bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Comparative Technical Efficiency of Florida Campus Police Departments
Authors: Ferrandino Joseph
Published: April 2012

Formal police departments comprising sworn officers have been increasingly utilized on college campuses, but to date there is little empirical research on their comparative performance outcomes. The present study is the first known to analyze the technical efficiency of these departments using data envelopment analysis. Using data from 2008 to 2010, the Florida university police departments are compared to their local municipal counterparts as well as the departments that comprise the North Carolina university system. The results reveal that Florida campus police departments are far less efficient than the municipal agencies they are modeled on, yet more efficient than the North Carolina campus departments on the same measures though efficiency has decreased in all three samples over the 3-year period. These results are used to analyze the security versus law enforcement functions of campus police in general. Specifically, these outcomes are intended to inform campus policy makers and show the need for the development of new campus police performance metrics.
Why Mass Media Matter to Planning Research
Authors: Flyvbjerg Bent
Published: April 2012

This article asks how planning scholarship may effectively gain impact in planning practice through media exposure. In liberal democracies, the public sphere is dominated by mass media. Therefore, working with such media is a prerequisite for effective public impact of planning research. Using the example of megaproject planning, it is illustrated how so-called “phronetic planning research,” which explicitly incorporates in its methodology active and strategic collaboration with media, may be helpful in generating change in planning practice via the public sphere. Main lessons learned are as follows: (1) working with mass media is an extremely cost-effective way to increase the impact of planning scholarship on practice; (2) recent developments in information technology and social media have made impact via mass media even more effective; (3) research on “tension points,” that is, points of potential conflict, are particularly interesting to media and the public, and are especially likely to generate change in practice; and (4) tension points bite back; planning researchers should be prepared for, but not afraid of, this.
A Model to Guide the Conceptualization, Assessment, and Diagnosis of Nonverbal Learning Disorder
Authors: Casey Joseph E.
Published: April 2012

Although many learning disability types are formally recognized in major classification systems such as DSM-IV-TR and ICD-10, Nonverbal Learning Disorder (NLD) is not despite over 40 years of literature addressing its theoretical and neuropsychological foundation, its major features, and the methods by which to assess and diagnose it. Currently, there is no general agreement regarding the defining features of NLD and their relationship to daily functioning. Presented here is a description of NLD in the context of a model aimed at providing a standard language and framework for describing health and health-related states: the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). It is proposed that the ICF model can guide clinical thinking, professional practice—including assessment, diagnosis, and treatment—and research with respect to NLD, eventually leading to the inclusion of NLD in formal classification systems.
Assistive Technology Use by Students With LD in Postsecondary Education
Authors: Holmes Alana , Silvestri Robert
Published: April 2012

An increasing number of students with Learning Disabilities (LD) are enrolling in postsecondary education (PSE). Assistive technology (AT) is often provided to these students to circumvent academic deficits. This article will focus on research at the PSE level and students with LD to (a) identify AT service delivery practices, (b) describe the most frequently used ATs, (c) review research on the efficacy of AT to circumvent academic deficits, and (d) provide suggestions for future research on AT efficacy and for formulation of recommendations within psychoeducational reports. The use of AT by PSE students with LD appears to have moved ahead of research, proving or even testing the effectiveness of ATs in supporting the learning needs of this population.
Easier Said Than Done
Authors: Harrison Allyson G. , Holmes Alana
Published: April 2012

A Canadian context for the diagnosis of students with specific learning disabilities (LD) was investigated in the present literature review. A systematic review of the literature was undertaken to determine the current and best practices in this field. Overall, no agreed upon definition of LD was identified, although core similarities in definitions were noted. Furthermore, recent research shows that many psychological assessments fail to adhere to any one definition when making this diagnosis, and as a result the diagnosis may or may not reflect the presence of a permanent disability that impairs academic functioning at the postsecondary level. There is, therefore, a need to adopt a consistent, evidence-based approach to diagnosis of LD in Canada. Recommendations regarding best practices and appropriate criteria for diagnosis of LD are discussed.
Vasoactive Substances and Their Effects on Nutrition in the Critically Ill Patient
Authors: Allen John M.
Published: April 2012

Critically ill patients often require specialized nutrition via the enteral route. The benefits of enteral feeding, particularly early in the care of the critically ill patient, are well documented. Controversy exists regarding the provision of enteral nutrition (EN) in critically ill patients with hemodynamic instability who require vasopressors or inotropes. Concerns center on the potential for gut ischemia that may develop in the face of an imbalance between oxygen supply and demand. Current guidelines offer some guidance as to when to it is safe to initiate enteral feeding in patients on vasopressors, but the decision on when to start EN in hemodynamically unstable patients requiring vasoactive substances remains a clinical dilemma for most critical care practitioners. This review focuses on the effects of vasoactive substances such as pressors and inotropes on the gastrointestinal tract, as well as their use in combination with EN.
Sea Wall Politics: Uneven and Combined Protection of the Nile Delta Coastline in the Face of Sea Level Rise
Authors: Malm Andreas
Published: April 2012

As global reductions in greenhouse gas emissions seem an ever more distant prospect, attention has turned to adaptation to the unavoidable impacts of climate change. On the key frontier of sea level rise, this amounts to the injunction ‘build sea walls’. But what are the implications of a scramble for coastal protection technologies? This article explores sea wall politics in one of the countries most vulnerable to sea level rise: Egypt. It is shown that protection of the Nile Delta coastline is skewed towards sunk capital and expected investments rather than poor people. This is a consequence of the neoliberal policies of the Mubarak regime and, on a more fundamental level, of uneven and combined development in Egypt. The latter process is thus undergoing an inversion and reappearing as ‘uneven and combined apocalypse’, on the threatened coastlines of Egypt and elsewhere.
A one-dimensional model for heat release rate and emission formation in diesel engines based on correlations for entrainment rate, lift-off length and ignition delay: Validation for transient conditions
Authors: Westlund Anders , Lindström Mikael , Ångström Hans-Erik
Published: April 2012

A simplified one-dimensional model for combustion and emission formation in diesel engines has been developed in a project where the long-term objective is to predict the emissions during transient operation. The models are intended to be used as a tool for pre-development of after-treatment systems and for offline calibration of engine controls. These applications imply that the final model must be both computationally inexpensive and comprehensive. The model is based on a correlation for the air entrainment rate which is applied to a discretized injection event. On this, the combustion rate and the emission formation rate are imposed with simple models. In this publication, the model is validated for the targeted conditions and transient operation. The model is based on a previously presented model which was evaluated for steady state conditions. The model presented here has been modified to address the shortcomings that were identified in the previous evaluation. The model was able to predict the heat release rate and the emissions of nitrogen oxide (NO) and soot with reasonable accuracy and also the requirement regarding the computational time was met. The average time for simulation of one engine cycle was approximately 3 s on a standard laptop.
A virtual motorcycle driver to simulate real manoeuvres from experimental data
Authors: Massaro Matteo , Lot Roberto , Cossalter Vittore
Published: April 2012

The control of single-track vehicles represents a challenging task. The stability is characterized by vibration modes which change with the vehicle speed and acceleration and may possibly become unstable under certain motion conditions. This paper presents a virtual rider who accounts for these effects by updating the control action at each instant, based on the information of the approaching road section and the current vehicle state. This approach mimics the behaviour of a real rider, who looks ahead, learning a portion of the track and continuously using this information to decide when and how to steer and accelerate or decelerate. As an example of application, the virtual rider is employed to simulate a real manoeuvre using the experimental signals (namely the speed and the roll angle) of the real vehicle as the target motion for the virtual vehicle. A comparison between the virtual rider inputs and the real rider inputs is included. The essential properties that make the behaviour of the virtual rider consistent with that of the real human rider are addressed.
The effect of half-shaft torsion dynamics on the performance of a traction control system for electric vehicles
Authors: Bottiglione Francesco , Sorniotti Aldo , Shead Leo
Published: April 2012

This article deals with the dynamic properties of individual wheel electric powertrains for fully electric vehicles, characterised by an in-board location of the motor and transmission, connected to the wheel through half-shafts. Such a layout is applicable to vehicles characterised by significant power and torque requirements where the adoption of in-wheel electric powertrains is not feasible because of packaging constraints. However, the dynamic performance of in-board electric powertrains, especially if adopted for anti-lock braking or traction control, can be affected by the torsional dynamics of the half-shafts. This article presents the dynamic analysis of in-board electric powertrains in both the time domain and the frequency domain. A feedback control system, incorporating state estimation through an extended Kalman filter, is implemented in order to compensate for the effect of the half-shaft dynamics. The effectiveness of the new controller is demonstrated through analysis of the improvement in the performance of the traction control system.
Constrained by choice: Young women negotiate the discourses of marriage and motherhood
Authors: Jacques Heather AK , Radtke H Lorraine
Published: April 2012

This project explored young women’s identity constructions in the context of competing and changing cultural ideals of womanhood, such as feminist discourses and neoliberal discourses of choice and individualism. Specifically, we were interested in how young women attending university in the new millennium envisioned their futures. Thirty women, aged 18–26, who were university students taking courses in Psychology, participated in 15 research conversations with two participants and an interviewer. Using discourse analysis, we show how the young women routinely privileged the ideal of women as wives and mothers, yet positioned themselves as autonomous individuals making free choices and, thereby, personally responsible for managing the problems in their lives. They also ignored gender politics by avoiding or glossing over talk about women’s inequality and criticisms of traditional family and workplace arrangements.
A comparative investigation of methods for longitudinal data with limits of detection through a case study
Authors: Fu P , Hughes J , Zeng G , Hanook S , Orem J , Mwanda OW , Remick SC
Published: April 2012

The statistical analysis of continuous longitudinal data may be complicated since quantitative levels of bioassay cannot always be determined. Values beyond the limits of detection (LOD) in the assays may not be observed and thus censored, rendering complexity to the analysis of such data. This article examines how both left-censoring and right censoring of HIV-1 plasma RNA measurements, collected for the study on AIDS-related Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (AR-NHL) in East Africa, affects the quantification of viral load and explores the natural history of viral load measurements over time in AR-NHL patients receiving anticancer chemotherapy. Data analyses using Monte Carlo EM algorithm (MCEM) are compared to analyses where the LOD or LOD/2 (left censoring) value is substituted for the censored observations, and also to other methods such as multiple imputation, and maximum likelihood estimation for censored data (generalized Tobit regression). Simulations are used to explore the sensitivity of the results to changes in the model parameters. In conclusion, the antiretroviral treatment was associated with a significant decrease in viral load after controlling the effects of other covariates. A simulation study with finite sample size shows MCEM is the least biased method and the estimates are least sensitive to the censoring mechanism.
Access to Environmental Resources and Physical Activity Levels of Adults in Hawaii
Authors: Geller Karly S. , Nigg Claudio R. , Ollberding Nicholas J. , Motl Robert W. , Horwath Caroline , Dishman Rodney K.
Published: April 2012

Purpose. Examine associations between physical activity (PA) and spatial accessibility to environmental PA resources in Hawaii. Methods. Metabolic equivalents (METs) of mild, moderate, and strenuous PA were compared for accessibility with environmental PA resources within a population-based sample of Hawaiian adults (n = 381). Multiple linear regression estimated differences in PA levels for residing further from a PA resource or residing in an area with a greater number of resources. Results. No associations were found in the total sample. Analyses within subsamples stratified by ethnicity revealed that greater spatial accessibility to a PA resource was positively associated with strenuous PA among Caucasians ( P = .04) but negatively associated with moderate PA among Native Hawaiians ( P = .00). Conclusion. The lack of association in the total sample may be a consequence of Hawaii’s unique environment. Results of stratified sample analyses are unique, providing groundwork for future examinations within parallel environments and among similar ethnic groups.
H2M: a GP-focused multidisciplinary team for patients living with HIV and hepatitis C
Authors: Sternhell Peter , Landstra Jodie , Andersson-Noorgard Kurt
Published: April 2012

Objective:

To describe the development and functioning of the HIV and hepatitis C mental health in primary care service (H2M), a multidisciplinary team that works with local general practitioners (GPs) and the St Vincent’s Hospital immunology clinic to meet the mental health needs of their patients living with HIV/AIDS and those undergoing interferon-based treatment for hepatitis C.

Method:

The authors describe and review the service, using information from a database of patient characteristics and from a GP satisfaction survey.

Results:

GP satisfaction with the service was high and participating GPs have increased their knowledge and understanding of their patients’ mental health problems.

Conclusions:

Over eight years, H2M has become a well utilized and valued specialty team with over 1,200 referrals in that time. Patients with other chronic health conditions, such as diabetes, cardiac and renal disease, could benefit from a similar service model.
Teaching Standards–Based Group Work Competencies to Social Work Students
Authors: Macgowan Mark J. , Vakharia Sheila P.
Published: April 2012

Objectives: Accreditation standards and challenges in group work education require competency-based approaches in teaching social work with groups. The Association for the Advancement of Social Work with Groups developed Standards for Social Work Practice with Groups, which serve as foundation competencies for professional practice. However, there has been no empirical publication about using them in teaching. This pilot study tested a microskills teaching approach to improve competency in the Standards. Methods: The mixed-methods study used a preexperimental, pretest–posttest design involving 123 diverse baccalaureate and master’s students in introductory group work courses. Student responses about the experience were also collected. Results: There were significant, substantial increases in students’ perceived importance of and confidence in using the Standards. Confidence gain scores were significantly associated with performance in role-plays. Comments about the assignments were highly favorable and identified role-plays as contributing most to learning. Conclusions: The teaching approach advanced Standards-based group work education.
Management of Severe Neuropathic Cancer Pain
Authors: Connolly Irene , Zaleon Carolyn , Montagnini Marcos
Published: April 2012

Neuropathic cancer pain is common, very disabling and difficult to treat. It can be related to tumor invasion of neural structures and neuronal damage by surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Adjuvant analgesics are often used with opioids to control neuropathic pain in cancer patients. Methadone, a synthetic opioid with multiple mechanisms of action, is gaining increasing importance as an effective agent in the treatment of cancer related neuropathic pain. This case illustrates the challenges of managing severe pain in a patient with head and neck cancer while undergoing anti-tumor treatment. A review of the adjuvant analgesics and opioids, particularly methadone, in the management of neuropathic pain is also included.
Incidence, outcome and predictors of bleomycin pulmonary toxicity in a university hospital in Oman
Authors: Ahmed Bushra M , Al-Zakwani Ibrahim S
Published: April 2012

Objectives: To determine the incidence and predictors of bleomycin pulmonary toxicity in a university hospital in Oman.

Methods: This retrospective chart review consisted of 46 patients treated with bleomycin-containing regimes at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital in Oman between January 2007 and December 2010. Data regarding patient age, chemotherapy protocol, cumulative bleomycin dose, smoking history, renal function and concurrent use of granulocyte colony stimulating factor (GCSF) were collected from the hospital’s electronic database. Analyses were performed using univariate statistical techniques.

Results: Of the 46 patients, 22% ( n = 10) experienced bleomycin pulmonary toxicity. There was an overall mortality of 4.3% ( n = 2; N = 46), with significantly more deaths in the bleomycin pulmonary toxicity group compared to the cohort that did not have bleomycin pulmonary toxicity (20% versus 0%; p = 0.043). The bleomycin pulmonary toxicity group was significantly older compared to the cohort that did not have bleomycin pulmonary toxicity (48 versus 34 years; p = 0.017). Furthermore, adriamycin, bleomycin, vinblastine, dacarbazine, as front-line chemotherapy, was found to have a trend towards increased risk of bleomycin pulmonary toxicity (90% versus 56%; p = 0.067; power = 31%). There did not seem to be significant differences in bleomycin dose (143 versus 149 units; p = 0.727), smoking status (10% versus 14%; p = 1.000) and systolic blood pressure (133 versus 131 mmHg; p = 0.746) between the two study groups.

Conclusion: This study confirms a relatively high incidence of bleomycin pulmonary toxicity in a tertiary hospital in Oman. Older patients were significantly more likely to suffer bleomycin pulmonary toxicity compared to younger patients.
Student Interns’ Socially Constructed Work Realities
Authors: Barnett Kathy
Published: April 2012

New employees, including college students, often experience expectation-reality gaps about work, making the assimilation process more difficult for all. This qualitative study explores the role of the internship in narrowing the work expectation-reality gap. This article addresses two research questions: (a) What do students learn about work through internships that they did not know before? (b) How is this new knowledge reflected in their advice to future interns? Analysis of 59 intern exit interviews or surveys reveals two categories of communication-related discovery that in turn influenced subsequent advice messages. Practical implications for business curriculum and career development programs are discussed.
The Role of Health care Professionals in the Decision-Making Process of Family Caregivers Regarding Placement of a Cognitively Impaired Elderly Relative
Authors: Couture Mélanie , Ducharme Francine , Lamontagne Julie
Published: April 2012

In this article, we explore the role of health care professionals within the decision-making process of family caregivers regarding placement of a cognitively impaired elderly relative. Grounded theory was used to describe interactions with health care professionals, modulating the caregivers’ decision-making process. A total of 18 caregivers of cognitively impaired elderly relatives were interviewed every 6 months over an average of 20 months. Results showed that health care professionals were involved in the decision-making process in three ways: (a) in assessing the need for placement; (b) in helping caregivers navigate through the health care system; and (c) in taking care of family dynamics. There were great variations in the way health care professionals supported caregivers. Future research is needed to identify professional interventions that are helpful for caregivers and in which context.
Worry as a Predictor of Nutrition Behaviors
Authors: Ferrer Rebecca A. , Bergman Hannah E. , Klein William M. P.
Published: April 2012

Worry has been shown to predict a variety of health behaviors, such as cancer screening, yet there are few studies linking worry and nutrition. This study used nationally representative data from National Cancer Institute’s Food Attitudes and Behavior Survey ( n = 3,397) to examine the association between health-related worry and a variety of nutrition behaviors. Greater worry was associated with higher fruit and vegetable consumption ( B = 0.19, p < .01), but also more meals eaten when watching television ( B = 0.34, p < .01) and fewer with family ( B = −0.13, p = .02). Importantly, and counterintuitively, greater worry appeared to reverse the conventional relationship between self-efficacy and dietary restriction; those who were self-efficacious and worried were less likely to restrict unhealthy foods. Similarly, worry attenuated the relationship between perceived benefits and special effort to buy produce. A complex relationship between worry and nutrition emerged, with potentially important clinical implications.
Stress Management–Augmented Behavioral Weight Loss Intervention for African American Women
Authors: Cox Tiffany L. , Krukowski Rebecca , Love ShaRhonda J. , Eddings Kenya , DiCarlo Marisha , Chang Jason Y. , Prewitt T. Elaine , West Delia Smith
Published: April 2012

The relationship between chronic stress and weight management efforts may be a concern for African American (AA) women, who have a high prevalence of obesity, high stress levels, and modest response to obesity treatment. This pilot study randomly assigned 44 overweight/obese AA women with moderate to high stress levels to either a 12-week adaptation of the Diabetes Prevention Program Lifestyle Balance intervention augmented with stress management strategies (Lifestyle + Stress) or Lifestyle Alone. A trend toward greater percentage of baseline weight loss at 3-month data collection was observed in Lifestyle + Stress (−2.7 ± 3.6%) compared with Lifestyle Alone (−1.4 ± 2.3%; p = .17) and a greater reduction in salivary cortisol (Lifestyle + Stress: −0.2461 ± 0.3985 ng/mL; Lifestyle Alone: −0.0002 ± 0.6275 ng/mL; p = .20). These promising results suggest that augmenting a behavioral weight control intervention with stress management components may be beneficial for overweight/obese AA women with moderate to high stress levels and merit further investigation with an adequately powered trial.
A Comparison of Maternal Outcomes From an Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drug Prevention Program for Mothers Choosing an Intervention Versus Being Randomized
Authors: Byrnes Hilary F. , Miller Brenda A. , Laborde Nicole
Published: April 2012

Self-determination theory and substantial research findings suggest that more desirable outcomes may occur when participants are able to choose their prevention or treatment interventions, as having a choice may lead to greater motivation and feelings of self-efficacy. The present study examined the influence of having a choice of family-based prevention programs for youth alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use on mothers’ communication outcomes. Families ( N = 496) were those with an 11- to 12-year-old enrolled in Kaiser Permanente medical centers at one of four locations. Results from multivariate repeated measures analyses supported the importance of having a choice for improved communication outcomes. As compared with families who were randomly assigned to a program, those allowed to choose showed improved tobacco-specific and peer pressure communication, with marginally improved alcohol communication. No differences were found between the groups for general communication. Results suggest that allowing mothers to participate in decisions about health-related interventions for their teens may lead to better outcomes.
Intra-party conflicts over gubernatorial campaigns in Japan
Authors: Hijino Ken Victor Leonard
Published: April 2012

Why and when does party headquarters grant autonomy to its local branches, and what trade-offs ensue when providing such discretion? This article tackles these broader questions by focusing on a largely under-investigated area: the impact of directly elected governors and mayors on intra-party dynamics. To facilitate analysis, the article borrows from the ‘delegation’ and ‘franchise’ models, which seek to explain how party organizations adapt to multi-level electoral environments. Sources of intra-party conflict over gubernatorial campaigns derive from theories of party behaviour under presidential systems. Empirical evidence is provided by examining how Japan’s two major parties have dealt with gubernatorial campaigns in recent years. Select cases and data demonstrate how local units are driven by differing incentives from the national leadership, the consequent intra-party conflicts and the limited success of party headquarters in steering its local units. The article discusses the extent to which the ‘franchise’ or ‘delegation’ models successfully capture the way in which the two Japanese parties have engaged in gubernatorial campaigns. To illustrate generalizability beyond Japan, the article ends with a brief comparative counterpoint: intra-party conflict over the selection of the Greater London Authority’s mayoral candidate in 2000 and 2004.
Party organization and party proliferation in India
Authors: Chhibber Pradeep , Jensenius Francesca Refsum , Suryanarayan Pavithra
Published: April 2012

Theories that explain variations in party systems typically emphasize the role of political institutions and social cleavages. Using a panel dataset of election returns from 15 Indian states from 1967 to 2004. this article establishes considerable variation in the effective number of parties across states and over time, despite the same political institutions and relatively stable social cleavages. We argue that a hitherto ignored dimension, the level of party organization, has a significant impact on the nature of the party system. The level of party organization incentivizes politicians differently in terms of their decision to stay, join another party or float a new party, when their ambitions are thwarted within a party. To test this theory, a unique indicator of party organization is developed on the basis of extensive qualitative research. We find that in Indian states where parties are more organized, both the effective number of parties and electoral volatility are lower.
Crashing the party. Does STV help independents?
Authors: Weeks Liam
Published: April 2012

Parties tend to be wary of candidate-centred electoral systems, which is one factor why the use of the Single Transferable Vote (STV) is limited to a few cases. One source of this wariness is that STV is thought to favour non-party candidates, or independents, a claim based primarily on the experience of Ireland. The relative absence of independents in Australia and Malta, the other two countries using STV for national elections, challenges the merits of this reasoning. This study re-examines the nature of this causal link using constituency-level data from the Irish and Australian cases. The results indicate that there is not a great deal of evidence to support the hypothesis that STV favours independents, in particular because electoral system detail can affect a system’s ability to realize expected consequences. While constituency size, ballot access and ballot design affect support for independents, it is not always in the expected manner. This suggests that the non-party phenomenon is more than just a by-product of electoral system effects.
Remixing a mixed language: The emergence of a new pronominal system in Chabacano (Philippine Creole Spanish)
Authors: Lipski John M.
Published: April 2012

In bilingual contact environments, personal pronoun systems are relatively impervious to replacement or borrowing. Several Creole languages contain hybrid personal pronoun paradigms, but the language contact environments that resulted in creolization and mixed pronominal systems are no longer in effect, and the mechanisms of pronominal replacement remain unknown. The present analysis is based on data from Zamboangueño Chabacano, a variety of Philippine Creole Spanish that has already undergone at least one set of pronominal replacements in its history, substituting Spanish-derived plural pronouns with pronouns taken from Philippine languages. Due to recent migration, Zamboangueño Chabacano is now in contact with Tagalog, and younger speakers are incorporating the Tagalog second-person singular respect-neutral pronoun ikaw into the Chabacano system. The insertion of ikaw restores the respectful–respect-neutral pronominal distinction originally present in Spanish and found in Philippine languages but lacking in Chabacano. The ease with which a Tagalog pronoun is entering Chabacano is attributed to long-standing popular views that Zamboangueño Chabacano is already a mixed-up language—often regarded as “broken Spanish”—devoid of its own grammar and therefore readily susceptible to any and all intrusions. The use of ikaw as an in-group marker among Zamboangueño youth further aids the addition of the Tagalog pronoun to the Chabacano paradigm.
Race and the anxieties of cultural obscurity: Meditations on blackness in South African performance and video art
Authors: Makhubu Nomusa
Published: April 2012

The focus on politically circumscribed identities in South African visual arts during the first decade of the post- Apartheid era (1994–2004) illuminated key tensions in the process of transformation. The arts practice, in general, seemed to respond directly to social imbalances that were established through Apartheid and roused significant discussions around issues of power with regard to racial and gender identity constructions. Arguably, the ‘second wave’ after the first decade propagates a Post-Race sentiment. This article seeks to discuss issues around terms such as Post-Race and Post-Black. I use performance and video art (or new media) as indicative of a change in general perceptions about race, art and transformation in South African cultural practices. Although the term ‘Post-Black’ has not been used to define a specific South African movement or aesthetic, here I juxtapose it with the term ‘Post-Race’ to map out similarities in thought about Blackness in general.
Commercial and sexualized nationalism on Serbian reality TV
Authors: Volcic Zala , Erjavec Karmen
Published: April 2012

This article explores the way in which the portrayal of gender becomes linked to that of ethno-nationalism on the popular Serbian reality show The Palace. On the basis of a textual analysis of the public reactions to the reality show and its interpretations by the local audiences in Slovenia and Serbia, we claim that the show promotes specifically gendered and sexualized ethno-national identities, and that the interpretation of the show continues to be aligned with discourses of ethno-nationalist belonging. We argue that commercial, ethno-national femininity is currently employed to re-legitimate patriarchal nationalism in the name of freedom and empowerment via self-promotion.
Policing the crisis, or, why we love The Wire
Authors: Bramall Rebecca , Pitcher Ben
Published: April 2012

The Wire’s figuration of the complexity of the relations between the different social structures, institutions and agents that constitute contemporary urban life has been taken as evidence of its ‘sociological’ status. In this article we argue for a more reflexive consideration of the show’s appeal qua model social text. Rather than regarding The Wire as enhancing our understanding of the social, this article acknowledges, and offers a reading of, the show’s appeal to socially liberal audiences. Often cited as evidence of the show’s ‘realism’, we suggest that The Wire’s celebrated, stereotype-challenging representations of sex, race, class and gender can be indexed to its audience’s yearning for ‘progressive’ representation. The Wire, we go on to contend, offers a seductively intelligible vision of social and cultural complexity similarly in concordance with its audience’s desires. Thinking reflexively about why The Wire focuses these desires, we provide a reading of the show as an animation of our own relationship to the tradition of cultural studies. We suggest that the investigative ‘detail’ at the heart of the show – defined by its institutional marginality, interdisciplinarity, methodological innovation, pluralistic staff constituency, and vocational commitment to a complex understanding of the social – can be read as an idealized representation of collaborative knowledge production. We reflect on this analogy as an expression of nostalgia for an earlier moment in the history of cultural studies before the neoliberal onslaught on higher education.
A reality check: How journalists’ role perceptions impact their implementation of the objectivity norm
Authors: Skovsgaard Morten , Albæk Erik , Bro Peter , de Vreese Claes
Published: April 2012

Objectivity is a cornerstone in the journalistic profession. There is a widespread acknowledgement that a one-to-one representation of reality is not possible, and thus the norm must be interpreted by journalists in their daily work. Based on a journalist survey among Danish journalists (N = 2008) we find that journalists’ role perceptions have substantial explanatory power in regard to how journalists implement the objectivity norm. The objectivity norm pervades the news production process by guiding journalists when they select, gather, and present the news, and the results give a hint about how journalistic role perceptions might affect the production process through the objectivity norm and subsequently also the news content.
Haussmannization in the tropics: Abject urbanism and infrastructural violence in Nicaragua
Authors: Rodgers Dennis
Published: April 2012

This article considers the underlying dynamics of the elite-oriented urban transformation that Managua, the capital city of Nicaragua, has undergone during the past decade and a half. It begins by drawing a cross-historical comparison between Managua’s metropolitan makeover and a paradigmatic case of planned urban change, that of 19th-century Parisian Haussmannization, in order to highlight the systemic and purposeful nature of the former’s transformation from a top-down perspective. It then focuses ethnographically on the grassroots consequences of specific instances of infrastructural development that have affected two poor neighbourhoods in the city, providing a bottom-up view on the way that these have constituted the poor communities as ‘pacified spaces’, to the extent that their inhabitants can be said to have internalized a form of ‘abject urbanism’ that actively contributes to sustaining the unequal spatial order of the city. When seen from this perspective, the planned urban transformation of Managua emerges as a systemic form of violence mediated by the workings of infrastructure, a process that I suggest can be termed ‘infrastructural violence’.
Who Pulled the Plug? Towards an Explanation of the Fall in Child Imprisonment in England and Wales
Authors: Bateman Tim
Published: April 2012

This article offers an analysis of the recent fall in youth custody in England and Wales. It argues that parallels can be drawn between the present period and the decline in child imprisonment during Margaret Thatcher’s premiership in the 1980s. In particular, increased diversion and a depoliticization of youth crime have contributed to a more tolerant decision making within the court arena. Some remarks on the implications for an understanding of the punitive turn are offered and an assessment of the prospect for future trends is provided in the light of the riots of August 2011.
The diabetic patient has a higher benefit from infrapopliteal revascularization than the non-diabetic patient: A 10-year retrospective study
Authors: Oberhuber Alexander , Benecke Brigitte , Orend Karl-Heinz , Hutschenreiter Siegfried , Muehling Bernd M
Published: April 2012

Objective:

The objective of this article is to evaluate the limb salvage and patency rates after crural arterial revascularization, differences between graft material and co-morbidities.

Patients and methods:

All patients with crural artery bypasses were analysed retrospectively in a single centre (Department of Vascular Surgery, Thüringen Kliniken Saalfeld, Rudolstadt, Germany) over a 10-year period (1996–2006); 157 patients with 170 consecutive arterial reconstructions could be included.

Results:

Follow-up time was 55 months (6–119). Median age of the 56 women and the 101 men at the time of operation was 70 years (45.6–93.6). The five-year secondary patency rates were 71.5 ± 6.22% (vein), 44.3 ± 10.8% (composite; p = 0.0011), 52.6 ± 13.4% (prosthetic graft with distal vein cuff/patch; p = 0.00953) and 42 ± 12% (prosthetic graft without distal vein cuff/patch; p = 0.00443). Limb salvage rates after five years were 79.5 ± 5.8%, 61.6 ± 10.3%, 77.9 ± 11.3% and 70.1 ± 14.7%, respectively. Cumulative limb salvage rate was significantly higher in diabetic patients (78.9 ± 4.9%), than in non-diabetic patients (66.6 ± 6.8); p = 0.023.

Conclusion:

Crural reconstruction is a suitable method for peripheral arterial occlusive disease to prevent amputation, particularly in diabetics.
Furano-1,2-Naphthoquinone Inhibits Src and PI3K/Akt Signaling Pathways in Ca9-22 Human Oral Squamous Carcinoma Cells
Authors: Lin Kuei-Li , Chien Ching-Ming , Tseng Chih-Hua , Chen Yeh-Long , Chang Long-Sen , Lin Shinne-Ren
Published: April 2012

Furano-1,2-naphthoquinone (FNQ), a biologically active component of Avicennia marina, has been demonstrated to display anticancer activity. FNQ exerted cytotoxicity with the G2/M cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in Ca9-22 cells. FNQ-induced G2/M arrest was correlated with a marked decrease in the expression levels of cyclin A and cyclin B, and their activating partner cyclin-dependent kinases (CDK) 1 and 2 with concomitant induction of p27. FNQ-induced apoptosis was accompanied by Bax and Bad upregulation, and the downregulation of Bcl-2, Bcl-XL, Mcl-1, and X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis (XIAP), resulting in cytochrome C release and sequential activation of caspase-9 and caspase-3. Mechanistic studies showed that FNQ suppressed Src phosphorylation, PI3K, and Akt activation in Ca9-22 cells. Moreover, the Src inhibitor PP2 reduced the phosphorylation of Src and activation of PI3K/Akt, which was comparable with FNQ treatment. The combined treatment of FNQ with PP2 enhanced the cell cycle arrest and apoptosis and also led to the downregulation of Bcl-XL, Mcl-1, XIAP, cyclin A, cyclin B, CDK1, and CDK2 and upregulation of p27, Bax, and Bad. These findings suggest that FNQ-mediated cytotoxicity of Ca9-22 cells is related with the G2/M cell cycle arrest and apoptosis via inactivation of Src and PI3K/Akt–mediated signaling pathways.
Religion, Spirituality, and Cancer
Authors: Vonarx Nicolas , Hyppolite Shelley-Rose
Published: April 2012

It has often been noted that people with a severe illness endeavor to deepen their religious and spiritual practice and knowledge. It is generally accepted that spiritual and religious factors help sick people confront their suffering. The authors conducted a qualitative research on the role of religious and spiritual practices and knowledge among 10 cancer patients in Québec, Canada. Individual interviews focused on their illness experience confirmed that religion and spirituality can be present and contribute to coping when life is threatened. More precisely, the analyses of the place and use of these resources during the patient’s illness showed that these resources contributed to an individual empowerment process that was undertaken in response to a biographic and existential disruption induced by the illness diagnosis. The sick people took advantage of religious and spiritual content in their quest for meaning and a cure, progressing from a stage of despair and powerlessness to a stage of hope, a critical analysis of the disease, and a better management and control of it and its evolution. This article describes how people suffering from cancer use and participate in religious and spiritual content. It demonstrates the contribution of this content to an individual empowerment process. The use of religion and spirituality constitutes a quest for self-mastery, an acquiring of power and control. We understand that religious and spiritual phenomena do not always prevent people from fighting against their suffering, limit their freedom, or systematically reduce people’s viewpoints and worldviews.
In vitro Anti-Angiogenesis Effects and Active Constituents of the Saponin Fraction From Gleditsia sinensis
Authors: Lu Dan , Xia YuFeng , Tong Bei , Zhang ChaoFeng , Pan Rong , Xu Huan , Yang Xue , Dai Yue
Published: April 2012

Background. The anomalous fruits of Gleditsia sinensis Lam. (Leguminosae), a crude drug in China, have long been used in traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of various diseases. The saponin fraction isolated from the fruits (SFGS) is considered as the active component for the antitumor activity of this crude drug. Objectives. The present study was performed to investigate the anti-angiogenesis activities and active constituents of SFGS. Methods. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were treated with SFGS in the presence or absence of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) in vitro. The proliferation, migration, and tube formation were studied by MTT, Transwell, and 2D Matrigel assays, respectively. The cell cycle and apoptosis were analyzed by flow cytometry. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for protein expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and western blot analysis for caspase-3, caspase-8, and caspase-9 as well as Fas were performed. In addition, the effects of 13 saponin compounds isolated from SFGS on the tube formation of HUVECs were screened, and the structure–activity relationships were discussed. Results. SFGS, at concentrations (1, 3, and 10 µg/mL) without significant cytotoxicity on endothelial cells, significantly inhibited the proliferation, migration, and tube formation of HUVECs induced by bFGF (10 ng/mL). It moderately arrested the cell cycle to G1 phase but greatly induced cell apoptosis and increased the expressions of caspases-3, caspase-8, and Fas but not caspase-9 in HUVECs. Moreover, SFGS did not affect the bFGF-induced autosecretion of VEGF from endothelial cells. Among the 13 saponin compounds tested, gleditsiosides B, I, J, O, and Q showed inhibition of the tube formation at a concentration of 3 µM, and only gleditsioside B exerted significant inhibition at 1 µM. Conclusion. SFGS is substantially able to prevent angiogenesis by interfering with multiple steps. The findings provide a new explanation for the antitumor effects of G sinensis fruits. Gleditsiosides B, I, J, O, and Q are probably the main active constituents of SFGS.
Comparison of Embolic Load in Femoropopliteal Interventions
Authors: Brancaccio Giovanni , Lombardi Renzo , Stefanini Teseo , Torri Pia , Russo David , Gorji Nader , Cappelletti Daniele , Celoria Giovanni Maria
Published: April 2012

Purpose: To compare the incidence of distal emboli occurring during percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) and primary stent on the superficial femoral artery (SFA) Methods: A total of 50 consecutive patients were entered in a prospective, randomized trial. Inclusion criteria were the presence of symptomatic limb ischemia due to stenosis or occlusion of the SFA. An embolic protection device was placed in the popliteal artery. The patients were then randomly assigned to undergo primary stent implantation or PTA. The filters were retrieved and sent for histologic examination. Results: Stenting in the SFA produced more emboli (1.44 mm3) than PTA (0.772 mm3), P = .031. Reanalyzing the patients according to actual treatment performed, volume of debris in the stent group was 1.271 mm3 and in the PTA group was 0.191 mm3, P = .00087. Conclusion: Volume of embolized material during endovascular interventions in the SFA-above-knee popliteal artery is higher when a stent is used.
Endovascular Stent Graft Repair of Iatrogenic Popliteal Artery Injuries—A Report of 2 Cases
Authors: Kovacs Flora , Pollock J. Graham , DeNunzio Mario
Published: April 2012

Popliteal artery injury during total knee replacement (TKR) is rare. We report 2 cases of post-TKR popliteal artery occlusions treated endovascularly with Viabahn stent grafts. Long-term duplex follow-up and secondary re-intervention may be necessary.
Endovascular Management of Aortic Arch Vessel Occlusion
Authors: Dayama Anand , Riesenman Paul J. , Cheek Rick A. , Kasirajan Karthikeshwar
Published: April 2012

A 56-year-old female presented with pain in her bilateral upper extremities. Angiogram demonstrated occlusion of her left subclavian and innominate arteries (IAs). The patient’s left subclavian occlusion was successfully treated with percutaneous mechanical thrombectomy, angioplasty, and stenting. One month later, endovascular revascularization of the IA was performed. Initially the lesion could not be directly transversed from neither an antegrade nor a retrograde approach. Wires were passed from the brachial and femoral arteries into the right common carotid artery where the femoral wire was snared and brought out through the right brachial access. Over this through-and-through wire access, angioplasty and stenting of the IA was performed with an excellent angiographic result. In follow-up, the patient remained free of upper extremity symptoms. Occlusive lesions of the aortic arch vessels can be successfully managed with antegrade and retrograde endovascular techniques.