bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ownership structure, corporate governance and firm performance
Authors: Mollah Sabur , Al Farooque Omar , Karim Wares
Published: September 2012

Purpose

In spite of an abundance of corporate governance literature across the world, the Botswana corporate sector is lacking. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship among the ownership structure, board characteristics and financial performance to determine the role of corporate governance in the performance behavior of companies listed in such an emerging market in Africa as Botswana.

Design/methodology/approach

Ordinary least square (OLS) models are applied to Botswana Stock Exchange listed firms over the period 2000‐2007 to determine the role of corporate governance in the performance behavior of companies listed in an emerging market.

Findings

The empirical evidence shows distinct nature of corporate governance behavior among alternative performance measures used, in particular, between accounting‐based/hybrid and market‐based measures.

Practical implications

Such diversified findings provide the policy‐makers with insights to take appropriate measures on corporate governance and stock market development in order to ensure their efficiency.

Originality/value

The approach of this study is different from the other available literature as it captures all types of shareholdings together in addition to other corporate governance and firm‐specific predictable variables.
Empirical challenges and solutions in constructing a high‐performance metasearch engine
Authors: Sadeghi Hamid
Published: September 2012

Purpose

This paper seeks to disclose the important role of missing documents, broken links and duplicate items in the results merging process of a metasearch engine in detail. It aims to investigate some related practical challenges and proposes some solutions. The study also aims to employ these solutions to improve an existing model for results aggregation.

Design/methodology/approach

This research measures the amount of an increase in retrieval effectiveness of an existing results merging model that is obtained as a result of the proposed improvements. The 50 queries of the 2002 TREC web track were employed as a standard test collection based on a snapshot of the worldwide web to explore and evaluate the retrieval effectiveness of the suggested method. Three popular web search engines (Ask, Bing and Google) as the underlying resources of metasearch engines were selected. Each of the 50 queries was passed to all three search engines. For each query the top ten non‐sponsored results of each search engine were retrieved. The returned result lists of the search engines were aggregated using a proposed algorithm that takes the practical issues of the process into consideration. The effectiveness of the result lists generated was measured using a well‐known performance indicator called “TSAP” (TREC‐style average precision).

Findings

Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed model increases the performance of an existing results merging system by 14.39 percent on average.

Practical implications

The findings of this research would be helpful for metasearch engine designers as well as providing motivation to the vendors of web search engines to improve their technology.

Originality/value

This study provides some valuable concepts, practical challenges, solutions and experimental results in the field of web metasearching that have not been previously investigated.
Values and longevity in family business: evidence from a cross‐cultural analysis
Authors: Tàpies Josep , Fernández Moya María
Published: September 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this article is to offer an empirical study on the particular topic of the role of values on longevity of family firms in order to open the future research agenda.

Design/methodology/approach

To analyse the first issue, the article contrasts samples from Spain, Italy, France and Finland. The second and third issues are focused on the Spanish sample, but, to enrich the debate, Italian and French samples have also been included.

Findings

The present paper seeks to shed light on this stream of research by developing an analysis that focuses on three key elements: the ranking of values that have the most influence on family business longevity, the process of value transmission, and the condition of longevity as an asset.

Originality/value

The link between longevity and values has been pointed out by several authors, who underlined values as an important factor to support a long‐term vision, as well as a source of competitive advantage based on using values as specific company resources. Nevertheless, not many empirical works have dealt with this topic.
Strategies of family businesses in a newly globalized developing economy
Authors: Zain Mohamed , Kassim Norizan M.
Published: September 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the opportunities and threats faced by family businesses (FBs) from globalization in a developing country environment and how those businesses responded strategically to these factors.

Design/methodology/approach

The research employs a questionnaire survey involving 108 firms listed in a database comprising 235 family businesses (FBs) obtained from the Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Doha, Qatar. The principal analytical technique employed is structural equation modeling.

Findings

The results indicate that the availability of opportunities arising from globalization seems to be more important to FBs than the threats that they may face as a result of globalization. Also, the availability of collaborative networks represents an opportunity for the FBs to expand their business overseas that in turn influence them to look for sources of funds to expand their business. Finally, the availability of the sources of funds not only influences the firms’ readiness to face the forces of globalization but it also influences them to formulate new strategies to face such forces.

Research limitations/implications

The main limitation of this research is the rather small number of respondents. Nevertheless, the eventual sample of 108 FBs while small can still be regarded as representative. This limits the ability to make broad generalizations from the finding. However, since this is the first time the research on this subject is conducted based on the given framework, the authors believe the findings from this study are still interesting and useful.

Practical implications

The findings suggest that Qatari FBs need to work on establishing networking with foreign partners in order for them to be ready to face globalization. Also, Qatari government needs to find ways to ensure that funding is available for FBs to expand their business either through direct loans or grants or by making sure that financial institutions set aside a portion of their funds for family business lending.

Social implications

The results indicate that Qatari FBs were responding well to the changes resulting from globalization. Thus, this implies that FBs in Qatar are here to stay and will continue to contribute positively to the Qatari economy and society.

Originality/value

Since this is the first time the research on this subject was conducted in Qatar, the authors believe the findings are interesting and useful particularly for family businesses as well as the Qatari government in their efforts to further develop FBs.
Contraindications for external cephalic version in breech position at term: a systematic review
Authors: ROSMAN AGEETH N. , GUIJT ALINE , VLEMMIX FLOORTJE , RIJNDERS MARLIES , MOL BEN W. J. , KOK MARJOLEIN
Published: September 2012

Objective. External cephalic version (ECV) is a safe and effective intervention that can prevent breech delivery, thus reducing the need for cesarean delivery. It is recommended in national guidelines. These guidelines also mention contraindications for ECV, and thereby restrict the application of ECV. We assessed whether the formulation of these contraindications in guidelines are based on empiric data. Design. Systematic review. Population. Pregnant women with a singleton breech presentation from 34 weeks. Methods. We searched the National Guideline Clearinghouse, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE (1953–2009), EMBASE (1980–2009), TRIP database (until 2011), NHS (National Health Services, until 2011), Diseases database (until 2011) and NICE guidelines (until 2011) for existing guidelines on ECV and studied the reproducibility of the contraindications stated in the guidelines. Furthermore, we systematically reviewed the literature for contraindications and evidence on these contraindications. Main outcome measures. Contraindications of ECV. Results. We found five guidelines mentioning 18 contraindications, varying from five to 13 per guideline. The contraindications were not reproducible between the guidelines with oligohydramnios as the only contraindication mentioned in all guidelines. The literature search yielded 60 studies reporting on 39 different contraindications, of which we could only assess evidence of six of them. Conclusion. The present study shows that there is no general consensus on the eligibility of patients for ECV. Therefore we propose to limit contraindications for ECV to clear empirical evidence or to those with a clear pathophysiological relevance.
Increasing prevalence of asthma, allergic rhinoconjunctivitis and eczema among schoolchildren: three surveys during the period 1985–2008
Authors: Hansen Tonje Elisabeth , Evjenth Bjørg , Holt Jan
Published: September 2012

Aim

The prevalence of asthma, allergic rhinoconjunctivitis (AR) and eczema among children has increased worldwide in the last four decades, but recent studies disagree as to whether the prevalence is continuing to rise or is levelling off or declining. The aim of this study was to assess time trends in a subarctic population.

Methods

A cross‐sectional, questionnaire‐based survey was carried out in 2008 among children aged 7–14 years in randomly selected schools in Nordland County, Norway (n = 4150). The results are compared with results from identical studies in 1985 (n = 4870) and 1995 (n = 4456).

Results

The main findings were an increasing prevalence of asthma ever (7.3% in 1985 to 17.6% in 2008, p for trend < 0.001) and AR ever (15.9% in 1985 to 24.5% in 2008, p for trend < 0.001), while the prevalence of eczema ever, after an increase between 1985 and 1995, remained unchanged in the last time period. The prevalence of current disease doubled and trebled between 1995 and 2008 for all three diseases.

Conclusion

A repeated cross‐sectional survey between 1985 and 2008 documented an increasing prevalence of asthma ever and AR ever among schoolchildren (7–14 years), together with a considerably increase in current asthma, AR and eczema between 1995 and 2008.
Mycophenolate mofetil maintenance therapy in renal transplant patients: long‐term results of the TranCept STAY study
Authors: Heemann Uwe , Kliem Volker , Budde Klemens , Hamza Amir , Jürgensen Jan Steffen , Juarez Federico , Arns Wolfgang , Rath Thomas , Haller Hermann
Published: September 2012

Background

This prospective observational study documented long‐term renal function in transplant recipients receiving mycophenolate mofetil (MMF).

Methods

Kidney allograft recipients >6 months post‐transplantation, with a glomerular filtration rate (GFR) >20 mL/min, receiving MMF from time of transplantation were enrolled and followed for four yr. Subgroups were identified based on time between transplantation and enrollment: Y < 1 (6 months–1 yr); Y1–2 (>1–2 yr); Y2–5 (>2–5 yr) and Y > 5 (>5 yr).

Results

A total of 2040 patients were analyzed; 780, 410, 541 and 309 in subgroups Y < 1, Y1–2, Y2–5 and Y > 5. For all patients combined GFR decreased during the observational period by approximately 1 mL/min/yr (median GFR (mL/min) was 50.8, 50.5, 48.7, and 47.6 at one, two, three, and four yr). Survival estimates for decline in renal function (>20% GFR decline at one time point) were 78%, 66%, 57%, and 51% at one, two, three and four yr, with no significant differences between subgroups (p > 0.05). In adult patients, higher doses of MMF (≥1 g/d) were associated with better GFR outcomes (median GFR (mL/min) 48.1 vs. 39.9 at four yr post‐enrollment; p = 0.0037). When comparing the effects of MMF combined with calcineurin inhibitors (CNIs), GFR was increased with lower doses of tacrolimus or cyclosporin. There were no major tolerability or acute rejection problems and graft survival was similar in all subgroups (graft survival estimates for all patients combined were 99%, 95%, 92%, and 90% at one, two, three, and four yr).

Conclusions

Long‐term MMF immunosuppression preserves renal function and higher MMF doses combined with lower CNI doses may provide better patient outcomes.
ACTH‐secreting Crooke cell carcinoma of the pituitary
Authors: Kovács Gábor L. , Góth Miklós , Rotondo Fabio , Scheithauer Bernd W. , Carlsen Eivind , Saadia Ali , Hubina Erika , Kovács László , Szabolcs István , Nagy Pál , Czirják Sándor , Hanzély Zoltán , Kovács Kálmán , Horváth Éva , Korbonits Márta
Published: September 2012

Eur J Clin Invest 2012

Purpose  While pituitary adenomas are common, pituitary carcinomas are rare. It is unclear whether pituitary carcinomas arise de novo or evolve from adenomas.

Methods  We studied the clinical characteristics and tissue samples from eight pituitary surgeries and the autopsy from a patient with pituitary carcinoma. A 16‐year‐old female patient was diagnosed with an aggressive Crooke cell macroadenoma. Following transsphenoidal surgery, clinical signs of Cushing disease quickly reappeared. During the 14‐year course of the illness, eight pituitary surgeries, three courses of extracranial irradiation and two 90Yttrium‐DOTATOC treatments were undertaken. A bilateral adrenalectomy was performed. The patient died of metastatic disease and uncontrolled hypercortisolism due to an adrenal remnant. A systematic morphologic study (histologic staining, electron microscopy) of all available surgical and autopsy specimens was undertaken.

Results  Brisk mitotic activity, high Ki‐67 and p53 immunolabelling were present in the pituitary samples from the onset. High proportion of tumour cells showed irregular nuclei and large nucleoli, and gradual increase in MGMT staining was observed. The tumour remained of Crooke cell type throughout the course. Autopsy disclosed a postirradiation sarcoma in the pituitary area.

Conclusions  The question whether pituitary carcinomas arise de novo or transform from an adenoma cannot be answered at present with certainty.
Fiction and Conversation
Authors: Greve Anniken
Published: September 2012

Exploring Rhees's analogy between everyday conversation and literature, the paper suggests a conception of form that encourages us to see literary works as contributions to conversation in virtue of their concern. How we might read for the concern of a literary work is exemplified by readings of Ibsen'sGhostsandThe Wild Duck. These readings suggest that Rhees's analogy not only throws light on the communicative powers of literature: viewing everyday talk in the light of works of literature also gives us a better grasp of what goes on in conversation.
God and Evil: A View from Swansea
Authors: Gleeson Andrew
Published: September 2012

Herbert McCabe and Brian Davies defend an Aquinas‐inspired, anti‐anthropomorphic natural theology that emphasises the mysterious distance between the Creator and his creation. This theology gives rise to a powerful response to the problem of evil, powerful enough to scuttle the academic problem of evil that is based on a confused anthropomorphic understanding of God. But that does not dispose of the problem of evil per se. The McCabe–Davies natural theology can succeed only by appropriating a personal understanding of “the ultimate question” (why is there something rather than nothing?), which is at odds with their reluctance to give up on a metaphysical argument to establish the reality of God from outside religious faith and practice. But if that same personal understanding is applied to the problem of evil we find it generates “the unprecedented charge,” a form of the problem that does not depend on an anthropomorphic conception of God. The way forward for the McCabe–Davies natural theology is to follow Dewi Phillips in his rejection of philosophy's aspiration to find “external justifications” for our religious lives.
Rhees on the Unity of Language
Authors: Hertzberg Lars
Published: September 2012

Rush Rhees held Wittgenstein's work in high esteem but considered it in need of deepening. He was critical of Wittgenstein's idea that the builders' game might be the whole language of a tribe and that human language could be thought of as simply a range of language games. Rhees thought that Wittgenstein failed to do justice to the unity of language. The idea of the unity of language appears to have both an anthropological and an ethical aspect. The latter is illustrated with the help of a Hemingway story.
Peter Winch on Norms and Conventions
Authors: Le Du Michel
Published: September 2012

In one of his finest papers, Peter Winch establishes a distinction between norms and conventions and suggests that the latter is unable to account for many human institutions and practices. He argues that an empirical alternative must be conceivable in order for a norm to be considered as a convention and adds that many of the most central norms in different meaningful ways of life do not fulfil this condition. The aim of this article is to examine some of the consequences of this distinction for anthropological thought.
Resource Rights
Authors: Nine Cara
Published: September 2012

Despite the fact that it is often taken for granted that political units and/or peoples have rights over the resources within their territory, it is not clear why political authority over persons should give rise to claims over resources, what those claims should be, or how they could be justified. In an attempt to bring some clarity to these issues, I focus on resource rights as a theoretical meeting point between political authority and rights over goods. Because self-government rights are rights of collectives, my aim is to provide a theory of collective resource rights. The theory advanced here provides an account of the how, what and why of collective rights over resources. In the final section I argue that this theory also provides theoretical tools for addressing competing collective and individual claims over resources. I examine two leading conceptions of collective resource rights in the political theory literature: (1) the democratic account; and (2) the liberal nationalist account. I argue that both of these conceptions are wanting. I then argue on behalf of my own theory, political legitimacy over resources, that it provides a coherent normative foundation for resource rights.
How to Do Things with Land: A Distributive Perspective on Rural Livelihoods in Southern Africa
Authors: Ferguson James
Published: September 2012

Discussions on land use and land reform too often reduce the land question to the agrarian question. Yet a rich empirical literature in the region shows that producing agricultural goods is really only one of many, many ways in which land is used, and not necessarily the most important. This paper argues that many of the ways in which land is used (often labelled ‘social’ or ‘cultural’) are in fact best understood as part of processes of distribution that are a vital part of many poor Southern Africans' livelihoods. An exclusive focus on production as the problem, and more productive agriculture as the solution, blinds us both to most of the things that people, in fact, do with land, and to many of the most important issues facing low‐income rural people. Giving a more central place to processes of distribution may help us to see just how much is lost if we allow distribution to be treated as an afterthought to production – or the land question to be reduced to the agrarian question.
Monetary Policy and Price Responsiveness to Aggregate Shocks under Rational Inattention
Authors: PACIELLO LUIGI
Published: September 2012

This paper studies a general equilibrium model that is consistent with recent empirical evidence showing that the U.S. price level and inflation are much more responsive to aggregate technology shocks than to monetary policy shocks. Specifically, we show that the fact that aggregate technology shocks are more volatile than monetary policy shocks induces firms to pay more attention to the former than to the latter. However, most important, this work adds to the literature by analytically showing how monetary policy feedback rules affect the incentives faced by firms in allocating attention. A policy rule responding more actively to inflation fluctuations induces firms to pay relatively more attention to more volatile shocks, helping to rationalize the observed behavior of prices in response to technology and monetary policy shocks.
U.S. Monetary Policy Surprises: Identification with Shifts and Rotations in the Term Structure
Authors: CLAUS EDDA , DUNGEY MARDI
Published: September 2012

We develop a model to extract measures of monetary policy surprises from the maturity structure of the yield curve. The model endogenously allows for the fact that the yield curve may either shift or rotate in response to monetary policy shocks. A latent factor model approach with identification through heteroskedasticity harnesses the term structure to extract monetary policy shocks. The approach offers informational advantages over event studies. Results from the U.S. term structure from 1994 strongly support the hypothesis that differing term structure responses are reactions to different types of monetary policy shock, rather than differing reactions to the same policy shock.
Maternal Psychological Absence and Toddlers' Social‐Emotional Development: Interpretations From the Perspective of Boundary Ambiguity Theory
Authors: Bocknek Erika L. , Brophy‐Herb Holly E. , Fitzgerald Hiram , Burns‐Jager Kathleen , Carolan Marsha T.
Published: September 2012

The current study tests a novel latent construct reflecting psychological absence and examines its relations with maternal depression, mother–toddler interactions, and toddlers' social‐emotional outcomes in a low‐income sample (N = 2,632).Structural equation modeling confirmed a psychological absence construct and revealed that psychological absence, measured at the child's 36‐month birthday‐related assessment, is a significant predictor of children's social‐emotional development at 36 months, mediated by mother–child interaction. Results are interpreted within a boundary ambiguity framework.
Unconsented HIV Testing in Cases of Occupational Exposure: Ethics, Law, and Policy
Authors: Cowan Ethan , Macklin Ruth
Published: September 2012

ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE 2012; 19:1181–1187 © 2012 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) has substantially reduced the risk of acquiring human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) after an occupational exposure; nevertheless, exposure to HIV remains a concern for emergency department providers. According to published guidelines, PEP should be taken only when source patients are HIV‐positive or have risk factors for HIV. Initiating PEP when source patients are uninfected puts exposed persons at risk from taking toxic drugs with no compensating benefit. Forgoing PEP if the source is infected results in increased risk of acquiring HIV. What should be done if source patients refuse HIV testing? Is it justifiable to test the blood of these patients over their autonomous objection? The authors review current law and policy and perform an ethical analysis to determine if laws permitting unconsented testing in cases of occupational exposure can be ethically justified.
Field Contamination of Skeletonized Human Remains with Exogenous DNA
Authors: Edson Suni M. , Christensen Alexander F.
Published: September 2012

The Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory reports the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequences of over 800 skeletal samples a year for the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command–Central Identification Laboratory. These sequences are generated from degraded skeletal remains that are presumed to belong to U.S. service members missing from past military conflicts. In the laboratory, it is possible to control for contamination of remains; however, in the field, it can be difficult to prevent modern DNA from being transferred to skeletal elements and being carried forward through the analysis process. Four such cases are described here along with the controls in place in the laboratory to eliminate the possibility of the exogenous DNA being reported as authentic. In each case, the controls implemented by the laboratories prevented the false reporting of contaminant exogenous DNA from remains that were either faunal or human, but lacked endogenous DNA.
Creep of Nextel™ 610 Fiber at 1100°C in Air and in Steam
Authors: Armani Clinton J. , Ruggles‐Wrenn Marina B. , Fair Geoff E. , Hay Randall S.
Published: September 2012

Creep of Nextel™610 fibers was investigated at 1100°C and 100–500 MPa in air and in steam. The effect of loading rate on fiber tensile strength was also explored. The presence of steam accelerated creep and reduced fiber lifetimes. Loading rate had a considerable effect on tensile strength in steam, but not in air. A linear elastic crack growth model was used to predict the creep lifetimes from the constant loading rate data. The dependence of tensile strength on loading rate and the predictability of creep lifetimes suggest that the failure mechanism in steam was environmentally assisted subcritical crack growth. The creep‐rupture data were analyzed in terms of a Monkman‐Grant (MG) relationship. Monkman‐Grant parameters for creep‐rupture data were the same in steam and air, and predicted creep‐rupture at 1100°C in both environments. A grain‐size increase of about 25% was observed by TEM after 100 h at 1100°C in steam, which was about two times that observed in air.
Aging and the neurovascular unit
Authors: del Zoppo Gregory J.
Published: September 2012

With the demonstration that acute recanalization of obstructed symptomatic cerebral arteries during ischemic stroke can result in substantial improvement in clinical outcome, the variability in clinical responses, and in hemorrhagic transformation, requires attention. This short review addresses the effect of aging and amyloid deposition disease on microvessel integrity, interactions within the neurovascular unit, cerebral tissue susceptibility to ischemic injury, and postischemic inflammation, and ultimately on the outcomes and safety of acute recanalization during ischemic stroke. Microvessels and neighboring neurons respond simultaneously to focal ischemia. The cellular components and matrix barriers of the neurovascular unit all respond to ischemia; however, their coordinate interactions are not understood. Furthermore, there is little known about the cell–cell and cell–matrix interactions within the unit, or about the effect of β‐amyloid on microvessel responses during ischemia. These considerations indicate the need for a coordinated research effort to understand the origins of the variability in recanalization outcome.
Advanced multimodal CT/MRI approaches to hyperacute stroke diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring
Authors: Liebeskind David S. , Alexandrov Andrei V.
Published: September 2012

Multimodal CT/MRI has dramatically changed the approach to ischemic stroke management, as noninvasive CT/MRI images detail brain tissue or parenchyma, angiography or vessel status, and collateral perfusion or blood flow in regions of the brain vulnerable to ischemic injury. Such snapshots of the dynamic process of cerebral ischemia may be used to gauge reversibility and therapeutic opportunities. Treatment of acute stroke may be rapidly tailored to clinical scenarios based on imaging correlation of ischemia, vessel status, and perfusion. Serial or repeated imaging from the initial presentation to later stages of the hospital course may illustrate infarct growth, persisting occlusion, reocclusion, recanalization, reperfusion, and hemorrhagic transformation. From acute stroke to rehabilitation phases and subsequent prevention, multimodal CT/MRI has emerged as a key tool to track the process of stroke and the impact of our therapeutic interventions.
Imaging‐based selection in acute ischemic stroke trials – a quest for imaging sweet spots
Authors: Demchuk Andrew M. , Menon Bijoy , Goyal Mayank
Published: September 2012

Ischemic stroke is a very heterogeneous disease that limits the efficacy of acute stroke treatments. Future trials will require advanced imaging to select patients for specific treatments. The most well‐established imaging tools are the use of CT to exclude hemorrhage and diffusion‐weighted MRI to demonstrate ischemia. While perfusion imaging is one option for patient selection, it has unresolved issues, including standardization and validation, that limit its value. As an alternative to mismatch when addressing stroke, one needs to know the size of the initial irreversible lesion (core), the presence and site/extent of occlusion (clot), and presence of leptomeningeal back filling and Willisian filling (collaterals). These can be summarized as the “3C” approach of core, clot, and collateral interpretation, which together can represent an imaging sweet spot, particularly for time‐efficient endovascular treatment trial design.
Sperm cephalic vacuoles: new arguments for their non acrosomal origin in two cases of total globozoospermia
Authors: Gatimel N. , Léandri R. D. , Foliguet B. , Bujan L. , Parinaud J.
Published: September 2012

To add new arguments concerning the origin of the sperm‐head vacuoles observed under high magnification with interference contrast microscopy, we carried out in two patients with total globozoospermia confirmed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), a detailed sperm morphometric analysis with high magnification (×6000) under Nomarski contrast, an acrosomal status analysis (using fluorescent labelling with peanut agglutinin (PNA) lectins and anti‐CD46 antibodies) and a nuclear status analysis (using terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase‐mediated dUTP nick‐end labelling assay TUNEL, sperm chromatin structure assay SCSA and aniline blue staining). Our two patients with globozoospermia had relative sperm vacuole areas of 6.3% and 5%, similar to those observed in a reference population of 12 fertile men (5.9%). TUNEL and SCSA assays gave normal results in both patients, although the percentage of immature nuclei using aniline blue staining was increased (27 and 46% for patient 1 and 2 respectively). Cytofluorescence and TEM analysis evidence differences between the two patients: although no acrosomal neither Golgi residue could be detected in patient 1, patient 2 had positive PNA lectin labelling for 9% of spermatozoa and Golgi residues were seen using electron microscopy. Unlike patient 1, a live birth could be obtained after intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) for patient 2. This descriptive study of two patients with total globozoospermia confirmed using TEM argue in favour of a deep analysis of total globozoospermia before assisted reproductive technology and provides further information on the non‐acrosomal origin of the sperm‐head vacuoles observed under high magnification.
Development and psychometric testing of the Swedish version of the Body Awareness Questionnaire
Authors: Lööf Helena , Johansson Unn‐Britt , Henriksson Elisabet Welin , Lindblad Staffan , Saboonchi Fredrik
Published: September 2012

Aim

This paper is a report of the development and psychometric testing of the Swedish version of the Body Awareness Questionnaire to measure bodily focus of attention.

Background

The Body Awareness Questionnaire has been identified as an instrument with excellent psychometric properties within the concept of body awareness. It has been used in both research and clinical settings in different contexts. However, a validated Swedish version is not available.

Method

A cross‐sectional design was applied for adaptation of the Body Awareness Questionnaire and psychometric validation. Data were collected between autumn 2009 and spring 2011 from 120 patients diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, and from 120 students. The ‘concurrent think aloud’ method was used in a pre‐test to determine the usability of the questionnaire. Cronbach's alpha was used to test the internal consistency, and confirmatory factor analysis was performed to test the construct validity.

Results

According to the confirmatory factor analysis, neither the one‐factor model nor the four‐factor model tested in this study fulfilled the pre‐specified criteria in accordance with the Comparative Fit Index, Standardized Root Mean Squared Residual and the Root Mean Square Error of Approximation. The value of Cronbach's alpha for the Swedish version of the Body Awareness Questionnaire was satisfactory.

Conclusion

Our results indicate that the two models tested in this study do not provide a good fit to the observed data. Further refinement and testing of the Swedish version of the Body Awareness Questionnaire is therefore required. The concept of body awareness may be useful in the management of chronic disease and can be addressed in nursing.
The association between dental status and temporomandibular osseous changes: a morphological study on Roman–Byzantine skeletons
Authors: Levartovsky S. , Gavish A. , Nagar Y. , Sarphati L. , Levartovsky D. , Winocur E.
Published: September 2012

The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between dental status and the prevalence and severity of osseous changes in the temporomandibular joints of human skulls from the Roman–Byzantine period. Fifty‐eight skulls from 36 men and 22 women between the ages of 19 and 63 years were studied, and the following parameters were evaluated: morphological osseous changes in the articular surface of the condyles, tooth wear and molar support. A significant correlation between age and dental wear or loss of molar support was observed, although no correlation was noted between age and morphological osseous changes in the condyles. The loss of molar support was significantly correlated with morphological osseous changes of the condyles, whereas no significant correlation was found between dental wear and condylar changes. This study demonstrates that the loss of molar support can serve as a predictor of osseous changes in the condyle. Reduced molar support may be one of the aetiologies associated with morphological osseous changes in temporomandibular joints. Further studies should to be performed to investigate this potential correlation.
Comparison of changes in facial skin temperature caused by ethyl chloride spraying, ice block rubbing and cold gel packing in healthy subjects
Authors: Im Y.‐G. , Park H.‐J. , Chae H.‐Y. , Kim B.‐G. , Lim H.‐S. , Park J.‐I. , Kim J.‐H.
Published: September 2012

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of three cryotherapeutic modalities (ethyl chloride spraying, ice block rubbing and cold gel packing) on facial skin temperature. Thirty healthy volunteers (15 men, 15 women; mean age, 29·4 ± 3·2 years) participated in this study. Each of the three modalities was randomly applied to the skin over the right masseter muscle. The skin surface temperature was recorded at baseline and every 5 min for 60 min after the application of one of the three cryotherapeutic modalities. Immediately after application, cold gel packing demonstrated the greatest reduction in surface temperature (10·6 °C), followed by ethyl chloride spraying (4·3 °C) and ice block rubbing (3·7 °C) (P < 0·001). During the 60‐min post‐application period, ethyl chloride spraying and ice block rubbing produced similar skin surface temperature changes. The skin surface remained coldest for the longest period of time after cold gel packing. The median time for recovery of the baseline temperature after application of the cold gel pack was about three to four times longer than that for the other modalities (P < 0·001). Ethyl chloride spraying and ice block rubbing resulted in less reduction and faster recovery of skin surface temperature than did cold gel packing. In conclusion, ethyl chloride spraying and ice block rubbing had a limited cooling effect on the facial skin tissue and could not reduce the skin surface temperature enough for local analgesia. Moreover, the cooling effect of cold gel packing was remarkable, but not sufficient for local analgesia.
Phosphoribosyl pyrophosphate synthetase, as a suppressor of the sepH mutation in Aspergillus nidulans, is required for the proper timing of septation
Authors: Zhong Guowei , Wei Wenfan , Guan Qi , Ma Zhaofei , Wei Hua , Xu Xushi , Zhang Shizhu , Lu Ling
Published: September 2012

Timely cytokinesis/septation is essential for hyphal growth and conidiation in Aspergillus nidulans. Genetic analyses have identified that A. nidulans has components of the septum initiation network (SIN) pathway; one of these, SEPH, is a key player for early events during cytokinesis. However, little is known about how the SEPH kinase cascade is regulated by other components. Here, we demonstrate that the phosphoribosyl pyrophosphate synthetase family acts antagonistically against the SIN so that the downregulation of AnPRS family can bypass the requirements of the SIN for septum formation and conidiation. The transcription defect of the Anprs gene family accompanied with the reduction of AnPRS activity causes the formation of hyper‐septation as well as the restoration of septation and conidiation in the absence of SEPH. Clearly, the timing and positioning of septation is related to AnPRS activity. Moreover, with the extensive yeast two‐hybrid analysis and rescue combination experiments, it demonstrated that AnPRS members are able to form the heterodimers for functional interacting entities but they appear to contribute so unequally that Anprs1 mutant display relatively normal septation, but Anprs2 deletion is lethal. Thus, compared to in yeast, the AnPRS family may have a unique regulation mechanism during septation in filamentous fungi.
Unicellular Cyanobacterium Symbiotic with a Single-Celled Eukaryotic Alga
Authors: Thompson Anne W. , Foster Rachel A. , Krupke Andreas , Carter Brandon J. , Musat Niculina , Vaulot Daniel , Kuypers Marcel M. M. , Zehr Jonathan P.
Published: September 2012

Fixing on a Marine Partnership

Nitrogen fixation by microorganisms determines the productivity of the biosphere. Although plants photosynthesize by virtue of the ancient incorporation of cyanobacteria to form chloroplasts, no equivalent endosymbiotic event has occurred for nitrogen fixation. Nevertheless, in terrestrial environments, nitrogen-fixing symbioses between bacteria and plants, for example, are common.

Thompson
et al.

(p.
1546
) noticed that the ubiquitous marine cyanobacterium UCYN-A has an unusually streamlined genome lacking components of the photosynthetic machinery and central carbon metabolism—all suggestive of being an obligate symbiont. By using gentle filtration methods for raw seawater, a tiny eukaryote partner for UCYN-A of less than 3-µm in diameter was discovered. The bacterium sits on the cell wall of this calcifying picoeukaryote, donating fixed nitrogen and receiving fixed carbon in return.
Fetal and Early Childhood Undernutrition, Mortality, and Lifelong Health
Authors: Lutter Chessa K. , Lutter Randall
Published: September 2012

Child undernutrition is a major public health challenge, estimated to be responsible for 2.2 million annual deaths. Implementation of available interventions could prevent one-third of these deaths. Emerging evidence suggests that breast-feeding can lead to improvements in intelligence quotient in children and lower risks of noncommunicable diseases in mothers and children decades later. Nonetheless, breast-feeding and complementary feeding practices differ greatly from global recommendations. Although the World Health Organization recommends that infants receive solely breast milk for the first 6 months of life, only about one-third of infants in low-income countries meet this goal, just one-third of children 6 to 24 months old in low-income countries meet the minimum criteria for dietary diversity, and only one in five who are breast-fed receive a minimum acceptable diet. Although the potential effects of improved breast-feeding and complementary feeding appear large, funding for research and greater use of existing effective interventions seems low compared with other life-saving child health interventions.
Quantum-Enhanced Optical-Phase Tracking
Authors: Yonezawa Hidehiro , Nakane Daisuke , Wheatley Trevor A. , Iwasawa Kohjiro , Takeda Shuntaro , Arao Hajime , Ohki Kentaro , Tsumura Koji , Berry Dominic W. , Ralph Timothy C. , Wiseman Howard M. , Huntington Elanor H. , Furusawa Akira
Published: September 2012

Keeping Track of Photon Phase

In optical interferometers or optical communications, information is often stored in terms of the phase of the waveform or light pulse. However, fluctuations and noise can give rise to random jitter in the phase and amplitude of the optical pulses, making it difficult to keep track of the phase.

Yonezawa
et al.

(p.
1514
) developed a technique based on quantum mechanical squeezing to determine the phase of randomly varying optical waveforms. The quantum mechanical technique enhanced the precision with which the phase could be determined and, as optical technologies continue to be miniaturized, should be helpful in applications within metrology.
A Fully Size-Resolved Perspective on the Crystallization of Water Clusters
Authors: Pradzynski Christoph C. , Forck Richard M. , Zeuch Thomas , Slavíček Petr , Buck Udo
Published: September 2012

Minimal Ice

Water clusters comprising fewer than 100 molecules have long been studied in gas phase to model the more complex structures of ice and liquid water. At some stage, as clusters grow larger, they effectively become tiny crystals of ice, but it has been hard to pinpoint precisely where in the range between 100 and 1000 molecules the formal transition takes place.

Pradzynski
et al.

(p.
1529
) used vibrational spectroscopy to show that the onset of an icelike structure, indicated by a characteristically distinct absorption band in the infrared, occurs at a cluster size of approximately 275 molecules.
A Measurable Planetary Boundary for the Biosphere
Authors: Running Steven W.
Published: September 2012

Terrestrial net primary (plant) production provides a measurable boundary for human consumption of Earth's biological resources.
Uncertain Verdict as Vitamin D Goes On Trial
Authors: Kupferschmidt Kai
Published: September 2012

Boosting levels of vitamin D with supplements has been touted to prevent diseases, but many scientists say only clinical trials now in the works can confirm such hopes.
Profiling the Native Specific Human Humoral Immune Response to Sudan Ebola Virus Strain Gulu by Chemiluminescence Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
Authors: Sobarzo Ariel , Perelman Eddie , Groseth Allison , Dolnik Olga , Becker Stephan , Lutwama Julius Julian , Dye John M. , Yavelsky Victoria , Lobel Leslie , Marks Robert S.
Published: September 2012

Ebolavirus, a member of the familyFiloviridae, causes high lethality in humans and nonhuman primates. Research focused on protection and therapy for Ebola virus infection has investigated the potential role of antibodies. Recent evidence suggests that antibodies can be effective in protection from lethal challenge with Ebola virus in nonhuman primates. However, despite these encouraging results, studies have not yet determined the optimal antibodies and composition of an antibody cocktail, if required, which might serve as a highly effective and efficient prophylactic. To better understand optimal antibodies and their targets, which might be important for protection from Ebola virus infection, we sought to determine the profile of viral protein-specific antibodies generated during a natural cycle of infection in humans. To this end, we characterized the profile of antibodies against individual viral proteins of Sudan Ebola virus (Gulu) in human survivors and nonsurvivors of the outbreak in Gulu, Uganda, in 2000-2001. We developed a unique chemiluminescence enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for this purpose based on the full-length recombinant viral proteins NP, VP30, and VP40 and two recombinant forms of the viral glycoprotein (GP1-294and GP1-649) of Sudan Ebola virus (Gulu). Screening results revealed that the greatest immunoreactivity was directed to the viral proteins NP and GP1-649, followed by VP40. Comparison of positive immunoreactivity between the viral proteins NP, GP1-649, and VP40 demonstrated a high correlation of immunoreactivity between these viral proteins, which is also linked with survival. Overall, our studies of the profile of immunorecognition of antibodies against four viral proteins of Sudan Ebola virus in human survivors may facilitate development of effective monoclonal antibody cocktails in the future.
Optimization of Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization–Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry Analysis for Bacterial Identification
Authors: Khot Prasanna D. , Couturier Marc R. , Wilson Andrew , Croft Ann , Fisher Mark A.
Published: September 2012

Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization–time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) is a relatively new addition to the clinical microbiology laboratory. The performance of the MALDI Biotyper system (Bruker Daltonics) was compared to those of phenotypic and genotypic identification methods for 690 routine and referred clinical isolates representing 102 genera and 225 unique species. We systematically compared direct-smear and extraction methods on a taxonomically diverse collection of isolates. The optimal score thresholds for bacterial identification were determined, and an approach to address multiple divergent results above these thresholds was evaluated. Analysis of identification scores revealed optimal species- and genus-level identification thresholds of 1.9 and 1.7, with 91.9% and 97.0% of isolates correctly identified to species and genus levels, respectively. Not surprisingly, routinely encountered isolates showed higher concordance than did uncommon isolates. The extraction method yielded higher scores than the direct-smear method for 78.3% of isolates. Incorrect species were reported in the top 10 results for 19.4% of isolates, and although there was no obvious cutoff to eliminate all of these ambiguities, a 10% score differential between the top match and additional species may be useful to limit the need for additional testing to reach single-species-level identifications.
Use of a Prequalification Panel for Rapid Scale-Up of High-Throughput HIV Viral Load Testing
Authors: Scott Lesley E. , Carmona Sergio , Gous Natasha , Horsfield Pamela , MacKay Melanie , Stevens Wendy
Published: September 2012

Increased access to antiretroviral drugs expands needs for viral load (VL) testing. South Africa's National Health Laboratory Service responded to demands by implementing two testing platforms in 17 laboratories within 8 months. An industry partner's collaboration, training programs, and method verification with a VL prequalification panel ensured testing quality and rapid implementation.