Predicting energy requirements in the clinical setting: Are current methods evidence based?

Estimating energy requirements is necessary in clinical practice when indirect calorimetry is impractical. This paper systematically reviews current methods for estimating energy requirements. Conclusions include: there is discrepancy between the characteristics of populations upon which predictive equations are based and current populations; tools are not well understood, and patient care can be compromised by inappropriate application of the tools. Data comparing tools and methods are presented and issues for practitioners are discussed. (C) 2003 International Life Sciences Institute.

Computational tools for the study of allergens

Allergy is a major cause of morbidity worldwide. The number of characterized allergens and related information is increasing rapidly creating demands for advanced information storage, retrieval and analysis. Bioinformatics provides useful tools for analysing allergens and these are complementary to traditional laboratory techniques for the study of allergens. Specific applications include structural analysis of allergens, identification of B- and T-cell epitopes, assessment of allergenicity and cross-reactivity, and genome analysis. In this paper, the most important bioinformatic tools and methods with relevance to the study of allergy have been reviewed.

Mental rotation processes in mathematically gifted boys: An fMRI investigation

The functional brain organisation of mathematically gifted adolescents may be different from those of average mathematical ability. In this study we used fMRI to examine the neural circuitry that mediates the performance of mathematically gifted boys and average ability controls while engaged in mental rotation. Eight math gifted male adolescents and five average ability male adolescents were presented 18 control and 18 mental rotation trials in two separate blocks. Participants selected one of four test stimuli to match the target stimulus by pressing one of four fibreoptic buttons. The control task required a simple 'best match' for the target stimulus. EPI scans were acquired on a 3-T MR scanner and a fixed effects statistical analysis (SPM99) was used to identify areas of significant activation in the rotation tasks, for the two groups. The results indicate that during mental rotation both groups activate the parietal lobes bilaterally, though to different levels. Moreover, the math gifted are uniformly bilateral in their pattern of activation, and engage some anterior regions not found in those of average ability. These regions include bilateral prefrontal cortex and the right anterior cingulate, which may serve to heighten concentration, and to optimise the pre-planning of purposeful actions.

A model of seller holdout

We model a buyer who wishes to combine objects owned by two separate sellers in order to realize higher value. Sellers are able to avoid entering into negotiations with the buyer, so that the order in which they negotiate is endogenous. Holdout occurs if at least one of the sellers is not present in the first round of negotiations. We demonstrate that complementarity of the buyer's technology is a necessary condition for equilibrium holdout. Moreover, a rise in complementarity leads to an increased likelihood of holdout, and an increased efficiency loss. Applications include patents, the land assembly problem, and mergers.

The ambivalent practices of reflexivity

Reflexivity involves turning one's reflexive gaze oil discourse-turning language back on itself to see the Work it does in constituting the world. The subject/researcher sees simultaneously the object of her or his gaze and the means by which the object (which may include oneself as subject) is being constituted. The consciousness of self that reflexive writing sometimes entails may be seen to slip inadvertently into constituting the very (real) self that seems to contradict a focus on the constitutive power of discourse. This article explores this site of slippage and of ambivalence. In a collective biography oil the topic of reflexivity, the authors tell and write stories about reflexivity and in a doubled reflexive arc, examine themselves at work during the workshop. Examining their own memories and reflexive practices, they explore this place of slippage and provide theoretical and practical insight into what is going on in reflexive research and writing.

Hierarchical determinants of capital structure

We analyze the influence of time-, firm-, industry- and country-level determinants of capital structure. First, we apply hierarchical linear modeling in order to assess the relative importance of those levels. We find that time and firm levels explain 78% of firm leverage. Second, we include random intercepts and random coefficients in order to analyze the direct and indirect influences of firm/industry/country characteristics on firm leverage. We document several important indirect influences of variables at industry and country-levels on firm determinants of leverage, as well as several structural differences in the financial behavior between firms of developed and emerging countries. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Pricing corporate bonds in Brazil: 2000 to 2004

This paper analyzes the factors that influence the issuing price of debentures in Brazil in the period from year 2000 to 2004, applying a factor model, in which exogenous variables explain return and price behavior. The variables in this study include: rating, choice of index, maturity, country risk, basic interest rate, long-term and short-term rate spread, the stock market index, and the foreign exchange rate. Results indicate that the index variable, probability of default and bond`s maturity influence pricing and points out associations of long-term bonds with better rating issues. (C) 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Debt Maturity: Is Long-Term Debt Optimal?

We model and calibrate the arguments in favor and against short-term and long-term debt. These arguments broadly include: maturity premium, sustainability, and service smoothing. We use a dynamic-equilibrium model with tax distortions and government outlays uncertainty, and model maturity as the fraction of debt that needs to be rolled over every period. In the model, the benefits of defaulting are tempered by higher future interest rates. We then calibrate our artificial economy and solve for the optimal debt maturity for Brazil as an example of a developing country and the US as an example of a mature economy. We obtain that the calibrated costs from defaulting on long-term debt more than offset costs associated with short-term debt. Therefore, short-term debt implies higher welfare levels.

Two decades of the Brazilian Standard for Marketing of Baby Food: are there reasons to celebrate?

Objective. To assess the impact that the Brazilian Standard for Marketing of Baby Food (Norma Brasileira de Comercializacao de Alimentos para Lactentes) have had on breastfeeding rates and regulating the marketing of breast-milk substitutes. Methods. Data were retrieved from a national survey conducted in 2000 that administered structured questionnaires to nine different groups. A total of 2 848 surveys were completed. Cluster sampling was employed to randomly select a sample from 159 towns located in the 26 Brazilian states and the Federal District. Results. The survey showed that participants possess satisfactory knowledge regarding the importance of breastfeeding and its ideal duration period. During the past two decades, the median duration of breastfeeding has increased, but it is still below desired levels. The mother`s return to work, maternal health issues, perception of insufficient breast milk, and information provided by health professionals were among reasons given for early termination of breastfeeding. Knowledge of the Brazilian standard was very limited, even among health professionals. Conclusions. Breastfeeding promotion in Brazil should focus on overcoming the cultural, educational, and economic barriers identified from among the various groups assessed. Interagency cooperation should include public, private, and third-parties, and focus on disseminating breastfeeding information and promoting the desirability of breastfeeding. Barriers to cooperation should be tackled in order to ensure that the main goal of the Brazilian standard-protection of infant health-can be achieved.

Analysis of Approaches to Controllership in Mater`s Thesis from Post-graduate Programs in Accounting Sciences

The objective of the Study is to analyze approaches in master`s thesis in Brazilian Post-Graduate Programs in Accounting Sciences in relation to Controllership, in terms of their conceptual, procedural and organizational aspects, as proposed by Borinelli (2006). The research is descriptive and it uses a quantitative approach. The sample consists of 26 master`s thesis which have the word ""Controllership"" in their titles. Resulting from analysis, in Perspective I (conceptual aspects), in which the elements of definition, object of study and relationship with other sciences were referenced, consensus among authors of the master`s thesis was not verified. In Perspective II (procedural aspects), which deals with activities and functions of Controllership by means of how they materialize as areas of knowledge within organizations, it was observed that the approach in the master`s thesis is quite differentiated in terms of the scope of activities. In relation to Perspective III (organizational aspects), there is also no consensus about what constitutes typical Controllership activities, but master`s thesis do include in the definition of Controllership the idea that it is a service or function of information. It was concluded that the approach to controllership, in terms of its conceptual, procedural and organizational aspects is similar to the elements proposed by Borinelli (2006).

In the eye of the storm: exploring the introduction of environmental issues in the production function in Brazilian companies

This article aims to analyse the introduction of environmental issues in the context of the production function, which has been referred to as the organisational area to lead corporate environmental management. With that purpose, the theoretical references for corporate environmental management and the necessary alterations in production function have been organised to include environmental aspects, especially in terms of product and process development, quality management, and logistics. Considering that this research field still lacks empirical evidence for Brazilian companies, four case studies were conducted using companies located in the country. The environmental management maturity level of those companies tends to follow the rate with which the environmental issue is introduced in production sub-areas, especially in the product development process. However, in most cases we found that the companies had difficulties in structuring the insertion of the environmental dimension in logistics. The final notes point out the distance observed between what is recommended by international literature and the reality of Brazilian companies in the challenge of making the production function environmentally friendly.

Cost-effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors for major depression in children and adolescents

Objective: To assess from a health sector perspective the incremental cost-effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) for the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD) in children and adolescents, compared to 'current practice'. Method: The health benefit is measured as a reduction in disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), based on effect size calculations from meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. An assessment on second stage filter criteria ('equity'; 'strength of evidence', 'feasibility' and 'acceptability to stakeholders') is also undertaken to incorporate additional factors that impact on resource allocation decisions. Costs and benefits are tracked for the duration of a new episode of MDD arising in eligible children (age 6-17 years) in the Australian population in the year 2000. Simulation-modelling techniques are used to present a 95% uncertainty interval (UI) around the cost-effectiveness ratios. Results: Compared to current practice, CBT by public psychologists is the most cost-effective intervention for MDD in children and adolescents at A$9000 per DALY saved (95% UI A$3900 to A$24 000). SSRIs and CBT by other providers are less cost-effective but likely to be less than A$50 000 per DALY saved (> 80% chance). CBT is more effective than SSRIs in children and adolescents, resulting in a greater total health benefit (DALYs saved) than could be achieved with SSRIs. Issues that require attention for the CBT intervention include equity concerns, ensuring an adequate workforce, funding arrangements and acceptability to various stakeholders. Conclusions: Cognitive behavioural therapy provided by a public psychologist is the most effective and cost-effective option for the first-line treatment of MDD in children and adolescents. However, this option is not currently accessible by all patients and will require change in policy to allow more widespread uptake. It will also require 'start-up' costs and attention to ensuring an adequate workforce.

Functional and Evolutionary Insights from the Genomes of Three Parasitoid Nasonia Species

We report here genome sequences and comparative analyses of three closely related parasitoid wasps: Nasonia vitripennis, N. giraulti, and N. longicornis. Parasitoids are important regulators of arthropod populations, including major agricultural pests and disease vectors, and Nasonia is an emerging genetic model, particularly for evolutionary and developmental genetics. Key findings include the identification of a functional DNA methylation tool kit; hymenopteran-specific genes including diverse venoms; lateral gene transfers among Pox viruses, Wolbachia, and Nasonia; and the rapid evolution of genes involved in nuclear-mitochondrial interactions that are implicated in speciation. Newly developed genome resources advance Nasonia for genetic research, accelerate mapping and cloning of quantitative trait loci, and will ultimately provide tools and knowledge for further increasing the utility of parasitoids as pest insect-control agents.

Cranial anatomy of a new genus of hyperodapedontine rhynchosaur (Diapsida, Archosauromorpha) from the Upper Triassic of southern Brazil

Detailed description of the cranial anatomy of the rhynchosaur previously known as Scaphonyx sulcognathus allows its assignment to a new genus Teyumbaita. Two nearly complete skulls and a partial skull have been referred to the taxon, all of which come from the lower part of the Caturrita Formation, Upper Triassic of Rio Grande do Sul, southern Brazil. Cranial autapomorphies of Teyumbaita sulcognathus include anterior margin of nasal concave at midline, prefrontal separated from the ascending process of the maxilla, palatal ramus of pterygoid expanded laterally within palatines, dorsal surface of exoccipital markedly depressed, a single tooth lingually displaced from the main medial tooth-bearing area of the maxilla, and a number of other characters (such as skull broader than long; a protruding orbital anterior margin; anguli oils extending to anterior ramus of the jugal; bar between the orbit and the lower temporal fenestra wider than 0.4 of the total orbital opening; mandibular depth reaching more than 25% of the total length) support its inclusion in Hyperodapedontinae. T. sulcognathus is the only potential Norian rhynchosaur, suggesting that the group survived the end-Carnian extinction event.

Radiation of the Australian flora: What can comparisons of molecular phylogenies across multiple taxa tell us about the evolution of diversity in present-day communities?

The Australian fossil record shows that from ca. 25 Myr ago, the aseasonal-wet biome (rainforest and wet heath) gave way to the unique Australian sclerophyll biomes dominated by eucalypts, acacias and casuarinas. This transition coincided with tectonic isolation of Australia, leading to cooler, drier, more seasonal climates. From 3 Myr ago, aridification caused rapid opening of the central Australian and zone. Molecular phylogenies with dated nodes have provided new perspectives on how these events could have affected the evolution of the Australian flora. During the Mid-Cenozoic (25-10 Myr ago) period of climatic change, there were rapid radiations in sclerophyll taxa, such as Banksia, eucalypts, pea-flowered legumes and Allocasuarina. At the same time, taxa restricted to the aseasonal-wet biome (Nothofagus, Podocarpaceae and Araucariaceae) did not radiate or were depleted by extinction. During the Pliocene aridification, two Eremean biome taxa (Lepidium and Chenopodiaceae) radiated rapidly after dispersing into Australia from overseas. It is clear that the biomes have different histories. Lineages in the aseasonal-wet biome are species poor, with sister taxa that are species rich, either outside Australia or in the sclerophyll biomes. In conjunction with the fossil record, this indicates depletion of the Australian aseasonal-wet biome from the Mid-Cenozoic. In the sclerophyll biomes, there have been multiple exchanges between the southwest and southeast, rather than single large endemic radiations after a vicariance event. There is need for rigorous molecular phylogenetic studies so that additional questions can be addressed, such as how interactions between biomes may have driven the speciation process during radiations. New studies should include the hither-to neglected monsoonal tropics.