bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Some Practical Considerations Regarding Horizontal Resolution in the First Generation of Operational Convection-Allowing NWP
Authors: Kain John S. , Weiss Steven J. , Bright David R. , Baldwin Michael E. , Levit Jason J. , Carbin Gregory W. , Schwartz Craig S. , Weisman Morris L. , Droegemeier Kelvin K. , Weber Daniel B. , Thomas Kevin W.
Published: October 2008

During the 2005 NOAA Hazardous Weather Testbed Spring Experiment two different high-resolution configurations of the Weather Research and Forecasting-Advanced Research WRF (WRF-ARW) model were used to produce 30-h forecasts 5 days a week for a total of 7 weeks. These configurations used the same physical parameterizations and the same input dataset for the initial and boundary conditions, differing primarily in their spatial resolution. The first set of runs used 4-km horizontal grid spacing with 35 vertical levels while the second used 2-km grid spacing and 51 vertical levels.

Output from these daily forecasts is analyzed to assess the numerical forecast sensitivity to spatial resolution in the upper end of the convection-allowing range of grid spacing. The focus is on the central United States and the time period 18–30 h after model initialization. The analysis is based on a combination of visual comparison, systematic subjective verification conducted during the Spring Experiment, and objective metrics based largely on the mean diurnal cycle of the simulated reflectivity and precipitation fields. Additional insight is gained by examining the size distributions of the individual reflectivity and precipitation entities, and by comparing forecasts of mesocyclone occurrence in the two sets of forecasts.

In general, the 2-km forecasts provide more detailed presentations of convective activity, but there appears to be little, if any, forecast skill on the scales where the added details emerge. On the scales where both model configurations show higher levels of skill—the scale of mesoscale convective features—the numerical forecasts appear to provide comparable utility as guidance for severe weather forecasters. These results suggest that, for the geographical, phenomenological, and temporal parameters of this study, any added value provided by decreasing the grid increment from 4 to 2 km (with commensurate adjustments to the vertical resolution) may not be worth the considerable increases in computational expense.
Educational Homogamy Among Married and Unmarried Couples in Europe
Authors: Hamplova Dana
Published: October 2008

In this article, educational homogamy among married and cohabiting couples in selected European countries is examined. Using data from two waves (2002 and 2004) of the European Social Survey, this article compares three cultural and institutional contexts that differ in terms of institutionalization of cohabitation. Evidence from log-linear models yields two main conclusions. First, as cohabitation becomes more common in society, marriage and cohabitation become more similar with respect to partner selection. Second, where married and unmarried unions differ in terms of educational homogamy, married couples have higher odds of overcoming educational barriers (i.e., intermarrying with other educational groups).
Double Standards in Sentence Structure
Authors: Frazer Alexandra K. , Miller Michelle D.
Published: October 2008

Previous research has shown that passive voice predominates in mass media reports describing male violence against women. However, there has been little systematic study of narratives describing female violence against men. The authors analyzed the impact of perpetrator gender on verb voice, first in a content analysis of published news stories and second in a new procedure for eliciting written narratives with male or female perpetrators. Results reveal an increased frequency of passive voice when perpetrators are male. These findings suggest that writers specifically prefer the passive voice to describe male-on-female violence rather than for violent or negative acts in general.
Drug Use and Criminal Activity Among Rural Probationers With DUI Histories
Authors: Webster J. Matthew , Oser Carrie B. , Mateyoke-Scrivner Allison , Cline Virginia Depp , Havens Jennifer R. , Leukefeld Carl G.
Published: October 2008

The present study examined whether ever being arrested for driving under the influence (DUI) was associated with higher levels of substance use and criminal activity in a sample of 800 probationers. Lifetime and 30-day histories of substance use and criminal activity were compared across three groups of probationers from rural Kentucky: those with a single DUI arrest, those with two or more DUI arrests, and those with no DUI arrests. A larger percentage of probationers with a DUI arrest reported lifetime and 30-day substance use than non-DUI offenders in almost all drug and alcohol categories. Higher prevalence of criminal activity was limited primarily to the multiple DUI arrest group. Findings add to the literature on rural substance abusers and indicate that DUI may be used as a marker to help identify opportunities for targeted substance abuse interventions.
Globalization? No Question! Foreign Direct Investment and Labor Commanded
Authors: De Angelis Massimo , Harvie David
Published: October 2008

Skeptics of the globalization thesis argue that most Third World countries are “virtually written off the map” (Hirst and Thompson 1999) in terms of foreign direct investment and trade. The authors reexamine the empirical evidence on international investment, drawing on the concept of labor commanded. Recalculating foreign direct investment flows in terms of labor-commanded hours instead of U.S. dollars, the authors find developing countries to be highly integrated into the global economy.
The Notion of Power and the “Metaphysics” of Labor Values
Authors: Özel Hüseyin
Published: October 2008

A labor theory of value is necessary in Marx for two reasons: from an ontological point of view, a theory of value reveals how human transformative power (power1) becomes power as domination and exploitation (power2). From an epistemological point of view, a theory of value is capable of unlocking the mystery of the alienation and fetishism processes through which human beings are reduced to the bearers of abstract labor, thus of helping us to invert the upside-down reality of capitalism.
New Therapies for Osteoporosis
Authors: Hegge Karly A. , Fornoff Anisa S. , Gutierres Sheryl L. , Haack Sally L.
Published: October 2008

Osteoporosis is a growing health concern in the United States, with an enormous impact on morbidity and mortality. Despite published guidelines to aid clinicians in its management, several controversies remain. Many trials evaluate surrogate measures of bone strength rather than more clinically relevant outcomes, including fracture. Furthermore, the role of combination and sequential therapy remains unclear. Limited data are available regarding appropriate duration of therapy, management of osteoporosis in men, and treatment of glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis. The development of unique therapeutic agents could potentially revolutionize the treatment of osteoporosis. Once yearly zoledronic acid may provide advantages over existing therapies. Because of limitations with existing selective estrogen receptor modulators, the search for agents with better efficacy and safety profiles has led to the development of several new medications within this class. Finally, denosumab, a monoclonal antibody to receptor activator for nuclear factor-kappa B ligand, also represents a novel therapeutic option for osteoporosis.
Determinants of Nonprofit Board Size and Composition
Authors: de Andrés-Alonso Pablo , Azofra-Palenzuela Valentín , Romero-Merino M. Elena
Published: October 2008

Recently, many empirical studies have examined the determinants of corporate boards of directors. Using an agency theory framework, the authors explain how nonprofit boards are structured. Although nonprofits cannot disburse profits to their contributors, the role played by their boards of trustees in monitoring and advising managers is analogous to that of corporate boards of directors. Using a sample of Spanish foundations, the authors show that nonprofit board determinants, such as organizational complexity and financing structure, are similar in many ways to those of corporate boards. However, nonprofit age illustrates the different natures of these organizations and their voluntary boards.
Ethnicity, Acculturation, and Volunteering to Organizations
Authors: Sundeen Richard A. , Garcia Cristina , Raskoff Sally A.
Published: October 2008

This article reports the findings of a study of volunteering to organizations among native-born and immigrant African Americans, Asians, Hispanics, and Whites in the United States. The authors focus on the questions, do ethnic groups differ in their likelihood of volunteering, and are these differences a function of acculturation? The conceptual framework to explain formal volunteering includes acculturation, personal and social capital, gender, and age. Using logistic regression analysis, the authors find that acculturation explains formal volunteering only partially and differently among the groups and that each native-born and immigrant group has its own unique combination of predictors of volunteering.
Religious Capital and Intergenerational Transmission of Volunteering as Correlates of Civic Engagement
Authors: Caputo Richard K.
Published: October 2008

Using a subsample of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY97), this study ( N = 2,471) provides evidence in support of social capital and socialization theories. Intergenerational transmission of civic engagement activities was found to occur through mechanisms such as parental religiosity and voluntarism. Using multinomial logistic regression analysis, correlates of four types of civic engagement were examined: mixed motivation voluntarism (voluntary participation in activist and nonactivist activities, n = 401), exclusively activist ( n = 109), exclusive voluntarism ( n = 652), and as the referent non—civic minded (no voluntary participation in either activist or nonactivist activities, n = 1,309). Parental voluntarism, socialization, religious participation, education, and presence of children were found to be robust predictors of mixed motivation voluntarism; parental devotion, presence of children, and race/ethnicity, of exclusive activism; and parental religious affiliation and fundamentalism, socialization, and religious participation, self-perceived sense of trustfulness, presence of children, and race/ethnicity of exclusive voluntarism.
The Collaboration Decision in Nonprofit Organizations
Authors: Sowa Jessica E.
Published: October 2008

To understand the impact of collaborative service delivery by nonprofit organizations, scholars must fully understand why those nonprofits enter into service delivery collaborations and what motivates them to collaborate with another organization to deliver their services. Drawing on managers’ retrospective accounts concerning the creation of interagency collaborations and applying multiple theoretical perspectives, this article explores what managers directly involved in collaborations perceive to be the rewards or benefits of those collaborations. This research demonstrates the multiple forces driving the formation of interagency collaborations, in particular the desire to secure benefits attached to service delivery and to secure benefits for the organization as a whole. Understanding why nonprofit managers enter into interagency service delivery collaborations will allow for scholars to better determine the full impact of those collaborations on both services and the nonprofit organizations engaged in the collaborations.
How Do Religions Differ in Their Impact on Individuals’ Social Capital?
Authors: Hoi Ok Jeong
Published: October 2008

This article assesses the extent to which three religious communities in South Korea (Protestantism, Catholicism, and Buddhism) differ in their influence on individuals’ civic engagement and interpersonal trust—two components of social capital. Based on South Korea’s unique context, the author makes significant modifications to Anheier and Salamon’s ideas about religion. The author examines their four dimensions of the religions: an emphasis on charity and philanthropy, modularity, institutionalization, and autonomy. Regression analysis using data from the 1999-2002 World Values shows that Christianity increases individuals’ civic engagement, while Buddhism does not have an impact on civic engagement. With respect to trust, neither religious affiliation influences individuals’ interpersonal trust.
Evaluating the Centers for Disease Control’s Empirical Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Case Definition
Authors: Jason Leonard A. , Najar Natasha , Porter Nicole , Reh Christy
Published: October 2008

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently developed an empirical case definition that specifies criteria and instruments to diagnose chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) in order to bring more methodological rigor to the current CFS case definition. The present study investigated this new definition with 27 participants with a diagnosis of CFS and 37 participants with a diagnosis of a Major Depressive Disorder. Participants completed questionnaires measuring disability, fatigue, and symptoms. Findings indicated that 38% of those with a diagnosis of a Major Depressive Disorder were misclassified as having CFS using the new CDC definition. Given the CDC’s stature and respect in the scientific world, this new definition might be widely used by investigators and clinicians. This might result in the erroneous inclusion of people with primary psychiatric conditions in CFS samples, with detrimental consequences for the interpretation of epidemiologic, etiologic, and treatment efficacy findings for people with CFS.
Parent-Reported Medication Use in a Head Start Population
Authors: Brinkman Tara M. , Carlson John S.
Published: October 2008

This study investigates the prevalence of medication use within a Head Start population. Parent-reported data ( N = 1,397) from initial enrollment information indicated 6.8% of children were taking 34 different types of medication. More than two thirds (69%) of those on medication were prescribed more than one medication, and more than one third (37%) were taking three or more medications. The majority of children were reported to be taking medications that were asthma (88%) or allergy (17%) related. Psychotropic medications accounted for 4% of the medications, indicating a prevalence of less than 0.3%. African American and Hispanic children were overrepresented in those taking medicines. School nurses can work with parents and caregivers of Head Start children by raising awareness of (1) the benefits and side effects of medications commonly taken within this population, (2) the significant role that asthma medications play in low-income areas, and (3) the issues and challenges associated with polypharmacy practices.
Ethics and the HPV Vaccine: Considerations for School Nurses
Authors: Bennett Mary P.
Published: October 2008

School nurses are at the forefront of health care providers for many families of junior high and high school students and are used as primary sources of information and guidance about recommended student vaccinations. In the case of the relatively new vaccine for human papillomavirus (HPV), school nurses must be both knowledgeable about the infection itself and unbiased when asked to give students and families information about the vaccine. This article explores the development and current status of HPV and the HPV vaccine and the ethical principles of autonomy, utilitarianism, beneficence, nonmaleficence, justice, and cultural and religious issues as they relate to discussions with students and families about HPV vaccinations. School nurses are advocates for the health of students. Therefore, they must critically evaluate the application of these ethical principles when providing information and recommendations about the HPV vaccination.
Transition to Puberty as Experienced by 12-Year-Old Swedish Girls
Authors: Rembeck Gun I. , Hermansson Evelyn
Published: October 2008

The purpose of this study was to describe 12-year-old girls’ experiences of entering puberty. A qualitative approach was used to gather data from focus group interviews, and content analysis was used to identify common themes from the responses of 18 girls. Findings revealed four main themes: (a) growing up—awareness, bodily changes, longing; (b) mother—a close and important relationship; (c) menarche—a personal and important occurrence; and (d) sex and relationships. Girls sought understanding for their feelings and thoughts during this transition period. Mothers were important to be close at hand and provide understanding. When entering menarche, the girls felt a greater need for integrity. They strongly experienced their sexuality physically and had many questions about sex and their physical changes. They longed to discuss these issues and learn more about sex but stated adults had failed them in this regard because the adults believed the girls were too young for this information. School nurses have opportunities to meet the needs of girls during the transition to puberty.
School Nurse Communication Effectiveness With Physicians and Satisfaction With School Health Services
Authors: Volkman Julie E. , Hillemeier Marianne M.
Published: October 2008

This study examined school nurses’ communication with community physicians and its relationship to school nurse satisfaction with school health services. A stratified random sample of school nurses in Pennsylvania ( N = 615) were surveyed about communication effectiveness with community physicians, satisfaction with school health services for students, perception of leadership, and students’ health care needs. Additional information from national/state education data on student poverty, nurse-to-student ratio, and rural/urban location was included. Findings indicate that having a leadership role in influencing school health policy is related to school nurses’ communication with community physicians and satisfaction with school health services. Effective communication with physicians was found to be a salient issue influencing satisfaction with school health services, suggesting the importance of stressing communication as well as leadership skills in school nurse education.
Rheological Characteristics of Juniperus drupacea Fruit Juice (pekmez) Concentrated by Boiling
Authors: Akbulut M. , Çoklar H. , Özen G.
Published: October 2008

Rheological parameters of Juniperus drupacea fruit pekmez were evaluated using a rotational viscometer at 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 °C and at concentrations of 62.8, 68.9, 72.0, and 75.2% total soluble solids. The flow characteristics of Juniperus drupacea fruit pekmez were described by the power law and Herschel—Bulkley models. The Herschel—Bulkley model was found to be the best to describe the rheological property with the coefficient of determination higher than 0.993. Juniperus drupacea pekmez exhibited a time-independent shear thickening behavior. The effect of temperature on viscosity can be described by means of an Arrhenius equation. Depending on the soluble solid contents, the activation energies for flow of diluted samples vary from 78.23 to 60.38 kJ/mol. The effect of soluble solids on viscosity can be described by an exponential equation. Experimental data were fitted to several models in order to describe the effect of temperature and soluble solid content. The combined effect of temperature and soluble solid content on viscosity was also formulated.
Note. Morphological Changes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae during the Second Fermentation of Sparkling Wines
Authors: Gonzalez R. , Vian A. , Carrascosa A.V.
Published: October 2008

This study shows the morphological changes of Saccharomyces cerevisiae EC1118 during the second fermentation of Spanish cava wines, in relation with progression of fermentation and aging. In the first stages of active fermentation, and associated with the increase in viable counts, budding cells and a relative homogeneity in cell size were observed. Close to the moment of sugar exhaustion cells acquired the morphology of stationary phase, to finally enter in a death phase with cell size reduction, and cytoplasm alterations including inhomogeneity, refringency, and detachment of the cell wall. At the beginning of this step structures reminiscent to autophagosomes are observed. This is in accordance with the appearance of molecular markers of autophagy described elsewhere in similar winemaking conditions.
Clusters Versus FPGA for Parallel Processing of Hyperspectral Imagery
Authors: Plaza Antonio , Chang Chein-I
Published: October 2008

Hyperspectral imaging is a new technique in remote sensing that generates images with hundreds of spectral bands, at different wavelength channels, for the same area on the surface of the Earth. Although in recent years several efforts have been directed toward the incorporation of parallel and distributed computing in hyperspectral image analysis, there are no standardized architectures for this purpose in remote sensing missions. To address this issue, this paper develops two highly innovative implementations of a standard hyperspectral data processing chain utilized, among others, in commercial software tools such as Kodak's Research Systems ENVI software package (one of the most popular tools currently available for processing remotely sensed data). It should be noted that the full hyperspectral processing chain has never been implemented in parallel in the past. Analytical and experimental results are presented in the context of a real application, using hyperspectral data collected by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory over the World Trade Center area in New York City, shortly after the terrorist attacks of September 11th 2001. The parallel implementations are tested in two different platforms, including Thunderhead, a massively parallel Beowulf cluster at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, and a Xilinx Virtex-II field programmable gate array (FPGA) device. Combined, these platforms deliver an excellent snapshot of the state-of-the-art in those areas, and offer a thoughtful perspective on the potential and emerging challenges of incorporating parallel processing systems into realistic hyperspectral imaging problems.
Parallel Processing of Remotely Sensed Hyperspectral Images On Heterogeneous Networks of Workstations Using HeteroMPI
Authors: Valencia David , Lastovetsky Alexey , O'Flynn Maureen , Plaza Antonio , Plaza Javier
Published: October 2008

The development of efficient techniques for transforming massive volumes of remotely sensed hyperspectral data into scientific understanding is critical for space-based Earth science and planetary exploration. Although most available parallel processing strategies for information extraction and mining from hyperspectral imagery assume homogeneity in the underlying computing platform, heterogeneous networks of computers (HNOCs) have become a promising cost-effective solution, expected to play a major role in many on-going and planned remote sensing missions. In this paper, we develop a new morphological parallel algorithm for hyperspectral image classification using HeteroMPI, an extension of MPI for programming high-performance computations on HNOCs. The main idea of HeteroMPI is to automate and optimize the selection of a group of processes that executes a heterogeneous algorithm faster than any other possible group in a heterogeneous environment. In order to analyze the impact of many-to-one (gather) communication operations introduced by our proposed algorithm, we resort to a recently proposed collective communication model. The parallel algorithm is validated using two heterogeneous clusters at University College Dublin and a massively parallel Beowulf cluster at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.
GPU for Parallel On-Board Hyperspectral Image Processing
Authors: Setoain Javier , Prieto Manuel , Tenllado Christian , Tirado Francisco
Published: October 2008

Hyperspectral analysis algorithms exhibit inherent parallelism at multiple levels, and map nicely on high performance systems such as massively parallel clusters and networks of computers. Unfortunately, these systems are generally expensive and difficult to adapt to onboard data processing scenarios, in which low-weight and low-power integrated components are desirable to reduce mission pay-load. An exciting new development in this field is the emergence of programmable graphics hardware. Driven by the ever-growing demands of game industry, graphics processing units (GPUs) have evolved from expensive, application-specific units into highly parallel and programmable systems which can satisfy extremely high computational requirements at low cost. In this paper, we investigate GPU-based implementations of a morphological endmember extraction algorithm, which is used as a representative case study of joint spatial/spectral techniques for hyperspectral analysis. The proposed implementations are quantitatively compared and assessed in terms of both endmember extraction accuracy and parallel efficiency. Combined, these parts offer a thoughtful perspective on the potential and emerging challenges of implementing hyperspectral imaging algorithms on commodity graphics hardware.
On the Efficacy of Computation Offloading Decision-Making Strategies
Authors: Gurun Selim , Wolski Rich , Krintz Chandra , Nurmi Dan
Published: October 2008

We present a framework for making computation offloading decisions in computational grid settings in which schedulers determine when to move parts of a computation to more capable resources to improve performance. Such schedulers must predict when an offloaded computation will outperform one that is local by forecasting the local cost (execution time for computing locally) and remote cost (execution time for computing remotely and transmission time for the input/output of the computation to/from the remote system). Typically, this decision amounts to predicting the bandwidth between the local and remote systems to estimate these costs. Our framework unifies such decision models by formulating the problem as a statistical decision problem that can either be treated “classically” or using a Bayesian approach. Using an implementation of this framework, we evaluate the efficacy of a number of different decision strategies (several of which have been employed by previous systems). Our results indicate that a Bayesian approach employing automatic change-point detection when estimating the prior distribution is the best performing approach.
Return on Community for Consumers and Service Establishments
Authors: Rosenbaum Mark S.
Published: October 2008

This study introduces the concept of return on community (ROC) to the services marketing domain. The ROC represents the health outcomes to customers and financial outcomes to firms that materialize when customers receive social support from other customers in service establishments. By administering Barrera's Arizona Social Support Interview Schedule to teenagers who patronize a video arcade, to members of Gold's Gym, and to middle-aged women who exercise at Curves, the author shows that customers can obtain six types of social support from other customers: intimate interaction, social participation, physical assistance, feedback, guidance, and material aid. In terms of health benefits, intercustomer support provides customers with group cohesion and enhanced well-being. Service firms that host supportive customer networks benefit from customer satisfaction, positive intentional behaviors, and the ability to charge higher prices. By using the contingent valuation method, this article also reveals how customers value support from other customers and employees.
Is There a Halo Effect in Satisfaction Formation in Business-to-Business Services?
Authors: van Doorn Jenny
Published: October 2008

Despite the growing number of longitudinal investigations of customer satisfaction, the occurrence and type of dynamic effects within satisfaction formation has not been entirely clarified. This article explores these dynamic effects on both the level of attribute and overall service satisfaction and investigates whether the halo effect that has been identified in a business-to-consumer context also emerges in business relations. The results show that in our empirical example, within-level dynamic effects dominate, whereas halo effects are weak. In light of evidence regarding nonlinear effects in satisfaction formation, this study also investigates nonlinearities. The dynamic relations in our empirical example show a positive asymmetry, meaning that favorable satisfaction evaluations have a greater propensity to carry over to the next period than do less favorable ones. Therefore, customers in the long-term business relations of this study maintain a certain tolerance toward their service provider, which limits the diagnostic power of current satisfaction ratings to detect problems in the relationship.
Customer Integration—A Key to an Implementation Perspective of Service Provision
Authors: Moeller Sabine
Published: October 2008

A paradigm shift in marketing seems to be underway. Inspired by Vargo and Lusch's (2004a) proposal of service dominant logic, customer integration is proposed as a key component of marketing. Three stages of service provision are identified: facilities, transformation, and usage. The stages differ in terms of resource origin (company or customer), autonomy of decision-making (integrative or autonomous), and value (potential value, value-in-transformation, and value-in-use). These perspectives, which are synthesized in the study framework, shed light on the process of service provision and direct or indirect knowledge application (Vargo and Lusch 2004a). The author aims to show that in the context of the proposed framework, customer integration is vital to the implementation of service provision.
Absorptive Capacity: A Process Perspective
Authors: Easterby-Smith Mark , Graça Manuel , Antonacopoulou Elena , Ferdinand Jason
Published: October 2008

Absorptive capacity is regarded as an important factor in both corporate innovation and general competitive advantage. The concept was initially developed largely from reviews of the literature and has subsequently been extended by empirical studies, although some people suggest that progress since 1990 has been disappointing. This article argues that this limited development results from the dominance of quantitative studies which have failed to develop insights into the processes of absorptive capacity, and builds on recent qualitative studies which have successfully opened up new perspectives. Using case studies drawn from three different sectors, the article argues that a process perspective on absorptive capacity should include the role of power in the way knowledge is absorbed by organizations, and provide better understanding of the nature of boundaries within and around organizations.
International Learning Groups: Synergies and Dysfunctions
Authors: Gabriel Yiannis , Griffiths Dorothy S.
Published: October 2008

Based on intensive fieldwork of a single cohort of MBA students at a high-profile university, this article examines how international groups of students work together in learning groups. In particular, the article identifies some of the factors that account for why some groups generate synergies for students, whereas others lapse into dysfunctional group relations. The importance of language difficulties, leadership, free-riders and the presence of `difficult individuals' are assessed. The authors conclude that the ability of learning groups in transcending cultural and other difficulties depends crucially on their ability to enable all their members to discover a voice that is both heard and respected within the group. When groups fail in this respect, intense voice anxieties lead to the questioning of the legitimacy of the educational programme as a whole, the participants, the knowledge being generated and even the institution.
Measuring the Impact of Knowledge Loss: More Than Ripples on a Pond?
Authors: Massingham Peter
Published: October 2008

The impact of knowledge loss on an organization is a largely unexplored area of strategic management. This article reports the findings from an in-depth case study of an organization within the Australian Department of Defence, which suggest that lost human capital may produce decreased organizational output and productivity; lost social capital may reduce organizational memory; lost structural capital may diminish organizational learning; and lost relational capital may produce disrupted external knowledge flows. The study contributes a conceptual framework that measures the impact of knowledge loss on surviving employees.
The Influence of the Work Environment on Entrepreneurial Learning of Small-business Owners
Authors: Lans Thomas , Biemans Harm , Verstegen Jos , Mulder Martin
Published: October 2008

Despite the widely acknowledged importance of entrepreneurial learning, research specifically addressing the question of what fosters this process is still in poor supply. In the present study, entrepreneurial learning was conceptualised as a distinct type of workplace learning, emphasising the role of the work environment in performing entrepreneurial tasks by owner/managers. A qualitative study was conducted among a specific sample of 25 small-business owners in an innovative, successful sector in the Netherlands: greenhouse horticulture. In-depth semi-structured interviews were held focussing on critical incidents as they arose around a pursued business opportunity. Four factors were identified as being crucial in the entrepreneurial learning process, namely: support and guidance, external interaction, internal communication, and task characteristics. Furthermore, the results showed that different types of business opportunities presented different dynamics for entrepreneurial learning. Finally, the results suggested a two-layered interaction between learner and work environment. Entrepreneurial learning is influenced by the work environment, which is in turn shaped and defined by the entrepreneur.
A Theoretical Approach to the Organizational Knowledge Formation Process: Integrating the Concepts of Individual Learning and Learning Organization Culture
Authors: Ji Hoon Song  , Chermack Thomas J.
Published: October 2008

The purpose of this article is to examine the link between individual learning processes and continuous organizational knowledge formation through an integrated literature review of these perspectives from both academic and practical viewpoints. In the current fierce economic environment, individual knowledge is regarded as the most valuable asset for competitive advantage. However, only when individual knowledge is accumulated and embedded into organizational culture as organizational knowledge can it be considered the critical factor for the promotion of performance improvement. In this research, two process-oriented factors—individual learning processes and organizational knowledge creation—were reviewed by means of theoretical and integrative analysis based on a lack of empirical research on the association between these two key factors and organizational performance improvement. The results of this research propose an integrated conceptual map for effective organizational performance improvement through organizational knowledge formation based on individual learning and organizational knowledge creation processes.
Ligand-engaged urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor and activation of the CD11b/CD18 integrin inhibit late events of HIV expression in monocytic cells
Authors: Alfano Massimo , Mariani Samanta A. , Elia Chiara , Pardi Ruggero , Blasi Francesco , Poli Guido
Published: October 2008

Urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) signaling via its receptor uPAR inhibits late events in HIV-1 replication in acutely infected primary monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMs) and promonocytic U937 cells. Here we show that U937-derived, chronically infected U1 cells stimulated with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) express integrins, uPA, and soluble uPAR at levels similar to those of MDMs. uPA inhibited HIV expression in U1 cells incubated with either PMA or tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), but not with other HIV-inductive cytokines or lipopolysaccharide. Of interest, only PMA and TNF-α, but not other HIV-inductive stimuli, induced surface expression of the αM chain CD11b in U1 cells constitutively expressing CD18, the β2 chain of the Mac-1 integrin. Like uPA, fibrinogen, a Mac-1 (CD11b/CD18) ligand, and M25, a peptide homologous to a portion of the β-propeller region of CD11b preventing its association with uPAR, inhibited HIV virion release in PMA-stimulated U1 cells. Both uPAR small-interference RNA (siRNA) and soluble anti-β1/-β2 monoclonal antibodies abolished the anti-HIV effects of uPA, whereas CD11b siRNA reversed the anti-HIV effect of M25, but not that induced by uPA. Thus, either uPA/uPAR interaction, Mac-1 activation, or prevention of its association with uPAR triggers a signaling pathway leading to the inefficient release of HIV from monocytic cells.
CD49d provides access to “untouched” human Foxp3+ Treg free of contaminating effector cells
Authors: Kleinewietfeld Markus , Starke Mireille , Di Mitri Diletta , Borsellino Giovanna , Battistini Luca , Rötzschke Olaf , Falk Kirsten
Published: October 2008

The adoptive transfer of regulatory Foxp3+ T (Treg) cells has been shown in various animal models to prevent inflammatory immune and autoimmune diseases. Translation into therapeutic applications, however, is hindered by the lack of suitable techniques and markers. CD25, commonly used to isolate Treg cells from mice, has only limited value in humans as it is also present on proinflammatory CD4+ effector cells. Here we show that clean populations of human Foxp3+ Treg cells can be obtained with antibodies directed against CD49d. The marker is present on proinflammatory peripheral blood mononuclear cells but is absent on immune-suppressive Treg cells. Depletion with α-CD49d removes contaminating interferon-γ (IFN-γ)– and interleukin-17 (IL-17)–secreting cells from Treg preparations of CD4+CD25high cells. More importantly, in combination with α-CD127 it allows the isolation of “untouched” Foxp3+ Treg (ie, cells that have not been targeted by an antibody during purification). The removal of CD49d+/CD127+ cells leaves a population of Foxp3+ Treg virtually free of contaminating CD25+ effector cells. The cells can be expanded in vitro and are effective suppressors both in vitro and in vivo. Thus, CD49d provides access to highly pure populations of untouched Foxp3+ Treg cells conferring maximal safety for future clinical applications.
Properties and structure-function relationships of veltuzumab (hA20), a humanized anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody
Authors: Goldenberg David M. , Rossi Edmund A. , Stein Rhona , Cardillo Thomas M. , Czuczman Myron S. , Hernandez-Ilizaliturri Francisco J. , Hansen Hans J. , Chang Chien-Hsing
Published: October 2008

Veltuzumab is a humanized anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody with complementarity-determining regions (CDRs) identical to rituximab, except for one residue at the 101st position (Kabat numbering) in CDR3 of the variable heavy chain (VH), having aspartic acid (Asp) instead of asparagine (Asn), with framework regions of epratuzumab, a humanized anti-CD22 antibody. When compared with rituximab, veltuzumab has significantly reduced off-rates in 3 human lymphoma cell lines tested, aswell as increased complement-dependent cytotoxicity in 1 of 3 cell lines, but no other in vitro differences. Mutation studies confirmed that the differentiation of the off-rate between veltuzumab and rituximab is related to the single amino acid change in CDR3-VH. Studies of intraperitoneal and subcutaneous doses in mouse models of human lymphoma and in normal cynomolgus monkeys disclosed that low doses of veltuzumab control tumor growth or deplete circulating or sessile B cells. Low- and high-dose veltuzumab were significantly more effective in vivo than rituximab in 3 lymphoma models. These findings are consistent with activity in patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma given low intravenous or subcutaneous doses of veltuzumab. Thus, changing Asn101 to Asp101 in CDR3-VH of rituximab is responsible for veltuzumab's lower off-rate and apparent improved potency in preclinical models that could translate into advantages in patients.
T-cell modulation combined with intratumoral CpG cures lymphoma in a mouse model without the need for chemotherapy
Authors: Houot Roch , Levy Ronald
Published: October 2008

We have previously shown that intratumoral injection of CpG oligodeoxynucleotide plus systemic chemotherapy can induce a T-cell immune response against lymphoma and serve as a therapeutic vaccine to cure tumors in a murine model. Here, we demonstrate that antibody-mediated modulation of T cells increases the efficacy of CpG vaccination, thereby eliminating the need for chemotherapy. T-cell modulation was accomplished by targeting both effector and regulatory T-cell populations using systemic administration of monoclonal antibodies against OX40, CTLA4, GITR, and folate receptor 4 (FR4). Each of these antibodies enhanced the effect of intratumoral CpG. Some pairwise combinations of these antibodies potentiated T-cell modulation and further enhanced the efficacy of CpG vaccination. Specifically, the combination of anti-OX40 and anti-CTLA4 which enhance activation and block cell-intrinsic negative regulatory circuits in T cells, respectively, was especially potent. When combined with intratumoral CpG, it induced antitumor CD4 and CD8 T-cell immunity, cured large and systemic lymphoma tumors without chemotherapy, and provided long-lasting immunity against tumor rechallenge. Our results show that the combination of intratumoral CpG and immunomodulatory T-cell antibodies has promise for therapeutic vaccination against lymphoma. These reagents are becoming available for human clinical trials.
Donors with group B KIR haplotypes improve relapse-free survival after unrelated hematopoietic cell transplantation for acute myelogenous leukemia
Authors: Cooley Sarah , Trachtenberg Elizabeth , Bergemann Tracy L. , Saeteurn Koy , Klein John , Le Chap T. , Marsh Steven G. E. , Guethlein Lisbeth A. , Parham Peter , Miller Jeffrey S. , Weisdorf Daniel J.
Published: October 2008

Survival for patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is limited by treatment-related mortality (TRM) and relapse after unrelated donor (URD) hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). Natural killer (NK)–cell alloreactivity, determined by donor killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) and recipient HLA, correlates with successful HCT for AML. Hypothesizing that donor KIR genotype (A/A: 2 A KIR haplotypes; B/x: at least 1 B haplotype) would affect outcomes, we genotyped donors and recipients from 209 HLA-matched and 239 mismatched T-replete URD transplantations for AML. Three-year overall survival was significantly higher after transplantation from a KIR B/x donor (31% [95% CI: 26-36] vs 20% [95% CI: 13-27]; P = .007). Multivariate analysis demonstrated a 30% improvement in the relative risk of relapse-free survival with B/x donors compared with A/A donors (RR: 0.70 [95% CI: 0.55-0.88]; P = .002). B/x donors were associated with a higher incidence of chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD; RR: 1.51 [95% CI: 1.01-2.18]; P = .03), but not of acute GVHD, relapse, or TRM. This analysis demonstrates that unrelated donors with KIR B haplotypes confer significant survival benefit to patients undergoing T-replete HCT for AML. KIR genotyping of prospective donors, in addition to HLA typing, should be performed to identify HLA-matched donors with B KIR haplotypes.
AccPbFRET: An ImageJ plugin for semi-automatic, fully corrected analysis of acceptor photobleaching FRET images
Authors: Roszik János , Szöllősi János , Vereb György
Published: October 2008

Background

The acceptor photobleaching fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) method is widely used for monitoring molecular interactions in cells. This method of FRET, while among those with the simplest mathematics, is robust, self-controlled and independent of fluorophore amounts and ratios.

Results

AccPbFRET is a user-friendly, efficient ImageJ plugin which allows fully corrected, pixel-wise calculation and detailed, ROI (region of interest)-based analysis of FRET efficiencies in microscopic images. Furthermore, automatic registration and semi-automatic analysis of large image sets is provided, which are not available in any existing FRET evaluation software.

Conclusion

Despite of the widespread applicability of the acceptor photobleaching FRET technique, this is the first paper where all possible sources of major errors of the measurement and analysis are considered, and AccPbFRET is the only program which provides the complete suite of corrections – for registering image pairs, for unwanted photobleaching of the donor, for cross-talk of the acceptor and/or its photoproduct to the donor channel and for partial photobleaching of the acceptor. The program efficiently speeds up the analysis of large image sets even for novice users and is freely available.
Canine fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 sequence is conserved across dogs of divergent skeletal size
Authors: Smith Logan B , Bannasch Danika L , Young Amy E , Grossman Deborah I , Belanger Janelle M , Oberbauer Anita M
Published: October 2008

Background

Fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3) is expressed in the growth plate of endochondral bones and serves as a negative regulator of linear bone elongation. Activating mutations severely limit bone growth, resulting in dwarfism, while inactivating mutations significantly enhance bone elongation and overall skeletal size. Domesticated dogs exhibit the greatest skeletal size diversity of any species and, given the regulatory role of FGFR3 on growth plate proliferation, we asked whether sequence differences in FGFR3 could account for some of the size differences.

Methods

All exons, the promoter region, and 60 bp of the 3' flanking region of the canine FGFR3 gene were sequenced for nine different dog breeds representing a spectrum of skeletal size. The resultant sequences were compared to the reference Boxer genome sequence.

Results

There was no variation in sequence for any FGFR3 exons, promoter region, or 3' flanking sequence across all breeds evaluated.

Conclusion

The results suggest that, regardless of domestication selection pressure to develop breeds having extreme differences in skeletal size, the FGFR3 gene is conserved. This implies a critical role for this gene in normal skeletal integrity and indicates that other genes account for size variability in dogs.