bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Risk aversion in the family business: the dark side of caution
Authors: R.W. Hiebl Martin
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– This paper aims to shed light on the potential downsides of risk aversion in family firms. Moreover, it seeks to provide measures on how to balance risk taking and risk aversion in family businesses.

Design/methodology/approach

– The article first presents four “dark sides” of risk aversion in family businesses and then describes three groups of measures to balance risk aversion and risk taking. Both the dark sides as well as the measures to balance risk aversion and risk taking are derived from recent scientific research.

Findings

– Family businesses may decrease risk aversion and foster risk taking and innovativeness by creating transparency on their risk profiles and including outside knowledge in the form of non-family managers, directors or shareholders. Moreover, properly educating and integrating younger family generations might also alleviate an overly high focus on short-term risk aversion.

Practical implications

– Family business leaders might find the approach and findings presented in this paper helpful for securing the longer-term survivability of their firms and for improving innovativeness.

Originality/value

– This article is among the first to deal with the dark sides of risk aversion in family businesses, which might endanger their longer-term survivability.
Green marketing: a strategic balancing act for creating value
Authors: J. Dean Thomas , F. Pacheco Desiree
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this study is to illustrate that when practiced correctly, environmental marketing can represent promising opportunities for value creation and market growth. For many companies, the practice of environmental marketing has delivered disappointing results.

Design/methodology/approach

– Building from examples of companies that have successfully transcended traditional environmental marketing, we create a model for strategic product positioning. We rely on illustrations from companies in a variety of industries that target both consumer and business markets.

Findings

– We describe five strategies that are built upon value drivers for green products such as image, status, functionality and brand management through authenticity and superior offerings. We also emphasize the importance of strategies that target commercial markets for green products, which represent valuable opportunities for growth.

Originality/value

– Companies often confront the challenge of positioning the green attributes of their products or services. Lessons from the past have shown that this task must be carefully executed. Understanding the strategies presented here is critical for the success of new products or new marketing initiatives.
Too many products? Reaching the next billion customers of the beauty market
Authors: Tournois Laurent
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this article is to describe the rationale behind and analyze the results of a strategy in regards to changing conditions and market share dominance. For more than 20 years, with the growth in available product varieties, product and brand proliferation have become increasingly evident in many consumer markets.

Design/methodology/approach

– This article examines how three L’Oréal mass market businesses, i.e. L’Oréal Paris, Lascad and Gemey-Maybelline-Garnier (GMG), managed proliferation activities between 1988 and 2012 on their domestic market. Data were extracted from the information resources, inc. (IRI) Census and Sample Databases (retail panel data), and information was collected from internal sources and semi-structured interviews with top executives. Brand performance was assessed using panel data structure analysis, as recommended by IRI and Nielsen. Some data, as they remain confidential, were not included in the paper.

Findings

– The study reveals that when opportunities are lacking, demand is declining, and competition is fierce – the situation that marks most mature markets – a proliferation strategy actually can yield diminishing results and reduced brand dominance.

Research limitations/implications

– Offering broader lines appears to generate confusion and to be counterproductive in relation to theoretical assumptions. Additional research on proliferation strategies is needed, particularly in declining market conditions, which implies diminished demand and market saturation due to increased competition and isomorphic practices.

Practical implications

– When deciding to extend product lines, managers should take into account competition and more qualitative factors than those included in the models developed by and for store brands. The respective positioning and marketing strategy (i.e. challenger and leader) of the brands involved have also to be considered.

Originality/value

– Prior research on proliferation strategies has relied on strong assumptions such as increase in demand and unsaturated markets. Through these case studies, this article shows that making the shelf space denser affects brand dominance, particularly when market conditions change. These results challenge current thinking as, in facing internal and external contingencies, managers might think which scenario is most favorable for maintaining a dominant position: changing the structure of the market by reducing (i.e. concentration) or increasing the number of brands/products in the market.
National culture and fraud risk: exploratory evidence
Authors: Getie Mihret Dessalegn
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to test the association between national culture dimensions and exposure to fraud with a view to drawing implications for understanding fraud risk.

Design/methodology/approach

– The study is based on a sample of 66 countries. Regression analysis is conducted using Hofstede’s national culture dimensions as independent variables and fraud risk as a dependent variable. Transparency International’s corruption index was used as a proxy for fraud risk.

Findings

– Results suggest high fraud risk exposure in countries with high power distance and those having limited long-term orientations.

Research limitations/implications

– The study informs deeper understanding of fraud risk through analysis of fraud risk in a culturally relative sense.

Originality/value

– This is the first study (known to the author) to draw the implications of national culture for understanding fraud risk.
Re-imagining the sustainability narrative in US cities
Authors: M. Zavattaro Staci
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to explore how US cities are communicating a sustainability narrative. Based on an analysis, cities are using a sustainability narrative focusing on environmental sustainability and consumption. Critical theory is introduced as a means to imagine alternative narratives.

Design/methodology/approach

– Exploratory in nature, this study relied on qualitative media analysis to analyze documents and images gathered from 22 US city websites. Critical theory is then introduced to provide a conceptual way forward from the status quo narrative form.

Findings

– Cities are utilizing environmental narratives largely, rather than including social and economic interests inherent within holistic sustainability practices. Moreover, cities are promoting sustainability as consumption, a practice that is inherently not sustainable. Critical theory explains that marketers are relying on the “status quo” when it comes to crafting a sustainability narrative.

Practical implications

– Destination marketing managers can think outside of given narratives to create their own sustainability stories that might help the place achieve a competitive advantage.

Originality/value

– Knowledge into sustainability marketing practices is extended by revealing a consumption narrative and utilizing critical theory to move beyond this status quo.
Secondhand learning from graduates of leadership development programs
Authors: F. Goldman Ellen , Wesner Marilyn , M. Plack Margaret , N. Manikoth Nisha , Haywood Yolanda
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– This paper aims to explore the impact leadership development program graduates had on their workgroup, the nature of that impact and how that impact occurred.

Design/methodology/approach

– This research was conducted at three sites using a qualitative interview methodology with thematic data analysis. Techniques to ensure trustworthiness included purposive sampling, triangulation of researchers, member checks and code checking.

Findings

– Analysis of the data revealed secondhand learning as specific changes in practices, behaviors and attitudes, transferred by program graduates to their peers and supervisors. The transfer of learning was described as both intentional and informal learning during episodes of varying duration, and occurred through a variety of dyadic and group interactions in a manner generally consistent with the 4I framework of organizational learning.

Research limitations/implications

– The study was limited to medical educators. Recommendations for supervisors and organizations to maximize training transfer are identified. These suggestions advocate for actively encouraging graduates in departmental leadership and faculty development; focusing transfer on specific practices, behaviors and attitudes; and considering both short- and long-term outcomes.

Originality/value

– This paper makes an original contribution to the literature by describing the process of secondhand learning from leadership development program graduates. The paper also expands our understanding of the nuances in transfer methods and associated learning episodes in the context of an educational environment. Finally, the research illustrates how qualitative methods can be used to expose secondhand learning.
Analysis of steel-with-composite material substitution in military vehicle hull floors subjected to shallow-buried landmine-detonation loads
Authors: Grujicic M. , Snipes J.S. , Ramaswami S. , Yavari R. , Yen C.-F. , Cheeseman B.A.
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to address the problem of substitution of steel with fiber-reinforced polymer-matrix composite in military-vehicle hull-floors, and identifies and quantifies the associated main benefits and shortcomings.

Design/methodology/approach

– The problem is investigated using a combined finite-element/discrete-particle computational analysis. Within this analysis, soil (in which a landmine is buried), gaseous detonation products and air are modeled as assemblies of discrete, interacting particles while the hull-floor is treated as a Lagrangian-type continuum structure. Considerable effort has been invested in deriving the discrete-material properties from the available experimental data. Special attention has been given to the derivation of the contact properties since these, in the cases involving discrete particles, contain a majority of the information pertaining to the constitutive response of the associated materials. The potential ramifications associated with the aforementioned material substitution are investigated under a large number of mine-detonation scenarios involving physically realistic ranges of the landmine mass, its depth of burial in the soil, and the soil-surface/floor-plate distances.

Findings

– The results obtained clearly revealed both the benefits and the shortcomings associated with the examined material substitution, suggesting that they should be properly weighted in each specific case of hull-floor design.

Originality/value

– To the authors’ knowledge, the present work is the first public-domain report of the findings concerning the complexity of steel substitution with composite-material in military-vehicle hull-floors.
PID control of torque during drilling in GFRP laminates
Authors: Pal Singh Amrinder , Sharma Manu , Singh Inderdeep
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– Damage induced during drilling of polymer matrix composites depends upon torque during drilling. Modeling of torque with feed rate and its control becomes imminent for damage free drilling of composite laminates. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to construct a transfer function between drilling torque and feed rate based upon experiments. Thereafter, the torque is controlled by using PID controller.

Design/methodology/approach

– This paper presents step-by-step procedure to capture complex drilling dynamics of polymer matrix composites in a mathematical model. A glass fiber reinforced plastic (GFRP) composite laminate is drilled at constant feed rate during experimentation. The corresponding time response of torque is recorded. First order, second order and third order transfer functions between torque and feed rate are identified using system identification toolbox of Matlab®. These transfer functions are then converted into state-space models. Experimental verification is performed on GFRP composite laminate. PID controller is designed using Simulink® to track a given reference torque during drilling of polymer matrix composite. The controller is then validated using different reference torque trajectories.

Findings

– Good match is observed between torque response from state-space models and experiments. Error analysis based on integral absolute error and integral squared error on experimental and simulated response show that third-order system represents the complex drilling dynamics in a better way than first and second-order systems. PID controller effectively tracks given reference trajectories.

Originality/value

– Third-order model between torque and feed rate for drilling of composites not available in literature has been presented. PID controller has previously been applied successfully for drilling of conventional materials, this paper extends implementation of PID torque control for drilling of composites.
The influence of thermal loading due to laser pulse on generalized micropolar thermoelastic solid with comparison of different theories
Authors: I.A. Othman Mohamed , Hasona W.M. , M. Abd-Elaziz Elsayed
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to introduce the coupled theory, Lord-Shulman theory with one relaxation time and Green-Lindsay theory with two relaxation times to study the influence of rotation on generalized micropolar thermoelasticity subject to thermal loading due to laser pulse. The bounding plane surface is heated by a non-Gaussian laser beam with pulse duration of 8 ps.

Design/methodology/approach

– The problem has been solved numerically by using the normal mode analysis.

Findings

– The thermal shock problem is studied to obtain the exact expressions for the displacement components, force stresses, temperature, couple stresses and micro-rotation. The distributions of the considered variables are illustrated graphically. Comparisons are made with the results predicted by three theories in the presence and absence of laser pulse and for different values of time.

Originality/value

– Generalized micropolar thermoelastic solid.
Regional volatility: common or country-specific? Exploration of international stock market
Authors: Mobarek Asma , Li Michelle
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to test whether the volatility of regional stock markets’ is common or country-specific for 46 international markets of the Asian, European, African and Latin American regions using the Morgan Stanley Capital International daily prices in the period from January 1998 to December 2009. Further, the study has been divided into two sub-periods to distinguish the effects of the current sub-prime financial crisis and to determine whether the crisis has an impact on the fluctuations of common component of stock market volatility.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper applies the time-varying weighting methodology of Lumsdaine and Prasad (2003) to determine whether the volatility fluctuation is country-specific or common across the countries.

Findings

– The results evidence that the volatility of stock returns is due to common factors, rather than country-specific ones, but this is not always the case. However, this common component is more stable in European and Latin American countries than in the Asia-Pacific and African regions. Furthermore, the results suggest that the influence of a common component has been enhanced significantly during the current sub-prime financial crisis.

Practical implications

– The study has implication for domestic and international investors, portfolio managers, as well as policy-makers to implement economic and financial policy that promote stability, reduce vulnerability to crises and encourage sustained growth and living standards.

Originality/value

– To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to include four regional samples and test the common component of fluctuations of regional stock markets volatility.
Stock market predictability
Authors: John Camilleri Silvio , J. Green Christopher
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– The main objective of this study is to obtain new empirical evidence on non-synchronous trading effects through modelling the predictability of market indices.

Design/methodology/approach

– The authors test for lead-lag effects between the Indian Nifty and Nifty Junior indices using Pesaran–Timmermann tests and Granger-Causality. Then, a simple test on overnight returns is proposed to infer whether the observed predictability is mainly attributable to non-synchronous trading or some form of inefficiency.

Findings

– The evidence suggests that non-synchronous trading is a better explanation for the observed predictability in the Indian Stock Market.

Research limitations/implications

– The indication that non-synchronous trading effects become more pronounced in high-frequency data suggests that prior studies using daily data may underestimate the impacts of non-synchronicity.

Originality/value

– The originality of the paper rests on various important contributions: overnight returns is looked at to infer whether predictability is more attributable to non-synchronous trading or to some form of inefficiency; the impacts of non-synchronicity are investigated in terms of lead-lag effects rather than serial correlation; and high-frequency data is used which gauges the impacts of non-synchronicity during less active parts of the trading day.
Are stock prices stationary? Some new evidence from a panel data approach
Authors: Shen Xin , J. Holmes Mark
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– This paper investigates whether mean reversion holds for a panel of 16 OECD stock price indices for the period 1970 to 2011.

Design/methodology/approach

– We employ seemingly unrelated regression (SUR)-based linear and non-linear unit root tests which are not only able to exploit the power of panel data analysis but also account for cross sectional dependencies as well as identify which panel members are stationary.

Findings

– In contrast to a literature that offers mixed findings on stationarity, it was found that most of our sample is characterized as mean- or trend-reverting with approximated half-lives in the region of three to five years.

Originality/value

– In contrast to other panel unit root tests of stock prices, the authors identify which individual panel members are stationary and non-stationary using a SURADF test. A further novelty of our approach is that we also develop a SUR-based panel KSS test that allows us to explore the possibility that stock prices exhibit non-linear stationarity.
Impacts of moso bamboo (Phyllostachys pubescens) invasion on dry matter and carbon and nitrogen stocks in a broad‐leaved secondary forest located in Kyoto, western Japan
Authors: Fukushima Keitaro , Usui Nobuaki , Ogawa Ryo , Tokuchi Naoko
Published: October 2014

In western and central Japan, the expansion of exotic moso bamboo (Phyllostachys pubescens Mazel ex J. Houz.) populations into neighboring vegetation has become a serious problem. Although the effects of bamboo invasion on biodiversity have been well studied, shifts in nutrient stocks and cycling, which are fundamental for ecosystem functioning, are not fully understood. To explore the effects of P. pubescens invasion on ecosystem functions we examined above‐ and below‐ground dry matter and carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) stocks in a pure broad‐leaved tree stand, a pure bamboo stand, and two tree–bamboo mixed stands with different vegetation mix ratios in the secondary forest of Kyoto, western Japan. In the process of invasion, bamboo shoots offset broad‐leaved tree deaths; thus, no clear trend was apparent in total above‐ or below‐ground biomass or in plant C and N stocks during invasion. However, the ratio of above‐ground to below‐ground biomass (T/R ratio at the stand level) decreased with increasing bamboo dominance, especially in the early stages of invasion. This shift indicates that rapid bamboo rhizomatous growth is a main driver of substantial changes in stand structure. We also detected rises in the C/N ratio of forest‐floor organic matter during bamboo invasion. Thus major impacts of P. pubescens invasion into broad‐leaved forests include not only early shifts in biomass allocation, but also changes in the distribution pattern of C and N stored in plants and soil.
Chronological location analyses of giant bamboo (Phyllostachys pubescens) groves and their invasive expansion in a satoyama landscape area, western Japan
Authors: Suzuki Shigeo
Published: October 2014

Since the 1980s, giant bamboo groves consisting mainly of naturalized Phyllostachys pubescens have been expanding in Japanese rural landscapes (satoyama). Using aerial photographs, I evaluated changes in bamboo grove distribution between 1947 and 2006 at Mount Hachiman, Ohmi‐hachiman City in western Japan, where there is an area of satoyama landscape adjacent to the suburbs. I also quantitatively determined the natural and artificial factors that accelerated bamboo grove expansion using a multiple logistic regression analysis with stepwise procedure. I attempted to describe the positions of bamboo groves in Japanese satoyama landscapes. The area of bamboo groves in the survey area expanded after 1967. The bamboo groves are located at the base of mountain slopes and on alluvial fans adjacent to residential areas, where they are most susceptible to human interferences (mainly disturbance). They mark the boundary between agricultural fields and secondary forests. The model analysis indicated that the abandonment of lands adjacent to bamboo groves caused bamboo‐grove expansion. As forests and agricultural land were abandoned, bamboo, mainly P. pubescens, invaded these areas by rhizomatous clonal growth. Bamboo grove expansion in Japanese satoyama landscapes is dependent on the type of land use, topography, and existing vegetation as well as the invasive life‐history traits of P. pubescens.
Embedding and Disembedding of Political Elites: A Filter System Approach
Authors: Davis Aeron
Published: October 2014

This article looks at the issue of political disengagement in mature democracies and the growing tendency towards disconnect between citizens and their political representatives. It locates itself in relation to ‘demand-side’ (external to politics) and critical ‘supply-side’ (focused on the political centre) explanations of disengagement. It concentrates on the latter and, accordingly, builds on critical, post-Marxist and elite-oriented work. As such it follows on from earlier calls in the journal for a return to elite-based research ( Savage and Williams, 2008 ).

Drawing on general concepts in economic sociology (Polanyi, Granovetter) the article presents an alternative embedding-disembedding paradigm for explaining and evaluating this tendency towards political elite disengagement. The propensity for politicians to disembed from wider society is explained by way of a series of eight ‘filters’. Such filters work, alone or cumulatively, both to socially embed political elites within the institutions and networks of formal politics and also to disembed them from wider society and the populace they represent. The interpretive framework outlined here draws on a combination of secondary literature and ongoing interview-based research with some 150 political actors (politicians, journalists, officials) working at Westminster. As such, the filters and embedding-disembedding paradigm focuses primarily on the UK case. However, the framework is easily adaptable to other nations and systems.
An ethics of dwelling and a politics of world‐building: a critical response to ordinary ethics
Authors: Zigon Jarrett
Published: October 2014

In this essay I provide a critical reading of so‐called ‘ordinary ethics’ in order to disclose how it ultimately undoes two of the three major contributions of the anthropology of moralities and ethics: that is, ordinary ethics ultimately equates morality/ethics with all social activity and at the same time only accounts for morality/ethics in terms of the moral concepts already provided by the Western moral philosophical tradition. In the second part of this essay I provide an ethnographic example from anti‐drug war political activism that shows how a critical hermeneutics provides a theoretical‐analytical framework for the radical rethinking of both the moral tradition and the social and political worlds that mobilize the concepts and assumptions of this tradition.
Auditor Mindsets and Audits of Complex Estimates
Authors: GRIFFITH EMILY E. , HAMMERSLEY JACQUELINE S. , KADOUS KATHRYN , YOUNG DONALD
Published: October 2014

Auditors experience significant problems auditing complex accounting estimates, and this increasingly puts financial reporting quality at risk. Based on analyses of the specific errors that auditors commit, we propose that auditors need to be able to think more broadly and incorporate information from a variety of sources in order to improve audit quality for these important accounts. We experimentally demonstrate that a deliberative mindset intervention improves auditors’ ability to identify unreasonable estimates by improving their ability to identify and incorporate into their analyses contradictory information from diverse parts of the audit and improving their ability to think critically about the evidence. We perform additional analyses to demonstrate that our intervention improves auditor performance by causing them to think differently rather than simply to work harder. We demonstrate that critical thinking can improve the identification of unreasonable estimates and, in doing so, we provide new directions for addressing audit quality issues.
Suicide Case Due to Phosphoric Acid Ingestion: Case Report and Review of Literature
Authors: Aquila Isabella , Pepe Francesca , Di Nunzio Ciro , Ausania Francesco , Serra Arianna , Ricci Pietrantonio
Published: October 2014

Ingesting caustic substances represents a common event which may result in serious injuries of the gastrointestinal system. Severity of injury depends on the type of ingested substance: Caustic burns are more frequently associated with acid ingestion and their severity depends on type, concentration, time of exposure, and amount of the ingested substance. We report a case of phosphoric acid ingestion leading to death in a patient with depressive disorder. While reports ingestion of other acids and organophosphates can be found in the literature, there are no reports detailing a death due to phosphoric acid ingestion. We hope that presenting the findings in this case can aid death investigators in future cases that may involve ingestion of such a substance. After autopsy pH, phosphate and calcium ions concentration in the blood were analyzed. The cause of death was due to systemic effects: metabolic acidosis, hypophosphatemia, hypocalcemia, and hyperkalemia.
Scribes in an Australian private emergency department: A description of physician productivity
Authors: Walker Katherine , Ben‐Meir Michael , O'Mullane Phebe , Phillips David , Staples Margaret
Published: October 2014

Objective

The study aims to determine if trained scribes in an Australian ED can assist emergency physicians (EPs) to work with increased productivity.

Methods

This was a pilot, prospective, observational study conducted at a private ED in Melbourne. A scribe is a trained assistant who works with an EP and performs non‐clinical tasks that reduce the time spent providing clinical care for patients. Shifts with and without a scribe were compared. The primary outcomes were patients per hour per doctor and billings per patient. Additional analyses included total patient time in ED; individual doctor productivity; time to see a doctor; time on ambulance bypass; and complaints/issues identified with scribes.

Results

There was an overall increase in doctor consultations per hour of 0.32 patients (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.17, 0.47). This varied between doctors from an increase in patients per hour of 0.16 (95% CI −0.09, 0.40) to 0.65 (95% CI 0.41, 0.89). Billings per patient were increased (AUD15.24; 95% CI −AUD18.51, AUD48.99), but the increase was not statistically significant; time to see a doctor reduced by 22 min (95% CI 11, 33); bypass episodes reduced by 66 min per shift (95% CI 11, 122), total patient ED stay remained constant.

Conclusions

In this pilot study, scribe usage was feasible, and overall improvements in consultations per hour were seen. Overall income improved by AUD104.86 (95% CI AUD38.52, AUD171.21) per scribed hour. Further study is recommended to determine if results are sustained or improved over a longer period.
Understanding employee preferences for investing in employer stock: evidence from France
Authors: Caramelli Marco , Carberry Edward J.
Published: October 2014

In this article, we broaden the focus of existing research on employee stock purchase plans by analysing employee preferences for investing in employer stock as a construct distinct from actual investment behaviour. In our analysis of original survey data in a sample of 900 employees in four French companies, we find that employee preferences are influenced by two common cognitive heuristics (representativeness and familiarity), organisational commitment, the perceived quality of corporate communications about these plans and perceived managerial commitment to employee ownership. We did not find, however, that risk aversion, turnover intentions or perceived employee involvement in decision making influenced preferences for investing in employer stock. Our findings have both theoretical and practical implications for understanding and operating these types of employee benefit plans, which are becoming more common across the globe.
Alcohol Alters Insulin‐Like Growth Factor‐1‐Induced Transforming Growth Factor β1 Synthesis in the Medial Basal Hypothalamus of the Prepubertal Female Rat
Authors: Hiney Jill K. , Srivastava Vinod K. , Volz Claire E. , Dees William L.
Published: October 2014

Background

Insulin‐like growth factor‐1 (IGF‐1) and transforming growth factor β1 (TGFβ1) are produced in hypothalamic astrocytes and facilitate luteinizing hormone‐releasing hormone (LHRH) secretion. IGF‐1 stimulates release by acting directly on the LHRH nerve terminals and both peptides act indirectly through specific plastic changes on glial/tanycyte processes that further support LHRH secretion. Because the relationship between these growth factors in the hypothalamus is not known, we assessed the ability of IGF‐1 to induce TGFβ1 synthesis and release and the actions of alcohol (ALC) on this mechanism prior to the onset of puberty.

Methods

Hypothalamic astrocytes were exposed to medium only, medium plus IGF‐1 (200 ng/ml), or medium plus IGF‐1 with 50 mM ALC. After 18 hours, media were collected and assayed for TGFβ1. For the in vivo experiment, prepubertal female rats were administered either ALC (3 g/kg) or water via gastric gavage at 07:30 hours and at 11:30 hours. At 09:00 hours, saline or IGF‐1 was administered into the third ventricle. Rats were killed at 15:00 hours and the medial basal hypothalamus (MBH) was collected for assessment of TGFβ1, IGF‐1 receptor (IGF‐1R), and Akt.

Results

IGF‐1 induced TGFβ1 release (p < 0.01) from hypothalamic astrocytes in culture, an action blocked by ALC. In vivo, IGF‐1 administration caused an increase in TGFβ1 protein compared with controls (p < 0.05), an action blocked by ALC as well as a phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase/Akt inhibitor. IGF‐1 stimulation also increased both total (p< 0.01) and phosphorylated (p)‐IGF‐1R (p < 0.05) protein levels, and phosphorylated (p)‐Akt levels (p < 0.01), which were also blocked by ALC.

Conclusions

This study shows that ALC blocks IGF‐1 actions to stimulate synthesis and release of hypothalamic TGFβ1, total and p‐IGF‐1R, and p‐Akt levels further demonstrating the inhibitory actions of ALC on puberty‐related events associated with hypothalamic LHRH release.
The future of smoking‐attributable mortality: the case of England & Wales, Denmark and the Netherlands
Authors: Stoeldraijer Lenny , Bonneux Luc , van Duin Coen , van Wissen Leo , Janssen Fanny
Published: October 2014

Aims

We formally estimate future smoking‐attributable mortality up to 2050 for the total national populations of England & Wales, Denmark and the Netherlands, providing an update and extension of the descriptive smoking‐epidemic model.

Methods

We used smoking prevalence and population‐level lung cancer mortality data for England & Wales, Denmark and the Netherlands, covering the period 1950–2009. To estimate the future smoking‐attributable mortality fraction (SAF) we: (i) project lung cancer mortality by extrapolating age–period–cohort trends, using the observed convergence of smoking prevalence and similarities in past lung cancer mortality between men and women as input; and (ii) add other causes of death attributable to smoking by applying a simplified version of the indirect Peto–Lopez method to the projected lung cancer mortality.

Findings

The SAF for men in 2009 was 19% (44 872 deaths) in England & Wales, 22% (5861 deaths) in Denmark and 25% (16 385 deaths) in the Netherlands. In our projections, these fractions decline to 6, 12 and 14%, respectively, in 2050. The SAF for women peaked at 14% (38 883 deaths) in 2008 in England & Wales, and is expected to peak in 2028 in Denmark (22%) and in 2033 in the Netherlands (23%). By 2050, a decline to 9, 17 and 19%, respectively, is foreseen. Different indirect estimation methods of the SAF in 2050 yield a range of 1–8% (England & Wales), 8–13% (Denmark) and 11–16% (the Netherlands) for men, and 7–16, 12–26 and 13–31% for women.

Conclusions

From northern European data we project that smoking‐attributable mortality will remain important for the future, especially for women. Whereas substantial differences between countries remain, the age‐specific evolution of smoking‐attributable mortality remains similar across countries and between sexes.
Angiomyxoma of the nasal dorsum treated by Mohs surgery
Authors: Kahn Steven L , Juhl Mark E , Sidiropoulos Michael , Guitart Joan , Antonijevic Sasha , Krunic Aleksandar L
Published: October 2014

Cutaneous angiomyxomas are myofibroblastic neoplasms with locally aggressive behaviour and a high risk of recurrence. We describe a case of a solitary cutaneous angiomyxoma presenting on the nasal dorsum of a 28‐year‐old man, excised with Mohs surgery using permanent section control and repaired with an advancement flap. Histology showed myxoid nests of bland CD34‐positive and vimentin‐positive stellate and spindled cells in the deep dermis and abundant thin‐walled blood vessels. An echocardiogram, performed to rule out the possibility of a cardiac myxoma with cutaneous embolisation, was normal.
Uterine Cytokine Profile in a Rat Model of Endometritis
Authors: Xu Daojun , Xiong Hailin , Xiao Zhonglin , He Jun , Liao Qing , Xue Liqun , Wang Naidong , Yang Qing
Published: October 2014

Problem

Endometritis is a common reproductive disorder in female domestic animals. Roles of cytokines and chemokines have been implicated in this disease. To date, no comprehensive panel of the cytokine profile in inflammatory sites of endometritis has been reported.

Method of study

To address cytokine profiles in endometritis, a bacteria‐induced rat model of endometritis was developed and levels of 27 cytokines were measured in paired uterine horn tissues using a multiple cytokine array.

Results

Of the 27 cytokines, five pro‐inflammatory mediators, including three cytokine‐induced neutrophil chemo‐attractant (CINC)‐1, CINC‐2 and CINC‐3, interleukin (IL)‐1a and CXC family member CXCL5/LIX were increased upon the stimulation of bacteria.

Conclusions

High expression of CINCs as well IL‐1a and CXCL5/LIX suggests their potent roles in the pathogenicity of endometritis.
Recent trends in the incidence of testicular germ cell tumors in the United States
Authors: Ghazarian A. A. , Trabert B. , Devesa S. S. , McGlynn K. A.
Published: October 2014

Testicular germ cell tumors (TGCT), which comprise 98% of all testicular malignancies, are the most commonly occurring cancers among men between the ages of 15 and 44 years in the United States (US). A prior report from our group found that while TGCT incidence among all US men increased between 1973 and 2003, the rate of increase among black men was more pronounced starting in 1989–1993 than was the rate of increase among other men. In addition, TGCT incidence increased among Hispanic white men between 1992 and 2003. To determine whether these patterns have continued, in the current study, we examined temporal trends in incidence through 2011. Between 1992 and 2011, 21 271 TGCTs (12 419 seminomas; 8715 non‐seminomas; 137 spermatocytic seminomas) were diagnosed among residents of the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results 13 registry areas. The incidence of TGCT was highest among non‐Hispanic white men (6.97 per 100 000 man‐years) followed by American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN; 4.66), Hispanic white (4.11), Asian/Pacific Islander (A/PI; 1.95), and black (1.20) men. Non‐Hispanic white men were more likely to present with smaller tumors (3.5 cm) and localized disease (72.6%) than were men of other races/ethnicities. Between 1992 and 2011, TGCT incidence increased significantly among Hispanic white [annual percent change (APC) = 2.94, p < 0.0001], black (APC = 1.67, p = 0.03), non‐Hispanic white (APC = 1.23, p < 0.0001), and A/PI (APC = 1.04, p = 0.05) men. Incidence rates also increased, although not significantly, among AI/AN men (APC = 2.96, p = 0.06). The increases were greater for non‐seminoma than seminoma. In summary, while non‐Hispanic white men in the US continue to have the highest incidence of TGCT, they present at more favorable stages of disease and with smaller tumors than do other men. The increasing rates among non‐white men, in conjunction with the larger proportion of non‐localized stage disease, suggest an area where future research is warranted.
International patterns and trends in testicular cancer incidence, overall and by histologic subtype, 1973–2007
Authors: Trabert B. , Chen J. , Devesa S. S. , Bray F. , McGlynn K. A.
Published: October 2014

Incidence rates of testicular cancer in Northern European and North American countries have been widely reported, whereas rates in other populations, such as Eastern Europe, Central/South America, Asia, and Africa, have been less frequently evaluated. We examined testicular cancer incidence rates overall and by histologic type by calendar time and birth cohort for selected global populations 1973–2007. Age‐standardized incidence rates over succeeding 5‐year periods were calculated from volumes 4–9 of Cancer Incidence in Five Continents electronic database (CI5plus) and the newly released CI5X (volume 10) database. Annual percent change over the 35‐year period was calculated using weighted least squares regression. Age‐period‐cohort analyses were performed and observed rates and fitted rate ratios presented by birth cohort. Incidence rates of testicular cancer increased between 1973–1977 and 2003–2007 in most populations evaluated worldwide. Of note, incidence rates in Eastern European countries rose rapidly and approached rates in Northern European countries. Rates in Central and South America also increased and are now intermediate to the high rates among men of European ancestry and low rates among men of Asian or African descent. Some heterogeneity in the trends in seminoma and nonseminoma were observed in Denmark, the United Kingdom, and among US whites, particularly in recent generations, with rapid and uniform increases in the incidence of both histologic types in Slovakia. Reasons for the rising incidence rates among European and American populations remain unexplained; however, changing distributions in the prevalence of risk factors for testicular cancer cannot be ruled out.
Landscape context in colonization of restored dry grasslands by target species
Authors: Prach Karel , Fajmon Karel , Jongepierová Ivana , Řehounková Klára
Published: October 2014

Questions

Although the role of landscape context, often interpreted as the available species pool, is generally assumed to be important for the restoration of disturbed sites, not many studies evaluating this role quantitatively in restored dry grasslands have been carried out. There is especially a lack of large‐scale, multi‐site studies. We asked how many unsown target species established spontaneously in restored dry grasslands and how spontaneous establishment depended on their occurrence in the surrounding landscape.

Location

White Carpathian Mts., eastern Czech Republic (48°50′–49°05′ N, 17°19′–17°55′ E, 250–610 m a.s.l.).

Methods

We studied spontaneous colonization by unsown target species in dry grasslands on ex‐arable land at 82 sites, sown with a regional seed mixture, commercial clover–grass seed mixtures or left to spontaneous succession. In total, 246 phytosociological relevés in 5‐m × 5‐m plots were recorded. Restoration started 1–31 yr ago. Nearby semi‐natural grasslands were included as reference sites (94 phytosociological relevés). A total of 108 target species were defined and their presence evaluated in the surroundings of the restored grasslands, i.e., in grid cells (3.1 km × 2.8 km) in which the restored sites were situated. Data were processed using multivariate analyses (DCA, CCA) and GLM.

Results

The number of target species at the restored sites significantly increased with time elapsed since restoration started and the number of target species occurring in the surroundings. The sites, although restored in different ways, converged in their species composition towards ancient grasslands. The maximum relative colonization of a restored grassland by target species from the surroundings was 23.4%, and the restored grasslands contained max. Fifty‐seven percent of the average number of dry grassland target species present in the ancient grasslands.

Conclusions

Sowing seed mixtures should be seen as not more than a first phase in the restoration of species‐rich grasslands. In a next phase of restoration, we can reasonably rely on gradual spontaneous colonization by target species if they occur in the surroundings, even at sites sown with commercial seed mixtures or restoring spontaneously. However, full restoration probably takes decades or more.
Changes in landscape composition of differently irrigated hay meadows in an arid mountain region
Authors: Riedener Eliane , Melliger Ramona L. , Rusterholz Hans‐Peter , Baur Bruno
Published: October 2014

Questions

Does the recent change from traditional to sprinkler irrigation result in alterations in the surrounding landscape of species‐rich hay meadows in an arid Swiss mountain region? Are landscape composition and landscape heterogeneity important determinants of plant diversity in these meadows?

Location

Southwestern Switzerland.

Methods

We surveyed vascular plant species in six traditionally and six sprinkler‐irrigated hay meadows. Plant species were divided into grassland specialists and generalists. Individual landscape traits were assessed in circular areas with radii of 50 and 100 m around each meadow in a field survey. Aerial photographs were used to measure the percentage area covered by different habitat types in the present and prior to the installation of sprinklers at the same spatial scale as in the field surveys. The potential effects of irrigation technique and present‐day landscape features on the plant diversity and species composition of hay meadows were examined with GLM and NMDS.

Results

Landscape composition was more diverse for traditionally than for sprinkler‐irrigated meadows, but did not differ prior to the installation of sprinklers. Total plant species richness and the number of specialists were negatively affected by the distance to the closest haystack. Generalists were positively influenced by a variety of different small‐scale landscape traits in the surroundings, whereas the percentage area covered by woodland had a negative effect. Finally, hay meadows irrigated with sprinklers had an increased number of generalist plant species.

Conclusions

This study showed that the small‐scale surroundings, and to some extent the type of irrigation, are important for the conservation of plant diversity of these meadows. Furthermore, the study suggests that the installation of sprinklers was associated with a homogenization of the landscape, which facilitates land use. Extensive management should be promoted by compensation payments for farmers to prevent intensification.
Three decades of vegetation changes in peatlands isolated in an agricultural landscape
Authors: Pasquet Salomé , Pellerin Stéphanie , Poulin Monique
Published: October 2014

Questions

What vegetation changes occurred over three decades on two large temperate peatlands (1115 ha) isolated in an agricultural landscape and affected by a human‐ignited fire?

Location

Southwest Québec, Canada.

Methods

In 2012, we revisited 103 plots first sampled in 1984–85. Changes in species composition were evaluated using the Sørensen dissimilarity index, in species frequency with Chi‐square goodness‐of‐fit tests, and in species cover using one‐sample t‐tests. Tree encroachment was evaluated using aerial photographs and satellite imagery. We used linear discriminant analyses (LDA) and ANOVA to evaluate the impact of tree encroachment on species composition.

Results

We found a floristic dissimilarity of 35% between 1984 and 1985 and 2012. Most species whose frequency and mean cover increased were peatland species, while most species with lower frequency and mean cover in 2012 were non‐peatland species. The total area occupied by forest increased from 26% to 51%, an overall gain of 280 ha of forest. The species composition of old and new forests as well as of open sectors was highly distinct, as shown by the LDA that correctly assigned 97% of the sampling plots to these groups. Non‐peatland species were 15 and five times more abundant than peatland species in old and new forests than open habitats, respectively.

Conclusions

Gradual drying of the peatland margins due to drainage of the surrounding catchment, as well as post‐fire succession are likely the main drivers of the changes observed. Overall, our study showed that peatlands isolated in an anthropogenic landscape are dynamic ecosystems where vegetation communities can experience substantial changes in a short time frame. The broader implication is that peatland conservation in highly modified landscapes must be linked to restoration.