bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Incidence of Hepatitis A in Argentina after vaccination
Authors: Vacchino M. N.
Published: August 2008

Summary.  In Argentina, the annual incidence rate of reported hepatitis A disease ranged from 70.5 to 173.8 per 100 000 during 1995–2004. A single dose universal hepatitis A immunization program aimed at children aged 12 months was started in June 2005. The aim was to observe the impact of universal vaccination against hepatitis A in Argentina. A longitudinal analysis of hepatitis A rates reported in Argentina since 1995 to the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (SINAVE). Incidence rates in 2007 were compared with those for the prevaccination baseline period (1998–2002), overall and by age group and geographical regions. Overall vaccine coverage in Argentina was 95% in 2006 for the single dose. After initiating the program, a sharp decrease in disease rates was observed. The annual incidence of 10.2 per 100 000 during 2007 represents 88.0% reduction with respect to the average incidence rate for the period 1998–2002 (P < 0.001). For children aged 1 year, an 83.1% reduction in disease was observed in 2007, compared with the baseline period (P < 0.001). Furthermore, a sharp decline was also observed in all other age groups 87.1% [2–4 years], 88.7% [5–9 years], 83.6% [10–14 years], 78.8% [15–49 years], 20.7% [>50 years]. Also important reductions were observed in all Argentinian regions. Following the implementation of universal hepatitis vaccination with a single dose to children at 12 months of age, hepatitis A rates have declined substantially in Argentina. Monitoring is needed to verify that vaccination continues to proceed and that low rates are sustained.
Effectiveness of universal hepatitis A immunization of children in Minsk City, Belarus: four‐year follow‐up
Authors: Fisenka E. G. , Germanovich F. A. , Glinskaya I. N. , Lyabis O. I. , Rasuli A. M.
Published: August 2008

Summary.  Hepatitis A is a reportable disease in Belarus. Universal hepatitis A vaccination of children aged 6 years in Minsk City began in 2003. This analysis was conducted to evaluate the short‐term impact of the program. Hepatitis A incidence data from 1954 to 2006 was compiled. Vaccination effectiveness was estimated by comparing the incidence of reported hepatitis A cases after 4 years of immunization (2006) with the incidence when the vaccination program started (2003). The vaccines used were Avaxim 160™or Avaxim 80™ (95%) and Havrix 720™ (5%). From 2003 through 2006, hepatitis A incidence in vaccinated children under 14 years was 20‐fold lower than the incidence in unvaccinated children (0.3 cases/10000 vs 5.98/10000; odds ratio = 0.05, 95% CI: 0.012–0.202), for a vaccination effectiveness of 95%. The decreased incidence of hepatitis A in all age groups in 2006 (by 12 times in preschool children aged 1–5 years, 13 times in children aged 10–14 years and 4–6 times among adults), including those without high coverage by vaccination, suggest a herd effect. Routine vaccination also resulted in a shift of the age pattern of hepatitis A morbidity. The proportion of cases in children under 14 years decreased from 33% to 41% in 2000–2002 to 7% in 2005–2006. We conclude that introduction of universal hepatitis A vaccination in Minsk resulted in sharply reduced incidence in both vaccinated and unvaccinated children. Hepatitis A virus circulation might decrease further by beginning vaccination at a younger age.
Long‐term trends in hepatitis A incidence following the inclusion of Hepatitis A vaccine in the routine nationwide immunization program
Authors: Chodick G. , Heymann A. D. , Ashkenazi S. , Kokia E. , Shalev V.
Published: August 2008

Summary.  For many years hepatitis A was one of the most common vaccine preventable diseases in Israel. In 1999, Israel became the first country to introduce an inactivated hepatitis A vaccine into its national childhood vaccination program. The objectives of the present study were to study trends in disease incidence after the implementation of the new vaccination policy and to assess vaccination coverage among children and adults in Israel. We used the databases of the second largest HMO in Israel (1.7 million members) to identify patients who had evidence of hepatitis A in 1998 and 2007 and to collect information on all subjects who received at least one dose of hepatitis A vaccine during the study period. Hepatitis A vaccination coverage in children <5 years and 5–14 years of age increased from 9% and 15% in 1998 to 89% and 68% in 2007, respectively. During this period the annual incidence of hepatitis A dropped from 142.4 per to 7.6 per 100 000. The most prominent reduction in the age‐specific annual incidence rates was calculated in children <5 years from 239.4 per 100 000 in 1998 to 2.2 per 100 000 in 2007 and from 310.3 per 100 000 to 3.0 per 100 000 in children aged 5–14 years. In endemic areas, vaccination of infants and children against hepatitis A can greatly reduce the total burden of the disease.
Post‐translational control of vegetative cell separation enzymes through a direct interaction with specific inhibitor IseA in Bacillus subtilis
Authors: Yamamoto Hiroki , Hashimoto Masayuki , Higashitsuji Yuhei , Harada Hiroyuki , Hariyama Nozomi , Takahashi Lisa , Iwashita Tomoaki , Ooiwa Seika , Sekiguchi Junichi
Published: August 2008

Three d,l‐endopeptidases, LytE, LytF and CwlS, are involved in the vegetative cell separation in Bacillus subtilis. A novel cell surface protein, IseA, inhibits the cell wall lytic activities of these d,l‐endopeptidases in vitro, and IseA negatively regulates the cell separation enzymes at the post‐translational level. Immunofluorescence microscopy indicated that the IseA−3xFLAG fusion protein was specifically localized at cell separation sites and poles on the vegetative cell surface in a similar manner of the d,l‐endopeptidases. Furthermore, pull‐down assay showed that IseA binds to the catalytic domain of LytF, indicating that IseA is localized on the cell surface through the catalytic domain of LytF. Overexpression of IseA caused a long‐chained cell morphology in the exponential growth phase, indicating that IseA inhibits the cell separation d,l‐endopeptidases in vivo. Besides, overexpression of IseA in a cwlO disruptant affected cell growth, implying that IseA is also involved in the cell elongation event. However, although IseA inhibits the activities of LytE, LytF, CwlS and CwlO in vitro, it is unlikely to inhibit CwlS and CwlO in vivo. This is the first demonstration that the cell separation event is post‐translationally controlled through a direct interaction between cell separation enzymes and a specific novel inhibitor in bacteria.
Functional analysis of key nuclear trafficking components reveals an atypical Ran network required for parasite pathogenesis
Authors: Frankel Matthew B. , Knoll Laura J.
Published: August 2008

Protozoan parasites represent major public health challenges. Many aspects of their cell biology are distinct from their animal hosts, providing potential therapeutic targets. Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite that contains a divergent regulator of chromosome condensation 1 (TgRCC1) that is required for virulence and efficient nuclear trafficking. RCC1 proteins function as a guanine exchange factor for Ras‐related nuclear protein (Ran), an abundant GTPase responsible for the majority of nucleocytoplasmic transport. Here we show that while there are dramatic differences from well‐conserved RCC1 proteins, TgRCC1 associates with chromatin, interacts with Ran and complements a mammalian temperature‐sensitive RCC1 mutant cell line. During the investigation of TgRCC1, we observed several unprecedented phenotypes for TgRan, despite a high level of sequence conservation. The cellular distribution of TgRan is found throughout the parasite cell, whereas Ran in late branching eukaryotes is predominantly nuclear. Additionally, T. gondii tolerates at least low‐level expression of dominant lethal Ran mutants. Wild type parasites expressing dominant negative TgRan grew similarly to wild type in standard tissue culture conditions, but were attenuated in serum‐starved host cells and mice. These growth characteristics paralleled the TgRCC1 mutant and highlight the importance of the nuclear transport pathway for virulence of eukaryotic pathogens.
Clinically relevant mutations that cause derepression of the Neisseria gonorrhoeae MtrC‐MtrD‐MtrE Efflux pump system confer different levels of antimicrobial resistance and in vivo fitness
Authors: Warner Douglas M. , Shafer William M. , Jerse Ann E.
Published: August 2008

The MtrC‐MtrD‐MtrE efflux pump system confers resistance to macrolide antibiotics and antimicrobial substances of the host innate defence. Clinical isolates with increased resistance to erythromycin and azithromycin frequently harbour mutations in the mtrR structural gene, which encodes a repressor of the mtrCDE operon, or the mtrR promoter region. The MtrC‐MtrD‐MtrE system is important for gonococcal survival in the murine genital tract, and derepression of the mtrCDE operon via deletion of mtrR confers increased fitness in vivo. Here we compared isogenic strains with naturally occurring mtrR locus mutations for differences in mtrCDE expression and pump‐related phenotypes. Mutations upstream of mtrC, including those within the MtrR binding region and a novel mutation that increases mtrC RNA stability conferred the highest levels of derepression as measured by mtrCDE transcription and resistance to antibiotics, progesterone and antimicrobial peptides. In contrast, mutations within the mtrR coding sequence conferred low to intermediate levels of derepression. In vivo, the mtr mutants were more fit than the wild‐type strain, the degree to which paralleled in vitro resistance gradients. These studies establish a hierarchy of mtrR locus mutations with regard to regulation of pump efflux, and suggest selection for more derepressed mutants may occur during mixed infections.
Resistance of peas to Sclerotinia sclerotiorum in the Pisum core collection
Authors: Porter L. D. , Hoheisel G. , Coffman V. A.
Published: August 2008

In this study, 497 pea accessions from the Pisum core collection located at the USDA‐ARS, Western Regional Plant Introduction Station (WRPIS), Pullman, WA and seven woody‐stem pea lines from a private collection in the UK, were screened for resistance to Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, the cause of white mould. All of the Pisum genotypes screened were susceptible to infection, and 237 of the 504 genotypes were highly susceptible since these did not survive 2 weeks post‐inoculation. However, 22 pea accessions and one woody‐stem line were identified with quantitative partial resistance to white mould. Pea accessions 103709, 166084, 169603, 240515 and 270536 from the core collection demonstrated the greatest quantitative partial resistance to S. sclerotiorum based on nodal resistance and plant survival in replicated greenhouse and laboratory tests. Only five of the 504 genotypes screened had a mean lesion length of between 0 and 1 cm when assessed 3 days post‐inoculation. Pea stem diameter was significantly (P ≤ 0·03) negatively correlated with stem lesion length in replicated greenhouse and laboratory experiments, and was determined to be the best predictor of quantitative partial resistance to S. sclerotiorum based on lesion length.
The 5′ intergenic, promoter, pseudoexon 3 and complete coding sequences of the hybrid gene KIR2DS3*002
Authors: Ordóñez D. , Gómez‐Lozano N. , Vilches C.
Published: August 2008

Genomic and mRNA sequences support the KIR2DS3*002 gene being a hybrid of KIR2DS3*00103 and KIR2DS5.
Fungi associated with a natural epizootic in Fiorinia externa Ferris (Hemiptera: Diaspididae) populations
Authors: Marcelino J. A. P. , Gouli S. , Giordano R. , Gouli V. V. , Parker B. L. , Skinner M.
Published: August 2008

Stands of eastern hemlock [(Tsuga canadensis (L.) Carrière] in the northeastern United States are in decline, in part from the attack of elongate hemlock scale, Fiorinia externa Ferris (Hemiptera: Diaspididae). From 2001 to the present, a natural epizootic has been observed in populations of F. externa. Initially discovered at the Mianus River Gorge Preserve in Bedford, New York, the epizootic has also been detected in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Connecticut. Understanding and assessing the identity of the pathogenic micro‐organisms responsible for this natural mortality is crucial for developing biological controls for this pest. We have isolated and taxonomically and genetically identified entomopathogens, phytopathogens and endophytic fungi associated with F. externa. Isolates of the following were obtained: Colletotrichum sp., Lecanicillium lecanii, Beauveria bassiana, Metarhiziopsis microspora, Myriangium sp., Mycosphaerella sp. anamorph, Nectria sp., Botrytis sp., Phialophora sp. and Fusarium sp.
Evaluating Tripsacum‐introgressed maize germplasm after infestation with western corn rootworms (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)
Authors: Prischmann D. A. , Dashiell K. E. , Schneider D. J. , Eubanks M. W.
Published: August 2008

Maize (Zea mays L.) is a valuable commodity throughout the world, but corn rootworms (Chrysomelidae: Diabrotica spp.) often cause economic damage and increase production costs. Current rootworm management strategies have limitations, and in order to create viable management alternatives, researchers have been developing novel maize lines using Eastern gamagrass (Tripsacum dactyloides L.) germplasm, a wild relative of maize that is resistant to rootworms. Ten maize Tripsacum‐introgressed inbred lines derived from recurrent selection of crosses with gamagrass and teosinte (Zea diploperennis Iltis) recombinants and two public inbred lines were assessed for susceptibility to western corn rootworm (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte) and yield in a two‐year field study. Two experimental maize inbred lines, SDG11 and SDG20, had mean root damage ratings that were significantly lower than the susceptible public line B73. Two other experimental maize inbred lines, SDG12 and SDG6, appeared tolerant to rootworm damage because they exhibited yield increases after rootworm infestation in both years. In the majority of cases, mean yield per plant of experimental maize lines used in yield analyses was equal to or exceeded that of the public inbred lines B73 and W64A. Our study indicates that there is potential to use Tripsacum‐introgressed maize germplasm in breeding programs to enhance plant resistance and/or tolerance to corn rootworms, although further research on insect resistance and agronomic potential of this germplasm needs to be conducted in F1 hybrids.
A new culture method for lesser mealworm, Alphitobius diaperinus
Authors: Rice S. J. , Lambkin T. A.
Published: August 2008

A new culture method for lesser mealworm, Alphitobius diaperinus (Panzer), was developed to provide large numbers of adult lesser mealworms of approximately the same age for insecticide resistance testing. Culturing entailed allowing 100 adults to reproduce for 4 days in a wheat‐based culture medium contained inside a plastic culture box, removing the adults from the medium, and then rearing their progeny to adulthood therein, in approximately 56 days at 32°C and 55% RH. During their development, progeny were supplied water via apple slices at 0, 21 and 35 days, and a foam substrate in which to pupate, also at 35 days. During 2004–2005, adult lesser mealworms were collected from six broiler‐house populations and then cultured with this method. Each population produced 4500 adults required to complete resistance testing with one insecticide within ten culture boxes, at an average of 798 adults per culture box.
Effect of temperature on development and survival of immature stages of Bactrocera invadens (Diptera: Tephritidae)
Authors: Rwomushana I. , Ekesi S. , Ogol C. K. P. O. , Gordon I.
Published: August 2008

The development and survival of immature stages of Bactrocera invadens Drew, Tsuruta and White (Dipt.: Tephritidae), a new invasive fruit fly pest in Africa, was studied in the laboratory at five constant temperatures of 15°C, 20°C, 25°C, 30°C and 35°C and photoperiod of L12:D12. The developmental time of eggs was 5.71 days at 15°C, decreasing to 1.24 days at 35°C. Larval development periods decreased from 35.95 days at 15°C to 6.64 days at 35°C. Pupal development at 15°C took 34.08 days while no adults emerged at 35°C, this being the most lethal temperature. The longest total development period occurred at 15°C (75.74 days) and was shortest at 30°C (17.76 days). The linear model provided a reliable fit of development rates vs. temperature for the immature stages. Lower developmental thresholds that were estimated from linear regression equations for the egg, larva and pupal stages were 8.8, 9.4 and 8.7, respectively. Total degree‐day (DD) accumulation was estimated at 376 DD for development from egg to adult emergence. The highest adult survival given as the mean of emergence from a cohort of 50 eggs occurred at 20–30°C. At the egg stage, survivorship was highest at 20–30°C and at the larva and pupa stages, it was at 25°C. The practical implication of the findings is discussed in relation to mass rearing of B. invadens and understanding its biology and ecology.
Suitability of the tomato borer Tuta absoluta as prey for Macrolophus pygmaeus and Nesidiocoris tenuis
Authors: Urbaneja A. , Montón H. , Mollá O.
Published: August 2008

The tomato borer, Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lep.: Gelechiidae), is an important tomato pest native to South America, which appeared in eastern Spain at the end of 2006. Prey suitability of T. absoluta eggs and larval instars was examined under laboratory conditions to evaluate whether two indigenous predators, Macrolophus pygmaeus (Rambur) and Nesidiocoris tenuis Reuter (Hem.: Miridae), can adapt to this invasive pest. Both predators preyed actively on T. absoluta eggs and all larval stages, although they preferred first‐instar larvae. Our results demonstrate that both mirids can adapt to this invasive pest, contributing to their value as biological control agents in tomato crops.
Infectious endophthalmitis: clinical features, management and visual outcomes
Authors: Fan Jennifer C , Niederer Rachael L , Von Lany Hirut , Polkinghorne Philip J
Published: August 2008

Abstract

Aim:  To identify the clinical features and outcomes of infectious endophthalmitis in New Zealand.

Methods:  A retrospective review was performed on all patients presenting at Auckland Public Hospital with presumed infectious endophthalmitis between 1996 and 2004.

Results:  One hundred and six patients were diagnosed with infectious endophthalmitis over the 9‐year study period. More than half the infections occurred in the perioperative setting (58.5%), with the next most common group being patients with a history of ocular trauma (18.9%). Endogenous endophthalmitis accounted for 16.0% of the cases while a small percentage arose from other causes. The mean interval between the onset of symptoms and presentation was 4.2 ± 7.9 days. There was no significant difference in outcomes between clinical settings (P = 0.616) or between gram‐positive, gram‐negative and fungal infections (P = 0.090). Evisceration/enucleation was more likely in Pacific peoples and those with poor presenting visual acuity.

Conclusions:  The most common clinical scenario for patients presenting with presumed infectious endophthalmitis in this series was in the perioperative setting. We did not find that the prognosis was influenced by the microbiological isolate or clinical setting. However, those patients presenting with poor acuities typically had the worst outcomes. Pacific ethnicity was also associated with increased rate of complications.
Butterflies and black lacy patterns: the prevalence and characteristics of Charles Bonnet hallucinations in an Australian population
Authors: Vukicevic Meri , Fitzmaurice Kerry
Published: August 2008

Abstract

Background:  Charles Bonnet Syndrome (CBS) is characterized by vivid, elaborate and recurrent visual hallucinations in psychologically normal people. It most often occurs in older, visually impaired persons. The prevalence of the syndrome has been reported at 1–40% in Asia, Europe and North America. The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence and characteristics of CBS in the older aged, visually impaired population in Australia.

Methods:  Two hundred consecutive patients attending ophthalmology clinics aged more than 60 years with best‐corrected visual acuity of 6/12 or less were screened for CBS. Those who reported experiencing visual hallucinations were asked to participate in the project. They were then interviewed and asked demographic, general health and visual hallucination‐related questions. A group of 30 non‐hallucinating participants was chosen for comparison of demographic data.

Results:  The prevalence was found to be 17.5%. Participants experiencing hallucinations were predominantly female with a mean age of 77.7 years. Correlations were found between the living situation, level of education and characteristics of the hallucinations such as the duration, length of time the participant had been experiencing them and their frequency.

Conclusion:  The prevalence of CBS in the older‐aged, low‐vision population is 17.5%. Several demographic and syndrome‐specific characteristics were found to be consistent enabling a profile of a CBS sufferer in this group of participants to be compiled.
Australian Cancer Network Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of ocular and periocular Melanoma: an evidence‐based literature analysis
Authors: Skalicky Simon E , Holt Phoebe E , Giblin Michael , Taylor Simon , Conway R Max
Published: August 2008

Abstract

Background:  With recent advances in the diagnosis and management of ocular and periocular melanoma, many of which are based on results from randomized control trials, there is an increasing need for an evidence‐based review of the literature for the Australasian population. The Australian Cancer Network has recently redeveloped the evidence‐based Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of Melanoma, including a chapter on ocular melanoma. These are the first evidence‐based guidelines on ocular melanoma to be created by the Australian Cancer Network.

Methods:  The primary research questions were formed and a detailed literature search was undertaken. Each relevant article was assessed and graded I–IV according to the level of evidence. Articles were grouped into bodies of evidence which were then assessed.

Results:  A total of 107 relevant articles were identified and grouped into 12 bodies of evidence. Guidelines based on this analysis were formulated and graded. These are presented below.

Conclusions:  The management of ocular melanoma has benefited from recent advances in imaging, molecular biology and cytogenetics, and tumours today are detected earlier and with greater accuracy than 25 years ago. With improved treatment ocular and periocular melanomas can be controlled locally, with good preservation of vision in many patients. However, there remains no cure for metastatic disease.
A phylogenetic analysis of laughingthrushes (Timaliidae:Garrulax) and allies based on mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences
Authors: Luo Xu , Qu Yan Hua , Han Lian Xian , Li Shou Hsien , Lei Fu Min
Published: August 2008

The interspecific relationships among extant laughingthrushes have been unclear for a long time and this has resulted in a confusing taxonomic history. Recent advances in molecular methods have greatly improved the resolution of the phylogeny of birds; however, little works has been done on this specific group because of the inaccessibility to many species. This diverse group includes 50 species mostly distributed in South China and South‐east Asia, and were traditionally arranged into the genusGarrulax, for which the non monophyly had been questioned by previous molecular studies. In this study, we infer a phylogeny for 23Garrulaxspecies and 20 species from close related genera. Mitochondrial data or combined with nuclear sequences both indicate paraphyly ofGarrulax, dividingGarrulaxspecies into two groups. Based on these results, we suggest resurrecting the genus nameTrochalopteronBlyth, 1843 for one group and retainingGarrulaxfor the other pending further study. Using dating methods with a secondary calibration point, we develop a profile of the speciation history of laughingthrushes, which suggests that the Hengduan Mountains might not be the centre of origin for these birds as previously suggested.
Tours of Duty, Cross‐Identification and Introjection: The Colonial Administrative Mind in Wartime Indochina
Authors: RAFFIN ANNE
Published: August 2008

Abstract  Some scholars have explained colonial policies as the outgrowth of the need to provide profits and prestige for the motherland. Others have linked policymaking to the use of colonial space as experimental laboratories of modernity; while others assert that the overseas was a terrain for finding solutions to some of the political, social and aesthetic problems which were affecting France at the time. In contrast, this paper traces how colonial policies can be explained at the level of individual colonial administrators. It does so not only by reference to the social backgrounds of officials, but also their inner “psychic processes.” This study addresses the colonial tendency to imagine cross‐identification between France and the colony. It presents three case studies of colonial officials in Indochina to investigate how administrators' perceptions of France became projected onto the colonies, and how one of them incorporated within himself some of the attributes of the colonized, an example of introjection. It is argued that these processes had an impact on policymaking. My theoretical goal with this piece was to apply a psychoanalytic approach to the study of the empire.
Obesity Policy Action framework and analysis grids for a comprehensive policy approach to reducing obesity
Authors: Sacks G. , Swinburn B. , Lawrence M.
Published: August 2008

A comprehensive policy approach is needed to control the growing obesity epidemic. This paper proposes the Obesity Policy Action (OPA) framework, modified from the World Health Organization framework for the implementation of the Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health, to provide specific guidance for governments to systematically identify areas for obesity policy action. The proposed framework incorporates three different public health approaches to addressing obesity: (i) ‘upstream’ policies influence either the broad social and economic conditions of society (e.g. taxation, education, social security) or the food and physical activity environments to make healthy eating and physical activity choices easier; (ii) ‘midstream’ policies are aimed at directly influencing population behaviours; and (iii) ‘downstream’ policies support health services and clinical interventions. A set of grids for analysing potential policies to support obesity prevention and management is presented. The general pattern that emerges from populating the analysis grids as they relate to the Australian context is that all sectors and levels of government, non‐governmental organizations and private businesses have multiple opportunities to contribute to reducing obesity. The proposed framework and analysis grids provide a comprehensive approach to mapping the policy environment related to obesity, and a tool for identifying policy gaps, barriers and opportunities.
The changing role of governments in corporate social responsibility: drivers and responses
Authors: Albareda Laura , Lozano Josep M. , Tencati Antonio , Midttun Atle , Perrini Francesco
Published: August 2008

The aim of this article is to contribute to understanding the changing role of government in promoting corporate social responsibility (CSR). Over the last decade, governments have joined other stakeholders in assuming a relevant role as drivers of CSR, working together with intergovernmental organizations and recognizing that public policies are key in encouraging a greater sense of CSR. This paper focuses on the analysis of the new strategies adopted by governments in order to promote, and encourage businesses to adopt, CSR values and strategies. The research is based on the analysis of an explanatory framework, related to the development of a relational analytical framework, which tries to analyze the vision, values, strategies and roles adopted by governments, and the integration of new partnerships that governments establish in the CSR area with the private sector and social organizations. The research compares CSR initiatives and public policies in three European countries: Italy, Norway and the United Kingdom, and focuses on governmental drivers and responses. The preliminary results demonstrate that governments are incorporating a common statement and discourse on CSR, working in partnership with the private and social sectors. For governments, CSR implies the need to manage a complex set of relationships in order to develop a win–win situation between business and social organizations. However, the research also focuses on the differences between the three governments when applying CSR public policies. These divergences are based on the previous cultural and political framework, such as the welfare state typology, the organizational structures and the business and social and cultural background in each country.
SMEs and the fallacy of formalising CSR
Authors: Fassin Yves
Published: August 2008

There exists increasing pressure for small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) to engage in corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices, including social reporting. Curiously in this promotional programme of CSR reporting, the only group whose ideas are not sought in this debate are the SME leaders themselves. The present ethnographic field analysis, based on discussions within entrepreneurs' circles, tends to suggest that the argument for expanding formalisation of CSR to SMEs rests upon several fallacies. It implicitly assumes that an apparent solution for large multinationals can be transposed to SMEs, and it underestimates the drawbacks of bureaucracy. Moreover, many SMEs experience inconsistency between the idealistic CSR communication of some large companies and their actions, especially in the supply chain. The author concludes that reports do not constitute the validation for real CSR, nor the proof of superior ethical behaviour. Formalisation can even be counterproductive. Conversely, the absence of social reporting does not imply that SMEs do not behave responsible. CSR in SMEs needs a specific approach, adapted to the informal nature and entrepreneurial character of the small business. The essence of CSR lies in the implementation of responsible business practices. It lies in the right attitudes, in the corporate culture, not in formalisation.
Corporate codes of ethics: necessary but not sufficient
Authors: Webley Simon , Werner Andrea
Published: August 2008

While most large companies around the world now have a code of ethics, reported ethical malpractice among some of these does not appear to be abating. The reasons for this are explored, using academic studies, survey reports as well as insights gained from the Institute of Business Ethics' work with large corporations. These indicate that there is a gap between the existence of explicit ethical values and principles, often expressed in the form of a code, and the attitudes and behaviour of the organisation. The paper suggests that two basic reasons appear to be at the heart of the problem: ineffective ethics programmes and deficiencies in corporate culture. The paper concludes that successfully embedded corporate ethical values requires well‐designed ethics policies, sustained ethical leadership and incorporation of ethics in organisational processes and strategy as part of an ethical culture at all levels of the organisation. It makes some practical suggestions on how this can be achieved.
Chinese Children Excel on Novel Mathematics Problems Even Before Elementary School
Authors: Siegler Robert S. , Mu Yan
Published: August 2008

Kindergartners in China showed greater numerical knowledge than their age peers in the United States, not only when tested with arithmetic problems, which Chinese parents present to their children more often than U.S. parents do, but also when tested with number-line estimation problems, which were novel to the children in both countries. The Chinese kindergartners' number-line estimates were comparable to those of U.S. children 1 to 2 years more advanced in school. Individual differences in arithmetic and number-line-estimation performance were positively correlated within each country. These results indicate that performance differences between Chinese and U.S. children on both practiced and unpracticed mathematical tasks are substantial even before the children begin elementary school.
A Wrinkle in Time
Authors: Caruso Eugene M. , Gilbert Daniel T. , Wilson Timothy D.
Published: August 2008

A series of studies shows that people value future events more than equivalent events in the equidistant past. Whether people imagined being compensated or compensating others, they required and offered more compensation for events that would take place in the future than for identical events that had taken place in the past. This temporal value asymmetry (TVA) was robust in between-persons comparisons and absent in within-persons comparisons, which suggests that participants considered the TVA irrational. Contemplating future events produced greater affect than did contemplating past events, and this difference mediated the TVA. We suggest that the TVA, the gain-loss asymmetry, and hyperbolic time discounting can be unified in a three-dimensional value function that describes how people value gains and losses of different magnitudes at different moments in time.
Motion, Not Masking, Provides the Medium for Feature Attribution
Authors: Breitmeyer Bruno G. , Herzog Michael H. , Öǧmen Haluk
Published: August 2008

Understanding the dynamics of how separate features combine to form holistic object representations is a central problem in visual cognition. Feature attribution (also known as feature transposition and feature inheritance) refers to the later of two stimuli expressing the features belonging to the earlier one. Both visual masking and apparent motion are implicated in feature attribution. We found that when apparent motion occurs without masking, it correlates positively with feature attribution. Moreover, when apparent motion occurs with masking, feature attribution remains positively correlated with apparent motion after the contribution of masking is factored out, but does not correlate with masking after the contribution of apparent motion is similarly factored out. Hence, motion processes on their own provide the effective medium for feature attribution. Our results clarify the dynamics of feature binding in the formation of integral and unitary object representations in human vision.
The effect of cholecalciferol supplementation on vitamin D levels and insulin sensitivity is dose related in vitamin D‐deficient HIV‐1‐infected patients
Authors: Van Den Bout‐van den Beukel CJP , Van Den Bos M , Oyen WJG , Hermus Ad RMM , Sweep FCGJ , Tack CJJ , Bosch MEW , Burger DM , Koopmans PP , Van Der Ven AJAM
Published: August 2008

Objective

The aim of this study was to explore the effects of cholecalciferol supplementation on vitamin D levels, bone mineral density (BMD), body fat distribution and insulin sensitivity in vitamin D‐deficient HIV‐1‐infected patients.

Methods

Twenty vitamin D‐deficient HIV‐1‐infected patients were prospectively treated with 2000 IU cholecalciferol/day for 14 weeks, whereafter treatment was continued with half this dosage until 48 weeks. BMD, body fat distribution, 1,25‐dihydroxy vitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D3), fasting glucose, insulin, adiponectin, leptin, interleukin (IL)‐6 and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)‐α were measured at baseline, and at 24 and 48 weeks. Parathyroid hormone (PTH), 25‐hydroxy vitamin D3 [25(OH)D3], cholesterol and triglycerides were measured at baseline, and at 12, 24 and 48 weeks.

Results

After 24 weeks, cholecalciferol supplementation significantly increased 25(OH)D3 and 1,25(OH)2D3 levels and decreased PTH and insulin sensitivity. After 48 weeks, however, only 25(OH)D3 levels remained significantly different from baseline, while the other parameter levels returned to baseline, suggesting a dose–response effect. Cholecalciferol had no effect on BMD, adipokines and triglycerides.

Conclusions

The effect of cholecalciferol treatment in this cohort appears to be dose dependent. Cholecalciferol dosages of ≥2000 IU are necessary to achieve 1,25(OH)2D3 levels that significantly decrease PTH, but also negatively affect insulin sensitivity. The results of this hypothesis‐driven explorative study need to be confirmed in larger clinical trials.
Lipoatrophy among HIV‐infected patients is associated with higher levels of depression than lipohypertrophy
Authors: Crane HM , Grunfeld C , Harrington RD , Uldall KK , Ciechanowski PS , Kitahata MM
Published: August 2008

Objectives

We sought to determine the association between body morphology abnormalities and depression, examining lipoatrophy and lipohypertrophy separately.

Methods

An observational cross‐sectional study of 250 patients from the University of Washington HIV Cohort was carried out. Patients completed an assessment including measures of depression and body morphology. We used linear regression analysis to examine the association between lipoatrophy or lipohypertrophy and depression. Analysis of variance was used to examine the relationship between mean depression scores and lipoatrophy and lipohypertrophy in 10 body regions.

Results

Of 250 patients, 76 had lipoatrophy and 128 had lipohypertrophy. Mean depression scores were highest among patients with moderate‐to‐severe lipoatrophy (16.4), intermediate among those with moderate‐to‐severe lipohypertrophy (11.7), mild lipohypertrophy (9.9) and mild lipoatrophy (8.5), and lowest among those without body morphology abnormalities (7.7) (P=0.002). After adjustment, mean depression scores for subjects reporting moderate‐to‐severe lipoatrophy were 9.2 points higher (P<0.001), scores for subjects with moderate‐to‐severe lipohypertrophy were 4.8 points higher (P=0.02), and scores for subjects with mild lipohypertrophy were 2.8 points higher (P=0.03) than those for patients without body morphology abnormalities. Facial lipoatrophy was the body region associated with the most severe depression scores (15.5 vs. 8.9 for controls; P=0.03).

Conclusions

In addition to long‐term cardiovascular implications, body morphology has a more immediate effect on depression severity.
Some considerations on the debate on social work in China: who speaks for whom?
Authors: Gray Mel
Published: August 2008

In this article I persist with my argument that indigenous, local, culturally relevant practice ought to trump the external imposition of social work definitions, standards and professional models. The challenge, however, is not to fall prey to false dichotomies. Importantly, social work in China is not static but emergent, and no‐one is sure of the exact shape it will take. And the essential question is to what extent will Western knowledge and standards be uncritically appropriated into China? Most contributors to the debate thus far have taken the international definition of social work as their starting point, but far more significant are the political dimensions involved in this process of indigenisation. This article proposes that empirical evidence from within China regarding culturally appropriate, effective local responses – and some clear benchmarks for international engagement – should form the basis for dialogue between China and the broader social work community.
Investment‐Cash Flow Sensitivities or Cash‐Cash Flow Sensitivities? An Evaluative Framework for Measures of Financial Constraints
Authors: D'Espallier Bert , Vandemaele Sigrid , Peeters Ludo
Published: August 2008

Abstract:  We evaluate two models commonly used for measuring financial constraints in their ability to discriminate between constrained and unconstrained firms. We compute firm‐specific estimates for the cash flow sensitivity of investment (CFSI), and the cash flow sensitivity of cash (CFSC) and provide a framework that summarizes the performance of each model into a single numerical metric. We argue that this ‘ex‐post’ approach provides interesting advantages over the traditional operationalization, in which firms are classified ‘ex‐ante’ on a theoretical basis. Our findings suggest the superiority of the CFSI model over the CFSC model for a sample of manufacturing SMEs in Belgium.
Assessing the effects of resource availability and parity on reproduction in female Cape ground squirrels: resources do not matter
Authors: Pettitt B. A. , Waterman J. M. , Wheaton C. J.
Published: August 2008

The reproductive output of iteroparous females is influenced by parity and resource availability. To gain a better understanding of the reproductive decisions made when animals are faced with potential trade‐offs between current and future reproduction; we investigated the relationship of parity and resources availability on reproductive intervals and success by comparing the performance of primiparous and multiparous female Cape ground squirrels Xerus inauris from two study sites that differed in resource availability. Our study included the correlation of reproductive behavioral data with fecal hormonal information to establish a normative endocrine profile for pregnancy and lactation. Parity had a major influence on juvenile emergence with multiparous females having more juveniles emerge successfully. Resource availability did not influence reproductive output, either because of an interaction among multiple resource components including quantity, predictability and length of time those resources were available or because other factors (such as predation or parasitism) have a greater impact on reproductive success.
Comparison of forced mating behaviour in four taxa of Anonconotus, the Alpine bushcricket
Authors: Vahed K. , Carron G.
Published: August 2008

Forced or coercive copulation is known to occur in a variety of insect taxa but until recently, this behaviour had not been recorded in crickets and bushcrickets (Orthoptera: Ensifera). The aim of the present study was to investigate forced mating behaviour in four taxa of Anonconotus Camerano 1878 (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae), comparing the recently documented forced mating behaviour in the Alpine bushcricket Anonconotus alpinus ghilianii with those of Anonconotus alpinus alpinus, Anonconotus pusillus and Anonconotus baracunensis occidentalis under both laboratory and semi‐natural field conditions. In all four taxa, males did not sing to attract females, but instead initiated copulation by stalking the female before leaping onto her and using the sharply pointed cercal spurs to maintain a hold on the female's abdomen. In A. a. ghilianii and A. a. alpinus, the positioning of the male's hind legs appeared to impede the movement of the female's hind legs during copulation. In Anonconotus baracunensis, the duration of copulation was considerably longer than in the other species, lasting a mean of 153 min in the laboratory and 40 min in field enclosures (compared with a mean of 7–9 min in the other taxa). This longer duration of copulation, which occurred following spermatophore attachment, is interpreted as functioning to prolong ejaculate transfer by preventing the female from eating the external portions of the spermatophore. In support of this, male A. baracunensis were found to produce a significantly greater ejaculate mass compared with the other Anonconotus taxa. We propose that members of the genus Anonconotus would make an excellent novel model system for the study of forced copulation from a sexual conflict perspective.
The role of the information specialist in supporting knowledge transfer: a public health information case study
Authors: Wilkinson A. , Papaioannou D. , Keen C. , Booth A.
Published: August 2008

Objectives:  To create research bulletins for public health professionals that support knowledge transfer and evidence‐based practice.

Methods:  The methodology for the bulletins comprises five stages: scoping the topic, searching for relevant literature, selecting and obtaining relevant articles, assessing the quality of articles including evidence grading, producing a comment on quality and implications for practice and writing the research bulletin. An ABC—applicability, brevity and clarity—is considered at each stage to ensure that bulletins meet the needs of their intended audience.

Results:  Nine research bulletins have been produced on a range of health promotion topics. Bulletins are distributed to Welsh health professionals and are available online. The bulletins have developed since their inception to incorporate evaluation and feedback. Most significant among these developments has been introduction of an Implications for Practice section to promote uptake of research.

Conclusions:  Research bulletins support busy health professionals in evidence‐based practice by assigning a level of evidence, highlighting implications for practice and providing a comment on quality. The bulletins further develop the extended role for information professionals in knowledge transfer and dissemination.
Association Between Sleep and Physical Function in Older Men: The Osteoporotic Fractures in Men Sleep Study
Authors: Dam Thuy‐Tien L. , Ewing Susan , Ancoli‐Israel Sonia , Ensrud Kristine , Redline Susan , Stone Katie ,   for the Osteoporotic Fractures in Men Research Group
Published: August 2008

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether sleep quality is associated with physical function in older men.

DESIGN: Cross‐sectional.

SETTING: Six U.S. centers.

PARTICIPANTS: Two thousand eight hundred sixty‐two community‐dwelling men.

MEASUREMENTS: Total hours of nighttime sleep (TST), wake after sleep onset (WASO), sleep latency (SL), and sleep efficiency (SE) measured using actigraphy; sleep stage distribution, respiratory disturbance index (RDI), and hypoxia measured using polysomnography; measures of physical function: grip strength, walking speed, chair stand, and narrow walk.

RESULTS: In age‐adjusted models, <6 or >8 hours TST, SE less than 80%, WASO of 90 minutes or longer, RDI of 30 or greater, and hypoxia were associated with poorer physical function. (Mean grip strength was 2.9% lower and mean walking speed was 4.3% lower in men with WASO ≥90 minutes than men with WASO <90 minutes.) After adjusting for potential covariates, differences in grip strength and walking speed remained significantly associated with WASO of 90 minutes or longer, SE less than 80%, and hypoxia but not with TST or RDI of 30 or greater.

CONCLUSION: Greater sleep fragmentation and hypoxia are associated with poorer physical function in older men.