bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dual Allegiance and Knowledge Sharing in Open Source Software Firms
Authors: Chan Johnny , Husted Kenneth
Published: August 2010

Employees of commercial software firms who participate in open source software projects are found to be allegiant to both their company and the open source community. In this paper we examine how these employees' dual allegiance influences their knowledge sharing behaviour. We adopt Husted and Michailova's model on dual allegiance and knowledge sharing in inter‐firm R&D collaborations to the context of open source software firms. We argue that the type of allegiance the individual holds towards their employing firm and the open source community has a strong influence of how they share knowledge with other community members. We use the examples of two open source software firms in New Zealand to ground the empirical inspiration of our paper and to illustrate our key ideas and arguments. We discuss the knowledge governance challenges imposed by employees' dual allegiance and how managers of open source software firms can balance the demands of the open source community and the interests of the clients.
THE FABRICATION METAPHOR
Authors: Goldstick D.
Published: August 2010

Modern philosophers have often likened perception/cognition to a fabrication process. But disanalogy can be seen in the fact that in real fabrication the raw materials get used up, being literally present in the product. The metaphor has arguably misled both ‘logical construction’ philosophizing and epistemology influenced by the fabrication view's arch‐exponent, Kant. In fact, though, there isn't any reason to trace the results of our cognitive processes to inversely varying inputs from ‘the world’ and ‘the mind’ in such a way as to commit realism to the cognizing mind's ‘passivity’.
Fixed Rank Kriging for Very Large Spatial Data Sets
Authors: Cressie Noel , Johannesson Gardar
Published: August 2010

Spatial statistics for very large spatial data sets is challenging. The size of the data set, n, causes problems in computing optimal spatial predictors such as kriging, since its computational cost is of order n3. In addition, a large data set is often defined on a large spatial domain, so the spatial process of interest typically exhibits non-stationary behaviour over that domain. A flexible family of non-stationary covariance functions is defined by using a set of basis functions that is fixed in number, which leads to a spatial prediction method that we call fixed rank kriging. Specifically, fixed rank kriging is kriging within this class of non-stationary covariance functions. It relies on computational simplifications when n is very large, for obtaining the spatial best linear unbiased predictor and its mean-squared prediction error for a hidden spatial process. A method based on minimizing a weighted Frobenius norm yields best estimators of the covariance function parameters, which are then substituted into the fixed rank kriging equations. The new methodology is applied to a very large data set of total column ozone data, observed over the entire globe, where n is of the order of hundreds of thousands.
Experimental Evidence of Discrimination in the Hiring of First‐ and Second‐generation Immigrants
Authors: Carlsson Magnus
Published: August 2010

Previous field experiments that study ethnic discrimination in the labour market are extended in this paper, which outlines a study comparing discrimination of first‐ and second‐generation immigrants. Qualitatively identical resumes, belonging to first‐ and second‐generation immigrants from the Middle East, were sent to employers in Sweden that had advertised for labour. The findings suggest, somewhat unexpectedly, that first‐ and second‐generation immigrants have essentially the same probability of being invited to a job interview, which in turn is significantly lower than the probability of invitation to interview for natives.
Does Immigration Raise Blue and White Collar Wages of Natives? The Case of Italy
Authors: Staffolani Stefano , Valentini Enzo
Published: August 2010

This paper analyses both theoretically and empirically the effects of immigration on the wage rate of native workers. There is rare evidence in empirical literature that immigration generates a fall in the wages of manual workers. By hypothesizing an economic system where advanced firms buy an intermediate good from traditional firms, which employ manual workers in both clean and dirty tasks, the latter being more disliked by native workers, we present a theoretical model that justifies these results. We conclude that native skilled wages always increase whereas native unskilled wages can both increase or decrease with immigration. An empirical analysis of the Italian labour market follows, showing that native workers' wages always rise with immigration.
China's One‐Child Policy and ‘the Mystery of Missing Women’: Ethnic Minorities and Male‐Biased Sex Ratios*
Authors: Bulte Erwin , Heerink Nico , Zhang Xiaobo
Published: August 2010

Recent estimates suggest that as many as 40 million women are ‘missing’ in China. We exploit a special provision in the Chinese one‐child policy (OCP; allowing for preferential treatment of ethnic minority groups) to revisit the mystery of these missing women, and in particular to explore the contribution of China's OCP in distorting sex ratios. Our results imply that preference for boys is the main driver of the gender gap, and that the OCP is responsible for about half of it. This is true even before ultrasound technologies for prenatal gender determination were available. Not surprisingly, interaction between the OCP and ultrasound technologies has contributed to the gender gap.
Feature selection for support vector machine in financial crisis prediction: a case study in China
Authors: Song Xinping , Ding Yongsheng , Huang Jingwen , Ge Yan
Published: August 2010

Abstract:Corporate financial crisis forecasting plays an increasingly important role in the current intense and competitive commercial environment. It is an important phase in financial crisis forecasting to find the features that discriminate different financial conditions. In this paper, a genetic algorithm (GA) based approach and statistical filter approaches are applied to identify the best features for the support vector machine (SVM). The proposed GA‐based approach is carefully designed in order to have the capability of simultaneously optimizing the features and parameters of the SVM. Experimental results on the data from Chinese companies show that the GA‐based approach can extract fewer features with a higher accuracy compared with statistical filter approaches, such as analysis of variance, the T‐W test (which is the t test applied to variables satisfying a normal distribution and the Wilcoxon test applied to other variables not satisfying a normal distribution), logit regression and multiple discriminant analysis. Moreover, the experiments indicate that the proposed GA‐based approach is robust and suitable for selecting features for the SVM.
Ventricular cerebrospinal fluid neurofilament protein levels decrease in parallel with white matter pathology after shunt surgery in normal pressure hydrocephalus
Authors: Tullberg M. , Blennow K. , Månsson J.‐E. , Fredman P. , Tisell M. , Wikkelsö C.
Published: August 2010

Normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) is characterized by disturbed cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) dynamics and white matter lesions (WML). Although the morphology of these lesions is described, little is known about the biochemistry. Our aim was to explore the relationship between ventricular CSF markers, periventricular WML and postoperative clinical outcome in patients with NPH. We analysed lumbar and ventricular concentrations of 10 CSF markers, 12 clinical symptoms and signs, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) periventricular white matter hyperintensities (PVH) and ventricular size before and 3 months after shunt surgery in 35 patients with NPH. Higher ventricular CSF neurofilament protein (NFL), an axonal marker, correlated with more extensive PVH. A larger postoperative reduction in NFL correlated with larger reduction in PVH and a more pronounced overall improvement. Albumin ratio, HMPG, NPY, VIP and GD3 increased postoperatively whereas NFL, tau and HVA decreased. Variations in ventricular size were not associated with CSF concentrations of any marker. We conclude that NPH is characterized by an ongoing periventricular neuronal dysfunction seen on MRI as PVH. Clinical improvement after shunt surgery is associated with CSF changes indicating a restitution of axonal function. Other biochemical effects of shunting may include increased monoaminergic and peptidergic neurotransmission, breakdown of blood brain barrier function, and gliosis.
Basic learning processes in people with profound mental handicaps: Review and relevance
Authors: Remington Bob , Evans Jon
Published: August 2010

People with profound mental handicaps have in the past been described as behaviourally incompetent or even “vegetative” (Fuller, 1949). Descriptions of this kind convey a belief that such people are incapable of learning or responding to environmental change. Over the last 30 years, however, this view has been challenged and rejected. In both laboratory and applied settings, people with profound mental handicaps have been shown capable of behavioural adaptation and learning. This article first provides an overview of the literature and then examines more recent theoretical work on learning and performance in conditioning situations and the relevance of this work in the treatment and remediation of profound mental handicap.
Spontaneous requesting — acquisition, generalisation, and discriminative components: A SINGLE CASE STUDY
Authors: Magpusao Barbara , Cipani Ennio
Published: August 2010

This single case study investigated the effects of instructional variables on the initial acquisition, generalisation, and discriminative components of a requesting response in respect of two toothbrushing items. In Experiment 1, the effects of several teaching strategies (receptive language training, natural context training, and quick transfer training) on the acquisition of a requesting response were assessed. The quick transfer training method produced a requesting response with respect to both items. Requesting behaviour also generalised to a novel stimulus condition. In Experiment 2, quick transfer discrimination training resulted in the acquisition of a discriminated requesting response. Implications for assessment and training of spontaneous requesting skills are presented.
Severe mental handicap: WHAT DO PARENTS THINK?
Authors: Regan Adrienne , Speller Jeremy
Published: August 2010

Parents of 35 children attending a school for children with severe learning difficulties responded to a postal survey by questionnaire. This sought their views: on having a child with a severe mental handicap; on the help they received; and on how they felt they were coping with the experience.
Evaluation of training in the development of staffed housing for people with mental handicaps
Authors: Mansell Jim
Published: August 2010

A training course was provided to disseminate good practice in the provision of staffed housing for people with mental handicaps in South East Thames Regional Health Authority. A follow‐up questionnaire of people who attended two years after the course showed that respondents rated the course as a major contributor to their practice. A survey of four London health regions showed much greater development of staffed housing in South East Thames Regional Health Authority, including development in districts which were not committed to this model before the course, than in the other three regions.
Uncertain future: experiences and expectations of people with mental handicaps of life beyond the hospital and hostel
Authors: Day Peter R.
Published: August 2010

This paper is based on a study of the experiences of a small number of people with mental handicaps living in a hospital and a local authority hostel. They all expected to leave long stay accommodation. Their experience of the relatively lengthy periods spent in the hospital and the hostel is thought to have implications for the ways in which they may adapt to imminent changes in their lives. Some of their hopes and uncertainties, and those of staff who know them well, are described and discussed.
Behaviour disorders and other characteristics of the population of a mental handicap hospital
Authors: Kiernan Chris , Moss Steve
Published: August 2010

This paper presents information on the characteristics of 981 people living in a mental handicap hospital, including their sex, age, sensory and physical impairments, and level of behaviour disorder, and examines the inter‐relation of these features. The findings indicate that health and local authorities should take particular note of two features, age and behaviour disorders, when developing and implementing their resettlement policies for people with mental handicaps.
Prenatal diagnosis and Down's syndrome: PART 1. Review of possible procedures
Authors: Steele Jonathan
Published: August 2010

There have been many recent advances in techniques for prenatal diagnosis. The direct diagnostic procedures of amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling, which involve analysis of foetal material, are described and indications of their risks and reliability are given. Other direct procedures are briefly mentioned.

Indirect biochemical analyses that identify groups at increased risk are also considered and their individual reported relationships with Down's syndrome are discussed. Technical problems and reported acceptability of maternal serum alpha fetoprotein screening are briefly mentioned.

Studies reporting the potential of ultrasonography in the prenatal detection of Down's syndrome are reviewed. Other indications of increased risk are briefly mentioned.
Peer‐tutoring of manual signs by adults with mental handicaps
Authors: Hooper Helen , Bowler Dermot M.
Published: August 2010

A group of eight adults with moderate to mild mental handicaps (tutors) were taught ways of promoting communication in eleven of their less able peers (students). They encouraged the students to communicate by means of combined signed and spoken utterances in naturalistic settings. As well as showing significant increases in their pre‐ and post‐intervention vocabularies, the students showed significant increases in the extent to which they responded to tutors' interactions with them.
THE USE OF EVALUATION IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF A STAFFED RESIDENTIAL SERVICE FOR ADULTS WITH MENTAL HANDICAP
Authors: Hewson Simon , Walker Jenny
Published: August 2010

Although there is widespread acceptance that services should be evaluated there is little evidence that evaluations have much influence on services. This study reports an evaluation which was designed specifically to influence development in a residential service for adults with mental handicap. A rationale is provided for the design of the evaluation and the subsequent evaluation process and methodology is described. Results are presented which show that ‘second generation’ services can achieve levels of performance similar to those reported by ‘exemplary’ projects on such measures as client engagement and staff interaction. Equally, the marked variability in results across the district‐wide service indicated both the need and the scope for significant improvements. The consequences of feeding back this information to management are described. Finally the practicability and usefulness of this type of evaluation are discussed.
SELF‐INJURIOUS BEHAVIOUR: AN OVERVIEW OF RECENT TRENDS IN EPIDEMIOLOGICAL AND BEHAVIOURAL RESEARCH
Authors: Emerson Eric
Published: August 2010

Abstract  Recent developments in epidemiological and applied behavioural research and practice are reviewed. Three key themes in applied behavioural approaches are identified and discussed: an increasing tendency to base interventions upon prior experimental analyses; the use of communication as a metaphor in understanding the function of self‐injurious behaviour; a questioning of the social validity of aversive interventions.
STAFF'S ATTITUDES AND WORKING CONDITIONS IN COMMUNITY‐BASED GROUP HOMES OF PEOPLE WITH MENTAL HANDICAPS
Authors: Kroese Biza Stenfert , Fleming Ian
Published: August 2010

Abstract  Thirty Social Services care staff, working in small group homes with people with mental handicaps, completed a questionnaire concerning their working conditions and their attitudes on work and training opportunities. It was found that most staff reported considerable job satisfaction as well as some job stress. Overall scores of satisfaction and stress were more extreme than when the various job components were rated separately. Two areas of work associated with high job satisfaction (teaching clients and outings with clients) also produced the highest stress ratings. Staff turnover was relatively low. The results are discussed in relation to the unique job demands of community care work.
A CONSUMER SURVEY OF ADULTS WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES CURRENTLY DOING WORK EXPERIENCE: THEIR SATISFACTION WITH WORK AND WISHES FOR THE FUTURE
Authors: Shanly Angela , Rose John
Published: August 2010

The introduction of a local Social Services policy on day services for adults with learning disabilities reflects a nationwide trend towards getting more people out of day‐centres and into open employment. With service providers' history of failing to consult the people they serve, it was considered vital to find out the views of men and women currently on a work experience programme. Eighteen people were asked about their satisfaction with work and the day centre they attend, as well as their preference for full or part‐time work. Results indicated that they all valued some aspects of their work highly, but half expressed a desire to exercise the option of coming to the day centre for some of the time. Everyone in the study emphasised the importance of friends, whether at work or at the Centre. The research design incorporated a combination of open‐ended, yes/no and either/or questions in order to reduce the problems of acquiescence and inconsistency often found when interviewing people with learning disabilities.
STRESS AND STAFF IN RESIDENTAL SETTINGS: THE MOVE FROM HOSPITAL TO THE COMMUNITY
Authors: Rose John
Published: August 2010

This paper describes a survey of direct care staff in three types of residential accommodation for people with learning disabilities. These were a hospital, community units and group homes. The questionnaire was based on a model of occupational stress developed by Payne (1979). Data was collected upon each individual's background characteristics, the types of demands, supports and constraints they perceived themselves to be under, and the amount of strain (stress) felt by each person. Replies were received from 34 hospital staff (72% response rate), 47 community unit staff (64%) and 31 group home staff (79%). The results indicate that the hospital and group home staff reported similar, relatively high levels of strain. However, the community unit group reported significantly lower levels. The complex relationship between perceived demands, supports and constraints with strain is discussed. Care needs to be taken in interpreting the data when relating it to the quality of service the resident receives, as no link has yet been shown between this and staff wellbeing. The problems of generalisation are also considered. However, some recommendations are made for further investigations and possible action.
INVESTIGATING COMMUNICATIVE FUNCTIONS IN PROFOUNDLY RETARDED PERSONS: A COMPARISON OF TWO METHODS OF OBTAINING INFORMATION ABOUT COMMUNICATIVE BEHAVIOURS
Authors: Granlund Mats , Olsson Cecilia
Published: August 2010

A high degree of validity for an operationalised concept is indicated if different types of data aimed to measure the same concept have strong correlations as compared to the correlations of the same type of data aimed to measure related but different concepts. With respect to the communicative ability of profoundly retarded persons, recent studies have almost exclusively used observations as the data‐collection method. This paper presents an investigation of the statistical relationships between observational data and interview data aimed at measuring the complexity of communicative behaviours and frequency of their use. The results will be discussed in terms of the validity of different modes of data‐collection. Finally, the relationships between complexity of communicative behaviours used and frequency of use of communicative behaviours in profoundly retarded persons will be discussed.
A SURVEY OF DIETARY PROBLEMS OF ADULTS WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES IN THE COMMUNITY
Authors: Stewart Lynette , Beange Helen , Mackerras Dorothy
Published: August 2010

A survey of nutritional status and dietary problems in adults with learning disabilities aged 20–50 years and living in the general community is reported. The frequency of overweight (BMI 25–30) and obese (BMI >30) women (and in Down Syndrome subjects both men and women) was more than twice that in their community controls. No significant difference in BMI categories was found in the men. Hypertension and hypercholesterolaemia were more frequent in overweight and obese learning disabled women than in their community counterparts. These results indicate a need for specific nutrition education programmes, in concert with proper nutritional assessment and dietary intervention.
PROCEDURES FOR PROMOTING INDEPENDENT ACTIVITY IN PEOPLE WITH SEVERE AND PROFOUND LEARNING DISABILITY: A BRIEF REVIEW
Authors: Lancioni Giulio E.
Published: August 2010

Treatment and care of people with severe and profound learning disability have received a great deal of attention during the last two decades. One issue attracting particular research interest has been the definition of procedures for promoting independent activity engagement (i.e. activity engagement independent of staff supervision). The present paper reviews six procedures: (1) task/contingencies fading; (2) automatic prompting; (3) use of reactive objects and electrical switches; (4) pictorial, tactile or auditory cues handled by the subjects; (5) computer‐aided programmes presenting instructions, reinforcement and corrective feedback; and (6) employment of peer caregivers.
A REGIONAL MENTAL IMPAIRMENT SERVICE
Authors: Cumella Stuart , Sansom David
Published: August 2010

There is no consistent pattern of services in England for people with a learning disability who offend or have severe anti‐social behaviours (‘mental impairment’). In one English health region, the mental impairment service comprises two residential units on hospital sites. The first of these (Unit A) operates as a medium‐secure unit, assessing and treating patients referred by the courts. The second (Unit B) has a lower level of security, and provides long‐term treatment for people with a mental impairment domiciled in its hospital's catchment area. Almost all the patients in the two units had mild learning disabilities, and substantial minorities had psychiatric and/or neurological disorders. A higher proportion of patients at the unit with the lowest level of security had psychiatric disorders and disturbed behaviour. This anomaly results from the lack of local mental impairment services throughout the region, which makes it difficult to discharge patients from Unit A. It is recommended that priority be given to the development of local mental impairment services rather then new medium‐secure assessment units.
AN EXAMINATION OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN STAFF BEHAVIOUR AND STRESS LEVELS IN RESIDENTIAL CARE
Authors: Rose John , Mullan Ellen , Fletcher Ben (C.)
Published: August 2010

This paper examines the relationship between levels of stress and the observed performance at work of direct care staff in one community unit and two group homes for people with learning disabilities. Staff completed a questionnaire which measured their levels of stress and factors which they perceived could have influenced them. Staff were observed in detail at work and asked to report on levels of stress during these observation periods. No significant differences in levels of stress were found between the staff in group homes and community units. There was greater staff/resident interaction in the group homes, suggesting that quality improvements in residential environments can be achieved without affecting staff stress.

A number of factors, particularly relationships with other staff and management, are discussed as of vital importance in influencing stress levels.
A SURVEY OF INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES AMONGST MEN ON REMAND IN PRISON
Authors: Murphy Glynis H. , Harnett Hedley , Holland Anthony J.
Published: August 2010

Men detained in a South London prison on remand were screened for intellectual disabilities (mental handicap) over a three‐month period. Of 157 men screened, 33 reported having intellectual disabilities. Twenty‐one of these completed the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) and were tested for IQ (on the WAIS‐R), for reading and numeracy (on the British Ability Scales). An equal number of men were selected for the control group, on a ‘next man in’ basis, and they were assessed in an identical way. None of the index men had an IQ in the intellectual disabilities (mental handicap) range but the mean Verbal IQ, mean Full Scale IQ, mean reading age and mean numeracy age were all significantly lower in the index group than in the control group. Moreover, the index group had significantly higher scores on the GHQ and often had a recent history of mental illness or psychiatric hospital admission. It is concluded that men with intellectual disabilities were not over‐represented in prison but that there were a number of men close to the disability range who were psychologically very vulnerable.
THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SHORTENED ‘WAYS OF COPING’ QUESTIONNAIRE FOR USE WITH DIRECT CARE STAFF IN LEARNING DISABILITY SERVICES
Authors: Hatton Chris , Emerson Eric
Published: August 2010

This study reports the development of die Shortened Ways of Coping (Revised) Questionnaire (SWC‐R), a measure of staff coping strategies designed to be easily administered and scored in work settings. The 14‐item self‐report measure is scored into two subscales, Practical Coping and Wishful Thinking, representing distinct Ways of Coping. The reliability of the SWC‐R was evaluated by administering questionnaires containing the SWC‐R to 181 direct care staff in four learning disability services and, in an attempt to explore issues of validity, measures of social desirability, distress, overall job satisfaction, overall life satisfaction, and propensity to leave the organisation. A subset of 30 staff completed the questionnaire twice over a 16‐month period, enabling some exploration of test‐retest reliability and predictive validity. Both subscales show adequate psychometric properties in terms of alpha reliabilities, inter‐item correlations, inter‐scale correlations, and test‐retest reliabilities. While the Wishful Thinking subscale is prone to a social desirability bias, exclusion of such a measure from analyses does not seem to lead to false positive errors. The Wishful Thinking subscale shows a reliable positive association with distress (even over a 16‐month period) and some negative associations with overall life satisfaction, but the Practical Coping sub‐scale is associated with none of the outcome measures used in the study. The further use of the SWC‐R in research concerning direct care staff in human services is recommended.
STRESSORS, COPING STRATEGIES AND STRESS‐RELATED OUTCOMES AMONG DIRECT CARE STAFF IN STAFFED HOUSES FOR PEOPLE WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES
Authors: Hatton Chris , Brown Rachel , Caine Amanda , Emerson Eric
Published: August 2010

Self‐reported stressors, coping strategies and stress‐related outcomes were explored among 68 direct‐care staff working in two networks of small staffed houses for people with learning disabilities. The two networks tended to have lower rates of staff turnover, and staff tended to be older, more qualified and more likely to have dependants, than staff in UK community services reported in previous studies. Staff in Network 2 rated several stressors as more stressful and reported themselves as experiencing greater general distress and work‐related stress, than staff in Network 1. Multiple regressions revealed that: (1) stressors relating to the emotional impact of the work, violent service user behaviour and the use of a wishful thinking coping strategy were associated with perceived work stress; (2) stressors relating to the conflict of work with personal or family demands, and the use of a wishful thinking coping strategy, were associated with symptoms of general distress; (3) perceived work stress, together with uncertainty concerning job tasks and limited opportunities for personal advancement, were perceived to have a high impact on work
The Policy Tools of Securitization: Information Exchange, EU Foreign and Interior Policies*
Authors: BALZACQ THIERRY
Published: August 2010

This article takes up where securitization theory left off, arguing that securitization can occur or evolve without the assent of an identifiable audience. To explain this puzzle, the article proposes that rather than investigating the construction of threats at the level of discourse, we should focus on the functions and implications of policy instruments used to meet a public problem (e.g. terrorism). In order to substantiate the framework offered here, the article examines the primary tool in the EU's fight against terrorism, information exchange. The conclusion suggests that the consequences of counter‐terrorism have been de‐politicization, intelligence‐led policing and cross‐pillarization.
The Uses and Abuses of Counter‐Terrorism Policies in Europe: The Case of the ‘Terrorist Lists’*
Authors: GUILD ELSPETH
Published: August 2010

The appearance of the EU as a security actor has nowhere been more apparent than in the field of counter‐terrorism measures after 11 September 2001. This article looks at the challenges which the EU is facing regarding its new role, taking as an example one of the corner stones of the counter‐terrorism measures: the freezing of funds to persons and entities suspected of having links with terrorism. The relationship between the rights of individuals and the legal force necessitated at the EU level by heightened risk has recently been the subject of judicial and political scrutiny.
Unravelling the development of the visual cortex: implications for plasticity and repair
Authors: Bourne James A.
Published: August 2010

The visual cortex comprises over 50 areas in the human, each with a specified role and distinct physiology, connectivity and cellular morphology. How these individual areas emerge during development still remains something of a mystery and, although much attention has been paid to the initial stages of the development of the visual cortex, especially its lamination, very little is known about the mechanisms responsible for the arealization and functional organization of this region of the brain. In recent years we have started to discover that it is the interplay of intrinsic (molecular) and extrinsic (afferent connections) cues that are responsible for the maturation of individual areas, and that there is a spatiotemporal sequence in the maturation of the primary visual cortex (striate cortex, V1) and the multiple extrastriate/association areas. Studies in both humans and non‐human primates have started to highlight the specific neural underpinnings responsible for the maturation of the visual cortex, and how experience‐dependent plasticity and perturbations to the visual system can impact upon its normal development. Furthermore, damage to specific nuclei of the visual cortex, such as the primary visual cortex (V1), is a common occurrence as a result of a stroke, neurotrauma, disease or hypoxia in both neonates and adults alike. However, the consequences of a focal injury differ between the immature and adult brain, with the immature brain demonstrating a higher level of functional resilience. With better techniques for examining specific molecular and connectional changes, we are now starting to uncover the mechanisms responsible for the increased neural plasticity that leads to significant recovery following injury during this early phase of life. Further advances in our understanding of postnatal development/maturation and plasticity observed during early life could offer new strategies to improve outcomes by recapitulating aspects of the developmental program in the adult brain.
Risk of uterine rupture in Australian women attempting vaginal birth after one prior caesarean section: a retrospective population‐based cohort study
Authors: Dekker GA , Chan A , Luke CG , Priest K , Riley M , Halliday J , King JF , Gee V , O’Neill M , Snell M , Cull V , Cornes S
Published: August 2010

Please cite this paper as: Dekker G, Chan A, Luke C, Priest K, Riley M, Halliday J, King J, Gee V, O’Neill M, Snell M, Cull V, Cornes S. Risk of uterine rupture in Australian women attempting vaginal birth after one prior caesarean section: a retrospective population‐based cohort study. BJOG 2010;117:1358–1365.

Objective  Higher risks of uterine rupture have been reported among women attempting vaginal birth after caesarean (VBAC) particularly following induction with prostaglandins, compared with women who do not labour. This study aimed to estimate these risks as well as that associated with oxytocin use.

Design  Population‐based retrospective cohort study involving all women who had their first births by caesarean. In their second birth, risks of uterine rupture among women without labour and women who had labour augmented or induced were compared with women who gave birth after spontaneous labour.

Setting  Four Australian states in 1998–2000.

Population  Women on pregnancy outcome databases with a second birth after a prior caesarean for their first birth.

Methods  From 29 008 women identified from the databases, those with uterine rupture were identified and validated using hospital case records.

Main outcome measure  Uterine rupture.

Results  The risk of complete uterine rupture among women without labour was 0.01%. The risk in spontaneous labour without augmentation was 0.15%, considerably higher when there was augmentation with oxytocin (1.91%). The risk with induction of labour was 0.54% for oxytocin alone, 0.68% for prostaglandin alone, 0.63% without either and 0.88% when they were combined. Compared with spontaneous labour, risks were increased three‐ to five‐fold for any induction, six‐fold for prostaglandin combined with oxytocin and 14‐fold for augmentation with oxytocin.

Conclusions  Careful consideration should be given to the use of oxytocin for augmentation of labour or induction by any method for women with a previous caesarean in view of increased risks of uterine rupture.
Interrelationship between oxygen‐related variables in patients with acute myocardial infarction: an interpretative review
Authors: Jorge Miguel A. , Tavella Margarita , Irrazábal Célica L. , Peralta Jorge G. , Capdevila Abelardo A.
Published: August 2010

The high mortality rate of cardiogenic shock in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) implies that debate over the correct haemodynamic management is still unresolved. The purpose of this review is to re‐evaluate the reciprocal relationships between oxygen‐related variables and response to treatment in a large number of patients with AMI. A MEDLINE search of reports published between 1970 and 2008 was performed. Twelve clinical reports including 453 patients with AMI and 989 sets of oxygen delivery and oxygen consumption expressed in ml min−1 m−2 and oxygen extraction ratio were selected. While processing this data, we found an early down‐regulation in oxygen demand linked to a decrease in oxygen supply. This mechanism is also supported in some studies by a critically low oxygen uptake that was not associated with lactic acidosis.
Naphthoylenebenzimidazolone sensitisers for photo‐oxidisable free radical polymerisation with the aid of pyridinium salts
Authors: Kolińska Jolanta , Podsiadły Radosław , Sokołowska Jolanta
Published: August 2010

A series of neutral dyes based on the naphthoylenebenzimidazolone skeleton have been synthesised and evaluated as potential light‐absorbing chromophores for free radical polymerisation. Kinetic studies of photoinitiated polymerisation of methyl acrylate and trimethylolpropane triacrylate with pyridinium salts have proved that these dyes are efficient electron‐donating photoinitiators operating in visible light.
Photofading of phenylazo‐aniline, ‐pyridone and ‐quinolone disperse dyes on a nylon 6 substrate
Authors: Okada Yasuyo , Hihara Toshio , Morita Zenzo
Published: August 2010

The photofading of phenylazo‐aniline, ‐pyridone and ‐quinolone disperse dyes on nylon fabric was analysed using the Kubelka–Munk (K/S) spectra of fabrics exposed to a carbon arc in air. The exposure of dyed fabric through ultraviolet and coloured filters, which do not shield the main absorption band, showed a large decrease in the initial rate (KPA) of fading. Compared with theKPAvalues without filters, the values using filters were half as large for dyes without the nitro groups and a quarter as large for dyes with the nitro groups. TheKPAvalues may be qualitatively explained by the sum of azo scission (decrease ofK/Svalue at λmax) and the conversion of nitro groups to nitroso groups. These phenomena occur, respectively, via thermal disproportionation reactions between hydrazinyl radicals (from the azo group) and the reaction between hydrazinyl and N‐centred nitrosyl hydroxide radicals (from the nitro group). The azo scission is promoted by N‐centred nitrosyl hydroxide radicals via the latter reactions.
Modified 2,4‐difluoro‐5‐chloro‐pyrimidine dyes and their application in ink‐jet printing on wool fabrics
Authors: Clark M , Yang K , Lewis D M
Published: August 2010

This paper describes the modification of three commercially available 2,4‐difluoro‐5‐chloropyrimidine dyes (Drimarene Brilliant Red K‐4BL, Drimarene Brilliant Blue K‐BL and Drimarene Golden Yellow K‐2R) by the reaction of the parent dye with 4‐hydroxybenzensulphonic acid sodium salt. Capillary electrophoresis was used to monitor both the course of the above reaction and to ascertain the dye stability of the dyes in an ink formulation. Inks prepared from the modified dyes showed much higher storage stability compared with the parent dye‐containing inks; this was confirmed by capillary electrophoresis analysis. Inks containing the modified dyes were printed on wool fabrics and diffusion/fixation achieved by ‘batching’ the prints at 25 °C; high fixation values were obtained for all three modified dyes. These prints exhibited excellent colour fastness to washing, rubbing and light, the former test confirming a high degree of dye–fibre covalent bonding.
Novel environmentally benign procedure for the synthesis of 2‐aryl‐ and 2‐hetaryl‐4(3H)‐quinazolinones
Authors: Deligeorgiev T G , Kaloyanova St , Vasilev A , Vaquero J‐J , Alvarez‐Builla J , Cuadro Ana M
Published: August 2010

A novel environmentally benign procedure for the synthesis of 2‐aryl‐ or 2‐hetaryl‐4(3H)‐quinazolinones by condensation of anthranilamide with various aromatic aldehydes in polyethylene glycol under microwave irradiation has been developed. In contrast with other reported methods, this procedure provides the corresponding quinazolinones with good to high yields and purity, in very short reaction times and without the use of an oxidant.
Cryptic variation in butterfly eyespot development: the importance of sample size in gene expression studies
Authors: Reed Robert D. , Chen Po‐Hao , Frederik Nijhout H.
Published: August 2010

SUMMARY
Previous studies have shown that development can be robust to variation in parameters such as the timing or level of gene expression. This leads to the prediction that natural populations should be able to host developmental variation that has little phenotypic effect. Cryptic variation is of particular interest because it can result in selectable phenotypes when “released” by environmental or genetic factors. Currently, however, we have little idea of how variation is distributed between genes or over time in pattern formation processes. Here we survey expression of Notch (N), Spalt (Sal), and Engrailed (En) during butterfly eyespot determination to better understand how pattern formation may vary within a population. We observed substantial heterochronic variance in the progress of spatial expression patterns for all three proteins, suggesting some degree of developmental buffering in eyespot development. Peak variance for different proteins was found at both early and late stages of development, contrasting with previous models suggesting that the distribution of variance should be more temporally focused during pattern formation. We speculate that our observations are representative of a standing reservoir of cryptic variation that may contribute to phenotypic evolution under certain circumstances. Our results also provide a strong cautionary message that gene expression studies with limited sample sizes can be positively misleading in terms of inferring expression pattern time series, as well as for making cross‐species phylogenetic comparisons.
Ectoderm‐ and endomesoderm‐specific GATA transcription factors in the marine annelid Platynereis dumerilli
Authors: Gillis William J. , Bowerman Bruce , Schneider Stephan Q.
Published: August 2010

SUMMARY
The GATA family of transcription factors appears to retain conserved roles in early germ layer patterning in most, if not all, animals; however, the number and structure of GATA factor genes varies substantially when different animal genomes are compared. Thus, the origin and relationships of invertebrate and vertebrate GATA factors, and their involvement in animal germ layer evolution, are unclear. We identified two highly conserved GATA factor genes in a marine annelid, the polychaete Platynereis dumerilii. A phylogenetic analysis indicates that the two Platynereis GATA factors are orthologous to the GATA1/2/3 and GATA4/5/6 subfamilies present in vertebrates. We also identified conserved motifs within each GATA class, and assigned the divergent Caenorhabditiselegans and Drosophila melanogaster GATA factor genes to the vertebrate classes. Similar to their vertebrate homologs, PdGATA123 mRNA expression was restricted to ectoderm, whereas PdGATA456 was detected only in endomesoderm. Finally, we identified in genome databases one GATA factor gene in each of two distantly related cnidarians that include motifs from both bilaterian GATA factor classes. Our results show that distinct orthologs of the two vertebrate GATA factor classes exist in a protostome invertebrate, suggesting that bilaterian GATA factors originated from GATA1/2/3 and 4/5/6 ancestral orthologs. Moreover, our results indicate that the GATA gene duplication and the functional divergence that led to these two ancestral GATA factor genes occurred after the split of the bilaterian stem group from the cnidarians.
Gene expression patterns in a novel animal appendage: the sea urchin pluteus arm
Authors: Love Alan C. , Andrews Mary E. , Raff Rudolf A.
Published: August 2010

SUMMARY
The larval arms of echinoid plutei are used for locomotion and feeding. They are composed of internal calcite skeletal rods covered by an ectoderm layer bearing a ciliary band. Skeletogenesis includes an autonomous molecular differentiation program in primary mesenchyme cells (PMCs), initiated when PMCs leave the vegetal plate for the blastocoel, and a patterning of the differentiated skeletal units that requires molecular cues from the overlaying ectoderm. The arms represent a larval feature that arose in the echinoid lineage during the Paleozoic and offers a subject for the study of gene co‐option in the evolution of novel larval features. We isolated new molecular markers in two closely related but differently developing species, Heliocidaris tuberculata and Heliocidaris erythrogramma. We report the expression of a larval arm‐associated ectoderm gene tetraspanin, as well as two new PMC markers, advillin and carbonic anhydrase. Tetraspanin localizes to the animal half of blastula stage H. tuberculata and then undergoes a restriction into the putative oral ectoderm and future location of the postoral arms, where it continues to be expressed at the leading edge of both the postoral and anterolateral arms. In H. erythrogramma, its expression initiates in the animal half of blastulae and expands over the entire ectoderm from gastrulation onward. Advillin and carbonic anhydrase are upregulated in the PMCs postgastrulation and localized to the leading edge of the growing larval arms of H. tuberculata but do not exhibit coordinated expression in H. erythrogramma larvae. The tight spatiotemporal regulation of these genes in H. tuberculata along with other ontogenetic and phylogenetic evidence suggest that pluteus arms are novel larval organs, distinguishable from the processes of skeletogenesis per se. The dissociation of expression control in H. erythrogramma suggest that coordinate gene expression in H. tuberculata evolved as part of the evolution of pluteus arms, and is not required for larval or adult development.
Constraints on utilization of the EDA‐signaling pathway in threespine stickleback evolution
Authors: Knecht Anne K. , Hosemann Kim E. , Kingsley David M.
Published: August 2010

SUMMARY
Many traits evolve in parallel in widely separated populations. The evolutionary radiation of threespine sticklebacks provides a powerful model for testing the molecular basis of parallel evolution in vertebrates. Although marine sticklebacks are completely covered with bony armor plates, most freshwater populations have dramatic reductions in plates. Recent genetic studies have shown that major changes in armor patterning are likely due to regulatory alterations in the gene encoding the secreted signaling molecule ectodysplasin (EDA). In mammals, mutations in many different components of the EDA‐signaling pathway produce similar changes in hair, teeth, sweat glands, and dermal bones. To test whether other genes in the EDA pathway also control natural variation in armor plates, we identified and mapped stickleback EDA Receptor (EDAR), the EDAR‐Associated Death Domain adaptor, Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor (TNFR) SuperFamily member 19, its adaptor TNFR‐Associated Factor 6, and the downstream regulator nuclear factor kappa B Essential Modulator (NEMO). In contrast to the diversity of genes underlying ectodermal dysplasia disease phenotypes in humans, none of these EDA pathway components map to chromosomes previously shown to modify armor plates in natural populations, though EDAR showed a small but significant effect on plate number. We further investigated whether these genes exhibit differences in copy number, target size, or genomic organization that might make them less suitable targets for evolutionary change. In comparison with EDA, all these genes have smaller surrounding noncoding (putative regulatory) regions, with fewer evolutionarily conserved regions. We suggest that the presence of highly modular cis‐acting control sequences may be a key factor influencing the likelihood that particular genes will serve as the basis of major phenotypic changes in nature.