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Key Factor (key + factor)
Kinds of Key Factor Selected AbstractsSocial Health Insurance: Key Factors Affecting the Transition Towards Universal CoverageINTERNATIONAL SOCIAL SECURITY REVIEW, Issue 1 2005Guy Carrin Several low- and middle-income countries are interested in extending their existing health insurance for specific groups to eventually cover their entire populations. For those countries interested in such an extension, it is important to understand the factors that affect the transition from incomplete to universal coverage. This paper analyses the experience of eight countries in the implementation of social health insurance. It highlights the importance of the socioeconomic and political context, particularly in relation to the level of income, structure of the economy, distribution of the population, ability to administer and level of solidarity within the country, but also stresses the important stewardship role government can play in facilitating the transition to universal coverage via social health insurance. [source] Key Factors of Joint-Liability Loan Contracts: An Empirical AnalysisKYKLOS INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF SOCIAL SCIENCES, Issue 2 2005Alexander S. Kritikos Summary This paper provides an empirical analysis of joint-liability micro-lending contracts. Using our data set, we examine the efficacy of various incentives set by this contract such as joint-liability between groups of borrowers or group access to future and to larger loans. As proposed by theory, we find that joint liability induces a group formation of low risk borrowers. After the loan disbursement, the incentive system leads to peer monitoring, peer support and peer pressure between the borrowers, thus helping the lending institution to address the moral hazard and enforcement problem. This paper also demonstrates that the mechanism realizes repayment rates of nearly 100% if the loan officers fulfill their complementary duties in the screening and enforcement process. Finally, we make clear that dynamic incentives, in contrast to theory, have to be restricted if the two long-term problems of the joint-liability approach, i.e. its mismatching problem and the domino effect, are to be tackled notably. [source] An Examination of Key Factors of Influence in the Development Process of Credit Union IndustriesANNALS OF PUBLIC AND COOPERATIVE ECONOMICS, Issue 3 2002Alexander Sibbald The aim of this paper is to analyse credit union industries within a development framework. Explicit consideration is given to credit union industries in four countries , Great Britain, Ireland, New Zealand and the United States. It is argued that in terms of a developmental typology the credit union industry in Great Britain is at a nascent stage of development, the industries in Ireland and New Zealand are at a transition stage while the US credit union industry is mature in nature. In progression between stages the analysis considers the influence of factors such as situational leadership, the complexion of trade associations, professionalisation, regulatory and legislative initiatives and technology. The analysis concluded that while there was a substantial commonality of experience, there were also significant differences in the impact of these factors. This consequently encouraged the recognition of the existence of ,a variety of the species' in respect of credit union development. [source] Key Factors in Alzheimer's Disease: ,-amyloid Precursor Protein Processing, Metabolism and Intraneuronal TransportBRAIN PATHOLOGY, Issue 1 2001Thomas A. Bayer During the last years it has become evident that the ,-amyloid (A,) component of senile plaques may be the key molecule in the pathology of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The source and place of the neurotoxic action of A,, however, is still a matter of controversy. The precursor of the ,-amyloid peptide is the predominantly neuronal ,-amyloid precursor protein. We, and others, hypothesize that intraneuronal misregulation of APP leads to an accumulation of A, peptides in intracellular compartments. This accumulation impairs APP trafficking, which starts a cascade of pathological changes and causes the pyramidal neurons to degenerate. Enhanced A, secretion as a function of stressed neurons and remnants of degenerated neurons provide seeds for extracellular A, aggregates, which induce secondary degenerative events involving neighboring cells such as neurons, astroglia and macrophages/microglia. [source] Understanding the Key Factors that Control the Inhibition of Type,II Dehydroquinase by (2R)-2-Benzyl-3-dehydroquinic AcidsCHEMMEDCHEM, Issue 10 2010Antonio Peón Abstract The binding mode of several substrate analogues, (2R)-2-benzyl-3-dehydroquinic acids 4, which are potent reversible competitive inhibitors of type,II dehydroquinase (DHQ2), the third enzyme of the shikimic acid pathway, has been investigated by structural and computational studies. The crystal structures of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Helicobacter pylori DHQ2 in complex with one of the most potent inhibitor, p -methoxybenzyl derivative 4,a, have been solved at 2.40,Ĺ and 2.75,Ĺ, respectively. This has allowed the resolution of the M.,tuberculosis DHQ2 loop containing residues 20,25 for the first time. These structures show the key interactions of the aromatic ring in the active site of both enzymes and additionally reveal an important change in the conformation and flexibility of the loop that closes over substrate binding. The loop conformation and the binding mode of compounds 4,b,d has been also studied by molecular dynamics simulations, which suggest that the benzyl group of inhibitors 4 prevent appropriate orientation of the catalytic tyrosine of the loop for proton abstraction and disrupts its basicity. [source] Critical aspects of analysis of Micrococcus luteus, Neisseria cinerea, and Pseudomonas fluorescens by means of capillary electrophoresisELECTROPHORESIS, Issue 18-19 2004Verena Hoerr Abstract Within the frame of our study we investigated Microccocus luteus, Neisseria cinerea, and Pseudomonas fluorescens by means of capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE). They form chains and clusters on a different scale, which can be reflected in the electropherograms. A low buffer concentration of Tris-borate and Na2 EDTA containing a polymeric matrix of 0.0125% poly(ethylene) oxide (PEO) was used. Key factors were the standardization and optimization of CE conditions, buffer solution, and pretreatment of bacterial samples, which are not transferable to different bacterial strains, in general. The different compositions of the cell wall of on the one hand Gram-positive (M. luteus) and Gram-negative (N. cinerea) cocci and on the other hand Gram-negative, rod-shaped bacteria (P.fluorescens), are probably responsible for the different pretreatment conditions. [source] Top-down control of phytoplankton: the role of time scale, lake depth and trophic stateFRESHWATER BIOLOGY, Issue 12 2002JÜrgen Benndorf SUMMARY 1.,One of the most controversial issues in biomanipulation research relates to the conditions required for top-down control to cascade down from piscivorous fish to phytoplankton. Numerous experiments have demonstrated that Phytoplankton biomass Top-Down Control (PTDC) occurs under the following conditions: (i) in short-term experiments, (ii) shallow lakes with macrophytes, and (iii) deep lakes of slightly eutrophic or mesotrophic state. Other experiments indicate that PTDC is unlikely in (iv) eutrophic or hypertrophic deep lakes unless severe light limitation occurs, and (v) all lakes characterised by extreme nutrient limitation (oligo to ultraoligotrophic lakes). 2.,Key factors responsible for PTDC under conditions (i) to (iii) are time scales preventing the development of slow-growing inedible phytoplankton (i), shallow depth allowing macrophytes to become dominant primary producers (ii), and biomanipulation-induced reduction of phosphorus (P) availability for phytoplankton (iii). 3.,Under conditions (iv) and (v), biomanipulation-induced reduction of P-availability might also occur but is insufficient to alter the epilimnetic P-content enough to initiate effective bottom-up control (P-limitation) of phytoplankton. In these cases, P-loading is much too high (iv) or P-content in the lake much too low (v) to initiate or enhance P-limitation of phytoplankton by a biomanipulation-induced reduction of P-availability. However, PTDC may exceptionally result under condition (iv) if high mixing depth and/or light attenuation cause severe light limitation of phytoplankton. 4.,Recognition of the five different conditions reconciles previous seemingly contradictory results from biomanipulation experiments and provides a sound basis for successful application of biomanipulation as a tool for water management. [source] Drug metabolism and disposition in childrenFUNDAMENTAL & CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY, Issue 3 2003M. Strolin Benedetti Abstract Key factors undergoing maturational changes accounting for differences in drug metabolism and disposition in the pediatric population compared with adults are reviewed. Gastric and duodenal pH, gastric emptying time, intestinal transit time, bacterial colonization and probably P-glycoprotein are important factors for drug absorption, whereas key factors explaining differences in drug distribution between the pediatric population and adults are membrane permeability, plasma protein concentration and plasma protein characteristics, endogenous substances in plasma, total body and extracellular water, fat content, regional blood flow and probably P-glycoprotein, mainly that present in the gut, liver and brain. As far as drug metabolism is concerned, important differences have been found in the pediatric population compared with adults both for phase I enzymes [oxidative (e.g. cytochrome CYP3A7 vs. CYP3A4 and CYP1A2), reductive and hydrolytic enzymes] and phase II enzymes (e.g. N -methyltransferases and glucuronosyltransferases). Finally, key factors undergoing maturational changes accounting for differences in renal excretion in the pediatric population compared with adults are glomerular filtration and tubular secretion. It would be important to generate information on the developmental aspects of renal P-glycoprotein and of other renal transporters as done and still being done with the different isozymes involved in drug metabolism. [source] Governance and Democracy in Northern Ireland: The Role of the Voluntary and Community Sector after the AgreementGOVERNANCE, Issue 3 2001Cathal McCall Since 1998, Northern Ireland has been the subject of a unique experiment in governance and democracy. The experiment includes the establishment of a participatory Civic Forum in which the voluntary and community sector has an important stake. Beginning with a discussion of the merits of a participatory aspect to democracy in the contemporary age, this paper identifies factors that might help establish the Civic Forum as a successful participatory institution in Northern Ireland. Key factors include the attitude towards the Forum of political representatives and their willingness to foster a participatory dimension to the new democracy. Other important factors are inclusiveness and the balance of sectoral representation in the Forum. [source] Early Head Start: Investigations, insights, and promiseINFANT MENTAL HEALTH JOURNAL, Issue 1-2 2002JoAnn L. Robinson The authors review the significance of the research summarized in this special issue, including activities that contribute to successful university,community partnerships. The promise of Early Head Start (EHS) will be realized if investigators focus on moderators and mediators of program effects, program quality, and linkages between Early Head Start and community resources. Key factors that must be taken into account in the analysis of EHS program outcomes include assessing children's transitions to preschool, kindergarten, and elementary school; changes in family personal and social resources; the role of fathers in early child development; and the impact of family bilingualism. ©2002 Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health. [source] Implementation of Standardized Nomenclature in the Electronic Medical RecordINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF NURSING TERMINOLOGIES AND CLASSIFICATION, Issue 4 2009Joan Klehr RNC MPH PURPOSE., To describe a customized electronic medical record documentation system which provides an electronic health record, Epic, which was implemented in December 2006 using standardized taxonomies for nursing documentation. DATA SOURCES., Descriptive data is provided regarding the development, implementation, and evaluation processes for the electronic medical record system. Nurses used standardized nursing nomenclature including NANDA-I diagnoses, Nursing Interventions Classification, and Nursing Outcomes Classification in a measurable and user-friendly format using the care plan activity. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS., Key factors in the success of the project included close collaboration among staff nurses and information technology staff, ongoing support and encouragement from the vice president/chief nursing officer, the ready availability of expert resources, and nursing ownership of the project. Use of this evidence-based documentation enhanced institutional leadership in clinical documentation. [source] Age Recognition in Adults with Intellectual Disabilities: a Literature Review and an Exploratory StudyJOURNAL OF APPLIED RESEARCH IN INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES, Issue 3 2000Dorothy M. Bell The ability of children to classify accurately their own ages and the ages of others has been the subject of very limited research. However, the literature is largely in agreement on there being progressive increases in skill with chronological age, although there is disagreement on the age at which this ability becomes well developed. The processes look similar in the field of intellectual disabilities, although this area is extremely under-researched. Key factors may include age, the amount of time spent in institutions (e.g. long-term hospitals for people with intellectual disabilities), developmental level and IQ. The present paper provides a review of the relevant literature and an exploratory study investigating the age recognition of self and colleagues in a group of 20 adults with intellectual disability, some from within what has been a major hospital for people with intellectual disabilities and some from the wider community. Measures of age recognition using photographs, as well as standardized measures of intellectual ability and social adaptive behaviour, were administered, and correlations were found between the ability to recognize age in others and developmental age, and also IQ. Success on the task of age discrimination appears to be more likely if the IQ of the individual is around 60,65 or above, and if the person shows social adaptive behaviour equivalent to 8 or 9 years of age and over. Also included in the study was a task in which only the discrimination of whether the photographs were of adults or children was required, and this proved to be a simpler process for the participants. The present study also demonstrates some of the discriminative stimuli used by adults with intellectual disabilities to ascertain the approximate age of a person. [source] The spectrum of barriers to and facilitators of research utilization in Iranian nursingJOURNAL OF CLINICAL NURSING, Issue 16 2008Neda Mehrdad MSN Aim., The focus of the study is the identification of barriers to and facilitators of research utilization in nursing practice from the perspective of Iranian nurses. Background., In Iran, research utilization is a new phenomenon thus our knowledge with regard to those factors that promote or discourage research use is limited. No overall picture of the state of research utilization in Iran therefore exists. Method., A descriptive design is used. The questionnaire was distributed to 410 nurses from educational hospitals and nursing schools affiliated with Tehran Medical Sciences University in Iran. Results., The major barriers to research utilization were that the nurses do not have time to read research; facilities are inadequate for implementation; and nurses do not feel they have enough authority to change patient care procedures. Findings revealed a number of facilitators which were categorised into two main groups of human resources and individual/organisational factors. Conclusion., The healthcare system in Iran does not provide the incentive for nurses to engage in research or to avail themselves of research findings. Also, time is the major issue owing to a nursing shortage. If research utilization is to increase in Iran, therefore, the most important organisational change that needs to occur is the provision of available facilities for nurses to use research evidence. Relevance to clinical practice., Key factors that need attention in implementing research results into practice are suggested. Clearly, identification of barriers and facilitators is useful potentially to overcome barriers and enforce facilitators and this could ultimately improve nursing practice. [source] Considering a multisite study?JOURNAL OF COMMUNITY PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 2 2002How to take the leap, have a soft landing Although most policymakers agree that a fundamental goal of the mental health system is to provide integrated community-based services, there is little empirical evidence with which to plan such a system. Studies in the community mental health literature have not used a standard set of evaluation methods. One way of addressing this gap is through a multisite program evaluation in which multiple sites and programs evaluate the same outcomes using the same instruments and time frame. The proposition of introducing the same study design in different settings and programs is deceptively straightforward. The difficulty is not in the conceptualization but in the implementation. This article examines the factors that act as implementation barriers, how are they magnified in a multisite study design, and how they can be successfully addressed. In discussing the issue of study design, this article considers processes used to address six major types of barriers to conducting collaborative studies identified by Lancaster or Lancaster's six Cs,contribution, communication, compatibility, consensus, credit, and commitment. A case study approach is used to examine implementation of a multisite community mental health evaluation of services and supports (case management, self-help initiatives, crisis interventions) represented by six independent evaluations of 15 community health programs. A principal finding was that one of the main vehicles to a successful multisite project is participation. It is only through participation that Lancaster's six Cs can be addressed. Key factors in large, geographically dispersed, and diverse groups include the use of advisory committees, explicit criteria and opportunities for participation, reliance on all modes of communication, and valuing informal interactions. The article concludes that whereas modern technology has assisted in making complicated research designs feasible, the operationalization of timeless virtues such as mutual respect and trust, flexibility, and commitment make them successful. © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. [source] The influence of environmental factors, the pollen : ovule ratio and seed bank persistence on molecular evolutionary rates in plantsJOURNAL OF EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY, Issue 1 2006C.-A. WHITTLE Abstract One of the main goals of molecular evolutionary biology is to determine the factors that influence the evolutionary rate of selectively neutral DNA, but much remains unknown, especially for plants. Key factors that could alter the mutation rate include environmental tolerances (because they reflect a plants vulnerability to changes in habitat), the pollen : ovule ratio (as it is associated with the number of mitotic divisions) and seed longevity (because this influences the number of generations per unit time in plants). This is the first study to demonstrate that seed bank persistence and drought tolerance are positively associated with molecular evolutionary rates in plants and that pollen : ovule ratio, shade tolerance and salinity tolerance have no detectable relationship. The implications of the findings to our understanding of the impact of environmental agents, the number of cell divisions and cell aging on neutral DNA sequence evolution are discussed. [source] Policy Consulting and Public PolicyAUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION, Issue 1 2000John Francis Martin The changing nature of governance in Australia over the last two decades has given rise to a broad range of new strategies to review the development and delivery of government policies and programs. Key factors affecting the relationship between citizens and the state have been the deregulation and liberalisation of the Australian economy, with its focus on the market for the delivery of services, once the exclusive domain of public sector organisations. The increased use of consultants over this period is an example of governments going to the market for professional services. Effective policy development and review by consultants requires that they be well versed both in the substantive issues surrounding the policy field as well as in the process required to properly frame and evaluate these issues. [source] What is the best approach to an apparently nonmetastatic adrenocortical carcinoma?CLINICAL ENDOCRINOLOGY, Issue 5 2010Martin Fassnacht Summary In suspected nonmetastatic adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) a careful preoperative diagnostic work up is needed including comprehensive endocrine analysis as recommended by the European Network for the Study of Adrenal Tumors (http://www.ENSAT.org/ACC.htm). Staging prior surgery, in particular chest CT, is indispensable to exclude distant metastases. Open surgery is still the recommended approach in ACC. However, in localized non-invasive ACC with a diameter <10 cm laparoscopic adrenalectomy by an expert surgeon is probably similarly effective and safe. As many patients will suffer from tumor recurrence after seemingly complete removal of ACC, adjuvant treatment based on the individual risk status is recommended. Key factors for risk assessment are tumor stage, resection status and the proliferation marker Ki67. All patients considered at high risk for recurrence should receive adjuvant mitotane for a minimum of 2 years aiming at a drug level of 14,20 mg/l. In selected patients (e.g. R1 resection) we recommend additional radiotherapy of the tumor bed. Patients with a low/intermediate risk for recurrence should be included in the Adiuvo trial comparing adjuvant mitotane with observation only (http://www.adiuvo-trial.org). In low/intermediate risk patients who cannot be included in this trial observation only can be justified in cases with a tumor diameter of <8 cm and no microscopic evidence for invasion of blood vessels or tumor capsule. In all patients a structured follow-up for 10 years is strongly recommended. [source] Evaluation Metrics in Classification: A Quantification of Distance-BiasCOMPUTATIONAL INTELLIGENCE, Issue 3 2003Ricardo Vilalta This article provides a characterization of bias for evaluation metrics in classification (e.g., Information Gain, Gini, ,2, etc.). Our characterization provides a uniform representation for all traditional evaluation metrics. Such representation leads naturally to a measure for the distance between the bias of two evaluation metrics. We give a practical value to our measure by observing the distance between the bias of two evaluation metrics and its correlation with differences in predictive accuracy when we compare two versions of the same learning algorithm that differ in the evaluation metric only. Experiments on real-world domains show how the expectations on accuracy differences generated by the distance-bias measure correlate with actual differences when the learning algorithm is simple (e.g., search for the best single feature or the best single rule). The correlation, however, weakens with more complex algorithms (e.g., learning decision trees). Our results show how interaction among learning components is a key factor to understand learning performance. [source] Building trust with parties: Are mediators overdoing it?CONFLICT RESOLUTION QUARTERLY, Issue 3 2009Arnaud Stimec Trust is a key factor in the dynamics of any attempt to settle a conflict. A mediator may be the needed link between the parties, as long as they trust their mediator. But how far should mediators go to win parties' trust? On the basis of questionnaires filled out by participants in employer-employee mediation, we arrive at a conclusion that differs from the prevailing wisdom. There is a threshold point rather than a linear relationship between the level of trust in the mediator and the degree of conflict resolution. Once the threshold has been reached, additional trust does not necessarily result in a higher level of conflict resolution. Possible explanations are set out and practical implications are discussed. [source] Managers' profile in environmental strategy: a review of the literatureCORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT, Issue 5 2006Esteban Fernández Abstract Environmental legislation and stakeholders are putting pressure on organizations to change. The role of management is a key factor. The aim of the present work is to determine the key characteristics required of a manager with environmental responsibilities and determine which are the critical aptitudes and attitudes for environmental success through a deep review of the literature. We include three kinds of characteristic: (a) managerial attitude and social influence, (b) individual characteristics (demographic characteristics, capability to perceive strategic opportunities, leadership, individual entrepreneurial ability and international awareness) and (c) organizational characteristics (organizational culture, capability to influence strategy, long-term orientation, organizational structure and demographic characteristics). With this purpose, we have collected and integrated the most relevant contributions of the literature. We have also suggested future research streams: for example, analysis of the interdependences among the diverse dimensions of a manager with environmental responsibilities, analysis of the characteristics typical of external stakeholders that condition the managerial behaviour and other aspects of environmental strategy on which management attitude has an influence. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [source] How Attitudes of Leaders May Enhance Organizational Creativity: Evidence from a Chinese StudyCREATIVITY AND INNOVATION MANAGEMENT, Issue 3 2007Karen Yuan Wang It has been argued that a key factor in the development of competitive advantage is the provision of an environment that encourages employees to be creative. Leaders play a crucial role in cultivating an environment that encourages subordinates to be creative. Based on a survey of 219 managers in privately owned enterprises in China, this study investigates how trust in subordinates in terms of their reliability and their loyalty to the leader is related to leaders encouraging subordinates to be creative. The findings reveal positive relationships between these two types of trust in subordinates and leaders encouraging subordinates to be creative. The findings also reveal that attitude to formalization moderated the relationship between trust in subordinates and encouraging them to be creative. [source] Calcium handling in afferent arteriolesACTA PHYSIOLOGICA, Issue 4 2004M. Salomonsson Abstract The cytosolic intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) is a major determining factor in the vascular smooth muscle tone. In the afferent arteriole it has been shown that agonists utilizing G-protein coupled receptors recruit Ca2+ via release from intracellular stores and entry via pathways in the plasma membrane. The relative importances of entry vs. mobilization seem to differ between different agonists, species and preparations. The entry pathway might include different types of voltage sensitive Ca2+ channels located in the plasmalemma such as dihydropyridine sensitive L-type channels, T-type channels and P/Q channels. A role for non-voltage sensitive entry pathways has also been suggested. The importance of voltage sensitive Ca2+ channels in the control of the tone of the afferent arteriole (and thus in the control of renal function and whole body control of extracellular fluid volume and blood pressure) sheds light on the control of the membrane potential of afferent arteriolar smooth muscle cells. Thus, K+ and Cl, channels are of importance in their role as major determinants of membrane potential. Some studies suggest a role for calcium-activated chloride (ClCa) channels in the renal vasoconstriction elicited by agonists. Other investigators have found evidence for several types of K+ channels in the regulation of the afferent arteriolar tone. The available literature in this field regarding afferent arterioles is, however, relatively sparse and not conclusive. This review is an attempt to summarize the results obtained by others and ourselves in the field of agonist induced afferent arteriolar Ca2+ recruitment, with special emphasis on the control of voltage sensitive Ca2+ entry. Outline of the Manuscript: This manuscript is structured as follows: it begins with an introduction where the general role for [Ca2+]i as a key factor in the regulation of the tone of vascular smooth muscles (VSMC) is detailed. In this section there is an emphasis is on observations that could be attributed to afferent arteriolar function. We then investigate the literature and describe our results regarding the relative roles for Ca2+ entry and intracellular release in afferent arterioles in response to vasoactive agents, with the focus on noradrenalin (NA) and angiotensin II (Ang II). Finally, we examine the role of ion channels (i.e. K+ and Cl, channels) for the membrane potential, and thus activation of voltage sensitive Ca2+ channels. [source] Shaggy/GSK-3, kinase localizes to the centrosome and to specialized cytoskeletal structures in DrosophilaCYTOSKELETON, Issue 6 2006Yves Bobinnec Abstract The assembly of a functional bipolar mitotic spindle requires an exquisite regulation of microtubule behavior in time and space. To characterize new elements of this machinery we carried out a GFP based "protein trap" screen and selected fusion proteins which localized to the spindle apparatus. By this method we identified Shaggy, the Drosophila homologue of glycogen synthase kinase-3, (GSK-3,), as a component of centrosomes. GSK-3, acting in the Wingless signaling pathway is involved in a vast range of developmental processes, from pattern formation to cell-fate specification, and is a key factor for cell proliferation in most animals. We exploited our Shaggy::GFP Drosophila line to analyze the subcellular localizations of GSK-3,/Shaggy and shed light on its multiple roles during embryogenesis. We found that Shaggy becomes enriched transiently in a variety of specialized cytoskeletal structures of the embryo, including centrosomes throughout mitosis, suggesting that this kinase is involved in the regulation of many aspects of the cytoskeleton function. Cell Motil. Cytoskeleton 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Resource Accessibility and Vulnerability in Andhra Pradesh: Caste and Non-Caste InfluencesDEVELOPMENT AND CHANGE, Issue 4 2007Lee Bosher ABSTRACT Coastal Andhra Pradesh in southern India is prone to tropical cyclones. Access to key resources can reduce the vulnerability of the local population to both large-scale disasters, such as cyclones, and to the sort of small-scale crises that affect their everyday lives. This article uses primary fieldwork to present a resource accessibility vulnerability index for over 300 respondents. The index indicates that caste is the key factor in determining who has assets, who can access public facilities, who has political connections and who has supportive social networks. The ,lower' castes (which tend to be the poorest) are marginalized to the extent that they lack access to assets, public facilities and opportunities to improve their plight. However, the research also indicates that the poor and powerless lower castes are able to utilize informal social networks to bolster their resilience, typically by women's participation with CBOs and NGOs. Nevertheless it is doubtful whether this extra social capital counterbalances the overall results which show that , despite decades of counteractions by government , caste remains a dominant variable affecting the vulnerability of the people of coastal Andhra Pradesh to the hazards that they face. [source] The first steps in word learning are easier when the shoes fit: comparing monolingual and bilingual infantsDEVELOPMENTAL SCIENCE, Issue 1 2010Karen Mattock English, French, and bilingual English-French 17-month-old infants were compared for their performance on a word learning task using the Switch task. Object names presented a /b/ vs. /g/ contrast that is phonemic in both English and French, and auditory strings comprised English and French pronunciations by an adult bilingual. Infants were habituated to two novel objects labeled ,bowce' or ,gowce' and were then presented with a switch trial where a familiar word and familiar object were paired in a novel combination, and a same trial with a familiar word,object pairing. Bilingual infants looked significantly longer to switch vs. same trials, but English and French monolinguals did not, suggesting that bilingual infants can learn word,object associations when the phonetic conditions favor their input. Monolingual infants likely failed because the bilingual mode of presentation increased phonetic variability and did not match their real-world input. Experiment 2 tested this hypothesis by presenting monolingual infants with nonce word tokens restricted to native language pronunciations. Monolinguals succeeded in this case. Experiment 3 revealed that the presence of unfamiliar pronunciations in Experiment 2, rather than a reduction in overall phonetic variability was the key factor to success, as French infants failed when tested with English pronunciations of the nonce words. Thus phonetic variability impacts how infants perform in the switch task in ways that contribute to differences in monolingual and bilingual performance. Moreover, both monolinguals and bilinguals are developing adaptive speech processing skills that are specific to the language(s) they are learning. [source] Closer to the Shifting Ground: The Rise of Relationship in God-TalkDIALOG, Issue 3 2005By Paul R. Sponheim Abstract:, The article argues that God-talk has changed significantly over the last fifty years and identifies the rise of the notion of relationship (reflecting postmodern dissatisfaction with modernity) as a key factor in this change. That factor is cited in Trinitarian studies, the Creator's relationship with and to the creatures, the science and religion conversation, the connection with context, and the increasing recognition of the adjectival character of theology. In closing the author looks ahead to further relational work in soteriology, anthropology and metaphysics. [source] Regional and local influence of grazing activity on the diversity of a semi-arid dung beetle communityDIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS, Issue 1 2006Jorge M. Lobo ABSTRACT This study analyses the effect of resource availability (i.e. sheep dung) on dung beetle communities in an arid region of Central Spain, both at regional and at local scales. A total of 18 sites within 600 km2 were sampled for the regional analysis and 16 sites within the 30 km2 of an Iberian municipality were sampled for the local analysis. Spatial and environmental characteristics of sampling sites were also compiled at both scales, including measures of grazing activity (livestock density at regional scale, and two counts of rabbit and sheep dung at local scale). At a regional scale, any environmental or spatial variable can help to explain the variation in abundance. However, species richness was related to summer precipitation and composition was related to elevation. At local scale, abundance is not significantly related to any of the environmental variables, but species richness was related to the local amount of sheep dung (27% of variance). The amount of dung in a 2-km buffer around the site accounts for 27,32% of variance in abundance and 60,65% of variance in species richness. The presence of the flock with the highest sheep density explains 53% of abundance variability and 73% of species richness variance. A cluster analysis of localities identified two main groups, one characterized by a lower abundance and species richness that can be considered a nested subsample of the species-rich group. The mean and maximum amount of sheep dung in the sites separated by less than 2 km are the only significant explanatory variables able to discriminate both groups. These results suggest that grazing intensity (and the associated increase in the amount of trophic resources) is a key factor in determining local variation in the diversity and composition of dung beetle assemblages. However, dung beetle assemblages are not spatially independent at the analysed resolution, and the amount of dung in the surroundings seems to be more important for locally collected species than the dung effectively found in the site. Although differences in the availability and quantity of trophic resources among nearby sites could be affecting the population dynamics and dispersion of dung beetles within a locality, sites with larger populations, and greater species numbers would not be able to exercise enough influence as to bring about a complete local faunistic homogenization. [source] Tafoni development in a cryotic environment: an example from Northern Victoria Land, AntarcticaEARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS, Issue 10 2008Andrea Strini Abstract Tafoni are a type of cavernous weathering widespread around the world. Despite the extensive distribution of the tafoni, their genesis is not clear and is still a matter of debate, also because they occur in such different climatic conditions and on so many different types of substrate. Geomorphological characterization of more than 60 tafoni in three different Antarctic sites (two coastal and one inland) between 74 and 76° S with sampling of weathering products and salt occurrences are described together with thermal data (on different surfaces) and wind speed recorded in different periods of the year in a selected tafone close to the Italian Antarctic station. The aim of this present study is to provide further information to help understand the processes involved in the growth of tafoni in a cryotic environment, and the relationship of these processes to climate, with particular attention to the thermal regime and the role of wind. The new data presented in this paper suggest that there is no single key factor that drives the tafoni development, although thermal stress seems the most efficient process, particularly if we consider the short-term fluctuations. The data also confirm that other thermal processes, such as freezing,thawing cycles and thermal shock, are not really effective for the development of tafoni in this area. The wind speed measured within the tafoni is half that recorded outside, thus favouring snow accumulation within the tafoni and therefore promoting salt crystallization. On the other hand, the wind effect on the thermal regime within the tafoni seems negligible. While both salt weathering and thermal stress appear active in this cryotic environment, these are azonal processes and are therefore active in other climatic areas where tafoni are widespread (such as the Mediterranean region). Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Adaptive radiation through phenological shift: the importance of the temporal niche in species diversificationECOLOGICAL ENTOMOLOGY, Issue 1 2009JEAN-MARIE SACHET Abstract 1.,Phenological shift in oviposition in seed predators may be a key factor for adaptive radiation if temporal differences lead to less intense competition. 2.,This hypothesis was tested at two sites in the French Alps in three sympatric species of larch cone flies grouped into two phenological groups (early and late) differing in adult emergence and oviposition timing by approximately 2 weeks. The present study assessed the intensity of competition within and between groups by measuring four larval traits. Cone traits were measured, and the impact of early species parasitism on cone development was assessed. 3.,The occupation of the central axis of a developing cone by one early larva has a strong detrimental effect on cone growth and seed production. However, there was almost no correlation between the variables measured on the cones and on the larvae, suggesting that the resources available were not limiting. 4.,Inter-group competition had no significant effect on early larvae. In contrast, both inter- and intra-group competition had a significant negative effect on late larvae length (,11% and ,16% respectively), dry mass (,8% and ,23%), and lipid mass (,15% and ,26%). The intensity of competition was stronger among larvae in the same phenological group, which is consistent with the hypothesis that shifts in oviposition promote adaptive radiation in larch cone flies by reducing competition among larvae. [source] State Capacity, Conflict, and DevelopmentECONOMETRICA, Issue 1 2010Timothy Besley The absence of state capacities to raise revenue and to support markets is a key factor in explaining the persistence of weak states. This paper reports on an ongoing project to investigate the incentive to invest in such capacities. The paper sets out a simple analytical structure in which state capacities are modeled as forward looking investments by government. The approach highlights some determinants of state building including the risk of external or internal conflict, the degree of political instability, and dependence on natural resources. Throughout, we link these state capacity investments to patterns of development and growth. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||