bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Earnings Smoothing, Executive Compensation, and Corporate Governance: Evidence From the Property–Liability Insurance Industry
Authors: Eckles David L. , Halek Martin , He Enya , Sommer David W. , Zhang Rongrong
Published: May 2011

Abstract

Unlike studies that estimate managerial bias, we utilize a direct measure of managerial bias in the U.S. insurance industry to investigate the effects of executive compensation and corporate governance on firms’ earnings management behaviors. We find managers receiving larger bonuses and stock awards tend to make reserving decisions that serve to decrease firm earnings. Moreover, we examine the monitoring effect of corporate board structures in mitigating managers’ reserve manipulation practices. We find managers are more likely to manipulate reserves in the presence of particular board structures. Similar results are not found when we employ traditional estimated measures of managerial bias.
Politics of E‐Government: E‐Government and the Political Control of Bureaucracy
Authors: Ahn Michael J. , Bretschneider Stuart
Published: May 2011

This case study reports an innovative e‐government experiment by a local government in Seoul, South Korea—Gangnam‐gu. A new local political leadership in Gangnam made strategic use of e‐government applications to exert greater political control over the local civil service bureaucracy. The authors find that e‐government applications possess political properties that can be applied effectively by the political leadership as instruments to improve control over the government bureaucracy as well as to enhance essential government accountability and transparency. The political circumstances underlying e‐government development as well as its impact on local government are reported, along with key variables associated with this innovation and directions for future research.
Testing the Development and Diffusion of E‐Government and E‐Democracy: A Global Perspective
Authors: Lee Chung‐pin , Chang Kaiju , Berry Frances Stokes
Published: May 2011

E‐government uses information and communication technology to provide citizens with information about public services. Less pervasive, e‐democracy offers greater electronic community access to political processes and policy choices. Few studies have examined these twin applications separately, although they are widely discussed in the literature as distinct. The authors, Chung‐pin Lee of Tamkang University and Kaiju Chang and Frances Stokes Berry of Florida State University, empirically analyze factors associated with the relative level of development of e‐government and e‐democracy across 131 countries. Their hypotheses draw on four explanations of policy change—learning, political norms, competition, and citizen pressures. All four explanations are strongly linked to nations where e‐government policy is highly advanced, whereas a country’s e‐democracy development is connected to complex internal factors, such as political norms and citizen pressures.
The Case for Congressional Budgeting
Authors: Wehner Joachim
Published: May 2011

William Howard Taft and Frederick A. Cleveland’s vision of executive budgeting clashes with the unique status of the U.S. Congress among the world’s legislatures, and its proponents may exaggerate the potential for presidents to act as fiscal guardians. This article advocates more congressional budgeting by reinstituting effective fiscal rules and strengthening the role of the budget committees. These mechanisms would enhance fiscal discipline and aid consolidation.
The Obama Administration and PBB: Building on the Legacy of Federal Performance‐Informed Budgeting?
Authors: Joyce Philip G.
Published: May 2011

The administration of President Barack Obama, like those of his immediate predecessors, is focused on trying to improve the quality of, and use of, performance data. The federal government has been pursuing performance‐informed budget reforms for more than 50 years. Most recently, the Bush administration reforms included the President’s Management Agenda and the Program Assessment Rating Tool (PART). The Obama administration reforms include: measuring the effects of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act; reducing or eliminating poorly‐performing programs; setting a limited number of short‐term, high‐priority performance goals; and funding detailed program evaluations. The administration is taking a more agency‐driven approach than the Bush administration, but continues to find it challenging to move beyond production of performance data to its use. There should be opportunities to show how performance information can be used for decision making, given the change in the political climate and the needs to reduce spending and the deficit. Historically, there has been little appetite in the Congress for evidence‐based decision making. The administration, however, can continue to demonstrate how federal agencies can use performance information to more effectively manage programs.
The New Policy World of Cybersecurity
Authors: Harknett Richard J. , Stever James A.
Published: May 2011

As government agencies, private sector corporations, the military, and even retail shoppers shift their activities to the Internet, cybersecurity becomes increasingly important. Past presidential administrations recognized that cybersecurity necessitates a comprehensive national policy to protect electronically transmitted and stored information from intrusion. But so far, development of a coherent cybersecurity policy has proven to be a daunting task. A feasible policy framework that systematically arrays the issues and specifies parameters of constraints is lacking, and articulated policies and strategies are narrowly focused and implemented incrementally. The authors argue that recent government documents related to cyberspace form a positive foundation on which to build a comprehensive policy. Despite the incremental nature of cybersecurity progress, these key documents represent a cumulative process on which to build future policy.
Carl J. Friedrich on Responsibility and Authority
Authors: Plant Jeremy F.
Published: May 2011

Carl J. Friedrich’s concept of administrative responsibility is examined in his published works from 1935 to 1960. Friedrich’s idea of responsibility encompassed not only political and personal responsibility within the hierarchy of bureaucratic organizations, but also functional responsibility based on scientific knowledge and professional standards required by the reality of administrative discretion. Friedrich’s notion of responsibility is contrasted with that of Herman Finer, who espoused strict obedience to political and administrative superiors. An examination of the NOMOS series of edited volumes from the later stage of Friedrich’s career reflects the consistency of his views on responsibility and on the relationship of responsibility to authority based on reasoned communication. Friedrich’s optimism regarding such authority contrasts with Hannah Arendt’s view that authority is no longer an operative concept in modern society. Friedrich lays an important foundation for continued interest among public administrative scholars in the concept of administrative responsibility.
Proteome Profiling of Leishmania Infantum Promastigotes
Authors: ALCOLEA PEDRO J. , ALONSO ANA , LARRAGA VICENTE
Published: May 2011

ABSTRACT. A proteome analysis of the promastigote stage of the trypanosomatid parasite Leishmania infantum (MON‐1 zymodeme) is described here for the first time. Total protein extracts were prepared at early logarithmic and stationary phases of replicate axenic cultures and processed by 2D electrophoresis (pH 3–10). A total of 28 differentially regulated proteins were identified by matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization‐tandem time of flight mass spectrometry. This approach has revealed that the electron transfer flavoprotein (ETF) and the eukaryotic elongation factor 1α (eEF1α) subunit have the same differential expression pattern at the protein and mRNA levels, up‐regulation in the stationary phase. A low‐molecular‐weight isoform and an alternatively processed form of the eEF1α subunit have been detected. A 51 kDa subunit of replication factor A is up‐regulated in dividing logarithmic promastigotes. None of the proteins described here shows opposite differential regulation values with the corresponding mRNA levels. Taken together with previous approaches to the proteome and the transcriptome, this report contributes to the elucidation of the differential regulation patterns of the ETF, the eEF1α subunit, the 40S ribosomal protein S12, α‐tubulin and the T‐complex protein 1 subunit γ throughout the life cycle of the parasites from the genus Leishmania.
Species Boundaries in Gregarine Apicomplexan Parasites: A Case Study—Comparison of Morphometric and Molecular Variability in Lecudina cf. tuzetae (Eugregarinorida, Lecudinidae)
Authors: RUECKERT SONJA , VILLETTE PETRA M.A.H. , LEANDER BRIAN S.
Published: May 2011

ABSTRACT. Trophozoites of gregarine apicomplexans are large feeding cells with diverse morphologies that have played a prominent role in gregarine systematics. The range of variability in trophozoite shapes and sizes can be very high even within a single species depending on developmental stages and host environmental conditions; this makes the delimitation of different species of gregarines based on morphological criteria alone very difficult. Accordingly, comparisons of morphological variability and molecular variability in gregarines are necessary to provide a pragmatic framework for establishing species boundaries within this diverse and poorly understood group of parasites. We investigated the morphological and molecular variability present in the gregarine Lecudina cf. tuzetae from the intestines of Nereis vexillosa (Polychaeta) collected in two different locations in Canada. Three distinct morphotypes of trophozoites were identified and the small subunit (SSU) rDNA was sequenced either from multicell isolates of the same morphotype or from single cells. The aim of this investigation was to determine whether the different morphotypes and localities reflected phylogenetic relatedness as inferred from the SSU rDNA sequence data. Phylogenetic analyses of the SSU rDNA demonstrated that the new sequences did not cluster according to morphotype or locality and instead were intermingled within a strongly supported clade. A comparison of 1,657 bp from 45 new sequences demonstrated divergences between 0% and 3.9%. These data suggest that it is necessary to acquire both morphological and molecular data in order to effectively delimit the “clouds” of variation associated with each gregarine species and to unambiguously reidentify these species in the future.
Post‐transcriptional Regulation of S‐Phase Genes in the Dinoflagellate, Karenia brevis
Authors: BRUNELLE STEPHANIE A. , VAN DOLAH FRANCES M.
Published: May 2011

ABSTRACT.  Karenia brevis is a toxic dinoflagellate responsible for red tides in the Gulf of Mexico. The molecular mechanisms controlling its cell cycle are important to bloom formation because blooms develop through vegetative cell division. This study identifies a suite of conserved S‐phase genes in K. brevis—proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), ribonucleotide reductase 2, replication factor C, and replication protein A—and characterizes their expression at the mRNA and protein level over the cell cycle. In higher eukaryotes, the expression of these genes is controlled by transcription, activated at S‐phase entry by the E2F transcription factor, which ensures their timely availability for DNA synthesis. In the dinoflagellate, these transcripts possess a 5′‐transspliced leader sequence, which suggests they may be under post‐transcriptional control as demonstrated in trypanosomes. Using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), we confirmed that their transcript levels are unchanged over the cell cycle. However, their proteins are maximally expressed during S‐phase. This suggests their cell‐cycle‐dependent expression may be achieved at the level of translation and/or stability. Proliferating cell nuclear antigen further undergoes an increase in size of ∼9 kDa that dominates during S‐phase. This coincides with a change in its distribution, with prominent staining of chromatin‐bound PCNA occurring during S‐phase. We hypothesize that the change in the observed size of PCNA is due to post‐translational modification. Together, these studies demonstrate post‐transcriptional regulation of S‐phase genes in K. brevis. Differential expression of these S‐phase proteins may be useful in the development of biomarkers to assess bloom growth status in the field.
Measures of Crowding in the Emergency Department: A Systematic Review
Authors: Hwang Ula , McCarthy Melissa L. , Aronsky Dominik , Asplin Brent , Crane Peter W. , Craven Catherine K. , Epstein Stephen K. , Fee Christopher , Handel Daniel A. , Pines Jesse M. , Rathlev Niels K. , Schafermeyer Robert W. , Zwemer, Jr. Frank L. , Bernstein Steven L.
Published: May 2011

ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE 2011; 18:527–538 © 2011 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Objectives:  Despite consensus regarding the conceptual foundation of crowding, and increasing research on factors and outcomes associated with crowding, there is no criterion standard measure of crowding. The objective was to conduct a systematic review of crowding measures and compare them in conceptual foundation and validity.

Methods:  This was a systematic, comprehensive review of four medical and health care citation databases to identify studies related to crowding in the emergency department (ED). Publications that “describe the theory, development, implementation, evaluation, or any other aspect of a ‘crowding measurement/definition’ instrument (qualitative or quantitative)” were included. A ”measurement/definition” instrument is anything that assigns a value to the phenomenon of crowding in the ED. Data collected from papers meeting inclusion criteria were: study design, objective, crowding measure, and evidence of validity. All measures were categorized into five measure types (clinician opinion, input factors, throughput factors, output factors, and multidimensional scales). All measures were then indexed to six validation criteria (clinician opinion, ambulance diversion, left without being seen (LWBS), times to care, forecasting or predictions of future crowding, and other).

Results:  There were 2,660 papers identified by databases; 46 of these papers met inclusion criteria, were original research studies, and were abstracted by reviewers. A total of 71 unique crowding measures were identified. The least commonly used type of crowding measure was clinician opinion, and the most commonly used were numerical counts (number or percentage) of patients and process times associated with patient care. Many measures had moderate to good correlation with validation criteria.

Conclusions:  Time intervals and patient counts are emerging as the most promising tools for measuring flow and nonflow (i.e., crowding), respectively. Standardized definitions of time intervals (flow) and numerical counts (nonflow) will assist with validation of these metrics across multiple sites and clarify which options emerge as the metrics of choice in this “crowded” field of measures.
Effect of an Educational Intervention on Faculty and Resident Satisfaction with Real‐time Feedback in the Emergency Department
Authors: Yarris Lalena M. , Fu Rongwei , LaMantia Joseph , Linden Judith A. , Gene Hern H. , Lefebvre Cedric , Nestler David M. , Tupesis Janis , Kman Nicholas ,   on behalf of the Emergency Medicine Education Research Group (EMERGe)
Published: May 2011

Academic Emergency Medicine 2011; 18:504–512 © 2011 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Objectives:  Effective real‐time feedback is critical to medical education. This study tested the hypothesis that an educational intervention related to feedback would improve emergency medicine (EM) faculty and resident physician satisfaction with feedback.

Methods:  This was a cluster‐randomized, controlled study of 15 EM residency programs in 2007–2008. An educational intervention was created that combined a feedback curriculum with a card system designed to promote timely, effective feedback. Sites were randomized either to receive the intervention or to continue their current feedback method. All participants completed a Web‐based survey before and after the intervention period. The primary outcome was overall feedback satisfaction on a 10‐point scale. Additional items addressed specific aspects of feedback. Responses were compared using a generalized estimating equations model, adjusting for confounders and baseline differences between groups. The study was designed to achieve at least 80% power to detect a one‐point difference in overall satisfaction (α = 0.05).

Results:  Response rates for pre‐ and postintervention surveys were 65.9 and 47.3% (faculty) and 64.7 and 56.9% (residents). Residents in the intervention group reported a mean overall increase in feedback satisfaction scores compared to those in the control group (mean increase 0.96 points, standard error [SE] ± 0.44, p = 0.03) and significantly higher satisfaction with the quality, amount, and timeliness of feedback. There were no significant differences in mean scores for overall and specific aspects of satisfaction between the faculty physician intervention and control groups.

Conclusions:  An intervention designed to improve real‐time feedback in the ED resulted in higher resident satisfaction with feedback received, but did not affect faculty satisfaction with the feedback given.
Mathematical Modeling for Prediction of Survival From Resuscitation Based on Computerized Continuous Capnography: Proof of Concept
Authors: Einav Sharon , Bromiker Ruben , Weiniger Carolyn F. , Matot Idit
Published: May 2011

ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE 2011; 18:468–475 © 2011 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Objectives:  The objective was to describe a new method of studying correlations between real‐time end tidal carbon dioxide (ETCO2) data and resuscitation outcomes.

Methods:  This was a prospective cohort study of 30 patients who underwent cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in a university hospital. Sidestream capnograph data were collected during CPR and analyzed by a mathematician blinded to patient outcome. The primary outcome measure was to determine whether a meaningful relationship could be drawn between detailed computerized ETCO2 characteristics and the return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC). Significance testing was performed for proof‐of‐concept purposes only.

Results:  Median patient age was 74 years (interquartile range [IQR] = 60–80 years; range = 16–92 years). Events were mostly witnessed (63%), with a median call‐to‐arrival time of 150 seconds (IQR = 105–255 seconds; range = 60–300 seconds). The incidence of ROSC was 57% (17 of 30), and of hospital discharge 20% (six of 30). Ten minutes after intubation, patients with ROSC had higher peak ETCO2 values (p = 0.035), larger areas under the ETCO2 curve (p = 0.016), and rising ETCO2 slopes versus flat or falling slopes (p = 0.016) when compared to patients without ROSC. Cumulative maxETCO2 > 20 mm Hg at all time points measured between 5 and 10 minutes postintubation best predicted ROSC (sensitivity = 0.88; specificity = 0.77; p < 0.001). Mathematical modeling targeted toward avoiding misdiagnosis of patients with recovery potential (fixed condition, false‐negative rate = 0) demonstrated that cumulative maxETCO2 (at 5–10 minutes) > 25 mm Hg or a slope greater than 0 measured between 0 and 8 minutes correctly predicted patient outcome in 70% of cases within less than 10 minutes of intubation.

Conclusions:  This preliminary study suggests that computerized ETCO2 carries potential as a tool for early, real‐time decision‐making during some resuscitations.
Test Characteristics of Focused Assessment of Sonography for Trauma for Clinically Significant Abdominal Free Fluid in Pediatric Blunt Abdominal Trauma
Authors: Fox J. Christian , Boysen Megan , Gharahbaghian Laleh , Cusick Seric , Ahmed Suleman S. , Anderson Craig L. , Lekawa Michael , Langdorf Mark I.
Published: May 2011

ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE 2011; 18:477–482 © 2011 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Objectives:  Focused assessment of sonography in trauma (FAST) has been shown useful to detect clinically significant hemoperitoneum in adults, but not in children. The objectives were to determine test characteristics for clinically important intraperitoneal free fluid (FF) in pediatric blunt abdominal trauma (BAT) using computed tomography (CT) or surgery as criterion reference and, second, to determine the test characteristics of FAST to detect any amount of intraperitoneal FF as detected by CT.

Methods:  This was a prospective observational study of consecutive children (0–17 years) who required trauma team activation for BAT and received either CT or laparotomy between 2004 and 2007. Experienced physicians performed and interpreted FAST. Clinically important FF was defined as moderate or greater amount of intraperitoneal FF per the radiologist CT report or surgery.

Results:  The study enrolled 431 patients, excluded 74, and analyzed data on 357. For the first objective, 23 patients had significant hemoperitoneum (22 on CT and one at surgery). Twelve of the 23 had true‐positive FAST (sensitivity = 52%; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 31% to 73%). FAST was true negative in 321 of 334 (specificity = 96%; 95% CI = 93% to 98%). Twelve of 25 patients with positive FAST had significant FF on CT (positive predictive value [PPV] = 48%; 95% CI = 28% to 69%). Of 332 patients with negative FAST, 321 had no significant fluid on CT (negative predictive value [NPV] = 97%; 95% CI = 94% to 98%). Positive likelihood ratio (LR) for FF was 13.4 (95% CI = 6.9 to 26.0) while the negative LR was 0.50 (95% CI = 0.32 to 0.76). Accuracy was 93% (333 of 357, 95% CI = 90% to 96%). For the second objective, test characteristics were as follows: sensitivity = 20% (95% CI = 13% to 30%), specificity = 98% (95% CI = 95% to 99%), PPV = 76% (95% CI = 54% to 90%), NPV = 78% (95% CI = 73% to 82%), positive LR = 9.0 (95% CI = 3.7 to 21.8), negative LR = 0.81 (95% CI = 0.7 to 0.9), and accuracy = 78% (277 of 357, 95% CI = 73% to 82%).

Conclusion:  In this population of children with BAT, FAST has a low sensitivity for clinically important FF but has high specificity. A positive FAST suggests hemoperitoneum and abdominal injury, while a negative FAST aids little in decision‐making.
Social Containment of Disaster
Authors: Gusterson Hugh
Published: May 2011

[dialogue, anthropology of energy, earthquake, Fukushima, energy, environment]
Oilpacity: Secrets of History in the Coup against Hugo Chávez
Authors: Coronil Fernando
Published: May 2011

[energy, energopolitics, anthropology of energy, Venezuelan coup, oil industry, Chavez, nationalization]
Ethnographies of Wind and Power
Authors: Dracklé Dorle , Krauss Werner
Published: May 2011

[energy, energopolitics, wind power, wind energy, anthropology of energy, renewable energy source]
The Global Perspective
Authors: Nader Laura
Published: May 2011

[energy, energopolitics, anthropology of energy, nuclear power, energy policy, wind energy, renewable energy source]
The Mark and Olly Follies
Authors: Shepard Glenn H
Published: May 2011

[knowledge exchange, Matsigenka, reality TV, ethnography, medical anthropology]
Humanities on the Hill: AAA Brings Humanities to the Forefront of National Budget Vote
Authors: Osten Joslyn
Published: May 2011

[public affairs, Washington Wire, capitol hill, National Humanities Alliance, NHA]
A longitudinal study of plasma levels of soluble fms‐like tyrosine kinase 1 (sFlt1), placental growth factor (PlGF), sFlt1: PlGF ratio and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF‐A) in normal pregnancy
Authors: PALM MARIA , BASU SAMAR , LARSSON ANDERS , WERNROTH LISA , ÅKERUD HELENA , AXELSSON OVE
Published: May 2011

Objective. To describe plasma levels of angiogenic (PlGF, VEGF‐A) and anti‐angiogenic (sFlt1) factors as well as the sFlt1:PlGF ratio throughout normal pregnancy and postpartum. Design. Longitudinal prospective study. Setting. One outpatient antenatal clinic in Uppsala, Sweden. Population. Thirty‐seven healthy women with normal pregnancies and normal neonatal outcome were included. Methods. Blood samples were collected from each woman at least six times. Plasma levels of sFlt1, PlGF and VEGF‐A were measured using commercially available ELISA kits. Main outcome measures. Median plasma levels, the 25th to the 75th percentile and the average change per gestational week of sFlt1, PlGF and the sFlt1:PlGF ratio. Results. sFlt1 levels were relatively constant until weeks 29–30, when they increased, reaching a peak at week 40. An increase of 643pg/ml per week was observed from weeks 30 to 40. Postpartum levels were low. PlGF increased by 16pg/ml per week from early pregnancy until weeks 29–30 and thereafter decreased by 14pg/ml per week until week 40. The sFlt1:PlGF ratio decreased from weeks 9–12, was constantly low from weeks 19–20 to 37–38 and then increased to weeks 39–40. VEGF‐A was detectable in only 8% of the samples during pregnancy and in 64% postpartum. Conclusion. This longitudinal study demonstrates how sFlt1, PlGF and the sFlt1:PlGF ratio fluctuate throughout normal pregnancy and postpartum and may serve as a reference against which these factors can be studied in complicated pregnancies. VEGF‐A levels were more often detectable postpartum.
Effective dispersal rate is a function of habitat size and corridor shape: mechanistic formulation of a two‐patch compartment model for spatially continuous systems
Authors: Wakano Joe Yuichiro , Ikeda Kota , Miki Takeshi , Mimura Masayasu
Published: May 2011

Two‐patch compartment models have been explored to understand the spatial processes that promote species coexistence. However, a phenomenological definition of the inter‐patch ‘dispersal rate’ has limited the quantitative predictability of these models to community dynamics in spatially continuous habitats. Here, we mechanistically rederived a two‐patch Lotka–Volterra competition model for a spatially continuous reaction‐diffusion system where a narrow corridor connects two large habitats. We provide a mathematical formula of the dispersal rate appearing in the two‐patch compartment model as a function of habitat size, corridor shape (ratio of its width to its length), and organism diffusion coefficients. For most reasonable settings, the two‐patch compartment model successfully approximated not only the steady states, but also the transient dynamics of the reaction–diffusion model. Further numerical simulations indicated the general applicability of our formula to other types of community dynamics, e.g. driven by resource‐competition, in spatially homogeneous and heterogeneous environments. Our results suggest that the spatial configuration of habitats plays a central role in community dynamics in space. Furthermore, our new framework will help to improve experimental designs for quantitative test of metacommunity theories and reduce the gaps among modeling, empirical studies, and their application to landscape management.
The A domain of fibronectin‐binding protein B of Staphylococcus aureus contains a novel fibronectin binding site
Authors: Burke Fiona M. , Di Poto Antonella , Speziale Pietro , Foster Timothy J.
Published: May 2011

The fibronectin‐binding proteins FnBPA and FnBPB are multifunctional adhesins than can also bind to fibrinogen and elastin. In this study, the N2N3 subdomains of region A of FnBPB were shown to bind fibrinogen with a similar affinity to those of FnBPA (2 μm). The binding site for FnBPB in fibrinogen was localized to the C‐terminus of the γ‐chain. Like clumping factor A, region A of FnBPB bound to the γ‐chain of fibrinogen in a Ca2+‐inhibitable manner. The deletion of 17 residues from the C‐terminus of domain N3 and the substitution of two residues in equivalent positions for crucial residues for fibrinogen binding in clumping factor A and FnBPA eliminated fibrinogen binding by FnBPB. This indicates that FnBPB binds fibrinogen by the dock–lock–latch mechanism. In contrast, the A domain of FnBPB bound fibronectin with KD = 2.5 μm despite lacking any of the known fibronectin‐binding tandem repeats. A truncate lacking the C‐terminal 17 residues (latching peptide) bound fibronectin with the same affinity, suggesting that the FnBPB A domain binds fibronectin by a novel mechanism. The substitution of the two residues required for fibrinogen binding also resulted in a loss of fibronectin binding. This, combined with the observation that purified subdomain N3 bound fibronectin with a measurable, but reduced, KD of 20 μm, indicates that the type I modules of fibronectin bind to both the N2 and N3 subdomains. The fibronectin‐binding ability of the FnBPB A domain was also functional when the protein was expressed on and anchored to the surface of staphylococcal cells, showing that it is not an artifact of recombinant protein expression.

Structured digital abstract

 Fibronectin binds to fnbB by filter binding (View interaction)

 Fibronectin binds to fnbB by surface plasmon resonance (View Interaction 1, 2)
Biological role of bacterial inclusion bodies: a model for amyloid aggregation
Authors: García‐Fruitós Elena , Sabate Raimon , de Groot Natalia S. , Villaverde Antonio , Ventura Salvador
Published: May 2011

Inclusion bodies are insoluble protein aggregates usually found in recombinant bacteria when they are forced to produce heterologous protein species. These particles are formed by polypeptides that cross‐interact through sterospecific contacts and that are steadily deposited in either the cell’s cytoplasm or the periplasm. An important fraction of eukaryotic proteins form inclusion bodies in bacteria, which has posed major problems in the development of the biotechnology industry. Over the last decade, the fine dissection of the quality control system in bacteria and the recognition of the amyloid‐like architecture of inclusion bodies have provided dramatic insights on the dynamic biology of these aggregates. We discuss here the relevant aspects, in the interface between cell physiology and structural biology, which make inclusion bodies unique models for the study of protein aggregation, amyloid formation and prion biology in a physiologically relevant background.
The Natural Progression and Regression of Erectile Dysfunction: Follow-Up Results from the MMAS and MALES Studies
Authors: Travison Thomas G. , Sand Michael S. , Rosen Raymond C. , Shabsigh Ridwan , Eardley Ian , McKinlay John B.
Published: May 2011

Introduction

Using the Massachusetts Male Aging Study (MMAS) data from the years 1987–1995, we previously demonstrated high rates of both progression (33%) and regression (35%) of self-reported severity of erectile dysfunction (ED). These results have not been replicated using more recent data—relevant in light of the introduction of phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors (PDE5i) to treat ED—nor compared with those from other populations.

Aim

To estimate age-specific progression and regression of ED severity among subjects with at least mild self-reported ED.

Methods

We used the two most recent data collection waves from the MMAS (baseline in 1995–1997 and follow-up in 2002–2004, approximately 7 years of follow-up) and data from the Men's Attitudes to Life Events and Sexuality (MALES) study (baseline in 2001 and follow-up in 2004, approximately 3 years of follow-up); 367 MMAS and 617 MALES subjects contributed data. MMAS participants were a population-based sample of men living in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. MALES subjects were obtained from a multinational convenience sample.

Main Outcome Measures

ED was measured using the validated single-question self-report of ED severity (“none,”“minimal,”“moderate,” or “complete”). ED progression was defined as worsening of ED over time, whereas regression was defined as a lessening of ED severity. Logistic regression analyses were adjusted for age, body mass index (MMAS only), and use of PDE5i.

Results

In MMAS and MALES, 21% (confidence interval [CI]: 17%, 25%) and 25% (22%, 29%) of subjects, respectively, exhibited regression; 51% (45%, 57%) in MMAS and 28% (23%, 33%) in MALES exhibited ED progression. A minority of subjects (14% in MMAS and 28% in MALES) reported use of PDE5i. The proportion of subjects reporting progression increased with age. The higher rate of progression in MMAS may be due in part to the shorter follow-up time (∼3 years) in MALES.

Conclusions

Among subjects with some level of self-reported ED, progression and regression are common over a several-year period. Strategies for therapy and intervention for ED should acknowledge this basic evolution with time.
Female Orgasm Rates are Largely Independent of Other Traits: Implications for “Female Orgasmic Disorder” and Evolutionary Theories of Orgasm
Authors: Zietsch Brendan P. , Miller Geoffrey F. , Bailey J. Michael , Martin Nicholas G.
Published: May 2011

Introduction

The criteria for “female orgasmic disorder” (FOD) assume that low rates of orgasm are dysfunctional, implying that high rates are functional. Evolutionary theories about the function of female orgasm predict correlations of orgasm rates with sexual attitudes and behavior and other fitness-related traits.

Aim

To test hypothesized evolutionary functions of the female orgasm.

Methods

We examined such correlations in a community sample of 2,914 adult female Australian twins who reported their orgasm rates during masturbation, intercourse, and other sexual activities, and who completed demographic, personality, and sexuality questionnaires.

Main Outcome Measures

Orgasm rates during intercourse, other sex, and masturbation.

Results

Although orgasm rates showed high variance across women and substantial heritability, they were largely phenotypically and genetically independent of other important traits. We found zero to weak phenotypic correlations between all three orgasm rates and all other 19 traits examined, including occupational status, social class, educational attainment, extraversion, neuroticism, psychoticism, impulsiveness, childhood illness, maternal pregnancy stress, marital status, political liberalism, restrictive attitudes toward sex, libido, lifetime number of sex partners, risky sexual behavior, masculinity, orientation toward uncommitted sex, age of first intercourse, and sexual fantasy. Furthermore, none of the correlations had significant genetic components.

Conclusion

These findings cast doubt on most current evolutionary theories about female orgasm's adaptive functions, and on the validity of FOD as a psychiatric construct.
Improvement on Relative Permittivity of Inkjet‐Printed BaTiO3–Resin Hybrid Film by Manipulating Ceramic Powder Size‐Distribution
Authors: Lim Jongwoo , Kim Jihoon , Yoon Young Joon , Kim Hyotae , Yoon Ho Gyu , Lee Sung‐Nam , Kim Jong‐hee
Published: May 2011

BaTiO3–resin hybrid composite is one of the most promising candidates for the embedded capacitors. We utilized the inkjet printing to prepare BaTiO3–resin hybrid film. In order to extract the maximum relative permittivity from the hybrid films, the following aspects were investigated: (1) the effect of BaTiO3 powder size on the relative permittivity of inkjet‐printed films and (2) the improvement of the packing density by using two different sizes of BaTiO3 powders resulting in the increase in relative permittivity. The microstructures of the films were investigated to confirm the improvement on the packing density and their effects on the relative permittivity.
Heme Oxygenase‐1 is Associated with Wheat Salinity Acclimation by Modulating Reactive Oxygen Species HomeostasisF
Authors: Xie Yanjie , Cui Weiti , Yuan Xingxing , Shen Wenbiao , Yang Qing
Published: May 2011

Heme oxygenase‐1 (HO‐1) has been recently identified as an endogenous signaling system in animals. In this study, HO‐1 upregulation and its role in acquired salt tolerance (salinity acclimation) were investigated in wheat plants. We discovered that pretreatment with a low concentration of NaCl (25 mmol/L) not only led to the induction of HO‐1 protein and gene expression, as well as enhanced HO activity, but also to a salinity acclimatory response thereafter. The effect is specific for HO‐1, since the potent HO‐1 inhibitor zinc protoporphyrin IX blocks the above cytoprotective actions, and the cytotoxic responses conferred by 200 mmol/L NaCl are reversed partially when HO‐1 inducer hemin is added. Heme oxygenase catalytic product, carbon monoxide (CO) aqueous solution pretreatment, mimicked the salinity acclimatory responses. Meanwhile, the CO‐triggered re‐establishment of reactive oxygen species (ROS) homeostasis was mainly guaranteed by the induction of total and isozymatic activities, or corresponding transcripts of superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase, and cytosolic peroxidase (POD), as well as the downregulation of NADPH oxidase expression and cell‐wall POD activity. A requirement of hydrogen peroxide homeostasis for HO‐1‐mediated salinity acclimation was also discovered. Taken together, the above results suggest that the upregulation of HO‐1 expression was responsible for the observed salinity acclimation through the regulation of ROS homeostasis.
New insights in fetal and neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia
Authors: Kaplan C. , Bertrand G.
Published: May 2011

During the recent years considerable advances in the clinical and laboratory diagnosis of alloimmune thrombocytopenia have been done. Feto‐maternal alloimmunization is the commonest cause of severe isolated fetal and neonatal thrombocytopenia. The condition results from maternal immunization against specific fetal platelet antigens (HPA). Unlike the haemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn the first newborn was found to be affected. The diagnosis is usually made at birth when an otherwise ‘well’ term infant exhibits bleeding at delivery or few hours afterwards. The most feared complication of this disorder is the occurrence of intracranial haemorrhage (ICH) as a result of severe thrombocytopenia leading to death or neurological sequelae. The diagnosis of alloimmune thrombocytopenia enables appropriate management of the index case and future pregnancies. The diagnosis is confirmed by laboratory testing with the identification of the maternal alloantibody and the offending antigen present in the fetus or neonate that is absent in the mother. In a recent retrospective study concerning 75 HPA‐1b1b women, we have shown that the diagnosis of maternal alloimmunization was mostly established at delivery and the women were primigravida in 51% of the cases. The deleterious consequence of this severity was evidenced by in utero or postnatal ICH. Subsequent pregnancies were managed according to three different protocols, steroids only, intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) or IVIG and steroids. We found that the most efficacious antenatal therapy for fetal alloimmune thrombocytopenia is maternal treatment with IVIG and steroids. In summary, this study shows (1) that the morbidity linked with this condition is important to be considered for further antenatal screening (2) that antenatal management in referral centers should be suggested to high‐risk pregnant women.
Maternal antibody titration as a predictive parameter for fetal status and therapy effectiveness in pregnancies associated with alloimmune thrombocytopenia
Authors: Bertrand G. , Kaplan C.
Published: May 2011

Alloimmune thrombocytopenia is the most common cause of severe isolated fetal and neonatal thrombocytopenia. In view of the recurrence of thrombocytopenia in subsequent pregnancies with incompatible fetuses, antenatal management has been developed. Until recently the only possibility of assessing the fetal status both before and during therapy was to perform fetal blood samplings (FBS). In view of the risks involved in the procedure, FBS has been restricted and non‐invasive strategies have been developed. The determination of maternal parameters predictive of severe fetal thrombocytopenia is crucial for tailored intervention. A first retrospective study was designed to analyse the predictive value of the maternal anti‐HPA‐1a antibody concentration. With this in view, we developed a quantitative method based on the monoclonal antibody‐specific immobilization of platelet antigens (MAIPA) technique, which is the gold standard method for serological investigations in platelet immunology [1]. Maternal anti‐HPA‐1a antibody concentrations were determined at the same time as the FBS carried out as a part of the antenatal management prior to therapy. A statistically significant correlation was observed between the high antibody concentration [≥ 28 international units (IU)/ml] and severe fetal thrombocytopenia (< 50 × 109/l; P = 0·0021 [2]). A larger retrospective study was subsequently performed to search for additional maternal predictive parameters during managed pregnancies, taking into account maternal anti‐HPA‐1a antibody concentrations and maternal genetic background (ABO blood group and HLA‐DRB3 allele). We confirmed the predictive value of the maternal antibody concentration before 28 weeks of gestation (wg) and before treatment. The follow‐up of the concentration during pregnancy allowed the measurement of the area under the curve, weighted by the weeks between the first and the last quantification. This new parameter was predictive of the therapy effectiveness: under 24 IU/ml/wg, a majority of women delivered a severely thrombocytopenic newborn (< 50 × 109/l; P = 0·0153 [3]). In conclusion, our work gives new insights into maternal predictive parameters for fetal status and therapy effectiveness, allowing non‐invasive strategies. Follow‐up of the antibody concentration during pregnancy could help to predict the outcome of the pregnancy, so as to prevent severe hemorrhagic disorders in the neonate.
AABB cellular therapy initiatives
Authors: Celluzzi C. M. , Loper K. , McKenna D. , McMannis J.D.
Published: May 2011

As applications in cellular therapies (CT) increase, so does the importance of international cooperation to facilitate the development of resources that best serve donors, healthcare professionals, and patients. Towards this goal, the AABB and International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT) cellular therapies have formed a CT working party and have jointly committed to the collaboration on a series of papers on donor selection, microbiological principles and product release. To identify other potential areas for collaboration, an overview of AABB CT initiatives is presented. AABB activities in CT encompass international projects and collaborations, standards development, accreditation, member activities focused on specific topic areas, educational programs, publications and research funding.
Feasibility and safety of multicomponent apheresis donation
Authors: Moog R.
Published: May 2011

Background and Objectives  Modern apheresis devices offer the possibility to collect blood components that are well standardized, as compared with those available with manual whole blood donations. Recent technologic advances in multicomponent donation have made possible the development of systems that can collect different blood components from the same donor during one apheresis session. Red blood cells (RBCs) can be concurrently collected with plasma or platelets (PLTs).

Materials and Methods  A PLT yield of ≥2 × 1011 per unit according to European guidelines can be targeted by the algorithm of the blood cell separators after entering donor specific parameters such as body weight, height and blood counts. Furthermore, two units of RBCs can also be collected during one apheresis session provided that the donor fulfils the eligibility criteria for that procedure.

Results  The haemoglobin content of apheresed RBCs after addition of additive solution is higher than the minimal European requirement of whole blood derived RBCs of 40 g per unit due to standardization. Automated blood cell separators permit predictable collection of blood components with consistent yields and volumes. Repeat apheresis donors accept multicomponent donation and consent to concurrent component collection in >90% of the procedures. The results of a national survey showed that approximately 75% were willing to give an additional RBC unit four times per year. This allows blood centres to increase the number of units colleted at low extra costs. Collecting an additional RBC unit in plateletpheresis causes extra costs of approximately 20€ for disposables and work load compensating the production costs with respect to the selling price. The incidence of acute adverse events in multicomponent apheresis was reported with less than 1%. Small, female donors with lower pre‐donation haematocrit were at higher risk for adverse events, especially when RBCs were collected. Double unit RBC collection showed to be safe if special eligibility criteria were respected.

Conclusion  Previous definitions of blood component yield and volume as well as the flexibility to collect those multicomponents allow the blood centre to collect those components that maximize donors’ contribution and to meet the demands of its area hospitals for blood components. Blood transfusion services are progressively increasing their reliance on apheresis technology to optimize the number of blood components collected per donor visit and to reduce the number of donors a patient is exposed to. The use of these systems has shown at the same time that multicomponent donations have been well tolerated by the donors and are cost‐effective.
Is intravenous immunoglobulin effective to reduce exchange transfusion in Rhesus haemolytic disease of the newborn?
Authors: Santos M. C. P. , Sá C. A. M. , Gomes S. C. , Camacho L. A. B. , Moreira M. E. L.
Published: May 2011

Background  Haemolytic disease of the newborn (HDN) is a persistent public health problem in Brazil due to the lack of efficient prophylactic measures. The standard therapeutic interventions for the newborn are phototherapy and exchange transfusion (ET). Intravenous immunoglobulin has been used for several years in some neonatal centres to reduce the need for ET among newborns with jaundice, but the scientific evidence on the efficacy of this treatment is still not definitive.

Objective  To assess the evidence of efficacy of non‐specific immunoglobulin in decreasing the need for ET in newborns with haemolytic disease of the newborn.

Methods  All randomized controlled trials on the use of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) to reduce the need of ET in the treatment of Rhesus haemolytic disease were included by searching MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Scopus, Lilacs, Scielo, http://www.clinicaltrial.gov and abstracts from SPR.

Results  Six trials were found including 281 neonates: Rubo et al. (1992) (32); Alpay et al. (1999) (23); Dagoglu et al. (1995) (41); Nasseri et al. (2006) (13); Santos et al. (2010) (92); Smits‐Wintjens et al. (2011) (80). Most of the trials used the immunoglobulin in a prophylactic approach and only one used it when the jaundice was already established. Only two studies used placebo in the control group and described a method of blinding the intervention after allocation. The phototherapy protocols were not the same neither the efficacy of the units used. There was difference on the doses of the IVIG and on the number of infusions.

Conclusions  Although current guidelines support the therapeutic effect of the intravenous immunoglobulin effect on decreasing the need for ET in newborns with Rhesus haemolytic disease it shall not yet be routinely recommended.