bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Transforming Growth Factor Activity Is a Key Determinant for the Effect of Estradiol on Fatty Streak Deposit in Hypercholesterolemic Mice
Authors: Gourdy Pierre , Schambourg Alexia , Filipe Cédric , Douin-Echinard Victorine , Garmy-Susini Barbara , Calippe Bertrand , Tercé François , Bayard Francis , Arnal Jean-François
Published: August 2007

Objective—

Whereas estradiol prevents fatty streak deposit in immunocompetent apoE
−/−
or LDLr
−/−
mice, it is totally ineffective in immunodeficient mice, underlining the key role of immunoinflammation in this effect. In the present work, the role of several major pro- and antiinflammatory cytokines involved in the atheromatous process was evaluated in the effect of estradiol on fatty streak constitution.

Methods and Results—

The preventive effect of estradiol was fully maintained in LDLr
−/−
mice grafted with bone marrow from either IFN-γ or interleukin (IL)-12–deficient mice, showing that this beneficial effect was not mediated through a specific decrease in the production of these 2 proinflammatory cytokines. Furthermore, IL-10
−/−
apoE
−/−
mice remained protected by estradiol, excluding a significant contribution of this antiinflammatory cytokine. In contrast, the protective effect of estradiol was (1) associated with enhanced aortic expression of TGF-β1 in apoE
−/−
mice during early steps of atherogenesis; (2) abolished and even reversed in apoE
−/−
mice administered with a neutralizing anti–TGF-β antibody; (3) abolished in LDLr
−/−
mice grafted with bone marrow from Smad3-deficient mice.

Conclusions—

The status of the TGF-β pathway crucially determines the antiatherogenic effect of estradiol in hypercholesterolemic mice, whereas neither IFN-γ, IL-12, nor IL-10 are specifically involved in this protection.
Does the Prevention of Complications Explain the Survival Benefit of Organized Inpatient (Stroke Unit) Care?
Authors: Govan Lindsay , Langhorne Peter , Weir Christopher J.
Published: August 2007

Background and Purpose—

Systematic reviews have shown that organized inpatient (stroke unit) care reduces the risk of death after stroke. However, it is unclear how this is achieved. We tested whether stroke unit care could reduce deaths by preventing complications.

Methods—

We updated a collaborative systematic review of 31 controlled clinical trials (6936 participants) to include reported interventions and complications during early hospital care plus the certified cause of death during follow up. Each secondary analysis used data from between 7 and 17 studies (1652 to 3327 participants). Complications were grouped as physiological, neurological, cardiovascular, complications of immobility, and others. Bayesian hierarchical models were used to estimate odds ratios for features occurring in stroke units versus conventional care.

Results—

Based on the data of 17 trials (3327 participants), organized (stroke unit) care reduced case fatality during scheduled follow up (OR: 0.75; 95% credible intervals: 0.59 to 0.92), in particular deaths certified as attributable to complications of immobility (0.59; 0.41 to 0.86). Stroke unit care was associated with statistically significant increases in the reported use of oxygen (2.39; 1.39 to 4.66), measures to prevent aspiration (2.42; 1.36 to 4.36), and paracetamol (2.80; 1.14 to 4.83) plus a nonsignificant reduction in the use of urinary catheterization. Stroke units were associated with statistically significant reductions in stroke progression/recurrence (0.66; 0.46 to 0.95) and in some complications of immobility: chest infections (0.60; 0.42 to 0.87), other infections (0.56; 0.40 to 0.84), and pressure sores (0.44; 0.22 to 0.85). There were no significant differences in cardiovascular, physiological, or other complications.

Conclusions—

Organized inpatient (stroke unit) care appears to reduce the risk of death after stroke through the prevention and treatment of complications, in particular infections.
Novel Thyroxine Derivatives, Thyronamine and 3-iodothyronamine, Induce Transient Hypothermia and Marked Neuroprotection Against Stroke Injury
Authors: Doyle Kristian P. , Suchland Katherine L. , Ciesielski Thomas M.P. , Lessov Nikola S. , Grandy David K. , Scanlan Thomas S. , Stenzel-Poore Mary P.
Published: August 2007

Background and Purpose—

Mild hypothermia confers profound neuroprotection in ischemia. We recently discovered 2 natural derivatives of thyroxine, 3-iodothyronamine (T
1
AM) and thyronamine (T
0
AM), that when administered to rodents lower body temperature for several hours without induction of a compensatory homeostatic response. We tested whether T
1
AM- and T
0
AM-induced hypothermia protects against brain injury from experimental stroke.

Methods—

We tested T
1
AM and T
0
AM 1 hour after and 2 days before stroke in a mouse model of focal ischemia. To determine whether T
1
AM and T
0
AM require hypothermia to protect against stroke injury, the induction of hypothermia was prevented.

Results—

T
1
AM and T
0
AM administration reduced body temperature from 37°C to 31°C. Mice given T
1
AM or T
0
AM after the ischemic period had significantly smaller infarcts compared with controls. Mice preconditioned with T
1
AM before ischemia displayed significantly smaller infarcts compared with controls. Pre- and postischemia treatments required the induction of hypothermia. T
1
AM and T
0
AM treatment in vitro failed to confer neuroprotection against ischemia.

Conclusions—

T
1
AM and T
0
AM, are potent neuroprotectants in acute stroke and T
1
AM can be used as antecedent treatment to induce neuroprotection against subsequent ischemia. Hypothermia induced by T
1
AM and T
0
AM may underlie neuroprotection. T
1
AM and T
0
AM offer promise as treatments for brain injury.
Probable Migraine With Visual Aura and Risk of Ischemic Stroke
Authors: MacClellan Leah R. , Giles Wayne , Cole John , Wozniak Marcella , Stern Barney , Mitchell Braxton D. , Kittner Steven J.
Published: August 2007

Background and Purpose—

Migraine with aura is associated with ischemic stroke, but few studies have investigated the clinical and anatomic features of this association. We assessed the association of probable migraine with and without visual aura with ischemic stroke within subgroups defined by stroke subtype, vascular territory, probable migraine characteristics, and other clinical features.

Methods—

Using data from a population-based, case-control study, we studied 386 women ages 15 to 49 years with first ischemic stroke and 614 age- and ethnicity-matched controls. Based on their responses to a questionnaire on headache symptoms, subjects were classified as having no migraine, probable migraine without visual aura, or probable migraine with visual aura (PMVA).

Results—

Women with PMVA had 1.5 greater odds of ischemic stroke (95% CI, 1.1 to 2.0); the risk was highest in those with no history of hypertension, diabetes, or myocardial infarction compared to women with no migraine. Women with PMVA who were current cigarette smokers and current users of oral contraceptives had 7.0-fold higher odds of stroke (95% CI, 1.3 to 22.8) than did women with PMVA who were nonsmokers and non–oral contraceptive users. Women with onset of PMVA within the previous year had 6.9-fold higher adjusted odds of stroke (95% CI, 2.3 to 21.2) compared to women with no history of migraine.

Conclusions—

PMVA was associated with an increased risk of stroke, particularly among women without other medical conditions associated with stroke. Behavioral risk factors, specifically smoking and oral contraceptive use, markedly increased the risk of PMVA, as did recent onset of PMVA.
Is Ethical P–O Fit Really Related to Individual Outcomes? A Study of Management-Level Employees
Authors: Herrbach Olivier , Mignonac Karim
Published: August 2007

This study examines the influence of ethical value congruence on a manager sample's attitudes and behaviors using polynomial regression analysis. The results indicate a general lack of support for congruence effects. However, main effects of perceived organizational ethical values are found for all outcomes; how managers perceive their organization's values is directly associated with organizational commitment, job satisfaction, perceived procedural justice, adaptive behaviors, and turnover intentions. Implications for the impact of ethical values are drawn from the findings.
Voluntary Corporate Social Responsibility Disclosure
Authors: Rodríguez Linda C. , LeMaster Jane
Published: August 2007

This article recommends that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) not regulate corporate social responsibility (CSR) disclosure. Accounting disclosures, whether voluntary or regulated, increase transparency and credibility for all companies. Regulated disclosure increases costs and results in few gains; thus, this article recommends against CSR disclosure regulation. Varying definitions of CSR and nonuniform disclosure make CSR project analysis difficult for investors and analysts. This article presents a model that defines CSR items such as organizational size, CSR project size, amount invested in the project, and what standard companies use for CSR definition and reporting for easy voluntary disclosure. Based on a review of the literature, this article recommends that CSR disclosure stay voluntary. The model suggests allowing SEC oversight in the collection and verification of information but not regulating CSR disclosure. This article suggests that the SEC issue a CSR “seal of approval,” increasing firm values, stock prices, and firm legitimacy.
Residence Hall Architecture and Sense of Community
Authors: Devlin Ann Sloan , Donovan Sarah , Nicolov Arianne , Nold Olivia , Zandan Gabrielle
Published: August 2007

This study of almost 600 students examines the relationship between sense of community and college dormitory architecture on the campus of a small residential liberal arts college in the Northeast. Respondents of all class years completed an online survey that included the Sense of Community Index and the Relationship dimension of the University Residence Environment Scale. Students also rated architectural characteristics about their dorms and provided background information. Results indicate significant differences in sense of community related to dormitory design, in particular a lower sense of community in dorms that are organized around clusters or suites. At the same time, these units in clusters are judged to be more positive in terms of basic architectural components, including thermal comfort, adequacy of bathrooms, and storage. Results are discussed in terms of recommendations to enhance a sense of community through design.
Cultural Orientation in Asian American Adolescents
Authors: Ying Yu-Wen , Han Meekyung , Wong Sandra L.
Published: August 2007

The study assessed variation in cultural orientation among Asian American adolescents by age and ethnic density in the community. A total of 128 students at a public high school in Oakland, California, participated in the study. Of these early and middle adolescents, 86 were Chinese American and 42 were Southeast Asian American. They completed the General Ethnicity Questionnaire—Ethnic and American versions, which assessed cultural orientation in the domains of cultural pride, language, social affiliation, food, and recreation. Middle adolescents reported a stronger ethnic orientation in the domains of social affiliation and recreation and weaker American orientation in the domains of food and language use (English) than early adolescents. Furthermore, Chinese Americans, residing in an ethnically dense community, reported a stronger ethnic orientation in the domains of language and food and a weaker American orientation in language than their Southeast Asian American peers with less access to their ethnic community.
“Contestable Adulthood”
Authors: Horowitz Ava D. , Bromnick Rachel D.
Published: August 2007

Recent research has identified a discreet set of subjective markers that are seen as characterizing the transition to adulthood. The current study challenges this coherence by examining the disparity and variability in young people's selection of such criteria. Four sentence-completion cues corresponding to four different contexts in which adult status might be contested were given to 156 British 16- to 17-year-olds. Their qualitative responses were analyzed to explore patterns whilst capturing some of their richness and diversity. An astonishing amount of variability emerged, both within and between cued contexts. The implications of this variability for how the transition to adulthood is experienced are explored. The argument is made that markers of the transition to adulthood are not merely reflective of the bio—psycho—social development of young people. Rather, adulthood here is seen as an essentially contested concept, located within the discursive interactional environment in which young people participate.
From Snuggling and Snogging to Sampling and Scratching
Authors: Baker Sarah , Cohen Bruce M. Z.
Published: August 2007

This article focuses on gendered youth music practices in community-based organizations (CBOs) in Australia, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Drawing on interviews and observational fieldwork from the Playing for Life research project, the authors highlight the absence of young women from many activities, especially in the area of hip hop (e.g., MCing, break dancing, DJing, and graffiti workshops). Attempts by CBOs to redress gender imbalances are observed, and evaluations are made of how successful these projects appear to be for female participants. Our subsequent findings question the reasoning and outcomes of projects that promote women-only sessions or specifically employ female facilitators to activate young women's interests in musical activities. The research shows multiple factors affect girls' involvement in such activities and that gender-specific projects can have positive (e.g., improving confidence, skills, and performance ability) and negative (e.g. lack of skill sharing, isolation from other young artists) consequences on music skills development.
Dealing With Misbehavior at Schools in Kentucky
Authors: McClure Timothy E. , May David C.
Published: August 2007

To test and compare theoretical explanations of the use of corporal punishment in school, the authors examine how well county-level measures of culture, socioeconomic strain, and social capital predict the prevalence and incidence of corporal punishment in Kentucky schools. Although several variables are significantly correlated with corporal punishment use, multi-variate regression analyses reveal that high socioeconomic strain and low levels of social capital are the best predictors of (a) the prevalence of corporal punishment in a county's public school system(s) and (b) a high incidence of corporal punishment in those counties where it is practiced. Explanations and practical implications of these findings are discussed.
Educational Expectations, Parental Social Class, Gender, and Postsecondary Attainment
Authors: Andres Lesley , Adamuti-Trache Maria , Yoon Ee-Seul , Pidgeon Michelle , Thomsen Jens Peter
Published: August 2007

The authors employ a unique longitudinal data set of British Columbia high school graduates that followed respondents 1, 5, and 10 years after graduation to examine the extent to which educational expectations change over time in relation to parental socioeconomic status and eventual postsecondary attainment. Using the method of correspondence analysis, they demonstrate that graduates leave high school with educational expectations that change minimally from that point onward. Moreover, their findings reveal that there is a strong correspondence among gender, socioeconomic background of parents, and educational attainment. They conclude with direct implications for K-12 and postsecondary policy and practice.
And My Mama Said
Authors: De Groof Saskia
Published: August 2007

Many studies have been conducted to examine the predictors of fear of crime among adults, but feelings of insecurity among children and adolescents have been practically ignored. The aim of this study is to search for relevant determinants of fear of crime in a representative sample of 1,212 Flemish (Belgian) adolescents, age 14 to 18, and one of their parents. The effect of parenting styles on the child's level of fear is investigated by means of (multi-group) structural equation modeling. The level of parental supervision (especially fathers) is associated with more fears being experienced by children. Active parental stimulation of participation in organized leisure activities results in lower levels of fear among female children. Parents who focus on independence and autonomy, in contrast, seem to raise boys who have lower degrees of fear. Other findings that relate to fear of crime in adolescence, such as gender differences and socialization, media and leisure patterns, and victimization and personal adjustment, are also discussed.
Teacher Support, School Goal Structures, and Teenage Mothers' School Engagement
Authors: Kalil Ariel , Ziol-Guest Kathleen M.
Published: August 2007

This study investigates how perceptions of teacher support and achievement goal structures in the school environment correlate with school engagement, and whether depressive symptoms mediate or moderate this association, among 64 low-income teenage mothers. Controlling for prior grades, perceptions of teacher support correlate with higher levels of positive affect and lower levels of negative affect about school. Perceptions of an emphasis on mastery goals in the school environment correlate with higher levels of positive affect and lower levels of school alienation. In contrast, perceptions of an emphasis on performance goals in the school environment correlate with higher levels of negative affect and school alienation. Perceptions of performance goals are especially detrimental to teenage mothers with higher levels of depressive symptoms.
The Relationship Between Body Size and Depressed Mood
Authors: Granberg Ellen M. , Simons Ronald L. , Gibbons Frederick X. , Nieuwsma Melby Janet
Published: August 2007

The relationship between body weight and depression among adolescent females has been the subject of considerable attention from researchers. The risk of experiencing this distress, however, is not equally distributed across members of all racial groups. African American girls are generally more satisfied with their bodies and thus may be less vulnerable to experiencing depression as a result of weight concerns. Several scholars have suggested that membership in African American culture provides social resources that protect Black females from experiencing high levels of weight-based psychological distress. The authors examine the relationship between body size and depression and the potentially moderating role of African American culture using data from the Family and Community Health Study. Assessing a cohort of 343 African American girls ages 12 to 14, the authors found support for a link between weight and depression. There was no evidence that exposure to African American culture moderated this relationship.
School Discipline and Security
Authors: Kupchik Aaron , Ellis Nicholas
Published: August 2007

Prior research finds that racial and ethnic minority students are more likely than White students to receive school punishments, yet little prior research considers students' perceptions of the fairness of school rules and their enforcement. Using data from a nationally representative survey of students, the authors consider whether African American and Latino and Latina students, and particularly males, perceive school safety practices as less fair overall, less well communicated, and less evenly applied than White students do. The authors also consider whether particular security strategies (security guards, metal detectors, and locker checks) impact these perceptions of fairness. The results suggest that African American students perceive less fairness and consistency of school rules and their enforcement than do White students, though the perceptions of Latino/a students do not vary significantly from those of White students.
The Usefulness of Fallibilism in Post-Positivist Philosophy
Authors: Cruickshank Justin
Published: August 2007

Sayer argues that Popper defended a logicist philosophy of science. The problem with such logicism is that it creates what is termed here as a `truncated foundationalism', which restricts epistemic certainty to the logical form of scientific theories whilst having nothing to say about their substantive contents. Against this it is argued that critical realism, which Sayer advocates, produces a linguistic version of truncated foundationalism and that Popper's problem-solving philosophy, with its emphasis on developing knowledge through criticism, eschews all forms of foundationalism and is better able to account for the development of substantive knowledge claims.
Social Mechanisms, Causal Inference, and the Policy Relevance of Social Science
Authors: Weber Erik
Published: August 2007

The paper has two aims. First, to show that we need social mechanisms to establish the policy relevance of causal claims, even if it is possible to build a good argument for those claims without knowledge of mechanisms. Second, to show that although social scientists can, in principle, do without social mechanisms when they argue for causal claims, in reality scientific practice contexts where they do not need mechanisms are very rare.
Designing Multidisciplinary Longitudinal Studies of Human Development
Authors: Shulruf Boaz , Morton Susan , Goodyear-Smith Felicity , O'Loughlin Claire , Dixon Robyn
Published: August 2007

This review identifies key issues associated with the design of future longitudinal studies of human development. Sixteen international studies were compared for initial response and retention rate, sample size, type of data collected, and sampling frames. The studies had little information about the influences of fathers, extended family members, childcare, and educational institutions; the effects of peers; children's use of time; the needs of disabled children; urban versus rural environments; or the influence of genetic factors. A contemporary longitudinal study should include measures of physical and mental health, cognitive capacity, educational attainment, social adjustment, conduct and behavior, resiliency, and risk-taking behaviors. It needs to address genetic and intergenerational factors, cultural identity, and the influences of neighborhood, community, and wider social and political environments and to encompass outcomes at all life stages to systematically determine the role each factor plays in individuals' lives, including interactions within and across variables.
Rater Errors in a Clinical Skills Assessment of Medical Students
Authors: Iramaneerat Cherdsak , Yudkowsky Rachel
Published: August 2007

The authors used a many-faceted Rasch measurement model to analyze rating data from a clinical skills assessment of 173 fourth-year medical students to investigate four types of rater errors: leniency, inconsistency, the halo effect, and restriction of range. Students performed six clinical tasks with 6 standardized patients (SPs) selected from a pool of 17 SPs. SPs rated the performance of each student in six skills: history taking, physical examination, interpersonal skills, communication technique, counseling skills, and physical examination etiquette. SPs showed statistically significant differences in their rating severity, indicating rater leniency error. Four SPs exhibited rating inconsistency. Four SPs restricted their ratings in high categories. Only 1 SP exhibited a halo effect. Administrators of objective structured clinical examinations should be vigilant for various types of rater errors and attempt to reduce or eliminate those errors to improve the validity of inferences based on objective structured clinical examination scores.
Guidance for Evaluating Mass Communication Health Initiatives
Authors:   The Communication Evaluation Expert Panel, Abbatangelo-Gray Jodie , Cole Galen E. , Kennedy May G.
Published: August 2007

In May 2004, 12 experts in evaluating large-scale health communication programs came to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to participate in an electronic focus group discussion. They offered advice on topics ranging from the role of logic models to the best strategies for controlling for self-selection bias in surveys regarding outcomes of exposure to mass media health messages. The experts also highlighted health communication evaluation topics that have received too little scientific attention. Finally, they made strategic policy recommendations. Use of the state-of-the-art evaluation methods that they recommended could improve the communication of factual and persuasive health messages and help to guard the public health of the nation. Their advice may also advance evaluation practice in other substantive areas, especially where it is difficult or impossible to implement randomized designs.
Help or Hindrance? How Family and Friends Influence Chronic Illness Self-Management among Older Adults
Authors: Gallant Mary P. , Spitze Glenna D. , Prohaska Thomas R.
Published: August 2007

We contribute to knowledge about older adults with chronic illnesses by identifying positive and negative influences of family and friends on self-management. Thirteen focus groups were conducted in upstate New York with 84 African American and White men and women, 65 years old or older, with arthritis, diabetes, and/or heart disease. Specific positive and negative social network influences are discussed in the areas of disease management (medication management, dietary activities, physical activity, and health care appointments); decision-making about the illness; and psychosocial coping. Overall, we found many more positive than negative social network influences, and more negative influences from family members than from friends. We discuss differences between influences of family members versus friends, and point out a few suggestive differences by gender and race. We conclude with limitations of the study as well as implications for the design of self-management interventions involving family members and friends.
Does the Context of Spousal Loss Affect the Physical Functioning of Older Widowed Persons? A Longitudinal Analysis
Authors: Lee Min-Ah , Carr Deborah
Published: August 2007

This study examines: (1) the extent to which acute and chronic stressors related to spousal loss affect the physical functioning of bereaved spouses; and (2) how these patterns differ for men and women. We use data from the Changing Lives of Older Couples (CLOC) study, which tracks older adults prior to spousal loss, and 6, 18, and 48 months after spousal loss. The results reveal that (1) widowed persons whose spouses had serious ongoing health problems before the death report more severe perceived limitation in performing daily activities 18 and 48 months after loss; (2) widowed persons who were not with their spouses when they died have greater functional limitation 18 and 48 months after loss. However, gender interaction term analyses reveal that the health effects of spousal death context hold for widowers only. Our findings suggest that the ways older adults die may have long-term physical health consequences for their surviving spouses, and these ramifications differ for widows and widowers.
Long-Term Payoffs of Work? Women's Past Involvement in Paid Work and Mental Health in Widowhood
Authors: Pai Manacy , Barrett Anne E.
Published: August 2007

This study examines a domain of life—involvement in paid work—that has not been explored in prior research addressing the mental health consequences of widowhood. We argue that experiences in the paid labor force increase women's economic, social and psychological resources, which compound over the life course and ease their adjustment to widowhood. Using a sample of 207 widows interviewed in the Miami-Dade County, Florida area in 2001—2002, findings from ordinary least squares (OLS) regression models support the hypothesis that widows with work histories report fewer depressive symptoms than their peers without employment experience. Further analyses reveal that social and psychological resources mediate this association suggesting that employment enhances social support and self-perceptions, which reduce the negative health effects of widowhood. Our study illustrates the importance of incorporating work histories into examinations of widowhood, particularly as cohorts of women with considerable lifetime investments in paid work enter their later years.
Cattell—Horn—Carroll Cognitive Abilities and Reading Achievement
Authors: Benson Nicholas
Published: August 2007

Structural equation modeling procedures are applied to the standardization sample of the Woodcock—Johnson III to simultaneously estimate the effects of a psychometric general factor (g), specific cognitive abilities, and reading skills on reading achievement. The results of this study indicate that g has a strong direct relationship with basic reading skills until about sixth grade. Also, g is found to have a strong indirect effect on reading fluency and comprehension across grade levels. Basic reading skills has a strong direct effect on reading fluency across grade levels. The effect of cognitive processing speed (Gs) on reading fluency increase with age. Reading fluency initially has a strong direct effect on reading comprehension, but this effect is reduced with age. Conversely, the direct effect of crystallized intelligence or knowledge (Gc) on reading comprehension increase with age.
Structured Teacher Ratings to Identify Students in Need of Academic Assistance
Authors: Kettler Ryan J. , Elliott Stephen N. , Albers Craig A.
Published: August 2007

The Brief Academic Competence Evaluation Screening System (BACESS) is a multiphase universal screening measure designed to assist educators in the identification of students who are likely to experience learning difficulties in elementary school. This study evaluated the reliability and validity of the measure for this purpose. The BACESS was used in 25 elementary classrooms in Wisconsin, and the entire sample included 285 students. The phases of the BACESS were each found to be highly reliable for their respective numbers of items. Internal structure evidence indicated that the phases functioned well together. The BACESS was found to share good concurrent validity with achievement test proficiency, approaching .70 on Bayesian conditional probability analysis. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis supported the use of the BACESS, incorporating different cutoff rules in different academic environments. Feedback via an evaluation survey indicated teacher opinion that the information gained from using the BACESS was valuable.
Pain, Positive and Negative Social Exchanges, and Depressive Symptomatology in Later Life
Authors: Mavandadi Shahrzad , Sorkin Dara H. , Rook Karen S. , Newsom Jason T.
Published: August 2007

Objectives: Pain in older adulthood is correlated with both depressive symptomatology and positive and negative social exchanges, but the direction of these relationships remains unclear. This study investigated whether (a) pain is associated with increases in negative exchanges and decreases in positive exchanges and (b) negative exchanges play a greater role than positive exchanges in accounting for the association between pain and depressive symptomatology. Methods: Data were derived from the Later Life Study of Social Exchanges, a longitudinal survey of noninstitutionalized older adults. Interviews assessed participants' sociodemographic and biopsychosocial characteristics, as well as their interactions with network members. Results: Pain was significantly associated with negative exchanges, and both pain and negative exchanges predicted greater depressive symptomatology over time. Positive social exchanges, however, were not related to either pain or depression. Discussion: The findings underscore the value of examining older adults' social exchanges in efforts to understand pain-induced depressive symptomatology.
Evaluating an Individually Self-Administered Generic Teamwork Skills Training Program Across Time and Levels
Authors: Rapp Tammy L. , Mathieu John E.
Published: August 2007

The authors employed a longitudinal quasi-experimental design to examine individual- and team-level outcomes associated with an individually delivered, technology-based (CD) training program aimed at developing generic teamwork skills. Data were collected from 54 members of 8 trained and 8 quasi-control MBA student teams who competed in a business simulation. At the individual level of analysis, trained members exhibited higher teamwork knowledge scores and peer ratings of teamwork behaviors than did members of quasi-control teams. At the team level of analysis, trained teams exhibited increasingly improved performance over time relative to quasi-control teams. Additionally, team processes mediated the relationship between teamwork training and team performance. The authors discuss implications for the use of technology-based teamwork training programs and identify promising areas of future research.
The Use of Group and Groupcentric Individual Goals for Culturally Heterogeneous and Homogeneous Task Groups
Authors: Crown Deborah F.
Published: August 2007

Three hundred and fifteen workers from three multinational corporations participated in this study. The results demonstrated that group goals were able to increase task performance for homogeneous collectivist groups as well as for groups composed of both individualists and collectivists. The ability of a group goal to facilitate team performance for both heterogeneous and homogeneous work groups lends support to the intercultural properties of group goals for interdependent task groups.
Photovoice in the Diversity Classroom: Engagement, Voice, and the “Eye/I” of the Camera
Authors: Chio Vanessa C. M. , Fandt Patricia M.
Published: August 2007

A response to calls for more self-reflective and inclusive pedagogy, this article considers pedagogical and teaching possibilities offered by Photovoice—a community and participatory action research methodology developed by Wang and Burris. Extrapolating Photovoice to the context of the diversity classroom, the authors discuss how the methodology can aid management educators in developing approaches and activities that foster greater participatory engagement between students and subject matter, knowledge, and learning. They share their experiences with the methodology and showcase what educators in the field can do to adopt—or adapt—the methodology for their own use.
Using Metaphors To Teach Organization Theory
Authors: Taber Tom D.
Published: August 2007

Metaphors were used to teach systems thinking and to clarify concepts of organizational theory in an introductory MBA management course. Gareth Morgan's metaphors of organization were read by students and applied as frames to analyze a business case. In addition, personal metaphors were written by individual students in order to describe the organizations where they worked. Writing personal metaphors enabled students to report subjective images that otherwise could be difficult to describe in normal, declarative language. Students chose metaphors such as a dysfunctional family, hungry bear, ant hill, budding flower, subway, and an alien spaceship to exemplify their organizations. Systems theory was introduced to the students as a particularly useful metaphor for analyzing organizations.
Understanding Reactions to Workplace Injustice Through Process Theories of Motivation: a Teaching Module and Simulation
Authors: Stecher Mary D. , Rosse Joseph G.
Published: August 2007

Management and organizational behavior students are often overwhelmed by the plethora of motivation theories they must master at the undergraduate level. This article o fers a teaching module geared toward helping students understand how two major process theories of motivation, equity and expectancy theories and theories of organizational justice, are related and can be used to manage behavior in the work setting. This integrated approach is suggested to provide a superior learning experience by enabling students to view and utilize extant theories in work motivation as a coherent body of knowledge rather than a distinct and somewhat disparate set of individual theories. Lecture notes and instructional examples covering relevant theories are provided, followed by an experiential exercise and suggestions for guiding class discussion of the exercise and theoretical material.
Digging Deeper: the Laddering Interview, a Tool for Surfacing Values
Authors: Trocchia Philip J. , Swanson Diane L. , Orlitzky Marc
Published: August 2007

Personally held values play a fundamental role in business. As such, it is critical that students understand the nature of values pertaining to the workplace. Using an innovative classroom exercise, laddering, business students interview individuals to identify values that influence choices. Objectives are to help students understand the role of personal values in decision making, develop the ability to respond effectively to workplace demands, respect diverse perspectives, and achieve a better understanding of their own values. Measures used to assess these learning objectives revealed that many students gained valuable insights. After participating in the exercise, students wrote passages in which they articulated how their values affected their decision-making behavior, described in detail how the exercise improved their improvisational skills, and helped them gain respect for others' viewpoints. Furthermore, a quantitative survey provided evidence that students may have experienced a greater understanding of their own values after participating in the exercise.
Teaching Technology-Structure Contingencies By “Harnessing the Wind”
Authors: Miller Lynn E.
Published: August 2007

This article describes a role-playing simulation that demonstrates how organizational structure is influenced by organizational and departmental technologies. Students act as employees of firms that must manufacture either a range of innovative products or a large number of standardized products. The simulation can be used in organizational behavior courses to introduce basic concepts about structure and contingency theory or can be used in organizational theory courses to reinforce more-advanced material regarding production technologies, departmental technologies and interdependencies, competitive strategies, boundary spanning, information technology, and knowledge management.
Formal Control and Trustworthiness
Authors: Weibel Antoinette
Published: August 2007

In this article, a framework is provided for analyzing conditions that lead to positive or negative relations between trustworthiness and formal control in the context of manager-subordinate relationships, a domain often discussed controversially in the literature. In analyzing the relationship between managerial formal control and subordinates' trustworthiness, the author draws on self-determination theory. Self-determination theory is useful in showing how to link characteristics of organizational regulation (i.e., managerial formal control) with individual intentions (i.e., subordinates' intentions to behave in a trustworthy fashion). Subsequently, empirical findings related to formal control and trustworthiness are integrated into this framework to deduce a set of propositions that can be tested in the future.
On the Evolution of Trust, Distrust, and Formal Coordination and Control in Interorganizational Relationships
Authors: Vlaar Paul W. L. , Van den Bosch Frans A. J. , Volberda Henk W.
Published: August 2007

In this article, the authors discuss the evolution of trust, distrust, and formal coordination and control in interorganizational relationships. They suggest that the degrees to which managers trust and distrust their partners during initial stages of cooperation leave strong imprints on the development of these relationships in later stages of collaboration. This derives from the impact of trust and distrust on (a) formal coordination and control, (b) interorganizational performance, and (c) the interpretations that managers attribute to the behavior of their partners. Collectively, the authors' arguments give rise to a conceptual framework that indicates that there is a high propensity for interorganizational relationships to develop along vicious or virtuous cycles. By integrating and reconciling previous work on the trust-control nexus and by emphasizing the dynamics associated with it, the article contributes to a more comprehensive and refined understanding of the evolution of interorganizational cooperation.
Extended follow-up of a phase 3 trial in relapsed multiple myeloma: final time-to-event results of the APEX trial
Authors: Richardson Paul G. , Sonneveld Pieter , Schuster Michael , Irwin David , Stadtmauer Edward , Facon Thierry , Harousseau Jean-Luc , Ben-Yehuda Dina , Lonial Sagar , Goldschmidt Hartmut , Reece Donna , Miguel Jesus San , Bladé Joan , Boccadoro Mario , Cavenagh Jamie , Alsina Melissa , Rajkumar S. Vincent , Lacy Martha , Jakubowiak Andrzej , Dalton William , Boral Anthony , Esseltine Dixie-Lee , Schenkein David , Anderson Kenneth C.
Published: August 2007

Initial analysis of the Assessment of Proteasome Inhibition for Extending Remissions (APEX) trial of relapsed multiple myeloma patients showed significantly longer time to progression, higher response rate, and improved survival with single-agent bortezomib versus high-dose dexamethasone. In this updated analysis (median follow-up: 22 months), survival was assessed in both arms, and efficacy updated for the bortezomib arm. Median survival was 29.8 months for bortezomib versus 23.7 months for dexamethasone, a 6-month benefit, despite substantial crossover from dexamethasone to bortezomib. Overall and complete response rates with bortezomib were 43% and 9%, respectively; among responding patients, 56% improved response with longer therapy beyond initial response, leading to continued improvement in overall quality of response. Higher response quality (100% M-protein reduction) was associated with longer response duration; response duration was not associated with time to response. These data confirm the activity of bortezomib and support extended treatment in relapsed multiple myeloma patients tolerating therapy. This study is registered at http://clinicaltrials.gov (Study ID NCT00048230).
The oncoprotein NPM-ALK of anaplastic large-cell lymphoma induces JUNB transcription via ERK1/2 and JunB translation via mTOR signaling
Authors: Staber Philipp B. , Vesely Paul , Haq Naznin , Ott Rene G. , Funato Kotaro , Bambach Isabella , Fuchs Claudia , Schauer Silvia , Linkesch Werner , Hrzenjak Andelko , Dirks Wilhelm G. , Sexl Veronika , Bergler Helmut , Kadin Marshall E. , Sternberg David W. , Kenner Lukas , Hoefler Gerald
Published: August 2007

Anaplastic large cell lymphomas (ALCLs) are highly proliferating tumors that commonly express the AP-1 transcription factor JunB. ALK fusions occur in approximately 50% of ALCLs, and among these, 80% have the t(2;5) translocation with NPM-ALK expression. We report greater activity of JunB in NPM-ALK–positive than in NPM-ALK–negative ALCLs. Specific knockdown of JUNB mRNA using small interfering RNA and small hairpin RNA in NPM-ALK–expressing cells decreases cellular proliferation as evidenced by a reduced cell count in the G2/M phase of the cell cycle. Expression of NPM-ALK results in ERK1/2 activation and transcriptional up-regulation of JUNB. Both NPM-ALK–positive and –negative ALCL tumors demonstrate active ERK1/2 signaling. In contrast to NPM-ALK–negative ALCL, the mTOR pathway is active in NPM-ALK–positive lymphomas. Pharmacological inhibition of mTOR in NPM-ALK–positive cells down-regulates JunB protein levels by shifting JUNB mRNA translation from large polysomes to monosomes and ribonucleic particles (RNPs), and decreases cellular proliferation. Thus, JunB is a critical target of mTOR and is translationally regulated in NPM-ALK–positive lymphomas. This is the first study demonstrating translational control of AP-1 transcription factors in human neoplasia. In conjunction with NPM-ALK, JunB enhances cell cycle progression and may therefore represent a therapeutic target.
Is air travel safe for those with lung disease?
Authors: Coker R. K. , Shiner R. J. , Partridge M. R.
Published: August 2007

Airlines commonly report respiratory in-flight emergencies; flight outcomes have not been examined prospectively in large numbers of respiratory patients. The current authors conducted a prospective, observational study of flight outcomes in this group.

UK respiratory specialists were invited to recruit patients planning air travel. Centres undertook their usual pre-flight assessment. Within 2 weeks of returning, patients completed a questionnaire documenting symptoms, in-flight oxygen use and unscheduled healthcare use.

In total, 616 patients were recruited. Of these, 500 (81%) returned questionnaires. The most common diagnoses were airway (54%) and diffuse parenchymal lung disease (23%). In total, 12 patients died, seven before flying and five within 1 month. Pre-flight assessment included oximetry (96%), spirometry (95%), hypoxic challenge (45%) and walk test (10%). Of the patients, 11% did not fly. In those who flew, unscheduled respiratory healthcare use increased from 9% in the 4 weeks prior to travel to 19% in the 4 weeks after travel. However, when compared with self-reported data during the preceding year, medical consultations increased by just 2%.

In patients flying after careful respiratory specialist assessment, commercial air travel appears generally safe.
Isolated right ventricular dysfunction in systemic sclerosis: latent pulmonary hypertension?
Authors: Huez S. , Roufosse F. , Vachiéry J-L. , Pavelescu A. , Derumeaux G. , Wautrecht J-C. , Cogan E. , Naeije R.
Published: August 2007

Right ventricular function is frequently abnormal in patients with systemic sclerosis, but whether this is related to pulmonary vascular complications of the disease is unclear.

Standard echocardiography with tissue Doppler imaging was performed at rest and during exercise for the study of right ventricular function and pulmonary circulation in 25 consecutive systemic sclerosis patients and in 13 age-matched healthy controls.

When compared with the controls, the patients had no difference in systolic right ventricular pressure gradient, but a decreased pulmonary flow acceleration time, and increased right ventricular free wall thickness and end-diastolic dimensions. At the tricuspid annulus, the E maximal velocity was decreased (8.9±4versus11.7±2.3 cm·s−1) and the isovolumic relaxation time corrected to RR interval was increased (6.5±2.9versus4.5±2.5%). The tissue Doppler imaging profile at the mitral annulus was similar in both groups. At exercise, 18 patients had a decreased maximum workload and cardiac output, no change in systolic right ventricular pressure gradient, but an increase in the slope of pulmonary artery pressure/flow relationships.

These results suggest that patients with systemic sclerosis may present with latent pulmonary hypertension as a likely cause of right ventricular diastolic dysfunction, as revealed by stress echocardiography and tissue Doppler imaging.