bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Intra- and Interindividual Iodine Excretion in 24 Hours in Individuals in Southern Brazil: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Milhoransa Patrícia , Vanacor Roberta , Weber Furlanetto Tania
Published: December 2010

Aims: To evaluate the variability of 24-hour urinary iodine (UI) excretion intra- and interindividually on three days of a week in healthy subjects, living in southern Brazil, and the correlation among the urinary excretion of iodine and sodium. Methods: Cross-sectional study, including 47 volunteers: 18 individuals with one, 15 individuals with two and 14 individuals with three 24-hour urine samples. Iodine, creatinine and Na+ excretion in urine during 24-hour were measured. Results: Mean height, weight, BMI and 24-hour urinary excretion of creatinine were higher in men. UI and urinary sodium were correlated (n = 89, r = 0.524, p = 0.000). UI excretion varied widely, both inter- and intraindividually, on the 3 days of the week, but the mean excretion of UI was similar. In single individuals, the ratio between the maximum and minimum 24-hour UI excretion (m/m) ranged from 1.03 to 2.87, and the median coefficient of variation (CV) was 21% (P25 = 7.0% and P75 = 36.8%), with a range of 1%-51%. 24-hour UI excretion varied greatly among individuals on Sunday (CV = 47.5% and m/m = 7.75), Monday (CV = 38.7% and m/m = 4.60) and Thursday (CV = 40.4% and m/m = 4.50). UI was adequate in the group of 14 people, however, the UI excretion of two women suggested iodine intake persistently below that recommended by WHO. Conclusion: The variability of 24-hour UI excretion on different days in the same individual is lower than that observed among individuals.
Pains and Possibilities in Prison
Authors: Nielsen Malene Molding
Published: December 2010

The article describes the complexity of researching staff—prisoner relationships ethnographically, and scrutinizes how the complexity linked to the research process may inform an analysis of relationships in prison. I argue that ethnographic research comes with uncertainty and insecurity, because the participation of the researcher, as an informed and involved outsider, requires shifting social engagements in relation to which the researcher constantly has to guard and disguise information and positioning to observe confidentiality and build trust. I demonstrate how the experience of the researcher mirrors and resembles the insecurity and uncertainty that accompanies prison relationships that I characterize as relative. I explain why it is therefore difficult to distinguish between insider and outsider, front and back, public and private, trustful and cautious and friend and enemy, and how this results in a constant guarding and disguising of information and positioning among officers and prisoners. Finally, I argue that while social relativity provides uncertainty and multiple loyalties that contribute to the low trust environment of the prison, it also makes possible the compromises, discretion and flexibility required to ensure a tolerable humane flow of everyday life by providing for management of both personal and social agendas.
Social Ties
Authors: Azarian Reza
Published: December 2010

Paradoxically, the contemporary network approach has so far declined to produce a theoretically elaborate account of social relationships — the very core entities that underpin both its ontological outlook and methodological stance. This article addresses certain substantive aspects of social connectivity that are either theoretically underdeveloped or largely neglected in this approach. These include: (1) the essential and defining properties of relationships; (2) their inherent dynamics; (3) the impact of larger socio-cultural contexts in which specific ties and networks emerge; and, finally, (4) various grounds of connectivity and general types of social ties. The article concludes with a discussion of how the prevailing formalistic conception of social tie poses an obstacle to the materialization of the great potentials of the network approach and how a substantive re-conceptualization of its bedrock entity may open up the possibility of turning this mode of inquiry into a truly relational approach.
Justifications for commodified security: The promotion of private life insurance in Finland 1945-90
Authors: Lehtonen Turo-Kimmo , Liukko Jyri
Published: December 2010

This article examines the promotion of private life insurance in Finland between 1945 and 1990. Although a fully-fledged social insurance system was established during this period, private insurance did not become obsolete. How were people encouraged to engage in voluntary forms of insurance in the new situation? We study the ways in which insurance was marketed by justifying its usefulness in relation to the ‘goods’ that were presumed common to all potential customers. The key theoretical frameworks are given by the literature on ‘governmentality’ and by Boltanski and Thévenot’s model of justifications. The first of these is used in our discussion of the general role of insurance as a multifaceted social technology, whereas we use the model of justifications in analysing the core themes of promotion. The promotional materials reveal that private life insurance is not an attractive economic tool for potential customers without reference to at least some moral justifications. However, these justifications are heterogeneous and open to change. In addition, the question of which particular moral emphasis seems most relevant, and when, is related to socio-economic transformations. Especially important are the changes in the interplay between social and private forms of organizing insurance responsibility.
Client Motivation and Multicultural Counseling
Authors: Kim Bryan S. K.
Published: December 2010

This reaction article comments on the major contribution titled “Motivation and Autonomy in Counseling, Psychotherapy, and Behavior Change: A Look at Theory and Practice.” It first points out the article’s strengths, the primary of which was to move the construct of motivation to the center of focus in the discussion of counseling. In addition, the exploration of how motivation is conceptualized within each of the major theoretical schools of thought was illuminating. This reaction article also attempts to expand the discussion of motivation into the arena of multicultural counseling. One of the main efforts in multicultural counseling is to increase the utility of counseling services among racial and ethnic minorities and hence understanding the role of motivation is central. This reaction article explores the role of motivation in help-seeking behavior and offers ways in which motivation could be enhanced so that counseling services will be more frequently and better utilized.
Dancing Theology on Earthquakes: Trends and Direction in Feminist Theologies
Authors: Isherwood Lisa
Published: December 2010

This article outlines some of the influences on feminist theology and the way it has developed over its brief history. It looks at tradition, scripture, doctrine and praxis, and the ways in which beginning with the lived experience of women enriches our appreciation of these areas. The article demonstrates ways in which feminist theologians are engaging with contemporary issues in many different settings around the world.
Socio-cultural Aspects of the High Masculinity Ratio in India
Authors: Singh JP
Published: December 2010

The paper aims to explicate those factors accountable for the continuing imbalance in the sex ratio and its further masculinization over the whole of the 20th century. Here it is contended that the traditional practice of female infanticide and the current practice of female foeticide in the contemporary period, especially in the north-west and Hindi-speaking states, have significantly contributed to the high masculinity ratio in India. In addition, increasingly higher survival ratios of male children, particularly from the 1951 census onward, have been the prime reason for a declining proportion of females in the Indian population. As the Indian value system has been imbued with a relatively higher preference for sons, improvements in health facilities have benefited males more than females, giving rise to a highly imbalanced sex ratio in the country. This scenario, however, has steadily tended to alter in favour of greater balance in sex ratio.
The Mobile Phone Market in Bangladesh: Competition Matters
Authors: Mohammad Abu Yusuf  , Alam Quamrul , Coghill Ken
Published: December 2010

This article examines the role of regulation, competition and market structure on the success of mobile phone sector liberalization. The findings of the study suggest that deregulation of the telecommunications sector has generated competition and changed the market structure which has had a significant influence on mobile phone service pricing. However, limited liberalization, a concentrated market and a weak regulatory regime during 1997—2004 allowed mobile phone firms to keep mobile tariffs high. Since 2005, full liberalization of the mobile phone sector including the launching of a mobile phone service by a state-owned mobile firm and a strong rival as well as the emergence of an effective regulator brought stiff competition in the sector.
‘Thy Kingdom Come’: The Impact of Colonization and Proselytization on Religion among the Nagas
Authors: Thong Tezenlo
Published: December 2010

Does socio-political circumstance have an impact on religion, religious conversion or religious beliefs? Assuming it does, how does such circumstance shape the theology and beliefs of a people who exist amid a turbulent socio-political situation? In this paper I will analyze the impact of socio-political turbulence on Nagas and assert that among the Nagas there is a correlation between the height of political violence and the rapid conversion to Christianity. The long history of colonial violence and suppression coupled with the undermining of Naga cultural values and practices by the process of proselytization created an atmosphere conducive for conversion to Christianity and shaped the Nagas’ theological choices.
Survey Response Styles, Acculturation, and Culture Among a Sample of Mexican American Adults
Authors: Davis Rachel E. , Resnicow Ken , Couper Mick P.
Published: December 2010

A number of studies have investigated use of extreme (ERS) and acquiescent (ARS) response styles across cultural groups. However, due to within-group heterogeneity, it is important to also examine use of response styles, acculturation, and endorsement of cultural variables at the individual level. This study explores relationships between acculturation, six Mexican cultural factors, ERS, and ARS among a sample of 288 Mexican American telephone survey respondents. Three aspects of acculturation were assessed: Spanish use, the importance of preserving Mexican culture, and interaction with Mexican Americans versus Anglos. These variables were hypothesized to positively associate with ERS and ARS. Participants with higher Spanish use did utilize more ERS and ARS; however, value for preserving Mexican culture and interaction with Mexican Americans were not associated with response style use. In analyses of cultural factors, endorsement of familismo and simpatía were related to more frequent ERS and ARS, machismo was associated with lower ERS among men, and la mujer was related to higher ERS among women. Caballerismo was marginally associated with utilization of ERS among men. No association was found between la mujer abnegada and ERS among women. Relationships between male gender roles and ARS were nonsignificant. Relationships between female gender roles and ARS were mixed but trended in the positive direction. Overall, these findings suggest that Mexican American respondents vary in their use of response styles by acculturation and cultural factors. This usage may be specifically influenced by participants’ valuing of and engagement with constructs directly associated with social behavior.
Does Understanding Behavior Make It Seem Normal?
Authors: Ban Lauren , Kashima Yoshi , Haslam Nick
Published: December 2010

According to recent research, abnormal behavior appears normal to the extent it is understood. Cultural differences in frameworks for making sense of abnormality suggest there may be variations in this “reasoning fallacy.” In light of evidence that people from Western cultures psychologize abnormality to a greater extent than people from East Asian cultures, the effect of understanding on perceptions of abnormality was predicted to differ across cultures. Results of a cross-cultural questionnaire study indicated that understanding made behavior seem normal to European Australians ( n = 51), consistent with the reasoning fallacy. For Singaporeans ( n = 51), however, understanding did not influence the extent to which behavior was normalized and made abnormal behavior more stigmatizing. Cultural variations in the effect of understanding were attributed to the differential salience of deviance frameworks, which are grounded in culturally specific conceptions of the person.
Changing the World Through Changing the Self
Authors: Kurman Jenny , Hui Chin Ming , Dan Orrie
Published: December 2010

This study proposes a new control strategy, control via self-improvement, in addition to primary and secondary control. This strategy is aimed at an actual external change (primary target), whereas the means to reach the goal is self-improvement (secondary target—the self). A study conducted in Israel and in Hong Kong indicated that the strategy of control via self-improvement exists in the achievement domain and is more prevalent in Hong Kong than in Israel.
Hofstede’s Fifth Dimension
Authors: Minkov Michael , Hofstede Geert
Published: December 2010

Based on research with Bond’s Chinese Values Survey (CVS) across 23 countries, Hofstede added a fifth dimension, Long- versus Short-Term Orientation (LTO), to his earlier four IBM-based dimensions of national cultures. The authors attempted to replicate this dimension by analyzing World Values Survey (WVS) items that seemed to capture the concept of LTO. Their factor analysis of 10 such items across 38 countries resulted in two factors. One was strongly correlated with the original LTO, whereas the other resembled Hofstede’s individualism dimension. The first factor’s nomological network was identical to that of the CVS-based LTO: It predicted national economic growth and national school success in mathematics. These findings show that a dimension very similar to the original LTO can be derived from the WVS and that Chinese and Western research instruments can produce similar dimensions of culture.
Le “ World Sufism”: quand le soufisme entre en scène
Authors: El Asri Farid , Vuillemenot Anne-Marie
Published: December 2010

En réponse aux attentes d’un marché musical mondialisé, des artistes musulmans proposent une représentation particulière du soufisme sur la scène publique. La mise en scène transforme les pratiques confrériques, expose les corps et transpose l’audition mystique. Les auteurs présentent le va-et-vient entre les pratiques confrériques et la mise en spectacle, va-et-vient caractéristique de mouvements musicaux très réactifs à la demande du grand public et aux logiques de marché. Quand le soufisme entre en scène, il se plie au consumérisme mais s’impose comme un interlocuteur privilégié de l’islam contemporain.
L’anthropologue “insouffisant”: implication du corps et esprit de la voix en pays Baay Faal
Authors: Pezeril Charlotte
Published: December 2010

La voie soufie Baay Faal exige du croyant un engagement “total et sans faille” envers Dieu, le marabout et la communauté. La forte implication demandée au disciple est basée sur trois dimensions pouvant rendre difficile a priori l’observation ou “l’entrée” dans la voie: la centralité de l’expérience du croyant, l’impératif du cœur et enfin, la maîtrise du caché et du secret. Comment le chercheur peut-il ethnographier l’expérience religieuse mystique? Dans quelle mesure l’implication et la participation aux rites peuvent-elles permettre d’en comprendre le sens et la portée? En tentant de répondre à ces questions, l’auteur montre notamment que l’implication corporelle dans les rites (cérémoniels et quotidiens), même si elle peut être insuffisante pour accéder pleinement au sens qu’y attribue le croyant, peut aussi renforcer “l’intégration” et la légitimité de l’anthropologue sur le terrain, et donc faciliter les échanges et le dialogue avec les membres de la communauté, rendant finalement plus problématique la “sortie” que “l’entrée” dans la voie.
The Anthropologist and the Initiated: Reflections on the Ethnography of Mystical Experience among the Sufis of Aleppo, Syria
Authors: Pinto Paulo G.
Published: December 2010

The construction of the religious self of the members of the Sufi communities in Aleppo, Syria, is achieved through the embodiment of principles of the Sufi tradition as a form of corporality that the author calls the mystical body. This corporality is shaped and enacted in the mystical experiences that the Sufis have during the rituals and religious practices linked to their initiation into the mystical path of Sufism. Thus, the author aims at raising some questions about the ethnographic practice of embodied phenomena such as the mystical experiences among the Syrian Sufis.
Effect of different extraction methods on fiber quality of nettle (Urtica dioica L.)
Authors: Bacci Laura , Di Lonardo Sara , Albanese Lorenzo , Mastromei Giorgio , Perito Brunella
Published: December 2010

Chemical extraction, water retting, microbiological and enzymatic methods were applied on entire nettle stalks and/or unretted decorticated fiber of a selected fiber nettle clone. Morphological and mechanical properties and chemical composition were then determined on fiber samples.

The first interesting result concerned the good degree of separation between fibers and shives obtained by mechanical scutching applied on stalks stored for 1 year, probably resulting from natural retting processes occurring during the storage.

Microbiological retting (anaerobic plus aerobic bacteria) of entire stalks and/or unretted decorticated fiber produced fibers with a higher quality than water retting.

Both enzymes used (Viscozyme ® L and Pectinex® Ultra SP-L), improved fiber quality if EDTA was added. The enzyme vat retting gave good results on both water-retted fibers and unretted decorticated fibers, while the spray enzyme treated fibers usually displayed thicker diameter, lower cellulose content and, for Viscozyme ® L, lower strength values, without differences between the two storage methods used after enzyme application.
Between Vulnerability and Risk: Promoting Access and Equity in a School–University Partnership Program
Authors: Bourke Alan , Jayman Alison Jenkins
Published: December 2010

This article utilizes interview data to explore how notions of risk operate in a school—university partnership program. Our analysis traces the divergence between conceptualizations of “at-risk” in scholarship, its use in policy, and students’ responses to this terminology. Although students targeted in such programs are often constructed in both scholarship and policy in terms of deficiency, it is a designation the students themselves are often quite resistant to, and consider it to be an inaccurate representation of their circumstances. We conclude by suggesting that despite the pervasive contemporary espousal of inclusivity and equity in education, universities essentially remain the site of exclusionary practice.
The Past and Future of Feminist Biblical Hermeneutics
Authors: Pilarski Ahida E.
Published: December 2010

An adequate overview of the historical background and theoretical framework of Feminist Biblical Hermeneutics (FBH) discourse(s), especially in the last three centuries, requires a differentiation of two stages. First, a description of the historical background out of which an epistemological space for feminist discourse(s) is identified; and second, a description of the development in the theoretical articulation of the FBH discourse(s) per se once this space was established. An overview that addresses these two stages allows those who are interested in engaging feminist discourse(s) to appreciate and appropriate the key epistemological elements on which feminist discourse(s) are based.
In Search of Contextualised Training Models for Chinese Christian Diaspora in Britain
Authors: Tan Kang-San
Published: December 2010

The paper is a critique of traditional and formal models of theological education that historically have developed in the West and are generally adopted by Asian theological schools in Asia. Globalisation and the emergence of Asian Diasporas presented new problems and opportunities for rethinking appropriate models of contextual training. Building on works by Robert Banks, Ian Stackhouse and David Kelsey, the paper will explore contextual models for the Chinese Christian Diasporas in Britain, and suggest some contributions for the renewal of theological education in Asia.
Understanding the Forced Displacement of Refugees in Terms of the Person
Authors: Sydnor Paul N.
Published: December 2010

There are 43 million forcibly displaced people in the world, and they are categorized along a spectrum ranging from legal issues to humanitarian concerns for protection. Despite the complex efforts to provide protection to all those in need, the issues remain blurred and many fall through the cracks. The understanding of forced displacement needs to include aspects of personhood, and the example in John 4:4—26 highlights the possibility of a collective approach to understanding forced displacement as one that is rooted in the notion and importance of the person.
Diaspora Mission Strategy in the Context of the United Kingdom in the 21st Century
Authors: Wan Enoch
Published: December 2010

The practice of ‘diaspora missions’ is necessitated by the demographic change in the United Kingdom in the 21st century. In this paper, the ‘diaspora mission strategy’ (i.e. ministering to, through and beyond the diaspora communities) is proposed in response to such demographic change.
The Europeanization of Mediterranean journalistic practices and the Italianization of Brussels: Dynamics of the interaction between EU institutions and national journalistic cultures
Authors: Cornia Alessio
Published: December 2010

The aim of this article is to analyse the dynamics of change and persistence that affect the Mediterranean journalistic culture when it has to deal with EU institutions. Data were collected by interviewing Italian correspondents in Brussels and by observing their daily work. Results show how their professional culture has adapted to the specificities of the EU news beat. Evidence was found of the emergence of a Euro-centric news perspective, of the adoption of new newsgathering routines and of a tendency to produce less opinionated and more fact-centred news items. The new ‘Europeanized’ practices, however, do not completely substitute the traditional routines. Italian correspondents actively try to treat the EU within conventional routines, fixed in their own journalistic culture, and to construct the news focusing on the conflictive dimension of the events reported.
Reluctant heroes
Authors: Cacho Lydia
Published: December 2010

International recognition offers a degree of protection to investigative reporters. But, writes Lydia Cacho, being in the limelight presents a new set of dilemmas
Dialogue with darkness
Authors: Scammell Michael
Published: December 2010

Arthur Koestler’s imprisonment marked a turning point in his thinking, writes Michael Scammell, and was one of the first campaigns to be a cause célèbre
Eyewitness: Ania Corless on Uzbekistan
Authors: Corless Ania
Published: December 2010

Ania Corless on Uzbekistan
A study of litter and waste management policies at (primary) eco-schools in Istanbul
Authors: Kayihan Kutlu Sevinç , Tönük Seda
Published: December 2010

In addition to environmental and economic benefits, systematic application of sustainable waste management in elementary education buildings also makes a positive contribution to the education of future generations. This study examines elementary schools in Istanbul, which are part of the Eco-Schools International Programme. This programme was established in 1994 with European Union support and it aims to introduce environmental management systems into primary schools within the scope of ISO 14001/EMAS. A questionnaire study was administered on the theme of litter management and sustainable waste management within elementary schools located in the Asian and European parts of Istanbul city, and the findings of a field survey were examined. Questionnaire findings were gathered under five themes: litter management, composting of organic waste, re-use of school materials, reducing consumption–selection of recycled products, waste management and sorting of recyclable materials.
Self-Knowledge and Identity in a Mexican American Counseling Course: A Qualitative Exploration
Authors: Zamarripa Manuel X. , Lane Ileana , Lerma Eunice , Holin Lyle
Published: December 2010

This study explores the lived experiences of Mexican American graduate students who completed a course on Mexican American counseling and mental health. The experiences of Mexican American students taking a mental health course that focuses on their own ethnic group has not been previously discussed in the literature. Given the history of exclusion in the educational system and the increase in the U.S. Latina/o population, it is important to give voice to the experiences of these students. A phenomenological approach is utilized to reveal the essence of the students’ experiences. A total of 3 female and 3 male Mexican American graduate students participated in the study, and five themes emerged: history matters, personal connection, self-discovery, LGBT Mexican Americans, and “Wow!” The results of this study suggests that the course had academic and personal significance for these participants. Furthermore, these experiences may inform future course construction and training in the area of Latina/o mental health.
Age and Skin Tone as Predictors of Positive and Negative Racial Attitudes in Hispanic Children
Authors: Stokes-Guinan Katie
Published: December 2010

Past research suggests that both White children and minority children, including Hispanics, hold pro-White biases. Although doll studies have been a popular way of assessing racial attitudes among children, several methodological issues have made it challenging to interpret the results from these studies. Furthermore, past research has failed to consider the independence of positive and negative attitudes. The present study utilized a revised doll technique to look at racial attitude development in 116 Hispanic children aged 3 to 10. Results contradict past findings, as the vast majority of the children showed no in-group bias (preference for Hispanics over other groups) or out-group bias (preference for other groups over Hispanics). Nonetheless, Hispanic children showed a slight preference for Whites over Blacks and Asians, and racial attitudes differed as a function of age and skin tone. Results from this study suggest that positive and negative attitudes are influenced by different factors.
“Mommy Wants to Learn the Computer”
Authors: Lin Cecilia I. C. , Tang Wen-hui , Kuo Feng-Yang
Published: December 2010

The group of middle-aged and elderly women represents the lowest usage rate of information and communication technology (ICT) in Taiwan. This article reports how a social intervention program, the Taiwan Women Up (TWU) program, has helped such group to successfully learn ICT skills with the support of members of nonprofit organizations. The study adopted qualitative research methods and accomplished in-depth interviews with 28 TWU participants to reveal the ICT learning experiences of women learners. The findings show that TWU program enabled middle-aged and elderly women to achieve the goals of supporting their organizations and empowering themselves as more capable ICT users. Learning and sharing ICT experiences with fellow members helped them overcome their frustration; whereas empathetic understanding and support among members provided the main source of encouragement in the learning process. This study showed that NPOs played a critical role in identifying potential learners and sustaining the ICT project successfully.
Age-Dependent Presentation of Tectal Plate Tumors: Preliminary Observations
Authors: Ramelli Gian P. , Cortesi Cinzia , Boscherini Duccio , Faggin Roberto , Bianchetti Mario G.
Published: December 2010

Tectal plate tumors are intrinsic midbrain tumors that behave more like hamartomas than neoplasms. Postulating that the presentation depends on the age of the affected patients, the authors reassessed the presentation of 10 consecutive patients. All patients presented with headache and papilledema. Four children younger than 10 years presented with a short symptom interval, vomiting, and Parinaud’s syndrome. The remaining 6 children presented with a long symptom interval, gait abnormalities, cognitive impairment, vision impairment, tremor, macrocephaly, impaired visual acuity, and ataxia and sometimes with pyramidal signs as well. The difference between groups was statistically significant. Tumor size was similar in the groups. It is therefore concluded that the presentation of tectal plate tumors varies with age.
The Career Locus of Control Scale for Adolescents: Further Evidence of Validity in the United States
Authors: Perry Justin C. , Liu Xiongyi , Griffin Grant C.
Published: December 2010

This study examined the construct validity of the Career Locus of Control Scale (CLCS) among diverse urban youth within the United States (N = 308). Confirmatory factor analyses verified two of the three models as acceptable fits. Two new models were also explored. Model 5 (Internality, Luck, and Non-Control), which was one of the new models, was the most useful explanation of the data. Abstract and concrete educational attitudes correlated with the CLCS subscales in a manner consistent with expectations. No significant differences in the CLCS subscales were found as a function of race; male students had significantly higher levels of concrete attitudes and scored significantly higher on Powerful Others than female students. Age was not related to Internality, abstract attitudes, or concrete attitudes but was significantly associated with Luck and Non-Control.
Social risk protection in collective agreements: Evidence from the Netherlands
Authors: Yerkes Mara , Tijdens Kea
Published: December 2010

To what extent can collective bargaining compensate for a decline in or absence of welfare state protection against social risks? In this article, we use a comprehensive collective agreement database to analyse social risk coverage in the Netherlands from 1995 to 2009. We compare two forms of social risk, disability and work—life arrangements, analysing the share of collective agreements that offer these arrangements across time. Our results show that collective bargaining differs across the public and private sector but is similar at different levels of bargaining. In general, our findings demonstrate that collective agreements often compensate for declining welfare state coverage or a lack of state provision. As a result, the findings presented here suggest occupational welfare, in the form of collective bargaining, is an important component of welfare provision that is oftentimes overlooked in the current welfare state literature.
Review: Beyond the Guidelines: New and Novel Agents for the Prevention of Atrial Fibrillation After Cardiothoracic Surgery
Authors: Reinhart Kurt , Baker William L. , Ley-Wah Siv Melanie
Published: December 2010

Postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF), a common complication of cardiac surgery, can increase the morbidity and mortality, as well as the costs of the surgery being preformed. Guidelines recommend the use of β-blockers, amiodarone, or sotalol to decrease the risk of experiencing POAF. However, none of these agents fully protect the patient from POAF, thus newer agents are needed to be used in combination with them. Many different agents have been studied to fit this role and may be grouped into 2 categories: agents with antiarrhythmic activity such as magnesium and polyunsaturated fatty acids and agents with anti-inflammatory activity such as statins and free radical scavengers. Most of these novel agents have been studied in a wide variety of trials; however, some clearly have more effect than others. Although none of these newer agents have the data required to make blanket recommendations for use at this point, given the safety profile and low costs of some, many continue to be evaluated in randomized-controlled trials.
Clinical Features and Types of Von Willebrand Disease in Karachi
Authors: Borhany Munira , Shamsi Tahir , Naz Arshi , Farzana Tasneem , Ansari Saqib , Nadeem Muhammad , Rehman Zia ur , Sangii Zainab
Published: December 2010

This study was conducted on patients with a history of congenital bleeding disorders or with suspected bleeding tendencies. Laboratory analysis revealed Von Willebrand disease (VWD) in 68 (21.3%) of 318 participants with male to female ratio of 0.8: 1 (31 to 37) and median age 17 years (range 2-45 years). Type 3 being the most frequent, 35 (51.4%) of 68, type 2, 20 (29.4%) of 68, and lastly type 1, 13 (19.1%) of 68. A total of 55.8% patients with VWD presented with mucocutaneous bleeding. Menorrhagia was the most common presentation of female patients. Von Willebrand disease (21.3%) was the second common bleeding disorder and the most common coagulation defect among females with menorrhagia. However, the frequency in the study was quite low when compared to the western world. Similarly, low frequency of VWD type 1 might be due to the fact that only symptomatic patients visited us. Further studies are needed as there is limited information on VWD in the developing countries. This will help in the development of expertise for the accurate diagnosis & proper management.
Simple Scoring System for Early Management of Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia
Authors: Messmore Harry L. , Fabbrini Nancy , Bird Mary L. , Choudhury Abdul M. , Cerejo Miguel , Prechel Margaret , Jeske Walter P. , Siddiqui Arshea , Thethi Indermohan , Wehrmacher William H. , Walenga Jeanine M.
Published: December 2010

This study was performed to develop a simple scoring system to aid in the early clinical management of patients suspected of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) with regard to decisions for continued heparin therapy. The system was designed to arrive at low (0) or possible (1) probability scores without knowledge of laboratory test results (except platelet counts) to avoid delays. As the safest clinical approach is to discontinue heparin, intermediate and high scores were combined. Critically ill VA hospital patients (n = 100) with a ≥30% fall in platelet count were assessed by platelet aggregation (PA), 14C-serotonin release assay (14C-SRA), and GTI ELISA. In this population, 53% were scored 1 and of these 43% were positive by laboratory test. Emphasizing the decision to discontinue heparin, the clinical signs of HIT were paramount for the immediate determination of a diagnosis of HIT without dependence on a positive laboratory test.
The Effect of Prothrombotic Blood Abnormalities on Risk of Deep Vein Thrombosis in Users of Hormone Replacement Therapy
Authors: Douketis Jim D. , Julian Jim A. , Crowther Mark A. , Kearon Clive , Bates Shannon M. , Barone Marisa , Piovella Franco , Middeldorp Saskia , Prandoni Paolo , Johnston Marilyn , Costantini Lorrie , Ginsberg Jeffrey S.
Published: December 2010

Background: Few studies have assessed the effect of prothrombotic blood abnormalities on the risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) with hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Methods: We studied postmenopausal women with suspected DVT in whom HRT use and prothrombotic blood abnormalities were sought. Cases had unprovoked DVT and controls had no DVT and without DVT risk factors. The risk of DVT was determined in women with and without prothrombotic abnormalities. Results: A total of 510 postmenopausal women with suspected DVT were assessed; 57 cases and 283 controls were identified. Compared to HRT, nonusers without the factor V Leiden mutation, the risk of DVT was increased in estrogen-progestin HRT users (odds ratio [OR], 3.2; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.2-8.6) and in nonusers with the factor V Leiden mutation (OR, 5.3; 1.9-15.4) and appears multiplied in users of estrogen-progestin HRT with the factor V Leiden mutation (OR, 17.1; 3.7-78). Compared to HRT, nonusers with normal factor VIII, the risk of DVT was increased in estrogen-progestin HRT users with normal factor VIII (OR, 2.8; 1.0-7.9) and in HRT nonusers with the highest factor VIII quartile (OR, 6.0; 2.1-17), and appears to be multiplied in women who are users of estrogen-progestin HRT with the highest factor VIII quartile (OR, 17.0; 3.6-80). Conclusions: In postmenopausal women who are estrogen-progestin HRT users, the presence of the factor V Leiden mutation or an elevated factor VIII level appears to have a multiplicative effect on their overall risk of DVT, increasing it 17-fold compared to women without these blood abnormalities who are HRT nonusers.
Prevalence of Autoantibodies Related to Some Autoimmune Disorders in Patients With Chronic Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura
Authors: Demir Cengiz , Esen Ramazan , Atmaca Murat , Efe Servet
Published: December 2010

We investigated the prevalence of antinuclear antibody (ANA), thyroid antimicrosomal (AMA) and antithyroglobulin (ATA), antigliadin (AGA) immunoglobulin G (IgG)-A, anti-endomisium (EMA) IgG-A, and tissue transglutaminase (tTG) IgG-A in 87 patients with chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (cITP) and in 95 healthy controls. Antinuclear antibody positivity was found in 13 of 87 patients and 3 of 95 controls ( P = .007). Antithyroglobulin positivity was found in 27 of patients and in 7 of the controls (P < .001). AMA positivity was found in 20 of patients and 8 of the controls (P = 0.008). Antigliadin IgG was positive in 17 patients and 1 controls (P < .001) whereas Antigliadin IgA was positive in 9 of patients and in 1 of the controls (P = .007). Anti-endomisium (IgG and IgA were not different between both groups. Tissue transglutaminase IgG was detected in 7 of patients and in 1 of the controls (P = .029). Tissue transglutaminase IgA was detected in 5 of patients and in none of the controls (P = .023). We believe that larger studies are needed to determine the long-term impact and clinical importance of these autoantibodies.
Varicella and Stroke in Children
Authors: Bartolini Luca , Gentilomo Chiara , Sartori Stefano , Calderone Milena , Simioni Paolo , Laverda Anna Maria
Published: December 2010

Varicella zoster virus (VZV) is the only human virus known to replicate in arteries. After the acute infection, the virus persists in a noninfectious latent form in ganglia along the neuraxis, with intermittent periods of reactivation. Both primary and secondary reactivation are associated with stroke in children. These patients, regardless of the chosen treatment, have a high risk of recurrence, particularly those with worsening arterial stenosis. There are no specific therapy protocols for varicella-associated stroke in children, and the use of steroids or antiviral drugs is still controversial. We present a series of 4 children with stroke following varicella infection, with no recurrence and stable vascular stenosis at a mean follow-up of 18 months without steroid treatment. We also analyze possible correlations between anti-protein C, protein S and protein Z autoantibodies, and post-varicella arteriopathy.
Naked by the Pool? Blurring the Image? Ethical Issues in the Portrayal of Young Children in Arts-Based Educational Research
Authors: Nutbrown Cathy
Published: December 2010

In this article I discuss my growing worry over the use (and nonuse) of photographs of young children in social research. Taking a view of child protection as paramount, I situate the discussion in the context of ethical governance of research, young children as research participants, changing views of childhoods, and the juxtaposition of the Arts with/in Arts-Based Educational Research. The article sets out a worry over the increasing tendency to pixilate—and hence distort—images of young children for inclusion in research reports or presentations. This (largely unchallenged) practice is slipping into research conventions whilst at the same time research governance and research involving children profilerate. The article argues that the pixilation of photographs of children, may represent a further “crisis of representation” and is an example of the “Othering” of young children in research.
Making Sense of an Untold Story: A Personal Deconstruction of the Myth of Motherhood
Authors: Hager Tamar
Published: December 2010

This article critically explores the modern myth of motherhood through my personal life story as a mother. Feelings of rejection of the demands and expectations of my motherly role led me to research social histories and feminist analyses for common maternal images. My explorations made me believe that the myth of motherhood is a relatively new social construction aiming, among others, to oppress and exploit women. Surveying the institution of motherhood as a mechanism of control, I openly discuss what I perceive of as my own oppression.
The Novice Researcher: Interviewing Young Children
Authors: Danby Susan , Ewing Lynette , Thorpe Karen
Published: December 2010

Being a novice researcher undertaking research interviews with young children requires understandings of the interview process. By investigating the interaction between a novice researcher undertaking her first interview and a child participant, the authors attend to theoretical principles, such as the competence of young children as informants, and highlight practical matters when interviewing young children. A conversation analysis approach examines the talk preceding and following a sticker task. By highlighting the conversational features of a research interview, researchers can better understand the coconstructed nature of the interview. This article provides insights into how to prepare for the interview and manage the interview context to recognize the active participation of child participants and the value of artifacts to promote interaction. These insights make more transparent the interactional process of a research interview and become part of the researcher’s collection of devices to manage the conduct of research interviews.
Circumventing the Imposed Ceiling: Art Education as Resistance Narrative
Authors: Rolling James Haywood
Published: December 2010

This article stems from a story of arts education advocacy in the midst of a bureaucracy that misunderstood the purpose of art education at the launch of a new elementary school. Contemporary visual arts education practices overlap a unique period of change in neighboring social science disciplines, a turn of the tide that involves the embrace of narrative methods to rewrite prevailing working models and paradigms of social science practice. Here at the start of the 21st century, art education continues to be practiced in the thrall of a scientific paradigm that misunderstands the greater potential of the arts in education, often imposing a ceiling ill-fitted for arts praxis, arts-based research, or arts pedagogy. The author argues that art education is also at a turn of the tide and surmises some of the unexpected outcomes when new and ex-centric stories of learning and a “pedagogy of possibility” are more thoroughly explored, allowing practitioners to fully rethink an art education practice without taxonomic ceilings and within the shelter of the unexplored labyrinth.
Educational Accountability: A Qualitatively Driven Mixed-Methods Approach
Authors: Hall Jori N. , Ryan Katherine E.
Published: December 2010

This article discusses the importance of mixed-methods research, in particular the value of qualitatively driven mixed-methods research for quantitatively driven domains like educational accountability. The article demonstrates the merits of qualitative thinking by describing a mixed-methods study that focuses on a middle school’s system of internal accountability and its perceived collective capacity in relation to external accountability mandates. The study also demonstrates the value of using an overarching instrumental case study framework to extend understandings of theoretical frameworks from previous accountability studies and to illuminate contextual complexities and nuances on multiple levels.
Final Report of the Safety Assessment of Kojic Acid as Used in Cosmetics
Authors: Burnett Christina L. , Bergfeld Wilma F. , Belsito Donald V. , Hill Ronald A. , Klaassen Curtis D. , Liebler Daniel C. , Marks James G. , Shank Ronald C. , Slaga Thomas J. , Snyder Paul W. , Andersen F. Alan
Published: December 2010

Kojic acid functions as an antioxidant in cosmetic products. Kojic acid was not a toxicant in acute, chronic, reproductive, and genotoxicity studies. While some animal data suggested tumor promotion and weak carcinogenicity, kojic acid is slowly absorbed into the circulation from human skin and likely would not reach the threshold at which these effects were seen. The available human sensitization data supported the safety of kojic acid at a use concentration of 2% in leave-on cosmetics. Kojic acid depigmented black guinea pig skin at a concentration of 4%, but this effect was not seen at 1%. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel concluded that the 2 end points of concern, dermal sensitization and skin lightening, would not be seen at use concentrations below 1%; therefore, this ingredient is safe for use in cosmetic products up to that level.
‘The black dog just came and sat on my face and built a kennel’: Gay men making sense of ‘depression’
Authors: Körner Henrike , Newman Christy , Limin Mao  , Kidd Michael R. , Saltman Deborah , Kippax Susan
Published: December 2010

This article reports on in-depth interviews with gay men about their experiences and understanding of depression. It is a key outcome of the collaboration between social researchers, general practitioners and community partners to investigate the management of depression in gay men in primary care settings. As part of the qualitative arm of the project in-depth interviews were conducted with 40 gay men in Sydney and Adelaide (Australia). The approach to discourse analysis is informed by Hallidayan systemic functional linguistics. Six constructions of depression were identified: (1) depression as a constellation of symptoms; (2) symptoms constructed as experience; (3) depression as agent; (4) depression as mental processes; (5) not meeting social expectations; and (6) engaging with psychiatric discourse: constructing alternative positions. Gay men draw on the biomedical model of depression as low mood and loss of pleasure as well as on constructions of depression in terms of social experience. The biomedical model of depression is, however, not positioned as unproblematic. Rather, gay men align or disalign with this discourse according to their own experience, thereby enacting diverse masculinities. Gay men’s discourses of depression are inextricably linked to the community activism of gay men and their community organizations in the context of the HIV epidemic, as well as a synergy between gay men and their doctors.