bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The evolution of technological inequalities: country effect vs industry composition
Authors: Gumbau‐Albert Mercedes , Maudos Joaquin
Published: April 2013

Purpose

Using the EU‐KLEMS database for 12 countries and 16 industries, the purpose of this paper is to analyze the differences in technological capital intensity (R&D capital stock as a percentage of GVA) between industries and the evolution of inequalities between the EU‐11 and the USA, as well as between EU countries.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors use shift‐share analysis and a Theil inequality index to break down these inequalities and to quantify the importance of either a country or a specialization effect.

Findings

Results from the shift‐share analysis show that there was a technological gap in favor of the USA until the mid‐1990s linked to the greater accumulation of technological capital in most of the productive sectors considered, this being the main reason for the differences in technological innovation between the USA and the EU‐11. However, since 1995 a change in productive specialization has occurred, with a significant drop in the weight of lower technology‐intensive industries in the EU‐11 economy, as well as a significant drop in the weight of some medium technology‐intensive industries in the USA, accounting for the reduction in the technological gap between the EU and the USA. Results from the Theil index show that the differences in the productive structure of European countries explain most of their differences in technological capital intensity.

Originality/value

The study discusses the issue from the standpoint of the distribution of technological innovation across industries. The variable analyzed and constructed is R&D capital stock and not R&D expenditures. It applies a methodology (shift‐share analysis and Theil index) not commonly used to analyze technological innovation inequalities.
Triple Helix in practice: the key role of boundary spanners
Authors: Lundberg Heléne
Published: April 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to generate additional insight into how the Triple Helix approach can be practiced in a regional context.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper describes an attempt to develop innovation in a Swedish region, using the Triple Helix approach. The case study is based on a variety of data sources, including a number of semi‐structured interviews.

Findings

In implementing the Triple Helix approach, a key role was that of boundary spanners who scanned and pooled ideas for, and interest in, specific projects, building relevant networks and bridging the various involved cultures by semantically translating domain‐specific knowledge. The case also illustrates institutional entrepreneurship as the actors changed the system in which they acted.

Research limitations/implications

The data come from one country and one region only. The use of other data and other research methods would shed more light on the studied issues.

Practical implications

The driving and integrating role of boundary spanners in the case highlights the importance of this role in Triple Helix approaches.

Originality/value

The Triple Helix approach does not offer detailed advice on how to support development and innovation. This study fills a gap by analyzing how theory can be transformed into practice.
A corporate system for continuous innovation: the case of Google Inc.
Authors: Steiber Annika , Alänge Sverker
Published: April 2013

Purpose

History is full of companies that were once innovative leaders but lost their innovative ability. The purpose of this paper is to explore, from a firm‐level perspective, organizational characteristics for continuous innovation in rapidly changing industries.

Design/methodology/approach

Findings from 28 interviews at Google Inc., are compared to previous research on organizational characteristics for continuous innovation.

Findings

Google's organization can be viewed as a dynamic and open corporate system for continuous innovation, involving the entire organization and supported by an innovation‐oriented and change‐prone top management and board. The relative importance of eight organizational characteristics in this corporate system is elaborated upon.

Research limitations/implications

There is a need for empirical research contributing to the development of a more comprehensive analytical framework for continuous innovation, including the role of culture and selection/facilitation of self‐organizing individuals in innovation processes; and to study how to organize for both continuous innovation and continuous improvements.

Practical implications

The importance of factors such as culture and the selection of individuals, identified in the empirical study, needs to be considered by managers, and might influence their understanding of how to sustain continuous innovation over time.

Originality/value

This paper provides, from a firm‐level perspective and based on a unique access to empirical data, increased understanding of organizational characteristics conducive to continuous innovation in rapidly changing industries, and highlights the importance of characteristics that received less emphasis in previous research literature.
The European Commission adopts AIFMD implementing regulation
Authors: McGowan Peter
Published: April 2013

Purpose

This article aims to outline in depth the European Commission's adopted implementing rules (the Regulation) for the Directive on Alternative Investment Fund Managers. These new regulations have been eagerly awaited by private equity fund managers and their investors who have been seeking a measure of certainty about how the AIFMD will be transposed into local law.

Design/methodology/approach

This piece summarizes some of the key points of the Regulation.

Findings

This article addresses the rules in the Regulation concerning: the calculations of assets under management; capital requirements in relation to professional liability risks applicable to alternative investment fund managers; operating conditions for alternative investment fund managers, including liquidity management, organizational requirements and rules on valuation; conditions for delegation; rules on depositaries, including the depositary's tasks and liability; transparency, reporting and disclosure requirements; and rules for cooperation arrangements.

Practical implications

The Regulation supplements certain elements of the Directive and contains implementing rules that will have direct effect in EU member states on application without the need for national implementing legislation. By discussing some of the highlights of the Regulation, the article will help fund managers and investors gain a better perspective of the AIFMD, which is useful from both a compliance and business planning standpoint.

Originality/value

This piece is of value to those private equity fund managers and investors looking for guidance as to how to digest the Regulation and the implications of these new measures on their respective businesses, as well as the investment marketplace as a whole moving forward.
SEC institutes administrative proceedings against eight registered fund directors for failure to properly oversee asset valuations
Authors: Strench Bibb , Schellenger Jeffrey
Published: April 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explain the meaning and impact of the US Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC) December 10, 2012 enforcement action against former mutual fund directors for failing to properly oversee the valuation of mutual fund portfolio securities.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper provides an overview of the obligations of a board of directors with respect to the process used by a mutual fund to fair value portfolio securities that do not have reliable market prices, explains the background, factual circumstances and allegations set forth in the SEC enforcement order and emphasizes certain allegations made by the SEC that should cause mutual fund directors, investment advisers and compliance officers to review and refine certain aspects of the asset valuation policies and governance structure used in their mutual fund complex.

Findings

The SEC continues to prioritize mutual fund asset valuation enforcement actions. The SEC is willing and able to enter the board room to bring cases against independent directors, a path it has rarely taken in the past. While the facts underlying this enforcement action were extreme, mutual fund directors, compliance personnel and investment professionals should take immediate steps to review their asset valuation policies and related aspects of their governance structure to ensure that they comply with current rules, regulations, agency interpretations and accounting pronouncements, as well as best practices in the mutual fund industry.

Originality/value

The paper provides expert guidance from experienced investment management lawyers.
Professionalism and investment advisers
Authors: Frumento Aegis J. , Korenman Stephanie
Published: April 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to introduce the concept of professionalism into the current discussion of the proper scope of regulation of investment advisers.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors reviewed the scholarly literature on what constitutes a profession, the debates over the two bills introduced in Congress in 2012 concerning investment adviser regulation, and some of the studies that led up to those bills.

Findings

The authors concluded that professionalism could apply to some investment advisers, particularly financial planners, and that the development of such a profession should be encouraged. However, they found that such a profession would threaten the economic interests of broker‐dealers and their registered representatives, whose routine use of such titles as “financial advisor” or “investment consultant” has led to consumer confusion over the different roles of brokers and advisers. Therefore broker‐dealer interests favor more intense regulation of investment advisers by an SRO such as FINRA, presuming that would impair the development of a true profession of investment advisers.

Practical implications

This paper aims to ensure that the development of a true profession of investment advisers and/or financial planners is openly and fully debated if and when consideration of investment adviser regulation is reintroduced.

Originality/value

The role that professionalism can and should play in investment adviser regulation has not been previously discussed, even though broker‐dealer registered representatives routinely use confusingly professional‐sounding titles to compete against independent investment advisers.
Top management team trust, behavioral integration and the performance of international joint ventures
Authors: Wai On Leung , Liang Xin , Priem Richard , Shaffer Margaret
Published: April 2013

Purpose

This study seeks to identify antecedents of trust among top managers representing partners in international joint ventures (IJVs) and to show how this trust influences IJV performance.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper proposes that the national cultural distance of the foreign partner, the business similarity of partners' organizations and behavioural integration are antecedents to trust, and that trust is a key mediator through which these antecedents affect IJV performance. Data are collected through a field survey from IJVs in Beijing and Shenzhen, PRC, and employ regression analysis to test these propositions.

Findings

It is found that: trust across IJV factional subgroups is influenced by partners' business similarity and by the behavioural integration of top managers representing the partners from both sides; and this trust mediates the relationship between the behavioural integration of top managers in Sino‐foreign IJVs and overall venture performance. The effects of business similarity and partner national cultural distance on overall performance were not mediated by trust.

Research limitations/implications

The sample of the study used is limited to one country only – China. Besides, the paper's measures of cultural distance and categorization of national origin of foreign partners of IJVs may be subject to criticism.

Practical implications

First, the paper explicitly hypothesizes and tests the role of trust as a mediator of the relationships between trust antecedents and IJV performance. This is done in order to develop a more detailed understanding of how fixed partner characteristics and adjustable group processes affect IJV outcomes. Second, the study finds evidence that supports situational perspective and developmental perspective of trust development, but not the deterministic perspective. This is also consistent with some additional qualitative evidence which the authors collected through interviews. Third, the results indicate that some trust antecedents have direct effects on IJV performance, while others affect IJV performance through partner trust.

Originality/value

The study's exploratory results offer important new information for IJV researchers and for managers of IJVs.
Effects of Iranian online behavior on the acceptance of internet banking
Authors: Nikghadam Hojjati Sanaz , Reza Rabi Ali
Published: April 2013

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to investigate the influence of online behavior of internet users on the adoption of internet banking in Iran.

Design/methodology/approach

The samples used in this empirical study include 560 persons who were among Iranian internet users and completed the interactive questionnaires. The statistical analysis which has been used in regard to the dichotomous decision of adopting internet banking services was logistic regression.

Findings

The results reveal that the use of the internet for work or teamwork, selling or buying, finance activities or banking operations, and reading news, has significant relevance to the internet banking adoption, but using the internet with the purpose of having fun and entertainment and seeking commercial information does not have a significant effect on internet banking acceptance. Also, it was found that using the internet for reading news and hedonic goals has a negative effect on accepting internet banking. Other purposes of using the internet which were examined in this study had a positive effect on internet banking adoption in Iran.

Practical implications

The findings of this research provide several ideas for the marketing of internet banking and for developing internet banking web sites. Useful insights are provided for internet banking adoption and costs reduction.

Originality/value

The analysis is based on a random sample of internet users in Iran which has rarely been discussed in previous literature. Also this is the first study to investigate the influence of internet users' behavior on internet banking adoption in Iran.
Why IJV over WOS? Home country effect on the US and Japanese MNEs
Authors: Jung Jae C. , Suh Taewon
Published: April 2013

Purpose

This study aims to explore how sub‐dimensions of home country influence multinational enterprise (MNE) ownership strategy in international subsidiaries.

Design/methodology/approach

Following a grounded theory approach, the authors interviewed 36 managers of US and Japanese MNEs. Among 36 managers, 21 worked for Japanese firms, 12 for US firms, and three for the US‐Japanese IJVs.

Findings

This study proposes a list of cultural and resource‐based explanations for MNEs' divergent ownership patterns by nationality.

Research limitations/implications

This research focused on two home countries, Japan and the USA. Future studies are required to extend and validate the findings in this study.

Practical implications

By considering sub‐dimensions of home country effect, managers can make a more accurate prediction of the potential partner's willingness to form an IJV.

Social implications

This study suggests that host countries' ownership restriction can make divergent effects on foreign investors by their nationality.

Originality/value

The central contribution of this paper is identifying a set of underlying factors of home country effect and explicating their individual effect on MNE ownership strategy.
Bias or rationality? The case of UK commercial real estate investment
Authors: Byrne Peter , Jackson Cath , Lee Stephen
Published: April 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to test the hypothesis that investment decision making in the UK direct property market does not conform to the assumption of economic rationality underpinning portfolio theory.

Design/methodology/approach

The developing behavioural real estate paradigm is used to challenge the idea that investor “man” is able to perform with economic rationality, specifically with reference to the analysis of the spatial dispersion of the entire UK “investible stock” and “investible locations” against observed spatial patterns of institutional investment. Location quotients are derived, combining different data sets.

Findings

Considerably greater variation in institutional property holdings is found across the UK than would be expected given the economic and stock characteristics of local areas. This appears to provide evidence of irrationality (in the strict traditional economic sense) in the behaviour of institutional investors, with possible herding underpinning levels of investment that cannot be explained otherwise.

Research limitations/implications

Over time a lack of distinction has developed between the cause and effect of comparatively low levels of development and institutional property investment across the regions. A critical examination of decision making and behaviour in practice could break this cycle, and could in turn promote regional economic growth.

Originality/value

The entire “population” of observations is used to demonstrate the relationships between economic theory and investor performance exploring, for the first time, stock and local area characteristics.
Arson treatment programmes for offenders with disability: a systematic review of the literature
Authors: Curtis Ashlee , McVilly Keith , Day Andrew
Published: April 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify and evaluate treatment for adult fire setters with an intellectual disability, given the specific risks they present, the complexities of criminal proceedings associated with their behaviour, and subsequent rehabilitation. However, the review also took into account programmes for fire setters in the wider population, including those for children and adolescents, given that such research might also inform the development of programmes for offenders with an intellectual disability.

Design/methodology/approach

A systematic review of the literature was undertaken.

Findings

Only four studies which evaluated treatment programmes specifically for arsonists with an intellectual disability were identified. Although each of these studies reported a reduction in fire‐setting behaviour following programme completion, all employed relatively weak research designs. An additional 12 studies investigating programmes for arsonists without intellectual disability were also identified. It is concluded that there is a lack of evidence regarding treatment programme outcomes for arsonists with an intellectual disability. The extent to which such programmes can be adapted to suit adult offenders with an intellectual disability is discussed, with recommendations made for the design and evaluation of arson treatment programmes for offenders with intellectual disabilities.

Originality/value

Currently, minimal treatments programs exist for fire setting in offenders with intellectual disability. This review highlights the importance of further research into treatment programs for this specialised population.
Current knowledge on the Ralstonia solanacearum type III secretion system
Authors: Coll Núria S. , Valls Marc
Published: April 2013

This article exhaustively reviews current knowledge on the type III as the main virulence determinant of R. solanacearum. Recent findings on this topic are interpreted in the plant‐pathogen research context and future research directions are proposed.
HLA‐B*5801: utility and cost‐effectiveness in the Asia‐Pacific Region
Authors: Yeo Siaw Ing
Published: April 2013

Gout is a common condition which is mainly treated with the hypo‐uricemic agent, allopurinol. Although allopurinol is generally a well‐tolerated drug, there is a small risk of developing potentially fatal complications, such as allopurinol hypersensitivity syndrome. Recent advances in pharmacogenomics have made possible the identification of genes which confer susceptibility to specific drugs. A recent multi‐national case‐control study has reported allopurinol as the most common drug associated with Stevens‐Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis. Several studies have established a strong association between the human leukocyte antigen (HLA)‐B*5801 gene and development of Stevens‐Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis. The allele frequency of HLA‐B*5801 is highest in the South East Asian population.Since other hypo‐uricemic agents are available, patients may wish to have HLA‐B*5801 testing before being started on allopurinol. As the test for HLA‐B*5801 is expensive, time‐consuming and only available in selected laboratories, there is a need to evaluate the utility and cost‐effectiveness of this test in our region.
Efficiency of the Spermatogenesis in Zebu Bulls (bos taurus indicus)
Authors: Andreussi P. A. T. , Costa D. S. , Faria F. J. C. , Fernandes C. A. C. , Guimarães J. D.
Published: April 2013

The objective of the research was to evaluate the efficiency of the spermatogenesis through the morphology of the testicular parenchyma in bulls of different zebu breeds. We used testicular fragments from bull of the breeds Nelore (n = 10), Polled Nelore (n = 6), Gyr (n = 5), Guzerat (n = 5) and Tabapuã (n = 5). The tissue was perfused with Karnovsky solution, included in glycol methacrylate and stained with toluidine blue–sodium borate 1%. Animals of the Nelore breed presented higher population of primary spermatocyte in pre‐leptotene/leptotene (38.30) and in pachytene (38.14) and round spermatids (113.30), higher yield of spermatogonia mitosis (21.2) and higher daily spermatic production per gram of testicular parenchyma (32.8 × 106) than those from breeds Gyr, Guzerat and Tabapuã and higher general yield of spermatogenesis (62.4) than breeds Gyr and Tabapuã. There was no significant difference in any of the evaluated parameters between breeds Nelore and Polled Nelore. The rate of Sertoli cells did not vary between the studied breeds. Apparently, the genetic selection applied to the breeds has been improving the yield in the spermatogenic process by decreasing cellular loss, although it did not increase the support capacity of the Sertoli cells.
Improving the impact of didactic resident training with online spaced education
Authors: Gyorki David E. , Shaw Tim , Nicholson James , Baker Caroline , Pitcher Meron , Skandarajah Anita , Segelov Eva , Mann G. Bruce
Published: April 2013

Background

Educational programmes are frequently developed to improve the knowledge of medical trainees. The impact of a programme may be limited if there is no follow‐up to reinforce the message. Online Spaced Education (SE) has been developed to address this limitation. This study was performed to assess whether an SE programme would improve the impact of a didactic seminar.

Method

A randomized trial of an online SE programme occurred as part of the 2010 Clinical Oncology Society of Australia Breast Cancer Trainee Workshop. Consenting participants were randomized to undertake SE or not and were then invited to undertake a 22‐question knowledge test. A questionnaire was administered relating to the perceived value of the SE programme. Participants consisted largely of surgical and medical oncology trainees.

Results

Two hundred people attended the workshop and 97 consented to randomization. Thirty‐eight of 49 randomized to the SE group commenced the SE course. Seventy‐one percent of participants answered each question at least once and 55% of participants completed the entire programme. Fifty‐nine participants completed the post‐test. The SE participants performed significantly better than the control group (P < 0.05). The questionnaire was completed by 26 of the SE group. Ninety‐two percent strongly agreed or agreed that SE would improve their practice and 96% agreed that SE effectively reinforced key aspects of workshop.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates the utility of SE to increase knowledge retention following a face‐to‐face workshop. The programme was very well received by the participants and may be an appropriate reinforcing methodology for other similar seminars.
Validity of the diagnosis of pre‐eclampsia in the Medical Birth Registry of Norway
Authors: Thomsen Liv C.V. , Klungsøyr Kari , Roten Linda T. , Tappert Christian , Araya Elisabeth , Bærheim Gunhild , Tollaksen Kjersti , Fenstad Mona H. , Macsali Ferenc , Austgulen Rigmor , Bjørge Line
Published: April 2013

Objective

Evaluating the validity of pre‐eclampsia registration in the Medical Birth Registry of Norway (MBRN) according to both broader and restricted disease definitions.

Design

Retrospective nested cohort study.

Setting

Multicenter study.

Population

In this study, two cohorts of women with pre‐eclamptic pregnancies registered in the MBRN were selected. Study group 1 contained 966 pregnancies from 1967 to 2002. Concomitant participation in the Nord‐Trøndelag Health Study 2 was required. Study group 2 comprised 1138 pregnancies recorded in 1967–2005, examined as a pre‐eclampsia biobank was established.

Methods

Diagnostic criteria vary. The broader criteria for pre‐eclampsia, used by the MBRN, are one measurement of hypertension and proteinuria (Criterion A). Criteria used internationally today require two measurements of hypertension and proteinuria (Criterion B). The diagnostic validities in Study groups 1 and 2 were judged against medical records according to Criterion A and B, respectively.

Main outcome measures

Positive predictive value (PPV) and trend analyses.

Results

The diagnosis was confirmed in 88.3% of pregnancies in Study group 1, and in 63.6% in Study group 2. PPV was high for Study group 1 throughout the period. For Study group 2, results improved significantly after 1986.

Conclusions

This study ascertains high PPV of pre‐eclampsia in the MBRN using broader traditional criteria, although the PPV decreases through assessment using restricted modern criteria. This illustrates how inclusion of direct measurements may improve registration of complex disorders defined by changing diagnostic criteria.
Prevalence of infestation with gastrointestinal nematodes in Pony Club horses in Victoria
Authors: Flanagan KL , Morton JM , Sandeman RM
Published: April 2013

Background

The aims of the present study were to identify the common gastrointestinal nematodes, to assess the prevalence of infestation with gastrointestinal nematodes, and to assess some potential indirect determinants of nematode parasitism in Victorian Pony Club horses.

Methods

A total of 106 horses from five Pony Clubs from outer Melbourne and Geelong, Victoria, Australia, were enrolled in a cross‐sectional study. Fresh faecal samples were collected and faecal egg counts (FECs) performed on site within 2 h of collection. Potential determinants of the FEC were analysed using logistic and negative binomial regression.

Results

FECs ranged from 0 to 3750 eggs per gram (epg), with an average of 422 epg. Eggs were detected in the faeces of 52% of horses (55/106) and the average count was 813 epg. Counts were 500 epg or greater in 27% (29/106) of horses. Pony Club, season and sex of the horse were not associated with the FEC. Among horses treated with anthelmintics 8 weeks or less prior to sampling, FECs were commonly ≥50 epg, and high FECs were relatively common.

Conclusions

The results indicate that treatment efficacy is commonly low and/or rapid re‐infection after treatment is common, and show that management practices for internal parasite control are often inadequate for preventing high FECs among Pony Club horses in Victoria.
Out of the box: Making space for everyday critical pedagogies
Authors: Martin Gregory , Brown Tony
Published: April 2013

Under the sway of neoliberal forces, the university system is being reconfigured to produce certain types of knowledges, imaginaries, subjectivities, and practices informed by market imperatives. Considerable literature details the promises and perils of neoliberalism in higher education. In the past decade, this has included the growth of interdisciplinary scholarship that explores the potential of critical pedagogy as a site of contestation in the higher education sector. In this context, the notion of critical pedagogy provides a dialogical and imaginative starting point for opening up spaces for what is otherwise denied or ignored. Although critical pedagogy is a “big tent” movement, a number of cogent and hard‐hitting critiques have emerged highlighting its theoretical and political limitations. Concerns include the need for more attention to the complexities of how critical pedagogies are embodied or performed. This article argues that the performative dimension of critical pedagogy is important for putting into place the production of everyday spaces capable of transforming the boundaries of what is regarded as valid or legitimate knowledge and culture.
‘My teacher saved my life’ versus ‘Teachers don't have a clue’: an online survey of pupils’ experiences of eating disorders
Authors: Knightsmith Pooky , Sharpe Helen , Breen Olivia , Treasure Janet , Schmidt Ulrike
Published: April 2013

Background

Eating disorders (ED) have a peak rate of onset in school‐aged children. Little is known about pupils’ experiences of ED within a school setting.

Method

Five hundred and eleven 11‐ to 19‐year‐old school pupils completed an online questionnaire exploring their experiences of ED (72% female, 28% male). Responses were analysed using content analysis principles.

Results

Of the participants, 38% had a current or past ED, 49% of these had never received a formal diagnosis. Of the respondents, 59% saw a need to raise ED awareness. Only 7% would confide in a teacher about an ED.

Conclusions

Efforts are needed to break down barriers to disclosure and support teachers to play an effective role in the detection and early intervention for ED.
Non-syndromic autosomal recessive congenital ichthyosis in the Israeli population
Authors: Israeli S. , Goldberg I. , Fuchs-Telem D. , Bergman R. , Indelman M. , Bitterman-Deutsch O. , Harel A. , Mashiach Y. , Sarig O. , Sprecher E.
Published: April 2013

Background

Autosomal recessive congenital ichthyosis (ARCI) is the term given to a complex and heterogeneous group of cornification disorders associated with mutations in at least eight distinct genes. Mutation distribution and prevalence rates are instrumental for the design of diagnostic strategies in ARCI but have not yet been systematically explored in the Israeli population. Previous data suggest that the demographic features specific to Middle Eastern populations, such as a high frequency of consanguineous marriages, may have an effect on the molecular epidemiology of genodermatoses.

Methods

We systematically assessed all families with ARCI presenting at our clinics over a period of 9 years, using a combination of homozygosity mapping, direct sequencing and PCR–restriction fragment length polymorphism assays.

Results

In total, 20 families with ARCI were assessed, and causative mutations were identified in 7 genes: TGM1 (30% of patients), ALOX12B (20%), ABCA12 (5%), CYP4F22 (10%), ALOXE3 (10%), LIPN (5%) and NIPAL4 (5%) Two families (10%) had mutations mapped to an ARCI-associated locus on 12p11.2–q13, while no mutation was found for one additional kindred. In the subgroup of families of Arab Muslim origin, mutations were identified most frequently in ALOX12B and TGM1 (31%), whereas the other subgroups displayed a subtype distribution very similar to that previously reported in western populations.

Conclusions

The present data point to the need for population-tailored mutation screening strategies in genetically heterogeneous genodermatoses, based on the relative prevalence of the disease subsets.
Contesting Urban Space and Disability in HighlandEcuador
Authors: RATTRAY NICHOLAS A.
Published: April 2013

This article examines the experiences of people with physical and visual disabilities encountering inaccessible urban spaces in highlandEcuador. I draw on the notion of “embodied space” to explore how people with disabilities have begun to contest discourses of contagion, exclusion, and pity through collective action and spatial tactics aimed at constructing more inclusive spaces, such as community centers or public plazas. Through ethnographic analysis of both conflicts over transportation systems and public rallies aimed at social awareness, I argue thatEcuadorians with disabilities face new forms of socio‐spatial exclusion as they challenge legacies of isolation and stigma.
Kalamazoo's Promise: Exploring the Violence of Economic Development
Authors: SHEAR BOONE , LYON‐CALLO VINCENT
Published: April 2013

Like many cities in the Midwestern United States in recent years, Kalamazoo, Michigan has experienced profound social and economic restructuring, resulting in significant job losses, poverty, homelessness, hunger, and racialized inequalities. Despite these conditions in Kalamazoo, many are attempting to improve social conditions by engaging in a wide range of activities such as downtown development projects, investments in education, living wage movements, entrepreneurial training programs, anti‐racism advocacy, among many other initiatives. In this paper, we analyze these well‐intended efforts by drawing upon Slavoj Žižek's (2008, 2009) insights on violence in today's world. We suggest that the focus on what is perceived to be reasonable, or realistic, is maintained by and helps to maintain, the normal workings of capitalism which appear as inevitable, natural, or altogether invisible. In other words, relations of exploitation remain in the realm of the REAL.
The Radiant University: Space, Urban Redevelopment, and the Public Good
Authors: GREGORY STEVEN
Published: April 2013

In 2003, Columbia University announced its plan to expand its Morningside Heights into a 17‐acre area of West Harlem known as Manhattanville. The University's expansion plan called for the acquisition and demolition of all but three buildings in the project's footprint and the construction of a state of the art campus over a roughly 30‐year period. This article examines the discourses, debates and politics surrounding the project and, in particular, the University's demand for exclusive control of the site and ultimate pursuit of eminent domain. To that end, university officials claimed that the expansion would bolster the city's knowledge based economy and, as a consequence, serve the “public good”—a requirement for the exercise of eminent domain. By contrast, critics of the project argued for a mixed‐use redevelopment plan that would include affordable housing and other community‐defined amenities.
Invasion of poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma to the deep muscularis mucosae may be an indicator of lymph node metastasis in Barrett's esophageal cancer
Authors: Sakaguchi Yoshiki , Ono Satoshi , Fujishiro Mitsuhiro , Yamamichi Nobutake , Koike Kazuhiko
Published: April 2013

A 48‐year‐old man underwent endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for a protruding lesion with a preoperative diagnosis of superficial Barrett's esophageal adenocarcinoma. Histopathological examination of the resected specimen showed invasion of poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma to the deep muscularis mucosa, although the predominant histology was differentiated‐type and there was no lymphovascular infiltration. Additional esophagectomy with nodal dissection was conducted for possible remnant tumor cells after informed consent was given, anduncovered the presence of a metastatic lymph node. Caution is advised in the treatment of Barrett's esophageal adenocarcinoma with invasion of poorly differentiated tumor cells into the deep muscularis mucosae.
Endoscopic ultrasonography‐guided cholecystogastrostomy using a lumen‐apposing metal stent as an alternative to extrahepatic bile duct drainage in pancreatic cancer with duodenal invasion
Authors: Itoi Takao , Binmoeller Kenneth , Itokawa Fumihide , Umeda Junko , Tanaka Reina
Published: April 2013

Various approaches to biliary drainage, especially endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS)‐guided drainage, have become commonly used as an alternative method for biliary decompression for malignant biliary obstruction. Occasionally, however, duodenal obstruction and non‐dilated intrahepatic bile duct impede conventional EUS‐guided biliary drainage. Herein, we describe a case of cholecystogastrostomy successfully carried out using a newly developed fully covered lumen‐apposing self‐expandable metallic stent (SEMS). EUS‐guided cholecystogastrostomy should be considered an option for biliary decompression. This is aparticularly ideal alternative if the patient has duodenal strictures with or without a duodenal metal stent and a non‐dilated intrahepatic bile duct, which suggests the impossibility of choledochoduodenostomy and hepaticogastrostomy. Furthermore, the newly developed fully covered lumen‐apposing SEMS seems ideal for EUS‐guided cholecystoenterostomy.
Endoscopic ultrasonography‐guided pancreatic duct drainage after failed endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography in patients with malignant and benign pancreatic duct obstructions
Authors: Kurihara Toshio , Itoi Takao , Sofuni Atsushi , Itokawa Fumihide , Moriyasu Fuminori
Published: April 2013

Background

Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS)‐guided pancreatic drainage has been advocated as a rescue treatment for management of patients in whom retrograde access to the pancreatic duct (PD) is technically unsuccessful. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of EUS‐guided drainage for failed endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography.

Patients and Methods

A total of 17 EUS‐guided PD drainage (EUS‐PD) procedures were carried out in 14 patients (age: mean 64.6 years, range 54–81 years, eight men).

Results

The rendezvous technique was successful in 11 of 17 procedures (64.7%). Three of five patients with an unsuccessful rendezvous technique successfully underwent EUS‐PD stenting (7‐Fr plastic stent [two cases], 5‐Fr endoscopic nasobiliarydrainage [one case]). In the two remaining patients, puncture and pancreatography were successful; however, antegrade passage of the guidewire failed.

Conclusion

EUS‐guided decompression of PD is a feasible and effective treatment for the management of symptomatic high‐pressure PD due to stricture of the PD and/or stenotic pancreatodigestive anastomosis. However, this procedure is technically challenging, has a high rate of complications, and should be done only at tertiary‐care centers.
Controversies on the treatment strategy for rectal submucosal cancer: Case series and review of the literature
Authors: Chan Shannon Melissa , Chiu Philip Wai Yan , Hon Sok Fei , Lo Anthony Wing Ip , Ng Simon Siu Man
Published: April 2013

Endoscopic submucosal dissection (SD) has emerged as one of the treatment strategies for submucosal rectal cancers. The present study reviewed the clinical outcomes of patients with rectal submucosal cancer treated by ESD. This was a retrospective review of four patients who had rectal tumor treated by ESD from 2010 to 2012 with histopathology showing T1 submucosal adenocarcinoma. The mean age (SD) was 69.5 (7.33) and the male to female ratio was 3:1. There were no post‐ESD complications. The mean (SD) size of the tumors was 2.93 (0.87) cm. One patient with deep resection margin involvement received laparoscopic low anterior resection. Another with deep margin involvement of <1 mm refused surgery and was treated by chemoradiotherapy.There was no recurrence in all the cases with a mean follow‐up duration of 461.3 (209.0) days. ESD was one of the important treatment strategies for T1sm‐s rectal cancer especially when the risk of nodal metastasis was low. ESD spared the patient from colostomy when the T1 cancer was located in the lower third of the rectum. The role of adjuvant and neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy remains controversial.
Is Barrett's esophagus an over‐hyped disease in the West, and an underdiagnosed disease in the East?
Authors: Ho Khek‐Yu ,   Asia‐Pacific Barrett's Consortium
Published: April 2013

Despite the widespread practice of endoscopic surveillance for Barrett's esophagus in the West, this strategy has not been shown to reduce mortality from esophageal adenocarcinoma. Coupled with the very low absolute annual risk of Barrett's adenocarcinoma of 0.1%, this has called into question as to whether Barrett's esophagus is an over‐hyped condition in the West. On the contrary, it is widely assumed that the prevalence of Barrett's esophagus is low in Asia. Could there be under‐recognition of Barrett's esophagus, resulting in the underdiagnosis of the disease in the region? Our own study noted a much higher prevalence of histologically confirmed Barrett's esophagus following increased interest in endoscopic investigation of this disease, suggesting the low prevalence of Barrett's esophagus reported in most parts of Asia could have been attributed, at least in part, to underdiagnosis and/or lack of awareness of the condition. Training in the use of standardized diagnostic criteriacould enhance diagnosis of the disease. In a recent study conducted by the Asia‐Pacific Barrett's Consortium, formal training in the endoscopic recognition of columnar‐lined Barrett's segment enhanced endoscopists' detection of the disease and led to significantly higher diagnostic yield (1.5% vs 0.42% in untrained endoscopists). The use of advanced endoscopic imaging technology such as narrow‐band imaging improved the negative predictive value in the diagnosis of Barrett's esophagus's associated neoplasia. Raman spectroscopy, a novel biomolecular probe‐based technology that does not rely upon operator's interpretation of images, could potentially enhance the detection of Barrett's esophagus and associated neoplasia.
Barrett's esophageal adenocarcinoma diagnosed by narrow‐band imaging magnifying endoscopy
Authors: Takahashi Akiko , Oyama Tsuneo
Published: April 2013

A 40‐year‐old man was referred to our hospital for detailed examination of a protuberant lesion in long‐segment Barrett's esophagus (LSBE). Under white light endoscopy (WLE) the lesion appeared as a protuberant lesion with a rough surface and was diagnosed as 0‐IIa‐type tumor suspected to be a well‐differentiated adenocarcinoma. A regular villous pattern was shown in the background mucosa of the LSBE by narrow‐band imaging (NBI) magnifying endoscopy (NBI‐ME). However, a slightly irregular villous pattern was observed on the lateral side of the main lesion. Therefore, a 0‐IIa‐type tumor was estimated to have a flatly lateral extension component (i.e. 0‐IIb spreading). The 0‐IIb spreading was unclear when using WLE, but could be diagnosed by NBI‐ME based on the surface pattern differences. Markings were placed outside the edge of the flatly lateral extension, and endoscopic submucosal dissection was carried out.The pathological diagnosis of the protuberant lesion with flatly lateral spreading was well‐differentiated adenocarcinoma. The macroscopic type was 0‐IIa+IIb, 45 × 43 mm in size. The invasion depth was T1a (deep muscularis mucosae). Lymphatic and venous invasions were negative; horizontal and vertical margins were negative. In conclusion, NBI‐ME was useful for the diagnosis of the flatly lateral extension of this 0‐IIa+IIb esophageal adenocarcinoma in Barrett's esophagus. Further investigations with many cases are necessary.
Diurnal rhythms in neural activation in the mesolimbic reward system: critical role of the medial prefrontal cortex
Authors: Baltazar Ricardo M. , Coolen Lique M. , Webb Ian C.
Published: April 2013

Previous evidence suggests a circadian modulation of drug‐seeking behavior and responsiveness to drugs of abuse. To identify potential mechanisms for rhythmicity in reward, a marker of neural activation (cFos) was examined across the day in the mesolimbic reward system. Rats were perfused at six times during the day [zeitgeber times (ZTs): 2, 6, 10, 14, 18, and 22], and brains were analysed for cFos and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)‐immunoreactive (IR) cells. Rhythmic expression of cFos was observed in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) core and shell, in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), and in TH‐IR and non‐TH‐IR cells in the ventral tegmental area (VTA), with peak expression during the late night and nadirs during the late day. No significant rhythmicity was observed in the basolateral amgydala or the dentate gyrus. As the mPFC provides excitatory input to both the NAc and VTA, this region was hypothesised to be a key mediator of rhythmic neural activation in the mesolimbic system. Hence, the effects of excitotoxic mPFC lesions on diurnal rhythms in cFos immunoreactivity at previously observed peak (ZT18) and nadir (ZT10) times were examined in the NAc and VTA. mPFC lesions encompassing the prelimbic and infralimbic subregions attenuated peak cFos immunoreactivity in the NAc, eliminating the diurnal rhythm, but had no effect on VTA rhythms. These results suggest that rhythmic neural activation in the mesolimbic system may contribute to diurnal rhythms in reward‐related behaviors, and indicate that the mPFC plays a critical role in mediating rhythmic neural activation in the NAc.
Cowhage can induce itch in the atopic dog
Authors: Olivry Thierry , Bizikova Petra , Paps Judy S. , Dunston Stan , Lerner Ethan A. , Yosipovitch Gil
Published: April 2013

Itch is a cardinal symptom of atopic dermatitis in humans and dogs. Until now, experimental induction of itch in dogs has proven difficult. The objectives of this study were to determine whether protease‐rich spicules, protein extracts and the protease mucunain of the tropical legume cowhage provoked itch and inflammation when rubbed onto canine skin. Native spicules variably induced itch manifestations in about half of the dogs, while challenges with protease‐deactivated spicules remained negative. The epicutaneous application of cowhage extract and mucunain after microneedle roller usage also induced pruritus and inflammation. Importantly, there was an interindividual inconsistency in pruritus and inflammation induction and also marked differences in pruritus intensity after challenge. In conclusion, cowhage spicules, protein‐rich extracts and mucunain can all induce pruritus and inflammation in dogs as in other species, but the inconsistency of provocation is currently a limitation of this challenge type for future studies of pruritus in dogs.