bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Social Behavior Correlates of Cortisol Activity in Child Care: Gender Differences and Time‐of‐Day Effects
Authors: Tout Kathryn , de Haan Michelle , Campbell Elizabeth Kipp , Gunnar Megan R.
Published: September 2010

The relations between social behavior and daily patterns of a stress‐sensitive hormone production were examined in preschool children (N= 75) attending center‐based child care. Three behavioral dimensions, shy/anxious/internalizing, angry/aggressive/externalizing, and social competence, were assessed by teacher report and classroom observation, and their relations with 2 measures of Cortisol activity, median (or typical) levels and reactivity (quartile range score between second and third quartile values) were explored. Cortisol‐behavior relations differed by gender: significant associations were found for boys but not for girls. Specifically, for boys externalizing behavior was positively associated with Cortisol reactivity, while internalizing behavior was negatively associated with median Cortisol. Time of day of Cortisol measurement affected the results. Surprisingly, median Cortisol levels rose from morning to afternoon, a pattern opposite to that of the typical circadian rhythm of Cortisol. This rise in Cortisol over the day was positively correlated with internalizing behavior for boys. The methodological and theoretical implications of these findings for the study of the development of hormone‐behavior relations are discussed.
Intermodal Perception of Adult and Child Faces and Voices by Infants
Authors: Bahrick Lorraine E. , Netto Dianelys , Hernandez‐Keif Maria
Published: September 2010

This research investigated the ability of 4‐ and 7‐month‐old infants to match unfamiliar, dynamic faces and voices on the basis of age or maturity. In Experiment 1, infants received videotaped trials of an adult and a child of the same gender, side by side, speaking a nursery rhyme in synchrony with one another. The voice to one and then the other face was played in synchrony with the movements of both faces in a random order across 12 trials. On one block of 6 trials a man and a boy were presented, and on the other block a woman and a girl. Results indicated significant matching of the faces and voices at both ages, and the infant's prior experience with children appeared to facilitate matching at 7 months. Further, a visual preference for the children's faces was found. Experiment 2 assessed matching to the same events by 7‐month‐olds, only with the faces inverted. Results indicated no evidence of matching; however, the visual preference for the children's faces was replicated. Together, the findings suggest that infants are able to detect invariant intermodal relations specifying the age or maturity of a person's face and voice. This matching was most likely based on information that was degraded by inverting the faces, including invariant relations between the sound of the voice and configurational aspects of the face, or between temporal aspects of the voice and the relative motion of facial features.
Neuropsychological Correlates of Early Symptoms of Autism
Authors: Dawson Geraldine , Meltzoff Andrew N. , Osterling Julie , Rinaldi Julie
Published: September 2010

Both the medial temporal lobe and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex have been implicated in autism. In the present study, performance on two neuropsychological tasks—one tapping the medial temporal lobe and related limbic structures, and another tapping the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex—was examined in relation to performance on tasks assessing autistic symptoms in young children with autism, and developmentally matched groups of children with Down syndrome or typical development. Autistic symptoms included orienting to social stimuli, immediate and deferred motor imitation, shared attention, responses to emotional stimuli, and symbolic play. Compared with children with Down syndrome and typically developing children, children with autism performed significantly worse on both the medial temporal lobe and dorsolateral prefrontal tasks, and on tasks assessing symptoms domains. For children with autism, the severity of autistic symptoms was strongly and consistently correlated with performance on the medial temporal lobe task, but not the dorsolateral prefrontal task. The hypothesis that autism is related to dysfunction of the medial temporal lobe and related limbic structures, such as the orbital prefrontal cortex, is discussed.
Object Properties and Object Kind: Twenty‐One‐Month‐Old Infants' Extension of Novel Adjectives
Authors: Waxman Sandra R. , Markow Dana B.
Published: September 2010

Three experiments examined the conditions under which infants acquiring English succeed in mapping novel adjectives, applied ostensively to individual objects, to other objects with the same property (color or texture). Twenty‐one‐month‐old infants were introduced to a target (e.g., a yellow object) and asked to choose between (1) a matching test object (e.g., a different yellow object) and (2) a contrasting test object (e.g., a green object). Infants hearing the target labeled with novel adjectives were more likely than those hearing no novel words to choose the matching test object. Infants also revealed an emerging distinction between novel adjectives and nouns. Finally, infants' expectation regarding the extension of adjectives appears to unfold within the support of a familiar basic‐level category. Infants extended novel adjectives to the matching test object when all objects were all drawn from the same basic level category; they failed to do so when the objects were drawn from different basic level categories.
Young Children's Awareness of Their Mental Activity: The Case of Mental Rotation
Authors: Estes David
Published: September 2010

From Piaget's early work to current theory of mind research, young children have been characterized as having little or no awareness of their mental activity. This conclusion was reexamined by assessing children's conscious access to visual imagery. Four‐year‐olds, 6‐year‐olds, and adults were given a mental rotation task in the form of a computer game, but with no instructions to use mental rotation and no other references to mental activity. During the task, participants were asked to explain how they made their judgments. Reaction time patterns and verbal reports revealed that 6‐year‐olds were comparable to adults both in their spontaneous use and subjective awareness of mental rotation. Four‐year‐olds who referred to mental activity to explain their performance had reaction time and error patterns consistent with mental rotation; 4‐year‐olds who did not refer to mental activity responded randomly. A second study with 5‐year‐olds produced similar results. This research demonstrates that conscious access to at least 1 type of thinking is present earlier than previously recognized. It also helps to clarify the conditions under which young children will and will not notice and report their mental activity. These findings have implications for competing accounts of children's developing understanding of the mind and for the “imagery debate.”
Children's Emerging Regulation of Conduct: Restraint, Compliance, and Internalization from Infancy to the Second Year
Authors: Kochanska Grazyna , Tjebkes Jerri L. , Fortnan David R.
Published: September 2010

We examined emergent regulation of conduct from infancy to the second year. Multiple observational measures at home and in the laboratory assessed, at 8–10 months, the child's restraint and attention (N= 112), and at 13–15 months, compliance to mother, internalization of her prohibition, and quality of motivation in the mother‐child teaching context (N= 108). We replicated the findings previously reported for older children that supported our view of compliance and noncompliance as heterogenous: Committed compliance was higher to maternal “don'ts” than “dos,” with the reverse true for situational compliance; girls surpassed boys in committed compliance; and committed, but not situational, compliance related positively, and passive noncompliance negatively, to children's internalization of maternal prohibition. We extended previous work into three new directions: children's committed compliance and passive noncompliance in control contexts related predictably to their motivation in mother‐child teaching contexts; restraint at 8–10 months predicted higher committed compliance at 13–15 months; and focused attention at 8–10 months was associated with contemporaneous restraint and modestly with committed compliance to maternal “dos” at 13–15 months.
The Contribution of Neighborhood and Family Income to Developmental Test Scores over the First Three Years of Life
Authors: Klebanov Pamela Kato , Brooks‐Gunn Jeanne , McCarton Cecelia , McCormick Marie C.
Published: September 2010

The effects of neighborhood and family income and family risk factors on developmental test scores at ages 1 through 3 are examined using a subsample (N = 347) from the Infant Health and Development Program. Beneficial effects of low numbers of risks were found for scores at ages 1 through 3. Family poverty was associated with lower scores at ages 2 and 3. Neighborhood affluence was associated with higher scores at age 3. The family risks‐test score association at ages 1 through 3 and family income‐test score association at ages 2 and 3 were mediated by home environment. Mediated effects were stronger for family income‐test score associations at age 3 than for neighborhood income. Moderating effects of family risk on family and neighborhood income effects revealed an interaction between family poverty and risks for scores at age 3. Explanations for the early links between family risks and test scores and the later links between income and test scores are discussed.
The Role of Parenting Styles in Children's Problem Behavior
Authors: Aunola Kaisa , Nurmi Jari‐Erik
Published: September 2010

This study investigated the combination of mothers' and fathers' parenting styles (affection, behavioral control, and psychological control) that would be most influential in predicting their children's internal and external problem behaviors. A total of 196 children (aged 5–6 years) were followed up six times from kindergarten to the second grade to measure their problem behaviors. Mothers and fathers filled in a questionnaire measuring their parenting styles once every year. The results showed that a high level of psychological control exercised by mothers combined with high affection predicted increases in the levels of both internal and external problem behaviors among children. Behavioral control exercised by mothers decreased children's external problem behavior but only when combined with a low level of psychological control.
Prospective Relations Among Victimization, Rejection, Friendlessness, and Children's Self‐ and Peer‐Perceptions
Authors: Salmivalli Christina , Isaacs Jenny
Published: September 2010

This study investigated the prospective links between three forms of peer adversities (i.e., victimization, rejection, and lack of reciprocated friendships) and children's perceptions of themselves and of their peers. The sample consisted of 212 children (107 boys and 105 girls, 11–13 years) recruited from four primary schools and followed up for a period of one year. The results showed that a negative self‐perception was a risk factor for the development of all forms of peer adversities. Of the three forms of peer adversities assessed, victimization and rejection had an influence on children's peer perceptions. None of the peer adversities predicted changes in self‐perceptions. The results partially support a transactional model between children and their environments.
Pathways From Prematurity and Infant Abilities to Later Cognition
Authors: Rose Susan A. , Feldman Judith F. , Jankowski Jeffery J. , Van Rossem Ronan
Published: September 2010

This study examined the relation of information processing in 7‐month‐old preterms (<1750 g at birth) and full‐terms to Bayley Mental Development Indexes (MDIs) at 2 and 3 years. The infant measures were drawn from four cognitive domains: attention, speed, memory, and representational competence. Structural equation modeling showed that these measures of infant information processing mediated the effects of prematurity, and that there was a cascade of effects, with infant processing speed influencing memory and representational competence, which in turn influenced later MDI. This study shows that infant information processing mediates the effect of prematurity on later cognition, and delineates pathways whereby infant abilities relate to one another and to later outcome.
The Nominal Passover Effect Depends on Addressee Age, Speaker Goal, and Object Similarity
Authors: Merriman William E. , Evey Julie A.
Published: September 2010

If after teaching a label for 1 object, a speaker does not name a nearby object, 3‐year‐olds tend to reject the label for the nearby object (W.E. Merriman, J.M. Marazita, L.H. Jarvis, J.A. Evey‐Burkey, and M. Biggins, 1995a). In Studies 1 (5‐year‐olds) and 3 (3‐year‐olds), this effect depended on object similarity. In Study 2, when a speaker used a label without teaching it, 5‐year‐olds showed no passover effect. 3‐year‐olds showed none for inanimate objects, but one for animate objects. When extraneous factors that may have promoted animate object individuation were eliminated (Study 3), 3‐year‐olds showed the effect when a label was taught, but not when it was merely used. Children honor rational restrictions on when the unacceptability of a name can be inferred from its nonoccurrence.
Analysis and Interpretation of Twin Studies Including Measures of the Shared Environment
Authors: Turkheimer Eric , D'Onofrio Brian M. , Maes Hermine H. , Eaves Lindon J.
Published: September 2010

Recent reports using a classical behavior genetic research design in which twin data are combined with a measured characteristic of their shared family environment have made striking claims about estimating environmental influences on behavior with genetic effects controlled. Such claims are overstated for two related reasons. First, when a variable is measured at the family level in a way that makes it necessarily equivalent for twins reared together, it is not possible to partition it into genetic and environmental components. Second, although structural equation modeling and DeFries–Fulker analysis are sound tools for the analysis of many types of twin data, they do not control for genetic or environmental confounds when estimating the effect of measured family‐level variables.
Mother–Child Conversations About Pictures and Objects: Referring to Categories and Individuals
Authors: Gelman Susan A. , Chesnick Robert J. , Waxman Sandra R.
Published: September 2010

The distinction between individuals (e.g., Rin‐Tin‐Tin) and categories (e.g., dogs) is fundamental in human thought. Two studies examined factors that influence when 2‐ to 3‐year‐old children and adults focus on individuals versus categories. Mother–child dyads were presented with pictures and toys (e.g., a picture of a boat or a toy boat). Conversations were coded for references to generic categories (“Dogs are furry”), ostensive labels (“This is a dog”), or specific individuals (“Lassie”). Overall, pictures generated more talk about categories; objects generated more talk about individuals. However, when objects could not be manipulated, speakers expressed relatively more category references. These results suggest that representations (in the form of pictures or objects‐on‐display) encourage young children and parents alike to think about categories.
SPATIAL AND VISUAL REASONING: HUMANS VERSUS LOGIC
Authors: Goebel Randy
Published: September 2010

Glasgow's revival of the “imagery debate” in computational terms provides a renewed opportunity to review the role of logical reasoning in general problem solving. Of special interest is the long‐standing distinction between analogical or depictive problem representations, and the more abstract linguistic forms typified by traditional formal logic syntax.

In our brief statement, we recall that logical reasoning rests on semantics not syntax, and that the concepts of soundness, completeness, and consistency are manifest in both depictive and linguistic representations. We emerge with two conclusions: (1) enduring confusion regarding computational aspects of the “imagery debate” arise from long‐standing confusion regarding key logical concepts, and related notions such as epistemological versus heuristic adequacy, logical versus probabilistic independence, and direct versus indirect representations; (2) the desire for depictive reasoning methods is ultimately motivated by human needs, not computational needs.
DCOP FOR SMART HOMES: A CASE STUDY
Authors: Pecora Federico , Cesta Amedeo
Published: September 2010

The aim of this article is to bring forth the issue of integrating the services provided by intelligent artifacts in Ambient Intelligence applications. Specifically, we propose a Distributed Constraint Optimization procedure for achieving a functional integration of intelligent artifacts in a smart home. To this end, we employAdopt‐N, a state‐of‐the‐art algorithm for solving Distributed Constraint Optimization Problems (DCOP). This article attempts to state the smart home coordination problem in general terms, and provides the details of a DCOP‐based approach by describing a case study taken from theRoboCareproject. More specifically, we show how (1) DCOP is a convenient metaphor for casting smart home coordination problems, and (2) the specific features which distinguishAdopt‐Nfrom other algorithms for DCOP represent a strong asset in the smart home domain.
LEARNING STRUCTURED BAYESIAN NETWORKS: COMBINING ABSTRACTION HIERARCHIES AND TREE‐STRUCTURED CONDITIONAL PROBABILITY TABLES
Authors: DesJardins Marie , Rathod Priyang , Getoor Lise
Published: September 2010

Context‐specific independence representations, such as tree‐structured conditional probability distributions, capture local independence relationships among the random variables in a Bayesian network (BN). Local independence relationships among the random variables can also be captured by using attribute‐value hierarchies to find an appropriate abstraction level for the values used to describe the conditional probability distributions. Capturing this local structure is important because it reduces the number of parameters required to represent the distribution. This can lead to more robust parameter estimation and structure selection, more efficient inference algorithms, and more interpretable models. In this paper, we introduce Tree‐Abstraction‐Based Search (TABS), an approach for learning a data distribution by inducing the graph structure and parameters of a BN from training data. TABS combines tree structure and attribute‐value hierarchies to compactly represent conditional probability tables. To construct the attribute‐value hierarchies, we investigate two data‐driven techniques: a global clustering method, which uses all of the training data to build the attribute‐value hierarchies, and can be performed as a preprocessing step; and a local clustering method, which uses only the local network structure to learn attribute‐value hierarchies. We present empirical results for three real‐world domains, finding that (1) combining tree structure and attribute‐value hierarchies improves the accuracy of generalization, while providing a significant reduction in the number of parameters in the learned networks, and (2) data‐derived hierarchies perform as well or better than expert‐provided hierarchies.
LEARNING TO SOLVE PROBLEMS FROM EXERCISES
Authors: Tadepalli Prasad
Published: September 2010

It is a common observation that learning easier skills makes it possible to learn the more difficult skills. This fact is routinely exploited by parents, teachers, textbook writers, and coaches. From driving, to music, to science, there hardly exists a complex skill that is not learned by gradations. Natarajan's model of “learning from exercises” captures this kind of learning of efficient problem solving skills using practice problems or exercises (Natarajan 1989). The exercises are intermediate subproblems that occur in solving the main problems and span all levels of difficulty. The learner iteratively bootstraps what is learned from simpler exercises to generalize techniques for solving more complex exercises. In this paper, we extend Natarajan's framework to the problem reduction setting where problems are solved by reducing them to simpler problems. We theoretically characterize the conditions under which efficient learning from exercises is possible. We demonstrate the generality of our framework with successful implementations in the Eight Puzzle, symbolic integration, and simulated robot planning domains illustrating three different representations of control knowledge, namely, macro‐operators, control rules, and decision lists. The results show that the learning rates for the exercises framework are competitive with those for learning from problems solved by the teacher.
Computer‐Aided Pre‐ and Post‐Earthquake Assessment of Buildings Involving Database Compilation, GIS Visualization, and Mobile Data Transmission
Authors: Sextos A. G. , Kappos A. J. , Stylianidis K. C.
Published: September 2010

Abstract:  The aim of this article is to present a computer‐aided comprehensive strategy for the rapid visual inspection of buildings and the optimal prioritization of strengthening and remedial actions that are necessary prior to, and after, a major earthquake event, respectively. Based on the visual screening procedures used in the United States and past experience in seismic assessment of buildings in Greece and Turkey (the two countries with the highest seismic risk in Europe), a building inventory is first compiled; then a vulnerability ranking procedure that is specifically tailored to the prevailing construction practice in Southeast Europe is implemented into a multi‐functional, georeferenced computer tool, that accommodates the management, evaluation, processing and archiving of the data stock gathered during the pre‐ and post‐earthquake assessment process, and the visualization of its spatial distribution. The methodology proposed and the computer system developed is then applied to the city of Düzce, Turkey, a city strongly damaged during the devastating 1999 earthquake.
How Reaction Time, Update Time, and Adaptation Time Influence the Stability of Traffic Flow
Authors: Kesting Arne , Treiber Martin
Published: September 2010

Abstract:  When modeling the acceleration and deceleration of drivers, there are three characteristic time constants that influence the dynamics and stability of traffic flow: The reaction time of the drivers, the velocity adaptation time needed to accelerate to a new desired velocity, and the numerical update time. By means of numerical simulations with a time‐continuous car‐following model, we investigate how these times interplay with each other and effectively influence the longitudinal instability mechanisms for a platoon of vehicles. The long‐wavelength string instability is mainly driven by the velocity adaptation time while short‐wavelength local instabilities arise for sufficiently high reaction and update times. Furthermore, we investigate the relation between large update time steps and finite reaction times as they both introduce delays in the reaction to the traffic situation. Remarkably, the numerical update time is dynamically equivalent to about half the reaction time, which clarifies the meaning of the time step in models formulated as iterated maps such as the Newell and the Gipps model. Furthermore, with respect to stability, there is an optimal adaptation time as a function of the reaction time.
Target Director Turnover in Acquisitions: A Conceptual Framework
Authors: Li Yong , Aguilera Ruth V.
Published: September 2010

Manuscript Type: Conceptual

Research Question/Issue: Post‐acquisition director turnover is a complex and multi‐faceted phenomenon that needs to be examined beyond the agency lens. In this article, we examine the likelihood of non‐executive director turnover in target firms following an acquisition.

Research Findings/Result: Acquisitions present an interesting case where conflict of interests may arise between shareholders and directors. This study proposes that the likelihood of target non‐executive director turnover depends on the factors that determine the performance of directors in their monitoring, advisory and social roles pre‐acquisition and during the acquisition process.

Theoretical Implications: While there are multiple studies examining the likelihood of turnover of executive directors (TMTs) following an acquisition, there is no systematic conceptual research explaining the likelihood of turnover of non‐executive directors. We draw on three theoretical perspectives–agency theory, resource‐based view and the social capital perspective to comprehensively investigate target non‐executive director turnover post‐acquisition. We further clarify the boundaries of these theoretical arguments concerning their implications for target non‐executive director turnover.

Practical Implications: One of the most important tasks for the newly formed firm post‐acquisition is to build the new leadership team, including a new board. In view of the important roles directors take on in modern corporations, it is critical to understand how the new board should be constituted and what members of the target firm are more likely to join that new board.
The Effect of National Governance Codes on Firm Disclosure Practices: Evidence from Analyst Earnings Forecasts
Authors: Nowland John
Published: September 2010

Manuscript Type: Empirical

Research Question: This study examines whether voluntary national governance codes have a significant effect on company disclosure practices. Two direct effects of the codes are expected: 1) an overall improvement in company disclosure practices, which is greater when the codes have a greater emphasis on disclosure; and 2) a leveling out of disclosure practices across companies (i.e., larger improvements in companies that were previously poorer disclosers) due to the codes new comply‐or‐explain requirements. The codes are also expected to have an indirect effect on disclosure practices through their effect on company governance practices.

Research Findings/Results: The results show that the introduction of the codes in eight East Asian countries has been associated with lower analyst forecast error and a leveling out of disclosure practices across companies. The codes are also found to have an indirect effect on company disclosure practices through their effect on board independence.

Practical Implications: This study shows that a regulatory approach to improving disclosure practices is not always necessary. Voluntary national governance codes are found to have both a significant direct effect and a significant indirect effect on company disclosure practices. In addition, the results indicate that analysts in Asia do react to changes in disclosure practices, so there is an incentive for small companies and family‐owned companies to further improve their disclosure practices.
Audit Committee, Underpricing of IPOs, and Accuracy of Management Earnings Forecasts
Authors: Bédard Jean , Coulombe Daniel , Courteau Lucie
Published: September 2010

Manuscript Type: Empirical

Research Question/Issue: This paper examines the role of audit committees (AC) in the initial public offering (IPO) process in a governance environment where AC best practices are well established but their adoption is voluntary. We consider the creation and characteristics of the committee as signals that issuing firms can use to reduce the underpricing often associated with IPOs. We also examine the effect of the committee on the quality of management earnings forecasts included in the prospectus.

Research Findings/Results: Our empirical analysis is performed on a sample of 246 IPOs issued in the Canadian province of Québec. We find that the creation of an AC at the time of the IPO has no effect on underpricing unless its members are independent and have expertise in financial matters, in which case it decreases significantly the level of underpricing of the IPO. However, we find no significant association between these two governance attributes and the accuracy of forecasts included in prospectuses.

Theoretical Implications: Our results suggest that the AC is a credible signal that could be used in the firm's signaling strategy and the results provide support for the monitoring role of the board of directors, as proposed by the agency theory.

Practical/Policy Implications: Our results support the worldwide movement in legislations requiring AC independence and expertise. They stress the importance of the presence of qualified members on the AC with sufficient knowledge of accounting and finance.
East Meets West? Board Characteristics in an Emerging Market: Evidence from Turkish Banks
Authors: Kaymak Turhan , Bektas Eralp
Published: September 2010

Manuscript Type: Empirical

Research Question/Issue: The aim of this study is to uncover whether prescribed “western style” governance practices surface in the characteristics of board of directors in Turkish banks, and to see if these characteristics influence firm performance. Turkey is an emerging market drawing large amounts of foreign investment but board composition issues have rarely been analyzed.

Research Findings/Results: This study investigates the association of board independence, CEO duality, board size, and board tenure with bank performance in Turkey. These relationships are examined for all 27 Turkish banks operating in the market between the years 2001–2004. Our findings suggest that the presence of insiders has a positive impact on return on assets, while duality and board tenure are negatively associated with performance.

Theoretical Implications: Our study shows that Turkish banks are following a number of recommended governance practices, but the prevalence of some arrangements may exacerbate principal‐principal conflict. Whether this holds in other more closed sectors of the economy is an area worthy of further investigation.

Practical Implications: The presence of duality in the form of duly empowered members/executive directors is very problematic, leading to potential principal‐principal conflict. Strategic investors and portfolio managers should challenge this arrangement before making sizable outlays in the Turkish financial sector.
Explaining Religious Market Failure: A Gendered Critique of the Religious Economies Model
Authors: Bush Evelyn
Published: September 2010

According to the religious economies model, religious supply in open religious economies should adapt to the demands of diverse market niches. This proposition is inconsistent with the finding that, although women constitute the majority of religious consumers, the majority of the religions produced in the American religious marketplace favor men's interests relative to women's. Three modifications to the religious economies model are suggested to account for this contradiction. The first modification is a respecification of “religious capital” that takes into account unequal distributions of power among producers of religious value and their differential effects on the beneficiaries and targets of religious norms. The second modification theorizes religion's linkages to other social institutions as sources of cost and benefit that are taken into account by religious entrepreneurs. The third modification accounts for status-based discrimination and unequal distributions of capital as sources of constraint that influence the production of religious supply. Several directions for future research are proposed.
More than a Game: Sociological Theory from the Theories of Games
Authors: DiCicco-Bloom Benjamin , Gibson David R.
Published: September 2010

Sociologists are fond of game metaphors. However, such metaphors rarely go beyond casual references to generic games. Yet games are little social systems, and each game offers a distinctive perspective on the relationship between rules and constraints, on the one side, and emergent order, on the other. In this article, we examine three games—chess, go, and (Texas hold ‘em) poker—for sociological insights into contested social arenas such as markets, warfare, politics, and the professions. We describe each game's rules and emergent properties, and then offer a brief theorization of the social world through the “lens” of that game. Then we show how a study of the three games advances the sociology of strategy by enriching ideas about skill, position, and strategic dilemma.
Changing linguistic attitudes in Valencia: The effects of language planning measures1
Authors: Ferrer Raquel Casesnoves
Published: September 2010

Linguistic policy measures have an undeniable effect on the linguistic attitudes of a population and, consequently, on the use of the languages concerned. In Valencia, the process of Catalan revitalization, which started in the early 80s, has had some very positive effects, of which education – especially of the youngest members of the population – in Catalan, has been the most important. A 1998 study assessed how the three language varieties that coexist in Valencia are perceived. Ten years later, this study has been replicated in order to analyze the effects of the great demographic and political changes during those years. The attenuation of the ideological conflict between Catalan and Castilian can be attributed to language policy. It seems difficult, however, to explain the disappearance of Valencian (the local variety of Catalan) as the language of group identity. The institutionalization of the conflict between Valencian and Catalan has led to ‘linguistic peace’, but it has also weakened attachment to Valencian, representing a major setback to its revitalization.
Manipulating honorifics in the construction of social identities in Japanese television drama1
Authors: Barke Andrew
Published: September 2010

This study examines culturally‐based ideologies concerning the use of Japanese honorifics in the construction of social identities through an analysis of dialogues in a Japanese television drama. The study assumes that the underlying or encoded meaning of Japanese honorific forms is social/psychological distance and considers ways in which speakers utilise differences in the encoded meanings of honorifics to construct a variety of social identities, including those that reflect membership within particular communities of practice. It also looks at how implicatures that arise through marked use of honorific forms are used to achieve specific interactional goals such as the expression of (im)politeness and the marking of change in the speaker's attitude toward the addressee/referent.
Just Tell Me! Making Alternative Dispute Resolution Systems Fair
Authors: BLANCERO DONNA MARIA , DelCAMPO ROBERT G. , MARRON GEORGE F.
Published: September 2010

This study investigates fairness perceptions of alternative dispute systems utilizing a policy capturing design and a sample of four hundred and fifty non‐union, non‐management employees from seven organizations. The communication surrounding the decision, the level of employee input, and the composition of the grievance panel had larger effects on overall fairness perceptions than did outcome. Unfavorable outcomes that were reached by fair processes generate higher distributive justice ratings than favorable outcomes reached by unfair processes.
The Impact of Wage Bargaining Regime on Firm‐Level Competitiveness and Wage Inequality: The Case of Ireland
Authors: McGUINNESS SEAMUS , KELLY ELISH , O’CONNELL PHILIP J.
Published: September 2010

This paper uses a linked employer‐employee dataset to analyze the impact of institutional wage bargaining regimes on average labor costs and within‐firm wage dispersion in private sector companies in Ireland. The results show that while centralized bargaining reduced labor costs within both the indigenous and foreign‐owned sectors, the relative advantage was greater among foreign‐owned firms. The analysis suggests that there are potentially large competitiveness gains to multinational companies that locate in countries implementing a centralized bargaining system. Furthermore, the results provide additional support to the view that collective bargaining reduces within‐firm wage inequality.
The Interactive Effects of Labor‐Led Political Mobilization and Vote Propensity on Turnout: Evidence from Five Elections
Authors: LAMARE J. RYAN
Published: September 2010

The concept of unions as political mobilization groups is not well documented relative to the general determinants of voting behavior and labor’s traditional political roles. Specifically, scholars have yet to study the interaction between individuals’ propensities to vote and labor‐led mobilization. Does labor have a stronger influence on frequent, occasional, or non‐voters? Using data totaling 188,551 individuals in Los Angeles over five elections, this paper empirically studies the interaction between vote propensity and mobilization, finding that occasional voters are generally most receptive to labor’s efforts, particularly amongst Latinos, and that personal visits and phone calls are successful for occasional voters.
Training and Promotion: Allocation of Skills or Incentives?
Authors: MELERO EDUARDO
Published: September 2010

This paper analyzes the impact of training on the probability of promotion. Results from the British Household Panel Survey indicate that training increases the probability of promotion of female workers, but not that of male workers. In terms of wages, men obtain significant returns from (general and specific) training acquired with their current employer, while women profit from general training. Overall, results suggest that career moves of women are importantly affected by the market value of their skills, while those of men fit better a model of promotions as providers of incentives.
Abstracts: Development of an in silico prediction system for the risk assessment of chemicals—development of a prediction model for skin irritation
Authors: Kouzuki Hirokazu
Published: September 2010

pp.254–259

In order to develop a prediction system for the safety of chemicals, many attempts have been made by examining quantitative structure‐activity relationships (QSAR). The results, however, were not always satisfactory enough in view of predictability when it is assumed that they are used in actual situations. In the present study, therefore, we have attempted to develop an in silico prediction system enabling the risk assessment of cosmetic raw materials by combining a molecular orbital calculation method and an artificial neural network system. Human patch test data on 161 samples were collected from a past publication and experiment results in our laboratory. Molecular weight, polarizabilityα, polarizabilityγ, dipole moment, and ionization potential were obtained from molecular orbital calculations as descriptors to predict the skin irritation. In addition, concentration and exposure time were added as descriptors. A neural network system was employed for the analysis. Consequently, by using leave‐one‐out cross‐validation methods, it was shown that the neural network model can predict the positive rate in a human patch test with reasonable accuracy (root mean square error was 0.352). The above results suggest that their combinational use will enable us not only to predict the toxicological potential of cosmetic raw materials but also to make the risk assessment possible.
Abstracts: The effects of licorice leaf extract on ceramide and hyaluronan synthesis
Authors: Kiso Akinori , Kawashima Yoshihito , Ohto Nobuaki , Zhou Yan Yang , Yashiki(Tohi) Keiko , Murakami Toshiyuki , Araho Daisuke , Kambara Toshimitsu , Mizutani Kenji
Published: September 2010

pp.267–273

Both water‐holding and permeability barrier function in the stratum corneum (SC) are essential for keeping skin moisture. Intercellular lipids in SC, which are composed mainly of cholesterol, fatty acids, and ceramides, play a crucial role for maintaining the function in SC. The object of our study is to find active ingredients from plant extracts for enhancing the abilities of skin hydration and barrier repair by focusing on the synthesis of ceramides. As a result, we found that licorice leaf extract is a promising ingredient showing not only an increase of mRNA expression levels of serine palmytoyltransferase (SPT) and sphingomyelinase related to ceramide biosynthesis in keratinocytes but also syntheses of ceramides in a 3D skin model and in human skin. Furthermore, licorice leaf extract showed an increase of mRNA expression levels of HMG‐CoA reductase (HMGCR) related to cholesterol biosynthesis and an increase of hyaluronan (HA) production in in vitro tests. One of the principles isolated from licorice leaf extract, 6‐prenyl‐naringenin, was thought to be one of the active components. These results suggested that licorice leaf extract may be a useful ingredient for skin care due to the synthesis of intercellular lipids and HA
Abstracts: The effects of Coptis japonica root extract and its key component, berberine, on human subcutaneous adipocytes
Authors: Yashiki(Tohi) Keiko , Kiso Akinori , Zhou Yan Yang , Iwasaki Daigo , Kambara Toshimitsu , Mizutani Kenji
Published: September 2010

pp.274–280

An increase of subcutaneous fat presses lymph vessels and blood vessels in skin tissues, and results in not only causing skin troubles such as skin sagging and swelling but also forming cellulite that makes bodylines worse. To expand further application of plant extracts to cosmetics, we focused on inhibitory effects of subcutaneous preadipocytes differentiation and facilitating lipolysis in adipocytes. In this study, in a screening test of a number of plant extracts, Coptis japonica root extract and its key component, berberine, showed potent inhibition of triglyceride accumulation and subcutaneous preadipocytes differentiation. Furthermore, Coptis japonica root extract and berberine down‐regulated the mRNA expression level of several differentiation factors derived from subcutaneous preadipocytes. Coptis japonica root extract and berberine in subcutaneous adipocytes facilitated lipolysis in mature adipocytes. Our study suggested that Coptis japonica root extract and its key component, berberine, is expected to be useful for slimming and related skin troubles such as skin sagging, swelling, cellulite, and so on.
Abstracts: Reduction‐induced surface modification of human hair
Authors: Kamath Y. K. , Ruetsch S. B.
Published: September 2010

pp. 1–12

A microfluorometric method has been developed to characterize lipid removal or ‘delipidation’ of the human hair cuticula during light exposure and chemical grooming processes such as oxidation (bleaching) and reduction. In the case of photochemical and chemical oxidation, lipid removal (‘delipidation’ of the F‐layer or lipid‐layer) from the outer‐layer of the exposed scale faces and generation of cysteic acid groups occurs. This ‘delipidation,’ which ultimately results in ‘acidification’ of the scale faces, leading to a change in surface chemistry from hydrophobic to hydrophilic, can be detected and quantified by microfluorometry by tagging, e.g. with the cationic fluorochrome Rhodamine B. In the case of reduction, similar tagging of the acid sites on the scale faces is possible, but this time, Rhodamine B reacts with the mixed disulfide containing a carboxyl group that will be ionized above a pH of about 4. In addition to this, we have shown by microfluorometric scanning that the negative charges generated in the cuticle surface can be used to bind low‐molecular‐weight quaternary conditioners. This process can be considered as ‘relipidation’ or ‘refatting of the scale faces. We have shown in earlier studies (1) that this entire process of oxidation‐induced ‘delipidation’ and subsequent ‘relipidation’ of the acidic scale faces with a cationic conditioning molecule can also be reliably quantified by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Furthermore, single‐fiber wettability scanning using the Wilhelmy technique, which is highly sensitive to any changes in surface chemistry, is well‐suited to detect and characterize treatment‐induced changes in the chemical nature of the hair surface from hydrophobic to hydrophilic.
Abstracts: Natural moisturizing factors in the stratum corneum II. Regeneration of NMF over time after soaking
Authors: Robinson M. , Visscher M. , Laruffa A. , Wickett R.
Published: September 2010

pp. 23–29

The detrimental effects of prolonged water exposure on skin are well known. Information on the effects of short‐term exposure, e.g. during bathing, showering, and hand washing, on Natural moisturizing factors (NMF) levels is limited. In an attempt to isolate the effects of soaking on the NMF, a time course for skin sample collection was devised in which adhesive tapes were applied 0.5 and 4 h after soaking of the treated arm. Significant decreases in NMF levels, quantified by high‐performance liquid chromatography analysis of serial tape strips, were observed 0.5 h after soaking, with a replacement of NMF occurring by the four‐hour mark. This replacement corresponds to a parallel rebound in skin pH also observed at these times. Stratum corneum (SC) hydration values, measured instrumentally as the rate of moisture accumulation (MAT), however, were depressed 0.5 h post‐soaking and remained low 4 h later. In addition, significant increases in skin pH were observed during the immediate post‐soak period. These findings suggest that short‐term exposure to water alone produces significant changes in the SC.
Abstracts: Polyoxyethylene/polyoxypropylene dimethyl ether improves the structure of intercellular lipids in SDS‐induced dry skin
Authors: Yagi E. , Ohmori T. , Sakamoto K.
Published: September 2010

pp. 39–48

The dimethyl ether of an amphiphilic random ethylene oxide/propylene oxide copolymer (EPDME) is useful for the preparation of finely dispersed micro‐emulsions. We examined whether EPDME is effective for skin moisturization by means of electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) studies of ex vivo specimens of stratum corneum (SC) obtained by successive stripping. The values of the order parameter S obtained by EPR measurement indicated that EPDME treatment improved sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)‐induced disruption of SC lipid structures. This effect appeared to be related to improved hydration of the epidermis, not occlusion by EPDME, since there was no significant change in transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
Abstracts: Ultra low viscosity emulsion with high tolerance for electrolytes
Authors: Ozawa Y. , Konno Y. , Naito N.
Published: September 2010

pp.34–40

Among many useful functions of modern skin‐care products, moisturizing effect is the most fundamental and important. The ‘moisture‐balance concept’ which emphasizes the balance of lipid, Natural Moisturizing Factors (NMFs) and water is a key to improving skin condition. Many skin‐care products incorporating lipid and NMF have appeared on the market. However, since NMFs are electrolytes, their presence tends to cause lipid droplets to aggregate and seriously compromise the emulsion stability. Consequently, it has been practically impossible to incorporate both NMFs and lipids into ultra low viscosity products such as toning lotions, which limits their applications. We investigated certain biogenic materials capable of emulsifying lipid in vivo in the presence of electrolytes, including lecithins which have a high affinity for human skin. Our results showed that lysolecithin has high tolerance for electrolytes and high affinity for skin. We developed a novel emulsification technology using lysolecithin. Moreover, we successfully prepared a toning lotion, ‘Biomimetic Moisturizer,’ incorporating both lipids and NMFs, using this technology, and demonstrated its high moisturizing effect and efficacy in improving skin condition.