bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Receiving the Diagnosis of Lung Cancer: Patient Recall of Information and Satisfaction With Physician Communication
Authors: Gabrijel Sabine , Grize Leticia , Helfenstein Erich , Brutsche Martin , Grossman Paul , Tamm Michael , Kiss Alexander
Published: January 2008

Purpose

Little is known about the information newly diagnosed patients with lung cancer recall and how satisfied they are with physicians' communication.

Patients and Methods

Seventy-one consecutive patients with newly diagnosed lung cancer were surveyed 1 to 3 days after the disclosure of diagnosis. Patients' recall of the given information was assessed, as well as their satisfaction with physicians' communication of diagnosis, treatment procedure, and goal of treatment as curative or palliative. Physicians who provided diagnosis were asked to complete a questionnaire concerning what information they had given to the patient. Congruence between physician information and patient recall of that information was then evaluated.

Results

Ninety percent (62 of 69 patients) correctly recalled their physician's information about the diagnosis, 83% (55 of 66 patients) knew what treatment procedure their physicians proposed, and 49% (32 of 65 patients) accurately recalled information about the goal of treatment. Seventy-six and 73% of patients were highly satisfied with their physician's communication of diagnosis and treatment procedure, respectively. Only 39% were highly satisfied with communication of the treatment goal. Patients who correctly recalled information regarding the treatment procedure were significantly more satisfied with its communication.

Conclusion

Recall of information about the intent of treatment is poor, and satisfaction with communication of the intent of treatment is lacking among newly diagnosed patients with lung cancer. Future studies should address whether specific interventions can improve these deficiencies.
Comparative Analysis of Community Health Planning: Transition from Chps to Hsas
Authors: West Jonathan P. , Stevens Michael D.
Published: January 2008

With the implementation of the National Health Planning and Resources Development Act, comprehensive health planning is moving into a new phase. In search of lessons to guide future planning efforts on the part of the Health Systems Agencies (HSAs) established by the act, this paper reviews organizational and operational characteristics often relatively “successful” local comprehensive health planning agencies. Several problems are delineated that HSAs will likely share with their predecessors and strategies for confronting these problems are suggested.
The Impact of Public Policy and Publicity on Admissions to State Mental Health Hospitals
Authors: Pierce Glenn L. , Durham Mary L. , Fisher William H.
Published: January 2008

This paper examines the impact of broadened Washington state civil commitment standards on utilization of the state's mental hospitals. Included in the analysis is an assessment of the impact of a public event (a well-publicized murder case) which was in all likelihood a precursor to the law's revision. We also examine the different ways Washington's two state hospitals managed the dramatic increase in civilly committed patients that occurred after the revision took effect. The findings indicate that the murder case, in which the defendant had been denied voluntary admission to a state hospital prior to the killing, resulted in an increase in involuntary admissions in the county where it occurred a full year before the standards were revised. The law itself had the effect of increasing commitments throughout the state, reducing the levels of voluntary admissions, and increasing the likelihood of involuntary admission for individuals previously admitted voluntarily, thus transforming a principally voluntary system into one which was primarily involuntary. Finally, it was found that the increased demand for services mandated by the broadened commitment standards was managed differently in the two state hospitals: one imposed a cap on admissions; the other phased out voluntary admissions at a rate roughly equal to the increase in commitments. These findings illustrate both the substantive impact of broadened civil commitment law and the importance, when assessing the impact of laws, of examining public events and administrative interventions which may have significant causal links with legal interventions.
Treating Handicapped Newborns: Suggestions for Institutional Policy
Authors: Thomas Emily H. , Andersen Kathleen S. , Franz Jane E.
Published: January 2008

In October 1984, a diverse group that included physicians and other health professionals, attorneys, members of the press, ethicists, and social scientists met for two and a half days at the State University of New York at Stony Brook to discuss the medical, ethical, and social issues raised by the treatment of handicapped newborns. The most important recommendation of the conferees was that every institution that treats handicapped newborns should have an explicit policy on how difficult treatment decisions will be made and how their institutional consequences will be managed. The need for explicit policy is a result both of changes in the external regulatory environment and of the inherent difficulty of decisions about treating handicapped newborns. Institutional policy should address both internal decision-making processes and how information about controversial cases will be shared with various publics. What follows is a summary of the conferees' views about what physicians and hospital staff should consider in establishing policies for their institutions.
The Emergence and Future of Ppos
Authors: Gabel Jon , Ermann Dan , Rice Thomas , Lissovoy Gregory de
Published: January 2008

A new development in the restructuring of American health care is the dramatic growth of preferred provider organizations (PPOs). Based on a national telephone survey, this paper assesses the future direction of PPOs by examining segments of the market that are believed to be lead indicators of future activity. It includes analyses of “new” versus “old” PPOs, the ten largest PPOs, and the entrance of hospital chains into the insurance market. We conclude that the dramatic growth of PPO enrollment in 1985 is likely to continue in the future, but with increased movement toward vertical integration and joint ventures among providers and insurers.
Introduction to a Decade of Transition
Authors: Brown Lawrence D.
Published: January 2008

A brief review of the last decade or so of developments in health politics, policy and law suggests that health is no longer a field of mere “dynamics without change.” Responding not only to economic strains but also to new conceptual challenges to the assumptions of the traditional medical model, in the 1970s and 1980s policy makers have launched various competitive and regulatory programs aimed mainly at containing costs. These interventions, however, have mainly sought savings through reductions in waste and inappropriate utilization; they have done little about deeper cost-increasing forces such as demographic trends, technology, and personnel patterns. Nor have these innovations on the cost side of the policy ledger been matched by action on the benefit side. Such changes await reconceptualization of the practical meaning of social justice and of the role of government in the health field.
Patterns of Teenaged Driver Involvement in Fatal Motor Vehicle Crashes: Implications for Policy Choice
Authors: Robertson Leon S.
Published: January 2008

The failure (sometimes with harmful effects) of many current public policies to reduce fatal motor vehicle crashes of teenaged drivers points up the need to consider a broader range of policy options. This article examines data on 236,205 drivers in fatal crashes, including 19,470 who were less than eighteen years old, for patterns which might suggest or rule out particular options. Adults are seldom in the vehicle when drivers under eighteen crash, but requiring the presence of an adult might increase adult deaths rather than reduce teenage crashes. Identification of risk groups through crash and violation records cannot be very effective because drivers under eighteen in fatal crashes usually have no prior record. Legal precedent regarding minors and the pattern of fatal crash involvement by licensure status and time of day suggest that raising the age of licensure to eighteen or prohibiting driving from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. by drivers under eighteen would reduce deaths substantially. Since only 52 percent of motorcyclists under eighteen had a valid motorcyclist license, increased enforcement of motorcyclist licensure laws has the potential to reduce motorcyclists' deaths even if present licensing ages are retained.
Judicial Involvement in Colorado Prison Health Care Reform
Authors: Rice Donald
Published: January 2008

This article will discuss judicial involvement in Colorado prison health care, the interactions between Colorado State government and the United States District Court for the District of Colorado, and the effect that such judicial involvement has had on the status of overall prison health care in Colorado.
Disease Causality and Politics
Authors: Tesh Sylvia
Published: January 2008

This article distinguishes three current theories that purport to account for the etiology of chronic diseases: a germ theory, a lifestyle theory and an environmental theory. Since each of these proposals about disease causality implies a different locus of responsibility for disease prevention, the medical disputes surrounding the theories often mask more fundamental political controversies over the proper organization of society. This article reports briefly on the medical debate accompanying each theory and more fully on the political argument each gives rise to. It concludes with a critique of the multifactorial theory of disease causality, calling it both ineffective and biased against those people most at risk of becoming ill.
Implementation and Service Error: Veterans Administration Health Care and the Commercial Market Option
Authors: Thompson Frank J. , Campbell Richard W.
Published: January 2008

As government has attempted to deal with complex social problems, the inevitability of error has become increasingly apparent to students of public policy and implementation. This essay focuses on errors of service, initially drawing on the experience of the Veterans Administration (VA) medical system to explore problems of defining, detecting and correcting such errors when government directly delivers care. It probes the complex blend of errors of liberality and stringency that appeared to be present in the VA during the 1970s, the formidable barriers to error correction, and the steps taken by the VA in response to the problem. Second, the essay examines whether a commercial market strategy, as embodied by Medicare or Medicaid, offers certain advantages in dealing with service errors similar to those confronted by the VA. The experience of Medicare and Medicaid casts doubt on whether a commercial market model yields superior results in coping with these kinds of error. Finally, the study points to some more general implications of the VA's experience for discussions of service problems in the health policy arena.
Barriers to Coordinating Health Services Regulatory Programs
Authors: Mahler Julianne
Published: January 2008

State and federal health services regulatory programs have proliferated over the past ten years, but little attention has been paid to their coordination to ensure that they reinforce rather than obstruct each other. Four approaches taken by states to coordinate certificate-of-need and prospective rate or budget review programs are examined here. Technical, administrative, and political factors are found to impede close working relations between the programs. Some coordination procedures may even exacerbate program weaknesses and diminish regulatory impact. The current configuration of political support for the programs makes policy changes to facilitate program coordination rather unlikely.
Palm-Reading the Invisible Hand: A Critical Examination of Pro-Competitive Reform Proposals
Authors: Sigelman Daniel W.
Published: January 2008

The conviction that competition could discipline the medical marketplace more adequately than regulation is rapidly ascendant among Washington policymakers. This article assesses the effects of the competition strategy on those who currently have health insurance coverage, especially those with employer-provided group insurance. It also raises questions about the workability and fairness of competition proposals for the elderly, and for the uninsured and underinsured poor and working poor.
Legislating Hospital Bed Reduction: The Michigan Experience
Authors: Paul-Shaheen Pamela , Carpenter Eugenia S.
Published: January 2008

A variety of programs aimed at health care cost containment have been initiated at the state level. This article presents a case study of one state's effort to deal with health care cost issues, focusing on the formulation and adoption of legislation to reduce the number of hospital beds.

The Michigan bed-reduction legislation was the creature of a coalition of powerful, organized “professional consumers” of health services who placed hospital cost containment on the political agenda and framed a solution. The provisions of the legislation were reshaped during the legislative process to grant concessions to a variety of interest groups, particularly the Michigan Hospital Association. Many additional criteria for determining excess bed capacity, some subjective, were added. Cost containment as a goal was, if not subordinated, at least made competitive with other goals–access to care, equity among types of providers, and quality of services.

While the initial proposal was attractive as a seemingly simple extension of the certificate-of-need process within the existing regulatory framework, the legislation became increasingly complex in response to new issues raised by political actors who contributed to the shaping of the final version of the legislation. The formulation and adoption of Michigan's overbedding legislation appears to underscore what many other observers have noted: there are no purely technical solutions to health policy problems.
Research Note: Contracting State Mental Hospital Systems
Authors: Frank Richard G. , Welch W. P.
Published: January 2008

The predominant approach to contracting state mental hospital systems has been to close individual hospitals. Such a policy creates conflict between state government and the affected workers and communities. Closing of hospitals has been motivated by an implicit assumption on the part of state policymakers that there are increasing returns to scale in mental hospitals. The bulk of empirical evidence suggests that returns to scale are constant. Thus, in many cases one may forego the political conflict inherent in closing hospitals by shrinking them with no loss in economic efficiency.
Physician Participation in Medicaid: Background and Issues
Authors: Davidson Stephen M.
Published: January 2008

Most Americans gain entry into the medical care system through office-based primary care physicians. The Medicaid program was created in 1965 in part to increase the access of low-income people to medical services in that mainstream. But, over the years, office-based physicians have reduced their treatment of Medicaid patients, and many have withdrawn from the program altogether. The result is not only that the original programmatic goal has not been fully achieved, but also that the costs of the program are higher than they would be otherwise. In this article, the importance of Medicaid participation by office-based primary care physicians is described, and a number of obstacles to their participation are identified. The obstacles include state policies regarding eligibility, coverage, and provider compensation. The article recommends actions pertaining to these policies that might increase participation.
Economic Dependency, Health Services, and Health: The Case of Lesotho
Authors: Gish Oscar
Published: January 2008

This article is concerned with two factors affecting the health status of the people of Lesotho: (1) the nation's function as a reserve labor economy (that is, the primary source of income for about half the country's male labor force is employment in South Africa); and (2) the health care system (its size, composition, accessibility, and efficiency). Although such apparently diverse factors usually are analyzed independently, they might be combined to provide a more complete understanding of the determinants of health and disease.

The paper reaches the conclusion that any substantive solutions to the problems of Lesotho will be found primarily in the wider southern Africa setting, and not within the context of small, dependent national states. At the same time, these small, dependent national states must make development decisions considering existing geopolitical realities. Foresightful decision making on these issues could both contribute immediately to the health of the people of Lesotho, and also increase the longer-term possibilities for a better life for all the people of southern Africa.
Active Control of the Oxidization of a Silicon Cantilever for the Characterization of Silicon-based Semiconductors
Authors: Ono Atsushi , Masui Kyoko , Saito Yuika , Sakata Takao , Taguchi Atsushi , Motohashi Masashi , Ichimura Taro , Ishitobi Hidekazu , Tarun Alvarado , Hayazawa Norihiko , Verma Prabhat , Inouye Yasushi , Kawata Satoshi
Published: January 2008

We propose a novel technique of oxidizing silicon cantilever tips to characterize silicon-based semiconductors by tip-enhanced Raman measurements. The technique uses thermal oxidization process under steam atmosphere. It is aimed for the suppression of Raman scattering originating from the silicon tip itself without degrading the tip sharpness. The thickness of the oxidized silicon on the silicon tip is controlled by the thermal oxidization time. We successfully obtained 250-nm thick silicon dioxide in 1100 °C temperature under steam at 10-min oxidization time. Using the oxidized tip, we experimentally verified that silicon Raman vibration was completely suppressed.
Catalytic Performance of Organically Functionalized Core/Shell Monodispersed Mesoporous Silica Spheres Containing an Adsorption Layer
Authors: Suzuki Tomiko M , Nakamura Tadashi , Akimoto Yusuke , Yano Kazuhisa
Published: January 2008

A new type of organically functionalized core/shell monodispersed mesoporous silica spheres (MMSS) containing catalytic sites (sulfonic acid groups) in the core portion and adsorption sites (hydrophobic organic functional groups) in the shell portion were successfully prepared by an expansion method. The acid catalytic activity could be enhanced drastically by the introduction of the shell layer.
Cycloaddition/Ring Opening Sequence of α-Hydroxy Cyclic Nitronates as a Synthetic Equivalent of Functionalized Aliphatic Nitrile Oxides
Authors: Nishiuchi Masaki , Sato Hiroyasu , Ohmura Hiroyuki
Published: January 2008

α-Hydroxy cyclic nitronates act as synthetic equivalents of nitrile oxides. Cycloaddition of 3-substituted 4-hydroxy-2-isoxazoline N-oxides or 4-hydroxy-3-hydroxymethyl-2-isoxazoline N-oxides with electron-deficient alkenes produce bicyclic isoxazolidines, which undergo ring opening of one of the ring-fused isoxazolidines on acid treatment to give 2-isoxazoline derivatives by elimination of hydroxyacetaldehyde or carbon–carbon bond cleavage.
Vortex Ring Input in Subsonic Jet Noise
Authors: Kopiev Victor F. , Zaitsev Mikhail Yu. , Chernyshev Sergey A. , Ostrikov Nikolay N.
Published: January 2008

The main goal of the paper is to assess the contribution of large-scale vortices to the noise of the subsonic turbulent jet ( M = 0.35, Re = 3.2·105) in the selected frequency bands (Sh∼0.2–0.45). The mechanism of sound radiation according to which a separate vortex structures itself can be a significant sound source is considered. Vortex core eigen-modes are responsible for noise radiation according to this mechanism. The work is subdivided on three coupling items: (i) theoretical investigation of noise radiation of separate vortex ring (especially little-known octupole contribution to sound radiation), (ii) visualization of large vortices in excited jet and (iii) experimental investigation of turbulent jet noise (subsonic jet with velocity 120m/s excited at 2000Hz) decomposed on the separate azimuthal components with the help of azimuthal decomposition technique (ADT). On the final stage the careful comparison of these results gives the quantitative assessment of the contribution of vortex rings to the jet noise in a tone-excited turbulent jet under consideration.
Expanding the Interpersonal Dimension: Closeness in the Coach-Athlete Relationship
Authors: LaVoi Nicole M.
Published: January 2008

The close-relationship literature informed content analysis of open-ended responses of collegiate athletes (n = 431). Nineteen dimensions of closeness emerged, including the most frequently cited dimensions of communication, trust and mutuality. Dimensions were examined across sport type, gender, and level of competition. This study complements existing research on interpersonal dimensions, and specifically closeness, of the coach-athlete relationship and forwards a multi-dimensional, sport-specific, grounded understanding of closeness in the coach-athlete relationship. Results are discussed in terms of practical applications for sports practitioners and future directions for research are suggested.
Engaging Immigrants in Youth Sport Coaching: Part 2. A Qualitative Analysis of the Barriers, Facilitators and Motivators for Involvement
Authors: Wilson Brian , Erickson Karl , Horton Sean , Young Bradley , Côté Jean
Published: January 2008

Although research in the area of immigrants and their physical activity patterns has been steadily growing, there is still much to learn. The purpose of this study was to identify the barriers, facilitators and motivators facing recent Canadian immigrants as they relate to involvement in coaching youth sport. The quantitative information presented in the first article of this series served as a framework for conducting semi-structured qualitative interviews with 28 immigrant youth-sport coaches. Results of these interviews support the notion that there are two distinct groups of immigrant coaches - the ‘leisure-oriented coach’ (those without coaching occupational aspirations) and the ‘career-oriented coach’ (those with coaching occupational pursuits). Despite sharing several of the same barriers, facilitators and motivators, each group showed marked divergence from the other on a number of aspects in each of these three categories.
Edge Finding for Cumulative Scheduling
Authors: Mercier Luc , Van Hentenryck Pascal
Published: January 2008

The introduction of edge-finding techniques was a significant development in constraint-based scheduling. Today, edge finders are still the state of the art in the disjunctive case and a technique of interest in cumulative scheduling. This paper reconsiders edge-finding algorithms for cumulative scheduling and shows that Nuijten's edge finder, and its derivatives, are incomplete because they use an invalid dominance rule. We then present a correct cumulative edge finder running in time O(n2k), where n is the number of tasks and k the number of different capacity requirements of the tasks. The new algorithm is organized in two phases and first uses dynamic programming to precompute the innermost maximization in the edge-finder specification. The paper also proposes the first extended edge-finding algorithms that run in time O(n2k), improving the running time of available algorithms. Finally, the paper discusses how to speed up the algorithm in practice and how the first phase can be used to improve algorithms based on energetic reasoning.
Algorithms for the Constrained Two-Staged Two-Dimensional Cutting Problem
Authors: Hifi Mhand , M'Hallah Rym , Saadi Toufik
Published: January 2008

This paper solves FC_2TDC, the two-staged fixed-orientation two-dimensional cutting stock problem. FC_2TDC is a variant of the constrained two-dimensional cutting problem where each piece is produced, in the final cutting pattern, by at most two cuts, and each piece has a fixed orientation. It is solved by an algorithm that combines a strip-generation procedure with beam search (BS). BS, which is a truncated branch-and-bound, investigates a subset of elite nodes and permanently fathoms the others. It chooses the elite nodes based on an evaluation operator. The importance of the evaluation operator on the performance of BS is highlighted by comparing a local beam search (LBS) that uses a priority cost-evaluation operator to a global beam search (GBS) that adopts a global cost-evaluation operator. Computational results, based on several medium and large instances, further show that LBS provides good solutions, whereas GBS gives (near) optimal solutions within reasonable computational time.
The K King Problem, an Abstract Model for Computing Aircraft Landing Trajectories: On Modeling a Dynamic Hybrid System with Constraints
Authors: Artiouchine Konstantin , Baptiste Philippe , Mattioli Juliette
Published: January 2008

Motivated by the problem of computing trajectories of a set of aircraft in their final descent, we introduce the K king problem, a dramatic simplification of the initial problem in which time and space are discretized. A constraint-based model relying on several specific global constraints is introduced. Computational experiments are reported and show that small instances of this problem can be solved in reasonable time.
Just-in-Time Smoothing Through Batching
Authors: Kubiak Wieslaw , Yavuz Mesut
Published: January 2008

This paper presents two methods to solve the production smoothing problem in mixed-model just-in-time (JIT) systems with large setup and processing time variability between different models the systems produce. The problem is motivated by production planning at a leading U.S. automotive pressure hose manufacturer. One method finds all Pareto-optimal solutions that minimize total production rate variation of models and work in process (WIP), and maximize system utilization and responsiveness. These Pareto-optimal solutions are found efficiently in polynomial time with respect to total demand by an algorithm proposed in the paper. The other method relies on Daniel Webster's method of apportionment for production smoothing, which produces periodic, uniform, and reflective production sequences that can improve operations management of the JIT systems. Finally, the paper presents the results of a computational experiment with the two methods.
An Analysis of the Control-Algorithm Re-solving Issue in Inventory and Revenue Management
Authors: Secomandi Nicola
Published: January 2008

While inventory- and revenue-management problems can be represented as Markov decision process (MDP) models, in some cases the well-known dynamic-programming curse of dimensionality makes it computationally prohibitive to solve them exactly. An alternative solution, called here the control-algorithm approach, is to use a math program (MP) to approximately represent the MDP and use its optimal solution to heuristically instantiate the parameters of the decision rules of a given set of control policies. As new information is observed over time, the control algorithm can incorporate it by re-solving the MP and revising the parameters of the decision rules with the newly obtained solution. The re-solving issue arises when one reflects on the consequences of this revision: Does the performance of the control algorithm really improve by revising its decision-rule instantiation with the solution of the re-solved MP, or should an appropriate modification of the prior solution be used? This paper analyzes the control-algorithm re-solving issue for a class of finite-horizon inventory- and revenue-management problems. It establishes sufficient conditions under which re-solving does not deteriorate the performance of a control algorithm, and it applies these results to control algorithms for network revenue management and multiproduct make-to-order production with lost sales and positive lead time.
A Model of Fair Process and Its Limits
Authors: Wu Yaozhong , Loch Christoph H. , Heyden Ludo Van der
Published: January 2008

Fair process research has shown that people care not only about outcomes, but also about the process that produces these outcomes. For a decision process to be seen as fair, the people affected must have the opportunity to give input and possibly to influence the decision, and the decision process and rationale must be transparent and clear. Existing research has shown empirically that fair process enhances both employee motivation and performance in execution. However, work to date has not addressed why fair process is so often violated in practice. This paper breaks new ground by analytically examining the subtle trade-offs involved. We develop a model of fair process in a principal-agent (i.e., manager-employee) context, rooted in psychological preferences for autonomy and fairness. We show that indeed fair process will not always be used, and why the hoped-for benefits may be insufficient to convince management to use fair process.
The Impact of Service Operations Failures on Customer Satisfaction: Evidence on How Failures and Their Source Affect What Matters to Customers
Authors: Anderson Shannon W. , Baggett L. Scott , Widener Sally K.
Published: January 2008

Research in consumer psychology shows that customers seek reasons for service failures and that attributions of blame moderate the effects of failure on the level of customer satisfaction. This paper extends research on service operations failures by hypothesizing that attributions of blame also affect what matters to the customer during service failures. Specifically, we hypothesize that the relative weights that customers assign to key service elements in reaching an overall assessment of customer satisfaction are affected by customer attributions of blame for service failures. We use the U.S. airline industry as a quasi-experimental research setting to investigate the components of customer satisfaction for three samples of customers who experience (1) routine service, (2) flight delays of external (i.e., weather) origin, and (3) flight delays of internal origin. Although the level of customer satisfaction is lower for all service failures, we find that the key components of satisfaction differ between delayed and routine flights only when customers blame the service provider for the failure. Specifically, when delays are of external origin satisfaction is lower than for routine flights, but there is virtually no difference in the weight that customers assign to the components of customer satisfaction (including employee interactions). In contrast, when delays are of internal origin, satisfaction is lower than for either routine flights or flights delayed by external factors, and employee interactions have a significantly diminished role in customer satisfaction evaluations. Contrary to the popular view that employee interactions take on a greater role in determining customer satisfaction during service failures, we find that the opposite is true if the customer attributes blame to the service provider. Our findings highlight the important role of customer attributions during service failures and present more nuanced evidence on the role of employee-customer interactions in mitigating the effects of service failures on customer satisfaction.
Generalized Online Routing: New Competitive Ratios, Resource Augmentation, and Asymptotic Analyses
Authors: Jaillet Patrick , Wagner Michael R.
Published: January 2008

We consider online routing optimization problems where the objective is to minimize the time needed to visit a set of locations under various constraints; the problems are online because the set of locations are revealed incrementally over time. We consider two main problems: (1) the online traveling salesman problem (TSP) with precedence and capacity constraints, and (2) the online TSP with m salesmen. For both problems we propose online algorithms, each with a competitive ratio of 2; for the m-salesmen problem, we show that our result is best-possible. We also consider polynomial-time online algorithms.

We then consider resource augmentation, where we give the online servers additional resources to offset the powerful offline adversary advantage. In this way, we address a main criticism of competitive analysis. We consider the cases where the online algorithm has access to faster servers, servers with larger capacities, additional servers, and/or advanced information. We derive improved competitive ratios. We also give lower bounds on the competitive ratios under resource augmentation, which in many cases are tight and lead to best-possible results.

Finally, we study online algorithms from an asymptotic point of view. We show that, under general stochastic structures for the problem data, unknown and unused by the online player, the online algorithms are almost surely asymptotically optimal. Furthermore, we provide computational results that show that the convergence can be very fast.
Active B12: A Rapid, Automated Assay for Holotranscobalamin on the Abbott AxSYM Analyzer
Authors: Brady Jeff , Wilson Lesley , McGregor Lynda , Valente Edward , Orning Lars
Published: January 2008

Background: Conventional tests for vitamin B12 deficiency measure total serum vitamin B12, whereas only that portion of vitamin B12 carried by transcobalamin (holotranscobalamin) is metabolically active. Measurement of holotranscobalamin (holoTC) may be more diagnostically accurate for detecting B12 deficiency that requires therapy. We developed an automated assay for holoTC that can be used on the Abbott AxSYM immunoassay analyzer.

Methods: AxSYM Active B12 is a 2-step sandwich microparticle enzyme immunoassay. In step 1, a holoTC-specific antibody immobilized onto latex microparticles captures holoTC in samples of serum or plasma. In step 2, the captured holoTC is detected with a conjugate of alkaline phosphatase and antiTC antibody.

Results: Neither apoTC nor haptocorrin exhibited detectable cross-reactivity. The detection limit was ≤0.1 pmol/L. Within-run and total imprecision (CV ranges) were 3.4%–5.1% and 6.3%–8.5%, respectively. Assay CVs were <20% from at least 3 pmol/L to 107 pmol/L. With diluted serum samples, measured concentrations were 104%–114% of the expected values in the working range of the assay. No interference from bilirubin, hemoglobin, triglycerides, erythrocytes, rheumatoid factor, or total protein was detected at expected (abnormal) concentrations. A comparison of the AxSYM Active B12 assay with a commercial RIA for holoTC yielded the regression equation: AxSYM = 0.98RIA + 4.7 pmol/L (Sy x, 11.4 pmol/L; n = 204). Assay throughput was 45 tests/h. A 95% reference interval of 19–134 pmol/L holoTC was established with samples from 292 healthy individuals.

Conclusions: The AxSYM Active B12 assay allows rapid, precise, sensitive, specific, and automated measurement of human holoTC in serum and plasma.
Second-Tier Test for Quantification of Alloisoleucine and Branched-Chain Amino Acids in Dried Blood Spots to Improve Newborn Screening for Maple Syrup Urine Disease (MSUD)
Authors: Oglesbee Devin , Sanders Karen A , Lacey Jean M , Magera Mark J , Casetta Bruno , Strauss Kevin A , Tortorelli Silvia , Rinaldo Piero , Matern Dietrich
Published: January 2008

Background: Newborn screening for maple syrup urine disease (MSUD) relies on finding increased concentrations of the branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) leucine, isoleucine, and valine by tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). d-Alloisoleucine (allo-Ile) is the only pathognomonic marker of MSUD, but it cannot be identified by existing screening methods because it is not differentiated from isobaric amino acids. Furthermore, newborns receiving total parenteral nutrition often have increased concentrations of BCAAs. To improve the specificity of newborn screening for MSUD and to reduce the number of diet-related false-positive results, we developed a LC-MS/MS method for quantifying allo-Ile.

Methods: Allo-Ile and other BCAAs were extracted from a 3/16-inch dried blood spot punch with methanol/H2O, dried under nitrogen, and reconstituted into mobile phase. Quantitative LC-MS/MS analysis of allo-Ile, its isomers, and isotopically labeled internal standards was achieved within 15 min. To determine a reference interval for BCAAs including allo-Ile, we analyzed 541 dried blood spots. We also measured allo-Ile in blinded samples from 16 MSUD patients and 21 controls and compared results to an HPLC method.

Results: Intra- and interassay imprecision (mean CVs) for allo-Ile, leucine, isoleucine, and valine ranged from 1.8% to 7.4%, and recovery ranged from 91% to 129%. All 16 MSUD patients were correctly identified.

Conclusions: The LC-MS/MS method can reliably measure allo-Ile in dried blood spots for the diagnosis of MSUD. Applied to newborn screening as a second-tier test, it will reduce false-positive results, which produce family anxiety and increase follow-up costs. The assay also appears suitable for use in monitoring treatment of MSUD patients.
Genome-Wide Linkage Scan for Athlete Status in 700 British Female DZ Twin Pairs
Authors: De Moor Marleen H. M. , Spector Tim D. , Cherkas Lynn F. , Falchi Mario , Hottenga Jouke Jan , Boomsma Dorret I. , De Geus Eco J. C.
Published: January 2008

Association studies, comparing elite athletes with sedentary controls, have reported a number of genes that may be related to athlete status. The present study reports the first genome wide linkage scan for athlete status. Subjects were 4488 adult female twins from the TwinsUK Adult Twin Registry (793 monozygotic [MZ] and 1000 dizygotic [DZ] complete twin pairs, and single twins). Athlete status was measured by asking the twins whether they had ever competed in sports and what was the highest level obtained. Twins who had competed at the county or national level were considered elite athletes. Using structural equation modeling in Mx, the heritability of athlete status was estimated at 66%. Seven hundred DZ twin pairs that were successfully genotyped for 1946 markers (736 microsatellites and 1210 SNPs) were included in the linkage analysis. Identical-by-descent probabilities were estimated in Merlin for a 1 cM grid, taking into account the linkage disequilibrium of correlated SNPs. The linkage scan was carried out in Mx using the-approach. Suggestive linkages were found on chromosomes 3q22-q24 and 4q31-q34. Both areas converge with findings from previous studies using exercise phenotypes. The peak on 3q22-q24 was found at the SLC9A9 gene. The region 4q31-q34 overlaps with the region for which suggestive linkages were found in two previous linkage studies for physical fitness (FABP2 gene; Bouchard et al., 2000) and physical activity (UCP1 gene; Simonen et al., 2003). Future association studies should further clarify the possible role of these genes in athlete status.
Genetic Susceptibility of Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Zdravkovic Slobodan , Wienke Andreas , Pedersen Nancy L. , de Faire Ulf
Published: January 2008

The aim of this study was to determine the influence of genetic factors on the first episode of acute myocardial infarction. Probandwise concordances, tetrachoric correlations and quantitative genetic analyses of liability were applied to data drawn from the Swedish Twin Registry and the Swedish Acute Myocardial Infarction Register. All same-sexed twin pairs born between 1886 and 1958 who were alive in 1987 were included in the analyses. Our results show that concordance rates for acute myocardial infarction in monozygotic (MZ) twins were similar across sexes (among males .26 and females .27). For dizygotic (DZ) twins the concordances were .20 for males and .16 for females, yielding a greater MZ–DZ concordance differential for females than males. Tetrachoric correlations were greater for MZ than DZ twins for both sexes (.49 for male MZ and .34 for male DZ-twins and .56 and .35 for female MZ and DZ twins respectively). Quantitative genetic analyses of liability resulted in equal variance components for males and females (.36) but significantly different thresholds (prevalences). In conclusion, liability to first occurrence of acute myocardial infarction is moderately influenced by genetic variants in both sexes. The familial influence on phenotypic variance is exclusively explained by additive genetic factors.
Prioritization of Positional Candidate Genes Using Multiple Web-Based Software Tools
Authors: Thornblad Tobias A. , Elliott Kate S. , Jowett Jeremy , Visscher Peter M.
Published: January 2008

The prioritization of genes within a candidate genomic region is an important step in the identification of causal gene variants affecting complex traits. Surprisingly, there have been very few reports of bioinformatics tools to perform such prioritization. The purpose of this article is to investigate the performance of 3 positional candidate gene software tools available, PosMed, GeneSniffer and SUSPECTS. The comparison was made for 40, 20 and 10 Mb regions in the human genome centred around known susceptibility genes for the common diseases breast cancer, Crohn's disease, age-related macular degeneration and schizophrenia. The known susceptibility gene was not always ranked highly, or not ranked at all, by 1 or more of the software tools. There was a large variation between the 3 tools regarding which genes were prioritized, and their rank order. PosMed and GeneSniffer were most similar in their prioritization gene list, whereas SUSPECTS identified the same candidate genes only for the narrowest (10 Mb) regions. Combining 2 or all of the candidate gene finding tools was superior in terms of ranking positional candidates. It is possible to reduce the number of candidate genes from a starting set in a region of interest by combining a variety of candidate gene finding tools. Conversely, we recommend caution in relying solely on single positional candidate gene prioritization tools. Our results confirm the obvious, that is, that starting with a narrower positional region gives a higher likelihood that the true susceptibility gene is selected, and that it is ranked highly. A narrow confidence interval for the mapping of complex trait genes by linkage can be achieved by maximizing marker informativeness and by having large samples. Our results suggest that the best approach to classify a minimum set of candidate genes is to take those genes that are prioritized by multiple prioritization tools.
Optimization of Energy Utilization and Productivity of Heat Treating Batch-Type Furnaces
Authors: Hassan A. , Hamed M. S.
Published: January 2008

Due to the energy-intensive nature of the heat treating industry and the recent substantial increase of energy prices, the availability of predictive tools that can be used to optimize heat treatment processes has become a very pressing must. Load configuration (size and arrangement) during batch-type heat treating operations is the main factor that controls the rate of heat transfer between the furnace and the load, and hence it affects energy utilization and productivity of such operations. The main objective of this work is to develop a numerical model that can be used as a predictive tool for determining optimum loading of batch-type furnaces in order to achieve maximum productivity (mass treated per unit time) and minimum energy consumption per unit mass. A numerical model has been developed to simulate heat treatment processes in batch-type furnaces. The model has been validated by comparing numerical results with experimental data collected under laboratory and real-life conditions. Experiments have been carried out at the research facility at TPL as well as at different industrial sites. The paper presents the development and validation of the model as well as case studies of batch heat treatment cycles where best load configurations have been investigated.
Tinydopers: A Case Study Of Deviant Socialization
Authors: Adler Patricia A. , Adler Peter
Published: January 2008

The relatively new practice of tinydopers—marijuana smoking by children between the ages of 0–8 years—is introduced and analyzed. The children are examined through a descriptive ethnography, followed by more general conclusions about the developmental process itself. We then look at the varied range of approaches parents take toward marijuana and their youngsters. An overview analysis of marijuana's cultural and historical evolution in this country shows how an atmosphere favorable to tinydoping has arisen. The changing social meanings associated with pot use that led to its successive legitimization and spread are viewed not as an isolated or unusual occurrence but as representing a general model for social change. Proposing a sequential diffusion process for deviant activities as they gradually become accepted, we examine the social revulsion and backlash that occurs when such practices become adopted by sacred societal groups like children. From the literature, only Becker's (1953) theory of becoming a marijuana user is relevant to this research, and its continued generic applicability is reviewed in light of this new addition to the using population. A modification of his theory suggests why an alternate route to marijuana using may now exist. Finally, a discussion of socialization compares this childrearing innovation to normative practices of the past. Although parents view their actions as normal, tinydoping must presently be considered as deviant socialization.
Egalitarianism As Dramaturgy: Ideology And Social Interaction In MesoAmerica
Authors: Aguilar John L.
Published: January 2008

The anthropological literature generally depicts Mesoamerican Indian communities as egalitarian. This study reveals and examines the dramaturgical nature of egalitarianism among Indians of Teopisca, a biethnic (Ladino‐Mayan) town in southern Mexico. It is shown that although much public behavior in this community complies with the moral prescriptions of an egalitarian ideology, such behavior normally serves instrumental rather than moral ends. Following discussion of this ideology and related categories of deviance and defensive interactional tactics, it is proposed that Indian egalitariansim in Teopisca is itself a collective construction of reality designed to assist in the task of self‐esteem maintenance in the face of underprivilege and depreciation within the larger Ladino‐dominated community. The broader contribution of this study lies in its demonstration of ways in which culture—qua morality—relates to behavior through the medium of actors' everyday practical social interests and concerns.
Deliberation in Six Juries: A Participant Observer Study
Authors: Warren Carol A.B. , Mauldin Linda
Published: January 2008

Since the 1930s, jury deliberation has been studied only through questionnaire or interview, or experimental methods. This paper uses a participant observer approach to the study of deliberations in six juries.

Juries were found to be concerned both with the issues in the trial and with the intersection of their own and the trial participants' birgraphies. Their deliberations included assessments of the moral character of the criminal participants, the competence of the attorneys and judges, both from within the context of jurors' own life experiences. The imagery of the “good juror,” the interactions with fellow jurors, and the extra‐jury everyday life contingencies brought to the jury room also influenced deliberations.