bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Service embeddedness and its role in a firm’s internationalisation process
Authors: Jack Robert , As-Saber Sharif , Edwards Ron
Published: February 2015

Purpose

– Perceived differences in the composition of goods and services forms the basis of a significant degree of analysis of the firm internationalisation process. In particular, product inseparability is highlighted as a distinguishing feature of service offerings and purports to explain the different approaches to internationalisation strategy adopted by service firms. The research, however, proposes that the division of goods and services into distinct products is outmoded. Rather, it is important to understand the extent of service components that embody, or are embedded in, a product offering. The authors argue that this “service embeddedness” influences the process by which a firm internationalises. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

– Based on ten case studies of Australian international firms, this paper examines the impact of service embeddedness on a firm’s internationalisation process.

Findings

– The research underlines that firms approach internationalisation with a view of ensuring that the various activities that combine to form their product offering are available to their international clients.

Research limitations/implications

– From an academic perspective, a dichotomous approach to products (good or service) underestimates the role that embedded services have on a firm’s internationalisation process. The research, therefore, has implications for researchers and practitioners as it highlights the importance of delivering products internationally that comprise of both good and embedded service components.

Originality/value

– The research develops a deeper understanding of the extent and nature of separability within individual product categories from international production and operations perspectives.
Exploring the importance of cultural collectivism on the efficacy of lean practices
Authors: Wiengarten Frank , Gimenez Cristina , Fynes Brian , Ferdows Kasra
Published: February 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to assess the influence of cultural collectivism on the efficacy of lean practices. Furthermore, this study assesses whether or not potential cultural disadvantages related to the level of individualism at the national level can be compensated for at the organisational culture level.

Design/methodology/approach

– Hofstede’s cultural dimension of individualism is used to test whether practicing a collectivistic culture at the organisational level can fully compensate for the potential disadvantages of being geographically situated in an individualistic culture when practicing lean manufacturing.

Findings

– Results suggest that cultural collectivism at the national and organisational level have a significant impact on the efficacy of lean practices. Furthermore, the negative impact of being situated in an individualistic country cannot be fully compensated for through practicing a collectivistic organisational culture when practicing lean.

Originality/value

– This study represents a comprehensive attempt to simultaneously assess the collectivism cultural components of lean practices at the national as well as at the organisational level.
The revival of fashion brands between marketing and history
Authors: Merlo Elisabetta , Perugini Mario
Published: February 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to shed light on the contribution that history can give to marketing strategies aimed at revitalizing fashion brands. It focuses on the revival strategy implemented in recent years by the Pucci fashion company.

Design/methodology/approach

– The analysis is carried out in four parts. Marketing literature dealing with “brand revival” is reviewed in the first part. The second and the third part deal with the main characteristics featured, respectively, by the original and restored Palio and Vivara collections. In the fourth part, by applying the key concepts provided to us by the marketing literature, we pinpoint the chief values which Pucci’s retro-marketing strategy has emphasized upon and those that instead have been partially, if not completely, neglected. The research is based on a mix of sources including records kept by historical archives, fashion press, economic and financial databases and exhibition catalogues.

Findings

– The research shows that resorting to the past to revitalize a fashion brand can backfire if the retro-marketing strategy is not supported by an extensive knowledge of the firm’s history, and by a well documented analysis of the historical background in which the brand was originally introduced.

Originality/value

– The paper provides an example of interdisciplinary approach to brand revival, a marketing strategy to which an increasing number of firms resort to meet the consumers’ call for nostalgic innovation.
Building brand awareness with a bowl of cherries
Authors: Guenzi Alberto
Published: February 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to approach the issue of premium offers in Italy by discussing the case study of Fabbri, a firm operating since 1905 in the business of liqueurs, syrups and semi-manufactured products for ice cream.

Design/methodology/approach

– The research takes into analysis three marketing schemes, all related to direct premium promotions, adopted by Fabbri at various times during the twentieth century. The evolution of the company’s marketing strategy is outlined drawing on several types of sources: archive documents, posters and labels and audiovisual material. It is analysed in the socio-economic and legal context of twentieth century Italy, and in comparison with premium offers in the USA and Europe.

Findings

– The study argues that direct premium may represent a long-lasting and efficient marketing strategy when a firm is able to adapt it to a context that changes over time. Fabbri not only used premium offers to launch its products but also to consolidate its brand image.

Research limitations/implications

– By showing that innovative promotions are not necessarily connected to large firms, Fabbri’s case suggests that further research should be carried out to outline marketing policies carried out by small to medium enterprises.

Originality/value

– Much has been written on premium offers in the USA and in Europe, but very little on such types of promotions in Italy, especially with reference to direct premiums. This study fills this gap and documents that a small family-owned firm was able to carry out innovative marketing policies as far as in the 1920s.
Outperforming the benchmark: online information demand and REIT market performance
Authors: Rochdi Karim , Dietzel Marian
Published: February 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether there is a relationship between asset-specific online search interest and movements in the US REIT market.

Design/methodology/approach

– The authors collect search volume (SV) data from “Google Trends” for a set of keywords representing the information demand of real estate (equity) investors. On this basis, the authors test hypothetical investment strategies based on changes in internet SV, to anticipate REIT market movements.

Findings

– The results reveal that people’s information demand can indeed serve as a successful predictor for the US REIT market. Among other findings, evidence is provided that there is a significant relationship between asset-specific keywords and the US REIT market. Specifically, investment strategies based on weekly changes in Google SV would have outperformed a buy-and-hold strategy (0.1 percent p.a.) for the Morgan Stanley Capital International US REIT Index by a remarkable 15.4 percent p.a. between 2006 and 2013. Furthermore, the authors find that real-estate-related terms are more suitable than rather general, finance-related terms for predicting REIT market movements.

Practical implications

– The findings should be of particular interest for REIT market investors, as the established relationships can potentially be utilized to anticipate short-term REIT market movements.

Originality/value

– This is the first paper which applies Google search query data to the REIT market.
The office market: a lemon market? A study of the Malmö CBD office market
Authors: Palm Peter
Published: February 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to test whether bad real estate owners drive out good real estate owners from the online marketplace for offices.

Design/methodology/approach

– This research is based on a statistical analysis of the advertisement of offices in Malmö CBD, collected weekly during a period of one year.

Findings

– The hypothesis that the market for advertisement of office properties is a lemons market cannot be rejected. The result that owners who have appeared in court more than once in the last two years being more inclined to advertise supports this.

Research limitations/implications

– The research in this paper is limited to the Malmö CBD office market.

Practical implications

– It provides an insight in how the online marketplace for offices works as a marketplace and how quality signals influences advertisement.

Originality/value

– This paper is a direct test of Akerlof’s classical lemon model.
European franchise expansion into Latin America
Authors: Baena Verónica
Published: February 2015

Purpose

This study aims to enhance the knowledge that managers and scholars have on franchising expansion. In this sense, it is worth mentioning that although the body of literature on international management focusing on emerging markets is growing, the attention paid to the Latin American context continues to be limited. This is surprising given the substantive economic importance of the region with a population over 590 million, and a gross domestic product of approximately US$5 trillion. To cover this gap, the present study examines how a number of market conditions may drive diffusion of franchising into Latin America: geographical distance, cultural distance, political stability and economic development. The authors also controlled for the host country’s market potential, transparency, unemployment rate and efficiency of contract enforcement.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses a quantitative approach applied to a sample of 77 Spanish franchisors operating through 4,064 franchisee outlets across 21 Latin American countries in late 2012. They are: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Bolivia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Uruguay and Venezuela.

Findings

Results conclude that geographical distance between the host and home countries, as well as the level of host country’s political stability, economic development, market potential and transparency are able to drive the spread of international franchising across Latin American nations.

Research limitations/implications

This study provides readers with a general overview of the current state of global franchising diffusion overseas. Results obtained in this study are useful for understanding and predicting the demand for franchising in Latin American countries.

Practical implications

Economics reports argue that by 2050, the largest economies in the world will be China, the USA, India, Brazil and Mexico. This fact highlights the substantive importance of Latin America for foreign investors willing to expand their business abroad. In an attempt to give insights from the Latin American context, the present paper develops and tests a model that can be useful to franchisors willing to establish new outlets in the region. In addition, our findings offer guidance to firm managers seeking to target their franchises in Latin America. Franchisors may then use the results of this study as a starting point for identifying such regions whose characteristics best meet their needs of expansion.

Originality/value

This paper explores how market conditions may drive international diffusion of franchising into Latin American markets. The scant theoretical or empirical attention given to this topic has usually been examined from the USA and British base and focused on developed markets. To fill this gap, the present study analyzes the international spread of the Spanish franchise system into Latin America as a market for franchising expansion.
Consumer perspective on CSR literature review and future research agenda
Authors: Fatma Mobin , Rahman Zillur
Published: February 2015

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to present a taxonomical classification of literature on consumer perspectives toward corporate social responsibility (CSR) along with a comprehensive bibliography and future research agenda.

Design/methodology/approach

A range of online database was searched to collect research papers from various journals. Hundred articles were identified from the source of 61 journals that have been reviewed thoroughly. The papers were classified under different categories.

Findings

The results show that most of the studies in this context have been conducted in developed countries, and there is a dearth of studies that have been done in a developing economy. This study reveals a growth pattern of research during the time studied and has identified major gaps in the existing literature, and they may be exploited for further research.

Research limitations/implications

This study is limited to full-text articles in English that are available in the selected database. The findings are generalized only to the specific population of selected databases for a given time period. This paper will be useful for academicians to analyze the current nature of academic research in this area and will provide an added advantage to managers for understanding the impact of CSR activities on consumer behavior.

Originality/value

This is the first academic literature review on consumer perspectives toward CSR, and it provides a bibliography of academic literature from 1997 to 2013, covering 61 journals.
Protective effects of diltiazem against vascular endothelial cell injury induced by angiotensin‐II and hypoxia
Authors: Li Minggao , Li Jing , Meng Guo , Liu Xin
Published: February 2015

To provide pharmacological data for future clinical studies, this study investigated the protective effects of diltiazem on vascular endothelial cell (VEC) injury induced by angiotensin‐II (AngII), hypoxia, and a combination of both treatments. The concentration of intracellular free calcium and the mitochondrial membrane potential in VEC were assessed as indicators of cell injury. An in vivo hypoxic animal model was used to test the protective effect of diltiazem on vascular endothelial tissues. Our study showed that AngII and hypoxia decreased the mitochondrial membrane potential in VEC, which was significantly inhibited by diltiazem. Diltiazem protected against VEC injury induced by the increased concentration of intracellular free calcium, which was associated with AngII and hypoxia. Diltiazem reduced the apoptosis of rat VEC under a sustained hypoxic condition. In addition, it reduced AngII and endothelin I levels in rat vascular endothelial tissues. Our study confirmed that AngII and hypoxia induced VEC injury by regulating the levels of mitochondrial membrane potential and intracellular free calcium. Diltiazem, a calcium channel blocker, protected VEC from AngII‐ and hypoxia‐induced injury.
The demise of early goal‐directed therapy for severe sepsis and septic shock
Authors: MARIK P. E.
Published: February 2015

A protocol for the quantitative resuscitation of severe sepsis and septic shock known as early goal‐directed therapy (EGDT) was published in 2001. Despite serious limitations, this study became widely adopted around the world and formed the basis of the Surviving Sepsis Campaign 6 h resuscitation bundle. Subsequently, a large number of observational before‐and‐after studies were published which demonstrated that EGDT reduced mortality. However, during this time period, there has been a substantial reduction in the mortality from sepsis in many Western nations that appears unrelated to EGDT. Recently, the Protocolized Care for Early Septic Shock (ProCESS) and The Australasian Resuscitation in Sepsis Evaluation (ARISE) trials failed to demonstrate any outcome benefit from EGDT. These two large, multicenter, randomized controlled studies raise serious questions regarding the validity of the original EGDT study and the scientific rigor of the uncontrolled, largely retrospective before–after clinical studies. Furthermore, accruing data suggest an association between the amount of fluid administered in the first 72 h and the mortality of patients with severe sepsis. Patients in all arms of the ProCESS and ARISE trials received substantial and nearly equivalent amounts of fluid. It is proposed that a more conservative fluid strategy and the earlier use of norepinephrine in patients with septic shock may be associated with further improvements in the outcome of patients with sepsis.
Effect of calcium chloride on physical properties of calcium‐enriched mixture cement
Authors: Abbaszadegan Abbas , Sedigh Shams Mahdi , Jamshidi Yasin , Parashos Peter , Bagheri Rafat
Published: February 2015

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of adding 10% calcium chloride (CaCl2) on the setting time, solubility and the pH of calcium‐enriched mixture (CEM) cement. Setting time was assessed in accordance with American Dental Association specification N°57. Solubility was measured at 24 and 72 h, 7 and 14 days in hydrated and dehydrated conditions by calculating weight change. The pH of MiliQ water in which the CEM cement samples were immersed was measured immediately after each time interval with and without the addition of CaCl2. The data were analysed using the Mann–Whitney U‐test and the Student's t‐test. The initial setting time was significantly decreased after the addition of 10% CaCl2. The pH of water increased immediately when in contact with the cements in both groups. The weight loss of hydrated and dehydrated specimens was more than 3% and was significantly reduced by the addition of 10% CaCl2.
Valence and Campaigns
Authors: Carter Jennifer , Patty John W.
Published: February 2015

We present a model of two‐candidate elections in which candidates are office‐motivated, campaigning is voluntary and costly, and one candidate has a valence advantage. In equilibrium, the order of campaign announcements matters: Each candidate would prefer to announce his or her position after the other candidate has announced his or hers. The fundamental predictions of the model are (1) the impact of valence and campaigning costs on candidates' equilibrium behaviors is in general ambiguous, requiring further specification of the details of the electoral situation, and (2) in general, equilibrium platform announcements are essentially independent of the location of the median voter's ideal point. In addition, the model is consistent with elections in which both, only one, or neither candidate actively campaigns, and, finally, even when one candidate has a large valence advantage, there might be no equilibrium in which he or she will win the election with certainty.
Prediction of organ‐specific complications following abdominal aortic aneurysm repair using cardiopulmonary exercise testing
Authors: Barakat H. M. , Shahin Y. , McCollum P. T. , Chetter I. C.
Published: February 2015

This study aimed at assessing whether measures of aerobic fitness can predict postoperative cardiac and pulmonary complications, 30‐day mortality and length of hospital stay following elective abdominal aortic aneurysm repair. We prospectively collected cardiopulmonary exercise testing data over two years for 130 patients. Upon multivariate analysis, a decreased anaerobic threshold (OR (95% CI) 0.55 (0.37–0.84); p = 0.005) and open repair (OR (95% CI) 6.99 (1.56–31.48); p = 0.011) were associated with cardiac complications. Similarly, an increased ventilatory equivalent for carbon dioxide (OR (95% CI) 1.18 (1.05–1.33); p = 0.005) and open repair (OR (95% CI) 14.29 (3.24–62.90); p < 0.001) were associated with pulmonary complications. Patients who had an endovascular repair had shorter hospital and critical care lengths of stay (p < 0.001). Measures of fitness were not associated with 30‐day mortality or length of hospital stay. Cardiopulmonary exercise testing variables, therefore, seem to predict different postoperative complications following abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, which adds value to their routine use in risk stratification and optimisation of peri‐operative care.
Atopic dermatitis is more severe in children over the age of two who have an increased body mass index
Authors: Koutroulis Ioannis , Magnelli Laura , Gaughan John , Weiner Evan , Kratimenos Panagiotis
Published: February 2015

Aim

Childhood obesity increases the risk of developing atopic dermatitis, but no objective measuring tool has been used to determine whether it also affects the severity. Our aim was to determine whether an association existed between increased body mass index (BMI) or weight for length and severity of atopic dermatitis, as measured by the SCORing Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD) index.

Methods

Children with atopic dermatitis who presented to the emergency department at an urban children's hospital (n = 104) were assessed using the SCORAD index. We assessed the relationship between BMI percentile or weight for length percentile, based on age, and atopic dermatitis severity, using single‐variable multinomial logistic regression with odds ratios.

Results

A significant association was found between BMI >24 and atopic dermatitis severity for children older than 2 years. When analysed separately, a significant association between BMI percentile and SCORAD severity was found in boys but not in girls.

Conclusion

These data suggest that the severity of atopic dermatitis is associated with increased BMI percentile in children older than 2 years, although this association was not apparent in younger ages using weight for length. Our results indicate the need for new avenues in the prevention and treatment of these entities.
The shifting epistemologies of vulnerability in climate services for development: the case of Mali's agrometeorological advisory programme
Authors: Carr Edward R , Owusu‐Daaku Kwame N
Published: February 2015

The field of climate services for development (CSD) is growing rapidly, presented by donors and implementers as an opportunity to address the needs of the global poor, whether informing agricultural decisionmaking in rural communities, facilitating disaster preparedness or promoting public health. To realise this potential, however, CSD projects must understand the information needs of their intended users. This raises a critical epistemological challenge for CSD: how can we know who is vulnerable to the impacts of climate variability and change, and why are they vulnerable to particular impacts? In this paper, we consider both the epistemological tension arising over the construction of vulnerability that emerges at the intersection of the physical and social science communities within CSD and a second, less‐discussed epistemological stress surrounding how user identities are understood within the social science community engaged in CSD‐related research and implementation. We illustrate these tensions through the example of a climate services programme that delivers agrometeorological advice to farmers in Mali, demonstrating the ramifications of these epistemological issues for the design and delivery of services that further development and adaptation goals.
Cystatin C as a potential biomarker for dosing of renally excreted drugs
Authors: Brou Nguessan Aimé , Jacqz‐Aigrain Evelyne , Zhao Wei
Published: February 2015

The objective of the present study was to review the available pharmacokinetic evidence for the utility of cystatin C (CysC) as a marker of renal function to predict the dose of renally excreted drugs.The bibliographic search used PubMed and EMBASE databases, from its inception through to January 2014, with the following keywords ‘pharmacokinetics’ and ‘cystatin C’.Sixteen pharmacokinetic publications were identified and seven drugs primarily excreted by the kidney were studied. Among them, only one study was performed in children, the others were performed in adults and/or elderly subjects, either healthy volunteers or patients with variable clinical conditions, such as cystic fibrosis and cancer. Most of studies (n = 13/16) demonstrated that CysC was better correlated with clearance/trough concentration of evaluated drugs compared with creatinine.Our review supports that CysC is a good marker of renal function to predict dose of renally excreted drugs. Efforts should be made to evaluate the impact of CysC in special populations in order to define its clinical value in dosing optimization.
Dementia and the Power of Music Therapy
Authors: Matthews Steve
Published: February 2015

Dementia is now a leading cause of both mortality and morbidity, particularly in western nations, and current projections for rates of dementia suggest this will worsen. More than ever, cost effective and creative non‐pharmacological therapies are needed to ensure we have an adequate system of care and supervision. Music therapy is one such measure, yet to date statements of what music therapy is supposed to bring about in ethical terms have been limited to fairly vague and under‐developed claims about an improvement in well‐being. This article identifies the relevant sense of wellbeing at stake in the question of dementia therapies of this type. In broad terms the idea is that this kind of therapy has a restorative effect on social agency. To the extent that music arouses a person through its rhythms and memory‐inducing effects, particularly in communal settings, it may give rise to the recovery of one's narrative agency, and in turn allow for both carer and patient to participate in a more meaningful and mutually engaging social connection.
Testing Effect of a Drug Using Multiple Nested Models for the Dose–Response
Authors: Baayen C. , Hougaard P. , Pipper C. B.
Published: February 2015

During development of a drug, typically the choice of dose is based on a Phase II dose-finding trial, where selected doses are included with placebo. Two common statistical dose-finding methods to analyze such trials are separate comparisons of each dose to placebo (using a multiple comparison procedure) or a model-based strategy (where a dose–response model is fitted to all data). The first approach works best when patients are concentrated on few doses, but cannot conclude on doses not tested. Model-based methods allow for interpolation between doses, but the validity depends on the correctness of the assumed dose–response model. Bretz et al. (2005, Biometrics 61, 738–748) suggested a combined approach, which selects one or more suitable models from a set of candidate models using a multiple comparison procedure. The method initially requires a priori estimates of any non-linear parameters of the candidate models, such that there is still a degree of model misspecification possible and one can only evaluate one or a few special cases of a general model. We propose an alternative multiple testing procedure, which evaluates a candidate set of plausible dose–response models against each other to select one final model. The method does not require any a priori parameter estimates and controls the Type I error rate of selecting a too complex model.
Thrombopoiesis‐stimulating agents and myelodysplastic syndromes
Authors: Brierley Charlotte K. , Steensma David P.
Published: February 2015

Thrombocytopenia in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) is a frequent cause of haemorrhage‐related morbidity and mortality, and is associated with increased risk of leukaemic transformation and reduced overall survival. In addition, thrombocytopenia in MDS limits the tolerability and therapeutic efficacy of disease‐modifying therapies, such as azacitidine or lenalidomide. The recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) erythropoiesis‐stimulating agents, epoetin and darbepoetin, are an established component of anaemia management in lower‐risk MDS. Their success has, in turn, driven the development of haematopoietic growth factors targeting thrombocytopenia. While recombinant thrombopoietin (THPO) proved too immunogenic for clinical use, novel thrombopoiesis‐stimulating agents (TSAs) have the potential to reduce bleeding events, decrease dependency on platelet transfusions and extend exposure to disease‐modifying therapies. Two TSAs, eltrombopag and romiplostim, have demonstrated benefit in chronic immune thrombocytopenia purpura (ITP) and safety and efficacy data for use of these agents in MDS is growing. However, important safety concerns remain, such as the potential for stimulation of neoplastic myeloid clones by THPO agonists. In this narrative review, we discuss the rationale and biological mechanism for TSAs in MDS, describe the agents currently available and their mechanism of action, and present current clinical data relating to TSA safety and efficacy in the context of MDS.
CD22ΔE12 as a molecular target for RNAi therapy
Authors: Uckun Fatih M. , Ma Hong , Cheng Jianjun , Myers Dorothea E. , Qazi Sanjive
Published: February 2015

B‐precursor acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (BPL) is the most common form of cancer in children and adolescents. Our recent studies have demonstrated that CD22ΔE12 is a characteristic genetic defect of therapy‐refractory clones in paediatric BPL and implicated the CD22ΔE12 genetic defect in the aggressive biology of relapsed or therapy‐refractory paediatric BPL. The purpose of the present study is to evaluate the biological significance of the CD22ΔE12 molecular lesion in BPL and determine if it could serve as a molecular target for RNA interference (RNAi) therapy. Here we report a previously unrecognized causal link between CD22ΔE12 and aggressive biology of human BPL cells by demonstrating that siRNA‐mediated knockdown of CD22ΔE12 in primary leukaemic B‐cell precursors is associated with a marked inhibition of their clonogenicity. Additionally, we report a nanoscale liposomal formulation of CD22ΔE12‐specific siRNA with potent in vitro and in vivo anti‐leukaemic activity against primary human BPL cells as a first‐in‐class RNAi therapeutic candidate targeting CD22ΔE12.
Traffic Offences: Planned or Habitual? Using the Theory of Planned Behaviour and habit strength to explain frequency and magnitude of speeding and driving under the influence of alcohol
Authors: Lheureux Florent , Auzoult Laurent , Charlois Colette , Hardy‐Massard Sandrine , Minary Jean‐Pierre
Published: February 2015

This study addresses the socio‐cognitive determinants of traffic offences, in particular of speeding and drinking and driving. It has two aims: (1) to test the hypothesis of a direct effect of habits on offences (i.e., independent of intentions) by employing a specific measure of habits (i.e., the SRIH) and (2) to analyse the offences by taking account of three distinct parameters: Frequency, usual magnitude (i.e., the most frequent deviation from the law) and maximal magnitude (i.e., the greatest deviation occasionally adopted) in order to represent more accurately the variability of the offending behaviours. A total of 642 drivers replied to a questionnaire. The results corroborate the idea that intention and habit are distinct and direct determinants of offences. The use of the SRIH dismisses the criticisms made with regard to the measure of past behaviour. The distinction between the three behavioural parameters proves to be relevant, as their determinants are not exactly similar. Finally, attitude and subjective norm had direct effects on the maximal magnitude and/or on the frequency of the offence. The discussion concerns the contribution of this study to the analysis of offences as well as its limitations and addresses the theoretical plausibility of the direct effects of attitude and the subjective norm.
Recognizing preschool children with primary teeth needing dental treatment because of caries‐related toothache
Authors: Daher Anelise , Abreu Mauro H.N.G. , Costa Luciane R.
Published: February 2015

Objectives

The Dental Discomfort Questionnaire (DDQ), which is an observational instrument that assesses dental pain in preschool children, has not been extensively tested for its ability to identify dental treatment needs in this population. This study aimed to explore the accuracy of the Brazilian version of the DDQ (DDQ‐B) to identify preschool children needing dental treatment.

Methods

The participants were 326 children (57.7% boys), aged 15–72 months [mean 49.8, standard deviation (SD) 14.8], who were examined to assess their dental treatment needs at the same time that their parents filled out the DDQ‐B. The DDQ‐B median score (outcome variable) was compared to the median index of dental treatment needs or categories (nonparametric tests). The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) and diagnostic tests were performed to test the DDQ‐B accuracy for identifying preschoolers with untreated teeth needing dental treatment. The data were analysed using SPSS 19.0, and the significance level was set at 5%.

Results

Overall, 326 questionnaires were completed and considered for analyses. Additionally, 63.5% of children had untreated teeth needing dental care. The median DDQ‐B score, 2.0 (first‐third quartile 1.0–5.0), was positively associated with the median index for needing dental care, 3.0 (0.0–5.0) (ρ = 0.49, P < 0.001). Children with more invasive intervention needs, such as pulp therapy, 5.0 (2.0–7.0), and extraction, 6.0 (4.0–8.5), had the highest DDQ‐B scores (P < 0.001). The DDQ‐B could identify children with more invasive dental care needs [AUC 0.86, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.80–0.91, P < 0.001]. A score of 5 or higher was a reliable cut‐off point to confirm that children who were screened with caries‐related toothache by the DDQ‐B do, in fact, have untreated teeth needing dental treatment, especially for pulpal care and extraction.

Conclusions

The DDQ‐B is an accurate observational tool for identifying preschool children with dental treatment needs; children who scored 5 or higher require dental care for more invasive procedures.
Bone healing at implants with different surface configurations: an experimental study in dogs
Authors: Beolchini Marco , Lang Niklaus P. , Gómez Moreno Gerardo , Iezzi Giovanna , Botticelli Daniele , Calvo Guirado José Luis
Published: February 2015

Objective

To study osseointegration of implants with surface modifications by the use of fluoroboric acid and/or H2O2 installed in conventional sites or sites with circumferential marginal defects.

Material and methods

Four implants with different surfaces were used. One basic surface (ZirTi®) was sandblasted with zirconium microspheres and acid etched additionally with hydrofluoric acid. A second surface was treated with fluoroboric acid instead of hydrofluoric acid. The remainder of the other two surfaces was additionally treated with H2O2. The edentulous mandibles of 6 foxhound dogs were used to randomly install 8.5‐mm‐long implants with the different surfaces and to study the histological healing after 1 and 3 months. To study osteoconductivity, additional four recipient sites were prepared with the coronal region being widened so that a 4 mm deep and 0.85 mm wide marginal defect resulted after the placement of the four implants with different surfaces. No filler material or membranes were used, and a fully submerged healing was allowed for 3 months.

Results

At the conventional sites, new bone formation ranged between 68.5% and 74.9% after 1 month. After 3 months, bone‐to‐implant contact ranged from 72.6% at the ZirTi® surface to 84.1% at the fluoroboric acid‐treated implants, the difference being statistically significant. At the sites with marginal defects, bone formation ranged from 0.77 mm at the surface treated with fluoroboric acid and H2O2, to 1.93 mm at the surface treated with fluoroboric acid alone.

Conclusions

Fluoroboric acid treatment alone of titanium implant surfaces resulted in improved osseointegration and osteoconductivity after 3 months.
Can Development Aid Help Promote Foreign Direct Investment? Evidence from Central Asia
Authors: Arazmuradov Annageldy
Published: February 2015

There is a continuing debate on the effectiveness of development aid. One less obvious angle on this issue is the question of the likely impact of aid on foreign direct investment (FDI). This paper tests whether aid had any impact on incomingFDIin CentralAsian economies during the period 1993–2008. A simple panel model suggests that (a) aid had a moderate complementary effect on inwardFDI, (b) there was a crowding‐out effect such that domestic investment reducedFDIstocks, (c) natural resources were a key attraction for private capital, and (d) increases in development aid offset the crowding‐out effect of domestic capital onFDI. It is argued that donors should target aid to enhance the climate for inward investment.
In Praise of Expansionary Fiscal Contraction
Authors: Congdon Tim
Published: February 2015

Textbook orthodoxy maintains that increases in the cyclically adjusted budget balance (i.e. reductions in the deficit) withdraw demand from an economy. Those Keynesian economists who believe that fiscal policy is the most powerful single influence on changes in demand expect ‘fiscal contraction’ to be accompanied by below‐trend growth or even declines in output. This article, a response to Martin Wolf's 2013 Wincott Memorial Lecture, considers this Keynesian view. Using a database prepared by the International Monetary Fund, it shows that since the 1980s ‘expansionary fiscal contractions’ have been the norm and not the exception in the USA and the UK. Keynesian support for fiscal activism is unsupported by a large body of recent evidence.
Internal Markets, Management by Targets, and Quasi‐Markets: An Analysis of Health Care Reforms in the English NHS
Authors: Niemietz Kristian
Published: February 2015

There have been two major attempts to introduce market mechanisms into England's National Health Service: the ‘internal market’ reform project of the 1990s, and the ‘quasi‐market’ of the 2000s. Despite their similarities, the former attempt was on balance unsuccessful while the latter succeeded. This article examines and compares the outcomes of the two periods, analysing the reasons for their relative successes and failures. It goes on to highlight options for future reforms that would build on those achievements.
Microtubule‐associated protein tau promotes neuronal class II β‐tubulin microtubule formation and axon elongation in embryonic Xenopus laevis
Authors: Liu Yuanyuan , Wang Chen , Destin Giovanny , Szaro Ben G.
Published: February 2015

Compared with its roles in neurodegeneration, much less is known about microtubule‐associated protein tau's normal functions in vivo, especially during development. The external development and ease of manipulating gene expression of Xenopus laevis embryos make them especially useful for studying gene function during early development. To study tau's functions in axon outgrowth, we characterized the most prominent tau isoforms of Xenopus embryos and manipulated their expression. None of these four isoforms were strictly analogous to those commonly studied in mammals, as all constitutively contained exon 10, which is preferentially removed from mammalian fetal tau isoforms, as well as exon 8, which in mammals is rare. Nonetheless, like mammalian tau, Xenopus tau exhibited alternative splicing of exon 4a, which in mammals distinguishes ‘big’ tau of peripheral neurons, and exon 6. Strongly suppressing tau expression with antisense morpholino oligonucleotides only modestly compromised peripheral nerve outgrowth of intact tadpoles, but severely disrupted neuronal microtubules containing class II β‐tubulins while leaving other microtubules largely unperturbed. Thus, the relatively mild dependence of axon development on tau likely resulted from having only a single class of microtubules disrupted by its loss. Also, consistent with its greater expression in long peripheral axons, boosting expression of ‘big’ tau increased neurite outgrowth significantly and enhanced tubulin acetylation more so than did the smaller isoform. These data demonstrate the utility of Xenopus as a tool to gain new insights into tau's functions in vivo.
Providing decision support for replenishment operations using a genetic algorithms based fuzzy system
Authors: Ho G. T. S. , Lau H. C. W. , Choy K. L. , Lee C. K. M. , Lam H. Y.
Published: February 2015

Owing to the shockwaves brought by the recent financial tsunami, most enterprises are facing tremendous challenges in maintaining the good liquidity of their own companies. In order to sustain a desirable level of cash flow for expanding business, inventory needs to be well organized because unnecessary inventory that ties up the capital in the business would prevent the enterprises from making investments. Because the existing approaches to replenishment are inflexible and unsophisticated, a new customer‐based responsive replenishment system embracing online analytical processing, fuzzy logic and genetic algorithm is proposed in this paper. This system could determine accurate and realistic order quantities based on all possible and relevant variables that affect the order quantity for each item that needs to be replenished. Once the quantity has been accurately identified, the company can increase the level of customer satisfaction while minimizing stocks. Furthermore, rather than static rule repositioning, the proposed dynamic rule refining ability makes the replenishment system self‐ameliorating by using genetic algorithm to investigate the possible fuzzy rule candidates for a more accurate inventory management model. A study has been conducted in a case company for the validation of the feasibility of the proposed system. After performing a spatial analysis, the results obtained indicate that the proposed responsive replenishment system is capable of ensuring improved inventory control performance in the case company.
The ribB FMN riboswitch from Escherichia coli operates at the transcriptional and translational level and regulates riboflavin biosynthesis
Authors: Pedrolli Danielle , Langer Simone , Hobl Birgit , Schwarz Julia , Hashimoto Masayuki , Mack Matthias
Published: February 2015

FMN riboswitches are genetic elements that, in many bacteria, control genes responsible for biosynthesis and/or transport of riboflavin (vitamin B2). We report that the Escherichia coli ribB FMN riboswitch controls expression of the essential gene ribB coding for the riboflavin biosynthetic enzyme 3,4‐dihydroxy‐2‐butanone‐4‐phosphate synthase (RibB; EC 4.1.99.12). Our data show that the E. coli ribB FMN riboswitch is unusual because it operates at the transcriptional and also at the translational level. Expression of ribB is negatively affected by FMN and by the FMN analog roseoflavin mononucleotide, which is synthesized enzymatically from roseoflavin and ATP. Consequently, in addition to flavoenzymes, the E. coli ribB FMN riboswitch constitutes a target for the antibiotic roseoflavin produced by Streptomyces davawensis.
Spawning habitats of Cape horse mackerel (Trachurus capensis) in the northern Benguela upwelling region
Authors: Kreiner Anja , Yemane Dawit , Stenevik Erling Kåre
Published: February 2015

Spawning habitat preference of horse mackerel, an important commercial fish species in Namibia, was studied off the Namibian coast using data collected during surveys conducted during 2000–2005. To assess spawning habitat preference two approaches were adopted: modelling the distribution of eggs and larvae using a generalized additive model, and assessing the link between the distribution of eggs (larvae) and the distribution of the environmental variables using the empirical cumulative distribution function. Horse mackerel were found to spawn over a wide range of environmental variables, indicating that they are robust to environmental changes. Taking into account the large‐scale warming experienced in the Benguela Current Large Marine Ecosystem and the expected future changes in the environment with climate change, the result of this study is important towards assessing the possible consequences of climate change.
Synthesis: climate effects on biodiversity, abundance and distribution of marine organisms in the Benguela
Authors: Jarre Astrid , Hutchings Laurence , Kirkman Stephen P. , Kreiner Anja , Tchipalanga Pedro C.M. , Kainge Paulus , Uanivi Uatjavi , van der Plas Anja K. , Blamey Laura K. , Coetzee Janet C. , Lamont Tarron , Samaai Toufiek , Verheye Hans M. , Yemane Dawit G. , Axelsen Bjoern E. , Ostrowski Marek , Stenevik Erling K. , Loeng Harald
Published: February 2015

The NansClim project (2010–2013) represented a regional collaboration to assess the effects of climate on Benguela dynamics. Based on in situ (since the 1960s in Namibia and South Africa and 1985 in Angola) and satellite (since the 1980s) observations, the project focussed on four subsystems, namely the Angola subtropical, northern Benguela upwelling, southern Benguela upwelling and Agulhas Bank. This contribution summarizes the findings for selected key questions, ranging from changes in the physico‐chemical habitats, plankton, pelagic and demersal fish communities, to cross‐cutting evaluation at subsystem and regional scales. The results underline the overriding importance to of considering the combined effects of climate and fishing as drivers of the dynamics of the ecosystem components. Each subsystem currently continues to function largely as a separate entity as described in earlier reviews. However, some changes have been observed across several subsystems, e.g., a coherent shift from one relatively stable period to another occurred in the northern and southern Benguela in the mid‐1990s. Future climate change could weaken the boundaries between the four subystems. The findings underline the need for continued regional research collaboration and regional surveys focussed at ecosystem, rather than resource, assessment. Our conclusions include implications for ecosystem‐based fisheries management, and recommendations for future regional research.
Combined association of leisure‐time physical activity and fruit and vegetable consumption with depressive symptoms in older Taiwanese: Results of a national cohort study
Authors: Chi Shu‐Huang , Wang Jiun‐Yi , Tsai Alan C
Published: February 2015

Aims

To determine the independent and combined associations of leisure‐time physical activity (LTPA) and fruit and vegetable consumption with subsequent new depressive symptoms in Taiwanese aged ≥53 years.

Methods

We analyzed the 1999 and 2003 datasets of the Taiwan Longitudinal Survey on Aging and used the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale (score 0–30) to rate depressive symptoms. We excluded those who had depressive symptoms (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale ≥10) at baseline, and carried out logistic regression analysis to determine the associations of LTPA and fruit and vegetable consumption, independently or in combination, with new depressive symptoms 4 years later (n = 2630).

Results

Independently, high LTPA was associated with reduced new depressive symptoms (OR 0.75, 95% CI 0.57–0.99); higher fruit and vegetable consumption showed the same trend, but was not significant. Combining high fruit (OR 0.61, 95% CI 0.41–0.89), vegetable (OR 0.49, 95% CI 0.26–0.93) or fruit and vegetable (OR 0.39, 95% CI 0.20–0.77) consumption with high LTPA all further reduced the likelihood of developing subsequent new depressive symptoms beyond LPTA alone.

Conclusion

The simultaneous presence of several good lifestyle habits increases the beneficial effect of reducing the risk of developing depressive symptoms in older adults. Thus, older adults are encouraged to have as many good lifestyle habits as possible to reduce the risk of depressive symptoms. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2016; 16: 244–251.