bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The role of trust on the performance of strategic alliances in a cross‐cultural context
Authors: Yasin Fadol Yasir , Sandhu Maqsood Ahmad
Published: February 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to explore the role of trust in the relationships and long‐term commitment between partners in strategic alliances. A framework is developed for better understanding the role of trust in the performance of strategic alliances in a cross‐cultural context.

Design/methodology/approach

The empirical findings of this study are gathered from structured and unstructured interviews with some key actors involved in the process of forming strategic alliances in their own organizations; a case study of the oil industry in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) which illustrates this is analysed. Qualitative analysis is conducted to assess the role of trust in this cross‐cultural context.

Findings

It was noted that building trust between partners helped to avoid bureaucratic obstructions and enhanced the decision making process in the UAE. It was found that trust helped partners to exchange resources faster, devote more funds to the venture and exchange knowledge and information smoothly. The results clearly show that trust plays an important role in building well‐functioning relationships in the oil and gas industry.

Research limitations/implications

This study is limited to the UAE and can be generalized to other similar cultural contexts only to a certain extent. Future research should consider the same parameters in order to fully generalize the results to other industries.

Practical implications

The paper presents a case study of the nature and characteristics of partners in the oil and gas industry, which may be applied to other similar industries. It is hoped that presenting practical tools for understanding the function of trust in strategic alliance performance may be useful.

Originality/value

This framework makes two major contributions; first, it explores a subject which has been under‐researched in the literature, that is, the issue of trust between partners of strategic alliances in a developing context; and, second, it leads to a set of recommendations and benchmarks the practitioners in the UAE and similar contexts to help them increase the trust between partners in strategic alliances.
Student reflections on the value of a professionalism module
Authors: Holland Lynda
Published: February 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze written reflections of final year computing students taking a professionalism module that covered the social, legal, professional and ethical aspects of computing. Society's dependence on computers makes it essential that computing students, whose future work may involve the analysis, storage and security of private data, are capable of identifying ethical issues and of making reflective moral judgements. The capacity to make moral judgements has been linked to an ability to reflect, so the aim of this research was twofold, to investigate students' familiarity with the concepts the module covered and their reflective ability.

Design/methodology/approach

The research takes the form of an exploratory case study with qualitative data from written reflections examined using NVivo and word cloud analysis.

Findings

The students found it difficult to write reflectively and the majority of their reflections were either descriptive writing or descriptive reflection which considered events from one perspective. Awareness of the topics covered by the module appeared to be low prior to taking the module.

Research limitations/implications

This research identifies the need to develop students' reflective skills and professional awareness in order to enhance their professional performance.

Practical implications

Reflective writing and concepts such as profession and ethics need to be included throughout computing degrees, not just in a final year module. As students are strategic learners these topics also need to be covered in enough depth at each level so they are assessed and treated seriously by students.

Social implications

Given the ubiquitous nature of computers and society's high level of dependence on them it is essential that students' moral reasoning skills are developed throughout their course, so on graduation they are capable of ethical thinking and can make reflective moral judgements.

Originality/value

No other qualitative research was found which covered this area and no research was found which raised these issues.
Determinants and usefulness of analysts' cash flow forecasts: evidence from Australia
Authors: Ahmed Kamran , Jahangir Ali Muhammad
Published: February 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the determinants of analysts' operating cash flow forecasts of Australian listed firms and whether or not such forecasts improve the usefulness of earnings and predictive ability of current cash flows.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors used a large sample of firms for which both cash flows and earnings forecasts were available over a period between 1993 and 2003, and employed both univariate and logistic regression analyses.

Findings

It was found that analysts forecast both operating cash flows and earnings when the firms are more complex in operations and when the size of the firm is relatively small. Further, it was found that cash flow forecasts improve the usefulness of earnings and predictive ability of current cash flows.

Originality/value

This study contributes to current understanding of analysts' forecast behaviour regarding dissemination of operating cash flow information and usefulness of cash flow forecasts.
Drivers of e‐retailer peak sales period price behavior: an empirical analysis
Authors: Ahluwalia Punit , Hughes Jerald , Midha Vishal
Published: February 2013

Purpose

Electronic markets are known to be distinct from, and more efficient than, the conventional retail markets. The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect on pricing in relation to proximity to a culturally and socially significant peak shopping day and the moderating effects of consumers product rating, product popularity, and featured product website rankings.

Design/methodology/approach

The shopping season during the Thanksgiving holiday in 2010 was used to collect data for this study. This paper uses a case study approach by extracting real store‐level data from the web pages of a B2C e‐retailer. Store level data were downloaded for a total of 19 days, before and after “Black Friday.” The longitudinal data were analyzed using regression analytic procedure to conform the hypotheses.

Findings

The longitudinal data supported the hypothesized relationship between days to the culturally significant shopping event and e‐retailer selling price. The data also confirmed that featured product ranking is a significant moderator of the above relationship.

Research limitations/implications

In e‐retailer websites, webpage ranking determines the order of display of products. Literature suggests that buyers choices are influenced by the volume and order of display of information. Therefore, this study includes webpage rankings of featured products, number of consumer reviews, and consumer ratings as independent variables. Another limitation of this study is that it uses data of one large e‐retailer. Future studies may address these limitations.

Originality/value

This paper examines the pricing behavior of e‐commerce companies during “culturally and socially significant” events. and answers research questions related to the electronic markets: Do e‐commerce companies participate in cultural and social events? How do these companies manipulate pricing during a special shopping season? How are search tools employed to showcase specific products to the buyers? Is there a relationship between proximity to “Black Friday” and product price, product popularity, and product ratings?
Conservative leaf economic traits correlate with fast growth of genotypes of a foundation riparian species near the thermal maximum extent of its geographic range
Authors: Grady Kevin C. , Laughlin Daniel C. , Ferrier Sharon M. , Kolb Thomas E. , Hart Stephen C. , Allan Gerard J. , Whitham Thomas G.
Published: February 2013

Plant functional traits involved in carbon and water acquisition are likely to be adaptive across the range of a species if the availability of these resources varies across this range and are limiting to growth or fitness. At the interspecific level, leaf economic traits associated with rapid resource capture are correlated with fast growth rates. However, relationships between leaf traits and growth are poorly understood at the intraspecific level.

We examined two hypotheses: (i) leaf traits vary genotypically among Populus fremontii populations from different thermal environments; and (ii) leaf traits are related to growth rate of these P. fremontii populations. We used a common garden at the warm edge of P. fremontii distribution that included individuals transplanted from 11 provenances. Provenances varied in mean annual maximum temperature by 5·9 °C, reflecting a range of expected increases in temperature over the next 80 years.

Conservative leaf traits (e.g. low specific leaf area, N content, stomatal conductance, net photosynthetic rate and high leaf water‐use efficiency) were positively related to growth rates of genotypes and populations, a pattern opposite of that widely reported among species in other studies.

Provenance temperature explained 75% of the variation in multivariate leaf traits with the warmest provenances having the most conservative traits and highest growth rates. Clinal genetic variation suggests that P. fremontii may be adapted to thermal environments.

Leaf area‐to‐sapwood area ratio was positively associated with growth rate, while leaf area‐based net photosynthetic rate was negatively associated with growth rate; these results suggest that hydraulic architecture was more important than leaf‐level photosynthetic rate in determining growth rate.

Synthesis. Our results suggest that conservative leaf traits promote rapid growth of P. fremontii genotypes in extremely hot environments. Thus, relationships between leaf economic traits among species do not necessarily apply to the range of variation among genotypes within species. The generality of this pattern should be examined for other species that will be exposed to climate warming. Moreover, our research shows that common garden provenance trials are useful for identifying genotypes best suited to a predicted warmer climate and for improving understanding of the physiological basis for adaptation to warm environments.
Microvascular anatomy and histomorphology of extrapulmonary bronchi in adult Xenopus laevis Daudin (Lissamphibia; Anura) point to a role in aerial gas exchange – histomorphology of tissue sections and scanning electron microscopy of vascular corrosion casts
Authors: Tangphokhanon Wasan , Lametschwandtner Alois
Published: February 2013

Studies on the amphibian respiratory tract microvascular anatomy are few. Using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of vascular corrosion casts (VCCs) and light microscopy of perfusion‐fixed tissue sections, we studied the bronchial microvascular anatomy in the adult South African Clawed Toad, Xenopus laevis Daudin. Histomorphology showed that the bronchial wall consists (from luminal to abluminal) of squamous epithelium, subepithelial capillary bed, cartilage rings or cartilage plates, a layer of dense connective tissue, a layer of smooth muscle cells, and squamous epithelium (serosa). SEM of VCCs reveals that bilaterally a ventral, a dorsal (Ø 77.21 ± 7.61 μm), and a caudal bronchial artery supply the bronchial subepithelial capillary bed. The ventral bronchial artery has 3–4 branching orders (interbranching distances: 506.3 ± 392.12 μm; branching angles of first‐ and second‐order bifurcations: 24.60 ± 10.24° and 29.59 ± 14.3°). Casts of bronchial arteries display imprints of flow dividers and sphincters. Cranial and caudal bronchial veins (Ø 154.78 ± 49.68 μm) drain into pulmonary veins. They lack microvenous valves. The location of the dense subepithelial capillary meshwork just beneath the thin squamous bronchial epithelium and its drainage into the pulmonary veins make it likely that in Xenopus, bronchi assist in aerial gas exchange.
Pituitary tumor‐transforming gene 1 as a proliferation marker lacking prognostic value in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Ishitsuka Yosuke , Kawachi Yasuhiro , Taguchi Shijima , Maruyama Hiroshi , Nakamura Yoshiyuki , Fujisawa Yasuhiro , Furuta Jun‐ichi , Nakamura Yasuhiro , Ishii Yoshiyuki , Otsuka Fujio
Published: February 2013

Non‐melanoma skin cancer is the most frequently occurring type of cancer worldwide and is caused by epidermal carcinogenesis and malignant progression that involve dysregulated expression of proto‐oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. The proto‐oncogene pituitary tumor‐transforming gene 1 (PTTG1) is a ubiquitously expressed transcription factor that can promote enhanced proliferation of cultured epidermal keratinocytes. To investigate the potential roles of PTTG1 in epidermal carcinogenesis and malignant progression, the expression of PTTG1 was analysed by immunohistochemistry along with Ki67, keratin 10 (K10) and p53 in tissue samples of cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas (SCC), actinic keratoses (AK) and Bowen's disease (BD). Expression levels of PTTG1 were compared among these disease groups to test for correlations with proliferation, differentiation capacity or the existence of mutated tumor suppressor genes in each disease group. In each disease group, the expression levels of PTTG1 correlated positively with those of Ki67, although the differentiation status, measured by K10 expression, did not show any correlation. In contrast, the existence of mutated p53 proteins showed a positive correlation only in the SCC group. Moreover, the expression levels of PTTG1 in SCC did not correlate with known prognostic factors such as TNM staging or tumor thickness. These results suggest that PTTG1 may represent a proliferation marker associated with mutated p53 proteins but is not an informative predictor of poor clinical outcomes in SCC.
Recurrence of pelvic abscess from Panton–Valentine leukocidin‐positive community‐acquired ST30 methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Isobe Hirokazu , Miyasaka Dai , Ito Tomoyuki , Takano Tomomi , Nishiyama Akihito , Iwao Yasuhisa , Khokhlova Olga E. , Okubo Takeshi , Endo Naoto , Yamamoto Tatsuo
Published: February 2013

A 17‐year‐old female patient (a basketball player) suffered from recurrent pelvic abscesses from methicillin‐resistant
Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The first episode, from strain NN12, occurred in October 2004. Her cutaneous abscesses complicated into systemic progression to osteomyelitis and multifocal pelvic abscesses, adjacent to the sacroiliac joint. The second episode, abscesses at tissues adjacent to the sacroiliac joint from strain NN31A, occurred late in February 2005. The third episode, from strain NN31B, occurred on July 30, 2005, repeating the second episode. Three MRSA strains were identical in terms of genotypes (belonging to Panton‐Valentine leukocidin [PVL]‐positive ST30 community‐acquired MRSA, CA‐MRSA), pulsed‐field gel electrophoresis patterns, and peptide cytolysin gene (psmα) expression levels. The three MRSA strains exhibited superior THP‐1 cell invasion ability over hospital‐acquired MRSA (New York/Japan clone). The data suggest that PVL‐positive ST30 CA‐MRSA, with high levels of cell invasion and peptide cytolysins, causes recurrence of pelvic abscesses in a healthy adolescent.
Langerhans cell histiocytosis case with dense metaphyseal band sign
Authors: Kikkawa Ichiro , Aihara Toshinori , Morimoto Akira , Watanabe Hideaki , Furukawa Rieko
Published: February 2013

Eosinophilic granuloma, a type of Langerhans cell histiocytosis, exhibits a classic vertebral collapse, which is called vertebra plana (Calve's disease) and it manifests as a solitary bony lesion. Vertebra plana can cause severe pain in patients. Bisphosphonates (clodronate, pamidronate and zoledronic acid) have been recently used to treat osteolytic bone lesions of LCH. Zoledronic acid has 100 times relative potency that of pamidronate. We report a case of a 10‐year‐old girl who had zoledronic acid treatment for severe back pain due to vertebra plana. X‐ray photographs of the patient's body showed dense metaphyseal band sign, which can be found in lead poisoning, treated leukemia, healing rickets, recovery from scurvy, vitamin D hypervitaminosis, congenital hypothyroidism and hypoparathyroidism. Increased biological potent zoledronic acid deprived her of severe back pain due to vertebra plana and might cause dense metaphyseal band sign of her skeleton. Conclusion; We have cured the severe back pain of a 10‐year‐old girl case of eosinophilic granuloma with zoledronic acid. After that treatment, X‐ray photographs of the patient's body showed dense metaphyseal band sign. There have been few such cases reported until now.
T‐cell large granular lymphocyte leukemia in a child with anemia and Crohn's disease
Authors: Kondoh Kensuke , Morimoto Mizuho , Keino Dai , Oyama Ryo , Nagae Chiai , Ashikaga Tomoko , Arai Katsuhiro , Nakazawa Atsuko , Kinoshita Akitoshi
Published: February 2013

T‐LGL leukemia has been rarely reported in children. We report a child with T‐LGL leukemia who presented with anemia and went on to develop Crohn's disease. Although prednisolone treatment proved effective in the treatment of anemia, large granular lymphocyte counts increased as the doses were tapered. T‐cell rearrangement studies revealed a clonal rearrangement of the TCR Vβ/jβ2 gene. Concurrently, the patient developed severe diarrhea. Inflammatory changes across the upper and lower intestines led to the diagnosis of Crohn's disease. This case highlights that T‐LGL leukemia could be occurred in children. Flow cytometry and/or T‐cell gene rearrangement studies are recommend in patients of anemia and various kind of autoimmune diseases including Crohn's disease, even in children.
Relational Work and the Law: Recapturing the Legal Realist Critique of Market Fundamentalism
Authors: Block Fred
Published: February 2013

A global financial crisis seems a propitious time to renew a dialogue between legal scholarship and the field of economic sociology. In the 1920s and 1930s, legal realist scholars developed insightful analyses of market processes. But since post‐war mainstream legal scholarship has largely ignored this aspect of legal realism, economic sociology might be helpful in refocusing legal scholarship on what happens in actual market settings. One tool is Zelizer's concept of relational work; that in market transactions, actors must define the nature of their relationship, what is to be exchanged, and by what media. Relational work has an enormous impact on the outcomes of transactions, but it is largely ignored in economic accounts. An empirical study of variations in relational work across economic settings could provide a strong foundation for rethinking the relationship between law and economic activity.
Rethinking ‘Embeddedness’: Law, Economy, Community
Authors: Cotterrell Roger
Published: February 2013

Ideas (of Karl Polanyi and others) that economies and markets are ‘socially embedded’ are central to recent research in economic sociology, closely paralleling socio‐legal claims for studying law in ‘social context’. But the concept of embeddedness is imprecise and inadequate: a sociology of law and economy cannot rely on it but must address intellectual and moral‐political concerns that its use reflects. Max Weber's writings on law and economy have inspired advocates of a new economic sociology of law, but some of Weber's key claims may be outdated, and he treats law and economy as distinct spheres rather than as facets of the social. Sociological research on law and economy should focus on ‘networks of community’ and their regulation, thus illuminating the social character of both law and economic relations. Viewing the social (including economic life) through a ‘community lens’ makes it possible to analyse cultural factors in regulating markets, while emphasizing links between economic relations and other aspects of social life.
Racial/Ethnic Differences in the Rates and Correlates of HIV Risk Behaviors among Drug Abusers
Authors: Brooks Audrey J. , Lokhnygina Yuliya , Meade Christina S. , Potter Jennifer Sharpe , Calsyn Donald A. , Greenfield Shelly F.
Published: February 2013

Background

HIV infection disproportionately impacts minorities; yet research on racial/ethnic differences in the prevalence and correlates of HIV risk behaviors is limited.

Objective

This study examined racial/ethnic differences in the rates of HIV risk behaviors and whether the relationship between HIV risk factors and HIV risk behaviors varies by race/ethnicity in clients participating in NIDA Clinical Trials Network trials.

Results

The sample was 41% non‐Hispanic White, 32% non‐Hispanic Black, and 27% Hispanic (N = 2,063). HIV risk behaviors and measures of substance and psychosocial HIV risk factors in the past month were obtained. Non‐Hispanic Blacks engaged in less HIV sexual risk behaviors overall than non‐Hispanic Whites. While non‐Hispanic Whites were the most likely to report any injection drug use, Hispanics engaged in the most HIV drug risk behaviors. Specific risk factors were differentially predictive of HIV risk behavior by race/ethnicity. Alcohol use severity was related to engaging in higher sex risk behaviors for non‐Hispanic Blacks and Whites. Greater psychiatric severity was related to engaging in higher sex risk behaviors for non‐Hispanic Whites. Drug use severity was associated with engaging in higher risk drug behaviors for non‐Hispanic Whites and Hispanics with the magnitude of the relationship stronger for Hispanics.

Conclusions

These findings highlight the need for further research testing HIV risk prevention interventions within racial/ethnic groups to identify target behaviors or risk factors that are salient to inform HIV interventions.

Scientific Significance

The present study provides a systematic examination of race/ethnicity differences in the relationship between psychosocial risk factors and HIV risk behaviors. (Am J Addict 2013;22:136‐147)
A Comparison of Trauma Profiles among Individuals with Prescription Opioid, Nicotine, or Cocaine Dependence
Authors: Lawson Katie M. , Back Sudie E. , Hartwell Karen J. , Maria Megan Moran‐Santa , Brady Kathleen T.
Published: February 2013

Background and Objectives

Exposure to traumatic events is common among individuals with substance use disorders. Little is known, however, about the trauma histories among individuals with various types of addiction.

Methods

The present study compared the trauma histories (general, sexual, physical and emotional) of non‐treatment seeking outpatients dependent on prescription opioids (n = 41), nicotine (n = 87) or cocaine (n = 73). The Life Stressor Checklist—Revised (LSC‐R) was completed by participants to assess childhood and adult trauma.

Results

The findings revealed that all three groups endorsed high levels of trauma exposure, with 96.5% of the entire sample experiencing at least one traumatic event in their lifetime. The prescription opiate group experienced a greater number of general and total traumas than the nicotine group. However, no group differences in the number of emotional, physical, or sexual traumas were revealed. The prescription opiate group reported a younger age of first traumatic event than the cocaine group, and was significantly more likely to report childhood traumatic events than both the cocaine and nicotine groups.

Conclusions and Scientific Significance

The findings provide clinically relevant information that may help improve screening, interventions, and preventative efforts. (Am J Addict 2013;22:127‐131)
From Collectivism to Capitalism: Neoliberalism and Rural Mobilization in Nicaragua
Authors: Horton Lynn R.
Published: February 2013

This article draws on longitudinal, ethnographic data gathered in rural Nicaragua over a two-decade period to examine the ideological and political implications of neoliberalism in the prefigurative, grassroots stages of social mobilization. It contrasts divergent path-dependent processes of accommodation and resistance to neoliberalism as Nicaraguan peasants have moved from collectivism to individual farming, with an emphasis on interpretive processes. This study explores how market processes both serve as an external grievance and operate internally in rural communities to reconfigure rural social relations and individual and collective identities. It also seeks to develop concepts and interpretations that may be applied more broadly to analyze links between deepening market processes and the forms and content of social movement responses to deteriorating economic conditions.
Globalized Hopes and Disillusions
Authors: Ben‐Eliezer Uri
Published: February 2013

In contrast to the common tendency to see war as the result of leadership decisions based on risk assessments, and political and economic considerations about gains or losses, we use a constructivist and institutional perspective to historicize and politicize the way “nation‐state interests” and “nation‐state preferences” even in a decision to go to war are socially constructed and culturally embedded. We maintain that with the end of the Cold War, many societies found themselves at a crossroads where they had to resolve internal conflicts in regards to neoliberal globalization. These internal conflicts and a crisis of identity, between those who supported the principle of globalization and regarded it as a promise for democracy, openness, liberty and peace, and those who saw it as a danger to their exceptionality and distinctiveness, ended in wars (either internal wars or external wars) when the objectors of neoliberal globalization succeeded in creating an institutional turn which presented war as the “efficient,” “necessary,” “legitimate”, or “desired” solution to the new threatening reality.

We demonstrate the validity of this argument by using Israel as a test case, examining how institutional changes in the 1990s, arising from internal societal conflicts around the Oslo Agreements, led the state to move from the brink of peace to new wars despite exogenous objections to its policy.
Conspiracy Accounts as Intergroup Theories: Challenging Dominant Understandings of Social Power and Political Legitimacy
Authors: Sapountzis Antonis , Condor Susan
Published: February 2013

Conspiracy accounting is often regarded as an atypical, pathological form of political reasoning, and little research has considered how ordinary social actors may refer to political conspiracies in the course of argument. In this article, we consider the spontaneous use of conspiracy narratives by politically engaged Greek citizens in interview discussions of the Macedonian crisis. Analysis revealed that conspiracy narratives were typically used to challenge dominant representations that attributed the Macedonian crisis to Greek xenophobic nationalism. Specifically, conspiracy accounts were used to dispute assumptions concerning Greece's majority status by representing the political opposition as a consortium rather than a single out‐group, by recasting the threat posed to Greece as a matter of realistic rather than symbolic competition, and by extending the historical frame of reference to encompass past and prospective future threats to the Greek people and the Greek state. In conclusion, we note how the use of conspiratorial reasoning may be used to construct complex causal arguments concerning intergroup relations and to challenge dominant ideological assumptions about social hierarchy and political legitimacy. In this respect, conspiratorial reasoning might be regarded as a prototypical form of intergroup representation.
Identification and evaluation of putative tumour‐initiating cells in canine malignant melanoma cell lines
Authors: Wilson‐Robles H. M. , Daly M. , Pfent C. , Sheppard S.
Published: February 2013

Tumour‐initiating cells (TICs) have been identified in many solid human tumours, including malignant melanoma. In this study, an enriched TIC population was identified in two canine malignant melanoma cell lines (CML1 and CML6M) using cell surface markers and functional assays, including the sphere forming assay, aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) assay, reverse transcriptase‐polymerase chain reaction and γH2AX staining for double‐stranded DNA (dsDNA)break identification and repair. The CD34− population of cells in both cell lines expressed stem cell genes, such as Oct4, Nanog and Ptch1, were more efficient at making spheres in adherence‐free media conditions and were able to repair dsDNA breaks faster than the CD34+ population. A subpopulation of cells with high expression of ALDH was identified in both cell lines by flow cytometry. The findings indicate the presence of TICs in two canine malignant melanoma cell lines.
Export of Algal Biomass from the Melting Arctic Sea Ice
Authors: Boetius Antje , Albrecht Sebastian , Bakker Karel , Bienhold Christina , Felden Janine , Fernández-Méndez Mar , Hendricks Stefan , Katlein Christian , Lalande Catherine , Krumpen Thomas , Nicolaus Marcel , Peeken Ilka , Rabe Benjamin , Rogacheva Antonina , Rybakova Elena , Somavilla Raquel , Wenzhöfer Frank ,   RV Polarstern ARK27-3-Shipboard Science Party
Published: February 2013

Diatom Fall

2012 saw the greatest Arctic ice minimum ever recorded. This allowed unprecedented access for research vessels deep into the Arctic Ocean to make high-latitude observations of ice melt and associated phenomena. From the RV Polarstern between 84° to 89° North,

Boetius
et al.

(p.
1430
, published online 14 February; see the cover) observed large-scale algal aggregates of the diatom
Melosira arctica
hanging beneath multiyear and seasonal ice across a wide range of latitudes. The strands of algae were readily dislodged and formed aggregates on the seabed up to 4400 meters below, where the algae are consumed by large mobile invertebrates, such as sea cucumbers and brittle stars. Although Nansen observed sub-ice algae in the Arctic 100 years ago, the extent of this bloom phenomenon was unknown. The dynamics of such blooms must impinge on global carbon budgets, but how the dynamics will change as ice melt becomes more extensive remains unclear.
Complete Genome Sequence of a Natural Recombinant H9N2 Influenza Virus from Wild Birds in Republic of Korea
Authors: Lee Dong-Hun , Park Jae-Keun , Yuk Seong-Su , Erdene-Ochir Tseren-Ochir , Kwon Jung-Hoon , Lee Joong-Bok , Park Seung-Yong , Choi In-Soo , Song Chang-Seon
Published: February 2013

We report the complete genome sequence of a natural recombinant H9N2 avian influenza virus (AIV) that was isolated from a wild bird in the Republic of Korea in 2005. The genomic sequence and phylogenetic analyses showed that this virus contains six genes of North American lineage AIV and two genes of Eurasian lineage AIV. These data are beneficial for investigating the ecology and epidemiology of AIVs.
Complete Genome Sequence of GII.4 Human Norovirus HS191
Authors: Sosnovtsev Stanislav V. , Bok Karin , Wang Qiuhong , Saif Linda J. , Green Kim Y.
Published: February 2013

Noroviruses are a common cause of gastrointestinal disease in humans worldwide. Here, we report the full-length genomic characterization of GII.4 norovirus strain HS191, which was associated with gastroenteritis in a laboratory worker in 2004.
Complete Genome Sequence of Mycoplasma cynos Strain C142
Authors: Walker Caray A. , Mannering Sally A. , Shields Shelly , Blake Damer P. , Brownlie Joe
Published: February 2013

Here we report the
de novo
genome sequencing of
Mycoplasma cynos
strain C142, isolated from a dog with canine infectious respiratory disease (CIRD) in the United States.
The independent associations of sedentary behaviour and physical activity on cardiorespiratory fitness
Authors: Santos Rute , Mota Jorge , Okely Anthony David , Pratt Michael , Moreira Carla , Coelho-e-Silva Manuel João , Vale Susana , Sardinha Luis B
Published: February 2013

Background

During childhood and adolescence, both physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviour seem to influence cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF); however, the combined association of PA and sedentary behaviour remains to be understood. We analysed the combined association of objectively measured sedentary behaviour and moderate-to-vigorous intensity PA (MVPA) on CRF in Portuguese children and adolescents.

Methods

The sample comprised 2506 Portuguese healthy children and adolescents aged 10–18 years, from a cross-sectional school-based study (2008). PA and sedentary behaviour were assessed with accelerometry. Participants were classified as meeting current PA guidelines for youth versus not meeting, and as low versus high sedentary (according to the median value of sedentary time/day by age and gender), and then grouped as follows: Low active—high sedentary; low active—low sedentary; high active—high sedentary; high active—low sedentary. CRF was assessed with the FITNESSGRAM 20 m shuttle-run test. Binary logistic regression models were constructed to verify the relationship between high CRF and the combined influence of MVPA/sedentary behaviour, adjusting for age, gender, body mass index and accelerometer wear time.

Results

Participants classified as high active/low sedentary (OR=1.81; 95% CI 1.21 to 2.69), as well as those classified as low active/low sedentary (OR=1.27; 95% CI 1.01 to 1.61) were more likely to be fit, compared with those from the low-active/high-sedentary group.

Conclusion

MVPA and sedentary behaviour may act independently in their relation with CRF, and that MVPA levels may not overcome the deleterious influence of high-sedentary time in maximising CRF.
The effects of vitamin D3supplementation on serum total 25[OH]D concentration and physical performance: a randomised dose–response study
Authors: Close Graeme L , Leckey Jill , Patterson Marcelle , Bradley Warren , Owens Daniel J , Fraser William D , Morton James P
Published: February 2013

Background

Vitamin D deficiency is common in the general public and athletic populations and may impair skeletal muscle function. We therefore assessed the effects of vitamin D3supplementation on serum 25[OH]D concentrations and physical performance.

Methods

30 club-level athletes were block randomised (using baseline 25[OH]D concentrations) into one of three groups receiving either a placebo (PLB), 20 000 or 40 000 IU/week oral vitamin D3for 12 weeks. Serum 25[OH]D and muscle function (1-RM bench press and leg press and vertical jump height) were measured presupplementation, 6 and 12 weeks postsupplementation. Vitamin D deficiency was defined in accordance with the US Institute of Medicine guideline (<50 nmol/l).

Results

57% of the subject population were vitamin D deficient at baseline (mean±SD value 51±24 nmol/l). Following 6 and 12 weeks supplementation with 20 000 IU (79±14 and 85±10 nmol/l, respectively) or 40 000 IU vitamin D3(98±14 and 91±24 nmol/l, respectively), serum vitamin D concentrations increased in all participants, with every individual achieving concentrations greater than 50 nmol/l. In contrast, vitamin D concentration in the PLB group decreased at 6 and 12 weeks (37±18 and 41±22 nmol/l, respectively). Increasing serum 25[OH]D had no significant effect on any physical performance parameter (p>0.05).

Conclusions

Both 20 000 and 40 000 IU vitamin D3supplementation over a 6-week period elevates serum 25[OH]D concentrations above 50 nmol/l, but neither dose given for 12 weeks improved our chosen measures of physical performance.
Development and reliability of the explicit professional oral communication observation tool to quantify the use of non-technical skills in healthcare
Authors: Kemper Peter F , van Noord Inge , de Bruijne Martine , Knol Dirk L , Wagner Cordula , van Dyck Cathy
Published: February 2013

Background

A lack of non-technical skills is increasingly recognised as an important underlying cause of adverse events in healthcare. The nature and number of things professionals communicate to each other can be perceived as a product of their use of non-technical skills. This paper describes the development and reliability of an instrument to measure and quantify the use of non-technical skills by direct observations of explicit professional oral communication (EPOC) in the clinical situation.

Methods

In an iterative process we translated, tested and refined an existing checklist from the aviation industry, called self, human interaction, aircraft, procedures and environment, in the context of healthcare, notably emergency departments (ED) and intensive care units (ICU). The EPOC comprises six dimensions: assertiveness, working with others; task-oriented leadership; people-oriented leadership; situational awareness; planning and anticipation. Each dimension is specified into several concrete items reflecting verbal behaviours. The EPOC was evaluated in four ED and six ICU.

Results

In the ED and ICU, respectively, 378 and 1144 individual and 51 and 68 contemporaneous observations of individual staff members were conducted. All EPOC dimensions occur frequently, apart from assertiveness, which was hardly observed. Intraclass correlations for the overall EPOC score ranged between 0.85 and 0.91 and for underlying EPOC dimensions between 0.53 and 0.95.

Conclusions

The EPOC is a new instrument for evaluating the use of non-technical skills in healthcare, which is reliable in two highly different settings. By quantifying professional behaviour the instrument facilitates measurement of behavioural change over time. The results suggest that EPOC can also be translated to other settings.
What drives the increasing utilisation of hemicraniectomy in acute ischaemic stroke?
Authors: Bhattacharya Pratik , Kansara Amit , Chaturvedi Seemant , Coplin William
Published: February 2013

Background

Survival after malignant middle cerebral artery infarcts is dismal. In 2007, a pooled analysis of randomised trials in Europe demonstrated a substantial survival benefit from decompressive hemicraniectomy, with a number needed to treat of 2 for survival. Our objective was to review factors driving the nationwide utilisation of this potentially lifesaving procedure in the USA.

Methods

Data from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample for 2001–2009 were reviewed. Hospitalisations with a discharge diagnosis of an acute ischaemic stroke were included. Hemicraniectomy utilisation was determined within this subset. Nationwide estimates of utilisation were calculated for each year. Trends across the years were estimated for various subgroups.

Results

From 2001 to 2009, there were an estimated 4 909 519 acute ischaemic stroke discharges. The estimated frequency of hemicraniectomy increased from 118 (0.02% of stroke discharges in 2001) to 804 (0.15% of stroke discharges in 2009) (trend p<0.001). The increased utilisation was greatest for younger subjects (age<45 years; trend p<0.001) and men (trend p<0.001). Urban teaching hospitals were responsible for the greatest increase in hemicraniectomy utilisation: from 0.05% of stroke discharges in 2001 to 0.28% in 2009. The increase was steady and sustained over the decade. In comparison, rural and urban non-teaching hospitals showed a much smaller improvement in utilisation.

Conclusion

Utilisation of hemicraniectomy in the USA has increased significantly, in line with compelling results from European clinical trials. Early transfer of patients with malignant infarctions to urban teaching centres could potentially extend the survival benefit to a larger population.
SURFACE MODIFICATIONS WITH LASER SYNTHESIZED Mo MODIFIED COATING
Authors: SUN LU , CHEN HAO , LIU BO
Published: February 2013

Mg–Cu–Al was first used to improve the surface performance of TA15 titanium alloys by means of laser cladding technique. The synthesis of hard composite coating on TA15 titanium alloy by laser cladding of Mg–Cu–Al–B4C/Mo pre-placed powders was investigated by means of scanning electron microscope, energy dispersive spectrometer and high resolution transmission electron microscope. Experimental results indicated that such composite coating mainly consisted of TiB2 , TiB , TiC , Ti3Al and AlCuMg . Compared with TA15 alloy substrate, an improvement of wear resistance was observed for this composite coating due to the actions of fine grain, amorphous and hard phase strengthening.
Psychrophiles
Authors: Siddiqui Khawar S. , Williams Timothy J. , Wilkins David , Yau Sheree , Allen Michelle A. , Brown Mark V. , Lauro Federico M. , Cavicchioli Ricardo
Published: February 2013

Psychrophilic (cold-adapted) microorganisms make a major contribution to Earth's biomass and perform critical roles in global biogeochemical cycles. The vast extent and environmental diversity of Earth's cold biosphere has selected for equally diverse microbial assemblages that can include archaea, bacteria, eucarya, and viruses. Underpinning the important ecological roles of psychrophiles are exquisite mechanisms of physiological adaptation. Evolution has also selected for cold-active traits at the level of molecular adaptation, and enzymes from psychrophiles are characterized by specific structural, functional, and stability properties. These characteristics of enzymes from psychrophiles not only manifest in efficient low-temperature activity, but also result in a flexible protein structure that enables biocatalysis in nonaqueous solvents. In this review, we examine the ecology of Antarctic psychrophiles, physiological adaptation of psychrophiles, and properties of cold-adapted proteins, and we provide a view of how these characteristics inform studies of astrobiology.
Differentiation-dependent regulation of intestinal vitamin B2uptake: studies utilizing human-derived intestinal epithelial Caco-2 cells and native rat intestine
Authors: Subramanian Veedamali S. , Ghosal Abhisek , Subramanya Sandeep B. , Lytle Christian , Said Hamid M.
Published: February 2013

Intestinal epithelial cells undergo differentiation as they move from the crypt to the villi, a process that is associated with up- and downregulation in expression of a variety of genes, including those involved in nutrient absorption. Whether the intestinal uptake process of vitamin B2[riboflavin (RF)] also undergoes differentiation-dependent regulation and the mechanism through which this occurs are not known. We used human-derived intestinal epithelial Caco-2 cells and native rat intestine as models to address these issues. Caco-2 cells showed a significantly higher carrier-mediated RF uptake in post- than preconfluent cells. This upregulation was associated with a significantly higher level of protein and mRNA expression of the RF transporters hRFVT-1 and hRFVT-3 in the post- than preconfluent cells; it was also accompanied with a significantly higher rate of transcription of the respective genes ( SLC52A1 and SLC52A3), as indicated by the higher level of expression of heterogeneous nuclear RNA and higher promoter activity in post- than preconfluent cells. Studies with native rat intestine also showed a significantly higher RF uptake by epithelial cells of the villus tip than epithelial cells of the crypt; this again was accompanied by a significantly higher level of expression of the rat RFVT-1 and RFVT-3 at the protein, mRNA, and heterogeneous nuclear RNA levels. These findings show, for the first time, that the intestinal RF uptake process undergoes differentiation-dependent upregulation and suggest that this is mediated (at least in part) via transcriptional mechanisms.
Multiscale imaging and registration-driven model for pulmonary acinar mechanics in the mouse
Authors: Kumar Haribalan , Vasilescu Dragoş M. , Yin Youbing , Hoffman Eric A. , Tawhai Merryn H. , Lin Ching-Long
Published: February 2013

A registration-based multiscale method to obtain a deforming geometric model of mouse acinus is presented. An intact mouse lung was fixed by means of vascular perfusion at a hydrostatic inflation pressure of 20 cmH2O. Microcomputed tomography (μCT) scans were obtained at multiple resolutions. Substructural morphometric analysis of a complete acinus was performed by computing a surface-to-volume (S/V) ratio directly from the 3D reconstruction of the acinar geometry. A geometric similarity is observed to exist in the acinus where S/V is approximately preserved anywhere in the model. Using multiscale registration, the shape of the acinus at an elevated inflation pressure of 25 cmH2O is estimated. Changes in the alveolar geometry suggest that the deformation within the acinus is not isotropic. In particular, the expansion of the acinus (from 20 to 25 cmH2O) is accompanied by an increase in both surface area and volume in such a way that the S/V ratio is not significantly altered. The developed method forms a useful tool in registration-driven fluid and solid mechanics studies as displacement of the alveolar wall becomes available in a discrete sense.
Efficacy and Safety of Leflunomide for the Treatment of BK Virus-Associated Hemorrhagic Cystitis in Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Recipients
Authors: Chen Xin-Chuan , Liu Ting , Li Jian-Jun , He Chuan , Meng Weng-Tong , Huang Rui
Published: February 2013

BK virus-associated hemorrhagic cystitis (BKV-HC) is a severe complication after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. So far, no specific antiviral drug with proven efficacy has been approved for treating BKV-HC. Leflunomide is an immunosuppressive drug with antiviral activity and has been used in treating BKV-associated nephropathy after renal transplantation. This is the first report on the efficacy and safety of leflunomide in the treatment of BKV-HC. From January 2006 to January 2009, 89 patients received allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, and among them, 18 patients were identified as having BKV-HC, with a 20% cumulative incidence. Fourteen patients were treated with oral leflunomide. Three days of 100 mg/day leflunomide was used as loading doses and followed by maintenance doses of 20 mg/day. The urinary BKV-DNA load was monitored weekly by real-time quantitative PCR. The efficacy was evaluated on day 20 after leflunomide treatment. Seven patients (50%) achieved complete remission, 5 patients (35.7%) achieved partial remission, and 2 patients (14.3%) had more than a 1-log reduction in urinary BKV-DNA loads after treatment. During the leflunomide treatment, the graft-versus-host disease of the patients did not progress, and the dosages of the immunosuppressant were reduced simultaneously. One patient discontinued treatment because of intolerable gastrointestinal symptoms. Neutropenia occurred in 2 cases. These preliminary data suggest that leflunomide may be a potentially effective medication for treating BKV-HC without significant toxicity, but evidence supporting its use requires randomized controlled trials.