bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sex Differences in Mortality Associated With Computed Tomographic Angiographic Measurements of Obstructive and Nonobstructive Coronary Artery Disease
Authors: Shaw Leslee J. , Min James K. , Narula Jagat , Lin Fay , Bairey-Merz C. Noel , Callister Tracy Q. , Berman Daniel S.
Published: May 2010

Background—

Sex differences exist in the prevalence and severity of obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD). Limited data are available to explore sex differences in prognosis with coronary computed tomographic angiographic (CCTA) measurements of CAD including novel nonobstructive plaque extent.

Methods and Results—

A total of 1127 consecutive patients were clinically referred to 16-slice CCTA and followed for the occurrence of all-cause death. Time to death was calculated by univariable and multivariable Cox proportional hazard models. Four-year survival (92.1%) was similar by sex (
P
=0.52). Women more often had no coronary stenosis (54%) as compared with men (28%) (
P
<0.0001). Mortality worsened for both women (
P
<0.0001) and men (
P
=0.002) by the number of vessels with ≥50% stenosis. For women, overall mortality ranged from 3.5% for no CAD to 25.0% for women with 3-vessel plus left main obstructive CAD (
P
<0.0001). For men, overall mortality ranged from 2.7% for no CAD to 17.4% for males with 3-vessel plus left main obstructive CAD (
P
=0.002). Nonobstructive disease was prevalent in women (range, 24% to 66%) and men (range, 45% to 74%) ages 45 to ≥80 years. Nonobstructive CAD extent was a significant estimator of all-cause mortality when added to a model containing pretest CAD likelihood and obstructive CAD extent (
P
=0.039). For men, in a risk-adjusted model including pretest CAD likelihood and obstructive CAD, the number of nonobstructive lesions was not a significant estimator of mortality (
P
=0.9). For women, the relative hazard for mortality, in a multivariable model, was 1.3 per nonobstructive lesion (
P
=0.003), including pretest CAD likelihood and obstructive CAD as covariates. For women, risk-adjusted median mortality ranged from 2.9% to 10.9% for none to ≥4 nonobstructive lesions (
P
<0.0001).

Conclusions—

Based on our preliminary analyses, CCTA obstructive and nonobstructive CAD adds incremental value to clinical assessment for risk stratification. Moreover, the extent of nonobstructive CAD by CCTA predicts mortality in women but not in men and may be helpful to optimize therapeutic strategies for women.
Incremental Diagnostic Value of Regional Left Ventricular Function Over Coronary Assessment by Cardiac Computed Tomography for the Detection of Acute Coronary Syndrome in Patients With Acute Chest Pain
Authors: Seneviratne Sujith K. , Truong Quynh A. , Bamberg Fabian , Rogers Ian S. , Shapiro Michael D. , Schlett Christopher L. , Chae Claudia U. , Cury Ricardo , Abbara Suhny , Brady Thomas J. , Nagurney John T. , Hoffmann Udo
Published: May 2010

Background—

The incremental value of regional left ventricular function (LVF) over coronary assessment to detect acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is uncertain.

Methods and Results—

We analyzed 356 patients (mean age, 53±12 years; 62% men) with acute chest pain and inconclusive initial emergency department evaluation. Patients underwent 64-slice contrast-enhanced cardiac computed tomography before hospital admission. Caregivers and patients remained blinded to the results. Regional LVF and presence of coronary atherosclerotic plaque and significant stenosis (>50%) were separately assessed by 2 independent readers. Incremental value of regional LVF to predict ACS was determined in the entire cohort and in subgroups of patients with nonobstructive coronary artery disease, inconclusive assessment for stenosis (defined as inability to exclude significant stenosis due to calcium or motion), and significant stenosis. During their index hospitalization, 31 patients were ultimately diagnosed with ACS (8 myocardial infarction, 22 unstable angina), of which 74% (23 patients) had regional LV dysfunction. Adding regional LVF resulted in a 10% increase in sensitivity to detect ACS by cardiac computed tomography (87%; 95% confidence interval, 70% to 96%) and significantly improved the overall accuracy (c-statistic: 0.88 versus 0.94 and 0.79 versus 0.88, for extent of plaque and presence of stenosis, respectively; both
P
<0.03). The diagnostic accuracy of regional LVF for detection of ACS has 89% sensitivity and 86% specificity in patients with significant stenosis (n=33) and 60% sensitivity and 86% specificity in patients with inconclusive coronary computed tomographic angiography (n=33).

Conclusions—

Regional LVF assessment at rest improves diagnostic accuracy for ACS in patients with acute chest pain, especially in those with coronary artery disease and thus may be helpful to guide further management in patients at intermediate risk for ACS.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL:
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier: NCT00990262.
Gas6-Axl Pathway
Authors: Cavet Megan E. , Smolock Elaine M. , Menon Prashanthi , Konishi Atsushi , Korshunov Vyacheslav A. , Berk Bradford C.
Published: May 2010

In vascular smooth muscle cells, Axl is a key receptor tyrosine kinase, because it is upregulated in injury, increases migration and neointima formation, and is activated by reactive oxygen species. Reaction of glutathione with cysteine residues (termed “glutathiolation”) is an important posttranslational redox modification that may alter protein activity and protein-protein interactions. To investigate the mechanisms by which reactive oxygen species increase Axl-dependent vascular smooth muscle cell function we assayed for glutathiolated proteins that associated with Axl in a redox-dependent manner. We identified glutathiolated nonmuscle myosin heavy chain (MHC)-IIB as a novel Axl interacting protein. This interaction was specific in that other myosins did not interact with Axl. The endogenous ligand for Axl, Gas6, increased production of reactive oxygen species in vascular smooth muscle cells and also increased the association of Axl with MHC-IIB. Antioxidants ebselen and N-acetylcysteine decreased the association of Axl with MHC-IIB in response to both Gas6 and reactive oxygen species. Blocking the Axl–MHC-IIB interaction with the specific myosin II inhibitor blebbistatin decreased phosphorylation of Axl and activation of extracellular signal–regulated kinase 1/2 and Akt. Association of MHC-IIB with Axl was increased in balloon-injured rat carotid vessels. Finally, expression of MHC-IIB was upregulated in the neointima of the carotid artery after balloon injury similar to upregulation of Axl protein expression, as shown in our previous studies. These results demonstrate a novel interaction between Axl and MHC-IIB in response to reactive oxygen species. This interaction provides a direct link between Axl and molecular motors crucial for directed cell migration, which may mediate increased migration in vascular dysfunction.
Menstrual Cycle Affects Renal-Adrenal and Hemodynamic Responses During Prolonged Standing in the Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome
Authors: Fu Qi , VanGundy Tiffany B. , Shibata Shigeki , Auchus Richard J. , Williams Gordon H. , Levine Benjamin D.
Published: May 2010

Approximately 500 000 American premenopausal women have the postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). We tested the hypothesis that in POTS women during orthostasis, activation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system is greater, leading to better compensated hemodynamics in the midluteal phase (MLP) than in the early follicular phase of the menstrual cycle. Ten POTS women and 11 healthy women (controls) consumed a constant diet 3 days before testing. Hemodynamics and renal-adrenal hormones were measured while supine and during 2-hour standing. We found that blood pressure was similar, heart rate and total peripheral resistance were greater, and cardiac output and stroke volume were lower in POTS subjects than in controls during 2-hour standing. In controls, hemodynamic parameters were indistinguishable between menstrual phases. In POTS subjects, cardiac output and stroke volume were lower and total peripheral resistance was greater in the early follicular phase than MLP after 30 minutes of standing; however, blood pressure and heart rate were similar between phases. Plasma renin activity (9±6 [SD] versus 13±9 ng/mL per hour;
P
=0.04) and aldosterone (43±22 versus 55±25 ng/dL;
P
=0.02) were lower in the early follicular phase than MLP in POTS subjects after 2 hours of standing. Catecholamine responses were similar between phases. The percentage rate of subjects having presyncope was greater in the early follicular phase than MLP for both groups (χ
2
P
<0.01). These results suggest that the menstrual cycle modulates the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system and affects hemodynamics during orthostasis in POTS. The high estrogen and progesterone in the MLP are associated with greater increases in renal-adrenal hormones and presumably more volume retention, which improve late-standing tolerance in these patients.
Upregulation of Urotensin II Receptor in Preeclampsia Causes In Vitro Placental Release of Soluble Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor 1 in Hypoxia
Authors: Gould Phillip S. , Gu Mei , Liao Jianqin , Ahmad Shakil , Cudmore Melissa J. , Ahmed Asif , Vatish Manu
Published: May 2010

Preeclampsia is a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy caused by abnormal placental function, partly because of chronic hypoxia at the utero-placental junction. The increase in levels of soluble vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1, an antiangiogenic agent known to inhibit placental vascularization, is an important cellular factor implicated in the onset of preeclampsia. We investigated the ligand urotensin II (U-II), a potent endogenous vasoconstrictor and proangiogenic agent, for which levels have been reported to increase in patients with preeclampsia. We hypothesized that an increased sensitivity to U-II in preeclampsia might be achieved by upregulation of placental U-II receptors. We further investigated the role of U-II receptor stimulation on soluble vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1 release in placental explants from diseased and normal patients. Immunohistochemistry, real-time PCR, and Western blotting analysis revealed that U-II receptor expression was significantly upregulated in preeclampsia placentas compared with controls (
P
<0.01). Cellular models of syncytiotrophoblast and vascular endothelial cells subjected to hypoxic conditions revealed an increase in U-II receptor levels in the syncytiotrophoblast model. This induction is regulated by the transcriptional activator hypoxia-inducible factor 1α. U-II treatment is associated with increased secretion of soluble vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1 only in preeclamptic placental explants under hypoxia but not in control conditions. Interestingly, normal placental explants did not respond to U-II stimulation.
Extracranial Carotid Stenosis and Peripheral Arterial Disease in Thai Patients With Coronary Artery Disease
Authors: Dharmasaroja Pornpatr A. , Piyayotai Dilok , Hutayanon Pisit , Buakhamsri Adisai , Intharakham Kunnakorn
Published: May 2010

We assessed the prevalence of carotid stenosis (CS) and peripheral arterial disease (PAD) in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) to determine the relationship between these conditions in a Thai population. All patients with coronary angiography during June 2008 and August 2009 were studied. Carotid duplex and ankle-brachial index (ABI) were performed. One hundred and seventy-seven patients were studied (95 men, mean age of 65). Carotid stenosis and PAD were diagnosed in 16 patients (9%) and 68 patients (38.4%), respectively. The presence of carotid bruit and older age were independent predictors of CS and PAD, respectively. There was no correlation between the presence of CS/PAD and the extent of coronary artery lesions. Although CS was uncommon in patients with CAD, the patients with cervical bruit should be screened for CS. Prevalence of PAD was high, confirming the presence of diffuse atherosclerosis in many patients with CAD.
How satisfied are they and why? A study of job satisfaction, job rewards, gender and temporary agency workers in Australia
Authors: Aletraris Lydia
Published: May 2010

The temporary agency industry has experienced substantial growth in the past two decades. Although there is research on the quality of Australian agency work, most studies have emphasized economic disparities in outcomes for workers. Representative quantitative research using large-scale Australian data on non-economic outcomes, such as job satisfaction, has been scant. Using a nationally representative sample of Australian workers, I examine the extent to which temporary agency workers are satisfied with their jobs and the differences in the satisfaction of agency and permanent workers. I find that agency workers report lower levels of job satisfaction and that job security, control over the duration of work and autonomy are important mediating mechanisms. They are also less satisfied with the work itself, hours worked and their job security. I also find that women are more satisfied with temporary work than men and explore why. I end with implications for organizations and future research.
Are all good soldier behaviors the same? Supporting multidimensionality of organizational citizenship behaviors based on rewards and roles
Authors: Marinova Sophia V , Moon Henry , Van Dyne Linn
Published: May 2010

This article tests an integrative conceptual model of organizational citizenship behaviors (OCB) that combines two dominant distinctions in types of OCB (individual versus organizational target and promotive versus protective orientation). Challenging past research that has viewed OCB as unidimensional, we propose conceptually meaningful differences in the ways that employees perceive roles and rewards in relation to different dimensions of OCB. Results from four non-overlapping samples representing over 1550 employees support systematic similarities and differences between four specific types of OCB: helping, taking charge, compliance, and sportsmanship. We discuss theoretical and practical implications, emphasizing the value of future research that focuses on specific types of OCB.
Workplace friendships between men: Gay men’s perspectives and experiences
Authors: Rumens Nick
Published: May 2010

Challenging the heteronormative bias in the current literature on men’s workplace friendships, this article uses qualitative interview data to explore how gay men understand and experience workplace friendships involving other gay and heterosexual men. Developing a Foucauldian approach, this study suggests that gay men’s experiences and perspectives on workplace friendships can supplant negative stereotypes of men’s friendships, by understanding them as relational sites for developing empowering organizational gay sexualities and genders. From a Foucauldian theoretical orientation, we can examine how gay men can(not) avoid falling into the trap of treating gender and sexuality in dichotomous and heterosexist terms, allowing them and their male work friends to explore new possibilities for workplace friendships that are more gender and sexually complex than is currently assumed. This article advocates future research on this matter as it could potentially enrich extant critical scholarship that has often bathed organizational masculinities in a negative light.
On the Design of Three-layer Symmetric and Three-layer Asymmetric Adherends in Lap Shear Joints
Authors: Radice J.J. , Vinson J.R.
Published: May 2010

Design studies are performed for composite material adherends in an axially loaded single lap shear joint with a three-layer adherend architecture. An optimal three-layer symmetric design and an improved three-layer asymmetric design are found. For the specific composite and adhesive material systems chosen, peel stresses are reduced by approximately 7% by using this improved three-layer asymmetric architecture. The maximum principal stress is reduced by approximately 4% for this optimized architecture.
Application of Response Sensitivity in Composite Processing
Authors: Bebamzadeh A. , Haukaas T. , Vaziri R. , Poursartip A. , Fernlund G.
Published: May 2010

This article demonstrates the use of response sensitivities in numerical simulation of composite processing via four different application examples: real-time result validation, model calibration, reliability analysis, and optimization. The analyses are carried out with integrated simulation software with new response sensitivity capabilities. Notably, the response sensitivities are computed by the direct differentiation method. This is an efficient and accurate alternative to the finite difference approaches. A brief review of the derivation and implementation of sensitivity equations is provided. The primary objective of this article is to demonstrate and promote a suite of techniques to incorporate uncertainties into the simulation of the composite manufacturing process, facilitated by efficient sensitivity computations.
Mechanical Performance of Pumice-reinforced Epoxy Composites
Authors: Fleischer C.A. , Zupan Marc
Published: May 2010

Currently, most cellular solid sandwich panel cores require multiple advanced manufacturing procedures that drive increasing costs for applications. Pumice is a naturally occurring cellular solid that exhibits a microstructure very similar to advanced ceramic foams. This work presents a manufacturing process for producing composite panels of pumice stones and epoxy binder. The cost and weight efficient structure is evaluated through mechanical testing and investigated for possible energy absorption applications. Mechanical performance as a function of relative density is presented and compared to currently available core materials, and scaling laws developed.
A Study of Elastic Coupling to the Wind Turbine Blade by Combined Analytical and Finite Element Beam Model
Authors: Lin Huei-Jeng , Lai Wei-Ming
Published: May 2010

Elastic coupling is a feature specific to fiber-reinforced plastic materials, and it is often used in structures to improve stabilities or for other purposes. In the investigation of the elastic coupling properties, the commonly used finite element analysis (FEA) software package in structures does not usually provide a theoretical understanding. Thus, this study adopted a combined analytical and finite element beam model to address this problem. The model can provide better understanding on structures, and the computation time is far less than the FEA. This study examined several factors that may influence the couplings of wind turbine blades, such as material selection, coupling positions, and the wind force distribution. The results showed that mixed-use of carbon and glass fibers can provide better coupling properties, and the blade developers should arrange the off-axis fibers to adapt to the operating conditions in order to reach better performance.
The Preparation and Properties of PEN/MWNT Nanocomposites
Authors: Jiachun Zhong  , Wenjin Chen  , Kun Jia  , Xiaobo Liu
Published: May 2010

Polyarylene ether nitrile (PEN)/multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWNT) composites was prepared, and their rheological behavior and mechanical properties were studied. The PEN/MWNT composites have been fabricated via solution mixing by using ultrasound and dispersion agent, and then casting. This results show that the rheological and mechanical properties of the PEN/MWNT nanocomposites prepared by ultrasound treatment with sodium dodecyl sulfate increase more significantly than that of the ultrasound-treated PEN/MWNT composites and the untreated PEN/MWNT composites with the increase in the MWNT content. The rheological and mechanical properties of the PEN/MWNT composites were related with the content ratio of the MWNT and the preparation ways.
Fabrication and Characterization of Heterostructural CoFe2O4/ Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3 Nanofibers by Electrospinning
Authors: Zheng Jin-Cai , Shen Xiang-Qian , Min Chun-Ying , Meng Xian-Feng , Liang Qing-Rong
Published: May 2010

Heterostructural CoFe2O4/Pb(Zr0.52Ti 0.48)O3 composite nanofibers with diameters about 100 nm were prepared by electrospinning. The thermal decomposition process, structure and morphology of the precursor composite fibers and the calcined CoFe 2O4/Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3 nanofibers were investigated by thermogravimetric and differential scanning calorimetry (TG-DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and high-resolution TEM (HRTEM). It is found that just the spinel CoFe2O4 (CFO) and perovskite Pb(Zr0.52Ti 0.48)O3 (PZT) phases coexist in the composite CFO/PZT nanofibers obtained at calcination temperature of 950°C. The grain sizes of CFO and PZT increase with the calcination temperature whilst the grain growth process would be limited due to the separation effects for these two phases. When the grain sizes of CFO and PZT in the nanofiber reach about the size range of the nanofiber diameter, these grains are alternatively distributed along the nanofiber length direction and the well-defined heterostructure is formed between these nanograins of CFO and PZT.
Hybrid Porous Materials for Dental Applications
Authors: Estevez Miriam , Fonseca Gerardo , Vargas Susana , Rodríguez Rogelio
Published: May 2010

New hybrid polymer-ceramic obturation materials were developed using synthetic hydroxyapatite, two different types of ceramic particles, and a polymer with a high agglutination capacity, high abrasion resistance, and good adhesion to the dentin. Silica nano-particles of 16 nm and alumina micro-particles of 3.2 μm were used: this difference in sizes allows a better packing of the particles into the resin rendering in an improvement in the mechanical and abrasion properties. The resin reacts with the dentin and the ceramic particles improving the adhesion with the substrate and reducing the micro-filtration in the interface dentin-obturation material. Additionally, to protect the obturated dental piece again staining, a transparent and glossy dental coating with a high scratching resistance was also designed.
Numerical Modeling of Tensile Behavior of Fiber-reinforced Polymer Composites
Authors: Wang F. , Chen Z.Q. , Wei Y.Q. , Zeng X.G.
Published: May 2010

Based upon micromechanical analysis of multiple damage events, a 2D theoretical model has been proposed to study tensile mechanical response of fiber-reinforced polymer composites, by considering the effect of statistic variations in fiber strength and shear failure of matrix. Stress profiles for any configuration of breaks in composites are derived by a superposition method under the framework of shear-lag arguments. A simulation scheme coupled with Monte-Carlo method has been executed to simulate progressive damage and to investigate failure behavior. Results show that the ultimate strength of composites is influenced by fiber strength statistics and stress distribution due to progressive microdamage.
Effect of Diameter in Predicting the Elastic Properties of 2D Braided Tubular Composites
Authors: Ayranci Cagri , Carey Jason P.
Published: May 2010

A thorough understanding of 2D braided composites elastic behavior is necessary for stiffness critical applications. This article outlines the effects of radius of curvature of a unit cell on 2D braided tubular composites’ elastic constants via a sensitivity study. The proposed model is verified using literature and experimental results. The proposed model is first compared to an existing flat unit cell model by setting the radius of curvature to near infinity; elastic constants are in very good agreement. Finally, very good agreement between the experimental and predicted results is observed.
Failure Progression and Mesh Sensitivity Analyses by the Plate Element-Failure Method
Authors: Liu G. , Tay T.E. , Tan V.B.C.
Published: May 2010

Despite the fact that fiber-reinforced composite materials have been extensively used in aerospace, defense and marine structures for many years, the high stiffness and strength properties of these materials have not yet been fully exploited. In many instances, overly rigid adherence to conservative design rules based on ‘black aluminum’ (symmetric quasi-isotropic graphite-epoxy laminates) has eroded these advantages significantly. Efforts to better understand the failure mechanisms and develop efficient and robust computational tools will lend more confidence to designers and engineers to realize better weight savings and improve damage tolerance. The search for efficient computational tools for the modeling of progressive damage in composites should be coupled with sufficient fidelity to ensure that the mechanisms of the complex failure modes are accurately represented. In an effort towards this goal, the authors have proposed the element-failure method (EFM) using 3D solid finite elements, which has been successfully applied to failure analysis of composite laminates. The EFM has advantages over the traditional material property degradation method (MPDM) because the stiffness matrix of the element is not changed, thereby improving computational convergence and saving in computational efforts. In this article, a plate element-based EFM (PEFM) is presented for modeling progressive damage in fiber-reinforced composites. The implementation in plate elements further improves the efficiency of computation, when compared to analyses with 3D elements. In conjunction with several different failure theories, the plate EFM is applied to model progressive damage in quasi-isotropic composite laminates with open-holes, subjected to remote tensile loading. A mesh sensitivity study shows that the EFM results are relatively independent of mesh size effects. When compared with experimental data, the predicted ultimate strengths and damage patterns show good agreement.
Predicting Employment Outcomes for Consumers in Community College Short-Term Training Programs
Authors: Flannery K. Brigid , Benz Michael R. , Yovanoff Paul , Kato Mary McGrath , Lindstrom Lauren
Published: May 2010

Postsecondary education has been linked to improved access to employment opportunities for individuals with and without disabilities. The purpose of this study was to determine factors associated with increased employment outcomes for Vocational Rehabilitation consumers enrolled in community college short term occupational skill training programs. Findings indicate that certain student and program factors were associated with more positive program and employment outcomes. Females, older participants, and those who received financial support were more likely to complete a certificate, be employed at exit, and maintain employment for 90 days. Individuals with psychiatric disabilities and other skill barriers were less likely to obtain positive program outcomes. Being female or a member of an ethnic minority group was associated with lower annual wages, while completion of all program outcomes predicted higher total annual wages. Implications for rehabilitation practice are discussed.
A Multi-agent-based voltage control in power systems using distributed reinforcement learning
Authors: Tousi M.Reza , Hosseinian S. Hossein , Menhaj M. Bagher
Published: May 2010

In this paper we show the application of multi-agent modeling and simulation with distributed reinforcement learning to one of the major problems in power system operations, i.e. voltage control. In this research some agents in the power network work together to provide a desirable voltage profile, using a combination of multi-agent system (MAS) technology and some of the reinforcement learning approaches. In this schema, individual agents who are assigned to voltage controller devices in the power system learn from their experiences to control the system voltage, and also cooperate and communicate with each other to satisfy the whole team goals. A detailed evaluation of methods for controlling voltage in power systems, including multi-agent coordination and distributed reinforcement learning (DRL), demonstrates that this framework yields effective plans, good agent coordination, and successful implementation. In the proposed approach, agent development and communication simulation have been carried out in the Java Agent Development (JADE) framework.
WST: a tool supporting timed composite Web Services Model transformation
Authors: Cambronero M Emilia , Díaz Gregorio , Martínez Enrique , Valero Valentín , Tobarra Llanos
Published: May 2010

In this paper we introduce a tool called the Web Service Translation tool (WST), which we are developing to implement a methodology for the design, validation and verification of Web Services with timed restrictions. This methodology works by making several translations, from phase to phase in the software development life cycle, where the system is represented at each phase by XML models. We use XSL Transformations (XSLT), which is a language for transforming XML documents. The purpose of these translations is to generate XML code automatically for a Web Service system and to obtain Web Services description models with Timed Automata for validating and verifying composite Web Services with time restrictions.
Where Does Gender Fit in the Measurement of Self-Control?
Authors: Gibson Chris L. , Ward Jeffrey T. , Wright John Paul , Beaver Kevin M. , Delisi Matt
Published: May 2010

Gender’s role in self-control measures has been largely neglected. Although studies show that males have lower self-control than females, rarely have researchers questioned whether items used to measure self-control should be used for both groups. This study uses a Rasch rating scale analysis to assess item functioning of Grasmick et al.’s 24-item self-control scale for males and females. Using a sample of young adults, results indicate that 33% of the scale items showed differential functioning or item bias; that is, after controlling for self-control, females found one third of the items to be either more or less agreeable than males. Once biased items were removed from the scale, males, on average, still had lower self-control than females. In addition, after excluding biased items from the scale, the effect of self-control on criminal behavior and other outcomes was similar to the effect found with the full 24-item scale. Suggestions for future research on Grasmick et al.’s self-control scale are offered, and limitations of the current study are discussed.
Quantifying the Development of Inflectional Diversity
Authors: Xanthos Aris , Gillis Steven
Published: May 2010

This study introduces a new metric for assessing the inflectional diversity of morphologically analyzed language transcripts. The proposed metric is based on the intuitive notion of mean size of paradigm (MSP) and makes extensive use of random sampling procedures for normalization purposes. This approach is systematically evaluated on the basis of large sets of Dutch acquisition corpora, including both child speech and child-directed speech. It is shown to be an efficient way of controlling for sample size in the measurement of inflectional diversity, as well as a suitable method for assessing inflectional development in longitudinal data. MSP is compared with ID (inflectional diversity) introduced by Malvern, Richards, Chipere, and Durán (2004).
Interpretation and Recall of Proverbs in Three School-age Populations
Authors: Berman Ruth A. , Ravid Dorit
Published: May 2010

The study investigates schoolchildren’s command of proverbs as a facet of figurative language, testing their ability to go beyond the referential content of the linguistic message and their familiarity with established non-literal sayings as indicative of lexical development. The tasks involved (1) interpretation of unfamiliar proverbial sayings that are non-conventionalized in Hebrew — in context-free and contextualized conditions — and (2) recall of established traditional Hebrew proverbs. Participants were 4th- and 8th-graders from three populations: typically developing children of high and low SES backgrounds respectively and a group of high SES language-impaired children. Results show a clear rise in performance with age and schooling on both tasks, with greater success in interpreting novel sayings than in recalling traditional proverbs. The language-impaired group scored lowest on all tasks, with the low SES children doing less well than their high SES peers on interpretation but better on recall.
What Do You Mean by “European”? Evidence of Spontaneous Ingroup Projection
Authors: Bianchi Mauro , Mummendey Amélie , Steffens Melanie C. , Yzerbyt Vincent Y.
Published: May 2010

The ingroup projection model posits that group members project ingroup features onto a superordinate category. The present research aimed at isolating the cognitive underpinnings of this process. If ingroup projection is a spontaneous cognitive process, a superordinate category prime should facilitate the processing of the ingroup prototype rather than the outgroup prototype. Three studies support this hypothesis by comparing subliminal semantic priming in two different populations, an intra- versus intergroup situation, and with an ingroup prototype manipulated by changing the intergroup context. Results indicated that the superordinate category prime facilitated the processing of ingroup rather than outgroup traits (Experiment 1) and that these traits depended on the particular content of the ingroup prototype made salient by different contexts (Experiments 2 and 3). The findings indicate that the cognitive representation of the superordinate category is based on ingroup traits and that this representation is context dependent.
The granting of forgiveness in an intergroup context: African and Asian social representations
Authors: Mullet Etienne , Nann Stéphanie , Kadima Kadiangandu Joachim , Neto Félix , da Conceição Pinto María
Published: May 2010

The model for representing intergroup forgiveness suggested by Neto, Pinto & Mullet (2007a) has been extended through the examination of data from a large sample (n = 1036) of Asian (Cambodians and East Timorese) and African (Angolans, Guineans and Mozambicans) adults who have been personally affected by long-term wars and conflicts in their area. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses showed that a nine-factor model could adequately fit the whole set of data. Overall, a large majority of the participants agreed with the view that forgiveness as an intergroup process was conceivable. For a majority of the participants: (a) the aim of the intergroup forgiveness process is reconciliation with the former offender; (b) the process does not need to be strictly conditional on adequate reparation and compensation; (c) it should be democratic — in other words, forgiveness should not be decided solely by politicians, traditional or religious authorities; (d) it belongs to the forgiver—forgiven dyad — in other words, interference from the international community should be minimal; (e) it should be public (and not a negotiation between members of the elite) — forgiveness should be announced to the whole community using broad international languages; and (f) it should be an all-encompassing process, that is, it should encompass all the members of the requesting group, all the members of the forgiving group and all the offences.
Textual analysis of a political message: the inaugural addresses of two Korean presidents
Authors: Chung Joo Chung  , Han Woo Park
Published: May 2010

This article analyzes the inaugural addresses of two Korean presidents using mixed methods of social network-oriented and socio-psychological linguistic text analyses. The analyses determined that former President Roh frequently used words relating to international affairs and politics, while current President Lee used rhetoric related to the economic perspective, emphasizing the construction of an advanced nation. The former was popularly known for his progressive (leftwing) policies while the latter emphasized his conservative and neo-liberal political stances during the presidential campaigns. As the first political-message analysis of its kind in Korea, this study has broad implications for inaugural-address research as an analytical tool to help understand not only the relationship between rhetorical substance and style but also the characteristics of presidential administrations’ political and social viewpoints.
One Europe or several Europes? The cultural logic of narratives of Europe — views from France and Britain
Authors: Rovisco Maria
Published: May 2010

Bringing together humanities and social science perspectives, this article applies narrative genres and symbolic classifications as analytical tools to examine competing cultural understandings of Europe, in France and Britain, through 2003 and 2005. Drawing on data from newspaper coverage of a set of key events of European debate, the author discusses how narratives and symbolic configurations of Europe are constructed differently in France and Britain in the context of the symbolic struggle to define who are core Europeans. Through the lens of a cultural sociology approach, the author argues that, in order to make their claims about Europe valid and plausible, political and cultural elites have to be able to translate the cultural idea of Europe into public narratives that resonate with the expectations and beliefs of the wider national public. This is particularly the case in moments of crisis or uncertainty over the meaning of Europe when novel demands and events, deriving from social or political pressures, generate a more active debate in the public sphere about Europe and EU affairs.
The Flynn Effect in the WISC Subtests Among School Children Tested for Special Education Services
Authors: Kanaya Tomoe , Ceci Stephen J.
Published: May 2010

The Flynn effect, a secular rise in IQ seen throughout the world, was examined on the WISC-R and WISC-III subtests in a longitudinal sample of more than 2,500 school children who were tested between 1974 and 2002. Multivariate analysis of variance and multiple regression analyses revealed that all the subtests experienced significant decreases in scores on the introduction of the WISC-III, as expected because of the Flynn effect, with the exception of Information and Digit Span. (Mazes was not included in the analyses because of a limited sample size.) On Picture Arrangement and Coding, however, children who were repeatedly tested on the WISC-III also experienced significant decreases compared with children who were repeatedly tested on the WISC-R. These findings add to the growing literature comparing the magnitude of the Flynn effect on crystallized versus fluid measures. Implications for special education testing and the current WISC-IV are discussed.
The Spirituality of Václav Havel in Its Czech and American Contexts
Authors: Putna Martin C.
Published: May 2010

The religious thought of Václav Havel is examined in the context of Czech and American intellectual and spiritual traditions. The line begins with the worldview canonized by T. G. Masaryk. Masaryk drew inspiration from the American tradition of religious thought, rooted in the Enlightenment deistic interpretation of Christianity, embodied in Unitarianism. It was this line of thought that was passed down to Václav Havel by his father V. M. Havel. Masaryk’s “Unitarian” style of thinking about religion was developed by Havel in his Letters to Olga. During the 1970s, this influence merges with another intellectual stream, the “Kampademia” group. This line of thought combines Patočka’s tradition of phenomenology with new philosophical approaches to Catholicism and stimulated by the American “New Science”. According to Masaryk’s “enlightened” and “Unitarian” tradition, old religion, expressed with the aid of rituals, was to be surpassed and replaced by a “scientific” and “progressive” religion. For the tradition of Kampademia, on the other hand, it is this old religion, with its myths and rituals, that should be revived. Thus, Havel takes seriously the basis of all ancient spiritual traditions—Christian, Jewish, “heathen,” hermetic. It is in this public and symbolic appeal to “old” religious traditions before the eyes of a secular Czech society, this readiness to learn from the experiences of other traditions, and the declared humility to not attempt a synthesis of these traditions (as according to “classic” New Age) that Havel’s primary contribution to the spiritual thought of the present can be found.
The Making and Unmaking of the (In)formal Sector
Authors: Chakrabarti Anjan , Thakur Atanu
Published: May 2010

Using class-focused Marxist theory we examine the received category of the informal sector in order to demonstrate two results. First, we explicate the process of ‘making’ the informal sector in terms of the formal sector. Derived from a centrist logic that shapes the mainstream development paradigm, this involves a process of its devaluation in terms of the norm of the formal sector. Moreover, attempts to introduce heterogeneity within an already homogeneously defined informal sector are shown to be failing. Second, we show how placing the concept of the informal sector within the non-centric class-focused economic terrain fundamentally displaces, indeed ‘unmakes’, the received definition of the informal sector. Our analytical frame of a non-centric class-focused economic terrain reveals, on one hand, how the ‘making’ of the informal sector serves as a political rationale for shaping societal transition in favor of modern capitalism, and on the other, the problematical nature of the rationality.
World-Economic Integration, Supply Depots, and Environmental Degradation: A Study of Ecologically Unequal Exchange, Foreign Investment Dependence, and Deforestation in Less Developed Countries
Authors: Jorgenson Andrew K
Published: May 2010

This article engages multiple perspectives to consider how forms of world-economic integration allow for developed countries to treat less developed countries as supply depots to satisfy their unsustainable resource consumption levels. Particular attention is paid to the role of ecologically unequal exchange relationships in the mode of the vertical flow of exports and the transnational organization of extraction and production in the context of foreign investment dependence. It is argued that these interrelationships in the primary sector contribute to deforestation in less developed countries. Following theoretical discussions, regression analyses are conducted to assess the validity of the proposed relationships. Results suggest that both types of integration do contribute to deforestation in less developed countries, net of other factors. Ultimately, this research suggests that the structure of the world-economy allows for developed countries to externalize their consumption-based environmental costs, which often leads to increased environmental degradation in many less developed countries.
The Continuation of the Dialectic in Sociology
Authors: Ossewaarde Marinus
Published: May 2010

A rapidly changing ‘society’ that requires ‘new units of analysis’, ‘new roles for sociology’, and new democratic commitment to ‘the publics’ has implications for the identity and calling of sociology. In this so-called ‘identity crisis’, some sociologists have introduced the so-called ‘after dialectics’ thesis and argue that social conditions have now become such that the possibility of a dialectical sociology has disappeared. In this article, the argument is introduced that such a diagnosis rests on a common misunderstanding of dialectics. Particularly drawing inspiration from the works of C. Wright Mills and Alvin Gouldner, this article seeks to retrace the classical or Greek meaning and the original significance that they attributed to dialectical sociology, in its resistance to ideological thought and practice. The concluding paragraph provides an overview of some recent movements in sociology, such as the dialogical turn and public sociology, and compares them with the (reconstructed) dialectical approach.
A Class Perspective on Social Ecology and the Indigenous Movement
Authors: Petras James , Veltmeyer Henry
Published: May 2010

This article argues the need to turn back from a postmodernist pivot in social analysis to Marxism in theory and class analysis. We argue this point in regard to two contemporary issues of critical sociology: the dynamics of a growing worldwide ecological crisis and the current dynamics of the indigenous movement in Latin America. Both areas of sociological analysis have been seriously affected by the retreat from Marxism and in need of class analysis.
Anticoagulation in the Management of ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Dobesh Paul P. , Trujillo Toby C.
Published: May 2010

Patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) require immediate reperfusion therapy in order to salvage ischemic myocardial tissue and reduce mortality. Reperfusion therapy can be provided mechanically with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), or pharmacologically with fibrinolysis. Regardless of the reperfusion strategy selected, the appropriate use of anticoagulant therapy is critical to its success. There have been a number of clinical trials evaluating the different anticoagulants in patients with STEMI, as well as recent updates to the guidelines for management of patients with STEMI and on the use of PCI. When making clinical decisions on the use of anticoagulant therapy in the management of patients with STEMI, it is important to not only understand the contents of these consensus guidelines but to also have an appreciation of the details of the clinical trials that have evaluated the different anticoagulants. In this review, the reader will find an evaluation of the current guidelines concerning the use of anticoagulant therapy in patients with STEMI as well as a detailed examination of the literature with critical analysis on issues that should be considered when deciding on the appropriate implementation of anticoagulant therapy in patients with STEMI undergoing either mechanical or pharmacologic reperfusion.
The Relationship Between Perceived Teacher and Parental Acceptance, School Conduct, and the Psychological Adjustment of Bangladeshi Adolescents
Authors: Rohner Ronald P. , Khaleque Abdul , Shamsuddin Elias M. , Sultana Sabina
Published: May 2010

This study explored the relationship between students’ perceptions of their teachers’ and parents’ (mothers’ and fathers’) acceptance, and teachers’ reports of the students’ conduct in school as well as students’ reports of their own psychological adjustment. The study was conducted on a sample of 200 high school students in Bangladesh. Results showed that, on average, Bangladeshi students perceived their parents and teachers to be fairly loving. In addition, teachers reported students (males, but especially females) to be well behaved in school. Moreover, students reported themselves to be well adjusted, psychologically. Contrary to expectations, students’ perceptions of teacher acceptance and parental acceptance were not correlated significantly with teachers’ reports of student conduct in school. Students’ perceptions of both teacher and parental acceptance were, however, significantly correlated with students’ psychological adjustment. Results of multiple regression revealed that only perceived teachers’ acceptance (but not parental acceptance) made a significant and independent contribution to variations in the adolescents’ (both males’ and females’) psychological adjustment.