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Considerable Research (considerable + research)
Terms modified by Considerable Research Selected AbstractsMelanoma stem cells: targets for successful therapy?JOURNAL DER DEUTSCHEN DERMATOLOGISCHEN GESELLSCHAFT, Issue 7 2008Roland Houben Summary Increasing evidence suggests that cancer is a disease in which the persistence of the tumor relies on a small population of tumor-initiating cells, the so called tumor stem cells (TSC). Only these cells are capable of self-renewal and thereby possess the ability for unlimited proliferation. One reason for the inability of conventional tumor treatments to achieve long-term cures seems to be that TSC are resistant to many therapeutic approaches. A detailed characterization of TSC should have a substantial impact on the optimization of therapeutic protocols. While TSC in hematopoietic malignancies have been most intensively studied, subpopulations with stem cell properties have been identified in some solid tumors including breast carcinomas, gliomas and melanomas. In case of melanoma, however, a clear-cut molecular characterization is still pending. Considerable research is needed to establish standard procedures for the isolation of melanoma stem cells to facilitate determining how these cells, critical for tumor persistence and progression, can be effectively eliminated. A pressing question is if melanoma stem cells are in principle sensitive to immunotherapy. [source] The Performer's Reactions to Procedural Injustice: When Prosocial Identity Reduces Prosocial Behavior1JOURNAL OF APPLIED SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 2 2009Adam M. Grant Considerable research has examined how procedural injustice affects victims and witnesses of unfavorable outcomes, with little attention to the "performers" who deliver these outcomes. Drawing on dissonance theory, we hypothesized that performers' reactions to procedural injustice in delivering unfavorable outcomes are moderated by prosocial identity,a helping-focused self-concept. Across 2 experiments, individuals communicated unfavorable outcomes decided by a superior. Consistent with justice research, when prosocial identities were not primed, performers experienced greater negative affect and behaved more prosocially toward victims when a superior's decision-making procedures were unjust. Subtly activating performers' prosocial identities reversed these reactions. Results highlight how roles and identities shape the experience and delivery of unfavorable outcomes: When procedures are unjust, prosocial identity can reduce prosocial behavior. [source] Life history and ecology of seahorses: implications for conservation and managementJOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY, Issue 1 2004S. J. Foster We present the first synthesis of the life history and ecology of seahorses, compare relationships for seahorses with other marine teleosts and identify research needs. Seahorses occurred primarily amidst temperate seagrasses and tropical coral reefs. Population densities were generally low, ranging from 0 to 0·51 individuals m,2, but reached 10 m,2 in some patches. Inferred life spans ranged from 1 to 5 years. Seahorses consumed live prey and possibly changed diet as they grew. Growth rates are poorly investigated to date. Reproduction and mating systems are the best-studied aspects of seahorse ecology. The relationship between size at first maturity and maximum size in seahorses conformed to that for other marine teleosts. All seahorse species were monogamous within a cycle, but some were polygamous across cycles. Direct transfer of clutches to the brood pouch of the male fish made it difficult to measure clutch size in live seahorses. After brooding, males released from c. 5 to 2000 young, depending on species and adult size. Newborn young measured from 2 to 20 mm in length, which was a narrower size range than the 17-fold difference that occurred in adult size. Newborn body size had no relationship to adult size. Both eggs and young were larger than expected among marine teleosts, even when considering only those with parental care, but brood size at release was lower than expected, perhaps because the young were more developed. The size of adults, eggs and young increased with increasing latitude, although brood size did not. Considerable research is needed to advance seahorse conservation and management, including (a) fisheries-dependent and fisheries-independent abundance estimates, (b) age- or stage-based natural and fishing mortalities, (c) growth rates and age at first maturity, and (d) intrinsic rates of increase and age- or size-specific reproductive output. Current data confirm that seahorses are likely to be vulnerable to high levels of exploitation. [source] Learning oceanography from a computer simulation compared with direct experience at seaJOURNAL OF RESEARCH IN SCIENCE TEACHING, Issue 1 2006William Winn Considerable research has compared how students learn science from computer simulations with how they learn from "traditional" classes. Little research has compared how students learn science from computer simulations with how they learn from direct experience in the real environment on which the simulations are based. This study compared two college classes studying introductory oceanography. One class learned using an interactive computer simulation based on a dynamic, three-dimensional model of physical oceanography. The other class learned by spending a day on a research ship using scientific tools and instruments to measure physical properties of the ocean directly. In classes preceding and following the simulation or field experience, students performed the same exercises regarding currents and salinity, had the same instructor presentations, and did the same homework. The study found that the field experience helped contextualize learning for students with little prior experience of the ocean while the simulation made it easier for students to connect what they learned from it to other content they learned in class. These and other findings shed light on what computer simulations can and cannot help students learn, and what concepts are best learned in the real environment. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 43: 25,42, 2006 [source] UV emission on a Si substrate: Optical and structural properties of ,-CuCl on Si grown using liquid phase epitaxy techniquesPHYSICA STATUS SOLIDI (A) APPLICATIONS AND MATERIALS SCIENCE, Issue 5 2009A. Cowley Abstract Considerable research is being carried out in the area of wide band gap semiconductor materials for light emission in the 300,400 nm spectral range. Current materials being used for such devices are typically based on II,VI and III-nitride compounds and variants thereof. However, one of the major obstacles to the successful fabrication of III-N devices is lattice mismatch-induced high dislocation densities for epitaxially grown layers on non-native substrates. ,-CuCl is a direct bandgap material and an ionic wide bandgap I,VII semiconductor with a room temperature free exciton binding energy of ,190 meV (compared to ,25 meV and ,60 meV for GaN and ZnO, respectively) and has a band gap of 3.4 eV (, , 366 nm). The lattice constant of ,-CuCl (0.541 nm) is closely matched to that of Si (0.543 nm). This could, in principle, lead to the development of optoelectronic systems based on CuCl grown on Si. Research towards this end has successfully yielded polycrystalline ,-CuCl on Si(100) and Si(111) using vacuum-based deposition techniques [1]. We report on developments towards achieving single crystal growth of CuCl from solution via Liquid Phase Epitaxy (LPE) based techniques. Work is being carried out using alkali halide flux compounds to depress the liquidus temperature of the CuCl below its solid phase wurtzite-zincblende transition temperature (407 °C [2]) for solution based epitaxy on Si substrates. Initial results show that the resulting KCl flux-driven deposition of CuCl onto the Si substrate has yielded superior photoluminescence (PL) and X-ray excited optical luminescence (XEOL) behavior relative to comparitively observed spectra for GaN or polycrystalline CuCl. This enhancement is believed to be caused by an interaction between the KCl and CuCl material subsequent to the deposition process, perhaps involving a reduction in Cl vacancy distributions in CuCl. This paper presents a detailed discussion of a CuCl LPE growth system as well as the characterization of deposited materials using X-ray diffraction (XRD), room temperature and low temperature PL, and XEOL. (© 2009 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source] Improving the Quality of Information Flows in the Backend of a Product Development Process: a Case StudyQUALITY AND RELIABILITY ENGINEERING INTERNATIONAL, Issue 2 2005Jaring Boersma Abstract Considerable research has gone into designing effective product development processes. This, coupled with the increasing need for products that are able to deliver reliable, complex functionality with a high degree of innovation, presents a major challenge to modern day industries in the business of developing products. In order to incorporate relevant field experience in the design and manufacturing of new products, increasingly detailed information needs to be retrieved from the market in a very short amount of time. In one particular consumer electronics industry, business process models describing the information flow in the backend of the product development process indicated massive data loss and also serious data quality degradation. This paper attempts to show how such losses can be mitigated and also proposes a business model that can adequately capture information of a higher quality and in a more structured manner. The end result will be a product development process that provides better feedback on current product performance and is more responsive to future market needs. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Support groups in advanced breast cancer,CANCER, Issue S11 2005Living better if not longer Abstract Considerable research has been conducted into the potential benefits of support groups for patients with metastatic breast cancer. An early report by Spiegel et al. suggested that participation in these groups not only had psychologic benefits but also resulted in prolongation of survival. A review of the published literature was undertaken. Five randomized trials of support groups in metastatic breast cancer have been published. Four of those five trials have reported survival results: Survival outcomes from the fifth study are pending. A variety of group interventions were investigated. All of the studies reported beneficial psychosocial effects of the intervention, although the effects, at times, were transient and were not always present for all study outcomes. Only the original publication by Spiegel's group identified a survival benefit. No survival benefit was seen for participation in support groups for the other three studies that reported survival effects. Mixed survival effects were reported for other psychologic interventions in other cancers. There was good evidence that support groups in metastatic breast cancer lead to improved psychologic outcomes. Evidence of beneficial survival effects was not convincing. Cancer 2005. © 2005 American Cancer Society. [source] FLUID FLOW IN DISTENSIBLE VESSELSCLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL PHARMACOLOGY AND PHYSIOLOGY, Issue 2 2009CD Bertram SUMMARY 1Flow in single vascular conduits is reviewed, divided into distended and deflated vessels. 2In distended vessels with pulsatile flow, wave propagation and reflection dominate the spatial and temporal distribution of pressure, determining the shape, size and relative timing of measured pressure waveforms, as well as the instantaneous pressure gradient everywhere. Considerable research has been devoted to accessing the information on pathological vascular malformations contained in reflected waves. Slow waves of contraction of vessel wall muscle, responsible for transport of oesophageal, ureteral and gut contents, have also been modelled. 3The pressure gradient in a vessel drives the flow. Flow rate can be predicted both analytically and numerically, but analytical theory is limited to idealized geometry. The complex geometry of biological system conduits necessitates computation instead. Initially limited to rigid boundaries, numerical methods now include fluid,structure interaction and can simultaneously model solute transport, thus predicting accurately the environment of the mechanosensors and chemosensors at vessel surfaces. 4Deflated vessels display all phenomena found in distended vessels, but have additional unique behaviours, especially flow rate limitation and flow-induced oscillation. Flow rate limitation is widespread in the human body and has particular diagnostic importance in respiratory investigation. Because of their liquid lining, the pulmonary airways are also characterized by important two-phase flows, where surface tension phenomena create flows and determine the patency and state of collapse of conduits. 5Apart from the vital example of phonation, sustained self-excited oscillation is largely avoided in the human body. Where it occurs in snoring, it is implicated in the pathological condition of sleep apnoea. [source] National Adoption of International Accounting Standards: An Institutional PerspectiveCORPORATE GOVERNANCE, Issue 3 2010William Judge ABSTRACT Manuscript Type: Empirical Research Question/Issue: Effective corporate governance requires accurate and reliable financial information. Historically, each nation has developed and pursued its own financial standards; however, as financial markets consolidate into a global market, there is a need for a common set of financial standards. As a result, there is a movement towards harmonization of international financial reporting standards (IFRS) throughout the global economy. While there has been considerable research on the effects of IFRS adoption, there has been relatively little systematic study as to the antecedents of IFRS adoption. Consequently, this study seeks to understand why some economies have quickly embraced IFRS standards while others partially adopt IFRS and still others continue to resist. Research Findings/Results: After controlling for market capitalization and GDP growth, we find that foreign aid, import penetration, and level of education achieved within a national economy are all predictive of the degree to which IFRS standards are adopted across 132 developing, transitional and developed economies. Theoretical/Academic Implications: We found that all three forms of isomorphic pressures (i.e., coercive, mimetic, and normative) are predictive of IFRS adoption. Consequently, institutional theory with its emphasis on legitimacy-seeking by social actors was relatively well supported by our data. This suggests that the IFRS adoption process is driven more by social legitimization pressures, than it is by economic logic. Practitioner/Policy Implications: For policy makers, our findings suggest that the institutional pressures within an economy are the key drivers of IFRS adoption. Consequently, policy makers should seek to influence institutional pressures that thwart and/or enhance adoption of IFRS. For executives of multinational firms, our findings provide insights that can help to explain and predict future IFRS adoption within economies where their foreign subsidiaries operate. This ability could be useful for creating competitive advantages for foreign subsidiaries where IFRS adoption was resisted, or avoiding competitive disadvantages for foreign subsidiaries unfamiliar with IFRS standards. [source] Maternally separated rats show deficits in maternal care in adulthoodDEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOBIOLOGY, Issue 1 2001Vedran Lovic Abstract Although there is considerable research on the phenomenology, neuroendocrinology, neuroanatomy, and sensory control of maternal behavior, little is known about the influences of early postnatal and postweaning experiences on the development of maternal behavior. The purpose of this study was to assess how early life separation from the mother rat affects development of the offspring's juvenile and adult maternal behavior. From postnatal Days 1 to 17, 3 female rats within each litter were separated (SEP) from the mother and the rest of the litter for 5 hr daily while 3 of their sisters were not maternally separated (NSEP). On postnatal Day 21, all subjects were weaned and randomly assigned to one of three juvenile conditions. One female from both SEP and NSEP groups was either isolated (I), given a social conspecific (S), or given 1- to 4-day-old pups (P) for 5 consecutive days. Maternal behavior of SEP and NSEP animals was assessed and recorded on each of the 5 days. Once all animals reached adulthood, they were mated, gave birth, and were assessed for their maternal behavior. We found that the effects of maternal separation on juvenile maternal-like behaviors were minimal. On the other hand, maternal separation reduced adult maternal licking and crouching over pups. In addition, there was a significant interaction between postnatal and juvenile experience on maternal crouching in maternal animals. These results are discussed in terms of the variety of possible behavioral, endocrine, and neurochemical mechanisms that mediate the effects of early life experiences on adult maternal behavior. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 39: 19,33, 2001 [source] Conservation biogeography , foundations, concepts and challengesDIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS, Issue 3 2010David M. Richardson Abstract Conservation biogeography involves the application of biogeographical principles, theories, and analyses to problems regarding biodiversity conservation. The field was formally defined in 2005, and considerable research has been conducted in the ensuing 5 years. This editorial sets the context for 16 contributions in a special issue of Diversity and Distributions on developments and challenges in conservation biogeography. Papers are grouped into the following main themes: species distribution modelling; data requirements; approaches for assigning conservation priorities; approaches for integrating information from numerous disparate sources; special challenges involving invasive species; and the crucial issue of determining how elements of biodiversity are likely to respond to rapid climate change. One paper provides a synthesis of requirements for a robust conservation biogeography for freshwater ecosystems. Conservation biogeography is well poised to make a significant contribution to the process of providing policy makers with objectively formulated scenarios and options for the effective management of biodiversity. The editorial, and the papers in the special issue, deliberate on many of the exciting developments in play in the field, and the many complex challenges that lie ahead. [source] Expression profiles and clinical relationships of ID2, CDKN1B, and CDKN2A in primary neuroblastomaGENES, CHROMOSOMES AND CANCER, Issue 4 2004Sigrun Gebauer Despite considerable research into the etiology of neuroblastoma, the molecular basis of this disease has remained elusive. In contrast to the absence of expression of the known tumor suppressor CDKN2A (also known as p16 and INK4A) in a wide variety of tumor types we have found in previous studies that CDKN2A protein is paradoxically highly expressed in many advanced stage neuroblastomas and unrelated to RB1 status. In the present study, we sought to identify the mechanistic relationships that might influence CDKN2A expression and negate its influence on tumor cell proliferation. In this regard, we examined the role of the tumor-suppressor gene CDKN1B (also known as p27 and Kip1) and the oncogene ID2 in relationship to CDKN2A expression, MYCN amplification, and neuroblastoma pathogenesis in 17 neuroblastoma cell lines and 129 samples of primary tumors of all stages. All neuroblastoma cell lines expressed the ID2 transcript and protein. However, although the majority of primary neuroblastomas also expressed the ID2 transcript, expression of the ID2 protein was undetectable or only barely detectable, regardless of transcript expression. In both cell lines and primary tumors, ID2 expression was independent of both CDKN2A and MYCN expression. In primary neuroblastomas, CDKN1B protein was expressed in significantly fewer advanced-stage neuroblastomas than early-stage neuroblastomas, but its expression had no relationship with CDKN2A expression or MYCN amplification. We concluded that the paradoxical expression of CDKN2A in neuroblastoma cannot be explained by inactivation of the tumor-suppressor gene CDKN1B or overexpression of the oncogene ID2. We further concluded that ID2 is not a target of MYCN regulation nor is it a prognostic factor for neuroblastoma. Finally, the loss of CDKN1B in advanced-stage neuroblastoma suggests this protein may play a role in the neuroblastoma disease process. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] The Life and Death of Public Organizations: A Question of Institutional Design?GOVERNANCE, Issue 3 2010ARJEN BOIN Why do some public organizations grow old and others die young? Since Herbert Kaufman first posed this question, considerable research has been devoted to answering it. The findings of that research suggest that the design of new public organizations affects, to a significant degree, their survival chances. In this article, we test whether and how "design factors" affected the durability of the so-called New Deal organizations initiated under FDR's first term. Our findings confirm that design factors do matter, but their effects change over time. We draw out some potential implications for institutional design and sketch a renewed research agenda to determine why some public organizations survive environmental pressure whereas others succumb to it. [source] Impact of glucose levels on advanced glycation end products in hemodialysisHEMODIALYSIS INTERNATIONAL, Issue 3 2007Amy Ruth GODFREY Abstract The current obesity epidemic throughout the western world has resulted in a considerable increase in the condition Type II diabetes mellitus. Recently, the World Health Organization has predicted that the global prevalence of Type II will increase from 175 million patients in 2003 to over 350 million by 2030. One of the major consequences of this disorder is renal failure, which presents itself as chronic kidney disease, and can progress to end-stage renal disease. Once diagnosed, patients are generally treated using dialysis due to a shortage of kidney donors. The fundamental process of dialysis still requires improvement because the survival rate of these patients is relatively poor. This has resulted in considerable research into improvements in hemodialysis membranes, and the challenge to find more suitable marker(s) in assessing the efficacy of the dialysis process. A class of compounds highlighted as a possible accumulative toxin is advanced glycation end products or AGEs. This is an article regarding the impact of hemodialysis and hemodiafiltration on glucose and AGE levels within the body and the consequences of a chronic hyperglycemic condition. It also highlights the negative aspects of using dextrose in conventional dialysis solutions (an area that has already been identified by peritoneal dialysis clinicians as problematic). The review concludes by suggesting several possible topics of future research. [source] Application of multicriteria decision analysis in environmental decision makingINTEGRATED ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT, Issue 2 2005Gregory A. Kiker Abstract Decision making in environmental projects can be complex and seemingly intractable, principally because of the inherent trade-offs between sociopolitical, environmental, ecological, and economic factors. The selection of appropriate remedial and abatement strategies for contaminated sites, land use planning, and regulatory processes often involves multiple additional criteria such as the distribution of costs and benefits, environmental impacts for different populations, safety, ecological risk, or human values. Some of these criteria cannot be easily condensed into a monetary value, partly because environmental concerns often involve ethical and moral principles that may not be related to any economic use or value. Furthermore, even if it were possible to aggregate multiple criteria rankings into a common unit, this approach would not always be desirable because the ability to track conflicting stakeholder preferences may be lost in the process. Consequently, selecting from among many different alternatives often involves making trade-offs that fail to satisfy 1 or more stakeholder groups. Nevertheless, considerable research in the area of multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA) has made available practical methods for applying scientific decision theoretical approaches to complex multicriteria problems. This paper presents a review of the available literature and provides recommendations for applying MCDA techniques in environmental projects. A generalized framework for decision analysis is proposed to highlight the fundamental ingredients for more structured and tractable environmental decision making. [source] An examination of the intentional and unintentional aspects of medication non-adherence in patients diagnosed with hypertensionJOURNAL OF CLINICAL NURSING, Issue 4 2007Elaine Lehane MSc Aims., The primary aim of this study was to describe the unintentional and intentional aspects of non-adherence in patients diagnosed with hypertension. A secondary aim was to examine the relationships between medication adherence and purposeful actions (intentional non-adherence), patterned behaviours (unintentional non-adherence) and demographic questionnaire variables. Background., Non-adherence to medications continues to be a significant health-care issue, the extent and consequences of which have been well documented. Despite considerable research over the past five decades, little progress has been made in solving this healthcare problem. Recent literature indicates that this lack of progress can be attributed to the fact that past research has concentrated solely upon either the unintentional or the intentional aspects of non-adherence, instead of addressing both facets simultaneously. Methods., A quantitative, descriptive, correlation research design was employed using Johnson's (2002) Medication Adherence Model as a theoretical framework. A convenience sample of 73 participants with hypertension, attending the outpatients' clinics of two university hospitals was recruited. Data were collected by means of a researcher administered questionnaire and analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences. Results., High levels of medication adherence with a mean adherence score of 4·75 (maximum 5) were reported. Low and medium levels of purposeful actions and medium and high levels of patterned behaviours towards medication taking were found. Correlational analyses did not demonstrate statistically significant associations. Conclusions., Both the intentional and unintentional dimensions of medication-taking are simultaneously considered by patients to varying levels when adhering to therapeutic regimens. This is an important research area for nurses as it facilitates an increased understanding of non-adherence and, in so doing, aids the uncovering of more effective interventions aimed at sustaining lifelong pharmacotherapy. Relevance to clinical practice., By acknowledging a broader approach to patient medication-taking, nurses will be able more effectively to assess and intervene in non-adherent behaviours and actions. [source] Sensation Seeking, the Activation Model, and Mass Media Health Campaigns: Current Findings and Future Directions for Cancer CommunicationJOURNAL OF COMMUNICATION, Issue 2006Michael T. Stephenson The Activation Model of Information Exposure highlights the potential for individual differences in arousal in response to information, as well as the consequences of these patterns for information processing and seeking. Over the past 2 decades, the theoretical approach has generated considerable research in health communication. Most applications, however, have focused on substance use among adolescents and young adults. In this article, we assess the relevance of the activation approach for cancer communication. Although a wide range of communication efforts related to cancer prevention and treatment stand to benefit from acknowledgement of individual differences in optimal levels of arousal, we also acknowledge issues and challenges that remain for work on the Activation Model and sensation seeking. In reaching this conclusion, we explore some limitations of the Activation Model in its current form and point to new directions for future research. [source] Supporting the analysis of clones in software systemsJOURNAL OF SOFTWARE MAINTENANCE AND EVOLUTION: RESEARCH AND PRACTICE, Issue 2 2006Cory J. Kapser Abstract Code duplication is a well-documented problem in industrial software systems. There has been considerable research into techniques for detecting duplication in software, and there are several effective tools to perform this task. However, there have been few detailed qualitative studies into how cloning actually manifests itself within software systems. This is primarily due to the large result sets that many clone-detection tools return; these result sets are very difficult to manage without complementary tool support that can scale to the size of the problem, and this kind of support does not currently exist. In this paper we present an in-depth case study of cloning in a large software system that is in wide use, the Apache Web server; we provide insights into cloning as it exists in this system, and we demonstrate techniques to manage and make effective use of the large result sets of clone-detection tools. In our case study, we found several interesting types of cloning occurrences, such as ,cloning hotspots', where a single subsystem comprising only 17% of the system code contained 38.8% of the clones. We also found several examples of cloning behavior that were beneficial to the development of the system, in particular cloning as a way to add experimental functionality. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Dissemination of exposure therapy in the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder,JOURNAL OF TRAUMATIC STRESS, Issue 5 2006Shawn P. Cahill Since the introduction of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) into the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Third Edition (DSM-III; American Psychiatric Association, 1980), considerable research has demonstrated the efficacy of several cognitive,behavioral therapy (CBT) programs in the treatment of chronic PTSD. Among these efficacious treatments is exposure therapy. Despite all the evidence for the efficacy of exposure therapy and other CBT programs, few therapists are trained in these treatments and few patients receive them. In this article, the authors review extant evidence on the reasons that therapists do not use these treatments and recent research on the dissemination of efficacious treatments of PTSD. [source] Brahms and the Principle of Destabilised BeginningsMUSIC ANALYSIS, Issue 1 2009Ryan Mcclelland ABSTRACT Despite the considerable research on moment-to-moment motivic development in Brahms's instrumental music, surprisingly few studies emphasise global thematic processes which involve transformations of initially destabilised thematic material. After placing Brahms's destabilised beginnings in the context of earlier nineteenth-century works, the article explores several pieces with destabilised beginnings in order to demonstrate Brahms's range of techniques for tonal and rhythmic-metric destabilisation, strategies used to maintain destabilisation at preliminary thematic returns and the relationships between destabilised beginnings and their eventual stabilised form. Tonal destabilisation subsumes several related and somewhat overlapping techniques, and the article pursues six which have particular relevance in Brahms's music: (1) stylistically marked chromaticism, (2) unusual dissonance treatment, (3) denial of harmonic or melodic cadence, (4) minimally stable diatonic harmonisation, (5) disjuncture between harmonic function and sonority type and (6) ambiguous establishment of key. The briefer consideration of rhythmic-metric destabilisation studies dissonance (1) at the level of metre and (2) at some level of hypermetre. The concluding section addresses stylistic and genre-specific constraints on destabilised beginnings as well as the implications of destabilised beginnings for the analysis of musical form, especially the distinction between rondo and modified sonata designs. [source] Mediating Among Scientists: A Mental Model of Expert PracticeNEGOTIATION AND CONFLICT MANAGEMENT RESEARCH, Issue 4 2009Kenneth Kressel Abstract Despite the considerable research on mediator behavior, the cognitive structures and processes that presumably guide the strategic and tactical choices of professional mediators are poorly understood. The current study made use of a reflective case study method to explore in considerable detail the strategic thinking of five experienced mediators. The project was conducted at the National Institutes of Health whose Office of the Ombudsman (OO) mediates disputes among the institute's scientists. Eighteen cases were studied. The thinking of the mediators in these cases displayed regularities that are described in terms of the ombuds team's working mental model of mediation. The mental model consists of two strongly contrasting intervention scripts: a deep problem-solving script (DPS) focused on identifying and addressing latent issues of an interpersonal or systemic kind and a tactical problem-solving script (TPS) focusing instead on the issues as presented by the parties. The tactical script was applied in either an integrative bargaining mode or a more distributive quasi-arbitration approach. The choice of which script to follow in a given case is determined by first order decision rules concerning the existence and nature of any latent problems that may be present, and second order decision rules concerning the parties' capacity to engage in "deep" problem-solving. Despite their very different foci, both DPS and TPS appear to follow the same metascript of problem-solving stages, beginning with an intensive diagnostic phase during which the decision rules are applied and a script "selection" is made. DPS is the preferred intervention mode of team members. Every case began with at least a preliminary effort to search for and address latent causes, and team members expressed dissatisfaction if they could not apply DPS in cases where latent problems were thought to be fueling the conflict. However, ombudsmen used the scripts flexibly and switched to TPS if DPS was unnecessary or impractical. Both scripts produced agreements that were useful to the parties and to the institution's scientific purposes, particularly the fostering of scientific competence. The mental model is heavily shaped by the social context in which the ombudsmen function. Thus, the primacy of DPS in the model appears to be due to the fact that the ombudsmen are "repeat players" in the life of the NIH and therefore in a position to become adept at recognizing the latent sources of its dysfunctional conflicts, are under a strong role mandate as ombudsmen to pay attention to covert patterns of organizational dysfunction, and deal with disputants pressed to address latent issues blocking scientific work. [source] Review article: Potential cellular therapies for renal disease: Can we translate results from animal studies to the human condition?NEPHROLOGY, Issue 6 2009MELISSA H LITTLE SUMMARY The incidence of chronic kidney disease is increasing worldwide, prompting considerable research into potential regenerative therapies. These have included studies to determine whether an endogenous renal stem cell exists in the postnatal kidney and whether non-renal adult stem cells, such as mesenchymal stem cell, can ameliorate renal damage. Such stem cells will either need to be recruited to the damaged kidney to repair the damage in situ or be differentiated into the desired cell type and delivered into the damaged kidney to subsequently elicit repair without maldifferentiation. To date, these studies have largely been performed using experimental and genetic models of renal damage in rodents. The translation of such research into a therapy applicable to human disease faces many challenges. In this review, we examine which animal models have been used to evaluate potential cellular therapies and how valid these are to human chronic kidney disease. [source] Inhibition of cytochrome P450 enzymes by rhein in rat liver microsomesPHYTOTHERAPY RESEARCH, Issue 2 2009Jing-cheng Tang Abstract Rhein, an active ingredient extensively found in plants such as Aloe, Cassitora L., rhubarb and so on, has been used for a long time in China. Pharmacological tests revealed that rhein not only had a strong antibacterial action, but also may be useful in cancer chemotherapy as a biochemical modulator. Its therapeutic action and toxicity is still the subject of considerable research. With microsome incubation assays in vitro and HPLC methods, the inhibition of rat liver CYP1A2, CYP2C9, CYP2D6, CYP2E1 and CYP3A enzymes by rhein were studied kinetically. The results showed the most inhibition of CYP2E1 by rhein (Ki = 10 µm, mixed); CYP3A and CYP2C9 were also inhibited by rhein, Ki = 30 µm (mixed) and Ki = 38 µm (mixed), respectively; rhein revealed some inhibition of CYP1A2 (Ki = 62 µm, uncompetitive) and CYP2D6 (Ki = 74 µm, mixed). Drug,drug interactions, especially cytochrome P450 (CYP)-mediated interactions, cause an enhancement or attenuation in the efficacy of co-administered drugs. Inhibition of the five major CYP enzymes observed for rhein suggested that changes in pharmacokinetics of co-administered drugs were likely to occur. Therefore, caution should be paid to the possible drug interaction of medicinal plants containing rhein and CYP substrates. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] From carbon nanotube coatings to high-performance polymer nanocompositesPOLYMER INTERNATIONAL, Issue 4 2008Stéphane Bredeau Abstract Since their discovery at the beginning of the 1990s, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been the focus of considerable research by both academia and industry due to their remarkable and unique electronic and mechanical properties. Among numerous potential applications of CNTs, their use as reinforcing materials for polymers has recently received considerable attention since their exceptional mechanical properties, combined with their low density, offer tremendous opportunities for the development of fundamentally new material systems. However, the key challenge remains to reach a high level of nanoparticle dissociation (i.e. to break down the cohesion of aggregated CNTs) as well as a fine dispersion upon melt blending within the selected matrices. Therefore, this contribution aims at reviewing the exceptional efficiency of CNT coating by a thin layer of polymer as obtained by an in situ polymerization process catalysed directly from the nanofiller surface, known as the ,polymerization-filling technique'. This process allows for complete destructuring of the native filler aggregates. Interestingly enough, such surface-coated carbon nanotubes can be added as ,masterbatch' in commercial polymeric matrices leading to the production of polymer nanocomposites displaying much better thermomechanical, flame retardant and electrical conductive properties even at very low filler loading. Copyright © 2007 Society of Chemical Industry [source] The influence of past behavior on behavioral intent: An information-processing explanationPSYCHOLOGY & MARKETING, Issue 12 2008Blair Kidwell Despite considerable research on the impact of past behavior on decision making over the past two decades, little is yet known about how past experience moderates decision theoretic factors within models of behavioral intent. This research explores the implications of past behavior within the theory of planned behavior (TPB), and how it influences key decision-making variables. A theoretical model of how past behavior can induce deliberative versus heuristic processing of information is developed and tested. Consumer implications of the impact of past behavior on behavioral intentions are discussed, highlighting the importance of addressing one's experience when making a decision. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] New insights into pneumococcal diseaseRESPIROLOGY, Issue 2 2009Charles FELDMAN ABSTRACT Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) remains a common cause of disease and death throughout the world. Despite considerable research into various aspects of this infection, there still remain a number of unresolved issues, as well as considerable ongoing controversies, particularly with regard to its optimal management. Among the risk factors for pneumococcal pneumonia, cigarette smoking has been shown to play a major role, more recently among HIV-infected individuals. Considerable recent research has focused on determining the role of the various protein virulence factors in disease pathogenesis. Among the ongoing controversies has been an appreciation of the true impact of antimicrobial resistance on the outcome of pneumococcal infections, as well an understanding of the role of combination antibiotic therapy in the more severely ill hospitalized cases. An important advance in the prevention of pneumococcal infections has been the introduction of the pneumococcal protein conjugate vaccine. [source] Supporting mechanism of non-toxic chromium (III) acetate on silica for preparation of Phillips ethylene polymerization catalystsASIA-PACIFIC JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING, Issue 5 2009Pengyuan Qiu Abstract Phillips catalyst is an important kind of industrial polyethylene catalyst. As early as in the late 1970s, CrO3 was substituted by chromium (III) acetate for the preparation of Phillips catalyst on the industrial scale owing to health and environmental considerations. There is still considerable research focusing on the relations between the preparation process and catalyst properties in academics. In this work, the supporting mechanism of chromium (III) acetate on silica has been studied by Thermogravimetry,Differential Thermal Analysis (TG-DTA), and Electron Spin Resonance (ESR), in comparison with that of supporting CrO3 on SiO2. The basic chromium (III) acetate supported on high surface area silica gel decomposed differently from that for bulk basic chromium acetate when decomposition temperature was decreased by 15 °C. The decomposition temperature was 299 °C for Cr3(OH)2(Ac)7/SiO2 catalyst precursor, which would be firstly transferred into CrO3 followed by supporting on silica surface as chromate species. The further weight loss came from thermal inductive reduction of chromate species into Cr2O3, which was also supported by the results of colors of catalysts. Moreover, with the increase of chromium loading of Cr3(OH)2(Ac)7/SiO2, such thermal inductive reduction became more severe. ESR spectra of Cr3(OH)2(Ac)7/SiO2 and CrO3/SiO2 catalyst precursors showed that a small amount of supported Cr5+ can exist stably on silica gel surface at temperatures higher than 200 °C. Copyright © 2009 Curtin University of Technology and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Public health, private bodyAUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, Issue 1 2001Dorothy Broom A number of comparatively recent epistemological shifts draw attention to the body, among them developments in social (including feminist) theory and gender studies. In many social science and humanities disciplines, there is now considerable research and debate about notions of embodiment. Yet despite the fact that our subject matter is, ultimately, the life and death of human bodies, public health has remained largely silent on the question of what bodies are and how our public health work, whether academic or applied, is shaped by ideas about embodiment. Consequently, public health notions of the body remain implicit, ambiguous, often contradictory and incoherent. In this discussion, I strive to make explicit what some of our implicit ideas might be, to speculate on why bodies are excluded from most public health discourse, how that exclusion is achieved, and the consequences for public health research and practice. In an active consideration of the fundamental subject matter of public health, I invite attention to where and how greater self-consciousness about embodiment and its consequences might instigate shifts in public health thinking and action. [source] Marginal Analysis of Incomplete Longitudinal Binary Data: A Cautionary Note on LOCF ImputationBIOMETRICS, Issue 3 2004Richard J. Cook Summary In recent years there has been considerable research devoted to the development of methods for the analysis of incomplete data in longitudinal studies. Despite these advances, the methods used in practice have changed relatively little, particularly in the reporting of pharmaceutical trials. In this setting, perhaps the most widely adopted strategy for dealing with incomplete longitudinal data is imputation by the "last observation carried forward" (LOCF) approach, in which values for missing responses are imputed using observations from the most recently completed assessment. We examine the asymptotic and empirical bias, the empirical type I error rate, and the empirical coverage probability associated with estimators and tests of treatment effect based on the LOCF imputation strategy. We consider a setting involving longitudinal binary data with longitudinal analyses based on generalized estimating equations, and an analysis based simply on the response at the end of the scheduled follow-up. We find that for both of these approaches, imputation by LOCF can lead to substantial biases in estimators of treatment effects, the type I error rates of associated tests can be greatly inflated, and the coverage probability can be far from the nominal level. Alternative analyses based on all available data lead to estimators with comparatively small bias, and inverse probability weighted analyses yield consistent estimators subject to correct specification of the missing data process. We illustrate the differences between various methods of dealing with drop-outs using data from a study of smoking behavior. [source] Abnormal grey matter in victims of rape with PTSD in Mainland China: a voxel-based morphometry studyACTA NEUROPSYCHIATRICA, Issue 3 2010Shuang Ge Sui Sui SG, Wu MX, King ME, Zhang Y, Ling L, Xu JM, Weng XC, Duan L, Shan BC, Li LJ. Abnormal grey matter in victims of rape with PTSD in Mainland China: a voxel-based morphometry study. Objective: This study examined changes in brain grey matter in victims of rape (VoR) with and without post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Previous research has focused on PTSD caused by various traumatic events, such as war and disaster, among others. Although considerable research has focused on rape-related PTSD, limited studies have been carried out in the context of Mainland China. Methods: The study included 11 VoR with PTSD, 8 VoR without PTSD and 12 healthy comparison (HC) subjects. We used voxel-based morphometry to explore changes in brain grey-matter density (GMD) by applying statistical parametric mapping to high-resolution magnetic resonance images. Results: Compared with HC, VoR with PTSD showed significant GMD reductions in the bilateral medial frontal cortex, left middle frontal cortex, middle temporal gyrus and fusiform cortex and significant GMD increases in the right posterior cingulate cortex, postcentral cortex, bilateral precentral cortex and inferior parietal lobule. Compared to VoR without PTSD, VoR with PTSD showed significant GMD reductions in the right uncus, left middle temporal gyrus, and the fusiform cortex, and increases in the left precentral cortex, inferior parietal lobule and right post-central cortex. Conclusion: The findings of abnormal GMD in VoR with PTSD support the hypothesis that PTSD is associated with widespread anatomical changes in the brain. The medial frontal cortex, precentral cortex, posterior cingulate cortex, post-central cortex and inferior parietal lobule may play important roles in the neuropathology of PTSD. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||