bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cattle feed or bioenergy? Consequential life cycle assessment of biogas feedstock options on dairy farms
Authors: Styles David , Gibbons James , Williams Arwel Prysor , Stichnothe Heinz , Chadwick David Robert , Healey John Robert
Published: March 2014

On‐farm anaerobic digestion (AD) of wastes and crops can potentially avoid greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, but incurs extensive environmental effects via carbon and nitrogen cycles and substitution of multiple processes within and outside farm system boundaries. Farm models were combined with consequential life cycle assessment (CLCA) to assess plausible biogas and miscanthus heating pellet scenarios on dairy farms. On the large dairy farm, the introduction of slurry‐only AD led to reductions in global warming potential (GWP) and resource depletion burdens of 14% and 67%, respectively, but eutrophication and acidification burden increases of 9% and 10%, respectively, assuming open tank digestate storage. Marginal GWP burdens per Mg dry matter (DM) feedstock codigested with slurry ranged from –637 kg CO2e for food waste to +509 kg CO2e for maize. Codigestion of grass and maize led to increased imports of concentrate feed to the farm, negating the GWP benefits of grid electricity substitution. Attributing grass‐to‐arable land use change (LUC) to marginal wheat feed production led to net GWP burdens exceeding 900 kg CO2e Mg−1 maize DM codigested. Converting the medium‐sized dairy farm to a beef‐plus‐AD farm led to a minor reduction in GWP when grass‐to‐arable LUC was excluded, but a 38% GWP increase when such LUC was attributed to marginal maize and wheat feed required for intensive compensatory milk production. If marginal animal feed is derived from soybeans cultivated on recently converted cropland in South America, the net GWP burden increases to 4099 kg CO2e Mg−1 maize DM codigested – equivalent to 55 Mg CO2e yr−1 per hectare used for AD‐maize cultivation. We conclude that AD of slurry and food waste on dairy farms is an effective GHG mitigation option, but that the quantity of codigested crops should be strictly limited to avoid potentially large international carbon leakage via animal feed displacement.
The use of publicly available quality information when choosing a hospital or health‐care provider: the role of the GP
Authors: Doering Nora , Maarse Hans
Published: March 2014

Background

Patients barely use publicly available quality information for making a decision concerning secondary health care, but instead rely on information coming from their general practitioner (GP). An intermediate role of GPs has been suggested concerning the use of publicly available quality information. The aim of the study is to quantify and explore GPs' use of publicly available quality information when referring patients or suggesting secondary health‐care provider to them.

Methods

In this cross‐sectional study, an invitation to an electronic questionnaire was sent to 858 GPs in the south of the Netherlands. GPs were asked about their use of and perception towards publicly available quality information through closed‐ended and open‐ended questions. Differences among subgroups were tested for significance using Pearson's chi‐square tests.

Results

The majority of respondents (89.5%) never or rarely use publicly available quality information. They perceive them as invalid and unreliable. Distance to the hospital, prior experiences and personal contacts with specialists guide them when advising and referring. Almost 90% of respondents never or rarely suggest quality information as support for decision making to their patients. No significant differences between subgroups were observed.

Conclusion

This study is among the firsts exploring and quantifying GPs' use of publicly available quality information. The results suggest that publicly available quality information appears in its current format and application not useful for GPs. GPs have to be aware of their influential role in patients' decision making and possibly have to take more responsibility in guiding them through the jungle of quality information.
Care demands on mothers caring for a child with Down syndrome: Malaysian (Sarawak) mothers' perspectives
Authors: Chan Kim Geok , Lim Khatijah Abdullah , Ling How Kee
Published: March 2014

This paper examines the experiences of mothers caring for a child with Down syndrome in the Malaysian (Sarawak) context. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 26 biological mothers of children with Down syndrome aged 18 years and below. They were accessed through selected child health clinics, community‐based rehabilitation centres and schools using purposive sampling within two regions in Sarawak, one of the two Borneo States of Malaysia. Major themes emerging within the context of care demands were children's health, developmental delays, daily needs and behaviour issues. The insights obtained into the care demands experienced by mothers of children with Down syndrome have several implications for practice by care professionals.
A global perspective on adolescent pregnancy
Authors: Holness Nola
Published: March 2014

Adolescent pregnancy is an international dilemma affecting not just the adolescent and her infant, but entire societies. Of almost 300 million female adolescents worldwide, 16 million give birth yearly, accounting for 11% of all births worldwide. The Millennium Development Goal # 5 incorporates reducing adolescent births worldwide. The purpose of this paper is a comprehensive critique of findings on a global perspective on adolescent pregnancy and evaluation of strategies to reduce this international concern. In Latin America and the Caribbean, unmet need for family planning made little change in 20 years. In Dutch and Scandinavian countries, there are national sex education programmes and family planning clinics run by nurse midwives with direct authority to prescribe contraceptives. In Japan, strong conservative norms exist about premarital sex. In the UK, a lack of consistent targeted sex education, delay in access to contraception and contraceptive use failure are associated with high teen pregnancy rates. In the United States, 750 000 teen pregnancies occur yearly, costing $9 billion per year. Health disparities exist: Whites had 11, Blacks had 32 and Hispanics had 41 per 1000 births. Programmes to reduce teen pregnancy should incorporate family, contraception and abstinence education, and sustained commitment of media, businesses, religious and civic organizations.
Transnational Networks and Paths to EU Environmental Compliance: Evidence from New Member States
Authors: Andonova Liliana B. , Tuta Ioana A.
Published: March 2014

This article examines transnational environmental networks as an important and thus far under‐studied mechanism that can influence the pathways toward compliance with European Union (EU) legislation in new Member States. The argument stipulates that transnational networks, on balance, increase the capacity and political leverage of Central and Eastern European states and societal actors to activate management and enforcement paths to compliance with EU environmental norms. The theoretical framework specifies the network assets and the mechanisms through which they can support the two paths to compliance. In the empirical section, this framework is used to examine the impact of transnational environmental networks on the compliance with EU biodiversity directives in two of the most recent Member States: Bulgaria and Romania.
Mechanistic action of gibberellins in legume nodulation
Authors: Hayashi Satomi , Gresshoff Peter M. , Ferguson Brett J.
Published: March 2014

Legume plants are capable of entering into a symbiotic relationship with rhizobia bacteria. This results in the formation of novel organs on their roots, called nodules, in which the bacteria capture atmospheric nitrogen and provide it as ammonium to the host plant. Complex molecular and physiological changes are involved in the formation and establishment of such nodules. Several phytohormones are known to play key roles in this process. Gibberellins (gibberellic acids; GAs), a class of phytohormones known to be involved in a wide range of biological processes (i.e., cell elongation, germination) are reported to be involved in the formation and maturation of legume nodules, highlighted by recent transcriptional analyses of early soybean symbiotic steps. Here, we summarize what is currently known about GAs in legume nodulation and propose a model of GA action during nodule development. Results from a wide range of studies, including GA application, mutant phenotyping, and gene expression studies, indicate that GAs are required at different stages, with an optimum, tightly regulated level being key to achieve successful nodulation. Gibberellic acids appear to be required at two distinct stages of nodulation: (i) early stages of rhizobia infection and nodule primordium establishment; and (ii) later stages of nodule maturation.
Sovereign Defaults, Credit to the Private Sector, and Domestic Credit Market Institutions
Authors: SANDLERIS GUIDO
Published: March 2014

Sovereign defaults are associated with declines in foreign and domestic credit to the domestic private sector. This paper analyzes theoretically whether sovereign defaults can lead to this decline, even if domestic agents do not hold sovereign debt. It also studies whether the quality of domestic financial institutions affect the magnitude of this effect. In order to address these issues, the paper embeds the traditional sovereign borrower/foreign creditors relationship of the sovereign debt literature in a macromodel where widespread individual financial constraints limit a country's ability to reallocate resources. The paper finds that sovereign defaults can indeed generate a decline in foreign and domestic credit even if domestic agents do not hold sovereign debt, and that stronger domestic financial institutions can amplify this effect. These findings constitute a new step toward understanding the costs of sovereign defaults.
Foreign Entry into Underwriting Services: Evidence from Japan's “Big Bang” Deregulation
Authors: LOPEZ JOSE A. , SPIEGEL MARK M.
Published: March 2014

We examined the effect of foreign entry into bond market underwriting activity using issue‐level data from the Japanese “Samurai” and euro–yen bond markets. We found that the fees charged by Japanese underwriters were higher on average than those of foreign underwriters, but the difference could be explained by conditioning on issue characteristics. Our results also suggest that bond issuers sorted properly across underwriters, as switching across underwriter nationalities would be expected to result in higher fees. However, the savings enjoyed by firms issuing with foreign underwriters were modest and statistically insignificant, while those of firms issuing with Japanese underwriters were substantial and statistically significant. This result suggests that Japanese underwriters priced their services aggressively over the sample period, perhaps in an effort to retain or gain market share. This conjecture is supported by a matching exercise that examined the liberalization of foreign underwriter access to the Samurai bond market, using euro–yen bond issues as a control. Foreign entry led to a statistically and economically significant decrease of 16 basis points on average in underwriting fees in the Samurai bond market. Overall, our results suggest that the international market for Japanese bond underwriting services was partially segmented by nationality as issuers appear to have preferred habitats, but that liberalization increased overall market competition.
Finance and Property Rights: Exploring Other Directions
Authors: BOSE NILOY , MURSHID ANTU PANINI , RATH CHITRALEKHA
Published: March 2014

There is a consensus that stronger property rights advance financial development. We provide evidence that the reverse hypothesis is also true. We isolate the structural component in the finance–property rights relationship using an instrument for financial development (private credit) based on an index of exposure to foreign crises, in addition to generalized method of moments approaches for panel data. Our results suggest a one standard deviation increase in private credit from its average in 2005 translates into a 0.5‐ to 1.0‐point increase in property rights. To contextualize this, the difference in property rights between Israel and Uruguay, two countries separated by about one standard deviation in the volume of private credit, was 0.67 points.
Semen characteristics of captive common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus): a comparison of a German with aBrazilian colony
Authors: del Rio do Valle Rodrigo , del Rio do Valle Cristiane Macedo , Nichi Marcilio , Pereira Carneiro Muniz José Augusto , Nayudu Penelope Lea , de Barros Vaz Guimarães Marcelo Alcindo
Published: March 2014

Background

The common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) is of interest for reproductive studies because of their high and variable fertility in captivity. However, to understand this variability, much basic information still needs to be gathered. This study is the first to characterize marmoset semen comparing aGerman and aBrazilian colony.

Methods

All animals were weighted, and semen samples were collected by penile vibratory stimulation and analyzed according to standard criteria.

Results and Conclusions

The German animals had a higher mean and maximum weight than theBrazilian. Further, sperm concentration tended to be higher with heavier animals in theGerman population, but not in theBrazilian. Additionally, major defects tended to be more frequent with higher weight but also only inGerman sample. In spite of these differences, the total range and variability in sperm concentration were similar in both populations, suggesting that this is characteristic for the species.
Rethinking Institutions and Organizations
Authors: Greenwood Royston , Hinings C. R. , Whetten Dave
Published: March 2014

In this Point–Counterpoint article we argue that institutional scholarship has become overly concerned with explaining institutions and institutional processes, notably at the level of the organization field, rather than with using them to explain and understand organizations. Especially missing is an attempt to gain a coherent, holistic account of how organizations are structured and managed. We also argue that when institutional theory does give attention to organizations it inappropriately treats them as though they are the same, or at least as though any differences are irrelevant for purposes of theory. We propose a return to the study of organizations with an emphasis upon comparative analysis, and suggest the institutional logics perspective as an appropriate means for doing so.
A Meta‐Analysis of the “Purchasing and Supply Management Practice–Performance Link”
Authors: Zimmermann Friso , Foerstl Kai
Published: March 2014

Resource‐based theory (RBT) suggests that purchasing and supply management (PSM) practices can help buying firms enhance their performance. Consequently, the “PSM practice–performance link” has undergone intense empirical investigation over the last two decades. Although most studies report a positive relationship between PSM practices and firm performance, it remains unclear whether and to what extent PSM practices relate to performance. We assess the empirical literature by conducting a meta‐analysis of 99 PSM studies from an RBT perspective. Our results indicate strong support for the positive relationships among PSM practices and firm performance. Our findings contribute to the literature by underlining the relevance of PSM, identifying aspects of the PSM function that can be considered “strategic” and detecting areas that require additional empirical investigation. Our research also provides guidance to managers as to which PSM practices demonstrate the strongest potential for contributing to buying firm performance.
Erving Goffman: Theorizing the Self in the Age of Advanced Consumer Capitalism
Authors: Hancock Black Hawk , Garner Roberta
Published: March 2014

The authors argue that Erving Goffman developed concepts that contribute to an understanding of historical changes in the construction of the self and enable us to see the new forms that self‐construction is taking in a society driven by consumption, marketing, and media. These concepts include: commercial realism; dramatic scripting; hyper‐ritualization; the glimpse; and the dissolution or undermining of the real, the authentic, and the autonomous. By placing Goffman's under‐discussed work, Gender Advertisements, in rapprochement with the work of Guy Debord, Jean Baudrillard, and Fredric Jameson, we draw out shared concerns over the ways that the self becomes externally defined and incoherent in advanced consumer capitalism. We then turn to Goffman's “Territories of the Self” (in which Goffman discusses the self in terms of the spatial concepts of “preserves” and “markers”) in order to show that Goffman balances his historicist analysis with a theory of a self that can maintain its coherence amidst the fragmenting forces of the media and the consumer society. Thus we document the continuing relevance of Goffman's thought for cultural and media analysis in contemporary consumer society.
Cognitive Mechanisms of Ingroup/Outgroup Distinction
Authors: Shkurko Alexander V.
Published: March 2014

People use social categories to perceive and interact with the social world. Different categorizations often share similar cognitive, affective and behavioral features. This leads to a hypothesis of the common representational forms of social categorization. Studies in social categorization often use the terms “ingroup” and “outgroup” without clear conceptualization of the terms. I argue that the ingroup/outgroup distinction should be treated as an elementary relational ego‐centric form of social categorization based on specific cognitive mechanisms. Such an abstract relational form should produce specific effects irrespective of the nature of a particular social category. The article discusses theoretical grounds for this hypothesis as well as empirical evidence from behavioral and brain research. It is argued that what is commonly termed as “ingroup” and “outgroup” can be produced by distinct cognitive operations based on similarity assessment and coalitional computation.
Short‐ and Long‐Term Cure Rates of Short‐Duration Trimethoprim‐Sulfamethoxazole Treatment in Female Dogs with Uncomplicated Bacterial Cystitis
Authors: Clare S. , Hartmann F.A. , Jooss M. , Bachar E. , Wong Y.Y. , Trepanier L.A. , Viviano K.R.
Published: March 2014

Background

Long‐duration beta‐lactam antibiotics are used for empirical treatment in female dogs with uncomplicated bacterial cystitis. However, women with bacterial cystitis are treated with short‐duration potentiated sulfonamides because longer courses of beta‐lactams result in lower cure and higher recurrence rates.

Hypothesis/Objectives

Short‐duration potentiated sulfonamide treatment is more efficacious than long‐duration beta‐lactam treatment in achieving clinical and microbiological cures in female dogs with uncomplicated bacterial cystitis.

Animals

Thirty‐eight client‐owned female dogs.

Methods

Randomized, double‐blinded, placebo‐controlled clinical trial. Dogs were treated with TMP‐SMX (15 mg/kg PO q12h for 3 days followed by a placebo capsule PO q12h for 7 days; Group SDS; n = 20) or cephalexin (20 mg/kg PO q12h for 10 days; Group LDBL; n = 18). Dogs were monitored for clinical and microbiological cure during treatment and at short‐ and long‐term follow‐up.

Results

No statistically significant differences were found between treatment groups in clinical cure rates after 3 days of treatment (89% SDS, 94% LDBL; P = 1.00) and 4 days (85% SDS, 72% LDBL; P = .44) or >30 days (50% SDS, 65% LDBL; P = .50) after conclusion of treatment or in microbiological cure rates 4 days (59% SDS, 36% LDBL; P = .44) or >30 days (44% SDS, 20% LDBL; P = .40) after conclusion of treatment.

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

We did not identify a difference in cure rates between short‐duration sulfonamide and long‐duration beta‐lactam treatments in female dogs with uncomplicated cystitis. Long‐term cure rates in both treatment groups were low. In some female dogs, “uncomplicated” bacterial cystitis may be more complicated than previously recognized.
The Clinical Efficacy of Dietary Fat Restriction in Treatment of Dogs with Intestinal Lymphangiectasia
Authors: Okanishi H. , Yoshioka R. , Kagawa Y. , Watari T.
Published: March 2014

Background

Intestinal lymphangiectasia (IL), a type of protein‐losing enteropathy (PLE), is a dilatation of lymphatic vessels within the gastrointestinal tract. Dietary fat restriction previously has been proposed as an effective treatment for dogs with PLE, but limited objective clinical data are available on the efficacy of this treatment.

Hypothesis/Objectives

To investigate the clinical efficacy of dietary fat restriction in dogs with IL that were unresponsive to prednisolone treatment or showed relapse of clinical signs and hypoalbuminemia when the prednisolone dosage was decreased.

Animals

Twenty‐four dogs with IL.

Methods

Retrospective study. Body weight, clinical activity score, and hematologic and biochemical variables were compared before and 1 and 2 months after treatment. Furthermore, the data were compared between the group fed only an ultra low‐fat (ULF) diet and the group fed ULF and a low‐fat (LF) diet.

Results

Nineteen of 24 (79%) dogs responded satisfactorily to dietary fat restriction, and the prednisolone dosage could be decreased. Clinical activity score was significantly decreased after dietary treatment compared with before treatment. In addition, albumin (ALB), total protein (TP), and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) concentration were significantly increased after dietary fat restriction. At 2 months posttreatment, the ALB concentrations in the ULF group were significantly higher than that of the ULF + LF group.

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

Dietary fat restriction appears to be an effective treatment in dogs with IL that are unresponsive to prednisolone treatment or that have recurrent clinical signs and hypoalbuminemia when the dosage of prednisolone is decreased.
Framework Negotiations: Diagnostic Insights among Alternative Medical Practitioners Participating in Integrative Medicine Case Conferences
Authors: Salkeld Ellen J.
Published: March 2014

Medical anthropology concerns itself with cultural interpretations of health and illness in complex pluralistic societies whose members incorporate multiple strategies to address health issues. This research explored the variety of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) topics introduced into biomedically structured clinical evaluation. A field study of routine case conferences held within a clinical fellowship program in integrative medicine (IM) provided the ideal setting to explore contrasting conceptualizations of disease. Study results yielded five core sources of information sought by CAM practitioners, typically not addressed in biomedicine: social relations history within family of origin, emotional health, energetic health, spiritual health, and in‐depth nutritional evaluation.
THE ECONOMICS OF CONFLICTING INTERESTS: NORTHERN BALTIC SALMON FISHERY ADAPTION TO GRAY SEAL ABUNDANCE
Authors: HOLMA MAIJA , LINDROOS MARKO , OINONEN SOILE
Published: March 2014

The successful conservation of gray seals has led to increased seal‐induced damage to the Atlantic salmon fisheries of the Baltic Sea. This paper addresses the conflict between the conservation of a formerly endangered species, the gray seal, and professional fishermen, whose livelihoods are affected by both seal‐induced damage and salmon fisheries management. We develop a bioeconomic model that incorporates the age structure of Atlantic salmon and gray seal populations. To determine the social optimum, we maximize the discounted net present value of the trap net fishery, taking into account the presence of seals in the form of seal‐induced losses, which we describe using a damage function. By choosing the optimal combination of fishing gear over time, we obtain the socially optimal fishing efforts, salmon stock size, and salmon catch. In addition, we study the private effects of introducing a technology subsidy aimed at mitigating the seal‐salmon conflict. The results suggest that technological adaptation would effectively reduce the cause of the conflict, while a technology subsidy encouraging such adaptation would shift the economic responsibility from individual fishermen to the broader public.
The journey from stem cell to macrophage
Authors: Pittet Mikael J. , Nahrendorf Matthias , Swirski Filip K.
Published: March 2014

Essential protectors against infection and injury, macrophages can also contribute to many common and fatal diseases. Here, we discuss the mechanisms that control different types of macrophage activities in mice. We follow the cells’ maturational pathways over time and space and elaborate on events that influence the type of macrophage eventually settling a particular destination. The nature of the precursor cells, developmental niches, tissues, environmental cues, and other connecting processes appear to contribute to the identity of macrophage type. Together, the spatial and developmental relationships of macrophages compose a topo‐ontogenic map that can guide our understanding of their biology.
Economic analysis of opportunities to accelerate Alzheimer's disease research and development
Authors: Scott Troy J. , O'Connor Alan C. , Link Albert N. , Beaulieu Travis J.
Published: March 2014

The development of disease‐modifying treatments for Alzheimer's disease (AD) faces a number of barriers. Among these are the lack of surrogate biomarkers, the exceptional size and duration of clinical trials, difficulties in identifying appropriate populations for clinical trials, and the limitations of monotherapies in addressing such a complex multifactorial disease. This study sets out to first estimate the consequent impact on the expected cost of developing disease‐modifying treatments for AD and then to estimate the potential benefits of bringing together industry, academic, and government stakeholders to co‐invest in, for example, developing better biomarkers and cognitive assessment tools, building out advanced registries and clinical trial‐readiness cohorts, and establishing clinical trial platforms to investigate combinations of candidate drugs and biomarkers from the portfolios of multiple companies. Estimates based on interviews with experts on AD research and development suggest that the cost of one new drug is now $5.7 billion (95% confidence interval (CI) $3.7–9.5 billion) and could be reduced to $2.0 billion (95% CI $1.5–2.9 billion). The associated acceleration in the arrival of disease‐modifying treatments could reduce the number of case years of dementia by 7.0 million (95% CI 4.4–9.4 million) in the United States from 2025 through 2040.
In‐Orbit Geometric Calibration And Validation Of Zy‐3 Linear Array Sensors
Authors: Zhang Guo , Jiang Yonghua , Li Deren , Huang Wenchao , Pan Hongbo , Tang Xinming , Zhu Xiaoyong
Published: March 2014

The ZiYuan‐3 surveying satellite (ZY‐3), launched on 9th January 2012, is China's first civilian high‐resolution stereo mapping satellite. To ensure the mapping accuracy of ZY‐3, considerable research has been conducted since its launch on the calibration and validation of its three‐line array charge‐coupled device (CCD) sensors (TLC sensors). Its dynamic exterior systematic errors (such as camera installation errors) and static interior distortion were eliminated using 1:2000 digital orthophotomaps and digital elevation models (DEMs) of the Dengfeng (Henan) and Tianjin areas of China as control data. Various CCD alignment calibration models were compared, on the basis of their geometric accuracy after calibration, to determine the optimal model. Finally, validation experiments were performed using ZY‐3 TLC images and ground control points (GCPs) collected over Anping in Hebei Province, Zhaodong in Heilongjiang Province and the Taihang Mountain area in China. The positioning accuracy attained its theoretical value over the Anping and Zhaodong areas. Using GCPs whose image coordinates were obtained manually, the plan and height accuracy were found to be better than 3 m and 2 m, respectively.
“Pointsource” Delivery of a Photosensitizer Drug and Singlet Oxygen: Eradication of Glioma Cells In Vitro
Authors: Ghogare Ashwini A. , Rizvi Imran , Hasan Tayyaba , Greer Alexander
Published: March 2014

We describe a pointsource sensitizer‐tipped microoptic device for the eradication of glioma U87 cells. The device has a mesoporous fluorinated silica tip which emits singlet oxygen molecules and small quantities of pheophorbide sensitizer for additional production of singlet oxygen in the immediate vicinity. The results show that the device surges in sensitizer release and photokilling with higher rates about midway through the reaction. This was attributed to a self‐amplified autocatalytic reaction where released sensitizer in the extracellular matrix provides positive feedback to assist in the release of additional sensitizer. The photokilling of the glioma cells was analyzed by global toxicity and live/dead assays, where a killing radius around the tip with ~0.3 mm precision was achieved. The implication of these results for a new PDT tool of hard‐to‐resect tumors, e.g. in the brain, is discussed.
The neural fate of neutral information in emotion‐enhanced memory
Authors: Watts Sarah , Buratto Luciano G. , Brotherhood Emilie V. , Barnacle Gemma E. , Schaefer Alexandre
Published: March 2014

In this study, we report evidence that neural activity reflecting the encoding of emotionally neutral information in memory is reduced when neutral and emotional stimuli are intermixed during encoding. Specifically, participants studied emotional and neutral pictures organized in mixed lists (in which emotional and neutral pictures were intermixed) or in pure lists (only‐neutral or only‐emotional pictures) and performed a recall test. To estimate encoding efficiency, we used the Dm effect, measured with event‐related potentials. Recall for neutral items was lower in mixed compared to pure lists and posterior Dm activity for neutral items was reduced in mixed lists, whereas it remained robust in pure lists. These findings might be caused by an asymmetrical competition for attentional and working memory resources between emotional and neutral information, which could be a major determinant of emotional memory effects.
Corruption and marketization: Formal and informal rules in Chinese public procurement
Authors: Gong Ting , Zhou Na
Published: March 2014

The relationship between market liberalization and corruption has attracted scholarly attention in recent years. Conventional wisdom holds that increased economic marketization reduces corruption. China, however, provides evidence to the contrary; corruption has grown as its market‐oriented reforms progress. This paradoxical co‐development of the market and corruption begs the intriguing questions of how corruption has survived marketization and what explains the failure of government regulation. Extending the conceptual framework of institutional theory about formal and informal rules, and using public procurement in China as an example, this article shows that formal tendering rules and regulations may be modified, circumvented, or replaced by informal ones which facilitate corruption. The article identifies four corruption schemes through which procurement actors may distort competition processes and mechanisms under the guise of formal rules. Consequently, public procurement in China displays the structural outlook of market competition, but not its essential substance.
Using Incident Response Trees as a Tool for Risk Management of Online Financial Services
Authors: Gorton Dan
Published: March 2014

The article introduces the use of probabilistic risk assessment for modeling the incident response process of online financial services. The main contribution is the creation of incident response trees, using event tree analysis, which provides us with a visual tool and a systematic way to estimate the probability of a successful incident response process against the currently known risk landscape, making it possible to measure the balance between front‐end and back‐end security measures. The model is presented using an illustrative example, and is then applied to the incident response process of a Swedish bank. Access to relevant data is verified and the applicability and usability of the proposed model is verified using one year of historical data. Potential advantages and possible shortcomings are discussed, referring to both the design phase and the operational phase, and future work is presented.
Pneumatic Tourniquet for Surgical Procedures of Hemodialysis Vascular Access
Authors: Wang Shouwen
Published: March 2014

Pneumatic tourniquet has been frequently utilized in various surgical specialties to facilitate surgical procedures on the extremities. However, its use for surgical procedures of hemodialysis access has been limited to some surgeons in the United States and often confined to the hospital settings under general anesthesia or regional nerve block. We have successfully employed a pneumatic tourniquet system for surgical procedures of hemodialysis access under conscious sedation and local anesthesia in an outpatient setting. Because prolonged tourniquet inflation is associated with ischemic pain and other potential complications, we have limited the continuous inflation time to <30 minutes. Our recent data from 550 surgical procedures of hemodialysis access have emphasized that pneumatic tourniquet use is well tolerated under conscious sedation and not associated with significant adverse events. These and other reported data suggest that pneumatic tourniquet can reduce procedure time, minimize required dissection, reduce vascular trauma by eliminating vascular clamps and potentially improve the outcomes of surgical procedures of hemodialysis access. These advantages may be translated into cost savings for hemodialysis access care. This review discusses practical issues of pneumatic tourniquet use and its applications in surgical procedures of hemodialysis access.
JAK/STAT Pathway in Drosophila Immunity
Authors: Myllymäki H. , Rämet M.
Published: March 2014

The Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK/STAT) signalling pathway controls multiple biological processes in metazoan development and tissue homoeostasis. This creates a need for tight regulatory mechanisms to ensure proper responses. The core components of the pathway, as well as many of the regulatory molecules, are conserved in evolution and thus share similarities in organisms such as humans and fruit flies. Therefore, the fruit fly provides an amenable model system for elucidating the in vivo roles of the JAK/STAT pathway and its regulators, which are challenging to demonstrate in mammalian systems. This review will focus on describing recent advances in understanding the importance of JAK/STAT signalling in Drosophila immunity.
Anterior cruciate ligament injury after more than 20 years: I. Physical activity level and knee function
Authors: Tengman E. , Brax Olofsson L. , Nilsson K. G. , Tegner Y. , Lundgren L. , Häger C. K.
Published: March 2014

Little is known about physical activity level and knee function including jump capacity and fear of movement/reinjury more than 20 years after injury of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). Seventy persons with unilateral ACL injury participated (23 ± 2 years post‐injury): 33 treated with physiotherapy in combination with surgical reconstruction (ACLR), and 37 treated with physiotherapy alone (ACLPT). These were compared with 33 age‐ and gender‐matched controls. Assessment included knee‐specific and general physical activity level [Tegner activity scale, International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ)], knee function [Lysholm score, Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS)], jump capacity (one‐leg hop, vertical jump, side hops), and fear of movement/reinjury [Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia (TSK)]. Outcomes were related to degree of osteoarthritis (OA). ACL‐injured had lower Lysholm, KOOS, and Tegner scores than controls (P < 0.001), while IPAQ score was similar. ACL‐injured demonstrated inferior jump capacity in injured compared with noninjured leg (6–25%, P < 0.001–P = 0.010 in the different jumps), while noninjured leg had equal jump capacity as controls. ACL groups scored 33 ± 7 and 32 ± 7 of 68 on TSK. Lower scores on Lysholm and KOOS symptom were seen for persons with moderate‐to‐high OA than for no‐or‐low OA, while there were no differences for physical activity and jump capacity. Regardless of treatment, there are still negative knee‐related effects of ACL injury more than 20 years later.
Reporting doping in sport: National level athletes' perceptions of their role in doping prevention
Authors: Whitaker L. , Backhouse S. H. , Long J.
Published: March 2014

This paper qualitatively explores national level athletes' willingness to report doping in sport. Following ethical approval, semi‐structured interviews were conducted with nine national level athletes from rugby league (n = 5) and track and field athletics (n = 4). Thematic analysis established the main themes within the data. Contextual differences existed around the role that athletes perceived they would play if they became aware of doping. Specifically, track and field athletes would adopt the role of a whistle‐blower and report individuals who were doping in their sport. In comparison, the rugby league players highlighted a moral dilemma. Despite disagreeing with their teammates' actions, the players would adhere to a code of silence and refrain from reporting doping. Taking these findings into account, prevention programs might focus on changing broader group and community norms around doping. In doing so, community members' receptivity to prevention messages may increase. Moreover, developing skills to intervene (e.g., speaking out against social norms that support doping behavior) or increasing awareness of reporting lines could enhance community responsibility for doping prevention. In sum, the findings highlight the need to consider the context of sport and emphasize that a one‐size‐fits‐all approach to anti‐doping is problematic.
The influence of surface on the running velocities of elite and amateur orienteer athletes
Authors: Hébert‐Losier K. , Jensen K. , Mourot L. , Holmberg H.‐C.
Published: March 2014

We compared the reduction in running velocities from road to off‐road terrain in eight elite and eight amateur male orienteer athletes to investigate whether this factor differentiates elite from amateur athletes. On two separate days, each subject ran three 2‐km time trials and three 20‐m sprints “all‐out” on a road, on a path, and in a forest. On a third day, the running economy and maximal aerobic power of individuals were assessed on a treadmill. The elite orienteer ran faster than the amateur on all three surfaces and at both distances, in line with their better running economy and aerobic power. In the forest, the elites ran at a slightly higher percentage of their 2‐km (∼3%) and 20‐m (∼4%) road velocities. Although these differences did not exhibit traditional statistical significance, magnitude‐based inferences suggested likely meaningful differences, particularly during 20‐m sprinting. Of course, cognitive, mental, and physical attributes other than the ability to run on different surfaces are required for excellence in orienteering (e.g., a high aerobic power). However, we suggest that athlete‐specific assessment of running performance on various surfaces and distances might assist in tailoring training and identifying individual strengths and/or weaknesses in an orienteer.
Seven novel MHC class I alleles identified in Cercopithecus mitis
Authors: Liu B. , Yan X. , Fan J. W. , Zeng L. , Sun Z. Z.
Published: March 2014

We report here the identification of three Cemi‐A and four Cemi‐B novel alleles of Cercopithecus mitis.
A novel allele, HLA‐B*54:29, identified by sequence‐based typing in a Chinese bone marrow donor
Authors: He J.‐J. , Wang W. , He J. , Zhu F.‐M. , Lv H.‐J.
Published: March 2014

HLA‐B*54:29 allele differs from B*54:01:01 at nucleotide position 442 A>C in exon 3.
Encouraging Students to Act: Helping Students Apply Principles Learned in a Religious Education Setting
Authors: Hilton John , Aramaki Alyssa
Published: March 2014

Much debate exists regarding the purpose of education. This article explores the idea that religious education can be used to inspire change and action in the lives of students beyond the classroom. We describe a study of students who took a required religion class at a private religious university. The intended outcomes of the class centered on encouraging students to make the following changes in their lives: to develop a habit of regular scripture study, to use new methods to study the scriptures, and to make positive choices in their lives. Specific assignments were designed to encourage these outcomes. At the end of the semester, students were surveyed as to whether they had made changes in their lives in these three areas. The vast majority of students reported that they had made changes in their lives because of assignments given in the class. Implications and limitations are discussed.
Teaching an Introduction to the Global Philosophy of Religion
Authors: Loewen Nathan
Published: March 2014

Currently, the recent history of the field shapes the content of introductions to the philosophy of religion. In order to substantively engage students, whose experiences and destinies are already shaped by global realities, such teaching must undergo revision. A shift from introducing philosophical theology towards active learning analyses of ostensibly religious phenomena is the means by which the field can regain its relevance for students. This article first explores the rationale for teaching differently, and then works out a pedagogy that has students themselves practicing a global philosophy of religion.
The “Place” of Place‐Based Pedagogy in Teaching Religion: Brooklyn and Its Religions
Authors: Estey Ken
Published: March 2014

Place‐based pedagogy offers students a distinctive way to be attentive to a particular expression of a given religion while enabling them to minimize generalizations on the basis of that experience. Place‐based pedagogies decenter the traditional classroom as the sole locus of learning and emphasize the value of learning within varied spatial frameworks including undeveloped natural environments and built environments in rural, suburban, or urban communities. This article, set in Brooklyn, New York, is a case study of place‐based teaching in an urban context. “Brooklyn and Its Religions” is a course that provides students with a place to explore diverse expressions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The article describes the course and analyzes students' field reports in two settings to demonstrate the value of place‐based learning for studying religion in Brooklyn.
Teaching Exegesis in Historically Black Theological Schools
Authors: Mbuvi Andrew , Ashmore James , Bellis Alice Ogden , Wafawanaka Robert , Bailey Randall C. , Mbuwayesango Dora , Newheart Michael Willett
Published: March 2014

This Forum collects the papers presented at a 2010 panel at the Society of Biblical Literature, an outcome of a Wabash Center funded grant project. The project examined the unique dimensions and experiences of teaching Biblical exegesis at the six historically black theological schools (HBTSs), including discussion of the unique needs of HBTS students and their communities, and appropriate learning goals and effective teaching practices for this context. None of the biblical studies faculty were prepared as graduate students for the unique challenges that they have encountered teaching at a HBTS, so they have all had to “learn on the job” how best to approach the unique needs of the student body. The brief statements collected here summarize the findings from the project, describe and analyze some effective teaching strategies, and offer suggestions for continuing the conversation.
The metabolic flux phenotype of heterotrophic Arabidopsis cells reveals a flexible balance between the cytosolic and plastidic contributions to carbohydrate oxidation in response to phosphate limitation
Authors: Masakapalli Shyam K. , Bryant Fiona M. , Kruger Nicholas J. , Ratcliffe R. George
Published: March 2014

Understanding the mechanisms that allow plants to respond to variable and reduced availability of inorganic phosphate is of increasing agricultural importance because of the continuing depletion of the rock phosphate reserves that are used to combat inadequate phosphate levels in the soil. Changes in gene expression, protein levels, enzyme activities and metabolite levels all point to a reconfiguration of the central metabolic network in response to reduced availability of inorganic phosphate, but the metabolic significance of these changes can only be assessed in terms of the fluxes supported by the network. Steady‐state metabolic flux analysis was used to define the metabolic phenotype of a heterotrophic Arabidopsis thaliana cell culture grown on a Murashige and Skoog medium containing 0, 1.25 or 5 mm inorganic phosphate. Fluxes through the central metabolic network were deduced from the redistribution of 13C into metabolic intermediates and end products when cells were labelled with [1‐13C], [2‐13C], or [13C6]glucose, in combination with 14C measurements of the rates of biomass accumulation. Analysis of the flux maps showed that reduced levels of phosphate in the growth medium stimulated flux through phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase and malic enzyme, altered the balance between cytosolic and plastidic carbohydrate oxidation in favour of the plastid, and increased cell maintenance costs. We argue that plant cells respond to phosphate deprivation by reconfiguring the flux distribution through the pathways of carbohydrate oxidation to take advantage of better phosphate homeostasis in the plastid.
Significant reduction in red blood cell transfusions in a general hospital after successful implementation of a restrictive transfusion policy supported by prospective computerized order auditing
Authors: Yerrabothala Swaroopa , Desrosiers Kevin P. , Szczepiorkowski Zbigniew M. , Dunbar Nancy M.
Published: March 2014

Background

Our hospital transfusion policy was recently revised to recommend single‐unit red blood cell transfusion (RBC TXN) for nonbleeding inpatients when the hemoglobin (Hb) level is not more than 7 g/dL. Our computerized provider order entry system was reconfigured to provide real‐time decision support using prospective computerized order auditing based on the most recent Hb level and to remove the single‐click ordering option for 2‐unit RBC TXNs to enhance compliance. This study was undertaken to assess the impact of these changes on hospital transfusion practice.

Study Design and Methods

This study analyzed the total number of transfusion events, proportion of single and 2‐unit transfusions and the Hb transfusion trigger in the preimplementation period (October 2011‐March 2012) compared to the postimplementation period (October 2012‐March 2013).

Results

In the postimplementation period the total number of RBC units transfused/1000 patient‐days decreased from 60.8 to 44.2 (p < 0.0001). The proportion of 2‐unit TXNs decreased from 47% to 15% (p < 0.0001). We also observed significant decreases in pretransfusion Hb triggers.

Conclusion

Implementation of restrictive transfusion policy supported by prospective computerized order auditing has resulted in significantly decreased RBC utilization at our institution.