bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Intrathecal Injection of Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor Subtype 3 and 5 Agonist/Antagonist Attenuates Bone Cancer Pain by Inhibition of Spinal Astrocyte Activation in a Mouse Model
Authors: Ren Bing-xu , Gu Xiao-ping , Zheng Ya-guo , Liu Cheng-long , Wang Dan , Sun Yu-e , Ma Zheng-liang 
Published: November 2011

Background
Astrocytes and metabotropic glutamate receptors play important roles in nociceptive processing. However, their roles in bone cancer pain were not well understood. This study sought to investigate whether selective mGluR3 and mGluR5 agonist or antagonist develop antinociceptive effects on bone cancer pain by inhibition of spinal astrocyte activation.

Methods
C3H/HeNCrlVr mice were inoculated into the intramedullary space of the femur with sarcoma NCTC 2472 cells to induce bone cancer pain. Quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and Western blot experiments examined messenger RNA and protein expression of spinal glial fibrillary acidic protein, mGluR3, and mGluR5. The authors further investigated effects of intrathecal treatment with the mGluR3 agonist (APDC), the mGluR3 antagonist (LY341495), the mGluR5 agonist (CHPG), or the mGluR5 antagonist (MTEP) on nociceptive behaviors and spinal astrocyte activation associated with bone cancer pain.

Results
Inoculation of sarcoma cells, but not α-MEM solution, induced progressive bone cancer pain and resulted in up-regulation of glial fibrillary acidic protein, mGluR3, and mGluR5 expression on days 10, 14, and 21 postinoculation. Intrathecal administration of APDC and MTEP attenuated bone cancer-evoked spontaneous pain, mechanical allodynia, thermal hyperalgesia, and reduced spinal glial fibrillary acidic protein expression. However, treatment with LY341495 and CHPG induced thermal hyperalgesia and spinal glial fibrillary acidic protein expression in control mice.

Conclusions
Spinal mGluR3 activation or mGluR5 inhibition reduced bone cancer pain. Inhibition of spinal astrocyte activation may contribute to the analgesic effects. These findings may lead to novel strategies for the treatment of bone cancer pain.
Do resource consent announcements provide valuable information?
Authors: Wirth Carolyn , Chi Jing , Young Martin 
Published: November 2011

PurposeInvestor access to timely, financial resource consent information is problematic, consequently the purpose of this paper is to investigate the economic importance of New Zealand resource consent announcements to the stock exchange.Design/methodology/approachThe authors apply event study methodology and cross‐sectional rank regression using a sample of resource consent announcements from 1993 to 2007.FindingsEvidence of excess return volatility is found both on and before resource consent announcement dates. The results show that stock market reactions to resource consent announcements are positive for news of successes and negative for news of setbacks. Uncertainty associated with resource consent announcements appears to contribute to a delayed negative market response. In contrast, price reactions to announcements of resource consent success are immediate and significantly positive only when the news is concurrently disseminated via the media.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings imply that resource consent announcements are newsworthy and provide valuable information to the stock market regarding future regulatory compliance costs. Media dissemination is suggested to play an important role in the price‐adjustment process for news of resource consent successes. Given the increasing prominence of environmental compliance issues, the authors suggest that more informative disclosures regarding the types of consent(s) sought, the dollar value of expected compliance costs, expected time to gain consent, project investment costs and consent conditions imposed, would better assist investors to assess the economic impact of firm capital expenditures.Originality/valueThis study adds evidence to the literature on the role of environmental disclosures in disseminating information and reducing information asymmetry and offers suggestions to enhance the informativeness of environmental disseminations.
Exploring how gay men manage their social identities in the workplace
Authors: Roberts Simon 
Published: November 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to look beyond the issue of disclosure/non‐disclosure in the workplace, to explore the ways gay men challenge, negotiate and conform in the two‐way process of managing their identities in what Jenkins terms the interaction order. In the validation of their external identities, the author aims to identify critical incidents and experiences in gay men's working lives in which they have resisted or challenged identities, labels and stereotypes ascribed by others.Design/methodology/approachData were gathered through ten semi‐structured interviews with self‐identified gay men in a wide range of occupations and age ranges working in Bournemouth, UK.FindingsThe data focus on the fluidity of identity and the impact of organisational context. In their self‐presentations a number of strategies were deployed. The respondents experienced exclusion, stereotyping, being viewed as a piece of curiosity, silence, discomfort and a marked identity in the eyes of others. In response to these reactions, themes of compliance, conformity and adopting an educator role were uncovered.Research limitations/implicationsAlthough the findings presented are not necessarily generalizable, themes of exclusion, silence and marked identities were uncovered that echo many previous studies of gay men's experiences in the workplace.Originality/valueLittle research has been done on identity management in the workplace beyond the issue of disclosure of sexual identity. In particular, there has been limited focus on how gay men challenge, negotiate and modify the labels and social identities ascribed by others in what Jenkins terms the interaction order. Nor does there seem to be any research on whether gay men have modified the management of their social identities throughout their working lives.
A “lesbian advantage”?
Authors: Wright Tessa 
Published: November 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to consider whether lesbians may experience an “advantage” in non‐traditionally female work compared to heterosexual women, but argues for an intersectional approach to understanding the relationship between gender, sexuality and class in male‐dominated work.Design/methodology/approachThe research uses semi‐structured interviews with women working transport and construction, focusing here on an analysis of 13 interviews with lesbian workers, eight working in transport and five in construction, representing both professional/managerial and skilled manual occupations.FindingsThe paper considers the question of whether lesbians may experience an “advantage” in non‐traditionally female work compared to heterosexual women, but finds that their experience is complicated by other factors such as ethnicity, class and organisational culture. Organisational response and practice in relation to sexual orientation is found to be equally significant in shaping the realities of working lives for lesbians in traditionally male work.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings in this paper are based on an analysis of interviews with lesbians drawn from a larger research project examining the experience of both heterosexual and lesbian women working in the transport and construction sectors.Originality/valueThe paper addresses a gap in the literature on lesbian experience in non‐traditionally female work and aims to contribute to knowledge of the diversity of lesbian experience through examining the working lives of lesbians in both professional and skilled manual roles.
Coupling of finite element and meshfree methods for locking‐free analysis of shear‐deformable beams and plates
Authors: Erkmen Emre , Bradford M.A. 
Published: November 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to develop a computational technique to couple finite element and meshfree methods for locking‐free analysis of shear deformable beams and plates, and to impose the boundary conditions directly when the matching field approach is adopted in the meshfree region.Design/methodology/approachMatching field approach eliminates shear‐locking which may occur due to inconsistencies in the approximations of the transverse displacement and rotation fields in shear‐deformable beams and plates. Continuous blending method is modified in order to be able to satisfy the constraint conditions of the matching field strategy.FindingsFor both transverse displacement and rotation fields, the developed technique produces approximation functions that satisfy the Kronecker delta property at the required nodes of the meshfree region when the matching field approach is adopted.Originality/valueThis approach allows for direct assembly of the stiffness matrices that are built for separate finite element and meshfree regions when the matching field approach is adopted. The boundary conditions can be directly applied, and the reaction forces can also be calculated directly from the structural stiffness matrix by using the developed technique.
A scheduling methodology for dealing with uncertainty in construction projects
Authors: Elena Bruni Maria , Beraldi Patrizia , Guerriero Francesca , Pinto Erika 
Published: November 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to address the problem of scheduling under uncertainty in construction projects. The existing methods for determining a project schedule are based on assumption of complete knowledge of project parameters; but in reality there is uncertainty in construction projects, deriving from a multitude of context‐dependent sources and often provided as outcome of a risk analysis process. Thus, classical deterministic analysis might provide a schedule which is not sufficiently protected against possible disruptions.Design/methodology/approachA quantitative methodology is developed for planning construction projects under uncertainty aimed at determining a reliable resource feasible project schedule by taking into account the available probabilistic information to produce solutions that are less sensitive to perturbations that occur on line. The methodology relies on a computer‐supported system that allows to identify, analyze and quantify the schedule reliability and the impact of possible disruptions on the duration of the project.FindingsIt is found that the proposed methodology can exploit more information about the uncertain parameters than the commonly‐used deterministic method, and it provides an improved understanding of the schedule reliability in presence of uncertainty. The schedule generated with a classical deterministic method sets a completely unrealistic planned project delivery date of about 1,250 days, with a probability around 50 per cent to be exceeded. This behavior can be very unsatisfactory for construction projects for which high penalties are usually associated to heavy due date violations.Originality/valueThis paper presents an approach for robust scheduling of construction project problem under uncertainty. We provide a tool able to support managers in developing a workable and realistic project schedule to be used as a guideline for project control and monitoring.
Special fiber elements for thermal analysis of fiber‐reinforced composites
Authors: Wang Hui , Qin Qinghua 
Published: November 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to present a new special element model for thermal analysis of composites.Design/methodology/approachA hybrid finite element formulation taking the fundamental solution as kernel function is presented in this work for analyzing the thermal behavior and predicting the effective thermal conductivity of fiber‐reinforced composites. A representative volume cell containing single or multiple fibers (or inclusions) is considered to investigate the overall temperature distribution affected by the inclusions and the interactions among them, and to evaluate the effective thermal conductivity of the composites using the presented algorithm with special‐purpose inclusion elements. Numerical examples are presented to demonstrate the accuracy and applicability of the proposed method in analyzing fiber‐reinforced composites.FindingsThe independent intra‐element field and frame field, as well as the newly‐developed hybrid functional, make the algorithm versatile in terms of element construction, with the result that the related variational functional involves the element boundary integral only. All numerical results are compared with the solutions from ABAQUS and good agreement is observed for all cases, clearly demonstrating the potential applications of the proposed approach to large‐scale modeling of fiber‐reinforced composites. The usage of special inclusion element can significantly reduce model meshing effort and computing cost, and simultaneously avoid mesh regeneration when the fiber volume fraction is changed.Practical implicationsDue to the fact that the established special elements exactly satisfy the interaction of matrix and fiber within the element, only element boundary integrals are involved, thus the algorithm can significantly reduce modeling effort and computing cost with less elements, and simultaneously avoid mesh regeneration when the fiber volume fraction is changed.Originality/valueBased on the special fundamental solution, a newly‐constructed inclusion element is applied to a number of test problems involving unit RVCs with multiple fibers to access the accuracy of the model. The effective thermal conductivity of the composites is evaluated for cases of single and multiple fibers using the average temperatures at certain points on a data‐collection surface. A new algorithm for evaluating effective properties with special elements is presented.
Boric acid in PCBs: compliance with EU REACH regulations
Authors: Mullins Michael J. , Luttrull David K. , Schumacher Hans 
Published: November 2011

PurposeBoric acid has been used for many years as a catalyst inhibitor and crosslinking agent to increase the glass transition temperature of epoxy resins for printed circuit boards (PCB), as well as in the glass fibre reinforcement. Recent regulation related to boric acid and its salts by the ECHA, a regulatory agency in the EU, may limit the use of these materials. The purpose of this paper is to describe the implications of this new regulation and to propose an analytical procedure that is relevant to PCB's.Design/methodology/approachPotential analytical procedures, including dissolution in acid and aqueous extraction followed by boric acid titration, are discussed and evaluated.FindingsThe use of acid for the digestion of prepreg, laminates and PCBs has the potential to greatly overstate the concentration of boric acid in PCBs.Originality/valueAn aqueous extraction method (German DIN 38414‐4) gives results that represent a worst‐case leaching process. It is proposed that it becomes the official analytical method for printed circuit boards in order to comply with the ECHA regulation.
The use and awareness of Web 2.0 tools by Greek LIS students
Authors: Garoufallou Emmanouel , Charitopoulou Vassiliki 
Published: November 2011

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to investigate the use of Web 2.0 tools and their use by Greek library science and information systems (LSIS) students; to study to what extent students use these tools both in everyday life and in relation to their studies.Design/methodology/approachA web‐based questionnaire was distributed to students of the LSIS Department at the Alexander Technological Educational Institute of Thessaloniki, Greece; 240 (25.5 per cent) students of a total population of 958 responded. The paper presents students' knowledge concerning Web 2.0 tools, their use and understanding of such tools, and to draw conclusions regarding the penetration of such tools into their everyday life.FindingsThe research found that although most of the students have heard of the term Web 2.0 and its tools, further knowledge of the subject is limited. This lack of knowledge was apparent in the poor ways that students exploited Web 2.0 features. The questionnaire, which was divided into two sections, examined the knowledge and use of Web 2.0 tools by students, and further explored the use of Web 2.0 tools in the educational process. It is hoped that the results of this study will provide insightful information to the Greek LIS community in order to better understand students' behaviour, with a view to encouraging the incorporation of new elements into the curriculum with regard to Web 2.0.Practical implicationsThe research suggests that the knowledge and implementation of Web 2.0 should begin in the LIS schools to prepare future library staff for the new challenges ahead. The Greek LIS research community has so far largely overlooked students' use of Web 2.0Originality/valueThe paper highlights that Web 2.0 is playing a leading role in library science.
ICT skills and employability needs at the LIS programme Kuwait: a literature review
Authors: Buarki Hanadi , Hepworth Mark , Murray Ian 
Published: November 2011

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to provide a comprehensive literature review on information and communication skills (ICT) of library and information science (LIS) students in worldwide LIS education and compare them with those skills needed by the job market in Kuwait.Design/methodology/approachPublished literature – articles that may describe the LIS education situation in Kuwait – on the subject were reviewed and compared. In addition, content analysis of relevant web sites, reports, and LIS syllabus were used to provide further documentation and interpretation. The paper reviews ICT skills from the published research perspective; curricula review; professional association guidelines; employers' ICT skills needs; barriers and challenges of ICT adaption; and the ICT situation in Kuwait.FindingsICT skills have been recognised as essential qualities for LIS graduates’ employment. Various authors have stressed this in different publications. Few reviews on ICT skills were conducted, especially in developing countries such as Kuwait. A more comprehensive literature review on the importance of ICT skills and the job market needs is attempted.Practical implicationsThis review will help professionals in reviewing/adding to their curriculum and collaborating with employers to know their ICT skills needs. It will help employers and stakeholders to understand the ICT skills needed for LIS employability. It will also help students and graduates to improve their ICT skills to meet the needs of the job market.Originality/valueThe paper was built upon previous articles, reviews of literature, and has identified certain gaps that have set the ground for further research in ICT skills, curriculum review, and employers’ skills needs.
Information literacy programmes in Nigeria: a survey of 36 university libraries
Authors: Baro Emmanuel E. , Zuokemefa Timi 
Published: November 2011

PurposeThe aim of the paper is to examine the various information literacy (IL) practices in university libraries in Nigeria, to identify the likely barriers facing information literacy programmes in Nigeria, and to provide suggestions on how best to improve the IL practices.Design/methodology/approachLibrarians from 36 university libraries participated in the survey which adopted an online method.FindingsThe study revealed that university libraries in Nigeria were found to be engaging in different information literacy (IL) practices ranging from library tour/orientations sessions to introductory information skills, database searching skills, bibliographic training and use of the library. Barriers such as lack of interest by students, teachers, and management, inadequate human resources to handle IL training, lack of facilities, low acceptance of online IL delivery approach and absence of IL policy were identified as factors militating against librarians' efforts when advocating and providing IL programmes in university libraries in Nigeria.Practical implicationsThe study will inform librarians or library administrators in developing countries who want to train users on information literacy skills in order to facilitate full exploitation of information resources and services in their libraries.Originality/valueThe paper describes information literacy practices in university libraries in Nigeria. The findings may be of help to librarians who want to improve on their IL programmes in university libraries in Nigeria and other developing countries.
The recession, budgets, expectations and realities
Authors: Guarria Charles I. 
Published: November 2011

PurposeThis article seeks to provide insight on how librarians managed through the recession. It aims to highlight key areas of concern such as budgets and personnel. It is the culmination of two surveys administered in the succeeding summers of 2009 and 2010.Design/methodology/approachThe library community was notified of the surveys and provided the surveys' link via numerous library listservs. The same listservs were used for each survey. The responses received were from representatives of academic, special and public libraries.FindingsAn examination of the surveys reveals that budget cuts were worse in fiscal year (FY) 2009 than they were in 2010. Suggesting the cuts enacted in FY 2009 were effective thus less severe cuts were needed in FY 2010. Stress levels were high for FY 2009 and inched higher in FY 2010. There was no significant help, in terms of cost sharing for purchases, from the departments within the organizations the libraries served. Best practice suggestions were offered in many areas to include communication, purchasing and personnel.Originality/valueWhen the economy experiences a contraction, businesses, governments and the general population begins to rein in expenses. This affects libraries of all types, special, academic and public. The article explores how the library community dealt with this issue and provides information that generates problem solving ideas for those in budgetary and leadership roles.
Collection liquidation
Authors: Lund James R. 
Published: November 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this article is to encourage public librarians to reconsider the future value of their paper book collections.Design/methodology/approachThe author interacts with developing trends to make an argument for supporting paper book collections in the digital age.FindingsThe liquidation of Borders Group Inc. provides the public library with an opportunity to market its paper collections to publishers and paper book buyers.Originality/valueThe article offers a contrarian perspective on the enduring value physical book collections will play in the digital age.