bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dietary breadth and overlap among five sympatric prairie carnivores
Authors: Azevedo F. C. C. , Lester V. , Gorsuch W. , Larivière S. , Wirsing A. J. , Murray D. L.
Published: March 2006

Ecological communities are shaped, in part, by the manner in which similar species consume and partition food resources. To better understand the structure of a mammalian carnivore community from a prairie habitat in central North America, we determined the dietary breadth and overlap of sympatric American badgers Taxidea taxus, coyotes Canis latrans, red foxes Vulpes vulpes, raccoons Procyon lotor and striped skunks Mephitis mephitis, via stomach content analysis of 411 carcasses salvaged as part of a predator control program in southern Saskatchewan, Canada (2000–2001). Carnivores consumed a total of 25 separate food items; for all species except raccoons, the majority of stomachs contained mammals, whereas other foods such as amphibians, bird remains and insects were also recovered. Raccoon stomachs tended to contain wheat seed, eggshells and birds. Dietary breadth varied among the five carnivore species, being narrowest for raccoons and widest for skunks. Overall, dietary overlap tended to be highest for species pairings associated with the highest level of presumed niche similarity, which included raccoon–skunk and coyote–fox dyads. Yet, levels of dietary overlap exhibited notable interannual variability for most species pairings. The assessment of a larger assemblage of carnivores within a North American prairie community shows that marked interspecific and temporal variation in dietary breadth and overlap may characterize a guild of sympatric species occupying similar habitat.
Initial management of stress urinary incontinence: pelvic floor muscle training and duloxetine
Authors: Freeman RM
Published: March 2006

Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is common among women of all ages and can have a negative impact on quality of life (QoL). Often, women refrain from seeking treatment due to the fear that surgery might be the only option, or that no other treatments exist. SUI symptoms can often be treated with simple measures such as pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT), weight loss, devices, etc. However, PFMT has low compliance rates, and few continue long term. More recently, another treatment option has been introduced, i.e. the relatively balanced serotonin and noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) duloxetine. PFMT and/or SNRI are recommended as a first‐line therapy for the initial management of SUI in women in the guidelines of the third International Consultation on Incontinence. SNRI have received a grade A recommendation. As PFMT and duloxetine target different areas (i.e. pelvic floor muscle and distal urethral sphincter/rhabdosphincter, respectively), combined therapy might provide additional benefit. A recent study comparing the effect of combined treatment with no active treatment found that combination therapy was significantly better for all outcomes, including frequency of SUI episodes, pad use, improvements in QoL and global impression of improvement scores. The data suggest that combination therapy might provide another treatment option for SUI symptoms in women.
Duloxetine in women awaiting surgery
Authors: Drutz H
Published: March 2006

Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is a common condition affecting millions of women worldwide. It has a significant impact on the quality of life (psychosocial, social and economic well‐being) of sufferers and their families. Until recently, treatment options for SUI were limited to conservative treatments such as pelvic floor muscle training, which usually has a poor compliance over time, or surgical procedures that carry the risk of complications and are mainly an option for more severely affected women. Duloxetine, a potent and relatively balanced serotonin and noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor, has been evaluated in phase II and phase III clinical trials and was found to be efficacious and safe in the treatment of women with moderate to severe SUI symptoms. Even in a subgroup of women with severe SUI awaiting surgery, with or without the presence of intrinsic sphincter deficiency, duloxetine was found to be effective. In addition, a good correlation was found between efficacy outcome measures and ratings of global impression scores. Women begin to perceive themselves as being better with treatment when their incontinence episodes frequency (IEF) decreases by 46% or their Incontinence Quality of Life (I‐QOL) score improves by 6.3 points. The improvements in IEF and I‐QOL obtained with duloxetine were well above these threshold levels, whereas these with placebo were not. All duloxetine responses were observed within 2 weeks. Overall, duloxetine is an effective treatment for a wide variety of women presenting with SUI symptoms. It has been approved in Europe for the treatment of women with moderate to severe SUI symptoms and is now available in many European countries.
Safety and tolerability of duloxetine in women with stress urinary incontinence
Authors: Oelke M , Roovers J‐PWR , Michel MC
Published: March 2006

Background  The serotonin/noradrenaline uptake inhibitor duloxetine has been shown to be effective in the medical treatment of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) in women.

Aim  To review the safety and tolerability of duloxetine with SUI.

Methods  A systematic Medline search for the key word ‘duloxetine’ was performed, and abstracts from recent international gynaecological and urological meetings were also considered.

Results  Various unpleasant adverse effects exist, among which nausea is the most frequent, but is mild to moderate and transient in most cases. Dose escalation upon initiation of treatment improves the tolerability of duloxetine. The use of duloxetine appears safe as it lacks the cardiovascular adverse effects of older amine reuptake inhibitors.

Conclusions  Duloxetine has an acceptable safety profile. Dose escalation combined with patient counselling on the intensity and transient nature of adverse effects may help to further improve the benefit/tolerability ratio of duloxetine in the treatment of SUI.
Amyloid precursor protein cross‐linking stimulates beta amyloid production and pro‐inflammatory cytokine release in monocytic lineage cells
Authors: Sondag C. M. , Combs C. K.
Published: March 2006

Beta amyloid peptide‐containing neuritic plaques are a defining feature of Alzheimer's disease pathology. Beta amyloid are 38–43 residue peptides derived by proteolytic cleavage of amyloid precursor protein. Although much attention has focused on the proteolytic events leading to beta amyloid generation, the function of amyloid precursor protein remains poorly described. Previously, we reported that amyloid precursor protein functions as a pro‐inflammatory receptor on monocytic lineage cells and defined a role for amyloid precursor protein in adhesion by demonstrating that β1 integrin‐mediated pro‐inflammatory activation of monocytes is amyloid precursor protein dependent. We demonstrated that antibody‐induced cross‐linking of amyloid precursor protein in human THP‐1 monocytes and primary mouse microglia stimulates a tyrosine kinase‐based pro‐inflammatory signaling response leading to acquisition of a reactive phenotype. Here, we have identified pro‐inflammatory mediators released upon amyloid precursor protein‐dependent activation of monocytes and microglia. We show that amyloid precursor protein cross‐linking stimulated tyrosine kinase‐dependent increases in pro‐inflammatory cytokine release and a tyrosine kinase‐independent increase in beta amyloid 1–42 generation. These data provide much needed insight into the function of amyloid precursor protein and provide potential therapeutic targets to limit inflammatory changes associated with the progression of Alzheimer's disease.
Nitrogen cycling in organic farming systems with rotational grass–clover and arable crops
Authors: Berntsen J. , Grant R. , Olesen J. E. , Kristensen I. S. , Vinther F. P. , Mølgaard J. P. , Petersen B. M.
Published: March 2006

Organic farming is considered an effective means of reducing nitrogen losses compared with more intensive conventional farming systems. However, under certain conditions, organic farming may also be susceptible to large nitrogen (N) losses. This is especially the case for organic dairy farms on sandy soils that use grazed grass–clover in rotation with cereals. A study was conducted on two commercial organic farms on sand and loamy sand soils in Denmark. On each farm, a 3‐year‐old grass–clover field was selected. Half of the field was ploughed the first year and the other half was ploughed the following year. Spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) was sown after ploughing in spring. Measurements showed moderate N leaching during the pasture period (9–64 kg N ha−1 year−1) but large amounts of leaching in the first (63–216 kg N ha−1) and second (61–235 kg N ha−1) year after ploughing. There was a small yield response to manure application on the sandy soil in both the first and second year after ploughing. To investigate the underlying processes affecting the residual effects of pasture and N leaching, the dynamic whole farm model farm assessment tool (FASSET) was used to simulate the treatments on both farms. The simulations agreed with the observed barley N‐uptake. However, for the sandy soil, the simulation of nitrate leaching and mineral nitrogen in the soil deviated considerably from the measurements. Three scenarios with changes in model parameters were constructed to investigate this discrepancy. These scenarios suggested that the organic matter turnover model should include an intermediate pool with a half‐life of about 2–3 years. There might also be a need to include effects of soil disturbance (tillage) on the soil organic matter turnover.
Two‐machine flowshop scheduling with conditional deteriorating second operations
Authors: Lin B. M. T. , Cheng T. C. E.
Published: March 2006

This paper considers a flowshop‐scheduling problem with a waiting time constraint imposed to restrict the processing of the two operations of each job. If the second operation of a job cannot start within a specified waiting time after the completion of its first operation, then an extra processing time will be incurred for its second operation as a penalty. We first show that even a greatly restricted version of the problem is strongly 𝒩𝒫‐hard. We then develop an O(n2) algorithm to determine the makespan of a processing sequence of the jobs.
Discounting decision for enterprises with high fixed cost and low variable cost
Authors: Hsu Ping Hui , Wee Hui Ming
Published: March 2006

Higher sales are the key to increased profit, especially for low variable cost industries. The use of quantity discount to promote business is an important way to increase sales. This study evaluates the use of discount, prepaid, multiple‐purchase credit to increase sales. The purpose is to develop a strategy to maximize the unit revenue by simultaneously determining the discount rate and utility. A numerical example and sensitivity analysis are given to illustrate the theory.
A variable neighborhood descent algorithm for a real waste collection problem with mobile depots
Authors: Del Pia Alberto , Filippi Carlo
Published: March 2006

We consider a waste collection problem encountered in Due Carrare, a town located in Northern Italy. The original feature of the problem consists in the need for arranging appointments between vehicles along their routes so that small vehicles can dump their contents in the large ones and continue their work. This feature identifies the problem as a generalization of the well‐known Capacitated Arc Routing Problem (CARP). We propose a local search heuristic obtained from a variable neighborhood procedure suggested by Hertz and Mittaz (2001) for the CARP. In the Due Carrare instance, the proposed algorithm decreases the total route duration, apart from the required time for any feasible set of routes, of about 30% with respect to the routes so far adopted.
Unified discount pricing models of a two‐echelon channel with a monopolistic manufacturer and heterogeneous retailers
Authors: Yang Shan‐Lin , Zhou Yong‐Wu
Published: March 2006

This paper considers a two‐echelon channel in which a monopolistic manufacturer supplies a single product to multiple heterogeneous retailers who are in separate markets. The present paper studies the problem of how the manufacturer in a manufacturer‐Stackelberg game designs a unified quantity‐discount pricing scheme to improve the whole channel's profit as well as each partner's profit. Considered in the paper are two types of unified quantity‐discount pricing schemes: the regular quantity‐discount pricing scheme and the incremental volume discount pricing scheme. Each of the two types of schemes includes a single price‐break discount policy and a non‐linear quantity discount policy. Optimal solutions are derived and numerical examples presented to illustrate the efficiency of each discount policy.
The Role of Cardiac and Pulmonary Pathology in Migraine: A Hypothesis
Authors: Wilmshurst Peter , Nightingale Simon
Published: March 2006

From observation of recent data linking migraine with right‐to‐left shunts and by analogy with the etiologies of decompression illness, we postulate that cardiac and pulmonary pathology can have an important effect on the cranial final common pathway that generates attacks of migraine. One possible mechanism is associated with a significant right‐to‐left shunt, which is usually through a persistent foramen ovale, but is sometime through a pulmonary shunt. This allows a venous agent, possibly 5‐hydroxytryptamine, to bypass the lung filter. Migraine can occur when there is no shunt if similar agents are liberated in the left heart beyond the lung filter, possibly by platelet activation. Migraine could also occur if the venous agents are produced in such large amounts that they overwhelm the pulmonary filter or are unaffected by passage through the lungs. In some individuals migraine may be unrelated to blood‐borne triggers.
Underuse of Medications for Chronic Diseases in the Oldest of Community‐Dwelling Older Frail Japanese
Authors: Kuzuya Masafumi , Masuda Yuichiro , Hirakawa Yoshihisa , Iwata Mitsunaga , Enoki Hiromi , Hasegawa Jun , Cheng Xian Wu , Iguchi Akihisa
Published: March 2006

OBJECTIVES: To test the following hypotheses: (1) the rate of polypharmacy, defined as six or more prescribing medications, is lower in the oldest old (≥85) than in younger older people (65–84); (2) beneficial medication use is lower in the oldest old; (3) the underuse of these medications in the oldest old is associated with physical or cognitive impairment or comorbid conditions.

DESIGN: A cross‐sectional study of the baseline data from the Nagoya Longitudinal Study for Frail Elderly.

SETTING: Community‐based.

PARTICIPANTS: One thousand eight hundred seventy‐five community‐dwelling older people (632 men, 1,243 women).

MEASUREMENTS: The data, which were collected at the patients' homes or from care‐managing center records, included the clients' demographic characteristics, depression status as assessed using the short version of the Geriatric Depression Scale, a rating for basic activities of daily living (ADLs), prescribed medications, and physician‐diagnosed chronic diseases.

RESULTS: The oldest old had less polypharmacy even after controlling for ADLs and comorbid conditions. The underuse of beneficial medications for the oldest old was observed after adjusting for ADLs, cognitive impairment, comorbid conditions, antithrombotic agents for subjects with a history of cardiovascular diseases, acetylcholinesterase inhibitors for those with dementia, and antidepressants for those with depression. However, being aged 85 and older was not associated with the underuse of hypoglycemic and antihypertensive agents by those with diabetes mellitus and hypertension, respectively.

CONCLUSION: Among community‐dwelling frail older people, the rate of polypharmacy is lower in the oldest members than in the younger ones. The underuse of prescribed medications for chronic diseases/conditions of frail older people is common but not for all conditions.
Older Adult Report of Change in Depressive Symptoms as a Treatment Decision Tool
Authors: Datto Catherine J. , Thompson Richard , Knott Kathryn , Katz Ira R.
Published: March 2006

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate patient reports of changes in depressive symptoms as information that can be used in treatment decision‐making.

DESIGN: Longitudinal cohort study.

SETTING: The Prevention of Suicide in Primary Care Elderly: Collaborative Trial and the Primary Care Research in Substance Abuse and Mental Health for the Elderly trial, multisite studies investigating the effect of depression interventions on outcomes in primary care.

PARTICIPANTS: Fifty‐six patients aged 60 and older.

MEASUREMENTS: Patient demographics were collected from patient reports. Symptoms of depression were measured using the Centers for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES‐D) and Hamilton Depression Scale (HAM‐D). Changes in depressive symptoms were also measured using the Clinical Global Impressions of Change (CGI‐C) as rated by patients in ongoing treatment.

RESULTS: Patient ratings of CGI‐C were significantly correlated with percentage improvement on the HAM‐D as rated by the depression care manager (correlation coefficient (r)=0.44, P<.001) and percentage improvement on the CES‐D (r=0.38, P=.005). The patient report of at least “much improved” predicted at least 50% treatment response based on HAM‐D scale scores, with a sensitivity of 87.5% and a specificity of 74.2%.

CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that patients are able to accurately report their degree of improvement in depressive symptoms. Patient report of at least “much improved” can be used as an estimate of at least 50% depression treatment response. In an era of increasingly fragmented clinical care, these findings demonstrate that older adult primary care patients can accurately self‐report overall change in depressive symptoms. When results of repeated depression instruments are not available, patient report of depression treatment response can be used to inform depression treatment decision‐making.
Could Self‐Neglect in Older Adults Be a Geriatric Syndrome?
Authors: Pavlou Maria P. , Lachs Mark S.
Published: March 2006

Self‐neglect in older adults is a complex phenomenon characterized by inattention to health and hygiene, typically stemming from an inability or unwillingness to access potentially remediating services. Some aspects of self‐neglect clinically resemble geriatric syndromes (e.g., falling, incontinence). The literature on self‐neglect was comprehensively reviewed and its quality evaluated in the context of considering its candidacy for a geriatric syndrome. MEDLINE (1966–2004) was searched using self‐neglect as a keyword. Using a “snowball” sampling strategy, associated terms (e.g., Diogenes' syndrome) were combined, selecting relevant papers and frequently cited references, assessing each one using specific criteria. Its candidacy for consideration for a geriatric syndrome was assessed based on the quality of data in four domains: multifactorial etiology, shared risk factors with other geriatric syndromes, association with functional decline, and association with increased mortality. The 54 articles reviewed included 24 case series, 13 theoretical articles, 11 observational studies, and six reviews; these were of highly variable methodological quality. The strongest evidence that self‐neglect may be a geriatric syndrome includes its often multifactorial etiology, its clear independent association with increased mortality, and the fact that two other geriatric syndromes (cognitive impairment and depression) are risk factors for self‐neglect. Self‐neglect in older adults is a prevalent problem that appears to have at least some features of a geriatric syndrome. Insofar as the concept of geriatric syndrome has been a useful clinical and research paradigm to create interventions for vulnerable older adults, and no such strategies are available for this vexing and understudied clinical problem, future research is warranted in this area.
Being Old and Doing Time: Functional Impairment and Adverse Experiences of Geriatric Female Prisoners
Authors: Williams Brie A. , Lindquist Karla , Sudore Rebecca L. , Strupp Heidi M. , Willmott Donna J. , Walter Louise C.
Published: March 2006

The number of older prisoners is increasing exponentially. For example, the number of geriatric female prisoners in California has increased 350% in the past decade. Despite an increasing population of geriatric female prisoners, the degree of functional impairment in this population is unknown. Therefore, the goals of this study were to describe the prevalence and nature of functional impairment in geriatric female prisoners in California and to identify aspects of the prison environment that may exacerbate functional impairments.

Questionnaires were analyzed from 120 geriatric women in California state prisons. Functional impairment was defined as impairment in activities of daily living (ADLs) or in prison ADLs (PADLs), including dropping to the floor for alarms, standing for count, getting to meals, hearing orders, and climbing onto the top bunk. The mean age of participants was 62; 16% were dependent in one ADL, and 69% reported one PADL impairment. Increasing severity of functional impairment was associated with worse health status and more adverse prison experiences. For example, fall rates ranged from 33% in women without impairment to 57% with PADL impairment to 63% with ADL dependence (P=.02). Several prison environmental stressors were identified that likely exacerbate functional impairment. For example, 29% of geriatric women were assigned to a top bunk.

Geriatric female prisoners report high rates of functional impairment. ADL and PADL impairment were associated with worse health status and adverse prison experiences. Therefore, the evaluation of functional impairment in geriatric female prisoners needs to consider the unique demands of the prison environment.
Anemia and Recovery from Disability in Activities of Daily Living in Hospitalized Older Persons
Authors: Maraldi Cinzia , Volpato Stefano , Cesari Matteo , Cavalieri Margherita , Onder Graziano , Mangani Irene , Woodman Richard C. , Fellin Renato , Pahor Marco
Published: March 2006

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the predictive value of hemoglobin levels upon hospital admission on recovery from activity of daily living (ADL) disability during hospital stay in older patients.

DESIGN: Longitudinal observational study.

SETTING: Geriatric and internal medicine acute care units.

PARTICIPANTS: Data are from 5,675 patients aged 65 and older enrolled in the Italian Group of Pharmacoepidemiology in the Elderly Study with ADL disability upon hospital admission.

MEASUREMENTS: ADL disability was defined as inability to perform or need for assistance in performing one or more ADLs. Recovery from ADL disability was defined as independence in ADLs upon hospital discharge. Anemia was defined according to the World Health Organization criteria. Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics were considered as potential confounders.

RESULTS: Mean age was 80.5 years; 57.7% of subjects were female. Prevalence of anemia was 46.8%. A total of 536 (9.4%) participants regained independence in all six ADLs at hospital discharge. Patients with anemia had a lower rate of recovery from ADL disability than those with normal hemoglobin levels (7.0% vs 11.6%; P<.001). Adjusted analyses confirmed that anemia was inversely associated with the likelihood of ADL recovery (odds ratio=0.71, 95% confidence interval=0.57–0.88). The probability of ADL recovery in anemic patients was higher at higher hemoglobin concentrations.

CONCLUSION: In older hospitalized patients, anemia is inversely associated with the likelihood of regaining ADL independence during a hospital stay.
What's New in Stroke? The Top 10 for 2004/05
Authors: Tonarelli Silvina B. , Hart Robert G.
Published: March 2006

During the past decade, stroke has emerged from the dark ages of therapeutic nihilism to the current dawn of treatment activism, fueled by an unprecedented amount of high‐quality clinical research. Here, the choices for the “Top 10” studies of 2004/05 influencing the management of patients with stroke and threatened stroke are reviewed. Nine are randomized, clinical trials involving a total of 61,810 participants. Three studies involved intracerebral hemorrhage, an important stroke subtype in which few trials have previously been carried out. Three studies involved acute treatment of stroke, and their results emphasize that “time is brain,” and minutes count, in management of acute ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke. The 10th study was a longitudinal cohort analysis of participants with atrial fibrillation pooled from six clinical trials that validated predictive schemes to identify those who benefit most from anticoagulation. The practical management implications of these studies refine and improve care of geriatric patients with cerebrovascular disease.
Bank Mergers and Crime: The Real and Social Effects of Credit Market Competition
Authors: GARMAISE MARK J. , MOSKOWITZ TOBIAS J.
Published: March 2006

Using a unique sample of commercial loans and mergers between large banks, we provide micro‐level (within‐county) evidence linking credit conditions to economic development and find a spillover effect on crime. Neighborhoods that experience more bank mergers are subject to higher interest rates, diminished local construction, lower prices, an influx of poorer households, and higher property crime in subsequent years. The elasticity of property crime with respect to merger‐induced banking concentration is 0.18. We show that these results are not likely due to reverse causation, and confirm the central findings using state branching deregulation to instrument for bank competition.
A Consumption‐Based Explanation of Expected Stock Returns
Authors: YOGO MOTOHIRO
Published: March 2006

When utility is nonseparable in nondurable and durable consumption and the elasticity of substitution between the two consumption goods is sufficiently high, marginal utility rises when durable consumption falls. The model explains both the cross‐sectional variation in expected stock returns and the time variation in the equity premium. Small stocks and value stocks deliver relatively low returns during recessions, when durable consumption falls, which explains their high average returns relative to big stocks and growth stocks. Stock returns are unexpectedly low at business cycle troughs, when durable consumption falls sharply, which explains the countercyclical variation in the equity premium.
Do the Fama–French Factors Proxy for Innovations in Predictive Variables?
Authors: PETKOVA RALITSA
Published: March 2006

The Fama–French factors HML and SMB are correlated with innovations in variables that describe investment opportunities. A model that includes shocks to the aggregate dividend yield and term spread, default spread, and one‐month Treasury‐bill yield explains the cross section of average returns better than the Fama–French model. When loadings on the innovations in the predictive variables are present in the model, loadings on HML and SMB lose their explanatory power for the cross section of returns. The results are consistent with an ICAPM explanation for the empirical success of the Fama–French portfolios.
Risk, Reputation, and IPO Price Support
Authors: LEWELLEN KATHARINA
Published: March 2006

Immediately following an initial public offering, underwriters often repurchase shares of poorly performing offerings in an apparent attempt to stabilize the price. Using proprietary Nasdaq data, I study the price effects and determinants of price support. Some of the key findings are (1) Stabilization is substantial, inducing price rigidity at and below the offer price; (2) I find no evidence that stocks with larger information asymmetries are stabilized more strongly; (3) Larger underwriters stabilize more, perhaps to protect their reputations with investors; and (4) Investment banks with retail brokerage operations stabilize much more than other banks, inconsistent with the view that stabilization benefits primarily institutional investors.
Does Weak Governance Cause Weak Stock Returns? An Examination of Firm Operating Performance and Investors' Expectations
Authors: CORE JOHN E. , GUAY WAYNE R. , RUSTICUS TJOMME O.
Published: March 2006

We investigate Gompers, Ishii, and Metrick's (2003) finding that firms with weak shareholder rights exhibit significant stock market underperformance. If the relation between poor governance and poor returns is causal, we expect that the market is negatively surprised by the poor operating performance of weak governance firms. We find that firms with weak shareholder rights exhibit significant operating underperformance. However, analysts' forecast errors and earnings announcement returns show no evidence that this underperformance surprises the market. Our results are robust to controls for takeover activity. Overall, our results do not support the hypothesis that weak governance causes poor stock returns.
Are Busy Boards Effective Monitors?
Authors: FICH ELIEZER M. , SHIVDASANI ANIL
Published: March 2006

Firms with busy boards, those in which a majority of outside directors hold three or more directorships, are associated with weak corporate governance. These firms exhibit lower market‐to‐book ratios, weaker profitability, and lower sensitivity of CEO turnover to firm performance. Independent but busy boards display CEO turnover‐performance sensitivities indistinguishable from those of inside‐dominated boards. Departures of busy outside directors generate positive abnormal returns (ARs). When directors become busy as a result of acquiring an additional directorship, other companies in which they hold board seats experience negative ARs. Busy outside directors are more likely to depart boards following poor performance.
Does Investor Misvaluation Drive the Takeover Market?
Authors: DONG MING , HIRSHLEIFER DAVID , RICHARDSON SCOTT , TEOH SIEW HONG
Published: March 2006

This paper uses pre‐offer market valuations to evaluate the misvaluation and Q theories of takeovers. Bidder and target valuations (price‐to‐book, or price‐to‐residual‐income‐model‐value) are related to means of payment, mode of acquisition, premia, target hostility, offer success, and bidder and target announcement‐period returns. The evidence is broadly consistent with both hypotheses. The evidence for the Q hypothesis is stronger in the pre‐1990 period than in the 1990–2000 period, whereas the evidence for the misvaluation hypothesis is stronger in the 1990–2000 period than in the pre‐1990 period.
Offering versus Choice in 401(k) Plans: Equity Exposure and Number of Funds
Authors: HUBERMAN GUR , JIANG WEI
Published: March 2006

Records of over half a million participants in more than 600 401(k) plans indicate that participants tend to allocate their contributions evenly across the funds they use, with the tendency weakening with the number of funds used. The number of funds used, typically between three and four, is not sensitive to the number of funds offered by the plans, which ranges from 4 to 59. A participant's propensity to allocate contributions to equity funds is not very sensitive to the fraction of equity funds among offered funds. The paper also comments on limitations on inferences from experiments and aggregate‐level data analysis.
The Entrepreneur's Choice between Private and Public Ownership
Authors: BOOT ARNOUD W. A. , GOPALAN RADHAKRISHNAN , THAKOR ANJAN V.
Published: March 2006

We analyze an entrepreneur/manager's choice between private and public ownership. The manager needs decision‐making autonomy to optimally manage the firm and thus trades off an endogenized control preference against the higher cost of capital accompanying greater managerial autonomy. Investors need liquid ownership stakes. Public capital markets provide liquidity, but stipulate corporate governance that imposes generic exogenous controls, so the manager may not attain the desired trade‐off between autonomy and the cost of capital. In contrast, private ownership provides the desired trade‐off through precisely calibrated contracting, but creates illiquid ownership. Exploring this tension generates new predictions.
Pension Plan Funding and Stock Market Efficiency
Authors: FRANZONI FRANCESCO , MARÍN JOSÉ M.
Published: March 2006

The paper argues that the market significantly overvalues firms with severely underfunded pension plans. These companies earn lower stock returns than firms with healthier pension plans for at least 5 years after the first emergence of the underfunding. The low returns are not explained by risk, price momentum, earnings momentum, or accruals. Further, the evidence suggests that investors do not anticipate the impact of the pension liability on future earnings, and they are surprised when the negative implications of underfunding ultimately materialize. Finally, underfunded firms have poor operating performance, and they earn low returns, although they are value companies.
The prognostic impact of bone marrow involvement in patients with diffuse large cell lymphoma varies according to the degree of infiltration and presence of discordant marrow involvement
Authors: Campbell Janine , Seymour John F. , Matthews Jane , Wolf Max , Stone Janey , Juneja Surender
Published: March 2006

Abstract:  Background: The prognostic significance of marrow involvement in diffuse large cell lymphoma (DLCL) is controversial. Factors that that have been reported to influence prognosis include the pattern and extent of marrow infiltration and histological discordance between the primary site and the bone marrow. Methods: Bone marrow biopsies from 172 patients with newly diagnosed DLCL entered in two consecutive trials of the Australasian Leukaemia and Lymphoma Group were analyzed. Progression‐free (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were calculated according to the absence or presence of bone marrow involvement (BMI), the extent of lymphomatous infiltration and the presence of histological discordance between the primary site and the bone marrow. Results: Of 172 patients with DLCL accrued between 1982 and 1990, who were treated with CHOP or CHOP‐like regimens, 47 (27%) demonstrated marrow involvement on examination of multiple levels. Seventy two percent (34/47) of patients had discordant marrow involvement (<50% large cells) and 28 had minimal (<10%) involvement; these latter patients with minimal marrow involvement (<10%) had similar PFS & OS to the 113 patients without involvement. Within the group of 47 patients with marrow involvement, an increasing percentage of BM involvement was significantly associated with an increasing percentage of concordant histology and a decreasing PFS & OS. Conclusions: Minimal BMI, seen in the majority of patients with DLCL with marrow infiltration, appears not to influence the PFS & OS. However, an increasing degree of marrow involvement is associated with an increasing component of large cells and a poorer prognosis in DLCL patients, independent of other risk factors.
Consensus statement on injury definitions and data collection procedures in studies of football (soccer) injuries
Authors: Fuller C. W. , Ekstrand J. , Junge A. , Andersen T. E. , Bahr R. , Dvorak J. , Hägglund M. , McCrory P. , Meeuwisse W. H.
Published: March 2006

Variations in definitions and methodologies have created differences in the results and conclusions obtained from studies of football injuries; this has made inter‐study comparisons difficult.

An Injury Consensus Group was established under the auspices of FIFA Medical Assessment and Research Centre. Using a nominal group consensus model approach, a working document that identified the key issues related to definitions, methodology and implementation was discussed by members of the group during a 2‐day meeting. Following this meeting, iterative draft statements were prepared and circulated to members of the group for comment before the final consensus statement was produced.

Definitions of injury, recurrent injury, severity and training and match exposures in football together with criteria for classifying injuries in terms of location, type, diagnosis and causation are proposed. Proforma for recording players' baseline information, injuries and training and match exposures are presented. Recommendations are made on how the incidence of match and training injuries should be reported and a checklist of issues and information that should be included in published reports of studies of football injuries is presented.

The definitions and methodology proposed in the consensus statement will ensure that consistent and comparable results will be obtained from studies of football injuries.
The Causes of Stalling Fertility Transitions
Authors: Bongaarts John
Published: March 2006

An examination of fertility trends in countries with multiple DHS surveys found that in the 1990s fertility stalled in mid‐transition in seven countries: Bangladesh, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ghana, Kenya, Peru, and Turkey. In each of these countries fertility was high (more than six births per woman) in the 1950s and declined to fewer than five births per woman in the early or mid‐1990s, before stalling. The level of stalling varied from 4.7 births per woman in Kenya to 2.5 births per woman in Turkey. An analysis of trends in the determinants of fertility revealed a systematic pattern of leveling off or near leveling in a number of determinants, including contraceptive use, the demand for contraception, and number of wanted births. The stalling countries did not experience significant increases in unwanted births or in the unmet need for contraception during the late 1990s, and program effort scores improved slightly, except in the Dominican Republic. These findings suggest no major deterioration in contraceptive access during the stall, but levels of unmet need and unwanted births are relatively high, and improvements in access to family planning methods would, therefore, be desirable. No significant link was found between the presence of a stall and trends in socioeconomic development, but at the onset of the stall the level of fertility was low relative to the level of development in all but one of the stalling countries.
Quality of Care in China: Scaling Up a Pilot Project into a National Reform Program
Authors: Kaufman Joan , Erli Zhang , Zhenming Xie
Published: March 2006

China's family planning program ranks as history's most intensive effort to control national population growth. Although advocates for global population control have lauded China's effort to limit births as a fundamental part of its sustainable development goals, the country's population policy has also generated much international criticism. As China enters the new millennium, a long‐overdue reform of its approach to implementing its family planning program has begun to refocus the program on clients' needs, informed choice of contraceptives, and better‐quality services. Originally inspired by the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development held in Cairo, the reform program began as a pilot project among six counties and has now become a blueprint for reorienting the national family planning program. This article reviews the process by which a small, innovative pilot project was scaled up into a national reform effort and the key lessons learned about scaling up sensitive but necessary innovation in a difficult political environment.
Levels and Trends in Cesarean Birth in the Developing World
Authors: Stanton Cynthia K. , Holtz Sara A.
Published: March 2006

Evidence suggests that cesarean birth rates are high and increasing in some developing countries. The objectives of this study are to compile the best current estimate of cesarean birth rates for developing countries, to estimate regional rates, and to document trends nationally and by urban/ rural residence where data permit. A database of cesarean birth rates was compiled representing 90 percent of births in the developing world, resulting in an estimated cesarean birth rate for the developing world of 12 percent, with regional rates ranging from 3 to 26 percent. Data representing 45 percent of births in the developing world show that a majority of countries experienced increases in cesarean birth rates during the 1990s, except in sub‐Saharan African countries, where little if any change occurred. Cesarean birth rates must be monitored routinely to call attention to rapidly changing practices. These data can, in turn, trigger investigation into the appropriateness of the rate in a given context.
The Quality of Hospital‐based Antenatal Care in Istanbul
Authors: Turan Janet Molzan , Bulut Ayşen , Nalbant Hacer , Ortayli Nuriye , Akalin A. Arzu Koloǧlu
Published: March 2006

The aim of this study was to gather comprehensive data from three hospitals in Istanbul, Turkey, in order to gain in‐depth understanding of the quality of antenatal care in this setting. The Bruce‐Jain framework for quality of care was adapted for use in evaluating antenatal care. Methods included examination of hospital records, in‐depth interviews, exit questionnaires, and structured observations. The study revealed deficiencies in the quality of antenatal care being delivered at the study hospitals in all six elements of the quality‐of‐care framework. The technical content of visits varied greatly among the hospitals, and an overuse of technology was accompanied by neglect of some essential components of antenatal care. Although at the private hospital some problems with the technical content of care were identified, client satisfaction was higher there, where the care included good interpersonal relations, information provision, and continuity. Providers at all three hospitals felt constrained by heavy patient loads and a lack of resources. Multifaceted approaches are needed to improve the quality of antenatal care in this setting.
Pathways of Youth Development in a Rural Trailer Park*
Authors: MacTavish Katherine A. , Salamon Sonya
Published: March 2006

Abstract:Limited empirical documentation exists for the developmental pathways available toruralyouth growing up in low‐resource community settings. Drawing on ethnographic data, this article examines the developmental pathways experienced by youth in a rural trailer park. Findings reveal how various factors, some inherent to working poor class status and others unique to trailer park residence and small town community, challenge youth's access to a pathway offering broader life chances.
Striving Toward Self‐Sufficiency: A Qualitative Study of Mutual Aid in an Old Order Mennonite Community
Authors: Gingrich Luann Good , Lightman Ernie
Published: March 2006

Abstract: Most contemporary groups limit attempts of mutuality to specific instances of need. This paper reports on a qualitative study of the structures and systems of mutual aid in a traditional, closed ethnoreligious Old Order Mennonite community in Ontario. We examine the structural characteristics, systems of mutuality, tensions, and conflicts that face the community. Whether the need be material, medical, relational, emotional, moral, or spiritual, these Old Order Mennonite communities are unusual in their tenacious commitment to collective mutuality and self‐sufficiency. Implications for policy and practice are discussed, including the importance of protecting and reinforcing the shock‐absorbing qualities of mutual aid groups in the countervailing forces of mobility and individualism, particularly in situations of forced confrontation between conflicting cultures.
Gender, Ethnicity, and the Family Environment: Contributions to Assessment Efforts Within the Realm of Juvenile Justice*
Authors: Gavazzi Stephen M.
Published: March 2006

Abstract: The present study examines potential variation in the family environments of African American and Caucasian males and females coming to the attention of the juvenile court. Results of initial analysis of variance (ANOVA) procedures indicated a significant Gender × Ethnicity interaction on scores from the family/parenting domain of the Global Risk Assessment Device, such that African American and Caucasian women displayed the greatest family risks and needs. Further ANOVA procedures indicated that factors related to family, gender, and ethnicity were significant predictors of illegal behavior, and the presence of a Gender × Family interaction was detected, such that the presence of higher family risk and needs coincided with African American and Caucasian women reporting relatively equal prior offenses with their male counterparts.
Intimate Partner Violence, Parental Divorce, and Child Custody: Directions for Intervention and Future Research*
Authors: Hardesty Jennifer L. , Chung Grace H.
Published: March 2006

Abstract: Joint custody and cooperative coparenting are often unsafe for women who leave violent partners. Although certain legal protections are available, more work is needed to understand and address abused women's needs in this context. This study provides divorce scholars and practitioners with information on the interface between separation/divorce and intimate partner violence. We review existing research, policies, and programs and propose directions for intervention and research that center around the unique needs of these families.
Parenting Interventions for Drug‐Dependent Mothers and Their Young Children: The Case for an Attachment‐Based Approach*
Authors: Suchman Nancy , Pajulo Marjukka , DeCoste Cindy , Mayes Linda
Published: March 2006

Abstract:Maternal substance abuse is the most common factor involved when children come to the attention of the child welfare system. Although there is a clear need for clinical trials to evaluate parenting interventions for drug‐dependent women, few studies to date have systematically examined the efficacy of interventions for this population. We first review six published reports of outpatient interventions that aimed to enhance the caregiving skills of substance‐abusing mothers caring for children between birth and 5 years of age. After discussing implications of these preliminary studies, we then describe an attachment‐based intervention that addresses these implications and has demonstrated preliminary feasibility in a pilot trial.
Coping Processes of Couples Experiencing Infertility
Authors: Peterson Brennan D. , Newton Christopher R. , Rosen Karen H. , Schulman Robert S.
Published: March 2006

Abstract: This study explored the coping processes of couples experiencing infertility. Participants included 420 couples referred for advanced reproductive treatments. Couples were divided into groups based on the frequency of their use of eight coping strategies. Findings suggest that coping processes, which are beneficial to individuals, may be problematic for one's partner. Couples where men used high amounts of distancing, while their partner used low amounts of distancing, reported higher levels of distress when compared to couples in the other groups. Conversely, couples with women who used high amounts of self‐controlling coping, when paired with men who used low amounts of self‐controlling coping, reported higher levels of distress. Implications of study findings are discussed, and ideas for future research are proposed.