bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Equity agency costs in payouts, pension plan manipulation and firm performance
Authors: Moche Halman Rony
Published: September 2013

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to present novel empirical findings regarding the shareholder-management agency problem.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper presents new evidence regarding the shareholder-management agency problem. It expands the set of factors that may cause agency problems to include both dollar value of management holdings and its fractional holdings.

Findings

– First, the paper finds that this problem is better explained when management fractional holdings and management absolute equity wealth are considered simultaneously than separately. Second, it provides evidence that separation of control and ownership leads management to drive profits artificially upwards by overstating the anticipated long-term rate of return on pension plans (LTROR). The paper's findings point to the LTROR as a promising novel indicator for shareholder-management agency problem.

Research limitations/implications

– Samples of 628 US firms during the period 1996-2005. Only 238 firms for pension plans as many firms do not have an internal pension fund.

Practical implications

– The paper suggests practical ways to alleviate agency problems.

Social implications

– The paper shows the strategic use of a change in the anticipated LTROR on pension plan assets that stems from an agency problem and affects the firm's reported net profits. The paper observes the strategic determination of LTROR in firms in which the pension funds are controlled by management. A possible social implication can be a risk for employees in firms in which the pension funds are controlled by management.

Originality/value

– The paper aims to enrich the current literature using a novel indicator of the agency problem: the long-term change in the anticipated LTROR on pension plan assets.
P.I.C.U., H.D.U., A.O.A. What treatment do we provide? Current descriptions of the function of intensive care for inpatient psychiatric health care
Authors: Gwinner Karleen , Ward Louise
Published: September 2013

Purpose

– This paper adds to growing research of psychiatric intensive care units (PICU) by recounting descriptions of psychiatric intensive care settings and discusses the perceptions held by nurses of the organisational interfaces, arrangements and provisions of care in these settings.

Design/methodology/approach

– Data gathered from focus groups held with nurses from two PICUs was used to establish terminology, defining attributes, related concepts, antecedents, values, processes and concepts related to current practices. A literature search was conducted to permit a review of the conceptual arrangements and contemporary understanding of intensive care for people experiencing acute psychiatric illness based on the perspectives held by the nurses from the focus groups.

Findings

– Dissonance between service needs and the needs and management of individual patients overshadow strategies to implement comprehensive recovery-oriented approaches. Three factors are reported in this paper that influence standards and procedural practice in PICU; organisational structures; physical structures; and subtype nomenclature.

Practical implications

– Acute inpatient care is an important part of a comprehensive approach to mental health services. Commonly intensive acute care is delivered in specialised wards or units co-located with acute mental health inpatient units mostly known as PICU. Evidence of the most effective treatment and approaches in intensive care settings that support comprehensive recovery for improved outcomes is nascent.

Originality/value

– Current descriptions from nurses substantiate wide variations in the provisions, design and classifications of psychiatric intensive care. Idiosyncratic and localised conceptions of psychiatric intensive care are not adequately entailing effective treatment and methods in support of recovery principles for improved and comprehensive outcomes. The authors suggest that more concrete descriptions, guidelines, training and policies for provision of intensive psychiatric health care encompassing the perspective of nursing professionals, would reinforce conceptual construction and thus optimum treatments within a comprehensive, recovery-oriented approach to mental health services.
Stock market linkages among new EMU members and the euro area
Authors: Dunis Christian , Sermpinis Georgios , Ferenia Karampelia Maria
Published: September 2013

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to focus on the empirical dimension of financial integration among the five newest members of the European Monetary Union (Cyprus, Estonia, Malta, Slovakia and Slovenia) and the euro area. The main objective is to study the level and the speed of integration between the stock markets of those European Union (EU) member states and the rest of the euro area, assessing in this way the role that the EU enlargement, the drive towards European Monetary Union and the actual adoption of the euro play in the process of European financial market integration.

Design/methodology/approach

– This study will exclusively test the integration of the stock markets of EU member states that joined in 2004, when the EU expanded, but are already members of Economic and Monetary Union (EMU). Since there is limited evidence on the effects of EU and EMU enlargements or their announcements, it will be a useful addition to the examination of this issue. Given the small size of those emerging stock markets and the fact that they are part of a stable and well-regulated system, the degree to which they are integrated has implications for investors' portfolio allocation decisions, as they may offer diversification benefits without extreme risks. The case of integration will be examined using various econometric methodologies, two of which (beta- and sigma-convergence) have been given less formal attention and their application is rare, so as to detect both long- and short-run interdependencies and achieve robust results.

Findings

– The findings indicate an increasing degree of integration for Malta and Slovenia, while Estonia appears segmented. Cyprus and Slovakia exhibited a degree of integration after their accession into EU but this trend changes after they adopted the euro. Overall, the integration process accelerated after the accession in the EU but EMU does not seem to have the same positive impact on it.

Originality/value

– Compared with previous studies, the authors' apply the concept of beta- and sigma-convergence, a methodology that will help us identify the speed of integration. Moreover, the period under study includes the recent crisis: this allows us to see if the worsened economic environment has had effect on the level and speed of integration of the countries under study. In the end, it is worth noting that previous studies focused on either advanced markets or neighbouring countries or states with a common history. This alone can create a level of interdependence between the countries under study and bias the results. In this paper, the markets under study have almost nothing in common except their small size and the fact that they are members of the EMU.
Zen and well-being at the workplace
Authors: Baccarani Claudio , Mascherpa Vittorio , Minozzo Marco
Published: September 2013

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to evaluate connections between the practice of mindfulness meditation and individual and organisational well-being.

Design/methodology/approach

– A direct randomised study conducted on a groups of persons involved in various work activities through a programme of Zen meditation courses and a comparison between the situation of well-being found before and after taking part in the courses, assessed in the light of results obtained from a control group that had not taken part in the courses.

Findings

– The comparison and analysis of results showed that the group of participants taking part in the meditation training obtained a significant increase in certain indicators relating in particular to subjectively perceived well-being, as regards attention and concentration as well as in a physiological indicator measuring stress reduction.

Originality/value

– The study brought to the place of business a tool traditionally used almost exclusively in relation to the personal sphere, evaluating its potential in terms not only of individual well-being but also in terms of efficiency and productivity.
Germination of Prosopis juliflora (Sw.) D.C. seeds at different osmotic potentials and temperatures
Authors: Miranda Rodrigo De Queiroga , Correia Rafaela Moura , de Almeida‐Cortez Jarcilene Silva , Pompelli Marcelo Francisco
Published: September 2013

The effects of osmolytes, osmotic potential (Ψs), temperature, and their interactions on the germinability, germination rate, and other germination parameters of the invasive shrub Prosopis juliflora, which grows in the semiarid environmental conditions of the Caatinga in northeast Brazil, were evaluated. To study the effects of polyethylene glycol (PEG) and NaCl stress and temperature on germination, two separate experiments were carried out at the Plant Ecophysiology Laboratory of the Federal University of Pernambuco in 2011. The overall germinability decreased significantly with increases in both PEG (one‐way anova, F4,75 = 111.21, P ≤ 0.001) and NaCl (one‐way anova, F4,75 = 12.82, P ≤ 0.001); however, the effects were more accentuated with PEG than NaCl. The PEG‐treated seeds maintained their germinability, even when they were subjected to a Ψs = −1 MPa after being rinsed and allowed to germinate on deionized water. In contrast, NaCl‐treated seeds usually lost their ability to germinate; this fact was possibly linked to the accumulation of Na+ and Cl− in the cells, which may have contributed to a loss of membrane function that led to the death of the embryos. Although numerous studies describing seed germination in the presence of osmolytes have been conducted, studies that show the interactions between osmolytes, osmotic potentials, and temperature are scarce. The present study is the first to describe these interactions for P. juliflora seeds.
Detecting therapeutic improvement early in therapy: validation of the SCORE‐15 index of family functioning and change
Authors: Stratton Peter , Lask Judith , Bland Julia , Nowotny Ewa , Evans Chris , Singh Reenee , Janes Emma , Peppiatt Anneka
Published: September 2013

The SCORE index of family functioning and change is an established measure, with strong psychometric properties, of the quality of family life. We report the sensitivity to therapeutic change of the short form, the SCORE‐15. Data are reported from 584 participants aged above 11 years, representing 239 families. All couples and families had been referred for systemic couples and family therapy, completing the form at start of the first session and close to the fourth. The SCORE‐15 is shown to be acceptable with strong consistency and reliability. Change over only three sessions was highly statistically significant. Further validation is provided by improvements in quantified scores correlating significantly with independent measures provided by family members and by their therapists. The SCORE‐15 is a proven measure of therapy and of therapeutic change in family functioning. It is therefore a routinely usable tool applicable to service evaluation, quality improvement, and to support clinical practice.

Practitioner Points

The SCORE provides practitioners with brief descriptions of varied aspects of family interaction that have proven significance for many families who present for therapy.

SCORE‐15 can be used with confidence to monitor and report proven indicators of progress in systemic therapy.

Because SCORE identifies clinically significant issues of family interaction it has many potential uses in therapy.

There are many new possibilities for therapists to undertake collaborative research.
Gentrification inHongKong? Epistemology vs. Ontology
Authors: Ley David , Teo Sin Yih
Published: September 2013

This article examines the transferability of the concept of gentrification away from itsAnglo‐American heartland to the cities ofAsia Pacific and specificallyHongKong. An epistemological argument challenges such theoretical licence, claiming that conceptual overreach represents another example ofAnglo‐American hegemony asserting the primacy of its concepts in other societies and cultures. Past research suggests that if gentrification exists inAsia Pacific cities it bears some definite regional specificities of urban form, state direction and, most surprising from a Western perspective, a potentially progressive dimension for some impacted residents. Closer examination of urban discourse inHongKong is conducted through analysis ofEnglish andChinese language newspapers. In both instances, gentrification is barely used to describe the pervasive processes of urban redevelopment, which otherwise receive abundant coverage. Interviews with local housing experts confirm the marginality of gentrification in academic and public discourse, and the power of a local ideology that sees urban (re)development unproblematically as a means of upward social mobility. However, in the decade‐long housing bust after 1997, growing inequality has encouraged a nascent class analysis of the property market, an ontological awakening that may prove more favourable to the identification of gentrification in anAsia Pacific idiom.
Nucleotide based validation of Ocimum species by evaluating three candidate barcodes of the chloroplast region
Authors: Christina V. L. P. , Annamalai A.
Published: September 2013

The genus Ocimum comprises of several medicinally important species which frequently fall prey to adulteration due to misidentification. A proficient method is hence required to solve the problems that exist in differentiating its various morphotypes. In plants, candidate DNA barcodes of the chloroplast and nuclear regions have proved to be a great success in the validation of several plant families. Hence, this study involves the use of the molecular‐based DNA barcoding method to identify some of the most common and useful species of the genus Ocimum (Tulsi). Here, DNA amplification of three candidate barcodes of the chloroplast genome viz. matK, rbcL and psbA‐trnH was performed, to access their ability to produce high sequence variability. The discrimination among species was performed using the Kimura 2‐parameter and maximum composite likelihood methods. On analysing the sequence data, the psbA‐trnH region proved to be the most suitable candidate barcode and gave an overall variation of 7.3% at the interspecies level. A clear differentiation was found at the species level, showing a maximum distance of 0.264 between dissimilar species. Also, phylogenetic analysis led to the successful identification of hybrids, while it failed to do so at the variety level. Hence, it can be inferred that DNA barcoding is ideal for species‐level identification of the genus Ocimum.
Molecular identification of cryptic bumblebee species from degraded samples using PCR–RFLP approach
Authors: Vesterlund S.‐R. , Sorvari J. , Vasemägi A.
Published: September 2013

The worldwide decline and local extinctions of bumblebees have raised a need for fast and accurate tools for species identification. Morphological characters are often not sufficient, and molecular methods have been increasingly used for reliable identification of bumblebee species. Molecular methods often require high‐quality DNA which makes them less suitable for analysis of low‐quality or older samples. We modified the PCR–RFLP protocol for an efficient and cost‐effective identification of four bumblebee species in the subgenus Bombus s. str. (B. lucorum, B. terrestris, B. magnus and B. cryptarum). We used a short partial mitochondrial COI fragment (446 bp) and three diagnostic restriction enzymes (Hinf I, Hinc II and Hae III) to identify species from degraded DNA material. This approach allowed us to efficiently determine the correct species from all degraded DNA samples, while only a subset of samples 64.6% (31 of 48) resulted in successful amplification of a longer COI fragment (1064 bp) using the previously described method. This protocol can be applied for conservation and management of bumblebees within this subgenus and is especially useful for fast species identification from degraded samples.
An Instructional Case Comparing the Accounting Policies and Financial Results of Online Retailers
Authors: Phillips Fred
Published: September 2013

In the role of financial analyst for a venture capital firm, you are assigned the responsibility of evaluating two online retailers who have applied for financing to build a distribution center in western Canada. Based on your developing knowledge of Canadian accounting standards for private enterprises (ASPE), you evaluate the financial reporting policies and financial results of the two companies to identify the company that is best suited for your firm's support. Through this case, you will refine your understanding of ASPE and you will exercise your reasoning and analytical skills.
Dental injury after conventional direct laryngoscopy: a prospective observational study
Authors: Mourão J. , Neto J. , Luís C. , Moreno C. , Barbosa J. , Carvalho J. , Tavares J.
Published: September 2013

This observational study assessed the frequency and risk factors of dental damage after classic direct laryngoscopy for tracheal intubation in 536 adult patients. The patients' sex, age, height, weight, dental condition, dental mobility, Mallampati class, interincisor gap, thyromental distance, neck circumference, and head and neck extension were recorded. From anaesthesia records, the difficulty of intubation, the number of attempts, type of neuromuscular blocking agent used and duration of anaesthesia were recorded. After anaesthesia, examination revealed that 134 patients (25.0%) had dental damage affecting 162 teeth (147 maxillary; 15 mandibular). Enamel fracture was the commonest injury. In tooth number 21, the interincisor gap (OR 2.5 (95% CI 1.0–5.9)) and in tooth number 22, the number of intubation attempts (OR 5.3 (95% CI 1.3–22.0)) were considered a risk factor for dental injury. Conventional direct laryngoscopy is associated with a strikingly high incidence of dental damage, although specific risk factors remain unclear.
Therapeutic relationships with individuals with learning disabilities: a qualitative study of the counselling psychologists' experience
Authors: Jones Rachel Ann
Published: September 2013

Accessible summary

This research looked at what it is like to have a relationship with someone with a learning disability when doing psychological therapy.

It is important we know what it is like to have this relationship, so we can be good at doing therapy and get good outcomes for people.

The results say that the relationship is complicated but very important, and we need to know more about it.

The therapeutic relationship, between client and therapist, is seen as a fundamental aspect in the outcome of therapy in the nonlearning disabled population. Literature suggests that the issues that are important in psychological therapy with the nonlearning disabled population should not lose significance with individuals with learning disabilities. Despite this, there exists a poor empirical and theoretical understanding of the complexities of the therapeutic relationship, when the individual has a learning disability. As a discipline, Counselling Psychology has a particular interest and skill base in understanding the therapeutic relationship and is therefore in a position to offer a valuable contribution to understanding the therapeutic relationship when an individual has a learning disability. Through eight semi‐structured interviews, counselling psychologists currently working with individuals with learning disabilities were asked to share their experiences and understanding of the nature and role of the therapeutic relationship. A qualitative methodology guided by interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) enabled detailed exploration of the counselling psychologists' perspective. Themes emerged identifying the therapeutic relationship as fundamental yet difficult due to variables such as the client's experience in relationships, the need for multiple relationships, the experience of needing to facilitate reassurance and the necessary skills for therapeutic approaches. Themes also emerged relating to therapist's motivations, values and needs when working with this client group and tensions concerning individualisation and the setting culture. The themes are discussed in relation to the existing literature and implications for theory and practice are explored.
Monocyte chemotactic protein‐1 level in the aqueous humour as a prognostic factor for the outcome of trabeculectomy
Authors: Inoue Toshihiro , Kawaji Takahiro , Tanihara Hidenobu
Published: September 2013

Background

The aim of this study was to elucidate the effects of the aqueous humour monocyte chemotactic protein‐1 level on the surgical outcome of trabeculectomy in cases of phakic glaucoma.

Design

Retrospective study.

Participants

Fifty‐three cases of open‐angle glaucoma.

Methods

At the time of trabeculectomy, aqueous humour samples were collected before any incisions were made. The monocyte chemotactic protein‐1 level was then determined by immunoassay. The Cox proportional hazards test was used to analyse the clinical factors related to failure of trabeculectomy. Subsequently, the success probability was calculated by Kaplan–Meier analysis and cumulative success probabilities were analysed by the log‐rank test.

Main Outcome Measures

Probability of success.

Results

In 30 phakic glaucoma and 23 pseudophakic glaucoma cases, the mean monocyte chemotactic protein‐1 levels in aqueous humour were 1165.2 and 2152.9 pg/mL, respectively; the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.0001). Univariate analysis showed that the outcomes of surgery were correlated with the monocyte chemotactic protein‐1 level, but not with age, gender, diagnosis of exfoliation glaucoma, pseudophakic status or pretrabeculectomy intraocular pressure. Subsequent multivariate analysis revealed that only the aqueous humour monocyte chemotactic protein‐1 level was significantly correlated with the outcomes of trabeculectomy (P = 0.043). Among the 30 phakic glaucoma eyes, the success probabilities after trabeculectomy were significantly different between the high and low monocyte chemotactic protein‐1 groups (P = 0.018).

Conclusion

In open‐angle glaucoma patients, the monocyte chemotactic protein‐1 level is a prognostic factor for the results of trabeculectomy.
Laser‐assisted subepithelial keratectomy versus epipolis laser in situ keratomileusis for myopia: a meta‐analysis of clinical outcomes
Authors: Wen Daizong , Huang Jinhai , Li Xuexi , Savini Giacomo , Feng Yifan , Lin Qiaoya , Wang Qinmei
Published: September 2013

Background

To identify possible differences between laser‐assisted subepithelial keratectomy and epipolis laser in situ keratomileusis for myopia.

Design

Meta‐analysis.

Participants

Patients from previously reported comparative studies treated by laser‐assisted subepithelial keratectomy versus epipolis laser in situ keratomileusis.

Methods

A systematic literature retrieval was conducted in the MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane Library, up to January 2013. The included studies were subject to a meta‐analysis using a RevMan 5.1 version software.

Main Outcome Measures

The differences in efficacy, predictability, safety, epithelial healing time, pain perception and corneal haze formation.

Results

A total of six studies involving 517 eyes were included. There were no statistically significant differences in the final proportion of eyes with uncorrected visual acuity of 6/6 or better (P = 0.43), mean postoperative uncorrected visual acuity (P = 0.53), final proportion of eyes with refraction within ± 0.50 D (P = 0.62) and ± 1.00 D (P = 0.16) of target, final proportion of eyes losing two or more lines of best spectacle‐corrected visual acuity (P = 1.00), healing time of corneal epithelium (P = 0.58), final proportion of eyes with corneal haze grade 0.5 or higher (P = 0.26), and corneal haze levels (P = 0.36).

Conclusions

There were no significant differences in efficacy, predictability, safety, epithelial healing time and corneal haze formation between laser‐assisted subepithelial keratectomy and epipolis laser in situ keratomileusis, but the result was limited. Future more data are required to detect the potential differences between the two procedures.
Retracted: Influence of Biphasic β‐TCP with and without the use of collagen membranes on bone healing of surgically critical size defects. A radiological, histological, and histomorphometric study
Authors: Calvo‐Guirado Jose L. , Ramírez‐Fernández Maria P. , Delgado‐Ruíz Rafael A. , Maté‐Sánchez Jose E. , Velasquez Pablo , de Aza Piedad N.
Published: September 2013

Objectives

The aim of this study was to investigate, by means of radiological and histomorphometric analysis, the effect of resorbable collagen membranes on critical size defects (CSD) in rabbit tibiae filled with biphasic calcium phosphate.

Materials and methods

Three CSD of 6 mm diameter were created in both tibiae of 20 New Zealand rabbits and divided into three groups according to the filling material: Group A (Ossceram), Group B (Ossceram plus Alveoprotect membrane), and Group C (unfilled control group). Five animals from each group were sacrificed after 15, 30, 45, and 60 days. Anteroposterior and lateral radiographs were taken. Samples were processed for observation under light microscopy.

Results

At the end of treatment, radiological analysis found that cortical defect closure was greater in Group B than Group A, and radiopacity was clearly lower and more heterogeneous in the Group A cortical defects than in Group B. There was no cortical defect closure in Group C. Histomorphometric evaluation showed significant differences in newly formed bone and cortical closure in Group B compared with Groups A and C, with the presence of higher density newly formed bone in cortical and medullar zones. There was no cortical defect closure or medullar bone formation in Group C.

Conclusions

Biphasic calcium phosphate functioned well as a scaffolding material allowing mineralized tissue formation. Furthermore, the addiction of absorbable collagen membranes enhanced bone gain compared with non‐membrane‐treated sites.
Evaluation of follicular T‐helper cells in primary cutaneous CD4+ small/medium pleomorphic T‐cell lymphoma and dermatitis
Authors: Ally Mina S. , Prasad Hunasehally Ranganna Y. , Rodriguez‐Justo Manuel , Martin Blanca , Verdolini Roberto , Attard Natalie , Child Fiona , Attygalle Ayoma , Whittaker Sean , Morris Stephen , Robson Alistair
Published: September 2013

Background

CD4+ small/medium‐sized pleomorphic T‐cell lymphoma (SMPTCL) is a controversial primary cutaneous lymphoma, in which the candidate neoplastic cells express a follicular T‐helper phenotype. We describe 16 cases of SMPTCL and compare expression of PD‐1, CXCL‐13 and ICOS in these tumors with 40 dermatitis cases.

Methods

Histopathologic examination and immunocytochemistry were performed for 16 tumors and 40 assorted dermatitis cases.

Results

All but one patient presented with solitary lesions. Each biopsy revealed a dense nodular non‐epitheliotropic infiltrate of atypical T‐cells. Neoplastic cells were CD3+/CD4+/CD8(−)/CD30(−). Cutaneous recurrence occurred in one patient over a median follow up of 8 months (range 5–36). All tumors widely expressed PD‐1 and ICOS to a lesser extent. CXCL‐13 stained much fewer cells. Of the dermatitis cases, PD‐1 (most numerous) and ICOS labeled lymphoid cells in all cases, albeit fewer than in the tumors, and CXCL‐13 was negative in 32. A rosette pattern of PD‐1 expression was identified in all the SMPTCL cases but not in dermatitis.

Conclusions

There remains uncertainty about the appropriate nosological status of SMPTCL, which some authors consider to be a pseudolymphoma. However, this study suggests a significant difference in the prevalence and pattern of follicular T‐helper cell markers between this tumor and lymphoid proliferations known to be reactive.
The Return of Displaced Nuer in Southern Sudan: Women Becoming Men?
Authors: Grabska Katarzyna
Published: September 2013

Conceptualizing war‐time displacement as a catalyst for social change, this article examines the gendered emplacement experiences of returnee displaced women in the aftermath of the recent (1983–2005) civil war in South Sudan. The article attempts to shed light on the strategies of returnee women in transforming and contributing to their communities in the context of an independent South Sudan. It focuses specifically on their gendered emplacement strategies to access land, livelihoods and political rights. Through these diverse actions, some women contest and reconfigure gender identities while others reinforce unequal power relations within their households and communities. These gendered emplacements emphasize the hybridity of place, identity and self in processes of social transformation.
Bacterial markers vs. clinical markers to predict progression of chronic periodontitis: a 2‐yr prospective observational study
Authors: Charalampakis Georgios , Dahlén Gunnar , Carlén Anette , Leonhardt Åsa
Published: September 2013

The aim of this study was to identify sites at risk for future progression, during 2 yr of maintenance, in patients with chronic periodontitis (CP), based on longitudinal clinical and microbiological monitoring. At baseline (2003), clinical and microbiological features were recorded in 50 patients with CP. Two microbial samples were obtained from each patient (one from a clinically healthy site and one from a periodontitis site) and these were analyzed using DNA–DNA hybridization involving 25 bacterial species. After non‐surgical periodontal therapy, clinical and microbiological re‐examinations were performed at the same or similar sites at 2 yr (2006) and 4 yr (2008) of maintenance. Plaque, bleeding on probing (BoP), and the number of sites with periodontitis (≥4 mm) and severe periodontitis (≥6 mm) all showed a significant decrease at 2 and 4 yr of maintenance after non‐surgical intervention. Checkerboard analysis revealed that various bacteria with a high colonization score (≥3) corroborated the clinical findings of pathology at 2003, 2006, and 2008. Different clusters of bacteria, not just the ‘red complex’, were able to predict progression of chronic periodontitis during 2 yr of maintenance (2006–2008). Therefore, quantified bacterial markers (reflecting bacterial load) and the clinical markers BoP and periodontal probing depth show comparable prediction of future disease condition.
Bucking the Trend: The Informativeness of Analyst Contrarian Recommendations
Authors: Bradley Daniel , Liu Xi , Pantzalis Christos
Published: September 2013

This paper examines price reactions to analysts’ recommendations issued in the opposite direction of recent stock price movements. We find that upgrade and downgrade contrarian recommendations induce larger market reactions than noncontrarian recommendations, consistent with the view that they are more informative. These results are strongest in the period before Regulation Fair Disclosure, consistent with the view that private information was likely curbed after its implementation. Contrarian downgrades are more likely to be issued by all‐star analysts, but less likely by experienced and busy analysts suggesting that contrarian recommendations are subject to career concerns.
Genotypic variation of cell wall composition and its conversion efficiency in Miscanthus sinensis, a potential biomass feedstock crop in China
Authors: Zhao Hua , Li Qian , He Junrong , Yu Jiangyan , Yang Junpin , Liu Chunzhao , Peng Junhua
Published: September 2013

Plant cell walls are composed of cellulose microfibrils embedded in a cross‐linked‐net of matrix polysaccharides and co‐polymerized with lignin. The study presented the genotypic variations of cell wall composition, biohydrogen production, and lignocellulose degradation ratio in a collection of 102 Miscanthus sinensis (M. Sinensis, hereafter) accessions collected from a wide geographical range in China. Significant variations were observed for the determined traits, cellulose content, hemicellulose content, cellulose and hemicellulose degradation efficiency, and biohydrogen yield. The cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin contents ranged from 30.20–44.25, 28.97–42.65, and 6.96–20.75%, respectively. The degradation ratio of cellulose and hemicellulose varied from 2.08% to 37.87% and from 14.71% to 52.50%, respectively. The feedstock was fermented to produce biohydrogen, and the production varied from 14.59 to 40.66 ml per gram of Miscanthus biomass. The expression profile of three cellulose synthase (MsCesA) genes was initially established to indicate the genotypic difference among the M. sinensis accessions. Pearson's correlations were conducted to reveal the perplexing relationship between the tested traits, biohydrogen yield, cell wall composition and their degradation efficiency. In addition, the relationship pattern, between the test traits and the geographic factors corresponding with the original place, was investigated. The result showed that the significant variation among the M. sinensis genotypes is the result of natural selection in different environments of their original habitats. Improvement in cell wall composition and structure and enhancement of lignocellulose degradation ratio could significantly increase sustainable bioenergy production.
Leisure reading collections in academic health sciences and science libraries: results of visits to seven libraries
Authors: Watson Erin M.
Published: September 2013

Objective

To visit leisure reading collections in academic science and health sciences libraries to determine how they function and what role they play in their libraries.

Methods

The author visited seven libraries with leisure reading collections and carried out a semistructured interview with those responsible either for selection of materials or for the establishment of the collection.

Results

These collections contained a variety of materials, with some libraries focusing on health‐science‐related materials and others on providing recreational reading. The size of the collections also varied, from 186 to 9700 books, with corresponding differences in budget size. All collections were housed apart, with the same loan period as the regular collection. No collections contained electronic materials. Although there was little comparable statistical data on usage, at the six libraries at which active selection was occurring, librarians and library staff felt that the collection was well used and felt that it provided library users with benefits such as stress relief and relaxation and exposure to other perspectives.

Conclusion

Librarians and library staff at the libraries that undertook active selection felt that their leisure reading collection was worthwhile. It would be interesting for future work to focus on the user experience of such collections.
Round cell sarcomas beyond Ewing: emerging entities
Authors: Antonescu Cristina
Published: September 2013

Primitive small blue round cell tumours (SBRCT) of childhood and young adults have been problematic to diagnose and classify. Diagnosis is also complicated in cases with atypical morphology, aberrant immunoprofiles and unusual clinical presentations. Even with the increased use of ancillary techniques in archival material, such as immunohistochemistry and molecular/genetic methods, a proportion of these tumours cannot be subclassified into specific histological types. A subset of tumours resembling microscopically the Ewing sarcoma family of tumours (EFT), being composed of primitive small round cells and occurring in paediatric or young adult age groups, remain unclassified, being negative for EWSR1, SS18(SYT), DDIT3(CHOP) and FOXO1(FKHR) gene rearrangements by FISH/RT–PCR. A small number of cases sharing the undifferentiated EFT appearance have been characterized recently carrying BCOR–CCNB3 or CIC–DUX4 fusions. However, based on the somewhat limited number of cases, it remains unclear if these newly defined genetic entities belong to any of the pre‐existing clinicopathological disorders or represent altogether novel conditions. This review presents the latest molecular findings related to these SBRCTs, beyond the common EWSR1–ETS fusions. Specific attention has been paid to morphological features not associated typically with classic EFT, and the value of ancillary tests that can be applied when dealing with EWSR1‐negative SBRCTs is discussed.
Glomerular filtration rate estimated using creatinine, cystatin C or both markers and the risk of clinical events in HIV‐infected individuals
Authors: Lucas GM , Cozzi‐Lepri A , Wyatt CM , Post FA , Bormann AM , Crum‐Cianflone NF , Ross MJ ,   INSIGHT SMART Study Group
Published: September 2013

Objectives

The accuracy and precision of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) estimating equations based on plasma creatinine (GFRcr), cystatin C (GFRcys) and the combination of these markers (GFRcr‐cys) have recently been assessed in HIV‐infected individuals. We assessed the associations of GFR, estimated by these three equations, with clinical events in HIV‐infected individuals.

Methods

We compared the associations of baseline GFRcr, GFRcys and GFRcr‐cys [using the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD‐EPI) equations] with mortality, cardiovascular events (CVEs) and opportunistic diseases (ODs) in the Strategies for the Management of Antiretroviral Therapy (SMART) study. We used Cox proportional hazards models to estimate unadjusted and adjusted hazard ratios per standard deviation (SD) change in GFR.

Results

A total of 4614 subjects from the SMART trial with available baseline creatinine and cystatin C data were included in this analysis. Of these, 99 died, 111 had a CVE and 121 had an OD. GFRcys was weakly to moderately correlated with HIV RNA, CD4 cell count, high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein, interleukin‐6, and D‐dimer, while GFRcr had little or no correlation with these factors. GFRcys had the strongest associations with the three clinical outcomes, followed closely by GFRcr‐cys, with GFRcr having the weakest associations with clinical outcomes. In a model adjusting for demographics, cardiovascular risk factors, HIV‐related factors and inflammation markers, a 1‐SD lower GFRcys was associated with a 55% [95% confidence interval (CI) 27−90%] increased risk of mortality, a 21% (95% CI 0−47%) increased risk of CVE, and a 22% (95% CI 0−48%) increased risk of OD.

Conclusions

Of the three CKD‐EPI GFR equations, GFRcys had the strongest associations with mortality, CVE and OD.
New SHRIMP U–Pb zircon ages of granitic rocks in the Hida Belt, Japan: Implications for tectonic correlation with Jiamushi massif
Authors: Zhao Xilin , Mao Jianren , Ye Haimin , Liu Kai , Takahashi Yutaka
Published: September 2013

Granitoids in the Hida region of Japan encompass two main rock types: younger type‐1 granites and older type‐2 granites. Sensitive high mass‐resolution ion microprobe (SHRIMP) U–Pb zircon dating of older type‐2 granites collected from the Tateyama area show similar ages of 245 ± 2 Ma and 248 ± 5 Ma for two gneissose granites, while a significantly younger intrusion age of 197 ± 3 Ma was determined for the younger type‐1 granites collected from the Hayatsukigawa River which belongs to the Okumayama pluton. A felsic gneiss sample (07HI‐3) collected from the right bank of the Hayatsukigawa River yielded multiple complex ages at 330 ± 6 Ma, indicating the timing of the Hida regional tectono‐thermal events that formed the Hida gneisses; 243 ± 8 Ma, representing the timing of intrusion of the augen granite; and 220 Ma, indicating the timing of regional dextral ductile shearing that caused a repeated recrystallization of metamorphic rocks in the study area. Considering the geochronological data, the rock types and assemblages, basement, and Sr–Nd isotopic constraints, we propose that the Hida Belt separated from the Jiamushi massif, which is located in the eastern margin of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt.
Problems experienced by older people when opening medicine packaging
Authors: Philbert Daphne , Notenboom Kim , Bouvy Marcel L , van Geffen Erica C G
Published: September 2013

Objective

Medicine packages can cause problems in daily practice, especially among older people. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of problems experienced by older people when opening medicine packaging and to investigate how patients manage these problems.

Methods

A convenience sample of 30 community pharmacies participated in this study. They selected a systematic sample of 30 patients over 65 years old with a recent omeprazole prescription, and a questionnaire was administered by telephone for at least 10 patients per pharmacy.

Key findings

A total of 317 patients completed the questionnaire. They received their omeprazole in a bottle (n = 179, 56.5%), push-through blister pack (n = 102, 32.2%) or peel-off blister pack (n = 36, 11.4%). Some 28.4% of all patients experienced one or more problems with opening their omeprazole packaging; most problems occurred with peel-off blisters (n = 24, 66.7% of all respondents using peel-off blisters), followed by push-through blisters (n = 34, 33.3%) and finally bottles (n = 32, 17.9%). The risk of experiencing problems with peel-off blisters and push-through blisters was higher [relative risk 3.7 (95% confidence interval 2.5–5.5) and 1.9 (1.2–2.8), respectively] than the risk of experiencing problems with opening bottles. Two-thirds of respondents reported management strategies for their problems. Most were found for problems opening bottles (n = 24, 75%), followed by push-through blisters (n = 24, 70.6%) and peel-off blisters (n = 14, 58.3%).

Conclusions

One in four patients over 65 experienced difficulties opening their omeprazole packaging and not all of them reported a management strategy for their problems. Manufacturers are advised to pay more attention to the user-friendliness of product packaging. In addition, it is important that pharmacy staff clearly instruct patients on how to open their medicine packaging, or assist them in choosing the most appropriate packaging.
Models of representation, Mobilization and Turnout: The Election of the Foreign Citizens' Council of the Province of Bologna
Authors: Sredanovic Djordje
Published: September 2013

The Foreign Citizens' Council of the Province of Bologna is a consultative, elected body that the Province has implemented to give representation to the non‐EU population, given the absence of local voting rights for these migrants in Italy. This work analyses the models of political representation implicit in the electoral rules of the council and in the organization of the main competing lists in the election, and, through the analysis of electoral data and 32 in‐depth interviews with the candidates, the effect the different models had. While the vote seems to have been mostly intra‐national, cross‐national lists were the most successful. The different levels of turnout among the electorate suggest that the vote was based on mobilization rather than on trust in the political system, and that the analyses that link associational density with electoral participation pose some theoretical and methodological problems in this field.

Policy Implications

Migrants' participation policy is always based on implicit political models of participation that should always be made explicit and examined before implementation.

There is always a plurality of political preferences for different models of participation in the migrant population, that should be explored and accommodated.

The number of associations in existence should not be used as an indicator of a strong civil society as largely as it is presently.
How to diagnose amyloidosis
Authors: Mollee P. , Renaut P. , Gottlieb D. , Goodman H.
Published: September 2013

Amyloidosis is a rare but devastating condition caused by deposition of misfolded proteins as aggregates in the extracellular tissues of the body, leading to impairment of organ function. High clinical suspicion is required to facilitate early diagnosis. Correct identification of the causal amyloid protein is absolutely crucial for clinical management in order to avoid misdiagnosis and inappropriate, potentially harmful treatment, to assess prognosis, and to offer genetic counselling if relevant. This review summarises the current evidence on which the diagnosis and subtyping of amyloidosis is based, outlines the limitations of various diagnostic techniques, particularly in an Australian and New Zealand context, and discusses optimal strategies for the diagnostic approach to these patients. Recommendations are provided for when particularly to suspect amyloidosis, what investigations are required, as well as an approach to accurate subtyping of amyloidosis.
The importance of larval eyes in the polychaete Capitella teleta: effects of larval eye deletion on formation of the adult eye
Authors: Yamaguchi Emi , Seaver Elaine C.
Published: September 2013

In many marine invertebrates with biphasic life cycles, juvenile/adult traits begin to develop before metamorphosis. For structures that are present at multiple developmental stages, but have distinct larval and adult forms, it is unclear whether larval and adult structures have shared or distinct developmental origins. In this study, we examine the relationship between the larval and adult eyes in the polychaete Capitella teleta. In addition, we describe a novel marker for larval and juvenile photoreceptor cells. Infrared laser deletion of individual micromeres in early embryos suggests that the same micromeres at the eight‐cell stage that are specified to generate the larval eyes also form the adult eyes. Direct deletion of the larval eye, including the pigment cell and the corresponding photoreceptor cell, resulted in a lack of shading pigment cells in juveniles and adults, demonstrating that this structure does not regenerate. However, a sensory photoreceptor cell was present in juveniles following direct larval eye deletions, indicating that larval and adult photoreceptors are separate cells. We propose that the formation of the adult eye in juveniles of C. teleta requires the presence of the pigment cell of the larval eye, but the adult photoreceptor is either recruited from adjacent neural tissue or arises de novo after metamorphosis. These results are different from the development and spatial orientation of larval and adult eyes found in other polychaetes, in which two scenarios have been proposed: larval eyes persist and function as adult eyes; or, distinct pigmented adult eyes begin developing separately from larval eyes prior to metamorphosis.