bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
VAMP – laying the foundations
Authors: Creaser Claire , Conyers Angela , Lockyer Suzanne
Published: November 2007

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe the first phase of the SCONUL Value and Impact Programme (VAMP), carried out in 2006.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper is a critical review of some of the major tools and methodologies available to measure the value and impact of, particularly academic, libraries, was supplemented by a survey of SCONUL members to ascertain the state of current practice in the UK.

Findings

The findings in the paper were synthesised by gap analysis, which found that, although there were some gaps in overall provision, a greater problem was a lack of knowledge and understanding of the tools available, and how they could be applied to demonstrate value and impact.

Originality/value

This paper is a brief description of follow‐up activity and the resulting SCONUL Performance Portal is given.
The DeLorean or the Mini?
Authors: Gorman G.E.
Published: November 2007

Purpose

The paper aims to examine the issue of the development of digital publishing and also the preservation of data.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper looks at literature on this issue and examines the importance of storing digital data.

Findings

The paper finds that, as writers, publishers and readers become increasingly digital, there is a greater burden being placed on libraries and other repositories to deal effectively with digital artefacts. It also reveals that preservation of digital artefacts/media is a context‐specific activity.

Originality/value

The paper provides an insight into the dilemma of digital preservation facing libraries and other repositories.
The medical digital library landscape
Authors: Ismond Kathleen P. , Shiri Ali
Published: November 2007

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify two medical digital libraries from each of the following three countries: Canada, the USA and the UK. It aims to discuss strengths and weaknesses in system design in an effort to provide a basis on which to improve both the organisation of, and the access to, electronic, scholarly information.

Design/methodology/approach

Inclusion criteria for identifying the medical digital libraries were, those who: had primarily text‐based collections, intended for use by researchers or healthcare professionals; were freely accessible, and fulfilled the author's definition of a digital library as opposed to an online database. (Medical digital libraries with either a historical focus or that had primarily image/video collections were excluded.) To identify suitable medical digital libraries, the following resources were used: scholarly databases, online search engines, government and national library web sites, lists of online medical resources, and university web sites. Selection preference was given to those libraries with the most recent launch dates and service features. Each library was systematically evaluated, qualitatively and quantitatively, from the user's perspective in six distinct areas: administrative overview and site architecture, knowledge organisation, results management, interaction with the collection, additional information services, usability, and personalisation.

Findings

The study finds that each digital library had a unique set of strengths and weaknesses. Each offered different services to help users identify relevant material and to quickly understand and assess their contents. However, this required that each library have a team of experts to obtain, assess, catalogue, and annotate the information. Where available, user comments were supportive of each effort and very positive.

Research limitations/implications

Medical digital libraries are an excellent conduit between authors and practitioners. However, they require intensive resources for establishment and maintenance. For these libraries to realise their full potential, emphasis must be placed on the currency and quality of their collections, maintaining pace with the technology employed by their users, providing services that facilitate the access and digestion of complex, scholarly information, and ensuring that online users are aware of the existence of these libraries.

Practical implications

This paper contributes to the overall improvement of existing and future medical digital libraries.

Originality/value

This is the first ever evaluation and comparison of freely available medical digital libraries from three countries.
The impact of participation in virtual brand communities on consumer trust and loyalty
Authors: Casaló Luis , Flavián Carlos , Guinalíu Miguel
Published: November 2007

Purpose

The importance of virtual brand communities is growing day by day as a result of consumers increasingly using online tools to contact fellow consumers in order to get information on which to base their decisions. For this reason, this work aims to explore some of the effects of participation in a virtual brand community on consumer behaviour.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper proposes the positive effects of participation in a virtual community on both consumer trust and loyalty to the product, brand or organisation around which the community is developed. In addition, it also proposes a positive effect of trust on consumer loyalty. After the validations of measurement scales, the hypotheses are contrasted through structural modelling.

Findings

The data, obtained through a web survey using members of several free software virtual communities, show that participation in the activities carried out in a virtual community may foster consumer trust and loyalty to the mutual interest of the community (the free software in this case). In addition, the study also found a positive and significant effect of consumer trust on loyalty.

Research limitations/implications

Data were collected thanks to a web survey using Spanish‐speaking subjects.

Practical implications

The high costs every company has to face in order to get new customers make it increasingly necessary to reinforce the ties established with customers. In this respect, this study has shown that managers may foster consumer trust and loyalty by developing virtual brand communities and promoting consumers' participation in them.

Originality/value

Most of the works that are focused on virtual communities have been conducted at the conceptual level. Thus, with the aim of moving on this topic, this study analyses empirically the effects of participation in a virtual brand community on consumer behaviour.
An exploratory study of Google Scholar
Authors: Mayr Philipp , Walter Anne‐Kathrin
Published: November 2007

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the new scientific search service Google Scholar (GS). It aims to discuss this search engine, which is intended exclusively for searching scholarly documents, and then empirically test its most important functionality. The focus is on an exploratory study which investigates the coverage of scientific serials in GS.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is based on queries against different journal lists: international scientific journals from Thomson Scientific (SCI, SSCI, AH), open access journals from the DOAJ list and journals from the German social sciences literature database SOLIS as well as the analysis of result data from GS. All data gathering took place in August 2006.

Findings

The study shows deficiencies in the coverage and up‐to‐dateness of the GS index. Furthermore, the study points out which web servers are the most important data providers for this search service and which information sources are highly represented. The paper can show that there is a relatively large gap in Google Scholar's coverage of German literature as well as weaknesses in the accessibility of Open Access content. Major commercial academic publishers are currently the main data providers.

Research limitations/implications

Five different journal lists were analysed, including approximately 9,500 single titles. The lists are from different fields and of various sizes. This limits comparability. There were also some problems matching the journal titles of the original lists to the journal title data provided by Google Scholar. The study was only able to analyse the top 100 Google Scholar hits per journal.

Practical implications

The paper concludes that Google Scholar has some interesting pros (such as citation analysis and free materials) but the service cannot be seen as a substitute for the use of special abstracting and indexing databases and library catalogues due to various weaknesses (such as transparency, coverage and up‐to‐dateness).

Originality/value

The authors do not know of any other study using such a brute force approach and such a large empirical basis. The study can be considered as using brute force in the sense that it gathered lots of data from Google and then analysed the data in a macroscopic way.
Relevance ranking is not relevance ranking or, when the user is not the user, the search results are not search results
Authors: Bade David
Published: November 2007

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the significance of the differences between the actual technical principles determining relevance ranking, and how relevance ranking is understood, described and evaluated by the developers of relevance ranking algorithms and librarians.

Design/methodology/approach

The discussion uses descriptions by PLWeb Turbo and C2 of their relevance ranking products and a librarian's description on her blog with the responses which it drew, contrasting these with relevancy as it is indicated in studies of the ISI citation record reported by White.

Findings

The study finds that product descriptions and librarians consistently use the term “relevance ranking” to mean both the artificial relevance ranking by statistical methods using various surrogates assumed to reliably indicate relevance and the real relevance as determined by the searcher. The paper indicates the misunderstandings arising from this terminological confusion and its consequences in the context of the invalid user models and artificial searches which accompany discussions of “relevance ranking”.

Research limitations/implications

Evaluations of relevance ranking must be based on real users and real searches. Theorising relevance as a judgement about information rather than a property of information clarifies many issues.

Practical implications

The design of search engines and OPACs will benefit from incorporating metadata that contain indications of user‐determined relevance.

Originality/value

The activity of subject analysis and indexing by human beings is presented as an activity identical in kind to the real searcher's determination of relevance, a definite statement of relevancy arising from a real communication situation rather than a statistically indicated probability.
Cognitive shifts related to interactive information retrieval
Authors: Spink Amanda , Dee Cheryl
Published: November 2007

Purpose

Interactive information retrieval (IR) involves many human cognitive shifts at different information behaviour levels. Cognitive science defines a cognitive shift or shift in cognitive focus as triggered by the brain's response and change due to some external force. This paper aims to provide an explication of the concept of “cognitive shift” and then report results from a study replicating Spink's study of cognitive shifts during interactive IR. This work aims to generate promising insights into aspects of cognitive shifts during interactive IR and a new IR evaluation measure – information problem shift.

Design/methodology/approach

The study participants (n=9) conducted an online search on an in‐depth personal medical information problem. Data analysed included the pre‐ and post‐search questionnaires completed by each study participant. Implications for web services and further research are discussed.

Findings

Key findings replicated the results in Spink's study, including: all study participants reported some level of cognitive shift in their information problem, information seeking and personal knowledge due to their search interaction; and different study participants reported different levels of cognitive shift. Some study participants reported major cognitive shifts in various user‐based variables such as information problem or information‐seeking stage. Unlike Spink's study, no participant experienced a negative shift in their information problem stage or level of information problem understanding.

Originality/value

This study builds on the previous study by Spink using a different dataset. The paper provides valuable insights for further research into cognitive shifts during interactive IR.
Help features in digital libraries: types, formats, presentation styles, and problems
Authors: Xie Hong (Iris)
Published: November 2007

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate Help features in digital libraries and identify problems related to their design.

Design/methodology/approach

This study selects six digital libraries to represent a variety of digital libraries developed or sponsored by different types of organisations. The Help features of these selected digital libraries are examined by their types (explicit versus implicit), formats (texts, images, screenshots, multimedia materials, and interactive formats), and presentation styles (descriptive, guided, procedural, and exemplary).

Findings

This study presents the types of Help features available in the selected digital libraries, and further characterises the formats and presentation styles of these Help features. In the process of analysis, the author also identifies six types of problems: lack of standards; tradeoff between using explicit Help and implicit help; tradeoff between using general Help versus specific Help; lack of interactive Help features; lack of dynamic presentation styles; and lack of Help features for advanced users and users who do not understand English.

Research limitations/implications

In order to design Help features that facilitate users to effectively use digital libraries, further research needs to extend studies to what types of help‐seeking situations users generally encounter and the corresponding support they need.

Originality/value

This study provides insightful information regarding the current status and problems of the Help features in existing digital libraries.
Software issues related to cited references
Authors: Jacsó Péter
Published: November 2007

Purpose

The underlying software issue related to cited references is the capability of the software to identify the specific work cited by a reference, and associate it with the correct author and journal. This paper aims to investigate this issue and to discuss the latest editions of Web of Science (WoS) and Scopus.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper the strengths and weaknesses of the Distinct Author Set feature of WoS and the Author Details feature of Scopus are discussed.

Findings

The paper reveals that these tools will have an increasingly important role in refining the process of disambiguating author (and journal) names in calculating their h‐index.

Originality/value

The paper provides useful information on software issues related to cited references and on the Distinct Author Set feature of WoS and the Author Details feature of Scopus.
Operating company or investment company: what would a reasonable investor think?
Authors: Menconi Christopher D.
Published: November 2007

Purpose

This paper aims to discuss a recently‐decided Seventh Circuit case in which the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) alleged that National Presto Industries, Inc., a seller of household goods and munitions, was unlawfully operating as an investment company. The paper also aims to explain concisely the definition of investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the 1940 Act).

Design/methodology/approach

Using the Seventh Circuit's decision as an introduction, this paper summarizes the definition of investment company under the 1940 Act, highlights a statutory exclusion from the definition and a related SEC interpretation, reviews the judicial opinion and offers commentary on the court's decision.

Findings

The study finds that a typical investment company, such as a mutual fund, is nothing more than a pool of securities and cash. Most operating companies, such as manufacturers or service providers, look nothing like an investment company. Their assets consist of buildings, plants, inventory, computers and more. Yet, it is possible for an operating company to become an investment company. The definition under the 1940 Act provides a rather mechanical test for making this determination. The Seventh Circuit's decision concerned an operating company that the SEC believed satisfied the definition. In disagreeing with the SEC, the court seemed to focus on how a reasonable investor would perceive the company's business.

Originality/value

This paper provides a useful summary of how an operating company inadvertently could become an investment company. It should be valuable to officers and employees, particularly those who are engaged in cash management activities, of both public and private operating companies because it raises awareness of the ease with which an operating company can become an investment company and the availability of options to avoid such an outcome.
Revisiting insider trading in the debt markets: lessons for debt investors and members of committees in bankruptcy cases
Authors: Groskaufmanis Karl A. , Ochs Kalman
Published: November 2007

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to draw attention to the Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC's) insider trading principles as they apply to trading in debt securities based on the Commission's recent settlement with Barclays Bank.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper describes the SEC's complaint that Barclays purchased and sold securities while it was aware of material nonpublic information and discusses the implications of the resulting settlement and lessons that should be learned, including a warning for members of committees in bankruptcy cases, the critical significance of receiving material information under a confidentiality agreement, the uncertain legal standing of so‐called “big boy” letters, and the importance of “information barriers” being demonstrably effective.

Findings

While the law of insider trading was developed predominantly in the equity markets, the Settlement demonstrates that the SEC remains committed to exporting its insider trading principles to the markets for other securities.

Practical implications

Every financial institution should be aware of when a part of its organization is receiving material, non‐public information from a public company, restrict trading while the firm is aware of this information, or alternatively maintain and document procedures that separate that information from individuals who are making investment decisions, and develop systems to ensure compliance with applicable bankruptcy laws,

Orginality/value

The paper provides practical guidance from experienced securities lawyers.
Supreme Court holds that the federal securities laws implicitly preclude application of the antitrust laws to the underwriting of initial public offerings
Authors: Frischer Harry , Ratner Stephen L. , Gold Sarah S. , Mashberg Gregg M. , Lazaroff Michael S.
Published: November 2007

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe the background and reasoning behind the June 18, 2007 US Supreme Court decision in Credit Suisse Securities (USA) v. Billing et al.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper explains the US District Court for the Southern District of New York's dismissal of two antitrust class action lawsuits filed against a group of investment banks in 2002, the reversal by the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in 2005, and the Supreme Court's rejection of the Second Circuit's analysis in 2007.

Findings

The Court found that, due to the specialized knowledge required to parse the SEC's rules and distinguish permissible from prohibited conduct, there was a “serious risk” that antitrust courts would produce inconsistent results. The Court also expressed a concern that allowing antitrust claims here would weaken the heightened pleading requirements in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act, which Congress passed to weed out “umeritorious securities lawsuits.”

Practical implications

The decision undoubtedly will have important implications regarding the extent to which the antitrust laws may be applied to other conduct regulated by the securities laws, or in the context of other regulated industries.

Orginality/value

The paper provides practical interpretation and guidance by experienced securities lawyers.
State securities legend requirements in Rule 506 private placement memos
Authors: Gale Adam D.
Published: November 2007

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to discuss state securities legend requirements for private offerings made pursuant to Rule 506 of Regulation D, with a particular focus on hedge fund and private equity fund issuers.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper explains relevant federal and state securities registration laws, including the National Securities Market Improvement Act of 1956 (“NSMIA”), which creates a category of “covered securities” that are partially preempted from certain state securities regulations. Explains that offerings under Rule 506 of Regulation D are “covered securities” under NSMIA, but that an issuer that offers its securities may be considered a broker‐dealer under some state broker‐dealer laws; those state broker‐dealer registration laws may require a state securities legend on offering documents in order to meet a state exemption from registering as a broker‐dealer in the state. It also explains state legend requirements under state broker‐dealer laws in general and then provides detail on four states whose legends practitioners often include in private placement memos: Florida, Georgia, New Hampshire, and Pennsylvania.

Findings

The paper finds that state securities legends, other than Florida's legend, will never be required for a Rule 506 offering, and the inclusion of unnecessary legends, even as a precaution, can result in confusion or possibly claims that the issuer has violated state securities laws or included misleading information.

Originality/value

The paper provides practical advice from an experienced securities lawyer.
SEC and BaFin sign regulatory cooperation arrangement
Authors: Lercara Angelo
Published: November 2007

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explain a comprehensive memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the SEC and BaFin designed to facilitate their supervision of internationally active firms and their oversight of markets.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper explains the scope of supervisory consultation, cooperation, and exchange of information relating to firms, related entities, and dual‐regulated entities; describes procedures for on‐site visits of regulated entities and dual‐regulated entities; discusses the intended framework for cooperation with regard to affiliated markets; explains how requests for assistance should be executed; outlines permissible uses and procedures for requesting confidential information; and discusses the possible gathering of information under the auspices of the MOU for enforcement purposes.

Findings

The paper finds that the MOU sets forth the terms and conditions for the sharing of information about regulated entities and financial groups that operate in the USA and Germany and, in view of the growing trend toward cross‐border exchange affiliations, outlines a framework for cooperation in the oversight of markets in both countries.

Originality/value

The paper provides a practical insight from an experienced lawyer who is an expert in German and cross‐border securities regulations.
China opens up issuance of Renminbi Bonds in Hong Kong
Authors: Heng Connie , Yanping Cao , Li Rupert , TieCheng Yang
Published: November 2007

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explain the legal framework of both Hong Kong and the People's Republic of China (PRC) that governs the issuance of Renminbi bonds in Hong Kong.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper explains the background; outlines key requirements under PRC laws, including eligibility requirements, application procedures in China, timing and reporting, and remittance and payment procedures; and looks at key issues arising from the regulatory regime of Hong Kong.

Findings

The paper finds that, given the relatively low interest rate for Renminbi deposits in Hong Kong, Hong Kong, investors have generally welcome the inaugural issues of Renminbi bonds by the China Development Bank and the Export‐Import Bank of China.

Originality/value

The paper provides practical guidance from experienced Hong Kong and China securities lawyers.
Summary of selected FINRA Regulatory Notices
Authors: Davis Henry A.
Published: November 2007

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide excerpts of selected Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Regulatory Notices issued in July and August 2007. In July 2007, FINRA Regulatory Notices replaced NASD Notices to members.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper provides excerpts from NASD Notice to Members 07‐32 (July 2007), Annual Certification of Compliance and Supervisory Processes; FINRA Regulatory Notice 07‐34 (August 2007), “New Issue” Rule; FINRA Regulatory Notice 07‐36 (August 2007), Supervision of Recommendations after a Registered Representative Changes Firms; FINRA Regulatory Notice 07‐37 (August 2007), Options Position and Exercise Limits; FINRA Regulatory Notice 07‐39 (August 2007), Order Audit Trail System (OATS); and FINRA Regulatory Notice 07‐40 (August 2007), Three Quote Rule.

Findings

The paper finds useful information in each of these notices.

Originality/value

The paper provides direct excerpts that are designed to provide a useful digest for the reader and an indication of regulatory trends.
Use of the internet and traditional media among young people
Authors: Chan Kara , Fang Wei
Published: November 2007

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the use of traditional media as well as the internet among young people in Hong Kong. With the fast development of the internet, the use of interpersonal as well as computer‐mediated communication has changed greatly. A study of how young people use traditional and new media is crucial as it enables commercial and social marketers to fully understand the role of mass mediated messages in the lives of youth. As the youth market expands and consumption power increases, marketers need to capture the latest trends in order to reach the young generation.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey of 405 Chinese persons aged 15 to 24 in Hong Kong was conducted in February 2006 using a self‐administered questionnaire. Undergraduate students distributed and collected these questionnaires through face‐to‐face interactions.

Findings

The study finds that the internet plays a prominent role among the young people in Hong Kong. A majority of respondents aged 15 to 24 spent one to three hours per day in the internet. The main reasons for internet usage were for listening to music and for fun. The internet was the preferred media choice for information‐driven activities. Magazines retained importance for entertainment and shopping activities while the television retained importance for news and current affairs. Most of the respondents found useful web sites through search engines. Interpersonal information sources gave way to the internet for obtaining information about sensitive issues.

Research limitations/implications

The sample was a convenience sample and this will limit its generalization.

Practical implications

The twenty‐first century is a digital age. Marketers should face this challenge. They should take an active role in building their online communication platforms. Social services marketers targeting young consumers should establish a strong presence in the internet.

Originality/value

This paper offers an updated map of the Hong Kong young people's media usage, especially the use of internet. It provides guidelines for marketers to reach them in a cost effective manner.
Modeling of protein binary complexes using structural mass spectrometry data
Authors: Kamal J.K. Amisha , Chance Mark R.
Published: November 2007

In this article, we describe a general approach to modeling the structure of binary protein complexes using structural mass spectrometry data combined with molecular docking. In the first step, hydroxyl radical mediated oxidative protein footprinting is used to identify residues that experience conformational reorganization due to binding or participate in the binding interface. In the second step, a three‐dimensional atomic structure of the complex is derived by computational modeling. Homology modeling approaches are used to define the structures of the individual proteins if footprinting detects significant conformational reorganization as a function of complex formation. A three‐dimensional model of the complex is constructed from these binary partners using the ClusPro program, which is composed of docking, energy filtering, and clustering steps. Footprinting data are used to incorporate constraints—positive and/or negative—in the docking step and are also used to decide the type of energy filter—electrostatics or desolvation—in the successive energy‐filtering step. By using this approach, we examine the structure of a number of binary complexes of monomeric actin and compare the results to crystallographic data. Based on docking alone, a number of competing models with widely varying structures are observed, one of which is likely to agree with crystallographic data. When the docking steps are guided by footprinting data, accurate models emerge as top scoring. We demonstrate this method with the actin/gelsolin segment‐1 complex. We also provide a structural model for the actin/cofilin complex using this approach which does not have a crystal or NMR structure.
The impact of haemophilia on the success of total hip arthroplasty
Authors: MILES J. , RODRÍGUEZ‐MERCHÁN E. C. , GODDARD N. J.
Published: November 2007

Summary.  We present the results of 34 total hip arthroplasties performed, on haemophiliac patients, between 1983 and 2005. The haematological diagnoses and management are discussed, emphasizing their impact on keeping complication levels to a minimum. The orthopaedic diagnoses and treatment methods are also highlighted, discussing the survivorship and reasons for their failures.
Profiling and classification tree applied to renal epithelial tumours
Authors: Allory Y , Bazille C , Vieillefond A , Molinié V , Cochand‐Priollet B , Cussenot O , Callard P , Sibony M
Published: November 2007

Aims:  Selection of the relevant combination from a growing list of candidate immunohistochemical biomarkers constitutes a real challenge. The aim was to establish the minimal subset of antibodies to achieve classification on the basis of 12 antibodies and 309 renal tumours.

Methods and results:  Seventy‐nine clear cell (CC), 88 papillary (PAP) and 50 chromophobe (CHRO) renal cell carcinomas, and 92 oncocytomas (ONCO) were immunostained for renal cell carcinoma antigen, vimentin, cytokeratin (CK) AE1–AE3, CK7, CD10, epithelial membrane antigen, α‐methylacyl‐CoA racemase (AMACR), c‐kit, E‐cadherin, Bcl‐1, aquaporin 1 and mucin‐1 and analysed by tissue microarrays. First, unsupervised hierarchical clustering performed with immunohistochemical profiles identified four main clusters—cluster 1 (CC 67%), 2 (PAP 98%), 3 (CHRO 67%) and 4 (ONCO 100%)—demonstrating the intrinsic classifying potential of immunohistochemistry. A series of classification trees was then automatically generated using Classification And Regression Tree software. The most powerful of these classification trees sequentially used AMACR, CK7 and CD10 (with 86% CC, 87% PAP, 79% CHRO and 78% ONCO correctly classified in a leave‐one‐out cross‐validation test). The classifier was also helpful in 22/30 additional cases with equivocal features.

Conclusion:  The classification tree method using immunohistochemical profiles can be applied successfully to construct a renal tumour classifier.
ERP evaluation during the shakedown phase: lessons from an after‐sales division
Authors: Häkkinen Lotta , Hilmola Olli‐Pekka
Published: November 2007

Abstract.  Integrated information systems and operational efficiency are both pivotal issues for contemporary firms. While there is substantial evidence that enterprise resources planning (ERP) systems can deliver related improvements, the implementation of these systems can turn out to be a very complex and risky task. One key aspect of managing these risks is maintaining operational momentum and preventing possible problems from escalating in the so‐called shakedown phase shortly after system implementation. The objective of this paper is to examine how user evaluations of ERP system success could be used to trace down the source of potential problems, which can arise during the shakedown phase, and how and why experienced system success might vary between different user groups. The paper builds on a case study completed in the after‐sales division of a large multinational organization. This context is considered a fruitful empirical setting for the study as the business sets enormous demands for ERP system functionality and its smooth implementation. Based on the case study, it is argued that in such a context the importance of sufficient user skills, data reliability and intra‐organizational communication becomes emphasized in the ERP implementation process. Moreover, results illustrate how downstream operations and customer relations are particularly vulnerable to problems accumulated in upstream business processes. Related problems can potentially form a self‐fulfilling cycle, where the lack of skills and information constantly deteriorates both user perceptions and actual operational performance.
Mutation of a single residue, β‐glutamate‐20, alters protein–lipid interactions of light harvesting complex II
Authors: Kwa Lee Gyan , Wegmann Dominik , Brügger Britta , Wieland Felix T. , Wanner Gerhard , Braun Paula
Published: November 2007

It is well established that assembly of the peripheral antenna complex, LH2, is required for proper photosynthetic membrane biogenesis in the purple bacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides. The underlying interactions are, as yet, not understood. Here we examined the relationship between the morphology of the photosynthetic membrane and the lipid–protein interactions at the LH2–lipid interface. The non‐bilayer lipid, phosphatidylethanolamine, is shown to be highly enriched in the boundary lipid phase of LH2. Sequence alignments indicate a putative lipid binding site, which includes β‐glutamate‐20 and the adjacent carotenoid end group. Replacement of β‐glutamate‐20 with alanine results in significant reduction of phosphatidylethanolamine and concomitant raise in phosphatidylcholine in the boundary lipid phase of LH2 without altering the lipid composition of the bulk phase. The morphology of the LH2 housing membrane is, however, unaffected by the amino acid replacement. In contrast, simultaneous modification of glutamate‐20 and exchange of the carotenoid sphaeroidenone with neurosporene results in significant enlargement of the vesicular membrane invaginations. These findings suggest that the LH2 complex, specifically β‐glutamate‐20 and the carotenoids' polar head group, contribute to the shaping of the photosynthetic membrane by specific interactions with surrounding lipid molecules.
XthA (Exonuclease III) regulates loading of RecA onto DNA substrates in log phase Escherichia coli cells
Authors: Centore Richard C. , Lestini Roxane , Sandler Steven J.
Published: November 2007

Exonucleases can modify DNA substrates created during DNA replication, recombination and repair. In Escherichia coli, the effects of several 3′−5′ exonucleases on RecA loading were studied by assaying RecA‐GFP foci formation. Mutations in xthA (ExoIII), xseAB (ExoVII), xni (ExoIX), exoX (ExoX) and tatD (ExoXI) increased the number of RecA‐GFP foci twofold to threefold in a population of log phase cells grown in minimal medium. These increases depend on xonA. Epistasis analysis shows that ExoVII, ExoX, ExoIX and ExoXI function in a common pathway, distinct from ExoIII (and ExoI is upstream of both pathways). It is shown (paradoxically) that in xthA mutants, RecA‐GFP loading is predominantly RecBCD‐dependent and that xthA recB double mutants are viable. Experiments show that while log phase xthA cells have twofold more double‐stranded breaks (DSBs) than wild type, they do not induce the SOS response. The increase in RecA loading is independent of the base excision repair (BER) proteins Nth, MutM and Nei. It is proposed that log phase cells produce DSBs that do not induce the SOS response. Furthermore, ExoI, ExoIII and the other 3′−5′ exonucleases process these DSBs, antagonizing the RecBCD pathway of RecA loading, thus regulating the availability of these substrates for recombination.
Nutrient depletion as a key factor for manipulating gene expression and product formation in different branches of the flavonoid pathway
Authors: LILLO CATHRINE , LEA UNNI S , RUOFF PETER
Published: November 2007

The content of flavonoids increases in response to nitrogen and phosphorus depletion in plants. Manipulation of these macronutrients may therefore be used to control the levels of desirable compounds and improve plant quality. Key enzymes in the shikimate pathway, which feeds precursors into the flavonoid pathway, are regulated post‐translationally by feedback from aromatic amino acids, and possibly by redox control through photosynthesis. Use of microarrays for global transcript analysis in Arabidopsis has revealed that transcript levels are less influenced by mineral nutrients in the shikimate pathway compared with the flavonoid pathway. The responses in the shikimate pathway appear complex, whereas in the flavonoid pathway, a single gene often responds similarly to mineral depletion, high light intensity and sucrose. MYB [production of anthocyanin pigment 1 (PAP1)/production of anthocyanin pigment 2 (PAP2)] and bHLH [GLABRA3 (GL3)] transcription factors are important for the nutrient depletion response. PAP1/2 stimulate gross activation of the flavonoid pathway, and different investigations support merging signal transduction chains for various abiotic treatments on PAP1/2. Flavonol synthase is not part of the PAP1/2 regulon, and expression is mainly enhanced by high light intensity and sucrose, not mineral depletion. Nevertheless, both cyanidin and flavonol derivatives increase in response to nitrogen depletion. Kaempferols are the dominating flavonols in Arabidopsis leaves under normal cultivation conditions, but quercetin accumulation can be triggered by nitrogen depletion in combination with other abiotic factors.
Post‐surgical high‐flow priapism treated by embolization
Authors: Tuygun Can , Guvercinci Meltem , Conkbayir Isik , Gucuk Adnan , Imamoglu Abdurrahim
Published: November 2007

Abstract:  Perineal and penile traumas are the commonest cause of high‐flow priapism. The clinical symptom of this disease is generally a prolonged, painless, and semirigid penile erection without any other urogenital symptoms. In contrast, high‐flow priapism is a quite uncommon condition after transurethral surgery and it may be presented with an unusual clinical manifestation. Herein, we report the first case of priapism associated with massive urethral hemorrhage requiring blood transfusion after internal urethrotomy. High‐flow priapism was successfully treated by autologous clot embolization and the priapism associated with massive urethral hemorrhage resolved.
Rare case of the hyaline vascular type of Castleman's disease of the kidney
Authors: Hatano Koji. , Fujita Shigeki , Tsujimoto Yuichi , Takada Tsuyoshi , Honda Masato , Tsujimoto Masahiko , Matsumiya Kiyomi , Fujioka Hideki
Published: November 2007

Abstract:  Castleman's disease (CD) is a rare disorder characterized by a benign proliferation of lymphoid tissue. Most cases tend to present as a mediastinal mass. A few extrathoracic cases involving nodal and extranodal locations have previously been reported. To the best of our knowledge, however, only one case of CD of the kidney has been published in an English report. We herein report a rare case of CD presenting as a left renal tumor. A 70‐year‐old male was examined by computed tomography for a follow‐up for colonic diverticulitis and a left renal mass measuring 2.0 cm in diameter was incidentally found. The patient underwent a left partial nephrectomy for a left renal mass and a histopathological analysis demonstrated the hyaline vascular type of CD. Based on our findings, CD should be included in the differential diagnosis of renal tumors.
Sequential bilateral minimum incision endoscopic radical nephrectomy in dialysis patients with bilateral renal cell carcinomas
Authors: Sakura Mizuaki , Kawakami Satoru , Masuda Hitoshi , Kobayashi Tsuyoshi , Kageyama Yukio , Kihara Kazunori
Published: November 2007

Abstract:  Since 1998, we have performed minimum incision endoscopic surgery (MIES) for renal cell carcinoma (RCC). For seven dialysis patients with bilateral RCC, we have performed sequential bilateral MIES radical nephrectomy. It was carried out by retroperitoneal approach through a single minimum incision that narrowly permitted extraction of the specimen using endoscopy and direct stereovision, without trocar ports, without gas insufflation and without the insertion of the hands of operators into the operative field. Although six of the seven patients had multiple complications in addition to chronic renal failure (CRF), bilateral kidneys were successfully removed by sequential MIES radical nephrectomy without major operative complication. Postoperative recovery was prompt with all patients resuming oral feeding and walking by the second postoperative day. Sequential bilateral MIES radical nephrectomy, leaving the peritoneal cavity intact and without imposing circulatory stress caused by gas insufflation, is a feasible treatment for bilateral RCCs in dialysis patients.
Bullying and the Need to Belong: Early Adolescents' Bullying‐Related Behavior and the Acceptance they Desire and Receive from Particular Classmates
Authors: Olthof Tjeert , Goossens Frits A.
Published: November 2007

Based on the notion that one of the motives underlying children's antisocial behavior is their need to belong to particular peers, it was examined how each of four types of bullying‐related behavior would be related to the acceptance that 10 to 13‐year‐old children desired and received from same‐ and other‐sex children with different bullying‐related behavioral styles. Bullying‐related behavior was assessed using a peer nomination procedure. Children rated the importance of being accepted by each particular classmate and their own acceptance of these same classmates. Among boys, antisocial involvement in bullying was related to a desire to be accepted by other antisocial boys and to actually being rejected by boys in general. Among girls, antisocial involvement in bullying was related to a desire to be accepted by boys in general.
Attachment to Mothers and Fathers during Middle Childhood: Associations with Child Gender, Grade, and Competence
Authors: Diener Marissa L. , Isabella Russell A. , Behunin Melissa G. , Wong Maria S.
Published: November 2007

Attachment relationships of first, third, and fifth graders with their mothers and fathers, and their associations with self‐perceived and teacher‐rated competence, were investigated. Children rated their attachment security with mothers and fathers using the Kerns security scale. Children's perceptions of academic and peer competence were measured using Harter's self‐perception profile, and teachers also rated children's competence. Girls felt greater attachment security to their mothers than to their fathers, and boys felt greater attachment security to their fathers than did girls. Greater attachment security with both mothers and fathers was associated with children's perceptions of greater peer and academic competence, and this association was stronger for older children. A greater sense of attachment security with both parents was associated with greater competence than a sense of attachment security with only one parent. Teacher‐rated competence was significantly related to attachment security with mothers but not fathers.
Parents' Goals for Children: The Dynamic Coexistence of Individualism and Collectivism in Cultures and Individuals
Authors: Tamis‐LeMonda Catherine S. , Way Niobe , Hughes Diane , Yoshikawa Hirokazu , Kalman Ronit Kahana , Niwa Erika Y.
Published: November 2007

Current scholarship on the cultural value systems of individualism and collectivism, and the associated developmental goals of autonomy and relatedness, has moved beyond grand divide theories to emphasize variation within individuals and cultures. We present a theoretical model on the dynamic coexistence of cultural value systems (at the macro level) and parents' developmental goals (at the micro level). We contend that cultural values and developmental goals that have largely been classified as polar opposites may be viewed as conflicting, additive, or functionally dependent. Parents may view the developmental goal of autonomy as interfering with the goal of relatedness (and vice versa); parents may endorse both autonomy and relatedness; and parents may consider the developmental goal of relatedness to be a path to the goal of autonomy and/or autonomy to be a path to relatedness. These forms of coexistence are themselves dynamic, changing across situations, developmental time, and in response to social, political, and economic contexts.
5–HT and 5–HT‐SO4, but not tryptophan or 5‐HIAA levels in single feeding neurons track animal hunger state
Authors: Hatcher N. G. , Zhang X. , Stuart J. N. , Moroz L. L. , Sweedler J. V. , Gillette R.
Published: November 2007

Serotonin (5‐HT) is an intrinsic modulator of neural network excitation states in gastropod molluscs. 5‐HT and related indole metabolites were measured in single, well‐characterized serotonergic neurons of the feeding motor network of the predatory sea‐slug Pleurobranchaea californica. Indole amounts were compared between paired hungry and satiated animals. Levels of 5‐HT and its metabolite 5‐HT‐SO4 in the metacerebral giant neurons were observed in amounts approximately four‐fold and two‐fold, respectively, below unfed partners 24 h after a satiating meal. Intracellular levels of 5‐hydroxyindole acetic acid and of free tryptophan did not differ significantly with hunger state. These data demonstrate that neurotransmitter levels and their metabolites can vary in goal‐directed neural networks in a manner that follows internal state.