bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hepatoprotective effect of water extract from Chrysanthemum indicum L. flower
Authors: Jeong Sang Chul , Kim Sang Min , Jeong Yong Tae , Song Chi Hyun
Published: April 2013

Background

Chrysanthemum indicum L. flower (CIF) has been widely used as tea in Korea. This study aims to investigate the hepatoprotective effect of the hot water extract of CIF (HCIF) in in vitro and in vivo systems.

Methods

Hepatoprotective activities were evaluated at 250 to 1000 μg/mL concentrations by an in vitro assay using normal human hepatocytes (Chang cell) and hepatocellular carcinoma cells (HepG2) against CCl4-induced cytotoxicity. Cytochrome P450 2E1, which is a key indicator of hepatic injury, was detected by western blot analysis using rabbit polyclonal anti-human CYP2E1 antibody. An in vivo hepatoprotective activity assay was performed at 1000 to 4000 μg/mL concentrations on CCl4-induced acute toxicity in rats, and the serum levels of glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT), glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were determined by standard enzyme assays.

Results

The hepatoprotective effects of HCIF significantly reduced the levels of GOT (60.1%, P = 0.000) and GPT (64.5%, P = 0.000) compared with the vehicle control group (CCl4 alone). The survival rates of HepG2 and Chang cells were significantly improved compared with the control group [82.1% (P = 0.034) and 62.3% (P = 0.002), respectively]. HCIF [50 mg/kg body weight (BW)] treatment significantly reduced the serum levels of GOT (49.5%, P = 0.00), GPT (55.5%, P = 0.00), ALP (30.8%, P = 0.000) and LDH (45.6%, P = 0.000) compared with the control group in this in vivo study. The expression level of cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) protein was also significantly decreased at the same concentration (50 mg/kg BW; P = 0.018).

Conclusion

HCIF inhibited bioactivation of CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity and downregulates CYP2E1 expression in vitro and in vivo.
Skeletal Muscle Abnormalities in Girls and Adolescents With Turner Syndrome
Authors: Wells Greg D. , O'Gorman Clodagh S. , Rayner Tammy , Caterini Jessica , Thompson Sara , Bradley Tim , Hamilton Jill
Published: April 2013

Context:

Turner syndrome (TS) is a chromosomal disorder occurring in approximately 1 in 2500 live births. Individuals with TS report lower levels of physical activity than healthy control (HC) subjects. Cardiorespiratory limitations may contribute to the observed reduction in physical activity.

Objective:

The objective of this study was to compare muscle metabolism of patients with TS vs HC subjects before and after exercise using exercise testing, magnetic resonance imaging, and magnetic resonance spectroscopy techniques.

Design:

We hypothesized that girls and adolescents with TS would have muscle metabolic abnormalities not present in the HC population.

Setting:

The research was conducted at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Participants:

Fifteen participants with TS were age-, activity-, and body mass index Z-score–matched with 16 HC subjects.

Main Outcome Measures:

31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy was used to characterize muscle metabolism at rest and after 30 seconds of high-intensity exercise, 60 seconds of moderate-intensity exercise, and 5 minutes of low-intensity exercise.

Results:

While achieving the same workloads, participants with TS exhibited a greater difference between rest and end-exercise pH compared with HC subjects after 30 seconds (TS, 0.29 ± 0.04; HC, 0.21 ± 0.08; P = .03) and 90 seconds (TS, 0.47 ± 0.22; HC, 0.32 ± 0.13; P = .02) of exercise. During the 5-minute exercise test, similar workloads were achieved between groups; however, ATP production was greater in participants with TS vs the HC subjects via all 3 bioenergetic pathways (total ATP: TS, 0.90 ± 0.34; HC, 0.60 ± 0.25; P = .01).

Conclusions:

The results of this study suggest that patients with TS exhibit greater anaerobic stress during exercise than HC subjects, which may lead to symptoms of increased muscle fatigue with short bursts of activity. Recovery metabolism after exercise appears to be similar between participants with TS and HC subjects, which is suggestive of normal mitochondrial metabolism and oxygen transport.
microRNAs are ligands of Toll-like receptors
Authors: Chen Xi , Liang Hongwei , Zhang Junfeng , Zen Ke , Zhang Chen-Yu
Published: April 2013

It has long been known that microRNAs (miRNAs) can regulate target gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. Recent studies, however, have revealed that miRNAs can also be transported from donor cells to recipient cells, in which these RNAs function in a novel manner as ligands of Toll-like receptors. Here, we review the latest findings on these unconventional miRNAs, with special emphasis on their biological significance.
Evaluation of a Discharge Medication Service on an Acute Psychiatric Unit
Authors: Tomko John R. , Ahmed Nadeem , Mukherjee Koushik , Roma Rebecca S. , DiLucente Donna , Orchowski Karen
Published: April 2013

Background

Nonadherence with medication is a major factor that influences acute psychiatric hospital readmission. Pharmacists can positively influence rapid psychiatric readmission due to nonadherence by counseling patients and providing filled prescriptions on discharge.

Objective

This study is a retrospective evaluation of a pharmacist-driven discharge medication service for hospitalized psychiatric patients. Measured outcomes include a comparison of rapid readmissions pre and post implementation. Rapid readmissions between the concurrent study group and excluded group were also compared.

Methods

From October 2010 to November 2011, home-destined subjects being discharged from the hospital's behavioral health unit were provided filled psychiatric prescriptions for self-administration upon discharge, coupled with medication counseling. A series of statistical comparisons were made between the 2 prior years' overall rapid readmissions. This was subsequently compared with the overall rapid readmission rate during the study year. The study group's rapid readmissions were then compared to the overall rapid readmission rate of the study year as well as to the concurrent excluded group.

Results

Thirty-day hospital readmissions were found to be significantly decreased in studied subjects compared to total rapid readmissions during the previous year ( P = .004) and to the excluded group ( P = .020).

Conclusion

Immediate availability of prescriptions upon discharge, coupled with development of therapeutic alliances with patients, removes some of the barriers to patient medication adherence in the discharged, acute psychiatric patient. The program provided positive outcomes with regard to decreased frequent, rapid readmission to the acute care psychiatric unit due to medication nonadherence.
Pressor and renal regional hemodynamic effects of urotensin II in neonatal pigs
Authors: Soni Hitesh , Adebiyi Adebowale
Published: April 2013

Renal expression of the peptide hormone urotensin II (UII) and its receptor (UTR) are dependent on kidney maturation and anatomical regions. However, renal regional hemodynamic effects of UII in neonates are unclear. Here, we investigated regional hemodynamic responses to acute intrarenal arterial administration of UII in newborn pigs. Western immunoblotting and immunofluorescence confirmed UTR expression and membrane localization in newborn pig renal afferent arterioles and afferent arteriolar smooth muscle cells respectively. Intrarenal arterial bolus injections of human UII (hUII; 1–100 ng/kg) resulted in a dose-dependent decrease in total renal blood flow (RBF) and an increase in mean arterial pressure (MAP) and renal vascular resistance (RVR) in newborn pigs. Moreover, hUII dose dependently reduced cortical blood flow (CBF) but increased medullary blood flow (MBF) in the piglets. hUII-induced MAP elevation and hemodynamic changes were inhibited by urantide, a UTR antagonist, but not losartan, a type 1 angiotensin II receptor antagonist. U-73122, a phospholipase C (PLC) inhibitor, and 2-aminoethoxydiphenyl borate, an inositol 1,4,5 trisphosphate (IP3) receptor antagonist, attenuated hUII-induced MAP and RVR elevations, RBF and CBF reductions, but not MBF increase. These findings indicate that intrarenal arterial administration of hUII elevates blood pressure and induces region-selective renal hemodynamic changes in newborn pigs. Our data also suggest that the PLC/IP3signaling pathway contributes to hUII-induced alterations in MAP, RBF, RVR, and CBF but not MBF in newborn pigs.
Análise de dados gemelares: uma aventura guiada para investigadores das Ciências do Desporto
Authors: Maia José António Ribeiro , Seabra André , Silva Rui Manoel Garganta da , Freitas Duarte Luís de , Gouveia Élvio Quintal Rúbio , Basso Luciano
Published: April 2013

Este tutorial pretende apresentar, de forma sumária: 1) a importância dos estudos gemelares em Educação Física e Ciências do Desporto; 2) a estrutura básica deste tipo de delineamento; 3) as etapas da análise descritiva inicial; 4) os procedimentos de análise em grau crescente de complexidade - da análise de variância, à modelação de estruturas de covariância; 5) bem como a relevância da exploração da disocordância intra-par de gêmeos monozigóticos. Esta processologia, baseada num tutorial, recorrerá aos valores do fenótipo índice de atividade física nos tempos de lazer, com base numa amostra de 207 pares de gêmeos mono e dizigóticos. Todas as etapas da análise são comentadas e será interpretado o significado dos resultados, salientando o fato do fenótipo em causa ser explicado pelos fatores genéticos em cerca de 63%.
An Integrated Approach To Design Completions for Horizontal Wells for Unconventional Reservoirs
Authors: Jain R.. , Syal S.. , Long T.. , Wattenbarger C.. , Kosik I..
Published: April 2013

This paper presents a comprehensive and integrated workflow to design completions for a heavy-oil recovery process that involves injection and production through the same well. Unlike in traditional completion design, the transient effects are particularly important to consider while analyzing the long-term performance for these types of completions to capture the effect of variations or uncertainties in reservoir and fluid-flow characteristics over time. The proposed integrated workflow involves initial screening and selection of flow-restricting completions that can meet the desired injection and production performance based on a detailed wellbore hydraulics modeling tool. A select few completions are then analyzed for longer-term performance using a reservoir simulator that couples the flow-restricting nature of completions with flow in the reservoir. The use of best-in-art wellbore hydraulics model and reservoir simulator in a staged process yields an effective way to assess and optimize the completion design for these wells in a reduced time span. The workflow disclosed here can be used to design effective completions for a broad class of cyclic liquid-injection methods for heavy-oil resources.
Dye tracers as a tool for outfall studies: dilution measurement approach
Authors: Pecly J. O. G. , Roldão J. S. F.
Published: April 2013

Dye tracer technique is well established and of wide application for assessment of outfalls and for delineation of near field and far field extensions. Common goals of a tracer study include the measurement of the dilution factor, estimation of the dispersion coefficients, measurement of the effluent discharge and calibration of a contaminant transport model. This paper presents a brief review of the methods involving the use of dye tracer for outfall assessment and illustrates the methods of slug release and continuous injection based on two real cases of campaigns carried out on Brazilian coastal waters. Slug injection on the surface of the water body was used for preliminary dispersion studies aiming at outfall positioning. During the operational phase of an outfall, the continuous injection of dye tracer was used to determine effluent dilution in different seasons. In coastal waters of Rio de Janeiro city, sea current pattern, tidal modulation and thermal stratification explained the main features of the dilution field.
Digging into the extracellular matrix of a complex microbial community using a combined metagenomic and metaproteomic approach
Authors: Albertsen M. , Stensballe A. , Nielsen K. L. , Nielsen P. H.
Published: April 2013

Knowledge about identity and function of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) in complex microbial communities is sparse, although these components have a large influence on the function of the microbial communities. We investigated the presence of selected genes potentially involved in EPS production in a 145 Mbp metagenome prepared by Illumina sequencing from a full-scale wastewater treatment plant carrying out enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR). A range of genes involved in alginate production was identified and assigned mainly to bacteria from the phylum Bacteroidetes. Furthermore, several proteins in the EPS matrix were extracted, purified and identified by mass spectrometry. By using the metagenome as a reference for the metaproteomic analysis, more proteins were identified compared to using only publicly available databases. This illustrates the low degree of similarity between the bacteria in the EBPR community and the sequenced bacteria in the public databases. Hence, the combination of metagenomics and metaproteomics presented here is needed to investigate the identity of the proteins in the EPS matrix.
An Analysis of High School Math, Science, Social Studies, English, and Foreign Language Teachers' Implementation of One-to-One Computing and Their Pedagogical Practices
Authors: Inserra Albert , Short Thomas
Published: April 2013

The purpose of this study was to compare high school Math, Science, Social Studies, English, and Foreign Language teachers' implementation of teaching practices in terms of their pedagogical dimensions in a one-to-one computing environment. A survey was developed to measure high school teachers' implementation of teaching practices associated with Collaborative Learning, Constructivist Learning, Project-Based Learning, and Differentiated Instruction in a one-to-one computing environment. Of the 209 teacher participants, 170 high school teachers were chosen for the purposeful sample. The results of the one-way between-group analysis of variance showed that there was a statistically significant difference in terms of high school Math, Science, Social Studies, English, and Foreign Language teachers and their pedagogical practices while implementing one-to-one computing technology. The findings in this study indicated different pedagogical classroom practices in a one-to-one computing environment among the high school disciplines. This study revealed how teachers use specific technological resources and strategies to teach their content.
Elegant Instruction
Authors: Luterbach Kenneth J.
Published: April 2013

This article describes a new form of instruction called elegant instruction. Generally speaking, educational technologists assert that instruction ought to be effective and efficient. Some educational technologists might add that instruction should also satisfy learners. Incorporating the standard requirements and going beyond satisfaction, elegant instruction is effective, efficient, and inspiring. Elegant instruction arouses an appreciation for exceptional insight, creativity, economy, or beauty, which, combined with perceived applicability, inspires learners and compels them to greater achievement, to apply what they have learned, and to learn more. To ensure efficiency, elegant instruction is 60 minutes at most. Preliminary research into elegant instruction is encouraging; further research continues. After introducing elegant instruction and discussing its theoretical foundations, this article discusses two examples of elegant instruction for inspiring learners to use intriguing computer techniques. A third example seeks to convey the elegance—succinctness, applicability, and wonder—of mathematics.
Nature's Sunshine Products: Anatomy of an FCPA Failure
Authors: Hermanson Heather M. , Gramling Audrey A.
Published: April 2013

Recently, Walmart and several other large corporations have faced allegations of Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) violations, subjecting the companies to large fines and stock price declines. This instructional assignment introduces students to the FCPA and provides an illustration of FCPA compliance problems at Nature's Sunshine Products (Nature's). Students will (1) discuss the development, requirements, and importance of the FCPA; and (2) identify red flags at Nature's suggestive of FCPA noncompliance. This instructional assignment also includes a supplemental requirement whereby students are asked to identify ways that internal auditors could have assisted Nature's in achieving FCPA compliance. This instructional resource, which could be used in undergraduate or graduate external or internal auditing courses or in managerial or forensics courses, provides instructors with a resource for integrating real-world problems involving international business issues into the course curriculum.
Ethics of Relationships between Accounting Academics and External Sponsors
Authors: Mintz Steven M. , Dang Li , Savage Arline
Published: April 2013

A variety of relationships can develop between accounting academics, academic units, and external sponsors that raise issues of ethical propriety. External donors may seek to influence academic decisions by applying pressure on recipients to gain favored treatment. We believe these types of situations are on the rise because of increased commercialization of universities. In this study, we examine relationships between accounting academics and external sponsors that challenge academic independence because of conflicts of interest when donors seek to impose conditions on financial support. We solicit the opinions of academic accountants about how likely they are to go along with the conditions. We link these activities to the following ethical issues: fair-mindedness, objectivity, and integrity. We conclude that the more experienced accounting academics (i.e., full professors, current chairs, holders of endowed chairs, and designated faculty fellows) are less likely to engage in ethically questionable relationships with external sponsors than academics who are less experienced. The results are driven primarily by two cases: allowing a Big 4 CPA firm to interview students before other firms as a condition of continued recruiting, and allowing a firm to decide on the recipient of a named faculty fellowship.
Synthesis and characterisation of Cu(II), Ni(II), and Zn(II) complexes of furfural derived from aroylhydrazones bearing aliphatic groups and their interactions with DNA
Authors: Gokce Cansu , Gup Ramazan
Published: April 2013

Two new Schiff base-hydrazones bearing furan ring, (Z)-4-butoxy-N′-(furan-2-ylmethylene)benzohydrazide (IV) and (Z)-N′-(furan-2-ylmethylene)-4-(hexyloxy)benzohydrazide (V), as well as their Cu(II), Ni(II), and Zn(II) complexes have been synthesised and characterised. The DNA-binding and DNA-cleavage activities of both aroylhydrazone ligands and their transition metal complexes were examined using UV-VIS titration and agarose gel electrophoresis in the presence of an oxidative agent (H2O2). The results indicate that the copper complexes bind significantly to calf thymus DNA and effectively cleave pBR322 DNA whereas the nickel and zinc complexes interact slightly with DNA.
Impression management and legitimacy strategies: The BP case
Authors: Michelon Giovanna
Published: April 2013

The aim of this paper is to study if and how impression management varies during different phases of the legitimation process, in particular during the legitimacy building and legitimacy repairing phases (Suchman, 1995). We aim at understanding whether and how the disclosure tone adopted by a company in the two different moments is diverse and thus functional to the intrinsic objective of the each phase. The empirical analysis focuses on the case of British Petroleum Plc. We investigated the impression management practices undertaken by the company both during the preparation of the rebranding operation, i.e. a situation in which the company is trying to build legitimacy; and during the happenings of two legitimacy crises, like the explosion of the refinery in Texas City and the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The evidence appears in line with the theoretical prediction of legitimacy theory. Results show that while the company tends to privilege image enhancement techniques during the legitimacy-building phase, it uses more obfuscation techniques when managing a legitimacy-repairing process. Moreover, the analysis suggests that the company makes more extensive use of impression management techniques in the disclosures addressed to shareholders, investors and other market operators than in the disclosures addressed to the wide range of other stakeholders.
Lessons learned from the financial crisis - unveiling alternative approaches within valuation and accounting theory
Authors: Brosel Gerrit , Toll Martin , Zimmermann Mario
Published: April 2013

In the aftermath of the financial crisis, one of the most topical research questions is what caused it. We argue that one of the causes is the insufficient theoretical background employed in most valuation cases. Over the last six decades, there has been constructive debate between the proponents of the various valuation theories. However, the advocates of the Anglo-Saxon valuation theory seem unimpressed by the outcomes, claiming that there is no viable alternative to their preferred theory. Consequently they cling to unrealistic assumptions like perfect capital markets and pure competition, and thereby deepen the financial crisis by excusing overvaluation. This research presents an alternative, functional business valuation, to assist business valuation. It indicates that knowledge of the functional theory and its application might help prevent similar undesirable developments in the future. Another cause of the financial crisis, tightly connected to the cause mentioned above, lays in the (theoretical) construct of "fair value accounting" and its undesirable pro-cyclical effects. Such effects are generally considered a matter of fact, but have rarely been linked to the neo-classical Anglo-Saxon valuation theory and its major shortcomings until now. A further factor promoting the financial crisis is the assertion that there are no useful alternatives to fair value accounting and its apotheosis to the "mark-to-market approach". A look into accounting history reveals at least one applicable alternative approach - the "historical cost principle".
La dimensione psicosociale nella cura della talassemia: una rassegna della letteratura
Authors: Bani Marco , Barile Francesca , Mazza Umberto
Published: April 2013

La talassemia major è una patologia genetica, che richiede periodiche e costanti trasfusioni di sangue e un trattamento ferrochelante a vita oltre che una presa in carico multidisciplinare. Come ogni patologia cronica, determina un grosso impatto sulla qualità di vita, il benessere psicologico e il contesto familiare dei pazienti. I progressi medici degli ultimi 30 anni hanno permesso un notevole miglioramento delle aspettative di vita di questi pazienti che possono raggiungere l'età adulta, lavorare, avere dei figli a condizione di una costante adesione al trattamento. Alla luce di questi miglioramenti si propone una rassegna dei risultati di ricerca degli ultimi 10 anni, in relazione alle difficoltà psicosociali dei pazienti e dei familiari, alla qualità di vita e alla dimensione psicopatologica dei soggetti con talassemia, per verificare se tali dimensioni si siano anch'esse modificate, anche in relazione ai differenti contesti culturali. I dati emersi mostrano un livello di psicopatologia maggiore rispetto ai soggetti di controllo e una qualità di vita più bassa sia per i soggetti con talassemia sia per i familiari, indicando, pur di fronte ai miglioramenti clinici, la necessità di uno sforzo maggiore verso la progettazione e la diffusione di interventi psicosociali.
What is the Burden of Axillary Disease after Neoadjuvant Therapy in Women with Locally Advanced Breast Cancer?
Authors: Cox C. , Holloway C.M. , Shaheta A. , Nofech–Mozes S. , Wright F.C.
Published: April 2013

Background: The burden of axillary disease in patients with locally advanced breast cancer (labc) after neoadjuvant therapy (nat) has not been extensively described in a large modern cohort. Here, we describe the extent of nodal metastases after nat in patients with labc. Methods: All patients with labc treated at a single institution during 2002–2007 were identified. Demographic, radiologic, and pathologic variables were extracted. To assess the extent of lymph node metastases after nat, patients were separated into two groups: those with and without clinical or radiologic evidence of lymph node metastases before nat. Axillary lymph nodes retrieved at surgery that had no evidence of metastases after hematoxylin and eosin (h&e) staining underwent further pathology evaluation. Results: Of the 116 patients identified, 115 were female (median age: 48.5). Before nat, 26 patients were clinically and radiologically node-negative; of those 26, 14 were histologically negative on final pathology. After serial sectioning and immunohistochemistry, 9 of 26 (35%) were node-negative. Of the 90 patients who had clinical or radiologic evidence of lymph node metastases before nat, 23 (26%) had no evidence of lymph node metastases on h&e staining. After serial sectioning and immunohistochemistry, 19 (21%) had no further axillary lymph node metastases. Overall, 76% of patients had pathology evidence of lymph node metastases after nat. Conclusions: Most patients with labc have axillary metastases after nat. Our findings support axillary lymph node dissection and locoregional radiation in most patients with labc after nat.
Immune Toxicities and Long Remission Duration after Ipilimumab Therapy for Metastatic Melanoma: Two Illustrative Cases
Authors: Assi H. , Wilson K.S.
Published: April 2013

New antitumour immunotherapy strategies for stage IV metastatic melanoma include ipilimumab, a monoclonal antibody against CTLA-4. Patterns of response with cancer immunotherapy differ from those with cytotoxic chemotherapy. We present two cases of long-duration immune-related responses with ipilimumab in a phase II trial. A 66-year-old woman with multiple lung metastases from a scalp primary melanoma received 4 doses of ipilimumab with mixed clinical response. However, after the first maintenance dose, she developed severe ileitis and colitis that responded to steroid therapy. Four months later, she had surgery and radiotherapy for a single brain metastasis. Radiologically, stable disease continued for 36 months after the last ipilimumab dose, and partial response for 5 years after ipilimumab start. A 54-year-old man with cervical lymph node and pulmonary metastases from a scalp primary melanoma received three induction doses of ipilimumab. He developed alopecia universalis and widespread vitiligo, and he discontinued treatment because of hypophysitis. Maintenance ipilimumab was started after a 6-month drug-free interval, with no further adverse events over 15 cycles. At week 12, computed tomography imaging showed no lung metastases and partial response in a supraclavicular lymph node, which was positive on positron-emission tomography. Five years after starting ipilimumab, the supraclavicular lymph node was calcified, and the patient was off steroid therapy and asymptomatic. The foregoing patients demonstrate long responses with ipilimumab (in association with delayed severe colitis in one case, and a constellation of immune events, including alopecia universalis in another). Re-treatment with ipilimumab may be possible even after significant immune adverse events.
Neglect in Children
Authors: Dubowitz Howard
Published: April 2013

CME Educational Objectives

1.

Learn how to manage the complexities of defining neglect in children.

2.

Examine the multiple contributors to neglect.

3.

Understand principles for effectively intervening in a child neglect situation.

Child neglect is by far the most common form of child maltreatment. Approximately two-thirds of reports to child protective services involve neglect.
1
Per a community survey in 2006, the frequency of neglect is 30.6 per 1,000 children, with lower rates of 6.5, 2.4, and 4.1 for physical, sexual, and emotional abuse, respectively.
2
Influence of the Reference Surface Shape for Discriminating Between Normal Corneas, Subclinical Keratoconus, and Keratoconus
Authors: Smadja David , Santhiago Marcony R. , Mello Glauco R. , Krueger Ronald R. , Colin Joseph , Touboul David
Published: April 2013

PURPOSE:

To compare the discriminating ability of corneal elevation generated by a dual Scheimpflug analyzer calculated with different reference surfaces for distinguishing normal corneas from those with keratoconus and subclinical keratoconus.

METHODS:

A total of 391 eyes of 208 patients were prospectively enrolled in the study and divided into three groups: 167 eyes of 113 patients with keratoconus, 47 contralateral topographically normal eyes of patients with clinically evident keratoconus in the fellow eye, and 177 eyes of 95 refractive surgery candidates with normal corneas. All eyes were measured with a dual Scheimpflug analyzer (GALILEI Analyzer; Ziemer Ophthalmic Systems AG, Port, Switzerland). Maximum elevation values were recorded within the central 5-mm diameter in both anterior and posterior elevation maps. Discriminating ability of corneal elevation measurements obtained by best-fit toric and aspheric (BFTA) and best-fit sphere (BFS) reference surfaces were compared by receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves.

RESULTS:

ROC curve analysis showed that corneal elevation measured by BFTA had a significantly better ability than with BFS for distinguishing normal corneas from those with keratoconus and forme fruste keratoconus (
P
= .01). Posterior elevation measured by BFTA had a significantly higher predictive accuracy for forme fruste keratoconus than anterior elevation with an area under ROC curves of 0.88 and 0.80, respectively (
P
= .01). The sensitivity and specificity achieved with the maximum posterior elevation for detecting keratoconus and forme fruste keratoconus were 99% and 99% for keratoconus and 82% and 80% for forme fruste keratoconus with the cut-off value at 16 and 13
μ
m, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS:

The ability to discriminate between normal cornea and forme fruste keratoconus with elevation parameters was significantly improved by using BFTA instead of BFS reference surface.

[
J Refract Surg.
2013;29(4):274–281.]
Foreign Direct Investment as a Development Strategy
Authors: Ozkan-Gunay E. Nur , Cukurcayir Yusuf
Published: April 2013

This chapter investigates the spillover effects of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) on innovation capability in four competing emerging economies in the district of Eastern Europe, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Turkey, for the period 1995-2008. Panel data models are employed to test two competing hypotheses regarding the impact of FDI on innovation capability: it may improve the innovation capability of host countries via spillover channels, or may lead to the crowding-out effect through the importation of technologies via joint ventures. The empirical evidence corroborates that FDI inflows generate spillover effects on domestic innovation capability in competing emerging countries, supporting the hypothesis that inward FDI brings knowledge spillovers, new technologies, and products into the host country and promotes the innovation capability of domestic firms. In addition, the level of human capital stock and qualified researchers play a crucial role in stimulating innovative capability and technological progress.
International Evidence on Financing of R&D
Authors: Gonenc Halit
Published: April 2013

This chapter examines the financing patterns of R&D expenditures using data from 38 countries for the period 1980-2006. The major hypothesis is that higher equity financing and higher past stock market valuation are associated with higher R&D expenditures. The evidence supports this hypothesis for firms, especially in market-based countries. The sensitivities of equity financing and internal funds are different between financially constrained and unconstrained firms. The results are robust when the effect of patent rights protection, which has also a nonlinear effect on R&D, is controlled.
RCA vs. RTA and Sectoral Import vs. RTA
Authors: Gokovali Ummuhan , Medettin Burhan
Published: April 2013

In mainstream literature, it is argued that technological specialization patterns of countries should be in accordance with their trade specialization pattern. In empirical applications, a Revealed Technological Advantage (RTA) index is used to measure technological specialization while a Revealed Comparative Advantage (RCA) index is used to measure trade specialization patterns. This chapter provides an extensive analysis of the relation between RTA and RCA of seven developed countries (Germany, France, Italy, Japan, The Netherlands, the UK, and the USA) for twenty-one manufacturing sectors. RCA indexes are calculated by using worldwide export data whereas RTA indexes are measured by patents granted in Turkey over the period 1990-2006. Although a bird’s eye view supports a relation, there has not been a strong statistical validation of the relationship between these two variables; in addition, this chapter investigates whether RTA is related to the sectoral import ratio of Turkey for each country. Empirical findings indicate that the direction of the relationship between the sectoral import ratio and RTA varies according to the technological composition of sectors for each country.
The Effectiveness of Stimulating Innovativeness in Poland through Science and Technology Parks
Authors: Minska-Struzik Ewa , Truskolaski Szymon
Published: April 2013

The aim of the chapter is to examine the effectiveness of S&T parks after five years of the Polish presence in the EU. The results of the empirical research, presented in the chapter, show that the effectiveness of enhancing innovativeness is hardly satisfactory. For instance, from 2007-2009 almost 400 incumbents of 25 existing Science and Technology parks in Poland were only able to claim 18 patents. The main drawbacks of Polish S&T parks are: 1) specialization mostly comprising general ICTs, which, as the authors argue, is too broad; 2) insufficient research equipment; 3) the lack of co-operation with R&D institutions other then universities; 4) focusing on fulfilling the EU funds’ criteria as to provide the exact number of jobs created or to rent a particular office space. It is also important to note that 53% of incubators and S&T parks’ income originates from European funds—in the near future, new methods of raising income must be developed by these institutions or they will cease to exist. These policy issues are relevant not only for Poland but for any economy contemplating active government involvement in R&D.
“Lex Lata” and “de lege Ferenda” for the R&D Law of Turkey
Authors: Türkeli Serdar
Published: April 2013

In this chapter, the content sophistication (legislative-executive and techno-economic conception and implementation) of the R&D Law No. 5746 of Turkey is analyzed by the constructed general framework of reference for content sophistication analysis with respect to the framing principles of neo-classical (optimizing) and evolutionary (adaptive) policy making and policy implementation approaches (Metcalfe, 1995) through their distinct underlying conceptions and implementations regarding to the “nature of technology,” “using, creating, diffusing technology and knowledge,” “specificity, variety, and mode of transfer,” “externalities,” and “risk/uncertainty” (Lall & Teubal, 1998). According to the results of the analysis, it is shown that, for the time being, the R&D Law No. 5746 of Turkey exhibits features of neo-classical (optimizing) policy making frames from conception to implementation in legislative-executive and techno-economic spheres of research and technology development. In comparison to these neoclassical features, features of evolutionary (adaptive) policymaking frames in other economies around the world are exemplified separately. By concentrating on “Iter Legis”: “path that a law takes from its conception to its implementation,” this chapter aims to contribute to discussions and recommendations on “Lex Lata”: “the current law” and “de lege Ferenda”: “future law” for R&D and innovation in any country where “the future cannot be predicted, but futures can be invented” (Gabor, 1963) through legislative-executive terms of techno-economic demand and imagination.
Socio-Technical Issues in Youth Employment in SMEs
Authors: Kepenek Emek Baris
Published: April 2013

This chapter investigates how technological developments implemented in the production processes and organizational structures of small and medium sized enterprises affect the skills and therefore the employment of young workers in these businesses. The furniture sector in the greater region of Ankara in Turkey is explored in this chapter because it is one of the fastest growing sectors in the new millennium, and the rate of youth employment is very high. Young workers face severe problems due to the technological developments and organizational changes occurring in these enterprises. Many of them are either removed from production processes or dismissed from the company. To have a decent job, the young generation working in this sector should not be alienated from the production process. It is claimed that this major problem of bias towards young workers can be solved by a proper education, which will greatly increase their technical skills.
Internet-Based Chronic Disease Self-Management for Youth
Authors: Stinson Jennifer , Gill Navreet
Published: April 2013

Chronic health conditions in children and youth are important health problems that seriously affect all aspects of their everyday lives. There is growing recognition of the need to promote disease self-management in youth with chronic health conditions. While there is evidence of the effectiveness of self-management programs to improve health outcomes in pediatric chronic illnesses, there are barriers to youth receiving these services. Internet-based programs offer an innovative approach to improve the availability, accessibility, and acceptability of these programs. This chapter provides an overview of Internet-based chronic disease self-management treatment programs for children and youth. It defines and describes the underlying theories, processes, and content elements of Internet-based self-management programs. Practical tips for program development and evaluation in terms of improved health outcomes are also discussed based on the authors’ experience with developing the “Teens Taking Charge: Managing Arthritis Online” self-management program for adolescents with arthritis. Future directions for theory, research, and clinical practice are also described.
An E-Health System for Promoting Wellbeing in the Elderly
Authors: Botella Cristina , Baños Rosa M. , Etchemendy Ernestina , Castilla Diana , García-Palacios Azucena , Mariano Alcañiz
Published: April 2013

The disproportionate increase in the world’s aged population, especially in developed countries, is one of the biggest challenges for developing health and social development policies. Developed countries are starting to include e-health applications in their health policies; these are effective programs that can reach large numbers of people at a much lower economic cost. The “Butler System” is an e-health application designed specifically for older people and the health professionals who work with this population. The Butler System is a multi-user platform with various levels of action, which includes resources that enhance elderly users’ social integration, learning, socio-emotional networks, leisure and training in emotional regulation skills. Furthermore, the platform allows practitioners to continuously monitor older people’s emotional states and offers various clinical resources and therapeutic activities. Tools such as the Butler System could become integral to supporting and promoting healthy habits for the elderly and assisting the health professionals who work with this population.
Australian Patient Organizations
Authors: Dugdale Anni
Published: April 2013

Three citizen health organizations in Australia are examined for how they are consuming information and communication technologies. In particular, how they are actively domesticating and taming the internet as part of their everyday practices and how this is transforming participation, citizenship, and civil society in the health sector are explored. The organizations, Diabetes ACT, Health Care Consumers’ Association of the ACT, and AIDS Action Council of the ACT are all located in Canberra in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). The chapter focuses on how each organization imagines and configures their communities and how this leads to differences in their ways of interacting with the internet.
Towards a High-Availability-Driven Service Composition Framework
Authors: Lee Jonathan , Ma Shang-Pin , Lee Shin-Jie , Wu Chia-Ling , Lee Chiung-Hon Leon
Published: April 2013

Service-Oriented Computing (SOC), a main trend in software engineering, promotes the construction of applications based on the notion of services. SOC has recently attracted a great deal of attention from researchers, and has been comprehensively adopted by industry. However, service composition enabling the aggregation of existing services into composite services still imposes a great challenge to service-oriented technology. Web service composition requires component Web services to be available in request, to behave correctly in operation, and to be replaceable flexibly in failure. Although availability of Web services plays a crucial role in building robust SOC-based applications, it has been largely neglected, especially for service composition. In this chapter, we propose a service composition framework that integrates a set of composition-based service discovery mechanisms, a user-oriented service delivery approach, as well as a service management mechanism for composite services.
Environmental Rationality
Authors: Leff Enrique
Published: April 2013

Renovating our thinking as humankind (rethinking nature, culture and development) is an imperative to approach the challenges of environmental crisis and to orient the social construction of a sustainable world. If environmental crisis is a predicament of knowledge, beyond the task of reinventing science, innovating technology and managing information, we must face the challenge of inventing new ways of thinking, organizing and acting in the world; of reorienting our ethical principles, modes of production and social practices for the construction of a sustainable civilization. Innovation for sustainability is drawn by alternative rationalities. I will argue that rationality of modernity has limited capacities to reestablish the ecological balance of the planet, while environmental rationality opens new perspectives to sustainability: the construction of a new economic paradigm based on neguentropic productivity, a politics of difference and an ethic of otherness. Paramount to this purpose is the contribution of Latin American Environmental Thinking.
Innovation for Sustainability in Aviation
Authors: Nakamura Hiroko , Kajikawa Yuya , Suzuki Shinji
Published: April 2013

In this chapter, the shared visions and the latest activities for sustainability in the aviation sector are presented and perspectives on the innovations that this sector should achieve are discussed. To do this, the latest experts’ talks are collected from four international meetings for aviation and the environment held around the world between September 2009 and May 2010, which invited experts and researchers from Japan, Europe, and North America. The expansion of networks between agents of the sector, which is considered to be essential for the success of innovation transition, is found in the latest projects for aviation sustainability. To smooth the transition of innovation from sector’s initiatives including radical change such as low-carbon alternative fuels, we emphasize the need for more discussion about new economic measurements. Finally, we discuss directions for future research, using multi-level perspectives for a transition management of aviation innovation for sustainability.
Diffusion and Adoption of Innovations for Sustainability
Authors: Muga Helen E. , Thomas Ken D.
Published: April 2013

The primary focus of this chapter is on the theory and concepts of sustainability and why they are important to innovation and vice-versa. Key reductionist approaches to assessing sustainability such life cycle assessment (LCA), life cycle cost analysis (LCCA), and sustainability indicators are discussed in detail and applied to an engineering infrastructure scenario. The integrated sustainability methods of life cycle assessment and life cycle cost analysis enable a business to assess alternative products or processes at the planning and design stages. They may also be used during the production stages to assess whether a business needs to use a different raw material to make their products. The role of management, social network analysis, and mental models of individuals in the diffusion and adoption of innovations are also explored.
Social Innovation, Environmental Innovation, and Their Effect on Competitive Advantage and Firm Performance
Authors: Salvadó Javier Amores , López José Emilio Navas , Martín de Castro Gregorio
Published: April 2013

The proposal below provides a special emphasis on the relationship between businesses and natural environment. It is argued that the inclusion of environmental criteria to business activities promotes the creation of new core competencies, offering a creative and innovative perspective to the organization that can lead to the achievement of sustainable competitive advantages. More specifically, we analyze both the existence of a direct relationship between Environmental Innovation and Firm Performance and the existence of an indirect relationship between the two, which highlights the mediating role of the kind of competitive advantage generated. It also provides an innovative approach, as it explains the Environmental Innovation from the literature on Social Innovation, considering Environmental Innovation as an expression of Social Innovation through the incorporation of ethical arguments to products, processes and organizational modes of the company. The main contributions of this work can be summarized as follows: (1) It explains the nature of Environmental Innovation through the Social Innovation literature, which allows consideration of some key aspects of administrative and technological innovations that have not been taken into account the academic literature. (2) The different types of environmental innovations are analyzed as a necessary step to understand the strategic options in the environmental field. (3) Environmental Innovation is related to business performance. The practical implications of the relationship between environmental innovation and performance are of great importance, since it directly influence the type of environmental strategy chosen, allowing the company to choose from innovative strategies (based on pollution prevention) or more conservative strategies (emissions control).