bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Risk of renal stone formation induced by long‐term bed rest could be decreased by premedication with bisphosphonate and increased by resistive exercise
Authors: Okada Atsushi , Ohshima Hiroshi , Itoh Yasunori , Yasui Takahiro , Tozawa Keiichi , Kohri Kenjiro 
Published: May 2008

Objectives:  To clarify the influence of long‐term bed rest on renal stone formation and to analyze the mechanism of bed‐rest‐induced stone formation and prevention by bisphosphonate and bed‐rest exercise.Methods:  Twenty‐five men aged 26–48 years and divided into control (CON: n = 9), exercise (EX: n = 9), and pamidronate (PMD: n = 7) groups, rested on a 6° head‐down tilt bed for 90 days. The exercise group carried out resistive exercise every 3 days. Pamidronate (60 mg) was intravenously given 2 weeks before the initiation of bed rest. Abdominal X‐ray examination and urine biochemistry were carried out during 90 days of bed rest and 90 days of reloading.Results:  Renal stone formation was observed in two (22.2%) and four (44.4%) subjects in the control and exercise groups, respectively. No stone was seen in the pamidronate group. In the exercise group, urinary oxalate and phosphate excretion were significantly higher than in the control group. In the pamidronate group, urinary calcium excretion and relative supersaturation of calcium oxalate and brushite were lower than in the control group throughout the bed‐rest and recovery period.Conclusion:  Long‐term bed‐rest‐induced renal stone formation was found to be induced by increased urinary calcium and subsequent crystal formation of calcium oxalate and calcium phosphate. Exercise during bed rest for the prevention of bone mineral loss and contracture might increase the risk of renal stone formation. Pamidronate is useful for the prevention of renal stone formation during and after bed rest.
Physiological integration of roots and shoots in plant defense strategies links above‐ and belowground herbivory
Authors: Kaplan Ian , Halitschke Rayko , Kessler Andre , Rehill Brian J. , Sardanelli Sandra , Denno Robert F. 
Published: May 2008

AbstractRoots play a critical, but largely unappreciated, role in aboveground anti‐herbivore plant defense (e.g. resistance and tolerance) and root–leaf connections may therefore result in unexpected coupling between above‐ and belowground consumers. Using the tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) system we highlight two examples of this phenomenon. First, the secondary metabolite nicotine is produced in roots, yet translocated aboveground for use as a foliar resistance trait. We demonstrate that nematode root herbivory interferes with foliar nicotine dynamics, resulting in positive effects on aboveground phytophagous insects. Notably, nematode‐induced facilitation only occurred on nicotine‐producing plants, and not on nicotine‐deficient mutants. In the second case, we use stable isotope and invertase enzyme analyses to demonstrate that foliar herbivory elicits a putative tolerance response whereby aboveground nutritional reserves are allocated to roots, resulting in facilitation of phytoparasitic nematodes. Thus, plants integrate roots in resistance and tolerance mechanisms for leaf defense, and such root–leaf connections inherently link the dynamics of above‐ and belowground consumers.
Resource availability influences the diversity of a functional group of heterotrophic soil bacteria
Authors: Langenheder Silke , Prosser James I. 
Published: May 2008

SummaryResource availability is a key factor regulating biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, but the relationship between resource availability and diversity has only been rarely investigated in microbial communities. The aim of this study was to determine how diversity and community structure of a functional group of soil bacteria are influenced by resource concentration. To achieve this, we used soil microcosms to investigate degradation of benzoate, which served as a model compound, by soil bacterial communities. Microcosms were supplied with 13C‐labelled benzoate at four concentrations and RNA‐stable isotope probing followed by molecular fingerprinting analysis of 16S rRNA genes was employed to identify bacteria able to assimilate benzoate at different concentrations. The composition of the benzoate degrader community differed at different concentrations and there was a significant decrease in taxa evenness at the highest substrate concentration. Active organisms could be grouped into generalists, occurring at all substrate concentrations, specialists, active at one particular benzoate concentration only, and taxa that were active at either the two lowest or two highest concentrations. The study comprises the first explicit demonstration that resource availability has an effect on the diversity of a functional group of heterotrophic soil bacteria.
Organization and expression of photosynthesis genes and operons in anoxygenic photosynthetic proteobacteria
Authors: Liotenberg Sylviane , Steunou Anne‐Soisig , Picaud Martine , Reiss‐Husson Françoise , Astier Chantal , Ouchane Soufian 
Published: May 2008

SummaryGenes belonging to the same metabolic route are usually organized in operons in microbial genomes. For instance, most genes involved in photosynthesis were found clustered and organized in operons in photosynthetic Alpha‐ and Betaproteobacteria. The discovery of Gammaproteobacteria with a conserved photosynthetic gene cluster revives the questions on the role and the maintenance of such organization in proteobacteria. In this paper, we report the analysis of the structure and expression of the 14 kb cluster (crtEF‐bchCXYZ‐pufBALMC‐crtADC) in the photosynthetic betaproteobacterium Rubrivivax gelatinosus, with the purpose of understanding the reasons and the biological constraints that might have led to the clustering of photosynthesis genes. The genetic analyses are substantiated by reverse transcription‐PCR data which reveal the presence of a transcript encompassing the 14 genes and provide evidence of a polycistronic ‘super‐operon’ organization starting at crtE and ending 14 kb downstream at the crtC gene. Furthermore, genetic analyses suggest that one of the selection pressures that may have driven and maintained the photosynthesis operons/super‐operons in proteobacteria could very likely be the coexpression and regulation of the clustered genes/operon.
Metachronous squamous‐cell carcinoma of the colon and treatment of rectal squamous carcinoma with chemoradiotherapy
Authors: Brammer R. D. , Taniere P. , Radley S. 
Published: May 2008

AbstractRectal squamous‐cell carcinoma is a rare tumour with an incidence of less than 1 per 1000 cases. We report such a case treated with chemoradiotherapy. The patient developed a metastasis in the spleen and a further squamous tumour in the right colon, both of which were successfully resected. No histological evidence of recurrent rectal tumour has been found. Two years following presentation, the patient remains disease‐free although symptomatic from a radiotherapy‐induced stricture of the rectum.
Subtotal colectomy for toxic and fulminant colitis in the era of immunosuppressive therapy
Authors: Stewart D. , Chao A. , Kodner I. , Birnbaum E. , Fleshman J. , Dietz D. 
Published: May 2008

AbstractObjective  Prolonged use of immunosuppressive medication to avoid surgery is becoming more common in patients with inflammatory bowel disease, with severe or fulminant colitis. The effect of immunosuppression on postoperative outcomes was reviewed.Method  Patients undergoing subtotal colectomy (STC) for fulminant or toxic colitis from 1992 to 2006 were studied to define the effect of immunosuppression (IS) on postoperative complications (POCs). Patient characteristics, diagnosis, operative indication, details of surgery, use of IS, and POC’s were reviewed and univariate and multivariate analysis was performed.Results  Eighty‐nine patients were studied (55 males). Seventy‐two (91%) patients had fulminant colitis and 17 (20%) had toxic colitis. The preoperative diagnosis was ulcerative colitis in 74, indeterminate in 10, and Crohn’s disease in five patients. Eighty‐two (92%) patients were on some form of immunosuppression, and 14 had a perforation at surgery. Thirty‐nine (43.8%) patients experienced a POC. There was no operative mortality. Univariate analysis identified perforation (P = 0.048) and length of surgery (P = 0.002) as predictive of POCs, while multivariate analysis failed to identify a predictor of complications.Conclusion  There was no association between immunosuppression and postoperative complications. Complications in this setting are a result of the severity of the inflammatory bowel disease.
Improving patient survival with the colorectal cancer multi‐disciplinary team
Authors: MacDermid E. , Hooton G. , MacDonald M. , McKay G. , Grose D. , Mohammed N. , Porteous C. 
Published: May 2008

AbstractObjective  There is little information on the impact of the colorectal multi‐disciplinary team (MDT) in the United Kingdom. Our single operator presented his patients before and after the inception of an MDT meeting in June 2002. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of this on his patients’ survival, and trends in the use of adjuvant chemotherapy.Method  Data were collected on all patients (n = 310) undergoing colectomy for colorectal cancer by one surgeon. Excluding patients with Dukes A stage, the pre‐MDT cohort from January 1997 to May 2002 was 176 and the post‐MDT cohort from June 2002 to December 2005 was 134. Three‐year survival rates were calculated using Kaplan–Meier life table analysis. Prognostic factors were analysed using Cox‐proportional hazard regression, and chemotherapy data analysed using the chi‐squared test. Independent prognostic indicators of chemotherapy prescription were examined using binary logistic testing.Results  MDT status was shown to be an independent predictor of survival on hazard regression analysis (P = 0.044). A significantly greater number of patients were prescribed adjuvant chemotherapy in the post‐MDT cohort (P = 0.0002). MDT status was shown to be a significant prognostic indicator of chemotherapy prescription (P < 0.0001). Three‐year survival for Dukes C patients was 58% in the pre‐MDT group, and 66% in the post‐MDT group (P = 0.023).Conclusion  There was a significant increase in patients undergoing adjuvant postoperative chemotherapy after the inception of the MDT. This was associated with a significant survival benefit in patients with Dukes C disease. The data suggest that the MDT process has resulted in an increase in the prescription of adjuvant chemotherapy, with 3‐year survival being greater after its inception.
Barriers to biodiversity conservation in marine fishery certification
Authors: Ward Trevor J 
Published: May 2008

AbstractTwo global certification and ecolabelling systems – the generic global dolphin‐safe ecolabel and the global Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) ecolabel – are assessed for their present and potential contributions to improving biodiversity conservation in marine capture fisheries. The dolphin‐safe ecolabel appears to have played a minor role in a reduction of dolphin mortality in tuna fisheries, but dolphin populations in the worst‐affected area have not recovered, and it appears that the current level of dolphin by‐catch sanctioned by present‐day fishery management and the ecolabel is not effective enough to achieve population recovery. The MSC ecolabel has established a poorly expressed environmental standard that has resulted in variable interpretations by certifiers, creating an apparently systematic bias in application of the standard to the certified fisheries. Without substantial revision of both these systems, it seems unlikely that they will be able to make major contributions to marine biodiversity conservation because of barriers created by limitations in programme design, lack of robust linkages between the certification standard and biodiversity conservation outcomes, and unclear standards and their inconsistent application in the certification of fisheries.
Modelling fish growth: multi‐model inference as a better alternative to a priori using von Bertalanffy equation
Authors: Katsanevakis Stelios , Maravelias Christos D. 
Published: May 2008

AbstractThe common practice among researchers who study fish growth is to a priori adopt the von Bertalanffy growth model (VBGM), which is the most used and ubiquitous equation in the fisheries literature. However, in many cases VBGM is not supported by the data and many species seem to follow different growth trajectories. The information theory approach frees the researcher from the limiting concept that a ‘true’ growth model exists. Multi‐model inference (MMI) based on information theory is proposed as a more robust alternative to study fish growth. The proposed methodology was applied to 133 sets of length‐at‐age data. Four candidate models were fitted to each data set: von Bertalanffy growth model (VBGM), Gompertz model, Logistic and the Power model; the three former assume asymptotic and the latter non‐asymptotic growth. In each case, the ‘best’ model was selected by minimizing the small‐sample, bias‐corrected form of the Akaike information criterion (AICc). To quantify the plausibility of each model, the ‘Akaike weight’wi of each model was calculated. Following a MMI approach, the model averaged asymptotic length for each case was estimated, by model averaging estimations of interpreting Akaike weights as a posterior probability distribution over the set of candidate models. The VBGM was not selected as the best model in 65.4% of the cases. Most often VBGM was either strongly supported by the data (with no other substantially supported model) or had very low or no support by the data. The estimation of asymptotic length was greatly model dependent; as estimated by VBGM was in every case greater than that estimated by the Gompertz model, which in turn was always greater than that estimated by the Logistic model. The percentage underestimation of the standard error of , when ignoring model selection uncertainty, was on average 18% with values as high as 91%. Ignoring model selection uncertainty may have serious implications, e.g. when comparing the growth parameters of different fish populations. Multi‐model inference by model averaging, based on Akaike weights, is recommended as a simple and easy to implement method to model fish growth, for making robust parameter estimations and dealing with model selection uncertainty.
The role of growth history in determining age and size at maturation in exploited fish populations
Authors: Kuparinen Anna , O’Hara Robert B , Merilä Juha 
Published: May 2008

AbstractRecently, a great deal of attention has been focused on investigating whether decreased ages and sizes at maturation in exploited fish populations could be evolutionary responses to selective fishing. To this end, the main focus has been on isolating the effects of growth changes from the process of maturation, but little effort has been invested in assessing how growth actually affects ages and sizes at maturation in a population. Here, we develop a probabilistic description of the process of maturation, which makes explicit the mathematical links between maturation, growth and the probabilistic maturation reaction norm. Apart from providing a mathematically explicit yet heuristically simple framework for assessing the role of growth in the age and size at maturation, we demonstrate by simulation that changes in growth rates can result in considerable shifts in the age and size at maturation. Focusing more attention on growth histories of individuals would provide a better position to understand the processes constituting phenotypic shifts in the age and size at maturation and help in disentangling environmentally induced plastic changes in maturation from those caused by evolutionary responses to fisheries‐induced selection.
Auditor independence, executive pay and firm performance
Authors: Iyengar Raghavan J. , Zampelli Ernest M. 
Published: May 2008

AbstractThis paper investigates whether compensation committees actively intervene to adjust accounting performance‐based incentive schemes for the real, or perceived, reduced earnings credibility signalled by the purchase of non‐audit services. Using a nonlinear, two‐stage least‐squares method that accounts for the simultaneity of executive pay, firm performance and non‐audit fees, we find a significant negative relationship between non‐audit fees and the sensitivity of chief executive officer (CEO) pay to firm performance. Point estimates suggest that the reduced weight applied to accounting performance lowers the incentive component of executive pay between roughly 5 and 8 per cent for the CEO of the ‘average firm’.
Effect of different types of feedback on the level of auditors’ configural information processing
Authors: Leung Patrick W. , Trotman Ken T. 
Published: May 2008

AbstractPrevious audit judgement research has emphasized the importance of auditors processing information configurally (i.e. jointly considering the impact of different cues). This paper examines the impact of four different forms of feedback (outcome, task properties, cognitive and combined) on increasing the extent of configural information processing by auditors. We find that task properties, cognitive and combined (task properties plus cognitive) feedback all lead to increased configural information processing. There is no impact of outcome feedback. We also find that the extent of configural processing is positively associated with our measure of judgement performance. We discuss the implications of the results for audit firms.
Do students’ perceptions matter? A study of the effect of students’ perceptions on academic performance
Authors: Ferreira Aldónio , Santoso Andrijani 
Published: May 2008

AbstractPrior accounting education literature documents that students typically associate accounting subjects with negative perceptions, but there are also recent suggestions that the stereotype of the accountant has positive associations. These perceptions of accounting are likely to affect students’ attitudes towards learning and, consequently, influence their performance. We examine the relationship between students’ perceptions and students’ performance. The present study involved undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in management accounting subjects. Our findings indicate that students’ performance is negatively affected by the negative perceptions of accounting that students bring to the subject. Our findings also suggest that positive perceptions of accounting held by students at the end of the semester have a positive impact on students’ performance.
Value relevance of voluntary disclosure in the annual report
Authors: Banghøj Jesper , Plenborg Thomas 
Published: May 2008

AbstractThis paper examines whether the level of voluntary disclosure affects the association between current returns and future earnings. Economic theory suggests that firms might find it advantageous to provide additional pieces of information (i.e. voluntary disclosure) to investors and analysts. Our results indicate that more voluntary disclosure does not improve the association between current returns and future earnings (i.e. current returns do not reflect more future earnings news). This finding raises the question of whether voluntary information in the annual report contains value‐relevant information about future earnings or if investors are simply not capable of incorporating voluntary information in the firm value estimates.
Spirit of the game: Empowering students as designers in schools?
Authors: Lim Cher Ping 
Published: May 2008

AbstractThe aim of this paper and the one which follows is to explore how the potential of computer games may be taken up in schools to support learning engagement among students. It is not the intention of the papers to dismiss existing classroom practices or overlook accounts of innovative practices in schools; the papers' aim is to provide educators who are interested in exploring the use of computer games in schools with information and ideas about how these games may be effectively used to engage students in their learning. This paper questions whether the empowerment of students to create games for one another based on the school curriculum may address the insignificance of computer games in the sociocultural setting of the school. Both papers have been commissioned by Microsoft (Asia‐Pacific) under the Partners‐In‐Learning Initiative. Under this initiative, Microsoft establishes partnerships with ministries of education, national and local government bodies, and other stakeholders to empower students and teachers to realize their full potential, mediated by information and communication technologies.
Exploring the effects of gender and learning styles on computer programming performance: implications for programming pedagogy
Authors: Lau Wilfred W. F. , Yuen Allan H. K. 
Published: May 2008

AbstractComputer programming has been taught in secondary schools for more than two decades. However, little is known about how students learn to program. From the curriculum implementation perspectives, learning style helps address the issue of learner differences, resulting in a shift from a teacher‐centred approach to a learner‐focused approach. This study aims to investigate the effects of gender and learning styles on computer programming performance. The Gregorc Style Delineator (GSD) was employed to measure learning styles. A test was administered to assess students’ programming performance. Two hundred and seventeen secondary school students of age from 14 to 19 participated in this study. Results indicated that no gender differences in programming performance were found after controlling for the effect of student ability. Academic ability had a differential effect on programming knowledge. Sequential learners in general performed better than random learners. These results suggest the importance of the ordering dimension of the GSD in influencing programming performance. Implications of the findings in relation to programming pedagogy are discussed in this paper.
‘Mind the gap’: An empirical study of the gap between intention and actual usage of corporate e‐learning programmes in the financial industry
Authors: Luor Tainyi , Hu Changya , Lu His‐Peng 
Published: May 2008

AbstractWhile numerous previous studies have focused on the use of some corporate e‐learning programmes (CELP), little is known about the difference between users’ pre‐installation reactions to CELP and user's post‐installation reactions to CELP. This study narrows the above gap with two investigations into a financial company's CELP. In the pre‐installation phase, we surveyed users' need for cognition, attitudes towards corporate e‐learning and intentions for the use of corporate e‐learning (INT) in relation to the CELP. Ten months after the installation, we conducted a second investigation to examine learning outcomes on the basis of users' perceptions of CELP utility, CELP satisfaction, affective reaction to CELP and the actual CELP usage (UGE). We examined the proposed model with multiple regression analyses and found a gap between INT and UGE. The second investigation identified potential factors that contributed to the differences in UGE between two groups of high‐INT learners. Results indicated that time management and technical problems were the two critical factors that led to UGE differences. Findings of this study can illuminate relationships among learners' attitudes, usage and reaction towards the CELP.