bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of Rimonabant, as Monotherapy and in Combination With Fenofibrate or Ezetimibe, on Plasma Adipokine Levels: A Pilot Study
Authors: Florentin Matilda , Liberopoulos Evangelos N. , Tellis Costas C. , Derdemezis Christos S. , Elisaf Moses , Tselepis Alexandros
Published: November 2009

Weight loss and hypolipidemic drugs can improve lipid and adipokine levels. We assessed the effects of rimonabant, alone and in combination with fenofibrate or ezetimibe, on adipokine levels in obese/overweight patients with dyslipidemia. Overweight/obese patients (n = 60, body mass index = 27-40 kg/m2) with mixed dyslipidemia were recruited. Patients received a hypocaloric diet and were randomized to rimonabant 20 mg/d (group R, n = 20), rimonabant 20 mg/d plus fenofibrate 200 mg/d (group RF, n = 20), or rimonabant 20 mg/d plus ezetimibe 10 mg/d (group RE, n = 20). After 3 months, leptin concentration was significantly reduced in all groups (—38%, P < .005; —40%, P < .005; and —44%, P < .001 in the R, RF, and RE groups, respectively). Total adiponectin remained unaltered. Visfatin concentration decreased significantly only in the RE and RF groups (—18% and —38%, respectively; P < .047). Treatment with rimonabant may improve adipokine levels in overweight/obese patients with dyslipidemia. The addition of fenofibrate or ezetimibe may reinforce this effect.
The Relationship Between Trauma, Post-Migration Problems and the Psychological Well-Being of Refugees and Asylum Seekers
Authors: Carswell Kenneth , Blackburn Pennie , Barker Chris
Published: November 2009

Background: There is growing evidence of the impact of post-migration factors on the mental health of refugees. To date, few UK studies have been conducted.

Aims: The study investigated the relationship between trauma, post-migration problems, social support and the mental health of refugees and asylum seekers.

Methods: Refugees and asylum seekers ( n = 47) were recruited mainly from clinical settings. Self-report measures of post-migration problems, mental health problems and social support were completed in an interview.

Results: Bivariate associations were identified between increased symptoms and number of traumas, adaptation difficulties, loss of culture and support and confidant support. In multivariate analyses post-migration problems were significantly associated with post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms and emotional distress. There was no significant association of symptoms and number of traumas or social support.

Conclusions: The results suggest that clinical services should provide holistic interventions within a phased approach when working with refugees and asylum seekers. At a policy level, the results suggest the need for asylum policies that reduce post-migration problems and provide support for refugees and asylum seekers.
Event-related Potentials Reflecting the Processing of Phonological Constraint Violations
Authors: Domahs Ulrike , Kehrein Wolfgang , Knaus Johannes , Wiese Richard , Schlesewsky Matthias
Published: November 2009

How are violations of phonological constraints processed in word comprehension? The present article reports the results of an event-related potentials (ERP) study on a phonological constraint of German that disallows identical segments within a syllable or word (CC iVCi). We examined three types of monosyllabic CCVC words: (a) existing words ( p k), (b) wellformed novel words ( p f), and (c) illformed novel words ( p p) as instances of Obligatory Contour Principle (OCP) violations. Wellformed and illformed novel words evoked an N400 effect in comparison to existing words. In addition, illformed words produced an enhanced late posterior positivity effect compared to wellformed novel words. Our findings support the well-known observation that novel words evoke higher costs in lexical integration (reflected by N400 effects). Crucially, modulations of a late positive component (LPC) show that violations of phonotactic constraints influence later stages of cognitive processing even when stimuli have already been detected as non-existing. Thus, the comparison of electrophysiological effects evoked by the two types of non-existing words reveals the stages at which phonologically based structural wellformedness comes into play during word processing.
Conceptuality and Practical Action: A Critique of Charles Taylor’s Verstehen Social Theory
Authors: Brownstein Michael
Published: November 2009

In their recent debate, Hubert Dreyfus rejects John McDowell’s claim that perception is permeated with “mindedness” and argues instead that ordinary embodied coping is largely “nonconceptual.” This argument has important, yet largely unacknowledged consequences for normative social theory, which this article demonstrates through a critique of Charles Taylor’s Verstehen thesis. If Dreyfus is right that “the enemy of expertise is thought,” then Taylor is denied his defense against charges of relativism, which is that maximizing the interpretive clarity of social practices unequivocally makes for better practices. Verstehen social theory, I argue, must consider both the gains and losses of the attempt to make the meaning of our practices explicit.
Context-Based Assessment and Intervention for Problem Behavior in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder
Authors: Cale Sanja I. , Carr Edward G. , Blakeley-Smith Audrey , Owen-DeSchryver Jamie S.
Published: November 2009

The present study used a context-based model of assessment and intervention to explore whether interventions that modify context result in reduction of problem behavior in ecologically valid settings (i.e., typical routines implemented by typical education personnel in neighborhood schools). The Contextual Assessment Inventory (CAI) and a postassessment interview were administered to parents and teachers of eight children with Autism Spectrum Disorder to identify problem contexts. Then, environmental modification techniques were implemented in three priority contexts: namely, transitions, termination of preferred activities, and presence of a feared stimulus. Our results demonstrated an almost complete elimination of problem behavior in the priority contexts as well as successful completion of activities and routines related to those contexts. We discuss the value of conceptualizing problem behavior as a function of context with respect to facilitating both assessment and intervention, and the need for enhancing breadth of effects to determine the larger impact of a context-based approach on promoting meaningful behavior change in the community.
Behavioral Activation Is an Evidence-Based Treatment for Depression
Authors: Sturmey Peter
Published: November 2009

Recent reviews of evidence-based treatment for depression did not identify behavioral activation as an evidence-based practice. Therefore, this article conducted a systematic review of behavioral activation treatment of depression, which identified three meta-analyses, one recent randomized controlled trial and one recent follow-up of an earlier randomized control trial. Behavioral activation was consistently superior to wait list and treatment as usual control groups. Effect sizes were not different from cognitive behavior therapy or cognitive therapy, both post-treatment and at follow-up. Indeed, behavioral activation may be more effective than cognitive therapy and cognitive behavior therapy in terms of lower dropout. Behavioral activation, like cognitive behavior therapy, may be superior to paroxitine because it results in less relapse and recurrence, may be substantially cheaper, and does not have risks of pharmacotherapy. There is some evidence that behavioral activation may also be useful with some people for whom cognitive and cognitive-behavior therapy is less effective, such as those with severe, lifelong depression, people with substance abuse and people with dementia and severe depression. There is now sufficient evidence to conclude that behavioral activation is an evidence-based therapy.
Climate Change Policy Formation in Michigan
Authors: Rose Adam , Wei Dan , Wennberg Jeffrey , Peterson Thomas
Published: November 2009

Like 30 other states in the U.S., Michigan recently began addressing the problem of climate change through comprehensive mitigation action planning. The Michigan climate initiative involved combining a stepwise, fact-based, stakeholder decision process and technical analyses to formulate a consensus-based climate action plan. This paper reports on the results of work conducted by policy analysts and facilitators of the policy-making process in response to state government and stakeholder decisions on three key aspects. First is the choice of policy actions used to establish a comprehensive portfolio of actions and economy-wide greenhouse gas (GHG) goals and targets. Second is the design of policy instruments to use to implement these specific GHG mitigation actions. Third is the decision on whether the state should pursue its target for net GHG reduction through sector based policies and measures, a regional cap and trade program, or both combined. We summarize the results of applying a formal model for analyzing the implications of alternative environmental policies and instruments. The model was applied to data on the financial costs/savings and applicability of a spectrum of GHG reduction options developed by a consensus of stakeholders from all segments of the Michigan population. We conclude that a combination of sector-based measures and market incentive-based policies could attain a low cost, high co-benefit solution if Michigan joined with other Midwestern States in developing the cap and trade aspect of its climate action plan.
The Study and Use of Policy Research in State Legislatures
Authors: Hird John A.
Published: November 2009

The literature on knowledge utilization generally reveals limited use of social science research in policymaking, and the proliferation of information sources and access suggests further erosion of traditional sources of expertise. However, many studies of knowledge utilization assess whether policymakers consider written research- articles, books, reports - in reaching decisions. This emphasis on the written research product neglects an important vehicle for transmitting research to policymakers: the researchers themselves and their intermediaries. I argue that social science and policy research do influence public policymaking, yet the influence of research is mediated through think tanks and other boundary individuals and organizations that digest and transmit information to policymakers. Scholars studying research utilization should recognize the importance of people apart from written research, and scholars hoping to influence policymaking should recognize that publications alone are unlikely to sway policymakers. I offer some suggestions for how scholars and legislators can better connect knowledge and power.
Toward Establishing Guidelines for Evaluating Cognitive Enhancement With Complementary and Alterative Medicines
Authors: Solomon Paul R. , Michalczuk Diana E.
Published: November 2009

The growing use of complementary and alternative medications (CAM) for cognitive enhancement in both healthy elderly and patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other dementing disorders has led to rapidly growing literature with conflicting results. There are studies that suggest benefit from CAM in both the healthy elderly and dementing patients as well as studies that suggest no benefit for either group. Because of the lack of regulatory oversight (e.g., Food and Drug Administration [FDA], European Medicines Agency [EMeA]), there are currently no generally accepted guidelines to standardize the types of studies that are conducted. Due to the absence of guidelines that set standards for study design, outcomes, and analysis, it is difficult to compare studies with conflicting results. For example, Ginkgo biloba has been shown both to provide benefit and no benefit on cognition in both healthy elderly and patients with AD. Reconciling these divergent studies has been challenging because both sides often use divergent methodologies and designs and widely varying cognitive measures that may or may not be validated in the populations being studied. In this article, the authors suggest a roadmap for establishing guidelines for the evaluation of CAM in cognition. They then apply these guidelines to the conflicting literature on Ginkgo to determine whether they might help resolve the conflicting results.
Religiosity, Spirituality, and Death Attitudes in Chronically Ill Older Adults
Authors: Daaleman Timothy P. , Dobbs Debra
Published: November 2009

The aim of this study was to examine the association of religiosity and spirituality with fear of death and death acceptance attitudes in chronically ill older adults. In-home interviews were conducted with 257 community-dwelling elders with chronic illness identified through an administrative database of ambulatory care clinics from an academic health center in Kansas City and through primary care practices participating in a practice-based research network in North Carolina. Hierarchical regression models were constructed for predictor variables and the outcomes of fear of death and approach acceptance of death attitudes. Self-efficacy beliefs ( b = —.097, p < .001), anxiety ( b = .026, p < .01), and physical functioning ( b = .015, p < .01) were significantly associated with fear of death attitudes. Self-reported religiosity ( b = —.389, p < .001), closeness to God ( b = —.595, p < .001), and age ( b = —.019, p < .001) contributed significantly to the variance in the final model and were significantly associated with approach acceptance of death attitudes.
Lessons From a Community-Based Participatory Research Project: Older People’s and Researchers’ Reflections
Authors: Doyle Martha , Timonen Virpi
Published: November 2009

The ethical and practical importance of actively involving older people in the research process is increasingly articulated in the gerontology literature. This article contributes to the literature by outlining a community-based participatory research project that centered on the design and administration of a questionnaire exploring older people’s use and perceptions of community services. The authors discuss both older adults’ and the researchers’ views of the participatory process. The key lessons and challenges that emerged from the research are analyzed using the nine principles of community-based participatory research outlined by Israel et al. The authors question whether older people in all instances seek extensive involvement in all aspects of participatory projects and raise a number of questions that require further analysis before a robust and viable understanding of participatory research that safeguards against the tokenistic involvement of older people can be developed.
Understanding How Resiliency Development Influences Adolescent Bullying and Victimization
Authors: Donnon Tyrone
Published: November 2009

In this study, the self-report Youth Resiliency: Assessing Development Strengths (YR:ADS) questionnaire is used with adolescents from seven junior and senior high schools (N = 2,991) to investigate the function of resiliency profiles as a model for understanding why adolescents engage in bullying and acts of aggression and how having these developmental strengths reduces victimization. In support of a protective-protective model of resiliency, the linear relationship with each behaviour indicator shows that the interactive risk and outcome relationship decreases with each strength or resiliency factor present. These results suggest that adolescents with positive situational and internal factors in their daily lives are inclined to lead prosocial or constructive lifestyles. The ability to negotiate risk or engagement in at-risk behaviours needs to shift the future research from simply identifying protective factors, to an understanding of how the development of resiliency processes allow some individuals to cope more effectively than others.
The Role of Arts-Based Curricula in Bullying Prevention: Elijah’s Kite—A Children’s Opera
Authors: Haner Dilys , Pepler Debra , Cummings Joanne , Rubin-Vaughan Alice
Published: November 2009

This article describes a children’s opera about bullying that was presented to five classrooms in three schools and evaluated with a pre—post design. Data were available for 104 Grade 4 and 5 students who completed a bullying prevalence survey and bullying knowledge quiz before and 6 weeks after the opera. Bullying knowledge increased significantly and there was a significant decrease in self-reported victimization. There was a significant gender by time interaction indicating that boys reported less bullying whereas girls reported more bullying over time. Findings are discussed in terms of the arts as media for bullying prevention.
The Post-Communist Diaspora Laws
Authors: Shevel Oxana
Published: November 2009

In the 1990s, a number of post-Communist states adopted diaspora laws that defined the target group ethno-culturally, thus seemingly confirming the continued relevance of Hans Kohn’s distinction between ethnic Eastern and civic Western nationalism. This article, however, posits that while Kohn’s dichotomy may be valid, its related implications are often not. The ethnic content of the diaspora laws, and the content of ethnic nationalism behind them, is much more nuanced, and not all ethnically tinted diaspora polices are discriminatory or otherwise contrary to international standards. Using the case of the 2001 Hungarian Status Law and the European organizations’ reaction to it, the first part of the article draws attention to the often neglected fact that international standards do not ban ethnically based policies altogether but allow for some distinctions in treatment based on ethno-cultural criteria. The second part of the article focuses on the case of Ukraine and further challenges the accuracy of the civic-ethnic dichotomy by showing how the politics of the Ukrainian diaspora law was driven not by a clash between civic and ethnic nationalism but by a more complex tension between different variants of ethnic nationalism, a neo-Soviet imperial vision, strategic bargaining, and changes in electoral fortunes for unrelated reasons. The Ukrainian case also shows how, in addition to international norm diffusion, another—and rather counterintuitive—path towards internationally compliant diaspora legislation may be the presence of substantial domestic divisions on the national issue, which forces the elites to compromise on a less ethnic law.
The Role of the Secondary Market for Life Insurance in Preserving a Family Business
Authors: Adams Edward S. , Sabes Jon R.
Published: November 2009

A family business may have a hidden asset that can be tapped and sued to its advantage to fight off competitive threats, access capital in difficult times, act upon growth opportunities, or diversity assets. This untapped asset is a life insurance policy. Many family businesses own life insurance to protect their owners and are ideal candidates for life settlement if they do not own a qualifying policy. This article argues that the secondary market of life insurance provides viable estate planning strategies for family businesses and should be safeguarded and preserved from the efforts of the insurance industry and other organizations to limit their use.
Family Firm Mergers and Acquisitions in Different Legal Environments
Authors: Feito-Ruiz Isabel , Menéndez-Requejo Susana
Published: November 2009

This study analyses family versus nonfamily firm returns under different legal environments when a merger and acquisition (M&A) is announced. The database includes 124 M&As of European-listed firms (15 countries), with acquired firms being worldwide public or private firms (23 countries), over the 2002 to 2004 period. The findings show that family ownership has a positive and significant influence on acquiring shareholder M&A valuation. However, a major shareholder ownership of 32% has a negative effect. The authors also observe that a weaker legal and institutional environment in the target country has a positive influence on acquiring shareholder valuation.
Job rotation at Cardiff University Library Service: A pilot study
Authors: Earney Sally , Martins Ana
Published: November 2009

This paper presents case study research of a job rotation pilot involving six library assistants in Cardiff University Library Service (ULS). Firstly, it investigates whether job rotation improves motivation and secondly, whether there is an improvement in skills, both technical and ‘soft’. Following a review of the literature, semi-structured interviews took place with each of the ‘rotatees’, both immediately before and after the rotations. They completed daily reflective logs during their rotations which were also analysed. The findings indicate that the rotations resulted in wide-ranging positive outcomes including an increase in both motivation and technical skills. Other positive outcomes included increased confidence, a sense of ‘the bigger picture’ and ‘social capital’. The paper concludes that job rotation can be a positive and powerful tool for staff development.
The Big Drum
Authors: Brown David
Published: November 2009

There is some debate around structure and agency in Bourdieu’s concept of habitus. On reading Bourdieu’s work it can be understood why a great deal of empirical research suggests class reproduction in the context of participation in different sports. An examination of the changing nature of Scottish mountaineering, during the period from 1920 to 1960, however, gives an almost unique insight into how a class-based sporting habitus can be changed by the dialectical exchange of dispositions that can occur when the dominance of a class fraction is challenged by another.
Postmodernism, Queer Theory and Moral Judgment in Sport
Authors: Edwards Lisa , Jones Carwyn
Published: November 2009

The emergence of postmodern discourse, and more recently queer theory, has had a significant impact on sports feminism. Rejecting grand narratives and universal values, postmodern research attempts to explore the diversity of women’s sporting experiences in relation to identity concepts such as sex, gender, sexuality, race, and ethnicity. Such research often highlights important moral issues like intolerance and injustice. Postmodern and queer theories’ epistemological commitments, we argue, imply ethical relativism. This, we believe, undermines critical reflection and political action. We argue for an alternative, non-relativist ethical stance, which provides the necessary resources to evaluate critically certain problematic social practices in sport.
The Role of Creative Expression in Diabetes: An Exploration Into the Meaning-Making Process
Authors: Stuckey Heather L. , Tisdell Elizabeth J.
Published: November 2009

In this narrative exploration of meaning making through the use of creative arts, we recorded the experiences of 8 women with type 1 diabetes. Through a conceptual framework of creative expression as a way of knowing, we designed this study to evoke affective and metaphorical connections to the meaning of diabetes. The initial narrative interview findings reflected the experience of the participants, with three primary themes emerging: experiencing negative emotions about diabetes, putting a positive “spin” on the negative as a way to make meaning, and resisting against diabetes and the medical approach. During the creative arts process, we encouraged further exploration into the meaning-making process using imagery and photographs created by the participants. Final interview findings addressed the need for moving beyond numbers, and attention to the meaning-making process in patient care.
Testing a Model of Delayed Care-Seeking for Acute Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Fox-Wasylyshyn Susan M. , El-Masri Maher , Artinian Nancy T.
Published: November 2009

A theory-testing approach to the study of delay in seeking treatment for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) was performed using a descriptive design with 135 AMI patients. Participants provided information pertaining to history of AMI, symptom congruence, responses to symptoms, cardiac symptom attribution, and AMI care-seeking delay. Structural equation modeling fit indices suggested that the independent predictors of AMI care-seeking delay were cardiac symptom attribution and emotion-focused coping. History of AMI had a direct relationship with AMI care-seeking delay, but its total effect through symptom attribution and symptom congruence was not significant. The total effect of symptom congruence on AMI care-seeking delay was significant. In conclusion, the study findings highlight the importance of targeting cardiac symptom attribution and emotion-focused coping in interventions that are aimed at reducing AMI care-seeking delay.
Risky Behaviors and Depression in Conjunction With—or in the Absence of—Lifetime History of PTSD Among Sexually Abused Adolescents
Authors: Kmett Danielson Carla , Macdonald Alexandra , Amstadter Ananda B. , Hanson Rochelle , de Arellano Michael A. , Saunders Benjamin E. , Kilpatrick Dean G.
Published: November 2009

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is often considered the primary problematic outcome of child sexual abuse (CSA). However, a number of other, relatively understudied negative sequelae appear to be prevalent as well. Data from 269 adolescents with a CSA history from the National Survey of Adolescents—Replication Study were therefore used to examine the prevalence of risky behaviors (i.e., problematic alcohol and drug use, delinquent behavior) and depression in this sample. The frequencies of these problems in youth with and without a history of PTSD also were examined. Results indicated that risky behaviors and depression were reported as or more frequently than PTSD. Among youth with a history of PTSD, depression and delinquent behavior were more common than among those without a history of PTSD. However, there were no differences between adolescents with and without a history of PTSD in reported problematic substance use. Findings highlight the need for comprehensive trauma-informed interventions for CSAexposed adolescents.
The Impact of Service System Design and Flow Experience on Customer Satisfaction in Online Financial Services
Authors: Xin Ding David , Hu Paul Jen-Hwa , Verma Rohit , Wardell Don G.
Published: November 2009

Prior research examines customer satisfaction in retailing and e-commerce settings, yet online financial services have received little research attention. To understand customer satisfaction with this fast-growing service, this study investigates the role of flow experience, a sensation that occurs as a result of significant cognitive involvement. The study examines how service system characteristics affect the cognitive states of the flow experience, which determines customer satisfaction. The flow construct and total experience design suggest a structural model that is empirically tested using responses from a large sample of online investors. In support of the model and most of the hypotheses it suggests, the empirical results clarify the important antecedents and consequence of flow experience in online financial services and suggest the viability of using a dual-layer experience construct to investigate customer satisfaction.These findings can help researchers and service providers understand when, where, and how flow experience is formulated in online financial services.
Coming to our senses? A critical approach to sensory methodology
Authors: Mason Jennifer , Davies Katherine
Published: November 2009

In light of the recent upsurge in the popularity of sensory, and particularly visual, methods, this article makes a case for a sensory methodology that remains attuned to the complex ways in which the senses are tangled with other forms of experience or ways of knowing. Drawing on a project investigating the social significance of family resemblances, we look at how our methods (a combination of visual methods and creative interviewing) emphasized the interplay between tangible and intangible sensory experience, including elements of the sensory that were visible, audible, touchable, etc., in the present as well as those which people conjured in their sensory imaginations and ethereal or mystical ways of resembling. We suggest that ‘sensory intangibility’ is vital to how we see resemblances and to the practice of sensory methodology.
Chasing shadows: defining network boundaries in qualitative social network analysis
Authors: Heath Sue , Fuller Alison , Johnston Brenda
Published: November 2009

Defining network boundaries is a key challenge in social network analysis. In our recent qualitative study of network influences on educational decision-making — based on interviews with 107 individuals from 16 case study networks — the set of members with whom interviews were secured in each case represented only a sub-set of the broader networks from which they were drawn. Following an introduction to our study and an outline of our approach, we consider some of the processes of filtering and selection that affected the specific composition of our network sample, and reflect upon what this tells us about the processes by which participants in network-based research make decisions about the representation of their networks within research contexts. We then explore the question of whether the partiality of our data actually matters, and conclude that it reflects the permeable, partial and dynamic nature of social networks, characteristics which are central to qualitatively-informed understandings of SNA.
A New Test of Compensating Differences: Evidence on the Importance of Unobserved Heterogeneity
Authors: Michaelides Marios
Published: November 2009

Previous evidence on the validity of the compensating differences theory has been ambiguous. This is mainly attributed to that, in most contexts, important components of worker skills are unobserved, leading to biased estimates of compensating differences. This article uses data on professional basketball players, which contain rich measures of worker ability, measures of employer nonpecuniary characteristics, and location amenities, to produce a new test of the theory. Empirical results strongly support the theory’s predictions in this context. Using this data, we also find that when important measures of player skills are omitted from the specification, there is only limited evidence in support of compensating differences. Our findings indicate that in the presence of unobserved heterogeneity, the quality of the empirical results is distorted and inference on the validity of the theory is misleading.
The Conceptual Adequacy of the Drug Attitude Inventory for Measuring Youth Attitudes Toward Psychotropic Medications: A Mixed Methods Evaluation
Authors: Townsend Lisa , Floersch Jerry , Findling Robert L.
Published: November 2009

Adolescents are routinely treated with psychiatric medications; however, little is known about their attitudes toward pharmacological intervention. The authors used a concurrent triangulation, mixed methods design to assess whether the Drug Attitude Inventory (DAI), developed for adults, is suitable for measuring adolescent attitudes toward psychiatric medications. Factor analytic techniques and qualitative data were used to investigate whether the instrument provides comprehensive measurement of medication-related constructs in adolescents. Findings suggest that the DAI contributes to knowledge of youth attitudes toward psychotropic treatment; however, limitations were uncovered by the mixed methods approach. This study enhances the measurement and mixed methods literature by showing how qualitative and quantitative techniques served as parallel data reduction strategies for examining an instrument’s utility with a new population.
Patients, persons or partners? Involving those with chronic disease in their care
Authors: McWilliam Carol L.
Published: November 2009

Self-care management is essential for effective chronic disease management. Yet prevailing approaches of healthcare practitioners often undermine the efforts of those who require on-going medical attention for chronic conditions, emphasizing their status as patients, failing to consider their larger life experience as people, and most importantly, failing to consider them as people with the potential to be partners in their care. This article explores two approaches for professional—patient interaction in chronic disease management, namely, patient-centred care and empowering partnering, illuminating how professionals might better interact with chronically ill individuals who seek their care. The opportunities, challenges, theory and research evidence associated with each approach are explored. The advantages of moving beyond patient-centred care to the empowering partnering approach are elaborated. For people with chronic disease, having the opportunity to engage in the social construction of their own health as a resource for everyday living, the opportunity to experience interdependence rather than dependence/independence throughout on-going healthcare, and the opportunity to optimize their potential for self-care management of chronic disease are important justifications for being involved in an empowering partnering approach to their chronic disease management.
Minorities, media, marketing and marginalization
Authors: Sinclair John
Published: November 2009

Given that increased rates of population movement across borders in recent decades have coincided with an era in which audiences for mass media are being fragmented and ever more precisely targeted according to demographic criteria, we might expect to find that ethnic minorities have become exposed to intensive exploitation as consumer markets. We would be wrong. The small size and often dispersed distribution of many minorities makes it uneconomical for major advertisers to seek to reach them, whether through their own ‘ethnic’ media at the local level, or even the international satellite channels which now serve globally distributed minority audiences. While there may be enviable advantages to being segregated from commercial influence in this way, it is also a form of marginalization, a restriction of full cultural citizenship. This article contrasts the case of Chinese-speaking minorities in Australia with that of Spanish speakers in the United States.
Servicing ‘self-scheduling consumers’
Authors: Murray Simone
Published: November 2009

Podcasting has moved rapidly from the underground and pirate radio fringe to the heart of public-service media, with the BBC, NPR, CBC and Australia’s ABC all early adopters of the technology. The public-service broadcasting (PSBing) ethos appears both compatible with, and challenged by, the podcasting phenomenon. Podcasting’s appeal lies in its capacity for time-shifting, portable consumption and global distribution of audio content. Moreover, podcasting piggybacks on existing distribution infrastructure, and is particularly appealing to technologically savvy youth audiences whom public-service broadcasters (PSBers) traditionally have difficulty attracting. Yet podcasting simultaneously creates highly fragmented audiences with doubtful brand loyalty. Equally problematically, the medium’s relationship to commercial media has been close from its inception, as the term ‘podcasting’ itself suggests. It is precisely podcasting’s complex relationship with PSBing ideals — both complementary and potentially conflictual — which makes it such a rich case-study for examining the continued viability of PSBing in the digital media environment.
Representing the rise of the rest as threat
Authors: Nederveen Pieterse Jan
Published: November 2009

Like a giant oil tanker, the world is turning. New growth poles of the world economy have been emerging in the South and East. Globalization once belonged to the West and now the tables are turning. We have entered the era of the ‘rise of the rest’. Western media and politics of representation have celebrated the rise of the West for 200 years, how then do they represent the rise of the rest? The main trends are that the rise of the rest is ignored, or represented as a threat, or celebrated in business media as a triumph of the marketplace. Media echoing free market ideology have contributed to vast wealth polarization; representing the rise of the rest as a threat contributes to global political polarization; recycling the 9/11 complex produces cultural and political polarization; and overusing celebrity narratives contributes to existential polarization. These are the global divides discussed in this article. In the wake of the economic crisis of 2008 there have been marked changes in discourse and a new motif has taken shape: recruiting the rest to rescue the West.
Nitrogen separation from natural gas by modified clinoptilolite
Authors: Faghihian H. , Pirouzi M.
Published: November 2009

Separation of nitrogen, the major impurity of natural gas, is necessary for quality improvement of the gas. In this study, purified and some ion-exchanged forms of clinoptilolite were used to separate N2 from natural gas. Competitive adsorption of mixtures of N2, CH4 and C2H6 by Cu2+ (Cu-Cp)-, Zn2+ (Zn-Cp)-, Ni2+ (Ni-Cp)- and Mn2+ (Mn-Cp)-exchanged samples was studied at different pressures and ambient temperature. Among the cations studied, Cu2+ has the lowest selectivity towards N2. Samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, BET N2 adsorption and wet chemical analysis techniques.
Clay mineral assemblages as indicators of hydrothermalism in the basal part of the CRP-3 core (Victoria Land Basin, Antarctica)
Authors: Setti M. , Marinoni L. , Lopez-Galindo A.
Published: November 2009

The CRP-3 drilling project collected sediments from 3 to 939 mbsf (metres below sea floor) in the Victoria Land Basin in Antarctica. The upper sequence (down to ~790 m bsf) is of Cenozoic age and made up of detrital glaciogenic sediments; the characteristics of clay minerals in this part have been reported elsewhere. Here, the compositional features of clay minerals in the lower sequence such as conglomerates, Devonian sandstones and dolerites are described and genetic processes clarified. Clay minerals in the deepest part of the sequence derive from the alteration of different lithologies that mostly make up the sedimentary basin.

Two clay mineral assemblages were characterized through analysis by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). From 790 to 823 mbsf, samples consist of authigenic smectite of variable chemical composition forming imbricated texture of plates or flakes. The smectites probably result from hydrothermal/diagenetic transformation of earlier minerals. The primary smectite cement underwent reorganization during shearing and cataclasis. The lowest part of the sequence (below 823 mbsf) is characterized by an assemblage of kaolinite, mixed-layer illite-smectite, Fe oxyhydroxide, sporadic smectite and poorly crystallized illite. It reflects a stronger alteration process than that recorded in the upper units of core CRP-3, related to hydrothermalism connected with the intrusion of an igneous body. Both assemblages show clear differences in particle morphology, texture and smectite composition to the clay assemblages found in the Cenozoic glaciomarine sediments in the upper sequence. The different phases of alteration appear related to the processes of rifting, exhumation and faulting that characterized this region since the Mesozoic.
Radiation-induced defects in quartz: a multifrequency EPR study and DFT
modelling of new peroxy radicals
Authors: Pan Yuanming , Nilges M. J. , Mashkovtsev R. I.
Published: November 2009

A natural quartz, annealed first at 800°C and then irradiated with a 3.5 MeV
electron beam, has been investigated by single-crystal electron paramagnetic
resonance (EPR) spectroscopy at X- and W-band frequencies from 110 K to 298 K. The
W-band EPR spectra allow better separation of two previously reported
radiation-induced defects (D and E) and improved determinations of their spin
Hamiltonian parameters. These defects have similar g tensors with the
gmax axes approximately along an O—O pair and
gmin axes perpendicular to the short Si—O bonds, but
different 27Al hyperfine structures. Centre E is also
characterized by a 29Si hyperfine structure
(A/geβe = ~0.4 mT). These spin
Hamiltonian parameters, together with results from density functional theory (DFT)
calculations, suggest centre E to be a new variant of peroxy radicals in quartz,
whereas a peroxy radical model for centre D remains tentative. Thermal stabilities
and decay kinetics of centres D and E have been investigated by use of isochronal
and isothermal annealing experiments on a neutron-irradiated quartz and six smoky
quartz crystals in druses from a U deposit.
Crystallite growth kinetics in nanocrystalline quartz (agate and
chalcedony)
Authors: Moxon T. , Carpenter M. A.
Published: November 2009

Crystallite growth in natural agate samples has been investigated at
temperatures of 350—550°C and 100 MPa pressure in the presence of water vapour.
Initial crystallite coarsening is accompanied by the transformation of moganite to
α-quartz that is apparently inhibited by residual moganite when the crystallite
sizes reach ~50 nm. At 350—500°C the coarsening kinetics can be described by an
empirical law developed to describe Zener pinning which incorporates the maximum
crystallite size prior to growth inhibition: .
Co = initial crystallite size,
Cs = crystallite growth after
time t,
Cm = the maximum size achieved
before inhibition and k is the rate constant that
includes the activation energy which was found to be 51(±9) kJ
mole—1. A more conventional isothermal growth rate law,
= kt
with n = 6.5, only applies at 550°C. Limited growth was
obtained when small agate cubes were heated in an open furnace up to 122 d at
550°C, demonstrating that water vapour was essential for continued crystallite
coarsening. The crystallite size and moganite content of agates formed under
normal earth surface conditions from hosts aged 13 Ma to 3.5 Ga have also been
determined. The high temperature crystallite growth rate law does not describe
natural agate growth quantitatively but a qualitatively similar pattern is
observed.
Quartz grain surface features in environmental determination of aeolian
Quaternary deposits in northeastern Tunisia
Authors: Chakroun A. , Miskovsky J.-C. , Zaghbib-Turkil D.
Published: November 2009

Quartz grain surfaces from the Quaternary sand deposits of northeastern
Tunisia were examined by scanning electron microscopy. Superficial textures on the
quartz grain surface are commonly well preserved and are characteristic of
specific formation conditions, allowing the reconstruction of the transport and
sedimentation chronology and environment of individual grains.

In the northeastern coastal part of Tunisia (Cap Bon peninsula), the quartz
grain exoscopy analysis involves a complex sedimentary history during the
Quaternary. The Quaternary dune samples provided a mixture of sub-angular and
rounded quartz morphotypes with well preserved mechanical impacts on the grain
surfaces. The investigated quartz grains revealed reasonably distinct textural
combinations and are characterized firstly, by mechanical features, and secondly,
by chemical processes. In all the materials examined, differing environmental
evolutions, marine, aeolian and pedologic were detected.
Chemistry, textures and physical properties of quartz — geological interpretation and technical application
Authors: Götze J.
Published: November 2009

Quartz is one of the most abundant minerals in the Earth’s crust and the most important silica mineral, occurring in large amounts in igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks. The mineral is widely used as a raw material in several industrial applications. Because of its chemical composition (SiO2) and its specific properties, quartz can be used both as a bulk product (e.g. quartz sands in the glass or foundry industry) and as a high-tech material (e.g. piezo or optical quartz).

Dependent on the specific conditions of either natural or synthetic formation, quartz can display typomorphic properties. Variations in crystal shape, specific micro-structure, trace element or isotope compositions, characteristic spectroscopic properties, etc. may be controlled by the genesis of the quartz involved. Accordingly, the defect structure of quartz is a fingerprint of its conditions of formation. A knowledge of the interrelation between quartz genesis and the specific properties developed at that time can be used both for the reconstruction of geological processes and for specific technical applications. Selected examples in the present study give an overview of how to analyse and use the specific information inherent in the mineral quartz.
A phase II pilot study of tacrolimus/sirolimus GVHD prophylaxis for sibling donor hematopoietic stem cell transplantation using 3 conditioning regimens
Authors: Rodriguez Roberto , Nakamura Ryotaro , Palmer Joycelynne M. , Parker Pablo , Shayani Sepideh , Nademanee Auyaporn , Snyder David , Pullarkat Vinod , Kogut Neil , Rosenthal Joseph , Smith Eileen , Karanes Chatchada , O'Donnell Margaret , Krishnan Amrita Y. , Senitzer David , Forman Stephen J.
Published: November 2009

Combination tacrolimus and sirolimus graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis for allogeneic transplant in patients conditioned with a fractionated total body irradiation–based regimen has shown encouraging results. We studied this prophylaxis combination in 85 patients receiving a matched-sibling transplant conditioned with 3 different regimens:fludarabine-melphalan (n = 46); total body irradiation–etoposide (n = 28), and busulfan-cyclophosphamide (n = 11). The conditioning regimens were completed on day −4. Sirolimus and tacrolimus were started on day −3 to avoid overlap with conditioning therapy. All patients engrafted, with a median time to neutrophil engraftment of 15 days. The cumulative incidence of acute GVHD grades II to IV and III to IV was 43% and 19%, respectively, with no significant difference by conditioning regimen. The 2-year cumulative incidence of chronic GVHD was 46%. With a median follow-up of 26 months, disease-free survival was 58% and overall survival, 66%. The day-100 and 2-year nonrelapse mortality was 4.8% and 10.2%, respectively. The overall incidence of thrombotic microangiopathy was 19%, and it was significantly higher with busulfan/cyclophosphamide (55%, P = .005). Tacrolimus plus sirolimus is an effective combination for acute GVHD prophylaxis and is associated with very low nonrelapse mortality. Thrombotic microangiopathy is a significant complication with this regimen, particularly in patients receiving busulfan/cyclophosphamide.
Thrombosis in primary myelofibrosis: incidence and risk factors
Authors: Barbui Tiziano , Carobbio Alessandra , Cervantes Francisco , Vannucchi Alessandro M. , Guglielmelli Paola , Antonioli Elisabetta , Alvarez-Larrán Alberto , Rambaldi Alessandro , Finazzi Guido , Barosi Giovanni
Published: November 2009

We assessed frequency and predictive factors for major cardiovascular (CV) events in 707 patients with primary myelofibrosis (PMF) followed in 4 European institutions. A total of 236 deaths (33%) were recorded for an overall mortality of 7.7% patient-years (pt-yr). Fatal and nonfatal thromboses were registered in 51 (7.2%) patients, with a rate of 1.75% pt-yr. If deaths from non-CV causes were considered as competing events, we estimated that the adjusted rate of major thrombotic events would have been 2.2% pt-yr. In a multivariable model, age older than 60 years (hazard ratio [HR], 2.34; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.24-4.39, P = .01) and JAK2 mutational status (HR, 1.92; 95% CI, 1.10-3.34; P = .02) were significantly associated with thrombosis, whereas the strength of the association between leukocyte count higher than 15 × 109/L and CV events was of borderline significance (HR, 1.72; 95% CI, 0.97-2.72; P = .06). The highest incidence of fatal and nonfatal thrombosis was observed when the mutation was present along with leukocytosis (3.9% pt-yr; HR, 3.13; 95% CI, 1.26-7.81). This study is the largest hitherto carried out in this setting and shows that the rate of major CV events in PMF is comparable with that reported in essential thrombocythemia, and it is increased in aged patients and those with JAK2 V617F mutation and leukocytosis.