bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Diagnostic Accuracy of Handheld Echocardiography for Evaluation of Aortic Stenosis
Authors: Schaefer Arnd , Rathmann Anke , Klein Gunnar , Drexler Helmut , Tallone Ezequiel M.
Published: May 2010

Background: Symptomatic severe aortic stenosis is associated with increased mortality and morbidity. Early identification of these patients by echocardiography is crucial. We conducted this study to evaluate a handheld ultrasound device (HCU) in patients with suspected severe aortic stenosis (AS) in comparison to a standard echocardiography device (SE). Methods: A HCU (Vivid I; GE Healthcare) and a SE device (Philips iE 33) were used to evaluate 50 consecutive patients with suspected severe AS. Two consecutive echocardiographic studies were performed by two experienced and blinded examiners using HCU and SE device. AS was graded by mean transaortic pressure, aortic valve area (AVA), and indexed AVA (AVA adjusted for body surface area). Results: Mean difference for mean transaortic gradient, AVA and indexed AVA for the SE and HCU device were 1.28 mmHg (−0.70 to 3.26 mmHg), −0.02 cm2 (−0.06 to 0.01 cm2), and −0.01 cm2/m2 (−0.03 to 0.01 cm2/m2), respectively. Discrepancies between both devices were not associated with misinterpretation of the degree of AS. Conclusion: Our study demonstrates that HCU can be used to evaluate patients with suspected AS. (ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY 2010;27:481‐486)
Giant Coronary Artery Aneurysms in Kawasaki's Disease
Authors: Lytwyn Matthew , Walker Jonathan , Kirkpatrick Iain D. C. , Ducas John , Jassal Davinder S.
Published: May 2010

(Echocardiography 2010;27:E53‐E54)
Parachute Mitral Valve in Adults—A Systematic Overview
Authors: Hakim Fayaz A. , Kendall Christopher B. , Alharthi Mohsen , Mancina Joel C. , Tajik Jamil A. , Mookadam Farouk
Published: May 2010

Parachute mitral valve (PMV) is a rare congenital anomaly of the mitral valve apparatus seen in infants and young children. In most instances PMV is associated with other congenital anomalies of the heart, in particular obstructive lesions of the mitral inflow (mitral valve ring) and left ventricular outflow tract (subaortic stenosis), and coarctation of aorta and is referred to as Shone's complex or Shone's anomaly. PMV may also occur as an isolated lesion or in association with other congenital cardiac anomalies. Not much is known about PMV in adults as an isolated anomaly or in association with other congenital cardiac anomalies. We reviewed the literature to identify cases of PMV (isolated or associated with other lesions) in adults, to address prevalence, clinical presentation, diagnosis, treatment, and outcome of such patients. (Echocardiography 2010;27:581‐586)
“Short Fried‐Rice‐Eating Chinese MCs” and “Good‐Hair‐Havin Uncle Tom Niggas”: Performing Race and Ethnicity in Freestyle Rap Battles
Authors: Alim H. Samy , Lee Jooyoung , Carris Lauren Mason
Published: May 2010

This article shows how emcees create local meanings of race and ethnicity in freestyle rap battles. We demonstrate how performers attach new social meanings to race and ethnicity in verbal duels, even as they also reproduce normative meanings around gender and sexuality. Further, we suggest that the construction of local, alternative meanings around race and ethnicity might actually help support dominant racial hierarchies by relegating “blackness” suitable for only a limited set of domains. Despite the enduring nature of these broader racial hierarchies, we conclude that performances are activities in which individuals contest and negotiate the social meanings of identities. [performance, style, race/ethnicity, verbal duels, freestyle rap]
Truth Claims and Disputes in Ayurveda Medical Science
Authors: Wolfgram Matthew
Published: May 2010

This article investigates how scientific truth claims are articulated and disputed by a community of practitioners of a South Asian system of medicine called Ayurveda. I first describe the epistemological criteria of authoritative knowledge in Ayurveda, which I theorize as a disciplinary ideology of truth. Next, I show how the protagonists at a scientific conference designed their truth claims to reference and index this ideological framework for evaluating truth. Ultimately, I argue that disputes over scientific truth constitute a stable and recurrent characteristic of the Ayurveda community because it is through such disputes that the community produces itself by maintaining and transforming its disciplinary boundaries. [Ayurveda, Kerala, truth claims, scientific debate, medical epistemology, postcolonial science]
Mu xa xtak'av: “He Doesn't Answer”
Authors: Haviland John B.
Published: May 2010

Society regiments argument: what one fights about, with whom, and the frontiers of possible resolutions. But arguments can catastrophically rearrange social relationships. I consider a Zinacantec theory of the links between mutual talk and sociality, then sequential facts of Zinacantec fighting, and wider sociopolitical constraints on who can fight with whom, as illustrated by an extended family dispute. Whereas orderly disputes may refashion social arrangements but leave them largely intact, a common Zinacantec idiom for winning a verbal battle—reducing one's opponent to silence—suggests how argument can entirely close down a social relationship. [Tzotzil, Mayan, Zinacantán, Chiapas, Mexico, fights, verbal interaction, legal argument, indexicality, ritual language, land tenure]
THE MIND AT EVERY STAGE HAS ITS OWN LOGIC: JOHN DEWEY AS GENETIC PSYCHOLOGIST
Authors: Fallace Thomas Daniel
Published: May 2010

In this essay Thomas Fallace argues that John Dewey can best be described as a pragmatic historicist and a genetic psychologist. This means that Dewey believed that the best way to understand any idea, phenomenon, or entity is to trace its history, that the history of the individual and race pass through distinct stages of development, and that the most effective way to educate was to coordinate the form and content of these phylogenetic and ontogenetic stages to one another. Fallace demonstrates how these ideas informed both theory and practice at the University of Chicago Laboratory School.
DISPOSITIONS IN EDUCATION: NONENTITIES WORTH TALKING ABOUT
Authors: Splitter Laurance J.
Published: May 2010

The concept of dispositions has commanded considerable attention in both philosophy and education. In this essay, Laurance Splitter draws on philosophy to take a fresh look at dispositions in education, specifically teacher education. Bypassing the pitfalls of both subjectivity and crude behaviorism, he proposes a conceptual framework in which dispositions figure as drivers or triggers of our intentional behavior, one that gives prominence to language in general and to dialogue in particular. Splitter draws on an emerging school of thought that treats classrooms as inquiring communities to argue that students at all levels—including teacher education—should engage in dialogue about what does or does not, and should or should not, move them to behave in certain ways. Finally, Splitter offers a way through the sociopolitical battleground on which the topic of dispositions in teacher education has recently found itself.
MESSIANIC PEDAGOGY
Authors: Lewis Tyson
Published: May 2010

Famously, Walter Benjamin once wrote that behind historical materialism lies a disavowed theological “hunchback.” More importantly, it is only through a rejuvenated relation with this theological hunchback that historical materialism can ultimately realize its own revolutionary possibilities. While the theological dimension of critical theory has been explored in a variety of disciplines and for a variety of political and philosophical purposes, the same cannot be said for the field of critical pedagogy. In this essay, Tyson Lewis addresses this gap by focusing on mystical traditions of messianism that haunt certain strains of critical pedagogy. He contends that critical pedagogy cannot overcome certain limitations within its own project without unlocking the radical kernel of the messianic. In brief, messianism offers a potential moment for rethinking education outside of a sovereign decision over and against student life by reuniting educational time with the creative time of the now, kairos. In developing a genealogical rethinking of the messianic within critical pedagogy, Lewis focuses on the work of Paulo Freire. By articulating Freire with current theorists of the messianic, including Giorgio Agamben, we can see how the time of the messianic moment is educational time and how educational time, in its most radical formulation, is a messianic opening. Lewis concludes that a resolution of the question of authority as well as a new notion of educational time help to situate the emphasis of critical pedagogy toward a new appreciation of and respect for the theme of potentiality.
Quantitative Trait Loci Mapping for Leaf Length and Leaf Width in Rice cv. IR64 Derived Lines
Authors: Farooq Muhammad , Tagle Analiza G. , Santos Rizza E. , Ebron Leodegario A. , Fujita Daisuke , Kobayashi Nobuya
Published: May 2010

The present study was conducted to identify quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for leaf size traits in IR64 introgression lines (INLs). For this purpose, selected F2 populations derived from crosses between recurrent parent IR64 and its derived INLs, unique for leaf length and leaf width, were used to confirm QTLs. A total of eight QTLs, mapped on three chromosomes, were identified for the four leaf size traits in six F2 populations. A QTL for leaf length, qLLnpt‐1, in HKL69 was identified around simple sequence repeat (SSR) marker RM3709 on chromosome 1. Two QTLs for flag leaf length, qFLLnpt‐2 and qFLLnpt‐4, in HFG39 were indentified on chromosomes 2 and 4, respectively. For flag leaf width, a QTL, qFLWnpt‐4, in HFG39 was identified around RM17483 on chromosome 4. While another QTL for flag leaf width, qFLWnpt‐1, in HFG27 was identified around RM3252 on chromosome 1. A QTL for leaf width, qLWnpt‐2, in HKL75 was identified around RM7451 on chromosome 2. For leaf width, two QTLs, qLWnpt‐4a, qLWnpt‐4b, in HKL48 and HKL99 were identified around RM7208 and RM6909, respectively on chromosome 4. Results from this study suggest the possibilities to use marker‐assisted selection and pyramiding these QTLs to improve rice water productivity.
A Case Report of the Efficient Reduction of Calcium Channel Antibodies by Tryptophan Ligand Immunoadsorption in a Patient With Lambert–Eaton Syndrome
Authors: Sauter Matthias , Bender Andreas , Heller Florian , Sitter Thomas
Published: May 2010

Lambert–Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS) is a neuromuscular transmission disease caused by autoantibodies directed against voltage‐gated calcium channels (VGCC). We report on a patient with LEMS and a cerebellar syndrome associated with lymphatic proliferation in the thymus. As thymectomy and immunosuppressive therapy failed to efficiently reduce clinical symptoms and VGCC antibody titer, we performed immunoadsorption using a tryptophan‐ligand column for the first time. Repeated treatments resulted in a considerable decrease in antibody levels and a marked subjective and objective amelioration of LEMS as well as of the cerebellar symptoms.
Today's profession: Views and practices of private practice dietitians re Medicare Chronic Disease Management program
Authors: CANT Robyn P.
Published: May 2010

Aim:  To explore private practice dietitians' experiences of Medicare Chronic Disease Management allied health program operations, particularly regarding workplace environments, patient management practices and acceptance of the program.

Methods:  A cross‐sectional national survey was administered electronically in 2008. All private practice members of Dietitians Association of Australia were invited to participate. A 38‐item questionnaire asked about referrals, patients, fees, billing and participant demographics. Descriptive statistics, χ2 and Spearman's rank order correlation coefficient were used for analysis (if P < 0.05).

Results:  There were 356 (47%) dietitian participants; 94% were Medicare providers. Most (75%) worked in private practice ≤20 hours per week (median 12.0) and half (47%) in sole practices. Medicare referrals made up 0–100% of their practices. Patients were seen as complex because of their chronic conditions. Many dietitians reported inability to complete initial patient education within funded consultation time. Consultation time was often increased and patients were required to pay more than the scheduled fee. Fees were lower for follow‐up consultations. Dietitians' acceptance of the Medicare‐Plus Chronic Disease Management program was low.

Conclusion:  Current Medicare policy arrangements provide insufficient initial consultation time for counselling; and available frequency of follow‐up consultations is low. As a consequence, eligible patients have limited access to low‐cost dietetics services. The results support a need for review of the Medicare‐Plus Chronic Disease Management policy for dietetics interventions and alignment with other counselling services to better meet the needs of providers and also of patients with chronic conditions and diet‐related risk factors.
Clinical efficacy of diclofenac sodium and flunixin meglumine as adjuncts to antibacterial treatment of respiratory disease of calves
Authors: Guzel M , Karakurum MC , Durgut R , Mamak N
Published: May 2010

Objective  To compare the efficacy of the non‐steroidal antiinflammatory drugs, diclofenac sodium and flunixin meglumine as adjuncts to the antibiotic treatment of bovine respiratory disease (BRD).

Procedure  We randomly allocated 80 Holstein calves with BRD to three groups. All the calves received a dose of 2.5 mg/kg tulathromycin by single subcutaneous injection and two of the groups received, in addition, either 2.5 mg/kg diclofenac sodium as a single intramuscular injection (diclofenac group, n = 30) or 2.2 mg/kg flunixin meglumine as an intravenous injection on the first three consecutive days after tulathromycin administration (flunixin group, n = 30). All calves were given a clinical score prior to initial treatment (day 0) and after treatment (days 1, 2, 3, 7 and 14) by observing appetite, demeanour, rectal temperature, the rate and type of respiration, presence or absence of coughing, and nasal discharge.

Results  During the first 48 h, improvement of adverse signs of respiratory disease, such as pyrexia and elevated respiratory rate, and of a high clinical index score was significant in the two adjunct groups compared with the calves receiving antibiotic alone. The reduction in pyrexia was greatest in the diclofenac group. There were no statically significant differences between treatment groups with regard to eventual perceived recovery from respiratory disease in 14 days.

Conclusion  In this trial, a single intramuscular dose of diclofenac sodium was equally effective as three intravenous injections of flunixin meglumine given on consecutive days as adjunctive therapy for BRD.
Prevention of relapse and interventions for enhancing medication adherence in schizophrenia: An East Asian perspective
Authors: Razali Salleh Mohd
Published: May 2010

Introduction: Studies investigating the efficacy of interventions for improving treatment non‐adherence in schizophrenia have generated contrasting findings. The present review examined psychosocial interventions for improving medication adherence and prevention of relapse among patients with schizophrenia in developing countries in the Asia‐Pacific.

Methods: The relevant literature and systematic review were identified by computerized searches using keywords, and hand‐searched for other selected articles.

Results: The reasons for poor medication adherence were complex and heterogenous. Psychoeducation programs alone are ineffective in achieving good medication adherence because they do not lead to attitudinal and behavioral changes. The greatest improvement in adherence was seen with interventions employing a combination of educational, behavioral and cognitive strategies. Unfortunately, few relevant studies from this region were found. There were some interventions related to psychoeducation and compliance therapy (CT) that were successfully conducted by nurses. Patients in developing countries generally had better family support, but strong stigma towards mental illness and interference by traditional healers led to poor treatment adherence. Lack of facilities and shortage of medical professionals aggravated the situation.

Discussion: Intervention to improve treatment adherence and prevention of relapse among patients with schizophrenia should be incorporated into existing psychiatric services. Adherence to treatment in patients with schizophrenia could be improved if continuously supported and monitored by caregivers and treating doctors, to facilitate a change in the patient's attitude. Paramedical personnel, such as psychiatric nurses, could be actively involved in intervention programs because of the shortage of medical professionals in this region.
Prescribing antipsychotic drugs for inpatients with schizophrenia in Asia: Comparison of REAP‐2001 and REAP‐2004 studies
Authors: Chong Mian‐Yoon , Tan Chay Hoon , Shinfuku Naotaka , Yang Shu‐Yu , Sim Kang , Fujii Senta , Si Tianmei , Chung Eun Kee , Kua Ee Heok
Published: May 2010

Introduction: This international collaborative study aimed to investigate the trend and change in prescription patterns of antipsychotic drugs for inpatient schizophrenia in Asia by comparing two surveys in 2001 and 2004.

Methods: Prescription patterns of inpatient schizophrenia in China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Singapore and Taiwan were surveyed in July of 2001 and 2004 using a standardized protocol. Patients' social and clinical characteristics, psychiatric symptoms, course of illness and adverse effects of medications were systematically assessed and recorded. Prescription patterns of antipsychotic drugs were compared and analyzed.

Results: Altogether, 4535 patients were surveyed. There were no significant differences in their demographic characteristics between 2001 and 2004. Compared with 2001, a significant increase in the use of second‐generation antipsychotics (SGA) (from 45.5% to 64.7%) with reciprocal decreasing use of first‐generation antipsychotics was found in 2004. The trend was unanimously seen across these Asian countries and among those prescribed with monotherapy or polypharmacy. The proportion using monotherapy significantly increased, from 52.7% in 2001 to 61.1% in 2004. There was a tendency of using a lower dosage of antipsychotic medications and a less concomitant use of anti‐Parkinson drugs.

Discussion: The present study showed a trend of increasing use of SGA among Asian countries. Except for Japan and Singapore, a relatively low use of antipsychotic polypharmacy was generally found. The increasing use of SGA and policy changes reduced the mean duration of admission days. With increasing awareness of consumers and continuing education for psychiatrists, the trend is expected to continue.
Insider Trading Regulation and Market Quality: Evidence from American Depositary Receipts
Authors: Chung Kee H. , Zhang Hao
Published: May 2010

We investigate the relation between insider trading law enforcement and stock market quality using a sample of American Depositary Receipts (ADR) over the period from 1998 to 2006. We show that ADR from countries that have enforced insider trading laws have better market liquidity and lower information asymmetry than ADR from countries that have not enforced insider trading laws. In addition, ADR from countries with insider trading law enforcement have greater price efficiency. Our results are robust to different estimation methods and alternative model specifications. We interpret these results as evidence that the enforcement of insider trading laws can effectively deter insider trading and enhance both market liquidity and price efficiency.
Recent Publications in Natural History
Authors: Lecroy Mary , Root Nina J.
Published: May 2010

Principal Reviews: Everett, Michael. The Birds of paradise.

Skipwith, Peyton. The Great bird illustrators and their art 1730–1930.

Parry, Gareth and Rory Putman. Birds of prey.

Vickers, Vincent Cartwright. The Google Book.
Recent Publications in Natural History
Authors: Haas Pamela
Published: May 2010

LIBRARY AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY: Recent Publications in Natural History is a regular feature of Curator. It lists recent publications under various headings, Mary E. Genett–Editor
Book Review
Authors: Gardner George S.
Published: May 2010

Brawne, Michael. The Museum interior.
Children's Museums: The Serious Business of Wonder, Play, and Learning
Authors: EDEIKEN LINDA R.
Published: May 2010

If facts are the seeds that later produce knowledge and wisdom, then the emotions and the impressions of the senses are the fertile soil in which the seeds must grow. The years of early childhood are the time to prepare the soil. Once the emotions have been aroused—a sense of the beautiful, the excitement of the new and unknown, a feeling of sympathy, pity, admiration or love—then we wish for knowledge about the object of our emotional response. Once found, it has lasting meaning. It is more important to pave the way for the child to want to know than to put him on a diet of facts he is not ready to assimiliate.

Rachel Carson, The Sense of Wonder
Naive Knowledge and the Design of Science Museum Exhibits
Authors: BORUN MINDA , MASSEY CHRISTINE , LUTTER TIIU
Published: May 2010

The Naive Knowledge Study at the Franklin Institute Science Museum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, took place over a three‐and‐one‐half‐year period ending in April 1992. It was both a research and application project to uncover widespread misconceptions about the concept of gravity held by museum visitors and to test the efficacy of hands‐on exhibits in altering these naive notions. Exhibits were designed to counter typical and persistent misconceptions and enable visitors to shift from the naive knowledge of the “novice” to the more sophisticated understanding of the science “expert.” The study revealed that hands‐on exhibits with carefully worded labels can, indeed, alter naive notions and open the door to new understanding.
The Value of Natural History Collections
Authors: Allmon Warren D.
Published: May 2010

The value of museum natural history collections is commonly poorly explained to, and therefore commonly misunderstood by, the general public. This is an increasingly dangerous situation at a time of tight fiscal constraints; if natural history collections are to survive, those charged with their care will have to do more to broadcast their value as both resources for research and public education. Research values include documenting biotas no longer available and present and past biogeographic distributions, housing type, voucher specimens, and (perhaps most importantly) serving as fertile places for scientific discovery and inspiration. Public values include serving as resources for identification of unknown specimens, hands‐on education and the support of systematics, and (perhaps most importantly) as the depository for the final physical evidence for the history and diversity of life on Earth.
Zoological Collections and Collecting in Cuba During the Twentieth Century
Authors: Taboada Gilberto Silva
Published: May 2010

Relevant events in the history of twentieth‐century zoological collection in Cuba and the institutions involved are traced here in order to document the present whereabouts of Cuba's zoological collections. The historical accounts are divided into two periods: from the founding of the republic in 1902 to the revolutionary victory of 1959, and from 1959 to the present. A preliminary survey of the nature, size, and current state of these collections is included.
Collegiate Priorities and Natural History Museums
Authors: Birney Elmer C.
Published: May 2010

Data on curatorial budgets and hiring practices of the University of Minnesota's Bell Museum of Natural History (BMNH) since 1970 are presented and discussed relative to those of academic departments in the College of Biological Sciences (CBS). Throughout the administration of the collegiate dean who recruited the museum into the college, the museum was considered to be a department equivalent and fared neither better nor worse than the departments regarding budgets and faculty recruitment. When a new dean was hired in 1987, the museum ceased to be considered as a department equivalent. Its state‐allocated budgets for both public programs and collection curation have been retrenched greatly to mitigate departmental retrenchments. Four curatorial positions vacated by retirement have gone unfilled. Administrative reporting lines for museum directors within universities are discussed. It is concluded that a natural history museum is best viewed and administered as a university resource and responsibility rather than as a departmental or collegiate unit.
Facing Up to Budgetary Challenges at the Biological Survey, New York State Museum
Authors: Miller Norton G.
Published: May 2010

Collection and research activities in biology at the New York State Museum (NYSM) are centered in the Biological Survey. Its operating funds are set by the governor, the state legislature, and the state education department. Additional funding is provided from grants and the New York State Museum Institute. Operating budgets and staff size between 1973 and 1994 were rather constant or rose somewhat during the first three‐fourths of this period, then increased dramatically as a result of special appropriations by the legislature. In recent fiscal years, there were major cuts in the NYSM's operating budget, and the Biological and Geological Surveys were especially targeted for “downsizing.” The museum embarked on a campaign to have the proposed cuts more broadly assigned or the funding restored. The methods used included testimonials to legislators by survey clients and visits by museum staff to explain the benefits of the surveys. The Museum Visiting Committee and the Business and Industry Advisory Council were formed to further ensure support of the surveys. This advocacy emphasized the importance of a clear focus on actual and potential client needs in research and other programs of the surveys, constantly advertising what we do, and broadly‐based collaborative projects that make good use of expertise existing in the state. The Biodiversity Research Institute (BRI) was created by legislation in 1993 and placed within the NYSM.
Risks and Opportunities for Natural History Collections: Moving Toward a Unified Policy
Authors: Hoagland K. Elaine
Published: May 2010

The current status of natural history collections is complex and seemingly contradictory. While opportunities for collections to serve society are greater than ever, many institutions find that their ability to care for collections is diminishing. Competition for resources, especially in academic institutions, is one reason. But there is also sometimes a lack of clear mission for collections within organizations themselves. The Association of Systematics Collections (ASC) provides programs and resources to help institutions meet the challenge of maintaining natural history collections. If collections are truly endangered, we can help ensure that they are not lost to science and society.
An Analysis of Differences Between Visitors at Natural History Museums and Science Centers
Authors: Korn Randi
Published: May 2010

As museum staff search for ways to broaden their audience, creative collaborations are emerging among various institutions with the hope that visitors who typically visit science centers, for example, will venture over to their local natural history museum. Typically, front‐end evaluation is used for understanding details about visitors in the context of a proposed exhibition. Front‐end evaluation can also help collaborating museums understand the nuances among their visitors regarding demographics, attitudes, and preferences for interpretive strategies. Carefully articulating the characteristics of the actual audience, potential audience, and target audience will help exhibit developers fine‐tune their exhibitions to meet the needs and expectations of a more diverse public. This article presents partial findings from a front‐end evaluation that analyzed the differences between visitors to natural history museums and science centers.
Pauahi Bishop Museum: A Hawaiian Museum—Challenging the Past to Face the Future
Authors: Tatar Elizabeth
Published: May 2010

Bishop Museum has been the focus of attention in Hawaiì and the mainland for its changes in direction from a traditional natural history museum to an entrepreneurial science learning center. Attention has focused on how well the museum, in changing its direction, serves its communities, especially its the Native Hawaiian community, and whether it should be undertaking contract research projects and contract public programs in partnership with hotels and other commercial businesses. The author, involved in a key role in several projects representing this change in direction, discusses controversial projects associated with repatriation, contract archaeology, and exhibits. The projects are described within the context of the museum's history as a Hawaiian institution. The controversies are then examined in terms of how the museum managed them and in so doing, how it met its mission of education and service. As we enter the twenty‐first century, our ability to work with the community, especially the Native Hawaiian community, and remain financially viable will determine how we fare.
Families Are Learning in Science Museums
Authors: Borun Minda , Chambers Margaret , Cleghorn Ann
Published: May 2010

This report is based on research findings of a National Science Foundation (NSF)‐funded study conducted by the Philadelphia/Camden Informal Science Education Collaborative (PISEC), which consists of four institutions: The Franklin Institute Science Museum, the New Jersey State Aquarium, The Academy of Natural Sciences, and the Philadelphia Zoological Garden. The first year's study addressed the question “How can we identify and measure family learning in science museums?” It documented a relationship between learning levels and observable behaviors. On the basis of coding family conversations and interview data for level of learning, we see that families do learn from exhibits and that the level of learning is related to specific observed behaviors. Grouping these behaviors as performance indicators provides a useful measure of exhibit learning.
Understanding Visitor Comments: The Case of Flight Time Barbie
Authors: Pekarik Andrew J.
Published: May 2010

Many museums use comment cards, visitor books, and bulletin boards to capture the reactions of visitors. Whether they are collected, counted, skimmed, read, or simply filed, the utility of these documents is rarely questioned. This paper suggests some pros and cons of comment systems and presents an analysis of the comments on an exhibition, Flight Time Barbie, at the National Air and Space Museum (NASM), Smithsonian Institution, in Washington, DC. The responses to this exhibition included judgments about the subject matter of the exhibition, opinions about its presentation, and remarks regarding its appropriateness to the museum. The paper concludes by suggesting a practical approach to the analysis of visitor comments.
Reexamining Diversity: A Look at the Deaf Community in Museums
Authors: KALISHER ELANA
Published: May 2010

In accordance with the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, museums serve their deaf visitors by offering assistance through accessibility programs designed specifically to provide access to the museum, its collections, and/or information in an exhibition or program that would otherwise be unattainable by a person with a disability. Accessibility provisions such as signed tours, TTYs, and subtitled audio information have helped deaf people experience and enjoy museums. While these programs and provisions are necessary museum services, they do not acknowledge the view of many Deaf people—that they are not disabled but rather members of a community that does not hear. Nor do accessibility programs generally include programs on the shared traditions, values, and language that make up the culture of the Deaf community.

This paper seeks to introduce museum professionals to the Deaf cultural community and Deaf cultural exhibitions that celebrate the history, achievements, and tradition of Deaf people; it offers steps to follow in planning such exhibitions and provides some examples.
John Dewey's Experience and Education: Lessons for Museums
Authors: ANSBACHER TED
Published: May 2010

John Dewey, one of the preeminent educational theorists of our time, wrote Experience and Education 60 years ago, toward the end of his career, as a review of his educational philosophy and the progressive schools it had spawned. Based on the principle that all genuine education comes about through experience, Dewey's ideas are still current and particularly relevant to the theory and practice of museum education. They are, nevertheless, not widely cited within the museum profession. This article comments on Experience and Education, a slim, readable volume, in the hope of giving it wider readership.

Major ideas from each chapter of the book are summarized along with comments on their application to various museum issues. Dewey distinguishes two fundamentally opposed ideas: that education is development from within and that it is formation from without. Believing that experience is the basis for education, he basically takes the within position, although he also warns against either‐or thinking. Dewey identifies two aspects of experience and two criteria for judging it which have implications for such things as setting exhibit goals, evaluating exhibits, developing exhibit content, and untangling education and entertainment. He goes on to look at problems of implementing experience‐based learning such as maintaining social control, moving people from initial impulses to more purposeful inquiry, and developing organized subject matter from individual experiences. All of this applies to museums as well as schools.
Learning from Ruins: A Visitor Study at Uxmal
Authors: BROWN SUSAN FISHER , KORAN JOHN J.
Published: May 2010

Few evaluations have been conducted at archeological parks. This study was undertaken to (1) test knowledge gain in visitors, (2) test epistemic curiosity arousal in visitors, (3) record general visitor information, and (4) assess visitor satisfaction. Comparisons between males, females, Spanish speakers, and English speakers were made. Results showed a significant increase in visitor knowledge (p<.05) and a significant difference between epistemic curiosity arousal in Spanish‐ and English‐speaking visitors (p<.05). Latin‐American Spanish speakers evidenced the greatest interest in learning more about the subject. This project also demonstrated the feasibility of conducting evaluations at archeological sites.
Fakes and Forgeries
Authors: GRASSET CONSTANCE DEDIEU
Published: May 2010

Fakery is a protean concept, taking different forms according to circumstances. A work judged to be genuine in one era might be considered a fake, or a partial fake, in another. In some contexts, modified works or copies might be acceptable or even preferred to the original or to its unretouched version. Different criteria—for example, aesthetic effect versus value on the art market—may lead to different judgments. Fakery is not a black‐and‐white issue. Art lovers should realize that many paintings are not entirely what they are said to be. This essay discusses some of these issues, as well as techniques that can now be used to analyze artworks.
A Moving Experience: Thirteen Years and Two Million Objects Later
Authors: HANSEN GRETA , SAWDEY CATHERINE ZWIESLER
Published: May 2010

The Department of Anthropology at the National Museum of Natural History at the Smithsonian Institution began preparing and moving its ethnographic and archeological collections, consisting of two million specimens, to an off‐site storage facility in 1983. The move was necessitated by continual museum accessions and diminishing available storage space, resulting in overcrowded conditions. Thirteen years later, the anthropology move is nearing completion. This article documents some of the circumstances that precipitated the collection move. It also delineates the procedures that evolved and some of the lessons learned. Experience showed that adequate training of staff was essential to the success of the project. Bar code technology was implemented to streamline tracking of objects and inventory control. With the completion of the anthropology move, the collections care is significantly improved on many levels, but challenges lie ahead because the new storage facility is nearing capacity.
Strangers, Guests, or Clients? Visitor Experiences in Museums
Authors: DOERING ZAHAVA D.
Published: May 2010

This article discusses how museums relate to their visitors. It introduces three interpretive categories to summarize the ways that museums view their visitors: as Strangers, Guests, or Clients. Strangers: This attitude arises when the museum maintains that its primary responsibility is to the collection and not to the public. Guests: From this point of view, the museum wants to “do good” for visitors primarily through “educational” activities. Clients: In this attitude the museum believes that its primary responsibility is to be accountable to the visitor. This article suggests that social trends will force museums to treat visitors as clients. Institutions will then acknowledge that visitors have needs, expectations, and wants that the museum is obligated to understand and meet. Also discussed are four major categories of experiences that individuals find most satisfying in museums: (1) Social experiences center on one or more other people, besides the visitor; (2) Object experiences give prominence to the artifact or the “real thing”; (3) Cognitive experiences emphasize the interpretive or intellectual aspects of the experience; and (4) Introspective experiences focus on the visitor's personal reflections, usually triggered by an object or a setting in the museum. The categories are based on empirical research conducted in different Smithsonian museums. The article concludes with a brief discussion of museum settings, or “servicescapes,” that support or detract from the experiences of visitors.
Exploring Satisfying Experiences in Museums
Authors: PEKARIK ANDREW J. , DOERING ZAHAVA D. , KARNS DAVID A.
Published: May 2010

This article presents results from an ongoing research project that investigates the experiences visitors find satisfying in museums. Using a list constructed from interviews with visitors and surveys, data were obtained from visitors in nine Smithsonian museums. Analysis of the results showed that experiences can be classified into four categories: Object experiences, Cognitive experiences, Introspective experiences, and Social experiences. The article points out that the type of most satisfying experience differs according to the characteristics of museums, exhibitions, and visitors. It also proposes an interpretation for these data, and suggests some possible applications.
A Survey of Museums on the Web: Who Uses Museum Websites?
Authors: SARRAF SUZANNE
Published: May 2010

The Internet is a means of global communication that has revolutionized the dissemination and retrieval of information. As the public becomes technologically savvy, museums have the opportunity to use new technology to expand their reach. This article profiles both the average Internet user and average museum Website visitor. The Internet has the potential to amplify enrichment by making museums more universally accessible.
A Removable Mount for the Individual Cranial Bones of a Juvenile Dinosaur
Authors: BENNETT G. E.
Published: May 2010

Mounting original fossil material of juvenile animals can present challenges beyond working with adult material, primarily because the lack of fusion in juvenile bones translates into a greater number of smaller elements to be mounted. In the present case, this paper describes the fabrication of a mount for a subadult ornithopod dinosaur. The fragile, unfused cranial bones required the creation of separate cradles for individual or groups of bones. For a typical mounted adult vertebrate skull, only two structural units for the cranium and the lower jaws would be necessary.
Community Impact of Science Centers: Is There Any?
Authors: PERSSON PER‐EDVIN
Published: May 2010

In a competitive environment, established cultural institutions need to justify their activities and to provide measurable indications of success when applying for public and private funds. Science centers are part of the movement striving to enhance public understanding of science. The educational aspects of science centers have been the subject of numerous studies, while there is much less tangible information on the economic, political, or public impact of our institutions. There is clear evidence that learning behaviors occur in non‐formal settings. Crude assessments of the economic contribution by a cultural institution to the local economy can fairly easily be made. These include the direct purchasing power of the institutional budget and the salaries that the employees get, and an estimate of the direct costs related to the visits. An indication of the impact on local communities may be estimated from the attendance figures as a percentage of the total metropolitan population. Science centers tend to attract media attention for the exhibitions, programs, and events that they stage. This can be measured. The impact on the local economy, on political agendas, and on public perception of science has been only rudimentarily studied. Methods have not been developed, nor have the critical questions been clarified. More research, including compilation of existing scattered proprietary data, is needed. An active role in promoting a research agenda, or at least in compiling and accessing relevant data, could be taken by the professional organizations of science centers.
The “Gallop Poll”: Using Evaluation to Develop Fossil Horses in Cyberspace, An Online Exhibition
Authors: Camp Betty Dunckel , MacFadden Bruce J. , Mercer Melissa J.
Published: May 2010

The number, complexity, and popularity of World Wide Web sites has increased dramatically in recent years, providing a new opportunity for museum access. This case study describes the front‐end and formative evaluations conducted during the development of the Florida Museum of Natural History's first virtual exhibition, Fossil Horses in Cyberspace , which during 2000 received −540,000 hits equating to −60,000 user sessions. As with physical exhibitions, evaluation is critical to enhancing the educational effectiveness and appeal of online exhibitions.
Our Colleagues, Our Selves: Modeling Museum Worldviews in the Process of Change
Authors: KRUG KERSTI
Published: May 2010

AS museums respond to changing forces in our increasingly complex world, we who must make the changes find ourselves in the throes of discomfort and even conflict with formerly comfortable colleagues. We blame those on opposing sides of our views as obstinate, ignorant, or self‐serving. Why then does change invariably engender conflict? This article explores the underlying factors — the world‐views that each of us brings to the table — and presents a model of archetypes that hints at where museum professionals might fit. The aim is to expose the existence of fundamental differences in how each one of us approaches change so that we can navigate through disagreements, retain professional relations, and contribute positively to our museums.
In Byzantium1
Authors: SMITH JEFFREY K. , CARR DAVID
Published: May 2010

During Spring 1997 we experimented with a research method combining quantitative and qualitative approaches to documenting visitor experiences in The Glory of Byzantium, a special exhibition of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. In addition to using standard demographic and behavior surveys, a small team of researchers and volunteers gathered information, compared experiences, and summarized their observations of people in the exhibition. Each team member conducted about a dozen structured conversations with visitors as they left the exhibition. Subsequently the team met as an informal focus group to describe their experiences. We found that many museum users arrived with relevant experiences and high expectations for this somewhat specialized exhibition; we also found users whose approach to the exhibition was less well‐informed, but whose enthusiasm and trust for the museum experience moved them to attend with satisfaction. We believe that such team approaches to research might well be used as a regular part of museum work as we search for answers to the many elusive questions about museum use.
Changing Permanent Exhibitions: An Exercise in Hindsight, Foresight, and Insight1
Authors: MAYER CAROL E.
Published: May 2010

Traditions associated with conservatism, scholarly content, and durability inform the ideology of the permanent exhibition. Once installed it is usually considered complete, and will remain unchanged until its content is questioned or considered outdated, or its physical deterioration becomes embarrassing. Museum curators work on very few, if any, permanent exhibitions during their career, and when they do their primary focus is on the scholarly content. It has only been in the past few years that museums, and curators, have looked to the discipline of visitor studies as being integral to process of exhibition development and the accessibility of content. A permanent exhibition constructed prior to this collaboration is revisited by its curator who applied five visitor studies' methodologies to the gallery to ascertain whether the curatorial/design concept was accessible to the visitor. This paper presents some ideas and findings from that study.
A Beadwork Primer
Authors: BINGELL DAVID R.
Published: May 2010

This paper introduces the terms associated with the description of beads and beadwork, and discusses the techniques and technologies used in the creation of beadwork.
Rethinking the Visitor Experience: Transforming Obstacle into Purpose
Authors: HENNES TOM
Published: May 2010

The purposes of museums and those of their visitors often have little in common—despite the growing body of knowledge about museum learning and visitors' motivations. Based on concepts of experiential learning envisioned a century ago by the American educator and philosopher John Dewey, this paper explores bringing those purposes into closer alignment. A re‐evaluation of several factors—including criteria of experience, content organization, and the nature of inquiry—could lead to exhibitions more closely aligned with visitors' processes of self‐motivated activity and museums' goals for informal learning. One way is to shape exhibits and activity around problematical situations developed out of the exhibit experience itself and shaped by visitors' own purposes. By shifting focus from knowledge taxonomies to problem‐solving situations, museums could increase their exhibitions' potential for providing engaging educational experiences to visitors.