bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Contrast‐enhanced ultrasonography using cadence‐contrast pulse sequencing technology for targeted biopsy of the prostate
Authors: Aigner Friedrich , Pallwein Leo , Mitterberger Michael , Pinggera Germar M. , Mikuz Gregor , Horninger Wolfgang , Frauscher Ferdinand
Published: November 2008

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate contrast‐enhanced ultrasonography (US) using cadence‐contrast pulse sequencing (CPS) technology, compared with systematic biopsy for detecting prostate cancer, as grey‐scale US has low sensitivity and specificity for detecting prostate cancer.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In all, 44 men with suspicious prostate‐specific antigen (PSA) levels and CPS findings were assessed; all had CPS‐targeted and systematic biopsy. Transrectal CPS images were taken with a low mechanical index (0.14). A microbubble contrast agent (SonoVue, Bracco International BV, Amsterdam, the Netherlands) was administered as a bolus, with a maximum dose of 4.8 mL. CPS was used to assess prostatic vascularity. Areas with a rapid and increased contrast enhancement within the peripheral zone were defined as suspicious for prostate cancer. Up to five CPS targeted biopsies were taken and subsequently a 10‐core systematic biopsy was taken. Cancer detection rates for the two techniques were compared.

RESULTS

Overall, cancer was detected in 35 of 44 patients (80%), with a mean PSA level of 3.8 ng/mL. Lesions suspicious on CPS showed cancer in 35 of 44 patients (80%) and systematic biopsy detected cancer in 15 of 44 patients (34%). CPS‐targeted cores were positive in 105 of 220 cores (47.7%) and in 41 of 440 systematic biopsy cores (9.3%) (P < 0.001). Lesions suspicious on CPS were false‐positive in nine of 44 patients (20%). The mean Gleason score for systematic biopsy was 6.7 and for CPS‐targeted biopsy 6.8 (P > 0.05). The sensitivity of CPS for detecting cancer was 100% (confidence interval, 95%). However, limitations in the series included that only CPS‐positive cases were investigated, and CPS‐targeted biopsy should be evaluated in a more extended biopsy scheme.

CONCLUSIONS

Contrast‐enhanced US using CPS enables excellent visualization of the microvasculature associated with prostate cancer, and can improve the detection of prostate cancer compared with systematic biopsy.
Changes in chromatin phenotype predict the response to hormonal deprivation therapy in patients with prostate cancer
Authors: Mohamed Mahmoud , Greif Philipp A. , Diamond James , Sharafeldin Osama , Maxwell Perry , Montironi Rodolfo , O’Brien Aidan , Young Michael , Hamilton Peter W.
Published: November 2008

OBJECTIVE

To assess the value of studying chromatin organization using high‐resolution digital image analysis to predict the response to hormonal‐deprivation therapy (HDT) in patients with prostate cancer, using pretreatment prostate tissues.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A tissue microarray (TMA) was constructed using pretreatment paraffin‐embedded tissues from transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) samples (48 patients, 96 cores). None of the patients had received any treatment for prostate cancer before TURP. The patients’ medical records for 5 years after treatment were assessed; patients were divided, based on their prostatic specific antigen (PSA) levels after treatment, into those optimally responsive to HDT (14) and those resistant to HDT (34). The latter were further subclassified based on their nadir PSA level. Imaging comprised a calibrated digital image‐analysis system with software for densitometric and texture analysis, the latter being assessed on manually segmented nuclei (≥30 nuclei/core).

RESULTS

Most of the measured digital texture features assessing chromatin density and distribution were significantly different between the prognostic groups (P = 0.001). In the training set, 12 of 14 HDT‐responsive and 23 (68%) of HDT‐resistant patients were accurately predicted. However, all HDT‐resistant patients with a nadir PSA level of >5 ng/mL were accurately predicted. The overall classification sensitivity was 47%, specificity 94% with a positive predictive value of 85%. However, the sensitivity was 100% between patients optimally responsive to HDT and those poorly responsive with a nadir PSA level of >5 ng/mL.

CONCLUSION

Quantitative image analysis of chromatin phenotype showed promising value in predicting before treatment the response to HDT in patients diagnosed with prostatic adenocarcinoma. However, further work using larger data sets is required before adapting the technique in routine clinical practice.
Do nomograms predict aggressive recurrence after radical prostatectomy more accurately than biochemical recurrence alone?
Authors: Schroeck Florian R. , Aronson William J. , Presti Jr Joseph C. , Terris Martha K. , Kane Christopher J. , Amling Christopher L. , Freedland Stephen J.
Published: November 2008

OBJECTIVE

To compare the predictive accuracy (PA) of existing models in estimating risk of biochemical recurrence (BCR) vs aggressive recurrence (BCR with a prostate‐specific antigen, PSA, doubling time, DT, of <9 months).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The study included 1550 men treated with radical prostatectomy (RP) between 1988 and 2007 within the Shared Equal Access Regional Cancer Hospital database. The PA of nine different risk stratification models for estimating risk of BCR and risk of aggressive recurrence after RP was assessed using the concordance index, c.

RESULTS

The 10‐year risks of BCR and aggressive recurrence were 47% and 9%, respectively. Across all nine models tested, the PA was a mean (range) of 0.054 (0.024–0.074) points higher for predicting aggressive recurrence than for predicting BCR alone (c = 0.756 vs 0.702). Similar results were obtained in four sensitivity analyses: (i) defining patients with BCR but unavailable PSADT (220) as having aggressive recurrence; (ii) defining these patients as not having aggressive recurrence; (iii) defining aggressive recurrence as a PSADT of <6 months; or (iv) defining aggressive recurrence as a PSADT of <12 months. The improvement in PA was greater for preoperative than for postoperative models (0.053 vs 0.036, P = 0.03).

CONCLUSION

Across nine different models the prediction of aggressive recurrence after RP was more accurate than the prediction of BCR alone. This is probably because current models mainly assess cancer biology, which correlates better with aggressive recurrence than with BCR alone. Overall, all models had relatively similar accuracy for predicting aggressive recurrence.
Could the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidelines on urodynamics in urinary incontinence put some women at risk of a bad outcome from stress incontinence surgery?
Authors: Agur Wael , Housami Fadi , Drake Marcus , Abrams Paul
Published: November 2008

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the potential impact of the UK National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) recommendation that preoperative urodynamics are not necessary for women with ‘pure symptoms of stress urinary incontinence’ (SUI), by using data from a population of women referred with lower urinary tract symptoms.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In a retrospective study of 6276 women with UI, from an electronic database at a tertiary referral centre, information was collected and entered into a urodynamics computer database at the time of history taking and before conducting the tests. The database was used to identify women aged 18–80 years who had multichannel cystometry for UI over a 17‐year period (1 January 1990 to 31 December 2006). To apply the NICE criterion of a ‘clearly defined clinical diagnosis of pure SUI’, strict selection criteria were used to identify patients with pure SUI. The reliability of the patients’ history in predicting ‘pure’ urodynamic SUI in patients with ‘pure’ SUI was investigated. The correspondence of the symptomatic diagnosis of pure SUI with the urodynamic findings was assessed, and sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values were calculated using contingency tables.

RESULTS

Only 324 (5.2%) women had pure SUI; moreover, a quarter of those with pure SUI symptoms ultimately had urodynamic diagnoses other than urodynamic SUI, that could affect the outcome of continence surgery.

CONCLUSION

These findings indicate that only a small group of women fulfil the NICE criteria of pure SUI. These strict criteria do not ensure that all women with potentially important urodynamic findings are evaluated accordingly. Therefore, we suggest that this NICE recommendation was unwise and, furthermore, was not based on properly acquired expert opinion.
One preoperative dose randomized against 3‐day antibiotic prophylaxis for transrectal ultrasonography‐guided prostate biopsy
Authors: Briffaux Raphaël , Coloby Patrick , Bruyere Franck , Ouaki Frédéric , Pires Christophe , Doré Bertrand , Irani Jacques
Published: November 2008

OBJECTIVE

To compare the incidence of infective events between a single dose and 3‐day antibiotic prophylaxis for transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS)‐guided prostate biopsy.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients were randomized to receive either one preoperative dose consisting of two ciprofloxacin 500 mg tablets 2 h before prostate biopsy, or 3 days of ciprofloxacin treatment. They had a clinical examination at study inclusion, the day of the biopsy and 3 weeks later. The day after the procedure all patients were contacted by telephone to inquire about any significant event. Biological testing and urine cultures were conducted 5 days before and then 5 and 15 days after the biopsy; a self‐administered symptom questionnaire was completed by the patient 5 days before and then at 5 and 15 days.

RESULTS

The study group included 288 men, of whom 139 were randomized to the single‐dose arm and 149 to the 3‐day arm. Six patients in each group had an asymptomatic bacteriuria with no leukocyturia. One patient in each group had documented prostatitis, with Escherichia coli identified on urine culture. The strain identified in the patient from the 3‐day group was resistant to ciprofloxacin. There was no difference between groups in symptoms at 5 and 21 days after biopsy.

CONCLUSIONS

Current TRUS‐guided prostate biopsy techniques lead to very few clinical infectious complications when accompanied by antibiotic prophylaxis. We found no argument to advocate the use of more than one dose of antibiotic prophylaxis.
A formal test of the hypothesis that idiopathic calcium oxalate stones grow on Randall’s plaque
Authors: Miller Nicole L. , Gillen Daniel L. , Williams James C. , Evan Andrew P. , Bledsoe Sharon B. , Coe Fredric L. , Worcester Elaine M. , Matlaga Brian R. , Munch Larry C. , Lingeman James E.
Published: November 2008

OBJECTIVE

To confirm that more than half of all idiopathic calcium oxalate (CaOx) stones grow on interstitial plaque, as CaOx stones can grow attached to interstitial apatite plaque but whether this is the usual mechanism of stone formation is uncertain.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In nine idiopathic CaOx stone formers (ICSF) undergoing percutaneous nephrolithotomy or ureteroscopy all accessible renal papillae were endoscopically imaged using a digital endoscope. All stones were removed intact, and recorded by the operating surgeon as being attached or unattached; for all attached stones the surgeon determined if the site of attachment was to plaque. This determination was further verified by reviewing the intraoperative video record, and only instances where plaque was reliably seen on video were used for analysis. Surgical observations were further validated by a combination of microcomputed tomographic analysis and papillary biopsy. The results were analysed statistically using fixed‐sample testing and group sequential sampling.

RESULTS

The nine patients had a total of 115 stones, primarily CaOx; 90 stones were attached. Of these, 81 were attached to plaque; surgeons could not visualize the site of attachment with sufficient clarity to judge in the other nine cases. Based on these data, the final point estimate for the number of stones attached to plaque was 0.754 (95% confidence interval 0.575–0.933; P = 0.013).

CONCLUSIONS

In ICSF most stones grow attached to papillae, on plaque, so growth on plaque is the main mechanism for stone formation in this very common group of patients.
Periprostatic nerve block (PNB) alone vs PNB combined with an anaesthetic‐myorelaxant agent cream for prostate biopsy: a prospective, randomized double‐arm study
Authors: Cantiello Francesco , Imperatore Vittorio , Iannuzzo Mariateresa , Scibelli Gennaro , Di Meo Sergio , Fusco Ferdinando , Imbimbo Ciro , Mirone Vincenzo
Published: November 2008

OBJECTIVE

To compare the efficacy of periprostatic nerve block (PNB) alone vs PNB combined with the local administration of a 1.5% lidocaine/0.3% nifedipine cream (Antrolin®, Bracco, Milan, Italy).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In a prospective, randomized, double‐arm study, 200 patients were randomized to receive PNB alone (group A, 100) or PNB combined with a previous administration of the topical anaesthetic Antrolin (group B, 100). The PNB was applied by infiltrating bilaterally a solution of 5 mL lidocaine 1% and naropine 0.75%. Patients were asked to complete visual analogue scale (VAS) questionnaire (0–10) to score pain and discomfort during probe insertion (VAS1), PNB (VAS2), cores (VAS3), 30 min after biopsy (VAS4), the evening of the procedure (VAS5), and the day after biopsy (VAS6).

RESULTS

Pain during probe insertion in group B was significantly less than in group A (VAS1 0.82 vs 2.9; P < 0.001). Pain during periprostatic infiltration was also lower in group B than group A (VAS2 1.4 vs 3.48; P < 0.001). Pain control was similar during biopsy in the two groups (VAS3 1.28 vs 1.2; P = 0.69). The pain scored at VAS4 was significantly less in group B (0.7 vs 1.86, P < 0.001), as was VAS5 (0.68 vs 1.3, P < 0.001). There was no difference in pain perception the day after biopsy (VAS6, 0.32 vs 0.22, P = 0.14).

CONCLUSIONS

Antrolin placed with PNB is better than PNB alone in reducing pain and discomfort during transrectal‐ultrasonography guided prostate biopsy.
Prostatic urothelial carcinoma: is transurethral prostatectomy necessary before bacillus Calmette‐Guérin immunotherapy?
Authors: Gofrit Ofer N. , Pode Dov , Pizov Galina , Zorn Kevin C. , Katz Ran , Shapiro Amos
Published: November 2008

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the efficacy of transurethral prostatectomy (TURP) followed by bacillus Calmette‐Guérin (BCG) immunotherapy in patients with prostatic urothelial carcinoma (PUC) and compare the results of studies using combined TURP and BCG with studies in which TURP was not performed.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients with bladder cancer and PUC were treated with TURP followed by six weekly intravesical instillations of BCG. Response was determined and monitored by periodic bladder and prostatic urethra biopsies and urinary cytology. Also, the outcome of previous series using similar methodology was compared with the outcome of studies in which TURP was not performed.

RESULTS

In all, 20 patients with PUC were treated with TURP followed by intravesical instillations of BCG. The median follow‐up was 52.5 months. All patients had an initial complete response (CR). The prostatic urethra 5‐year recurrence‐free survival rate was 90%. However, bladder and prostatic urethra 5‐year recurrence‐free survival rate was only 30%. Five patients (25%) died from urothelial carcinoma (UC) after a median period of 58.5 months (two from bladder cancer metastases and three from upper tract metastases). The long‐term prostatic urethra CR rate in studies using TURP before immunotherapy was significantly higher than the CR rate in studies using immunotherapy alone (P < 0.001). However, there was no difference when bladder and prostatic urethra CR rates were considered together (P = 0.54).

CONCLUSION

In patients with PUC, TURP before BCG immunotherapy eliminates PUC in most cases, and is probably the preferred treatment for this disease. The risk of UC‐specific mortality in these patients is high.
Evaluation of a commercial vascular clip: risk factors and predictors of failure from in vitro studies
Authors: Sooriakumaran Prasanna , Kommu Sashi S. , Cooke Joanne , Gordon Stephen , Brown Christian , Eddy Ben , Rimington Peter D. , Rane Abhay
Published: November 2008

OBJECTIVE

To assess risk factors and predictors of failure of the Hem‐o‐lokTM vascular clip (Weck Closure Systems, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA) using vessels harvested from a porcine model.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Vessels of various diameters were harvested from a porcine model, clipped at 90° or 45° using the Hem‐o‐lok clip and then cut either flush or with a 1‐mm cuff. The vessels were then connected to a burst‐pressure device and pressures required to burst the clip or to cause it to leak were measured.

RESULTS

The Hem‐o‐lok clip leaked or burst when the vessel to which it was applied was cut flush. The clip became even more likely to fail if the angle of application of the clip was not at 90° to the vessel surface.

CONCLUSION

The Hem‐o‐lok vascular clip is safe if it is applied at 90° to the vessel surface and, more importantly, if a 1‐mm cuff is left between the clip and the point at which the vessel is divided. We would therefore discourage the practice of not leaving this cuff of tissue, in an attempt to maximize vessel length during laparoscopic donor nephrectomy.
Effect of insulin infusion on electrocardiographic findings following acute myocardial infarction: importance of glycaemic control
Authors: Gan R. M. , Wong V. , Cheung N. W. , McLean M.
Published: November 2008

Aims  To determine the effects of insulin infusion and blood glucose levels during acute myocardial infarction (AMI) on electrocardiographic (ECG) features of myocardial electrical activity.

Methods  ECGs at admission and 24 h were examined in a randomized study of insulin infusion vs. routine care for AMI patients with diabetes or hyperglycaemia. Results were analysed according to treatment allocation and also according to average blood glucose level.

Results  ECG characteristics were similar at admission in both groups. Patients allocated to conventional treatment had prolongation of the QT interval (QTc) after 24 h but those receiving infused insulin did not. In patients with a mean blood glucose in the first 24 h > 8.0 mmol/l, new ECG conduction abnormalities were significantly more common than in patients with mean blood glucose ≤ 8.0 mmol/l (15.0% vs. 6.0%, P < 0.05).

Conclusions  Prevention of QTc prolongation by administration of insulin may reflect a protective effect on metabolic and electrical activity in threatened myocardial tissue. Abnormalities of cardiac electrical conduction may also be influenced by blood glucose.
Risk factor control in patients with Type 2 diabetes and coronary heart disease: findings from the Swedish National Diabetes Register (NDR)
Authors: Gudbjörnsdottir S. , Eeg‐Olofsson K. , Cederholm J. , Zethelius B. , Eliasson B. , Nilsson P. M. ,   on behalf of the Swedish National Diabetes Register (NDR)
Published: November 2008

Aims  Patients with Type 2 diabetes and coronary heart disease (CHD) are infrequently treated to risk factor targets in current guidelines. We aimed to examine risk factor management and control levels in a large sample of patients with Type 2 diabetes with CHD.

Methods  This was an observational study of 1612 patients with first incidence of CHD before 2002, and of 4570 patients with first incidence of CHD before 2005, from the Swedish National Diabetes Register (NDR).

Results  In patients with CHD 1–2 years before follow‐up, the achievement of cardiovascular risk factor targets (follow‐up 2002/follow‐up 2005) was: HbA1c < 7%, 47%/54% (P < 0.01); blood pressure ≤ 130/80 mmHg, 31%/40% (P < 0.001); total cholesterol < 4.5 mmol/l, 47%/60% (P < 0.001); and low‐density lipoprotein‐cholesterol < 2.5 mmol/l, 49%/65% (P < 0.001). Use of medication: antihypertensives, 90%/94% (P < 0.01); lipid‐lowering drugs, 75%/86% (P < 0.001); and aspirin, 85%/89% (P < 0.05). A high prevalence of adverse lifestyle characteristics prevailed (2002/2005): overweight [body mass index (BMI) ≥ 25 kg/m2], 86%/85%; obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2), 41%/42%; smokers in age group < 65 years, 16–23%/18–19%; as well as waist circumference ≥ 102 cm (men) or ≥ 88 cm (women), 68% in 2005.

Conclusions  Patients with a combination of Type 2 diabetes and CHD showed an increased use of lipid‐lowering drugs over time, corresponding to improving blood lipid levels. A discrepancy existed between the prevalent use of antihypertensive drugs and the low proportion reaching blood pressure targets. Regretfully, a high prevalence of adverse lifestyle characteristics prevailed. Evidence‐based therapy with professional lifestyle intervention and drugs seems urgent for improved quality of secondary prevention in these patients.
Neuroglycopenia and adrenergic responses to hypoglycaemia: insights from a local epidemic of serendipitous massive overdose of glibenclamide
Authors: Dalan R. , Leow M. K. S. , George J. , Chian K. Y. , Tan A. , Han H. W. , Cheow S. P.
Published: November 2008

Aims  Recently, an unlicensed aphrodisiac formulation originating from China known as ‘Power 1 Walnut’ penetrated the illicit markets of South East Asia including Singapore. Subsequent toxicological analyses revealed that each ‘Power 1 Walnut’ pill was illegally adulterated with two prescription drugs—sildenafil 1 mg (a PDE5 inhibitor) and glibenclamide 93–98 mg (a long‐acting sulphonylurea). As the drug was peddled to numerous people, a local ‘hypoglycaemia epidemic’ ensued, of which a small cluster presented to our hospital with severe hypoglycaemia. The aim is to characterize the demographics, clinical and labouratory aspects and postulate mechanisms for the relatively atypical presentation.

Methods  A retrospective study of all the patients admitted between 13th January to 15th June 2008 with hypoglycaemia was done with acquisition of all relevant data after ethical approval from our DSRB.

Results  15 patients (25–73 years old) presented with severe hypoglycaemia. All of them presented with neuroglycopenic symptoms (5‐confusion, 6‐drowsiness to loss of consciousness, 4‐seizures and 1‐coma) 12–36 h after ingestion of ‘Power 1 Walnut’. Liquid chromatography‐mass spectrometry (LC/MS) confirmed the presence of glibenclamide in the urine. None experienced a full‐blown hypoglycaemia‐associated autonomic response defined as sweating, sensation of warmth, anxiety, tremor, nausea, palpitations, tachycardia, and hunger. Only 4/16 patients had symptoms of a partial autonomic response, and 3/16 patients had tachycardia and/or hypertension.

Conclusions  The above suggests an inappropriate autonomic and catecholamine response to severe hypoglycaemia in these cases of serendipitous glibenclamide overdose. Possible reasons for the blunted autonomic responses and apparent autonomic failure are reviewed.
Audit committees and earnings quality
Authors: Baxter Peter , Cotter Julie
Published: November 2008

This research investigates whether audit committees are associated with improved earnings quality for a sample of Australian listed companies prior to the introduction of mandatory audit committee requirements in 2003. Two measures of earnings quality are used based on models first developed by Jones (1991) and Dechow and Dichev (2002). Our results indicate that formation of an audit committee reduces intentional earnings management but not accrual estimation errors. We also find differences in the associations between audit committee accounting expertise and the two earnings quality measures. Other audit committee characteristics examined are not significantly related to either earnings quality measure.
The effects of taxation on put‐call parity
Authors: Alpert Karen
Published: November 2008

Share and option transactions are taxed differently, which means that the after‐tax cash flows used to establish put‐call parity will differ depending on which option is exercised. This paper derives the after‐tax put‐call parity relationship for European and American options with or without dividends. Using Australian data for the period July 1999 to June 2002, the after‐tax put‐call parity relationship explains 88.3 per cent of no‐tax lower boundary violations and 78.8 per cent of no‐tax upper boundary violations. The violation are larger for more thinly traded securities, providing some evidence that traders are able to profit from the tax discontinuities that affect investors in options.
THE SHADOW‐PRICE OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS IN A DEVELOPING ECONOMY
Authors: CAMPBELL H.F.
Published: November 2008

The paper describes and analyses data obtained from a survey of the labour force of a tuna cannery in Papua New Guinea. Estimates of the value of employees’ work and travel time are obtained and used to calculate the shadow‐price of labour under alternative assumptions about the labour market and the economy. The shadow‐prices are used to calculate annual employment benefits to the indigenous labour force and to the economy as a whole. These benefits can amount to approximately half of the gross wage bill. Benefits by sex and skill category of worker are also reported. The results of the paper can be used to calculate employment benefits in other similar circumstances in other industries and countries.
FIXED‐WAGES, WAGE DIFFERENTIALS AND WORKER HETEROGENEITIES
Authors: CARLIER GUILLAUME , GAUMONT DAMIEN
Published: November 2008

We study incentive‐compatible labour contracts in the case where individual productivity, preference for leisure and time preference rate are unobservable by the principal in a two‐period model. We first reduce this three‐dimensional problem to a standard one‐dimensional screening problem. Features of second‐best labour contracts provide a rationale for both fixed‐wages and wage differentials.
THE EVOLUTION OF INFLATION AND UNEMPLOYMENT: EXPLAINING THE ROARING NINETIES
Authors: KARANASSOU MARIKA , SALA HECTOR , SNOWER DENNIS J.
Published: November 2008

This paper analyses the relation between US inflation and unemployment from the perspective of ‘frictional growth,’ a phenomenon arising from the interplay between growth and frictions. In particular, we focus on the interaction between money growth and nominal frictions. In this context we show that monetary policy has not only persistent, but permanent real effects, giving rise to a long‐run inflation‐unemployment tradeoff. We evaluate this tradeoff empirically and assess the impact of productivity, money growth, budget deficit, and trade deficit on the US unemployment and inflation trajectories during the nineties.
REGIONAL UNEMPLOYMENT DISPARITIES: AN EVALUATION OF POLICY MEASURES*
Authors: GROENEWOLD N. , HAGGER A.J.
Published: November 2008

This paper analyses the efficacy of regional and federal government policies in reducing inter‐regional unemployment disparities. We use as our framework a two‐region general equilibrium model with a given freely‐mobile supply of labour. We assume inter‐regional migration to occur in response to inter‐regional utility differentials. Each region has households, firms and a regional government. In addition to regional governments, there is a federal government. The firms in a region use a single factor, labour, to produce a single good which we assume to be different to that produced in the other region. It is supplied to households and to the regional government in the form of payroll taxes. Households consume some, trade some with households in the other region and give some up to the federal government as income tax. Firms and households bargain over wages and firms then choose employment to maximise profits. The resulting equilibrium will generally not be a full‐employment one.

We simulate a linearised numerical version of the model. We examine seven alternative policies, six carried out by a regional government and one by the federal government. In the first group there are traditional tax/expenditure polices as well as policies which might be seen as attacking the natural rate of unemployment: changes in unemployment benefits, changes in union power, changes in the labour force and changes in labour productivity. The federal government policy is a regionally‐differentiated fiscal policy.

Contrary to expectations, many policies which have traditionally been recommended to alleviate unemployment are found, in fact, to exacerbate the unemployment problem.
DOWNSTREAM R&D RIVALRY WITH SPILLOVERS AND DISCRIMINATORY INPUT PRICING
Authors: LIAO PEI‐CHENG
Published: November 2008

This paper examines how discriminatory input pricing by the upstream monopolist affects the R&D choices of downstream duopolists in the presence of R&D spillovers. We show that the monopoly supplier can benefit from a precommitment to uniform pricing because under uniform pricing the downstream firms invest more in R&D, leading to larger output and thus benefiting the supplier. When R&D spillovers are sufficiently large, the downstream firms are also better off under uniform pricing. Moreover, social welfare is always higher under uniform pricing.
SIMULTANEOUS PRICE CHANGES, INFORMATION ACQUISITION ON COMMON COMPETITORS AND WELFARE*
Authors: KITAHARA MINORU , MATSUMURA TOSHIHIRO
Published: November 2008

We investigate a model where two firms choose whether to acquire information on a common competitor. We find that strategic complementarity on information acquisition exists, yielding multiple equilibria. In addition, we investigate welfare implication of information acquisition. We find that information acquisition reduces both consumer surplus and the total profits of the firms.
INTERNATIONAL CREDIT CHANNEL OF MONETARY POLICY: AN EMPIRICAL NOTE
Authors: SUZUKI TOMOYA
Published: November 2008

A longstanding macroeconomic issue is how monetary policy affects the real economy. There are economists placing an emphasis on the role of bank lending in monetary transmission. Their view, called the credit view, is that a monetary tightening shifts the supply schedule of bank loans left, thereby forcing bank‐dependent borrowers to cut back on expenditures. In the literature, the credit view is typically studied in a closed‐economy context. In reality, however, banks make international loans through their overseas branches and subsidiaries. This suggests that the credit view should be studied in an open‐economy context. This paper proposes the international credit view: a monetary‐policy shock originated in one country propagates to another through banks’ reallocation of funds between the two countries. For testing the hypothesis, Australia and New Zealand provide an excellent case to study. This is because Australian‐owned banks dominate the banking market in New Zealand. This paper aims to test the international credit view within a framework of vector auto‐regression models. A significant and robust finding is that the supply schedule of loans shifts left in New Zealand after a monetary tightening in Australia.
A Path‐Based Algorithm for the Cross‐Nested Logit Stochastic User Equilibrium Traffic Assignment
Authors: Bekhor Shlomo , Toledo Tomer , Reznikova Lena
Published: November 2008

Abstract:  This article investigates the single‐class static stochastic user equilibrium (SUE) problem with separable and additive link costs. A SUE assignment based on the Cross‐Nested Logit (CNL) route choice model is presented. The CNL model can better represent route choice behavior compared to the Multinomial Logit (MNL) model, while keeping a closed form equation. The article uses a specific optimization formulation developed for the CNL model, and develops a path‐based algorithm for the solution of the CNL‐SUE problem based on adaptation of the disaggregate simplicial decomposition (DSD) method. The article illustrates the algorithmic implementation on a real size network and discusses the trade‐offs between MNL‐SUE and CNL‐SUE assignment.
Operative Platform Applied to Building Automation
Authors: Figueiredo João , Sá da Costa José
Published: November 2008

Abstract:  This article introduces an advanced control structure to be applied to building automation. This structure is composed by three interrelated levels: the Operational level—where the field equipment is controlled, the Inter‐Active level—where inhabitants communicate the building their preferences regarding control variables (lights, temperature, etc.), and the higher‐level control, the Overall Building Well‐Being Model, which manages the global building, taking into account the optimization of the inhabitants preferences, constrained by the available resources. At this third level, the inter‐building communication is available. Each building has the capability to communicate with its neighbors, informing about fires, floods, security problems, power consumption expectations, and so on.

This article implements one of the three above‐referred interrelated control levels: the Operational‐level control. This operative platform is structured over a cascade hierarchical control architecture where inner loops are performed by local PLCs (Programmable Logic Controllers), and the outer loop is managed by a centralized SCADA system (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) that interacts with the entire PLC network. The lower‐level control loop assures high processing velocity tasks, the upper‐level control loop updates the local references, knowing the complete system state. This operative model is tested on two prototypes, where all instrumentation in place is controlled by the industrial PLC network. Both prototypes worked perfectly showing the huge potential of communication systems between distributed processes. These communication systems allow intelligent centralized algorithms to manage decision‐making problems in real‐time environments. The system presented in this article combines several technologies (local PLCs, SCADA systems, and network communications) to reach the goal of efficient management of intelligent buildings.
Action Planning for New Product Development Projects
Authors: Buijs Jan
Published: November 2008

Two empirical studies are presented to show how experienced project leaders execute New Product Development (NPD) projects. In the first study we interviewed project leaders from four different design firms. We discovered that inside realistic NPD projects the NPD activities seldom occur in the same order as they are described in the NPD literature. Some activities are omitted, some activities are run in parallel and some even have a seemingly illogical timing. The reasons for these ‘strange’ patterns are usually project‐specific. The NPD project leaders distinguish four types of NPD projects. On the one hand, familiar (client well known and/or standard technology and/or re‐design) or non‐familiar projects (new client and/or new technology and/or innovative design), and on the other hand, the complexity of the product (simple versus complex), and they plan their NPD projects differently according to those four types. For instance, within simple and familiar projects they omit more NPD activities than in projects with a more complex and new nature. In the second empirical study we did a matched pairing study (finding NPD projects which would match each of the four types). This time we interviewed experienced project leaders from different companies, because they are probably more familiar with only one type of NPD project. We found a minimal and a ‘regular’ NPD process. Projects on new products (the non‐familiar type) contain the most activities in the total project. Complex projects execute more activities in the first stages, and also different activities than in non‐complex projects. We also found that NPD project leaders adapt an opportunistic attitude towards carrying out activities in parallel in order to gain time.
Public Policy Systems Dealing with Ethically Contested Medical Technological Innovations
Authors: Hoppe Rob
Published: November 2008

The questions tackled in this paper are: How do we deal with ethically contested medical innovations?, and Can we do better? First, I analyse how we deal with these problems by a division of labour and competitive boundary work between the medical R&D system's research and technological imperative, the medical profession's claim to self‐regulation and health policy‐makers’ claim to political primacy and an incrementalist style of policy making. Second, turning to the normative question, I propose that policy‐makers shift to a primacy of problems. Different types of problems demand different types of policy‐making systems and styles. Thus, policy‐makers could commence designing a health policy‐making system robust enough to adequately deal with non‐incremental but ethically contested medical innovations. I argue for medical innovation which also takes ethical, social and legal issues into account. This may be achieved by turning political competition through venue shopping into meta‐governance through deliberate venue choice. This requires deliberative and participatory design elements in procedures and spaces for health technology assessment.
Universities in Evolutionary Systems of Innovation
Authors: Van Der Steen Marianne , Enders Jurgen
Published: November 2008

This paper criticizes the current narrow view on the role of universities in knowledge‐based economies. We propose to extend the current policy framework of universities in national innovation systems (NIS) to a more dynamic one, based on evolutionary economic principles. The main reason is that this dynamic view fits better with the practice of innovation processes. We contribute on ontological and methodological levels to the literature and policy discussions on the effectiveness of university‐industry knowledge transfer and the third mission of universities. We conclude with a discussion of the policy implications for the main stakeholders.
Understanding the Advantages of Open Innovation Practices in Corporate Venturing in Terms of Real Options
Authors: Vanhaverbeke Wim , Van de Vrande Vareska , Chesbrough Henry
Published: November 2008

Part of the advantages of using open innovation (compared to closed innovation) in corporate venturing can be explained by applying the real options approach. Open innovation in risk‐laden activities such as corporate venturing has the following advantages: (i) benefits from early involvement in new technologies or business opportunities; (ii) delayed financial commitment; (iii) early exits reducing the downward losses; and (iv) delayed exit in case it spins off a venture. We furthermore argue that these benefits do not automatically materialize. Innovative firms have to learn new skills and routines to develop the full ‘real option’ potential of open innovation practices.
Second Language Learning of Complex Inflectional Systems
Authors: Kempe Vera , Brooks Patricia J.
Published: November 2008

This study explored learning and generalization of parts of the Russian case‐marking paradigm, an inflecting‐fusional system in which affixes simultaneously mark several grammatical features (case, gender, number, animacy). In Experiment 1, adult English speakers (N= 43) were exposed to nouns with transparent gender marking in the nominative case and learned to inflect nouns for two oblique cases. Experiment 2 (N= 44) used nouns that in the nominative case were morphophonologically nontransparent (i.e., arbitrary) with respect to the underlying gender categories. Learning and generalization of case‐marking inflections were better in Experiment 1 than Experiment 2, but far worse than would be expected if learners had extracted the underlying rules. Measures of proficiency in other languages with transparently marked grammatical gender categories, fluid intelligence, and verbal working memory capacity were predictive of learners' performance in both experiments, although their relative impact differed somewhat depending on the transparency of the system. These findings suggest that adult learners benefit from regularity when learning morphological patterns but do not necessarily generate rules, as the complexity of morphological variation in inflecting‐fusional systems inevitably requires a considerable degree of item‐based learning.
Strategy Instruction in Listening for Lower‐Intermediate Learners of French
Authors: Graham Suzanne , Macaro Ernesto
Published: November 2008

Second language listening has historically proved to be a difficult skill. Strategy instruction studies have sought to bring about improvements in subjects' listening but with mixed results. This lack of success might be due to the nature of listening strategy theory and its influence on conceptualizations of listening strategy instruction. The current study, based on an initial descriptive investigation of a specific population of learners, measured the effects of strategy instruction on both the listening performance and self‐efficacy of 68 lower‐intermediate learners of French in England, against a comparison group. Moreover, the effects of high‐ and low‐scaffolded interventions were compared. Results suggest that the program improved listening proficiency and learners' confidence about listening. Implications for pedagogy and strategy theory are discussed.
Syntactic Complexity and L2 Academic Immersion Effects on Readers' Recall and Pausing Strategies for English and Spanish Texts
Authors: Lazarte Alejandro A. , Barry Sue
Published: November 2008

In Experiment 1, monolingual native Spanish speakers (NSSs) had better kernel recall and longer end‐of‐clause (EOC) pauses than native English speakers (NESs) when reading texts that varied in syntactic complexity as a function of the number of nonessential clauses added to the kernel text. NSS familiarity with embedded clauses in Spanish seem to lead to a prosodic phrasing strategy in which comma‐triggered pauses improved recall. In Experiment 2, native English‐speaking Spanish teachers (NESSTs) with high exposure to academic immersion recalled better and had longer EOC pauses than low‐exposure NESSTs when reading Spanish texts. High‐exposure NESSTs' Spanish recall was as good as the NSS group in Experiment 1 and with longer—although similarly patterned—EOC pauses. High‐exposure NESSTs' English recall was better and with longer EOC pauses than the NES group from Experiment 1, wherease low‐exposure NESSTs' recall and EOC pauses were similar to the NES group. This suggests a transfer of second language pausing strategies to first language reading that improves recall for complex first language texts.
Recasts, Language Anxiety, Modified Output, and L2 Learning
Authors: Sheen Younghee
Published: November 2008

The study reported in this article investigated (a) whether classroom language anxiety affects learners' ability to improve accuracy in their use of English articles when provided with corrective feedback in the form of recasts and (b) whether language anxiety influences the extent to which learners modify output following recasts. Four groups were formed based on their responses to a questionnaire measuring language anxiety: high‐anxiety learners who received recasts (N= 13), low‐anxiety learners who received recasts (N= 11), high‐anxiety learners who received no recasts (N= 11), and low‐anxiety learners who received no recasts (N = 10). For the two recast groups, two treatment sessions directed at article errors took place, which were audio‐taped. Transcriptions were then coded for the frequency of recasts and modified output. All groups completed a pretest, and immediate and delayed posttests. Results show that in the speeded dictation and writing immediate posttests, the low‐anxiety recast group outperformed the high‐anxiety recast group and the low‐anxiety control group, but there was no significant difference in the performance of both high‐anxiety recast and control groups. Moreover, the less anxious learners who benefited from recasts were found to produce higher levels of modified output. In other words, recasts were most effective for low‐anxiety learners who produced high levels of modified output. These findings suggest that language anxiety is a factor influencing not only whether recasts lead to modified output but also whether they promote learning.
Proficiency Level and the Interaction of Lexical and Morphosyntactic Information During L2 Sentence Processing
Authors: Jackson Carrie
Published: November 2008

Using a self‐paced reading task, the present study explores how second language (L2) German speakers at different proficiency levels use case‐marking information when processing subject‐object ambiguities in German. Results indicate that advanced L2 German speakers rapidly integrated case‐marking information during online processing, exhibiting a subject preference similar to German native speakers. However, there was evidence that the relative processing difficulty of object‐first sentences was influenced by early access to the thematic verb. In contrast, intermediate L2 speakers were not immediately sensitive to case‐marking information regardless of thematic verb placement. These findings are discussed in light of current models of L2 sentence processing and research concerning L2 speakers' ability to process L2 morphosyntactic information.
Tax Reform and Retirement Saving Incentives: Take‐up of Stakeholder Pensions in the UK
Authors: DISNEY RICHARD , EMMERSON CARL , WAKEFIELD MATTHEW
Published: November 2008

In April 2001, the UK government introduced Stakeholder Pensions – a new private pension arrangement. The reform also changed the structure of tax‐relieved pension contribution ceilings, increasing their generosity for lower‐earners. We examine the impact of these changes on private pension coverage using individual level data. We use a difference‐in‐differences strategy with an estimator that is modified to allow for dichotomous outcomes. Contrary to the conventional wisdom that the Stakeholder Pension reforms had little or no impact on saving behaviour, our results indicate that the change to the contribution ceilings affected private pension coverage rates among lower‐earners, especially among women.
Self‐respect and the Respect of Others
Authors: Bird Colin
Published: November 2008

Abstract: This paper examines the claim that agents' self‐respect depends on receiving appropriate respect from others. It concentrates on a particular version of the claim defended by Avishai Margalit. The paper argues that Margalit's arguments fail to explain why the rival stoic view, that agents ultimately retain responsibility for their own self‐respect, is incorrect.
Risk Sharing in a World with Processing Costs: Trading versus Banking
Authors: Bommel Jos van
Published: November 2008

We analyze the bank versus exchange problem in a Diamond Dybvig (1983) economy with exogenous transaction processing costs. We find that processing costs in the market enables the bank to overcome the side trade threat (Jacklin (1987)) and offer some desirable liquidity insurance. Moreover, in the bank equilibrium processing costs are proportional to consumption, while in the market economy early and late consumers incur equal costs. These two effects explain that for a given level of aggregate processing costs, the bank economy is superior. On the other hand, the number of transactions in the bank economy is larger. It is for this reason that if processing costs are proportional to transaction value, and independent of the mechanism used, the exchange economy is superior.
Arbitrage, Liquidity, and the Valuation of Exchange Traded Funds
Authors: Ackert Lucy F. , Tian Yisong S.
Published: November 2008

This paper investigates the performance of U.S. and country exchange traded funds currently traded in the United States and provides new insight into their pricing. While the U.S. funds are priced closely to their net asset values, the country funds are not and can exhibit large, positive autocorrelations in fund premium. The mispricing of country funds is related to momentum, illiquidity, and size effects. We also find an inverted U‐shaped relationship between fund premium and market liquidity, which suggests that more active trading does lead to lower mispricing but only after a certain level of liquidity is reached.