bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
‘Beyond being’: emergent narratives of suffering in Vietnam
Authors: Gammeltoft Tine
Published: August 2006

Intertwining ethnographic and literary accounts, this article explores the mutual relationship between suffering and agency. The article describes how young Vietnamese women use narrative to find meaning in the suffering that a late‐term abortion causes. Seeking to further develop anthropological use of the concept of social suffering, the article argues that existing scholarship has tended to neglect the importance of human agency and imagination, hinging as it does on suffering as entrenched within structural forces. The article contends that this neglect must be understood in the context of the particular epistemological and ethical conditions under which anthropological studies of human suffering are produced, and that closer attention to the human engagements out of which ethnographic accounts are fashioned may bring into analysis not only the harm that social forces can inflict on people, but also their capacities for action and imagination.
Divergent modes of address and (re)contextualization in Loma ritual prayer
Authors: Højbjerg Christian K.
Published: August 2006

This article explains the ritual symbolism of a sacrificial rite characteristic of the so‐called ‘secret societies’ of the conflict‐ridden Upper Guinea forest and coastal region of West Africa. Whereas the political dimension of these secret societies or cults is relatively well known, very little knowledge exists about the ritual communication with imperceptible beings around which the cults are organized. It appears from the study of Loma ritual prayer that secret mask cults are typical self‐referential entities constituted by a symbolism emerging from a reconfiguration in ritual speech of modes of relationships characteristic of the social structure of the Loma of Guinea and Liberia. Against recent anthropological theories of ritual which reject the idea that ritual can be defined as communication of meaning, it is argued that Loma sacrificial prayer conveys an essential ‘message’ about the secret cult's constitution. In addition to an analysis of the recontextualization of modes of relationships that typifies Loma ritual prayer, the article also pays attention to indexical expressions in prayer which serve to negotiate social relationships and power relations external to the ritual context.
Gender and genre variation in weblogs
Authors: Herring Susan C. , Paolillo John C.
Published: August 2006

A relationship among language, gender, and discourse genre has previously been observed in informal, spoken interaction and formal, written texts. This study investigates the language/gender/genre relationship in weblogs, a popular new mode of computer‐mediated communication (CMC). Taking as the dependent variables stylistic features identified in machine learning research and popularized in a Web interface called the Gender Genie, a multivariate analysis was conducted of entries from random weblogs in a sample balanced for author gender and weblog sub‐genre (diary or filter). The results show that the diary entries contained more ‘female’ stylistic features, and the filter entries more ‘male’ stylistic features, independent of author gender. These findings problematize the characterization of the stylistic features as gendered, and suggest a need for more fine‐grained genre analysis in CMC research. At the same time, it is observed that conventional associations of gender with certain spoken and written genres are reproduced in weblogs, along with their societal valuations.
Code choice and code‐switching in Swiss‐German Internet Relay Chat rooms
Authors: Siebenhaar Beat
Published: August 2006

In the German‐speaking regions of Switzerland, dialect is spoken by all social groups in most communicative situations, Standard German being used only when prescribed. Swiss dialects rarely appeared in written form before the 1980s, apart from the genre of dialect literature. Due to the growing acceptance of informal writing styles in many European languages, dialect is increasingly employed for written personal communication, in particular in computer‐mediated communication (CMC). In Swiss Internet Relay Chat (IRC) rooms, varieties of German are used side by side as all chatters have a command of both standard and dialectal varieties. Depending on the channel, the proportion of dialectal contributions can be as high as 90 percent. The choice of a particular variety depends on both individual preference and on the predominant variety used within a specific thread. In this paper I take a quantitative approach to language variation in IRC and demonstrate how such an approach can help embed qualitative research on code‐switching in CMC.
MULTIPLE BANKING RELATIONSHIPS AND OVER‐LEVERAGE IN ITALIAN MANUFACTURING FIRMS
Authors: COSCI STEFANIA , MELICIANI VALENTINA
Published: August 2006

The purpose of this paper is to shed more light on the determinants of the number of bank lending relationships. In particular we look at the link between over‐leverage and the number of banking relationships for a sample of Italian manufacturing firms, distinguishing between firms with a main bank and firms without a main bank. The main result of the paper is that the number of banking relationships increases with over‐leverage only for firms without a main bank. We argue that this result is consistent with the view that, when banks perform transaction lending, firms can increase their debt capacity by increasing the number of creditors, promising ex ante up to the full amount of available assets to each one of the creditors.
THE INFORMATION CONTENT OF THE TERM STRUCTURE OF INTEREST RATES ABOUT FUTURE INFLATION—AN ILLUSTRATION OF THE IMPORTANCE OF ACCOUNTING FOR A TIME‐VARYING REAL INTEREST RATE AND INFLATION RISK PREMIUM*
Authors: NIELSEN CHRISTIAN MOSE
Published: August 2006

During the past 15 years a large number of studies have used the approach suggested by Mishkin (Quarterly Journal of Economics, Vol. 105 (1990), No. 3, pp. 815–828; Journal of Monetary Economics, Vol. 25 (1990), No. 1, pp. 77–95) to examine the information content of the term structure of interest rates about future inflation. The empirical results of these studies, however, are very mixed and often not supportive of the Mishkin model. In addition, many results indicate that the term structure of interest rates only contains limited information about future inflation and that the relationship between the term structure of interest rates and future inflation may not be stable over time. In this paper an extension of the Mishkin model allowing for time‐varying expected real interest rates and inflation risk premia is suggested and tested using monthly UK data from 1983:1 to 2004:10. The empirical results show that while the standard Mishkin model indicates that the term structure of interest rates contains limited information about future inflation, the extended Mishkin model indicates the contrary, i.e. the term structure of interest rates contains much information about future inflation when account is taken of time‐varying expected real interest rates and inflation risk premia—especially when the long end of the term structure of interest rates is considered. Furthermore, the results indicate a potential structural break in the relationship between the term structure of interest rates and future inflation around the time the Bank of England started targeting inflation rates.
Reconciliation in Londonderry: The Challenges and Constraints Experienced by Protestant Clergy
Authors: Southern Neil
Published: August 2006

Northern Ireland is a place that is more peaceful due principally to the cessation (although imperfect) of republican and loyalist paramilitary violence in 1994. While the violent excesses of ethnic dispute in Northern Ireland no longer saturate media reports, there remains much fear, distrust, and insecurity between Protestant and Catholic communities. This article conducts a microexamination of church‐led attempts at cross‐community reconciliation by Protestant clergy in the city of Londonderry. These attempts are often hampered because of factors that affect both the clergy and the wider Protestant community within which the clergy discharge their pastoral duties. The constraints in their ecumenical activity and interfaith contacts that Protestant clergy experience highlight other factors that hinder the evolution of a more peaceful society. It also causes one to reflect carefully upon the effectiveness of ecumenism and interfaith dialogue as a model for advancing society towards peace and reconciliation. The findings of this paper are based upon a qualitative methodology that involved eight semistructured interviews with clergy of the Church of Ireland, Presbyterian, and Methodist traditions.
Nicholas Murray Butler, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and the Search for Reconciliation in Europe, 1919–1933
Authors: Winn Joseph W.
Published: August 2006

The mission of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (CEIP) changed in fundamental ways in the 1920s. In the wake of the Great War, Nicholas Murray Butler, the CEIP's second president, decided that the institution's prewar focus on research and legalism was insufficient to meet the threat posed to “civilization” by continued war and revolution. Under his leadership, the CEIP became an active proponent of Wilsonianism, a more intrusive form of American internationalism. This article examines Butler's understanding of the purpose of conservative peace institutions in revolutionary times. It also aims to contribute to our understanding of the role of nongovernmental organizations in international relations and the development of cultural relations.
Negative Psychological Effects of Selection Methods: Construct Formulation and an Empirical Investigation into an Assessment Center
Authors: Anderson Neil , Goltsi Vicki
Published: August 2006

This paper defines and formulates the construct of negative psychological effects (NPEs) of selection and assessment methods upon applicants. The results of an empirical study into NPEs in an operational assessment center are also reported. Applicants (n=107) completed measures at three timepoints: Time 1 (just before the AC), Time 2 (immediately after the AC but before outcome decisions were known), and Time 3 (6 months after the AC). Both accepted and rejected candidates completed all three measures, which included self‐esteem, mental health, positive and negative affect, and career exploration behavior. No evidence of NPEs was found for rejected candidates despite significant between‐group differences on feedback reactions level items. Interestingly, well‐being and positive affect declined slightly for successful candidates at subsequent measurement compared against baseline Time 1 norms. Reactions level outcomes did, however, differ significantly between accepted and rejected candidates, with the latter rating feedback dimensions far less favorably. These results are discussed in relation to future research into the psychological impact of selection procedures upon candidates and the need for applied psychologists and HR practitioners to demonstrate that assessment methods do not exhibit NPEs upon applicants.
Verbal and Nonverbal Impression Management Tactics in Behavior Description and Situational Interviews
Authors: Peeters Helga , Lievens Filip
Published: August 2006

This study investigated how structured interview formats, instructions to convey favorable impressions, and applicants' individual differences influenced the use and effectiveness of verbal and nonverbal impression management (IM). Results from 190 people who were screened for a training program demonstrated that interview format affected the kind of tactics used, which in turn positively influenced interviewer evaluations. Behavior description interviews triggered self‐focused (and defensive) tactics, whereas situational interviews triggered other‐focused tactics. Instructions to convey a desirable impression also enhanced the use of specific tactics (self‐focused and other‐focused verbal IM tactics) and moderated the effects of individual differences on IM use. IM instructions did not affect nonverbal IM tactics, indicating that nonverbal behavior might be less intentionally controllable in selection situations.
Scale Properties of the Team Role Self‐Perception Inventory
Authors: Swailes Stephen , Aritzeta Aitor
Published: August 2006

We present an analysis of the dimensionality of the scales that assess the nine team roles contained in the Team Role Self‐Perception Inventory. Using a data set of over 14,000 respondents, reasonable fit to seven‐item unidimensional factor models was obtained for all scales except Implementer and Specialist. Two‐factor structures for all scales showed improvements in model fit although for all roles a small and unreliable second factor was found. Bi‐dimensional structures reflect the separate loading of negatively worded items and/or different item content areas. Five‐item scales provide a more economical version of the inventory and areas for further development of the instrument are identified.
Marktplätze und indirekte Netzwerkeffekte
Authors: Peitz Martin
Published: August 2006

This paper reviews the nascent literature on „two-sided markets“ which can be characterized by two-sided indirect network effects. It presents key findings in this literature, derives some of them in numerical examples and discusses how these findings improve our understanding of real-world markets. It finally discusses some implications for competition policy.
Levels of engagement and barriers to physical activity in a population of adults with learning disabilities
Authors: Hawkins Andrew , Look Roger
Published: August 2006

This study examined levels of, and barriers to, physical activity in a population of 19 adults with learning disabilities living in community supported accommodation, using diary records and semi‐structured interviews with staff. The levels of physical activity were higher in the sample population than previous figures for adults with learning disabilities, but lower than figures for the general population. The five main barriers to physical activity identified by staff were: clients’ lack of understanding of the benefits of exercise; client mood; client lack of awareness of available options for physical activity; risk assessment issues and financial constraints.
Religiosity and Premarital Sex in Adulthood
Authors: BARKAN STEVEN E.
Published: August 2006

A growing body of literature finds an inverse association between religiosity and several types of deviant behavior. Although studies of adolescent sexuality form a large part of this literature, it is not clear that their results necessarily pertain to adults. This study examines the relationship between religiosity and the number of sexual partners among never‐married adults in pooled samples of the General Social Survey. The major findings indicate that religiosity reduces the number of partners and does so partly because of moral disapproval of premarital sex. Additional analyses address whether the inverse association between religiosity and number of partners varies across gender and race categories. Final remarks address the theoretical importance of the findings and outline areas for further research.
What Proportion of Adult Hispanics Are Catholic? A Review of Survey Data and Methodology
Authors: PERL PAUL , GREELY JENNIFER Z. , GRAY MARK M.
Published: August 2006

The proportion of Hispanics who are Catholic remains unclear, partly because of varying survey methods and limited understanding of how these variations affect estimates of Hispanic religious identification. We compare 12 national surveys conducted since 1990. Language use strongly predicts religious identification among Hispanics—more strongly than other indicators of assimilation—and evidence suggests English‐only interviewing inflates Protestant identification. Additionally, identifying Hispanics through ancestry questions may inflate Catholic identification. We also explore effects of sampling bias, noncoverage bias, and weighting on religious identification. Analyses suggest that poststratification weighting is advisable, particularly for language use. However, weighting cannot fully substitute for extensive coverage of subpopulations such as recent immigrants and Spanish‐only speakers. We conclude that 70 percent or slightly more is a reasonable estimate of the proportion of adult Hispanics who are Catholic, and 20 percent a reasonable estimate of the proportion who are Protestant or other Christian.
The Direction of Denominational Switching in Judaism
Authors: SANDS ROBERTA G. , MARCUS STEVEN C. , DANZIG RIVKA A.
Published: August 2006

This research note examines patterns of denominational switching and the characteristics of switchers within Judaism in the United States. Viewing orthodox, conservative, and reform Judaism and a fourth “nonspecific” group as categories that range from the most traditional to the least traditional, respectively, we focus on the movement of individuals toward or away from a more traditional denomination in comparison with remaining in the same denomination in which they were raised. The data were drawn from the National Jewish Population Survey (NJPS) 2000–2001 (NJPS 2003). We found that 62 percent stay within the same group, 29 percent move away from tradition, and 9 percent move to a more traditional denomination. Multivariate logistic regression analyses show that a lower level of Jewish background, higher previous travel to Israel, a greater extent of organizational affiliation, and a higher level of spiritual feelings and beliefs are associated with moving to a more traditional denomination whereas a higher level of Jewish background, lower previous travel to Israel, and a lower level of spiritual feelings and beliefs are associated with moving to a less traditional denomination. In addition, a few sociodemographic factors (previously married, has a child at home, lives in a western state) are associated with movement toward tradition whereas others (older age, female, not living in the northeast or west) are associated with movement in the other direction.
Risk and Return Around Bond Rating Changes: New Evidence From the Spanish Stock Market
Authors: Abad‐Romero Pilar , Robles‐Fernandez M. Dolores
Published: August 2006

Abstract:  This study analyzes the effect of corporate bond rating changes on stock prices in the Spanish stock market. We explore their effects on excess of returns and systematic risk. Rating changes by Moody's, Standard and Poor's and FitchIBCA are analyzed. On an efficient market, these changes will only have some effect if they contain some new information or if they are associated to a redistribution of wealth between shareholders and bondholders. We use an extension of the event study dummy approach. Our results support the redistribution of wealth hypothesis in the abnormal returns behavior. We also find that changes in both directions cause a rebalancing effect in the total risk of the firm, with significant reductions on their systematic component.
The Impact on IPO Performance of More Stringent Listing Rules with a Pre‐listing Earnings Requirement: Evidence from Hong Kong
Authors: Cheng Wai‐yan , Cheung Yan‐leung , Tse Yuen‐ching
Published: August 2006

Abstract:  This study considers the impact of a change to listing rules covering IPO performance in the Hong Kong stock market. The change, introduced in 1994, imposed a three‐year prelisting earning requirement on new issues. The objective of this research is to screen out a subset of poor IPO performers. We find there is no significant difference in performance between IPOs before and after the regulatory change. We further divide our sample of IPOs registered before the regulatory change into two sub‐samples: those that did and those that did not fulfil the earnings requirement. The result shows that there is no significant difference in performance between the two IPO sub‐samples. This implies that the existence of pre‐listing earnings does not guarantee good long‐term IPO performance and the pre‐listing earnings of new issues is not an effective screen for ‘bad’ IPO performers. This study further analyses the rationale for rule change in the context of recent developments in the Hong Kong stock market and concludes that the rule change is part of the reform programme aimed at introducing a second board market for small companies and at attracting more China‐related listings to the main board.
EU Social Policy after Lisbon*
Authors: DALY MARY
Published: August 2006

This article focuses on the Lisbon strategy, the latest ‘moment’ in EU social policy. Following developments up to the end of 2005, it seeks to assess the significance of the poverty/social inclusion open method of co‐ordination in terms of what it indicates about the EU's engagement with social policy. The article proceeds by interrogating a series of arguments for and against significance. It considers in turn different interpretations of: the functions and rationale of the EU policy process on poverty and social inclusion; the application and unfolding of the method of open co‐ordination in this particular policy domain; and the politics underlying it. In elaborating the sui generis aspects of EU social policy especially as associated with Lisbon, the analysis discusses the possibility that social policy is developing its own dynamic at EU level. However, although significant elements can be identified, the relative fragility of poverty and social exclusion within the EU policy portfolio is highlighted. It is there but lacks firm foundation.
The Euro and Regional Price Differences of Individual Products in an Integrated Cross‐Border Area*
Authors: MATHÄ THOMAS Y.
Published: August 2006

Using individual supermarket prices, this article shows that, even for a narrowly defined geographical and highly integrated cross‐border area, absolute deviations from the law of one price (LOP) rise, as distance increases and borders are crossed. Being inside the former Belgian‐Luxembourg monetary association has the opposite effect. The latter result suggests that the euro will increase European integration and will help to reduce regional and cross‐border price differences in the long term. Furthermore, larger differences in packaging sizes result in larger price deviations. The opposite is the case for prices observed within the same retail group.
Experiments in Food Safety Policy Integration in the European Union*
Authors: UGLAND TRYGVE , VEGGELAND FRODE
Published: August 2006

Policy issues are increasingly cross‐cutting. Policy integration has therefore become a fashionable concept among policy‐makers at domestic and international levels. Theoretically, the article facilitates a deeper understanding of the concept of policy integration. Empirically, this article analyses food safety policy integration in the European Union (EU). Three different historical phases are identified here. The central argument is that the way cross‐cutting policy issues are integrated within policy sectors affects the opportunities for effective integration of these issues across different policy sectors.
Speaking with One Voice: Risk Communication Lessons from the US Anthrax Attacks1
Authors: Clarke Lee , Chess Caron , Holmes Rachel , O'Neill Karen M.
Published: August 2006

It is often said that in times of crises experts, officials, and organizations should speak with one voice. But this homily has not been subjected to either conceptual or empirical scrutiny. We begin those tasks in this paper. To pursue our analysis, we use statements from the popular and scholarly presses; we also use our interviews with local officials in New Jersey, USA, who had to respond to the anthrax attacks in the fall of 2001. We outline some of the meanings of the admonition to “speak with one voice” and discuss the rhetorical significance of the advice. Our argument is that it may be wise to speak with one voice, but this can not be taken for granted. Difference audiences may well need different messages or different kinds of messages. Speaking with multiple voices is often the most effective way to advance meaningful communication.
Effect of biomass on assemblages of large mammals in a seasonally dry forest in the Brazilian Amazonia
Authors: Mendes Pontes A. R. , Chivers D. J. , Lee P. C.
Published: August 2006

Aiming to understand the relationship between body mass and abundance, a community of middle‐sized and larger mammals was studied in a seasonally dry forest in the far north of the Brazilian Amazonia. Diurnal and nocturnal surveys were carried out by the line‐transect method along a 10‐km transect. Data were collected on density, biomass, use of forest types, forest strata, diet and feeding strategies by the mammals. Biomass explained animal abundance better than did body mass across the two forest types: Terra Firme forest and mixed forest. There was a statistically significant positive relationship between the biomass of all the 33 mammals studied and group density, as well as between biomass and group size, in both forests. When terrestrial and arboreal mammals, and also different feeding guilds were considered separately, they exhibited very similar results, where biomass alone was positively associated with group density and group size. The slope of the relationships between body mass and group density, body mass and group size, biomass and group density, and biomass and group size varied considerably, with significant scatter around the regression line. Food and food competition shaped the relationship between animal mass and abundance, and this relationship can even vary widely between assemblages. As a result of competition for the available resources, group density increased with increasing biomass.
Evaluation of the KA24 (Knowledge Access 24) service for health and social care staff in London and the south‐east of England. Part 2: qualitative
Authors: Urquhart Christine , Durbin Jane , Cumbers Barbara
Published: August 2006

Aims and objectives:  The aim of this two‐part paper is to identify the main transferable lessons learned from both the quantitative and qualitative evaluations of the KA24 (Knowledge Access 24) service of online databases and selected full‐text journals for health and social care staff in London and the south‐east of England. The objectives of the qualitative evaluation were to assess the enablers and barriers to usage, and to assess the impact of the service on patient care.

Methods:  Telephone interviews (n = 65) and a questionnaire survey (n = 296) were conducted with various types of user, in various Trust settings. Some non‐users were also contacted. Selection of interviewees and questionnaire recipients was not random, and aimed to cover all groups of users representatively.

Results:  Results show that policy goals were being delivered, with indications of changes to clinical practice, and improved clinical governance. Promotion, training and support needs to be extensive, and tailored to needs, but users are not always aware they need training. The sharing of passwords cast doubts on the reliability of some usage data.

Conclusions:  Digital health library services, delivered at the point of care, are changing the way some clinicians practise. A combination of qualitative and quantitative evaluation methods are needed to assess digital library services.
Learning to use the Internet as a study tool: a review of available resources and exploration of students’ priorities
Authors: Bond Carol S. , Fevyer David , Pitt Chris
Published: August 2006

Background:  The Internet is a valuable information tool, but users often struggle to locate good quality information from within the vast amount of information available.

Objectives:  The aim of the study was to identify the online information resources available to assist students develop Internet searching skills, and to explore the students’ priorities in online guides.

Methods:  A qualitative approach was adopted with two phases. The first was a structured search of available online study skills resources. The second comprised 10 group interviews with a total of 60 students at all stages of five undergraduate health and social care related courses at a UK university.

Results:  The study found that there were good online guides available, but that, perversely, the better guides tended to require the best searching skills to locate them. A few students were enthusiastic about using online support, however the majority felt that if they had the skills to locate such resources they wouldn't use a study guide to improve these skills, and if they did not have the skills they would not think of using an online guide to develop them.

Conclusions:  Students wanted assistance when they had problems or questions, rather than sites that offered structured learning experiences. Personal support rather than virtual support was also considered to be most important to the students in this study.
Open access publishing in the biomedical sciences: could funding agencies accelerate the inevitable changes?
Authors: Glover Steven William , Webb Anne , Gleghorn Colette
Published: August 2006

Background:  Open access is making a noticeable impact on access to information. In 2005, many major research funders, including the Wellcome Trust, National Institutes for Health (NIH), and the Research Councils UK (RCUK), set out their position in a number of statements. Of particular note was the stipulation that authors receiving grants must deposit their final manuscript in an open access forum within 6–12 months of publication.

Observations:  The paper will look at the open access position statements issued by some of the major funding bodies in the biomedical sciences. The paper will also look at the models used by publishers to provide open or delayed access, such as Oxford Open from Oxford University Press, HighWire Press’ delayed access policy, BioMed Central, and Public Library of Science (PLoS). There are now over 1.2 million articles in PubMed that are freely accessible via publishers’ websites.1

Conclusion/discussion:  Could funding agencies accelerate the move to open access? The list of funding agencies supporting open access is growing. The National Institutes for Health and the Wellcome Trust have been joined by many of the world's major funders in biomedical research whose goal it is to make their research findings available with no barriers.
Do financial factors such as author page charges and industry funding impact on the nature of published research in infectious diseases?
Authors: Liyanage Surabhi S. , Raina MacIntyre C.
Published: August 2006

Objectives:  The question of who pays for research to be conducted and published is an important one as it may result in publication bias. The traditional model of medical publishing has relied on subscriptions for funding. There has been increasing interest in making the results of scientific research freely available. One proposed mechanism is an author‐pays system, which shifts cost from subscribers to authors. We investigated the impact of author page charges on the nature and type of published research, and the association of industry funding with types of published research.

Methods:  Four infectious diseases journals with comparable scope were studied—two with page charges and two without. Variables included type of research study, area of research, author demographics, study setting and industry funding. The differences between a subscription model vs. a mixed model (author page charges and subscription charges) were studied. We also investigated changes within the same journal once it had moved from a subscription model to a mixed model.

Results:  Authors from developing countries were significantly less likely to be published in the mixed‐model journals (OR 0.25, 95% CI 0.15–0.41, P < 0.001). Clinical trials published in any type of journal were significantly more likely to be industry funded than any other type of research (OR 12.7, 95% CI 7.0–22.9, P < 0.001). Industry‐funded research was significantly less likely to be about diseases affecting predominantly the developing world (OR 0.47, 95% CI 0.25–0.89, P < 0.05).

Conclusion:  There is clearly a relationship between industry funding and certain types of published research. The model of funding of journal publishing can also affect the nature of published research. Shifting publishing costs to authors favours well‐funded organizations, industry sponsored research and wealthy countries. Such potential for publication bias must be considered when planning for open access models.
Euroethics—a database network on biomedical ethics
Authors: Gavel Ylva , Andersson Per‐Olov , Knutssøn Gun‐Brit
Published: August 2006

Background:  euroethics is a database covering European literature on ethics in medicine. It is produced within Eurethnet, a European information network on ethics in medicine and biotechnology.

Objectives:  The aim of Euroethics is to disseminate information on European bioethical literature that may otherwise be difficult to find.

Methods:  A collaboration model for pooling data from different centres was developed. The policy was to accomplish data uniformity, while still allowing for local differences in terms of software, indexing practices and resources. Records contributed to the database follow common standards in terms of data fields and indexing terms. The indexing terms derive from two thesauri, Thesaurus Ethics in the Life Sciences (TELS) and Medical Subject Headings (MeSH). Combining elements from search tools developed previously, the developers sought to find a technical solution optimized for this data model. An approach relying on a thesaurus database that is loaded along with the bibliographic database is described.

Results and conclusions:  The present case study offers examples of possible approaches to several tasks often encountered in database development, such as: merging data from diverse sources, getting the most out of indexing terms used in a database, and handling more than one thesaurus in the same system.
Kanamycin alters cytoplasmic and nuclear phosphoinositide signaling in the organ of Corti in vivo
Authors: Jiang Hongyan , Sha Su‐Hua , Schacht Jochen
Published: August 2006

Aminoglycoside antibiotics strongly bind to phosphoinositides and affect their membrane distribution and metabolism. Kanamycin treatment also disrupts Rac/Rho signaling pathways to the actin cytoskeleton in the mouse inner ear in vivo. Here, we investigate the influence of kanamycin on phosphoinositide signaling in sensory cells (hair cells) of the mouse cochlea. Immunoreactivity to phosphatidylinositol‐3,4,5‐trisphosphate (PIP3) decreased in the organ of Corti, especially in outer hair cells, after 3–7 days of drug treatment, whereas imunoreactivity to phosphatidylinositol‐4,5‐bisphosphate (PIP2) increased. Immunoreactivity to PIP2 was present at the apical poles of outer hair cells, but appeared in their nuclei only after drug treatment. Furthermore, nuclear PIP2 formed a complex with histone H3 and attenuated its acetylation in outer hair cells. In agreement with reduced PIP3 signaling, phosphorylated Akt decreased in both the cytoplasm and nuclei of outer hair cells after kanamycin treatment. This study suggests that kanamycin disturbs the balance between PIP2 and PIP3, modifies gene transcription via histone acetylation and diminishes the PI3K/Akt survival pathway. These actions may contribute to the death of outer hair cells, which is a consequence of chronic kanamycin treatment.
Microsatellite primers for Ficus racemosa and Ficus rubiginosa
Authors: CROZIER Y. CHING , JIA XIAO CHENG , YAO JIN YAN , FIELD ASHLEY R. , COOK JAMES M. , CROZIER ROSS H.
Published: August 2006

We developed 11 polymorphic microsatellite loci each for the figs Ficus (Sycomorus) racemosa and Ficus (Urostigma) rubiginosa from AG‐ and TG‐enriched genomic libraries. These 22 loci were investigated for cross‐species amplification and polymorphism in 17–21 F. racemosa and 16–24 F. rubiginosa individuals from Townsville, Australia. Observed heterozygosities range from 0.12 to 0.90 in F. racemosa and from 0.25 to 1.0 in F. rubiginosa.
Curvature of ellipsoids and other surfaces
Authors: Harris W. F.
Published: August 2006

From differential geometry one obtains an expression for the curvature in any direction at a point on a surface. The general theory is outlined. The theory is then specialised for surfaces that are represented parametrically as height over a transverse plane. The general ellipsoid is treated in detail as a special case. A quadratic equation gives the principal directions at the point and, hence, the principal curvatures associated with them. Equations are obtained for ellipsoids in general that are generalisations of Bennett's equations for sagittal and tangential curvature of ellipsoids of revolution. Equations are also presented for the locations of umbilic points on the ellipsoid.
Night‐vision goggles for night‐blind subjects: subjective evaluation after 2 years of use
Authors: Hartong D. T. , Kooijman A. C.
Published: August 2006

Purpose:  To evaluate the usefulness of night‐vision goggles (NVG) for night‐blind subjects after 1 and 2 years of use.

Methods:  Eleven night‐blind subjects with retinitis pigmentosa used NVG for a 2‐year period. At the end of each year, they were requested to fill‐in two questionnaires regarding their use of the instrument.

Results:  At both the 1‐ and 2‐year evaluations, the subjects reported fewer problems with mobility in the dark when they used the goggles. At the 2‐year evaluation, two individuals stated that they had stopped using the instrument, while seven used it at least twice a week. The nine subjects still using the instrument after 2 years reported an increase in their sense of independence and an increase in their potential for activities. The instrument was used most often during the dark winter season and for purposes such as visiting friends and family, travelling to work or sports, attending meetings and strolling.

Conclusion:  At the 2‐year follow‐up, NVG were still being used by most of the night‐blind subjects. Moreover, the device had a positive effect on the subjects’ experienced opportunities and sense of independence. The instrument was considered useful in the daily lives of our subjects.
Case report: the occurrence of fibrillary lines in overnight orthokeratology
Authors: Cheung Sin Wan , Cho Pauline , Bron Anthony J. , Chui Vincent , Chan Ben
Published: August 2006

Background:  To report the occurrence of concentric fibrillary lines in the central corneas of a 13‐year‐old girl during overnight orthokeratology.

Methods:  Observational case report.

Results:  The initial refractive errors and keratometric readings (flattest/steepest meridians) of the patient were −6.00/–0.50 × 180 and 45.25/46.20 D, respectively, in the right eye and −5.50 DS and 44.90/45.80 D, respectively in the left eye. She underwent orthokeratology for myopic control, with a target reduction of 4.00 D myopia. A pair of DreimLens lenses was prescribed to be worn on a nightly basis and spectacles were worn by day. The same orthokeratology lenses were used throughout the monitoring period. Corneal topography showed well‐centred treatment zones but persistent peripheral corneal staining due to trichiasis. A faint, peripheral pigmented brownish corneal arc and bundles of fine concentric fibrillary lines were observed in the central cornea about 12 months after commencing lens wear. In view of the persistent corneal staining due to trichiasis, she was advised to stop the orthokeratology treatment after 16 months of lens wear and was prescribed 1‐Day Acuvue® daily disposable contact lenses. The pigmented line disappeared after 2 months of hydrogel lens wear, while the fibrillary lines took 10 months to resolve.

Conclusions:  Fibrillary lines are a feature of the normal cornea thought to represent the arrangement of the subbasal, epithelial nerve plexus. We hypothesize that orthokeratology lens wear stimulates an altered epithelial migration pattern and a structural reorganisation of the subbasal nerve plexus in relation to this. This is assumed to account for the concentric pattern of fibrillary lines seen in our patient. The lines had no effect on vision and resolved over a period of 10 months following cessation of orthokeratology lens wear.
Technical note: Apparatus for comparison of progressive addition spectacle lenses
Authors: Fowler C. W.
Published: August 2006

Apparatus is described for the measurement of lens power distribution across the surface of a progressive addition spectacle lens. Although the method used is different to that specified in BS 2738‐7:1996, the measurements are nevertheless comparable, and are considered sufficiently accurate for making basic comparisons of lens type.
Attachment transfer among Swedish and German adolescents: A prospective longitudinal study
Authors: FRIEDLMEIER WOLFGANG , GRANQVIST PEHR
Published: August 2006

This prospective longitudinal study investigated whether and in what way different functions of attachment relationships are transferred from parents to reciprocal relationship partners in adolescence. Furthermore, the impact of nationality, romantic relationship status, and individual differences in perceived attachment history and current attachment orientation on the timing and extent of transfer was examined. Adolescents from Sweden and Germany were studied over a 12‐ to 15‐month time span. As predicted, the transfer generally unfolded in a step‐by‐step process in cross‐sectional analyses. However, the predicted direction of transfer from parents to peers could not be confirmed in the prospective analyses. Adolescents who had formed a romantic relationship between assessments showed a stronger transfer from parents to peers compared to those who had not. German adolescents had transferred to a larger extent at Time Point 1, but Swedish adolescents caught up by Time Point 2. Finally, the combination of an insecure history with mother and high current anxiety was linked to a particularly high degree of prospective attachment transfer, whereas an insecure history with mother combined with high current avoidance predicted a particularly low degree of prospective transfer.
Helicobacter and Digestive Malignancies
Authors: Starzyñska Teresa , Malfertheiner Peter
Published: August 2006

Important new data were published during the past year on the relationship of Helicobacter infection and gastric neoplasias. In the pathogenesis of gastric cancer, a thrilling new hypothesis was put forward based on animal experiments. Helicobacter infection induces gastric mucosal damage and bone marrow‐derived cells (mobilized into peripheral blood and attracted to the inflamed mucosa) replace the areas of damaged gastric tissue and turn into neoplastic proliferation. Several studies focused on mechanisms related to the development of gastric malignancy in infected individuals with particular attention to inflammatory cytokine gene polymorphisms.

Some new evidence is also reported to suggest that Helicobacter infection increases the risk of neoplasias outside the stomach in the liver and colon.
Explaining Fascism and Ethnic Cleansing: The Three Dimensions of Charisma and the Four Dark Sides of Nationalism
Authors: Eatwell Roger
Published: August 2006

Ideas and leaders matter. Fascism's syncretic ideology is crucial to understanding its rise and support. So too is the coterie charisma exerted by leaders like Hitler over an inner core even in the wilderness years; his centripetal charisma went on to help attract the masses to the ‘Führer party’ for very diverse reasons; and the cultic charisma leaders developed especially when in power further helps explain their appeal. The four dark sides of nationalism – namely, its ethnic, religious, scientific and economic dimensions – are also crucial to understanding genocide. So too is leadership: no Hitler, no Holocaust. Genocide also points to the importance of lower levels of leaders, who were sometimes influenced by the charisma of the ‘great’ leader, although in other cases, such as Milosevic's Serbia, the charismatisation of the national idea was more influential.
Taking Mann Seriously?
Authors: Semelin Jacques
Published: August 2006

Michael Mann's two recent books offer a major contribution to the political sociology of mass violence. By developing and endorsing a comparative approach, the author wishes to explain the development of authoritarian regimes, above all fascist movements, as well as the phenomenon of ethnic violence. Considering the crucial and traumatic experience of the First World War as a cultural and social matrix, Mann's definition of fascism is particularly concise and enlightening. Mann's pages articulating the role of collective anxiety and even fear, prospering in a particularly unstable political, economic and international context and the security dilemma are among the highest achievements of the book. But what is disturbing in Fascists, is the deliberate choice not to take into consideration the historical and political realities of communist movements during the same period and ignoring Hanna Arendt's thesis on totalitarianism.

The Dark Side of Democracy is a book more innovative and inspiring than earlier works. Contrary to mainstream genocide studies, Mann's work distances itself from the legal front. Sometime overusing the expression ‘ethnic cleansing’, a perverse definition of democracy can lead according to Mann to ethnic mass murders. In modern time, he notes, ‘the people’ has come to mean two things: demos (the mass of the population) and ethnos (the ethnic group that shares a common culture). Consequently, when an ethnic group claims ‘We, the people’, it can involve the rejection, even the eradication, of those who are perceived as aliens. But the murderous phenomena analyzed by Mann cannot be linked to the birth of modern democracy, but rather to a more general evolution, that is the formation of nation-states. What is at stake is not the dark side of democracy, but the dark side of the Nation-State in the modern democratic age. Another major contribution relies on the interpretation of mass violence based on the construction of a social imaginary. Before the massacre becomes an atrocious physical act, it is born from a mental process, from a vision of the other as a problem to be eliminated. It is crucial to distinguish more clearly than the author does two fundamental conceptions of ‘social purity’ that bring about two different figures of the ‘enemy’.
Salvation: Its Forms and Dynamics in the New Testament
Authors: Hultgren Arland J.
Published: August 2006

Abstract:  Salvation takes several forms in the New Testament, including earthly‐historical saving acts by the earthly Jesus and eschatological salvation by God's saving work in Christ. The dynamics of salvation can be considered from both anthropocentric and theocentric approaches. In the former salvation is by works, faith, or grace, but issues can be raised about each. In the latter salvation is spoken of as the act of God in Christ (a theopractic approach) or by the act of Christ on God's behalf (a Christopractic approach). Issues arise concerning canonical contexts, whether something happened at the cross effective for humanity and the cosmos, and the scope of redemption.
The Way of Salvation in Luther's Theology: A Feminist Evaluation
Authors: Trelstad Marit
Published: August 2006

Abstract:  Luther's understanding of salvation can be summed up with the phrase “justification by grace through faith.” The doctrine of justification is the focal point for all theological categories in Luther's theology, including salvation. That said, this article examines various ways grace or salvation is understood to be conveyed in Luther's theology through: the cross, the resurrection or through God's election and covenant with humankind. Throughout the article, it evaluates these foci for salvation in terms of their ability to speak gospel to women's lives today. In particular, it evaluates the appropriate usage of Luther's epistemology of the cross.