bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Secreted TARSH regulates olfactory mitral cell dendritic complexity
Authors: Cheng Ting‐Wen , Gong Qizhi
Published: March 2009

Olfactory sensory neurons synapse with mitral cells to form stereotyped connections in the olfactory bulb (OB). Mitral cell apical dendrites receive input from olfactory sensory neurons expressing the same odorant receptor. During development, this restricted dendritic targeting of mitral cells is achieved through eliminating elaborated dendritic trees to a single apical dendrite. Through a genome‐wide microarray screen, we identified TARSH (Target of NESH SH3) as a transiently expressed molecule in mitral cells during the dendritic refinement period. TARSH expression is restricted to pyramidal neurons along the main olfactory pathway, including the anterior olfactory nucleus and piriform cortex. The dynamic TARSH expression is not altered when odor‐evoked activity is blocked by naris closure or in AC3 knockout mice. We also demonstrate that TARSH is a secreted protein. In dissociated OB cultures, secreted TARSH promotes the reduction of mitral cell dendritic complexity and restricts dendritic branching and outgrowth of interneurons. Dendritic morphological changes were also observed in mitral cells overexpressing TARSH themselves. We propose that TARSH is part of the genetic program that regulates mitral cell dendritic refinement.
RETRACTED: Neuroprotective activities of activated protein C mutant with reduced anticoagulant activity
Authors: Guo Huang , Singh Itender , Wang Yaoming , Deane Rashid , Barrett Theresa , Fernández José A. , Chow Nienwen , Griffin John H. , Zlokovic Berislav V.
Published: March 2009

The anticoagulant activated protein C (APC) protects neurons and endothelium via protease activated receptor (PAR)1, PAR3 and endothelial protein C receptor. APC is neuroprotective in stroke models. Bleeding complications may limit the pharmacologic utility of APC. Here, we compared the 3K3A‐APC mutant with 80% reduced anticoagulant activity and wild‐type (wt)‐APC. Murine 3K3A‐APC compared with wt‐APC protected mouse cortical neurons from N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate‐induced apoptosis with twofold greater efficacy and more potently reduced N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate excitotoxic lesions in vivo. Human 3K3A‐APC protected human brain endothelial cells (BECs) from oxygen/glucose deprivation with 1.7‐fold greater efficacy than wt‐APC. 3K3A‐APC neuronal protection required PAR1 and PAR3, as shown by using PAR‐specific blocking antibodies and PAR1‐ and PAR3‐deficient cells and mice. BEC protection required endothelial protein C receptor and PAR1. In neurons and BECs, 3K3A‐APC blocked caspase‐9 and ‐3 activation and induction of p53, and decreased the Bax/Bcl‐2 pro‐apoptotic ratio. After distal middle cerebral artery occlusion (dMCAO) in mice, murine 3K3A‐APC compared with vehicle given 4:00 h after dMCAO improved the functional outcome and reduced the infarction volume by 50% within 3 days. 3K3A‐APC compared with wt‐APC multi‐dosing therapy at 12:00 h, 1, 3, 5 and 7 days after dMCAO significantly improved functional recovery and reduced the infarction volume by 75% and 38%, respectively, within 7 days. The wt‐APC, but not 3K3A‐APC, significantly increased the risk of intracerebral bleeding as indicated by a 50% increase in hemoglobin levels in the ischemic hemisphere. Thus, 3K3A‐APC offers a new approach for safer and more efficacious treatments of neurodegenerative disorders and stroke with APC.
Basal ganglia and frontal involvement in self‐generated and externally‐triggered finger movements in the dominant and non‐dominant hand
Authors: François‐Brosseau Félix‐Etienne , Martinu Kristina , Strafella Antonio P. , Petrides Michael , Simard France , Monchi Oury
Published: March 2009

Although there are a number of functional neuroimaging studies that have investigated self‐initiated and externally‐triggered movements, data directly comparing right and left hands in this context are very scarce. The goal of this study was to further understand the role of the basal ganglia and prefrontal cortex in the realm of self‐initiated and externally‐triggered right and left hand movements. Young healthy right‐handed adults performed random, follow and repeat conditions of a finger moving task with their right and left hands, while being scanned with functional magnetic resonance imaging. Significant activation of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex was observed when comparing the self‐initiated movements with the repeated control and externally‐triggered movements when using either hand in agreement with its role in monitoring. The caudate nucleus activation was found during self‐initiated conditions compared with the control condition when either hand was used, showing that it is particularly involved when a new movement needs to be planned. Significant putamen activation was observed in all within‐hand contrasts except for the externally‐triggered vs. control condition when using the left hand. Furthermore, greater putaminal activation was found for the left vs. the right hand during the control condition, but for the right vs. the left hand subtraction for the self‐initiated condition. Our results show that the putamen is particularly involved in the execution of non‐routine movements, especially if those are self‐initiated. Furthermore, we propose that, for right‐handed people performing fine movements, as far as putamen involvement is concerned, the lack of proficiency of the non‐dominant hand may prevail over other task demands.
Functional connectivity during a social emotion task in adolescents and in adults
Authors: Burnett Stephanie , Blakemore Sarah‐Jayne
Published: March 2009

In this fMRI study we investigated functional connectivity between components of the mentalising system during a social emotion task, using psychophysiological interaction (PPI) analysis. Ten adults (22–32 years) and 18 adolescents (11–18 years) were scanned while thinking about scenarios in which a social or a basic emotion would be experienced. Unlike basic emotions (such as disgust and fear), social emotions (such as embarrassment and guilt) require the representation of another’s mental states. In both adults and adolescents, an anterior rostral region of medial prefrontal cortex (arMPFC) involved in mentalising showed greater connectivity with the posterior superior temporal sulcus (pSTS) bordering on the temporo‐parietal junction (TPJ) and with anterior temporal cortex (ATC) during social than during basic emotion. This result provides novel evidence that components of the mentalising system interact functionally during a social emotion task. Furthermore, functional connectivity differed between adolescence and adulthood. The adolescent group showed stronger connectivity between arMPFC and pSTS/TPJ during social relative to basic emotion than did the adult group, suggestive of developmental changes in functional integration within the mentalising system.
Spatial attention can modulate audiovisual integration at multiple cortical and subcortical sites
Authors: Fairhall S. L. , Macaluso E.
Published: March 2009

The role of attention in multisensory integration (MI) is presently uncertain, with some studies supporting an automatic, pre‐attentive process and others suggesting possible modulation through selective attention. The goal of this functional magnetic resonance imaging study was to investigate the role of spatial attention on the processing of congruent audiovisual speech stimuli (here indexing MI). Subjects were presented with two simultaneous visual streams (speaking lips in the left and right visual hemifields) plus a single central audio stream (spoken words). In the selective attention conditions, the auditory stream was congruent with one of the two visual streams. Subjects attended to either the congruent or the incongruent visual stream, allowing the comparison of brain activity for attended vs. unattended MI while the amount of multisensory information in the environment and the overall attentional requirements were held constant. Meridian mapping and a lateralized ‘speaking‐lips’ localizer were used to identify early visual areas and to localize regions responding to contralateral visual stimulations. Results showed that attention to the congruent audiovisual stimulus resulted in increased activation in the superior temporal sulcus, striate and extrastriate retinotopic visual cortex, and superior colliculus. These findings demonstrate that audiovisual integration and spatial attention jointly interact to influence activity in an extensive network of brain areas, including associative regions, early sensory‐specific visual cortex and subcortical structures that together contribute to the perception of a fused audiovisual percept.
On the origins of the sensory output from the bladder: the concept of afferent noise
Authors: Gillespie James I. , Van Koeveringe Gommert A. , De Wachter Stefan G. , De Vente Jan
Published: March 2009

For many people a recurrent strong desire to void, sometimes with incontinence, diminishes their quality of life. At present there are few insights into what underlies these problems. The condition is described as the ‘overactive bladder symptom complex’ but this definition is proving to be unhelpful. It focuses on overt bladder contractions rather than the main problem, which is altered and heightened sensation. Also, current approaches that describe bladder sensations as episodic and leading to voiding as ‘first and second sensation to void’ might also be misleading if they are taken too literally and used to suggest mechanisms. Current research is beginning to focus on the mechanisms that generate afferent information from the bladder and how it can become altered. As these views develop it is crucial that we appreciate the diversity of the bladder afferent system and distinguish between afferent and sensory information; in this review we explore this underlying complexity. The central nervous system (CNS) receives vast amounts of information from the bladder, which arises from different locations, uses different fibre types and involves different methods. The CNS is continually being bombarded with ‘afferent noise’. The challenge now is to understand the nature and components of this ‘afferent noise’ and which components are essential to sensation. The emerging picture is complex, but this complexity must not be negated or oversimplified. It must be embraced and incorporated it into thinking when designing experiments, analysing data, diagnosing patients and evaluating treatment.
Efficacy of behavioural interventions in managing atypical antipsychotic weight gain
Authors: Gabriele J. M. , Dubbert P. M. , Reeves R. R.
Published: March 2009

Atypical antipsychotic treatment is associated with weight gain and increased metabolic risk. This systematic literature review evaluates the current research on the effectiveness of behavioural interventions in treating and preventing atypical antipsychotic weight gain and reducing metabolic risk, describes characteristics of interventions implemented and discusses findings in the context of the RE‐AIM framework. Sixteen studies were identified. When initiated at the start of treatment with an atypical antipsychotic agent, behavioural weight loss interventions decreased the amount of weight gain associated with atypical antipsychotic treatment. When behavioural interventions were initiated after the start of atypical antipsychotic treatment, these interventions were associated with weight loss. Mean weight losses across studies by treatment duration were 2.63 kg for 12‐ to 16‐week interventions, 4.24 kg for 6‐month interventions and 3.05 kg for 12‐ to 18‐month interventions. Behavioural weight loss interventions were also found to improve insulin regulation and HbA1c. In addition to assessing efficacy, future studies should evaluate other components of the RE‐AIM framework, including reach, adoption, implementation and maintenance. This information will be useful in determining what types of interventions are both effective and practical for delivery in health care or community mental health settings.
Inventories and Public Information in Private Negotiation: A Laboratory Market Study
Authors: Menkhaus Dale J. , Phillips Owen R. , Yakunina Alla V.
Published: March 2009

Using laboratory markets, this research investigates the impacts of reporting different kinds of aggregated trade information to buyers and sellers who conduct transactions through bilateral/private negotiation. There are a limited number of bargaining rounds or matches between buyer and seller pairs. Sellers hold a perishable inventory before negotiations begin. We find that knowledge of trades, along with price, improves the coordination and bargaining position of buyers. Trade prices are lower and buyer earnings are higher, relative to the no‐information treatment or when just‐past quantities or just‐past prices are reported. Market efficiency declines as public information is reported.
The Varying Impacts of Agricultural Support Programs on U.S. Farm Household Consumption
Authors: Whitaker James B.
Published: March 2009

Farm households are economic agents whose income is derived from farm, off‐farm, and government sources. This article uses farm‐level data from the Agricultural Resource Management Survey (ARMS) and recent advances in the econometric theory of dynamic pseudo‐panels to show that farm households consume various sources of income differently at the margin. Particular attention is given to a specific type of lump‐sum government transfer payment intended to be decoupled from (independent of) farm production decisions. The results suggest that relatively decoupled government subsidies have a greater marginal effect on farm household consumption than subsidies that are tied to market conditions.
Effects of Label Information on Consumer Willingness‐to‐Pay for Food Attributes
Authors: Gao Zhifeng , Schroeder Ted C.
Published: March 2009

Choice experiments (CEs) are often used to elicit consumer willingness‐to‐pay (WTP) for food attributes. A concern about these approaches is that food attributes provided to respondents are assumed independent of attributes not provided. We use surveys containing a series of CEs to investigate effects of adding beef steak attributes. WTP for important attributes in the CEs decrease when the number of attributes increases from three to four, while WTP increases when the number of attributes increases from four to five. Changes in WTP for attributes depend on their relationships with newly added attributes and the number of attributes presented.
Who Pays the Costs of Non‐GMO Segregation and Identity Preservation?
Authors: Desquilbet Marion , Bullock David S.
Published: March 2009

Our aim is to explore who pays the costs and who reaps the benefits of maintaining a dual‐market system of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and non‐GMOs. We analyze the welfare effects of the introduction of consumer “hatred” given GMO technology and the introduction of GMO technology given hatred. Making alternative assumptions of competitive and then monopolistic supply, we recognize that identity preservation (IP) of non‐GMOs creates costs for IP and non‐IP producers. We model these costs as depending on the sizes of the two supply channels.
Dairy Tariff‐Quota Liberalization: Contrasting Bilateral and Most Favored Nation Reform Options
Authors: Grant Jason H. , Hertel Thomas W. , Rutherford Thomas F.
Published: March 2009

A highly disaggregated, “tariff line,” source‐differentiated, partial equilibrium model of U.S. specialty cheese imports is developed to investigate reform options for tariff‐rate quotas (TRQs). A mixed‐complementarity framework is used to represent bilateral and most favored nation (MFN) tariff quotas. The impacts of liberalizing U.S. specialty cheese imports via bilateral and MFN quota expansions, out‐of‐quota tariff cuts, and simultaneous liberalization scenarios are evaluated. We find that the path of liberalization is quite different, depending on the reform approach undertaken, particularly if the United States adopted an MFN quota administration mechanism for specialty cheese imports.
The Future of Renewable Energy in Australia: A Test for Cooperative Federalism?
Authors: Jones Stephen
Published: March 2009

In the context of the Australian federal system industry development will be influenced by the policies of each sphere of government. When announcing a set of policies in 1997 to develop the renewable energy industry the Australian federal government acknowledged the need for a cooperative approach between all governments and industry. The objective of this article is to analyse the government policies over the 1997–2007 period to promote the development of the renewable energy industry in Australia. The article highlights a number of factors that have served as barriers to the development of the industry. The research provides important insight into the difficulties associated with establishing cooperative national arrangements in areas of state government responsibility in the Australian federation. The lessons also inform the current debate on the policy initiatives needed to more effectively reduce greenhouse gas emissions from stationary energy from the increased availability of renewable energy.
Leading from Below: How Sub‐National Governments Influence Policy Agendas
Authors: Keddie J.N. , Smith R.F.I.
Published: March 2009

This article takes a state's eye view of trends towards a more centralised system of governance in Australia. It argues that while globalisation strengthens the roles of national governments it also provides less noticed public policy and management opportunities for sub‐national governments. The article shows how state governments in Australia can use high‐level policy proposals to reinforce their continuing relevance as key members of a federal system of government. It proposes that skilful deployment of policy ideas and analyses can enable the states to sustain alternative national agendas despite hostility or lack of interest by the federal government. In conclusion, the article examines the implications for federal‐state relations under the Rudd government. It suggests that the elements for productive reform agendas are present but that bringing them together will require considerable effort.
Putting the Cart before the Horse: Accountability or Performance?
Authors: Chan Hon S. , Gao Jie
Published: March 2009

Conventional wisdom argues that a good set of performance measures builds accountability and that improved accountability generates better productivity in the organisation. By way of an analysis of a case study in one inland Chinese county, this article shows that the assumed relationship between performance and accountability is more rhetoric than real. In practice, the implementation of performance measurement in local China leads to an accountability paradox, in which enhanced accountability tends to hinder the improvement of government productivity. The implementation of the Chinese target‐based responsibility system risks boosting the short term accountability of public employees while undermining the long term productivity of government agencies. With the deepening of China's market‐oriented reform, this choice appears to put the cart before the horse.
Islamic Financial Institutions and Corporate Governance: New Insights for Agency Theory
Authors: Safieddine Assem
Published: March 2009

Manuscript Type: Empirical

Research Question/Issue: This paper takes a theory building approach to highlighting variations of agency theory in the unique and complex context of Islamic banks, mainly stemming from the need to comply with Sharia and the separation of cash flow and control rights for a category of investors.

Research Findings/Results: The paper provides insights that agency structures in the context of Islamic banking might give rise to trade‐offs between Sharia compliance and mechanisms protecting investors' rights. Alternative models of idiosyncratic governance might be effective in balancing the two cornerstones of the agency dynamic. In practice, the paper finds that most of the surveyed Islamic banks appear to recognize the value of governance and institute some basic mechanisms. Nonetheless, some governance flaws relating to audit, control, and transparency are observed, a situation further exacerbated by the fact that investment account holders are not represented on the board, and are not granted control or monitoring rights. This leads to a discussion on the tradeoff between the costs and benefits of such a practice.

Theoretical Implications: This study contributes to the agency theory literature by providing theoretical propositions highlighting challenges to this theory whereby mechanisms with the purpose of mitigating agency problems might lead to a divergence from Islamic principles of Sharia.

Practical Implications: The paper motivates Islamic banks to improve governance practices currently in place. It alerts policy makers to the need to tailor the regulations to safeguard the interests of all investors without violating the principles of Sharia.
Ultimate Institutional Owner and Takeover Defenses in the Controlling versus Minority Shareholders Context
Authors: Ruiz‐Mallorquí M. Victoria , Santana‐Martín Domingo J.
Published: March 2009

Manuscript Type: Empirical

Research Question/Issue: We examine the relationship between the level of voting rights held by the principal owner and the use of defense measures in Spanish listed firms when the owner is an institutional investor.

Research Findings/Results: When a bank or a fund is the principal shareholder, the level of defense increases. However, while a larger bank's voting rights exercises a negative effect on the probability and level of defense, the effect of a fund's voting rights is U‐shaped. Moreover, the results show that the coalition of two banks as the largest shareholders increases the defense.

Theoretical Implications: Our study is, to the best of our knowledge, the first to analyze the relationship between institutional control and defense in the controlling versus minority shareholders conflict. The results show the importance of the nature of the institutional owner in the ownership‐protection relationship. Thus, while in banks there is a substitution effect between voting rights and anti‐takeover measures, in funds that substitution effect occurs up to a certain level of voting rights, above which defense increases because of the possible reduction of exit barriers of their investment.

Practical Implications: The results indicate that European regulators should pay special attention to firms controlled by institutional investors. Ownership and anti‐takeover measures are used by institutional owners to guarantee their power positions. Therefore, in an environment of concentrated ownership, the presence of institutional investors restricts the corporate control market as they either maintain high levels of ownership or facilitate the adoption of defense measures.
Government Apologies for Historical Injustices
Authors: Blatz Craig W. , Schumann Karina , Ross Michael
Published: March 2009

Scholars from various disciplines suggest that government apologies for historical injustices fulfill important psychological goals. After reviewing psychological literature that contributes to this discussion, we present a list of elements that political apologies should contain to be acceptable to both members of the victimized minority and the nonvictimized majority. Content coding of a list of government apologies revealed that many, but not all, include most of these elements. We then reviewed research demonstrating that political apologies that contain most of these facets are favorably evaluated, but especially by members of the nonvictimized majority. Next, we examined how the demands of victimized minorities affect their satisfaction with government apologies that lack some components. We conclude by discussing the implications of our analysis for when and how governments should apologize.
The Politics of Perception: Use and Abuse of Transparency International's Approach to Measuring Corruption
Authors: Andersson Staffan , Heywood Paul M.
Published: March 2009

The annual Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), published by Transparency International (TI), has had a pivotal role in focusing attention on corruption. Despite recent critiques of the CPI, it remains highly influential on research into the causes of corruption and is also extensively used to galvanise support for measures to fight corruption. In this article we explore the CPI in more depth in order to highlight how the index has been used for political ends which may not always turn out to be supportive of anti-corruption efforts. The argument is developed in four sections: in the first, we focus on Transparency International's definition of corruption, highlighting some conceptual difficulties with the approach adopted and its relationship to the promotion of ‘good governance’ as the principal means of combating corruption. In the second section, we outline some methodological difficulties in the design of the Corruption Perceptions Index. Although the CPI has been much criticised, we demonstrate in the third section that the index continues to exercise great influence both in academic research and in the politics of anti-corruption efforts, particularly as exercised by Transparency International itself. In the final section we argue that the CPI contributes to the risk of creating a ‘corruption trap’ in countries where corruption is deeply embedded, as development aid is increasingly made conditional on the implementation of reforms which are impossible to achieve without that aid.
Reconsidering the Claim to Family Reunification in Migration
Authors: Honohan Iseult
Published: March 2009

A high proportion of legal immigration is based on family reunification. On one view, this is based on a partialist preference towards citizens, and the universally grounded claims of refugees should be given at least equal consideration. This article focuses on reconsidering the justification for considering family reunification a particularly important criterion for admission and residence, without attempting to establish how exactly family and refugee claims should be balanced. It first considers arguments for and against giving substantial weight in migration to family members with respect to citizens and denizens, the state and incomers. These include, on the one hand, the intrinsic value of and right to family life, the possibility of integration and the agent-specific nature of the obligations involved, and, on the other, the anachronistic nature of the family claim, the extent to which migration is voluntary, the contemporary prevalence of transnational family relationships, the inheritance of privilege and the multiplier effect of family reunification. It next considers the justification for discriminating among family applicants in order to reduce family migration numbers by restricting admission to the immediate nuclear family, and examines whether this represents unwarranted cultural discrimination or runs counter to the fundamental reasons for respecting family life. It is argued that family reunification is best justified in terms not of a partialist preference towards fellow citizens, but of a universal obligation to allow those subject to the state's authority to maintain intimate relationships that entail agent-specific obligations of care. This justifies very substantial consideration for at least certain kinds of family reunification. If, in order to meet other claims, we should discriminate among family members, priority should attach to family relationships of care at ‘critical times’, rather than to nuclear family membership per se.
Size and e‐Democracy: Online Participation in Norwegian Local Politics
Authors: Saglie Jo , Vabo Signy Irene
Published: March 2009

This study of municipal e‐participation in Norway, comprising local politicians as well as citizens, explores the impact of municipal size on online participation. First, the analyses show that the conventional predictors of offline participation also influence online participation, but the Internet encourages more activity among young people. Second, the same digital divides are generally found within the local political elite as among the citizens. Municipal size is, however, an exception. In the case of the local politicians, higher online participation rates are found in populous municipalities. This territorial digital divide is absent among the citizens. The findings indicate that the relatively high level of traditional participation in small municipalities also promote e‐participation.
REGIONAL SOCIAL NETWORKS AS CONDUITS FOR KNOWLEDGE SPILLOVERS: EXPLAINING PERFORMANCE OF HIGH‐TECH FIRMS
Authors: BOSHUIZEN JOHANNES , GEURTS PETER , VAN DER VEEN ANNE
Published: March 2009

The purpose of this paper is to open the ‘black box’ of knowledge spillovers by testing the extent to which social interactions between firms in a region positively contribute to firm performance. Specifically, we examine the Marshall‐Jacobs controversy, a debate over whether these spillovers occur across firms operating in similar or dissimilar fields. Our empirical examination of the debate relies on a dataset that is constructed from three sources: firm‐level data of 1,881 high‐tech firms in all 40 Dutch regions, regional economic data and network data constructed from the membership registrations of all business associations in a sample of 11 regions. The results show that the total amount of regional network activity has no effect on individual firm performance; however, participation in local business networks does support firm employment growth. With regards to the Marshall‐Jacobs controversy, the results show that having local links to other high‐tech firms is conducive to a firm's employment growth, while links to other types of firms provided no such lift.
The Economic Constitution of the European Community: From ‘Rome’ to ‘Maastricht’
Authors: Streit Manfred E. , Mussler Werner
Published: March 2009

Abstract:The present paper analyses, from an economic point of view, the changes in the economic constitution of the European Community since its foundation in 1958. In order to identify the various changes, we start by developing an economic frame of reference. Our proposition is that the constitution of the European Community (EC) came closest to this frame of reference: an economic constitution for a market system. In the subsequent parts, we try to show that the process of European integration was largely based on the introduction of non‐market elements. Our final argument will be that as far as the economic constitution is concerned, the Treaty on European Union (TEU) is dominated by traits which are Characteristic of modern welfare states.
Neo‐Voluntarism: A New European Social Policy Regime?
Authors: Streeck Wolfgang
Published: March 2009

Abstract: The essay begins with a recapitulation of core institutional properties of the European Union as they have evolved over several decades. The leading insight deriving from this exercise is that European social policy will always, for all practical purposes, be made simultaneously at two levels, a supranational one and a national one, and will be shaped by complex interactions between them and among the national systems situated in the integrated market economy of the Union. Proceeding from here, the remainder of the paper examines the two levels of social policy‐making, beginning with the supranational and moving on to the national, in an effort to identify the kinds of policies that are most likely to emerge given the constraints and opportunities offered by the institutional framework.
Social Values and the Multiple Sources of European Social Law
Authors: Sciarra Silvana
Published: March 2009

Abstract: The paper aims at describing the current status of European social law, by examining different sources. These include the most recent directives; the Protocol attached to the Maastricht Treaty; the Commission's latest White papers on social policies and on economic growth and unemployment; and the case law of the European Court of Justice. In such a variegated legal landscape, a significant role could be played by non‐binding measures; the notion of soft law is slowly acquiring its own dignity in European social law and is emerging for open interpretation. Yet, European labour law houses a fragile body of norms. The spreading of social values would become a tangible prospect if the potential of the multiple sources here examined were better exploited by all actors. Although a coherent legal structure is still to come, a legal culture is being created which should be strengthened through action by all Community institutions.
The Telecommunications Law of the European Union
Authors: Sauter Wolf
Published: March 2009

Abstract:This article is intended to give an overview of the law as it stands on telecommunications at the Community level. Over the past ten years the telecommunications law and policy of the European Community have developed rapidly along the twin axes of liberalisation (deregulation) and harmonisation (reregulation). The innovative use of Article 90 EEC has been central to liberalisation, while most harmonisation legislation has been based on open network provision (ONP) passed under Article 100a. The article concludes that, now the national monopolies have been largely dismantled, new issues will arise in the competitive market.
Insular shifts and trade‐offs in life‐history traits in pond frogs in the Zhoushan Archipelago, China
Authors: Wang Y. , Li Y. , Wu Z. , Murray B. R.
Published: March 2009

Island and mainland populations of animal species often differ strikingly in life‐history traits such as clutch size, egg size, total reproductive effort and body size. However, despite widespread recognition of insular shifts in these life‐history traits in birds, mammals and reptiles, there have been no reports of such life‐history shifts in amphibians. Furthermore, most studies have focused on one specific life‐history trait without explicit consideration of coordinated evolution among these intimately linked life‐history traits, and thus the relationships among these traits are poorly studied. Here we provide the first evidence of insular shifts and trade‐offs in a coordinated suite of life‐history traits for an amphibian species, the pond frog Rana nigromaculata. Life‐history data were collected from eight islands in the Zhoushan Archipelago and neighboring mainland China. We found consistent, significant shifts in all life‐history traits between mainland and island populations. Island populations had smaller clutch sizes, larger egg sizes, larger female body size and invested less in total reproductive effort than mainland populations. Significant negative relationships were found between egg size and clutch size and between egg size and total reproductive effort among frog populations after controlling for the effects of body size. Therefore, decreased reproductive effort and clutch size, larger egg size and body size in pond frogs on islands were selected through trade‐offs as an overall life‐history strategy. Our findings contribute to the formation of a broad, repeatable ecological generality for insular shifts in life‐history traits across a range of terrestrial vertebrate taxa.
Climate and vegetational regime shifts in the late Paleozoic ice age earth
Authors: DIMICHELE W. A. , MONTAÑEZ I. P. , POULSEN C. J. , TABOR N. J.
Published: March 2009

The late Paleozoic earth experienced alternation between glacial and non‐glacial climates at multiple temporal scales, accompanied by atmospheric CO2fluctuations and global warming intervals, often attended by significant vegetational changes in equatorial latitudes of Pangaea. We assess the nature of climate–vegetation interaction during two time intervals: middle–late Pennsylvanian transition and Pennsylvanian–Permian transition, each marked by tropical warming and drying. In case study 1, there is a catastrophic intra‐biomic reorganization of dominance and diversity in wetland, evergreen vegetation growing under humid climates. This represents a threshold‐type change, possibly a regime shift to an alternative stable state. Case study 2 is an inter‐biome dominance change in western and central Pangaea from humid wetland and seasonally dry to semi‐arid vegetation. Shifts between these vegetation types had been occurring in Euramerican portions of the equatorial region throughout the late middle and late Pennsylvanian, the drier vegetation reaching persistent dominance by Early Permian. The oscillatory transition between humid and seasonally dry vegetation appears to demonstrate a threshold‐like behavior but probably not repeated transitions between alternative stable states. Rather, changes in dominance in lowland equatorial regions were driven by long‐term, repetitive climatic oscillations, occurring with increasing intensity, within overall shift to seasonal dryness through time. In neither case study are there clear biotic or abiotic warning signs of looming changes in vegetational composition or geographic distribution, nor is it clear that there are specific, absolute values or rates of environmental change in temperature, rainfall distribution and amount, or atmospheric composition, approach to which might indicate proximity to a terrestrial biotic‐change threshold.
Influence of a Drinking Quantity and Frequency Measure on the Prevalence and Demographic Correlates of DSM‐IV Alcohol Dependence
Authors: Keyes Katherine M. , Geier Timothy , Grant Bridget F. , Hasin Deborah S.
Published: March 2009

Background:  Recent research suggests that adding a quantity/frequency alcohol consumption measure to diagnoses of alcohol use disorders may improve construct validity of the diagnoses for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental and Behavior Disorders (DSM‐V). This study explores the epidemiological impact of including weekly at‐risk drinking (WAD) in the DMS‐IV diagnostic definition of alcohol dependence via 3 hypothetical reformulations of the current criteria.

Methods:  The sample was the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions, a nationally representative sample with 43,093 adults aged >18 in the U.S interviewed with the Alcohol Use Disorder and Associated Disabilities Interview Schedule IV. The current (DSM‐IV) definition of alcohol dependence was compared with 4 hypothetical alcohol dependence reformulations that included WAD: (1) WAD added as an eighth criteria; (2) WAD required for a diagnosis; (3) adding abuse and dependence criteria together, and including WAD with a 3 of 12 symptom threshold; (4) adding abuse and dependence criteria together, and including WAD with a 5 of 12 symptom threshold.

Results:  The inclusion of at‐risk drinking as an eighth criterion of alcohol dependence has a minimal impact on the sociodemographic correlates of alcohol dependence but substantially increases the prevalence of dependence (from 3.8% to 5.0%). At‐risk drinking as a required criterion or as part of a diagnosis that combines abuse with dependence criteria with a higher threshold (5+ criteria) decreases prevalence and has a larger impact on sociodemographic correlates. Blacks, Hispanics, and women are less likely to be included in diagnostic reformulations that include WAD, whereas individuals with low‐income and education are more likely to remain diagnosed.

Conclusions:  Including WAD as either a requirement of diagnosis or as an additional criterion would have a large impact on the prevalence of alcohol dependence in the general population. The inclusion of a quantity/frequency requirement may eliminate false positives from studies of alcohol disorder etiology and improve phenotype definition for genetic association studies by reducing heterogeneity in the diagnosis, but may also reduce eligibility for treatment services among women and racial/ethnic minorities compared.
Influence of Antisocial and Psychopathic Traits on Decision‐Making Biases in Alcoholics
Authors: Miranda Jr Robert , MacKillop James , Meyerson Lori A. , Justus Alicia , Lovallo William R.
Published: March 2009

Background:  Although decision‐making processes have become a principal target of study among addiction researchers, few studies have specifically examined decision‐making among individuals with alcohol dependence (AD) and findings to date are mixed. The present study examined the relationship between AD and decision‐making, and tested whether different facets of antisocial and psychopathic traits explain this association.

Methods:  Participants were men with AD (n = 22), AD and comorbid antisocial personality disorder (AD + ASPD; n = 17), or a history of recreational alcohol use, but no current or lifetime symptoms of a substance use disorder, conduct disorder, or ASPD (n = 21). Decision‐making was tested using the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT).

Results:  Across groups, participants reported similar levels of awareness of the contingencies of the task, but the AD groups with and without ASPD had poorer IGT performance compared with controls (p < 0.05). A block‐by‐block analysis revealed that while AD had slow but steady improvement across the task, AD + ASPD exhibited initial improvement followed by a significant decrease in advantageous decision‐making during the last 20 trials (p < 0.05). This was further confirmed via evidence that impulsive/antisocial personality traits but not psychopathic traits mediated poor IGT performance beyond ASPD diagnosis.

Conclusions:  Alcohol‐dependent males favored risky choices regardless of whether they met criteria for ASPD. However, decision‐making deficits were more pronounced among those with ASPD, and personality traits characterized by impulsive and antisocial tendencies mediated the relationship between AD and decision‐making.
Associations ofALDH2andADH1BGenotypes With Alcohol‐Related Phenotypes in Asian Young Adults
Authors: Hendershot Christian S. , Collins Susan E. , George William H. , Wall Tamara L. , McCarthy Denis M. , Liang Tiebing , Larimer Mary E.
Published: March 2009

Background: Associations ofALDH2andADH1Bgenotypes with alcohol use have been evaluated largely using case–control studies, which typically focus on adult samples and dichotomous diagnostic outcomes. Relatively fewer studies have evaluatedALDH2andADH1Bin relation to continuous drinking outcomes or at different developmental stages. This study examined additive and interactive effects ofALDH2andADH1Bgenotypes on drinking behavior in a mixed‐gender sample of Asian young adults, focusing on continuous phenotypes (e.g., heavy episodic and hazardous drinking, alcohol sensitivity, drinking consequences) whose expression is expected to precede the onset of alcohol use disorders.

Methods: The sample included 182 Chinese‐ and Korean‐American young adults ages 18 years and older (mean age = 20 years). Effects ofALDH2,ADH1Band ethnicity were estimated using generalized linear modeling.

Results: TheALDH2*2allele predicted lower reported rates of alcohol use and drinking consequences as well as greater reported sensitivity to alcohol. There were significant ethnic group differences in drinking outcomes, such that Korean ethnicity predicted higher drinking rates and lower alcohol sensitivity.ADH1Bstatus was not significantly related to drinking outcomes.

Conclusions: Ethnicity andALDH2status, but notADH1Bstatus, consistently explained significant variance in alcohol consumption in this relatively young sample. Results extend previous work by showing an association ofALDH2genotype with drinking consequences. Findings are discussed in the context of possible developmental and population differences in the influence ofALDH2andADH1Bvariations on alcohol‐related phenotypes.
Residential Segregation Influences on the Likelihood of Ethnic Self–Employment
Authors: Fairchild Gregory B.
Published: March 2009

Geographic and environmental influences on economic action have a long history in managerial research. This paper develops and estimates a model of the potential of a broad set of U.S. racial minority groups to enter self–employment based on individual–level, household–level, and metropolitan area–level factors. The model allows for an analysis of two distinct residential segregation processes on self–employment likelihood. Results indicate that clustering by race has group–specific influences, increasing the likelihood of self–employment for some groups and diminishing for others. Higher levels of racial exposure raise the likelihood of entrepreneurial careers for all groups, but especially for Blacks.
Intuition versus Analysis? Testing Differential Models of Cognitive Style on Entrepreneurial Self–Efficacy and the New Venture Creation Process
Authors: Kickul Jill , Gundry Lisa K. , Barbosa Saulo D. , Whitcanack Laney
Published: March 2009

This research revealed the significant role of two distinct cognitive styles as a determinant of perceived entrepreneurial self–efficacy regarding the different stages of the new venture process. The study found that individuals’ cognitive preference for analysis or intuition influences their perception and assessment of their entrepreneurial self–efficacy in their intentions to create a new venture. Individuals with the intuitive cognitive style were more confident in their ability to identify and recognize opportunities, without much confidence in their capacity of assessment, evaluation, planning, and marshalling of resources. Conversely, individuals with the analytic cognitive style were more confident in their abilities to assess, evaluate, plan, and marshal resources, but felt less confident in their abilities to search for and recognize new opportunities.
Perceived Acute Human Resource Management Problems in Small and Medium Firms: An Empirical Examination
Authors: Tocher Neil , Rutherford Matthew W.
Published: March 2009

The main objective of this study was to introduce and empirically test a novel and useful framework from which to study human resource management (HRM) problems in small– and medium–sized enterprises (SMEs). Specifically, the “perceived acute HRM problems framework” introduced in this study was an attempt to advance the literature by moving beyond simply studying when HRM problems may exist in SMEs, to instead studying when SME owners and managers perceive that HRM problems are the firm's most significant concern. Recent literature suggests that SME owners and managers do not conceptualize specific HRM problems on a spectrum. Rather, they are more likely to perceive only “people problems” in the aggregate and then only when severe. Thus, the acute problems framework may be a more appropriate angle from which to study HRM problems in SMEs. We employ binary logistic regression on a sample of 1,693 SMEs to analyze the effect of owner/manager characteristics and firm characteristics on the likelihood of perceiving acute HRM problems. Our results indicate that SME owners and managers who were running higher–performing firms were less likely to perceive acute HRM problems. Conversely, SME owners and managers who were more experienced, who were more educated, and who were running larger SMEs were more likely to perceive acute HRM problems. Finally, gender, owner age, firm age, and firm growth showed no significant relationship with likelihood of SME owners and managers perceiving acute HRM problems.