bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Aerobic power, huddling and the efficiency of torpor in the South American marsupial, Dromiciops gliroides
Authors: Franco Marcela , Contreras Carolina , Cortés Pablo , Chappell Mark A. , Soto-Gamboa Mauricio , Nespolo Roberto F.
Published: September 2012

During periods of cold, small endotherms depend on a continuous supply of food and energy to maintain euthermic body temperature (Tb), which can be challenging if food is limited. In these conditions, energy-saving strategies are critical to reduce the energetic requirements for survival. Mammals from temperate regions show a wide arrange of such strategies, including torpor and huddling. Here we provide a quantitative description of thermoregulatory capacities and energy-saving strategies in Dromiciops gliroides, a Microbiotherid marsupial inhabiting temperate rain forests. Unlike many mammals from temperate regions, preliminary studies have suggested that this species has low capacity for control and regulation of body temperature, but there is still an incomplete picture of its bioenergetics. In order to more fully understand the physiological capacities of this “living fossil”, we measured its scope of aerobic power and the interaction between huddling and torpor. Specifically, we evaluated: (1) the relation between basal (BMR) and maximum metabolic rate (MMR), and (2) the role of huddling on the characteristics of torpor at different temperatures. We found that BMR and MMR were above the expected values for marsupials and the factorial aerobic scope (from CO2) was 6.0±0.45 (using CO2) and 6.2±0.23 (using O2), an unusually low value for mammals. Also, repeatability of physiological variables was non-significant, as in previous studies, suggesting poor time-consistency of energy metabolism. Comparisons of energy expenditure and body temperature (using attached data-loggers) between grouped and isolated individuals showed that at 20°C both average resting metabolic rate and body temperature were higher in groups, essentially because animals remained non-torpid. At 10°C, however, all individuals became torpid and no differences were observed between grouped and isolated individuals. In summary, our study suggests that the main response of Dromiciops gliroides to low ambient temperature is reduced body temperature and torpor, irrespective of huddling. Low aerobic power and low time-consistency of most thermoregulatory traits of Dromiciops gliroides support the idea of poor thermoregulatory abilities in this species.
Soap Operas and Fertility: Evidence from Brazil
Authors: Ferrara Eliana La , Chong Alberto , Duryea Suzanne
Published: September 2012

We estimate the effect of television on fertility in Brazil, where soap operas portray small families. We exploit differences in the timing of entry into different markets of Globo, the main novela producer. Women living in areas covered by Globo have significantly lower fertility. The effect is strongest for women of lower socioeconomic status and in the central and late phases of fertility, consistent with stopping behavior. The result does not appear to be driven by selection in Globo entry. We provide evidence that novelas, and not just television, affected individual choices, based on children's naming patterns and novela content. (JEL J13, J16, L82, O15, Z13)
Limited Insurance within the Household: Evidence from a Field Experiment in Kenya
Authors: Robinson Jonathan
Published: September 2012

In developing countries, unexpected income shocks are common but informal insurance is typically incomplete. An important question is therefore whether risk-sharing within the household is effective. This paper presents results from a field experiment with 142 married couples in Kenya in which individuals were given random income shocks. Even though the shocks were small relative to lifetime income, men increase private consumption when they receive the shock but not when their wives do, a rejection of efficiency. Such behavior is not specific to the experiment—both spouses spend more on themselves when their labor income is higher. (JEL D14, D81, G22, O12, O16)
The Power of Political Voice: Women's Political Representation and Crime in India
Authors: Iyer Lakshmi , Mani Anandi , Mishra Prachi , Topalova Petia
Published: September 2012

Using state-level variation in the timing of political reforms, we find that an increase in female representation in local government induces a large and significant rise in documented crimes against women in India. Our evidence suggests that this increase is good news, driven primarily by greater reporting rather than greater incidence of such crimes. In contrast, we find no increase in crimes against men or in gender-neutral crimes. We also examine the effectiveness of alternative forms of political representation. Large scale membership of women in local councils affects crime against them more than their presence in higher-level leadership positions. (JEL D72, J16, K42, O15, O17)
Access, Sorting, and Achievement: The Short-Run Effects of Free Primary Education in Kenya
Authors: Lucas Adrienne M , Mbiti Isaac M
Published: September 2012

We examine the impact of the Kenyan Free Primary Education program on student participation, sorting, and achievement on the primary school exit examination. Exploiting variation in pre-program dropout rates between districts, we find that the program increased the number of students who completed primary school, spurred private school entry, and increased access for students from disadvantaged backgrounds. We argue that the program was welfare enhancing as it promoted educational access without substantially reducing the test scores of students who would have been in school in the absence of the program. (JEL H52, I21, I28, O15)
Can Mobile Phones Improve Learning? Evidence from a Field Experiment in Niger
Authors: Aker Jenny C , Ksoll Christopher , Lybbert Travis J
Published: September 2012

The returns to educational investments hinge on whether such investments can improve the quality and persistence of educational gains. We report the results from a randomized evaluation of an adult education program in Niger, in which some students learned how to use simple mobile phones (Project ABC). Students in ABC villages achieved test scores that were 0.19–0.26 standard deviations higher than those in standard adult education classes, and standardized math test scores remained higher seven months after the end of classes. These results suggest that simple information technology can be harnessed to improve educational outcomes among rural populations. (JEL D83, I21, O15, O33)
Systematic review on the association between F2-isoprostanes and cardiovascular disease
Authors: Zhang Zhi-Jiang
Published: September 2012

Background

Oxidative stress may play an aetiological role in the development and progression of cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, evidence on its biochemical markers has been controversial. This article aimed to assess the role of F2-isoprostanes, a marker for measuring in vivo lipid oxidation, as a biomarker for CVD, including coronary artery disease, stroke and peripheral artery disease.

Methods

A literature search was performed using PubMed and EMBASE (from 1966 to February 2012). Studies that investigated the association between F2-isoprostanes and CVD were eligible.

Results

Of the 22 eligible studies retrieved, 20 studies showed a significant association between F2-isoprostanes and CVD. However, to date, there have been only four population-based studies, with one study reporting null association. Although data from prospective studies are ideal to examine a role of such biomarkers in predicting future CVD events, only two studies were prospective. In addition, differences in population characteristics, sample handling/storage and assays, coupled with a lack of confounding adjustment, may all contribute to the enormous variation in previous studies.

Conclusions

High levels of F2-isoprostanes in urine or blood may be a non-specific indicator of CVD. However, further population-based studies are needed. In addition, multivariable analyses are required for future studies to control confounding and improve classification accuracy.
The effect of doxycycline on alcohol consumption and sensitivity: consideration for inducible transgenic mouse models
Authors: McIver Sally R , Muccigrosso Megan M , Haydon Philip G
Published: September 2012

Neuroinflammation is known to elicit numerous changes in brain physiology and is associated with various pathologies, including neurodegenerative diseases, and behaviors, such as sleep and acute illness. In addition, there is accumulating evidence that the behavioral response to alcohol is affected by perturbations to the neuroimmune system. Recent studies have shown that administration of proinflammatory mediators increases alcohol consumption, while anti-inflammatory drugs, such as minocycline, decrease consumption. Doxycycline is an anti-inflammatory mediator and a tetracycline derivative, and is commonly used in the tetracycline regulatory system, a transgenic approach widely accredited for its inducible and reversible nature. Given the established link between anti-inflammatory agents and response to and consumption of alcohol, and because the tetracycline regulatory system is becoming increasingly employed for genetic manipulations and behavioral phenotyping, we investigated the effect of doxycycline administration on alcohol sensitivity and consumption. Two independent transgenic lines containing a tetracycline transactivator transgene or the tetracycline operator promoter insertion, along with wild-type littermate mice (C57Bl/6J), were used to measure changes in alcohol consumption, alcohol-induced motor impairment and sedation, and blood alcohol concentration with doxycycline administration (40 mg/kg in chow). Using repeated sessions of the drinking-in-the-dark paradigm, we found that doxycycline consistently reduced consumption of 20% alcohol during two- and four-hour access. Doxycyline also increased sensitivity to the motor-impairing effects of alcohol (2 g/kg), and the duration of loss of righting reflex after ethanol injection (3.5 g/kg), without causing a significant alteration in blood alcohol levels . Despite the many advantages of using a tetracycline-regulated transgenic approach, it is important to consider the effects of doxycycline administration in behaviors that may be influenced by neuroinflammation, including alcohol behaviors.
Social Influence and Entrepreneurship: The Effect of University Peers on Entrepreneurial Entry
Authors: Kacperczyk Aleksandra J.
Published: September 2012

Theories of entrepreneurship have proposed that entrepreneurs are shaped by contextual influences. This paper examines the social transmission of entrepreneurial behavior across university peers. I propose that peers acquainted at a university increase the probability of an entrepreneurial entry by transmitting information about new opportunities and by reducing the uncertainty associated with entrepreneurship. Based on unique data on hedge fund foundings between 1979 and 2006, this study documents that past entrepreneurial behaviors of university peers are an important driver of individual rates of entrepreneurship. Additional analyses show that social influence has a stronger effect on the transition to entrepreneurship when exerted by spatially proximate university peers and university peers who share gender with the focal individual. These findings provide evidence that the effect of university peers arises as a result of social influence rather than the institutional impact of universities. Together, the results uncover novel pathways of social transmission of entrepreneurship and strengthen evidence for the role of contextual influences in shaping entrepreneurial entry.
Explaining Variation in Organizational Identity Categorization
Authors: Hsu Greta , Elsbach Kimberly D.
Published: September 2012

In explaining why constituent groups often vary in their perceptions of the most salient aspects of an organization’s identity, existing research has drawn, almost exclusively, on social identity research and self-enhancement motives. This research suggests that when different organizational identity categorizations are enhancing to some groups but not others, variation in organizational identity perceptions arises. In this paper, by contrast, we explore the role that unmotivated or “spontaneous” cognitions may play in influencing variation in constituents’ organizational identity categorizations. Based on data from a study of U.S. business school constituents, we develop a dual-path model through which both motivated and spontaneous processes influence the different organizational identity categorizations constituent groups find to be most salient. We discuss both the theoretical and practical implications of these findings.
Getting Ahead or Getting Along? The Two-Facet Conceptualization of Conscientiousness and Leadership Emergence
Authors: Marinova Sophia V. , Moon Henry , Kamdar Dishan
Published: September 2012

We propose a theoretical process model of the social construction of leadership that sheds light on the relationship between conscientiousness and leadership emergence. The socioanalytic theory of personality is invoked to hypothesize different mediational paths linking the two facets of conscientiousness, achievement striving and duty, with leadership emergence. We tested the theoretical model with data from 249 employees matched with data from 40 of their coworkers and 40 supervisors employed in a Fortune 500 organization. Results indicate that the relationship between achievement striving and leadership emergence is partially mediated by competitiveness, providing support for a getting-ahead path to leadership. In contrast, the relationship between duty and leadership emergence is, in part, carried forward by trust, helping role perceptions, and helping behavior, supporting a getting-along path to leadership. Consistent with the self versus other distinction theoretically posited with regard to the facets of conscientiousness, although helping behavior is a predictor of leadership emergence, achievement strivers help only when they perceive helping as being an in-role requirement, whereas dutiful individuals enlarge their helping role perceptions.
The Structural Context of Team Learning: Effects of Organizational and Team Structure on Internal and External Learning
Authors: Bresman Henrik , Zellmer-Bruhn Mary
Published: September 2012

This paper reports on a study of structural antecedents to team learning. In a study of self-managed pharmaceutical research and development teams, we first find that more team-level structure is associated with more internal learning as well as more external learning. We then establish that more organizational-level structure is negatively associated with both internal and external learning. We find that psychological safety mediates the positive relationship between team structure and team learning, and that task autonomy constraints mediate the negative relationship between organizational structure and team learning. Investigating the interaction effect between team and organizational structure, we find, unexpectedly, that organizational structure supports external team learning under conditions of less team structure. Specifically, when teams have less team structure, the relationship between organizational structure and external team learning is positive. This structure substitutability finding suggests that although more organizational structure, on average, hurts external team learning, there are situations in which it helps. An important implication of the study is that multiple levels of structure, and their interactions, should be taken into consideration when assessing structural effects on team learning.
The Long Journey of Cancer Biomarkers from the Bench to the Clinic
Authors: Pavlou Maria P , Diamandis Eleftherios P , Blasutig Ivan M
Published: September 2012

BACKGROUND

Protein cancer biomarkers serve multiple clinical purposes, both early and late, during disease progression. The search for new and better biomarkers has become an integral component of contemporary cancer research. However, the number of new biomarkers cleared by the US Food and Drug Administration has declined substantially over the last 10 years, raising concerns regarding the efficiency of the biomarker-development pipeline.

CONTENT

We describe different clinical uses of cancer biomarkers and their performance requirements. We also present examples of protein cancer biomarkers currently in clinical use and their limitations. The major barriers that candidate biomarkers need to overcome to reach the clinic are addressed. Finally, the long and arduous journey of a protein cancer biomarker from the bench to the clinic is outlined with an example.

The journey of a protein biomarker from the bench to the clinic is long and challenging. Every step needs to be meticulously planned and executed to succeed. The history of clinically useful biomarkers suggests that at least a decade is required for the transition of a marker from the bench to the bedside. Therefore, it may be too early to expect that the new technological advances will catalyze the anticipated biomarker revolution any time soon.
Associations of Alternative Markers of Glycemia with Hemoglobin A1c and Fasting Glucose
Authors: Juraschek Stephen P , Steffes Michael W , Selvin Elizabeth
Published: September 2012

BACKGROUND

1,5-Anhydroglucitol (1,5-AG), fructosamine, and glycated albumin are of increasing interest as alternative measures of hyperglycemia. We characterize the associations of these nontraditional glycemic markers with hemoglobin A1c (Hb A1c) and fasting glucose and assess their ability to identify people with diabetes.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional comparison of 1,5-AG, fructosamine, and glycated albumin with Hb A1c and fasting glucose measurements in 1719 participants from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study. We evaluated nonlinear relationships using R2 and F-statistics. Performance for identification of cases of diabetes was determined using the area under the curve (AUC). Diabetes was defined by Hb A1c ≥6.5%, fasting glucose ≥126 mg/dL (≥6.99 mmol/L), and/or a self-reported history of diagnosed diabetes.

RESULTS

Median values of Hb A1c and fasting glucose were 5.8% and 109 mg/dL (6.05 mmol/L), respectively; 17.3% of the study population had diagnosed diabetes. Glycated albumin, fructosamine, and 1,5-AG were more strongly correlated with Hb A1c compared with fasting glucose (all P values <0.05). Nonlinear models provided the best fit for describing the relationships of the alternative markers to Hb A1c. When diabetes was defined by an Hb A1c ≥6.5%, fructosamine (AUC 0.83; 95% CI, 0.79–0.87) and glycated albumin (AUC 0.87; 95% CI, 0.83–0.90) performed comparably to fasting glucose (AUC 0.83; 95% CI, 0.79–0.87), while 1,5-AG performed worse (AUC 0.74; 95% CI, 0.69–0.78) for identifying cases of undiagnosed diabetes.

CONCLUSIONS

Fructosamine and glycated albumin may be useful adjuncts to Hb A1c and fasting glucose. Future studies should examine these markers in situations in which fasting glucose or Hb A1c measurements are invalid or not available.
Longitudinal Studies of Cardiac Troponin I in a Large Cohort of Healthy Children
Authors: Koerbin Gus , Potter Julia M , Abhayaratna Walter P , Telford Richard D , Badrick Tony , Apple Fred S , Jaffe Allan S , Hickman Peter E
Published: September 2012

BACKGROUND

There is little information available on cardiac troponin concentrations in healthy young children.

METHODS

Using a precommercial high-sensitivity assay from Abbott Diagnostics, we measured cardiac troponin I (cTnI) in longitudinal blood samples collected at ages 8, 10, and 12 years from a cohort of healthy, community-dwelling children. The 99th percentile values were calculated and estimates of the long-term biological variation were made.

RESULTS

cTnI concentrations were above the limit of detection in 87%, 90%, and 98% of the children at ages 8, 10, and 12 years. The 99th percentiles were lower compared to a healthy adult population in both male and female children at all ages studied. At the 3 periods of study assessment, different children had cTnI concentrations above the 99th percentile. The calculated 99th percentile varied markedly depending upon whether the lowest or highest cTnI measurement for an individual child was included in the calculation. Biological variation varied markedly between 0% and 136%, the index of individuality was low at 0.36, and the reference change value was an increase of 147% or a decrease of 59%.

CONCLUSIONS

In this longitudinal study of cTnI concentrations in healthy children as determined by a high-sensitivity assay, different children had concentrations of cTnI above the 99th percentile at the 3 episodes of assessment. These results suggest that in children the 99th percentile may not be a reliable index of silent cardiac disease, but rather may be indicating low-grade intercurrent illness.
Does Advertising on Television Cause Childhood Obesity? A Longitudinal Analysis
Authors: Beales J. Howard , Kulick Robert
Published: September 2012

Numerous studies finding a relationship between children's television viewing and obesity have led many to argue that advertising “unhealthy” food products causes children to adopt eating habits that lead to obesity. This longitudinal analysis of the relationship between television viewing and childhood obesity finds a positive effect in children aged seven years and older but not in younger children. Adding controls for the household environment created by the children's parents reduces the size of this effect. If advertising is the causal mechanism for the relationship, watching programming on television should have a greater effect than watching similar programming on video or DVDs. We find no significant difference in the effects of viewing commercial versus noncommercial television. Moreover, we generally find no significant differences between watching programming for the same intended audience on television or on video. These results suggest that restrictions on advertising may play a limited role in the battle against childhood obesity. Research is needed on the determinants of children's television viewing and how those factors may influence dietary choices.
Toward Marketplace Diversity: A Multimeasure, Multidimensional Study of the Journal of Public Policy & Marketing
Authors: DeBerry-Spence Benét , Ekpo Akon Elizabeth , Adelakun Mopelola , Gunay Hande
Published: September 2012

To reflect greater marketplace diversity and inclusion, journals must publish research that engages a broader repertoire of intellectual resources and approaches. The authors examine how Journal of Public Policy & Marketing (JPPM) contributes to this area from a multimeasure, multidimensional perspective. This research illustrates how JPPM's composition of diversity has changed over time and provides insight into how JPPM successfully fulfills its mission.
What Matters: Factors Influencing Gay Consumers’ Evaluations of “Gay-Friendly” Corporate Activities
Authors: Oakenfull Gillian W.
Published: September 2012

Over the past decade, many corporations have shown an increased willingness to move ahead of public policy in affording equal rights to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) employees. In addition, corporate America spends billions of dollars each year targeting members of the LGBT population in the marketplace. Most recently, corporations have begun to take a public stance as advocates for equal treatment of LGBT individuals under the law. However, corporations’ treatment of the LGBT population as a unified market may indicate that research on this group lacks granularity. Using demographics and social identity information, this research identifies important market differences between gay males and lesbians that can better inform corporations’ promotional expenditure and segmentation decisions when approaching the gay consumer market. The findings of this research suggest that it is important that companies avoid treating gay consumers as a group with monolithic preferences and perceptions. An individual's sex and identity with the gay community have a significant impact on perceptions of the gay-friendliness of various corporate activities.
Antioxidant property of TCF pulp with a high hexenuronic acid (HexA) content
Authors: Valls Cristina , Roncero M. Blanca
Published: September 2012

Totally chlorine free (TCF) pulp with a high content of hexenuronic acids (HexAs) was found to possess a high antioxidant power. The contribution of HexA to kappa number in unbleached Eucalyptus globulus kraft pulp was estimated to be 1.05 units per 10 μmol of HexA. The variation of HexA and lignin contents in enzymatic elemental chlorine free (ECF) and TCF sequences was monitored, and interesting effects were observed during the TCF XLE sequence, where X denotes an enzyme pretreatment with xylanase, L a laccase-mediator stage, and E an alkaline extraction stage. Thus, HexA removal during L stage was strongly enhanced after the X stage; also, the HexA content was decreased by the alkaline stage. None of these effects was observed in the ECF sequence with chlorine dioxide. The antioxidant power detected in HexA makes TCF pulp an excellent raw material for manufacturing packaging for easily oxidized products.
High Temperature Corrosion of Metallic Materials in Composed Oxidizing Environments
Authors: Grzesik Z. , Mrowec S.
Published: September 2012

Basing on actual theoretical approach and experimental results, the mechanism of sulphide formation beneath the oxide scale grown on metals in SO2-O2 atmospheres has been described. It has been shown that in spite of much lower sulphur partial pressure in the oxidizing atmosphere than the dissociation pressure of the sulphide to be formed, the sulphidation process takes place beneath the oxide scale. This, at the first sight, unexpected behavior results from the fact that sulphur is diffusing inwards through the primary oxide scale in the molecular form, i.e. SO2 molecules. Reaching thus metal-scale interface, where the oxygen partial pressure is very low, virtually equal to the dissociation pressure of the oxide forming the scale, SO2 ⇔ O2 + ½S2 equilibrium is shifted to the right, as a result of which the partial pressure of sulphur vapor dramatically increases, reaching the value several orders of magnitude higher than that needed for sulphide formation.

Analogous situation is observed during oxidation of chromium steels in CO2-O2 atmospheres. In this case, namely, carburisation process is observed beneath the oxide scale, in spite of the fact that carbon activity in this environment is several order of magnitude lower than that required for chromium carbide formation. This again unexpected situation becomes understandable if one assumes – like in the case of metal oxidation in SO2 containing atmosphere – that carbon is transported through the oxide scale in the form of CO2 molecules.

The final conclusion is, that the explanation of the mechanism of sulphide formation beneath the oxide scale on metals and of carburization beneath the oxide scales on steels constitutes the important step forward, leading to the better understanding of high temperature corrosion mechanisms of metallic materials, observed in multicomponent agresive gases.
Unfilled Prescriptions in Pediatric Primary Care
Authors: Zweigoron Rachael T. , Binns Helen J. , Tanz Robert R.
Published: September 2012

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:

Filling a prescription is the important first step in medication adherence, but has not been studied in pediatric primary care. The objective of this study was to use claims data to determine the rate of unfilled prescriptions in pediatric primary care and examine factors associated with prescription filling.

METHODS:

This retrospective observational study of pediatric primary care patients compares prescription data from an electronic medical record with insurance claims data. Illinois Medicaid provided claims data for 4833 patients who received 16 953 prescriptions during visits at 2 primary care sites over 26 months. Prescriptions were compared with claims to determine filling within 1 day and 60 days. Clinical and demographic variables significant in univariate analysis were included in logistic regression models.

RESULTS:

Patients were 51% male; most (84%) spoke English and were African American (38.7%) or Hispanic (39.1%). Seventy-eight percent of all prescriptions were filled. Among filled prescriptions, 69% were filled within 1 day. African American, Hispanic, and male patients were significantly more likely to have filled prescriptions. Younger age was associated with filling within 1 day but not with filling within 60 days. Prescriptions for antibiotics, from one of the clinic sites, from sick/follow-up visits, and electronic prescriptions were significantly more likely to be filled.

CONCLUSIONS:

More than 20% of prescriptions in a pediatric primary care setting were never filled. The significant associations with clinical site, visit type, and electronic prescribing suggest system-level factors that affect prescription filling. Development of interventions to increase adherence should account for the factors that affect primary adherence.
Medications for Adolescents and Young Adults With Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Systematic Review
Authors: Dove Dwayne , Warren Zachary , McPheeters Melissa L. , Taylor Julie Lounds , Sathe Nila A. , Veenstra-VanderWeele Jeremy
Published: September 2012

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE:

Although many treatments have been studied in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), less attention has focused on interventions that may be helpful in adolescents and young adults with ASD. The goal of this study was to systematically review evidence regarding medication treatments for individuals between the ages of 13 and 30 years with ASD.

METHODS:

The Medline, PsycINFO, and ERIC databases were searched (1980–December 2011), as were reference lists of included articles. Two investigators independently assessed studies against predetermined inclusion/exclusion criteria. Two investigators independently extracted data regarding participant and intervention characteristics, assessment techniques, and outcomes and assigned overall quality and strength of evidence ratings on the basis of predetermined criteria.

RESULTS:

Eight studies of medications were identified that focused on 13- to 30-year-olds with ASD; 4 of the studies were of fair quality. The strength of evidence was insufficient for all outcomes associated with medications tested in this population; however, the 2 available studies of the atypical antipsychotic medication risperidone in this age range were consistent with the moderate evidence in children with ASD for treating problem behavior, including aggression, and high strength of evidence for adverse events, including sedation and weight gain.

CONCLUSIONS:

There is a marked lack of data on use of medication treatments for adolescents and young adults with ASD. The evidence on the use of risperidone in this age range is insufficient when considered alone but is consistent with the data in the population of children with ASD.
The Pediatrician’s Role in Supporting Adoptive Families
Authors: Jones Veronnie F. , Schulte Elaine E. ,   the Committee on Early Childhood and Council on Foster Care, Adoption, and Kinship Care, Donoghue Elaine , Fussell Jill J. , Gleason Mary Margaret , Jones Veronnie F. , Mendelsohn Alan L. , Williams Patricia G. , Szilagyi Moira A. , Fierson Walter M. , Harmon David A. , High Pamela C. , Jaudes Paula Kienberger , Lee Paul J. , Nalven Lisa M. , Prock Lisa Albers , Sagor Linda Davidson , Schulte Elaine E. , Springer Sarah H. , Tonniges Thomas F.
Published: September 2012

Each year, more children join families through adoption. Pediatricians have an important role in assisting adoptive families in the various challenges they may face with respect to adoption. The acceptance of the differences between families formed through birth and those formed through adoption is essential in promoting positive emotional growth within the family. It is important for pediatricians to be aware of the adoptive parents’ need to be supported in their communication with their adopted children.
Psychological characteristics of mothers of patients with anorexia nervosa: implications for treatment and prognosis
Authors: Campos Lia Keuchguerian Silveira , Sampaio Anna Beatriz Ribeiro Ferreira , Garcia Junior Celso , Magdaleno Junior Ronis , Battistoni Maria Marta de Magalhães , Turato Egberto Ribeiro
Published: September 2012

INTRODUCTION: The complexity of factors involved in anorexia nervosa (AN) and the recommendations of prominent health organizations underscore the importance of reflecting on therapeutic interventions aimed at patients' family members. OBJECTIVE: To expand knowledge about the mother-daughter relationship in AN, with a focus on developing a conceptual framework that is able to improve the treatment of the disorder, reduce factors that perpetuate it and improve prognosis. METHOD: A clinical method, anchored by psychodynamic references, was employed in a group of family members of patients with eating disorders. The group met weekly, and sessions were led by psychologists from the eating disorder outpatient clinic of a university hospital. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Common characteristics in the mother-daughter relationship in cases of AN were identified. The issue of mutual control, the dialectic between omnipotence and impotence, and the relationship of devotion, passion and annihilation between mothers and daughters are phenomena that form the basis of AN, with a direct influence on the severity of each case and on treatment success. CONCLUSION: Our findings allowed us to identify important aspects in the mother-daughter relationship in AN, which may improve the clinical interventions aimed at treating the disorder.
The concept of time in the perception of children and adolescents
Authors: Michel Fernando , Harb Francine , Hidalgo Maria Paz Loayza
Published: September 2012

INTRODUCTION: Children and adolescents use different markers to elaborate the concept of time, and such markers change along their development. The objective of the present article was to analyze changes in time concepts in different age groups. METHODS: The study included 81 children and adolescents aged 6 to 17 years, attending elementary or high school at a public school in southern Brazil. Participants were asked to provide their definition of time, either orally (children) or in writing (older children and adolescents). RESULTS: Twenty-one words were identified as related with the definition of time. The term "hours" was the most frequently cited (24.7%), followed by "clock" and "family" (11.1% each). Among children aged 6 to 8 years, "family" was the term most frequently mentioned to refer to time. Between 9 to 11 years of age, the notion of time was essentially related to the use of a clock, and in the 12-17-year age group, time was mostly associated with the word "days." The word "family" appears to be a frequent temporal marker in childhood, but loses this function during adolescence, as new social relationships are established. CONCLUSION: The results of this study show that the concept of time varies according to age. Chronobiological studies should therefore take into consideration the temporal perception peculiar to each age group.
Management of Advanced Prostate Cancer in Senior Adults: The New Landscape
Authors: Aapro Matti S.
Published: September 2012

The landscape of treatment for advanced prostate cancer is continually evolving as new therapies are developed and guidelines are constantly updated. However, the management of older men with advanced disease is not optimal. Many men are denied chemotherapy based on their chronological age, not their health status. Androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) remains the mainstay of first-line treatment of advanced disease. Once the disease becomes resistant to castration, docetaxel-based chemotherapy is the regulatory-approved standard of care, irrespective of age. The place of weekly docetaxel in patients with poor performance status and signs of frailty has to be further evaluated in clinical studies. New treatments are now available, or on the horizon, for disease that progresses during or after docetaxel therapy. Cabazitaxel and abiraterone have been shown to prolong survival, irrespective of age, and are already in clinical use having received regulatory approval. The optimal sequence for these two agents is still unknown, although there is some indication that in patients predicted to be poor responders to abiraterone (high Gleason score, progression during docetaxel therapy, rapid progression to castrate-resistant prostate cancer with ADT) cabazitaxel should be the preferred choice. Further advances are being investigated, with promising data reported from phase III trials.
Unraveling plant–animal diversity relationships: a meta‐regression analysis
Authors: Castagneyrol Bastien , Jactel Hervé
Published: September 2012

In the face of unprecedented loss of biodiversity, cross‐taxon correlates have been proposed as a means of obtaining quantitative estimates of biodiversity for identifying habitats of important conservation value. Habitat type, animal trophic level, and the spatial extent of studies would be expected to influence the strength of such correlations. We investigated these effects by carrying out a meta‐analysis of 320 case studies of correlations between plant and animal species richnesses. The diversity of arthropods, herps, birds, and mammals significantly increased with plant diversity regardless of species habitat. However, correlations were stronger when plant and animal species richnesses were compared between habitats (γ diversity) than within single habitats (α diversity). For arthropods, both the coefficient of correlation and the slope of the regression line were also greater for primary than for secondary consumers. These findings substantiate the use of plant species richness as an indicator of the diversity of animal taxa over space.
Conserving and promoting evenness: organic farming and fire‐based wildland management as case studies
Authors: Crowder David W. , Northfield Tobin D. , Gomulkiewicz Richard , Snyder William E.
Published: September 2012

Healthy ecosystems include many species (high richness) with similar abundances (high evenness). Thus, both aspects of biodiversity are worthy of conservation. Simultaneously conserving richness and evenness might be difficult, however, if, for example, the restoration of previously absent species to low densities brings a cost in reduced evenness. Using meta‐analysis, we searched for benefits to biodiversity following adoption of two common land‐management schemes: the implementation of organic practices by farmers and of controlled burning by natural‐land managers. We used rarefaction to eliminate sampling bias in all of our estimates of richness and evenness. Both conservation practices significantly increased evenness and overall abundance across taxonomic classifications (arthropods, birds, non‐bird vertebrates, plants, soil organisms). Evenness and richness varied independently, leading to no richness–evenness correlation and no significant overall change in richness. Demonstrating the importance of rarefaction, analyses of raw data that did not receive rarefaction indicated misleadingly strong benefits of organic agriculture and burning for richness while underestimating true gains in evenness. Both organic farming and burning favored species that were not numerically dominant, re‐balancing communities as uncommon species gained individuals. Our results support the assertion that richness and evenness capture separate facets of biodiversity, each needing individual attention during conservation.
Niche engineering reveals complementary resource use
Authors: Gable Jacob T. , Crowder David W. , Northfield Tobin D. , Steffan Shawn A. , Snyder William E.
Published: September 2012

Greater resource use by diverse communities might result from species occupying complementary niches. Demonstrating niche complementarity among species is challenging, however, due to the difficulty in relating differences between species in particular traits to their use of complementary resources. Here, we overcame this obstacle by exploiting plastic foraging behavior in a community of predatory insects common on Brassica oleracea plants in Washington, USA. These predators complemented one another by partitioning foraging space, with some species foraging primarily along leaf edges and others at leaf centers. We hypothesized that emergent biodiversity effects would occur when predators partitioned foraging space on leaves, but not when spatial complementarity was dampened. Indeed, on intact leaves, edge‐ and center‐foraging predators combined to kill more prey than any single predator species could by itself. These emergent diversity effects, however, disappeared on plants damaged by the caterpillar Plutella xylostella. Caterpillar chew‐holes brought edge habitats to the center of leaves, so that all predator species could attack aphids anywhere on plants. With spatial niche differences diminished, there were no benefits of predator diversity; the most voracious single predator species killed the most aphids. Thus, caterpillar herbivory determined whether multi‐predator‐species effects reflected complementarity or species' individual impacts. Our study provides direct evidence for a causative relationship between niche differentiation and increased resource consumption by diverse communities, as revealed by ecological engineers that homogenize the foraging environment.
Vegetation development on permanently established grids, Mount St. Helens (1986–2010)
Authors: del Moral Roger , Wood David M.
Published: September 2012

We established five grids consisting of 100‐m2 plots on Mount St. Helens starting in 1986 in order to document vegetation establishment and dispersal after a major volcanic disturbance. These grids are contiguous, so they sample a compact area with limited habitat variation. We report data for these grids: Abraham Plains (400 plots, 7168 records, 4 hectares); Lahar 1 (175 plots, 1987 records, 1.75 hectares); Lahar 2 (317 plots, 3487 records, 3.17 hectares); Pumice Plain (200 plots, 4394 records, 2 hectares); and Willow Springs (1600 plots, 8351 records, 16 hectares). The grids contain 137 species. These species include most common species that are found in open habitats on Mount St. Helens, as well as many wetland species. Richness, total cover index, and diversity (H′, the Shannon‐Wiener function) of a plot are reported for each sample year. Plot cover was estimated with cover indices that sacrifice precision for rapid assessment of large areas. Habitats were those experiencing primary succession on pyroclastic, lahar, and pumice surfaces. These data have been used to test hypotheses about succession trajectories, patterns of species assembly, and developing environmental control of species composition. They may be used to test models of succession, determine succession rates, and explore assembly rules

The complete data sets corresponding to abstracts published in the Data Papers section of the journal are published electronically in Ecological Archives at 〈http://esapubs.org/archive〉. (The accession number for each Data Paper is given directly beneath the title.)
Habitat selection by mule deer during migration: effects of landscape structure and natural‐gas development
Authors: Lendrum Patrick E. , Anderson Charles R. , Long Ryan A. , Kie John G. , Bowyer R. Terry
Published: September 2012

The disruption of traditional migratory routes by anthropogenic disturbances has shifted patterns of resource selection by many species, and in some instances has caused populations to decline. Moreover, in recent decades populations of mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) have declined throughout much of their historic range in the western United States. We used resource‐selection functions to determine if the presence of natural‐gas development altered patterns of resource selection by migrating mule deer. We compared spring migration routes of adult female mule deer fitted with GPS collars (n = 167) among four study areas that had varying degrees of natural‐gas development from 2008 to 2010 in the Piceance Basin of northwest Colorado, USA. Mule deer migrating through the most developed area had longer step lengths (straight‐line distance between successive GPS locations) compared with deer in less‐developed areas. Additionally, deer migrating through the most developed study areas tended to select for habitat types that provided greater amounts of concealment cover, whereas deer from the least developed areas tended to select habitats that increased access to forage and cover. Deer selected habitats closer to well pads and avoided roads in all instances except along the most highly developed migratory routes, where road densities may have been too high for deer to avoid roads without deviating substantially from established migration routes. These results indicate that behavioral tendencies toward avoidance of anthropogenic disturbance can be overridden during migration by the strong fidelity ungulates demonstrate towards migration routes. If avoidance is feasible, then deer may select areas further from development, whereas in highly developed areas, deer may simply increase their rate of travel along established migration routes.
Social Capital, Opportunity, and School-Based Victimization
Authors: Bouchard Martin , Wang Wei , Beauregard Eric
Published: September 2012

This study extends the opportunity theory of victimization to consider the social capital of adolescents at school. We argue that social capital might act as a protective factor potentially encompassing both the concepts of guardianship and target attractiveness. Drawing on a sample of 5,395 adolescents interviewed in the context of the 2007 National Crime Victimization Survey (school crime supplement), we develop school-specific measures of social capital and opportunity indicators in predicting violent and theft victimization on school grounds. The results show that opportunity indicators are strong predictors of both violent and theft victimization and that social capital is especially important as a protective factor from violent victimization. More specifically, the results indicate that students who developed trust relationships with adults at school benefit from these relationships by avoiding violent encounters with potential offenders. Implications for opportunity theories of victimization are discussed.
Evaluation of regional droughts using monthly gridded precipitation for Korea
Authors: Hossein Syed Zakir , Shin Han Man , Gyewoon Choi
Published: September 2012

This paper attempts to characterize regional drought using 0.5 degree reanalyzed GPCC (Global Precipitation Climatology Center) gauge-based gridded monthly precipitation data sets in Korea. Drought is a function of precipitation and long-term observed precipitation was performed to enhance this characterization. There are limited long-term records from each station, therefore, a global gridded data set has been employed. Before using this data, 10 corresponding grids with KMA (Korea Meteorology Administration) stations were validated through cross-correlations (0.93–0.99). The impacts of drought are dependent on its duration, severity and spatial extent. Drought occurs when a below average water availability persists and becomes regionally extensive. In this study, 66 GPCC gridded precipitations were employed to estimate the effective drought index along with the available water resource index. The results of the 10 KMA corresponding stations were as accurate as those of the global data. Consequently, gridded data are suitable for a monthly drought severity investigation. In addition, spatial distribution of drought and available water resources were exposed by kriging interpolation technique over Korea. Through this study, drought risk city Taebaek in Kangwon province was classified by its 2009 intensity of monthly precipitations, droughts and available water resources.