bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Auditory Imagery Modulates Frequency-specific Areas in the Human Auditory Cortex
Authors: Oh Jihoon , Kwon Jae Hyung , Yang Po Song , Jeong Jaeseung
Published: August 2012

Neural responses in early sensory areas are influenced by top–down processing. In the visual system, early visual areas have been shown to actively participate in top–down processing based on their topographical properties. Although it has been suggested that the auditory cortex is involved in top–down control, functional evidence of topographic modulation is still lacking. Here, we show that mental auditory imagery for familiar melodies induces significant activation in the frequency-responsive areas of the primary auditory cortex (PAC). This activation is related to the characteristics of the imagery: when subjects were asked to imagine high-frequency melodies, we observed increased activation in the high- versus low-frequency response area; when the subjects were asked to imagine low-frequency melodies, the opposite was observed. Furthermore, we found that A1 is more closely related to the observed frequency-related modulation than R in tonotopic subfields of the PAC. Our findings suggest that top–down processing in the auditory cortex relies on a mechanism similar to that used in the perception of external auditory stimuli, which is comparable to early visual systems.
Beliefs about causes, symptoms, and stigma associated with severe mental illness among ‘highly acculturated’ Chinese-American patients
Authors: Lin Susan Y
Published: August 2012

Background:

Literature about experiences of mental illness among ethnic minority has tended to focus on first-generation migrants. This study fills that gap by exploring experiences among highly acculturated Chinese-American patients with mental illness.

Materials:

Twenty-nine participants completed semi-structured interviews based on Kleinman’s explanatory model, which were audio-taped, transcribed and coded for qualitative analysis.

Discussion:

Beliefs about the causes of mental illness included biological factors, head trauma and personal losses. Issues relating to stigma and shame were also discussed.

Conclusion:

Highly acculturated ethnic minority patients may ascribe to a biomedical model at the same time as ascribing to culture-specific beliefs.
New Wine, Old Wineskins: Authorship and Digitalizing Nigerian Oral Poetry through New Media Technologies
Authors: Tsaaior James Tar
Published: August 2012

Much of Nigerian oral poetry, especially the musical genre, has been increasingly reduced to digital formats through the instrumentality of new media technologies. This transformation has, however, not been sufficiently acknowledged in oral literary researches and discourses. This alternative existence acquired by the oral forms manifests itself in digital technological modes like CDs, VCDs, DVDs, digital radio and television and the internet which assure them of longevity. This paper, therefore, engages Nigerian oral poetry and its inscription in digital processes using new media technologies. In particular, it negotiates the trajectory of transforming primary orality to secondary and tertiary orality through which oral performances like songs have acquired new modes of existence and meanings by way of recordings and digitalization using the new media. Many of these poetic forms have travelled through historical time to the postmodern moment as migrant metaphors and have become stored in digital forms thus making them new wine though preserved in the old wineskins of the poets and new media processes. Using an emergent generation of Nigerian popular poets and musical artistes, the paper problematizes the episteme of authorship. It interrogates the very idea of authorship in the contested and interstitial space of communal and individual authorship in the digital age where the term has undergone radical destabilisation. Who owns the oral forms, for instance? Is it the so-called anonymous composer in traditional society, the collector or recorder who mediates the creative process and becomes a surrogate agent, or the contemporary artist who is heir to this timeless tradition of oral intellection through performances that are digitalized and stored in retrieval systems, or is it a virtual community of authors, or a hybrid of all of these? The paper concludes that digital technologies are a means of preserving these oral forms and endowing them with vitality and enduring relevance to meet the immediacy and urgency of postmodern societal needs in Nigeria.
The Reach and Boundaries of Moral Concerns: Which Way for British Aid in Africa?
Authors: Sarpong Sam
Published: August 2012

The British government’s recent threat to withhold aid from African governments that do not reform legislation banning homosexuality has generated a lot of resentment from African countries where homosexuality is still illegal. With supposedly different social norms and values, Africa’s anti-gay stance is largely seen as being precipitated by its cultural values. Whilst Britain and, more recently, the US and Canada, have all determined that the issue of homosexuality lies at the heart of human rights, many African countries have stressed that it boils down to cultural values and social norms, a notion which many Africans believe Western governments have failed to appreciate.

The purpose of this paper is to provide an insight into this issue. It examines whether patterns of particular culture are really incompatible with admitted standards of human rights. The paper also dwells on the debate raging over universal human rights and cultural differences. It concludes that the culture of transnational modernity, one that specifies procedures for collaborative decision-making, conceptions of global social justice, and definitions of gender and sexual roles, stands at risk if it fails to take into account cultural specificity in some regions.
Winning the War, Losing the Peace: Amnesty and the Challenges of Post-Conflict Peace-Building in the Niger Delta, Nigeria
Authors: Aghedo Iro
Published: August 2012

The amnesty granted to the Niger Delta militants by the Nigerian state has stopped active and sustained physical combat in the oil-rich but volatile region. Yet, peace remains elusive in the area. This article, which relies essentially on secondary sources of data, examines this ‘no war, no peace’ situation by mapping the challenges confronting the amnesty programme and its corollary disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) programmes. It is argued that, until the incentives for violence are identified and checked, the age-long grievances of the region against environmental insecurity, underdevelopment, and distributional injustice in oil rents addressed, perpetrators of human rights violations – including extra-judicial murders – brought to book, and victims of human rights abuses and the protracted conflict compensated, the current peace of the graveyard in the region is likely to subsist.
Evaluating the Effectiveness of Roadside Instruction in Teaching Youth With Visual Impairments Street Crossings
Authors: Wright Tessa S. , Wolery Mark
Published: August 2012

A single-participant multiple probe design across participants was used to evaluate the effectiveness of verbal rehearsal and graduated guidance to teach youth who were blind how to cross the street. This study replicated intervention procedures across settings along with the staggered entry of participants. Individuals learned to cross one or two intersections. Maintenance was assessed, and generalization was assessed at a third intersection. Visual analysis of graphed data indicated that verbal rehearsal and graduated guidance were effective for all participants who received instruction. The participants ranged from 13 to 20 years of age and had light perception or less. All participants who received instruction maintained at levels substantially above baseline and generalized the majority of skills to a third intersection.
Existing Research and Future Directions for Self-Regulated Strategy Development With Students With and At Risk for Emotional and Behavioral Disorders
Authors: Ennis Robin Parks , Jolivette Kristine
Published: August 2012

Students with emotional and behavioral disorders (E/BD) have academic deficits that affect their success in school. However, there are few research studies investigating what strategies work best for this population, especially in the area of writing. One promising intervention to support the writing skills of students with and at risk for E/BD is self-regulated strategy development (SRSD). SRSD is a six-stage explicit strategy instruction model that includes procedures for goal setting, self-monitoring, self-instruction, and self-reinforcement and can be generalized to a variety of writing tasks. This article summarizes the existing literature using SRSD with students with and at risk for E/BD, including 3 group design and 11 single-subject studies. Future directions for the field are outlined, including using teachers as interventionists, examining behavioral dependent variables, and conducting investigations within three-tiered models of positive behavioral interventions and supports.
A Comparative Study of Tourism Supply Chains with Quantity Competition
Authors: Huang Yun , Song Haiyan , Huang George Q. , Lou Jiamiao
Published: August 2012

This paper studies the impact of the involvement of tour operators in a tourism supply chain with multiple hotels and travel agencies. Tour operators negotiate with upstream hotels on the quantity of hotel rooms and promote the accommodation to downstream travel agencies. Two types of game models are formulated to analyze quantity competition in tourism supply chains with and without a tour operator. We conduct a comparative study of the two cases and explore the effects of various parameters. The results show that when the market size of travel agencies is lower than a certain level, then both travel agencies and hotels benefit more from the presence of a tour operator in a tourism supply chain. Furthermore, in this situation, the fluctuations in the profits of both travel agencies and hotels are more violent as the supply chain’s membership changes.
Students With Disabilities at 2-Year Institutions in the United States
Authors: Mamiseishvili Ketevan , Koch Lynn C.
Published: August 2012

This study used data from the Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study to examine the demographic and in-college characteristics of students with disabilities at 2-year institutions, identify the types of educational services available to them, and determine how students’ disability conditions and their selected demographic and in-college characteristics related to their persistence. Nearly 25% of the students with disabilities in the sample did not persist beyond their first year, and almost 51% left without return by the end of their third year. The results from chi-square tests revealed that nonpersistence was associated with depression, physical or orthopedic conditions, and other conditions not specified in the survey. Delayed enrollment decreased the likelihood of both first-to-second and 3-year persistence. Conversely, full-time enrollment, high grade point averages (GPAs), high degree aspirations, and meetings with academic advisors were positively related to persistence. Recommendations for faculty members, administrators, and disability services staff members at 2-year institutions are provided.
A Unique Problem or the Manifestation of a Preexisting Disorder? The Mediating Role of Problematic Internet Use in the Relationships Between Psychosocial Problems and Functional Impairment
Authors: Tokunaga Robert S.
Published: August 2012

Concerns about the problematic nature of internet use have been discussed since the inception of the internet. Internet addiction, problematic internet use (PIU), and the deficient self-regulation of internet use are some issues studied in this domain. Some regard these conditions as genuine disorders that cause disruptions in one’s life. Others criticize their legitimacy, claiming that functional impairment associated with internet use is indicative of primary psychosocial problems and has little to do with the internet. The purpose of this investigation was to understand whether cognitive preoccupation and uncontrolled use, components of PIU, are part of a unique disorder or are symptomatic of underlying psychosocial problems. This research tested the mediating role of PIU in the relationships between psychosocial problems (i.e., social anxiety, loneliness, and depression) and impairment of interpersonal relationships and vocational performance in two studies. Different conclusions were reached based on the methodological design of the study; however, the findings generally supported the mediation of PIU.
Combined Effects of Perceived Politics and Psychological Capital on Job Satisfaction, Turnover Intentions, and Performance
Authors: Abbas Muhammad , Raja Usman , Darr Wendy , Bouckenooghe Dave
Published: August 2012

With a diverse sample (N = 231 paired responses) of employees from various organizations in Pakistan, the authors tested for the main effects of perceived organizational politics and psychological capital on turnover intentions, job satisfaction, and supervisor-rated job performance. They also examined the moderating influence of psychological capital in the politics–outcomes relationships. Results provided good support for the proposed hypotheses. While perceived organizational politics was associated with all outcomes, psychological capital had a significant relationship with job satisfaction and supervisor-rated performance only. As hypothesized, the negative relationship of perceived organizational politics with job satisfaction and supervisor-rated performance was weaker when psychological capital was high. However, the result for turnover intentions was counter to expectations where the politics–turnover intention relationship was stronger when psychological capital was high.
Entrepreneurial Orientation, Firm Performance, and the Moderating Role of Transformational Leadership Behaviors
Authors: Engelen Andreas , Gupta Vishal , Strenger Lis , Brettel Malte
Published: August 2012

Extant research has shown that entrepreneurial orientation (EO) is positively associated with firm performance, but several contingencies affect the strength of this relationship. This article uses insights from the resource-based view and upper echelons perspective to introduce top management’s transformational leadership behaviors as moderators in the EO–performance relationship. The theoretically derived model is tested using survey data obtained from 790 small-and medium-sized firms in six countries. Findings indicate that, regardless of national setting, four transformational behaviors—articulating a vision, providing an appropriate model, having high performance expectations, and showing supportive leader behavior—positively affect the relationship between EO and firm performance. Further, the performance consequences of EO are greater when top management adheres to a configuration characterized by the highest possible levels of transformational behaviors. Implications and directions for future research are discussed.
Effects of Kupffer Cell Depletion on Acute Alpha-Naphthylisothiocyanate-induced Liver Toxicity in Male Mice
Authors: Cullen John M. , Faiola Brenda , Melich David H. , Peterson Richard A. , Jordan Holly L. , Kimbrough Carie L. , Prescott Judith S. , Miller Richard T.
Published: August 2012

Depletion of Kupffer cells, known to modulate chemical-induced hepatocellular injury, has not been studied with regard to biliary epithelial injury. Here, the authors investigated the effect of Kupffer cell depletion by clodronate on the toxicity of alpha-naphthylisothiocyanate (ANIT), known to injure biliary epithelium as well as hepatocytes. Up to 99% depletion of Kupffer cells occurred in ANIT and liposome-encapsulated clodronate-treated mice. The effect of Kupffer cell depletion was most evident one day following ANIT treatment. Histologically, there was a modest increase in neutrophil infiltration of the bile ducts, hepatocytic necrosis, and microvesicular vacuolization in the ANIT and clodronate-treated mice, but differences between other groups did not persist. Clinical pathology analytes related to the biliary or hepatocellular injury were significantly elevated in ANIT and clodronate-treated mice compared to mice given clodronate only. This was also true for mice given ANIT and empty liposomes in the case of the biliary analytes. However, group means were typically higher for the ANIT and clodronate-treated group than others on the first 2 days following ANIT injection. These findings suggest that Kupffer cell reduction increases hepatobiliary damage due to ANIT treatment.
Regulatory Forum Opinion Piece*
Authors: Lebrec Hervé N.
Published: August 2012

The immune system has been recognized for decades as a potential “target organ” of toxicity. Immune system activation can result in cytokine release resulting in severe systemic toxicity. Immunosuppression can result in impaired host defense and an increase in opportunistic infection, reemergence of latent infection, poor responses to vaccination, or increased risk of certain cancers. Several regulatory documents have addressed various aspects of immunotoxicity assessments. Nonhuman primates (NHPs) and in particular macaques are often the only relevant species for biotechnology-derived investigational new drugs based on cross-reactivity with human and NHP targets. This article reviews the challenges and opportunities associated with monitoring immune function in NHPs in the context of regulatory expectations. The article emphasizes how a comprehensive assessment of immunotoxicity remains a challenge due to interanimal variability associated with certain parameters (e.g., T-dependent antibody response)and it identifies gaps, such as the stage of development of certain assays (e.g., cytotoxic T-cell function). Despite these challenges, a thorough assessment of target biology-driven theoretical risks, in combination with proper integration of all information from the standard toxicology studies, and the refinement of certain assays should enable proper risk assessment. To this effect, emphasis should be placed on leveraging predictive in vitro assays using human cells.
Extracts from The Cochrane Library
Authors: Burton Martin J. , Eby Thomas L. , Rosenfeld Richard M.
Published: August 2012

The “Cochrane Corner” is a quarterly section in the Journal that highlights systematic reviews relevant to otolaryngology–head and neck surgery, with invited commentary to aid clinical decision making. This installment features a Cochrane review “Modifications of the Epley (Canalith Repositioning) Manoeuvre for Posterior Canal Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV)” that finds no evidence of benefit for mastoid oscillation applied during the Epley maneuver nor any clinically important benefit for post‐Epley postural restrictions in comparison with the Epley maneuver alone.
Supracricoid Partial Laryngectomy
Authors: Pinar Ercan , Imre Abdulkadir , Calli Caglar , Oncel Semih , Katilmis Huseyin
Published: August 2012

Objective

The aim of this study was to analyze the functional and oncologic results of supracricoid partial laryngectomy.

Study Design

Case series with chart review.

Setting

Katip Celebi University Ataturk Training and Research Hospital, Izmir, Turkey.

Subject and Methods

The medical records of 56 patients, who underwent supracricoid partial laryngectomy between March 2002 and December 2010, were reviewed in this study. Forty‐three patients underwent supracricoid partial laryngectomy with cricohyoidopexy, and 13 patients underwent cricohyoidoepiglottopexy. The overall and disease‐specific survival, local control rates, and the mean time of decannulation and nasogastric tube removal were evaluated. Association of type of surgery with the functional and oncologic outcomes was evaluated and statistically compared.

Results

The median follow‐up period was 58 months. The 1‐, 3‐, and 5‐year overall survival rates were 100%, 96.4%, and 82.1%, respectively. The 1‐, 3‐, and 5‐year local control rates were 100%, 96.1%, and 92.5%, respectively. Type of surgery did not show any significant difference in survival and local control rates (P =. 546, P =. 455). The mean (SD) decannulation and nasogastric feeding tube removal time was 11.43 (2.03) and 16.79 (3.51) days, respectively. The mean time of decannulation and nasogastric tube removal was significantly longer in patients who underwent cricohyoidopexy when compared with those who underwent cricohyoidoepiglottopexy (P =. 002, P =. 000).

Conclusion

Although delaying deglutition functions could be termed a disadvantage of supracricoid laryngectomy, especially with cricohyoidopexy, supracricoid laryngectomy has reliable oncologic and functional results for locally advanced laryngeal cancers while maintaining laryngeal functions.
Chronic Pharyngitis: Role of Atypical Organisms
Authors: Naina P. , Anandan Shalini , Mathews Suma Susan , Job Anand , Albert Rita Ruby
Published: August 2012

Background

Bacteria including Chlamydophila pneumoniae, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, and anaerobic bacteria such as Fusobacterium necrophorum have been implicated as etiological agents of chronic pharyngitis in Western literature. Because there are no data regarding this from India, the authors undertook this study.

Study Design

Prospective case‐control study.

Setting

Tertiary‐level medical college and hospital.

Method

In total, 343 consecutive adults with persistent throat pain and/or irritation (duration ≥3 months) were screened for known causes of pharyngitis by a thorough clinical and endoscopic examination. In 71 patients, the evaluation performed was unable to determine any cause, and these were considered cases. An enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay test to detect IgA and IgG antibodies to C pneumoniae and M pneumoniae was performed on 66 of these cases and 62 controls. The posterior pharyngeal swabs taken from both the cases and controls were subjected to aerobic and anaerobic culture.

Results

Individuals with chronic pharyngitis had a 3.43 times odds of being seropositive for C pneumoniae as compared with controls (P =. 001; odds ratio = 3.43). Aerobic organisms and M pneumoniae did not seem to be significant etiological agents for chronic pharyngitis. On the contrary, isolation of Fusobacterium spp was found to be significantly more in controls as compared with cases.

Conclusion

This study suggests an association between IgA antibodies to C pneumoniae and chronic pharyngitis. Further studies using more specific tests combined with long‐term follow‐up are needed to confirm these findings.
Superior Semicircular Canal Dehiscence in Patients with Spontaneous Cerebrospinal Fluid Otorrhea
Authors: Allen Kyle P. , Perez Carlos L. , Isaacson Brandon , Roland Peter S. , Duong Thao T. , Kutz J. Walter
Published: August 2012

Objective

To determine the prevalence of superior semicircular canal dehiscence (SCD) in patients with spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) otorrhea.

Study Design

Case series with chart review.

Setting

Tertiary care referral center.

Subjects and Methods

Patients included have undergone a middle fossa craniotomy for repair of spontaneous CSF otorrhea between January 2007 and December 2011. The main outcome measure is the presence or absence of SCD observed during spontaneous CSF leak repair. Computed tomography (CT) imaging was also reviewed to determine the diagnostic accuracy of this modality.

Results

Thirty‐three ears in 31 patients underwent surgical repair for spontaneous CSF otorrhea via a middle fossa craniotomy. The average age at the time of repair was 60.5 years, and 80.6% of patients were female. A dehiscence of the superior canal was observed in 15.2% of ears (16.1% of individuals). No significant difference in age, body mass index, or sex was noted between those patients with or without a superior canal dehiscence. For the diagnosis of SCD, coronal CT was 100% sensitive and 91.7% specific. The positive predictive value and negative predictive value of CT were 66.7% and 100%, respectively.

Conclusion

The prevalence of superior semicircular canal dehiscence in ears with spontaneous otorrhea is 15.2%. This prevalence is greater than the 0.5% reported in a temporal bone study of ears not selected for CSF otorrhea.
Incentive Spirometry for the Tracheostomy Patient
Authors: Goldstein Gregg H. , Iloreta Alfred Marc , Ojo Bukola , Malkin Benjamin D.
Published: August 2012

Objective

To determine the feasibility of developing and using a customized incentive spirometer device for patients who have undergone a tracheostomy procedure.

Study Design

The authors performed a prospective case series approved by the institutional review board.

Setting

Academic medical center.

Subjects and Methods

Patients were eligible for participation if they were older than 18 years and had a new tracheostomy. Spirometry exercises were performed using a protocol adapted from the American Academy of Respiratory Care guidelines. Patient data were recorded, including age, sex, tobacco use, surgical procedure, time under general anesthesia, length of hospital stay, and time until ambulation. The details of the spirometry exercises were also recorded along with any complications that occurred.

Results

An incentive spirometer was adapted for use with tracheostomy patients and received an investigational device exemption from the Food and Drug Administration. A total of 10 patients were enrolled (mean age 60 years). Sixty percent were current or former tobacco users, the mean anesthesia time was 9 hours, and 70% underwent a microvascular free flap reconstruction. Patients used the incentive spirometer for a mean of 1.6 days during the postoperative period, averaging 3.3 sessions per day and 6.8 breaths per session. The device was well tolerated by patients, and there were no complications associated with its use.

Conclusion

This study supports the feasibility of using a customized incentive spirometer for tracheostomy patients and establishes a safety profile for the device to be used in future studies.
A boost of positive affect
Authors: Lambert Nathaniel M. , Gwinn A. Marlea , Baumeister Roy F. , Strachman Amy , Washburn Isaac J. , Gable Shelly L. , Fincham Frank D.
Published: August 2012

In a series of five studies we examined the relationship between sharing positive experiences and positive affect using a diary method (Study 1) and laboratory manipulations (Studies 2 and 3). All of these studies demonstrated that sharing the positive experience heightened its impact on positive affect. In Study 4, we conducted a four-week journal study in which the experimental participants kept a journal of grateful experiences and shared them with a partner twice a week. Control participants either kept a journal of grateful experience (without sharing), or kept a journal of class learnings and shared it with a partner. Those who shared their positive experiences increased in positive affect, happiness, and life satisfaction over the course of four weeks. Study 5 showed that those who received an “active-constructive” response to good news (enthusiastic support) expressed more positive affect than participants in all other conditions, indicating that the response of the listener is important. In sum, our findings suggest that positive affect, happiness, and life satisfaction reach a peak only when participants share their positive experiences and when the relationship partner provides an active-constructive response.
An examination of predictors of nonverbal and verbal communication of pleasure during sex and sexual satisfaction
Authors: Babin Elizabeth A.
Published: August 2012

This study examined a model in which sexual communication apprehension and sexual self-esteem were expected to predict individuals’ verbal and nonverbal communication of pleasure during sex, which in turn were expected to predict participants’ sexual satisfaction. The data produced support for five of the six hypothesized relationships. Nonverbal communication during sex fully mediated the relationship between sexual self-esteem and sexual satisfaction, and partially mediated the relationship between sexual communication apprehension and sexual satisfaction. Verbal communication during sex did not predict sexual satisfaction. The findings draw attention to the need for scholars to examine both verbal and nonverbal forms of sexual communication, as well as factors that might influence the extent to which individuals’ communicate sexual pleasure during sexual encounters.
‘I am not alone’: Understanding public support for the welfare state
Authors: Gërxhani Klarita , Koster Ferry
Published: August 2012

This article explores to what extent and how individuals’ welfare state attitudes relate to their subjective assessment of the available social support. Using various sociological and sociopsychological theories the authors first provide a theoretical analysis of the micro–macro links between perceived social support (micro), social trust in support availability (macro) and public attitudes towards welfare states (micro). An empirical test based on a large cross-country dataset of 31,122 respondents in 25 European countries shows that the more welfare is provided by the state, the less of it is desired in countries where individuals have the general belief that they can rely on each other for support. Importantly, only when considered jointly, do welfare state provision and social trust in support availability become essential in explaining welfare state attitudes.
The price is right? The limitations of market mechanisms in encouraging low carbon mobility
Authors: Mikler John
Published: August 2012

The automotive industry must embrace a low carbon mobility future. One way to encourage this is via incentives for consumers to use their existing vehicles more efficiently, and to purchase vehicles with technologies that mean they produce lower CO2 emissions. The conventional wisdom holds that market mechanisms, which alter the price signals faced by consumers, should be crucial in changing consumer behaviour and stimulating demand for such vehicles. However, this article cautions against the degree to which market mechanisms may be relied on. Because of the price inelasticity of demand for fuel, the endurance of national and regional preferences that are resistant to market price signals for the uptake of new vehicles, and supply-side considerations, a more interventionist policy response will be necessary for driving, rather than stimulating, demand for vehicles with lower CO2 emissions.
SEMPRE: Forty years on
Authors: Cox Gordon , Crickmore Leon , Plummeridge Charles , Sergeant Desmond
Published: August 2012

This historical account traces the beginnings of the Society for Education, Music and Psychology Research (SEMPRE) to the founding of the Society for Research in Psychology of Music and Music Education (SRPMME) in 1972, which in turn had evolved from Arnold Bentley’s Research in Music Education conferences instituted in 1966. The paper charts the growth and development of SRPMME through to its transformation into SEMPRE in 2002. In conclusion there is a discussion of the society’s achievements and influences which augur well for the future of research in the fields of music, education and psychology.
Climate change
Authors: Hulme Mike
Published: August 2012

In this progress report on climate change, I examine the growing literature dealing with the proposal to engineer global climate through the deliberate injection of aerosols into the stratosphere. This is just one of a wide range of technology proposals to geoengineer the climate, but one in particular which has gained the attention of Earth System science researchers and which is attracting wider public debate. I review the current status of this technology by exploring a number of different dimensions of the proposal: its history and philosophical and ethical implications; how it is framed in public discourse and perceived by citizens; its economic, political and governance characteristics; and how the proposed technology is being researched through numerical modelling and field experimentation. Unlike many other geoengineering interventions, stratospheric aerosol injection has no additional societal co-benefits: its sole raison d’etre would be to offset planetary heating caused by rising concentrations of greenhouse gases. The deployment of such a technology would have profound implications for the view humans have of themselves in relation to the non-human world.
Influence of areal density on the energy absorbed by thin composite plates subjected to high-velocity impacts
Authors: García-Castillo Shirley K , Sánchez-Sáez Sonia , Barbero Enrique
Published: August 2012

This work analyses the influence that the areal density of a composite thin-plate, made of glass-fibre woven laminates and subjected to high-velocity impact, exerts on perforation-threshold energy, contact time, and energy-absorption mechanisms. The perforation-threshold energy increased with the areal density. Also, the contact time increased at impact energies above the perforation-threshold energy and decreased below this threshold. The main energy-absorption mechanisms at impact energies close to that causing perforation were found to be the deformation and failure of the fibres, regardless of the areal density. For higher impact energies, the main mechanisms were fibre failure and the energy absorbed by acceleration of the laminate.
African American Women’s Sexual Objectification Experiences
Authors: Watson Laurel B. , Robinson Dawn , Dispenza Franco , Nazari Negar
Published: August 2012

The purpose of our study was to investigate African American women’s experiences with sexual objectification. Utilizing grounded theory methodology as well as Black feminist thought and objectification theory as the research lenses, the results of this study uncovered how racist, sexist, and classist ideologies contributed to sexual objectification experiences (SOEs) among African American women. Twenty African American female graduate students and others recruited from a campus community participated in semistructured interviews. Data revealed a number of different sociocultural factors that contributed to the sexual objectification of African American women (i.e., historical influence of slavery, sexualized views and images of African American women, and patriarchal social structure). These factors were observed to contribute to different forms of sexual objectification, ranging from comments and objectifying gazes to more extreme forms, such as sexual abuse. Participants described a number of effects of sexual objectification, including self-objectification, physical safety anxiety, eating concerns, psychological/emotional, and interpersonal. Participants also described how they coped with and grew from these experiences. Psychologists and mental health professionals are encouraged to consider how African American women’s SOEs are rooted in racism, sexism, and classism. Furthermore, these practitioners are urged to develop an awareness of how these oppressions intersect and contribute to the sexual objectification of African American women.
The Effect of Modified Broström-Gould Repair for Lateral Ankle Instability on In Vivo Tibiotalar Kinematics
Authors: Wainright William B. , Spritzer Charles E. , Lee Jun Young , Easley Mark E. , DeOrio James K. , Nunley James A. , DeFrate Louis E.
Published: August 2012

Background:

Lateral ankle instability leads to an increased risk of tibiotalar joint osteoarthritis. Previous studies have found abnormal tibiotalar joint motions with lateral ankle instability that may contribute to this increased incidence of osteoarthritis, including increased anterior translation and internal rotation of the talus under weightbearing loading. Surgical repairs for lateral ankle instability have shown good clinical results, but the effects of repair on in vivo ankle motion are not well understood.

Hypothesis:

The modified Broström-Gould lateral ligament reconstruction decreases anterior translation and internal rotation of the talus under in vivo weightbearing loading conditions.

Study Design:

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods:

Seven patients underwent modified Broström-Gould repair for unilateral lateral ankle instability. Ankle joint kinematics as a function of increasing body weight was studied with magnetic resonance imaging and biplanar fluoroscopy. Tibiotalar kinematics was measured in unstable ankles preoperatively and postoperatively at a mean follow-up of 12 months as well as in the uninjured contralateral ankles of the same patients.

Results:

Surgical repair resulted in statistically significant decreases (expressed as mean ± standard error of the mean) in anterior translation of the talus (0.9 ± 0.3 mm; P = .018) at 100% body weight and internal rotation of the talus at 75% (2.6° ± 0.8°; P = .019) and 100% (2.7° ± 0.8°; P = .013) body weight compared with ankle kinematics measured before repair. No statistically significant differences were detected between repaired ankles and contralateral normal ankles.

Conclusion:

The modified Broström-Gould repair improved the abnormal joint motion observed in patients with lateral ankle instability, decreasing anterior translation and internal rotation of the talus.

Clinical Relevance:

Altered kinematics may contribute to the tibiotalar joint degeneration that occurs with chronic lateral ankle instability. The findings of the current study support the efficacy of this repair in improving the abnormal ankle motion observed in these patients.
Superior Capsule Reconstruction to Restore Superior Stability in Irreparable Rotator Cuff Tears
Authors: Mihata Teruhisa , McGarry Michelle H. , Pirolo Joseph M. , Kinoshita Mitsuo , Lee Thay Q.
Published: August 2012

Background:

There have been many clinical reports of patch graft surgery for irreparable rotator cuff tears. However, the retear rate of the patch graft is relatively high because of the lack of superior stability, causing subacromial abrasions.

Purpose:

To compare superior stability among 3 types of patch grafting for simulated irreparable rotator cuff tears.

Study Design:

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods:

Eight cadaveric shoulders were tested in a custom shoulder testing system. Superior translation of the humerus, subacromial contact pressure, and glenohumeral joint force were quantified in the following 5 conditions: (1) when the rotator cuff was intact, (2) after cutting the supraspinatus tendon, (3) after the patch graft to reconstruct the supraspinatus tendon, (4) after the patch graft to reconstruct the superior capsule, and (5) after the patch graft to reconstruct both the supraspinatus tendon and superior capsule. While the graft was sutured to the torn tendon in condition 3, the graft was attached to the superior glenoid in condition 4.

Results:

Compared with values for intact rotator cuffs, cutting the supraspinatus tendon significantly increased superior translation ( P < .05), significantly increased subacromial contact pressure ( P < .05), and significantly decreased glenohumeral compression force ( P < .05). Superior translation was restored partially after the supraspinatus tendon patch graft and restored fully after the superior capsule patch graft and after both patch grafts. All patch grafts fully restored the subacromial contact pressure ( P < .05) but did not alter the glenohumeral joint force.

Conclusion:

When patch graft surgery is chosen for irreparable rotator cuff tears, the graft should be attached medially to the superior glenoid and laterally to the greater tuberosity to restore superior stability of the humeral head.

Clinical Relevance:

The superior capsule patch graft completely restored superior stability of the glenohumeral joint, while patch grafting to the supraspinatus tendon partially restored superior translation.
Does culture evolve by means of Darwinian selection? The lessons of Candide’s travels
Authors: Guillo Dominique
Published: August 2012

The meaning of the concept of natural selection undergoes important changes when it circulates, through the use of analogies, between the realms of biological and cultural phenomena. These changes are not easily detected, but they are unavoidable. They have to do with differences between the properties of cultural phenomena and those of biological phenomena: in particular, the absence of the equivalent of a Hardy–Weinberg law for culture. These differences make it necessary to translate the concepts of classic population genetics into the language of transmission. This translation enables the theorists discussed here to build a unitary general theory of evolution (GTE) based on analogies between biological and cultural evolution, and at the same time to single out their differences. But the unity and the rigor of this theoretical approach are merely apparent. The concept of selection as it is defined here loses, in its three spheres of application – GTE, culture but also biology – the meaning and explanatory power it has in classic population genetics. This means that the mechanism of Darwinian selection cannot be considered as a universal algorithm that is valid for both biological and cultural phenomena alike.
The French Republican model, the European Diversity Perspective and the European Public Sphere
Authors: Dressler Wanda , Sicakkan Hakan G , Fuga Artan , Mitroi Veronica , Terrazzoni Liza
Published: August 2012

This article discusses some findings of a European research project led by Bergen University, ‘Eurosphere: Diversity and the European Public Sphere – Towards a Citizens’ Europe’. The project aimed to evaluate perceptions of the construction of a European Public Sphere and of transnational relations among specific social actors interviewed in 16 European countries, between 2007 and 2012. In this particular article, the authors first examine reactions to the European Diversity Directive in France among three political parties (2 majority and 1 minority), three think-tanks, three NGO/SMO, and four media. Analysis of their attitudes towards diversity reveals a Girondin/Jacobin cleavage across actors. The Directive on Diversity is estimated to have had a positive impact in France because it obliged organizations and institutions to position themselves and revisit the debate on racial and postcolonial questions and on the European role in the democratization process of European societies. Concerning the relationship between the French and the EU’s attempts to build a European public sphere, we find not so much a European Public Sphere understood in the thick sense of the concept but, rather, a progressive Europeanization of the French national public sphere.
Can We Restore Broadly Shared Prosperity?
Authors: Marshall Ray
Published: August 2012

Good Jobs, Bad Jobs and other Russell Sage publications greatly strengthen our knowledge of both the causes of low-wage work and what is required to improve jobs and economic opportunities. These multidisciplinary studies complement basic principles with detailed comparative fieldwork which shows that globalized product and labor market competition does not create immutable tradeoffs between the quality and quantity of jobs; although it won’t be easy in the American context, broadly shared prosperity can be restored by a combination of value-added competitiveness policies, collective bargaining, minimum and prevailing wages, human resource development, labor market policies, and social supports.
Geometrically based metrics featuring area and shape for multidimensional wildland fire models
Authors: Silva Humberto , Leslie Ian H
Published: August 2012

There is, indeed, a shortage of methods to validate, verify, or simply show the performance of multidimensional wildland fire models under certain criteria. Many approaches are possible, but this study will undertake total shape and size of area burned as the metric criteria with such models. In particular, two area shape and size metrics are presented for application to a fire area simulator. Both metrics are then analyzed to show which one is better suited for predictions that have protruding fire fronts and overshoots. In addition, a numerical experiment is presented herein, which simply demonstrates how such metrics can be utilized to validate fire area simulators.
Optics Valley of China and Its Social Security Issue
Authors: Chen Xing
Published: August 2012

Rapid development by innovative enterprises is the goal of Optics Valley of China. Currently 1,951 hi-tech companies have started operations in the valley. The anchor industries include optoelectronic information, bioengineering and medicine, environmental protection and energy saving, high-end equipment manufacturing and hi-tech services. Since 2000, the average annual economic growth rate of Optics Valley has been nearly 30%. Optics Valley continues to upgrade the development of an open economy and to attract international well-known companies with the advantage of location, policy, industry and environment. A strategic agreement between Optics Valley of China and Silicon Valley of the United States was signed in February 2012. Economic development and people’s livelihood are always the priorities in China. Toward that end, Optics Valley has adopted a framework of requirements specifying the social security responsibility of the foreign-funded enterprises in the valley as a step to accelerate the formation of a social security system. This article analyses the status of industry development, the region’s investment environment and the regulations governing social security in Optics Valley. The intent is to help foreign entrepreneurs interested in establishing an operation in Optics Valley.
Reporting for State and Local Government Pension Plans
Authors: Bloom Robert
Published: August 2012

Financial reporting for state and local government pension plans needs to be improved. Although these governmental agencies in recent years have required greater contributions by employees toward their pensions along with increasing the retirement age and service years, reducing cost-of-living benefits, and reducing overtime allowances, investment losses and declining tax revenues stemming from the recession have aggravated the underfunding of their pension plans. Financial reporting of these plans could be enhanced by reflecting more realistic measures of the underlying obligation and the expected long-term rates of return on plan assets. The Government Accounting Standards Board is finalizing a standard to require such information in order to enhance the transparency of reporting on these plans.
One Company Fund
Authors: Reilly Timothy
Published: August 2012

Benchmark Senior Living has created a unique benefit by establishing a nonprofit organization, the One Company Fund, to help employees who find themselves faced with unanticipated financial crises. Benchmark associates can access one-time grants up to $5,000 to overcome financial hardship caused by an emergency or natural disaster, a death in the family, an accident or illness or disability. The Fund has distributed more than $500,000 to more than 300 Benchmark associates.
The oxidation of carbon fiber on the interlaminar shear strength and tribological properties of high-density polyethylene composites
Authors: Tang Gang , Zang Zhaoliang , Huang Wanjuan , Huang Jiahui , Wang Dongmei , Wei Gaofeng , Mi Weijian
Published: August 2012

The objective of this work is to improve the interlaminar shear strength and tribological properties of the high-density polyethylene (HDPE) composites by oxidation treatment method of carbon fiber (CF) and ultraviolet irradiation of HDPE. The morphologies of untreated and treated CFs were characterized by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Surface analysis showed that after treatment, the surface of CFs chemisorbed oxygen-containing groups, active carbon atom, the surface roughness, and wetting ability were increased. The results show that the treated CF composites can possess excellent interfacial properties and tribological properties accordingly after treatment.