bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Relaxed Eddy Accumulation System for Measuring Surface Fluxes of Total Gaseous Mercury
Authors: Bash Jesse O. , Miller David R.
Published: March 2008

A relaxed eddy accumulation (REA) system was designed to continuously measure total gaseous mercury (TGM) fluxes over a forest canopy. TGM concentration measurements were measured at 5-min intervals with a Tekran model 2537A mercury analyzer located above the forest canopy on a walk-up meteorological tower. Ten-minute averages for up- and downdraft mercury concentrations were used to calculate the flux. The multiresolution decomposition technique was used to determine day- and nighttime averaging periods for the turbulent statistics used in the REA technique. This paper documents the REA system for mercury flux measurements and its use over a forest canopy.

The REA system response to the averaging times for the turbulent statistics and corrections to up- and downdraft concentrations are major considerations when using the technique with the Tekran mercury analyzer over a forest canopy. TGM flux data collected from 18 August to 12 September 2005 are used here to demonstrate the capabilities of the REA system to measure both short- (1-h time periods) and long-term flux dynamics. During the demonstration period the TGM median flux was 21.9 ± 32.6 ng m−2 h−1 and the median atmospheric TGM concentrations were 1.34 ± 0.13 ng m−2 h−1. Maximum short-term TGM evasive fluxes occurred during the daylight hours with minimums during the nighttime. A consistent bimodal emission pattern was observed during the daytime emissions over the canopy. The first peak occurred immediately following the evaporation of the nighttime dew on the canopy and the second peak occurred in the late afternoon.
Application of Aerosondes to Melt-Pond Observations over Arctic Sea Ice
Authors: Inoue Jun , Curry Judith A. , Maslanik James A.
Published: March 2008

Continuous observation of sea ice using a small robotic aircraft called the Aerosonde was made over the Arctic Ocean from Barrow, Alaska, on 20–21 July 2003. Over a region located 350 km off the coast of Barrow, images obtained from the aircraft were used to characterize the sea ice and to determine the fraction of melt ponds on both multiyear and first-year ice. Analysis of the data indicates that melt-pond fraction increased northward from 20% to 30% as the ice fraction increased. However, the fraction of ponded ice was over 30% in the multiyear ice zone while it was about 25% in the first-year ice zone. A comparison with a satellite microwave product showed that the ice concentration derived from the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer for the Earth Observing System (AMSR-E) has a negative bias of 7% due to melt ponds. These analyses demonstrate the utility of recent advances in unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology for monitoring and interpreting the spatial variations in the sea ice with melt ponds.
The Hydroclimatology of Kuwait: Explaining the Variability of Rainfall at Seasonal and Interannual Time Scales
Authors: Marcella Marc P. , Eltahir Elfatih A. B.
Published: March 2008

This paper presents an analysis of the spatial, seasonal, and interannual variabilities of Kuwaiti rainfall. Based on an analysis of rain gauge, as well as satellite, datasets, it is estimated that about 110–190 mm of rainfall occurs annually in Kuwait, depending on the dataset sampled. The corresponding estimates for the standard deviations of the annual rainfall are about 40–70 mm. Discrepancies between values arise from the different techniques used in constructing each dataset. Moreover, the spatial distribution of annual rainfall features a gradual increase from the southwest to the northeast. A distinct rainy season occurs from November to April, with double peaks in January and March. In addition, the seasonal variability of rainfall is associated with shifts in patterns of midlatitude storm tracks, which propagate southward toward the Middle East during the winter and spring season. These trends are characterized using estimates of the spatial correlations of rainfall in Kuwait with the surrounding region. At the interannual time scale, significant correlation is found between the tropical El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and annual rainfall anomalies. Similar weak correlations are found between midlatitude rainfall in Europe and rainfall in Kuwait. The weak connections observed with both tropical and midlatitude atmospheric systems are consistent with the fact that Kuwait is located in the transitional zone between the tropics and midlatitudes.
Propagation of Wind Energy into the Deep Ocean through a Fully Turbulent Mesoscale Eddy Field
Authors: Danioux Eric , Klein Patrice , Rivière Pascal
Published: March 2008

The authors analyze the 3D propagation of wind-forced near-inertial motions in a fully turbulent mesoscale eddy field with a primitive equation numerical model. Although the wind stress is uniform, the near-inertial motion field quickly becomes spatially heterogeneous, involving horizontal scales much smaller than the eddy scales. Analysis confirms that refraction by the eddy relative vorticity is the main mechanism responsible for the horizontal distortion of the near-inertial motions, which subsequently triggers their vertical propagation. An important result is the appearance of two maxima of near-inertial vertical velocity (both with rms values reaching 40 m day−1): one at a depth of 100 m and another unexpected one much below the main thermocline around 1700 m. The shallow maximum, captured by the highest vertical normal modes, involves near-inertial motions with a spatial heterogeneity close to the eddy vorticity gradient field. These characteristics match analytical results obtained with Young and Ben Jelloul’s approach. The deep maximum, captured by the lowest vertical normal modes, involves superinertial motions with a frequency of twice the inertial frequency and much smaller horizontal scales. Because of these characteristics, not anticipated by previous analytical studies, these superinertial motions may represent an energy source for small-scale mixing through a mechanism not taken into account in the present study: the parametric subharmonic instability (PSI). This reveals a pathway by which wind energy may have a significant impact on small-scale mixing in the deep interior. Further studies that explicitly take into account PSI are needed to estimate this potential impact.
On the Vertical Structure of Wind-Driven Sea Currents
Authors: Kudryavtsev Vladimir , Shrira Victor , Dulov Vladimir , Malinovsky Vladimir
Published: March 2008

The vertical structure of wind-driven sea surface currents and the role of wind-wave breaking in its formation are investigated by means of both field experiments and modeling. Analysis of drifter measurements of surface currents in the uppermost 5-m layer at wind speeds from 3 to 15 m s−1 is the experimental starting point of this study. The velocity gradients beneath the surface are found to be 2 to 5 times weaker than in the “wall” boundary layer. Surface wind drift (identified via drift of an artificial slick) with respect to 0.5-m depths is about 0.7%, which is even less than the velocity defect over the molecular sublayer in the wall boundary layer at a smooth surface. To interpret the data, a semiempirical model describing the effect of wave breaking on wind-driven surface currents and subsurface turbulence is proposed. The model elaborates on the idea of direct injection of momentum and energy from wave breaking (including microscale breaking) into the water body. Momentum and energy transported by breaking waves into the water significantly enhance the turbulent mixing and considerably decrease velocity shears as compared to the wall boundary layer. No “artificial” surface roughness scale is needed in the model. From the experimental fact of the existence of cool temperature skin at the sea surface, it is deduced that there is a molecular sublayer at the water side of the sea surface with a thickness that depends on turbulence intensity just beneath the surface. The model predictions are consistent with the reported and other available experimental data.
From Model-Based Parameterizations to Lookup Tables: An EOF Approach
Authors: Leoncini Giovanni , Pielke Roger A. , Gabriel Philip
Published: March 2008

The goal of this study is to transform the Harrington radiation parameterization into a transfer scheme or lookup table, which provides essentially the same output (heating rate profile and short- and longwave fluxes at the surface) at a fraction of the computational cost. The methodology put forth here does not introduce a new parameterization simply derived from the Harrington scheme but, rather, shows that given a generic parameterization it is possible to build an algorithm, largely not based on the physics, that mimics the outcome of the parent parameterization. The core concept is to compute the empirical orthogonal functions (EOFs) of all of the input variables of the parent scheme, run the scheme on the EOFs, and express the output of a generic input sounding exploiting the input–output pairs associated with the EOFs. The weights are based on the difference between the input and EOFs water vapor mixing ratios. A detailed overview of the algorithm and the development of a few transfer schemes are also presented. Results show very good agreement (r > 0.91) between the different transfer schemes and the Harrington radiation parameterization with a very significant reduction in computational cost (at least 95%).
Serum Total and High-Density Lipoprotein Phospholipid Levels in a Population-Based Study and Relationship to Risk of Metabolic Syndrome and Coronary Disease
Authors: Hergenç Gülay , Onat Altan , Sarı Ibrahim , Yazıcı Mehmet , Eryonucu Beyhan , Can Günay
Published: March 2008

The aim of study was to investigate the role of serum total (TPL) and high-density lipoprotein phospholipids (HDL-pl) as a risk factor in coronary heart disease (CHD) and metabolic syndrome (MS). In a random sample, total and HDL-pl were measured in 1088 and 642 adults from Turkey, respectively, who have a high prevalence of MS; this was done with an enzymatic method that measures total phosphatidylcholine, sphingomyelin, and lysophosphatidylcholine. Serum TPL and HDL-pl levels were significantly higher in women (TPL, 2.8 mmol/L; HDL-pl, 1.21 mmol/L) than in men. Strong correlations existed between serum TPL levels and non-HDL cholesterol (HDL-C), triglycerides, apolipoprotein (apo) B, complement C3, and γ-glutamyltransferase. Non—HDL-C, HDL triglyceride, and apo A-I were strongly correlated with HDL-pl. Linear regression analyses revealed HDL-C, apo B, triglycerides, diabetes, and female gender as independent significant determinants of TPL levels in adults. HDL-C and impaired glucose regulation were sole significant variables, together contributing one-quarter of serum HDL-pl. Individuals with MS or diabetes had significantly higher TPL concentrations. The gender- and age-adjusted odds ratio (OR) of TPL for MS was 1.73 (95% confidence interval, 1.35-2.21), whereas the multiadjusted OR of HDL-pl per 1 SD increment corresponded to a significantly reduced independent MS likelihood by 26% in women (and 18% in the entire group). The multiadjusted OR of HDL-pl for CHD in men and women combined was 0.32 ( P = .057) corresponding to a reduced CHD likelihood by 32% per 1 SD increment of HDL-pl. Plasma TPL levels point to an adverse relationship to MS, whereas their role in CHD risk needs further investigation. HDL-pls, in contrast, mark substantial protection from MS as well as from CHD.
Impaired Flow-Mediated Endothelium-Dependent and Endothelium-Independent Vasodilation of the Brachial Artery in Patients With Atherosclerotic Peripheral Vascular Disease
Authors: Komai Hiroyoshi , Higami Yayoi , Tanaka Hisaharu , Honda Kentaro , Juri Masanobu , Okamura Yoshitaka
Published: March 2008

A flow-mediated endothelium-dependent vasodilation and endothelium-independent nitroglycerin-induced vasodilation were carried out in 70 patients and 15 age-matched adults without any atherosclerotic risk factors to clarify vascular responsiveness in patients with atherosclerotic peripheral vascular disease. The percent change in flow-mediated vasodilation was significantly lower in patients than in controls (5.4 ± 0.7% vs 12.8 ± 2.2%, P < .001). Moreover, the percent change in nitroglycerin-induced vasodilation measured after sublingual administration of nitroglycerin was lower in patients than in controls (5.8 ± 0.6% vs 10.2 ± 1.5%, P < .01). On multiple regression analysis, none of the determinant factors showed a significant correlation with flow-mediated vasodilation. In contrast, Fontaine classification was found to be a significant predictor for nitroglycerin-induced vasodilation ( r = −0.307, P < .05). There is a significant positive correlation between nitroglycerin-induced vasodilation and ankle-brachial pressure index in the patients. The data showed that vasoditation function were markedly impaired in end-stage patients with peripheral vascular disease.
Prescribing Practice of General Practitioners in Northern Ireland for Peripheral Arterial Disease
Authors: Badger Stephen A. , Soong Chee V. , Lee Bernard , Swain Gillian R. , McGuigan Kathleen E.
Published: March 2008

Peripheral arterial disease is prevalent and reflects overall cardiovascular disease state. Best medical treatment is the cornerstone of management to reduce peripheral arterial disease symptoms and to minimize vascular morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to assess the prescription practice of general practitioners in Northern Ireland for patients with peripheral arterial disease. All general practitioners were from the Northern Ireland Professional Medical Directory, and a questionnaire was used to determine the prescribing patterns for peripheral arterial disease. In all, 468 general practitioners responded; 94% prescribed aspirin to nondiabetic patients, and 44.9% prescribed statin, with similar results for diabetic patients. Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, multivitamins, and β-blockers were not often prescribed. Statin was prescribed to patients with diabetic peripheral arterial disease at a lower cholesterol concentration. In all, 52% would consider statin and fibrate together. Budgetary consideration influenced 6%. Northern Ireland general practitioners are reluctant to prescribe medication that is effective in the secondary prevention of vascular morbidity and mortality in high-risk patients.
Achieving Vascular Risk Factor Targets: A Survey of a London General Practice
Authors: Levine Adam P. , Mikhailidis Dimitri P. , Moross Tessa , Benson Karen , Gor Mayur
Published: March 2008

We assessed lipid goal achievement in patients at high risk for vascular events from a general practice (London, United Kingdom). Patients were identified as those with a prescription for hypolipidaemic medication, a significant (>20%) Framingham risk, and from the myocardial infarction register. Two hundred forty-five patients were currently taking a statin (average dose, 23.1 mg/day). Cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein—cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein—cholesterol, and triglycerides changed significantly following statin treatment. Of 285 patients who had taken statins at some time point, 11 (3.9%) were intolerant, 5 of which subsequently tolerated another statin. Approximately 10.1% of patients discontinued statin treatment for unclear reasons. Only 64 patients (29.1% of 220) reached the Joint British Societies' Guidelines on Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease target of a total cholesterol of <4.0 mmol/L; 50 patients (38.8% of 129) reached the low-density lipoprotein—cholesterol target of <2.0 mmol/L. This value of low-density lipoprotein—cholesterol is similar to that recommended by the American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology. With regard to the General Medical Services guidelines target for total cholesterol, 162 (73.6% of 220) patients reached ≤5.0 mmol/L. The group that best achieved target cholesterol (Joint British Societies' Guidelines and General Medical Services) were those with comorbidities. In conclusion, while reaching General Medical Services targets was satisfactory, the percentage of patients reaching Joint British Societies' Guidelines targets was not. This discrepancy may reflect the presence of multiple guidelines. The current stricter lipid targets are difficult to achieve; possible methods that may be used to improve lipids further could involve using combination therapy, statin dose titration, and better education.
Crisis as change strategy in public organizations
Authors: Rochet Claude , Keramidas Olivier , Bout Lugdivine
Published: March 2008

According to the common vision, the public sector is strongly change-resistant. Is this justified? In this research, we adopt the Northian distinction between institutions and organizations by focusing on the latter and their capability for change. We try to identify the strategically most effective lever to operate an organizational change in the public sector. We first review the literature on change strategies and their setting in the context of public organizations. Then, we synthesize the conclusions of four case studies around a question: `Is building public organizations capable of co-evolution with their environment feasible?' We will present some strategies of evolution for public organizations, in response to a state of crisis, constituting a vector of organizational change. We conclude on the interest of considering crisis as a vector of organizational change in public organizations.

Points for practitioners

The public sector is commonly said to be change-resistant. Through case studies we prove this opinion to be false and that change aptitudes are identical to other organizations. We emphasize crises that provide particular opportunities that allow us to offset the absence of performance evaluation and the lack of feedback from the market, and we underline possible change strategies.
Explaining change in the Mexican public sector: the limits of New Public Management
Authors: Cejudo Guillermo M.
Published: March 2008

The Mexican public sector has undergone significant transformations in recent decades. This article argues against the view that these changes are the result of New Public Management-style reforms. Even though the Mexican government has applied some of the tools associated with this paradigm, the essential NPM doctrines — granting more autonomy to public agencies and government officials, and using market mechanisms to promote competition in the public sector — have been absent from the agenda. The Mexican experience exposes two erroneous assumptions in the international debate about NPM: that there is a global trend of similar national reforms and that every change in the public sector is part of this new paradigm. Instead, the changes in the Mexican public sector are the result of incremental adjustments to two broader domestic processes: economic liberalization and political democratization — which have led to a smaller and relatively more accountable administration.

Points for practitioners This article suggests that not all reforms are the result of New Public Management initiatives. It points towards alternative explanations for change in the Mexican public sector and identifies political democratization and economic liberalization as the main sources of change. This view challenges existing accounts of public sector change in developing countries and suggests a more complex process of reform. The main lesson for practitioners is that, when analysing reform experiences, they should look at the underlying causal processes rather than at the official rhetoric. Moreover, the article reminds practitioners that NPM is only one among several sources of doctrines for changing the public administration.
Implementation Activities and Organizational Sensemaking
Authors: Stensaker Inger , Falkenberg Joyce , Grønhaug Kjell
Published: March 2008

Corporate change initiatives trigger a series of activities aimed at implementing change. It is often assumed that successful implementation requires consistent action based on a shared understanding of the changes among employees. This article examines how implementation activities affect individual and organizational sensemaking processes and thereby contribute to a shared understanding and consistent change action. Based on inductive analyses of longitudinal data, the study suggests that many implementation activities focus predominantly on further planning and creating a cognitive understanding among change recipients prior to any action. Although participation in planning activities facilitates sensemaking at the individual level, it neither ensures organizational sensemaking nor necessarily leads to collective action. The limitations of cognitively focused implementation activities are discussed, followed by suggestions on how change agents can supplement these with activities aimed at sensemaking through action.
Existential Insecurity and New Religiosity: An Essay on Some Religion-Making Characteristics of Modernity
Authors: van Harskamp Anton
Published: March 2008

Why is new religiosity thriving in modern societies? A plausible answer is: religiosity delivers instruments in dealing with uncertainties and existential insecurities concerning the self. We may assume that in an individualizing culture the pressures which come with the "cultural facts'' of death, ennui, evil and time are making religiosity one of the ways through which individuals hope to cope with these pressures.
Questioning the Need for a Special Methodology for the Study of Eastern Orthodoxy
Authors: Flere Sergej
Published: March 2008

The particular differences of Eastern Orthodoxy alleged by Tomka (2006) to demand a ``special research methodology'' are tested on a sample of the Serbian Orthodox, comparing them to Slovenian Catholics and American Protestants. The author found no important differences in the direction suggested by Tomka, with respect to the relation between traditionalism and religiosity, to religious experience, to civil religion, to quest religiosity, to religious deeds/ sacrifices (consequential religiosity), either structurally or as to magnitude. The exception is to be found in a somewhat stronger link between traditionalism and religiosity among the Orthodox, but the level of traditionalism among this group is lower than in the American Protestant case. Most of the differences found between the groups are attributable to higher magnitudes of religiosity in the American Protestant sample, but a clear peculiarity emerged indicating a higher presence of guilt religiosity in the Serbian Orthodox sample. The concept of God in this environment is that of a punishing God, along with a predominance of extrinsic psychological religiosity, leading to a psychologically disaffected (negative affect) situation.
The Institutional Vision of Community Colleges
Authors: Abelman Robert , Dalessandro Amy
Published: March 2008

Providing an accessible and adaptable education has become an increasingly daunting task for community colleges. Administrators must formulate adaptive strategies as well as purposefully articulate them. A content analysis of the mission and vision statements from a nationwide sample of community colleges was performed, and key linguistic components found to constitute a well conceived, viable, and easily diffused institutional vision were isolated. The prevalence of these components in comparison to other types of academic institutions is discussed.
Gene Therapy: Some History, Applications, Problems, and Prospects
Authors: Cotrim Ana P. , Baum Bruce J.
Published: March 2008

The concept of transferring genes to tissues for clinical applications has been discussed for nearly half a century, but our ability to manipulate genetic material via recombinant DNA technology has brought this goal to reality. While originally conceived as a way to treat life-threatening disorders (inborn errors, cancers) refractory to conventional treatment, gene therapy now is considered for many non–life-threatening conditions, including those adversely affecting a patient’s quality of life. The lack of suitable treatment has become a rational basis for extending the scope of gene therapy. This manuscript reviews the general methods by which genes are transferred as well as diverse examples of clinical applications (acquired tissue damage, upper gastrointestinal tract infection, autoimmune disease, systemic protein deficiency). Despite some well-publicized problems, gene therapy has made substantive progress, including tangible success, albeit much slower than was initially predicted. Although gene therapy is still at a fairly primitive stage, it is firmly science based. There is justifiable optimism that with increased pathobiological understanding and biotechnological improvements, gene therapy will become a standard part of clinical practice within 20 years.
Medical Device Regulations and Testing for Toxicologic Pathologists
Authors: Schuh JoAnn C. L.
Published: March 2008

Awareness of the regulatory environment is fundamental to understanding the biological assessment of biomaterials and medical devices. Medical devices are a diverse and heterogenous group of medical products and technologies defined by the lack of chemical action or requirement for metabolism. Regional activity and the Global Harmonization Task Force are now working on harmonizing the categorization and testing of medical devices. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has published 19 standards for biological evaluation. ISO 10993 standards are generally accepted outright or as an alternative to most national regulatory directives or acts, although Japan and the United States require more stringency in some tests. Type of materials, intended use, and risk are the basis for drafting testing programs for biomaterials and medical devices. With growth of the medical device industry and advent of new biomaterials and technologies, the need for toxicologic pathologists in safety (biocompatibility) and efficacy (conditions of use) evaluation of moderate- to high-risk devices is expanding. Preclinical evaluation of biomaterials and medical devices increasingly requires a basic understanding of materials science and bioengineering to facilitate interpretation of complex interface reactions between biomaterials, cellular and secretory factors, and vascular and tissue responses that modulate success or failure of medical devices.
Metabolic Profiling as a Tool for Understanding Mechanisms of Toxicity
Authors: Clarke Christopher J. , Haselden John N.
Published: March 2008

Metabolic profiling (metabolomics/metabonomics) is the measurement in biological systems of the complement of low-molecular-weight metabolites and their intermediates that reflects the dynamic response to genetic modification and physiological, pathophysiological, and/or developmental stimuli. The measurement and interpretation of the endogenous metabolite profile from a biological sample (typically urine, serum, or biological tissue extract) have provided many opportunities to investigate the changes induced by external stimuli (e.g., drug treatment) or enhance our knowledge of inherent biological variation within subpopulations. This article will focus on the basic principles of metabolic profiling and how the tools (nuclear magnetic resonance [NMR], liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry [LC-MS]) can be applied in toxicology and pathology. Metabolic profiling can complement conventional methodologies and other “omics” technologies in investigating preclinical drug development issues. Case studies will illustrate the value of metabolic profiling in improving our understanding of phospholipidosis and peroxisome proliferation. A key message will be that metabolic profiling offers huge potential to highlight biomarkers and mechanisms in support of toxicology and pathology investigations in preclinical drug development.
Safety Evaluation of Ocular Drug Delivery Formulations: Techniques and Practical Considerations
Authors: Short Brian G.
Published: March 2008

Development of new drug candidates and novel delivery techniques for treatment of ocular diseases has recently accelerated. Treatment of anterior-segment diseases has witnessed advances in prodrug formulations and permeability enhancers. Intravitreal, subconjunctival, and periocular routes of administration and sustained-release formulations of nanoparticles and microparticles, as well as nonbiodegradable and biodegradable implants to deliver drugs to the posterior segment of the eye, are becoming popular therapeutic approaches. Without adequate regulatory guidance for ocular drugs, such routes of administration and novel formulations can pose unique challenges to those involved in designing nonclinical programs, including considering clinical and nonclinical factors and choosing species, strains, and ocular toxicity parameters. Toxicologic pathologists also contribute practical experience to evaluating morphological effects of these novel formulations. Lastly, understanding species’ anatomical differences is useful for interpreting toxicological and pathological responses to the eye and is important for human risk assessment of these important new therapies for ocular diseases.
Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine: Role of Toxicologic Pathologists for an Emerging Medical Technology
Authors: Jayo Manuel J. , Watson David D. , Wagner Belinda J. , Bertram Timothy A.
Published: March 2008

Tissue Engineering Regenerative Medical (TERM) products are a new technology currently in human clinical testing for a variety of unmet medical needs involving tissue and organ dysfunction and failure. Safety evaluation of TERM products overlaps 3 established product paradigms: pharmaceuticals (biologically active substances), transplantation (cells or tissue), and devices (biomaterials). As TERM products recapitulate organ or tissue structure and function with unique biological activity and characteristics, they require new preclinical paradigms to bring TERM products through to clinical trials. Establishing TERM-product safety programs requires broad-based knowledge of tissue and organ homeostasis, regenerative biology, and translational medicine to design new preclinical paradigms. Therefore, toxicologic pathologists have a compelling scientific role in evaluating TERM products, characterizing tissue responses, and helping distinguish optimal (regeneration) from deficient or incomplete outcomes indicative of substandard functionality (repair). As new-tissue engineering and regenerative medical technologies develop for tissue and organ regeneration, the toxicologic pathologist will be asked to develop novel testing, reevaluate established toxicologic diagnostic criteria, and reinterpret tissue responses that may extend beyond current standards.
Using an Empirical Binomial Hierarchical Bayesian Model as an Alternative to Analyzing Data From Multisite Studies
Authors: Hardin J. Michael , Anderson Billie S. , Woodby Lesa L. , Crawford Myra A. , Russell Toya V.
Published: March 2008

This article explores the statistical methodologies used in demonstration and effectiveness studies when the treatments are applied across multiple settings. The importance of evaluating and how to evaluate these types of studies are discussed. As an alternative to standard methodology, the authors of this article offer an empirical binomial hierarchical Bayesian model as a way to effectively evaluate multisite studies. An application of using the Bayesian model in a real-world multisite study is given.
Adjusting for a Mediator in Models With Two Crossed Treatment Variables
Authors: Muller Dominique , Yzerbyt Vincent Y. , Judd Charles M.
Published: March 2008

In a simple mediation model, the effect of a manipulated variable X on a dependent variable Y over and above the effect of the mediator Me can be estimated by regressing Y on X and Me. The impact of X on Y in such a model is adjusted for the relationship both between X and Me and between Me and Y. The authors examine the adjustment function in the context of a 2 × 2 design with two manipulated variables. In such a situation, the mediator could be affected by either one of the main effects and/or the interaction between two manipulated variables. To adjust for the impact of the mediator, a standard procedure has been to rely on an ANCOVA that includes only the mediator. The authors show, both analytically and with simulations, that this leads to improper control of the mediator and to biased estimates of the model parameters.
Perceived Clientelism: Effects On Residents' Evaluation of Municipal Services and Their Intentions for Participation in Tourism Development Projects
Authors: Yuksel Fisun , Yuksel Atila
Published: March 2008

Provision of public participation in the process of tourism planning and implementation has been imperatively suggested. To date, however, facilitators and inhibitors of public participation have not been adequately addressed in tourism planning literature. This article proposes that in addition to varied structural and cultural factors, residents' perceptions of the intensity of clientelist relations engaged in by the local authority (e.g., municipality) may alienate active public participation in developmental issues. Structural equation modeling is used to test the hypothesized links between perceived intensity of clientelism, residents' assessment of public services, and their participation intentions toward municipality-run projects. Statistically significant inverse relationships between perceived intensity of clientelism and residents' assessment of public services are identified. The results show that an increase in perceived clientelism would result in a decrease in residents'public service assessment and thus reduce their intentions to participate in tourism-related projects. Suggestions for further research are included.
Archaeological possibilities for feminist theories of transition and transformation
Authors: Marshall Yvonne
Published: March 2008

Archaeology takes up material fragments from distant and recent pasts to create narratives of personal and collective identity. It is, therefore, a powerful voice shaping our current and future social worlds. Feminist theory has to date made little reference to archaeology and its projects, in part because archaeologists have primarily chosen to work with normative forms of gender theory rather than forge new theory informed by archaeological insights. This paper argues that archaeology has considerably more potential for feminist theorizing than has so far been recognized. In particular it is uniquely placed to build theory for understanding change, transition and transformation over extended time periods, a potential explored through an archaeological case study of Pacific Northwest Coast people. In conclusion, some possibilities for expanding this case study into a wider comparative perspective are sketched out.
Performance Evaluation of BOTDR-based Distributed Fiber Optic Sensors for Crack Monitoring
Authors: Hao Zhang  , Zhishen Wu
Published: March 2008

In this paper, the measurement behavior of BOTDR (Brillouin Optical Time Domain Reflectometry) in different sensing lengths and different strain levels is investigated theoretically and validated by experiments. Moreover, the relationship between measured strain distribution and actual strain distribution is derived in theory and validated by experiment. Based on these investigations, a standard method for evaluating the measurement performance of distributed or long gauge fiber optic sensors for monitoring cracks is proposed. The performance evaluation of BOTDR-based distributed fiber optic sensors are then performed based on the proposed method, and applicable conditions of different fiber optic installation methods for monitoring cracks or localized deformations are clarified, and the measurement accuracy of BOTDR is evaluated.
The Use of Photovoice as a Method of Facilitating Deliberation
Authors: Downey Laura H. , Ireson Carol L. , Scutchfield F. Douglas
Published: March 2008

Efforts have been made in one rural Appalachian county to broaden local participation in a community health assessment. Through a series of community forums and a photovoice project, residents named community health needs and assets, framed potential solutions, and selected possible action steps to improve the local health status. Photographs and narratives from the photovoice project supplemented information from preliminary health forums to devise a framework of possible solutions to the identified health problems. Analysis of forum transcripts suggests that participants who used an issue guide that used photovoice images and stories were able to transition from broad approaches of change to specific action steps more than participants in other forums who used a more traditional forum issue guide. Community members are more easily able to identify solutions to local health issues when forum discussions are informed by local images and narratives.
The Effect of Joint Interviewing on the Performance of Gender
Authors: Seale Clive , Charteris-Black Jonathan , Dumelow Carol , Locock Louise , Ziebland Sue
Published: March 2008

The authors report a series of controlled comparisons of fifty-eight one-to-one qualitative interviews and thirty-seven mixed-sex joint interviews on the same health-related topics. Their analysis identifies comparative keyword frequencies and is supported by qualitative investigations of keywords in context, drawing on existing relevant knowledge of common gender differences in language choice. Gender differences are reduced and women's perspectives are more prominent in joint interviews, so researchers wanting to find out about men's experiences concerning health-related topics such as those associated with fatherhood may find out more in one-to-one interviews with men. The greater readiness of men to engage in gender-stereotyped behavior in sole interviews, most of which involved a female interviewer, suggests that an interviewer's gender identity is perceived as somewhat neutral by comparison with the considerable salience of the gender of a joint respondent. This finding potentially contributes to knowledge of the qualitative interview as a special form of institutional talk.
The Educational Reform Rating Rubric: Example of a New Tool for Evaluating Complex School Reform Initiatives
Authors: Bessell Ann G. , Burke Marisa Collett , Plaza Miriam Pacheco , Lee Okhee , Schumm Jeanne Shay
Published: March 2008

The Educational Reform Rating Rubric is an evaluation tool created to manage, organize, and integrate qualitative and quantitative data collected on school reform programs. The rubric is based on seven key indicators, including collective participation, principal leadership, teacher and instructional quality, parental involvement, student outcomes, project support, and school environment. The Educational Reform Rating Rubric holds promise for effectively and efficiently integrating the complex data that result from real-world school reform evaluations.
The Depiction of Politicians and Politics in British Soaps
Authors: Coleman Stephen
Published: March 2008

This paper explores ways in which politicians and political themes are depicted in British soap operas. A three-dimensional definition of “the political” is employed, and the distinction between the personalized communities depicted in soaps and the impersonal world of politics is investigated. The study draws upon interviews with producers and scriptwriters from the major British soaps; a representative survey of the British population, 59 percent of whom described themselves as regular soap viewers and/or listeners; and two focus groups.
Nonprofit Organizations' Perceptions and Uses of the Internet
Authors: Kenix Linda Jean
Published: March 2008

This research examines how nonprofit organizations perceive and utilize the internet through the framework of Habermas's theory of the public sphere. In seven focus groups across the country, 52 people responsible for creating internet strategy and/or web content for nonprofit organizations participated. Claims of sweeping improvements in democratic participation through the internet were not supported. Almost no organizations utilized the technology for horizontal or vertical flows of communication, data communality, interactivity, or engaged participation. Furthermore, these nonprofit organizations believed the internet offered little democratizing power but paradoxically provided instant credibility. Those making communication decisions overwhelmingly performed in technical rather than strategic roles as they pushed their message out to the public without any regard to feedback or communication strategy. These individuals also believed the corporate model would drive future internet growth, although they rarely trained internet workers. Possible reasons for these findings and implications for nonprofit organizations are discussed.
Communication and empire
Authors: Winseck Dwayne R. , Pike Robert M.
Published: March 2008

This article focuses on the formation of the `global media system' from 1860 to 1910. It begins with a critique of conventional knowledge in international communication and focuses on three themes: first, the rise of the global media; second, how markets, states and imperialism shaped the global media; and third, how the global media developed as a series of multinational cartels — powerful `private structures of control' through which corporate and national foreign policy objectives were pursued. We critique the strong tendency in the literature to conflate the history of the global media with the history of imperialism and to exaggerate the extent to which powerful nations struggled constantly with one another to control world communication. Over and against this `struggle for control of international communication' model our concept of empire combines classical theories of imperialism with one of capitalist imperialism. Within this context, the global media evolved as part of a project of creating a worldwide system of accumulation and modernization. Lastly, we show that the global media — in terms of ownership, alliances, corporate identity, international and national laws, views of modernization and imperial strategy — were more global and organized as a system than is often assumed.
The effects of imatinib on pregnancy outcome
Authors: Pye Seonaid M. , Cortes Jorge , Ault Patricia , Hatfield Alan , Kantarjian Hagop , Pilot Richard , Rosti Gianantonio , Apperley Jane F.
Published: March 2008

Imatinib has now been in use for almost 10 years. Despite this cumulative experience, little is known about its effects on pregnancy; as a result, there are few published data to facilitate the counseling of women who conceive while taking imatinib. The results we now present provide information which may be of use in such circumstances. Of 180 women exposed to imatinib during pregnancy, outcome data are available for 125 (69%). Of those with known outcomes, 50% delivered normal infants and 28% underwent elective terminations, 3 following the identification of abnormalities. There were a total of 12 infants in whom abnormalities were identified, 3 of which had strikingly similar complex malformations that are clearly a cause for concern. It appears that although most pregnancies exposed to imatinib are likely to have a successful outcome, there remains a risk that exposure may result in serious fetal malformations.
Bleeding in patients receiving vitamin K antagonists who would have been excluded from trials on which the indication for anticoagulation was based
Authors: Levi Marcel , Hovingh G. Kees , Cannegieter Suzanne C. , Vermeulen Marinus , Büller Harry R. , Rosendaal Frits R.
Published: March 2008

Vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) are effective antithrombotic agents and advocated in guidelines for the management of cardiovascular disease. However, in the trials underlying these guidelines, many patients were excluded. We performed a case-control study in 993 patients receiving VKAs, who required hospitalization for bleeding, and contrasted them to 993 matched control patients on VKAs, who were hospitalized for an infection. We analyzed whether patients and controls would have been eligible for the clinical trials on which their indication for anticoagulation was based, and estimated the risk of hemorrhage associated with exclusion criteria as applied in those trials. Approximately one quarter (23% [95% CI: 21%-26%]) of controls had one or more exclusion criteria for the trials, supporting the use of anticoagulation for their condition. Forty percent of patients presenting with bleeding had one or more exclusion criteria (95% CI: 37%-43%). Having one exclusion criterion resulted in a 2.9-fold increased risk of bleeding (95% CI: 2.2-3.9), and this risk increased sharply when more than one exclusion criterion was present. VKAs are often prescribed to patients who would not have qualified for clinical trials, and in these patients a careful consideration should be made regarding the expected efficacy and the risk of bleeding.
Diesel exhaust exposure enhances the ozone-induced airway inflammation in healthy humans
Authors: Bosson J. , Barath S. , Pourazar J. , Behndig A. F. , Sandström T. , Blomberg A. , Ädelroth E.
Published: March 2008

Exposure to particulate matter and ozone cause adverse airway reactions. Individual pollutant effects are often addressed separately, despite coexisting in ambient air. The present investigation was performed to study the effects of sequential exposures to diesel exhaust (DE) and ozone on airway inflammation in human subjects.

Healthy subjects underwent bronchoscopy with bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and bronchial wash (BW) sampling on two occasions. Once following a DE exposure (with 300 μg·m−3particles with a 50% cut-off aerodynamic diameter of 10 μm) with subsequent exposure to O3(0.2 ppm) 5 h later. The other bronchoscopy was performed after a filtered air exposure followed by an ozone exposure, using an identical protocol. Bronchoscopy was performed 24 h after the start of the initial exposure.

Significant increases in neutrophil and macrophage numbers were found in BW after DE followed by ozone exposureversusair followed by ozone exposure. DE pre-exposure also raised eosinophil protein X levels in BAL compared with air.

The present study indicates additive effects of diesel exhaust on the ozone-induced airway inflammation. Together with similar results from a recent study with sequential diesel exhaust and ozone exposures, the present data stress a need to consider the interaction and cumulative effects of different air pollutants.
Relationship between depression and exacerbations in COPD
Authors: Quint J. K. , Baghai-Ravary R. , Donaldson G. C. , Wedzicha J. A.
Published: March 2008

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is associated with exacerbations. Some patients are prone to frequent exacerbations and these individuals have a worse quality of life, greater limitation of their daily activity and faster disease progression than patients with less frequent exacerbations.

A prospective study in a well-characterised cohort was performed and it was assessed whether depression, as determined by the Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, was related to exacerbation frequency, systemic inflammation and various social factors. The associations of any increase in depressive symptoms at exacerbation were also investigated.

Frequent exacerbators had a significantly higher median (interquartile range) baseline depression score than infrequent exacerbators (17.0 (7.0–25.0) and 12.0 (6.0–18.0), respectively). Depressed patients spend significantly less time outdoors and had significantly worse quality of life as measured by the St George's Respiratory Questionnaire. Depression increased significantly in patients from baseline to exacerbation (12.5 (5.0–19.0) and 19.5 (12.0–28.0) respectively).

The present study is the first to show a relationship between depression and exacerbation frequency in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The finding that frequent exacerbators are more depressed than infrequent exacerbators is relevant, as exacerbation frequency is an important outcome measure in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.