bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The usefulness of Conners' Rating Scales‐Revised in screening for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in children with intellectual disabilities and borderline intelligence
Authors: Deb S. , Dhaliwal A.‐J. , Roy M. 
Published: October 2008

AbstractBackground  Symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are believed to be common in children with intellectual disabilities (ID). Conners' Rating Scales are widely used for screening ADHD among children who do not have ID, but little is known about their usefulness among children with ID.Aims  To find cut‐off scores for the Conners' Parent Rating Scales‐Revised (CPRS‐R) and the Conners' Teacher Rating Scale‐Revised (CTRS‐R) that will give optimum levels of sensitivity and specificity for screening for ADHD among children with ID and borderline intelligence.Method  Receiver operating characteristic analysis was used to compare a clinical diagnosis of ADHD according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual 4th revision‐Text Review criteria with scores according to the CPRS‐R and the CTRS‐R.Results  Among children with ID, a CPRS‐R total score of 42 provided a sensitivity of 0.9 and a specificity of 0.67 with an area under the curve of 0.84. Similarly, a CTRS‐R total score of 40 provided a sensitivity of 0.69 and a specificity of 0.67 with an area under the curve of 0.71. There was poor concordance between the CPRS‐R and the CTRS‐R total scores (Intraclass Correlation; ICC = 0.17). There were statistically significant differences in the total score of the CPRS‐R and most of its sub‐scores between children with ID with and without ADHD. The CTRS‐R total score and its sub‐scores did not show any statistically significant difference between two groups. Factor analysis showed three clinically distinct factors for both the CPRS‐R and the CTRS‐R items, although the CPRS‐R factors were better and had less item overlap than the CTRS‐R factors.Conclusions  The CPRS‐R scores may distinguish between children with ID with and without ADHD but not the CTRS‐R scores. Many items in the CPRS‐R and the CTRS‐R are not applicable to children with severe and profound ID who do not have speech. The CPRS‐R and the CTRS‐R scores did not correlate with each other. There is a need to develop an ADHD screening instrument specifically for children with ID.
Expressive communication of children with autism: the use of challenging behaviour
Authors: Chiang Hsu‐Min 
Published: October 2008

AbstractBackground  There is a lack of empirical research investigating challenging behaviour in children with autism with severe speech impairments in naturalistic settings. The aim of the present study was to investigate challenging behaviour among Australian and Taiwanese children with autism who are non‐verbal or have limited speech (i.e. less than five functional words) in school settings and to address the following questions: (1) What are the communicative characteristics (e.g. communicative functions, partners, activities and partner's responses) of challenging behaviour? (2) Do sample characteristics (e.g. age, severity of autism, adaptive behaviour level, the use of graphic symbols, the use of non‐symbolic acts, the use of speech) associate with the amount of challenging behaviour? (3) Do cultural differences exist in communicative variables of challenging behaviour?Method  Naturalistic observations were used to investigate challenging behaviour in children with autism. A total of 32 (17 Australian and 15 Taiwanese) children with autism who were non‐verbal or had limited speech participated in the current study and each participant was videotaped for 2 h during his/her everyday school routines.Results  Sixteen out of 32 children had challenging behaviour. Challenging behaviour was used for requesting and rejecting communicative functions. A paired‐samples t‐test revealed that no significant differences existed in the frequency of occurrence between request and reject. Challenging behaviour was directed to adults and peers. A paired‐samples t‐test revealed that challenging behaviour was directed to adults significantly more frequently than to peers. Communicative partners showed different responses (e.g. deny, no response, delivered, removed, acknowledge) to challenging behaviour. A repeated‐measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed a main effect for partner response. Deny was the most common response. Challenging behaviour occurred across a variety of classroom activities (e.g. academic activities, morning circle, morning tea, lunch, free time). A repeated‐measures ANOVA revealed a main effect for activity. Challenging behaviour occurred most often during academic activities. A set of correlation analyses indicated a significant correlation existed between the use of graphic symbols and the amount of challenging behaviour. A series of Mann–Whitney U‐tests revealed significant differences between Australian and Taiwanese children on the amount of challenging behaviour, communicative functions and partners. A Chi‐squared test revealed that there were significantly more Australian children with autism who displayed challenging behaviour than Taiwanese children.Conclusions  The current study shows that a high proportion of children with autism with severe speech impairments used challenging behaviour as a form of expressive communication in their school environments. The findings from the present study may have implications for practitioners who work with children with autism.
Role of prolipoprotein diacylglyceryl transferase (Lgt) and lipoprotein‐specific signal peptidase II (LspA) in localization and physiological function of lipoprotein MsmE in Streptococcus mutans
Authors: Arimoto T. , Igarashi T. 
Published: October 2008

Introduction:  To clarify the role that prolipoprotein diacylglyceryl transferase (Lgt) and lipoprotein‐specific signal peptidase II (LspA) play in the physiological function of MsmE, we constructed lgt‐deficient and lspA‐deficient mutants of Streptococcus mutans 109c and examined the potential role of Lgt and LspA in membrane anchoring and growth in a melibiose medium of S. mutans.Methods:  The lgt‐, lspA‐, and msmE‐deficient mutants of S. mutans 109c were constructed by double‐crossover recombination of their respective genes. Localization of MsmE was demonstrated by Western blot analysis with an MsmE antiserum. The growth of S. mutans cells was examined in a Trypton medium containing melibiose or glucose.Results:  In the S. mutans lgt mutant, localization of the surface lipoprotein MsmE changed with the culture supernatant. The growth of the S. mutans lgt and lspA mutants was remarkably reduced in the melibiose medium; however, growth was recovered in the strains complemented with the lgt or the lspA gene. Therefore, lipid‐modification by Lgt and subsequent signal peptide cleavage by LspA were crucial for membrane anchoring and the physiological function of MsmE in S. mutans.Conclusion:  These results demonstrate that MsmE is required for melibiose metabolism in S. mutans and that modification by Lgt and LspA are important processes for the physiological function of MsmE.
Interactions Between Multiple Forms of Nuptial Feeding in the Wood Cricket Nemobius sylvestris (Bosc): Dual Spermatophores and Male Forewings
Authors: Prokop Pavol , Maxwell Michael R. 
Published: October 2008

AbstractNuptial feeding is widespread in insects, with many species showing one form of feeding. In the wood cricket Nemobius sylvestris, the male may provide multiple forms of feeding during an encounter: two kinds of edible spermatophores (microspermatophore and macrospermatophore) and forewing secretions. We examined the roles and interactions of the spermatophores and forewing exposure in the mating sequence of this species. The small microspermatophore was not found to contain sperm, whereas the larger macrospermatophore contained sperm. In mating trials, the microspermatophore may be transferred to the female early in the trial. Transfer of the microspermatophore was not a necessary prerequisite to the subsequent transfer of one or more sperm‐filled macrospermatophores. Forewing exposure increased male mating success, as males with exposed forewings were more successful in transferring the macrospermatophore than males with experimentally covered forewings, both in terms of occurrence of successful transfer and the number of macrospermatophores transferred. Male mating success was very low when the male’s forewings were covered and when the male did not transfer a microspermatophore. The sperm‐filled macrospermatophore may have nutritional value, as females eventually consumed all transferred macrospermatophores, and males consumed all rejected macrospermatophores. Somewhat unexpectedly, this study casts doubt on the role of the forewings in nuptial feeding. Although males with exposed forewings were more successful in macrospermatophore transfer, females actually palpated these males’ forewings less. We posit the alternative hypothesis that the forewing secretions play a role in chemical communication to the female (e.g., signaling male quality), possibly instead of female nourishment.
Individual response of growing pigs to lysine intake
Authors: Heger J. , Křížová L. , Šustala M. , Nitrayová S. , Patráš P. , Hampel D. 
Published: October 2008

SummaryNitrogen (N) balance experiment was carried out to study the individual and group response of growing pigs to lysine (Lys) intake. A series of 15 purified diets limiting in Lys were fed sequentially to nine pigs (initial body weight, 39 kg) during a 15‐day experiment. Lysine concentration ranged from 50% to 140% of its assumed requirement. N retention in individual pigs was related to Lys intake using linear‐plateau (LP) and quadratic‐plateau (QP) models. No difference in the closeness of fit between the models was found (p = 0.72). There were significant differences between the slopes of individual regression lines in the LP model (p = 0.018) and between the individual plateau values in both models (p < 0.0001). The breakpoint values in the QP model were greater than those of the LP model (p = 0.027), while the plateau values estimated by both models were similar (p = 0.32). In the LP model, no relationship was found between the slopes and plateau values (p = 0.67, r = 0.17) or between the slopes and breakpoint values (p = 0.55, r = −0.23), thus suggesting that pigs with higher protein deposition rate do not utilize lysine more efficiently. However, there was a close positive correlation between breakpoint and plateau values (p = 0.0005, r = 0.92). Based on LP and QP models, the mean daily requirement of Lys for a 47‐kg gilt was estimated to be 20.8 and 24.2 g (0.79 and 0.92 g/MJ metabolizable energy), respectively, with coefficients of variation of approximately 10%. Marginal efficiency of Lys utilization derived from the LP model was 0.67 and was dependent on the range of input data selected. Lysine disappearance was a curvilinear function of Lys intake, indicating that Lys catabolism is not directly related to Lys intake. The closeness of fit of exponential, saturation kinetics or four‐parameter logistic models applied to data set of all pigs was similar to that of LP or QP models.
Anti‐Ma2 paraneoplastic encephalitis associated with testicular germ cell tumor treated by carboplatin, etoposide and bleomycin
Authors: Kimura Masaki , Onozawa Mizuki , Fujisaki Akira , Arakawa Takashi , Takeda Katsuhiko , Dalmau Joseph , Hattori Kazunori 
Published: October 2008

Abstract:Anti‐Ma2‐associated encephalitis is a paraneoplastic disorder that predominantly affects the limbic system, diencephalon and brainstem, and is usually associated with tumors of the testis. We report a 35‐year‐old man with a right testicular mass who presented with multiple neurological complains, and clinical, serological and radiological features compatible with anti‐Ma2‐associated encephalitis. After three courses of carboplatin, etoposide and bleomycin for metastatic testicular germ‐cell tumor, all elevated tumor markers normalized and the retroperitoneal metastases disappeared, but the neurological disorder deteriorated. To our knowledge, this is the first case in which orchiectomy followed by carboplatin, etoposide and bleomycin for a testicular tumor with anti‐Ma2 encephalitis was performed.
Fracture analysis of strength undermatched Al‐Alloy welds in edge cracked tensile panels using FITNET procedure
Authors: CICERO S. , YENI Ç. , KOÇAK M. 
Published: October 2008

ABSTRACTThis paper presents a methodology for the assessment of the remaining load carrying capacity of thin‐walled components under tension containing highly strength undermatched welds and edge cracks. The analysis is based on the strength mismatch option of the fracture module, part of the newly developed European fitness‐for‐service (FFS) procedure FITNET. The mismatch option of the FITNET fracture module allows weld features such as weld tensile properties and weld geometry to be taken into account in the fracture analysis of cracked welded components. The methodology described was verified for centre cracked Al‐alloy large tensile panels containing undermatched welds in Ref. [1] and hence the present work provides validation with experimental results of the single edge cracked (SEC) and double edge cracked (DEC) panels. The material used is an age‐hardening aluminium alloy 6013 in T6 temper condition used in welded airframe components. The welds in the form of butt joints were produced using the CO2 laser beam welding process. The results show that by using the FITNET FFS methodology with an appropriate selection of the input parameters, safe acceptable predictions of the maximum load carrying capacity of the welded panels can be obtained. It should also be noted that one of the main difficulties that engineers encounter when applying mismatch analysis for first time is its apparent complexity. A step‐by‐step analysis is proposed here in order to provide guidance for this kind of assessments.
Examination of fatigue crack driving force parameter
Authors: XIONG Y. , KATSUTA J. , KAWANO K. , SAKIYAMA T. 
Published: October 2008

ABSTRACTMost of the previous parameters that utilized as a crack driving force were established in modifying the parameter Kop in Elber's effective SIF range ΔKeff(=Kmax−Kop). However, the parameters that replaced the traditional parameter Kop were based on different measurements or theoretical calculations, so it is difficult to distinguish their differences. This paper focuses on the physical meaning of compliance changes caused by plastic deformation at the crack tip; the tests were carried out under different amplitude loading for structural steel. Based on these test results, differences of several parameter ΔKeff in literature are analysed and an improved two‐parameter driving force ΔKdrive(=(Kmax)n(ΔK∧)1‐n) has been proposed. Experimental data for several different types of materials taken from literature were used in the analyses. Presented results indicate that the ΔKdrive parameter was equally effective or better than ΔK(=Kmax−Kmin), ΔKeff(=Kmax−Kop) and ΔK*(= (Kmax)α(ΔK+)1−α) in correlating and predicting the R‐ratio effects on fatigue crack growth rate.
The narrow fellow in the grass: human infants associate snakes and fear
Authors: DeLoache Judy S. , LoBue Vanessa 
Published: October 2008

Abstract Why are snakes such a common target of fear? One current view is that snake fear is one of several innate fears that emerge spontaneously. Another is that humans have an evolved predisposition to learn to fear snakes. In the first study reported here, 9‐ to 10‐month‐old infants showed no differential spontaneous reaction to films of snakes versus other animals. In the second study, 7‐ to 18‐month‐old infants associated snakes with fear: As predicted, they looked longer at films of snakes while listening to a frightened human voice than while listening to a happy voice. In the third study, infants did not look differentially to still photos of snakes and other animals, indicating that movement is crucial to infants’ association of snakes with fear. These results offer support for the view that humans have a natural tendency to selectively associate snakes with fear.
The Simple Analytics of Illicit Drug Policy
Authors: Doessel D. P. , Williams Ruth F. G. 
Published: October 2008

Abstract The impact of alternative drug policy objectives, specifically harm reduction/harm minimisation or prohibition, is unclear. The literature is confusing. This article conceptualises the causal connection between drug consumption and health harm (or reduced health status) then clarifies the implication of ‘drug related harm’. By applying some geometrical tools from economics, the choice of policy objective is analysed. The preferences of policy advocates are then incorporated. Policy advocates are conceived as arguing that decision‐makers and consumers should adopt their preferences between drugs and health harm. With this approach, the difference between alternative drug policies, in particular prohibition and harm minimisation/reduction, is demonstrated.
Regulatory Policy and the Efficiency of the Banking Sector in Australia
Authors: Paul Satya , Kourouche Khaled 
Published: October 2008

Abstract This paper examines the technical efficiency of Australian banks during the post‐Wallis period (1997–2005). The results based on data envelopment analysis reveal that the extent of technical efficiency varies across the banks and over the years. The National Australia Bank, Commonwealth Bank and Macquarie Bank are found to be technically efficient, whereas Adelaide Bank, the Bank of Queensland and Westpac Bank are found to be prominently inefficient. Technical efficiency is the lowest among small banks and has declined over time largely due to deterioration in scale efficiency. Medium‐sized banks have outperformed both the small and large banks in terms of efficiency improvements. Some insights into the debate over the removal of the ‘four‐pillar’ policy are provided.
The Use of Dental Services among Older Australians: Does Location Matter?
Authors: Vecchio Nerina 
Published: October 2008

Abstract Based on the National Health Survey of 2005, this study examined the use of dental services among non‐institutionalised older Australians. The results of the regression revealed differences in the frequency of dental visits across the states. The greater the public dental health expenditure per capita in each state the more likely residents of that state were to have visited the dentist in the previous year. Older people residing outside major cities experienced the greatest disadvantage. In addition to the socioeconomic factors reported by studies, in Australia inequalities in access to dental health services was associated with urbanicity and Australian states.
An Estimated Trade Restrictiveness Index of the Level of Protection in Australian Manufacturing
Authors: Lloyd Peter , MacLaren Donald 
Published: October 2008

Abstract In this paper we provide a new 31‐year time series of the level of protection in the Australian manufacturing sector. The index used is an estimate of the partial equilibrium form of the Trade Restrictiveness Index recently developed by the World Bank. This is the theoretically correct welfare based average of levels of nominal protection. The paper outlines the index and its properties. Some comments are made on the insights gained from the new series and on the record of the Labor and coalition governments in making reforms to industry assistance.
Infrastructure: What Is Needed and How Do We Pay for It?
Authors: Keating Michael 
Published: October 2008

Abstract Claims of an infrastructure crisis lack definition, and fail to provide evidence that investment projects that would generate an economic return, including both private and social benefits, are not being funded. This paper shows how setting economic prices for energy, water, transport and communications will provide a better guide to the optimal amount of future infrastructure investment than the likely responses by proponents of an alleged infrastructure crisis.
Board Structure, Ownership, and Voluntary Disclosure in Ireland
Authors: Donnelly Ray , Mulcahy Mark 
Published: October 2008

ABSTRACTManuscript Type:EmpiricalResearch Question/Issue:This is a cross‐sectional study of the relation between corporate governance and voluntary disclosure in Ireland.Research Findings/Results:We report clear evidence that voluntary disclosure increases with the number of nonexecutive directors on the board. Firms that have a nonexecutive chairman make greater voluntary disclosures than other firms. This finding is not robust to the inclusion of other explanatory variables. We find no evidence that ownership structure is related to voluntary disclosure.Theoretical Implications:The results regarding nonexecutive directors are interpreted as independent boards facilitating a reduction in information asymmetry between owners and managers. While this supports the predictions of agency theory, the absence of evidence that ownership structure influences voluntary disclosure does not. It is posited that sociological and organizational factors (e.g., informal networking) that pervade the Irish market mitigate against our disclosure measure capturing all aspects of voluntary disclosure. Furthermore, indirect evidence is provided that there are other costs and benefits to disclosure that vary across firms and may outweigh agency costs in many situations. We conclude that while agency theory has some explanatory power for voluntary disclosure, it cannot explain all the cross‐sectional differences in voluntary disclosure by Irish public limited companies.Practical Implications:The results support the attention paid by regulators to the proportion of nonexecutive directors on the board. However, the costs and benefits to disclosure vary across firms. Regardless of agency considerations and regulatory guidelines, firms will ultimately formulate their disclosure policy with reference to overall marginal costs and marginal benefits.
Collected Customs Duties: The Level of Taxation on Imports Applied by the US and the EU
Authors: Gallezot Jacques , Aussilloux Vincent 
Published: October 2008

ABSTRACTRelating the collected customs duty to the value of imports enables the estimation of a rate of applied duty that takes into account all pricing components and their use. Indeed, this ad valorem equivalent integrates the complex dimensions of customs duties, the measures of exemption and suspension, and those concerning preferential regimes. Processing collected duties for all the products reveals that the 1.5 per cent rate of duty actually applied in 2003 is the same for the EU and the US. Nevertheless, it appears that the US taxes more the least developed countries (LDCs) and developing countries than does the EU. Thus, setting aside those products which enter free of duty, the rate of taxation applied by the US is 15 per cent and 6.2 per cent respectively with regards to LDCs and developing countries, whereas in the EU it is only 3.7 per cent and 4.1 per cent. In the US market the sectors that are the most highly taxed upon importation are textiles, apparel and clothing, cotton and articles of leather, whereas in the EU it is more agricultural and food products (fruits and preserves, meats, sugars and cereals).
Assessing the Enlargement and Deepening of the European Union
Authors: Gil Salvador , Llorca Rafael , Martínez‐Serrano J. Antonio 
Published: October 2008

AbstractThis paper estimates a theoretically‐motivated gravity model to examine the effect of the European Union (EU) on trade and whether the order of entry has affected the trade performance of member countries. Additionally, we analyse the impact of the different phases of EU integration on trade. The results show that both original countries and successive enlargements boost intra‐bloc trade. Moreover, the results suggest that the deepening in the integration process has led to more trade creation among members. Finally, only the latter phase of the European integration process (the single currency) has increased trade with non‐members.