bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Hotel valuations earning multipliers – terminal value: Malta’s scenario
Authors: Camilleri Denis 
Published: May 2015

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to establish whether a terminal value is a substantial amount of the final figure in a hotel’s valuation. Malta’s scenario has been delved into. This due to the fact that owing to Malta’s high population density and its restrictive land area, land values attract a high premium as compared with larger developed countries. Other matters such as earnings’ multipliers derived from a cap rate (initial yield), CAPEX has also been delved into.

Design/methodology/approach
– The methodologies adopted in hotel valuation practice has been delved into. An extensive literature review is undertaken to analyse the earnings multiplier adopted by various authors over the past 30-year period. The hotel cap rate (initial yield) has been compared with similar yields adopted in the institutional and property markets and then compares to market-based data. A discussion is undertaken on the validity of adopting discounted cash flow, as against the short cut market appraisal approach. Capitalization rates, cap rates have also been referred to as obtained from the academic and practitioners field and compared. Depreciation and the anticipated annual accommodation charges have been analysed. A database of hotel rooms value over the past 20-year period has been referred.

Findings
– A table outlines the earnings’ multipliers in perpetuity or for the limited expected design life for various cap rates. This data will act as a guide in guiding practitioners to establish an earnings’ multiplier to be applied in their valuation methodology. An example in the Appendix clarifies the manner in which this data table is to be utilized. The finding of this example notes that for this hotel in Malta, as constructed on private land, the terminal value for this development hovers around the 30 per cent of the market value.

Research limitations/implications
– This analysis is based on five valuations as undertaken on five hotels in Malta with classification grades varying from III to V. This notes that the terminal value varies within a range of 9-45 per cent of the total value. This analysis has to be undertaken for other countries for a global range of land terminal values percentages to be established.

Practical implications
– Establishing the terminal value of a hotel business, will offer greater security for secured lending facilities required. It will further act as an important tool to establish the feasibility of a hotel development.

Originality/value
– Updated insight is given to existing hotel valuation methodologies by delving into the workings of the earnings’ multiplier and establishes that in today’s market the terminal value of the hotel basis has to be accounted for. The above findings are based on a link between theory and practice.
The ecological foundations of transmission potential and vector‐borne disease in urban landscapes
Authors: LaDeau Shannon L. , Allan Brian F. , Leisnham Paul T. , Levy Michael Z. 
Published: May 2015

SummaryUrban transmission of arthropod‐vectored disease has increased in recent decades. Understanding and managing transmission potential in urban landscapes requires integration of sociological and ecological processes that regulate vector population dynamics, feeding behaviour and vector–pathogen interactions in these unique ecosystems. Vectorial capacity is a key metric for generating predictive understanding about transmission potential in systems with obligate vector transmission. This review evaluates how urban conditions, specifically habitat suitability and local temperature regimes, and the heterogeneity of urban landscapes can influence the biologically relevant parameters that define vectorial capacity: vector density, survivorship, biting rate, extrinsic incubation period and vector competence.Incidence of vector‐borne disease in urban host populations is rarely, if ever, evenly distributed across an urban area. The persistence and quality of vector habitat can vary significantly across socio‐economic boundaries to influence vector species composition and abundance, often generating socio‐economically distinct gradients of transmission potential across neighbourhoods.Urban regions often experience unique temperature regimes, broadly termed urban heat islands (UHI). Arthropod vectors are ectothermic organisms, and their growth, survival and behaviour are highly sensitive to environmental temperatures. Vector response toUHIconditions is dependent on regional temperature profiles relative to the vector's thermal performance range. In temperate climates,UHIcan facilitate increased vector development rates while having countervailing influence on survival and feeding behaviour. Understanding how urban heat island (UHI) conditions alter thermal and moisture constraints across the vector life cycle to influence transmission processes is an important direction for both empirical and modelling research.There remain persistent gaps in understanding of vital rates and drivers in mosquito‐vectored disease systems, and vast holes in understanding for other arthropod‐vectored diseases. Empirical studies are needed to better understand the physiological constraints and socio‐ecological processes that generate heterogeneity in critical transmission parameters, including vector survival and fitness. Likewise, laboratory experiments and transmission models must evaluate vector response to realistic field conditions, such as variability in sociological and environmental conditions.
Biological pest control and yields depend on spatial and temporal crop cover dynamics
Authors: Schneider Gudrun , Krauss Jochen , Riedinger Verena , Holzschuh Andrea , Steffan‐Dewenter Ingolf 
Published: May 2015

Summary

Modern agricultural landscapes are dynamic systems with interannually changing proportions of different crop types. However, the effects of spatiotemporal changes in crop area on crop yields and crop–herbivore–antagonist interactions have been rarely considered, in contrast to documented beneficial effects of semi‐natural habitats on biological pest control at local and landscape scales. In this study, we examined how the proportion of oilseed rape (OSR) fields in a landscape and the annual increase or decrease in OSR cover due to crop rotation affect OSR herbivores, their natural enemies and crop yield.

During two study years, we examined the abundance of adult and larval pollen beetles, parasitism of pollen beetle larvae by a parasitic ichneumonid and crop yields (seed weight per plant) in the edge and centre of 36 OSR fields. The fields differed in the proportion of OSR in the surrounding landscape at 1‐km radius and in the interannual change in the proportion of OSR from the previous year to the respective study year.

Adult pollen beetle abundance decreased in one study year and larval pollen beetle abundance and parasitism rates decreased in both study years with spatially increasing OSR proportion in the landscape, indicating dilution effects on both trophic levels. Crop yield was positively affected by spatially increasing proportions of OSR. An interannual increase in the proportion of OSR led to the dilution of pest species, but had no significant effect on yield or parasitism rate.

Synthesis and applications. The negative effects of pollen beetles on yields despite regular insecticide applications underpin the need for improved techniques for controlling this pest. Our results emphasize the potential to enhance crop yields by the management of spatiotemporal crop cover dynamics within landscapes. We recommend that future management schemes should coordinate the spatial aggregation and annual dynamics of oilseed rape (OSR) cover in a landscape as a potential way to reduce pest impacts in intensively managed OSR fields.
The impact of library preparation protocols on the consistency of allele frequency estimates in Pool‐Seq data
Authors: Kofler Robert , Nolte Viola , Schlötterer Christian 
Published: May 2015

AbstractSequencing pools of individuals (Pool‐Seq) is a cost‐effective method to determine genome‐wide allele frequency estimates. Given the importance of meta‐analyses combining data sets, we determined the influence of different genomic library preparation protocols on the consistency of allele frequency estimates. We found that typically no more than 1% of the variation in allele frequency estimates could be attributed to differences in library preparation. Also read length had only a minor effect on the consistency of allele frequency estimates. By far, the most pronounced influence could be attributed to sequence coverage. Increasing the coverage from 30‐ to 50‐fold improved the consistency of allele frequency estimates by at least 27%. We conclude that Pool‐Seq data can be easily combined across different library preparation methods, but sufficient sequence coverage is key to reliable results.
Identification of lung adenocarcinoma mutation status based on histologic subtype: Retrospective analysis of 269 patients
Authors: Lu Fangliang , Li Shaolei , Dong Bin , Zhang Shanyuan , Lv Chao , Yang Yue 
Published: May 2015

AbstractBackgroundTo evaluate differences in the clinical characteristics and molecular pathology of lung adenocarcinoma subtypes as defined by the new International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer/American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society international histological classification.MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed 269 patients with initial primary lung adenocarcinoma who had undergone complete resection at our department from August 2013 to December 2014, focusing on the new histologic subtype classification, clinical characteristics, and molecular pathology.ResultsAll specimens were invasive adenocarcinoma, and were lepidic (13.0%), papillary (19.7%), acinar (51.7%), solid (8.6%), micropapillary (1.1%) or mucinous predominant (5.9%). Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations were detected in 132 cases (60.3%). Female patients and non‐smokers had higher EGFR mutation rates (P = 0.022 and 0.026, respectively). The lepidic, papillary, acinar, solid, micropapillary, and mucinous predominant patterns had EGFR mutation rates of 70.6%, 64.8%, 72.5%, 33.3%, 100%, and 5.9%, respectively. The exon mutation distribution differed according to serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels (P = 0.018). v‐Ki‐ras2 Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (KRAS) mutations were detected in 20 cases (9.2%), and were frequently found in the mucinous and solid predominant subtypes. The serum CEA levels differed among the subtypes.ConclusionsIn China, there are significant differences between lung adenocarcinoma histologic subtypes. The presence of well‐differentiated components in lung adenocarcinoma indicates higher EGFR mutation rates; the presence of solid or mucinous components indicates higher KRAS mutation rates. Serum CEA levels are associated with histologic subtype and EGFR exon mutations.
Durable dermatology life quality index improvements in patients on biologics associated with psoriasis areas and severity index: a longitudinal study
Authors: Chaptini Cassandra , Quinn Steve , Marshman Gillian 
Published: May 2015

AbstractBackground/ObjectivesPatients with psoriasis experience higher rates of depression, anxiety and suicidal ideation than the general population. With effective treatment, there is evidence that with the initial decrease in the psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) score, patients' quality of life (QoL), measured by the dermatology life quality index (DLQI) improves. However, to date, there have been no studies demonstrating that patients' QoL remains improved. We investigated the association between the DLQI and PASI of patients with psoriasis on biologic agents for an extended period of time of up to 6.5 years.MethodsThe data for this longitudinal, retrospective study was collected from a large tertiary teaching hospital in South Australia. Data was collected from all patients with psoriasis who had been on biologic agents for 2 or more years (n = 54).ResultsPASI and DLQI were highly correlated over all time points (ρ = 0.50), P < 0.001. DLQI scores significantly decreased by 0.8 (95% CI: 0.30, 1.26) units per year from 12 months to 6.5 years, P = 0.002. After 12 months, PASI scores declined by 0.19 (95% CI: 0.13, 0.52) units per year, P = 0.24.ConclusionThis study demonstrates that DLQI and PASI remain low after 12 months, and, in fact, both gradually decline further with time. Patients on biologic agents for prolonged periods maintained their improvement in QoL for up to 6.5 years.
Patients presenting with fractures are likely to be vitamin D deficient: are we getting enough sun?
Authors: Mow Tyler C. , Stokes Christopher M. , Sutherland Alasdair G. 
Published: May 2015

AbstractBackground25‐Hydroxyvitamin D serves a crucial role in bone metabolism through its role on osteoclast and osteoblastic function. To assess the implication of vitamin D and its relationship to bone fracture and fracture force, we have examined vitamin D levels in patients requiring inpatient fracture management.MethodsWe performed serological testing of vitamin D levels, calcium, parathyroid hormone and liver function tests on patients admitted to our rural institution in southeastern Australia for inpatient fracture management. All participants completed a questionnaire designed to screen for potential contributing factors to bony fragility. Demographic data were also obtained including age, gender and body mass index. Fracture location and the type of inpatient management as well as the force of injury were included in our analysis.ResultsWe recruited 100 patients to the study, with a median age of 72 (range 22–98) of whom 66 were women. Most had low‐energy fractures (79%), treated by internal fixation (73%) or arthroplasty (9%) with 18 treated non‐operatively. The majority of the patients were at best vitamin D insufficient, <75 nmol/L (77%), and 38% were vitamin D deficient (<50 nmol/L). Only 14 patients had a formal diagnosis of osteoporosis at presentation, with 63 patients claiming daily sun exposure in line with recommendations for vitamin D sufficiency.ConclusionsOur data suggest that the prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency is common in patients presenting with fractures in southeastern Australia and is not confined to elderly patients. All patients with fractures should be assessed for vitamin D levels and treated in accordance with vitamin D deficiency guidelines.
An abattoir survey of equine dental abnormalities in Queensland, Australia
Authors: Chinkangsadarn T , Wilson GJ , Greer RM , Pollitt CC , Bird PS 
Published: May 2015

ObjectiveA cadaver study to estimate the prevalence of dental disorders in horses presented at an abattoir in Queensland, Australia.MethodsCadaver heads at a Queensland abattoir were examined for the presence of dental abnormalities and categorised into age groups. The prevalence of abnormalities was analysed by binomial observation of observed proportion, Pearson's Chi‐square test or Fisher's exact correlation test. Strength of association was evaluated using Cramer's V test.ResultsHeads from horses (n = 400) estimated to be between 1 and 30 years of age were placed into four age groups. The most common abnormalities were sharp enamel points (55.3%) and hooks (43%). The highest frequency of dental diseases and abnormalities were in horses 11–15 years old (97.5%).ConclusionsCommon abnormalities were found in all groups and the prevalence increased with age. This study suggests that all horses should have regular complete dental examinations to detect and treat dental disorders in order to limit more severe dental pathologies later in life.
Acute renal failure associated withAmaranthusspecies ingestion by lambs
Authors: Kessell AE , Boulton J , Krebs GL , Quinn JC 
Published: May 2015

Case reportThis report documents an outbreak of acute renal failure in a flock of 9‐month‐old White Suffolk‐cross ewe lambs. The mortality rate was moderate but the morbidity was high. The lambs had grazed a wheat stubble paddock in which there were several weed species, includingAmaranthusspp.Clinical significanceRenal failure in livestock has been reported internationally following the ingestion ofAmaranthusspp. and although it has previously been suspected in Australia no cases have been documented. It is important for Australian veterinarians and farmers to realise the toxic potential of this group of plants.
Canine neural angiostrongylosis: a case–control study in Sydney dogs
Authors: Walker AG , Spielman D , Malik R , Graham K , Ralph E , Linton M , Ward MP 
Published: May 2015

ObjectiveTo determine the risk factors for canine neural angiostrongylosis in dogs domiciled in Sydney, Australia; geographic location, age, sex, neuter status, weight and breed were assessed.ProcedureCase and matched‐control dogs were selected from three veterinary clinics in Sydney. Conditional logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with disease status. A scan statistic was used to identify disease clusters.ResultsAge (young dogs) and neuter status (entire dogs) were independent risk factors for neural angiostrongylosis diagnosis, and diagnoses predominantly occurred during autumn, with some evidence of spatial clustering.ConclusionsVeterinarians in endemic areas should be aware of these risk factors when presented with suspect canine neural angiostrongylosis cases and also should consider advising clients of preventive treatment. Potential human health risks should be further investigated, because urban dog populations might represent a useful sentinel species for disease in humans.
Understorey plant community and light availability in conifer plantations and natural hardwood forests in Taiwan
Authors: Liu Tzu‐Yang , Lin Kuo‐Chuan , Vadeboncoeur Matthew A. , Chen Ming‐Zhen , Huang Meng‐Yuan , Lin Teng‐Chiu 
Published: May 2015

AbstractQuestionsWhat are the effects of replacing mixed species natural forests with Cryptomeria japonica plantations on understorey plant functional and species diversity? What is the role of the understorey light environment in determining understorey diversity and community in the two types of forest?LocationSubtropical northeast Taiwan.MethodsWe examined light environments using hemispherical photography, and diversity and composition of understorey plants of a 35‐yr C. japonica plantation and an adjacent natural hardwood forest.ResultsUnderstorey plant species richness was similar in the two forests, but the communities were different; only 18 of the 91 recorded understorey plant species occurred in both forests. Relative abundance of plants among different functional groups differed between the two forests. Relative numbers of shade‐tolerant and shade‐intolerant seedling individuals were also different between the two forest types with only one shade‐intolerant seedling in the plantation compared to 23 seedlings belonging to two species in the natural forest. In the natural forest 11 species of tree seedling were found, while in the plantation only five were found, and the seedling density was only one third of that in the natural forest. Across plots in both forests, understorey plant richness and diversity were negatively correlated with direct sunlight but not indirect sunlight, possibly because direct light plays a more important role in understorey plant growth.ConclusionsWe report lower species and functional diversity and higher light availability in a natural hardwood forest than an adjacent 30‐yr C. japonica plantation, possibly due to the increased dominance of shade‐intolerant species associated with higher light availability. To maintain plant diversity, management efforts must be made to prevent localized losses of shade‐adapted understorey plants.
Savage, Jonathan (2015) Lesson planningRoutledge (New York & London) isbn978‐0‐415‐70896‐8 183 pp £19.99 http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9780415708968/
Authors: Latchem Colin 
Published: May 2015

SummaryLesson planning, while entering a very crowded market, contains useful and practical advice and reflective activities on its subject and is presented in a clear, logical manner. Unfortunately, it has little to say on using digital resources for teaching and learning, despite acknowledging that these can be very powerful, helpful and transformative. If you believe the content of this book is likely to be unusually relevant to you, take a look – but I advise that you will probably find only parts of it of interest or use.Colin Latchem
Circulating plasma cells in newly diagnosed symptomatic multiple myeloma as a possible prognostic marker for patients with standard‐risk cytogenetics
Authors: Vagnoni Davide , Travaglini Fosco , Pezzoni Valerio , Ruggieri Miriana , Bigazzi Catia , Dalsass Alessia , Mestichelli Francesca , Troiani Emanuela , Falcioni Sadia , Mazzotta Serena , Natale Annalisa , Angelini Mario , Ferretti Silvia , Angelini Stefano , Galieni Piero 
Published: May 2015

SummaryDetection of circulating plasma cells (PCs) in multiple myeloma (MM) patients is a well‐known prognostic factor. We evaluated circulatingPCs by flow cytometry (FC) in 104 patients with activeMMat diagnosis by gating onCD38+ CD45‐cells and examined their relationship with cytogenetic risk. Patients had an average follow‐up of 36 months. By using a receiver operating characteristics analysis, we estimated the optimal cut‐off of circulatingPCs for defining poor prognosis to be 41. Patients with high‐risk cytogenetics (n = 24) had poor prognosis, independently of circulatingPClevels [PC < 41 vs.PC ≥ 41: overall survival (OS) = 0% vs.OS = 17%,P = not significant (n.s.); progression‐free survival (PFS) = 0% vs. 17%,P = n.s.]. Patients with standard‐risk cytogenetics (n = 65) showed a better prognosis when associated with a lower number of circulatingPCs (PC < 41 vs.PC ≥ 41:OS = 62% vs. 24%,P = 0·008;PFS = 48% vs. 21%,P = 0·001). Multivariate analysis on the subgroup with standard‐risk cytogenetics confirmed that the co‐presence of circulatingPCs ≥ 41, older age, Durie‐Salmon stage >I and lack of maintenance adversely affectedPFS, whileOSwas adversely affected only by lactate dehydrogenase, older age and lack of maintenance. Our results indicate that the quantification of circulatingPCs by a simple two‐colourFCanalysis can provide useful prognostic information in newly diagnosedMMpatients with standard‐risk cytogenetics.