bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Direct tensile failure of cementitiously stabilized crushed rock materials
Authors: Chakrabarti Srijib , Kodikara Jayantha
Published: April 2007

Tensile behaviour plays a very significant role in the performance of cement-stabilized pavements under traffic, as well as under environmental loading. This paper reports the results of direct tensile strength tests undertaken using new equipment. The tests were performed on specimens of crushed basaltic rock stabilized with three binders, namely, general purpose Portland (GP) cement, general blended (GB) cement, and alkali activated slag (AAS), with application rates of 2%, 3%, and 4% by dry weight. Some tests were conducted by adding 6% and 15% highly plastic clay to crushed basaltic rock. The tests showed that while the tensile strength increased with curing time, the failure tensile strain decreased. The ratio of unconfined compressive strength to tensile strength decreased with curing time, but it stabilized within the range 8–12 after about 7 days of curing. For AAS and GB cement, the failure tensile strain decreased with curing time, stabilizing at about 50 microstrains after 7 days of curing, whereas for GP cement, the failure tensile strain did not change significantly during curing, displaying a value around 40 microstrains. The test results also indicated that the presence of reactive fine-grained soil may have had a significant adverse effect on the potential for cracking in the stabilized pavement materials.Key words: pavement materials, cement stabilization, tensile strength, cracking potential.
Earthwork compaction evaluation using soil air voids
Authors: Mokwa Robert L , Fridleifsson Stefan
Published: April 2007

The soil air voids method represents an alternate approach to the traditional Proctor method of field compaction control. The air voids evaluation procedure is based on the premise that the future performance of a compacted layer of soil can be evaluated by comparing the measured air voids with a predetermined limiting value. In theory, a field inspector can rapidly determine if a soil layer meets the specified compaction criteria without obtaining a soil sample for laboratory Proctor compaction testing. Recently, there has been renewed interest in this approach by state departments of transportation because of its timesaving benefits and relative simplicity. The results of this study indicate that the air voids method provides an indirect check on the dry density of the compacted layer; however, the soil water content is not directly assessed during the field evaluation. Using results from laboratory and field tests, examples are provided of problems that could occur with certain soil types if inherent water content limits are relied upon during compaction.Key words: compaction, air voids, Proctor compaction, specific gravity.
Triazene derivatives of (1,x)-diazacycloalkanes. Part VIII. Synthesis and characterization of a series of 1,4-di[2-aryl-1-diazenyl]-2-methylpiperazines1
Authors: Hunter Naomi , Tingley Reid , Peori Brad , Vaughan Keith
Published: April 2007

A series of 1,4-di-[2-aryl-1-diazenyl]-2-methylpiperazines (4a–n) have been synthesized by the reaction of 2-methylpiperazine with 2 equiv. of the appropriate diazonium salt. The products have been characterized by IR and NMR spectroscopy, and the molecular composition has been verified by HR-EIMS, with accurate mass measurement of the molecular ion. The presence of a chiral centre at C2 of the piperazine ring in the bistriazene 4 creates a multitude of diastereotopic protons in the methylene groups of the piperazine ring, as evidenced by the complexity of the NMR spectra, which nevertheless can be fully assigned in some cases, such as the tolyl- (4h) and phenyl- (4j) derivatives. These two compounds also show a discrimination between the two N-arydiazenyl groups, as evidenced by the doubling of several aromatic-carbon signals in the 13C NMR spectra. The assignment of the proton and carbon signals in 4h and 4j has been aided by the use of 2D NMR spectroscopy. A DEPT spectrum of 4j clearly discriminates the methylene carbons and also indicates the methine carbons of the piperazine ring. COSY spectra provide clear information about the interactions between diastereotopic protons; when these results are combined with the results of HSQC spectroscopy, the proton and carbon signals can be fully correlated, leading to an unequivocal assignment of the proton and carbon atoms of the piperazine ring. The HSQC spectrum of 4j also gives a complete correlation of the aromatic-proton and -carbon signals. These results compare favorably with the previously reported assignments of proton and carbon signals for triazenes of type 1 and bistriazenes of type 3.Key words: triazene, bistriazene, piperazine, 2-methylpiperazine, diastereotopic protons, diazonium coupling, 2D NMR, COSY, DEPT, HSQC.
Silica-supported ZnCl2 — A highly active and reusable heterogeneous catalyst for the one-pot synthesis of dihydropyrimidinones–thiones
Authors: Gupta Raman , Gupta Monika , Paul Satya , Gupta Rajive
Published: April 2007

A novel silica-supported zinc chloride catalyst was prepared and investigated for the Biginelli reaction. The key features of the catalyst include rapid reaction with 100% conversion of aldehyde, good catalyst recyclability, and high stability under the reaction conditions (passes hot filtration test successfully). A low catalyst loading (12 mol% of ZnCl2) was required to achieve a quantitative reaction. Other catalysts such as SiO2–AlCl2, SiO2–AlCl2–ZnCl2 were also prepared and their activity was compared with SiO2–ZnCl2 for the Biginelli reaction.Key words: silica gel, zinc chloride, Biginelli compounds, heterogeneous catalysis, reusability.
A RECTANGULAR LATTICE BOLTZMANN METHOD FOR GROUNDWATER FLOWS
Authors: ZHOU JIAN GUO
Published: April 2007

A novel approach is proposed to achieve the solution of the lattice Boltzmann equation on a rectangular mesh without use of any additional numerical scheme unlike an existing method. This is a natural and further development of the author's lattice Boltzmann model for groundwater flows on a square lattice. It solves the isotropic groundwater equation on a rectangular lattice, which enables flow problems characterized by fast variation in one direction and relatively slow in another to be simulated with fine and coarse meshes, respectively, resulting in more efficient algorithm. The stability conditions are also discussed. The method is then verified by solving two benchmark tests for groundwater flows. The numerical predictions are in good agreement with the corresponding exact/analytical solutions. This suggests that the method is simple, accurate and robust for groundwater flows.
FAST KHOVANOV HOMOLOGY COMPUTATIONS
Authors: BAR-NATAN DROR
Published: April 2007

We introduce a local algorithm for Khovanov homology computations — that is, we explain how it is possible to "cancel" terms in the Khovanov complex associated with a ("local") tangle, hence canceling the many associated "global" terms in one swoosh early on. This leads to a dramatic improvement in computational efficiency. Thus our program can rapidly compute certain Khovanov homology groups that otherwise would have taken centuries to evaluate.
COMPACTNESS OF THE SPACE OF LEFT ORDERS
Authors: DABKOWSKA M. A. , DABKOWSKI M. K. , HARIZANOV V. S. , PRZYTYCKI J. H. , VEVE M. A.
Published: April 2007

A left order on a magma (e.g. semigroup) is a total order of its elements that is left invariant under the magma operation. A natural topology can be introduced on the set of all left orders of an arbitrary magma. We prove that this topological space is compact. Interesting examples of nonassociative magmas, whose spaces of right orders we analyze, come from knot theory and are called quandles. Our main result establishes an interesting connection between topological properties of the space of left orders on a group, and the classical algebraic result by Conrad [4] and Łoś [13] concerning the existence of left orders.
STATE SPACE MODELING OF YEAST GENE EXPRESSION DYNAMICS
Authors: HAAVISTO OLLI , HYÖTYNIEMI HEIKKI , ROOS CHRISTOPHE
Published: April 2007

Combined interaction of all the genes forms a central part of the functional system of a cell. Thus, especially the data-based modeling of the gene expression network is currently one of the main challenges in the field of systems biology. However, the problem is an extremely high-dimensional and complex one, so that normal identification methods are usually not applicable specially if aiming at dynamic models. We propose in this paper a subspace identification approach, which is well suited for high-dimensional system modeling and the presented modified version can also handle the underdetermined case with less data samples than variables (genes). The algorithm is applied to two public stress-response data sets collected from yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The obtained dynamic state space model is tested by comparing the simulation results with the measured data. It is shown that the identified model can relatively well describe the dynamics of the general stress-related changes in the expression of the complete yeast genome. However, it seems inevitable that more precise modeling of the dynamics of the whole genome would require experiments especially designed for systemic modeling.
Balancing the Global Carbon Budget
Authors: Houghton R.A.
Published: April 2007

The global carbon budget is, of course, balanced. The conservation of carbon and the first law of thermodynamics are intact. “Balancing the carbon budget” refers to the state of the science in evaluating the terms of the global carbon equation. The annual increases in the amount of carbon in the atmosphere, oceans, and land should balance the emissions of carbon from fossil fuels and deforestation. Balancing the carbon budget is not the real issue, however. The real issue is understanding the processes responsible for net sources and sinks of carbon. Such understanding should lead to more accurate predictions of future concentrations of CO2and more accurate predictions of the rate and extent of climatic change. The recent past may be insufficient for prediction, however. Oceanic and terrestrial sinks that have lessened the rate of growth in atmospheric CO2until now may diminish as feedbacks between the carbon cycle and climate become more prominent.
Microprobe Monazite Geochronology: Understanding Geologic Processes by Integrating Composition and Chronology
Authors: Williams Michael L. , Jercinovic Michael J. , Hetherington Callum J.
Published: April 2007

Monazite is a light rare earth element (LREE)-bearing phosphate mineral that is present in a wide variety of rock types, has an extremely variable composition reflecting host rock conditions, and is a robust geochronometer that can preserve crystallization ages through a long history of geological events. Monazite crystals typically contain distinct compositional domains that represent successive generations of monazite, which in turn, can provide a detailed record of the geologic history of its host rocks. The electron microprobe can be used to characterize the geometry of compositional domains, analyze the composition of each domain, and, when carefully configured, determine the U-Th-total Pb age for domains as small as 5 μm in width. These data allow the monazite to be linked with, and place timing constraints on, silicate processes in the host rocks. Current applications span a broad range of geologic processes in igneous, metamorphic, hydrothermal, and sedimentary rocks.
The Evolution of Trilobite Body Patterning
Authors: Hughes Nigel C.
Published: April 2007

The good fossil record of trilobite exoskeletal anatomy and ontogeny, coupled with information on their nonbiomineralized tissues, permits analysis of how the trilobite body was organized and developed, and the various evolutionary modifications of such patterning within the group. In several respects trilobite development and form appears comparable with that which may have characterized the ancestor of most or all euarthropods, giving studies of trilobite body organization special relevance in the light of recent advances in the understanding of arthropod evolution and development. The Cambrian diversification of trilobites displayed modifications in the patterning of the trunk region comparable with those seen among the closest relatives of Trilobita. In contrast, the Ordovician diversification of trilobites, although contributing greatly to the overall diversity within the clade, did so within a narrower range of trunk conditions. Trilobite evolution is consistent with an increased premium on effective enrollment and protective strategies, and with an evolutionary trade-off between the flexibility to vary the number of trunk segments and the ability to regionalize portions of the trunk.
Score Test for Linkage in Generalized Linear Models
Authors: Lebrec J.J.P. , van Houwelingen H.C.
Published: April 2007

We derive a test for linkage in a Generalized Linear Mixed Model (GLMM) framework which provides a natural adjustment for marginal covariate effects. The method boils down to the score test of a quasi-likelihood derived from the GLMM, it is computationally inexpensive and can be applied to arbitrary pedigrees. In particular, for binary traits, relative pairs of different nature (affected and discordant) and individuals with different covariate values can be naturally combined in a single test. The model introduced could explain a number of situations usually described as gene by covariate interaction phenomena, and offers substantial gains in efficiency compared to methods classically used in those instances.
Towards Linkage Analysis with Markers in Linkage Disequilibrium by Graphical Modelling
Authors: Thomas Alun
Published: April 2007

We review recent developments of MCMC integration methods for computations on graphical models for two applications in statistical genetics: modelling allelic association and pedigree based linkage analysis. We discuss and illustrate estimation of graphical models from haploid and diploid genotypes, and the importance of MCMC updating schemes beyond what is strictly necessary for irreducibility. We then outline an approach combining these methods to compute linkage statistics when alleles at the marker loci are in linkage disequilibrium. Other extensions suitable for analysis of SNP genotype data in pedigrees are also discussed and programs that implement these methods, and which are available from the author’s web site, are described. We conclude with a discussion of how this still experimental approach might be further developed.
Association Analysis of Population-Based Quantitative Trait Data: An Assessment of ANOVA
Authors: Ghosh Saurabh , De Gourab
Published: April 2007

The classical analysis of variance (ANOVA) compares the means of different groups under the assumption that the variances within each of the groups are equal. However, for genetic studies of complex disorders, it is not reasonable to assume that variance of a quantitative trait within each genotype at the trait locus will be equal. Thus, the use of ANOVA may lead to misleading association inferences. In this article, we perform a simulation-based study to assess the rate of false positives and the power of ANOVA under various probability distributions of the quantitative trait and different genetic parameters such as allele frequencies and coefficient of linkage disequilibrium.
DTNBP1 (Dystrobrevin Binding Protein 1) and Schizophrenia: Association Evidence in the 3′ End of the Gene
Authors: Duan Jubao , Martinez Maria , Sanders Alan R. , Hou Cuiping , Burrell Gregory J. , Krasner Aaron J. , Schwartz Daniel B. , Gejman Pablo V.
Published: April 2007

Objectives:Dysbindin (DTNBP1) has been identified as a susceptibility gene for schizophrenia (SZ) through a positional approach. However, a variety of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and haplotypes, in different parts of the gene, have been reported to be associated in different samples, and a precise molecular mechanism of disease remains to be defined. We have performed an association study with two well-characterized family samples not previously investigated at the DTNBP1 locus. Methods: We examined 646 subjects in 136 families with SZ, largely of European ancestry (EA), genotyping 26 SNPs in DTNBP1. Results: Three correlated markers (rs875462, rs760666, and rs7758659) at the 3′ region of DTNBP1 showed evidence for association to SZ (p = 0.004), observed in both the EA (p = 0.031) and the African American (AA) subset (p = 0.045) with the same over-transmitted allele. The most significant haplotype in our study was rs7758659-rs3213207 (global p = 0.0015), with rs3213207 being the most frequently reported associated marker in previous studies. A non-conservative missense variant (Pro272Ser) in the 3′ region of DTNBP1 that may impair DTNBP1 function was more common in SZ probands (8.2%) than in founders (5%) and in dbSNP (2.1%), but did not reach statistical significance. Conclusion: Our results provide evidence for an association of SZ with SNPs at the 3′ end of DTNBP1 in the samples studied.
Variants in Scavenger Receptor Class B Type I Gene Are Associated with HDL Cholesterol Levels in Younger Women
Authors: Roberts Caroline G.P. , Shen Haiqing , Mitchell Braxton D. , Damcott Coleen M. , Shuldiner Alan R. , Rodriguez Annabelle
Published: April 2007

Objective:Variants within the scavenger receptor class B type I (SCARB1) receptor gene have been previously associated with lipid levels, especially in women, with some studies reporting the association to be stronger in the presence of diabetes or post-menopausal estrogen use. Based on the reported gender-specific association and modification effect of estrogen on lipid levels according to SCARB1 variants, we explored the relationship between SCARBI single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and lipid levels in an Amish population to assess sex and age differences. Methods: Eight SCARB1 SNPs, identified from public databases, were genotyped in 919 subjects. Results: Rs5888 and rs3782287 were in high linkage disequilibrium (LD), with r2 > 0.8. None of the SNPs were significantly associated with lipid levels in men; however in women, rs5888 (p = 0.04) and rs5891 (p < 0.001) were significantly associated with higher HDL-C levels. Rs5891 had an allele frequency of 3% and predicts a missense mutation (Ile135Val), which may be functional. Moreover, rs3782287 (p = 0.023) and rs5888 (p = 0.003) were significantly associated with higher HDL-C levels in women younger than 50 years but not in women aged 50 years or older (p for interaction between age and rs5888 = 0.045). None of the SNP effects on HDL-C were modified in the presence of diabetes, in either men or women. Conclusions:SCARB1 SNPs influence HDL-C levels in women, particularly in those less than 50 years old. Condensed Abstract: We assessed associations between SCARB1 SNPs and lipid traits in 919 Amish men and women. Two SNPs, rs3782287 and rs5888, were significantly associated with higher HDL-C levels in women younger than 50 years but not in women aged 50 years or older, supporting an interaction between common sequence variants in SCARB1 and estrogen on HDL-C.
Family Based Studies and Genetic Epidemiology: Theory and Practice
Authors: Barrett J.H. , Sheehan N.A. , Cox A. , Worthington J. , Cannings C. , Teare M.D.
Published: April 2007

Family based studies have underpinned many successes in uncovering the causes of monogenic and oligogenic diseases. Now research is focussing on the identification and characterisation of genes underlying common diseases and it is widely accepted that these studies will require large population based samples. Population based family study designs have the potential to facilitate the analysis of the effects of both genes and environment. These types of studies integrate the population based approaches of classic epidemiology and the methods enabling the analysis of correlations between relatives sharing both genes and environment. The extent to which such studies are feasible will depend upon population- and disease-specific factors. To review this topic, a symposium was held to present and discuss the costs, requirements and advantages of population based family study designs. This article summarises the features of the meeting held at The University of Sheffield, August 2006.
Innate Immunity: Toll-Like Receptors and Some More
Authors: Fleer André , Krediet Tannette G.
Published: April 2007

The discovery of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) as essential components of the innate immune system has greatly advanced our knowledge and understanding of immune responses to infection and how these are regulated. Innate immunity in general and TLRs in particular play a crucial role in the front line of host defenses against microbes, but also are a key element in the proper functioning of the immune system at large in vertebrate animals. The innate immune system has been identified as a collection of factors, both cell-associated and cell-free, that comprises an impressively effective and well-organized system that is capable of immediate recognition of a whole array of microbes and microbial components. The cell-bound TLRs fulfill a central role in the process from pathogen recognition to activation of adaptive immunity. From the cell-free factors the plasma protein mannose-binding lectin (MBL) has been studied most extensively. Associations have already been documented between TLR polymorphisms in man and TLR deficiency in animals and an increased susceptibility to infection. The effect of MBL on infectious disease susceptibility only seems to emerge when host defenses are compromised by a severe underlying condition. The functional state of the various components of innate immunity at birth is largely unknown and only recently a number of studies have assessed this feature of the innate immune system. In addition, for the human newborn the innate immune systemmay have a broader significance; it may well be the key system determining the course of inflammatory events associated with premature birth, a notion that is emphasized by the recently described association between TLR polymorphisms and prematurity. However, there are still many open questions, particularly about the exact relation between individual TLRs and infectious disease susceptibility and how TLRs cooperate in resistance to infection and in initiating adaptive immune responses. With regard to the human newborn, the most relevant question that needs to be resolved is the precise role of innate immunity in the pathogenesis of prematurity.
Concentration Dependence of a Poly-Leucine Surfactant Protein C Analogue on in vitro and in vivo Surfactant Activity
Authors: Almlén Andreas , Stichtenoth Guido , Robertson Bengt , Johansson Jan , Curstedt Tore
Published: April 2007

Background: Modified natural surfactants currently used for treatment of respiratory distress syndrome contain about 0.5–1% (w/w phospholipids) of each of the surfactant proteins SP-B and SP-C. The supply of these preparations is limited and synthetic surfactant preparations containing lipids and peptides are under development. Objectives: To investigate the potential of different concentrations of the SP-C analogue SP-C33 in 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine/1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoglycerol (68:31, w/w). Methods: Surface activity was evaluated in pulsating and captive bubble surfactometers and in immature newborn rabbits. Results: Preparations containing ≧1% SP-C33 achieve minimum surface tension <5 mN/m indicating good biophysical activity, and increase tidal volumes in premature rabbit fetuses to the same level as a modified natural surfactant preparation does. Alveolar patency at end expiration, as evaluated by measurement of lung gas volumes, histological assessment of alveolar expansion and determination of alveolar volume density, was lower in the animals treated with synthetic surfactant than in those receiving modified natural surfactant. Conclusions: These data suggest that SP-C33 is similarly efficient as the native peptide in improving surface properties of phospholipids mixtures and in increasing lung compliance in surfactant-deficient states, but that other components are needed to maintain alveolar stability at low airway pressures.
Arterial Vimentin Is a Transglutaminase Substrate: A Link between Vasomotor Activity and Remodeling?
Authors: Gupta Madhu , Greenberg Charles S. , Eckman Delrae M. , Sane David C.
Published: April 2007

Background/Aims: The transglutaminases (TG2 and factor XIIIa) may contribute to the stability of arteries by cross-linking a variety of substrates, including extracellular matrix proteins and protease inhibitors. The preferred substrates have never been determined, however. Methods: We used an amine donor, 5-biotinamidopentylamine, that is covalently linked to acceptor glutamine residues, to determine transglutaminase substrates in carotid endarterectomy tissue. Results: The incorporation of 5-biotinamidopentylamine was calcium dependent, resulting in the labeling of several proteins that were detected by streptavidin-peroxidase and purified over a monomeric avidin affinity column. A major band of 42 kDa that was eluted from the column was sequenced along with 2 additional bands (80 and 65 kDa), revealing an internal fragment of vimentin, transferrin and albumin, respectively. Vimentin dimers were detected in 5 out of 5 carotid plaque homogenates. Conclusions: Vimentin is a major arterial substrate for transglutaminases. It has previously been shown that TG2 activity and vimentin contribute to vasomotor activity of arteries. Furthermore, transglutaminases (both TG2 and factor XIIIa), as well as vimentin, regulate structural alterations (inward remodeling) that occur in response to low flow states. Transglutaminase-mediated vimentin dimerization produces a novel unifying pathway by which vasodilatory and remodeling responses may be regulated.
Clinical End Points in Coronary Stent Trials
Authors: Cutlip Donald E. , Windecker Stephan , Mehran Roxana , Boam Ashley , Cohen David J. , van Es Gerrit-Anne , Gabriel Steg P. , Morel Marie-angèle , Mauri Laura , Vranckx Pascal , McFadden Eugene , Lansky Alexandra , Hamon Martial , Krucoff Mitchell W. , Serruys Patrick W.
Published: April 2007

Background—

Although most clinical trials of coronary stents have measured nominally identical safety and effectiveness end points, differences in definitions and timing of assessment have created confusion in interpretation.

Methods and Results—

The Academic Research Consortium is an informal collaboration between academic research organizations in the United States and Europe. Two meetings, in Washington, DC, in January 2006 and in Dublin, Ireland, in June 2006, sponsored by the Academic Research Consortium and including representatives of the US Food and Drug Administration and all device manufacturers who were working with the Food and Drug Administration on drug-eluting stent clinical trial programs, were focused on consensus end point definitions for drug-eluting stent evaluations. The effort was pursued with the objective to establish consistency among end point definitions and provide consensus recommendations. On the basis of considerations from historical legacy to key pathophysiological mechanisms and relevance to clinical interpretability, criteria for assessment of death, myocardial infarction, repeat revascularization, and stent thrombosis were developed. The broadly based consensus end point definitions in this document may be usefully applied or recognized for regulatory and clinical trial purposes.

Conclusion—

Although consensus criteria will inevitably include certain arbitrary features, consensus criteria for clinical end points provide consistency across studies that can facilitate the evaluation of safety and effectiveness of these devices.
Capital, Consumption, Communication, and Citizenship: The Social Positioning of Taste and Civic Culture in the United States
Authors: Friedland Lewis , Shah Dhavan V. , Lee Nam-Jin , Rademacher Mark A. , Atkinson Lucy , Hove Thomas
Published: April 2007

In this article, the authors analyze the field of cultural consumption in the United States. Using the 2000 DDB Lifestyle Study, they examine a cross-section of Americans in terms of their occupational categories, media usage, consumption practices, social behaviors, and indicators of civic and political engagement. In doing so, the authors find many parallels to the determinants of taste, cultural discrimination, and choice within the field structure observed by Bourdieu in 1960s French society. However, there are also some notable differences in terms of the composition of cultural capital consistent with the concept of omnivorousness. The distribution of positions is largely defined by patterns of taste that discriminate between refinement, moderation, nurturance, and a communal orientation, on one side, and coarseness, excess, aggressiveness, and an individual orientation, on the other. Historical and national differences partly account for this variation, but a major role may be played by the increasing formation of identities around media and consumption, leading to a more gendered and ideological positioning of taste cultures in the U.S context.
Mobilizing Consumers to Take Responsibility for Global Social Justice
Authors: Micheletti Michele , Stolle Dietlind
Published: April 2007

This article studies the antisweatshop movement's involvement in global social justice responsibility-taking. The movement's growth (more than one hundred diverse groups) makes it a powerful force of social change in the new millennium. The rise of global corporate capitalism has taken a toll on political responsibility. As a response, four important movement actors—unions, antisweatshop associations, international humanitarian organizations, and Internet spin doctors—have focused on garment-production issues and mobilized consumers into vigilant action. The authors examine these actors, their social justice responsibility claims, and their views on the role of consumers in social justice responsibility-taking. The authors determine four paths of consumer action: (1) support group for other causes, (2) critical mass of shoppers, (3) agent of corporate change, and (4) ontological force for societal change. The authors find that the movement mobilizes consumers through actor-oriented and event-specific (episodic) framing and offer a few results on its ability to change consumer patterns and effect corporate change.
Political Brands and Consumer Citizens: The Rebranding of Tony Blair
Authors: Scammell Margaret
Published: April 2007

It has become commonplace to speak of political parties and brands. This article looks at the rise of the brand and explains how branding has become the cutting edge of commercial marketing. It examines how the brand concept and research techniques are used in politics and focuses in particular on the rebranding of Tony Blair in the run up to the 2005 U.K. general election. More broadly, it argues that branding is the new form of political marketing. If market research, spin, and advertising were the key signifiers of marketed parties and candidates in the 1980s and 1990s, “branding” is the hallmark now. It will argue that the brand concept has analytical value. It is not simply a convenient and fashionable term for image. Furthermore, it is a demonstration that we are moving from a mass media model to a consumer model of political communication.
Citizens, Consumers, and the Good Society
Authors: Schudson Michael
Published: April 2007

Advocating a “postmoralist” position in the analysis of consumer culture, this article holds that it is a mistake to identify political action with public-spirited motives and consumer behavior with self-interested motives. Both political behavior and consumer behavior can be either public-spirited or self-interested. Consumer choices can be expressly political and public-spirited, and styles of consumer behavior can enlist and enshrine values that serve democracy, from going to coffee-houses in eighteenth-century London to eating at McDonald's in twenty-first-century Beijing. Political behavior, meanwhile, may be a particular kind of consumer behavior, and political practice often turns out not to be public-spirited but egocentric and grasping. The article concludes with some suggestions for making political activity more like the experience of consumer choice, that is, more like a situation in which people can take their own preferences seriously because there is a reasonable prospect that they will ultimately matter.
A Carnivalesque Approach to the Politics of Consumption (or) Grotesque Realism and the Analytics of the Excretory Economy
Authors: Thompson Craig J.
Published: April 2007

Politics of consumption analyses often evince a moralistic subtext that traces to the nineteenth-century fusion of Calvinism and patriarchal sexual politics. This spermatic legacy has channeled these critical discourses in a therapeutic direction that attenuates their realpolitik relevance. Drawing from Bakhtin's account of the carnivalesque, the author argues for an analytics of the excretory economy that eschews therapeutic goals in favor of muckraking scholarship that critically analyzes specific market systems and their constitutive networks of power relationships and material consequences. The author concludes by discussing some ways in which muckraking scholarship can mobilize citizen-consumers to the activist cause of transforming structural conditions that render specific facets of commercial culture problematic.
Two Decades of Change in Cultural Values and Economic Development in Eight East Asian and Pacific Island Nations
Authors: Allen Michael W. , Sik Hung Ng  , Ikeda Ken'Ichi , Jawan Jayum A. , Anwarul Hasan Sufi  , Wilson Marc , Yang Kuo-Shu
Published: April 2007

In a 1982 publication, Ng et al. surveyed the cultural values of select East Asian and Pacific Island nations. In 2002, this study repeated their work, using the same sampling frame, questionnaire, and collaborators, where possible. The authors also reclassified the 1982 and 2002 survey results using Schwartz's cultural-level value dimensions. Submission versus Dionysian values that differentiated the nations in 1982 continued to do so in 2002. Furthermore, nations that endorsed Mastery (and rejected Harmony) in 1982 experienced greater subsequent economic growth than did the other countries. Moreover, economic development in 1982 predicted ensuing changes in Submission versus Dionysian and Hierarchy versus Egalitarianism values. Richer nations tended to endorse Dionysian, Autonomy, and Egalitarianism, whereas poorer nations tended toward Submission, Embeddedness, and Hierarchy values. Overall, the results support both economic and cultural determinism and imply two opposing directions of cultural change.
Beliefs About the Emotions of Self and Others Among Asian American and Non-Asian American Students
Authors: Johnson Joel T.
Published: April 2007

Asian American ( n =103) and non—Asian American college students ( n = 121) estimated their subjective experience and emotional display in 24 hypothetical affect-eliciting situations. Each respondent also made the same estimations for an acquaintance. Both groups overestimated their own subjective experiences relative to those of their acquaintances and also overestimated their own undisplayed affect, suggesting that these basic self—acquaintance differences about emotions transcend cultural heritage. However, Asian Americans estimated that they would experience more socially undesirable affect than non—Asian Americans estimated that they would experience, and Asian Americans also estimated that they would display these less socially desirable emotions more. Asian Americans also scored higher on the Loss of Face Scale and displayed a greater tendency to evaluate their subjective experience from the perspective of another, as assessed by the Social Awareness Inventory. Additional analyses indicated that these measures of individual differences mediated ethnic differences in self-estimations of less socially desirable affect.
Problem Behavior and Acculturation in Moroccan Immigrant Adolescents in the Netherlands
Authors: Stevens Gonneke W.J.M. , Vollebergh Wilma A.M. , Pels Trees V.M. , Crijnen Alfons A.M.
Published: April 2007

The gender specificity of the relation between acculturation and problem behavior in Moroccan immigrant adolescents in the Netherlands was examined. Three previously identified classes of adolescents with similar patterns of acculturation were used: an integrated, separated, and ambivalent class. Girls with an ambivalent acculturation pattern showed more problems than the other girls on parent- and adolescent-reported internalizing and externalizing behavior. For boys, no effects of acculturation on problem behavior were found. The high number of conflicts between parents and their ambivalently acculturated daughters partly explained the relation between acculturation and problem behavior. The findings emphasized that gender and parent—child conflict should be considered when attempting to understand the complex relation between acculturation and problem behavior.
What Defines the Good Person? Cross-Cultural Comparisons of Experts' Models With Lay Prototypes
Authors: Smith Kyle D. , Smith Seyda Türk , Christopher John Chambers
Published: April 2007

“Good” is a fundamental concept present in all cultures, and experts in values and positive psychology have mapped good's many aspects in human beings. Which aspects do laypersons typically access and consider as they make everyday judgments of goodness? Does the answer vary with culture? To address these questions, the authors compiled prototypes of the good person from laypersons' free-listings in seven cultures and used experts' classifications to content-analyze and compare the prototypes. Benevolence, conformity, and traditionalism dominated the features that laypersons frequently attributed to good people. Other features— competence in particular—varied widely in their accessibility across cultures. These findings depart from those obtained in research using expert-designed self-report inventories, highlighting the need to consider everyday accessibility when comparing cultures' definitions of the good person.
Managing a Decline in Inflation
Authors: Barrell Ray J , Kirby Simon
Published: April 2007

The Governor of the Bank of England wrote a letter to the Chancellor in April explaining why inflation had gone above 3 per cent in the previous month. Reaching the trigger point for a letter to be written looked likely, but not certain in January, when we said that ‘the odds are a little less than even that the Governor of the Bank of England will have to send an explanatory letter to the Chancellor.’ This probabilistic statement was based on the distribution of possible outcomes around our forecast. Inflationary pressures have been marginally higher than we might have expected, but we are not at all surprised by the event. There is also little either the Chancellor or the Governor could have done by January of this year to prevent the event happening.
The Semiotics of Extraordinary Dress
Authors: Morgado Marcia A.
Published: April 2007

Hip-hop style, a controversial dress form associated with rap music culture in the 1990s, is analyzed and interpreted based on premises associated with structural approaches to semiotics. The semiotic system is isolated in time, and three coding operations are considered in terms of the relationships they establish between elements of the system and potential meanings ascribed to these: paradigmatic alignment (bipolar opposition), denotation and connotation (literal and extended descriptions), and figurative devices (implied figures of speech). Results reveal the structure of the system in terms of a dialectic between signs in the hip-hop system and signs in the system of conventional dress. Components of the rule system of conventional dress are exposed, and figurative language supporting the hip-hop system is described. The hip-hop system is construed as an example of a larger category of appearance-related systems designated extraordinary dress, poised in opposition to ordinary appearance forms. Implications include potential contributions to theory development.
Echoes of the East
Authors: Na Hyunshin
Published: April 2007

A trend in fashion scholarship in the 20th century was the creation of a piece of work merging elements of the fashion or history of different cultures while conveying the original meaning and content. Global trade and the transfer of cultural symbols may not be a new phenomenon in human history, but the speed of cultural interchanges and the degree of cultural interaction have accelerated during the last few decades. This modern dress, which is influenced by the Korean traditional patchwork known as jogakbo, or wrapping clothes, shows the fusion of East and West as well as past and present.
Organizational Context and the Discursive Construction of Organizing
Authors: Sillince John A.A.
Published: April 2007

Organizational discourse has very little meaning outside its context. To understand any discourse's meaning, we must theorize about both the discourse's possibility and the circumstances of its constitution. Otherwise, we abstract text, sundering it from context. The present article asks what is context and what types of discourse structures and discourse strategies construct context? The author develops four distinct dimensions of context: when, where, as whom, and why people speak. To collaboratively construct meaning, an organization's members use several discursive means whereby a discourse from one context can be inserted, reframed, appropriated, and recursively placed into a discourse from another context—to achieve cross-contextual organizing of their accounts. Through such cross-contextual discursive work, members strive to balance these four (sometimes conflicting) contextual dimensions.
Thought Field Therapy
Authors: Pignotti Monica
Published: April 2007

Thought Field Therapy (TFT) is a novel therapy that employs finger tapping on purported acupressure points. Over the past decade, TFT, promoted on the Internet and through testimonials of fast cures, has gained popularity with therapists, including clinical social workers. Although TFT claims to cure a wide variety of psychological and physical problems, there is scant evidence to support such claims. The following is an account of my 7-year experience as a leading practitioner, author, and teacher of TFT and includes my initial skepticism, what first interested me, my experiences training to the highest level of TFT (the proprietary Voice Technology) and becoming part of the inner circle of TFT, an experiment I did with Voice Technology, and factors that led to my doubts and ultimate disillusionment with TFT. The pseudoscientific aspects of TFT and how they can impair critical thinking are also discussed.
The Chinese Positive Youth Development Scale
Authors: Shek Daniel T. L. , Siu Andrew M. H. , Tak Yan Lee
Published: April 2007

Objective: This article describes the development and initial validation of the 90-item Chinese Positive Youth Development Scale (CPYDS), which contains items related to 15 aspects of positive youth development. Method: Adolescents with well adjustment ( N = 162) and poor adjustment (N = 160) responded to the CPYDS. Results: The findings showed that the CPYDS measures possess acceptable internal consistency and were able to discriminate the two groups. Although the CPYDS measures were positively related to thriving, life satisfaction, and perceived academic achievement, they were negatively related to substance abuse, delinquency, and behavioral intention to engage in problem behavior. Conclusions: The CPYDS can be used as a global measure of positive youth development in Chinese adolescents, but its dimensionality and subscales should be further examined.
Psychiatric Nurses Enhancing Consumer and Caregiver Participation in the State of Victoria
Authors: Goodwin Val , Happell Brenda
Published: April 2007

Australian mental health policy now clearly articulates that consumer and carer (informal caregiver) participation in all aspects of service delivery is an expectation. As the largest professional group, nurses clearly play a key role in translating policy into practice. The aim of this article is to briefly overview the history of mental health service development in Victoria, with specific emphasis on the development of psychiatric nursing. Changing perspectives of consumers of mental health services and their informal carers is discussed. Policy development is described in the context of the development of mental health services. It is argued that an appreciation of the history of punishment and confinement is necessary for providing a climate conducive to consumer and carer participation.
The Office of the National Nurse
Authors: Mills Teri , Schneider Alisa
Published: April 2007

The American health care system is in a crisis of soaring costs and epidemics of preventable diseases; poor health literacy contributes to these problems. In spite of the need for change, the system is resistant. Efforts to address the crisis must focus on new ways of educating the public to understand their health and how to prevent illness. Nurses calling for leadership, innovation, and inspiration are uniting behind the proposal for an Office of the National Nurse to serve as the vehicle for the delivery of accurate and accessible health information to all Americans to reduce the incidence of preventable diseases.
International Nurse Migration
Authors: Brush Barbara L. , Sochalski Julie
Published: April 2007

Developed countries facing nursing shortages have increasingly turned to aggressive foreign nurse recruitment, primarily from developing nations, to offset their lagging domestic nurse supplies and meet growing health care demands. Few donor nations are prepared to manage the loss of their nurse workforce to migration. The sole country with an explicit nurse export policy and the world's leading donor of nurse labor—the Philippines—is itself facing serious provider maldistribution and countrywide health disparities. Examining the historical roots of Philippines nurse migration provides lessons from which other nurse exporting countries may learn. The authors discuss factors that have predicated nurse migration and policies that have eased the way. Furthermore, the authors analyze how various stakeholders influence migratory patterns, the implications of migration for nurses and the public in their care, and the challenges that future social policy and political systems face in addressing global health issues engendered by unfettered recruitment of nurses and other health workers.
Measuring the Contribution of Nursing to Quality, Patient Safety, and Health Care Outcomes
Authors: Kurtzman Ellen T. , Corrigan Janet M.
Published: April 2007

In 2004, the National Quality Forum (NQF) endorsed a set of voluntary consensus standards for nursing-sensitive care that quantifies nursing's contribution to patient safety, health care outcomes, and a professional work environment. Since endorsement, these consensus standards have been the basis for research, quality improvement, and policy setting. This article provides a summary of NQF's consensus development process and various efforts that have cascaded from the endorsement of these consensus standards.