bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Well‐being of mothers with children in Finnish low‐income families – the mother’s point of view
Authors: Vuori Anne , Åstedt‐Kurki Päivi 
Published: May 2009

Introduction:  Low income correlates with increased health risks. The well‐being of low‐income families has received only limited attention in nursing research and most of the work has focused on unearthing their problems rather than on identifying their strengths. This article describes the well‐being of mothers with children in Finnish low‐income families, from a family health point of view.Aims:  The aim of this study was to generate description of the well‐being of mothers with children in low‐income families in their everyday life and interpret and understand it from the perspectives of low‐incomes mothers.Methods:  This study is based on the phenomenological method and the informants consisted of 15 mothers of low‐income families with children. The data were collected in 2004–2005. The mothers were recruited from three municipalities by means of purposive sampling from amongst families in receipt of income support. Ethical approval was obtained.Findings:  Well‐being appears as a complex and multifaceted phenomenon which, in addition to health, is understood as the opposite of illness and experienced health involves dimensions related to the family’s everyday life and situation. Mothers’ well‐being is described in terms of the flow of everyday life, meaningful family activities, everyday health, the existence of a network of significant others, internal family functioning, the strength received from motherhood and being in the position to influence the well‐being of one’s family.Conclusions:  The results suggest that for purposes of supporting family well‐being on the family’s own terms, it is important to have a clear understanding of the everyday life of families in different situations and understand the meanings that grow out of their everyday life. This information helps nurses to take into account the social aspect of family health and understand low‐income mothers’ point of health, in different health situations in nursing practice where they meet one another.
Does Corporate Transparency Contribute to Efficient Resource Allocation?
Authors: FRANCIS JERE R. , HUANG SHAWN , KHURANA INDER K. , PEREIRA RAYNOLDE 
Published: May 2009

ABSTRACTThis paper examines whether a country's corporate transparency environment, which includes the quality of accounting information, contributes to efficient resource allocation. Based on a cross‐country study of 37 manufacturing industries in 37 countries, we provide three pieces of related evidence. First, we find the contemporaneous correlations in industry growth rates across country pairs are higher when there is a greater level of corporate transparency in the country pairs, after controlling for country‐level economic and financial development. Second, we find the influence of transparency on these correlations is stronger when country pairs are at similar levels of economic development (GDP). Finally, when we control for the level of transparency explained by a country's institutions in place, we find that residual transparency (unexplained by country‐level factors) is associated with industry‐specific growth rates. Taken together, the results are consistent with corporate transparency facilitating the allocation of resources across industry sectors.
Information Immobility and the Home Bias Puzzle
Authors: VAN NIEUWERBURGH STIJN , VELDKAMP LAURA 
Published: May 2009

ABSTRACTMany argue that home bias arises because home investors can predict home asset payoffs more accurately than foreigners can. But why does global information access not eliminate this asymmetry? We model investors, endowed with a small home information advantage, who choose what information to learn before they invest. Surprisingly, even when home investors can learn what foreigners know, they choose not to: Investors profit more from knowing information others do not know. Learning amplifies information asymmetry. The model matches patterns of local and industry bias, foreign investments, portfolio outperformance, and asset prices. Finally, we propose new avenues for empirical research.
Determinants of Vertical Integration: Financial Development and Contracting Costs
Authors: ACEMOGLU DARON , JOHNSON SIMON , MITTON TODD 
Published: May 2009

ABSTRACTWe study the determinants of vertical integration in a new data set of over 750,000 firms from 93 countries. We present a number of theoretical predictions on the interactions between financial development, contracting costs, and the extent of vertical integration. Consistent with these predictions, contracting costs and financial development by themselves appear to have no effect on vertical integration. However, we find greater vertical integration in countries that have both greater contracting costs and greater financial development. We also show that countries with greater contracting costs are more vertically integrated in more capital‐intensive industries.
Eat or Be Eaten: A Theory of Mergers and Firm Size
Authors: GORTON GARY , KAHL MATTHIAS , ROSEN RICHARD J. 
Published: May 2009

ABSTRACTWe propose a theory of mergers that combines managerial merger motives with an industry‐level regime shift that may lead to value‐increasing merger opportunities. Anticipation of these merger opportunities can lead to defensive acquisitions, where managers acquire other firms to avoid losing private benefits if their firms are acquired, or “positioning” acquisitions, where firms position themselves as more attractive takeover targets to earn takeover premia. The identity of acquirers and targets and the profitability of acquisitions depend on the distribution of firm sizes within an industry, among other factors. We find empirical support for some unique predictions of our theory.
Oil Futures Prices in a Production Economy with Investment Constraints
Authors: KOGAN LEONID , LIVDAN DMITRY , YARON AMIR 
Published: May 2009

ABSTRACTWe document a new stylized fact, that the relationship between the volatility of oil futures prices and the slope of the forward curve is nonmonotone and has a V‐shape. This pattern cannot be generated by standard models that emphasize storage. We develop an equilibrium model of oil production in which investment is irreversible and capacity constrained. Investment constraints affect firms' investment decisions and imply that the supply elasticity changes over time. Since demand shocks must be absorbed by changes in prices or changes in supply, time‐varying supply elasticity results in time‐varying volatility of futures prices. Estimating this model, we show it is quantitatively consistent with the V‐shape relationship between the volatility of futures prices and the slope of the forward curve.
IPO Underpricing over the Very Long Run
Authors: CHAMBERS DAVID , DIMSON ELROY 
Published: May 2009

ABSTRACTA central measure of the efficiency of the Initial Public Offering (IPO) market is the extent to which issues are underpriced. We present new and comprehensive evidence covering British IPOs since World War I. During the period from 1917 to 1945, public offers were underpriced by an average of only 3.80%, as compared to 9.15% in the period from 1946 to 1986, and even more after the U.K. stock market was deregulated in 1986. The post‐WWII rise in underpricing cannot be attributed to changes in firm composition, and occurred in spite of improvements in regulation, disclosure, and the prestige of IPO underwriters.
GARP: a key receptor controlling FOXP3 in human regulatory T cells
Authors: Probst‐Kepper M. , Geffers R. , Kröger A. , Viegas N. , Erck C. , Hecht H.‐J. , Lünsdorf H. , Roubin R. , Moharregh‐Khiabani D. , Wagner K. , Ocklenburg F. , Jeron A. , Garritsen H. , Arstila T.P. , Kekäläinen E. , Balling R. , Hauser H. , Buer J. , Weiss S. 
Published: May 2009

AbstractRecent evidence suggests that regulatory pathways might control sustained high levels of FOXP3 in regulatory CD4+CD25hi T (Treg) cells. Based on transcriptional profiling of ex vivo activated Treg and helper CD4+CD25− T (Th) cells we have identified GARP (glycoprotein‐A repetitions predominant), LGALS3 (lectin, galactoside‐binding, soluble, 3) and LGMN (legumain) as novel genes implicated in human Treg cell function, which are induced upon T‐cell receptor stimulation. Retroviral overexpression of GARP in antigen‐specific Th cells leads to an efficient and stable re‐programming of an effector T cell towards a regulatory T cell, which involves up‐regulation of FOXP3, LGALS3, LGMN and other Treg‐associated markers. In contrast, overexpression of LGALS3 and LGMN enhance FOXP3 and GARP expression, but only partially induced a regulatory phenotype. Lentiviral down‐regulation of GARP in Treg cells significantly impaired the suppressor function and was associated with down‐regulation of FOXP3. Moreover, down‐regulation of FOXP3 resulted in similar phenotypic changes and down‐regulation of GARP. This provides compelling evidence for a GARP‐FOXP3 positive feedback loop and provides a rational molecular basis for the known difference between natural and transforming growth factor‐β induced Treg cells as we show here that the latter do not up‐regulate GARP. In summary, we have identified GARP as a key receptor controlling FOXP3 in Treg cells following T‐cell activation in a positive feedback loop assisted by LGALS3 and LGMN, which represents a promising new system for the therapeutic manipulation of T cells in human disease.
High sensitivity of both sequencing and real‐time PCR analysis of KRAS mutations in colorectal cancer tissue
Authors: Tol Jolien , Dijkstra Jeroen R. , Vink‐Börger Marianne E. , Nagtegaal Iris D. , Punt Cornelis J.A. , Van Krieken Johan H.J.M. , Ligtenberg Marjolijn J.L. 
Published: May 2009

AbstractThe KRAS mutation status predicts the outcome of treatment with epidermal growth factor receptor targeted agents, and therefore the testing for KRAS mutations has become an important diagnostic procedure. To optimize the quality of this test, we compared the results of the two most commonly used KRAS mutation tests, cycle sequencing and a real‐time PCR‐based assay, in DNA extracted from formalin‐fixed paraffin‐embedded (FFPE) colorectal cancer samples of 511 patients. The results were interpreted in the context of the tumour cell percentage and the assay parameters. In 510 samples KRAS mutation status assessment was successful. A KRAS mutation was detected in 201 tumours (39.4%). Sequencing and the real‐time PCR‐based assay generated the same result in 486 samples (95.3%). The sequencing result was considered false positive in one (0.2%) and false negative in nine samples (1.8%). The assay result was considered false positive in six (1.2%) and false negative in seven samples (1.4%). Explanations for discrepant test results were a higher sensitivity of the assay in samples with a low tumour cell percentage, occurrence of mutations that are not covered by the assay and δ Ct values approximating the cut‐off value of the assay. In conclusion, both sequencing and the real‐time PCR‐based assay are reliable tests for KRAS mutation analysis in FFPE colorectal cancer samples, with a sensitivity of 95.5% (95% confidence interval [CI] 91.7–97.9%) and 96.5% (95% CI 93.0–98.6%), respectively. The real‐time PCR based assay is the method of choice in samples with a tumour cell percentage below 30%.
Erythrocyte polymorphisms in five ethnic groups of Northern Côte d’Ivoire
Authors: Santovito A. , Burgarello C. , Cervella P. , Ouattara M. , Caravatti G. A. , Salvarani B. , Delpero M. 
Published: May 2009

SummaryDistribution of some erythrocyte polymorphisms was investigated in five Northern Côte d’Ivoire ethnic groups. For the ABO blood group system, the frequencies of alleles p, q and r were 0.119, 0.150 and 0.731, respectively, while the frequencies of alleles D and d of the Rh blood group system were 0.726 and 0.274, respectively. These values are consistent with published data, while the high incidence of HbAS genotype could result from microevolutionay trends acting on this relatively small population. No 27‐bp Southeast Asian ovalocytosis gene deletion was found in the sample.
Argentine rangeland quality influences reproduction of yearling pregnant heifers?
Authors: Hidalgo Liliana G. , Cauhépé M. A. 
Published: May 2009

AbstractThe Flooding Pampa natural grasslands are gradually being transformed into croplands to increase the economic returns of ranches. It is therefore becoming necessary for stockmen to increase beef cattle efficiency to compete with crops and to maintain the native grassland and its associated fauna. However, natural grasslands during winter have the lowest content of nutrients of the year. We intend to demonstrate that, with breeding weights of over 65% of cow mature weight, low forage quality of rangelands during winter does not have a negative effect on reproduction. These higher breeding weights were obtained by selecting early born female calves and by grazing annual and cultivated pastures. Pregnant Aberdeen Angus yearling heifers (n = 90) were evaluated using a pregnancy test (May 2005) until the second calving (July 2006). At the beginning of the experiment, yearling heifers with live weight ranging 360–514 kg (mean, 425 kg ± 3.5 SE) were used. Cattle grazed native grasslands (humid mesophytic meadows and humid prairie grasslands) and old mixed pastures. The second pregnancy was high (100%), with the same mean calving date as in the first pregnancy (227 Julian days). Heifers which calved later in the first calving year were early calvers in the second year, resulting in the relatively constant average calving dates across the animals.
Grazing exclusion as a conservation measure in a South Australian temperate native grassland
Authors: Souter Nicholas J. , Milne Tim 
Published: May 2009

AbstractMany of South Australia's remnant temperate native grasslands are degraded by introduced livestock grazing. As a conservation measure, grazing was excluded from three 50 × 50 m exclosures in grazed native grassland. After 4 years, grazing removal had a noticeable effect on the grassland structure, increasing basal vegetation cover. Grazing removal had no significant effect on either native or exotic species richness, rather differences in richness changed as a result of interannual differences, such as the amount of rainfall that fell in the growing season. The percent cover of the native tussock grass Austrostipa spp. and the introduced annual grass Avena barbata, whilst fluctuating from year to year, both increased following the removal of grazing. Multivariate analyses showed that whilst only interannual differences affected community taxon richness, changes in structure were affected by the interaction between grazing treatment and year. Excluding livestock from a degraded grassland resulted in limited recovery and restoration of these endangered plant associations will require active rehabilitation efforts.
Reduction of rat damage to forage paddy rice stored as round‐baled silage by modifying the storage layout
Authors: Kawamoto Hidenori , Kimura Shoichi , Komatsu Tokushi , Oshibe Akinori , Shimada Takuya 
Published: May 2009

AbstractWe investigated a method for protecting forage paddy rice, stored as wrapped round‐baled silage, from feeding damage caused by rats. We divided 23 bales (diameter of each bale, 50 cm) into two groups. In the control layout group, the bales were placed in close proximity to each other and the top part was covered by a blue plastic sheet in order to produce a masking effect of vertically stacked bales. In the spacious layout group, the bales were placed 20–30 cm apart from each other. The percentage of bales damaged by feeding in the control layout was 80%, while that of bales damaged by feeding in the spacious layout was only 7%. The result suggested that creating open spaces between the stored bales would increase the predation hazard of rats and reduce the damage caused to the silage.
The migration of nearby spirals from the blue to red sequence: AGN feedback or environmental effects?
Authors: Hughes T. M. , Cortese L. 
Published: May 2009

Abstract
We combine ultraviolet to near-infrared photometry with Hi 21cm line observations for a complete volume-limited sample of nearby galaxies in different environments (from isolated galaxies to Virgo cluster members), to study the migration of spirals from the blue to the red sequence. Although our analysis confirms that, in the transition region between the two sequences, a high fraction of spirals host active galactic nuclei (AGN), it clearly shows that late types with quenched star formation are mainly Hi deficient galaxies preferentially found in the Virgo cluster. This not only suggests that environmental effects could play a significant role in driving the migration of local galaxies from the blue sequence, but it also implies that a physical link between AGN feedback and quenching may not be assumed from a correlation between nuclear activity and colour.
Does disturbance of self underlie social cognition deficits in schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders?
Authors: Nelson Barnaby , Sass Louis A. , Thompson Andrew , Yung Alison R. , Francey Shona M. , Amminger G. Paul , McGorry Patrick D. 
Published: May 2009

AbstractAim: Although the different approaches to psychosis research have made significant advances in their own fields, integration between the approaches is often lacking. This paper attempts to integrate a strand of cognitive research in psychotic disorders (specifically, social cognition research) with phenomenological accounts of schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders.Method: The paper is a critical investigation of phenomenological models of disturbed selfhood in schizophrenia in relation to cognitive theories of social cognition in psychotic disorders.Results: We argue that disturbance of the basic sense of self, as articulated in the phenomenological literature, may underlie the social cognition difficulties present in psychotic disorders. This argument is based on phenomenological thinking about self‐presence (‘ipseity’) being the primary or most basic ground for the intentionality of consciousness – that is, the directedness of consciousness towards others and the world. A disruption in this basic ground of conscious life has a reverberating effect through other areas of cognitive and social functioning. We propose three routes whereby self‐disturbance may compromise social cognition, including dissimilarity, disruption of lived body and disturbed mental coherence.Conclusions: If this model is supported, then social cognition difficulties may be thought of as a secondary index or marker of the more primary disturbance of self in psychotic disorders. Further empirical work examining the relationship between cognitive and phenomenological variables may be of value in identifying risk markers for psychosis onset, thus contributing to early intervention efforts, as well as in clarifying the essential psychopathological features of schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders.
Untreated psychotic illness in the survivors of violent suicide attempts
Authors: Nielssen Olav B. , Large Matthew M. 
Published: May 2009

AbstractBackground: Recent studies suggest that violence is more common in the first episode of psychosis than after treatment.Aim: To estimate the proportion of survivors of violent suicide attempts during psychotic illness who had not previously received treatment with antipsychotic medication.Methods: An audit of the medical records of patients admitted to an inner city trauma centre after having survived a jump of more than 3 m or a self‐inflicted gunshot wound or stab wound to a vital body part.Results: There were 88 survivors of violent suicide attempts. Thirty‐seven of those had a psychotic illness, including 33 with a schizophrenia‐spectrum psychosis. Of the 37, 18 (48.6%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 32.3–65.0%) had never received treatment for psychosis.Conclusion: As first episode psychosis is less common than previously treated psychosis, there appears to be a higher risk of violent suicide attempts during the first episode of psychosis than later in the illness.
The Effect of Functional Dentition on Healthy Eating Index Scores and Nutrient Intakes in a Nationally Representative Sample of Older Adults
Authors: Ervin R. Bethene , Dye Bruce A. 
Published: May 2009

Abstract
Objective: The objectives of this study were to examine the associations between functional dentition and the Healthy Eating Index (HEI) scores and nutrient intakes among older adults in the United States. Methods: The sample consisted of 2,560 adults, 60 years and over from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999‐2002. We used multivariate linear regression to examine associations between functional dentition and HEI scores or nutrient intakes controlling for the potential confounding effects of age, race/ethnicity, education, smoking status, body mass index (BMI), self‐reported health, and caloric intake. Dentate status was classified as: edentulous (no natural permanent teeth or implants), 1‐20 teeth, or≥21 teeth. A functional dentition was defined as having 21 or more teeth present. HEI scores and nutrient intakes were based on one 24‐hour dietary recall. Results: Males with a functional dentition consumed slightly more fruit and had higher alpha‐ and beta‐carotene intakes than edentulous males. Females with any natural teeth had higher vitamin C intakes than edentulous females. There were no significant associations between dentate status and any of the remaining HEI scores or nutrient intakes for either sex. Conclusions: Having a functional dentition did not contribute substantially to higher HEI scores or nutrient intakes in this nationally representative sample of older adults. However, older men and women with no teeth or those who wear dentures consumed fewer servings of fruits and vegetables, especially those rich in carotenes and vitamin C, than those with teeth.
A Health Education Program for Brazilian Public Schoolchildren: The Effects on Dental Health Practice and Oral Health Awareness
Authors: De Farias Irlane Alves , De Araújo Souza Georgia Costa , Ferreira Maria Ângela Fernandes 
Published: May 2009

Abstract
Objectives: Determine the impact of an oral health education program on oral hygiene and the awareness level of elementary schoolchildren. Methods: A total sample of 247 schoolchildren between the ages of 7 and 15 years from the public school system of Parnamirim, Brazil, were selected and randomly allocated to a control (n = 115) and experimental (n = 132) group. Sociodemographic data were recorded and a clinical examination was given to establish the decayed, missing and filled surfaces index (DMFS) and the dmfs index. The visible plaque index (VPI) and gingival bleeding index (GBI) were collected before and after the intervention. A closed‐question questionnaire was applied to the schoolchildren before and after intervention to determine their knowledge of oral health. The experimental group took part in oral health education activities over a 4‐month period. Results: The VPI (P = 0.014; CI 0.24‐0.86) and GBI (P = 0.013; CI 0.28‐0.87) of the experimental group were significantly lower after educational activities. Similarly, the experimental group also obtained a higher number of correct answers on the questionnaire (P < 0.0001; CI 3.73‐26.81). However, there was no association between oral hygiene indicators, VPI (P = 0.311; CI 0.23‐1.60), and GBI (P = 0.927; CI 0.43‐2.16), and the information level of the schoolchildren. Conclusions: Contextualized educational activities in the school routine had positive effects on oral hygiene and the level of information about oral health, although the more informed individuals did not always practice better oral hygiene.