bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
OPTIMAL INVESTMENT FOR A DEFINED-CONTRIBUTION PENSION SCHEME UNDER A REGIME SWITCHING MODEL
Authors: Chen An , Delong Łukasz 
Published: January 2015

AbstractWe study an asset allocation problem for a defined-contribution (DC) pension scheme in its accumulation phase. We assume that the amount contributed to the pension fund by a pension plan member is coupled with the salary income which fluctuates randomly over time and contains both a hedgeable and non-hedgeable risk component. We consider an economy in which macroeconomic risks are existent. We assume that the economy can be in one ofIstates (regimes) and switches randomly between those states. The state of the economy affects the dynamics of the tradeable risky asset and the contribution process (the salary income of a pension plan member). To model the switching behavior of the economy we use a counting process with stochastic intensities. We find the investment strategy which maximizes the expected exponential utility of the discounted excess wealth over a target payment, e.g. a target lifetime annuity.
The dimensions of alliance portfolio configuration: A mediation model
Authors: Castro Ignacio , Roldán José L , Acedo Francisco J 
Published: January 2015

AbstractOur paper contributes to progress on the conceptualization and the operationalization of the alliance portfolio configuration. A variance-based structural equation modeling (partial least squares) has been applied to a sample made up of top global contractors. Previous works on alliance portfolio have analyzed the dimensions of alliance portfolio configuration independently and therefore, the interrelationships between them have not been studied. Results from the data analysis show that the dimensions of alliance portfolio configuration are interrelated in such a way that the relational and the partner alliance portfolio dimensions (a) fully mediate the effect of structural alliance portfolio on the value of the alliance portfolio capital; and (b) this capital exerts significant and positive influences on the growth of the international market share.
Teacher Attitudes Towards Students Who Exhibit ADHD-Type Behaviours
Authors: Mulholland Sarah M. , Cumming Therese M. , Jung Jae Yup 
Published: January 2015

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, its diagnosis and its treatment have been controversial since the 1970s (Kean, 2012), with opinions differing with respect to the diagnostic process, whether it in fact exists, or if it is an excuse for poor parenting and teaching (Maras, Redmayne, Hall, Braithwaite, & Prior, 1997). There are currently few studies that directly examine demographic characteristics as an indicator of teacher knowledge of ADHD and their attitudes towards ADHD-type behaviours. In this pilot study of teachers in Sydney public schools, we examined teacher knowledge about ADHD, their attitudes towards students who exhibit behaviours associated with ADHD, and the impact of demographic characteristics on their opinions and attitudes. We set out to discover the levels of overall knowledge teachers possess regarding ADHD, the attitudes teachers hold towards ADHD and its associated inattentive/hyperactive behaviours, and if any demographic characteristics can predict these attitudes.Exploratory factor analysis and multiple regression analysis were performed to establish the existence of groups of variables with respect to teacher knowledge of ADHD and teacher attitudes towards ADHD-type behaviours and any demographic predictors of teacher attitudes. Analysis showed that, overall, teachers exhibit an adequate (50–85% correct responses to knowledge test questions) knowledge of ADHD, but less sound knowledge in some areas than others, for example, aetiology. Analysis also demonstrated that there are some significant demographic predictors of teacher attitudes; however, further research is needed to verify these preliminary findings.
Heavy-mineral analysis as a tool to trace the source areas of sediments in an ice-marginal valley, with an example from the Pleistocene of northwest Poland
Authors: Pisarska-Jamroży M. , van Loon A.J. , Woronko B. , Sternal B. 
Published: January 2015

AbstractThe ice caps that covered large parts of the continents of the northern hemisphere during the Pleistocene glaciations drained huge quantities of meltwater. In several places the erosive power of the meltwater rivers has led to the formation of ice-marginal valleys (IMVs). A much-debated question is whether sediments deposited in IMVs by proglacial and extraglacial streams can be distinguished on the basis of their heavy-mineral content. This question was assessed by an inventory of the heavy-mineral assemblages from the middle part of the Toruń-Eberswalde IMV in northwest Poland, two sandurs that supplied sediment from the north and the pre-Wisła river system that supplied sediment from the south; all these streams fed the IMV. The largely similar heavy-mineral compositions and sediments concentrations of the middle part of the IMV and sandurs suggest that the sediment in the IMV was supplied almost entirely by the streams on the sandurs but also that some sediments were eroded from the Miocene subsoil of the IMV itself and for a small part from the south by the pre-Wisła river system. The only heavy mineral in the pre-Wisła sediments for which the percentage is significantly different from those in the sediments of the sandurs and the IMV terrace is epidote. The difference, however, is not seen in the sediments of the IMV so it can be concluded that the sediment supply to the middle part of this IMV by streams from the south was insignificant. This is in contrast with what was hitherto commonly assumed.
The impact of pre-natal stress on offspring development in pigs
Authors: OTTEN W. , KANITZ E. , TUCHSCHERER M. 
Published: January 2015

SUMMARYIn farm animals, restricted housing conditions or inadequate management practices during gestation may be potential stressors for the mother, with possible consequences on the growth, vitality, health and welfare of the dam and its offspring, and thus can have economic as well as ethical implications. The current review summarizes data from studies in pigs on the impact of maternal stress during gestation on the litter characteristics and phenotypic traits of offspring. The outcomes from the different experimental models using either maternal stress paradigms or artificially increased maternal cortisol are presented, and possible reasons for the consistent or divergent results are discussed. Maternal stress models are of particular importance, because social stress, restraint, rough handling and heat or cold stress are of practical relevance during housing of pregnant sows, whereas in other models the specific role of maternal cortisol as a mediator for pre-natal stress is studied. The data reveal that pre-natal stress in pigs can impair growth and modify the immune function, stress reactivity and behaviour of offspring. There is evidence that the materno-foetal cortisol regulation is a major determinant of the alterations in offspring. Neuroendocrine and behavioural data in the offspring indicate that pre-natally stressed pigs can express a modified phenotype characterized by increased reactivity of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis, altered emotionality, more fearfulness in a novel environment and disturbed social and maternal behaviour. Further research is needed and should focus on the long-term consequences on immune function, reproductive traits and maternal behaviour in female offspring used as breeding animals.
DOES CHILDHOOD NUTRITION PREDICT HEALTH OUTCOMES DURING ADULTHOOD? EVIDENCE FROM A POPULATION-BASED STUDY IN CHINA
Authors: QI YAQIANG , NIU JIANLIN 
Published: January 2015

SummaryUsing data collected from the 2008 survey of Internal Migration and Health in China, this study examines the impact of late childhood nutrition intakes on a wide range of indicators of adult health. The results show that respondents who consume rich nutrients (meat, fish, milk, etc.) less frequently during late childhood have worse health outcomes when they grow up. They are more likely to rate their health as ‘fair/poor’, report a greater number of chronic diseases, have a higher incidence of acute illness, perceive greater numbers of physical pains/discomforts and to suffer more from insomnia and depression. With respect to objective biometrics, respondents who have less access to rich nutrients at age 14 tend to attain a shorter stature, gain more weight as an adult, and are more likely to become obese or have low lung capacity. Taken together, the evidence in support of a harmful impact of late childhood undernutrition on adult health is stronger and more consistent for subjective health indicators than for the objective biometrics examined in this study. Moreover, the results also indicate that the long-term health impact of late childhood nutrition deprivation is especially detrimental for females in China.
Images of otoscopy: rate and extent of non-compliance with good practice standards
Authors: Crundwell G , Harmer J , Maltby M , Mills T , Neumann C , Walsh L , Baguley D 
Published: January 2015

AbstractBackground:The British Society of Audiology has produced clear guidelines as to how otoscopy should be undertaken; however, no nationally recognised guidelines exist for the wider clinical community. Images of otoscopy appear in many books, journals, magazines and websites.Objective:This study aimed to determine the rate of non-compliance with good practice in images of otoscopy, the seriousness of the breach, and whether this is more common in sites for professionals or the general public.Method:Google Images was searched using the terms ‘otoscopy’ and ‘ear examination’. A total of 200 images were identified and collated. The images were reviewed for compliance with good practice standards.Results:Only 12.75 per cent of the images were graded as having no breach of good practice standards.Conclusion:Professional websites have a responsibility to show best practice. When choosing an image, the source of the image needs to be carefully considered.
Visualizing transient dark states by NMR spectroscopy
Authors: Anthis Nicholas J. , Clore G. Marius 
Published: January 2015

AbstractMyriad biological processes proceed through states that defy characterization by conventional atomic-resolution structural biological methods. The invisibility of these ‘dark’ states can arise from their transient nature, low equilibrium population, large molecular weight, and/or heterogeneity. Although they are invisible, these dark states underlie a range of processes, acting as encounter complexes between proteins and as intermediates in protein folding and aggregation. New methods have made these states accessible to high-resolution analysis by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, as long as the dark state is in dynamic equilibrium with an NMR-visible species. These methods – paramagnetic NMR, relaxation dispersion, saturation transfer, lifetime line broadening, and hydrogen exchange – allow the exploration of otherwise invisible states in exchange with a visible species over a range of timescales, each taking advantage of some unique property of the dark state to amplify its effect on a particular NMR observable. In this review, we introduce these methods and explore two specific techniques – paramagnetic relaxation enhancement and dark state exchange saturation transfer – in greater detail.
Embraced by the past, hopeful for the future: meaning of health to ageing persons who have migrated from the Western Balkan region to Sweden
Authors: LOOD QARIN , HÄGGBLOM-KRONLÖF GRETA , DELLENBORG LISEN 
Published: January 2015

ABSTRACTPrevious research has often visualised ageing and migration as risk factors for poor health, pointing to a need for targeting health-promoting efforts towards ageing persons who are born abroad. However, most research has been conducted from an objective and poor health perspective, losing the broader picture of health in the context of ageing and migration. A key issue left unexplored is the meaning of health from a subjective perspective with focus upon persons who constitute the target groups for health promotion and other health-care services. A large number of people are now ageing in countries other than their country of birth. Therefore, studying the meaning of health in relation to this part of the population is of growing importance. As part of a larger health promotion project, the aim of this study was to explore the meaning of health to ageing persons who have migrated from the Western Balkan region to Sweden. Data were collected by individual interviews, conducted in the participants' mother tongue. Inspired by Ricoeur's hermeneutic approach, health was interpreted as a retrospective and prospective process of exercising control over one's own life, daily activities and social commitments. This interpretation is discussed in relation to how a person-centred approach to health-care services could bridge health inequities in an ageing and globalising society.
Social dimensions of local fisheries co-management in the Coral Triangle
Authors: COHEN PHILIPPA JANE , STEENBERGEN DIRK JOHAN 
Published: January 2015

SUMMARYThe challenge to manage coastal resources within Asia-Pacific's Coral Triangle has gained global attention. Co-management is promoted as a key strategy to address this challenge. Contemporary community-based co-management often leads to ‘hybridization’ between local (customary) practices, and science-based management and conservation. However, the form of this hybrid has rarely been critically analysed. This paper presents examples of co-management practices in eastern Indonesia and Solomon Islands, focusing in particular on area closures. In contrast to the temporary closures used before the influx of sustainability discourses, contemporary closures are periodically-harvested but predominantly closed, reflecting attempts to reduce fishing effort and enhance ecological sustainability. When areas are opened, harvests are relatively short and largely triggered by the social and economic needs of particular individuals or whole communities. In all cases, engagement with environmental management interventions has led to more formalized access and use arrangements. The harvesting and management practices observed are influenced by these relatively recent interventions designed to promote sustainability, but also by religious institutions, increasing resource demand, and modernization. This study unpacks some of the contemporary influences, particularly environmental sustainability initiatives, on local management practices, and provides insights for co-management in practice.
Epidemiological analysis of a large enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli O111 outbreak in Japan associated with haemolytic uraemic syndrome and acute encephalopathy
Authors: YAHATA Y. , MISAKI T. , ISHIDA Y. , NAGIRA M. , WATAHIKI M. , ISOBE J. , TERAJIMA J. , IYODA S. , MITOBE J. , OHNISHI M. , SATA T. , TANIGUCHI K. , TADA Y. , OKABE N. ,   the E. coli O111 Outbreak Investigation Team
Published: January 2015

SUMMARYA large outbreak of enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) O111 and O157 occurred in Japan in April 2011. We conducted an unmatched case-control study and trace-back investigation to determine the source of EHEC O111 infection and risk factors for severe complications. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis was performed to help define cases. A total of 86 individuals met the case definition. Of these, 40% experienced haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS), 24% acute encephalopathy, and 6% died. Illness was significantly associated with eating the raw beef dish yukhoe (odds ratio 19·64, 95% confidence interval 7·03–54·83), the likely food vehicle. EHEC O111 and its closely related stx-negative variants were found in the beef. HUS occurred most frequently in individuals aged 5–9 years, and this age group was significantly associated with acute encephalopathy. The prevalence of HUS and acute encephalopathy was higher than in previous non-O157-related outbreaks, indicating a high risk of severe complications.
Number of embryos biopsied as a predictive indicator for the outcome of preimplantation genetic diagnosis by fluorescence in situ hybridisation in translocation cases
Authors: Tulay P. , Gultomruk M. , Findikli N. , Bahceci M. 
Published: January 2015

SummaryThis study aimed to investigate the optimum number of embryos to be biopsied in order to increase the likelihood of obtaining a balanced/normal embryo following preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) by fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) for translocation carriers. Patients with low number of fertilised oocytes (≤5) or low number of embryos available for PGD (<7) underwent multiple hormonal stimulation cycles and their embryos from each cycle were vitrified and accumulated to obtain at least three embryos for PGD. Fifty-seven PGD cycles were performed for translocation carriers by FISH on day 3 of embryo development. PGD and pregnancy outcomes were examined according to the number of embryos biopsied. The cancellation rates of embryo transfer for the reciprocal translocation carriers were 40% when more than eight embryos were biopsied and it was as high as 78% when low number of embryos (less than nine) were biopsied. For Robertsonian translocation carriers, when more than eight embryos were biopsied, there were no embryo transfer cancellations. This study showed that when there are more than nine embryos biopsied for PGD, the likelihood of obtaining a balanced embryo and positive pregnancy outcome is significantly higher (P < 0.05) in such the overall pregnancy rate was 63% for reciprocal and 86% for Robertsonian carriers. This was reduced to only 7% for reciprocal and 14% for Robertsonian translocation carriers when less than nine embryos were biopsied. One of the limitations of this study was that the analysis was performed by FISH and more studies should investigate the outcomes of embryo accumulation following comprehensive chromosome analysis.
BNP in children with congenital cardiac disease: is there now sufficient evidence for its routine use?
Authors: Cantinotti Massimiliano , Walters Henry L. , Crocetti Maura , Marotta Marco , Murzi Bruno , Clerico Aldo 
Published: January 2015

AbstractInterest in brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) in the management of children with CHD has increased. There are, however, no current guidelines for their routine use. The aim of this review article is to provide an update on the data regarding the use of BNP/NT-proBNP in the evaluation and surgical treatment of children with CHD. BNP/NT-proBNP levels in children with CHD vary substantially according to age, laboratory assay methods, and the specific haemodynamics associated with the individual congenital heart lesion. The accuracy of BNP/NT-proBNP as supplemental markers in the integrated screening, diagnosis, management, and follow-up of CHD has been established. In particular, the use of BNP/NT-proBNP as a prognostic indicator in paediatric cardiac surgery has been widely demonstrated, as well as its role in the subsequent follow-up of surgical patients. Most of the data, however, are derived from single-centre retrospective studies using multivariable analysis; prospective, randomised clinical trials designed to evaluate the clinical utility and cost-effectiveness of routine BNP/NT-proBNP use in CHD are lacking. The results of well-designed, prospective clinical trials should assist in formulating guidelines and expert consensus recommendations for its use in patients with CHD. Finally, the use of new point-of-care testing methods that use less invasive sampling techniques – capillary blood specimens – may contribute to a more widespread use of the BNP assay, especially in neonates and infants, as well as contribute to the development of screening programmes for CHD using this biomarker.
QT prolongation and torsades de pointes in a patient with heart block and a pacemaker
Authors: Bernstein Brett S. , Silver Eric S. , Liberman Leonardo 
Published: January 2015

AbstractProlongation of the QT interval and development of torsades de pointes are known in patients with complete heart block and profound bradycardia. We report the case of a patient with complete heart block and torsades, with long QT seen during a period of junctional tachycardia at a rate faster than the minimum pacemaker rate.
Electrocardiographic intervals in foetuses with CHD
Authors: Yilmaz Betul , Narayan Hari K. , Wilpers Abigail , Wiess Christina , Fifer William P. , Williams Ismée A. 
Published: January 2015

AbstractObjectivesTo assess foetal electrocardiographic intervals across gestational age among foetuses with and without congenital heart disease, and to investigate differences between groups.DesignA prospective observational cohort study.SettingCenter for Prenatal Pediatrics, Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital of NewYork-Presbyterian.Population or sampleA total of 92 participants with singleton pregnancies, 41 with normal anatomy and 51 with congenital heart disease were included in this study.MethodsUsing a maternal abdominal monitor, foetal electrocardiogram was obtained serially from foetuses with and without congenital heart disease at 20–24 weeks (F1), 28–32 weeks (F2), and 34–38 weeks (F3) of gestation. A signal-averaged waveform was calculated, and PR, QRS, and QT intervals were measured. Intervals from controls were compared with gestational age norms. Using Pearson’s correlation coefficient, we analysed the relationship between gestational age and foetal electrocardiographic intervals. Intervals from control and congenital heart disease foetuses were compared by Student’s t-test.ResultsPR (r=0.333, p=0.02) and QRS (r=0.248, p=0.05) intervals correlated with gestational age only among controls. QRS intervals in foetuses with congenital heart disease were significantly longer than controls at F1 (63±6 versus 52±5 ms, p<0.001), F2 (61±8 versus 56±7 ms, p=0.02), and F3 (64±10 versus 56±9 ms, p=0.007).ConclusionsPR and QRS intervals lengthen across gestational age among foetuses with normal cardiac anatomy but not in foetuses with congenital heart diseases. As early as 20 weeks of gestation, differences between foetuses with and without congenital heart disease are discernible, with congenital heart disease foetuses demonstrating longer QRS intervals compared with controls.