bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Office building efficiency and capacity benchmarks
Authors: Stoy Christian , Kytzia Susanne
Published: January 2005

Purpose

As corporate real estate is increasingly being recognised as an important cost and production factor, senior management now pays considerable attention to this asset group. These assets are managed, inter alia, by using benchmarks. In addition to monetary benchmarks, building efficiency (e.g. m2 of usable floor area per m2 of gross external floor area) and capacity benchmarks in particular (e.g. m2 of usable floor area per existing workplace) must be highlighted. Previously, specific values and their drivers for the assessment of buildings or portfolios were not available.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is based on a survey carried out in Switzerland, involving the collection of floor data (in accordance with DIN 277) of 116 owner‐operated office buildings. In addition, their drivers were ascertained using regression analyses.

Findings

The building efficiency may be assessed on the basis of the share of usable floor area or the share of office space in the gross external floor area. The main drivers are the shares of vehicle parking space, areas for residential and recreational purposes and areas for storage, distribution and retail. These drivers must be taken into consideration when assessing the building efficiency. It became apparent that capacity benchmarks are determined primarily by factors such as the space use management strategies, and only to a lesser degree by the building itself.

Originality/value

The study provides space benchmarks and their drivers. The results therefore permit an objective evaluation of office buildings. However, further work transcending the influence of the building itself will be required with regard to the capacity benchmarks.
Key success factors of building management in large and dense residential estates
Authors: Hui Encon Y.Y.
Published: January 2005

Purpose

Identifies major issues related to building management in the context of large and dense residential estates. Aims to understand the relationship between the owners and the building management company and determine the keys to success for building management in large and dense residential estates.

Design/methodology/approach

Field interviews are conducted with the management committees of three residential estates. Semi‐structured questions are asked. A model of service quality is applied in the context of building management.

Findings

A framework of the context of building management is constructed. The relationship among the management committee and the building management company is a partnership. Guidelines for narrowing possible service gaps in the process of building management are proposed. Key success factors of building management are identified.

Research limitations/implications

The sample size is small. This study reflects the field practice of outsourced building management of a few large and dense residential estates in Hong Kong. Further validation is necessary elsewhere.

Practical implications

This is a useful source of information for building owners and service providers to effectively implement building management.

Originality/value

The context of building management is graphically represented. The gap model of service quality is applied in the study of the process of service delivery of building management.
GAAP choice by European companies
Authors: Ortiz Esther
Published: January 2005

Purpose

This paper examines the adoption of internationally accepted accounting standards by European companies listed on the New York Stock Exchange. The study focuses on the evolution of the use of different generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), and on the features of those companies that have adopted these non‐local GAAP.

Design/methodology/approach

The sample was obtained from 336 Forms 20‐F for the period 1997‐2000. Using the information included in contingency tables and Pearson chi‐square statistic, proves whether there are any relationships between GAAP choice and other explanatory factors, i.e. country, size, industry, time listed and profitability.

Findings

The majority of the analysed companies keep using domestic‐GAAP. IAS firms are mainly non‐financial entities based in Switzerland and more profitable than US‐GAAP companies, which are mainly financial entities or companies engaged in SIC code 7 (services) based in Germany and less profitable than IAS firms.

Research limitations/implications

The most important limitation of the paper is the period of the study. It is admitted that a deeper analysis would imply obtaining data from the most recent years.

Originality/value

Bearing in mind the next adoption in Europe of International Financial Reporting Standards issued by the IASB, the results of the paper give a clue about the type of European multinationals which tend to adopt non‐local GAAP, and which kind of internationally accepted accounting standards they preferentially adopt.
FDI, international business and regulation
Authors: Vindelyn Smith‐Hillman A. , Omar Maktoba
Published: January 2005

Purpose

Multinational corporations (MNCs) occupy a central role within the process of globalisation as evidenced through global foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows valued at US$3.1 trillion by the end of 2000. The importance of regulation is evident through the significant growth in global regulatory changes throughout the 1990s.The influence of regulation on UK firms' international investment decisions is assessed.

Design/methodology/approach

Econometric analysis measures the influence of regulation and political risk on 121 UK firms with international operations. Host countries are divided into developed and less developed regions based on the World Bank country classification. Data derive from questionnaires that cover the period 1994‐1996 and include information on host country features of two economically and culturally different countries in which firms have ongoing overseas operations.

Findings

The findings indicate that regulation is a statistically significant, and positive, factor influencing internationally mobile FDI. There are however, regional differences between less developed and developed economies. Proportionately smaller FDI inflows to less developed economies partially reflect MNCs' response to weak governance and the regional predisposition towards corrupt practices.

Originality/value

Hitherto international business has been able to avoid the regulatory reach as one of the perks of being an international player. The prospect for long‐term avoidance is of a more limited time‐frame as sovereign status does not exempt a country from international intervention. As countries adopt a united approach to regulation, avoidance becomes less of an issue and may be replaced by more critical evaluation of different types of regulation.
A transparent role of information systems within business processes: a case study
Authors: Verboom Menno , van Iwaarden Jos , van der Wiele Ton
Published: January 2005

Service organisations still struggle with the adoption of a road to excellence. Evidence exists that processes and systems in service organisations are not always as advanced as in manufacturing organisations. Adding a quality smile to the face of the service provider will not solve the problems that are caused by defects in the underlying work processes and systems. Attention to the hardware in service organisations, i.e. to the service design, should instead create a more reliable process flow and time for service staff to develop improvement activities and spend more time with customers. The way service organisations began to take excellence seriously was by making their processes transparent, eliminating undesired steps and deleting loops. In this paper the focus is on expanding this approach by adding information systems and information sources into a process map. This seems to be a promising approach for small and medium‐sized service organisations, without having to invest in expensive and rigid business process automation.
Laments and serenades: relationship marketing and legitimation strategies for the cultural entrepreneur
Authors: Wilson Nicholas C. , Stokes David
Published: January 2005

This paper investigates how the marketing/entrepreneurship interface functions within the cultural sector. Specifically, the paper considers how cultural entrepreneurs in the music industry market not to customers, but to networks that control the resources necessary to support entrepreneurial ventures. Evidence is drawn from the qualitative research of a study on access to finance by owner‐managers of independent music companies (“cultural entrepreneurs”). The findings support the notion that “legitimation” is a key factor in accessing such resources. Cultural entrepreneurs have difficulties in establishing either “pragmatic legitimation” (derived from the self‐interest of organisations across marketing networks) or “cognitive legitimation” (derived from perceptions of normality and conformity within marketing networks). Marketing strategies at both individual and industry level are put forward to overcome these barriers. For individual businesses, a “selection strategy” using creative clusters or a “manipulation strategy” that manages the cultural environment are recommended. The implications for relationship marketing models are discussed.
Folding and particle assembly are disrupted by single‐point mutations near the autocatalytic cleavage site of Nudaurelia capensis ω virus capsid protein
Authors: Taylor Derek J. , Johnson John E.
Published: January 2005

Protein subunits of several RNA viruses are known to undergo post‐assembly, autocatalytic cleavage that is required for infectivity. Nudaurelia capensis ω virus (Nω V) is one of the simplest viruses to undergo an autocatalytic cleavage, making it an excellent model to understand both assembly and the mechanism of autoproteolysis. Heterologous expression of the coat protein gene of Nω V in a baculovirus system results in the spontaneous assembly of virus‐like particles (VLPs) that remain uncleaved when purified at neutral pH. After acidification to pH 5.0, the VLPs autocatalytically cleave at residue 570, providing an in vitro control of the cleavage. The crystal structure of Nω V displays three residues near the scissile bond that were candidates for participation in the reaction. These were changed by site‐directed mutagenesis to conservative and nonconservative residues and the products analyzed. Even conservative changes at the three residues dramatically reduced cleavage when the subunits assembled properly. Unexpectedly, we discovered that these residues are not only critical to the kinetics of Nω V autoproteolysis, but are also necessary for proper folding of subunits and, ultimately, assembly of Nω V VLPs.
Analysis of allosteric signal transduction mechanisms in an engineered fluorescent maltose biosensor
Authors: Dattelbaum Jonathan D. , Looger Loren L. , Benson David E. , Sali Kevin M. , Thompson Richard B. , Hellinga Homme W.
Published: January 2005

We previously reported the construction of a family of reagentless fluorescent biosensor proteins by the structure‐based design of conjugation sites for a single, environmentally sensitive small molecule dye, thus providing a mechanism for the transduction of ligand‐induced conformational changes into a macroscopic fluorescence observable. Here we investigate the microscopic mechanisms that may be responsible for the macroscopic fluorescent changes in such Fluorescent Allosteric Signal Transduction (FAST) proteins. As case studies, we selected three individual cysteine mutations (F92C, D95C, and S233C) of Escherichia coli maltose binding protein (MBP) covalently labeled with a single small molecule fluorescent probe, N‐((2‐iodoacetoxy)ethyl)‐N‐methyl)amino‐7‐nitrobenz‐2‐oxa‐1,3‐diazole (NBD), each giving rise to a robust FAST protein with a distinct maltose‐dependent fluorescence response. The fluorescence emission intensity, anisotropy, lifetime, and iodide‐dependent fluorescence quenching were determined for each conjugate in the presence and absence of maltose. Structure‐derived solvent accessible surface areas of the three FAST proteins are consistent with experimentally observed quenching data. The D95C protein exhibits the largest fluorescence change upon maltose binding. This mutant was selected for further characterization, and residues surrounding the fluorophore coupling site were mutagenized. Analysis of the resulting mutant FAST proteins suggests that specific hydrogen‐bonding interactions between the fluorophore molecule and two tyrosine side‐chains, Tyr171 and Tyr176, in the open state but not the closed, are responsible for the dramatic fluorescence response of this construct. Taken together these results provide insights that can be used in future design cycles to construct fluorescent biosensors that optimize signaling by engineering specific hydrogen bonds between a fluorophore and protein.
An avidin‐like domain that does not bind biotin is adopted for oligomerization by the extracellular mosaic protein fibropellin
Authors: Yanai Itai , Yu Yong , Zhu Xiahui , Cantor Charles R. , Weng Zhiping
Published: January 2005

The protein avidin found in egg white seems optimized for binding the small vitamin biotin as a stable homotetramer. Indeed, along with its streptavidin ortholog in the bacterium Streptomyces avidinii, this protein shows the strongest known noncovalent bond of a protein with a small ligand. A third known member of the avidin family, as similar to avidin as is streptavidin, is found at the C‐terminal ends of the multidomain fibropellin proteins found in sea urchin. The fibropellins form a layer known as the apical lamina that surrounds the sea urchin embryo throughout development. Based upon the structure of avidin, we deduced a structural model for the avidin‐like domain of the fibropellins and found that computational modeling predicts a lack of biotin binding and the preservation of tetramerization. To test this prediction we expressed and purified the fibropellin avidin‐like domain and found it indeed to be a homotetramer incapable of binding biotin. Several lines of evidence suggest that the avidin‐like domain causes the entire fibropellin protein to tetramerize. We suggest that the presence of the avidin‐like domain serves a structural (tetrameric form) rather than functional (biotin‐binding) role and may therefore be a molecular instance of exaptation—the modification of an existing function toward a new function. Finally, based upon the oligomerization of the avidin‐like domain, we propose a model for the overall structure of the apical lamina.
Inorganic sulphate extraction from SO2‐impacted Andosols
Authors: Delfosse T. , Delmelle P. , Givron C. , Delvaux B.
Published: January 2005

Sulphate sorption on to the surface of short‐range ordered minerals and precipitation of Al‐hydroxy sulphate contribute to the acid neutralizing capacity of soils. The correct measurement of total inorganic sulphate is thus essential in soils that are accumulating SO42– anions. We extracted SO42– by various solutions, namely 0.005 m Ca(NO3)2, 0.016 m KH2PO4, 0.5 m NH4F and 0.2 m acidic NH4‐oxalate (pH 3), from Vitric and Eutric Andosols exposed to prolonged deposition of acid and SO2 from an active volcano (Masaya, Nicaragua). We attributed sulphate extractable by KH2PO4 (20–3030 mg kg−1) to anion‐exchangeable SO42–, which was much smaller than NH4F‐ and oxalate‐extractable SO42– (400–9680 and 410–10 480 mg kg−1, respectively). Our results suggest the occurrence of a sparingly soluble Al‐hydroxy‐mineral phase extractable by both NH4F and oxalate. The formation of Al‐hydroxy minerals would result from the combination of enhanced weathering caused by strong acid loading and simultaneous occurrence of large SO42– concentrations in soil solution. Oxalate extracted slightly more inorganic SO42– than did NH4F, this additional amount of SO42– correlating strongly with oxalate‐extractable Si and Fe contents. Preferential occlusion of SO42– by short‐range ordered minerals, especially ferrihydrite, explains this behaviour. If we exclude the contribution of occluded sulphate then oxalate and NH4F mobilize similar amounts of SO42– and are believed to mobilize all of the inorganic SO42– pool.
Land‐use related organic matter dynamics in North Cameroon soils assessed by 13C analysis of soil organic matter fractions
Authors: Sevink J. , Obale‐Ebanga F. , Meijer H. A. J.
Published: January 2005

Topsoil samples from cultivated and adjacent non‐cultivated fields on three major agricultural soils in North Cameroon were fractionated into particle‐size fractions that were analysed subsequently for their C and 13C contents. The aim was to obtain further insight into the dynamics of soil organic matter (SOM) in relation to land use in Cameroon. Since organic carbon contents of the fractions were often very small, samples and analyses were extensively replicated to obtain robust statistical estimates of observed differences. For each soil type, differences in δ13C values between fields could be related to changes in the input and decomposition of organic matter arising from soil type, land management and, for example, the nature and abundance of weeds. Turnover of organic matter appeared to be fastest in the sand fraction, which is in line with results from earlier studies. In the finer fractions, clear differences in reaction to changes in input and decomposition were observed, that seem to be linked to differences in clay mineralogy. The results illustrate that SOM in the various fractions is much less stable and more strongly affected by changes in land use than might be assumed on the basis of changes in total SOM contents alone. At the same time, they demonstrate the relevance of 13C isotope analyses of SOM for studies on the impact of land use on these savannah soils with little SOM that are highly susceptible to degradation.
NHS cadet schemes: do they widen access to professional healthcare education?
Authors: Watson Roger , Norman Ian J. , Draper Jan , Jowett Sandra , Wilson‐Barnett Jenifer , Normand Charles , Halliday Debbie
Published: January 2005

Aim.  The aim of this paper is to report a study investigating the extent to which National Health Service cadet schemes widen access to professional health care education.

Background.  Cadet schemes have been reintroduced in the United Kingdom to increase recruitment of nurses and other health care staff to the National Health Service and also to widen access and increase participation in professional health care education by groups poorly represented in such education, including minority ethnic groups.

Methods.  A questionnaire survey of all cadet schemes (n = 62) in England at the time of the study was carried out, and the respondents were cadet scheme leaders (n = 62) and cadet students (n = 411). The questionnaires to scheme leaders enquired about when the schemes were established, what the schemes were preparing cadets for, modes of delivery and entry qualifications. The questionnaires to cadets enquired about age, gender, family circumstances, prior experience and ethnic background.

Findings.  The majority of schemes had been established since the health service reforms of 1999 and most were preparing cadets to enter professional nurse education programmes. Very few provided opportunities for part‐time study and some asked for entry qualifications. Cadets were younger on entry than a comparator group of student nurses, fewer were married, fewer had previous employment or health‐related employment and a lower percentage of cadets were white.

Conclusion.  Cadet schemes have the potential to widen access to professional health care study, but there is only limited evidence that they are doing so. In particular there was a lack of mature entrants to health care professional education via the schemes. However, the majority of schemes offered a route into professional education for students who did not hold sufficient educational qualifications for direct entry to professional health care education. It is encouraging that cadet schemes appear to be attracting a significantly greater proportion of students from Black and minority ethnic groups than preregistration nursing programmes overall.
Clinical characteristics, β‐cell function, HLA class II and mutations in MODY genes in non‐paediatric subjects with Type 1 diabetes without pancreatic autoantibodies
Authors: Aguilera E. , Casamitjana R. , Ercilla G. , Oriola J. , Nicoletti F. , Gomis R. , Conget I.
Published: January 2005

Objective  To study clinical characteristics, β‐cell function, HLA typing and mutations in the hepatocyte nuclear factor (HNF)‐1α and HNF‐4α genes in Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D) patients without pancreatic autoantibodies.

Design and methods  Twenty patients without pancreatic autoantibodies (Ab neg) and 20 with autoantibodies (Ab pos), age/gender matched, were included (age 17–34 years). Islet cell, glutamic acid decarboxylase, tyrosine phosphatase and insulin autoantibodies, basal and stimulated C‐peptide were measured. HLA‐DRB1‐DQA1‐DQB1 typing and screening for mutations in the HNF‐1α and HNF‐4α genes were performed.

Results  No differences were found in clinical presentation, metabolic control and β‐cell function in the two groups (onset or after 12 months). DRB1*0301‐DQA1*0501‐DQB1*0201 was the most frequent haplotype in both groups but we found a higher proportion of protective T1D haplotypes and Aspβ57 in the Ab neg group, but in all the cases in combination with susceptible T1D haplotypes. We found two previously reported polymorphisms (HNF‐1α, Ala98Val; HNF‐4α, Thr130Ile) in Ab neg and a new variant (Ser165Gly) in the HNF‐4α gene in an Ab pos subject.

Conclusions  In a non‐paediatric population with newly diagnosed T1D, the absence of islet antibodies does not imply clinical or metabolic differences when compared with those cases with islet antibodies. Despite a similar HLA‐DR/DQ typing, the presence of protective alleles and molecular properties in a higher proportion in the Ab neg group suggests that these factors could modulate the presence or absence of islet antibodies. Variants in HNF‐1α and HNF‐4α are unlikely to be major contributors to the pathogenesis of diabetes in antibody‐negative T1D.
Near patient blood ketone measurements and their utility in predicting diabetic ketoacidosis
Authors: Harris S. , Ng R. , Syed H. , Hillson R.
Published: January 2005

Aim  To assess the utility of near patient blood ketone measurements in predicting diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) among a group of hyperglycaemic unwell patients presenting to a hospital emergency department.

Methods  Near patient blood β‐hydroxybutyrate (β‐OHB) testing has recently been introduced as a new tool in our hospital Accident and Emergency department (A&E) for patients with a finger‐prick glucose of > 11 mmol/l. We reviewed the records of the first 50 patients to have a β‐OHB measurement to establish if they developed DKA or received treatment with intravenous insulin within 48 h of presentation. We then compared the diagnostic power of β‐OHB measurements with other clinical, physiological and biochemical markers of DKA.

Results  Nine patients had DKA, eight had a compensated metabolic acidosis secondary to raised serum ketones, and 33 had no evidence of DKA during the following 48 h. The median (range) β‐OHB levels in each group were 6.0 (3.1–6.0) mmol/l, 3.4 (1.2–5.7) mmol/l, and 0.1 (0.0–1.2) mmol/l, respectively. A β‐OHB level of ≥ 3.0 mmol/l had a sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 88% for DKA. All those with β‐OHB level > 3.0 mmol/l required treatment with intravenous insulin.

Conclusion  Measuring β‐OHB when a hyperglycaemic patient is identified could offer a simple method of identifying at an early stage those patients at highest risk of DKA (β‐OHB > 3.0 mmol/l), and redirecting the search for a diagnosis in others (β‐OHB < 1.0 mmol/l).
Judicious Use of Multiple Hypothesis Tests
Authors: ROBACK PAUL J. , ASKINS ROBERT A.
Published: January 2005

Abstract:  When analyzing a table of statistical results, one must first decide whether adjustment of significance levels is appropriate. If the main goal is hypothesis generation or initial screening for potential conservation problems, then it may be appropriate to use the standard comparisonwise significance level to avoid Type II errors (not detecting real differences or trends). If the main goal is rigorous testing of a hypothesis, however, then an adjustment for multiple tests is needed. To control the familywise Type I error rate (the probability of rejecting at least one true null hypothesis), sequential modifications of the standard Bonferroni method, such as Holm's method, will provide more statistical power than the standard Bonferroni method. Additional power may be achieved through procedures that control the false discovery rate (FDR) (the expected proportion of false positives among tests found to be significant). Holm's sequential Bonferroni method and two FDR‐controlling procedures were applied to the results of multiple‐regression analyses of the relationship between habitat variables and the abundance of 25 species of forest birds in Japan, and the FDR‐controlling procedures provided considerably greater statistical power.
A Framework for Improved Monitoring of Biodiversity: Responses to the World Summit on Sustainable Development
Authors: GREEN RHYS E. , BALMFORD ANDREW , CRANE PETER R. , MACE GEORGINA M. , REYNOLDS JOHN D. , TURNER R. KERRY
Published: January 2005

Abstract:  The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) endorsed the Hague Ministerial Declaration that calls for a significant reduction of the current rate of biodiversity loss at the global, regional, and national levels by 2010. We argue that there is a shortage of standardized, regularly repeated measurements of the state of biomes and their biota that could be used to monitor progress toward this goal. In particular, there are few data that directly or indirectly measure the delivery of ecosystem services that depend on biodiversity. Given the link made in the declaration between biodiversity and poverty alleviation, this deficiency is of special concern. We suggest that greater attention should be given to defining the questions about changes in biodiversity that are relevant to CBD and WSSD goals and propose a framework through which the links between these questions and programs of monitoring and research could be made stronger and more explicit. The framework consists of three stages. First is a scoping stage in which reviews of existing knowledge and interactions with stakeholders help to define the subject of the evaluation and lead to a preliminary model of the system of interest. Second is a design stage in which the types of measurement and sampling strategies are selected by evaluating their fitness for purpose and the resources available to conduct the work. The final stage is implementation and reporting, which considers data collection and storage and the evaluation and dissemination of results. This framework can be applied across a broad range of biodiversity attributes and scales and, if combined with a systematic review of the most important and relevant questions about changes in biodiversity, would improve the coverage, fitness for purpose, and value for money of biodiversity monitoring. Slowing the rate of loss of biodiversity requires conservation action, but to know where this is most needed and whether it is working requires better and more comprehensive monitoring.
Prevalence of Skin Disorders in School Children in Ibadan, Nigeria
Authors: Ogunbiyi A. O. , Owoaje Eme , Ndahi A.
Published: January 2005

Abstract:  Although skin diseases are common in children, there are very few population‐based studies in West Africa. Recently, there has been considerable emphasis on hygiene and socio‐economic impact on the incidence of allergic disorders in children. We determined the prevalence of skin diseases in a public primary school in Ibadan (southwest Nigeria). A questionnaire for assessing factors associated with the prevalence of diseases was completed, and a complete physical examination was carried out on 1066 students. The study included 529 (49.6%) boys and 537 (50.4%) girls with a mean age of 8.8 ± 2.5 years. The mean family size of the subjects was 6.7 ± 2.3 while the mean number of rooms in their homes was 2.6 ± 1.45. Infectious dermatosis was commonly observed. Of 375 children with a skin lesion, 162 (15.2%) had dermatophytosis, most often tinea capitis, 50 (4.7%) had pityriasis versicolor, and 50 (4.7%) had scabies. Other dermatoses observed included papular urticaria in 35 (3.3%) and angular cheilitis in 27 (2.5%) children. One or more melanocytic nevi were found in 40 (3.8%) children while 138 (12.9%) and 77 (7.25%) had tribal and scarification marks, respectively. Atopic eczema and viral warts were virtually absent. We concluded that fungal infections and scabies were the most common skin diseases in our study population, whereas allergic illnesses were nearly absent.
Concurrent Mycosis Fungoides and Precursor B Cell Lymphoblastic Lymphoma in a 6‐Year‐Old Child
Authors: Chou Yen‐Chi , Shih I‐Hsin , Yang Chao‐Ping , Kuo Tseng‐Tong , Hong Hong‐Shang
Published: January 2005

Abstract:  We report a 6‐year‐old boy with mycosis fungoides on the dorsal surface of his left hand, a diagnosis supported by positive T cell receptor γ gene rearrangement findings. Precursor B cell lymphoblastic lymphoma of the left orbit developed subsequently. He was treated with chemotherapy and remained under control.
Dyskeratosis Congenita in an Adolescent Girl with Associated Choanal Atresia
Authors: Lener Elizabeth V. , Tom Wynnis L. , Cunningham Bari B.
Published: January 2005

Abstract:  Dyskeratosis congenita is a rare, progressive, degenerative disorder characterized by cutaneous and mucosal involvement in the first decade of life with malignant changes and bone marrow failure in the second and third decades. The primary inheritance pattern is X‐linked recessive, with the majority of cases presenting in boys. We report dyskeratosis congenita in an adolescent girl with choanal atresia, a previously unreported association.
Prolonged platelet preservation by transient metabolic suppression
Authors: Badlou B.A. , IJseldijk M.J.W. , Smid W.M. , Akkerman J.W.N.
Published: January 2005

BACKGROUND:  In this study whether metabolic suppression can be used to preserve platelet (PLT) function during prolonged storage was investigated.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS:  Washed human PLTs were incubated without glucose and with antimycin A to block energy generation. Metabolic suppressed PLTs (MSPs) were stored for 72 hours at different temperatures to find the optimal storage temperature. Controls were incubated with 5 mmol per L glucose and stored at 22 and 4°C.

RESULTS:  Following metabolic recovery with glucose, MSPs stored at 37, 22, and 4°C showed an increase in basal P‐selectin expression (PSE) reaching greater than 40 percent after about 2, 20, and 48 hours; a decrease in thrombin receptor–activating peptide SFLLRN (TRAP)‐induced PSE inversely related to the increase in basal PSE; and a decrease in TRAP‐induced aggregation reaching less than 30 percent after about 4, 24, and more than 72 hours. When compared with control suspensions, MSPs stored at 4°C better preserved a low basal PSE and in addition showed a better adhesion to surface coated‐von Willebrand factor and fibrinogen in a flow chamber.

CONCLUSION:  Metabolic suppression before storage at 4°C contributes to better preservation of PLT function.
Induction of immune tolerance across major histocompatibility complex barrier by transfusion of ultraviolet B–irradiated immature dendritic cells
Authors: Xia Chang‐Qing , Kao Kud‐Jang
Published: January 2005

BACKGROUND:  Transfusion of ultraviolet B (UVB)‐irradiated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNCs) induces immunologic tolerance across the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) barrier in a murine model. It is necessary, however, to reduce contaminating platelets (PLTs) to a minimum. Ex vivo preparation of dendritic cells (DCs) offers an opportunity to rid the contaminating PLTs. The use of immature and mature DCs (iDCs and mDCs) with and without UVB irradiation for tolerance induction was therefore investigated.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS:  iDCs and mDCs were prepared by culture of Balb/c (H‐2d) mouse marrow cells in the presence of granulocyte‐macrophage–colony‐stimulating factor and interleukin‐4. Different dose schedules of iDCs were tested for tolerance induction in CBA (H‐2k) mice. Tolerance induction by UVB‐irradiated iDCs and mDCs was compared. Tolerance induction in two additional strains of mice (C3H and C57BL/6) was also studied. The induction of tolerance was tested by challenging transfusions of treated mice with PBMNCs from the donor strain. The induction of negative regulatory CD4+ T cells in tolerized mice was examined.

RESULTS:  Four weekly transfusions of 5 × 104 UVB‐irradiated iDCs from Balb/c mice efficiently induced immune tolerance in CBA and C3H mice. iDCs and mDCs without UVB irradiation could not induce immune tolerance. Tolerance induced by transfusions of UVB‐irradiated iDCs was associated with the development of CD4+‐regulatory T cells as demonstrated by an adoptive transfer study.

CONCLUSION:  Transfusion of UVB‐iDCs induces immune tolerance across the MHC barrier in certain combinations of mouse strains. The results support the idea that iDCs irradiated with UVB may be applied to induce immune tolerance across the MHC barrier.
Predicting blood donor arrival
Authors: Bosnes Vidar , Aldrin Magne , Heier Hans Erik
Published: January 2005

BACKGROUND:  Keeping waiting time at blood donation short is important for making donation a good experience for the donors and hence to motivate for repeat donations. At the Blood Bank of Oslo, fixed appointments are used, and few donors arrive without appointments. On average, 59 percent of scheduled donors arrive, but day‐to‐day variations are large. Methods for predicting the number of donors that will arrive on a given day would be valuable in reducing waiting times.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS:  Information about candidate explanatory variables was collected for all appointments made in a 971‐day period (179,121 appointments). A logistic regression model for the prediction of blood donor arrival was fitted.

RESULTS:  Among 18 explanatory variables, the most important were the time from appointment making to appointment date; the contact medium used; the donor age and total number of donations; and the number of no‐shows, arrivals, and deferrals during the preceding 2 years. Compared to taking only the average arrival rate into account, prediction intervals were reduced by 43 percent.

CONCLUSION:  Statistical modeling can provide useful estimates of blood donor arrival, allowing for better planning of donation sessions.
A new strategy for estimating risks of transfusion‐transmitted viral infections based on rates of detection of recently infected donors
Authors: Busch Michael P. , Glynn Simone A. , Stramer Susan L. , Strong D. Michael , Caglioti Sally , Wright David J. , Pappalardo Brandee , Kleinman Steven H. ,   NHLBI‐REDS NAT Study Group
Published: January 2005

BACKGROUND:  Estimates for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)‐1 and hepatitis C virus (HCV) transfusion‐transmitted risks have relied on incidence derived from repeat donor histories and imprecise estimates for infectious, preseroconversion window periods (WPs).

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS:  By use of novel approaches, WPs were estimated by back‐extrapolation of acute viral replication dynamics. Incidence was derived from the yield of viremic, antibody‐negative donations detected by routine minipool nucleic acid testing (MP‐NAT) of 37 million US donations (1999‐2002) or from sensitive/less‐sensitive HIV‐1 enzyme immunoassay (S/LS‐EIA) results for seropositive samples from 6.5 million donations (1999). Incidences and WPs were combined to calculate risks and project yield of individual donation (ID)‐NAT.

RESULTS:  The HIV‐1 WP from presumed infectivity (1 copy/20 mL) to ID‐NAT detection was estimated at 5.6 days, and the periods from ID to MP‐NAT detection and from MP‐NAT to p24 detection at 3.4 and 6.0 days, respectively; corresponding estimates for HCV were 4.9, 2.5, and 50.9 days (the latter represents period from MP‐NAT to HCV antibody detection). The HIV‐1 incidence projected from MP‐NAT yield or from S/LS‐EIA data was 1.8 per 100,000 person‐years, resulting in a corresponding HIV‐1 transfusion‐transmitted risk of 1 in 2.3 million. The HCV incidence from MP‐NAT yield was 2.70 per 100,000 person‐years with a corresponding risk of 1 in 1.8 million donations. Conversion from MP‐NAT to ID‐NAT was projected to detect two to three additional HIV‐1 and HCV infectious units annually.

CONCLUSIONS:  MP‐NAT yield and S/LS‐EIA rates can accurately project transfusion risks. HCV and HIV‐1 risks, currently estimated at 1 per 2 million units, could be reduced to 1 in 3 to 4 million units by ID‐NAT screening.
Predonation screening of blood donors with rapid tests: implementation and efficacy of a novel approach to blood safety in resource‐poor settings
Authors: Owusu‐Ofori Shirley , Temple Jillian , Sarkodie Francis , Anokwa Margaret , Candotti Daniel , Allain Jean‐Pierre
Published: January 2005

BACKGROUND:  In sub‐Saharan Africa, the percentage of screened blood is limited to approximately 75 percent for human immunodeficiency virus antibodies (anti‐HIV), 50 percent for hepatitis B surface antigen, and 19 percent for hepatitis C virus antibodies (anti‐HCV), mainly because of costs.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS:  In 2002 to 2003, candidate blood donors were screened before donation for HIV, HCV, and hepatitis B virus (HBV) serologic markers with rapid tests. The efficacy of this screening was assessed by nucleic acid testing (NAT) applied to pools of 10 plasma samples from donated units with a virus specific triplex assay. NAT‐reactive pools were resolved by viral genome identification in individual plasma sample. Deferred candidate donors were referred to a donor‐care program.

RESULTS:  A total of 9372 people were screened and 1534 (16.4%) were deferred. No HIV or HCV RNA–containing samples remained undetected by rapid tests unless a human testing error was involved. In contrast, 1.3 and 3.0 percent of HBV DNA–containing blood units were negative with rapid tests but were detected in individual donations with enzyme immunoassay and genomic amplification, respectively. Only half of these units were detectable in pools of 10 samples. One‐third of deferred candidate donors attended the donor‐care program and were informed and counseled.

CONCLUSIONS:  Predonation viral screening of blood donors is effective in high endemic areas, and the savings it generates may improve the safety and limit the cost of blood. Communication with deferred donors may contribute to public health. A new screening strategy associating serologic rapid test before donation and NAT on pools of 10 plasma samples after donation is proposed.
Potassium Transport in a Halophilic Member of theBacteriaDomain: Identification and Characterization of the K+Uptake Systems TrkH and TrkI fromHalomonas elongataDSM 2581T
Authors: Kraegeloh Annette , Amendt Birgit , Kunte Hans Jörg
Published: January 2005

The halophilic bacteriumHalomonas elongataaccumulates K+, glutamate, and the compatible solute ectoine as osmoprotectants. By functional complementation ofEscherichia colimutants defective in K+uptake, we cloned three genes that are required for K+uptake inH. elongata. Two adjacent genes, namedtrkA(1,374 bp) andtrkH(1,449 bp), were identified on an 8.5-kb DNA fragment, while a third gene, calledtrkI(1,479 bp), located at a different site in theH. elongatachromosome, was found on a second 8.5-kb fragment. The potential protein expressed bytrkAis similar to the cytoplasmic NAD+/NADH binding protein TrkA fromE. coli, which is required for the activity of the Trk K+uptake system. The deduced amino acid sequences oftrkHandtrkIshowed significant identity to the transmembrane protein of Trk transporters. K+transport experiments with ΔtrkHand ΔtrkImutants ofH. elongatarevealed that TrkI exhibits aKmvalue of 1.12 mM, while the TrkH system has a half-saturation constant of 3.36 mM. Strain KB12, relying on TrkH alone, accumulated K+with a lowerVmaxand required a higher K+concentration for growth in highly saline medium than the wild type. Strain KB15, expressing only TrkI, showed the same phenotype and the same K+transport kinetics as the wild type, proving that TrkI is the main K+transport system inH. elongata. In the absence of both transporters TrkH and TrkI, K+accumulation was not detectable. K+transport was also abolished in atrkAdeletion mutant, indicating that TrkI and TrkH depend on one type of TrkA protein. Reverse transcriptase PCR experiments and Northern hybridization analyses of thetrkAHlocus revealed cotranscription oftrkAHas well as a monocistronic transcript with onlytrkA.
gpwac of the T4-Type Bacteriophages: Structure, Function, and Evolution of a Segmented Coiled-Coil Protein That Controls Viral Infectivity
Authors: Letarov A. , Manival X. , Desplats C. , Krisch H. M.
Published: January 2005

The
wac
gene product (gpwac) or fibritin of bacteriophage T4 forms the six fibers that radiate from the phage neck. During phage morphogenesis these whiskers bind the long tail fibers (LTFs) and facilitate their attachment to the phage baseplate. After the cell lysis, the gpwac fibers function as part of an environmental sensing device that retains the LTFs in a retracted configuration and thus prevents phage adsorption in unfavorable conditions. A comparative analysis of the sequences of 5
wac
gene orthologs from various T4-type phages reveals that the ∼50-amino-acid N-terminal domain is the only highly conserved segment of the protein. This sequence conservation is probably a direct consequence of the domain's strong and specific interactions with the neck proteins. The sequence of the central fibrous region of gpwac is highly plastic, with only the heptad periodicity of the coiled-coil structure being conserved. In the various gpwac sequences, the small C-terminal domain essential for initiation of the folding of T4 gpwac is replaced by unrelated sequences of unknown origin. When a distant T4-type phage has a novel C-terminal gpwac sequence, the phage's gp36 sequence that is located at the knee joint of the LTF invariably has a novel domain in its C terminus as well. The covariance of these two sequences is compatible with genetic data suggesting that the C termini of gpwac and gp36 engage in a protein-protein interaction that controls phage infectivity. These results add to the limited evidence for domain swapping in the evolution of phage structural proteins.
The Generalized TransducingSalmonellaBacteriophage ES18: Complete Genome Sequence and DNA Packaging Strategy
Authors: Casjens Sherwood R. , Gilcrease Eddie B. , Winn-Stapley Danella A. , Schicklmaier Petra , Schmieger Horst , Pedulla Marisa L. , Ford Michael E. , Houtz Jennifer M. , Hatfull Graham F. , Hendrix Roger W.
Published: January 2005

The generalized transducing double-stranded DNA bacteriophage ES18 has an icosahedral head and a long noncontractile tail, and it infects both rough and smoothSalmonella entericastrains. We report here the complete 46,900-bp genome nucleotide sequence and provide an analysis of the sequence. Its 79 genes and their organization clearly show that ES18 is a member of the lambda-like (lambdoid) phage group; however, it contains a novel set of genes that program assembly of the virion head. Most of its integration-excision, immunity, Nin region, and lysis genes are nearly identical to those of the short-tailedSalmonellaphage P22, while other early genes are nearly identical toEscherichia coliphages λ and HK97,S. entericaphage ST64T, or aShigella flexneriprophage. Some of the ES18 late genes are novel, while others are most closely related to phages HK97, lambda, or N15. Thus, the ES18 genome is mosaically related to other lambdoid phages, as is typical for all group members. Analysis of virion DNA showed that it is circularly permuted and about 10% terminally redundant and that initiation of DNA packaging series occurs across an approximately 1-kbp region rather than at a precise location on the genome. This supports a model in which ES18 terminase can move substantial distances along the DNA between recognition and cleavage of DNA destined to be packaged. Bioinformatic analysis of large terminase subunits shows that the different functional classes of phage-encoded terminases can usually be predicted from their amino acid sequence.
Different Foreign Genes Incidentally Integrated into the Same Locus of the
Streptococcus suis
Genome
Authors: Sekizaki Tsutomu , Takamatsu Daisuke , Osaki Makoto , Shimoji Yoshihiro
Published: January 2005

Some strains of
Streptococcus suis
possess a type II restriction-modification (RM) system, whose genes are thought to be inserted into the genome between
purH
and
purD
from a foreign source by illegitimate recombination. In this study, we characterized the
purHD
locus of the
S. suis
genomes of 28 serotype reference strains by DNA sequencing. Four strains contained the RM genes in the locus, as described before, whereas 11 strains possessed other genetic regions of seven classes. The genetic regions contained a single gene or multiple genes that were either unknown or similar to hypothetical genes of other bacteria. The mutually exclusive localization of the genetic regions with the atypical G+C contents indicated that these regions were also acquired from foreign sources. No transposable element or long-repeat sequence was found in the neighboring regions. An alignment of the nucleotide sequences, including the RM gene regions, suggested that the foreign regions were integrated by illegitimate recombination via short stretches of nucleotide identity. By using a thermosensitive suicide plasmid, the RM genes were experimentally introduced into an
S. suis
strain that did not contain any foreign genes in that locus. Integration of the plasmid into the
S. suis
genome did not occur in the
purHD
locus but occurred at various chromosomal loci, where there were 2 to 10 bp of nucleotide identity between the chromosome and the plasmid. These results suggest that various foreign genes described here were incidentally integrated into the same locus of the
S. suis
genome.
Conjugative Transfer of theLactococcus lactisChromosomal Sex Factor Promotes Dissemination of the Ll.LtrB Group II Intron
Authors: Belhocine Kamila , Yam Karen K. , Cousineau Benoit
Published: January 2005

The Ll.LtrB group II intron from the low-G+C gram-positive bacteriumLactococcus lactiswas the first bacterial group II intron shown to splice and mobilize in vivo. This retroelement interrupts the relaxase gene (ltrB) of threeL. lactisconjugative elements: plasmids pRS01 and pAH90 and the chromosomal sex factor. Conjugative transfer of a plasmid harboring a segment of the pRS01 conjugative plasmid including the Ll.LtrB intron allows dissemination of Ll.LtrB amongL. lactisstrains and lateral transfer of this retroelement fromL. lactistoEnterococcus faecalis. Here we report the dissemination of the Ll.LtrB group II intron amongL. lactisstrains following conjugative transfer of the native chromosomally embeddedL. lactissex factor. We demonstrated that Ll.LtrB dissemination is highly variable and often more efficient from this integrative and conjugative element than from an engineered conjugative plasmid. Cotransfer amongL. lactisstrains of both Ll.LtrB-containing elements, the conjugative plasmid and the sex factor, was detected and shown to be synergistic. Moreover, following their concurrent transfer, both mobilizable elements supported the spread of their respective copies of the Ll.LtrB intron. Our findings explain the unusually high efficiency of Ll.LtrB mobility observed following conjugation of intron-containing plasmids.