bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Metadata and providing access to e‐books
Authors: Vasileiou Magdalini , Rowley Jennifer , Hartley Richard
Published: May 2012

In the very near future, students are likely to expect their universities to provide seamless access to e‐books through online library catalogues and virtual learning environments. A paradigm change in terms of the format of books, and especially textbooks, which could have far‐reaching impact, is on the horizon. Based on interviews with a number of key informants across several universities in the UK, this paper identifies a number of challenges associated with the creation of the essential metadata to support smooth access to e‐books within universities. These challenges arise both from internal acquisition and cataloguing processes within libraries, and from the nature and quality of vendor's e‐book metadata, and variously impact on the location of and access to e‐books. Access is further hindered by authentication controls, digital rights controls and missing links. e‐Book vendors and publishers, librarians and educational technologists need to work together to resolve these issues. In addition, there is scope for further research into the issues associated with providing access to e‐books.

Practitioner Notes

What is already known about this topic

e‐Books are an important and growing category of digital resource that are becoming central to learning and education.

Users expect easy and convenient location of and access to e‐books.

What this paper adds

Summarises issues associated with the selection of e‐books for inclusion in academic library Online Public Access Catalogues and learning platforms.

Explores the challenges associated with the creation of metadata for e‐books, which arise both from internal acquisition and cataloguing processes within libraries, and from the nature and quality of vendor's e‐book metadata.

Reports on the challenges that users experience in locating an e‐book as a result of authentication controls, digital rights controls and missing links.

Implications for practice and/or policy

Provision of access to e‐books for learning in universities is at an early stage, so it is important to listen to users and commit to continuous improvement.

Anticipating considerable growth in the use of e‐books in learning, metadata and access issues, issues which currently appear to be in the realm of academic librarians are likely to impact significantly on access to e‐books through virtual learning environments.

While, some current problems can be easily resolved, others are embedded in the approaches adopted by libraries and vendors, and collaboration towards paradigm change is necessary.

Further research should be conducted into the issues associated with metadata, cataloguing processes,and, in general, providing access to e‐books.
OPTIMAL MONETARY POLICY WITH THE STICKY INFORMATION MODEL OF PRICE ADJUSTMENT: INFLATION OR PRICE‐LEVEL TARGETING?
Authors: Arslan M. Murat
Published: May 2012

I investigate the optimal monetary policy in a New Keynesian macroeconomic framework with the sticky information model of price adjustment. The model is solved for optimal policy, and welfare implications of three alternative monetary policy regimes under this optimal policy are compared when there is a cost‐push shock to the economy. These monetary policy regimes are the unconstrained policy, price‐level targeting and inflation targeting regimes. The results illustrate that optimal policy depends on the degree of price stickiness and the persistence of the shock. Inflation targeting emerges as the optimal policy if prices are flexible enough or the shock is persistent enough. However, the unconstrained policy or price‐level targeting might be preferable to inflation targeting if prices are not very flexible and the shock is not very persistent. The results also show that as prices become more flexible, the welfare loss usually gets bigger.
SELF‐REPORTED ECONOMIC CONDITION AND HOME PRODUCTION: INTRA‐HOUSEHOLD ALLOCATION IN ITALY
Authors: Mangiavacchi Lucia , Rapallini Chiara
Published: May 2012

This paper applies a collective model of intra‐household welfare distribution using individual self‐reported data. The model accounts for household production, and self‐reported information on economic condition is used to identify the sharing rule governing the bargaining process in the family. The theoretical framework implies a broad concept of full income, which includes household production as time allocated to domestic activities. We find that self‐reported data on economic status are useful in recovering individual shares of household income and that both wages and non‐strictly‐economic individual variables play an important role in the bargaining process determining the sharing rule in Italy.
A NOTE ON PRICING OF PRODUCT QUALITY FOR STATUS CONCERNS
Authors: Choi Kangsik
Published: May 2012

The paper analyses the optimal pricing of the product quality scheme when concerns for relative standing exist among consumers. We demonstrate that if the proportion of high‐value consumers is over (respectively, under) 1/2 of the total consumers, a firm has an incentive to select a large (respectively, small) quality gap among products. Therefore, there exists a cut‐off level for status concerns, which eliminates quality differences, and the firm assigns the same quality to all the consumers. These results indicate that consumers’ qualities will reflect distortions at the top and bottom. Accordingly, the firm's profit depends on which consumer category is larger.
Most cited business ethics publications: mapping the intellectual structure of business ethics studies in 2001–2008
Authors: Ma Zhenzhong , Liang Dapeng , Yu Kuo‐Hsun , Lee Yender
Published: May 2012

This study explores the research paradigms of contemporary business ethics research in 2001–2008. With citation data from the top two business ethics journals included in the Social Sciences Citation Index, this study conducts citation and co‐citation analysis to identify the most important publications, scholars, and research themes in the business ethics area and then maps the intellectual structure of business ethics studies between 2001 and 2008. The results show that current business ethics studies cluster around four major research themes, including morality and social contract theory, ethical decision making, corporate social responsibility, and stakeholder theory. This study helps profile the invisible network of knowledge production in business ethics and provides important insights on current research paradigms of business ethics studies.
Rules of the game: whose value is served when the board fires the owners?
Authors: Nordberg Donald
Published: May 2012

How does a board of directors decide what is right? The contest over this question is frequently framed as a debate between shareholder value and stakeholder rights, between a utilitarian view of the ethics of corporate governance and a deontological one. This paper uses a case study with special circumstances that allows us to examine in an unusually clear way the conflict between shareholder value and other bases on which a board can act. In the autumn of 2010, the board of Liverpool Football Club sold the company to another investing group against the explicit wishes of the owners. The peculiar circumstances of this case provide insight into the conflict between ethical approaches to board decisions, allowing us to see certain issues more clearly than we can in listed corporations with many shareholders. What the analysis suggests is that the board saw more than one type of utility on which to base its ethical decision, and that one version resonated with perceived duties to stakeholders. This alignment of outcomes of strategic value with duties contrasted with the utility of shareholder value. While there are reasons to be cautious in generalizing, the case further suggests reasons why boards may reject shareholder value, in opposition to mainstream notions of corporate governance, without rejecting utility as a base of their decisions. Further, the partial alignment of duty and utility facilitates a pragmatic decision rather than one based on a priori claims.
Human rights and positive corporate duties: the importance of corporate–state interaction
Authors: Kolstad Ivar
Published: May 2012

While it is commonly accepted that corporations have negative duties to respect human rights, the question of whether rights also imply positive duties for corporations is contentious. The recent reports of the United Nations special representative on business and human rights contend that corporations do not have positive duties, but the arguments this is based on are flawed from an ethical point of view. In particular, the reports fail to consider the implications of interactions between corporations and states. For rights to be secured, corporations may face duties to use their power to pressure governments into performing their assigned duties, and duties not to undermine the role of the government. The interaction of corporations and governments also has implications for choosing effective instruments to advance human rights. International initiatives that do not take this interaction into account will be ineffective or, at worst, counterproductive.
DEMPSTER’S RULE AS SEEN BY LITTLE COLORED BALLS
Authors: Jøsang Audun , Pope Simon
Published: May 2012

Dempster’s rule is traditionally interpreted as an operator for fusing belief functions. While there are different types of belief fusion, there has been considerable confusion regarding the exact type of operation that Dempster’s rule performs. Many alternative operators for belief fusion have been proposed, where some are based on the same fundamental principle as Dempster’s rule, and others have a totally different basis, such as the cumulative and averaging fusion operators. In this article, we analyze Dempster’s rule from a statistical and frequentist perspective and compare it with cumulative and averaging belief fusion. We prove, and illustrate by examples on colored balls, that Dempster’s rule in fact represents a method for serial combination of stochastic constraints. Consequently, Dempster’s rule is not a method for cumulative fusion of belief functions under the assumption that subjective beliefs are an extension of frequentist beliefs. Having identified the true nature of Dempster’s rule, appropriate applications of Dempster’s rule of combination are described such as the multiplication of orthogonal belief functions, and the combination of preferences dictated by different parties.
Alternative Measures of American National Identity: Implications for the Civic‐Ethnic Distinction
Authors: Wright Matthew , Citrin Jack , Wand Jonathan
Published: May 2012

Studies of national identity distinguish between ethnic and civic nations and have sought to identify these alternative conceptions of national identity in public opinion. The standard measurement technique is to assess the normative content of American national identity by asking survey respondents to rate the importance of particular traits for making someone a “true” American. We argue that such measures are problematic, chiefly because of the impact of nonrandom measurement error. We explore the influence of using ranking measures instead of ratings, using a survey experiment conducted on a nationally representative sample of Americans in 2008. The ranking method is superior for distinguishing between ethnic and civic conceptions of nationhood and, therefore, for predicting preferences on issues such as immigration policy. We develop a new statistical method that effectively “converts” ratings into scores that approximate rankings, resulting in the creation of more valid measures of both ethnic and civic national identities.
Does Generalized (Dis)Trust Travel? Examining the Impact of Cultural Heritage and Destination‐Country Environment on Trust of Immigrants
Authors: Dinesen Peter Thisted
Published: May 2012

At least two contrasting perspectives on the roots of generalized trust exist: The cultural perspective emphasizing how trust is a stable trait passed on from one generation to the next through parental socialization, and the experiential perspective, which stresses that trust is subject to change with what we experience in the environment in which we live. Analyzing trust of immigrants is an effective way to contrast the two perspectives, as the cultural perspective predicts that immigrants' level of trust will continue to reflect the level of trust of their home country, whereas the experiential perspective predicts that trust of immigrants will change according to the environment of the destination country. This article examines how first‐generation immigrants from three low‐trust countries of origin (Turkey, Poland, and Italy) are affected by migrating to high‐trust countries in Northern Europe, which hold qualities conducive to trust. In contrast to earlier studies examining trust of immigrants, I build on one data set containing data on both migrants and nonmigrants from the same country of origin as well as on a wide range of relevant covariates of trust. Using the method of matching, the results of the analysis lend most support to the experiential perspective on trust as the destination‐country context has a massive impact on trust of immigrants, who display significantly higher levels of trust than comparable respondents in their country of origin. The results are robust to limiting the destination‐country context to only one country (Germany) and comparing migrants and nonmigrants responding in the same language.
What Ministers Do
Authors: WICKS MALCOLM
Published: May 2012

Having been a minister in three different departments for a period of over nine years (1999–2008), during the Blair and, briefly, the Brown governments, I thought it might be useful to reflect on what ministers actually do, their functions and how they spend their days. In thinking about what I did as a minister, I have avoided going back to some of the classic constitutional texts on what ministers supposedly do, how they are accountable and such like. I am sure there is good literature on this from political scientists and constitutionalists, but I have avoided influencing my own views and approach by consulting these texts.
Likelihood Ratio Type Two‐Sample Tests for Current Status Data
Authors: GROENEBOOM PIET
Published: May 2012

Abstract.  We introduce fully non‐parametric two‐sample tests for testing the null hypothesis that the samples come from the same distribution if the values are only indirectly given via current status censoring. The tests are based on the likelihood ratio principle and allow the observation distributions to be different for the two samples, in contrast with earlier proposals for this situation. A bootstrap method is given for determining critical values and asymptotic theory is developed. A simulation study, using Weibull distributions, is presented to compare the power behaviour of the tests with the power of other non‐parametric tests in this situation.
The New ‘Hidden Abode’: Reflections on Value and Labour in the New Economy
Authors: Böhm Steffen , Land Chris
Published: May 2012

In a pivotal section of Capital, volume 1, Marx (1976: 279) notes that, in order to understand the capitalist production of value, we must descend into the ‘hidden abode of production’: the site of the labour process conducted within an employment relationship. In this paper we argue that by remaining wedded to an analysis of labour that is confined to the employment relationship, Labour Process Theory (LPT) has missed a fundamental shift in the location of value production in contemporary capitalism. We examine this shift through the work of Autonomist Marxists like Hardt and Negri, Lazaratto and Arvidsson, who offer theoretical leverage to prize open a new ‘hidden abode’ outside employment, for example in the ‘production of organization’ and in consumption. Although they can open up this new ‘hidden abode’, without LPT's fine-grained analysis of control/resistance, indeterminacy and structured antagonism, these theorists risk succumbing to empirically naive claims about the ‘new economy’. Through developing an expanded conception of a ‘new hidden abode’ of production, the paper demarcates an analytical space in which both LPT and Autonomist Marxism can expand and develop their understanding of labour and value production in today's economy.
The Bound‐Variable Interpretation in Child Japanese: The Implicit Variable, the Anaphor Zibun, and Stripping Structures with Case Markers
Authors: Ito Masuyo
Published: May 2012

Abstract.  This paper examines how Japanese‐speaking children interpret implicit variables and the anaphor zibun‘self’ when both are concerned with referential and quantificational subjects and antecedents in conjoined stripping structures with a case marker. In previous studies on the availability of sloppy readings in child Japanese, it has been unclear whether the attested sloppy reading really stems from LF copying of linguistic antecedents. Those studies employed null object and soo‐su‘do so’ constructions; however, there is debate about whether these constructions are instances of surface or deep anaphora.

To show whether Japanese‐speaking children have unambiguous accessibility to bound‐variable or sloppy interpretations in the grammar of Japanese, I did three experiments using a stripping construction with a case marker, which is considered to involve LF copying of linguistic antecedents (Fukaya & Hoji 1999). It has been shown that Japanese‐speaking children are able to associate implicit variables and zibun as a bound variable with referential and quantificational antecedents and that sloppy readings are available in child Japanese. This study provides evidence that, in both child and adult grammars, the Japanese stripping construction with a case marker involves LF copying of an antecedent IP and is therefore an instance of surface anaphora.
Using Spatially Explicit Simulated Data to Analyze Animal Interactions: A Case Study with Brown Hyenas in Northern Botswana
Authors: Miller Jennifer A.
Published: May 2012

New developments in global positioning systems (GPS) and related satellite tracking technologies have facilitated the collection of highly accurate data on moving objects, far surpassing the ability to analyze them. Within geographic information science, ‘movement pattern analysis’ (MPA) has developed as a subfield that addresses concepts and theories used to explore the spatio‐temporal structure in data, although the methodological and analytical framework associated with MPA is new and still evolving. Interactions between individuals can be considered a second order property of movement and have been far less studied. The nature of interactions between individuals in a population is a fundamental aspect of a species' behavioral ecology and information on the frequency and duration of these interactions is vital to understanding mating and territorial behavior, resource use, and infectious disease epidemiology. The focus of this work was to explore how spatially explicit simulated data can be used to analyse dynamic interactions between individuals. Five different techniques that have been used to quantify dynamic interactions based on GPS data of pairs of individuals were utilised, and all were compared in the context of spatially explicit simulated data intended to represent biologically realistic null models for individual movement, and subsequently paired interactions.
An Ontology‐Driven Framework and Web Portal for Spatial Decision Support1
Authors: Li Naicong , Raskin Robert , Goodchild Michael , Janowicz Krzysztof
Published: May 2012

Numerous systems and tools have been developed for spatial decision support (SDS), but they generally suffer from a lack of re‐usability, inconsistent terminology, and weak conceptualization. We introduce a collaborative effort by the SDS Consortium to build a SDS knowledge portal. We present the formal representation of knowledge about SDS, the various ontologies captured and made accessible by the portal, and the processes used to create them. We describe the portal in action, and the ways in which users can search, browse, and make use of its content. Finally, we discuss the lessons learned from this effort, and future development directions. Our work demonstrates how ontologies and semantic technologies can support the documentation and retrieval of dynamic knowledge in GIScience by offering flexible schemata instead of fixed data structures.
Geospatial Human‐environment Simulation through Integration of Massive Multiplayer Online Games and Geographic Information Systems
Authors: Ahlqvist Ola , Loffing Thomas , Ramanathan Jay , Kocher Austin
Published: May 2012

This article reports on the initial development of a generic framework for integrating Geographic Information Systems (GIS) with Massive Multi‐player Online Gaming (MMOG) technology to support the integrated modeling of human‐environment resource management and decision‐making. We review Web 2.0 concepts, online maps, and games as key technologies to realize a participatory construction of spatial simulation and decision making practices. Through a design‐based research approach we develop a prototype framework, “GeoGame”, that allows users to play board‐game‐style simulations on top of an online map. Through several iterations we demonstrate the implementation of a range of design artifacts including: real‐time, multi‐user editing of online maps, web services, game lobby, user‐modifiable rules and scenarios building, chat, discussion, and market transactions. Based on observational, analytical, experimental and functional evaluations of design artifacts as well as a literature review, we argue that a MMO GeoGame‐framework offers a viable approach to address the complex dynamics of human‐environmental systems that require a simultaneous reconciliation of both top‐down and bottom‐up decision making where stakeholders are an integral part of a modeling environment. Further research will offer additional insight into the development of social‐environmental models using stakeholder input and the use of such models to explore properties of complex dynamic systems.
A Multi‐Objective, Multi‐Criteria Approach to Improve Situational Awareness in Emergency Evacuation Routing Using Mobile Phone Data
Authors: Oxendine Christopher , Sonwalkar Mukul , Waters Nigel
Published: May 2012

Emergency services personnel face risks and uncertainty as they respond to natural and anthropogenic events. Their primary goal is to minimize the loss of life and property, especially in neighborhoods with high population densities, where response time is of great importance. In recent years, mobile phones have become a primary communication device during emergencies. The portability of cell phones and ease of information storage and dissemination has enabled effective implementation of cell phones by first responders and one of the most viable means of communication with the population. Using cellular location data during evacuation planning and response also provides increased awareness to emergency personnel. This article introduces a multi‐objective, multi‐criteria approach to determining optimum evacuation routes in an urban setting. The first objective is to calculate evacuation routes for individual cell phone locations, minimizing the time it would take for a sample population to evacuate to designated safe zones based on both distance and congestion criteria. The second objective is to maximize coverage of individual cell phone locations, using the criteria of underlying geographic features, distance and congestion. In summary, this article presents a network‐based methodology for providing additional analytic support to emergency services personnel for evacuation planning.
Observation‐Driven Geo‐Ontology Engineering
Authors: Janowicz Krzysztof
Published: May 2012

Big Data, Linked Data, Smart Dust, Digital Earth, and e‐Science are just some of the names for research trends that surfaced over the last years. While all of them address different visions and needs, they share a common theme: How do we manage massive amounts of heterogeneous data, derive knowledge out of them instead of drowning in information, and how do we make our findings reproducible and reusable by others? In a network of knowledge, topics span across scientific disciplines and the idea of domain ontologies as common agreements seems like an illusion. In this work, we argue that these trends require a radical paradigm shift in ontology engineering away from a small number of authoritative, global ontologies developed top‐down, to a high number of local ontologies that are driven by application needs and developed bottom‐up out of observation data. Similarly as the early Web was replaced by a social Web in which volunteers produce data instead of purely consuming it, the next generation of knowledge infrastructures has to enable users to become knowledge engineers themselves. Surprisingly, existing ontology engineering frameworks are not well suited for this new perspective. Hence, we propose an observation‐driven ontology engineering framework, show how its layers can be realized using specific methodologies, and relate the framework to existing work on geo‐ontologies.
Approximation Theory Applied to DEM Vertical Accuracy Assessment
Authors: Liu XiaoHang , Hu Peng , Hu Hai , Sherba Jason
Published: May 2012

Existing research on DEM vertical accuracy assessment uses mainly statistical methods, in particular variance and RMSE which are both based on the error propagation theory in statistics. This article demonstrates that error propagation theory is not applicable because the critical assumption behind it cannot be satisfied. In fact, the non‐random, non‐normal, and non‐stationary nature of DEM error makes it very challenging to apply statistical methods. This article presents approximation theory as a new methodology and illustrates its application to DEMs created by linear interpolation using contour lines as the source data. Applying approximation theory, a DEM's accuracy is determined by the largest error of any point (not samples) in the entire study area. The error at a point is bounded by max(|δnode|+M2h2/8) where |δnode| is the error in the source data used to interpolate the point, M2 is the maximum norm of the second‐order derivative which can be interpreted as curvature, and h is the length of the line on which linear interpolation is conducted. The article explains how to compute each term and illustrates how this new methodology based on approximation theory effectively facilitates DEM accuracy assessment and quality control.
Discovering Spatial Patterns in Origin‐Destination Mobility Data
Authors: Guo Diansheng , Zhu Xi , Jin Hai , Gao Peng , Andris Clio
Published: May 2012

Mobility and spatial interaction data have become increasingly available due to the wide adoption of location‐aware technologies. Examples of mobility data include human daily activities, vehicle trajectories, and animal movements, among others. In this article we focus on a special type of mobility data, i.e. origin‐destination pairs, and present a new approach to the discovery and understanding of spatio‐temporal patterns in the movements. Specifically, to extract information from complex connections among a large number of point locations, the approach involves two steps: (1) spatial clustering of massive GPS points to recognize potentially meaningful places; and (2) extraction and mapping of the flow measures of clusters to understand the spatial distribution and temporal trends of movements. We present a case study with a large dataset of taxi trajectories in Shenzhen, China to demonstrate and evaluate the methodology. The contribution of the research is two‐fold. First, it presents a new methodology for detecting location patterns and spatial structures embedded in origin‐destination movements. Second, the approach is scalable to large data sets and can summarize massive data to facilitate pattern extraction and understanding.
Variation in Middle Welsh Conjugated Prepositions: Chronology, Register and Dialect
Authors: Sims‐Williams Patrick
Published: May 2012

Middle Welsh can now be studied exhaustively owing to the availability of millions of words of text, mostly in machine‐readable form. This paper analyses the extensive variation in conjugated prepositions seen in thirteenth‐century manuscripts, and uses it to shed light on the evolution of the language between Old and Modern Welsh, on the varying linguistic preferences of poets and prose writers, and on the emergence of the Welsh dialects.
Priestly Despotism: The Problem of Unruly Clerics in Marsilius of Padua's Defensor Pacis1
Authors: KOCH BETTINA
Published: May 2012

This article explores how Marsilius's theory of “priestly despotism” underpins his understanding of the civic body's secular authority and autonomy. Marsilius defends this autonomy not only with respect to truly secular matters but also with respect to the citizens' future in the afterlife; consequently, it affects the outlook of the entire commonwealth. In Marsilius's view, though he never doubts the need for the priesthood in the commonwealth, priests represent a fundamental threat to the stability and well‐being of the community. Marsilius redefines the position of priesthood to ensure the political stability of the commonwealth by minimizing the danger of internal turmoil. The topic of “priestly despotism” also reveals the internal consistency and logic of Defensor Pacis's first and second discourse by demonstrating how arguments introduced and developed in the first discourse are consistently applied in the second discourse.
Origins of Missionary Periodicals: Form and Function of Three Moravian Publications
Authors: JENSZ FELICITY
Published: May 2012

The nineteenth century was a boom time for the genre of missionary periodicals. Missionary periodicals were established by religious organizations, societies, and churches for their members, for the general public, for theologians, for women, for children, and for converted non‐Europeans, and their growth reflected the expansion of missionary societies into the non‐European colonial world. Despite the abundance and wide range of these publications, research on the origins, form, and function of missionary periodicals remains limited. This article examines the rationale behind the establishment of three Moravian Church missionary periodicals: the British Periodical Accounts (1790–1970); the German Missions‐Blatt (1837–1941); and the North American The Little Missionary (1870–1920). The article elucidates both broader similarities and differences in missionary periodicals, as well as distinguishing how intentions behind the establishment of missionary periodicals differed from the practice of how religious organizations, societies, and churches utilized these periodicals in presenting themselves to the outside world.
Increased levels of circulating endothelial progenitor cells in patients with ischaemic stroke treated with statins during acute phase
Authors: Sobrino T. , Blanco M. , Pérez‐Mato M. , Rodríguez‐Yáñez M. , Castillo J.
Published: May 2012

Background and purpose

Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) have been suggested to be a therapeutic option in ischaemic stroke. Our aim was to study whether statin treatment during acute phase could increase circulating EPCs after acute ischaemic stroke.

Methods

We studied 48 patients with a first‐ever non‐lacunar ischaemic stroke (<12 h from stroke onset). Sixteen patients received statin treatment (20 mg atorvastatin/day) during the first 4 days. We defined the EPC increment during the first week as the difference in the number of early outgrowth colony‐forming unit‐endothelial cell (CFU‐EC) between day 7 and at admission (previous to atorvastatin treatment). Serum levels of vascular endothelial growth factor and active matrix metalloproteinase 9 (determined by ELISA), and nitric oxide metabolites (NOx) (determined by high‐performance liquid chromatography) were measured at admission, 24 and 72 h, and day 7.

Results

Colony‐forming unit‐endothelial cells were similar at baseline between patients treated (n = 16) and non‐treated (n = 32) with statins (10.1 ± 3.9 vs. 7.9 ± 6.9 CFU‐EC, P = 0.223). However, patients treated with statins showed a higher EPC increment (24.0 ± 17.3 vs. 6.0 ± 17.8 CFU‐EC, P = 0.002) during the first week. An EPC increment ≥ 4 CFU‐EC predicted with the highest sensitivity (88%) and specificity (92%) the probability of good outcome (area under the curve 0.903, P < 0.0001). Statin treatment (OR, 13.1; CI 95%, 2.2–76.9, P = 0.004) was independently associated with an EPC increment ≥ 4 CFU‐EC after adjustment for confounder factors, but this association was lost when adjusting for NOx levels.

Conclusions

Statin treatment for 4 days may increase circulating EPC levels, probably by NO‐related mechanisms.
Matching physicians’ treatment recommendations to patients’ treatment preferences is associated with improvement in treatment satisfaction
Authors: Umar N. , Schaarschmidt M. , Schmieder A. , Peitsch W.K. , Schöllgen I. , Terris D.D.
Published: May 2012

Background  Dissatisfaction with treatment is common among those with psoriasis. While incorporating patients’ preferences into the process of treatment decision‐making may improve satisfaction, this relationship has not been clearly established.

Objective  To assess the extent to which matching physicians’ treatment recommendations to patients’ treatment preferences is associated with improvement in treatment satisfaction in patients with moderate‐to‐severe psoriasis.

Methods  This prospective cohort study design examined change from baseline to 3‐month follow‐up in four subscales of an established measure of treatment satisfaction. Separate multivariate regression models investigated the association of change in these subscale scores with an index measuring the match between physicians’ treatment recommendations and patients’ treatment preferences at the initial study visit.

Results  A closer match between physicians’ recommendations and patients’ preferences was associated with greater improvement in treatment satisfaction over time in each of the four subscales: effectiveness (β = 0.53, P < 0.001), side‐effects (β = 0.25, P = 0.009), convenience (β  =  0.78, P < 0.001) and global satisfaction (β  =  0.49, P < 0.001). Adjusted models explained as much as 76% of the variation in change in treatment satisfaction subscales over 3 months.

Conclusions  Further efforts to incorporate patients’ preferences in treatment decision‐making appear justified given the strength of independent associations between preference matching and improved treatment satisfaction and the extent to which our models explained variation in this relationship. An approach based on preference matching shows promise for increasing satisfaction in the management of other chronic diseases.
Terbinafine in the treatment of dermatophyte toenail onychomycosis: a meta‐analysis of efficacy for continuous and intermittent regimens
Authors: Gupta A.K. , Paquet M. , Simpson F. , Tavakkol A.
Published: May 2012

Objective  To compare mycological and complete cures of terbinafine continuous and intermittent regimens in the treatment of toenail onychomycosis.

Methods  The PubMed database was searched using the terms “terbinafine”, “onychomycosis”, “continuous” and “pulse(d)” or “intermittent”. The inclusion criteria were head‐to‐head comparison of terbinafine pulse and continuous regimens for dermatophyte toenail infections. Risk ratios were calculated for intention‐to‐treat and evaluable patient analyses, when possible. Pooled estimates for total and subgroup analyses were calculated using a random effect model, Mantel‐Haenszel method and their probabilities were calculated with z‐statistics.

Results  Nine studies from eight publications were included. Two continuous regimens and four intermittent regimens were investigated. A pooled risk ratio of 0.87 was obtained for intention‐to‐treat (95% CI: 0.79–0.96, P = 0.004, n = 6) and evaluable patient (95% CI: 0.80–0.96, P = 0.003, n = 8) analyses of mycological cure, favouring continuous terbinafine. For complete cure, pooled risk ratios of 0.97 (95% CI: 0.77–1.23, P = 0.82, n = 7) for intention‐to‐treat and 0.93 (95% CI: 0.76–1.13, P = 0.44, n = 9) for evaluable patient analyses showed equality of the two regimens. The pulse regimen that demonstrated consistently comparable results to the continuous terbinafine regimen was two pulses of terbinafine 250 mg/day for 4 weeks on/4 weeks off.

Conclusions  Meta‐analysis of published studies of toenail onychomycosis showed that a continuous terbinafine regimen is generally significantly superior to a pulsed terbinafine regimen for mycological cure. In contrast, some pulse terbinafine regimens were as effective as continuous terbinafine regimens for complete cure.
The thoracolumbar fascia: anatomy, function and clinical considerations
Authors: Willard F. H. , Vleeming A. , Schuenke M. D. , Danneels L. , Schleip R.
Published: May 2012

In this overview, new and existent material on the organization and composition of the thoracolumbar fascia (TLF) will be evaluated in respect to its anatomy, innervation biomechanics and clinical relevance. The integration of the passive connective tissues of the TLF and active muscular structures surrounding this structure are discussed, and the relevance of their mutual interactions in relation to low back and pelvic pain reviewed. The TLF is a girdling structure consisting of several aponeurotic and fascial layers that separates the paraspinal muscles from the muscles of the posterior abdominal wall. The superficial lamina of the posterior layer of the TLF (PLF) is dominated by the aponeuroses of the latissimus dorsi and the serratus posterior inferior. The deeper lamina of the PLF forms an encapsulating retinacular sheath around the paraspinal muscles. The middle layer of the TLF (MLF) appears to derive from an intermuscular septum that developmentally separates the epaxial from the hypaxial musculature. This septum forms during the fifth and sixth weeks of gestation. The paraspinal retinacular sheath (PRS) is in a key position to act as a ‘hydraulic amplifier’, assisting the paraspinal muscles in supporting the lumbosacral spine. This sheath forms a lumbar interfascial triangle (LIFT) with the MLF and PLF. Along the lateral border of the PRS, a raphe forms where the sheath meets the aponeurosis of the transversus abdominis. This lateral raphe is a thickened complex of dense connective tissue marked by the presence of the LIFT, and represents the junction of the hypaxial myofascial compartment (the abdominal muscles) with the paraspinal sheath of the epaxial muscles. The lateral raphe is in a position to distribute tension from the surrounding hypaxial and extremity muscles into the layers of the TLF. At the base of the lumbar spine all of the layers of the TLF fuse together into a thick composite that attaches firmly to the posterior superior iliac spine and the sacrotuberous ligament. This thoracolumbar composite (TLC) is in a position to assist in maintaining the integrity of the lower lumbar spine and the sacroiliac joint. The three‐dimensional structure of the TLF and its caudally positioned composite will be analyzed in light of recent studies concerning the cellular organization of fascia, as well as its innervation. Finally, the concept of a TLC will be used to reassess biomechanical models of lumbopelvic stability, static posture and movement.
Patterns of functioning and predictive factors in children born moderately preterm or at term
Authors: CSERJESI RENATA , VAN BRAECKEL KOENRAAD NJA , TIMMERMAN MARIEKE , BUTCHER PHILLIPA R , KERSTJENS JORIEN M , REIJNEVELD SIJMEN A , BOUMA ANKE , BOS AREND F , GEUZE REINT H
Published: May 2012

Aim  The aim of this study was to identify subgroups of children born moderately preterm (MPT) and term with distinctive levels and patterns of functioning, and the perinatal and demographic factors that predict subgroup membership.

Method  A total of 378 children aged 7 years, 248 MPT (138 males, 110 females; gestational age 32–36wks) and a comparison group of 130 children born at term (58 males, 72 females; gestational age 38–41wks), were selected from a community‐based cohort study. Latent class analyses were performed on measures of intelligence, verbal memory, attention, executive functioning, and visuomotor and motor skills. χ2 automatic interaction detection analyses were performed to detect associations between the subgroups and predictors.

Results  Four subgroups differing in levels of performance were identified, with parental education being the only statistically significant determinant of subgroup assignment (p<0.01). The subgroup that performed the most poorly showed an irregular pattern of performance, with specific weakness in attentional skill and relative strength in intelligence and verbal memory. Parental education predicted classification probability in the preterm group (p=0.04) but not in the term group (p=0.15).

Interpretation  Our results show that the poorer performance of children born MPT reflects a higher proportion of children with below average performance rather than a subgroup with extremely poor performance. They indicate that MPT birth affects neurodevelopmental functioning at early school age only slightly, with effects being largest in such children with low parental education.
Social Norms and Women's Participation in Salaried Employment: The Case of the Tehuacán Region of Mexico
Authors: COVARRUBIAS ARLETTE
Published: May 2012

This article studies the mechanisms by which social norms regarding wives' participation in salaried employment are enforced in two towns of the Tehuacán region in Mexico, using information gathered from in‐depth interviews with wives and husbands and a survey of married women. First, social norms influence individuals' preferences through the internalisation of moral arguments concerning right or wrong behaviour and through social sanctions applied by groups in the society. Second, moral arguments are used by spouses in intra‐household bargaining about wives' paid work in order to validate particular positions. Third, local organisations such as schools may also put demands on individuals that reinforce social norms.
International trends in Health Science Librarianship: Part 2 – Northern Europe
Authors: Dollfuss Helmut , Bauer Bruno , Declève Ghislaine , Verhaaren Henri , Utard‐Wlerick Guillemette , Bakker Suzanne , Leclerq Edith , Murphy Jeannette
Published: May 2012

This is the third in a series of articles exploring international trends in health science librarianship in the first decade of the 21st century. The invited authors were asked to reflect on developments in their country – viz. Austria, Belgium, France and the Netherlands. Future issues will track trends in the Nordic countries, Southern Europe and Latin America.

JM
Know your RO from your AE? Learning styles in practice
Authors: Woods Helen Buckley
Published: May 2012

In this article, Kolb’s cycle of learning is put forward as a useful theory to consult when planning information literacy or other teaching sessions. The learning cycle is contextualised and Kolb’s and other theories are briefly explored. The author then considers how learning style theories can be utilised when planning teaching and learning activities. The use of planning tools is advocated and ideas for sessions are suggested.

HS
Stimulation of the D5 dopamine receptor acidifies the lysosomal pH of retinal pigmented epithelial cells and decreases accumulation of autofluorescent photoreceptor debris
Authors: Guha Sonia , Baltazar Gabriel C. , Tu Leigh‐Anne , Liu Ji , Lim Jason C. , Lu Wennan , Argall Arthur , Boesze‐Battaglia Kathleen , Laties Alan M. , Mitchell Claire H.
Published: May 2012

J. Neurochem. (2012) 122, 823–833.

Optimal neuronal activity requires that supporting cells provide both efficient nutrient delivery and waste disposal. The incomplete processing of engulfed waste by their lysosomes can lead to accumulation of residual material and compromise their support of neurons. As most degradative lysosomal enzymes function best at an acidic pH, lysosomal alkalinization can impede enzyme activity and increase lipofuscin accumulation. We hypothesize that treatment to reacidify compromised lysosomes can enhance degradation. Here, we demonstrate that degradation of ingested photoreceptor outer segments by retinal pigmented epithelial cells is increased by stimulation of D5 dopamine receptors. D1/D5 receptor agonists reacidified lysosomes in cells alkalinized by chloroquine or tamoxifen, with acidification dependent on protein kinase A. Knockdown with siRNA confirmed acidification was mediated by the D5 receptor. Exposure of cells to outer segments increased lipofuscin‐like autofluorescence, but SKF 81297 reduced autofluorescence. Likewise, SKF 81297 increased the activity of lysosomal protease cathepsin D in situ. D5DR stimulation also acidified lysosomes of retinal pigmented epithelial cells from elderly ABCA4−/− mice, a model of recessive Stargardt’s retinal degeneration. In conclusion, D5 receptor stimulation lowers compromised lysosomal pH, enhancing degradation. The reduced accumulation of lipofuscin‐like autofluorescence implies the D5 receptor stimulation may enable cells to better support adjacent neurons.
Potential role of α‐synuclein in neurodegeneration: studies in a rat animal model
Authors: Stoica George , Lungu Gina , Bjorklund Nicole L. , Taglialatela Giulio , Zhang Xing , Chiu Veronica , Hill Herbert H. , Schenk James O. , Murray Ian
Published: May 2012

J. Neurochem. (2012) 122, 812–822.

Neuronal protein α‐synuclein (α‐syn) is an essential player in the development of neurodegenerative diseases called synucleinopathies. A spontaneous autosomal recessive rat model for neurodegeneration was developed in our laboratory. These rats demonstrate progressive increases in α‐syn in the brain mesencephalon followed by loss of dopaminergic terminals in the basal ganglia (BG) and motor impairments. The severity of pathology is directly related to the overexpression of α‐syn and parallel decrease in dopamine (DA) level in the striatum (ST) of affected rats. The neurodegeneration in this model is characterized by the presence of perikarya and neurites Lewis bodies (LB) and diffuse marked accumulation of perikaryal α‐syn in the substantia nigra (SN), brain stem (BS), and striatum (ST) along with neuronal loss. Light and ultrastructural analyses revealed that the process of neuronal degeneration is a ‘dying back’ type. The disease process is accompanied by gliosis and release of inflammatory cytokines. This neurodegeneration is a multisystemic disease and implicate α‐syn as a major factor in the pathogenesis of this inherited autosomal recessive animal model. Decrease dopamine (DA) and overexpression of α‐syn in the brain mesencephalon may provide a naturally occurring animal model for Parkinson’s disease (PD) and other synucleinopathies that reproduces significant pathological, neurochemical, and behavioral features of the human disease.
Ammonia‐induced deficit in corticostriatal long‐term depression and its amelioration by zaprinast
Authors: Chepkova Aisa N. , Selbach Oliver , Haas Helmut L. , Sergeeva Olga A.
Published: May 2012

J. Neurochem. (2012) 122, 545–556.

Hyperammonemia is a major pathophysiological factor in encephalopathies associated with acute and chronic liver failure. On mouse brain slice preparations, we analyzed the effects of ammonia on the characteristics of corticostriatal long‐term depression (LTD) induced by electrical stimulation of cortical input or pharmacological activation of metabotropic glutamate receptors. Long exposure of neostriatal slices to ammonium chloride impaired the induction and/or expression of all studied forms of LTD. This impairment was reversed by the phosphodiesterase inhibitor zaprinast implying lowered cGMP signaling in LTD suppression. Polyphenols from green tea rescued short‐term corticostriatal plasticity, but failed to prevent the ammonia‐induced deficit of LTD. Zaprinast counteracts the ammonia‐induced impairment of long‐term corticostriatal plasticity and may thus improve fine motor skills and procedural learning in hepatic encephalopathy.