bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Brazilian Mothers’ Experiences of Home Care for Their Low Birth Weight Infants
Authors: Falleiros Mello Débora , Melani Melo Rocha Semiramis , Gracinda Silvan Scochi Carmen , Aparecida Garcia Lima Regina
Published: May 2012

Purpose:To describe Brazilian mothers’ experiences of home care for their low birth weight (LBW) infants.

Design:Descriptive.

Sample:Eleven Brazilian mothers whose LBW infants were hospitalized at birth and followed up for a period of four weeks.

Main Outcome Variable:Brazilian mothers’ recollections about the home care of their infants.

Results:The study identified the infants’ and mothers’ profiles and the mothers’ concerns about disruption in attachment due to hospitalization and their infants’ growth. After hospital discharge, these mothers mainly worried about their infants’ weight gain, breathing, and overall development, as well as breastfeeding, feeding, and medication preparation.
The Latest in the Literature
Authors: Rasmussen Lynn
Published: May 2012

This column presents abstracts of recently published research studies and evidence-based practice guidelines of interest to those who care for neonates. These abstracts, printed as written by the authors, have been chosen from peer-reviewed journals with the attempt to provide readers of Neonatal Network:® The Journal of Neonatal Nursing with a timely glimpse at the state of the science. A short commentary regarding the studies and topics is provided.
Osteomyelitis in the Neonate
Authors: McPherson Deanna
Published: May 2012

Osteomyelitis is defined as a bacterial infection of the musculoskeletal system. Osteomyelitis in the newborn is relatively rare, but if missed can have devastating, lifelong consequences for the growing infant. Those of us who care for neonates in intensive care units should have an understanding of this disease and be equipped to recognize it and begin treatment quickly to prevent long-term sequelae.

This article reviews the pathophysiology of osteomyelitis and explains why the neonate is at an extraordinary risk for this disease. It reviews risk factors, clinical presentation, etiology and pathophysiology, diagnostic evaluation, treatment and monitoring of treatment, and long-term outcomes. A case study of a 27-week gestational age infant who presented with osteomyelitis and septic hip is presented, looking at the infant’s hospital course and outcome.
Cornelia de Lange Syndrome: A Case Study
Authors: Melanie Melanie
Published: May 2012

Cornelia de Lange syndrome (CdLS) is a rare dysmorphogenic disorder characterized by growth retardation, severe cognitive limitations, distinctive facial features, and limb reduction anomalies recognizable at birth. Currently, no single criterion is diagnostic for CdLS, and misdiagnosis is not uncommon. Long-term management of the infant with CdLS requires a coordinated effort among many different specialists. This article presents a general overview of Cornelia de Lange syndrome. It concludes with a case study illustrating the many problems infants with CdLS may have and the great amount of teaching and support that is needed by families affected by CdLS.
Life-Sustaining Support: Ethical, Cultural, and Spiritual Conflicts Part II: Staff Support– A Neonatal Case Study
Authors: Stutts Amy , Schloemann Johanna
Published: May 2012

As medical knowledge and technology continue to increase, so will the ability to provide life-sustaining support to patients who otherwise would not survive. Along with these advances comes the responsibility of not only meeting the clinical needs of our patients, but also of understanding how the family’s culture and spirituality will affect their perception of the situation and their decision-making process. As the U.S. continues to become a more culturally diverse society, health care professionals will need to make changes in their practice to meet the psychosocial needs of their patients and respect their treatment decisions. Part I of this series (April 2002) discussed how the cultural and spiritual belief systems of Baby S’s family affected their decisionmaking processes and also their ability to cope with the impending death of their infant. The development of a culturally competent health care team can help bridge the gap between culturally diverse individuals.

This article addresses the following questions:

1. What legal alternatives are available to the staff to protect the patient from suffering associated with the continuation of futile life-sustaining support?

2. What conflicts might the staff experience as a result of the continuation of futile life-sustaining support?

3. What efforts can be made to support members of the staff?

4. What can be done to prepare others in the health care professions to deal more effectively with ethical/cultural issues?
Managing Our First Breaths: A Reflection on the Past Several Decades of Neonatal Pulmonary Therapy
Authors: Touch Suzanne , Shaffer Thomas , Greenspan Jay
Published: May 2012

Lung disease has been a leading cause of significant morbidity and mortality since neonates first drew breath. Over the past few decades, many treatment options have evolved to aid us in our ability to support neonatal breathing. The history of neonatal pulmonary care, both its successes and controversies, can teach us a great deal about the future of this dynamic field. As new developments occur, we constantly modify the therapies we offer to preterm and term infants. Understanding traditional therapeutic options and knowing what may be on the horizon can help caregivers to better match treatment plans with individual infants. This article reviews advances in mechanical ventilation, adjuvant therapies, and respiratory drugs through the past few decades and speculates on future directions in this field.
Best Evidence-Based Practices: A Historic Perspective
Authors: Merenstein Gerald , Glicken Anita
Published: May 2012

Neonatologists, neonatal nurses, and others who care for critically ill newborns hope that the care they provide will improve the health and the neurodevelopmental outcome of these neonates. In this progressive era of neonatal medicine, we must pause to look backward even as we look forward, taking full advantage of the opportunity to reflect on our short history and to review several important events in neonatal medicine that have contributed in a meaningful way to the evolution of evidence-based neonatal care. Six interventions highlight why randomized controlled trials are necessary to understand the risks and benefits of our interventions with premature and critically ill infants. We hope this history of the evolving practice of evidence-based neonatal care will enable the reader to have a greater appreciation for the consideration of each and every intervention that we take on behalf of the infants in our care.
Advances in Neonatal Care: Focusing on the Last 20 Years
Authors: Krollmann Barbara , Ayers Brock Dona , Eichel Margaret , Murray Nader Patricia , Walsh Neiheisel Patricia
Published: May 2012

This article is a collaborative effort of five nurses who have worked together for a total of 173 collective years. We have experienced vast changes in the field of neonatology during the last 40 years and wish to share some of the significant developments as we experienced them in our unit. We realize that the various changes differ by location and institution.
Why We Publish
Authors: Lemons Patti
Published: May 2012

CONGRATULATIONS ON 20 YEARS OF PUBLICATION. THE past two decades have certainly brought many exciting advances to the neonatology field. I wanted to take this opportunity to thank all the health care professionals who have devoted their lives to saving these tiny miracles.
Issues Related to Prenatal Diagnosis of Congenital Heart Disease
Authors: Fioravanti Joanne
Published: May 2012

Enhanced technology and professional expertise are making the diagnosis of congenital heart disease possible with increasing frequency during the prenatal period. This article describes the process of prenatal diagnosis of congenital heart disease and the many personal issues families face when they receive news of this condition. Ethical and legal considerations of prenatal diagnosis are reviewed. Brief vignettes describe what families experience when they receive the diagnosis. The role of the nurse in educating parents, assisting them in sorting out options for treatment, and providing ongoing care and support is discussed, and implications for nurses in obstetric, neonatal, and pediatric settings are reviewed. Finally, the need for further research on this topic is explored.
Cultural Differences and Parental Responses to the Preterm Infant at Risk: Strategies for Supporting Families
Authors: Bracht Marianne , Kandankery Anna , Nodwell Shelley , Stade Brenda
Published: May 2012

Parenting a preterm infant at risk for developmental disabilities can be a profoundly stressful experience. For parents from minority cultures, language barriers and cultural differences can increase feelings of uncertainty and inability to cope. Research suggests that cultural differences influence not only parents’ emotional responses to and perceptions of disability, but also their utilization of services and their interaction with health professionals.

The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of Mount Sinai Hospital (MSH), Toronto, provides care to a culturally diverse community, and approximately 45 percent of patients receiving care represent minority ethnic groups. Although efforts to provide culturally sensitive care have been made, they have tended to be isolated initiatives lacking consistency and coordination.

This article describes the initiation and development of a multicultural program at MSH to support families of infants at risk for developmental disabilities. This article provides valuable guidance to other neonatal units that are attempting to support parents from diverse cultural groups.
Inguinal Hernia in the Premature Infant: Management of a Common Problem
Authors: Burd Angela , Burd Randall
Published: May 2012

Inguinal hernia repair is one of the most common surgical procedures performed on premature infants. Improved survival rates in the NICU have led to an increase in the incidence of premature infants with inguinal hernias. The NICU nurse, often the first to notice an inguinal hernia in a premature infant, should understand the etiology, basic pathophysiology, and nursing care for this condition.
The Best NICU in America 2002 Danbury Hospital Danbury, Connecticut
Authors: Cook Linda
Published: May 2012

I HAVE READ SEVERAL OF YOUR LETTERS DECLARING THAT they are “The Best NICU in America” and I had to write because I truly believe that I work in “The Best NICU in America.” I have been involved in neonatal nursing in some aspect or another since I graduated from Ohio State University in 1977. I worked at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s NICU as a new graduate, and at Ohio State University’s NICU. Both were wonderful experiences and helped me to get started on the right track when it came to my neonatal nursing career. In 1983 I moved to Connecticut and started to work at Danbury Hospital in their NICU. I am currently an NNP but have held management and staff positions there. I feel privileged to have been in several positions in this NICU because it has given me the chance to experience nursing from all aspects.
Feeding the Ill or Preterm Infant
Authors: Anderson Diane
Published: May 2012

Illness and immaturity often interfere with a neonate’s ability to receive full enteral feedings during the first week of life. The goals of feeding in the NICU are to nourish the preterm infant for appropriate growth and development and to facilitate the earliest possible discharge from the NICU. Early, small-volume feedings, ortrophic feedings, have been studied as a method for achieving these goals. The high-risk infant given such trophic feedings not only receives minimum enteral nutrition, but also attains earlier full nutritional feedings and, consequently, is discharged home earlier. Oro- or nasal-gastric gavage feedings are usually indicated for this group of infants because of their physiologic immaturity and the frequent presence of respiratory illness. Recent studies support the use of intermittent bolus feedings, which have long been used for the premature infant. Several authors have noted advantages to continuous infusions as well. Because the infant is unable to pace or refuse gavage feedings, the caretaker must determine the appropriate volume of each feeding. The optimal volume for initiation and advancement of trophic and nutritional feedings is still under investigation, but reports have demonstrated safe volumes for even the extremely premature infant.
Using Knowledge to Cope with Stress in the NICU: How Parents Integrate Learning to Read the Physiologic and Behavioral Cues of the Infant
Authors: Khee Loo Kek , Espinosa Michael , Tyler Rachelle , Howard Judy
Published: May 2012

Parental stress in the NICU has at least a short-term impact on the establishment of the parent-child relationship and potential repercussions on long-term child development outcomes. One way to help parents mitigate stress is to help them learn what they need to know about their infant’s condition and care. In this article, we examine how learning to read the infant’s physiologic and behavioral cues helps parents cope with stress. We view parental learning as a process in which parents target specific domains of information for learning according to the temporal relevance of the domain to their concerns. It is important that we recognize the fluidity of the process and anticipate what parents need to learn at different times during hospitalization. The NICU staff assumes a crucial role in reducing parental stress by delivering information that is relevant to the parents’ needs and by helping parents understand this information.
The Hypotonic Infant: Case Study of Central Core Disease
Authors: Castrodale Val
Published: May 2012

HYPOTONIA IN THE INFANT IS usually associated with diminished active movement in addition to unusual posture, decreased resistance of the joints to passive movement, and/or increased range of joint movement.1 By observing the infant’s tone and level of activity, the examiner can begin to determine the suspected site of dysfunction. Accurate diagnosis and evaluation of the hypotonic infant are critical to providing necessary medical intervention, rehabilitation, and family support and counseling.
The Best NICU in America 2003 Broward County General Medical Center Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
Authors: Bridges Alyssa
Published: May 2012

IT WAS IN THE SPRING OF 2000 THAT I WAS HIRED INTO THE neonatal intensive care unit at Broward General Medical Center. I had been an adult critical care nurse for ten years and had decided to change my scope of practice and learn something new. I had no idea that this move in my career would be a blessing and change my life forever. It is for this reason, that I am submitting this essay to include the NICU team at Broward General Medical Center for Neonatal Network’s Best NICU in America.
A Bereavement Model for the Intensive Care Nursery
Authors: Lachine Jansen Jeanette
Published: May 2012

The death of an infant in a neonatal intensive care unit presents unique challenges to the infant’s family and caregivers. The grieving process may begin before the infant is born and continue for months, even years, after the death. Parents and families often feel isolated as they grieve the loss of a child whom few other people knew. Caregivers may also feel overwhelmed during this time, as they seek to provide decedent care in a sensitive way that will be helpful to the family while grieving themselves. Recognizing the needs of the families and caregivers, the Duke University Medical Center Intensive Care Nursery developed a bereavement program that provides education and assistance to the intensive care nursery staff, who care for the family at the time of death and provide follow-up for the family for up to one year after the death as they grieve the loss of their infant.
Premature Infant Massage in the NICU
Authors: Beachy Jodi
Published: May 2012

Infant massage therapy is an inexpensive tool that should be utilized as part of the developmental care of the preterm infant. Nurses have been hesitant to begin massage therapy for fear of overstimulating the infant and because there has been insufficient research to prove its safety. Recent research, however, has shown that the significant benefits of infant massage therapy far outweigh the minimal risks. When infant massage therapy is properly applied to preterm infants, they respond with increased weight gains, improved developmental scores, and earlier discharge from the hospital. Parents of the preterm infant also benefit because infant massage enhances bonding with their child and increases confidence in their parenting skills. This article discusses the benefits and risks of massage for preterm infants and their families and explains how to implement massage therapy in the neonatal intensive care setting.
The Neonatal Liver Part III: Pathophysiology of Liver Dysfunction
Authors: Fraser Askin Debbie , Diehl-Jones William
Published: May 2012

The liver, the largest organ in the body, is critical to a number of key metabolic functions. It also plays an important role in removing the waste products of metabolism (particularly ammonia) and in detoxifying drugs and other substances such as endogenous hormones and steroid compounds. In addition, the liver plays a major role in the production of clotting factors, plasma proteins, bile salts, and bilirubin.

Many neonates display signs of hepatic dysfunction such as hyperbilirubinemia, hepatomegaly, or elevated liver enzymes. These often occur secondary to systemic illness, such as sepsis or hypoxic injury, or following the use of drugs or parenteral nutrition to treat other problems. Although rare, primary liver disease does occur in neonates and must be recognized promptly, with treatment initiated in a timely manner to prevent unnecessary sequelae. This article, the third in a series on the liver, examines causes of liver dysfunction in neonates, beginning with an overview of jaundice and hepatomegaly and moving to a discussion of specific diseases.
Loyalty and Hope: Keys to Parenting in the NICU
Authors: Charchuk Margo , Simpson Christy
Published: May 2012

When a newborn is admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit the parents may experience a variety of emotions, including a heightened sense of loyalty to their child. While health care providers are working to meet the medical needs of their patients, parents need to find ways to fulfill this sense of loyalty and to express it via hope. Through sharing the experience of having a child in the NICU, I examine hope and loyalty as critical features of parents’ NICU experience, explaining why these emotions need to be acknowledged and encouraged by health care professionals.
The Other Side of “Back to Sleep”
Authors: Wilson Jones Martha
Published: May 2012

IN 1992 , THE AMERICAN Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) published the recommendation that “healthy infants, when being put down for sleep, be positioned on their side or back (p.1120),” with the goal of reducing sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).1This guideline was later amended to recommend only the “back-to-sleep” position, although side positioning is still considered safer than prone.2Prior to this recommendation, the preferred position for sleeping infants in the U.S. was prone.
Calcium and Bone Health in Infants
Authors: K. Koo Winston , Warren Letitia
Published: May 2012

Osteopenia, rickets, and fractures from nutrient deficiencies can occur during infancy, particularly in preterm infants. Bone mass accretion during the first year of life is equal to or greater than that achieved at any other stage of life, including adolescence. Optimizing calcium and bone status during infancy can have immediate benefits in maintaining calcium homeostasis and preventing disturbances in bone mineralization and can provide long-term benefits by helping infants to later reach their maximum genetic potential for peak bone mass, a prerequisite for the prevention of osteoporosis and its complications. Dietary calcium requirements during infancy generally reflect the need to achieve normal growth and bone mineralization because 99 percent of total body calcium is present in the skeleton. Knowledge of physiologic factors that determine infant calcium requirements and the bioavailability of calcium from various dietary sources is important to ensuring bone health during infancy. Also key are the practical issues related to optimizing calcium nutriture in infants born at term and prematurely.
Types of Research Designs
Authors: Winders Davis, Deborah
Published: May 2012

THIS IS THE FIRST IN A SERIES OF columns that will address issues about research. For many of you, the information will be a concise review of familiar topics. For others, the series may serve as an introduction to some research concepts. In either case, the material will be an overview of the topics. In-depth descriptions are beyond the scope of this column. References to help you find more comprehensive discussions of the topics will be provided, however.
Nurse Managers: The Ties That Bind
Authors: Lee Simons Sherri
Published: May 2012

The job of managing people, whether a team, a unit, or an entire department, is a challenging one at best. Couple that with larger staffs, shrinking budgets and a burgeoning nursing shortage, and the challenge becomes even greater. This new column is intended to offer some insights into the complex world of the nurse manager. Combining humor with years of management experience, our column editor will delve into a variety of issues facing nurse managers. As with all of our columns, your suggestions and questions are welcome. Please feel free to e-mail the journal, and your thoughts will be forwarded to Ms. Simons.
Toy or Tool of the Trade? Part I
Authors: Thomas Patricia
Published: May 2012

Gizmos and gadgets abound in NICU—everything from PDAs to point of care testing to complex monitors that tell us things we didn’t even know we needed to know. In this issue we are debuting a new column, Technology in the NICU, that will help you sort through the technological jungle we call NICU. Designed to introduce you to a variety of computerized devices found both at the bedside and in our back pockets, Technology in the NICU will bring you up to speed with the jargon, the benefits, and the drawbacks of many of the new devices now available to enhance our workplace. If you have suggestions for column topics or questions you would like addressed, please feel free to contact the journal office by e-mail so that we can pass your thoughts on to Ms. Thomas.
Antibiotic Resistance: Is the End of an Era Near?
Authors: Givens Bell Susan
Published: May 2012

Any attempt to shape the world and modify human personality in order to create a self-chosen pattern of life involves many unknown consequences. Human destiny is bound to remain a gamble, because at some unpredictable time and in some unforeseen manner, nature will strike back.
The Latest in the Literature
Authors: Rasmussen Lynn
Published: May 2012

This column presents abstracts of recently published research studies and evidence-based practice guidelines of interest to those who care for neonates. These abstracts, printed as written by the authors, have been chosen from peer-reviewed journals in order to provide readers of Neonatal Network:® The Journal of Neonatal Nursing with a timely glimpse at the state of the science. A short commentary regarding the studies and topics is provided.
Breastfeeding the Infant With Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Post Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation
Authors: Spatz Diane L. , Raphael Leigh , Froh Elizabeth B.
Published: May 2012

Infants born with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) often require extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Infants on ECMO may experience a long period of being nothing by mouth (NPO) while receiving parenteral nutrition. Once the infant with CDH is repaired and off ECMO, human milk should be used to initiate enteral feedings. Human milk provides immunologic, developmental, and nutritional protection for these high-risk infants and may be crucial in decreasing morbidities commonly associated with post-ECMO survivors. These mother–infant dyads require extensive lactation support to ensure maintenance of milk supply and successful transition to direct breastfeeding. Three case studies are presented as exemplars to demonstrate how breastfeeding success can be achieved even in the most vulnerable infants.
The Role of the Neonatal Nurse Practitioner in the Community Hospital Level I Nursery
Authors: Hatch Julie
Published: May 2012

Neonatal nurse practitioners (NNPs) have played a significant role in providing medical coverage to many of the country’s Level III neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). Extensive education and experience are required for a nurse practitioner (NP) to become competent in caring for these critically ill newborns. The NNP can take this competence and experience and expand her role out into the community Level I nurseries. Clinical care of the infants and close communication with parents, pediatricians, and the area tertiary center provide a community service with the goal of keeping parents and babies together in the community hospital without compromising the health of the baby. The NNP service, with 24-hour nursery and delivery coverage, supports an ongoing obstetric service to the community hospital. The NNP’s experience enables her to provide a neonatal service that encompasses a multitude of advanced practice nursing roles.
Digital Scrapbooking as a Standard of Care in Neonatal Intensive Care Units: Initial Experience
Authors: Subhani Muhammad T. , Kanwal Ifrah
Published: May 2012

In this article, we describe a digital photo scrapbooking project as a standard of care for the parents of infants admitted in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Photographs were taken from birth until discharge or expiry at special moments during the infant’s hospitalization and used to create a digital scrapbook with daily notes by the parents. The scrapbook and original photos were provided on a CD at discharge or at expiry. Parents and their families unanimously appreciated the photos and the opportunity to record their thoughts, and considered the CDs as a lifetime treasure. Digital photo journaling could be implemented as a standard of care at other institutions with a commitment from the nursing and ancillary staff of the NICU and labor and delivery department, with possible support from volunteers.
Development of aerobic granules in sequencing batch reactor with p-nitrophenol as sole carbon source
Authors: Basheer Farrukh , Farooqi I. H.
Published: May 2012

The present study was aimed at the development of aerobic granules in sequencing batch reactor (SBR) for the biodegradation of p-nitrophenol (PNP). The reactor was started with 50 mg L−1 of PNP. Aerobic granules first appeared within 1 month of the start up of the reactor. The granules were large and strong and had a compact structure. The diameter of stable granules on day 200 was in the range of 2–3 mm. The integrity coefficient and granule density was found to be 98% and 1,031 kg m−3 respectively. The settling velocity of granules was found to be in the range of 3 × 10−2 to 4 × 10−2m s−1. The aerobic granules were able to degrade PNP up to 700 mg L−1 at a removal efficiency of 87%. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry studies confirmed that the biodegradation of PNP occurred by an initial oxygenase attack that resulted in the release of nitrite and the accumulation of hydroquinone. The specific PNP degradation rate in aerobic granules followed the Haldane model for substrate inhibition. A high specific PNP degradation rate up to 0.872 g PNP g−1 VSS−1 d−1 was sustained up to PNP concentration of 200 mg L−1. Higher removal efficiency, good settling characteristics of aerobic granules, makes a SBR suitable for enhancing the microorganism potential for biodegradation of inhibitory compounds.
Diverging from an established Greek musical nationalism: Aspects of modernism in the works of Dimitri Mitropoulos, Nikos Skalkottas, Dimitrios Levidis and Harilaos Perpessas, during the 1920s and 30s
Authors: Sakallieros Giorgos
Published: May 2012

The presence of many young talented composers outside Greece, studying in
prominent European music centres during the 1920s and 30s, set them free from
the ideological compulsions of Greek musical nationalism prevailing in
Athenian musical life during the first decades of the 20th century. The
creative approach and adoption of aspects of musical modernism, having been
established around the same period in western music, are subsequently
commented upon in the works, style and ideology of four different Greek
composers: the pioneer of atonality and twelve-note technique in Greece,
Dimitri Mitropoulos (1896-1960); the innovator and descendant of the Second
Viennese School, Nikos Skalkottas (1904-1949); the ardent supporter of
timbral innovation into new instruments and ensembles, Dimitrios Levidis
(1886-1951); and, finally, the ascetical and secluded Harilaos Perpessas
(1907-1995), another pupil of Schoenberg in Berlin.
Ibsen’s Danse Macabre: The importance of auditory elements in Henrik Ibsen’s drama John Gabriel Borkman
Authors: Todic Sofija
Published: May 2012

In the drama John Gabriel Borkman Ibsen attributes great importance to
sounds. The contrast between presence and absence of sounds, other sound
effects and especially the Danse Macabre played on the piano emphasize the
drama?s eerie atmosphere. Danse Macabre can be also seen as the drama?s key
metaphor, and it connects the first and the second acts and creates unity of
time and action. The allegorical meanings of this composition can serve as a
paradigm in the interpretation of each character, their relations, and the
whole dramatic action even. The focus of this work is on the auditory layer
of the drama, emphasizing the important function of the auditory included in
a dramatic work.
Politics in the context of the “Opera question” in the national theatre before the first world war
Authors: Milanovic Biljana
Published: May 2012

Part of the history of the National Theatre in Belgrade in the decade before
the First World War relates to processes of discontinuity in the
professionalization and modernization of the musical section in this
institution and its repertoire. It had to do with abrupt changes reflected in
three short-lived phases: improvements in musical ensemble and opera
performances (1906-1909), the annulment of these efforts and results with a
return to the old repertoire, and then again a new beginning once more with a
fresh attempt to establish the Opera (1913-14). These dynamics were affected
by the social and political context. It was dependent on frequent changes of
the Theatre?s management staff whose main representatives had mutually
conflicting views on important questions concerning the functioning of their
institution. Relations between them were strongly marked by contested
political motives. Theatre managers were appointed by ministers of education
who could also be relieved of their posts, and members of the management
staff were always active in political parties. These facts acted as a
decisive factor in their communication which was similar to the behaviour and
customs of public political life where an opponent is seen as an enemy, not
as a partner in solving common problems. Critical and polemical discourses on
important aspects of organization and programme strategy of the Theatre were
burdened by political rivalry which also found its place in discussions on
the cultivation of music. Questions relating to music were considered in a
declarative way, so that music was instrumentalized as a means of political
empowerment. The facts about music in the National Theatre raise many issues
related to aspects of modernization, national identification, transfers of
?high? and popular musical cultures as well as to other problems of social,
historical and cultural contexts that were intertwined in the operation of
the Theatre. The context of political problems in the National Theatre opens
some important topics discussed in the text: the discontinuous process of the
development of the musical ensemble and its repertoire in conditions of
changing management staff; prominent musical professionals and ideologists of
cultural life and their relations to the musical and dramatic repertoire as
well as to their audiences; potential Belgrade audience reception and their
reactions to the musical and dramatic repertoire of the National Theatre. An
integral analysis of these may show inconsistency between ideological and
artistic intentions of individuals and the needs of the audience during the
course of modernization.
Learning to sing with the accompaniment of the gusle in Serbia in the XXI century
Authors: Lajic-Mihajlovic Danka
Published: May 2012

In this paper, learning to sing with the accompaniment of the gusle is
reconsidered within the concept of the preservation of traditional folk music
as an intangible cultural heritage, that is, as a specific form of music
education. Having dealt with a traditional way of providing continuity in the
practice of guslars` (i. e. gusle players) - which is learning by observing
and imitating more experienced family members or guslars from nearby
surrounding - some crucial moments in the history of singing with the
accompaniment of the gusle, which also influenced the process of transmitting
this skill, are demonstrated. In recent times, singing with the accompaniment
of the gusle has been mastered not only within family circles but also in
associations of guslars, at private schools of music, and lately there has
also been an opportunity to learn this skill at some state schools of music.
Accordingly, interviews with the members of an Association of guslars
association that is particularly distinguished by the fostering young
guslars, and interviews with gusle teachers and pupils who attend schools of
music were used as primary sources for this paper, together with the specific
experience of the author as a president of the jury in a young guslars?
competition. Since the poetic content of the songs is primarily learnt from
printed collections or audio recordings, future guslars in fact master the
musical skills of playing and singing along the instrument, that is, the
skill of the vocal interpretation of a chosen written poetic text. Concerning
these, some programmes and methods are discussed, as well as their effects on
young guslars? competence, principally from the point of style and
aesthetics. Attention is particularly drawn to flaws in the teaching concept
of future gusle players at state schools of music. In conclusion, the
necessity of applying ethnomusicological findings to activities concerning
the preservation of an intangible cultural heritage, in other words, the
necessity of including teams of professionals in reforming the educational
system and national cultural policy is established.
Arthur Lourié and his conception of revolution
Authors: Levidou Katerina
Published: May 2012

Arthur Louri??s conception of revolution (political as well as cultural) is
explored through his writings, with particular emphasis on its evolution from
his Russian period to his Parisian and American exiles. Analyzing Louri??s
Eurasianist views specifically I argue that through his association with
Eurasianism and his engagement with Neoclassicism Louri? did not abandon his
revolutionary disposition; the means through which his revolutionism was
pursued as well as the ideals that shaped it were merely redefined, while
remaining firmly grounded in the Silver Age.
The politics оf spectacle: Italian music аnd Fascist propaganda
Authors: Illiano Roberto , Sala Massimiliano
Published: May 2012

Propaganda played a very important role during Fascism; the kind of
propaganda used by Mussolini to build a totalitarian state was to a very
large extent based on his own personality cult, on the myth of the leader.
Despite the disastrous outcome of the Mussolini regime, the propaganda has
outlived Mussolini himself. Cultivating the image therefore becomes an
essential part of the mechanism of generating consensus, anticipating by
more than half a century the politics of spectacle used today throughout the
world.
Gamma-ray spectrometric measurement of radionuclide purity of radiopharmaceuticals contained in bottle samples
Authors: Tomarchio Elio
Published: May 2012

The radionuclide purity of a radiopharmaceutical product is usually measured
by gamma-ray spectrometry with various measurement geometries. The importance
of this test is that the radionuclide impurities, if present, result in an
increase in the radiation dose to the patient without contributing to
diagnostic information and in some cases may also interfere with the marking
molecules and affect the proper conduct of diagnostic examination. In this
work, gamma-ray spectrometry is used to determine the amounts of impurities
by adopting as measurement geometry the same bottle containing eluted or
prepared radiopharmaceuticals. In addition to high-purity germanium
semiconductor detectors, the usefulness of NaI(Tl) and LaBr3(Ce)
scintillators in routine operation is also examined. For the latter
detectors, an evaluation of the minimum detectable activity was carried out
and compared with the activity limits established by the regulation rules.
The main cases considered are related to the first elution of 99Mo-99mTc
generators and samples of 18F-FDG (fluoro-deoxy-glucose) to be used for
positron emission tomography diagnostics.
Effects of radiation on solar cells as photovoltaic generators
Authors: Radosavljevic Radovan , Vasic Aleksandra
Published: May 2012

The growing need for obtaining electrical energy through renewable energy
sources such as solar energy have lead to significant technological
developments in the production of the basic element of PV conversion, the
solar cell. Basically, a solar cell is a p-n junction whose characteristics
have a great influence on its output parameters, primarily efficiency.
Defects and impurities in the basic material, especially if located within
the energy gap, may be activated during its lifetime, becoming traps for
optically produced electron-hole pairs and, thus, decreasing the output power
of the cell. All of the said effects could be induced in many ways over a
lifetime of a solar cell and are consistent with the effects that radiation
produces in semiconductor devices. The aim of this paper is to investigate
changes in the main characteristics of solar cells, such as efficiency,
output current and power, due to the exposure of solar systems to different
(hostile) radiation environments.
A stochastic model of gamma-ray induced oxide charge distribution and threshold voltage shift of MOS transistors
Authors: Kevkic Tijana , Odalovic Mihajlo , Petkovic Dragan
Published: May 2012

A stochastic model of gamma-ray radiation effects on the density of the
induced charge in silicon dioxide films of MOS transistors is presented in
this paper. It is assumed that both radiation induced charge generation and
trapped charge recombination are stochastic processes. For estimating
gamma-ray induced charges spatially distributed in silicon dioxide films, a
procedure similar to the Monte Carlo method was used. The proposed model
implemented in the programming language MATHEMATICA enables us, for the first
time, to show the gamma-ray induced charge distribution as a function of
gamma-ray doses. Using the developed model, we have also calculated the
corresponding threshold voltage shifts of MOS transistors. These results were
compared with the experimentally determined threshold voltage shift of MOS
transistors with different voltages applied during irradiation vs. gamma
radiation doses. Satisfactory agreements were obtained.
Non-invasive ultrasonographic diagnostics of Rh(D) alloimmunized pregnancies
Authors: Plecas Darko , Zivkovic Monika , Pejovic Svetlana
Published: May 2012

A non-invasive ultrasonographic assessment of systolic ejection peak in the
middle cerebral artery is very efficient in detection of anomalies in
alloimmunized pregnancies and is a diagnostic method of choice prior to
cordocentesis. This is applied in combination with detection of titre of
Rh(D) antibodies. In our study, two groups of patients were tested and
results were compared. The first sample included 52 newborns in the period
1998-2007 (initial period of intrauteral intravascular transfusion, while the
second one included 16 newborns from the period 1998-2008 (second period,
when better prenatal control was achieved). Levels of titter of antibodies in
salty environment, in both the control and the analyzed group, indicated
moderate sensitization in a small group of patients. However, in albumin and
in particular Coombs environment, the level of sensitization was significant
in all patients (p>0.05; DF = 67). Our investigation suggests that with
ultrasound as a method of choice and with prenatal screening it is possible
to achieve better diagnosis and prognosis in the case of Rh(D) conditions of
alloimmunized pregnancies.
E-learning as a Challenge for Widening of Opportunities for Improvement of Students' Generic Competences
Authors: Birzina Rita , Fernate Andra , Luka Ineta , Maslo Irina , Surikova Svetlana
Published: May 2012

The rapidly changing economic, financial and social conditions require new knowledge and competences in order to be able to understand them, adapt to the new requirements and remain competitive and successful in the globalised social environment. Widening the access to lifelong learning is one way in which this could be achieved. A special role in this process is given to universities as promoters of lifelong learning. E-learning is a means of promoting the changes in academic studies and providing an opportunity to integrate non-formal and informal learning elements into formal education. Individualisation, learning opportunities flexible in time, as well as the e-environment can facilitate the development of students' competences. This article presents a study conducted during the implementation of an inter-university master's programme, ‘Educational Treatment of Diversity’ (in Spain, Latvia, Germany and the Czech Republic) in 2008–10. The research question was: which challenges for widening of opportunities were secured in e-learning in order to promote students' generic competences as a learning outcome?
Digital Natives Revisited: Developing Digital Wisdom in the Modern University
Authors: Harris David
Published: May 2012

The seminal work of Prensky on ‘digital natives' and ‘digital wisdom’ is used to launch a broader discussion on the relations between electronic communication, higher education, and popular and elite culture. Prensky's critics commonly contrast his polarisations and generational divisions with a more complex picture of types of engagement with electronic communication. However, their own approaches can also be seen as implying a number of less obvious but still important issues about education and culture. Having restored complexity to those areas too, the discussion ends with a consideration of practices in university teaching which attempt to manage complexity for educational purposes, and develop the more positive sides of electronic technology
E-learning versus Traditional Learning as Perceived by Undergraduate Students in Jordanian Universities
Authors: Al-Omari Aieman A. , Salameh Kayed M.
Published: May 2012

The main purpose of this study is to define the perception of e-learning and traditional learning among undergraduate students in Jordanian universities. The results of the study indicated that e-learning had significantly higher scores for perceived value among students than traditional learning. The perception of e-learning among male students is more positive than female.
School—University Partnership: Challenges and Visions in the New Decade
Authors: Ng Sharon S.N. , Chan Esther Y.M.
Published: May 2012

Over the past decade, higher education has undergone drastic changes all over the world because of globalisation and the changing economy. The traditional view of university as a place for one-off training is now considered outdated. Instead, the strong focus on lifelong learning urges teachers, educators and academics to reconceptualise and transform education. In this new era, successful schools adopt outreach strategies and seek support from external agencies such as universities for their development. Institutions of higher education provide consultation or work with partner schools for collaborative sharing, reflection, research and growth. Hence, school–university partnerships have become important for professional development and educational reform. With the growth of school–university collaborations, there is mounting interest in empirical research on the variety and value of these initiatives. This article reviews the school–university partnerships in Hong Kong in light of the trends and development in the international context. The studies reviewed showed that school–university partnerships involving teacher training programmes focus on understanding the views of participants in school–university partnership with an aim to build appropriate teacher training and professional development features into the teacher education programmes. These studies have theoretically contributed to the construction of culturally relevant teacher education programmes. After all, new project initiatives have contributed to substantial changes in school leadership, teachers' professional development and school-based curriculum development which would benefit children's learning. The authors argue that the development of an appropriate mode of collaboration remains a challenge for successful school–university partnerships. They have a vision to move beyond the existing research focus to explore ways to build school–university collaborations. Gaps in the research base and relevant questions that have not been addressed are discussed.
School-Based Teacher Development and Instructional Improvement in University—School Partnership Projects: Case Studies from Hong Kong
Authors: Lee John Chi-Kin
Published: May 2012

This article draws upon the experiences of a five-year government-funded university–school partnership project known as the Partnership for Improvement of Learning and Teaching (PILT) (2004–09), aimed at supporting teachers through improving their teaching quality and enhancing their professional growth in key learning areas – particularly mathematics, education and personal, social and humanities education – and initial experience of another completed project, the School Improvement Project for Early Childhood Education (SIP-ECE). The article first describes the rationale and operation of the PILT and SIP-ECE, respectively, and then explores the application of a 4-P (problem clarification, planning, programme action and progress evaluation) action learning approach to the improvement of subject teaching practice. This is followed, through case studies, by an exploration of teachers' own perceptions and university partners' perceptions of professional development and instructional improvement through the project. The final part of the article refers to Western concepts of professional development and university–school partnership, and suggests ways forward for school-based teacher development and instructional improvement in Hong Kong.