bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
SCENES FROM A VIRTUAL MALL: The Consumer Experience in Cyberspace
Authors: Rubini David , Tarlton Mark , White David
Published: September 2010

AS WE EXPLORE the frontiers of electronic shopping, David Rubini, Mark Tarlton, and David White analyze the nature of this experience and pinpoint six factors crucial to successful retailing in the digital world. Then, to offer a glimpse into the future and reinforce their messages, they share—with a bounty of images—a virtual shopping journey designed by their creative team at NCR's Human Interface Technology Center.
TESTING WITH MULTIMEDIA
Authors: Wang Hunghsiang
Published: September 2010

AS A CONCEPT, there was almost unanimous agreement that the idea was a winning product experience. But managers wanted a consumer test before they moved far into product development. To this end, Hunghsiang Wang elaborates on his use of interactive models presented with Authorware Professional software as an inexpensive alternative to physical prototyping. The program can help with data interpretation and, in conjunction with other software, become a valuable tool for integrating users in the design stage of a project.
Measuring Design Management Results: A Client's Perspective
Authors: Vogel Brian
Published: September 2010

BECAUSE TALENT CAN BE hand‐picked to match project needs, many managers believe using consultants is one of the best ways to optimize design outcomes. But relationships are tricky. Brian Vogel and Thomas Davison use this springboard to discuss what makes their consultant/client partnership so creative—from team building and defining goals to tracking progress and rewarding performance.
Design Halo: Kenwood's Stage 3 Home Theater
Authors: McCallion Steve , Richter Joseph B.
Published: September 2010

MANY MEASURE DESIGN management success in terms of sales and profitability. But that's only a beginning. Steve McCallion and Joseph Richter relate how the collaboration between ZIBA Design and Kenwood USA has resulted in a highly acclaimed product, significantly enhanced Kenwood's corporate profile, improved its planning and development process, and dramatically boosted morale. This transformation, brought about by design management, helped Kenwood to see itself as a leader in the home entertainment products marketplace.
Analyzing and Optimizing Discretionary Information
Authors: Coates Del
Published: September 2010

FOR DEL COATES, PRODUCTS are a combination of essential information, without which an item is useless, and discretionary information, which can be modified to suit specific markets. Knowing how to manipulate discretionary information is a critical link between design and good business. Coates outlines a process for evaluating and tailoring the design of discretionary information to fit particular consumer groups.
Measuring Consumer Perceptions in the Product Development Process
Authors: Veryzer Robert W.
Published: September 2010

USING DESIGN AS A LANGUAGE requires that we understand what design elements are saying. Robert Veryzer's design perception model facilitates these interpretations. Perceived product characteristics are generated from consumer responses to models, prototypes, and other representational media. This data, in turn, is translated into a sentientality index that measures the degree to which elements convey certain sensations. With these facts, managers can more rationally judge the effectiveness of a particular design language.
Benchmarking the Design and Development Process
Authors: Oliver Nick , Gardiner Geoff , Mills John
Published: September 2010

BENCHMARKING IS an increasingly popular tool for investigating the quality of organizational processes. Nick Oliver, Geoff Gardiner, and John Mills point out that the efficacy of this technique depends on distilling a rich spectrum of accurate and rigorous comparisons. Illustrating their message with a benchmarking case study related to new product development, the authors come to some surprising and valuable conclusions about what generates success in that design management arena.
At the Heart of Interaction Design
Authors: Alben Lauralee
Published: September 2010

THE LESSONS IN THIS ESSAY are conveyed in parables. Lauralee Alben posits human experience—not technology—as the essence of interactive design. To share the kinds of experience that contribute to effective interactive design, she narrates eight stories, vignettes that portray the elements of vision, a sense of discovery, common sense, truth, passion, and heart, all critical to the interactive design process.
Educational Challenges for the New Interactivity: Interval Research's University Workshop
Authors: Mountford S. Joy , Johnson Bonnie
Published: September 2010

SEEKING INSIGHTS about the frontiers of interactive design, S. Joy Mountford and Bonnie Johnson at Interval Research underwrite an annual program of themed interdisciplinary exploration at academic institutions ‘round the world. The innovations resulting from this collaboration suggest that new interactive media will do a much better job of exploiting all of our senses and will increasingly be experienced as a fashionable accessory we wear or carry.
Web Design Analysis: Creating Intentional User Experiences
Authors: Swack Terry
Published: September 2010

HOW CAN AN ORGANIZATION know its Web site is really working? Terry Swack outlines an audit process that benchmarks the effectiveness of a site based on the stated business objectives for the site and its intended users. With the information from this design analysis, specific recommendations can be made addressing planning and product strategies, content, and approaches to user interaction, interface, and identity to improve user experiences and meet future business objectives.
The Human Factor: Obstacles to Change
Authors: Jordan Kathy
Published: September 2010

BE ON THE LOOKOUT! An organization may have innovation as a top priority, but if managers spot the types of behavior described by Kathy Jordan, it may never happen. Among her top 10 roadblocks to innovation are withdrawal, catastrophizing, creative sabotage, cultural warfare, and mismanaging resistance. Fortunately, problems can be overcome. As a starting point, she recommends previewing change, welcoming criticism, and encouraging participation in the innovation process.
PAPER and PIXELS: Automated Publishing Through Multiple Channels
Authors: Agnew Reed
Published: September 2010

TODAY, organizations want to publish information simultaneously in print, on the Web, and on CDs. At the same time, they want to tailor content for specific audiences—and they want it fast and up‐to‐date. Automating the publication process makes this practical and efficient. But it poses new challenges for corporations that want to publish the information and for the information architects who design their systems.
The Rise of Interactive Branding
Authors: Hanna Jeannette
Published: September 2010

THE INTERNET IS LAUNCHING thousands of organizations down the path of interactive branding, and most are ill prepared for the trip. Jeannette Hanna reflects on how some organizations are coping and offers a preview of the bumpy road ahead.
Creating a Visual Language for Ireland
Authors: Dunne Jim
Published: September 2010

IN OUR GLOBAL MARKETPLACE, the focus on brand is a national, as well as a corporate, concern. Strong identities help countries attract business and promote international sales. Jim Dunne analyzes dilemmas Ireland faces as it seeks to create a compelling national image applicable to a broad range of products and services. To succeed, Dunne outlines seven key steps the country should take to design and manage its identity.
Using Research to Create Visual and Verbal Agreement
Authors: Sack Michael
Published: September 2010

IN RETAILING, the emotions consumers associate with products are as important as the facts. But can these nonobjective reactions be distilled and analyzed? Using a technique called Image Engineering®, Michael Sack unveils the emotional responses customers have to specific brands, products, and packaging in various markets. This, in turn, enables clients to more precisely design and deliver these critical emotional messages.
Brand Research and the Global Conundrum
Authors: Redhil David
Published: September 2010

THE TOOL IS called the Brand Asset® Valuator1. It measures brand differentiation, relevance, esteem, and knowledge, qualities that can be combined in certain ways to assess brand strength and brand stature. Referring to many examples, David Redhill summarizes how the technique works and, more important, how, with related studies, it can be used on a country‐by‐country basis to pinpoint the successful and weak dimensions of any brand.
A Designer's Guide to Consumer Research
Authors: Young Scott
Published: September 2010

IN THE ARENA of consumer products, research can be the source of competitive advantage. To this end, Scott Young distinguishes between approaches that work and those that don't. Among his recommendations: Begin early; avoid “beauty contests”; in testing prototypes, be sure models are rich enough to produce valid feedback; use multiple research measures; and evaluate the current design and competition, as well as new ideas. Read on for more details.
Some Things Never Change: It Takes a Team
Authors: Stewart Jim
Published: September 2010

AS A DESIGN MANAGER, Jim Stewart brands himself a coach. In this role, the challenges are not only to assemble the players and monitor their performance, but also to track the ever‐shifting position of the goal. Stewart looks for people who are driven, passionate, and respectful. He emphasizes open communications with designers and nondesigners alike. He puts great effort into motivating colleagues, and he promotes a design process and design environment that encourage a broad range of contributions and spontaneous input.
The Peifan “Lucky Star”: A Car for China
Authors: Clark Hazel , Ip Anthony
Published: September 2010

THIS CASE explores international joint ventures as a strategy to create innovative products and lift the quality of design in less‐developed and developing countries. Hazel Clark and Anthony Ip conclude that these complex arrangements present many problems, including those related to scheduling, decision‐making coordination, and the need to address noneconomic agendas. They also find advantages and opportunities—an efficient use of resources, a sensitivity to cultural issues, and the chance for designers to become project leaders.
Design Ethnography
Authors: Salvador Tony , Bell Genevieve , Anderson Ken
Published: September 2010

LACKING OTHER criteria, we make judgments based on our own culture, values, and experience. The trouble is this narrow point of view isn't effective in the global marketplace. Design ethnography extends the cultural panorama. Illustrating this strategy and trying to decipher its implications for developing products and services, Tony Salvador, Genevieve Bell, and Ken Anderson ponder the relationships between the American family room and the Italian kitchen table, between food shopping and the importance of friendship.
Brand Design Imperatives for Emerging Global Markets
Authors: Kathman Jerome C.
Published: September 2010

HAVING TRAVELED and designed for many international companies, Jerry Kathman shares insights— in words and photos—on global branding in emerging markets. He comments on the size of these markets and their potential for growth. He highlights their diverse retailing venues— from Wal‐Marts to street kiosks. He stresses the need to unveil unique cultural and consumer perceptions. And he outlines design challenges— from packaging and images to language and logos—that must be addressed in presenting products to these new audiences.
Corporate Strategy: Bringing Design Management into the Fold
Authors: Joziasse Frans
Published: September 2010

THERE IS clear evidence that firms consider design to be one of the issues in developing strategy. Frans Joziasse documents the levels of corporate strategy and their implementation, and proposes a framework for integrating design within the strategic management process. He examines many points of view, supports conclusions with a wealth of examples and references, and suggests several roles the corporate design manager can take on to influence corporate strategy.
Establishing Strategic Objectives: Measurement and Testing in Product Quality and Design
Authors: Noël Noel Mark
Published: September 2010

APRODUCT is composed of many dimensions—stimuli that generate perceptions. Noel Mark Noël presents a methodology that allows researchers to gauge consumer perceptions among competing products, dimension by dimension. Reactions are charted on a relative scale so that, for any given dimension, it is easy to identify the product with the strongest consumer impact. Such analysis helps firms to design and target products more accurately, and creates common ground for communications among design and business managers.
Living the Brand
Authors: Allen Dave
Published: September 2010

AS BRAND IS ideally evident in everything from strategy to decisions about what a company offers and how it deals with customers, Dave Allen defines Brand AlignmentSM as a methodology for articulating this critical asset and bringing it to life throughout the corporation. The process moves from Brand Discovery to Brand Promise to Brand Expression to Brand Action, and in discussing these steps Allen suggests many ways brand can be developed into a powerful and pervasive design reality.
How Design Becomes Strategic
Authors: Jevnaker Birgit Helene
Published: September 2010

EXTRAPOLATING from detailed case studies, Birgit Jevnaker describes three approaches to managing assets that allow organizations to leverage design resources more effectively. First, executives should integrate competencies in a dynamic, rather than a linear, fashion. Second, they should nurture talent‐rich design/business relationships and a broad range of external and internal multidisciplinary networking. Third, building on what is ideally a creative mix of talents and content, they should emphasize the modeling of design experiences capturing value from business/design opportunities.
Beyond Stewardship to Brand Infusion
Authors: Speak Karl D.
Published: September 2010

TO REAP TRULY strategic returns on brand assets, Karl Speak urges organizations to “live the brand.” He outlines transitions that move companies from brand awareness to brand stewardship to brand suffusion. Then he gets down to basics, recommending specific tactics that help translate “living the brand” from motto to reality—committing to brand suffusion with a memorable inaugural event, offering ongoing brand training, recognizing valued brand behavior, celebrating brand achievements, and providing clear brand leadership.
Design Leadership at Herman Miller
Authors: Beckwith Deanne
Published: September 2010

AT HERMAN MILLER, design is not just a business—it's a way of life. It is embedded in all the company does—in the search for creative ideas, in its innovative and highly acclaimed products, in facilities, and in strategies for communicating with employees, consultants, and customers. To explore the meaning of this commitment on a personal level, Deanne Beckwith weaves a Herman Miller story from conversations with individuals who work for the company from the CEO to a manager of horticulture and grounds.
Predicting the success of your Web site
Authors: Justice Lorraine
Published: September 2010

Check the Web. Today, this is the destination of choice and of choices. Amid all the options, the goal is to establish a site that attracts the ideal group of visitors and users. Lorraine Justice presents a process to do just that, an approach that highlights the use of independent expert evaluators to fine‐tune content and design. She notes common problems in the genesis of a site and amplifies her strategies with a short case study.
Perspectives on communicating the value of design
Authors: Lockwood Tom , Bachman Tim , Oldach Mark , Rutter Bryce , McPherson Michael
Published: September 2010

The questions were: How do you measure design success? How do you convey those findings with colleagues and clients? And how do you convey the value of design to non‐design managers? We asked members of the DMI Advisory Council for answers. From environmental and brand design to consulting and product development, we received five distinctive responses, wisdom we acknowledge with thanks and publish as facets of an ongoing dialogue on these important topics.
Packaging on the Web: An underused resource
Authors: Visser Edwin
Published: September 2010

On‐line shopping continues to grow. In this context, Edwin Visser's critique of an effective “digital package” is quite timely. Based on a study of Web grocers, Visser highlights the difficulties in translating traditional package design and marketing strategies to the Internet. He recommends a layered approach that stresses brand awareness, selective graphics, links to in‐depth information, and a range of relevant, creative search protocols.
Wilkhahn: A tradition of the cutting edge
Authors: Wolf Brigitte
Published: September 2010

Under the personal leadership of Fritz Hahne, Wilkhahn has created a niche for itself and earned a global reputation for designing high‐quality, classically modern furniture that is both elegant and functional. In a rich overview of this German firm, Brigitte Wolf explores the business objectives, the work ethic, the design principles, the social and environmental values and, of course, the products and architecture that are the hallmark of this remarkable company.
Navigating a Sea Change
Authors: Alben Lauralee
Published: September 2010

Using the profound movements of ocean waters as an analogy, Lauralee Alben has devised a comprehensive analysis that helps organizations navigate major transformations—sometimes through uncharted territory. The many elements of her methodology probe the context, as well as the nature and breadth, of change and exploit design as an essential vehicle for conveying new ideas and perceptions.
Toward design literacy in American management: A strategy for MBA programs
Authors: Formosa Kathleen , Kroeter Steve
Published: September 2010

Growing numbers of companies believe design is essential to success in the marketplace. Reviewing this history and the presence of design topics in business school curricula, Kathleen Formosa and Steve Kroeter make a four‐part proposal of required and elective MBA courses that deliver an understanding of what design is and ways to leverage this resource in corporate strategy and decision making.
Eco‐design and successful packaging
Authors: Holdway Robert , Walker David , Hilton Mark
Published: September 2010

Being “green” is no longer an option. It's good for the environment and, fortunately, it can also be good for business. With extensive experience in the field of eco‐design, Robert Holdway, David Walker, and Mark Hilton suggest ways to overcome barriers to sustainable packaging and outline perspectives and processes that help development teams maximize results in this increasingly important aspect of design.
The forgotten bond: Brand identity and product design
Authors: Stompff Guido
Published: September 2010

The question is: How can the design of products communicate brand values? Guido Stompff distills answers from a case study about Océ Technologies, a Netherlands‐based document reproduction and management company. His analysis reveals how designers, as members of the product development team, exploit the profile, proportions, interface, and even the color of Océ machines to convey and maintain a reputation for reliable professional equipment.
Storytelling through design
Authors: Sametz Roger , Maydoney Andrew
Published: September 2010

While the methods and materials of design give “form” to communications, Roger Sametz and Andrew Maydoney compellingly argue and illustrate that the ultimate goal of manipulating type, color, imagery, space, and time is to tell stories—to engage “teller” and “listener” in a dialogue that builds comprehension, commitment, participation, loyalty, and trust.
DigitAll
Authors: An Yong‐il , Delaney Mark , Hardy Tom , McFarland Jeff
Published: September 2010

With high‐speed wireless access and the miniaturization of essential components, digital technologies are poised to reshape communications. It's a threshold that opens on to a horizon of seemingly endless opportunities. But Yong‐il An, Mark Delaney, Tom Hardy, and Jeff McFarland recommend that designers stick to creating what is useful and needed—qualities that can be identified by market segment and cultural research—rather than go after technology for technology's sake.
Wow! Who built that?
Authors: Blumenthal Dannielle
Published: September 2010

The look and feel of products have often been aspects of brand. In this case study, Dannielle Blumenthal demonstrates how this principle is being leveraged by an innovative homebuilder. From the layout of streets to the restoration of local landmarks, from light‐filled spaces to inspiring interiors and careful detailing, these high‐end homes have a memorable style that is attracting a growing number of buyers.
Constructing representations of Hecke algebras for complex reflection groups
Authors: Malle Gunter , Michel Jean
Published: September 2010

We investigate the representations and the structure of Hecke algebras associated to certain finite complex reflection groups. We first describe computational methods for the construction of irreducible representations of these algebras, including a generalization of the concept of aW-graph to the situation of complex reflection groups. We then use these techniques to find models for all irreducible representations in the case of complex reflection groups of dimension at most three. Using these models we are able to verify some important conjectures on the structure of Hecke algebras.
A New Method to Measure Cortical Growth in the Developing Brain
Authors: Knutsen Andrew K. , Chang Yulin V. , Grimm Cindy M. , Phan Ly , Taber Larry A. , Bayly Philip V.
Published: September 2010

Folding of the cerebral cortex is a critical phase of brain development in higher mammals but the biomechanics of folding remain incompletely understood. During folding, the growth of the cortical surface is heterogeneous and anisotropic. We developed and applied a new technique to measure spatial and directional variations in surface growth from longitudinal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies of a single animal or human subject. MRI provides high resolution 3D image volumes of the brain at different stages of development. Surface representations of the cerebral cortex are obtained by segmentation of these volumes. Estimation of local surface growth between two times requires establishment of a point-to-point correspondence (“registration”) between surfaces measured at those times. Here we present a novel approach for the registration of two surfaces in which an energy function is minimized by solving a partial differential equation on a spherical surface. The energy function includes a strain-energy term due to distortion and an “error energy” term due to mismatch between surface features. This algorithm, implemented with the finite element method, brings surface features into approximate alignment while minimizing deformation in regions without explicit matching criteria. The method was validated by application to three simulated test cases and applied to characterize growth of the ferret cortex during folding. Cortical surfaces were created from MRI data acquired in vivo at 14 days, 21 days, and 28 days of life. Deformation gradient and Lagrangian strain tensors describe the kinematics of growth over this interval. These quantitative results illuminate the spatial, temporal, and directional patterns of growth during cortical folding.
Control of surface roughness during high-speed chemical dry thinning of silicon wafer
Authors: Heo W. , Ahn J. H. , Lee N.-E.
Published: September 2010

In this study, the evolution and reduction of the surface roughness during the high-speed chemical dry thinning process of Si wafers were investigated. The direct injection of NO gas into the reactor during the supply of F radicals from NF3 remote plasmas was very effective in increasing the Si thinning rate, due to the NO-induced enhancement of the surface reaction, but resulted in the significant roughening of the thinned Si surface. However, the direct addition of Ar gas, together with NO gas, decreased the root mean square surface roughness of the thinned Si wafer significantly. The process regime for the enhancement of the thinning rate and concomitant reduction of the surface roughness was extended at higher Ar gas flow rates. In this way, Si wafer thinning rates as high as 22.8 μm/min and root-mean-squared surface roughnesses as small as 0.75 nm could be obtained. The results indicate that the high-speed chemical dry thinning process using F radicals and directly injected NO/Ar gases can be applied to ultrathin Si wafer thinning with controlled surface roughness.
Effective atomic layer deposition procedure for Al-dopant distribution in ZnO thin films
Authors: Kim Jin Yong , Choi Yong-June , Park Hyung-Ho , Golledge Stephen , Johnson David C.
Published: September 2010

A zinc-metal dopant-oxygen precursor exposure cycle is demonstrated as a modified deposition procedure for better distribution of Al-dopants in ZnO films by atomic layer deposition with the aim to reduce the formation of nanolaminate thin films that might form with the typically used alternating ZnO and metal oxide deposition procedure. The distribution and chemical bonding states of Al-dopants were studied with various dopant deposition intervals of Zn–Al–O precursor and Zn–O cycles at 1::4, 1::9, 1::14, and 1::19 ratios. The smallest resistivity of Al-doped ZnO film without degradation of transparency was obtained at 250 °C with 5.37×10−4 Ω cm.
Silicon on insulator nanoscale backside interconnects for atomic and molecular scale circuits
Authors: Lwin Ma Han Thu , Tun Thet Naing , Kim Hui Hui , Kajen R. S. , Chandrasekhar N. , Joachim C.
Published: September 2010

In a planar configuration, multiple electrical connections to a single molecule require an atomic scale precision of the wiring and an atomically flat supporting surface. Current nanofabrication techniques cannot achieve this on the same surface of a wafer. A double sided interconnection process flow adopted from sensor technology is presented using silicon on insulator substrates. The top part of the wafer is exclusively reserved for atomic scale interconnect and constructions. The back side is reserved for all the other interconnection steps. To ensure the passage between the back and the top side of the wafer, nanoscale vias are fabricated through the full thickness of the wafer. The top end of each via is boron and phosphorus doped, and the interconnection leakage current-voltage characteristics are measured. At low voltage and for top inter-via distances in the 30–50 nm range, a high gigaohm range resistance is obtained.
Marine Biodiversity Dynamics over Deep Time
Authors: Marshall Charles R.
Published: September 2010

Analysis of a large fossil database puts a new curve on the history of marine life.
Ireland's Departing Research Chief on Irish and European Science
Authors: Travis John
Published: September 2010

Frank Gannon probably could have finished out his career comfortably as director of the national funding agency Science Foundation Ireland (SFI). But the biologist will resign his position at the end of the year and head off to Australia to become director of the Queensland Institute of Medical Research.
Outbreak of Neonatal Gastroenteritis Associated with Astrovirus Serotype 1 at a Hospital in Inner Mongolia, China
Authors: Li Chun-ying , Liu Na , Guo Wei-dong , Yu Qiong , Wang Wen-rui , Song Zhuang-Zhi , Yan Hai , Luo Yun , Lu Ai-tao , Li Hui-Ying , Zhu Lin , Duan Zhao-jun
Published: September 2010

This report describes for the first time an outbreak of acute gastroenteritis among neonates associated with human astrovirus (HAstV) serotype 1b at a maternity hospital in Inner Mongolia, China. Of 40 specimens, 28 were astrovirus positive and rotavirus, calicivirus, and adenovirus negative. Poor hygiene likely contributed to the spread and persistence of HAstV in the neonatal care room.
Cholera Toxin Production by the El Tor Variant ofVibrio choleraeO1 Compared to Prototype El Tor and Classical Biotypes
Authors: Ghosh-Banerjee J. , Senoh M. , Takahashi T. , Hamabata T. , Barman S. , Koley H. , Mukhopadhyay A. K. , Ramamurthy T. , Chatterjee S. , Asakura M. , Yamasaki S. , Nair G. B. , Takeda Y.
Published: September 2010

Vibrio choleraeO1 El Tor variant strains produced much more cholera toxin than did prototype El Tor strains. The amount of cholera toxin produced by El Tor variant strains bothin vitroandin vivowas more or less equivalent to that produced by classical strains.
Hepatitis C Virus Infection Impairs IRF-7 Translocation and Alpha Interferon Synthesis in Immortalized Human Hepatocytes
Authors: Raychoudhuri Amit , Shrivastava Shubham , Steele Robert , Dash Srikanta , Kanda Tatsuo , Ray Ranjit , Ray Ratna B.
Published: September 2010

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) establishes chronic infection in a significant number of infected humans, although the mechanisms for chronicity remain largely unknown. We have previously shown that HCV infection in immortalized human hepatocytes (IHH) induces beta interferon (IFN-β) expression (T. Kanda, R. Steele, R. Ray, and R. B. Ray, J. Virol.
81:
12375-12381, 2007). However, the regulation of the downstream signaling pathway for IFN-α production by HCV is not clearly understood. In this study, the regulation of the IFN signaling pathway following HCV genotype 1a (clone H77) or genotype 2a (clone JFH1) infection of IHH was examined. HCV infection upregulated expression of total STAT1 but failed to induce phosphorylation and efficient nuclear translocation. Subsequent study revealed that HCV infection induces IFN-stimulated response element activation, as evidenced by upregulation of 2′,5′-oligoadenylate synthetase 1. However, nuclear translocation of IRF-7 was impaired following HCV infection. In HCV-infected IHH, IFN-α expression initially increased (up to 24 h) and then decreased at later time points, and IFN-α-inducible protein 27 was not induced. Interestingly, HCV infection blocked IRF-7 nuclear translocation upon poly(I-C) or IFN-α treatment of IHH. Together, our data suggest that HCV infection enhances STAT1 expression but impairs nuclear translocation of IRF-7 and its downstream molecules. These impairments in the IFN-α signaling pathway may, in part, be responsible for establishment of chronic HCV infection.
Widespread Horizontal Gene Transfer from Double-Stranded RNA Viruses to Eukaryotic Nuclear Genomes
Authors: Liu Huiquan , Fu Yanping , Jiang Daohong , Li Guoqing , Xie Jiatao , Cheng Jiasen , Peng Youliang , Ghabrial Said A. , Yi Xianhong
Published: September 2010

Horizontal gene transfer commonly occurs from cells to viruses but rarely occurs from viruses to their host cells, with the exception of retroviruses and some DNA viruses. However, extensive sequence similarity searches in public genome databases for various organisms showed that the capsid protein and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase genes from totiviruses and partitiviruses have widespread homologs in the nuclear genomes of eukaryotic organisms, including plants, arthropods, fungi, nematodes, and protozoa. PCR amplification and sequencing as well as comparative evidence of junction coverage between virus and host sequences support the conclusion that these viral homologs are real and occur in eukaryotic genomes. Sequence comparison and phylogenetic analysis suggest that these genes were likely transferred horizontally from viruses to eukaryotic genomes. Furthermore, we present evidence showing that some of the transferred genes are conserved and expressed in eukaryotic organisms and suggesting that these viral genes are also functional in the recipient genomes. Our findings imply that horizontal transfer of double-stranded RNA viral genes is widespread among eukaryotes and may give rise to functionally important new genes, thus entailing that RNA viruses may play significant roles in the evolution of eukaryotes.
Bioinformatic Analysis of the Genome of Infectious Salmon Anemia Virus Associated with Outbreaks with High Mortality in Chile
Authors: Cottet L. , Cortez-San Martin M. , Tello M. , Olivares E. , Rivas-Aravena A. , Vallejos E. , Sandino A. M. , Spencer E.
Published: September 2010

The infectious salmon anemia virus (ISAV), an orthomyxovirus, is the major cause of outbreaks of high mortality rates in salmon in Chile. It has been proposed that the virulence of ISAV isolates lies mainly in hemagglutinin-esterase and fusion glycoproteins. However, based on current information, the contribution of other viral genes cannot be ruled out. To study this, we isolated and determined the complete coding sequence of two high-prevalence Chilean isolates associated with outbreaks of high mortality rates: ISAV752_09 and ISAV901_09. These isolates were compared to 15 Norwegian isolates that exhibit differences in their virulence. For this purpose, we performed bioinformatic analyses of (i) functional domains, (ii) specific mutations, (iii) Bayesian phylogenetics, and (iv) structural comparisons between ISAV and influenza virus glycoproteins by using molecular modeling. Phylogenetic analysis shows two genogroups for each protein, one of them containing the Chilean isolates. The gene sequence of the polymerase complex and nucleoprotein indicated that they are closely related to homologues from highly pathogenic Norwegian viruses. Notably, seven of the eight mutations that are present only in the Chilean isolates are on the polymerase complex and nucleoprotein. Structural modeling of hemagglutinin-esterase shows patches of variable residues on its surface. Fusion protein modeling shows that insertions are flexible regions that could affect proteolytic processing, increasing either the accessibility or the number of recognition sites for specific proteases. We found antigenic drift processes related to insertion into the isolated segment 5 of the ISAV752_09. Our results confirm the European origin of Chilean isolates to be the result of reassortments from Norwegian ancestors.
Effective Formation of the Segregation-Competent Complex Determines Successful Partitioning of the Bovine Papillomavirus Genome during Cell Division
Authors: Silla Toomas , Männik Andres , Ustav Mart
Published: September 2010

Effective segregation of the bovine papillomavirus type 1 (BPV1), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), and Kaposi's sarcoma-associated human herpesvirus type 8 (KSHV) genomes into daughter cells is mediated by a single viral protein that tethers viral genomes to host mitotic chromosomes. The linker proteins that mediate BPV1, EBV, and KSHV segregation are E2, LANA1, and EBNA1, respectively. The N-terminal transactivation domain of BPV1 E2 is responsible for chromatin attachment and subsequent viral genome segregation. Because E2 transcriptional activation and chromatin attachment functions are not mutually exclusive, we aimed to determine the requirement of these activities during segregation by analyzing chimeric E2 proteins. This approach allowed us to separate the two activities. Our data showed that attachment of the segregation protein to chromatin is not sufficient for proper segregation. Rather, formation of a segregation-competent complex which carries multiple copies of the segregation protein is required. Complementation studies of E2 functional domains indicated that chromatin attachment and transactivation functions must act in concert to ensure proper plasmid segregation. These data indicate that there are specific interactions between linker molecules and transcription factors/complexes that greatly increase segregation-competent complex formation. We also showed, using hybrid E2 molecules, that restored segregation function does not involve interactions with Brd4.
Temporomandibular Dysfunction Can Contribute to Aggravation of Tension-Type Headache: A Case Report
Authors: Rosted Palle , Jørgensen Annette , Bundgaard Mads
Published: September 2010

A 15-year-old girl, who had had occasional tension-type headache, developed, rather suddenly and without any obvious reason, severe headache. She was admitted to hospital, where examination including CT and magnetic resonance scans did not show any abnormality. A visit to her own general practitioner 7 months later showed tenderness in the muscle of mastication. The patient was referred to a dentist, who diagnosed temporomandibular dysfunction and tension-type headache. After three acupuncture treatments, the patients was without headache and remained free of headache during the following 6 months.
FINANCIALLY OPTIMAL INVENTORY POLICIES WITH NON-LINEAR REPLENISHMENT COSTS
Authors: ZHANG JIANG , SOBEL MATTHEW J.
Published: September 2010

We model the inventory decisions of a firm that maximizes its market value, namely, the expected present value of the time stream of dividends issued to its shareholders. The firm is single-product and equity-owned, it orders products from an outside supplier, its only short-term borrowing is for solvency if necessary, and it issues dividends to its shareholders while facing financial and market risks (uncertain demand). The distinguishing features of the model are the financial criterion, hence joint selection of operational and financial decisions, and non-linear replenishment costs. If the non-linearity is due to a setup cost, we show that an (s, S) replenishment policy is optimal. The analysis is not a straightforward variant of Scarf's argument. If the non-linearity is due to bilinear smoothing costs, we show that the optimal replenishment policy has the same form as in the traditional smoothing cost model. These seem to be the first instances in which the optimization of a model with a financial criterion and non-linear replenishment costs yields policies having the same forms as in the corresponding cost minimization problems.
INTEGRATED PRODUCTION MAINTENANCE MODEL UNDER IMPERFECT AGE-BASED MAINTENANCE POLICY AND NON-NEGLIGIBLE MAINTENANCE TIMES
Authors: EL-FERIK SAMI , BEN-DAYA MOHAMMED
Published: September 2010

This paper deals with an integrated production maintenance model where preventive maintenance (PM) activities are carried out at the end of each production run or at failure, whichever of them occurs first. PM activities take a fixed amount of time. However, due to the random nature of failures, the stock built during the production period may deplete before the next production run starts, leading to some loss in demand. After N production runs, the process is replaced (or undergoes a major repair), which brings it to the "as-good-as-new" condition. A mathematical model is derived for this problem and a model analysis conducted to characterize optimal solutions. Numerical examples are used to illustrate the proposed model and conduct a sensitivity analysis with respect to key model parameters.
The Influence of Financial Development on R&D Activity: Cross-Country Evidence
Authors: Hwang Young-Soon , Min Hong-Ghi , Han Seung-Hun
Published: September 2010

The financial environment affects the level of R&D activity of a country. Using the proxy measures of macroeconomic financial environment variables, we show that cross-country differences in R&D activity, including expenditures, researchers, and patents etc., are correlated with the stock market turnover ratio. In particular, we found that the relationship was in direct relation to R&D expenditures or the number of researchers but indirect in relation to R&D outputs such as patents. These results imply that finance structure of an economy could enhance R&D activity through providing efficient resource allocation function. Other proxy measures of the financial environment such as banking sector size or stock market capitalization are not found to be significant. The size of the finance industry does not seem to change the national portfolio toward more high-risk innovative sectors. Financial quality, not size, determines the level of R&D intensity.
The Impact of IFRS 2 "Share-Based Payment" on Malaysian Companies
Authors: Atan Ruhaya , Jasni Nur Syuhada , Shahwan Yousef
Published: September 2010

In the wake of corporate scandals and excessive stock options compensation, International Accounting Standard Board (IASB) has introduced a new accounting standard, IIFRS 2 Share-based Payments. The scope of the standard extends beyond payments to employees, but for the purpose of this study, the focus is only on 'employee stock options'. IIFRS 2 requires a fair value of stock options records calculated on grant date, and recognized as compensation expenses over vesting periods. Prior to the introduction of IIFRS 2, stock options were not recognized and were only disclosed in the notes to the accounts. In Malaysia, the standard is mandatory for all companies listed on or after January 1, 2006. This study assumes the requirement existed in 2003. This study examines the impact of stock options expenses from 2003 to 2005, on the top 100 Malaysian companies. The three year observations show at least 24% of the sample exceeds the 5% materiality threshold on diluted EPS. The sectors that are impacted the most are the Trade/Service and Finance sectors. From the multiple-regression test, this study finds that fair value of stock options have a negative relationship with dividend yields (input of the Black-Scholes Merton (BSM) Model). Most companies in the sample are found to pay dividends and grant stock options at the same time. Therefore, this study suggests that companies need to restructure their compensation plan thus balancing the stock options granted and dividends paid in the future.
Is There a Future for Fair Value Accounting After the 2008–2009 Financial Crisis?
Authors: Jaggi Bikki , Winder James P. , Lee Cheng-Few
Published: September 2010

This paper evaluates the role of fair value accounting in recent financial crisis, and examines whether the call for its demise is justified. Critics argue that fair accounting regulation added to the volatility in financial markets and aggravated financial crisis. On the other hand, supporters of this regulation argue that fair value accounting has been the victim of the recent financial crisis. They believe that this regulation is important for providing transparent, reliable, and accurate information on asset values to investors.

After evaluating the impact of fair value accounting regulation on financial crisis, we examine negative and positive aspects of this regulation. Our discussion shows that fair value accounting provides useful information during stable market conditions, but its usefulness may become questionable during unstable and volatile financial markets. Overall, this regulation has the support of financial professional bodies. Some professionals are, however, concerned about recent modification to the fair value accounting rule, i.e., FAS 157-4, because this modification may not enhance reliability and accuracy of financial information. Despite recent modification, discussion on fair value accounting is far from over. Critics of the regulation still believe that this regulation should be eliminated, but the positive aspects of this regulation support its continuation.
FINITELY GENERATED INFINITE SIMPLE GROUPS OF INFINITE SQUARE WIDTH AND VANISHING STABLE COMMUTATOR LENGTH
Authors: MURANOV ALEXEY
Published: September 2010

It is shown that there exist finitely generated infinite simple groups of infinite commutator width and infinite square width on which there exists no stably unbounded conjugation-invariant norm, and in particular stable commutator length vanishes. Moreover, a recursive presentation of such a group with decidable word and conjugacy problems is constructed.
Clustering for metric and nonmetric distance measures
Authors: Ackermann Marcel R. , Blömer Johannes , Sohler Christian
Published: September 2010

We study a generalization of the
k
-median problem with respect to an arbitrary dissimilarity measure D. Given a finite set
P
of size
n
, our goal is to find a set
C
of size
k
such that the sum of errors D(
P,C
) = ∑

p
∈
P

min

c
∈
C

{D(
p,c
)} is minimized. The main result in this article can be stated as follows: There exists a (1+ϵ)-approximation algorithm for the
k
-median problem with respect to D, if the 1-median problem can be approximated within a factor of (1+ϵ) by taking a random sample of constant size and solving the 1-median problem on the sample exactly. This algorithm requires time
n
2

O

(
mk
log(
mk
/ϵ)), where
m
is a constant that depends only on ϵ and D. Using this characterization, we obtain the first linear time (1+ϵ)-approximation algorithms for the
k
-median problem in an arbitrary metric space with bounded doubling dimension, for the Kullback-Leibler divergence (relative entropy), for the Itakura-Saito divergence, for Mahalanobis distances, and for some special cases of Bregman divergences. Moreover, we obtain previously known results for the Euclidean
k
-median problem and the Euclidean
k
-means problem in a simplified manner. Our results are based on a new analysis of an algorithm of Kumar et al. [2004].
A local algorithm for finding dense subgraphs
Authors: Andersen Reid
Published: September 2010

We describe a local algorithm for finding subgraphs with high density, according to a measure of density introduced by Kannan and Vinay [1999]. The algorithm takes as input a bipartite graph
G
, a starting vertex
v
, and a parameter
k
, and outputs an induced subgraph of
G
. It is local in the sense that it does not examine the entire input graph; instead, it adaptively explores a region of the graph near the starting vertex. The running time of the algorithm is bounded by
O
(Δ
k
2
), which depends on the maximum degree Δ, but is otherwise independent of the graph. We prove the following approximation guarantee: for any subgraph
S
with
k′
vertices and density θ, there exists a set
S
′ ⊆
S
for which the algorithm outputs a subgraph with density Ω(θ/log Δ) whenever
v
∈
S
′ and
k
≥
k
′. We prove that
S
′ contains at least half of the edges in
S
.
PECAM-1 regulates proangiogenic properties of endothelial cells through modulation of cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions
Authors: Park SunYoung , DiMaio Terri A. , Scheef Elizabeth A. , Sorenson Christine M. , Sheibani Nader
Published: September 2010

Platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (PECAM-1/CD31) is a member of the immunoglobulin superfamily of cell adhesion molecules with important roles in angiogenesis and inflammation. However, the molecular and cellular mechanisms, and the role that specific PECAM-1 isoforms play in these processes, remain elusive. We recently showed attenuation of retinal vascular development and neovascularization in PECAM-1-deficient (PECAM-1−/−) mice. To gain further insight into the role of PECAM-1 in these processes, we isolated primary retinal endothelial cells (EC) from wild-type (PECAM-1+/+) and PECAM-1−/− mice. Lack of PECAM-1 had a significant impact on endothelial cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions, resulting in attenuation of cell migration and capillary morphogenesis. Mechanistically these changes were associated with a significant decrease in expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability in PECAM-1−/− retinal EC. PECAM-1−/− retinal EC also exhibited a lower rate of apoptosis under basal and challenged conditions, consistent with their increased growth rate. Furthermore, reexpression of PECAM-1 was sufficient to restore migration and capillary morphogenesis of null cells in an isoform-specific manner. Thus PECAM-1 expression modulates proangiogenic properties of EC, and these activities are significantly influenced by alternative splicing of its cytoplasmic domain.