bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Occupancy of spoil dumps by the Mountain Pygmy‐possum Burramys parvus in Kosciuszko National Park
Authors: Schulz Martin , Wilks Gabriel , Broome Linda
Published: September 2012

Summary  The Mountain Pygmy‐possum Burramys parvus has been listed as an endangered species across its range in the alpine and subalpine areas of New South Wales and Victoria. This study reports on the occurrence of the species in an artificial habitat, spoil dumps that were created in the 1950s as a result of the construction of underground tunnels associated with the Snowy Hydro‐electric Scheme. Thirty‐four B. parvus were captured in 1065 trapnights on spoil dumps in Happy Jacks Creek valley, in northern Kosciuszko National Park in October and November 2011. In January 2012, 22 individuals were captured in 360 trapnights on a spoil dump at Guthega Adit Camp in southern Kosciuszko National Park. Seven radio‐collared individuals tracked in Happy Jacks Creek valley resulted in the location of 5 day shelters in spoil dump habitat, including individuals that were originally trapped in nearby natural habitat. This study indicates that there may be opportunity to create further artificial habitat on sites not currently used by this highly restricted species.
MEASURING THE IMPACT OF VALUING HEALTH INSURANCE ON LEVELS AND TRENDS IN INEQUALITY AND HOW THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT OF 2010 COULD AFFECT THEM
Authors: BURKHAUSER RICHARD V. , LARRIMORE JEFF , SIMON KOSALI
Published: September 2012

A substantial part of the U.S. inequality literature focuses on yearly levels and trends in pre‐tax, post‐transfer cash income and its distribution over time and finds that median income appears to be stagnating, with income growth primarily coming at higher income levels. When we use data from the Current Population Survey for 1995–2008 and add the value of employer‐ and government‐provided health insurance coverage, not only does it increase the upward trend in the level of resources controlled by Americans, but also reduces the level of inequality in these resources and its upward trend. We then provide a highly stylized example of this broader income measure's value in capturing the impact of two key provisions of the Affordable Care Act of 2010—an expansion in Medicaid and the provision of subsidies to lower‐income families for purchasing private coverage on state‐run exchanges. Even though these incremental expansions build on existing systems of government‐provided health insurance, we find that the vast majority of the benefits would still accrue to the bottom three deciles of the income distribution when we include the value of employer‐ and government‐provided health insurance in our expanded yearly income measure. (JEL D31, H51, I14)
Reading comprehension in university students: relevance of PASS theory of intelligence
Authors: Georgiou George K. , Das J.P.
Published: September 2012

We examined how Planning, Attention, Simultaneous and Successive (PASS) processes predict reading comprehension in a sample of university students (Study 1) and what PASS processes distinguish adults with and without reading difficulties (Study 2). In Study 1, 128 university students were tested on Das‐Naglieri Cognitive Assessment System, reading fluency and reading comprehension. The results of path analysis indicated that successive processing predicted reading comprehension only through the effects of text‐ and word‐reading fluency, whereas simultaneous processing predicted reading comprehension both directly and through the effects of text‐reading fluency. In Study 2, university students with (n = 20) and without (n = 23) reading difficulties were assessed on the same measures as in Study 1. The results of group comparisons indicated that the university students with reading difficulties were experiencing cognitive weaknesses primarily in successive processing. The implications of these findings for PASS theory and comprehension are discussed.
Visual‐attentional span and lexical ­decision in skilled adult readers
Authors: Holmes Virginia M. , Dawson Georgia
Published: September 2012

The goal of the study was to examine the association between visual‐attentional span and lexical decision in skilled adult readers. In the span tasks, an array of letters was presented briefly and recognition or production of a single cued letter (partial span) or production of all letters (whole span) was required. Independently of letter recognition and phoneme awareness, width of partial recognition span predicted substantial variance only in detection of letter misorderings in words, while partial span efficiency made small contributions to decisions on regular words and pseudowords, but not strange words. With a production format and the inclusion of short‐term phonological memory, neither partial‐span nor whole‐span measures contributed positive independent variance to word and nonword decisions. The results provide meagre support for the idea that skilled adult readers with a wide visual‐attentional span might process words more effectively than those with a narrow span during lexical decision.
End‐stage renal disease and dialysis in HIV‐positive patients: observations from a long‐term cohort study with a follow‐up of 22 years
Authors: Bickel M , Marben W , Betz C , Khaykin P , Stephan C , Gute P , Haberl A , Knecht G , Wolf T , Brodt HR , Geiger H , Herrmann E , Jung O
Published: September 2012

Objectives

Renal disease is a common and serious complication in HIV‐infected patients.

Methods

A retrospective cohort analysis for the period 1989–2010 was carried out to determine the prevalence, incidence and risk factors for end‐stage renal disease (ESRD). ESRD was defined as initiation of renal replacement therapy. Three time periods were defined: 1989–1996 [pre‐highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART)], 1997–2003 (early HAART) and 2004–2010 (late HAART).

Results

Data for 9198 patients [78.2% male; 88.9% Caucasian; cumulative observation time 68 084 patient‐years (PY)] were analysed. ESRD was newly diagnosed in 35 patients (0.38%). Risk factors for ESRD were Black ethnicity [relative risk (RR) 5.1; 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.3–10.3; P < 0.0001], injecting drug use (IDU) (RR 2.3; 95% CI 1.1–4.6; P = 0.02) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) coinfection (RR 2.2; 95% CI 1.1–4.2; P = 0.03). The incidence of ESRD decreased in Black patients over the three time periods [from 788.8 to 130.5 and 164.1 per 100 000 PY of follow‐up (PYFU), respectively], but increased in Caucasian patients (from 29.9 to 41.0 and 43.4 per 100 000 PYFU, respectively). The prevalence of ESRD increased over time and reached 1.9 per 1000 patients in 2010. Mortality for patients with ESRD decreased nonsignificantly from period 1 to 2 (RR 0.72; P = 0.52), but significantly from period 1 to 3 (RR 0.24; P = 0.006), whereas for patients without ESRD mortality decreased significantly for all comparisons. ESRD was associated with a high overall mortality (RR 9.9; 95% CI 6.3–14.5; P < 0.0001).

Conclusion

As a result of longer survival, the prevalence of ESRD is increasing but remains associated with a high mortality. The incidence of ESRD declined in Black but not in Caucasian patients. IDU and HCV were identified as additional risk factors for the development of ESRD.
Leadership Values, Trust and Negative Capability: Managing the Uncertainties of Future English Higher Education
Authors: Jameson Jill
Published: September 2012

The complex leadership attribute of ‘negative capability’ in managing uncertainty and engendering trust may be amongst the qualities enabling institutions to cope with multiple recent government policy challenges affecting English higher education, including significant increases in student fees. Research findings are reported on changes in leadership values, trust and organisational cultures in higher education during the current ‘age of austerity’. Data from university experts, managers and academics in semi‐structured interviews were informed by questionnaires (n = 16), online surveys (n = 121) and a focus group (n = 6). Findings indicated that values‐based leadership characterised by skilful ‘negative capability’ is now needed in English higher education. ‘Negative capability’ is defined as the ability to resist the ‘false necessity’ of deterministic solutions in building staff trust to cope proactively with ambiguity and change. This capability is needed for academic leaders to maintain their role in shaping the enduring purposes of higher education during a recession, both in England and in the wider international environment.
Public‐Private Substitution in Higher Education: Has Cost‐Sharing Gone Too Far?
Authors: Carpentier Vincent
Published: September 2012

This paper looks at the current challenge facing higher education by exploring the historical relationship between higher education funding and long economic cycles in the UK, USA and France. It examines the consequence of the transformation of public‐private income in higher education that followed the 1970s downturn, questioning whether the rise of private resources acted as additional or substitutive resources for public spending. The paper suggests that there is a risk that the cost‐sharing strategy could be turned into a policy of public‐private substitution of funding and provision, leading to a transfer rather than an increase of resources with strong implications on quality and equity. However, the Kondratiev cycle suggests an alternative route by designating the impact of the 1970s economic downturn on education as unique. Previous economic crises were contemporary of accelerations of public funding towards education which in fact contributed to economic recovery. The current crisis could represent an opportunity to revive counter‐cyclical policy by looking not only at efficient public spending but also at developing fairer taxation. A revival of public funding complemented by an additional rather than substitutive diversification of income would rebalance the public‐private structure of funding and drive a sustainable higher education system capable of playing a key part in these counter‐cyclical transformations.
‘Nothing gets done and no one knows why’: PCS and workplace control of Lean in HM Revenue and Customs
Authors: Carter Bob , Danford Andy , Howcroft Debra , Richardson Helen , Smith Andrew , Taylor Phil
Published: September 2012

This article examines the willingness and capacity of public sector unions to mobilise action against changes in the labour process in order to maintain some measure of control at the point of production. Taking as an instance an extended dispute in Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs over the introduction and impact of Lean processes, it marshals evidence gathered from documentary sources, branch representatives and national lay full‐time officers to engage with the notion of a trade union bureaucracy. In taking a union with a left‐wing leadership and a section with 80 per cent membership with an expressed willingness to escalate industrial action, the article tests Hyman's 1979 contention that, rather than a concentration on a bureaucratic caste, a much better explanation for conservatism centres on the nature of social relations within the union that encompass a wider layer of representatives.
Approaching the Conceptual Leap in Qualitative Research
Authors: Klag Malvina , Langley Ann
Published: September 2012

This paper reviews the literature on an important but mysterious phenomenon in qualitative research methodology: the conceptual leap that generates abstract theoretical ideas from empirical data. Drawing on epistemological, prescriptive and reflexive writings, conceptual leaps are described as constituted by both ‘seeing’ and ‘articulating’, as grounded in abductive reasoning, and as part of an ongoing dialectical process. Methods for approaching conceptual leaps and the conditions for their realization are discussed in the context of four dialectic tensions: between deliberation and serendipity, between engagement and detachment, between knowing and not knowing, and between self‐expression and social connection. The literature review suggests that conceptual leaping is best portrayed as a form of bricolage, drawing resources from the different poles of the four dialectics. Moreover, written and verbal communication play important roles in enabling synthesis. The paper concludes by calling for greater openness and legitimacy for reflexive accounts, as well as further research into the process of discovery in qualitative research.
A review of the effects of moisturizers on the appearance of scars and striae
Authors: Rawlings A. V. , Bielfeldt S. , Lombard K. J.
Published: September 2012

Synopsis

Scars are well known to have a stratum corneum (SC) that is malfunctional. Increases in transepidermal water loss and decreases in SC capacitance and conductance have been reported. Occlusion therapy is a well‐known route to improving the signs and symptoms of scarring. Until recently that has been assumed to be totally pressure related. However, studies have demonstrated that the direct effects of hydration on keratinocytes and fibroblasts contribute to the reduction in hypertrophic scarring. Now it is well known that occlusion can regulate epidermal cytokine and growth factor production; changes in profibrotic and anti‐fibrotic factors have been established. As a result, it is to be expected that moisturizers may improve the signs and symptoms of scars. As striae have been suggested to be anatomically similar to scars and as it is well established that paracrine signalling occurs in skin, it is expected that striae have similar SC issues. While one cannot exclude the effects of some of the ingredients used in the products, several studies are reported in this review that demonstrates that moisturization is a key component to reducing the clinical signs and symptoms of scars and striae. This is a good example of how knowledge of corneobiology leads to corneotherapies for these skin condition problems. The review is being written in memory of Professor Johann Wiechers who, before he died tragically in November 2011, performed two of the reported studies together with colleagues.
A biomechanical model of anther opening reveals the roles of dehydration and secondary thickening
Authors: Nelson M. R. , Band L. R. , Dyson R. J. , Lessinnes T. , Wells D. M. , Yang C. , Everitt N. M. , Jensen O. E. , Wilson Z. A.
Published: September 2012

Understanding the processes that underlie pollen release is a prime target for controlling fertility to enable selective breeding and the efficient production of hybrid crops. Pollen release requires anther opening, which involves changes in the biomechanical properties of the anther wall. In this research, we develop and use a mathematical model to understand how these biomechanical processes lead to anther opening.

Our mathematical model describing the biomechanics of anther opening incorporates the bilayer structure of the mature anther wall, which comprises the outer epidermal cell layer, whose turgor pressure is related to its hydration, and the endothecial layer, whose walls contain helical secondary thickening, which resists stretching and bending. The model describes how epidermal dehydration, in association with the thickened endothecial layer, creates forces within the anther wall causing it to bend outwards, resulting in anther opening and pollen release.

The model demonstrates that epidermal dehydration can drive anther opening, and suggests why endothecial secondary thickening is essential for this process (explaining the phenotypes presented in the myb26 and nst1nst2 mutants).

The research hypothesizes and demonstrates a biomechanical mechanism for anther opening, which appears to be conserved in many other biological situations where tissue movement occurs.
Producing moral geographies: the dynamics of homophobia within a transnational religious network
Authors: Valentine Gill , Vanderbeck Robert , Sadgrove Joanna , Andersson Johan
Published: September 2012

The transmission and contestation of putative transcendent moral values has been relatively under‐represented in geographers' thinking about globalisation and transnationalism. This paper does so through an analysis of how a new moral geography is being produced by debates over homosexuality in one transnational religious network: the Anglican Communion, a major international Christian denomination that has been significantly divided in recent years over the issue. The paper begins by outlining the beliefs articulated by Anglicans who claim an ‘orthodox’ position on homosexuality, the threat that ‘orthodox’ Anglicans perceive from the international dissemination of progressive values about lesbian and gay equality and the transnational dynamics of the debate. The second half of the paper reflects on the impact of these transnational debates on the local lived experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Christians drawing on empirical research in England, the USA, South Africa and Uganda. The paper concludes by arguing that understanding why and how particular moral certainties are promoted as transcendent causes matters because challenging such processes are crucial in the struggle over the shape and meaning of social relations in the twenty‐first century. In doing so, the intention is to reinvigorate the field of moral geographies.
Food Insecurity, Processes of Care, and Self‐Reported Medication Underuse in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: Results from the California Health Interview Survey
Authors: Billimek John , Sorkin Dara H.
Published: September 2012

Objective

To assess the independent association of food insecurity with processes of care and delays in filling prescriptions.

Data Source

2007 California Health Interview Survey.

Study Design

Associations of food insecurity with processes of care and delays in filling prescriptions were examined using multivariable logistic regression analyses adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics, barriers to accessing care, and health status.

Data Extraction

Data were analyzed from adults currently receiving treatment for type 2 diabetes and who had seen a doctor in the prior 12 months (N = 3,401).

Principal Findings

For diabetes patients currently receiving medical care, food insecurity was not associated with lower rates of performance of recommended processes of care, but it was associated with delays in filling prescriptions (aOR = 2.15, 95 percent CI 1.25, 3.71).

Conclusions

Food insecurity may increase delays in filling prescriptions in daily life, even though the performance of recommended processes of care in the clinic is not diminished.
California's Minimum Nurse Staffing Legislation: Results from a Natural Experiment
Authors: Mark Barbara A. , Harless David W. , Spetz Joanne , Reiter Kristin L. , Pink George H.
Published: September 2012

Objective

To determine whether, following implementation of California's minimum nurse staffing legislation, changes in acuity‐adjusted nurse staffing and quality of care in California hospitals outpaced similar changes in hospitals in comparison states without such regulations.

Data Sources/Study Setting

Data from the American Hospital Association Annual Survey of Hospitals, the California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development, the Hospital Cost Report Information System, and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's Health Care Cost and Utilization Project's State Inpatient Databases from 2000 to 2006.

Study Design

We grouped hospitals into quartiles based on their preregulation staffing levels and used a difference‐in‐difference approach to compare changes in staffing and in quality of care in California hospitals to changes over the same time period in hospitals in 12 comparison states without minimum staffing legislation.

Data Collection/Extraction Methods

We merged data from the above data sources to obtain measures of nurse staffing and quality of care. We used Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's Patient Safety Indicators to measure quality.

Principal Findings

With few exceptions, California hospitals increased nurse staffing levels over time significantly more than did comparison state hospitals. Failure to rescue decreased significantly more in some California hospitals, and infections due to medical care increased significantly more in some California hospitals than in comparison state hospitals. There were no statistically significant changes in either respiratory failure or postoperative sepsis.

Conclusions

Following implementation of California's minimum nurse staffing legislation, nurse staffing in California increased significantly more than it did in comparison states' hospitals, but the extent of the increases depended upon preregulation staffing levels; there were mixed effects on quality.
Do Manualized Psychosocial Interventions Help Reduce Relapse among Alcohol‐Dependent Adults Treated with Naltrexone or Placebo? A Meta‐analysis
Authors: Agosti Vito , Nunes Edward V , O'Shea Donna
Published: September 2012

Background: During the past decade, several novel medication treatments and psychosocial interventions have been tested. Overall, their impact on reducing alcohol use and preventing relapse has been modest. These outcomes have spurred researchers to investigate whether the addition of manualized psychosocial therapies with demonstrated efficacy to pharmacotherpy would have a synergistic effect.

Objectives: We conducted a meta‐analysis to test the hypothesis that the addition of manualized psychosocial therapies would reduce the frequency of relapse.

Results: This review analyzed data from six studies. Among studies that used random assignment to manually guided psychosocial interventions, the rates of relapse between the naltrexone plus a psychosocial intervention and naltrexone without a psychosocial intervention were very similar. Among patients allocated to placebo, similar rates of relapse were also found between Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and non‐CBT. In studies which used manualized psychotherapies as a platform, relapse rates were similar between naltrexone and placebo. In contrast, studies using Treatment As Usual psychotherapy as a platform demonstrated lower rates of relapse in the naltrexone group, compared to placebo group.

Conclusions: We conclude that CBT does not appear to offer benefits beyond those derived from study medications.

Scientific Significance: The benefit of the addition of CBT to medication in preventing relapse may be limited. (Am J Addict 2012;21:501–507)
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and One‐Year Outcome in Methadone Maintenance Treatment
Authors: Himelhoch Seth , Weber Elyssa , Medoff Deborah , Charlotte Melanie , Clayton Sara , Wilson Camille , Ware Racquel , Benford Jewell
Published: September 2012

Background: Although opiate use may be associated with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), it is not clear whether PTSD is associated with retention in methadone maintenance.

Objectives: To evaluate among those receiving methadone maintenance at an urban methadone maintenance clinic the frequency of life‐time traumatic experiences, the predictors and prevalence of current PTSD, and whether PTSD affects retention at 1 year.

Methods: Eighty‐nine people participated in the study. The Post Traumatic Diagnostic Scale was used to determine the prevalence of PTSD. The Life Stressor Checklist Revised was used to evaluate trauma history. Logistic regression analyses examined associations between demographic characteristics, substance use, trauma‐related variables, and PTSD. Similar logistic regression analyses were used to examine retention in methadone maintenance at 1 year.

Results: The mean number of reported lifetime stressful events was 8.0 (SD = 3.7). Twenty‐seven percent were diagnosed with PTSD. Nearly 92% of those with PTSD had co‐occurring depressive symptoms. Female gender (adjusted odds ratio [AOR][95% CI]; 3.89 [1.07–14.01]), number of traumatic events (AOR [95% CI]; 1.34 [1.13–1.61]), and less education (AOR [95% CI]; 4.13 [1.14–14.98]) were significantly associated with PTSD. Those with a toxicology positive screen were 80% less likely to remaine in methadone maintenance at 1 year (OR [95% CI]; 0.20 [0.07–0.52]). PTSD diagnosis was not significantly associated with treatment retention at 1 year (OR [95% CI]; 0.61 [0.23–1.64]).

Conclusions and Scientific Significance: Future studies are needed to determine if treatment of PTSD that is integrated into methadone maintenance programs may impact continued substance abuse use and thereby improve retention in care. (Am J Addict 2012;21:524–530)
Immune Responses Against Helicobacter pylori in Gastric Cancer Patients and in Risk Groups for Gastric Cancer
Authors: Adamsson Jenni , Lundin Samuel B. , Hansson Lars‐Erik , Sjövall Henrik , Svennerholm Ann‐Mari
Published: September 2012

Background

It has previously been reported that weak serum IgG but elevated IgA antibody responses against H. pylori may be associated with risk of gastric cancer (GC) development. To search for potential immunologic markers for GC, we analyzed antibody responses against H. pylori in risk groups of cancer development.

Material and Methods

Sera and stomach biopsies collected from H. pylori‐infected GC patients as well as from patients with gastric ulcer (GU), atrophic gastritis, intestinal metaplasia (IM) and duodenal ulcer and from H. pylori‐infected control subjects without atrophy or IM, and in addition from H. pylori‐negative subjects were analyzed for IgG and IgA antibodies against three different H. pylori antigen preparations, that is, membrane protein (MP), urease, and CagA.

Results

We observed an increased serum IgA/IgG titer ratio against H. pylori anti‐MP in GC and GU patients, and against CagA in Hp‐infected GC patients and risk groups. Female patients with GC had a higher serum anti‐MP IgA/IgG titer ratio and a higher proportion of poorly differentiated cancer compared with male patients. As earlier observed, the non‐tumorous mucosa of H. pylori‐infected GC patients contained considerably lower levels of total IgA and H. pylori‐specific IgA compared with H. pylori‐infected controls. Similarly, we observed decreased specific mucosal anti‐MP IgA response in patients with IM.

Conclusion

We observed several differences in local and systemic immunologic responses against H. pylori in H. pylori‐infected GC patients and putative GC risk group patients compared with H. pylori‐infected controls. These findings may be of importance in efforts to identify risk groups of GC or early stages of GC.
Erythema Multiforme in a 25‐Day Old Neonate
Authors: Ang‐Tiu Charlene U. , Nicolas Marie Eleanore O.
Published: September 2012

Erythema multiforme is an acute, self‐limiting, mucocutaneous hypersensitivity reaction characterized by distinctive target lesions. Most cases have been attributed to infection. Erythema multiforme occurs mainly in young adults and is extremely rare during the neonatal period. We report a 25‐day‐old girl who presented with target skin lesions on both the palms and soles with no other associated symptoms. She had no remarkable maternal, birth, or past medical history. Complete blood count, urinalysis, chest radiography, and herpes simplex virus 1 and 2 immunoglobulin G (IgG) titers revealed no abnormalities. Pathologic examination showed vacuolar interface change and dyskeratotic cells in the epidermis consistent with erythema multiforme. This unusual case emphasizes the importance of recognizing diagnostic clues in examining patients. Even in the presence of uncharacteristic factors, the typical target lesions of erythema multiforme are distinctive.
Rapid loading of intravenous lacosamide: Efficacy and practicability during presurgical video‐EEG monitoring
Authors: Li Wenjie , Stefan Hermann , Matzen Julia , Rampp Stefan , Heinze Hans‐Joachim , Schmitt Friedhelm C.
Published: September 2012

Purpose: This study investigates immediate efficacy and safety of intravenous application of de novo lacosamide (LCM) as add‐on therapy in patients with pharmacoresistant focal epilepsy.

Methods: During presurgical video–electroencephalography (EEG) monitoring, 17 adult inpatients received LCM infusion (200 mg every 12 h for 2–3 days) followed by oral formulation with the same regimen. Before and after intravenous application of LCM, seizures and interictal epileptiform discharges (IEDs) recorded with continuous video‐EEG monitoring were analyzed, and an assessment of adverse events (AEs) was performed daily. To evaluate the midterm tolerability and efficacy, follow‐up visits were conducted 1 and 3 months after discharge from hospital.

Key Findings: In the acute phase, intravenous initiation of LCM was well tolerated with few mild or moderate AEs (3 of 17, 17.6%). A significant reduction of seizure frequency in the treatment phase as compared to mean seizure frequency in the 2‐day baseline phase was achieved (p < 0.05 for the first treatment day, and p < 0.005 for the second treatment day). On the first treatment day, 61.5% of the patients were seizure free, and 84.6% on the second treatment day. IED reduction after intravenous application of LCM was not significant. After 1 month, the 50% responder rate was 46.6% and after the 3‐month period, 42.8%.

Significance: Our data suggest that rapid intravenous initiation of de novo LCM is safe and may protect against seizures in a rapid and midterm time window.
Epilepsy in Rett syndrome, and CDKL5‐ and FOXG1‐gene–related encephalopathies
Authors: Guerrini Renzo , Parrini Elena
Published: September 2012

Rett syndrome is an X‐linked neurodevelopmental disorder that manifests in early childhood with developmental stagnation, and loss of spoken language and hand use, with the development of distinctive hand stereotypies, severe cognitive impairment, and autistic features. About 60% of patients have epilepsy. Seizure onset before the age of 3 years is unlikely, and onset after age 20 is rare. Diagnosis of Rett syndrome is based on key clinical elements that identify “typical” Rett syndrome but also “variant” or “atypical” forms. Diagnostic criteria have been modified only slightly over time, even after discovering that MECP2 gene alterations are present in >90% of patients with typical Rett syndrome but only in 50–70% of atypical cases. Over the last several years, intragenic or genomic alterations of the CDKL5 and FOXG1 genes have been associated with severe cognitive impairment, early onset epilepsy and, often, dyskinetic movement disorders, which have variably been defined as Rett variants. It is now clearly emerging that epilepsy has distinctive characteristics in typical Rett syndrome and in the different syndromes caused by CDKL5 and FOXG1 gene alterations. The progressive parting of CDKL5‐ and FOXG1‐gene–related encephalopathies from the core Rett syndrome is reflected by the effort to produce clearer diagnostic criteria for typical and atypical Rett syndrome. Efforts to characterize the molecular pathology underlying these developmental encephalopathies are pointing to abnormalities of telencephalic development, neuronal morphogenesis, maturation and maintenance, and dendritic arborization.
A guinea pig model of mesial temporal lobe epilepsy following nonconvulsive status epilepticus induced by unilateral intrahippocampal injection of kainic acid
Authors: Carriero Giovanni , Arcieri Salvatore , Cattalini Alessandro , Corsi Laura , Gnatkovsky Vadym , de Curtis Marco
Published: September 2012

Purpose:  Models of temporal lobe epilepsy are commonly utilized to study focal epileptogenesis and ictogenesis. The criteria that define animal models representative of human mesial temporal lobe may vary in different laboratories. We describe herein a focal epilepsy model of mesial temporal (hippocampal) origin that relies on the analysis of interictal and ictal electroencephalography (EEG) patterns and on their correlation with seizure symptoms and neuropathologic findings. The study is based on guinea pigs, a species seldom utilized to develop chronic epilepsy models.

Methods:  Young adult guinea pigs were bilaterally implanted under isoflurane anesthesia with epidural electrodes over somatosensory cortex and depth electrodes in CA1 hippocampal region. A stainless steel guide cannula was positioned unilaterally in the right dorsal hippocampus to inject 1 μl of 0.9% NaCl solution containing 1 μg kainic acid (KA). One week after surgery, continuous 24 h/day video‐EEG monitoring was performed 48 h before and every other week after KA injection, for no <1 month. EEG data were recorded wide‐band at 2 kHz. After video‐EEG monitoring, brains were analyzed for thionine and Timm staining and glial fibrillary acid protein (GFAP) immunostaining.

Key Findings:  Unilateral injection of KA in dorsal hippocampus of guinea pigs induces an acute nonconvulsive status epilepticus (SE) that terminates within 24 h (n = 22). Chronic seizures with very mild motor signs (undetectable without EEG monitoring) and highly variable recurrence patterns appear in 45.5% (10 of 22) KA‐treated animals, with variable delays from the initial SE. In these animals interictal events, CA1 cell loss, gliosis, and altered Timm staining pattern were observed. The induction of a chronic condition did not correlate with the duration of the nonconvulsive acute SE, but correlated with the extension and quality of neuropathologic damage.

Significance:  We demonstrate that a model of hippocampal (mesial temporal lobe) epilepsy can be developed in the guinea pig by intrahippocampal injection of KA. Seizure events in this model show little behavioral signs and may be overlooked without extensive video‐EEG monitoring. The establishment of a chronic epileptic condition correlates with the extension of the hippocampal damage (mainly cell loss and gliosis) and not with the intensity of the initial SE.
Fuel Economy and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Labeling for Plug‐In Hybrid Vehicles from a Life Cycle Perspective
Authors: MacPherson Nathan D. , Keoleian Gregory A. , Kelly Jarod C.
Published: September 2012

Fuel economy has been an effective indicator of vehicle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for conventional gasoline‐powered vehicles due to the strong relationship between fuel economy and vehicle life cycle emissions. However, fuel economy is not as accurate an indicator of vehicle GHG emissions for plug‐in hybrid (PHEVs) and pure battery electric vehicles (EVs). Current vehicle labeling efforts by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Transportation have been focused on providing energy and environmental information to consumers based on U.S. national average data. This article explores the effects of variations in regional grids and regional daily vehicle miles traveled (VMT) on the total vehicle life cycle energy and GHG emissions of electrified vehicles and compare these results with information reported on the label and on the EPA's fuel economy Web site. The model results suggest that only 25% of the life cycle emissions from a representative PHEV are reflected on current vehicle labeling. The results show great variation in total vehicle life cycle emissions due to regional grid differences, including an approximately 100 gram per mile life cycle GHG emissions difference between the lowest and highest electric grid regions and up to a 100% difference between the state‐specific emission values within the same electric grid regions. Unexpectedly, for two regional grids the life cycle GHG emissions were higher in electric mode than in gasoline mode. We recommend that labels include stronger language on their deficiencies and provide ranges for GHG emissions from vehicle charging in regional electricity grids to better inform consumers.
The 30 minute rule for red blood cells: in vitro quality assessment after repeated exposure to 30°C
Authors: Thomas Stephen , Hancock Vicky , Cardigan Rebecca
Published: September 2012

BACKGROUND: Red blood cells (RBC) may be out of temperature control only for 30 minutes before they must be discarded, but evidence for this rule is weak. We investigated the effect on RBC quality of multiple exposures to 30°C.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: RBC units made after 24 hours of whole blood ambient hold were pooled and split into adult and pediatric units and exposed to permitted deviations (5‐hr core temperature 10°C, 12‐hr surface temperature 10°C). Test units were exposed to 30°C once, twice, or three times on each of Days 15, 17, and 21, for 30 or 60 minutes. Negative controls were not exposed to 30°C; positive control was exposed to 30°C for 24 hours.

RESULTS: Adult units exposed once for 30 or 60 minutes (×3 occasions) showed no more hemolysis than negative control. Units exposed to 30°C for two or three periods of 60 minutes showed more hemolysis from Day 28. Hemolysis in pediatric units exposed for 30 minutes (×3) was not increased but units exposed to one or two periods of 60 minutes (×3) showed higher hemolysis. No differences were seen in supernatant potassium. ATP remained at an acceptable level on Day 28 in all but positive controls.

CONCLUSIONS: There was no evidence of significant damage to RBC after exposure to 30°C for three periods of 30 minutes. Multiple exposures of 60 minutes caused limited damage but this was within current regulatory limits if there were three or fewer exposures, suggesting that a 60‐minute rule may be feasible.
Group Buying, Buyer Heterogeneity, and Sellers' Bargaining Power*
Authors: Li Xinxin
Published: September 2012

Group buying enables collective bargaining opportunity that individual buyers lack to negotiate prices with sellers. This potential negotiation capability has two opposing effects. On the one hand, the prospect of the group being able to negotiate price with its rival forces each seller to lower its price offer, as too high a price will induce the group to give its rival an opportunity to undercut its price via negotiation, likely taking away all the buyers. On the other hand, the potential negotiation opportunity may also discourage sellers from competing aggressively in their price offers, as the benefit of charging a low price could be offset by competitors in negotiation, thus yielding overall higher prices for the buyers. In this study, we find that compared to individual purchase, buyers benefit from collective bargaining opportunity by group buying only if sellers’ bargaining power relative to the buyer group is low and/or buyers’ preferences toward the sellers are sufficiently differentiated. Given buyers’ strategic choice of group purchase, sellers may be worse off with a further increase in bargaining power, and so may social welfare.
Supply Chains in Sub‐Saharan Africa: A Decision Support System for Small‐Scale Seed Entrepreneurs*
Authors: Martens Bobby J. , Scheibe Kevin P. , Bergey Paul K.
Published: September 2012

It is necessary to infuse a consistent supply of improved seed varieties into local sub‐Saharan African crop production to improve low crop yields. The best distribution channel for the improved seed varieties may be small‐scale commercial seed companies, but local entrepreneurs struggle to determine whether such businesses are viable. Using a multi‐echelon supply chain approach, a decision support system (DSS) was designed to help African seed entrepreneurs make informed decisions about small‐scale seed chain businesses. Specifically, entrepreneurs make decisions about where to locate seed enterprises, with which farmers to contract, and where to store seed. Optimization and simulation modeling are used to evaluate infrastructure variables such as distance, transportation cost, and storage loss and cost in three development level areas. Currently, the decision tool is used in Mozambique, Malawi, Kenya, and Tanzania. The model has supported the start‐up of at least 17 small seed companies that are now introducing improved seed varieties into villages and farms. The DSS applies decision science research in a humanitarian application and offers important managerial implications about supply chain infrastructure to nongovernmental organizations and humanitarian groups. Such applications are vital as groups such as USAID, the Gates Foundation, and the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi‐Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) continue to move toward micro‐enterprise, value chain, and market‐oriented development programs.
On‐Call Overtime for Service Workforce Scheduling when Demand Is Uncertain
Authors: Campbell Gerard M.
Published: September 2012

This article builds on prior research to develop shift scheduling models that include on‐call overtime for service environments where demand is uncertain. The research is motivated by recent developments in nurse scheduling, such as laws prohibiting mandatory overtime and the popularity of self‐scheduling systems. For single‐period scenarios, models are developed, solution methods are described, and results are explored for a variety of environments. Results show that the use of on‐call overtime can reduce costs slightly, with the amount of savings dependent on characteristics of the scheduling environment. The factor that most significantly affects cost savings is the cost of outside agency workers relative to overtime workers. In addition to lowering costs, on‐call overtime greatly reduces reliance on outside agency workers, which can have important practical implications in terms of quality of service and workforce morale. Results based on single‐period models motivate multiperiod formulations for single‐ and multidepartment scenarios, and solution methods are outlined for those cases. The possibility of using multiperiod models within a rolling horizon framework with forecast updating is discussed. This goes along with an extension of the traditional workforce management hierarchy that separates overtime and regular‐time scheduling, as seen in practice with self‐scheduling and shift‐bidding systems.
The Impact of Contract Manufacturing on Inventory Performance: An Examination of U.S. Manufacturing Industries
Authors: Cheng Liang‐Chieh (Victor) , Cantor David E. , Dresner Martin , Grimm Curtis M.
Published: September 2012

In recent years, a growing number of original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) have transferred their manufacturing processes to specialized firms, known as contract manufacturers. In so doing, contract manufacturers can reduce an OEM's production costs and provide OEMs with flexibility in the production process. We examine another potential reason for the use of contract manufacturing—the potential for efficiency gains from inventory reductions. Employing econometric models and data representing manufacturing industries in the USA, we provide statistical evidence that contract manufacturing can lead to lower industry‐wide inventory levels, after controlling for other relevant factors. Key managerial implications are derived from the analysis.
Supply Chain Management of Fresh Products with Producer Transportation*
Authors: Xiao Yongbo , Chen Jian
Published: September 2012

This article considers a class of fresh‐product supply chains in which products need to be transported by the upstream producer from a production base to a distant retail market. Due to high perishablility a portion of the products being shipped may decay during transportation, and therefore, become unsaleable. We consider a supply chain consisting of a single producer and a single distributor, and investigate two commonly adopted business models: (i) In the “pull” model, the distributor places an order, then the producer determines the shipping quantity, taking into account potential product decay during transportation, and transports the products to the destination market of the distributor; (ii) In the “push” model, the producer ships a batch of products to a distant wholesale market, and then the distributor purchases and resells to end customers. By considering a price‐sensitive end‐customer demand, we investigate the optimal decisions for supply chain members, including order quantity, shipping quantity, and retail price. Our research shows that both the producer and distributor (and thus the supply chain) will perform better if the pull model is adopted. To improve the supply chain performance, we propose a fixed inventory‐plus factor (FIPF) strategy, in which the producer announces a pre‐determined inventory‐plus factor and the distributor compensates the producer for any surplus inventory that would otherwise be wasted. We show that this strategy is a Pareto improvement over the pull and push models for both parties. Finally, numerical experiments are conducted, which reveal some interesting managerial insights on the comparison between different business models.
Pricing for Multiline Insurer: Frictional Costs, Insolvency, and Asset Allocation
Authors: Zhang Li , Nielson Norma
Published: September 2012

Abstract

This article examines multiline insurance pricing based on the contingent claim approach in a limited liability and frictional costs environment. Capital allocation is based on the value of the default option, which satisfies the realistic assumption that each distinct line undertakes a pro rata share of deficit caused by insurer insolvency. Premium levels, available assets, and default risk interact with each other and reach equilibrium at the fair premium. The assets available to pay for liabilities are not predetermined or given; instead, the premium income and investment income jointly influence the available assets. The results show that equity allocation does not influence the overall fair premium. For a given expected loss, the premium‐to‐expected‐loss ratio for firms offering multiple lines is higher than that for firms only offering a single line, due to the reduced risk achieved through diversification. Premium‐to‐expected‐loss ratio and equity‐to‐expected‐loss ratio vary across lines. Lines having a higher possibility or claim amount not being paid in full exhibit lower premium‐to‐expected‐loss ratio and higher equity‐to‐expected‐loss ratio. Positive correlation among lines of business results in lower premium‐to‐expected‐loss ratio than when independent losses are assumed. Positive correlation between investment return and losses reduces the insolvency risk and leads to a higher premium‐to‐expected‐loss ratio.
Out‐of‐Pocket Health Expenditures: A Suggested Role for Social Security
Authors: Zilcha Itzhak , Schneier Nancy
Published: September 2012

Abstract

We present economic data to demonstrate that the (random) out‐of‐pocket health‐related expenses of seniors who face medical problems are significant and increasing over time. This remains the case even when we take into account the availability of supplemental health insurance. We propose to apply a modest part of Social Security benefits, without increasing the total expenses of this system, to provide mandatory supplemental health insurance for all recipients. Using a theoretical framework we demonstrate that introducing such additional role for Social Security makes individuals (ex ante) better off and hence results in a Pareto dominating new regime for Social Security.
The Impacts of Surrender Options on Reserve Durations
Authors: Tsai Chenghsien
Published: September 2012

Abstract

Estimating the interest rate risk of life insurance reserves is essential for insurers, and surrender options are critical to the estimation. This article advances our understanding of how surrender options affect the durations of reserves. We identify a pattern of the reserve duration with respect to the interest rate that is important in explaining how surrender rate levels and the interest‐rate sensitivity of surrenders affect reserve durations. We further found that the surrender behavior that is more positively related to the interest rate produces larger/smaller effective dollar durations when the interest rate is low/high.