bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Executive Compensation: A Model of Disclosure Choice
Authors: Frantz Pascal , Instefjord Norvald , Walker Martin
Published: October 2013

Recent public policy debates have led to increased calls for full transparency of executive compensation. However, in practice, many firms are reluctant to disclose the full details of how they link executive compensation to performance. One possible reason for lack of full disclosure is that managers use their power to hide the details of their compensation plan in order to disguise opportunistic rent extraction. If this is the reason for secrecy, then public policy designed to force firms to provide full disclosure is unlikely to be resisted by shareholders. However, another possible explanation for less than full transparency is that some degree of secrecy about executive compensation may be in the interest of the company and its shareholders. If this explanation is correct, then public policy moves to increase transparency may be met by counter moves designed to protect managers and shareholders from such policies.

In this paper we investigate if full disclosure of executive compensation arrangements is always optimal for shareholders. We develop a model where optimal executive remuneration solves a moral hazard problem. However, the degree to which the moral hazard problem affects the shareholders depends on hidden information, so that disclosure of the executive compensation scheme will typically reveal the hidden information, which can be harmful to shareholders. The model derives, therefore, the optimal disclosure policy and the optimal remuneration scheme. We find that the shareholders are better off pre‐committing not to disclose the executive compensation scheme whenever possible. Executive directors are shown to be better off too in the absence of disclosure of executive compensation schemes. An argument for mandating disclosure is that it provides better information to shareholders but our analysis demonstrates that disclosure does not necessarily achieve this objective.

The results suggest that less than full disclosure can be in the interest of shareholders, the reason for this being that disclosures cannot be made selectively to shareholders but will also be made to strategic opponents. This will be the case if the board of directors and the remuneration committee includes enough independent directors. Whether or not non‐disclosure to shareholders is in their interest is however an empirical matter involving a trade‐off between the proprietary costs associated with disclosure to shareholders and the costs of potential collusion between executive and non‐executive directors associated with non‐disclosure.
Rhythm‐Symptom Correlation in Patients on Continuous Monitoring After Catheter Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation
Authors: TONDO C. , TRITTO M. , LANDOLINA M. , DE GIROLAMO PG. , BENCARDINO G. , MOLTRASIO M. , DELLO RUSSO A. , DELLA BELLA P. , BERTAGLIA E. , PROCLEMER A. , DE SANCTIS V. , MANTICA M.
Published: October 2013

Rhythm‐Symptom Correlation in Patients on Continuous Monitoring

Introduction

Correlation between symptoms and atrial fibrillation (AF) episodes after catheter ablation may have clinical relevance, especially for anticoagulation usage. The aim of our project was to analyze the relationship between symptoms and AF recurrences in unselected patients following AF catheter ablation during long‐term follow‐up.

Methods and Results

One hundred and forty‐three consecutive patients (mean age 59 ± 9 years, 85% male) were implanted with a continuous cardiac monitor (RevealXT, Medtronic Inc., Minneapolis, MN, USA) following first pulmonary vein ablation procedure. Device data were downloaded every 3 months and correlated to patients’ symptom diary. AF was paroxysmal in 55% and persistent in 45%. At a mean follow‐up of 14 ± 6 months, 98/143 (69%) patients had at least one AF recurrence. Among these, 53 (54%) reported AF‐related symptoms while 45 (46%) were totally asymptomatic. Conversely, 13 (29%) out of 45 patients without AF recurrences reported symptoms. Globally, a significant reduction of symptoms (from 82% at baseline to 44% at last follow‐up; P < 0.0001) was observed. SF‐12 questionnaire showed a significant improvement of physical and mental functioning (respectively 44.5 ± 8.5 vs 51.0 ± 6.7, and 45.7 ± 9.3 vs 49.2 ± 6.1, P < 0.05 baseline vs last follow‐up). At the 12‐month follow‐up, 80% and 77% of patients were on AAD and anticoagulant drugs, respectively. There were not differences in AAD usage in symptomatic and asymptomatic patients.

Conclusions

Continuous ECG monitoring is a valuable tool for long‐term follow‐up after AF catheter ablation facilitating reliable assessment of symptomatic and asymptomatic AF episodes. This may have clinical implications with regards to anticoagulation therapy in high‐risk patients.
Catheter‐Tissue Contact Force Determines Atrial Electrogram Characteristics Before and Lesion Efficacy After Antral Pulmonary Vein Isolation in Humans
Authors: KUMAR SAURABH , CHAN MARTIN , LEE JUSTIN , WONG MICHAEL C.G. , YUDI MATIAS , MORTON JOSEPH B. , SPENCE STEVEN J. , HALLORAN KAREN , KISTLER PETER M. , KALMAN JONATHAN M.
Published: October 2013

Catheter‐Tissue Contact Force Determines Atrial Electrogram Characteristics

Introduction

Electrogram (EGM) characteristics are used to infer catheter‐tissue contact. We examined if (a) atrial EGM characteristics predicted CF and (b) compared the value of CF versus other surrogates for predicting lesion efficacy.

Methods and Results

Twelve paroxysmal AF patients underwent pulmonary vein isolation using radiofrequency (RF) ablation facilitated by a novel CF‐sensing catheter. Operators were blinded to CF. EGM amplitude, width, and morphology were measured pre‐ and post‐RF. At each RF site, average CF, force–time integral (FTI), impedance fall, time to impedance plateau, maximum power, catheter tip temperature, and total energy delivered were recorded. An effective lesion was defined based on previously validated EGM criteria for transmural lesions. There was a moderate correlation between CF and EGM amplitude (r = 0.19) and EGM width (r = −0.22). Pre‐RF, EGM amplitude, and width had modest to poor discriminative capacity for identifying preablation CF (e.g., EGM amplitude identified CF>20 g with sensitivity and specificity of 67% and 60%, respectively). Preablation CF, FTI, and total energy delivered during RF were the only independent predictors of effective lesion formation. Neither pre‐RF EGM amplitude/width nor power, temperature, and impedance changes during RF predicted effective lesion formation. An average CF >16 g or FTI >404 g*s had excellent sensitivity and specificity (>80%) for identifying an effective lesion.

Conclusions

EGM characteristics do not reliably predict either CF before the onset of RF, nor do they predict the likelihood of an effective lesion. CF parameters were superior to power, temperature, and impedance changes during RF in predicting lesion efficacy.
Hospital Utilization in Adults with Single Ventricle Congenital Heart Disease and Cardiac Arrhythmias
Authors: COLLINS R. THOMAS , FRAM RICKI Y. , TANG XINYU , ROBBINS JAMES M. , ST. JOHN SUTTON MARTIN
Published: October 2013

Arrhythmia in Adults with Single Ventricles

Objectives

The study sought to identify the impact of cardiac arrhythmias on hospitalizations in adults with single ventricle (SV) congenital heart disease (CHD).

Background

Surgical advances have dramatically improved survival in patients with CHD. Cardiac arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death are common in adults with CHD.

Methods and Results

Data from 43 pediatric hospitals in the 2004 to 2011 Pediatric Health Information System database were used to identify patients ≥18 years of age admitted with International Classification of Diseases‐9th Revision codes for a diagnosis of either hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS), tricuspid atresia (TA) or common ventricle (CV), and a cardiac arrhythmia. Primary and secondary diagnoses, length of stay (LOS), hospital charges, and interventional procedures were determined. Multilevel models were used to evaluate differences in demographics, diagnoses, and clinical outcomes among the 3 subgroups (HLHS, TA, and CV). Interactions of charges with arrhythmia and admission year were examined using ANOVA. There were 642 admissions in 424 patients with SV CHD and an arrhythmia diagnosis. A single arrhythmia diagnosis was present in 454 admissions (71%). Total hospital charges were $80.7 million with mean charge per admission of $127,296 ± 243,094. The mean charge per hospital day was $16,653 ± 17,516 and increased across the study period (P < 0.01). Arrhythmia distributions were impacted by SV anatomic subtype (P < 0.001). Hospital resource utilization was significantly different among arrhythmia groups (P < 0.001).

Conclusions

In adults with SV CHD, arrhythmias are affected by SV anatomic subtype and impact adversely upon hospital resource utilization.
Multilevel analysis of the association between posterior restorations and gingival health in young adults: a population‐based birth cohort
Authors: Demarco Flávio Fernando , Correa Marcos Britto , Horta Bernardo , Barros Aluísio J. , Peres Karen Glazer , Peres Marco Aurélio
Published: October 2013

Objective

To investigate the association of direct posterior restorations with gingival bleeding and dental calculus in young adults from a birth cohort.

Methods

A representative sample (n = 720) of 5914 infants born live in Pelotas, Brazil, in 1982, were prospectively investigated, and posterior restorations and periodontal health outcomes assessed when they were 24 years of age. Tooth‐level exploratory variables included the presence and number of restoration's surfaces. Demographic and socio‐economic characteristics, oral health instructions, dental floss usage, dental caries presence and smoking were also considered whilst gingival bleeding and dental calculus were the outcomes. Multilevel logistic regression was carried out.

Results

Class I cavities were found in 15.2% (95% CI 14.5–15.9) of the teeth and class II in 3.6% (3.3–4.0). Percentage of teeth with gingival bleeding was 6.1% (5.6–6.6) and that with dental calculus 22% (21.2–22.8). Even after all the individual variables were controlled for, the presence of a class I [OR1.51 (1.14–2.00)] and class II [OR 1.76 (1.04–2.97)] cavities was positively associated with gingival bleeding. Class I [OR1.36 (1.13–1.65)] and Class II [OR1.80 (1.28–2.53)] cavities were associated with dental calculus also.

Conclusions

Posterior restoration and higher number of restored surfaces was associated with a higher prevalence of gingival bleeding and dental calculus around the restoration.
Practitioner Review: Schizophrenia spectrum disorders and the at‐risk mental state for psychosis in children and adolescents – evidence‐based management approaches
Authors: Tiffin Paul A. , Welsh Patrick
Published: October 2013

Background

Schizophrenia spectrum disorders are severe mental illnesses which often result in significant distress and disability. Attempts have been made to prospectively identify and treat young people viewed as at high risk of impending nonaffective psychosis. Once a schizophrenia spectrum disorder has developed, prompt identification and management is required.

Methods

This article reviews the literature relating to the assessment and management of ‘at‐risk mental states’ (ARMS) and the treatment of schizophrenia spectrum disorders in children and adolescents. A systematic search of the literature was undertaken using EMBASE, MEDLINE, PsycINFO databases for the period January 1970–December 2012.

Results

Evidence suggests that young people fulfilling the ARMS criteria are at high risk of adverse mental health outcomes but that the majority do not develop nonaffective psychosis over the medium term. Although clinical trial findings have been inconsistent, psychosocial approaches, such as cognitive behaviour therapy, may reduce the risk of transition to psychosis and improve some symptoms, at least over the short term. The effectiveness of psychotropic medication for the ARMS is uncertain although there is accumulating evidence for potential adverse effects of antipsychotic medication, even at low dose, in this population. For the schizophrenias, clinical trial findings suggest that, as in adults, antipsychotics should be selected on the basis of side‐effect profile although clozapine may be helpful in treatment refractory illness. There are almost no studies of psychosocial treatments for schizophrenia in young people under 18, and some caution must be exercised when extrapolating the findings of adult studies to younger individuals.

Conclusions

A stepped care approach to the ARMS in young people represents a plausible potential management approach for those at high risk of serious mental health problems. However, predictive models currently lack precision and should focus on accurately identifying those at high risk for a variety of poor outcomes who may benefit most from intervention. There is also an urgent need for age‐specific research in the area of psychosocial treatments for children and adolescents with schizophrenia.
Feeding by Heterotrophic Dinoflagellates and Ciliates on the Free‐living Dinoflagellate Symbiodinium sp. (Clade E)
Authors: Jeong Hae Jin , Lim An Suk , Yoo Yeong Du , Lee Moo Joon , Lee Kyung Ha , Jang Tae Young , Lee Kitack
Published: October 2013

To investigate heterotrophic protists grazing on Symbiodinium sp., we tested whether the common heterotrophic dinoflagellates Gyrodinium dominans, Gyrodinium moestrupii, Gyrodinium spirale, Oblea rotundata, Oxyrrhis marina, and Polykrikos kofoidii and the ciliates Balanion sp. and Parastrombidinopsis sp. preyed on the free‐living dinoflagellate Symbiodinium sp. (clade E). We measured the growth and ingestion rates of O. marina and G. dominans on Symbiodinium sp. as a function of prey concentration. Furthermore, we compared the results to those obtained for other algal prey species. In addition, we measured the growth and ingestion rates of other predators at single prey concentrations at which these rates of O. marina and G. dominans were saturated. All predators tested in the present study, except Balanion sp., preyed on Symbiodinium sp. The specific growth rates of O. marina and G. dominans on Symbiodinium sp. increased rapidly with increasing mean prey concentration < ca. 740–815 ng C/ml (7,400–8,150 cells/ml), but became saturated at higher concentrations. The maximum growth rates of O. marina and G. dominans on Symbiodinium sp. (0.87 and 0.61/d) were much higher than those of G. moestrupii and P. kofoidii (0.11 and 0.04/d). Symbiodinium sp. did not support positive growth of G. spirale, O. rotundata, and Parastrombidinopsis sp. However, the maximum ingestion rates of P. kofoidii and Parastrombidinopsis sp. (6.7–10.0 ng C/predator/d) were much higher than those of O. marina and G. dominans on Symbiodinium sp. (1.9–2.1 ng C/predator/d). The results of the present study suggest that Symbiodinium sp. may increase or maintain the populations of some predators.
Color, Phenolic and Antioxidant Characteristic Changes of Allium Roseum Leaves during Drying
Authors: Ben Haj Said L. , Najjaa H. , Neffati M. , Bellagha S.
Published: October 2013

Allium roseum leaves were subjected to thin layer convective drying at three temperatures (40, 50 and 60C) and two air velocities (1.0 and 1.5 m/s). The effects of the drying conditions on drying characteristics, color, phenolic compounds and antioxidant properties of A. roseum leaves were assessed. Convective drying induces a considerable moisture removal from fresh leaves (more than 96%) and requires 7 and 28 h at 60 and 40C, respectively. Fresh A. roseum leaves have a water activity higher than 0.9, which had been reduced after drying to a value of about 0.5. Drying resulted in color modifications and drastic declines in total polyphenol content (between 60 and 69%), total flavonoid content (between 17 and 29%) and radical‐scavenging capacity (between 72 and 88%). Drying temperature showed a significant effect on drying rate, moisture loss, water activity, total polyphenol content, total flavonoid content and radical‐scavenging activity of A. roseum leaves.

Practical Applications

Allium roseum, also known as rosy garlic, and called in Tunisia “Lazoul,” is a spontaneous plant that grows in the southern part of the country during the rainy years. Local indigenous communities traditionally use Lazoul leaves as a condiment in various meals. The specific taste attributed to these leaves is highly appreciated, but moreover their therapeutic properties, due to antibacterial, antifungal and antioxidant activities, are now well known. However, the short vegetative presence of Lazoul limits its availability and renders it rare. Traditional food prepared with fresh A. roseum leaves tend to disappear, and thus, preparation of such foods, which has been inherited from one generation to the other within a traditional knowledge, is now threatened. Drying may be a solution for A. roseum preservation throughout the year. Moreover, bringing small‐scale technologies to local people may revitalize biodiversity and protect traditional food from disappearance.
A comparison of single particle tracking and temporal image correlation spectroscopy for quantitative analysis of endosome motility
Authors: LUND F.W. , WÜSTNER D.
Published: October 2013

Single particle tracking (SPT) is becoming a standard method to extract transport parameters from time‐lapse image sequences of fluorescent vesicles in living cells. Another method to obtain these data is temporal image correlation spectroscopy (TICS), but this method is less often used for measurement of intracellular vesicle transport. Here, we present an extensive comparison of SPT and TICS. First we examine the effect of photobleaching, shading and noise on SPT and TICS analysis using simulated image sequences. To this end, we developed a simple photophysical model, which relates spatially varying illumination intensity to the bleaching propensity and fluorescence intensity of the moving particles. We found that neither SPT nor TICS are affected by photobleaching per se, but the transport parameters obtained by both methods are sensitive to the signal‐to‐noise ratio. In addition, the number of obtained trajectories in SPT is affected by noise. Diffusion constants determined by TICS are significantly overestimated when large immobile fluorescent structures are present in the image sequences, while the opposite is true for SPT. To improve the performance of both techniques, we compare three different methods for image denoising. Appropriate denoising significantly reduced the effect of noise and of immobile structures on both methods. Shape fluctuations of simulated particles had a more pronounced effect on TICS than on SPT analysis. In denoised images of fluorescent beads or cytosolic vesicles containing fluorescent protein NPC2 in human skin fibroblast cells, the transport parameters acquired by SPT and TICS were comparable emphasizing the value of both analysis methods.
Automatic diagnosis of malaria based on complete circle–ellipse fitting search algorithm
Authors: SHEIKHHOSSEINI M. , RABBANI H. , ZEKRI M. , TALEBI A.
Published: October 2013

Diagnosis of malaria parasitemia from blood smears is a subjective and time‐consuming task for pathologists. The automatic diagnostic process will reduce the diagnostic time. Also, it can be worked as a second opinion for pathologists and may be useful in malaria screening. This study presents an automatic method for malaria diagnosis from thin blood smears. According to this fact that malaria life cycle is started by forming a ring around the parasite nucleus, the proposed approach is mainly based on curve fitting to detect parasite ring in the blood smear. The method is composed of six main phases: stain object extraction step, which extracts candidate objects that may be infected by malaria parasites. This phase includes stained pixel extraction step based on intensity and colour, and stained object segmentation by defining stained circle matching. Second step is preprocessing phase which makes use of nonlinear diffusion filtering. The process continues with detection of parasite nucleus from resulted image of previous step according to image intensity. Fourth step introduces a complete search process in which the circle search step identifies the direction and initial points for direct least‐square ellipse fitting algorithm. Furthermore in the ellipse searching process, although parasite shape is completed undesired regions with high error value are removed and ellipse parameters are modified. Features are extracted from the parasite candidate region instead of whole candidate object in the fifth step. By employing this special feature extraction way, which is provided by special searching process, the necessity of employing clump splitting methods is removed. Also, defining stained circle matching process in the first step speeds up the whole procedure. Finally, a series of decision rules are applied on the extracted features to decide on the positivity or negativity of malaria parasite presence. The algorithm is applied on 26 digital images which are provided from thin blood smear films. The images are contained 1274 objects which may be infected by parasite or healthy. Applying the automatic identification of malaria on provided database showed a sensitivity of 82.28% and specificity of 98.02%.
ZnO microrods to nanowalled microtubes: optimization using simple fluorescence microscopy and enhanced photocatalytic properties
Authors: RANJITH K. S. , KIRUTHIKA B. , RAJENDRAKUMAR R. T.
Published: October 2013

ZnO microtubes (MTs) of nanoscale wall thickness were prepared by synthesis of ZnO microrods (MRs) followed by etching the MRs to form MTs. ZnO MRs were synthesized by a simple solution growth method using zinc chloride and hexamine as precursors. Using KOH, ZnO MRs are etched into ZnO MTs. ZnO MTs were characterized by fluorescence microscopy (FM), X‐ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, UV‐Vis and photoluminescence spectroscopy. ZnO MTs have a diameter of ∼600 nm, wall thickness of 30–40 nm and length of ∼7 μm. The influence of the KOH concentration and etching time on ZnO MRs for the formation of the ZnO MTs were studied. The formation of nanowalled ZnO tubes from ZnO MRs is optimized by simple and inexpensive FM imaging. FM was utilized as a tool to observe the changes in optical properties on change in morphology from ZnO MRs to MTs. FM images reveal that at low KOH concentration (0.125 M) the tubes were not completely etched whereas at higher concentration (0.375 M) the tube walls were damaged. Etchant concentration (0.125 M) and etching time of 12 h were found to be the optimized parameters for the realization of ZnO MTs using FM analysis. ZnO MTs were tested as the catalyst for the photodegradation of the methylene blue dye. The result shows that the photodegradation efficiency of the tubes is twice as fast as compared to that of rods.
Chlamydia screening in young people as an outcome of a HEADSS; Home, Education, Activities, Drug and alcohol use, Sexuality and Suicide youth psychosocial assessment tool
Authors: Eade Donna M , Henning Dorothy
Published: October 2013

Aims and objectives

To identify the percentage of young people presenting to a primary healthcare service targeting homeless youth, in Melbourne, Australia, who, based on youth‐specific Home, Education, Activities, Drug and alcohol use, Sexuality and Suicide (HEADSS) psychosocial assessment tool, were screened for the sexually transmitted infection Chlamydia and tested positive.

Background

Homeless young people are at high risk of poor health outcomes including sexual health. Chlamydia prevalence is highest in 16–24 years. Youth psychosocial assessment tools such as the HEADSS can engage young people and provide comprehensive health assessment that identifies health risks.

Design

A retrospective audit.

Methods

One hundred consecutive client files of youth who presented to a primary healthcare service for the first time were selected. Client data were collected at the health services' inner city drop‐in clinic and clinical refuge outreach (CRO). HEADSS assessments were made on new presentations to identify those at risk of Chlamydia. These young people were then offered screening for Chlamydia using a first‐pass urine sample.

Results

One hundred HEADSS assessments were audited, of which 15 were incomplete. Of the 85 completed HEADSS assessments, 43 were tested and 11 had Chlamydia‐positive results.

Conclusion

Comprehensive youth assessment tools, such as the HEADSS, can provide a valuable resource in identifying sexual health risks such as Chlamydia. In turn, skilled nursing staff can provide opportunistic screening. Early identification and treatment for Chlamydia can reduce the spread and sequela of this highly infectious STI.

Relevance to clinical practice

Youth health nurses can enhance their nursing practice in working with young people at risk of homelessness and improve their health outcomes by employing youth‐specific assessments.
A Mean‐Variance Benchmark for Intertemporal Portfolio Theory
Authors: COCHRANE JOHN H.
Published: October 2013

Mean‐variance portfolio theory can apply to streams of payoffs such as dividends following an initial investment. This description is useful when returns are not independent over time and investors have nonmarketed income. Investors hedge their outside income streams. Then, their optimal payoff is split between an indexed perpetuity—the risk‐free payoff—and a long‐run mean‐variance efficient payoff. “Long‐run” moments sum over time as well as states of nature. In equilibrium, long‐run expected returns vary with long‐run market betas and outside‐income betas. State‐variable hedges do not appear.
Asset Pricing with Dynamic Margin Constraints
Authors: RYTCHKOV OLEG
Published: October 2013

This paper provides a novel theoretical analysis of how endogenous time‐varying margin requirements affect capital market equilibrium. I find that margin requirements, when there are no other market frictions, reduce the volatility and correlation of returns as well as the risk‐free rate, but increase the market price of risk, the risk premium, and the price of risky assets. Furthermore, margin requirements generate a strong cross‐sectional dispersion of stock return volatilities. The results emphasize that a general equilibrium analysis may reverse the conclusions of a partial equilibrium analysis often employed in the literature.
Problems in methods for the detection of significant proteinuria in pregnancy
Authors: Yamada Takahiro , Kojima Takashi , Akaishi Rina , Ishikawa Satoshi , Takeda Masamitsu , Kawaguchi Satoshi , Nishida Ryutaro , Morikawa Mamoru , Yamada Takashi , Minakami Hisanori
Published: October 2013

Aim

The aim of this study was to underscore problems associated with the dipstick test and determination of protein concentration alone in spot‐urine (P‐test) compared with spot‐urine protein‐to‐creatinine ratio (P/Cr test) and to determine whether urine collection for 24‐h test was complete.

Material and Methods

Dipstick and P/Cr tests were performed simultaneously in 357 random spot‐urine specimens from 145 pregnant women, including 35 with pre‐eclampsia. Positive results were defined as ≥1+ on dipstick test, protein concentration ≥30 mg/dL on P‐test, and P/Cr ratio ≥ 0.27 (mg/mg) on P/Cr test. Sixty‐four 24‐h urine tests (quantification of protein in urine collected during 24 h) were performed in 27 of the 145 women. We assumed that P/Cr ratio ≥ 0.27 predicted significant proteinuria (urinary protein ≥ 0.3 g/day). The 24‐h urine collection was considered incomplete when urinary creatinine excretion was <11.0 mg/kg/day or >25.0 mg/kg/day.

Results

Forty‐four percent (69/156) of specimens with a positive test result on dipstick test contained protein < 30 mg/dL. Dipstick test was positive for 25.7% (69/269) of specimens with protein < 30 mg/dL and for 28.8% (79/274) of specimens with P/Cr ratio < 0.27. P‐test results were positive for 7.3% (20/274) and negative for 18.1% (15/83) of specimens with P/Cr ratio < 0.27 and ≥0.27, respectively. Incomplete 24‐h urine collection occurred in 15.6% (10/64) of 24‐h urine tests. Daily urinary creatinine excretion was 702–1397 mg, while creatinine concentration varied from 16 mg/dL to 475 mg/dL in spot‐urine specimens.

Conclusion

Dipstick test and P‐test were likely to over‐ and underestimate risks of significant proteinuria, respectively. The 24‐h urine collection was often incomplete.
Pregnancy‐associated osteoporosis presenting severe vertebral fractures
Authors: Ozturk Cihat , Atamaz Funda Calis , Akkurt Halil , Akkoc Yesim
Published: October 2013

The syndrome of pregnancy‐associated osteoporosis (PAO) is a rare disorder which occurs either in late pregnancy or early post‐partum period leading to fragility fracture(s), most commonly in the vertebral bodies. We presented two cases with PAO who had compression fractures at multiple levels involving five vertebrae in one case and 10 vertebrae in the other. Their spinal bone mineral density values were below −2.5 standard deviations. Anti‐osteoporotic treatments with nasal calcitonin 400 IU/day, vitamin D 300.000 IU single dose, calcium 1000 mg/day, vitamin D 880 IU/day were initiated. In one case, kyphoplasty was performed by a spinal surgeon. In addition to a thoracolumbosacral orthosis, a rehabilitation program including muscle strengthening, range of motion, relaxation and weight‐bearing exercises was started for both cases. These cases emphasize that all pregnant women with complaints of back/lumbar pain should be carefully evaluated.
Global diversity of two widespread, colony‐forming diatoms of the marine plankton, Chaetoceros socialis (syn. C. radians) and Chaetoceros gelidus sp. nov.
Authors: Chamnansinp Atchaneey , Li Yang , Lundholm Nina , Moestrup Øjvind
Published: October 2013

Marine phytoplankton samples containing diatoms of the Chaetoceros socialis group were collected from Thailand, China, Denmark, and Greenland, and cells were isolated into culture for light and electron microscopy and DNA sequencing of D1–D3 of the LSU rDNA. Species of this lineage are characterized by three short and one long setae extending from each cell, the long setae from several cells joining into a common center to form large colonies, which are sometimes visible with the naked eye. Phylogenetic analyses including sequences from other parts of the world revealed segregation into three groups. Most sequences fell into two large clades, one comprising material from cold waters, whereas the other contained material from warmer waters. Strain CCMP 172 from the Strait of Georgia, Washington State, USA, formed a separate group. The warm‐water species included Chinese and Thai material and therefore probably also material from the type locality of C. socialis, Hong Kong. It is characterized by all setae being covered by spines and the setae extending from the valve at some distance from the margin. In the resting spores, both valves are ornamented with spines. The cold‐water material is characterized by three spiny and one mostly smooth long setae, and the setae extend from the valve near the margin. Both valves of the resting spore are smooth. This material is described as C. gelidus sp. nov. C. radians, described from the Baltic in 1894, is considered a synonym of C. socialis. CCMP172 is in many ways intermediate and probably constitutes a separate species. The published evidence on this globally distributed and sometimes bloom‐forming group of species indicates higher species diversity than presently thought.
Analysis of habitat determinants in contact zones of parapatricEuropean salamanders
Authors: Werner P. , Lötters S. , Schmidt B. R.
Published: October 2013

Parapatry is a remarkable distributional pattern where the ranges of two species come into contact but only narrowly overlap. Theory predicts and empirical data suggest that parapatric range margins are most likely to form along environmental gradients when there is interspecific competition. Here, we study the ecology of the narrow contact zones of two parapatricEuropean land salamanders,Salamandra salamandraandSalamandra atra. Previous research showed that abiotic conditions determine parapatric range margins of these two species. However, in contrast to other parapatric salamander species and theoretical predictions, there is no evidence for competitive interactions in the twoSalamandraspecies. To study whether competition restricts these species' ranges and to understand local syntopic co‐occurrence within their contact zones, we used site‐occupancy models (1) to assess species–habitat relationships and (2) to test whether there is evidence for competition. We found that the two salamanders show dissimilar species–habitat relationships. The slope of the site positively affected the site‐occupancy probability ofS. salamandra, while none of the habitat characteristics explained the occupancy probability ofS. atra. The local presence of one species had no effect on the occupancy probability of the other, suggesting that there is no effect of competition on local occurrence or that competition does not lead to spatial segregation. To fully understand the mechanisms that determine the parapatric range margins between the salamander species and to unravel the role of interspecific interactions, it is necessary to further study species' functional traits.
Processing of Regular and Irregular Past‐Tense Verb Forms in First and Second Language Reading Acquisition
Authors: de Zeeuw Marlies , Schreuder Rob , Verhoeven Ludo
Published: October 2013

We investigated written word identification of regular and irregular past‐tense verb forms by first (L1) and second language (L2) learners of Dutch in third and sixth grade. Using a lexical decision task, we measured speed and accuracy in the identification of regular and irregular past‐tense verb forms by children from Turkish‐speaking homes (L2 learners) and monolingual Dutch‐speaking homes (L1 learners). All beginning readers of Dutch had relatively more difficulties with the identification of irregular verb forms than regular verbs forms, but the effects were stronger for L2 learners than for L1 learners. These processing differences were only present in third grade, however, indicating that with increased target language experience, the reading of past‐tense verb forms becomes more fluent and automatized in both L1 and L2 learners.
Digital Humanities and Electronic Resources in the Long Eighteenth Century
Authors: Bullard Paddy
Published: October 2013

The field of eighteenth‐century studies at its broadest extent – taking in the English Restoration, the Enlightenment, and the Romantic period – has changed significantly since the beginning of the twenty‐first century due to the impact of electronic resources on research methods and on the accessibility of primary research materials. Theorists of the digital humanities writing at the end of the previous century argued that the computerization of humanities research would make the editing and archiving of historical texts more subtle and fluid. This article argues that humanities computing has in fact moved away from editing and textual criticism toward the development of larger and more interoperable databases. Current digital humanities in the long eighteenth century are defined by the Enlightenment virtues of pragmatism and communicability, but they have yet to attain the Enlightenment ideals of openness and refinement.
“Robert Browning at 200: An Assessment of the Poet in His Bicentenary Year”
Authors: Dawson Clara
Published: October 2013

This article gives an assessment of the Victorian poet, Robert Browning, in his bicentenary year 2012. I give a summary of the papers at the two major international Robert Browning conferences in the UK and the USA and review the academic publications about his poetry. I also assess his reputation within the wider culture and compare him to other key Victorian figures such as Charles Dickens. By examining newspaper and internet articles about Robert Browning's bicentenary, I explore which factors are important in creating his reputation in the public sphere and look at what legacies his poetry has left.
New Directions in Post‐Apartheid South African Fiction and Scholarship
Authors: Davis Emily S.
Published: October 2013

After the formal end of the apartheid period in 1994, some writers and critics expressed a sense of unease about the future of South African literature. Yet, the post‐apartheid period has produced an array of texts on topics not previously part of South African literary discourse. Writing from the transitional period for the most part turned inward, working in or against the confessional mode modeled by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. During the current post‐transitional period, marked loosely by the publication of J. M. Coetzee's Disgrace in 1999, a younger generation of writers has begun to represent new social issues surrounding difference and inequality, especially representations of Black women, gays and lesbians, and migrants. Recent critical approaches to this literature have offered valuable conceptual tools for further research.
The Social Context and Meaning of Virginity Loss among African American and Puerto Rican Young Adults in Hartford
Authors: Erickson Pamela I. , Badiane Louise , Singer Merrill
Published: October 2013

We describe virginity loss experiences of inner‐city minority youth to understand the meaning attributed to first sex and the social and structural factors that contribute to early sexual debut. We interviewed 62 18–25‐year‐old African American and Puerto Rican Hartford men and women about their sexual and romantic life histories. Transcripts were coded in ATLAS.ti and analyzed for themes about virginity and sexual debut. We found different conceptions of virginity as a stigma to be lost, a normal part of growing up, and a gift to be given. The normative experience was consensual, early, and unplanned sexual debut. Inner‐city minority youth have similar feelings, motivations, and experiences of sexual debut as non‐ethnic youth reported in the literature except they are far younger. We discuss structural factors that affect inner‐city sexual scripts for early sexual debut and identify it as a health inequity.
Heteropatric speciation in a duck,Anas crecca
Authors: Winker Kevin , McCracken Kevin G. , Gibson Daniel D. , Peters Jeffrey L.
Published: October 2013

Heteropatric differentiation is a mode of speciation with gene flow in which divergence occurs between lineages that are in sympatry and allopatry at different times during cyclic spatial movements. Empirical evidence suggests that heteropatric differentiation may prove to be common among seasonally migratory organisms. We examined genetic differentiation between the sedentaryAleutianIslands population of green‐winged teal (Anas crecca‐nimia) and its close migratory relative, theEurasian, orOldWorld (OW),Anas c. creccapopulation, a portion of which passes through the range ofnimiaduring its seasonal migrations. We also examined its relationship with the parapatricNorthAmerican,NewWorld (NW),A. c. carolinensispopulation. Sequence data from eight nuclear introns and the mtDNAcontrol region showed that thenimia‐creccadivergence occurred much more recently than the deepercrecca‐carolinensissplit (~83 000 years vs. ~1.1 Myr). Despite considerable spatial overlap betweencreccaandnimiaduring seasonal migration, three key predictions of heteropatric differentiation are supported: significant genetic divergence (overall meanΦst = 0.07), low gene flow (2Nem ~ 1.8), and an effective population size innimiathat is not especially low (Ne ~ 80 000 individuals). Similar levels of gene flow have come intonimiafromcarolinensis, but no detectable nuclear gene flow has gone out ofnimiainto eitherOW(crecca) orNW(carolinensis) populations. We infer that adaptations of these populations to local optima in different places (e.g. each matching their reproductive effort to different resource blooms) promote genetic isolation and divergence despite periods of sympatry between them, as the heteropatric model predicts.
Defects in mitochondrial fatty acid synthesis result in failure of multiple aspects of mitochondrial biogenesis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Authors: Kursu V. A. Samuli , Pietikäinen Laura P. , Fontanesi Flavia , Aaltonen Mari J. , Suomi Fumi , Raghavan Nair Remya , Schonauer Melissa S. , Dieckmann Carol L. , Barrientos Antoni , Hiltunen J. Kalervo , Kastaniotis Alexander J.
Published: October 2013

Mitochondrial fatty acid synthesis (mtFAS) shares acetyl‐CoA with the Krebs cycle as a common substrate and is required for the production of octanoic acid (C8) precursors of lipoic acid (LA) in mitochondria. MtFAS is a conserved pathway essential for respiration. In a genetic screen in Saccharomyces cerevisiae designed to further elucidate the physiological role of mtFAS, we isolated mutants with defects in mitochondrial post‐translational gene expression processes, indicating a novel link to mitochondrial gene expression and respiratory chain biogenesis. In our ensuing analysis, we show that mtFAS, but not lipoylation per se, is required for respiratory competence. We demonstrate that mtFAS is required for mRNA splicing, mitochondrial translation and respiratory complex assembly, and provide evidence that not LA per se, but fatty acids longer than C8 play a role in these processes. We also show that mtFAS‐ and LA‐deficient strains suffer from a mild haem deficiency that may contribute to the respiratory complex assembly defect. Based on our data and previously published information, we propose a model implicating mtFAS as a sensor for mitochondrial acetyl‐CoA availability and a co‐ordinator of nuclear and mitochondrial gene expression by adapting the mitochondrial compartment to changes in the metabolic status of the cell.
An Integrated Model of Justice and Ethical Climates and the Influence of Cultural Diversity
Authors: Macklin Robert , Martin Angela , Mathison Karin
Published: October 2013

The business ethics literature has paid little attention to the similarities, differences, and interactions between ‘justice climate’ and ‘ethical work climate’, two key perspectives on the moral dimension of organizations that are related to cultural diversity. In this conceptual paper we argue that integrative studies of justice and ethical work climates could contribute significantly to our understanding of the moral dimensions of organizations. We propose a model showing that an organization's moral climate can perform both normative and evaluative functions. With the globalization of business and increasing diversification of the labour force, cross-cultural differences regarding organizational perceptions and behaviours are increasingly salient. Hence, we also explore the influence of cultural diversity in our integrated model with the Chinese business context as a specific example. We conclude by discussing directions for further research on the relationship between cultural diversity and moral climate in organizations.
Deviation from symmetrically self‐similar branching in trees predicts altered hydraulics, mechanics, light interception and metabolic scaling
Authors: Smith Duncan D. , Sperry John S. , Enquist Brian J. , Savage Van M. , McCulloh Katherine A. , Bentley Lisa P.
Published: October 2013

The West, Brown, Enquist (WBE) model derives symmetrically self‐similar branching to predict metabolic scaling from hydraulic conductance,K, (a metabolism proxy) and tree mass (or volume,V). The original prediction wasK∝V0.75. We ask whether trees differ from WBE symmetry and if it matters for plant function and scaling. We measure tree branching and model how architecture influencesK,V, mechanical stability, light interception and metabolic scaling.

We quantified branching architecture by measuring the path fraction,Pf: mean/maximum trunk‐to‐twig pathlength. WBE symmetry produces the maximum,Pf = 1.0. We explored tree morphospace using a probability‐based numerical model constrained only by biomechanical principles.

Real treePfranged from 0.930 (nearly symmetric) to 0.357 (very asymmetric). At each modeled tree size, a reduction inPfled to: increasedK; decreasedV; increased mechanical stability; and decreased light absorption. WhenPfwas ontogenetically constant, strong asymmetry only slightly steepened metabolic scaling. ThePfontogeny of real trees, however, was ‘U’ shaped, resulting in size‐dependent metabolic scaling that exceeded 0.75 in small trees before falling below 0.65.

Architectural diversity appears to matter considerably for whole‐tree hydraulics, mechanics, photosynthesis and potentially metabolic scaling. Optimal architectures likely exist that maximize carbon gain per structural investment.
Trait‐directed de novo population transcriptome dissects genetic regulation of a balanced polymorphism in phosphorus nutrition/arsenate tolerance in a wild grass, Holcus lanatus
Authors: Meharg Caroline , Khan Bayezid , Norton Gareth , Deacon Claire , Johnson David , Reinhardt Richard , Huettel Bruno , Meharg Andrew A.
Published: October 2013

The aim of this study was to characterize the transcriptome of a balanced polymorphism, under the regulation of a single gene, for phosphate fertilizer responsiveness/arsenate tolerance in wild grass Holcus lanatus genotypes screened from the same habitat.

De novo transcriptome sequencing, RNAseq (RNA sequencing) and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) calling were conducted on RNA extracted from H. lanatus. Roche 454 sequencing data were assembled into c. 22 000 isotigs, and paired‐end Illumina reads for phosphorus‐starved (P−) and phosphorus‐treated (P+) genovars of tolerant (T) and nontolerant (N) phenotypes were mapped to this reference transcriptome.

Heatmaps of the gene expression data showed strong clustering of each P+/P− treated genovar, as well as clustering by N/T phenotype. Statistical analysis identified 87 isotigs to be significantly differentially expressed between N and T phenotypes and 258 between P+ and P− treated plants. SNPs and transcript expression that systematically differed between N and T phenotypes had regulatory function, namely proteases, kinases and ribonuclear RNA‐binding protein and transposable elements.

A single gene for arsenate tolerance led to distinct phenotype transcriptomes and SNP profiles, with large differences in upstream post‐translational and post‐transcriptional regulatory genes rather than in genes directly involved in P nutrition transport and metabolism per se.
Host genetic susceptibility to oral cancer: evidence from meta‐analyses and pooled analyses
Authors: Liao G , Wang Y , Zhou Y‐Q , Li T‐W , Zeng D‐Q , Zeng X , Li J , Dan H‐X , Chen Q‐M
Published: October 2013

Background

A large number of meta‐analyses and pooled analyses have been published on the topic of the genetic variants for oral cancer, and many positive results have been identified; however, there might be some false‐positive results. The aim of this study was to identify the ‘true positive’ (noteworthy) results using the method of false‐positive report probability (FPRP).

Methods

The PubMed database, Embase database, CNKI database, and Wanfang database were searched to retrieve the meta‐analyses, pooled analyses, and genome‐wide association studies (GWAS), which addressed the associations between genetic polymorphisms and the risk of oral cancer. The significant associations were further analyzed using the method of FPRP.

Results

A total of 14 variants were identified from meta‐analyses and pooled analyses, which concern the associations between oral cancer and genetic variants. Among these 14 variants, 9 variants were reported to be significantly associated with the risk of oral cancer (CYP1A1‐MspI, CYP2E1‐RsaI/PstI, MTHFR‐C677T, p73‐G4C14‐to‐A4T14, XRCC1‐Arg194Trp, CYP1A1‐Ile462Val, GSTM1‐±, and NAT2 slow vs rapid). After assessing the results of FPRP, none of the nine statistically significant associations were noteworthy (true positive). In addition, no noteworthy results were identified from GWAS.

Conclusions

In summary, this study found no noteworthy associations between variants and the risk of oral cancer. Further candidate genes associations studies should be performed to explore the etiology of oral cancer.