bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Suppression of Tumor GrowthIn vivoby the Mitocan α-tocopheryl Succinate Requires Respiratory Complex II
Authors: Dong Lan-Feng , Freeman Ruth , Liu Ji , Zobalova Renata , Marin-Hernandez Alvaro , Stantic Marina , Rohlena Jakub , Valis Karel , Rodriguez-Enriquez Sara , Butcher Bevan , Goodwin Jacob , Brunk Ulf T. , Witting Paul K. , Moreno-Sanchez Rafael , Scheffler Immo E. , Ralph Stephen J. , Neuzil Jiri
Published: February 2009

Purpose: Vitamin E analogues are potent novel anticancer drugs. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the cellular target by which these agents, represented by α-tocopoheryl succinate (α-TOS), suppress tumors in vivo, with the focus on the mitochondrial complex II (CII).

Experimental Design: Chinese hamster lung fibroblasts with functional, dysfunctional, and reconstituted CII were transformed using H-Ras. The cells were then used to form xenografts in immunocompromized mice, and response of the cells and the tumors to α-TOS was studied.

Results: The CII-functional and CII-reconstituted cells, unlike their CII-dysfunctional counterparts, responded to α-TOS by reactive oxygen species generation and apoptosis execution. Tumors derived from these cell lines reciprocated their responses to α-TOS. Thus, growth of CII-functional and CII-reconstituted tumors was strongly suppressed by the agent, and this was accompanied by high level of apoptosis induction in the tumor cells. On the other hand, α-TOS did not inhibit the CII-dysfuntional tumors.

Conclusions: We document in this report a novel paradigm, according to which the mitochondrial CII, which rarely mutates in human neoplasias, is a plausible target for anticancer drugs from the group of vitamin E analogues, providing support for their testing in clinical trials.
Psoralidin, an Herbal Molecule, Inhibits Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase–Mediated Akt Signaling in Androgen-Independent Prostate Cancer Cells
Authors: Kumar Raj , Srinivasan Sowmyalakshmi , Koduru Srinivas , Pahari Pallab , Rohr Jürgen , Kyprianou Natasha , Damodaran Chendil
Published: February 2009

The protein kinase Akt plays an important role in cell proliferation and survival in many cancers, including prostate cancer. Due to its kinase activity, it serves as a molecular conduit for inhibiting apoptosis and promoting angiogenesis in most cell types. In most of the prostate tumors, Akt signaling is constitutively activated due to the deletion or mutation of the tumor suppressor PTEN, which negatively regulates phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase through lipid phosphatase activity. Recently, we identified a natural compound, psoralidin, which inhibits Akt phosphorylation, and its consequent activation in androgen-independent prostate cancer (AIPC) cells. Furthermore, ectopic expression of Akt renders AIPC cells resistant to chemotherapy; however, psoralidin overcomes Akt-mediated resistance and induces apoptosis in AIPC cells. While dissecting the molecular events, both upstream and downstream of Akt, we found that psoralidin inhibits phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase activation and transcriptionally represses the activation of nuclear factor-κB and its target genes (Bcl-2, Survivin, and Bcl-xL, etc.), which results in the inhibition of cell viability and induction of apoptosis in PC-3 and DU-145 cells. Interestingly, psoralidin selectively targets cancer cells without causing any toxicity to normal prostate epithelial cells. In vivo xenograft assays substantiate these in vitro findings and show that psoralidin inhibits prostate tumor growth in nude mice. Our findings are of therapeutic significance in the management of prostate cancer patients with advanced or metastatic disease, as they provide new directions for the development of a phytochemical-based platform for prevention and treatment strategies for AIPC.
Experimental Analysis of Radiation Dose Distribution in Radiosurgery: I. Dose Hot Spot inside Target Volume
Authors: Massager Nicolas , Maris Calliope , Nissim Ouzi , Devriendt Daniel , Salmon Isabelle , Levivier Marc
Published: February 2009

Introduction: Radiosurgery is currently performed with different systems of focused radiation providing different dose heterogeneities within the target volume. Here, we aimed to study histological consequences of different dose distributions inside the target area in an experimental model of Gamma Knife irradiation in the rat striatum. Material and Methods: Twelve rats were irradiated by Gamma Knife at the same volume in the right striatum; the same margin dose of 45 Gy was prescribed for all rats. Three different dose distributions inside the target volume were applied. Brain sections at the level of the target area were histologically analyzed 3 months after irradiation. Results: Of the 7 histopathological reactions found as a consequence of the irradiation, 6 of them were significantly related to the gradient of dose heterogeneity within the target volume. Conclusions: Dose distribution inside the target volume could influence the histological effects of radiosurgical irradiation on tissue included in the target. A high dose in the target volume is more likely to lead to the desired radiobiological result.
Combined Diffuse Light Reflectance and Electrical Impedance Measurements as a Navigation Aid in Deep Brain Surgery
Authors: Johansson Johannes D. , Blomstedt Patric , Haj-Hosseini Neda , Bergenheim A. Tommy , Eriksson Ola , Wårdell Karin
Published: February 2009

Aim: The aim of this study is to assess reflected light intensity combined with impedance as a navigation aid during stereotactic neurosurgery. Methods: During creation of 21 trajectories for stereotactic implantation of deep brain stimulation electrodes in the globus pallidus internus or subthalamus (zona incerta or subthalamic nucleus), impedance at 512 kHz and reflected light intensity at 780 nm were measured continuously and simultaneously with a radio frequency electrode containing optical fibres. The signals were compared with the anatomy, determined from pre- and post-operative MRI and CT. The measurements were performed within minutes, and signal analysis was done post-operatively. Results: Reflected light intensity was low from the cortex, lateral ventricle, caudate nucleus and putamen; intermediate from the globus pallidus and thalamus; while it was high from the subcortical white matter, internal capsule and subthalamus. The electrical impedance was less consistent, but generally low in the cortex, intermediate in the subcortical white matter, putamen, globus pallidus and thalamus, and high in the internal capsule and subthalamus. Conclusion: Reflected light intensity and electrical impedance give complementary information about passed tissue, and the combination seems promising as a navigation aid during stereotactic neurosurgery.
Gamma Knife Radiosurgery for Recurrent and Residual Meningeal Hemangiopericytomas
Authors: Sun Shibin , Liu Ali , Wang Chongcheng
Published: February 2009

Aims: The aim of this study was to assess the clinical effects of Gamma Knife radiosurgery (GKS) for recurrent and residual meningeal hemangiopericytomas (M-HPC). Methods: Between December 1994 and December 2006, 22 patients with recurrent and residual M-HPC with 58 foci underwent GKS at the Gamma Knife Center of Beijing Neurosurgical Institute. Of these 22 patients, 13 patients (59.1%) were males and 9 patients (40.9%) were females. The mean age was 40.9 years (range 16–64 years). The mean volume of these tumors was 5.4 cm3 (range 0.1–37.2 cm3). The mean tumor margin dose was 13.5 Gy (range 10.0–20.0 Gy). The mean tumor central dose was 28.2 Gy (range 21.8–35.0 Gy). The mean prescription isodose line was 48.4% (range 30.0–70.0%). Results: The mean period of follow-up was 26.0 months (range 5–90 months). Of these 22 patients, intracranial metastases developed in 7 patients (31.8%), extracranial metastases developed in 3 patients (13.6%). Four patients died. The mean life expectancy of these 22 patients was 67.7 months (range 7–192 months). Of these 58 foci, radiological follow-up showed that 25 foci (43.1%) nearly disappeared, 13 foci (22.4%) shrunk, 14 foci (24.1%) remained stable and 6 foci (10.3%) enlarged. The overall tumor control rate was 89.7%. Conclusion: GKS provides an effective and safe adjunct management for postoperative small-to-moderate sized M-HPC and plays an important role in controlling recurrent and residual M-HPC to avoid a repeat surgical resection.
Distribution of 2-[125I]iodomelatonin Binding in the Brain of Mexican Free-Tailed Bats (Tadarida brasiliensis)
Authors: Schwartz Christine , Bartell Paul , Cassone Vincent , Smotherman Michael
Published: February 2009

The neurohormone melatonin is an important signal for both time of day and time of year in many seasonally breeding animals. High densities of melatonin receptors have been found in the suprachiasmatic nucleus, median eminence, and the pituitary gland in almost all mammals investigated so far, and lower densities of melatonin receptors have also been localized to other brain regions varying in a species-specific fashion. Because species-specific differences in receptor distributions have been correlated with differences in behavior and ecology, a comparative study of how melatonin receptors are distributed in vertebrate brains can be useful to the understanding of the functional organization of neural circuits controlling daily and seasonal behaviors. In this study, we localized and characterized melatonin binding sites in the brain of the Mexican free-tailed bat (Tadarida brasiliensis) using in vitro autoradiography with 2-[125I]iodomelatonin. Tadarida brasiliensis is a nocturnal insectivorous mammal that seasonally migrates, reproduces once a year, and exhibits documented sexual dimorphisms in seasonal reproductive behaviors, most notably in courtship vocalizations. Prominent 2-[125I]iodomelatonin binding was found in the median eminence, suprachiasmatic nuclei, and hippocampus, similar to that observed in other mammals. High densities of binding were also localized to structures of the basal ganglia, including the caudate nucleus, putamen, and nucleus accumbens, a feature commonly observed in songbirds but not in mammals. Saturation analysis indicated that the observed binding sites had an affinity for melatonin typical of the binding properties for the Mel1a receptor subtype. We conclude that melatonin receptor distributions in the Mexican free-tailed bat brain appear to show similarities with the reproductive and circadian systems of other mammals and the basal ganglia of songbirds.
Pyloric Neuron Morphology in the Stomatogastric Ganglion of the Lobster, Panulirus interruptus
Authors: Thuma Jeffrey B. , White William E. , Hobbs Kevin H. , Hooper Scott L.
Published: February 2009

The pyloric network of decapod crustaceans has been intensively studied electrophysiologically in the infraorders Astacidea, Brachyura, and Palinura. The morphology of some or all pyloric neurons has been well described in Astacidea and Brachyura, but less so in Palinura. Given the large evolutionary distance between these three groups, and the large amount of electrophysiology that has been performed in palinuroid species, it is important to fill this gap. We describe here the gross morphology of all six pyloric neuron types in a palinuroid, P. interruptus. All pyloric neurons had complicated, extended dendritic trees that filled the majority of the neuropil, with most small diameter processes present in a shell near the surface of the ganglion. Certain neuron types showed modest preferences for somata location in the ganglion, but these differences were too weak to use as identifying characteristics. Quantitative measurements of secondary branch number, maximum branch order, total process length, and neuron somata diameter were also, in general, insufficient to distinguish among the neurons, although AB and LP neuron somata diameters differed from those of the other types. One neuron type (VD) had a distinctive neurite branching pattern consisting of a small initial branch followed shortly by a bifurcation of the main neurite. The processes arising from these two branches occupied largely non-overlapping neuropil. Electrophysiological recordings showed that each major branch had its own spike initiation zone and that, although the zones fired correlated spikes, they generated spikes independently. VD neurons in the other infraorders have similar morphologies, suggesting that having two arbors is important for the function of this neuron. These data are similar to those previously obtained in Brachyura and Astacidea. It thus appears that, despite their long evolutionary separation, neuron morphology in these three infraorders has not greatly diverged.
Very Low Prenatal Exposure to Lead and Mental Development of Children in Infancy and Early Childhood
Authors: Jedrychowski Wieslaw , Perera Frederica P. , Jankowski Jeffery , Mrozek-Budzyn Dorota , Mroz Elzbieta , Flak Elzbieta , Edwards Susan , Skarupa Anita , Lisowska-Miszczyk Ilona
Published: February 2009

Background: The primary purpose of the study was to establish a possible association between very low levels of prenatal exposure to lead and mental development of children at 12, 24 and 36 months of age. Methods: The study sample consisted of 444 children born to mothers who attended ambulatory prenatal clinics in Krakow inner city in the first and second trimesters of pregnancy. We assessed exposure to lead by the cord blood lead measurements, and mental development in infancy and early childhood using the Bayley Mental Development Index (MDI). The relationship between prenatal lead exposure and MDI scores at each follow-up period was evaluated with linear multivariate regression. To test the overall effect of maternal exposure to lead during pregnancy on the Bayley test scores at 12, 24 and 36 months of age, we used the generalized estimating equations (GEE) longitudinal panel model as well. Results: The median lead level in cord blood was 1.23 μg/dl, in the range of 0.44–6.90 μg/dl. An adverse effect of prenatal lead exposure (log-transformed lead concentrations) on MDI scores at 12 months of age was of border significance (β = –5.42, 95% CI: –11.19 to 0.35). Subsequent testing of children at 24 months of age showed a significant inverse association of mental function and lead exposure (β = –7.65, 95% CI: –14.68 to –0.62). A significant deficit in cognitive function due to prenatal lead exposure was also confirmed at 36 months of age (β = –6.72, 95% CI: –12.5 to –0.89). The GEE panel model showed that the average deficit in the cognitive development attributable to lead exposure over 3 years was also significant (β = –6.62, 95% CI: –1.52 to –1.72). Mental function scores of girls were better than boys, and the effect of maternal education remained strongly significant in relation to mental function of 3-year-olds. Conclusion: The results of the study demonstrate that the neurotoxic impact of very low levels of prenatal lead exposure (below 5 μg/dl) may occur in infants and very young children, and suggest a revision of established health guidelines for prenatal lead exposure criteria.
Biomarkers and Venous Thromboembolism
Authors: Pabinger Ingrid , Ay Cihan
Published: February 2009

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) represents a significant health concern because of its high morbidity and mortality and is moreover characterized by high rates of recurrence. It would be useful to know biomarkers that enable early identification of patients at high or low risk of primary and recurrent VTE. Various established and novel biomarkers associated with VTE have been investigated with regard to their potential for predicting primary or recurrent VTE, for facilitating the diagnosis and for optimizing the clinical management of VTE. In this review, data on selected biomarkers (D-Dimer, soluble P-selectin, coagulation factor VIII, inflammatory markers and thrombin generation) having procoagulant properties or reflecting a prothrombotic state are summarized, and their role in clinical application is discussed.
Venous Thrombosis in the Antiphospholipid Syndrome
Authors: Farmer-Boatwright Mary Katherine , Roubey Robert A.S.
Published: February 2009

The antiphospholipid syndrome is a relatively common acquired cause of venous thrombosis. Up to 20% of cases of deep vein thrombosis, with and without pulmonary embolism, may be associated with antiphospholipid antibodies. These antibodies are typically detected in lupus anticoagulant assays and tests for anticardiolipin antibodies. Most antiphospholipid antibodies are directed against several phospholipid-binding plasma proteins. The most common antigens are β
2
-glycoprotein I and prothrombin. Immunoassays using these purified antigens are now available. In addition to being markers for thrombotic risk, antiphospholipid antibodies have been shown to directly contribute to hypercoagulability in animal models and in various in vitro studies. Prevention of recurrent venous thrombosis in patients with the antiphospholipid syndrome requires long-term anticoagulation. The optimal intensity of warfarin therapy is an ongoing issue, but most clinicians currently favor a target INR in the 2.0 to 3.0 range. In certain patients, antiphospholipid antibodies may interfere with determination of the INR, requiring other approaches to monitor and adjust the warfarin dose. Low-dose aspirin is typically recommended for primary prevention of thrombosis in asymptomatic patients with moderate to high levels of antiphospholipid antibodies, although strong supporting data are lacking.
Metabolic Syndrome Is Associated With Venous Thromboembolism in the Korean Population
Authors: Jang Moon Ju , Choi Won-il , Bang Soo-Mee , Lee Taeseung , Kim Yeo-Kyeoung , Ageno Walter , Oh Doyeun
Published: February 2009

Background—

The metabolic syndrome (MS) is a known risk factor for arterial thromboembolism. Preliminary reports have also suggested the association between MS and venous thromboembolism (VTE).

Methods and Results—

In this case–control study, we investigated the association between MS and VTE in Korean patients. Patients with objectively diagnosed VTE and healthy control subjects underwent clinical assessment for the presence of MS according to the National Cholesterol Education Adult Treatment Panel III criteria modified with body mass index (WHO Asian Pacific Perspective, 2000). The presence of known risk factors for VTE was ascertained. Patients with VTE secondary to cancer were excluded. The prevalence of MS was compared between VTE group and controls. Two hundred eight VTE patients and 300 controls were assessed. VTE was idiopathic in 91 patients and secondary to a known risk factor in 117. The prevalence of MS was significantly higher in VTE patients (47.6%) than in controls (37.7%) (OR: 1.50; 95% CI: 1.05 to 2.15,
P
=0.026). After adjusting for age, sex, and smoking status, metabolic MS remained independently associated with VTE (OR: 1.56; 95% CI: 1.07 to 2.27,
P
=0.020). In the subgroup analysis, MS was also independently associated with idiopathic VTE (OR: 1.71; 95% CI: 1.04 to 2.81,
P
=0.033), but not with secondary VTE (OR: 1.43; 95% CI: 0.91 to 2.99,
P
=0.121). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that high BMI (OR: 1.70, 95% CI: 1.01 to 2.87), decreased HDL cholesterol (OR: 1.99, 95% CI: 1.17 to 3.39), and elevated fasting glucose levels (OR: 2.31; 95% CI: 1.35 to 3.94) were associated with idiopathic VTE.

Conclusion—

MS is associated with VTE and in particular with idiopathic VTE in the Korean population.
Venous Thromboembolism in Pregnancy
Authors: James Andra H.
Published: February 2009

The purpose of this review is to summarize the epidemiology of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in pregnancy and describe strategies used to prevent and treat it. The main reason for the increased risk of VTE in pregnancy is hypercoagulability. The hypercoagulability of pregnancy, which has likely evolved to protect women from the bleeding challenges of miscarriage and childbirth, is present as early as the first trimester and so is the increased risk of VTE. Other risk factors include a history of thrombosis, inherited and acquired thrombophilia, certain medical conditions, and complications of pregnancy and childbirth. Candidates for anticoagulation are women with a current thrombosis, a history of thrombosis, thrombophilia, and a history of poor pregnancy outcome, or postpartum risk factors for VTE. For fetal reasons, the preferred agents for anticoagulation in pregnancy are heparins. There are no large trials of anticoagulants in pregnancy and recommendations are based on case series and the opinion of experts. Nonetheless, anticoagulants are believed to improve the outcome of pregnancy for women who have or have had VTE.
Linguistic and Stylistic Notes to the Hazon Gabriel Inscription
Authors: Rendsburg Gary
Published: February 2009

This article presents four notes on the recently discovered Hazon Gabriel inscription. Attention is paid to (1) the word in line 24; (2) the phrase in line 77; (3) the presence of alliteration in the text; and (4) the use of variation, especially in the assorted "thus says YHWH" phrases present throughout the composition.
Inclusivism at Qumran
Authors: Holtz Gudrun
Published: February 2009

Within Early Judaism the Qumran Community is widely perceived as a strictly exclusivist group. A thorough analysis of Qumran texts, however, reveals, apart from the dominant strand of exclusivism, remarkably clear inclusivist tendencies. In Qumran literature inclusivist tendencies can be seen both in eschatological texts and in materials dealing with the self-understanding of the Qumran Community in historical time. The legal texts discussed basically confirm this pattern: the Community is to separate from Gentiles and from members of those Jewish groups with whom it earlier entertained close relations. At the same time it is to support the poor and the proselytes. Strictly legal statements prohibiting contacts with non-Essene Judaism as such are missing. In the literature discussed inclusivist and exclusivist tendencies have diff erent weight. A pan-Israelite, e.g. inclusivist, perspective can be seen in 4QpNah, 4QFlor, 4QSM and especially in 4QMMT, 1QSa, and CD/4QD whereas in 1QS exclusivist tendencies predominate.
Measuring Justin's Approach to the Spirit: Trinitarian Conviction and Binitarian Orientation
Authors: Briggman Anthony
Published: February 2009

Over the last hundred years scholars have debated the degree to which Justin Martyr distinguishes the activity and identity of the Word and the Spirit. The incomplete analyses of previous studies did not perceive Justin's regular failure to distinguish the activity of the Spirit from that of the Word, which reveals the presence of a binitarian orientation. In addition, combining the work of E.R. Goodenough and C. Oeyen permits us to recognize the presence of a Spirit-Christology in 1 Apol 33 and Dial 87-88. The failure to distinguish the identities of the Word and the Spirit in these two passages are instances in which Justin subordinates his Trinitarian convictions to binitarian logic.
Islamic Finance and Dispute Resolution: Part 1
Authors: Nadar Aisha
Published: February 2009

The Islamic Financial Industry is an industry that organises financial services in accordance with Islamic Law, in the same way as the traditional financial industry is organised in accordance with secular law. The unique challenges facing the industry in terms of compliance with Islamic law have been internationally recognised in relation to capital adequacy, risk management, corporate governance, transparency and disclosure. The same, however, has not been true in the area of dispute resolution. The purpose of this paper is to identify the unique challenges facing Islamic finance in compliance with Islamic law in the ambit of English courts, evaluate the features of international commercial arbitration as they relate to overcoming these challenges, and provide some suggestions for going forward. The paper is structured as follows: Section 1 will be used to introduce Islamic finance and frame the issues facing the industry in relation to dispute resolution. Section 2 will focus on providing the background required, while Section 3 frames Islamic finance in relation to conventional finance. Section 4 will provide an insight into Islamic law.
Respect for Party Autonomy under Current Saudi Arbitration Law
Authors: Al-Fadhel Faisal
Published: February 2009

Arbitration is an important means for settling disputes between commercial parties, in parallel with the general judicial system. Certain basic standards, such as party autonomy and the supportive role of courts, are required in any modern arbitral legislation if it is to prove effective. This article will focus on the principle of party autonomy, fundamental to modern law, under the current Saudi Arbitration Law. Several issues will be discussed and constructive recommendations given regarding: the consistency in terminology used, specifically with respect to "arbitration instrument", "arbitration clause" and "submission agreement"; the professional qualifications and experience of arbitrators; the choice of language for international arbitration; woman's role as arbitrator; the status of non-Muslim arbitrators; and modernisation of the Saudi Arbitration Law of 1983 and its Implementing Regulations of 1985.
Spiritual/Religious Coping as Intentional Activity: An Action Theoretical Perspective
Authors: Klaassen Derrick W. , Graham Matthew D. , Young Richard A.
Published: February 2009

Spiritual/religious coping has proven to be a fertile ground for investigating health-related spirituality in action. Ken Pargament and his colleagues have successfully demonstrated that spiritual/religious coping differs significantly from previously identified coping strategies. While much has been accomplished to date, there are undeveloped theoretical and methodological avenues that appear to provide important promise for understanding the complexities of this critical domain of coping. Some scholars have failed to conceptualize and research spiritual/religious coping as a contextual, temporally bounded process. This paper explores the theoretical and methodological advantages of adopting a contextually embedded, process-oriented epistemology—contextual action theory. We propose that doing so will not only address some of the inadequacies of the extant literature but also aid researchers in exploring novel dimensions of spiritual/religious coping. From a contextual action-theory perspective, spiritual/religious coping is viewed as intentional, goal-directed behaviour that is embedded in a social and relational context. This teleonomic reconceptualization enables researchers to understand the constitution and development of intentions involved in the process of spiritual/religious coping over time. Further, a contextual action theory perspective transcends the narrow, individualistic lens of coping and explores joint and collective coping processes that emerge as people draw upon spiritual/religious practices to cope with distress. Thus, spiritual/religious coping is embedded in social and relational context and as part of personal, intentional goal-directed processes over time. The novel contributions of a contextual theoretical perspective to spiritual/religious coping research and theory are illustrated through a case example.
The Dynamics of Becoming a Psychologist of Religion: The Case of Heije Faber
Authors: Belzen Jacob A.
Published: February 2009

This paper offers a psychobiographical study of the connection between the life and work of Heije Faber (1907-2001), the internationally best known Dutch psychologist of religion. Initially, Faber studied theology, qualifying in philosophy of religion; in later years, he studied psychology (second doctorate: 1956). As a politically active pastor, he had to hide from the Nazi-occupation of The Netherlands during World War II. In 1970 he became the first professor of the psychology of religion at a Dutch theological faculty. Faber was interested in a psychoanalytic approach to religion, by the end of his life particularly in selfpsychology as developed by Heinz Kohut. There is a curious contradiction in his work: although Faber employs several types of psychology in his autobiography to interpret aspects of his own development, he neglects the Kohutian psychology that he had himself helped to introduce to The Netherlands. This article tries to solve the paradox and suggests some psychological hypotheses as to the relationship of Faber psychodynamics and his contribution to psychology.
Perceiving Sacredness in Life: Correlates and Predictors
Authors: Doehring Carrie , Clarke Ann , Pargament Kenneth I. , Hayes Alice , Hammer Dean , Nickolas Markos , Hughes Patricia
Published: February 2009

Building on research demonstrating relationships between well being and perceptions of aspects of life as sacred, this study describes the rationale for and development of a scale measuring perceiving sacredness in life. It then explores associations between perceptions of sacredness in life and these four domains: religious/spiritual (intrinsic/extrinsic religiosity, quest, mysticism, religious/spiritual history, worship attendance, frequency of prayer, importance of religion/spirituality), personal (purpose in life, commitment to empiricism, narcissism, self esteem, relational attachment), social (community service attitude and helping, social support, imagination tutoring), and situational (enjoyment and frequency of everyday pleasant events, impact of negative events, positive childhood recollections). Participants ( n = 113) responded to a mailing to a national random sample within the United States, completing 16 scales pertaining to the religious/spiritual, personal, social, and situational domains. While many variables were correlated with perceiving sacredness in life, there were three overall predictors: intrinsic religiosity, mysticism, and community service attitude.
Mysticism and Self-Determination in Iran: Multidimensional Complexity of Relationships with Basic Need Satisfaction and Mindfulness
Authors: Ghorbani Nima , Watson P. J.
Published: February 2009

In this study, the self-reported mystical experience of Muslims was correlated with constructs relevant to positive psychology. Iranian university students responded to the Extrovertive, Introvertive, and Religious Interpretation factors of the Mysticism Scale; to the Basic Need Satisfaction and Mindfulness measures associated with Self-Determination Theory; and to instruments recording Attributional Complexity, Obsessiveness, and Quest religiosity. Religious Interpretation and Extrovertive factors correlated positively whereas the Introvertive factor correlated negatively with the Self-Determination and adaptive functioning that are emphases of positive psychology. Research that analyzes mystical experience within the context of positive psychology may, therefore, be useful in clarifying the psychology of religious experience across traditions.
Gender and Religious Faith Experiences of Adult Christian Exemplars
Authors: Kennedy Paul , Reid Malcolm
Published: February 2009

Open-ended survey responses from 205 Christian exemplars drawn from 37 distinct congregations within 19 Christian denominations in the Northwest and New England regions of the United States were analyzed by chi-square and multiple regression analyses to determine relationships between religious experience and gender. Results indicated that men were more likely than women to describe positions of leadership/responsibility/service as influential to their faith, and to indicate their own personal sin as a faith challenge. Women were more likely than men to describe negative/tragic events as a faith influence, the intellectual dimension of their faith as a challenge, and serving other people as a faith satisfaction. These results appear to lend strong empirical support to previous assertions in both the social science and feminist theological literature regarding relationships between gender and religious experience.
Experienced Science Teachers' Learning in the Context of Educational Innovation
Authors: Henze Ineke , van Driel Jan H. , Verloop Nico
Published: February 2009

In the context of educational innovation, it is important to investigate how in-service teachers learn and adapt their knowledge to changing professional circumstances. The authors investigated the informal learning of a small number of experienced science teachers in their first few years of teaching a new science syllabus in secondary education in the Netherlands. The storyline method was used to elicit the teachers' perceptions of their learning from experiences at work. The authors focused on three aspects of learning, namely, teachers' learning activities, courses of development, and changed competences. From the results, two qualitatively different ways of learning were identified. Type I represents a revolutionary course of development in a teacher's engagement in mainly individual activities in the working context. Type II symbolizes an evolutionary development in a teacher's participation in both individual and collaborative activities. Implications for professional development initiatives are discussed, as are suggestions for initial teacher education.
Vulnerability and Love of Learning as Necessities for Wise Teacher Education
Authors: Dale Michael , Frye Elizabeth M.
Published: February 2009

May Sarton's (1961) novel, The Small Room, provides a rich and compelling description of the complex relations among teachers, students, and subject matter at Appleton College. This article explores that “wild triangle of relations” in the context of teacher education, arguing that teacher educators and their students (prospective teachers) should recognize and embrace vulnerability and love as necessary relational qualities in developing and maintaining both the art of learning and the art of teaching. This requires that teacher education in both language and practice relinquish a focus on control and mastery, relinquish a focus on an enclosed and controlling self, and redirect attention to nurturing a loving gaze to what lies outside of us.
Assessment for Learning to Teach
Authors: Tillema Harm H.
Published: February 2009

Supporting student teachers in learning to teach is a collaborative effort by mentor teachers, teacher education supervisors, and student teachers. Each of the participants appraises effort and progress in learning to teach from different perspectives, however. This study explores how practice lessons are assessed by multiple raters. Teacher educators, mentor teachers, and student teachers (51 participants in total) were asked to appraise a practice lesson given by the mentored student. Alignment in rating was analyzed in 17 triads and compared with respect to purpose of assessment, object of appraisal, preferred methods, and focus of the appraisal as well as on the criteria used by the various assessors. Shared problems encountered during the appraisal were also gauged. Our findings indicate considerable variation in purposes and multiple perspectives in criteria among the different assessors. Differences and similarities among the stakeholders were interpreted as contributing to a multifaceted appraisal of accomplishments. Nevertheless, a shared, common ground is also needed to value the different aspects that should be included in an integrated or encompassing approach for assessment of learning to teach.
Minding the Gate
Authors: Squires David , Canney George F. , Trevisan Michael S.
Published: February 2009

This article examines data from nine statewide administrations of the Idaho Comprehensive Literacy Assessment (ICLA) over three-years. The ICLA measures pre-service teachers' knowledge of research-based content and pedagogy related to reading instruction and assessment. The purpose of this article was first to examine pre-service candidates' performance on areas of literacy knowledge. Candidates scored highest when matching literacy terms to definitions; they were mildly less successful matching terms to descriptions of research-based instructional activities; moderately less successful when asked for words containing specified phonic patterns from a passage; and least successful when addressing essay-formatted scenario questions. Idaho literacy instructors have used this information to inform them of their teaching effectiveness. A second purpose of this article was to highlight the challenges and benefits for faculty and programs interested in adopting a similar testing model. The article also points out the organizational and political constraints that can delay adoption and use.
Teaching evaluations and comments of pre-service music teachers regarding expert and novice choral conductors
Authors: Johnson Christopher M. , Price Harry E. , Schroeder Linda K.
Published: February 2009

The purpose of the present study was to determine if pre-service music educators could discriminate between novice and expert choral directors irrespective of the proficiency of the choral ensemble. A secondary purpose was to compare study results elicited in the USA with those from participants in Europe, South America and Asia. Previous research has indicated that teaching proficiency can be evaluated by people who are not speakers of the language of the lesson, but these evaluations have always occurred with participants in a natural environment, i.e., good teachers teaching students who perform well and deficient teachers in front of students who are struggling. This study was conducted to see if good teaching could still be identified, irrespective of student proficiency. Participants viewed videotapes of four different choral conductors from the USA. Two conductors were proficient and experienced, and two were novices. Participants viewed these conductors in the following counterbalanced settings: (1) an accomplished conductor conducting a fine choral ensemble; (2) an accomplished conductor conducting a poor choral ensemble; (3) a novice conductor conducting a fine choral ensemble; and (4) a novice conductor conducting a poor choral ensemble. Participants wrote observational comments and gave each teacher an evaluative numeric rating. Results of the quantitative data analysis indicated that participants evaluated the skills of the teacher and not the proficiency of the ensembles. Furthermore, results of the qualitative data analysis indicated that there were not only differences between participants from different continents, but also vast differences regarding the topics on which the participants commented, dependent upon the level of the conductor being observed.
Multicultural and popular music content in an American music teacher education program
Authors: Wang Jui-Ching , Humphreys Jere T.
Published: February 2009

The teaching of multicultural music, and to a lesser extent popular music, has been the stated goal of music education policy makers for many decades. Accordingly, the purpose of this study was to estimate the amount and percentage of time music education majors in a university teacher education program spent on 13 styles of music in history, theory and performance courses during a four-year program, both in and out of class. Subjects were the entire population of undergraduate pre-service music teachers from one large university music school in the southwestern United States ( N = 80). Estimates were provided by the course instructors. Subjects spent widely disparate amounts of time on musics of the western art (92.83%), western non-art (6.94%), and non-western (.23%) traditions, with little time (.54%) devoted to popular music. The discussion centers on solutions sometimes proffered for musically unbalanced music teacher education programs, implications relative to accreditation and national music standards in the USA, and changes implemented by the institution under study.
Effects of a music programme on kindergartners' phonological awareness skills 1
Authors: Bolduc Jonathan
Published: February 2009

This research examines the effect of a music training programme on the development of phonological awareness among 104 Franco-Canadian kindergarten children. The experimental group ( N = 51) participated in an adapted version of the Standley and Hughes music training programme, while the control group ( N = 53) took part in the Ministère de l'Éducation du Quebec music programme. The analysis of our data shows that both music programmes contributed similarly to the development of tonal and rhythmic perceptive skills. However, the experimental music training programme proved to be more effective when it came to developing phonological awareness skills. In conclusion, this article argues that auditory perception, phonological memory and metacognitive abilities play an essential role in the development of musical and linguistic skills.
The effect of computer-assisted instruction and field independence on the development of rhythm sight-reading skills of middle school instrumental students
Authors: Smith Kenneth H.
Published: February 2009

This study investigated how the effectiveness of computer-assisted instruction (CAI) to teach rhythm reading skills may be influenced by subjects' level of field dependence/independence. The subjects for the study consisted of 120 middle school instrumental music students divided into four groups based on scores from the Group Embedded Figures Test. Each was randomly divided in half. Half were assigned to the experimental group receiving CAI using Music Ace 2 software, and the control group received no CAI treatment. This CAI was administered half an hour a week for eight weeks. A pre- and post-test of subjects' abilities to read and perform rhythms were measured using the Rhythm Performance Scale. No significant difference was found between test score improvements of the experimental and control groups. However, significant findings were found to show that field-independent subjects overall performed better on the rhythm performance test than field dependent subjects.
Place and role of music education in the planned Curriculum for Kindergartens
Authors: Denac Olga
Published: February 2009

This article presents the results of a research study involving 159 preschool teachers from across Slovenia. The goal of the first phase of the research, the results of which were obtained through a questionnaire sent to preschool teachers, was to establish the difficulties preschool teachers face during curricular planning. The results of the first phase of the research show that the majority of teachers face problems in planning concrete music goals. The goal of the second phase of the research, the results of which were obtained through the analysis of lesson plans (i.e., the planned curriculum) over a period of three months, was to determine the extent to which preschool teachers took into account the prin-ciples of professional justification, horizontal integration and the development-process approach defined by the Slovene Kurikulum za vrtce (Curriculum for Kindergartens) in the planning of music lessons. The lesson plans of all the preschool teachers participating in the research were analysed in terms of structure, activity, goals, principles, content, teaching strategies and instructional media. The results show that the Curriculum for Kindergartens does not give preschool teachers sufficient support for successful planning of music lessons and that music education is losing professional autonomy within arts education.
Classification, Seriation, and Counting in Grades 1, 2, and 3 as Two-Year Longitudinal Predictors for Low Achieving in Numerical Facility and Arithmetical Achievement?
Authors: Desoete Annemie , Stock Pieter , Schepens Annemie , Baeyens Dieter , Roeyers Herbert
Published: February 2009

Previous research stresses the importance of seriation, classification, and counting abilities that should be assessed in kindergarten, when looking for crucial predictors of mathematical learning disabilities in Grade 1. This study examines ( n = 158) two-year-long predictive relationships between children's seriation, classification, procedural counting knowledge, and conceptual counting knowledge, and their numerical facility and arithmetical achievement in Grades 3, 4, and 5. Path analyses reveal a relationship between procedural counting knowledge in Grades l and 3 and numerical facility, and between conceptual counting knowledge in Grade l and arithmetical achievement in Grades 1 and 2. In addition, procedural counting knowledge correlates with seriation, and conceptual counting knowledge correlates with classification as well as with seriation in Grade 1. Clinicians are encouraged to select early arithmetic subtests with caution when assessing and predicting arithmetic and arithmetical disabilities.
Investigating the Comparability of a Self-Report Measure of Childhood Bullying Across Countries
Authors: Konishi Chiaki , Hymel Shelley , Zumbo Bruno D. , Zhen Li  , Taki Mitsuru , Slee Phillip , Pepler Debra , Sim Hee-og , Craig Wendy , Swearer Susan , Kwak Keumjoo
Published: February 2009

Responding to international concerns regarding childhood bullying and a need to identify a common bullying measure, this study examines the comparability of children's self-reports of bullying across five countries. The Pacific-Rim Bullying Measure, a self-report measure of students' experiences with six different types of bullying behaviour and victimization, was administered to 1,398 Grade 5 students from Australia, Canada, Japan, Korea, and United States. Multigroup confirmatory factor analysis and item response theory modeling were used to evaluate construct equivalence on the measure across different countries. Preliminary results revealed some construct differences across countries, that is, the bullying measure is measuring one construct, but that the construct is manifested differently in the different countries.
Knowledge Translation in Disability and Rehabilitation Research
Authors: Rogers Juan D. , Martin Frank H. ,   NCDDR Knowledge Translation Task Force
Published: February 2009

Knowledge translation (KT) has emerged recently in the health science community as a means to address perceived gaps in the application of the best research to treatment of disease. Specifically, in the area of disability and rehabilitation research, the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) has identified KT as one of the three areas for critical outcome achievement. This article analyzes some of the issues raised by the notion of KT. First, the article puts KT in the broader context of the study of knowledge flow problems. Second, it introduces the knowledge value mapping (KVM) framework as an avenue for addressing some of the fundamental issues that KT raises in the context of disability and rehabilitation research. Third, it illustrates the application of the framework with a KVM case study of accessible currency. Finally, it discusses the implications of the case study in the broader context of health research agencies such as NIDRR.
The Hope Experience of Older Bereaved Women Who Cared for a Spouse With Terminal Cancer
Authors: Holtslander Lorraine F. , Duggleby Wendy Diane
Published: February 2009

In this study we explore the experience and processes of hope of older women who were bereaved after caring for a spouse with terminal cancer, and we develop a tentative, emerging theory of their hope experience. We used constructivist grounded theory methods. We conducted 30 open-ended, in-depth, audiotaped interviews with 13 western Canadian women, aged 60 to 79 years, within the 1st year of bereavement, and collected 12 hope diaries. Data were analyzed using constant comparative analysis. Participants defined hope as a gradual process of regaining inner strength and building self-confidence to make sense of their completely changed situations. They were learning to stay positive and move ahead with their lives. The participants' main concern was losing hope, which they dealt with by searching for new hope through finding balance, new perspectives, and new meaning and purpose. The emerging theory is conceptualized as a spiral within the complex social context of bereavement after caregiving.