bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
CT Angiographic Source Images Predict Outcome and Final Infarct Volume Better Than Noncontrast CT in Proximal Vascular Occlusions
Authors: Bhatia Rohit , Bal Simerpreet S. , Shobha Nandavar , Menon Bijoy K. , Tymchuk Sarah , Puetz Volker , Dzialowski Imanuel , Coutts Shelagh B. , Goyal Mayank , Barber Philip A. , Watson Tim , Smith Eric E. , Demchuk Andrew M.
Published: May 2011

Background and Purpose—

Alberta Stroke Programme Early CT Score (ASPECTS) is widely used for assessment of early ischemic changes in acute stroke. We hypothesized that CT angiography source image (CTA-SI) ASPECTS correlates better with baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score, final ASPECTS and neurological outcomes when compared with noncontrast CT ASPECTS.

Methods—

We studied patients presenting with acute ischemic stroke and identified proximal arterial occlusions (internal carotid artery, middle cerebral artery M1, and proximal middle cerebral artery M2) from the Calgary CT Angiography database. CT scans were independently read by 3 observers for baseline noncontrast CT ASPECTS, CT angiography source image ASPECTS, and follow-up ASPECTS. Details of demographics and risk factors were noted. A modified Rankin Scale score ≤2 at 3 months was considered a favorable outcome.

Results—

We identified 261 patients with proximal occlusions for analysis. We found a better correlation between CT angiography source image ASPECTS and follow-up ASPECTS (Spearman correlation coefficient
r
=0.65; 95% CI, 0.58 to 0.72;
P
<0.001) than between noncontrast CT ASPECTS and follow-up CT ASPECTS (
r
=0.46; 95% CI, 0.36 to 0.55;
P
<0.001). CT angiography source image ASPECTS correlated better with baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale and 24-hour National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale when compared with noncontrast CT ASPECTS (
P
<0.001). In an adjusted model including both CT angiography source image ASPECTS and noncontrast CT ASPECTS, CT angiography source image ASPECTS was associated with good outcome (OR, 2.30; 95%, CI, 1.16 to 4.53), whereas noncontrast CT ASPECTS was not (OR, 1.54; 95% CI, 0.84 to 2.82). Among imaging parameters, CT angiography source image ASPECTS was the only independent predictor of good outcome (OR, 2.29; 95% CI, 1.16 to 4.53).

Conclusions—

CT angiography source image ASPECTS correlates better with baseline stroke severity, is a better predictor of final infarct extension, and independently predicts neurological outcome than noncontrast CT ASPECTS.
Elderly Women Regulate Brain Blood Flow Better Than Men Do
Authors: Deegan Brian M. , Sorond Farzaneh A. , Galica Andrew , Lipsitz Lewis A. , O'Laighin Gearoid , Serrador Jorge M.
Published: May 2011

Background and Purpose—

Orthostatic intolerance and falls differ between sexes and change with age. However, it remains unclear what role cerebral autoregulation may play in this response. This study was designed to determine whether cerebral autoregulation, assessed using transcranial Doppler ultrasound, is more effective in elderly females than in males.

Methods—

We used transcranial Doppler ultrasound to evaluate cerebral autoregulation in 544 (236 male) subjects older than age 70 years recruited as part of the MOBILIZE Boston study. The MOBILIZE Boston study is a prospective cohort study of a unique set of risk factors for falls in seniors in the Boston area. We assessed CO
2
reactivity and transfer function gain, phase, and coherence during 5 minutes of quiet sitting and autoregulatory index during sit-to-stand tests.

Results—

Male subjects had significantly lower CO
2
reactivity (males, 1.10±0.03; females, 1.32±0.43 (cm/s)/%CO
2
;
P
<0.001) and autoregulatory indices (males, 4.41±2.44; female, 5.32±2.47;
P
<0.001), higher transfer function gain (males, 1.34±0.49; females, 1.19±0.43;
P
=0.002), and lower phase (males, 42.7±23.6; females, 49.4±24.9;
P
=0.002) in the autoregulatory band, implying less effective cerebral autoregulation. However, reduced autoregulation in males was not below the normal range, indicating autoregulation was intact but less effective.

Conclusions—

Female subjects were better able to maintain cerebral flow velocities during postural changes and demonstrated better cerebral autoregulation. The mechanisms of sex-based differences in autoregulation remain unclear but may partially explain the higher rates of orthostatic hypotension-related hospitalizations in elderly men.
The ABCs of Accurate Volumetric Measurement of Cerebral Hematoma
Authors: Divani Afshin A. , Majidi Shahram , Luo Xianghua , Souslian Fotis G. , Zhang Jie , Abosch Aviva , Tummala Ramachandra P.
Published: May 2011

Background and Purpose—

Both initial hematoma volume and hematoma growth are independent predictors of clinical outcomes and mortality among intracerebral hemorrhage patients. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of different computed tomography image acquisition protocols and hematoma volume measurement techniques.

Methods—

We used plastic and cadaveric phantoms to determine the accuracy of different volumetric measurement techniques. We performed both axial and spiral computed tomography scans with 0.75-, 1.5-, 3.0-, and 4.5-mm-thick transverse sections (with no gap). Different measurement techniques (planimetry, ABC/2, and 3D rendering) and different window width/level settings (I, 150/50 versus II, 587/−321) were used to assess generated errors in volumetric calculations.

Results—

Both axial and spiral computed tomography scans yielded similar percent errors for different slice thicknesses and different measurement techniques. Comparison of different measurement techniques revealed a significant difference in measurement error only from the ABC/2 method as compared with 3D-rendering measurements (
P
<0.0001). The overall measurement error according to the ABC/2 method was further increased by ≈8% for irregularly shaped hematomas (
P
=0.0004). A significant percent difference in measurement error was observed between window width/levels I and II for both planimetry (mean difference across all thicknesses, 1.91±3.78,
P
=0.004) and Analyze software (mean difference across all thicknesses, 6.92±7.29,
P
<0.0001) methods.

Conclusions—

A better understanding of the limitations that may affect measurement of hematoma volume is crucial in the assessment of hematoma volume, which is considered an independent marker of clinical outcome.
Outcome Measurement in Stroke
Authors: Baker Karen , Cano Stefan J. , Playford E. Diane
Published: May 2011

Background and Purpose—

Evaluating the impact of new treatments requires the use of reliable, valid, and responsive outcome measures. However, given the wide range of instruments currently available, it is not always straightforward for healthcare professionals to select the most appropriate tool. In this review, we propose a potential approach to scale selection.

Methods—

In designing a new study of the impact of a robotic device in stroke rehabilitation, we developed a three-stage scale selection strategy. First, two guidance documents (Medical Outcome Trust and Food and Drug Administration PRO Guidance) were reviewed to identify key scale assessment criteria. Second, consideration was given at a theoretical level of the concepts and domains relevant to the goals our study. Third, a comprehensive literature search strategy and review were developed in conjunction with healthcare professionals and psychometricians. Identified scales were appraised regarding their psychometric properties and clinical content.

Results—

Forty-five measures were initially identified and appraised. From a clinical content perspective, none of the measures were considered to be sufficient on their own to capture all the important outcome domains in this study. However, 3 measures were identified that best met our review criteria: Stroke Rehabilitation Assessment of Movement, Chedoke Arm and Hand Inventory, and ABILHAND. After the final stage of scale appraisal, two further upper limb scales (Fugl-Meyer and Action Research Arm Test) were included based on clinical content and study design issues.

Conclusions—

Our three-stage review process appears to be a potentially useful approach for evidence-based scale selection in stroke rehabilitation studies.
Partial Aortic Occlusion for Cerebral Perfusion Augmentation
Authors: Shuaib Ashfaq , Bornstein Natan M. , Diener Hans-Christoph , Dillon William , Fisher Marc , Hammer Maxim D. , Molina Carlos A. , Rutledge J. Neal , Saver Jeffrey L. , Schellinger Peter D. , Shownkeen Harish
Published: May 2011

Background and Purpose—

Fewer than 5% of patients with acute ischemic stroke are currently treated, and there is need for additional treatment options. A novel catheter treatment (NeuroFlo) that increases cerebral blood flow was tested to 14 hours.

Methods—

The Safety and Efficacy of NeuroFlo in Acute Ischemic Stroke trial is a randomized trial of the safety and efficacy of NeuroFlo treatment in improving neurological outcome versus standard medical management. The primary safety end point was the incidence of serious adverse events through 90 days. The primary efficacy end point on a modified intent-to-treat population was a global disability end point at 90 days. Secondary end points included mortality, intracranial hemorrhage, modified Rankin scale score outcome of 0 to 2, and modified Rankin scale shift analysis.

Results—

Between October 2005 and January 2010, 515 patients were enrolled at 68 centers in 9 countries. The primary efficacy end point did not reach statistical significance (OR, 1.17; CI, 0.81–1.67;
P
=0.407). The primary safety end point did not show a difference in serious adverse events (
P
=0.923). Ninety-day mortality was 11.3% (26/230) in treatment and 16.3% (42/257) in control (
P
=0.087). Post hoc analyses showed that patients presenting within 5 hours (OR, 3.33; CI, 1.31–8.48), with NIHSS score 8 to 14 (OR, 1.80; CI, 0.99–3.30), or older than age 70 years (OR, 2.02; CI, 1.02–4.03) had better modified Rankin scale score outcomes of 0 to 2; additionally, there were fewer stroke-related deaths in treatment compared to control groups (7.4%=17/230; 14.4%=37/257).

Conclusions—

The trial met its primary safety end point but not its primary efficacy end point. Signals of treatment effect were suggested on all-cause mortality, in patients presenting early, older than age 70 years, or with moderate strokes, but these require confirmation.

Clinical Trial Registration Information—

URL:
http://clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier: NCT00119717.
Playing at Border Crossing in a Mexican Indigenous Community…Seriously
Authors: Underiner Tamara L.
Published: May 2011

Deep within Mexico, an indigenous community offers tourists the chance to take on the roles of immigrants in a simulated border crossing experience, opening itself to charges that it is a “training camp” for illegal immigration to the United States. On the contrary, it functions as a highly politicized community performance aimed at cultural preservation and assertion, which are both threatened and enabled by the scenario of migration.
Rehearsed and Coerced: Creating Counter Indications
Authors: McMahon Jeff
Published: May 2011

The experience of audiences at performative events is too often devoid of stakes. Counter Indications examined how a theatrical installation can use media and spatial design to bring a passive audience into the decision-making process, and past the comfortable catharsis of traditional theatre to experience some of the implications of government-sanctioned interrogation and torture.
The Concupiscent Performer: Joanna Frueh's “Art of Seduction”
Authors: Augsburg Tanya
Published: May 2011

Joanna Frueh has developed her own contemporary ars erotica, in which seduction is both a persistent motif and performance strategy. Frueh has embodied numerous seductive personas, mirroring her own iterative process of self-transformation. The investigation of Frueh's “art of seduction” uncovers its relevance for her live performances since 1979.
Goddess of Roses
Authors: Frueh Joanna
Published: May 2011

A philosophy of pleasure, a few chocolate malts, roses galore! In this performance text, Frueh is the Goddess of Roses, who observes and celebrates life through soul-and-mind-inseparable-from-body.
Laotang: Intimate Encounters
Authors: Harari Dror
Published: May 2011

Intimacy is explored and encountered in contemporary performances that feature one performer and one spectator/participant, including Laotang by Israeli choreographer Danielle Agami. The state (and possible future) of human relations lies at the heart of one-to-one live works, which draw attention to the idea that our subjective experience is not only embodied but inherently relational.
What to Do When Your Role Model Jumps Ship: Lián Amaris's Swimming to Spalding
Authors: Smalec Theresa
Published: May 2011

Swimming to Spalding, written and performed by Lián Amaris and directed by Richard Schechner, is, at its heart, a trans-generational journey to find Spalding Gray. Through their production, Amaris and Schechner negotiate the complexities of Gray's legacy and their relationship with the late actor.
The Influence of Context on Hemispheric Recruitment during Metaphor Processing
Authors: Diaz Michele T. , Hogstrom Larson J.
Published: May 2011

Although the left hemisphere's prominence in language is well established, less emphasis has been placed on possible roles for the right hemisphere. Behavioral, patient, and neuroimaging research suggests that the right hemisphere may be involved in processing figurative language. Additionally, research has demonstrated that context can modify language processes and facilitate comprehension. Here we investigated how figurativeness and context influenced brain activation, with a specific interest in right hemisphere function. Previous work in our laboratory indicated that novel stimuli engaged right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) and that both novel and familiar metaphors engaged right IFG and right temporal pole. The graded salience hypothesis proposes that context may lessen integration demands, increase the salience of metaphors, and thereby reduce right hemisphere recruitment for metaphors. In the present study, fMRI was used to investigate brain function, whereas participants read literal and metaphoric sentences that were preceded by either a congruent or an incongruent literal sentence. Consistent with prior research, all sentences engaged traditional left hemisphere regions. Differences between metaphors and literal sentences were observed, but only in the left hemisphere. In contrast, a main effect of congruence was found in the right IFG, the right temporal pole, and the dorsal medial pFC. Partially consistent with the graded salience hypothesis, our results highlight the strong influence of context on language, demonstrate the importance of the right hemisphere in discourse, and suggest that, in a wider discourse context, congruence has a greater influence on right hemisphere recruitment than figurativeness.
Updating Existing Emotional Memories Involves the Frontopolar/Orbito-frontal Cortex in Ways that Acquiring New Emotional Memories Does Not
Authors: Sakaki Michiko , Niki Kazuhisa , Mather Mara
Published: May 2011

In life, we must often learn new associations to people, places, or things we already know. The current fMRI study investigated the neural mechanisms underlying emotional memory updating. Nineteen participants first viewed negative and neutral pictures and learned associations between those pictures and other neutral stimuli, such as neutral objects and encoding tasks. This initial learning phase was followed by a memory updating phase, during which participants learned picture-location associations for old pictures (i.e., pictures previously associated with other neutral stimuli) and new pictures (i.e., pictures not seen in the first phase). There was greater frontopolar/orbito-frontal (OFC) activity when people learned picture–location associations for old negative pictures than for new negative pictures, but frontopolar OFC activity did not significantly differ during learning locations of old versus new neutral pictures. In addition, frontopolar activity was more negatively correlated with the amygdala when participants learned picture–location associations for old negative pictures than for new negative or old neutral pictures. Past studies revealed that the frontopolar OFC allows for updating the affective values of stimuli in reversal learning or extinction of conditioning [e.g., Izquierdo, A., & Murray, E. A. Opposing effects of amygdala and orbital PFC lesions on the extinction of instrumental responding in macaque monkeys. European Journal of Neuroscience, 22, 2341–2346, 2005]; our findings suggest that it plays a more general role in updating associations to emotional stimuli.
Auditory Short-term Memory Capacity Correlates with Gray Matter Density in the Left Posterior STS in Cognitively Normal and Dyslexic Adults
Authors: Richardson Fiona M. , Ramsden Sue , Ellis Caroline , Burnett Stephanie , Megnin Odette , Catmur Caroline , Schofield Tom M. , Leff Alex P. , Price Cathy J.
Published: May 2011

A central feature of auditory STM is its item-limited processing capacity. We investigated whether auditory STM capacity correlated with regional gray and white matter in the structural MRI images from 74 healthy adults, 40 of whom had a prior diagnosis of developmental dyslexia whereas 34 had no history of any cognitive impairment. Using whole-brain statistics, we identified a region in the left posterior STS where gray matter density was positively correlated with forward digit span, backward digit span, and performance on a “spoonerisms” task that required both auditory STM and phoneme manipulation. Across tasks and participant groups, the correlation was highly significant even when variance related to reading and auditory nonword repetition was factored out. Although the dyslexics had poorer phonological skills, the effect of auditory STM capacity in the left STS was the same as in the cognitively normal group. We also illustrate that the anatomical location of this effect is in proximity to a lesion site recently associated with reduced auditory STM capacity in patients with stroke damage. This result, therefore, indicates that gray matter density in the posterior STS predicts auditory STM capacity in the healthy and damaged brain. In conclusion, we suggest that our present findings are consistent with the view that there is an overlap between the mechanisms that support language processing and auditory STM.
Right Ventrolateral Prefrontal Cortex Mediates Individual Differences in Conflict-driven Cognitive Control
Authors: Egner Tobias
Published: May 2011

Conflict adaptation—a conflict-triggered improvement in the resolution of conflicting stimulus or response representations—has become a widely used probe of cognitive control processes in both healthy and clinical populations. Previous fMRI studies have localized activation foci associated with conflict resolution to dorsolateral PFC (dlPFC). The traditional group analysis approach employed in these studies highlights regions that are, on average, activated during conflict resolution, but does not necessarily reveal areas mediating individual differences in conflict resolution, because between-subject variance is treated as noise. Here, we employed a complementary approach to elucidate the neural bases of variability in the proficiency of conflict-driven cognitive control. We analyzed two independent fMRI data sets of face–word Stroop tasks by using individual variability in the behavioral expression of conflict adaptation as the metric against which brain activation was regressed while controlling for individual differences in mean RT and Stroop interference. Across the two experiments, a replicable neural substrate of individual variation in conflict adaptation was found in ventrolateral PFC (vlPFC), specifically, in the right inferior frontal gyrus, pars orbitalis (BA 47). Unbiased regression estimates showed that variability in activity in this region accounted for ∼40% of the variance in behavioral expression of conflict adaptation across subjects, thus documenting a heretofore unsuspected key role for vlPFC in mediating conflict-driven adjustments in cognitive control. We speculate that vlPFC plays a primary role in conflict control that is supplemented by dlPFC recruitment under conditions of suboptimal performance.
Overlapping Parietal Activity in Memory and Perception: Evidence for the Attention to Memory Model
Authors: Cabeza Roberto , Mazuz Yonatan S. , Stokes Jared , Kragel James E. , Woldorff Marty G. , Ciaramelli Elisa , Olson Ingrid R. , Moscovitch Morris
Published: May 2011

The specific role of different parietal regions to episodic retrieval is a topic of intense debate. According to the Attention to Memory (AtoM) model, dorsal parietal cortex (DPC) mediates top–down attention processes guided by retrieval goals, whereas ventral parietal cortex (VPC) mediates bottom–up attention processes captured by the retrieval output or the retrieval cue. This model also hypothesizes that the attentional functions of DPC and VPC are similar for memory and perception. To investigate this last hypothesis, we scanned participants with event-related fMRI whereas they performed memory and perception tasks, each comprising an orienting phase (top–down attention) and a detection phase (bottom–up attention). The study yielded two main findings. First, consistent with the AtoM model, orienting-related activity for memory and perception overlapped in DPC, whereas detection-related activity for memory and perception overlapped in VPC. The DPC overlap was greater in the left intraparietal sulcus, and the VPC overlap in the left TPJ. Around overlapping areas, there were differences in the spatial distribution of memory and perception activations, which were consistent with trends reported in the literature. Second, both DPC and VPC showed stronger connectivity with medial-temporal lobe during the memory task and with visual cortex during the perception task. These findings suggest that, during memory tasks, some parietal regions mediate similar attentional control processes to those involved in perception tasks (orienting in DPC vs. detection in VPC), although on different types of information (mnemonic vs. sensory).
Factors that facilitate and barriers towards the implementation of health educational programmes in primary education schools of the prefecture of Achaia, Greece
Authors: Cholevas Nikolaos K , Loucaides Constantinos A
Published: May 2011

Aim: The purpose of this study was to explore the factors that facilitate and barriers towards the implementation of health education programmes in primary education schools of the prefecture of Achaia, Greece.

Methods: The sample of the study included 141 educators from a total population of 218 educators who dealt with the implementation of health education programmes in Achaia prefecture during the school period of 2009–2010. The survey method was used to collect data by means of an anonymous questionnaire. Furthermore, at the beginning of the research process a semi-structured interview was carried out with four teachers to help in the development of the questionnaire items. Two factor analyses were conducted: one for the factors that facilitate and one for the barriers towards the implementation of health education programmes.

Results: Findings indicated that the most significant factor that facilitates the implementation of innovative health education programmes is ‘Knowledge and skills of the Health Education Officer and the teachers’, which refers to the scientific knowledge, organizational skills, initiatives and the communicative skills of the Health Education Officer as well as to the teachers’ autonomy to select appropriate teaching methods and educational materials. On the other hand, the most important barrier in implementing health education programmes is ‘Limited experience and attitudes of teachers’, which refers to limited teaching experience in health education issues, as well as to professional burnout and the negative attitudes towards these innovative programmes.

Conclusions: The Health Education Officer plays an important role in programme coordination by supporting, counselling, giving feedback and providing training/educational materials to teachers.
Health professionals’ perceptions of sexual assault management
Authors: Jancey Jonine , Meuleners Lynn , Phillips Maureen
Published: May 2011

Objective: To explore health professionals’ perceptions of sexual assault management practices and identify issues related to these practices across Western Australia (WA).

Design: A two-round electronic Delphi study was undertaken with health professionals (medical doctors, registered nurses, social workers and managers).

Setting: Healthcare settings (emergency departments and community health centres) located in metropolitan Perth and rural WA.

Methods: Snowball sampling methodology was used to recruit 27 participants. The first round questionnaire asked about perceptions of sexual assault management practices in WA and how to improve them. The round two questionnaire asked panellists their agreement to the identified issues and to prioritize solutions to the problems.

Results: Out of the 14 issues identified, three issues gained 100 per cent agreement: limited services/resources in regional areas of WA; a shortage of culturally appropriate services; and the treatment of victims/survivors of sexual assault within the legal system. The main solutions included: a detailed manual providing clear guidelines; a flow chart detailing forensic data collection; improved services to support sexual assault cases; and a multi-sectorial management approach to sexual assault.

Conclusions: There is a need for a comprehensive management approach to sexual assault which includes clear prescriptive guidelines; workforce training and development; equitable access to services; and community education. Sexual assault is a serious public health issue. The adoption of a multilevel approach will support change and improve health outcomes for this group.
Digital technology, diabetes and culturally and linguistically diverse communities: A case study with elderly women from the Vietnamese community
Authors: O’Mara Ben , Gill Gurjeet K , Babacan Hurriyet , Donahoo Daniel
Published: May 2011

Objective: To report the processes and outcomes of a case study on digital technology, diabetes and culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities.

Design: The qualitative study was based on a literature review, consultations and testing of a framework through workshops and an interactive information session.

Setting: Consultations, workshops and an information session conducted in western regions of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

Method: A framework was designed to address the needs of CALD community members to self-manage chronic conditions using innovative digital technology strategies. This was based on the literature review and 20 consultations held with representatives from health service providers and community organizations. The framework was tested with the assistance of the Quang Minh Buddhist Temple through consultations, workshops and an interactive information session about diabetes, YouTube and digital video cameras, in which 38 elderly women from the Vietnamese community participated. A descriptive and thematic analysis of participant feedback was conducted to determine lessons for future practice.

Results: Participant feedback indicated that the information session achieved its goal of raising awareness of ways to use and access diabetes information using digital technology. However, participants noted areas for enhancement and improvement, including more focused and targeted engagement with peer-led techniques, the digital proficiency of participants and digital technology preferences based on age and cultural background.

Conclusion: Digital technology was used to improve diabetes awareness information with elderly Vietnamese women, demonstrating the potential for application with others from CALD communities. However, there are continuing challenges in this approach, indicating the need for nuanced community engagement strategies that consider cultural context and familiarity with different kinds of digital technology.
Advocacy 201: Incorporating advocacy training in health education professional preparation programs
Authors: Thompson Amy , Kerr Dianne , Dowling Jamie , Wagner Laurie
Published: May 2011

Involvement in advocacy is a responsibility of health educators, as identified by the National Commission on Health Education Credentialing. Of all the professional responsibilities, participation in advocacy-related activity is often neglected. This lack of participation may be due to the absence of advocacy and policy skills training in health education professional preparation programs. The lack of training may be attributed to various reasons, such as the university faculty being unsure about how to include students in advocacy work, students being unable to see the relevance of advocacy to their studied field or the lack of available time to conduct advocacy by students and faculty alike. This article will focus on promoting advocacy among health education faculty and students, and provide creative strategies to incorporate advocacy knowledge and skills into health education coursework. A review of common health education courses is provided with suggestions for relevant advocacy projects, course assignments and proposed evaluation strategies.
Problem Behavior in the Middle School Years
Authors: Sullivan Christopher J. , Hirschfield Paul
Published: May 2011

The Social Development Model (SDM) is a life course theory that integrates several extant criminological theories to specify the interactive social processes that lead to prosocial and antisocial behavior. Relatively little research has attempted to cross-validate this and other developmental theories of delinquency. The current study assesses the school and family processes that comprise SDM with a sample of Chicago public school students measured over three school years between fifth and eighth grades ( n = 2,014). The data draw on student surveys tapping into multiple domains relevant to the explanation of problem behavior. Although overall model fit was marginal, the results of structural equation models largely support the SDM and its constituent paths. The implications for theoretical development and intervention are considered.
Patterns of Near-Repeat Gun Assaults in Houston
Authors: Wells William , Wu Ling , Ye Xinyue
Published: May 2011

The study assesses the extent to which gun assaults are clustered in space and time using crime data from Houston, Texas. The analysis examines patterns of gun assaults at the city-level as well as more localized levels in order to understand the spatial distribution of near-repeats within the city. Consistent with prior research, the city-level analysis shows significant and meaningful near-repeat patterns. The localized analysis indicates that the risk of near-repeats is not evenly distributed across space within the city, but is concentrated among a small portion of incidents and four relatively small spatial clusters. In addition, an examination of crime types, locations, and gang involvement shows slight differences between gun assaults with and without near-repeat follow-up shootings.
How mass political attitudes affect democratization: Exploring the facilitating role critical democrats play in the process
Authors: Lingling Qi  , Doh Chull Shin
Published: May 2011

For decades, scholars of political culture have held that mass political attitudes have a profound impact on the process of democratization. In studying this impact, an increasing number of political scientists have recently theorized that the level of democratization a political system reaches depends on the extent to which its political institutions meet citizen demand for democracy. In testing such theoretical models of democratic demand and supply, however, many political scientists have mistakenly equated democratic demand with citizen preference for democracy over its alternatives. In this study, we first argue that popular demand for democracy is not the same thing as democratic regime preference or support. Instead, demand for democracy arises from dissatisfaction with democracy-in-practice. By analyzing the fourth wave of the World Values Survey, we then demonstrate that the critical orientations of democrats promote democratic development more powerfully than do the two attitudes — democratic regime support and self-expression values — that prior public opinion research has identified as the forces driving democratization.
Direct ties, prior knowledge, and entrepreneurial resource acquisitions in China and Singapore
Authors: Zhang Jing , Soh Pek-Hooi , Wong Poh-kam
Published: May 2011

The entrepreneurship literature suggests that network ties are useful in mitigating the problem of information asymmetry faced by entrepreneurs when acquiring resources at the early stage of venture creation. We introduce prior knowledge of resource owners as an inverse measure of information asymmetry and investigate the contingent effect of prior knowledge and tie strength between entrepreneurs and resource owners on the likelihood of entrepreneurial resource acquisition. Using data from 378 high-tech ventures located in Beijing, China and Singapore, the analysis shows that strong ties are more important than weak ties, in entrepreneurs’ resource acquisition and this importance grows when resource owners have less prior knowledge to offset problems of information asymmetry. Similar network effects are found in both China and Singapore. The insignificant country difference suggests that the social network culture of the start-up community is universal.
Technologies and Species Transitions: Polanyi, on a Path to Posthumanity?
Authors: Doede Robert
Published: May 2011

Polanyi and Transhumanism both place technologies in pivotal roles in bringing about Homo sapiens ’ species transitions. The question is asked whether Polanyi’s emphasis on the role of technology in Homo sapiens’ rise out of mute beasthood indicates that he might have been inclined to embrace the Transhumanist vision of Homo sapiens’ technological evolution into a postbiological, techno-cyber species. To answer this question, some of the core commitments of both Transhumanism and Polanyi’s postcritical philosophy are examined, especially as they bear on Homo sapiens’ species transitions. The conclusion reached is that rather than being the next step dictated by the inner logic of Polanyi’s thought, Transhumanism is actually the final conclusion of epistemological ideals he spent most of his career denouncing.
C. P. Snow’s The Two Cultures: Michael Polanyi’s Response and Context
Authors: Jacobs Struan
Published: May 2011

C. P. Snow’s “The Two Cultures” controversially contrasted science and literature, suggesting that neither scientists nor literary intellectuals have much in common with, and seldom bother speaking to, the other. Responding to Snow, Michael Polanyi argued that specialization has made modern culture, not twofold but manifold. In his major work, Personal Knowledge, Polanyi explained that branches of modern culture have personal knowing and knowledge in common , and there is extensive cross-pollination of ideas. He also, in this book, saw the branches of culture as disparate intellectual frameworks that are divorced from one another.
Sight, Sound, and Knowledge: Michael Polanyi’s Epistemology as an Attempt to Redress the Sensory Imbalance in Modern Western Thought
Authors: Jardine Murray
Published: May 2011

The author argues that Michael Polanyi’s philosophy of science can be understood as an (unconscious) attempt to recapture elements of experience largely forgotten or repressed in modernity. Specifically, the author argues that Polanyi’s epistemology appears to draw on elements of oral—aural experience that have been relatively ignored by the heavily visual sensory orientation typical of modern Western societies. The author does this by first deriving the primary features of the modern objectivist conception of knowledge from Polanyi’s critique of objectivism and then using the anthropological literature on the differences between oral and literate cultures to demonstrate that these same aspects of the objectivist paradigm correspond closely to typical features of literate, visual consciousness while Polanyi’s alternative formulations correspond to a more oral—aural orientation.
Traumatic Shoulder Instability Involving Anterior, Inferior, and Posterior Labral Injury
Authors: Mazzocca Augustus D. , Cote Mark P. , Solovyova Olga , Rizvi Syed H.H. , Mostofi Amir , Arciero Robert A.
Published: May 2011

Background

Traumatic labral tears involving the anterior, inferior, and posterior aspects of the glenoid fossa represent a unique subpopulation of shoulder instability.

Purpose

This study was undertaken to evaluate prospectively the clinical results of patients who underwent arthroscopic repair of 270° labral tears.

Study Design

Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods

This was a prospective outcomes analysis of patients who underwent arthroscopic stabilization of a 270° labral tear. Inclusion criteria included patients with traumatic injury and primarily anteroinferior instability but several had posterior instability as well. Imaging revealed extensive labral injury in all patients. Indications for repair included symptomatic instability, 2+ anterior-inferior and posterior-inferior load-shift testing, and arthroscopic confirmation of labral lesions that extended anteriorly, inferiorly, and with extension to the midglenoid posteriorly. Exclusion criteria were SLAP (superior labrum anterior and posterior) lesions, revisions, and nontraumatic injuries. All patients underwent an arthroscopic repair utilizing modern suture anchor technique. Outcome measures included preoperative and postoperative Rowe, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES), Simple Shoulder Test (SST), and Constant Murley scores. The Western Ontario Shoulder Instability Index (WOSI) and the Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation (SANE) scores were collected postoperatively. Failure was defined as any days missed from sport activity or work due to an instability event.

Results

Twenty-three 270° labral repairs were performed in 21 patients by a single surgeon. Twenty shoulders in 19 patients (92%) were followed for a mean of 28 months (range, 14-47 months) postoperatively. The mean preoperative and postoperative outcome scores showed statistically significant improvements ( P ≤ .001): Rowe (59 to 92), ASES (76 to 93), SST (9 to 11), and Constant scores (73 to 95). The mean SANE score was 91 of 100 and the mean WOSI score was 302. Three of the 20 shoulders (in 19 patients) had subsequent episodes of instability for a failure rate of 15%. One required a second procedure for continued instability for a revision rate of 5%. Two patients developed adhesive capsulitis postoperatively of which one required an arthroscopic arthrolysis.

Conclusion

Arthroscopic repair of these extensive labral injuries involving 270° of the glenoid fossa was an effective surgical treatment and restored mechanical stability of the shoulder. The arthroscopic approach allowed for complete visualization and repair of all labral pathology.
Survey Mode Effects on Data Quality: Comparison of Web and Mail Modes in a U.S. National Panel Survey
Authors: Shin Eunjung , Johnson Timothy P. , Rao Kumar
Published: May 2011

Web surveys are being increasingly incorporated into national survey data collection programs in the United States because of their cost/time-efficiencies. Yet, response rates and data quality issues in web surveys remain important challenges. As a basic study designed to better understand data quality in a mixed mode national survey, this article investigates the degree to which web versus mail survey modes affect unit and item responses. Findings indicate that the web survey mode produces a lower unit response rate compared to the mail mode. However, the web mode elicits higher data quality in terms of item responses to both closed- and open-ended questions. These mode effects on data quality remain after sociodemographic variables are held constant. Given the increasing integration of web survey questionnaires into mixed mode studies, additional research is necessary to understand and document the processes that underlie mode differences when responding to self-administered surveys.
A Collaboratively Designed Child Mental Health Service Model
Authors: McKay Mary M. , Gopalan Geetha , Franco Lydia , Dean-Assael Kara , Chacko Anil , Jackson Jerrold M. , Fuss Ashley
Published: May 2011

This article presents preliminary outcomes associated with an experimental, longitudinal study of a Multiple Family Group (MFG) service delivery approach set within 13 urban outpatient clinics serving children and their families living in inner-city, primarily African American and Latino communities. Specifically, this article focuses on parent reports of child oppositional behavior and parenting stress over time. The MFG is a flexible, protocol-driven approach designed to address the most common reason for referral to outpatient child mental health clinics, childhood behavioral difficulties. The MFG also aims to enhance family-level engagement and retention in ongoing care. Further, the service delivery model was collaboratively developed with intensive input from parents rearing children with conduct difficulties, parent advocates, community-based child mental health providers, and services research staff in order to ultimately expand the number of effective service models that can be situated within “real world,” urban child mental health settings.
Racial Threat, Direct Legislation, and Social Trust
Authors: Dyck Joshua J.
Published: May 2011

Current research has argued that direct legislation makes democracies better by helping to encourage better democratic citizenship. In this study, the author tests whether these effects are conditional on the diversity of the electorate. Theoretically, he argues that policy making by majority rule will create conflict because of the perceived threat of large numerical minorities by majority groups. The author hypothesizes that in areas of greater diversity, democratic citizenship socialization effects can be mitigated, especially as it relates to trusting strangers. Using pooled data from the American National Election Study, the author demonstrates the diversity conditional effects of ballot initiative context on generalized trust.
The Relationship Between Career Pathways of Internal and Citizen Complaints
Authors: Harris Christopher J.
Published: May 2011

This study explores the career pathways and their related linkages of officer problem behaviors from two sources: complaints filed by citizens and complaints filed internally by other officers. Using retrospective longitudinal data from a large cohort of officers, results indicate that while both citizen and internal complaints are patterned differently at the aggregate level over officer experience, both contain multiple pathways at the individual level. Analyses further demonstrate a small group of officers in both complaint types who account for a disproportionate amount of deviance, and officers belonging to one group tend to belong to the other. Implications are discussed.
Searching for Contraband: Assessing the Use of Discretion by Police Officers
Authors: Tillyer Rob , Klahm Charles
Published: May 2011

Over the past 50 years, research on criminal justice decision making has consistently explored the use of discretion by police officers.The general theme of this research has been to argue for limiting officer discretion based on concerns that minority citizens receive unequal and unjustified treatment due to unbridled discretion. A contrasting position suggests that officer discretion may be helpful in achieving effective and efficient outcomes. We explore this debate by empirically assessing the contraband seizure rates generated from mandatory and discretionary searches during officer-initiated traffic stops within a municipal jurisdiction. The findings indicate that Black citizens are twice as likely as White citizens to be discovered with contraband during discretionary searches, but not during mandatory searches. Implications for policy and future research are discussed.
The influence of base oil polarity and slide–roll ratio on additive-derived reaction layer formation
Authors: Naveira-Suarez A , Tomala A , Grahn M , Zaccheddu M , Pasaribu R , Larsson R
Published: May 2011

Functional additives, particularly extreme-pressure and antiwear additives, in formulated oil will compete to adsorb and form a protective layer in tribological contacts. The thickness of the layer is determined by the equilibrium between the formation and removal processes. In this article, the interactions between additives and base oil molecules and operating conditions influence friction and wear are studied. One polar (ester oil) and one non-polar (poly-α-olefin) commercial base oil blended with zinc dialkyl dithiophosphates were studied. The tribological performance was evaluated using a ball-on-disc test rig under mixed rolling–sliding conditions in the boundary lubrication regime. An adapted in situ interferometry technique was used to monitor the additive-derived reaction layer formation. The properties of the additive-derived reaction layers were studied using surface analysis techniques, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy. A thicker layer was formed when the additive is blended in the non-polar oil. This observation suggests that base oil polarity determines the transport of additives to the surface, thereby controlling the maximum reaction layer thickness, friction and wear, as well as the morphology of the additive-derived reaction layer. However, the reaction layer chemical composition is not strongly influenced by the base oil polarity. Among the operating conditions, shear was identified as a fundamental parameter for the activation of additives on rubbing steel surfaces and the properties of the derived reaction layer.
A developmental, body-oriented intervention for children and adolescents with medically unexplained chronic pain
Authors: Kozlowska Kasia , Khan Rubina
Published: May 2011

The regulation of pain and other emotions is a developmental process that takes place in the context of attachment relationships. Children with chronic, medically unexplained pain struggle to accurately identify, communicate and regulate negative body states, and to connect these body states to their day-to-day experience. This article describes an individual intervention – one component of a multimodal treatment programme – whose aim is to help children find skills to manage their pain. The intervention incorporates ideas and practices from several theoretical models – the dynamic-maturational model of attachment, cognitive-behavioural theories, narrative therapy, art therapy, sensorimotor approaches –pragmatically selected and adapted to help children presenting to our Chronic Pain Service achieve good clinical outcomes. At the outset we assess the child’s capacity to identify, regulate and communicate positive and negative body states, and tailor our individual intervention so as to extend each child’s proximal level of development. We initially focus on the body in an effort to equip the child with a non-verbal, image-based language for identifying and communicating pain and other negative body states. Once the child has developed a non-verbal way of knowing her body, a range of cognitive-behavioural, narrative and other strategies are introduced. The intervention aims to increase the child’s emotional functioning: her skill in identifying, symbolically representing, communicating and managing pain and other negative body states.