bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Producing wrong data without doing anything obviously wrong!
Authors: Mytkowicz Todd , Diwan Amer , Hauswirth Matthias , Sweeney Peter F.
Published: March 2009

This paper presents a surprising result: changing a seemingly innocuous aspect of an experimental setup can cause a systems researcher to draw wrong conclusions from an experiment. What appears to be an innocuous aspect in the experimental setup may in fact introduce a significant bias in an evaluation. This phenomenon is called measurement bias in the natural and social sciences.

Our results demonstrate that measurement bias is significant and commonplace in computer system evaluation. By significant we mean that measurement bias can lead to a performance analysis that either over-states an effect or even yields an incorrect conclusion. By commonplace we mean that measurement bias occurs in all architectures that we tried (Pentium 4, Core 2, and m5 O3CPU), both compilers that we tried (gcc and Intel's C compiler), and most of the SPEC CPU2006 C programs. Thus, we cannot ignore measurement bias. Nevertheless, in a literature survey of 133 recent papers from ASPLOS, PACT, PLDI, and CGO, we determined that none of the papers with experimental results adequately consider measurement bias.

Inspired by similar problems and their solutions in other sciences, we describe and demonstrate two methods, one for detecting (causal analysis) and one for avoiding (setup randomization) measurement bias.
StreamRay
Authors: Ramani Karthik , Gribble Christiaan P. , Davis Al
Published: March 2009

The wide availability of commodity graphics processors has made real-time graphics an intrinsic component of the human/computer interface. These graphics cores accelerate the z-buffer algorithm and provide a highly interactive experience at a relatively low cost. However, many applications in entertainment, science, and industry require high quality lighting effects such as accurate shadows, reflection, and refraction. These effects can be difficult to achieve with z-buffer algorithms but are straightforward to implement using ray tracing. Although ray tracing is computationally more complex, the algorithm exhibits excellent scaling and parallelism properties. Nevertheless, ray tracing memory access patterns are difficult to predict and the parallelism speedup promise is therefore hard to achieve.

This paper highlights a novel approach to ray tracing based on stream filtering and presents StreamRay, a multicore wide SIMD microarchitecture that delivers interactive frame rates of 15-32 frames/second for scenes of high geometric complexity and exhibits high utilization for SIMD widths ranging from eight to 16 elements. StreamRay consists of two main components: the ray engine, which is responsible for stream assembly and employs address generation units that generate addresses to form large SIMD vectors, and the filter engine, which implements the ray tracing operations with programmable accelerators. Results demonstrate that separating address and data processing reduces data movement and resource contention. Performance improves by 56% while simultaneously providing 11.63% power savings per accelerator core compared to a design which does not use separate resources for address and data computations.
Architectural support for SWAR text processing with parallel bit streams
Authors: Cameron Robert D. , Lin Dan
Published: March 2009

Parallel bit stream algorithms exploit the SWAR (SIMD within a register) capabilities of commodity processors in high-performance text processing applications such as UTF-8 to UTF-16 transcoding, XML parsing, string search and regular expression matching. Direct architectural support for these algorithms in future SWAR instruction sets could further increase performance as well as simplifying the programming task. A set of simple SWAR instruction set extensions are proposed for this purpose based on the principle of systematic support for inductive doubling as an algorithmic technique. These extensions are shown to significantly reduce instruction count in core parallel bit stream algorithms, often providing a 3X or better improvement. The extensions are also shown to be useful for SWAR programming in other application areas, including providing a systematic treatment for horizontal operations. An implementation model for these extensions involves relatively simple circuitry added to the operand fetch components in a pipelined processor.
Powder diffraction data for new bismuth yttrium ytterbium oxides by XRD
Authors: Alizadeh M. , Ahmadi K. , Maghsoudipour A.
Published: March 2009

X-ray powder diffraction data for three new bismuth yttrium ytterbium oxide compounds synthesized by solid-state reaction method are reported. The unit-cell dimensions were determined from X-ray diffraction method using Cu Kα radiation and evaluated by indexing programs. The cubic δ-Bi2O3 phase was identified to be the sole crystalline phase in Bi0.82Y0.09Yb0.09O1.5, Bi0.82Y0.12Yb0.06O1.5, and Bi0.82Y0.06Yb0.12O1.5 with lattice constants of a=5.5110(3), 5.5154(2), and 5.5113(2) Å, respectively.
Powder X-ray characterization of lithium thiazolidine-4-carboxylate
Authors: Antonio S. G. , Paiva-Santos C. O. , Corbi P. P. , Massabni A. C. , Andrade F. C.
Published: March 2009

Powder X-ray diffraction studies of a lithium salt of thiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid (Li-TC4) of composition
LiC4H6NSO2 are presented in this paper. Analysis of the synchrotron powder X-ray diffraction data showed that the complex has an orthorhombic symmetry with space group P212121. Unit cell parameters after the refinement using the Pawley method are: a=19.4931(3) Å, b=4.947 77(6) Å, c=6.201 64(8) Å, and V=598.051 Å3.
A rapid method for quantifying single mineral phases in heterogeneous natural dusts using X-ray diffraction
Authors: Le Blond Jennifer S. , Cressey Gordon , Horwell Claire J. , Williamson Ben J.
Published: March 2009

Quantification of potentially toxic single mineral phases in natural dusts of heterogeneous composition is critical for health hazard assessment. For example, crystalline silica, a human carcinogen, can be present as respirable particles in volcanic ash such as quartz, cristobalite, or tridymite. A method to rapidly identify the proportions of crystalline silica within mixed dust samples, such as volcanic ash, is therefore required for hazard managers to assess the potential risk of crystalline silica exposure to local populations. Here we present a rapid method for quantifying the proportions of single phases in the mineral assemblage of mixed dusts using X-ray diffraction (XRD) with a fixed curved position-sensitive detector. The method is a modified version of the whole-pattern peak-stripping (PS) method (devised by Cressey and Schofield [Powder Diffr.11, 35–39 (1996)]) using an internal attenuation standard (IAS) but, unlike the PS method, it requires no knowledge of other phases present in the sample. Ten synthetic sample mixtures were prepared from known combinations of four pure phases (cristobalite, hematite, labradorite, and obsidian), chosen to represent problematic constituents of volcanic ash, and analyzed by XRD. Results of the IAS method were directly compared with those of the PS method. The proportions of cristobalite estimated using the methods were comparable and accurate to within 3 wt %. The new IAS method involved less sample preparation and processing and, therefore, was faster than the original PS method. It therefore offers a highly accurate rapid technique for determination of the proportions of individual phases in mixed dusts.
X-ray powder diffraction study of some cobalt (II) complexes
Authors: Kumar Rajesh , Ghose Ranjana
Published: March 2009

Co(II) complexes with benzoic acid and ternary complexes with ligands benzoic acid and histidine/aspartic acid have been synthesized and characterized using various spectroscopic methods. On the basis of infrared, UV-visible spectra, and magnetic data the complexes were found to be having octahedral polymeric geometry. X-ray powder diffraction results show that the crystal systems of Co(II)-Ben and Co(II)-Ben-Hist complexes are triclinic with lattice constants a=15.58 Å, b=11.92 Å, c=4.33 Å, α=96.08°, β=104.68°, γ=88.46°, and V=774.15 Å3 and a=18.88 Å, b=17.01 Å, c=15.13 Å, α=93.15°, β=89.41°, γ=100.71°, and V=4768.75 Å3, respectively. The Co(II)-Ben-Asp complex is orthorhombic with lattice constants a=21.57 Å, b=15.06 Å, c=11.40 Å. α=β=γ=90°, and V=3703.38 Å3.
Synthesis and characterization of zinc sulfide hollow microspheres
Authors: Jun Wang , Bo Song , Wen-jun Wang , Rong Wu , Yan-fei Sun , Yu-feng Zheng , Ji-kang Jian
Published: March 2009

The successful synthesis of ZnS hollow microspheres by a solvothermal route is reported. The synthesis was achieved by a proper selection of a sulfur source, i.e., Na2S2O3⋅5H2O or (NH2)2CS, to react with Zn(CH3COO)2⋅2H2O in mixed solvents of ethylene glycol and deionized water. The ZnS products were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and photoluminescence spectroscopy. XRD identified the ZnS products to have either zinc blende or wurtzite structure. SEM images revealed hollow ZnS microspheres with 1 to 2 μm diameters and 100 to 200 nm shell thicknesses. TEM images confirmed that the hollow ZnS microspheres were assembled by ZnS crystalline nanocrystallites. The room-temperature photoluminescence spectrum of the zinc blende hollow microspheres showed a strong green emission at 514 nm and weak emission at 379 nm.
Has the Data Efflux Regarding the Promising Outcome Following Injection of Deflux Changed the Management of Adult Vesicoureteral Reflux?
Authors: Zilberman D. E. , Mor Y.
Published: March 2009

Primary vesicoureteral reflux (VUR), traditionally considered a problem of childhood, can also be detected during adulthood. However, while the concept regarding the therapeutic management of VUR in children has undergone revolutionary changes, moving from surgical to conservative approach, the optimal therapeutic approach in adult reflux is poorly addressed and is still unknown. Herein, we review clinical and therapeutic approaches of VUR in pediatric population as published throughout the years. With the introduction of Deflux injection as a minimally invasive procedure, we identify a beginning of a new trend that further extends the indications for endoscopic injections, including its introduction to adult patients as well.
Complex Dynamics of an Adnascent‐Type Game Model
Authors: Xin Baogui , Ma Junhai , Gao Qin
Published: March 2009

The paper presents a nonlinear discrete game model for two oligopolistic firms whose products are adnascent. (In
biology, the term adnascent has only one sense, “growing to or on
something else,” e.g., “moss is an adnascent plant.” See Webster′s Revised Unabridged Dictionary published in 1913 by C. & G. Merriam
Co., edited by Noah Porter.) The bifurcation of its Nash equilibrium is analyzed with Schwarzian derivative and normal form theory. Its complex dynamics is demonstrated by means of the largest Lyapunov exponents, fractal dimensions, bifurcation diagrams, and phase portraits. At last, bifurcation and chaos anticontrol of this system are studied.
Smooth Approximations of Global in Time Solutions to Scalar Conservation Laws
Authors: Danilov V. G. , Mitrovic D.
Published: March 2009

We construct global smooth approximate solution to a scalar conservation law with arbitrary smooth monotonic initial data. Different kinds of singularities interactions which arise during the evolution of the initial data are
described as well. In order to solve the problem, we use and further develop
the weak asymptotic method, recently introduced technique for investigating nonlinear waves interactions.
Persistence and Time Trends in the Temperatures in Spain
Authors: Gil-Alana Luis A.
Published: March 2009

This paper deals with the analysis of the temperatures in several locations in Spain during the last 50 years. We focus on the degree of persistence of the series, measured through a fractional differencing parameter. This is crucial to properly estimate the parameters of the time trend coefficients in order to determine the degree of warming in the area. The results indicate that all series are fractionally integrated with orders of integration ranging between 0 and 0.5. Moreover, the time trend coefficients are all positive though they are statistically insignificant, which is in contrast with the results based on nonfractional integration.
Bayesian Estimation of the Axial Position in Astigmatism‐Based Three‐Dimensional Particle Tracking
Authors: Shaevitz Joshua W.
Published: March 2009

Accurate estimation of the axial position of a molecule using a single lateral image remains a challenge in fluorescent single particle tracking. Here, a principled algorithm for the Bayesian estimation of the axial position of a molecule in three‐dimensional astigmatism‐based particle tracking is proposed. This technique uses the data from a calibration image set to derive the position without assuming a functional form for the abberated defocusing curve. Using a calibration image set from forty 57 nm beads, the axial position is calculated,
and the error associated with position estimation is discussed. This method is compared to previously published algorithms.
Hypothermia Therapy After Pediatric Cardiac Arrest
Authors: Doherty Dermot R. , Parshuram Christopher S. , Gaboury Isabelle , Hoskote Aparna , Lacroix Jacques , Tucci Marisa , Joffe Ari , Choong Karen , Farrell Rosemarie , Bohn Desmond J. , Hutchison James S.
Published: March 2009

Background—

Hypothermia therapy improves mortality and functional outcome after cardiac arrest and birth asphyxia in adults and newborns. The effect of hypothermia therapy in infants and children with cardiac arrest is unknown.

Methods and Results—

A 2-year, retrospective, 5-center study was conducted, and 222 patients with cardiac arrest were identified. Seventy-nine (35.6%) of these patients met eligibility criteria for the study (age >40 weeks postconception and <18 years, cardiac arrest >3 minutes in duration, survival for ≥12 hours after return of circulation, and no birth asphyxia). Twenty-nine (36.7%) of these 79 patients received hypothermia therapy and were cooled to 33.7±1.3°C for 20.8±11.9 hours. Hypothermia therapy was associated with higher mortality (
P
=0.009), greater duration of cardiac arrest (
P
=0.005), more resuscitative interventions (
P
<0.001), higher postresuscitation lactate levels (
P
<0.001), and use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (
P
<0.001). When adjustment was made for duration of cardiac arrest, use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, and propensity scores by use of a logistic regression model, no statistically significant differences in mortality were found (
P
=0.502) between patients treated with hypothermia therapy and those treated with normothermia. Also, no differences in hypothermia-related adverse events were found between groups.

Conclusions—

Hypothermia therapy was used in resuscitation scenarios that are associated with greater risk of poor outcome. In an adjusted analysis, the effectiveness of hypothermia therapy was neither supported nor refuted. A randomized controlled trial is needed to rigorously evaluate the benefits and harms of hypothermia therapy after pediatric cardiac arrest.
Epidemiology and Outcomes From Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest in Children
Authors: Atkins Dianne L. , Everson-Stewart Siobhan , Sears Gena K. , Daya Mohamud , Osmond Martin H. , Warden Craig R. , Berg Robert A. ,   the Resuscitation Outcomes Consortium Investigators
Published: March 2009

Background—

Population-based data for pediatric cardiac arrest are scant and largely from urban areas. The Resuscitation Outcomes Consortium (ROC) Epistry–Cardiac Arrest is a population-based emergency medical services registry of out-of-hospital nontraumatic cardiac arrest (OHCA). This study examined age-stratified incidence and outcomes of pediatric OHCA. We hypothesized that survival to hospital discharge is less frequent from pediatric OHCA than adult OHCA.

Methods and Results—

This prospective population-based cohort study in 11 US and Canadian ROC sites included persons <20 years of age who received cardiopulmonary resuscitation or defibrillation by emergency medical service providers and/or received bystander automatic external defibrillator shock or who were pulseless but received no resuscitation by emergency medical services between December 2005 and March 2007. Patients were stratified a priori into 3 age groups: <1 year (infants; n=277), 1 to 11 years (children; n=154), and 12 to 19 years (adolescents; n=193). The incidence of pediatric OHCA was 8.04 per 100 000 person-years (72.71 in infants, 3.73 in children, and 6.37 in adolescents) versus 126.52 per 100 000 person-years for adults. Survival for all pediatric OHCA was 6.4% (3.3% for infants, 9.1% for children, and 8.9% for adolescents) versus 4.5% for adults (
P
=0.03). Unadjusted odds ratio for pediatric survival to discharge compared with adults was 0.71 (95% confidence interval, 0.37 to 1.39) for infants, 2.11 (95% confidence interval, 1.21 to 3.66) for children, and 2.04 (95% confidence interval, 1.24 to 3.38) for adolescents.

Conclusions—

This study demonstrates that the incidence of OHCA in infants approaches that observed in adults but is lower among children and adolescents. Survival to discharge was more common among children and adolescents than infants or adults.
Tricuspid Valve Surgery in Adults With a Dysfunctional Systemic Right Ventricle
Authors: Scherptong Roderick W.C. , Vliegen Hubert W. , Winter Michiel M. , Holman Eduard R. , Mulder Barbara J.M. , van der Wall Ernst E. , Hazekamp Mark G.
Published: March 2009

Background—

In patients with a right ventricle (RV) in the systemic position, tricuspid valve surgery for regurgitation beyond adolescence is a subject of debate. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the complications, survival, and benefit of tricuspid surgery in adult patients with an atrium-level correction for transposition of the great arteries or congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries.

Methods and Results—

All adult patients (n=16; 7 men, 9 women; age 35±11 years) who underwent tricuspid valvuloplasty (n=8) or replacement (n=8) in the period 1999 to 2008 were included. Complications and survival were analyzed, and postoperative changes in RV function and functional class were evaluated. Tricuspid regurgitation was graded 1 to 4 according to its severity, RV dysfunction was graded as 1 to 4 (1=no dysfunction to 4=severe dysfunction), and functional status was determined according to New York Heart Association class. Although complications occurred in 11 patients, all could be managed adequately. Three patients died 109, 180, and 659 days after surgery, respectively, the first patient after tricuspid valve replacement and the latter 2 after tricuspid valvuloplasty. Overall, tricuspid valve function improved (from grade 3.1±0.8 to 0.9±1.0;
P
=0.001) and functional class improved (from 2.7±0.6 to 2.1±0.8;
P
=0.007), whereas RV function remained unchanged. After tricuspid valvuloplasty, however, recurrent moderate tricuspid valve regurgitation was observed frequently (n=3; 37%).

Conclusions—

Mortality is rather low after tricuspid surgery in adult patients with mild to moderate RV dysfunction. In general, tricuspid valve function and functional class improve significantly after surgery, and systemic RV function is preserved. Tricuspid valvuloplasty, however, is associated with a high rate of recurrence of regurgitation.
G-Protein–Coupled Receptor Kinase Interacting Protein-1 Is Required for Pulmonary Vascular Development
Authors: Pang Jinjiang , Hoefen Ryan , Pryhuber Gloria S. , Wang Jing , Yin Guoyong , White R. James , Xu Xiangbin , O'Dell Michael R. , Mohan Amy , Michaloski Heidi , Massett Michael P. , Yan Chen , Berk Bradford C.
Published: March 2009

Background—

The G-protein–coupled receptor kinase interacting protein-1 (GIT1) is a multidomain scaffold protein that participates in many cellular functions including receptor internalization, focal adhesion remodeling, and signaling by both G-protein–coupled receptors and tyrosine kinase receptors. However, there have been no in vivo studies of GIT1 function to date.

Methods and Results—

To determine essential functions of GIT1 in vivo, we generated a traditional GIT1 knockout mouse. GIT1 knockout mice exhibited ≈60% perinatal mortality. Pathological examination showed that the major abnormality in GIT1 knockout mice was impaired lung development characterized by markedly reduced numbers of pulmonary blood vessels and increased alveolar spaces. Given that vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is essential for pulmonary vascular development, we investigated the role of GIT1 in VEGF signaling in the lung and cultured endothelial cells. Because activation of phospholipase-Cγ (PLCγ) and extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1/2 (ERK1/2) by angiotensin II requires GIT1, we hypothesized that GIT1 mediates VEGF-dependent pulmonary angiogenesis by modulating PLCγ and ERK1/2 activity in endothelial cells. In cultured endothelial cells, knockdown of GIT1 decreased VEGF-mediated phosphorylation of PLCγ and ERK1/2. PLCγ and ERK1/2 activity in lungs from GIT1 knockout mice was reduced postnatally.

Conclusions—

Our data support a critical role for GIT1 in pulmonary vascular development by regulating VEGF-induced PLCγ and ERK1/2 activation.
Vascular Disease in Mice With a Dysfunctional Circadian Clock
Authors: Anea Ciprian B. , Zhang Maoxiang , Stepp David W. , Simkins G. Bryan , Reed Guy , Fulton David J. , Rudic R. Daniel
Published: March 2009

Background—

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States and the world. A profound pattern exists in the time of day at which the death occurs; it is in the morning, when the endothelium is most vulnerable and blood pressure surges, that stroke and heart attack most frequently happen. Although the molecular components of circadian rhythms rhythmically oscillate in blood vessels, evidence of a direct function for the “circadian clock” in the progression to vascular disease is lacking.

Methods and Results—

In the present study, we found increased pathological remodeling and vascular injury in mice with aberrant circadian rhythms, Bmal1-knockout and Clock mutant. In addition, naive aortas from Bmal1-knockout and Clock mutant mice exhibit endothelial dysfunction. Akt and subsequent nitric oxide signaling, a pathway critical to vascular function, was significantly attenuated in arteries from Bmal1-knockout mice.

Conclusions—

Our data reveal a new role for the circadian clock during chronic vascular responses that may be of significance in the progression of vascular disease.
Cardiovascular Protection With Antihypertensive Drugs in Dialysis Patients
Authors: Agarwal Rajiv , Sinha Arjun D.
Published: March 2009

Epidemiological studies demonstrate that a lower blood pressure and decline in blood pressure over months or years are associated with higher mortality in dialysis patients. In contrast, randomized, controlled trials lack power to establish benefits of antihypertensive therapy. Patients on long-term dialysis participating in randomized, controlled trials and receiving antihypertensive drug therapy were the subject of this meta-analysis. Outcomes assessed were the hazard ratio of cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality in treated group compared with controls. Among 1202 patients who we identified in 5 studies, the overall benefit of antihypertensive therapy compared with the control or placebo group had a combined hazard ratio for cardiovascular events of 0.69 (95% CI: 0.56 to 0.84) using a fixed-effects model and 0.62 (95% CI: 0.45 to 0.86) using a random-effects model. In a sensitivity analysis, we found that the hypertensive group had a pooled hazard ratio of 0.49 (95% CI: 0.35 to 0.67), but when normotensives were included in the trial, lesser cardiovascular protection was seen (pooled hazard ratio of 0.86 [95% CI: 0.67 to 1.12]). Test for heterogeneity between hypertensive and “normotensive-included” groups was significant (
P
<0.006). Similar results were seen for risk ratio for death and cardiovascular events. There was evidence of publication bias based on Egger’s test and funnel plot. Randomized trials suggested a benefit of antihypertensive therapy among hemodialysis patients. Adequately powered randomized trials are required to confirm these observations, especially among those with hypertension.
Reentry and Renegotiating Motherhood
Authors: Brown Marilyn , Bloom Barbara
Published: March 2009

Parenting women emerging from prison on parole face numerous challenges to their successful reentry into the community. Along with finding housing, employment, and satisfying the conditions of their supervision, parenting women must also reassume their roles as mothers. This article adds to the literature on reentry by placing women's maternal concerns at the forefront of this process. Combining quantitative explorations of women's parole case files (203) with in-depth interviews (25), this research demonstrates that reentering mothers confront many of the same problems that mediated their incarceration: poverty, lack of education, unstable housing, lack of access to social services, underemployment, and addiction. While the maternal role may constitute a conventional identity “script” for these ex-inmates and motivate their success on parole, the challenges they face that impact their childrearing before prison make reassuming their maternal roles a precarious enterprise. Recommendations for gender-responsive policies and programs are provided.
Violent Girls or Relabeled Status Offenders?
Authors: Feld Barry C.
Published: March 2009

Policy makers and juvenile justice officials express alarm over the rise in arrests of girls for simple and aggravated assault. Others see this perceived increase as an artifact of decreased public tolerance for violence, changes in parental attitudes or law enforcement policies, or heightened surveillance of domestic violence, which disproportionately affects girls. The author contends that the social construction of girls' violence may reflect policy changes in the juvenile justice system itself, especially the deinstitutionalization of status offenders. The Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act deinstitutionalization mandates encouraged “bootstrapping” or “relabeling” female status offenders as delinquents to retain access to facilities in which to confine “incorrigible” girls. The author analyzes data on changes in arrest patterns and confinement for boys and girls charged with simple and aggravated assault, arguing that differences in rates, victims, and confinement for “violent” boys and girls support a relabeling interpretation of the supposed rise in girls' violence consistent with the social construction thesis.
A Gender-Specific Pathway to Serious, Violent, and Chronic Offending?
Authors: Johansson Pernilla , Kempf-Leonard Kimberly
Published: March 2009

In Preventing and Reducing Juvenile Delinquency, Howell proposes a female-specific pathway to serious, violent, and chronic offending. Incorporating ideas from feminist research about risk factors for female delinquency, he proposes five distinct and interrelated risk factors—child abuse victimization, mental health problems, running away, gang involvement, and juvenile justice involvement—as those that lead to serious, violent, and chronic offending for girls. This study is an exploration of Howell's hypothesis, assessing the independent effect of the suggested risk factors on girls' and boys' involvement in serious, violent, and chronic offending. The sample consists of 10,405 youths, one third of whom are females, who were referred to a metropolitan juvenile court in Texas and tracked in official records from 1997 to 2003. This large sample allows for robust statistical analysis of the independent effect of the risk factors on serious, violent, and chronic offending by gender.
Rediscovering John Macmurray
Authors: Hood Adam
Published: March 2009

John Macmurray's name is widely known, but his life and work are somewhat neglected. This article introduces Macmurray, emphasizing the important role that Christianity plays in his thinking. Macmurray was brought up an evangelical Christian, but came to believe that Christianity, whilst of enduring importance, needed reforming. Macmurray believed that Christianity, at core, relates to the problem of establishing, reviving and deepening human fellowship and understood the role of doctrine and practice in relation to this function. Fear is that which blights human friendship, and the Christian faith seeks to provide an intellectual and liturgical framework in which fear can be overcome in practice. Macmurray believed, strikingly, that the decline of Christianity as a public religion had contributed to the development of a pragmatic frame of mind, which looks to technique and technology to solve personal dilemmas.
Learning Language, Learning Teaching
Authors: Hayes David
Published: March 2009

■ It has been suggested by some researchers that the world of the teacher of English as a foreign language is terra incognita . Little research seems to be widely available to map this world for external observers, particularly from the perspectives of non-native-speaking (NNS) teachers of the language working in those contexts where most English language teaching worldwide occurs—state education systems. This article aims to make a contribution to mapping the world of NNS language teachers through a case study of the life of a teacher of English in a government school in Thailand. It hopes to contribute to a wider contextual appreciation of teachers and teaching through exploring in particular this teacher's perceptions on her own language learning, her experiences as a teacher of English and her attempts to innovate in her classroom in a context which seemed to militate against such innovation. In so doing the study also aims to make a case for further research into the careers of NNS English teachers in order that the full richness and complexity of teaching and learning of English in the widest possible variety of socio-educational contexts can be revealed and compared.
IELTS Preparation Course and Student IELTS Performance
Authors: Gan Zhengdong
Published: March 2009

■ Since the University Grants Committee (UGC) selected the academic module of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) as the common English proficiency assessment for graduating undergraduate degree students in 2002, almost all the tertiary institutions in Hong Kong have offered IELTS preparation courses that aim at providing students training in IELTS taking strategies and giving them practice with IELTS tasks under exam conditions. This study examines the potential impact of IELTS preparation course on IELTS test performance. A web-based questionnaire designed to collect information about students' IELTS preparation experience and performance was distributed to the students who had applied to take the common English proficiency assessment in the 2003/2004 academic year in one university in Hong Kong. The findings showed no significant differences in exit IELTS test scores between students who had taken an IELTS preparation course prior to the test and those who had not taken such a preparation course. However, significant differences were found between the two groups in their university entrance English exam scores. Our findings indicate that students who scored lower in the university entrance exam were more likely to take the later test preparation course prior to the exit IELTS test. The lack of statistically significant differences between the two groups in the exit IELTS test scores also points to the fact that the gap in English language proficiency between the two groups reflected in the entrance exam scores appeared to have narrowed by the time they took the exit test, which is apparently the result of the university English learning experiences, of which participation in IELTS preparation courses should be an important part. Implications for the issue of `homogenous IELTS scores' in Hong Kong, as well as the learning/motivational effects of IELTS preparation courses are discussed.
Some thoughts on the contrastive analysis of features in second language acquisition
Authors: Lardiere Donna
Published: March 2009

In this article I discuss the selection and assembly of formal features in second language acquisition. Assembling the particular lexical items of a second language (L2) requires that the learner reconfigure features from the way these are represented in the first language (L1) into new formal configurations on possibly quite different types of lexical items in the L2. I illustrate the nature of the problem by comparing the assembly and expression of features involved in plural-marking in English, Mandarin Chinese and Korean, and situate this comparison with respect to specific claims of the Nominal Mapping Parameter and within a discussion of parameter (re)setting more generally. I conclude with a few even more general thoughts on the role of Universal Grammar (UG) in (second) language acquisition.
Uninterpretable features: psychology and plasticity in second language learnability
Authors: Birdsong David
Published: March 2009

This commentary addresses the relevance of detectability to a theory of learning uninterpretable features in the second language (L2). Detectability of features is illustrated in an application of Signal Detection Theory. By analogy with development of phonemic categories in the first language (L1), the notion of paring down the repertoire of uninterpretable features is considered.
On parameters, functional categories and features … and why the trees shouldn't prevent us from seeing the forest …
Authors: Liceras Juana M.
Published: March 2009

The novelty of Lardiere's proposal does not reside in her so-called `rehabilitation' of Contrastive Analysis. In generative second language acquisition research, appeal to the best available analyses and descriptions of the languages under investigation has always been a top priority, whether the focus was parameters, functional categories or features. The novelty resides in her putting feature assembly at the forefront of the research agenda. However, arguing for feature assembly, Lardiere fails to highlight the validity and potential of constructs such as parameter-setting and feature selection, mainly because feature assembly cannot exist without feature selection, and because the deductive value of parameters can be enhanced by research meant to discover how features combine.
Features or parameters: which one makes second language acquisition easier, and more interesting to study?
Authors: Slabakova Roumyana
Published: March 2009

While agreeing with Lardiere that the `parameter-resetting' approach to understanding second language acquisition (SLA) needs rethinking, it is suggested that a more construction-based perspective runs the risk of losing deductive and explanatory power. An alternative is to investigate the constraints on feature assembly/re-assembly in second language (L2) grammars. A model of grammatical organization is adopted from Ramchand and Svenonius (2008) in which properties of the conceptual—intentional (C—I) module of mind are universal, and variation between languages is determined by the extent to which such properties are grammaticalized or determined by context. Predictions are then made about the degree of difficulty involved in determining the appropriate mapping from the C—I module to grammar or context when a learner's first language (L1) is similar to or different from the L2.
`Units of comparison' across languages, across time
Authors: Thomas Margaret
Published: March 2009

Lardiere's keynote article adverts to a succession of `units of comparison' that have been employed in the study of cross-linguistic differences, including mid-twentieth-century structural patterns, generative grammar's parameters, and (within contemporary Minimalism) features. This commentary expands on the idea of units of cross-linguistic comparison, first by developing Lardiere's observations about recent scholarship and, second, by identifying some earlier reflexes of the notion. I close by suggesting that thinking about `units of comparison' across time prepares us to better appreciate a feature-based conceptualization of L2 acquisition, and its likely trajectory.
Lexical learning in second language acquisition: optionality in the numeration
Authors: Wakabayashi Shigenori
Published: March 2009

Lardiere suggests that second language acquisition (SLA) researchers should pay more attention to the distribution of a given feature in source and target languages, using the distribution of [plural] in English, Chinese and Korean to illustrate. I argue that the distribution of [definite] in English shows a similar complexity, and that this has largely been ignored in existing second language studies. I propose that it is distributional complexity of this kind that underlies the gradual development and variability observed in second language (L2) performance. A four-stage model is outlined, attributing gradual development/variability (partly) to optionality in the numeration.
Fundraising for Black Colleges During the 1960s and 1970s
Authors: Gasman Marybeth , Drezner Noah D.
Published: March 2009

The purpose of this article is to examine the fundraising approaches and challenges of the Hampton Institute during the 1960s and 1970s—a time of racial turmoil and great change throughout the country. This turmoil, combined with a push for integration within the larger Black community and among White liberals, made for an uncertain fundraising environment. In addition, this article explores Hampton Institute’s decision to withdraw from the United Negro College Fund, a fundraising organization for private Black colleges, in 1968 and the impact of this action on Hampton’s ability to raise necessary funds.
Fulminant onset of cerebral immunocomplex vasculitis as first manifestation of neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus (NPSLE)
Authors: Rizos T , Siegelin M , Hähnel S , Storch-Hagenlocher B , Hug A
Published: March 2009

Fulminant onset of neuropsychiatric symptoms as first manifestation of neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus (NPSLE) is rare and diagnosis is difficult if only one organ is involved. Here, we report the case of a previously healthy woman who presented with a clinical syndrome most compatible with acute onset of NPSLE. However, American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria were not sufficiently met. Brain biopsy showed an autoimmune complex vasculitis consistent with central nervous system (CNS) lupus. Because the prognosis of SLE-related CNS involvement is poor, aggressive immunosuppressive treatment was initiated using methylprednisolone in combination with cyclophosphamide.
Hormone replacement therapy in women with systemic lupus erythematosus and risk of cardiovascular disease
Authors: Hochman J , Urowitz MB , Ibañez D , Gladman DD
Published: March 2009

We sought to determine the impact of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) on the occurrence of coronary artery disease (CAD) in women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Women in the University of Toronto lupus database who had taken HRT with no history of CAD were compared with all post-menopausal female patients with no history of HRT or CAD. Chi-squared and t-tests were used to compare the risk factors of CAD and Kaplan–Meier curve, log rank test and proportional hazard model with time-dependent covariates were used to compare the time from entry into the clinic to occurrence of CAD. A total of 114 HRT-user patients with no history of CAD were compared with 227 post-menopausal non-HRT user SLE controls. The groups were similar with respect to lupus anticoagulant, antiphospholipid antibody, cumulative steroid dose and classic cardiac risk factors. A similar percentage of patients developed CAD in the control (13.7%) and HRT (11.4%) groups. There was no difference in the time to development of CAD. In the multivariate analysis, HRT was not a risk factor for CAD. Only age ( P = 0.0001, HR = 1.11, 95% CI = 1.05, 1.17) and SLEDAI-2K ( P = 0.0001, HR = 1.10, 95% CI = 1.05, 1.16) were significantly associated with the risk of CAD. In this small group of patients with SLE, HRT alone did not appear to predispose to CAD.
Mitochondrial DNA polymorphisms are associated with susceptibility and phenotype of systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors: Jönsen A , Yu X , Truedsson L , Nived O , Sturfelt G , Ibrahim S , Bengtsson AA
Published: March 2009

The objective of this study was to investigate the possible association between mitochondrial DNA polymorphisms and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). A cohort from the Department of Rheumatology, Lund University Hospital, Sweden, consisting of 166 unrelated SLE patients was investigated as well as 190 unrelated healthy blood donors. Mean age at SLE diagnosis was 39 years (range 10–83) and mean follow-up time was 16 years (range 1–44). There were 87% women among the lupus patients, and the control group consisted of 98 women and 92 men from the same geographical area and with a similar age and ethnicity. The mtDNA SNP nt16189C was associated with SLE (OR = 1.98, 95% CI 1.04–3.78, P = 0.05). In addition, SNP nt13708A was associated with SLE in males (OR = 3.46, 95% CI 1.08–11.1, P = 0.04), although the number of male patients was low. Furthermore, SNP nt10398A was associated with secondary anti-phospholipid syndrome ( P = 0.017, OR 8.2, 95% CI 1.1–63). In conclusion, in this study, we have for the first time investigated the possible association between SLE disease and mitochondrial DNA polymorphisms. Altogether, these novel results suggest that mtDNA polymorphisms may be associated with development of SLE and may potentially be of importance in SLE pathogenesis.
Severe tissue trauma triggers the autoimmune state systemic lupus erythematosus in the MRL/++ lupus-prone mouse
Authors: Anam K , Amare M , Naik S , Szabo KA , Davis TA
Published: March 2009

Tissue damage associated with a severe injury can result in profound inflammatory responses that may trigger autoimmune development in lupus-prone individuals. In this study, we investigated the role of a large full-thickness cutaneous burn injury on the early onset of autoimmune disease in lupus-prone MRL/++ mice. MRL/++ mice (chronic model) exhibit autoimmune symptoms at >70 weeks of age, whereas MRL/-Faslpr mice (acute model) develop autoimmune disease in 17–22 weeks due to a lymphoproliferative mutation. Autoimmune disease developed in MRL/++ mice (4–15 weeks post injury) is manifested by skin lesions, vasculitis, epidermal ulcers, cellular infiltration, splenomegaly, lymphadenopathy, hypergammaglobulinemia, elevated autoantibodies and renal pathologies including proteinuria, glomerulonephritis and immune complex deposition; complications that contribute to reduced survival. Transcription studies of wound margin tissue show a correlation between the pathogenic effects of dysregulated IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α and PGE2 synthesis during early wound healing and early onset of autoimmune disease. Interestingly, MRL/++ mice with healed wounds (30–40 days post burn) strongly rejected skin isografts. Conversely, skin isografts transplanted onto naive age-matched MRL/++ littermates achieved long-term survival. Collectively, these findings suggest that traumatic injury exacerbates inflammatory skin disease and severe multi-organ pathogenesis in lupus-prone mice.
Ovarian vasculitis in an adult with fatal systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors: Massasso D , Cheruvu C , Joshua F , Yong J , Gotis-Graham I
Published: March 2009

Vasculitis of the ovary is a rare condition that can occur as an isolated finding or in association with systemic vasculitis. We describe a case of a 36-year-old female with vasculitis involving the left ovary on a background of severe active systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Despite a florid histopathological picture of ovarian vasculitis, the clinical and imaging findings were nonspecific. We have compared the current case to the literature on ovarian vasculitis, including relating to SLE. Ovarian vasculitis in SLE may be an underestimated entity as it may not be looked for routinely in the context of vasculitic involvement of other organs.
Outcome of lupus nephritis in Indian children
Authors: Hari P , Bagga A , Mahajan P , Dinda A
Published: March 2009

We report the clinicopathological features, treatment and outcome of 54 Indian children (14 boys) with biopsy-proven lupus nephritis followed over a 10-year period. The mean age (SD) at onset of disease was 9.6 ± 2.6 (range 2.5–14.4) years. Twenty-six (48.1%) patients had class IV nephritis, 7 (13.0%) had class V, whereas class I, II and III nephritis were present in 3 (5.6%), 10 (18.5%) and 6 (11.1%) patients, respectively. Hypertension, haematuria and nephrotic range proteinuria were present in 30 (55.6%), 31 (57.4%) and 28 (51.8%) patients, respectively. Compared with all the other classes combined, there were more boys among patients with class IV nephritis, and hypertension, haematuria, nephrotic syndrome and decreased glomerular filtration rate at presentation were more common. The mean duration of follow-up was 3.1 ± 2.9 years (median 2.5, range 0.2–10.3 years). Of the 39 patients who were followed-up for at least 1 year, 33 (84.6%) were in complete or partial remission, whereas six (15.4%) had no response to therapy. The incidence of serious infection was 1.5 episodes per 10 patient-years. Nine patients died, of whom four had serious infections or septicaemia, and three developed end-stage renal failure (ESRF). The patient survival rate at 3 years and at last follow-up visit was 88% and 83.3%, respectively, whereas the renal survival rates (without ESRF) were 92% and 94.4% respectively. Cox regression analysis showed no relation of gender, age of onset, presence of hypertension, haematuria and proteinuria, estimated glomerular filtration rate, renal histology and response to therapy to the outcome of death or ESRF. We found lower patient survival rate as compared with data from the developed countries but similar to that seen in developing countries. Serious infections were an important cause of mortality besides renal failure.
Circulating endothelial cells and angiogenic proteins in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors: Robak E , Kierstan M , Cebula B , Krawczynska A , Sysa-Jedrzejowska A , Wierzbowska A , Smolewski P , Robak T
Published: March 2009

The aim of our study was to assess absolute counts of different subpopulations of circulating endothelial cells (CEC) in patients with active and inactive systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We have also investigated a potential correlation of CEC numbers with serum levels of angiogenic proteins as well as with clinical and laboratory symptoms of the disease. For the first time in SLE, CEC were enumerated directly, by the ‘single platform’ method. Resting (rCEC), activated (aCEC) and progenitor (pCEC) endothelial cells were identified in patients with SLE and healthy volunteers using four-colour flow cytometry. Serum concentrations of angiogenic proteins (vascular endothelial growth factor, placental growth factor (PIGF), soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule and endoglin) were evaluated by ELISA. The SLE activity was scored according to the Systemic Lupus Activity Measure system. We found that total CEC number in patients with SLE was significantly higher (median 14.2/μL) than in the control group (median 3.3/μL) ( P < 0.0001). Absolute counts of aCEC, rCEC and pCEC (medians 4.9/μL, 6.8/μL and 2.3/μL, respectively) were also higher in patients with SLE than in healthy persons (medians 0.9/μL, 1.6/μL and 0.1/μL, respectively), with P < 0.0001 for all comparisons. There was no correlation between CEC or their subpopulations and SLE activity. Strong positive correlations were found between CEC, rCEC and pCEC numbers and serum levels of PIGF. Moreover, aCEC, rCEC and pCEC counts were significantly higher in SLE patients with leukopenia. In conclusion, our results show that absolute CEC counts and angiogenic proteins levels are elevated in patients with SLE as compared with healthy controls. These data may suggest that angiogenic process is involved in the pathogenesis of this disease.