bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Cross‐Border Mergers and Differences in Corporate Governance
Authors: Starks Laura T. , Wei Kelsey D. 
Published: February 2013

AbstractWe examine whether corporate governance differences affect firm valuation in cross‐border mergers. We find that takeover premiums are decreasing in the quality of the foreign acquirer's home country governance for deals completed with stock, suggesting that the acquirers compensate target shareholders for the resulting exposure to inferior corporate governance regimes. Correspondingly, we find that the acquiring firm stockholders' abnormal returns at the merger announcement are increasing in the quality of corporate governance for stock offers. Finally, we find that foreign acquirers from countries with better corporate governance are more likely to make stock offers.
Globalization: grasping the concept within the context of nursing
Authors: Keighley Tom 
Published: February 2013

KEIGHLEY T. (2013) Globalization: grasping the concept within the context of nursing. International Nursing Review60, 86–87Globalization is a phenomenon traceable historically from the beginning of time as clans and tribes migrated and learnt from each other. The article in this issue of INR by Grootjans and Newman ‘Globalization and nursing: a concept analysis’ (pp. 78–85) makes the case for nurses to be educated about globalization as it applies to modern health care. The concept is complex and requires insight not only into health care itself but also fields such as human migration, economics, the significance of English as a universal language and the use and availability of information technology. Writings on the impact of global technology and social capital are also important. In addressing globalization, nurses need to access research and writings well beyond the standard healthcare oeuvre.
Immigration and Perceptions of the Political System in Britain
Authors: McLaren Lauren M. 
Published: February 2013

AbstractRecently published research contends that concern about immigration is weakening the British political system by creating distrust in the elites and institutions in this system. Some may challenge this finding because the public opinion data used to illustrate this relationship is limited to the period of the recent Labour government, raising the possibility that it was an artefact of that era and thus may no longer hold. Using the most recent round of the European Social Survey (2010–11), this paper investigates whether this finding holds in the present era. The findings indicate that under the current Conservative‐Liberal Democratic government, concern about immigration is still related to negative perceptions of the political system. This finding, along with those reported in previous research, points to potentially serious negative consequences for the functioning of the British political system, which are discussed in the concluding section of the paper.
The Use of Force in British Foreign Policy: From New Labour to the Coalition
Authors: Daddow Oliver 
Published: February 2013

AbstractThis article studies the ideational underpinnings of the UK Coalition government's ‘liberal conservative’ foreign policy. It begins by suggesting that an Iraq‐centric account of Blair's foreign policy suggests a grand vision on the prime minister's part that was lacking from his earlier foreign policy adventures, which relied on a more conventional form of British statecraft. The second section contends that the Gordon Brown years 2007–10 and, since the end of New Labour, Coalition foreign policy, can be seen as a response both to the substance and style of Blair's highly personalised stewardship of foreign policy post‐9/11. The war on terror and the invasion of Iraq were accompanied by a seemingly open‐ended democracy promotion around the globe which was quite out of character with past British practice. The article argues, therefore, that under Brown and Cameron cautious pragmatism has tended to win out over the proclamation of grand strategic ambition.
Another Reform of Qualifications—but Qualifying for What?
Authors: Pring Richard 
Published: February 2013

AbstractThere are several changes to the system of qualifications and examinations at ages 16 and 17, including the new English Baccalaureate. There are many problems: the constant churn in new qualifications reduces their vale to higher education and to employers; they are implemented without proper trialling; the EBacc in particular narrows the learning experience. There is a need for a moratorium on change and for a long, hard look by a non‐politically partisan advisory committee on the development of a qualification system.
Scotland, Renewable Energy and the Independence Debate: Will Head or Heart Rule the Roost?
Authors: Toke David , Sherry‐Brennan Fionnguala , Cowell Richard , Ellis Geraint , Strachan Peter 
Published: February 2013

AbstractPolitical support for renewable energy development, especially offshore renewables, is particularly conspicuous in Scotland and is a centrepiece of SNP policy. However, this is built on something of a paradox because, put simply, without the subsidies paid by electricity consumers in the rest of the UK, the Scottish Government's ambitious targets for renewable energy would be politically unachievable. We argue in this paper that if Scotland does move towards independence, then there could be little reason for the UK to continue paying (much) of the subsidies since the resulting renewable generation would no longer contribute towards UK renewable energy targets. We suggest that the potential scenarios, and their implications, needs to be far better considered in the arguments around the Scottish constitutional position and the broader aims of UK energy policy.
Factors Underlying Contextual Variations in the Structure of the Self: Differences Related to SES, Gender, Culture, and “Majority/Nonmajority” Status During Early Adolescence
Authors: Santo Jonathan Bruce , Bukowski William M. , Stella‐Lopez Luz , Carmago Gina , Mayman Shari B. , Adams Ryan E. 
Published: February 2013

Multilevel modeling was used to examine contextual variations in the structure of the “self” in a sample of 918 lower‐ and upper‐middle class early adolescents (M age = 10.37 years, SD = 1.19) from a “majority” cultural context (i.e., Barranquilla in the Caribbean region of Colombia) and a “nonmajority” context (i.e., Montréal, Québec, Canada). It was expected that the associations between measures of the self‐concept (i.e., indices of self‐perceived competence) and a measure of general self‐worth would differ in majority and nonmajority contexts and would vary as a function of socioeconomic status, the relative emphasis placed on individualism and collectivism and gender. Findings indicate that contextual factors moderated the extent to which self‐worth is associated with components of early adolescents' self‐concept.
Negotiating Family Obligations and Educational Goals Among College‐Enrolled Youth on Jeju Island, Korea
Authors: Chang Esther S. 
Published: February 2013

This survey study examined the role of parents in the educational goals of 265 college‐enrolled youth (19–27 years; M = 22 years; 64% female students) on Jeju Island, Korea. A model of shared agency was applied to identify the processes through which associations between family assistance and adjustment can be explained. Four factors of parental educational involvement were found: coactivity (consisting of autonomy support and collaboration), accommodation, noninvolvement, and directing. Results indicated that family assistance was positively related to adjustment and only coactivity was positively correlated to both family assistance and adjustment. Mediation analyses also indicated that youth's provision of family assistance was associated with lower levels of depression and higher satisfaction with life and educational progress through coactivity.
Risk‐Minimizing Reinsurance Protection For Multivariate Risks
Authors: Cheung K. C. , Sung K. C. J. , Yam S. C. P. 
Published: February 2013

AbstractIn this article, we study the problem of optimal reinsurance policy for multivariate risks whose quantitative analysis in the realm of general law‐invariant convex risk measures, to the best of our knowledge, is still absent in the literature. In reality, it is often difficult to determine the actual dependence structure of these risks. Instead of assuming any particular dependence structure, we propose the minimax optimal reinsurance decision formulation in which the worst case scenario is first identified, then we proceed to establish that the stop‐loss reinsurances are optimal in the sense that they minimize a general law‐invariant convex risk measure of the total retained risk. By using minimax theorem, explicit form of and sufficient condition for ordering the optimal deductibles are also obtained.
Seminal vesicles and diabetic neuropathy: ultrasound evaluation after prolonged treatment with a selective phosphodiesterase‐5 inhibitor
Authors: La Vignera S. , Condorelli R. A. , Vicari E. , Lotti F. , Favilla V. , Morgia G. , Maggi M. , Calogero A. E. 
Published: February 2013

SummaryWe have previously reported that infertile patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) have a particular ultrasound features of the seminal vesicles (SV) characterized by higher fundus‐to‐body ratio and lower pre‐ and post‐ejaculatory difference in body antero‐posterior diameter (APD). Based on these premises the aim of the present study was to investigate possible ultrasound SV changes in infertile patients with DM and diabetic neuropathy (DN), after prolonged administration of tadalafil (TAD) (a specific phosphodiesterase‐5 inhibitor). To accomplish this, 20 infertile patients with symptomatic DN and erectile dysfunction were selected and arbitrarily divided into two groups which were assigned to: daily administration of 5 mg TAD for 3 months (Group A) (n = 10) and administration of placebo (Group B) (n = 10). All patients underwent to scrotal and prostate‐vesicular transrectal ultrasound evaluation and semen analysis (Laboratory Manual for the Examination and Processing of Human Semen, WHO, 2010) before and after treatment. The following SV US parameters were recorded: (i) body APD; (ii) fundus APD; (iii) parietal thickness of the right and left SVs; and (iv) number of polycyclic areas within both SVs. We then calculated the following parameters: (i) fundus/body (F/B) ratio; (ii) difference of the parietal thickness between the right and the left SV and (iii) pre‐ and post‐ejaculatory APD difference. In addition, we also evaluated the SV ejection fraction. Group A patients showed a significant reduction in F/B ratio and higher pre‐ and post‐ejaculatory body SV APD difference compared with baseline or Group B after 3 months. These patients showed also a significant increase in SV ejection fraction and a significant improvement of the total sperm count, progressive motility, seminal levels of fructose, leucocytes and ejaculate volume. In conclusion, these results suggest that infertile DM patients with DN and erectile dysfunction had an improvement of ultrasound features suggestive of diabetic neuropathy after daily treatment with low doses of TAD.
Psychometric testing of the English Language Acculturation Scale in first‐year nursing students
Authors: Salamonson Yenna , Attwood Nathan , Everett Bronwyn , Weaver Roslyn , Glew Paul 
Published: February 2013

AbstractAimThis article is a report of the psychometric testing of the five‐item English Language Acculturation Scale, an indicator of English language usage as reported by first‐year undergraduate nursing students.BackgroundNursing students who have English as an additional language can struggle clinically and academically due to low levels of English language proficiency. A self‐report screening tool may provide early identification of nursing students at risk of underperformance.DesignProspective correlational survey design.MethodsThe study used a prospective, correlational survey design. In 2010 and 2011, 1400 commencing nursing students were surveyed about their English language usage using the English Language Acculturation Scale. In addition to descriptive statistics, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses and Cronbach's alpha reliabilities, the relationship between English Language Acculturation Scale score and Grade Point Average at the end of first year was computed.ResultsResults show good reliability and construct validity of the English Language Acculturation Scale. Principal component analysis yielded only one component in which all five items loaded highly. This was further supported by confirmatory factor analysis, with standardized factor loadings ranging from 0·79 to 0·90. The results also showed strong association between English language use and academic performance; students in the high English Language Acculturation Scale score group were most likely to be in the high Grade Point Average group at the end of first year.ConclusionLanguage screening tools can be an important strategy to identify nursing students at risk of underperforming in their studies. The English Language Acculturation Scale has the potential to be a useful brief self‐report measure for commencing nursing students.
Comparison of effects of pitavastatin and atorvastatin on glucose metabolism in type 2 diabetic patients with hypercholesterolemia
Authors: Mita Tomoya , Nakayama Shiho , Abe Hiroko , Gosho Masahiko , Iida Hitoshi , Hirose Takahisa , Kawamori Ryuzo , Watada Hirotaka 
Published: February 2013

AbstractAims/IntroductionThe distinct effects of different statins on glycemic control have not been fully evaluated. In this open‐label, prospective, cross‐over clinical trial, we compared the effects of pitavastatin and atorvastatin on glycemic control in type 2 diabetic patients with hypercholesterolemia.Materials and MethodsA total of 28 Japanese type 2 diabetics with hypercholesterolemia treated with rosuvastatin (2.5 mg/day) for at least 8 weeks were recruited to this quasi‐randomized cross‐over study. At study entry, the patients assigned to sequence 1 received pitavastatin (2 mg/day) for 12 weeks in period 1 and atorvastatin (10 mg/day) for another 12 weeks in period 2, whereas patients assigned to sequence 2 received atorvastatin (10 mg/day) for 12 weeks in period 1 and pitavastatin (2 mg/day) for another 12 weeks in period 2. Blood samples were collected at three visits (baseline, after 12 and 24 weeks).ResultsLipid control was similar in both statins. The difference in glycated hemoglobin between pitavastatin and atorvastatin treatments was −0.18 (95% confidence interval −0.34 to −0.02; P = 0.03). Compared with atorvastatin, pitavastatin treatment significantly lowered the levels of glycoalbumin, fasting glucose and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance.ConclusionsOur results showed that treatment with pitavastatin had a more favorable outcome on glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes compared with atorvastatin. This trial was registered with UMIN (no. 000003554).
Ovarian morphology and prevalence of polycystic ovary syndrome in Japanese women with type 1 diabetes mellitus
Authors: Miyoshi Arina , Nagai So , Takeda Masamitsu , Kondo Takuma , Nomoto Hiroshi , Kameda Hiraku , Hirai Amiko , Cho Kyuyong , Kimachi Kimihiko , Shimizu Chikara , Atsumi Tatsuya , Miyoshi Hideaki 
Published: February 2013

AbstractAims/IntroductionPolycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a heterogeneous disorder including polycystic ovary morphology (PCOM), ovulatory dysfunction and hyperandrogenism. PCOS is frequently associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus; however, it is unknown whether PCOM and PCOS are prevalent in Japanese patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus. The purpose of our study was to determine the frequency of PCOM and PCOS in women with type 1 diabetes mellitus.Materials and MethodsWe evaluated clinical, hormonal and ovarian ultrasound data from 21 type 1 diabetes mellitus patients whose average glycated hemoglobin levels were 7.9 ± 1.5%.ResultsUltrasound identified PCOM in 11 patients (52.4%) and these patients also had higher levels of the androgen dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA‐S) than those without PCOM (P < 0.05). Of the patients with PCOM, five presented menstrual irregularities (45.5%) and three met the Japanese criteria for PCOS (27.2%); whereas all patients without PCOM had a normal menstrual cycle (P < 0.05).ConclusionsJapanese premenopausal women with type 1 diabetes mellitus had a high frequency of PCOM as well as PCOS. This is the first research of this area carried out in an Asian population.
Prevalence of retinopathy and its risk factors in a Japanese population
Authors: Fukushima Sayaka , Nakagami Tomoko , Suto Chikako , Hirose Akira , Uchigata Yasuko 
Published: February 2013

AbstractAims/IntroductionTo determine the prevalence and risk factors of retinopathy and validity of the current diagnostic cut‐offs for diabetes by using data of health check‐up examinees.Materials and MethodsThe study comprises 1,864 Japanese who participated in the general health check‐up program and did not have a previous history of cardiovascular disease. Non‐mydriatic 45° digital fundus photographs were taken twice annually. Multivariate logistic regression model was used to identify risk factors for retinopathy in participants without previously diagnosed diabetes.ResultsThe overall prevalence of retinopathy in participants with and without previously diagnosed diabetes were 23.3% (28/120) and 4.2% (74/1,744), respectively. Univariate logistic regression analysis identified age, systolic blood pressure (SBP), fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) as risk factors for retinopathy. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that FPG or both HbA1c and SBP were significant, positive and independent risk factors for retinopathy. The prevalence of retinopathy increased with deterioration of glucose categories (P < 0.001 for FPG or HbA1c). However, a statistically significant increased risk of retinopathy remained only in participants with FPG ≥ 7.0 mmol/L or HbA1c ≥ 6.5% compared with those with the lowest quartile of glucose in the participants without previously diagnosed diabetes after adjusting for age and SBP.ConclusionsThe prevalence of retinopathy was 4.2%, and FPG or both HbA1c and SBP were positive and independent risk factors for retinopathy in health check‐up examinees without previously diagnosed diabetes. The FPG 7.0 mmol/L or HbA1c 6.5% seems to be appropriate to diagnose diabetes in view of its association with retinopathy.
Optimization of a quantitative method for muscle histology assessment
Authors: SIFRE L. , COTON J.P. , ANDRÉ B. , ŘEZÁČOVÁ‐LUKÁŠKOVÁ Z. 
Published: February 2013

SummaryOptical microscopy offers the simplest way to obtain magnified images of biological tissues. The assessment of the muscle destructuration level can be performed by a method called Meat Destruction Indicator (MDI), which combines optical microscopy and image analysis. MDI can be used for evaluation of food quality and for considering mechanically separated meat (meat raw material with an MDI value above 58.1% contained muscle fibres sufficiently destructured). This paper is particularly focused on the metrological optimization of a quantitative image analysis method around the example of MDI measurement by microscopy, especially on the digital acquisition calibration focusing and analysis work‐flow. Ten different samples (45 sections) were examined with variable settings of microscope and camera to define the optimal configuration. The tests were performed with different observers to define rules and criteria for results validation. Based on the obtained results, we suggest choosing objective rules to set the light and colour of the camera and the microscope focus. To control the results of the automatic segmentation emerged also as a key step, and objective rules for observers to select or discard wrong segmented images should be defined. The adjusted MDI measurement by microscope can be used as a reliable method with good repeatability, thanks to this metrological assessment, which could and should be applied to all image analysis applications whatever the application.
Development of epithelial and mesenchymal regionalization of the human fetal utero‐vaginal anlagen
Authors: Fritsch Helga , Hoermann Romed , Bitsche Mario , Pechriggl Elisabeth , Reich Olaf 
Published: February 2013

AbstractLiterature on the development of the human vagina is abundant; however, contributions concerning the prenatal development of the entire utero‐vaginal anlagen (UVA) are rare or carried out in rodents. The primary epithelial characteristics in the adult vagina and uterus are determined during prenatal development and depend on epithelio‐mesenchymal stroma interaction; thus an investigation summarizing the spatiotemporal distribution of relevant molecular markers in the entire human UVA will be of current interest. We phenotyped epithelial and mesenchymal characteristics in sagittal sections from 24 female fetuses of 14–34 weeks of gestation and two female newborns by immunostaining with cytokeratins 8, 13, 14 and 17, p63, bcl‐2, bmp4, HOX A13, CD31, VEGF, SMA, Pax2 and vimentin. Epithelial differentiation followed a caudal‐to‐cranial direction in the UVA. Due to the cytokeratin profile of cytokeratins 8, 13 and 14, the characteristics of the different epithelial zones in the UVA could already be recognized in middle‐age fetuses. Vaginal epithelium originated from the urogenital sinus in the lower portion and initiated the transformation of vimentin‐positive Müllerian epithelium in the upper vaginal portion. During prenatal development the original squamo‐columnar junction was clearly detectable from week 24 onwards and was always found in the cervical canal. Early blc‐2 positivity within the surrounding mesenchyme of the entire vagina including the portio region pointed to an organ‐specific mesenchymal influence. Prenatal findings in human specimens clearly show that fornix epithelium up to the squamo‐columnar junction is of vaginal Müllerian origin, and the cervical epithelium cranial to the squamo‐columnar junction is of uterine Müllerian origin and includes cells with enough plasticity to transform into squamous epithelium.
Do Consumers Really Know How Much They Are Willing to Pay?
Authors: KOVALSKY KRISTEN L. , LUSK JAYSON L. 
Published: February 2013

Previous research reveals willingness‐to‐pay (WTP) obtained through consumer surveys and experiments is often influenced by arbitrary information that, from a normative perspective, should have no influence on WTP. This article utilizes data collected from a split‐sample online survey to determine whether the bias induced from arbitrary anchors can be mitigated with a preference elicitation approach designed to facilitate the preference‐discovery process by revealing tradeoffs and consequences implied by stated WTP. The approach forces internal consistency between statements of value and preference orderings. We compare the WTP elicited using the new approach to two more simplified elicitation devices by determining sensitivity to an arbitrary anchor and by determining predictive validity relative to a holdout choice. Our results indicate that the imposition of internal consistency yields more stable estimates of WTP; however, there is no evidence to support the hypothesis that the method provides WTP estimates that lead to a higher degree of predictive validity.