bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Test of the Measurement Validity of the Resistance to Change Scale in Russia and Ukraine
Authors: Stewart Wayne H. , May Ruth C. , McCarthy Daniel J. , Puffer Sheila M.
Published: December 2009

The authors developed a Russian-language version of Oreg’s (2003) Resistance to Change (RTC) Scale, a multidimensional dispositional measure of an individual’s tendency to avoid or resist change, and tested its generalizability to the post-Soviet context with data from Russia and Ukraine. Confirmatory factor analysis results indicated a lack of configural consistency for the cognitive rigidity subscale, and post hoc examination suggested an unintended frame of reference for the cognitive rigidity items. The other three subdimensions of the scale—routine seeking, emotional reaction, and short-term thinking—were measurement-invariant in the two countries, providing a psychometrically acceptable measure of individual resistance to change. As a result, this respecification of the RTC Scale should be useful for much needed research devoted to individual resistors to change in the post-Soviet context, an effort essential for understanding obstacles to organizational change, and for generating prescriptive guidelines in a situation where most organizations are pressed by transition-induced need for systemic change and development.
Research and the Doctor of Nursing Practice
Authors: Florczak Kristine L.
Published: December 2009

This column concerns itself with the issue of research and the doctor of nursing practice. The reports of the Institute of Medicine about patient safety, quality in healthcare, and the restructuring of education of healthcare providers are reviewed. The reasons for the creation of the doctor of nursing practice are illuminated along with the essentials of educating nurses for the role and the position statement on nursing research by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing. Finally, the impact that those with a doctor of nursing practice who conduct nursing research may have on the discipline of nursing is considered.
The Power and Possibility in Listening
Authors: Bunkers Sandra Schmidt
Published: December 2009

In this column, the author describes the power of listening. There are three engaging listening modalities that are explored that form a foundation for exploring the power and possibility in listening: living true presence, participating in the council process; and engaging in strategic questioning. Several strategic questions are raised to explore the possibility of integrating these listening modalities into the nursing academy.
We’re All Here for the Good of the Patient
Authors: Kagan Paula N. , Chinn Peggy L.
Published: December 2009

Two nurse scholars, whose works have centered on power and related concepts, discuss the ideas that have shaped their concepts of power. In this conversation, they reflect on factors that constrain nurses and nursing in organizations, and consider some possibilities that could lead nurses to realize their full potential and influence in the healthcare system.
Exploring Nursing Perspectives on Power
Authors: Clarke Pamela N.
Published: December 2009

In this column, the concept of power is introduced as basic to the nursing discipline, critical to practice and specific to nursing science as well as nursing practice.
Nursing Ethics and Power in Position
Authors: Milton Constance L.
Published: December 2009

Power in positions of authority and responsibility may be manifested in myriad ways in management positions, with all businesses and disciplines, including the discipline of nursing. From the nursing disciplinary theoretical perspective of humanbecoming, this column begins a discussion regarding the obligations of healthcare disciplines to address the ethical questions of what should and ought members of healthcare disciplines be doing to enhance the quality and integrity for healthcare recipients’ experiences. Exercising power judiciously and with transparency will be defined and emphasized as important for members of healthcare disciplines, for preserving and protecting the legacy of future healthcare leaders.
She shoots, flies and stays
Authors: Truss Lynne
Published: December 2009

Lynne Truss explains how, despite her professed ignorance and dislike of sport, she was recruited by the sports editor of The Times to cover the 1996 European football championships. In a delightfully humorous account, Lynne recalls her experiences – reporting from a Macclesfield training pitch, a Brighton pub and an airship – and her eventual willingness to give birth to Alan Shearer’s babies.
Disentangling sources of incomplete acquisition: An explanation for competence divergence across heritage grammars
Authors: Pires Acrisio , Rothman Jason
Published: December 2009

This article brings to light an important variable involved in explaining a type of competence divergence in an instance of bilingual acquisition: heritage speaker (HS) bilingualism. We present results of experiments with European Portuguese (EP) heritage speakers (HSs), showing that they have full morpho-syntactic and semantic competence of inflected infinitives, similar to EP monolinguals. We show this constitutes clear evidence of competence mismatches between heritage speakers of European and Brazilian Portuguese, comparing our results to Rothman’s (2007) experimental evidence that Brazilian Portuguese (BP) heritage speakers lack knowledge of inflected infinitives. These comparative results are especially relevant because inflected infinitives were argued (Pires, 2002, 2006) to have been lost in colloquial BP dialects, although educated monolinguals demonstrate target competence. Neither incomplete acquisition nor attrition hinders the acquisition of inflected infinitives by European Portuguese HSs, raising questions regarding
Knowledge of tense-aspect and mood in Spanish heritage speakers
Authors: Montrul Silvina
Published: December 2009

Child and adult Spanish heritage speakers have been shown to display erosion and loss of the tense-aspect and mood system in oral production. In particular, while they retain the preterit—imperfect difference in the past, the meanings and forms are often confused. Subjunctive morphology, on the other hand, is even more affected (Silva-Corvalán, 1994, 2003). Two related studies were conducted to examine the extent of incomplete knowledge of tense-aspect and mood morphology in 65 adult Spanish heritage speakers raised in the USA and a comparison group of 23 fully competent adult native speakers. Study 1 tested the preterit—imperfect contrast with different predicates; Study 2 focused on the present indicative—subjunctive contrast in different subordinate clauses. Both studies used elicited oral and written production tasks to test morphological accuracy and a sentence conjunction judgment task to tap semantic interpretations. The overall results showed significant differences between the native speakers and the heritage speakers, confirming that heritage speakers make errors with grammatical aspect and mood morphology. Accuracy on grammatical aspect, however, is higher than accuracy on subjunctive morphology in oral and written production and interpretation. This result is compatible with the Regression Hypothesis (Jakobson, 1941), which relates order of acquisition to order of language loss, and with the Interfaces Hypothesis (Tsimpli & Sorace, 2006), which takes into account the complexity of certain linguistic interfaces.
Cardioprotective effects of benazepril, an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, in an ischaemia-reperfusion model of myocardial infarction in rats
Authors: Charan Sahoo Kanhei , Arora Sachin , Goyal Sameer , Kishore Kamal , Ray Ruma , Chandra Nag Tapas , Singh Arya Dharamvir
Published: December 2009

Introduction. The present study evaluated the effects of benazepril, an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor on haemodynamic, biochemical, and immunohistochemical (Bax and Bcl-2 protein) indices in ischaemia and reperfusion (IR) injury.

Materials and methods. Male Wistar albino rats were divided into three groups and were orally administered saline once daily (IR-sham and IR-control) or benazepril (30 mg/kg/day; IR-benazepril) for 14 days. On the 15thday, in the IR-control and IR-benazepril groups, rats were subjected to left anterior descending coronary artery occlusion for 45 minutes followed by a one-hour reperfusion. Haemodynamic parameters were recorded and rats were sacrificed; hearts were isolated for biochemical estimation and immunohistochemistry.

Results. In the IR-control group, significant ventricular dysfunctions (p<0.05 vs. IR-sham group) were observed along with enhanced expression of pro-apoptotic protein Bax. A decline in lactate dehydrogenase activity and increased content of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, a marker of lipid peroxidation, were observed. Benazepril pretreatment significantly improved mean arterial pressure (p<0.01), reduced left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (p<0.05), and improved both inotropic and lusitropic function of the heart (+LVdP/dt and — LVdP/dt) (p<0.05; p<0.01) as compared to IR-control. Furthermore, benazepril treatment significantly decreased the level of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and restored the activity of lactate dehydrogenase towards normal value (p<0.05 vs. IR-control).

Conclusion. This study demonstrates that benazepril upregulated Bcl-2 protein and decreased Bax protein expression, thus exhibiting anti-apoptotic effects. These beneficial effects of benazepril will have an important implication in the therapeutic use of benazepril in ischaemic heart disease.
Angiotensin-converting enzyme insertion/deletion and angiotensin type 1 receptor A1166C polymorphisms as genetic risk factors in benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate cancer
Authors: Sierra Díaz Erick , Sánchez Corona José , Rosales Gómez Roberto Carlos , Gutierrez Rubio Susan Andrea , Vázquez Camacho José Gonzalo , Solano Moreno Héctor , Morán Moguel María Cristina
Published: December 2009

Introduction. Prostate cancer is one of the most common malignant neoplasias in developed countries. In 2003, 6,536 new cases and 4,602 related deaths were reported in Mexico. The renin-angiotensin system has been shown to play a role in prostate cancer pathology. Two previous studies investigated the association of prostate cancer with the insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism in the angiotensin-converting enzyme ( ACE) gene; both studies reported an association between prostate cancer and the DD genotype. The present study was aimed at searching for an association of prostate cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia with the I/D polymorphism in the ACE gene and the A1166C polymorphism in the angiotensin type 1 receptor ( AGT1R) gene and at comparing allele frequencies between both groups and the general population.

Materials and methods. DNA was extracted from 20 samples from individuals with a prostate cancer diagnosis and from 20 samples from individuals with a benign prostatic hyperplasia diagnosis. Genotyping was performed by PCR-RFLP analysis. Polymorphism frequency results obtained for the test groups were compared with the frequencies in 66 individuals from the general population, which were previously obtained at the same molecular medicine laboratory in the context of other studies. Results. The comparative analysis of the three groups revealed significant differences for allele frequencies in the two genes in patients groups (prostate cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia) versus the general population. The D allele in the ACE gene was closely associated with a significant higher risk of developing both benign prostatic hyperplasia (odds ratio [OR]=21.87; 95% confidence interval [CI]=2.314—206.479) or prostate cancer (OR=31.66; 95% CI=0.091—1.272), and the AGT1R A1166 allele in the homozygote state was identified as a risk genotype for benign prostatic hyperplasia (OR=56.07). Conclusions. Genotypes in ACE and AGT1R polymorphisms could be considered as genetic risk markers for benign prostatic hyperplasia or prostate cancer.
Justice as an Emotion Disposition
Authors: Roberts Robert C.
Published: December 2009

In this tribute to the work of Robert Solomon, I address a topic that occupied him frequently in the last 20 years of his life, and about which he wrote a book and several articles: the relation(s) between the emotions and justice as a personal virtue. I hope to clarify Solomon’s views using three distinctions that seem implicit in his writings, among (1) justice as general virtue and justice as a particular virtue, (2) objective justice and justice as a virtue, and (3) an emotion and a passion. Using these three distinctions and a fourfold schema of emotional objects that seems implied by the foregoing discussion, I argue that an account of emotions like Solomon’s, which construes emotions as in crucial ways like judgments, contains resources for grasping in some detail how particular emotions are related to the virtue of justice. Among these emotions, I pay special attention to compassion.
The Case of the Disappearing Intentional Object: Constraints on a Definition of Emotion
Authors: Deonna Julien A. , Scherer Klaus R.
Published: December 2009

Taking our lead from Solomon’s emphasis on the importance of the intentional object of emotion, we review the history of repeated attempts to make this object disappear. We adduce evidence suggesting that in the case of James and Schachter, the intentional object got lost unintentionally. By contrast, modern constructivists (in particular Barrett) seem quite determined to deny the centrality of the intentional object in accounting for the occurrence of emotions. Griffiths, however, downplays the role objects have in emotion noting that these do not qualify as intentional. We argue that these disappearing acts, deliberate or not, generate fruitless debate and add little to the advancement of our understanding of emotion as an adaptive mechanism to cope with events that are relevant to an organism’s life.
For Valence
Authors: Prinz Jesse
Published: December 2009

In a provocative and important article, Robert Solomon argues that emotion researchers should abandon the notion of valence: it is used many different ways, and no single construct captures the pretheoretical distinction between positive and negative emotions. I echo Solomon in arguing that some of the most popular theories of valence are unlikely to succeed, though my case against these constructs comes from a noncognitive, as opposed to cognitive, perspective. I then argue that there is one notion of valence, related to reward and punishment, that may apply to all emotions, and align with pretheoretical taxonomies.
Validity of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and the Beck Depression Inventory for use in end‐stage renal disease patients
Authors: Loosman W. L. , Siegert C. E. H. , Korzec A. , Honig A.
Published: December 2009

Objective. To validate the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) for use in patients with end‐stage renal disease (ESRD) and to compare the outcome of both screening measures with each other.

Design. Cross‐sectional and between‐subjects design. The independent variable was the diagnosis depression by the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI). The dependent variables were the HADS and BDI total score.

Methods. All 130 patients with ESRD who were treated with haemodialysis (HD) or peritoneal dialyses in the Sint Lucas Andreas Hospital in Amsterdam were eligible for this study and were asked to fill out both HADS and BDI. The outcomes of both rating scales were compared with the diagnosis major depressive episode based on the MINI, which was seen as the gold standard. Receiver operating characteristic curves were used to choose optimal cut‐off values.

Results. Of 62 enrolled subjects, 21 (34%) were diagnosed with a depressive disorder. Optimal cut‐off values were ≥12 (HADS) and ≥13 (BDI). Sensitivity was 81.0% (HADS) and 75.0% (BDI). Specificity was 90.2% for both.

Conclusions. Both HADS and BDI are valid screening instruments for the diagnosis depression in ESRD patients but there is no statistical difference found between both rating scales.
Only human: Hostile human norms can reduce legitimization of intergroup discrimination by perpetrators of historical atrocities
Authors: Greenaway Katharine H. , Louis Winnifred R.
Published: December 2009

We investigated the effects of salient shared humanity with a benevolent or hostile human norm on perpetrators of historical atrocities. Our findings suggest that a focus on benevolent superordinate humanity enables perpetrators to legitimize intergroup discrimination and preserve existing negative attitudes towards victims. In Expt 1 (N=135), salient shared humanity with a human norm of benevolence and kindness preserved the perceived legitimacy of intergroup inequality, while exposure to a hostile norm of human nature reduced perceived legitimacy. Expt 2 (N=51) replicated the association between exposure to a hostile human norm and reduced legitimization when perpetrator intentions were unambiguously negative. In contrast, when perpetrator intentions were ambiguous, a hostile human norm had no effect on perceived legitimacy. Our findings qualify previous research, and demonstrate that the effects of emphasizing shared humanity are not equivalent or universally positive for perpetrators and victims.
Deductive reasoning in children with specific language impairment
Authors: Newton Elizabeth J. , Roberts Maxwell J. , Donlan Chris
Published: December 2009

The diagnosis of specific language impairment (SLI) requires non‐verbal ability to be in the normal range, but little is known regarding the extent to which general reasoning skills are preserved during development. A total of 122 children were tested; 40 SLI, 42 age‐matched controls, and 40 younger language‐matched controls. Deductive reasoning tasks were given in both verbal and pictorial presentation types, namely the relational inference task and the reduced array selection task (RAST). Pictorial presentation facilitated all groups for all tasks equally. For the relational inference task, SLI performance was below both age and language matches. For the RAST, contextual information facilitated all groups equally. SLI performance was intermediate between age and language matches. It is concluded that the non‐verbal versus verbal distinction is a complex one and that non‐verbal reasoning can draw upon linguistic processes. It is also suggested that SLI reasoning depends upon precise task demands, here the need to sequence information in working memory, and the need for explicit reasoning with conditional rules. Reasoning processes may not be equivalent to normally developing children, even when tasks appear non‐verbal.
Mental Health Problems in Adults With Williams Syndrome
Authors: Stinton Chris , Elison Sarah , Howlin Patricia
Published: December 2009

Although many researchers have investigated emotional and behavioral difficulties in individuals with Williams syndrome, few have used standardized diagnostic assessments. We examined mental health problems in 92 adults with Williams syndrome using the Psychiatric Assessment Schedule for Adults with Developmental Disabilities—PAS-ADD (Moss, Goldberg, et al., 1996). Factors potentially associated with mental health problems were also explored. The PAS-ADD identified mental health problems in 24% of the sample. The most common were anxiety (16.5%) and specific phobias (12%). Other diagnoses included depression, agoraphobia, and social phobia. No association was found between the presence of mental health problems and either individual (e.g., age, IQ, language level) or external (life events) variables.
Socioeconomic Circumstances and Risk of Psychiatric Disorders Among Parents of Children With Early Cognitive Delay
Authors: Emerson Eric , McCulloch Andrew , Graham Hilary , Blacher Jan , Llwellyn Gwynnyth M. , Hatton Chris
Published: December 2009

Results of previous research suggest that parents of children with intellectual disabilities are at increased risk of psychological distress and psychiatric disorder. Secondary analysis of the Millennium Cohort Study in the United Kingdom indicated that controlling for between-group differences in socioeconomic circumstances reduced the differences in probable psychiatric disorder to nonsignificance for fathers and markedly attenuated the strength of the relationship for mothers, especially for those with children who have less severe early cognitive delay. These data are consistent with the notion that greater than expected risk for psychiatric disorder among parents of young children with early cognitive delay is related to aspects of the socioeconomic circumstances of families.
Perceptions of Body Image by Persons With Prader-Willi Syndrome and Their Parents
Authors: Napolitano Deborah A. , Zarcone Jennifer , Nielsen Sarah , Wang Hongyue , Caliendo Jillian Maynard
Published: December 2009

Prader-Willi syndrome is a genetic disorder characterized by obesity. The Figure Rating Scale (Stunkard, Sorensen, & Schulsinger, 1983) was completed by 43 individuals with this syndrome to determine their level of dissatisfaction with their body. Their parents also completed this scale regarding their child to determine whether they were dissatisfied with their child's body status. Results showed that individuals with Prader-Willi syndrome were dissatisfied with their body. Parents also were dissatisfied with their child's body. Results of this study demonstrate that the responses of persons with Prader-Willi syndrome on the Figure Rating Scale show significant discrepancies between how they think they look and how they wished they looked.
Maternal Responsivity Predicts Language Development in Young Children With Fragile X Syndrome
Authors: Warren Steven F. , Brady Nancy , Sterling Audra , Fleming Kandace , Marquis Janet
Published: December 2009

The relationship between early maternal responsivity and later child communication outcomes in young children with fragile X syndrome was investigated. Data were obtained from 55 mother–child dyads over a 36-month period. Performance data were obtained at each measurement point from video observations of four different contexts. These were coded for (a) child communication behaviors, (b) parent responsivity, and (c) behavior management behaviors. Results indicate that early maternal responsivity predicts the level of four important child language outcomes at 36 months of age after controlling for child developmental level and autism symptomology.
An Ergonomic Bench for Indigenous Weavers
Authors: Piegorsch Karen
Published: December 2009

FEATURE AT A GLANCE: In this article I describe how an ergonomic bench was designed for indigenous weavers in Guatemala in the presence of long-standing economic poverty, gender inequality, and racial prejudice. The bench helps women increase their ability to earn a living through enhanced productivity and improved textile quality, while also preventing cumulative trauma to their bodies and preserving important aspects of their traditions. The systems approach that enabled user-centered ergonomic design of the bench also stimulated self-awareness among end-users, empowering them to create meaningful change in a culture in which kneeling, rather than sitting, is the norm for women.
Kinetic Monte Carlo Simulation of Helium-Bubble Evolution in ODS Steels
Authors: Takahashi Akiyuki , Sharafat Shahram , Nagasawa Koji , Ghoniem Nasr
Published: December 2009

Oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) ferritic/martensitic steels are being developed for high temperature applications for fission reactors and future fusion devices. ODS-Eurofer97 (Fe–9CrWVTa–0.3Y2O3) and ODS-MA957 (Fe–14CrTiMo–0.25Y2O3) have shown promising high temperature mechanical properties, such as tensile strength, toughness, fatigue, and creep rupture. Recent neutron irradiation experiments with simultaneous helium implantation indicate that helium transport is favorably impacted by the nanometer-sized oxide particles, small grain sizes, and high dislocation densities of ODS steels. Simulating helium transport in ODS steels requires a three-dimensional spatially resolved model, which takes into account discrete geometric and microstructural features of the steel. We have developed such a helium transport simulation model using an event kinetic Monte Carlo (EKMC) approach called Monte Carlo simulation of helium-bubble evolution and resolutions (McHEROS). First, a spatially resolved kinetic rate theory is used to establish helium-vacancy cluster and stable helium-bubble nuclei concentrations. The maximum helium-bubble density is then used as an initial condition for randomly distributed matrix bubbles for the EKMC simulation. Migration, coalescence, and trapping of helium bubbles by oxide particles are simulated. Matrix helium bubbles that come into contact with each other are assumed to undergo instantaneous coalescence, which leads to bubble growth. However, migrating bubbles that are intercepted by oxide particles are assumed trapped but can grow through coalescing with newly arriving bubbles. The oxide particles effectively reduce the growth rate of matrix bubbles. Helium-bubble size and spatial distributions of the EKMC simulation are compared with recent experimental measurements. As part of this study, the effectiveness of the ODS microstructure on reducing helium-bubble growth rates is presented by comparing EKMC simulations of steels with and without ODS particles. This first application of the McHEROS code has demonstrated the viability of the code as a tool in describing the behavior of helium-bubble transport in ODS alloys.
Ein nationaler Weg. Kanada und die Schaffung der UN-Blauhelme in der Suez-Krise 1956A National Path. Canada and the Creation of the UN Blue Helmets during the Suez Crisis 1956
Authors: Schulte Jan Erik
Published: December 2009

Die Suez-Krise von 1956 gilt als Geburtsstunde des klassischen Peacekeeping. Bei der Schaffung der UN-Blauhelme spielten Kanada und sein Außenminister Lester B. Pearson, der hierfür den Friedensnobelpreis erhielt, eine entscheidende Rolle. Im Gegensatz zur retrospektiven Betrachtung war zeitgenössisch in Kanada die Regierungspolitik höchst umstritten. Der Aufsatz analysiert, in wieweit die nationale Debatte von 1956 den Keim für die positiv besetzte Erinnerung legte. Die kanadische Regierung wandte sich in der Krise bewusst gegen die britische Position. Dieser Schritt wurde als Verrat am Mutterland und als Angriff auf die nationale Identität begriffen. Leitartikel, Leserbriefe und Briefe an Pearson geben einen Einblick in die Schärfe des Konfliktes. Langfristig setzte sich ein nationales Selbstverständnis durch, das sich von Großbritannien löste. Seit der Suez-Krise eng mit der Suche nach einer postkolonialen Identität verknüpft, avancierte das kanadische Peacekeeping zu einer Institution, die in Innen- und Außenpolitik kanadische Werte repräsentierte. Die Verbindung zwischen kanadischem Selbstverständnis und Peacekeeping führte zu einer konstanten Unterstützung der UN-Blauhelmeinsätze im 20. Jahrhundert.
Nachrichten aus der Forschung
Authors: von Dehn Rüdiger , Winkel Carmen , Lemke Bernd
Published: December 2009

Rüdiger von Dehn: Soldatinnen. Gewalt und Geschlecht im Krieg vom Mittelalter bis heute. Jahrestagung des »Arbeitskreis Militärgeschichte e.V.«, Jena, 13. bis 15. November 2008

Carmen Winkel: Die Kapitalisierung des Krieges. Kriegsunternehmer in Spätmittelalter und Früher Neuzeit. Internationale Konferenz im Deutschen Historischen Museum Berlin, 18. bis 20. März 2009

Bernd Lemke: Writing the History of Iraq: Historiographical and Political Challenges, Konferenz, Institut de hautes études internationales et du développement, Genf, 6. bis 8. November 2008
Orthographica Sophoclea
Authors: Finglass Patrick J.
Published: December 2009

This article discusses some orthographical questions which relate to the text of Sophocles. It pays special attention to the editor’s duty to present the evidence for ancient orthography accurately, consistently, and efficiently.
Broken Sperm, Cytoplasmic Droplets and Reduced Sperm Motility Are Principal Markers of Decreased Sperm Quality Due to Organophosphorus Pesticides in Rats
Authors: Okamura Ai , Kamijima Michihiro , Ohtani Katsumi , Yamanoshita Osamu , Nakamura Daichi , Ito Yuki , Miyata Maiko , Ueyama Jun , Suzuki Takayoshi , Imai Ryota , Takagi Kenji , Nakajima Tamie
Published: December 2009

Broken Sperm, Cytoplasmic Droplets and Reduced Sperm Motility Are Principal Markers of Decreased Sperm Quality Due to Organophosphorus Pesticides in Rats: Ai Okamura, et al. Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine

Objectives

Recent reports have shown significant associations between organopshophorus pesticide (OP) exposure and decreased sperm motility in workers and laboratory animals. However, the notion that OPs possess spermatotoxicity has yet to be established. The aim of this study was to clarify the effects of OP exposure on detailed sperm toxicity markers, i.e., motility, morphology and sperm adenine nucleotide contents, and the histopathology of the testis and epididymis.

Methods

Ten‐week‐old Wistar rats were divided into 4 groups (n=10) and orally administered corn oil, dichlorvos (DDVP; 5, 10 mg/kg) or diazinon (DZN; 3 mg/kg) 6 days a week for 9 wk. Sperm motility and morphology markers were analyzed with a computer‐assisted sperm analysis (CASA) system.

Results

In addition to a significant decrease in acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activities and a significant increase in urinary OP metabolites, DDVP and DZN significantly reduced sperm motility, but they did not influence sperm adenine nucleotide contents. The OPs also significantly increased the percentage of broken sperm, and DDVP significantly increased the percentage of cytoplasmic droplets. Importantly, both OPs significantly increased cytoplasmic vacuolation and nuclear shrinkage in the epithelial cells of the ductus epididymis, whereas the testes did not show significant histopathological changes.

Conclusions

The broken sperm and cytoplasmic droplets as well as reduced sperm motility were the relevant spermatotoxicity makers of DDVP and DZN. To our knowledge, this is the first report to suggest that the above‐mentioned OP‐induced spermatotoxicity is related to histopathological impairment of the caput epididymis.
Clearing the air
Authors: Read John , Knoch Ute
Published: December 2009

As a result of investigations showing that communication problems can be a significant contributing factor to major aviation accidents, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has established a set of Language Proficiency Requirements. All pilots and air traffic controllers engaged in international aviation must be certified by their national civil aviation authorities as meeting the requirements by March 2011. This has created a demand for tests designed to assess the speaking and listening skills of aviation personnel, and language testers have become involved as developers and evaluators of the various assessment instruments. The present paper gives an overview of the issues and introduces the themes discussed by the other contributors to this special issue of the journal, covering both the linguistic nature of aviation communication and more practical considerations in test design.
'A study of EL2 pilots’ radio communication in the General Aviation environment
Authors: Estival Dominique , Molesworth Brett
Published: December 2009

This paper reports on the preliminary stages of a project designed to investigate communication problems in General Aviation and assess the utility of language technologies as a means of mitigation. The study presented in this paper is the first of a three-part study, in which we aim to investigate the extent to which the English language proficiency of pilots whose native language is not English (EL2) impacts on their ability to effectively communicate with Air Traffic Control (ATC), and its potential impact on safety outcomes. In a preliminary survey, we distributed a questionnaire to General Aviation pilots at various flight training organisations and collected self-reported instances of miscommunication between themselves and ATC. In addition, we asked pilots to rank, in order of difficulty, five typical radio communication tasks. The results indicated that pilots who are English native speakers and EL2 pilots give a similar ranking of difficulty to the radio communicative tasks, and that both EL2 and native speakers rank understanding other pilots as the most challenging task.
Planes, politics and oral proficiency
Authors: Moder Carol Lynn , Halleck Gene B.
Published: December 2009

This study investigates the variation in oral proficiency demonstrated by 14 Air Traffic Controllers across two types of testing tasks: work-related radio telephony-based tasks and non-specific English tasks on aviation topics. Their performance was compared statistically in terms of level ratings on the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) scale. The results demonstrate significant differences in the performance of the test-takers across task types, differences that were not fully predictable across subjects. The differences between general English proficiency and specific purpose proficiency were even greater than those we would expect for other LSP situations. We discuss the implications of these findings for fairly and safely assessing Aviation English using ICAO standards in a politicized context.
An analysis of the quality of English testing for aviation purposes in Finland
Authors: Huhta Ari
Published: December 2009

This article describes and analyses the development of a new test of aviation English by the Finnish Civil Aviation Authority (FCAA), as well as the overall situation in Finland as regards the testing of aviation English. The article describes the FCAA development project and evaluates the strengths and weaknesses of the new test and the whole testing system, often with reference to the framework of test usefulness proposed by Bachman and Palmer (1996). The quality of the overall system in Finland appears to be quite variable as it is based on the principle of decentralization, in which the FCAA evaluates and approves different tests to be used for certifying the English language skills of aviation personnel. On the other hand, the FCAA commissioned the creation of a test of its own, which appears to have certain strengths, but also has some flaws, such as a lack of systematic double rating of speaking and very little centralized monitoring of overall quality.
Implementing ICAO language proficiency requirements in the Versant Aviation English Test
Authors: Van Moere Alistair , Suzuki Masanori , Downey Ryan , Cheng Jian
Published: December 2009

This paper discusses the development of an assessment to satisfy the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Language Proficiency Requirements. The Versant Aviation English Test utilizes speech recognition technology and a computerized testing platform, such that test administration and scoring are fully automated. Developed in collaboration with the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, this 25-minute test is delivered via a telephone or computer. Two issues of interest are discussed. The first concerns the practicalities of assessing candidates in each of six separate dimensions of spoken proficiency: Pronunciation, Structure, Vocabulary, Fluency, Comprehension, and Interactions. Although an automated scoring system can objectively segregate these skills, we question whether human raters have the capacity to do this in oral interviews. The second issue discussed is how an automated test can provide a valid assessment of spoken interactions. Tasks were designed to simulate the information exchange between pilots and controllers on which candidates’ proficiency in ‘Interactions’ could be measured, for example, by eliciting functions such as correcting miscommunications and providing clarification. It is argued that candidate ability can be probed and estimated in a fair and standardized way by presenting a series of independent items which are targeted in difficulty at the various ICAO levels.
Stylistic folklore features of Serbian realistic story
Authors: Vukicevic Dragana
Published: December 2009

The Serbian realistic story was formed under the great influence of folklore tradition. The majority of analysis ended with poetics analogy connecting two artistic systems, oral and written realistic literature. Besides studying stylistic connections, the paper aims at essential stylistic differences which make a discourse, the oral one, untranslatable into another and vice wersa.
A parallel-probe saturation profiler: a new technique for fast profiling of meltwater saturation in a seasonal snowpack
Authors: Kapil J.C. , Prasher Chandrika , Chasmai Moiz , Satyawali P.K.
Published: December 2009

We describe a parallel-probe saturation profiler (PPSP) for accurate and fast profiling of liquid-water saturations in a snowpack. This device utilizes the absorption of electrical energy, by water molecules under the action of an external electric field, due to instantaneous rotations from initially random orientations to the orientation of the applied electric field. Our observations show that the height of first peak signal (HFPS), i.e. the difference between the maxima and minima in the PPSP signal-response time series, is proportional to the liquid-water content and the water saturation of snow. The HFPS corresponding to different liquid-water contents were obtained from various naturally occurring snow types and were observed to be proportional to the water saturation of the snow, irrespective of snow types. For simultaneous measurements at corresponding depths in a snowpack, a position encoder supports the PPSP. This device was calibrated for various types of snow samples and was then tested on the snow covers under different climatic zones of the Himalaya. The operation of the PPSP is easy and fast. The distribution of liquid water within a large snow cover can be estimated speedily using the PPSP, with a vertical resolution of 7 mm.
Statistical forecasting of regional avalanche danger using simulated snow-cover data
Authors: Schirmer Michael , Lehning Michael , Schweizer Jürg
Published: December 2009

In the past, numerical prediction of regional avalanche danger using statistical methods with meteorological input variables has shown insufficiently accurate results, possibly due to the lack of snowstratigraphy data. Detailed snow-cover data were rarely used because they were not readily available (manual observations). With the development and increasing use of snow-cover models this deficiency can now be rectified and model output can be used as input for forecasting models. We used the output of the physically based snow-cover model SNOWPACK combined with meteorological variables to investigate and establish a link to regional avalanche danger. Snow stratigraphy was simulated for the location of an automatic weather station near Davos, Switzerland, over nine winters. Only dry-snow situations were considered. A variety of selection algorithms was used to identify the most important simulated snow variables. Data mining and statistical methods, including classification trees, artificial neural networks, support vector machines, hidden Markov models and nearest-neighbour methods were trained on the forecasted regional avalanche danger (European avalanche danger scale). The best results were achieved with a nearest-neighbour method which used the avalanche danger level of the previous day as additional input. A cross-validated accuracy (hit rate) of 73% was obtained. This study suggests that modelled snow-stratigraphy variables, as provided by SNOWPACK, are able to improve numerical avalanche forecasting.
Snow isotopic content change by sublimation
Authors: Sokratov Sergey A. , Golubev Vladimir N.
Published: December 2009

We present results from cold-laboratory observations of changes in isotopic (δ18O and δD) content by sublimation in snow and ice samples under nearly isothermal conditions. The results show large increases in observed δ18O and δD in snow samples within several centimeters of the surface. They contradict the assumption of a non-changing isotopic content due to layer-by-layer transport mechanisms driven by sublimation/desublimation processes. The data also do not support the idea that isotopic changes of snow and firn are limited by the possibility that the ice matrix incorporates the atmospheric water vapor and that forced water-vapor diffusion in the pore space (wind pumping) is a requirement for isotopic content change. The observations show that sublimation from ice samples results in much lower increases in heavy-isotope content in the first several millimetres near the sublimating surface over the same time period, despite sublimation intensities similar to those of the snow samples. The results suggest that continuous phase transitions inside snow (recrystallization) are the process responsible for the isotopic content change because they are the primary mass-exchange mechanism between the snow mass and the surrounding environment. Modeling the isotopic content of the ice matrix therefore requires inclusion of a two-stage process: fractionation at the ice-matrix surface due to repetitive phase transitions, and fractionation due to preferable diffusion of light water isotopes in the pore space. For interpretation of the observed natural isotopic profiles in snow, the first process can be linked to the time a snow layer undergoes recrystallization, while the second process is related to the total ice/snow mass gain/loss determined by the external environmental conditions.
Direct observation of salts as micro-inclusions in the Greenland GRIP ice core
Authors: Sakurai Toshimitsu , Iizuka Yoshinori , Horikawa Shinichiro , Johnsen Sigfús , Dahl-jensen Dorthe , Steffensen Jørgen Peder , Hondoh Takeo
Published: December 2009

We provide the first direct evidence that a number of water-soluble compounds, in particular calcium sulfate (CaSO4·2H2O) and calcium carbonate (CaCO3), are present as solid, micron-sized inclusions within the Greenland GRIP ice core. The compounds are detected by two independent methods: micro-Raman spectroscopy of a solid ice sample, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy of individual inclusions remaining after sublimation. CaSO4·2H2O is found in abundance throughout the Holocene and the last glacial period, while CaCO3 exists mainly in the glacial period ice. We also present size and spatial distributions of the micro-inclusions. These results suggest that water-soluble aerosols in the GRIP ice core are dependable proxies for past atmospheric conditions.
Volume-size distribution of microparticles in ice cores from the Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Wu Guangjian , Yao Tandong , Xu Baiqing , Tian Lide , Zhang Chenglong , Zhang Xuelei
Published: December 2009

The volume distribution of atmospheric dust particles (microparticles) of 1–30 μm diameter in Muztagata, Dunde, Dasuopu and Everest ice cores from the Tibetan Plateau was measured and fitted as a log-normal function in order to characterize their basic size properties. Our results reveal that whether the volume distribution fits the log-normal function or not largely depends on the dust concentration and the specific dust-storm event but is independent of physiographical location and season. Our results show only high-concentration samples obey the log-normal distribution in volume, with mode sizes ranging from 3 to 161 μm. The log-normal distribution was largely attributed to the mid-sized particles between 3 and 15 μm, which contribute most (>70%) of the total volume. The volume size distribution characteristics for mineral dust particles from ice cores reveal that the coarse particles might be common in the upper-level troposphere over the Tibetan Plateau. These dust size features are useful to advance our understanding of dust effects on climate, and provide clues to better characterize atmospheric dynamics over the Tibetan Plateau that will help to improve the current models.
Subglacial seismic reflection strategies when source amplitude and medium attenuation are poorly known
Authors: Holland Charles W. , Anandakrishnan Sridhar
Published: December 2009

Seismic reflection techniques are a powerful way to probe physical properties of subglacial strata. Inversion of seismic data for physical properties may be hampered, however, by lack of knowledge of the source amplitude as well as lack of knowledge of the compressional and shear attenuation in the ice. New methods are described to measure the source signature that require no a priori knowledge of the ice attenuation profile. Another new method is described to obtain the angular dependence of the subglacial bed reflection coefficient that is relatively insensitive to knowledge of the ice attenuation. Finally, a correction is provided to a long-standing error in the literature regarding measurement of the bed normal incidence reflection coefficient.
Improving surface boundary conditions with focus on coupling snow densification and meltwater retention in large-scale ice-sheet models of Greenland
Authors: Fausto Robert S. , Ahlstrøm Andreas P. , Van as Dirk , Johnsen Sigfús J. , Langen Peter L. , Steffen Konrad
Published: December 2009

Snowpack changes during the melt season are often not incorporated in modelling studies of the surface mass balance of the Greenland ice sheet. Densification of snow accelerates when meltwater is present, due to percolation and subsequent refreezing, and needs to be incorporated in ice-sheet models for ablation calculations. In this study, simple parameterizations to calculate surface melt, snow densification and meltwater retention are included as surface boundary conditions in a large-scale ice-sheet model of Greenland. Coupling the snow densification and meltwater-retention processes achieves a separation of volume and mass changes of the surface layer, in order to determine the surface melt contribution to runoff. Experiments for present-day conditions show that snow depth at the onset of melt, mean annual near-surface air temperature and the mean density of the annual snow layer are key factors controlling the quantity and spatial distribution of meltwater runoff above the equilibrium line on the Greenland ice sheet.
Chemical composition of fresh snow from Glaciar Marinelli, Tierra del Fuego, Chile
Authors: Grigholm B. , Mayewski P.A. , Kurbatov A.V. , Casassa Gino , Contreras Staeding A. , Handley M. , Sneed S.B. , Introne D.S.
Published: December 2009

A fresh-snow sampling campaign was conducted during the late austral summer of 2006 in the accumulation zone of Glaciar Marinelli, located in the Cordillera Darwin, Tierra del Fuego, Chile. Snow samples were analyzed for stable isotopes (δ18O), major soluble ions (Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Cl−, NO3−, SO42−, MS−) and major and trace elements (Na, Mg, Al, Fe, Ca, Sr, Cd, Cs, Ba, La, Ce, Pr, Dy, Ho, Er, Bi, U, As, Ti, V, Cr, Mn). The dominance of marine chemistry resembles that in studies from Patagonian glaciers. Snow chemistry was dominantly loaded by marine species (Cl−, Na+ and ssSO42−), while contributions of crustal species (e.g. Al and Fe) were very low. Empirical orthogonal function analysis suggests two possible dust sources, one represented by Al and Fe and the other by La, Ce and Pr. Enrichment-factor calculations suggest the majority of elements are within average upper-crustal ratios, but major enrichments of Bi and Cd (hundreds of times) suggest possible anthropogenic sources. Linear correlation of δ18O and barometric pressure (r = 0.60, p < 0.007) suggests a potential ‘amount effect’ relationship between depleted δ18O ratios and stronger storm conditions (e.g. greater precipitation). The snow-chemistry records from Glaciar Marinelli are the first measured in Tierra del Fuego, the southernmost glaciated region outside Antarctica.