bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Methyl chloride isotopic signatures from Irish forest soils and a comparison between abiotic and biogenic methyl halide soil fluxes
Authors: Redeker Kelly R. , Kalin Robert M.
Published: November 2011

Forest soils demonstrate in a microcosm the difficulties that are faced in quantifying methyl halide budgets. Carbon isotopic analyses have been proposed as a potential tool to address these concerns and in this study we have measured significant enrichment of the methyl chloride 13C/12C isotopic ratio (from −40.2 ± 0.8‰ to −33.4 ± 7.4‰) after 9 min chamber emplacement on local Irish forest soils. This enrichment occurred independent of direction of methyl chloride fluxes. Measurements from soil cores in a flow‐through system (FTS) are comparable with chamber‐based isotopic measurements and indicate that methyl chloride produced abiotically from organic soil horizons has an isotopic 13C signature of −53 ± 49‰, significantly less depleted than previously reported. Average net methyl chloride, methyl bromide and methyl iodide fluxes from soils (77.8 ± 2.1, 1.25 ± 3.63 and 0.35 ± 2.00 μg MeX m−2 day−1, respectively) are in line with previously reported values; however, a better understanding of spatial and temporal variability is needed for budget quantification. Methyl halide fluxes from FTS soil cores demonstrate that, on a per gram basis, most consumption occurs through biologically driven processes in the O horizon, with progressively smaller contributions in deeper horizons. Sporadic biogenic production was observed in shallow soil horizons only. Abiotic production was at most one‐tenth the net biological reaction rate in the O horizon and did not appear to be significantly different from zero in lower horizons. Modelled emissions based upon observed and reported rates for production, consumption and diffusion within the soil atmosphere system are unable to replicate all observed isotopic signatures from chamber fluxes.
Mixed competition–predation: potential vs. realized interactions
Authors: Persson Lennart , De Roos André M.
Published: November 2011

1. Life‐history omnivory or size‐induced mixed competition–predation systems have under many conditions theoretically been shown to be fragile, whereas at the same time existing empirical data suggest such systems to be common in nature.

2. In a whole lake experiment covering 17 years, we analysed the effects of the introduction of the intraguild prey roach (Rutilus rutilus) on the population size and individual performance of the intraguild predator perch (Perca fluviatilis) and on resource levels in two low productivity systems.

3. A strong long‐term effect of roach on the zooplankton resource but not on the macroinvertebrate resource was present. Competitive effects of roach on perch were observed in one of the lakes the first years after the introduction, but at the end of the study no competitive effect of roach on either size class of perch was observed in any of the two lakes. In contrast, a positive predatory effect reflected in improved growth rates of older perch was present.

4. The lack of a support for a competitive effect of roach on small perch raises the question of the importance of mixed competition–predation interactions in life‐history omnivorous systems and the problem of comparing descriptive data on feeding relationships with theoretical predictions based on interaction modules.
Swarming motility and the control of master regulators of flagellar biosynthesis
Authors: Patrick Joyce E. , Kearns Daniel B.
Published: November 2011

Swarming motility is the movement of bacteria over a solid surface powered by rotating flagella. The expression of flagellar biosynthesis genes is governed by species‐specific master regulator transcription factors. Mutations that reduce or enhance master regulator activity have a commensurate effect on swarming motility. Here we review what is known about the proteins that modulate swarming motility and appear to act upstream of the master flagellar regulators in diverse swarming bacteria. We hypothesize that environmental control of the master regulators is important to the swarming phenotype perhaps at the level of controlling flagellar number.
In Arabidopsis, the spatial and dynamic organization of the endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus is influenced by the integrity of the C‐terminal domain of RHD3, a non‐essential GTPase
Authors: Stefano Giovanni , Renna Luciana , Moss Tyler , McNew James A. , Brandizzi Federica
Published: November 2011

The mechanisms underlying the organization and dynamics of plant endomembranes are largely unknown. Arabidopsis RHD3, a distant member of the dynamin superfamily, has recently been implicated in plant ER morphology and Golgi movement through analyses of dominant‐negative mutants of the putative GTPase domain in a heterologous system. Whether RHD3 is indispensable for ER architecture and what role regions other than the putative GTPase domain play in RHD3 function are unanswered questions. Here we characterized an EMS mutant, gom8, with disrupted Golgi movement and positioning and compromised ER shape and dynamics. gom8 mapped to a missense mutation in the RHD3 hairpin loop domain, causing accumulation of the mutant protein into large structures, a markedly different distribution compared with wild‐type RHD3 over the ER network. Despite the GOM8 distribution, tubules fused in the peripheral ER of the gom8 mutant. These data imply that integrity of the hairpin region is important for the subcellular distribution of RHD3, and that reduced availability of RHD3 over the ER can cause ER morphology defects, but does not prevent peripheral fusion between tubules. This was confirmed by evidence that gom8 was phenocopied in an RHD3 null background. Furthermore, we established that the region encompassing the RHD3 hairpin domain and the C‐terminal cytosolic domain is necessary for RHD3 function. We conclude that RHD3 is important in ER morphology, but is dispensable for peripheral ER tubulation in an endogenous context, and that its activity relies on the C‐terminal region in addition to the GTPase domain.
Human neutrophil alloantigen genotype frequencies among blood donors with Turkish and German descent
Authors: Hauck B. , Philipp A. , Eckstein R. , Ott S. , Zimmermann R. , Dengler T. , Zingsem J.
Published: November 2011

Antibodies against the human neutrophil antigens (HNA) are able to stimulate transfusion reactions, autoimmune and neonatal neutropenia. The aim of this study was to determine the HNA allele frequencies in the largest ethnic minority group in Germany in comparison with the German population for predicting the risk of alloimmunization and associated transfusion reactions, as well as the risk of developing neonatal neutropenia for the newborn of racial mixed couples. However, there exists no data about HNA genotype distribution in Turkish population. DNA was isolated from blood samples of 119 German and 118 Turkish blood donors and typed them for HNA‐1, ‐3, ‐4, and ‐5 by using a commercial polymerase chain reaction kit with sequence‐specific primers (SSP‐PCR) and compared the HNA genotype distribution of both groups. In German blood donors, the gene frequencies for HNA‐1a and HNA‐1b were 0.391 and 0.601, for HNA‐3a and ‐3b, 0.744 and 0.256, for HNA‐4a and ‐4b, 0.908 and 0.092, and for HNA‐5a and ‐5bw, 0.731 and 0.269. In Turkish blood donors, we observed 0.420/0.564, 0.737/0.263, 0.881/0.119, and 0.754/0.246 for HNA‐1a/1b, ‐3a/3b, ‐4a/4b, and ‐5a/5bw. No statistic significant difference between genotypes in these populations was observed. This study is the first to report HNA gene frequencies in a Turkish population. It showed that there is no difference of HNA genotype in blood donors with Turkish descent in comparison with German blood donors. The alternating transfusion of blood and blood components is no increased risk for developing alloantibodies against HNA antigens. In pregnancy of mixed couples no special screening programs for HNA are necessary.
Matrix metalloproteinases in plants: a brief overview
Authors: Marino Giada , Funk Christiane
Published: November 2011

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a family of zinc‐dependent endopeptidases belonging to the metzincin clan. MMPs have been characterized in detail in mammals, and they have been shown to play key roles in many physiological and pathological processes. Plant MMP‐like proteases exist, but relatively few have been characterized. It has been speculated that plant MMPs are involved in remodeling of the plant extracellular matrix during growth, development and stress response. However, the precise functions and physiological substrates in higher plants remain to be determined. In this brief overview, we summarize the current knowledge of MMPs in higher plants and algae.
Hippocampal α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor levels in patients with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depressive disorder
Authors: Thomsen Morten S , Weyn Annelies , Mikkelsen Jens D
Published: November 2011

Thomsen MS, Weyn A, Mikkelsen JD. Hippocampal α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor levels in patients with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depressive disorder. Bipolar Disord 2011: 13: 701–707. © 2011 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Background:  The α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) is involved in cognitive function and synaptic plasticity. Consequently, changes in α7 nAChR function have been implicated in a variety of mental disorders, especially schizophrenia. However, there is little knowledge regarding the levels of the α7 nAChR in patients with bipolar disorder.

Methods:  We performed [125I]‐bungarotoxin autoradiography to selectively visualize and measure α7 nAChRs on postmortem sections of the temporal lobe from patients with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depressive disorder, as well as control subjects. Radioligand binding was determined in the dentate gyrus, CA3, and CA1 subfields of the hippocampus and the perirhinal cortex.

Results:  Bungarotoxin binding was significantly increased in the CA1 and perirhinal cortex of patients with bipolar disorder compared to control subjects, whereas in patients with schizophrenia or major depressive disorder the level of binding did not significantly differ from control subjects in any region measured.

Conclusions:  These data are consistent with the reported genetic associations linking the α7 nAChR to the pathology of bipolar disorder, and may suggest a dysfunction of α7 nAChR‐dependent signalling in bipolar disorder. We could not reproduce the previously reported decrease in hippocampal bungarotoxin binding in schizophrenia.
Atypical mood stabilizers: a new role for neuroleptics?
Authors: Malhi Gin S , Chengappa KN Roy , Gershon Samuel , Ghaemi Seyyed N
Published: November 2011

Malhi GS, Chengappa KNR, Gershon S, Ghaemi SN. Atypical mood stabilizers: a new role for neuroleptics? Bipolar Disord 2011: 13: 583–586. © 2011 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S.
Influences of incorporating detoxified Jatropha curcas kernel meal in common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) diet on the expression of growth hormone‐ and insulin‐like growth factor‐1‐encoding genes
Authors: Kumar V. , Khalil W. K. B. , Weiler U. , Becker K.
Published: November 2011

Jatropha curcas is a drought‐resistant shrub or small tree widespread all over the tropics and subtropics. The use of J. curcas (L) kernel meal in fish feed is limited owing to the presence of toxic and antinutritional constituents. In this study, it was detoxified using heat treatment and organic solvent extraction method. The detoxification process was carried out for 60 min to obtain the detoxified meal. Cyprinus carpio L. fingerlings (n = 180; avg. wt. 3.2 ± 0.07 g) were randomly distributed in five treatment groups with four replicates and fed isonitrogenous diets (crude protein 38%) for 8 weeks. The inclusion levels of the detoxified Jatropha kernel meal (DJKM) and soybean meal (SBM) were as follows: control diet was prepared with fish meal (FM) and wheat meal, without any DJKM and SBM; diets S50 and J50: 50% of FM protein replaced by SBM and DJKM respectively; diets S75 and J75: 75% of FM protein replaced by SBM and DJKM respectively. Highest body mass gain and insulin‐like growth factor‐1 (IGF‐1) gene expression in brain, liver and muscle were observed for the control group, which were statistically similar to those for J50 group and significantly (p < 0.05) higher than for all other groups, whereas growth hormone gene expression in brain, liver and muscle exhibited opposite trend. Insulin‐like growth factor‐1 concentration in plasma did not differ significantly among the five groups. Conclusively, growth performance was in parallel with IGF‐1 gene expression and exhibited negative trend with GH gene expression.
Community mobility in the context of universal design: Inter‐professional collaboration and education
Authors: Hitch Danielle , Larkin Helen , Watchorn Valerie , Ang Susan
Published: November 2011

Background/aim:  The design of built environments is a critical factor in facilitating participation for all community members. This study aimed to explore key stakeholders’ views on the role and collaboration of occupational therapists and architects in relation to universal design and the built environment. This study is currently the only research to focus on the needs and practices of both occupational therapy and architecture in universal design. The results have implications for both clinical practice and professional education, and highlight an area of developing interest in occupational therapy.

Methods:  Focus groups and semi‐structured telephone interviews were conducted with key stakeholders involved in the design of built environments. Data from these interviews were analysed qualitatively, using codes of interpreted meaning which were then organised into themes.

Results:  Three main themes emerged in relation to inter‐professional collaboration around universal design: ‘form vs. function’, ‘the earlier the better’ and ‘universal design as a specialist area’.

Discussion/conclusions:  Although there are areas of synergy between occupational therapy and architecture in universal design, each profession has its own strengths and skills to bring to the design process. Given the multidisciplinary nature of ensuring designs support participation in occupations and roles, both professions could benefit from opportunities to meaningfully collaborate during professional education and in the workplace.
Use of data linkage to investigate the aetiology of acute lower respiratory infection hospitalisations in children
Authors: Moore Hannah C , de Klerk Nicholas , Keil Anthony D , Smith David W , Blyth Christopher C , Richmond Peter , Lehmann Deborah
Published: November 2011

Aim:  To document the aetiology of acute lower respiratory infection (ALRI) hospitalisations in Western Australian children by linking population‐based laboratory data with hospital morbidity data.

Methods:  Data from all ALRI hospitalisations and laboratory records related to respiratory pathogens between 2000 and 2005 were extracted and linked through a population‐based record linkage system. The proportion of specimens that were positive for each respiratory viral or bacterial pathogen was documented.

Results:  Eight thousand nine hundred and eighty (45.2%) ALRI hospitalisations were linked to a laboratory record. Admissions to a private hospital and admissions from non‐metropolitan areas were less likely to have a linked laboratory record. In 57.9% of linked hospitalisations, a respiratory virus and/or a bacterial pathogen was identified. Frequently identified viral pathogens included respiratory syncytial virus (RSV; n= 3226; 39.5% of those tested), influenza viruses (n= 664; 8.5%), parainfluenza virus type 3 (n= 348; 4.6%), picornaviruses (n= 292; 22.3%) and adenoviruses (n= 211; 2.7%). RSV was identified in 63.7% of bronchiolitis admissions in those aged under 6 months and 33.1% of pneumonia admissions in those aged under 12 months. Influenza viruses were identified in 81.6% of influenza‐coded admissions. When a test was requested, Bordetella pertussis was identified in 21.2% of ALRI hospitalisations (n= 354), including 86.8% of whooping cough‐coded admissions.

Conclusions:  This is the first report of population‐based data linkage between statewide laboratory data and hospitalisation records and demonstrates proof of principle. RSV continues to be an important pathogen in ALRI. As pathogens were identified across all diagnoses, relying on hospital diagnosis coding alone may not accurately estimate the burden of different categories of ALRI.
Could head circumference be used to screen for autism in young males with developmental delay?
Authors: Gray Kylie M , Taffe John , Sweeney Deborah J , Forster Sheridan , Tonge Bruce J
Published: November 2011

Aim:  Research has suggested an abnormal acceleration in head circumference growth in children with autism within the first 12 months of life. This study aimed to examine head circumference at birth and head circumference growth rates in young children with autism and developmental delay, and young children with developmental delay without autism.

Methods:  This study assessed head circumference at birth and rate of change in head circumference in young children with autism (n= 86) and children with developmental delay without autism (n= 40).

Results:  For both groups of children, head circumference at birth and head circumference growth were compared with Centers for Disease Control normative data. No differences were found between the group of children with autism and developmental delay compared with the group with developmental delay only. However, when the sample was compared with a range of selected Centers for Disease Control normative medians, the children with autism were found to have significantly smaller head circumferences at birth and significantly larger head circumference at 18.5 months of age.

Conclusions:  These results are discussed in relation to the potential of accelerated head circumference growth as an early marker for autism. This study failed to find a difference in the head circumferences of children with autism and developmental delay and children with developmental delay only, thus suggesting that head circumference measurement has limited value as an early marker for autism.
Demolition for Development: A Critical Analysis of Official Urban Imaginaries in Past and Present UK Cities
Authors: MAH ALICE
Published: November 2011

This article analyses official urban imaginaries of “demolition for development” in two different UK cities and time periods: 1) the City Improvement Scheme in Birmingham (1875–1914) during a time of rapid industrial growth, and 2) a housing‐led neighbourhood regeneration scheme in Walker, Newcastle upon Tyne (2000–2011) during a time of post‐industrial uncertainty. The concept of the “official urban imaginary” is employed to critically examine assumptions of growth, progress and success within “demolition for development” policies across different times and places. Drawing on both historical and sociological qualitative case study methods, this research contributes to a range of debates on urban regeneration, gentrification, creative destruction, comparative methodology, and imagining the city. The article argues that there is a serious need to rethink urban policy trajectories of property‐led regeneration and “planned gentrification”, particularly in the post‐2008 context of recession.
John R. Commons and Max Weber: The Foundations of an Economic Sociology of Law
Authors: Coutu Michel , Kirat Thierry
Published: November 2011

This article underlines contemporary economic sociology's lack of interest – until recently – in legal phenomena, unlike the close attention paid by two historic figures in ‘economic sociology’, Max Weber and John R. Commons, to the relationships between law and economy. It argues that to grasp fully the importance of the legal dimension in socio‐economic analysis, we must return to their foundational insights. However, they particularly stress differences between Weber and Commons as to the unity or heterogeneity of law and the economy, the role of ethics, the search for an all‐encompassing approach in the construction of ideal‐types, the various forms of constraint that characterize law (whether psychological, economic, or physical), and the distinction between state law and non‐state law. The latter element is why the authors argue that due consideration for legal plurality should be a central thread in any sociological analysis of the interplay between law and the economy.
Ownership Identity and Concentration: A Study of their Joint Impact on Corporate Diversification
Authors: Hautz Julia , Mayer Michael C. J. , Stadler Christian
Published: November 2011

This paper examines the impact of ownership on product and international diversification. While ownership concentration has received considerable attention from agency theorists we argue that a more nuanced analysis is necessary. We consider how the identity of owners moderates the impact of ownership concentration on diversification strategies. We develop a framework that explains how the combination of different motivations, resources and capabilities associated with different types of owners results in significantly variable relationships between ownership concentration and both product and international diversification. From a theoretical perspective this suggests a social contextualization and extension of the agency theoretic approach that characterizes the field. Based on a study of 222European firms between 1994 and 2007 we show that family ownership concentration has a positive impact on product and a negative impact on international diversification while the impact of institutional and state ownership concentration is negative on product diversification and positive on international diversification compared with family ownership. This is the first study to provide a comprehensive framework explaining how ownership concentration and identity interact and affect both international and product diversification.
Resource management and agriculture in the periurban interface of Kumasi, Ghana: Problems and prospects
Authors: McGregor Duncan F.M. , Adam‐Bradford Andrew , Thompson Donald A. , Simon David
Published: November 2011

This paper outlines pressures on agricultural land in periurban Kumasi, Ghana. A survey of agricultural practices underlines the recent and rapid transition from agricultural to urban land use in the periurban interface, and shows how farmers are reacting by reducing fallow periods. Farmers are also intensifying agriculture near streams and rivers through increased use of irrigation, in response to growing urban markets for a wider range of vegetables. We identify specific problems of water resource pollution and waste management, with particular reference to farmland irrigation. We report results of composting interventions as a community‐based waste management strategy. We consider integrated organic waste recycling as a generic strategy to help protect periurban natural resources, to enhance food production through nutrient recycling, and to improve community sanitation.
Optimal Equilibria of the Best Shot Game
Authors: DALL’ASTA LUCA , PIN PAOLO , RAMEZANPOUR ABOLFAZL
Published: November 2011

We consider any network environment in which the “best shot game” is played. This is the case where the possible actions are only two for every node (0 and 1), and the best response for a node is 1 if and only if all her neighbors play 0. A natural application of the model is one in which the action 1 is the purchase of a good, which is locally a public good, in the sense that it will be available also to neighbors. This game typically exhibits a great multiplicity of equilibria. Imagine a social planner whose scope is to find an optimal equilibrium, i.e., one in which the number of nodes playing 1 is minimal. Finding such an equilibrium is a very hard task for any nontrivial network architecture. We propose an implementable mechanism that, in the limit of infinite time, reaches an optimal equilibrium, even if this equilibrium and even the network structure are unknown to the social planner.
Effects of reading skill and CaSe MiXiNg on nonword reading in German
Authors: Schroeder Sascha
Published: November 2011

Many low‐skill readers have problems with visual word recognition. In particular, low‐skill readers show a substantial nonword reading deficit that is attributed to deficits in sub‐lexical processing. In this study, I examined whether the nonword deficits of German 14‐year‐old low‐skill readers were associated with inefficient use of multi‐letter information. In a lexical‐decision experiment, words and nonwords were presented in standard format and in MiXeD cAsE format which has been shown to be especially disrupting for sub‐lexical processing. When the stimuli were presented in standard format, low‐skill readers showed a substantial nonword reading deficit, that is they were generally slower than high‐skill readers, but had special problems with decoding nonwords. However, when stimuli were presented in MiXeD cAsE, low‐ and high‐skill readers showed equal impairments in nonword processing. This finding indicates that low‐skill readers do not use context‐sensitive multi‐letter rules during phonological assembly in normal reading.
The Impact of Research Training and Research Codes of Practice on Submission of Doctoral Degrees: An Exploratory Cohort Study
Authors: Humphrey Robin , Marshall Neill , Leonardo Laura
Published: November 2011

The paper examines the impact of the transformations in doctoral education in the arts, humanities and social sciences in the United Kingdom over the past decade. It focuses on the introduction of formal research training and codes of research practice and in the first longitudinal candidate cohort study examines their impact on doctoral outcomes, especially Ph.D. submission rates. Results from this quantitative study show that engagement with research training, completion of a project outline and plan and appointment of a supervisory team were statistically positively associated with submission of the thesis within four years. It is concluded that the professionalisation of doctoral education by research training and codes of research practice has had a positive impact on doctoral educational outcomes.
Selection Practices in Canadian Firms: An empirical investigation
Authors: Mann Sara L. , Chowhan James
Published: November 2011

Using 7 years of data from Statistics Canada's Workplace and Employee Survey, this study examined the types of selection tools used with 23,639 employees in 6,693 Canadian firms. While 79% of these employees were given an interview during the selection process, only 10% were given a test on job‐related knowledge and 9% were given a personality test. Using logit analysis, job‐ and organization‐level variables were examined as predictors of the type of selection tools used. The size of the organization, an in‐house human resource department, the presence of a union and occupation were significant predictors of the use of a test on job‐related knowledge in the selection process. The implications and plausible explanations of this theory to practice gap are discussed.
Female customers' expectation of the service offering and their perception of the service quality in an emerging clothing market
Authors: Erasmus Alet C. , Grabowski Andrea
Published: November 2011

Worldwide, clothing retailers that offer similar merchandise and even the same brands are flanked almost next to one another in shopping centres. Clothing retail therefore appears to be poorly differentiated, and it is not always clear why consumers prefer to patronize one store and avoid another. This study explored female consumers' expectations of the service offering and their perception of the service quality of prominent clothing retail channels in Tshwane, a major urban area in South Africa. The survey involved 243 females that were 20 years of age or older. They completed a structured questionnaire that investigated their (1) expectations of customer service in terms of tangible evidence of the service offering; and (2) perception of service quality using two different instruments by means of a direct measurement approach. Explorative factor analysis was used to reduce the data in terms of relevant dimensions of the respective measuring instruments and to determine the significance of the various dimensions of customer service and service quality in the context of this research. Contrary to what the literature proposes about consumers in an emerging economy, findings of this study suggest that females' expectations of the service offering of clothing retail stores were high. Their expectations were cognitively structured in terms of three elements of customer service, namely (1) physical facilities and product presentation; (2) personnel; and (3) store image and processes. Their perception of service quality revealed an opportunity to augment the service quality through attention to activities that are associated with personnel and the so‐called supportiveness dimensions of their service offering. Findings coincided with a prior investigation of Terblanche and Boshoff, although a re‐labelling of one dimension of their instrument is proposed to prevent confusion. Recommendations to augment the service quality of clothing retailers are made in terms of tangible evidence of the service offering.
From laparoscopic assisted radical vaginal hysterectomy to vaginal assisted laparoscopic radical hysterectomy
Authors: Koehler C , Gottschalk E , Chiantera V , Marnitz S , Hasenbein K , Schneider A
Published: November 2011

Please cite this paper as: Koehler C, Gottschalk E, Chiantera V, Marnitz S, Hasenbein K, Schneider A. From laparoscopic assisted radical vaginal hysterectomy to vaginal assisted laparoscopic radical hysterectomy. BJOG 2012;119:254–262.

Radical hysterectomy with pelvic lymphadenectomy is the standard surgical treatment for patients with early stage cervical cancer. The majority of radical hysterectomies are performed with the open technique. However, laparoscopic, combined laparoscopic and vaginal, and robotic‐assisted approaches may also be used. Compared with the abdominal radical hysterectomy (ARH), laparoscopic techniques are associated with less blood loss, shorter hospital stay, better cosmesis, and faster recovery. A further breakthrough in laparoscopic technique can only be made if safety and oncological clearance are comparable with ARH. We describe the technique and results of laparoscopic assisted radical vaginal hysterectomy and the transition to vaginal assisted laparoscopic radical hysterectomy.
Knowledge about patients’ rights among professionals in public health care in Finland
Authors: Iltanen Silja , Leino‐Kilpi Helena , Puukka Pauli , Suhonen Riitta
Published: November 2011

Scand J Caring Sci; 2012; 26; 436–448

Knowledge about patients’ rights among professionals in public health care in Finland

Background:  The legal rights of patients include civil rights for patients and the duties of healthcare professionals. Knowledge of legislation and the ability to put juridical norms into practice are among the main aspects of professionals.

Aim:  The aim of the study was to describe the level of healthcare professionals’ knowledge about patients’ legal rights and to describe background variables associated with the knowledge. The legal rights are based on the Finnish Act on the Status and Rights of Patients.

Method:  The data were collected from healthcare professionals (nurses and physicians) in public health care in Finland (recruited N = 290, responded n = 191) with a questionnaire designed for the study. The response rate was 66%. The data were analysed statistically.

Results:  Healthcare professionals were partially familiar with patients’ legal rights. The right to good health care, treatment and access to care and right to self‐determination were the best‐known areas. The respondents lacked knowledge on the right to information and the right to use the services of patient ombudsman. Based on self‐evaluation, half of the respondents thought that they had weak knowledge of the legislation on patients’ rights. However, they perceived knowledge about patients’ rights as being important. There was no correlation between respondents’ self‐evaluated knowledge and actual scoring on the knowledge test.

Conclusion:  These results implicate a need for further education aimed at healthcare professionals and development of professional training about patients’ legal rights.
Financial Competence and Expectations Formation: Evidence from Australia*
Authors: BATEMAN HAZEL , ECKERT CHRISTINE , GEWEKE JOHN , LOUVIERE JORDAN , THORP SUSAN , SATCHELL STEPHEN
Published: November 2011

We study the financial competence of Australian retirement savers using self‐assessed and quantified measures. Responses to financial literacy questions show large variation and compare poorly with some international surveys. Basic and sophisticated financial literacy vary significantly with most demographics, self‐assessed financial competence, income, superannuation accumulation and net worth. General numeracy scores are largely constant across gender, age, higher education and income. Financial competence also significantly affects expectations of stock market performance. Using a discrete choice model, we show that individuals with a higher understanding of risk, diversification and financial assets are more likely to assign a probability to future financial crises rather than expressing uncertainty.
Silurian bolbozoids and cypridinids (Myodocopa) from Europe: pioneer pelagic ostracods
Authors: PERRIER VINCENT , VANNIER JEAN , SIVETER DAVID J.
Published: November 2011

Abstract:  Bolbozoid and cypridinid myodocope ostracods from France, the Czech Republic and Sardinia consist of four genera (one new: Silurocypridina) and at least ten species (eight new: Bolbozoe acuta, B. rugosa, B. parvafraga, Parabolbozoe armoricana, Silurocypridina retroreticulata, S. variostriata, S. calva and Calocaria robusta). They have a functional design, palaeogeographical distribution, depositional setting and faunal associates that suggest that they were swimmers in the water column, living in dim light, relatively deep environments, above near bottom dysoxic/anoxic conditions. These myodocope faunas include some possible pelagic species sensu stricto, with widespread palaeogeographical (transoceanic) distribution, and some species that occupied hyperbenthic niches and were capable of making short incursions to the sediment to scavenge on carrion. These data support the model that Silurian myodocopes were pioneer pelagic ostracods.
Diffusion Tensor Imaging in Episodic Cluster Headache
Authors: Teepker Michael , Menzler Katja , Belke Marcus , Heverhagen Johannes T. , Voelker Maximilian , Mylius Veit , Oertel Wolfgang H. , Rosenow Felix , Knake Susanne
Published: November 2011

Background.— Cluster headache (CH) is a rare headache disorder with severe unilateral headache bouts and autonomic symptoms. The pathophysiology of CH is not completely understood. Using a voxel‐based morphometric paradigm or functional imaging, a key role of the hypothalamus and the pain matrix could be demonstrated during CH episodes. However, there are no diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) data investigating the white matter microstructure of the brain in patients with CH. Therefore, we used DTI to delineate microstructural changes in patients with CH in a headache‐free state.

Methods.— Seven male patients with episodic CH and 7 healthy subjects were included and examined with a routine 1.5 T magnetic resonance imaging scanner. Whole‐head DTI scans measuring fractional anisotropy were analyzed without a priori hypotheses using track‐based spatial statistics.

Results.— We found significant microstructural brain tissue changes bilaterally in the white matter of the brainstem, the frontal lobe, the temporal lobe, the occipital lobe, the internal capsule, and on the right side of thalamus and cerebellum. There were further lesions in the basal frontal lobe that were part of the olfactory system. Alterations of fractional anisotropy in the brainstem might indicate changes of the medial lemniscus and central sympathetic pathways.

Conclusions.— Patients with episodic CH have microstructural brain changes in regions that belong to the pain matrix. Furthermore, we were able to detect structural changes suggesting an involvement of the olfactory system as well as lesions in the brainstem indicating an involvement of trigeminal and sympathetic systems.
Reduced Fronto‐Cerebellar Functional Connectivity in Chronic Alcoholic Patients
Authors: Rogers Baxter P. , Parks Mitchell H. , Nickel Mark K. , Katwal Santosh B. , Martin Peter R.
Published: November 2011

Background:  Alcohol dependence is associated with neurocognitive deficits related to neuropathological changes in structure, metabolism, and function of the brain. Impairments of motor functioning in alcoholics have been attributed to well‐characterized neuropathological brain abnormalities in cerebellum.

Methods:  Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we studied in vivo the functional connectivity between cerebellar and cortical brain regions. Participants were 10 uncomplicated chronic alcoholic patients studied after 5 to 7 days of abstinence when signs of withdrawal had abated and 10 matched healthy controls. We focused on regions of prefrontal, frontal, temporal, and parietal cortex that exhibited an fMRI response associated with nondominant hand finger tapping in the patients but not in the controls. We predicted that fronto‐cerebellar functional connectivity would be diminished in alcoholics compared with controls.

Results:  Functional connectivity in a circuit involving premotor areas (Brodmann Area 6) and Lobule VI of the superior cerebellum was reduced in the patients compared with the controls. Functional connectivity was also reduced in a circuit involving prefrontal cortex (Brodmann Area 9) and Lobule VIII of the inferior cerebellum. Reductions in connectivity were specific to fronto‐cerebellar circuits and were not found in other regions examined.

Conclusions:  Our findings show a pattern in recently abstinent alcoholic patients of specific deficits in functional connectivity and recruitment of additional brain regions for the performance of a simple finger‐tapping task. A small sample, differences in smoking, and a brief abstinence period preclude definitive conclusions, but this pattern of diminished fronto‐cerebellar functional connectivity is highly compatible with the characteristic neuropathological lesions documented in alcoholics and may reflect brain dysfunction associated with alcoholism.
Cannabinoid Receptor 1 Gene is Associated with Alcohol Dependence
Authors: Marcos Miguel , Pastor Isabel , de la Calle Cristina , Barrio‐Real Laura , Laso Francisco‐Javier , González‐Sarmiento Rogelio
Published: November 2011

Background:  Alcohol dependence (AD) vulnerability is determined by a complex array of genetic factors. Given the potential role of endocannabinoid system in AD, polymorphisms within cannabinoid receptor 1 gene (CNR1) have been potentially associated with susceptibility to this disease. We thus aimed to examine the relationship between 3 allelic variants of CNR1 (rs6454674, rs1049353, and rs806368) and AD.

Methods:  Genotyping of the aforementioned polymorphisms was carried out by PCR in 298 male alcoholics (187 of them with AD) and 155 healthy controls. Single‐marker, haplotype, and interaction analysis were performed to analyze the influence of CNR1 gene on AD susceptibility.

Results:  We found an association between CNR1 gene and AD after haplotype analysis. Alcoholic patients with TGT haplotype (corresponding to rs6454674‐rs1049353‐rs806368 polymorphisms in this order) were less prone to have AD (p = 0.017). Besides, alcoholics with a G/T substitution of the first marker (GGT haplotype) or a C/T substitution of the third marker (TGC haplotype) were more likely to develop AD (p = 0.006 and 0.004, respectively) and an interaction was found between the G allele of rs6454674 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and the C allele of rs806368 SNP (p = 0.009).

Conclusions:  Our findings support previously reported associations of CNR1 with dependence to alcohol and other substances and emphasizes the relevance of endocannabinoid system in AD.
Governing the Interplay between Industrial Ecosystems and Environmental Regulation
Authors: Salmi Olli , Hukkinen Janne , Heino Jyrki , Pajunen Nani , Wierink Maaria
Published: November 2011

Many scholars of industrial ecology have focused on the institutional and organizational challenges of building and maintaining regional industrial symbiosis through the synergistic integration of material and energy flows. Despite the promise that these intellectual developments hold for the future dematerialization of industrial production, they rarely address the actual regulatory obstacles of turning wastes into raw materials. In this article we introduce a potential future industrial symbiosis around the Gulf of Bothnia between Finland and Sweden, and assess the regulatory bottlenecks related to waste by‐product consideration.

We find that although the Gulf of Bothnia region has technological and economic potential for industrial symbiosis, the regulatory support for this is insufficient. We suggest a common pool resource‐based governance system that could utilize market and regulatory mechanisms in a regional‐level cross‐border system of governance. Importantly, the suggested governance system would protect the users of potential raw materials from unpredictable waste regulation, market risks related to large‐scale material flows, and societal risks of hazardous waste treatment.
Further Dissecting the Black Box of Citizen Participation: When Does Citizen Involvement Lead to Good Outcomes?
Authors: Yang Kaifeng , Pandey Sanjay K.
Published: November 2011

While various descriptive and prescriptive citizen participation models suggest ways to improve citizen participation, none has been subjected to large‐scale empirical tests. This article develops and tests an organizational theory model that explores the conditions under which citizen involvement as a general strategy can improve administrative decision making. The new model focuses on organizational variables that are more directly subject to managerial influence, such as political support, leadership, red tape, and hierarchical authority, as well as variables related to participant competence and representativeness. Hypotheses are tested with data collected from a national survey of local government managers. The results suggest that public management matters for citizen participation. The conclusion calls for integrating quantitative designs with normative and qualitative citizen participation research.
Land and Credit: A Study of the Political Economy of Banking in the United States in the Early 20th Century
Authors: RAJAN RAGHURAM G. , RAMCHARAN RODNEY
Published: November 2011

We find that, in the early 20th century, counties in the United States where the agricultural elite had disproportionately large land holdings had significantly fewer banks per capita, even correcting for state‐level effects. Moreover, credit appears to have been costlier, and access to it more limited, in these counties. The evidence suggests that elites may restrict financial development in order to limit access to finance, and they may be able to do so even in countries with well‐developed political institutions.
Tails, Fears, and Risk Premia
Authors: BOLLERSLEV TIM , TODOROV VIKTOR
Published: November 2011

We show that the compensation for rare events accounts for a large fraction of the average equity and variance risk premia. Exploiting the special structure of the jump tails and the pricing thereof, we identify and estimate a new Investor Fears index. The index reveals large time‐varying compensation for fears of disasters. Our empirical investigations involve new extreme value theory approximations and high‐frequency intraday data for estimating the expected jump tails under the statistical probability measure, and short maturity out‐of‐the‐money options and new model‐free implied variation measures for estimating the corresponding risk‐neutral expectations.
Regulatory Uncertainty and Market Liquidity: The 2008 Short Sale Ban's Impact on Equity Option Markets
Authors: BATTALIO ROBERT , SCHULTZ PAUL
Published: November 2011

We examine how the September 2008 short sale restrictions and the accompanying confusion and regulatory uncertainty impacted equity option markets. We find that the short sale ban is associated with dramatically increased bid‐ask spreads for options on banned stocks. In addition, synthetic share prices for banned stocks become significantly lower than actual share prices during the ban. We find similar results for synthetic share prices of hard‐to‐borrow stocks, suggesting that the dislocation in actual and synthetic share prices is attributable to the increased hedging costs for options on banned stocks during the short sale ban.
Marriage Rights andLGBTQYouth: The Present and Future Impact of Sexuality Policy Changes
Authors: Marzullo Michelle A. , Herdt Gilbert
Published: November 2011

Studying changing attitudes toward marriage rights in the United States, we consider how sexual and gender socialization and changes in values and beliefs regarding homosexuality and marriage influence lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning (LGBTQ) youth. We begin by presenting the cultural environment of policies, court decisions, and political maneuvers in response to the question of “same‐sex” marriage. In this context, we examine fluctuations of public opinion polling from 1989 to 2009. These issues background our main focus, which is to comment on the emerging, positive research on the resiliency, strength, and future aspirations ofLGBTQyouth. Such research was begun in the late‐1980s with a significant community‐based, ethnographic study onLGBTQyouth inChicago. Although similar studies are being done now, more ethnographic research is necessary to build a catalog of data focused on positive traits in response to a deficiency model used in most psychological research onLGBTQyouth. We end by suggesting ways that psychological anthropologists might fruitfully engage with policy studies and advocates through such research.
Fear of childbirth; the relation to anxiety and depression
Authors: STORKSEN HEGE THERESE , EBERHARD‐GRAN MALIN , GARTHUS‐NIEGEL SUSAN , ESKILD ANNE
Published: November 2011

Abstract  Objective. To study the associations of anxiety and depression with fear of childbirth. Design. A cross‐sectional questionnaire study. Setting. Prenatal public healthcare in Norway. Sample. Pregnant women (n=1642) recruited during November 2008 until April 2010. Methods. Data were collected by a postal questionnaire at pregnancy week 32. Fear of childbirth was measured by the Wijma Delivery Expectancy Questionnaire (W‐DEQ) and by a numeric rating scale. Symptoms of anxiety were measured by the Hopkins Symptom Check List (SCL‐25) and symptoms of depression by the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). Main outcome measure. Fear of childbirth. Results. Eight per cent (137 of 1642) of the women had fear of childbirth (W‐DEQ≥85), 8.8% (145 of 1642) had anxiety (SCL‐anxiety≥18) and 8.9% (146 of 1642) had depression (EPDS≥12). More than half (56.2%) of the women with fear of childbirth did not have anxiety or depression; however, presence of anxiety or depression increased the prevalence of fear of childbirth (odds ratio 2.4, 95% confidence interval 1.1–5.2 and odds ratio 8.4, 95% confidence interval 4.8–14.7, respectively). Women with both anxiety and depression had the highest prevalence of fear of childbirth (odds ratio 11.0, 95% confidence interval 6.6–18.3). Similar associations of anxiety and depression were estimated by using the numerical rating scale for measuring fear of childbirth. Conclusions. Presence of anxiety and depression increased the prevalence of fear of childbirth; however, the majority of women with fear of childbirth had neither anxiety nor depression.