The accrual anomoly: Australian evidence

This paper investigates whether the accrual anomaly identified by Sloan (1996), whereby investors overestimate the impact of accruals on the persistence of earnings exists within an Australian context. While there is general support for the existence of the anomaly in Australia there are a number of idiosyncrasies in the results. First, there is evidence that in Australia investors underestimate the persistence of earnings. Second, there are greater errors in assessing the impact of cash flows on the persistence of earnings than accruals (i.e., a cash flow anomaly rather than an accruals anomaly). Third, returns to the hedged portfolio trading strategy are increasing over the three year period subsequent to portfolio formation. Analysis of these results indicates that they are primarily attributable to a limited number of firm year observations in the extreme positive tail of returns. Additionally, a range of sensitivity tests were undertaken to address the robustness of these results

Domestic energy e$ciency in Ireland: correcting market failure

Abstract If the bene"ts of domestic energy eciency are so great, why are they not reaped in actuality and what can be done about it? This paper deals with these crucial questions. It is based on the "ndings of a recent comprehensive study evaluating the costs (labour and materials) and bene"ts (energy cost savings, environmental bene"ts, including reductions in emissions of CO , NO V , SO and PM , comfort gains and mortality and morbidity impacts) to Irish society of bringing the entire housing stock up to the latest Building Regulations. The reasons for the lack of take-up of energy-conservation measures are discussed. The paper formulates policy proposals to address the impediments to e!ective action in the market for domestic energy eciency. The various policy instruments available to overcome these barriers are outlined. Past performance, citing speci"c exemplars, both from abroad and from experience in Ireland, is reported. The "nal section suggests a mix of policy instruments to assist the realisation of the potential bene"ts of the energy-conservation programme. The principal initiatives recommended include the provision of a combination of grants to low-income households and a clear State-led information campaign explaining the bene"ts of conserving energy to the householder

The effect of premature extraction of primary teeth on the subsequent need for orthodontic treatment.

AIM: To investigate if premature extraction of primary teeth was associated with orthodontic need in the permanent dentition. STUDY DESIGN: This was a case-control study based on retrospective dental records. METHODS: As part of NHS (UK) Dental Epidemiology Programme a sample of 366, 12-year-old children from Bradford and Airedale were examined. The survey collected data on patient demographics, dental health status including orthodontic need. Data linkage was undertaken for those children participating in the NHS Dental Epidemiology Programme who had previously accessed the local Salaried Dental Service (SDS). For these children, retrospective dental information was collected about premature extraction of primary teeth. RESULTS: From the 366 children who were surveyed, 116 children had received treatment at the local SDS in the past. Significantly more children from ethnic minorities, low socioeconomic backgrounds and high caries rate (p < 0.001) were seen in the SDS. For the 107 children who attended SDS, an increased total number of primary teeth extractions was positively associated with orthodontic need (odds ratio:1.18, CI -1.01 to 1.37). STATISCTICS: Multilevel modelling was undertaken to identify variables associated with orthodontic need. CONCLUSIONS: In the study group, orthodontic need was significantly associated with the number of primary teeth extracted

Illinoian and Late Wisconsin Tills in Eastern New England: a Transect from Northeastern Massachusetts to West-Central Maine

Guidebook for field trips in southern and west-central Maine, October 13, 14 and 15, 1989: New England Intercollegiate Geological Conference 81st annual meeting: Trip A-

Socio-cultural influences on the behaviour of South Asian women with diabetes in pregnancy: qualitative study using a multi-level theoretical approach

BACKGROUND: Diabetes in pregnancy is common in South Asians, especially those from low-income backgrounds, and leads to short-term morbidity and longer-term metabolic programming in mother and offspring. We sought to understand the multiple influences on behaviour (hence risks to metabolic health) of South Asian mothers and their unborn child, theorise how these influences interact and build over time, and inform the design of culturally congruent, multi-level interventions. METHODS: Our sample for this qualitative study was 45 women of Bangladeshi, Indian, Sri Lankan, or Pakistani origin aged 21-45 years with a history of diabetes in pregnancy, recruited from diabetes and antenatal services in two deprived London boroughs. Overall, 17 women shared their experiences of diabetes, pregnancy, and health services in group discussions and 28 women gave individual narrative interviews, facilitated by multilingual researchers, audiotaped, translated, and transcribed. Data were analysed using the constant comparative method, drawing on sociological and narrative theories. RESULTS: Key storylines (over-arching narratives) recurred across all ethnic groups studied. Short-term storylines depicted the experience of diabetic pregnancy as stressful, difficult to control, and associated with negative symptoms, especially tiredness. Taking exercise and restricting diet often worsened these symptoms and conflicted with advice from relatives and peers. Many women believed that exercise in pregnancy would damage the fetus and drain the mother's strength, and that eating would be strength-giving for mother and fetus. These short-term storylines were nested within medium-term storylines about family life, especially the cultural, practical, and material constraints of the traditional South Asian wife and mother role and past experiences of illness and healthcare, and within longer-term storylines about genetic, cultural, and material heritage - including migration, acculturation, and family memories of food insecurity. While peer advice was familiar, meaningful, and morally resonant, health education advice from clinicians was usually unfamiliar and devoid of cultural meaning. CONCLUSIONS: 'Behaviour change' interventions aimed at preventing and managing diabetes in South Asian women before and during pregnancy are likely to be ineffective if delivered in a socio-cultural vacuum. Individual education should be supplemented with community-level interventions to address the socio-material constraints and cultural frames within which behavioural 'choices' are made

Validation of the emergency surgery score (ESS) in a UK patient population and comparison with NELA scoring: a retrospective multi-centre cohort study

Introduction: Accurate risk scoring in emergency general surgery (EGS) is vital for consent and resource allocation. The emergency surgery score (ESS) has been validated as a reliable preoperative predictor of postoperative outcomes in EGS but has been studied only in the US population. Our primary aim was to perform an external validation study of the ESS in a UK population. Our secondary aim was to compare the accuracy of ESS and National Emergency Laparotomy Audit (NELA) scores. Methods: We conducted an observational cohort study of adult patients undergoing emergency laparotomy over three years in two UK centres. ESS was calculated retrospectively. NELA scores and all other variables were obtained from the prospectively collected Emergency Laparotomy and Laparoscopic Scottish Audit (ELLSA) database. The primary and secondary outcomes were 30-day mortality and postoperative intensive care unit (ICU) admission, respectively. Results: A total of 609 patients were included. Median age was 65 years, 52.7% were female, the overall mortality was 9.9% and 23.8% were admitted to ICU. Both ESS and NELA were equally accurate in predicting 30-day mortality (c-statistic=0.78 (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.71–0.85) for ESS and c-statistic=0.83 (95% CI, 0.77–0.88) for NELA, p=0.196) and predicting postoperative ICU admission (c-statistic=0.76 (95% CI, 0.71–0.81) for ESS and 0.80 (95% CI, 0.76–0.85) for NELA, p=0.092). Conclusions: In the UK population, ESS and NELA both predict 30-day mortality and ICU admission with no statistically significant difference but with higher c-statistics for NELA score. Both scores have certain advantages, with ESS being validated for a wider range of outcomes

Willow short-rotation production systems in Canada and Northern United States: A review

Willow short rotation coppice (SRC) systems are becoming an attractive practice because they are a sustainable system fulfilling multiple ecological objectives with significant environmental benefits. A sustainable supply of bioenergy feedstock can be produced by willow on marginal land using well-adapted or tolerant cultivars. Across Canada and northern U.S.A., there are millions of hectares of available degraded land that have the potential for willow SRC biomass production, with a C sequestration potential capable of offsetting appreciable amount of anthropogenic green-house gas emissions. A fundamental question concerning 1 sustainable SRC willow yields was whether long-term soil productivity is maintained within a multi-rotation SRC system, given the rapid growth rate and associated nutrient exports offsite when harvesting the willow biomass after repeated short rotations. Based on early results from the first willow SRC rotation, it was found willow systems are relatively low nutrient-demanding, with minimal nutrient output other than in harvested biomass. The overall aim of this manuscript is to summarize the literature and present findings and data from ongoing research trials across Canada and northern U.S.A. examining willow SRC system establishment and viability. The research areas of interest presented here are the crop production of willow SRC systems, above- and below-ground biomass dynamics and the C budget, comprehensive soil-willow system nutrient budget, and soil nutrient amendments (via fertilization) in willow SRC systems. Areas of existing research gaps were also identified for the Canadian context