bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Enframing of Code
Authors: Introna Lucas D.
Published: December 2011

This paper is about the phenomenon of encoding, more specifically about the encoded extension of agency. The question of code most often emerges from contemporary concerns about the way digital encoding is seen to be transforming our lives in fundamental ways, yet seems to operate ‘under the surface’ as it were. In this essay I suggest that the performative outcomes of digital encoding are best understood within a more general horizon of the phenomenon of encoding – that is to say as norm- or rule-governed material enactments accepted (or taken for granted) as the necessary conditions for becoming. Encoded material enactments translate/extend agency, but never exactly. I argue that such encoded extensions are insecure, come at a cost and are performative. To illustrate this I present a brief discussion of some specific historical transitions in the encoding of human agency: from speech to writing, to mechanical writing, and finally to electronic writing. In each of these translations I aim to show that agency is translated/extended in ways that have many unexpected performative outcomes. Specifically, through a discussion of the digital encoding of writing, as reuse, I want to suggest the proposition that all agency is always borrowed (or ‘plagiarized’) – i.e. it is never originally human. As encoded beings we are never authors, we are rather more or less skilful reusers. To extend agency we have to submit to the demands of encoding and kidnap that encoding simultaneously – enabling constraints in Butler’s language. Our originality, if there is any, is in our skill at kidnapping the code and turning it into an extension of our agency, that is to say, our skill at resignification – to be original we need to be skilful ‘parasites’, as suggested by Serres.
Crisis, Crisis, Crisis, or Sovereignty and Networks
Authors: Hui Kyong Chun Wendy
Published: December 2011

This article addresses the seemingly paradoxical proliferation of coded systems designed to guarantee our safety and crises that endanger us. These two phenomena, it argues, are not opposites but rather complements; crises are not accidental to a culture focused on safety, they are its raison d'être. Mapping out the temporality of networks, it argues that crises are new media's critical difference: its exception and its norm. Although crises promise to disrupt memory – to disturb the usual programmability of our machines by indexing ‘real time’ – they reinforce codes and coded logic: both codes and crises are central to the production of mythical and mystical sovereign subjects who weld together norm with reality, word with action. Codes and states of exception are complementary functions, which render information and ourselves undead. Against this fantasy and against the exhaustion that crisis as norm produces, the article ends by arguing that we need a means to exhaust exhaustion, to recover the undecidable potential of our decisions and our information through a practice of constant care.
Anticipating Harm
Authors: Knox Hannah , Harvey Penny
Published: December 2011

This article draws on an ethnography of road construction in the Peruvian Andes to explore how engineering projects operate as sites of contemporary governance. Focusing on the way in which engineering projects entail a confrontation with dangers of various kinds, we explore how people caught up in road construction processes become preoccupied with the problem of anticipated harm. Drawing on the notion of ‘codes of conduct’, we suggest that the governmental effects of practices which attempt to deal with the uncertainty of the future might be analysed as a tension between the enactment of two different kinds of codification. Building on the notion of coding as a situated material practice, we investigate the appearance of two different ways of encoding a relationship with an uncertain future which we term ‘machinic’ and ‘emergent’. The article builds on a description of these two ways of encoding uncertainty to explore how formal mechanisms of dealing with anticipated harm, such as the regulations of health and safety, are both unsettled and reinvigorated by more affective and relational dimensions of practice.
A New Algorithmic Identity
Authors: Cheney-Lippold John
Published: December 2011

Marketing and web analytic companies have implemented sophisticated algorithms to observe, analyze, and identify users through large surveillance networks online. These computer algorithms have the capacity to infer categories of identity upon users based largely on their web-surfing habits. In this article I will first discuss the conceptual and theoretical work around code, outlining its use in an analysis of online categorization practices. The article will then approach the function of code at the level of the category, arguing that an analysis of coded computer algorithms enables a supplement to Foucauldian thinking around biopolitics and biopower, of what I call soft biopower and soft biopolitics. These new conceptual devices allow us to better understand the workings of biopower at the level of the category, of using computer code, statistics and surveillance to construct categories within populations according to users’ surveilled internet history. Finally, the article will think through the nuanced ways that algorithmic inference works as a mode of control, of processes of identification that structure and regulate our lives online within the context of online marketing and algorithmic categorization.
Dynamic capability emergence in the venture creation process
Authors: Corner Patricia D. , Wu Shuyuan
Published: December 2011

This article explores dynamic capability formation in new ventures examining technology commercialization at the microlevel of entrepreneurs’ actions and decisions. The research reflects a longitudinal, qualitative, multi-case study design to build theory. Findings reveal two interdependent micro-level patterns that reflect dynamic entrepreneurial capabilities. First, prospecting problems or the capacity to identify problems in industrial settings that a commercially untried technology might solve. Second, openly sharing technological features with prospective customers in order to jointly design prototype products. Revealing technology helped ensure new venture survival in contrast with conventional wisdom that links firm survival to the insulation and protection of technology. Moreover, micro-level patterns shaped macro-level change in venture/customer dyads and in related customer’ industries.
Evaluation of the effect of balneotherapy in patients with osteoarthritis of the hands: a randomized controlled single-blind follow-up study
Authors: Horváth Katalin , Kulisch Ágota , Németh András , Bender Tamás
Published: December 2011

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of thermal mineral water compared with magnetotherapy without balneotherapy as control, in the treatment of hand osteoarthritis.

Design: Randomized controlled single-blind follow-up study.

Setting: Rheumatology specialist clinic of Gunaras Health Spa.

Subjects: Patients between 50 and 70 years of age with hand osteoarthritis, randomly assigned into three groups.

Interventions: The subjects in the first two groups bathed in thermal mineral water of two different temperatures (36°C and 38°C) for three weeks five times a week for 20 minutes a day and received magnetotherapy to their hands three times weekly. The third group received only magnetotherapy.

Outcome measures: Visual analogue scale scores, handgrip strength, pinchgrip strength, the number of swollen and tender joints of the hand, the duration of morning joint stiffness, Health Assessment Questionnaire, and Short Form-36 questionnaire. The study parameters were administered at baseline, immediately after treatment and after 13 weeks.

Results: The study included 63 patients. Statistically significant improvement was observed in several studied parameters after the treatment and during the follow-up study in the thermal water groups versus the control group. The 38°C thermal water treatment significantly improved the pinch strength of the right hand (0.6 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.2 to 1.1) vs. 0.03 (95% CI −0.3 to 0.4), P < 0.05) and the Health Assessment Questionnaire parameters (−0.4 (95% CI −0.6 to −0.2) vs. −0.1 (95% CI −0.2 to 0.1), P < 0.01) even in the long term.

Conclusions: Balneotherapy combined with magnetotherapy improved the pain and function as well as the quality of life in patients with hand osteoarthritis.
Effect of a multidisciplinary rehabilitation programme on perceived health among employees at increased risk of incapacity for work: a controlled study
Authors: Saltychev Mikhail , Laimi Katri , Oksanen Tuula , Pentti Jaana , Virtanen Marianna , Kivimäki Mika , Vahtera Jussi
Published: December 2011

Objective: To evaluate the effect of a four-week primary prevention programme on change in perceived health among employees at increased risk of incapacity for work.

Design: A follow-up controlled study.

Settings: The data were collected from survey responses and registered data on demographic, work and health characteristics, and health-related behaviours.

Subjects: Eight hundred and seventy-two participants and their 2440 propensity score-matched controls.

Intervention: Multidisciplinary preventive programme of physical training and psychological education to adopt a healthier lifestyle, and to achieve greater aerobic capacity, muscle strength and endurance, as well as better self-management of stress.

Main measures: Psychological distress, anxiety and suboptimal self-rated health.

Results: The prevalence of suboptimal self-rated health, psychological distress and anxiety did not differ between the participants and controls before the intervention (22.6% vs. 22.8%, 26.6% vs. 29.0%, and 33.0% vs. 33.8%, respectively). Similarly, after the intervention, there were no group differences in the prevalence of self-rated health problems at the time of the short-term (mean 1.7 years, up to 4.6 years) or long-term (mean 5.8 years, up to 9.2 years) follow-up. Figures for prevalence of suboptimal self-rated health, psychological distress and anxiety in participants and controls at the time of the long-term follow-up were 33.8% vs. 28.9%, 25.1% vs. 24.9%, and 34.7% vs. 33.2%, respectively.

Conclusions: No beneficial effects on perceived health were observed for a four-week primary prevention programme widely used in Finland to reduce early retirement on health grounds.
Randomized controlled study of the efficacy of the injection of botulinum toxin type A versus corticosteroids in chronic plantar fasciitis: results at one and six months
Authors: Díaz-Llopis Ismael V , Rodríguez-Ruíz Carmen M , Mulet-Perry Sandra , Mondéjar-Gómez Francisco J , Climent-Barberá Jose M , Cholbi-LLobel Francisco
Published: December 2011

Objective: To determine the efficacy of botulinum toxin type A in chronic plantar fasciitis compared to the local injection of a corticosteroid plus local anaesthetic.

Methods: Patients with a clinical diagnosis of plantar fasciitis made at least six months earlier were selected to enter a randomized, single-blind study of treatment with injections of botulinum toxin type A or corticosteroid. There were 28 patients in each treatment group. Patients were evaluated at one month using the Foot Health Square Questionnaire and those with no clinical response subsequently received a second injection with the drug of the other arm of the study, creating two new treatment groups. Re-evaluation was performed at six months.

Results: One month after injection there was a clear clinical improvement in both treatment groups but it was greater in the botulinum toxin group, with a significant difference for the pain item ( P = 0.069), though not in other items. At six months, patients treated with botulinum toxin type A had continued to improve in all items, whereas the corticosteroid group lost part of the improvement achieved at one month (improvement with botulinum toxin vs. corticosteroid: pain 19.10/–6.84 ( P = 0.001), function 16.00/–8.80 ( P < 0.001), footwear 13.48/–7.95 ( P = 0.004), self-perceived foot health 25.44/–5.41 ( P < 0.001).

Conclusion: Botulinum toxin type A should be considered for the treatment of chronic plantar fasciitis in view of the improvement found at one month, and particularly at six months, when this treatment clearly has better results than corticosteroid injections. Further studies with larger samples are necessary to confirm these results.
‘Like an ox yoke’: Challenging the intrinsic virtuousness of a grassroots social movement
Authors: Chollett Donna L.
Published: December 2011

Since the 1980s, neoliberal globalization fostered an upsurge of grassroots social movements in Latin America that sought alternatives to increasing poverty and social exclusion. Social movement scholars often interpret these movements as morally noble models of democracy given their claims to social justice and equity. My research examines the forced seizure of a closed Mexican sugar mill and establishment of a cooperative, worker-run factory by a grassroots movement whose cultural politics aimed at creating more democratic processes. Yet in 2009, after 11 years of success, movement leaders declared the mill bankrupt and shut it down. The façade of unity presented by activists obscured internal divisions and hierarchical control that beleaguered the movement. I argue that a more nuanced and critical analysis that takes into consideration the contradictions and paradoxes that may be present in grassroots struggles reframes essentialist conceptions regarding the intrinsic virtuousness of grassroots social movements.
Resilience thinking meets social theory
Authors: Cote Muriel , Nightingale Andrea J.
Published: December 2011

The concept of resilience in ecology has been expanded into a framework to analyse human-environment dynamics. The extension of resilience notions to society has important limits, particularly its conceptualization of social change. The paper argues that this stems from the lack of attention to normative and epistemological issues underlying the notion of ‘social resilience’. We suggest that critically examining the role of knowledge at the intersections between social and environmental dynamics helps to address normative questions and to capture how power and competing value systems are not external to, but rather integral to the development and functioning of SES.
A critical review of homogenization methods for 2D woven composites
Authors: Angioni S.L. , Meo M. , Foreman A.
Published: December 2011

In this article analytical methods for predicting the mechanical properties of 2D woven composites with different weave patterns and materials are reviewed. These approaches are then evaluated by comparing them to experimental and numerical results.
Effect of surface treatment and nanoclay on thermal and mechanical performances of jute fabric/biopol ‘green’ composites
Authors: Hossain Mohammad K. , Dewan Mohammad W. , Hosur Mahesh , Jeelani Shaik
Published: December 2011

The effects of surface modification of jute fibers and nanoclay on jute–biopol green composites are evaluated by the thermal and interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) characterizations. Four subsequent chemical treatments including detergent washing, dewaxing, alkali treatment, and acetic acid treatment were performed to facilitate better bonding between the fiber and matrix. The scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy study confirmed improved fiber surfaces for better adhesion with matrix after final treatment. Enhanced thermal performance and tensile properties were obtained due to chemical treatments. Montmorillonite K10 nanoclay (2–4 wt.%) was dispersed into a biodegradable polymer, biopol, using solution intercalation technique and magnetic stirring. Nanoclay-infused biopol resulted in 7% improvement in the degree of crystallinity over the neat biopol. Jute fiber-reinforced biopol biocomposites with and without nanoclay were produced using treated and untreated jute fibers by the compression molding process. Treated jute fiber-reinforced biopol composites (TJBC) without nanoclay showed 5% and 9% increases in decomposition temperature and storage modulus, respectively, and 19% decrease in coefficient of thermal expansion compared to untreated jute fiber-reinforced biopol composites (UTJBC). The respective values were 5%, 100%, and 45% for 4% nanoclay-infused TJBC compared to UTJBC without nanoclay. ILSS evaluated by the short-beam shear tests, improved by 20% in the TJBC compared to the UTJBC. Incorporation of 4 wt.% nanoclay in TJBC further improved the ILSS by 22% compared to that of TJBC without nanoclay.
Preparation of organoclay, its copolymerization with MMA, and use to produce PVC nanocomposites
Authors: Huang Xiaoling , Ding Yingyun , Zhang Bingbing , Li Jia , Su Haiquan
Published: December 2011

Two quaternary ammonium compounds with polymerizable vinyl group were designed and synthesized for use as clay modifiers. Copolymerization of quaternary ammonium compounds modified MMT platelets with methyl methacrylate was studied under a range of different reaction conditions and two kinds of polymeric surfactant-modified MMTs were prepared. These polymeric surfactant-modified MMTs were introduced to produce a series of PVC/MMT composites by melt compounding. XRD, TEM, and TGA confirmed that the better organic coverage of the platelets and the bigger interlayer spacing could be obtained for the copolymer of long-chain quaternary ammonium compounds modified MMT and methyl methacrylate (PMMA-H-MMT). The platelet fillers with better organic coverage represented much more useful functional fillers than the conventional ammonium-treated fillers due to their potential to exfoliate to a greater extent when melt-compounded with the PVC matrices. The experiment proved that PMMA-H-MMT shows better performance in increasing thermal stability of PVC/MMT composites.
Effect of processing variables and fiber reinforcement on the mechanical properties of wood plastic composites
Authors: Ashrafi Mahdi , Vaziri Ashkan , Nayeb-Hashemi Hamid
Published: December 2011

Wood plastic composite (WPC) specimens were fabricated in shapes relevant to flute (musical instrument) production using African blackwood powder and phenolic resin in a hot compression molding setup. The roles of composition and processing parameters on the mechanical properties (flexural strength, elastic modulus, and impact failure energy) were systematically investigated. Cracks were observed in composites with more than 70% wood particles due to the formation of gas in the system during manufacturing, and lack of fluidity in the system to flush out entrapped air and the produced gases. Based on these results, the optimum temperature, pressure, and wood volume fraction for manufacturing WPC in the form of a flute is developed. A further series of experimental procedures were performed to improve the mechanical properties of WPC samples by studying the addition of short glass fibers to the molding compound prior to hot pressing. The results showed that the addition of short fiber did not improve the strength of WPC but rather reduced its strength compared to unreinforced composite. This was attributed to lack of bonding between the short fibers and composite matrix.
Comparison of tensile properties and impact damage tolerance of hemp and glass fiber composites
Authors: Shahzad Asim
Published: December 2011

Tensile properties and impact damage tolerance of hemp fiber and chopped strand mat (CSM) glass fiber composites have been evaluated and compared. The absolute and specific tensile properties of CSM glass fiber composites were found to be much superior to hemp fiber composites. Impact damage tolerance of hemp fiber composites was also quite low compared to CSM glass fiber composites. They lost almost half of their intrinsic strength and stiffness following an impact of 2 J energy. Considerable evidence of matrix fracture, interfacial debonding, and fiber fracture was found in the fracture surface. Following an impact at 4 J energy, hemp fiber composites lost almost 70% of their intrinsic strength and stiffness. In comparison, CSM glass fiber composites were able to endure an impact of 20 J energy for 70% reduction in their intrinsic strength and stiffness.
Investigation of the vibration characteristics of radial tires using experimental and numerical techniques
Authors: Guan Yanjin , Cheng Gang , Zhao Guoqun , Zhang Hongmei
Published: December 2011

A 3D finite element model of modal analysis has been established based on MSC.MARC software according to the practical structure of 195/60R14 radial tire. The rebar model is employed to simulate complex multilayer rubber-cord composites. The model considers the geometric non-linearity and the non-linear boundary conditions from tire-rim contact and tire-road contact. The modal test systems are developed for the free suspension tire and the grounding tire. The vibration characteristics of the radial tire are studied numerically and experimentally. Mode shapes (lobes) of the radial vibration are in a strong regularity with the change of the mode order. The first mode shape has two lobes, the second mode shape has three lobes, and so on. Changes of the inflation pressure do not affect the mode shape, but the natural frequency of higher mode shape is sensitive to the change of the inflation pressure. The mode shapes of the grounding tire become asymmetric due to the effect of the vertical load, and the frequency of each mode has a mutation when the vertical load is larger than 3000 N. It is in good agreement between the FEA and experimental results of the free suspension tire.
Study of the decrease in print-through phenomenon on fiber-reinforced plastic material
Authors: Kuo Yan-Min , Lin Huei-Jeng , Lee Yi-Hsiu , Lai Wei-Ming
Published: December 2011

Fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP) is a general kind of composite material used in many industries. This study examines the print-through phenomenon (PTP) via quantitative measurements on the gel-coated surface of FRP specimens. Moreover, finite element analysis is also adopted in this investigation. Based on a large number of experiments and computations, an average parameter, the arithmetic mean deviation is utilized to determine the degree of the PTP. Further, the reflections of a light image on a FRP surface were observed in photographs. Experimental results show that insulating residual stress can reduce PTP. Adding a core-mat layer to the FRP stacking scheme is a good solution for minimizing the PTP. In addition to using the core-mat materials, substitute materials used to prevent the PTP are also investigated.
Hereditary Sensory and Autonomic Neuropathy With Autonomic Crises
Authors: Koy Anne , Freynhagen Rainer , Mayatepek Ertan , Tibussek Daniel
Published: December 2011

Hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathies have different phenotypes. We report 2 cousins with differing clinical courses of a hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathy. The progressive disease in case 1 is dominated by loss of sensation, autonomic crises, and pain. Case 2 shows loss of sensation, mental retardation, and deafness, clinically similar to patients with hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathy type II. Detailed molecular studies in case 1 for all known genes that are associated with hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathies were negative. However, the occurrence of the 2 cases within 1 kindred makes a common genetic background likely. We, therefore, propose a Turkish variant of familial dysautonomia in these 2 patients.
Federal Solutions to School Fiscal Crises
Authors: Venters Monoka , Hauptli Meghan V. , Cohen-Vogel Lora
Published: December 2011

Applying a Multiple Streams framework, the article documents the development and ultimate undoing of what became known as the national sales tax plan for education. The authors identify four factors that coalesced to lead the Nixon administration to propose replacing local property taxes with a federal value-added tax to finance K-12 education. They further delineate key supporters and opponents, along with their arguments for and against the plan, finding that intergovernmental tension between administration officials and state governors, opposition on Capitol Hill, public opinion, a supreme court ruling, and the Watergate scandal came together to unravel the plan before it could be formally introduced in Congress. Finally, the authors discuss what this case tells us about the complexity federalism brings to public school finance.
Grabbing the Brass Ring
Authors: Koppich Julia E. , Esch Camille
Published: December 2011

This article examines the shift in the locus of decision-making authority across more than 25 years of policy efforts to improve teaching effectiveness. Previously the province of local government, states assumed the lion’s share of authority for teaching policy during the 1980s and 1990s. As states and the federal government rose to education policy dominance, powerful extragovernmental actors—the business community in the 1980s and 1990s, philanthropic foundations in the last decade—captured much of the policy conversation and put their respective stamps on the teacher policy agenda. Their influence has rivaled, arguably at times eclipsed, that of elected government officials. This article explores this still-evolving phenomenon. We find that the current federal government-foundation nexus seems to be strengthening. Although it is too soon to tell whether this relationship is permanent or ephemeral, it is clear that its impact on state and local teaching policy is already significant.
Hardt and Negri and the Geo-Political Imagination: Empire, Multitude and Critical Disability Studies
Authors: Goodley Dan , Lawthom Rebecca
Published: December 2011

Critical disability studies must respond to the inequities of globalization and place an analysis of disability at the epicentre of a geo-political imagination. Hardt and Negri’s Empire and Multitude provide us with the sparks to fire this imagination. Their work synthesizes critical analyses of globalization, the economic expansion of late capitalism, rapid developments in communication and the impact of biopower on the subjectivities, living conditions and activism of ‘the global citizen’. This article uses their concepts of Empire and Multitude to give voice to the practices of disabled families in the Global North and Global South; the stories of Wayan (an Indonesian disability activist and mother) and Isabelle (a British mother of a disabled child). We conclude that the work of Hardt and Negri can be critically employed to theorize ‘disablism in Empire’ whilst articulating the activism of the ‘disabled Multitude’ in ways that speak across South/North divides.
3D waypoint generation in a dynamic environment for an airborne launch mission
Authors: Dicheva S , Bestaoui Y
Published: December 2011

The airborne launch vehicle, studied in this article, has to find an appropriate route to reach the mission goal, considering environment requirements and system constraints, for mission safety and efficiency. A method for three-dimensional waypoint generation based on an improved version of the A* algorithm with avoidance of detected obstacles is presented in this article. As the mission proceeds, the information about the environment is regularly updated. This information is considered in the mission plan, yielding a revised sequence of waypoints, to reach one or multiple goal points, depending on their order of priority. The output of the algorithm is twofold: a dynamic waypoint generation and a shortest route refined regularly. Diverse obstacles such as turbulence zones, no-fly zones, storms, etc., are considered in the flight plan as soon as they are detected. Their locations and shapes are introduced into the path search space. The improved A* capabilities are tested via simulation in different scenarios.
Exploring ecosystem-based adaptation in Durban, South Africa: “learning-by-doing” at the local government coal face
Authors: Roberts Debra , Boon Richard , Diederichs Nicci , Douwes Errol , Govender Natasha , Mcinnes Alistair , Mclean Cameron , O’Donoghue Sean , Spires Meggan
Published: December 2011

The lack of progress in establishing ambitious and legally binding global mitigation targets means that the need for locally based climate change adaptation will increase in vulnerable localities such as Africa. Within this context, “ecosystem-based adaptation” (EBA) is being promoted as a cost-effective and sustainable approach to improving adaptive capacity. Experience with the ongoing development of Durban’s Municipal Climate Protection Programme indicates that achieving EBA in cities means moving beyond the conceptualization of a uniform, one-size-fits-all layer of street trees and parks to a more detailed understanding of the complex ecology of indigenous ecosystems and their resilience under climate change conditions. It also means engaging with the role that this “bio-infrastructure” plays in improving the quality of life and socioeconomic opportunities of the most vulnerable human communities. Despite the long-term sustainability gains of this approach, implementation in Durban has been shown to be both technically challenging and resource intensive. The close association between human and ecological systems in addressing climate change adaptation has also led to the development of the concept of “community ecosystem-based adaptation”.
Does the Level at Which Cognitive Change Occurs Change With Age?
Authors: Salthouse Timothy A.
Published: December 2011

Increased age in adulthood is associated with systematically more negative cognitive change, but relatively little is known about the nature of change at different ages. The present study capitalized on the hierarchical structure of cognitive abilities to investigate possible age differences in the level at which change operates. Reductions in the longitudinal associations between test scores when across-time relations were specified at different levels in the hierarchical structure were used to infer contributions to change from the level of abilities and from the level of a general factor. Although the pattern of influences varied across different cognitive abilities, the results revealed little or no age differences in the relative contributions to change from different levels in the hierarchy.
Assessing Holocene vegetation and fire history by a multiproxy approach: The case of Stodthagen Forest (northern Germany)
Authors: Robin Vincent , Rickert Björn-Henning , Nadeau Marie-Josée , Nelle Oliver
Published: December 2011

The woodland history of the forest of Stodthagen (northern Germany) was investigated by using complementary palaeobotanical indicators. Six soil profiles from the study plot were sampled, the wood charcoal pieces extracted from the soil samples were quantified, taxonomically identified, and some were radiocarbon dated. Peat sequences from a small adjacent mire were also sampled and the pollen, microcharcoal, and macrocharcoal were analysed. The pollen record shows a continuous forestation during the Holocene, with small indication of a disturbance phase during the late Holocene. This continuity of the woodland presence is confirmed by the weak quantity of macrocharcoal, indicating that fire did not have a serious impact during the Holocene in terms of canopy opening, despite the identification of three local fire events. However, large amounts of wood charcoal pieces were found in the soil samples allowing the identification of at least one more fire event, dated in the Iron Age, unrecorded in the charcoal signal from the peat sequences. The taxonomical charcoal assemblage is in agreement with the pollen data. This innovative multiproxy approach allows the assessment of the ancient and continual presence of a woodland at the study site, which highlights the biological and patrimonial interest of the area and justifies the ongoing conservation management of the woodland.
Discordant spectrum of cardiac manifestations of neonatal lupus in twins
Authors: Killen SAS , Buyon JP , Friedman DM
Published: December 2011

Congenital complete heart block associated with transplacental passage of maternal autoantibodies reactive with SSA/Ro and SSB/La is a rare disease with significant fetal, neonatal, and childhood morbidity and mortality. We present the case of dichorionic, diamniotic twins (female twin A and male twin B) exposed to maternal Ro and La autoantibodies with different disease expression. Twin A (female) had Mobitz type I second degree atrioventricular (AV) block (Wenckebach); twin B (male) had normal sinus rhythm. Both twins had structurally normal hearts but demonstrated echocardiographic evidence of endocardial fibroelastosis (EFE). Following maternal dexamethasone 4 mg once daily, twin A reverted to sinus rhythm in utero; twin B remained in sinus rhythm throughout pregnancy. Echocardiograms after delivery demonstrated resolution of EFE in both fetuses, and EKGs confirmed sinus rhythm. However, at five months of age, Holter monitor demonstrated first degree AV block and intermittent Wenckebach in twin A. Twin B remains in sinus rhythm. This case is one of only three in the literature that describes Mobitz type I second degree atrioventricular block presenting in fetuses exposed to maternal SSA and SSB autoantibodies and is the first case that we have seen reported in twins. Importantly, this case also adds to the growing body of literature describing EFE as a presentation of neonatal lupus with or without conduction system abnormalities, emphasizes the spectrum of cardiac conduction abnormalities in neonatal lupus syndrome, and raises interesting questions about discordant disease expression in twins.
Methods for observational post-licensure medical product safety surveillance
Authors: Nelson Jennifer C , Cook Andrea J , Yu Onchee , Zhao Shanshan , Jackson Lisa A , Psaty Bruce M
Published: December 2011

Post-licensure medical product safety surveillance is important for detecting adverse events potentially not identified pre-licensure. Historically, post-licensure safety monitoring has been accomplished using passive reporting systems and by conducting formal Phase IV randomized trials or large epidemiological studies, also known as safety surveillance or pharmacovigilance studies. However, crucial gaps in the safety evidence base provided by these approaches have led to high profile product withdrawals and growing public concern about unknown health risks associated with licensed products. To address the limitations of existing surveillance systems and to facilitate more accurate and rapid detection of safety problems, new systems involving active surveillance of large, population-based cohorts using observational health care databases are being developed. In this article, we review common statistical methods that have been employed previously for post-licensure safety monitoring, including data mining and sequential hypothesis testing, and assess which methods may be promising for potential use within this newly proposed prospective observational cohort monitoring framework. We discuss gaps in existing approaches and identify areas where methodological development is needed to improve the success of safety surveillance efforts in this setting.
Ethical problems: In the face of sudden and unexpected death
Authors: Rejnö Åsa , Berg Linda , Danielson Ella
Published: December 2011

When people die suddenly and unexpectedly ethical issues often come to the fore. The aim of the study was to describe experiences of members of stroke teams in stroke units of ethical problems and how the teams manage the situation when caring for patients faced with sudden and unexpected death from stroke. Data were collected through four focus group interviews with 19 team members in stroke-unit teams, and analysed using interpretive content analysis. Three themes emerged from the analysis characterized by information, decisions about care and support for the next-of-kin in the changing and uncertain situation, with mutual trust as the core. Mutual trust, both within the stroke team and with next-of-kin was seen by the stroke-team members as a way of handling ethical problems by administering care with the patient’s best interest at heart.
An explorative study of experiences of healthcare providers posing as simulated care receivers in a ‘care-ethical’ lab
Authors: Vanlaere Linus , Timmermann Madeleine , Stevens Marleen , Gastmans Chris
Published: December 2011

In recent approaches to ethics, the personal involvement of health care providers and their empathy are perceived as important elements of an overall ethical ability. Experiential working methods are used in ethics education to foster, inter alia, empathy. In 2008, the care-ethics lab ‘sTimul’ was founded in Flanders, Belgium, to provide training that focuses on improving care providers’ ethical abilities through experiential working simulations. The curriculum of sTimul focuses on empathy sessions, aimed at care providers’ empathic skills. The present study provides better insight into how experiential learning specifically targets the empathic abilities of care providers. Providing contrasting experiences that affect the care providers’ self-reflection seems a crucial element in this study. Further research is needed to provide more insight into how empathy leads to long-term changes in behaviour.
Duties of the patient
Authors: Kangasniemi Mari , Halkoaho Arja , Länsimies-Antikainen Helena , Pietilä Anna-Maija
Published: December 2011

Patient’s duties are a topical but little researched area in nursing ethics. However, patient’s duties are closely connected to nursing practice in terms of autonomy, the best purpose of care and rethinking from the patient’s perspective. This article is a metasynthesis ( N = 11 original articles) of patient’s duties, aimed to create a tentative model. In this article, a tentative model called ‘right-based duties of a patient’ was constructed. With its aid, a coherent structure of patient’s duties within different roles and objects of a patient can be defined. In addition, the ethical basis, prerequisites, outcomes and risks of patient’s duties can be named. In conclusion, so-called right-based duties of a patient constitute the basic argument. Patient’s duties are not unambiguous for all patients, and the global perspective to duties has been challenged. However, due to both conceptual and practical reasons, rethinking of patient’s duties is needed.
The Impact of Business Education on Students’ Moral Competency
Authors: Stachowicz-Stanusch Agata
Published: December 2011

Grooming business students for ethical professional roles has been a growing concern for both the corporate world and the business schools. Widely publicized corporate scandals have pushed public trust in business to an all-time low and have raised the question about the role and effectiveness of university education in developing moral competencies among students—future business leaders. The study pursues twin objectives—( a) checking the reliability and validity of MCI developed in the Polish context; and ( b) comparison of moral competencies of students with and without inputs on ethical education on MCI scores. The article presents results of an exploratory study on the role of business education on moral competencies (MCI scores) of students in Poland. The results bear important implications for increasing understanding of business education and students’ moral competencies.
Growing Leaders Grows Profits—A Case Study in Leadership Development
Authors: Pandit Arvind , Jhamtani Anisha
Published: December 2011

Leadership is not a black box. It is not an intangible asset or soft skill. It has a quantifiable impact on results, however one might want to measure it. A leader’s singular objective should be value creation, both in terms of short-term and long-term results. Primary job of a leader is to deliver results by working through others.

Results that leaders are able to deliver through their teams depend on how engaged their teams are. This engagement leads to high ‘discretionary effort’ which in turn drives high performance. The engagement comes from the climate that the leader is able to create. Leadership styles of the leader, which are essentially behaviours of the leader when he interacts with his team, create that climate. The most effective leaders know how to use a full range of leadership styles so that no matter how the demands of their roles change, what situations they face, or what the individual personalities are of those they are leading, they know how to provide the clarity, the context and the coaching needed to engage and energize people to perform at their best.
Guns and Sublethal Violence
Authors: Butters Jennifer E. , Sheptycki James , Brochu Serge , Erickson Patricia G.
Published: December 2011

This study is the first in Canada to examine gun usage and harm to others, with original interview data, and aims to identify the correlates of sublethal violence among at-risk youth in Toronto and Montreal. Toronto youth showed 50% higher levels of this violence than Montreal youth. Despite having a common profile of conduct disorder and prior delinquency, Toronto youth were more involved in drug selling and the crack trade, and Montreal youth more likely involved in gang fighting. Ready access to firearms was reported in both locales but faster in Toronto. Logistic regression analysis for predicting using a gun to threaten or try to harm others found that drug selling was only significant in Toronto, while involvement in the crack trade and gang fighting was significant in both cities. Being able to obtain a gun in <3 hours was also significantly associated with this violence outcome in both sites. Actually harming someone with a weapon showed fewer common factors, with only gang fighting being significant in both cities. The importance of examining local patterns of youth violence, and the need for more research to assess the meanings youth impart to guns, is emphasized.
Teacher Time Spent on Student Health Issues and School Nurse Presence
Authors: Hill Nina Jean , Hollis Marianne
Published: December 2011

Elementary school teacher time spent on student health issues and the relationship to school nurse services was the focus of this 2-year study. A cross-sectional design was used to survey traditional and exceptional (special needs) classroom teachers about the time they spent on health issues and their perception of school nurse presence. The school nurses were surveyed regarding the impact of their presence on early releases due to illness. Study findings related to teacher perceptions indicate with school nurse presence there are fewer early releases, increased communication, less time spent on health issues, students with chronic illnesses are safer, and there is a resource available for health information. The data provide the groundwork for discussions to improve the communication of the nurses’ schedules, increase teacher confidence in consistent nurse hours at their school and aid the nurse in protecting valuable on-site school hours from other interferences or commitments.
Psychological Vulnerability Among Overweight/Obese Minority Adolescents
Authors: Martyn-Nemeth Pamela A. , Penckofer Sue
Published: December 2011

Depression is associated with obesity among adolescents, with racial/ethnic variability noted. Psychological correlates that may influence this relationship have not been adequately explored. The primary objective of this secondary analysis was to compare levels of stress, self-esteem, coping, social support, and depressive mood between normal weight and overweight/obese minority adolescents (as defined using Centers for Disease Control and Prevention standards). Adolescents ( n = 101) aged 14–18 years who were largely minority (87%) were recruited from two Midwestern-area high schools. Using a descriptive comparative design, individuals were grouped into normal weight (>5th to <85th percentile) and overweight/obese (≥85th percentile) for comparison on measures. Self-reported levels of stress, coping, self-esteem, social support, depressive mood, and body mass index were obtained. Obese/overweight adolescents reported significantly lower self-esteem than did those with normal weight ( p < .05). Although stress was a significant predictor of depressive mood in both groups ( p < .001), low self-esteem was also a significant predictor of depressive mood in the overweight/obese group ( p = .001). Strategies to manage stress and improve self-esteem may help alleviate depressive mood in high school adolescents.
A Comparison of Teacher Nomination and Screening to Identify Behavioral and Emotional Risk Within a Sample of Underrepresented Students
Authors: Dowdy Erin , Doane Kymberly , Eklund Katie , Dever Bridget V.
Published: December 2011

Early identification of behavioral and emotional risk has been identified as one strategy to help decrease rates of childhood behavioral and emotional problems. This study compares two methods for early identification (teacher nomination and universal screening) to determine how each strategy may differentially identify at-risk students. A sample of 849 elementary and middle school students was assessed on a number of behavioral and academic outcomes to determine differences among identification methods. Results indicate that universal screening identified a higher number of students than teacher nomination, and those identified by universal screening had lower reading grades. Both approaches identified more males than females. Although students identified as at risk by both methods had significantly more office discipline referrals, and lower study habits and cooperation grades than students not identified as at risk, there were no significant differences in these variables between the early identification methods. Implications and future research needs are discussed.
Unhappy, Uninformed, or Uninterested? Understanding “None of the Above” Voting
Authors: Damore David F. , Waters Mallory M. , Bowler Shaun
Published: December 2011

Elections send ambiguous signals to the political system, particularly when interpreting the meaning of various “nonvotes” (e.g., abstention, ballot spoiling, and roll-off). While a “none of the above” (NOTA) option may allow voters to better signal discontent, how NOTA voting is used is not well understood. The authors’ analysis of all races in Nevada, which has allowed for NOTA voting since 1976, suggests that NOTA voting is consistent with protest voting and limited information. Thus, while NOTA voting can be a less ambiguous signal of discontent than other nonvotes, the practice of NOTA voting is less clear.
Embryonal (Undifferentiated) Sarcoma of the Liver With Peripheral Angiosarcoma Differentiation Arising in a Mesenchymal Hamartoma in an Adult Patient
Authors: Tucker Suzanne M. , Cooper Kumarasen , Brownschidle Sara , Wilcox Rebecca
Published: December 2011

Embryonal (undifferentiated) sarcoma of the liver (ESL) is a rare malignant neoplasm composed of undifferentiated sarcomatous tissue. We are presenting a case of a 74-year-old woman diagnosed with an ESL arising from a mesenchymal hamartoma of the liver (MHL). Both lesions occur typically in childhood, with only rare reported cases in adults. Histologically, the mass consisted primarily of loose myxoid stroma admixed with bland spindle cells and extensive, cystic (lymphangioma-like) degeneration. However, also present peripherally were markedly atypical cells (including multi-nucleated forms) and hyaline globules. Additionally, atypical cells with a sinusoid tectorial growth pattern were identified, which were positive for CD31, CD34 and Factor VIII. The tumor cells of ESL are classically described as being negative for tissue-specific immunohistochemical markers. However our case demonstrated focal positivity for vascular markers CD31, CD34 and Factor VIII and this along with the sinusoidal tectorial growth pattern, mimicked an angiosarcoma.