No / The usefulness of technical analysis, or charting, has been questioned because it flies in the face of the ‘random walk’ and tests present conflicting results. We examine chartists’ decision-making techniques and derive a taxonomy of charting strategies based on investors’ market ontologies and calculative strategies. This distinguishes between trend-seekers and pattern-seekers, and trading as a system or an art. We argue that interpretative activity plays a more important role than previously thought and suggest that charting’s main appeal for users lies in its power as a heuristic device regardless of its effectiveness at generating returns.

No / Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify the contemporary research themes published in IJOPM in order to contribute to current debates about the future directions of operations management (OM) research. Design/methodology/approach All 310 articles published in IJOPM from volume 24 issue 9 in 2004 through volume 29, issue 12 in 2009 are analysed using content analysis methods. This period of analysis is chosen because it represents all the articles published in issues for which the authors are able to have full control, during their period of tenure as Editors of the journal. This analysis is supplemented by data on all 1,853 manuscripts submitted to the journal during the same time period and further, by analysis of reviews and feedback sent to all authors after review. Findings The paper reports the main research themes and research methods inherent in the 310 published papers. Statistics on the countries represented by these papers and the size and international composition of author teams are provided, together with the publication success rates of the countries that submit in the highest volumes, and the success rates associated with the size of the author team. Finally, data on the reasons for rejection of manuscripts are presented. Research limitations/implications There is some residual inaccuracy in content analysis methods, whereby, in extracting research themes there is often more than one topic covered. In the same vein, as regards categorisation of the causes of rejection of manuscripts during the review process, there is frequently more than one reason for rejection, so perhaps a weighted scoring system would have been more insightful. In determining the country of origin of papers, while the country of the corresponding author is used, it should be recognised that some studies originate from international collaborations so that this method may give a slightly distorted picture. Finally, in computing publication success rates by comparison of submissions and published papers there is a time delay between the two data sets within any defined period of analysis. Practical implications The analysis adds generally to debates about contemporary research themes; in particular it extends the work of Pilkington and Fitzgerald, which analyses all articles solely in IJOPM between 1994 and 2003. In addition, the findings suggest a need for more frequent exploitation of multiple research methods, for greater rigour in the planning and execution of fieldwork, for greater engagement with the world of OM practice and finally, consideration of how OM research can address wider social and political issues. Originality/value This paper represents an inside view of the publication process from a leading OM journal; this kind of insight is rarely available in the public domain.

No / We examine how information risk and transaction costs influence the initial and subsequent market reaction to earnings news. We find that the initial market reaction is higher per unit of earnings surprise for higher information risk firms (information content effect). Furthermore, it is information risk that induces transaction costs that limit the initial market reaction and lead to higher subsequent drift (transaction costs effect). Information risk does not have an effect on drift beyond that achieved through transaction costs. Our findings highlight the importance of understanding the linkage between information risk and transaction costs in price discovery around public disclosure.

No / Application of the Lewis acid BF3·Et2O to the selective synthesis of 5-acetamido-2,6-anhydro-3,5-dideoxy-d-glycero-d-galacto-non-2-enonic acid (Neu5Ac2en) and the related oxazoline, methyl 7,8,9-tri-O-acetyl-2,3,4,5-tetradeoxy-2,3-didehydro-2,3-trideoxy-4',5'-dihydro-2'-methyloxazolo[5,4-d]- d-glycero-d-talo-non-2-enonate is described.

No

Yes / Canny (IEEE Trans. Pattern Anal. Image Proc. 8(6):679-698, 1986) suggested that an optimal edge detector should maximize both signal-to-noise ratio and localization, and he derived mathematical expressions for these criteria. Based on these criteria, he claimed that the optimal step edge detector was similar to a derivative of a gaussian. However, Canny's work suffers from two problems. First, his derivation of localization criterion is incorrect. Here we provide a more accurate localization criterion and derive the optimal detector from it. Second, and more seriously, the Canny criteria yield an infinitely wide optimal edge detector. The width of the optimal detector can however be limited by considering the effect of the neighbouring edges in the image. If we do so, we find that the optimal step edge detector, according to the Canny criteria, is the derivative of an ISEF filter, proposed by Shen and Castan (Graph. Models Image Proc. 54:112-133, 1992). In addition, if we also consider detecting blurred (or non-sharp) gaussian edges of different widths, we find that the optimal blurred-edge detector is the above optimal step edge detector convolved with a gaussian. This implies that edge detection must be performed at multiple scales to cover all the blur widths in the image. We derive a simple scale selection procedure for edge detection, and demonstrate it in one and two dimensions.

No / This book focuses on mortuary practices in the Neolithic Near East to challenge some of the common assumptions about death and the dead body. It explores the way the corpse was treated during the period, in the process raising new questions about identity, personhood, and gender in the past, as well as concepts such as social memory and ‘ancestors’. It also examines the webs of relationships between people, their environments, and their new material world, between humans and animals, and between the living and the dead. Using a case-study approach, the book highlights differences and similarities as well as patterns in archaeological evidence. In addition, it analyses alternative perspectives on gendered identities and family roles, along with human-animal relationships, possible consumption of the human body and animals, and the notion of animals as ancestors. In this chapter, cultural attitudes to death and dying, including practical aspects of dealing with the dead and the emotional reactions of grieving and mourning, are discussed.

No / Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) play essential roles in the control of skin development, postnatal tissue remodelling and tumorigenesis. To explore whether some of the effects of BMP signalling are mediated by microRNAs, we performed genome-wide microRNA (miRNA) screening in primary mouse keratinocytes after BMP4 treatment. Microarray analysis revealed substantial BMP4-dependent changes in the expression of distinct miRNAs, including miR-21. Real-time PCR confirmed that BMP4 dramatically inhibits miR-21 expression in the keratinocytes. Consistently, significantly increased levels of miR-21 were observed in transgenic mice overexpressing the BMP antagonist noggin under control of the K14 promoter (K14-noggin). By in situ hybridization, miR-21 expression was observed in the epidermis and hair follicle epithelium in normal mouse skin. In K14-noggin skin, miR-21 was prominently expressed in the epidermis, as well as in the peripheral portion of trichofolliculoma-like hair follicle-derived tumours that contain proliferating and poorly differentiated cells. By transfecting keratinocytes with a miR-21 mimic, we identified the existence of two groups of the BMP target genes, which are differentially regulated by miR-21. These included selected BMP-dependent tumour-suppressor genes (Pten, Pdcd4, Timp3 and Tpm1) negatively regulated by miR-21, as well as miR-21-independent Id1, Id2, Id3 and Msx2 that predominantly mediate the effects of BMPs on cell differentiation. In primary keratinocytes and HaCaT cells, miR-21 prevented the inhibitory effects of BMP4 on cell proliferation and migration. Thus, our study establishes a novel mechanism for the regulation of BMP-induced effects in the skin and suggests miRNAs are important modulators of the effects of growth factor signalling pathways on skin development and tumorigenesis.

No / Ternary crystalline complexes consisting of both salts and ionic co-crystals have been created through the crystallisation of the binary co-crystal 3,5-dinitrobenzoic acid–4-(dimethylamino)benzoic acid with group 1 or ammonium cations. The size and charge density of the cation can be used to adjust the protonation level and local geometry of the acid pair. The selectivity and coordination geometry of the chaperone cation may be further adjusted by the inclusion of a crown ether to reduce the number and location of potential binding sites.

No / Dynamic correction of monochromatic aberrations of the eye is known to affect the accommodation response to a step change in stimulus vergence. We used an adaptive optics system to determine how the temporal location of the correction affects the response. The system consists of a Shack-Hartmann sensor sampling at 20 Hz and a 37-actuator piezoelectric deformable mirror. An extra sensing channel allows for an independent measure of the accommodation level of the eye. The accommodation response of four subjects was measured during a +/- 0.5 D step change in stimulus vergence whilst aberrations were corrected at various time locations. We found that continued correction of aberrations after the step change decreased the gain for disaccommodation, but increased the gain for accommodation. These results could be explained based on the initial lag of accommodation to the stimulus and changes in the level of aberrations before and after the stimulus step change. Future considerations for investigations of the effect of monochromatic aberrations on the dynamic accommodation response are discussed.