bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Enzymatic Deposition of Silver Particles for Detecting Protease Activity
Authors: Ding Xiaokang , Yang Kun‐Lin
Published: August 2014

A protease assay is reported by using enzymatic deposition of silver particles to report protease activity as optical readouts. In this assay, a biotinylated oligopeptide, which is a protease substrate, is first immobilized on a glass surface. In the absence of trypsin, streptavidin−alkaline phosphatase (SA−ALP) complex can bind to biotin and catalyze enzymatic silver deposition (ESD), which leads to a layer of highly reflective silver particles deposited on the surface. In the presence of trypsin, the immobilized oligopeptide is cleaved and biotin is removed. As a result, SA−ALP does not bind to the surface, and ESD does not happen. The limit of detection (LOD) of this assay is closely related to the surface density of oligopeptide substrate. When the surface density of oligopeptide is 0.12 molecule nm−2, the LOD for trypsin can reach 10 ng mL−1 (400 × 10−12m). It is also demonstrated that this ESD‐based protease assay can be applied to screening of protease inhibitors, such as benzamidine hydrochloride.
Spirometric reference values for healthy Han children aged 5–15 years in Guangzhou, southern China
Authors: Jiang Mei , Gao Yi , Zhong Nan‐Shan , Chen Wei‐Qing , Guan Wei‐Jie , Zheng Jin‐Ping
Published: August 2014

Background

Reliable interpretation of spirometry rests on appropriate reference values, but there are few published reference values for healthy children in China.

Objective

To develop the updated spirometric normative values for healthy children aged 5–15 years in Guangzhou, southern China, and to explore the differences by comparison with published reference values.

Methods

In this cross‐sectional study, health questionnaire and physical examination conducted for screening healthy Han children. Spirometry was performed by well‐trained technicians according to American Thoracic Society guidelines. Using Lambda‐Mu‐Sigma (LMS) algorithm, predicted equations for the median and lower limits of normal were derived for forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), peak expiratory flow (PEF), and maximal mid‐expiratory flow (FEF25–75%). Predicted values were compared with other published spirometric reference equations.

Results

Data were obtained from 422 healthy children (226 boys and 196 girls) aged 5–15 years. Spirometric parameters showed moderate‐to‐strong positive correlations with age, height, and weight in both genders, with height being the most crucial predictor. There were significant differences between spirometric values and other published reference values. Spirometric values were comparable with the data derived from the same area population in 2002, with exception of increased height and weight in the equivalent age groups.

Conclusions

The present spirometric reference equations are feasible for assessment of lung function among children in southern China. Further studies for establishment of reference values for Chinese children in other regions are needed. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2015; 50:1009–1016. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
New Synthetic Control Charts for Monitoring Process Mean and Process Dispersion
Authors: Haq Abdul , Brown Jennifer , Moltchanova Elena
Published: August 2014

A statistical quality control chart is widely recognized as a potentially powerful tool that is frequently used in many manufacturing and service industries to monitor the quality of the product or manufacturing processes. In this paper, we propose new synthetic control charts for monitoring the process mean and the process dispersion. The proposed synthetic charts are based on ranked set sampling (RSS), median RSS (MRSS), and ordered RSS (ORSS) schemes, named synthetic‐RSS, synthetic‐MRSS, and synthetic‐ORSS charts, respectively. Average run lengths are used to evaluate the performances of the control charts. It is found that the synthetic‐RSS and synthetic‐MRSS mean charts perform uniformly better than the Shewhart mean chart based on simple random sampling (Shewhart‐SRS), synthetic‐SRS, double sampling‐SRS, Shewhart‐RSS, and Shewhart‐MRSS mean charts. The proposed synthetic charts generally outperform the exponentially weighted moving average (EWMA) chart based on SRS in the detection of large mean shifts. We also compare the performance of the synthetic‐ORSS dispersion chart with the existing powerful dispersion charts. It turns out that the synthetic‐ORSS chart also performs uniformly better than the Shewhart‐R, Shewhart‐S, synthetic‐R, synthetic‐S, synthetic‐D, cumulative sum (CUSUM) ln S2, CUSUM‐R, CUSUM‐S, EWMA‐ln S2, and change point CUSUM charts for detecting increases in the process dispersion. A similar trend is observed when the proposed synthetic charts are constructed under imperfect RSS schemes. Illustrative examples are used to demonstrate the implementation of the proposed synthetic charts. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
An efficient strongly secure authenticated key exchange protocol without random oracles
Authors: Yang Zheng
Published: August 2014

Since the introduction of extended Canetti–Krawczyk (eCK) security model for two‐party key exchange, many protocols have been proposed to provide eCK security. However, most of those protocols are provably secure in the random oracle model or rely on special design technique, which is well known as the NAXOS trick. In contrast to previous schemes, we present an eCK secure protocol in the standard model, without NAXOS trick and without knowledge of secret key assumption for public key registration. The security proof of our scheme is based on standard pairing assumption, collision‐resistant hash functions, Bilinear Decision Diffie–Hellman and Decision Linear Diffie–Hellman assumptions, and pseudo‐random functions with pairwise independent random source. Although our proposed protocol is based on bilinear groups, it does not require any pairing operation during key exchange procedure. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Personalized dose selection in radiation therapy using statistical models for toxicity and efficacy with dose and biomarkers as covariates
Authors: Schipper Matthew J. , Taylor Jeremy M. G. , TenHaken Randy , Matuzak Martha M. , Kong Feng‐Ming , Lawrence Theodore S.
Published: August 2014

Selection of dose for cancer patients treated with radiation therapy (RT) must balance the increased efficacy with the increased toxicity associated with higher dose. Historically, a single dose has been selected for a population of patients (e.g., all stage III non‐small cell lung cancer). However, the availability of new biologic markers for toxicity and efficacy allows the possibility of selecting a more personalized dose. We consider the use of statistical models for toxicity and efficacy as a function of RT dose and biomarkers to select an optimal dose for an individual patient, defined as the dose that maximizes the probability of efficacy minus the sum of weighted toxicity probabilities. This function can be shown to be equal to the expected value of the utility derived from a particular family of bivariate outcome utility matrices. We show that if dose is linearly related to the probability of toxicity and efficacy, then any marker that only acts additively with dose cannot improve efficacy, without also increasing toxicity. Using a dataset of lung cancer patients treated with RT, we illustrate this approach and compare it to non‐marker‐based dose selection. Because typical metrics used in evaluating new markers (e.g., area under the ROC curve) do not directly address the ability of a marker to improve efficacy at a fixed probability of toxicity, we utilize a simulation study to assess the effects of marker‐based dose selection on toxicity and efficacy outcomes. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Inference for environmental intervention studies using principal stratification
Authors: Hackstadt Amber J. , Matsui Elizabeth C. , Williams D'Ann L. , Diette Gregory B. , Breysse Patrick N. , Butz Arlene M. , Peng Roger D.
Published: August 2014

Previous research has found evidence of an association between indoor air pollution and asthma morbidity in children. Environmental intervention studies have been performed to examine the role of household environmental interventions in altering indoor air pollution concentrations and improving health. Previous environmental intervention studies have found only modest effects on health outcomes and it is unclear if the health benefits provided by environmental modification are comparable with those provided by medication. Traditionally, the statistical analysis of environmental intervention studies has involved performing two intention‐to‐treat analyses that separately estimate the effect of the environmental intervention on health and the effect of the environmental intervention on indoor air pollution concentrations. We propose a principal stratification approach to examine the extent to which an environmental intervention's effect on health outcomes coincides with its effect on indoor air pollution. We apply this approach to data from a randomized air cleaner intervention trial conducted in a population of asthmatic children living in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. We find that among children for whom the air cleaner reduced indoor particulate matter concentrations, the intervention resulted in a meaningful improvement of asthma symptoms with an effect generally larger than previous studies have shown. A key benefit of using principal stratification in environmental intervention studies is that it allows investigators to estimate causal effects of the intervention for sub‐groups defined by changes in the indoor air pollution concentration. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Quantification of Reactive Oxygen Species Generation by Photoexcitation of PEGylated Quantum Dots
Authors: Yaghini Elnaz , Pirker Katharina F. , Kay Christopher W. M. , Seifalian Alexander M. , MacRobert Alexander J.
Published: August 2014

Photocatalytic generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) from quantum dots (QDs) has been widely reported yet quantitative studies of ROS formation and their quantum yields are lacking. This study investigates the generation of ROS by water soluble PEGylated CdSe/ZnS QDs with red emission. PEGylation of QDs is commonly used to confer water solubility and minimise uptake by organs of the reticuloendothelial system; therefore studies of ROS formation are of biomedical relevance. Using non‐photolytic visible wavelength excitation, the superoxide anion radical is shown to be the primary ROS species generated with a quantum efficiency of 0.35%. The yield can be significantly enhanced in the presence of the electron donor, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH), as demonstrated by oxygen consumption measurements and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy with in situ illumination. Direct production of singlet oxygen is not detectable from the QDs alone. A comparison is made with ROS generation by the same QDs complexed with a sulfonated phthalocyanine which can generate singlet oxygen via Förster resonance energy transfer between the QDs and the phthalocyanine.
Micro‐ and Nanotechnologies for Intracellular Delivery
Authors: Yan Li , Zhang Jinfeng , Lee Chun‐Sing , Chen Xianfeng
Published: August 2014

The majority of drugs and biomolecules need to be delivered into cells to be effective. However, the cell membranes, a biological barrier, strictly resist drugs or biomolecules entering cells, resulting in significantly reduced intracellular delivery efficiency. To overcome this barrier, a variety of intracellular delivery approaches including chemical and physical ways have been developed in recent years. In this review, the focus is on summarizing the nanomaterial routes involved in making use of a collection of receptors for the targeted delivery of drugs and biomolecules and the physical ways of applying micro‐ and nanotechnologies for high‐throughput intracellular delivery.
Urban middle school students' reflections on authentic science inquiry
Authors: Rivera Maulucci María S. , Brown Bryan A. , Grey Salina T. , Sullivan Shayna
Published: August 2014

This study explores the experiences of six urban middle school students in an authentic science inquiry program. Drawing on data including teaching journal entries, student work folders, and semi‐structured focus group interviews of six participants, the findings explore six dimensions of authentic science inquiry, an approach to science inquiry in which: (a) students develop authentic and personally relevant science knowledge; (b) students' funds of knowledge shape their inquiries; (c) students' relationships with science and sustained interest in science are transformed; (d) students' identities as potential scientists are affirmed; (e) students engage in science as a social enterprise; and (f) students develop a sense of agency. The findings situate authentic science inquiry as an individual and collective characteristic of learners and the learning community. We make the case that authentic science inquiry projects provide students with a greater sense of academic agency, afford students opportunities to gain expertise, and have the potential to challenge students' understandings of science, enhance how they see themselves in relationship to science, and improve their achievement in science. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 51: 1119–1149, 2014
The climate–wildfire–air quality system: interactions and feedbacks across spatial and temporal scales
Authors: Stavros E. Natasha , McKenzie Donald , Larkin Narasimhan
Published: August 2014

Future climate change and its effects on social and ecological systems present challenges for preserving valued ecosystem services, including local and regional air quality. Wildfire is a major source of air‐quality impact in some locations, and a substantial contributor to pollutants of concern, including nitrogen oxides and particulate matter, which are regulated to protect public and environmental health. Since climate change is expected to increase total area burned by wildfire and wildfires affect air quality, which is regulated, there is a need to define and study climate, wildfire, and air quality as one system. We review interactions and feedbacks acting across space and time within the climate–wildfire–air quality system, providing a foundation for integrated modeling and for assessing the ecological and social impacts of this system and its broader ecological, social, and scientific implications. WIREs Clim Change 2014, 5:719–733. doi: 10.1002/wcc.303

This article is categorized under:

Assessing Impacts of Climate Change > Evaluating Future Impacts of Climate Change

Integrated Assessment of Climate Change > Applications of Integrated Assessment to Climate Change
Mathematical modeling for improved greenhouse gas balances, agro‐ecosystems, and policy development: lessons from the Australian experience
Authors: Moore Andrew D. , Eckard Richard J. , Thorburn Peter J. , Grace Peter R. , Wang Enli , Chen Deli
Published: August 2014

If the land sector is to make significant contributions to mitigating anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in coming decades, it must do so while concurrently expanding production of food and fiber. In our view, mathematical modeling will be required to provide scientific guidance to meet this challenge. In order to be useful in GHG mitigation policy measures, models must simultaneously meet scientific, software engineering, and human capacity requirements. They can be used to understand GHG fluxes, to evaluate proposed GHG mitigation actions, and to predict and monitor the effects of specific actions; the latter applications require a change in mindset that has parallels with the shift from research modeling to decision support. We compare and contrast 6 agro‐ecosystem models (FullCAM, DayCent, DNDC, APSIM, WNMM, and AgMod), chosen because they are used in Australian agriculture and forestry. Underlying structural similarities in the representations of carbon flows though plants and soils in these models are complemented by a diverse range of emphases and approaches to the subprocesses within the agro‐ecosystem. None of these agro‐ecosystem models handles all land sector GHG fluxes, and considerable model‐based uncertainty exists for soil C fluxes and enteric methane emissions. The models also show diverse approaches to the initialisation of model simulations, software implementation, distribution, licensing, and software quality assurance; each of these will differentially affect their usefulness for policy‐driven GHG mitigation prediction and monitoring. Specific requirements imposed on the use of models by Australian mitigation policy settings are discussed, and areas for further scientific development of agro‐ecosystem models for use in GHG mitigation policy are proposed. WIREs Clim Change 2014, 5:735–752. doi: 10.1002/wcc.304

This article is categorized under:

Integrated Assessment of Climate Change > Applications of Integrated Assessment to Climate Change

The Carbon Economy and Climate Mitigation > Policies, Instruments, Lifestyles, Behavior
Prognostic Value of the Number and Size of Venous Invasions in pT3 Colorectal Cancer: A Prospective Observational Study
Authors: Shinto Eiji , Tsuda Hitoshi , Ueno Hideki , Shimazaki Hideyuki , Yamamoto Junji , Hase Kazuo
Published: August 2014

Background

Although venous invasion is reportedly a clinically useful prognostic marker for colorectal cancer, suitable grading criteria have not been established.

Objective

This prospective observational study aimed to investigate the prognostic value of the number and size of venous invasions in patients with pT3 colorectal cancer.

Methods

We recruited 139 consecutive patients with pT3 colorectal carcinomas resected between October 2001 and August 2003. We used slides of whole‐tissue sections stained with Elastica van Gieson. Venous invasion was classified according to the number of veins with carcinoma infiltration per slide with most venous invasions (V‐number classification): V(n)‐low 0–3 and V(n)‐high ≥4. Additionally, the findings were classified according to the maximal size of veins containing carcinoma infiltration (V‐size classification): V(s)‐low <1 mm and V(s)‐high ≥1 mm. The grades of venous invasions were evaluated just after surgery.

Results

The 5‐year survival rate of V(n)‐low and V(n)‐high were 89.9 and 59.1 %, respectively (p < 0.0001). Comparisons between overall survival curves revealed that V‐number classification (but not V‐size classification) had a significant prognostic value in patients with pT3 cancer, especially in stage II patients (98.2 and 64.2 %, respectively; p < 0.0001). Multivariate analysis revealed distant metastasis, age, and V‐number classification (hazard ratio 3.1; p = 0.0071) as independent prognostic indicators.

Conclusions

V‐number classification may be a useful prognostic system when evaluating and sub‐grouping patients with pT3 colorectal cancer.
Mutations in hereditary phosphoglucomutase 1 deficiency map to key regions of enzyme structure and function
Authors: Beamer Lesa J.
Published: August 2014

Recent studies have identified phosphoglucomutase 1 (PGM1) deficiency as an inherited metabolic disorder in humans. PGM1 deficiency is classified as both a muscle glycogenosis (type XIV) and a congenital disorder of glycosylation of types I and II. Affected patients show multiple disease phenotypes, reflecting the central role of the enzyme in glucose homeostasis, where it catalyzes the interconversion of glucose 1‐phosphate and glucose 6‐phosphate. The influence of PGM1 deficiency on protein glycosylation patterns is also widespread #Affecting both biosynthesis and processing of glycans and their precursors. To date, 21 different mutations involved in PGM1 deficiency have been identified, including 13 missense mutations resulting in single amino acid changes. Growing clinical interest in PGM1 deficiency prompts a review of the molecular context of these mutations in the three‐dimensional structure of the protein. Here the known crystal structure of PGM from rabbit (97 % sequence identity to human) is used to analyze the mutations associated with disease and find that many map to regions with clear significance to enzyme function. In particular, amino acids in and around the active site cleft are frequently involved, including regions responsible for catalysis, binding of the metal ion required for activity, and interactions with the phosphosugar substrate. Several of the known mutations, however, are distant from the active site and appear to manifest their effects indirectly. An understanding of how the different mutations that cause PGM1 deficiency affect enzyme structure and function is foundational to providing clinical prognosis and the development of effective treatment strategies.
Inhibition of Endothelial Lipase Activity by Sphingomyelin in the Lipoproteins
Authors: Yang Peng , Belikova Natalia A. , Billheimer Jeff , Rader Daniel J. , Hill John S. , Subbaiah Papasani V.
Published: August 2014

Endothelial lipase (EL) is a major determinant of plasma HDL concentration, its activity being inversely proportional to HDL levels. Although it is known that it preferentially acts on HDL compared to LDL and VLDL, the basis for this specificity is not known. Here we tested the hypothesis that sphingomyelin, a major phospholipid in lipoproteins is a physiological inhibitor of EL, and that the preference of the enzyme for HDL may be due to low sphingomyelin/phosphatidylcholine (PtdCho) ratio in HDL, compared to other lipoproteins. Using recombinant human EL, we showed that sphingomyelin inhibits the hydrolysis of PtdCho in the liposomes in a concentration‐dependent manner. While the enzyme showed lower hydrolysis of LDL PtdCho, compared to HDL PtdCho, this difference disappeared after the degradation of lipoprotein sphingomyelin by bacterial sphingomyelinase. Analysis of molecular species of PtdCho hydrolyzed by EL in the lipoproteins showed that the enzyme preferentially hydrolyzed PtdCho containing polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) such as 22:6, 20:5, 20:4 at the sn‐2 position, generating the corresponding PUFA‐lyso PtdCho. This specificity for PUFA‐PtdCho species was not observed after depletion of sphingomyelin by sphingomyelinase. These results show that sphingomyelin not only plays a role in regulating EL activity, but also influences its specificity towards PtdCho species.
Mixing Phase Behavior of 1,3‐Dipalmitoyl‐2‐Oleoyl‐sn‐Glycerol (POP) and 1,2‐Dipalmitoyl‐3‐Oleoyl‐rac‐Glycerol (PPO) in n‐Dodecane Solution
Authors: Ikeda‐Naito Eriko , Hondoh Hironori , Ueno Satoru , Sato Kiyotaka
Published: August 2014

We examined the mixing phase behavior of 1,3‐dipalmitoyl‐2‐oleoyl‐sn‐glycerol (POP) and 1,2‐dipalmitoyl‐3‐oleoyl‐rac‐glycerol (PPO) in organic solutions containing n‐dodecane (C12) as a solvent to confirm whether the molecular compound (MC) crystals of POP/PPO are formed as metastable and most stable forms in the dilute solution by using DSC and synchrotron radiation X‐ray diffraction. The POP/PPO mixtures were prepared at different concentration ratios of POP and PPO with a 10 % increment in two solutions having weight concentration ratios of (POP+PPO):C12 of 50:50 (50 % solution) and 20:80 (20 % solution). We found that MC crystals formed at a ratio of POP/PPO = 50/50 having the melting point of 23.1 and 20.6 °C in 50 and 20 % solution systems in stable states of incubated samples, respectively. The metastable (β′) and stable (β) forms of MC of POP/PPO = 50/50 having a double‐chain‐length structure were confirmed in kinetic behavior and thermodynamically stable states attained after long time incubation, in contrast to the triple‐chain‐length structure of stable forms of POP (β) and PPO (β′). In addition, we observed the formation of MC crystals of POP/PPO in diluted solutions having n‐dodecane concentrations up to 98 % and conclude that molecular interactions between POP and PPO molecules to form MC crystals are not altered by solvent molecules in diluted solutions.
Formoterol in the treatment of experimental cancer cachexia: effects on heart function
Authors: Toledo Míriam , Springer Jochen , Busquets Sílvia , Tschirner Anika , López-Soriano Francisco J. , Anker Stefan D. , Argilés Josep M.
Published: August 2014

Background and aims

Formoterol is a highly potent β2‐adrenoceptor‐selective agonist, which is a muscle growth promoter in many animal species, resulting in skeletal muscle hypertrophy. Previous studies carried out in our laboratory have shown that formoterol treatment in tumour‐bearing animals resulted in an amelioration of muscle loss through different mechanisms that include muscle apoptosis and proteolysis.

Methods

The study presented involved rats bearing the Yoshida AH‐130 ascites tumour model—which induces a high degree of cachexia—treated with the beta‐2 agonist formoterol (0.3 mg/kg BW).

Results

The administration of formoterol to cachectic tumour‐bearing rats resulted in a significant reduction of muscle weight loss. The treatment also increased lean body mass and body water. The treatment, however, did not influence heart weight, which was much decreased as a result of tumour burden. Untreated tumour‐bearing rats showed important changes in parameters related with heart function:, left ventricle (LV) ejection fraction, fractional shortening, LV diameter and volume (diastolic) and LV stroke volume, LV mass and posterior wall thickness (PWT) (both systolic and diastolic). The administration of formoterol affected LV diameter and volume, LV stroke volume and LV mass.

Conclusions

The results suggest that formoterol treatment, in addition to reducing muscle wasting, does not negatively alter heart function—in fact, some cardiac parameters are improved—in animals affected by cancer cachexia.
MemStar: A one‐shot Escherichia coli‐based approach for high‐level bacterial membrane protein production
Authors: Lee Chiara , Kang Hae Joo , Hjelm Anna , Qureshi Abdul Aziz , Nji Emmanuel , Choudhury Hassanul , Beis Konstantinos , de Gier Jan-Willem , Drew David
Published: August 2014

Optimising membrane protein production yields in Escherichia coli can be time‐ and resource‐consuming. Here, we present a simple and effective Membrane protein Single shot amplification recipe: MemStar. This one‐shot amplification recipe is based on the E. coli strain Lemo21(DE3), the PASM‐5052 auto‐induction medium and, contradictorily, an IPTG induction step. Using MemStar, production yields for most bacterial membrane proteins tested were improved to reach an average of 5 mg L−1 per OD600 unit, which is significantly higher than yields obtained with other common production strategies. With MemStar, we have been able to obtain new structural information for several transporters, including the sodium/proton antiporter NapA.
Does privatisation drive innovation? Business model innovation through stakeholder viewpoints: the case of Sydney Airport 10 years post-privatisation
Authors: Bowyer Dorothea , Chapman Ross L.
Published: August 2014

Broad economic and social reform, rapid technological change and increasing global competition have meant that organisations must consider all aspects of their business model in order to successfully create and capture ongoing customer value. In this study it is proposed that business model innovation must always consider and incorporate the symbiotic and interdependent relationship that stakeholders have with an organisation. One particular aspect of economic reform, privatisation, has become an important driver of economic growth in many economies, particularly when linked with the rapid growth of air travel. Privatisation of an airport can generate a radical change in the overall business model for the airport owner and the various stakeholders involved in the operation of the airport. Sydney Airport has restructured its overarching business model to meet the demands of stakeholders. Using feedback from key stakeholders, this research examines the generally accepted view that airport privatisation leads to an improvement in airport performance. Chesbrough's Business Model Framework provides a lens to assist the analysis of Sydney Airport operations before and after privatisation, and provides valuable insights into the impact of privatisation on business model innovation.
Board independence and firm performance in Southern Europe: A contextual and contingency approach
Authors: García-Ramos Rebeca , García-Olalla Myriam
Published: August 2014

This study analyses whether or not the effect of board independence on a firm's strategic performance is moderated by family involvement in ownership and control. Moderation of the board's size and the independent director ratio are tested under quadratic specifications. The effect of CEO duality with family involvement on long-term sales growth is also measured. The empirical analysis is conducted in the Southern European context using a sample of publicly traded firms that have concentrated ownership structures. The main findings indicate that when nonlinearities are considered, family involvement moderates the relationship between the independent director ratio and firm performance. The optimal proportion of independent directors is lower in family businesses than in non-family ones. However, the results fail to support nonlinearities for board size. We find positive linear relationships between both board size and CEO duality with firm performance, which are not moderated by family involvement.
Different strokes: IPO risk factors, investor valuation, and firm survival
Authors: Mousa Fariss-terry , Bierly Paul E. , Wales William J
Published: August 2014

As a firm prepares for initial public offering, the Securities and Exchange Commission mandates that top managers must record risks to their firms’ survival or performance in the prospectus. More specifically we propose that external risk factors (market risks, legal risks, and government regulations risks) have a more negative effect on investor optimism and initial public offering valuation, while internal risk factors (management risks, operational risks, technical risks) have a more negative effect on post-initial public offering long-term firm survival. This study illustrates a major gap between risk factors that investors initially focus on and the true determinants of long-term success.
Dawes Review 4: Spiral Structures in Disc Galaxies
Authors: Dobbs Clare , Baba Junichi
Published: August 2014

The majority of astrophysics involves the study of spiral galaxies, and stars and planets within them, but how spiral arms in galaxies form and evolve is still a fundamental problem. Major progress in this field was made primarily in the 1960s, and early 1970s, but since then there has been no comprehensive update on the state of the field. In this review, we discuss the progress in theory, and in particular numerical calculations, which unlike in the 1960s and 1970s, are now commonplace, as well as recent observational developments. We set out the current status for different scenarios for spiral arm formation, the nature of the spiral arms they induce, and the consequences for gas dynamics and star formation in different types of spiral galaxies. We argue that, with the possible exception of barred galaxies, spiral arms are transient, recurrent and initiated by swing amplified instabilities in the disc. We suppose that unbarredm= 2 spiral patterns are induced by tidal interactions, and slowly wind up over time. However the mechanism for generating spiral structure does not appear to have significant consequences for star formation in galaxies.
REMARKS ON VALUE SHARING OF CERTAIN DIFFERENTIAL POLYNOMIALS OF MEROMORPHIC FUNCTIONS
Authors: LI XIAO-MIN , YI HONG-XUN
Published: August 2014

We use Zalcman’s lemma to study a uniqueness question for meromorphic functions where certain associated nonlinear differential polynomials share a nonzero value. The results in this paper extend Theorem 1 in Yang and Hua [‘Uniqueness and value-sharing of meromorphic functions’, Ann. Acad. Sci. Fenn. Math. 22 (1997), 395–406] and Theorem 1 in Fang [‘Uniqueness and value sharing of entire functions’, Comput. Math. Appl. 44 (2002), 823–831]. Our reasoning in this paper also corrects a defect in the reasoning in the proof of Theorem 4 in Bhoosnurmath and Dyavanal [‘Uniqueness and value sharing of meromorphic functions’, Comput. Math. Appl. 53 (2007), 1191–1205].
HOUSEHOLD NUCLEATION, DEPENDENCY AND CHILD HEALTH OUTCOMES IN GHANA
Authors: ANNIM SAMUEL KOBINA , AWUSABO-ASARE KOFI , AMO-ADJEI JOSHUA
Published: August 2014

This study uses three key anthropometric measures of nutritional status among children (stunting, wasting and underweight) to explore the dual effects of household composition and dependency on nutritional outcomes of under-five children in Ghana. The objective is to examine changes in household living arrangements of under-five children to explore the interaction of dependency and nucleation on child health outcomes. The concept of nucleation refers to the changing structure and composition of household living arrangements, from highly extended with its associated socioeconomic system of production and reproduction, social behaviour and values, towards single-family households – especially the nuclear family, containing a husband and wife and their children alone. A negative relationship between levels of dependency, as measured by the number of children in the household, and child health outcomes is premised on the grounds that high dependency depletes resources, both tangible and intangible, to the disadvantage of young children. Data were drawn from the last four rounds of the Ghana Demographic and Health Surveys (GDHSs), from 1993 to 2008, for the first objective – to explore changes in household composition. For the second objective, the study used data from the 2008 GDHS. The results show that, over time, households in Ghana have been changing towards nucleation. The main finding is that in households with the same number of dependent children, in nucleated households children under age 5 have better health outcomes compared with children under age 5 in non-nucleated households. The results also indicate that the effect of dependency on child health outcomes is mediated by household nucleation and wealth status and that, as such, high levels of dependency do not necessarily translate into negative health outcomes for children under age 5, based on anthropometric measures.
Does pterygopalatine canal injection with local anaesthetic and adrenaline decrease bleeding during functional endoscopic sinus surgery?
Authors: Valdes C J , Al Badaai Y , Bogado M , Samaha M
Published: August 2014

Objective:

To determine the effect of pterygopalatine fossa injection with xylocaine and adrenaline on: surgical field bleeding and blood loss during functional endoscopic sinus surgery for chronic rhinosinusitis, and the duration of the procedure.

Methods:

A prospective, single-blinded, controlled trial was performed in a tertiary care academic centre. A total of 45 patients undergoing functional endoscopic sinus surgery for chronic rhinosinusitis, whose disease was symmetrical based on computed tomography grading, were included. A unilateral pterygopalatine fossa injection with 1 per cent xylocaine and 1:100 000 adrenaline was performed after the induction of anaesthesia. The contralateral side served as the control. The operating surgeon, who was blinded to the injected side, assessed the surgical field using a validated six-item grading system. Blood loss, blood pressure, heart rate and end-tidal carbon dioxide were recorded every 15 minutes for each side separately, and duration of surgery was noted.

Results:

There was no statistically significant difference in the surgical field grade between the injected and non-injected sides (p = 0.161). There were no differences in blood loss or duration of surgery.

Conclusion:

Pterygopalatine fossa injection prior to functional endoscopic sinus surgery did not decrease intra-operative surgical field bleeding, blood loss or duration of surgery.
The politics of inclusion: Changing patterns in the governance of international security
Authors: POULIOT VINCENT , THÉRIEN JEAN-PHILIPPE
Published: August 2014

The debate on the reform of the Security Council can be conceptualised as the most recent episode in the evolution of World Governing Councils (WGCs), that is, the highest-level intergovernmental bodies charged with regulating the international use of violence. Building on a historical comparison of key formative and transformative moments – 1815, 1919, 1945, and post-Cold War – we argue that the modern evolution of WGCs is characterised by increasing inclusiveness. More specifically, we show that the number of participants involved in deliberations has constantly risen; that legitimating principles have gradually tilted in favour of ‘input legitimacy’; that the constitutive rules and procedures have steadily gained in transparency; and that the WGCs themselves have comprised an expanding membership with a decreasing number of veto points. At the theoretical level, these converging trends can be explained by the existence of a ‘ratchet effect’ whereby new norms and practices of inclusion accumulate over time. However concrete and long lasting, the democratic gains registered in the process must be cast in terms of historically specific politics and struggles rather than in terms of lofty ideals promoted by altruistic norm entrepreneurs.
Late-Stalinist ideological campaigns and the rupture of jazz: ‘jazz-talk’ in the Soviet Estonian cultural newspaperSirp ja Vasar
Authors: Reimann Heli
Published: August 2014

This paper on Soviet Estonian jazz explores the dynamics of the processes which temporarily extinguished jazz from the public arena during late-Stalinism. This microhistory inflected study draws on the conception of ‘rupture’ through a close reading of the way jazz was constructed in the official narratives of the Estonian cultural newspaperSirp ja Vasar.Jazz in Estonia experienced no rupture during the first postwar years, but then the three successive Stalinist campaigns, each with gradually decreasing tolerance towards jazz, led finally to the temporary public disappearance of the music in 1950. The strategies enforced in the late 1940s, such as anti-jazz orchestra reform, dance reforms that banned the foxtrot and the other modern dances, and the eradication of the word jazz from public discourse, all served to silence the ‘formalistic’ musical form by framing it with negative connotations and by shaping the taste of the masses according to Soviet ideological paradigms.
Seasonality of above-ground net primary productivity along an Andean altitudinal transect in Peru
Authors: Girardin C. A. J. , Malhi Y. , Feeley K. J. , Rapp J. M. , Silman M. R. , Meir P. , Huaraca Huasco W. , Salinas N. , Mamani M. , Silva-Espejo J. E. , García Cabrera K. , Farfan Rios W. , Metcalfe D. B. , Doughty C. E. , Aragão L. E. O. C.
Published: August 2014

Solar irradiance and precipitation are the most likely drivers of the seasonal variation of net primary productivity (NPP) in tropical forests. Since their roles remain poorly understood, we use litter traps, dendrometer bands and census data collected from one hectare permanent plots to quantify the seasonality of above-groundNPPcomponents and weather parameters in 13 sites distributed along a 2800-m altitudinal gradient ranging from lowland Amazonia to the high Andes. We combine canopy leaf area index and litterfall data to describe the seasonality of canopy production. We hypothesize that solar irradiance is the primary driver of canopy phenology in wetter sites, whereas precipitation drives phenology in drier systems. The seasonal rhythm of canopyNPPcomponents is in synchrony with solar irradiance at all altitudes. Leaf litterfall peaks in the late dry season, both in lowland (averaging 0.54 ± 0.08 Mg C ha y−1, n = 5) and montane forests (averaging 0.29 ± 0.04 Mg C ha y−1, n = 8). Peaks in above-ground coarse woodyNPPappears to be triggered by the onset of rainfall in seasonal lowland rain forests (averaging 0.26 ± 0.04 Mg C ha y−1, n = 5, in November), but not in montane cloud forests.
Tracking novel adenovirus in environmental and human clinical samples: no evidence of endemic human adenovirus type 58 circulation in Córdoba city, Argentina
Authors: FERREYRA L. J. , GIORDANO M. O. , MARTÍNEZ L. C. , BARRIL P. A. , MASACHESSI G. , ISA M. B. , POMA R. , RAJAL V. , BIGANZOLI P. , NATES S. V. , PAVAN J. V.
Published: August 2014

In recent years, several types of human adenovirus (HAdV) have arisen from the recombination between two or more previously known HAdV types, but their epidemiology is poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the circulation of HAdV-58, a recently described HAdV isolated from an HIV-positive patient in Córdoba city, Argentina. For this purpose, a 30-month survey was conducted to study the presence of this type of adenovirus in sewage samples collected at the inlet from a wastewater treatment plant in Córdoba city, Argentina.Complementarily, the virus was sought in stools of HIV-positive patients.Although HAdVs were detected in human stool samples and in a high percentage of sewage samples, no evidence of HAdV-58 circulation was detected. We suggest that there is no endemic circulation of HAdV-58 in the geographical local area. The trend is that the number of identified HAdVs increases over time. In this context, understanding the current circulating HAdVs may be biologically relevant.
Spatial and temporal trends of bat-borne rabies in Chile
Authors: ESCOBAR L. E. , RESTIF O. , YUNG V. , FAVI M. , PONS D. J. , MEDINA-VOGEL G.
Published: August 2014

In Chile, while dog rabies has decreased markedly over the last 30 years, bat rabies is still reported frequently. In order to shed new light on the spatiotemporal trends of these reports, we analysed active and passive data from years 1985 and 2012, which included 61 076 samples from 289 counties of Chile. We found that from 1994 to 2012, more than 15 000 bat samples were submitted for diagnostics through passive surveillance, 9·5% of which tested positive for rabies. By contrast, the prevalence of infection was only ~0·4% among the nearly 12 000 bat samples submitted through active surveillance. We found that the prevalence of dog rabies dropped steadily over the same period, with just a single confirmed case since 1998. None of the 928 samples from wild animals, other than bats, were positive for rabies. Although there has been only one confirmed case of human rabies in Chile since 1985, and a single confirmed case in a dog since 1998, bats remain a reservoir for rabies viruses. While active surveillance indicates that rabies prevalence is low in bat colonies, the high proportion of positive bats submitted through passive surveillance is a concern. To prevent human rabies, local public health agencies should increase research on the basic ecology of bats and the role of stray dogs and cats as potential rabies amplifiers.
Collaborative quality improvement in the cardiac intensive care unit: development of the Paediatric Cardiac Critical Care Consortium (PC4)
Authors: Gaies Michael , Cooper David S. , Tabbutt Sarah , Schwartz Steven M. , Ghanayem Nancy , Chanani Nikhil K. , Costello John M. , Thiagarajan Ravi R. , Laussen Peter C. , Shekerdemian Lara S. , Donohue Janet E. , Willis Gina M. , Gaynor J. William , Jacobs Jeffrey P. , Ohye Richard G. , Charpie John R. , Pasquali Sara K. , Scheurer Mark A.
Published: August 2014

Despite many advances in recent years for patients with critical paediatric and congenital cardiac disease, significant variation in outcomes remains across hospitals. Collaborative quality improvement has enhanced the quality and value of health care across specialties, partly by determining the reasons for variation and targeting strategies to reduce it. Developing an infrastructure for collaborative quality improvement in paediatric cardiac critical care holds promise for developing benchmarks of quality, to reduce preventable mortality and morbidity, optimise the long-term health of patients with critical congenital cardiovascular disease, and reduce unnecessary resource utilisation in the cardiac intensive care unit environment. The Pediatric Cardiac Critical Care Consortium (PC4) has been modelled after successful collaborative quality improvement initiatives, and is positioned to provide the data platform necessary to realise these objectives. We describe the development of PC4 including the philosophical, organisational, and infrastructural components that will facilitate collaborative quality improvement in paediatric cardiac critical care.
Relationship of birth weight with congenital cardiovascular malformations in a population-based study
Authors: Petrossian Robert A. , Kuehl Karen S. , Loffredo Christopher A.
Published: August 2014

Introduction:A known comorbidity of congenital cardiovascular malformations is low birth weight, but the reasons for this association remain obscure. This retrospective study examines the relationship between congenital cardiovascular malformations and the birth weight of singletons, taking into account differences in gestational age and other factors.Methods:Using data from the retrospective, population-based Baltimore–Washington Infant Study, six types of congenital cardiovascular malformations were investigated in comparison with controls (n=3519) through linear regression: d-transposition of the great arteries (n=187), other conotruncal heart defects (n=361), endocardial cushion defects (n=281), left heart obstructive lesions (n=507), atrial septal defects (n=281), and membranous ventricular septal defects (n=622).Results:Infants with conotruncal heart defects (−218 g), endocardial cushion defects with Down syndrome (−265 g), endocardial cushion defects without Down syndrome (−194 g), left heart obstructive lesions (−143 g), atrial septal defects (−150 g), and membranous ventricular septal defects (−127 g) showed significant birth weight deficits, adjusting for gestational age, and other covariates. Infants with d-transposition of the great arteries (−67 g) did not show significant birth weight deficits compared with the control group.Discussion:The degree of birth weight decrement appears to be highly related to the specific type of congenital cardiovascular malformation. As a whole, these infants do not exhibit low birth weights solely because of being premature, and thus other mechanisms must underlie these associations.
The development of a composition database of gluten-free products
Authors: Mazzeo Teresa , Cauzzi Silvia , Brighenti Furio , Pellegrini Nicoletta
Published: August 2014

Objective

To develop a composition database of a number of foods representative of different categories of gluten-free products in the Italian diet.

Design

The database was built using the nutritional composition of the products, taking into consideration both the composition of the ingredients and the nutritional information reported on the product label.

Setting

The nutrient composition of each ingredient was obtained from two Italian databases (European Institute of Oncology and the National Institute for Food and Nutrition).

Subjects

The study developed a food composition database including a total of sixty foods representative of different categories of gluten-free products sold on the Italian market. The composition of the products included in the database is given in terms of quantity of macro- and micronutrients per 100 g of product as sold, and includes the full range of nutrient data present in traditional databases of gluten-containing foods.

Results

As expected, most of the products had a high content of carbohydrates and some of them can be labelled as a source of fibre (>3 g/100 g). Regarding micronutrients, among the products considered, breads, pizzas and snacks were especially very high in Na content (>400–500 mg/100 g).

Conclusions

This database provides an initial useful tool for future nutritional surveys on the dietary habits of coeliac people.