bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
THE INFORMATION CONTENT OF MANAGEMENT EARNINGS FORECASTS: AN ANALYSIS OF HARD VERSUS SOFT INFORMATION
Authors: Brockman Paul , Cicon Jim 
Published: June 2013

AbstractWe examine the announcement effects of hard (quantitative) and soft (qualitative) information contained in management earnings forecasts. Consistent with previous studies, we confirm a positive relation between the earnings surprise component of the announcement and the magnitude of the abnormal return. In contrast to previous studies, we examine the effect of soft information on abnormal returns while controlling for hard information. Our results show that soft information generally explains more of the announcement effect of earnings forecasts than does hard information. Overall, our findings contribute to the growing literature that examines the economic significance of qualitative information.
THE PRICING EFFICIENCY OF LEVERAGED EXCHANGE‐TRADED FUNDS: EVIDENCE FROM THE U.S. MARKETS
Authors: Charupat Narat , Miu Peter 
Published: June 2013

AbstractWe examine the pricing efficiency of leveraged exchange‐traded funds, whose goal is to generate daily returns that are in a positive or a negative multiple of the underlying index returns. We find that bull funds (i.e., those with positive multiples) tend to trade at a discount more often than bear funds (i.e., those with negative multiples) do. Also, price deviations of bull (bear) funds are negatively (positively) correlated with their underlying index returns. These behaviors are more pronounced in funds with high leverage ratios, and can be partly explained by the funds' daily exposure adjustments to maintain their leverage ratios.
REGIME‐DEPENDENT LIQUIDITY DETERMINANTS OF CREDIT DEFAULT SWAP SPREAD CHANGES
Authors: Guo Biao , Newton David 
Published: June 2013

AbstractIn this article we construct a liquidity measure for credit default swaps (CDS) and investigate the relation between the changes in CDS spreads and the determinants implied by structural models of default, including firm leverage, volatility, risk‐free interest rate, and liquidity. Using a dummy‐variable pooling regression and a Markov regime‐switching model, we show strong evidence that these determinants, especially the liquidity determinant, are significant and time varying.
Hyperphagia among patients with Bardet‐Biedl syndrome
Authors: Sherafat‐Kazemzadeh R. , Ivey L. , Kahn S. R. , Sapp J. C. , Hicks M. D. , Kim R. C. , Krause A. J. , Shomaker L. B. , Biesecker L. G. , Han J. C. , Yanovski J. A. 
Published: June 2013

SummaryBackgroundThe importance of hyperphagia as a cause for energy imbalance in humans with Bardet‐Biedl syndrome (BBS) has not been established. We therefore compared hyperphagic symptoms in patients with BBS vs. controls.Methods: We studied 13 patients with BBS and 23 non‐syndromic controls with similar age, sex and body mass index (BMI) z‐score. A 13‐item hyperphagia questionnaire was completed by patients' parents/guardians.ResultsTotal hyperphagia questionnaire score was higher in BBS than controls (27.6 ± 9.0 vs. 19.1 ± 7.9, P = 0.005). Behaviour and drive subscales were higher for BBS than controls (12.5 ± 4.1 vs. 7.8 ± 3.2, P = 0.001, and 11.2 ± 4.1 vs. 8.3 ± 3.8, P = 0.04, respectively); severity was not significantly different between groups (3.8 ± 1.5 vs. 3.0 ± 1.3, P = 0.072). After adjustment for demographic variables and BMI z‐score, total and behaviour subscale scores remained significantly different between groups, suggesting food‐seeking activity, rather than preoccupation with food may be the main hyperphagic feature among patients with BBS.ConclusionAppetite dysregulation may contribute to obesity in BBS.
Comparative Proteomic Analysis of Rice Shoots Exposed to High Arsenate
Authors: Liu Yanli , Li Ming , Han Chao , Wu Fengxia , Tu Bingkun , Yang Pingfang 
Published: June 2013

AbstractConsumption of arsenic contaminated water and cereals is a serious threat to humans all over the world. Rice (Oryza sativa “Nipponbare”), as a main cereal crop, can accumulate arsenic more than 10‐fold that of in other cereals. To gain a comprehensive understanding of the response of rice subjected to 100 µM arsenate stress, a comparative proteomic analysis of rice shoots in combination with morphological and biochemical investigations have been performed in this study. The results demonstrated that arsenate suppressed the growth of rice seedlings, destroyed the cellular ultra‐structure and changed the homeostasis of reactive oxygen species. Moreover, a total of 38 differentially displayed proteins, which were mainly involved in metabolism, redox and protein‐metabolism, were identified. The data suggest the arsenic can inhibit rice growth through negatively affecting chloroplast structure and photosynthesis. In addition, upregulation of the proteins involved in redox and protein metabolism might help the rice to be resistant or tolerant to arsenic toxicity. In general, this study improves our understanding about the rice arsenic responsive mechanism.
Levels of plasma sulfatides C18 : 0 and C24 : 1 correlate with disease status in relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis
Authors: Moyano Ana L , Pituch Katarzyna , Li Guanan , van Breemen Richard , Mansson Jan E , Givogri Maria I 
Published: June 2013

AbstractMultiple sclerosis (MS) is considered an autoimmune demyelinating disease of the CNS and myelin‐derived glycolipids are one of the targets of this autoimmune attack. In this study, we examined for the first time the plasma distribution of sulfatide isoforms. Sulfatides with long‐chain (C24 : 0 or C24 : 1) and short‐chain (C16 : 0 or C18 : 0) fatty acids were quantified in plasma of relapsing–remitting MS patients by ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. We found that C18 : 0 and C24 : 1 sulfatide plasma levels positively correlated with the Expanded Disability Status Scale. C16/C18 : 0 and C16/C24 : 0 ratios also correlated with the age and the time since last relapse. Healthy women showed higher levels of C16 : 0 sulfatide than healthy men; however, this gender difference disappeared in MS patients. Our data underline the potential use of sulfatides as biomarkers in relapsing–remitting MS and points to a possible association with the higher susceptibility of women to develop MS.
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Sulfatides are glycolipids highly enriched in myelin that have been associated with multiple sclerosis (MS). In this study, we have found a positive correlation between levels of specific sulfatides in plasma and increased disability in patients with relapsing‐remitting MS. These findings underline the potential use of these molecules as biomarkers for MS.
Ischemic post‐conditioning facilitates brain recovery after stroke by promoting Akt/mTOR activity in nude rats
Authors: Xie Rong , Wang Peng , Ji Xunming , Zhao Heng 
Published: June 2013

AbstractWhile pre‐conditioning is induced before stroke onset, ischemic post‐conditioning (IPostC) is performed after reperfusion, which typically refers to a series of mechanical interruption of blood reperfusion after stroke. IPostC is known to reduce infarction in wild‐type animals. We investigated if IPostC protects against brain injury induced by focal ischemia in Tcell–deficient nude rats and to examine its effects on Akt and the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway. Although IPostC reduced infarct size at 2 days post‐stroke in wild‐type rats, it did not attenuate infarction in nude rats. Despite the unaltered infarct size in nude rats, IPostC increased levels of phosphorylated Akt (p‐Akt) and Akt isoforms (Akt1, Akt2, Akt3), and p‐mTOR, p‐S6K and p‐4EBP1 in the mTOR pathway, as well as growth associated Protein 43 (GAP43), both in the peri‐infarct area and core, 24 h after stroke. IPostC improved neurological function in nude rats 1–30 days after stroke and reduced the extent of brain damage 30 days after stroke. The mTOR inhibitor rapamycin abolished the long‐term protective effects of IPostC. We determined that IPostC did not inhibit acute infarction in nude rats but did provide long‐term protection by enhancing Akt and mTOR activity during the acute post‐stroke phase.
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Post‐conditioning did not attenuate infarction in nude rats measured 2 days post‐stroke, but improved neurological function in nude rats and reduced brain damage 30 days after stroke. It resulted in increased‐activities of Akt and mTOR, S6K and p‐4EBP1. The mTOR inhibitor rapamycin abolished the long‐term protective effects of IPostC.
Let the Punishment Fit the Crime: Enforcement with Error
Authors: CHAKRABORTY INDRANIL , MCAFEE R. PRESTON 
Published: June 2013

AbstractGiven an externality function that implements a social objective, this paper examines the possibility of implementing the social objective when the action is observed with error. Provided that the signal is informative in the sense that it separates certain distributions of actions and agents are risk‐neutral, the social objective remains implementable even with observational error. In addition, when errors are small, there is a closed form second‐order approximation for the penalty function that depends only on first and second moments and two derivatives of the externality function. The formula is applicable when activity is measured reasonably accurately, which is necessary for an acceptable implementation. This formula is simple enough to lend itself to actual implementation.
Phylogeny of Hanabusaya (Campanulaceae), a Korean endemic, based on ITS sequences of nuclear ribosomal DNA
Authors: CHEON Kyeong‐Sik , YOO Ki‐Oug 
Published: June 2013

AbstractThe phylogenetic position of the genus Hanabusaya was verified using the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences data of 181 individuals of 176 taxa in Campanulaceae, including allied genera such as genus Campanula, Adenophora, Symphyandra, and Zeugandra. The phylogenetic analysis showed that Hanabusaya is more closely allied to Adenophora than to Symphyandra, Zeugandra, and Campanula. Accordingly, the connate anthers of Hanabusaya are considered to have evolved independently of Symphyandra or Zeugandra. However, Hanabusaya and sect. Remotiflorae of Adenophora were unresolved within a clade. Therefore, the relationship between Hanabusaya and its allies should be more accurately determined through a broader study on diverse genetic regions.
The postantifungal effect of nystatin and its impact on adhesion attributes of oral Candida dubliniensis isolates
Authors: Ellepola Arjuna N. B. , Joseph Bobby K. , Chandy Rachel , Khan Z. U. 
Published: June 2013

SummaryThe postantifungal effect (PAFE) has an impact on candidal pathogenicity. However, there is no information on either the PAFE or its impact on adhesion traits of oral Candida dubliniensis isolates. Oral candidosis can be treated topically with nystatin. Adhesion to buccal epithelial cells (BEC), germ tube (GT) formation and relative cell surface hydrophobicity (CSH) are all colonisation attributes of candidal pathogenicity. Hence, the main objective of this study was to investigate the in vitro PAFE on 20 C. dubliniensis isolates following exposure to nystatin. In addition, the impact of nystatin‐induced PAFE on adhesion to BEC, GT formation and relative CSH of C. dubliniensis isolates were also evaluated. After determining the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of nystatin, C. dubliniensis isolates were exposed to sublethal concentrations of nystatin for 1 h. Following this exposure, the drug was removed and PAFE, adhesion to BEC, GT formation and relative CSH were determined by a previously described turbidometric method, adhesion assay, germ tube induction assay and biphasic aqueous‐hydrocarbon assay respectively. MIC (μg/ml) of C. dubliniensis isolates to nystatin ranged from 0.09 to 0.78. The nystatin‐induced mean PAFE (hours) on C. dubliniensis isolates was 2.17. Compared with the controls, exposure to nystatin suppressed the ability of C. dubliniensis isolates to adhere BEC, GT formation and relative CSH by a mean percentage reduction of 74.45% (P < 0.0001), 95.92% (P < 0.0001) and 34.81 (P < 0.05) respectively. Hence, brief exposure of C. dubliniensis isolates to nystatin would continue to wield an antifungal effect by suppressing growth as well as its adhesion attributes.
Phytochrome‐mediated regulation of plant respiration and photorespiration
Authors: IGAMBERDIEV ABIR U. , EPRINTSEV ALEXANDER T. , FEDORIN DMITRY N. , POPOV VASILY N. 
Published: June 2013

AbstractThe expression of genes encoding various enzymes participating in photosynthetic and respiratory metabolism is regulated by light via the phytochrome system. While many photosynthetic, photorespiratory and some respiratory enzymes, such as the rotenone‐insensitive NADH and NADPH dehydrogenases and the alternative oxidase, are stimulated by light, succinate dehydrogenase, subunits of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex, cytochrome oxidase and fumarase are inhibited via the phytochrome mechanism. The effect of light, therefore, imposes limitations on the tricarboxylic acid cycle and on the mitochondrial electron transport coupled to ATP synthesis, while the non‐coupled pathways become activated. Phytochrome‐mediated regulation of gene expression also creates characteristic distribution patterns of photosynthetic, photorespiratory and respiratory enzymes across the leaf generating different populations of mitochondria, either enriched by glycine decarboxylase (in the upper part) or by succinate dehydrogenase (in the bottom part of the leaf).
Potential involvement of Aspergillus flavus laccases in peanut invasion at low water potential
Authors: Arias R. S. , Sobolev V. S. , Orner V. A. , Dang P. M. , Lamb M. C. 
Published: June 2013

Aspergillus flavus accumulates carcinogenic aflatoxins in peanuts, mainly in immature kernels during drought. Aspergillus flavus invasion induces accumulation of phytoalexins, mostly stilbenoids in peanut, as a plant defence mechanism. Because fungal laccases are often related to pathogenicity and can degrade stilbenoids, this study reports for the first time the expression of A. flavus laccases in the presence of kernels, hulls and low water potential in relation to the accumulation of phytoalexins in peanut kernels. Packed‐cell volume (PCV) of A. flavus biomass was significantly higher (P ≤ 0·01) in the presence of mature kernels, dead kernels, and mature and immature peanut hulls than the control. The presence of kernels and hulls lowered the level of expression of three A. flavus laccases by 4–6‐fold (P < 0·01), whereas 3% sucrose up‐regulated them by 35–304‐fold, and low water potential (−1·1 MPa) up‐regulated them by 85–248‐fold (P < 0·01). Phytoalexins that accumulated in peanut kernels in the presence of A. flavus and were quantified by HPLC‐DAD‐MS were primarily the stilbenoids: 3′‐isopentadienyl‐3,5,4′‐trihydroxystilbene (IPD), chiricanine‐A, arachidin‐2, arachidin‐3 and arahypin‐1. Apparent degradation of phytoalexins was observed when using a priori induction of phytoalexins in seeds in combination with a priori induction of laccases in A. flavus. The up‐regulation of laccase expression observed at −1·1 MPa and at high sucrose concentration could be contributing to peanut invasion in immature kernels under drought conditions.
Effects of Feeding Dry Glycerol to Primiparous Holstein Dairy Cows on Follicular Development, Reproductive Performance and Metabolic Parameters Related to Fertility during the Early Post‐partum Period
Authors: Karami‐Shabankareh H , Kafilzadeh F , Piri V , Mohammadi H 
Published: June 2013

ContentsThis study examined the effects of dry glycerol supplementation on follicular growth, post‐partum interval to first ovulation, concentration of serum metabolites and hormones related to fertility, body condition score (BCS) and body weight (BW) in primiparous Holstein dairy cows. Sixty primiparous Holstein dairy cows were randomly assigned to two groups (control: n = 30 and glycerol supplemented: n = 30). Dry glycerol (250 g/day/cow) was fed as a top dressing to the common lactating total mixed ration (TMR) from parturition to 21 days post‐partum. Ovaries were examined four times using ultrasonography on days 13, 19, 25 and 36 post‐partum to determine ovarian follicular growth. Concentration of serum metabolites and hormones was determined weekly. Body condition score was evaluated weekly from weeks 1 to 5 after parturition, and BWs were recorded three times on days 1, 11 and 21 during the experimental period. The cows fed dry glycerol had more large follicles (p < 0.0001) and corpora lutea (CL) (p = 0.02) compared with the control cows. Days to the first ovulation (p = 0.06), days to first oestrus (p = 0.05), services per conception (p = 0.06) and days open (p = 0.004) were positively affected by dry glycerol supplementation. Serum concentration of glucose and insulin was higher in dry glycerol‐supplemented cows (p = 0.1; p = 0.06, respectively). Feeding glycerol had no effect on mean serum concentrations of β‐hydroxybutyrate, non‐esterified fatty acids and IGF‐1 during the experimental period. However, significant differences were observed at concentration of BHBA and IGF‐1 (p = 0.02 and p = 0.04, respectively) between two groups on day 21 after calving. The cows in the glycerol‐fed group had higher serum progesterone concentrations on days 33 (p = 0.007) and 36 (p = 0.004) after calving. Supplemented cows had lower body condition loss during weeks 1–5 after calving compared with the control cows (0.34 vs 0.41 BCS). In week 13 post‐partum, the proportion of cycling cows was 83.3 and 69.9% for those which received supplemented or non‐supplemented diet, respectively. These results demonstrated that feeding dry glycerol as a glucogenic supply may be useful to improve negative energy balance and reproductive efficiency in young cows which calve with high requirement of energy.
Governmentality in Service Provision for Migrated Women in Spain
Authors: Montenegro Karla , Montenegro Marisela 
Published: June 2013

AbstractA gender perspective has been incorporated in transnational migration studies over the last two decades in Spain. According to feminist inquiry, research has focused mainly on four areas: transnational maternities, transformation in global care regimes, multiple discrimination experiences and change in gender relations by means of migration. In this paper, we suggest that there is a fifth area that has been neglected: one that studies the ways in which governmentality practices, performed within service provision aimed at migrant populations, are enacted in host societies. We argue that mechanisms of categorisation developed in service provision in Spain contribute to the construction of the category of “Third World Women”. A set of discourses and practices that are based on gender and cultural assignation related with stereotyped understandings of migrated women in host societies, situating them as suitable workers for current care regimes within these societies. These mechanisms have an important impact on life situations experienced by many migrated women as they are integrated into a low waged and undervalued work market. Further developments must be made in this last area of inquiry from a critical standpoint, in order to avoid the reproduction of discriminatory practices within institutional intervention settings.
Ten years in the United Nations: Where does Switzerland stand?
Authors: Hug Simon , Wegmann Simone 
Published: June 2013

AbstractPrior to its full membership in the United Nations, Switzerland was an active observer and even an active member of many specialized UN agencies. However, ten years ago, Swiss voters finally approved full UN membership and in 2002, behavioral data started to become available on Switzerland's involvement in the major UN assemblies. Switzerland was admitted to the UN General Assembly (UNGA) as a full member on September 10th, 2002 and was elected to the newly created UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in 2006. Switzerland wished to be an active partner in both of these assemblies. In this research note we describe, based on novel data collected on the UNGA and the UNHRC, how Switzerland positions itself in the “orchestra of nations.”
Improving IMRT delivery efficiency with reweighted L1‐minimization for inverse planning
Authors: Kim Hojin , Becker Stephen , Lee Rena , Lee Soonhyouk , Shin Sukyoung , Candès Emmanuel , Xing Lei , Li Ruijiang 
Published: June 2013

Purpose:This study presents an improved technique to further simplify the fluence‐map in intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) inverse planning, thereby reducing plan complexity and improving delivery efficiency, while maintaining the plan quality.Methods:First‐order total‐variation (TV) minimization (min.) based on L1‐norm has been proposed to reduce the complexity of fluence‐map in IMRT by generating sparse fluence‐map variations. However, with stronger dose sparing to the critical structures, the inevitable increase in the fluence‐map complexity can lead to inefficient dose delivery. Theoretically, L0‐min. is the ideal solution for the sparse signal recovery problem, yet practically intractable due to its nonconvexity of the objective function. As an alternative, the authors use the iteratively reweighted L1‐min. technique to incorporate the benefits of the L0‐norm into the tractability of L1‐min. The weight multiplied to each element is inversely related to the magnitude of the corresponding element, which is iteratively updated by the reweighting process. The proposed penalizing process combined with TV min. further improves sparsity in the fluence‐map variations, hence ultimately enhancing the delivery efficiency. To validate the proposed method, this work compares three treatment plans obtained from quadratic min. (generally used in clinic IMRT), conventional TV min., and our proposed reweighted TV min. techniques, implemented by a large‐scale L1‐solver (template for first‐order conic solver), for five patient clinical data. Criteria such as conformation number (CN), modulation index (MI), and estimated treatment time are employed to assess the relationship between the plan quality and delivery efficiency.Results:The proposed method yields simpler fluence‐maps than the quadratic and conventional TV based techniques. To attain a given CN and dose sparing to the critical organs for 5 clinical cases, the proposed method reduces the number of segments by 10–15 and 30–35, relative to TV min. and quadratic min. based plans, while MIs decreases by about 20%–30% and 40%–60% over the plans by two existing techniques, respectively. With such conditions, the total treatment time of the plans obtained from our proposed method can be reduced by 12–30 s and 30–80 s mainly due to greatly shorter multileaf collimator (MLC) traveling time in IMRT step‐and‐shoot delivery.Conclusions:The reweighted L1‐minimization technique provides a promising solution to simplify the fluence‐map variations in IMRT inverse planning. It improves the delivery efficiency by reducing the entire segments and treatment time, while maintaining the plan quality in terms of target conformity and critical structure sparing.