bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Life stage specific variation in the occupancy of ponds byLitoria aurea, a threatened amphibian
Authors: BOWER DEBORAH S. , STOCKWELL MICHELLE P. , POLLARD CARLA J. , PICKETT EVAN J. , GARNHAM JAMES I. , CLULOW JOHN , MAHONY MICHAEL J.
Published: October 2012

Breeding aggregations are a reproductive strategy to increase mate finding opportunity. However, because aggregations skew the distribution of mature animals through conspecific attraction, rather than resource availability, the distribution of breeding sites may be reduced, so that not all suitable breeding sites are used. To examine the relationship between landscape and reproductive strategies of a threatened frog,Litoria aurea, we studied its distribution atSydneyOlympicPark over two breeding seasons. We aimed to: (i) determine the distribution and predictors of breeding ponds; and (ii) assess the significance of dispersal in the juvenile age‐class. We found that the distribution of the calling males was highly skewed and occurred in large, well‐connected ponds. Despite this, breeding ponds were not aggregated; pond size was the single factor explaining the distribution of breeding ponds. Juvenile frogs dispersed from breeding ponds and were not associated with a specific pond characteristic. Less breeding occurred in the second season during which fewer ponds were used for breeding including many different ponds from the previous year. These changes suggest that breeding effort and breeding pond choice are dynamic and therefore knowledge of the factors that drive breeding events will be a powerful tool in managing species, particularly in light of changing climatic regimes.
Modified single‐operator method for double‐balloon endoscopy
Authors: Araki Akihiro , Suzuki Shinji , Tsuchiya Kiichiro , Oshima Shigeru , Okada Eriko , Watanabe Mamoru
Published: October 2012

Applications of double‐balloon endoscopy (DBE) have expanded widely to areas beyond small‐intestine endoscopy. Two endoscopists are required for standard insertion, but it is preferable to have DBE carried out by one endoscopist to optimize control of the procedure and because of human resources issues. We previously reported on the Single‐Operator Method, but here we describe newly modified insertion techniques that facilitate and enhance the performance of DBE by a single endoscopist. Our new technique consists of Hooking Technique, Outside Support, Grasp Scope and Overtube, Continuous Overtube Infusion and Double‐Overtube Method. These new techniques make it easier to carry out the Single‐Operator Method.
Evaluating molecular support for and against the monophyly of the Peritrichia and phylogenetic relationships within the Mobilida (Ciliophora, Oligohymenophorea)
Authors: Zhan Zifeng , Xu Kuidong , Dunthorn Micah
Published: October 2012

Zhan, Z., Xu, K. & Dunthorn, M. (2012). Evaluating molecular support for and against the monophyly of the Peritrichia and phylogenetic relationships within the Mobilida (Ciliophora, Oligohymenophorea). —Zoologica Scripta,00, 000–000.

An ongoing debate in ciliate molecular phylogenetic analyses is whether the Peritrichia – composed of the Sessilida and the Mobilida – are monophyletic. To further investigate this group, here we increase taxon sampling with four further mobilids: Trichodinella sp., Trichodina pectenis, Urceolaria serpularum and Urceolaria korschelti. Results show that support for and against monophyly of the peritrichs depends on different methods of alignment, and different methods of masking ambiguously aligned nucleotide positions. Results from constrained analyses also are dependent on different alignment and masking methods. We propose that there is no well‐supported SSU‐rDNA evidence supporting for and against the removal of the mobilids from the peritrichs. Within the Mobilida, we find that Trichodinella nest within Trichodina, Urceolaria branch basally, and Trichodina are non‐monophyletic, and suggest that Leiotrocha be formally transferred into Urceolaria. In addition, the data support that Urceolaria‐like denticles and Urceolaria‐/Trichodina‐like adoral ciliary spiral are plesiomorphic conditions within the mobilids.
Do subitizing deficits in developmental dyscalculia involve pattern recognition weakness?
Authors: Ashkenazi Sarit , Mark‐Zigdon Nitza , Henik Avishai
Published: October 2012

The abilities of children diagnosed with developmental dyscalculia (DD) were examined in two types of object enumeration: subitizing, and small estimation (5–9 dots). Subitizing is usually defined as a fast and accurate assessment of a number of small dots (range 1 to 4 dots), and estimation is an imprecise process to assess a large number of items (range 5 dots or more). Based on reaction time (RT) and accuracy analysis, our results indicated a deficit in the subitizing and small estimation range among DD participants in relation to controls. There are indications that subitizing is based on pattern recognition, thus presenting dots in a canonical shape in the estimation range should result in a subitizing‐like pattern. In line with this theory, our control group presented a subitizing‐like pattern in the small estimation range for canonically arranged dots, whereas the DD participants presented a deficit in the estimation of canonically arranged dots. The present finding indicates that pattern recognition difficulties may play a significant role in both subitizing and subitizing deficits among those with DD.
Changing Parties, Changing Partisans: The Personalization of Partisan Attachments in Western Europe
Authors: Garzia Diego
Published: October 2012

This article investigates the effects of the deep transformations in the relationship between West European class‐mass parties and their electorates. Particular attention is paid to the changing nature of individuals' partisan attachments, which are hypothesized to be less rooted in social and ideological identities and more in individual attitudes towards increasingly visible partisan objects. The main objective of this article is to examine the influence of voters' attitudes towards one of these “objects”—the party leaders—in determining psychological attachments with the parties. The analysis concentrates on the two main cleavage‐based parties in Britain, Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands. The empirical findings highlight the declining ability of social identities (class and religious) to predict individual feelings of partisan attachment, as well as the growing influence of voters' attitudes towards party leaders. The concluding section points to the crucial role that political psychology can play in our understanding of democratic elections' outcomes.
Beyond the Ethnic‐Civic Dichotomy: Cultural Citizenship as a New Way of Excluding Immigrants
Authors: Reijerse Arjan , Van Acker Kaat , Vanbeselaere Norbert , Phalet Karen , Duriez Bart
Published: October 2012

In European Union (EU) countries, public debates about immigrants and citizenship are increasingly framed in cultural terms. Yet, there is no agreement within the citizenship literature on whether a cultural citizenship representation can be distinguished from the more established ethnic and civic representations and on how its measures relate to anti‐immigrant attitudes. The present study tested measures of citizenship representations among high school students (N = 1476) in six EU countries (Belgium, France, Germany, Hungary, the Netherlands, and Sweden). Factor analyses favored a three‐factor model of citizenship representations (i.e., ethnic, cultural, and civic factors), which showed partial metric invariance. Across countries, ethnic and cultural scales correlated positively with each other and negatively with the civic scale. Moreover, ethnic and cultural scales related positively and the civic scale negatively to anti‐immigrant attitudes. However, when analyzed simultaneously, relations of the ethnic scale with anti‐immigrant attitudes were no longer significant, while those of the cultural and civic scales proved to be robust. Implications of these findings are discussed.
Value Differentiation Between Enemies and Allies: Value Projection in National Images
Authors: Eicher Véronique , Pratto Felicia , Wilhelm Peter
Published: October 2012

The current study aimed to investigate value projection between Palestinians, Israelis, Americans, and Swiss as a function of their group's stance toward the Israeli‐Palestinian conflict. Drawing on image theory, we assumed that images—operationalized by value projection—would be a function not just of features of the target group, but of the rater group's relationship with the target group. Value projection can be seen as an indicator of (de)humanization as values represent goals and desirable behaviors of a person. We therefore expected higher projection to ally than to enemy groups, whereas we expected no difference in projection to out‐groups with neutral relations. Results show that allies did indeed project Security and Power to a higher degree to each other than to enemies, and enemies showed no, or even negative, projection onto each other. The ally of the enemy (Americans) was projected less negatively by Palestinians than vice versa, pointing to the higher complexity of third‐party images as opposed to the more classical ally and enemy images. As expected, Swiss students showed almost no difference in projection to the different out‐groups. These results confirm that the relationship between groups (e.g., alliance, enmity) rather than a consensual view of particular nations determines images.
The Alternative of Private Regulation: The London Stock Exchange's Alternative Investment Market as a Model
Authors: Stringham Edward Peter , Chen Ivan
Published: October 2012

Most people assume that markets require a strong set of government rules and regulations to eliminate problems associated with transparency and fraud. Commonly overlooked is the fact that stock exchanges did, and to a large extent still do, provide a set of private rules and regulations. One modern stock exchange that relies heavily on private rather than government regulation is the London Stock Exchange's Alternative Investment Market (AIM). Founded in 1995, AIM is an exchange regulated market in which private regulators, called Nominated Advisors or Nomads, oversee individual firms and decide whether they can list their shares. This system of private regulation reduces regulatory barriers and has attracted many new firms. But rather than being ‘a race to the bottom’ in which anything goes, the private regulators work to put their stamp of approval only on firms that warrant trading. The market has attracted a lot of investment, and the survival rate of IPOs is in line with that of other more regulated markets.
The Problems of Accounting Standards
Authors: Myddelton D. R.
Published: October 2012

The main purpose of company accounts is stewardship, so accounting standards based on ‘decision‐usefulness for investors’ are misconceived. And making the standards compulsory ‘Instructions’ rather than voluntary ‘Suggestions’ causes many additional problems. All we really need is the Companies Act requirement for accounts to show ‘a true and fair view’.
Regulation without Reason: The Deleterious Effects of Government Regulation on Private Pension Provision
Authors: Silver Nick , Pant Saurabh
Published: October 2012

In this article, the history of regulation in pensions in the United Kingdom is analysed, in particular with respect to defined benefit occupational pension schemes. A framework of criteria for effective legislation is developed. The original prudent person rule provided a good framework for legislation, but most subsequent regulation that has been enacted does not meet our criteria. Recently regulation has increased the cost and risk of individual schemes and the systemic risk in the system as a whole. The article finds that, in totality, regulation has been disastrous for these schemes, contributing to their demise. The article concludes by briefly outlining how effective regulation might have developed to produce a flexible and resilient system.
Liberating Farming from the CAP
Authors: Rickard Séan
Published: October 2012

Global food producers face severe challenges in feeding the world's population at affordable prices. It is therefore essential that EU agricultural policy now focuses on maximising the Community's food production. This is only likely to be achieved if direct income payments are rapidly phased out allowing the industry to restructure, which will involve the concentration of production on larger‐scale farms.
Us Debt and Deficits: Time to Reverse the Trend
Authors: Barth James R. , Li Tong
Published: October 2012

This article provides a primer on budget deficits from the creation of the federal government. Today federal government spending is 24% of GDP (compared with its historical average of 8.8%), fuelling debt of historic levels. The only effective way to reduce debt levels is to cut entitlement programmes and then set a tax rate sufficient, over the course of the business cycle, to fund government spending.
Rethinking Inflation: New Perspective from an Old Indicator
Authors: Ungewitter Mark
Published: October 2012

The concept of inflation is central to economic theories, investment outlooks and policy prescriptions. It is generally understood as an over‐issue of money and credit which increases the general level of consumer prices. In light of today's ongoing debt crises, it is obvious that too much money and credit were created in the millennial decade. Yet the period is typically characterised as a disinflationary environment.

This article examines inflationary processes from a variety of perspectives. It is argued that 1) inflation is an abuse of money and credit which may or may not coincide with rising consumer prices; and 2) a classic definition of inflation – the premium on gold in local currency terms – remains relevant today, providing a sanity check on conventional measures such as CPI, PCE and the GDP deflator. A simple model of ‘structural inflation’ is developed in which the inflation tax may either be levied through consumer prices or stored up in the national debt.
Private Equity and Agency Costs: an Economic Analysis
Authors: Baldwin Adam
Published: October 2012

Private equity is a new and powerful form of general management. Done correctly, it can increase value in firms by closing the ‘information gap’ between shareholders and management. This can help to reduce agency costs and capture otherwise lost value.
Public Expenditure and Revenue in Italy, 1862–1993
Authors: Dalena Michele , Magazzino Cosimo
Published: October 2012

This study examines the long‐run equilibrium relationship between government expenditure and revenue in Italy from 1862 to 1993, using cointegration and causality techniques in the long as well as in the short‐run, through integrating the Error Correction Model (ECM) into the traditional Granger causality test. A Granger non‐causality test (due to Toda and Yamamoto) is also performed. Unit root tests have been applied in order to investigate the stationarity properties of the series. Moreover, three more homogeneous sub‐period (1862–1913; 1914–1946; 1947–1993) have been analysed. The nexus between public expenditure and revenue has been discussed also by Forecast Error Variance Decompositions (FEVDs). Empirical findings show that, for each sub‐period, the policy adopted reflects the prevailing paradigm of public finance. In fact, the ‘Tax‐and‐Spend' argument, received empirical support from the liberal period data. In contrast, the interwar years are in line with the ‘Spend‐and‐Tax' hypothesis. Finally, the “Fiscal Synchronization” hypothesis emerges in the republican ages.
Accounting Reform in the Government of Canada: Exploratory Evidence on Accrual Accounting Adoption and Impact
Authors: Pollanen Raili , Loiselle‐Lapointe Kristin
Published: October 2012

Abstract: This study investigates the adoption of accrual accounting in the Government of Canada. Data were collected through interviews of senior officials at central and implementing agencies. The political adoption decision was motivated by legitimacy and normative pressures by the accounting profession. The approach was primarily ‘top‐down’, with government‐wide accrual financial statements adopted, but many departments continued using cash accounting for decision making. It followed primarily the Anglo‐Saxon model, but with some European undertones. Benefits were scarce and difficult to attribute to accrual accounting. The ongoing impasse regarding accrual departmental financial statements and budgets suggests self‐interested behaviours by administrators and politicians.
The Role of Management Accountants in New Public Management
Authors: Paulsson Gert
Published: October 2012

Abstract:  Prior research indicates that the role of management accountants (MAs) has changed from a passive producer of financial information – a bean counter role – to a role that includes a broader set of issues and participation in decision making processes – a business partner role. One common explanation for this development is the introduction of new management tools. During the last decades, many public organizations have implemented New Public Management‐like (NPM) management tools. This paper concerns the role of MAs, in an NPM context, and the corresponding requirements on their knowledge and skills. The empirical study is carried out in the Social Insurance Agency (SIA) in Sweden. The result shows that MAs have several roles in Central Government Agencies, but that NPM fosters a role that is more business partner‐like than counter‐like. Furthermore, the study clearly shows that MAs in such a context need a broad set of knowledge and skills. For example, knowledge of performance management, oral communication skills, ability to work in ‘mixed teams’ are considered to be more important than their knowledge of accounting.
Mild affective symptoms in de novo Parkinson's disease patients: relationship with dopaminergic dysfunction
Authors: Ceravolo R. , Frosini D. , Poletti M. , Kiferle L. , Pagni C. , Mazzucchi S. , Volterrani D. , Bonuccelli U.
Published: October 2012

Background and purpose

The investigation of the relationship between affective symptoms and dopamine transporter (DAT) density provided conflicting data in both Parkinson's disease (PD) and non‐PD patients. However, the potential interference of psychoactive as well as anti‐parkinsonian drugs on DAT density should be taken into account.

Objective

To investigate the relationship between affective symptoms and pre‐synaptic dopaminergic function in de novo PD patients.

Methods

Forty‐four de novo PD consecutive outpatients were recruited, and the severity of anxious symptoms was evaluated with the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM‐A), the severity of depressive symptoms with the Hamilton Depression Scale (HAM‐D) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Six patients had a formal diagnosis of depression. All patients performed 123I‐FP‐CIT SPECT, and semi‐quantitative striatal indices were calculated.

Results

Disease severity, as measured by Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRSIII), was inversely correlated with bilateral striatal indices. Bilateral striatal uptake was significantly positively correlated with HAM‐D (r.329; r.423, respectively, right and left), BDI (r.377; r.360, respectively, right and left) and HAM‐A (r.338; r.340, respectively, right and left). After controlling for age, disease duration and severity, and Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), no significant reduction in r‐values was observed (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

Our data support the existence of a relationship between depressive and anxious symptoms and the striatal 123I‐FP‐CIT uptake. The finding of an increased DAT density associated with mild affective symptoms could be due to the lack of compensatory mechanisms usually present in early PD, and/or it might have a pathogenic role in affective symptoms by reducing the dopaminergic tone in the synaptic cleft.
Sexual and mating system in a caridean shrimp symbiotic with the winged pearl oyster in the Coral Triangle
Authors: Baeza J. A. , Ritson‐Williams R. , Fuentes M. S.
Published: October 2012

For symbiotic crustaceans, theory predicts that monogamy is adaptive when species inhabit scarce, relatively small and morphologically simple hosts in tropical environments where predation risk away from hosts is high. We tested this prediction in the shrimp Paranchistus pycnodontae, which inhabits the mantle cavity of the winged pearl oyster Pteria penguin in the Coral Triangle. In various symbiotic crustaceans, males are smaller than females, and this sexual dimorphism has been used as evidence of sex change (protandry) in these organisms. Preliminary observations in Pa. pycnodontae suggested that males were smaller than females. Thus, we first investigated the sexual system of Pa. pycnodontae to determine if the species was protandric. Morphological identification and size frequency distributions indicated that the population comprised small males, small immature females and larger mature females, which was confirmed by dissections. No transitional individuals were found. Thus, Pa. pycnodontae is a gonochoric species with reverse sexual dimorphism. Pa. pycnodontae inhabit as heterosexual pairs in the mantle cavity of hosts more frequently than is expected by chance alone. Pairing was size assortative; both carapace length and propodus length of the major cheliped were positively correlated between males and females forming pairs. Males occur with females in the same host, independent of the female gravid condition or of the stage of development of the brooded eggs. Lastly, the major cheliped did not exhibit positive allometry in males. All the available information suggests that Pa. pycnodontae has adopted a socially monogamous mating system with males and females forming exclusive pairs from other adults. Symbiotic shrimps can be used as a model system to understand behavioural diversity within socially monogamous marine invertebrates.
Cross‐frequency dynamics of neuromagnetic oscillatory activity: Two mechanisms of emotion regulation
Authors: Popov Tzvetan , Steffen Astrid , Weisz Nathan , Miller Gregory A. , Rockstroh Brigitte
Published: October 2012

Hemodynamic and electromagnetic neuroimaging suggests a sequence of intraregional and interregional activity during emotion processing. Oscillatory activity within trials may offer insight into neural mechanisms involved in this process. MEG was measured in 24 subjects during passive viewing of neutral and unpleasant pictures and emotion regulation by cognitive reappraisal. Regulation prompted more gamma increase and alpha decrease to picture onset than did passive viewing. Source analysis confirmed differential modulation of these power changes in occipitoparietal regions during passive viewing and larger power changes in prefrontal regions during regulation. Local coupling of alpha phase to gamma amplitude within a medial prefrontal region and long‐range synchrony of medial prefrontal, occipital, and temporoparietal regions index mechanisms of prefrontal top‐down contribution to emotion processing.
Cutaneous Atrophy and Alopecia After Greater Occipital Nerve Injection Using Triamcinolone
Authors: Lambru Giorgio , Lagrata Susie , Matharu Manjit S.
Published: October 2012

Greater occipital nerve (GON) infiltration is widely used for the treatment of primary and secondary headache disorders mainly on the basis of open‐label evidence, although recent double‐blinded placebo‐controlled trials have demonstrated its efficacy in cluster headache. The procedure is generally well tolerated although corticosteroid‐related side effects, including Cushing's syndrome and local cutaneous changes, can occur. We report the occurrence of cutaneous atrophy and alopecia in 4 patients who underwent GON blockade with triamcinolone and lidocaine. Triamcinolone injection is associated with cutaneous atrophy, especially in superficial injection sites; therefore, alternative steroid preparations like methylprednisolone and betamethasone might be more appropriate for GON blockade.
Getting More from Cross‐Functional Fairness and Product Innovativeness: Contingency Effects of Internal Resource and Conflict Management
Authors: Clercq Dirk De , Thongpapanl Narongsak (Tek) , Dimov Dimo
Published: October 2012

This research investigates how organizations' internal resource and conflict management influence the relationship between cross‐functional fairness and product innovativeness. It considers two contextual dimensions of both internal resource management (job rotation and internal rivalry) and conflict‐handling mechanisms (integrating and avoiding) as key components of the firm's ability to convert fair interactions, across departments, into product innovativeness. The tests of the study's hypotheses, based on a sample of more than 200 Canadian‐based firms, confirm that the cross‐functional fairness–product innovativeness relationship is amplified at higher levels of job rotation and integrative conflict handling but suppressed at higher levels of internal rivalry and avoidance of conflict handling. The authors discuss the study's implications and future research directions.
When Things Go Wrong, Don't Rely on Committed Consumers: Effects of Delayed Product Launches on Brand Trust
Authors: Herm Steffen
Published: October 2012

Consumers understand product preannouncements as credible promises to bring innovations to market at a given time. However, a majority of preannounced products are introduced with some delay. This study investigates potential loss in brand trust due to delay and the role of brand commitment in this process. Building on the Commitment‐Trust Theory of Relationship Marketing, which posits trust as a crucial antecedent of the commitment construct, this study extends this common perspective and proposes an additional reversal path from commitment to trust. That is, in the case of a delayed launch, the more stable commitment should buffer a loss in brand trust, which is more fragile. In three studies, this research finds consistent evidence that consumers lose trust in brands as a result of delayed launches. Surprisingly, high brand commitment does not mitigate such losses. In contrast, a long‐term relationship with a launching brand proves to be a buffer against losses in brand trust. Different operationalizations of brand commitment in laboratory and field experiments with brands from different product categories contribute to the generalizabilty of this work's findings.
The Institutionalization of an Electronic Marketplace in China, 1998–2010
Authors: Yang Guang , Wang Rishuang
Published: October 2012

The paper traces the evolution of the electronic marketplace in China from 1998 to 2010. According to an application of actor network theory and institutional theory, the e‐marketplace was co‐constructed and institutionalized by various participating actors in interwoven diffusion and legitimation processes. A content analysis of news articles reveals key actors who helped develop and shape the e‐marketplace: consumers, online vendors, online criminals, technology companies, transaction platforms, entrepreneurs, professional associations, banks, and the government. The analysis of their interrelationships and major events reveals four distinct stages in the institutionalization of the e‐marketplace in China: novelty, incubating, empowering, and growth. Unique problems emerge at each stage, and different types of actors enter the actor network at different phases, playing unique roles in the co‐creation process to establish cultural, normative, and regulatory legitimacy. Many varied agents participated in a transformational process specific to the macro‐socioeconomic and technological environment of China, which featured particular institutional forms. eBay's failure to maintain a first‐mover advantage in China helps illustrate that global companies must understand political, economic, cultural, and institutional environments before considering expansion.
Impact of Knowledge Type and Strategic Orientation on New Product Creativity and Advantage in High‐Technology Firms
Authors: Kim Namwoon , Im Subin , Slater Stanley F.
Published: October 2012

As different types of knowledge may have different effects on new product positional advantage, knowledge portfolio management in concert with the firm's strategic orientation is indispensable for new product success. However, previous research has not dealt with the knowledge resources and strategic implementations that affect new product development (NPD). To fill in this gap, the current study focuses on two dimensions of knowledge type (knowledge complexity and knowledge tacitness) and two forms of strategic orientation (technological orientation and market orientation), which influence the positional advantages as determinants of NPD outcomes. Drawing on the resource‐based view, this study explains how these knowledge and strategic orientation variables influence new product creativity, which comprised the novel and meaningful characteristics of new products. Finally, it demonstrates how these two dimensions of new product creativity differentially provide product advantages in terms of customer satisfaction and product differentiation, which lead to superior new product performance. A conceptual framework is developed and the related hypotheses provided to incorporate the study variables and to test their relationships in a sample based on data collected from both marketing and project managers from 100 U.S. high‐technology firms.

The model estimation results from path analysis demonstrate that reliance on knowledge of high tacitness harms meaningfulness, while reliance on knowledge of high complexity increases both novelty and meaningfulness of new product. As expected, market orientation and technological orientation improve the meaningfulness and novelty dimensions of the new product, respectively. New product novelty and meaningfulness are shown to enhance new product advantage in terms of product differentiation and customer satisfaction, both of which contribute to new product performance. It is also found that the combinative use of market orientation and knowledge complexity, and technological orientation and knowledge tacitness positively influence both the novelty and meaningfulness of new products. This study, using the product‐level analysis, contributes to the literature by clarifying how the firm's different knowledge properties and strategic orientations both play a role as a source of new product creativity, and how new product creativity, as a valuable and rare resource, enhances new product advantage. The study results suggest that project/product managers should increase the transferability and codifiability of unstructured knowledge by stimulating intraorganizational knowledge sharing among NPD team members, and that they should promote both technology and market‐orientated practices to fully develop creativity of new products.
Development of the human tail bud and splanchnic mesenchyme
Authors: Hashimoto Ryozo
Published: October 2012

The purpose of this paper was to shed some light on anorectal development from a viewpoint of the tail bud and splanchnic mesenchyme for better understanding of the morphogenesis of the human anorectum. Human embryos ranging from Carnegie stage 11 to 23 (CS 11 to 23) were adopted in this study. Seventeen embryos preserved at the Congenital Anomaly Research Center of Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine were histologically examined. The cloaca, extending caudally to the hindgut, was dramatically enlarged, particularly both its dorsal portion and membrane, that is, the cloacal membrane resulting from the development of the tailgut derived from the tail bud. The splanchnic mesenchyme surrounding the hindgut was spread out in the direction of the urorectal septum ventrally, suggesting that it participated in the formation of the septum. No fusion of the urorectal septum and the cloacal membrane was found. The splanchnic mesenchyme proliferated and developed into smooth muscle (circular and longitudinal) layers from cranial to caudal along the hindgut. The tail bud seems to cause both the adequate dilation of the dorsal cloaca and the elongation of the cloacal membrane; its dorsal portion in particular will be necessary for normal anorectal development. The splanchnic mesenchyme developed and descended toward the pectinate line and formed the internal sphincter muscle at the terminal bowel.
Production and in vitro assessment of transgenic plums for resistance to Plum pox virus: a feasible, environmental risk‐free, cost‐effective approach
Authors: Monticelli S. , Di Nicola‐Negri E. , Gentile A. , Damiano C. , Ilardi V.
Published: October 2012

During the production and assessment of transgenic plants resistant to quarantine viruses, the need to contain genetically modified plants (GMPs) and pathogens severely limits working options. Moreover, in the case of fruit trees, acclimatisation and viral inoculation are very time‐consuming, thus a quick and safe method to assess the resistance to quarantine viruses, such as Plum pox virus (PPV), is desirable. This article focuses on the production of transgenic plums together with a contained and rapid evaluation in vitro for PPV resistance. The plum ‘Stanley’ was transformed by Rhizobium radiobacter (syn. Agrobacterium tumefaciens) using a PPV‐M derived hairpin construct (h‐UTR/P1) that had previously been shown to confer high and broad‐spectrum PPV resistance in model plant. Two transgenic clones, St24 and St28, were obtained. To assess their ability to resist PPV infection, micropropagated shoots of the transgenic clones were micrografted in vitro onto PPV‐D infected ‘GF305’ rootstock. Following successful grafting, the transgenic scions were analysed by immunocapture‐reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction (IC‐RT‐PCR) for PPV detection. A total of 97% (47/48) of St24 and 73% (17/23) of St28 tested plants were resistant to the heterologous strain of PPV. In line with an RNA silencing mediated resistance mechanism, the St24 clone was shown to accumulate higher concentration of PPV UTR/P1‐specific small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) than St28 one. The results are of practical interest not only developing plum clones that are highly resistant to PPV, but also for setting up quick and contained inoculation test procedure.
Grafting under water stress in tomato cherry: improving the fruit yield and quality
Authors: Sánchez‐Rodríguez E. , Leyva R. , Constán‐Aguilar C. , Romero L. , Ruiz J.M.
Published: October 2012

As the concentrations of essential vitamins and minerals and a number of other health‐promoting compounds are often low in stable crops, research is under way to understand and increase synthesis of phytochemicals in order to improve crop nutritional quality. The question addressed in this study is whether shoot genotypes or root genotypes with tolerant drought character are able to increase the fruit quality and production under moderate water stress. Zarina (drought tolerant) and Josefina (drought sensitive) were grafted self and reciprocally. The results showed that the use of cv. Zarina (drought tolerant) as rootstock (Zar × Jos) results in a greater number of fruits under water‐stress conditions, a moderate increase in some antioxidant compounds, such as ascorbic acid, phenols and flavonoids and lycopene and β‐carotene, and Zar × Jos showed high levels of sugars and organic acids, sweetness index and sugars : acids ratio, as well as important minerals, such as K and Mg, which could increase its nutritional quality under stress conditions. Overall, the use of drought‐tolerant rootstock could provide a useful tool to improve fruit yield and quality of cherry tomato fruit under moderate water stress, which in turn could mean lower costs in the use of irrigation water.
ImProving Outcomes after STroke (POST): Results from the Randomized Clinical Pilot Trial
Authors: Hackett Maree L. , Carter Greg , Crimmins Denis , Clarke Tracy , Arblaster Lucy , Billot Laurent , Mysore Jayanthi , Sturm Jonathan
Published: October 2012

Background

One in three patients experience depression after stroke. An effective strategy to prevent depression after stroke that could be economically delivered to most patients with a low likelihood of adverse events is needed.

Methods

In a randomized trial conducted in New South Wales, Australia, a postcard was sent monthly to participants ( n = 100) for five-months following hospital discharge after stroke (plus usual care) and compared with usual care ( n = 101). Ethical approval was obtained to withhold information about the intervention and primary outcome from participants during the consent process.

Results

No significant difference was seen in the proportion of participants with depression in the intervention group (1/88) vs. the control group (3/76) (relative risk 0·29, 95% confidence interval 0·03–2·71) at six-months. No significant differences were seen on Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale (HADS) depression and anxiety sub-scale scores, quality of life, or activities of daily living; however, many (47/100) responded positively to the postcards.

Conclusions

Although this simple postcard intervention did not significantly reduce the proportion of participants experiencing high HADS depression sub-scale scores after stroke, it may be an effective way to engage with people after stroke following hospital discharge.
Transience in the humpback whale population of New Caledonia and implications for abundance estimation
Authors: Madon Bénédicte , Garrigue Claire , Pradel Roger , Gimenez Olivier
Published: October 2012

A phenomenon of transience in the humpback whale population breeding in New Caledonia has been highlighted in recent analyses. We used these data to illustrate the risk of flawed inference when transience is not properly accounted for in abundance estimation of resident populations. Transients are commonly defined as individuals that pass through the sampling area once, i.e., have a null probability of being caught again, and therefore induce heterogeneity in the detection process. The presence of transients can lead to severe bias in the estimation of abundance and we demonstrate how to correct for this feature when estimating abundance of resident populations. In New Caledonia, very different conclusions about the number of resident whales in the southern lagoon between 1999 and 2005 are obtained when the abundance estimate accounts for the transient whales. Without correction, the estimates of the abundance were up to twice as high across all years compared to the estimates of the resident population when a correction for transients had been incorporated. Having reliable population estimates when assessing the status of endangered species is essential in documenting recovery and monitoring of population trends. Therefore, we encourage researchers to account for transients when reporting abundances of resident populations.
Vocal activity of tropical dolphins is inhibited by the presence of killer whales, Orcinus orca
Authors: Rankin Shannon , Archer Frederick , Barlow Jay
Published: October 2012

Research has suggested killer whale (Orcinus orca) predation may affect cetacean vocal behavior; however, few data exist to test this hypothesis. Data collected during 40,976 km of visual and acoustic shipboard surveys in the tropical Pacific Ocean, including 1,232 detections of 13 species, were examined to determine if changes in dolphin vocal activity could be attributed to the presence of killer whales. Generalized linear models and Random Forest analyses were used to test the hypothesis that dolphin vocal activity was related to the distance and time to the nearest killer whale sighting. Both results show that dolphin vocalizations were inversely correlated with the temporal proximity of killer whales (P < 0.05). Despite the relative rarity of killer whales in the tropics, they appear to influence vocal behavior of nearby dolphin schools. This disruption in communication may not significantly impact interactions necessary for survival in tropical waters where killer whale density is low. However, in temperate climates, where increased productivity supports a greater abundance of killer whales, this interruption in communication may have a greater impact. The lower incidence of whistling dolphins in temperate waters may be related to the greater abundance of killer whales in these areas.
Role of sorafenib in the treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: An update
Authors: Gauthier Angela , Ho Mitchell
Published: October 2012

Sorafenib is the first and only p.o. administrated drug currently approved to treat advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, concerns have been raised about sorafenib therapy, including acquired drug resistance. This review provides an overview of sorafenib in the treatment of HCC on the basis of data obtained in the laboratory and in clinical studies. Three underlying mechanisms have been found to support sorafenib therapy. First, sorafenib blocks HCC cell proliferation by inhibiting BRaf and Raf1/c‐Raf serine/threonine kinase phosphorylation in the mitogen‐activated protein kinase pathway. Second, sorafenib induces apoptosis by reducing elF4E phosphorylation and downregulating Mcl‐1 levels in tumor cells. Third, sorafenib prevents tumor‐associated angiogenesis by inactivating vascular endothelial growth factor receptors (VEGFR‐2 and ‐3) and the platelet‐derived growth factor receptor‐β. Clinical trials have demonstrated the effectiveness and relative safety of sorafenib, and thus the drug is used in unresectable HCC. However, many patients may develop acquired resistance to sorafenib, so their response to sorafenib is eventually lost. Sorafenib may induce autophagy, which leads to apoptosis. However, autophagy can also cause drug resistance. Many studies have combined sorafenib with other treatments in an effort to increase its effects, reduce the necessary dose or overcome resistance. It is urgent to study the mechanisms underlying how sorafenib interacts with cellular molecules and other drugs to increase its efficacy and reduce resistance in HCC patients.
The Effect of Abnormal Turnover on Asymmetric Autoregressive Behavior of Index Returns: Evidence from the Chinese A‐share Stock Markets*
Authors: Hsiao Jung‐Lieh , Tu Teng‐Tsai
Published: October 2012

This study tests the effect of turnover shocks on the asymmetric autoregressive behavior of index returns. The methodological approach adopted in this study is based on the relationship between market return and trading volume. This study first uses a vector autoregression (VAR) to model two market trading volume series by controlling for the variation associated with the sign and magnitude of both week t and week t − 1 or week t + 1 market returns. The generated market‐adjusted relative turnover (MRTO) series are then plugged into the bivariate asymmetric AR GARCH‐t model (asAR‐GARCH‐t) using weekly data from the Shanghai and Shenzhen A‐share stock markets. The results show that turnover shocks have a material effect on asymmetric autoregressive behavior and thus on asymmetric persistence of past returns.
Exploring Forecast Error and the Informational Content of Implied Volatility in the Taiwan Market*
Authors: Lee Yen‐Hsien , Lin Chi‐Tai , Chiang Shu‐Mei
Published: October 2012

This paper employs the autoregressive conditional jump intensity model, incorporating a forecast error, to investigate the relationships between the changes in the implied volatility and the relevant determinants in the Taiwan market. We further apply the orthogonality test to explore forecast error and content of information. The empirical results show that the changes in the implied volatility are affected by the contemporaneous returns, lagged returns, lagged changes in the implied volatility, contemporaneous daily changes in the realized volatility and lagged forecast error. At the same time, these results are consistent with the behavioral explanations of Hibbert et al. [Journal of Banking and Finance (2008) vol. 32, pp. 2254–2266]. We also demonstrate that the implied volatility in Taiwan seems to be an efficient forecast of future realized volatility during the whole of the sample period, except for the financial crisis period.
Cross‐asset Style Momentum
Authors: Kim Daehwan
Published: October 2012

Previous studies have demonstrated style momentum within equity markets. This paper reports significant momentum profits among style portfolios of multiple asset classes, showing that style momentum is not merely an equity market phenomenon, but a cross‐asset phenomenon. A decomposition of profits reveals that profits are mostly attributable to positive autocorrelations of style returns. We interpret this result as being more consistent with underreaction models than with excess comovement and performance chasing models.
Is Stock Split a Manipulation Tool? Evidence from the Korean Stock Market*
Authors: Kim Kyung Soon , Park Jinwoo , Chung Chune Young , Lee Jin Hwon
Published: October 2012

This paper studies the economic motivations for stock splits in the Korean stock market. Specifically, we investigate whether a stock split can be used not only as a tool to reveal information, but also as a manipulation tool, by dividing sample firms into two groups between the firms that split stocks with and without subsequent corporate events. We then examine each group’s changes in short‐ and long‐term abnormal returns and ownership around the time of the stock splits. We find that firms that split stocks both with and without subsequent corporate events show positive abnormal returns around the announcement date. However, we find evidence that long‐term performance and insider ownership decline greatly after the announcement date only among the firms that split stocks and have subsequent corporate events. In particular, firms that are listed on the KOSDAQ and go through other corporate events after a stock split exhibit a strong and positive association between change in the insider ownership and long‐term performance. This result implies that the decrease in insider ownership and its negative effect on long‐term performance are more pronounced in firms that are listed for short periods and are more likely to experience information asymmetry. Overall, our results indicate that firms involved in other corporate events after a stock split are likely to utilize the stock split as a manipulation tool.
Chiropractic spinal manipulation: what does the ‘best’ evidence show?
Authors: Ernst Edzard
Published: October 2012

Background

The evidence of effectiveness of chiropractic is controversial.

Objectives

To summarise all Cochrane reviews of chiropractic spinal manipulation.

Methods

The Cochrane database was searched for all Cochrane reviews of chiropractic manipulation. Cochrane reviews with the terms ‘chiropractic’, ‘manipulation’ or ‘manual therapy’ in the title, abstract or keywords were considered. Protocols of reviews were excluded, as were studies that did not focus specifically on chiropractic spinal manipulation. Data extraction was performed by the author according to predefined criteria.

Results

Five Cochrane reviews were eligible for inclusion. Due to clinical and statistical heterogeneity, a meta‐analysis was not possible and the findings of the reviews were discussed narratively. The five reviews related to the following conditions: low back pain, asthma, dysmenorrhoea and neck pain. Each review included between three and 39 primary studies. Cautiously positive conclusions emerged for low back pain and neck pain. For the two non‐spinal conditions, the conclusions were negative.

Conclusions

Cochrane reviews, generally considered to be the most reliable evidence, provide limited evidence that chiropractic may be effective for low back and neck pain, but failed to support the use of chiropractic for non‐spinal conditions.