bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Atrial Gap Junctions, NF-κB and Fibrosis in Patients Undergoing Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery: The Relationship with Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation
Authors: Li Jiun-Yi , Lai Yu-Jun , Yeh Hung-I , Chen Chia-Li , Sun Shen , Wu Shye-Jao , Lin Fang-Yue
Published: June 2008

Objectives: We examined the role of atrial gap junctions, NF-κB and fibrosis in the occurrence of postoperative atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. Methods: Forty-five patients with sinus rhythm were randomly assigned to the beating heart (n = 22) or cardioplegic cardiac arrest (n = 23) technique for surgery. Of them, 14 patients experienced post-CABG AF. Atrial samples taken before and after CABG surgery were analyzed. Results: During surgery, Cx43 and Cx40 proteins were significantly reduced (both p < 0.05) in the arrested heart group, but only mildly decreased in the beating heart group. However, the change of either connexin was not associated with AF. In contrast, patients with AF had a higher baseline expression of NF-κB and more fibrosis compared to those without AF (both p < 0.05). Conclusions: CABG surgery with the beating heart technique attenuated the reduction of atrial Cx43 and Cx40 compared to the cardioplegic cardiac arrest technique. Atrial inflammation and fibrosis status before surgery, but not the changes of connexins during surgery, were associated with the occurrence of post-CABG AF.
Experimental Study of [99mTc(PNP5) (DBODC)]+ as a New Myocardial Perfusion Imaging Agent
Authors: Zhang Wan-Chun , Fang Wei , Li Bin , Wang Xue-Bin , He Zuo-Xiang
Published: June 2008

Objectives: This study was aimed to compare the properties of [99mTc(PNP5)(DBODC)]+ with 99mTc-MIBI in normal swine and in canine models of myocardial ischemia. Methods: Seven anesthetized swine were injected intravenously with [99mTc(PNP5)(DBODC)]+. Serial planar images were acquired meanwhile. Twelve adult dogs were studied. A critical stenosis of left anterior descending artery was produced. [99mTc(PNP5)(DBODC)]+ or 99mTc-MIBI (randomly) was injected intravenously at the end of 3 min of adenosine infusion. The occluder was released after adenosine infusion. Myocardial SPECT imaging was obtained at 30, 60, 90 and 180 min, respectively, after tracer injection. Rest myocardial SPECT imaging was acquired on the next day. Results: Blood disappearance of [99mTc(PNP5)(DBODC)]+ was biexponential with an initial half-time of 2.97 ± 0.48 min and a late half-time of 52.49 ± 19.49 min. Myocardial [99mTc(PNP5)(DBODC)]+ uptake was similar to 99mTc-MIBI. Heart-to-liver ratio of [99mTc(PNP5)(DBODC)]+ was significantly higher than that of 99mTc-MIBI (0.99 ± 0.03 vs. 0.46 ± 0.10, p < 0.05) 30 min after injection. In canine models of myocardial ischemia, image quality of [99mTc(PNP5)(DBODC)]+ was better than 99mTc-MIBI. Segments with perfusion defects by [99mTc(PNP5)(DBODC)]+ was 3.60 ± 1.52 and 4.25 ± 0.96 by 99mTc-MIBI (p = n.s.). Conclusions: [99mTc(PNP5)(DBODC)]+ seems to be a promising new myocardial perfusion imaging agent.
Memory Effects of Speech and Gesture Binding: Cortical and Hippocampal Activation in Relation to Subsequent Memory Performance
Authors: Straube Benjamin , Green Antonia , Weis Susanne , Chatterjee Anjan , Kircher Tilo
Published: June 2008

In human face-to-face communication, the content of speech is often illustrated by coverbal gestures. Behavioral evidence suggests that gestures provide advantages in the comprehension and memory of speech. Yet, how the human brain integrates abstract auditory and visual information into a common representation is not known. Our study investigates the neural basis of memory for bimodal speech and gesture representations. In this fMRI study, 12 participants were presented with video clips showing an actor performing meaningful metaphoric gestures (MG), unrelated, free gestures (FG), and no arm and hand movements (NG) accompanying sentences with an abstract content. After the fMRI session, the participants performed a recognition task. Behaviorally, the participants showed the highest hit rate for sentences accompanied by meaningful metaphoric gestures. Despite comparable old/new discrimination performances (d′) for the three conditions, we obtained distinct memory-related left-hemispheric activations in the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), the premotor cortex (BA 6), and the middle temporal gyrus (MTG), as well as significant correlations between hippocampal activation and memory performance in the metaphoric gesture condition. In contrast, unrelated speech and gesture information (FG) was processed in areas of the left occipito-temporal and cerebellar region and the right IFG just like the no-gesture condition (NG). We propose that the specific left-lateralized activation pattern for the metaphoric speech–gesture sentences reflects semantic integration of speech and gestures. These results provide novel evidence about the neural integration of abstract speech and gestures as it contributes to subsequent memory performance.
A Brain Mechanism for Facilitation of Insight by Positive Affect
Authors: Subramaniam Karuna , Kounios John , Parrish Todd B. , Jung-Beeman Mark
Published: June 2008

Previous research has shown that people solve insight or creative problems better when in a positive mood (assessed or induced), although the precise mechanisms and neural substrates of this facilitation remain unclear. We assessed mood and personality variables in 79 participants before they attempted to solve problems that can be solved by either an insight or an analytic strategy. Participants higher in positive mood solved more problems, and specifically more with insight, compared with participants lower in positive mood. fMRI was performed on 27 of the participants while they solved problems. Positive mood (and to a lesser extent and in the opposite direction, anxiety) was associated with changes in brain activity during a preparatory interval preceding each solved problem; modulation of preparatory activity in several areas biased people to solve either with insight or analytically. Analyses examined whether (a) positive mood modulated activity in brain areas showing responsivity during preparation; (b) positive mood modulated activity in areas showing stronger activity for insight than noninsight trials either during preparation or solution; and (c) insight effects occurred in areas that showed mood-related effects during preparation. Across three analyses, the ACC showed sensitivity to both mood and insight, demonstrating that positive mood alters preparatory activity in ACC, biasing participants to engage in processing conducive to insight solving. This result suggests that positive mood enhances insight, at least in part, by modulating attention and cognitive control mechanisms via ACC, perhaps enhancing sensitivity to detect non-prepotent solution candidates.
Learning and Consolidation of Novel Spoken Words
Authors: Davis Matthew H. , Di Betta Anna Maria , Macdonald Mark J. E. , Gaskell M. Gareth
Published: June 2008

Two experiments explored the neural mechanisms underlying the learning and consolidation of novel spoken words. In Experiment 1, participants learned two sets of novel words on successive days. A subsequent recognition test revealed high levels of familiarity for both sets. However, a lexical decision task showed that only novel words learned on the previous day engaged in lexical competition with similar-sounding existing words. Additionally, only novel words learned on the previous day exhibited faster repetition latencies relative to unfamiliar controls. This overnight consolidation effect was further examined using fMRI to compare neural responses to existing and novel words learned on different days prior to scanning (Experiment 2). This revealed an elevated response for novel compared with existing words in left superior temporal gyrus (STG), inferior frontal and premotor regions, and right cerebellum. Cortical activation was of equivalent magnitude for unfamiliar novel words and items learned on the day of scanning but significantly reduced for novel words learned on the previous day. In contrast, hippocampal responses were elevated for novel words that were entirely unfamiliar, and this elevated response correlated with postscanning behavioral measures of word learning. These findings are consistent with a dual-learning system account in which there is a division of labor between medial-temporal systems that are involved in initial acquisition and neocortical systems in which representations of novel spoken words are subject to overnight consolidation.
Rule-dependent Prefrontal Cortex Activity across Episodic and Perceptual Decisions: An fMRI Investigation of the Criterial Classification Account
Authors: Han Sanghoon , Huettel Scott A. , Dobbins Ian G.
Published: June 2008

Although lateral prefrontal cortex (LPFC) is clearly involved in decision-making, competing functional characterizations exist. One characterization posits that activation reflects the need to select among competing representations. In contrast, recent fMRI research suggests that activation is driven by the criterial classification of representations, even with minimal competition. To adjudicate between these hypotheses, we used event-related fMRI and contrasted tasks that required different numbers of criterial classifications prior to response in both perceptual and memory domains. Additionally, we manipulated the level of interstimulus competition by increasing the number of probes. Experiment 1 demonstrated that LPFC activation tracked the number of intermediate classifications during trials yet was insensitive to the number of competing probes and the behavioral decline accompanying competition. Furthermore, Experiment 2 demonstrated equivalent increases in LPFC activation for a task requiring two overt criterial classifications (independent classification) and one requiring two covert criterial classifications prior to the single overt response (same–different judgment). As found in Experiment 1, both tasks showed greater activation than a judgment requiring only one classification act (forced choice). These data indicate that LPFC responses reflect the number of executed criterial classifications or judgments, independent of the number of competing stimuli and the overt response demands of the decision task.
Views and Attitudes of Missionaries Toward African Religion in Southern Africa During the Portuguese Era
Authors: Gundani Paul H.
Published: June 2008

This artocle focusses on the religious encounter between Portuguese missionaries and the African societies in Southern Africa. It is argued that the crusading mentality embedded in mediaeval Catltolicism and the terms of the Padruado underpinned and reinforced the views and attitudes that Portuguese missionrzries constructed around African religion and ritual. The perceptions that Christianity was superior to, and in no position to negotiate and dialogue with African religion, contributed significantly towards their failure to understand and to evangelise the societies they came in contact with. Moreover the failure to appreciate that traditional religion was a centrifugal force around which all life, not just kingship, gravitated, resulted in their disillusionment and immature abandonment of the mission field. This analysis is based on, and aided by, secondary sources zuritten on the Portuguese activities in Southern Africa.
Removal of Systematic Model Bias on a Model Grid
Authors: Mass Clifford F. , Baars Jeffrey , Wedam Garrett , Grimit Eric , Steed Richard
Published: June 2008

Virtually all numerical forecast models possess systematic biases. Although attempts to reduce such biases at individual stations using simple statistical corrections have met with some success, there is an acute need for bias reduction on the entire model grid. Such a method should be viable in complex terrain, for locations where gridded high-resolution analyses are not available, and where long climatological records or long-term model forecast grid archives do not exist. This paper describes a systematic bias removal scheme for forecast grids at the surface that is applicable to a wide range of regions and parameters.

Using observational data and model forecasts over the Pacific Northwest, a method was developed to reduce the biases in gridded 2-m temperature, 2-m dewpoint temperature, and 12-h precipitation forecasts. The method first estimates bias at observing locations using errors from forecasts that are similar to the current forecast. These observed biases are then used to estimate bias on the model grid by pairing model grid points with stations that have similar elevation and/or land-use characteristics.

Results show that this approach reduces bias substantially, particularly for periods when biases are large. Adaptations to weather regime changes are made within a short period, and the method essentially “shuts off” when model biases are small. With modest modifications, this approach can be extended to additional variables.
A Verification of Numerical Model Forecasts for Sounding-Derived Indices above Udine, Northeast Italy
Authors: Manzato Agostino
Published: June 2008

In this work, 40 different indices derived from real soundings and the corresponding ECMWF model forecasts for the same location (near Udine, northeast Italy) are compared. This comparison is repeated for more than 500 days, from June 2004 to December 2005. The comparison is performed in terms of linear correlation, bias, root-mean-square error, and relative absolute error. The results show that the quality of agreement varies considerably among the different indices and lead times.

It is found that only 15 indices have strong correlations (R2 always larger than 0.5) that hold up until the fourth forecast day (+96 h). The indices having the best agreement are usually representative of the thermal fields while those having the worst agreement are usually representative of the wind fields, particularly in the low levels. It is also found that the correlations for all 40 of the indices change for the 4 times of the day (one sounding every 6 h), with the 1200 UTC comparison being usually the best one. Also, at 1800 and 0000 UTC the potential instability is strongly underestimated by the model.

To test if these errors depend on the vertical resolutions, a similar comparison has been done between the observed sounding reduced in the World Meteorological Organization TEMP format (as assimilated by the NWP model) and the originals at high vertical resolution. It is found that the indices derived from the TEMP format vary from those with the highest resolution, in particular the indices that depend on the details of the low-level profile, such as the level of free convection and the initial height of the lifted parcel. Nevertheless, only the shear has a very low correlation (R2 = 0.15) with the corresponding index derived from the high-resolution soundings, because it is very sensitive to the number of vertical levels used.
Improving Short-Term Storm Predictions by Assimilating both Radar Radial-Wind and Reflectivity Observations
Authors: Zhao Qingyun , Cook John , Xu Qin , Harasti Paul R.
Published: June 2008

A high-resolution data assimilation system is under development at the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL). The objective of this development is to assimilate high-resolution data, especially those from Doppler radars, into the U.S. Navy’s Coupled Ocean–Atmosphere Mesoscale Prediction System to improve the model’s capability and accuracy in short-term (0–6 h) prediction of hazardous weather for nowcasting. A variational approach is used in this system to assimilate the radar observations into the model. The system is upgraded in this study with new capabilities to assimilate not only the radar radial-wind data but also reflectivity data. Two storm cases are selected to test the upgraded system and to study the impact of radar data assimilation on model forecasts. Results from the data assimilation experiments show significant improvements in storm prediction especially when both radar radial-wind and reflectivity observations are assimilated and the analysis incremental fields are adequately constrained by the model’s dynamics and properly adjusted to satisfy the model’s thermodynamical balance.
A Comparison of Roll and Nonroll Convection and the Subsequent Deepening Moist Convection: An LEM Case Study Based on SCMS Data
Authors: Huang Qian , Marsham John H. , Parker Douglas J. , Tian Wenshou , Weckwerth Tammy
Published: June 2008

Rolls observed during the Small Cumulus Microphysical Study (SCMS) field campaign are simulated using a large eddy model (LEM). The simulated boundary layer properties were in a good agreement with sounding profiles and aircraft observations, and the observed boundary layer rolls were reproduced by the model. Rolls started to decay when −Zi/L exceeded a threshold, with a value between 5 and 45. Here Zi and L refer to the height of the top of convective boundary layer and the Monin–Obukhov length, respectively. This value was found to depend on a nondimensional combination of the low-level wind shear, the height of the CBL, and the eddy velocity scale. Larger surface buoyancy fluxes and smaller shears gave higher thresholds. For the case modeled, rolls persisted for surface buoyancy fluxes less than 110 W m−2, and formed for boundary layer wind shears greater than 5 × 10−3 s−1, which is consistent with previous studies.

The simulated roll convection was compared with a nonroll simulation, which was identical except for the wind and the wind shear used. In both the roll and nonroll cases the variability in convective inhibition (CIN) was dominated by the variability in the source air, rather than the lifting of the top of the boundary layer by the convection. Stronger moist updrafts existed in the nonroll convection, whereas roll convection gave a more symmetrical distribution of up and downdrafts, with stronger downdrafts than the nonroll case. The nonroll convection simulations have lower minimum values of CIN and clouds develop 15 min earlier in this case.
An Upper Gravity-Wave Absorbing Layer for NWP Applications
Authors: Klemp J. B. , Dudhia J. , Hassiotis A. D.
Published: June 2008

Although the use of a damping layer near the top of a computational model domain has proven effective in absorbing upward-propagating gravity-wave energy in idealized simulations, this technique has been less successful in real atmospheric applications. Here, a new technique is proposed for nonhydrostatic model equations that are solved using split-explicit time-integration techniques. In this method, an implicit Rayleigh damping term is applied only to the vertical velocity, as a final adjustment at the end of each small (acoustic) time step. The adjustment is equivalent to including an implicit Rayleigh damping term in the vertical momentum equation together with an implicit vertical diffusion of w, and could be applied in this manner in other time-integration schemes. This implicit damping for the vertical velocity is unconditionally stable and remains effective even for hydrostatic gravity waves. The good absorption characteristics of this layer across a wide range of horizontal scales are confirmed through analysis of the linear wave equation and numerical mountain-wave simulations, and through simulations of an idealized squall line and of mountain waves over the Colorado Rocky Mountains.
Contagious Fire? An Empirical Assessment of the Problem of Multi-shooter, Multi-shot Deadly Force Incidents in Police Work
Authors: White Michael D. , Klinger David
Published: June 2008

Recent police shootings in which multiple officers fired numerous rounds at suspects have led some observers to assert that such situations involve “contagious fire,” where an initial officer’s shots launch a cascade of gunfire from other officers present. Although there is anecdotal recognition of the contagious fire phenomenon among police and the media, there is not a single empirical study documenting its existence in more than 50 years of deadly force research. This article uses Philadelphia Police Department shooting data to explore the potential for police shootings to become contagious. The article provides a testable definition of contagious shootings and identifies predictors of three outcomes: multiple officer shootings, the average number of shots fired per officer, and multi-officer, multi-shot incidents. Findings show that the requisite preconditions for a contagious shooting rarely occur, and when the preconditions were met, there is no evidence to support the existence of a contagion effect.
Mandatory Versus Voluntary Prison Education and Academic Achievement
Authors: RYAN T. A. , McCABE KIMBERLY A.
Published: June 2008

A retrospective study was designed using 1990-1991 educational records from the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice. The sample consisted of 100% of the participants enrolled in the prison literacy program. The study was designed to test the following hypothesis: An association does exist between the method of participation (mandatory or voluntary) in a prison literacy program and academic achievement. The independent variables of sex, race, age, education level, IQ, and type of participant (mandatory or voluntary) were controlled. Adjusted odds ratios were used to show the relationship between the independent variables and voluntary participation. Multiple logistic regression was used as the model-building procedure to calculate the odds ratio along with the 95% confidence interval for the association between voluntary participation and academic achievement in a prison literacy program. Results failed to indicate significant differences in academic achievement when participants in the program were there voluntarily or because of official mandates. The findings of this study support mandatory literacy programs in the prison system.
Inmate Needs and Programming in Exclusively Women's Jails
Authors: GRAY TARA , MAYS G. LARRY , STOHR MARY K.
Published: June 2008

Most women in jail serve time in facilities that also house men. However, there are 18 jails nationally that house women only, and this study is based on surveys and interviews administered at 5 of these jails. It explores the extent to which women's jails meet the needs of inmates who want to further their education and training, maintain and deepen bonds with their children, and overcome their addictions to drugs and alcohol as well as their histories of emotional, physical, and sexual abuse. The findings suggest that, when it comes to meeting most of these needs, the programming in women's jails fails miserably.
Environmental and Interactional Barriers to Job Satisfaction for Postsecondary Correctional Educators
Authors: TEWKSBURY RICHARD , VANNOSTRAND LISE-MARIE
Published: June 2008

This article examines the situational, occupational stressors encountered by postsecondary correctional educators. Environmental limitations and complex inmate-teacher interactions form barriers that often complicate and impede the educational process. On the basis of qualitative interviews these stressors are examined and the process by which faculty can and do overcome them is explored. It is suggested that environmental modifications and increased staff awareness of complex inmate behavior can increase the efficacy and efficiency of prison-based college programs.
State-Created Liberty Interest in Prisons: What the Court Giveth, The Court also Taketh Away
Authors: DEL CARMEN ROLANDO V. , BENNETT KATHERINE , DAILEY JEFFREY D.
Published: June 2008

The concept of state-created liberty interest has been a part of postconviction jurisprudence for more than 2 decades. When agencies limit their actions through state law, agency rules, or self-imposed regulations, those limitations must be observed; invoking due process where none otherwise constitutionally exists. The article looks at a 1995 United States Supreme Court decision that has had a significant impact on this concept. Sandin v. Conner rejects the “language used” approach to determine whether a state-created liberty interest exists, in favor of the “nature of the deprivation.” This article examines the evolution of state-created liberty interest, what the Court said in Sandin v. Conner, how federal courts of appeals have thus far interpreted Sandin, the problems it has created, and the unresolved issues that have yet to be addressed. It concludes that although due process in prisons is far from dead, Sandin has certainly diminished it.
Job Satisfaction among Correctional Executives: A Contemporary Portrait of Wardens of State Prisons for Adults
Authors: FLANAGAN TIMOTHY J. , JOHNSON W. WESLEY , BENNETT KATHERINE
Published: June 2008

This study examines the nature and distribution of job satisfaction in a national sample of 641 wardens of state prisons for adults. The results indicate that these corrections executives are a highly satisfied occupational group, but there is evidence that job satisfaction among wardens has declined since the late 1980s. Measures of social support in the workplace, including effective communication with staff and support and confidence in subordinates, are important determinants of wardens' job satisfaction. The implications of these findings in the context of corrections' increasing politicization and punitiveness are discussed.
Storage Life Studies on RT Cure Glass—Epoxy Pre-pregs
Authors: Chandrakala Kunchi , Vanaja Avadhanam , Rao Rmvgk
Published: June 2008

Studies were carried out on the storage life of Room Temperature (RT)-curable prepregs comprising of two varieties of bi-functional epoxy resins (imported resin system and an equivalent grade of indigenous resin system) as matrices and bi-directional glass fabric as reinforcement. The hand-made pre-pregs were stored at sub-ambient temperature (-18°C). The resin flow of pre-preg was determined as a function of storage period. Composite laminates were vacuum molded using the pre-pregs taken out of the deep freezer. The composite specimens were characterized for their thermal (Tg) as well as mechanical properties. The properties obtained were compared with the properties of wet layed-up composites fabricated without the usage of pre-impregnated plies.
The Influence of Loading Rate on the Mode III Fracture Properties of Adhesively Bonded Composites
Authors: Pennas D. , Cantwell W.J. , Compston P.
Published: June 2008

The Mode III interlaminar fracture properties, GIIIc, of an adhesively-bonded glass/epoxy composite are investigated over a wide range of crosshead displacement rates, using the edge crack torsion (ECT) test geometry. The ECT test fixture has been modified to conduct impact testing on these bonded materials. Tests on all of the samples highlighted a significant crack length dependency with the value of GIIIc increasing rapidly with increasing crack length. Tests were also undertaken on the plain glass reinforced epoxy over an equally wide range of crosshead displacement rates.

For a given crack length, the interlaminar fracture toughness of the adhesively-bonded system was superior to that offered by the plain composite, an effect that is attributed to the presence of significant crack-tip blunting within the adhesive layer. The interlaminar fracture toughness of the composite and the adhesively-bonded system remained roughly constant over the range of crosshead displacement rates considered here, suggesting that these systems do not exhibit any significant rate-sensitive fracture behavior. Finally, the crack tip loading conditions are verified by conducting an FEA analysis of the ECT specimen. Here, it was shown that Mode III loading predominates at the center of the test specimen, whereas regions of Mode II loading were observed close to the test supports.
Synthesis, Characterization and Glass Reinforcement of Poly(Amido-Imide)s — Part 2
Authors: Patel Hashmukh S. , Patel Jigar A.
Published: June 2008

Poly(amido-imide)s (PAI)s were prepared by the intermolecular Diels—Alder (DA) reaction of 1,1-(methylenedi-4,1-phenylene) bis[(2-furanyl methylamino) acetamide] (MPBFA) with various bis(maleimide)s. The DA reaction was carried out in tetrahydrofuran as a solvent, as well as in bulk, followed by aromatization of sodium acetate intermediates in the presence of acetic anhydride. All the polymers were characterized by elemental analysis, IR spectral studies and thermogravimetry. The PAIs exhibit moderate thermal stability. MPBFA and bis(maleimide)s were polymerized (at 145 ± 10°C) by in situ DA intermolecular reaction into moderately thermally stable PAIs—glass fiber composite laminates and were characterized by their chemical resistance and mechanical properties.
Mexico : health promotion initiatives
Authors: Cardaci Dora
Published: June 2008

Mexico is currently undergoing a Health Sector Reform to address the country's epidemiologic and demographic changes, deep socio-economic inequalities and their consequences on health. The Government and a diversified set of actors, mainly NGOs, are taking up health promotion initiatives.
Preserving Our Vitality
Authors: Veninga Robert L.
Published: June 2008

Promoting health locally, regionally, or globally is a difficult and trying endeavor. Professor Veninga offers encouraging strategies to help us maintain our morale, thus our effectiveness.
Salud y ambiente, conflicto entre la palabra y la acción
Authors: Vargas José A.
Published: June 2008

Nuestro siglo es el momento histórico en donde se registra la mayor ofensa a la naturaleza : dos guerras mundiales, conflictos bélicos en donde ha prevalecido el uso y abuso de armas bacteriológicas, radiaciones, explosiones y accidentes nucleares, esto sin añadir el uso de insecticidas, preservativos y los juegos de la ingeniería genética que exponen a la humanidad y a su ambiente a una situación de daño permanente.
Epstein-Barr Virus in Gastric Carcinomas from Singapore
Authors: Clark Gary D. , Yoke Sun Lee  , Min Kyung-Whan , Dunn S. Terence
Published: June 2008

One hundred and thirty-seven consecutive cases of gastric carcinomas were evaluated for the presence of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) by use of an in situ hybridization (ISH) assay for EBV-encoded RNA (EBER1) transcript and by means of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to amplify the internal repeat segment of the EBV genome. EBER1 was localized in tumor nuclei of 6 (4.3%) specimens, 5 of which were lymphocpithclioma-like carcinomas. Forty-five cases (32.8%) were positive by PCR, but evidence suggests that EBV positivity in many of these cases was due to latently infected lymphocytes. The presence of EBV by ISH was strongly associated with increased lymphocytic infiltration of tumors. Our inability to identify significant correlations between EBV-infected tumors and patient age, gender, or ethnicity, and tumor stage or histologic type was partly thwarted by low numbers of ISH-positive cases. Int J Surg Pathol 4(3):00-00, 1997
Extraadrenal Retroperitoneal Paraganglioma with Osseous Metaplasia
Authors: Reddy Vijaya B. , Norris Jeff , Waters Bedford , Gattuso Paolo
Published: June 2008

We report a case of extraadrenal retroperitoneal paraganglioma in a 24-year-old female. This case is unusual in that the neoplasm showed extensive calcification, osseous metaplasia, and marrow elements. Although calcification may occur in paragangliomas, to the best of our knowledge, osseous metaplasia with marrow elements have not been previously reported in the English literature. Int J Surg Pathol 4(3):00-00, 1997
Back to the Future for Home Care
Authors: Byrd Michael D.
Published: June 2008

This article presents a historical look at early home care and social work in Charles Town, South Carolina. The article references specific statements and recollections of home care and social work through out the 1700s and 1800s. This history was similar to the national impetus for home care and social work through out the British Colonies during the early 1700s and the United States after the Revolutionary War. Even in the early beginnings, home care was perceived to be a less expensive care delivery option than the hospital setting and care quality within the home care setting reported to be of better quality than the hospital setting.
Review article: Instructed second language vocabulary learning
Authors: Schmitt Norbert
Published: June 2008

This article overviews current research on second language vocabulary learning. It concludes that a large vocabulary is necessary to function in English: 8000—9000 word families for reading, and perhaps as many as 5000—7000 families for oral discourse. In addition, a number of word knowledge aspects need to be learned about each lexical item. Taken together, this amounts to a substantial lexical learning challenge, one which many/most learners fail to meet. To facilitate adequate vocabulary learning, four vocabulary learning partners (students, teachers, materials writers, and researchers) need to contribute to the learning process. Vocabulary learning programs need to include both an explicit, intentional learning component and a component based around maximizing exposure and incidental learning. The four learning strands (meaning-focused input, meaning-focused output, language-focused learning, and fluency development) suggested by Nation (2001) provide a structure by which to integrate intentional and incidental vocabulary learning. The overriding principle for maximizing vocabulary learning is to increase the amount of engagement learners have with lexical items. All four learning partners need to acknowledge the incremental nature of vocabulary learning, and to develop learning programs which are principled, long-term, and which recognize the richness and scope of the lexical knowledge that needs to be mastered.
Young learner perspectives on four focus-on-form tasks
Authors: Shak Juliana , Gardner Sheena
Published: June 2008

Recent studies suggest that focus-on-form (FonF) instruction has a positive effect on the second language proficiency of young learners. However, few have looked at learner perspectives on different FonF tasks, particularly in those young learners. This study investigates children's attitudes towards four FonF task-types in three Primary 5 English classes in Brunei Darussalam. The four task-types selected are consciousness-raising, dictogloss, grammar interpretation and grammaring. Specifically, the study addresses children's perceived task enjoyment, ease, performance and motivation. Findings show that while there was a general trend of positive attitudes among children towards FonF tasks, variations in task preference existed, particularly with respect to three main sources of influence: cognitive demands, production demands, and pair/group-work opportunities. This research has implications for both the implementation of FonF instruction at primary school level, and the manipulation of task features to suit learners at this level.
Enabling healthy choices: is ICT the highway to health improvement?
Authors: Lindsay Sally , Bellaby Paul , Smith Simon , Baker Rose
Published: June 2008

The White Paper Choosing health acknowledges that there is no lack of information in the system about healthy lifestyles, but the manner of communication of risk and the level of support for lifestyle change need improvement. Action also has to be taken to address inequalities in health and to focus on securing better access to healthier choices for people in disadvantaged groups or areas. Accordingly, this randomized controlled trial examined whether access to a purpose-built health portal for heart disease could enable patients to manage better their heart conditions. We recruited 108 men and women aged 50—74 from coronary heart disease registries from a deprived area of Greater Manchester. Every participant received a new computer and one-year broadband subscription; however, only the experimental group received access to the Hearts of Salford health portal. Our results indicate that the experimental group changed their diet significantly. Specifically, they reported eating `bad foods' (such as chips, sweets, crisps, fried foods, ready meals and cakes/biscuits) significantly less often compared to the controls.
Sport
Authors: Levermore Roger
Published: June 2008

In an era when traditional engines – or suppliers – of development are being increasingly criticized, sport is being seen by some as a vehicle that can reach communities with messages in a way that politicians, multilateral agencies and NGOs cannot. The list of development-through-sport initiatives is impressive, spanning many aspects of international development, from national development strategies to HIV/AIDS awareness. Those that favour the use of sport in such a manner are quick to point out its qualities. However, the traditional field of development is taking longer to warm to the idea that sport might be an engine that drives development initiatives forward. This paper, the first of three, begins by outlining some of the ways that sport is being used for development. It concludes by noting that these schemes receive insufficient evaluation. The following two papers discuss how these initiatives might be evaluated, and share the results of the evaluation process.
A Preliminary Analysis of Reading Materials and Strategies Used by Older Adults
Authors: Champley Jill , Scherz Julie W. , Apel Kenn , Burda Angela N.
Published: June 2008

The purpose of this preliminary study was to gather information related to reading abilities of typically aging older adults, the strategies that older adults use to improve reading comprehension, and the types and frequency of reading materials older adults use. Ninety-six adults, mostly college-educated volunteers between the ages of 65 and 79 years participated. The data collected indicated that this group of adults used a wide variety of materials and strategies for reading and generally were successful readers. Implications for rehabilitation professions who work with older adults are considered.
Pragmatic Assessment in Autism Spectrum Disorders
Authors: Reichow Brian , Salamack Shawn , Paul Rhea , Volkmar Fred R. , Klin Ami
Published: June 2008

The purpose of this study was to investigate the concurrent validity of subtests on the Comprehensive Assessment of Spoken Language (CASL) by comparing them with the assessment of communication and social skills on the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales ( Vineland). The participants were 35 children and adolescents with higher functioning autism spectrum disorders (ASD) who had received both the CASL and the Vineland. Results of the study suggest that the Pragmatic Judgment and Inferences subtests of the CASL appeared to document the difficulties that individuals with ASD had in adaptive use of language for communication.
Evidence-Based Practices Are Not Reformulated Best Practices
Authors: Schirmer Barbara R. , Williams Cheri
Published: June 2008

Communication Disorders Quarterly's special series on evidence-based practices and, specifically, Martindale's article on evidence-based practices in learning to listen, talk, and read among children with significant hearing loss appear to confuse best practices with evidence-based practices and, perhaps more serious, offer little evidence for either. Although the case may be made that evidence-based practices are best practices, best practices are not evidence-based practices unless identified through evaluation of research with criteria agreed on by the research community.
Nurses Working Outside of Nursing
Authors: Black Lisa , Spetz Joanne , Harrington Charlene
Published: June 2008

The phenomenon of career inactivity in professional nursing has been historically portrayed in the literature as a major cause of disequilibrium in the registered nurse labor market. However, there remains a general lack of understanding of the diverse forces that shape the inactive nurse pool and the likelihood that this population will return to nursing. The purpose of this study was to examine the population of registered nurses who are active in the labor market but work in nonnursing employment. Specifically, this study sought to determine the relative importance of nonworkplace- and workplace-related reasons for working outside of nursing. The results demonstrate that dissatisfaction with the nursing workplace is the key reason cited by actively licensed nurses for working outside of nursing employment. These findings suggest that policy and employer remedies are needed to improve the nursing workplace.
Medications and School: Ensuring a Healthy Coexistence
Authors: Prevost Rebecca R.
Published: June 2008

Back to school is a good time for parents, health care professionals, and school officials to examine issues associated with medications or supplements. A few of these issues include vitamin supplementation; immunizations; medications for self-limiting conditions such as cough, colds, or pain; prescription medications for life-threatening allergies or asthma; medications for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder; and the growing concern over prescription drug abuse. Concerns, updates, and basic recommendations that health care professionals can share with parents are reviewed.
Understanding factors that inhibit or promote the utilization of telecare in chronic lung disease
Authors: Mair Frances S. , Hiscock Julia , Beaton Susan C.
Published: June 2008

Objectives: To perform a process evaluation of a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of home telecare for the management of acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), using the normalization process model (NPM) as an explanatory framework.

Methods: Semi-structured interviews were carried out with patients ( n = 9) and nurses ( n = 11) participating in a RCT. A framework approach to data analysis was used.

Results: The telecare service did not provide an interactional advantage for the nurses providing this service and did not fit with the nurses' views of the most appropriate or preferred use of their skills. The telecare service seemed unlikely to become normalized as part of routine healthcare delivery, because the nursing team lacked confidence that it was a safe way to provide healthcare in this context and it was not perceived as improving efficiency.

Discussion: The NPM effectively mapped onto the study findings and explained those factors that inhibited the routine delivery of COPD services by telecare.
What's the Fuss About? The Interplay of Media Hypes and Politics
Authors: Elmelund-Præstekær Christian , Wien Charlotte
Published: June 2008

Media hypes on social problems occur on a regular basis and they seem to generate a lot of political activity. This article asks the question whether media hypes have any influence on public policies central issue of the hype—and if any, what kind of influence? Five media hypes on the same subject area (the care for and spending on the elderly) are analyzed.Their immediate influence on policy making is traced, and although the media often is assumed to exercise real political power through media hypes, no—or only few—traces of such direct political influence is found. Instead media hypes are used strategically by politicians to forward their ongoing work and their positions in the public debate, thus if the media gains political influence because of media hypes one can only see this influence as diffuse and not directly linked to the media hypes themselves.
The 2008 Spanish General Elections: “Antagonistic Bipolarization” Geared by Presidential Debates, Partisanship, and Media Interests
Authors: Sampedro Víctor , Seoane Pérez Francisco
Published: June 2008

The Spanish general elections of 2008 held attributes familiar to Western democracies: permanent campaigning, negativism, and personalization. The mainstream media played along the strategy of bipartisan polarization encouraged by the Socialists and the conservatives, which resulted in a loss of power for the smaller nationalist parties and the postcommunist left. Candidate debates returned to Spanish television after fifteen years, but the moderating role of journalists was banned by the two big parties, who defined and agreed on the debate topics beforehand.The use of new communication technologies by political parties did not result in an open-source campaign. Spontaneous citizen participation was more feared than desired, and formerly revolutionary Web 2.0 was co-opted and tamed by the parties, integrating it into their political marketing tool kit.
Social Media and Postelection Crisis in Kenya
Authors: Mäkinen Maarit , Wangu Kuira Mary
Published: June 2008

This article analyzes the role of the media during the two months of postelection crisis in 2008 in Kenya. We discuss how people exchanged information during and after the media ban and analyze online discussions and media coverage. Particular emphasis is given to the role of the social media, such as Web 2.0 communication tools and services, which enable citizens to interact or share content online. Our analysis shows that during the crisis, the social media functioned as an alternative medium for citizen communication or participatory journalism.This experience has important implications for the process of democratization in Kenya.
The Permanent Campaign of Rafael Correa: Making Ecuador's Plebiscitary Presidency
Authors: Conaghan Catherine , de la Torre Carlos
Published: June 2008

Analysts developed the notion of the permanent campaign to describe how presidents and prime ministers employ political marketing techniques in their quest to mobilize public support. To date, most scholarly studies of the phenomenon have focused on its features and consequences in advanced democracies. This study expands the analysis of the permanent campaign by examining its relationship to the rise of an extreme version of the plebiscitary presidency in the Andean region of Latin America. Through an examination of the administration of Rafael Correa in Ecuador, we show how the permanent campaign has been used as part of a strategy to secure the president's stay in office and effect far-reaching constitutional change. In countries where mechanisms of accountability are already weak, we conclude that conjoining of the plebiscitary presidency and the permanent campaign is likely to exacerbate the accountability deficit and generate problematic consequences for democratic political development.
Media in the Game of Politics: Effects of Strategic Metacoverage on Political Cynicism
Authors: de Vreese Claes H. , Elenbaas Matthijs
Published: June 2008

This study examines the effects of generic strategy news, self-referential press news, and “spin” spotlighting publicity coverage on political cynicism, against the backdrop of governance and policy. Drawing on data from two experiments allowing for replication within a single study, the authors demonstrate that exposure to both generic and publicity strategy news aroused political cynicism relative to issue-based news. In addition, the authors found positive interactions between political knowledge and strategic press and publicity news exposure, showing that more knowledgeable individuals were more strongly affected by these frames. The findings are discussed in the light of extant knowledge about framing effects and the media's increasing use of metareporting.