New business histories! Plurality in business history research methods

We agree with de Jong et al.'s argument that business historians should make their methods more explicit and welcome a more general debate about the most appropriate methods for business historical research. But rather than advocating one ‘new business history’, we argue that contemporary debates about methodology in business history need greater appreciation for the diversity of approaches that have developed in the last decade. And while the hypothesis-testing framework prevalent in the mainstream social sciences favoured by de Jong et al. should have its place among these methodologies, we identify a number of additional streams of research that can legitimately claim to have contributed novel methodological insights by broadening the range of interpretative and qualitative approaches to business history. Thus, we reject privileging a single method, whatever it may be, and argue instead in favour of recognising the plurality of methods being developed and used by business historians – both within their own field and as a basis for interactions with others.

Musculoskeletal disorders, research quality, and pelvic floor health in sports: exploring current evidence and new perspectives

Background. Pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD) is an umbrella term that includes a myriad of conditions such as urinary (UI) and anal incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, pelvic pain, and sexual dysfunction. Literature showed high prevalence rates of PFD among athletes, especially UI, with high-impact sports have been linked with an increased risk of developing symptoms. However, comprehensive research summarising PFD prevalence across sexes, exploring treatment options, and the absence of a standardised referral screening tool are notable gaps. Misinformation is also prevalent in the sports medicine field. Methods. This doctoral project comprises four studies addressing different aspects of pelvic health in athletes. The first two studies were scoping reviews of epidemiological PFD data in male and female athletes, as well as available interventions. Study 3 concerned the development of a new screening tool for PFD in female athletes, aiming to guide sports medicine clinicians in referring patients to PFD specialists through a worldwide Delphi consensus. Study 4 summarised all previous findings, integrating data into an infographic. Results and conclusions. In Study 1, the findings of 100 articles on PFD in both sexes have been collected, highlighting a higher prevalence of studies on female athletes evaluating UI across multiple sports. Other conditions remain rarely investigated. Study 2 found a diverse range of interventions for female PFD, with a notable emphasis on conservative approaches. Recommendations for clinical practice often relied on the transferability of results from the nonathlete population or expert opinions. In Study 3, 41 international experts took part in the consensus development of the Pelvic Floor Dysfunction-ScrEeNing Tool IN fEmale athLetes (PFD-SENTINEL). It incorporates a cluster of PFD symptoms, items (risk factors, clinical, and sports-related characteristics), and a clinical algorithm. Lastly, Study 4 included ten evidence-based information with a relative description concerning pelvic floor health in athletes.

Research Smad2 and Smad6 as predictors of overall survival in oral squamous cell carcinoma patients

Background: To test if the expression of Smad1-8 mRNAs were predictive of survival in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Patients and Methods: We analyzed, prospectively, the expression of Smad1-8, by means of Ribonuclease Protection Assay in 48 primary, operable, oral SCC. In addition, 21 larynx, 10 oropharynx and 4 hypopharynx SCC and 65 matched adjacent mucosa, available for study, were also included. For survival analysis, patients were categorized as positive or negative for each Smad, according to median mRNA expression. We also performed real-time quantitative PCR (QRTPCR) to asses the pattern of TGF beta 1, TGF beta 2, TGF beta 3 in oral SCC. Results: Our results showed that Smad2 and Smad6 mRNA expression were both associated with survival in Oral SCC patients. Cox Multivariate analysis revealed that Smad6 positivity and Smad2 negativity were both predictive of good prognosis for oral SCC patients, independent of lymph nodal status (P = 0.003 and P = 0.029, respectively). In addition, simultaneously Smad2(-) and Smad6(+) oral SCC group of patients did not reach median overall survival (mOS) whereas the mOS of Smad2(+)/Smad6(-) subgroup was 11.6 months (P = 0.004, univariate analysis). Regarding to TGF beta isoforms, we found that Smad2 mRNA and TGF beta 1 mRNA were inversely correlated (p = 0.05, R = -0.33), and that seven of the eight TGF beta 1(+) patients were Smad2(-). In larynx SCC, Smad7(-) patients did not reach mOS whereas mOS of Smad7(+) patients were only 7.0 months (P = 0.04). No other correlations were found among Smad expression, clinico-pathological characteristics and survival in oral, larynx, hypopharynx, oropharynx or the entire head and neck SCC population. Conclusion: Smad6 together with Smad2 may be prognostic factors, independent of nodal status in oral SCC after curative resection. The underlying mechanism which involves aberrant TGF beta signaling should be better clarified in the future.

Methane generation in tropical landfills: Simplified methods and field results

This paper deals with the use of simplified methods to predict methane generation in tropical landfills. Methane recovery data obtained on site as part of a research program being carried Out at the Metropolitan Landfill, Salvador, Brazil, is analyzed and used to obtain field methane generation over time. Laboratory data from MSW samples of different ages are presented and discussed: and simplified procedures to estimate the methane generation potential, L(o), and the constant related to the biodegradation rate, k are applied. The first order decay method is used to fit field and laboratory results. It is demonstrated that despite the assumptions and the simplicity of the adopted laboratory procedures, the values L(o) and k obtained are very close to those measured in the field, thus making this kind of analysis very attractive for first approach purposes. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Longitudinal research: methods for maximizing subject follow-up

Early intervention for hazardous alcohol use has been shown repeatedly to be effective in reducing alcohol consumption, limiting alcohol-related problems and improving biochemical parameters. However, in most studies the follow-up period has been 2 years or less. The current paper presents progress on a 10-year follow-up of a randomized controlled trial of early intervention. Methods used for tracing subjects and ensuring minimal refusals are detailed. The intensity of effort required to locate subjects is documented and recommendations for ensuring good follow-up rates are made. At completion of follow-up, 72.5% of the sample reviewed here and 78.2% of the total cohort had been traced. Our experiences demonstrate that long-term follow-up is feasible, given sufficient planning and persistence.

Microsurgical anatomy and approaches to the cavernous sinus

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this article is to describe the anatomy of the cavernous sinus and to provide a guide for use when performing surgery in this complex area. Clinical cases are used to illustrate routes to the cavernous sinus and its contents and to demonstrate how the cavernous sinus can be used as a pathway for exposure of deeper structures. METHODS: Thirty cadaveric cavernous sinuses were examined using X3 to X40 magnification after the arteries and veins were injected with colored silicone. Distances between the entrance of the oculomotor and trochlear nerves and the posterior clinoid process were recorded. Stepwise dissections (if the cavernous sinuses, performed to demonstrate the intradural and extradural routes, are accompanied by intraoperative photographs of those approaches. RESULTS: The anatomy of the cavernous sinus is complex because of the high density of critically important neural and vascular structures. Selective cases demonstrate how a detailed knowledge of cavernous sinus anatomy can provide for safer surgery with low morbidity. CONCLUSION: A precise understanding of the bony relationships and neurovascular contents of the cavernous sinus, together with the use of cranial base and microsurgical techniques, has allowed neurosurgeons to approach the cavernous sinus with reduced morbidity and mortality, changing the natural history of selected lesions in this region. Complete resection of cavernous sinus meningiomas has proven to be difficult and, in many cases, impossible without causing significant morbidity. However, surgical reduction of such lesions enhances the chances for success of subsequent therapy.

Efficiency of sampling methods and effort to assess arthropod diversity in Azorean native forests

The BALA project (Biodiversity of Arthropods of Laurisilva of the Azores) is a research initiative to quantify the spatial distribution of arthropod biodiversity in native forests of the Azores archipelago. Arthropods were collected using a combination of two techniques, targeting epigean (ground dwelling) and canopy (arboreal) arthropods: pitfall traps (with Turquin and Ethylene solutions) and beating samples (using the three most dominant plant species). A total of 109 transects distributed amongst 18 forest fragments in seven of the nine Azorean islands were used in this study. The performance of alternative sampling methods and effort were tested. No significant differences were found in the accumulated number of species captured whether an alternative method was used or whether another transect with similar effort was established in another location within the same fragment. A combination of Ethylene and Turquin traps captured more species per individual, Turquin and beating captured more species per sample, and Turquin captured more species per unit time. An optimization exercise was performed and we found that the protocol applied during recent years is very close to optimal, allowing its future replication with confidence. The minimum combinations of sampling effort and methods, in order to monitor or to inventory diversity, taking into account different proportions of sample completeness are discussed.

Numerical methods and tangible interfaces for pollutant dispersion simulation

Dissertação apresentada para obtenção do Grau de Doutor em Engenharia do Ambiente, pela Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia

Hierarchical modelling of timber reference properties using probabilistic methods: Maximum Likelihood Method, Bayesian Methods and Probability Networks

In recent decades, an increased interest has been evidenced in the research on multi-scale hierarchical modelling in the field of mechanics, and also in the field of wood products and timber engineering. One of the main motivations for hierar-chical modelling is to understand how properties, composition and structure at lower scale levels may influence and be used to predict the material properties on a macroscopic and structural engineering scale. This chapter presents the applicability of statistic and probabilistic methods, such as the Maximum Likelihood method and Bayesian methods, in the representation of timber’s mechanical properties and its inference accounting to prior information obtained in different importance scales. These methods allow to analyse distinct timber’s reference properties, such as density, bending stiffness and strength, and hierarchically consider information obtained through different non, semi or destructive tests. The basis and fundaments of the methods are described and also recommendations and limitations are discussed. The methods may be used in several contexts, however require an expert’s knowledge to assess the correct statistic fitting and define the correlation arrangement between properties.

Empirical studies in industrial location: an assessment of their methods and results

This paper surveys recent evidence on the determinants of (national and/or foreign) industrial location. We find that the basic analytical framework has remained essentially unaltered since the early contributions of the early 1980's while, in contrast, there have been significant advances in the quality of the data and, to a lesser extent, the econometric modelling. We also identify certain determinants (neoclassical and institutional factors) that tend to provide largely consistent results across the reviewed studies. In light of this evidence, we finally suggest future lines of research.

Rapid bacterial genome sequencing: methods and applications in clinical microbiology.

The recent advances in sequencing technologies have given all microbiology laboratories access to whole genome sequencing. Providing that tools for the automated analysis of sequence data and databases for associated meta-data are developed, whole genome sequencing will become a routine tool for large clinical microbiology laboratories. Indeed, the continuing reduction in sequencing costs and the shortening of the 'time to result' makes it an attractive strategy in both research and diagnostics. Here, we review how high-throughput sequencing is revolutionizing clinical microbiology and the promise that it still holds. We discuss major applications, which include: (i) identification of target DNA sequences and antigens to rapidly develop diagnostic tools; (ii) precise strain identification for epidemiological typing and pathogen monitoring during outbreaks; and (iii) investigation of strain properties, such as the presence of antibiotic resistance or virulence factors. In addition, recent developments in comparative metagenomics and single-cell sequencing offer the prospect of a better understanding of complex microbial communities at the global and individual levels, providing a new perspective for understanding host-pathogen interactions. Being a high-resolution tool, high-throughput sequencing will increasingly influence diagnostics, epidemiology, risk management, and patient care.

Continuous Sunitinib treatment in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: a Swiss Group for Clinical Cancer Research (SAKK) and Swiss Association for the Study of the Liver (SASL) multicenter phase II trial (SAKK 77/06).

BACKGROUND: Sunitinib (SU) is a multitargeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor with antitumor and antiangiogenic activity. The objective of this trial was to demonstrate antitumor activity of continuous SU treatment in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Key eligibility criteria included unresectable or metastatic HCC, no prior systemic anticancer treatment, measurable disease, and Child-Pugh class A or mild Child-Pugh class B liver dysfunction. Patients received 37.5 mg SU daily until progression or unacceptable toxicity. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival at 12 weeks (PFS12). RESULTS: Forty-five patients were enrolled. The median age was 63 years; 89% had Child-Pugh class A disease and 47% had distant metastases. PFS12 was rated successful in 15 patients (33%; 95% confidence interval, 20%-47%). Over the whole trial period, one complete response and a 40% rate of stable disease as the best response were achieved. The median PFS duration, disease stabilization duration, time to progression, and overall survival time were 1.5, 2.9, 1.5, and 9.3 months, respectively. Grade 3 and 4 adverse events were infrequent. None of the 33 deaths were considered drug related. CONCLUSION: Continuous SU treatment with 37.5 mg daily is feasible and has moderate activity in patients with advanced HCC and mild to moderately impaired liver dysfunction. Under this trial design (>13 PFS12 successes), the therapy is considered promising. This is the first trial describing the clinical effects of continuous dosing of SU in HCC patients on a schedule that is used in an ongoing, randomized, phase III trial in comparison with the current treatment standard, sorafenib (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier, NCT00699374).

The molecular basis of social behavior: models, methods and advances.

Elucidating the molecular and neural basis of complex social behaviors such as communal living, division of labor and warfare requires model organisms that exhibit these multi-faceted behavioral phenotypes. Social insects, such as ants, bees, wasps and termites, are attractive models to address this problem, with rich ecological and ethological foundations. However, their atypical systems of reproduction have hindered application of classical genetic approaches. In this review, we discuss how recent advances in social insect genomics, transcriptomics, and functional manipulations have enhanced our ability to observe and perturb gene expression, physiology and behavior in these species. Such developments begin to provide an integrated view of the molecular and cellular underpinnings of complex social behavior.

Updated list of ant species (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) recorded in Santa Catarina State, southern Brazil, with a discussion of research advances and priorities

Updated list of ant species (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) recorded in Santa Catarina State, southern Brazil, with a discussion of research advances and priorities. A first working list of ant species registered in Santa Catarina State, southern Brazil was published recently. Since then, many studies with ants have been conducted in the state. With data compiled from published studies and collections in various regions of the state, we present here an updated list of 366 species (and 17 subspecies) in 70 ant genera in Santa Catarina, along with their geographical distribution in the seven state mesoregions. Two hundred and seven species are recorded in the Oeste mesoregion, followed by Vale do Itajaí (175), Grande Florianópolis (150), Norte (60), Sul (41), Meio Oeste (23) and Planalto Serrano (12). The increase in the number of records since 1999 results from the use of recently adopted sampling methods and techniques in regions and ecosystems poorly known before, and from the availability of new tools for the identification of ants. Our study highlights the Meio Oeste, Planalto Serrano, Sul and Norte mesoregions, as well as the deciduous forest, mangrove, grassland and coastal sand dune ecosystems as priority study areas in order to attain a more complete knowledge of the ant fauna in Santa Catarina State.