bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Trouble with Bullying – Deconstructing the Conventional Definition of Bullying for a Child‐centred Investigation into Children's Use of Social Media
Authors: Canty Justin , Stubbe Maria , Steers Denise , Collings Sunny
Published: October 2014

This article deconstructs the conventional definition of bullying through analysis of its historical context, and identifies blind spots using lenses of gender, culture and setting. We explore theoretical and methodological problems associated with the conventional definition and its axiomatic use in bullying research, with particular reference to online bullying. We argue that because children may use ‘bullying’ to mean many different practices not captured in the conventional definition, using this definition often obscures the very phenomena researchers are aiming to describe. As a result, adults risk missing these practices in research and for interventions that use these studies as their evidence base.
The evolution of Batesian mimicry within the North American Asidini (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae)
Authors: Smith Aaron D. , Wilson Joseph S. , Cognato Anthony I.
Published: October 2014

The asidine darkling beetles (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae: Asidini) are a diverse tribe of flightless tenebrionids found in many arid and sub‐arid habitats around the world. The 263 currently described North American species are contained in ten genera, all of which are restricted to the western half of the continent. The Asidini, like all members of the subfamily Pimeliinae, lack defensive glands. Instead, several phenotypic traits occur within the tribe that may help limit predation. These include the contrasting defensive strategies of crypsis, through either background matching or pattern disruption, and Batesian mimicry of the chemically defended genus Eleodes. Dorsal elytral morphology was assessed between 53 North American asidine species and 13 common Eleodes model species using multiple methodologies to assess similarities between species in the two groups that might indicate mimetic relationships. A phylogeny of the North American asidines is used to map the occurrence of differing defensive strategies within the tribe. Crypsis is reconstructed as the ancestral state, with two origins for Batesian mimicry and multiple reversals. The combination of strongly to weakly cryptic species and varying levels of mimetic fidelity to Eleodes model species make the asidines a promising lineage upon which to further explore the evolution of defensive phenotypes.
Implant survival in 1‐ versus 2‐implant mandibular overdentures: a systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Srinivasan Murali , Makarov Nikolay A. , Herrmann François R. , Müller Frauke
Published: October 2014

Objective

This systematic review was performed to compare the survival of 1‐ vs. 2‐implant overdentures (IODs) in the edentulous mandible.

Materials and methods

Manual and electronic database (PubMed, EMBASE and CENTRAL) searches were performed to identify scientific articles, published in English, reporting on mandibular IODs utilizing unsplinted attachments. Studies were included if they were prospective human studies reporting on two‐piece microrough surface implants with a diameter ≥3 mm. Data were extracted by two independent investigators, and an overall inter‐investigator kappa score was calculated. A meta‐analysis was performed on the included comparative studies.

Results

The search shortlisted 30 prospective studies for data extraction and statistical analysis. The included studies comprised of only two randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing 1‐ vs. 2‐IODs, and a further 28 prospective studies. The kappa score calculated was between 0.86 and 1 for the various parameters. One RCT favored 1‐IODs (RD: 0.08, 95% CI: 0.01, 0.14) while the other favored 2‐IODs (RD:−0.04, 95% CI: −0.27, 0.19). However, the overall random effects model did not reveal a significant risk difference (RD) for implant failure between the two interventions (I2 = 36.6%, P = 0.209; RD: 0.05, 95% CI: −0.07, 0.18).

Conclusions

The results of this meta‐analysis conclude that the postloading implant survival of 1‐IODs is not significantly different from 2‐IODs. However, the existing scientific evidence in the literature in terms of prospective comparative studies is scarce. Hence, before recommending the 1‐IOD as a treatment modality, long‐term observations are needed and a larger range of functional, prosthodontic, and patient‐centered outcome measures should be considered.
Sensitization to palladium in Europe
Authors: Muris Joris , Goossens An , Gonçalo Margarida , Bircher Andreas J. , Giménez‐Arnau Ana , Foti Caterina , Bruze Magnus , Andersen Klaus Ejner , Rustemeyer Thomas , Feilzer Albert J. , Kleverlaan Cornelis J.
Published: October 2014

Background

Recently, sodium tetrachloropalladate (Na2PdCl4) was found to be a more sensitive palladium patch test allergen than palladium dichloride (PdCl2).

Objectives

To determine the optimal test concentration of Na2PdCl4, to evaluate the prevalence of palladium sensitization with Na2PdCl4 and PdCl2, and to compare the results with nickel sensitization in a European multicentre study.

Materials and methods

In addition to the European or national baseline series including NiSO4·6H20 5% pet., consecutive patients were tested with PdCl2 and Na2PdCl4 2%, 3% and 4% pet. in eight European dermatology clinics. The age and sex distributions were also evaluated in patients sensitized to nickel and palladium.

Results

In total, 1651 patients were tested. Relative to 3% Na2PdCl4, 4% Na2PdCl4 did not add any information. Two per cent Na2PdCl4 resulted in more doubtful reactions and showed suboptimal reactivity. The prevalence of palladium sensitization doubled with Na2PdCl4 and was similar to that of nickel. Interestingly, in contrast to nickel sensitization, palladium sensitization was not related to female sex.

Conclusions

Three per cent Na2PdCl4 pet. is the most suitable patch test concentration. Sensitization to palladium is almost as prevalent as sensitization to nickel. The sex distribution is different between nickel‐sensitized and palladium‐sensitized patients, suggesting different sources of exposure.
Hamstrings‐to‐quadriceps strength and size ratios of male professional soccer players with muscle imbalance
Authors: Denadai Benedito Sérgio , de Oliveira Felipe Bruno Dias , Camarda Sérgio Ricardo de Abreu , Ribeiro Leandro , Greco Camila Coelho
Published: October 2014

The aim of this study was to determine the correlation between the concentric hamstrings/quadriceps muscle strength (Hcon:Qcon) and cross‐sectional area ratios (Hcsa:Qcsa) in professional soccer players with Hcon:Qcon imbalance. Nine male professional soccer players (25·3 ± 4·1 years) performed five maximal concentric contractions of the knee extensors (KE) and flexors (KF) at 60 s−1 to assess Hcon:Qcon. The test was performed using the dominant (preferred kicking), and non‐dominant limb with a 5‐min recovery period was allowed between them. Only players with Hcon:Qcon < 0·60 (range: 0·45–0·59) in both limbs were included in this study. The muscle cross‐sectional area (CSA) of KE and KF was determined by magnetic resonance imaging. The correlations between Hcon:Qcon and Hcsa:Qcsa in the dominant leg (r = −0·33), non‐dominant leg (r = 0·19) and in the both legs combined (r = 0·28) were not statistically significant (P>0·05). Thus, the Hcon:Qcon seems not to be determined by Hcsa:Qcsa in professional soccer players with Hcon:Qcon imbalance.
Strategies for Appointment Policy Design with Patient Unpunctuality
Authors: Klassen Kenneth J. , Yoogalingam Reena
Published: October 2014

Appointment policy design is complicated by patients who arrive earlier or later than their scheduled appointment time. This article considers the design of scheduling rules in the presence of patient unpunctuality and how they are impacted by various environmental factors. A simulation optimization framework is used to determine how to improve performance by adjusting the schedule of appointments. Prior studies (that did not include patient unpunctuality) have found that a scheduling policy with relatively consistent appointment interval lengths in the form of a dome or plateau dome rule to perform well in a variety of clinic environments. These rules still perform reasonably well here, but it is shown that a combination of variable‐length intervals and block scheduling are better at mitigating the effects of patient unpunctuality. In addition, performance improves if the use of this policy increases toward the end of the scheduling session. Survey and observational data collected at multiple outpatient clinics are used to add realism to the input parameters and develop practical guidelines for appointment policy decision making.
Producing Synergy: Innovation, IT, and Productivity
Authors: Kleis Landon , Nault Barrie R. , Dexter Albert S.
Published: October 2014

Bringing innovations to market is critical to industrial progress and economic growth. We explore the potential for information technology (IT) to enable innovations, and thus improve productivity. We hypothesize that a knowledge stock of process‐oriented research and development (R&D) increases total factor productivity growth by leveraging traditional forms of capital and labor, and further enhances the ability of IT capital to increase productivity. We estimate these relationships using two broad panels of U.S. industries covering the periods 1987–1998 and 1998–2005. The results indicate qualified support for a synergistic effect of R&D and IT investment in both periods.
The Use of Latent Semantic Analysis in Operations Management Research
Authors: Kulkarni Shailesh S. , Apte Uday M. , Evangelopoulos Nicholas E.
Published: October 2014

In this article, we introduce the use of Latent Semantic Analysis (LSA) as a technique for uncovering the intellectual structure of a discipline. LSA is an emerging quantitative method for content analysis that combines rigorous statistical techniques and scholarly judgment as it proceeds to extract and decipher key latent factors. We provide a stepwise explanation and illustration for implementing LSA. To demonstrate LSA's ability to uncover the intellectual structure of a discipline, we present a study of the field of Operations Management. We also discuss a number of potential applications of LSA to show how it can be used in empirical Operations Management research, specifically in areas that can benefit from analyzing large volumes of unstructured textual data.
Partially Flexible Operating Rooms for Elective and Emergency Surgeries
Authors: Ferrand Yann B. , Magazine Michael J. , Rao Uday S.
Published: October 2014

In hospitals, the management of operating rooms faces a trade‐off between the need to be responsive to emergency surgeries and to conduct scheduled elective surgeries efficiently. Operating rooms can be configured as flexible and handle both electives and emergencies, or as dedicated to focus on either electives or emergencies. With flexible rooms, the prioritization of emergencies over scheduled electives can lead to schedule disruptions. Focused rooms can lead to imbalances between capacity and surgery workload. Whereas hospital administrators typically handle this trade‐off by employing either flexible rooms (complete flexibility) or dedicated rooms (complete focus), we investigate whether a combination of flexible and dedicated rooms (partial flexibility) could be a preferable alternative. The ensuing question is what is the right combination of flexible and dedicated rooms? A versatile simulation model is developed to evaluate different resource allocation policies under various environmental parameters and performance metrics, including patient wait time, staff overtime, and operating room utilization. The main result is that partial flexibility configurations outperform both complete flexibility and complete focus policies by providing solutions with improved values of expected wait time for both emergency and elective patients.
Point‐of‐Use Hybrid Inventory Policy for Hospitals
Authors: Rosales Claudia R. , Magazine Michael , Rao Uday
Published: October 2014

Modern point‐of‐use technology at hospitals has enabled new replenishment policies for medical supplies. One of these new policies, which we call the hybrid policy, is currently in use at a large U.S. Midwest hospital. The hybrid policy combines a low‐cost periodic replenishment epoch with a high‐cost continuous replenishment option to avoid costly stockouts. We study this new hybrid policy under deterministic and stochastic demand. We develop a parameter search engine using simulation to optimize the long‐run average cost per unit time and, via a computational study, we provide insights on the benefits (reduction in cost, inventory, and number of replenishments) that hospitals may obtain by using the hybrid policy instead of the commonly used periodic policies. We also use the optimal hybrid policy parameters from the deterministic analysis to propose approximate expressions for the stochastic hybrid policy parameters that can be easily used by hospital management.
Maturation‐associated Dbf4 expression is essential for mouse zygotic DNA replication
Authors: Murai Shin , Katagiri Yukiko , Yamashita Shigeru
Published: October 2014

Cdc7 is an S‐phase‐promoting kinase (SPK) that is required for the activation of replication initiation complex assembly because it phosphorylates the MCM protein complex serving as the replicative helicase in eukaryotic organisms. Cdc7 activity is undetectable in immature mouse GV oocytes, although Cdc7 protein is already expressed at the same level as in mature oocytes or early one‐cell embryos at zygotic S‐phase, in which Cdc7 kinase activity is clearly detectable. Dbf4 is a regulatory subunit of Cdc7 and is required for Cdc7 kinase activity. Dbf4 is not readily detectable in immature GV oocytes but accumulates to a level similar to that in one‐cell embryos during oocyte maturation, suggesting that Cdc7 is already activated in unfertilized eggs (metaphase II). RNAi‐mediated knockdown of maternal Dbf4 expression prevents the maturation‐associated increase in Dbf4 protein, abolishes the activation of Cdc7, and leads to the failure of DNA replication in one‐cell embryos, demonstrating that Dbf4 expression is the key regulator of Cdc7 activity in mouse oocytes. Dormant Dbf4 mRNA in immature GV oocytes is recruited by cytoplasmic polyadenylation during oocyte maturation and is dependent on MPF activity via its cytoplasmic polyadenylation element (CPE) upstream of the hexanucleotide (HEX) in the 3′ untranslated region (3′UTR). Our results suggest that Cdc7 is inactivated in immature oocytes, preventing it from the unwanted phosphorylation of MCM proteins, and the oocyte is qualified by proper maturation to proceed following embryogenesis after fertilization through zygotic DNA replication.
Follow‐up of extreme neonatal hyperbilirubinaemia: more reassuring results from Denmark
Authors: Newman Thomas B , Kuzniewicz Michael W
Published: October 2014

This commentary is on the original article by Vandborg et al. on pages 378–384 of this issue.
Elevational shifts, biotic homogenization and time lags in vegetation change during 40 years of climate warming
Authors: Savage Josée , Vellend Mark
Published: October 2014

Many species show evidence of climate‐driven distribution shifts towards higher elevations, but given the tremendous variation among species and regions, we lack an understanding of the community‐level consequences of such shifts. Here we test for signatures of climate warming impacts using a repeat survey of semi‐permanent vegetation plots in 1970 and 2012 in a montane protected area in southern Québec, Canada, where daily maximum and minimum temperatures have increased by ∼1.6°C and ∼2.5°C over the same time period. As predicted, the abundance‐weighted mean elevations of species distributions increased significantly over time (9 m/decade). A community temperature index (CTI) was calculated as the abundance‐weighted mean of the median temperature across occurrences within each species geographic range in eastern North America. CTI did not vary significantly over time, although the raw magnitude of change (+ 0.2°C) matched the expectation based on the upward shift in distributions of 9 m/decade. Species composition of high elevation sites converged over time toward that observed at low elevation, although compositional changes at low elevation sites were more modest. As a consequence, the results of a multivariate analysis showed a decline in among‐plot compositional variability (i.e. beta diversity) over time, thus providing some of the first empirical evidence linking climate warming with biotic homogenization. Finally, plot‐scale species richness showed a marked increase of ∼25% on average. Overall, elevational distribution shifts, biodiversity change, and biotic homogenization over the past four decades have been consistent with predictions based on climate warming, although the rate of change has been relatively slow, suggesting substantial time lags in biotic responses to climate change.
Dispersal is linked to habitat use in 59 species of water beetles (Coleoptera: Adephaga) on Madagascar
Authors: Hjalmarsson Anna E. , Bergsten Johannes , Monaghan Michael T.
Published: October 2014

Lentic habitats (standing water, such as ponds and lakes) differ from lotic habitats (running water; streams and rivers) in their spatiotemporal persistence, with lentic habitats being more ephemeral in evolutionary time. This habitat instability is thought to select for dispersal, and several phylogenetic and macroecological studies have suggested that high rates of dispersal are more characteristic of lentic than lotic species. We tested this hypothesis using a comparative population genetic and phylogeographic approach based on mitochondrial DNA for 59 aquatic beetle species, sampled across Madagascar. Species were classified as lotic (n = 25), lentic (n = 25), or lotolentic (associated with both running and standing water; n = 9). Hierarchical population genetic structure (AMOVA), nucleotide diversity (π), and geographic structure were compared among habitat types. Lotic species had significantly greater population structure (ФST = 0.55, hierarchical AMOVA) than lentic (ФST = 0.13) and lotolentic (ФST = 0.19) species using phylogenetic generalized least squares (PGLS) to correct for phylogeny. Body size was independent of habitat preference, and did not explain any of the intraspecific variation. A greater proportion of lotic species were endemic to Madagascar and lotic species had more pronounced geographic structure in their haplotype networks. The results indicate that dispersal is consistently lower among lotic species, independent of phylogenetic relatedness. This has macroevolutionary and biogeographical consequences for the freshwater fauna of this tropical biodiversity hotspot where remaining natural habitats are becoming increasingly isolated from one another.
Use of first‐order tributaries by brown trout (Salmo trutta) as nursery habitat in a cold water stream network
Authors: Louison Michael J. , Stelzer Robert S.
Published: October 2014

Many investigators have examined the importance of suitable in‐stream habitat and flow regime to salmonid fishes. However, there is much less known about the use of small (<5 l·s−1 discharge) first‐order streams within a larger stream network by salmonids. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the use of small headwater streams by juvenile brown trout Salmo trutta in the Emmons Creek stream network in Wisconsin, USA, and to determine whether abundance was related to habitat variables in these streams. Fishes in eight spring‐fed first‐order streams were sampled during a 7‐month period using a backpack electroshocker and measured for total length. Habitat variables assessed included stream discharge, water velocity, sediment composition and the abundance of cover items (woody debris and macrophytes). Densities of YOY trout ranged from 0 to 1 per m2 over the course of the study and differed among first‐order streams. Stepwise multiple regression revealed discharge to be negatively associated with trout density in spring but not in summer. All other habitat variables were not significantly related to trout density. Our results demonstrate the viability of small first‐order streams as nursery habitat for brown trout and support the inclusion of headwater streams in conservation and stream restoration efforts.
What Makes When‐Issued Trading Attractive to Financial Markets?
Authors: Brooks Raymond M. , Kim Yong H. , Yang J. Jimmy
Published: October 2014

When‐issued trading is the trading of securities prior to the actual issue of the security. When‐issued trading is active around the world and in a variety of equity and bond markets. In this survey, we provide a general description of when‐issued trading, analyze benefits and costs in various financial markets, present existing theoretical models and predictions, and synthesize empirical findings. We find that when‐issued trading promotes price discovery, mitigates information asymmetry, provides convenience for trading ahead of the actual issue of the security, and in some markets reduces volatility. In addition, we offer policy implications and suggest directions for further research in this area.
Modelling Time‐Variation in the Stock Return‐Dividend Yield Predictive Equation
Authors: McMillan David G.
Published: October 2014

Using data for forty markets, this paper examines the nature and possible causes of time‐variation within the stock return‐dividend yield predictive regression. The results in this paper show that there is significant time‐variation in the predictive equation for returns and that such variation is linked to economic and market factors. Furthermore, the strength and nature of those links are themselves time‐varying. The inclusion of this time‐variation in the predictive equation increases the predictive power compared to the standard constant parameter predictive model. Evidence is also reported for time‐varying dividend growth predictability. Long‐horizon predictability is also examined with evidence reported that the nature of the factors affecting time‐varying predictability changes with horizon. The results here, while directly contributing to the returns predictability debate, in particular regarding its existence and source, may also inform the discussion that links time‐varying expected returns (and risk premium) to economic factors.
Effects of an invasive consumer on zooplankton communities are unaltered by nutrient inputs
Authors: Sinclair James S. , Arnott Shelley E.
Published: October 2014

Interactions between multiple anthropogenic stressors can have unexpected synergistic or antagonistic effects, making it difficult to predict their combined effects using single‐stressor studies. The interaction between invasive consumers and nutrient enrichment is particularly important as both stressors frequently co‐occur, and their respective bottom‐up and top‐down effects have the potential to interact across multiple trophic levels.

We conducted a mesocosm experiment that crossed an increasing nutrient addition gradient against an increasing zebra mussel invasion gradient. Native zooplankton communities were added to the mesocosms, and after 3 months, we examined how the single‐stressor effects on available resources and the zooplankton community were altered by their multiple‐stressor interaction.

Added nutrients had no effect on small phytoplankton, but increased the abundance and dominance of copepods and reduced the density of large phytoplankton, probably due to increased top‐down predation pressure. Zebra mussels reduced large phytoplankton concentration by about 80%, rotifer abundance by about 75%, and shifted communities towards dominance by cladocerans and adult/juvenile copepods.

When combined, the top‐down control exerted by the mussels interacted antagonistically to prevent any bottom‐up influence of nutrient enrichment on the zooplankton community. These results provide insight into the potential outcomes of nutrient and invasive consumer stressor interactions, and illustrate the need for researchers to consider environmental change in a multiple‐stressor context.
Ecological engineering and aquatic connectivity: a new perspective from beaver‐modified wetlands
Authors: Hood Glynnis A. , Larson David G.
Published: October 2014

Habitat fragmentation and wetland loss due to anthropogenic causes are usually attributed to physical modifications of the environment; however, the loss of key species can compound these impacts and further reduce the connectivity of aquatic ecosystems.

Ecosystem engineers can play a critical role in modifying aquatic systems by altering the bed of ponds and streams, increasing water coverage and influencing biogeochemical processes within and adjacent to freshwater habitats. However, there is a paucity of research on how these organisms enhance connectivity among aquatic habitats, especially in otherwise isolated wetland systems.

In this study, we collected field data at natural and agriculturally impacted sites to quantify physical alterations to otherwise isolated, morainal wetlands modified by beavers, and to determine how these modifications might enhance connectivity. For finer‐scale analysis, we collected and modelled bathymetric data for 16 wetlands, eight of which were occupied by beavers and eight abandoned by beavers.

We demonstrated that beavers actively increase the volume‐to‐surface area ratio of wetlands by almost 50% and that their digging of foraging channels increases average wetland perimeters by over 575%. Some channels were 200–300 m long, which enhanced the interface between the riparian zone and upland forests. A coarse estimate of soil displacement due to the digging of channels by beavers exceeded 22 300 m3 within the total 13 km2 natural area. Additional measures of wetland depth, basin complexity and basin circularity revealed other dramatic differences between wetlands with beavers and those without in both natural and agricultural landscapes.

Exclusion or removal of beavers could limit ecosystem processes and resilience, especially in areas with otherwise isolated aquatic habitats and limited connectivity. Conversely, reintroduction of such an ecosystem engineer into areas targeted for restoration could result in significant increase in habitat heterogeneity and connectivity.
Flow of concentrated suspensions through fractures: small variations in solid concentration cause significant in‐plane velocity variations
Authors: Medina R. , Elkhoury J. E. , Morris J. P. , Prioul R. , Desroches J. , Detwiler R. L.
Published: October 2014

Flow of high‐concentration suspensions through fractures is important to a range of natural and induced subsurface processes where fractures provide the primary permeability (e.g., mud volcanoes, sand intrusion, and hydraulic fracturing). For these flows, the simple linear relationship between pressure gradient and flow rate, which applies for viscous‐dominated flows of Newtonian fluids, breaks down. We present results from experiments in which a high concentration (50% by volume) of granular solids suspended in a non‐Newtonian carrier fluid (0.75% guar gum in water) flowed through a parallel‐plate fracture. Digital imaging and particle‐image‐velocimetry analysis provided detailed two‐dimensional maps of velocities within the fracture. Results demonstrate development of a strongly heterogeneous velocity field within the fracture. Surprisingly, we observed the highest velocities along the no‐flow boundaries of the fracture and the lowest velocities along the centerline of the fracture. Depth‐averaged simulations using a recently developed model of the rheology of concentrated suspensions of monodisperse solids in Newtonian carrier fluids reproduced experimental observations of pressure gradient versus flow rate. Results from additional simulations suggest that small (3%) variations in solid concentration within the fracture can lead to significant (factor of two) velocity variations within the fracture yet negligible changes in observed pressure gradients. Furthermore, the variations in solid concentration persist over the length of the fracture, suggesting that such heterogeneities may play a significant role in the transport of concentrated suspensions. Our results suggest that a simple fracture‐averaged conductivity does not adequately represent the transport of suspended solids through fractures, which has direct implications for subsurface suspension flows where small concentration variations are likely.
Use of a hand‐held crop growth measuring device to estimate forage crude protein mass of pasture
Authors: Watanabe Nariyasu , Sakanoue Seiichi , Lee Hyo‐Jin , Lim Jihyun , Yoshitoshi Rena , Kawamura Kensuke
Published: October 2014

This study explored a new hand‐held crop growth measuring device to estimate forage quality and quantity of pasture. The device's photosensors (550 nm [green], 650 nm [red] and 880 nm [near‐infrared; NIR] regions of the spectrum) are set up in both upward and downward directions, which shorten the measuring time in the field even under unstable weather conditions. The sward canopy reflectance measurements and forage sampling were conducted at 50 sites of pasture in July 2007 and at 20 sites in the same pasture at 4‐week intervals from May to October in 2006 and 2007. Using the 50‐site dataset, the linear regression analyses between the measured spectral reflectances or the vegetation indices (VIs) and the forage properties were examined to determine the best combinations. Based on the 4‐week interval datasets, the following points were examined: (i) effectiveness of the selected combinations throughout stocking seasons; (ii) influence of the sun angle during the spectral measurement; and (iii) integration of the regression models obtained from each dataset. The relationships between the forage properties (total biomass, green biomass and crude protein mass [CPmass, g dry matter m−2] in natural and logarithmic [ln] forms) and all of the spectral reflectances or VIs were significant in the cross‐validated coefficient of determination (R2CV). In particular, the mean R2CV values between the ln CPmass and each of red/NIR ratio, normalized difference vegetation index and modified soil‐adjusted vegetation index were high (0.74–0.75), ranging from 0.46 to 0.94 throughout the stocking seasons. The influence of the sun angle on the regression models was not significant in 13 cases out of 14. Additionally, in May and October, the integration of the regression models was statistically accepted, respectively. These results demonstrated that the device is effective for estimating forage CPmass throughout stocking seasons with a little effort.
Effects of plant diversity, habitat and agricultural landscape structure on the functional diversity of carabid assemblages in the North China Plain
Authors: Liu Yunhui , Duan Meichun , Zhang Xuzhu , Zhang Xin , Yu Zhenrong , Axmacher Jan C.
Published: October 2014

This study investigated the effects of plant diversity, habitat type and landscape structure on the functional diversity of the carabid assemblages in the agro‐landscape of the North China Plain. We hypothesise (i) small, herbivorous and omnivorous carabids are more strongly affected by local plant diversity, while large and predatory carabids are strongly affected by landscape structure, and (ii) habitat type influences the diversity across functional groups.

In 2010, carabid beetles were sampled by pitfall traps in six typical habitats of the agro‐landscape: wheat/maize fields, peanut fields, orchards, field margins, windbreaks and woodland.

Our results showed that (i) habitat type played a predominant role in driving the changes in the diversity of carabid assemblages, followed by local plant diversity while the landscape structure had little effect; (ii) small and omnivorous carabid were strongly affected by local plant diversity, while the composition of large and predatory carabid was strongly associated with the landscape structure; and (iii) habitats dominated by woody species harboured different assemblages to habitats dominated by herbaceous plants for overall carabids and three functional groups excluding omnivorous beetles.

Informed by our results, we suggest the differentiated responses between functional groups should be appreciated in conservation management. In the intensively managed agro‐landscape, maintenance of diverse habitats and creating a more complex vegetation structure would be the most efficient measures to enhance the diversity of carabid assemblages. Particularly, the maintenance of extensively managed habitats coupled with a targeted increase in the local plant diversity is crucial to optimise the biological pest control by carabid assemblages.
Bright expression of CD91 identifies highly activated human dendritic cells that can be expanded by defensins
Authors: Cappelletti Monica , Presicce Pietro , Calcaterra Francesca , Mavilio Domenico , Della Bella Silvia
Published: October 2014

CD91 is a scavenger receptor expressed by different immune cells and its ligands defensins have been demonstrated to contribute to immune responses against infections and tumours. We previously demonstrated that CD91 is expressed on human monocyte‐derived dendritic cells (moDCs) and that human defensins stimulate in vitro the activation of these cells. In this study, we observed that CD91 is expressed at different levels on two distinct moDC subsets: CD91dim and CD91bright moDCs. Although CD91bright moDCs represented a small proportion of total moDCs, this subset showed higher levels of activation and maturation markers compared with CD91dim moDCs. The frequency of CD91bright moDCs increased by ~ 50% after in vitro stimulation with recombinant human neutrophil peptide‐1 (rHNP‐1) and recombinant human β defensin‐1 (rHBD‐1), while lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation decreased it by ~ 35%. Both defensins up‐regulated moDC expression of CD80, CD40, CD83 and HLA‐DR, although to a lower extent compared with LPS. Notably, upon culture with rHNP‐1 and rHBD‐1, CD91bright moDCs maintained their higher activation/maturation status, whereas this was lost upon culture with LPS. Our findings suggest that defensins promote the differentiation into activated CD91bright DCs and may encourage the exploitation of the CD91/defensins axis as a novel therapeutic strategy to potentiate antimicrobial and anti‐tumour immune response.
Financial Reporting Practices of China's Listed Firms
Authors: Piotroski Joseph D.
Published: October 2014

The long‐term success of financial markets depends on the widespread availability of reasonably detailed and reliable financial information. Individual investors depend critically upon companies' regulatory filings and voluntary disclosures to assess their long‐run risks, payoffs, and, ultimately, their intrinsic values. However, a recent string of accounting frauds involving Chinese firms listed on overseas markets has drawn attention to the accounting and governance risks associated with investing in Chinese firms.

This article provides a brief overview of the information environment of Chinese capital markets and the primary forces that affect the incentives of Chinese listed companies to provide timely and accurate financial reports. The evidence reviewed here indicates that the adoption of world‐class standards and regulation, although necessary, is not sufficient to generate incentives for transparency. The long‐term health of China's capital markets will also depend upon other reforms that are designed to accomplish the following: (1) improve the protection of investor rights through an effective, independent judiciary court system that promotes civil lawsuits, and through credible regulatory enforcement; (2) strengthen market development activity, especially with respect to foreign investors; and (3) limit political rent‐seeking behavior and deter politicized business decisions, especially in China's state‐owned enterprises. Together, such reforms have the potential to improve corporate governance in China and better align the incentives of the state and majority shareholders with those of minority shareholders, while increasing the ability of accounting to serve a contracting function and the demand for timely information for valuation purposes.
The State of Sustainability in China
Authors: Duan Peijun , Eccles Robert G.
Published: October 2014

China has experienced remarkable economic growth since the reforms of Deng Xiaoping in the late 1970s. This growth has come at a significant environmental and social cost, raising the question of whether the country needs to focus more on sustainable development than on economic growth for its own sake.

Moreover, there is growing recognition in China that more attention needs to be paid to achieving environmental and social as well as economic goals. This recognition has come in the form of changes in public policy, in pronouncements by Party leaders, and in the research and writings of academics, think tanks, and industry associations.

As the authors also point out, sustainable development on a global scale is now as dependent on the actions of large corporations as on government policies. And one way of assessing China's commitment to sustainability is to compare the behavior of its largest 100 companies to that of the largest 100 corporations in the United States. In making this comparison, the authors use two, admittedly imperfect, indicators of sustainability that suggest that the extent of the commitment to sustainability is roughly comparable in both countries.

The first of the two indicators is membership in the UN Global Compact. On that score, the authors report that exactly 15 of the top 100 companies in both China and the U.S. have formally endorsed its ten principles regarding human rights, labor, the environment, and anticorruption. The second indicator is the percentage of the largest 100 companies that produce a sustainability report based on the guidelines of the Global Reporting Initiative. Using that measure, the authors report that about half of China's largest companies produce a sustainability report based on the GRI guidelines. Although that percentage is smaller than the two‐thirds of U.S. companies that now provide such reports, the authors are encouraged by the trend, and by the pattern of adoption in which larger companies are clearly leading way.
The Composition and Effectiveness of Audit Committees in the Presence of Large Controlling Shareholders
Authors: Guo Re‐Jin , Yeh Yin‐Hua
Published: October 2014

The authors' study of audit committees in 450 large East Asian companies (150 each in Hong Kong, Singapore, and Malaysia) finds a strong positive correlation between the “cash flow” ownership (as opposed to just the voting rights) of large shareholders and the percentage of independent audit committee members. The study also reports a strong positive correlation between the “cash flow” ownership of large shareholders and the percentage of audit committee members with financial expertise and experience.

This finding is consistent with the hypothesis that larger cash flow ownership provides large shareholders with strong incentives for more effective governance. Conversely, the lower percentages of independent or professional audit directors at companies with large disparities between cash ownership and voting rights is consistent with the authors' hypothesis that entrenched large shareholders prefer inferior governance structures that pose fewer obstacles to their tendency to exploit the wealth of minority shareholders.

Furthermore, the authors find higher valuations (market‐to‐book ratios) for companies with audit committees that consist entirely of independent directors and have larger percentage of members with financial expertise. And when viewed as a whole, the authors' findings provide support for the argument that ownership structure affects the composition of audit committees, and that independent and professional audit committees can help increase firm value.
The Failed Promise of User Fees: Empirical Evidence from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
Authors: Frakes Michael D. , Wasserman Melissa F.
Published: October 2014

In an attempt to shed light on the impact of user‐fee financing structures on the behavior of administrative agencies, we explore the relationship between the funding structure of the Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) and its examination practices. We suggest that the PTO's reliance on prior grantees to subsidize current applicants exposes the PTO to a risk that its obligatory costs will surpass incoming fee collections. When such risks materialize, we hypothesize, and thereafter document, that the PTO will restore financial balance by extending preferential examination treatment—that is, higher granting propensities and/or shorter wait times—to some technologies over others.
Street Stops and Police Legitimacy: Teachable Moments in Young Urban Men's Legal Socialization
Authors: Tyler Tom R. , Fagan Jeffrey , Geller Amanda
Published: October 2014

An examination of the influence of street stops on the legal socialization of young men showed an association between the number of police stops they see or experience and a diminished sense of police legitimacy. This association was not primarily a consequence of the number of stops or of the degree of police intrusion during those stops. Rather, the impact of involuntary contact with the police was mediated by evaluations of the fairness of police actions and judgments about whether the police were acting lawfully. Whether the police were viewed as exercising their authority fairly and lawfully shaped the impact of stops on respondents' general judgments about police legitimacy. Fairness and lawfulness judgments, in turn, were influenced by the number of stops and the degree of police intrusion during those stops. Similarly, judgments of justice and lawfulness shaped the estimated influence of judgments of the general character of police behavior in the community on general perceptions of police legitimacy. These results suggest that the widespread use of street stops undermined legitimacy. Lowered legitimacy had an influence on both law abidingness and the willingness to cooperate with legal authorities. The findings show that people were influenced by perceptions of police injustice/illegality.
Choice of Law: An Empirical Analysis
Authors: Sanga Sarath
Published: October 2014

I propose a new measure to study the law and economics of choice of law: “relative use of law.” Relative use of law measures the extent to which a state's laws are disproportionally over‐ or underutilized in contract. It is constructed by normalizing the distribution of choice of law clauses by the extent of contracting activity within each jurisdiction. Using this measure, I study choice of law by analyzing the nearly 1,000,000 contracts that have been disclosed to the Securities and Exchange Commission between 1996–2012. These are all contracts that companies registered with the SEC deemed “material.” I find that (1) only Delaware and New York are relatively overutilized and (2) firms' choice of law and relative use of law are converging toward Delaware, New York, and Nevada. I offer hypotheses for this convergence that are based on (1) lock‐in effects of the choice of state of incorporation and (2) positive network effects of using the same law. I present suggestive evidence that lock‐in effects explain convergence toward Delaware and Nevada, while network effects explain convergence toward New York.
Mixed Infection and Natural Spread of ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma asteris’ and Mungbean Yellow Mosaic India Virus Affecting Soya Bean Crop in India
Authors: Kumar Shailender , Sharma Prachi , Sharma Susheel , Rao G. P.
Published: October 2014

Suspected phytoplasma and virus‐like symptoms of little leaf, yellow mosaic and witches’ broom were recorded on soya bean and two weed species (Digitaria sanguinalis and Parthenium hysterophorus), at experimental fields of Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, India, in August–September 2013. The phytoplasma aetiology was confirmed in symptomatic soya bean and both the weed species by direct and nested PCR assays with phytoplasma‐specific universal primer pairs (P1/P6 and R16F2n/R16R2n). One major leafhopper species viz. Empoasca motti Pruthi feeding on symptomatic soya bean plants was also found phytoplasma positive in nested PCR assays. Sequencing BLASTn search analysis and phylogenetic analysis revealed that 16Sr DNA sequences of phytoplasma isolates of soya bean, weeds and leafhoppers had 99% sequence identity among themselves and were related to strains of ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma asteris’. PCR assays with Mungbean yellow mosaic India virus (MYMIV) coat‐protein‐specific primers yielded an amplicon of approximately 770 bp both from symptomatic soya bean and from whiteflies (Bemisia tabaci) feeding on soya bean, confirmed the presence of MYMIV in soya bean and whitefly. Hence, this study suggested the mixed infection of MYMIV and ‘Ca. P. asteris’ with soya bean yellow leaf and witches’ broom syndrome. The two weed species (D. sanguinalis and P. hysterophorus) were recorded as putative alternative hosts for ‘Ca. P. asteris’ soya bean Indian strain. However, the leafhopper E. motti was recorded as putative vector for the identified soya bean phytoplasma isolate, and the whitefly (B. tabaci) was identified as vector of MYMIV which belonged to Asia‐II‐1 genotype.
Delayed Postoperative Hematoma Formation After Inflatable Penile Prosthesis Implantation
Authors: Garber Bruce B. , Bickell Michael
Published: October 2014

Introduction

Infrequent but serious postoperative complications following inflatable penile prosthesis (IPP) insertion include infection, malfunction, and bleeding. Although prior publications report methods to reduce immediate postoperative bleeding, there is little in the literature concerning the etiology, diagnosis, imaging, and management of delayed bleeding after IPP insertion.

Aim

The aim of the study was to review cases of delayed postoperative bleeding following IPP insertion in a large single-surgeon series.

Methods

We carried out a retrospective chart review of 600 patients implanted with a Coloplast Titan IPP with One-Touch Release pump by a single surgeon, and analyzed cases of delayed postoperative bleeding.

Main Outcome Measure

The main outcome measure was an analysis of the incidence, causes, diagnostic methods, treatment, and final outcome of these cases.

Results

Three out of 600 consecutive patients (0.5%) developed a delayed (defined as >5 days postoperative) hematoma following IPP insertion. All patients presented postoperatively with a swollen surgical site, and all were evaluated with a pelvic computed tomography scan to completely define the extent of the hematoma. Two patients developed a delayed hematoma because of excessive physical activity; the remaining patient bled because of premature administration of enoxaparin sodium (Lovenox) by his cardiologist. All three patients were successfully treated with hospital admission, intravenous antibiotics, wound exploration, hematoma evacuation, and antibiotic washout. All three IPPs were successfully salvaged; none developed peri-prosthetic infection.

Conclusions

The incidence of delayed postoperative hematoma following IPP surgery was 0.5% in our series of 600 cases. All cases were successfully managed with intravenous antibiotics, hematoma evacuation, and antibiotic washout. Because of the low incidence of this complication, definitive statements concerning prevention and management cannot be made. However, we now recommend avoiding postoperative anticoagulants for at least 5 days if possible, and avoiding vigorous physical activity for at least 3 weeks.