bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Secondary Student Perceptions of Classroom Quality: Instrumentation and Differences Between Advanced/Honors and Nonhonors Classes
Authors: Gentry Marcia , Owen Steven V.
Published: June 2009

This article describes the initial development and psychometric evaluation of an instrument for use with secondary students to measure various perceptions about class activities. The instrument—Student Perceptions of Classroom Quality (SPOCQ)—focuses on meaningfulness, challenge, choice, self-efficacy, and appeal, constructs central to learning and deeply rooted in gifted education. The article reports content and construct validity evidence, reliability estimates, and demographic group comparisons from a diverse national sample of students in grades 7–12 ( N = 7,411). The article also details differences between advanced and general education students’ perceptions of their classroom environments. SPOCQ can be useful to those interested in classroom research, as well as those aiming to improve teaching and learning by considering students’ perceptions of class activities.
Great Expectations: Creative Achievements of the Sociometric Stars in a 30-Year Study
Authors: Torrance E. Paul
Published: June 2009

The creative achievements and characteristics of a group of ten high school students identified as the most creative by their high school peers were compared to those of ten participants from the same group who had the greatest number of publicly recognized creative achievements approximately 30 years later (Sociometric Stars vs. Beyonders). Mini-case studies were presented for the 10 Sociometric Stars and hypotheses were advanced to explain their failure to qualify for the Beyonders. Results of the comparisons indicate that life situations such as divorce and caring for children, in addition to personal factors such as love of work, sense of purpose in life, and high energy, were more important in affecting creative achievements than the usual predictors of creativity: intelligence, academic achievement, and sociometric nominations.
Conducting a Teaching Experiment With a Gifted Student
Authors: Hekimoglu Serkan
Published: June 2009

In this study, the teaching experiment methodology is used to observe firsthand a gifted student's mathematical learning and reasoning. A series of teaching experiments was conducted with 1 gifted and 1 average 7th-grade student to investigate how the gifted student's mathematical concepts and operation constructions differed from those of the average student. The teaching experiment approach provides opportunities for gifted and average students to be challenged by immersion in various advanced mathematical topics. The data analysis provides evidence that the gifted student was more adept at applying mathematical ideas to unfamiliar problems. As a result of being able to see mathematical patterns and to think abstractly, the gifted student was able to use analytical, deductive, and inductive reasoning to solve problems in more flexible and creative ways than the average student.
Are Giftedness and Creativity Synonyms in Mathematics?
Authors: Sriraman Bharath
Published: June 2009

At the K-12 level one assumes that mathematically gifted students identified by out-of-level testing are also creative in their work. In professional mathematics, “creative” mathematicians constitute a very small subset within the field. At this level, mathematical giftedness does not necessarily imply mathematical creativity but the converse is certainly true. In the domain of mathematics, are the words creativity and giftedness synonyms? In this article, the constructs of mathematical creativity and mathematical giftedness are developed via a synthesis and analysis of the general literature on creativity and giftedness. The notions of creativity and giftedness at the K-12 and professional levels are compared and contrasted to develop principles and models that theoretically “maximize” the compatibility of these constructs. The relevance of these models is discussed with practical considerations for the classroom. The paper also significantly extends ideas presented by Usiskin (2000).
Caught by Our Dangling Paradigms: How Our Metaphysical Assumptions Influence Gifted Education
Authors: Johnson Andrew
Published: June 2009

Notions of intelligence and giftedness should keep pace with current knowledge of quantum physics and what is known abut the nature of reality. There are three perspectives as to the nature of reality. Materialistic monism views the universe as being made up of only matter and energy. Dualism views the universe as being made up of matter and energy, as well as consciousness. Transcendental monism views the universe as being made up of consciousness. Currently, materialistic monism is the predominant view in our society and in education. This parochial perspective limits the research agenda and ultimately the ability to provide services to a wide range of gifted students. This article makes four recommendations in this regard.
A Study of Academically Talented Students’ Participation in Extracurricular Activities
Authors: Bucknavage Leah B. , Worrell Frank C.
Published: June 2009

In this study, we surveyed the participation rates of academically talented students across 9 areas: dance, solo instrument, choral music, band, athletics, student government, academic clubs, ethnic/cultural clubs, and an “other activities” category. Participants consisted of 2 independent cohorts (Cohort 1, N = 842; Cohort 2, N = 290) attending a summer program. Results indicated that athletics was the activity in which males and females reported greatest participation across cohorts. Significant differences in rates were found for participation in athletics, choral music, and dance in the direction of gender-stereotypical expectations. Differences were also found among ethnic groups and across grade levels in certain activities. We concluded that the results contradict the nonathletic stereotype sometimes associated with students who are academically talented.
The Relationship Between Thinking Styles and Scientific Giftedness in Korea
Authors: Park Soo-Kyong , Park Kyung-Hee , Choe Ho-Seong
Published: June 2009

This study investigated the thinking styles of Korean gifted students in Korea and examined whether thinking styles based on the theory of mental self-government could predict scientific giftedness based on Korean people's implicit concepts. Participants were 179 students from the two science high schools and 176 students from the general high schools in Korea. Participants responded to the Thinking Styles Inventory (Sternberg & Wagner, 1992) and Scientific Giftedness Inventory (Shim & Kim, 2003). Results indicated that Korean gifted students had higher scores than nongifted students in all factors, including scientific accomplishment, leadership, creativity, morality, motivation, and cognitive experimentalism. In addition, Korean gifted students prefered the legislative, judicial, anarchic, global, external, and liberal styles, whereas Korean nongifted students prefered the executive, oligarchic, and conservative styles. Results from the stepwise multiple regression analysis procedures indicated that the subscales of thinking styles could be significant predictors of scientific giftedness.
Korean Science Teachers’ Understanding of Creativity in Gifted Education
Authors: Seo Hae-Ae , Lee Eun Ah , Kim Kyung Hee
Published: June 2009

With the passing of Korea's Gifted Education Act, creativity has come to the forefront in considering the future of Korea's economic prosperity in the global economy (Korean Educational Development Institute, 2003). The purpose of this study was to examine the understanding of creativity among Korean science teachers of gifted students. Sixty teachers participated in this study with an open-ended questionnaire about their understanding of creativity. The data were analyzed based on Urban's (1995) three components of creativity. The findings indicated that these science teachers had a thorough understanding of the cognitive component and a strong association of creativity with intellectual ability, but overidentified with the cognitive component, showing less awareness of the personal and environmental components of creativity. To shift their understanding to a more balanced view, personality and environmental components, as well as attributes in other component areas, should be emphasized.
Development of Authentic Assessments for the Middle School Classroom
Authors: Moon Tonya R. , Brighton Catherine M. , Callahan Carolyn M. , Robinson Ann
Published: June 2009

This article discusses the rationale for, and explicates the process used in, developing differentiated authentic assessments for middle school classrooms (many of which contain gifted students) that are aligned with state academic standards. The assessments were developed based on learner-centered psychological principles and revised based on a content validation study involving a panel of 46 experts representing a variety of educational professionals. In addition to the content validation study of the assessments, interrater reliability estimates based on Kappa were calculated using student responses to the assessments in classrooms in two states. Results provide evidence that these types of assessments can provide quantifiable information about student learning, as well as inform the instructional process.
Trends Among Honors College Students: An Analysis by Year in School
Authors: Rinn Anne N.
Published: June 2009

This study sought to determine whether honors college students differed with regards to academic achievement, academic self-concept, general self-concept, educational aspirations, and career aspirations as a function of their class standing. Participants included 298 honors college students from a large, Midwestern university. A demographic questionnaire, the general academic subscale and the general-self subscale of the Self-Description Questionnaire III (Marsh & O'Neill, 1984), and the Leadership and Achievement Aspirations subscale of the Career Aspirations Scale (O'Brien, 1992) were used. Results indicate significant differences between juniors and seniors with regards to academic self-concept, educational aspirations, and career aspirations. Implications for honors faculty and administrators are discussed.
When Do Gifted High School Students Use Geometry to Solve Geometry Problems?
Authors: Koichu Boris , Berman Abraham
Published: June 2009

This article describes the following phenomenon: Gifted high school students trained in solving Olympiad-style mathematics problems experienced conflict between their conceptions of effectiveness and elegance (the EEC). This phenomenon was observed while analyzing clinical task-based interviews that were conducted with three members of the Israeli team participating in the International Mathematics Olympiad. We illustrate how the conflict between the students’ conceptions of effectiveness and elegance is reflected in their geometrical problem solving, and analyze didactical and epistemological roots of the phenomenon.
Effects of Technology on Critical Thinking and Essay Writing Among Gifted Adolescents
Authors: Dixon Felicia , Cassady Jerrell , Cross Tracy , Williams David
Published: June 2009

This article presents results of a study that compared critical thinking in two writing samples (essays) from gifted adolescents who attended a residential school. The essays were written at the beginning of the junior year (when students were admitted to the school) and at the beginning of the senior year. All students in the study composed their first essay in handwritten form. On the second essay, some students were randomly assigned to a computer condition and composed their essays on the computer. Results demonstrated a gender-specific effect of using computers to compose essays. Boys using the computers produced significantly more words, sentences, and paragraphs than boys who did not use the computer to write and received higher ratings on a structured rubric. Girls scored the same in both conditions and performed consistently at a level on par with the boys using computers.
High Ability, Rural, and Poor: Lessons From Project Aspire and Implications for School Counselors
Authors: Cross Tracy L. , Burney Virginia H.
Published: June 2009

This article describes a grant-funded effort to improve the lives of academically able middle and high school students living in rural poverty. The program, Project Aspire, attempts to increase the number of these children in the most rigorous math and science coursework available in their schools. To that end, Project Aspire assists 14 school corporations by helping faculty in those settings increase the level of rigor of their courses and by offering Advanced Placement (AP) courses through multiple platforms of distance education technologies.

A primary component of the project is the attempt to assist the school counselors’ work with their students, in hopes that the students’ lives will be improved. To prepare the counselors, ongoing training has been provided. This paper reports an analysis of the ideas and experiences shared during the lengthy training sessions with 21 school counselors. From the analysis and a literature review, the authors offer in three tables concise information for effectively working with high-ability middle and high school students living in rural poverty.
Intellectually Gifted Females and Their Perspectives of Lived Experience in the AP and IB Programs
Authors: Vanderbrook Carrie M.
Published: June 2009

The Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) programs serve as popular choices for many intellectually gifted high school students. This article describes an aspect of a larger study that examined 5 intellectually gifted females’ perceptions of their educational experience while enrolled in one of the programs. Using the phenomenological method of qualitative research, this study reports that the participants identified various challenges within the curriculum as part of the overall AP and IB experience. In addition, the participants believe that the teachers in these programs heavily influenced their perception of their experience in the program.
Reflections on the International Baccalaureate Program: Graduates’ Perspectives
Authors: Taylor Mary Lee , Porath Marion
Published: June 2009

This paper presents the results of a survey administered during the spring of 2005. At this time, graduates of the International Baccalaureate (IB) Program from two public schools in a large city in British Columbia, Canada, were asked to respond to 20 statements on a 4-point Likert-type scale, and to 7 open-ended questions. Graduates from the years 1996 and 2000 were selected. At the time of this survey, many of the graduates of 2000 were just finishing their undergraduate postsecondary programs, and the graduates of 1996 were settling into their chosen careers. Both groups were in a position to reflect on their experiences while they were in the program, and also to analyze the benefits of IB, if any, that they experienced during their postsecondary studies. Overall, graduates reported positive experiences in the program. They felt that the rich curriculum to which they were exposed, and the critical thinking and time management skills that they developed, were well worth the extra effort required to earn an IB diploma. Furthermore, they felt that the IB experience prepared them well for postsecondary studies.
Governor's Schools: Fostering the Social and Emotional Well-Being of Gifted and Talented Students
Authors: McHugh Marcianne W.
Published: June 2009

Reviewing and conducting research on summer residential program models for gifted and talented students will illuminate the academic, social, and emotional difficulties they face and reveal which practices are effective in addressing these issues. One program model, the Governor's School, warrants particular attention because of its mission to provide an accelerated and enriched curriculum and a positive social environment in a seasonal residential program. To date, few well-designed studies directly assess the effect of attending a Governor's School on participants’ social and emotional well-being. In order to provide a context for an in-depth examination of 8 studies conducted between 1965 and 1991 on participants in Governor's Schools in the Southeast, this review of literature begins with 2 landmark studies conducted on participants in summer residential programs between 1984 and 1993. Significant and tangential findings from all of these studies show that participation in summer residential programs has positive effects on students; the most significant effect is the formation of strong friendship bonds and support networks among program participants. However, the extent of supportive evidence is minimal due to limitations of the research designs, and a considerable lack of current research. Gaps in the literature reviewed are discussed, and suggestions for future research are presented.
Effective Teaching Strategies for Open Enrollment Honors and AP Classes
Authors: Winebrenner Susan
Published: June 2009

A trend is emerging to open enrollment for honors and AP classes to all students who wish to take them. Teachers of these open enrollment classes may be facing several dilemmas. How can the high standards and academic rigor of the course be maintained? How can students who struggle to learn be supported in their endeavors to keep up with the course content and pacing? What specific strategies can teachers use to meet the wide variety of learning needs in open enrollment classes? This article describes compensation strategies for students who may be struggling to keep up, as well as opportunities to work more independently for the most advanced students in a class.
Teaching Toward Compassion: Environmental Values Education for Secondary Students
Authors: Hartsell Brandis
Published: June 2009

Research has established that gifted children often develop deep sensitivities to world issues and injustices at an early age (Piechowski, 1997; Silverman, 1993). Once provided with information, they become more intensely interested in and concerned with current environmental problems (Clark, 1992; Cullingford, 1996). Although ecology is usually part of the secondary public school curriculum, the subject is often taught in rote fashion (deBettencourt & McCrea, 2000). This article discusses why and how the moral development and affective needs of gifted students at the secondary level could be more appropriately addressed through a holistic approach to environmental studies and suggests some additional strategies that allow gifted students to advance their interest in ecological issues despite—or in deference to—the scheduling constraints imposed by the regular curriculum.
Underachievement in Exceptionally Gifted Adolescents and Young Adults: A Psychiatrist's View
Authors: Grobman Jerald
Published: June 2009

A group of exceptionally gifted adolescents between the ages of 14 and 25 were each treated in individual psychotherapy over the course of a number of years. They were referred for symptoms of anxiety, depression, self-destructive behavior, and underachievement. Each phase of their gifted development was accompanied by particular anxieties and conflicts. In adolescence they developed a powerful personal vision, a sense of destiny, and a charismatic personality. Their inability to resolve conflicts about these particular gifted traits led to their most dramatic forms of underachievement and self-destructive behavior.
Examining the Long-Term Impact of Achievement Loss During the Transition to High School
Authors: Smith Joshua S.
Published: June 2009

Research shows that prior academic achievement is a strong predictor of future academic performance. For some students, the transition from one educational environment to another is associated with academic challenges and achievement loss. This study examined the extent to which achievement loss during the transition from middle school to high school later impacted college outcomes. Using data from the National Educational Longitudinal Study 1988/2000 (NELS: 88/2000), the results from a logistic regression analysis suggest that high-achieving middle school students who experienced achievement loss were more likely to leave their first college than high-achieving students who did not experience achievement loss.
Blending Support and Social Action: The Power of a Gay-Straight Alliance and PrideWorks Conference
Authors: Friedman-Nimz Reva , Altman Jennifer , Cain Spencer , Korn Shira , Karger Mary Jane , Witsch Michael J. , Muffly Sarah , Weiss Melanie
Published: June 2009

The role of a Gay-Straight Alliance as a force for social justice, as well as for support in a school community, is highlighted in one GSA's story. The GSA and an annual countywide conference, PrideWorks, have as their key goals education and advocacy. Their focus on making schools an inclusive and respectful place where all are welcome and valued carries a message for students, parents, and professionals. An underlying theme of bright, articulate teens as the leadership force emerges through the students’ words and adults’ reflections. The stories of the GSA and conference are told through interviews with key individuals, including teachers, current and former students, and other school personnel. Connections are made to the larger context of the “new gay teenager.”
Counseling Gifted Clients and Their Families: Comparing Clients' and Counselors' Perspectives
Authors: Bourdeau Beth , Thomas Volker
Published: June 2009

The literature on counseling the gifted comes mainly from an individual- and pathology-based approach with roots in clinical psychology. This study investigated the application of a systemic and resource-based approach with roots in a postmodern orientation to counseling for gifted families. Two sets of participants were interviewed: three counselors and three families who had recently completed counseling using a postmodern approach. A multiple case study was conducted, using constant comparison of the transcripts of interviews to develop themes describing the experience of participants in counseling. Readings of the transcripts produced categories of themes related to roles and goals of counseling. The themes indicated that counselors saw a process of negotiating expectations, while client family members felt that they received the type of service they expected when they began counseling. The findings suggest that clinicians may want to be overt in their theoretical orientation with clients and be aware of how they are meeting or not meeting the clients' expectations.
Effects of a Summer Program on the Social Self-Concepts of Gifted Adolescents
Authors: Rinn Anne N.
Published: June 2009

This study investigates the change in social self-concept among adolescents participating in a summer program for the gifted. Participants include 140 gifted students who had completed the 7th through 10th grade during the previous academic year. Social self-concept was measured at the beginning and end of the summer camp using the same-sex peer relations and the opposite-sex peer relations subscales of the Self-Description Questionnaire II (Marsh, 1990). Results indicate both males and females experienced an increase in their perceived same-sex peer relations and their perceived opposite-sex peer relations over the course of the summer program. Conclusions and implications for education policy are discussed.
School Functioning and Psychological Well-Being of International Baccalaureate and General Education Students A Preliminary Examination
Authors: Shaunessy Elizabeth , Suldo Shannon M. , Hardesty Robin B. , Shaffer Emily J.
Published: June 2009

The current study compared the school and psychological functioning of 122 gifted and high-achieving students to that of 176 general education students educated in the same school. Relative to their peers in general education, gifted and high-achieving students served in the school's International Baccalaureate (IB) program reported more positive perceptions of school climate, had higher grade point averages and academic self-efficacy, and reported less externalizing psychopathology and affiliation with negative peers. IB and general education students reported comparable levels of global life satisfaction and internalizing symptoms of psychopathology. The psychosocial adjustment of intellectually gifted students within the IB program was similar to that of their high-achieving IB peers on all indicators except satisfaction with friends. Recommendations for future research and implications for educational policy are presented.
Support and Sabotage Principals’ Influence on Middle School Teachers’ Responses to Differentiation
Authors: Hertberg-Davis Holly L. , Brighton Catherine M.
Published: June 2009

In order to respond to the growing academic diversity in classrooms, teachers must recognize that their students have different needs and commit to differentiating instruction accordingly; however, the relationship between teachers’ willingness and ability to differentiate instruction and principals’ attitudes toward differentiation is unknown. In this qualitative study, the principals and faculty at three schools were interviewed and observed over the course of 3 years. The results suggested that principals played a key role in teachers’ willingness and ability to differentiate instruction. Principals successful in encouraging teachers to differentiate exhibited the critical support, desire for change, belief that change was possible, and long-term vision of implementation that teachers required in order to effectively differentiate in their classrooms.
A Descriptive Analysis of Referral Sources for Gifted Identification Screening by Race and Socioeconomic Status
Authors: McBee Matthew T.
Published: June 2009

A dataset containing demographic information, gifted nomination status, and gifted identification status for all elementary school students in the state of Georgia ( N = 705,074) was examined. The results indicated that automatic and teacher referrals were much more valuable than other referral sources. Asian and White students were much more likely to be nominated than Black or Hispanic students. Students receiving free or reduced-price lunches were much less likely to be nominated than students paying for their own lunches. The results suggest that inequalities in nomination, rather than assessment, may be the primary source of the underrepresentation of minority and low-SES students in gifted programs.
Solvent‐Free Ionic Liquid Electrolytes for Mesoscopic Dye‐Sensitized Solar Cells
Authors: Zakeeruddin Shaik M. , Grätzel Michael
Published: June 2009

Ionic liquids have been identified as a new class of solvent that offers opportunities to move away from the traditional solvents. The physical‐chemical properties of ionic liquids can be tuned and controlled by tailoring their structures. The typical properties of ionic liquids, such as non‐volatility, electrochemical stability and high conductivity, render them attractive as electrolytes for dye‐sensitized solar cells. However, the high viscosity of ionic liquids leads to mass transport limitations on the photocurrents in the solar cells at full sunlight intensity, but the contribution of a Grotthous‐type exchange mechanism in these viscous electrolytes helps to alleviate these diffusion problems. This article discusses recent developments in the field of high‐performance dye‐sensitized solar cells with ionic liquid‐based electrolytes and their characterization by electrochemical impedance analysis.
Reactive transport parameter estimation: Genetic algorithm vs. Monte carlo approach
Authors: Majdalani Samer , Fahs Marwan , Carrayrou Jérôme , Ackerer Philippe
Published: June 2009

This article concerns reactive transport in porous media with an emphasis on the optimization of the chemical parameters. The transport of Cadmium (Cd) and tributyltin (TBT) in column experiments were used as test cases. The reactive transport model is described by a set of chemical reactions with equilibrium constants as the main adjustable parameters. As such a problem is highly nonlinear and can have multiple minima, global parameter estimation methods are more suitable than local gradient‐based methods. This article focuses on the application of a genetic algorithm (GA) in estimating chemical equilibrium parameters of a reactive transport model. The GA is capable of minimizing the difference between the measured and modeled breakthrough curves for both Cd and TBT. A comparison between GA and Monte‐Carlo approaches shows that the GA performance is better than the Monte‐Carlo, especially for a small number of evaluations of the cost function. The results of this study show that the use of GA to estimate the parameters of reactive transport models is promising. © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2009
Modeling and simulation of polymeric nanocapsule formation by emulsion diffusion method
Authors: Hassou M. , Couenne F. , le Gorrec Y. , Tayakout M.
Published: June 2009

The objective of this work is to develop a predictive dynamical model of a nanoencapsulation process using an emulsion diffusion method. This model describes the formation of the polymeric membrane around the oil droplet and its size reduction due to the solvent diffusion. To this end, we assume that the phase separation is only due to purely diffusive mechanism. This work is illustrated on the formation of poly‐ε‐caprolactone (PCL) around the oily core formed of labrafac from the initial homogeneous polymer‐solvent‐nonsolvent solution (PCL, ethyl acetate, and labrafac). The polymeric membrane formation, the size reduction of the nanocapsule after the solvent diffusion, and the morphology of nanocapsules are experimentally investigated. It is shown that the results obtained in simulation from the dynamical model are in agreement with the experimental ones. The model is then used to predict the effect of the initial composition on the nanocapsule morphology. © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2009
“Cloud‐like enhancement” is a magnetic resonance imaging abnormality specific to neuromyelitis optica
Authors: Ito Shoichi , Mori Masahiro , Makino Takahiro , Hayakawa Sei , Kuwabara Satoshi
Published: June 2009

Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) is presumably mediated by an autoantibody against aquaporin‐4 densely expressed at the blood‐brain barrier. In 18 patients with NMO, brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings were systematically reviewed. Brain MRI abnormalities were found for 89% of the patients, and the most prominent feature was “cloud‐like enhancement,” multiple patchy enhancing lesions with blurred margin, found in 90% of the patients with positive contrast enhancement. In NMO, brain MRI abnormalities are frequent, and cloud‐like enhancement appears to be an MRI finding specific to NMO, possibly caused by primary involvement of the blood‐brain barrier by the autoantibodies. Ann Neurol 2009;66:425–428
Glutamate receptor‐mediated ischemic injury of premyelinated central axons
Authors: Alix James J.P. , Fern Robert
Published: June 2009

Objective

Ischemic injury of axons is a feature of periventricular leukomalacia, a pathological correlate of cerebral palsy. Recent evidence suggests that axons are damaged before they receive the first layer of compact myelin. Here we examine the cellular mechanisms underlying ischemic‐type injury of premyelinated central axons.

Methods

Two‐thirds of axons in the postnatal day 10 (P10) rat optic nerve are small premyelinated axons (<0.4μm in diameter), and one‐third have undergone radial expansion in preparation for glial contact and the onset of myelination. Compound action potential recording and quantitative electron microscopy were used to examine the effect of modeled ischemia (oxygen‐glucose deprivation) upon these two axon populations. Glutamate receptor (GluR) expression was investigated using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and immunostaining approaches at the confocal light and ultrastructural levels.

Results

Oxygen‐glucose deprivation produced action potential failure and focal breakdown of the axolemma of small premyelinated axons at sites of contact with oligodendrocyte processes, which were also disrupted. The resulting axon loss was Ca2+‐dependent, Na+‐ and Cl−‐independent, and required activation of N‐methyl‐D‐aspartic acid (NMDA) and non‐NMDA GluRs. NMDA receptor expression was localized to oligodendrocyte processes at sites of contact with premyelinated axons, in addition to expression within compact myelin. No periaxonal NMDA receptor expression was observed on oligodendrocyte processes ensheathing large premyelinated axons and no protective effect of GluR block was observed in these axons.

Interpretation

NMDA receptor‐mediated injury to oligodendrocyte processes navigating along small premyelinated axons precedes damage to the underlying axon, a phenomena that is lost following radial expansion and subsequent oligodendrocyte ensheathment. Ann Neurol 2009;66:682–693
A disconnection account of Gerstmann syndrome: Functional neuroanatomy evidence
Authors: Rusconi Elena , Pinel Philippe , Eger Evelyn , LeBihan Denis , Thirion Bertrand , Dehaene Stanislas , Kleinschmidt Andreas
Published: June 2009

Objective

To examine the functional neuroanatomy that could account for pure Gerstmann syndrome, which is the selective association of acalculia, finger agnosia, left‐right disorientation, and agraphia.

Methods

We used structural and functional neuroimaging at high spatial resolution in healthy subjects to seek a shared cortical substrate of the Grundstörung posited by Gerstmann, ie, a common functional denominator accounting for this clinical tetrad. We construed a functional activation paradigm that mirrors each of the four clinical deficits in Gerstmann syndrome and determined cortical activation patterns. We then applied fiber tracking to diffusion tensor images and used cortical activation foci in the four functional domains as seed regions.

Results

None of the subjects showed parietal overlap of cortical activation patterns from the four cognitive domains. In every subject, however, the parietal activation patterns across all four domains consistently connected to a small region of subcortical parietal white matter at a location that is congruent with the lesion in a well‐documented case of pure Gerstmann syndrome.

Interpretation

Our functional neuroimaging findings are not in agreement with Gerstmann's postulate of damage to a common cognitive function underpinning clinical semiology. Our evidence from intact functional neuroanatomy suggests that pure forms of Gerstmann's tetrad do not arise from lesion to a shared cortical substrate but from intraparietal disconnection after damage to a focal region of subcortical white matter. Ann Neurol 2009;66:654–662
Effects of Fasting at Different Stages of Lighting Regimen on the Proliferation of Jejunal Epithelial Cells During Rat Pup Weaning
Authors: Soares Maria Albertina De Miranda , Okada Monica A. , Ayub Cristina Lucia Sant'Ana C. , Gomes JosÉ Rosa
Published: June 2009

The lifespan of intestinal epithelial cells is predetermined by the process of cell proliferation that occurs constantly in the crypt. The control of this process involves some endogenous factors, such as hormones, as well as exogenous factors, like food and natural light variations. These last two exogenous factors seem to be the major modulators of the cell proliferation process. Fasting treatment was conducted to assess the role of food and its effect on the metaphase index (MI) of the intestinal epithelium at different times and periods (light and dark) of the day. The effects of short‐ (5 hr) and long‐term (25 hr) fasting on the MI in the jejunal epithelium of young rats were investigated at 09:00 h, 15:00 hr, 21:00 hr, and 02:00 hr using the arrested metaphases method. The present study demonstrates that 5 hr and 25 hr of fasting treatment decrease the MI at 09:00 hr. It was observed from MI analysis that there is an interaction between the fed/fasted status of the animal and the different times of the day. This result suggests that during the transition from youth to adulthood, the control of MI by the light/dark cycle seems to be more pronounced as compared with control by food intake at some periods of the day, although at other times food had a greater impact on the MI. Anat Rec, 292:955–959, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Involvement of cellular proteins in Junin arenavirus entry
Authors: Martinez M. Guadalupe , Forlenza M. Belen , Candurra Nélida A.
Published: June 2009

Junin arenavirus (JUNV) entry is dependent on clathrin‐mediated pathways and it relies on the integrity of the actin cytoskeleton as well as the dynamics of microtubules. To determine the method of entry used by this human pathogen, we have demonstrated that in Vero cells JUNV is trafficked via the cellular dynamin 2 (dyn2) endocytic pathway and it is dependent on the Eps15 GTPase. In addition, we have shown that the virus travels through Rab5‐mediated early and Rab7‐mediated late endosomes in its pH‐dependent entry. Altogether, this study gives further inside into the endocytic pathway utilized by the arenavirus JUNV
Analysis of hybrid EM wave absorber using thin corrugated dielectric lossy sheet based on equivalent permittivity representation
Authors: Saito Toshifumi , Kurihara Hiroshi , Nishikata Atsuhiro , Kasabou Miki , Sugahara Toru , Matsumura Kazuya
Published: June 2009

The 10‐m and 3‐m semianechoic chambers are in widespread use for the electromagnetic compatibility (EMC). The hybrid EM wave absorber consisting of the sintered ferrite tiles and the dielectric lossy materials has been usually used for these semianechoic chambers. In the past, Suetake, Naito, and Shimizu's studies played a key part in providing the basis for the hybrid EM wave absorber. The reflectivity of the hybrid EM wave absorber can be calculated from the multilayered approximate structure. In particular, each layer occupied partly by the dielectric lossy materials can be replaced by the homogeneous plate having the equivalent relative complex permittivity, which is determined through the synthesized capacitance model in the large wavelength range. But, there was a problem that the equivalent relative complex permittivity differs with the process of the synthesized capacitance model.

We propose a new method which can be applied to the equivalent relative complex permittivity by the finite difference method (FDM). Moreover, the reflectivity of the hybrid EM wave absorber using the thin corrugated dielectric lossy sheet is calculated and measured. As a result, it is confirmed that the measured reflectivity agrees with the calculation one. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electron Comm Jpn, 92(7): 12–20, 2009; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/ecj.10082
Thermally Stable Nanocrystalline Mesoporous Gallium Oxide Phases
Authors: Deshmane Chinmay A. , Jasinski Jacek B. , Carreon Moises A.
Published: June 2009

Semicrystalline and fully crystalline mesoporous galliumoxide phases were synthesized in the presence of ionic and non‐ionic structure directing agents via Evaporation‐Induced Self‐Assembly (EISA) and Self‐Assembly Hydrothermal‐Assisted (SAHA) methods respectively. EISA led to partially crystalline mesoporous gallium oxide phases displaying unimodal pore size distribution in the range of ca. 2–5 nm and surface areas as high as 300 m2/g. SAHA led to nanocrystalline mesoporous uniform micron‐sized gallium oxide spheres (ca. 0.3–6.5 μm) with narrow size distribution displaying cubic spinel type structure. These mesophases displayed surface areas as high as ca. 221 m2/g and unimodal pore size distribution in the 5–15 nm range. Textural properties such as surface areas and pore sizes were effectively fine‐tuned by the nature and relative concentration of the structure directing agents. Due to their high surface areas, tunability of pore sizes and the nature of the wall structure, these gallium oxide mesophases could find potential applications as heterogeneous catalysts.(© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2009)
Fluorescent Cyclohexyl‐Based Chemosensors for Selective Sensing of TMA Malonate in DMSO/Water
Authors: Costero Ana M. , Colomer Josep V. , Gil Salvador , Parra Margarita
Published: June 2009

Two new cyclohexyl‐based fluorescent thioureas have been synthesized. The prepared ligands contain either a fluorescein or a rhodamine B moiety that are used as signalling units in dicarboxylate recognition. An equimolecular mixture of both ligands selectively recognize malonate in a competitive buffered medium. An inhibition of FRET as a result of the complex geometry might be proposed as a transduction mechanism in the sensing process. (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2009)
A systematic review of impulsivity in eating disorders
Authors: Waxman Samantha E.
Published: June 2009

The purpose of this paper is to conduct a systematic review of the current literature that examines impulsivity in individuals with eating disorders (ED). Studies were obtained from Embase, Pubmed and Psycinfo, and were included if they assessed impulsivity in individuals over 18 years of age with an ED diagnosis and published in the last 10 years. The methodological quality of the studies was rated. Twelve studies were included in this review, with methodological quality varying across studies. Findings suggest that impulsivity is best assessed multi‐modally, with a combination of self‐report, behavioural and physiological measures. In general, impulsivity was found to differentiate individuals with EDs from controls, as well as across diagnostic subtypes. The current findings have important clinical implications for our understanding and treatment of both impulsivity and eating disorders. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.
Mitigation of interharmonics using a switched filter scheme
Authors: Xu Wilsun , Tayjasanant Thavatchai , Zhang Guibin , Bahry Richard
Published: June 2009

This paper presents a real‐life case where variable frequency drive is identified as an interharmonic source that causes flickers. Through field measurements and system studies, the mechanism of light flicker production is revealed. After investigating various options to mitigate the problem, a simple switched filter scheme is recommended as the solution. Field measurement results have confirmed the effectiveness of the proposed scheme. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Duloxetine in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome: an open‐label pilot study
Authors: Brennan Brian P. , Fogarty Kate V. , Roberts Jacqueline L. , Reynolds Karina A. , Pope Harrison G. , Hudson James I.
Published: June 2009

Objective

To assess the efficacy of duloxetine for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

Methods

We conducted an open‐label 12‐week trial of duloxetine 60 mg daily in 15 patients with IBS without concurrent major depressive disorder. The primary outcome measure was average abdominal pain. Secondary measures included IBS symptoms, Clinical Global Impression‐Severity, Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, IBS Quality‐of‐Life Scale, and Sheehan Disability Scale. We analyzed changes using random regression and one‐sample t‐tests.

Results

Fourteen patients completed at least one post‐baseline evaluation; eight completed the study. Duloxetine was associated with significant improvement (p < 0.05) in pain, severity of illness, quality of life, loose stool, work and family disability, and anxiety. However, duloxetine did not improve hard stool. Although we found no evidence of serious duloxetine toxicity, seven participants withdrew over the course of the study because of adverse drug events.

Conclusions

In this small, open‐label study, duloxetine appeared to be effective for many features of IBS, but its adverse effects, most notably constipation, limited its use. Since our study excluded individuals with concurrent major depression, it appears that duloxetine may benefit IBS independently of its antidepressant effects. These encouraging but preliminary open‐label findings support further investigation of duloxetine treatment in placebo‐controlled trials of IBS. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The ADP‐dependent sugar kinase family: Kinetic and evolutionary aspects
Authors: Guixé Victoria , Merino Felipe
Published: June 2009

Some archaea of the Euryarchaeota present a unique version of the Embden–Meyerhof pathway where glucose and fructose‐6‐phosphate are phoshporylated using ADP instead of ATP as the phosphoryl donor. These are the only ADP‐dependent kinases known to date. Although initially they were believed to represent a new protein family, they can be classified as members of the ribokinase superfamily, which also include several ATP‐dependent kinases. As they were first identified in members of the thermococcales it was proposed that the presence of these ADP‐dependent kinases is an adaptation to high temperatures. Later, homologs of these enzymes were identified in the genomes of mesophilic and thermophilic methanogenic archaea and even in the genomes of higher eukaryotes, suggesting that the presence of these proteins is not related to the hyperthermophilic life. The ADP‐dependent kinases are very restrictive to their ligands being unable to use triphosphorylated nucleotides such as ATP. However, it has been shown that they can bind ATP by competition kinetic experiments. The hyperthermophilic methanogenic archaeon Methanocaldococcus jannaschii has a homolog of these genes, which can phosphorylate glucose and fructose‐6‐phosphate. For this reason, it was proposed as an ancestral form for the family. However, recent studies have shown that the ancestral activity in the group is glucokinase, and a combination of gene duplication and lateral gene transfer could have originated the two paralogs in this member of the Euryarchaeota. Interestingly, based on structural comparisons made within the superfamily it has been suggested that the ADP‐dependent kinases are the newest in the group. In several members of the superfamily, the presence of divalent metal cations has been shown to be crucial for catalysis, so its role in the ADP‐dependent family was investigated through molecular dynamics. The simulation shows that, in fact, the metal coordinates the catalytic ensemble and interacts with crucial residues for catalysis. © 2009 IUBMB IUBMB Life, 61(7): 753–761, 2009
The political economy of financial reform: are Abiad and Mody right?
Authors: Huang Yongfu
Published: June 2009

Motivated by the questions ‘Financial Reform: What Shakes It? What Shapes It?’ raised by Abiad and Mody (2005), this paper studies the forces that induce governments to undertake financial sector reform. Rather than their ordered logit technique, it uses a within groups approach allowing for error dependence across countries and over time. This analysis shows that some of the AM findings are not robust to error dependence and the estimation method. It has shed new light on the political economy of financial reform. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.