriculum. These activities are described here. Inquiry-guided learning (IGL) includes a variety of teaching methods that assist students in their investigation of questions and problems. Fundamental to IGL in sociology is the notion that students should think and act like sociologists. IGL activities provide a means whereby the instructor models and the student practices the same disciplinary activities. Students “do” sociology rather than just learning about the results of others.
Information Literacy
Authors: Caravello Patti S. , Kain Edward L. , Kuchi Triveni , Macicak Susan , Weiss Gregory L.
Published: December 2009

This paper discusses a joint project of the American Library Association and the American Sociological Association. The goal of this collaboration is to guarantee that students of sociology, particularly sociology majors, develop strong information literacy skills during their undergraduate experience. The article talks about national standards for information literacy and how they relate to the sociology major. It presents examples for applying the sociology information literacy standards to course assignments and the sociology curriculum. We also provide suggestions for building linkages between sociology faculty members and social science librarians, as well as ways in which information literacy outcomes might be assessed in the sociology curriculum.
Teaching Work and Family to Undergraduate Students
Authors: Sweet Stephen , Mumm Joshua , Pitt-Catsouphes Marcie , Casey Judith
Published: December 2009

In 2006 and 2007, two workshops on teaching work-family courses were held at the annual meetings of the American Sociological Association. This article examines the current challenges and strategies of teaching work-family, as identified by workshop participants, and the resources that are available through the Sloan Work and Family Research Network. Three concerns are considered: pedagogy, curriculum and programming. Analysis of syllabi, course catalogues, and teaching activities reveal that work-family scholars are making innovative contributions to teaching, but work-family has yet to have a firm position in the undergraduate curriculum. We argue that increasing undergraduate's exposure to work-family concerns is one of the most significant challenges—and potential contributions—for work-family scholars to address.
Teaching the Sociology of Gender and Work
Authors: Giuffre Patti , Anderson Cynthia , Bird Sharon
Published: December 2009

This paper describes two teaching strategies from our workshop, “Teaching the Sociology of Gender and Work,” that can help students understand the mechanisms and consequences of workplace gender inequality at the macro- and micro-levels. Cynthia Anderson's class project uses wage and sex composition data that allows students to learn actively how data are used to study general trends and changes over time. It encourages students to explore the reality of their possible careers and fields in terms of wages, proportion of women and men, and other factors. Sharon Bird's class exercise requires students to consider the interactional dynamics of everyday work life and encourages them to see the subtle processes of marginalization and exclusion while also thinking about how to overcome gender biases. Some of this information will contribute to student angst about inequality in the workplace; thus, we conclude with suggestions for decreasing potential student distress and increasing student empowerment.
Deep Reading, Cost/Benefit, and the Construction of Meaning
Authors: Roberts Judith C. , Roberts Keith A.
Published: December 2009

Reading comprehension skill is often assumed by sociology instructors, yet many college students seem to have marginal reading comprehension skills, which may explain why fewer than half of them are actually doing the reading. Sanctions that force students to either read or to pay a price are based on a rational choice model of behavior—a perspective that many students seem to bring with them. However, deep reading—reading for long-term retention of the material and for comprehension at a level that can be perspective-transforming—involves constructing meaning as one reads. Students need help developing reading strategies that enhance this process. Moreover, cost/benefit coercion of reading does not necessarily enhance construction of meaning or deep-learning; indeed, it may reward minimalist or surface reading. This essay is an excursion into theory on deep learning and the implications of that theory for engaging students in reading. An assignment based on multiple intelligences and fostering reading comprehension is suggested and some initial data are provided regarding possible success of this strategy.
The Pedagogy of (In)Visibility
Authors: Miller Andrea , Lucal Betsy
Published: December 2009

As teachers who use both our theoretical (academic) and practical (empirical) knowledge to entice our students to peer outside of the seemingly clear-cut boxes of the two-and-only-two dichotomies of sex, gender, and sexuality, we attempt to problematize not only sexuality categories but also gender categories (specifically, the category “woman”). While “coming out” complicates heterosexuality, it does little to question how non-normative sexual identities continue to be rendered and re-negotiated once sexual identity claims are made or are perceived to have been made. Moreover, as teachers concerned with gendered identities, we find it imperative in both our classroom and other academic settings to make the connection between gendered identities and sexual(ized) identities. For example, if a feminine woman who is married to a man comes out as bisexual, she may disrupt students' assumptions about the lives of bisexual people. The pedagogical effects of such a performance of bisexuality are clear: students can rethink their assumptions about bisexuality. However, if a masculine woman comes out as a lesbian, she may reinforce students' assumptions about the lives of lesbians. The pedagogical effects, therefore, are less clear. These experiences have forced us to rethink how we might continue to eradicate gender and sexuality inequality in the classroom. This has meant that we must deal with the social fact that our bodies embody (in)visibility politics whether we decide to “come-out” to our students and colleagues or if we are intent on “keeping them guessing.”
Social Support to Empower Parents (STEP)
Authors: Sullivan-Bolyai Susan , Bova Carol , Leung Katherine , Trudeau Allison , Lee Mary , Gruppuso Philip
Published: December 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to test the efficacy of a social support intervention with parents of children <13 years old newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM).

Methods

For this randomized, controlled clinical trial, 10 parent mentors of children diagnosed with T1DM ≥1 year and 60 parent participants were recruited from 2 pediatric diabetes centers. Mentors were trained to provide social support (home visits and phone calls) for 12 months to families in the experimental arm (32 mothers). Control group parents (28 mothers) received the phone number of an experienced parent (not trained to give social support) to call as needed.

Findings

Mothers in the experimental and control arms differed at baseline only in birth order of the child with T1DM. The 2 groups did not differ significantly at 3, 6, or 12 months in parent concern, confidence, worry, impact on the family, or perceived social support. Mothers in the experimental arm identified the parent mentor as someone they would seek for advice and issues regarding growth and development, sleep, eating habits, and identification of community agencies. Parent mentors consistently referred mothers to health care providers for advice on medications and treatments but helped them incorporate this advice into day-to-day management.

Conclusion

Mothers in the experimental arm valued the mentors’ help in adjusting to the diagnosis, but this value was not measured by the study instruments. Focus group research is under way to clarify the concept of parent mentor social support and to develop a social support measurement tool.
Romantic intent, relationship uncertainty, and relationship maintenance in young adults’ cross-sex friendships
Authors: Weger Harry , Emmett Melissa C.
Published: December 2009

Romantic desire and relational uncertainty operate slightly differently in predicting the reported use of Common Maintenance Behaviors (CMBs) and Relationship-Specific Maintenance Behaviors (RSMBs). Cross-sex friendship dyads (n = 197) indicated their desire for a romantic relationship with each other, relationship uncertainty, and self-reported friendship maintenance behaviors. Romantic desire correlated positively with the maintenance behaviors Routine Relationship Activity, Support and Positivity, and Flirtation for both males and females. For both sexes, romantic desire correlated negatively with the friendship maintenance behavior Talk About Outside Romance. Romantic desire correlated positively with three out of five relational uncertainty variables; however, these varied somewhat by sex. All CMBs were negatively associated with at least one dimension of relational uncertainty and, with one exception, relational uncertainty tends to increase the use of RSMBs.
How do nurses assess and manage breakthrough pain in specialist palliative care inpatient units? A multicentre study
Authors: Soden Katie , Ali Simone , Alloway Lara , Barclay David , Perkins Paul , Barker Stephanie
Published: December 2009

The aim of this qualitative study was to gain a better understanding of how nurses working on inpatient specialist palliative care units assess and manage breakthrough pain. Thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with fifteen nurses from five different specialist palliative care units in the UK was undertaken. Themes identified have been broadly categorized into four main areas: defining breakthrough pain, assessing breakthrough pain, managing breakthrough pain, and attitudes/teamwork. Nurses had difficulty defining breakthrough pain as a distinct pain subtype and were often unable to differentiate it from poorly controlled background pain. This study highlights significant training needs and suggests that the theoretical work and recently published consensus recommendations around breakthrough pain now need to be translated into day-to-day clinical practice.
Apathy and Depression in Parkinson Disease
Authors: Oguru Miyako , Tachibana Hisao , Toda Kazuo , Okuda Bungo , Oka Nobuyuki
Published: December 2009

The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence and clinical correlates of apathy and depression in Parkinson disease (PD), and to clarify whether apathy can be dissociated from depression. One hundred fifty patients with PD completed the Beck Depression Inventory Second Edition (BDI-II), Starkstein’s Apathy Scale (AS), and a quality of life (QOL) battery. Hoehn and Yahr (HY) staging, the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS), and the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) were performed on the same day. Apathy (AS score ≥ 16) was diagnosed in 60% of patients and depression (BDI-II score ≥ 14) in 56%. Apathy coexisted with depression in 43% of patients, compared with depression without apathy in 13% and apathy without depression in 17%. Apathy scale score was significantly correlated with UPDRS scores, HY stage, and age, whereas BDI-II score was correlated only with UPDRS scores. Both AS and BDI-II scores were negatively correlated with QOL. However, multiple regression analysis revealed that depression was strongly and negatively associated with emotional well-being and communication, whereas apathy was mainly associated with cognition and stigma. These findings suggest that apathy and depression may be separable in PD, although both are common in patients with PD and are associated with QOL.
The Class Nature of Globalization in the Age of Imperialism
Authors: Berberoglu Berch
Published: December 2009

This article examines the relationship between globalization and imperialism, the dynamics, contradictions, and crisis of global capitalism, and its political-military arm the imperial state, the developing and maturing class struggle, and the prospects for social change and transformation of global capitalism. It examines these within the context of the globalization of capital in the 20th century and draws out the political implications of this process for the future course of capitalist development on a world scale. The article drives home the point that contemporary neoliberal globalization is in fact an advanced stage of capitalist imperialism, and that the contradictions of 21st century globalization are thus a projection of the contradictions of capitalism on a global scale, with all its inherent exploitative characteristics and conflicts that will lead to the revolutionary transformation of capitalist society.
‘Full of sound and fury, signifying nothing’
Authors: Lloyd Caroline , Payne Jonathan
Published: December 2009

A current theme within debates over interactive service work is that many routine service jobs are ‘skilled’ because they require workers to perform ‘emotion work’ and ‘articulation work’. Drawing upon workers’ views of their skills in two mass market call centres in the UK, the article questions the use and validity of these new skill concepts. It is argued that these concepts overplay the amount of task variation, discretion and control available to workers. Even more problematic is the tendency to equate skill with the ability to cope with badly designed jobs and stressful working conditions.The findings suggest that there is a need for a thorough debate about what is meant by a ‘skilled job’ in an expanding service-based economy.
Meanings and dilemmas in community unionism
Authors: Lucio Miguel Martínez , Perrett Robert
Published: December 2009

The article shows that community initiatives take different forms and are the outcome of a broader interplay of factors between workers’ interests, representation, and the strategies of unions and broader coalitions that are mobilized in specific communities. Drawing from three case studies on black and minority ethnic (BME) workers and trade unions in the UK the article looks at how the rhetoric of community unionism has been adopted in an uneven manner by trade unions: the article suggests that: (a) community initiatives are variable, (b) they lack a structure and clear vision, (c) the question of BME engagement is rarely central in many projects, and (d) the ambivalent role of the state is a significant factor in many of these initiatives. This state role is downplayed in much of the literature, thus raising dilemmas in terms of community initiatives.
Given time: biology, nature and photographic vision
Authors: Garlick Steve
Published: December 2009

The invention of photography in the early 19th century changed the way that we see the world, and has played an important role in the development of western science. Notably, photographic vision is implicated in the definition of a new temporal relation to the natural world at the same time as modern biological science emerges as a disciplinary formation. It is this coincidence in birth that is central to this study. I suggest that by examining the relationship of early photography to nature, we can gain some insight into the technological and epistemological underpinnings of biological vision. To this end, this article is primarily concerned with the role of photographic technology in the genealogy of biological vision. I argue that photography has always been ambiguously located between art and science, between nature and culture, and between life and death. Hence, while it may be a technological expression of the scientific desire to know and to control nature, photographic vision has continually disrupted and frustrated the ambitions of biological technoscience. The technovision of early biological science illustrates that the elusive temporality of nature has always been central to the production of knowledge of life.
Fatal hepatic and renal toxicity as a complication of trabectedin therapy for radiation-induced sarcoma
Authors: Pick Amy M , Nystrom Kelly K
Published: December 2009

Trabectedin therapy was prescribed for a patient with radiation-induced sarcoma. Two doses of trabectedin were given before therapy was discontinued with the patient experiencing renal and liver failure. Despite discontinuing trabectedin the patient continued to experience increases in liver transaminases, bilirubin, blood urea nitrogen, and serum creatinine. Hemodialysis was initiated with no improvement. With all other causes being ruled out, trabectedin likely caused hepatic and renal failure leading to death in this patient. Recent literature suggests that patients may benefit from prophylactic dexamethasone as a means of reducing hepatic toxicity.
The values of Singapore’s youth and their parents
Authors: Chang Johannes Han-Yin
Published: December 2009

Inglehart is well known for his master role in the World Values Surveys, as well for his interpretation of the data. His conceptualization of the shifts of top value priorities in the world is widely accepted. This article uses Singapore as an empirical case to test the adequacy of his conception. The result partially appears not in his favor. Clarifying this problem can help improve on designs and interpretations of future World Values Surveys; it should also be helpful for developing more sophistication in cultural research in general.
Acute scaphoid fracture: a review
Authors: Tan S. , Craigen MAC , Porter K.
Published: December 2009

The scaphoid is by far the most commonly fractured carpal bone. Occult fractures, imperceptible on initial radiographs and a reputation for non-union make diagnosis and management challenging. The past few years have seen significant advances in the assessment and surgical treatment of scaphoid fractures. This article reviews the published literature relating to acute scaphoid fractures and examines the advances that have been made in management.
Estimating life expectancy of demented and institutionalized subjects from interval-censored observations of a multi-state model
Authors: Joly Pierre , Durand Cécile , Helmer Catherine , Commenges Daniel
Published: December 2009

We consider the problem of estimating life expectancy of demented and institutionalized subjects from interval-censored observations. A mixed discrete-continuous scheme of observation is a classical pattern in epidemiology because very often clinical status is assessed at discrete visit times while times of death or other events can be exactly observed. In this work, we jointly modelled dementia, institutionalization and death from data of a cohort study. Due to discrete time observations, it may happen that a subject developed dementia or was institutionalized between the last visit and the death. Consequently, there is an uncertainty about the precise number of diseased or institutionalized subjects. Moreover, the time of onset of dementia is interval censored. We use a penalized likelihood approach for estimating the transition intensities of the multi-state model. With these estimators, incidence and life expectancy can be computed easily. This approach deals with incomplete data due to the presence of left truncation and interval censoring. It can be generalized to take explanatory variables into account. We illustrate this approach by applying this model to the analysis of a large cohort study on cerebral ageing.
Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) in Birmingham, UK, 2000—2009: an evaluation of risk factors for recurrence and mortality
Authors: Wright Jennifer , Ruck Katie , Rabbitts Roberta , Charlton Mary , De Parijat , Barrett Tim , Baskar Varadarajan , Kotonya Christine , Saraf Sanjay , Narendran Parth
Published: December 2009

Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is an acute metabolic complication of type 1 diabetes mellitus. This study aimed to define the DKA mortality rate in a Birmingham population and to identify risk factors for mortality and repeat admissions. An evaluation of 137 patients’ notes retrieved from five hospitals in and around Birmingham, UK, identified 278 admissions over a 9-year period (2000—2009). The International Classification of Disease 10 coding system for DKA, E101, was employed to identify notes. Overall five (1.8%) patients died. Mortality was significantly associated with age, presence of co-morbidity and diabetic complications. Poor control and compliance, female sex, clinic non-attendance, presence of co-morbidity and psychological problems all increased the risk of recurrent DKA admissions. Our study supports a role for improving education and glycaemic control to reduce DKA and its associated mortality.
A novel Rag2−/−γc−/−-xenograft model of human CLL
Authors: Bertilaccio Maria Teresa Sabrina , Scielzo Cristina , Simonetti Giorgia , Ponzoni Maurilio , Apollonio Benedetta , Fazi Claudia , Scarfò Lydia , Rocchi Martina , Muzio Marta , Caligaris-Cappio Federico , Ghia Paolo
Published: December 2009

Easily reproducible animal models that allow for study of the biology of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and to test new therapeutic agents have been very difficult to establish. We have developed a novel transplantable xenograft murine model of CLL by engrafting the CLL cell line MEC1 into Rag2−/−γc−/− mice. These mice lack B, T, and natural killer (NK) cells, and, in contrast to nude mice that retain NK cells, appear to be optimal recipient for MEC1 cells, which were successfully transplanted through either subcutaneous or intravenous routes. The result is a novel in vivo model that has systemic involvement, develops very rapidly, allows the measurement of tumor burden, and has 100% engraftment efficiency. This model closely resembles aggressive human CLL and could be very useful for evaluating both the biologic basis of CLL growth and dissemination as well as the efficacy of new therapeutic agents.
Individual-level socioeconomic status is associated with worse asthma morbidity in patients with asthma
Authors: Bacon Simon L , Bouchard Anne , Loucks Eric B , Lavoie Kim L
Published: December 2009

Background

Low socioeconomic status (SES) has been linked to higher morbidity in patients with chronic diseases, but may be particularly relevant to asthma, as asthmatics of lower SES may have higher exposures to indoor (e.g., cockroaches, tobacco smoke) and outdoor (e.g., urban pollution) allergens, thus increasing risk for exacerbations.

Methods

This study assessed associations between adult SES (measured according to educational level) and asthma morbidity, including asthma control; asthma-related emergency health service use; asthma self-efficacy, and asthma-related quality of life, in a Canadian cohort of 781 adult asthmatics. All patients underwent a sociodemographic and medical history interview and pulmonary function testing on the day of their asthma clinic visit, and completed a battery of questionnaires (Asthma Control Questionnaire, Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire, and Asthma Self-Efficacy Scale). General Linear Models assessed associations between SES and each morbidity measure.

Results

Lower SES was associated with worse asthma control (F = 11.63, p < .001), greater emergency health service use (F = 5.09, p = .024), and worse asthma self-efficacy (F = 12.04, p < .01), independent of covariates. Logistic regression analyses revealed that patients with <12 years of education were 55% more likely to report an asthma-related emergency health service visit in the last year (OR = 1.55, 95%CI = 1.05-2.27). Lower SES was not related to worse asthma-related quality of life.

Conclusions

Results suggest that lower SES (measured according to education level), is associated with several indices of worse asthma morbidity, particularly worse asthma control, in adult asthmatics independent of disease severity. Results are consistent with previous studies linking lower SES to worse asthma in children, and add asthma to the list of chronic diseases affected by individual-level SES.
Intracellular diffusion restrictions in isolated cardiomyocytes from rainbow trout
Authors: Sokolova Niina , Vendelin Marko , Birkedal Rikke
Published: December 2009

Background

Restriction of intracellular diffusion of adenine nucleotides has been studied intensively on adult rat cardiomyocytes. However, their cause and role in vivo is still uncertain. Intracellular membrane structures have been suggested to play a role. We therefore chose to study cardiomyocytes from rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), which are thinner and have fewer intracellular membrane structures than adult rat cardiomyocytes. Previous studies suggest that trout permeabilized cardiac fibers also have diffusion restrictions. However, results from fibers may be affected by incomplete separation of the cells. This is avoided when studying permeabilized, isolated cardiomyocytes. The aim of this study was to verify the existence of diffusion restrictions in trout cardiomyocytes by comparing ADP-kinetics of mitochondrial respiration in permeabilized fibers, permeabilized cardiomyocytes and isolated mitochondria from rainbow trout heart. Experiments were performed at 10, 15 and 20°C in the absence and presence of creatine.

Results

Trout cardiomyocytes hypercontracted in the solutions used for mammalian cardiomyocytes. We developed a new solution in which they retained their shape and showed stable steady state respiration rates throughout an experiment. The apparent ADP-affinity of permeabilized cardiomyocytes was different from that of fibers. It was higher, independent of temperature and not increased by creatine. However, it was still about ten times lower than in isolated mitochondria.

Conclusions

The differences between fibers and cardiomyocytes suggest that results from trout heart fibers were affected by incomplete separation of the cells. However, the lower ADP-affinity of cardiomyocytes compared to isolated mitochondria indicate that intracellular diffusion restrictions are still present in trout cardiomyocytes despite their lower density of intracellular membrane structures. The lack of a creatine effect indicates that trout heart lacks mitochondrial creatine kinase tightly coupled to respiration. This argues against diffusion restriction by the outer mitochondrial membrane. These results from rainbow trout cardiomyocytes resemble those from other low-performance hearts such as neonatal rat and rabbit hearts. Thus, it seems that metabolic regulation is related to cardiac performance, and it is likely that rainbow trout can be used as a model animal for further studies of the localization and role of diffusion restrictions in low-performance hearts.
Mouse gastric tumor models with prostaglandin E2 pathway activation show similar gene expression profiles to intestinal-type human gastric cancer
Authors: Itadani Hiraku , Oshima Hiroko , Oshima Masanobu , Kotani Hidehito
Published: December 2009

Background

Gastric cancers are generally classified into better differentiated intestinal-type tumor and poorly differentiated diffuse-type one according to Lauren's histological categorization. Although induction of prostaglandin E2pathway promotes gastric tumors in mice in cooperation with deregulated Wnt or BMP signalings, it has remained unresolved whether the gastric tumor mouse models recapitulate either of human gastric cancer type. This study assessed the similarity in expression profiling between gastric tumors of transgenic mice and various tissues of human cancers to find best-fit human tumors for the transgenic mice models.

Results

Global expression profiling initially found gastric tumors fromCOX-2/mPGES-1(C2mE)-related transgenic mice (K19-C2mE,K19-Wnt1/C2mE, andK19-Nog/C2mE) resembled gastric cancers among the several tissues of human cancers including colon, breast, lung and gastric tumors. Next, classification of the C2mE-related transgenic mice by a gene signature to distinguish human intestinal- and diffuse-type tumors showed C2mE-related transgenic mice were more similar to intestinal-type compared with diffuse one. We finally revealed that induction of Wnt pathway cooperating with the prostaglandin E2pathway in mice (K19-Wnt1/C2mEmice) further reproduce features of human gastric intestinal-type tumors.

Conclusion

We demonstrated that C2mE-related transgenic mice show significant similarity to intestinal-type gastric cancer when analyzed by global expression profiling. These results suggest that the C2mE-related transgenic mice, especiallyK19-Wnt1/C2mEmice, serve as a best-fit model to study molecular mechanism underlying the tumorigenesis of human gastric intestinal-type cancers.
The complete genome sequence of Xanthomonas albilineans provides new insights into the reductive genome evolution of the xylem-limited Xanthomonadaceae
Authors: Pieretti Isabelle , Royer Monique , Barbe Valérie , Carrere Sébastien , Koebnik Ralf , Cociancich Stéphane , Couloux Arnaud , Darrasse Armelle , Gouzy Jérôme , Jacques Marie-Agnès , Lauber Emmanuelle , Manceau Charles , Mangenot Sophie , Poussier Stéphane , Segurens Béatrice , Szurek Boris , Verdier Valérie , Arlat Matthieu , Rott Philippe
Published: December 2009

Background

TheXanthomonadaceaefamily contains two xylem-limited plant pathogenic bacterial species,Xanthomonas albilineansandXylella fastidiosa.X. fastidiosawas the first completely sequenced plant pathogen. It is insect-vectored, has a reduced genome and does not possesshrpgenes which encode a Type III secretion system found in most plant pathogenic bacteria.X. fastidiosawas excluded from theXanthomonasgroup based on phylogenetic analyses with rRNA sequences.

Results

The complete genome ofX. albilineanswas sequenced and annotated.X. albilineans, which is not known to be insect-vectored, also has a reduced genome and does not possesshrpgenes. Phylogenetic analysis usingX. albilineansgenomic sequences showed thatX. fastidiosabelongs to theXanthomonasgroup. Order of divergence of theXanthomonadaceaerevealed thatX. albilineansandX. fastidiosaexperienced a convergent reductive genome evolution during their descent from the progenitor of theXanthomonasgenus. Reductive genome evolutions of the two xylem-limitedXanthomonadaceaewere compared in light of their genome characteristics and those of obligate animal symbionts and pathogens.

Conclusion

The two xylem-limitedXanthomonadaceae, during their descent from a common ancestral parent, experienced a convergent reductive genome evolution. Adaptation to the nutrient-poor xylem elements and to the cloistered environmental niche of xylem vessels probably favoured this convergent evolution. However, genome characteristics ofX. albilineansdiffer from those ofX. fastidiosaand obligate animal symbionts and pathogens, indicating that a distinctive process was responsible for the reductive genome evolution in this pathogen. The possible role in genome reduction of the unique toxin albicidin, produced byX. albilineans, is discussed.
Identification and characterization of intervening sequences within 23S rRNA genes from more than 200 Campylobacterisolates from seven species including atypical campylobacters
Authors: Tazumi Akihiro , Kakinuma Yuki , Misawa Naoaki , Moore John E , Millar Beverley C , Matsuda Motoo
Published: December 2009

Background

Identification and characterization of intervening sequences (IVSs) within 23S rRNA genes from Campylobacter organisms including atypical campylobacters were carried out using two PCR primer pairs, designed to generate helix 25 and 45 regions.

Results

Only C. sputorum biovar sputorum LMG7975 and fecalis LMG8531, LMG8534 and LMG6728 of a total of 204 Campylobacter isolates (n = 56 C. jejuni; n = 11 C. coli; n = 33 C. fetus; n = 43 C. upsaliensis; n = 30 C. hyointestinalis; n = 4 C. sputorum biovar sputorum; n = 5 C. sputorum biovar fecalis; n = 5 C. sputorum biovar paraureolyticus; n = 10 C. concisus; n = 7 C. curvus) were shown to carry IVSs in helix 25 region. C. sputorum biovar fecalis LMG8531 and LMG8534, interestingly, carried two different kinds of the 23S rRNA genes with and without the IVS, respectively. Consequently, in a total of 265 isolates of 269, including 65 C. lari isolates examined previously, the absence of IVSs was identified in the helix 25 region. In the helix 45 region, all the C. hyointestinalis, C. sputorum and C. concisus isolates were shown not to carry any IVSs. However, the 30 of 56 C. jejuni isolates (54%), 5 of 11 C. coli (45%), 25 of 33 C. fetus (76%), 30 of 43 C. upsaliensis (70%) and 6 of 7 C. curvus (90%) were shown to carry IVSs. In C. jejuni and C. upsaliensis isolates, two different kinds of the 23S rRNA genes were also identified to occur with and without IVSs in the helix 45 region, respectively.

Conclusions

Secondary structure models were also constructed with all the IVSs identified in the present study. In the purified RNA fractions from the isolates which carried the 16S or 23S rRNA genes with the IVSs, no 16S or 23S rRNA was evident, respectively.