bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Corporate Acquisitions, Diversification, and the Firm's Life Cycle
Authors: ARIKAN ASLI M. , STULZ RENÉ M.
Published: October 2015

Agency theories predict that older firms make value‐destroying acquisitions to benefit managers. Neoclassical theories predict instead that such firms make wealth‐increasing acquisitions to exploit underutilized assets. Using IPO cohorts, we establish that, while younger firms make more related and diversifying acquisitions than mature firms, the acquisition rate follows a U‐shape over firms’ life cycle. Consistent with neoclassical theories, we show that acquiring firms have better performance and growth opportunities and create wealth through acquisitions of nonpublic firms throughout their life. Consistent with agency theories, older firms experience negative stock price reactions for acquisitions of public firms.
Does Academic Research Destroy Stock Return Predictability?
Authors: MCLEAN R. DAVID , PONTIFF JEFFREY
Published: October 2015

We study the out‐of‐sample and post‐publication return predictability of 97 variables shown to predict cross‐sectional stock returns. Portfolio returns are 26% lower out‐of‐sample and 58% lower post‐publication. The out‐of‐sample decline is an upper bound estimate of data mining effects. We estimate a 32% (58%–26%) lower return from publication‐informed trading. Post‐publication declines are greater for predictors with higher in‐sample returns, and returns are higher for portfolios concentrated in stocks with high idiosyncratic risk and low liquidity. Predictor portfolios exhibit post‐publication increases in correlations with other published‐predictor portfolios. Our findings suggest that investors learn about mispricing from academic publications.
Boarding a Sinking Ship? An Investigation of Job Applications to Distressed Firms
Authors: BROWN JENNIFER , MATSA DAVID A.
Published: October 2015

We use novel data from a leading online job search platform to examine the impact of corporate distress on firms’ ability to attract job applicants. Survey responses suggest that job seekers accurately perceive firms’ financial condition, as measured by companies’ credit default swap prices and accounting data. Analyzing responses to job postings by major financial firms during the Great Recession, we find that an increase in an employer's distress results in fewer and lower quality applicants. These effects are particularly evident when the social safety net provides workers with weak protection against unemployment and for positions requiring a college education.
Political Tie Heterogeneity and the Impact of Adverse Shocks on Firm Value
Authors: Sun Pei , Mellahi Kamel , Wright Mike , Xu Haoping
Published: October 2015

Past research has recognized the contingent value of corporate political ties but largely neglects their heterogeneity. Drawing on the political embeddedness perspective and literature on emerging economy political institutions, we develop hypotheses regarding how political networks comprising managerial and government ownership ties may have different valuation effects in the face of adverse political shocks. Examining stock market responses to an unanticipated, high‐profile political event in China, we find a negative valuation effect of managerial ties to municipal government, but an insignificant effect of government ownership ties. Further, companies combining managerial and ownership ties experienced less post‐shock reduction in market value than those holding only managerial political ties. These findings shed light on the values of different configurations of corporate political ties and inform firms of potential ways to manage ubiquitous political hazards in emerging economies.
Emmanuel Levinas and the New Science of Judaism
Authors: Sohn Michael
Published: October 2015

This article addresses Emmanuel Levinas's re‐conceptualization of Jewish identity by examining his response to a question he himself poses: “In which sense do we need a Jewish science?” First, I attend to Levinas's critique of modern science of Judaism, particularly as it was understood in the critical approaches of the nineteenth‐century school of thought, Wissenschaft des Judentums. Next, I detail Levinas's own constructive proposal that would, in his words, “enlarge the science of Judaism.” He retrieved classical textual sources that modern Judaism had neglected, while at the same time he enlarged Judaism's relevance beyond a historical community by turning to phenomenology as a rigorous science. Finally, I conclude with some reflections on the broader implications of this new science of Judaism for Jewish ethics and identity in a post‐war period.
Saint Thomas Aquinas's Pagan Virtues?
Authors: Overmyer Sheryl
Published: October 2015

Today's conversations in virtue ethics are enflamed with questions of “pagan virtues,” which often designate non‐Christian virtue from a Christian perspective. “Pagan virtues,” “pagan vices,” and their historied interpretations are the subject of Jennifer Herdt's book Putting On Virtue: The Legacy of the Splendid Vices (2008). I argue that the questions and language animating Herdt's book are problematic. I offer an alternative strategy to Herdt's for reading Thomas Aquinas's Summa Theologiae. My results are twofold: (1) a different set of conclusions and questions regarding the moral life that lend a fresh perspective to “pagan virtues” and (2) corresponding methodological suggestions for improving Herdt's project that would, to my mind, reaffirm her normative conclusions regarding the most viable ways forward for contemporary discussions of virtue.
Social rhythm interventions for bipolar disorder: a systematic review and rationale for practice
Authors: Crowe M. , Beaglehole B. , Inder M.
Published: October 2015

Accessible Summary

What is known on the subject

Environmental factors are important influences on the course of bipolar disorder. Three interconnected pathways to relapse have been identified as stressful life events, medication non‐ adherence, and disruptions in social rhythms (daily activity routine).

What this paper adds to existing knowledge

There is some emerging evidence supporting the use of interpersonal and social rhythm therapy and sleep/light manipulation to target social rhythms to promote mood stability.

What are the implications for practice

Mental health nurses have a responsibility to discuss the importance of social rhythms, particularly the sleep/wake cycle, with people who have bipolar disorder. Strategies for promoting social rhythm stability could be a useful adjunctive intervention for mental health nurses to implement in practice.

Introduction

Three interconnected pathways to relapse have been identified as stressful life events, medication non‐adherence and disruptions in social rhythms (daily activity and routine). The role of medication and stressful life events is generally better understood than the role of social rhythms. There is no previous review of interventions that target social rhythms.

Aim

To identify the evidence for the effectiveness of interventions that target social rhythms for improving mood symptoms.

Method

A quantitative systematic review was conducted.

Results

Seven studies were included in the review: four reporting interpersonal and social rhythm therapy (IPSRT) interventions and three sleep/light interventions.

Discussion

The results suggest that IPSRT may have a potential benefit in improving mood symptoms and relapse, but it is not clear whether this is of greater benefit than an intensive supportive care intervention of similar duration. The sleep/light interventions demonstrated rapid mood improvements; however, it was not clear how long this improvement was sustained.

Implications for practice

Attention to social rhythms and the implementation of interventions that target these could be useful for mental health nursing practice may provide people with BD a clinically effective adjunctive intervention to medication.
Effect of biologically active substances present in water extracts of white mustard and coriander on antioxidant status and lipid peroxidation of mouse C2C12 skeletal muscle cells
Authors: Zielniok K. , Szkoda K. , Gajewska M. , Wilczak J.
Published: October 2015

Coriander and white mustard, an annual plants originated in the Mediterranean region, have been cultivated and used as spices for a long time. Recent studies have shown that they may constitute a potential source of phenolic compounds. The aim of this study was to evaluate the content of polyphenols in coriander and white mustard water extracts and to investigate their antioxidant activity in C2C12 mouse skeletal muscle cells, which serve as a good model of cells with intensive metabolism. HPLC analysis showed that polyphenols were able to permeate from the water extracts of studied plants into the undifferentiated myoblasts as well as myocytes undergoing differentiation, increasing the concentration of reduced glutathione and upregulating glutathione reductase and peroxidase activity. White mustard and coriander extracts also decreased the levels of oxysterols and sum of tiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) in both: myoblasts and differentiating myocytes, demonstrating protective effect on cell membranes. The obtained results indicate that polyphenols synthesized by both herbs may have beneficial effects on muscle tissue.
Canine hyperlipidaemia
Authors: Xenoulis P. G. , Steiner J. M.
Published: October 2015

Hyperlipidaemia refers to an increased concentration of lipids in the blood. Hyperlipidaemia is common in dogs and has recently emerged as an important clinical condition that requires a systematic diagnostic approach and appropriate treatment. Hyperlipidaemia can be either primary or secondary to other diseases. Secondary hyperlipidaemia is the most common form in dogs, and it can be a result of endocrine disorders, pancreatitis, cholestasis, protein‐losing nephropathy, obesity, as well as other conditions and the use of certain drugs. Primary hyperlipidaemia is less common in the general canine population but it can be very common within certain breeds. Hypertriglyceridaemia of Miniature Schnauzers is the most common form of primary hyperlipidaemia in dogs but other breeds are also affected. Possible complications of hyperlipidaemia in dogs include pancreatitis, liver disease, atherosclerosis, ocular disease and seizures. Management of primary hyperlipidaemia in dogs is achieved by administration of ultra low‐fat diets with or without the administration of lipid lowering drugs such as omega‐3 fatty acids, fibrates, niacin and statins.
Gastric dilatation volvulus: a retrospective study of 203 dogs with ventral midline gastropexy
Authors: Ullmann B. , Seehaus N. , Hungerbühler S. , Meyer‐Lindenberg A.
Published: October 2015

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the recurrence rate of gastric dilatation volvulus and the incidence of complications in subsequent coeliotomies following ventral midline gastropexy.

METHODS

The medical records of dogs treated for gastric dilatation volvulus by ventral midline gastropexy were retrospectively reviewed. Owners were contacted and invited to complete a questionnaire and to return to the clinic for ultrasonographic and radiographic follow‐up.

RESULTS

The questionnaire was completed by 203 owners 2 to 123 months postoperatively, 24 of whom attended the follow‐up examination. Of the 203 dogs, 13 (6 · 4%) underwent subsequent ventral midline coeliotomy and none developed complications related to the gastropexy site. In 23 of the 24 re‐evaluated dogs, the stomach was closely associated with the abdominal on radiography and/or ultrasound. The recurrence rate for clinical signs of gastric dilatation or gastric dilatation volvulus after ventral midline gastropexy was 6 · 4%.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

This study shows that the recurrence of gastric dilatation volvulus after ventral midline gastropexy is low and adhesion of the stomach to the abdominal wall is persistent in almost all dogs that were re‐examined. The gastropexy site did not appear to interfere with subsequent coeliotomy.
Oral Histories in Meteoritics and Planetary Science—XXIII: Dieter Stöffler
Authors: Sears Derek W. G.
Published: October 2015

In this interview, Dieter Stöffler (Fig. 1) describes how his interest in meteorites and impact craters dates from his Ph.D. studies at the University of Tübingen when it was learned that the Ries crater was formed by impact. A paper by Dieter's advisor, Wolf von Engelhardt, also triggered an interest in meteorites. After graduation, Dieter helped to establish a laboratory for high pressure mineralogy and he examined rocks from the Ries crater, which led to the concept of progressive shock metamorphism. The group also worked on newly returned Apollo samples and guided astronauts over the crater. A year at the NASA Ames Research Center taught Dieter about experimental impact research with a light‐gas gun. After a few more years at Tübingen, Dieter obtained a professorship at the University of Münster where he created the Institute of Planetology, got involved in planning space missions including comet sample return, and continued high pressure mineralogy in collaboration with colleagues in Freiburg. Through several decades of research, Dieter and colleagues have documented the effects of shock on all the major rock‐forming minerals and devised widely accepted schemes for the classification of shocked rocks. After the unification of Germany, Dieter became Director of the Natural History Museum in Berlin, during which he made much progress rebuilding the laboratories and the collections. Dieter also helped to create a museum and research center in the Ries crater. He received the Barringer Award of the Meteoritical Society in 1994 and several prestigious awards in Germany.
TheWorldHealthOrganization's global target for reducing childhood stunting by 2025: rationale and proposed actions
Authors: de Onis Mercedes , Dewey Kathryn G. , Borghi Elaine , Onyango Adelheid W. , Blössner Monika , Daelmans Bernadette , Piwoz Ellen , Branca Francesco
Published: October 2015

In 2012, the World Health Organization adopted a resolution on maternal, infant and young child nutrition that included a global target to reduce by 40% the number of stunted under‐five children by 2025. The target was based on analyses of time series data from 148 countries and national success stories in tackling undernutrition. The global target translates to a 3.9% reduction per year and implies decreasing the number of stunted children from 171 million in 2010 to about 100 million in 2025. However, at current rates of progress, there will be 127 million stunted children by 2025, that is, 27 million more than the target or a reduction of only 26%. The translation of the global target into national targets needs to consider nutrition profiles, risk factor trends, demographic changes, experience with developing and implementing nutrition policies, and health system development. This paper presents a methodology to set individual country targets, without precluding the use of others. Any method applied will be influenced by country‐specific population growth rates. A key question is what countries should do to meet the target. Nutrition interventions alone are almost certainly insufficient, hence the importance of ongoing efforts to foster nutrition‐sensitive development and encourage development of evidence‐based, multisectoral plans to address stunting at national scale, combining direct nutrition interventions with strategies concerning health, family planning, water and sanitation, and other factors that affect the risk of stunting. In addition, an accountability framework needs to be developed and surveillance systems strengthened to monitor the achievement of commitments and targets.
Directed Technical Change and Capital Deepening: A Reconsideration of Kaldor's Technical Progress Function
Authors: Schlicht Ekkehart
Published: October 2015

This note proposes a growth model that is derived from the standard Solow growth model by replacing the neoclassical production function with Kaldor's technical progress function while maintaining a marginalist theory of factor prices in the spirit suggested by von Weizsäcker. The hybrid model so obtained explains balanced growth in a way that appears less arbitrary than possible explanations in the Solow model, especially because it directly accounts for Harrod neutral technical change, without any need for further assumptions. It complements the current neoclassical and AK models by offering a further perspective for interpreting economic growth.
coppers from the hood: Haida Manga Interventions and Performative Acts
Authors: Levell Nicola
Published: October 2015

In the traditional indigenous economy of the Northwest Coast, copper shields were a highly prized form of material and symbolic wealth. In many cases, they were requisitioned by colonial authorities and became part of the ethnographic holdings of museums. Challenging this history of appropriation and keeping, Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas created a series of artworks, Haida Manga Coppers from the Hood (2007), for the exhibition Meddling in the Museum: Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas at the Museum of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia. As site‐specific interventions, these Coppers were designed to subvert dominant narratives and practices that circumscribe ownership of cultural heritage and concomitantly suppress indigenous rights, epistemologies, and histories. This institutional or indigenized critique was not only evinced in the display and materiality of the Coppers from the Hood but also iterated and amplified in the “performative acts,” such as the First Nation speeches delivered at the exhibition opening. This article explores the interplay between objects and acts, between the tangible and intangible expressions of museum anthropology that not only index but also instantiate social relations, indigenous identities, intercultural histories, and the politics of ownership and belonging. I argue that through these types of material and performative expressions the museum can be understood as a “site of persuasion” (Dubin 2011:478; Morphy 2006:473), wherein indigenous peoples, including activists and artists, continue their struggle to reclaim and animate their cultural heritage, in old and new forms. [Haida Manga, performative acts, indigenized critique]
Acupuncture at heterotopic acupoints facilitates distal colonic motility via activating M3 receptors and somatic afferent C‐fibers in normal, constipated, or diarrhoeic rats
Authors: Gao X. , Qin Q. , Yu X. , Liu K. , Li L. , Qiao H. , Zhu B.
Published: October 2015

Background

Previous studies have demonstrated the efficacy of somatic stimulation for patients with gastrointestinal motility disorders. However, little effort has been made to investigate the effects of acupuncture on colonic motility, particularly in pathological conditions. The precise mechanism employed in the regulation of acupuncture on colonic motility still remains unclear.

Methods

We assessed the effect of acupuncture at heterotopic acupoints on distal colonic motility using a warm‐water‐filled manometric balloon inserted 5–6 cm into the rectum of anesthetized normal rats or rats with diarrhea or constipation. Choline chloride, 4‐DAMP, cobra venom and capsaicin were separately applied to investigate the role of M3 receptors in the regulation of distal colonic motility by acupuncture at heterotopic acupoints, and whether Aδ‐ and/or C‐fibers are required for triggering distal colonic motility by acupuncture.

Key Results

Acupuncture at heterotopic acupoints increased distal colonic motility not only in normal rats but also in rats with constipation or diarrhea. M3 receptors play an important role in the facilitation of distal colonic motility triggered by acupuncture at heterotopic acupoints. Afferent nerve Aδ‐ and C‐fibers mediate the transduction of the acupuncture signal and C‐fibers are essential for enhancing the effect of acupuncture at the heterotopic acupoint on distal colonic motility.

Conclusions & Inferences

Our results reveal that acupuncture at heterotopic acupoints increases distal colonic motility regardless of normal or pathological conditions via predominately activating C‐fibers of somatic afferent nerve and M3 receptors.
Host jumps shaped the diversity of extant rust fungi (Pucciniales)
Authors: McTaggart Alistair R. , Shivas Roger G. , van der Nest Magriet A. , Roux Jolanda , Wingfield Brenda D. , Wingfield Michael J.
Published: October 2015

The aim of this study was to determine the evolutionary time line for rust fungi and date key speciation events using a molecular clock. Evidence is provided that supports a contemporary view for a recent origin of rust fungi, with a common ancestor on a flowering plant.

Divergence times for > 20 genera of rust fungi were studied with Bayesian evolutionary analyses. A relaxed molecular clock was applied to ribosomal and mitochondrial genes, calibrated against estimated divergence times for the hosts of rust fungi, such as Acacia (Fabaceae), angiosperms and the cupressophytes.

Results showed that rust fungi shared a most recent common ancestor with a mean age between 113 and 115 million yr. This dates rust fungi to the Cretaceous period, which is much younger than previous estimations. Host jumps, whether taxonomically large or between host genera in the same family, most probably shaped the diversity of rust genera. Likewise, species diversified by host shifts (through coevolution) or via subsequent host jumps. This is in contrast to strict coevolution with their hosts.

Puccinia psidii was recovered in Sphaerophragmiaceae, a family distinct from Raveneliaceae, which were regarded as confamilial in previous studies.
The wicked in court: a neuroscientific primer
Authors: Tobeña Adolf
Published: October 2015

The criminal cases of Anders Breivik, the Norwegian shooter, and Bernard Madoff, the fraudulent American financier, are used as prominent examples of the complexity that courts have to explore when judging the severity and responsibility of felonies performed by different types of psychopaths. I outline the brain circuits subserving morally charged decisions in ordinary citizens and in patients with gross lesions in the same areas, along with singularities in these brain systems that have been detected in psychopaths. These neural signatures, combined with thorough neuropsychological examination, will hopefully improve the diagnoses and prognoses of criminals with dangerous psychopathic traits. In this respect, the profiles of incarcerated members of gangs are used to exemplify and distinguish among typical niches and varieties of psychopathy within criminal organizations. A discussion follows, presenting the complexities of novel research that is increasing the sophistication of these challenging but key intersections between neuroscience and law.
The neuroimaging of sacred values
Authors: Vilarroya Oscar , Hilferty Joseph
Published: October 2015

Sacred (or protected) values (SVs) constitute core beliefs that define primary reference groups. There is significant research on SVs at a behavioral level, but their neural underpinnings are just beginning to be discovered. In this paper, we highlight the current state of neuroimaging research concerning SVs. Given that SVs are considered to be strongly motivated by moral principles, we first provide an outline of the neural circuits that have been found to be involved in moral cognition. We then review various neuroimaging studies that have explored the notion of SVs. Specifically, we concentrate on neuroimaging studies dealing with intergroup bias and those that focus on social norms, since these are two basic dimensions of SVs that have been studied with neuroimaging techniques. Finally, we review two studies that have directly addressed SVs with neuroimaging techniques, and we offer suggestions for further avenues of study.
How serotonin shapes moral judgment and behavior
Authors: Siegel Jenifer Z. , Crockett Molly J.
Published: October 2015

Neuroscientists are now discovering how hormones and brain chemicals shape social behavior, opening potential avenues for pharmacological manipulation of ethical values. Here, we review recent studies showing how altering brain chemistry can alter moral judgment and behavior, focusing in particular on the neuromodulator serotonin and its role in shaping values related to harm and fairness. We synthesize previous findings and consider the potential mechanisms through which serotonin could increase the aversion to harming others. We present a process model whereby serotonin influences social behavior by shifting social preferences in the positive direction, enhancing the value people place on others’ outcomes. This model may explain previous findings relating serotonin function to prosocial behavior, and makes new predictions regarding how serotonin may influence the neural computation of value in social contexts.
A framework for using niche models to estimate impacts of climate change on species distributions
Authors: Anderson Robert P.
Published: October 2015

Predicting species geographic distributions in the future is an important yet exceptionally challenging endeavor. Overall, it requires a two‐step process: (1) a niche model characterizing suitability, applied to projections of future conditions and linked to (2) a dispersal/demographic simulation estimating the species’ future occupied distribution. Despite limitations, for the vast majority of species, correlative approaches are the most feasible avenue for building niche models. In addition to myriad technical issues regarding model building, researchers should follow critical principles for selecting predictor variables and occurrence data, demonstrating effective performance in prediction across space, and extrapolating into nonanalog conditions. Many of these principles relate directly to the niche space, dispersal/demographic noise, biotic noise, and human noise assumptions defined here. Issues requiring progress include modeling interactions between abiotic variables, integrating biotic variables, considering genetic heterogeneity, and quantifying uncertainty. Once built, the niche model identifying currently suitable conditions must be processed to approximate the areas that the species occupies. That estimate serves as a seed for the simulation of persistence, dispersal, and establishment in future suitable areas. The dispersal/demographic simulation also requires data regarding the species’ dispersal ability and demography, scenarios for future land use, and the capability of considering multiple interacting species simultaneously.
Cognitive mechanisms for the evolution of religious thought
Authors: Fondevila Sabela , Martín‐Loeches Manuel
Published: October 2015

The reasons behind the cultural persistence of religious beliefs throughout human history and prehistory still generate unanswered questions requiring scientific explanations. Within the framework of the cognitive science of religion, this article reviews experimental evidence supporting human predisposition for religious thinking and focuses on the hypothesis that a reason why religious beliefs are successful is their minimal counterintuitiveness. According to this hypothesis, religious concepts or stories would be characterized by containing only a small number of world‐knowledge violations, which attracts attention while improving memorizability. We conclude this review by summarizing recent findings from our group using brain electrical activity and delving further into these questions. Our research suggests parallels between the natural tendency of the human cognitive system to use metaphors and the minimal counterintuitiveness of religious beliefs.
Biodiversity elements vulnerable to climate change in the Catskill High Peaks subecoregion (Ulster, Delaware, Sullivan, and Greene Counties, New York State)
Authors: Adams Morton S. , Parisio Steven J.
Published: October 2015

Climate change is expected to affect biodiversity elements in the Catskill High Peaks subecoregion of New York State with effects that are difficult to predict. The present communication details the species and communities of greatest conservation concern in this portion of the state and makes recommendations for monitoring the most pressing climate change–biodiversity vulnerabilities. Specifically, we present sites for monitoring representative old‐growth and successional stands of red spruce/balsam fir and northern hardwood matrix forests, cliff communities, ice cave talus communities, and both minerotrophic inland poor fen and ombrotrophic perched peatlands. The proposed monitoring protocols vary among the various sites, but all are quantitative and are designed to document patterns of change.
Sacred values in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict: resistance to social influence, temporal discounting, and exit strategies
Authors: Sheikh Hammad , Ginges Jeremy , Atran Scott
Published: October 2015

Conflicts over sacred values may be particularly difficult to resolve. Because sacred values are nonfungible with material values, standard attempts to negotiate, such as offering material incentives to compromise, often backfire, increasing moral outrage and support for violent action. We present studies with Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza demonstrating three other ways sacred values may make conflict more intractable, focusing on what we call devoted actors, people who regard issues central to the Israel–Palestine conflict as sacred values. We show that devoted actors (1) were less amenable to social influence, (2) perceived conflict‐related events in the past as well as expected events in the future to be temporally closer, and (3) were blind to individual opportunities to escape the conflict. These results suggest that sacred values may affect decision making in a number of ways, which, when combined, contribute to common defense and continuation of conflict.
Climate change and species interactions: ways forward
Authors: Angert Amy L. , LaDeau Shannon L. , Ostfeld Richard S.
Published: October 2015

With ongoing and rapid climate change, ecologists are being challenged to predict how individual species will change in abundance and distribution, how biotic communities will change in structure and function, and the consequences of these climate‐induced changes for ecosystem functioning. It is now well documented that indirect effects of climate change on species abundances and distributions, via climatic effects on interspecific interactions, can outweigh and even reverse the direct effects of climate. However, a clear framework for incorporating species interactions into projections of biological change remains elusive. To move forward, we suggest three priorities for the research community: (1) utilize tractable study systems as case studies to illustrate possible outcomes, test processes highlighted by theory, and feed back into modeling efforts; (2) develop a robust analytical framework that allows for better cross‐scale linkages; and (3) determine over what time scales and for which systems prediction of biological responses to climate change is a useful and feasible goal. We end with a list of research questions that can guide future research to help understand, and hopefully mitigate, the negative effects of climate change on biota and the ecosystem services they provide.
New bone formation induced by surface strontium‐modified ceramic bone graft substitute
Authors: Park J‐W , Kang D‐G , Hanawa T
Published: October 2015

Objectives

This study assessed the effect of surface strontium ion (Sr) modification on the osteogenic activity of an osteoconductive ceramic bone graft substitute with the hope of using the bone healing effect of Sr for potential application in periodontal and maxillofacial regenerative surgery.

Materials and Methods

A simple wet chemical treatment was employed to deliver Sr to the surface of particulate porcine bone graft. The osteogenic activity of surface Sr‐modified bone substitute was compared in vitro and in vivo with that of unmodified ceramic bone, other clinically available synthetic bone or osteoinductive allograft bone.

Results

The resultant bone substitute showed the formation of Sr‐containing microstructured surface layer along with the formation of additional nanostructures and displayed sustained Sr release. Sr modification promoted the osteogenic differentiation of bipotential ST2 stem cells. Sr‐modified bone substitute increased the amount of newly formed bone at early healing period in calvarial defect of rabbits.

Conclusions

These results suggest that the surface Sr modification by wet chemical treatment is a promising approach to enhance the early bone healing capacity of osteoconductive ceramic bone substitutes.
Collapsing Commodities or Lavish Offerings? Understanding Massive Metalwork Deposition at Langton Matravers, Dorset During the Bronze Age–Iron Age Transition
Authors: Roberts Benjamin W. , Boughton Dorothee , Dinwiddy Michael , Doshi Nisha , Fitzpatrick Andrew P. , Hook Duncan , Meeks Nigel , Mongiatti Aude , Woodward Ann , Woodward Peter J.
Published: October 2015

The discovery of 373 intact and broken tin‐bronze socketed axes accompanied by 404 fragments in four pits at Langton Matravers collectively represents one of the largest hoards found to date in prehistoric Britain and Ireland. They were very probably never meant to be used as axes as the very high levels of tin they contain would have made them brittle. Many were poorly finished, with the majority still containing their casting cores. The axes are typologically dated to the Llyn Fawr metalwork phase (c.800–600 BC) and span the Bronze Age/Iron Age transition, when the production, circulation and deposition of bronze appear to have been substantially reduced throughout north‐west Europe. By placing the Langton Matravers hoard(s) in a broader metallurgical, material and archaeological context, existing theories for this phenomenon, such as the preference for iron, a collapse in bronze supply, or the sharp devaluation of a social or ritual ‘bronze standard’, are evaluated. It is proposed that the Langton Matravers axes belong to a short phase in the centuries‐long processes underlying the changing roles of bronze and iron.
A Happening at Danebury Hillfort – But When?
Authors: Cunliffe Barry , Farrell Philip , Dee Michael
Published: October 2015

A group of six radiocarbon dates for human skeletons found at the Iron Age hillfort of Danebury are suggestive of a major killing event. We consider here how the dates, mitigated by a careful consideration of the archaeological evidence for context, can be used in constructing site history.
Effects of sevoflurane exposure during late pregnancy on brain development of offspring mice
Authors: Suehara Tomomi , Morishita Jun , Ueki Masaaki , Ueno Masaki , Maekawa Nobuhiro , Mizobuchi Satoshi
Published: October 2015

Background

Exposure to some anesthetic agents during the fetal period has been shown to induce neurodegeneration or learning deficits in animal models. Sevoflurane is one of the most prevalent general anesthetics; however, the influence of sevoflurane at a clinically relevant concentration on the developing fetal brain remains unknown.

Objective

We investigated whether a single sevoflurane exposure during the fetal period would affect neuronal development and learning/memory ability in mice.

Methods

Pregnant mice at gestational day 17 were anesthetized with 1.5% sevoflurane in 50% oxygen for 6 h. Mice in the control group were exposed in 50% oxygen without sevoflurane. Pups of some mice in both groups subsequently were delivered early by cesarean section and whole fetal brains were excised. The rest of the pups were delivered naturally at gestational day 20 and were maintained for 8 weeks. The mRNA expression levels of caspase‐3, brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), nerve growth factor (NGF), and LIM kinase‐1 (LIMK‐1) were measured in fetal whole brain and 8‐week‐old hippocampus sections. Synaptophysin protein in adult hippocampus was assessed immunochemically. In addition, 8‐week‐old mice were subjected to the radial maze test.

Results

No significant difference between sevoflurane and control groups regarding mRNA expression levels of all targets was seen, nor was there an obvious change in synaptophysin protein expression. The results of the maze test revealed that the each‐day performance ratios (the rate of errors) of the sevoflurane group were not altered as compared with the control group.

Conclusions

These results suggest that the exposure during late pregnancy to a clinically relevant concentration of sevoflurane does not affect neuronal development and learning/memory ability of offspring mice.
“Pro‐Peace Entrepreneur” or “Conflict Profiteer”? Critical Perspective on the Private Sector and Peacebuilding in Nepal
Authors: Subedi D. B.
Published: October 2015

Focusing on a case study from Nepal, this article argues that as the private sector is a heterogeneous constituency consisting of a variety of actors who can perform in favor of or against peace, generalizing the entire sector as either a builder or spoiler of peace can be deeply misleading. Instead, this article proposes an alternative approach that may help to understand the personal and structural dimensions that make up a business response to peace and conflict. These two dimensions, which can be better understood in terms of a business actor's self‐interests, motivations, and the economic incentive structures and mechanisms, are central in shaping businesses' attitudes and responses toward peace and conflict. The personal and structural dimensions may provide an analytical framework that distinguishes between business actors who might want to benefit from political instability and conflict and those who may want to support peace initiatives. In this article, these two categories of the private sector are referred to as “conflict profiteers” and “pro˗peace entrepreneurs” respectively. While the business activities of a conflict profiteer may exacerbate conflict dynamics, by contrast a pro‐peace entrepreneur can contribute to building peace in Nepal.
Against the New Evidentialists
Authors: Rinard Susanna
Published: October 2015

Evidentialists and Pragmatists about reasons for belief have long been in dialectical stalemate. However, recent times have seen a new wave of Evidentialists who claim to provide arguments for their view which should be persuasive even to someone initially inclined toward Pragmatism. This paper reveals a central flaw in this New Evidentialist project: their arguments rely on overly demanding necessary conditions for a consideration to count as a genuine reason. In particular, their conditions rule out the possibility of pragmatic reasons for action. Since the existence of genuine pragmatic reasons for action is common ground between the Evidentialist and the Pragmatist, this problem for the New Evidentialist arguments is fatal. The upshot is that the deadlock between these two positions is restored: neither side can claim to be in possession of an argument that could convince the other. As it happens, I myself favor Pragmatism about reasons for belief, and although I don't claim to be able to convince a committed Evidentialist, I do make a prima facie case for Pragmatism by describing particular scenarios in which it seems to be true. I then go on to develop my own preferred version of the view: Robust Pragmatism, according to which a consideration never constitutes a reason for believing a proposition purely in virtue of being evidence for it.
Navigational Tools for Central African Roadblocks
Authors: Lombard Louisa
Published: October 2015

This article explores the politics of roadblocks in the northeastern reaches of the Central African Republic. Over the past 30 years, roadblocks have become widespread in this area of extremely minimal state institutional presence; they are one symptom of broader processes of militarization. Building on work that sees the state as a set of practices with “magical” effects, I foreground the unpredictability and negotiation that characterize roadblock encounters to show how they challenge the dominant theories of governance in “stateless” spaces. Though roadblock workers invoke the idea of the all‐powerful state in order to qualify themselves with authorities to dispossess travelers, their practices end up strengthening noncentralized modes of rule, and particularly quests for personal profit.
Causes and Triggers of Coups d'état: An Event History Analysis
Authors: Hiroi Taeko , Omori Sawa
Published: October 2015

What explains the propensities of countries to experience coups d'état? This article tests various, at times competing, theories of coups using event history analysis by modeling coups as repeatable events. We highlight the different roles that political regimes play in inducing or deterring coups, and argue that political regimes that are not clearly democratic or autocratic are the most vulnerable to coups. Features of hybrid regimes increase their underlying coup vulnerability and the impact of coup‐triggering events. While existing literature has noted higher coup frequency in nondemocratic regimes than in democratic regimes, we note the impact of differences within the nondemocratic regimes, with particular emphasis on the timing of a coup event. Contributing to growing research on variations in nondemocratic regimes and their consequences, our analysis of global coup data in 152 countries indicates that very autocratic regimes are much less vulnerable to coups than hybrid regimes.

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Strengthening Legislatures: Some Lessons from the Pacific Region
Authors: Kinyondo Abel , Pelizzo Riccardo
Published: October 2015

There is universal agreement among development stakeholders that parliaments play a crucial role in enhancing good governance, economic growth, and development as well as the general quality of democracy. It follows from this fact that several international organizations (IOs) have embarked in activities that seek to strengthen legislative capacity. However, we note that there is a lack of consensus—among IOs and in key literature—on the right approach to strengthen parliaments. Consequently, IOs have been offering varying legislative‐strengthening exercises that have inevitably produced significantly different and, at times, disappointing outcomes. Using a multicase study design that includes five Pacific countries, we show that to attain positive and significant outcomes, legislative capacity‐building initiatives need to be country specific and informed by local needs assessment. We further reassert that no amount of legislative capacity‐building effort can enhance parliamentary performance in the absence of local political will.

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Unconventional Gas Development in the USA: Exploring the Risk Perception Issues
Authors: Graham John D. , Rupp John A. , Schenk Olga
Published: October 2015

Unconventional gas development (UGD) is growing rapidly in the United States. Drawing on insights from risk perception and risk governance theories and recent public opinion surveys, we find that UGD is an emerging technology that is likely to be perceived as risky, even though objective risk assessments suggest that risks are low and controllable through best risk management practices. Perceived risk varies significantly depending on the state and locality but perceptions of risk appear to be increasing as the technology is used more widely in the United States and as organized opponents of the technology intensify their efforts. Risk perceptions are attenuated somewhat because of the perceived benefits of UGD and compensation schemes for individuals and communities. The types of triggering events necessary for large‐scale social amplification and stigmatization have not yet occurred but awareness of UGD is growing and organized opposition has been sufficient to cause prohibitions of UGD in some U.S. states and localities. Additional directions for social science research on public reactions to UGD are recommended.
Nano‐Industry Operationalizations of “Responsibility”: Charting Diversity in the Enactment of Responsibility
Authors: Shelley‐Egan Clare , Davies Sarah R.
Published: October 2015

The Collingridge dilemma—the problem of reacting to emerging technology either “too early” or “too late”—is one that is readily recognized by developers and promoters of nanotechnologies. One response can be found in the rise of a discourse of “responsible development” in the science and innovation policy landscape. While a number of commentators have discussed the potential of such initiatives, it remains unclear how responsible development is actually being configured “on the ground,” in private sector nanotechnology. This paper addresses this question by analyzing empirical engagements in Europe and the United States in order to map industry operationalizations of “responsibility” in these contexts. We show that a number of different articulations of “responsibility” are present, including as a response to public lack of trust and perceived public pressure, and as the management of risk. We close by relating these findings to the theoretical literature on responsibility, other contemporary accounts of the ways in which responsible development can be operationalized, and the possibilities that these articulations of responsibility may open up.
Older peoples' narratives of use and misuse of alcohol and psychotropic drugs
Authors: Johannessen Aud , Helvik Anne‐Sofie , Engedal Knut , Sørlie Venke Marion
Published: October 2015

Background

Studies revealed that misuse of drugs and alcohol is an increasing phenomenon among older people (aged 65 years and above), and we know that such misuse is a risk factor for mortality and morbidity. Furthermore, we do not know to what extent older people have experiences, understanding and knowledge about the use and misuse of alcohol and psychotropic drugs.

Aim

To investigate older peoples' experiences with and reflections on the use and misuse of alcohol and psychotropic drugs among older people.

Method

Qualitative interviews with 16 older people were performed during 2013 and 2014. The sample included informants aged from 65 to 92 years from 11 municipalities. The data were analysed by using the phenomenological hermeneutic method.

Findings

The first theme that arose from the informants' narratives wasto be a part of a culture in changethat details the informants' experiences with and reflections on the cultural changes regarding the use and misuse of alcohol and psychotropic drugs. This theme is divided into three subthemes:to use and attitudes toward use, to trivialise use and risks of use, and to disclaim responsibility for use and misuse. The second theme,to explain use and misuseinvolved reasons for the use and misuse of alcohol and psychotropic drugs. It included the subthemes:to be afraid, to be lonely, and to be informed.

Conclusion

The study revealed that most informants had experiences with the use of alcohol and psychotropic drugs, but disclaimed any challenges with their use. The use was trivialised and seen as something older people just do. They disclaimed responsibility for their own psychotropic use as their general practitioners were defined as the responsible persons. Moreover, the study showed that the informants had poor knowledge about the risk of use and misuse of alcohol and psychotropic drugs.