bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Self-Idiomatic Music: An Introduction
Authors: Bullock Michael T.
Published: April 2010

The term self-idiomatic music is introduced as a practical tool for discussion of current directions in music that are otherwise termed free improvisation, non-idiomatic music, meta-music and electroacoustic improvisation. The work of self-idiomatic musicians (including the author) is characterized by exploration of the sound possibilities afforded by musical instruments and sounding objects. The author discusses some characteristics of self-idiomatic music, some of its roots in the popularization of consumer audio electronics, and how the music's flexibility and widespread Internet access have facilitated the recent global growth of a self-idiomatic music culture.
Perception of Space in Piero della Francesca's Annunciation: An Eye-Movement and Art-Historical Study
Authors: Kapoula Zoï , Bucci Maria-Pia , Yang Qing , Bacci Francesca
Published: April 2010

Although Renaissance artworks provide valuable information about the development of artistic depth cues, eye-movement studies of these works are rather scarce. This study examines how naïve viewers explore and perceive space and perspective in the Perugia Annunciation by Piero della Francesca (1467–1469). Seven participants viewed a high-quality image of the painting on a computer screen, while their eye movements were recorded with a video-oculographic device. Following recording, five subjects verbally described the painting, and all seven drew the painting from memory. Based on the sequence of ocular fixations, the authors conclude that the painting stimulates inquisitive spatial eye exploration, resulting in assimilation of complex spatial architectural details, even by naïve observers.
The Legacy of Columbus
Authors: Marsiske Hans-Arthur
Published: April 2010

By giving the name “Columbus” to the European Space Laboratory the European Space Agency (ESA) has put itself in the tradition of European explorers and erected a historical monument in space. But this monument is incomplete, since it ignores the high price that humanity has paid for European expansion. If space exploration is really about humanity going to space and not only a few technologically developed nations, as representatives of ESA repeatedly declare, then another monument should be added to the European Space Laboratory.
Sensory Threads
Authors: Marshall Joe , Airantzis Demetrios , Angus Alice , Bryan-Kinns Nick , Fencott Robin , Lane Giles , Lesage Frederik , Martin Karen , Roussos George , Taylor Jenson , Warren Lorraine , Woods Orlagh
Published: April 2010

Sensory Threads is a pair of interlinked experiences, which explore the way in which sensing can give us insight into how our bodies are a part of their wider environment. Sensory Threads seeks to investigate what happens when wearables move beyond being technologies designed for individuals and are transformed into tools of ‘collective sensing’. It aims to stimulate participants' behaviours through their own emergent and unpredictable actions in an environment, not by pre-defined choices determined in advance by the project's makers or by ‘interesting’ geographic sites. This article describes the design of this artwork, which is currently in prototype form.
Gesture and Embodied Interaction: Capturing Motion/Data/Value
Authors: Norman Sally Jane , Blackwell Alan F. , Warren Lorraine , Woolford Kirk
Published: April 2010

Gesture and Embodied Interaction is a five-month practice-led scoping project which explored motion capture development perspectives from artistic, technological and business innovation standpoints. It convened an interdisciplinary community from the arts, sciences and business studies, experienced in practice-driven collaborative research. Effort was focused on two prototyping workshops in Newcastle and Cambridge, bridged by an interim work session to optimize collaboration. A final creative industries seminar in Cambridge allowed debate with a wider stakeholder community. This paper provides an overview of our activities, findings and future directions.
Capturing the Dynamics of Co-Production and Collaboration in the Digital Economy
Authors: Warren Lorraine , Fuller Ted
Published: April 2010

In the digital economy, the creative industries revolve around dynamic, innovative and often unorthodox collaborations, whereby numerous large, small and micro-businesses come together for the duration of a project, then disband and form new partnerships for the next project. Research designs must therefore address multiple contexts and levels presenting an analytical challenge to researchers. In this project we extend work that investigates the significance of emergence in theorising entrepreneurship into an exploration of how to articulate the creation and flow of value and effective ontology in a creative landscape.
Crafting a Critical Technical Practice
Authors: Woolford Kirk , Blackwell Alan F. , Norman Sally Jane , Chevalier Cecile
Published: April 2010

In recent years, the category of “practice-based research” has become an essential component of discourse around public funding and evaluation of the arts in British higher education. When included under the umbrella of public policy concerned with “the creative industries", technology researchers often find themselves collaborating with artists who consider their own participation to be a form of practice-based research. We are conducting a study under the “Creator” Digital Economies project asking whether technologists, themselves, should be considered as engaging in “practice-based” research, whether this occurs in collaborative situations, or even as a component of their own personal research [1].
Blending Art and Science to Create Collapse (suddenly falling down)
Authors: Neff Michael , Sumner Dawn Y. , Bawden Gerald W. , Bromberg Ellen , Davidson Della , Gilbride Shelly , Kellogg Louise H. , Kreylos Oliver
Published: April 2010

Understanding the collapse of natural and social systems is a key artistic and scientific endeavor. By collaborating on a multimedia dance-theatre production, we contributed individual approaches, techniques, and insights to a performance that captured both cultural and scientific aspects of collapse in an aesthetically meaningful way.
Double Object Constructions Disguised as Prepositional Datives
Authors: Bruening Benjamin
Published: April 2010

Recent work by Bresnan and colleagues (Bresnan 2007, Bresnan et al. 2007, Bresnan and Nikitina 2007) has argued that double object and prepositional dative constructions are essentially identical, the choice between them being conditioned by various factors. I argue against this conclusion, showing that the grammar clearly distinguishes double object from prepositional dative constructions. Under certain circumstances, the first object of a double object construction can shift to the right, with the preposition to appearing, but the grammar still distinguishes this from a prepositional dative construction that looks identical on the surface. The phenomena that I investigate are scope interactions with quantifiers and locative inversion. In addition, the rightward reordering operations investigated here indicate that constraints on variable binding, including weak crossover, must be formulated in terms of linear order rather than hierarchy.
A Tenseless Analysis of Mandarin Chinese Revisited: A Response to Sybesma 2007
Authors: Lin Jo-wang
Published: April 2010

Sybesma (2007) argues for the existence of a syntactic T node in Chinese on the basis of general theoretical considerations and parallel empirical data from Dutch and Chinese. This reply shows that a tenseless analysis of Chinese is an equally viable alternative or even a better one, given some empirical problems that the tensed analysis has to face. The tenseless analysis is backed up not only by its ability to explain the data in a more elegant way but also by syntactic facts that seem to be unrelated coincidences under a tensed analysis but are natural consequences under a tenseless alternative.
Community Cohesion and Canadian Rural E-Mail Behavior
Authors: Wilkinson Derek
Published: April 2010

This is an empirical examination of the association between community cohesion and the pattern of e-mail among rural Canadians. Residents of 27 diverse Canadian rural communities were invited to complete an Internet survey that included questions about the frequency of e-mail and the Buckner Scale subdimension of psychological sense of community (PSOC). Controlling for demographic variables including age, residence, income, education, language, and gender, as well as computer skill, and as based on ordinary least squares regressions, PSOC predicted local, regional, and provincial e-mail use but not national or international communication. The effects of PSOC declined with distance. Results suggest that e-mail use could be increased by developing greater computer skills; it could also be increased by changing the attitudes that people have as measured in PSOC.
Small Town in the Internet Society: Chapleau Is No Longer an Island
Authors: Collins Jessica L. , Wellman Barry
Published: April 2010

This article analyzes the impact of new digital media on the residents of Chapleau, a remote rural town in Northern Ontario, Canada. As in urban situations, broadband e-mail in Chapleau facilitates communication with friends and relatives who live locally and far away. But unlike their use in urban situations, mobile phones are rarely used locally in Chapleau: They are for trips outside of town. Broadband use has aided health care, shopping, and information gathering. Indeed, it is the increased connectivity to the outside that stands out, making Chapleau much less of an “island.”
The Network in the Garden: Designing Social Media for Rural Life
Authors: Gilbert Eric , Karahalios Karrie , Sandvig Christian
Published: April 2010

History repeatedly demonstrates that rural communities have unique technological needs. Yet little is known about how rural communities use modern technologies, which therefore results in a collective lack knowledge about how to design for rural life. To address this gap, the present empirical article investigates behavioral differences between more than 3,000 rural and urban social media users. With a data set collected from a broadly popular social network site, the current work analyzes users’ profiles, 340,000 online friendships, and 200,000 interpersonal messages. Based on social capital theory, differences are predicted between rural and urban users, and strong evidence supports the present hypotheses—namely, rural people articulate far fewer friends online, and those friends live much closer to home. Results indicate that the groups have substantially different gender distributions and use privacy features differently. The article concludes with a discussion of the design implications drawn from these findings; most important, designers should reconsider the binary friend-or-not model to allow for incremental trust building.
Intensive Statin Therapy: A Favorable Adjunct to the Improvement of Small-Diameter Vascular Grafts
Authors: Jie Li  , Lu Wei-Ming , Li Xiao-Xi , Wang Shen-Ming , Yu Jian-Xing , Zhu Yi-Fan , Liu Da-Yue , Huang Ming-Qing
Published: April 2010

To assess the effect of intensive statins therapy on the outcome of small-diameter vascular prosthesis, we investigated whether atorvastatin treatment (30 mg/d) could accelerate the re-endothelialization process and improve the patency rate in a canine infrarenal abdominal aorta-expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) bypass model. Furthermore, we also evaluated the effect of atorvastatin on the migratory and adherent capacity of circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) in vitro. Improved patency was confirmed by Doppler sonography and arteriography. Histological and scanning electron microscopy illustrated enhanced re-endothelialization process. Treatment with atorvastatin enhanced the circulating pool of EPCs with fortified migratory and adherent capacity. Reverse transcriptase—polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis showed that atorvastatin treatment increased endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and kinase insert domain receptor (KDR) messenger RNA (mRNA) expression in cultured EPCs and neointima. In conclusion, intensive statin therapy could be considered a favorable option to improve small-diameter vascular graft patency.
Outcome of Primary Percutaneous Intervention in Patients With Infarct-Related Coronary Artery Ectasia
Authors: Erden İsmail , Erden Emine Çakcak , Özhan Hakan , Karabulut Ahmet , Ordu Serkan , Yazici Mehmet
Published: April 2010

Data related to the incidence and clinical outcome of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in patients with preexisting coronary artery ectasia (CAE) are limited. We assessed whether infarct-related artery ectasia (EIRA) indicates an untoward clinical outcome in patients with AMI undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI). Consecutive patients (n = 643) who presented with AMI and were treated with pPCI were analyzed retrospectively; 31 patients (4.8%) had EIRA. Patients who had EIRA were significantly younger and had higher incidence of hypertension, previous stroke, smoking, inferior wall AMI, and Killip score >1. Infarct-related artery ectasia was more frequent in the right coronary artery (RCA). Impaired epicardial arterial flow, thrombus burden score of infarct-related artery (IRA), impaired Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) Myocardial Perfusion Grade, and distal embolization were significantly higher whereas ST-segment resolution and collateral vascular development were significantly lower in patients with EIRA. Infarct-related artery ectasia was an independent predictor of adverse outcome (odds ratio: 0.197; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.062-0.633; P = .006).
Resting Muscle Oxygen Consumption by Near-Infrared Spectroscopy in Peripheral Arterial Disease: A Parameter to be Considered in a Clinical Setting?
Authors: Malagoni Anna Maria , Felisatti Michele , Mandini Simona , Mascoli Francesco , Manfredini Roberto , Basaglia Nino , Zamboni Paolo , Manfredini Fabio
Published: April 2010

Resting muscle VO 2 consumption (rmVO2) as measured by near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) has been poorly studied in peripheral arterial disease (PAD). We studied the feasibility of its assessment in a clinical setting, compared values from PAD and healthy participants, and identified factors affecting rmVO 2 in PAD. A total of 119 PAD patients with claudication and 30 healthy participants were enrolled. Ankle brachial index (ABI), adipose tissue thickness, and rmVO2 in the gastrocnemius after venous (rmVO2ven) or arterial (rmVO2art) occlusion were measured with NIRS. Compared to rmVO2art, rmVO2ven determination was less painful (P = .001), with higher values (P < .0001). rmVO2ven of PAD patients was not significantly different from healthy participants and was inversely correlated with the corresponding ABI (P = .018). rmVO2ven from severely diseased legs was higher than values from borderline/moderately diseased legs (P = .003). The determination of rmVO2ven by NIRS is suitable for the clinical setting and allows noninvasive quantification of a compensatory peripheral adaptation in patients with PAD.
Efficacy of Short-Term High-Dose Atorvastatin for Prevention of Contrast-Induced Nephropathy in Patients Undergoing Coronary Angiography
Authors: Özhan Hakan , Erden Ismail , Ordu Serkan , Aydin Mesut , Caglar Onur , Basar Cengiz , Yalcin Subhan , Alemdar Recai
Published: April 2010

Contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) is associated with increased morbidity, extended hospital stay, and higher costs. We compared an atorvastatin plus N-acetylcysteine (NAC) regimen with NAC alone in patients undergoing coronary angiography. A total of 130 patients (mean age 54 ± 10; 77 men) undergoing coronary angiography were studied. Seven CIN cases occurred in the NAC group and 2 in the atorvastatin + NAC group; this difference was not significant. Baseline mean creatinine and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) were similar between the 2 groups, whereas after the procedure there was a significant creatinine decrease and eGFR increase in the atorvastatin + NAC group. Change in creatinine (baseline creatinine—creatinine after the procedure) was also significantly higher in patients taking statin plus NAC. Atorvastatin may be effective in protecting patients undergoing coronary angiography from CIN.
Modeling and simulation to assist context aware system design
Authors: O'Neill Eleanor , Conlan Owen , Lewis David
Published: April 2010

In this paper we present a modelling and visualization design approach for context-aware systems, specifically focusing on applications that support location tracking and that exhibit their behaviour as actuations in the deployment environment. The design tool addresses two key challenges in the design cycle for ubiquitous computing systems. Firstly, facilitating cost-effective, repeatable and easily (re-)configurable experiments that support thorough testing of the target deployment space, including outlier test scenarios. Secondly, supporting an iterative design cycle, using traceability of the causal relationships between context and exhibited system behaviour. The aim is to identify potentially problematic behaviour in the system under test, which can be provided as feedback to lead informed redesign of the prototype system. In this paper we present initial experiments using this tool to test a simple automatic lighting application. We discuss the results and the implications of the findings from these experiments for the models used to drive this design tool.
Can There Be Politics Without Sovereignty? Arendt, Derrida and the Question of Sovereign Inevitability
Authors: Martel James R.
Published: April 2010

In this essay I look at Arendt and Derrida and the way that they seem forced to compromise with sovereignty despite their ardent opposition to it. In both cases, the sense of the inevitability of sovereignty comes from a particular understanding of time, that is to say, it comes from an eschatological perspective that sees the unity and continuity of sovereignty as the only possible form of politics. I show how both thinkers seek to bypass the sense of temporality. Arendt, by looking to a pre-sovereign, classical past and Derrida, by looking at a democracy “to come.’’ I read these temporal maneuverings as a kind of subversion of these authors’ own sense of being trapped in time. By providing alternative “pasts’’ and “futures’’ both Arendt and Derrida — perhaps especially when read together — are not so much seeking to escape the present as they are recognizing the way the present is infused with these other temporalities and possibilities. Such moves are thus oriented neither to past nor future but to the present itself.
Correlates and predictors of parenting stress among internationally adopting mothers: A longitudinal investigation
Authors: Viana Andres G. , Welsh Janet A.
Published: April 2010

This study examined correlates and predictors of parenting stress among internationally adopting (IA) mothers with the goal of expanding the knowledge base on the experiences of adoptive parents. One hundred and forty-three IA mothers completed pre-adoption (Time 0) and six months post-adoption (Time 1) surveys with questions regarding child-, parent-, and family-related characteristics. Mother reports of higher depression symptoms, higher expectations of child developmental and behavioral/emotional problems, and a greater number of children in the family at pre-adoption were significantly related to higher parenting stress six months post-adoption. In contrast, mother reports of higher expectations for child acceptance and higher perceived social support at pre-adoption were significantly related to lower parenting stress six months post-adoption. Higher maternal depression symptoms, higher expectations of child behavior/emotional problems, and a greater number of children in the family at pre-adoption together accounted for 22% of the variance in parenting stress six months post-adoption. Concurrent higher maternal depression symptoms and higher reports of child behavioral/emotional problems predicted higher parenting stress six months post-adoption over and above pre-adoption predictors, and accounted for an additional 33% of the variance. Results and directions for future research are discussed from a transactional perspective, with particular emphasis on the importance of pre-adoptive information for adoption research and practice.
Framing Islam: The Resurgence of Orientalism During the Bush II Era
Authors: Kumar Deepa
Published: April 2010

Since the events of 9/11, the range of debate on issues pertaining to Muslims or Islam has narrowed to a point where Orientalist modes of thought are once again dominant. The “clash of civilizations” thesis eschewed by the Bush Sr. and Clinton administrations, was adopted and promoted by the Bush Jr. administration. Since this ideological shift was articulated by the "primary definers of news" in a climate of fear and intimidation, it acquired the status of "commonsense," i.e. a largely unopposed dominant political logic. This paper outlines five key taken-for-granted frames that underpin discussions of Islam and Muslims in the post 9/11 world: Islam is a monolithic religion, Islam is a uniquely sexist religion, the “Muslim mind” is incapable of rationality and science, Islam is inherently violent, the West spreads democracy, while Islam spawns terrorism. In addition to identifying these hegemonic commonsensical frames, the essay also sets out to debunk their veracity and to expose their fictional and fictitious accounts of the world of “Islam.” It does so by employing a historical and comparative approach that draws on 14 centuries of contact between the “East” and the “West.” While the article focuses on discursive frames that were established during the Bush II era, it concludes by pointing to their continued dominance post-Bush thereby highlighting the need for engaged scholarship that can forge a counter-hegemonic politics.
Equity of use of specialist palliative care by age: cross-sectional study of lung cancer patients
Authors: Burt Jenni , Plant Hilary , Omar Rumana , Raine Rosalind
Published: April 2010

The equitable provision of care is a core principle of the National Health Service. Previous research has suggested that older cancer patients may be less likely to use specialist palliative care, but such research has been limited by retrospective design and the failure to measure clinical need. The objective of this study was to examine the extent to which the use of specialist palliative care in lung cancer patients varies by age, after accounting for need. A cross-sectional survey of patients and their carers attending four hospital lung cancer clinics in London was conducted between June 2006 and April 2007. Two hundred and fifty-two patients and 137 carers participated in the study. Thirty-nine percent of participants received specialist palliative care. Metastatic disease, global quality of life and the clinic where treatment was provided were associated with use of specialist palliative care. Age, gender, deprivation, living alone, current or most recent line of treatment, number of co-morbidities and carer stress were not associated with receipt of such services. This suggests that, for patients within the specialist cancer care system, access to specialist palliative care is offered on the basis of need.
‘They’ve got to learn’ — a qualitative study exploring the views of patients and staff regarding medical student teaching in a hospice
Authors: Arolker M. , Barnes J. , Gadoud A. , Jones L. , Barnes L. , Johnson MJ
Published: April 2010

UK medical school curricula incorporate training in end-of-life care as recommended by Tomorrow’s Doctors. Previous research suggests that hospice staff have concerns about the burden on patients when participating in medical student teaching and may gatekeep access to patients. This qualitative study uses semistructured interviews to explore and compare the views of hospice patients and health care staff about patient involvement in medical student teaching. Fifteen patients and 14 staff members were recruited from a single UK hospice involved in teaching third year medical students. Hospice patients, who have been involved in teaching, are strongly positive about meeting medical students and staff carefully select patients based on a number of issues.
The administration of psilocybin to healthy, hallucinogen-experienced volunteers in a mock-functional magnetic resonance imaging environment: a preliminary investigation of tolerability
Authors: Carhart-Harris Robin L , Williams Tim M , Sessa Ben , Tyacke Robin J , Rich Ann S , Feilding Amanda , Nutt David J
Published: April 2010

This study sought to assess the tolerability of intravenously administered psilocybin in healthy, hallucinogen-experienced volunteers in a mock-magnetic resonance imaging environment as a preliminary stage to a controlled investigation using functional magnetic resonance imaging to explore the effects of psilocybin on cerebral blood flow and activity. The present pilot study demonstrated that up to 2 mg of psilocybin delivered as a slow intravenous injection produces short-lived but typical drug effects that are psychologically and physiologically well tolerated. With appropriate care, this study supports the viability of functional magnetic resonance imaging work with psilocybin.
Iron Status in Children With Recurrent Episodes of Tumefactive Cerebral Demyelination
Authors: van Toorn Ronald , Schoeman Johan F. , Solomons Regan , Rensburg Megan A. , van Rensburg Susan J.
Published: April 2010

Iron is a vital element in the multifactorial initiation of myelination. It is required for cholesterol and lipid biosynthesis, both key components of myelin. Iron also plays an important role in energy production by mitochondrial oxidative metabolism which occurs in myelin-producing oligodentrocytes at a higher rate than in any other cell. Iron deficiency can, therefore, result in decreased oligodendrocyte survival and defective myelination. This led us to investigate iron status in 2 consecutive children with multiple sclerosis who presented with recurrent episodes of tumefactive demyelination. Testing revealed nonanemic iron deficiency in both patients. Discontinuation of iron supplementation in both children resulted in recurrent decreased iron parameters which can indicate mutations in proteins responsible for regulation of iron uptake. Further studies are warranted to explore the association of low iron in children presenting with recurrent episodes of tumefactive demyelination.
Face or Subjective Norm? Chinese College Students’ Purchase Behaviors Toward Foreign Brand Jeans
Authors: Jin Byoungho , Ji Hye Kang
Published: April 2010

To help U.S. apparel companies more successfully pursue market opportunities in China, this study aimed to systematically understand Chinese college students’ purchase behaviors toward foreign brand jeans. Considering Chinese value changes as a result of modernization and rapid economic growth, this study proposed a research model incorporating two extended Fishbein models, Lee’s modified Fishbein model and Ajzen’s theory of planned behavior. To test the research model, a total of 238 valid data sets were collected at two universities in Shanghai, China. Structural and measurement models were estimated using LISREL 8.80. Findings indicated that perceived behavioral control had the strongest direct influence on Chinese college students’ purchase intention of foreign brand jeans. Among social pressure factors, face-saving had a stronger impact on purchase intention than subjective norm did. Based on findings, theoretical and managerial implications were provided.
Organizational Identities and Their Economic Performance: An Analysis of U.S. Textile and Apparel Firms
Authors: Ha-Brookshire Jung E. , Sheng Lu
Published: April 2010

As the U.S. textile and apparel industries have globalized, firm activities within the industry have changed, impacting organizational identity. Given that organizational identity is a viable strategic element for organizational competitive advantages, this study explored how today’s U.S. textile and apparel firms describe themselves as organizations, compared the findings with business classification descriptions provided by the U.S. Census Bureau, and investigated the relationship between organizational identity congruence and performance. Results of content analysis of web-based communication data and multivariate statistical techniques suggested that the majority of U.S. textile and apparel manufacturers and wholesale merchants use self-descriptors such as product provider, service provider, or business partner, rather than Census Bureau terms such as manufacturers or wholesalers. The findings also showed that organizational identity congruence is positively associated with various organizational performance outcomes. The study concludes with the contributions and implications of the study findings, limitations, and future research opportunities.
Gang-Related Homicide Charging Decisions: The Implementation of a Specialized Prosecution Unit in Los Angeles
Authors: Pyrooz David C. , Wolfe Scott E. , Spohn Cassia
Published: April 2010

This study examines prosecutorial decisions to reject gang-related homicide charges. Focusing on a large, “traditional” gang jurisdiction—Los Angeles—the authors investigate the effect of victim, suspect, and incident characteristics on the likelihood of case rejection for 614 homicide suspects. The data were collected by the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office to evaluate Operation Hardcore, a specialized prosecution unit initiated to address the complexities of prosecuting violent gang-related crimes. These data, which captured decisions made in one of the nation’s largest district attorney’s offices, provide a unique glimpse into how a jurisdiction addressed the growing problem of gang violence. Overall, the results of this study shed light on how prosecutors charge gang-related homicides and how multiple victim cases—which potentially attract more public attention—may influence such decisions. Moreover, the findings also have implications for specialized prosecution units, as they were found to reduce the likelihood of case rejection. Policy implications and directions for future research are offered.
Prison Reform through Federal Legislative Intervention: The Case of the Prison Rape Elimination Act
Authors: Schuhmann Robert A. , Wodahl Eric J.
Published: April 2010

Inmates have long been considered one of the most politically disenfranchised groups in the United States. Not surprisingly, the well-being of the incarcerated has rarely been considered a high priority for federal policymakers. The passage of the Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003 (PREA), however, reveals that reform through traditional policy making channels is attainable. The passage of PREA has provided reformers with more than optimism. It provides a roadmap for future efforts to transform prison conditions through legislative intervention. This manuscript explores the lessons learned from PREA’s success by identifying the traditional barriers to federal legislative prison reform and examining how PREA was able to navigate these obstacles and secure passage without a single “no” vote in the U.S. Congress. Special attention is given to the important role of evangelicals in the passage of this legislation.
Succumbing to the Burden of Foreignness: A Social Constructionist Analysis of Australian Print Media Representations of Telstra CEO Sol Trujillo
Authors: Shields John , Harvey Arlene
Published: April 2010

Using a combination of social constructionism, dramaturgy, discourse analytic method, and share-price-based observation of trends in “market sentiment,” we examine the Australian print media’s discursive agency during Sol Trujillo’s 4-year (2005-2009) tenure as the U.S.-recruited chief executive officer of the largest Australian telecommunications firm, Telstra. Our analysis illustrates the dramaturgical frames, discursive shifts, and dominant culturally charged metaphors associated with five discernable acts in the Trujillo leadership drama: from a short-lived honeymoon; through a period of public conflict driven by national cultural stereotyping; to transient adjustment and recovery; to stalemate; and, finally, to cultural regression and departure. We find that Trujillo ultimately came to act out the stereotypical “foreignness” scripted for him by a hostile Australian media.
Leadership Development as Identity Construction
Authors: Carroll Brigid , Levy Lester
Published: April 2010

The authors seek to broaden the focus and orientation of social constructionism in leadership development. Previous research has predominantly concerned identity-orientated approaches focused on regulation as opposed to construction of identity. Social constructionism challenges us to view leadership participants as subjects and objects. Using the concept of a “space of action,” the authors focus on places in leadership development where identity work is visible, inducing different kinds of agency. Three different responses are analyzed, exploring their implications for leadership development. The authors propose the importance of three communicative responses in allowing alternative identity storylines to remain open and active. The authors support leadership development as a site, discourse, and series of practices that equips us to work with identity in fluid, dynamic, and plural ways.
Ambiguous Statutes and Judicial Deference To Federal Agencies
Authors: Wright John R.
Published: April 2010

The Supreme Court’s Chevron decision raises questions about why Congress passes ambiguous statutes and why courts defer to agencies rather than impose their own interpretations. This article presents a model of policymaking where the legislature chooses strategically between an ambiguous and explicit statute, and where rulemaking and judicial review follow. The analysis reveals that when statutes are ambiguous, judges gain few policy advantages by deciding strategically on the basis of their policy preferences as opposed to simply following Chevron precedent. The results shows that legislative policy entrepreneurs can frequently advance their policy interests more successfully with ambiguous than with explicit language.
Rural Development Framework of an NGO
Authors: Lalnilawma
Published: April 2010

The study was undertaken to test the viability of the rural development framework of Gratia Plena Social Action Centre (SAC-GP) using the systems model of evaluation research. SAC-GP is an NGO working in the province of Nueva Ecija, Philippines. Income level, employment level, diversification of livelihood activities, social cohesion, Christian values, perceptions of life conditions and services were tested as viability indicators. The rural development framework components of SAC-GP (areas of concern) identified included: strengthening Christian values, people empowerment, livelihood project establishment, health and nutrition programme and environmental preservation. The overall viability tests revealed that SAC-GP rural development framework was highly viable, implying that improvements have been made on socio-economic conditions of damayan groups within the last five years. The study recommends that NGOs such as SAC-GP be provided more funds for continuous technical and or credit assistance and other human resource development activities to allow creation of self-employment opportunities and increased diversification of livelihood activities for the rural poor.
Why Development Projects Fail in Cameroon
Authors: Agheneza Zipporah
Published: April 2010

The article examines the role of NGOs in helping women reduce poverty via development projects undertaken in the Ngie sub-division, Cameroon. Information was gathered using questionnaires, group meetings, farm visits and participant observation. The objectives of the study are to see how projects were executed and also to determine the extent to which the projects help villagers, particularly women, in alleviating poverty and hunger. The study reveals inefficiencies in the role of NGOs in achieving this objective. The study identifies the need for carefully outlined project objectives, good leadership, transparency, planning as well as a consultative process with full participation of the recipients as the key to strong project success.
Obstructive Uropathy Caused by Fecal Impaction: Report of 2 Cases and Discussion
Authors: Gonzalez Faustino
Published: April 2010

Constipation is a common problem in palliative care. In spite of the most vigilant protocol, some cases can fly under the radar and present in atypical fashion. We report 2 cases of fecal retention, which presented as acute renal failure. Our goal is to bring attention to this problem and briefly discuss the challenges associated with managing this common problem.
Vocational Interests and Career Goals: Development and Relations to Personality in Middle Adolescence
Authors: Hirschi Andreas
Published: April 2010

Cross-sectional research implies a close relation of vocation interests, goals, and traits, yet little is known about their reciprocal development over time. This longitudinal study examined development of Things/People (T/P) and Data/Ideas (D/I) vocational interests and career goals in relation to Big Five personality traits among 292 Swiss adolescents with a cross-lagged panel design with two measurement points over 1 year from seventh to eighth grade. Interests and goals were significantly related within time and showed significant interactions across time. Traits related significantly and equally to interests and goals within time and predicted their development across time except for T/P goals. Goals and interests possessed incremental validity above traits in affecting each other. Implications include the need to account for dynamic processes in the development of goals and interests and their systematic relation to traits in theory and practice.
Casting No Shadow: Assessing Vocational Overshadowing
Authors: Magee Ilene M. , Whiston Susan C.
Published: April 2010

Vocational overshadowing has been defined as an underemphasis on career concerns when personal problems coexist. This study explored whether vocational overshadowing occurred based on observers’ perception of the setting (i.e., either career counseling center or mental health counseling center). Clinicians in-training viewed an analogue counseling session in which the only difference between the two vignettes was whether the session was conducted in a career counseling center versus a mental health counseling agency. The participants then completed measures of the working alliance, evaluation of session process, and level of client’s neuroticism. Clinicians in-training perceived the working alliance, session factors (i.e., depth, smoothness, and arousal), and client’s level of neuroticism similarly, regardless of the setting of the session. The only slight difference was in the participants’ perceptions of the session conducted in a career center. Implications of these findings for research, practice, and education were discussed.
Development and Validation of the Family Influence Scale
Authors: Fouad Nadya A. , Cotter Elizabeth W. , Fitzpatrick Mary E. , Kantamneni Neeta , Carter Laura , Bernfeld Steve
Published: April 2010

This article describes the development and validation of the Family Influence Scale (FIS). The FIS is designed to assess perceptions of how one’s family of origin influences career and work choices. The purpose of Study 1 was to identify the domains of family influence. A 57-item scale was completed by a sample of 205 college students. Results supported a 32-item four-factor measure. The purpose of Study 2 was to refine the initial scale’s items and examine construct validity using a larger and more diverse sample (n = 537). Results supported a four-factor solution composed of the following sub-scales: Informational Support, Financial Support, Family Expectations, and Values/Beliefs. Findings also provided support for the internal consistency and construct validity of the scale.
Toward a Tripartite Model of Research Motivation: Development and Initial Validation of the Research Motivation Scale
Authors: Deemer Eric D. , Martens Matthew P. , Buboltz Walter C.
Published: April 2010

An instrument designed to measure a 3-factor model of research motivation was developed and psychometrically examined in the present research. Participants were 437 graduate students in biology, chemistry/biochemistry, physics/astronomy, and psychology. A principal components analysis supported the retention of 20 items representing the 3-factor structure. Intrinsic Reward explained 32.19% of the variance in the data, followed by Failure Avoidance (15.84%), and Extrinsic Reward (7.49%). A follow-up confirmatory factor analysis indicated that the 3-factor model provided a better fit to the data than competing 1-, 2-, and 4-factor models. A nomological network of relations with academic achievement motivation, fear of failure, behavioral activation/inhibition sensitivity, and other constructs also revealed support for the measure’s convergent and discriminant validity. Implications for theory and research in the achievement motivation and career development domains are discussed.
Payment for Environmental Services in the Amazon Forest: How Can Conservation and Development Be Reconciled?
Authors: Couto Pereira Simone Novotny
Published: April 2010

Two payment for environmental services programs in the Amazon, namely, Noel Kempff Mercado Climate Action Project in Bolivia and Bolsa Floresta Program in Brazil, have been pioneering initiatives to demonstrate the ability to encourage forest conservation through market mechanisms involving direct payments for avoiding deforestation. This article argues that (a) to be effective in the long-run, programs have to consider the needs and priorities of forest dwellers, which are indeed beyond market-based incentives; (b) a win-win discourse combining forest conservation and poverty alleviation through provision of PES may hide vested interests of developed countries’ institutions and developing countries’ elites. Proving the workability of these types of activities and their quantification for emissions credit will be critical for the launching of reducing emissions from deforestation and degradation (REDD) in the context of a future climate agreement.
Do Pacemakers Drive the Central Pattern Generator for Locomotion in Mammals?
Authors: Brocard Frédéric , Tazerart Sabrina , Vinay Laurent
Published: April 2010

Locomotor disorders profoundly impact quality of life of patients with spinal cord injury. Understanding the neuronal networks responsible for locomotion remains a major challenge for neuroscientists and a fundamental prerequisite to overcome motor deficits. Although neuronal circuitry governing swimming activities in lower vertebrates has been studied in great details, determinants of walking activities in mammals remain elusive. The manuscript reviews some of the principles relevant to the functional organization of the mammalian locomotor network and mainly focuses on mechanisms involved in rhythmogenesis. Based on recent publications supplemented with new experimental data, the authors will specifically discuss a new working hypothesis in which pacemakers, cells characterized by inherent oscillatory properties, might be functionally integrated in the locomotor network in mammals.
The Spine Apparatus, Synaptopodin, and Dendritic Spine Plasticity
Authors: Segal Menahem , Vlachos Andreas , Korkotian Eduard
Published: April 2010

The spine apparatus (SA) is an essential component of mature dendritic spines of cortical and hippocampal neurons, yet its functions are still enigmatic. Synaptopodin (SP), an actin-binding protein, colocalizes with the SA. Hippocampal neurons in SP-knockout mice lack SA, and they express lower LTP. SP probably plays a role in synaptic plasticity, but only recently it is being linked mechanistically to synaptic functions. These authors and others have studied endogenous and transfected SP in dendritic spines of cultured hippocampal neurons. They found that spines containing SP generate twice as large responses to flash photolysis of caged glutamate than SP-negative ones. An N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor—mediated chemical LTP caused accumulation of GFP-GluR1 in spine heads of control but not of shRNA transfected, SP-deficient neurons. SP is linked to calcium stores, because their pharmacological blockade eliminated SP-related enhancement of glutamate responses. Furthermore, release of calcium from stores produces an SP-dependent delivery of GluR1 into spines. Thus, SP plays a crucial role in the calcium store-associated ability of neurons to undergo long-term plasticity.
Matrix Metalloproteinases and Neurotrauma: Evolving Roles in Injury and Reparative Processes
Authors: Zhang Haoqian , Adwanikar Hita , Werb Zena , Noble-Haeusslein Linda J.
Published: April 2010

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are involved in a wide range of proteolytic events in fetal development and normal tissue remodeling as well as wound healing and inflammation. In the CNS, they have been implicated in a variety of neurodegenerative diseases ranging from multiple sclerosis to Alzheimer disease and are integral to stroke-related cell damage. Although studies implicate increased activity of MMPs in pathogenesis in the CNS, there is also a growing literature to support their participation in events that support recovery processes. Here the authors provide a brief overview of MMPs and their regulation, address their complex roles following traumatic injuries to the adult and developing CNS, and consider their time- and context-dependent signatures that influence both injury and reparative processes.
Nonlinear Analysis of MEMS Electrostatic Microactuators: Primary and Secondary Resonances of the First Mode*
Authors: Najar F. , Nayfeh A.H. , Abdel-Rahman E.M. , Choura S. , El-Borgi S.
Published: April 2010

We use a discretization technique that combines the differential quadrature method (DQM) and the finite difference method (FDM) for the space and time, respectively, to study the dynamic behavior of a microbeam-based electrostatic microactuator. The adopted mathematical model based on the Euler— Bernoulli beam theory accounts for the system nonlinearities due to mid-plane stretching and electrostatic force. The nonlinear algebraic system obtained by the DQM—FDM is used to investigate the limit-cycle solutions of the microactuator. The stability of these solutions is ascertained using Floquet theory and/or long-time integration. The method is applied for large excitation amplitudes and large quality factors for primary and secondary resonances of the first mode in case of hardening-type and softening-type behaviors. We show that the combined DQM—FDM technique improves convergence of the dynamic solutions. We identify primary, subharmonic, and superharmonic resonances of the microactuator. We observe the occurrence of dynamic pull-in due to subharmonic and superharmonic resonances as the excitation amplitude is increased. Simultaneous resonances of the first and higher modes are identified for large orbits in both primary and secondary resonances.