bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Examination of a Novel, Specified Local Antibiotic Therapy through Polymethylmethacrylate Capsules in a Rabbit Osteomyelitis Model
Authors: Börzsei László , Mintál Tibor , Koós Zoltán , Kocsis Béla , Helyes Zsuzsanna , Kereskai László , Nyárády József
Published: March 2006

Chronic bone and soft tissue suppurations have become more frequent recently due to the increasing number of high-energy injuries. There are certain antibiotic beads available for local administration, but they cannot always be applied specifically against the pyogenic microorganisms. In the present study, a new technique of local antibiotic therapy for the treatment of infections is described. Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) capsules were produced and filled with 0.1 ml Tazocin (0.02 g piperacillin sodium + 0.005 g tazobactam). The efficacy of these Tazocin-filled capsules was examined in vivo using a rabbit osteomyelitis model. Chronic osteomyelitis was induced in rabbit tibia by local injection of Staphylococcus aureus. The treatment included surgical debridement and implantation of Tazocin-containing PMMA capsules into the medullar cavity (n = 12). Simple surgical debridement with no antibiotic implantation was performed in control animals (n = 7). Results were evaluated using microbiological, radiological and histological methods 14 weeks after induction of osteomyelitis. Eight weeks after the implantation of PMMA capsules, complete physical, radiological and histological healing was achieved in 7 animals, initiation of the reparative phase was observed histologically in 3 cases and no reparative signs were detected in 2 rabbits. In the control group, no significant sign of reparation could be seen in any of the cases.
Antifungal Activity of Chromolaena odorata (L.) King & Robinson(Asteraceae) of Cameroon
Authors: Ngono Ngane A. , Ebelle Etame R. , Ndifor F. , Biyiti L. , Amvam Zollo P.H. , Bouchet P.
Published: March 2006

An aqueous ethanol extract of leaves of Chromolaena odorata and some of its fractions were examined for their antifungal properties by dilution methods on solid and liquid media, using yeasts and filamentous fungi. Extract and fractions inhibit the in vitro growth of Cryptococcus neoformans, Microsporum gypseum, Trichophyton mentagrophytes and Trichophyton rubrum with a minimal inhibitory concentration range from 62.5 to 500 µg/ml for the extract and from 25 to 100 µg/ml for fractions. A qualitative chemical analysis of the extract and fractions showed the presence of biologically active constituents such as some coumarins, flavonoids, phenols, tannins and sterols. No toxic effect was observed in mice treated per os with the extract. This study provides a scientific confirmation of the use of Chromolaena odorata in traditional medicine.
Theophylline and Dexamethasone Induce Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor-γ Expression in Human Eosinophils
Authors: Usami Atsuko , Ueki Shigeharu , Ito Wataru , Kobayashi Yoshiki , Chiba Takahito , Mahemuti Gulixian , Oyamada Hajime , Kamada Yumiko , Fujita Miyoshi , Kato Hikari , Saito Norihiro , Kayaba Hiroyuki , Chihara Junichi
Published: March 2006

Eosinophils are major effector cells in allergic diseases including asthma. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ) is a nuclear receptor that regulates immune reaction. We have previously demonstrated that human eosinophils express PPARγ and that stimulation with a synthetic agonist for PPARγ attenuated the factor-induced eosinophil survival and chemotaxis. However, the modulator of the eosinophil PPARγ expression has not yet been studied. In this study, we investigated the effect of theophylline and dexamethasone (widely used drugs in the treatment of asthma) on PPARγ expression in eosinophils. Purified human peripheral blood eosinophils were cultured, and therapeutic concentrations of theophylline and dexamethasone were added. Subsequently, PPARγ was measured using quantitative real-time RT-PCR and flow cytometry. Theophylline and dexamethasone markedly enhanced both mRNA and protein levels of PPARγ. These findings suggest that the increase in PPARγ expression on eosinophils may play a role in the anti-inflammatory effects of theophylline and dexamethasone.
Does the Season or Month of Birth Influence Disease Progression in Multiple Sclerosis?
Authors: Tremlett Helen L. , Devonshire Virginia A.
Published: March 2006

We investigated the influence of season and birth month on sustained progression to Expanded Disability Status Scale 6 (requires a cane) through a database review of 2,319 definite multiple sclerosis (MS) patients followed for a mean 19.3 years, until July 2003 in British Columbia, Canada. The season of birth had a marginal effect on disease progression (p = 0.051), with winter babies exhibiting the slowest progression (p = 0.048). Birth month had a significant effect on progression (p = 0.038), mainly due to those January born having a 40% (95% CI 32.9–47.4) chance of requiring a cane later than those born in other months. There was some evidence to suggest that the gestational period had a small but long-lasting effect on later disease progression in British Columbia, Canada.
Effects of Rapid versus Slow Infusion of Sodium Bicarbonate on Cerebral Hemodynamics and Oxygenation in Preterm Infants
Authors: van Alfen-van der Velden A.A.E.M. , Hopman J.C.W. , Klaessens J.H.G.M. , Feuth T. , Sengers R.C.A. , Liem K.D.
Published: March 2006

Background: Sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) is often used for correction of metabolic acidosis in preterm infants. The effects of NaHCO3 administration on cerebral hemodynamics and oxygenation are not well known. Furthermore, there is no consensus on infusion rate of NaHCO3. Objectives: To evaluate the effects of rapid versus slow infusion of NaHCO3 on cerebral hemodynamics and oxygenation in preterm infants. Methods: Twenty-nine preterm infants with metabolic acidosis were randomized into two groups (values are mean ±SD): In group A (GA 30.5 ± 1.7 weeks, b.w. 1,254 ± 425 g) NaHCO3 4.2% was injected as a bolus. In group B (GA 30.3 ± 1.8 weeks, b.w. 1,179 ± 318 g) NaHCO3 4.2% was administered over a 30-min period. Concentration changes of oxyhemoglobin (cO2Hb) and deoxyhemoglobin (cHHb) were assessed using near infrared spectrophotometry. Changes in HbD (= cO2Hb – cHHb) represent changes in cerebral blood oxygenation and changes in ctHb (= cO2Hb + cHHb) reflect changes in cerebral blood volume. Cerebral blood flow velocity was intermittently measured using Doppler ultrasound. Longitudinal data analysis was performed using linear mixed models (SAS procedure MIXED), to account for the fact that the repeated observations in each individual were correlated. Results: Administration of NaHCO3 resulted in an increase of cerebral blood volume which was more evident if NaHCO3 was injected rapidly than when infused slowly. HbD and cerebral blood flow velocity did not show significant changes in either group. Conclusion: To minimize fluctuations in cerebral hemodynamics, slow infusion of sodium bicarbonate is preferable to rapid injection.
Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Blockade Promotes the Transition From Compensatory Cardiac Hypertrophy to Failure in Response to Pressure Overload
Authors: Izumiya Yasuhiro , Shiojima Ichiro , Sato Kaori , Sawyer Douglas B. , Colucci Wilson S. , Walsh Kenneth
Published: March 2006

Cardiac hypertrophy is associated with upregulation of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the myocardium. Here, we evaluated the effects of a decoy VEGF receptor on heart morphology and function to a murine model of pressure overload hypertrophy. Mice were administered adenoviral vector encoding a decoy VEGF receptor (Ad-Flk), and their hearts were subjected to pressure overload by transverse aortic constriction (TAC). Treatment with Ad-Flk led to a net reduction in capillary density in hearts subjected to TAC. Ad-Flk also led to a reduction in TAC-induced cardiac hypertrophy and promoted left ventricle dilatation and a loss in contractile function. Treatment with Ad-Flk markedly increased myocardial fibrosis and collagen gene upregulation. In contrast, Ad-Flk had no effect on any of these parameters in sham-treated mice. Administration of a VEGF trap reagent diminished pressure overload cardiac hypertrophy and promoted the progression to heart failure but had no effect on sham-treated animals. These findings suggest that VEGF is required to maintain myocardial capillary density and that reductions in the vascular bed are associated with the transition from compensatory hypertrophy to failure.
Impairment of In Vitro and In Vivo Heart Function in Angiotensin-(1-7) Receptor Mas Knockout Mice
Authors: Santos Robson A.S. , Castro Carlos H. , Gava Elisandra , Pinheiro Sérgio V.B. , Almeida Alvair P. , de Paula Renata Dutra , Cruz Jader S. , Ramos Anderson S. , Rosa Kaleizu T. , Irigoyen Maria C. , Bader Michael , Alenina Natalia , Kitten Gregory T. , Ferreira Anderson J.
Published: March 2006

In this study we investigated the effects of the genetic deletion of the angiotensin (Ang)-(1-7) receptor Mas on heart function. Localization of Mas in the mouse heart was evaluated by binding of rhodamine-labeled Ang-(1-7). Cardiac function was examined using isolated heart preparations. Echocardiography was used to confirm the results obtained with isolated heart studies. To elucidate the possible mechanisms involved in the cardiac phenotype observed in Mas
−/−
mice, whole-cell calcium currents in cardiomyocytes and the expression of collagen types I, III, and VI and fibronectin were analyzed. Ang-(1-7) binding showed that Mas is localized in cardiomyocytes of the mouse heart. Isolated heart techniques revealed that Mas-deficient mice present a lower systolic tension (average: 1.4±0.09 versus 2.1±0.03 g in Mas
+/+
mice), ±dT/dt, and heart rate. A significantly higher coronary vessel resistance was also observed in Mas-deficient mice. Echocardiography revealed that hearts of Mas-deficient mice showed a significantly decreased fractional shortening, posterior wall thickness in systole and left ventricle end-diastolic dimension, and a higher left ventricle end-systolic dimension. A markedly lower global ventricular function, as defined by a higher myocardial performance index, was observed. A higher delayed time to the peak of calcium current was also observed. The changes in cardiac function could be partially explained by a marked change in collagen expression to a profibrotic profile in Mas-deficient mice. These results indicate that Ang-(1-7)-Mas axis plays a key role in the maintenance of the structure and function of the heart.
New Perspectives on English Sound Patterns
Authors: Blevins Juliette
Published: March 2006

Principles of Evolutionary Phonology are applied to a selection of sound changes and stable sound patterns in varieties of English. These are divided into two types: natural phonetically motivated internal changes and all others, which are classified as unnatural. While natural phonetically motivated sound change may be inhibited by external forces, certain phonotactic patterns show notable stability in English and are only eliminated under particular types of contact with languages lacking the same patterns. Within the evolutionary model, this stability is expected since natural sound changes involving wholesale elimination of these patterns are not known.
Infectious Disease Outbreaks in Competitive Sports
Authors: Turbeville Sean D. , Cowan Linda D. , Greenfield Ronald A.
Published: March 2006

Recent outbreaks of infectious diseases in athletes in competitive sports have stimulated considerable interest. The environments in which these athletes compete, practice, receive therapy for injuries, and travel, both domestically and internationally, provide varied opportunities for the transmission of infectious organisms. The purpose of this medical literature review is to identify the agents most commonly reported in the medical literature as responsible for infectious disease outbreaks in specific sports and their modes of transmission and to guide targeted prevention efforts. A literature review of English-language articles in medical publications that reported outbreaks of infectious diseases in competitive athletes was conducted in PubMed MEDLINE from 1966 through May 2005. Outbreaks that were solely food borne were excluded. Fifty-nine reports of infectious disease outbreaks in competitive sports were identified in the published medical literature. Herpes simplex virus infections appear to be common among wrestlers and rugby players, with no single strain responsible for the outbreaks. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus was responsible for several recent outbreaks of soft tissue and skin infections among collegiate and professional athletes. The most common mode of transmission in outbreaks was direct, person-to-person (primarily skin-to-skin) contact. Blood-borne exposure was implicated in 2 confirmed outbreaks of hepatitis. Airborne and vector transmissions were rarely reported. This review provides an overview of infectious disease outbreaks thought to be either serious enough or unusual enough to report. Appropriate surveillance of the frequency of infections will allow sports medicine staff to identify outbreaks quickly and take necessary measures to contain further transmission and prevent future outbreaks.
Expanding the Parameters of Service Learning: A Case Study
Authors: Smith-Paríolá Jennie , Gòkè-Paríolá Abíódún
Published: March 2006

Service learning is an increasingly significant component of academic programs on many college campuses. International studies programs and study-abroad programs are becoming important frontiers in this trend. Today, many colleges and other organizations provide students with opportunities for service learning in international settings. However, a common assumption of such programs is that students will spend at least a full semester abroad. This article examines how service learning can be effectively incorporated into short-term programs—that is, programs lasting only 2 to 3 weeks. Referencing a particular 2-week study-abroad program in Jamaica and drawing from the literature on service learning, we discuss the special challenges that confront such programs and propose strategies for successfully grappling with those challenges.
The Effect of Brand Class, Brand Awareness, and Price on Customer Value and Behavioral Intentions
Authors: Oh Haemoon
Published: March 2006

The author introduces a comprehensive customer value framework and tests an extended value model with lodging products. The extended value model in this study newly incorporates the concepts of brand awareness, as compared to brand or product class, and price fairness. Based on Baron and Kenny’s guideline for mediation analysis, this study found the traditional customer value process to be useful for lodging research and marketing. In addition, brand awareness and price fairness concepts were found to play significant roles in the customer value process. The article includes discussions on both managerial and research implications.
A Model of the Causes of Management Turnover in Hotels
Authors: Stalcup Lawrence D. , Pearson Thomas A.
Published: March 2006

The purpose of this study was to develop and test a comprehensive model of the causes of management turnover in cases where there is a breakdown in the employee-employer relationship. To accomplish this, the research employed three methodological tools not commonly used in hospitality research: triangulation, content analysis of qualitative data, and the use of structured phone interviews as a substitute for a survey. The use of these techniques proved to be invaluable in analyzing the problem. Data were collected through three studies: a qualitative study of industry experts, a survey of 206 hotel general managers, and interviews with 90 hotel managers who had left a position in the previous year. The results strongly support the completeness of the model and give some indications of the relative importance of the various causes.
The Expectancy-Disconfirmation Paradigm: A Critique
Authors: Yüksel Atila , Yüksel Fisun
Published: March 2006

Accurate measurement of customer satisfaction is a prerequisite for developing effective management strategies. Only with reliable customer feedback, gathered through an adequate and appropriate assessment framework, can managers be in possession of facts that will allow them to implement satisfaction improvement programs. The Expectancy-Disconfirmation Paradigm (EDP) has become the dominant framework employed in the assessment of customer satisfaction with hospitality and tourism services. However, despite its dominance, there remain a number of unresolved issues concerning this model. Given the lack of attention to its limitations, this article reviews a number of conceptual and operational issues relating to the EDP and questions its reliability in assessing customer satisfaction with tourism and hospitality services. Suggestions for future research are also provided.
Trust-Commitment Model of Buyer-Supplier Relationships
Authors: Crotts John C. , Coppage Charis M. Alderson , Andibo Abuna
Published: March 2006

Restaurant buyers’ relationships with their suppliers were the focus of this study. Business marketing of this nature, where one firm sells to another, has undergone a paradigm shift away from an adversarial model to a cooperative model where many firms have learned that more value can be created by working creatively and effectively with one another. Drawing from the business marketing literature, this article puts forth and tests a model of buyer-supplier relationships where a number of factors are proposed to influence the level of trust and commitment restaurant buyers have with their wholesale suppliers. In addition, this study explores the perceived advantages and disadvantages of creating fewer but more closely integrated buyer-seller relationships from the perspective of restaurateurs. It is hoped that the proposed model and its test will invite future research in an area that has been largely neglected by hospitality and tourism researchers.
Environmental Practices and Management Concerns of Conference Center Administrators
Authors: Wolfe Kara L. , Shanklin Carol W.
Published: March 2006

The purposes of this study were to identify environmental practices and concerns of conference center administrators. A questionnaire was developed, pilot tested, and administered as part of the needs assessment. Descriptive and comparative statistics were used to analyze data. Of the 348 questionnaires sent, 211 were completed and returned for a 60.6% response rate. Recycling was implemented by 85.8% of the respondents; 27% of the conference centers have implemented an energy conservation program. Most centers’ recycling programs did not generate a profit. The majority (54.1%) reported implementing a recycling program to help avoid waste disposal fees. This descriptive study provided information about conference center administrators’ environmental practices and concerns.
Managing the Slot Operations of a Hotel Casino in the Las Vegas Locals’ Market
Authors: Lucas Anthony F. , Brewer K. Pearl
Published: March 2006

This exploratory study was designed to identify and explain the sources of variation in the daily slot handle of a locals’ market hotel casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. A regression model was used to analyze the effects of temporal, operational, and marketing variables hypothesized to influence slot handle. A simultaneous regression analysis was conducted with audited, secondary data using variables adapted from prior research. Significance tests were conducted at the .05 alpha level. The model failed to produce a significant effect for the food covers variable. The buy-in incentives (direct mail) and bingo headcount variables were significantly and positively related to slot handle. The temporal variables emerged as powerful predictors of slot handle. Finally, the results demonstrate the questionable economic significance of the buy-in incentives program and the bingo operation.
Preparing Hospitality Managers for the 21st Century: The Merging of Just-in-Time Education, Criticalthinking, and Collaborative Learning
Authors: Cho Wonae , Schmelzer Claire D. , McMahon Pamela S.
Published: March 2006

The use of technology in educational settings, whether in academia or industry, is becoming a more common and accepted method of course delivery. Just-in-time (JIT) education refers to Web-based education that students may access at any time and in any place and that is not confined to specific classrooms or time schedules. An instructional model is described that allows for the evaluation and comparison of JIT and traditional educational methods. The model is based on the theoretical concepts of JIT education, critical thinking, collaborative learning, and user acceptance of technology. The evaluative aspect of the model is presented through seven propositions that provide a platform for educational research in this area. The use of this model could assist hospitality education programs in developing and evaluating course offerings that incorporate the use of technology and the World Wide Web.
Emotional Labor in Public Houses: Reflections on a Pilot Study
Authors: Sandiford Peter John , Seymour Diane
Published: March 2006

Researchers have suggested that emotional labor (managing emotions for financial re- ward) has a number of consequences for service staff members. The project reported here investigates this idea in the public house sector of the U.K. hospitality industry using ethnographic research methods. This article reflects on a pilot study conducted to test the project's methodology. Piloting the methodology was found to be particularly useful in establishing a structure and timescale for the main study to follow as well as establishing the appropriateness of data collection and analytical techniques, such as participant observation, in-depth interviews, and critical incident technique. A brief overview of some of the pilot study's findings is also included.
Consumer Complaint Behavior Manifestations for Table Service Restaurants: Identifying Sociodemographic Characteristics, Personality, and Behavioral Factors
Authors: Jones David L. , McCleary Ken W. , Lepisto Lawrence R.
Published: March 2006

For restaurants to be assured that they are achieving customer satisfaction, they need to receive feedback from their customers. One way customers give feedback is by complaining. Using the Adult Longitudinal Panel, three types of consumer complaint behavior for table service restaurant customers were determined: not likely to complain, complain-to-anyone complainers, and word-of-mouth (WOM) complainers. WOM complainers present the greatest challenge because management does not hear their complaints, but complainers spread negative WOM. Cross-tabs of sociodemographic characteristics differentiated these individuals as baby boomers with children. However, these characteristics do not provide the full profile. Further analysis using multiple discriminant analysis identified personality and behavioral factors that distinguish WOM complainers from other types of restaurant customers. The results show these individuals to be under greater psychological stress than those in the other two groups, as well as less price conscious and less susceptible to interpersonal influence than complain-to-anyone complainers.
Last Chance to Listen: Listening Behaviors and their Effect on Call Center Satisfaction
Authors: Mount Daniel J. , Mattila Anna
Published: March 2006

Call centers have become an important element in the service recovery process. Listening is an essential skill in these voice-to-voice service encounters. The primary purpose of this study was to examine the impact of three types of listening behaviors (attentiveness, perceptiveness, and responsiveness) on call center satisfaction and future purchase intention. The data collection involved recontacting hotel guests (n = 282) who had lodged complaints with the customer call center for the sponsoring hotel company. The authors' findings indicate that attentiveness and perceptiveness might be the most salient dimensions of listening behavior in the context of service recovery. In addition, the authors provide some evidence of the usefulness of offering tangible compensation to dissatisfied hotel guests.
Transaction Evaluations and Relationship Intentions
Authors: Oh Haemoon
Published: March 2006

Marketers'understanding of customers'postpurchase decision process is questioned in an effort to propose a conceptual model that can strengthen the current measurement practice of customers'transaction-specific product-service evaluations. The proposed model incorporates such transaction-oriented variables as customer satisfaction and customer value into a trust-based relationship framework. Empirical data support the validity of the proposed model in general, indicating that understanding customers'product-service evaluations in a relationship framework would be a potentially fruitful direction to pursue. Data are analyzed following a systematic approach to mediation analysis in the context of structural equation modeling. The article also provides suggested avenues for future research in this and related directions.
CEO Compensation Determinants in the Casino Industry
Authors: Gu Zheng , Choi Yoon Hwa
Published: March 2006

In an attempt to find out how the casino industry may improve its executive compensation structure to enhance shareholder wealth, this article examines determinants of cash compensation of chief executive officers (CEO) of casino firms. Based on the data of publicly traded U.S. casino companies from 1995 through 1999, this study found CEO cash compensation positively correlated with profitability, firm size, debt leverage, and stock options but negatively associated with assets turnover. The results suggest that to better align CEO incentives with shareholder interests and thus maximize shareholder wealth, casino firms should tie executive pay to revenue efficiency and make stock performance a significant factor in determining executive pay.
A Model for Assessing Cultural Impacts on International Buyer-Seller Relationships for Key Accounts of Hotel Companies
Authors: Jones David L. , McCleary Ken W.
Published: March 2006

An understanding of the role of relationship building and the constructs that are important to developing business-to-business relationships can assist salespersons in developing successful strategies. Identifying what kind of relationships are acceptable and desirable is particularly important when operating internationally due to cultural influences. This article presents a model for examining international buyer-seller relationships in the hotel industry. The model was developed from literature in marketing, international business, and sociology as well as related literature in services and hospitality. Major constructs in the model are personal and work values as they relate to national culture, structural and social bonding, communication dimensions, trust, long-term orientation of the buyer, relationship commitment, and a continuum representing the range of potential relationships. Asia and North America are used to provide a frame of reference for examining international relationships within the model.
How Certain are you Measuring Environmental Dynamism and Complexity? A Multitrait-Multimethod Approach
Authors: Harrington Robert J. , Kendall K. W.
Published: March 2006

The study considers the measurement of environmental dynamism and environmental complexity. Previous hospitality strategy research utilizing main environmental constructs (uncertainty, dynamism, complexity, and munificence) is examined. The measurement of these constructs used in the general strategy literature is contrasted with the hospitality strategy literature. Using a multimethod-multitrait approach, convergent and discriminant validity is assessed between these constructs using archival and self-reported measures. The findings indicate that knowledgeable managers’ perceptions match archival measures of dynamism and complexity when the same domain is ensured. Common self-reported measures of dynamism and complexity assess a broader domain than commonly used archival measures. Dynamism and complexity are shown to be separate and distinct constructs. It is suggested that these latent variables are important independent and control variables for strategy research. Further clarification in the measurement and impact of these variables should provide a clearer understanding of the relationship between the industry task environment, strategies, structure, and performance.
Proponents or Opponents of Casino Gaming: A Qualitative Choice Model Approach
Authors: Ham Sunny , Brown Desmond O. , Jang SooCheong (Shawn)
Published: March 2006

This study pursues who the proponents and opponents of casino gaming are, focusing on the currently debated introduction of land-based casinos in Kentucky. A survey was conducted with 600 randomly sampled residents. Qualitative Choice Models were considered to identify the factors that contributed to residents’ support for or opposition to casino gaming. A Logistic Regression (Logit) model was chosen and education, employment status, and religion were found significant in the model. The fact that more respondents opposed the legalization of the proposed land-based casino gaming leaves the debate wide open to continued discussion.
Relationship Selling in the Meeting Planner/Hotel Salesperson Dyad
Authors: Lee Sanghyun , Su Hung-Jen , Dubinsky Alan J.
Published: March 2006

Meeting planners can provide hotels with substantial revenue. Yet little empirical research has examined how hotel sales personnel might facilitate generating this business from meeting planners. Employing relationship selling is crucial for hotel salespeople. This article develops a model of and reports the results of a study that examined key relationship selling constructs in a meeting planner/hotel salesperson context. Survey data were collected from a random sample of professional meeting planners in the United States, all members of Meeting Professionals International. Findings suggest that salesperson expertise, willingness, and power have an effect on whether planners intend to perpetuate the relationship with the salesperson. In addition, planners’ perceived trust in the salesperson and satisfaction with the interaction with the salesperson also affect that intention. Managerial and further research implications are offered.
E-Relational Characteristics on Hospitality and Tourism Program Web Sites
Authors: Hu Clark , Han Yunxuan (Tess) , Jang SooCheong (Shawn) , Bai Billy
Published: March 2006

The increasingly competitive market of recruiting prospective students stimulates academic program administrators to adopt relationship marketing (RM) principles and to leverage the capacity of the Internet technologies in facilitating RM practices. The authors develop an operational framework to evaluate electronic RM (e-RM) features on the Web sites of selected postsecondary hospitality and tourism programs in the United States. As a result of the two-step cluster analysis procedure, the sampled programs are first grouped into two distinctive categories based on designed measures of preidentified e-RM features adopted on their Web sites. A logistic regression analysis then reveals that the program size and the level of the program (undergraduate vs. graduate) are significant indicators of the level of e-RM Web feature adoption.
The Relationship between Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) and Psychological Empowerment: A Quick Casual Restaurant Employee Correlation Study
Authors: Kim Beomcheol (Peter) , George R. Thomas
Published: March 2006

This study identifies the relationship between leader-management exchange (LMX) and psychological empowerment and the role of selected demographics in the relationship between fast-casual restaurant employees. Despite some research popularity, few studies have been conducted to determine the relationship of these theories in combination in the hospitality industry. Survey instruments include Spreitzer’s 12-item psychological empowerment and LMX-7, as well as a demographic questionnaire. The study encompasses 173 employees from 20 restaurants in the continental United States. The characteristics of the respondents are presented with descriptive statistics. Bivariate correlations are used to test the research hypotheses. The findings reveal that LMX has a statistically significant positive relationship with psychological empowerment as well as its dimensions (attitude and influence). In addition, the relationship between LMX and psychological empowerment was statistically significant across all subgroups in terms of demographics.
The Competitive Market Efficiency of Hotel Brands: An Application of Data Envelopment Analysis
Authors: Brown James R. , Ragsdale Cliff T.
Published: March 2006

The objective of this article is to illustrate how managers in the hotel industry can analyze and improve their brands’market efficiency using data envelopment analysis (DEA). The authors evaluated the competitive market efficiency of 46 hotel brands in terms of customer satisfaction and customer value. Their DEA results show that 23 of the 46 brands studied generated less customer satisfaction and customer value for the same level of inputs relative to their more efficient competitors. In particular, the competitive market-inefficient hotel brands suffered more guest complaints, employed a lower quality staff, did not maintain their properties as well, and charged prices higher than justified by their market offerings. Furthermore, the competitive market-inefficient hotels had a less-than-optimal number of rooms and properties in the chain. The results illustrate how managers can use DEA to improve the relative market efficiency of their brands.
Factors Affecting the Long-Term Debt Decision of Restaurant Firms
Authors: Dalbor Michael C. , Upneja Arun
Published: March 2006

The purpose of this article is to evaluate the impact of previously theorized factors on the long-term debt ratio of publicly traded restaurant firms. The authors examined the financial literature to find variables related to three capital structure theories: contracting costs of debt, signaling effects, and tax effects. Using a cross-sectional pooled regression model on publicly traded restaurant firms, the authors’ results largely confirm those of Barclay and Smith that were based on a wide range of industrial firms. Firm size and the probability of bankruptcy are positively correlated with higher long-term debt ratios. Firms with growth opportunities use less long-term debt. However, no significant relationship was found between the use of long-term debt and effective tax rates.
A Content Analysis of Subject Areas and Research Methods Used in Five Hospitality Management Journals
Authors: Baloglu Seyhmus , Assante Lisa Marie
Published: March 2006

An examination of past research efforts provides an understanding of research direction and boundaries of a field or discipline. This study reports the findings of content analysis performed on 1,073 main articles published in five primary hospitality management journals for a 7-year period (1990-1996) based on both subject areas focused and research methods used. The findings revealed some shifts in subject areas and statistical techniques used over the years as well as the orientation of selected hospitality journals. Most articles focused on human resource area and lodging and food service industry segment combined. Survey method was the most frequently employed research design, including nonprobability sampling techniques, whereas field studies and experiments were the least used ones. Studies using multivariate or inferential statistics showed incremental increase over the period studied, although majority of studies used descriptive and univariate statistics.
Strategic Posture, Environmental Munificence, and Performance: An Empirical Study of Independent Restaurants
Authors: Jogaratnam Giri , Tse Eliza C. , Olsen Michael D.
Published: March 2006

Normative theory holds that strategy should favorably align organizations with their environments. The primary purpose of this study was to provide a test of the contingency effect that environmental munificence may have on the relationship between strategic posture and performance at the business-unit level. A nationwide sample of 311 independent restaurateurs, representing a 20.7% response rate, responded to a mail-out survey. Moderated regression analysis was used to assess the independent effects and the contingency relationships or interactions between the predictor (strategic posture) and the moderator (environmental munificence). The results suggest that both strategic posture and environmental munificence are significant independent predictors of performance. The moderating role of environmental munificence on the effect of strategic posture on performance was not established. However, the independent and additive effects of both strategic posture and environmental munificence were significant. Overall, munificence explains a greater proportion of the variance in performance than does strategic posture.
The Effect of Team-Building on Team Process and Performance
Authors: Bartlett A. L. “Bart” , Probber Jonathan , Mohammed Susan
Published: March 2006

This article reports the effects of a team-building intervention on team process and team performance of hospitality student teams, compared to a control group. Effects on process were positive and significant on all criteria. Effects on performance were all positive, though not all differences were significant. Implications for hospitality teams and team-building are discussed.
An Investigation of the Relationship between Employee Turnover and Organizational Culture
Authors: Deery Margaret A. , Shaw Robin N.
Published: March 2006

The incidence of high turnover rates in the hotel industry has been the subject of a substantial number of studies. Much of the research has focused on isolating the causes of employee turnover and devising strategies for employee retention. Little attention, however, has been given to the impact of high turnover rates on the culture of an organization. This study attempts to address the deficiency of research in this area by exploring the existence of a turnover culture in the hotel industry. Data collected from nonsupervisory staff at the four Melbourne-based properties of a hotel chain were analyzed using cluster analysis. The analysis yielded seven clusters, two of which were subsequently defined as a turnover culture and a work culture. The seven clusters are examined, with particular attention given to the culture groups. Finally, the implications for management are discussed.
A Factor-Analytic Study of Communication Satisfaction in the Lodging Industry
Authors: Mount Daniel J. , Back Ki-Joon
Published: March 2006

Communication, job satisfaction, and customer satisfaction have been popular topics in hospitality and business research. The most widely used business communication satisfaction questionnaire, the Communication Satisfaction Questionnaire (CSQ), has not been used in the hospitality industry. This article presents a factor-analytic study of the CSQ in a lodging setting. After the factor analysis, the article will then discuss the findings of communication satisfaction as they compare to findings in other business-related studies.
Home, homeland, homepage: belonging and the Indian-American web
Authors: Mallapragada Madhavi
Published: March 2006

This article critically examines the politics of home, homeland and homepage on what it calls the ‘Indian-American’ web. It demonstrates how the Indian-American web emerged during the 1990s by targeting non-resident Indians (NRIs) and persons of Indian origin (PIOs) in the United States. NRI refers to an Indian citizen who resides outside India, while PIO refers to a foreign citizen who claims an ‘Indian’ origin. The central argument of the article is that the web disrupts hegemonic notions of NRI and PIO identities by articulating diverse imaginations of ‘home’, such as household, homeland and homepage, to the cultural, economic and political discourses of nation, family and community. In the process, the web foregrounds the contestations over ‘old’ and ‘new’ identities within the NRI and PIO communities in the United States.
Towards finding a cybernetic safe place: illustrations from people of Indian origin
Authors: Mitra Ananda
Published: March 2006

This article explores the way in which a specific immigrant group – Indians outside India – utilizes the dwelling space offered by the synthesis of real spaces and virtual spaces to create a unique immigrant identity. The argument is offered that the combination of the real and the virtual produces a cybernetic space where the immigrant identity can thrive without being controlled within the increasing anti-immigrant sentiments of the real world. Using illustrations from internet discourse it is demonstrated that cybernetic space offers a ‘safe’ alternative living space where the marginalized immigrant can find a voice.
Mobile phones as fashion statements: evidence from student surveys in the US and Japan
Authors: Katz James E. , Sugiyama Satomi
Published: March 2006

Motivated by new theoretical perspectives that emphasize communication technology as a symbolic tool and physical extension of the human body and persona ( Apparatgeist theory and Machines That Become Us), this article explores how fashion, as a symbolic form of communication, is related to self-reports of mobile phone behaviors across diverse cultures. A survey of college students in the United States and Japan was conducted to demonstrate empirically the relationship between fashion attentiveness and the acquisition, use, and replacement of the mobile phone. The results suggested that young people use the mobile phone as a way of expressing their sense of self and perceive others through a ‘fashion’ lens. Hence it may be useful to investigate further how fashion considerations could guide both the rapidly growing area of mobile phone behavior, as well as human communication behavior more generally.
ICSBP/IRF-8 differentially regulates antigen uptake during dendritic-cell development and affects antigen presentation to CD4+ T cells
Authors: Mattei Fabrizio , Schiavoni Giovanna , Borghi Paola , Venditti Massimo , Canini Irene , Sestili Paola , Pietraforte Immacolata , Morse Herbert C. , Ramoni Carlo , Belardelli Filippo , Gabriele Lucia
Published: March 2006

Interferon consensus sequence-binding protein (ICSBP)/interferon regulatory factor 8 (IRF-8) is a transcription factor that plays critical roles in the differentiation of defined dendritic-cell (DC) populations and in the immune response to many pathogens. In this study, we show that splenic DCs (s-DCs) from ICSBP–/– mice are markedly defective in their ability to capture and to present exogenous antigens (Ags) to naive CD4+ T lymphocytes. We found that CD8α+ DCs and, to a lesser extent, CD8α– DCs from ICSBP–/– mice are impaired at internalizing Ags, either through a receptor-mediated pathway or by macropinocytosis, in spite of having a more immature phenotype than their wild-type (WT) counterparts. These features reflected a greatly impaired ability of ICSBP–/– s-DCs to present injected soluble ovalbumin (OVA) to OVA-specific CD4+ T cells in vivo. Conversely, bone marrow (BM)–derived DCs from ICSBP–/– mice, in keeping with their immature phenotype, exhibited higher endocytic activity than WT cells. However, Ag-loaded ICSBP–/– BM-DCs were defective in priming Ag-specific CD4+ T lymphocytes and failed to induce a contact hypersensitivity (CHS) response when injected into competent WT hosts. Together, these results indicate that, throughout the developmental program of DCs, ICSBP differentially controls Ag uptake and MHC class II (MHC-II) presentation affecting both functions only in differentiated peripheral DCs.
FVIII production by human lung microvascular endothelial cells
Authors: Jacquemin Marc , Neyrinck Arne , Hermanns Maria Iris , Lavend'homme Renaud , Rega Filip , Saint-Remy Jean-Marie , Peerlinck Kathelijne , Van Raemdonck Dirk , Kirkpatrick Charles James
Published: March 2006

While extrahepatic factor VIII (FVIII) synthesis suffices for hemostasis, the extrahepatic production sites are not well defined. We therefore investigated the ability of the human lungs to produce FVIII. Lungs from heart-beating donors who were declined for transplantation were perfused and ventilated in an isolated reperfusion model for 2 hours. A progressive accumulation of FVIII and von Willebrand factor (VWF) was recorded in the perfusion medium in 3 of 4 experiments. By contrast, factor V, fibrinogen, and immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels remained constant during the perfusion period, indicating that the accumulation of FVIII and VWF was not due to diffusion from the intercellular medium into the vascular system. Purified human lung microvascular endothelial cells produced FVIII during at least 2 passages in vitro. Altogether, these data identify the lung endothelial cells as a FVIII production site in humans.
Proteasome-dependent down-regulation of activated Stat5A in the nucleus
Authors: Chen Yuhong , Dai Xuezhi , Haas Arthur L. , Wen Renren , Wang Demin
Published: March 2006

A broad spectrum of cytokines can activate the signal transducer and activator of transcription 5 (Stat5) by inducing a single tyrosine phosphorylation of the molecule. Although the process of Stat5 activation has been well studied, the mechanism by which it is inactivated is not fully understood. We demonstrate that the proteasome inhibitor MG132, but not the nuclear export inhibitor leptomycin B (LMB), stabilizes active nuclear Stat5A, whereas MG132 only partially stabilizes active cytoplasmic Stat5A. Importantly, ubiquitinated Stat5A is detected in the nucleus and the polyubiquitination of active Stat5A is K48 linked, a linkage type targeting proteins for degradation. Ubiquitination of Stat5A is recapitulated in a cell-free system, and Ubc5 is identified as the E2-conjugating enzyme for Stat5A ubiquitination. Interestingly, phosphorylation of Stat5A per se is not required for ubiquitination. Finally, C-terminal deletion analysis of Stat5A localizes the amphipathic region of amino acids 751-762 as a ubiquitination signal, possibly representing an E3 recognition motif. Taken together, these results demonstrate that the down-regulation of nuclear and cytoplasmic active Stat5A is differentially regulated. In the nucleus, ubiquitin/proteasome-mediated protein degradation is the dominant mechanism for the down-regulation of active Stat5A, whereas in the cytoplasm, protein tyrosine phasphatase is a major player in the down-regulation of active Stat5A.
Everyday Ethics in the Care of Elderly People
Authors: Bolmsjö Ingrid Ågren , Sandman Lars , Andersson Edith
Published: March 2006

This article analyses the general ethical milieu in a nursing home for elderly residents and provides a decision-making model for analysing the ethical situations that arise. It considers what it means for the residents to live together and for the staff to be in ethically problematic situations when caring for residents. An interpretative phenomenological approach and Sandman’s ethical model proved useful for this purpose. Systematic observations were carried out and interpretation of the general ethical milieu was summarized as ‘being in the same world without meeting’. Two themes and four subthemes emerged from the analysis. Three different ethical problems were analysed. The outcome of using the decision-making model highlighted the discrepancy between the solutions used and well-founded solutions to these problems. An important conclusion that emerged from this study was the need for a structured tool for reflection.