bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of Imperfect Information on the Optimal Exercise Strategy for Warrants
Authors: Koziol Christian
Published: December 2008

In this paper, we determine the optimal exercise strategy for corporate warrants if investors suffer from imperfect information and we evaluate the impact of this friction on the value of a warrant. For this purpose, we address both exercises at maturity, where imperfect information about the firm value is present, and exercises before maturity which are impacted by imperfect information about the size of the dividend. We model imperfect information so that all warrant holders know that they obtain biased signals of the true state without observing the signals of other warrant holders. The optimal exercise strategy follows from a complex game among warrant holders in which every individual warrant holder must account for the potential signals of the other warrant holders and their resulting exercise decisions. The main findings are that due to imperfect information warrant holders optimally start to exercise their warrants later than without imperfect information. Moreover, a simple block exercise strategy is always an equilibrium strategy for a high degree of imperfect information before maturity, even though a partial exercise can be the unique strategy without imperfect information. Remarkably, imperfect information does not necessarily result in a lower warrant value. As long as a warrant holder has a signal that allows for correct exercise decisions, then imperfect information enhances the warrant value due to suboptimal exercises by other investors.
Effects of Visual Pathway Lesions on the Visual Aura of Migraine
Authors: Lepore FE
Published: December 2008

The aim was to to determine if the visual aura of migraine is altered by disease of the afferent visual pathways and if visual aura changes are associated with pre- or postgeniculate lesions. Functional neuroimaging during migraine demonstrates primary visual/extrastriate cortex as an anatomical substrate of visual aura. Neuro-ophthalmological records (including kinetic and static perimetry) of 25 patients with visual loss and typical aura with or without migraine headache were reviewed. Twenty-five patients (16 women, nine men) (mean age 59.8 years) with typical aura had visual loss from pregeniculate (72%) or postgeniculate lesions (28%). Eight patients (four postgeniculate cerebrovascular accidents or arteriovenous malformations, two lifelong optic neuropathy/ retinopathy, one childhood ocular trauma, one anisometropic amblyopia) reported absence or alteration of visual aura. Postgeniculate lesions were significantly associated ( P = 0.017) with visual aura changes. The association of postgeniculate lesions with altered auras points to a postgeniculate effect on aura appearance (consistent with functional neuroimaging findings). Although statistically significant, this series' association of postgeniculate disease and aura changes is even more robust ( P = 0.0002) when structural changes of ocular dominance columns are posited in three patients with optic neuropathy, retinopathy and keratopathy of congenital or childhood origin.
The evolutionary ecology of detritus feeding in the larvae of freshwater Diptera
Authors: McLachlan Athol J. , Ladle Richard J.
Published: December 2008

Detritus (dead organic matter), largely of terrestrial origin, is superabundant in inland waters but because of its indigestible nature, would appear to be a poor food source for animals. Yet this unpromising material is widely used as food and indeed can be viewed as a defining characteristic of the freshwater environment. We here explore the relationships among animals, detritus and its associated micro‐organism decomposers, taking a functional approach. We pose questions about interrelationships and attempt to arrive at new insights by disentangling them from an adaptive point of view. To do this we have been careful in selecting the habitats for detailed consideration. Rain pools on rock surfaces in tropical Africa and pools on peat moorland in the UK were chosen. Both examples have a relatively simple community structure and hence offer the prospect of achieving our aim. As model organisms for study we focus principally on the aquatic stages of selected holometabolous insects; that is, selected genera of the universally common midges, Ceratopogonidae and Chironomidae. We approach these case studies from an evolutionary ecology perspective and see detritus as a simple template upon which a beautiful complex of adaptations can evolve.
Repeated alcohol administration during adolescence causes changes in the mesolimbic dopaminergic and glutamatergic systems and promotes alcohol intake in the adult rat
Authors: Pascual Maria , Boix Jordi , Felipo Vicente , Guerri Consuelo
Published: December 2008

Adolescence is a developmental period which the risk of drug and alcohol abuse increases. Since mesolimbic dopaminergic system undergoes developmental changes during adolescence, and this system is involved in rewarding effects of drugs of abuse, we addressed the hypothesis that ethanol exposure during juvenile/adolescent period over‐activates mesolimbic dopaminergic system inducing adaptations which can trigger long‐term enduring behavioural effects of alcohol abuse. We treated juvenile/adolescent or adult rats with ethanol (3 g/kg) for two‐consecutive days at 48‐h intervals over 14‐day period. Here we show that intermittent ethanol treatment during the juvenile/adolescence period alters subsequent ethanol intake.In vivomicrodialysis demonstrates that ethanol elicits a similar prolonged dopamine response in the nucleus accumbens of both adolescent and adult animals pre‐treated with multiple doses of ethanol, although the basal dopamine levels were higher in ethanol‐treated adolescents than in adult‐treated animals. Repeated ethanol administration also down‐regulates the expression of DRD2 and NMDAR2B phosphorylation in prefrontal cortex of adolescent animals, but not of adult rats. Finally, ethanol treatment during adolescence changes the acetylation of histones H3 and H4 in frontal cortex, nucleus accumbens and striatum, suggesting chromatin remodelling changes. In summary, our findings demonstrate the sensitivity of adolescent brain to ethanol effects on dopaminergic and glutamatergic neurotransmission, and suggest that abnormal plasticity in reward‐related processes and epigenetic mechanisms could contribute to the vulnerability of adolescents to alcohol addiction.
Predicting invasiveness in exotic species: do subtropical native and invasive exotic aquatic plants differ in their growth responses to macronutrients?
Authors: Hastwell Graeme T. , Daniel Andrew J. , Vivian‐Smith Gabrielle
Published: December 2008

We investigated whether plasticity in growth responses to nutrients could predict invasive potential in aquatic plants by measuring the effects of nutrients on growth of eight non‐invasive native and six invasive exotic aquatic plant species. Nutrients were applied at two levels, approximating those found in urbanized and relatively undisturbed catchments, respectively. To identify systematic differences between invasive and non‐invasive species, we compared the growth responses (total biomass, root:shoot allocation, and photosynthetic surface area) of native species with those of related invasive species after 13 weeks growth. The results were used to seek evidence of invasive potential among four recently naturalized species. There was evidence that invasive species tend to accumulate more biomass than native species (P = 0.0788). Root:shoot allocation did not differ between native and invasive plant species, nor was allocation affected by nutrient addition. However, the photosynthetic surface area of invasive species tended to increase with nutrients, whereas it did not among native species (P = 0.0658). Of the four recently naturalized species, Hydrocleys nymphoides showed the same nutrient‐related plasticity in photosynthetic area displayed by known invasive species. Cyperus papyrus showed a strong reduction in photosynthetic area with increased nutrients. H. nymphoides and C. papyrus also accumulated more biomass than their native relatives. H. nymphoides possesses both of the traits we found to be associated with invasiveness, and should thus be regarded as likely to be invasive.
Coniferous round wood imports from Russia and Baltic countries to Belgium. A pathway analysis for assessing risks of exotic pest insect introductions
Authors: Piel Frédéric , Gilbert Marius , De Cannière Charles , Grégoire Jean‐Claude
Published: December 2008

Understanding entry pathways resulting from global trade is critical to assess the risks of introduction of invasive alien species (IAS). From 1996 onward, the import of timber from Russia and the Baltic States to Belgium dramatically increased, with more than one million cubic metres of coniferous round wood imported until 2004. Such a high volume could have served as entry pathway for exotic bark beetles from the East that have the potential to become forest insect pests upon establishment. We collected and cross‐checked different data sources (FAOSTAT, Eurostat, National Bank of Belgium, Belgian Customs, the Belgian sawmills industry) regarding the import of timber in an attempt to trace back the spatial and temporal patterns of this trade, and to assess the expected validity of a pest risk analysis based on those data. We found that the timber trade between 1996 and 2004 is particularly dynamic in space and time, and may have allowed several opportunities for exotic bark‐beetle introductions. In addition, the patterns of trade change so quickly from year to year that the existing data sources are essentially not adequate for IAS risk assessment in a near real‐time fashion. The data are either comprehensive, but then aggregated at a too coarse level (space, time, or category) to be of real use in risk assessment, or available with adequate levels of details, in which case they are mostly partial or incomplete. Better accessibility to data and data exchanges between organizations in charge of trade data collection and plant protection would help better targeting of phytosanitary controls.
Application of common predictive habitat techniques for post‐border weed risk management
Authors: Crossman Neville D. , Bass David A.
Published: December 2008

Weed risk assessment has become an accepted methodology for examining the likelihood and consequence of a plant species becoming invasive outside of its native range. Weed risk assessment draws upon biological and ecological information to estimate the likelihood and magnitude of the threats posed by introducing non‐indigenous plants. In geographical terms, this has traditionally been understood as within a new country following importation of plant material. However, recent risk assessment development has focused more specifically on intracountry risk posed by already‐present invasive plants and is referred to as post‐border weed risk management. This form of assessment calls for fine‐scale predictions of invasive species habitat suitability. This study applies some of the more popular and widely available habitat prediction models that represent a variety of different statistical approaches (linear regression, logistic regression, Bayesian probability, Classification and Regression Trees, Genetic Algorithm for Rule‐set Production) to a single invasive plant, the vertebrate‐dispersed, fleshy fruited European olive (Olea europaea L.) in southern Australia. The relationships between the dependant (O. europaea distribution) and independent (soil and climate) variables are used in the models to produce predictive maps for each model. Accuracy was calculated for each model output as well as a combined surface to examine whether recent calls for ensemble modelling of distributions produces improved predictions. Overall, the combined prediction demonstrated superior accuracy compared to any individual model outputs. The combined outputs can be likened to mapped gradations of predicted habitat suitability. The type of output produced in this study should form a critical component of post‐border weed risk management but more importantly, the methodology will add to this important discipline.
Assessing the vulnerability of riparian vegetation to invasion by Mimulus guttatus: relative importance of biotic and abiotic variables in determining species occurrence and abundance
Authors: Truscott A.‐M. , Palmer S. C. F. , Soulsby C. , Hulme P. E.
Published: December 2008

Riparian habitats are particularly susceptible to invasion by non‐native plants. At present, attempts to build consensus as to what the primary drivers of plant invasion in riparian ecosystems might be is hindered by the absence of common standards for data collected on plant species (e.g. occurrence, or relative abundance). Mimulus guttatus L., a non‐native riparian plant species, was used as a model to determine how environmental drivers influence two aspects of invasibility: species occurrence and abundance (assessed in relation to three variables number of patches, patch area and number of stems per patch). Mimulus occurrence and abundance, together with 20 environmental variables, were surveyed in almost 700 contiguous 50‐m‐long riverbank segments within a catchment in north‐east Scotland. More than half of the segments had been colonized by Mimulus. Occurrence and number of patches responded to similar environmental gradients, particularly bare sediment, boulders, high soil moisture, short‐statured ruderal communities, and open canopies, and tended to be highest downstream where the river was widest. In contrast to occurrence and patch number, patch area and stem number per patch were higher in the upper reaches of the catchment and were positively associated with low tree canopy and vegetation dominated by light‐demanding species and smaller‐statured species. Patch area and stem number per patch were also positively related to grazing. This study has highlighted the importance of assessing more than one measure of invasion success (occurrence or patch number and either patch area or stem number per patch), as they are each determined by a different suite of environmental variables. Abiotic factors, such as sediment availability and presence of boulders, appeared to be the major determinants of occurrence and patch number, whereas biotic factors, such as interspecific competition and grazing, were more important ecological determinants underlying area and stem number per patch.
Predicting the distribution of the invasive alienHeracleum mantegazzianumat two different spatial scales
Authors: Nielsen Charlotte , Hartvig Per , Kollmann Johannes
Published: December 2008

Modelling the distribution of invasive alien species is widely used for predicting future dispersal, response to climate change, and effects of management, but little information is available on the scale dependence of spatial models. This study is focused onHeracleum mantegazzianum, a problematic invasive plant in central and north‐western Europe. The main objective was to model the current distribution of this species at national (43,000 km2) and regional scale (4900 km2) using autologistic regression with a Danish data set. Presence–absence data were used in a grid system with 5 × 5 km2or 2 × 2 km2as basic units. To avoid misleading presence–absence models and unreliable probability values due to unbalanced data, the prevalence was used as cut‐off value, and a favourability function was applied to the model predictions. The national model showed a widespread distribution ofH. mantegazzianumwith highest habitat suitability in the eastern and northern parts of the country where human population density is high, winters more severe and/or loamy soils more common. At a regional scale the distribution ofH. mantegazzianumis associated with alluvial sand cover, high human population density, spring precipitation, and presence of the species in neighbour grid units. The observed widespread national distribution is likely the result of anthropogenic spread of this ornamental plant, while the locally clumped distribution suggests thatH. mantegazzianumnaturally spreads mainly over short distances. The current distribution in Denmark resembles an intermediate invasion stage where long‐distance dispersal is less important, while spread from suitable neighbour habitats is significant. The study demonstrates that the favourability function leads to improved mapping standards for invasive species.
Growth form and distribution of introduced plants in their native and non‐native ranges in Eastern Asia and North America
Authors: Ricklefs Robert E. , Guo Qinfeng , Qian Hong
Published: December 2008

There is a growing interest in understanding the influence of plant traits on their ability to spread in non‐native regions. Many studies addressing this issue have been based on relatively small areas or restricted taxonomic groups. Here, we analyse a large data base involving 1567 plant species introduced between Eastern Asia and North America or from elsewhere to both regions. We related the extent of species distributions in each region to growth form and the distinction between upland and wetland habitats. We identified significant relationships between geographical distribution and plant traits in both native and exotic ranges as well as regional differences in the relationships. Range size was larger for herbaceous graminoids and forbs, especially annuals compared to perennials, than for woody species, and range size also was larger for plants of wetland compared to upland habitats. Distributions were more extensive in North America than in Eastern Asia, although native plants from both regions had broader distributions than non‐natives, with exotics from elsewhere intermediate. Growth form and environment explained more of the variance in distribution of plants in North America than in Eastern Asia. The influence of growth form and habitat on distribution suggests that these traits might be related to tolerance of ecological conditions. In addition, the smaller extents of species in non‐native compared to native areas suggest roles for dispersal limitation and adaptation to region‐specific ecological conditions in determining distribution.
Maize diversity, rural development policy, and farmers’ practices: lessons from Chiapas, Mexico
Authors: KELEMAN A , HELLIN J , BELLON M R
Published: December 2008

Maize diversity is important to the livelihoods of millions of farmers in Mexico, the crop's centre of origin; to maize breeders seeking new genetic material; and to producers and consumers worldwide. Key social processes that determine maize diversity include historic and cultural emphases on maize as a primary crop; land‐use practices encompassing heterogeneous agro‐ecological conditions; farmers’ seed‐saving practices; farmer selection of useful traits; and farmer seed exchange and purchasing networks. We consider the impacts of recent agricultural and rural development policies on these processes. We focus on La Frailesca, a commercial and semi‐subsistence maize‐growing region in southern Mexico. Qualitative data were collected via focus group discussions, semi‐structured interviews, and participant observation in four villages at intervals over a 2‐year period. These techniques were complemented with semi‐structured interviews with local and state policymakers. Observations suggest that policies promoting market liberalisation, agricultural modernisation, and rural education have contributed to significant changes in the social processes which have historically generated maize diversity. Increasing numbers of smallholder maize producers are diversifying into alternative livelihood options, including temporary or permanent migration, and cultural and economic emphases on maize production are changing. Changes in La Frailesca raise important questions about the fate of maize genetic diversity as the Mexican agricultural sector is further realigned with the global agricultural economy.
Visualising everyday geographies: practices of vision through travel‐time
Authors: Bissell David
Published: December 2008

Responding to recent debates in human geography on the need to explore more complex renderings of everyday visuality, this paper explores some of the fluid relationships between everyday visuality, materiality and mobility through practices of contemporary railway travel in Britain. Based on extensive empirical research, this paper explores three different but related visual practices experienced during the course of a railway journey. First, it looks at how sublime forms of vision emerge to produce a variety of passive embodied effects. Second, it looks at how more attentive visual practices are implicated in the temporal organisation of the journey and have the capacity to activate changes to routine. Third, it looks at how the physical materiality of the carriage interior serves to mediate the visual field in particular ways and gives rise to a series of freedoms and constraints. Whilst the visual consumption of landscapes viewed through a window is often taken to be an axiomatic part of the travelling experience, this paper demonstrates the importance of apprehending how a multiplicity of visual practices affect how perceptions of time, space and location unfold over the course of a journey.
Why the Sociology of Morality Needs Bourdieu's Habitus*
Authors: Ignatow Gabriel
Published: December 2008

Though Pierre Bourdieu has been criticized for ignoring the moral dimensions of social judgments, I suggest that his habitus concept can provide a useful theoretical foundation for a sociological analysis of morality. If the habitus is revised in a way that recognizes the embodied nature of cognition, it can be treated as a foundation for moral judgments of the self and of others. A revised habitus concept can account for two processes by which moral judgments are shaped by social settings: (1) cultural influences on feelings and expressions of emotion; and (2) the ways moral metaphors are structured by embodied cognitive schemas. In both processes, universal bodily operations are employed in different configurations across cultural settings. I argue that a modified habitus concept that can account for these phenomena has significant implications for the sociological analysis of lay morality.
A Clinical Framework for Improving the Advance Care Planning Process: Start with Patients' Self‐Identified Barriers
Authors: Schickedanz Adam D. , Schillinger Dean , Landefeld C. Seth , Knight Sara J. , Williams Brie A. , Sudore Rebecca L.
Published: December 2008

OBJECTIVES: To explore barriers to multiple advance care planning (ACP) steps and identify common barrier themes that impede older adults from engaging in the process as a whole.

DESIGN: Descriptive study.

SETTING: General medicine clinic. San Francisco County.

PARTICIPANTS: One hundred forty‐three English and Spanish speakers aged 50 and older (mean 61) enrolled in an advance directive preference study.

MEASUREMENT: Six months after reviewing two advance directives, self‐reported ACP engagement and barriers to each ACP step were measured with open‐ and closed‐ended questions using quantitative and qualitative (thematic content) analyses.

RESULTS: Forty percent of participants did not contemplate ACP, 46% did not discuss with family or friends, 80% did not discuss with their doctor, and 90% did not document ACP wishes. Six barrier themes emerged: perceiving ACP as irrelevant (84%), personal barriers (53%), relationship concerns (46%), information needs (36%), health encounter time constraints (29%), and problems with advance directives (29%). Some barriers were endorsed at all steps (e.g., perceiving ACP as irrelevant). Others were endorsed at individual steps (e.g., relationship concerns for family or friend discussions, time constraints for doctor discussion, and problems with advance directives for documentation).

DISCUSSION: Perceiving ACP to be irrelevant was the barrier theme most often endorsed at every ACP step. Other barriers were endorsed at specific steps. Understanding ACP barriers may help clinicians prioritize and address them and may also provide a framework for tailoring interventions to improve ACP engagement.
Evaluation of the Short Form of the Late‐Life Function and Disability Instrument in Geriatric Inpatients—Validity, Responsiveness, and Sensitivity to Change
Authors: Denkinger Michael D. , Igl Wilmar , Coll‐Planas Laura , Bleicher Julia , Nikolaus Thorsten , Jamour Michael
Published: December 2008

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the function component of the Short Form of the Late‐Life Function and Disability Instrument (SF‐LLFDI, German version) in geriatric inpatients and compare it with established performance‐based and self‐rated assessment tools.

SETTING: Geriatric inpatient rehabilitation unit.

PARTICIPANTS: One hundred fifty‐six geriatric rehabilitation inpatients (44 men, 112 women) with a mean age of 81.7 who were capable of walking at baseline.

MEASUREMENTS: Weekly assessments were performed from admission until discharge (3 weeks later) using the function component of the SF‐LLFDI, the Barthel Index (BI), the Falls Efficacy Scale International (FES‐I), gait characteristics, the Timed Up and Go Test, and the Short Physical Performance Battery. Baseline characteristics were measured at admission. Construct validity was evaluated using Spearman correlation coefficients, internal consistency was measured using Cronbach alpha, and sensitivity to change was estimated using standardized response means.

RESULTS: The SF‐LLFDI did not show significant floor or ceiling effects. Internal consistency was good, with alpha (function component sub‐scores) equal to 0.80 to 0.86. Convergent validity measures concerning performance‐based scores were moderate to good, and correlations increased over time (correlation coefficient (r)=0.35–0.64). There was a high correlation with the FES‐I (admission: r=0.61, discharge: r=0.76). Sensitivity to change was significant for all examined scores, with the BI outperforming all other instruments, although the SF‐LLFDI showed better responsiveness than the BI regarding change characteristics over time.

CONCLUSION: The SF‐LLFDI is a reliable and valid self‐report instrument to measure functional status in geriatric rehabilitation inpatients. It improves the assessment of clinically relevant responsiveness. Further research is warranted to improve its sensitivity to change.
Nursing Time Devoted to Medication Administration in Long‐Term Care: Clinical, Safety, and Resource Implications
Authors: Thomson Mary S. , Gruneir Andrea , Lee Monica , Baril Joann , Field Terry S. , Gurwitz Jerry H. , Rochon Paula A.
Published: December 2008

OBJECTIVES: To quantify the time required for nurses to complete the medication administration process in long‐term care (LTC).

DESIGN: Time‐motion methods were used to time all steps in the medication administration process.

SETTING: LTC units that differed according to case mix (physical support, behavioral care, dementia care, and continuing care) in a single facility in Ontario, Canada.

PARTICIPANTS: Regular and temporary nurses who agreed to be observed.

MEASUREMENTS: Seven predefined steps, interruptions, and total time required for the medication administration process were timed using a personal digital assistant.

RESULTS: One hundred forty‐one medication rounds were observed. Total time estimates were standardized to 20 beds to facilitate comparisons. For a single medication administration process, the average total time was 62.0±4.9 minutes per 20 residents on physical support units, 84.0±4.5 minutes per 20 residents on behavioral care units, and 70.0±4.9 minutes per 20 residents on dementia care units. Regular nurses took an average of 68.0±4.9 minutes per 20 residents to complete the medication administration process, and temporary nurses took an average of 90.0±5.4 minutes per 20 residents. On continuing care units, which are organized differently because of the greater severity of residents' needs, the medication administration process took 9.6±3.2 minutes per resident. Interruptions occurred in 79% of observations and accounted for 11.5% of the medication administration process.

CONCLUSION: Time requirements for the medication administration process are substantial in LTC and are compounded when nurses are unfamiliar with residents. Interruptions are a major problem, potentially affecting the efficiency, quality, and safety of this process.
Comparison of Functional Outcomes Associated with Hospital at Home Care and Traditional Acute Hospital Care
Authors: Leff Bruce , Burton Lynda , Mader Scott L. , Naughton Bruce , Burl Jeffrey , Greenough William B. , Guido Susan , Steinwachs Donald
Published: December 2008

OBJECTIVES: To compare differences in the functional outcomes experienced by patients cared for in Hospital at Home (HaH) and traditional acute hospital care.

DESIGN: Survey questionnaire of participants in a prospective nonrandomized clinical trial.

SETTING: Three Medicare managed care health systems and a Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

PARTICIPANTS: Two hundred fourteen community‐dwelling elderly patients who required acute hospital admission for community‐acquired pneumonia, exacerbations of chronic heart failure or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or cellulitis, 84 of whom were treated in HaH and 130 in an acute care hospital.

INTERVENTION: Treatment in a HaH care model that substitutes for care provided in the traditional acute care hospital.

MEASUREMENTS: Change in activity of daily living (ADL) and instrumental activity of daily living (IADL) scores from 1 month before admission to 2 weeks post admission to HaH or acute hospital and the proportion of groups that experienced improvement, no change, or decline in ADL and IADL scores.

RESULTS: Patients treated in HaH experienced modest improvements in performance scores, whereas those treated in the acute care hospital declined (ADL, 0.39 vs −0.60, P=.10, range −12.0 to 7.0; IADL 0.74 vs −0.70, P=.007, range −5.0 to 10.0); a greater proportion of HaH patients improved in function and smaller proportions declined or had no change in ADLs (44% vs 25%, P=.10) or IADLs (46% vs 17%, P=.04).

CONCLUSION: HaH care is associated with modestly better improvements in IADL status and trends toward more improvement in ADL status than traditional acute hospital care.
Failure of recombinant factor VIIa to correct the coagulopathy in a case of severe postpartum hemorrhage
Authors: Lewis Nicole R. , Brunker Patricia , Lemire Susan J. , Kaufman Richard M.
Published: December 2008

BACKGROUND: Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) remains an important cause of maternal morbidity and mortality. Several published reports suggest that recombinant factor VIIa (rFVIIa) is effective in controlling bleeding in PPH. This study reports a case of severe PPH complicated by disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), in which early rFVIIa (44 µg/kg) administration not only failed to control the bleeding in vivo but also, surprisingly, failed to correct the patient's international normalized ratio (INR) in vitro. It was hypothesized that the failure of rFVIIa to correct the INR indicated a deficiency in a downstream coagulation factor(s). To investigate this, coagulation factor levels were measured in blood samples that had been drawn periodically during resuscitation in the operating room.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Clinical and laboratory data were extracted from the medical record. Plasma samples that had been obtained during resuscitation were frozen, and activity levels of the following factors were subsequently measured: fibrinogen, FII, FV, FVII, F IX, and FX.

RESULTS: After rFVIIa administration, the patient's INR remained elevated at 1.9, and bleeding continued. It was determined that at the time rFVIIa was administered, the patient's fibrinogen level was very low (60 mg/dL). INR normalization and control of bleeding was achieved only after the patient's fibrinogen level was restored to normal. FII, F IX, and FX remained at hemostatic levels throughout resuscitation.

CONCLUSIONS: In this case of severe PPH complicated by DIC, fibrinogen appears to have been limiting at the time rFVIIa was administered. It is suggested that fibrinogen levels should be corrected during PPH resuscitation before rFVIIa use is considered.
PERSPECTIVE: Trends and Drivers of Success in NPD Practices: Results of the 2003 PDMA Best Practices Study*
Authors: Barczak Gloria , Griffin Abbie , Kahn Kenneth B.
Published: December 2008

Since 1990, the Product Development & Management Association (PDMA) has sponsored best practice research projects to identify trends in new product development (NPD) management practices and to discern which practices are associated with higher degrees of success. The objective of this ongoing research is to assist managers in determining how to improve their own product development methods and practices. This paper presents results, recommendations, and implications for NPD practice stemming from PDMA's third best practices study, which was conducted in 2003. In the eight years since the previous best practices study was conducted, firms have become slightly more conservative in the portfolio of projects, with lower percentages of the total number of projects in the new‐to‐the‐world and new‐to‐the‐firm categories. Although success rates and development efficiencies have remained stable, this more conservative approach to NPD seems to have negatively impacted the sales and profits impact of the new products that have been commercialized. As formal processes for NPD are now the norm, attention is moving to managing the multiple projects across the portfolio in a more orchestrated manner. Finally, firms are implementing a wide variety of software support tools for various aspects of NPD. NPD areas still seriously in need of improved management include idea management, project leadership and training, cross‐functional training and team communication support, and innovation support and leadership by management. In terms of aspects of NPD management that differentiate the “best from the rest,” the findings indicate that the best firms emphasize and integrate their innovation strategy across all the levels of the firm, better support their people and team communications, conduct extensive experimentation, and use numerous kinds of new methods and techniques to support NPD. All companies appear to continue to struggle with the recording of ideas and making them readily available to others in the organization, even the best. What remains unclear is whether there is a preferable approach for organizing the NPD endeavor, as no one organizational approach distinguished top NPD performers.
The Role of Culture as Driver of Quality Management and Performance: Infrastructure Versus Core Quality Practices*
Authors: Naor Michael , Goldstein Susan M. , Linderman Kevin W. , Schroeder Roger G.
Published: December 2008

Increasingly, scholars and practitioners recognize the importance of understanding organizational culture when implementing operations management practices. This study investigates the relationships among organizational culture, infrastructure and core quality management practices, and manufacturing performance using two alternative models. Understanding these relationships is important because culture can provide insight into the context dependence of quality management practices and shed light on the mixed results of past studies concerning the link between quality management and performance. Analysis of manufacturing plants from six countries indicates that organizational culture has a stronger influence on infrastructure quality management practices than on core quality management practices, regardless of whether the plants are located in Eastern or Western countries. In addition, infrastructure quality management practices have a significant effect on manufacturing performance. These results contribute to the quality management literature by emphasizing the importance of accounting for culture when making decisions to implement quality management practices to achieve a performance advantage. Finally, we also contribute to the literature on the culture–performance linkage by finding support for a direct link between culture and manufacturing performance.
Optimal Quantity Discount Design with Limited Information Sharing*
Authors: Karabati Selçuk , Kouvelis Panos
Published: December 2008

In this article we address the optimal quantity discount design problem of a supplier in a two‐stage supply chain where the supplier and the buyer share annual demand information only. The supply chain faces a constant deterministic demand that is not price sensitive and operates with fixed setup costs in both stages. We show that the supplier can actually moderate a cost‐minimizing buyer to order in quantities different than the buyer's optimal order quantity in the traditional setting and develop a multi‐breakpoint quantity discount scheme that maximizes supplier's expected net savings. The proposed multi‐breakpoint discount scheme can be easily computed from the available information and, while also maximizing the supplier's net savings, is very effective in achieving high levels of supply chain coordination efficiency in the presence of limited information.
Signals of quality and age: the information content of multiple plumage ornaments in male western bluebirds Sialia mexicana
Authors: Budden Amber E. , Dickinson Janis L.
Published: December 2008

Male structural plumage coloration and UV signals in particular can provide information on individual quality and influence female choice, while melanin‐pigmented plumage is largely considered to be important in intrasexual competition. Many avian species demonstrate both types of plumage ornamentation that may convey different information about the signaller's quality or condition in addition to age. We examine rufous and blue plumage ornamentation across multiple body regions in relation to age, condition and reproductive performance in male western bluebirds Sialia mexicana. We demonstrate a strong positive relationship between head plumage brightness and both male age and the mass of the offspring. Older males are in better condition and display a reduced plumage patch on the back while the size of the rufous breast patch increases with increasing condition but not with age. Spectral characters from the wings and rump were not associated with any of the reproductive parameters measured. In conjunction with published evidence showing that females preferentially accept extrapair copulations from older males, these data suggest a need for experimental manipulation of plumage colour in known‐aged birds to understand mate choice in this species.
ORIGINAL ARTICLE: Murine Monoclonal Antibody 26 Raised Against Tetanus Toxoid Cross‐Reacts with β2‐Glycoprotein I: Its Characteristics and Role in Molecular Mimicry
Authors: Inic‐Kanada Aleksandra , Stojanovic Marijana , Zivkovic Irena , Kosec Dusko , Micic Mileva , Petrusic Vladimir , Zivancevic‐Simonovic Snezana , Dimitrijevic Ljiljana
Published: December 2008

Problem  Studies on experimental antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) models proved that molecular mimicry between plasma protein β2‐glycoprotein I (β2GPI) and structure within micro‐organisms or their products, might be a cause for experimental APS. Considering the heterogeneity of polyclonal antiphospholipid antibodies (aPLs), it is important to define the precise characteristics of pathogenic aPLs. To avoid the influence of polyclonality and to further analyse the connection between molecular mimicry and APS, we produced monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against tetanus toxoid (TTd) and tested their reactivity against β2GPI.

Method of study  In this report, we analysed the characteristics of MAb26 raised against TTd and cross‐reactive with β2GPI: its binding properties in various in vitro immunoassays, its specific interactions with surface epitopes expressed on apoptotic cells and its role in vivo.

Results  We have demonstrated that MAb26: (i) binds β2GPI being immobilized on an appropriate surface: irradiated polystyrene plates, non‐irradiated plates pre‐coated with anionic phospholipids and polyvinylidene fluoride membrane; (ii) binds specifically to apoptotic but not to viable cells and the binding is β2GPI‐dependent; and (iii) induces a pathologic pregnancy outcome when passively injected into BALB/c mice.

Conclusion  This study concluded that certain subpopulations of antibodies raised against TTd and cross‐reactive with β2GPI, because of the molecular mimicry mechanism, could have pathologic potential.
ORIGINAL ARTICLE: The Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Does Not Predict Further Miscarriage in Japanese Couples Experiencing Recurrent Miscarriages
Authors: Sugiura‐Ogasawara Mayumi , Sato Takeshi , Suzumori Nobuhiro , Kitaori Tamao , Kumagai Kyoko , Ozaki Yasuhiko
Published: December 2008

Problem  It has been a matter of controversy whether the polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is actually a causal factor of miscarriages because of the absence of internationally established criteria. We, therefore, in this study investigated whether PCOS and a polycystic ovary (PCO) morphology have predictive value for subsequent miscarriages using new International and Japanese criteria.

Method of study  A total of 195 patients with a history of two consecutive first trimester miscarriages and without abnormal chromosomes in either partner, antiphospholipid antibodies or uterine anomalies, were examined. The prospective pregnancy outcome was compared between patients with and without PCOS, PCO morphology, elevated luteinizing hormone (LH), hyperandrogenism and obesity.

Results  Of a total of 195 patients, 56 (28.7%) miscarried subsequently. Three (1.5%) and 12 (6.2%) were diagnosed as suffering from PCOS by Japanese and International criteria respectively. There was no relation between a diagnosis of PCOS, PCO morphology, elevated LH, free testosterone or obesity and the subsequent miscarriage rate.

Conclusion  A routine test for diagnosis of PCOS is not necessary in patients experiencing recurrent miscarriages because none of the related parameters examined in this study predicted subsequent miscarriage.
The impact of the IL‐11:IL‐17 ratio on the chronic periodontitis pathogenesis: a preliminary report
Authors: Yetkin Ay Z , Sütçü R , Uskun E , Bozkurt FY , Berker E
Published: December 2008

Objective:  An imbalance in the pro‐ and anti‐inflammatory cytokines may be responsible for periodontal breakdown through immune responses. This study aimed to determine the total amount, concentration and ratio of interleukin (IL)‐11 and IL‐17 in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) of chronic periodontitis (CP) patients.

Materials and methods:  Forty CP patients and 20 healthy controls (C) were included. The CP group was divided into two subgroups in line with the probing depth (PD) in GCF‐sampling sites (CPa: PD ≥ 5 mm, CPb: PD ≤ 4 mm). For each patient, gingival index, plaque index, gingival bleeding time index, PD, and clinical attachment level values were recorded. IL‐11 and IL‐17 in GCF were evaluated by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assays.

Results:  The total amount and concentration of IL‐11 and IL‐17 were significantly lower in the CPa group (P < 0.05). The C group has the highest IL‐11:IL‐17 ratio, followed by CPb and CPa groups respectively. The ratio was significantly lower in CPa group than the CPb and C groups (P < 0.01).

Conclusion:  Our data confirm that the decreased ratio of IL‐11:IL‐17 may be a factor, which has shown this imbalance between the cytokines’ activities in deeper pockets in our study.
Two new mutations in the keratin 4 gene causing oral white sponge nevus in Chinese family
Authors: Zhang JM , Yang ZW , Chen RY , Gao P , Zhang YR , Zhang LF
Published: December 2008

Objective:  We investigated white sponge nevus (WSN) in a Chinese family, and tried to find new mutation and demonstrated that this mutation is the causative mutation for WSN in this family and this condition affects a functionally important segment of the keratin 4 protein.

Materials and methods:  We studied the affected family with the 32‐year‐old female patient, her mother, her younger sister and her daughter. Pathologic examinations were performed. DNA was extracted from peripheral blood lymphocytes, K4 and K13 genes were amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequenced.

Results:  Direct sequencing of PCR products revealed two new mutations in the keratin 4 gene, the heterozygous missense mutation 1829G→A in exon 2B, and 2324A→G in non‐coding region. No any mutation was found in the keratin 13 gene.

Conclusions:  We found two new mutations in the keratin 4, which may be related with the development of WSN.
School‐based interventions to prevent overweight and obesity in prepubertal children: process and 4‐years outcome evaluation of the Kiel Obesity Prevention Study (KOPS)
Authors: Danielzik Sandra , Pust Svenja , Müller Manfred J.
Published: December 2008

Aim: To evaluate the feasibility and 4‐year outcome of school‐based health promotion on overweight among 6–10‐year‐old children.

Methods: Four‐year follow‐up data of 344 children participating in health promotion (I) as part of the Kiel Obesity Prevention Study (KOPS) at age 6 years, compared with 4‐year changes in 1420 non‐intervention children (NI). Nutritional knowledge was assessed before and 3 months after intervention in 1996 and 2004. Outcome was characterized compared to reference values for (i) BMI, (ii) triceps skinfold (TSF) and (iii) waist circumference (WC).

Results: Process evaluation showed an increase in knowledge after intervention. However, the prevalence of children with good nutritional knowledge before intervention doubled from 1996 to 2004 but similar intervention‐induced increases in knowledge (+50%) were observed. When compared with NI I increased remission of overweight with no significant effect on incidence. The effect was most pronounced in girls. The effect was affected by definition of overweight: when compared with parameters of fat mass (TSF and WC), BMI was showing a stronger effect (remission in girls (Δ I – NI): BMI: +13.4%, TSF: +18.7%, WC: +20.7%).

Conclusions: School‐based health promotion has sustainable effects on nutritional knowledge and remission of overweight being most pronounced in girls. The effect of intervention was most pronounced using TSF and WC as criteria of overweight.
Domperidone versus cisapride in the treatment of infant regurgitation and increased acid gastro‐oesophageal reflux: a pilot study
Authors: Hegar Badriul , Alatas Safira , Advani Najib , Firmansyah Agus , Vandenplas Yvan
Published: December 2008

Aim: Although domperidone is used frequently to treat infant regurgitation, efficacy data are scarce. Cisapride was previously used in the same indication.

Methods: Domperidone and cisapride were compared in an investigator‐blinded, prospective comparative trial by evaluating (a) the frequency of regurgitation, (b) acid reflux and (c) cardiac side effects in infants regurgitating >4 times/day since >2 weeks and with reflux‐associated symptoms of discomfort, after conservative treatment failure.

Results: Within the first treatment week, the frequency of regurgitation decreased in both groups, more rapidly in the cisapride group: the median regurgitation decreased from 6.22 to 3.50 in the cisapride group versus from 4.80 to 3.70 in the domperidone group. The decrease in regurgitation was still significant after 1 month: cisapride from 6.22 to 1.55 versus domperidone from 4.80 to 1.25. However, the natural decrease in the incidence of regurgitation induced by age should also be considered. The median reflux index decreased after 1 month in the cisapride group from 3.60 to 1.75 versus from 2.70 to 2.45 in the domperidone group. One child treated with cisapride developed a significant QT prolongation.

Conclusion: The decrease in regurgitation was comparable in both groups, although acid reflux decreased more in the cisapride group. Cisapride induced QT prolongation in one infant.