bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
General and oral health‐related quality of life among caregivers of Parkinson's disease patients
Authors: Barbosa Camila Siqueira , Marchini Adriana MPS , Marchini Leonardo 
Published: August 2012

Aim:  The aim of the present study was to evaluate the general and oral health‐related quality of life among caregivers of patients with Parkinson's disease.Methods:  A representative sample (n = 80, 19 men and 61 women) of caregivers from São José dos Campos, Brazil, answered Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP‐14) and Medical Outcomes Study 36‐Item Short Form (SF‐36) questionnaires, as well as another questionnaire regarding caregivers' characteristics and caring activities.Results:  The OHIP‐14 average score was 2.56. The SF‐36 average score for the domain of physical function was 87.4; for role‐physical function, 85.0; for bodily pain, 62.9; for general health, 76.6; for vitality, 80.0; for social function, 88.4; for role‐emotional function, 83.8; and for mental health, 85.3. All domains of the SF‐36 also showed negative correlations with OHIP‐14 in the entire sample, but this correlation could not be observed among lower educated caregivers. There were significant differences between formal and informal caregivers for OHIP‐14 and for the majority of SF‐36 domains.Conclusions:  Most caregivers were female, the mean scores for SF‐36 and OHIP‐14 were adequate, and formal caregivers had better results for the SF‐36 and OHIP‐14 when compared with informal caregivers. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2013; 13: 429–436.
Age‐related changes of dopamine, noradrenaline and adrenaline in adrenal glands of mice
Authors: Amano Akiko , Tsunoda Makoto , Aigaki Toshiro , Maruyama Naoki , Ishigami Akihito 
Published: August 2012

Aim:  Catecholamines, which are physiologically important neurotransmitters and hormones, apparently decrease in the brain and plasma as some species age. Because this observation has engendered controversy, we used mice to investigate whether age‐related changes occur in adrenal catecholamine levels and in the expression of catecholamine synthetic enzymes.Methods:  Adrenal glands were collected from male C57BL/6NCr mice at the ages of 6, 12 and 24 months. Catecholamines, such as dopamine (DA), noradrenaline (NA) and adrenaline (AD) from those glands, were measured by using a highly sensitive liquid chromatographic method with peroxyoxalate chemiluminescence reaction detection. Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), dopa decarboxylase, dopamine beta hydroxylase (DBH) and phenylethanolamine N‐methyltransferase (PNMT) mRNA expression levels were measured by quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction.Results:  Although DA levels in the adrenals of 24‐month‐old mice were higher than in 6‐ and 12‐month‐old mice, the AD content decreased with age. In such mice, the ratio of DA to NA at 24 months was lower than at 12 months, and the ratio of NA to AD content at 24 months was significantly lower than at 6 months. The mRNA expression ratios in TH, DBH and PNMT in 24‐month‐old mice were all lower than in 12‐month‐old mice.Conclusions:  These results strongly suggest that catecholamine synthesis, in general, declines with aging in the adrenal glands of mice and that AD, in particular, undergoes a significant decrease with advancing age. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2013; 13: 490–496.
Localization of single‐cell current sources based on extracellular potential patterns: the spike CSD method
Authors: Somogyvári Zoltán , Cserpán Dorottya , Ulbert István , Érdi Péter 
Published: August 2012

AbstractTraditional current source density (tCSD) calculation method calculates neural current source distribution of extracellular (EC) potential patterns, thus providing important neurophysiological information. While the tCSD method is based on physical principles, it adopts some assumptions, which can not hold for single‐cell activity. Consequently, tCSD method gives false results for single‐cell activity. A new, spike CSD (sCSD) method has been developed, specifically designed to reveal CSD distribution of single cells during action potential generation. This method is based on the inverse solution of the Poisson‐equation. The efficiency of the method is tested and demonstrated with simulations, and showed, that the sCSD method reconstructed the original CSD more precisely than the tCSD. The sCSD method is applied to EC spatial potential patterns of spikes, measured in cat primary auditory cortex with a 16‐channel chronically implanted linear probe in vivo. Using our method, the cell–electrode distances were estimated and the spatio‐temporal CSD distributions were reconstructed. The results suggested, that the new method is potentially useful in determining fine details of the spatio‐temporal dynamics of spikes.
Persistent decrease in multiple components of the perineuronal net following status epilepticus
Authors: McRae Paulette A. , Baranov Esther , Rogers Stephanie L. , Porter Brenda E. 
Published: August 2012

AbstractIn the rodent model of temporal lobe epilepsy, there is extensive synaptic reorganization within the hippocampus following a single prolonged seizure event, after which animals eventually develop epilepsy. The perineuronal net (PN), a component of the neural extracellular matrix (ECM), primarily surrounds inhibitory interneurons and, under normal conditions, restricts synaptic reorganization. The objective of the current study was to explore the effects of status epilepticus (SE) on PNs in the adult hippocampus. The aggrecan component of the PN was studied, acutely (48 h post‐SE), sub‐acutely (1 week post‐SE) and during the chronic period (2 months post‐SE). Aggrecan expressing PNs decreased by 1 week, likely contributing to a permissive environment for neuronal reorganization, and remained attenuated at 2 months. The SE‐exposed hippocampus showed many PNs with poor structural integrity, a condition rarely seen in controls. Additionally, the decrease in the aggrecan component of the PN was preceded by a decrease in hyaluronan and proteoglycan link protein 1 (HAPLN1) and hyaluronan synthase 3 (HAS3), which are components of the PN known to stabilize the connection between aggrecan and hyaluronan, a major constituent of the ECM. These results were replicated in vitro with the addition of excess KCl to hippocampal cultures. Enhanced neuronal activity caused a decrease in aggrecan, HAPLN1 and HAS3 around hippocampal cells in vivo and in vitro, leaving inhibitory interneurons susceptible to increased synaptic reorganization. These studies are the foundation for future experiments to explore how loss of the PN following SE contributes to the development of epilepsy.
The role of the dorsal thalamus in visual processing and object selection: a case of an attentional system in amphibians
Authors: Ruhl Tim , Dicke Ursula 
Published: August 2012

AbstractIn amphibians, the midbrain tectum is regarded as the visual centre for object recognition but the functional role of forebrain centres in visual information processing is less clear. In order to address this question, the dorsal thalamus was lesioned in the salamander Plethodon shermani, and the effects on orienting behaviour or on visual processing in the tectum were investigated. In a two‐alternative‐choice task, the average number of orienting responses toward one of two competing prey or simple configural stimuli was significantly decreased in lesioned animals compared to that of controls and sham‐lesioned animals. When stimuli were presented during recording from tectal neurons, the number of spikes on presentation of a stimulus in the excitatory receptive field and a second salient stimulus in the surround was significantly reduced in controls and sham‐lesioned salamanders compared to single presentation of the stimulus in the excitatory receptive field, while this inhibitory effect on the number of spikes of tectal neurons was absent in thalamus‐lesioned animals. In amphibians, the dorsal thalamus is part of the second visual pathway which extends from the tectum via the thalamus to the telencephalon. A feedback loop to the tectum is assumed to modulate visual processing in the tectum and to ensure orienting behaviour toward visual objects. It is concluded that the tectum–thalamus–telencephalon pathway contributes to the recognition and evaluation of objects and enables spatial attention in object selection. This attentional system in amphibians resembles that found in mammals and illustrates the essential role of attention for goal‐directed visuomotor action.
Audit committee performance: ownership vs.independence – Did SOX get it wrong?
Authors: Bolton Brian 
Published: August 2012

AbstractThis study documents a positive relationship between audit committee stock ownership and firm performance in large US firms from 1998 to 2008. This study also finds a positive relationship between changes in ownership and performance. These results persist throughout the sample period, do not weaken after Sarbanes–Oxley and are robust to controlling for endogeneity between ownership and performance. After testing shows that there is no relationship between audit committee independence and firm performance, these findings suggest that audit committee stock ownership is an important corporate governance mechanism and potentially a more relevant variable than audit committee independence from a policy perspective.
The effects of analyst forecasts and earnings trends on perceptions of management forecast credibility
Authors: Gaynor Lisa M. , Kelton Andrea S. 
Published: August 2012

AbstractWe examine whether analyst forecasts influence investors’ perceptions of the credibility of a good news management earnings forecast. We hypothesize that the effect of analyst forecasts will depend on whether the analyst forecast confirms management’s forecast and the extent to which management’s forecast is consistent with the prior earnings trend. Findings indicate that the positive effect of a confirming analyst forecast is greater when the management forecast is trend inconsistent than when it is trend consistent. The negative effect of a disconfirming analyst forecast does not differ based on management forecast trend consistency.
Beyond the ticket and the brand: imagining an accounting research future
Authors: Parker Lee D. 
Published: August 2012

AbstractThis paper presents a reflective critique of the current university environment and the state of accounting research with a view to envisaging the latter’s forward trajectory, particularly in terms of emerging subject areas, theoretical perspectives and methodological traditions. It considers the contemporary fixation upon research performance indicators and warns of their associated impact on the role and orientation of academic researchers. The emergence of specialist interdisciplinary and qualitative research communities within the accounting discipline are presented as opportunities for the invigoration of the accounting project. Nonetheless, the pursuit of research esteem indicators is argued to risk disengaging researchers from policy and practice concerns. Future roles, responsibilities and intentions of scholars are visited in the light of these observations.
Reusing knowledge in embedded systems modelling
Authors: Marincic Jelena , Mader Angelika , Wieringa Roel , Lucas Yan 
Published: August 2012

AbstractModel‐based design is a promising technique to improve the quality of software and the efficiency of the software development process. We are investigating how to efficiently model embedded software and its environment to verify the requirements for the system controlled by the software. The software environment consists of mechanical, electrical and other parts; modelling it involves learning how these parts work, deciding what is relevant to model and how to model it. It is not possible to fully automate these steps. There are general guidelines, but given that every modelling problem differs, much is left to the modeller's own preference, background and experience. Still, when the next generation of a system is designed, the new system will have common elements with its previous version. Therefore, lessons learned from the current model could inform future models. We propose a framework for identifying the non‐formal elements of knowledge, insights and a model itself, which can support modelling of the next system generation. We will present the application of our framework on an action research case – modelling mechanical parts of a paper‐inserting machine.
Fuzzy machine vision based clip detection
Authors: Mehran Pejman , Demirli Kudret , Surgenor Brian 
Published: August 2012

AbstractThis paper describes the use of an objective fuzzy approach for fast and accurate vision‐based inspection. An inspection problem faced by a Canadian automotive parts manufacturer is being used as a case study. The problem is related to a vision system that is being operated to confirm the placement of metal fastening clips on a structural member that supports a truck dash panel. The manufacturer was interested in identifying the presence or absence of metal clips inserted by a robot arm. It took the manufacturer over 8 months to tune its commercial machine vision system to detect missing clips and yet the accuracy and efficiency of the system are being questioned. Five different universities across Canada have been working in parallel on this problem over a time span of 2 years. To this end, we developed an efficient fuzzy model after trying various statistical approaches. The proposed model properly identifies all the images in a database containing 1910 images. The robustness of the fuzzy model is confirmed by its strong performance on the entire database.
Forecasting business failure using two‐stage ensemble of multivariate discriminant analysis and logistic regression
Authors: Li Hui , Sun Jie , Li Ji‐Cai , Yan Xiu‐Ying 
Published: August 2012

AbstractA major drawback associated with the use of classical statistical methods for business failure prediction on top of financial distress is their lack of high accuracy rate. This work analyses the use of the two‐stage ensemble of multivariate discriminant analysis (MDA) and logit to improve predictive performance of classical statistical methods. All possible ratios are firstly built from the quantities involved and then the three common filters, that is stepwise MDA, stepwise logit, and t‐test, are used to choose another three convenient subsets of ratios. Four principal components spaces (PCSs) are, respectively, produced on the four different feature spaces by using principal components analysis. MDA and logit are used to produce predictions on the four PCSs. After that, two levels of ensemble are implemented: one based on predictions inside each of the same type of model (i.e. MDA or logit) and another based on the former two ensembles and one best model. Each of the eight models is weighted on the base of ranking order information of its predictive accuracy in ensemble by majority voting. MDA and logit and the new challenge model of support vector machine respectively in their best standalone modes are used for comparisons. Empirical results indicate that the two‐stage ensemble of MDA and logit compares favourably with the three comparative models and all its component models.
Has testing been normalized? An analysis of changes in barriers to HIV testing among men who have sex with men between 2000 and 2010 in Scotland, UK
Authors: Flowers P , Knussen C , Li J , McDaid L 
Published: August 2012

ObjectivesThis paper examines changes in barriers to HIV testing amongst gay men. We compared data collected in 2000 and 2010 to assess changes in HIV testing behaviours, in community‐level perceptions of barriers to HIV testing, and in the relative contributions of barrier measures.MethodsCross‐sectional surveys were conducted within the commercial gay scene in Glasgow with good response rates (78% and 62%) using a form of time and location sampling.ResultsMajor changes in HIV testing behaviours were observed between 2000 and 2010 (30.6% increase in testing within previous year). At the community level, the perceived benefits of testing [t (1284) = –8.46; P < 0.001] and the norm for HIV testing [t (1236) = –11.62; P < 0.001] increased; however, other perceived barriers did not change (fear of a positive result, clinic‐related barriers and attitudes to sex with HIV‐positive men). Multinomial logistic regression showed that fear of a positive test result remained a key barrier to HIV testing; however, a significant fear × year of survey interaction indicated that fear played a lesser role in differentiating those who had never been tested from those who had been tested in 2010 than it had in 2000.ConclusionsThese findings suggest the partial normalization of HIV testing. While some barriers have reduced, other key barriers remain important. Interventions should be designed and evaluated that attend to both the biomedical and the psychosocial aspects of HIV testing (e.g. the meaning of positive test results, the sexual exclusion of positive men, and HIV‐related stigma).
Smoking and socio‐economic status may affect myasthenia gravis
Authors: Maniaol A. H. , Boldingh M. , Brunborg C. , Harbo H. F. , Tallaksen C. M. E. 
Published: August 2012

Background and purposeThe influence of environmental factors in myasthenia gravis (MG) is unknown. The aim of this cross‐sectional population‐based study was to investigate if smoking and socio‐economic status (SES) were associated with MG in the Norwegian population.MethodsSubjects were 491 MG patients identified in Norway at the time of the study (point prevalence 12.7/100 000). A questionnaire covering smoking habits and markers of SES (education and occupation) was mailed to all patients. Population data were obtained from Statistics Norway.ResultsA total of 375 (76.6%) patients completed the questionnaire (236 women, mean age 59 ± 18 years), of which 193 reported to be early onset MG (EOMG, onset ≤40 years, 155 women). Compared with the general population, current smoking was more prevalent amongst MG patients [risk ratio (RR) 1.5; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.1–1.9], most of whom had EOMG. Female MG patients had higher education compared with the general population (RR 4.5; 95% CI 3.2–6.2). Male MG patients were similar to the general population regarding both education and occupation, except for a subset of late onset MG who had shorter education (RR 1.9; 95% CI 1.1–3.2) and had worked in crafts and related trades. About half of working age MG patients received disability pension, a finding significantly related to low educational level and a more severe disease course (P < 0.001).ConclusionThis is the first report indicating that smoking and SES may affect MG. Further studies investigating their role as potential risk factors are warranted.
Cognitive deficits after subcortical infarction are comparable with deficits after cortical infarction
Authors: Turunen K. E. A. , Kauranen T. V. , Laari S. P. K. , Mustanoja S. M. , Tatlisumak T. , Poutiainen E. T. 
Published: August 2012

Background and purposeCerebral cortical infarctions are often considered to be associated with more severe cognitive deficits than subcortical infarctions, but the evidence is conflicting. We compared early and late cognitive deficits between cortical and subcortical lesions.MethodsConsecutive patients with first‐ever cortical (n = 61) or subcortical (n = 71) cerebral infarctions were assessed neuropsychologically after a mean of 8 days and again at 6 months after infarction. Examinations included evaluation of verbal memory, executive functions, psychomotor speed and visuospatial function as well as orientation, insight and mood state. At 6 months, verbal and non‐verbal reasoning were also evaluated. Neurological examinations included National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale and Barthel Index at both time‐points and the modified Rankin Scale at 6 months.ResultsIn the acute phase, memory (P = 0.007), especially delayed verbal recall (P = 0.005), was more severely affected in patients with subcortical infarctions than in those with cortical infarctions, and this trend persisted at 6 months post‐infarction. Psychomotor speed (P = 0.040) was lower in the subcortical group in the acute phase than in the cortical group. Neurological scores did not differ between the two groups either in the acute phase or at 6 months.ConclusionsPatients with subcortical cerebral infarctions may have even worse cognitive profiles than patients with cortical infarctions.
Auswirkungen der Globalisierung auf die Struktur der Besteuerung
Authors: Becker Johannes , Elsayyad May , Fuest Clemens 
Published: August 2012

AbstractThis paper reviews theoretical predictions on the likely effect of globalization on tax revenues and tax structures in developed countries. The predictions are then confronted with data from OECD countries. The evidence suggests that, in contrast to wide-held views, globalization only marginally affects tax revenues and structures. Most importantly, while it is often assumed that globalization would undermine national governments’ ability to tax mobile businesses, corporate tax revenue has increased over time. Overall, the tax systems in developed countries are highly stable in terms of both revenues and tax structure.
Steuerpolitik nach der Krise: Welche Maßnahmen sind für die Unternehmensbesteuerung in Deutschland zu ergreifen?
Authors: Spengel Christoph , Zinn Benedikt 
Published: August 2012

AbstractIn this article we numerically explore the development of corporate tax burdens for the case of Germany during the time period between 1990 and 2010. We set up a model-firm approach, which allows us to account separately for many complicated tax provisions, such as earning stripping rules or loss-carryovers, in great detail and hence provide a comprehensive analysis of the tax systems in Germany, which extends the scope of existing literature. Furthermore, we present an analysis of the impact of the global economic and financial crisis on the effective tax burden of companies and evaluate the short-term measures introduced by the German government to support economic activity. Although the global economic crisis has posed hard new questions, it also offers an opportunity to accelerate structural tax reforms and restart the discussion on the design of corporate taxation in Germany beyond short-term policy responses. Therefore, we finally outline proposals to reform corporate taxation in Germany.
Besteuerung des Humanvermögens
Authors: Richter Wolfram F. , Wigger Berthold U. 
Published: August 2012

AbstractThe present article discusses the question of how to share the cost of higher education between the benefitting individual and the public optimally when labour income is taxed. Building on some previous work on the efficiency effects that income taxation has on human capital investment, the article demonstrates that in the presence of progressive income taxation a strong case can be made for the public to assume a fair share in the cost of higher education. The mix of private and public financing is shown to be efficient when the public share just neutralizes the negative effect that income taxation has upon the willingness to invest in higher education. The article then examines the efficient pattern of cost sharing in more detail. The article argues in favour of a two-part cost sharing scheme. The first part requires that the public subsidizes the cost of higher education to such an extent that the disincentive effect of progressive income taxation is neutralized. The second part requires that all remaining private expenditures are granted tax deduction against the income earned after studying. A particular virtue of the proposed two-part cost sharing scheme is that it gives individuals proper incentives to deploy effectively the stock of human capital acquired by studying.