bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Algorithms for sleep–wake identification using actigraphy: a comparative study and new results
Authors: TILMANNE JOËLLE , URBAIN JÉRÔME , KOTHARE MAYURESH V. , WOUWER ALAIN VANDE , KOTHARE SANJEEV V.
Published: February 2009

The aim of this study was to investigate two new scoring algorithms employing artificial neural networks and decision trees for distinguishing sleep and wake states in infants using actigraphy and to validate and compare the performance of the proposed algorithms with known actigraphy scoring algorithms. The study employed previously recorded longitudinal physiological infant data set from the Collaborative Home Infant Monitoring Evaluation (CHIME) study conducted between 1994 and 1998 [; Sleep26 (1997) 553] at five clinical sites around the USA. The original CHIME data set contains recordings of 1079 infants <1 year old. In our study, we used the overnight polysomnography scored data and ankle actimeter (Alice 3) raw data for 354 infants from this data set. The participants were heterogeneous and grouped into four categories: healthy term, preterm, siblings of SIDS and infants with apparent life‐threatening events (apnea of infancy). The selection of the most discriminant actigraphy features was carried out using Fisher’s discriminant analysis. Approximately 80% of all the epochs were used to train the artificial neural network and decision tree models. The models were then validated on the remaining 20% of the epochs. The use of artificial neural networks and decision trees was able to capture potentially nonlinear classification characteristics, when compared to the previously reported linear combination methods and hence showed improved performance. The quality of sleep–wake scoring was further improved by including more wake epochs in the training phase and by employing rescoring rules to remove artifacts. The large size of the database (approximately 337 000 epochs for 354 patients) provided a solid basis for determining the efficacy of actigraphy in sleep scoring. The study also suggested that artificial neural networks and decision trees could be much more routinely utilized in the context of clinical sleep search.
Treatment of hepatitis C infection for current or former substance abusers in a community setting
Authors: John‐Baptiste A. , Varenbut M. , Lingley M. , Nedd‐Roderique T. , Teplin D. , Tomlinson G. , Daiter J. , Krahn M.
Published: February 2009

Summary.  Substance abusers account for the largest number of hepatitis C infected cases in developed countries. We describe a care model for treating current or former substance abusers with antiviral therapy for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. The care model involved hepatitis nurses, a psychologist, infectious disease specialist and primary care physicians. Clients met selection criteria including regular attendance at clinic appointments and social stability. Use of alcohol and illicit substances was monitored with urine toxicology screens. The association between substance use, rates of completion of therapy and rates of response were assessed using multivariable regression analyses. A total of 109 clients (75 with genotype 1/4 and 34 with genotype 2/3) received at least one injection with pegylated interferon between November 2002 and January 2006. Treatment completion rates of 61 and 74% were achieved for genotypes 1/4 and 2/3, respectively. Treatment response rates in an intention to treat analysis were 51% for genotypes 1/4 and 68% for genotypes 2/3. A positive urine toxicology screen indicating use of illicit substances 6 months prior to initiating therapy was significantly associated with lower rates of treatment completion but not lower rates of sustained virological response. A positive urine screen indicating use of alcohol prior to therapy was significantly associated with lower rates of completion and lower rates of response. Rates of completion and response are comparable to non‐substance abusing populations. Antiviral therapy for HCV infection can be successful within the context of ongoing care for substance abuse for carefully selected patients.
Never injected, but hepatitis C virus‐infected: a study among self‐declared never‐injecting drug users from the Amsterdam Cohort Studies
Authors: Van Den Berg C. H. S. B. , Van De Laar T. J. W. , Kok A. , Zuure F. R. , Coutinho R. A. , Prins M.
Published: February 2009

Summary.  The aim of this study was to gain insight in transmission routes of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among never‐injecting drug users (DU) by studying, incidence, prevalence, determinants and molecular epidemiology of HCV infection. From the Amsterdam Cohort Studies among DU, 352 never‐injecting DU were longitudinally tested for HCV antibodies. Logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with antibody prevalence. Part of HCV NS5B was sequenced to determine HCV genotype and for phylogenetic analyses, in which sequences were compared with those from injecting DU. HCV antibody prevalence was 6.3% and HCV incidence was 0.49/1000 PY. HIV‐positive status, female sex and starting injection drug use during follow‐up (a putative marker of past injection drug use), were independently associated with HCV prevalence. The main genotypes found were genotype 3a (50%) and 1a (30%). Phylogenetic analysis revealed that HCV strains in never‐injecting DU did not cluster together and did not differ from HCV strains circulating in injecting DU. We found a higher HCV prevalence in never‐injecting DU than in the general population. Phylogenetic analysis shows a strong link with the injecting DU population. The increased risk could be related to underreporting of injecting drug use or to household or sexual transmission from injectors to noninjectors. Our findings stress the need for HCV testing of DU who report never injecting, especially given the potential to treat HCV infection effectively.
Little evidence that hepatitis C virus leads to a higher risk of mortality in the absence of cirrhosis and excess alcohol intake: the Swiss Hepatitis C Cohort Study
Authors: Prasad L. , Spicher V. M. , Negro F. , Rickenbach M. , Zwahlen M. ,   the Swiss Hepatitis C Cohort Study Group
Published: February 2009

Summary.  The objective of this study was to describe the all‐cause mortality of participants in the Swiss Hepatitis C Cohort compared to the Swiss general population. Patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection attending secondary and tertiary care centres in Switzerland. One thousand six hundred and forty‐five patients with HCV infection were followed up for a mean of over 2 years. We calculated all‐cause standardized mortality ratios (SMR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) using age, sex and calendar year‐specific Swiss all‐cause mortality rates. Multivariable Poisson regression was used to model the variability of SMR by cirrhotic status, HCV genotype, infection with hepatitis B virus or HIV, injection drug use and alcohol intake. Sixty‐one deaths were recorded out of 1645 participants. The crude all‐cause SMR was 4.5 (95% CI: 3.5–5.8). Patients co‐infected with HIV had a crude SMR of 20 (95% CI: 11.1–36.1). The SMR of 1.1 (95% CI: 0.63–2.03) for patients who were not cirrhotic, not infected with HBV or HIV, did not inject drugs, were not heavy alcohol consumers (≤40 g/day) and were not genotype 3, indicated no strong evidence of excess mortality. We found little evidence of excess mortality in hepatitis C infected patients who were not cirrhotic, in the absence of selected risk factors. Our findings emphasize the importance of providing appropriate preventive advice, such as counselling to avoid alcohol intake, in those infected with HCV.
Incidence and pattern of unintentional injuries and resulting disability among children under 5 years of age: results of the National Health Survey of Pakistan
Authors: Fatmi Zafar , Kazi Ambreen , Hadden Wilbur C. , Bhutta Zulfiqar A. , Razzak Junaid A. , Pappas Gregory
Published: February 2009

National estimates of injuries for children under 5 years based on population representative surveys are not readily available globally and have not been reported for developing countries. This study estimated the annual incidence, pattern and distribution of unintentional injuries according to age, gender, socio‐economic status, urban/rural residence and disability caused among children aged under 5 years in Pakistan. The National Health Survey of Pakistan (NHSP 1990–94) is a nationally representative survey of households to assess the health profile of the country. A two‐stage stratified design was used to select 3223 children under 5 years of age for interview and examination. Data were used for boys and girls in urban and rural areas over the preceding year. A community development index was developed to assess the relationship between socio‐economic status and injuries. Weighted estimates were computed adjusting for complex survey design using surveyfreq and surveylogistic option of SAS 9.1 software. Post hoc power calculations were made for each variable keeping the design effect at 3.0.

The overall annual incidence of unintentional injuries was 47.8 [95% CI 36.6, 59.0] per 1000 per year; 50.2 [95% CI 37.0, 63.4] and 45.2 [95% CI 29.4, 61.0] per 1000 per year among boys and girls under 5 years of age respectively. An estimated 1.1 million unintentional injuries occur in Pakistan annually among these children. Injury rates increase with age among the under‐5s. Urban and rural injuries were 56.1 [95% CI 33.5, 78.7] and 44.1 [95% CI 31.1, 57.1] per 1000 per year respectively. The children living in least developed communities had almost 3 times higher risks of injuries than most developed communities. The annual incidence of types of injuries were: falls 28.7 [95% CI 19.5, 37.9], cuts/bruises 9.7 [95% CI 5.3, 14.1] and burns 6.6 [95% CI 3.0, 10.2] per 1000 per year. Falls were the most common type of injury (60%) followed by cuts/bruises (21%) and burns (14%). The majority of injuries occur at home (85%), with just 10% due to road traffic. Road traffic injuries and injuries to the female child were more likely to result in disability. There is a high burden of unintentional injuries and disability among children under 5 in Pakistan. These results are useful for planning further research and for prioritising prevention programmes nationally and in other developing countries with similar situation.
Gamma‐ray radiation induced dwarf mutants of turf‐type bermudagrass
Authors: Lu S. , Wang Z. , Niu Y. , Chen Y. , Chen H. , Fan Z. , Lin J. , Yan K. , Guo Z. , Li H.
Published: February 2009

To generate new breed lines of bermudagrass and reduce management costs of turfgrass, gamma‐ray irradiation was used for induction of dwarf mutants from a native bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon) germplasm. Three dwarf‐type mutant lines (7‐9, 10‐5 and 10‐12) were isolated from 3000 irradiated stolons. The data from 3‐year greenhouse tests and 2‐year field tests indicated that the dwarf mutant lines had lower canopy height, shorter internodes and shorter leaves. The line 7‐9 had a similar turf coverage rate to the wild‐type control, while the lines 10‐5 and 10‐12 had a slower turf coverage rate than the wild‐type control. Under drought stress, all three dwarf mutant lines maintained higher relative water content and lower ion leakage than the wild type in the greenhouse tests. The field tests showed that the dwarf mutant lines had lower leaf firing during a progressive drying of soil. Our results indicated that bermudagrass mutants induced by gamma radiation exhibited dwarf characteristics and improved drought resistance, which was probably associated with unbalance of plant hormones in vivo.
The barley thaumatin‐like protein Hv‐TLP8 enhances resistance of oilseed rape plants to Plasmodiophora brassicae
Authors: Reiss E. , Schubert J. , Scholze P. , Krämer R. , Sonntag K.
Published: February 2009

A barley cDNA for the thaumatin‐like protein Hv‐TLP8 driven by the CaMV 35S promoter was introduced into oilseed rape (Brassica napus) via Agrobacterium‐mediated transformation. Some transgenic lines were obtained which exhibited enhanced resistance to the clubroot pathogen (Plasmodiophora brassicae). To increase resistance, double haploid (DH) lines were generated from these transgenic plants. Of these, DH‐line 189 showed stable inheritance of the transgenic trait and its associated resistance for at least three generations.
Japanese clinical guidelines for juvenile orthostatic dysregulation version 1
Authors: Tanaka Hidetaka , Fujita Yukihiko , Takenaka Yoshito , Kajiwara Souhei , Masutani Satoshi , Ishizaki Yuko , Matsushima Reiko , Shiokawa Hirosato , Shiota Madoka , Ishitani Nobuo , Kajiura Mitsugu , Honda Kazuo ,   Task Force of Clinical Guidelines for Child Orthostatic Dysregulation, Japanese Society of Psychosomatic Pediatrics
Published: February 2009

This clinical practice guideline provides recommendations for the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of school‐aged children and juveniles with orthostatic dysregulation (OD), usually named orthostatic intolerance in USA and Europe. This guideline is intended for use by primary care clinicians working in primary care settings. The guideline contains the following recommendations for diagnosis of OD: (i) initial evaluation composed of including and excluding criteria, the assessment of no evidence of other disease including cardiac disease and so on; (ii) a new orthostatic test to determine four different subsets: instantaneous orthostatic hypotension, postural tachycardia syndrome, neurally mediated syncope and delayed orthostatic hypotension; (iii) evaluation of severity; and (iv) judgment of psychosocial background with the use of rating scales. The guideline also contains the following recommendations for treatment of OD on the basis of the result of an orthostatic test in addition to psychosocial assessment: (i) guidance and education for parents and children; (ii) non‐pharmacological treatments; (iii) contact with school personnel; (iv) use of adrenoceptor stimulants and other medications; (v) strategies of psychosocial intervention; and (vi) psychotherapy. This clinical practice guideline is not intended as a sole source of guidance in the evaluation of children with OD. Rather, it is designed to assist primary care clinicians by providing a framework for decision making of diagnosis and treatments.
Accumbal dopamine and serotonin activity throughout acquisition and expression of place conditioning: correlative relationships with preference and aversion
Authors: Weitemier Adam Z. , Murphy Niall P.
Published: February 2009

The ability of addictive drugs to induce adaptations in mesolimbic dopamine (DA) activity offers an attractive neurobiological explanation for enhanced incentive motivation toward drug‐associated stimuli in addiction. However, direct evidence supporting this is sparse. By tracking neurochemical activity within the mouse nucleus accumbens via microdialysis during repeated pairing of morphine with environmental stimuli, we reveal a predictive relationship between enhanced DA responses to morphine and subsequent preference towards a morphine‐paired stimulus. A similar relationship for serotonin (5‐HT) was observed, suggesting that these neuromodulatory systems work in concert. During expression of preference towards a morphine‐paired stimulus, extracellular DA was not enhanced but was negatively associated with this behavior on a subject‐by‐subject basis. In contrast, avoidance of an aversively‐paired stimulus (the opiate antagonist naloxone) was associated with enhanced extracellular DA levels, and also the balance between DA and 5‐HT responses. These findings reveal a tangible predictive relationship between drug‐induced neural adaptations and conditioned behavior, and emphasize that DA activity is not generalized to all subcomponents of behavior conditioned by addictive drugs. They further provide evidence for an active role of DA–5‐HT interactions in the expression of learned behavior.
Granulocyte–macrophage colony‐stimulating factor promotes survival of dopaminergic neurons in the 1‐methyl‐4‐phenyl‐1,2,3,6‐tetrahydropyridine‐induced murine Parkinson’s disease model
Authors: Kim Na K. , Choi Byung H. , Huang Xian , Snyder Brian J. , Bukhari Shefqat , Kong Tae‐Ho , Park Hyeonseon , Park Hyung C. , Park So R. , Ha Yoon
Published: February 2009

Granulocyte–macrophage colony‐stimulating factor (GM‐CSF) is a hematopoietic cytokine that has the potential for clinical application. The biological effects of GM‐CSF have been well characterized, and include stimulation of bone marrow hematopoietic stem cell proliferation and inhibition of apoptosis of hematopoietic cells. In contrast, the therapeutic effects of GM‐CSF on the central nervous system in acute injury such as stroke and spinal cord injury have been reported only recently. To better understand the protective effect of GM‐CSF on dopaminergic neurons in Parkinson’s disease (PD), we investigated the effect of GM‐CSF on the survival of dopamine neurons and changes in locomotor behavior in a murine PD model. We investigated the neuroprotective effects of GM‐CSF in 1‐methyl‐4‐phenylpyridinium (MPP+)‐treated PC12 cells as well as in embryonic mouse primary mesencephalic neurons (PMNs) in vitro. To investigate the role of GM‐CSF in vivo, we prepared a mouse 1‐methyl‐4‐phenyl‐1,2,3,6‐tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) PD model, and examined the effects of GM‐CSF on dopaminergic neuron survival in the substantia nigra and on locomotor behavior. Treatment with GM‐CSF significantly reduced MPP+‐induced dopaminergic cell death in PC12 cells and PMNs in vitro. GM‐CSF modulated the expression of apoptosis‐related proteins, Bcl‐2 and Bax, in vitro. Furthermore, administration of GM‐CSF (50 μg/kg body weight/day) in vivo for 7 days protected dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra and improved locomotor behavior in a mouse MPTP model of PD.
PPAR‐gamma‐mediated neuroprotection in a chronic mouse model of Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Schintu Nicoletta , Frau Lucia , Ibba Marcello , Caboni Pierluigi , Garau Arianna , Carboni Ezio , Carta Anna R.
Published: February 2009

Rosiglitazone is a commonly prescribed insulin‐sensitizing drug with a selective agonistic activity on the peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor‐gamma (PPAR‐γ). PPAR‐γ can modulate inflammatory responses in the brain, and agonists might be beneficial in neurodegenerative diseases. In the present study we used a chronic 1‐methyl‐4‐phenyl‐1,2,3,6‐tetrahydropyridine plus probenecid (MPTPp) mouse model of progressive Parkinson’s disease (PD) to assess the therapeutic efficacy of rosiglitazone on behavioural impairment, neurodegeneration and inflammation. Mice chronically treated with MPTPp displayed typical features of PD, including impairment of motor and olfactory functions associated with partial loss of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)‐positive neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc), decrease of dopamine (DA) and 3,4‐dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) content and dynorphin (Dyn) mRNA levels in the caudate‐putamen (CPu), intense microglial and astroglial response in the SNc and CPu. Chronic rosiglitazone, administered in association with MPTPp, completely prevented motor and olfactory dysfunctions and loss of TH‐positive cells in the SNc. In the CPu, loss of striatal DA was partially prevented, whereas decreases in DOPAC content and Dyn were fully counteracted. Moreover, rosiglitazone completely inhibited microglia reactivity in SNc and CPu, as measured by CD11b immunostaining, and partially inhibited astroglial response assessed by glial fibrillary acidic protein immunoreactivity. Measurement of striatal MPP+ levels 2, 4, 6 h and 3 days after chronic treatment indicated that MPTP metabolism was not altered by rosiglitazone. The results support the use of PPAR‐γ agonists as a putative anti‐inflammatory therapy aimed at arresting PD progression, and suggest that assessment in PD clinical trials is warranted.
Bulbar urethral ligation for managing persistent urinary incontinence in young men with myelomeningocele
Authors: Meeks Joshua J. , Hagerty Jennifer A. , Chaviano Antonio H.
Published: February 2009

OBJECTIVE

To report our experience with ligation of the bulbar urethra for treating refractory stress incontinence in a selected group of young men with neuropathic bladders secondary to myelomeningocele (MM), in whom primary anti‐incontinence procedures had failed.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Persistent urethral incontinence leading to chronic perineal skin ulceration can occur in these patients, despite aggressive medical and surgical efforts to decrease wetting by increasing bladder capacity, compliance and outlet resistance. Four young men with MM had bulbar urethral ligation; all had undergone a previous ileocystoplasty and functioning continent catheterizable channels (CCC, three appendicovesicostomies, one Monti procedure). Three patients had primary bladder neck procedures using rectus fascia slings, and secondary attempts were made at urethral bulking in two patients. All patients had persistent incontinence through their native urethra, with dry intervals of <2 h.

RESULTS

The bulbar urethra was ligated through a small midline perineal incision at 1 year after augmentation, and successfully resolved incontinence in all four patients. All reported satisfaction with their bladder regimen at a mean (range) follow‐up of 49 (20–93) months. There were no perineal wound infections. While one patient developed bladder calculi, no patient developed urethral stones, febrile urinary tract infections, fistulae or bladder perforations.

CONCLUSIONS

We report the results of bulbar urethral ligation for resolution of incontinence in patients with MM in whom anti‐incontinence bladder neck procedures had failed. Ligation of the urethra is effective, and can be considered an alternative treatment for refractory urinary incontinence in patients with a functional CCC in whom previous bladder neck‐supporting procedures have failed.
Sentinel lymph‐node biopsy in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the penis
Authors: Jensen Jørgen Bjerggaard , Jensen Klaus Møller‐Ernst , Ulhøi Benedicte Parm , Nielsen Søren Steen , Lundbeck Finn
Published: February 2009

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate a single‐centre experience with sentinel lymph‐node biopsy (SLNB) as a staging procedure in patients with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the penis.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The study included 60 patients with SCC of the penis, who had SLNB in all groins where no palpable nodes were found, and in groins with palpable nodes with negative fine‐needle aspiration cytology. Lymphoscintigraphy and intraoperative lymph node detection was done using 99mTc‐nanocolloid and no use of blue dye.

RESULTS

In all, there were 97 SLNB procedures in 52 patients; 20 (20.6%) of the SLNB were positive for nodal metastases. Two negative SLNB proved to be false‐negative during the observation period. The false negative‐rate was 9%, the sensitivity 91% and the negative predictive value 97.5%. Minor early complications occurred after 4% of the SLNB procedures. No major or late complications were recorded.

CONCLUSIONS

SLNB is minimally invasive and can be used as a safe and reliable staging procedure in patients with SCC of the penis. Thus standard lymph‐node dissection can be avoided in most patients.
Modern Interpretations of Sustainable Development
Authors: Ross Andrea
Published: February 2009

Early interpretations of sustainable development based on weak sustainability address neither the limits to the earth's resilience nor our failure to curb consumption. Given the challenges facing the earth today, especially climate change, a much more meaningful instrument is required and a new ethic based on the ecological carrying capacity of the Earth. The article examines the impact of those early interpretations before exploring the importance of ecological sustainability as the moral and (potentially fundamental) legal principle underpinning the concept of sustainable development. It examines the influence of the climate change agenda before examining the mechanisms available to make this ethic operational. Sustainable development has the capacity to set meaningful objectives, duties and rules, and provide boundaries for decision making, as reflected in recent legislation. Enhancing ecological sustainability through improving supply and impact is relatively easy for governments, businesses, and individuals; reducing consumption is much harder, and will require strong leadership.
Globalizing Regulation: Reaching Beyond the Borders of Chemical Safety
Authors: Heyvaert Veerle
Published: February 2009

This article argues that although globalization can benefit both exporters and importers of regulation in absolute terms, it may turn the globalization of regulation into a game with relative winners and losers. Using the EU REACH Regulation of chemicals as a case study, it explores the normative, social, economic, and strategic reasons that push the EU to promote the global adoption of REACH. Notwithstanding its attractions, rules globalization may result in a mismatch between global norms and local priorities, particularly for developing countries. It reduces regulatory diversity, and amplifies the strengths but equally the weaknesses of the dominant regulatory framework. While it can foster international trade through mutual recognition of regulatory decisions and the development of transnational regulatory frameworks, it increases the likelihood of conflict and trade flow desequilibria. The article calls for further careful consideration of rules globalization, so that harmonization does not come at the expense of local interests and values.
The New Collaborative Environmental Governance: The Localization of Regulation
Authors: Gunningham Neil
Published: February 2009

This article examines the new collaborative environmental governance, an enterprise that involves collaboration between a diversity of private, public, and non‐government stakeholders who, acting together towards commonly agreed goals, hope to achieve far more collectively, than individually. Such an approach appears to blur the familiar sharp boundaries that separate ‘the state’ from civil society, yet we still know very little about exactly what this blurring of public and private adds up to, and what its implications are. This new form of governance is examined through the lens of three Australian case studies. Each of these studies involves participatory dialogue, flexibility, inclusiveness, transparency, institutionalized consensus‐building practices, and, at least to some extent, a shift from hierarchy to heterarchy. The paper examines the relationships between new and old governance, the architecture of these new initiatives, the role of the state, and the importance of negotiating in ‘the shadow of hierarchy’.
Cognitive Dynamics of Capability Development Paths
Authors: Laamanen Tomi , Wallin Johan
Published: February 2009

abstract

Recent research on capability dynamics has increasingly turned its attention to the cognitive microfoundations of capability development. On the basis of a longitudinal case study of the evolution of three network security software firms, we find that the effects of managerial cognition can be detected at three distinct levels of capability development. At the level of operational capabilities, instrumental cognition affects the way in which capabilities are developed. At the level of a firm's capability portfolio, shifts in management's attention regarding capability development cause different evolutionary paths to emerge. Finally, at the extended enterprise level, managerial foresight influences the way in which a firm's capability constellation morphs over time. Our findings provide novel empirical evidence and contribute to an improved understanding of the role of managerial cognition in capability development.
Pedagogic strategies supporting the use of Synchronous Audiographic Conferencing: A review of the literature
Authors: De Freitas Sara , Neumann Tim
Published: February 2009

Synchronous audiographic conferencing (SAC) refers to a combination of technologies for real‐time communication and interaction using multiple media and modes. With an increasing institutional uptake of SAC, users require an understanding of the complex interrelations of multiple media in learning scenarios in order to support pedagogic‐driven planning and effective use of the tool. This paper provides a review of recent literature that explores the pedagogic strategies used to underpin practical uses of SAC for the benefit of learners especially in non‐standard contexts such as distance education. The paper reports on approaches from practitioner‐oriented perspectives as well as approaches based on educational theory, notably the community of inquiry model, task design and multimodal models of cognition, meaning and interaction. The main features of these models were extracted to provide both a synthesis for future work on dedicated pedagogic models for SAC and a resource for practitioners wanting to link SAC with educational theory.
Visualizing and monitoring effective interactions in online collaborative groups
Authors: Calvani Antonio , Fini Antonio , Molino Marcello , Ranieri Maria
Published: February 2009

Online education based on small self‐managing groups, with slight supervision by a professional tutor, is a strategically interesting methodology for lifelong learning. This solution may combine aspects of cost‐effectiveness (reducing tutors' work) with the demands for active and engaging learning methods based on the exchange and sharing of experiences. In such a context, how can information on collaborative attitudes and behaviour be gathered? A typical tool for online learning activities is the threaded web forum. This study proposes a methodology for assessing effective collaborative interactions within the add‐on module, Forum Plus, for the Moodle learning management system (LMS). The methodology here presented is able to supply an early overview of the level of effectiveness of the collaborative group and therefore it may provide a useful instrument to guide further qualitative observations conducted directly in the web forum.
Using a games console in the primary classroom: Effects of ‘Brain Training’ programme on computation and self‐esteem
Authors: Miller David J. , Robertson Derek P.
Published: February 2009

It is known that computer games are motivating for children, but there is limited direct evidence of their effects on classroom learning. The aim of this exploratory study was to investigate the effects of a commercial off‐the‐shelf computer game on children's mental computation skills and on aspects of self‐perceptions. A pre–post design was employed. The participants were 71 primary school children (10–11 years old) from three classes. In School 1, a class of 21 children used a games console for 20 minutes each day, running a ‘brain training’ game. Two comparison groups were used. In School 2, 31 children used ‘Brain Gym’ techniques in their class over the treatment period. In school three, a class of 19 children acted as no‐treatment controls. The treatment period was 10 weeks. Significant pre–post gains were found in the games console group for both accuracy and speed of calculations, while results for the two comparison groups were mixed. The games console group showed significant gains in global self‐esteem, but not in other aspects of self‐concept. The comparison groups showed no significant gains in any area of self‐perceptions. There is a need now for upscaling to investigate generalisability.
Factors affecting teachers' adoption of educational computer games: A case study
Authors: Kebritchi Mansureh
Published: February 2009

Even though computer games hold considerable potential for engaging and facilitating learning among today's children, the adoption of modern educational computer games is still meeting significant resistance in K‐12 education. The purpose of this paper is to inform educators and instructional designers on factors affecting teachers' adoption of modern educational computer games. A case study was conducted to identify the factors affecting the adoption of Dimenxian, which was a new educational computer game designed to teach Algebra to middle school students. The diffusion of innovations theory was used as the conceptual framework of this study. The results indicated that compatibility, relative advantage, complexity and trialability played important roles in the game adoption. These findings were compared with the existing literature on (1) the adoption of educational software, and (2) the barriers in the use of educational computer games in K‐12 settings to help guide future research and practice. The comparison showed that (1) adoption attributes for the games and other educational software had a similar pattern from high to low significance: relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, trialability and observability; and (2) the game adoption factors were more inclusive than the barriers of using the computer games.
Mind and Matter: A Physicist's View
Authors: Polkinghorne John
Published: February 2009

Physics explores a universe of wonderful order, expressed in terms of beautiful mathematical equations. Mathematics itself is understood to be the exploration of a realm of noetic reality. Science describes matter in terms of concepts with mind‐like qualities. The psychosomatic nature of human persons is best understood in terms of a dual‐aspect monism, in which matter and mind are complementary aspects of a unitary being. The new science of complexity theory, with its dualities of parts/whole and energy/information, offers modest resources for the speculative exploration of this idea. The intrinsic unpredictabilities present in nature afford the metaphysical opportunity to consider dissipative systems as exhibiting top–down causality.
Aquinas on the Materiality of the Human Soul and the Immateriality of the Human Intellect
Authors: Klima Gyula
Published: February 2009

This paper argues that Aquinas's conception of the human soul and intellect offers a consistent alternative to the dilemma of materialism and post‐Cartesian dualism. It also argues that in their own theoretical context, Aquinas' arguments for the materiality of the human soul and immateriality of the intellect provide a strong justification of his position. However, that theoretical context is rather “alien” to ours in contemporary philosophy. The conclusion of the paper will point in the direction of what can be done to render Aquinas's position more palatable to contemporary philosophers.
Classroom climate and students’ goal preferences: A cross‐cultural comparison
Authors: VEDDER PAUL , KOUWENHOVEN COEN , BURK WILLIAM J.
Published: February 2009

Goal preferences indicate intentions to achieve or avoid particular states. We examined whether Curacaoan and Dutch students differ in goal preferences related to school and whether goal preferences are associated with students’ evaluation of the classroom climate. Measurement invariance of the instruments was also tested between samples. Participants attended vocational high schools in Curacao (N= 276) or in the Netherlands (N= 283). Both the classroom climate and goal preferences differed between the samples. In the Netherlands the preference for individuality, belongingness, and recognition was stronger, whereas in Curacao mastery, satisfaction, self‐determination, and material gain were more frequently endorsed. The two variables were modestly correlated. Schools do have a globalizing effect on students’ school experiences and hardly adapt to goal preferences. The latter seem to be affected by non‐school related cultural factors.
How stable is sense of coherence? Changes following an intervention for unemployed individuals
Authors: VASTAMÄKI JAANA , MOSER KLAUS , PAUL KARSTEN INGMAR
Published: February 2009

The present investigation was concerned with the changeability of sense of coherence. We examined changes in sense of coherence (SOC) over a six‐month period in a sample of Finnish unemployed individuals (n= 74) participating in an intervention program designed to boost re‐employment. Over the study period, participants’ sense of coherence improved significantly and re‐employed individuals reported the greatest changes. Different changes in the subcomponents of SOC, comprehensibility, manageability and meaningfulness, were found. Contrary to expectations, participants younger than 30 years of age did not show greater changes in their SOC. Initial personal resources were predictors of both positive and negative changes in SOC.
Collapsibility for Directed Acyclic Graphs
Authors: XIE XIANCHAO , GENG ZHI
Published: February 2009

Abstract. Collapsibility means that the same statistical result of interest can be obtained before and after marginalization over some variables. In this paper, we discuss three kinds of collapsibility for directed acyclic graphs (DAGs): estimate collapsibility, conditional independence collapsibility and model collapsibility. Related to collapsibility, we discuss removability of variables from a DAG. We present conditions for these three different kinds of collapsibility and relationships among them. We give algorithms to find a minimum variable set containing a variable subset of interest onto which a statistical result is collapsible.
Posterior Predictivep‐values in Bayesian Hierarchical Models
Authors: STEINBAKK GUNNHILDUR HÖGNADÓTTIR , STORVIK GEIR OLVE
Published: February 2009

Abstract. The present work focuses on extensions of the posterior predictivep‐value (ppp‐value) for models with hierarchical structure, designed for testing assumptions made on underlying processes. The ppp‐values are popular as tools for model criticism, yet their lack of a common interpretation limit their practical use. We discuss different extensions of ppp‐values to hierarchical models, allowing for discrepancy measures that can be used for checking properties of the model at all stages. Through analytical derivations and simulation studies on simple models, we show that similar to the standard ppp‐values, these extensions are typically far from uniformly distributed under the model assumptions and can give poor power in a hypothesis testing framework. We propose a calibration of thep‐values, making the resulting calibratedp‐values uniformly distributed under the model conditions. Illustrations are made through a real example of multinomial regression to age distributions of fish.
Empirical Likelihood‐Based Inferences for Generalized Partially Linear Models
Authors: LIANG HUA , QIN YONGSONG , ZHANG XINYU , RUPPERT DAVID
Published: February 2009

Abstract. This paper considers generalized partially linear models. We propose empirical likelihood‐based statistics to construct confidence regions for the parametric and non‐parametric components. The resulting statistics are shown to be asymptotically chi‐square distributed. Finite‐sample performance of the proposed statistics is assessed by simulation experiments. The proposed methods are applied to a data set from an AIDS clinical trial.
A Simple Explanation of the Forecast Combination Puzzle*
Authors: Smith Jeremy , Wallis Kenneth F.
Published: February 2009

This article presents a formal explanation of the forecast combination puzzle, that simple combinations of point forecasts are repeatedly found to outperform sophisticated weighted combinations in empirical applications. The explanation lies in the effect of finite‐sample error in estimating the combining weights. A small Monte Carlo study and a reappraisal of an empirical study by Stock and Watson [Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond Economic Quarterly (2003) Vol. 89/3, pp. 71–90] support this explanation. The Monte Carlo evidence, together with a large‐sample approximation to the variance of the combining weight, also supports the popular recommendation to ignore forecast error covariances in estimating the weight.
Private Information in Executive Stock Option Trades: Evidence of Insider Trading in the UK
Authors: KYRIACOU KYRIACOS , LUINTEL KUL B. , MASE BRYAN
Published: February 2009

UK executives' stock option exercises and associated sell decisions are motivated by private, inside, information. Executives use their inside information to lock in short‐term gains, and to sell stock acquired prior to negative abnormal stock returns. This informed trading is robust to the alternative factors that might motivate the exercise of executive stock options, including option moneyness and value of exercise. We suggest that the disparity in informed trading between US and UK executives' option trades is related to important differences in the proportion of executive remuneration linked to options, the regulation of options, and the taxation of option gains.
Policy Regime Changes, Judgment and Taylor rules in the Greenspan Era
Authors: ALCIDI CINZIA , FLAMINI ALESSANDRO , FRACASSO ANDREA
Published: February 2009

This paper investigates policy deviations from linear Taylor rules motivated by the risk management approach followed by the Fed during the Greenspan era. We estimate a nonlinear monetary policy rule via a logistic smoothing transition regression model where policy‐makers' judgment, proxied by economically meaningful variables, drives the transition across policy regimes. We find that ignoring judgment‐induced nonlinearities while estimating Taylor rules has remarkable costs in terms of fit: above 250 bps in 10 quarters. Although linear Taylor rules describe well the broad contours of monetary policy, they fail to detect relevant policy decisions driven by policy‐makers' judgment.
Spatial Effects in Website Adoption by Firms in European Regions
Authors: BILLON MARGARITA , EZCURRA ROBERTO , LERA‐LÓPEZ FERNANDO
Published: February 2009

The purpose of this paper is to provide empirical evidence on the neighboring effects of Internet adoption as measured by the percentage of firms with their own website in the European regions. This is the first study that explicitly analyzes the role played by spatial effects to explain website adoption for the European case. A set of instruments and techniques commonly used in the spatial econometrics framework is employed to test the hypothesis that proximity matters when explaining Internet adoption by firms. Results show that firms in physically adjacent regions register a similar degree of Internet adoption, confirming the presence in this context of positive spatial dependence. Nevertheless, the spatial effects detected are mainly constrained by national borders. Gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, population density, sectoral composition, and education are positively related to geographic distribution of Internet adoption in the enlarged European Union. In addition, regional disparities in Internet adoption were found to be less important than territorial inequalities in GDP per capita.
New Insights into Senior Travel Behavior: The Canadian Experience
Authors: SCOTT DARREN M. , NEWBOLD KENNETH BRUCE , SPINNEY JAMIE E.L. , MERCADO RUBEN , PÁEZ ANTONIO , KANAROGLOU PAVLOS S.
Published: February 2009

Societies in many developed nations around the world are aging. Over the past decade, a growing body of research has emerged internationally in an effort to anticipate and prepare for the transport challenges posed by this unprecedented demographic change. This paper contributes to this line of research by offering new insights into senior travel behavior focusing on the recent Canadian experience. Using weekday data from the 1992 and 2005 General Social Surveys on time use, changes in the number of trips, the duration of trips, trip mode, and trip timing are evaluated for urban seniors. In contrast to the experiences of many other developed nations, analysis of the first three indicators of behavioral change refutes the notion that “automobility” has increased in Canada over the 13‐year period. While this finding is encouraging, it is tempered by the fact that Canadian seniors who choose to travel by car are doing so increasingly during the morning and evening peak periods. The results from a peak versus non‐peak departure‐time model that pools data from both years offer important insights into factors driving this change. For instance, the results suggest that the propensity to start a trip during rush hour has increased over time for non‐work trip purposes.
‘Cavemen in an Era of Speed‐of‐Light Technology’: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives on Communication within Prisons
Authors: JEWKES YVONNE , JOHNSTON HELEN
Published: February 2009

Abstract: Many prisoners believe that the restricted access they have to computer‐mediated communication (CMC) technologies and, in particular, the almost total absence of computers and Internet access in prisons is a form of censure that renders them second‐class citizens in the Information Age. This article examines contemporary rationales and historical precedents for denying prisoners the means to communicate (both with each other and with those outside the prison) and argues that the prevention of communication, a pivotal feature of the Victorian and Edwardian prison regime, represents a significant continuity in the experience of prison life in the 21st Century.
A new water‐in‐powder technology: a novel structure for creating unique cosmetic products
Authors: Igarashi K. , Sagara K. , Egawa J.
Published: February 2009

IFSCC Magazine, 11 (2008) (1) 31–34

A water‐in‐powder cosmetic is one in which a large amount of water is encapsulated in a powder. In this study we describe the development of this type of cosmetic. We first focused on the hydrophilic/hydrophobic balance of the nano‐sized powder surface. We looked at surface state of powders in the gas adsorption test and discovered functional powders that have an optimized balance of hydrorepellency and hydrophilicity due to fractal surface and free hydroxyl groups, respectively. Using this material we created a new powder technology that can encapsulate a large quantity of water in a stable structure. We also looked at how the powders encapsulated water by observing them with wet‐SEM and how the encapsulated water is stabilized by measuring the water mobility with 17O‐NMR. Based on these result, we developed a new technology with water and powder. By encapsulating a large amount of water, we achieved a cosmetic with many unique characteristics: The powder cosmetic can become a liquid by application of friction on skin, it is convenient to use and provides moist, cool feel. It also functions as an excellent makeup by spreading smoothly on skin to form a uniform makeup coating.