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Available Empirical Evidence (available + empirical_evidence)
Selected AbstractsValidity and utility of the current definition of binge eatingINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EATING DISORDERS, Issue 8 2009Barbara E. Wolfe PhD, FAAN Abstract Objective Binge eating, a cardinal symptom of bulimia nervosa (BN) and binge eating disorder (BED), continues to pose challenges in terms of its definition and thus construct validity and clinical utility. This article reviews the available empirical data that support or refute the current DSM-IV-TR defined characteristics of a binge episode. Method A systematic literature review was conducted using Medline/PubMed electronic database on DSM-IV-TR defined binge characteristics and associated attributes. Results Data support the current DSM guidelines indicating that binge episodes typically occur in less than 2 h. Size of binge episodes has variability across BN and BED diagnostic groups. Loss of control (LOC) continues to be a core feature of binge eating. Negative affect is the most widely reported antecedent. Strikingly, little is known about binge episodes among individuals with anorexia nervosa-binge/purge subtype. Discussion Available empirical evidence supports the current DSM duration and LOC attributes of a binge episode in BN and BED. However, a more controversial issues is the extent to which size is important in the definition of a binge episode (e.g., subjective vs. objective episodes) across diagnostic categories and the extent to which binge size informs prognosis, treatment, and clinical outcomes. Further study of binge eating attributes in AN is needed. © 2009 American Psychiatric Association. Int J Eat Disord 2009 [source] What hope for African primate diversity?AFRICAN JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY, Issue 2 2006Colin A. Chapman Available empirical evidence suggests that many primate populations are increasingly threatened by anthropogenic actions and we present evidence to indicate that Africa is a continent of particular concern in terms of global primate conservation. We review the causes and consequences of decline in primate diversity in Africa and argue that the major causes of decline fall into four interrelated categories: deforestation, bushmeat harvest, disease and climate change. We go on to evaluate the rarity and distribution of species to identify those species that may be particularly vulnerable to threats and examine whether these species share any characteristic traits. Two factors are identified that suggest that our current evaluation of extinction risk may be overly optimistic; evidence suggests that the value of existing forest fragments may have been credited with greater conservation value in supporting primate populations than they actually have and it is clear that the extinction debt from historical deforestation has not being adequately considered. We use this evaluation to suggest what future actions will be advantageous to advance primate conservation in Africa and evaluate some very positive conservation gains that are currently occurring. [source] Financial Liberalisation in Southern Africa: An AssessmentDEVELOPMENT POLICY REVIEW, Issue 3 2004Obert Nyawata In the early 1990s many Southern African economies embarked on financial liberalisation. Although it is too soon to carry out sophisticated econometric analysis of this change in policy, the available empirical evidence may be inspected to see whether it lends support to advocates of financial liberalisation. In this article we explore the avenues through which financial liberalisation might be expected to exert an influence. Consistent with much of the existing literature, we discover that a degree of agnosticism is warranted. Financial liberalisation is no panacea and will not improve economic performance unless accompanied by sound economic policies. It remains difficult to isolate the effects of financial liberalisation from the data available. [source] Mild cognitive impairment1, a review of prevalence, incidence and outcome according to current approachesACTA PSYCHIATRICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 6 2002J. Bischkopf Objective:, Mild cognitive impairment is associated with an increased risk of developing dementia. However, agreement needs to be reached on clearly specified diagnostic criteria for mild cognitive impairment. The present paper critically reviews the different constructs of mild cognitive impairment on the basis of the available empirical evidence. Method:, All published papers on mild cognitive impairment during the last 15 years on Medline and other databases were reviewed. Results:, Age-specific prevalence and incidence rates according to the different constructs as well as the prognostic significance of the different constructs concerning the development of dementia are reported. Furthermore, a brief summary of recent research on possible risk factors for a negative course of mild cognitive impairment is provided. Conclusion:, As there is no construct to date that pools all efforts of defining mild cognitive impairment, the review provides suggestions for an agreement on constructive terminology and research practice. [source] Contextualizing Research on Social Capital in Regional ClustersINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF URBAN AND REGIONAL RESEARCH, Issue 3 2007UDO STABER Abstract Numerous works in economic geography and regional studies have considered social capital a salient factor in the performance of regional business clusters. Theoretical arguments have focused on those structural, relational and cognitive features of social capital that are expected to facilitate cooperation and innovation as a basis for cluster success. However, the available empirical evidence on the performance implications of social capital is weak and largely inconsistent. I argue that one reason for the observed cross-study inconsistencies is the neglect of the situational context in which social capital evolves. I discuss how acontextual studies can lead to analytical error and flawed conclusions concerning the performance outcomes of social capital. I propose several approaches to contextualizing research and discuss how they would advance our understanding of the performance implications of social capital in a cluster setting. Résumé De nombreux travaux de géographie économique et études régionales voient dans le capital social un facteur fondamental de la réussite des pôles d'entreprises régionaux. Les discussions théoriques ont porté sur les caractéristiques structurelles, relationnelles et cognitives du capital social qui sont censées faciliter coopération et innovation, composantes de base de la réussite de ces pôles. Toutefois, les preuves empiriques disponibles des implications du capital social dans cette réussite sont fragiles et peu cohérentes. Cet article affirme que les incohérences des études croisées tiennent, pour une part, à l'ignorance du contexte situationnel dans lequel évolue le capital social. Il expose comment des études hors contexte peuvent conduire à une erreur analytique et à des conclusions incorrectes quant aux résultats générés par le capital social. Il propose plusieurs approches pour placer les recherches en contexte et analyse comment, grâce à elles, nous pourrions mieux comprendre la part de réussite propre au capital social dans le cadre d'un pôle donné. [source] Modelling consumer entertainment software choice: An exploratory examination of key attributes, and differences by gamer segmentJOURNAL OF CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR, Issue 5 2010Sunita Prugsamatz From virtually nowhere 20 years ago to sales of US$9.5 billion in 2007, the video game industry has now overtaken movie industry box-office receipts in terms of annual sales, and blockbuster video games can out perform blockbuster movies for opening-week sales. This dramatic growth is likely to continue in coming years. Yet there has been little scholarly attention to consumers within the industry. This research fills this gap by providing a comprehensive study of consumer behaviour in the gaming industry, using the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB); a widely used, robust and reliable consumer research instrument. The study elicits key salient attributes for the major constructs in the TPB model , attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioural control , and shows how these key constructs affect purchase intention. To avoid aggregation error in analysing overall market data, this study segments the market and examines differences in perspective by gamer type. We therefore examine differences in these key salient attributes by gamer type to understand consumer motivations better. As the first systematic study to examine consumer behaviour issues in the gaming industry, this study provides useful insights to consumers' behaviour in a large, growing industry. Consumer perceptions and behaviour toward entertainment software is complex and this study is not the final word, but it is the first available empirical evidence and can thus move forward the discussion from speculation to replication, extension, and alternative approaches. For managers in this industry, this study demonstrates how a comprehensive model can be applied to entertainment software. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Does Libertè = Egalité?JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC SURVEYS, Issue 4 2004A Survey of the Empirical Links between Democracy, Inequality with Some Evidence on the Transition Economies Abstract., The effect of the distribution of political rights on income inequality has been studied both theoretically and empirically. This paper reviews the existing literature and, in particular, the available empirical evidence. Our reading of the literature suggests that formal exclusion from the political process through restrictions on the voting franchise appears to have caused a high degree of economic inequality, and democratization in the form of franchise expansion especially for women, has more often than not led to an expansion in redistribution, at least in the small sample of episodes studied. In a less pronounced way, albeit more emphatically compared to the ambiguous results of the earlier research, the recent evidence indicates an inverse relationship between other measures of democracy, based on civil liberties and political rights, and inequality. The transition experience of the East European countries, however, seems to some extent to go against these conclusions. This, in turn, opens possible new vistas for research, namely the need to incorporate the length of democratic experience and the role played by ideology and social values. [source] Patents, Innovation and GrowthTHE ECONOMIC RECORD, Issue 234 2000MARK CROSBY New growth theories emphasize the role played by innovation in promoting economic growth. Since it is difficult to quantify the amount of innovation undertaken in an economy, there is little available empirical evidence assessing the contribution made by innovation to growth, in contrast to abundant evidence on the role of physical capital accumulation in the growth process. In this paper patent data are used to proxy the amount of innovation undertaken in an economy. The patent data are used to explore two questions. First, how important is innovation to economic growth in Australia, and second, are reductions in innovations sourced in Australia offset by increases in foreign sourced innovations in Australia? [source] | |||||||||||||