bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
MAPPING OUT THE JET CORRELATION LANDSCAPE: A PERSPECTIVE FROM PHENIX EXPERIMENT
Authors:   for the PHENIX Collaboration, JIA JIANGYONG
Published: January 2008

This is a status report on where PHENIX stands in terms of mapping out the landscape of jet correlation in pT, hadron species, [Formula: see text]. We focus on correlation results at high pT which are sensitive to the quenching of the jet by medium as well as results at low and intermediate pT, which allow studying the response of the medium to the jet.
ANALYZING JET TOPOLOGY WITH THREE PARTICLE CORRELATIONS
Authors:   for the PHENIX Collaboration, AJITANAND N. N.
Published: January 2008

Recent experimental and theoretical investigations have indicated that the topological features of jets can be significantly altered by interactions with the medium. Prime candidates for such a modification are (a) excitation of a Mach Cone in the medium and (b) flow induced deflection of the jet. Here we show that 3-particle correlations are able to distinguish between these different modification scenarios. An application of the method to Au + Au collisions at RHIC ([Formula: see text]) yields results which are consistent with but not exclusive to the Mach cone scenario.
QUANTITATIVE CHARACTERISATION OF CORRELATION FUNCTION SHAPES WITH A MULTIVARIATE EDGEWORTH EXPANSION
Authors: EGGERS H. C. , LIPA P.
Published: January 2008

Second-order HBT correlation functions can be expanded in terms of correlated gaussian ellipsoids and their derivatives. The resulting multidimensional Edgeworth expansion in terms of cumulants and hermite tensors contains 15 fourth-order and 28 sixth-order cumulants which act as shape parameters. Off-diagonal terms dominate both the character and magnitude of shape changes. We show how cumulants can be measured directly and so the procedure has no need for fitting.
TOWARDS RELIABLE CALCULATIONS OF THE CORRELATION FUNCTION
Authors: MAJ RADOSŁAW , MRÓWCZYŃSKI STANISŁAW
Published: January 2008

The correlation function of two identical pions interacting via Coulomb potential is computed for a general case of anisotropic particle's source of finite life time. The effect of halo is taken into account as an additional particle's source of large spatial extension. Due to the Coulomb interaction, the effect of halo is not limited to very small relative momenta but it influences the correlation function in a relatively large domain. The relativistic effects are discussed in detail and it is argued that the calculations have to be performed in the center-of-mass frame of particle's pair where the (nonrelativistic) wave function of particle's relative motion is meaningful. The Bowler–Sinyukov procedure to remove the Coulomb interaction is tested and it is shown to significantly underestimate the source's life time.
EXPLANATION OF THE RHIC HBT PUZZLE BY A GRANULAR SOURCE OF QUARK-GLUON PLASMA DROPLETS
Authors: ZHANG WEI-NING , WONG CHEUK-YIN
Published: January 2008

We present a review on the explanation of the RHIC HBT puzzle by a granular pion-emitting source of quark-gluon plasma droplets. The evolution of the droplet is described by relativistic hydrodynamics with an equation of state suggested by lattice gauge results. The granular source evolution is obtained by superposing all of the evolutions of individual droplets. Pions are assumed to be emitted thermally from the droplets at the freeze-out configuration characterized by a freeze-out temperature Tf. We find that the average particle emission time scales with the initial radius of the droplet. Pions will be emitted earlier if the droplet radius is smaller. An earlier emission time will lead to a smaller extracted HBT radius R out , while the extracted HBT radius R side is determined by the scale of the distribution of the droplet centers. However, a collective expansion of the droplets can further decrease R out . As a result, the value of R out /R side can be close to, or even less than 1 for the granular source of QGP droplets.
SOME DISCUSSIONS INSPIRED BY THE FLUCTUATION OF SINGLE-EVENT pt DISTRIBUTION
Authors: MINGMEI XU , LIANSHOU LIU
Published: January 2008

Starting from the assumption that it is the single-event pt distribution, not only the event-wise Mpt , fluctuates E-by-E, we discuss the relation between the variance of Mpt and the two-particle pt correlation. An evaluation of statistical fluctuation is given. For an example, we use an exponential single-event pt distribution to extract E-by-E dynamical fluctuation of single-event pt distribution from experimental data.
CORRELATION AND FLUCTUATION IN MULTIPARTICLE PRODUCTION: SOME CLOSING REMARKS
Authors: HWA RUDOLPH C.
Published: January 2008

General comments are made on the evolution of this series of workshops and on some features of this particular workshop without attempting to summarize all the talks presented.
A NEW LaSalle-TYPE THEOREM FOR STOCHASTIC DIFFERENTIAL DELAY EQUATIONS OF NEUTRAL TYPE
Authors: DAI WEIXING , HU SHIGENG
Published: January 2008

The main aim of this paper is to establish a new LaSalle-type theorem for stochastic differential delay equations of neutral type. From the theorem follow some useful criteria on the orbital asymptotic stability. Several examples are also given for illustration. This shows clearly the power of our new theorem.
The Rule of Law and Economic Development
Authors: Haggard Stephan , MacIntyre Andrew , Tiede Lydia
Published: January 2008

With the enormous expansion of scholarship on this subject, “rule of law” has come to mean different things—ranging from security and order to the operations of courts and the administration of justice. We review the various streams of theoretical and empirical research by academics and practitioners, emphasizing the connections to economic development. The core logic is that security of property rights and integrity of contract underpin, respectively, investment and trade, which in turn fuel economic growth and development. However, property rights and contracts rest on institutions, which themselves rest on coalitions of interests. Formal institutions are important, but, particularly in developing countries, informal institutional arrangements play a significant part as well. These considerations lead us to caution against an exaggerated confidence in the ability of development assistance to implant new institutions for the rule of law.
Hiding in Plain Sight: American Politics and the Carceral State
Authors: Gottschalk Marie
Published: January 2008

Over the past three decades, the United States has built a carceral state that is unprecedented among Western countries and in US history. The emergence and consolidation of the US carceral state are a major milestone in American political development.The explosive growth of the prison population and the retributive turn in US penal policy are well documented. But the political causes and consequences of this massive expansion are not well understood. This is starting to change. During the past decade or so, scholars in criminology, sociology, and law, recently joined by a few political scientists, have produced outstanding works on the connection between politics and the origins of the carceral state. Recently, the wider political consequences and analytical implications of the carceral state are a new and expanding area of interest. The carceral state has grown so huge that it has begun to transform fundamental democratic institutions, from free and fair elections to an accurate and representative census. The findings of scholars of the carceral state prompt us to rethink claims about issues in the study of American politics that may seem far afield from criminal justice, including voter turnout and the “vanishing voter,” the achievements of the US model of neoliberal economic development in the 1990s, and the triumph of the modern Republican Party in national politics. Scholarship on the carceral state also raises other important issues about power and resistance for marginalized and stigmatized groups.
Novel Role of Protein Kinase C-δ Tyr311Phosphorylation in Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Hypertrophy by Angiotensin II
Authors: Nakashima Hidekatsu , Frank Gerald D. , Shirai Heigoro , Hinoki Akinari , Higuchi Sadaharu , Ohtsu Haruhiko , Eguchi Kunie , Sanjay Archana , Reyland Mary E. , Dempsey Peter J. , Inagami Tadashi , Eguchi Satoru
Published: January 2008

We have shown previously that activation of protein kinase C-δ (PKCδ) is required for angiotensin II (Ang II)–induced migration of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). Here, we have hypothesized that PKCδ phosphorylation at Tyr311plays a critical role in VSMC hypertrophy induced by Ang II. Immunoblotting was used to monitor PKCδ phosphorylation at Tyr311, and cell size and protein measurements were used to detect hypertrophy in VSMCs. PKCδ was rapidly (0.5 to 10.0 minutes) phosphorylated at Tyr311by Ang II. This phosphorylation was markedly blocked by an Src family kinase inhibitor and dominant-negative Src but not by an epidermal growth factor receptor kinase inhibitor. Ang II-induced Akt phosphorylation and hypertrophic responses were significantly enhanced in VSMCs expressing PKCδ wild-type compared with VSMCs expressing control vector, whereas the enhancements were markedly diminished in VSMCs expressing a PKCδ Y311F mutant. Also, these responses were significantly inhibited in VSMCs expressing kinase-inactive PKCδ K376A compared with VSMCs expressing control vector. From these data, we conclude that not only PKCδ kinase activation but also the Src-dependent Tyr311phosphorylation contributes to Akt activation and subsequent VSMC hypertrophy induced by Ang II, thus signifying a novel molecular mechanism for enhancement of cardiovascular diseases induced by Ang II.
Involvement of Nox2 NADPH Oxidase in Adverse Cardiac Remodeling After Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Looi Yee H. , Grieve David J. , Siva Anjana , Walker Simon J. , Anilkumar Narayana , Cave Alison C. , Marber Michael , Monaghan Mark J. , Shah Ajay M.
Published: January 2008

Oxidative stress plays an important role in the development of cardiac remodeling after myocardial infarction (MI), but the sources of oxidative stress remain unclear. We investigated the role of Nox2-containing reduced nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase in the development of cardiac remodeling after MI. Adult Nox2
−/−
and matched wild-type (WT) mice were subjected to coronary artery ligation and studied 4 weeks later. Infarct size after MI was similar in Nox2
−/−
and WT mice. Nox2
−/−
mice exhibited significantly less left ventricular (LV) cavity dilatation and dysfunction after MI than WT mice (eg, echocardiographic LV end-diastolic volume: 75.7±5.8 versus 112.4±12.3 μL; ejection fraction: 41.6±3.7 versus 32.9±3.2%; both
P
<0.05). Similarly, in vivo LV systolic and diastolic functions were better preserved in Nox2
−/−
than WT mice (eg, LV dP/dt
max
: 7969±385 versus 5746±234 mm Hg/s; LV end-diastolic pressure: 12.2±1.3 versus 18.0±1.8 mm Hg; both
P
<0.05). Nox2
−/−
mice exhibited less cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, apoptosis, and interstitial fibrosis; reduced increases in expression of connective tissue growth factor and procollagen 1 mRNA; and smaller increases in myocardial matrix metalloproteinase–2 activity than WT mice. These data suggest that the Nox2-containing reduced nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase contributes significantly to the processes underlying adverse cardiac remodeling and contractile dysfunction post-MI.
Hyperresistinemia Is Associated With Coexistence of Hypertension and Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Takata Yasunori , Osawa Haruhiko , Kurata Mie , Kurokawa Maki , Yamauchi Junko , Ochi Masaaki , Nishida Wataru , Okura Takafumi , Higaki Jitsuo , Makino Hideichi
Published: January 2008

Numerous studies have demonstrated that high blood pressure substantially increases the risk of microvascular and macrovascular complications in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Currently, we found that serum resistin, an adipocyte- and monocyte-derived cytokine, was positively correlated with several components of the metabolic syndrome, including hypertension in T2DM. To investigate the association of resistin with an etiologic difference among subjects with hypertension with T2DM, hypertension without T2DM, and normotensive T2DM, we analyzed 210 subjects, including 91 with hypertension with T2DM, 55 with hypertension without T2DM, and 64 with normotensive T2DM. Serum resistin level was higher in subjects with hypertension with T2DM, followed by subjects with normotensive T2DM and hypertension without T2DM, irrespective of antihypertensive treatment status (20.9±17.6 and 14.0±8.9 versus 11.2±7.6 ng/mL, respectively;
P
<0.01). Simple regression analysis revealed that resistin positively correlated with blood pressure (systolic blood pressure:
r
=0.29,
P
<0.01; diastolic blood pressure:
r
=0.21,
P
<0.05) and intima-media thickness (
r
=0.27;
P
<0.05) in patients with T2DM but not in subjects with hypertension without T2DM. Multiple regression analysis, adjusted for age, gender, body mass index, fasting glucose, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, white blood cell counts, and glomerular filtration rate, further revealed that resistin was an independent factor for high blood pressure in patients with T2DM (
P
<0.05). In vitro gene expression analysis in human coronary endothelial cells revealed that resistin induced fatty acid binding protein, a key molecule of insulin resistance, diabetes, and atherosclerosis. These results suggest that hyperresistinemia would contribute to the pathogenesis of hypertension in patients with T2DM, significantly linked to vascular complications and cardiovascular events.
Endothelial 15-Lipoxygenase-1 Overexpression Increases Acetylcholine-Induced Hypotension and Vasorelaxation in Rabbits
Authors: Aggarwal Nitin T. , Chawengsub Yuttanna , Gauthier Kathryn M. , Viita Helena , Yla-Herttuala Seppo , Campbell William B.
Published: January 2008

Arachidonic acid is metabolized by the 15-lipoxygenase-1 pathway to the vasodilatory eicosanoids hydroxy-epoxyeicosatrienoic acid and trihydroxyeicosatrienoic acid. We determined the in vitro and in vivo effects of the 15-lipoxygenase-1 metabolites in rabbits infected with adenovirus containing cDNA for human 15-lipoxygenase-1 (Ad-15-LO-1). Forty hours after intravenous adenoviral injection, 15-lipoxygenase-1 expression increased in liver and mesenteric arteries 10-fold and 3-fold, respectively. Expression of 15-LO-1 was limited to the endothelium of mesenteric arteries. Overexpression did not occur in tissues from rabbits infected with a β-galactosidase containing adenovirus. Trihydroxyeicosatrienoic acid and hydroxy-epoxyeicosatrienoic acid synthesis per milligram of tissue increased by 2.1- and 1.5-fold, respectively, in mesenteric arteries from Ad-15-LO-1–infected rabbits compared with normal rabbits. Pretreatment with a 15-lipoxygenase inhibitor BW755C inhibited the synthesis. NO and prostaglandin-independent, maximal relaxations to acetylcholine were greater in mesenteric arteries from Ad-15-LO-1–infected rabbits (98.3±1.7%) compared with normal (60.93±10.5%) and β-galactosidase containing adenovirus–infected rabbits (68.3±7.7%). Pretreatment with BW755C decreased these relaxations. Mean arterial pressure and heart rate did not differ in Ad-15-LO-1–infected rabbits compared with normal or β-galactosidase containing adenovirus–infected rabbits. The hypotensive responses to acetylcholine in the presence and absence of inhibition of NO and prostaglandins were greater in Ad-15-LO-1–infected rabbits (−52±2% and −47±2%) compared with normal (−31±3% and −25±5%) or β-galactosidase containing adenovirus–infected rabbits (−38±2% and −30±3%). Therefore, increased expression of 15-LO-1 increases acetylcholine relaxation in arteries and hypotensive responses in rabbits because of increased hydroxy-epoxyeicosatrienoic acid and trihydroxyeicosatrienoic acid synthesis.
From Coptic to Arabic in Medieval Egypt
Authors: Zaborowski Jason
Published: January 2008

The question of when and where Egyptian Christians began to disuse the Coptic language and adopt Arabic remains a puzzle. The Apocalypse of Samuel of Qalamūn (ASQ) offers interesting hints about the process of language change by referring to the loss of Coptic in church functions. This paper argues that the ASQ represents Christians from the specific region of the Fayyūm and their struggle of identity maintenance that occurred after the Coptic language had generally fallen into disuse. Some scholars have speculated that the ASQ has a Coptic Vorlage, even though it is only extant in Arabic. This paper argues that the ASQ may have been originally an Arabic composition, perhaps written as late as the fourteenth century, as a means of connecting the Christian community to the Coptic language at a time when they were unable to access their tradition through Coptic-language texts.
Jews and Christians in Almoravid Seville as Portrayed by the Islamic Jurist Ibn cAbdūn
Authors: García-Sanjuán Alejandro
Published: January 2008

This article examines the way in which Jews and Christians are portrayed in the hisba treatise by the Andalusian Islamic jurist from Seville, Ibn cAbdūn (12th century). The first part is devoted to describe his comments on these religious communities in connection with previous Islamic juridical tradition. The second one deals with the relationship between the theoretical and practical dimensions of the juridical information that he provides in regard to the influence of the Almoravid rule over the legal conditions of Jews and Christians. Finally, the article includes an appendix with the English translation of IbncAbdūn's references to Jews and Christians.
"As the Lord Lives and as Your Soul Lives": An Oath of Conscious Deference
Authors: Ziegler Yael
Published: January 2008

The biblical oath has a particular formulation which juxtaposes it to a phrase containing the word and a reference to the party addressed. In my examination of this variant, I have attempted to demonstrate that this oath formula is a conscious expression of deference in a situation which necessitates this type of expression. Occasions in which an inferior party does not employ this formula may also be regarded as a deliberate flouting of the customary oath-formula, which should be understood as part of the message of the narrative. It may be concluded generally that oaths are carefully chosen and formulated to express central themes and ideas within the context of the narrative. By paying careful attention to oaths and their formulations, biblical passages can come into focus, revealing the rich subtext of the narrative.
The "Angel of YHWH" in Exod. xxiii 20-33 and Judg. ii 1-5. A Clue to the "Deuteronom(ist)ic" Puzzle?
Authors: Ausloos Hans
Published: January 2008

Within current research into the composition of the Pentateuch, the role of the takes an increasing role. As such, passages in which the occurs, are considered to be indicative of a (post-)Deuteronomistic redaction or edition. In this respect, Exod. xxiii 20-33 and Judg. ii 1-5 gain special attention. The present contribution firstly surveys the actual debate from the perspective of the relationship between both pericopes. Secondly, the function of the within the scope of Deuteronom(ist)ic literature will be dealt with. Finally, I will argue that the can be decisive with regard to the determination of the direction of dependency between both pericopes.
Knowledge Management in Research and Technology Organizations in a Globalized Era
Authors: Mrinalini  , Nath Pradosh
Published: January 2008

In the developing countries, research and technology organizations (RTOs) have a pivotal role to play in creating national innovation system (NIS). Due to a weak industrial and technological base and the competition induced by globalization of economies, these organizations assume the responsibility of initiating and establishing an innovation system by acting as an interface between R&D and production. RTOs envisage their role as a knowledge support system to the firms to enhance their competitive strength in the new knowledge-based economy. This paper focuses on the organizational efforts undertaken by the RTOs to transform themselves into knowledge generating and marketing organizations. The service, which RTOs provide today are based on their accumulated knowledge over the years. These organizational functions can be facilitated through various organizational processes and practices. Further, these very processes and practices have been analyzed to understand the effectiveness of RTO-client interaction, in terms of knowledge generation and delivery. The paper is based on an international study on “Benchmarking the Best Practices for Research and Technology Organizations,” coordinated by WAITRO.
Science and Technology in Undergraduate Students' Worldview, Shaped by Globalization: The Chilean Case
Authors: Parker Cristian
Published: January 2008

There may exist among the university students a true motivation toward science and technology, as these symbolize progress. On the contrary, their attachment to religious values does not discourage their motivation for science and technology. Their critical appreciation of the role of science and technology is related mostly to the ethical and ecological judgments and not to traditional values. The globalization process increasingly shapes this worldview of students. The main approach of this paper comes from a constructivist perspective of science and technology. The empirical data are based on a recent national survey conducted among a sample of students drawn from 25 main Chilean universities.
Malaysian Technological Elite: Specifics of a Knowledge Society in a Developing Country
Authors: Saloma-Akpedonu Czarina
Published: January 2008

There is a lack of understanding of the forms of knowledge and expertise in so-called developing societies such as Malaysia. This paper addresses this issue by suggesting a framework—based on Schutz and Luckmann's (1973) concept of social distribution of knowledge and Knorr Cetina's (1999) notion of epistemic communities—for examining the Malaysian automotive and information technology industries. These industries are central to Malaysia's agenda of becoming a knowledge society in the context of Vision 2020. Vital to these industries is a group of Malaysian professionals who possess knowledge and expertise: the “technological elite.” is group, the technological elite, includes, but is not limited to, engineers working for Proton, as well as professionals working in the Multimedia Super Corridor. Using professional biographies and narratives, this paper illuminates the context and culture of knowledge in Malaysia. Similarities in the principles that inform epistemic practices and relations within an “old” industry (i.e., automotive) and a “new” industry (i.e., ICT) call for the recognition of epistemic work characterized by the mixing of specialist knowledge with other forms of knowledge, and of localized knowledge in nascent epistemic communities with knowledge developed from an established tradition of technological practice.
Survey of Primary Care Pediatricians on the Transition and Transfer of Adolescents to Adult Health Care
Authors: Burke Robert , Spoerri Michael , Price Ashley , Cardosi Ann-Marie , Flanagan Patricia
Published: January 2008

The transition and transfer from pediatrics to adult health care of youth with and without special health care needs has become a focus of professional organizations, health care insurers, national policy makers, and providers. To understand transition and transfer at a primary care practice level, all primary care pediatricians in Rhode Island were surveyed. Responses were received from 103 of 169 (60.9%) practicing pediatricians. Few responders had practice policies on transfer. Most reported that transition should begin later than recommended. Few practices communicated with adult providers at transfer. Most reported that health insurers were of little help in transfer. Many pediatric practices had young adults after age 22 and many with special needs. Responders reported adolescents left their practices by 1 of 6 methods. The survey indicates the need for further study of transition and transfer and the need for additional training and education if transfers are to be successful.
Assessing the Effect of Docosahexaenoic Acid on Cognitive Functions in Healthy, Preschool Children: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind Study
Authors: Ryan Alan S. , Nelson Edward B.
Published: January 2008

The utility of multicenter cognitive test methodology and resultant outcomes of supplementation with docosahexaenoic acid in healthy 4-year-old children was evaluated in a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study. Subjects received 400-mg/d docosahexaenoic acid (n = 85) or matching placebo (n = 90) in capsules for 4 months. Cognitive tests included the Leiter-R Test of Sustained Attention, Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, Day-Night Stroop Test, and Conners' Kiddie Continuous Performance Test. The relationship of docosahexaenoic acid levels in capillary whole blood from a subsample (n = 93) with scores on cognitive tests was evaluated. For each test, results indicated that changes from baseline to end of treatment were not statistically significantly different between the docosahexaenoic acid group and the placebo group. Regression analysis, however, yielded a statistically significant positive ( P = .018) association between the blood level of docosahexaenoic acid and higher scores on the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, a test of listening comprehension and vocabulary acquisition.
The Dynamics of Lawmaking in a Bicameral Legislature
Authors: Hiroi Taeko
Published: January 2008

This article analyzes legislative performance in a nascent presidential bicameral democracy, taking Brazil as a case. The author argues that the timing and outcomes of legislative production are functions of bicameral incongruence, types of bicameralism, sequence of examination, and legislative bargaining. These hypotheses are tested using a new legislative data set from Brazil that covers over 3,000 bills submitted to the National Congress since 1988. Event history analyses of these bills show that presidential bicameral (coalitional) majorities, presidential elections, initiation by the lower house, and bills proposing provisional changes raise the chances of a bill's approval. The results also indicate that the effects of many of these variables are time dependent. In contrast, bicameral incongruence, symmetric bicameralism, and legislative elections either raise the risks of a bill's rejection or delay the timing of its approval. Economic crises increase legislative activities in general in both approving and rejecting bills.
High-Stakes, Minimum-Competency Exams
Authors: Goodman Gay , Arbona Consuelo , Dominguez de Rameriz Romilia
Published: January 2008

Increasingly, teacher educators recommend authentic, performance-related measures for evaluating teacher candidates. Nevertheless, more states are requiring teachers to pass high-stakes, minimum-competency exams. This study examined the relation between teacher candidate scores on authentic measures and their scores on certification exams required by the state of Texas. Participants included 155 teacher candidates. Predictor variables that served as authentic measures of teaching effectiveness included scores on the Professional Attributes Questionnaire (PAQ), designed to measure teaching dispositions, and scores on Teaching Performance Portfolios, designed to measure teaching knowledge and skills. Scores on the Professional Roles and Responsibilities (PPR) and the Generalist Elementary Comprehensive (GEC) exams served as the measures for the high-stakes, minimum-competency tests. Findings indicate a significant relationship between the PAQ and both the PPR and the GEC exams. No significant relationship was found between the Teaching Performance Portfolios and either one of the state-mandated tests.
Responding to Our Critics
Authors: Grossman Pam
Published: January 2008

This article uses Andrew Abbott's concept of jurisdictional challenge to analyze the current challenges facing university-based teacher educators. The author suggests that teacher educators are dangerously close to losing jurisdiction over two key professional tasks—the preparation of new professionals and the production of academic knowledge for the profession. The author then argues for the need for researchers in teacher education to respond to such jurisdictional challenges by focusing on pressing policy issues regarding the preparation of teachers and by strengthening the quality of research.
Investigating the Content and Sources of Teacher Candidates' Personal Practical Theories (PPTs)
Authors: Levin Barbara , Ye He
Published: January 2008

Research on teachers' (personal) theories and beliefs and their (practical) knowledge derived from experience, whether held implicitly or stated explicitly as their personal practical theories (PPTs), indicates that such beliefs can influence teachers' classroom practices and, therefore, the opportunities that their students have for learning. This study uses a content analysis of 472 self-reported PPTs collected from 94 prospective teachers to develop a model of categories of beliefs, and describes the relationship between the content and sources of teacher candidates' beliefs, expressed as PPTs. The purpose of this study is to help teacher educators better understand beliefs that teacher candidates bring to their teacher education program as we try to influence their knowledge and practices.
The Effects of Hands-On Experience On Students' Preferences for Assessment Methods
Authors: Struyven Katrien , Dochy Filip , Janssens Steven
Published: January 2008

This study investigates the effects of student teachers' hands-on experience with evaluation on their preferences for assessment methods. A course on child development within the 1st year of the elementary teacher education program provides the quasi-experimental learning/teaching setting. Five research conditions are linked to four assessment modes, namely, portfolio, case-based, peer assessment, and multiple-choice evaluations. Data collection was obtained by questionnaires, adopting a longitudinal design that involves three moments of measurement. Results show initially negative responses to unknown assessment methods. As familiarity with the assessment tool grew, student teachers' preferences changed positively. Although the extent differs, every assessment method benefited significantly from the teacher candidates' experience with the format during the course. Moreover, student teachers' perceptions of the appropriateness of the assessment method for evaluation purposes are congruent with their preferences. Consequently, to change student teachers' preferences for unknown assessment methods, hands-on experiences are fundamental and need to be positive. Results are particularly encouraging for teacher education instructors who use a variety of assessment modes.
The Effects of Exposure to Virtual Child Pornography on Viewer Cognitions and Attitudes Toward Deviant Sexual Behavior
Authors: Paul Bryant , Linz Daniel G.
Published: January 2008

Assumptions regarding the harmful effects of exposure to virtual child pornography are tested in a laboratory experiment. Based on a lexical decision-making task, participants exposed to sexually explicit depictions of females who appear to be minors (“barely legal” pornography) were faster to recognize sexual words after being primed with neutral depictions of girls compared to participants who were preexposed to adult pornography. Trend analysis showed that participants took longer to recognize sexual words after exposure to neutral depictions of underage females the older the models they saw in the exposure condition. Contrary to predictions, male and female participants exposed to barely legal pornography estimated lower rather than higher prevalence and popularity of barely legal depictions than those in other conditions. Implications of evidence of a child-sex cognitive schema following exposure to barely legal pornography and explanations for the failure to support predictions concerning Web-based barely legal pornography are discussed.
Young Adults' Retrospective Reports of Childhood Television Viewing
Authors: Potts Richard , Belden Angela , Reese Celinda
Published: January 2008

Two studies investigated young adults' retrospective reports of childhood television viewing patterns. Prime-time TV schedules from several years prior to the assessment were presented to participants, who indicated how often they watched each program. Validity of the reports was assessed by examining the logical consistency in the reported patterns and measuring participants' recall of content from programs they reported to have watched often, occasionally, or never. As predicted, participants reported ecologically valid patterns of TV viewing and recalled more content from frequently viewed programs than from ones viewed less frequently. Accuracy of recalled content was very high. Test-retest reliability indicated very high consistency in TV-viewing reports across one week. Past overall viewing levels were related to a current measure of perceived realism in TV programs, indicating nomological validity of the measure. The discussion includes implications of a retrospective measure of early TV viewing for research on relationships between early media exposure and later psychological characteristics.
Toward a Theory of Goal Detection in Social Interaction
Authors: Palomares Nicholas A.
Published: January 2008

The inferences individuals make about others' goals is an integral, but neglected, aspect of empirical and theoretical work on social interaction. An original theoretical framework is proposed to account for interindividual agreement and certainty of goal inferences. Two experiments applied the framework to explain how contextual ambiguity and tactical functionality affected agreement and certainty. Results generally support hypotheses regarding agreement, such that goal inferences converged (i.e., interobserver agreement increased) as the context and tactic became more compatible, yet results largely do not support hypotheses for inference certainty, as the only significant effect that emerged was that certainty was higher in unambiguous than ambiguous contexts. A reconsideration of the theoretical framework on goal detection is discussed and implications are advanced.
Investigating the Population Sensitivity Assumption of Item Response Theory True-Score Equating Across Two Subgroups of Examinees and Two Test Formats
Authors: von Davier Alina A. , Wilson Christine
Published: January 2008

Dorans and Holland (2000) and von Davier, Holland, and Thayer (2003) introduced measures of the degree to which an observed-score equating function is sensitive to the population on which it is computed. This article extends the findings of Dorans and Holland and of von Davier et al. to item response theory (IRT) true-score equating methods that are commonly used in the nonequivalent-groups anchor test (NEAT) design. Using data from the Advanced Placement Program Calculus AB exam, which contain multiple-choice (MC) and free-response (FR) sections, the authors investigate the population sensitivity of the IRT equating functions computed for the MC section only and for the MC and FR sections together. The degree of population sensitivity is also compared across three equating methods: the IRT true-score equating method and two observed-score equating methods, chained equipercentile and Tucker linear equating.
Exploring Population Sensitivity of Linking Functions Across Three Law School Admission Test Administrations
Authors: Mei Liu  , Holland
Published: January 2008

The simplified version of the Dorans and Holland (2000) measure of population invariance, the root mean square difference (RMSD), is used to explore the degree of dependence of linking functions on the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) subpopulations defined by examinees' gender, ethnic background, geographic region, law school application status, and law school admission status. Equating parallel measures of equal reliability shows very little evidence of population dependence of equating functions. When linking parallel measures, the actual amount of reliability does not seem to be a significant factor for tests with sufficient reliability. Linking two nonstrictly parallel tests that measure the same construct results in less population sensitivity than linking two tests that measure different constructs. The latter linkage leads to substantial population dependence. Linking functions are the least invariant across the ethnic subpopulations. Differences in constructs seem to play a bigger role in population sensitivity of linking functions than do differences in reliability.
Predictors of Enrollees' Satisfaction With a County-Sponsored Indigent Health Care Plan
Authors: Boothroyd Roger A. , Rocca Tara Della , Huey Jen Chen
Published: January 2008

This article summarizes the findings from a study examining the predictors of satisfaction among individuals enrolled in a county-sponsored indigent health care plan. Mail survey procedures were used to obtain information from enrollees regarding their satisfaction with the health care plan, as well as enrollees' demo-graphics, health care status, and trust in their providers. Results of a stepwise regression model developed using a random half of the respondents revealed enrollees' trust in health care providers was the strongest predictor of general satisfaction, followed by perception of change in health status, and age. The model explained 49% of the variance and demonstrated little shrinkage when cross-validated on the remaining half of the respondents. Trust in health care providers, followed by perception of change in health status also emerged as the strongest predictors of enrollees' satisfaction with freedom of choice.
The Impact of Density Dependence, Sociopolitical Legitimation and Competitive Intensity on Self-Help/Mutual-Aid Formation
Authors: Archibald Matthew E.
Published: January 2008

Density-dependent and density-independent legitimation and competition are used to explain the evolution of self-help/mutual-aid (1955—2000), a long-lived population of health movement organizations. While previous research suggests the importance of both kinds of measures, this paper shows that better specification of density-independent sociopolitical legitimation and competitive intensity improves understanding of organizational and institutional factors affecting organizational formation. Sociopolitical legitimation, for instance, has a beneficial impact on self-help/mutual-aid formation, but later depresses founding rates because identity enclosure hinders new entries. Implications for further studies of identity, legitimation and competition are discussed.
Managing Meaning through Branding — the Case of a Consulting Firm
Authors: Kärreman Dan , Rylander Anna
Published: January 2008

The current interest in organizational culture, identity, image and reputation and in organizational discourse points towards the pressure on contemporary organizations to focus attention on the symbolic dimensions of their activities. The phenomenon of branding, while originally portrayed as a marketing tool, can also be understood as an exercise in management of meaning. Branding does not only inform external stakeholders, such as customers and investors, about the values of the organization. It also potentially instructs and directs organizational members. In this sense, branding can be viewed as a management and leadership practice. Drawing on a longitudinal case study, this paper illustrates how these practices are played out in the particular context of a management consulting firm and explores the relationship between branding and organizational identity and identification. The study highlights the shortcomings of the strategic marketing perspective on brands and the need for further empirical studies that examine the role of branding from different perspectives and in different empirical contexts.
Exploring the Metaphor of Connectivity: Attributes, Dimensions and Duality
Authors: Kolb Darl G.
Published: January 2008

The term `connectivity' has wide usage as a technical term describing connections between electronic devices. Increasingly, however, the concept of connectivity is being used as a metaphor for intra- and inter-organizational interactions. This article explores some of the attributes that make the metaphor of connectivity applicable to social phenomena, namely latent potentiality, temporal intermittency, actor agency and unknowable pervasiveness. Furthermore, it identifies how `connects' and `disconnects' suggest an underlying theoretical duality , which is illustrated across multiple dimensions of connectivity, including: geo-physical, technical, interpersonal, group, organizational, networks, economic, cultural, political and philosophical. Implications for management and research are discussed.
Metaphor in Organizational Research: Context, Modalities and Implications for Research — Introduction
Authors: Cornelissen Joep P. , Oswick Cliff , Thøger Christensen Lars , Phillips Nelson
Published: January 2008

We provide a general overview of previous work which has explored the use of metaphors in organizational research. Differences in focus and form of research on metaphors are noted. Work in organization theory (OT) and organizational communication (OC) generally features prescriptive metaphors that aid the practice of theorizing and research; research in organizational development (OD) tends to use metaphors for intervention in individual and group decision-making; while studies of organizational behaviour (OB) emphasize the metaphors-in-use within individuals' sensemaking accounts of critical events within their organization. Alongside these differences in focus, the form of metaphor analysis also differs across these contexts, ranging from text- and discourse-based analysis to the analysis of non-linguistic modalities such as pictorial signs, gestures and artefacts. Based on our overview of previous work, we call for greater attention to methodological issues around metaphor identification and analysis and outline a number of directions for further research.
Methodology by Metaphor: Ways of Seeing in Painting and Research
Authors: Hatch Mary Jo , Yanow Dvora
Published: January 2008

Scholars paint theoretical canvases, using words, without always making transparent the logic of inquiry embedded within their writing. This is especially so when writing for their own epistemic communities, whose members share a set of usually unspoken methodological presuppositions concerning the `reality status' of what they study and its `know-ability'. When research topics engage scholars across epistemic communities, as in organizational studies, arguments may be difficult to parse precisely because these presuppositions remain implicit, unnoted and, perhaps, unnoticed. By enabling new ways of seeing familiar things, metaphors can facilitate such encounters by making the implicit less so. We turn to painting to enable metaphoric understanding of methodological differences in organizational and other social science scholarship, drawing on examples from the organizational identity literature. Much as artists look at the world around them and render things on canvas using a range of techniques, so researchers use methods reflecting ontological and epistemological presuppositions about their research worlds. Contrasting Rembrandt with Pollock presents, through metaphor, our case for seeing differences between realists and interpretivists, whether they paint or do research.
Midwest Nursing Research Society Sage Best Paper Award: The Association of Diabetes and Older Age With the Absence of Chest Pain During Acute Coronary Syndromes
Authors: DeVon Holli A. , Penckofer Sue , Larimer Karen
Published: January 2008

Cardiac autonomic neuropathy associated with diabetes can cause silent myocardial ischemia and may influence the way that patients perceive symptoms of acute coronary syndromes (ACS). The purpose of this study was to examine symptoms of ACS in patients with and without diabetes while controlling for length of time with diabetes. A convenience sample of 256 patients from two large medical centers in the Midwest participated. Patients with diabetes comprised 33.2% of the sample and reported significantly less chest pain and more unusual fatigue. Patients with diabetes of longer duration (10 or more years) reported more difficulty breathing than did patients with diabetes of shorter duration (fewer than 10 years). Older patients with the same diabetes status also reported less chest pain. For older patients and for patients with diabetes, lack of chest pain during ACS could delay treatment and is thus a concern.
Interdependence and Integration Learning in Student Project Teams: Do Team Project Assignments Achieve What We Want Them To?
Authors: Skilton Paul F. , Forsyth David , White Otis J.
Published: January 2008

Building from research on learning in workplace project teams, the authors work forward from the idea that the principal condition enabling integration learning in student team projects is project complexity. Recognizing the challenges of developing and running complex student projects, the authors extend theory to propose that the experience of reciprocal interdependence between team members enhances student integration learning and that reciprocal interdependence can be decoupled from project complexity. At the individual level, reciprocal interdependence is an interpersonal experience that can develop even in noncomplex tasks. Integration learning can therefore occur even in unrealistic, abstract, short-run student team project assignments. This matters because it gives educators additional options for structuring student project team assignments to generate the desired learning outcomes. The authors find support for the proposed theory by comparing data from abstract student projects to data from realistic student projects and real-life product development projects.
Do Government Tools Influence Organizational Performance?
Authors: Sandfort Jodi , Selden Sally Coleman , Sowa Jessica E.
Published: January 2008

This article explores whether the multiple tools used by government to implement social policy influence organizational performance. This analysis focuses on three tools—grants, contracts, and vouchers—and their use in the field of early childhood care and education. Through analysis of a field-based study of 22 organizations, the authors explore qualitative evidence and examine the relative consequences of each tool using multivariate modeling. The authors conceptualize organizational performance along four dimensions—management capacity, management outcomes, program capacity, and program outcomes—to better explore how government tools influence organizations delivering publicly funded services. Findings reveal that the different tools the government uses to implement early childhood programs have distinct consequences; grants have the most significant, positive consequences on a variety of desirable outcomes.
A Theory of the Firm Perspective on Marketing and Distributive Justice
Authors: Crul Liselore , Zinkhan George M.
Published: January 2008

This article applies a theory-of-the-firm perspective to gain insights about a just allocation of economic resources by the marketing system. It discusses three groups of firm perspectives (i.e., economic theories, contingency theories, and marketing-oriented theories of the firm) and their implications for (1) the definition of distributive justice; (2) the sources, frequency, and intensity of conflict; and (3) approaches to conflict resolution. Finally, the authors argue that a stakeholder perspective of the firm is the most appropriate theory to avoid conflict and promote cooperation between the firm and its stakeholders because of both its instrumental and normative foundation.