bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Integration, Disintegration, and Reintegration via Advanced Information Technology
Authors: Kottak Conrad Phillip
Published: March 2008

American culture is shifting from a mass culture toward increasing specialization and diversification. The growth of communication in cyberspace is consistent with this trend inasmuch as it supports the proliferation of interest and affinity groups. Socioeconomic, demographic, and cultural factors affect access to, use of, and behavior within this communication space. Other forms of regulation of the use of cyberspace include the emerging norms of on-line discussion groups and political attempts to regulate the content of the Internet.
Human Aspects of the National Information Infrastructure
Authors: Overbey Mary Margaret
Published: March 2008

The National Information Infrastructure (NII) is having a great impact on communities and culture, although in ways not well understood. Increasing isolation of individuals, changing conceptions of privacy, and a breakdown in face-to-face relationships are but a few of the far-reaching social consequences of the NII. The massive federal investment in the NII requires a proportional effort to understand its human aspects and consequences.
Defining and Designing the Internet
Authors: Muller Michael J.
Published: March 2008

The emerging information networks raise profound issues of participation and power in their definition and design by the diverse population that will use them. This brief position article considers some of those issues from perspectives of participatory design and ethnocentrism and suggests design methods that can integrate the interests of diverse constituencies in the information networks.
The Cultural and Social Correlates of Advanced Information Technology
Authors: Hakken David
Published: March 2008

The possible emergence of a new technology-related way of life implied by the interest in cyberspace raises a variety of issues that demand social research. Understanding the social correlates of advanced technology involves investigating the several specific areas of research described in this article, but it also means seeing how each specific area relates to the broader sweep of possible cultural changes.
Inner-City Access to Information Technology
Authors: Clark Lorri
Published: March 2008

Inner-city residents confront numerous obstacles when they use advanced information technology. Lack of education and experience are perceived as barriers to the use of computers. Information available on computer networks is stratified by race, class, and gender and rarely provides the full range of information of interest to inner-city residents.
Electronic Mail and the Reinvigoration of American Democracy
Authors: Groper Richard
Published: March 2008

In the last few decades American democracy has undergone a severe decline in the viability of one of its core elements: political participation. As a result, voter turnout has been steadily decreasing since the 1960 presidential election. However, new information technologies like electronic mail have the potential to reinvigorate the electorate by creating a medium in which the political discourse in this country can be made more personal and effective. This largely theoretical article examines methods by which electronic mail can be used to overcome the crisis that presently plagues the American democratic system.
Computer Tools for Crafting Clear and Attractive Diagrams in Social Science
Authors: Permaloff Anne , Grafton Carl
Published: March 2008

This article evaluates two categories of software with which diagrams can be created. Diagram- building programs are usable mainly for drawing simple figures such as flow charts, decision trees, and organization charts—essentially boxes containing labels connected to one another with lines. Inexpensive general-purpose drafting or computer-aided design (CAD) programs generate much more complex images with greater varieties of shapes. The evaluation criteria used are flexibility—variety of drawings that can be rendered; variety of built-in shapes; attractiveness of results; exportability; ease of operation; screen-printer agreement; ease of drawing a flow chart, simple graphics, and complex diagrams; and automatic line routing. All but one program are Windows-based, and most are relatively inexpensive.
The Political Economy of On-line Education
Authors: Garson G. David
Published: March 2008

This article assesses the argument that on-line education will revolutionize institutions of higher learning by early in the next century. Pros and cons of on-line education are examined. The budgetary implications of on-line education are discussed with reference to six existing models of on-line education. Differences between corporate training and university education are highlighted with regard to on-line education. The conclusion calls attention to dangers on-line education may pose for traditional academic values.
Users' Experiences with Qualitative Data Analysis Software
Authors: Smith Beverly A. , Hesse-Biber Sharlene
Published: March 2008

The use of qualitative data analysis software has been increasing in recent years. A number of qualitative researchers have raised questions concerning the effect of such software in the research process. Fears have been expressed that the use of the computer for qualitative analysis may interfere with the relationship between the researcher and the research process itself by distancing the researcher from both the data and the respondent. Others have suggested that the use of a quantitative tool, the computer, would lead to data dredging, quantification of results, and loss of the "art" of qualitative analysis. In this study of 12 qualitative researchers, including both faculty members and graduate students, we have found that these fears are exaggerated. Users of qualitative data analysis software in most cases use the computer as an organizational, time-saving tool and take special care to maintain close relationships with both the data and the respondents. It is an open question, however, whether or not the amount of time and effort saved by the computer enhance research creativity. The research findings are mixed in this area. At issue is the distinction between creativity and productivity when computer methods are used.
Political Science
Authors: Ball William J.
Published: March 2008

This article describes and evaluates the current state of affairs in on-line publishing for political science. The advantages of on-line publication for political science are noted. Existing projects to put book reviews, newsletters, journals, and working papers on-line are described with comments on some of the lessons that can be learned from them. A working paper index and archive project, Political Science Manuscripts, is described in detail. A conference paper archive is proposed for political science. Lastly, the argument is made that on-line publication will strengthen, rather than undermine, the peer review process.
Public Administration
Authors: Northrop Alana
Published: March 2008

This article evaluates the ability of public administration programs to provide computing education by surveying current textbooks' and general public administration journals' treatment of the topic since 1985. Three highly respected journals and six textbooks were studied. The journals were found to barely treat the topic of computing, whether as a main focus or as merely a mention in articles. The textbooks also barely mentioned computing. In addition, there was no consistent rubric or chapter topic under which computing was discussed. It was found that the articles that mention computing were authored by a variety of people in academia and government; by people in the West, Midwest, South, and East; and by both women and men.
An Interim Economic Solution to Internet Congestion
Authors: Hazlett Denise
Published: March 2008

The current Internet pricing structure and practice of taking traffic on a first-come, first-served basis encourages overuse of the Internet. Users ignore the delay costs they impose on others during periods of congestion, which are increasingly a problem due to the popularity of high-intensity applications such as audio and image. This article describes a system that prioritizes traffic on the Internet and raises revenue for expansion by allowing users to pay to overcome the effects of congestion.
Data Visualization: Preference and Use of Two-Dimensional and Three-Dimensional Graphs
Authors: Fisher Samuel H. , Dempsey John V. , Marousky Robert T.
Published: March 2008

This study considered the interplay of simple versus perspective graphical information on aesthetic preference, instructional effectiveness, and retention. Students in an introductory U.S. government course were presented with examples of 2-D and 3-D graphs and asked to choose which was pleasing to the eye and which was most useful in answering questions about the graph's content. The results of this study indicated that when visual appeal was the only criterion, subject choices overall were approximately evenly matched. When subjects were required to extract information from graphs, they used simple graphs almost 3 times more often than elaborate graphs. Information drawn from bar and circle graphs was extracted more accurately than the other three types of graphs.
Software Reviews : MicroCase ExplorIt: The American Survey
Authors: McMiller Darryl
Published: March 2008

The 1996 edition of MicroCase ExplorIt: The American Survey is a CD-ROM that allows users to obtain recent and historical statistics on American public opinion and attitudes using national survey data. The data archive contains every survey question (more than 2,400) and every survey respondent (more than 32,000) included in the ongoing General Social Survey (GSS), conducted by the National Opinion Research Center. With The American Survey, you can explore the attitudes and opinions of Americans for each of the 20 General Social Surveys conducted between 1972 and 1994. (Purchasers of the 1996 edition will automatically receive the 1997 edition containing the 1996 GSS.) The data sets provide a wide range of variables for analysis by the student or instructor, the novice or the veteran researcher.
Software Reviews : Microsoft Encarta 97 Deluxe
Authors: Mandel Robert
Published: March 2008

Encarta is a multimedia encyclopedia encompassing more than 30,000 arti cles, 1,800 sound clips, 14,000 photographs and illustrations, 150 animations and video clips, and more than 4,000 World Wide Web links. It also includes a timeline of world history and a world atlas. This "deluxe" version contains multimedia collages and 360-degree panoramic views not included in the standard version, as well as more web links, images, and audio and video clips.
Software Reviews : Sensus Q & A (Copyright 1996)
Authors: Vasu Michael S.
Published: March 2008

In reviewing this software, as with any software, your need for the application should be determined first. This is a moderately expensive and specialized piece of software. Having said that, it is first rate! If you are a serious survey researcher who needs a software platform designed primarily for self-administered questionnaires that allows you to incor porate video images, sounds, full color fonts in all sizes, and other Windows programs, Sensus Q & A is definitely worthy of your attention. The questionnaires produced by the program are engaging and limited only by your creativity in using the tools that the program provides you.
Frame Mapping and Analysis of News Coverage of Contentious Issues
Authors: Miller M. Mark
Published: March 2008

This article outlines a rigorous method for studying the ways that news media frame contentious issues. The method is based on the VBPro family of computer programs for content analysis. Output from the VBPro mapping program for multidimensional scaling based on co-occurence of key terms is cluster analyzed to discern the frames or points of view in texts that can unambiguously be attributed to competing stakeholders. These frames can be used to investigate propositions about news stories. An example is presented from a study of 1,465 Associated Press articles on wetlands dispatched across an 11-year period beginning in 1982. The results demonstrate that the method provides an objective means of investigating stakeholder influence on news and patterns of change in frames across time.
Anthropology
Authors: Stone Glenn Davis
Published: March 2008

Although it is rapidly emerging as a forum for social science scholarship, the World Wide Web is now used mainly to propagate conventional scholarship. This is certain to change given the simultaneous expansion in the capabilities of Web-based communication and decline in libraries' ability to keep abreast of print scholarship. This article outlines opportunities for changing and enhancing the nature of scholarly (peer-reviewed) articles on the Web. Three mechanisms are discussed by which the form and content of the scholarly article can be improved: (a) the use of hypertext structuring, (b) the integration of multimedia components into articles, and (c) the use of differentiated pointers. Examples are on an accompanying Web page at http://artsci.wustl.edu/∼anthro/demo/.
Psychology
Authors: Finholt Thomas A. , Teasley Stephanie D.
Published: March 2008

The Internet explosion and broad interest in collaborative technology have driven increased interest in the field of computer-supported cooperative work (CSCW). Historically, behavioral research on CSCW applications has reflected a strong influence from ethnomethodology. This article argues that the CSCW community should adopt a stronger orientation to other social science disciplines, particularly psychology. Greater attention to the psychological literature provides three benefits. First, psychologists offer well-validated principles about human behavior in group and organizational contexts that are relevant to CSCW research. Second, psychologists offer reliable and proven measures of human behavior that, if adopted by CSCW researchers, can provide a uniform basis for comparison across studies. Finally, psychologists offer data collection and analysis methods that identify salient and generalizable features of human behavior, which may lead to the development of universal principles of CSCW design.
Sociology
Authors: Schneider Andreas
Published: March 2008

This report describes the implementation and acceptance of an electronic syllabus on the World Wide Web (WWW). The greatest potential of a teaching home page on the Internet lies in a synergy effect of three domains: WWW pages serve as administrative tools, as powerful research instruments, and as a tool skill to prepare students for their careers in public or private institutions. This article uses the empirical example of an electronic syllabus to illuminate potentials, problems, and the acceptance of the Internet as an extended sociology classroom by students.
Simulation
Authors: Timpone Richard J. , Taber Charles S.
Published: March 2008

This article compares and contrasts traditional mathematical models with computer simulations. The strengths and flexibility of algorithmic computational simulations are shown by "walking through" a program designed to investigate and extend understanding in one of the most enduring questions in social choice research—concerns over the frequency of cycling collective decisions even when individuals hold clear transitive preferences. After discussing solutions to this problem from each approach—analytic and algorithmic—the authors modify the simulation to investigate questions dealing with weak preference orderings, even-numbered electorates, and the probabilistic uncertainty inherent in iterated approximations more generally. Although traditional formal solutions have a clear advantage for estimating the limiting values of the probability of cycles (i.e., as the electorate or number of alternatives goes to infinity), computer models are far more tractable for finite values and extensions.
Ethics, Law, and Information Technology
Authors: O'Connell Brian M.
Published: March 2008

Following a brief consideration of the role of rhetoric in law, science, and policy, this article explores how rhetorical accounts of new technologies influence the course of legislative, judicial, and regulatory decisions. It proposes that such themes have the powerful capacity to determine outcomes and to shape modem concepts of both individual and societal freedoms and rights.
Virtual Communities and Social Capital
Authors: Blanchard Anita , Horan Tom
Published: March 2008

Putnam has developed a theory of social capital to explain the effect of decreasing community participation and civic engagement on declining institutional performance. Subsequently, there has been much speculation as to whether emerging virtual communities can counteract this trend. The authors apply the findings of computer-mediated communication and virtual communities to the networks, norms, and trust of social capital and also examine the possible effects of virtual communities on the privatization of leisure time. They conclude that social capital and civic engagement will increase when virtual communities develop around physically based communities and when these virtual communities foster additional communities of interest. Through a preliminary analysis, the authors identify potential communities of interest including education, exchange of general community information, and opportunities for government and political participation. They conclude with a discussion of current trends and research needs.
Manufacturing Knowledge
Authors: Vallas Steven
Published: March 2008

Research on the restructuring of work has tended to neglect the autonomous effects that symbolic or cultural influences can have on the utilization of new technologies. This article draws on fieldwork conducted in three pulp and paper mills to explore the symbolic boundaries that occupational groups bring to bear on workplace automation. As sophisticated technologies and management methods were introduced, process engineers engaged in subtle yet important efforts to portray manual workers' knowledge in derisive terms. Such boundary work led managers to institute credential barriers that restricted manual workers' opportunities, eventually enabling engineers to gain exclusive control over analytic functions as their own "natural" domain. The study suggests that symbolic representations can have powerful consequences for the restructuring of work, reproducing social inequalities even when new technologies render them unnecessary.
Internet Use in the Classroom
Authors: Martin Shelley
Published: March 2008

This report describes a study designed to address gaps in the current knowledge and understanding of the classroom use of information and communication technology. Taking a microlevel approach, the study involved the observation, recording, and analysis of events and behaviors in a single Grade 4 classroom in which pairs of students engaged in collaborative Internet-based activity; the main focus was on gender and whether it made a difference to the children's engagement with and completion of the project. The results indicated that girls were at least as able as boys to complete the Internet activity. Furthermore, girls displayed greater enthusiasm for the task than did their male classmates.
Robust techniques for measurement error correction: a review
Authors: Guolo Annamaria
Published: March 2008

Measurement error affecting the independent variables in regression models is a common problem in many scientific areas. It is well known that the implications of ignoring measurement errors in inferential procedures may be substantial, often turning out in unreliable results. Many different measurement error correction techniques have been suggested in literature since the 80's. Most of them require many assumptions on the involved variables to be satisfied. However, it may be usually very hard to check whether these assumptions are satisfied, mainly because of the lack of information about the unobservable and mismeasured phenomenon. Thus, alternatives based on weaker assumptions on the variables may be preferable, in that they offer a gain in robustness of results. In this paper, we provide a review of robust techniques to correct for measurement errors affecting the covariates. Attention is paid to methods which share properties of robustness against misspecifications of relationships between variables. Techniques are grouped according to the kind of the underlying modeling assumptions and the inferential methods. Details about the techniques are given and their applicability is discussed. The basic framework is the epidemiological setting, where literature about the measurement error phenomenon is very substantial.
Revisiting youden's index as a useful measure of the misclassification error in meta-analysis of diagnostic studies
Authors: Böhning Dankmar , Böhning Walailuck , Holling Heinz
Published: March 2008

The paper considers meta-analysis of diagnostic studies that use a continuous score for classification of study participants into healthy or diseased groups. Classification is often done on the basis of a threshold or cut-off value, which might vary between studies. Consequently, conventional meta-analysis methodology focusing solely on separate analysis of sensitivity and specificity might be confounded by a potentially unknown variation of the cut-off value. To cope with this phenomena it is suggested to use, instead, an overall estimate of the misclassification error previously suggested and used as Youden's index and; furthermore, it is argued that this index is less prone to between-study variation of cut-off values. A simple Mantel—Haenszel estimator as a summary measure of the overall misclassification error is suggested, which adjusts for a potential study effect. The measure of the misclassification error based on Youden's index is advantageous in that it easily allows an extension to a likelihood approach, which is then able to cope with unobserved heterogeneity via a nonparametric mixture model. All methods are illustrated at hand of an example on a diagnostic meta-analysis on duplex doppler ultrasound, with angiography as the standard for stroke prevention.
New Technology Prospers Best with New Organization Appropriate Use of Local Personnel in the Defense of Europe
Authors: Saperstein Alvin M.
Published: March 2008

'... how NATO could achieve... utilizing newly available technologies and accomplishing with conventional weapons what previously had required nuclear munitions.'1
Offensive Capabilities of Space-Based Lasers
Authors: Altmann Jürgen
Published: March 2008

'Certainly, there should be a better way to strengthen peace and stability, a way to move away from a future that relies so heavily on the prospect of rapid and massive nuclear retaliation and toward greater reliance on defensive systems which threaten no one.' (President R. Reagan, Jan. 1985)1

'It is ironic and paradoxical that the age of deterrence has so confused the strategic mentality of many commentators that their reaction to a purely defensive system is to suggest that it increases danger.' (Z. Brzezinski, National Security Advisor under President Carter, July 1984)2

'What I want is a radar surveillance system which allows you to spot everything that's moving, either on the surface or above the surface of the earth. And if we had a number of companion systems, a high-energy laser, or particle beam weapon, or something else along with the pointing and tracking ability to knock down airplanes and missiles, then you wouldn't even need to knock out cities; you would knock out forces. You could pin your enemy down on earth. What would they do? If I control the high ground and you can't move, what are you going to do? You're going to negotiate a surrender. That's what it's all about.' (Gen. (Ret.) B. Schriever, who formulated the transition report on space policy when Reagan took office in 1980/81)3
Defensive Development
Authors: Boyd Michelle
Published: March 2008

This article expands the standard consumption versus production debate in the gentrification literature by examining the role of racial conflict in neighborhood change. Drawing from historical and ethnographic research, it analyzes gentrification in Douglas/Grand Boulevard, a Black community on Chicago's South Side. It argues that although capital movements and middle-class consumption patterns created opportunities for gentrification, racial ordering politicized it, prompting Blacks to engage in what the author terms defensive development. This strategy aims to protect Black neighborhoods from control by White elites. Yet it ultimately promotes gentrification by politically and physically marginalizing the neighborhood's most economically vulnerable residents.
Religion, Resources, and Representation
Authors: Dinham Adam , Lowndes Vivien
Published: March 2008

Faith groups are increasingly regarded as important civil society participants in British urban governance. Faith engagement is linked to policies of social inclusion and “community cohesion,” particularly in the context of government concerns about radicalization along religious lines. Primary research is drawn upon in developing a critical and explicitly multifaith analysis of faith involvement. A narrative approach is used to contrast the different perspectives of national policy makers, local stakeholders, and faith actors themselves. The narratives serve to illuminate not only this specific case but also the more general character of British urban governance as it takes on a more “decentered” form with greater blurring of boundaries between the public, private, and personal.
Transitioning Dementia Residents from Assisted Living to Memory Care Units: A Pilot Study
Authors: Kelsey Susan G. , Laditka Sarah B. , Laditka James N.
Published: March 2008

Our study examined the process of transitioning residents of assisted living facilities (ALFs) who have Alzheimer's disease or a related disorder to memory care units (MCUs). In-depth surveys with 10 ALF administrators in South Carolina were conducted. Grounded theory identified major themes; thematic analysis organized content. Most administrators used a preadmission screening process to assess cognitive status. About half reported that they discussed the possibility of future transfer to another level of care with the family at admission. Most administrators said that their facilities had transfer policies in place; of these, only two-thirds discussed their policies with families on admission. Transfer triggers included leaving the facility without anyone's knowledge, disturbing behaviors, and increased care needs. Challenges included family resistance and greater costs of MCUs. Assisted living facilities that were part of continuing care retirement communities used more multidisciplinary transfer decision-making than free-standing ALFs. Suggested improvements stressed educating families about dementia and MCUs.
Unraveling the Link Between Trauma and Delinquency
Authors: Maschi Tina , Bradley Carolyn A. , Morgen Keith
Published: March 2008

The purpose of this study was to explore the influence of negative affect and delinquent peer exposure on the link between trauma and juvenile delinquency. Using a nationally representative sample of 2,065 males, a secondary data analysis was conducted to test a mediation model based on general strain theory. Mediation analyses revealed that negative affect (i.e., anger) and delinquent peer exposure exerted an intervening influence on the pathway between trauma and delinquency. These findings have important implications for collaboration efforts among the child welfare, social service, mental health, and criminal justice fields. Understanding the multiple pathways that connect trauma to delinquency can help to develop or improve prevention, assessment, and intervention efforts geared toward helping at-risk youth, their families, and their communities.
Antecedents and Consequences of Juvenile Case Processing
Authors: Boyd Rebecca J. , Huss Sheila M. , Myers David L.
Published: March 2008

Philosophical and practical changes in the juvenile justice system are influenced by, and have implications for, timely and quality juvenile case processing. Drawing on juvenile case-processing literature published from the late 1970s until present, the antecedents and consequences of juvenile case processing are discussed in an effort to draw attention to possible causal relationships. The authors argue that juvenile case-processing efficiency is, perhaps, one of the more pivotal issues facing juvenile justice today, and further empirical studies and scholarly dialogue on this issue are needed. The current state of knowledge concerning systemic, intra-agency, and interagency barriers to timely and quality juvenile case processing serves as a springboard for suggestive approaches to examining juvenile case processing from a more rigorous, comprehensive, and holistic perspective.
Electrochemical assisted deposition of calcium phosphate coatings for orthopaedic applications
Authors: Montero-Ocampo C. , Villegas D. , Veleva L.
Published: March 2008

Calcium phosphate (CP) coatings on Ti6Al4V alloy were grown at controlled current densities (from 3 to 10 mA cm−2) during electrochemical deposition (ECD). The thickness, structure and composition of the coatings were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results showed that the thickness (ranging from 3 to 16 μm) shows a parabolic increase with the applied deposition current density. The hexagonal hydroxyapatite (HA) structure was the main phase at the current density of 10 mA cm−2 during ECD. The potential–time curves showed that the CP deposition progresses due to the initial reduction of alloy surface oxide layer, after which a reduction of nitrate ions takes place on the active free surface sites. The kinetics of this process is enhanced by sufficiently high current densities. Such current densities have a direct influence on the local pH of the solution and determine the morphology, structure and composition of ECD products.
Investigation on performances of Fe–Mn–Cr–Mo–V austenitic surfacing deposit
Authors: Su Y. H. , Liu Z. J. , Sun J. G. , Chi H. G. , Song X. K.
Published: March 2008

A new Fe–Mn–Cr–Mo–V austenitic surfacing material especially suitable for the impact wear resistant application, designated as EKCM50, has been successfully developed. Hardness and impact wear tests have been performed for the surfacing deposits obtained using the newly developed austenitic surfacing electrode and the high manganese steel surfacing electrode. The mechanical performances of the surfacing deposits obtained using two electrodes have been compared. The result shows that the EKCM50 austenitic surfacing electrode can give higher hardness and excellent impact wear resistance than the high manganese steel electrode. In addition, the influence of alloying elements including Cr, Mo and V on the hardness and impact wear resistance of the new austenitic surfacing material is also discussed.
Multiscale analysis of abrasion damage on stainless steel
Authors: Giljean S. , Najjar D. , Bigerelle B. M. , Iost A.
Published: March 2008

Topography is a surface characteristic which is as important as the chemical composition with regard to its functional properties. Topography can be mainly described by three kinds of roughness parameters: amplitude, frequency and hybrid parameters. The present study aims to perform a multiscale morphological analysis of 316L austenitic stainless steel ground surfaces with 11 different paper grades. It is shown that the values of the most commonly used roughness parameters Ra (average arithmetic roughness) and Rt (peak to valley) depend on the observation scale with values distributed into three characteristic stages. At small observation scales, less than ∼5 μm, the abraded surfaces are not characterised by any particular scaling law. At large observation scales, more than ∼60 μm, the evolution of the roughness parameters indicates that the abrasion mechanism follows an homothetic scaling law for the different paper grades. These two extreme stages are separated by a transition stage that can be characterised by an index, which exhibits an increasing linear evolution with the size of the abrasive grains.
Structural properties and electrical resistivity of TiNx and Ti1−xAlxN films prepared by reactive dc magnetron sputtering: Effect of nitrogen flowrate
Authors: Irudayaraj A. A. , Kuppusami P. , Kalainathan S.
Published: March 2008

Nanocrystalline thin films of titanium nitride and titanium aluminium nitride were deposited on (111) Si substrates by reactive dc magnetron sputtering under various nitrogen flowrates and at constant substrate temperature. The effect of nitrogen flowrate on the structural and electrical properties of TiNx and Ti1−xAlxN thin films deposited at substrate temperatures of 973 and 773 K respectively is investigated. TiNx films are polycrystalline at all N2 flowrates and there is a change of preferred orientation from (200) to (111) with increasing nitrogen flowrates. In contrast, Ti1−xAlxN thin films are polycrystalline only at low nitrogen flowrates (<5 sccm) and show a tendency to become more nanocrystalline with weak (200) preferred orientation at higher nitrogen flowrates. The variation of lattice parameter showed opposite behaviour in these two types of films. Auger electron spectroscopy indicated that the nitrogen concentration of both types of the films gradually increased with increasing nitrogen flowrate and almost reached a constant value at a flowrate of nitrogen ≥5 sccm. While the resistivity of TiNx films showed a minimum at a nitrogen flowrate of 5 sccm, the resistivity of Ti1−xAlxN films increased with increasing nitrogen flowrate. The variation in the electrical resistivity could be explained on the basis of structural changes occurring in these two types of films.
Sputter deposition of nanostructured antibacterial silver on polypropylene non-wovens
Authors: Wang H. B. , Wei Q. F. , Wang J. Y. , Hong J. H. , Zhao X. Y.
Published: March 2008

Nanostructured silver films were deposited at room temperature on polypropylene non-wovens by radio frequency magnetron sputter coating to obtain the antibacterial properties, and the relationship between sputter parameters and antibacterial properties were investigated in this paper. The antibacterial activity of the materials was assessed using shake flask test. The effects of silver film deposition on surface morphology were characterised using SEM and AFM. Surface elemental compositions were also analysed using EDX analysis. The results of antibacterial tests revealed that deposition time was the key parameter affecting the antibacterial properties of the materials, while sputtering power and argon pressure seemed to have a slight effect on antibacterial performance. It is believed that the total amount of silver ions released from the silver coating was increased as the deposition time increased. The AFM images and quantitative analysis by EDX respectively revealed that increase in deposition time led to the increased coverage of silver film and the increased silver weight percentage per unit surface, which provided evidences for the increased release rate of the silver ions from coating.
A novel semi-automatic image processing approach to determine Plasmodium falciparum parasitemia in Giemsa-stained thin blood smears
Authors: Le Minh-Tam , Bretschneider Timo R , Kuss Claudia , Preiser Peter R
Published: March 2008

Background

Malaria parasitemia is commonly used as a measurement of the amount of parasites in the patient's blood and a crucial indicator for the degree of infection. Manual evaluation of Giemsa-stained thin blood smears under the microscope is onerous, time consuming and subject to human error. Although automatic assessments can overcome some of these problems the available methods are currently limited by their inability to evaluate cases that deviate from a chosen "standard" model.

Results

In this study reliable parasitemia counts were achieved even for sub-standard smear and image quality. The outcome was assessed through comparisons with manual evaluations of more than 200 sample smears and related to the complexity of cell overlaps. On average an estimation error of less than 1% with respect to the average of manually obtained parasitemia counts was achieved. In particular the results from the proposed approach are generally within one standard deviation of the counts provided by a comparison group of malariologists yielding a correlation of 0.97. Variations occur mainly for blurred out-of-focus imagery exhibiting larger degrees of cell overlaps in clusters of erythrocytes.

The assessment was also carried out in terms of precision and recall and combined in the F-measure providing results generally in the range of 92% to 97% for a variety of smears. In this context the observed trade-off relation between precision and recall guaranteed stable results. Finally, relating the F-measure with the degree of cell overlaps, showed that up to 50% total cell overlap can be tolerated if the smear image is well-focused and the smear itself adequately stained.

Conclusion

The automatic analysis has proven to be comparable with manual evaluations in terms of accuracy. Moreover, the test results have shown that the proposed comparison-based approach, by exploiting the interrelation between different images and color channels, has successfully overcome most of the inherent limitations possibly occurring during the sample preparation and image acquisition phase. Eventually, this can be seen as an opportunity for developing low-cost solutions for mass screening.
The backbone structure of the thermophilic Thermoanaerobacter tengcongensis ribose binding protein is essentially identical to its mesophilic E. coli homolog
Authors: Cuneo Matthew J , Tian Yaji , Allert Malin , Hellinga Homme W
Published: March 2008

Background

Comparison of experimentally determined mesophilic and thermophilic homologous protein structures is an important tool for understanding the mechanisms that contribute to thermal stability. Of particular interest are pairs of homologous structures that are structurally very similar, but differ significantly in thermal stability.

Results

We report the X-ray crystal structure of a Thermoanaerobacter tengcongensis ribose binding protein (tteRBP) determined to 1.9 Å resolution. We find that tteRBP is significantly more stable (
app

T

m
value ~102°C) than the mesophilic Escherichia coli ribose binding protein (ecRBP) (
app

T

m
value ~56°C). The tteRBP has essentially the identical backbone conformation (0.41 Å RMSD of 235/271 Cα positions and 0.65 Å RMSD of 270/271 Cα positions) as ecRBP. Classification of the amino acid substitutions as a function of structure therefore allows the identification of amino acids which potentially contribute to the observed thermal stability of tteRBP in the absence of large structural heterogeneities.

Conclusion

The near identity of backbone structures of this pair of proteins entails that the significant differences in their thermal stabilities are encoded exclusively by the identity of the amino acid side-chains. Furthermore, the degree of sequence divergence is strongly correlated with structure; with a high degree of conservation in the core progressing to increased diversity in the boundary and surface regions. Different factors that may possibly contribute to thermal stability appear to be differentially encoded in each of these regions of the protein. The tteRBP/ecRBP pair therefore offers an opportunity to dissect contributions to thermal stability by side-chains alone in the absence of large structural differences.
Unreported births and deaths, a severe obstacle for improved neonatal survival in low-income countries; a population based study
Authors: Målqvist Mats , Eriksson Leif , Nga Nguyen Thu , Fagerland Linn Irene , Hoa Dinh Phuong , Wallin Lars , Ewald Uwe , Persson Lars-Åke
Published: March 2008

Background

In order to improve child survival there is a need to target neonatal mortality. In this pursuit, valid local and national statistics on child health are essential. We analyze to what extent births and neonatal deaths are unreported in a low-income country and discuss the consequences at local and international levels for efforts to save newborn lives.

Methods

Information on all births and neonatal deaths in Quang Ninh province in Northern Vietnam in 2005 was ascertained by systematic inventory through group interviews with key informants, questionnaires and examination of health facility records. Health care staff at 187 Community Health Centers (CHC) and 18 hospitals, in addition to 1372 Village Health Workers (VHW), were included in the study. Results were compared with the official reports of the Provincial Health Bureau.

Results

The neonatal mortality rate (NMR) was 16/1000 (284 neonatal deaths/17 519 births), as compared to the official rate of 4.2/1000. The NMR varied between 44/1000 and 10/1000 in the different districts of the province. The under-reporting was mainly attributable to a dysfunctional reporting system and the fact that families, not the health system, were made responsible to register births and deaths. This under-reporting has severe consequences at local, national and international levels. At a local level, it results in a lack of awareness of the magnitude and differentials in NMR, leading to an indifference towards the problem. At a national and international level the perceived low mortality rate is manifested in a lack of investments in perinatal health programs.

Conclusion

This example of a faulty health information system is reportedly not unique in low and middle income countries where needs for neonatal health reforms are greatest. Improving reporting systems on births and neonatal deaths is a matter of human rights and a prerequisite for reducing neonatal mortality in order to reach the fourth millennium goal.
The estrogen and c-Myc target gene HSPC111 is over-expressed in breast cancer and associated with poor patient outcome
Authors: Butt Alison J , Sergio C Marcelo , Inman Claire K , Anderson Luke R , McNeil Catriona M , Russell Amanda J , Nousch Marco , Preiss Thomas , Biankin Andrew V , Sutherland Robert L , Musgrove Elizabeth A
Published: March 2008

Introduction

Estrogens play a pivotal role in the initiation and progression of breast cancer. The genes that mediate these processes are not fully defined, but potentially include the known mammary oncogene MYC. Characterization of estrogen-target genes may help to elucidate further the mechanisms of estrogen-induced mitogenesis and endocrine resistance.

Methods

We used a transcript profiling approach to identify targets of estrogen and c-Myc in breast cancer cells. One previously uncharacterized gene, namely HBV pre-S2 trans-regulated protein 3 (HSPC111), was acutely upregulated after estrogen treatment or inducible expression of c-Myc, and was selected for further functional analysis using over-expression and knock-down strategies. HSPC111 expression was also analyzed in relation to MYC expression and outcome in primary breast carcinomas and published gene expression datasets.

Results

Pretreatment of cells with c-Myc small interfering RNA abrogated estrogen induction of HSPC111, identifying HSPC111 as a potential c-Myc target gene. This was confirmed by the demonstration of two functional E-box motifs upstream of the transcription start site. HSPC111 mRNA and protein were over-expressed in breast cancer cell lines and primary breast carcinomas, and this was positively correlated with MYC mRNA levels. HSPC111 is present in a large, RNA-dependent nucleolar complex, suggesting a possible role in ribosomal biosynthesis. Neither over-expression or small interfering RNA knock-down of HSPC111 affected cell proliferation rates or sensitivity to estrogen/antiestrogen treatment. However, high expression of HSPC111 mRNA was associated with adverse patient outcome in published gene expression datasets.

Conclusion

These data identify HSPC111 as an estrogen and c-Myc target gene that is over-expressed in breast cancer and is associated with an adverse patient outcome.
Clinical Classification ofBRCA1andBRCA2DNA Sequence Variants: The Value of Cytokeratin Profiles and Evolutionary Analysis—A Report From the kConFab Investigators
Authors: Spurdle Amanda B. , Lakhani Sunil R. , Healey Sue , Parry Suzanne , Da Silva Leonard M. , Brinkworth Ross , Hopper John L. , Brown Melissa A. , Babikyan Davit , Chenevix-Trench Georgia , Tavtigian Sean V. , Goldgar David E.
Published: March 2008

Purpose

Rare missense substitutions and in-frame deletions of BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes present a challenge for genetic counseling of individuals carrying such unclassified variants. We assessed the value of tumor immunohistochemical markers in conjunction with genetic and evolutionary approaches for investigating the clinical significance of unclassified variants.

Patients and Methods

We studied 10 BRCA1 and 12 BRCA2 variants identified in Australian families with breast cancer. Analyses assumed a prior probability based on revised cross-species sequence alignment methods assessing amino acid evolutionary conservation and position, combined with likelihoods from data on co-occurrence with pathogenic mutations in the same gene, segregation analysis, and immunohistochemistry. We specifically explored the value of estrogen receptor, cytokeratin 5/6, and cytokeratin 14 as tumor markers of BRCA1 mutation status.

Results

Posterior probabilities classified 72% of variants. BRCA1 variants IVS18+1 G>T (del exon 18) and 5632 T >A (V1838E) were classified as pathogenic, with >99% posterior probability of being deleterious, and tumor histopathology was particularly important for their classification. BRCA2 variant classification was improved over previous studies, largely by incorporating the prior probability of pathogenicity based on amino acid cross-species sequence alignments.

Conclusion

Variant classification was considerably improved by analysis of estrogen receptor, cytokeratin 5/6, and cytokeratin 14 tumor expression, and use of updated methods estimating the clinical relevance of amino acid evolutionary conservation and position. These methodologies may assist genetic counseling of individuals with unclassified sequence variants.
Physician-Identified Factors Affecting Patient Participation in Reaching Treatment Decisions
Authors: Shepherd Heather L. , Tattersall Martin H.N. , Butow Phyllis N.
Published: March 2008

Purpose

Cancer physicians report high comfort with shared decision making but a lower frequency of using this approach in practice. Information regarding physicians’ perceptions of what helps and what hinders patient involvement in decision making may facilitate understanding of this discrepancy.

Methods

We surveyed 604 Australian cancer physicians treating breast, colorectal, gynecologic, hematologic, or urologic cancer to investigate barriers and facilitators to reaching treatment decisions with their patients and their support of strategies to encourage patient involvement and reflection on treatment options. Factor analysis and regression analyses were used to investigate relationships between variables and identify predictors of greater reporting of barriers to sharing treatment decisions with patients.

Results

Insufficient information at the first consultation (28.9%) and insufficient time (28.4%) were the most frequently reported barriers to reaching treatment decisions with patients. Multivariate analysis revealed that less experienced physicians more commonly reported system barriers (P = .00). Patients trusting their physician and being accompanied at the consultation were most helpful to reaching a treatment decision. Providing written information about treatment options, making a further appointment to reach a decision, encouraging the patient to speak with their family physician and treatment team, and the presence of a third person during the consultation were felt to encourage involvement and reflection on treatment decisions.

Conclusion

Cancer physicians experience difficulties when reaching treatment decisions with their patients. Interventions and strategies that physicians support are required to enhance patient involvement in reaching a treatment decision.