bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Anterior apical biopsy: Is it useful for prostate cancer detection?
Authors: Orikasa Kazuhiko , Ito Akihiro , Ishidoya Shigeto , Saito Seiichi , Endo Mareyuki , Arai Yoichi
Published: July 2008

Objectives:  To evaluate the utility of a 12‐core prostate biopsy protocol including apical anterior peripheral zone (AAPZ) cores.

Methods:  Between February 2002 and October 2006, 10‐core and 12‐core initial transrectal prostate biopsies were performed on 164 and 549 men, respectively. Two AAPZ‐directed biopsies were included in the 12‐core biopsy. During the same period, 12‐core repeat biopsies including six AAPZ sites were performed on 118 men.

Results:  Cancer was found in 66 cases (40.2%) in the 10‐core biopsy group and in 252 (45.9%) in the 12‐core biopsy group. In this latter group, 13 (5.2%) of the 252 men with positive biopsy had cancer exclusively in the AAPZ cores. When the cancer detection rate at initial biopsy in AAPZ alone was compared according to the digital rectal examination (DRE) findings, it was significantly higher in men with normal rather than abnormal DRE: 12/250 (3.4%) vs 1/185 (0.5%) (P < 0.01). In repeat 12‐core biopsies, cancer was detected in 25 (21.2%) men and 9 of them (36.0%) had cancer exclusively in the AAPZ cores. The cancer detection rate from AAPZ sites was significantly higher in repeat biopsy than that in initial biopsy (P < 0.01).

Conclusions:  Addition of the AAPZ site‐directed biopsy had greater utility in men with normal DRE and particularly in patients with a prior negative biopsy.
Staining characteristics of p16INK4a: Is there a correlation with lesion grade or high‐risk human papilloma virus positivity?
Authors: Ozgul Nejat , Cil Aylin P. , Bozdayi Gulendam , Usubutun Alp , Bulbul Dilek , Rota Seyyar , Kose M. Faruk , Biri Aydan , Haberal Ali
Published: July 2008

Aim:  The aims of this study were to evaluate the efficiency of p16INK4a in showing cervical lesions and to determine any relationship between lesion grade and high‐risk human papilloma virus (HR‐HPV) infection and p16INK4a staining characteristics.

Methods:  Immunohistochemical analysis of p16INK4a was performed on 13 low‐grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSIL), 22 high‐grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL), 23 squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and 25 normal tissue samples. The distribution, staining pattern and intensity of p16INK4a expression were assessed and correlated with HR‐HPV positivity determined by real‐time polymerase chain reaction.

Results:  All HSIL and SCC cases, but only 46.2% of LSIL cases, were positive for p16INK4a. Although positive staining of p16INK4a in showing HR‐HPV‐positive lesions was statistically significant (P = 0.000), we could not find a significant correlation for distribution (P = 0.319), staining pattern (P = 0.057) or intensity (P = 0.057) of p16INK4a in showing HR‐HPV in cervical epithelium. These parameters were correlated only with the increasing grade of the lesion (P = 0.000).

Conclusions:  p16INK4a is a highly sensitive marker of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and cervical cancer. There is a good correlation between p16INK4a expression and cervical lesion grade and HR‐HPV positivity. The distribution, staining pattern and intensity of this marker are significantly correlated with the increasing grade of cervical lesions, suggesting that diffuse distribution, full thickness staining pattern and strong intensity of this marker are highly supportive of HSIL and cervical cancer, while focal distribution, scattered/basal staining pattern and weak intensity suggest LSIL. However, these parameters are not correlated with HR‐HPV status in cervical lesions.
Prognostic factors in endometrial carcinoma
Authors: Uharček Peter
Published: July 2008

Endometrial carcinoma is the most common malignancy of the female genital tract in industrialized countries, and occurs predominantly after the menopause. Although most endometrial carcinomas are detected at low stage, there is still a significant mortality from the disease. In postmenopausal women, prolonged life expectancy, changes in reproductive behavior and prevalence of overweight and obesity, as well as hormone replacement therapy use, may partially account for the observed increases of incidence rates in some countries. In order to improve treatment and follow‐up of endometrial carcinoma patients, the importance of various prognostic factors has been extensively studied. The identification of high‐risk groups would make it possible to avoid unnecessary adjuvant treatment among patients with a good prognosis. Over the past few decades, several studies have demonstrated the prognostic importance of different parameters including lymph node status, histological type of carcinoma (serous carcinoma and clear cell carcinomas are poor prognostic types), histological grade, stage of disease, depth of myometrial invasion, lymphovascular space involvement and cervical involvement. Other factors currently being investigated are estrogen and progesterone receptor status, p53 status, flow cytometric analysis for ploidy and S‐phase fraction, and oncogenes such as HER‐2/neu (c‐erbB‐2).
Laparoscopic proximal tubal division can preserve ovarian reserve for infertility patients with hydrosalpinges
Authors: Nakagawa Koji , Ohgi Shirei , Nakashima Akira , Horikawa Takashi , Irahara Minoru , Saito Hidekazu
Published: July 2008

Aim:  To investigate whether laparoscopic proximal tubal division for the treatment of hydrosalpinges could preserve ovarian function.

Methods:  From June 2002 to October 2006, before assisted reproductive treatment (ART), a total of 17 infertile patients with bilateral hydrosalpinges were studied – 11 patients underwent laparoscopic proximal tubal division (PTD group), and six underwent laparoscopic salpingectomy (salpingectomy group). In both groups, the basal follicle‐stimulating hormone (FSH) values before and after surgery, the operation time and outcome of ART treatment were retrospectively evaluated.

Results:  The mean FSH value before laparoscopic PTD was similar to that after surgery. The FSH value before laparoscopic salpingectomy significantly increased after surgery (6.8 ± 1.1 vs 14.1 ± 9.3). The operation time in the PTD group was significantly shorter than in the salpingectomy group. The outcomes of ART were similar in both groups. The pregnancy rate per patient in the PTD and salpingectomy groups were 45.5% and 50%, respectively.

Conclusions:  Laparoscopic proximal tubal division preserved ovarian function and was an optimal operation method for infertility patients with hydrosalpinges. The basal FSH values after laparoscopic proximal tubal division were comparable to those before surgery.
Oxidative stress and inflammatory markers in normal pregnancy and preeclampsia
Authors: Bernardi Fabiana , Guolo Francieli , Bortolin Thaize , Petronilho Fabricia , Dal‐Pizzol Felipe
Published: July 2008

Aim:  Although previous investigators have demonstrated the presence of oxidative stress and inflammation in preeclampsia, none directly correlate both to preeclampsia.

Methods:  We determined in 35 preeclamptic and 35 normotensive pregnant women plasma levels of thiobarbituric acid reactive species, protein carbonyl, tumour necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α), interleukin‐1β (IL‐1β), IL‐6 and IL‐10.

Results:  Plasma thiobarbituric acid reactive species and protein carbonyls were higher in preeclamptic patients. TNF‐α and IL‐6 (but not IL‐1β or IL‐10) were higher in preeclamptic patients. We found significant correlation between plasma IL‐6 and carbonyls, and these correlated to blood pressure.

Conclusions:  We demonstrated that some oxidative and inflammatory mediators were altered in preeclampsia, and some correlated to blood pressure.
A new technique using a rubber balloon in emergency second trimester cerclage for fetal membrane prolapse
Authors: Kanai Makoto , Ashida Takashi , Ohira Satoshi , Osada Ryosuke , Konishi Ikuo
Published: July 2008

Aim:  Prolongation of pregnancy in cases of fetal membrane prolapse into the vagina during the second trimester is difficult using conservative therapy. After pushing the membranes back into the cervix, emergency cervical cerclage may be advantageous in improving the neonatal outcome. We have been managing membrane repositioning and emergency cervical cerclage with a technique using a rubber balloon device (known as a ‘mini metreu’ in Japan), and we examined the efficacy of this technique in five cases.

Methods:  Our management was as follows: Initially, the full bladder technique was attempted under general anesthesia. If this was not effective, amnioreduction was performed by transabdominal amniocentesis. After the membrane repositioning using a mini metreu, double suture cervical cerclage (McDonald method + Shirodkar method) was performed.

Results:  The diameter of the bulging prolapsed membranes ranged from 30–84 mm, with a mean of 52 mm. Cerclage was successfully performed in all of the five cases. Prolongation of the pregnancy period was from 22–107 days (average; 77.6 ± 28.9 days). In cases 1–4, healthy newborns were delivered, but in case 5 sudden intrauterine fetal death due to umbilical cord complications occurred at 24 weeks of gestation.

Conclusion:  It appears that long‐term prolongation of pregnancy is possible, when performing membrane repositioning using the mini metreu and emergency cervical cerclage for fetal membrane prolapse into the vagina.
Interpregnancy interval and subsequent perinatal outcomes among women delaying initiation of childbearing
Authors: Nabukera Sarah K. , Wingate Martha S. , Kirby Russell S. , Owen John , Swaminathan Shailender , Alexander Greg R. , Salihu Hamisu M.
Published: July 2008

Aim:  While delayed initiation of childbearing is associated with adverse perinatal outcomes, whether or not risk persists and whether interpregnancy interval (IPI) affects the subsequent pregnancy remains unclear.

Objectives:  To examine second‐pregnancy perinatal outcomes for women initiating childbearing age ≥30 compared to those initiating childbearing aged 20–29, specifically examining the distribution of adverse perinatal outcomes, and their associations with the interpregnancy interval.

Methods:  Retrospective cohort study using the Missouri maternally linked files 1978–1997. Perinatal outcomes included fetal death, low birthweight, preterm birth and small‐for‐gestational age. Predictor variables included maternal age at first pregnancy and IPI between the first and second pregnancy.

Results:  With an increasing maternal age at first pregnancy, rates of very low birthweight (P = 0.0095), preterm delivery (P = 0.0126), moderately preterm (P = 0.0458), and extremely preterm (P = 0.0008) in the second pregnancy increased, while the rate of small‐for‐gestational age (P < 0.0001) declined. Interpregnancy intervals <6 and ≥60 months were associated with a higher rate of adverse outcomes after controlling for maternal age at first pregnancy. Intervals of 12–17 months had the lowest rate of adverse outcomes for mothers 35+. Maternal age ≥35 years at first pregnancy and IPI <6 months were independent risk factors for an adverse outcome in the second pregnancy, however no statistical interaction between these factors was observed.

Conclusion:  Delayed initiation of childbearing is associated with a persistent risk of adverse perinatal outcomes in the second pregnancy, with a short IPI contributing to this risk. As numbers of women delaying childbearing beyond age 30 increase, providers should consider these risks in counseling women about their reproductive plans.
Study of the regulation of the endocannabinoid system in a virus model of multiple sclerosis reveals a therapeutic effect of palmitoylethanolamide
Authors: Loría Frida , Petrosino Stefania , Mestre Leyre , Spagnolo Alessandra , Correa Fernando , Hernangómez Miriam , Guaza Carmen , Di Marzo Vincenzo , Docagne Fabian
Published: July 2008

Cannabinoids have recently been approved as a treatment for pain in multiple sclerosis (MS). Increasing evidence from animal studies suggests that this class of compounds could also prove efficient to fight neurodegeneration, demyelination, inflammation and autoimmune processes occurring in this pathology. However, the use of cannabinoids is limited by their psychoactive effects. In this context, potentiation of the endogenous cannabinoid signalling could represent a substitute to the use of exogenously administrated cannabinoid ligands. Here, we studied the expression of different elements of the endocannabinoid system in a chronic model of MS in mice. We first studied the expression of the two cannabinoid receptors, CB1 and CB2, as well as the putative intracellular cannabinoid receptor peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor‐α. We observed an upregulation of CB2, correlated to the production of proinflammatory cytokines, at 60 days after the onset of the MS model. At this time, the levels of the endocannabinoid, 2‐arachidonoylglycerol, and of the anti‐inflammatory anandamide congener, palmithoylethanolamide, were enhanced, without changes in the levels of anandamide. These changes were not due to differences in the expression of the degradation enzymes, fatty acid amide hydrolase and monoacylglycerol lipase, or of biosynthetic enzymes, diacylglycerol lipase‐α and N‐acylphosphatidylethanolamine phospholipase‐D at this time (60 days). Finally, the exogenous administration of palmitoylethanolamide resulted in a reduction of motor disability in the animals subjected to this model of MS, accompanied by an anti‐inflammatory effect. This study overall highlights the potential therapeutic effects of endocannabinoids in MS.
FRAMING ROBERT AGGAS: THE PAINTER–STAINERS' COMPANY AND THE ‘ENGLISH SCHOOL OF PAINTERS’
Authors: JOHNS RICHARD
Published: July 2008

Drawing on unpublished archival material, this essay offers a new understanding of London's Painter–Stainers' Company during the second half of the seventeenth century. Beginning and ending with a discussion of the English painter Robert Aggas, whose Landscape at Sunset became the centrepiece of an ambitious display of paintings within the Painter–Stainers' Hall, the essay identifies the Company as a vital presence within the cultural economy of the early modern capital. A reassessment of the Company's attitude towards overseas painters during the later 1600s points to the cosmopolitan make‐up of the self‐styled ‘English school’ of painting, first chronicled in Bainbrigg Buckeridge's influential An Essay towards an English School of Painters (1706).
LACK OF FIT: TACITA DEAN, MODERNISM AND THE SCULPTURAL FILM
Authors: TRODD TAMARA
Published: July 2008

In this paper I examine the continuing legacies of the ‘sculptural film’ for contemporary projected‐image work, and consider what is at stake in the shift to which it bears witness, from the material object as model for film, to an explicit – if frequently ruined and derelict – space of projection. The importance of this history is examined through discussion of recent projected‐image work by Tacita Dean, notable because in almost every case it is explicitly structured around the camera's exploration of some found physical structure. Modernist uses of the sculptural film – represented, in different ways, in works by László Moholy‐Nagy and Richard Serra – are importantly transformed in Dean's work, which draws also on Robert Smithson's earlier reconfiguration of the sculptural and the filmic.
Effects of multimedia on cognitive load, self‐efficacy, and multiple rule‐based problem solving
Authors: Zheng Robert , McAlack Matthew , Wilmes Barbara , Kohler‐Evans Patty , Williamson Jacquee
Published: July 2008

This study investigates effects of multimedia on cognitive load, self‐efficacy and learners’ ability to solve multiple rule‐based problems. Two hundred twenty‐two college students were randomly assigned to interactive and non‐interactive multimedia groups. Based on Engelkamp's multimodal theory, the present study investigates the role of multimedia in multiple rule‐based problem solving. The findings indicate that providing learners with manipulative function in multimedia would facilitate their problem solving through reduced cognitive load and improved self‐efficacy. The study identifies a significant mediator effect for self‐efficacy that mediates between multimedia and learners’ problem solving. Discussion focuses on the effects of multimedia and self‐efficacy on learners’ performance in multiple rule‐based problem solving. Suggestions are made with regard to the design of problem solving in future studies.
Evaluating the quality of e‐learning at the degree level in the student experience of blended learning
Authors: Ginns Paul , Ellis Rob A.
Published: July 2008

This paper reports on the development of a scale for determining the quality of the student e‐learning experience at the degree level when the student learning context is predominately a campus‐based experience. Rapid developments in the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) in higher education require methods for evaluating the contribution of such tools to student learning, especially when they are complementing a face‐to‐face experience. We examine the psychometric functioning of a proposed e‐learning scale in relation to a well‐validated degree‐level teaching evaluation instrument, the Student Course Experience Questionnaire. The e‐learning scale has suitable reliability and validity in the present sample of undergraduate students for quality assurance activities around ICT.
The Legitimacy of Pay and Performance Comparisons: An Analysis of UK University Vice Chancellors Pay Awards
Authors: Tarbert Heather , Tee Kaihong , Watson Robert
Published: July 2008

This article examines UK University Vice Chancellors (VC) pay awards. The empirical analysis, covering the period 1997–2002, evaluates the impact upon VC pay awards of university performance measures, internal pay comparisons and two external pay comparisons, that is, the pay of other VCs and the pay of chief executive officers (CEOs) leading comparable‐sized UK firms. For the total sample, we find no evidence that VC pay awards are related to any of the performance measures, although for the pre‐ and post‐1992 subsamples there is some evidence that pay awards are related to some ‘mission‐relevant’ performance measures. All the analyses show a positive relationship between changes in the proportion of other highly paid employees and VC pay awards, which suggests that internal pay comparisons play an important role in remuneration committee decision making. As anticipated, the two external pay benchmarks have very different effects upon VC pay awards; the pay received by other VCs produces a marked ‘mean reversion’ in pay levels while the pay of CEOs running comparable‐sized UK firms had a highly significant positive impact upon VC pay awards. Following the insights of institutional theory, we interpret this conservatism by university remuneration committees as stemming primarily from legitimation concerns rather than financial constraints.
A qualitative study of inter‐organizational knowledge management in complex products and systems development
Authors: Ngai Eric W.T. , Jin Chen , Liang Tong
Published: July 2008

Much research has recognized that cross‐disciplinary knowledge inputs are necessary to successful product innovation, particularly in complex products and systems (CoPS) development. This paper focuses on developing an exploratory framework for studying how an inter‐organizational knowledge management (KM) approach affects the development of CoPS, and exploring how inter‐organizational collaboration affects KM within a CoPS context. Based on a review of the literature and in‐depth case studies, this paper puts forward some propositions and develops an integrated conceptual model showing the link between the dimensions of inter‐organizational KM and the performance of CoPS development. Finally, the implications of the proposed model for inter‐organizational KM in a CoPS environment are discussed.
Analyzing the determinants of firm's absorptive capacity: beyond R&D
Authors: Vega‐Jurado Jaider , Gutiérrez‐Gracia Antonio , Fernández‐de‐Lucio Ignacio
Published: July 2008

This article proposes a new model for analyzing the determinants of absorptive capacity in companies. We suggest that absorptive capacity is determined not only by research and development activities, but also by a set of internal factors, which we group into three basic categories: organizational knowledge, formalization, and social integration mechanisms. In addition, we suggest that these factors may influence all components of the firm's absorptive capacity, and that the influence can be positive or negative depending on the applicability of the knowledge being absorbed. This paper thus advances the understanding of absorptive capacity by exploring a largely ignored aspect in the literature: the role of knowledge attributes. We show how the model can be operationalized and empirically tested and provide preliminary evidence supporting most of the propositions in the analytical model.
Understanding the dynamics between preterm infants and their families
Authors: CHESNEY ANNA R. , CHAMPION PATRICIA R.
Published: July 2008

The high‐tech environment of the Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) may seem a million miles away from the classroom, but the baby who has been born prematurely, wired up in an incubator in the former, will in five years' time be a learner in the other. The journeys through our education system of children who have survived premature birth to become learners are causing teachers, psychologists, therapists and carers to explore innovative learning pathways, new psychological and therapeutic interventions, and creative care approaches to meet their needs.

While much is known about the serious physical and sensory problems of preterm babies, less is known about their psychological, educational and socio‐emotional difficulties. This article attempts to identify key targets for holistic intervention with families of premature infants. An approach used at the Champion Early Intervention Centre (Burwood Hospital, Christchurch, New Zealand) is described, from which practitioners of school‐aged children can draw teaching and learning implications.
Vulnerable children of mentally ill parents: towards evidence‐based support for improving resilience
Authors: PRETIS MANFRED , DIMOVA ALEKSANDRA
Published: July 2008

The increasing prevalence of mental illness among parents always represents a stressor affecting the biopsychosocial development of a child. However, due to varying inherent resilience factors, not all children are affected to the same extent. The presence of evidence‐based resilience factors is able to minimise or prevent the adverse effects associated with the parental disorder. Fostering an attachment to a healthy adult – including professionals in the social field – and providing information about the disorder are regarded as two important preventive factors. The need for specific individualised intervention programmes for this group of forgotten children is highlighted, and a specific method of assessment is presented.
SPATIAL HEDONIC MODELS OF AIRPORT NOISE, PROXIMITY, AND HOUSING PRICES*
Authors: Cohen Jeffrey P. , Coughlin Cletus C.
Published: July 2008

ABSTRACT Despite the refrain that housing prices are determined by “location, location, and location,” few studies of airport noise and housing prices have incorporated spatial econometric techniques. We compare various spatial econometric models and estimation methods in a hedonic price framework to examine the impact of noise on 2003 housing prices near the Atlanta airport. Spatial effects are best captured by a model including both spatial autocorrelation and autoregressive parameters estimated by a generalized moments approach. In our preferred model, houses located in an area in which noise disrupts normal activities (defined by a day–night sound level of 70–75 decibels) sell for 20.8 percent less than houses located where noise does not disrupt normal activities (defined by a day–night sound level below 65 decibels). The inclusion of spatial effects magnifies the negative price impacts of airport noise. Finally, after controlling for noise, houses farther from the airport sell for less; the price elasticity with respect to distance is −0.15, implying that airport proximity is an amenity.
A Re-Evaluation of Random-Effects Meta-Analysis
Authors: Higgins Julian P. T. , Thompson Simon G. , Spiegelhalter David J.
Published: July 2008

Meta-analysis in the presence of unexplained heterogeneity is frequently undertaken by using a random-effects model, in which the effects underlying different studies are assumed to be drawn from a normal distribution. Here we discuss the justification and interpretation of such models, by addressing in turn the aims of estimation, prediction and hypothesis testing. A particular issue that we consider is the distinction between inference on the mean of the random-effects distribution and inference on the whole distribution. We suggest that random-effects meta-analyses as currently conducted often fail to provide the key results, and we investigate the extent to which distribution-free, classical and Bayesian approaches can provide satisfactory methods. We conclude that the Bayesian approach has the advantage of naturally allowing for full uncertainty, especially for prediction. However, it is not without problems, including computational intensity and sensitivity to a priori judgements. We propose a simple prediction interval for classical meta-analysis and offer extensions to standard practice of Bayesian meta-analysis, making use of an example of studies of ‘set shifting’ ability in people with eating disorders.
A Family of Measures to Evaluate Scale Reliability in a Longitudinal Setting
Authors: Laenen Annouschka , Alonso Ariel , Molenberghs Geert , Vangeneugden Tony
Published: July 2008

The concept of reliability denotes one of the most important psychometric properties of a measurement scale. Reliability refers to the capacity of the scale to discriminate between subjects in a given population. In classical test theory, it is often estimated by using the intraclass correlation coefficient based on two replicate measurements. However, the modelling framework that is used in this theory is often too narrow when applied in practical situations. Generalizability theory has extended reliability theory to a much broader framework but is confronted with some limitations when applied in a longitudinal setting. We explore how the definition of reliability can be generalized to a setting where subjects are measured repeatedly over time. On the basis of four defining properties for the concept of reliability, we propose a family of reliability measures which circumscribes the area in which reliability measures should be sought. It is shown how different members assess different aspects of the problem and that the reliability of the instrument can depend on the way that it is used. The methodology is motivated by and illustrated on data from a clinical study on schizophrenia. On the basis of this study, we estimate and compare the reliabilities of two different rating scales to evaluate the severity of the disorder.
Forecasting Murder Within a Population of Probationers and Parolees: A High Stakes Application of Statistical Learning
Authors: Berk Richard , Sherman Lawrence , Barnes Geoffrey , Kurtz Ellen , Ahlman Lindsay
Published: July 2008

Forecasts of future dangerousness are often used to inform the sentencing decisions of convicted offenders. For individuals who are sentenced to probation or paroled to community supervision, such forecasts affect the conditions under which they are to be supervised. The statistical criterion for these forecasts is commonly called recidivism, which is defined as a charge or conviction for any new offence, no matter how minor. Only rarely do such forecasts make distinctions on the basis of the seriousness of offences. Yet seriousness may be central to public concerns, and judges are increasingly required by law and sentencing guidelines to make assessments of seriousness. At the very least, information about seriousness is essential for allocating scarce resources for community supervision of convicted offenders. The paper focuses only on murderous conduct by individuals on probation or parole. Using data on a population of over 60000 cases from Philadelphia’s Adult Probation and Parole Department, we forecast whether each offender will be charged with a homicide or attempted homicide within 2 years of beginning community supervision. We use a statistical learning approach that makes no assumptions about how predictors are related to the outcome. We also build in the costs of false negative and false positive charges and use half of the data to build the forecasting model, and the other half of the data to evaluate the quality of the forecasts. Forecasts that are based on this approach offer the possibility of concentrating rehabilitation, treatment and surveillance resources on a small subset of convicted offenders who may be in greatest need, and who pose the greatest risk to society.
‘Because I need somewhere to vent’: the expression of conflict through work blogs
Authors: Richards James
Published: July 2008

Employee resistance has traditionally been analysed as an activity that occurs in the work organisation. In recent years, new Internet communication technologies, such as blogs, have expanded the possibilities for employees to express conflict. This paper explores how these developments can add to our understandings of employee resistance to the labour process.
Examination of static and 50 Hz electric field effects on tissues by using a hybrid genetic algorithm and neural network
Authors: Hardalaç Fιrat , Güler Göknur
Published: July 2008

Abstract:The effects of electric fields on tissue are the main subject of many investigations. The importance of this subject comes from the electrical properties of the cell membrane and its sensitivity to changes in electrical conditions. Permeability of membranes to various ions can change by the effect of an electric field depending on their conductivity. The performances of cells and tissues change due to differences between the membrane's permeability to various ions and molecules. The aim of this study was to determine lipid peroxidation and superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels in spleen and testis tissues exposed to different intensities and exposure periods of static and 50 Hz alternating electric fields. The increase in SOD and thiobarbituric acid reactive substance levels of spleen and testis tissues was found to depend significantly on the type of electric field and the exposure period. The experimental results are applied to a hybrid genetic algorithm and neural network as learning data and the training of the feedforward neural network is realized. At the end of this training, without applying electric field to tissues, the determination of the effects of the electric field on tissues by using a computer is predicted by the neural network. After the experiments, the prediction of the hybrid genetic algorithm and neural network approach is on average 99.25%–99.99%.
Gender, Pay and Work Satisfaction at a UK University
Authors: Smith Maria
Published: July 2008

This article examines a modern, former polytechnic granted the status of university in 1992, to illustrate the state gender pay gap in the UK and suggests that to talk of the state pay gap is too simplistic as it does not take into account variations in the size of the pay gap in different job grades. The article also examines satisfaction levels with pay for two groups of staff, administrative and academic and shows how satisfaction with pay, promotion and conditions also varies between the grades. Previous research that concluded that women are more satisfied with their pay than men is, again, too simplistic as it does not consider the affect of staff grade. The article argues that there is a link between the size of the pay gap, staff grade, occupational gender segregation and expressing dissatisfaction.
Equal Opportunities Policies in English Schools: Towards Greater Gender Equality in the Teaching Workforce?
Authors: Moreau Marie‐Pierre , Osgood Jayne , Halsall Anna
Published: July 2008

The under‐representation of women in promoted posts is one particular pattern of occupational segregation by gender across post‐industrial societies. This phenomenon also characterizes those professions which have been described as ‘women‐friendly’, such as teaching. The development of national and European legislation and recommendations on equal opportunities reflects this concern to address the gender imbalance among the workforce. But do schools identify women's under‐representation in promoted posts as an issue? To what extent do school's policies recognize and remedy the gender imbalance at managerial level? To answer these questions this article draws on a study of women teachers' careers in nursery, primary and secondary education in England. It shows that school equal opportunities policy statements widely ignore the under‐representation of women in school managerial positions. It suggests that the constructions of gender issues in schools by those in charge of designing and implementing school policies, that is, head‐teachers and governors, represent a key hindering factor for equal opportunities policies to contribute to greater gender equality. A major argument in the article is that because head‐teachers' and governors' discourses do not always fundamentally challenge the position of women in society, school policies and practices can offer only a limited contribution to gender equality.
How Women Engineers Do and Undo Gender: Consequences for Gender Equality
Authors: Powell Abigail , Bagilhole Barbara , Dainty Andrew
Published: July 2008

The image of engineering as a masculine profession has reproduced the perception that engineering is unsuitable for women. While various strategies have been used to try to increase the number of women entering engineering education and employment, their success has been limited. At the same time it has been argued that the way gender is ‘done’ in work can help diminish or increase inequality between the sexes. Using empirical research exploring women engineering students’ workplace experiences, this article considers how gender performance explains their behaviour and attitudes. Butler implied that doing gender can result in our being ‘undone’. This was specifically found to be the case for the women students in this study, who performed their gender in a particular way in order to gain male acceptance. In doing this they utilized certain coping strategies: acting like one of the boys, accepting gender discrimination, achieving a reputation, seeing the advantages over the disadvantages and adopting an ‘anti‐woman’ approach. These strategies are part of women's enculturation and professionalization in engineering, yet they also fail to value femaleness. In ‘doing’ engineering, women often ‘undo’ their gender. Such gender performance does nothing to challenge the gendered culture of engineering, and in many ways contributes to maintaining an environment that is hostile to women.
Natural‐gradient tracer experiments in epikarst: a test study in the Acqua dei Faggi experimental site, southern Italy
Authors: PETRELLA E. , FALASCA A. , CELICO F.
Published: July 2008

Two natural‐gradient tracer experiments were carried out using borehole fluorometers in order to characterize the internal structure of epikarstic horizons and analyze subsurface flow within these high‐conductivity layers. The experiments were carried out in a test site in southern Italy where the epikarst is made up of an upper part with pervasive karstification and a lower part without pervasive karstification. Injection and observation boreholes were 6.9 m apart. An initial experiment demonstrated that wider (conduits) and narrower (fractures and bedding planes) openings coexist in a well‐connected network within the lower epikarst. The adjusted aperture of the opening network (105 μm) suggests that conduits are subordinately developed. The lower epikarstic horizon is hydraulically similar to granular porous media and Darcy’s law can be applied to describe groundwater flow. A small value of longitudinal dispersivity (0.13 m) shows that variations in the velocity field in the direction of flow are less significant than those typical of carbonate systems at the same experiment scale. A second experiment demonstrated that longitudinal dispersivity (2.42 m) in the upper epikarst is in agreement with findings in other carbonates at the same experiment scale. However, despite the higher dispersivity and more pervasive karstification, the mean tracer velocity (3.7 m day−1) in the upper epikarst is slightly lower than the velocity in the lower epikarst (13.6 m day−1).
Intrinsic ruminal innervation in ruminants of different feeding types
Authors: Münnich Juliane , Gäbel Gotthold , Pfannkuche Helga
Published: July 2008

According to their feeding habits, ruminants can be classified as grazers, concentrate selectors and those of intermediate type. The different feeding types are reflected in distinct anatomical properties of the forestomachs. The present study was designed to investigate whether the intrinsic innervation patterns of the rumen (the main part of the forestomach) differ between intermediate types and grazers. Myenteric plexus preparations from the rumen of goats (intermediate type), fallow deer (intermediate type), cattle (grazer) and sheep (grazer) were analysed by immunohistochemical detection of the following antigens: Hu‐protein (HuC/D), choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), nitric oxide synthase (NOS), vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), neuropeptide Y (NPY), substance P (SP), calbindin (CALB) and somatostatin (SOM). Myenteric ganglia of cattle contained 73 ± 6 neurons per ganglion, whereas the ganglia of sheep were significantly smaller (45 ± 18 neurons per ganglion). The ganglion density of the myenteric plexus was highest in fallow deer (15 ± 3 ganglia per cm2) and lowest in cattle (6 ± 1 ganglia per cm2). All myenteric neurons were either ChAT or NOS positive. The proportion of NOS‐positive neurons was significantly lower in sheep (29.5 ± 8.2% of all neurons) than in goats (44.2 ± 9.8%). In all species, additional analysis of the different neuropeptides revealed the following subpopulations in descending order of percentile appearance: ChAT/SP > NOS/VIP/NPY > ChAT/– > NOS/NPY. Expression of CALB was detected in a minority of the ChAT‐positive neurons in all species. Somatostatin immunoreactive somata were found only in preparations obtained from fallow deer and sheep. These data suggest that the rumen of grazers is under stronger cholinergic control than the rumen of species belonging to the intermediate type, although most subpopulations of neurons are present in all species. However, whether the strong mixing patterns of low quality roughage during digestion are enabled by the prominent excitatory input of the rumen of grazers requires elucidation in further studies.
Functional anatomy and muscle moment arms of the pelvic limb of an elite sprinting athlete: the racing greyhound (Canis familiaris)
Authors: Williams S. B. , Wilson A. M. , Rhodes L. , Andrews J. , Payne R. C.
Published: July 2008

We provide quantitative anatomical data on the muscle–tendon architecture and geometry of the pelvic limb of an elite sprint athlete, the racing greyhound. Specifically, muscle masses, muscle lengths, fascicle lengths, pennation angles and muscle moment arms were measured. Maximum isometric force and power of muscles, the maximum muscle torque at joints and tendon stress and strain were estimated. We compare data with that published for a generalized breed of canid, and other cursorial mammals such as the horse and hare. The pelvic limb of the racing greyhound had a relatively large volume of hip extensor muscle, which is likely to be required for power production. Per unit body mass, some pelvic limb muscles were relatively larger than those in less specialized canines, and many hip extensor muscles had longer fascicle lengths. It was estimated that substantial extensor moments could be created about the tarsus and hip of the greyhound allowing high power output and potential for rapid acceleration. The racing greyhound hence possesses substantial specializations for enhanced sprint performance.
Functional anatomy and muscle moment arms of the thoracic limb of an elite sprinting athlete: the racing greyhound (Canis familiaris)
Authors: Williams S. B. , Wilson A. M. , Daynes J. , Peckham K. , Payne R. C.
Published: July 2008

We provide quantitative muscle–tendon architecture and geometry data for the racing greyhound thoracic limb. Muscle mass, belly length, fascicle lengths, pennation angles and moment arms were measured, as were tendon masses and lengths. Maximum isometric force and maximum power were estimated for muscles, and maximum stress and strain were estimated for tendons. Results are compared with other fast quadrupedal runners, and to previously published data in mixed‐breed dogs. The implications of the functional adaptations of the greyhound thoracic limb for sprinting performance are discussed. The thoracic limb was found to benefit from a similar proportion of locomotor muscle mass to the pelvic limb, suggesting that it may be used to some extent in propulsion, or alternatively that stabilisation is very important in this animal. Extrinsic muscles, especially latissimus dorsi and pectoralis profundus, were predicted to be powerful and important for generating net positive work during accelerations. Proximal biarticular muscles show specialisation toward preventing collapse of the shoulder and elbow joints to enable strut‐like limb function, or some form of dynamic control. Distal muscles did not appear specialised for elastic energy storage, a functional difference to pelvic limb muscles, and the equivalents in horse thoracic limbs. The greyhound thoracic limb appears to possess substantial differences from both that of more ‘sub‐maximal specialist’ quadrupeds, and from the greyhound pelvic limb.
Plant response traits mediate the effects of subalpine grasslands on soil moisture
Authors: Gross N. , Robson T. M. , Lavorel S. , Albert C. , Le Bagousse‐Pinguet Y. , Guillemin R.
Published: July 2008

DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-8137.2008.02650.xCommentary p 559
Electrophysiological evidence of feature‐based inhibition of focused attention across consecutive trials
Authors: Shin Eunsam , Wan Xiaoang I. , Fabiani Monica , Gratton Gabriele , Lleras Alejandro
Published: July 2008

Monitoring the visual environment for targets has evolutionary and ecological significance. Exploration of the visual scene can be hypothesized to use “saliency maps” representing the priorities allocated to different locations and features, which change dynamically based on previous experience. This is supported by the observation that sequential effects influence the speed and accuracy of visual search tasks. Yet, the mechanisms underlying these effects are not well understood. Here we used electrophysiological methods to identify some of the mechanisms underlying a specific sequential effect—the distractor previewing effect (DPE). We found that the DPE is correlated with electrophysiological indices of attention allocation but not with sensory or motor components, suggesting that the DPE is related to attentional phenomena, rather than perceptual or motor levels of processing.
Detection of deception about multiple, concealed, mock crime items, based on a spatial‐temporal analysis of ERP amplitude and scalp distribution
Authors: Lui Ming , Rosenfeld J. Peter
Published: July 2008

Three groups, two‐probe (2PG), three‐probe (3PG), and control (CG), performed a mock crime. 2PG and 3PG stole two and three items, respectively, after a baseline “truth block”; the CG stole nothing. Subjects all completed a second “lie block” after the mock crime. There were four stimuli in truth and lie blocks: truth probe (TP), truth irrelevant (TI), lie probe (LP), and lie irrelevant (LI). Stolen items were probes; other items were irrelevants. Spatial‐temporal PCA was applied. For the 2PG, subjects' frontal‐central component amplitudes in the 520–644‐ms temporal component were significantly more positive for LP than for LI stimulus. Individually, 12 of 14 subjects (far better detection than results [72% hits] with non‐PCA analyses methods) in the 2PG were detected, with a false positive rate of 4 of 14 in the CG. No difference between LP and LI was found in 3PG data. In summary, spatial‐temporal PCA improves detection of concealed information.
D1 and D4 dopaminergic receptor interplay mediates coincident G protein‐independent and dependent regulation of glutamate NMDA receptors in the lateral amygdala
Authors: Martina Marzia , Bergeron Richard
Published: July 2008

Dopamine (DA) receptor and NMDA receptor (NMDAR) activation in the lateral (LA) nucleus of the amygdala plays a critical role in emotional processing. Several distinct mechanisms regulate the molecular cross‐talk between DA receptors and NMDARs in different brain regions; however, the cellular mechanism through which DA modulates NMDARs in LA projection neurons has not been studied. Here, we investigated the effect of DA receptor activation on NMDAR currents in LA projection neurons recorded in amygdala slices obtained from young rats. We found that DA reduces NMDAR current amplitudes in an additive manner through the activation of both D1‐like and D2‐like receptors. The reduction of NMDAR current amplitudes by D1‐like receptor activation is mediated by a protein–protein interaction between the D1R and the NMDAR, while the regulation of NMDAR activity by D2‐like receptors is elicited through a G protein‐dependent pathway controlled by D4R. The results of our investigation show for the first time a functional interplay between D1R and D4R that mediates coincident G protein‐independent and dependent regulation of NMDARs.
Characterization of a multidomain adaptor protein, p140Cap, as part of a pre‐synaptic complex
Authors: Ito Hidenori , Atsuzawa Kimie , Sudo Kaori , Di Stefano Paola , Iwamoto Ikuko , Morishita Rika , Takei Shiro , Semba Reiji , Defilippi Paola , Asano Tomiko , Usuda Nobuteru , Nagata Koh‐ichi
Published: July 2008

p140Cap (Cas‐associated protein) is an adaptor protein considered to play pivotal roles in cell adhesion, growth and Src tyrosine kinase‐related signaling in non‐neuronal cells. It is also reported to interact with a pre‐synaptic membrane protein, synaptosome‐associated protein of 25 kDa, and may participate in neuronal secretion. However, properties and precise functions of p140Cap in neuronal cells are almost unknown. Here we show, using biochemical analyses, that p140Cap is expressed in rat brain in a developmental stage‐dependent manner, and is relatively abundant in the synaptic plasma membrane fraction in adults. Immunohistochemistry showed localization of p140Cap in the neuropil in rat brain and immunofluorescent analyses detected p140Cap at synapses of primary cultured rat hippocampal neurons. Electron microscopy further revealed localization at pre‐ and post‐synapses. Screening of p140Cap‐binding proteins identified a multidomain adaptor protein, vinexin, whose third Src‐homology 3 domain interacts with the C‐terminal Pro‐rich motif of p140Cap. Immunocomplexes between the two proteins were confirmed in COS7 and rat brain. We also clarified that a pre‐synaptic protein, synaptophysin, interacts with p140Cap. These results suggest that p140Cap is involved in neurotransmitter release, synapse formation/maintenance, and signaling.