bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fresh insights into British apprenticeship schemes
Authors: Oultram Teresa
Published: March 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to show how research that is approached from multiple perspectives, using multiple methods, can help to illuminate the complex and contested nature of the purpose and practice of apprenticeship schemes in England. The author contends that understanding the various participants involved in the schemes helps to reveal how policy at the macro level is adapted at the micro level to suit different groups. The author argues that the usefulness in such an approach provides a greater understanding of the plurality of interests and needs at play within the scheme, opening up the apprenticeship scheme agenda to allow divergent voices to be heard.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a qualitative empirical paper which adopts a multi‐perspective, multi‐method approach.

Findings

The paper highlights a number of areas of contention between different stakeholders involved in the apprenticeship scheme that could affect the success of these schemes.

Originality/value

The author's aim is to demonstrate the use of a multi‐perspective, multi‐method approach as a way to generate research which takes into account the different experiences and agenda of stakeholders participating in apprenticeship schemes. It is envisaged that the paper will be of interest to readers interested in research methods and for those conducting research on young workers.
Exploring organizational architecture and space: a case for heterodox research
Authors: Peltonen Tuomo
Published: March 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to advance the methodological self‐understanding of the emerging field of organizational space and architecture by employing concepts and frameworks from multi‐paradigm and mixed methods research.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper presents a methodological re‐reading of a recent research process that analyzed the spatial and architectural dynamics in a Finnish university organization.

Findings

While the analysis of architectural meanings is often grounded in researcher‐participants auto‐ethnographic experiences, triangulating personal insights with other methods is important for the validity and richness of the subsequent description of spatial dynamics and its outcomes. Especially, the incorporation of architectural visions and representations into the analysis is argued to enhance our understanding of the emergence of particular social‐material collectives.

Originality/value

Although there is a steady stream of empirical studies on the meanings of organizational space and architecture, rigorous accounts of the methodological challenges of spatial analyses have so far been scarce. This paper aims to partially fill this gap.
Sounds produced by the cichlid fish Metriaclima zebra allow reliable estimation of size and provide information on individual identity
Authors: Bertucci F. , Attia J. , Beauchaud M. , Mathevon N.
Published: March 2012

Sounds produced by male cichlids Metriaclima zebra during aggressive interactions were recorded to conduct a detailed analysis and to search for potential individual acoustic signatures. Fish from two different size groups (small and large individuals) were analysed. The two groups were significantly different for all acoustic variables considered; six of seven features demonstrated a significant interindividual variability and most of them were correlated with the size of the emitter. A cross‐validated and permuted discriminant function analysis (pDFA) separated the two groups and correctly classified around 50% of the sounds to the correct individuals. Acoustic features that best distinguished among males were the instantaneous frequency of sounds and the modulation of pulse amplitude. These results suggest that acoustic signals could bear information about individual identity. The long‐term stability of this signature is likely to be weak since the signature of a growing individual may change over time.
Use of a ‘microecological technique’ to study crime incidents around methadone maintenance treatment centers
Authors: Boyd Susan J. , Fang Li Juan , Medoff Deborah R. , Dixon Lisa B. , Gorelick David A.
Published: March 2012

Aims  Concern about crime is a significant barrier to the establishment of methadone treatment centers (MTCs). Methadone maintenance reduces crime among those treated, but the relationship between MTCs and neighborhood crime is unknown. We evaluated crime around MTCs.

Setting  Baltimore City, MD, USA.

Participants  We evaluated crime around 13 MTCs and three types of control locations: 13 convenience stores (stores), 13 residential points and 10 general medical hospitals.

Measures  We collected reports of Part 1 crimes from 1 January 1999 to 31 December 2001 from the Baltimore City Police Department.

Design  Crimes and residential point locations were mapped electronically by street address (geocoded), and MTCs, hospitals and stores were mapped by visiting the sites with a global positioning satellite (GPS) locator. Concentric circular ‘buffers’ were drawn at 25‐m intervals up to 300 m around each site. We used Poisson regression to assess the relationship between crime counts (incidents per unit area) and distance from the site.

Findings  There was no significant geographic relationship between crime counts and MTCs or hospitals. A significant negative relationship (parameter estimate −0.3127, P < 0.04) existed around stores in the daytime (7 am–7 pm), indicating higher crime counts closer to the stores. We found a significant positive relationship around residential points during daytime (0.5180, P < 0.0001) and at night (0.3303, P < 0.0001), indicating higher crime counts further away.

Conclusions  Methadone treatment centers, in contrast to convenience stores, are not associated geographically with crime.
Molecular mechanisms of metabolic reprogramming in proliferating cells: implications for T‐cell‐mediated immunity
Authors: Marelli‐Berg Federica M. , Fu Hongmei , Mauro Claudio
Published: March 2012

To engage in proliferation, cells need to increase their biomass and replicate their genome. This process presents a substantial bioenergetic challenge: proliferating cells must increase ATP production and acquire or synthesize raw materials, including lipids, proteins and nucleic acids. To do so, proliferating cells actively reprogramme their intracellular metabolism from catabolic mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) to glycolysis and other anabolic pathways. This metabolic reprogramming, which directs nutrient uptake and metabolism during cell activation and proliferation, is under the control of specific signal transduction pathways. The underlying molecular mechanisms of cell metabolism reprogramming and their relevance to physiology and disease are currently under intense study. Several reports have uncovered the mechanisms of metabolic reprogramming that drive high rates of cell proliferation in cancer. Some recent studies have elucidated the physiological role of metabolic reprogramming during T‐cell activation, differentiation and trafficking, which are potentially relevant to inflammatory disorders. This review describes the impact of metabolic reprogramming on the pathogenesis of cancer and the physiology of T‐cell‐mediated immune responses, with an emphasis on the phosphatidyl inositol 3‐kinase–serine/threonine kinase–mammalian target of rapamycin pathway and the recently discovered metabolic processes regulated by nuclear factor‐κB. These discoveries will hopefully translate into a better understanding of the role of metabolic reprogramming as a key regulator of T‐cell‐mediated immune responses and offer novel, immune‐based therapeutic approaches.
Enhanced humoral and HLA‐A2‐restricted dengue virus‐specific T‐cell responses in humanized BLT NSG mice
Authors: Jaiswal Smita , Pazoles Pamela , Woda Marcia , Shultz Leonard D. , Greiner Dale L. , Brehm Michael A. , Mathew Anuja
Published: March 2012

Dengue is a mosquito‐borne viral disease of humans, and animal models that recapitulate human immune responses or dengue pathogenesis are needed to understand the pathogenesis of the disease. We recently described an animal model for dengue virus (DENV) infection using humanized NOD‐scid IL2rγnull mice (NSG) engrafted with cord blood haematopoietic stem cells. We sought to further improve this model by co‐transplantation of human fetal thymus and liver tissues into NSG (BLT‐NSG) mice. Enhanced DENV‐specific antibody titres were found in the sera of BLT‐NSG mice compared with human cord blood haematopoietic stem cell‐engrafted NSG mice. Furthermore, B cells generated during the acute phase and in memory from splenocytes of immunized BLT‐NSG mice secreted DENV‐specific IgM antibodies with neutralizing activity. Human T cells in engrafted BLT‐NSG mice secreted interferon‐γ in response to overlapping DENV peptide pools and HLA‐A2 restricted peptides. The BLT‐NSG mice will allow assessment of human immune responses to DENV vaccines and the effects of previous immunity on subsequent DENV infections.
Understanding the process of patient satisfaction with nurse‐led chronic disease management in general practice
Authors: Mahomed Rosemary , St John Winsome , Patterson Elizabeth
Published: March 2012

mahomed r., st john w. & patterson e. (2012) Understanding the process of patient satisfaction with nurse‐led chronic disease management in general practice. Journal of Advanced Nursing68(11), 2538–2549.

Aims.  To investigate the process of patient satisfaction with nurse‐led chronic disease management in Australian general practice.

Background.  Nurses working in the primary care context of general practice, referred to as practice nurses, are expanding their role in chronic disease management; this is relatively new to Australia. Therefore, determining patient satisfaction with this trend is pragmatically and ethically important. However, the concept of patient satisfaction is not well understood particularly in relation to care provided by practice nurses.

Design.  A grounded theory study underpinned by a relativist ontological position and a relativist epistemology.

Methods.  Grounded theory was used to develop a theory from data collected through in‐depth interviews with 38 participants between November 2007–April 2009. Participants were drawn from a larger project that trialled a practice nurse‐led, collaborative model of chronic disease management in three Australian general practices. Theoretical sampling, data collection, and analysis were conducted concurrently consistent with grounded theory methods.

Results.  Patients undergo a cyclical process of Navigating Care involving three stages, Determining Care Needs, Forming Relationship, and Having Confidence. The latter two processes are inter‐related and a feedback loop from them informs subsequent cycles of Determining Care Needs. If any of these steps fails to develop adequately, patients are likely to opt out of nurse‐led care.

Conclusion.  Navigating Care explains how and why time, communication, continuity, and trust in general practitioners and nurses are important to patient satisfaction. It can be used in identifying suitable patients for practice nurse‐led care and to inform the practice and organization of practice nurse‐led care to enhance patient satisfaction.
Supervising nursing students administering medication: a perspective from registered nurses
Authors: Reid‐Searl Kerry , Happell Brenda
Published: March 2012

Aims.  To explore the attitudes, experiences and opinions of registered nurses regarding supervision of undergraduate nursing students while administering medication in the healthcare setting.

Background.  Medication errors present a considerable risk to safety in the healthcare setting. By virtue of their role in the administration of medication, registered nurses are considered as major contributors to this problem. Undergraduate nursing students administer medication in the clinical setting, but little attention has been paid to the implications for patient safety.

Design.  This research was conducted using exploratory qualitative methodology.

Methods.  Focus group interviews were conducted with 13 registered nurses. The participants were asked to describe their experiences and opinions regarding the supervision of undergraduate nursing students. Data were analysed using the framework approach.

Results.  Three main themes from this work are presented in this paper: ‘standard of supervision’, ‘a beneficial experience’ and ‘preparation’.

Conclusions.  The participants regarded supervision as an important process in fostering student learning and ensuring safety. Preparation on the part of the healthcare facility, students and the university were essential to maximise the benefits for all concerned.

Relevance to clinical practice.  The ability to administer medication safely is an important skill for all registered nurses. Nursing students need the opportunity to develop these skills as part of their undergraduate educational programme. Registered nurses must supervise students in a rigorous and supportive manner to enhance learning and to promote quality care.
Seedling defoliation, plant growth and flowering potential in native‐ and invasive‐range Plantago lanceolata populations
Authors: HANLEY M E
Published: March 2012

Hanley ME (2012). Seedling defoliation, plant growth and flowering potential in native‐ and invasive‐range Plantago lanceolata populations. Weed Research52, 252–259.

The plastic response of weeds to new environmental conditions, in particular the likely relaxation of herbivore pressure, is considered vital for successful colonisation and spread. However, while variation in plant anti‐herbivore resistance between native‐ and introduced‐range populations is well studied, few authors have considered herbivore tolerance, especially at the seedling stage. This study examines variation in seedling tolerance in native (European) and introduced (North American) Plantago lanceolata populations following cotyledon removal at 14 days old. Subsequent effects on plant growth were quantified at 35 days, along with effects on flowering potential at maturity. Cotyledon removal reduced early growth for all populations, with no variation between introduced‐ or native‐range plants. Although more variable, the effects of cotyledon loss on flowering potential were also unrelated to range. The likelihood that generalist seedling herbivores are common throughout North America may explain why no difference in seedling tolerance was apparent. However, increased flowering potential in plants from North American P. lanceolata populations was observed. As increased flowering potential was not lost, even after severe cotyledon damage, the manifestation of phenotypic plasticity in weeds at maturity may nonetheless still be shaped by plasticity in the ability to tolerate herbivory during seedling establishment.
A rare cutaneous presentation of metastatic parotid adenocarcinoma
Authors: Hafiji Juber , Rytina Edward , Jani Piyush , Burrows Nigel P
Published: March 2012

Primary adenocarcinomas of the parotid gland are rare, accounting for < 5% of all head and neck malignant neoplasms. The biological behaviour of these tumours varies considerably. Low‐grade tumours are minimally invasive, whereas high‐grade tumours show a high incidence of local recurrence and distant metastases. We report a case of metastatic parotid adenocarcinoma which presented with cutaneous features. This case illustrates that such salivary gland malignancies can very rarely present to the dermatologist. These potentially aggressive tumours require prompt diagnosis and management with multidisciplinary team input to ensure that the appropriate treatment is instigated.
Allergic contact dermatitis to topical preparations of bufexamac
Authors: Pan Yan , Nixon Rosemary
Published: March 2012

In Australia bufexamac is mainly used for pharmacist‐initiated local treatment of various dermatoses. The European Medicines Agency's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use recently recommended that marketing authorisation for bufexamac‐containing preparations be revoked throughout the European Union because of the risk of severe allergic contact dermatitis. We retrospectively reviewed the patch test database at the Skin and Cancer Foundation Inc. and identified 19 cases of positive reactions to bufexamac (5% petrolatum) from 451 people patch tested. The bufexamac reaction was deemed relevant to the presenting dermatitis in 13 of 19 (68%) patients. Bufexamac allergic contact dermatitis is under‐reported in the English literature. We wish to emphasise the severity and the unusually polymorphic eruptions observed in some of the cases. Clinicians should consider the possibility of allergic contact dermatitis to bufexamac‐containing preparations in all patients where there is a history of exposure, even if used for only a short time.
Implementation of a manualized communication intervention for school‐aged children with pragmatic and social communication needs in a randomized controlled trial: the Social Communication Intervention Project
Authors: Adams Catherine , Lockton Elaine , Gaile Jacqueline , Earl Gillian , Freed Jenny
Published: March 2012

Abstract  Background: Speech–language interventions are often complex in nature, involving multiple observations, variable outcomes and individualization in treatment delivery. The accepted procedure associated with randomized controlled trials (RCT) of such complex interventions is to develop and implement a manual of intervention in order that reliable treatment delivery can be achieved.

Aims: To present the rationale, structure and content of an intensive manualized intervention as implemented within an RCT for children with complex pragmatic and social communication needs; to investigate factors associated with implementation in a mainstream school environment; and to determine treatment fidelity.

Methods & Procedures: The manualized SCIP intervention, including procedures for developing individualized treatment plans, was developed and then implemented within an RCT with 57 school‐aged children with complex pragmatic communication needs (CwPLI). The paper describes the delivery protocol, staffing requirements, and content and structure of the intervention. A mapping procedure for individualization of intervention and the implemented components of intervention are presented. The findings from a school–therapy alliance checklist for recording factors affecting implementation in a school context are also reported. Treatment fidelity was carried out using measures of delivered versus planned treatment content and quality of therapy.

Outcomes & Results: The manual was effective at detailing intervention procedures and allowing for development of individualized treatment plans whilst maintaining satisfactory treatment fidelity. Treatment planning and delivery required continuous specialist speech and language therapist input with assistants needing substantive training and supervision. Key components of intervention for CwPLI were therapies aimed at improving conversation skills, narrative construction, comprehension monitoring, understanding of social cues and metapragmatic awareness. The school–therapy alliance checklist indicated high rates of therapist–education staff and therapist–parent liaison. Parents were nearly always involved in treatment planning though only half‐attended therapy sessions. Learning support provision in schools for participating children was highly variable.

Conclusions & Implications: Predetermining theoretical background, structure, and content in a treatment manual contributed towards the quality and reliability of intervention within the context of an RCT. The implementation of SCIP intervention in a broader clinical context is discussed with reference to staff expertise, the therapeutic process and the essential ingredients of social communication intervention.
Paris in Bogotá: The Aid Effectiveness Agenda and Aid Relations in Colombia
Authors: McGee Rosemary , Heredia Irma García
Published: March 2012

This article uses an aid‐relationships perspective to explore the application of the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness in Colombia. It argues that aid donors were subjected to an attempt to push them (back) into a technocratic corner, and that social actors' advocacy outcomes were put under threat. Both are worrying developments in a politically complex context marked by internal armed conflict and human‐rights abuses. Analysis of the Colombia case offers some useful insights into applying the Paris Declaration, and other global aid‐policy frameworks, to diverse settings.
Paddling on One Side of the Canoe? The Changing Nature of New Zealand's Development Assistance Programme
Authors: Banks Glenn , Murray Warwick , Overton John , Scheyvens Regina
Published: March 2012

New Zealand's aid policy has undergone a revolution under the National Party government elected in 2008. Prior to this, NZAID, a semi‐autonomous unit, had evolved to manage aid in line with internationally agreed principles. Under the new government, NZAID was reincorporated into the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, its focus was shifted from poverty reduction to economic growth, and its programme was aligned with foreign policy. This article aims to provide an overview of the shifts in New Zealand's aid policy over four decades, to explore the relationship between the global aid regime and national practice, and to analyse the influence of politics, and of key individuals, in setting the direction of aid policy.
A Fragile Guideline to Development Assistance
Authors: Bertoli Simone , Ticci Elisa
Published: March 2012

The concept of fragility has gained an increasing relevance in development discourse. Nevertheless, it remains a fuzzy and elusive concept. This article presents a review of the literature, and identifies two main sets of definitions of fragility, which substantially differ in their focus and breadth, and that reflect the evolution of the discourse around this developmental concept. The limited consensus that is found in the literature suggests that the analytical salience and the direct operational value‐added of the concept remain unclear. Nevertheless, the debate around state fragility has played an important advocacy role, and has offered key methodological insights with respect to the challenges that donors face, and what can be realistically achieved through external engagement.
Land Reform and Farm Production in the Northern Uplands of Vietnam*
Authors: Nguyen Trung Thanh
Published: March 2012

Economic theory suggests that increased tenure security will lead to increased productivity. However, existing literature on the relationship between land tenure and land productivity provides inconclusive evidence. The present paper analyzes the impact of land reform on chemical fertilizer use and land productivity of rural farms in the Northern Uplands of Vietnam using a panel dataset collected before and after land reform. The results show that land reform has positive effects on both chemical fertilizer use and land productivity, but the level of influence is different between land privatization and land titling. Relevant policy implications are thus derived for the promotion of farm production in the region.
A Non‐parametric Test of Exchangeability for Extreme‐Value and Left‐Tail Decreasing Bivariate Copulas
Authors: KOJADINOVIC IVAN , YAN JUN
Published: March 2012

Abstract.  A non‐parametric rank‐based test of exchangeability for bivariate extreme‐value copulas is first proposed. The two key ingredients of the suggested approach are the non‐parametric rank‐based estimators of the Pickands dependence function recently studied by Genest and Segers, and a multiplier technique for obtaining approximate p‐values for the derived statistics. The proposed approach is then extended to left‐tail decreasing dependence structures that are not necessarily extreme‐value copulas. Large‐scale Monte Carlo experiments are used to investigate the level and power of the various versions of the test and show that the proposed procedure can be substantially more powerful than tests of exchangeability derived directly from the empirical copula. The approach is illustrated on well‐known financial data.
Protocols and participatory democracy in a ‘North–South’ product development partnership
Authors: Montgomery Catherine M.
Published: March 2012

Global product development partnerships (PDPs) for new health technologies have become an increasingly important part of the science and development landscape over the past two decades. Polarised positions are adopted by those scrutinising the power and governance of these public–private formations; on the one hand, they are seen as successful social technology innovations, on the other as regressive and imperialistic regimes of neo‐colonialism. Answering recent calls for research to examine the actors, governance, context and dynamics of PDPs, this article presents a sociological case study of one particular partnership, the Microbicides Development Programme (MDP). Interviews were conducted with a cross‐section of programme staff in the UK and Zambia, and discourses analysed through a Foucauldian lens of governmentality. This article suggests that two tools of government were central to MDP’s cohesiveness: institutional discourses of participatory democracy and capacity building and scientific protocols. Through these material‐semiotic tools, the scientific community, junior operational researchers and the funder were successfully enrolled into the programme and governed by a central body based in the UK. This article draws on Nikolas Rose’s work to discuss these socio‐scientific discourses as technologies of government, and provides a non‐dualistic account of power and governance in a North–South PDP.
Uncertainty in Spatially Predicted Covariates: Is it Ignorable?
Authors: Foster Scott D. , Shimadzu Hideyasu , Darnell Ross
Published: March 2012

In ecology, a common form of statistical analysis relates a biological variable to variables that delineate the physical environment, typically by fitting a regression model or one of its extensions. Unfortunately, the biological data and the physical data are frequently obtained from separate sources of data. In such cases there is no guarantee that the biological and physical data are co-located and the regression model cannot be used. A common and pragmatic solution is to predict the physical variables at the locations of the biological variables and then to use the predictions as if they were observations. We show that this procedure can cause potentially misleading inferences and we use generalized linear models as an example. We propose a Berkson error model which overcomes the limitations. The differences between using predicted covariates and the Berkson error model are illustrated by using data from the marine environment, and a simulation study based on these data.
A Latent Class Model for Bivariate Binary Responses from Twins
Authors: Ekholm Anders , Jokinen Jukka , McDonald John W. , Smith Peter W. F.
Published: March 2012

We propose a latent class model for bivariate binary responses from monozygotic and dizygotic twin pairs. We study the comorbidity of two diseases, where each disease and their association are presumed to be genetically related via latent predispositions. Each twin belongs to one of four latent classes, conceptualized as a 2×2 table and parameterized by the probabilities for the two genetic predispositions and the dependence ratio between them. Both members of a monozygotic pair belong to the same latent class, but a dizygotic pair falls in one of the 4×4 cells from the cross-classification of the four individual classes. The association structure in the 4×4 table is also parameterized by dependence ratios. All parameters of the model are probabilities or ratios of probabilities having clear-cut interpretations, e.g. prevalence and penetrance. We propose a measure of heritability of the complex consisting of the four latent classes which contrasts the concordance of monozygotic and dizygotic twins. We reanalyse two data sets and compare our model with previously used models which are based on other measures of association.
THE TRUTH NORM OF BELIEF
Authors: MCHUGH CONOR
Published: March 2012

I argue that, if belief is subject to a norm of truth, then that norm is evaluative rather than prescriptive in character. No prescriptive norm of truth is both plausible as a norm that we are subject to, and also capable of explaining what the truth norm of belief is supposed to explain. Candidate prescriptive norms also have implausible consequences for the normative status of withholding belief. An evaluative norm fares better in all of these respects. I propose an evaluative account according to which the goodness of true belief is, in Geach's sense, attributive rather than predicative.
DISPOSITIONS, PRIMITIVE ACTIVITIES, AND ESSENTIALLY ACTIVE OBJECTS
Authors: DUMSDAY TRAVIS
Published: March 2012

The question of whether there could be a physical object that is necessarily constantly active has a long history, and it has recently arisen again in the literature on dispositions. I examine and critique two proposals for affirming the possibility of such an object. I then advocate a third option, one which is workable if paired with natural‐kind essentialism. Finally I briefly outline three possible implications of this view for wider debates concerning the ontology of dispositions and natural kinds.
HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT ‘HOW DO YOU KNOW?’ CHALLENGES A SPEAKER'S KNOWLEDGE?
Authors: MCKINNON RACHEL
Published: March 2012

It is often argued that the general propriety of challenging an assertion with ‘How do you know?’ counts as evidence for the Knowledge Norm of Assertion (KNA). Part of the argument is that this challenge seems to directly challenge whether a speaker knows what she asserts. In this article I argue for a re‐interpretation of the data, the upshot of which is that we need not interpret ‘How do you know?’ as directly challenging a speaker's knowledge; instead, it's better understood as challenging a speaker's reasons. Consequently, I argue that reasons‐based norms can equally well explain this data.
The Great Deflation of 1929–33: it (almost) had to happen1
Authors: MAZUMDER SANDEEP , WOOD JOHN H.
Published: March 2012

There are many explanations of the fall in prices and production called the Great Depression of 1929–33, but this article argues that a sufficient explanation of the price fall—the Great Deflation—was the resumption of the gold convertibility of currencies at prewar parities. The value (general purchasing power) of a convertible currency must be the relative cost of producing gold and other goods, which did not change significantly between 1914 and the 1930s. Monetary and fiscal policies might have affected the timing but not the ends of the price paths that were determined by the decisions to resume.
Mutations in LPAR6/P2RY5 and LIPH are associated with woolly hair and/or hypotrichosis
Authors: Kurban M. , Wajid M. , Shimomura Y. , Christiano A.M.
Published: March 2012

Background  Woolly hair (WH) belongs to a family of disorders characterized by hair shaft anomalies that clinically presents with tightly curled hair, which can be divided into syndromic and non‐syndromic forms of WH. We have recently identified mutations in both LPAR6/P2RY5 and LIPH that are associated with autosomal recessive woolly hair (ARWH).

Objective  To study the underlying genetic causes of autosomal woolly hair in Pakistani population.

Methods  We studied 10 Pakistani families with ARWH for mutations in LPAR6/P2RY5 and LIPH and then performed haplotype analysis to confirm their segregation in the families.

Results  We identified five mutations in LPAR6/P2RY5, among which three were recurrent and two were novel in eight Pakistani families. We then showed that two of the mutations in LPAR6/P2RY5 are founder mutations in Pakistani families. Moreover, we identified two recurrent mutations in the LIPH gene in two Pakistani families.

Conclusion  Our study extends the spectrum of mutations in LPAR6/P2RY5 gene and underscores those mutations in LPAR6/P2RY5 and LIPH result in similar phenotypes.
Psoriasis and physical activity: a review
Authors: Wilson P.B. , Bohjanen K.A. , Ingraham S.J. , Leon A.S.
Published: March 2012

Psoriasis is a common, chronic inflammatory skin disease that can cause significant discomfort and impairment to quality of life. Recent research indicates that individuals with moderate‐to‐severe psoriasis are likely at greater risk for chronic cardiometabolic co‐morbidities such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity and metabolic syndrome. Physical activity can be an effective primary and adjunctive treatment for these maladies in other populations. Unfortunately, only a limited number of studies have examined physical activity in psoriasis, which are limited by poor design and lack of validated physical activity assessment methodologies. A variety of data suggest shared physiologic pathways between physical activity, psoriasis, and psoriasis cardiometabolic co‐morbidities. Increased adiposity, inflammation, oxidative stress, adhesion molecules and lipids are physiologically linked to psoriasis, the risk of psoriasis cardiometabolic co‐morbidities, and low levels of physical activity. In addition, epigenetic pathways are involved in psoriasis and could be influenced by physical activity. The physical and psychosocial impairments common in psoriasis may make it difficult to participate in regular physical activity, and future studies should aim to determine if physical activity interventions improve functioning and reduce co‐morbidities in psoriasis.
RANTES‐mediated control of excitatory amino acid release in mouse spinal cord
Authors: Di Prisco Silvia , Summa Maria , Chellakudam Vineetha , Rossi Pia Irene Anna , Pittaluga Anna
Published: March 2012

J. Neurochem. (2012) 121, 428–437.

The impact of Regulated upon Activation Normal T cells Expressed and Secreted (RANTES) on the release of pre‐loaded [3H]d‐aspartate ([3H]d‐ASP) from mouse spinal cord synaptosomes was investigated. RANTES (0.01–1 nM) failed to affect the spontaneous release, but facilitated the 15 mM K+‐evoked overflow of [3H]d‐ASP. Incubation of synaptosomes with antibodies raised against the chemokine receptor (CCR)1 and CCR5 proteins prevented RANTES‐induced facilitation of glutamate exocytosis, whereas anti‐CCR3 antibody was inefficacious. Accordingly, BX513 and d‐Ala‐peptide T‐amide (DAPTA) CCR1 and CCR5 antagonists, respectively, prevented RANTES‐induced effect, whereas the CCR3 antagonist SB 328437 was inactive. To compare these findings to previous results, we quantified the effects of CCR antagonists on the RANTES‐induced modifications of the spontaneous and the K+‐evoked [3H]d‐ASP release in the mouse cortex. Here, CCR1 and CCR5, but not CCR3, antagonists prevented the RANTES‐mediated [3H]d‐ASP release, whereas RANTES‐induced inhibition of the 12 mM K+‐evoked [3H]d‐ASP exocytosis was also antagonized by SB 328437. Facilitation of glutamate exocytosis in spinal cord relied on PLC‐dependent mobilization of Ca2+ from IP3‐sensitive stores; adenylyl cyclase was not involved. CCR1, CCR3 and CCR5 receptor proteins were present in spinal cord synaptosomal and gliosomal lysates, although RANTES‐induced changes to glutamate release could not be observed in gliosomes. Our results confirm the role of RANTES as modulator of glutamate transmission.
Safety of antihistamines in children: need for approval of new second‐generation antihistamines for young children in Japan
Authors: Shimojo Naoki
Published: March 2012

In Japan, loratadine, fexofenadine, cetirizine and epinastine are currently approved for paediatric use. However, none of these drugs is officially approved for use in children aged under 2 years, and therefore older second‐generation antihistamines such as ketotifen and oxatomide are sometimes prescribed for these patients. Because ketotifen and oxatomide have relatively strong sedative effects, one should be cautious when using these antihistamines in young children. In fact, there are reports describing the development of West syndrome, an intractable epilepsy, in 4‐month‐old infants taking these drugs. Recent clinical trials in Japanese children with allergic rhinitis have shown no serious adverse effects associated with several new second‐generation antihistamines, supporting previous overseas reports. New second‐generation antihistamines should be approved in the near future for young children in Japan.
A synthetic amino acid substitution of Tyr10 in Aβ peptide sequence yields a dominant negative variant in amyloidogenesis
Authors: Mazargui Honoree , Lévêque Christian , Bartnik Dirk , Fantini Jacques , Gouget Tiphany , Melone Mariarosa A. B. , Funke Susanne A. , Willbold Dieter , Perrone Lorena
Published: March 2012

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia in elderly people, and age is the major nongenetic risk factor for sporadic AD. A hallmark of AD is the accumulation of amyloid in the brain, which is composed mainly of the amyloid beta‐peptide (Aβ) in the form of oligomers and fibrils. However, how aging induces Aβ aggregation is not yet fully determined. Some residues in the Aβ sequence seem to promote Aβ‐induced toxicity in association with age‐dependent risk factors for AD, such as (i) increased GM1 brain membrane content, (ii) altered lipid domain in brain membrane, (iii) oxidative stress. However, the role of Aβ sequence in promoting aggregation following interaction with the plasma membrane is not yet demonstrated. As Tyr10 is implicated in the induction of oxidative stress and stabilization of Aβ aggregation, we substituted Tyr 10 with a synthetic amino acid that abolishes Aβ‐induced oxidative stress and shows an accelerated interaction with GM1. This variant peptide shows impaired aggregation properties and increased affinity for GM1. It has a dominant negative effect on amyloidogenesis in vitro, in cellulo, and in isolated synaptosomes. The present study shed new light in the understanding of Aβ‐membrane interactions in Aβ‐induced neurotoxicity. It demonstrates the relevance of Aβ sequence in (i) Aβ‐membrane interaction, underlining the role of age‐dependent enhanced GM1 content in promoting Aβ aggregation, (ii) Aβ aggregation, and (iii) Aβ‐induced oxidative stress. Our results open the way for the design of peptides aimed to inhibit Aβ aggregation and neurotoxicity.
A comparison of three‐dimensional embedded strain transducers, compression tested within the same strain field while offset at an angle with the principal axes
Authors: O’Driscoll C. , O’Donnell E. , Stanley W. , O’Donnell P. , Little E. G.
Published: March 2012

Abstract:  The strain tensor and principal strains were derived for a range of different patterns of three‐dimensional strain transducers. The precisions of the estimates of these values were based on the Monte Carlo simulation applied to experimental work that was conducted on strain transducers tested within the same strain field. The estimates of precision were also determined theoretically and compared with results based on experimental findings. Results suggest that the tetrahedron transducers in experimental work do not perform as well as rectangular patterns and that estimates of principal strains, which were not coincident with the axes of the transducer, showed slight discrepancies.
THE EFFECTS OF INSIDER TRADING RESTRICTIONS: EVIDENCE FROM HISTORICAL DIVIDEND INITIATIONS AND OMISSIONS
Authors: Tanimura Joseph K. , Wehrly Eric W.
Published: March 2012

We investigate whether insider trading restrictions had their intended effects during the 1960s and 1970s. We examine insider trading and stock market behavior before dividend initiations and omissions announced between 1935 and 1974. Contrary to existing research and commentary, we show that restrictions had meaningful effects. During the 1960s and 1970s, insiders sold less frequently before dividend omissions, and the average profitability of insider trades declined. In addition, the positive (negative) stock price runup before dividend initiations (omissions) decreased after 1961. The results provide some vindication for the Securities and Exchange Commission's adjudicative approach toward insider trading regulation.
DISPOSITION EFFECT AND PUBLIC SECONDARY EQUITY OFFERINGS
Authors: Marciukaityte Dalia , Szewczyk Samuel H.
Published: March 2012

Shareholders selling shares in public pure‐secondary equity offerings are affected by the disposition effect and tend to sell past winners. Selling shares in these offerings is associated with significant indirect offer costs. On average, shares are offered at a 5.5% discount from the market price. Moreover, shares of offering firms are about 8% underpriced. Offer discounts and underpricing are positively related to the proxy for the disposition effect. Our findings are consistent with the proposition that the disposition effect increases the supply of winning stocks and depresses their prices.
The Making of the Urban Middle Class in South Korea (1961–1979): Nation‐Building, Discipline, and the Birth of the Ideal National Subjects*
Authors: Yang Myungji
Published: March 2012

This article examines the process through which the state nurtured urban middle‐class formation during the Park Chung Hee regime in South Korea. While existing studies have focused on the size and characteristics of the middle class, few studies explore the political process or mechanisms through which the middle class was on the rise as a mainstream force. This article argues that urban middle‐class formation was a political–ideological project of the authoritarian state to reconstruct the nation and strengthen the regime’s political legitimacy. In particular, this article explores the two concurrent processes of urban middle‐class formation in Korea: one is the growth of the middle class in an objective sense, as a result of state‐directed economic development; and the other is the production of urban middle‐class norms. Drawing on the discourses of the Korean government and the media disseminated during from 1961 to 1979, I trace how the formation of the middle class in Korea was intertwined with modernity and nationalism in order to consolidate state power.
Fooled by Local Robustness
Authors: Sniedovich Moshe
Published: March 2012

One would have expected the considerable public debate created by Nassim Taleb’s two best selling books on uncertainty, Fooled by Randomness and The Black Swan, to inspire greater caution to the fundamental difficulties posed by severe uncertainty. Yet, methodologies exhibiting an incautious approach to uncertainty have been proposed recently in a range of publications. So, the objective of this short note is to call attention to a prime example of an incautious approach to severe uncertainty that is manifested in the proposition to use the concept radius of stability as a measure of robustness against severe uncertainty. The central proposition of this approach, which is exemplified in info‐gap decision theory, is this: use a simple radius of stability model to analyze and manage a severe uncertainty that is characterized by a vast uncertainty space, a poor point estimate, and a likelihood‐free quantification of uncertainty. This short discussion serves then as a reminder that the generic radius of stability model is a model of local robustness. It is, therefore, utterly unsuitable for the treatment of severe uncertainty when the latter is characterized by a poor estimate of the parameter of interest, a vast uncertainty space, and a likelihood‐free quantification of uncertainty.
Inappropriate ICD Shocks caused by T‐wave Oversensing due to Acute Alcohol Intoxication
Authors: RASANIA SURAJ P. , MOUNTANTONAKIS STAVROS , PATEL VICKAS V.
Published: March 2012

T‐wave oversensing can be a serious problem that often results in inappropriate device therapy. We report here a patient with binge alcohol use who received multiple, inappropriate ICD shocks due to T‐wave oversensing from repolarization changes induced by acute alcohol intoxication and no other relevant metabolic derangements. Following recovery from his alcohol intoxication a few days later, the T‐wave amplitude decreased so the device no longer inappropriately sensed or delivered therapies. This case represents an uncommon, but reversible, cause of T‐wave oversensing that should be considered before more aggressive measures are taken to correct the abnormality. (PACE 2012; 35:e267–e271)
Electrical Conductivity of 10 mol% Sc2O3–1 mol% M2O3–ZrO2 Ceramics
Authors: Omar Shobit , Bin Najib Waqas , Chen Weiwu , Bonanos Nikolaos
Published: March 2012

The oxide‐ion conductivity behavior of 10 mol% Sc2O3–ZrO2 co‐doped with 1 mol% trivalent metal oxide has been determined from 350°C to 700°C in air. All the powders were synthesized using conventional solid‐oxide route. XRD patterns collected at room temperature show the presence of β‐phase in the predominant cubic phase in 1Sc10ScSZ, 1Yb10ScSZ, and 1Y10ScSZ, although 1In10ScSZ consist entirely of β‐phase at ambient temperature. As evident from the cubic symmetry of 1Gd10ScSZ and 1Sm10ScSZ, the β‐phase can be suppressed by the slight addition of co‐dopant elements of larger ionic radius. The total conductivity of 1M10ScSZ initially increases with increasing size of the co‐dopant, reaches a maximum at ~0.95 Å and thereafter decreases. At 600°C, 1Yb10ScSZ exhibits the highest total conductivity, namely 14 mS/cm. The grain interior and the grain boundary follow similar conductivity trends with the maximum at 1In10ScSZ and 1Y10ScSZ, respectively. Around 475°C, 1In10ScSZ but not other compositions exhibits an abrupt drop in the conductivity on cooling, due to the cubic to β‐phase transformation. At 600°C, the activation energy for the oxide‐ion conductivity in 1M10ScSZ compositions ranges from 1.06 to 1.15 eV, with 1Yb10ScSZ exhibiting the smallest value. Long‐term stability studies of the conductivity were performed on the sintered pellet of 1Yb10ScSZ in both oxidizing and reducing conditions at 600°C. After 2000 h of exposure to air and reducing conditions, the 1Yb10ScSZ composition shows 9.1% and 12.0% loss in the total conductivity, respectively. After the first 1000 h, 1Yb10ScSZ exhibited a degradation rate of ~1.1%/1000 h in both the conditions. From impedance studies, it was shown that, during annealing, the grain interior resistivity remains almost stable, while only grain boundary contributes toward the rise in total resistivity in both the conditions.
The effects of Target Variables and Settting on Perceptions of Hate Speech1
Authors: Cowan Gloria , Mettrick Jon
Published: March 2012

Traditional leader–member exchange (LMX) research typically measures quality of exchange from the subordinate's or member's perspective—LMX(m). In this research, we propose a new construct, LMX(l), which reflects a supervisor's or leader's perception of the value delivered by his or her subordinate in the exchange relationship. Together, LMX(m) and LMX(l) are expected to provide a more complete picture of dyadic exchange quality. Our results indicate relatively modest convergence between the 2 perspectives on LMX. Both LMX(m) and LMX(l) were found to relate to specific currencies of exchange provided by each dyad partner, and agreement between the 2 was negatively associated with the frequency of supervisor–employee conflict. Implications for LMX theory and future research are discussed.
A Bioinformatics Approach to Preterm Birth
Authors: Uzun Alper , Sharma Surendra , Padbury James
Published: March 2012

A vast body of literature has suggested genetic programming of preterm birth. However, there is a complete lack of an organized analysis and stratification of genetic variants that may indeed be involved in the pathogenesis of preterm birth. We developed a novel bioinformatics approach to identify the nominal genetic variants associated with preterm birth. We used semantic data mining to extract all published articles related to preterm birth. Genes identified from public databases and archives of expression arrays were aggregated with genes curated from the literature. Pathway analysis was used to impute genes from pathways identified in the curations. The curated articles and collected genetic information are available in a web‐based tool, the database for preterm birth (dbPTB) that forms a unique resource for investigators interested in preterm birth.