bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa Inhibitor (Tirofiban) in Acute ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Fang Ching-Chang , Yeun Tarl Fresner , Chen Yi , Yu Ching-Lung , Wang Shih-Pu
Published: April 2008

Studies have shown conflicting results for glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor (tirofiban) use in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). The authors aimed to determine if an upstream conventional dose of tirofiban in addition to a standard treatment regimen improved coronary patency and clinical outcomes in patients with STEMI. A retrospective analysis of consecutive patients with STEMI, who underwent emergent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in the authors' hospital from July 2000 to April 2006 was performed. All patients received loading doses of aspirin, clopidogrel or ticlopidine, and unfractionated heparin with or without tirofiban in the emergency department prior to PCI. It was found that adding a conventional dose of tirofiban to the standard treatment regimen prior to PCI did not improve coronary patency in STEMI patients. Tirofiban also failed to show favorable outcomes for 90 days of follow-up, but there was a favorable trend for short-term 30-day survival.
“Remembering” World War II and Willingness to Fight
Authors: Paez Dario , Liu James H. , Techio Elza , Slawuta Patricia , Zlobina Anya , Cabecinhas Rosa
Published: April 2008

Students from 22 nations answered a survey on the most important events in world history. At the national level, free recalling and a positive evaluation of World War II (WWII) were associated with World Values Survey willingness to fight for the country in a war and being a victorious nation. Willingness to fight, a more benign evaluation of WWII, and recall of WWII were associated with nation-level scores on power distance and low postmaterialism, suggesting that values stressing obedience and competition between nations are associated with support for collective violence, whereas values of expressive individualism are negatively related. Internal political violence was unrelated to willingness to fight, excluding direct learning as an explanation of legitimization of violence. Recall of wars in general (operationalized by WWI recall) was also unrelated to willingness to fight. Results replicate and extend Archer and Gartner's classic study showing the legitimization of violence by war to the domain of collective remembering.
Plant Sciences and the Public Good
Authors: Stengel Katrina , Taylor Jane , Waterton Claire , Wynne Brian
Published: April 2008

Drawing on interviews and observational work with practicing U.K. plant scientists, this article uses Michel Callon's work as a tool to explore the issue of collaboration between academic science and business, in particular, calls by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council for a return to “public good” plant science. In an article titled “Is Science a Public Good?” Callon contributed to the debate about the commercialization of science by suggesting that commercialization and the public good need not be incompatible. Moving away from arguments that center on the effects (positive or negative) of business involvement in science, he suggested that analysts use another model, centered on “diversity.” This model allows us to ask what society might want from science, what public good science might look like, and how public good science can be ensured while also recognizing that science cannot be easily separated from the market.
Quality of Life of Older Adults in Canada and Norway
Authors: Low Gail , Molzahn Anita E. , Kalfoss Mary
Published: April 2008

In this study, Glick and Tripp-Reimer's (1996) Iowa model for gerontological nursing serves as a guiding framework for a descriptive exploratory study of quality of life (QOL) of older adults. Using secondary data, the authors explored whether the effects of health appraisal, morbidities, social support transitions (SST), and the environment on QOL would be partly mediated by cognitive developmental transitions (CDT). Data sets were available from studies with random samples of community-dwelling older adults from Canada ( n = 202) and Norway ( n = 490). The partly and fully mediated effects found suggest positive CDT in older age might be significantly enhanced by the presence of intimate ties, positive perceptions of one's health limitations, and residence in a healthy, safe, and resource-rich physical environment. These findings represent a novel attempt at testing complex linkages between aspects of elder, environment, and nursing concepts within the Iowa model warranting further research.
Déjà Vu All Over Again
Authors: Williams Daniel W. , Lee Mordecai
Published: April 2008

For a brief period in the 1910s, the municipal budget exhibit was viewed by good-government reformers at the trailblazing New York Bureau of Municipal Research as a key outlet for cleaning up corrupt local governments and educating the masses to play their proper role in the new administrative state. For a time, the budget exhibit spread to other cities adopting municipal research bureaus. However, the municipal budget exhibit quickly fell out of favor with reformers and disappeared from public administration's reform agenda. Did it vanish completely? The authors suggest that modern-day exhibits by government agencies at state fairs and similar events are the metamorphosis of the municipal budget exhibit. Although the goal of reaching the masses for purposes of democratic accountability has been preserved, the venues and packaging of such exhibitions have significantly changed from the original conception of municipal budget exhibits.
Indian Gaming and Intergovernmental Relations
Authors: Light Steven Andrew
Published: April 2008

As a $25 billion industry generated by more than 220 tribes in 30 states, Indian gaming is today's fulcrum for tribal—state intergovernmental relations (IGR). Despite its widespread influence on communities throughout the United States, how Indian gaming shapes tribal— state IGR remains inadequately studied and explained. A prominent hypothesis is that tribal governments increasingly engage in interest group behavior to further their interests. This article develops a case study of recent events in Minnesota to explore how tribes use gaming revenue to interact with state political systems and how effective tribes are at influencing political and policy outcomes related to Indian gaming. The article finds that the interest group model of tribal political behavior has considerable explanatory power; however, despite their use of insider tactics, tribes remain political outsiders subject to state authority. The article concludes that Indian gaming's potential to produce win—win outcomes is better served by mutually respectful government-to-government relations.
When Ambition Checks Ambition
Authors: Knott Jack H. , Miller Gary J.
Published: April 2008

A credible commitment to property rights and contract enforcement contributes to sustained economic growth. Credible commitment suffers when private interests collude with government to secure private gain over the pubic interest. The Madisonian separation of powers system was designed to hinder this kind of private gain by political factions. In this article, the authors ask what role public agencies play in promoting credible commitment, arguing that principal-agency theory is suspect from the Federalist viewpoint, which assumed that elected officials are self-serving in ways that can harm the public good. They offer an alternative approach called trustee theory. Trustees sometimes can best serve principals by not being responsive to the principals' interests, especially when the principals' pursuit of self-interest threatens the public interest in the long run. The authors then discuss constraints that limit trustee discretion, so that they themselves do not become a primary cause of weakened credible commitment.
Does Public Service Motivation Really Make a Difference on the Job Satisfaction and Turnover Intentions of Public Employees?
Authors: Bright Leonard
Published: April 2008

Many in public administration hypothesize that public service motivation (PSM) has a direct positive impact on the attitudes and behaviors of public employees. However, there are inconsistencies in the PSM literature that challenge this hypothesis. This study sought to find out whether person-organization (P-O) fit can provide a reason for these inconsistencies. Specifically, this study explored whether the relationships among PSM, job satisfaction, and the turnover intentions of public employees were mediated by P-O fit. Using a sample of 205 employees drawn from three public organizations in the states of Oregon, Indiana, and Kentucky, this study found that PSM had no significant relationship to the job satisfaction and turnover intentions of public employees when P-O fit was considered. The implications of this study and areas of future research are discussed.
The Validity of a Battery of Phonemic and Orthographic Awareness Tasks for Adults With and Without Dyslexia and Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Authors: Gregg Noel , Bandalos Deborah L. , Coleman Chris , Davis J. Mark , Robinson Kelly , Blake Jamilia
Published: April 2008

The vast majority of adults with learning disabilities are those with deficits affecting reading decoding, reading and writing fluency, and spelling. Many adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD) also demonstrate problems with reading and writing. Documenting the underlying reasons for reading underachievement among these groups of adults is critical from both an assessment and an accommodation perspective. The purposes of this study are threefold: (a) to extend our understanding of the nature of phonemic and orthographic awareness among various adult populations; (b) to explore the validity and separability of the latent constructs of phonemic and orthographic awareness and tasks used to measure these constructs across a population of 630 university students with dyslexia, AD/HD, dyslexia and AD/HD (comorbid), and no disabilities; and (c) to discuss the implications of these analyses for intervention and accommodation selection.
Development and Preliminary Psychometric Evaluation of the Domestic Violence—Related Financial Issues Scale (DV-FI)
Authors: Weaver Terri L. , Sanders Cynthia K. , Campbell Carole L. , Schnabel Meg
Published: April 2008

Intimate partner violence (IPV) occurs at disproportionate rates within impoverished groups of women and can include economic abuse as a form of psychological maltreatment. The current study developed a comprehensive assessment of the unique financial issues facing female victims of IPV using a sheltered sample ( N = 113). An exploratory factor analysis (principal-axis factoring with varimax rotation) was conducted on 24 items of the newly developed Domestic Violence—Related Financial Issues Scale. Preliminary results supported five extracted factors, which accounted for approximately 53% of the total common variance in the women's responses. Psychometric properties of the instrument are presented.
The Function of Aggression in Personality Disordered Patients
Authors: Daffern Michael , Howells Kevin
Published: April 2008

It has been suggested that psychological interventions for personality disorders should focus on improving adaptive expression of the functional needs expressed through problematic behaviors such as aggression. The measurement of function is a necessary condition for devising a function-based treatment approach. Two studies that employ a method for assessing the functions of aggressive behavior in personality disordered patients are described by: (a) a retrospective analysis, through file review of inpatient aggressive behaviors and of the index offenses of patients admitted for treatment, and (b) an analysis of inpatient aggressive incidents where staff and patients were interviewed to elicit functions. Results showed that most aggression had the function of expressing anger, although other functions were also evident. The profile of functions observed in the inpatient studies was somewhat dissimilar to that observed in the studies of predominantly psychotic patients. Therapeutic implications of these findings are discussed.
Mental Structures in Transition Culture
Authors: Vihalemm Triin , Kalmus Veronika
Published: April 2008

Based on the concept of transition culture, the article discusses patterns of generational continuity and disruption in post-Soviet Estonia. We suggest a tool for meso-level analysis: factor structures of self-identification and value orientations. The empirical analysis of population survey data collected in 2005 shows that such mental structures have significant correlations with indices of perceptions about social changes and everyday social and cultural practices. Our analysis focuses on mental patterns of three generations among two main ethno-linguistic groups: ethnic Estonians and the Russian minority. The results reveal considerable differentiation between older and younger generations. We suggest that post-Soviet transition has brought about generational disruption in cultural reproduction, which is particularly visible among the ethnic minority group: Russian youngsters differ from their parents to a greater extent than do young Estonians from theirs. Moreover, the mental patterns of young Estonians and Russians have common elements.
Recursive estimation method for predicting residual bladder urine volumes to improve accuracy of timed urine collections*
Authors: Afshartous David , Preston Richard A
Published: April 2008

Clinical research studies often collect data via repeated measurements of collected urine. Unfortunately, the accuracy of timed urine collections is limited by the presence of a residual volume of urine remaining in the bladder following each timed void due to incomplete emptying of the bladder. This residual urine volume adds significant imprecision to the urine collection method, rendering an important and fundamental clinical research tool inaccurate. We present an unbiased method to estimate the residual bladder volumes via a mathematical model of the bladder process. Regardless of the substance of primary interest, the model leverages conservation of mass and conservation of concentration principles towards a substance of secondary interest in order to solve a system of recursive equations, resulting in our Recursive Residual Estimation method to predict the residual volumes at each time point. We verify the model on simulated patients and also investigate the sensitivity of the model to initial value specification.
Lesbians' Disclosure of Sexual Orientation and Satisfaction With Care
Authors: Polek Carolee A. , Hardie Thomas L. , Crowley Evelyn M.
Published: April 2008

The overarching aim of this study was to explore demographic variables and their association with a woman's disclosure of sexual orientation to a health care provider (HCP). This descriptive correlation study used a convenience sample of 96 women recruited at gay and lesbian community events held in Delaware. A self-report survey of 35 questions was used to obtain the data. None of the women identified themselves as exclusively heterosexual. The results indicate that a woman's self-identified sexual orientation is significant in predicting whether she has shared her orientation with her HCP. The more a woman's self-reported orientation moves toward the heterosexual end of the preference scale, the less likely she is to share her orientation with her HCP. Culturally competent care and a nondiscriminatory atmosphere will provide this population with the trust needed to enable open rapport with their HCPs.
Coronary Heart Disease in South Asian Immigrants
Authors: Mathews Rahel , Zachariah Rachel
Published: April 2008

Although the literature reflects that Asian Indians in the United States and globally have the highest rates of morbidity and mortality because of coronary heart disease (CHD) and diabetes, few studies have described the clinical implications in the United States. Traditional risk factors dictate practice, yet these risk factors do not fully explain the rates. Central obesity, lipoprotein (a), and insulin resistance may have a strong role. The literature suggests that proactive nursing using culturally specific clinical measures are necessary to reduce risk factors for CHD and diabetes in South Asians. Additional research and prevention strategies focused on immigrant South Asians in the United States are recommended.
Health Beliefs, Practice, and Priorities for Health Care of Arab Muslims in the United States
Authors: Odeh Yosef Abdel Raheem
Published: April 2008

The Arab Muslim population is one of the dramatically increasing minorities in the United States. In addition to other factors, religion and cultural background influence individuals' beliefs, behaviors, and attitudes toward health and illness. The author describes health beliefs and practices of the Arab Muslim population in the United States. That population is at an increased risk for several diseases and faces many barriers to accessing the American health care system. Some barriers, such as modesty, gender preference in healthcare providers, and illness causation misconceptions, arise out of their cultural beliefs and practices. Other barriers are related to the complexity of the health care system and the lack of culturally competent services within it. Nurses need to be aware of these religious and cultural factors to provide culturally competent health promotion services for this population. Nurses also need to integrate Islamic teachings into their interventions to provide appropriate care and to motivate healthy behaviors.
The Partners in Prevention Program: The Evaluation and Evolution of the Task-Centered Case Management Model
Authors: Colvin Julanne , Lee Mingun , Magnano Julienne , Smith Valerie
Published: April 2008

This article reports on the further development of the task-centered model for difficulties in school performance. We used Bailey-Dempsey and Reid's (1996) application of Rothman and Thomas's (1994) design and development framework and annual evaluations of the Partners in Prevention (PIP) Program to refine the task-centered case management model. Data from four recent PIP evaluations suggests the significant improvement in academic achievement and behaviors that present as barriers to school performance.
The Women's Police Directorate in Bahrain
Authors: Strobl Staci
Published: April 2008

This article explores Bahrain's Women's Police Directorate, a separate unit for policewomen. Historically, the segregation of female police in separate units has characterized the development of women in policing. The most popular theory describing women's entrance into policing involves a linear, developmental model in which segregation is a step toward full gender integration. This model has never been applied to contexts involving Muslim and Arab social constructions of gender. The article suggests that gender integration of the Bahraini police is unlikely, considering internal perceptions and dominant social and cultural Islamicization trends, which contrast with the apparent state feminism operating in Bahrain. It thus suggests that a linear theory is too constricting in positing the inevitability of gender integration in all societies in which policewomen exist. Using a postcolonial theoretical framework, Bahraini trends preliminarily suggest a hybrid outcome in which some police units are gender segregated and others are integrated.
A Cross-National Analysis of Female Police Officers' Attitudes in the United States and Taiwan
Authors: Sun Ivan Y. , Chu Doris C.
Published: April 2008

This study empirically tests whether Taiwanese and U.S. female police officers differ in their attitudes toward police role and work. The authors argue that police officers' occupational beliefs and outlooks are mainly influenced by the social, cultural, political, and organizational contexts within which the officers work. Data used in this research were collected from 119 female officers in two Taiwanese departments and 110 female officers in two U.S. departments. The results indicate that Taiwanese policewomen display occupational attitudes that distinguish them from their U.S. counterparts. Specifically, Taiwanese female officers are more likely than the U.S. female officers to have a broad role orientation, favor aggressive patrol, be resentful of legal restrictions, and disapprove of selective enforcement. Implications for future research and policy are discussed.
Correlates of Support for Capital Punishment in China
Authors: Shanhe Jiang  , Jin Wang
Published: April 2008

Although China has long used capital punishment, there is a lack of research on the views of Chinese people about it. Using survey data from 524 college students at a Chinese university, this study examined their support for the death penalty and correlates of the support. The study revealed that the surveyed college students had a strong support for capital punishment. Students who held the deterrence and retribution perspectives were more likely to support capital punishment than those who did not, whereas students who held the rehabilitation perspective were more likely to oppose capital punishment than students who did not. The variable incapacitation was not related to the support for capital punishment.
Community-Based Justice in Northern Ireland and South Africa
Authors: Monaghan Rachel
Published: April 2008

South Africa and Northern Ireland have experienced bitter ethnonational conflicts in which the transition to a peaceful political settlement has been characterized by crime and violence. In the case of Northern Ireland, this transition is still ongoing. This article examines the alternative policing and informal justice mechanisms, which have developed in the townships of South Africa and within the working-class districts of Northern Ireland. These mechanisms offer the inhabitants of such areas instant redress and retributive justice. This article is also concerned with the community-based restorative justice projects, which have been established in certain areas within both countries and examines whether such projects have an impact on vigilante attacks in South Africa and paramilitary “punishments” in Northern Ireland.
Response to Intervention for Social Behavior
Authors: Hawken Leanne S. , Vincent Claudia G. , Schumann Joan
Published: April 2008

The goal of the three-tiered response-to-intervention (RtI) model is to catch students who are at risk early and to provide an appropriate level of intervention. Although RtI has been recommended for academic and social behavior, to date there has been little discussion about the differences associated with implementing RtI across these domains. The purpose of this article is to compare similarities and differences in RtI for academic and social behavior. In addition, some of the primary challenges associated with the implementation of RtI for social behavior are discussed. Examples of how RtI has been implemented with social behavior are provided along with recommendations for future research.
Structural Techniques for Engaging Reluctant Parents in Counseling
Authors: Kindsvatter Aaron , Duba Jill D. , Dean Erin P.
Published: April 2008

Parents sometimes present their children for counseling with the hope that counselors can resolve or ameliorate their children's “pathology.” Often what is presented or understood by parents as the individual pathology of children in fact has a relational component involving parental interactions with the children. However, some parents may initially be reluctant consumers of the counseling process. Yet, parental involvement is important because parents may not only be contributors to the problem that their children are experiencing, but the best resource to assist their children in developing positive mental health. This article describes structural interventions for engaging reluctant parents in counseling.
Meaning in Life, Emotion-Oriented Coping, Generalized Self-Efficacy, and Family Cohesion as Predictors of Family Satisfaction Among Mothers of Children With Disabilities
Authors: Lightsey Owen Richard , Sweeney James
Published: April 2008

The authors tested whether self-efficacy, coping styles, family cohesion, and meaning in life predicted family satisfaction among 64 mothers of children with disabilities. They also examined whether meaning in life mediated the relationship between cohesion and family satisfaction or served as a resource whose effects on family satisfaction were mediated by coping and cohesion. Stress, meaning in life, emotion-oriented coping, and family cohesion predicted 31% of the variance in family satisfaction. Family cohesion fully mediated the relationships between stress, meaning in life, and emotion-oriented coping on one hand and family satisfaction on the other. Mothers with lower stress exhibited higher meaning; those utilizing less emotion-oriented coping had higher family cohesion. Mothers with higher family cohesion had higher family satisfaction.
Intimate Partner Violence and Women's Sexual Health: Implications for Couples Therapists
Authors: Cobia Debra C. , Robinson Kathy , Edwards LaWanda
Published: April 2008

Intimate partner violence (IPV) affects approximately one in four women every year and approximately one third of all female victims of homicide are killed by an intimate partner. The negative physical and mental outcomes of IPV and the sexual manifestations of these outcomes are identified. Furthermore, the implications of these outcomes for couples therapists are identified.
Relation of Religious Support to Career Decision Self-Efficacy in College Students
Authors: Duffy Ryan D. , Lent Robert W.
Published: April 2008

This study examined the relation of religious support to social support, career exploration, and career decision self-efficacy (CDSE) in a sample of 133 undergraduate students involved in religious organizations. Religious support correlated significantly with social support and CDSE but not career exploration. Regression analyses indicated that religious support explained unique variance in CDSE, though results did not support the hypothesis that career exploration would mediate the relation of religious and social support to CDSE. Implications for future research are considered.
Evolutionary Perspectives on Romantic Attachment and Culture
Authors: Schmitt David P.
Published: April 2008

Cultural differences in adult romantic attachment were investigated as part of the International Sexuality Description Project—a survey study of 17,804 people from 56 nations. Evolutionary theories of romantic attachment predicted that dismissing attachment should be associated with high-stress ecological environments. In support of this perspective, dismissing attachment was associated across cultures with relatively few resources, low life expectancy, high child malnutrition, high average temperature, high fertility rate, high teen birthrate, and a high pace of life. Gender differences in dismissing romantic attachment were evident in most cultures, with men generally reporting higher levels of dismissing attachment than women. The degree of gender differentiation in dismissing romantic attachment varied across cultures in evolutionary-predictable ways, with smaller gender differences evident in cultures with high-stress and high-fertility reproductive environments. Discussion focuses on the limitations of the current findings and directions for future evolutionary-informed research on cultural variability in romantic attachment.
Association of Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Gene 2350G>A Polymorphism With Myocardial Infarction in a Chinese Population
Authors: Min Pan  , Jiang Min-Hui , Wei Mei-Fang , Liu Zhi-Hua , Jiang Wen-Ping , Geng Hai-Hua , Cui Zhi-Chu , Zhang Dong-Lei , Zhu Jian-Hua
Published: April 2008

Angiotensin-converting enzyme ( ACE) gene 2350G>A polymorphism has the most significant effect on plasma ACE concentrations. But the association between this polymorphism and myocardial infarction (MI) is presently unknown. We carried out a case-control study in the Chinese Han population. ACE2350G>A genotypes of 231 patients with MI and 288 healthy controls were detected by PCR-RFLP. Differences in frequencies of ACE genotypes and alleles and their associations with clinical features were assessed. The distribution of the ACE2350G>A genotypes (GG, GA, and AA) was 20.78%, 51.08%, and 28.14% in the MI group and 31.60%, 46.53%, and 21.87% in controls, respectively ( P = .0167).The frequency of the A allele in the MI group was significantly higher than that in controls (53.68% vs 45.14%, P = .0062). The A allele carriers (GA + AA genotypes) had approximately 2-fold increased risk of MI when compared with the GG genotype (odds ratio = 1.76; 95% confidence interval = 1.24-3.52). There were no significant differences among the 3 genotypes in plasma levels of lipids, apolipoproteins, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, and soluble CD40 ligand in either the MI group or the control group ( P > .05). No statistical difference was observed between ACE2350G>A polymorphism and severity of the coronary lesions ( P > .05). These results suggest that ACE2350G>A polymorphism is associated with acute MI, and A allele carrier is an independent risk factor for acute MI in the Chinese Han population.
The Effect of Tirofiban on Fibrinogen/Agonist-Induced Platelet Shape Change and Aggregation
Authors: Jagroop I. Anita , Mikhailidis Dimitri P.
Published: April 2008

There is evidence linking raised plasma fibrinogen (fib) and platelet hyperactivity with vascular events. One way to inhibit platelets is to block the platelet membrane glycoprotein (GP) IIb/IIIa receptor, which binds circulating fib or von Willebrand factor and cross-links platelets at the final common pathway to platelet aggregation. Tirofiban is a potent and specific fib receptor antagonist, used in the treatment of unstable angina. The authors assessed the effect of tirofiban on spontaneous platelet aggregation (SPA), fib-induced, serotonin (5HT)-induced, and adenosine diphosphate (ADP)-induced aggregation in whole blood by calculating the percentage free platelet count. These various agonists were used alone and in combination. The authors also measured the effect of tirofiban on agonists-induced (ADP, 5HT) platelet shape change (PSC). The effect of fib on PSC was also evaluated in platelet-rich plasma using a high-resolution (0.07 fL) channelyzer. Tirofiban significantly inhibited SPA, fib (2, 4, 8 g/L), ADP, ADP + fib combination, and 5HT-induced aggregation. Tirofiban had no effect on agonist-induced PSC. There was no apparent change in platelet volume with fib. In conclusion, tirofiban does not appear to have an effect on PSC, an early phase of platelet activation. Tirofiban seems to be a nonspecific and an effective inhibitor of platelet aggregation (a later phase of platelet activation) in whole blood. The clinical significance of these findings remains to be established.
Assessing Within-Group Agreement
Authors: Lüdtke Oliver , Robitzsch Alexander
Published: April 2008

The measure of within-group agreement most frequently encountered in organizational psychology is the rWG index. The rWG index is determined by comparing the observed group variance among raters with an expected random variance. The most critical issue in calculating the rWG is the choice of an appropriate random distribution that would be expected to follow from raters making their ratings at random. A data-driven approach that uses random-group resampling (RGR) procedures to determine the expected random variance has been proposed. In the present study, the application of the RGR procedure will be illustrated with reference to students' ratings of their mathematics instruction and critically compared with a recently proposed simulation-based approach. It will be shown mathematically that the probability of obtaining statistically significant within-group agreement when applying the RGR procedure strongly depends on the intraclass correlation as well as on the group sizes. Finally, implications for applying the RGR procedure to assess within-group agreement in multilevel data will be discussed.
Risk-Return Analysis of Fast-Food Versus Casual-Dining Restaurants: Who Moved My Cheeseburger?
Authors: Madanoglu Melih , Lee Kyuho , Kwansa Francis A.
Published: April 2008

The study demonstrates how a hypothetical investor or a restaurant industry executive can assess the risk-adjusted performance of fast-food and casual-dining restaurant segments by using both traditional and contemporary risk-adjusted performance measures. This study focuses on 24 casual-dining and 18 fast-food restaurants that are publicly traded on major U.S. stock exchanges. The results revealed that casual-dining firms out-performed fast-food restaurants in all performance aspects: mean return, standard deviation, the Sharpe Ratio, the Sortino Ratio, and the Upside Potential Ratio. The article offers suggestions for potential investors about how to utilize downside risk measures in their capital investment decisions.
Organizational Citizenship Behavior and Employee Performance: A Moderating Effect of Work Status in Restaurant Employees
Authors: Cho Seonghee , Johanson Misty M.
Published: April 2008

As the number of part-time employees continually increases in the United States, it is critical to know how employment status affects employees' attitudes and behaviors for organizational success as the employee plays the key role in the delivery of quality guest service and customer retention. The main goal of this study was to investigate the moderating effect of work status on the relationship between organizational and supervisor support, organizational commitment, citizen behaviors, and employee performance. Nearly 300 employees working in the restaurant industry were asked to participate in this study. Structural equation modeling was conducted to examine the four hypotheses proposed to investigate the objectives. The results indicate that there are stronger effects on employees' commitment and organizational commitment on citizenship behaviors among part-time employees than full-time workers. This finding implies that part-time employees should not be treated as perishable workers.
On the affective ambivalence of living with cultural diversity
Authors: Van Leeuwen Bart
Published: April 2008

Living with cultural diversity is characterized by a fundamental affective ambivalence. On the one hand, there is existential unease in the face of cultural strangeness, which is linked to our human dependence on `common sense' — the shared background of understanding from which we derive ontological security about the world and our place in it. Through cultural contact, common sense loses something of its self-evident character, and certainties about what is normal are put to the test. On the other hand, contact with unfamiliar practices and forms of expression can equally give rise to positive feelings of wonder and fascination, as in the urban context. This affective ambivalence stems from an existential paradox: the experience of both meaning and lack of meaning are dependent on contact with transcendent realities — in other words, realities that cannot be fully encompassed within our cognitive and manipulative horizons. This leads us to the question as to what the conditions are in which cultural diversity is experienced as a positive social given. The hypothesis is that cultural strangeness cannot in any event fascinate those who perceive the presence of this strangeness, rightly or wrongly, as an acute threat to their own psychological integrity, their vital integrity and/or to the national integrity.
The Long-Term Effect of Material Incentives on Participation in Online Panels
Authors: Göritz Anja S.
Published: April 2008

A five-wave experiment examined the influence of incentives on response in online panels. One group of panelists was sent an advance gift after registering with the panel; the other group did not receive a gift. For participating in the studies, half of the panelists were repeatedly offered redeemable loyalty points. The others were offered inclusion in cash lotteries. At the outset, the advance gift significantly increased participation, but this effect dwindled linearly throughout the waves of the study. Initially, there was no difference in response between people with loyalty points and those offered to be included in the cash lottery. Over time, however, loyalty points relative to the cash lotteries became more attractive. In wave 1, the advance gift was especially useful when combined with the lottery. This effect faded in the course of the longitudinal study. Low-income panelists were more susceptible to the advance gift.
Circumventing the Vasovagal Fainting Response
Authors: Seim Richard W. , Willerick Matthew S. , Gaynor Scott T. , Spates C. Richard
Published: April 2008

A novel method of in vivo exposure therapy was administered to a 26-year-old female with injection phobia. She had a history of fainting at the sight of syringes, needles, and other medical devices and went to great lengths to avoid physicians and optometrists, putting off receiving necessary examinations and vaccinations. The patient was treated in one long session. The session began with presentation of a series of noninvasive fear-evoking stimuli (i.e., still and video images) shown briefly, but repeatedly, with increasing trial durations, followed by invasive exposures (i.e., finger pricks & a sham injection). Self-report measures showed significant changes that were maintained after 10 months. In addition, the patient donated blood, had an eye examination, and received three vaccinations, all without fainting. Traditional treatments employ prolonged exposures to fear-evoking stimuli; the results of this intervention suggest that a massed series of brief exposures might provide a less aversive alternative.
Effect of filler alloy composition on post-weld heat treatment cracking in GTA welded cast Inconel 738LC superalloy
Authors: Sidhu R. K. , Richards N. L. , Chaturvedi M. C.
Published: April 2008

The effect of filler alloy composition on post-weld heat treatment (PWHT) cracking in Inconel (trade name of the Special Metals group of companies) 738LC (IN-738LC) superalloy was investigated. Five filler alloys (IN-625, IN-718, FM-92, C-263 and Rene-41), containing varying concentrations of Al and Ti, were used to gas tungsten arc (GTA) weld IN-738LC superalloy specimens which were given two different preweld heat treatments. Additionally, autogenous (without filler) welds were also made on the same two preweld heat treated materials. The preweld heat treatments consisted of the standard industrial solution heat treatment (SHT) at 1120°C for 2 h in vacuum followed by argon quenching and a new heat treatment (UMT), developed by the authors to improve the heat affected zone (HAZ) cracking resistance of IN-738LC. The latter heat treatment comprised of solution treatment at 1120°C for 2 h followed by aging at 1025°C for 16 h and then water quenching. The welded specimens were given a PWHT consisting of solution treatment at 1120°C for 2 h in vacuum followed by argon quenching and subsequent aging at 845°C for 24 h in vacuum. Intergranular cracking was observed in all the PWHT welds, regardless of the filler alloy; however, autogenous welds suffered the highest amount of cracking, and cracking susceptibility of the filler welds reduced with a decrease in concentration of the main hardening elements, Al and Ti, in the fillers. While cracks were observed only in the HAZ of the as welded samples, almost all the PWHT samples were found to have cracks in the fusion zone (FZ) and in the base metal (BM), in addition to those present in the HAZ. The severity of cracking in the SHT preweld heat treated material was, however, consistently higher than that observed in the UMT preweld treated material, in both autogenous and filler welds. The microstructure of FZ of the welds made with various filler alloys consisted of a unimodal distribution of small spheroidal γ‘ particles of 0˙10–0˙15 μm, while a bimodal distribution of γ‘ precipitates, consisting of large cuboidal particles of about 0˙5–0˙6 μm and fine spheroidal γ‘ particles of ∼0˙1 μm, was observed in FZ of the autogenous welds. Results of the microstructural analysis and crack measurements were correlated with the chemical composition and the precipitation kinetics of γ‘ in the filler alloys. It was observed that PWHT cracking in GTA welds of IN-738LC was reduced to a significant extent by using age hardenable fillers with (Al+Ti) concentration less than that in the BM. The PWHT cracking resistance of IN-738LC was further improved by the use of these fillers in conjunction with the UMT preweld heat treatment.
Transient liquid phase bonding of dissimilar nickel base superalloys — wettability, microstructure and mechanical properties
Authors: Aluru R. , Gale W. F. , Chitti S. V. , Sofyan N. , Love R. D. , Fergus J. W.
Published: April 2008

The present paper investigates the wettability–microstructure–mechanical property relationships in wide gap transient liquid phase (TLP) bonds between the single crystal nickel base superalloy CMSX-4 and two polycrystalline superalloys, IN 738 and IN 939, using wide gap style composite interlayers Niflex-110 and Niflex-115 in comparison with conventional BNi-3 brazing foils. Microstructural studies using scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDS) showed the preferential flow of the liquid along the grain boundaries of the Niflex core, rather than the wetting of the faying surfaces, leaving non-bonded regions at the latter. This problem was overcome by increasing the boron content of the Niflex foils to form additional liquid. Suppression of bondline boride formation was achieved with the wide gap composite interlayers. Two factors were of potential importance in the room temperature mechanical properties of the wide gap bonds. The first was the extent of γ‘ formation at the bondline and the second was the presence of second phases in the diffusion zone of the polycrystalline substrate. This second phase formation resulted in brittle secondary cracks in the polycrystalline substrate. However, the extent of γ‘ formation was the dominant factor in the room temperature shear strength of the bonds.
High frequency induction brazing of TiC cermets to steel with Ag–Cu–Zn foil
Authors: Zhang L. X. , Feng J. C. , Liu H. B.
Published: April 2008

High frequency induction brazing of TiC cermets to steel using Ag–54Cu–33Zn (wt-%) foil at 1073–1273 K for 30–300 s was investigated in the present paper. Both interfacial microstructure and mechanical properties of the brazed joints were studied. Microstructural analysis results show that the interface can be divided into three reaction layers and the formation products on the joint are Cu (SS) (where SS means solid solution), Ni3ZnC0˙7 and Ag (SS). With increasing brazing parameters, the thickness of Cu (SS)–Ni3ZnC0˙7 layers beside base metals increases. The relationship between processing parameters and shear strength of the joints indicates that the highest shear strength value 105 MPa can be achieved when the joint is brazed at 1123 K for 60 s.
Effect of tool rotational and welding speeds on microstructural and mechanical characteristics of friction stir welded A319 cast Al alloy
Authors: Mahmoud T. S. , Gaafer A. M. , Khalifa T. A.
Published: April 2008

The effect of the friction stir welding (FSW) parameters on the microstructure and mechanical characteristics of A319 cast Al alloy has been investigated. Plates from the investigated alloy were welded together under different tool rotational ( ω) and welding ( υ) speeds. The results showed the possibility of welding and obtaining sound joints from A319 cast Al alloy using FSW. The welded zones exhibited many advantages over the base material (BM) such as, lower porosity content, extra fine non-dendritic α-Al grains, and extra fine more homogeneously dispersed Si particles. The size of both α-Al grains and Si particles was found to be increase by increasing both tool rotational and welding speeds. The welded joints showed better mechanical properties than the BM. It has been found that increasing the tool rotational speed and/or the welding speed reduces both the tensile and yield strengths of the welded joints, however, they still higher than of the BM. In contrast, increasing the aforementioned speeds tends to increase the ductility of the welded joints.
Effects of weld thermal cycles and post-welding tempering on second phase particles in 2·25Cr–1Mo–0·25V steels
Authors: Fu R. D. , Yang Y. Q. , Wang C. Y. , Zhang W. H.
Published: April 2008

The solution and precipitation behaviours of second phase particles in the heat affected zone of 2·25Cr–1Mo–0·25V steels were investigated using a Gleeble-3500 thermal simulator and A-TEM. The results show that the mean size and the dimensional range of the second phase particles undergoing one weld thermal cycle decrease to 37·3 and 100 nm respectively. With increasing the number of weld thermal cycle and decreasing peak temperature of the second weld thermal cycles, the number of the precipitates increases. For the typical carbonitride formed in one and two weld thermal cycle, the composition of its centre is rich in titanium and the edge is rich in niobium and vanadium. In addition, after going through two weld thermal cycle, many strip particles are found in the bainitic ferrite laths and the composition is rich in niobium. After going through post-welding tempering, the particle dimensional range is about 200–300 nm and its shape became regular. The number of precipitate increases with increasing tempering holding time. The precipitates distribute along the grain boundary are rich in chromium, vanadium, iron and manganese.
Comparison of imaging techniques in the diagnosis of bridging bronchus
Authors: Baden W. , Schaefer J. , Kumpf M. , Tzaribachev N. , Pantalitschka T. , Koitschev A. , Ziemer G. , Fuchs J. , Hofbeck M.
Published: April 2008

Bridging bronchus (BB) is a rare, congenital bronchial anomaly that is frequently associated with congenital cardiac malformations, especially left pulmonary artery sling. It represents an anomalous bronchus to the right originating from the left main bronchus. Discrimination from other bronchial anomalies is important, since BB is frequently associated with bronchial stenoses due to abnormal cartilage rings.

This case study describes the findings of bronchoscopy, bronchography and multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) in three patients. Bronchoscopy was helpful in the description of the severity and length of bronchial stenoses. However, it was not possible to establish a diagnosis of BB based on this method in two patients, since it is difficult or even impossible to differentiate the bifurcation from the pseudocarina. It was not possible to establish the correct diagnosis in all patients based on bronchography or MDCT. MDCT was able to depict the relationship of bronchial and vascular structures, which is particularly important in patients with pulmonary artery sling.

Multidetector computed tomography is preferable to bronchography as it is less invasive and due to its short acquisition time it can be performed in children with severe respiratory disease. In the current authors’ experience, detection of cartilage rings still requires flexible bronchoscopy.