bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prevalence of optical coherence tomography‐diagnosed postoperative cystoid macular oedema in patients following uncomplicated phaco‐emulsification cataract surgery
Authors: Vukicevic Meri , Gin Trevor , Al‐Qureshi Salmaan
Published: June 2011

Abstract

Background:  Postoperative cystoid macular oedema is a complication of uneventful cataract surgery. Whereas improved surgical techniques have decreased the incidence of cystoid macular oedema, it remains a cause of unfavourable visual outcome following surgery. Fundus fluorescein angiography has been the ‘gold standard’ for diagnosing subclinical cystoid macular oedema; however, non‐invasive cross‐sectional imaging of the retina with optical coherence tomography may be equally effective at detecting the condition and offers the ability to quantify and repeat results over time.

Design:  Prospective pre–post case series of patients undergoing routine phaco‐emulsification surgery.

Participants:  Eighty consecutive patients (100 eyes) with cataracts and an age range of 40 to 90 years (mean 76.18).

Methods:  Macular thickness of participants was determined using time‐domain optical coherence tomography preoperatively and after surgery at 1 day, 1 week, 4 weeks and 6 months. Optical coherence tomography was used to diagnose postoperative cystoid macular oedema.

Main Outcome Measures:  Presence of cysts at the macula, identified by optical coherence tomography, in addition to foveal and macular thickness (µm).

Results:  Cystoid macular oedema was present in 5% of eyes. Macular thickness increased after surgery and central foveal thickness increased by almost 7% but returned to preoperative levels after 6 months. Findings also indicate that patients who developed postoperative cystoid macular oedema had significantly thicker central foveal thickness of approximately 5% compared with those that did not.

Conclusions:  Optical coherence tomography is a useful, non‐invasive diagnostic tool in determining subclinical cystoid macular oedema in uncomplicated cataract surgery patients and detects the presence of retinal thickening and intra‐retinal cysts very soon after surgery, thereby facilitating earlier diagnosis and treatment of postoperative cystoid macular oedema.
Intraocular pressure assessment after laser in situ keratomileusis: a review
Authors: Tsai Andrew SH , Loon Seng Chee
Published: June 2011

Abstract

This paper aims to review the current methods available for the measurement of intraocular pressure after myopic laser in situ keratomileusis for the correction of myopia. Searches were performed for studies that assessed or compared various methods of intraocular pressure assessment. There were 20 eligible studies that explored the use of pneumotonometry, pressure phosphene tonometry, rebound tonometry, dynamic contour tonometry, statistical modeling, mathematical formulae, ocular response analyzer and even measuring intraocular pressure on the nasal cornea. Our review shows that an ideal method would be one that is independent of corneal factors. Dynamic contour tonometry and pressure phosphene tonometry held promise in research settings. More studies need to be done to validate the new methods of intraocular pressure assessment, especially in glaucoma patients. It is important to empower laser in situ keratomileusis patients with knowledge of these difficulties and potential implications for the future.
American ginseng improves neurocognitive function in senescence‐accelerated mice: Possible role of the upregulated insulin and choline acetyltransferase gene expression
Authors: Shi Shun , Shi Reika , Hashizume Kiyoshi
Published: June 2011

Aim:  To investigate the effects of American ginseng on neurocognitive function and glucose regulation in senescence‐accelerated mice.

Methods:  Male senescence‐resistant inbred strains (SAMR1) and senescence‐prone inbred strains (SAMP10) mice were divided into five groups and fed either a control diet or an American ginseng‐supplemented diet (1% or 2% g/g) from 6 weeks to 10 months of age. Bodyweight, levels of fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and grading scores were monitored every month and neurocognitive functions were evaluated at 9 months of age with a KUROBOX apparatus using a stress‐free positive cue task. Gene expressions of peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor delta (PPAR‐δ), insulin, choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) and amyloid precursor protein (APP) in the brain were measured by real‐time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction assays.

Results:  American ginseng decreased FPG in SAMR1 mice, but increased FPG in SAMP10 mice. Correct visit ratios were higher in both SAMR1 and SAMP10 strains consuming an American ginseng‐supplemented diet. Gene upregulation of insulin and ChAT in the brain, but not of PPAR‐δ or APP, was evident in American ginseng‐fed groups.

Conclusion:  Daily consumption of American ginseng induced an enhancement in neurocognitive function in senescence‐accelerated mice, which could be related to the upregulation of insulin and ChAT gene expression in the brain. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2012; 12: 123–130.
Visual and hearing impairment among rural elderly of south India: A community‐based study
Authors: R Deepthi , Kasthuri Arvind
Published: June 2011

Aim:  Of India's population, 76.6 million (7.2%) are aged above 60 years. Increasing age is associated with increasing disability and functional impairments such as low vision, loss of mobility and hearing impairment. Hence, the purpose of this paper is to study the prevalence of hearing and visual impairment among a rural elderly population in South India and its association with selected variables.

Methods:  This was a cross‐sectional study of elderly persons in two villages of Bangalore District, Karnataka, South India. Elderly persons identified were administered a questionnaire for assessment of demographic details, health and function related information. Visual acuity was checked using Snellen's E chart for distant vision. Hearing was assessed using pure tone audiometry.

Results:  Two hundred and fifty‐seven (12.2%) of the population were elderly in these two villages. Seventy‐two (32.4%) of the elderly persons were facing problems completely or partially in at least one of the activities and 10 (4.5%) elderly persons had cognitive impairment. Sixty‐two (35.4%) of the elderly had low vision and 22 (12.6%) were blind. On assessment with pure tone audiometry, 117 (66.9%) of the elderly persons had some degree of hearing impairment. Forty‐three (24.6%) of the elderly had disabling hearing impairment. Forty‐seven (26.9%) of the elderly had combined low vision associated with hearing impairment and 18 (10.2%) had combined blindness along with hearing impairment. As age advanced there was a significant increase in visual, hearing and combined impairments.

Conclusion:  Visual and hearing impairment are important health problems among elderly persons in rural areas of South India. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2012; 12: 116–122.
Novel α1 and γ2 GABAA receptor subunit mutations in families with idiopathic generalized epilepsy
Authors: Lachance‐Touchette Pamela , Brown Patricia , Meloche Caroline , Kinirons Peter , Lapointe Line , Lacasse Hélène , Lortie Anne , Carmant Lionel , Bedford Fiona , Bowie Derek , Cossette Patrick
Published: June 2011

Epilepsy is a heterogeneous neurological disease affecting approximately 50 million people worldwide. Genetic factors play an important role in both the onset and severity of the condition, with mutations in several ion‐channel genes being implicated, including those encoding the GABAA receptor. Here, we evaluated the frequency of additional mutations in the GABAA receptor by direct sequencing of the complete open reading frame of the GABRA1 and GABRG2 genes from a cohort of French Canadian families with idiopathic generalized epilepsy (IGE). Using this approach, we have identified three novel mutations that were absent in over 400 control chromosomes. In GABRA1, two mutations were found, with the first being a 25‐bp insertion that was associated with intron retention (i.e. K353delins18X) and the second corresponding to a single point mutation that replaced the aspartate 219 residue with an asparagine (i.e. D219N). Electrophysiological analysis revealed that K353delins18X and D219N altered GABAA receptor function by reducing the total surface expression of mature protein and/or by curtailing neurotransmitter effectiveness. Both defects would be expected to have a detrimental effect on inhibitory control of neuronal circuits. In contrast, the single point mutation identified in the GABRG2 gene, namely P83S, was indistinguishable from the wildtype subunit in terms of surface expression and functionality. This finding was all the more intriguing as the mutation exhibited a high degree of penetrance in three generations of one French Canadian family. Further experimentation will be required to understand how this mutation contributes to the occurrence of IGE in these individuals.
Establishing a reference range for penile length in Caucasian British men: a prospective study of 609 men
Authors: Khan Shahid , Somani Bhaskar , Lam Wayne , Donat Roland
Published: June 2011

Study Type – Diagnostic (validating cohort)

Level of Evidence 2a

What’s known on the subject? and What does the study add?

Reference ranges for normal penile length have been reported from several different countries and anthropometric differences have been noted between different nationalities and ethnic backgrounds.

This study describes one of the largest cohorts of men undergoing penile size measurements in Europe and the largest UK study. The range of measurements collected in this study will be of use to clinicians treating men with concerns over penile length, as well as helping to diagnose patients with true micropenis.

OBJECTIVES

• To establish a reference range for adult male genital size in the UK using penile length measurements.

• To compare the reference ranges for normal penile length reported from several different countries and the anthropometric differences noted between different nationalities and ethnic backgrounds.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

• Over 20 months, genital measurements were taken from all men undergoing routine examination in clinics (n= 499) and in operating theatres during examination under anaesthetic (n= 110).

• Using a rigid metric ruler three penile measurements were taken: flaccid pendulous penile length, flaccid penopubic penile length (to the pubic arch) and stretched flaccid penopubic length. In addition, testicular size was measured using an orchidometer.

• The patient’s age and the reason for referral were recorded.

• Statistical analysis was carried out using Pearson correlation analysis.

RESULTS

• Measurements from 610 patients aged 16–90 years were available for analysis.

• The mean penile lengths were: pendulous length 8.7 cm (sd 1.6 cm), penopubic length 10.2 cm (sd 1.4 cm) and stretched length 14.3 cm (sd 1.7 cm). The mean testicular volume was 19.8 mL (sd 5.4 mL) for both left and right testicles.

• Men with penile disease (including phimosis and Peyronie’s disease) had slightly reduced penile length (pendulous −3.3 mm, P= 0.014; penopubic −2.3 mm, P= 0.029; stretched −5.1 mm, P < 0.001) compared with other referral groups (erectile dysfunction, testicular disease, prostate and bladder disease).

• There was no significant correlation between penile length and age or testicular size

CONCLUSION

• These data establish a reference range for adult male genital size in the UK, which should be helpful for urologists when counselling patients.
The impact of nerve sparing on incidence and location of positive surgical margins in radical prostatectomy
Authors: Moore Benjamin M. , Savdie Richard , PeBenito Ruth A. , Haynes Anne‐Maree , Matthews Jayne , Delprado Warick , Rasiah Krishan K. , Stricker Phillip D.
Published: June 2011

Study Type – Therapy (case series)

Level of Evidence 4

What's known on the subject? and What does the study add?

Nerve sparing radical prostatectomy has been associated with increased risk of positive surgical margins due to the close anatomical relationship of the neurovascular bundle to the posterolateral aspect of the prostatic fascia.

Our study of 945 men who underwent radical prostatectomy be one experienced surgeon found no increased risk of positive surgical margins, whether the cancer was organ confined or extracapsular extension was present.

OBJECTIVE

To examine whether nerve‐sparing surgery (NSS) is a risk factor for positive surgical margins (PSMs) in patients with either organ‐confined prostate cancer or extracapsular extension (ECE).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Clinicopathological outcome data on 945 consecutive patients treated with radical prostatectomy (RP) were prospectively collected.

All patients underwent RP (bilateral, unilateral or non‐NSS) by one surgeon between 2002 and 2007.

Risk of PSMs and their locations with respect to NSS was determined by multivariate logistic regression analysis adjusting for preoperative risk factors for PSMs within pT2, pT3a and pT3b tumours.

RESULTS

Overall a PSM was identified in 19.6% of patients in an unscreened population with mean prostate‐specific antigen (PSA) level of 8.1 ng/mL.

There was no significant difference in rates of PSMs between NSS groups on multivariate analysis (P= 0.147).

There was no significant difference in pT2 (P= 0.880), pT3a (P= 0.175) or pT3b (P= 0.354) tumours.

The only significant predictor of PSMs was preoperative PSA level (risk ratio 1.289, P= 0.006).

There was no significant difference in the location of PSMs except for the pT3a group, where the patients that had bilateral NSS were at higher risk of a posterolateral PSM (P= 0.028).

CONCLUSIONS

With appropriate selection of patients, NSS does not increase the risk of PSMs, whether the cancer is organ confined or ECE is present.

The adverse impact of the NSS procedure in the hands of an experienced surgeon is minimal and is a realistic compromise to obtain the increase in health‐related quality of life offered by NSS.
Association and evolutionary studies of the melatonin receptor 1B gene (MTNR1B) in the self‐contained population of Sorbs from Germany
Authors: Dietrich K. , Birkmeier S. , Schleinitz D. , Breitfeld J. , Enigk B. , Müller I. , Böttcher Y. , Lindner T. , Stumvoll M. , Tönjes A. , Kovacs P.
Published: June 2011

Diabet. Med. 28, 1373–1380 (2011)

Aims  Several polymorphisms of the melatonin receptor 1B gene (MTNR1B) have been shown to be associated with elevated fasting plasma glucose and impaired early insulin release. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of MTNR1B variants on traits related to the metabolic syndrome in the self‐contained population of Sorbs from Germany. As comprehensive studies concerning the conservation of MTNR1B are lacking, we also evaluated natural selection in vertebrates and human populations at this locus.

Methods  Five single nucleotide polymorphisms representing all blocks of linkage disequilibrium within and surrounding the MTNR1B locus were genotyped in 937 Sorbs for association analyses on metabolic traits related to Type 2 diabetes. The associations were assessed by regression analyses, the conservation between species was investigated with phylogenetic analysis by maximum likelihood (PAML). In addition, various tests of population genetic measures (e.g. fixation index, Tajima’s D) were performed.

Results  Previously reported association between MTNR1B variants (rs10830963, rs4753426) and oral glucose tolerance test‐derived indices of β‐cell function (homeostasis model assessment‐B, P = 3.7 × 10−6 and P = 0.004, respectively), as well as insulin (fasting insulin: P = 2 × 10−3 and P = 0.02; 30‐min insulin: P = 2.1 × 10−4 and P = 0.03, respectively) and fasting glucose (rs10830963, P = 1.2 × 10−6) parameters could be replicated in the present study. Phylogenetic analysis by maximum likelihood analyses showed that the gene was strongly conserved between species (ω = 0.2583). Structures important for the receptor function are also conserved. On the lineage leading to human adaptive selection was present (ω = 1.1030). Population genetic measures further indicated natural selection.

Conclusions  Our data support the physiologic importance of MTNR1B in the context of glucose homeostasis and suggest evidence of selection at this locus.
DO SCHOOL LUNCH SUBSIDIES CHANGE THE DIETARY PATTERNS OF CHILDREN FROM LOW‐INCOME HOUSEHOLDS?
Authors: HOWARD LARRY L. , PRAKASH NISHITH
Published: June 2011

This article examines the effects of school lunch subsidies provided through the means‐tested component of the National School Lunch Program on the dietary patterns of children aged 10–13 years in the United States. Analyzing data on 5,140 public school children in fifth grade during spring 2004, we find significant increases in the number of servings of fruit, green salad, carrots, other vegetables, and 100% fruit juice consumed in 1 week for subsidized children relative to unsubsidized children. The effects on fruit and other vegetable consumption are stronger among the children receiving a full subsidy, as opposed to only a partial subsidy, and indicate the size of the subsidy is an important policy lever underlying the program's effectiveness. Overall, the findings provide the strongest empirical evidence to date that the means‐tested school lunch subsidies increase children's consumption over a time period longer than one school day. (JEL H51, I12, I38)
COMMUNITY HOMOGENEITY AND REVEALED PREFERENCES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL GOODS
Authors: VIDERAS JULIO
Published: June 2011

This paper examines the links between community homogeneity and the demand for environmental quality. Using data from California, this paper shows that communities that are more homogeneous in terms of race and educational attainment are more likely to support the public provision of environmental goods, after controlling for political ideology, voter turnout, and the distribution of benefits and costs across communities. The models also reveal nonmonotonic relationships between racial and social groups and support for the public provision of environmental amenities. Support for environmental initiatives in a community typically increases at an increasing rate the greater the concentration of Whites. On the other hand, support generally increases at a decreasing rate the greater the share of African Americans and Asians in the population. Results for a proposal that would have imposed a tax on oil extraction to fund alternative energy projects suggest a different pattern of nonlinear associations. (JEL D72, H42, Q51, Q58)
ON THE SEARCH FOR TALENT IN ACADEMIC LABOR MARKETS: EASILY OBSERVABLE LATER‐GRADUATE STUDY OUTCOMES AS PREDICTORS OF EARLY‐CAREER PUBLISHING, PLACEMENT, AND TENURE
Authors: HILMER MICHAEL , HILMER CHRISTIANA E.
Published: June 2011

Three easily observed later‐graduate study outcomes, working with a prominent advisor, publishing while in graduate school, and coauthoring with the advisor are demonstrated to be significant determinants of early‐career publishing success for a sample of nearly 3,000 Ph.D. recipients from more than 100 domestic programs between 1990 and 1993. Out‐of‐sample predictions for 681 Ph.D. recipients from the class of 1994 indicate that these easily observed later‐graduate study signals dramatically improve our ability to forecast which students become prolific and which students fail to publish more than one article. Analyzing initial domestic tenure‐track economics placements indicates that hiring departments placed far more emphasis on Ph.D. program pedigree, leading to an initial tenure rate of less than 50% but eventually nearly three‐fourths currently hold tenured positions in the United States. (JEL J24, J44)
RISK PREFERENCES AND EXPECTED UTILITY: EVIDENCE FROM LABOR SUPPLY DATA
Authors: LEONARD MEGAN DE LINDE
Published: June 2011

This paper adds to the growing body of evidence that observed risk preferences are not consistent with expected‐utility theory. Using the link between labor supply decisions and utility as outlined by Chetty (“A Bound on Risk Aversion Using Labor Supply Elasticities.” The American Economic Review, 96(5), 2006, 1821–34), I compute the curvature of utility over wealth for 3,900 individuals in the 1996 Panel Study of Income Dynamics. I then compare this estimate to a measure of relative risk aversion based on the respondents' answers to hypothetical gambling questions and find virtually zero correlation. Finally, I investigate how the two measures and their correlations change by demographic groups and risky behavior. (JEL C81, D80, J22)
CONTRACT DELEGATION WITH BARGAINING
Authors: THEILEN BERND
Published: June 2011

In the theoretical literature on contract delegation, it is assumed that the contractor has all the bargaining power when contracts are proposed to the subcontractee. In this case, the principal prefers centralized to decentralized contracting structures. This paper analyzes the consequences of relaxing this assumption. It is shown that when contracts are determined by bargaining, the principal might prefer decentralization to centralization. Furthermore, it is shown that this can happen even when subcontractees have very little bargaining power. The results explain, for example, the coexistence of centralized and decentralized contracting in public procurement. (JEL D23, D82, L22)
Nurse teachers' working lives: a questionnaire survey of nursing schools in Mainland China
Authors: Gui L. , While A.E. , Chen G. , Barriball K.L. , Gu S.
Published: June 2011

GUI L., WHILE A.E., CHEN G., BARRIBALL K.L. & GU S. (2011) Nurse teachers' working lives: a questionnaire survey of nursing schools in Mainland China. International Nursing Review58, 505–511

Aim:  The study aimed to explore Chinese nurse teachers' views and experience regarding different components of their working lives.

Methods:  A cross‐sectional survey of 18 schools of nursing offering nationally accredited baccalaureate nursing programmes across Mainland China was conducted. A total of 227 nurse teachers completed questionnaires yielding a response rate of 72%.

Findings:  The sample comprised mainly female, married lecturers younger than 44 years with an average teaching experience of about 10 years. The respondents were satisfied with their overall job, work, supervision and co‐workers, but dissatisfied with their pay and promotion opportunities. There were statistically significant differences in several facets of job satisfaction across the respondents of different age groups, education levels, job titles and those working in the schools of different sizes. The respondents perceived their work environment to be only somewhat empowering. Their average level of professional identification was relatively high, but their overall role conflict, role ambiguity and sense of coherence were relatively low.

Conclusion:  Chinese nurse teachers had a positive feeling towards their working lives, but strategies should be developed to enhance their sense of coherence and professional commitment. It is worth noting that there is still much adjustment to be made towards the new higher education roles, but the findings may only be generalizable to similar settings.
Condom promotion in Belize: self‐efficacy of Belizean nurses
Authors: Nash W.A.
Published: June 2011

NASH W.A. (2011) Condom promotion in Belize: self‐efficacy of Belizean nurses. International Nursing Review58, 477–483

Background:  Outside of abstinence, correct and consistent condom use is the single most effective tool to prevent the transmission human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). This is particularly true in countries such as Belize where incidence rates remain high. Women are physiologically at higher risk for HIV, and many feel powerless to insist on condom use. Although nurses are in a position to promote condom use, variables that influence this decision are not clearly understood. In this study, we examined variables that influence a nurses' self‐efficacy to promote and teach condom use to women specifically to reduce their HIV risk.

Methods:  Data related to self‐efficacy, vicarious experience related to condom use promotion and a nurse's sexual relationship power were collected from nurses practising in Belize (n = 60). These data were cross‐sectional and collected at the annual nurses' conference.

Results:  Both years of nursing education and positive vicarious experience promoting and teaching condom use to women were positively correlated to their self‐efficacy to do so. Vicarious experience was significantly correlated to self‐efficacy in a subgroup of nurses with lower sexual relationship power but not in those with higher sexual relationship power.

Conclusions:  When designing HIV continuing education programmes for nurses in Belize, it is important to consider level of nursing education and access to vicarious experience such as mentoring and role modelling. An additional factor to consider is the influence that a nurse's power in her own primary sexual relationship may play in the formation of her self‐efficacy.
Relative importance of habitat and fishing in influencing reef fish communities across seventeen Pacific Island Countries and Territories
Authors: Pinca S , Kronen M , Magron F , McArdle B , Vigliola L , Kulbicki M , Andréfouët S
Published: June 2011

Reef fish assessments were undertaken in 17 Pacific islands to describe the status of finfish resources in 63 villages where fishing is mainly artisanal. Surveys were performed by recording the number and size of edible fish species and benthic composition. Fishing impact was described through six proxies representing level of catch, alternative incomes, degree of commercial catch and country economic development derived from a simultaneous socioeconomic assessment. The relative importance of broadly defined habitat (geographical location, island and reef type, substrate composition) and fishing impact in controlling the distribution of fish trophic groups, families and species was measured through multivariate analysis. The extreme faunistic diversity was shown by the large variation in fish density (difference of up to an order of magnitude) and fish biomass (displaying a 20‐fold difference across the region). Herbivores were dominant in the eastern part of the region, at what we classified as complex islands and at islands with small lagoon and at coastal reefs, while carnivores were dominant at oceanic islands and atolls and at outer reefs. Specific habitat associations were shown for Scaridae, Acanthuridae, Siganidae, Balistidae, Lethrinidae, Lutjanidae and Serranidae. Relative importance and size decrease of several fish families (Mullidae, Scaridae, Lutjanidae and Serranidae) were related to high fishing impact. Acanthuridae and Lethrinidae appeared to have a role as opportunistic groups in impacted sites. The relative impact from fishing and habitat on fishes accounted for, respectively, 20 and 30% of variance, demonstrating the effect of human impacts even at such large scale and taking into account only limited fishing impact variables.
The demise of the ARC journal ranking scheme: an ex post analysis of the accounting and finance journals
Authors: Moosa Imad
Published: July 2011

The recent abolition of the ARC journal ranking scheme is indicative of some problematical features of journal ranking in general and the ARC scheme in particular. An alternative citation‐based ranking scheme is applied to the accounting and finance journals to highlight some loopholes in the abandoned ARC scheme and provide some suggestions for how to proceed with ERA 2012. By re‐ranking journals according to their citation indices, it is demonstrated that the ARC ranking placed a large number of journals where they do not belong. As a result, the ARC scheme induced some adverse behavioural changes with respect to preferred publication outlets.
Cyclone preparedness and response: an analysis of lessons identified using an adapted military planning framework
Authors: Tatham Peter , Oloruntoba Richard , Spens Karen
Published: June 2011

The United Kingdom uses the Defence Lines of Development (DLOD) framework to analyse and understand the key components and costs of a military capability. Rooted in the Resource Based View (RBV) of a firm, an adapted DLOD approach is employed to explore, analyse and discuss the preparedness, planning and response strategies of two markedly different countries (Australia and Bangladesh) when faced with a major cyclone event of a comparable size. Given the numerous similarities in the challenges facing military forces in a complex emergency and humanitarian agencies in a natural disaster, the paper demonstrates the applicability of the DLOD framework as an analysis and planning tool in the cyclone preparedness planning and response phases, and more broadly within the disaster management area. In addition, the paper highlights the benefit to disaster managers, policymakers and researchers of exploiting comparative cross‐learning opportunities from disaster events, drawn from different sectors and countries.
Organizational Antecedents of Creative Self‐Efficacy
Authors: Mathisen Gro Ellen
Published: June 2011

A number of studies have documented a relationship between creative self‐efficacy and creative performance. The main aim of the present study was to investigate organizational factors that may influence such creative self‐efficacy. The examined variables included employees' task type and task autonomy, the quality of relationship between supervisors and subordinates (leader–member exchange [LMX]), as well as perceived levels of collegial support for creativity. The sample included 240 employees in a manufacturing company. The hypotheses were tested using partial least squares analysis. Results showed significant and positive relationships between the study variables and creative self‐efficacy, supporting the hypotheses. Furthermore, the combinations of task autonomy and high‐quality LMX, as well as task autonomy and collegial support for creativity, were positively associated with creative self‐efficacy. The results of this study may give guidance to leaders and consultants who want to enhance the creativity levels of employees through organizational development efforts.
On the Concept of a Game
Authors: Ellis Jonathan
Published: June 2011

In an essay for Brian Leiter's turn‐of‐the‐millennium The Future for Philosophy, Thomas Hurka writes:

[A]n anti‐theoretical position is properly open only to those who have made a serious effort to theorize a given domain and found that it cannot succeed. Anti‐theorists who do not make this effort are simply being lazy, like Wittgenstein himself. . . . [I]n one of the great underappreciated books of the twentieth century Bernard Suits gives perfectly persuasive necessary and sufficient conditions for something's being a game.

In this note, it is shown that the conditions Suits and Hurka celebrate are neither necessary nor sufficient for something's being a game.
Constructing Commitment: Brandom's Pragmatist Take on Rule‐Following
Authors: Kiesselbach Matthias
Published: June 2011

According to a standard criticism, Robert Brandom's “normative pragmatics”, i.e. his attempt to explain normative statuses in terms of practical attitudes, faces a dilemma. If practical attitudes and their interactions are specified in purely non‐normative terms, then they underdetermine normative statuses; but if normative terms are allowed into the account, then the account becomes viciously circular. This paper argues that there is no dilemma, because the feared circularity is not vicious. While normative claims do exhibit their respective authors' practical attitudes and thereby contribute towards establishing the normative statuses they are about, this circularity is not a mark of Brandom's explanatory strategy but a feature of social practice of which we theorists partake.
DETERMINANTS OF KNOWLEDGE PRODUCTION AND THEIR EFFECTS ON REGIONAL ECONOMIC GROWTH
Authors: Parent Olivier , LeSage James P.
Published: June 2011

ABSTRACT We provide a Bayesian spatial Markov Chain Monte Carlo model composition (MC3) analysis of growth rates in European regional patenting activity. Based on theoretical models on innovation and growth, we identify a large set of candidate explanatory variables that characterize regional stocks of knowledge, including: human resources devoted to innovative activity, scientific and technical capabilities, public and private investments, government policies, as well as regional industry structure, and indicators of regional technology gaps that reflect distance from the technological frontier. Our analysis shows that accommodating spatial dependence and heterogeneity leads to different conclusions regarding factors important for technological transfer and knowledge spillovers.
The Reverend Dr Louis Giustiniani and Anglican Conflict in the Swan River Colony, Western Australia 1836–1838*
Authors: BOROWITZKA LESLEY J.
Published: June 2011

In 1835, the Western Australian Missionary Society appointed the Reverend Dr Louis Giustiniani to establish a Moravian‐style mission in the Swan River Colony. The land grant essential for such a mission was not forthcoming from the government but Giustiniani established a small mission farm employing Aborigines at Guildford and started ministry among the settlers. This change of mission focus set the stage for conflict within the Anglican establishment of the colony, conflict which destroyed Dr Giustiniani's ministry. Giustiniani was well qualified and exerted himself to achieve the mission's objectives and many accusations made against him were essentially false; they reveal much about the prevailing culture and prejudices of the colony. He was defeated, however, because his ideas of church and mission differed from those of the colonial Church and society and because he did not conform to their expectations of the behaviour of a clergyman.
The Missionaries' Position: Polygamy and Divorce in the Anglican Communion, 1888–1988
Authors: JONES TIMOTHY WILLEM
Published: June 2011

This article explores the Church of England's engagement with polygamy through a survey of policy debates about plural marriage that took place from the 1880s to the 1980s. With few exceptions, nineteenth and early‐twentieth century missionaries refused to allow men in polygamous marriages to convert to Christianity. This decision was formalised at the 1888 Lambeth Conference, but reversed one hundred years later at the 1988 Conference. The article uncovers factors that led to the recognition of alternative forms of marriage, and begin to expose the dynamics of repression and toleration in Anglican marriage discourse. Following recent postcolonial feminist scholarship, it argues that the church's inability to resolve its parallel but conflicting oppositions to polygamy and divorce formed a paradox which implicitly provincialized British Anglican gender understandings, and that the 1988 Lambeth Conference decision represents a tacit acknowledgement of the fundamental epistemic divide represented by this paradox.
Some Recent Trends in the Study of Religion and Youth
Authors: CUSACK CAROLE M.
Published: June 2011

From the beginning of the twenty‐first century there has been a sharp increase in research on the ways in which young people engage with religion and spirituality. Three trends are apparent: first, there has been a shift away from focusing on the formal processes of young people's religious socialisation and a realisation that youth exercise considerable agency in their construction of personal and group identities; second, the 1970s and 1980s assumption that religion was in decline in developed countries and was of little interest to young adults has been challenged by the growth of trans‐national religions including Pentecostal Christianity, and by the emergence of a myriad spiritualities and identity‐conferring subcultural groups including Paganism, Satanism, Goth culture and vampirism; and third, there is an increased acceptance that youth is less a uniform stage that all human beings undergo, and is more intimately connected to the specific historical, geographical, economic, and social context in which it is experienced. This article reviews four recent publications on religion, spirituality and youth, three of which are from Australia. The fourth volume is an international edited collection containing studies from the United States, the United Kingdom, Brazil, Australia, and a small number of European countries.
A distributed problem‐solving framework for probabilistic software effort estimation
Authors: Pendharkar Parag C. , Rodger James A.
Published: June 2011

Distributed problem‐solving (DPS) systems use a framework of human organizational notions and principles of intelligent systems to solve complex problems. Human organizational notions are used to decompose a complex problem into sub‐problems that can be solved using intelligent systems. The solutions of these sub‐problems are combined to solve the original complex problem. In this paper, we propose a DPS system for probabilistic estimation of software development effort. Using a real‐world software engineering dataset, we compare the performance of the DPS system with a neural network (NN) and show that the performance of the DPS system is equal to or better than that of the NN with the additional benefits of modularity, probabilistic estimates, greater interpretability, flexibility and capability to handle incomplete input data.
Clinical characteristics of essential tremor in Taiwan: an exploratory‐comparative study
Authors: Chuang W.‐L. , Lu C.‐S. , Huang Y.‐Z. , Chen R.‐S.
Published: June 2011

Background:  There are few large‐scale clinical analyses of essential tremor (ET) in Asia. We studied the detailed clinical profile with emphasizing the age of onset, tremor location, specific tremor patterns, and rate of progression (ROP) to delineate the characteristics of Taiwanese ET patients and found the difference between the Taiwanese and the Caucasians ET patients.

Methods:  All ET patients fulfilled the Movement Disorders Society diagnosis criteria were investigated with a standardized assessment protocol, which including clinical evaluation, uniform severity scoring, self‐reported questionnaires, accelerometry, surface electromyography, and videotaped tremor examination.

Results:  Of 219 patients recruited from July 2008 to October 2009, 153 completed the study protocol. Their mean age was 58.9 years and 47% were women, and 33.3% had family history (FH). There was bimodal distribution in age of tremor onset in patients without but not in those with FH. Head tremor (HT) was present in 48 of 153 (31%) patients. Patients with HT showed slower tremor frequency and less ROP than those without HT. Sixty‐seven (44%) patients presented with intention tremor (IT). Male gender and voice tremor were predictive factors of IT occurrence.

Conclusions:  Comparing with the Caucasians, Taiwanese ET patients have different patterns of onset‐age distribution and lack of female predominance in ET with HT. However, patients with IT and without HT also progressed more rapid as found in the Caucasian.
Penal Populations in a World in Motion: The Case of the Republic of Ireland (ROI)
Authors: O'NOLAN CAROLINE
Published: June 2011

Abstract: It has been contended that the hyper‐criminalisation of immigrants and especially non‐European Union (non‐EU) immigrants explains the increased presence of foreign nationals in European prisons. A more nuanced explanation for the changed composition of European prison populations is offered by this article. Structural factors may result in immigrants having a greater risk of criminalisation than has the native population, but the presence of foreign nationals in European prisons must also be understood as a product of changes in patterns of criminal activity and increased mobility. The article uses the case of the Republic of Ireland (ROI) to probe the reasons behind the reported presence of foreign nationals in European prisons.
Intergenerational relations and life satisfaction among older women in Taiwan
Authors: Lin Ju‐Ping , Chang Tse‐Fan , Huang Chiu‐Hua
Published: June 2011

Lin J‐P, Chang T‐F, Huang C‐H. Intergenerational relations and life satisfaction among older women in Taiwan

Int J Soc Welfare 2011: 20: S47–S58 © 2011 The Author(s), International Journal of Social Welfare © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd and the International Journal of Social Welfare.

This study examined the relationship between intergenerational relations and life satisfaction among older women (aged 55 years and older) in Taiwan. According to intergenerational solidarity theory, intergenerational relations are dictated by various components: living arrangements, intergenerational support exchange, intergenerational affection, and intergenerational norms. Data were obtained from the 2006 Taiwan Social Change Survey (N= 281). The main results show that intergenerational relations have a significant effect on the life satisfaction of older women. Western studies have found that playing the giver's role increases the life satisfaction of older people. However, the present study found that being mainly a recipient of support from adult children is related to a higher level of life satisfaction among older Taiwanese women. This study also underscores the importance of the emotional component in intergenerational relations to the well‐being of older people. In Taiwan, stronger emotional bonds with adult children increases older women's life satisfaction.
Depressive symptoms of older adults in Hong Kong: the role of grandparent reward
Authors: Lou Vivian W.Q.
Published: June 2011

Lou VWQ. Depressive symptoms of older adults in Hong Kong: the role of grandparent reward

Int J Soc Welfare 2011: 20: S135–S147 © 2011 The Author(s), International Journal of Social Welfare © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd and the International Journal of Social Welfare.

This study explored the relationship between depressive symptoms and grandparent reward among older adults in Hong Kong. Some 215 older people, whose youngest grandchildren were 12 years or older, were recruited from elderly service agencies. Face‐to‐face interviews were conducted by trained interviewers using a standardized questionnaire. Hierarchical regression showed that the depressive symptoms of the respondents were affected significantly by perceived relation‐oriented grandparent reward (R2 change = 0.07, Fchange= 8.67, p < 0.001), controlling for demographic characteristics, general social support, attitude toward Chinese tradition, self‐rated health, and self‐rated financial adequacy. Policy and practice aimed at assuaging depression in the Chinese context should pay attention to the roles of intergenerational activities beyond nuclear families. Efforts to promote grandparent roles in a modernized China, in the face of transforming living arrangements and child‐rearing practices, need to focus on intergenerational activities that enhance esteem and provide positive experiences embedded in interpersonal relations.
A randomized comparison of excimer laser versus narrow‐band ultraviolet B phototherapy after punch grafting in stable vitiligo patients
Authors: Linthorst Homan M.W. , Spuls Ph. I. , Nieuweboer‐Krobotova L. , de Korte J. , Sprangers M.A.G. , Bos J.D. , Wolkerstorfer A. , van der Veen J.P.W.
Published: June 2011

Background  Ultraviolet radiation following punch grafting may stimulate the migration of melanocytes from the grafts into the vitiliginous skin, thereby increasing the rate of repigmentation. We compared the effects of the 308‐nm xenon chloride excimer laser (EL) vs. narrow‐band ultraviolet B (NB‐UVB) after punch grafting in patients with vitiligo.

Objectives  The aims of this study were to evaluate (i) repigmentation (%); (ii) treatment satisfaction; and (iii) patient preferences for EL vs. NB‐UVB therapy after punch grafting in vitiligo.

Methods  Fourteen patients were treated with the punch‐grafting technique on two symmetrical vitiligo patches. Starting 1 week after the punch grafting, the vitiligo patches were treated twice a week during 3 months, with EL on one side and with NB‐UVB on the other side. Repigmentation (%) was measured by a digital image analysis system. Patients’ satisfaction and preference for treatment were also assessed.

Results  Whereas both treatment modalities induced repigmentation, no statistically significant difference was found in grade of repigmentation after 3 months. With EL, 71.4% lower cumulative dose was reached. Patients were significantly more satisfied with NB‐UVB and preferred it over EL.

Conclusions  The choice between EL and NB‐UVB cannot solely be based on repigmentation, but rather on other factors, such as patients’ preferences. However, given the lower UV dose of EL, we recommend its use in vulnerable populations, such as in small children and patients with sun‐damaged skin with a history of long‐term UVB treatment.
Civil war: is it all about disease and xenophobia? A comment on Letendre, Fincher & Thornhill
Authors: Hendrix Cullen S. , Gleditsch Kristian Skrede
Published: June 2011

Letendre, Fincher & Thornhill (2010) argue that pathogen intensity provides the ultimate explanation for why some countries are more prone to civil war than others. They argue that the economic and political factors highlighted in previous research on civil war are largely caused by underlying differences in pathogen intensity, and contend that disease proneness increases the risk of civil war through its effects on resource competition and xenophobia. They present empirical evidence that they interpret as consistent with their argument: a statistically significant correlation between pathogen intensity and civil war onset. In this comment, we raise concerns over their interpretation of the empirical evidence and their proposed causal mechanisms. We find that the data provide stronger evidence for the reverse causal relationship, namely that civil war causes disease to become more prevalent. This finding is consistent with the literatures on the public health effects of civil war as well as research on state capacity and public health.
Sequencing crop genomes: approaches and applications
Authors: Jackson Scott A. , Iwata Aiko , Lee Suk‐Ha , Schmutz Jeremy , Shoemaker Randy
Published: June 2011

Many challenges face plant scientists, in particular those working on crop production, such as a projected increase in population, decrease in water and arable land, changes in weather patterns and predictability. Advances in genome sequencing and resequencing can and should play a role in our response to meeting these challenges. However, several barriers prevent rapid and effective deployment of these tools to a wide variety of crops. Because of the complexity of crop genomes, de novo sequencing with next‐generation sequencing technologies is a process fraught with difficulties that then create roadblocks to the utilization of these genome sequences for crop improvement. Collecting rapid and accurate phenotypes in crop plants is a hindrance to integrating genomics with crop improvement, and advances in informatics are needed to put these tools in the hands of the scientists on the ground.

Contents

Summary
915

I.
Genomics and crop improvement
915

II.
Complexity of plant genomes
916

III.
Evolution of genome sequencing
917

IV.
Future of genome sequencing
919

V.
Application of genomics for crop improvement
920

VI.
Unlocking the potential of genetic diversity through genomic approaches
922

Acknowledgements
923

References
923