bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Balci technique for suspending vaginal vault at vaginal hysterectomy with reduced risk of vaginal vault prolapse
Authors: Balci Osman , Capar Metin , Acar Ali , Colakoglu Mehmet Cengiz
Published: March 2011

Aim:  The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a new technique of suspending the vaginal vault at vaginal hysterectomy (VH) for total uterine prolapse.

Material and Methods:  This prospective study included 65 patients (group 1) in whom VH was performed using the new technique and 110 patients (group 2) in whom VH was performed using the traditional method. Both groups were followed up for 4 years. The incidences of vaginal vault prolapse (VVP), total vaginal length (TVL) (location of vaginal cuff), intraoperative and postoperative complications and sexual function were compared.

Results:  There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups regarding age, parity, body mass index (BMI), blood loss, intraoperative and postoperative complications, and sexual function. One (1.5%) patient had VVP in group 1, whereas 12 (10.9%) patients had VVP in group 2. TVL in group 1 was 8.9 ± 1.2 cm while in group 2 it was 5.9 ± 0.8 cm. The operation times were 57 ± 5 min and 76 ± 9 min in group 1 and group 2, respectively. There was a statistically significant difference between the two groups regarding VVP (P = 0.022), TVL (P < 0.001) and operation time (P < 0.001). The two groups were also compared regarding anterior and posterior prolapse after 4 years: group 1 had less anterior and posterior prolapse (stage II or more) than group 2 (P = 0.041, P = 0.047), respectively.

Conclusion:  In this new technique, compared to the traditional technique, there was a lower incidence of VVP, greater TVL was achieved and the duration of the operation was shorter.
Symphysiotomy: Is it obsolete?
Authors: Basak Subhadeep , Kanungo Shyama , Majhi Chaityanya
Published: March 2011

Aim:  To compare the maternal and neonatal outcomes of symphysiotomy (SYM) and cesarean section (CS), when they were performed in women presenting with obstructed labor.

Material and Methods:  This was a prospective comparative cohort study. Symphysiotomy was performed in 25 women who presented with obstructed labor. The controls were 50 women on whom CS was performed due to obstructed labor. Maternal mortality and morbidity due to postpartum hemorrhage (PPH), sepsis, genitourinary trauma, pelvic pain and gait problems were analyzed and compared between cases and controls. Neonatal mortality and morbidity due to birth asphyxia, intracranial hemorrhage, cephalohematoma and hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy were also compared following the two procedures.

Results:  Maternal mortality was similar in both the cesarean section group (CSG) and symphysiotomy group (SG), but SYM has less morbidity than CS, and also preserves the uterus from scars. Transient pelvic pain was the most common maternal morbidity following SYM, whereas PPH and wound sepsis were the most common complications after CS. Neonatal mortality and morbidity were similar in both cases and controls. Lastly, SYM is a simple, low‐cost and quicker procedure than CS.

Conclusion:  Symphysiotomy is an alternative management in women with obstructed labor. It has a role in low‐resource settings, where CS is unaffordable, unavailable or unsafe. For the vast majority of the poor population, who may not have even have one proper meal a day, it can be of benefit to have a woman's pelvis made permanently adequate so that traditional birth attendants can conduct her subsequent labors.
Impact and issues of detecting fetal congenital heart defects in Kyushu, Japan
Authors: Yoshikane Yukako , Yoshizato Toshiyuki , Maeno Yasuki , Nishibatake Makoto , Kan Nobuhiko , Fusazaki Naoki , Hirose Shinichi
Published: March 2011

Aim:  To determine the current status of fetal CHD screening in our region and to establish a CHD screening system in Japan.

Material and Methods:  Subjects were 168 fetuses prenatally‐diagnosed with CHD at four referral centers in Japan from 2003 to 2007. Subjects were divided into two groups: group A (n = 84) included cases without extracardiac sonographic abnormalities and known risk factors for CHD and group B (n = 84) included those with extracardiac sonographic abnormalities or risk factors. The diagnostics and outcomes between the groups were analyzed.

Results:  There were more cases of single ventricle and restrictive ductus arteriosus and fewer cases of ventricular septal defect and double outlet right ventricle in group A than in group B (P < 0.05). In group A, the most frequent referral reason was an abnormal four‐chamber view. In group B, 37 cases had chromosomal anomalies. The mortality rates in group B were higher than those in group A (P < 0.05). There were no differences in mortality rates between fetuses without chromosomal anomalies in group B and group A.

Conclusion:  Prenatally‐diagnosed CHD were mostly limited to those cases with obvious abnormalities in the four‐chamber view or those with chromosomal anomalies. Prenatal detection of CHD is useful for the prediction of outcomes.
Voronoi diagram description of the maternal surface of the placenta: Preliminary report
Authors: Wakamatsu Masao , Kikuchi Akihiko , Tamaru Shunsuke , Ono Kyoko , Horikoshi Tsuguhiro , Takagi Kimiyo , Ogiso Yoshifumi , Tanemura Masaharu
Published: March 2011

Aim:  Voronoi diagram is defined as a diagram of a collection of geometric points that defines a partition of space into cells, each of which consists of the points closer to one particular point than to any other. The distinctive feature of a placentone is the fetomaternal circulatory unit which is composed of one villous tree with a corresponding, centrifugally perfused portion of the intervillous space. Based on this placental architecture, in this study we generated Voronoi diagram from the photographic images of the maternal surface of the placenta and compared them with the shapes of the actual placentones.

Material and Methods:  We simulated the placentones of 12 placentas based on Voronoi diagram using a computer program, and compared them with the photographic images of the actual maternal surface of the placentas. The point was carefully selected and adjusted so that the generated Voronoi diagram could represent the actual maternal surface of the placenta.

Results:  Voronoi diagram simulated satisfactorily the borders of placentones in 10 placentas. However, we could not succeed in the simulation in two cases.

Conclusion:  It seems that development and formation of placentones are not only theoretically and physiologically explainable by Voronoi diagram, but also actually achieved by this mechanism. We believe that mathematical Voronoi diagram holds a promise for evaluating physiological and pathological development of the placenta.
Visualization and genetic manipulation of adult neurogenesis using transgenic mice
Authors: Dhaliwal Jagroop , Lagace Diane C.
Published: March 2011

Many laboratories have focused efforts on the creation of transgenic mouse models to study adult neurogenesis. In the last decade several constitutive reporter, as well as inducible transgenic lines have been published that allowed for visualization, tracking and alteration of specific neurogenic cell populations in the adult brain. Given the popularity of this approach, multiple mouse lines are available, and this review summarizes the differences in the basic techniques that have been used to create these mice, highlighting the different constructs and reporter proteins used, as well as the strengths and limitations of each of these models. Representative examples from the literature demonstrate some of the diverse and seminal findings that have come to fruition through the laborious, yet highly rewarding work of creating transgenic mouse lines for adult neurogenesis research.
In vivo imaging of adult neurogenesis
Authors: Couillard‐Despres Sebastien , Aigner Ludwig
Published: March 2011

As our understanding of adult neurogenesis increases, hopes rise that neurological disorders and neuronal losses might be addressed one day by neural stem cell‐based regenerative therapies. However, evaluating the efficacy and safety of any neurogenesis‐based intervention requires a means to monitor neurogenesis in vivo and, so far, no such imaging techniques are available for human studies. Nevertheless, using imaging techniques presently available to clinicians, i.e. magnetic resonance imaging, positron emission tomography and optical imaging, significant progress has been made in this direction over the last decade. This review describes the current state‐of‐the‐art for each imaging technique, and shows that detection of neurogenesis could theoretically be achieved using current imaging devices. Indeed, in vivo imaging of neurogenesis has already been achieved in mice using transgenic model systems. However, the imaging of human neurogenesis still requires the development of methods to reliably target the neural stem cells and the neuronal precursors in vivo.
Adult neurogenesis and the plasticity of the dentate gyrus network
Authors: Mongiat Lucas A. , Schinder Alejandro F.
Published: March 2011

The granule cell layer (GCL) of the dentate gyrus contains neurons generated during embryonic, early postnatal and adult life. During adulthood there is a continuous production of neuronal cohorts that develop and functionally integrate in the preexisting circuits. This morphogenic process generates a stratified GCL, with the outermost layers containing dentate granule cells (DGCs) generated during perinatal life, and the innermost layers containing adult‐born DGCs. In this review we analyse the functional profile of the different neuronal populations of the GCL, with an emphasis on adult‐born neurons as they develop, mature and integrate in the dentate gyrus network. We focus on the contribution of adult‐born neurons to activity‐dependent synaptic modification in the dentate gyrus and, in turn, discuss how network activity modulates integration and survival of new neurons.
Synapse formation on adult‐born hippocampal neurons
Authors: Toni Nicolas , Sultan Sebastien
Published: March 2011

It is now widely accepted that adult neurogenesis plays a fundamental role in hippocampal function. Neurons born in the adult dentate gyrus of the hippocampus undergo a series of events before they fully integrate in the network and eventually become undistinguishable from neurons born during embryogenesis. Adult hippocampal neurogenesis is strongly regulated by neuronal activity and neurotransmitters, and the synaptic integration of adult‐born neurons occurs in discrete steps, some of which are very different from perinatal synaptogenesis. Here, we review the current knowledge on the development of the synaptic input and output of neurons born in the adult hippocampus, from the stem/progenitor cell to the fully mature neuron. We also provide insight on the regulation of adult neurogenesis by some neurotransmitters and discuss some specificities of the integration of new neurons in an adult environment. The understanding of the mechanisms regulating the synaptic integration of adult‐born neurons is not only crucial for our understanding of brain plasticity, but also provides a framework for the manipulation and monitoring of endogenous adult neurogenesis as well as grafted cells, for potential therapeutic applications.
Integration and maturation of newborn neurons in the adult olfactory bulb – from synapses to function
Authors: Nissant Antoine , Pallotto Marta
Published: March 2011

In adult mammals, thousands of new neurons integrate in the olfactory bulb (OB) each day. This process of adult neurogenesis has received a great deal of scientific attention aimed at understanding how mature neural networks withstand neuronal replacement, and medical interest to explore the promise that these cells may be manipulated for brain repair therapies. In the present review, we focus on the mechanisms and consequences of the functional integration of newborn interneurons in the OB network. We first describe the steps of synaptic integration and functional maturation of adult‐born interneurons in the OB. We then examine the physiological control of cell maturation and survival. Finally, we explore the potential impact of adult neurogenesis on the function of the OB.
CREB in adult neurogenesis – master and partner in the development of adult‐born neurons?
Authors: Merz Katharina , Herold Sabine , Lie D. Chichung
Published: March 2011

The generation of new neurons in the adult brain is modulated by complex stimuli and a broad range of extrinsic signals. It remains a mystery how stem cells and their progeny integrate this wealth of regulatory input to generate a precise number of neurons that matches the physiological needs of the olfactory and hippocampal network. cAMP response element binding protein (CREB)‐dependent signalling is controlling essential developmental steps in adult neurogenesis, i.e. survival, maturation and integration of new neurons. Here, we summarize the current knowledge on the function of CREB in adult neurogenesis and discuss the potential of CREB to integrate complex stimuli and to translate these into precise developmental processes in adult neurogenesis. The complex modulation of CREB‐signalling may allow the adult neurogenic system to respond to stimuli in a fine‐tuned rather than in an on–off fashion.
Critical maturational period of new neurons in adult dentate gyrus for their involvement in memory formation
Authors: Aasebø Ida E. J. , Blankvoort Stefan , Tashiro Ayumu
Published: March 2011

Adult dentate gyrus produces new neurons continuously throughout life. Multiple lines of evidence have pointed to the possibility that young neurons during a certain maturational stage mediate an important role in memory processing. In this review, we highlight the existing evidence of a ‘critical period’ for new neurons in their involvement in memory formation, describe the unique properties of young neurons as potential mechanisms underlying the critical period, and discuss the implications of the critical period for the function of adult neurogenesis.
Developmental dysregulation of adult neurogenesis
Authors: Georg Kuhn H. , Blomgren K.
Published: March 2011

Rather than a singular event that suddenly appears during adulthood, adult neurogenesis has long been recognized as the continuation of postnatal neurogenic activity. During the first postnatal weeks, significant cellular changes occur within and adjacent to germinal matrices of the subventricular zone and dentate gyrus. The majority of granule cells are generated during this period. In addition, radial glia are transformed into astrocyte‐like stem cells, the ependymal layer is formed, and the highest rates of angiogenesis, gliogenesis and myelination are observed. The first postnatal weeks are critical as the brain growth rate is maximal, and changes during this period can have a great impact on neurogenesis levels and overall brain function later in life. This review chronicles cellular changes and some of the clinically relevant dysregulations that can occur during the postnatal period, and discusses the possible impact of these changes on neurogenesis and cognitive function later in life.
Neurotransmitters couple brain activity to subventricular zone neurogenesis
Authors: Young Stephanie Z. , Taylor M. Morgan , Bordey Angélique
Published: March 2011

Adult neurogenesis occurs in two privileged microenvironments, the hippocampal subgranular zone of the dentate gyrus and the subventricular zone (SVZ) along the lateral ventricle. This review focuses on accumulating evidence suggesting that the activity of specific brain regions or bodily states influences SVZ cell proliferation and neurogenesis. Neuromodulators such as dopamine and serotonin have been shown to have long‐range effects through neuronal projections into the SVZ. Local γ‐aminobutyric acid and glutamate signaling have demonstrated effects on SVZ proliferation and neurogenesis, but an extra‐niche source of these neurotransmitters remains to be explored and options will be discussed. There is also accumulating evidence that diseases and bodily states such as Alzheimer’s disease, seizures, sleep and pregnancy influence SVZ cell proliferation. With such complex behavior and environmentally‐driven factors that control subregion‐specific activity, it will become necessary to account for overlapping roles of multiple neurotransmitter systems on neurogenesis when developing cell therapies or drug treatments.
Seizure‐induced neurogenesis in the adult brain
Authors: Kokaia Merab
Published: March 2011

It is well established that seizures increase adult neurogenesis in the subventricular and subgranular zones, the most neurogenic regions of the adult rodent and apparently human brain. However, the role of increased neurogenesis in these areas in seizure generation (ictogenesis) and epileptogenesis remains elusive. It is of utmost importance to explore how the cells that are born in response to epileptic seizures are functionally integrated into the existing neuronal networks, and how this integration would contribute to the excitability of this network. This will determine whether increased neurogenesis is beneficial or counteractive to ictogenesis and epileptogenesis. Some of the crucial factors affecting the functional integration of newborn cells seem to be excessive neuronal activity and/or inflammatory microenvironment, both associated with acute, as well as chronic, epileptic conditions. This review will focus on aspects of the functional integration of newborn cells in animal models of epilepsy with various degrees of seizure severity and associated microenvironmental alterations in the brain tissue.
Neurodegenerative disease and adult neurogenesis
Authors: Winner Beate , Kohl Zacharias , Gage Fred H.
Published: March 2011

The generation and cell death of newly generated cells have critical roles in brain development and maintenance in the embryonic and adult brain. Alterations in these processes are also seen in neurodegenerative diseases. Genes that are key players in neurodegenerative diseases (α‐synuclein, presenilin‐1, tau, huntingtin) are also physiologically involved in modulating brain plasticity. Interestingly, in some neurodegenerative diseases, the specific alterations in neurogenic areas such as the dentate gyrus and subventricular zone/olfactory bulb system parallel the early or premotor symptoms that are seen in the early stages of these diseases, such as depression, anxiety or olfactory dysfunction. We will review the modulation of neurogenesis in animal models and human brains of Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease.
The effect of induction of anesthesia and intubation on end‐expiratory lung level and regional ventilation distribution in cardiac children
Authors: Humphreys Susan , Pham Trang M.T. , Stocker Christian , Schibler Andreas
Published: March 2011

Background:  During the induction of anesthesia, changes in functional residual capacity and ventilation distribution (VD) occur. Although these physiological changes are well investigated in adults, little data are available in infants and children.

Aim:  To describe continuous changes in lung physiology during the induction of anesthesia in infants and children using electrical impedance tomography (EIT).

Methods:  Lung mechanics and volume changes in 38 infants and children undergoing elective cardiac surgery were assessed using EIT before, during, and after the induction of anesthesia. End‐expiratory level (EEL as an equivalent to FRC) and VD were measured with EIT and referenced to a period of spontaneous breathing prior to induction.

Results:  EEL changed significantly during induction with the lowest during the intubation phase and normalized with the application of positive end‐expiratory pressures (PEEP) after induction. Ventilation prior to induction was preferentially distributed toward the dependent lung, whereas after induction, the nondependent lung was better ventilated. PEEP during mechanical ventilation did not improve ventilation inhomogeneity.

Conclusion:  Lung volume and mechanics deteriorate significantly during the induction of anesthesia and remain altered during mechanical ventilation.
Retroperitoneal laparoscopic dismembered pyeloplasty with a novel technique of JJ stenting in children
Authors: Yu Jianhua , Wu Zhonghua , Xu Youming , Li Zhuo , Wang Jiansong , Qi Fan , Chen Xiang
Published: March 2011

Study Type – Therapy (case series)

Level of Evidence 4

What’s known on the subject? and What does the study add?

Laparoscopic dismembered pyeloplasty may be performed via a transperitoneal or retroperitoneal approach. Retroperitoneal access is less popular because of the limited working space, especially in children.

This study shows that retroperitoneal laparoscopic dismembered pyeloplasty with a novel technique of JJ stenting is a feasible and effective alternative to open pyeloplasty with a relatively minimal complication rate in children.

OBJECTIVE

• To report our experience with retroperitoneal laparoscopic dismembered pyeloplasty for pelvi‐ureteric junction (PUJ) obstruction in children.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

• Between March 2007 and December 2009, 38 children with PUJ obstruction (mean age 8.3 years, range 3–14) underwent retroperitoneal laparoscopic dismembered pyeloplasty.

• A ureteric catheter was inserted into the mid‐ureter cystoscopically. During pyeloplasty, the proximal end of the ureteric catheter was extracorporeally sutured to the distal end of the JJ stent with silk.

• The ureteric catheter was then pulled down and the stent was pulled antegrade into the ureter and bladder.

RESULTS

• The approach was retroperitoneal in all patients except one who required open conversion. The overall mean operative time was 162 min (range 145–210 min) and this appeared to decrease with experience. Mean hospital stay was 4 days (range 3–7 days).

• Mean follow‐up was 20.2 months (range 6–32 months). Satisfactory drainage with decreased hydronephrosis was documented in all patients on ultrasonography and intravenous urography.

CONCLUSION

• Our study shows that retroperitoneal laparoscopic dismembered pyeloplasty is a feasible and effective alternative to open pyeloplasty with a relatively minimal complication rate in children 3 years of age and older, but it should be undertaken by experienced laparoscopic surgeons.
Firms’ performance under different bankruptcy systems: a Europe–USA empirical analysis
Authors: Gutiérrez Carlos Lopez , Olmo Begoña Torre , Azofra Sergio Sanfilippo
Published: March 2011

This study empirically analyses the effect that the bankruptcy law has on firms’ performance based on its financial situation. To do this, we considered the different types of efficiency and their influence on firms’ value. The study was carried out for Germany, Spain, the United States, France and the United Kingdom. We applied System‐GMM estimation to dynamic panel data. The main results show that under creditor‐oriented systems, there is a decrease in the value of both financially distressed firms and those filing for bankruptcy.
Mother's body mass index as a predictor of infant's nutritional status in the post‐emergency phase of a flood
Authors: Goudet Sophie , Griffths Paula , Bogin Barry A.
Published: March 2011

Maternal nutritional status is a determinant of child health. This paper studies the association between a mother's body mass index (BMI) and her infant's nutritional status over a one year time frame after the 1998 flood crisis in Bangladesh. The paper uses secondary analysis of data collected from 757 households in seven rural areas of Bangladesh affected by the 1998 flood using multiple‐stage probability sampling techniques (n = 143). Logistic regression models were employed to investigate the predictive impact of maternal BMI on infant's nutritional status after controlling for a range of child and maternal factors. An underweight mother was a significant factor with regard to the risk of infants suffering stunting (odds ratio (OR) = 4.45, 95 per cent confidence interval (CI) = 1.04–18.94) and being underweight (OR = 3.51, 95 per cent CI = 1.02–12.05) a year later, but not wasting (OR = 2.09, 95 per cent CI = 0.51–8.67). The findings suggest that there is a post‐emergency link between maternal and infant nutritional health.
Supporting breastfeeding in emergencies: protecting women's reproductive rights and maternal and infant health
Authors: Gribble Karleen D. , McGrath Marie , MacLaine Ali , Lhotska Lida
Published: March 2011

Women have the right to support that enables them to breastfeed. Supporting breastfeeding in emergencies is important because artificial feeding places mothers and children at risk. In emergencies, artificial feeding is dangerous to the infant, difficult and requires substantial resources. In contrast, breastfeeding guards infant health. It is also protective against postpartum haemorrhage, maternal depletion, maternal anaemia and closely spaced births and should therefore concern not only nutritionists, but also those involved in reproductive health. However, it is common for women's ability to breastfeed to be undermined in emergencies by the indiscriminate distribution of breast‐milk substitutes and the absence of breastfeeding support. Controlling the distribution of breast‐milk substitutes, providing supportive environments, and appropriate medical and practical assistance to breastfeeding women safeguards the health and well‐being of mothers and babies. Greater collaboration between the nutrition and reproductive health sectors is required to promote best practice in protecting breastfeeding women and their children in emergencies.
An integrated approach: managing resources for post‐disaster reconstruction
Authors: Chang Yan , Wilkinson Suzanne , Brunsdon David , Seville Erica , Potangaroa Regan
Published: March 2011

A lack of resources for post‐disaster housing reconstruction significantly limits the prospects for successful recovery. Following the earthquake in Wenchuan, China, in May 2008, housing reconstruction was not immune to resource shortages and price inflation. Difficulties in sourcing materials and labour considerably impeded recovery. This paper provides evidence of the resourcing bottlenecks inherent in the post‐Wenchuan earthquake reconstruction process. Its aim is to present an integrated planning framework for managing resources for post‐disaster housing rebuilding. The results are drawn from in‐field surveys that highlight the areas where stakeholders need to concentrate effort, including revising legislation and policy, enhancing capacity for rebuilding in the construction industry, strengthening the transportation network, restructuring market mechanisms, and incorporating environmental considerations into overall planning. Although the case study presented here is country‐specific, it is hoped that the findings provide a basis for future research to identify resourcing constraints and solutions in other disaster contexts.
Conceptualizing the Survival Sector in Madagascar
Authors: Gössling Stefan , Schumacher Kim Philip
Published: March 2011

Abstract:  This article calls for the recognition of a subsector of the informal economy, which is conceptualized as the “survival sector”. Based on empirical evidence from Antananarivo, Madagascar it is suggested that beggars, street children and other marginalized people constitute a separate, non‐productive subsector of the economy, which is also distinguishable from formal and informal economies because of other aspects, such as the character of its social and economic networks, survival strategies, patterns of social and physical mobility, and the social and public spaces occupied. Given the vast number of marginalized people in the world, it seems useful to consider a survival sector of its own that is, despite interlinkages, fundamentally different from other components of the informal economy.
Building Bridges Through Performance and Decision‐making: Schools, Research and Public Engagement
Authors: Gregson Nicky , Watkins Helen , Broughton Lindsey , Mackenzie Julie , Shepherd Juanita
Published: March 2011

Abstract:  This paper uses the impact agenda in the UK to realign debate about the relationship between schools, universities and (human) geography. It positions this debate in systemic tendencies within UK higher education. It argues that, whilst impact can be seen as a further instance of neoliberalism, emphasising the gap between accountability and accounting allows an identification with communicative and reflexive knowledge and, more broadly, critical praxis. The paper draws on a year‐long research‐based collaboration with school teachers and their students involving performance work and the development of decision‐making curriculum materials. It argues that working in these ways with schools can provide the basis for public engagement partnerships between schools and universities and a means to constitute diverse research publics. In these ways, it is argued, a wider sense of impact can be reappropriated, to reclaim the critical subject and to constitute academic value
Branded cities: outdoor advertising, urban governance, and the outdoor media landscape
Authors: Iveson Kurt
Published: March 2011

Abstract:  In many cities both rich and poor, new forms of outdoor advertising are emerging with potentially significant implications for the nature of the urban public realm. Public–private partnerships for advertising‐funded provision of basic items of urban infrastructure such as bus shelters, street signs and public telephones have grown as a result of structural changes in the advertising industry and shifts towards neoliberal forms of urban governance. This article critically interrogates the implications of these new outdoor advertising arrangements for the urban public realm, and argues that they have potentially harmful consequences for the accessibility and diversity of the outdoor media landscape. It then proposes three strategies for the democratisation of that landscape. These strategies are not premised on an outright rejection of outdoor advertising, but rather seek to contest the monopolistic capture of outdoor media by public–private partnerships involving urban authorities and outdoor advertising companies.
CONSTRUCTING MORE POWERFUL EXACT TESTS OF EQUIVALENCE FROM BINARY MATCHED PAIRS
Authors: Lloyd Chris J. , Moldovan Max V.
Published: March 2011

In randomized clinical trials, it is often necessary to demonstrate that a new medical treatment does not substantially differ from a standard reference treatment. Formal testing of such ‘equivalence hypotheses’ is typically done by combining two one‐sided tests (TOST). A quite different strand of research has demonstrated that replacing nuisance parameters with a null estimate produces P‐values that are close to exact (Lloyd 2008a) and that maximizing over the residual dependence on the nuisance parameter produces P‐values that are exact and optimal within a class (Röhmel & Mansmann 1999; Lloyd 2008a). The three procedures – TOST, estimation and maximization of a nuisance parameter – can each be expressed as a transformation of an approximate P‐value. In this paper, we point out that TOST‐based P‐values will generally be conservative, even if based on exact and optimal one‐sided tests. This conservatism is avoided by applying the three transforms in a certain order – estimation followed by TOST followed by maximization. We compare this procedure with existing alternatives through a numerical study of binary matched pairs where the two treatments are compared by the difference of response rates. The resulting tests are uniformly more powerful than the considered competitors, although the difference in power can range from very small to moderate.
Social Capital and Union Revitalization: A Study of Worker Networks in the UK Audio‐Visual Industries
Authors: Saundry Richard , Stuart Mark , Antcliff Valerie
Published: March 2011

This article examines Jarley's contention that trade union revitalization is conditional upon the generation of social capital through the systematic creation of networks. It draws on a qualitative study of freelance workers in the UK audio‐visual industry to consider two propositions. The first, that ‘social capital within networks is forged on “bonds” that are conducive to trade union identity’ was not sustained by the data, which instead suggested that social capital is more likely to be generated by networks outside trade union structures. However, the data did support the second proposition that ‘trade unions can harness social capital in order to achieve concrete industrial relations outcomes’ by linking networks to reservoirs of expertise and influence.
Conceptualizing Work, Family and Community: A Socio‐Ecological Systems Model, Taking Account of Power, Time, Space and Life Stage
Authors: Pocock Barbara , Williams Philippa , Skinner Natalie
Published: March 2011

A large body of empirical research now exists about ‘work and family’, much of it in agreement on critical issues. However, it is under‐conceptualized, it over‐researches professional and managerial workers and it under‐attends the larger terrain of work, family and community. This contribution argues the case for a stronger analytical framework around work, family and community and the ways in which they intersect, drawing on concepts commonly used in the field of employment relations. The article utilizes a body of empirical research about work, family and community in Australia to develop Voydanoff's ecological systems model of work, home and community, arguing that it is vital to unpack the ‘black box’ of ‘work’ in a multi‐layered way, to give appropriate weight to various sources of power, and to avoid an individualistic approach to the reconciliation of work, home and community life by locating analysis in a larger social and political context. The contribution proposes a ‘socio‐ecological systems’ model of work, home and community that delineates the four issues of power, time, space and life stage.
The Role of the AFL‐CIO in Regime Change: The Case of Guyana
Authors: Manroop Laxmikant , Singh Parbudyal
Published: March 2011

The American Federation of Labor–Congress of Industrial Organizations has been implicated in political interference and/or regime change in many countries, including the Dominican Republic, Chile, South Africa and Nicaragua. While its espoused objective has been to promote democracy and workers' rights, the results in some cases have been the opposite. This study focuses on one such case, Guyana, a small country in South America, which was perceived as a threat to US and British national interests in the 1950s and 1960s. Using archival data and interviews, we trace the nature and consequences of this intervention and discuss lessons for the future.
Business Groups as Hierarchical Clique Structures: A Conceptual and Methodological Discussion as it applies to the Mexican Experience
Authors: Rocha Jorge Miguel
Published: March 2011

The hierarchically nested set of business groups that result from 110 Mexican firms sharing corporate directors (i.e. interlocking directors) is analysed using social network tools. It is argued that these groupings are one of the many dimensions that should be employed to understand the complex nature of ‘business groups’ broadly understood. The hypothesis that business groups are responses ‘to market failures that arise in the particular institutional contexts of emerging economies’ (Khanna and Rivkin, Strategic Management Journal, 22 (2001), p. 46) is tested using the groups constructed from data on interlocking directorates. The results show that as firms belong to more of the same sets of groups, their financial performance tends to be more similar, thus supporting the idea that ‘groups can make up for under‐developed institutions, thereby reducing transaction costs’ (Khanna and Yafeh, Journal of Economic Literature, 45 (2007), pp. 340–341).
Political Imagery in the British General Election of 2010: The Curious Case of ‘Nick Clegg’
Authors: Parry Katy , Richardson Kay
Published: March 2011

This article examines the figurative appropriations of Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg, drawing on a selective audit from newspapers, television, radio and blogs during the 2010 general election period. The flurry of excitement produced by Clegg's sudden visibility during the election campaign offers a unique opportunity to observe the hasty moulding of a new political persona. Across the mediascape, political commentators and humorists employed an expressive range of critique and humour to reflect on Clegg's new-found appeal. We present analysis of the various mediated attempts to ascribe to Clegg certain characteristics and values through the use of labelling, metaphor and other popular culture allusions. It is especially in the unpicking of the prevalent sexualised metaphor that our research prompts wider queries about the current mediation of British political culture.
Ethics and God
Authors: Goodman Lenn E.
Published: March 2011

Philosophers like to speak of a “Euthyphro Dilemma” pitting divine fiat against a moral realism that soon fades to personal or social preferences. But Plato targets no such dilemma. The Euthyphro hints a complementarity of divine commands with human moral insights. Values are constitutive in ideas of divinity, and monotheism affirms only goodness in God. So, pace James Rachels, worship is not surrender of autonomy, as Saadiah and Maimonides' biblical and rabbinic ethics reveal. Chimneying more fairly models the dialectic of religion with ethics than does the contrived conflict between putatively arbitrary divine commands and presumptively self‐certifying human moral creativity.
Ethics and Religion: Two Kantian Arguments
Authors: Hare John E.
Published: March 2011

This paper describes and defends two arguments connecting ethics and religion that Kant makes in Religion within the Boundaries of Mere Reason. The first argument is that the moral demand is too high for us in our natural capacities, and God's assistance is required to bridge the resulting moral gap. The second argument is that because humans desire to be happy as well as to be morally good, morality will be rationally unstable without belief in a God who can bring happiness and virtue together. The paper states and replies to three objections to each argument.
Is Nothing Sacred? A Secular Philosophy of Incarnation
Authors: McGhee Michael
Published: March 2011

Christian thinkers have recently expressed concern about the “silencing” or marginalisation of religion in public life, have affirmed the desirability of dialogue between the world of faith and the world of reason but have raised doubts about the feasibility of a moral language that refers to unconditional moral claims or human rights or the intrinsic dignity of human beings if it is not grounded in a transcendent or supernatural source of value. The present paper is an attempt to open a conversation about these themes from the point of view of a non‐theistic humanism inspired by a notion of incarnation.
Morality, Religion, and Cosmic Justice
Authors: Oderberg David S.
Published: March 2011

I argue for a connection between morality and religion on the basis of a need for cosmic justice – a comprehensive system of rewards and punishments for good and bad behaviour, respectively. I set out the Argument for Cosmic Justice, discussing the nature of reward and punishment and how they differ from mere benefit and loss. A world without cosmic justice would be absurd and unacceptable to anyone who takes morality seriously in the way identified by George Mavrodes. I also consider a number of objections to the argument.
Morality and Religion: Some Questions about First Principles
Authors: Rist John
Published: March 2011

Challenged by moral nihilism we have three options: some sort of “Protagorean” conventionalism, a transcendentally rooted version of “naturalism” originally identified by Plato and fleshed out by Augustine, and a “virtual” morality cynically marketed as objective. Conventionalism, however, fails to ground obligation, which could thus be justified only by “Augustine's” alternative, which he developed from its original in three ways: by proposing a personal first principle, thus emphasising respect for every individual; by deepening our awareness of evil in reinforcing the notion of “crime” by that of “sin” against the nature and consequent commands of a personal God; and by locating us in no timeless sphere of pure rationality but in our particular historical space. Religion (so understood) and moral obligation stand or fall together.
Shyness as a moderator of the link between advanced maturity and early adolescent risk behavior
Authors: ZALK NEJRA VAN , KERR MARGARET , TILTON‐WEAVER LAUREE
Published: March 2011

Van Zalk, N., Kerr, M. & Tilton‐Weaver, L. (2011). Shyness as a moderator of the link between advanced maturity and early adolescent risk behavior. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology 52, 341–353.

Advanced maturity in early adolescence has previously been linked with several risk behaviors. In this study, we examine whether shyness and gender might moderate this link. The participants were 750 early adolescents (Mage = 13.73; 390 girls and 360 boys), followed for one year. We conducted analyses with shyness and gender as moderators of the links between advanced maturity and different types of risk behavior, and between one risk behavior and another. Despite differential patterns for boys and girls, the results suggest that being shy or not being shy modifies the links between advanced maturity and risk behavior primarily for boys. For boys, shyness reduces relationships between advanced maturity and risk behavior, whereas not being shy exacerbates the relationships between advanced maturity and high‐risk behavior. Controlling for romantic involvement and peer victimization did not alter the moderating effects, thus failing to support the idea that the weaker links for shy youths were due to shy youths not being drawn into advanced peer groups by romantic partners or peers. Thus, shyness might serve as a buffer against risk behavior in early adolescence.
Towards more Accessible Conceptions of Statistical Inference
Authors: Wild C. J. , Pfannkuch M. , Regan M. , Horton N. J.
Published: March 2011

There is a compelling case, based on research in statistics education, for first courses in statistical inference to be underpinned by a staged development path. Preferably over a number of years, students should begin working with precursor forms of statistical inference, much earlier than they now do. A side benefit is giving younger students more straightforward and more satisfying ways of answering interesting real world questions. We discuss the issues that are involved in formulating precursor versions of inference and then present some specific and highly visual proposals. These build on novel ways of experiencing sampling variation and have intuitive connections to the standard formal methods of making inferences in first university courses in statistics. Our proposal uses visual comparisons to enable the inferential step to be made without taking the eyes off relevant graphs of the data. This allows the time and conceptual distances between questions, data and conclusions to be minimized, so that the most critical linkages can be made. Our approach was devised for use in high schools but is also relevant to adult education and some introductory tertiary courses.
Forecasting Mortality in the Event of a Structural Change
Authors: Coelho Edviges , Nunes Luis C.
Published: March 2011

In recent decades, life expectancy in developed countries has risen to historically unprecedented levels driven by unforeseen declines in rates of mortality. The prospects of further reductions are of fundamental importance in various areas. In this context, we consider the problem of forecasting future mortality and life expectancy in the event of a structural change. We show how recent advances in statistical testing for structural changes can be used to arrive at properly specified models for the general level of mortality in the context of the Lee–Carter model. Specifically, the results of tests for a change in the trend of the index of mortality and for the presence of a unit root are used to identify appropriate forecasting models. The methodology proposed is applied to post-1950 mortality data for a set of developed countries to test the usual assumption that is made in the literature of a sustained decline in mortality at roughly constant rates in this period. Structural changes in the rate of decline in overall mortality are found for almost every country, especially in male populations. We also illustrate how accounting for such a change can lead to a major effect in mortality and life expectancy forecasts over the next decades.
Workplace Sexual Harassment 30 Years on: A Review of the Literature
Authors: McDonald Paula
Published: March 2011

Despite its proscription in legal jurisdictions around the world, workplace sexual harassment (SH) continues to be experienced by many women and some men in a variety of organizational settings. The aims of this review article are threefold: first, with a focus on workplace SH as it pertains to management and organizations, to synthesize the accumulated state of knowledge in the field; second, to evaluate this evidence, highlighting competing perspectives; and third, to canvass areas in need of further investigation. Variously ascribed through individual (psychological or legal consciousness) frameworks, sociocultural explanations and organizational perspectives, research consistently demonstrates that, like other forms of sexual violence, individuals who experience workplace SH suffer significant psychological, health‐ and job‐related consequences. Yet they often do not make formal complaints through internal organizational procedures or to outside bodies. Laws, structural reforms and policy initiatives have had some success in raising awareness of the problem and have shaped rules and norms in the employment context. However, there is an imperative to target further workplace actions to effectively prevent and respond to SH.
Financing welfare regimes: mapping heterogeneous revenue structures
Authors: Gough Ian , Abu Sharkh Miriam
Published: March 2011

Gough I, Abu Sharkh M. Financing welfare regimes: mapping heterogeneous revenue structures

Int J Soc Welfare 2011: 20: 280–291 © 2011 United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD), International Journal of Social Welfare © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd and the International Journal of Social Welfare.

This article studies how the composition of public revenues in terms of sources (such as taxation, social insurance contributions, mineral rents, foreign aid) is associated with different welfare regimes and social policy outcomes. It is divided into two halves: a review of literature and research, and a cross‐national data analysis. The first half reviews literature on the emergence of tax and revenue systems in the West, and on the relevance of these frameworks and findings to developing countries. The second half uses cluster analysis to identify groups of developing countries with contrasting revenue systems in 2000, and then compares these with our previous analysis of welfare regimes in the global South. We conclude that higher tax or revenue levels are not associated with more advanced or effective welfare systems. It is only the scope of social security contributions that correlates with proto‐welfare states in the developing world.