Showing papers by "University of Stirling published in 2008"

Gender Diversity in the Boardroom and Firm Financial Performance

Abstract: The monitoring role performed by the board of directors is an important corporate governance control mechanism, especially in countries where external mechanisms are less well developed. The gender composition of the board can affect the quality of this monitoring role and thus the financial performance of the firm. This is part of the “business case” for female participation on boards, though arguments may also be framed in terms of ethical considerations. While the issue of board gender diversity has attracted growing research interest in recent years, most empirical results are based on U.S. data. This article adds to a growing number of non-U.S. studies by investigating the link between the gender diversity of the board and firm financial performance in Spain, a country which historically has had minimal female participation in the workforce, but which has now introduced legislation to improve equality of opportunities. We investigate the topic using panel data analysis and find that gender diversity – as measured by the percentage of women on the board and by the Blau and Shannon indices – has a positive effect on firm value and that the opposite causal relationship is not significant. Our study suggests that investors in Spain do not penalise firms which increase their female board membership and that greater gender diversity may generate economic gains.

The status of the world's land and marine mammals: diversity, threat, and knowledge

Abstract: Knowledge of mammalian diversity is still surprisingly disparate, both regionally and taxonomically. Here, we present a comprehensive assessment of the conservation status and distribution of the world's mammals. Data, compiled by 1700+ experts, cover all 5487 species, including marine mammals. Global macroecological patterns are very different for land and marine species but suggest common mechanisms driving diversity and endemism across systems. Compared with land species, threat levels are higher among marine mammals, driven by different processes (accidental mortality and pollution, rather than habitat loss), and are spatially distinct (peaking in northern oceans, rather than in Southeast Asia). Marine mammals are also disproportionately poorly known. These data are made freely available to support further scientific developments and conservation action.

Decline and conservation of bumble bees

Abstract: Declines in bumble bee species in the past 60 years are well documented in Europe, where they are driven primarily by habitat loss and declines in floral abundance and diversity resulting from agricultural intensification. Impacts of habitat degradation and fragmentation are likely to be compounded by the social nature of bumble bees and their largely monogamous breeding system, which renders their effective population size low. Hence, populations are susceptible to stochastic extinction events and inbreeding. In North America, catastrophic declines of some bumble bee species since the 1990s are probably attributable to the accidental introduction of a nonnative parasite from Europe, a result of global trade in domesticated bumble bee colonies used for pollination of greenhouse crops. Given the importance of bumble bees as pollinators of crops and wildflowers, steps must be taken to prevent further declines. Suggested measures include tight regulation of commercial bumble bee use and targeted use of environmentally comparable schemes to enhance floristic diversity in agricultural landscapes.

The prevention of progression of arterial disease and diabetes (POPADAD) trial: factorial randomised placebo controlled trial of aspirin and antioxidants in patients with diabetes and asymptomatic peripheral arterial disease

Abstract: Objective To determine whether aspirin and antioxidant therapy, combined or alone, are more effective than placebo in reducing the development of cardiovascular events in patients with diabetes mellitus and asymptomatic peripheral arterial disease Design Multicentre, randomised, double blind, 2×2 factorial, placebo controlled trial Setting 16 hospital centres in Scotland, supported by 188 primary care groups Participants 1276 adults aged 40 or more with type 1 or type 2 diabetes and an ankle brachial pressure index of 099 or less but no symptomatic cardiovascular disease Interventions Daily, 100 mg aspirin tablet plus antioxidant capsule (n=320), aspirin tablet plus placebo capsule (n=318), placebo tablet plus antioxidant capsule (n=320), or placebo tablet plus placebo capsule (n=318) Main outcome measures Two hierarchical composite primary end points of death from coronary heart disease or stroke, non-fatal myocardial infarction or stroke, or amputation above the ankle for critical limb ischaemia; and death from coronary heart disease or stroke Results No evidence was found of any interaction between aspirin and antioxidant Overall, 116 of 638 primary events occurred in the aspirin groups compared with 117 of 638 in the no aspirin groups (182% v 183%): hazard ratio 098 (95% confidence interval 076 to 126) Forty three deaths from coronary heart disease or stroke occurred in the aspirin groups compared with 35 in the no aspirin groups (67% v 55%): 123 (079 to 193) Among the antioxidant groups 117 of 640 (183%) primary events occurred compared with 116 of 636 (182%) in the no antioxidant groups (103, 079 to 133) Forty two (66%) deaths from coronary heart disease or stroke occurred in the antioxidant groups compared with 36 (57%) in the no antioxidant groups (121, 078 to 189) Conclusion This trial does not provide evidence to support the use of aspirin or antioxidants in primary prevention of cardiovascular events and mortality in the population with diabetes studied Trial registration Current Controlled Trials [ISRCTN53295293][1] [1]: /external-ref?link_type=ISRCTN&access_num=ISRCTN53295293

Fission-fusion dynamics: new research frameworks

Abstract: Renewed interest in fission‐fusion dynamics is due to the recognition that such dynamics may create unique challenges for social interaction and distinctive selective pressures acting on underlying communicative and cognitive abilities. New frameworks for integrating current knowledge on fission‐fusion dynamics emerge from a fundamental rethinking of the term “fission‐fusion” away from its current general use as a label for a particular modal type of social system (i.e., “fission‐fusion societies”). Specifically, because the degree of spatial and temporal cohesion of group members varies both within and across taxa, any social system can be described in terms of the extent to which it expresses fission‐fusion dynamics. This perspective has implications for socioecology, communication, cognitive demands, and human social evolution.

Guidelines for the management of basal cell carcinoma

Abstract: This article represents a planned regular updating of the previous British Association of Dermatologists guidelines for the management of basal cell carcinoma. These guidelines present evidence-based guidance for treatment, with identification of the strength of evidence available at the time of preparation of the guidelines, and a brief overview of epidemiological aspects, diagnosis and investigation.

The role of health consciousness, food safety concern and ethical identity on attitudes and intentions towards organic food

Abstract: The paper examines the roles of health consciousness, food safety concern and ethical self-identity in predicting attitude and purchase intention within the context of organic produce. A conceptual model is derived and tested via structural equation modelling. Findings indicate food safety as the most important predictor of attitude while health consciousness appears to be the least important motive in contrast to findings from some previous research. In addition, ethical self-identity is found to predict both attitudes and intention to purchase organic produce, emphasizing that respondents' identification with ethical issues affects their attitude and subsequent consumption choices.

Capital structure around the world: The roles of firm- and country-specific determinants

Abstract: We analyze the importance of firm-specific and country-specific factors in the leverage choice of firms from 42 countries around the world. Our analysis yields two new results. First, we find that firm-specific determinants of leverage differ across countries, while prior studies implicitly assume equal impact of these determinants. Second, although we concur with the conventional direct impact of country-specific factors on the capital structure of firms, we show that there is an indirect impact because country-specific factors also influence the roles of firm-specific determinants of leverage.

The mental wealth of nations

Abstract: Countries must learn how to capitalize on their citizens' cognitive resources if they are to prosper, both economically and socially. Early interventions will be key.

Guidelines for topical photodynamic therapy: update.

Abstract: Multicentre randomized controlled studies now demonstrate high efficacy of topical photodynamic therapy (PDT) for actinic keratoses, Bowen's disease (BD) and superficial basal cell carcinoma (BCC), and efficacy in thin nodular BCC, while confirming the superiority of cosmetic outcome over standard therapies. Long-term follow-up studies are also now available, indicating that PDT has recurrence rates equivalent to other standard therapies in BD and superficial BCC, but with lower sustained efficacy than surgery in nodular BCC. In contrast, current evidence does not support the use of topical PDT for squamous cell carcinoma. PDT can reduce the number of new lesions developing in patients at high risk of skin cancer and may have a role as a preventive therapy. Case reports and small series attest to the potential of PDT in a wide range of inflammatory/infective dermatoses, although recent studies indicate insufficient evidence to support its use in psoriasis. There is an accumulating evidence base for the use of PDT in acne, while detailed study of an optimized protocol is still required. In addition to high-quality treatment site cosmesis, several studies observe improvements in aspects of photoageing. Management of treatment-related pain/discomfort is a challenge in a minority of patients, and the modality is otherwise well tolerated. Long-term studies provide reassurance over the safety of repeated use of PDT.

Contingent Valuation versus Choice Experiments : Estimating the Benefits of Environmentally Sensitive Areas in Scotland

Abstract: This paper reports results from a study of the economic value of the conservation benefits of Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESAs) in Scotland. The main novelty of the approach taken is in comparing two direct valuation methods, namely contingent valuation and choice experiments, to value these benefits. The Contingent Valuation Method (CVM) is well-established as a technique for valuing the sorts of landscape and wildlife enhancements associated with ESAs. The CVM experiment reported here uses a dichotomous choice format, and includes a new correction for part-whole bias. Choice experiments are much less used as an environmental valuation technique. We note several advantages of such experiments over CVM, and then report characteristic values and ‘programme values’ estimated using the method. This application brings to light some problems in applying the choice experiment method. Finally, we discuss the issue of benefits transfer in the context of these two approaches to valuation.

Understanding Learning Culturally: Overcoming the Dualism Between Social and Individual Views of Learning

Abstract: This paper identifies limitations within the current literature on understanding learning. Overcoming these limitations entails replacing dualist views of learning as either individual or social, by using a theory of learning cultures and a cultural theory of learning, which articulate with each other. To do this, we argue that it is possible and indeed necessary to combine major elements of participatory or situated views of learning with elements of Deweyan embodied construction. Bourdieu’s concepts of habitus and field are used to achieve this purpose, together with the use of ‘becoming’ as a metaphor to help understand learning more holistically. This theorizing has a predominantly heuristic purpose, and we argue that it enables researchers to better explain data. We also suggest that a cultural approach of the sort proposed here leads toward the asking of better questions about learning and its improvement and has high practical significance.

Bumblebee flight distances in relation to the forage landscape

Abstract: 1. Foraging range is a key aspect of the ecology of 'central place foragers'. Estimating how far bees fly under different circumstances is essential for predicting colony success, and for estimating bee-mediated gene flow between plant populations. It is likely to be strongly influenced by forage distribution, something that is hard to quantify in all but the simplest landscapes; and theories of foraging distance tend to assume a homogeneous forage distribution. 2. We quantified the distribution of bumblebee Bombus terrestris L. foragers away from experimentally positioned colonies, in an agricultural landscape, using two methods. We mass-marked foragers as they left the colony, and analysed pollen from foragers returning to the colonies. The data were set within the context of the 'forage landscape': a map of the spatial distribution of forage as determined from remote-sensed data. To our knowledge, this is the first time that empirical data on foraging distances and forage availability, at this resolution and scale, have been collected and combined for bumblebees. 3. The bees foraged at least 1.5 km from their colonies, and the proportion of foragers flying to one field declined, approximately linearly, with radial distance. In this landscape there was great variation in forage availability within 500 m of colonies but little variation beyond 1 km, regardless of colony location. 4. The scale of B. terrestris foraging was large enough to buffer against effects of forage patch and flowering crop heterogeneity, but bee species with shorter foraging ranges may experience highly variable colony success according to location.

Prediction of energy decay in room impulse responses simulated with an image-source model

Abstract: A method is proposed that provides an approximation of the acoustic energy decay (energy–time curve) in room impulse responses generated using the image-source technique. A geometrical analysis of the image-source principle leads to a closed-form expression describing the energy decay curve, with the resulting formula being valid for a uniform as well as nonuniform definition of the enclosure’s six absorption coefficients. The accuracy of the proposed approximation is demonstrated on the basis of impulse-response simulations involving various room sizes and reverberation levels, with uniform and nonuniform sound absorption coefficients. An application example for the proposed method is illustrated by considering the task of predicting an enclosure’s reflection coefficients in order to achieve a specific reverberation level. The technique presented in this work enables designers to undertake a preliminary analysis of a simulated reverberant environment without the need for time-consuming image-method simulations.

Supporting breastfeeding mothers: qualitative synthesis

Abstract: Title. Supporting breastfeeding mothers: qualitative synthesis. Aim. This paper is a report of a synthesis of mothers’ and healthcare professionals’ experiences and perceptions of breastfeeding support. Background. Despite increasing knowledge, breastfeeding rates remain relatively static and mothers continue to report dissatisfaction with their experiences of breastfeeding. Greater understanding of breastfeeding may be achieved through rigorous qualitative research, and there has been a recent increase in such studies. Data sources. Electronic databases and citation lists of published papers were searched for articles listed between 1990 and 2005 and updated in May 2007. Studies were included if they used qualitative methods, were published in English, explored an aspect of breastfeeding and were based in a westernized country. Review methods. Papers were included if they reported studies using qualitative methods to explore breastfeeding and were published in English and based in a westernized country. Each study was reviewed and assessed independently, key themes extracted and grouped, and secondary thematic analysis used to explore key concepts. Results. From the 1990–2005 search, five themes emerged in health service support of breastfeeding: the mother-health professional relationship, skilled help, pressures of time, medicalization of breastfeeding and the ward as a public place. Social support had two themes: compatible and incompatible support. One additional theme emerged from the update to 2007: health professional relationships. Conclusion. Mothers tended to rate social support as more important than health service support. Health service support was described unfavourably with emphasis on time pressures, lack of availability of healthcare professionals or guidance, promotion of unhelpful practices and conflicting advice. Changes are required within the health services to address the needs of both mothers and staff.

Major quantitative trait loci affect resistance to infectious pancreatic necrosis in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar).

Abstract: Infectious pancreatic necrosis (IPN) is a viral disease currently presenting a major problem in the production of Atlantic salmon (Salmon salar) IPN can cause significant mortality to salmon fry within freshwater hatcheries and to smolts following transfer to seawater, although challenged populations show clear genetic variation in resistance To determine whether this genetic variation includes loci of major effect, a genomewide quantitative trait loci (QTL) scan was performed within 10 full-sib families that had received a natural seawater IPN challenge To utilize the large difference between Atlantic salmon male and female recombination rates, a two-stage mapping strategy was employed Initially, a sire-based QTL analysis was used to detect linkage groups with significant effects on IPN resistance, using two to three microsatellite markers per linkage group A dam-based analysis with additional markers was then used to confirm and position any detected QTL Two genomewide significant QTL and one suggestive QTL were detected in the genome scan The most significant QTL was mapped to linkage group 21 and was significant at the genomewide level in both the sire and the dam-based analyses The identified QTL can be applied in marker-assisted selection programs to improve the resistance of salmon to IPN and reduce disease-related mortality

Towards Fish Lipid Nutrigenomics: Current State and Prospects for Fin-Fish Aquaculture

Abstract: Lipids are the predominant source of energy for fish. The mechanisms by which fish allocate energy from lipids for metabolism, development, growth, and reproduction are critical for understanding key life-history strategies and transitions. Currently, the major lipid component in aquaculture diets is fish oil (FO), derived from wild capture fisheries that are exploited at their maximum sustainable limit. The increasing demand from aquaculture for FO will soon exceed supply and threaten the viability of aquaculture. Thus, it is essential to minimize FO use in aquaculture diets. This might be achieved by a greater understanding of lipid storage and muscle growth, or the identification of alternatives to FO in feeds. This review focuses on recent research applying molecular and genomic techniques to the study of fin-fish lipid metabolism from an aquaculture perspective. Accordingly, particular emphasis will be given to fatty acid metabolism and to highly unsaturated fatty acid (HUFA) biosynthesis and to the ...

Effects on Welfare Measures of Alternative Means of Accounting for Preference Heterogeneity in Recreational Demand Models

Abstract: Multiattribute-revealed preference data are used to investigate heterogeneity in a sample of kayakers for a panel of whitewater sites in Ireland This article focuses on a comparison of preference heterogeneity using a random parameter logit model with correlated tastes and a latent class model, in terms of the implications for welfare measures of environmental quality and site-access changes Recreationalists' skill levels are found to affect preferences in both approaches Statistics for the estimated distribution of welfare changes for the average respondent are computed for changes in site attributes, but contrary to previous work, these are found to be of similar magnitude

Functional genomics reveals increases in cholesterol biosynthetic genes and highly unsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis after dietary substitution of fish oil with vegetable oils in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar)

Abstract: There is an increasing drive to replace fish oil (FO) in finfish aquaculture diets with vegetable oils (VO), driven by the short supply of FO derived from wild fish stocks However, little is known of the consequences for fish health after such substitution The effect of dietary VO on hepatic gene expression, lipid composition and growth was determined in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar), using a combination of cDNA microarray, lipid, and biochemical analysis FO was replaced with VO, added to diets as rapeseed (RO), soybean (SO) or linseed (LO) oils Dietary VO had no major effect on growth of the fish, but increased the whole fish protein contents and tended to decrease whole fish lipid content, thus increasing the protein:lipid ratio Expression levels of genes of the highly unsaturated fatty acid (HUFA) and cholesterol biosynthetic pathways were increased in all vegetable oil diets as was SREBP2, a master transcriptional regulator of these pathways Other genes whose expression was increased by feeding VO included those of NADPH generation, lipid transport, peroxisomal fatty acid oxidation, a marker of intracellular lipid accumulation, and protein and RNA processing Consistent with these results, HUFA biosynthesis, hepatic β-oxidation activity and enzymic NADPH production were changed by VO, and there was a trend for increased hepatic lipid in LO and SO diets Tissue cholesterol levels in VO fed fish were the same as animals fed FO, whereas fatty acid composition of the tissues largely reflected those of the diets and was marked by enrichment of 18 carbon fatty acids and reductions in 20 and 22 carbon HUFA This combined gene expression, compositional and metabolic study demonstrates that major lipid metabolic effects occur after replacing FO with VO in salmon diets These effects are most likely mediated by SREBP2, which responds to reductions in dietary cholesterol These changes are sufficient to maintain whole body cholesterol levels but not HUFA levels

Just picking it up? Young children learning with technology at home

Abstract: We describe a two year empirical investigation of three‐ and four‐year‐old children's uses of technology at home, based on a survey of 346 families and 24 case studies. Using a socio‐cultural approach, we discuss the range of technologies children encounter in the home, the different forms their learning takes, the roles of adults and other children and how family practices support this learning. Many parents believed that they did not teach children how to use technology. We discuss parents' beliefs that their children ‘pick up’ their competencies with technology and identify trial and error, copying and demonstration as typical modes of learning. Parents tend to consider that their children are mainly self‐taught and underestimate their own role in supporting learning and the extent to which learning with technology is culturally transmitted within the family.

Game Theoretic Research on the Design of International Environmental Agreements: Insights, Critical Remarks, and Future Challenges

Abstract: In recent years, the number of publications that analyze the formation and stability of international environmental agreements (IEAs) using the method of game theory has sharply increased. This paper reports on some recent results that shall demonstrate the usefulness but also the limitation of game theory for the analysis of IEAs. It restricts attention to the class of non-cooperative membership models and focuses on the relation between different designs and the success of IEAs. Results are illustrated for the climate change problem with the empirical Stability of Coalitions (STACO) model developed by Dellink et al. (2004). Subsequently, some features of actual treaty-making not considered with this model are discussed with reference to the literature and their importance for future research is highlighted.