bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Heterogeneity of the fibre sequence in subgenus C adenoviruses
Authors: Adhikary A K , Banik U , Numaga J , Suzuki E , Inada T , Okabe N 
Published: May 2004

Aims:To determine the nucleotide sequences of adenovirus (Ad) types 1 and 6 fibre genes; to clarify the molecular basis of the distinct haemagglutination properties of subgenus C Ads and their phylogenetic relations.Methods:Human Ad1 and Ad6 fibre genes were sequenced from genomic DNA by direct sequencing. Primer selection was based on alignment of the fibre gene of human Ad serotypes Ad2 and Ad5. Fibre based subgenus C specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed to check for deletions in field isolates of Ad6, as revealed by sequence analysis of the Ad6 prototype. A phylogenetic tree was constructed from the predicted amino acid (AA) sequences of the fibre gene of important Ads.Results:Ad1 and Ad6 comprise 1746 and 1584 nucleotides, encoding 582 and 528 AA, respectively. Ad6 showed deletions in motifs 15–17 (51 AA) of the shaft when compared with Ad1, Ad2, and Ad5. Subgenus C specific PCR with both prototype and field isolates also showed deletions in Ad6. In the shaft and knob, AA homology was 58.82–72.91% and 68.89–74.59%, respectively. The tail was 100% conserved. Phylogenetically, Ad1 and Ad6, including Ad2 and Ad5, formed a subgenus specific cluster, like other serotypes.Conclusions:The fibre gene (including the knob region) of subgenus C Ads is heterogeneous, providing the molecular basis for lack of crossreactivity in the haemagglutination inhibition test. This heterogeneity could be helpful in fibre based genotyping of subgenus C field isolates. Phylogeny might be useful for subgenus specific identification of important field strains.
Governance and Diversity within the Public Service in Canada: Towards a Viable and Sustainable Representation of Designated Groups (Employment Equity)
Authors: Benhamadi Bey 
Published: May 2004

The Canadian Government is constantly seeking to set up thorough-going, responsible administrative practices. Representation is one of the main bases on which the mandate of the federal public service stands. Without this operating principle, a government agency cannot fully and faithfully reflect the concerns of the people it is called to serve. In order to be fair and inclusive, political action must manage diversity on a vast scale, embracing such differences as race, gender, age, language, ethnic origin, religion and disability. Canada’s population is one of the most diversified in the world. Aboriginal peoples and highly varied sustained immigration are just two factors contributing to its diversity and attributes. The political authorities have been totally committed to the question of diversity for several decades. As a consequence, a vast legislative framework has been set up including the 1982 Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The aim of this article is to introduce the Canadian example with reference to the management of diversity in the public service and, more particularly, the efforts made to achieve fairness in matters of employment. The approach consists first of reviewing the development of the issues of diversity from a general historical and political viewpoint, with special focus on employment equity (ee), and, second, of describing and examining the latest results obtained in terms of representation and its characteristics within the Canadian federal machine. Finally, the importance of identifying challenges for the public service, with a view to responsible governance, is examined within a global discussion of the obstacles identified, the programmes in place and the new approach to be developed.
Community Theatre as a Means of Empowerment in Social Work
Authors: Boehm Amnon , Boehm Esther 
Published: May 2004

• Summary: The article explores the potential of combining community theatre and social work as a means of empowerment. It describes a case study of a group of six women guided by a social worker and director, who set up and participated in community theatre in Israel. The development of the group and the play, the actors’ involvement, the group’s relationship with the audience and other groups in the community, and the roles of the social worker and director are described and discussed. • Findings: The findings show that the individual, group and community processes that evolved during the course of the community theatre project contributed considerably to the participants’ empowerment, especially in terms of self-esteem, mastery, critical awareness, expression of inner voice, propensity to act, and collective empowerment. • Application: The discussion focuses on the characteristics of community theatre that contribute to empowerment, as well as on its limitations. It suggests guidelines for the use of community theatre as a tool in social work practice and may inform the development of community theatre in other settings.
Influence of insulin on glucose metabolism and energy expenditure in septic patients
Authors: Rusavy Zdenek , Sramek Vladimir , Lacigova Silvie , Novak Ivan , Tesinsky Pavel , Macdonald Ian A 
Published: May 2004

Abstract
Introduction
It is recognized that administration of insulin with glucose decreases catabolic response in sepsis. The aim of the present study was to compare the effects of two levels of insulinaemia on glucose metabolism and energy expenditure in septic patients and volunteers.

Methods
Glucose uptake, oxidation and storage, and energy expenditure were measured, using indirect calorimetry, in 20 stable septic patients and 10 volunteers in a two-step hyperinsulinaemic (serum insulin levels 250 and 1250 mIU/l), euglycaemic (blood glucose concentration 5 mmol/l) clamp. Differences between steps of the clamp (from serum insulin 1250 to 250 mIU/l) for all parameters were calculated for each individual, and compared between septic patients and volunteers using the Wilcoxon nonpaired test.

Results
Differences in glucose uptake and storage were significantly less in septic patients. The differences in glucose oxidation between the groups were not statistically significant. Baseline energy expenditure was significantly higher in septic patients, and there was no significant increase in either step of the clamp in this group; when comparing the two groups, the differences between steps were significantly greater in volunteers.

Conclusion
A hyperdynamic state of sepsis leads to a decrease in glucose uptake and storage in comparison with healthy volunteers. An increase in insulinaemia leads to an increase in all parameters of glucose metabolism, but the increases in glucose uptake and storage are significantly lower in septic patients. A high level of insulinaemia in sepsis increases glucose uptake and oxidation significantly, but not energy expenditure, in comparison with volunteers.
The Impact of Mandated Disclosure on Performance‐Based CEO Compensation*
Authors: CRAIGHEAD JANE A. , MAGNAN MICHEL L. , THORNE LINDA 
Published: May 2004

AbstractRegulators argue that mandated compensation disclosure improves corporate governance by permitting shareholders to enjoin boards of directors to reward executives in ways that are consistent with shareholder value creation. We posit that mandated compensation disclosure, or the absence thereof, has a greater impact on the CEO compensation practices of widely held firms than of closely held firms. More specifically, we expect that, in the absence of mandated disclosure, CEO compensation is likely to be less performance‐contingent among widely held firms than among closely held firms. Moreover, we also expect that the advent of mandated disclosure leads widely held firms to increase the extent to which CEO compensation is performance‐contingent, much more so than closely held firms would. We use a unique data base resulting from the Ontario Securities Commission amendment of regulation 638 in October 1993. For the first time, this amendment required firms listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange to provide detailed executive compensation data similar to those required by the Securities and Exchange Commission, for the current year as well as retroactively for the previous two years. We find that, in the absence of mandated disclosure, CEO cash compensation in widely held firms is less performance‐contingent than in closely held firms. With the imposition of mandated disclosure, performance‐contingent cash compensation increases more in widely held firms than in closely held firms. Results with respect to stock option grants are mixed, with both closely held and widely held firms reacting to the advent of mandated disclosure.
How Are Earnings Managed? An Examination of Specific Accruals*
Authors: MARQUARDT CAROL A. , WIEDMAN CHRISTINE I. 
Published: May 2004

AbstractThere is relatively little evidence on the specific accruals used to manage earnings. This paper examines this issue by considering the use of specific accruals in three earnings‐management contexts: equity offerings, management buyouts, and firms avoiding earnings decreases. We argue that the costs of managing earnings through different income statement items vary and that the benefits of earnings management through each of these items depend on the context. We thus make differential predictions regarding which specific accrual will be used to manage earnings in each of the three contexts we consider. To measure earnings management for specific accruals, we develop performance‐matched measures to capture the unexpected component of accounts receivable, inventory, accounts payable, accrued liabilities, depreciation expense, and special items. Consistent with our predictions, we find that firms issuing equity appear to prefer managing earnings upward by accelerating revenue recognition. Specifically, we find that accounts receivable for these firms are unexpectedly high. Conversely, for the management buyout context, we predict and find unexpected accounts receivable to be negative. For firms trying to avoid reporting an earnings decrease, we expect firms to be less concerned with earnings persistence and therefore more likely to use more transitory, and less costly, items to achieve their goal. We find that special items are significantly more positive for this group. This paper provides a further step toward understanding how the incentives behind earnings management affect the method used to achieve earnings goals, and it illustrates the usefulness of examining individual accruals in specific contexts.
The Effectiveness of Alternative Risk Assessment and Program Planning Tools in a Fraud Setting*
Authors: ASARE STEPHEN K. , WRIGHT ARNOLD M. 
Published: May 2004

AbstractThis study examines the impact of alternative risk assessment (standard risk checklist versus no checklist) and program development (standard program versus no program) tools on two facets of fraud planning effectiveness: (1) the quality of audit procedures relative to a benchmark validated by a panel of experts, and (2) the propensity to consult fraud experts. A between‐subjects experiment, using an SEC enforcement fraud case, was conducted to examine these relationships. Sixty‐nine auditors made risk assessments and designed an audit program. We found that auditors who used a standard risk checklist, structured by SAS No. 82 risk categories, made lower risk assessments than those without a checklist. This suggests that the use of the checklist was associated with a less effective diagnosis of the fraud. We also found that auditors with a standard audit program designed a relatively less effective fraud program than those without this tool but were not more willing to seek consultation with fraud experts. This suggests that standard programs may impair auditors' ability to respond to fraud risk. Finally, our results show that fraud risk assessment (FRASK) was not associated with the planning of more effective fraud procedures but was directly associated with the desire to consult with fraud specialists. This suggests that one benefit of improved FRASK is its relation with consultation. Overall, the findings call into question the effectiveness of standard audit tools in a fraud setting and highlight the need for a more strategic reasoning approach in an elevated risk situation.
Recognition and Disclosure Reliability: Evidence from SFAS No. 106*
Authors: DAVIS‐FRIDAY PAQUITA Y. , LIU CHAO‐SHIN , MITTELSTAEDT H. FRED 
Published: May 2004

AbstractThis paper examines a fundamental question of interest to researchers and regulators: Does the market treat disclosed financial statement information as if it is less reliable than information recognized in the body of the financial statements? Specifically, we compare the perceived reliability of liabilities for retiree benefits other than pensions (PRBs) disclosed prior to adoption of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 106 (SFAS No. 106) with the perceived reliability of PRB liabilities subsequently recognized under SFAS No. 106. Overall, the evidence is consistent with the market treating disclosed PRB liabilities as less reliable than recognized PRB liabilities and pension liabilities. However, once PRB liabilities are recognized, they do not appear to be any less reliable than pension liabilities. These findings are inconsistent with the Choi, Collins, and Johnson 1997 conclusion that PRB liabilities are inherently less reliable than pension liabilities. The paper also investigates factors that may have contributed to the lower perceived disclosure reliability. Our results suggest that the market perceived PRB liability disclosures to be less reliable when firms provided range disclosures, had higher probabilities of reducing plan benefits, or had lower ratios of retiree to total PRB obligations. These findings suggest that reliability may have been enhanced if more supporting details had been provided in Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 74 disclosures.
Systematic Differences in Electropherogram Peak Heights Reported by Different Versions of the GeneScan® Software
Authors: Gilder JR , Ford S , Doom TE , Raymer ML , Krane DE 
Published: May 2004

Abstract
DNA profiling using STRs on the 310 and 3100 Genetic Analyzers routinely generates electropherograms that are analyzed with the GeneScan® software available from the instrument's manufacturer, Applied Biosystems. Users have been able to choose from three different smoothing options that have been known to result in significant differences in the peak heights that are reported. Improvements in the underlying algorithm of the most recent version of the software also result in significant and somewhat predictable differences in peak height values. Laboratories that have performed validation studies using older versions of GeneScan® should either reanalyze the data generated in those validation studies with the newest version of the software or otherwise take into consideration the systematically higher peak height values obtained as they begin following the recommendation of the manufacturer and use the new algorithm.
Homicide Victim/Offender Relationship in Florida Medical Examiner District 8
Authors: Drawdy SM , Myers WC 
Published: May 2004

Abstract
This study examined the correlations between victim/offender relationship and three variables: motive, weapon choice, and number of injuries inflicted. Empirical relationship and motive categories were used. The sample consisted of 57 intentional homicide cases from Florida Medical Examiner District 8 between the years 1992 and 1996. Relationships were divided into primary and secondary categories. Primary relationships included intimates, relatives, and friends; secondary relationships included acquaintances and strangers. Motives were classified as romantic dispute, argument/conflict, revenge, or felony type; weapons as firearm or contact; and number of injuries inflicted as single or multiple. A significant correlation was found between victim/offender relationship and homicide motive; however, the revenge and felony type motive categories did not differ. Unexpectedly, no correlation was found between victim/offender relationship and either weapon choice or number of injuries inflicted. Further study is needed of the interactions between homicide victim/offender relationship and motive, weapon selection, and number of injuries inflicted.
Enucleation in Psychosis Associated with Aqueductal Stenosis
Authors: Mancinelli I , Pompili M , Scapati F , Lazanio S , Kotzalidis GD , Tatarelli R 
Published: May 2004

Abstract
Reports of self-enucleation are frequent in medical literature, but cases of enucleation towards another are rare.We report the case of a man, 20 years of age, who suffered from psychosis with hydrocephalus and aqueductal stenosis that required a forensic psychiatric investigation to ascertain whether he was of unsound mind when he assaulted and enucleated the right eye of an officer and led to the surgical enucleation of the victim's left eye. Based on his clinical interviews and hospitalization record, we conclude that at the time of the assault, he was suffering from a delusional disorder with religious and demonic content, visual and auditory hallucinations, illusion phenomena, delusional interpretations, imaginative elements, a feeling of terror, and command hallucinations that compelled him to perform the act of aggression.
Attributes of Specialist Search Dogs—A Questionnaire Survey of UK Dog Handlers and Trainers
Authors: Rooney NJ , Bradshaw JWS , Almey H 
Published: May 2004

Abstract
The ideal and actual characteristics of specialist search dogs have been examined in questionnaire surveys of 244 dog handlers and trainers from the six main UK dog-using Government agencies. The ten most important characteristics were (ideal level in brackets): acuity of sense of smell (very high), incentive to find an object which is out of sight (very high), health (very high), tendency to hunt by smell alone (very high), stamina (very high), ability to learn from being rewarded (very high), tendency to be distracted when searching (very low); agility (high), consistency of behaviour from day to day (high), motivation to chase an object (high). Significant differences between actual and ideal levels were found for 22 of the 30 characteristics, predominantly in undesirable attributes, suggesting that there is scope for significant improvement in operational effectiveness.
Alleles Responsible for ABO Phenotype-Genotype Discrepancy and Alleles in Individuals with a Weak Expression of A or B Antigens
Authors: Mizuno N , Ohmori T , Sekiguchi K , Kato T , Fujii T , Fujii K , Shiraishi T , Kasai K , Sato H 
Published: May 2004

AbstractABOtypes obtained from evidentiary samples have been used effectively to obtain the initial information leading to the apprehension of culprits in Japanese criminal investigations. A simple ABO genotyping method using multiplex sequence-specific PCR and capillary electrophoresis was developed as a supplement to serological ABO typing. Limitations in predicting a phenotype based on genotype were evaluated using 1134 randomly selected Japanese peripheral blood samples. A concordance rate of 99.82% (1132/1134 samples) was found between genotypes and phenotypes defined as Groups A, B, AB, and O. Sequencing analysis revealed that one discrepant sample contained an O allele having a previously unreported point mutation at the primer binding site in exon 6, and another discrepant sample contained an O allele lacking the guanine deletion at nt 261 (the O301 allele). Therefore, the existence of such alleles must be given some consideration when predicting phenotype based on genotype.
Component Analysis of Illicit Heroin Samples with GC/MS and Its Application in Source Identification
Authors: Zhang D , Shi X , Yuan Z , Ju H 
Published: May 2004

Abstract
A novel method based on GC/MS and GC for component analyses of seized illicit heroin was established by using SKF525A as an internal standard. The main components in illicit heroin products such as heroin, O3-acetylmorphine, monoacetylcodeine, and O6-acetylmorphine were determined quantitatively and the organic adulterants such as paracetamol, acetaminophen caffeine and theophylline were detected qualitatively using the developed method. With these obtained data, 500 seized illicit heroin samples were divided into nine groups. The decomposition pattern of heroinwas studied. The dependencies of both the decomposition pattern and the content ratios of monoacetylcodeine to heroin and monoacetylcodeine to O6-acetylmorphine on the source of the seized illicit heroin were observed. This information was used to develop a novel method for its source identification. The examination results were in agreement with the practical cases, thus providing significant information for detection of criminal cases involving illicit heroin.
Discriminating Deliberate Self-Harm (DSH) in Young Prison Inmates Through Personality Disorder
Authors: Mohino JS , Ortega-Monasterio L , Planchat TLM , Cuquerella FA , Talön NT , Macho VJL 
Published: May 2004

Abstract
This study investigated deliberate self-harm (DSH) in young inmates. The objectives are twofold: first, to identify the social and clinical characteristics of inmates who commit DSH; and secondly, to ascertain the types of personality who are vulnerable in order to be able to predict future inmates who may harm themselves. A cross-sectional design was used to study psychosocial correctional personality characteristics and clinical pictures in inmates with DSH versus a control group without DSH. The measures used to evaluate different variables were a standard protocol and a self-report questionnaire (MCMI-II). Although the two groups compared are homogeneous and similar in terms of different psychosocial variables, inmates with DSH presented a significant background of maltreatment. Borderline, passive-aggressive, and antisocial personality disorders best discriminated both groups.
The detection of borderline, negativistic, and antisocial disorders may help the medical services of penitentiary centers to predict youths with a possible risk of DSH. Despite the results obtained, longitudinal studies are needed to help clarify other risk factors, as well as other risk factors leading to self-harm behavior.
Evaluation of an Automated Liquid Hybridization Method for DNA Quantitation
Authors: Hayn S , Wallace MM , Prinz M , Shaler RC 
Published: May 2004

Abstract
The AluQuant™ (Promega Corporation) liquid hybridization DNA quantitation method was evaluated on an automated robotic platform (Biomek® 2000, Beckman Coulter, Fullerton, CA) for use in forensic PCR-STR systems. DNA from bloodstains and buccal swabs was extracted by three different methods: Chelex, Qiagen™ and DNA IQ (Promega). Samples were quantitated using both the Quantiblot and the AluQuant™ systems.Concordance between methodswas determined by comparing the average AluQuant™ DNA concentrations for samples having matching (binned) Quantiblot values. Studies testing the “accuracy” (STR analysis), precision, sensitivity, and specifies specificity of the AluQuant™ method were also conducted. The effect of inhibitors (carpet, denim, and suede) was evaluated. The results indicate that the AluQuant™ quantitation system equals the Quantiblot system in “accuracy”, sensitivity, precision, and primate-specificity. While extracts from denim and suede affected (inhibited) both systems minimally, the carpet extracts produced a sharp increase in DNA quantitation values in the AluQuant™ but not the Quantiblot system. The speed and user-friendliness of the AluQuant™ system on a robotic platform offer specific advantages to the forensic community.