bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Preparation of bow tie–type methacrylated poly(caprolactone‐co‐lactic acid) scaffolds: effect of collagen modification on cell growth
Authors: Bayramoğlu Gülay , Kayaman‐Apohan Nilhan , Kahraman Memet Vezir , Karadenizli Sabriye , Kuruca Serap Erdem , Güngör Atilla
Published: September 2011

A branched methacrylated poly(caprolactone‐co‐lactic acid) and methacrylated poly(tetramethylene ether glycol) (PTMG‐IEM) resins were synthesized. 1H‐NMR spectroscopy, attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR‐FTIR) spectroscopy, and gel permeation chromatography confirmed the chemical structures of copolymers. The photoinitiated polymerization of formulation composed of various amounts of methacrylated poly(caprolactone‐co‐lactic acid), PTMG‐IEM, poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate, water, and photoinitiator were performed. The curing reactions were followed by photo‐DSC (Differential scanning calorimetry). Gel fraction was calculated from the insoluble part and found as ≥93%. Swelling and contact angles were measured, and all increased with the increasing amount of PTMG‐IEM in network formulations. In vitro degradation studies were performed at 37 °C in phosphate‐buffered saline (pH 7.4). Collagen‐modified polymers were also prepared and introduced as a bioactive moiety to modify the polymer to enhance cell affinity. To compare the cell adhesion affinity to the polymer with and without collagen, cell growth experiments were performed. The results showed that collagen improves the cell adhesion onto the polymer surface. With the increasing amount of collagen, cell viability increases 86% (ECV304, p < 0.05) and 83% (3 T3, p < 0.05). Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Preparation and characterization of conductive chitosan–ionic liquid composite membranes
Authors: Xiong Yubing , Wang Hong , Wu Chengyi , Wang Rongmin
Published: September 2011

Anhydrous conductive membranes composing of a composite of chitosan (CS) and ionic liquids with symmetrical carboxyl groups were explored. Scanning electron microscope images revealed that porous composite membranes could be obtained by combining CS with different amounts of 1,4‐bis(3‐carboxymethyl‐imidazolium)‐1‐yl butane chloride ([CBIm]Cl). Fourier transform infrared and proton nuclear magnetic resonance confirmed that the formation of ammonium salts after CS was combined with [CBIm]Cl. The thermal property of CS–ionic liquid composite membranes was studied through thermogravimetric analysis. The anhydrous ionic conductivities of CS–[CBIm]X (X = Cl, Ac, BF4, and I) composite membranes were measured using ac impedance spectroscopy at room temperature in N2 atmosphere. The conductivities (0.4–0.7 × 10−4 Scm−1), found to be in the same range as semiconductors, were significantly higher than those of pure CS membrane (<10−8 Scm−1). In addition, the anhydrous conductivity of composite membrane based on CS–[CBIm]I at room temperature reached a level as high as 0.91 × 10−2 Scm−1 when iodine was doped. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
How to manage vaccinations in children with cancer
Authors: Ruggiero Antonio , Battista Andrea , Coccia Paola , Attinà Giorgio , Riccardi Riccardo
Published: September 2011

The optimal use of routine childhood immunizations in children with malignancy is still a matter of debate. Despite their higher risk of contracting vaccine preventable diseases and of suffering important complications, there is little understanding of the magnitude of the possible benefit of administering active immunization in this population due to a paucity of clinical trial data. Our review focuses on the management of children with cancer and offers some suggestions regarding their vaccination schedules. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2011; 57: 1104–1108. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Balance measures for propensity score methods: a clinical example on beta‐agonist use and the risk of myocardial infarction
Authors: Groenwold Rolf H. H. , de Vries Frank , de Boer Anthonius , Pestman Wiebe R. , Rutten Frans H. , Hoes Arno W. , Klungel Olaf H.
Published: September 2011

Purpose

Propensity score (PS) methods aim to control for confounding by balancing confounders between exposed and unexposed subjects with the same PS. PS balance measures have been compared in simulated data but limited in empirical data. Our objective was to compare balance measures in clinical data and assessed the association between long‐acting inhalation beta‐agonist (LABA) use and myocardial infarction.

Methods

We estimated the relationship between LABA use and myocardial infarction in a cohort of adults with a diagnosis of asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder from the Utrecht General Practitioner Research Network database. More than two thousand PS models, including information on the observed confounders age, sex, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder status, were applied. The balance of these confounders was assessed using the standardised difference (SD), Kolmogorov–Smirnov (KS) distance and overlapping coefficient. Correlations between these balance measures were calculated. In addition, simulation studies were performed to assess the correlation between balance measures and bias.

Results

LABA use was not related to myocardial infarction after conditioning on the PS (median heart rate = 1.14, 95%CI = 0.47–2.75). When using the different balance measures for selecting a PS model, similar associations were obtained. In our empirical data, SD and KS distance were highly correlated balance measures (r = 0.92). In simulations, SD, KS distance and overlapping coefficient were similarly correlated to bias (e.g. r = 0.55, r = 0.52 and r = −0.57, respectively, when conditioning on the PS).

Conclusions

We recommend using the SD or the KS distance to quantify the balance of confounder distributions when applying PS methods. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
An efficient titanium‐based photoanode for dye‐sensitized solar cell under back‐side illumination
Authors: Tsai Ting‐Ya , Chen Chih‐Ming , Cherng Sheng‐Jye , Suen Shing‐Yi
Published: September 2011

Pretreatment of H2O2 is performed on titanium (Ti) foil as an efficient photoanode substrate for dye‐sensitized solar cell (DSSC). The H2O2‐treated Ti shows high surface area because of the formation of networked TiO2 nanosheets, which enhances electrical contact between screen‐printed TiO2 nanoparticles and Ti foil. Electron transfer on the photoanode is improved, as identified by reduced charge transfer resistance and improved electron transport properties. Compared with DSSC based on non‐treated Ti photoanode, DSSC with this H2O2‐treated Ti photoanode exhibits remarkable increases in short‐circuit current density (from 8.55 to 14.38 mA/cm2) and energy conversion efficiency (from 4.68 to 7.10%) under AM1.5 back‐side illumination. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Analysis of branched polymers by high resolution multidetector size exclusion chromatography: Separation of the effects of branching and molecular weight distribution
Authors: Puskas Judit E. , Burchard Walther , Heidenreich Andrew J. , Santos Lucas Dos
Published: September 2011

This article presents the SEC analysis of branched polyisobutylene PIB and polystyrene PS with high molecular weight and broad multimodal molecular weight distribution. Both polymers were synthesized using an inimer technique, which results in long‐chain branched polymers with statistical branching and broad multimodal distributions. Using high resolution multidetector Size Exclusion Chromatography SEC the polymers were analyzed based on three branching factors: g = (Rz,br/Rz,lin)Mw; h = (〈Rh〉z,br/〈Rh〉z,lin)Mw ; and ρ = (R
1/2/〈Rh〉z). It is generally accepted that for monodisperse branched polymers g and h < 1. In the case of our polydisperse PIB and PS, it was seen that g and h > 1, and ρ increases with molar mass and the number of chain ends as predicted earlier. The multidetector SEC system allowed for the separation of branching and polydispersity, reported here for the first time experimentally. The g parameter as a function of DPi was compared to the theory developed by Zimm and Stockmayer. The plots followed a similar trend, but were shifted by a factor related to the average chain length between branching points. The ρ parameter decreased with increasing DPi, as predicted theoretically by Kajiwara. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2012
Polymer‐assisted biocatalysis: Unprecedented enzymatic oxidation of fullerene in aqueous medium
Authors: Gitsov Ivan , Simonyan Arsen , Wang Lili , Krastanov Albert , Tanenbaum Stuart W. , Kiemle Dave
Published: September 2011

Enzymatic complexes, constructed by linear‐dendritic copolymers and laccase, are used for the unprecedented one‐pot biotransformation of fullerene (C60) into epoxide‐ and hydroxyl‐derivatives under mild and environmentally friendly reaction conditions (45 °C and aqueous medium). The reaction is catalyzed by mediator pairs ‐ N‐hydroxy‐5‐norbornene‐2,3‐dicarboxylic acid imide/1‐Hydroxybenzotriazole or 2,2′‐Azino‐bis(3‐ethylbenzothiazoline‐6‐sulfonic acid)/1‐Hydroxybenzotriazole used in equimolar amounts. After 24 and 48 h, the biotransformation products C60On, C60(OH)n, C60(H)n(OH)n, and/or C60On(H)m(OH)m range between 50 and 78%, respectively. Their structure is revealed by FTIR, NMR, and mass‐spectrometry. The mechanism of the process is discussed and elucidated. The reaction procedure allows the repeated usage of the enzyme/linear‐dendritic complex, which retains its catalytic activity after several cycles. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2012
Latex aging: The effects of coalescing agents and thermal annealing on the morphology of composite latex particles
Authors: Stubbs Jeffrey M. , Sundberg Donald C.
Published: September 2011

Many composite polymer latices are produced with nonequilibrium particle morphologies and these can be prone to structural changes with the time of storage. Here we report on the use of coalescing agents, and separately thermal annealing to follow the morphology changes with aging time. Two coalescing agents with very different water solubilities were used to plasticize the latex polymers. During months of storage time the polymer particles were analyzed via differential scanning calorimetry and transmission electron microscopy. A parallel set of aging experiments were carried out for the same latices where the change agent was simple thermal annealing. Both latex and dry polymer samples were annealed at temperatures above 100 °C and for various periods of time. Both sets of experiments lead to the conclusion that when the aging temperature is at or above the effective glass transition temperature (taking into account solvent plasticization) of the glassiest of the polymers in a two‐component latex, morphological change can be rather fast and easily characterized. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 49: 1583–1589, 2011
Spectroscopic Characterization of Plasmas Generated by ECR Microwave Discharge of N2 Gas and Pulsed Laser Ablation of a B4C Target
Authors: Feng Hui , Sun Jian , Ding Dayu , Xu Ning , Ying Zhifeng , Wu Jiada
Published: September 2011

The plasmas generated by co‐action of electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) microwave discharge of N2 gas and pulsed laser ablation (PLA) of a B4C target were spectroscopically characterized using time‐ and space‐resolved optical emission spectroscopy (OES). The plasmas exhibit rapid variations in time and space and the optical emissions of the plasmas show unique characteristics in comparison with the plasmas generated solely by ECR discharge or PLA. At the early stages of the expansion of the PLA boron/carbon plasma in the ECR nitrogen plasma, the plasma emission is dominated by emission lines from atomic and ionic boron and carbon which decrease rapidly during the expansion of the PLA plasma, and then evolves to be dominant in emission bands from nitrogen molecules and nitrogen molecular ions. The emission bands of the C2 Swan system and the CN violet system were also distinguished. The processes including gas‐phase reactions occurring in the plasmas were discussed based on the characteristics of the plasma emissions.

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Seroquel XL: add‐on treatment for major depressive disorder
Authors: Jauhar Sameer
Published: September 2011

Quetiapine prolonged release (Seroquel XL) now has a licence extension as an addon treatment of major depressive episodes in patients with major depressive disorder. Dr Sameer Jauhar presents the clinical data relating to its efficacy and adverse effects and discusses its place in treatment. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Interface Ltd
My views on medicines management, CCGs and NMP
Authors: Jackson Clive
Published: September 2011

Recently retired NPC chief executive Clive Jackson discusses medicines management past, present and future, clinical commissioning groups and nonmedical prescribing Copyright © 2011 Wiley Interface Ltd
Apolipoprotein A‐I peptide models as probes to formulate potential inhibitors of the low‐density lipoprotein oxidation
Authors: Darvari Maria I. , Petraki Maria P. , Tellis Constantinos , Harilogis Konstantinos , Tselepis Alexandros D. , Sakarellos‐Daitsiotis Maria
Published: September 2011

Apolipoprotein A‐I (apoA‐I), which constitutes the principal protein component of high‐density lipoprotein, is responsible for its major antiatherogenic functions. Aiming at contributing to the development of potent inhibitors of low‐density lipoprotein (LDL) peptide models of helices 4,6 and 9,10 of apoA‐I were designed and synthesized. Specific amino acid substitutions, resulting in transformation of the original helix class A and Y to G according to the Schiffer and Edmundson helical wheel representation, were introduced in order to validate the contribution of these modifications in the inhibitory activity of the synthesized peptide models against the LDL oxidation. The role of Met at positions 112 (helix 4) and 148 (helix 6) as oxidant scavenger was also investigated. The helical characteristics of all the peptide models were studied by CD in membrane‐mimicking microenvironments and compared with the original helices. Copyright © 2011 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Fragmentation of pentacoordinate spirobicyclic aminoacyl‐phosphoranes (P‐AAs) by electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry concerning P–O and P–N bond cleavage
Authors: Hu Xiaomei , Gao Xiang , Zhu Jun , Zeng Zhiping , Zhang Xinghua , Lin Zhiwei , Xu Pengxiang , Liu Yan , Zhao Yufen
Published: September 2011

The fragmentation pathways of both protonated and sodiated pentacoordinate spirobicyclic aminoacylphosphoranes (P‐AAs) have been studied by electrospray ionization multi‐stage mass spectrometry (ESI‐MSn) in positive mode. The possible pathways and their mechanisms are elucidated through the combination of ESI‐MS/MS, isotope (15 N and 2H) labeling and high‐resolution Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FTICR)‐MS/MS. The relative Gibbs free energies (ΔG) of the product ions and possible fragmentation pathways are estimated at the B3LYP/6‐31 G(d) level of theory. The theoretical calculations show that both protonated and sodiated P‐AAs would quickly fragment before Berry pseudorotation. For protonated P‐AAs, they have different tendencies to P–O or P–N bond cleavage. For sodiated P‐AAs, the P–N bond is easier to cleave and produces the tetracoordinated phosphorus ion H. These results to some extent may give a clue to the chemistry of the active sites of phosphoryl transfer enzymes and will enrich the gas‐phase ESI‐MS ion chemistry of pentacoordinate phosphoranes. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Non‐inferiority test and confidence interval for the difference in correlated proportions in diagnostic procedures based on multiple raters
Authors: Saeki Hiroyuki , Tango Toshiro
Published: September 2011

The efficacy of diagnostic procedures is generally evaluated on the basis of the results from multiple raters. However, there are few adequate methods of performing non‐inferiority tests with confidence intervals to compare the accuracies (sensitivities or specificities) when multiple raters are considered. We propose new statistical methods for comparing the accuracies of two diagnostic procedures in a non‐inferiority trial, on the basis of the results from multiple independent raters who are also independent of the study centers. We consider a study design in which each patient is subjected to two diagnostic procedures and all images are read by all raters. By assuming a multinomial distribution for matched‐pair categorical data arising from the study design, we derive a score‐based full menu, that is, a non‐inferiority test, confidence interval and sample size formula, for inference of the difference in correlated proportions between the two diagnostic procedures. We conduct Monte Carlo simulation studies to examine the validity of the proposed methods, which showed that the proposed test has a size closer to the nominal significance level than a Wald‐type test and that the proposed confidence interval has better empirical coverage probability than a Wald‐type confidence interval. We illustrate the proposed methods with data from a study of diagnostic procedures for the diagnosis of oesophageal carcinoma infiltrating the tracheobronchial tree. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Pseudosibship methods in the case‐parents design
Authors: Yu Zhaoxia , Deng Li
Published: September 2011

Recent evidence suggests that complex traits are likely determined by multiple loci, each of which contributes a weak to moderate individual effect. Although extensive literature exists on multilocus analysis of unrelated subjects, there are relatively fewer strategies for jointly analyzing multiple loci using family data. Here we address this issue by evaluating two pseudosibship methods: the 1:1 matching, which matches each affected offspring to the pseudosibling formed by the alleles not transmitted to the affected offspring, and the exhaustive matching, which matches each affected offspring to the pseudosiblings formed by all the other possible combinations of parental alleles. We prove that the two matching strategies use exactly and approximately the same amount of information from data under additive and multiplicative genetic models, respectively. Using numerical calculations under a variety of models and testing assumptions, we show that compared with the exhaustive matching, the 1:1 matching has comparable asymptotic power in detecting multiplicative/additive effects in single‐locus analysis and main effects in multilocus analysis, and it allows association testing of multiple linked loci. These results pave the way for many existing multilocus analysis methods developed for the case‐control (or matched case‐control) design to be applied to case‐parents data with minor modifications. As an example, with the 1:1 matching, we applied anL1regularized regression to a Crohn's disease dataset. Using the multiple loci selected in our approach, we obtained an order‐of‐magnitude decrease inp‐value and an 18.9% increase in prediction accuracy when compared with using the most significant individual locus. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Automotive and medical: can we learn from each other?
Authors: Kramer Anne
Published: September 2011

In this paper, we present an analysis of the new standard ISO 26262 for the automotive industry. We compare this standard to existing regulations of another safety‐critical domain, that is, the medical device industry. As can be expected, a large number of activities coincide, because they simply correspond to common best practices that can also be found, for example, in ISO/IEC 15504. However, some interesting differences can be observed both in philosophy and in wording that make cross‐domain communication complicated. This paper is intended to encourage the exchange of experiences and methods between the two domains that are driven by the same concern, that is, the user's safety. We point out the most striking similarities and differences and translate from one domain to the other. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Characteristic equation‐based computation of Thévenin and Norton equivalent circuits
Authors: Kelebekler Ersoy , Yildiz Ali Bekir
Published: September 2011

In this paper, a new method is proposed for determining the parameters of Thévenin and Norton equivalent circuits. The method is unified and employs only one topology that depends on the test load impedance, Zx, connected to the output of the circuit. It does not require setting all independent sources to zero for determining Thévenin and Norton impedance. All equivalent circuit parameters are derived simultaneously and systematically from the characteristic equation relating to the output of the circuit. © 2011 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
A model‐based dead‐band compensation for the dual‐active‐bridge isolated bidirectional DC–DC converter
Authors: Bai Hua , Nie Ziling , Chunting Mi Chris
Published: September 2011

The dual active bridge (DAB)‐based isolated bidirectional converter has been used to realize bidirectional energy flow while offering needed isolation between the primary and secondary side: for example, the battery side and grid side of one plug‐in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV). Even though the operation of a DAB‐based DC–DC converter is straightforward, various transient processes exist, such as the dead‐band effect, which deeply affects the dynamic performance of the converter in real world applications. Compensation of this effect is not easy because of the strong nonlinearity of the entire system. This paper quantitatively analyzed the dead‐band effect at different output powers, and presented a model‐based controller to realize the nonlinear dead‐band compensation strategy, which can effectively mitigate demerits of the traditional PI‐based control strategy. The proposed control algorithm is validated through theoretical simulation and experimental results. © 2011 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Three‐Dimensional Heteropolynuclear Zn4Ln2 Coordination Frameworks: Structure and NIR Luminescent Properties
Authors: Gao Ting , Li Guang‐Ming , Gao Po , Sun Wen‐Bin , Xu Hui , Wang Cheng , Hou Guang‐Feng , Yan Peng‐Fei
Published: September 2011

Two three‐dimensional metal‐organic framework heteropolynuclear complexes [Nd2Zn4L4(OAc)6(NO3)2(OH)2]·Et2O·2EtOH (1) and [Eu2Zn4L4(OAc)6(NO3)2(OH)2]2·EtOH (2) [L = o‐vanillin] were prepared by reactions of the o‐vanillin ligand with Ln(NO3)3·6H2O and Zn(OAc)2·2H2O. X‐ray crystallographic analyses revealed that molecules of 1 have an unusual central cage‐like cavity through short intermolecular C···H···O interactions and π–π stacking giving rise to a three‐dimensional metal‐organic framework, which contains open channels. Photophysical studies showed that the typical emission bands of Nd3+ ion assigned to the 4F3/2→4Ij/2 (j = 9, 11, 13) transition are observed upon excitation of the ligand‐centered absorption band at 380 nm. But the characteristic luminescence emission of the EuIII ion in MeCN is not observed.
Coevolutionary fine-tuning: evidence for genetic tracking between a specialist wasp parasitoid and its aphid host in a dual metapopulation interaction
Authors: Nyabuga F.N. , Loxdale H.D. , Heckel D.G. , Weisser W.W.
Published: September 2011

In the interaction between two ecologically-associated species, the population structure of one species may affect the population structure of the other. Here, we examine the population structures of the aphidMetopeurum fuscoviride, a specialist on tansyTanacetum vulgare, and its specialist primary hymenopterous parasitoidLysiphlebus hirticornis, both of which are characterized by multivoltine life histories and a classic metapopulation structure. Samples of the aphid host and the parasitoid were collected from eight sites in and around Jena, Germany, where both insect species co-occur, and then were genotyped using suites of polymorphic microsatellite markers. The host aphid was greatly differentiated in terms of its spatial population genetic patterning, while the parasitoid was, in comparison, only moderately differentiated. There was a positive Mantel test correlation between pairwise shared allele distance (DAS) of the host and parasitoid, i.e. if host subpopulation samples were more similar between two particular sites, so were the parasitoid subpopulation samples. We argue that while the differences in the levels of genetic differentiation are due to the differences in the biology of the species, the correlations between host and parasitoid are indicative of dependence of the parasitoid population structure on that of its aphid host. The parasitoid is genetically tracking behind the aphid host, as can be expected in a classic metapopulation structure where host persistence depends on a delay between host and parasitoid colonization of the patch. The results may also have relevance to the Red Queen hypothesis, whereupon in the ‘arms race’ between parasitoid and its host, the latter ‘attempts’ to evolve away from the former.
Hearing Other Voices: Christian Women And The Coming Of Islam
Authors: Doumato Eleanor A.
Published: September 2011

The effect of the coming of Islam on the condition of women has long been a subject of debate among scholars with divergent interests in the Muslim world, including Protestant missionaries, anthropologists, Muslim reformists, apologists, and feminists. The central question upon which this subject is focused has been couched in language of mutually exclusive extremes: Did Islam at its inception bring about an improvement in women's condition, or was Islam responsible for bringing about inequalities between men and women in Muslim societies? The purpose of this article is to suggest new directions for exploring the effect of Islam on women, to confront the inadequacy of the sources and methods that are presently brought to bear on the issues, and to introduce Christian sources to a debate that has been carried out within a self-contained Muslim-Arab context
Changing epidemiological trends of legionellosis in New Zealand, 1979–2009
Authors: GRAHAM F. F. , WHITE P. S. , HARTE D. J. G. , KINGHAM S. P.
Published: September 2011

This study evaluated the spatio-temporal variation ofLegionellaspp. in New Zealand using notification and laboratory surveillance data from 1979 to 2009 and analysed the epidemiological trends. To achieve this we focused on changing incidence rates and occurrence of different species over this time. We also examined whether demographic characteristics such as ethnicity may be related to incidence. The annual incidence rate for laboratory-proven cases was 2·5/100 000 and 1·4/100 000 for notified cases. Incidence was highest in the European population and showed large geographical variations between 21 District Health Boards. An important finding of this study is that the predominantLegionellaspecies causing disease in New Zealand differs from that found in other developed countries, with about 30–50% of cases due toL. longbeachaeand a similar percentage due toL. pneumophilafor any given year. The environmental risk exposure was identified in 420 (52%) cases, of which 58% were attributed to contact with compost; travel was much less significant as a risk factor (6·5%). This suggests that legionellosis has a distinctive epidemiological pattern in New Zealand.
Are blue chip stock market indices good proxies for all-shares market indices? The case of the Brussels Stock Exchange 1833–2005
Authors: Annaert Jan , Buelens Frans , Cuyvers Ludo , De Ceuster Marc , Deloof Marc , De Schepper Ann
Published: September 2011

In this article, we calculate a market-weighted return index for the 20 largest stocks listed on the Brussels Stock Exchange over the period 1833–2005, based on a new, unique and high-quality database. We find that this index captures the most important stylised facts of the value-weighted return of all shares listed on the Brussels Stock Exchange in this period. Our results support the empirical practice of concentrating on just the largest stocks. The indices we construct are based on one of the longest Belgian time series available. The indices take into account the exact dividends, the timing of the dividend cash flows and all capital operations. We are therefore able to decompose total returns into capital gain returns and dividend returns, which is not possible with most historical return series. We show that, to construct a credible return index, it is crucial to fully take into account dividends.
Unity of Apperception and the Division of Labour in the Transcendental Analytic
Authors: Aquila Richard E.
Published: September 2011

In theCritique of Fure ReasonKant distinguishes two sorts of conditions of knowledge. First, there are the space and time of pure intuition, introduced in the Transcendental Aesthetic. They are grounded in our dependence on a special sort of perceptual (or imaginative) field for the location of objects. Second, there are pure concepts of the understanding, or categories, introduced in the Analytic. In one respect these are grounded in the logical function of the understanding in judgements, introduced in the first chapter of the analytic of concepts: Clue to the Discovery of All Pure Concepts of the Understanding; in another respect, they are grounded in transcendental unity of apperception, which is introduced in the second chapter: Deduction of the Pure Concepts of the Understanding, or Transcendental Deduction. I shall be concerned with the latter and its contribution to the overall strategy of argument in the analytic. Within the Analytic, Kant distinguishes between an Analytic of Concepts and an Analytic of Principles (also called ‘transcendental doctrine of judgement’ [A137/B176]). This corresponds to a traditional distinction between a doctrine of concepts (or understanding) and judgement. It is arguable that Kant's theory of concepts undermines this distinction. However, I shall not deal with that general issue, but with a more specific issue related to the first two chapters of the Analytic of Principles: the Schematism and the System of Principles. (The third chapter, on phenomena and noumena, is basically an appendix.)
Kant and Contemporary Ethics
Authors: Stratton-Lake Philip
Published: September 2011

It is difficult to exaggerate the extent to which Kant has influenced contemporary ethics. Whether or not one is sympathetic to his moral theory, one cannot ignore it, or the various ethical theories which draw their inspiration from it. Debates which have centred on Kantian themes include debates about whether moral requirements are categorical imperatives, whether they have an overriding authority, whether the various moral judgements we make can be codified, the role of duty in moral motivation, whether there are moral actions which are beyond the call of duty, the relation of morality to autonomy, and the very nature of moral judgement. The pervasiveness of Kant's influence makes it very difficult to write anything comprehensive on his relation to contemporary ethics, and I do not intend to attempt such an ambitious task here. Rather, in what follows I shall focus mainly on three distinctive features of Kant's ethics, which correspond roughly to the three chapters of theGroundwork.
Kant, Rawls, Habermas and the Metaphysics of Justice
Authors: Williams Howard
Published: September 2011

We can distinguish between those political philosophers who are concerned to carry the original Kantian project further, like Wolfgang Kersting, Otfried Höffe, Ernest Weinrib and Fernando Teson, and those contemporary political philosophers who have given up the original project but seek to draw inspiration from Kant's thinking. Two political philosophers who belong to this latter trend are Habermas and Rawls.
Kant's Cold Sage and the Sublimity of Apathy
Authors: Denis Lara
Published: September 2011

Kant has long been known for denying that emotions constitute an adequate basis for morality or for moral motivation. But Kantian ethicists have recently been calling attention to Kant's recognition of the moral importance of emotions. Several philosophers have pointed out that, for example, Kant sees emotions as indicators of appropriate or inappropriate attitudes and as means of prompting us to perform particular morally right actions. In chapter 6 (p. 207) of Kantian Ethics Almost without Apology, however, Marcia Baron points out a passage in the Metaphysics of Morals that sits poorly with these recent, emotion-friendly interpretations of Kant.
POLITICS AND POETICS OF THE BODY IN EARLY MODERN JAPAN
Authors: HIRANO KATSUYA
Published: September 2011

This essay examines the political implications of Edo (present-day Tokyo) popular culture in early modern Japan by focusing on the interface between distinct forms of literary and visual representation and the configuration of social order (the status hierarchy and the division of labor), as well as moral and ideological discourses that were conducive to the reproduction of the order. Central to the forms of representation in Edo popular culture was the overarching literary and artistic principle, which I call “dialogic imagination,” a phrase adapted from M.M. Bakhtin's work on Fyodor Dostoevsky. By creating a dialogical interaction of divergent voices and perspectives, Edo popular culture created pluralized, contentious images of Tokugawa society, images that underlined contradictory realities that had become widely discernible around the turn of the eighteenth century. The most salient of all the contradictions was the growing disjuncture between the ideological premise of social and economic hierarchies and their actual reversals. The dialogic imagination captured and accentuated the fluid and dynamic social interactions that threw the formal arrangements of social order into disarray, as well as the widely perceived tensions originating from these interactions, by supplying images that sharply contrasted with those that the Tokugawa authorities worked hard to foster and defend: of a harmonious, self-contained, and perfectly functioning society.
THE SEARCH FOR THE ORIGINS OF MODERN DEMOCRATIC REPUBLICAN POLITICAL THOUGHT IN EARLY MODERN SWITZERLAND
Authors: LERNER MARC H.
Published: September 2011

What are the debts that the modern world owes to the political culture of the Enlightenment? For historians of political thought this is a widely debated subject. Throughout Europe, the Enlightenment provided the critical lens for a widespread reassessment of the nature of political authority. Much of the intellectual history of the eighteenth century focuses on this reassessment and the debates over the nature of good government, liberty and sovereignty. The discussion of these issues is linked to the history of liberalism, democratic republicanism, popular sovereignty, and the nature of the modern political world itself.
“THE POWER OF FEELING”? EMOTION, SENSIBILITY, AND THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION
Authors: PEARSALL SARAH M. S.
Published: September 2011

In January 1776, Thomas Paine demanded to know whether “the Power of feeling” did not require that American colonists declare independence from Great Britain. Paine's efforts included an appeal to “common sense,” to the idea that it was only natural for colonists to end their ties with Britain. For Paine, independence did not depend on elaborately wrought arguments; instead, it should be obvious to all, even the most unlettered. His own emotionally charged language—the king was akin to a “crowned ruffian” descended from “a French Bastard landing with an armed Banditti”—sought to stir even those who still longed for reconciliation to “examine the passions and feelings of mankind” and to throw off the yoke of oppression. Paine's formulations, like these two books, raise numerous questions. How significant has the expression of emotion been in American history? How far can scholars go in attributing to it sufficient momentum to effect major historical change? Can something so universal be harnessed into nationalist political trajectories? Should America be seen as having a unique emotional culture in the eighteenth century? Did this exceptional culture of feeling contribute to the Revolution itself? These two authors answer yes to the last three questions, thus prompting re-evaluation of the “power of feeling” in the American Revolution itself.
THE CURIOUS CAREER OF LIBERALISM IN INDIA
Authors: CHATTERJEE PARTHA
Published: September 2011

There is a long-standing myth that the history of modern India was foretold at the beginning of the nineteenth century by British liberals who predicted that the enlightened despotic rule of India's new conquerors would, by its beneficial effects, improve the native character and institutions sufficiently to prepare the people of that country one day to govern themselves. Lord William Bentinck, a disciple of Jeremy Bentham, while presenting as governor-general his case for the opening up of India to European settlers, speculated on the possibility of “a vast change to have occurred in the frame of society . . . which would imply that the time had arrived when it would be wise for England to leave India to govern itself”, but added that such change “can scarcely be looked for in centuries to come”. The doctrinal basis within liberal theory for justifying a democratic country like Britain exercising despotic power in colonies such as Ireland and India was securely laid out by mid-century liberals such as John Stuart Mill. The project of “improvement” was revived at the end of the nineteenth century by Gladstonian liberals who inducted elite Indians into new representative institutions based on a very narrow franchise in preparation for some form of self-government. When power was ultimately transferred to the rulers of a partitioned subcontinent in 1947, the history of liberal progress in India was complete. The storyline was laid out, for instance, in Thompson and Garratt'sRise and Fulfilment of British Rule in Indiaor in Percival Spear's revised edition of the hugely successful textbook by Vincent Smith. Even nationalist Indian scholars adopted at least a part of this story, nowhere more so than in the histories of constitutional law which traced the foundations of the postcolonial Indian republic to the progressive expansion of liberal state institutions under British rule.
LOOKING FOR AN HONEST MAN
Authors: GARSTEN BRYAN
Published: September 2011

Among the astonishing variety of sources mentioned in Martin Jay's new book on lying in politics the reader will find ancient Greek philosophical dialogues, pamphlet controversies between eighteenth-century philosophers, post-structural literary theories and, resting easily among the likes of these, a familiar old joke. “How can you tell when a politician is lying?” Jay asks. “He moves his lips” is the answer my grandfather used to give, and that is the punch-line that Jay recounts here. But my grandfather told the joke as part of a syllogism whose unstated premise was “lying is bad” and whose common-sense conclusion was that politics is corrupt. Jay is not satisfied with that conclusion. His book,The Virtues of Mendacity: On Lying in Politics, puts forward a very different argument: He assumes that politics is worthwhile, suggests that it is unavoidably linked to lying, and concludes that lying must not be as bad as we think it is. There are a host of complications and caveats, so many that one could spend a whole review admiring the virtuosity involved in constructing such a rich pastiche of historical episodes and texts touching on mendacity. But the frisson that the book provokes comes almost entirely from its willingness to flirt with the endorsement of vice, so any serious engagement with it cannot avoid responding in some way to that flirtation.
Frühdiagnostik motorischer Funktionen
Authors: Wagner Matthias O. , Macha Thorsten , Kastner Julia , Petermann Franz , Jekauc Darko , Worth Annette , Bös Klaus
Published: September 2011

Zusammenfassung. Der motorischen Entwicklung kommt in der frühen Kindheit eine zentrale Bedeutung zu. Ziel des vorliegenden Beitrages ist die Kennzeichnung wissenschaftlich abgesicherter Instrumente zur Diagnose des frühkindlichen motorischen Entwicklungsstandes. Hierzu werden gängige motorische Entwicklungstests anhand ausgewählter Testgütekriterien diskutiert. Am Ende des Beitrages steht eine Entscheidungshilfe für die Testauswahl.
Zum gegenwärtigen Stand der Emotionsregulationsdiagnostik im Säuglings- und Kleinkindalter
Authors: Kullik Angelika , Petermann Franz
Published: September 2011

Zusammenfassung. Der Emotionsregulation wird eine grundlegende Funktion in der Genese psychischer Störungen zugeschrieben. Bis dato mangelt es an einem umfassenden Review zu Verfahren, mit denen Emotionsregulation in den ersten drei Lebensjahren erfasst werden kann. Insbesondere videobasierte standardisierte Verhaltensbeobachtungen von emotionsregulatorischem Verhalten finden in Laboruntersuchungen Anwendung. Darüber hinaus existieren Elternfragebogen, die Emotionsregulation in Form von Subskalen mehr oder weniger genau erheben. Die bislang vorliegenden Ansätze werden aufgrund qualitativer Standards und psychometrischer Gütekriterien systematisch bewertet. Hier zeigt sich ein inkonsistentes sowie hinsichtlich der Validität der Verfahren unzureichendes Bild. Auf Basis der Analysen wird ein Ausblick für die zukünftige Frühdiagnostik von Emotionsregulation gegeben.
Prognostische Validität des Dortmunder Entwicklungsscreening für den Kindergarten (DESK 3-6)
Authors: Tröster Heinrich , Flender Judith , Reineke Dirk
Published: September 2011

Zusammenfassung. Zur Überprüfung der prognostischen Validität des Dortmunder Entwicklungsscreenings für den Kindergarten (DESK 3-6) wurden 136 fünf- bis sechsjährige Kinder von ihren Erzieherinnen mit dem DESK 3-6 und dem Verhaltensbeurteilungsbogen für Vorschulkinder (VBV 3-6) beurteilt. Zudem schätzten die Erzieherinnen den Entwicklungsstand der Kinder ein. Im zweiten Schuljahr wurden die Schulleistungen mit der Würzburger Leise Leseprobe (WLLP) und dem Deutschen Mathematiktest für erste Klassen (DEMAT 1+) sowie Verhaltensprobleme im Unterricht durch eine Beurteilung der Lehrkräfte erhoben. Die meisten Zweitklässler mit Lern- und Verhaltensproblemen waren im DESK 3-6 auffällig. Das DESK 3-6 ermöglichte eine zuverlässigere Vorhersage von Lern- und Verhaltensproblemen im zweiten Schuljahr als die Beurteilung des kognitiven, sprachlichen und sozialen Entwicklungsstandes durch die Erzieherin.
Railway Suicide in Belgium 1998–2009
Authors: Andriessen Karl , Krysinska Karolina
Published: September 2011

Background: Belgium is a country with a high suicide rate (19.1/100,000 in 2004), and railway suicide poses a substantial safety and public health problem. This problem was addressed by the Suicide Prevention Unit of Infrabel (Manager of the Belgian Railway Infrastructure), which collects relevant data and implements a prevention program. Aims: To present data on fatal and nonfatal suicidal behavior on the Belgian railway network, including monthly and regional distribution and identification of hotspots; and to present the Infrabel suicide prevention program. Methods: Analysis of Infrabel data on railway suicide (1998–2009) and comparison with data on suicide in Belgium. Results: A total of 1,092 railway suicides (1998–2009) and 557 suicide attempts (2003–2009) in Belgium (fatality rate of 54%) were studied. Monthly fluctuations were observed, with the majority of suicides occurring in Flanders, followed by Wallonia and Brussels. We identified 34 hotspots accounting for 35% of cases, mostly in Flanders. Conclusions: In 2004 railway suicide accounted for 5.3% of all suicides in Belgium (railway suicide rate of 1.03/100,000). Such a major human and economic loss warrants implementation of prevention measures. Infrabel has initiated a comprehensive suicide prevention program which focuses mainly on safeguarding the suicide hotspots.
Multinational Diversity in IS Research: The Effects of Education on Publication Outlets
Authors: French Aaron M , Shim Jung P
Published: September 2011

Diversity issues in management information systems (MIS) research have received abundant attention over the last 20 years. This paper extends the debate on the limited diversity in the research methods of MIS researchers to include the global research community. The argument of methodological exclusiveness on a global scale is argued to be the result of educational influence on faculty in each region. Leading universities throughout three major regions of the world were evaluated to show the educational influence of faculty causing the expansion of methodological exclusion on a global scale. The paper concludes with recommendations for addressing the issues discussed to further facilitate collaboration among researchers internationally.
Business Process Outsourcing Studies: A Critical Review and Research Directions
Authors: Lacity Mary C , Solomon Stan , Yan Aihua , Willcocks Leslie P
Published: September 2011

Organizations are increasingly sourcing their business processes through external service providers, a practice known as Business Process Outsourcing (BPO). Worldwide, the current BPO market could be as much as $279 billion and is predicted to continue growing at 25% annually. Academic researchers have been studying this market for about 15 years and have produced findings relevant to practice. The entire body of BPO research has never been reviewed, and this paper fills that gap. We filtered the total studies and reviewed 87 empirically robust BPO articles published between 1996 and 2011 in 67 journals to answer three research questions: What has the empirical academic literature found about BPO decisions and outcomes? How do BPO findings compare with Information Technology Outsourcing (ITO) empirical research? What are the gaps in knowledge to consider in future BPO research? Employing a proven method that Lacity et al. (2010) used to review the empirical ITO literature, we encapsulated this empirical literature on BPO in a way that is concise, meaningful, and helpful to researchers. We coded 43 dependent variables, 152 independent variables, and 615 relationships between independent and dependent variables. By extracting the best evidence, we developed two models of BPO: one model addresses BPO decisions and one model addresses BPO outcomes. The model of BPO decisions includes independent variables associated with motives to outsource, transaction attributes, and client firm characteristics. The model of BPO outcomes includes independent variables associated with contractual and relational governance, country characteristics, and client and supplier capabilities. Overall, BPO researchers have a broad and deep understanding of BPO. However, the field continues to evolve as clients and suppliers on every inhabited continent participate actively in the global sourcing community. There is still much research yet to be done. We propose nine future paths of research pertaining to innovation effects, retained capabilities, environmental influences, global destinations, supplier capabilities, pricing models, business analytics, emerging models, and grounded theory development.