bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A comparative study on mouthpart morphology of certain larvae of Chironomini (Diptera: Chironomidae) with reference to the larval feeding habits
Authors: Olafsson J. S.
Published: July 2009

Mouthparts of six species of chironomid larvae were compared on both an intra‐ and inter‐specific level. The species were: Chironomus riparius, Cryptochironomus defectus gr., Endochironomus albipennis, Glyptotendipes pallens, Microtendipes pedellus and Parachironomus arcuatus. The mouthpart morphology in C. defectus gr. and P. arcuatus is considerably different from the four other species and changes little between instars. Within C. riparius, E. albipennis, G. pallens and M. pedellus there is a considerable difference in the mouthpart morphology between the first instar and the remaining instars. The morphology of the mouthparts of the first instar of C. riparius, E. albipennis, G. pallens and M. pedellus resembles in many ways that found in C. defectus gr. and P. arcuatus.
Anti‐predator defences of Psilochorus sphaeroides and Smeringopus pallidus (Araneae, Pholcidae), tropical web‐building spiders
Authors: Jackson R. R. , Rowe R. J. , Campbell G. E.
Published: July 2009

Anti‐predator defence behaviours of Psilochorus sphaeroides from Queensland and Smeringopus pallidus from Sri Lanka were studied in the laboratory. Whirling, in which these web‐building pholcid spiders move their bodies rapidly around in circles, with legs remaining on the silk, is the most frequent response of adults to disturbance. Experiments were carried out to determine what types of stimuli elicited whirling. Forceful tactile and air movement stimuli elicited whirling, but there was no evidence that chemical stimuli from potential predators were important. Tactile stimulation was more effective than air movement. The behaviour of these pholcids was compared to that of a cosmopolitan pholcid, Pholcus phalangioides.
The house mice of Faray, Orkney
Authors: Berry R. J. , Berry A. J. , Anderson T. J. C. , Scriven P.
Published: July 2009

Faray is a 250 ha island in Orkney, uninhabited by humans since 1946. The only small mammal is the house mouse, Mus domesticus, which between 1982 and 1986 fluctuated in numbers from a maximum of 400–500 to less than 50. Over the period when the population was at its smallest, the frequency of Hbbs increased from 29.1% to 46.6%. There was also a decrease in the frequency of a Robertsonian translocation, Rb (4.10) from 36.4% to 13.3% during the study period; two other Robertsonian chromosomes, Rb (3.14) and Rb (9.12), were always homozygous. The change at the Hbb locus is probably the result of genetic drift; this conclusion was reached only after other possibilities were excluded.
Novel modification of the tetrapod cardiovascular system in the West African caecilian Herpele squalostoma (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Caeciliaidae)
Authors: Wilkinson Mark
Published: July 2009

Aspects of the cardiovascular system of Herpele squalostoma are described and compared to other caecilians. Novel modifications of the systemic arches, anterior vertebral arteries and vertebral structures associated with the systemic arches are identified. The evolution of aortic arch diversity in caecilians is considered from the perspective of efficiency of the cardiovascular system. A speculative hypothesis is advanced concerning the evolutionary history of the systemic arches in H. squalostoma. It is argued that modification of vertebral structures is the result of epigenetic interaction between the vertebral column and the evolving systemic arch.
Morphological and genetic differentiation between allopatric populations of a freshwater amphipod
Authors: Stewart Barbara A.
Published: July 2009

The morphological and isozyme variation in 17 populations of the freshwater amphipod genusParamelitawas investigated to see whether morphological differences were genetically based. On the whole, morphological and genetic differentiation coincided, and could be related to geographical distribution. Five distinct genetic groups, separated at Nei's (1978) genetic identity values below 0‐35, and possessing diagnostic alleles, were identified. Discriminant functions and cluster analyses confirmed that these genetic clusters were phenotypically distinct. It was concluded that these groups were sufficiently different to warrant the recognition of five species, four of which were new, and as yet, undescribed.
Growth and dispersal of capybaras (Hydrochaeris* hydrochaeris) in the Llanos of Venezuela
Authors: Herrera Emilio A.
Published: July 2009

Growth rates and dispersal patterns of capybaras, Hydrochaeris* hydrochaeris, were studied in a ranch in the Venezuelan seasonally flooded savannas by first marking juvenile animals at specific locations in March–April 1989 and then, on two occasions the following year (February and May 1990), searching a wide area for recaptures. Animals grew a mean 2.8 kg per month in the 10 months between the first and second captures and apparently lost weight over the next three months, possibly due to water scarcity. From 22 recaptures, median dispersal distance was 3366 m, about six times the average home range width. Maximum dispersal distance was 5600 m and minimum was 0. There were no differences between males and females in dispersal distances. A group of three males and three females apparently dispersed together. Competition for resources—water and grass—under a social system involving group‐living and territoriality is proposed as the cause of the patterns observed. No correlation was found between distance dispersed and initial and final weight or weight gain. Capybaras appeared to disperse predominantly north or south, possibly in order to reduce the chances of meeting established groups and to increase the probability of finding a stream, since all streams in the region run approximately west‐east.
Intraspecific parasitism and nest defence in the solitary pompilid wasp Anoplius viaticus (Hymenoptera: Pompilidae)
Authors: Field Jeremy
Published: July 2009

The nesting behaviour of individually marked female pompilid wasps, Anoplius viaticus, was observed at a Breckland heath site with particular emphasis on intraspecific parasitism and nest defence. Prey was stolen from conspecifics while it was being carried to the nest site, and while it was left unattended during nest construction. Females also appeared to brood parasitize each other's completed nests. Parasitism appeared to be opportunistic. Brood parasitism may be a tactic by which time‐limited females can increase their fecundity. By placing prey in vegetation tufts during nest construction, females may reduce the risk of prey theft. An individual female's successive unicellular nests were clustered and therefore easier to defend, in many ways resembling a multicellular nest. Females defended their clusters vigorously, visiting them every few minutes during foraging and expelling conspecifics from the vicinity. This type of nest defence may be costly, and has rarely been observed in solitary wasps.
Intraspecific morphological variation related to the moult‐cycle in colour forms of the shore crab Carcinus maenas
Authors: McGaw I. J. , Kaiser M. J. , Naylor E. , Hughes R. N.
Published: July 2009

The common shore crab Carcinus maenas exhibits a range of carapace colours from green through orange to red, green forms showing some differences of distribution from red/orange forms. To test the hypothesis that colour differences were moult‐related, large numbers of Carcinus were collected intertidally and subtidally in summer when moulting is most prevalent, and their moult stages determined. Red and orange coloration was found only to occur in the larger size classes in crabs in prolonged intermoult, but not solely in the largest crabs in terminal anecdysis. Red crabs were characterized by a heavier load of epibionts and a strong, thicker carapace. In contrast, green crabs were found over the entire size range and appeared to be actively moulting forms; they carried fewer epibionts and had a thinner integument than red forms. The significance of morphological differences between red/orange and green forms of Carcinus maenas is considered in relation to previously reported behavioural, physiological and ecological differences between the colour forms.
Estimating fat and protein fuel from fat and muscle scores in passerines
Authors: SALEWSKI VOLKER , KÉRY MARC , HERREMANS MARC , LIECHTI FELIX , JENNI LUKAS
Published: July 2009

Fat is the prime energy source for birds during prolonged exercise, but protein is also catabolized. Estimates of the amount of catabolizable fat and protein (termed fat and protein fuel) are therefore important for studying energetics of birds. As fat and protein fuel can only be measured by sacrificing individuals or by use of technically complex methods, scoring systems were invented to estimate fat and protein fuel of birds in the field. The visible subcutaneous fat deposits and the thickness of the flight muscles are each scored on an ordinal scale but these scales do not correspond linearly to fat and protein fuel within species, which is needed for analyses such as flight range estimates. We developed an anova‐type model to estimate fat and protein fuel from fat scores (FS) and muscle scores (MS) along with total mass and a size measurement. Using data from 11 337 individuals of eight passerine species (Common Nightingale Luscinia megarhynchos, Eurasian Reed Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus, Melodious Warbler Hippolais polyglotta, Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus, Orphean Warbler Sylvia hortensis, Garden Warbler Sylvia borin, Common Whitethroat Sylvia communis, Subalpine Warbler Sylvia cantillans) mist‐netted in Mauritania, West Africa, we tested for independence of FS and MS and for variation in the relationship between scores and associated mass in response to physiological state. FS, MS and third primary length (size) explained variation in body mass of all eight species analysed (R2: 0.56–0.77). The parameter estimates of the model showed that fat and protein fuel increased monotonically with increasing fat and muscle scores. In two species we found small differences in the estimates between physiological states (seasons). We evaluated our model by comparing the predicted body mass of birds with both FS and MS equal to 0 with the mean body mass of individuals mist‐netted with both scores equal to zero. The values were very close. The amount of fat extracted from dead Garden and Willow Warblers was within the range of predicted fat fuel derived from the model. We conclude that our model is a useful non‐invasive method to estimate simultaneously mean fat and protein fuel of small passerines and we provide recommendations on its use.
Survival and causes of mortality among wild Red‐legged PartridgesAlectoris rufain southern Spain: implications for conservation
Authors: BUENESTADO FRANCISCO J. , FERRERAS PABLO , BLANCO‐AGUIAR JOSÉ A. , TORTOSA FRANCISCO S. , VILLAFUERTE RAFAEL
Published: July 2009

Knowledge of intrinsic and extrinsic factors associated with survival rates and the underlying causes of mortality is essential to understand both population dynamics and the causes of population declines. We studied the influence of habitat variables and body condition on survival of 151 radio‐tracked Red‐legged PartridgesAlectoris rufain four areas of Spain, representing a gradient from natural unmanaged areas to highly managed areas. We examined the effects of differences in game management practices, and seasonal and geographical variations in survival and causes of mortality over 4 years, from 1999 to 2002. Monthly survival rate was consistently over 90% for both sexes in the natural area. However, in two areas managed intensively for both hunting and agriculture, survival was low during the hunting period (72% for females and 79% for males), high during the breeding period for males (99%), and intermediate for females (89%) due mainly to diseases. Hunting was the main cause of Red‐legged Partridge mortality in both hunting areas where driven partridge shooting was performed, affecting 50% of radio‐tagged individuals, and was the main cause of mortality over all areas during both breeding and hunting periods. Disease was the next most common cause of mortality in managed areas, affecting mostly females during the breeding period, whereas predation was the main cause of mortality in unmanaged populations. Finally, we compared the habitat associations and body condition of living and dead individuals with varying causes of mortality. In general, high survival rates were associated with diverse vegetation, habitat edges and a good body condition index. Habitat diversity and a high edge index were also negatively associated with mortality due to predation and diseases. On the other hand, hunting mortality decreased with the proportion of scrubland and increased with the proportion of agricultural land. These results suggest that preventing declines of wild Red‐legged Partridge populations might best be achieved by increasing landscape complexity and connectivity, and promoting game management practices to limit both partridge bags and long‐term densities.
Impact of Financial Incentives for Prenatal Care on Birth Outcomes and Spending
Authors: Rosenthal Meredith B. , Li Zhonghe , Robertson Audra D. , Milstein Arnold
Published: July 2009

Objective. To evaluate the impact of offering US$100 each to patients and their obstetricians or midwives for timely and comprehensive prenatal care on low birth weight, neonatal intensive care admissions, and total pediatric health care spending in the first year of life.

Data Sources/Study Setting. Claims and enrollment profiles of the predominantly low‐income and Hispanic participants of a union‐sponsored, health insurance plan from 1998 to 2001.

Study Design. Panel data analysis of outcomes and spending for participants and nonparticipants using instrumental variables to account for selection bias.

Data Collection/Abstraction Methods. Data provided were analyzed using t‐tests and chi‐squared tests to compare maternal characteristics and birth outcomes for incentive program participants and nonparticipants, with and without instrumental variables to address selection bias. Adjusted variables were analyzed using logistic regression models.

Principle Findings. Participation in the incentive program was significantly associated with lower odds of neonatal intensive care unit admission (0.45; 95 percent CI, 0.23–0.88) and spending in the first year of life (estimated elasticity of −0.07; 95 percent CI, −0.12 to −0.01), but not low birth weight (0.53; 95 percent CI, 0.23–1.18).

Conclusion. The use of patient and physician incentives may be an effective mechanism for improving use of recommended prenatal care and associated outcomes, particularly among low‐income women.
Community Demographics and Access to Health Care among U.S. Hispanics
Authors: Gresenz Carole Roan , Rogowski Jeannette , Escarce José J.
Published: July 2009

Objective.To explore the influence of the communities in which Hispanics live on their access to health care.

Data.1996–2002 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey data, linked to secondary data sources and including 14,504 observations from 8,371 Mexican American respondents living in metropolitan areas.

Study Design.We use multivariate probit regression models, stratified by individuals' insurance status, for analyses of four dependent variables measuring access to health care. We measure community characteristics at the zip code tabulation area level, and key independent variables of interest are the percentage of the population that speaks Spanish and percentage of the population that is immigrant Hispanic. Each of these measures is interacted with individual‐level measures of nativity and length of U.S. residency.

Principal Findings.For Mexican American immigrants, living in an area populated by relatively more Spanish speakers or more Hispanic immigrants is associated with better access to care. The associations are generally stronger for more recent immigrants compared with those who are better established. Among U.S.‐born Mexican Americans who are uninsured, living in areas more heavily populated with Spanish‐speaking immigrants is negatively associated with access to care.

Conclusions.The results suggest that characteristics of the local population, including language and nativity, play an important role in access to health care among U.S. Hispanics, and point to the need for further study, including analyses of other racial and ethnic groups, using different geographic constructs for describing the local population, and, to the extent possible, more specific exploration of the mechanisms through which these characteristics may influence access to care.
Development and Validation of a Risk‐Adjustment Tool in Acute Asthma
Authors: Tsai Chu‐Lin , Clark Sunday , Sullivan Ashley F. , Camargo, Jr Carlos A.
Published: July 2009

Objective. To develop and prospectively validate a risk‐adjustment tool in acute asthma.

Data Sources. Data were obtained from two large studies on acute asthma, the Multicenter Airway Research Collaboration (MARC) and the National Emergency Department Safety Study (NEDSS) cohorts. Both studies involved >60 emergency departments (EDs) and were performed during 1996–2001 and 2003–2006, respectively. Both included patients aged 18–54 years presenting to the ED with acute asthma.

Study Design. Retrospective cohort studies.

Data Collection. Clinical information was obtained from medical record review. The risk index was derived in the MARC cohort and then was prospectively validated in the NEDSS cohort.

Principle Findings. There were 3,515 patients in the derivation cohort and 3,986 in the validation cohort. The risk index included nine variables (age, sex, current smoker, ever admitted for asthma, ever intubated for asthma, duration of symptoms, respiratory rate, peak expiratory flow, and number of beta‐agonist treatments) and showed satisfactory discrimination (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, 0.75) and calibration ( p=.30 for Hosmer–Lemeshow test) when applied to the validation cohort.

Conclusions. We developed and validated a novel risk‐adjustment tool in acute asthma. This tool can be used for health care provider profiling to identify outliers for quality improvement purposes.
The Role of Peer Social Capital in Educational Assimilation of Immigrant Youths*
Authors: Ryabov Igor
Published: July 2009

The academic achievement of immigrant children has been a focus of social research for decades. Yet little attention has been paid to peer social capital and its importance as a school context factor for the academic success of immigrant youths. Using multilevel data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Waves 1 and 3), this article draws upon social capital theory and assimilation theory to examine the effects of peer social capital on the academic achievement and attainment of immigrant and native youths. The effects of three measures of peer social capital are studied, controlled for many important variables, for example, sociodemographic background variables, school characteristics, and family social capital. Results indicate that only the average GPA (grade point average) of peers had a consistent and significant effect on children's achievement and attainment, whereas the density and the homogeneity of the peer network did not. Furthermore, all three measures of peer social capital have stronger effects for immigrant youths than for native youths.
Less is more: reducing the reliance on animal models for nausea and vomiting research
Authors: Robinson V
Published: July 2009

Animals have been used as experimental models for centuries and their use has enabled researchers to make significant advances in many areas of human health and disease. However, this is not always the case and there are limitations in using animal models as surrogates for humans, which have hampered the development of efficacious therapeutics for some pathologies. Scientific limitations, together with ethical concerns, legislative changes and the current economic climate are driving researchers to look for and develop alternative non‐animal research tools. Technological advances in tissue engineering, ‘omics’ approaches and in silico modelling for example, are enabling scientists to conduct their research without using animals in a broad range of disciplines, including complex multi‐system reflexes such as nausea and vomiting.
Luminescence dating of Holocene spit deposits: An example from Skagen Odde, Denmark
Authors: CLEMMENSEN LARS B. , MURRAY ANDREW S.
Published: July 2009

Clemmensen, L. B. & Murray, A. S. 2009: Luminescence dating of Holocene spit deposits: An example from Skagen Odde, Denmark. Boreas, 10.1111/j.1502‐3885.2009.00110.x. ISSN 0300‐9483.

Skagen Odde is a large, active spit system in northern Denmark that started to form about 7200 years ago. Models for spit growth have usually relied on radiocarbon‐dating of swale peat (Martørv). In this study, we date the spit deposits at three sites directly using Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) to obtain supplementary age control on spit development. The spit deposits consist of a lowermost succession of shoreface, beach and backshore aeolian deposits topped by a swale peat and followed by an uppermost succession of aeolian sand sheet and dune deposits. The ages of the shallow marine, beach and backshore aeolian deposits at the main study site are indistinguishable, implying good resetting of the shallow marine deposits; the average age of 4640±250 years compares well with earlier model predictions based on radiocarbon‐dating of swale peat. Aeolian sand extracted from the uppermost part of the swale peat at this site provides OSL ages of between 1600 and 2500 years, in good agreement with a calibrated AMS age from the same level of 2330–2200 years. The uppermost aeolian succession consists of two units separated by a thin palaeosol, and the aeolian units have OSL ages of about 1500 years and younger than 130 years. Lowermost spit deposits at the two additional sites have average ages of 5010±240 and 3730±190, respectively, supporting the existing chronology for spit growth based on radiocarbon‐dating.
Priorities for Improving the Scientific Foundation of Conservation Policy in North America
Authors: NOSS REED F. , FLEISHMAN ERICA , DELLASALA DOMINICK A. , FITZGERALD JOHN M. , GROSS MART R. , MAIN MARTIN B. , NAGLE FIONA , O'MALLEY STACEY L. , ROSALES JON
Published: July 2009

Abstract:  The Society for Conservation Biology (SCB) can enhance conservation of biodiversity in North America by increasing its engagement in public policy. Toward this end, the North America Section of SCB is establishing partnerships with other professional organizations in order to speak more powerfully to decision makers and taking other actions—such as increasing interaction with chapters—geared to engage members more substantively in science‐policy issues. Additionally, the section is developing a North American Biodiversity Blueprint, which spans the continental United States and Canada and is informed by natural and social science. This blueprint is intended to clarify the policy challenges for protecting continental biodiversity, to foster bilateral collaboration to resolve common problems, and to suggest rational alternative policies and practices that are more likely than current practices to sustain North America's natural heritage. Conservation scientists and practitioners can play a key role by drawing policy makers' attention to ultimate, as well as proximate, causes of biodiversity decline and to the ecological and economic consequences of not addressing these threats.
Nonlinear Cointegration Relationships Between Non‐Life Insurance Premiums and Financial Markets
Authors: Jawadi Fredj , Bruneau Catherine , Sghaier Nadia
Published: July 2009

Abstract

The aim of this article is to study the adjustment dynamics of the non‐life insurance premium (NLIP) and test its dependence to the financial markets in five countries (Canada, France, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States). First, we justify the linkage between the insurance and the financial markets by the underwriting cycle theory and financial models of insurance pricing. Second, we examine the relationship between the NLIP, the interest rate, and the stock price using the recent developments of nonlinear econometrics. We use threshold cointegration models: the switching transition error correction models (STECM). We show that STECM perform better than a linear error correction model (LECM) to reproduce the NLIP dynamics. Our empirical results show that the adjustment of the NLIP in France, Japan, and the United States is rather discontinuous, asymmetrical, and nonlinear. Moreover, we suggest a strong evidence of significant linkages between insurance and financial markets, show two regimes for the NLIP, and find that the NLIP adjustment toward equilibrium is time varying with a convergence speed that varies according to the insurance disequilibrium size.
Optimal Reinsurance Arrangements Under Tail Risk Measures
Authors: Bernard Carole , Tian Weidong
Published: July 2009

Abstract

Regulatory authorities demand insurance companies control their risk exposure by imposing stringent risk management policies. This article investigates the optimal risk management strategy of an insurance company subject to regulatory constraints. We provide optimal reinsurance contracts under different tail risk measures and analyze the impact of regulators' requirements on risk sharing in the reinsurance market. Our results underpin adverse incentives for the insurer when compulsory Value‐at‐Risk risk management requirements are imposed. But economic effects may vary when regulatory constraints involve other risk measures. Finally, we compare the obtained optimal designs to existing reinsurance contracts and alternative risk transfer mechanisms on the capital market.
Customer Involvement in New Service Development: An Examination of Antecedents and Outcomes*
Authors: Carbonell Pilar , Rodríguez‐Escudero Ana I. , Pujari Devashish
Published: July 2009

Customer involvement has been recognized as an important factor for successful service development. Despite its acknowledged importance, a review of the literature suggests that there is little empirical evidence about the effectiveness and outcomes of interacting with customers while developing new services. Similarly, the extant literature shows mixed views about the effect of technological uncertainty on customer involvement and the effectiveness of customer involvement at different stages of the new service development process. Against this backdrop, the present study has three objectives: (1) to investigate the effects of customer involvement on operational dimensions (i.e., innovation speed and technical quality) and market dimensions (i.e., competitive superiority and sales performance) of new service performance; (2) to examine the effect of technological novelty and technological turbulence on customer involvement; and (3) to explore the moderating effect of the stage of the development process on the relationships among technological novelty, technological turbulence and customer involvement, and customer involvement and new service performance. A total of 807 firms with 75 or more employees in a varied set of industries were selected from the Dun & Bradstreet's 2004 listing of Spanish service firms. A questionnaire was mailed to the person in charge of new service development at each company. A total of 102 complete questionnaires were returned. Findings reveal that whereas customer involvement has a positive direct effect on technical quality and innovation speed, it has an indirect effect on competitive superiority and sales performance through both technical quality and innovation speed. The study also finds a positive effect of technological novelty as well as technological turbulence on customer involvement. Contrary to expectations, the study does not find any moderating effects of the stage of the development process. This study has several theoretical and managerial implications. In terms of theoretical implications, the study supports the role of technological uncertainty (novelty and turbulence) as an antecedent to customer involvement. It also provides empirical evidence of the impact of customer involvement on operational and market dimensions of new service performance. In terms of managerial implications, the study offers critical insights on how customer involvement in new service development translates into improved new service performance. Furthermore, it reveals that the importance of customer involvement in technologically uncertain contexts and its impact on new service performance are independent of the stage of the development process, suggesting that managers should involve customers throughout the entire development process.
Managing Seller–Buyer Relationships during New Product Development*
Authors: Athaide Gerard A. , Klink Richard R.
Published: July 2009

Ineffective relationship management with potential buyers during new product development (NPD) can be an important contributor to new product failure in technology‐based, industrial markets. However, empirical research on managing these relationships remains underdeveloped. This study addresses this deficiency by developing an empirically based taxonomy of relationship approaches used by sellers to develop technology‐based, industrial innovations, identifying situational characteristics that correlate with the choice of a particular relationship approach, and evaluating sellers' satisfaction with their relationship approach. The study's conceptual model is rooted in transaction cost analysis (TCA) and draws from extant literature on seller–buyer relationships during NPD. It was tested with data from 334 small to mid‐sized firms in a variety of technology‐based industrial markets. The results indicate that sellers use three basic relationship approaches during NPD: a bilateral approach, a buyer‐guided approach, and a seller‐guided approach. While the bilateral approach relies on a mutual exchange of information, the buyer‐guided and seller‐guided approaches do not. Juxtaposed with the high levels of satisfaction experienced by sellers in the sample, the study suggests that no one relationship approach is universally desirable. Therefore, managers may need to engage in a portfolio of relationship approaches with buyers during NPD; further, these approaches should correlate with buyer‐related (i.e., perceived buyer knowledge and prior relationship history) and innovation‐related (i.e., product customization and technological uncertainty) characteristics. Collectively, these results can help sellers optimize their relationships with buyers during NPD.
Exploring the Contributions of Involving Ordinary Users in Ideation of Technology‐Based Services*
Authors: Magnusson Peter R.
Published: July 2009

Lead users have long been acknowledged as important contributors to the market success of innovative products and services. The ability of lead users to be such effective innovators has been ascribed to a combination of adequate technological expertise and superior knowledge of the user domain so‐called use experience. Drawing on the apparent success of lead users in innovation, many companies are now attempting to involve other types of users, namely, ordinary users, for ideation at the fuzzy front end (FFE) of new product and service development. However, ordinary users do not usually possess the technological knowledge of lead users, and the existing literature provides little guidance on how to manage such user involvement or its expected contributions. The purpose of the present study is, therefore, to contribute to scholarly knowledge regarding the benefits and management of user involvement during the ideation phase of innovation in technology‐based services. More specifically, the study investigates the contribution made in this respect by “ordinary” users, as opposed to professional developers. The research questions that are addressed are as follows: (1) What contributions do ordinary users make when involved in the FFE for ideation of new technology‐based services; and (2) how is the contribution of the users affected by their knowledge of the underlying technology? The study addresses these questions through a literature review and conceptual analysis of the involvement of users in innovation in mobile telephony, followed by an empirical study using a quasi‐experimental design in which the independent variable is the users' technological knowledge of the underlying mobile telephone system and the dependent variable is the quality of the created idea‐proposals from an innovation perspective. Various scenarios involving guided users, pioneering users, and professionals are investigated. The study finds that the users' knowledge of the underlying technology has an effect on their propensity to contribute with incremental or radical new ideas. The ideas from guided users tend to be more incremental whereas the pioneering users' ideas are more radical. Contrary to the users in the guided user scenarios, the users in the pioneering user scenarios have a propensity to produce ideas that challenge the prevailing dominant logic of the company; these ideas can be used to assist the company to think in new trajectories. The paper proposes that ordinary users should not be expected to contribute ideas that can be directly put into the new product development process; rather, ordinary user involvement should be regarded as a process whereby a company learns about users' needs and is inspired to innovate. The paper concludes that user involvement can actually be a stimulus for review of a company's business strategy.
Percutaneous Microwave Ablation with a Long Side‐Firing Antenna Array Can Successfully Treat a Nonsurgical Chronic Ovine Atrial Flutter Model
Authors: LIM TOON WEI , CLOUT RAY , BARRY MICHAEL A. , LU JUNTANG , HUANG KAIMIN , THOMAS STUART P.
Published: July 2009

Introduction:Long side‐firing microwave (MW) arrays can deliver energy uniformly over its length without the need for intimate endocardial contact. We hypothesize that a novel 6 Fr 20 mm long percutaneous high‐efficiency MW antenna array ablation catheter can rapidly create long, continuous, and transmural linear ablation lesions.

Methods and Results:Cavotricuspid isthmus (CTI)‐dependent atrial flutter (AFL) was created in 11 sheep by a line of radiofrequency ablation lesions in the posterior right atrium (RA) linking the venae cavae. After 4–6 weeks recovery, CTI‐dependent AFL was still inducible in all 11 sheep (cycle length 178 ± 13 ms). MW ablation of the CTI at 100 W for 30 seconds was then performed with an endpoint of AFL noninducibility. AFL was not inducible in all 11 sheep after 4.3 ± 3.3 MW applications (129 ± 99 seconds). The last 6 animals needed fewer ablations (2.2 ± 1.5) and 3 of these sheep required only a single ablation. Although conduction times from proximal coronary sinus to lateral RA and vice versa increased postablation (51 ± 14 ms to 118 ± 31 ms [P = 0.0002] and 60 ± 13 ms to 119 ± 28 ms [P = 0.0001], respectively), AFL was still inducible in 2 sheep and further ablation was needed to reach the endpoint.

Conclusions:High‐efficiency side‐firing MW array ablation can rapidly create long linear and electrically intact lesions in an ovine AFL model. AFL noninducibility may be a more reliable indicator than CTI conduction times of an intact line of ablation in this animal model.
The Impact of Left Atrial Size on Long‐Term Outcome of Catheter Ablation of Chronic Atrial Fibrillation
Authors: LO LI‐WEI , LIN YENN‐JIANG , TSAO HSUAN‐MING , CHANG SHIH‐LIN , UDYAVAR AMEYA R. , HU YU‐FENG , UENG KWO‐CHANG , TSAI WEN‐CHIN , TUAN TA‐CHUN , CHANG CHIEN‐JUNG , TANG WEI‐HUA , HIGA SATOSHI , TAI CHING‐TAI , CHEN SHIH‐ANN
Published: July 2009

Background: The left atrial (LA) size is an important predictor of atrial fibrillation (AF) procedural termination and the long‐term outcome. We sought to evaluate the long‐term outcome in regard to the LA size and procedural termination.

Methods: Eighty‐seven consecutive chronic AF patients (72 males, 53 ± 10 years) underwent 3D mapping (NavX) and ablation. A stepwise approach including circumferential pulmonary vein (PV) isolation, linear ablation, and continuous complex‐fractionated electrogram (CFE) ablation (targeting fractionation intervals of < 50 ms). Electrical cardioversion was applied to those without any procedural termination. The freedom from AF was defined as the maintenance of sinus rhythm without the use of any class I or III antiarrhythmic drugs after the blanking period.

Results: Among the 87 patients, all received a circumferential PV isolation, 93% a linear ablation, and 59% a continuous CFE ablation. Those with AF procedural termination (n = 30) had a better long‐term outcome when compared with those without termination during a follow‐up of 21 ± 12 months. Moreover, a Kaplan‐Meier analysis showed that in those with an LA diameter of less than 45 mm (n = 49), the freedom from AF rate was higher when procedural termination was achieved (P = 0.004). On the contrary, the outcome was comparable in those with an LA diameter of ≥ 45 mm (n = 38), whether AF procedural termination occurred or not (P = 0.658).

Conclusions: AF procedural termination was related to the long‐term success during chronic AF ablation, especially in those with an LA diameter of less than 45 mm. The favorable effect of termination decreased when the LA diameter was ≥ 45 mm.
Electrical Storm After CRT Implantation Treated by AV Delay Optimization
Authors: COMBES NICOLAS , MARIJON ELOI , BOVEDA SERGE , ALBENQUE JEAN‐PAUL
Published: July 2009

Electrical Storm After CRT Implantation. We present a case of symptomatic ischemic heart failure with an indication for cardiac resynchronization and implantable cardiac defibrillator therapy in primary prevention. After implantation, the patient developed a severe electrical storm with multiple shocks. Hemodynamic improvement based only on AV delay, guided by echocardiography and ECG, brought about a dramatic improvement in the situation. We discuss the pathophysiology of electrical storm occurring immediately after LV pacing. (J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol, Vol. 21, pp. 211‐213, February 2010)
“Opening to the Other”: Schooling among the Karipuna and Mebengokré‐Xikrin of Brazil
Authors: Tassinari Antonella Imperatriz , Cohn Clarice
Published: July 2009

The article analyzes the Brazilian Indigenous formal educational policies through two ethnographic cases (Karipuna and Mebengokré‐Xikrin) that allow us to approach the Indigenous perspective on schooling. We first discuss the possibilities and limitations of past and current legal references and educational policies. In the analysis of the two experiences, we use the notions of cultural boundary and the “openness to the other” to understand the dialogical and interactional spaces that emerge through Indigenous schooling. [Indigenous schooling, Mebengokré‐Xikrin, Karipuna, Indigenous protagonism, cultural boundaries, openness to the other]
Fabrication and Luminescent Properties of Nd3+‐Doped Lu2O3Transparent Ceramics by Pressureless Sintering
Authors: Zhou Ding , Shi Ying , Xie Jianjun , Ren Yuying , Yun Ping
Published: July 2009

The fabrication of transparent Nd3+ion‐doped Lu2O3ceramics is investigated by pressureless sintering under a flowing H2atmosphere. The starting Nd‐doped Lu2O3nanocrystalline powder is synthesized by a modified coprecipitant processing using a NH4OH+NH4HCO3mixed solution as the precipitant. The thermal decomposition behavior of the precipitate precursor is studied by thermogravimetric analysis and differential thermal analysis. After calcination at 1000°C for 2 h, monodispersed Nd3+:Lu2O3powder is obtained with a primary particle size of about 40 nm and a specific surface area of 13.7 m2/g. Green compacts, free of additives, are formed from the as‐synthesized powder by dry pressing followed by cold isostatic pressing. Highly transparent Nd3+:Lu2O3ceramics are obtained after being sintered under a dry H2atmosphere at 1880°C for 8 h. The linear optical transmittance of the polished transparent samples with a 1.4 mm thickness reaches 75.5% at the wavelength of 1080 nm. High‐resolution transmission electron microscopy observations demonstrate a “clear” grain boundary between adjacent grains. The luminescent spectra showed that the absorption coefficient of the 3 at.% Nd‐doped Lu2O3ceramic at 807 nm reached 14 cm−1, while the emission cross section at 1079 nm was 6.5 × 10−20cm2.
DC Electrical Resistivity and Magnetic Property of Single‐Phase α‐Fe2O3 Nanopowder Synthesized by a Simple Chemical Method
Authors: Sarangi Prita Pant , Vadera Sampat Raj , Patra Manoj Kumar , Prakash Chandra , Ghosh Narendra Nath
Published: July 2009

Nanocrystalline pure α‐Fe2O3 powder, with an average particle size of 35 nm, has been synthesized by using an aqueous solution‐based synthetic route. DC electrical resistivity of the synthesized material was measured with respect to temperature by the two‐probe method from 28° to 225°C. Room temperature resistivity of the nanopowder was ∼108Ω·cm. Magnetic hysteresis measurement revealed that the synthesized α‐Fe2O3 nanopowder exhibited ferromagnetic behavior at room temperature. The hysteretic features are high saturation magnetization of 5.1 emu/g, high remanence of 2.2 emu/g, and coercivity of 200.5 Oe.
Subcoercive Cyclic Electrical Loading of Lead Zirconate Titanate Ceramics I: Nonlinearities and Losses in the Converse Piezoelectric Effect
Authors: Pramanick Abhijit , Damjanovic Dragan , Nino Juan C. , Jones Jacob L.
Published: July 2009

The converse piezoelectric response of Pb(ZrxTi1−x)O3 ceramics is investigated as a function of material composition. The effects of the crystallographic phase and different dopants on piezoelectric nonlinearity are separately examined. For a linear dependence of d33 on E0, the Rayleigh law is applied to describe the material behavior. The observed piezoelectric nonlinearities are described in terms of contributions from extrinsic mechanisms. It is observed that the fractional contribution to d33 from irreversible extrinsic mechanisms in the rhombohedral phase is greater than in tetragonal phases for all amplitudes of applied electric fields, which is attributed to a greater degree of possible non‐180° domain wall motion for the rhombohedral phase. The fractional contribution to d33 from irreversible extrinsic mechanisms is also observed to be greatly enhanced with La‐doped ceramics in comparison with undoped and Fe‐doped ceramics (for compositions near morphotropic phase boundary, the irreversible extrinsic contribution is ∼45% for La‐doped ceramics as compared with ∼25% for undoped‐ceramics and ∼2% for Fe‐doped ceramics, under an applied sinusoidal electric field of amplitude ±750 V/mm). This can be explained due to the promotion of domain wall displacement in the material with La doping, while doping with Fe restricts the motion of the domain walls. The effect of piezoelectric nonlinearities on strain–electric field hysteresis is subsequently examined. It is observed that Rayleigh‐type nonlinearity has the dominant contribution to the total strain–electric field hysteresis, although a small contribution can originate from the linear viscoelastic nature of domain wall motion in the material. In order to calculate the complex piezoelectric coefficients, a method based on Fourier expansion of the Rayleigh relations is adopted. Finally, a description of first and higher order harmonics is used to show that the Rayleigh component is dominant in the overall piezoelectric strain of the material.
Subcoercive Cyclic Electrical Loading of Lead Zirconate Titanate Ceramics II: Time‐Resolved X‐Ray Diffraction
Authors: Pramanick Abhijit , Daniels John E. , Jones Jacob L.
Published: July 2009

Structural changes such as non‐180° domain wall motion and lattice strains in Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 ceramics are measured during the application of subcoercive cyclic electric fields using time‐resolved high‐energy X‐ray diffraction with a stroboscopic data collection technique. The contributions to the electric‐field‐induced strains from non‐180° domain wall motion and lattice distortions are determined as a function of material composition and type of dopant. For the different compositions studied, the largest strains due to non‐180° domain wall motion are measured for La‐doped tetragonal ceramics with a composition close to the morphotropic phase boundary. It is further observed that strain contributions from both non‐180° domain wall motion and lattice distortions can be nonlinear with respect to the applied electric field. The correlation between the electric‐field‐induced structural changes and the macroscopic piezoelectric properties is discussed.
Diode‐Pumped Tm:YAG Ceramic Laser
Authors: Zhang Wen‐Xin , Pan Yu‐Bai , Zhou Jun , Liu Wen‐Bin , Li Jiang , Jiang Ben‐Xue , Cheng Xiao‐Jin , Xu Jian‐Qiu
Published: July 2009

Highly transparent Tm:YAG ceramic was fabricated by a solid‐state reaction and vacuum sintering. The optical properties, the microstructure, and the laser performance of the Tm:YAG ceramic were investigated. A Tm:YAG ceramic with an average grain size of ∼10 μm was obtained by sintering at 1750°C for 10 h. The in‐line transmittance was 84.0% at 2015 nm. The absorption coefficients at 681 and 785 nm were 8.23 and 3.27 cm−1, respectively. The grain boundaries were clean and no secondary phase was observed. The 6 at.% Tm:YAG ceramic slab (1.2 mm × 5 mm × 6 mm) was end‐pumped by a laser diode at 792 nm, and the maximum output power of 4.5 W was obtained with a slope efficiency of 20.5% at 2015 nm.
Is Differentiation of Frequently Encountered Foreign Bodies in Corpses Possible by Hounsfield Density Measurement?
Authors: Bolliger Stephan A. , Oesterhelweg Lars , Spendlove Danny , Ross Steffen , Thali Michael J.
Published: July 2009

Abstract:  The radiological determination of foreign objects in corpses can be difficult if they are fragmented or deformed. With multislice computed tomography, radiodensities—referred to as Hounsfield units (HU)—can be measured. We examined the possibility of differentiating 21 frequently occurring foreign bodies, such as metals, rocks, and different manmade materials by virtue of their HU values. Gold, steel, and brass showed mean HU values of 30671–30710 (upper measurable limit), mean HU values for steel, silver, copper, and limestone were 20346, 16949, 14033, and 2765, respectively. The group consisting of objects, such as aluminum, tarmac, car front‐window glass, and other rocks, displayed mean HU values of 2329–2131 HU. The mean HU value of bottle glass and car side‐window glass was 2088, whereas windowpane glass was 493. HU value determination may therefore help in preautopsy differentiation between case‐relevant and irrelevant foreign bodies and thus be useful for autopsy planning and extraction of the objects in question.
A Case of Fatal Spontaneous Varicose Vein Rupture—An Example of Incorrect First Aid
Authors: Hejna Petr
Published: July 2009

Abstract:  Severe external bleeding due to varicose vein rupture is a rare complication of this frequent venous pathology. Venous bleeding can be very intensive and can be mistaken for arterial hemorrhage. A rare case of fatal varicose vein rupture with an example of an incorrect and ineffective first‐aid technique in a 43‐year‐old man is reported here with a review of the recent literature. The victim was found on a sand stack, not far from his domicile in a large pool of blood. The external examination revealed a flat ulcer on the internal surface of the right shank. On dissection, the lesion contained a perforation that was continuous with superficial veins arising from a varicosed saphenous vein. The man tried to give himself first aid, due to the massive bleeding that he probably predicted arterial bleeding and applied the ligature closer to the heart above the bleeding defect, thereby not stopping the venous bleeding but exacerbating it. Death was caused by a hypovolemic shock because of external hemorrhage from a varicose vein.