bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
AGGREGATE LABOUR MARKET DYNAMICS IN HONG KONG
Authors: LUBIK THOMAS A. 
Published: May 2012

AbstractI specify a simple search and matching model of the labour market and estimate it on unemployment and vacancy data for Hong Kong over the period 2000–2010 using Bayesian methods. The model fits the data remarkably well. The estimation shows that productivity shocks are the main driver of fluctuations in the labour market, with cyclical movements in the separation rate playing only a subordinate role. The parameter estimates are broadly consistent with those found in the literature. To replicate the volatility of unemployment and vacancies, the model estimates require a high replacement ratio and a low bargaining power for workers, in addition to two extraneous sources of uncertainty. The estimates are robust to a relaxation of the prior information and small changes in the underlying model specification, which suggests that the data are informative and that the model is well specified. Overall, the Hong Kong labour market can be characterized by having a low degree of churning in normal times, but rapid firings and hirings in recessions and expansions.
MACROECONOMIC VOLATILITY AND COUNTERFACTUAL INFLATION‐TARGETING IN HONG KONG
Authors: LIM G. C. , MCNELIS PAUL D. 
Published: May 2012

AbstractThe present paper evaluates macroeconomic adjustment in Hong Kong with an estimated dynamic stochastic general equilibrium (DSGE) model under a fixed exchange rate regime. We find that exports and world inflation shocks are the dominant sources of GDP volatility, with the risk premium taking on importance during the Asian crisis after 1997. A counterfactual simulation, assuming a flexible exchange rate regime with inflation targeting, shows that inflation would have decreased slightly, but interest‐rate volatility would have increased significantly. The welfare gains from switching out of the currency board system appear to be marginal.
“Debrucing” the Link between Tax and Expenditure Limits and Special District Governments
Authors: BILLINGS STEPHEN B. , CARROLL DEBORAH A. 
Published: May 2012

ABSTRACTWe provide a direct test of the extent to which the stringency of a Tax and Expenditure Limit (TEL) influences the creation of special district governments by examining one of the strictest TELs in U.S. history, the Colorado Taxpayer's Bill of Rights (TABOR). Through analysis of panel data from 1993 to 2004 of general purpose and special district governments, we test the relationship between TABOR and the creation of special districts. The novelty of our research involves the use of successful and failed attempts to override TABOR to measure variation in TEL restrictiveness at the county and municipal geography. Our results indicate that counties and municipalities unable to override TABOR's restrictions and therefore bound by the TEL have no greater use of special district governments than local jurisdictions experiencing similar demand for services but not bound by TABOR. These results are robust to failed override attempts specific to tax revenue as well as debt proceeds. Furthermore, results are unaffected by the use of multiyear lagged measures of override attempts and the inclusion of county debrucing initiatives that passed or failed by a small margin—i.e., less than 60 percent of votes. Contrary to anecdotal evidence, our results find no relationship between tax and expenditure limits and the formation of special districts.
Donor‐Country Responses to the Migration–Development Buzz: From Ambiguous Concepts to Ambitious Policies?
Authors: Vammen Ida Marie , Brønden Birgitte Mossin 
Published: May 2012

AbstractDuring the past decade, much attention has been paid to the migration–development nexus, both in academia and in the global development community. This has created what we argue in this paper can be characterized as an “international buzz” around the issue. In this paper, we explore how two donor countries, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, have approached the nexus in their policies and practices in recent years. We examine in what ways it has been feasible to work with migration–development links, taking into account various interests and the national political climates regarding development aid and immigration policies. Important themes of the nexus, which are discussed in detail going through the policies, are remittances, engagement with migrant associations, and temporary migration schemes and programmes addressing the so‐called “brain drain” problem. We argue that the two countries represent two different trends among donors: the one does not directly link migration management with migration and development policies, as these are conceived within the national donor agencies; while the other appears to be more focused on providing better migration management through development cooperation.In the conclusion, we argue that the consensus‐orientated simplicity of the buzz surrounding migration and development can be said to have had a somewhat restricting effect on the policies, in the sense that it seems to have discouraged conflicting parts of the migration–development nexus from being taken up in the national contexts. Based on our analysis of the two countries’ policies, we discuss possible implications for the future, reflecting on the tendency of buzzwords to dip in and out of fashion.
Functional associations of genetic variants involved in the clinical manifestation of erythropoietic protoporphyria in the Argentinean population
Authors: Colombo F.P. , Rossetti M.V. , Méndez M. , Martínez J.E. , Enríquez de Salamanca R. , del C. Batlle A.M. , Parera V.E. 
Published: May 2012

AbstractBackground  Combined inheritance of genetic variants in ferrochelatase gene (FECH) are implicated in clinical manifestation of Erythropoietic Protoporphyria (EPP).Objective  Identify the genetic variants in FECH gene and their associations in the expression of EPP in Argentina. Determine the allelic frequency of polymorphic variants, associations in cis and its linkage disequilibrium.Methods  The FECH gene was PCR‐amplified and sequenced. Allelic variants of intragenic polymorphisms were identified by PCR followed by sequencing or restriction digestion analysis. Residual FECH activity was determined by prokaryotic expression in Escherichia coli JM109. Data were analyzed using Haploview and Statistix 9.Results  Ten mutations were identified: three novel (p.S222N; p.R298X and p.R367X) and seven already known (g.12490_18067del; p.R115X; p.I186T; c.580_584delTACAG; c.598 + 1 G>T; p.Y209X and p.W310X). The p.R115X mutation was found in two families. The p.S222N mutation expressed 5% of normal activity. Only individuals who inherited a mutation combined in trans to a low expression allele c.1‐251G, c.68‐23T, and c.315‐48C, showed clinical symptoms. The absence of c.315‐48C variant was sufficient for not triggering EPP. However, these variants showed high levels of cosegregation and GTC haplotype is over‐represented in EPP patients.Conclusion  In the dominant inheritance form of EPP, c.315‐48C variant in trans to the mutated allele is sufficient to trigger the disease. The presence of GTC haplotype in all patients with dominant EPP could be due to the high level of cosegregation of c.315‐48C with c.1‐251G and c.68‐23T variants in our population.
Influences on the behaviour of black and minority ethnic (BME) communities towards debt and bankruptcy
Authors: Ekanem Ignatius 
Published: May 2012

AbstractThis article sets out to examine the attitudes towards debt, bankruptcy and the bankruptcy process of black and minority ethnic (BME) entrepreneurs and individuals who are experiencing bankruptcy; and to assess the extent to which their attitudes towards debt and bankruptcy have been influenced by various external factors, including their cultural and religious practices. The paper uses a qualitative methodology that involves in‐depth, semi‐structured interviews and direct observation, where possible. The findings suggest that in many ethnic minority communities, there are strong cultural and religious imperatives to settle debts, and this can lead to a strong desire to resist at all costs the bankruptcy process. The main finding of this study is that there is a high level of ignorance and a lack of understanding of the actions that can be taken when they find themselves in financial difficulties. The main implication of this study is that education, which fosters financial literacy and pre‐bankruptcy counselling, can empower consumers and enhance responsible financial decision making. There is very little research work in this area, and the paper is based on qualitative research that captures for the first time why the attitudes and behaviour of BME groups towards debt and bankruptcy differ from those of the white population.
Female dimorphism in Japanese diving beetle Dytiscus marginalis czerskii (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae) evidenced by mitochondrial gene sequence analysis
Authors: INODA Toshio , SUZUKI Gaku , OHTA Makoto , KUBOTA Souichirou 
Published: May 2012

AbstractThree species of the Japanese diving beetle Dytiscus have been identified: D. dauricus Gebler, 1832; D. marginalis czerskii Zeitzev, 1953; and D. sharpi. At present, the latter consists of the subspecies D. sharpi sharpi Wehncke, 1875 and D. sharpi validus Régimbart, 1899 based on the comparative data of mitochondrial DNA cytochrome‐c oxidase I (COI) sequences. Many Dytiscus species have smooth and grooved elytra, which are female dimorphic traits. For many years it has been thought that Japanese D. marginalis czerskii has a single morph, that is, only grooved females, although there were some collecting reports of smooth females occurring at the foot of Mt. Chokaisan in Yamagata and Akita Prefectures. However, the population of smooth females (smooth population) has not yet been identified by DNA markers. To understand the species status of the smooth population, we sequenced 769 bp of COI of a male derived from a smooth mother insect and compared it with the sequence from a known grooved female. The sequences of 769 bp of the COI gene in the smooth population were identical to that in the grooved female, indicating that Japanese D. marginalis czerskii has female dimorphic traits.
Parental Perceptions of the Neighborhood Context and Adolescent Depression
Authors: Ford Jodi L. , Rechel Maggie 
Published: May 2012

AbstractObjectiveTo examine the associations between parental perceptions of the neighborhood context and adolescent depression including potential gender differences in outcomes.Design and SampleDescriptive correlational study. A total of 32,499 parents of adolescents aged 12–17 years.MeasuresDescriptive and multivariate logistic and linear regression analyses of the 2007 National Survey of Children's Health. Neighborhood context was operationalized as physical disorder, social isolation, and lack of safety. Two depression outcomes (current depression diagnosis and current depression symptoms) were analyzed.ResultsParental perceptions of neighborhood physical disorder were positively associated with adolescent depression diagnosis (AOR = 1.73, 95% CI = 1.07, 2.80) and an increase in depression symptoms (0.186, p < 0.001). In addition, parental perceptions of neighborhood social isolation (0.061, p < 0.001) and lack of safety (0.037, p < 0.01) were associated with adolescent depression symptoms, and the measures modestly attenuated the relationship between neighborhood physical disorder and adolescent depression symptoms (0.117, p < 0.05). No significant gender differences were found.ConclusionsPublic health interventions to reduce neighborhood physical disorder, social isolation, and lack of safety should be considered in efforts to promote adolescent mental health. Further research exploring other mechanisms through which neighborhood physical disorder may contribute to adolescent depression also is needed, including potential gender differences.
Renewable Eco‐industrial Development
Authors: Wells Peter , Zapata Clóvis 
Published: May 2012

SummaryThis article reviews the scope of the discipline of industrial ecology and, in the context of an urgent requirement for substantial and rapid change in the face of global sustainability challenges, argues that the discipline could embrace a more proactive, interventionist stance in the form of renewable eco‐industrial development. Existing eco‐industrialism is presented as flawed, with many cases premised on the use of nonrenewable resources. Renewable eco‐industrial development, while still nascent, has the potential both to resolve some sustainability challenges and to offer a new area of endeavor for industrial ecology, albeit one with its own unique difficulties, such as conflict with food production. Renewable eco‐industrial development is further argued to bring industrial ecology into a more socially critical stance as it concerns the future allocation of scarce resources.
Multicenter evaluation of a commercial multiplex polymerase chain reaction test for screening plasma donations for parvovirus B19 DNA and hepatitis A virus RNA
Authors: Koppelman Marco H.G.M. , Cuijpers H. Theo M. , Wessberg Susanna , Valkeajärvi Anne , Pichl Lutz , Schottstedt Volkmar , Saldanha John 
Published: May 2012

BACKGROUND: Three European laboratories evaluated the TaqScreen DPX test (DPX test), a multiplex nucleic acid test assay for the simultaneous detection and quantitation of parvovirus B19 (B19V) DNA and the detection of hepatitis A virus (HAV) RNA.STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: The 95% limit of detection of the test for B19V and HAV was determined using the respective WHO International Standards. The reproducibility of the test was evaluated by testing replicate samples of B19V at log 4.0 and 40 IU/mL and HAV at 5 IU/mL. The accuracy of the DPX test for B19V was evaluated by replicate testing of B19V samples containing log 3.0, log 4.0, and log 5.0 IU/mL. Panels of B19V Genotypes 1, 2, and 3 and HAV genotypes were evaluated. Cross‐contamination was evaluated. For comparison of the DPX test and the established tests, the sites tested plasma samples in pools of either 96 or 480 donations.RESULTS: The mean 95% lower limits of detection of the three laboratories for B19V and HAV were 20.30 and 1.85 IU/mL. The test showed good reproducibility with the major part of the variance of the test being attributed to intermediate assay variation. The test showed great accuracy for B19V, especially at log 4.0 IU/mL. Spiking of test pools of 480 donations and manufacturing pools with log 4.0 IU/mL B19 DNA and 4 IU/mL HAV RNA showed that the DPX assay was robust. The test was able to detect the three genotypes of B19V and HAV genotypes. No cross‐contamination was seen. Test results of routine samples correlated well with those of the established tests.CONCLUSION: The DPX test is a robust and sensitive test for the detection of B19V and HAV in plasma samples. The quantitative B19V results obtained with the test are accurate, and the test is able to detect all the known genotypes of B19V and HAV and fulfills all the European Pharmacopoeia and Food and Drug Administration requirements for a B19V and HAV test for screening of plasma donations and samples from plasma pools for manufacture.
Adsorption of chain type–specific ABO antibodies on Sepharose‐linked A and B tetrasaccharides
Authors: Lindberg Linda , Theinert Katharina , Liu Jining , Holgersson Jan 
Published: May 2012

BACKGROUND: Antigen‐specific removal of anti‐A and anti‐B on immunoadsorption columns carrying the blood group A and B trisaccharides is one important component of some protocols used in ABO‐incompatible organ transplantation. Because ABO antibodies exist requiring parts of the core saccharide chain for binding, the anti‐A and ‐B–binding capacity of individual and combined, Sepharose‐linked Types 1 through 4 A and B tetrasaccharides with that of the A and B trisaccharides was compared.STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Sepharose‐linked A and B tri‐ and tetrasaccharides were used to adsorb anti‐A and ‐B from pooled blood group O serum. Remaining chain type–specific anti‐A and ‐B were detected and quantified in enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assays using wells coated with neoglycoproteins or recombinant mucins carrying A and B determinants on defined core saccharide chains.RESULTS: Significantly more anti‐A Type 3‐ and 4‐specific immunoglobulin (Ig)G remained after adsorption on the A trisaccharide and the A Type 1 and A Type 2 tetrasaccharide than after adsorption on the A Types 3 and 4 tetrasaccharides. Selective adsorption of chain type–specific IgG anti‐B was detected on Sepharose‐linked B tetrasaccharides. In contrast, there were no chain type–specific IgM anti‐A or ‐B. A combination of the A or B tetrasaccharides adsorbed a larger fraction of the IgG anti‐A and ‐B repertoires than the corresponding trisaccharides.CONCLUSION: There are chain type–specific anti‐A and anti‐B IgG, and an adsorber based on a combination of Types 1 through 4 A or B tetrasaccharides will be a more efficient adsorber than an adsorber based on the A or B trisaccharides.
Intralipid Fat Emulsion Decreases Respiratory Failure in a Rat Model of Parathion Exposure
Authors: Dunn Courtney , Bird Steven B. , Gaspari Romolo 
Published: May 2012

ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE 2012; 19: 504–509 © 2012 by the Society for Academic Emergency MedicineAbstractBackground:  Therapies exist for acute organophosphate (OP) exposure but mortality rates remain high (10% to 20%). Currently, treatment focuses on reversing the resultant cholinergic excess effects through the use of atropine. Intralipid fat emulsion (IFE) has been used to treat lipophilic drug ingestions and theoretically would be beneficial for some OP agents.Objectives:  The hypothesis was that IFE would decrease the acute respiratory depressant effects following lethal OP exposure using a lipophilic OP agent (parathion).Methods:  The authors used a previously validated animal model of OP poisoning with detailed physiologic respiratory recordings. The model consisted of Wistar rats anesthetized but spontaneously breathing 100% oxygen. Airflow, respiratory rate, tidal volume, mean arterial pressure, and pulse rate were digitally recorded for 120 minutes following OP exposure or until respiratory failure. Three study groups included parathion alone (n = 6), parathion and IFE 5 minutes after poisoning (n = 6), and parathion and IFE 20 minutes after poisoning (n = 6). In all groups, parathion was given as a single oral dose of 54 mg/kg (four times the rat oral 50% population lethal dose [LD50]). Three boluses of IFE (15 mg/kg/min) were given over 3 minutes, 20 minutes apart, starting either 5 or 20 minutes after poisoning. Timing of IFE was based on parathion kinetics. In one study group IFE was initiated 5 minutes after poisoning to coincide with initial absorption of parathion. In another study group IFE was given at 20 minutes to coincide with peak intravenous (IV) parathion concentration. Primary outcome was percentage of animals with apnea. Secondary outcome was time to apnea.Results:  Animals exposed to parathion alone demonstrated a steady decline in respiratory rate and tidal volume postexposure, with apnea occurring a mean of 51.6 minutes after poisoning (95% confidence interval [CI] = 35.8 to 53.2 minutes). Animals treated with IFE 5 minutes postexposure demonstrated no difference in mean time to apnea (44.5 minutes vs. 51.6 minutes, p = 0.29) or number of animals with respiratory arrest (100% vs. 100%, p = 1.00). Animals treated with IFE 20 minutes postexposure demonstrated a significantly prolonged mean time to apnea (95.3 minutes vs. 51.6 minutes, p = 0.002), but there was no difference in number of animals with respiratory arrest (100% vs. 66.7%, p = 0.45).Conclusions:  All animals exposed to 4 × LD50 of oral parathion demonstrate apnea and respiratory arrest. IFE given immediately after oral parathion does not prolong time to apnea. IFE given 20 minutes after oral exposure to parathion decreases the acute effects of the OP and prolongs the time to apnea.
The Association Between Insurance Status and Emergency Department Disposition of Injured California Children
Authors: Arroyo Anna Chen , Ewen Wang N. , Saynina Olga , Bhattacharya Jay , Wise Paul H. 
Published: May 2012

ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE 2012; 19: 541–551 © 2012 by the Society for Academic Emergency MedicineAbstractObjectives:  This study examined the relationship between insurance status and emergency department (ED) disposition of injured California children.Methods:  Multivariate regression models were built using data obtained from the 2005 through 2009 California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD) data sets for all ED visits by injured children younger than 19 years of age.Results:  Of 3,519,530 injury‐related ED visits, 52% were insured by private, and 36% were insured by public insurance, while 11% of visits were not insured. After adjustment for injury characteristics and demographic variables, publicly insured children had a higher likelihood of admission for mild, moderate, and severe injuries compared to privately insured children (mild injury adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.36, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.34 to 1.39; moderate and severe injury AOR = 1.34, 95% CI = 1.28 to 1.41). However, uninsured children were less likely to be admitted for mild, moderate, and severe injuries compared to privately insured children (mild injury AOR = 0.63, 95% CI = 0.61 to 0.66; moderate and severe injury AOR = 0.50, 95% CI = 0.46 to 0.55). While publicly insured children with moderate and severe injuries were as likely as privately insured children to experience an ED death (AOR = 0.91, 95% CI = 0.70 to 1.18), uninsured children with moderate and severe injuries were more likely to die in the ED compared to privately insured children (AOR = 3.11, 95% CI = 2.38 to 4.06).Conclusions:  Privately insured, publicly insured, and uninsured injured children have disparate patterns of ED disposition. Policy and clinical efforts are needed to ensure that all injured children receive equitable emergency care.