bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The use of salivary α-amylase as an evolutionary solution to host selection in parasitoids
Authors: Bichang’a Gladys , Da Lage Jean-Luc , Mailhan Claire-Marie , Marion-Poll Frédéric , Capdevielle-Dulac Claire , Zivy Michel , Balliau Thierry , Ru Bruno Le , Kaiser-Arnauld Laure , Juma Gerald , Maina Esther , Calatayud Paul-andré
Published: December 2017

Foraging parasitoids use chemical signals in host recognition and selection processes. Thereby, chemicals from the herbivore hosts play a crucial role. When different herbivores are present in the same plant or field, the perception of specific volatiles and contact compounds emitted from the host itself enable the parasitoids both to differentiate between hosts and non-hosts and to estimate the health status of its host. During the host feeding process, contact between the parasitoid and its host is very crucial, and oral secretions from the host play a key role during the first contact for such evaluation by the parasitoid. Using an integration of behavioral observations, biochemical and sensory physiological approaches we demonstrate that female parasitoids of Cotesia flavipes recognize their host and oviposit in reaction to an α-amylase, which is present in the oral secretions of the larvae of their host, Chilo partellus. This activity was also mediated by a purified α-amylase synthetized from Drosophila melanogaster. Using this synthetized enzyme, we further demonstrate that the conformation of the enzyme rather than its catalytic site is responsible for this activity. This enzyme is activating gustatory neurons of the terminal antennal sensilla chaetica of C. flavipes females. α-amylases are therefore good candidates for an evolutionary solution to host selection in parasitoids, thus opening new avenues for investigations in hosts-parasitoids interactions.
Hybrid Songbirds are Deficient in Learning and Memory
Authors: McQuillan Michael A. , Roth Timothy C. , Huynh Alex V. , Rice Amber M.
Published: December 2017

Identifying the phenotypes underlying postzygotic reproductive isolation is crucial for fully understanding the evolution and maintenance of species. One potential postzygotic isolating barrier that has not yet been examined is learning and memory ability in hybrids. Learning and memory are important fitness-related traits, especially in scatter-hoarding species, where accurate retrieval of hoarded food is vital for winter survival. Here, we test the hypothesis that learning and memory ability can act as a postzygotic isolating barrier by comparing these traits among two scatter-hoarding songbird species, black-capped (Poecile atricapillus), Carolina chickadees (Poecile carolinensis), and their naturally occurring hybrids. In an outdoor aviary setting, we find that hybrid chickadees perform significantly worse on an associative learning spatial task and are worse at solving a novel problem compared to both parental species. Deficiencies in learning and memory abilities could therefore contribute to postzygotic reproductive isolation between chickadee species. Given the importance of learning and memory for fitness, our results suggest that these traits may play an important, but as yet overlooked, role in postzygotic reproductive isolation.
The interplay between facilitation and habitat type drive spatial vegetation patterns in global drylands
Authors: Berdugo Miguel , Soliveres Santiago , Kéfi Sonia , Maestre Fernando T.
Published: December 2017

The size distribution of discrete plant patches (PSD), a common descriptor of the spatial patterns of vascular vegetation, has been linked to variations in land degradation and ecosystem functioning in drylands. However, most studies on PSDs conducted to date have focused on a single or a few study sites within a particular region. Therefore, little is know on the general typology and distribution of PSDs at the global scale, and on the relative importance of biotic and abiotic factors as drivers of their variation across geographical regions and habitat types. We analyzed 115 dryland plant communities from all continents except Antarctica to investigate the general typology of PSDs, and to assess the relative importance of biotic (plant cover, frequency of facilitation, soil amelioration, height of the dominant species) and abiotic (aridity and sand content) factors as drivers of PSDs across contrasting habitat types (shrublands and grasslands). We found that both power-law and lognormal PSDs were generally distributed regardless of the region of the world considered. The percentage of facilitated species in the community drives the emergence of power-law like spatial patterns in both shrublands and grasslands, although mediated by different mechanisms (soil and climatic amelioration, respectively). Other drivers of PSDs were habitat-specific: height of the dominant species and total cover were particularly strong drivers in shrublands and grasslands, respectively. The importance of biotic attributes as drivers of PSDs declined under the most arid conditions in both habitats. We observed that PSDs deviated from power law functions not only due to the loss of large, but also of small patches. Our results expand our knowledge about patch formation in drylands and the habitat-dependency of their drivers. They also highlight different ways in which facilitation may act on ecosystem functioning through the formation of plant spatial patterns.
Oxford Nanopore sequencing in a research-based undergraduate course
Authors: Zeng Yi , Martin Christopher H.
Published: December 2017

Background

Nanopore sequencing is a third generation genomic sequencing method that offers real time sequencing of DNA samples. Nanopore sequencing is an excellent tool for teaching because it involves cutting-edge sequencing methods and also helps students to develop a research mindset, where students can learn to identify and resolve problems that arise during an experiment.

Results

We, as a group of undergraduate biology students, were able to use nanopore sequencing to analyze a sample of pupfish DNA. We were able to accomplish this without computer science backgrounds and only some basic DNA extraction training. Although there were issues, such as inconsistent results across runs, we found it useful as a research learning experience and an application of the skills we learned.

Conclusions

As students, it was exciting to be able to experience this technology first hand and apply what we learned in the classroom. Nanopore sequencing holds potential for DNA sequencing of large fragments in real time. It allows students to be acquainted with novel technologies and the theories behind them. However, as with all new techniques, it does not have the same established support, and when students run into difficulties while using nanopore sequencing, it is often difficult to identify what went wrong.
Transformation of Schizosaccharomyces japonicus
Authors: Aoki Keita , Niki Hironori
Published: December 2017

This protocol describes the use of electroporation to transform Schizosaccharomyces japonicus with plasmids or linear DNA. Plasmids are helpful for the complementation testing of mutations and for the expression of specific genes. Linear DNA fragments integrated into chromosomal DNA by homologous recombination are useful for gene deletion or to fuse a gene with a tag sequence (e.g., encoding a fluorescent protein). To introduce DNA into S. japonicus, electroporation methods are recommended because S. japonicus is sensitive to lithium acetate (LiOAc).
Detergent Lysis of Animal Tissues for Immunoprecipitation
Authors: DeCaprio James , Kohl Thomas O.
Published: December 2017

This protocol details protein extraction from mouse tissues for immunoprecipitation purposes and has been applied for the performance of large-scale immunoprecipitations of target proteins from various tissues for the identification of associated proteins by mass spectroscopy. The key factors in performing a successful immunoprecipitation directly relate to the abundance of target protein in a particular tissue type and whether or not the embryonic, newborn, or adult mouse-derived tissues contain fibrous and other insoluble material. Several tissue types, including lung and liver as well as carcinomas, contain significant amounts of fibrous tissue that can interfere with an immunoprecipitation.
Immunoprecipitation
Authors: DeCaprio James , Kohl Thomas O.
Published: December 2017

This immunoprecipitation protocol details individual steps for the enrichment and purification process of specific proteins from a complex cell lysate using an antibody bound to a solid matrix. Purified antigen(s) can be eluted by various methods, and the resultant protein target can be analyzed and/or identified by numerous assays, including the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), western blotting, or mass spectrometry.
Schizosaccharomyces japonicus: A Distinct Dimorphic Yeast among the Fission Yeasts
Authors: Aoki Keita , Furuya Kanji , Niki Hironori
Published: December 2017

Genomic sequencing data and morphological properties demonstrate evolutionary relationships among groups of the fission yeast, Schizosaccharomyces. Phylogenetically, S. japonicus is the furthest removed from other species of fission yeast. The basic characteristics of cell proliferation are shared among all fission yeast, including the process of binary fission during vegetative growth, conjugation and karyogamy with horsetail movement, mating-type switching, and sporulation. However, S. japonicus also exhibits characteristics that are unique to filamentous fungi. S. japonicus is a nonpathogenic yeast that exhibits dimorphism. Depending on the environmental conditions, S. japonicus transforms from yeast cells into filamentous cells (hyphae), and blue light triggers synchronous septation of hyphal cells. A rough version of the whole-genome sequence is now available, facilitating genetic manipulation of S. japonicus. Furthermore, the extensive genetic knowledge available for S. pombe is aiding the development of genetic tools for analyzing S. japonicus. S. japonicus will help shed light on the evolutionary relationships among the fission yeast.
Niccolo machiavelli: moving through the future as we learn from the past
Authors: Easley Christopher Anne , Swain John W.
Published: December 2017

This article lays out the argument that we may best cope with the unfolding of the future by learning from the past. Here, the past represented by Niccolo Machiavelli’s world and thoughts are juxtaposed with the questions and issues raised by postmodern organization theorists. Machiavelli’s thoughts contributed to the creation of the world that concerns postmodern theorists and us. Both Machiavelli and postmodern organization theorists address change and strategies for dealing with change, including looking to needs and emotions for working with individuals in change situations and the importance of widespread involvement in governance structures. Building a better future requires learning to deal with human social realities that have been and will be shaped by past philosophers. Consciousness of past philosophers should help in that endeavor.
Understanding parallel structures in public administration
Authors: Mann Stefan
Published: December 2017

This paper addresses the question of the underlying causes for persistent parallel structures in public administration. Frames like bounded rationality, the budget-maximizing bureaucrat and the political theory of hegemony are examined with respect to the possible provision of explanations for the persistence of parallel administrations. A combination of content analysis and objective hermeneutics is then applied for a case study of parallel administration in Switzerland. A model linking the three approaches is finally developed to show how parallel administration relies on an equilibrium in the struggle for budget and hegemony between the key actors and on ignorance among fringe actors.
Addressing procedural bias in municipal planning governance: A case for incorporating citizen participation within technical advisory committees
Authors: Kleinschmit Stephen
Published: December 2017

This essay presents models of multiparty negotiation as a means to compare the conventional public meetings format of planning to a preliminary process, the technical advisory committee. A metric of market concentration, the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index, is used to quantify the structural advantages in each, and presented within the context of municipal planning processes. In doing so, this work advances several propositions: First, open meetings expand power differentials between parties, which lead to outcomes that reflect the political efficacy of participants over the regulatory purpose of government. Second, such meetings create substantial transaction costs for the public, creating a barrier to the expression of community values. Finally, preliminary processes constitute a more effective forum for citizen participation than open meetings.
Place brand identity: An exploratory analysis of three deep south states
Authors: Zavattaro Staci M.
Published: December 2017

Place branding and marketing are becoming key governance strategies that can increase governance legitimacy by meaningfully involving local stakeholder groups within the brand identity creation process. There remains a gap in knowledge regarding how place branding managers seek to involve stakeholders in the brand development, communication, and evaluation process. This research, based in three U.S. Deep South states and using Kavaratzis and Hatchʼs (2013) brand identity framework, finds that practitioners are doing well when it comes to expressing local beliefs within the brand identity, but can improve when it comes to analyzing and incorporating that feedback meaningfully. Without this, critical local stakeholders can feel alienated from local governance practices, thus decreasing legitimacy in branding and marketing processes and policies alike.
Running head: Value from health information exchange
Authors: Walker Daniel M. , Huerta Timothy R. , Diana Mark L.
Published: December 2017

Policy makers and practitioners argue that electronic exchange of clinical data across the healthcare system is a key component of improving health service delivery in the United States. Provider administrators, however, question the strategic value of participation in health information exchanges (HIEs) and remain reluctant to participate. Existing research fails to adequately illuminate the potential value derived from HIEs by participating organizations. This paper addresses this gap by developing a conceptual model informed by the complementary theoretical perspectives of the relational view and systems theory to specify both a provider organizationʼs internal conditions and the HIE structure necessary for both financial accrual and quality improvement. This two-sided model can assist policymakers as they attempt to encourage HIE development, as well as provider and HIE leadership that seek to benefit from HIEs. The propositions developed from this model can also help guide researchers as they evaluate the impact of HIEs.
Mark bevirʼs a theory of governance from the vantage of political philosophy
Authors: Macleod Colin
Published: December 2017

This paper offers a critical commentary on Mark Bevirʼs recent book A Theory of Governance from the perspective of normative political philosophy. It explores three ways in which Bevirʼs analysis can be brought into dialogue with political philosophy. First, it considers the role of generalizations in successful explanations of social phenomena. Second, it explores how a decentred theory of governance can help identify solutions to important social problems. Third, it explores the relation between Bevirʼs account of governance and theories of deliberative democracy.
Determinants and consequences of management accounting system choice: an empirical analysis
Authors: Lawrence Carol M. , Parry Robert W.
Published: December 2017

This paper develops and tests a descriptive model of management accounting system choice through an empirical analysis of the adoption of innovative cost accounting systems in not-for-profit hospitals. The logistic regression analysis indicates that management accounting system design is impacted by organi zational objectives, technological complexity, and other features of the organizational control system. Descriptive statistics indicate limited use of management accounting techniques common in manufacturing firms, such as standard costing and variance analysis. A cross-lagged model suggests that implementation of an innovative management accounting system may be causally linked to decreasing operating costs.
The political economy of city life cycles: a comparative analysis of services, expenditures and revenues
Authors: Viteritti Joseph P. , Matteo Thomas W.
Published: December 2017

This paper updates and expands Norton's 1979 study of the political economy of city life cycles in thirty jurisdictions. Using 1970 and 1976 fiscal data, Norton had found that older cities of the Northeast and North Central states provide a more extensive range of services and have a stronger commitment to social welfare functions than younger cities of the South and Southwest. A thirty-five city survey using 1991 data generally confirms his findings. We found significant differences in the service mix, spending patterns and revenue sources of older and younger cities. Older cities offer a broader mix of services with the most dramatic differences among redistributive and safety functions, and notable differences in the public works and administrative services categories. Older cities expend more per capita on local services and exhibit different spending priorities. They spend propor-tionately more on redistributive services, eg. health, hospitals, welfare and housing. They also spend more per capita on police, fire and education. On the revenue side, older cities depend more on commercial property taxes, while newer cities rely more on residential property taxes. The most significant difference on the revenue side, however, concerns the greater reliance of younger cities on locally generated non-tax sources (eg. user fees), whereas older cities remain more dependent on intergovernmental aid.
An analysis of residential sanitation collection pricing under alternative delivery arrangements
Authors: Brooks Richard C.
Published: December 2017

This paper investigates residential sanitation collection (RSC) pricing under two different service delivery arrangements: (1) the municipal RSC arrangement where municipal employees collect residential refuse, and (2) the contract RSC arrangement where private sector firms, under contract with a municipality, collect residential refuse. The results of the study indicate that municipal RSC prices are significantly higher than contract RSC prices. Furthermore, municipal RSC prices exhibit greater variability than contract RSC prices. These findings suggest that contract pricing is consistent with pricing in a competitive market.
Theories of budgetary tradeoffs
Authors: Mintz Alex , Stevenson Randolph T.
Published: December 2017

The literature on defense-welfare tradeoffs has not been characterized by an emphasis on theory development. Indeed, most work has concentrated on using increasingly sophisticated statistical techniques to isolate empirical relationships in spending data on various countries. Unfortunately, however, this empirical enterprise has proven inconclusive, with some studies finding trade-offs and others not. In this paper, we suggest that a greater focus on theory development may help to resolve some of the empirical conflicts in this literature. In particular, we argue that there are at least two substantial bodies of theoretical work available that, while relevant to guns-butter questions, have remained to a large extent unexploited. One conclusion that we draw from this exercise is that the discussion of tradeoffs should probably move away form its current focus on primarily direct exchanges between spending on guns and butter, and instead begin to explore more indirect links which are acting through the economy.
The reporting of school district efficiency: the adequacy of ratio measures
Authors: Engert Frank
Published: December 2017

Demands for accountability in education are not a new phenomenon, however, they have increased significantly in the recent past and have encompassed not only educational outcomes but also efficiency. In this study, ratio measures, similar to those recommended by the GASB, were compared to measures of relative efficiency determined through the use of data envelopment analysis (DEA). The consistency of the two approaches in distinguishing between relatively efficient and inefficient school districts was examined. It was found that compared to the DEA approach, the ratio measures, may be unable to provide reliable information for educational decision making.
Budgetary reforms in oecd member countries
Authors: Shand David
Published: December 2017

This article surveys budgetary reforms in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries, which have aimed both at reducing budget deficits and improving public sector performance.(1) It discusses the pressures giving rise to these reforms, recent trends in reducing deficits and the changes to budgetary processes adopted by various countries. Brief reference is also made to changes in expenditure programs. In some OECD Member countries, changes to budgetary processes have been part of an overall program of reform in public sector management. While there are differences of emphasis between countries, there is considerable convergence toward establishing new budgetary processes which have multi-year approach, provide for greater budgetary devolution to ministries and agencies and focus more on managing the performance of government organizations and programs.
Do legislative procedures affect tax expenditures?
Authors: Snow Douglas R.
Published: December 2017

Legislative procedures that expose tax expenditure proposals to scrutiny outside the taxation committees can improve a state legislature’s ability to control its tax base. These procedures -- fiscal notes, special subcommittees, joint taxation and spending committees, and bill size C move decisions away from the exclusive control of committees whose interests may be more narrow than the interests of the legislature as a whole. Strong legislative procedures do not, and should not, eliminate the passage of new tax exemptions, but it is desirable to enact only exemptions that match major policy objectives. Several factors, including an important economic special interest, a tax rate increase, or a major shift in intergovernmental fiscal relations, can boost an exemption past even the strongest procedures. Procedures appear to be most effective in limiting exemptions with a relatively small fiscal effect.
Bank loans to entrepreneurs in rural america
Authors: Buss Terry F. , Yancer Laura C.
Published: December 2017

Numerous government programs channel capital into rural communities, assuming that new businesses face major capital shortages in starting up. More such programs are enacted annually. This paper looks at business start-ups in Idaho, Montana and Iowa to see the extent of market failure in rural America. Contrary to conventional wisdom, we found capital to be widely available for start-ups, suggesting that government programs are not warranted.
The effects of voter control on budget outcomes
Authors: Ebdon Carol
Published: December 2017

This study analyzes the effects of budget referenda on spending levels. An agency theory framework is used to identify the incentives of voters and school boards, and to discuss the use of the referendum as a budget control mechanism. The regression analysis compares expenditures in New York State school districts with and without referenda requirements. Total spending is found to be 5.5% higher in districts without referenda, ceteris parabis. However, the specific rules related to referenda and budget defeats appear to be important determinants of their effectiveness.
The public purchasing profession revisited
Authors: Gordon Stephen B. , Zemansky Stanley D. , Sekwat Alex
Published: December 2017

This article revisits two vital questions largely ignored in the scholarly literature devoted to professionalism in government. First, is the public purchaser a professional? And second, is public purchasing a profession? Our reexamination of the first question led us to conclude that a public purchaser that meets certain requirements in government purchasing practices distinct from traits reserved for recognized traditional professions such as law, medicine and clergy can be a professional. Furthermore, when we analyzed the basic criteria that characterized a profession such as the existence of esoteric knowledge, rigorous formal training, codes of ethics, representative association, autonomy in practice, and criteria for admission into the occupation, we concluded that public purchasing is a profession.
Procuring technology: issues faced by public organizations
Authors: Pettijohn Carole , Qiao Yuhua
Published: December 2017

This article addresses some of the critical issues with respect to public procurement of information technology (IT). The article provides results from surveys of state public information managers and technology vendors who provide services to government to determine if IT procurements have improved in the ten years since the Kelman study on public procurements and suggests opportunities to improve public IT procurements.
Governmental nonaudit services and choice of incumbent/non-incumbent CPA firm
Authors: Huffman William , Khurana Inder K. , Raman K. K. , Wilson Earl R.
Published: December 2017

Given the focus on auditor independence in the corporate literature, prior research has focused almost exclusively on nonaudit services obtained from the incumbent CPA firm. By contrast, auditor independence is generally not viewed as a critical issue in the public sector; rather, the policy emphasis is on the control benefits obtained from an audit. Despite the fact that there is less concern about auditor independence and the low search costs and potential knowledge spillover benefits associated with procuring nonaudit services from the incumbent auditor, governments appear to spend proportionately more on nonaudit services obtained from non-incumbent CPA firms. Our empirical findings are consistent with management’s reduced sensitivity to perceived auditor independence in the government environment and the potential importance of partisan politics and political patronage.
The relationships between public finance issues, financial management issues, and conditions of fiscal stress in small and rural governments: the case of west Virginia
Authors: Dougherty Michael John , Klase Kenneth A. , Song Soo Geun
Published: December 2017

Small and rural communities face severe fiscal constraints. Many factors affect governance in these localities. Because of this, a vital concern are the relationships between “Fiscal Stress” and other factors. Multivariate analysis techniques are utilized to examine these relationships based on data collected from a survey of West Virginia local public officials. The analysis showed that “Public Finance” and “Financial Management” factors affect Fiscal Stress while external factors, such as professionalism, population, and metropolitan status, have little to no impact on Fiscal Stress. Additionally, Public Finance and Financial Management issues are critical to explaining Fiscal Stress in small and rural governments and Fiscal Stress is critical in explaining Public Finance and Financial Management issues. However, the relationships are not of equal strength; Fiscal Stress and Public Finance influence each other more strongly than Financial Management factors.
Assessing rational-choice models of budgeting--from budget-maximising to bureaushaping: a case study of british local government
Authors: Cope Stephen
Published: December 2017

This article assesses a rational-choice model of bureaucratic behaviour - the bureau-shaping model - as an explanation of budget-making in British local government. The bureau-shaping model is essentially a reconstructed rational-choice model of bureaucratic behaviour in liberal democratic states, which emerged from critiques of its rival budgetmaximising model. The explanatory power of the bureau-shaping model is significantly superior to the budget-maximising model. However, the explanatory power of the bureaushaping model is limited because, as a supply-side model, it cannot explain how budgets are demanded and controlled by political sponsors, who in turn are constrained politically. Budgetary decision-making takes place in a political arena where both supply and demand are mediated; a supply-side model, at best, can explain only half the budget-story.
Root endophytic Chaetomium cupreum promotes plant growth and detoxifies aluminum in Miscanthus sinensisAndersson growing at the acidic mine site
Authors: Haruma Toshikatsu , Yamaji Keiko , Masuya Hayato , Hanyu Kazuyo
Published: December 2017

Miscanthus sinensis Andersson grows naturally at the Hitachi mine. The root‐zone soil was acidic and contained high concentrations of Cu, Pb, Zn and exchangeable Al. Adventitious roots accumulated high concentrations of Al and Fe, but not other heavy metals. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the mechanism of tolerance of Al in M. sinensis, focusing on its chemical interaction with root endophytes. We isolated Chaetomium cupreum, which produced siderophores, from adventitious roots of M. sinensis via CAS assay. In inoculation tests, C. cupreum promoted M. sinensis seedling growth and increased Al and Fe uptake in the roots, although C. cupreum did not stimulate M. sinensis to produce Al detoxicants, such as citric and malic acids. Observation of the pattern of Al localization in the roots clarified that C. cupreum reduced Al toxicity in M. sinensis via compartmentalizing Al into fungal mycelia surrounding the roots and creating a less toxic Al‐localization pattern, allocating Al to the epidermis, endodermis and stele of roots. In conclusion, our results indicated that C. cupreum increases Al tolerance in M. sinensis growing at the acidic mine site.
Assessing the Association between Trust and Concentration Area of Migrant Ethnic Minority in Sydney
Authors: Vidyattama Yogi
Published: December 2017

There is ongoing concern that concentrations of migrant ethnic minority groups could increase distrust within Australian communities. This article assesses whether the existence of an area of high migrant ethnic minority concentration associates with low propensity to trust. After identification using Local Spatial Autocorrelation Statistics and controlling for other variables, a regression technique indicated significantly low trust associated with this area in 2006. Further investigation shows that the association of low level of trust and the concentration area was not as severe in 2010 and had even smaller and insignificant association in 2005.
Alternative Distributions for Inequality Comparisons
Authors: Creedy John
Published: December 2017

This article provides an introductory review of the alternative possible income distributions that can be used when making cross‐sectional evaluations of inequality changes and the effects of taxes and transfers using a household economic survey. It attempts to clarify the various alternatives for users of data and those interpreting results. It focuses on the choice of income unit and the need to avoid spurious comparisons. The use of adult equivalence scales and the application of an explicit sharing rule are considered, as are comparisons over time where the tax structure and populations differ. Numerical examples highlight the alternative approaches and distributions.
Structural Reform for Economic Growth
Authors: Cai Fang , Zhang Xiaojing
Published: December 2017

This article examines the role of reform in maintaining economic growth in the circumstances in which work‐age is declining more rapidly than total population. Traditional factor‐driven growth can still contribute if reform increases labour force participation, most significantly through easing restrictions on rural–urban migration through reform of the household registration system and other means. The other potential contributor to growth in the new era is reform to raise productivity. This requires more fundamental institutional change, which depends on clear visions of the framework for a modern market economy, encompassing the rule of law and stronger property rights.
China's Macroeconomic Balancing Act: Shifting to New Drivers of Growth and Sustaining Financial Stability
Authors: Huang Yiping , Shen Yan , Fu Qiuzi
Published: December 2017

In the lead‐up to China's five‐yearly National Party Congress late in 2017, attempts to resolve conflicts between short‐term growth and structural reform have tended to favour immediate growth. The new model of growth requires new economy sectors to grow much more rapidly than traditional (post‐1978) sectors. For a while, this was proceeding well, but in late 2016 and during 2017 there have been signs of priority for growth and therefore traditional sectors over the new economy. Favouring growth over reform introduces risk into longer‐term growth prospects.
A new Nabataean funerary inscription from Dhībān, with a brief account on Dhībān during the Nabataean period
Authors: al‐Salameen Zeyad , Al‐Rawahneh Musallam
Published: December 2017

This paper investigates a two‐line unpublished Nabataean funerary inscription found in 2016 at Dhībān, 70 km south of Amman. The inscription, which is the first known Nabataean text from this site, represents a dedication of a funerary monument, a nefesh, by a person to his deceased son. The current study includes a word‐by‐word discussion of the text, offering remarks on its discovery as well as a linguistic analysis of its contents. A brief account of the Nabataean occupation at Dhībān is also provided.
The Taymanitic onomasticon
Authors: Kootstra F.
Published: December 2017

The Taymanitic inscriptions, written in the c. mid‐sixth century BCE, largely consist of personal names. While personal names cannot inform us directly on the language or ethnicity of their bearers, name‐giving practices do reflect a choice made by the person bestowing it on someone. This article will focus on the personal names of the inscriptions; what they can tell us about their linguistic and cultural background, and how this might inform us on the cultural heritage of the authors of the Taymanitic inscriptions.
Large Kombewa flake production in north Oman
Authors: Beshkani Amir , Beuzen‐Waller Tara , Bonilauri Stéphanie , Gernez Guillaume
Published: December 2017

In this paper we present the results of surveys carried out in February 2016 along a palaeo‐drainage system near the village of Bisyah. We report first on the geological prospection, which was our main goal, and then present our discovery of the only known localities in north Oman of large Kombewa flake production (>10 cm up to 20 cm). Among the scatter of artefacts, we found cores and large Kombewa flakes with two opposed bulbs of percussion, a technology that had not been known in this region until now. In spite of the local features, the typo‐technological traits of the artefacts suggest that at least part of them resemble in some way the Acheulean techno‐complex, but there are still many questions remaining on the age of these artefacts.
Dorsal surgical stabilisation using tension bands for treatment of traumatic atlanto‐occipital instability in a cat
Authors: Vedrine B , Maurin MP
Published: December 2017

Case report

An atlanto‐occipital instability secondary to a dog bite was diagnosed in a 4‐year‐old Persian cat. Dorsal stabilisation of the instability was made with two OrthoFiber prostheses (Securos), which were used as tension bands between the nuchal crests of the occipital bone and the spinous process of the axis. Total recovery was achieved 4 days after surgery. Normal alignment of the atlanto‐occipital joint was observed on survey radiographs taken 6 weeks post‐surgery. Although the right loop had failed, the alignment was still normal and no neurological after‐effects could be identified.

Conclusion

Dorsal divergent tension bands between the nuchal crests of the occipital bone and the spinous process of the axis can be used to stabilise traumatic atlanto‐occipital instability.
The vestiges and vanguards of policy design in a digital context
Authors: Clarke Amanda , Craft Jonathan
Published: December 2017

This article explores the opportunities, challenges and expectations that the digital context of design and new digital era policy instruments, such as open data, big data, robotics and crowdsourcing, present to policy designers operating in today's governments. Adopting an instruments perspective, the article identifies four characteristics of digital era policy design before detailing three issues that must be addressed to ascertain the promise and pitfalls of digital era policy design. First, we argue that scholars and practitioners alike must investigate how traditional constraints on the ideal of rational, evidence‐driven policy design—long acknowledged in the “analogue design” literature—will fade or be exacerbated in the digital age. The article next confronts the reality that new digital designs and instruments will rarely emerge in a policy vacuum, but rather will be layered onto existing policy designs and complex policy mixes with sticky legacies that will be more or less amenable to digital design approaches. Finally, the article argues that while scholars and practitioners have been quick to presume that the digital age will foster a more collaborative model of state‐to‐non‐state cooperation, digital era policy design may ultimately marginalize or eliminate citizens altogether from the design process, raising important questions about the as of yet little understood democratic implications of digital era policy design.
The evolution of citizen and stakeholder engagement in Canada, from Spicer to #Hashtags
Authors: Longo Justin
Published: December 2017

Government‐led citizen and stakeholder engagement is undertaken with the broad aims of improving government effectiveness and strengthening perceived legitimacy for government action. However, some aspects of the digital era that are challenging and stretching these traditions include changing economics of attention, heightened expectations of citizens and stakeholders, and a reconfiguration of the nature of policymaking discourse. Seven Government of Canada citizen and stakeholder engagement cases, spread over the past 27 years, are reviewed against the emergence of digital technologies within the context of traditional engagement exercises to understand how governments are experimenting with new approaches, and how new models may still be needed to respond to this shifting technology landscape. A future research agenda is sketched that anticipates how expanding technological capabilities, changing expectations on the part of citizens and stakeholders, and new approaches to policy discourse might require a reappraisal of our concepts of citizen and stakeholder engagement.
The Effects of Financial Education: Evidence from Finnish Lower Secondary Schools
Authors: Kalmi Panu
Published: December 2017

We study the effects of a peer‐to‐peer learning environment designed for lower secondary schools that provides financial education using games, videos and other materials provided online. We exploit a quasi‐experimental setting with a control group to evaluate the effects of the learning environment and to distinguish them from the effects of a general economics course. We use two different samples from subsequent years to check the robustness of the results. Our results demonstrate the positive effects of financial education on financial knowledge, but no significant effects are shown in terms of savings behaviour. Further, although we find that girls improve their scores much more than boys after the educational intervention, we also find that this results from general education rather than from the specific intervention. Finally, we find that increased knowledge and enhanced savings behaviour are strongly correlated, supporting the notion that financial education holds promise for changing financial behaviour.
Pharmacokinetics of the anticonvulsant levetiracetam in neonatal foals
Authors: MacDonald K. D. , Hart K. A. , Davis J. L. , Berghaus L. J. , Giguère S.
Published: December 2017

Background

Seizures are a common manifestation of neurological disease in the neonatal foal and are an important cause of morbidity and mortality in this population. Current antiepileptic options are effective, but often have undesirable adverse effects, short duration of action and high cost. Levetiracetam has an ideal safety and pharmacokinetic profile in multiple species, including the adult horse, and may be a safe and cost‐effective alternative anticonvulsant in neonatal foals. Due to differences in drug disposition and clearance dosages in neonates, dosing recommendations in other species or adult horses cannot be extrapolated to foals.

Objective

To establish the pharmacokinetic profile of single‐dose i.v. and intragastric administration of levetiracetam in healthy neonatal foals.

Study design

Randomised crossover experimental study.

Methods

Levetiracetam was administered as a single dose to six healthy foals (ages 1–10 days) at a dose of 32 mg/kg bwt i.v. or intragastrically. Plasma levetiracetam concentrations were measured using a validated HPLC protocol.

Results

After i.v. administration to healthy foals, levetiracetam had a mean (±s.d.) elimination half‐life of 7.76 ± 0.51 h, a mean systemic clearance of 61.67 ± 10.96 (mL/h/kg) and a mean apparent volume of distribution at steady state of 0.670 ± 0.124 (L/kg). Following intragastric administration, levetiracetam had a peak concentration of 38.34 ± 7.42 mg/L and time to achieve peak concentration was 0.875 (0.5–1.5) h. Mean bioavailability for IG administration was excellent (103.04 ± 14.51%). No significant differences in pharmacokinetic variables between routes and order of administration were observed.

Main limitations

Small sample size and single‐dose administration.

Conclusions

Levetiracetam has excellent intragastric bioavailability in foals and is predicted to maintain plasma concentrations at or above the proposed target concentration with twice daily i.v. or oral administration. Once‐daily administration may be possible in some foals based on the therapeutic range recommended in other species.
Management of drug interactions with direct‐acting antivirals in Dutch HIV/hepatitis C virus‐coinfected patients: adequate but not perfect
Authors: Smolders EJ , Smit C , de Kanter CTMM , Dofferhoff ASM , Arends JE , Brinkman K , Rijnders B , van der Valk M , Reiss P , Burger DM ,   the ATHENA National HIV Observational Cohort
Published: December 2017

Objectives

Direct‐acting antivirals (DAAs) for treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection can cause drug–drug interactions (DDIs) with combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) and non‐cART co‐medication. We mapped how physicians manage DDIs between DAAs and co‐medication and analysed treatment outcomes.

Methods

Data were prospectively collected as part of the ATHENA HIV observational cohort and retrospectively analysed. Dutch patients with HIV/HCV coinfection who initiated treatment with DAAs between January 2015 and May 2016 were included. Co‐medication 3 months prior to and during DAA therapy was identified. Potential DDIs with the DAAs were checked using http://hep-druginteractions.org. DDIs were categorized as: (1) no interaction expected; (2) potential interaction; (3) contra‐indication; (4) no recommendation. These categories were used to determine which patients switched or had a DDI during DAA therapy with co‐medication.

Results

A total of 423 patients were treated with DAAs, of whom 418 (99%) used cART and 251 (59%) used non‐cART co‐medication. Before commencing DAA treatment, in 17 of 84 (20%) patients the non‐cART co‐medication which could result in a category 2/3 DDI was discontinued before DAA initiation, including two of six (33%) prescriptions of category 3 drugs. A total of 196 of 418 (47%) patients had a category 2/3 DDI between their DAA regimen and cART. Category 2/3 DDIs were prevented by switching cART in 78 of 147 (53%) and 47 of 49 (98%) patients. Overall, 367 of 423 (87%) patients have achieved a sustained virological response (33 in follow‐up).

Conclusions

Prescription patterns suggest that physicians are aware of potential DDIs between co‐medication and DAAs, in particular potential DDIs with cART. Greater awareness is needed concerning category 3 interactions between non‐cART co‐medication and DAAs.
OVERVALUED: SWEDISH MONETARY POLICY IN THE 1930s
Authors: Rathke Alexander , Straumann Tobias , Woitek Ulrich
Published: December 2017

The article discusses Sweden's monetary policy in the 1930s, which has been hailed as the first and only example of successful price‐level targeting. Our contribution is twofold. First, we argue that the crucial measure that immediately ended deflationary expectations and enabled a swift recovery was a strong and involuntary devaluation of the currency, not the adoption of a new monetary policy framework. Second, starting from the recent literature on monetary policy at the zero‐lower bound, we conclude that Sweden's exchange rate policy is more relevant for the current discussion than its tentative experience with price‐level targeting.
Spatial Contestation, Victimisation and Resistance during Xenophobic Violence: The Experiences of Somali Migrants in Post‐Apartheid South Africa
Authors: Pineteh Ernest A.
Published: December 2017

This article discusses how violence between South Africans and Somali migrants plays out in different forms of spatial contestation, victimization and resistance during xenophobic attacks. It analyses Somalis’ entrepreneurial strategies and the implications for access and appropriation of social and economic spaces around Cape Town. The article attempts to connect Somali perceptions of xenophobia and South Africans’ claims of spatial entitlement to issues of spatial control, belonging and social inclusion in South Africa. It argues that by establishing businesses in urban spaces and townships, Somali migrants have managed to establish stronger bonds and a collective identity, which give them better control over these spaces. Although their business tactics have propelled spatial contestations in which they have become easy targets during xenophobic incursions, the clustering of businesses has also created Somali‐dominated localities around Cape Town, which facilitates rapid mobilization to respond to or to resist different forms of crime and violence.
Acne across Europe: an online survey on perceptions and management of acne
Authors: Szepietowski J.C. , Wolkenstein P. , Veraldi S. , Tennstedt D. , Machovcová A. , Delarue A.
Published: December 2017

Background

Acne is common among young people.

Objective

To describe the burden, management and sources of advice of acne in a representative sample of young people in Europe.

Methods

This cross‐sectional survey was conducted in a representative sample of individuals aged 15–24 years from Belgium, Czech and Slovak Republics, France, Italy, Poland and Spain (n = 3099).

Results

Most individuals considered their acne (all severity stages) to be no/minor problem, although 29.7% considered it a major problem/burden. Over‐the‐counter (OTC) topical treatments were used more frequently than prescribed treatments. Acne was diagnosed by physicians in 47.6% of cases; other health professionals (nurses, pharmacists) or patients accounted for the remainder of diagnoses. Physicians were the source of acne information in just over one‐quarter of cases (27.0%). The vast majority of advice was from friends/family and the Internet.

Conclusion

Almost one‐third of young people consider acne to be a major problem/burden. Fewer than half of acne diagnoses are made by a physician, and acne is often self‐managed using OTC treatments.