bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of Carbon Nanofiber Heat Treatment on Physical Properties of Polymeric Nanocomposites—Part I
Authors: Lafdi Khalid , Fox William , Matzek Matthew , Yildiz Emel
Published: January 2008

The definition of a nanocomposite material has broadened significantly to encompass a large variety of systems made of dissimilar components and mixed at the nanometer scale. The properties of nanocomposite materials also depend on the morphology, crystallinity, and interfacial characteristics of the individual constituents. In the current work, vapor-grown carbon nanofibers were subjected to varying heat-treatment temperatures. The strength of adhesion between the nanofiber and an epoxy (thermoset) matrix was characterized by the flexural strength and modulus. Heat treatment to 1800C∘demonstrated maximum improvement in mechanical properties over that of the neat resin, while heat-treatment to higher temperatures demonstrated a slight decrease in mechanical properties likely due to the elimination of potential bonding sites caused by the elimination of the truncated edges of the graphene layers. Both the electrical and thermal properties of the resulting nanocomposites increased in conjunction with the increasing heat-treatment temperature.
Analysis of Geometries' Effects on Rotating Stall in Vaneless Diffuser with Wavelet Neural Networks
Authors: Gao Chuang , Gu Chuangang , Wang Tong , Yang Bo
Published: January 2008

Wavelet neural network (WNN), which combines the capability of neural network in learning from process and that of wavelet decomposition, was used to study geometry factors on rotating stall in vaneless diffusers. A new error function called cross entropy squared (CSE) function was derived and put forward for the purpose of convergence acceleration. WNN was trained and validated with experimental data from literature. Comparison results showed the reliability. With the trained WNN, detailed investigation was carried out mainly to understand the effects of impeller blade number, blade-exit angle, impeller rotating speed, diffuser radius ratio, and width ratio on stall inception and cell speed of vaneless diffuser. Network results clearly show the existence of distinct stall mechanisms for narrow and wide diffusers, which also make different responses to variation of the above- mentioned parameters.
Saphenous Vein Graft Stenting and Major Adverse Cardiac Events
Authors: Coolong Alanna , Baim Donald S. , Kuntz Richard E. , O’Malley A. James , Marulkar Sachin , Cutlip Donald E. , Popma Jeffrey J. , Mauri Laura
Published: January 2008

Background—

Treatment of saphenous vein graft (SVG) stenosis with percutaneous coronary intervention has a 15% to 20% incidence of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) within 30 days. Although MACE rates are reduced significantly by the use of embolic protection devices (EPDs), neither the level of baseline risk nor the benefit provided by EPDs has been well characterized.

Methods and Results—

Data from 5 randomized controlled trials and 1 registry evaluating EPDs in SVG percutaneous coronary intervention (n=3958 patients) were pooled for analysis. MACE was defined as a composite of death, myocardial infarction, and target vessel revascularization. Baseline variables and 2 summary angiographic variables (an SVG degeneration score and an estimate of lesion plaque volume) were included in a multivariable logistic regression model to predict 30-day MACE, with adjustment for the type of device used and inter-study variation. The angiographic variables were potent predictors of MACE (increasing SVG degeneration score,
P
<0.0001; larger estimated plaque volume,
P
<0.0001), with significant contributions from the presence of thrombus (
P
<0.01), increasing patient age (
P
<0.01), glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor use (
P
=0.02), and current tobacco abuse (
P
=0.03). The treatment benefit of EPDs was preserved across all categories of risk as categorized by SVG degeneration or plaque volume.

Conclusions—

The strongest predictors of 30-day MACE in SVG percutaneous coronary intervention are angiographic estimates of plaque volume and SVG degeneration. Identification of these predictors of 30-day MACE allows reliable prediction of patient outcomes and confirms consistent treatment benefit with the use of EPDs across the range of patients tested in randomized trials.
General Cardiovascular Risk Profile for Use in Primary Care
Authors: D’Agostino Ralph B. , Vasan Ramachandran S. , Pencina Michael J. , Wolf Philip A. , Cobain Mark , Massaro Joseph M. , Kannel William B.
Published: January 2008

Background—

Separate multivariable risk algorithms are commonly used to assess risk of specific atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD) events, ie, coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, peripheral vascular disease, and heart failure. The present report presents a single multivariable risk function that predicts risk of developing all CVD and of its constituents.

Methods and Results—

We used Cox proportional-hazards regression to evaluate the risk of developing a first CVD event in 8491 Framingham study participants (mean age, 49 years; 4522 women) who attended a routine examination between 30 and 74 years of age and were free of CVD. Sex-specific multivariable risk functions (“general CVD” algorithms) were derived that incorporated age, total and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, systolic blood pressure, treatment for hypertension, smoking, and diabetes status. We assessed the performance of the general CVD algorithms for predicting individual CVD events (coronary heart disease, stroke, peripheral artery disease, or heart failure). Over 12 years of follow-up, 1174 participants (456 women) developed a first CVD event. All traditional risk factors evaluated predicted CVD risk (multivariable-adjusted
P
<0.0001). The general CVD algorithm demonstrated good discrimination (C statistic, 0.763 [men] and 0.793 [women]) and calibration. Simple adjustments to the general CVD risk algorithms allowed estimation of the risks of each CVD component. Two simple risk scores are presented, 1 based on all traditional risk factors and the other based on non–laboratory-based predictors.

Conclusions—

A sex-specific multivariable risk factor algorithm can be conveniently used to assess general CVD risk and risk of individual CVD events (coronary, cerebrovascular, and peripheral arterial disease and heart failure). The estimated absolute CVD event rates can be used to quantify risk and to guide preventive care.
Effect of Board Certification on Antihypertensive Treatment Intensification in Patients With Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Turchin Alexander , Shubina Maria , Chodos Anna H. , Einbinder Jonathan S. , Pendergrass Merri L.
Published: January 2008

Background—

Regular recertification is mandatory to maintain board certification status in all specialties. However, the evidence that physicians’ performance decreases with time since initial certification is limited. We therefore carried out a study to determine whether the frequency of antihypertensive treatment intensification for diabetic patients changes with time since their physicians’ last board certification.

Methods and Results—

In this retrospective cohort study, we analyzed treatment of 8127 hypertensive patients with diabetes mellitus treated by 301 internists at primary care practices affiliated with 2 large academic hospitals. Patient visits with documented blood pressure ≥130/85 mm Hg between January 1, 2000, and August 31, 2005, were studied. The association between the number of years since the physician’s last board certification and the probability of pharmacological antihypertensive treatment intensification at a given visit was analyzed. Frequency of treatment intensification decreased from 26.7% for physicians who were board certified the previous year to 6.9% for physicians who were board certified 31 years before the visit. Treatment intensification rate was 22.5% for physicians certified ≤10 years ago versus 16.9% for physicians last certified >10 years ago (
P
<0.0001). Multivariable analysis adjusted for patient and visit characteristics and physician age showed that for every decade since the physician’s last board certification, the probability of treatment intensification decreased by 21.3% (
P
=0.0097).

Conclusion—

Physician intensification of pharmacological therapy for blood pressure levels above the recommended treatment goals decreases with time since the last board certification. This finding supports the current policy of mandatory recertification.
Exercise Capacity and Mortality in Black and White Men
Authors: Kokkinos Peter , Myers Jonathan , Kokkinos John Peter , Pittaras Andreas , Narayan Puneet , Manolis Athanasios , Karasik Pamela , Greenberg Michael , Papademetriou Vasilios , Singh Steven
Published: January 2008

Background—

Exercise capacity is inversely related to mortality risk in healthy individuals and those with cardiovascular diseases. This evidence is based largely on white populations, with little information available for blacks.

Methods and Results—

We assessed the association between exercise capacity and mortality in black (n=6749; age, 58±11 years) and white (n=8911; age, 60±11 years) male veterans with and without cardiovascular disease who successfully completed a treadmill exercise test at the Veterans Affairs Medical Centers in Washington, DC, and Palo Alto, Calif. Fitness categories were based on peak metabolic equivalents (METs) achieved. Subjects were followed up for all-cause mortality for 7.5±5.3 years. Among clinical and exercise test variables, exercise capacity was the strongest predictor of risk for mortality. The adjusted risk was reduced by 13% for every 1-MET increase in exercise capacity (hazard ratio, 0.87; 95% confidence interval, 0.86 to 0.88;
P
<0.001). Compared with those who achieved <5 METs, the mortality risk was ≈50% lower for those with an exercise capacity of 7.1 to 10 METs (hazard ratio, 0.51; 95% confidence interval, 0.47 to 0.56;
P
<0.001) and 70% lower for those achieving >10 METs (hazard ratio, 0.31; 95% confidence interval, 0.26 to 0.36;
P
<0.001). The findings were similar for those with and without cardiovascular disease and for both races.

Conclusions—

Exercise capacity is a strong predictor of all-cause mortality in blacks and whites. The relationship was inverse and graded, with a similar impact on mortality outcomes for both blacks and whites.
Nitric Oxide Synthase Inhibition Promotes Endothelium-Dependent Vasodilatation and the Antihypertensive Effect of
l
-Serine
Authors: Mishra Ramesh C. , Tripathy Saswati , Desai Kaushik M. , Quest Dale , Lu Yanjie , Akhtar Jawed , Gopalakrishnan Venkat
Published: January 2008

l
-serine is a precursor of central neurotransmitters. Its cardiovascular effects are largely unstudied. We compared the in vitro effects of
l
-serine and acetylcholine in phenylephrine-constricted third-order branches of mesenteric arterioles in the NO synthase inhibitor
N
G
-nitro
l
-arginine methyl ester (
l
-NAME), pretreated hypertensive rats, and a control group of normotensive male Sprague-Dawley rats. The changes in mean arterial pressure and heart rate evoked by acute intravenous infusion of either
l
-serine (0.1 to 3.0 mmol/kg) or acetylcholine (0.1 to 10.0 nmol/kg) were determined in anesthetized rats.
l
-serine evoked concentration-dependent (10 to 200 μmol/L) vasodilatation in endothelium-intact but not in endothelium-denuded vessels. It was abolished by the inclusion of a combination of apamin (SK
Ca
channel inhibitor) and TRAM-34 (IK
Ca
channel inhibitor) or ouabain (Na
+
pump inhibitor) and Ba
2+
(K
ir
channel inhibitor) or when the vessels were constricted by potassium chloride. The maximal response to
l
-serine was higher in the
l
-NAME treatment group (control 20% versus
l
-NAME 40%) in relation to the maximal response to acetylcholine (control 93% versus
l
-NAME 79%).
l
-serine evoked a rapid, reversible, dose-dependent fall in mean arterial pressure without increasing heart rate and was more pronounced in
l
-NAME–treated rats (maximal response: >60 mm Hg) than in the control rats (maximal response: 25 mm Hg). This was inhibited (
P
<0.01) by apamin+charybdotoxin pretreatment. The in vitro and in vivo data confirm that
l
-serine promotes vasodilatation in resistance arterioles and evokes a greater fall in mean arterial pressure in NO synthase–inhibited hypertensive rats via activation of apamin and charybdotoxin/TRAM-34-sensitive K
Ca
channels present on the endothelium.
Prorenin and Renin-Induced Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase 1/2 Activation in Monocytes Is Not Blocked by Aliskiren or the Handle-Region Peptide
Authors: Feldt Sandra , Batenburg Wendy W. , Mazak Istvan , Maschke Ulrike , Wellner Maren , Kvakan Heda , Dechend Ralf , Fiebeler Anette , Burckle Celine , Contrepas Aurelie , Jan Danser A.H. , Bader Michael , Nguyen Genevieve , Luft Friedrich C. , Muller Dominik N.
Published: January 2008

The recently cloned (pro)renin receptor [(P)RR] mediates renin-stimulated cellular effects by activating mitogen-activated protein kinases and promotes nonproteolytic prorenin activation. In vivo, (P)RR is said to be blocked with a peptide consisting of 10 amino acids from the prorenin prosegment called the “handle-region” peptide (HRP). We tested whether human prorenin and renin induce extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2 activation and whether the direct renin inhibitor aliskiren or the HRP inhibits the receptor. We detected the (P)RR mRNA and protein in isolated human monocytes and in U937 monocytes. In U937 cells, we found that both human renin and prorenin induced a long-lasting ERK 1/2 phosphorylation despite angiotensin II type 1 and 2 receptor blockade. In contrast to angiotensin II-ERK signaling, renin and prorenin signaling did not involve the epidermal growth factor receptor. A mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 1/2 inhibitor inhibited both renin and prorenin-induced ERK 1/2 phosphorylation. Neither aliskiren nor HRP inhibited binding of
125
I-renin or
125
I-prorenin to (P)RR. Aliskiren did not inhibit renin and prorenin-induced ERK 1/2 phosphorylation and kinase activity. Fluorescence-activated cell sorter analysis showed that, although fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled HRP bound to U937 cells, HRP did not inhibit renin or prorenin-induced ERK 1/2 activation. In conclusion, prorenin and renin-induced ERK 1/2 activation are independent of angiotensin II. The signal transduction is different from that evoked by angiotensin II. Aliskiren has no (P)RR blocking effect and did not inhibit ERK 1/2 phosphorylation or kinase activity. Finally, we found no evidence that HRP affects renin or prorenin binding and signaling.
The Availability and Transparency of Education Data in California
Authors: Hansen Janet S.
Published: January 2008

This article describes the potential for using K–12 education data to support school improvement efforts and the effective and efficient use of education resources. It examines the availability and transparency of education data in California as part of the Getting Down to Facts effort to improve education decision making in that state. The study addresses three broad questions related to the state's education data system: (1) What is the current condition of California's education data system? (2) What is being done to strengthen it? and (3) What are the obstacles and challenges to improving the system so that it can be an effective tool for helping policy makers and education leaders understand how schools are performing and how resources can most effectively be allocated?
Resource Needs of California Public Schools: Results from a Survey of Teachers, Principals, and Superintendents
Authors: Sonstelie Jon
Published: January 2008

This article reports the results of school budget simulations with 568 randomly selected California public school teachers, principals, and superintendents. Simulation participants were presented with the budget for a hypothetical school and asked to use that budget to employ the resources that would maximize the academic achievement of the school's students. Their responses were used to estimate the resources that professional educators believe their schools need to meet state academic achievement standards.
The Sensitivity of the Isentropic Slope in a Primitive Equation Dry Model
Authors: Zurita-Gotor Pablo
Published: January 2008

This paper discusses the sensitivity of the isentropic slope in a primitive equation dry model forced with Newtonian cooling when the heating is varied. This is done in two different ways, changing either the radiative equilibrium baroclinicity or the diabatic time scale for the zonal-mean flow. When the radiative equilibrium baroclinicity is changed, the isentropic slope remains insensitive against changes in the forcing, in agreement with previous results. However, the isentropic slope steepens when the diabatic heating rate is accelerated for the zonal-mean flow. Changes in the ratio between the interior and the boundary diffusivities as the diabatic heating rate is varied appear to be responsible for the violation of the constant criticality constraint in this model. Theoretical arguments are used to relate the sensitivity of the isentropic slope to that of the isentropic mass flux, which also remains constant when the radiative-equilibrium baroclinicity is changed. The sensitivity of the isentropic mass flux on the heating depends on how the gross stability changes. Bulk stabilities calculated from isobaric averages and gross stabilities estimated from isentropic diagnostics are not necessarily equivalent because a significant part of the return flow occurs at potential temperatures colder than the mean surface temperature.
Predictability in Wet and Dry Convective Turbulence
Authors: Spyksma K. , Bartello P.
Published: January 2008

There is a growing interest in understanding the role that moisture plays in atmospheric dynamics, particularly in its effect on predictability. Current research indicates that when moisture effects are added to an atmospheric model, the error growth produced by the new moist dynamics reduces the predictability times, especially at the scales of moist convection.

The issue of moist convection’s effect on predictability is addressed herein. By performing high-resolution large-ensemble runs, it is shown that although nonprecipitating moist convection is less predictable than dry convection resulting from the same forcing, this effect can be explained by the energy injected into the system through the latent heating and cooling arising from the convective motion. This extra energy is spread evenly over most scales of the convective dynamics. When the predictability times are scaled to account for the extra kinetic energy, and the resulting earlier growth of error energy, wet and dry convection have very similar error growth characteristics.

Sensitivity tests are performed to ensure that the results from the large ensembles have converged and that they are consistent with either changing resolution, diffusion levels, initial error energy length scales, or forcing amplitude.
Resonant Response of Deep Convection to Surface Hot Spots
Authors: Robinson F. J. , Sherwood S. C. , Li Y.
Published: January 2008

Observations show substantial variations of the intensity of tropical and/or summertime deep convection on land that are not explained by standard measures of convective instability. One feature that distinguishes land surfaces is their heterogeneity. The possible importance of this is investigated here by calculating the response of a nonrotating atmosphere to localized, transient surface heating using both the linearized equations of motion and a cloud-resolving configuration of the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) numerical model with moist physics, each in 2D. Both models predict that the depth of the resulting surface heat low near storm center will be greatest for a particular horizontal scale of heating. The linear model reveals that this is a resonant scale determined by the product of the environmental buoyancy frequency, characteristic heating time scale, and thickness of the thermal boundary layer, and the resonance occurs when the aspect ratio of the applied heating matches the ratio of vertical and horizontal wavenumbers demanded by the dispersion relation for buoyancy (gravity) waves. For realistic conditions, the resonant horizontal scale is roughly 50 km. The numerical model indicates that other measures of convective intensity, such as updraft speed and storm height, are largely controlled by the depth of the heat low, despite the presence of conditional instability and the vigorous growth of moist convective plumes. Predictions here agree with reported observations of storm severity over islands of different sizes. These findings may help explain why observed geographical variations in storm intensity defy parcel theory and indicate that phenomena often attributed to parcel entrainment may instead be due largely to storm-scale dynamical constraints.
The Comprehensive Pacific Rainfall Database
Authors: Greene J. Scott , Klatt Michael , Morrissey Mark , Postawko Susan
Published: January 2008

This paper describes the Comprehensive Pacific Rainfall Database (PACRAIN), which contains daily and monthly precipitation records from the tropical Pacific basin. The database is a collection of observations from a variety of sources, including one, the Schools of the Pacific Rainfall Climate Experiment (SPaRCE), that is unique to PACRAIN. SPaRCE is a cooperative field project and involves schools from various Pacific island and atoll nations.

Recent enhancements to the database, including improved quality control, observation and data entry standardization, expansion of the network, increased collaboration with local meteorological directors, and enhanced high-resolution data (e.g., on hourly or minute time scales), are discussed. This paper also outlines some of the internal data and Web-based access specifics of the database. To illustrate the potential usefulness of the data, two examples of research using the PACRAIN database are provided and discussed. The first is an analysis of temporal changes in the extreme event characteristics of daily precipitation across the region. The second is an illustration of how the PACRAIN database can be used to analyze satellite-based precipitation algorithms.
Cardiac Arrhythmias and Conduction Disturbances in Patients With Ankylosing Spondylitis
Authors: Kaźmierczak Jarosław , Peregud-Pogorzelska Małgorzata , Biernawska Jowita , Przepiera-Będzak Hanna , Gorący Jarosław , Brzosko Iwona , Plonska Edyta , Brzosko Marek
Published: January 2008

Conduction disturbances, aortic incompetence, and myocardial fibrosis are known complications in adult patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Its incidence has been reported to be 10% to 30%; however, less attention has been paid to all cardiac arrhythmias. The aim of this study was to evaluate arrhythmias and conduction disturbances in patients with AS using electrocardiograms and Holter monitoring (including heart rate variability analysis) and to estimate its relationships with age, gender, clinical features, and duration of AS. Thirty-one patients with AS (20 to 69 years old, mean 50 ± 14) and 22 healthy volunteers (26 to 69 years old, mean 49 ± 13) underwent rheumatologic and cardiologic evaluations. Ventricular extrasystoles were present in 55% of AS patients and in 28% of controls. Supraventricular extrasystoles were present in 94% of AS patients and 100% of controls. The frequency of ventricular extrasystoles was found to be higher in the AS patients than in the control subjects. Significant differences were found in heart rate variability analyses: ultra low-frequency power and root mean square recessive difference (r-MSSD) were lower in the AS group. When the AS group was divided into subgroups (stages 3 and 4), significant differences were found between control subjects and stage 3 patients in PR interval, heart rate (HR), T-wave duration, ultra low frequency, and r-MSSD and between controls and stage 4 patients in HR, T-wave duration, and r-MSSD. QTc and QTd were not significantly different in groups and subgroups and were not correlated with any other clinical or electrocardiographic parameter. Cardiac arrhythmias were more frequent in patients with AS than in the healthy population. Simple electrocardiograms and Holter parameters do not correlate with the incidence of VESs, age, gender, clinical features, and duration of AS.
Smoking, Fasting Serum Insulin, and Obesity Are the Predictors of Carotid Atherosclerosis in Relatively Young Subjects
Authors: Naya Takayuki , Hosomi Naohisa , Ohyama Hideo , Ichihara Shin-Ichiro , Ban Camelia R. , Takahashi Tsutomu , Taminato Tomohiko , Feng Anne , Kohno Masakazu , Koziol James A.
Published: January 2008

The purpose of this study was to identify predictors of atherosclerosis in a healthy young cohort comprised of 241 subjects who underwent a regular employee medical check-up at Ohshima National Sanatorium over a 9-month period. All subjects underwent carotid ultrasound examinations to determine maximal common carotid artery intima media thickness. In addition, serum total cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, glucose, and insulin were evaluated. The subjects were relatively young (mean age, 44 years; range, 18 to 62 years), with 130 females (54%) and 111 males (46%). Maximal common carotid artery intima media thickness was predicted by smoking habit, body mass index, fasting blood sugar, fasting serum insulin, and systolic blood pressure (F5,235 = 52.8, P < 10-5). There was clear separation in common carotid artery intima media thickness values based on body mass index, smoking, and fasting serum insulin, and somewhat more overlap with systolic blood pressure and fasting blood sugar. These findings suggest that smoking and high values of body mass index, fasting serum insulin, systolic blood pressure, and fasting blood sugar are warning factors for early atherosclerosis development, and could conceivably serve as the basis of diagnostic screening. Smoking is particularly deleterious, as smokers with high body mass index, high fasting serum insulin, or high systolic blood pressure tend to have larger common carotid artery intima media thickness values than would have been predicted by consideration solely of the individual risk factors.
The Relationship Between Plasma C-Reactive Protein Levels and Presence and Severity of Coronary Stenosis in Patients With Stable Angina
Authors: Ulucay Abdullah , Demirbag Recep , Yilmaz Remzi , Unlu Durmus , Gur Mustafa , Selek Sahabettin , Celik Hakim
Published: January 2008

High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) is an inflammation marker and potential predictor of cardiovascular events. However, there is no consensus on the relationship between plasma hsCRP levels and angiographically documented severe coronary lesions in patients with stable angina pectoris. In this study we aimed to assess whether plasma levels of hsCRP can indicate the severity of the coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients with stable angina. A total of 52 subjects, who had undergone coronary angiography were divided into two groups as follows: those with stable angina (group 1, at least one coronary arteries stenosis >50%, n = 26) and normal (group 2, n = 26). Severity of CAD was evaluated by using the Gensini score index. For each group, the levels of hsCRP were measured. HsCRP levels were compared in the subjects with normal coronary arteries, and in those with one-, two-, and three-vessel CAD, and no significant differences among the groups were found (analysis of variance, p>0.05). There was no significant correlation between hsCRP levels and Gensini score index (r = 0.278, p = 0.169). We conclude that there is no relationship between hsCRP levels and the presence and severity of CAD in patients with stable angina.
Voluntary or Required Viewing of a Violence Prevention Program in Pediatric Primary Care
Authors: Scholer Seth J. , Walkowski Courtney A. , Bickman Len
Published: January 2008

Participants were parents of children less than 7 years of age who presented with their child for a well child visit. Viewed in the waiting room, the intervention was Play Nicely, which teaches childhood aggression management skills. A total of 138 parents were invited to view the program; 57 (41%) accepted (voluntary group). A second group of 35 parents viewed the program as part of the clinic visit (required group); all 35 (100%) accepted. There were no differences between the groups in the proportion of parents who were pleased that the program was offered by their pediatrician (100%) and the proportion who felt more comfortable managing aggression after the viewing experience (94%). Approximately 75% of both groups reported an increased willingness to discuss child behavior and discipline strategies with their pediatrician. These findings have implications for how providers can more routinely introduce educational material into the well child visit that relates to childhood aggression, discipline, and violence prevention.
Computer-Based and Paper-and-Pencil Administration Mode Effects on a Statewide End-of-Course English Test
Authors: Kim Do-Hong , Huynh Huynh
Published: January 2008

The current study compared student performance between paper-and-pencil testing (PPT) and computer-based testing (CBT) on a large-scale statewide end-of-course English examination. Analyses were conducted at both the item and test levels. The overall results suggest that scores obtained from PPT and CBT were comparable. However, at the content domain level, a rather large difference in the reading comprehension section suggests that reading comprehension test may be more affected by the test administration mode. Results from the confirmatory factor analysis suggest that the administration mode did not alter the construct of the test.
A Novel Conceptual Framework for Examining Environmental Behavior in Large Organizations
Authors: Tudor Terry L. , Barr Stewart W. , Gilg Andrew W.
Published: January 2008

This article is concerned with the development of a conceptual framework of the key antecedents that lead to sustainable environmental behavior amongst employees within a large organizational setting. A range of quantitative and qualitative methods was employed in the study to examine behavior. Using the Cornwall National Health Service (NHS) in the United Kingdom as a case study, the research demonstrated that both organizational and individual/cognitive factors served as key predictors for sustainable waste behavior. However, these factors did not work in isolation but rather, within a dynamic, holistic, intrarelated, and interrelated conceptual framework to ultimately determine individual behavior. The results suggest the need to address both categories of variables when developing policies to achieve greater sustainability in the behavior of employees within large organizations.
A Multifaceted Analysis of Tourism Satisfaction
Authors: Neal Janet D. , Gursoy Dogan
Published: January 2008

The objective of this research was to provide empirical evidence that satisfaction with travel and tourism services is the result of satisfaction during various stages of the tourism experience. The Leiper model of the tourism system was used as the theoretical underpinning from which a structural model was generated and analyzed. Data were collected via self-reported measure from Virginians who had recently traveled. LISREL-8 was used with the Maximum Likelihood Method of Estimation. The findings indicated that tourists' level of satisfaction or dissatisfaction during various stages of travel affect their overall satisfaction with travel and tourism services.
Is the Above-Average Effect Measurable at All? The Validity of the Self-Reported Happiness Minus Others' Perceived Happiness Construct
Authors: Vautier Stéphane , Bonnefon Jean-François
Published: January 2008

Individuals routinely rate themselves higher than their peers on a number of attributes and capabilities, including their satisfaction with life. However, the construct validity of this above-average effect requires specific psychometric properties of ratings of one's contentment and ratings of others' perceived contentment. This article tests these properties with respect to the popular Satisfaction With Life Scale through a multivariate measurement model with latent change and method effects. The model is fitted to two independent data sets (N = 597 and N = 964), and it is found twice that four items are suitable to compute a meaningful composite difference score. It is concluded that the above-average effect is a systematic multivariate phenomenon that can be assessed by the difference of two manifest, absolute evaluation scores.
Short Report: Preferences for location of death of seriously ill hospitalized patients: perspectives from Canadian patients and their family caregivers
Authors: Stajduhar Kelli I. , Allan Diane E. , Cohen S. Robin , Heyland Daren K.
Published: January 2008

Previous studies involving palliative patients suggest a preference for dying at home. The purpose of this paper is to examine, prospectively, patient and family caregiver preferences for, and congruence with, location of death for hospitalized patients with cancer and end-stage medical conditions. Questionnaires were administered to 440 eligible in-patients and 160 family caregivers in five hospitals across Canada. This paper reports results of 138 patient/family caregiver dyads who answered a question about preference for location of death. The results suggest that only half of all patients and family caregivers report a preference for a home death. Furthermore, half of the patient/family caregiver dyads disagree on preferred location of death. If one of the primary goals of end of life care is to enhance the quality of life of dying patients and their family caregivers, policies directed towards ensuring that patients die in their location of choice ought to be a priority and resources should be allocated to promote the development of excellent care, not only in the home, but also within our institutional settings. Palliative Medicine 2008;22: 85—88
Optimal Class Length in Marketing Undergraduate Classes: An Examination of Preference, Instructor Evaluations, and Student Performance
Authors: Reardon James , Payan Janice , Miller Chip , Alexander Joe
Published: January 2008

Some believe that the longer the face to face classroom meeting time, the more effective the learning experience. Others point out disadvantages of lengthier classes (e.g., student attention problems). The authors assess which of three class formats (i.e., 1 hour/three times a week, 1½ hours/twice a week, or 3 hours/one time a week) is optimal in terms of student (a) perspectives, (b) grades, and (c) evaluations of instructor performance. The authors observed that regardless of major, students prefer the twice a week class format, and marketing majors had the strongest preference for that format. All students believed the once a week format would result in lower levels of learning. Instructors teaching in the twice a week format received higher evaluations from students. And finally, there appears to be slightly better student grade performance in shorter classes, especially evident with marketing majors attending the twice a week format.
Service Recovery in Marketing Education: It's What We Do That Counts
Authors: Iyer Rajesh , Muncy James A.
Published: January 2008

One thing that higher education has in common with other service providers is that service failures occur. There are times when students are negatively impacted by mistakes made in the classroom. An extensive body of literature has developed in the area of services marketing about what to do when such service failures occur. The current study focuses on service recovery within a classroom setting. The results indicate that the magnitude of the service failure has a significant impact on the student's emotional response. However, beyond the emotional response, what really matters to the students is whether or not the professor implemented a successful service recovery strategy. Implications for professors dealing with mistakes and mishaps in the classroom are discussed.
Distributed Problem Solving in Software Development
Authors: Bruun Henrik , Sierla Seppo
Published: January 2008

This paper describes the study of the distribution and integration of knowledge in a small control system development project called the Automation System for Agricultural Implements (AGRIX). The activity of integrating socially distributed knowledge is called knowledge networking. We distinguish between three modes of knowledge networking — modular, integral and translational — and argue that the project team's task-specific selection of a knowledge networking mode depends on the nature of the problem to be solved. We propose that groups tend to select different kinds of knowledge networking strategies, depending on whether the problem is perceived as well- or ill-defined. We found that the AGRIX team worked with well-defined problems in modular and translational ways, while treating ill-defined problems with integral knowledge networking. We also observed that, in the absence of major constraints, the networking mode co-evolved dynamically with the problem structure, even though the organizational core of the project remained unchanged. This suggests that our proposal is plausible and should be investigated more systematically.
Men and Women in the Same Prison
Authors: Carcedo Rodrigo J. , López Félix , Begoña Orgaz M. , Toth Katalin , Fernández-Rouco Noelia
Published: January 2008

The purpose of this study was to investigate the gender differences in the state of interpersonal needs and psychological health of male and female prison inmates who live in the same prison. The authors conducted in-person interviews with 118 male and 70 female inmates. The results show that women present a better interpersonal state and psychological health than do men. For both genders, the consequences of fulfilling or not fulfilling interpersonal needs—specifically, social loneliness and sexual satisfaction—are associated with psychological health. These findings suggest the importance of the state of prison inmates' interpersonal needs in promoting psychological health in the context of the prison, where these needs are generally difficult to be met. Making contacts possible between male and female inmates who are in the same prison might help them to better fulfill some of their interpersonal needs, especially those related to their sexual lives.
The Effects of Strength Training on the Lower Extremity Biomechanics of Female Recreational Athletes during a Stop-Jump Task
Authors: Herman Daniel C. , Weinhold Paul S. , Guskiewicz Kevin M. , Garrett William E. , Yu Bing , Padua Darin A.
Published: January 2008

Background

Strength training is considered a strategy for anterior cruciate ligament injury prevention. Little is known about the contribution of strength training to knee and hip biomechanics.

Hypothesis

Lower extremity muscle strength training alters knee and hip biomechanics during a stop-jump task.

Study Design

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods

Knee and hip 3-dimensional kinematic and kinetic data were collected for 66 female recreational athletes (33 intervention and 33 control) while performing 3 stop-jump tasks before and after completing a 9-week strength-training program targeting the quadriceps, hamstrings, gluteus medius, and gluteus maximus (intervention) or a 9-week period of no strength training (control). Maximum voluntary isometric contraction strength data were also collected for each subject before the stop-jump tasks in each data collection session. Knee and hip joint angles as well as resultant forces and moments were calculated.

Results

The intervention group increased in strength ( P < .001 for all muscles). No significant differences were observed in knee and hip kinematics and kinetics between groups before and after the strength-training protocol.

Conclusions

Strength training alone does not alter knee and hip kinematics and kinetics in female recreational athletes. Further research is needed to determine the effect of strength training in combination with other intervention methods on lower extremity biomechanics.

Clinical Relevance

Strength training as a single intervention method may not be sufficient to reduce the risk of noncontact anterior cruciate ligament injury in female recreational athletes.
Tracing the Timing of “Career” Acquisition in a Contemporary Youth Cohort
Authors: Mortimer Jeylan T. , Vuolo Mike , Staff Jeremy , Wakefield Sara , Wanling Xie
Published: January 2008

Contemporary youth typically experience considerable floundering and uncertainty in their transition from school to work. This article examines patterns of schooling and working during adolescence and the transition to adulthood that hasten or delay an important subjective marker of transition to adulthood: acquiring a job that is recognized as a “career.” We use Youth Development Study data, obtained from a prospective longitudinal study of 9th graders. Estimation of discrete-time logit models shows that adolescent work patterns during high school, as well as the cumulative investments they make in work and schooling in the years following, significantly influence this milestone. Time-varying predictors, including job characteristics and parenthood, also affect the process of movement into “careers.”
Does Inequality Increase Productivity?
Authors: Kim ChangHwan , Sakamoto Arthur
Published: January 2008

Wage inequality was investigated using the Current Population Survey combined with data on industrial productivity from the Center for Economic Studies of the U.S. Census Bureau. The research objective was to estimate the net effect of wage inequality on productivity in U.S. manufacturing industries from 1979 to 1996. Using fixed-effects panel models that control for unobserved differences in productivity across these industries, the results do not support the skill-biased technological-change argument, which assumes that increasing wage inequality has enhanced productivity in recent decades. In contrast, results from the regression analyses in this study clearly indicate that wage inequality has not had a positive net effect on productivity. Interpretation of these results suggests that organizational restructuring associated with the New Economy has increased labor market inequality but is less associated with increasing efficiency than is commonly assumed.
The Contribution of Dragon Boat Racing to Women's Health and Breast Cancer Survivorship
Authors: Parry Diana C.
Published: January 2008

Survivorship is one of the least studied and thus least understood aspects of a breast cancer experience. Defined as a life-long, dynamic process, survivorship begins when people have completed medical treatment for breast cancer, yet live with the memories of their treatment and the possibility of a cancer reoccurrence. The numbers of women surviving breast cancer are growing, which means research on survivorship is imperative. In this article, I examine dragon boat racing (DBR) for breast cancer survivors. DBR has been adapted to a woman-centered, community-based leisure pursuit focused on life after medical treatment for breast cancer. Active interviews with 11 participants revealed that DBR contributes to women's social, emotional, physical, spiritual, and mental health. In turn, feeling healthy in these five dimensions enhanced the women's survivorship of breast cancer. The findings demonstrate the roles of leisure in the health and well-being of women who are breast cancer survivors.
Challenges of Contraceptive Use and Pregnancy Prevention Among Women in the U.S. Navy
Authors: Duke Michael R. , Ames Genevieve M.
Published: January 2008

In this article we present the results of a study to illuminate the explanatory factors related to unplanned pregnancies in the United States Navy, particularly with regard to female contraceptive training and practices, and occupational culture. The data set consists of 52 semistructured interviews with key informants, sailors, and enlisted personnel who were recruited via a quota sample stratified by gender, occupation, and location. The research team carried out semistructured interviews at seven different naval facilities in the mainland United States, the South Pacific, and Europe. Textual analysis of the interview data revealed four domains pertinent to unplanned pregnancies: (a) ineffective training for women regarding contraceptive options, proper dosing, and potentially negative side effects; (b) discrepancies between contraceptive knowledge and their proper use; (c) different foci of contraceptive training for men (sexually transmitted infection prevention) and women (pregnancy prevention); and (d) cultural norms that equate contraceptive use with promiscuity.
Online Dating and Mating: The Use of the Internet to Meet Sexual Partners
Authors: Couch Danielle , Liamputtong Pranee
Published: January 2008

Australia has experienced a large increase in Internet usage, and online dating is used for seeking romantic and sexual partners. Using a qualitative approach, 15 people who use online dating took part in in-depth, online chat interviews. Nearly all participants used multiple dating sites to seek partners and making use of email, chat and webcam to engage with, assess, validate and qualify their potential sexual partners. They would “filter” the identity of other online daters before taking further actions. They used an array of filters and filtering processes to determine when and how they might progress to face-to-face meetings with these other online daters, and if and how there might be sexual outcomes from these meetings. Participants filtered using the text, photographs, chat, and webcam opportunities available online, and followed progressive personalized steps in communication and engagement in the lead-up to meeting other online daters in person.
Examination of Racial Differences on the MMPI-2 Clinical and Restructured Clinical Scales in an Outpatient Sample
Authors: Castro Yessenia , Gordon Kathryn H. , Brown Jessica S. , Anestis Joye C. , Joiner Thomas E.
Published: January 2008

The current study examined the possibility of differential predictive accuracy of selected Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory—Second Edition (MMPI-2) clinical and Restructured Clinical (RC) scales in a group of Black and White mental health center clients. Results indicate that Black clients scored higher than White clients on one non-K-corrected clinical scale and 4 RC scales. All these differences produced medium effect sizes and were clinically significant according to Greene's (1987) criterion. These differences, however, were not accompanied by differential predictive accuracy of the scales in Black versus White clients. Although additional research is needed, especially on the RC scales, this study indicates that the MMPI-2 is not a biased predictor of symptomatology for Black versus White test takers.