bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prevalence and correlates of self‐induced vomiting as weight‐control strategy among adolescents in Taiwan
Authors: Liou Yiing Mei , Hsu Ya‐Wen , Ho Jow‐Fei , Lin Che‐Hung , Hsu Wen‐Yen , Liou Tsan‐Hon
Published: June 2011

Aims.  This study was designed to assess the prevalence and correlates of self‐induced vomiting to control body weight among adolescents in Taiwan.

Background.  Over the past decades, the rate of obesity among children in Taiwan has nearly tripled. Educational authorities have devoted considerable effort to prevent the increase in childhood obesity.

Design.  An observational exploratory design to investigate the problem of using unhealthy weight‐reduction strategy.

Methods.  This study consists of a cross‐sectional study aimed at collecting national representative data. We chose 120 representative schools using a three‐stage stratified systematic sampling design with probability proportionate to the size of the population in Taiwan. Participants consisted of 8673 girls and 7043 boys, aged 10–18 old.

Results.  Of the participants, 13% reported using self‐induced vomiting, the prevalence being highest in participants aged 10–12 (15·9%) and lowest in participants aged 16–18 (7·5%). Several factors were significantly and positively associated with the use of self‐induced vomiting as a weight‐loss strategy, specifically subjects who (1) watched television, used computer, surfed the Internet or played video games for greater than or equal to two hours/day, (2) consumed fried food every day and (3) ate night‐time snacks every day (odds ratio = 1·55, 2·10 and 1·51, respectively; p < 0·05). Eating breakfast every day and sleeping for more than eight hours a day were both protective factors against the use of self‐induced vomiting to control body weight (odds ratio = 0·43 and 0·86, respectively; p < 0·05).

Conclusions.  Self‐induced vomiting was prevalent among adolescents who had tried to lose weight; sedentary lifestyle, shorter sleep length and unhealthy eating habits may contribute significantly to this behaviour among these adolescents.

Relevance to clinical practice.  School nurses who are helping adolescents lose weight should also pay attention to the possibility they are using self‐induced vomiting as a weight‐control strategy.
Photoplethysmography as a single source for analysis of sleep‐disordered breathing in patients with severe cardiovascular disease
Authors: AMIR OFFER , BARAK‐SHINAR DEGANIT , HENRY ANTONIETTA , SMART FRANK W.
Published: June 2011

Sleep‐disordered breathing and Cheyne–Stokes breathing are often not diagnosed, especially in cardiovascular patients. An automated system based on photoplethysmographic signals might provide a convenient screening and diagnostic solution for patient evaluation at home or in an ambulatory setting. We compared event detection and classification obtained by full polysomnography (the ‘gold standard’) and by an automated new algorithm system in 74 subjects. Each subject underwent overnight polysomnography, 60 in a hospital cardiology department and 14 while being tested for suspected sleep‐disordered breathing in a sleep laboratory. The sleep‐disordered breathing and Cheyne–Stokes breathing parameters measured by a new automated algorithm system correlated very well with the corresponding results obtained by full polysomnography. The sensitivity of the Cheyne–Stokes breathing detected from the system compared to full polysomnography was 92% [95% confidence interval (CI): 78.6–98.3%] and specificity 94% (95% CI: 81.3–99.3%). Comparison of the Apnea Hyponea Index with a cutoff level of 15 shows a sensitivity of 98% (95% CI: 87.1–99.6%) and specificity of 96% (95% CI: 79.8–99.3%). The detection of respiratory events showed agreement of approximately 80%. Regression and Bland–Altman plots revealed good agreement between the two methods. Relative to gold‐standard polysomnography, the simply used automated system in this study yielded an acceptable analysis of sleep‐ and/or cardiac‐related breathing disorders. Accordingly, and given the convenience and simplicity of its application, this system can be considered as a suitable platform for home and ambulatory screening and diagnosis of sleep‐disordered breathing in patients with cardiovascular disease.
Genetic differentiation and phylogeographical structure of the Brachionus calyciflorus complex in eastern China
Authors: XIANG XIAN‐LING , XI YI‐LONG , WEN XIN‐LI , ZHANG GEN , WANG JIN‐XIA , HU KE
Published: June 2011

Spatio‐temporal patterns and processes of genetic differentiation in passively dispersing zooplankton are drawing much attention from both ecologists and evolutionary biologists. Two opposite phylogeographical scenarios have already been demonstrated in rotifers, which consist of high levels of genetic differentiation among populations even on small geographical scales on the one hand and the traditionally known cosmopolitanism that is associated with high levels of gene flow and long‐distance dispersal via diapausing stages on the other hand. Here, we analysed the population genetic structure and the phylogeography of the Brachionus calyciflorus species complex in eastern China. By screening a total of 318 individuals from ten locations along a 2320‐km gradient and analysing samples from two growing seasons, we aimed at focusing on both small‐ and large‐scale patterns. We identified eight cryptic species and verified species status of two of these by sexual reproduction tests. Samples in summer and winter yielded different cryptic species. The distribution patterns of these genetically distinct cryptic species were diverse across eastern China, from full cosmopolitanism to local endemism. The two most abundant cryptic species BcWIII and BcSW showed a pattern of strong genetic differentiation among populations and no significant isolation by distance. Long‐distance colonization, secondary contact and recent range expansion are probably responsible for the indistinct pattern of isolation by distance. Our results suggest that geographical distance is more important than temporal segregation across seasons in explaining population differentiation and the occurrence of cryptic species. We explain the current phylogeographical structure in the B. calyciflorus species complex by a combination of recent population expansion, restricted gene flow, priority effects and long‐distance colonization.
Recent vicariance and the origin of the rare, edaphically specialized Sandhills lily, Lilium pyrophilum (Liliaceae): evidence from phylogenetic and coalescent analyses
Authors: DOUGLAS NORMAN A. , WALL WADE A. , XIANG QIU‐YUN (JENNY) , HOFFMANN WILLIAM A. , WENTWORTH THOMAS R. , GRAY JANET B. , HOHMANN MATTHEW G.
Published: June 2011

Establishing the phylogenetic and demographic history of rare plants improves our understanding of mechanisms that have led to their origin and can lead to valuable insights that inform conservation decisions. The Atlantic coastal plain of eastern North America harbours many rare and endemic species, yet their evolution is poorly understood. We investigate the rare Sandhills lily (Lilium pyrophilum), which is endemic to seepage slopes in a restricted area of the Atlantic coastal plain of eastern North America. Using phylogenetic evidence from chloroplast, nuclear internal transcribed spacer and two low‐copy nuclear genes, we establish a close relationship between L. pyrophilum and the widespread Turk’s cap lily, L. superbum. Isolation‐with‐migration and coalescent simulation analyses suggest that (i) the divergence between these two species falls in the late Pleistocene or Holocene and almost certainly post‐dates the establishment of the edaphic conditions to which L. pyrophilum is presently restricted, (ii) vicariance is responsible for the present range disjunction between the two species, and that subsequent gene flow has been asymmetrical and (iii) L. pyrophilum harbours substantial genetic diversity in spite of its present rarity. This system provides an example of the role of edaphic specialization and climate change in promoting diversification in the Atlantic coastal plain.
The risk factors and quality of life in children with allergic rhinitis in relation to seasonal attack patterns
Authors: Chen Bing‐Yu , Chan Chang‐Chuan , Han Yueh‐Ying , Wu Hung‐Pin , Guo Yue Leon
Published: June 2011

Chen B‐Y, Chan C‐C, Han Y‐Y, Wu H‐P, Guo YL. The risk factors and quality of life in children with allergic rhinitis in relation to seasonal attack patterns. Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology 2012; 26: 146–155.

A questionnaire survey was conducted to examine whether risk factors and allergic rhinitis (AR)‐related quality of life (QOL) were different among children with different seasonal patterns of AR. Participants were students enrolled in elementary and middle schools in Taipei County, Taiwan. Using moving average and principal component analysis, children with current AR were grouped by attack seasons. The effects of personal and environmental factors on AR seasonality were assessed by logistic regression models. AR severity and AR‐related QOL were compared within AR seasonal subtypes.

Among 4221 children who completed the questionnaire, 1144 and 1605 children were current AR cases and healthy controls, respectively. Four AR subtypes were categorised as follows: perennial, spring, summer/fall, and winter. Age, gender, parental education, maternal passive smoking during pregnancy, breast feeding, and mouldy walls were found to contribute differentially to different AR subtypes. Children suffering from perennial and winter AR were found to have more severe symptoms and significantly lower QOL score compared with other subtypes. Specific personal and environmental risk factors could contribute to different AR seasonal subtypes. Active allergen avoidance and symptomatic treatment should be the focus of management aiming to improve the QOL among children with perennial and winter subtype.
Iranian blood donors' motivations and their influencing factors
Authors: Maghsudlu M. , Nasizadeh S.
Published: June 2011

Aim: One of the challenges faced by blood transfusion services is the motivation of blood donors. The purpose of this study was to define the motivations of Iranian donors.

Methodology: A total of 16 955 volunteers were studied to evaluate their motivation for blood donation in 2003 and 2004. A questionnaire was designed covering socio‐demographic characteristics, history of blood donation and a list of reasons for donating. The donor physician determined the donor's motivation after an interview. Motivation was classified as internal (altruistic and religious beliefs) and external motives.

Results: The main motivations were 6629 (39·1%) altruistic, 6552 (38·6%) good for one's health and 1931 (11·4%) religious beliefs. It was shown that 8560 volunteers (50·5%) had internal motivations and 8395 (49·5%) had external motivations. Internal motivations were significantly higher in women, regular and educated donors.

Conclusion: This study showed that internal motives are the main reason for blood donation in Iranian donors, especially in female, regular and high‐educated donors. Thus, altruistic and religious messages can be emphasized in recruiting and retaining donors, particularly in this group. Nearly half of the donors were motivated by external factors – mainly to improve their own health status, especially in older donors. This may be due to a psychological impact in which they feel improvement in their general health. As voluntary non‐remunerated blood donation is defined without considering the motivational factor, one might consider a new term such as ‘internal motivated voluntary blood donors' in accordance with their motivation and efforts could be centered about recruiting these specific donors.
Providers’ HIV‐related avoidance attitude and patient satisfaction
Authors: Li Li , Comulada W. Scott , Wu Zunyou , Ding Yingying , Zhu Weiming
Published: June 2011

Objectives  This article explores the associations between medical care providers’ attitudes towards patients living with HIV (PLH) and the service satisfaction reported from general patients.

Methods  Data were collected from 40 county‐level hospitals in China, including 1760 service providers and 1000 patients receiving medical services from the hospitals. Provider and patient assessments were conducted by self‐administered questionnaires and face‐to‐face interviews, respectively. Random‐effect regression models were used to examine relationships between the providers’ avoidance attitudes and patient satisfaction at the hospital level while taking into account variations in demographics and professional experience within each hospital.

Results and Conclusions  Service providers’ avoidance attitudes towards PLH were negatively associated with general patients’ satisfaction with service providers at the hospital level. The relationship was strong and significant whether or not adjustments were made for background characteristics. Medical care providers’ stigmatizing attitudes towards PLH could be a reflection of the providers’ general outlook with all patients. This study underscores a broader focus for HIV‐related stigma reduction interventions in medical settings at both individual and institutional levels, targeting attitudes towards both patients with HIV/AIDS and the general patient population.
TRALI – new challenges for histocompatibility and immunogenetics in transfusion medicine
Authors: Flesch B. K. , Petershofen E. K. , Bux J.
Published: June 2011

Antibodies against human leukocyte antigens (HLAs) have long been associated with transfusion‐related acute lung injury (TRALI). In contrast to febrile transfusion reactions and refractoriness to platelet transfusions in immunized patients, the causative antibodies in TRALI are present in the transfused blood component, i.e. they are formed by the blood donor and not by the recipient. Consequently, blood components with high plasma volume are particularly associated with TRALI. In addition to antibodies against HLAs, antibodies directed against human neutrophil antigens (HNAs) present in the plasma of predominantly multiparous female blood donors can induce severe TRALI reactions. Especially, antibodies to HLA class II and HNA‐3a antigens can induce severe or even fatal ALI in critically ill patients. Over the last decade, the clinical importance of TRALI as major cause for severe transfusion‐related morbidities has led to the establishment of new guidelines aimed at preventing this condition, including routine testing for HLA and ‐HNA antibodies for plasma donors with a history of allogeneic sensitization. This, in turn, poses new challenges for close collaboration between blood transfusion centers and histocompatibility and immunogenetics laboratories, for sensitive and specific detection of the relevant antibodies.
Recovery of graft steatosis and protein‐losing enteropathy after biliary diversion in a PFIC 1 liver transplanted child
Authors: Nicastro Emanuele , Stephenne Xavier , Smets Françoise , Fusaro Fabio , de Magnée Catherine , Reding Raymond , Sokal Etienne M.
Published: June 2011

Nicastro E, Stephenne X, Smets F, Fusaro F, de Magnée C, Reding R, Sokal EM. Recovery of graft steatosis and protein‐losing enteropathy after biliary diversion in a PFIC 1 liver transplanted child.

Abstract:  PFIC 1 is a genetic disorder characterized by hepatic and gastrointestinal disease, often requiring LT during childhood. Extrahepatic symptoms, such as diarrhea and malabsorption, do not improve or may be aggravated after LT, as graft steatosis or steatohepatitis as consequences of the interaction between transplanted liver and native bowel. We describe a patient with PFIC 1 who presented with cholestasis in infancy, who developed intractable pruritus and liver fibrosis. The child underwent living donor LT at 3.6 yr of age, and he early developed severe refractory diarrhea, secondary malabsorption with protein‐losing enteropathy, and an early fatty liver disease trough graft steatohepatitis. As the response to cholestyramine was unsatisfactory, we decided to perform an EBD by using the jejunal loop used for the cholangiojejunostomy. Diarrhea resolved rapidly after surgery. He remained well after six months following biliary diversion, with normal stool output and no protein loss. We documented a dramatic improvement of graft steatosis at histology as well as normalization of liver function test. EBD can be considered a valuable treatment option to avoid organ disfunction and loss in PFIC 1 transplanted patients who develop graft steatohepatitis.
Successful rescue of refractory acute antibody‐mediated renal allograft rejection with splenectomy – A case report
Authors: Roberti Isabel , Geffner Stuart , Vyas Shefali
Published: June 2011

Roberti I, Geffner S, Vyas S. Successful rescue of refractory acute antibody‐mediated renal allograft rejection with splenectomy – A case report.  Pediatr Transplantation 2012: 16: E49–E52. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Abstract:  Highly sensitized patients receive fewer kidney transplants and have a high risk for severe rejection with increased rates of graft loss. We present a highly sensitized child who after desensitization protocol received a kidney transplant and developed refractory acute antibody‐mediated rejection. He failed to respond to standard therapy and needed an urgent splenectomy as rescue therapy. Our patient, an 18‐yr‐old AA male with ESRD due to obstructive uropathy received a second DD transplant. The allograft functioned immediately with SCr 1.4 mg/dL on day #5. On day #8, he was re‐admitted with fever, oligoanuria, and renal failure. He was started on methylprednisolone pulse, thymoglobulin, intravenous immunoglobulin, and PP. The transplant kidney biopsy revealed features suggestive of acute AMR. On day #14, the patient remained dialysis dependent with no response to therapy. He underwent an urgent splenectomy and a slow increase in urine output and GFR was noted. The SCr one month post‐splenectomy was 1.1 mg/dL. At one yr post‐txp, his GFR remained stable with SCr 0.9 mg/dL on tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil, and prednisone. Urgent splenectomy successfully reversed refractory acute AMR, in our highly sensitized patient with second renal transplant.
Long‐term nitrogen and phosphorus fertilization effects on N2 fixation rates and nifH gene community patterns in mangrove sediments
Authors: Romero Isabel C. , Jacobson Myrna , Fuhrman Jed A. , Fogel Marilyn , Capone Douglas G.
Published: June 2011

The bioavailability of nutrients is important in controlling ecological processes and nitrogen cycling in oligotrophic mangrove forests, yet the variation of diazotrophic community structure and activity with nutrient availability in sediments remains largely unexplored. To investigate for the first time how nutrients in sediments affect spatial and temporal patterns of diazotrophic community structure and activity, the sedimentary environment of Twin Cays, Belize, was examined with respect to the effects of long‐term fertilization [treatments: control (Ctrl), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P)] on N2 fixation rates and nifH gene community structure. We found that N2 fixation rates were significantly higher at the P‐treatment, intermediate at the Ctrl‐treatment and lower in the N‐treatment (P: 4.2 ± 0.5, Crtl: 0.8 ± 0.1, N: 0.4 ± 0.1 nmol·N·g−1·h−1; P < 0.001) with spatial (Ctrl‐ and P‐treatments) and temporal (only P‐treatment) variability positively correlated with live root abundance (r2 = 0.473, P < 0.001) and concentration (r2 = 0.458, P < 0.0001). The community structure of diazotrophs showed larger spatial and temporal variability in the fertilized treatments than in the Ctrl‐treatment, with the relative abundance of OTUs (nifH operational taxonomic units) at the fertilized treatments inversely related to live root abundance. Overall, long‐term fertilization (with either N or P) affects not only nutrient levels in mangrove sediments directly, but also spatial and temporal patterns of both community structure and activity and likely plant‐microbe interactions as well. Our findings suggest that the maintenance of natural nutrient conditions in mangrove sediments is important to ensure the stability of microbial functional groups like diazotrophs.
Effects of human trampling on macro‐ and meiofauna communities associated with intertidal algal turfs and implications for management of protected areas on rocky shores (Southern California)
Authors: Huff Tonya M.
Published: June 2011

Human visitation to coastal rocky shore ecosystems has numerous impacts via activities such as harvesting, rock‐turning, pollution, and trampling. Human trampling, in particular, has been suggested to decrease the density and diversity of rocky shore organisms, especially large foliose algae. Inconsistent results have been seen in studies of the effects of human trampling on coralline algal turfs and the invertebrate communities (macro‐ and meiofauna) that inhabit them. Here, a relatively long‐term manipulative trampling study based on realistic levels of human visitation was conducted in intertidal areas off Southern California dominated by coralline algal turf. Experimentally trampled plots (‘impact plots’) and control plots protected from foot traffic (‘protected control plots’) on turf‐covered rocky intertidal benches were observed for 17 months in an area closed to human visitation. Control plots were also established at several other open‐access sites (‘open‐access control plots’) to determine whether patterns at the experimentally trampled site resembled those from sites where human visitation is allowed. Bare space increased in trampled plots as compared to pre‐impact levels, but the percentage of bare rock in control plots did not change significantly. Trampled plots exhibited shifts in invertebrate community composition and significant declines in the abundances and richness of invertebrate taxa as compared to protected control plots throughout the experiment. Additionally, the trajectory of invertebrate community change through time in trampled plots was significantly different than that of both protected and open‐access control plots. Nine months after trampling had ceased, the structure of the invertebrate communities from trampled plots was similar to protected control plots and bare space had decreased to pre‐impact levels (ANOSIM analysis). However, trampled plots had significantly more taxa and higher Shannon diversity values than controls. These results indicate that to manage visitor impacts on rocky shore communities, ‘no‐access’ zones may be as important as ‘no‐take’ zones. However, the rapid recovery seen here also indicates that perhaps rotating or seasonal closures might be an effective management strategy to protect turf communities.
Effect of weight loss on gelatinase levels in obese mice
Authors: Van Hul Matthias , Lijnen Henri Roger
Published: June 2011

1. Gelatinases (matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)‐2 and MMP‐9) might play a role in the development and structural organization of adipose tissue. Obese mice were subjected to caloric restriction (from 82 to 27 kJ/day) for 6 weeks, in order to investigate the effect of drastic weight loss on gelatinase mRNA, protein and activity levels.

2. Caloric restriction resulted in significantly lower bodyweight, as well as subcutaneous (SC) and gonadal (GON) fat mass (all P < 0.001).

3. The expression of MMP‐2 mRNA was significantly upregulated in both SC (3.3‐fold) and GON (2.2‐fold) adipose tissues; however, without significant effect on total MMP‐2 protein levels in fat tissues or in plasma. In contrast, MMP‐9 mRNA expression in SC or GON fat was not affected by caloric restriction, whereas protein levels were reduced in SC and GON fat, but not in plasma. Zymography showed significantly elevated levels of active MMP‐2 in both SC and GON adipose tissues, whereas active MMP‐9 levels were reduced in GON fat.

4. These findings imply that the evaluation of the role of gelatinases in obesity and metabolic disorders requires the determination of both antigen and activity levels in plasma and fat tissues.
Le plus ca change: Why we need better biomarkers to predict outcomes in ulcerative colitis
Authors: Andrews Jane M
Published: June 2011

See article in J. Gastroenterolol. Hepatol. 2011; 26: 1114–1122.
Mercaptoacetyltriglycine‐3 renogram is not superior to estimated glomerular filtration rate measurement for the prediction of long‐term renal function after nephrectomy
Authors: Kanamaru Hiroshi , Yamamoto Masakazu , Nagahama Kanji , Yagihashi Yusuke , Kato Keiji , Oida Tomoyuki , Kannno Toru , Takao Noriyasu , Shimizu Yusuke , Shichiri Yasumasa
Published: June 2011

Objective:  To evaluate the clinical usefulness of effective renal plasma flow (ERPF) measured using preoperative mercaptoacetyltriglycine‐3 (MAG3) renogram for the prediction of chronic renal insufficiency after nephrectomy.

Methods:  A total of 47 patients underwent preoperative MAG3 renal scintigraphy and subsequent unilateral nephrectomy. Correlations between the 5‐year postoperative estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and the preoperative ERPF of the contralateral kidney (cERPF), ERPF of the diseased kidney (dERPF), total ERPF (tERPF), cERPF to dERPF ratio, serum creatinine (sCr) level, eGFR, as well as the influence of preoperative comorbidities (diabetes, hypertension) on the postoperative eGFR, were evaluated with both univariate and multivariate analyses.

Results:  Multiple linear regression analysis showed that preoperative cERPF significantly correlated with postoperative eGFR. However, a much stronger correlation was observed between the preoperative and postoperative eGFR. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that only preoperative eGFR was a significant predicator of the development of advanced‐stage chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Conclusions:  Preoperative MAG3 renogram is not superior to eGFR measurement as a prognostic indicator of long‐term renal function after unilateral nephrectomy.
p130Cas, E‐cadherin and β‐catenin in human transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder: Expression and clinicopathological significance
Authors: Hu Xiangkun , Ruan Yuan , Cheng Fan , Yu Weimin , Zhang Xiaobin , Larré Stéphane
Published: June 2011

Objectives:  To investigate the effects of junction protein, p130 Crk‐associated substance (p130Cas), and adhesion molecules, E‐cadherin and β‐catenin, on the biological behavior of transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder.

Methods:  In 72 paraffin embedded specimens of transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder and 20 normal controls, the expression of p130Cas, E‐cadherin and β‐catenin was examined by quantum dot‐based immunofluorescence histochemistry (QD‐IHC) and conventional immunohistochemistry (IHC).

Results:  QD‐IHC was consistent with IHC in detecting the expression of the three molecules (P > 0.05 for all comparisons). The positive expression rate of p130Cas in bladder cancer tissues increased more significantly than that in normal bladder tissues (P < 0.001). Similarly, the aberrant expression rates of E‐cadherin and β‐catenin in bladder cancer tissues were significantly higher than those in normal bladder tissues (P < 0.001 for both comparisons). The expression of each molecule was correlated with tumor pathological grade and clinical stage (P < 0.05 for all comparisons), but not with tumor number and size (P > 0.05 for all comparisons). Furthermore, negative correlations were found between the expression intensities of p130Cas and E‐cadherin or β‐catenin in transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder (P < 0.05 for both comparisons).

Conclusions:  p130Cas, E‐cadherin and β‐catenin might represent useful predictors of malignant degree of transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder.
Taxonomy, phylogeography and climate relations of the Western Palaearctic spurge hawkmoth (Lepidoptera, Sphingidae, Macroglossinae)
Authors: Hundsdoerfer Anna K. , Mende Michael B. , Kitching Ian J. , Cordellier Mathilde
Published: June 2011

Hundsdoerfer, AK., Mende, MB., Kitching, IJ. & Cordellier, M. (2011). Taxonomy, phylogeography and climate relations of the Western Palaearctic spurge hawkmoth (Lepidoptera, Sphingidae, Macroglossinae). —Zoologica Scripta, 40, 403–417.

The primary aim of this study was to analyse mitochondrial genetic variability within the Hyles euphorbiae lineage in the Western Palaearctic, where observations of morphology have indicated much greater differentiation than is implied by the current taxonomy. The scope of the study is broadened further by including an analysis of the possible influences of climatic factors on lineage distributions. Mitochondrial sequences from three genes totalling an unambiguous alignment of 2284 bp were obtained for 356 individuals of the H. euphorbiae complex (HEC) s.s. Genetic admixture, network and climatic factor analyses were used to analyse the data. Unexpected mitochondrial variability was uncovered within the distribution range of H. euphorbiae in southern Europe, with two additional distinct clusters being found, both with rather patchy occurrences. The results of the genetic analysis presented here confirm a distinct H. cretica on Crete and the Dodecanese Islands and a distinct H. robertsi in Iran that hybridises with H. euphorbiae. Comparison of the molecular data with larval morphology shows only limited correlation of genetic clusters with pattern elements. The genetic network of the HEC s.s. shows strong incongruence with traditional taxonomy. Ecological niche modelling based on climate data revealed that the three best‐sampled clusters (H. tithymali, the well‐known H. euphorbiae lineage from Europe, and the previously unknown mitochondrial H. euphorbiae lineage that occurs mainly in Italy) could all occur in southern Italy and on the Mediterranean Islands. Biotic interactions appear to explain the observed ranges better than abiotic factors alone.
Rethinking the evolution of extant sub‐Saharan African suids (Suidae, Artiodactyla)
Authors: Gongora Jaime , Cuddahee Rebecca E. , Nascimento Fabrícia Ferreira do , Palgrave Christopher J. , Lowden Stewart , Ho Simon Y. W. , Simond Denbigh , Damayanti Chandramaya Siska , White Daniel James , Tay Wee Tek , Randi Ettore , Klingel Hans , Rodrigues‐Zarate Clara J. , Allen Kari , Moran Chris , Larson Greger
Published: June 2011

Gongora, J., Cuddahee, R. E., do Nascimento, F. F., Palgrave, C. J., Lowden, S., Ho, S. Y. W., Simond, D., Damayanti, C. S., White, D. J., Tay, W. T., Randi, E., Klingel, H., Rodrigues‐Zarate, C. J., Allen, K., Moran, C. & Larson, G. (2011). Rethinking the evolution of extant sub‐Saharan African suids (Suidae, Artiodactyla). —Zoologica Scripta, 40, 327–335.

Although African suids have been of scientific interest for over two centuries, their origin, evolution, phylogeography and phylogenetic relationships remain contentious. There has been a long‐running debate concerning the evolution of pigs and hogs (Suidae), particularly regarding the phylogenetic relationships among extant Eurasian and African species of the subfamily Suinae. To investigate these issues, we analysed the mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences of extant genera of Suidae from Eurasia and Africa. Molecular phylogenetic analyses revealed that all extant sub‐Saharan African genera form a monophyletic clade separate from Eurasian suid genera, contradicting previous attempts to resolve the Suidae phylogeny. Two major sub‐Saharan African clades were identified, withHylochoerusandPhacochoerusgrouping together as a sister clade toPotamochoerus.In addition, we find that the ancestors of extant African suids may have evolved separately from the ancestors of modern daySusandPorculain Eurasia before they colonised Africa. Our results provide a revision of the intergeneric relationships within the family Suidae.
Gestational diabetes mellitus is associated with TCF7L2 gene polymorphisms independent of HLA‐DQB1*0602 genotypes and islet cell autoantibodies
Authors: Papadopoulou A. , Lynch K. F. , Shaat N. , Håkansson R. , Ivarsson S. A. , Berntorp K. , Agardh C. D. , Lernmark Å. ,   on behalf of the DiPiS Study Group
Published: June 2011

Diabet. Med. 28, 1018–1027 (2011)

Aims To test whether theTCF7L2gene was associated with gestational diabetes, whether the association betweenTCF7L2and gestational diabetes was independent of HLA‐DQB1*0602 and islet cell autoantibodies, as well as maternal age, number of pregnancies, family history of diabetes and the HLA‐DQB1 genotypes, and to test whether the distribution of HLA‐DQB1 alleles was affected by country of birth.

Methods We genotyped the rs7903146, rs12255372 and rs7901695 single nucleotide polymorphisms of theTCF7L2gene in 826 mothers with gestational diabetes and in 1185 healthy control subjects in the Diabetes Prediction in Skåne Study. The mothers were also typed for HLA‐DQB1 genotypes and tested for islet cell autoantibodies against GAD65, insulinoma‐associated antigen‐2 and insulin.

Results The heterozygous genotypes CT, GT and TC of the rs7903146 (T is risk for Type 2 diabetes), rs12255372 (T is risk for Type 2 diabetes) and rs7901695 (C is risk for Type 2 diabetes), respectively, as well as the homozygous genotypes TT, TT and CC of the rs7903146, rs12255372 and rs7901695, respectively, were strongly associated with gestational diabetes (P < 0.0001). These associations remained statistically significant after adjusting for maternal age, number of pregnancies, family history of diabetes and HLA‐DQ genotypes and were independent of the presence of islet cell autoantibodies. No interaction was observed betweenTCF7L2and HLA‐DQB1*0602, which was shown to be negatively associated with gestational diabetes in mothers born in Sweden (P = 0.010).

Conclusions TheTCF7L2was associated with susceptibility for gestational diabetes independently of the presence of HLA‐DQB1*0602 and islet cell autoantibodies and other factors such as maternal age, number of pregnancies, family history of diabetes and other HLA‐DQ genotypes. The HLA‐DQB1*0602 was negatively associated with gestational diabetes in mothers born in Sweden.
Refugia: identifying and understanding safe havens for biodiversity under climate change
Authors: Keppel Gunnar , Van Niel Kimberly P. , Wardell‐Johnson Grant W. , Yates Colin J. , Byrne Margaret , Mucina Ladislav , Schut Antonius G. T. , Hopper Stephen D. , Franklin Steven E.
Published: June 2011

Aim  Identifying and protecting refugia is a priority for conservation under projected anthropogenic climate change, because of their demonstrated ability to facilitate the survival of biota under adverse conditions. Refugia are habitats that components of biodiversity retreat to, persist in and can potentially expand from under changing environmental conditions. However, the study and discussion of refugia has often been ad hoc and descriptive in nature. We therefore: (1) provide a habitat‐based concept of refugia, and (2) evaluate methods for the identification of refugia.

Location  Global.

Methods  We present a simple conceptual framework for refugia and examine the factors that describe them. We then demonstrate how different disciplines are contributing to our understanding of refugia, and the tools that they provide for identifying and quantifying refugia.

Results  Current understanding of refugia is largely based on Quaternary phylogeographic studies on organisms in North America and Europe during significant temperature fluctuations. This has resulted in gaps in our understanding of refugia, particularly when attempting to apply current theory to forecast anthropogenic climate change. Refugia are environmental habitats with space and time dimensions that operate on evolutionary time‐scales and have facilitated the survival of biota under changing environmental conditions for millennia. Therefore, they offer the best chances for survival under climate change for many taxa, making their identification important for conservation under anthropogenic climate change. Several methods from various disciplines provide viable options for achieving this goal.

Main conclusions  The framework developed for refugia allows the identification and description of refugia in any environment. Various methods provide important contributions but each is limited in scope; urging a more integrated approach to identify, define and conserve refugia. Such an approach will facilitate better understanding of refugia and their capacity to act as safe havens under projected anthropogenic climate change.
A test of ecological succession hypotheses using 55‐year time‐series data for 361 boreal forest stands
Authors: Chen Han Y. H. , Taylor Anthony R.
Published: June 2011

Aim  There has been much work on succession over many decades, but succession fundamentals are still debated because of the reliance on chronosequences and dendrochronological reconstruction, both of which are problematic approaches. Here we use time‐series data to test four hypotheses that lie at the heart of successional theory: (1) the neighbourhood effect hypothesis – tree species abundance is time dependent; (2) the density‐dependence hypothesis – a rare species is more favoured over time; (3) the resource ratio hypothesis – species that can grow at the lowest resource level tend to dominate resource limited sites through succession; and (4) the intermediate disturbance hypothesis – intermediate disturbances increase the abundance of rare species.

Location  Central boreal forest in Canada (47°50′–50°10′ N; 80°10′–85°50′ W).

Methods  We used repeated measurements from sequential aerial photography and ground surveys for 361 fire‐origin stands that were measured over a c. 55‐year period.

Results  Shade‐intolerant Pinus banksiana decreased, tolerant Thuja occidentalis increased, intolerant Populus spp. and Betula papyrifera displayed a U‐shaped trend, and intermediate‐tolerant Picea spp. and tolerant Abies balsamea did not change with time since fire, showing evidence of negative, positive, or neutral neighbourhood effects. Species either persisted for longer or increased more in non‐conspecific stands, and had higher increases in abundance when associated with species of contrasting shade tolerance, supporting the density‐dependence hypothesis and indicating shade‐tolerance complementarity as a mechanism for coexistence. Resource‐poor soils favoured those species capable of tolerating limited resources, whereas rich soils permitted invasion and promoted mixtures, supporting the resource ratio hypothesis. Intermediate disturbances increased the invasibility of rare species.

Main conclusions  Contrary to previous studies where time since a stand‐replacing disturbance is the sole predictor for succession, our study shows that time alone is either an insufficient predictor or is irrelevant to species dynamics in the boreal forest. Rather, density dependence, site resource and intermediate disturbances are key mechanisms in species dynamics and coexistence over time.
Analyst forecast, accounting conservatism and the related valuation implications
Authors: Sohn Byungcherl Charlie
Published: June 2011

This study investigates whether financial analysts incorporate accounting conservatism into their earnings forecasts and whether it is more difficult for them to forecast earnings for less conservative firms, and then examines the impact of the findings on the return predictability of the value‐to‐price (V/P) ratio. After controlling for the other factors affecting forecast accuracy, such as earnings predictability and information uncertainty, I find that analysts incorporate accounting conservatism into their earnings forecasts and that forecasting earnings is more difficult for less conservative firms. Consequently, the return predictability of the V/P ratio is stronger for more conservative firms, and previously reported return predictability of the V/P ratio is an average across firms with differing levels of conservatism.
A collective, undifferentiated accounting profession: an Australian study
Authors: Inglis Robert , Shelly Marita , Morley Clive , De Lange Paul
Published: June 2011

A study of 386 potential and current members of the accounting profession in Australia and South‐East Asia provides evidence of the importance of three attributes – brand/reputation, international recognition of qualifications and career opportunities – in the decision to join a professional accounting body. While these attributes are important, logit regression models indicate that they are not discriminatory in the choice of professional body and suggest a perception of a collective, undifferentiated accounting profession. The marketing of brand/reputation and membership benefits may be a more efficient and effective strategy in attracting members and differentiating the profession if undertaken by a combined or coordinated professional body.
De‐Essentializing the Knowledge Intensive Firm: Reflections on Sceptical Research Going against the Mainstream
Authors: Alvesson Mats
Published: June 2011

abstract

This paper provides an updated summary and discussion of my 1993JMSpaper ‘Organization as rhetoric: knowledge‐intensive firms and the struggle with rhetoric’, and relate this to my own and others' later work in the area explored in the paper: knowledge‐intensive work and discourse. A key aspect of knowledge work is the ambiguity of what it stands for, what people working with ‘knowledge’ are doing, and what they accomplish. This fuels identity uncertainties, which is also addressed and reflected upon in the paper. As part of my broader reflections, I also provide a brief overview of some methodological ideas on how to do problematization: a key theme in the original piece but which is more generally a research approach that may lead to contributions that generate interest.
The Situationality of Moral Judgement and the Limits of Political Philosophy
Authors: Levy Yoram
Published: June 2011

The quest for the good polity is traditionally a central concern of political philosophy. The traditional and arguably most common way political philosophy engages in this quest, which I shall refer to as the theoretical approach, is by interpreting and working out, in theory, the requirements of morality within the sphere of politics. Such theoretical efforts usually result in certain principles, which prescribe how political institutions ought to act in concrete situations. According to this approach, the possibility to make judgements as to how one ought to act in concrete situations requires antecedent moral principles. In the absence of such principles there is no rational basis for making such judgements. This article first argues against this view of the role of principles in moral judgement. It argues that the possibility to make judgements as to how one ought to act in concrete situations implies: (1) that the situations about which we make such judgements must already have moral significance independently of the principles one may bring to bear upon them; and (2) that the rightness or wrongness of one's actions in concrete situations depends on this moral significance of situations. It then argues that this inevitable situationality of moral judgement undermines the theoretical approach to the quest for the good polity.
DOES WAGE DISPERSION MAKE ALL FIRMS PRODUCTIVE?
Authors: Mahy Benoît , Rycx François , Volral Mélanie
Published: June 2011

This article puts the relationship between wage dispersion and firm productivity to an updated test, taking advantage of access to detailed Belgian linked employer–employee panel data. Controlling for simultaneity issues, time‐invariant workplace characteristics and dynamics in the adjustment process of productivity, empirical results reveal the existence of a positive impact from conditional intra‐firm wage dispersion to firm productivity (measured by the average value added per hour worked), which however decreases for higher dispersion levels. Findings thus suggest that the incentive effect of wage dispersion, predicted for instance by the ‘tournament’ model, dominates ‘fairness’ and/or ‘sabotage’ considerations. Further results reveal that the influence of wage dispersion on firm productivity is stronger among firms with a larger proportion of highly skilled workers but does not depend on whether wages are collectively renegotiated at the firm level.
THE EFFECTS OF FISCAL POLICY SHOCKS IN SVAR MODELS: A GRAPHICAL MODELLING APPROACH
Authors: Fragetta Matteo , Melina Giovanni
Published: June 2011

We apply graphical modelling (GM) theory to identify fiscal policy shocks in SVAR models of the US economy. Unlike other econometric approaches – which achieve identification by relying on potentially contentious a priori assumptions – GM is a data based tool. Our results are in line with Keynesian theoretical models, being also quantitatively similar to those obtained in the recent SVAR literature à laBlanchard and Perotti (2002), and contrast with neoclassical real business cycle predictions. Stability checks confirm that our findings are not driven by sample selection.
Accounting for Misclassification Bias in Binary Outcome Measures of Illness: The Case of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Male Veterans
Authors: Savoca Elizabeth
Published: June 2011

The theoretical consequences of measurement error in outcome variables that are continuous are widely known by practitioners, at least for the classical model: purely random errors will lead to a loss of efficiency but not to bias in regression coefficients. When the outcome variable is binary, however, regression coefficients, both linear and nonlinear, will contain bias, even if the measurement error (in this setting more commonly referred to as classification error) is purely random. This paper illustrates a method of correcting for misclassification bias that relies solely on the primary survey data. It is particularly suited to analyses of surveys where external validation of survey responses is unavailable but where there is strong reason to suspect contaminated data.

This situation is common in observational studies of the health of populations. The technique is applied to a model of the antecedents of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) using data from a large-scale cross-sectional survey of Vietnam-era veterans. Results show that when adjusted for errors in diagnoses, the sample PTSD prevalence estimate falls significantly; that failure to correct for misclassification in PTSD dramatically understates the effects of risk factors; and that this downward bias remains even when the model incorporates differential classification errors—that is, errors that are correlated with some of the explanatory variables in the model.
The World We have Made? Individualisation and Personal Life in the 1950s
Authors: Duncan Simon
Published: June 2011

This paper focuses on a fundamental problem with individualisation theories – the assumption that contemporary personal lives are radically new and different from those in the past. This is a particularly important issue for individualisation theories because they essentially depend on the idea of epochal, even revolutionary, historical change. Empirically, I examine the experience of personal life in Britain in the late 1940s and early 1950s (where a number of excellent sources exist) and compare it with today. Looking first at the personal life of gay and lesbian people, and of heterosexual spouses, I find substantial, but not unambiguous, ‘improvement’ – in terms of equality, openness and diversity – over the period. But this improvement does not necessarily mean transformation in how people think about their personal lives and how they ought to conduct them. The paper goes on, therefore, to examine ‘tradition’ and ‘individualisation’ through the lens of ideas around extra-marital sex and divorce. Rather than some duality between ‘traditional’ and ‘individualising’ people in the two periods, I find that how people thought, and the range of their thoughts, about how to conduct personal life seem similar in 1949/50 to the present day – given the debates and issues of the time. In both periods the married, older and more religious were the more ‘traditional’, and the young and the more professional were more ‘progressive’. But the bulk of both samples were ‘pragmatists’, holding practical views of what was reasonably proper and possible in adapting to, and improvising around, their circumstances.