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Strong Evidence (strong + evidence)
Terms modified by Strong Evidence Selected AbstractsStrong Evidence for an Unprecedented Borderline Case of Dissociation and Cycloaddition in Open-Shell 1,3-Dipole Chemistry: Transient Nitrilium Phosphane-Ylide Complex Radical CationsEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF INORGANIC CHEMISTRY, Issue 22 2009Holger Helten Abstract The reaction of 3-ferrocenyl-substituted 2H -azaphosphirene complexes 1a,c in the presence of substoichiometric amounts of ferrocenium hexafluorophosphate yields 3,5-diferrocenyl-substituted 2H -1,4,2-diazaphosphole complexes 3a,c and difluoro(organo)phosphane complexes 4a,c. The reaction of 1a,c and [FcH]PF6 with cyanoferrocene yields 3a,c in a straightforward way. The molecular structures of 3a,c were unambiguously identified by multinuclear NMR spectroscopic experiments, mass spectrometry, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies. DFT calculations on model complexes 1d,m and 3d,m reveal a close similarity of Mo and W complexes (vs. Cr) and a strong influence of the ferrocenyl substituent on the geometry, spin, and charge distribution of reactive intermediates and the reaction course. Strong support for the assumption of a dissociation,cycloaddition reaction sequence leading to 3 and thus a surprising "cannibalistic" reaction was obtained.(© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2009) [source] Systematic Reviews: Strong Evidence on Which to Base PracticeNURSING FOR WOMENS HEALTH, Issue 1 2010Rosemary Theroux RNC First page of article [source] Which comes first: atypical antipsychotic treatment or cardiometabolic risk?ACTA PSYCHIATRICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 3 2009S. M. Stahl Objective:, To provide an overview for practicing clinicians on the pharmacological basis of cardiometabolic risk induced by antipsychotic drugs in patients with serious mental illness, to propose hypotheses to explain these risks and to give tips for managing cardiometabolic risk during antipsychotic treatment. Method:, A MEDLINE search using terms for atypical antipsychotics (including individual drug names), metabolic, cardiovascular, weight gain and insulin resistance, cross-referenced with schizophrenia was performed on articles published between 1990 and May 2008. Results:, Strong evidence exists for significant cardiometabolic risk differences among several antipsychotic agents. Histamine H1 and serotonin 5HT2C antagonism are associated with risk of weight gain, but receptor targets for dyslipidemia and insulin resistance have not yet been identified. Convincing data indicate that hypertriglyceridemia and insulin resistance may occur in the absence of weight gain with certain antipsychotics. Conclusion:, Although lifestyle and genetics may contribute independent risks of cardiometabolic dysfunction in schizophrenia and other serious mental illness, antipsychotic treatment also represents an important contributor to risk of cardiometabolic dysfunction, particularly for certain drugs and for vulnerable patients. Mental health professionals must learn to recognize the clinical signposts indicating antipsychotic-related cardiometabolic problems to forestall progression to type II diabetes, cardiovascular events and premature death. [source] Microgeographic genetic structure and intraspecific parasitism in the ant Leptothorax nylanderiECOLOGICAL ENTOMOLOGY, Issue 5 2001S. Foitzik Summary 1. Genetic colony structure of the small central European ant Leptothorax nylanderi is affected strongly by ecological constraints such as nest site availability and intraspecific social parasitism. 2. Although L. nylanderi is generally monogynous and monandrous, more than a quarter of all nests collected in a dense population near Würzburg, Germany, contained several matrilines. As shown by microsatellite analysis, the average nest-mate relatedness in these nests was 0.20. Genetically heterogeneous nests arise from nest take-over by alien colonies or founding queens, a result of severe competition for nest sites. 3. In summer, more than one-third of all colonies inhabited several nest sites at a time. Polydomy appears to be rather limited, with two or three nests belonging to a single polydomous colony. 4. Queens appear to dominate male production; only a small fraction (8%) of males was definitively not progeny of the queen present but might have been worker progeny or offspring of another queen. 5. Strong evidence for heterozygote deficiency was found and a total of nine diploid males was discovered in two colonies. These findings suggest deviation from random mating through small, localised nuptial flights. [source] Studies on the Formation of CdS Nanoparticles from Solutions of (NMe4)4[Cd10S4(SPh)16]EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF INORGANIC CHEMISTRY, Issue 15 2010Maria Bendova Abstract The stepwise cluster growth, and formation of CdS nanoparticles from solutions of (NMe4)4[Cd10S4(SPh)16] in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), dimethylformamide (DMF) and acetonitrile was investigated. Cluster growth is fast in DMSO and DMF at room temperature, and slow in acetonitrile at elevated temperatures. Larger sulfide clusters (initially Cd32, then Cd54) are initially formed, which upon further growth eventually give rise to CdS nanoparticles. Strong evidence was found that the byproduct formed during the reaction in DMSO is mononuclear [Cd(SPh)x(DMSO)y](2,x) (x , 3). [source] Recombinant human glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenaseFEBS JOURNAL, Issue 14 2002Evidence for a rapid-equilibrium random-order mechanism Cloning and over-expression of human glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (Glc6P dehydrogenase) has for the first time allowed a detailed kinetic study of a preparation that is genetically homogeneous and in which all the protein molecules are of identical age. The steady-state kinetics of the recombinant enzyme, studied by fluorimetric initial-rate measurements, gave converging linear Lineweaver,Burk plots as expected for a ternary-complex mechanism. Patterns of product and dead-end inhibition indicated that the enzyme can bind NADP+ and Glc6P separately to form binary complexes, suggesting a random-order mechanism. The Kd value for the binding of NADP+ measured by titration of protein fluorescence is 8.0 µm, close to the value of 6.8 µm calculated from the kinetic data on the assumption of a rapid-equilibrium random-order mechanism. Strong evidence for this mechanism and against either of the compulsory-order possibilities is provided by repeating the kinetic analysis with each of the natural substrates replaced in turn by structural analogues. A full kinetic analysis was carried out with deaminoNADP+ and with deoxyglucose 6-phosphate as the alternative substrates. In each case the calculated dissociation constant upon switching a substrate in a random-order mechanism (e.g. that for NADP+ upon changing the sugar phosphate) was indeed constant within experimental error as expected. The calculated rate constants for binding of the leading substrate in a compulsory-order mechanism, however, did not remain constant when the putative second substrate was changed. Previous workers, using enzyme from pooled blood, have variously proposed either compulsory-order or random-order mechanisms. Our study appears to provide unambiguous evidence for the latter pattern of substrate binding. [source] Pay Policies of Firms and Collective Wage Contracts,An Uneasy Partnership?INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS, Issue 1 2006KNUT GERLACH Theoretical considerations suggest that firms establish consistent internal wage structures and pay wage premiums of similar size across occupational groups. Strong evidence for the existence of coherent employer pay policies across occupations is found using a German employer,employee data set. However, firm-specific elements of wage policies are less prevalent in firms applying industry-level collective contracts than in firms with individual-level wage contracts. [source] Administration of acetylcholine to the spermatic nerve plexus inhibits testosterone secretion in an in vitro isolated rat testis,nerve plexus systemINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ANDROLOGY, Issue 3 2002C. Zhu Strong evidence indicated that spermatic nerves are involved in the regulation of testosterone secretion. Our previous work showed that the inferior spermatic nerves play a more significant role than the superior ones in the regulation of testosterone secretion. However, it is unknown whether traditional neurotransmitters are involved in this regulation. In order to evaluate this point, the present experiments were carried out in an in vitro system where an isolated testis,spermatic nerve plexus preparation was incubated in two separate containers, one for the testis and the other for the nerve plexus and both interconnected by the inferior spermatic nerves. Both tissues were maintained in the same environmental conditions except for the neurotransmitter treatment, applied only to the nerve plexus. Acetylcholine can significantly inhibit the secretion of testosterone until the end of incubation. The present experiments suggest that the secretion of testosterone could be regulated, at least in part, by acetylcholine through the inferior spermatic nerves. [source] The Behavior and Performance of Foreign Investors in Emerging Equity Markets: Evidence from TaiwanINTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF FINANCE, Issue 3-4 2003Anchor Y. Lin This study investigates trading behavior and investment performance of foreign investors in 60 large-size firms listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange. Strong evidence is found that foreign investors employ momentum strategies of buying past winners and selling past losers and favor large-size, high book-to-market, and high-tech stocks, while no evidence is found that foreign investors herd on market consensus. Findings show that foreign investors are short-term superior performers but long-term inferior performers. The short-term superior performance appears to be driven partially by price momentum of winners portfolios rather than by risk taking. After controlling for firm size, share turnover, and industry, foreigners' short-term performance in large-size, high-turnover, and high-tech stocks is better than it is in small-size, low-turnover, and non-high-tech stocks. [source] Meeting the Challenge to Improve the Treatment of Hypertension in BlacksJOURNAL OF CLINICAL HYPERTENSION, Issue 6 2003Antonio Alberto Lopes MD Hypertension is more prevalent and severe in African descendent populations living outside Africa than in any other population. Given this greater burden of hypertension in blacks, it is increasingly necessary to refine strategies to prevent the disorder as well as improve its treatment and control. This review assesses results from clinical trials on lifestyle and pharmacologic interventions to identify which approaches most effectively prevent adverse hypertension-related outcomes in African descendent populations. The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) study provided evidence that a carefully controlled diet rich in fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy foods, and reduced in saturated fat, total fat, and cholesterol (i.e., the DASH diet) reduces blood pressure in blacks and is well accepted. The combination of the DASH diet with reduction in dietary sodium below 100 mmol/d may provide a reduction in blood pressure beyond that reached by the DASH diet alone. Physical exercise and interventions to reduce psychological stress may also reduce blood pressure in blacks. Strong evidence from numerous studies is a compelling argument for continuing to recommend diuretics and , blockers as first-line antihypertensive therapy for persons of all races. Some new studies also favor angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors as first-line antihypertensive drugs. The African American Study of Kidney Disease and Hypertension provided evidence that an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor-based treatment program is more beneficial than calcium channel blockers and , blockers in reducing the progression of renal failure in blacks with hypertensive nephropathy. Studies in patients with diabetes have also shown evidence that both angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin receptor antagonists are more effective than other classes of antihypertensives in reducing adverse renal events. Studies to evaluate the effects of the new antihypertensives in improving outcomes in blacks living outside the United States are needed. [source] Review of non-invasive ventilation in the emergency department: clinical considerations and management prioritiesJOURNAL OF CLINICAL NURSING, Issue 23 2009Louise Rose Aims and objectives., We aimed to synthesise evidence from published literature on non-invasive ventilation to inform nurses involved in the clinical management of non-invasive ventilation in the emergency department. Background., Non-invasive ventilation is a form of ventilatory support that does not require endotracheal intubation and is used in the early management of acute respiratory failure in emergency departments. Safe delivery of this intervention requires a skilled team, educated and experienced in appropriate patient selection, available devices and monitoring priorities. Design., Systematic review. Method., A multi-database search was performed to identify works published in the English language between 1998,2008. Search terms included: non-invasive ventilation, continuous positive airway pressure and emergency department. Inclusion and exclusion criteria for the review were identified and systematically applied. Results., Terminology used to describe aspects of non-invasive ventilation is ambiguous. Two international guidelines inform the delivery of this intervention, however, much research has been undertaken since these publications. Strong evidence exists for non-invasive ventilation for patients with acute exacerbation of congestive heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Non-invasive ventilation may be delivered with various interfaces and modes; little evidence is available for the superiority of individual interfaces or modes. Conclusions., Early use of non-invasive ventilation for the management of acute respiratory failure may reduce mortality and morbidity. Though international guidelines exist, specific recommendations to guide the selection of modes, settings or interfaces for various aetiologies are lacking due to the absence of empirical evidence. Relevance to clinical practice., Monitoring of non-invasive ventilation should focus on assessment of response to treatment, respiratory and haemodynamic stability, patient comfort and presence of air leaks. Complications are related to mask-fit and high air flows; serious complications are few and occur infrequently. The use of non-invasive ventilation has resource implications that must be considered to provide effective and safe management in the emergency department. [source] An outlier robust GARCH model and forecasting volatility of exchange rate returnsJOURNAL OF FORECASTING, Issue 5 2002Beum-Jo Park Abstract Since volatility is perceived as an explicit measure of risk, financial economists have long been concerned with accurate measures and forecasts of future volatility and, undoubtedly, the Generalized Autoregressive Conditional Heteroscedasticity (GARCH) model has been widely used for doing so. It appears, however, from some empirical studies that the GARCH model tends to provide poor volatility forecasts in the presence of additive outliers. To overcome the forecasting limitation, this paper proposes a robust GARCH model (RGARCH) using least absolute deviation estimation and introduces a valuable estimation method from a practical point of view. Extensive Monte Carlo experiments substantiate our conjectures. As the magnitude of the outliers increases, the one-step-ahead forecasting performance of the RGARCH model has a more significant improvement in two forecast evaluation criteria over both the standard GARCH and random walk models. Strong evidence in favour of the RGARCH model over other competitive models is based on empirical application. By using a sample of two daily exchange rate series, we find that the out-of-sample volatility forecasts of the RGARCH model are apparently superior to those of other competitive models. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] A HYPOTHESIS FOR IMPORT OF THE NUCLEAR-ENCODED PsaE PROTEIN OF PAULINELLA CHROMATOPHORA (CERCOZOA, RHIZARIA) INTO ITS CYANOBACTERIAL ENDOSYMBIONTS/PLASTIDS VIA THE ENDOMEMBRANE SYSTEM,JOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY, Issue 5 2010Mackiewicz The cyanobacterial endosymbionts of Paulinella chromatophora can shed new light on the process of plastid acquisition. Their genome is devoid of many essential genes, suggesting gene transfer to the host nucleus and protein import back into the endosymbionts/plastids. Strong evidence for such gene transfer is provided by the psaE gene, which encodes a PSI component that was efficiently transferred to the Paulinella nucleus. It remains unclear, however, how this protein is imported into the endosymbionts/plastids. We reanalyzed the sequence of Paulinella psaE and identified four potential non-AUG translation initiation codons upstream of the previously proposed start codon. Interestingly, the longest polypeptide, starting from the first UUG, contains a clearly identifiable signal peptide with very high (90%) predictability. We also found several downstream hairpin structures that could enhance translation initiation from the alternative codon. These results strongly suggest that the PsaE protein is targeted to the outer membrane of Paulinella endosymbionts/plastids via the endomembrane system. On the basis of presence of respective bacterial homologs in the Paulinella endosymbiont/plastid genome, we discuss further trafficking of PsaE through the peptidoglycan wall and the inner envelope membrane. It is possible that other nuclear-encoded proteins of P. chromatophora also carry signal peptides, but, alternatively, some may be equipped with transit peptides. If this is true, Paulinella endosymbionts/plastids would possess two distinct targeting systems, one cotranslational and the second posttranslational, as has been found in higher plant plastids. Considering the endomembrane system-mediated import pathway, we also discuss homology of the membranes surrounding Paulinella endosymbionts/plastids. [source] EVIDENCE OF A LATENT OXIDATIVE BURST IN RELATION TO WOUND REPAIR IN THE GIANT UNICELLULAR CHLOROPHYTE DASYCLADUS VERMICULARIS,JOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY, Issue 3 2005Cliff Ross We investigated the kinetics and composition of the second phase of the wound repair process of Dasycladus vermicularis ([Scropoli] Krasser) using fluorescent probes, chromatography, UV spectroscopy, and histochemistry. Our new evidence supports the hypothesis that the second phase of wound repair (initiated at approximately 35,45 min postinjury) is based on the activation of an oxidative burst that produces micromolar H2O2 levels. These results provide evidence of peroxidase activity at the wound site, real-time measurements of an oxidative burst, and catechol localization in wound plugs. Strong evidence is presented indicating that the biochemical machinery exists for oxidative cross-linking to ensue in the wound-healing process of D. vermicularis. [source] Secular changes in stature and body mass index for Chinese youth in sixteen major cities, 1950s,2005AMERICAN JOURNAL OF HUMAN BIOLOGY, Issue 5 2008Cheng-Ye Ji Evidence shows a secular trend in physical growth in China in recent years. We analyze the secular trend of stature and body mass index (BMI) for the period 1950s,2005 to provide biological evidence for policy-makers to identify measures for improving Chinese children's health. Data come from the historical records in 1950s and the successive cycles of the Chinese National Survey on Student's Constitution and Health. Subjects were 7- to 18-year-old youth from 16 cities. Sex,age differences in mean stature and BMI values between the surveys were analyzed, and the increments per decade were compared. An overall positive secular trend was found in 1950s,2005. Mean stature of the 18-year olds increased from 166.6 to 173.4 cm for males and from 155.8 to 161.2 cm for females, yielding rates of 1.3 and 1.1 cm/decade; the overall increments of BMI values were 2.6 for males and 1.8 for females, yielding rates of 0.8 and 0.6/decade, respectively. The most significant changes occurred during puberty. The overall positive secular trend is closely associated with the socioeconomic progress and the improvement of livelihood. Strong evidence suggests that in China this trend will be continued for many years. Further studies are needed to explore how to ensure healthy changes for poorer rural youth. Effective preventive strategies and measures should be taken to prevent the progressive increase in the prevalence of childhood obesity accompanying this trend. Am. J. Hum. Biol., 2008. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Single photon correlation measurements in a study of excitation process of individual CdTe/ZnTe quantum dotsPHYSICA STATUS SOLIDI (C) - CURRENT TOPICS IN SOLID STATE PHYSICS, Issue 11 2006J. Suffczy Abstract We present the results of systematic autocorrelation and cross-correlation measurements performed on photons originating from various excitonic transitions in a single CdTe/ZnTe quantum dot (QD). Excitation power dependence of photoluminescence intensity was also measured on the same dot under the same experimental conditions. Recorded correlation histograms have provided evidence for memory effects in QD photoluminescence extending over a few excitation periods. Rate equation model assuming a ladder of states and excitation through a single carrier and exciton capture, is fitted to the data. As a consequence, simultaneous quantitative description of the results of both, correlation and power dependence, is obtained. Strong evidence is presented for a QD excitation by capture of single carriers rather than entire excitons. (© 2006 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source] Health and safety in waste collection: Towards evidence-based worker health surveillance,AMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE, Issue 10 2010P. Paul F. M. Kuijer PhD Abstract Background Waste collectors around the world are at risk for work-related disorders and injuries. The aim of this study was to assess work demands, acute physiologic responses, illnesses, and injuries as a starting point for worker health surveillance (WHS). Methods A systematic search was performed in PubMed and Embase on work demands, acute bodily responses, health, and injuries. A quality assessment and evidence synthesis was performed. Results From a total of 379 retrieved studies, 50 studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Waste collecting varied from informal manual gathering to semi-automated systems. Most studies ("number of studies") on work demands and/or acute bodily responses addressed bioaerosols (14). Studies of health effects addressed respiratory complaints (8), and those on injuries addressed acute musculoskeletal disorders (3). Strong evidence is available that exposure to bioaerosols exceeds recommendations. Moderate evidence is available for an increased risk of respiratory complaints and musculoskeletal injuries, with significant odds ratios reported varying between 1.9,4.1 and 1.5,3.3, respectively. Limited evidence exists for gastrointestinal disorders and hearing loss. Conclusions WHS in waste collection is warranted for early detection of respiratory, gastrointestinal, and musculoskeletal disorders, and hearing loss. Am. J. Ind. Med. 53:1040,1064, 2010. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Strong evidence for a fire blight resistance gene of Malus robusta located on linkage group 3PLANT BREEDING, Issue 5 2007A. Peil Abstract Fire blight (FB), caused by the Gram-negative bacterium Erwinia amylovora is a dangerous disease on pome fruit, including apple. The FB-susceptible cultivar ,Idared' was crossed with the resistant wild species clone Malus × robusta 5. A segregating population of 146 progeny has been tested by artificial shoot inoculation for susceptibility to FB. Progeny were infected from 0% to 100% of the shoot length. To identify chromosomal regions or loci responsible for resistance to FB of Malus × robusta 5, a set of microsatellite markers (simple sequence repeat, SSRs) was chosen covering all linkage groups of apple. Up to eight different microsatellites were bulked to one mutliplex PCR using four different labels and a fifth label for a size standard. Fifty-nine microsatellite markers out of 72 SSRs were polymorphic. Fifty-four of 66 loci detected could be mapped and were useful for the detection of related resistant loci. Alleles of microsatellites Hi03d06, CH03g07 and CH03e03 originating from the resistant donor M. robusta were associated with resistance to Erwinia amylovora. Up to eighty percent of the phenotypic variation could be explained by the interval spanned by SSRs CH03g07 and CH03e03, indicating the presence of a major resistance gene. All three microsatellites are located on the distal part of linkage group 3, spanning 15 cM. The SSR marker CH03e03 can be regarded as diagnostic marker for FB resistance. Only seven progeny expressing allele b (184 bp) of CH03e03 showed blighted shoot lengths of more than 30% and only nine progeny lacking allele b showed blighted shoot lengths of <30%. By setting a threshold of 30% shoot necrosis for resistance to FB, the 146 individuals segregate into 71 susceptible and 75 resistant plants, and resistance to FB maps 9 cM away from marker CH03e03. [source] Identification of the human salivary cystatin complex by the coupling of high-performance liquid chromatography and ion-trap mass spectrometryPROTEINS: STRUCTURE, FUNCTION AND BIOINFORMATICS, Issue 4 2003Alessandro Lupi Abstract Human salivary cystatins, five major (S, S1, S2, SA, SN) and two minor (C and D), are multifunctional proteins playing a different role in the oral environment. Salivary cystatin SN is able to effectively inhibit lysosomal cathepsins B, C, H and L and cystatin SA inhibits cathepsins C and L in vitro. These activities suggest, particularly for cystatin SN, an important role in the control of proteolytic events in vivo. Differently, cystatins S are involved, together with statherin, in the mineral balance of the tooth. Due to their distinct role, a reliable method for identification and quantification of the different cystatins, as well as of possible truncated and derived forms, could be helpful for the assessment of the status of the oral cavity. To this purpose high-performance liquid chromatography electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI MS) was applied to the analysis of human saliva obtained from healthy subjects. All known salivary cystatins, with the exception of cystatin C, were detected. Strong evidence was also obtained for the presence in saliva of post-translational modified isoforms of cystatins, which may be related to donor habits. Cystatin SN and cystatins S, S1 and S2 were well separated by HPLC-ESI MS coupling from other components and thus this approach can be successfully applied to their quantification. [source] Is racial prejudice declining in Britain?1THE BRITISH JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY, Issue 4 2008Robert Ford Abstract This article employs two previously neglected indicators of racial prejudice from the British Social Attitudes surveys to examine the social distribution of prejudices against black and Asian Britons. Three hypotheses are proposed and tested: that racial prejudice is declining in Britain; that this decline is principally generational in nature; and that greater prejudice is shown towards more culturally distinct Asian minorities than black minorities. Strong evidence is found for the first two hypotheses, with evidence of an overall decline in prejudice and of a sharp decline in prejudices among generations who have grown up since mass black and Asian immigration began in the 1950s. Little evidence is found for the third hypothesis: British reactions towards black and Asian minorities are broadly similar suggesting racial differences may still be the main factor prompting white hostility to British minorities. [source] The compactness of federal electoral districts in Canada in the 1980s and 1990s: an exploratory analysisTHE CANADIAN GEOGRAPHER/LE GEOGRAPHE CANADIEN, Issue 4 2001PAUL BÉLANGER Considerations of the compactness and aesthetics of electoral districts have loomed large in the litigation surrounding the last round of US redistricting. For a variety of reasons, we expect that there will be increasing pressure on Canadian electoral cartographers to provide opportunities for protected minorities to be represented in the country's federal legislature. As a result, we expect that future electoral maps may well embody a tradeoff between compactness and other representational and cartographic desiderata. We look for evidence of this in an exploratory analysis of the last two federal electoral maps (adopted in 1987 and 1996) and in so doing we offer the first country-wide assessment of the compactness of Canadian federal electoral districts (FEDs). The results demonstrate the importance of natural boundaries in the achievement of district compactness. Strong evidence of a decline in the compactness of FEDs between the two maps is not forthcoming, however. Thus there is relatively little sign that Canadian electoral districts will be open to the kind of aesthetically-based legal challenges that American Congressional Districts faced in the 1990s. However, the analyses we report establish an important baseline against which the next electoral map, to be produced following the 2001 census, can be compared. [source] Climate change-induced migration in the Pacific Region: sudden crisis and long-term developments1THE GEOGRAPHICAL JOURNAL, Issue 3 2009JUSTIN T LOCKE With so many other social, economic and environmental factors at work establishing linear, causative relationships between anthropogenic climate change and population dynamics it has been difficult to pinpoint the specific human consequences of climate change on respective populations. Qualitative information was examined based on interviewees' testimonies and personal experience, as well as a descriptive analysis of population records, climate-change related impacts, and consequences of uneven development in the Republic of Kiribati and Tuvalu, two low-lying atoll nations in the Pacific region taken as examples to illustrate the issues involved. Strong evidence was found that recent influxes in population movements to urban central islands from rural outer islands experienced in these countries can be attributed to a combination of the adverse impacts of climate change and socioeconomic factors inherit in small island developing states. Moreover, internal migrants cannot be accommodated in their states of origin, putting pressure on local infrastructure and services. This, combined with a recent population boom, has led to a decline in human development indicators and a general livelihood decline. [source] Social-cognition and the broad autism phenotype: identifying genetically meaningful phenotypesTHE JOURNAL OF CHILD PSYCHOLOGY AND PSYCHIATRY AND ALLIED DISCIPLINES, Issue 1 2007Molly Losh Background:, Strong evidence from twin and family studies suggests that the genetic liability to autism may be expressed through personality and language characteristics qualitatively similar, but more subtly expressed than those defining the full syndrome. This study examined behavioral features of this ,broad autism phenotype' (BAP) in relation to performance on a measure of social-cognition in an attempt to tease out this complex clinical picture and identify markers of underlying neuropsychological systems of genetic significance to autism. We hypothesized that mild social-cognitive impairment would be associated with clinically defined social characteristics of the BAP (aloof personality style, lower quality social relationships, and impaired pragmatic language use). Method:, Forty-eight parents of individuals with autism (13 of whom were identified as ,aloof'), and 22 control parents, were administered the ,Eyes Test', a social-cognitive measure that taps the ability to read complex psychological states from viewing only the eye region of faces. Results:, Whereas social-cognitive ability was unimpaired among parents of autistic children in general, the subgroup of parents defined as ,aloof' displayed significant social-cognitive deficits on the ,Eyes Test'. Impaired social-cognitive ability was associated with low quality of friendships and problems with pragmatic language use, associations which mirror those documented in autism. Conclusions: Findings suggest that social-cognitive impairments co-segregate with conceptually related personality, social, and language features that constitute the BAP, and point towards performance on the Eyes Test as a genetically meaningful endophenotype. [source] EXTENSIONS OF THE STANDARDIZED CROSS-SECTIONAL APPROACH TO SHORT-HORIZON EVENT STUDIESTHE JOURNAL OF FINANCIAL RESEARCH, Issue 4 2007Ronald Bremer Abstract Strong evidence indicates that short-horizon event-induced abnormal returns and volatility vary significantly over event days. Event-study methods that assume constant event-induced abnormal returns and volatility over event days have potentially inflated Type I error rates and poor test power. Our simple extensions of the Boehmer, Musumeci, and Poulsen (1991) approach scale abnormal returns with conditional variance, which is estimated with GARCH(1,1) and an indicator of the event in a two-stage estimation. Our method improves the Boehmer, Musumeci, and Poulsen approach on model specification and test power, even under challenging event-induced mean and volatility structures, and could standardize short-horizon event studies. [source] Asymmetric information and credit quality: Evidence from synthetic fixed-rate financingTHE JOURNAL OF FUTURES MARKETS, Issue 6 2006Betty J. Simkins In this article the usage of synthetic fixed-rate financing (SFRF) with interest rate swaps (i.e., borrowing short-term and using swaps to hedge interest rate risk, instead of selecting conventional fixed-rate financing) by Fortune 500 and S&P 500 nonfinancial firms is examined over the period 1991 through 1995. Credit ratings, debt issuance, and debt maturities of these firms are monitored through 1999. Strong evidence is found supporting the asymmetric information theory of swap usage as described by S. Titman (1992), even after controlling for industry, credit quality, size effects, and the simultaneity of the capital structure and the interest rate swap usage decision. Consistent with theoretical predictions, SFRF firms are more likely to undergo credit quality upgrades. When limiting the sample to firms where asymmetric information costs are potentially the greatest, the results are even stronger. These findings are important because they document that swaps serve a highly valuable service for firms subject to information asymmetries. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Jrl Fut Mark 26:595,626, 2006 [source] A Comparison of the Statistical Properties of Financial Variables in the USA, UK and Germany over the Business CycleTHE MANCHESTER SCHOOL, Issue 4 2000Elena Andreou This paper presents business cycle stylized facts for the US, UK and German economies. We examine whether financial variables (interest rates, stock market price indices, dividend yields and monetary aggregates) predict economic activity over the business cycle, and we investigate the nature of any non-linearities in these variables. Leading indicator properties are examined using cross-correlations for both the values of the variables and their volatilities. Our results imply that the most reliable leading indicator across the three countries is the interest rate term structure, although other variables also appear to be useful for specific countries. The volatilities of financial variables may also contain predictive information for production growth as well as production volatility. Non-linearities are uncovered for all financial series, especially in terms of autoregressive conditional heteroscedasticity effects. Strong evidence of mean non-linearity is also found for many financial series and this can be associated with business cycle asymmetries in the mean. This is the case for a number of American and British financial variables, especially interest rates, but the corresponding evidence for Germany is confined largely to the real long-term rate of interest. [source] International Transmission of Swap Market Movements: The U.S., Korea, and China,ASIA-PACIFIC JOURNAL OF FINANCIAL STUDIES, Issue 5 2009Hahn S. Lee Abstract This paper investigates whether and to what extent the Korean and Chinese swap markets are linked to the US counterpart. We apply bivariate EGARCH models to daily closing mid-rate data on swap maturities of 3, 5, and 10 years for the US, Korea, and China. We find that the US swap market has a major influence on the Korean and the Chinese swap markets. Strong evidence is found for the swap spread as well as volatility spillover effects from the US swap market to the Korean counterpart. On the other hand, the linkage between the US and Chinese swap markets turns out to be weak. This result indicates that the Chinese swap market, which opened on April 2006, is yet premature. [source] Bipolar disorder in older adults: a critical reviewBIPOLAR DISORDERS, Issue 5 2004Colin A Depp Objectives:, The goal of this article is to provide a comprehensive critical review of studies reporting the prevalence, features, age of onset, course, comorbidity, and neuropsychology of, as well as service utilization, in bipolar disorder in older age. Methods:, We searched the Medline, Pubmed, and PsycINFO databases using combinations of the keywords ,Bipolar', ,Manic/a', ,Manic Depression', ,Elderly', and ,Older'. We included English-language reports presenting quantitative data on the prevalence and/or any descriptive information about adults with bipolar disorder over age 50. Findings from similar studies were pooled when possible. A total of 61 studies met our broad criteria. Results:, Common methodological problems in the published studies included small sample sizes, retrospective chart review, lack of standardized measures, overemphasis on inpatients, and dearth of longitudinal data. Strong evidence indicates that bipolar disorder becomes less common with age, accounts for 8,10% of late life psychiatric admissions, is associated with neurologic factors in late-onset groups, and is a heterogeneous life-long illness. Weak or inconsistent evidence was found for a higher prevalence of mixed episodes in older adults, a lower treatment response, and the association with lower family history in late-onset groups. Minimal information is available on bipolar depression in late life. Conclusions:, Bipolar disorder in old age is a growing public health problem. Greater research on bipolar disorder in older people will assist in enhancing services to this group as well as inform research on bipolar disorder across the life span. [source] Host-specific toxins: effectors of necrotrophic pathogenicityCELLULAR MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 7 2008Timothy L. Friesen Summary Host-specific toxins (HSTs) are defined as pathogen effectors that induce toxicity and promote disease only in the host species and only in genotypes of that host expressing a specific and often dominant susceptibility gene. They are a feature of a small but well-studied group of fungal plant pathogens. Classical HST pathogens include species of Cochliobolus, Alternaria and Pyrenophora. Recent studies have shown that Stagonospora nodorum produces at least four separate HSTs that interact with four of the many quantitative resistance loci found in the host, wheat. Rationalization of fungal phylogenetics has placed these pathogens in the Pleosporales order of the class Dothideomycetes. It is possible that all HST pathogens lie in this order. Strong evidence of the recent lateral gene transfer of the ToxA gene from S. nodorum to Pyrenophora tritici-repentis has been obtained. Hallmarks of lateral gene transfer are present for all the studied HST genes although definitive proof is lacking. We therefore suggest that the Pleosporales pathogens may have a conserved propensity to acquire HST genes by lateral transfer. [source] Population Variability and Extinction RiskCONSERVATION BIOLOGY, Issue 6 2000John A. Vucetich We resolve this conflict by attributing negative measured relationships to a statistical artifact that arises because PV tends to be underestimated for populations with short persistence. Such populations do not go extinct quickly as a consequence of low intrinsic variability; instead, the measured variability is low because they go extinct so quickly. Consequently, any underlying positive relationship between PV and ER tends to be obscured. We conducted a series of analyses to evaluate this claim. Simulations showed that negative measured relationships are to be expected, despite an underlying positive relationship. Simulations also identified properties of data, minimizing this bias and thereby permitting meaningful analysis. Experimental data on laboratory populations of a bruchid beetle (Callosobruchus maculatus) supported the simulation results. Likewise, with an appropriate statistical approach (Cox regression on untransformed data), reanalysis of a controversial data set on British island bird populations revealed a significant positive association between PV and ER (p = 0.03). Finally, a similar analysis of time series for naturally regulated animal populations revealed a positive association between PV and quasiextinction risk (p < 0.01). Without exception, our simulation results, experimental findings, reanalysis of published data, and analysis of quasiextinction risk all contradict previous reports of negative or equivocal relationships. Valid analysis of meaningful data provides strong evidence that increased population variability leads to increased extinction risk. Resumen: Los modelos poblacionales generalmente predicen un mayor riesgo de extinción (ER) al aumentar la variabilidad poblacional ( PV ,), a pesar de ello, algunas pruebas empíricas han proporcionado resultados contradictorios. Nosotros hemos resuelto este conflicto mediante la atribución de mediciones de relaciones negativas a un producto estadístico que surge debido a que la PV tiende a ser subestimada para poblaciones de persistencia corta. Estas poblaciones no se extinguen rápidamente como resultado de una variabilidad intrínseca baja; por lo contrario, la variabilidad medida es baja debido a que las poblaciones se extinguen tan rápidamente. Consecuentemente, cualquier relación positiva subyacente entre la PV y el ER tienden a ser opacadas. Llevamos a cabo una serie de análisis para evaluar este argumento. Las simulaciones mostraron que las relaciones negativas medidas son de esperarse, a pesar de una relación positiva subyacente. Las simulaciones también identificaron propiedades de los datos que minimizan este sesgo y por lo tanto permiten un análisis significativo. Los datos experimentales en poblaciones de laboratorio de un coleóptero bruchidae (Callosobruchus maculatus) respaldan los resultados de las simulaciones. De la misma manera, el uso de una técnica estadística adecuada (por ejemplo, la regresión Cox en datos sin transformar), usada en la repetición del análisis de un juego de datos controvertidos de poblaciones de aves de la Isla Británica reveló una asociación positiva significativa entre la PV y el ER (p = 0.03). Finalmente, un análisis similar de series de tiempo para poblaciones de animales reguladas de manera natural revelaron una asociación positiva entre la PV y el riesgo de cuasi-extinción (p < 0.01). Sin excepciones, nuestros resultados de simulaciones, los resultados experimentales, la repetición del análisis de datos publicados, y el análisis de riesgo de cuasi-extinción contradicen informes previos de relaciones negativas o equívocas. Los análisis válidos de datos significativos proveen una evidencia sólida de que los incrementos en la variabilidad poblacional conducen a un incremento en el riego de extinción. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||