bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Drivers of information sharing and export performance in the Jordanian agri-food export supply chain
Authors: Jraisat Luai , Gotsi Manto , Bourlakis Michael
Published: June 2013

Purpose

– Our understanding of the drivers of information sharing in export supply chains (ESCs) in general, and in agri-food ESCs in particular, remains scarce. In response, the authors’ paper seeks to explore the drivers of information sharing between two key members of an agri-food ESC (producers and exporters) in Jordan and investigate the link to export performance.

Design/methodology/approach

– The authors use a two-stage qualitative approach. They initially interview seven ESC experts and a comparative case study across ten producer-exporter relationships follows. The latter involves 40 interviews (four per case) with producers and exporters in these relationships, supplemented with archival material and non-participant observation.

Findings

– Specific transaction, relationship and network drivers are found to support information sharing in these relationships and information sharing is linked to export performance. In higher performing cases, information sharing is triggered by integration-focused drivers, where the emphasis is on long-term and joint planning, based on sharing wider types of information. In lower performing cases, information sharing is triggered by more individualistic drivers and producers and exporters are sharing logistics-related information with a short-term perspective.

Originality/value

– This study extends current literature by identifying how different drivers influence information sharing in producer-exporter relationships and are linked to differences in export performance.
Millennial consumers’ status consumption of handbags
Authors: Grotts Allie S. , Widner Johnson Tricia
Published: June 2013

Purpose

This paper aims to examine a consumer segment, Millennial, and its status and conspicuous consumption tendencies. The current research was conducted to determine if handbags can be used as a symbolic representation of status.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 598 females participated in this study through an electronically administered questionnaire. Eastman, Goldsmith, and Flynn's Status Consumption Scale was altered with permission and used to test and measure the status consumption of handbags.

Findings

The research findings indicated that handbags are being used in the process of status consumption and suggested characteristics of female Millennial consumers who are likely to use this process.

Research limitations/implications

The findings are limited to 18‐25 year old females in the United States, at a Midwestern university and cannot be generalized to other nationalities or age cohorts. The findings in this study are valuable in adding to the literature on status consumption by examining a product domain not previously studied for its ability to convey status and facilitate a complete self.

Practical implications

The findings are valuable to marketers because defining traits of Millennial consumers, a unique target market, have been discovered and proper marketing tactics may be deployed with the use of these results in the marketplace.

Originality/value

This paper fills a gap in the literature by examining handbags, which have not previously been researched for their status and conspicuous consumption abilities in an appropriate sample of college Millennial aged females.
Capital requirements for market risks
Authors: Burchi Alberto
Published: June 2013

Purpose

The financial crisis has led the Basel Committee to improve the system of capital requirements for market risks. This paper aims to investigate the effects of different models to estimate the market risk in the management of the trading book. The study takes into account the events occurring in the financial markets and the new prudential rules.

Design/methodology/approach

The author compares different models and proposes an opportunity cost function able to evaluate the cost related to capital requirements. He identified seven asset classes and studies the effects of different models for estimating VaR simulating financial portfolios with increasing risk. The series consists of the daily return from 01/01/2002 to 06/30/2012.

Findings

The results show that it is possible to identify a wide area between aggressive and conservative approach where the bank management must choose. The regulation does not encourage intermediaries to the use of complex models that could better evaluate the risk in financial markets. The revision of the market risk framework increases the capital requirement and reduces the incentive to use models with more predictive power for regulatory purposes.

Originality/value

The work differs from previous contributions for three characteristics: first, it uses a set of extended data and more consistent with the actual operation. Secondly, the author presents an opportunity cost function in order to evaluate the estimation models. Third, he calculates the effect of stressed‐VaR after a year and a half of adoption.
Macro and micro prudential regulatory failures between banks in the United Kingdom and Australia 2004‐2009
Authors: Lui Alison
Published: June 2013

Purpose

This paper compares the performance of the big four UK banks and four Australian banks between 2004‐2009. The banks are chosen according to the total assets as listed in The Banker magazine 2009. The purpose is to analyse why UK banks were more vulnerable to the financial crisis of 2007‐2009 than Australian banks. The consequence of this study is what improvements can be made in relation to liquidity, leverage, loan to deposit, asset quality and capital ratios.

Design/methodology/approach

The author adopts an empirical approach and gathers data from the annual reports of the big four UK banks and Australian banks and the database “Factiva” and the Financial Times. The data contains liquidity, debt, capital, asset quality and profitability ratios during 2004‐2009.

Findings

The author's data show UK banks had on average higher cash ratios, higher leverage ratios, higher loan to deposit ratios, higher capital ratios, lower asset quality, lower ROA but higher ROE than the Australian banks.

Research limitations/implications

The results support the findings in the Financial Development Index 2011 of the World Economic Forum. UK banks should ameliorate its ranking on financial stability by improving the quality of loans and capital.

Practical implications

The analysis is of use to regulators who are contemplating the need for reforms aimed at improving financial ratios of banks. Basel III Accord has introduced some recommendations but has its limitations.

Originality/value

This paper's value lies in providing analysis of the top four UK and Australian banks' performances during 2004‐2009. There is room for improvement in providing a more stable financial environment in the UK.
Developing and manipulating business models applying system dynamics approach
Authors: Hajiheydari Nastaran , Zarei Behrouz
Published: June 2013

Purpose

Considering the significant necessity of organization's conformity with environmental changes and also the importance of predicting the result of managerial decisions, this research has been accomplished with the purpose of designing a dynamic business model. In today's ever changing business environment, the simulation of different decision making scenarios is obligatory for managers in order to create the possibility of studying the effects of decision results on business model (BM) components, interrelation of component and total benefits in an organization. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to take advantage of the dynamic system approach as an operational, quantitative and flexible approach for business model simulation.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on this purpose, related literature was thoroughly reviewed and proportionate with the level of study and research approach, Business Model Ontology (BMO) was chosen. The model designed using the system dynamics approach and its structure was evaluated via expert judgment. In the next step, some scenarios were developed and executed to confirm the behavior of the model and also to evaluate the importance of applying the dynamic approach in business model simulation.

Findings

These results show that decision making for a BM change leads to complexities and dynamic behavior of business components and also other actor reactions which are usually nonlinear and complex. In this regard this paper suggests dynamic simulation utilization to predict and analyze the results.

Originality/value

The system dynamic approach has precedents in business studies; however, this research makes this approach operational in BM design and analysis.
The symbiotic relation between organizations and society
Authors: Stone Dianna L. , Canedo Julio C. , Tzafrir Shay
Published: June 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to: consider the extent to which recent research in industrial and organizational (I&O) psychology has examined the symbiotic relations between organizations and society; review the societal changes affecting organizations and individuals; and offer directions for future research.

Design/methodology/approach

Two researchers reviewed and categorized topics published in the key journals in the field during the period 2008‐2010 including: Journal of Applied Psychology (JAP), Personnel Psychology (PPsy), Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes (OBHDP), and the Journal of Managerial Psychology (JMP). There was considerable agreement on the categorization of topics in the journals.

Findings

The results of the review revealed that the majority of topics published in these journals focused on enhancing organizational effectiveness, and relatively few studies concentrated on social issues. In particular, 21 percent of articles in JAP and PPsy, 12 percent of articles in OBHDP, and 56 percent of articles in JMP emphasized social issues.

Research limitations/implications

Only four journals in the field were reviewed, and a more thorough review of research in all journals is needed.

Practical implications

The review has implications for understanding the impact of societal changes on organizations and individuals, and for developing new human resource policies and practices.

Social implications

The review indicated that more research is needed on social issues.

Originality/value

The paper adds unique value to the literature because it stresses the symbiotic relation between organizations, and society, highlights the importance of social issues, and offers directions for future research.
Leadership development needs assessment in healthcare: a collaborative approach
Authors: Grandy Gina , Holton Judith
Published: June 2013

Purpose

This exploratory study aims to present data collected from a collaborative project designed to assess leadership development needs in a healthcare setting.

Design/methodology/approach

The research describes a three‐phase design that draws primarily upon qualitative data collected from focus groups, written submissions and interviews with middle managers employed in a provincial health authority, Horizon Health Network, located in Atlantic Canada.

Findings

The findings reveal a number of considerations for future leadership development programs including the need to make space for leadership development, the role of partnerships in leadership development, and the need for mentoring and coaching. In addition, a number of challenges facing the organization and the possible impact on leadership development are identified.

Research limitations/implications

The findings are based upon one case study site and this limits the generalizability of the research. In addition, the researchers were only able to make direct contact with one half of the 150 middle managers that will be participants in the eventual leadership development program.

Practical implications

This research describes a collaborative approach through which to increase buy‐in and commitment to leadership development in healthcare organizations. The approach provides a path to build sustainability in overall organizational performance through a healthy and engaged workforce.

Originality/value

Most research describes or evaluates leadership development programs with little attention devoted to the process of needs assessment. In addition, the literature focuses upon participants who have finished a program or are part way through a program. This research looks at the possibilities of a collaborative approach to leadership development pre‐leadership development program starting at the needs assessment phase.
Auditors' time pressure: does ethical culture support audit quality?
Authors: Svanberg Jan , Öhman Peter
Published: June 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to address the impact of ethical culture on audit quality under conditions of time budget pressure. The study also tests the relationship between ethical culture and time budget pressure.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is based on a field survey of financial auditors employed by audit firms operating in Sweden.

Findings

The study finds relationships between three ethical culture factors and reduced audit quality acts. The ethical environment and the use of penalties to enforce ethical norms are negatively related to reduced audit quality acts, whereas the demand for obedience to authorities is positively related to reduced audit quality acts. Underreporting of time is not related to ethical culture, but is positively related to time budget pressure. Finally, the study finds a relationship between two ethical culture factors and time budget pressure, indicating a possible causal relationship, but ethical culture does not mediate an indirect effect of time budget pressure on reduced audit quality acts.

Originality/value

This is the first study to report the effect of ethical culture on dysfunctional auditor behavior using actual self‐reported frequencies of reduced audit quality acts and underreporting of time as data.
Superior performance and reliability of copper wire ball bonding in laminate substrate based ball grid array
Authors: Leong Gan Chong , Classe Francis , Hashim Uda
Published: June 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide a systematic method to perform long‐term reliability assessment of gold (Au) and copper (Cu) ball bonds in fineline ball grid array package. Also with the aim to study the apparent activation energies (Eaa) and its associated wearout mechanisms of both Au and Cu wire in semiconductor device packaging. This paper discusses the influence of wire type on the long‐term reliability and mechanical performance after several component reliability stress tests.

Design/methodology/approach

A fineline ball grid array (FBGA) package with Cu and Au wire bonds was assembled with green molding compound and substrate. Samples are subjected for long‐term high temperature storage bake test at elevated temperatures of 150°C, 175°C and 200°C. Long‐term reliability plots (lognormal plots) are established and Eaa of both ball bonds are determined from Arrhenius plots. Detailed failure analysis has been conducted on failed sample and HTSL failure mechanisms have been proposed.

Findings

Reliability results show Au ball bond in FBGA package is observed with higher hour‐to‐failure compared to Cu ball bonds. The Eaa value of high temperature storage life (HTSL) reliability for Au ball bond is lower than Cu ball bond. Typical HTSL failure mechanism of Au ball bond is induced by micro‐voiding and AuAl intermetallic compound (IMC) micro‐cracks while CuAl IMC micro‐cracking (induced by Cl− corrosion attack and micro‐cracking) caused wearout opens in Cu ball bond. These test results affirm the test‐to‐failure data collected is a useful method for lifetime prediction and Eaa calculation.

Practical implications

The paper reveals higher reliability performance of Cu ball bond in FBGA flash memory package which can be deployed in flash memory FBGA packaging with optimised package bill of materials.

Originality/value

The test‐to‐failure methodology is a useful technique for wearout reliability prediction and Eaa calculation.
Three axial low temperature cofired ceramic accelerometer
Authors: Jurków Dominik
Published: June 2013

Purpose

The paper aims to present numerical modeling and technology of a very first three axial low temperature cofired ceramics (LTCC) accelerometer.

Design/methodology/approach

Low temperature cofired ceramics technology was applied in the fabrication process of the novel device. The numerical modeling was used to predict the properties of the accelerometer, moreover, design of the experiment methodology was used to reduce time of simulation and to get as much as information from the experiment as possible.

Findings

The low temperature cofired ceramics make it possible to fabricate three axial accelerometer.

Research limitations/implications

The presented device is just a first prototype. Therefore, further research work will be needed to improve structural drawbacks and to analyze precisely the device reliability and parameters repeatability.

Practical implications

The device presented in the paper can be applied in systems working in a harsh environment (high temperature and humidity). Ceramic sensors can withstand temperatures up to 600°C.

Originality/value

This paper presents novel three axial LTCC accelerometer.
Assets and obstacles: an analysis of OUA hockey from the coaches’ perspective
Authors: Chard Chris R. , Hyatt Craig , Foster William M.
Published: June 2013

Purpose

The passion of Canadians for ice hockey is well documented; however, university teams in Canada are routinely ignored by consumers and the media. The authors’ goal was to better understand the context in which Ontario university hockey struggles and to address the theoretical question of how best to examine and evaluate the problems of sport‐specific organizations. Using the Value Dynamics Framework (VDF), the purpose of this paper was to examine whether or not this framework fits well with the realities facing not‐for‐profit OUA hockey teams, and if not, to create a framework specific to these teams.

Design/methodology/approach

Semi‐structured in‐depth interviews were conducted with 15 of the 19 (77 percent) OUA hockey coaches during the 2010/2011 hockey season. The interview guide was drawn from the VDF elements and enabled the researchers to understand not‐for‐profit organizational assets, including physical, financial, employee/supplier, customer, and organizational.

Findings

This paper offers empirical insights about the assets and obstacles facing the OUA hockey league and its teams. For example, players, coaches, affiliation with universities, and the hockey product are noted assets. Obstacles for strategic growth include arenas, suppliers, media attention, financial sustainability, parity with other leagues in Canada, and leadership. The VDF proved a useful foil to suggest that something is needed that more accurately represents sport management‐specific situations.

Research limitations/implications

The main limitation of this study is that it lacks generalizability. Although motivated to better understand not‐for‐profit sport in general, the authors’ model is specific to OUA men's hockey teams. However, their OUA hockey team‐specific revised VDF does provide insights into the assets available to coaches, and also acknowledges the corresponding challenges or obstacles surrounding the asset classes in the context of OUA hockey.

Practical implications

This paper provides an approach towards making a more generalizable not‐for‐profit sport model that could help explain the success (or lack of success) of such organizations.

Originality/value

This study addresses a need to develop a framework to examine and evaluate not‐for‐profit sport‐specific organizations, such as the teams in the OUA.
Aggression post brain injury: a social cognitive perspective
Authors: do Rosario Aguiar Ryan
Published: June 2013

Purpose

The aim of the paper is to make a case to extend existing models of post brain injury aggression. The paper draws on the models of aggression from the general aggression literature and discusses how this is applicable to understanding aggression post brain injury. The paper discusses how the general aggression model applies to aggression post brain injury.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper begins with a brief overview of existing models of aggression and the shortcomings inherent in these neurocognitive models. The paper makes a case for the use of the general aggression model as proposed by Anderson and Bushman. The paper integrates the social cognitive factors prosed by the model with known neurocognitive factors to provide an alternate view of model of aggression post brain injury.

Findings

The paper shows how social information processing models can be integrated into neurocognitive models of aggression to conceptualise aggression post brain injury.

Research limitations/implications

The paper recommends that there is a greater need for research to focus on the social cognitive and social information processing factors that underpin aggression after brain injury.

Practical implications

The paper argues that broadening the basis for understanding aggression post brain injury will result in the development of a broader range of interventions and arguably better outcomes.

Originality/value

This paper provides much needed elaboration of existing models of post brain injury aggression.
Inferring seed bank from hiddenMarkov models: new insights into metapopulation dynamics in plants
Authors: Fréville Hélène , Choquet Rémi , Pradel Roger , Cheptou Pierre‐Olivier
Published: June 2013

Capturing metapopulation dynamics of plants that have seed banks is challenging, because of the difficulty in characterizing the seed bank in the field.

To account for the presence of a seed bank, we developed a hidden Markov model, where the focus species can be present in two forms, both above‐ground and below‐ground, the latter being unobservable. We generated patch histories of presence–absence for a species with a one‐year seed bank under different colonization–extinction dynamics and metapopulation sizes, using a mechanistic model that accounts for three different sources of seedlings (seed bank, newly locally produced seeds and migrant seeds) as well as a disturbance process reflecting extinction. Using the programe‐surge, we analysed these simulated data to evaluate the statistical performance of the hidden Markov model in detecting the presence of a seed bank and providing accurate estimates of the model parameters for different sets of parameter values.

Our simulation tests showed that the absence of a seed bank was very well detected when data sets were simulated with no seed bank, regardless the size of the metapopulation. Similarly, the presence of a seed bank was well detected when data sets were simulated with a seed bank. In this latter case, detection of the seed bank improved with increasing size of the metapopulation.

The quality of the estimates of the model parameters increased with the size of the metapopulation but still remained high for small metapopulation sizes. The two parameters reflecting the colonization process and seed dormancy were those best estimated. In addition, we showed that ignoring the presence of a seed bank unvaryingly led to overestimations of colonization and extinction rates.

Synthesis. Hidden Markov models offer a reliable way to estimate colonization and extinction rates for plant metapopulations with a seed bank using time series of presence–absence data. Therefore, these models have the potential to provide valuable insights into the metapopulation dynamics of many plant and animal species with an unobservable life form that have remained poorly studied because of methodological constraints.
Control of Bacillus subtilis cell shape by RodZ
Authors: Muchová Katarína , Chromiková Zuzana , Barák Imrich
Published: June 2013

The bacterial cell wall ensures the structural integrity of the cell and is the main determinant of cell shape. In Bacillus subtilis, three cytoskeletal proteins, MreB, MreBH and Mbl, are thought to play a crucial role in maintaining the rod cell shape. These proteins are thought to be linked with the transmembrane proteins MreC, MreD and RodA, the peptidoglycan hydrolases, and the penicillin‐binding proteins that are essential for peptidoglycan elongation. Recently, a well‐conserved membrane protein RodZ was discovered in most Gram‐negative and Gram‐positive bacteria. This protein seems to be an additional member of the elongation complex. Here, we examine the role of RodZ in B. subtilis cells. Our results indicate that RodZ is an essential protein and that downregulation of RodZ expression causes the formation of shorter and rounder cells. We also found a direct interaction between RodZ and the cytoskeletal and morphogenetic proteins MreB, MreBH, Mbl and MreD. Taken together, we demonstrated that RodZ is an important part of the cell shape determining network in B. subtilis.
Plan–Provider Integration, Premiums, and Quality in the Medicare Advantage Market
Authors: Frakt Austin B. , Pizer Steven D. , Feldman Roger
Published: June 2013

Objective

To investigate how integration between Medicare Advantage plans and health care providers is related to plan premiums and quality ratings.

Data Source

We used public data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Area Resource File and private data from one large insurer. Premiums and quality ratings are from 2009 CMS administrative files and some control variables are historical.

Study Design

We estimated ordinary least‐squares models for premiums and plan quality ratings, with state fixed effects and firm random effects. The key independent variable was an indicator of plan–provider integration.

Data Collection

With the exception of Medigap premium data, all data were publicly available. We ascertained plan–provider integration through examination of plans’ websites and governance documents.

Principal Findings

We found that integrated plan–providers charge higher premiums, controlling for quality. Such plans also have higher quality ratings. We found no evidence that integration is associated with more generous benefits.

Conclusions

Current policy encourages plan–provider integration, although potential effects on health insurance products and markets are uncertain. Policy makers and regulators may want to closely monitor changes in premiums and quality after integration and consider whether quality improvement (if any) justifies premium increases (if they occur).
Racial and Ethnic Differences in Childhood Asthma Treatment in the United States
Authors: Sarpong Eric M. , Miller G. Edward
Published: June 2013

Objective

To examine racial–ethnic differences in asthma controller medication use among insured U.S. children.

Data Sources

Linked nationally representative data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (2005–2008), the 2000 Decennial Census, and the National Health Interview Survey (2004–2007).

Study Design

The study quantifies the portion of racial–ethnic differences in children's controller use that are attributable to differences in need, enabling and predisposing characteristics.

Principal Findings

Non‐Hispanic black and Hispanic children were less likely to use controllers than non‐Hispanic white children. Blinder‐Oaxaca decomposition results indicated that observable characteristics explain less than 40 percent of the overall differential in controller use between non‐Hispanic whites and non‐Hispanic blacks. In contrast, observable characteristics explain more than two‐thirds (71.3 percent) of the overall non‐Hispanic white‐Hispanic differential in controller use. For non‐Hispanic blacks, a majority of the explained differential in controller use were attributed to enabling characteristics. For Hispanics, a significant portion of the explained differential in controller use was attributed to predisposing characteristics. In addition, a larger portion of the differential in controller use was explained by observable characteristics for publicly insured non‐Hispanic black and Hispanic children.

Conclusions

The large observed differences in controller use highlight the continuing challenges of ensuring that all U.S. children have access to quality asthma care.
Geographic Variation in Ambulatory Electronic Health Record Adoption: Implications for Underserved Communities
Authors: King Jennifer , Furukawa Michael F. , Buntin Melinda B.
Published: June 2013

Objective

To describe small area variation in ambulatory electronic health record (EHR) adoption and assess evidence of a “digital divide” in whether adoption is lagging in traditionally underserved communities.

Data Sources

Survey data on U.S. ambulatory health care sites (261,973 sites representing 716,160 providers) collected by SK&A Information Services in 2011.

Study Design

We examined cross‐sectional variation in two measures of local area EHR adoption: share of providers at sites using an EHR with e‐prescribing functionality; and predicted probability of EHR adoption for the average site. Local areas were defined as Public Use Microdata Areas (n = 2,068). Using multivariate regression, we examined the association between adoption and three area characteristics: high concentration of minority population; high concentration of low‐income population; and metropolitan status.

Principal Findings

EHR adoption varied significantly across local areas, ranging from 8 to 88 percent with a median of 41 percent. Adoption was lower in large metropolitan areas; areas with high concentration of minority population in the Northeast and West; and areas with high concentration of low‐income population in the Midwest.

Conclusions

Our 2011 estimates suggest there was substantial room for increased EHR adoption across the United States, including some underserved areas with relatively low EHR adoption rates. Further research should monitor policy initiatives in these areas and examine sources of heterogeneity in low‐ and high‐adoption communities.
Incentivizing Primary Care Providers to Innovate: Building Medical Homes in the Post‐Katrina New Orleans Safety Net
Authors: Rittenhouse Diane R. , Schmidt Laura A. , Wu Kevin J. , Wiley James
Published: June 2013

Objective

To evaluate safety‐net clinics’ responses to a novel community‐wide Patient‐Centered Medical Home (PCMH) financial incentive program in post‐Katrina New Orleans.

Data Sources/Study Setting

Between June 2008 and June 2010, we studied 50 primary care clinics in New Orleans receiving federal funds to expand services and improve care delivery.

Study Design

Multiwave, longitudinal, observational study of a local safety‐net primary care system.

Data Collection

Clinic‐level data from a semiannual survey of clinic leaders (89.3 percent response rate), augmented by administrative records.

Principal Findings

Overall, 62 percent of the clinics responded to financial incentives by achieving PCMH recognition from the National Committee on Quality Assurance (NCQA). Higher patient volume, higher baseline PCMH scores, and type of ownership were significant predictors of achieving NCQA recognition. The steepest increase in adoption of PCMH processes occurred among clinics achieving the highest, Level 3, NCQA recognition. Following NCQA recognition, 88.9 percent stabilized or increased their use of PCMH processes, although several specific PCMH processes had very low rates of adoption overall.

Conclusions

Findings demonstrate that widespread PCMH implementation is possible in a safety‐net environment when external financial incentives are aligned with the goal of practice innovation.
The influence of female age on male mating preference and reproductive success in cabbage beetle, Colaphellus bowringi
Authors: Liu Xing‐Ping , He Hai‐Min , Xue Fang‐Sen
Published: June 2013

The influence of female age on male mating preference and reproductive success has been studied using a promiscuous cabbage beetle, Colaphellus bowringi Baly (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). In a simultaneous choice test, middle‐aged females had significantly greater mating success than young and old females. In single pair trials, when paired with middle‐aged virgin males, middle‐aged females mated faster, copulated longer, and had greater fecundity and fertility than young or old females, while the longevity of males was not significantly affected by female age. This study on C. bowringi suggests that middle‐aged females are more receptive to mating, which can result in the highest male reproductive success.
Non cell autonomous upregulation of CDKN2 transcription linked to progression of chronic hepatitis C disease
Authors: Robinson Mark W. , McGuinness Dagmara , Swann Rachael , Barclay Stephen , Mills Peter R. , Patel Arvind H. , McLauchlan John , Shiels Paul G.
Published: June 2013

Chronic hepatitis C virus infection (C‐HC) is associated with higher mortality arising from hepatic and extrahepatic disease. This may be due to accelerated biological aging; however, studies in C‐HC have thus far been based solely on telomere length as a biomarker of aging (BoA). In this study, we have evaluated CDKN2 locus transcripts as alternative BoAs in C‐HC. Our results suggest that C‐HC induces non‐cell‐autonomous senescence and accelerates biological aging. The CDKN2 locus may provide a link between C‐HC and increased susceptibility to age‐associated diseases and provides novel biomarkers for assessing its impact on aging processes in man.
The influence of skeletal muscle on systemic aging and lifespan
Authors: Demontis Fabio , Piccirillo Rosanna , Goldberg Alfred L. , Perrimon Norbert
Published: June 2013

Epidemiological studies in humans suggest that skeletal muscle aging is a risk factor for the development of several age‐related diseases such as metabolic syndrome, cancer, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. Here, we review recent studies in mammals and Drosophila highlighting how nutrient‐ and stress‐sensing in skeletal muscle can influence lifespan and overall aging of the organism. In addition to exercise and indirect effects of muscle metabolism, growing evidence suggests that muscle‐derived growth factors and cytokines, known as myokines, modulate systemic physiology. Myokines may influence the progression of age‐related diseases and contribute to the intertissue communication that underlies systemic aging.
Rethinking Crises and the Accretion of Executive Power: The “War on Terror” and Conditionality Evidence From Seven Political Systems
Authors: Owens John E. , Pelizzo Riccardo
Published: June 2013

External shocks to democratic systems are likely to threaten the stability of relations between the executive and the representative assembly. This article investigates the impact of the so‐called “war on terror” on executive‐assembly relations in comparative perspective. We analyze data from seven countries, which varied in terms of form of government, level of democracy, culture, social structure, and geographic location, to evaluate its effects. We find that whereas in some systems the “war on terror” altered the balance of power between the executive and the assembly, in other cases the extant balance of power was preserved. We postulate various conditions under which the constitutionally sanctioned balance of power is most likely to be preserved in times of crisis.
State Repression in Cyberspace: The Case of Thailand
Authors: Sinpeng Aim
Published: June 2013

Does the Internet facilitate democratization or democratic entrenchment? The body of literature on the Internet and democracy points to scholarly divergence on this issue. This article seeks to contribute to this debate by analyzing Thailand's Internet regime as a crucial test case in the larger debate over the Internet and democracy. First, it argues that the extent to which the Internet can be a force for democracy is contingent upon the state coercive capacity in cyberspace. State coercion online—measured in terms of regulatory, institutional, infrastructural, and ideational dimensions—can thwart the democratic potential the Internet may bring. Second, using a rationalist analytical framework, this article argues that the Thai state will continue to employ repression online as long as the benefits outweigh the costs for political elites. As such, any improvement in the country's overall democratic qualities may not affect the degree of state digital coercion.
One World, Two Languages: Cross‐Language Semantic Priming in Bilingual Toddlers
Authors: Singh Leher
Published: June 2013

The interconnectedness of bilingual memory remains a topic of great debate. Semantic priming provides a powerful methodological tool with which to investigate this issue in early bilingual toddlers. Semantic priming effects were investigated in 21 bilingual toddlers (2.5 years) within and across each of their languages. Results revealed the first evidence of cross‐language and within‐language semantic priming in bilingual toddlers. However, priming effects were only observed when the prime was presented in the dominant language and were comparable in magnitude within and across languages. Findings point to high interconnectivity across languages; however, there appear to be strong influences of language dominance on semantic facilitation. Findings serve to inform and refine developmental models of bilingual memory.
Infants' Perception of Emotion From Body Movements
Authors: Zieber Nicole , Kangas Ashley , Hock Alyson , Bhatt Ramesh S.
Published: June 2013

Adults recognize emotions conveyed by bodies with comparable accuracy to facial emotions. However, no prior study has explored infants' perception of body emotions. In Experiment 1, 6.5‐month‐olds (n = 32) preferred happy over neutral actions of actors with covered faces in upright but not inverted silent videos. In Experiment 2, infants (n = 32) matched happy and angry videos to corresponding vocalizations when the videos were upright but not when they were inverted. Experiment 3 (n = 16) demonstrated that infants' performance in Experiment 2 was not driven by information from the covered face and head. Thus, young infants are sensitive to emotions conveyed by bodies and match them to affective vocalizations, indicating sophisticated emotion processing capabilities early in life.
Regulation of IgE‐mediated signalling in human basophils by CD32b and its role in Syk down‐regulation
Authors: MacGlashan D. , Moore G. , Muchhal U.
Published: June 2013

Background

CD32b has been previously demonstrated to modulate IgE‐mediated secretion from human basophils. However, exploration of the implications of this regulation has been limited. One unstudied area is whether regulation of signalling by CD32 also alters some of the phenotypic changes induced by IgE‐mediated activation. The reported character of CD32‐mediated signal transduction is not clear for human basophils and the two primary mechanisms considered important in this reaction predict different long‐term outcomes, notably predicting different outcomes for down‐regulation of syk expression.

Objective

Syk expression was considered a unique point of phenotypic control in human basophils and the role of CD32b in its regulation is explored in this study. However, initial pilot studies discovered that IL‐3 could markedly up‐regulate CD32 expression and first describing the consequences of this up‐regulation became an additional focus of this study.

Methods

Human basophils were examined for the changes in IgE‐mediated signalling during simultaneous engagement of CD32b.

Results

Preliminary experiments noted that CD32b could be up‐regulated by IL‐3 (3‐ to 12‐fold). Both natural variation and induced up‐regulation of CD32b modulated the efficacy of this receptor to inhibit IgE‐mediated release. Signalling induced by engagement of CD32b (lyn, syk, SHP‐1, or SHIP1 phosphorylation) was more consistent with a mode of action involving SHIP1 rather than SHP‐1. IgE‐mediated down‐regulation of syk expression was not altered by co‐engagement of CD32b, a result also consistent with a SHIP1‐dependent mechanism of inhibition.

Conclusions

Taken together these results suggest that the combined action of IgE and IgG could generate a natural mechanism, whereby the significant variation in syk expression in allergic subjects occurs without necessarily also inducing mediator release.
The relationship between eosinophilia and airway remodelling in mild asthma
Authors: Wilson S. J. , Rigden H. M. , Ward J. A. , Laviolette M. , Jarjour N. N. , Djukanović R.
Published: June 2013

Background

Eosinophilia is a marker of corticosteroid responsiveness and risk of exacerbation in asthma; although it has been linked to submucosal matrix deposition, its relationship with other features of airway remodelling is less clear.

Objective

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between airway eosinophilia and airway remodelling.

Methods

Bronchial biopsies from subjects (n = 20 in each group) with mild steroid‐naïve asthma, with either low (0–0.45 mm−2)) or high submucosal eosinophil (23.43–46.28 mm−2) counts and healthy controls were assessed for in vivo epithelial damage (using epidermal growth factor receptor staining), mucin expression, airway smooth muscle (ASM) hypertrophy and inflammatory cells within ASM.

Results

The proportion of in vivo damaged epithelium was significantly greater (P = 0.02) in the high‐eosinophil (27.37%) than the low‐eosinophil (4.14%) group. Mucin expression and goblet cell numbers were similar in the two eosinophil groups; however, MUC‐2 expression was increased (P = 0.002) in the high‐eosinophil group compared with controls. The proportion of submucosa occupied by ASM was higher in both asthma groups (P = 0.021 and P = 0.046) compared with controls. In the ASM, eosinophil and T‐lymphocyte numbers were higher (P < 0.05) in the high‐eosinophil group than both the low‐eosinophil group and the controls, whereas the numbers of mast cells were increased in the high‐eosinophil group (P = 0.01) compared with controls.

Conclusion

Submucosal eosinophilia is a marker (and possibly a cause) of epithelial damage and is related to infiltration of ASM with eosinophils and T lymphocytes, but is unrelated to mucus metaplasia or smooth muscle hypertrophy.
Non‐Local Image Reconstruction for Efficient Computation of Synthetic Bidirectional Texture Functions
Authors: Schröder K. , Klein R. , Zinke A.
Published: June 2013

Visual prototyping of materials is relevant for many computer graphics applications. A large amount of modelling flexibility can be obtained by directly rendering micro‐geometry. While this is possible in principle, it is usually computationally expensive. Recently, bidirectional texture functions (BTFs) have become popular for efficient photorealistic rendering of surfaces. We propose an efficient system for the computation of synthetic BTFs using Monte Carlo path tracing of micro‐geometry. We observe that BTFs usually consist of many similar apparent bidirectional reflectance distribution functions. By exploiting structural similarity we can reduce rendering times by one order of magnitude. This is done in a process we call non‐local image reconstruction, which has been inspired by non‐local means filtering. Our results indicate that synthesizing BTFs is highly practical and may currently only take a few minutes for BTFs with 70 × 70 viewing and lighting directions and 128 × 128 pixels.
Separate Goals, Converging Priorities: On the Ethics of Treatment as Prevention
Authors: Ostmann Florian , Saenz Carla
Published: June 2013

Recent evidence confirming that the administration of antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) to HIV‐infected persons may effectively reduce their risk of transmission has revived the discussion about priority setting in the fight against HIV/AIDS. The fact that the very same drugs can be used both for treatment purposes and for preventive purposes (Treatment as Prevention) has been seen as paradigm‐shifting and taken to spark a new controversy: In a context of scarce resources, should the allocation of ARVs be prioritized based on the goal of providing treatment, or on the goal of preventing the spread of the HIV epidemic?

Contributions to this discussion tend to assume that treatment and prevention constitute two divergent goals that entail conflicting priorities. We challenge that assumption on the basis of both conceptual and empirical examination. We argue that, as far as the provision of ARVs to HIV‐infected persons is concerned, the goals of treatment and prevention do not entail conflicting priorities; to the contrary, they dictate converging strategies for the optimal allocation of ARVs. In light of the current evidence, the concept of Treatment as Prevention can indeed be seen as paradigm‐shifting, yet in a novel way: Rather than extending the tension between the goals of treatment and prevention to the level of drug‐allocation, it dissolves this tension by providing a rationale for a unified strategy for allocating ARVs.
Role of proximal gut exclusion from food on glucose homeostasis in patients with Type 2 diabetes
Authors: Cohen R. , le Roux C. W. , Papamargaritis D. , Salles J. E. , Petry T. , Correa J. L. , Pournaras D. J. , Galvao Neto M. , Martins B. , Sakai P. , Schiavon C. A. , Sorli C.
Published: June 2013

Aims

To report Type 2 diabetes‐related outcomes after the implantation of a duodenal‐jejunal bypass liner device and to investigate the role of proximal gut exclusion from food in glucose homeostasis using the model of this device.

Methods

Sixteen patients with Type 2 diabetes and BMI <36 kg/m2 were evaluated before and 1, 12 and 52 weeks after duodenal‐jejunal bypass liner implantation and 26 weeks after explantation. Mixed‐meal tolerance tests were conducted over a period of 120 min and glucose, insulin and C‐peptide levels were measured. The Matsuda index and the homeostatic model of assessment of insulin resistance were used for the estimation of insulin sensitivity and insulin resistance. The insulin secretion rate was calculated using deconvolution of C‐peptide levels.

Results

Body weight decreased by 1.3 kg after 1 week and by 2.4 kg after 52 weeks (P < 0.001). One year after duodenal‐jejunal bypass liner implantation, the mean (sem) HbA1c level decreased from 71.3 (2.4) mmol/mol (8.6[0.2]%) to 58.1 (4.4) mmol/mol (7.5 [0.4]%) and mean (sem) fasting glucose levels decreased from 203.3 (13.5) mg/dl to 155.1 (13.1) mg/dl (both P < 0.001). Insulin sensitivity improved by >50% as early as 1 week after implantation as measured by the Matsuda index and the homeostatic model of assessment of insulin resistance (P < 0.001), but there was a trend towards deterioration in all the above‐mentioned variables 26 weeks after explantation. Fasting insulin levels, insulin area under the curve, fasting C‐peptide, C‐peptide area under the curve, fasting insulin and total insulin secretion rates did not change during the duodenal‐jejunal bypass liner implantation period or after explantation.

Conclusions

The duodenal‐jejunal bypass liner improves glycaemia in overweight and obese patients with Type 2 diabetes by rapidly improving insulin sensitivity. A reduction in hepatic glucose output is the most likely explanation for this improvement.