bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Doing more with less? Flexible working practices and the intensification of work
Authors: Kelliher Clare , Anderson Deirdre
Published: December 2009

This article examines an unanticipated consequence of adopting flexible working practices — that of work intensification. Based on a study of professional workers and in line with other studies, we present evidence showing that flexible workers record higher levels of job satisfaction and organizational commitment than their non-flexible counterparts. However, we also report evidence of work intensification being experienced by both those who work reduced hours and those who work remotely. We identify three means by which this intensification occurs — imposed intensification, enabled intensification and intensification as an act of reciprocation or exchange. We argue that the apparent paradox of high job satisfaction and organizational commitment, alongside work intensification can be explained by employees trading flexibility for effort. Using social exchange theory we propose that employees respond to the ability to work flexibly by exerting additional effort, in order to return benefit to their employer.
Technology-assisted supplemental work and work-to-family conflict: The role of instrumentality beliefs, organizational expectations and time management
Authors: Fenner Grant H , Renn Robert W
Published: December 2009

People engage in technology-assisted supplemental work (TASW) when they perform role-prescribed tasks at home after regular work hours with the aid of technological tools such as laptops, cell phones, BlackBerries®, and PDAs. Drawing from the technology acceptance model, we hypothesized and found that instrumentality beliefs (perceived usefulness) and organizational expectations (psychological climate) were positively related to TASW. In addition, we hypothesized and found that TASW was positively related to work-to-family conflict. However, time management (setting goals and priorities) moderated the relationship such that people who apply certain time management strategies may reduce the negative influence of TASW on their lives at home.
Evidence in Support of a Strategy to Target Authoritarian and Permissive Parents in Antidrug Media Campaigns
Authors: Stephenson Michael T. , Quick Brian L. , Hirsch Holly A.
Published: December 2009

Using a theoretical model of parenting, this study assessed the differential effects of parental antidrug ads on parents who have adopted an authoritarian parenting style and on those who use a permissive parenting style. The effects of two types of ads were studied. One ad type featured parental monitoring and the other ad type featured nurturing parent practices. An ad type by parenting style interaction was predicted on cognitions, attitudes, and behavioral intent to monitor or engage in positive involvement parenting. Two data analytic strategies provided moderate support for the hypothesis. The results suggested that a targeting approach using parenting styles is viable for future research.
Job Involvement, Job Stress, Job Satisfaction, and Organizational Commitment and the Burnout of Correctional Staff
Authors: Griffin Marie L. , Hogan Nancy L. , Lambert Eric G. , Tucker-Gail Kasey A. , Baker David N.
Published: December 2009

In an era in which rising costs, shrinking budgets, and personnel shortages are common, it is increasingly important to provide a positive work situation to ensure worker stability. Research indicates that job burnout is a negative response that is harmful to the employee and to the organization. Depersonalization, emotional exhaustion, and feeling a lack of accomplishment at work are all dimensions of job burnout. This study examined the association of job involvement, job stress, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment with burnout among correctional staff. The findings highlight the significance of these variables in relation to burnout. Specifically, job satisfaction had an inverse relationship with emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and a sense of reduced accomplishment at work, whereas job stress had a significant positive relationship with depersonalization and emotional exhaustion. Job involvement also had a positive association with emotional exhaustion, whereas commitment to the organization had no relationship with any of the three dimensions of burnout.
Down the Alleyway: Courtyard Tenements and Women’s Networks in Early Twentieth-Century Beijing
Authors: Zhao Ma
Published: December 2009

This article examines the formation and operation of lower class women’s social network in the ghettoized courtyard neighborhood in early twentieth-century Beijing. Drawing evidence from criminal case files, the author argues that courtyard tenements provided a gendered urban space within which women formed, extended, and maintained a flexible and dynamic web of durable relationships. Motivated largely by individual circumstances and objectives, this neighborhood network remained personalized, individualized, and “ego-centered.” The network neither came into existence for any type of political movements nor did it entail wider female solidarity, but the physical geography of the courtyard tenements and the development of these neighborhood networks offered lower class women some immediate protections and buffers when they were under emotional, domestic, or economic crisis. This article argues that these interpersonal relationships forged within a complex urban space were an important resource to enable women to rise out of the intense state control and economic turmoil in the tumultuous decades of reform and revolution.
Welcome to the House of Fun: Work Space and Social Identity
Authors: Baldry Chris , Hallier Jerry
Published: December 2009

Following the diffusion of HRM as the dominant legitimating managerial ideology, some employers have started to see the built working environment as a component in managing organizational culture and employee commitment. A good example is where the work space is designed to support a range of officially encouraged ‘fun’ activities at work. Drawing on recent research literature and from media reports of contemporary developments, this article explores the consequences of such developments for employees’ social identity formation and maintenance, with a particular focus on the office and customer service centre. The analysis suggests that management’s attempts to determine what is deemed fun may not only be resented by workers because it intrudes on their existing private identities but also because it seeks to reshape their values and expression.
The role of psychological resources in the affective well-being of never-married adults
Authors: Bookwala Jamila , Fekete Erin
Published: December 2009

We compared psychological resources between heterosexual never-married and married adults and their group-specific role in positive and negative affect after controlling for social resources. Although never-married respondents scored slightly lower than married adults on social resources and affective well-being, the two groups were comparable on psychological resources. Moderated regression analysis indicated that psychological resources were more strongly related to negative affect for never-married than married adults. In addition, never-married respondents with lower personal mastery scored higher on negative affect than did married adults, and higher levels of self-sufficiency contributed to lower negative affect for never-married adults but to higher negative affect among married individuals. Psychological resources appear to have a differential role in shaping negative affect between never-married and married individuals.
Friendships are flexible, not fragile: Turning points in geographically-close and long-distance friendships
Authors: Becker Jennifer A. H. , Johnson Amy Janan , Craig Elizabeth A. , Gilchrist Eileen S. , Haigh Michel M. , Lane Lindsay T.
Published: December 2009

Prior research has characterized friendships, particularly long-distance friendships, as fragile. A turning point analysis compared changes in friendship levels for 100 college students in geographically-close (GC) and long-distance (LD) same-sex friendships. Results indicated that friendship level and commitment level are strongly and positively associated. Moreover, friendship level and proximity are interdependent with several categories of turning points. Finally, a linear sequence of shifts in friendship level is associated with both GC and LD friends, but a nonlinear sequence that includes a shift back to the casual friendship level with recovery is more typical for LD friends. Findings highlight transformation within friendships and suggest that it may be more accurate to conceptualize friendships as flexible rather than fragile.
Attachment orientations and job burnout: The mediating roles of team cohesion and organizational fairness
Authors: Ronen Sigalit , Mikulincer Mario
Published: December 2009

The current study explored the mediating effect of perceived work team cohesion and organizational fairness on the link between adult attachment and job burnout in a sample of 393 Israeli employees. Structural equation modeling revealed that attachment anxiety and avoidance were related to more job burnout, that the link between avoidance and burnout was fully mediated by lower appraisals of organizational fairness, and that the link between anxiety and burnout was partially mediated by lower appraisals of team cohesion. Thus, attachment insecurities were associated with negative perceptions of team cohesion and organizational fairness which, in turn, contributed to job burnout. Results were discussed based on attachment theory while emphasizing the need for further research examining the generalizability of the findings.
Interpersonal forgiveness, trust, and the investment model of commitment
Authors: Wieselquist Jennifer
Published: December 2009

In an effort to extend a portion of the mutual cyclical growth model of relationships (Wieselquist, Rusbult, Foster, & Agnew, 1999), the present research examined the prediction that being forgiven by a partner may bolster one’s trust in the partner. Results of a correlational survey study of individuals in dating relationships provided support for the hypotheses that: perception of a partner’s forgiveness predicts trust in the partner; trust predicts relationship satisfaction and (perhaps) investments in the relationship; and satisfaction, quality of alternatives, and investment size predict commitment to the relationship. Furthermore, comparison of alternative structural equation models suggests that trust, satisfaction, and investments mediate the association between a partner’s forgiveness and commitment. Several lines of future research are discussed.
Empty ritual: Young-adult stepchildren’s perceptions of the remarriage ceremony
Authors: Baxter Leslie A. , Braithwaite Dawn O. , Kellas Jody Koenig , LeClair-Underberg Cassandra , Lamb Normand Emily , Routsong Tracy , Thatcher Matthew
Published: December 2009

This qualitative study investigated 80 young-adult stepchildren’s talk about one of their parents’ remarriage ceremony. The remarriage event was celebrated in six types of ritual enactments, five of which celebrated the couple’s marriage and one of which was family-centered in its celebration of the beginning of the new stepfamily. Three factors led stepchildren to find the remarriage ceremony empty: (i) a ritual form that was too traditional or not traditional enough; (ii) a ritual enactment that failed to pay homage to either the stepchild’s family of origin or the stepfamily as a unit; and (iii) a ritual enactment that failed to involve the stepchild prior to and during the ceremony. Results support the characteristics of empty rituals posited in ritual theory.
From Road to Lab to Math
Authors: Leonardi Paul M.
Published: December 2009

Today, in the midst of economic crisis, senior executives at US automakers and influential industry analysts frequently reflect on the progression that safety testing has taken from the crude trials done on the road, to controlled laboratory experiments, and to today’s complex math-based simulation models. They use stories of this seemingly linear and natural sequence to justify further investment in simulation technologies. The analysis presented in this paper shows that change in the structures of automakers’ organizations co-evolved with regulations specifying who was at fault in vehicle impacts, how vehicles should be built to withstand the force of an impact, and how testing should be done to assure that vehicles met those requirements. Changes in the regulatory environment were bolstered by new theories about crash test dynamics and changing technologies with which to test those theories. Thus, as new technological and regulatory innovations co-evolved with innovations in organizational structuring, ideas about how to best conduct crash tests shifted and catalyzed new cycles of technological, regulatory, and organizational innovation. However, this co-evolutionary story tells us that the move from road to lab to math was not natural or linear as today’s managerial rhetoric would have us believe. Rather, the logic of math-based simulation was the result of technological, regulatory and organizational changes that created an industry-wide ideology that supported the move toward math while making it appear natural within the shifting structure of the industry.
A preliminary study on the preparation of wood-plastic composites from urban wastes generated in Merida, Mexico with potential applications as building materials
Authors: Cruz-Estrada Ricardo H. , Martínez-Tapia Gustavo E. , Canché-Escamilla Gonzalo , González-Chí Pedro I. , Martín-Barrera Cesar , Duarte-Aranda Santiago , Guillén-Mallette Javier , Cupul-Manzano Carlos V. , Martínez-Domínguez Osvaldo , García-Gómez Carmen
Published: December 2009

A preliminary study on the use of wood and plastic wastes generated in Merida, Mexico to assess their potential for the development of building materials is reported. Composites based on recycled, high-density polyethylene (R-HDPE) loaded with wood particles were prepared. The R-HDPE was collected from Merida’s Separation Plant, where it was sorted from other residues, either organic or inorganic. Composites based on virgin, high-density polyethylene (V-HDPE) were also prepared to assess the effect of the R-HDPE on the composite’s mechanical properties. The wood came from the trims of different varieties of the city’s trees that are periodically pruned as part of the cleaning and urbanising programmes implemented by the City Council. A batch of this material was selected at random to incorporate into both the R-HDPE and V-HDPE. Different wood particle sizes were experimented with to obtain extruded composites with contents of 50% and 60% by weight of wood that were characterized under tension and impact. Flat wood—plastic extrudates with reasonable good appearance were also produced at the laboratory level as a first step to find an adequate route to scale-up the process to a pilot level to evaluate the feasibility of producing alternative building materials.
Neurooncology of Familial Cancer Syndromes
Authors: Hottinger Andreas F. , Khakoo Yasmin
Published: December 2009

The majority of tumors of the nervous system are sporadic. However, a subset of patients with tumors and their families are predisposed to developing cancers of the central nervous system and other organs because of a germline mutation. In the last decade, many of the genes responsible for these typically autosomal dominant familial tumor syndromes have been identified. Additionally, our understanding of the mechanisms of carcinogenesis in these syndromes has increased, allowing for more targeted therapies for these patients as well as those with sporadic cancers. Because these patients present a unique set of issues regarding diagnosis and neurooncological management, the most common familial cancer syndromes involving the nervous system are reviewed: neurofibromatosis type 1 and 2; tuberous sclerosis complex; von Hippel Lindau, Li-Fraumeni, Gorlin, and Turcot syndrome.
Ischemic Perinatal Stroke Secondary to Chorioamnionitis: A Histopathological Case Presentation
Authors: Dueck Christine C. , Grynspan David , Eisenstat David D. , Caces Rebecca , Rafay Mubeen F.
Published: December 2009

Ischemic perinatal stroke is a serious potential complication of delivery. In utero infection may be responsible for an underestimated proportion of perinatal stroke. Limited literature identifies objective evidence of ischemic perinatal stroke as a consequence of uterine infection. The authors report a neonate with ischemic stroke and documented findings of severe chorioamnionitis with umbilical vein thrombosis. A term neonate, after uneventful pregnancy and delivery, presented on the third day of life with seizures. Investigations for metabolic, electrolyte, infectious, and hypercoaguability derangements were normal. Extensive acute infarction in the left middle cerebral artery territory was diagnosed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Placental histopathology confirmed the presence of chorioamnionitis. On follow-up assessments, mild residual neurologic deficits have persisted. Chorioamnionitis has been correlated with ischemic perinatal stroke. In addition to the recognized inflammatory cascade of in utero infection, umbilical vein thrombosis with subsequent ‘‘paradoxical’’ embolization may represent one mechanism responsible for this association.
Nutrition Aspects of Lung Cancer
Authors: Cranganu Andreea , Camporeale Jayne
Published: December 2009

Lung cancer is the most common type of cancer, excluding nonmelanoma skin cancer, and is the leading cause of cancer death in the United States. Notable carcinogens involved in the development of lung cancer include smoking, secondhand smoke, and radon. Lung cancer is divided into 2 major types: non–small‐cell lung cancer, the most prevalent, and small‐cell lung cancer. Treatment includes surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, or a combination of the same. Medical nutrition therapy is often required for nutrition‐related side effects of cancer treatment, which include but are not limited to anorexia, nausea and vomiting, and esophagitis. The best protection against lung cancer is avoidance of airborne carcinogens and increased consumption of fruits and vegetables. Studies have shown that smokers taking large amounts of β‐carotene and vitamin A supplements had increased lung cancer incidence and mortality. However, ingestion of β‐carotene from foods, along with a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, has a protective role against lung disease. The use of complementary and alternative medicine by lung cancer patients is prevalent; therefore, clinicians should investigate whether complementary and alternative therapies are used by patients and advise them on the use of these therapies to avoid any potential side effects and interactions with conventional therapies. The article concludes with a case study of a patient with non–small‐cell lung cancer and illustrates the use of medical nutrition therapy in relation to cancer treatment side effects.
Exploding the Benefits Education Myth
Authors: Gilligan Tom
Published: December 2009

Businesses make a huge investment in their benefits programs, but many aren’t receiving an adequate return on that investment. Although employers think they do a good job educating employees on their benefits program and the value of it, the reality is that employees still say they don’t understand their benefits and don’t know what their employer pays for them. Integrating an individual, one-to-one educational session with a benefits professional into a benefits communication plan can help businesses make the most of their benefits program investment. Individual benefits sessions can go a long way in helping employees make better benefits decisions and better appreciate what the company provides. The more employees understand their benefits choices, the more likely they are to appreciate the value of what the company provides and the more likely high-performing employees may think twice about moving to another company.
Crossing the Line: How Women in the Building Trades Interpret and Respond to Sexual Conduct at Work
Authors: Denissen Amy M.
Published: December 2009

A significant number of women who experience sexual conduct in the workplace do not define it as sexual harassment. This has caused a discrepancy between social science measures of sexual harassment and women’s perceptions and experiences. As a consequence, studies have begun to examine how workers distinguish between wanted and unwanted sexual behavior. Through in-depth interviews and ethnographic fieldwork with women who work in the building trades, this study examines how tradeswomen interpret and respond to the sexual conduct of their coworkers. Using a micro-politics of trouble framework, the author shows how interpretations of sexual conduct are shaped up exactly in the process of responding to problematic interactions. The analysis finds that many initial responses to unwanted sexual conduct attempt to restore good relations between coworkers. However, if the sexual conduct is considered extreme or if initial attempts to resolve the trouble are unsuccessful, the actions may be reinterpreted and responded to informally as actions that “cross the line” even as tradeswomen face constraints in exercising formal punitive measures.
Evolving Self-Rated Health in Middle and Old Age: How Does it Differ Across Black, Hispanic, and White Americans?
Authors: Liang Jersey , Quiñones Ana R. , Bennett Joan M. , Ye Wen , Xu Xiao , Shaw Benjamin A. , Ofstedal Mary Beth
Published: December 2009

Objective:This research focuses on ethnic variations in the intraindividual changes in self-rated health. Method: Data came from the Health and Retirement Study involving up to 6 repeated observations between 1995 and 2006 of a national sample of 18,486 Americans above 50 years of age. Hierarchical linear models were employed in depicting variations in self-rated health across White, Black, and Hispanic Americans. Results: Subjective health worsened over time albeit moderately. Relative to younger persons, older individuals rated their health poorer with a greater rate of deteriorating health. With reference to ethnic variations in the intercept and slope of perceived health, White Americans rated their health most positively, followed by Black Americans, with Hispanics rating their health least positively. This pattern held even when socioeconomic status, social networks, and prior health were adjusted. Discussion: Significant ethnic differences exist in the evolvement of self-rated health in middle and late life. Further inquiries may include analyzing ethnic heterogeneities from a person-centered perspective, health disparities across subgroups of Hispanics, effects of neighborhood attributes, and implications of left truncation.
Measuring Performance in Social Enterprises
Authors: Bagnoli Luca , Megali Cecilia
Published: December 2009

This article addresses the subject of management control and tries to create a performance measurement system for social enterprises, that is, how to measure success. Three reference fields for management are analyzed: (a) economic-financial performance, linked to the determination of general performance (profits, value added, etc.) and analytic results (production-cost of services, efficiency indicators, etc.); (b) social effectiveness, to measure the quantity and quality of work undertaken and to identify its impact on the intended beneficiaries and the community; and (c) institutional legitimacy, verifying conformity with law and mission statement. In integrating these aspects, we propose a multidimensional controlling framework that is appropriate to the management of a social enterprise. We try to demonstrate the validity of the theoretical model through the illustration of an Italian empirical case: the work integration social enterprise “Ulisse.”
The numbers of Foxp3 + Treg cells are positively correlated with higher grade of infiltration at the salivary glands in primary Sjögren's syndrome
Authors: Sarigul M. , Yazisiz V. , Başsorgun CI , Ulker M. , Avci AB , Erbasan F. , Gelen T. , Gorczynski RM , Terzioğlu E.
Published: December 2009

This study was designed to investigate whether Foxp3 + regulatory T (Treg) cells play a role in the histopathologic changes of primary Sjögren’s Syndrome (pSS) and to evaluate other factors possibly associated with Foxp3+ Treg cells in pSS patients. The number of FoxP3-expressing T cells in peripheral blood (PB) of 39 patients with pSS, 40 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and 28 healthy controls was measured by flow-cytometer analysis. FoxP3-expressing CD4+CD25+ Treg cells were analyzed in minor salivary gland (SG) tissues of 39 pSS patients. Histopathologic changes were examined by light microscopy according to Chisholm’s classification. Immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence were performed to assess the Foxp3+ Treg in SG biopsy specim-ens. The numbers of CD4+ T cells and FoxP3-expressing CD4+ T cells in PB were similar in all groups. Expression of CD25 on CD4+ T cells in PB of patients with pSS and RA was significantly higher than in healthy controls, especially for RA patients. Immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence showed that FoxP3+ Treg were enriched in the SGs of pSS patients, with a positive correlation between the increase in FoxP3+ Treg in SG and the Chisholm score in pSS (p < 0.001, r = +0.605). The increase of FoxP3 + Treg cells in the SGs of pSS patients, which is correlated with gland infiltration, suggests that natural regulatory T cells play an important role in the pathogenesis of pSS. Further studies are required to explore the mechanisms that mediate the relationship between Treg and the pathogenesis of pSS. Lupus (2010) 19, 138—145.
Spontaneous tendon rupture in systemic lupus erythematosus: association with Jaccoud’s arthropathy
Authors: Alves EM , Macieira JC , Borba E. , Chiuchetta FA , Santiago MB
Published: December 2009

Tendon rupture has rarely been described in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. From observation of three cases of Jaccoud’s arthropathy with tendon rupture, and considering that this arthropathy is more related to an inflammatory process of the tendon sheath than to synovitis per se, the intention of this study was to review the cases of tendon rupture in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, in the hope of determining the frequency of Jaccoud’s arthropathy associated with this complication. Systematic review using MEDLINE, Scielo and LILACS databases (1966 to 2009) and the following keywords: systemic lupus erythematosus, tendon rupture, Jaccoud’s arthropathy. Secondary references were additionally obtained. Additionally, three Brazilian systemic lupus erythematosus patients who developed tendon rupture are described. Only 40 articles obtained fulfilled the previously established criteria. They were all case reports; the number of cases reported was 52 which, together with the three cases presented herein add up to 55 cases. Forty-six patients were women aged between 19 and 71 years, with a mean age of 40.1 ± 12.4 years, and the average duration of the disease was 10 years. The most frequently observed rupture sites were the patellar and Achilles’ tendons. While almost all patients described were on various doses of corticosteroids, 16 patients concomitantly had Jaccoud’s arthropathy (29%). In conclusion, the association between Jaccoud’s arthropathy and tendon rupture in systemic lupus erythematosus has been underestimated. As almost one-third of the systemic lupus erythematosus patients with tendon rupture also have Jaccoud’s arthropathy, this arthropathy may be recognized as risk marker for tendon rupture. Lupus (2010) 19, 247—254.
The Association of Social Work Boards’ Licensure Examinations
Authors: Marson Stephen M. , DeAngelis Donna , Mittal Nisha
Published: December 2009

Objectives: The purpose of this article is to create transparency for the psychometric methods employed for the development of the Association of Social Work Boards’ (ASWB) exams. Results: The article includes an assessment of the macro (political) and micro (statistical) environments of testing social work competence. The seven-step process used to ensure content validity is discussed. The types of reliability and validity methods employed to assess ASWB exams are discussed. Examples are offered to illustrate the statistical methods employed for selecting good items (questions, some of which are not in question form) and eliminating poor ones. A discussion of the finances of reliability and validity research is included. Conclusion: Readers will have a deeper understanding of how exams are constructed. The information housed within this article may facilitate preparing students for the exams.
Longitudinal Invariance of the Satisfaction With Life Scale for Individuals With Schizophrenia
Authors: Kyeunghae Lee Karen , Brekke John S. , Yamada Ann-Marie , Chou Chih-Ping
Published: December 2009

Objectives: This study examined the longitudinal structural stability of a subjective quality of life measure in an ethnically diverse sample of 331 adults with schizophrenia. Methods: Participants completed the Satisfaction With Life (SWL) scale at entry to community-based mental health services and again at 6 and 12 months. Five types of measurement invariance were tested using a series of multiple-group confirmatory factor analyses. Results: All five types of longitudinal invariance were supported. Conclusions: These findings offer strong support for the validity of the SWL scale as a tool for research or for clinical purposes to assess the effectiveness of interventions over time. Implications for use of the SWL scale in evidence-based social work practice are discussed.
Nurse Decision Making in the Prearrest Period
Authors: Gazarian Priscilla K. , Henneman Elizabeth A. , Chandler Genevieve E.
Published: December 2009

There is a significant body of research demonstrating that many hospitalized patients exhibit signs of clinical deterioration prior to experiencing a cardiopulmonary arrest (CPA).This qualitative study used the critical decision method to describe the cues and factors employed by nurses to identify and interrupt a potentially preventable CPA. The cues that nurses used in identifying a patient at risk for CPA were altered level of consciousness and other selected triggers from the Early Warning Scoring System (EWSS) combined with knowledge of the patient and the contextual features of the decision situation. Nurse characteristics that assisted in interrupting an adverse event included previous experiences in prearrest situations, and the ability to function as part of a team. Organizational characteristics that supported the nurse to interrupt included the availability of nurse-initiated monitoring equipment, experience and flexibility of staff, working with a collaborative team, and access to knowledge resources.
A/r/t: A Poetic Montage
Authors: Leavy Patricia
Published: December 2009

The following poetic installation reflects on the artistic—scientistic divide that permeates how research practice is carried out and assessed even within the qualitative paradigm. Some poems question the art—science dichotomy and how it shapes truth-telling practices in both research and teaching. Other poems challenge the mind—body dichotomy. The poetic and prose-based installation is grounded in the researcher’s experience attempting to merge her artist—researcher—teacher (a/r/t) identities. The author employs a fragmented prose or montage style along with the poetry in an effort to mirror the (re)assembling of her a/r/t identities.
Choice of Hemostatic Agent and Hospital Length of Stay in Cardiovascular Surgery
Authors: Krishnan Sangeeta , Conner Therese M. , Leslie Ryan , Stemkowski Stephen , Shander Aryeh
Published: December 2009

Hemostatic agents (HAs) are efficacious in reducing blood loss during surgery, which may affect postoperative length of stay (LOS). The purpose of this study was to compare the expected and actual LOS by HA in cardiac procedures. Hospital claims data between 2003 and 2006 were extracted from a US service-level comparative database. Four cohorts for comparison were FLOSEAL, SURGICEL + thrombin, GELFOAM + thrombin, and other. Expected LOS was derived using 2006 Centers for Medicare and Medicaid LOS by diagnosis-related group, and 2-part regression models were created to assess outcome. A total of 36 950 discharges were included. FLOSEAL was associated with less likelihood of exceeding expected LOS compared with baseline (odds ratio = 0.791; P < .01). Among patients who did exceed expected LOS, FLOSEAL patients did so at a reduced rate (incidence rate ratio = 0.891; P < .01). Further assessment is warranted to distinguish products with favorable outcomes.
Change in Surgical Management as a Consequence of Real-Time 3D TEE: Assessment of Left Ventricular Function
Authors: Fischer Gregory W. , Anyanwu Anelechi C. , Adams David H.
Published: December 2009

Real-time 3-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography (RT 3D TEE) is a novel imaging technology that is becoming more frequently encountered in the operating room environment. The authors present a case in which the availability of 3D TEE altered the surgical management of a patient presenting for mitral valve repair. Additionally, the advantages of 3D, as opposed to 2D assessment of left ventricular function, are discussed.
Advances in Cardiac Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) Imaging
Authors: Henzlova Milena J.
Published: December 2009

Cardiac single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging is an established diagnostic and prognostic method for evaluation of suspected and known coronary artery disease. SPECT technology has developed over several decades. Utilization of thallium-201 decreased with the advent of technetium-based perfusion tracers. New cadmium zinc telluride (CZT)-based detectors open a new era of faster imaging and of lower radiation dose to the patient. Appropriate use of the SPECT imaging is regulated by evidence-based guidelines and appropriateness criteria as well as by third-party payers in an effort to curb unsustainable growth of testing seen in recent years. SPECT testing prior to noncardiac surgical procedures is driven by urgency of planned surgery, cardiac risk factors, and perceived risk of surgical procedure. Future of cardiac SPECT imaging will be driven by societal demand for cost effective, accurate, and safe testing, which will improve meaningfully short-term and long-term outcomes.
The Production of Hospitable Space: Commercial Propositions and Consumer Co-Creation in a Bar Operation
Authors: Lugosi Peter
Published: December 2009

This article examines the processes through which a commercial bar is transformed into a hospitable space. Drawing on a study of a venue patronized by lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transsexual/ transgender consumers, it considers how social and commercial forms of hospitality are mobilized. The article argues that hospitable space has an ideological, normative, and situational dimension. More specifically, it suggests the bar’s operation is tied to a set of ideological conceptions, which become the potential basis of association and disassociation among consumers. It examines the forces and processes that shape who participates in the production and consumption of hospitality and how. Finally, it considers the situational, emergent nature of hospitality and the discontinuous production of hospitable space. Rather than focusing on host-guest relations, a theme dominant in existing work on hospitality, the article stresses how consumers’ perceptions and actions shape the production of hospitality. By doing so, the article offers an alternative approach to understanding queer spaces, bar operation, as well as hospitality.
Five Windows Into Latin American Cities: Current Research From Brazil, Argentina, Chile, and Mexico
Authors: Ortega-Alcázar Iliana
Published: December 2009

This article reviews research carried out in the last decade by Latin American authors working on the cities of Sao Paolo, Mexico City, Buenos Aires, and Santiago de Chile. The five books reviewed present a compelling account of the new forms of social exclusion, spatial segregation, and privatisation of the public sphere that Latin American cities face in the context of economic restructuring. They offer a useful framework for understanding how the challenges that Latin American cities are confronted with find expression in the material city, the experienced city, the imagined city, and its representations. As such, they provide an important theoretical contribution to the understanding of the role that space plays in shaping socioeconomic realities, social relations, culture, and politics in the city.
Identification of Segments of Soccer Clubs in the Spanish League First Division with a Latent Class Model Comments
Authors: Lee Young Hoon
Published: December 2009

In this brief commentary, I critically evaluate the empirical application of the stochastic frontier latent class model to panel data of the Spanish Football League presented in an article by Barros, Corral, and Garcia-del-Barrio, published in a previous issue of this journal. Errors from the selection of input price variable to the interpretation of the cost function estimates are discussed, and empirical evidence that their estimates are not consistent to basic microeconomic theories is presented.
Integrated biochemical and computational approach identifies BCL6 direct target genes controlling multiple pathways in normal germinal center B cells
Authors: Basso Katia , Saito Masumichi , Sumazin Pavel , Margolin Adam A. , Wang Kai , Lim Wei-Keat , Kitagawa Yukiko , Schneider Christof , Alvarez Mariano J. , Califano Andrea , Dalla-Favera Riccardo
Published: December 2009

BCL6 is a transcriptional repressor required for mature B-cell germinal center (GC) formation and implicated in lymphomagenesis. BCL6's physiologic function is only partially known because the complete set of its targets in GC B cells has not been identified. To address this issue, we used an integrated biochemical-computational-functional approach to identify BCL6 direct targets in normal GC B cells. This approach includes (1) identification of BCL6-bound promoters by genome-wide chromatin immunoprecipitation, (2) inference of transcriptional relationships by the use of a regulatory network reverse engineering approach (ARACNe), and (3) validation of physiologic relevance of the candidate targets down-regulated in GC B cells. Our approach demonstrated that a large set of promoters (> 4000) is physically bound by BCL6 but that only a fraction of them is repressed in GC B cells. This set of 1207 targets identifies several cellular functions directly controlled by BCL6 during GC development, including activation, survival, DNA-damage response, cell cycle arrest, cytokine signaling, Toll-like receptor signaling, and differentiation. These results define a broad role of BCL6 in preventing centroblasts from responding to signals leading to exit from the GC before they complete the phase of proliferative expansion and of antibody affinity maturaton.
Inferring protein function by domain context similarities in protein-protein interaction networks
Authors: Zhang Song , Chen Hu , Liu Ke , Sun Zhirong
Published: December 2009

Background

Genome sequencing projects generate massive amounts of sequence data but there are still many proteins whose functions remain unknown. The availability of large scale protein-protein interaction data sets makes it possible to develop new function prediction methods based on protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks. Although several existing methods combine multiple information resources, there is no study that integrates protein domain information and PPI networks to predict protein functions.

Results

The domain context similarity can be a useful index to predict protein function similarity. The prediction accuracy of our method in yeast is between 63%-67%, which outperforms the other methods in terms of ROC curves.

Conclusion

This paper presents a novel protein function prediction method that combines protein domain composition information and PPI networks. Performance evaluations show that this method outperforms existing methods.
454 pyrosequencing based transcriptome analysis of Zygaena filipendulae with focus on genes involved in biosynthesis of cyanogenic glucosides
Authors: Zagrobelny Mika , Scheibye-Alsing Karsten , Jensen Niels Bjerg , Møller Birger Lindberg , Gorodkin Jan , Bak Søren
Published: December 2009

Background

An essential driving component in the co-evolution of plants and insects is the ability to produce and handle bioactive compounds. Plants produce bioactive natural products for defense, but some insects detoxify and/or sequester the compounds, opening up for new niches with fewer competitors. To study the molecular mechanism behind the co-adaption in plant-insect interactions, we have investigated the interactions between Lotus corniculatus and Zygaena filipendulae. They both contain cyanogenic glucosides which liberate toxic hydrogen cyanide upon breakdown. Moths belonging to the Zygaena family are the only insects known, able to carry out both de novo biosynthesis and sequestration of the same cyanogenic glucosides as those from their feed plants. The biosynthetic pathway for cyanogenic glucoside biosynthesis in Z. filipendulae proceeds using the same intermediates as in the well known pathway from plants, but none of the enzymes responsible have been identified. A genomics strategy founded on 454 pyrosequencing of the Z. filipendulae transcriptome was undertaken to identify some of these enzymes in Z. filipendulae.

Results

Comparisons of the Z. filipendulae transcriptome with the sequenced genomes of Bombyx mori, Drosophila melanogaster, Tribolium castaneum, Apis mellifera and Anopheles gambiae indicate a high coverage of the Z. filipendulae transcriptome. 11% of the Z. filipendulae transcriptome sequences were assigned to Gene Ontology categories. Candidate genes for enzymes functioning in the biosynthesis of cyanogenic glucosides (cytochrome P450 and family 1 glycosyltransferases) were identified based on sequence length, number of copies and presence/absence of close homologs in D. melanogaster, B. mori and the cyanogenic butterfly Heliconius. Examination of biased codon usage, GC content and selection on gene candidates support the notion of cyanogenesis as an "old" trait within Ditrysia, as well as its origins being convergent between plants and insects.

Conclusion

Pyrosequencing is an attractive approach to gain access to genes in the biosynthesis of bio-active natural products from insects and other organisms, for which the genome sequence is not known. Based on analysis of the Z. filipendulae transcriptome, promising gene candidates for biosynthesis of cyanogenic glucosides was identified, and the suitability of Z. filipendulae as a model system for cyanogenesis in insects is evident.
Identification of a novel conserved HLA-A*0201-restricted epitope from the spike protein of SARS-CoV
Authors: Lv Yanbo , Ruan Zhihua , Wang Li , Ni Bing , Wu Yuzhang
Published: December 2009

Background

The spike (S) protein is a major structural glycoprotein of coronavirus (CoV), the causal agent of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). The S protein is a potent target for SARS-specific cell-mediated immune responses. However, the mechanism CoV pathogenesis in SARS and the role of special CTLs in virus clearance are still largely uncharacterized. Here, we describe a study that leads to the identification of a novel HLA-A*0201-restricted epitope from conserved regions of S protein.

Results

First, different SARS-CoV sequences were analyzed to predict eight candidate peptides from conserved regions of the S protein based upon HLA-A*0201 binding and proteosomal cleavage. Four of eight candidate peptides were tested by HLA-A*0201 binding assays. Among the four candidate peptides, Sp8 (S958-966, VLNDILSRL) induced specific CTLs bothex vivoin PBLs of healthy HLA-A2+donors and in HLA-A2.1/Kbtransgenic mice immunized with a plasmid encoding full-length S protein. The immunized mice released IFN-γ and lysed target cells upon stimulation with Sp8 peptide-pulsed autologous dendritic cells in comparison to other candidates.

Conclusion

These results suggest that Sp8 is a naturally processed epitope. We propose that Sp8 epitope should help in the characterization of mechanisms of virus control and immunopathology in SARS-CoV infection.
Allelic diversity and phylogeny of homB, a novel co-virulence marker of Helicobacter pylori
Authors: Oleastro Mónica , Cordeiro Rita , Ménard Armelle , Yamaoka Yoshio , Queiroz Dulciene , Mégraud Francis , Monteiro Lurdes
Published: December 2009

Background

ThehomBgene is aHelicobacter pyloridisease-marker candidate, strongly associated with peptic ulcer disease, whilehomA, its paralogue gene with 90% sequence identity, is correlated with non-ulcer dyspepsia. The HomB encoded outer membrane protein was shown to contribute to the proinflammatory properties ofH. pyloriand also to be involved in bacterial adherence.

This study investigated the distribution ofhomBandhomAgenes in 455H. pyloristrains from East Asian and Western countries, and carried out sequence comparison and phylogenetic analyses.

Results

BothhomBandhomAgenes were heterogeneously distributed worldwide, with a marked difference between East Asian and Western strains.

Analysis ofhomBandhomAsequences revealed diversity regarding the number of copies and their genomic localization, with East Asian and Western strains presenting different genotypes. Moreover,homBandhomAsequence analysis suggests regulation by phase variation. It also indicates possible recombination events, leading to gene duplication orhomB/homAconversion which may as well be implicated in the regulation of these genes. Phylogenetic reconstruction ofhomBandhomArevealed clustering according to the geographic origin of strains. Allelic diversity in the middle region of the genes was observed for bothhomBandhomA, although there was no correlation between any allele and disease. For each gene, a dominant worldwide allele was detected, suggesting thathomB/homA allelic variants were independent of the geographical origin of the strain. Moreover, all alleles were demonstrated to be expressedin vivo.

Conclusion

Overall, these results suggest thathomBandhomAgenes are good candidates to be part of the pool ofH. pyloriOMPs implicated in host-bacteria interface and also contributing to the generation of antigenic variability, and thus involved inH. pyloripersistence.