bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Marketing of Retail Financial Services.
Authors: Iqbal M 
Published: July 2016

1.1 In recent years insurance companies have begun to employ marketing techniques in search of greater success in an increasingly competitive market place. Several companies have Marketing Departments. However, those who have used marketing techniques most efficiently are not necessarily those with the largest departments.1.2 Too often marketing is confused with promotion which is but one facet of a multi-faceted discipline. Another common mistake is to regard marketing as a subset of selling. This is understandable because most senior marketing appointments in the insurance industry have gone to people with a sales background. Levitt in his classic article Marketing Myopia inHarvard Business Reviewsaid:“Selling focuses on the needs of the seller; marketing on the needs of the buyer. Selling is preoccupied with the seller's need to convert his product into cash; marketing with the idea of satisfying the needs of the customer by means of the product and the whole cluster of things associated with creating, delivering and finally consuming it.The selling concept starts with the company's existing products and calls for heavy promotion and selling to achieve profitable sales. The marketing concept is a customers' needs and wants orientation backed by integrated marketing effort aimed at generating customer satisfaction as a key to satisfying customer goals.The determination of what is to be produced should not be in the hands of the companies but in the hands of the customers. The companies produce what the consumers want and in this way maximize consumer welfare and earn their profits.”
Improving the Performance of Equity Portfolios.
Authors: Clarkson R. S. , Plymen J. 
Published: July 2016

This paper has the strictly practical objective of devising procedures for managing Equity portfolios to the best advantage.First, Modern Portfolio Theory, (MPT) which has been developed over the last 35 years with just this objective, is critically examined; from a study of the history of MPT and of its philosophy, principles and practices, the authors conclude that this discipline makes no contribution whatever to improving the performance.
Reflections on Resilience: Some Considerations of Mismatching Tests, with Particular Reference to Non-Linked Long-term Insurance Business
Authors: Purchase D. E. , Fine A. E. M. , Headdon C. P. , Hewitson T. W. , Johnson C. M. , Lumsden I. C. , Maple M. H. , O'Keeffe P. J. L. , Pook P. J. , Robinson D. G. 
Published: July 2016

AbstractThe paper considers the valuation for solvency purposes of traditional long-term insurance business. It concentrates on without-profit business, and discusses the reserves that are required to protect against the contingency of sudden adverse changes in asset values (the ‘mismatching’ or ‘resilience’ test). The details of a suitable test, and a method of applying it in practice using a ‘matching rectangle’, are described. Investigations into the effectiveness of such a test, using both deterministic and stochastic methods, are followed by concluding remarks on the underlying philosophical issues raised.Full numerical results are presented in the Appendices.
A Marketing Audit of the Actuarial Profession
Authors: Milne Ray J. H. , Bagot Gordon M. , Buchanan Alasdair C. , Goodman Alan R. , Gupta Ashok K. , Horn Iain G. , Lee Stewart F. , Porch Bob , Thomson Ian J. 
Published: July 2016

1.1.1 The Faculty of Actuaries' Marketing Research Group was set up in May 1988 to research areas of interest to that new breed of Fellow, the “Marketing Actuary”.In the initial meetings two general areas of interest were identified—namely the marketing of the actuarial profession, and the marketing of financial services products.Whilst the group has spent time on both subjects this first paper is concerned with the marketing of the actuarial profession.1.1.2 We felt that the starting point for a marketing audit of the profession was to conduct research amongst the members. In addition we have investigated the coverage achieved by the profession in the media, and looked into developments in North America, including a survey which ranked the actuarial profession against other forms of employment.
A Matter for Professional Judgement in the Matter of the Perfect Profits PLC Pension Scheme
Authors: MacNeill James , Stephens J. L. , Ross T. M. 
Published: July 2016

In giving their advice, actuaries form part of a complex series of interlocking relationships – pensions advice must take account of the Trust Deed, the Faculty's and the Institute's Rules of Professional Conduct and the law.The law is paramount as interpreted by judges. Lawyers and judges have little difficulty in investigating transactions of many years ago – what was deemed normal and proper by actuaries then could well not be perceived by the court as reasonable – either then or now. The fact that everyone does it may be a defence against negligence – or it may not.
Positive braid knots of maximal topological 4-genus
Authors: LIECHTI LIVIO 
Published: July 2016

AbstractWe show that a positive braid knot has maximal topological 4-genus exactly if it has maximal signature invariant. As an application, we determine all positive braid knots with maximal topological 4-genus and compute the topological 4-genus for all positive braid knots with up to 12 crossings.
Practice Change Interventions in Long-Term Care Facilities: What Works, and Why?
Authors: Caspar Sienna , Cooke Heather A. , Phinney Alison , Ratner Pamela A. 
Published: July 2016

RÉSUMÉAu cours des trois dernières décennies, il y a eu une augmentation notable dans les études de pratique concernant changements dans les interventions en soins de longue durée (SLD). Cette critique, basé sur une approche réaliste modifiée, répond aux questions suivantes: Quelles caractéristiques de changement d’intervention fonctionnent bien? Et, dans quelles circonstances, fonctionnent-elles, et pourquoi? Une approche réaliste modifiée a été appliquée pour identifier et expliquer les interactions parmi le contexte, le mécanisme, et les résultats. Nous avons cherché des bases de données électroniques et la littérature publiée pour les études empiriques des interventions pratiques modifiées qui (a) ont été menées dans les établissements de SLD, (b) ont impliqué le personnel soignant formel, et (c) ont fait état d’une évaluation formelle. Quatre-vingt-quatre articles répondaient à nos critères d’inclusion. Les interventions qui ne comprenaient que des facteurs prédisposants étaient moins susceptibles d’être efficaces, tandis que les interventions qui comprenaient des facteurs renforçants étaient les plus susceptibles de produire des résultats durables. Nous avons conclu que les interventions visant à changer les pratiques dans les milieux de SLD devraient inclure les facteurs habilitants et renforçants qui sont à la fois réalisables et efficaces.
A review of risk factors for bovine tuberculosis infection in cattle in the UK and Ireland
Authors: BROUGHAN J. M. , JUDGE J. , ELY E. , DELAHAY R. J. , WILSON G. , CLIFTON-HADLEY R. S. , GOODCHILD A. V. , BISHOP H. , PARRY J. E. , DOWNS S. H. 
Published: July 2016

SUMMARYBovine tuberculosis (bTB) is an important disease of cattle caused by infection withMycobacterium bovis, a pathogen that may be extremely difficult to eradicate in the presence of a true wildlife reservoir. Our objective was to identify and review relevant literature and provide a succinct summary of current knowledge of risk factors for transmission of infection of cattle. Search strings were developed to identify publications from electronic databases to February 2015. Abstracts of 4255 papers identified were reviewed by three reviewers to determine whether the entire article was likely to contain relevant information. Risk factors could be broadly grouped as follows: animal (including nutrition and genetics), herd (including bTB and testing history), environment, wildlife and social factors. Many risk factors are inter-related and study designs often do not enable differentiation between cause and consequence of infection. Despite differences in study design and location, some risk factors are consistently identified, e.g. herd size, bTB history, presence of infected wildlife, whereas the evidence for others is less consistent and coherent, e.g. nutrition, local cattle movements. We have identified knowledge gaps where further research may result in an improved understanding of bTB transmission dynamics. The application of targeted, multifactorial disease control regimens that address a range of risk factors simultaneously is likely to be a key to effective, evidence-informed control strategies.
Isolation ofBartonella henselae, Bartonella koehleraesubsp.koehlerae, Bartonella koehleraesubsp.bothieriand a new subspecies ofB. koehleraefrom free-ranging lions (Panthera leo) from South Africa, cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) from Namibia and captive cheetahs from California
Authors: MOLIA S. , KASTEN R. W. , STUCKEY M. J. , BOULOUIS H. J. , ALLEN J. , BORGO G. M. , KOEHLER J. E. , CHANG C. C. , CHOMEL B. B. 
Published: July 2016

SUMMARYBartonellae are blood- and vector-borne Gram-negative bacteria, recognized as emerging pathogens. Whole-blood samples were collected from 58 free-ranging lions (Panthera leo) in South Africa and 17 cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) from Namibia. Blood samples were also collected from 11 cheetahs (more than once for some of them) at the San Diego Wildlife Safari Park. Bacteria were isolated from the blood of three (5%) lions, one (6%) Namibian cheetah and eight (73%) cheetahs from California. The lionBartonellaisolates were identified asB. henselae(two isolates) andB. koehleraesubsp.koehlerae. The Namibian cheetah strain was close but distinct from isolates from North American wild felids and clustered betweenB. henselaeandB. koehlerae. It should be considered as a new subspecies ofB. koehlerae. All the Californian semi-captive cheetah isolates were different fromB. henselaeorB. koehleraesubsp.koehleraeand from the Namibian cheetah isolate. They were also distinct from the strains isolated from Californian mountain lions (Felis concolor) and clustered with strains ofB. koehleraesubsp.bothieriisolated from free-ranging bobcats (Lynx rufus) in California. Therefore, it is likely that these captive cheetahs became infected by an indigenous strain for which bobcats are the natural reservoir.
Training parents as effective listeners of their children's reading
Authors: Raciti S. , Mathams P. 
Published: July 2016

This study briefly outlines the results of a pilot project within the Bowen Special Education District directed to the training of parents as effective listeners of children's oral reading. The study assesses the relevant listening behaviours of two parents before, during and after being involved in a Parent Helper's Reading Program. The effectiveness of the program is generally evident from the observed improvement in listening behaviours demonstrated by the parents. Furthermore, the increased competency in listening behaviours by parents is paralleled by a simultaneous improvement in oral reading and comprehension performance by the target children. Also, the children's generalisation of skills from home to school is noted by both parents and teachers. Overall, this study suggests two significant implications to be considered within the context of existing reading programs utilising adult helpers. Firstly, the use of untrained helpers within school reading programs needs to be questioned. Secondly, the effectiveness of parent helper programs is dependent upon the level of follow-up and monitoring made available to program participants.
While the limitations of generalising from a project using only two subjects is realised, the results suggest important areas for future investigations.
Effects of early intervention on dietary intake and its mediating role on cognitive functioning: a randomised controlled trial
Authors: O’Sullivan Aifric , Fitzpatrick Nick , Doyle Orla 
Published: July 2016

AbstractObjectiveTo investigate the impact of an early intervention programme, Preparing for Life, on dietary intake between 12 and 36 months of age, and the mediating role played by diet on cognitive functioning.DesignA randomised controlled trial evaluation of a community-based home visiting programme. The intervention involved biweekly visits from mentors from pregnancy until age 5 years and parent training at age 2 years. Dietary intake was assessed at 12, 18, 24 and 36 months using an FFQ to calculate the proportion meeting dietary recommendations. Cognitive functioning was measured at 24 and 36 months. Treatment effects were estimated using conventionalχ2tests, permutation testing, inverse probability weighting and the stepdown procedure. Mediation analysis examined the indirect effect of the intervention on cognitive functioning via its effect on dietary intake.SettingSocio-economically disadvantaged communities in Dublin, Republic of Ireland.SubjectsPregnant women (n233) were assigned to the intervention (n115) or control (n118) group using an unconditional probability randomisation strategy.ResultsPositive treatment effects were observed for meeting dietary recommendations for protein foods at 24 (OR=2·52) and 36 (OR=2·42) months, and all food groups at 24 (OR=3·92) months. There were no effects on grain, dairy, fruit and vegetable, or fatty/sugary food recommendations in most models. The conventional and more novel methods yielded similar results. Mediation analysis indicated that 13 % of the intervention’s effect on cognitive functioning was mediated by 36-month protein food consumption.ConclusionsThe study demonstrates some potential to alter early childhood dietary patterns through community-based intervention programmes.
‘Britten Minor’: Constructing the Modernist Canon
Authors: CHOWRIMOOTOO CHRISTOPHER 
Published: July 2016

AbstractIn the last few decades, established narratives of twentieth-century music – with Schoenberg and his disciples at the centre and others on the periphery – have come under considerable fire: some have denounced the modernist canon itself as narrow and esoteric, while others have sought to restore marginalized ‘minor’ composers to a supposedly rightful centrality. In this article, I revisit the mid-century process of canon formation in order to excavate a deeper, less divisive understanding of its history. Using Benjamin Britten as a case study, I sketch a more ambivalent and reciprocal relationship between major and minor composers than has often been suggested. After illuminating key tropes in Britten's mid-century reception, I examine how the composer and his critics fashioned his canonical minority and, in the process, helped to construct the ‘majority’ of his modernist counterparts. I argue that, far from marginalizing his oeuvre, Britten's ambivalent, peripheral, and even diminutive relationship with the ‘major’ figures of musical modernism was central both to his mid-century appeal and his enduring place in the canon. Ultimately, I suggest that attending to Britten's complex and self-conscious canonical negotiations can teach us a lot not just about his own role in history, but also about the wider ways that twentieth-century canons are negotiated, mediated, transmitted, and performed.
Authoritarianism and Public Opinion on Church and State in the United States
Authors: Castle Jeremiah J. 
Published: July 2016

AbstractDespite the continued debate over the relationship between church and state in American politics, our understanding of the sources of attitudes on controversies over religious establishment and religious free exercise is limited. I argue that authoritarianism is an unrecognized but important predictor of mass-level attitudes on church and state. I argue that individuals with higher levels of authoritarianism are more likely to support religious establishment as a means of maintaining social conformity and reinforcing the existing social order. Likewise, those with higher levels of authoritarianism should exhibit reduced support for religious free exercise when minority groups are in question as a means of imposing greater costs on social out-groups. Using data from the 2008 Cooperative Campaign Analysis Project, I find strong support for my theory. Even after controlling for a variety of alternative explanations, authoritarianism remains an important factor in attitudes toward both religious establishment and religious free exercise.
A Salmonella nanoparticle mimic overcomes multidrug resistance in tumours
Authors: Mercado-Lubo Regino , Zhang Yuanwei , Zhao Liang , Rossi Kyle , Wu Xiang , Zou Yekui , Castillo Antonio , Leonard Jack , Bortell Rita , Greiner Dale L. , Shultz Leonard D. , Han Gang , McCormick Beth A. 
Published: July 2016

AbstractSalmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium is a food-borne pathogen that also selectively grows in tumours and functionally decreases P-glycoprotein (P-gp), a multidrug resistance transporter. Here we report that the Salmonella type III secretion effector, SipA, is responsible for P-gp modulation through a pathway involving caspase-3. Mimicking the ability of Salmonella to reverse multidrug resistance, we constructed a gold nanoparticle system packaged with a SipA corona, and found this bacterial mimic not only accumulates in tumours but also reduces P-gp at a SipA dose significantly lower than free SipA. Moreover, the Salmonella nanoparticle mimic suppresses tumour growth with a concomitant reduction in P-gp when used with an existing chemotherapeutic drug (that is, doxorubicin). On the basis of our finding that the SipA Salmonella effector is fundamental for functionally decreasing P-gp, we engineered a nanoparticle mimic that both overcomes multidrug resistance in cancer cells and increases tumour sensitivity to conventional chemotherapeutics.
Super-resolution spectroscopic microscopy via photon localization
Authors: Dong Biqin , Almassalha Luay , Urban Ben E. , Nguyen The-Quyen , Khuon Satya , Chew Teng-Leong , Backman Vadim , Sun Cheng , Zhang Hao F. 
Published: July 2016

AbstractTraditional photon localization microscopy analyses only the spatial distributions of photons emitted by individual molecules to reconstruct super-resolution optical images. Unfortunately, however, the highly valuable spectroscopic information from these photons have been overlooked. Here we report a spectroscopic photon localization microscopy that is capable of capturing the inherent spectroscopic signatures of photons from individual stochastic radiation events. Spectroscopic photon localization microscopy achieved higher spatial resolution than traditional photon localization microscopy through spectral discrimination to identify the photons emitted from individual molecules. As a result, we resolved two fluorescent molecules, which were 15 nm apart, with the corresponding spatial resolution of 10 nm—a four-fold improvement over photon localization microscopy. Using spectroscopic photon localization microscopy, we further demonstrated simultaneous multi-colour super-resolution imaging of microtubules and mitochondria in COS-7 cells and showed that background autofluorescence can be identified through its distinct emission spectra.
The anti-malarial atovaquone increases radiosensitivity by alleviating tumour hypoxia
Authors: Ashton Thomas M. , Fokas Emmanouil , Kunz-Schughart Leoni A. , Folkes Lisa K. , Anbalagan Selvakumar , Huether Melanie , Kelly Catherine J. , Pirovano Giacomo , Buffa Francesca M. , Hammond Ester M. , Stratford Michael , Muschel Ruth J. , Higgins Geoff S. , McKenna William Gillies 
Published: July 2016

AbstractTumour hypoxia renders cancer cells resistant to cancer therapy, resulting in markedly worse clinical outcomes. To find clinical candidate compounds that reduce hypoxia in tumours, we conduct a high-throughput screen for oxygen consumption rate (OCR) reduction and identify a number of drugs with this property. For this study we focus on the anti-malarial, atovaquone. Atovaquone rapidly decreases the OCR by more than 80% in a wide range of cancer cell lines at pharmacological concentrations. In addition, atovaquone eradicates hypoxia in FaDu, HCT116 and H1299 spheroids. Similarly, it reduces hypoxia in FaDu and HCT116 xenografts in nude mice, and causes a significant tumour growth delay when combined with radiation. Atovaquone is a ubiquinone analogue, and decreases the OCR by inhibiting mitochondrial complex III. We are now undertaking clinical studies to assess whether atovaquone reduces tumour hypoxia in patients, thereby increasing the efficacy of radiotherapy.
Common variants upstream of KDR encoding VEGFR2 and in TTC39B associate with endometriosis
Authors: Steinthorsdottir Valgerdur , Thorleifsson Gudmar , Aradottir Kristrun , Feenstra Bjarke , Sigurdsson Asgeir , Stefansdottir Lilja , Kristinsdottir Anna M. , Zink Florian , Halldorsson Gisli H. , Munk Nielsen Nete , Geller Frank , Melbye Mads , Gudbjartsson Daniel F. , Geirsson Reynir T. , Thorsteinsdottir Unnur , Stefansson Kari 
Published: July 2016

AbstractWe conducted a genome-wide association scan (GWAS) of endometriosis using 25.5 million sequence variants detected through whole-genome sequencing (WGS) of 8,453 Icelanders and imputed into 1,840 cases and 129,016 control women, followed by testing of associated variants in Danish samples. Here we report the discovery of a new endometriosis susceptibility locus on 4q12 (rs17773813[G], OR=1.28; P=3.8 × 10−11), upstream of KDR encoding vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2). The variant correlates with disease severity (P=0.0046) when moderate/severe endometriosis cases are tested against minimal/mild cases. We further report association of rs519664[T] in TTC39B on 9p22 with endometriosis (P=4.8 × 10−10; OR=1.29). The involvement of KDR in endometriosis risk highlights the importance of the VEGF pathway in the pathogenesis of the disease.
An exome array study of the plasma metabolome
Authors: Rhee Eugene P. , Yang Qiong , Yu Bing , Liu Xuan , Cheng Susan , Deik Amy , Pierce Kerry A. , Bullock Kevin , Ho Jennifer E. , Levy Daniel , Florez Jose C. , Kathiresan Sek , Larson Martin G. , Vasan Ramachandran S. , Clish Clary B. , Wang Thomas J. , Boerwinkle Eric , O’Donnell Christopher J. , Gerszten Robert E. 
Published: July 2016

AbstractThe study of rare variants may enhance our understanding of the genetic determinants of the metabolome. Here, we analyze the association between 217 plasma metabolites and exome variants on the Illumina HumanExome Beadchip in 2,076 participants in the Framingham Heart Study, with replication in 1,528 participants of the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study. We identify an association between GMPS and xanthosine using single variant analysis and associations between HAL and histidine, PAH and phenylalanine, and UPB1 and ureidopropionate using gene-based tests (P<5 × 10−8 in meta-analysis), highlighting novel coding variants that may underlie inborn errors of metabolism. Further, we show how an examination of variants across the spectrum of allele frequency highlights independent association signals at select loci and generates a more integrated view of metabolite heritability. These studies build on prior metabolomics genome wide association studies to provide a more complete picture of the genetic architecture of the plasma metabolome.