bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Association Between Barrett’s Esophagus and Helicobacter pylori Infection: A Meta‐Analysis
Authors: Fischbach Lori A. , Nordenstedt Helena , Kramer Jennifer R. , Gandhi Subi , Dick‐Onuoha Sam , Lewis Anthony , El‐Serag Hashem B.
Published: March 2012

Objective:  The effect of Helicobacter pylori on Barrett’s esophagus is poorly understood. We conducted a meta‐analysis to summarize the existing literature examining the effect that H. pylori has on Barrett’s esophagus.

Design:  We performed a comprehensive search to identify studies pertaining to the association between H. pylori and Barrett’s esophagus. We conducted meta‐regression analyses to identify sources of variation in the effect of H. pylori on Barrett’s esophagus.

Results:  Our analysis included a total of 49 studies that examined the effect of H. pylori on Barrett’s esophagus and seven studies that examined the effect of cag A positivity on Barrett’s esophagus. Overall, H. pylori, and even more so cag A, tended to be protective for Barrett’s esophagus in most studies; however, there was obvious heterogeneity across studies. The effect of H. pylori on Barrett’s esophagus varied by geographic location and in the presence of selection and information biases. Only four studies were found without obvious selection and information bias, and these showed a protective effect of H. pylori on Barrett’s esophagus (Relative risk = 0.46 [95% CI: 0.35, 0.60]).

Conclusions:  Estimates for the effect of H. pylori on Barrett’s esophagus were heterogeneous across studies. We identified selection and information bias as potential sources of this heterogeneity. Few studies without obvious selection and information bias have been conducted to examine the effect of H. pylori on Barrett’s esophagus, but in these, H. pylori infection is associated with a reduced risk of Barrett’s esophagus.
Expression of Adhesion and Activation Molecules on Circulating Monocytes in Children with Helicobacter pylori Infection
Authors: Helmin‐Basa Anna , Czerwionka‐Szaflarska Mieczyslawa , Bala Grazyna , Szaflarska‐Poplawska Anna , Mierzwa Grazyna , Gackowska Lidia , Kubiszewska Izabela , Eljaszewicz Andrzej , Marszalek Andrzej , Michalkiewicz Jacek
Published: March 2012

Objectives:  The aim of this study was to assess the cell surface expression of adhesion (CD11a, CD11b, CD11c, CD18, CD54, and CD58) and activation (CD14, HLA‐DR, and CD16) molecules on the circulating monocytes in Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori)‐infected and noninfected children with gastritis, with the goal of comparing the results with those obtained from the controls.

Materials and Methods:  Ninety‐four children were studied: 47 of them with H. pylori infection (of those 25 children after the failure of eradication therapy) and 26 children with gastritis where H. pylori infection was excluded, as well as 21 controls. H. pylori infection status was assessed based on [13C] urea breath test, rapid urease test, and histology. Analysis of the monocyte surface molecule expression was carried out by flow cytometry.

Results:  H. pylori‐infected children and children who experienced a failure of the eradication therapy differed significantly in the expression of adhesion and activation molecule on circulating monocytes. A decrease, both in the proportion of CD11c‐ and CD14‐bearing monocytes, and the expression of CD11c and CD14 molecules on circulating monocytes, was found in children in whom the eradication therapy failed (p < .05). Low expression of CD11b (p = .04) and CD18 (p = .02) integrins on monocytes was also observed. Additionally, the percentage of HLA‐DR‐bearing monocytes was decreased (p = .04), while the CD16 density receptor was increased (p = .02). Compared with the controls, low percentage of CD16‐positive monocytes was noted in noninfected children with gastritis (p = .01).

Conclusion:  H. pylori eradication therapy in children causes inhibition of inflammatory response via a reduction in CD11b, CD11c, and CD18 beta2 integrin monocyte expression.
Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms of Helicobacter pylori dupA that Lead to Premature Stop Codons
Authors: Moura Sílvia B. , Costa Rafaella F. A. , Anacleto Charles , Rocha Gifone A. , Rocha Andreia M. C. , Queiroz Dulciene M. M.
Published: March 2012

Background:  The detection of the putative disease‐specific Helicobacter pylori marker duodenal ulcer promoting gene A (dupA) is currently based on PCR detection of jhp0917 and jhp0918 that form the gene. However, mutations that lead to premature stop codons that split off the dupA leading to truncated products cannot be evaluated by PCR.

Methods:  We directly sequence the complete dupA of 75 dupA‐positive strains of H. pylori isolated from patients with gastritis (n = 26), duodenal ulcer (n = 29), and gastric carcinoma (n = 20), to search for frame‐shifting mutations that lead to stop codon.

Results:  Thirty‐four strains had single nucleotide mutations in dupA that lead to premature stop codon creating smaller products than the predicted 1839 bp product and, for this reason, were considered as dupA‐negative. Intact dupA was more frequently observed in strains isolated from duodenal ulcer patients (65.5%) than in patients with gastritis only (46.2%) or with gastric carcinoma (50%). In logistic analysis, the presence of the intact dupA independently associated with duodenal ulcer (OR = 5.06; 95% CI = 1.22–20.96, p = .02).

Conclusion:  We propose the primer walking methodology as a simple technique to sequence the gene. When we considered as dupA‐positive only those strains that carry dupA gene without premature stop codons, the gene was associated with duodenal ulcer and, therefore, can be used as a marker for this disease in our population.
Helicobacter pylori‐Associated Regulation of Forkhead Transcription Factors FoxO1/3a in Human Gastric Cells
Authors: Tabassam Fazal H. , Graham David Y. , Yamaoka Yoshio
Published: March 2012

Background:  Interaction of Helicobacter pylori with gastric mucosa leads to marked cellular and humoral host immunologic responses. The signaling pathways initiated by bacteria–host interaction that result in perturbations in cell structure and function remain unclear. Forkhead transcription factors of class O (FoxO) are implicated in the regulation of apoptosis, cell survival, and pathogenesis. H. pylori infection of gastric epithelial cells induces phosphoinositide‐3 kinase (PI3K)‐dependent Akt activation and cell survival signaling. We investigated the role of H. pylori‐activated PI3K/Akt in the regulation of FoxO1/3a in gastric cells.

Methods:  Immunoblot, immunoprecipitation, and fluorescence microscopy were used to assess the effect of infection of gastric epithelial cells with wild‐type H. pylori and their isogenic cag pathogenicity island (PAI) or oipA mutants on the FoxO1/3a signaling pathways. Interleukin‐8 release was determined by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assays.

Results:  H. pylori infection resulted in activation of the PI3K p85 subunit and inactivation of FoxO1 and FoxO3a by their phosphorylation and translocation of from the nucleus to the cytoplasm. Inhibition of PI3K or Akt kinase activity reduced FoxO1/3a phosphorylation. Akt, FoxO1, or FoxO3a siRNA reduced H. pylori‐induced interleukin‐8 production. Infection with oipA mutants reduced PI3K/Akt activation and inhibited FoxO1/3a phosphorylation, whereas infection with cag PAI mutants reduced PI3K/Akt activity but did not inhibit FoxO1/3a activation.

Conclusions:  FoxO1 and FoxO3a are novel nuclear substrates of H. pylori‐induced PI3K/Akt cell survival signaling pathways that partially control interleukin‐8 production. OipA‐regulated interleukin‐8 release through PI3K/Akt is dependent on FoxO1/3a inactivation, whereas cag PAI‐mediated interleukin‐8 production employs FoxO1/3‐independent signaling.
Probiotics‐Containing Yogurts Suppress Helicobacter pylori Load and Modify Immune Response and Intestinal Microbiota in the Helicobacter pylori‐Infected Children
Authors: Yang Yao‐Jong , Sheu Bor‐Shyang
Published: March 2012

Background:  The benefits of probiotics to the pediatric Helicobacter pylori infection remain uncertain. We tested whether the H. pylori‐infected children have an altered gut microflora, and whether probiotics‐containing yogurt can restore such change and improve their H. pylori‐related immune cascades.

Methods:  We prospectively included 38 children with H. pylori infection confirmed by a positive 13C‐urea breath test (UBT) and 38 age‐ and sex‐matched noninfected controls. All of them have provided the serum and stool samples before and after 4‐week ingestion of probiotics‐containing yogurt. The serum samples were tested for the TNF‐α, IL‐10, IL‐6, immunoglobulin (Ig) A, G, E, pepsinogens I and II levels. The stool samples were tested for the colony counts of Bifidobacterium spp. and Escherichia coli. The follow‐up UBT indirectly assessed the H. pylori loads after yogurt usage.

Results:  The H. pylori‐infected children had lower fecal Bifidobacterium spp. count (p = .009), Bifidobacterium spp./E. coli ratio (p = .04), serum IgA titer (p = .04), and pepsinogens I/II ratio (p < .001) than in controls. In the H. pylori‐infected children, 4‐week yogurt ingestion reduced the IL‐6 level (p < .01) and H. pylori loads (p = .046), but elevated the serum IgA and pepsinogen II levels (p < .001). Moreover, yogurt ingestion can improve the childhood fecal Bifidobacterium spp./E. coli ratio (p = .03).

Conclusions:  The H. pylori‐infected children have a lower Bifidobacterium microflora in gut. The probiotics‐containing yogurt can offer benefits to restore Bifidobacterium spp./E. coli ratio in children and suppress the H. pylori load with increment of serum IgA but with reduction in IL‐6 in H. pylori‐infected children.
Eradication of Helicobacter pylori Infection Reduces the Incidence of Peptic Ulcer Disease in Patients using Nonsteroidal Anti‐Inflammatory Drugs: A Meta‐Analysis
Authors: Tang Chun‐Li , Ye Feng , Liu Wei , Pan Xiao‐Lin , Qian Juan , Zhang Guo‐Xin
Published: March 2012

Aim:  To investigate the association between use of nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (NSAID) and Helicobacter pylori infection, interactive effect of H. pylori infection and NSAID use on the development of peptic ulcer disease (PUD), and the effect of H. pylori eradication therapy on PUD development.

Material and Methods:  We performed a systematic literature search in EMBASE and PubMed for relevant articles published in English between January 1989 and August 2010, with the following MeSH and/or key words: non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs, Helicobacter pylori, or H. pylori, peptic ulcer disease or PUD, and randomized‐control study or clinical trial. The meta‐analysis was conducted using the Review Manager 4.2.2.

Results:  In the analysis of five studies, the pooled prevalence of H. pylori infection was 74.5% and 71.1% in NSAID users and non‐NSAID users, respectively, (OR = 0.65; 95% CI: 0.35–1.20, p = .170). In the analysis of nine studies, the pooled prevalence of PUD in NSAID users was 31.2% and 17.9% in the presence and absence of H. pylori infection, respectively, (OR = 3.08; 95% CI: 1.26–7.55, p = .010). Moreover, in the analysis of seven studies, PUD developed in 6.4% and 11.8% of NSAID users with and without eradication therapy, respectively (OR = 0.50; 95% CI: 0.36–0.74, p < .001). The preventive effect of the eradication therapy was further revealed in NSAID‐naive users (OR = 0.26; 95% CI: 0.14–0.49, p < .0001) and in the Asian population (OR = 0.30; 95% CI: 0.16–0.56, p < .001).

Conclusion:  NSAID use is not associated with H. pylori infection in patients with PUD. PUD is more common in H. pylori positive than in negative NSAID users. Moreover, H. pylori eradication therapy reduces PUD incidence in NSAID users, especially in naive users and in the Asian population.
Helicobacter pylori Infection in Clinical Practice: Probiotics and a Combination of Probiotics + Lactoferrin Improve Compliance, But Not Eradication, in Sequential Therapy
Authors: Manfredi Marco , Bizzarri Barbara , Sacchero Roberto Igino , Maccari Sergio , Calabrese Lorenzo , Fabbian Fabio , de’Angelis Gian Luigi
Published: March 2012

Background:  Sequential therapy (ST) seems to offer higher success rates than triple therapy (TT) in the eradication of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection. However, from the standpoint of therapeutic compliance, there is no difference between the two treatments. Adjuvant treatment (especially with probiotics (PB) and lactoferrin (LF)) has often improved compliance and eradication rates in patients subjected to TT, while ST had never been used in association with adjuvants.

Methods:  Over a period of 2 years, we randomized and divided 227 consecutive adult patients with H. pylori infection into three groups. The patients were given ST with the addition of adjuvants, as follows: group A (ST + placebo), group B (ST + LF + PB), and group C (ST + PB). Our goal was to assess therapeutic compliance, so we prepared a questionnaire to help determine the severity of the side effects. We also determined the eradication rates for the groups.

Results:  Patients with ST + placebo had the worst compliance as compared with the other two groups in terms of the absence of symptoms (p < .001 between B and A; p = .001 between C and A) and the presence of intolerable symptoms (p = .016 between B and A; p = .046 between C and A). The differences between the values for the treated groups and those for the placebo group were statistically significant. On the other hand, there was no statistically significant difference in compliance between groups B and C. The eradication rate was similar for the three groups.

Conclusions:  Probiotics associated with ST provide optimum therapeutic compliance compared with the placebo and, despite the need to take a larger number of tablets, they should be taken into consideration as an adjuvant to therapy for H. pylori infection. The addition of LF to the PB did not bring about any further improvements in compliance. As compared with the placebo, the eradication rate of ST did not improve by adding LF + PB or by using PB alone.
Helicobacter pylori Infection: Sequential Therapy Followed by Levofloxacin‐Containing Triple Therapy provides a Good Cumulative Eradication Rate
Authors: Manfredi Marco , Bizzarri Barbara , de’Angelis Gian Luigi
Published: March 2012

Background:  In the eradication of H. pylori infection, even today, the main international guidelines recommend the triple therapy as first‐line regimen, although its effectiveness is clearly decreasing. As second‐line treatment, the bismuth‐containing quadruple therapy is the most used regimen, although several other therapies are studied. The Italian guidelines recommend, alternatively, sequential therapy or triple therapy as first‐line treatment and levofloxacin‐containing triple therapy as second‐line regimen. We wanted to assess the overall eradication rate of Helicobacter pylori infection in two therapeutic rounds following the Italian guidelines in clinical practice.

Materials and Methods:  We treated 231 consecutive Helicobacter pylori‐positive patients by sequential therapy and we verified the eradication 8–10 weeks after treatment by stool antigen test. Patients positive for stool antigen test received levofloxacin‐containing triple therapy, as second‐line therapy, according to Italian Guidelines and they were again submitted to the fecal test 8–10 weeks after the end of treatment.

Results:  In the first‐line regimen, we obtained an eradication rate of 92.6%, in the second‐line of 75.0% and as cumulative result we achieved a 97.8% of eradication, in per‐protocol analysis.

Conclusions:  Sequential therapy as first‐line and levofloxacin‐containing triple therapy as second‐line represent a good combination to eradicate Helicobacter pylori infection in only two rounds.
Evaluation of the Anti‐Adhesive Effect of Milk Fat Globule Membrane Glycoproteins on Helicobacter pylori in the Human NCI‐N87 Cell Line and C57BL/6 Mouse Model
Authors: Horemans Tessa , Kerstens Monique , Clais Sofie , Struijs Karin , van den Abbeele Pieter , Van Assche Tim , Maes Louis , Cos Paul
Published: March 2012

Background:  The interest in non‐antibiotic therapies for Helicobacter pylori infections in man has considerably grown because increasing numbers of antibiotic‐resistant strains are being reported. Intervention at the stage of bacterial attachment to the gastric mucosa could be an approach to improve the control/eradication rate of this infection.

Materials and Methods:  Fractions of purified milk fat globule membrane glycoproteins were tested in vitro for their cytotoxic and direct antibacterial effect. The anti‐adhesive effect on H. pylori was determined first in a cell model using the mucus‐producing gastric epithelial cell line NCI‐N87 and next in the C57BL/6 mouse model after dosing at 400 mg/kg protein once or twice daily from day −2 to day 4 post‐infection. Bacterial loads were determined by using quantitative real‐time PCR and the standard plate count method.

Results:  The milk fat globule membrane fractions did not show in vitro cytotoxicity, and a marginal antibacterial effect was demonstrated for defatted milk fat globule membrane at 256 μg/mL. In the anti‐adhesion assay, the results varied from 56.0 ± 5.3% inhibition for 0.3% crude milk fat globule membrane to 79.3 ± 3.5% for defatted milk fat globule membrane. Quite surprisingly, in vivo administration of the same milk fat globule membrane fractions did not confirm the anti‐adhesive effects and even caused an increase in bacterial load in the stomach.

Conclusions:  The promising anti‐adhesion in vitro results could not be confirmed in the mouse model, even after the highest attainable exposure. It is concluded that raw or defatted milk fat globule membrane fractions do not have any prophylactic or therapeutic potential against Helicobacter infection.
Convulsive seizure detection using a wrist‐worn electrodermal activity and accelerometry biosensor
Authors: Poh Ming‐Zher , Loddenkemper Tobias , Reinsberger Claus , Swenson Nicholas C. , Goyal Shubhi , Sabtala Mangwe C. , Madsen Joseph R. , Picard Rosalind W.
Published: March 2012

The special requirements for a seizure detector suitable for everyday use in terms of cost, comfort, and social acceptance call for alternatives to electroencephalography (EEG)–based methods. Therefore, we developed an algorithm for automatic detection of generalized tonic–clonic (GTC) seizures based on sympathetically mediated electrodermal activity (EDA) and accelerometry measured using a novel wrist‐worn biosensor. The problem of GTC seizure detection was posed as a supervised learning task in which the goal was to classify 10‐s epochs as a seizure or nonseizure event based on 19 extracted features from EDA and accelerometry recordings using a Support Vector Machine. Performance was evaluated using a double cross‐validation method. The new seizure detection algorithm was tested on >4,213 h of recordings from 80 patients and detected 15 (94%) of 16 of the GTC seizures from seven patients with 130 false alarms (0.74 per 24 h). This algorithm can potentially provide a convulsive seizure alarm system for caregivers and objective quantification of seizure frequency.
DEVELOPMENT OF SEMI‐QUANTITATIVE PCR ASSAYS FOR THE DETECTION AND ENUMERATION OF GAMBIERDISCUS SPECIES (GONYAULACALES, DINOPHYCEAE)1
Authors: Vandersea Mark W. , Kibler Steven R. , Holland William C. , Tester Patricia A. , Schultz Thomas F. , Faust Maria A. , Holmes Michael J. , Chinain Mirelle , Wayne Litaker R.
Published: March 2012

Ciguatera fish poisoning (CFP) is a serious health problem in tropical regions and is caused by the bioaccumulation of lipophilic toxins produced by dinoflagellates in the genus Gambierdiscus. Gambierdiscus species are morphologically similar and are difficult to distinguish from one another even when using scanning electron microscopy. Improved identification and detection methods that are sensitive and rapid are needed to identify toxic species and investigate potential distribution and abundance patterns in relation to incidences of CFP. This study presents the first species‐specific, semi‐quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assays that can be used to address these questions. These assays are specific for five Gambierdiscus species and one undescribed ribotype. The assays utilized a SYBR green format and targeted unique sequences found within the SSU, ITS, and the D1/D3 LSU ribosomal domains. Standard curves were constructed using known concentrations of cultured cells and 10‐fold serial dilutions of rDNA PCR amplicons containing the target sequence for each specific assay. Assay sensitivity and accuracy were tested using DNA extracts purified from known concentrations of multiple Gambierdiscus species. The qPCR assays were used to assess Gambierdiscus species diversity and abundance in samples collected from nearshore areas adjacent to Ft. Pierce and Jupiter, Florida USA. The results indicated that the practical limit of detection for each assay was 10 cells per sample. Most interestingly, the qPCR analysis revealed that as many as four species of Gambierdiscus were present in a single macrophyte sample.
Organizing Interindustry Architectural Innovations: Evidence from Mobile Communication Applications
Authors: Jaspers Ferdinand , Prencipe Andrea , van den Ende Jan
Published: March 2012

Technologies from different industries are increasingly being combined to create new products and services. A fundamental challenge for the successful development of these interindustry innovations is to combine the previously unconnected technologies in an entirely new product architecture. The development of the required architectural knowledge is especially challenging in an interindustry setting. For instance, specialists from the different industries are likely to have different routines and no prior ties. Given these considerations, this paper explores the conditions for the successful organization of the development process of interindustry architectural innovations.

This study adopts a multiple case study design. Based on document analysis and semistructured interviews, three development projects were studied and compared. These projects involved the development of mobile communication applications for services that were already being provided by traditional means in other industry, that is, television, banking, and payment. To increase the likelihood of finding relevant theoretical insights, the three projects were selected based on their different organizational setups, that is, a contractual alliance of two large firms, an informal alliance of two large firms and one small firm, and an independent start‐up together with its suppliers.

The results show that development projects for interindustry architectural innovations are likely to benefit from an organizational form (1) that includes specialists from the relevant industries; (2) that facilitates intense coordination integration between these specialists; and (3) that facilitates timely decision making and conflict resolution. Interestingly, these organizational dimensions influence project performance jointly rather than individually. Hence, these results lay the ground for the development of a configurational theory. This is a clear contribution to the new product development literature because configurational theories in this field of research are underdeveloped.

Configurational theories offer valuable insights for managers who have to make multiple decisions simultaneously rather than in isolation. In particular, this study shows how multiple organizational dimensions can be aligned to produce a synergistic effect, while taking into account the specific characteristics and challenges of interindustry architectural innovations. In particular, this study proposes intense collaborations between specialists from the different industries in which one of these specialists takes the lead. Of course, specialists should be responsible for their areas of expertise, but architectural decisions should be made by consensus and—whenever needed to speed up the process—by fiat. At the same time, the findings suggest that going it alone by start‐ups as well as fifty–fifty collaborations between incumbents do not work well for this type of innovation.
The Role of Organizational Emotional Memory on Declarative and Procedural Memory and Firm Innovativeness
Authors: Akgün Ali E. , Keskin Halit , Byrne John
Published: March 2012

As a fascinating concept, organizational memory attracts many researchers from a variety of disciplines. Of particular interest are the components of organizational memory, which include declarative memory (i.e., memory for facts, events, or propositions including know‐what, know‐why, or know‐when) and procedural memory (i.e., memory for how things are done or can be done, routines, or procedures). Given the importance of (1) declarative memory that allows people to analyze new problems, generate new interpretations of current information, and use that information in a variety of applications, and (2) procedural memory for guiding and influencing actions of individuals, and facilitating automatic behaviors and skills to speed up task executions in the organizations, it is clear why researchers indicate that these memory contents are critical for innovativeness in the firm. On the other hand, remarkably, there is sparse research in the literature on the emotional aspect of organizational memory (emotional memory) and its effect on firm innovativeness. Emotional memory in general is the storage of past emotional experiences or events in organizations. In this study, we operationalized an organization's emotional memory as a multidimensional construct involving past emotional experience level, dispersion, and storage in organizations. We also identified the past emotional experience vividness or clearance as a moderator factor determining the availability of the emotional memory in organizational memory. By studying 103 firms, and using the partial least squares method, we found that (1) emotional experience storage influences organizational declarative and procedural memory; (2) emotional experience dispersion impacts organizational procedural memory; and (3) emotional experience level affects the organizational declarative and procedural memory to the extent that emotional experience vividness or clearance increases. We also found that emotional experience dispersion has a direct influence on firm innovativeness. Finally, we demonstrated that organizational declarative memory partially mediates the relationship between organizational emotional memory and firm innovativeness, such that emotional experience storage influences innovativeness in the firm via organizational declarative memory. This study concludes with several theoretical and managerial implications.
A Coalitional Perspective on the Role of the R&D Department within the Organization
Authors: Engelen Andreas , Brettel Malte
Published: March 2012

The extant literature has analyzed how various organizational and managerial issues (e.g., cross‐functional integration and certain leadership styles) are related to the innovativeness of the organization and new product development. However, political processes in the form of influence and power structures between subunits and their impact on organizational innovativeness have not been researched. The present paper theoretically develops and empirically validates by means of survey data from 243 organizations, a model of the antecedents and performance outcomes of influential R&D departments as the major proponent of innovations and new product developments within an organization. There are three major findings: First, an R&D department can increase its influence within the organization by fostering its degree of innovativeness and its customer connection, but its integration with other departments negatively impacts its position. Second, influential R&D departments positively impact organizational performance through organizational innovativeness, particularly in cost‐leadership organizations; this finding emphasizes the relevance of influence and power structures to research on organizational issues in this research stream. Third, the findings show some reciprocal relationships: While some influence tactics increase the influence of the R&D department, an influential R&D department makes increased use of these influence tactics to maintain its position.
Integrating the Content and Process of Strategic MIS Planning with Competitive Strategy*
Authors: Das Sidhartha R. , Zahra Shaker A. , Warkentin Merrill E.
Published: March 2012

This paper presents a framework that links strategic MIS planning and business strategy and relates it to competitive advantage and company performance. To achieve this objective, the paper first delineates the dimensions of strategic MIS planning, focusing on both content and process issues. The notion of fit within dimensions, between sets of dimensions (process and content), and between MIS planning and competitive strategy is also introduced. Next, employing the Miles‐Snow typology of business strategy, the paper posits normative differences in the dimensions of strategic MIS planning along different business (or competitive) strategies. The implications of our study for both decision makers and scholars are discussed. Propositions that tie competitive strategy, strategic MIS planning, and company financial performance are then presented. The paper concludes by providing direction for future research.
Equivalent Alternate Solutions for the Tour Scheduling Problem*
Authors: Easton Fred F. , Rossin Donald F.
Published: March 2012

Achieving minimum staffing costs, maximum employee satisfaction with their assigned schedules, and acceptable levels of service are important but potentially conflicting objectives when scheduling service employees. Existing employee scheduling models, such as tour scheduling or general employee scheduling, address at most two of these criteria.

This paper describes a heuristic to improve tour scheduling solutions provided by other procedures, and generate a set of equivalent cost feasible alternatives. These alternatives allow managers to identify solutions with attractive secondary characteristics, such as overall employee satisfaction with their assigned tours or consistent employee workloads and customer response times.

Tests with both full‐time and mixed work force problems reveal the method improves most nonoptimal initial heuristic solutions. Many of the alternatives generated had more even distributions of surplus staff than the initial solutions, yielding more consistent customer response times and employee workloads. The likelihood of satisfying employee scheduling preferences may also be increased since each alternative provides a different deployment of employees among the available schedules.
An Efficient Optimal Solution Algorithm for the Classification Problem
Authors: Banks William J. , Abad Prakash L.
Published: March 2012

A new LP‐based algorithm is developed to determine the optimal solution to the two‐group classification problem. The procedure is efficient when compared to current research in a simulation study.
An Empirical Comparison of Direct Questioning, Scenario, and Randomized Response Methods for Obtaining Sensitive Business Information*
Authors: Armacost Robert L. , Hosseini Jamshid C. , Morris Sara A. , Rehbein Kathleen A.
Published: March 2012

Certain business practices include legal but ethically questionable activities. Surveys intended to determine the nature and extent of such activities must employ questioning methods which mitigate the inherent threat of sensitive questions and account for social desirability effects. This study uses a national mail survey of chief executive officers (CEOs) of manufacturing firms to compare the performance of direct questioning, scenario, and randomized response methods for estimating the prevalence of several sensitive business practices. The direct questioning and scenario versions used self‐reporting (individual‐based) questions, as well as the CEO's perceptions of the extent to which others engage in questionable activities (other‐based). In general, the estimates of the prevalence of selected questionable activities were lowest when the individual‐based direct questioning was used and highest when other‐based (either direct questioning or scenario) methods were used. The individual‐ based scenario and randomized response estimates represented intermediate estimates. Suggested guidelines for using the three methods for eliciting sensitive information are discussed.
The Selection of Computer‐Aided Software Engineering Tools: A Multi‐Criteria Decision Making Approach
Authors: Subramanian Girish H. , Gershon Mark
Published: March 2012

The selection of the appropriate computer‐aided software engineering (CASE) tools to suit the needs of an organization requires the systematic application of the multi‐criteria decision methodology (MCDM). In order to make a case for the use of MCDM, the application of the ELECTRE I method to the selection of CASE tools from a possible set of six alternatives is demonstrated. The demonstration helps in gaining a grasp of the MCDM approach and the ELECTRE I method. There is potential for the application of the MCDM approach in other software engineering decisions, especially in the feasibility analysis of the systems life cycle.
A Computational Study of Replicated Clustering with an Application to Market Segmentation*
Authors: Helsen Kristiaan , Green Paul E.
Published: March 2012

In most commercial applications of k‐means clustering, researchers choose one set of kseed points to start the partitioning process; often, the initial set of seeds is chosen randomly. Using Monte Carlo simulation, we show that significant benefits are associated with replicated starting configurations that incorporate seed selection procedures based on a hierarchical clustering of sample points drawn from the original data matrix. A real‐world application of the approach is then presented.
Economic Inventory/Transport Lot, Sizing with Quantity and Freight Rate Discounts
Authors: Tersine Richard J. , Barman Samir
Published: March 2012

Discounts are a primary marketing mechanism for inducing customers to increase the size of their purchases. Quantity discounts from suppliers and freight discounts from shippers are commonly encountered by organizations. This paper structures quantity and freight discounts into the order size decision in a deterministic economic order quantity system. Optimum lot‐sizing algorithms are derived for the dual discount situations of all‐units or incremental quantity discounts and all‐weight or incremental freight discounts.
A Note on the Effect of Sudden Obsolescence on the Optimal Lot Size
Authors: Masters James M.
Published: March 2012

In most management situations, the decision to hold inventory involves some element of obsolescence risk The traditional approach to this problem, in both theory and practice, is to incorporate obsolescence costs in the inventory holding cost. This note explores this issue and demonstrates that the traditional approach is appropriate for items subject to sudden obsolescence; that is, for items with demand lifetimes that are exponentially distributed.
An Inventory Model with Planned Shortages and Price Dependent Demand
Authors: Burwell Timothy H. , Dave Dinesh S. , Fitzpatrick Kathy E. , Roy Melvin R.
Published: March 2012

Previous research has yielded a procedure for a retailer to determine the optimal lot size and selling price when a supplier offers all‐unit quantity discounts and demand is a decreasing function of price. In this paper, we extend that research by allowing for shortages. An algorithm is presented that determines the optimal lot size, order level, and selling price for a class of demand functions, including the constant price‐elasticity and linear demand functions.
Detection of Wall Motion Abnormalities during Ambulatory Echocardiography Using a Novel Ultrasound Transducer
Authors: Chandraratna Premindra Anthony N. , Mohar Dilbahar S. , Sidarous Peter F. , Paila Kalavati
Published: March 2012

Background: This investigation was designed to determine whether transient wall motion abnormalities due to myocardial ischemia induced by walking could be detected by ambulatory echocardiography. Methods: Two groups were studied. Group 1 consisted of 10 males (mean age 34 years) who had no symptoms of angina. Group 2 consisted of eight selected patients (mean 61 years) with angina and angiographic evidence of coronary artery disease. The 2.5 MHz transducer is spherical in its distal part and mounted in an external housing to permit steering in 360°. The external housing was attached to the chest wall using an adhesive patch. The transducer was placed in the 3rd or 4th intercostal space at the left sternal border to permit imaging of the left ventricle (LV) in its short axis and attached to the chest wall. The transducer was interfaced with an Acuson Cypress echocardiography system which was placed on a mobile cart. To permit portability, the echocardiography system was powered by a capacitor (UPS device). The subjects were asked to walk along the corridor as fast as possible for 10 minutes or until the onset of symptoms while pushing the cart. The short axis of the LV was displayed on a monitor and recorded on optical disks. Results: The heart rate, systolic blood pressure (SBP), and double product of Group 1 at rest were 77 ± 3 beats/min, 119 ± 13 mmHg, and 9,150 ± 868, respectively, and increased to 106 ± 8 beats/min, 129 ± 15 mmHg, and 1,3793 ± 2,176 with walking. The baseline heart rate, SBP, and double product were 71 ± 12 beats/min, 130 ± 14 mmHg, and 8,555 ± 1,928 in Group 2 and increased to 94 ± 14 beats/min, 135 ± 20 mmHg, and 12,480 ± 3,830 with walking. All patients in Group 1 had normal wall motion at rest and during walking. Patients in Group 2 had normal wall motion during rest and new wall motion abnormalities were noted in all subjects during walking (anterior septum and/or anterolateral wall in seven, posterolateral wall in one). The wall motion abnormalities resolved shortly after discontinuation of walking. Conclusion: Ambulatory echocardiography permitted the detection of transient wall motion abnormalities in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). This technique could be potentially useful in evaluating selected patients for myocardial ischemia. (Echocardiography 2012;29:509‐512)
Novel Synthesis and Characterization of High Quality Silicon Carbide Coatings on Carbon Fibers
Authors: Xie Wei , Mirza Zakaria , Möbus Guenter , Zhang Shaowei
Published: March 2012

Carbon fibers were coated with silicon carbide (SiC) by partially reacting with silicon (Si) powders in a NaCl‐based salt for 4 h at 1200°C–1250°C in Ar, and characterized by using X‐ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and energy dispersive X‐ray (EDX) analysis. At 1200°C, almost no SiC was formed, whereas at 1250°C Si completely reacted to form SiC coatings on carbon fibers. The molten salt medium is believed to facilitate the dissolution and diffusion of Si and thus the SiC coating formation. The SiC coating thickness could be readily tailored by simply adjusting the Si/C ratio. To illustrate this, two different Si/C weight ratios (1/10 and 1/5) were used, respectively, to prepare a “thick” (300–350 nm) coating and a “thin” (~130 nm) coating. Both coatings were found to be continuous, homogeneous, and crack free.
Influence of Ammonia on Properties of Nanocrystalline Barium Titanate Particles Prepared by a Hydrothermal Method
Authors: Moon San , Lee Hyun‐Wook , Choi Chang‐Hak , Kim Do Kyung
Published: March 2012

The influence of ammonia on BaTiO3 particles prepared via hydrothermal synthesis is discussed. Two kinds of Ti‐precursors, amorphous (with ammonia) and anatase (without ammonia), are synthesized by a hydrolysis reaction using Ti‐butoxide as the starting material. Amorphous Ti‐precursors are found to be excellent for this purpose and offer several advantages over anatase. Superior tetragonal properties of BaTiO3 powders with more uniform particle sizes can be achieved at 200°C after 24 h using amorphous Ti‐precursors. X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy was carried out on both types of Ti‐precursor, and a decrease in H2O adsorption on the amorphous Ti‐precursors is confirmed. It is considered that the reduction in H2O adsorption on the Ti‐precursors results from the shielding effects of ammonia and is attributed to a decreased formation of intragranular pores in the BaTiO3 particles. These suggested mechanisms are clarified by the results of in situ transmission electron microscopy observations and density measurements of the hydrothermally synthesized BaTiO3.
Protein Analysis Meets Visual Word Recognition: A Case for String Kernels in the Brain
Authors: Hannagan Thomas , Grainger Jonathan
Published: March 2012

It has been recently argued that some machine learning techniques known as Kernel methods could be relevant for capturing cognitive and neural mechanisms (Jäkel, Schölkopf, & Wichmann, 2009). We point out that ‘‘String kernels,’’ initially designed for protein function prediction and spam detection, are virtually identical to one contending proposal for how the brain encodes orthographic information during reading. We suggest some reasons for this connection and we derive new ideas for visual word recognition that are successfully put to the test. We argue that the versatility and performance of String kernels makes a compelling case for their implementation in the brain.
Genetic variation in field and laboratory populations of the spined soldier bug, Podisus maculiventris
Authors: Kneeland Kathleen , Coudron Thomas A. , Lindroth Erica , Stanley David , Foster John E.
Published: March 2012

The predatory spined soldier bug, Podisus maculiventris (Say) (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae), is an economically important and highly valued biological control agent. There is substantial information on the biology, ecology, behavior, and rearing of this stink bug. However, virtually nothing is known of its genetic variation, in natural or domesticated populations. To address this lacuna, we used amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) to assess the genetic variability of field and laboratory populations. Four AFLP universal primer combinations yielded a total of 209 usable loci. The AFLP results showed greater genetic variability between populations from Missouri and Mississippi (both USA), and relatively low variability within Missouri populations. We infer little genetic isolation among Missouri field populations and within laboratory populations, but a significant genetic isolation between Missouri and Mississippi populations.
Two enzymes responsible for the formation of herbivore‐induced volatiles of maize, the methyltransferase AAMT1 and the terpene synthase TPS23, are regulated by a similar signal transduction pathway
Authors: Lenk Claudia , Köllner Tobias G. , Erb Matthias , Degenhardt Jörg
Published: March 2012

Herbivore‐induced volatiles play an important role in the indirect defense of plants. After herbivore damage, volatiles are released from the plant and can attract herbivore enemies that protect the plant from additional damage. The herbivore‐induced volatile blend is complex and usually consists of mono‐ and sesquiterpenes, aromatic compounds, and indole. Although these classes of compounds are generally produced at different times after herbivore damage, the release of the terpene (E)‐β‐caryophyllene and the aromatic ester methyl anthranilate appear to be tightly coordinated. We have studied the herbivore induction patterns of two terpene synthases from Zea mays L. (Poaceae), TPS23 and TPS10, as well as S‐adenosyl‐L‐methionine:anthranilic acid carboxyl methyltransferases (AAMT1), which are critical for the production of terpenes and anthranilate compounds, respectively. The transcript levels of tps23 and aamt1 displayed the same kinetics after damage by the larvae of Spodoptera littoralis (Boisduval) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), and showed the same organ‐specific and haplotype‐specific expression patterns. Despite its close functional relation to TPS23, the terpene synthase TPS10 is not expressed in roots and does not display the haplotype‐specific expression pattern. The results indicate that the same JA‐mediated signaling cascade maycontrol the production of both the terpene (E)‐β‐caryophyllene and aromatic ester methyl anthranilate.
State‐of‐the‐art of visualization in post‐mortem imaging
Authors: LUNDSTRÖM CLAES , PERSSON ANDERS , ROSS STEFFEN , LJUNG PATRIC , LINDHOLM STEFAN , GYLLENSVÄRD FRIDA , YNNERMAN ANDERS
Published: March 2012

Lundström C, Persson A, Ross S, Ljung P, Lindholm S, Gyllensvärd F, Ynnerman A. State‐of‐the‐art of visualization in post‐mortem imaging. APMIS 2012; 120: 316–26.

Autopsies constitute a valuable feedback to the healthcare chain to achieve improvements in quality of care and cost effectiveness. This review describes post‐mortem imaging, which has emerged as an important part of the pathology toolbox. A broad range of visualization aspects within post‐mortem imaging are covered. General state‐of‐the‐art overviews of the components in the visualization pipeline are complemented by in‐depth descriptions of methods developed by the authors and our collaborators. The forensic field is represented and related to, as it is spearheading much development in post‐mortem imaging. Other topics are workflow, imaging data acquisition, and visualization rendering technology. All in all, this review shows the mature state of visual analysis for a non‐ or minimal‐invasive investigation of the deceased patient.