bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Resource Orchestration to Create Competitive Advantage
Authors: Sirmon David G. , Hitt Michael A. , Ireland R. Duane , Gilbert Brett Anitra
Published: November 2010

In this article, the authors discuss how an emerging research stream, which they term resource orchestration, has the potential to extend the understanding of resource-based theory (RBT) by explicitly addressing the role of managers’ actions to effectively structure, bundle, and leverage firm resources. First, the authors review this emerging stream by comparing two related frameworks, resource management and asset orchestration. This comparison leads to their integration, which enables a more precise understanding of managers’ roles within RBT. Then the authors discuss what is known and what remains to be known about resource orchestration. This leads to in-depth reviews of three areas where research on resource orchestration can be used to extend RBT. These areas are (1) breadth (resource orchestration across the scope of the firm), (2) life cycle (resource orchestration at various stages of firm maturity), and (3) depth (resource orchestration across levels of the firm). They close with a discussion of future research that will extend resource orchestration and contribute to a more robust RBT.
Understanding Gender and Domestic Violence From a Sample of Married Women in Urban Thailand
Authors: Xiaohe Xu  , Kerley Kent R. , Sirisunyaluck Bangon
Published: November 2010

There is a widespread agreement among gender and family violence investigators that gender and socioeconomic inequalities play key roles in domestic violence against women (DVAW). By integrating the concepts of gender traditionalism and decision-making power into a variety of resource-based theories, this study develops a gender perspective to explore the linkages between gendered correlates and psychological and physical DVAW in urban Thailand. Based on a random sample of 770 married women in Bangkok, results from our Tobit regression models indicate that when Thai wives accept gender traditionalism, have significantly greater or smaller economic resources than their husbands, or have significantly greater or smaller decision-making power, they are at greater risk for multiple forms of domestic violence. However, contrary to expectations, Thai wives who report higher levels of social contact or integration do not experience less domestic violence. It is concluded that gender egalitarianism in urban Thailand can greatly reduce the risk of DVAW.
The Presentation of Self in the Age of Social Media: Distinguishing Performances and Exhibitions Online
Authors: Hogan Bernie
Published: November 2010

Presentation of self (via Goffman) is becoming increasingly popular as a means for explaining differences in meaning and activity of online participation. This article argues that self-presentation can be split into performances, which take place in synchronous “situations,” and artifacts, which take place in asynchronous “exhibitions.” Goffman’s dramaturgical approach (including the notions of front and back stage) focuses on situations. Social media, on the other hand, frequently employs exhibitions, such as lists of status updates and sets of photos, alongside situational activities, such as chatting. A key difference in exhibitions is the virtual “curator” that manages and redistributes this digital content. This article introduces the exhibitional approach and the curator and suggests ways in which this approach can extend present work concerning online presentation of self. It introduces a theory of “lowest common denominator” culture employing the exhibitional approach.
The Maverick Mr. Cube: The Resurgence of Commercial Marketing in Postwar Britain
Authors: Clampin David , Noon Ron
Published: November 2010

This article presents a case study in both the history of commercial marketing and the interrelationship between business and politics via an examination of the postwar Labour government’s intention to nationalize sugar refining. In response to this government decision, the sugar refining industry, dominated by the imperial Tate & Lyle company, adopted an intense marketing campaign symbolized by the cartoon sugar lump, Mr. Cube, with a view to ‘‘informing’’ the public that they too might choose to defy nationalization. In so doing, the marketing industry was inextricably drawn into politics and, it is argued, for the first time adopted an ostensibly party political stance. By focusing on this cause in the brief period 1949—1952, a key moment in British marketing history is explored and the contested role of marketing in modern society is set out.
The Codevelopment of Trademark Law and the Concept of Brand Marketing in the United States before 1946
Authors: Petty Ross D.
Published: November 2010

Brand marketing became a marketing ‘‘buzz word’’ in the 1990s and continues as one today. However, the concept of brand marketing dates back to the beginning of the twentieth century when it was usually described as trademark advertising. While marketing historians have long noted the popularity of national marketing of branded products at this time and even earlier, this article argues that in addition to the practice of brand marketing, the concept of brand marketing and the beginning of the brand marketing literature developed at this time. Technical trademarks had recently been distinguished from descriptive trade names and were easier to protect, so both marketers and lawyers promoted the use of trademarks and their support by consistent advertising to build what today is called brand equity. They urged that the trademark (brand) had become the key sales connection to consumers rather than the product itself or the company that sells it. In the first half of the twentieth century, the scope of brand marketing expanded to include descriptive brand names and brand extensions when trademark law changed to protect these expansions. The concept of brand marketing expanded to include brand equity as a business asset based on advertising that developed a brand’s social meaning or personality.
Enteric Pathology and Salmonella-Induced Cell Death in Healthy and SIV-Infected Rhesus Macaques
Authors: Santos R. L. , Almeida A. P. , Xavier M. N. , Paixão T. A. , Wilson R. P. , Dandekar S. , Raffatellu M. , Bäumler A. J.
Published: November 2010

The goal of this study was to morphologically characterize a ligated ileal loop model of Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium infection in rhesus macaques ( Macaca mulatta) and to verify the occurrence of Salmonella-induced cell death in vivo. Eight adult healthy male rhesus macaques were used for ligated ileal loop surgery. Four macaques had been intravenously inoculated with simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) mac251. Ileal ligated loops were inoculated with wild-type (WT) S. Typhimurium strain IR715 (ATCC14028 nalr), an isogenic noninvasive mutant strain (ATCC14028 nalr Δ sipAΔ sopABDE2), or sterile Luria Bertani broth. Loops were surgically removed at 2, 5, and 8 hours post-inoculation (hpi). Intestinal samples were processed for histopathology, immunohistochemistry for detecting Salmonella, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL), and transmission electron microscopy. Combined histopathology scores were similar between SIV-infected and control macaques. As expected, the invasion-deficient mutant was less pathogenic than WT S. Typhimurium. Neutrophil infiltrate in the intestinal mucosa correlated with bacterial loads ( r = 0.7148; P < .0001) and fluid accumulation ( r = 0.6019; P < .0001) in the lumen of the intestinal loops. Immunolabeled WT S. Typhimurium was observed in the epithelium and lamina propria at the tip of the villi at 2 hpi, progressing toward deeper lamina propria at 5–8 hpi. Most TUNEL-positive cells localized to the lamina propria, and some had morphological features of macrophages. Ultrastructurally, bacteria were observed intracellularly in the lamina propria as well as within apoptotic bodies. This study provides morphological evidence of Salmonella-induced cell death in vivo in a relevant nonhuman primate model.
Thermocouple Response in Fires, Part 2: Validation of Virtual Thermocouple Model for Fire Codes
Authors: Brundage Aaron L. , Burl Donaldson A. , Gill Walt , Kearney Sean P. , Nicolette Vern F. , Yilmaz Nadir
Published: November 2010

A virtual thermocouple model for high fidelity multiphysics computer simulation is introduced in this article. Detailed thermocouple and gas temperature (Coherent Anti-Stokes Raman Scattering) measurements were performed using a well-controlled, adiabatic, flat-flame Hencken burner, which provided data for validating the thermocouple model in a Sandia National Laboratories fire code. Comparison of simulation results to test data indicated a mean error of 6% between the thermocouple reading and predicted temperature.
CADASIL
Authors: Hervé D. , Chabriat H.
Published: November 2010

Cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL) is a dominantly inherited small artery disease that leads to dementia and disability in mid-life. The clinical presentation of CADASIL is variable between and within affected families and is characterized by symptoms including migraine with aura, subcortical ischemic events, mood disturbances, apathy, and cognitive impairment. The mean age at onset of symptoms is 45 years, with variable duration of the disease ranging from 10 to 40 years. In 1996, linkage studies mapped and identified mutations in the NOTCH3 gene on chromosome 19 as causative in CADASIL. Head magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is always abnormal in participants with NOTCH3 mutations after age 35. Magnetic resonance imaging shows on T2-weighted images or fluid attenuation inversion recovery (FLAIR) sequence, widespread areas of increased signal in the white matter associated with focal hyperintensities in basal ganglia, thalamus, and brainstem. The pathologic hallmark of CADASIL is the presence of electron-dense granules in the media of arterioles that can be identified by electron microscopic evaluation of skin biopsies.
Review Article: Genetics of Alzheimer Disease
Authors: Bekris Lynn M. , Yu Chang-En , Bird Thomas D. , Tsuang Debby W.
Published: November 2010

Alzheimer disease (AD) is the most common causes of neurodegenerative disorder in the elderly individuals. Clinically, patients initially present with short-term memory loss, subsequently followed by executive dysfunction, confusion, agitation, and behavioral disturbances. Three causative genes have been associated with autosomal dominant familial AD (APP, PSEN1, and PSEN2) and 1 genetic risk factor (APOEε4 allele). Identification of these genes has led to a number of animal models that have been useful to study the pathogenesis underlying AD. In this article, we provide an overview of the clinical and genetic features of AD.
Ua Neeb Khu
Authors: Capps Lisa L.
Published: November 2010

Ua neeb khu (pronounced “oo-ah neng kue”) is a ceremonial healing practice engaged in by Hmong Americans for the treatment of various health problems involving spiritually focused concerns that only a shaman practitioner is qualified to treat. A qualitative ethnographic case study method with participant observation was used to analyze a spiritual healing ceremony performed by a shaman healer ( txiv neeb) for an elderly Hmong American male residing in a midwestern city in the United States. The healing ritual was filmed and reviewed with the shaman healer to identify symbolic meanings and processes. Through ritual exchange and reciprocal transaction between the spirit and living world, the shaman facilitated the resolution of the spiritual problem and promoted the patient’s healing and sense of well-being. Awareness of the symbolic aspects of ritual in ua neeb khu and the relationship to the patient’s world view is useful to health practitioners for a holistic understanding of Hmong American healing practices.
Measuring Health Status: Self-, Interviewer, and Physician Reports of Overall Health
Authors: Smith Kimberly V. , Goldman Noreen
Published: November 2010

Objective: This study examines and compares respondent, interviewer, and physician ratings of overall health. Method: Data are from the 2006 Social Environment and Biomarkers of Aging Study, a nationally representative survey of older adults in Taiwan. Ordered probit models are used to examine factors associated with self- and external assessments of health and discordant health ratings. Results: Our results suggest similarities and differences in factors influencing health ratings across evaluators but a high level of interevaluator disagreement in ratings. Discrepancies in ratings between physicians and both respondents and interviewers are associated with the greater weight given to functional limitations and psychological well-being in interviewer and respondent ratings and to the importance of clinical measures or risk factors of illness and mortality in physician assessments. Discussion: Interviewer and physician assessments may be complementary to self-assessed health measures. The importance and implications of these findings for future research are discussed.
Medieval coastal Syrian vegetation patterns in the principality of Antioch
Authors: Kaniewski D. , Van Campo E. , Paulissen E. , Weiss H. , Otto T. , Bakker J. , Rossignol I. , Van Lerberghe K.
Published: November 2010

The coastal area of Jableh, in the vicinity of the Saladin and Al-Marquab castles, is a fertile alluvial plain located on the northwestern part of Syria, in what was once the crusader Principality of Antioch. In order to detail the coastal environment during the crusader period in the Middle East, palynological analyses have been conducted on the underlying coastal-alluvial deposits. The recovered sediments represent a continuous record of the environmental history of the area spanning a c. AD 850—1850 cal. yr period, from the Muslim Era up to and including the late Ottoman times. During the local crusader period (AD 1100—1270), the area was dominated by an arborescent mattoral mixed with a xerophytic shrub-steppe. The alluvial plain was slightly waterlogged and colonized by a wetland meadow with an open vegetation of steppe-like character on bare surfaces and fresh arable soils. The riparian and open deciduous riverine forests were weakly developed. Signs of agricultural activities are mainly recorded for the High Medieval period (AD 1000—1300), with an increase of vineyards in the coastal area. Since c. AD 1250 cal. yr until the end of the crusader period, agricultural activities never reached the same intensity as during the Mameluke Sultanate and the Ottoman Empire.
Regional alterations of JNK3 and CaMKIIα subunit expression in the rat brain after soman poisoning
Authors: RamaRao G. , Waghmare CK , Srivastava Nalini , Bhattacharya BK
Published: November 2010

Calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) and c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNKs) exert numerous and diverse functions in the brain. However, their role in nerve agent poisoning is poorly understood. In the present study, rats were exposed to soman (80 µg/kg) subcutaneously to study the changes in the protein levels of calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II alpha subunit (CaMKIIα) and JNK3 and activities of acetylcholinestarase (AChE) and CaMKII in the rat brain. Western blot analysis revealed that significant changes were found in both the protein kinases expression. Immunoreactivity levels of neural specific JNK3 isoform increased from 2.5 hours to 30 days after soman exposure in cerebral cortex, hippocampus, striatum and thalamus regions and decreased in the case of cerebellum. CaMKIIα expression levels were also increased from 2.5 hours to 30 days after soman exposure in cerebral cortex, hippocampus, thalamus and down regulated in cerebellum. AChE activity remained inhibited in plasma and brain up to 3 days post exposure. CaMKII activity was increased in cerebrum and decreased in cerebellum. Results suggest that altered expression of both the protein kinases play a role in nerve agent-induced long-term neurotoxic effects.
The image of scientific researchers and their activity in Greek adolescents’ drawings
Authors: Christidou Vasilia , Hatzinikita Vassilia , Samaras Giannis
Published: November 2010

The image prevailing among the public of scientific research and researchers constitutes a contradictory and complex combination of traditional stereotypes. We explore central facets of the image of scientific research and researchers as reflected in Greek adolescent students’ drawings. Drawings were produced by 171 students participating in a drawing competition launched in the context of the “Researchers’ Night 2007” implemented by three research institutions in Greece. Analysis of students’ drawings involved dimensions related to the image of scientific researchers and of scientific research. Outcomes indicate that the students hold fairly outdated views of scientific researchers and their activity, involving stereotypic views of scientists and science, as well as gender stereotypes. Therefore there is an urgent need to promote a more relevant image of scientific researchers and their activity to young people and especially students.
Influence of Excitation Signal on Impedance-based Structural Health Monitoring
Authors: Baptista Fabricio Guimarães , Filho Jozué Vieira , Inman Daniel J.
Published: November 2010

The electromechanical impedance (EMI) technique has been successfully used in structural health monitoring (SHM) systems on a wide variety of structures. The basic concept of this technique is to monitor the structural integrity by exciting and sensing a piezoelectric transducer, usually a lead zirconate titanate (PZT) wafer bonded to the structure to be monitored and excited in a suitable frequency range. Owing to the piezoelectric effect, there is a relationship between the mechanical impedance of the host structure, which is directly related to its integrity, and the electrical impedance of the PZT transducer, which is obtained through the ratio between the excitation and sensing signals. This work investigates the influence of the type of excitation signal and voltage level on impedance-based monitoring systems. To illustrate our conjecture, tests have been carried out on an aluminum specimen with different health conditions and the results show conclusively that the excitation signal has influence on system performance and power dissipation in the PZT transducer.
Modeling and Testing of the Static Deflections of Circular Piezoelectric Unimorph Actuators
Authors: Wang D.H. , Huo J.
Published: November 2010

In this article, based on the classical laminated plate theory, a new static deflection model for CPUAs subjected to voltage is established and the bonding layer is taken into account as an individual layer. According to the established analytical model, the influences of the structural parameters and material properties of the CPUA on the transverse deflection are numerically simulated and the static and dynamic characteristics of the CPUA are experimentally tested. The research results show that the predicted static deflections of the CPUA by the established deflection model in this article agree well with the measured results, the established static deflection model considering the bonding layer is more accurate than the existing model neglecting the bonding layer, and the maximum relative error is reduced by 8.45%. The static deflections of the CPUA are apparently affected by the structural parameters and the material properties, which indicate that the performance of the CPUA can be optimized by the structural parameters and material properties. Because the hysteresis of the piezoelectric material is not considered when establishing the static deflection model, the apparent error exists when utilizing the static deflection model to predict the dynamic characteristics of the CPUA.
Guided Wave Generation and Sensing in an Elastic Beam Using MFC Piezoelectric Elements: Theory and Experiment
Authors: Glushkov Evgeny , Glushkova Natalia , Kvasha Oleg , Kern Dominik , Seemann Wolfgang
Published: November 2010

This article describes the results of experimental evaluation of capabilities of a pin-force mathematical model for guided wave generation and sensing in elastic beam-like structures using MFC piezoelectric elements. It is found that the model provides an adequate and convenient tool for fast parametric study of wave excitation and propagation at a frequency range of practical interest. The model is tested against both MFC and laser vibrometer-based signal measurements; the upper frequency limits of applicability for both sensing methods are demonstrated.
Linearization of Stack Piezoelectric Ceramic Actuators Based on Bouc-Wen Model
Authors: Wang D.H. , Zhu W. , Yang Q.
Published: November 2010

In this article, in order to linearize the hysteresis behavior of stack piezoelectric ceramic actuators (SPCAs), the feedforward linearization method based on the Bouc-Wen model and the hybrid linearization method combining the feedforward method and PI feedback loop are proposed and explored. The rapid control prototypes of the linearization controllers for the SPCA are established and tested. The research results show that both the feedforward and hybrid linearization methods can linearize the hysteresis behavior and the SPCAs with linearization controllers can be regarded as linear actuators. However, the linearization accuracy using the feedforward method is confined by the modeling error of the Bouc-Wen model. Although the proposed hybrid method combining the feedforward method and the PI feedback loop can reach higher linearization accuracy than that with the feedforward method, the hybrid method will result in high frequency components in the additional voltage, which will have a serious impact on the lifespan of the controlled SPCA. Utilizing the linearization methods proposed in this article, the open-loop and closed-loop controls for the tip displacement of a piezoelectric-driven microgripper are realized, which indicates that the proposed linearization methods can simplify the control of SPCAs and SPCA-based systems with high accuracy.
Smart Truss for Education
Authors: Watkins Steve E. , Konz Bethany A. , Dua Rohit , Belarbi A. , Wunsch Donald C.
Published: November 2010

This work discusses a laboratory resource and associated lecture material that are implemented in an interdisciplinary course ‘Smart Structures and Sensors.’ Instruction in structural behavior, sensor systems, and experimental systems issues is supported. The Smart Truss Bridge is a reconfigurable aluminum truss structure that is instrumented with strain sensors. It is designed to be representative of a full-scale steel bridge such that person loads produce reasonable strain levels. This multiple-bay truss can be configured with and without redundant members. Strain instrumentation with extrinsic Fabry-Perot Interferometric fiber optic sensors demonstrates the performance and use of sensor systems. Theoretical analysis and experimental measurement may be correlated for different load placements. Observations include elastic strain behavior as well as practical experimental issues such as noise and non-ideal connections. A smart structures case study shows the use of artificial neural networks in a monitoring application. The weight and location of a load are predicted using different combinations of member strain. The Smart Truss Bridge provides educational opportunities for students with different majors to investigate infrastructure technologies and to interact across the disciplines. The topics are relevant to current infrastructure research and problems.
CFD Study of the Flow in a Radial Electrorheological Fluid Clutch
Authors: Chen Shu Mei , Bullough William Alan
Published: November 2010

Incorporation of electrorheological (ER) fluid properties within a general, but comprehensive design procedure is initiated by the adoption of a Bingham power law constitutive law into a computational fluid dynamic (CFD) analysis. CFD results are presented for the analysis of the complex flow of an electrorheological fluid in a radial shear clutch device under the influence of electric field. In such a device the fluid is sheared between a driven (rotating) and a parallel stationary shear plate. The ER fluid is modeled using a technique which can be employed for any fluid/field characterization. It is shown that the initial flow rate induced cooling cannot be maintained when a substantial field is applied and the clutch plates continue to slip.
Clinician-Patient Communication in a Glaucoma Clinic in India
Authors: Mocherla Shobha , Raman Usha , Holden Brien
Published: November 2010

We compiled data from nonparticipant observations of clinician—patient communication in clinical interactions in a tertiary care eye hospital in India. Applying elements of the French philosopher Michel Foucault’s concept of power and knowledge, we deconstructed the structuring and moderating influences on the expert/nonexpert dyad. We found that clinicians enforce their “disciplining power” through varying degrees of communicativeness to bring about compliance in the patient. Clinicians appear to classify the patient as “participant” or “deviant” based on the patient’s “internalization” of instructions, and then communicate in predictable ways with the patient. Patients can also wield power, communicating it by understanding and following or not understanding and not clarifying/verifying instructions in the clinic, and thereafter failing to comply with the clinician’s advice. We suggest that clinicians need to hone their communication skills both to optimally utilize interactions in the clinic and to encourage patient compliance, thereby making possible better treatment outcomes.
Silent Endurance and Profound Loneliness: Socioemotional Suffering in African Americans Living With HIV in the Rural South
Authors: Miles Margaret Shandor , Isler Malika Roman , Banks Bahby B. , Sengupta Sohini , Corbie-Smith Giselle
Published: November 2010

We explored how community responses to HIV contribute to distress in African Americans living with HIV in the rural South of the United States. We listened to the voices of community members through focus groups and African Americans with HIV through interviews. Community avoidance of HIV, negative views of HIV, and discriminatory behavior powerfully affected the distress of people living with HIV (PLWH). Ongoing distress, coupled with limited support, led to a life in which many PLWH endured their pain in silence and experienced profound loneliness. We conceptualized their experiences as socioemotional suffering—the hidden emotional burden and inner distress of not only living with HIV, a complex serious illness, but also with the societal attitudes and behaviors that are imposed on the illness and on PLWH. To improve the quality of life and health of PLWH, we cannot focus solely on the individual, but must also focus on the local community and society as a whole.
Choosing “The Best of the Hells”: Mothers Face Housing Dilemmas for Their Adult Children With Mental Illness and a History of Violence
Authors: Copeland Darcy A. , Heilemann MarySue V.
Published: November 2010

Family members in the United States—especially mothers—are frequently caregivers, and provide housing for their adult relatives and children with mental illness. They often do so with little support from the mental health system. The purpose of this analysis was to explore mothers’ experiences related to housing options available to their adult children with a mental illness and a history of violence (MIHV) toward the mothers. The results of this study reveal a complex mixing of desires, feelings, internal factors, and external forces experienced by mothers of adult children with MIHV when considering whether or not these children can live in their homes. The findings from this study illuminate needs for greater familial involvement in mental health treatment decisions, respite for caregiving families, and housing as a crucial element of a comprehensive mental health treatment plan.
The Relationship With Iron and Health Outcomes in Persons With Restless Legs Syndrome
Authors: Cuellar Norma G. , Hanlon Alexandra , Ratcliffe Sarah J.
Published: November 2010

Background: Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) is a sleep disorder cause by inadequate iron metabolism. However, no studies have identified the impact of iron in RLS patients on sleep, depression, fatigue, or quality of life (QoL). Objective: The aims of this secondary data analysis was to determine relationships (a) between serum iron with RLS symptom severity, sleep quality, daytime sleepiness, depression, fatigue, and quality of life (QoL); and (b) based on demographics, specifically age and ethnicity. Method: Data were collected on iron and ferritin concentrations in 48 persons with RLS. Results: Low serum iron levels were measured in 32% of the participants with only 1 person (4%) treated with iron supplementation. General linear models identified age and race as covariants: (a) being White ( p = .047) and higher iron levels ( p = .019) were independent predictors of higher social functioning; (b) being White ( p = .047) and higher iron levels ( p = .004) were independent predictors of less sleepiness; (c) younger age ( p = .001) and lower iron levels ( p = .025) were independent predictors of depression; and (d) younger age ( p = .006) and lower iron levels ( p = .005) were independent predictors of fatigue. Discussion: Findings from this study show that iron supplementation for persons with RLS not only improves motor and sensory symptoms but might also improve sleep, sleepiness, depression, fatigue, and QoL and should be considered by health care providers for treatment of RLS.
An Item Response Theory Analysis of the Impulsive Behaviors Checklist for Adolescents
Authors: You Jianing , Leung Freedom , Lai Ching-man , Fu Kei
Published: November 2010

This study used item response theory (IRT) to examine the Impulsive Behaviors Checklist for Adolescents (IBCL-A) among 6,276 (67.7% girls) Chinese secondary school students. The IBCL-A included 15 maladaptive impulsive behaviors adapted from the Revised Diagnostic Interview for Borderlines. The authors obtained the severity and discrimination parameters for each item in the IBCL-A, examined differential item functioning across gender and age groups, and tested reliability and concurrent validity of the IBCL-A IRT-scaled score. Most items in the IBCL-A were the most accurate in assessing moderate to high levels of impulsivity and discriminated well among adolescents with varied levels of impulsivity. Differential item functioning emerged in several items across gender. The IRT-scaled score showed good construct validity and incremental predictive validity. Findings demonstrate the sound psychometric properties of the IBCL-A and support the clinical utility of this scale.
The Elizabethan Rhetoric of Signs: Representations of Res Publica at the Early Modern Inns of Court
Authors: Raffield Paul
Published: November 2010

The development of a secular legal profession in the 16th century compromised the sacerdotal role envisaged for common lawyers by Sir John Fortescue in De Laudibus Legum Angliae. During the Elizabethan era, lawyers were no longer perceived as oracles of divine wisdom, but rather as legal technocrats, beholden not to God but to a set of saleable rhetorical skills. This article suggests that the Elizabethan legal community, based at the Inns of Court in London, sought to redress the ethical deficit by creating an order of signs which synthesized the Renaissance tenets of Neoplatonic humanism with the imperatives of Judaeo-Christian theology. With particular emphasis on the description by Gerard Legh of his visit to the Inner Temple revels of Christmas 1561, in The Accedens of Armory, I consider the symbolism of images employed by the Inns of Court, and their status as iconic sign of immemorial authority.
Is Religious Freedom Impossible in Canada?
Authors: Beaman Lori G.
Published: November 2010

The idea of religious freedom is not new in Canadian law or wider public discourse, although it has taken on a life of its own in the post- Charter era (1982 onward) and certainly in the last several years. As the courts wade more fully into the swirling abyss that is religion they find themselves struggling with the issues that preoccupy scholars of religion (and for which they have found no conclusive answer): what is “religion” and how can it be defined in a manner that is inclusive and meaningful? This article takes as its point of departure the provocative and compelling argument made by Winnifred Sullivan in her book, The Impossibility of Religious Freedom (2005), that religious freedom as a legal promise is untenable. In this article I argue that while plausible and convincing in the context of the United States, Sullivan’s thesis may be less applicable in Canada for three key reasons. First, the embeddedness of Roman Catholicism in Canadian social structure has resulted in a textured and nuanced understanding of religion, or, at the very least, a recognition that religion is in some measure a multifaceted notion. Secondly, the recognition of group rights, however defined, means that there is a space created for alternative religious discourses, in part because of the constitutional recognition of multiculturalism. Thirdly, the recent turn by the Supreme Court of Canada to an understanding of the subjectivity of religious freedom strengthens the idea that religion must be conceptualized in relation to the ways in which individuals understand and practice it in their day to day lives.
In Mother’s Lap: Forging Care and Kinship in Documentary Protocols of Sexual Assault Intervention
Authors: Mulla Sameena
Published: November 2010

In this article, I examine the documentary practices of forensic intervention into sexual assault as they reveal a larger set of imaginaries about kinship, gender, violence and healing. In the course of the forensic encounter, sexual assault victims frequently disclose victimization by intimates or relatives. The reading practices and audit mechanisms to which forensic documents are subjected reveal tensions between the real-life experiences of sexual assault victims and their families on the one hand, and institutional imaginaries of care and victimization on the other.
The rhetorical properties of the schematic structures of newspaper editorials: A comparative study of English and Persian editorials
Authors: Bonyadi Alireza
Published: November 2010

Drawing on the theory of inter-cultural rhetoric analysis and considering the important role of newspaper editorials in shaping public opinions, this article examines the schematic structures of Persian and English newspaper editorials of criticism. The aim of this comparative study was to explore the discourse conventions employed in the editorials of The New York Times and Tehran Times. While revealing some interesting genre-specific features of schematic structures of the editorials in the two newspapers, the results of the study also indicated that cultural constraints did not substantially affect the schematic structures of the editorials. However, they had implications for realization of certain rhetorical structures in the editorials.
People-centred myth: Representation of the Wenchuan earthquake in China Daily
Authors: Liangen Yin  , Haiyan Wang
Published: November 2010

This article primarily explains how China Daily — an exemplary representative of China’s press — modified the disaster discourse, to provide coverage of the Wenchuan earthquake in 2008, through the exclusion of rational thought and in doing so created a people-centred myth. The secondary aim is to understand why the need for legitimacy was the reason behind the Government’s decision to allow media coverage of the disaster. Critical linguistics and critical discourse analysis underpin the study. The article concludes that the Government’s aim in ‘opening up’ access to the media to provide coverage was to provide a public relations exercise, nationally and globally, of the Communist Party of China’s governance capabilities.
Earnings calls: Exploring an emerging financial reporting genre
Authors: Crawford Camiciottoli Belinda
Published: November 2010

Recent advances in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) have had a strong impact on how members of the global financial community interact. In particular, communications for purposes of financial disclosure have evolved from traditional written reports or oral presentations to new ICT-driven forms. This study describes the generic profile of earnings calls, that is, conference calls during which company executives present periodic financial results to investment analysts connected via telephone and the Internet. A qualitative discourse analysis performed on the transcripts of 20 earnings calls revealed a rather consistent structural patterning, as well as evidence of intertextuality and interdiscursivity that shows how the financial community has shaped its own distinctive communicative practices. For additional interpretive insights, a professional informant from the financial sector was consulted. These findings enhance our understanding of a spoken genre that is destined to play an increasingly important role in corporate financial disclosure.
Expression of ARC (apoptosis repressor with caspase recruitment domain), an antiapoptotic protein, is strongly prognostic in AML
Authors: Carter Bing Z. , Qiu Yi Hua , Zhang Nianxiang , Coombes Kevin R. , Mak Duncan H. , Thomas Deborah A. , Ravandi Farhad , Kantarjian Hagop M. , Koller Erich , Andreeff Michael , Kornblau Steven M.
Published: November 2010

Regulators of apoptosis in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) have been extensively studied and are considered excellent therapeutic targets. Apoptosis repressor with caspase recruitment domain (ARC), an antiapoptotic protein originally found to be involved in apoptosis of cardiac cells, was recently demonstrated to be overexpressed in several solid tumors. To assess its importance in AML, we profiled ARC expression in 511 newly diagnosed AML patients using a validated robust reverse-phase protein array and correlated ARC levels with clinical outcomes. ARC was variably expressed in samples from patients with AML. ARC level was not associated with cytogenetic groups or with FLT-3 mutation status. However, patients with low or medium ARC protein levels had significantly better outcomes than those with high ARC levels: longer overall survival (median, 53.9 or 61.6 vs 38.9 weeks, P = .0015) and longer remission duration (median, 97.6 or 44.7 vs 31.1 weeks, P = .0007). Multivariate analysis indicated that ARC was a statistically significant independent predictor of survival in AML (P = .00013). Inhibition of ARC promoted apoptosis and sensitized cytosine arabinoside-induced apoptosis in OCI-AML3 cells. These results suggest that ARC expression levels are highly prognostic in AML and that ARC is a potential therapeutic target in AML.
Detection and isolation of cell-derived microparticles are compromised by protein complexes resulting from shared biophysical parameters
Authors: György Bence , Módos Károly , Pállinger Éva , Pálóczi Krisztina , Pásztói Mária , Misják Petra , Deli Mária A. , Sipos Áron , Szalai Anikó , Voszka István , Polgár Anna , Tóth Kálmán , Csete Mária , Nagy György , Gay Steffen , Falus András , Kittel Ágnes , Buzás Edit I.
Published: November 2010

Numerous diseases, recently reported to associate with elevated microvesicle/microparticle (MP) counts, have also long been known to be characterized by accelerated immune complex (IC) formation. The goal of this study was to investigate the potential overlap between parameters of protein complexes (eg, ICs or avidin-biotin complexes) and MPs, which might perturb detection and/or isolation of MPs. In this work, after comprehensive characterization of MPs by electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, dynamic light-scattering analysis, and flow cytometry, for the first time, we drive attention to the fact that protein complexes, especially insoluble ICs, overlap in biophysical properties (size, light scattering, and sedimentation) with MPs. This, in turn, affects MP quantification by flow cytometry and purification by differential centrifugation, especially in diseases in which IC formation is common, including not only autoimmune diseases, but also hematologic disorders, infections, and cancer. These data may necessitate reevaluation of certain published data on patient-derived MPs and contribute to correct the clinical laboratory assessment of the presence and biologic functions of MPs in health and disease.
Identification of a variant form of tyrosine phosphatase LYP
Authors: Wang Shaofeng , Dong Hongbo , Han Jiayu , Ho Wanting T , Fu Xueqi , Zhao Zhizhuang J
Published: November 2010

Background

Protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) are important cell signaling regulators with major pathological implications. LYP (also known as PTPN22) is an intracellular enzyme initially found to be predominately expressed in lymphocytes. Importantly, an allelic R620W variant of LYP is strongly associated with multiple autoimmune diseases, including systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, type 1 diabetes, and autoimmune thyroid disease.

Results

In this study, we isolated a novel isoform of LYP designated LYP3. LYP3 differs from LYP1, the known isoform of LYP, in that it lacks a 28 amino acid segment right after the R620W site embedded in a proline-rich protein-protein interaction motif. Genomic sequence analysis revealed that LYP3 resulted from alternative splicing of the LYP gene located on chromosome 1p 13.3-13.1. Reverse transcription PCR analyses of 48 human tissues demonstrated that both LYP1 and LYP3 are predominantly expressed in primary and secondary lymphoid tissues but the relative expression levels of the two isoforms varies in different human tissues and individuals.

Conclusions

We thus identified a new variant form of LYP and conducted a comprehensive analysis of LYP tissue expressions. Considering the pathogenesis of LYP R620W, we believe that the expression of LYP3 may have an important role in regulating activity and function of LYP and may be implicated in autoimmune diseases.
Role of 14-3-3σ in poor prognosis and in radiation and drug resistance of human pancreatic cancers
Authors: Li Zhaomin , Dong Zizheng , Myer David , Yip-Schneider Michele , Liu Jianguo , Cui Ping , Schmidt C Max , Zhang Jian-Ting
Published: November 2010

Background

Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of death in the US. Unlike other solid tumors such as testicular cancer which are now curable, more than 90% of pancreatic cancer patients die due to lack of response to therapy. Recently, the level of 14-3-3σ mRNA was found to be increased in pancreatic cancers and this increased expression may contribute to the failure in treatment of pancreatic cancers. In the present study, we tested this hypothesis.

Methods

Western blot analysis was used to determine 14-3-3σ protein level in fresh frozen tissues and was correlated to clinical outcome. A stable cell line expressing 14-3-3σ was established and the effect of 14-3-3σ over-expression on cellular response to radiation and anticancer drugs were tested using SRB assay and clonogenic assays. Cell cycle distribution and apoptosis analyses were performed using propidium iodide staining and PARP cleavage assays.

Results

We found that 14-3-3σ protein level was increased significantly in about 71% (17 of 24) of human pancreatic cancer tissues and that the 14-3-3σ protein level in cancers correlated with lymph node metastasis and poor prognosis. Furthermore, we demonstrated that over-expression of 14-3-3σ in a pancreatic cancer cell line caused resistance to γ-irradiation as well as anticancer drugs by causing resistance to treatment-induced apoptosis and G2/M arrest.

Conclusion

The increased level of 14-3-3σ protein likely contributes to the poor clinical outcome of human pancreatic cancers by causing resistance to radiation and anticancer drugs. Thus, 14-3-3σ may serve as a prognosis marker predicting survival of pancreatic cancer patients and guide the clinical treatment of these patients.
Utilisation, contents and costs of prenatal care under a rural health insurance (New Co-operative Medical System) in rural China: lessons from implementation
Authors: Long Qian , Zhang Tuohong , Hemminki Elina , Tang Xiaojun , Huang Kun , Xiao Shengbin , Tolhurst Rachel
Published: November 2010

Background

In China, the New Co-operative Medical System (NCMS), a rural health insurance system, has expanded nationwide since 2003. This study aims to describe prenatal care use, content and costs of care in one county where prenatal care is included in the NCMS and two counties where it is not. It also explores the perceptions of stakeholders of the prenatal care benefit package in order to understand the strengths and weaknesses of the approach in the context of rural China and to draw lessons from early implementation.

Methods

This study is based on the data from a cross-sectional survey and a qualitative investigation conducted in 2009. A survey recruited women giving birth in 2008, including 544 women in RC County (which covered prenatal care) and 619, and 1071 in other two counties (which did not). The qualitative investigation in RC included focus group discussions with women giving birth before or after 2007, individual interviews with local policy makers and health managers, NCMS managers and obstetric doctors in township hospitals.

Results

There were no significant differences in prenatal care use between RC County (which covered prenatal care) and other two counties (which did not): over 70% of women started prenatal visits early and over 60% had five or more visits. In the three counties: a small proportion of women received the number of haemoglobin and urine tests recommended by the national guideline; 90% of women received more ultrasound tests than recommended; and the out-of-pocket expenditure for prenatal care consumed a high proportion of women's annual income in the low income group. In RC: only 20% of NCMS members claimed the reimbursement; the qualitative study found that the reimbursement for prenatal care was not well understood by women and had little influence on women's decisions to make prenatal visits; and several women indicated that doctors suggested them taking more expensive tests.

Conclusions

Whether or not prenatal care was included in the NCMS, prenatal care use was high, but the contents of care were not provided following the national guideline and more expensive tests were recommended by doctors. Costs were substantial for the poor.