bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Does decoration building influence antipredator responses in an orb-web spider (Argiope keyserlingi) in its natural habitat?
Authors: Blamires Sean J. , Hochuli Dieter F. , Thompson Michael B.
Published: March 2007

Antipredator strategies adopted by animals need to compensate for temporal changes. Many orb-web spiders add silk decorations to their webs, which principally attract prey but may attract some predators. To identify their influence on antipredator behaviour in adult female St Andrew’s cross spiders (Argiope keyserlingi) we measured: spider body condition, web characteristics (area, spiral length and decoration building), environmental variables (air temperature, humidity, wind speed, relative prey abundance) and antipredator responses (remaining at the hub, dropping, shifting to the web periphery, or pumping the web) at three distinct periods (July–August, September–October and January–February) in the field. We developed path models from multiple regression analyses to distinguish between factors having direct and indirect effects. We found that even though both antipredator responses and decoration building change over time, antipredator responses and decoration investment are independent. Body condition and wind speed are directly positively associated with pumping frequency, and decoration building is negatively associated with the frequency of remaining at the hub because the likelihood that an object approaching the web is a predator increases if decorations are added. Wind speed is positively associated with antipredator behaviour and decoration building, due to an increased rate of feeding affecting body condition.
Phylogenetic signal in plant pathogen–host range
Authors: Gilbert Gregory S. , Webb Campbell O.
Published: March 2007

What determines which plant species are susceptible to a given plant pathogen is poorly understood. Experimental inoculations with fungal pathogens of plant leaves in a tropical rain forest show that most fungal pathogens are polyphagous but that most plant species in a local community are resistant to any given pathogen. The likelihood that a pathogen can infect two plant species decreases continuously with phylogenetic distance between the plants, even to ancient evolutionary distances. This phylogenetic signal in host range allows us to predict the likely host range of plant pathogens in a local community, providing an important tool for plant ecology, design of agronomic systems, quarantine regulations in international trade, and risk analysis of biological control agents. In particular, the results suggest that the rate of spread and ecological impacts of a disease through a natural plant community will depend strongly on the phylogenetic structure of the community itself and that current regulatory approaches strongly underestimate the local risks of global movement of plant pathogens or their hosts.
Genetic deletion of p66
Shc
adaptor protein prevents hyperglycemia-induced endothelial dysfunction and oxidative stress
Authors: Camici Giovanni G. , Schiavoni Marzia , Francia Pietro , Bachschmid Markus , Martin-Padura Ines , Hersberger Martin , Tanner Felix C. , Pelicci PierGiuseppe , Volpe Massimo , Anversa Piero , Lüscher Thomas F. , Cosentino Francesco
Published: March 2007

Increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and loss of endothelial NO bioavailability are key features of vascular disease in diabetes mellitus. The p66
Shc
adaptor protein controls cellular responses to oxidative stress. Mice lacking p66
Shc
(p66
Shc−/−
) have increased resistance to ROS and prolonged life span. The present work was designed to investigate hyperglycemia-associated changes in endothelial function in a model of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus p66
Shc−/−
mouse. p66
Shc−/−
and wild-type (WT) mice were injected with citrate buffer (control) or made diabetic by an i.p. injection of 200 mg of streptozotocin per kg of body weight. Streptozotocin-treated p66
Shc−/−
and WT mice showed a similar increase in blood glucose. However, significant differences arose with respect to endothelial dysfunction and oxidative stress. WT diabetic mice displayed marked impairment of endothelium-dependent relaxations, increased peroxynitrite (ONOO
−
) generation, nitrotyrosine expression, and lipid peroxidation as measured in the aortic tissue. In contrast, p66
Shc−/−
diabetic mice did not develop these high-glucose-mediated abnormalities. Furthermore, protein expression of the antioxidant enzyme heme oxygenase 1 and endothelial NO synthase were up-regulated in p66
Shc−/−
but not in WT mice. We report that p66
Shc−/−
mice are resistant to hyperglycemia-induced, ROS-dependent endothelial dysfunction. These data suggest that p66
Shc
adaptor protein is part of a signal transduction pathway relevant to hyperglycemia vascular damage and, hence, may represent a novel therapeutic target against diabetic vascular complications.
Functional, fractal nonlinear response with application to rate processes with memory, allometry, and population genetics
Authors: Vlad Marcel O. , Morán Federico , Popa Vlad T. , Szedlacsek Stefan E. , Ross John
Published: March 2007

We give a functional generalization of fractal scaling laws applied to response problems as well as to probability distributions. We consider excitations and responses, which are functions of a given state vector. Based on scaling arguments, we derive a general nonlinear response functional scaling law, which expresses the logarithm of a response at a given state as a superposition of the values of the logarithms of the excitations at different states. Such a functional response law may result from the balance of different growth processes, characterized by variable growth rates, and it is the first order approximation of a perturbation expansion similar to the phase expansion. Our response law is a generalization of the static fractal scaling law and can be applied to the study of various problems from physics, chemistry, and biology. We consider some applications to heterogeneous and disordered kinetics, organ growth (allometry), and population genetics. Kinetics on inhomogeneous reconstructing surfaces leads to rate equations described by our nonlinear scaling law. For systems with dynamic disorder with random energy barriers, the probability density functional of the rate coefficient is also given by our scaling law. The relative growth rates of different biological organs (allometry) can be described by a similar approach. Our scaling law also emerges by studying the variation of macroscopic phenotypic variables in terms of genotypic growth rates. We study the implications of the causality principle for our theory and derive a set of generalized Kramers–Kronig relationships for the fractal scaling exponents.
Multivariable Alexander invariants of hypersurface complements
Authors: Dimca Alexandru , Maxim Laurentiu
Published: March 2007

We start with a discussion on Alexander invariants, and then prove some general results concerning the divisibility of the Alexander polynomials and the supports of the Alexander modules, via Artin’s vanishing theorem for perverse sheaves. We conclude with explicit computations of twisted cohomology following an idea already exploited in the hyperplane arrangement case, which combines the degeneration of the Hodge to de Rham spectral sequence with the purity of some cohomology groups.
Cohomogeneity one actions on noncompact symmetric spaces of rank one
Authors: Berndt Jürgen , Tamaru Hiroshi
Published: March 2007

We classify, up to orbit equivalence, all cohomogeneity one actions on the hyperbolic planes over the complex, quaternionic and Cayley numbers, and on the complex hyperbolic spaces

C

H
n

\mathbb C H^n

,

n
≥
3

n \geq 3

. For the quaternionic hyperbolic spaces

H

H
n

\mathbb H H^n

,

n
≥
3

n \geq 3

, we reduce the classification problem to a problem in quaternionic linear algebra and obtain partial results. For real hyperbolic spaces, this classification problem was essentially solved by Élie Cartan.
Well-posedness of the free-surface incompressible Euler equations with or without surface tension
Authors: Coutand Daniel , Shkoller Steve
Published: March 2007

We provide a new method for treating free boundary problems in perfect fluids, and prove local-in-time well-posedness in Sobolev spaces for the free-surface incompressible 3D Euler equations with or without surface tension for arbitrary initial data, and without any irrotationality assumption on the fluid. This is a free boundary problem for the motion of an incompressible perfect liquid in vacuum, wherein the motion of the fluid interacts with the motion of the free-surface at highest-order.
PDCD10 Interacts with Ste20-related Kinase MST4 to Promote Cell Growth and Transformation via Modulation of the ERK Pathway
Authors: Ma Xi , Zhao Hongshan , Shan Jingxuan , Long Feng , Chen Yaoyao , Chen Yingyu , Zhang Yingmei , Han Xiao , Ma Dalong
Published: March 2007

PDCD10 (programmed cell death 10, TFAR15), a novel protein associated with cell apoptosis has been recently implicated in mutations associated with Cerebral Cavernous Malformations (CCM). Yeast two-hybrid screening revealed that PDCD10 interacts with MST4, a member of Ste20-related kinases. This interaction was confirmed by coimmunoprecipitation and colocalization assays in mammalian cells. Furthermore, the co-overexpression of PDCD10 and MST4 promoted cell proliferation and transformation via modulation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway. Potent short interfering RNAs (siRNAs) against PDCD10 (siPDCD10) and MST4 (siMST4) were designed to specifically inhibit the expression of PDCD10 and MST4 mRNA, respectively. The induction of siPDCD10 or siMST4 resulted in decreased expression of endogenous PDCD10 or MST4, which was accompanied by reduced ERK activity and attenuated cell growth and anchorage-independent growth. On the other hand, siMST4 had similar effects in PDCD10-overexpressed cells. And more importantly, we confirmed that either overexpressing or endogenous PDCD10 can increase the MST4 kinase activity in vitro. Our results demonstrated that PDCD10 modulation of ERK signaling was mediated by MST4, and PDCD10 could be a regulatory adaptor necessary for MST4 function, suggesting a link between cerebral cavernous malformation pathogenesis and the ERK-MAPK cascade via PDCD10/MST4.
Study of supply cut‐off and bearing geometric parameters on design of hybrid journal bearing
Authors: Jadon Vijay Kumar , Singh Madhvender
Published: March 2007

Purpose

Hybrid bearings have found increasing applications in various machines owing to their large number of favorable characteristics like high load carrying capacity, increased minimum fluid film thickness, long life and increased damping making them attractive for various applications such as turbo machinery, machine tool spindles, precision grinder spindles, etc. A careful design of such bearing for optimum performance has always been among the key issues of the researchers. The present work has been carried out to study the effect of bearing geometric parameters on performance of hybrid journal bearing and supply cut‐off behavior has also been studied for the improved performance.

Design/methodology/approach

The generalized Reynold's equation governing the fluid flow in the clearance space between bearing and journal has been solved using finite element method to determine the pressure distribution, subsequently performance of hole‐entry hybrid journal bearing are computed. The journal centre equilibrium position for the given load is computed and the formulation is explained. The geometric parameters include aspect ratio, land width ratio, number of rows and number of holes per row. Further, performance of the bearing is computed with increasing the load, which induces negative pressure or the backpressure at the supply holes subsequently those are plugged to support the higher load.

Findings

The obtained results are presented in graphical form and logical conclusions are drawn and the modified configurations with reduced number of holes are suggested for higher load. It is observed that the bearing configuration with aspect ratio = 1.0 and land width ratio = 0.2 is best for high load support for low power requirement as less lubricant is required to be pumped in the bearing yet it provides sufficient fluid film thickness and lower values of maximum pressure. The load carrying capacity of the bearing can be further increased by plugging the holes on which backpressure is obtained for same bearing configuration. A feedback control with hybrid bearing system will sustain the sudden increase of load by shutting off the supply of the lubricant through supply hole where negative pressure is encountered.

Originality/value

The paper addresses the performance of non recessed hybrid journal bearings with wide range of geometric parameter. The results are quite useful for the bearing designer. The supply cut‐off is another aspect of originality of the paper as it provides the better load support.
Controlling your outsourced application development with ALM
Authors: Magid Daniel
Published: March 2007

Purpose

This paper examines application lifecycle management (ALM) and how it can benefit the outsourcing of application development.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a viewpoint paper.

Findings

ALM products address the critical development needs of developers, IT managers, and CIOs by allowing all to function in a cohesive distributed environment with outsourced components.

Originality/value

The paper will be of interest to managers involved in the outsourcing of application development.
The “ICON” archetype
Authors: Pitt Leyland , Salehi‐Sangari Esmail , Berthon Jean‐Paul , Nel Deon
Published: March 2007

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the relationship between a firm's “ICON” archetype, turbulence in its operating environment and its performance.

Design/methodology/approach

A questionnaire‐based survey of 258 marketing managers in South Africa used a modified ICON scale to identify archetypes, assess perceived turbulence, and measure performance with respect to profitability, market share and growth rate.

Findings

The archetype to which a firm conforms depends to some extent on its perception of environmental turbulence, and has an influence on all aspects of its performance. “Isolate” firms tend to under‐perform on all measures; “shapers” exhibit significantly higher rates of growth.

Research limitations/implications

The limitations are associated with mail surveys, single‐respondent bias, and subjective assessment of performance. The study nevertheless demonstrates the validity and usefulness of the ICON matrix and scale, and sets directions for further investigation.

Practical implications

Offers a simple yet powerful way for marketing managers and planners to identify their firm's ICON archetype, and illustrates the impact it can have on performance.

Originality/value

A managerially useful adaptation of the original ICON scale is applied beyond the conventional setting of North America or Europe, in a challenging managerial environment.
Knowledge systems and value creation
Authors: Rezgui Yacine
Published: March 2007

Purpose

The paper aims to explore the role of knowledge management systems (KMS) in promoting value creation in the construction sector.

Design/methodology/approach

An action research methodology using a multiple case study approach, which includes participant observation and semi‐structured interviews.

Findings

The findings indicate that KMS promote value creation when they embed and nurture the social conditions that bind and bond team members together. Also, to be effective KMS should be incorporated within a change management programme that promotes a “participatory” type of culture while taking into account the team‐based structure and discipline‐oriented nature of the construction industry. Therefore, much more consideration should be given to organisational change issues prior to deployment of KMS.

Research limitations/implications

The study is limited to organisations from the construction industry, but can be generalised to organisations from other sectors that exhibit similar characteristics.

Practical implications

The findings can be used to guide management teams in deploying KMS to foster value creation as part of a wider change management programme.

Originality/value

While related research tends to adopt an objectivist or subjectivist approach to knowledge management (KM), the present research argues that a third approach is required where issues related to technology, culture, and organisation must be blended successfully to address complex organisational barriers to effective KM leading to value creation.
Developing a BPI framework and PAM for SMEs
Authors: Khan Zulfiqar , Bali Rajeev K. , Wickramasinghe Nilmini
Published: March 2007

Purpose

The last decade has seen much interest in small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) from successive UK Governments highlighting the importance of this sector to the wealth‐creating process of the UK economy. World‐class manufacturing (WCM) is a set of methodologies that are used by organisations to compete globally and continuously improve their competitiveness. Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are now competing at a global level and many are world‐class. The majority of the companies that make up the OEM's supply chains are SMEs. It is, therefore, imperative that SMEs also improve their competitiveness to a world‐class level. This paper aims to address these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper uses a triangulation methodology consisting of a literature review, analysis of a 150‐company survey and semi‐structured interviews in the development of the business process improvement (BPI) framework and performance assessment methodology (PAM) tool.

Findings

This study advocates a planned and integrated approach for the gradual achievement of WCM in SMEs by a strategy of BPI through continuous improvement and structured training.

Practical implications

The work is of value to SMEs since the study encapsulates the requirements of SME management into the BPI framework and considers their critique of present frameworks; hence a practical framework that is honed for SME application.

Originality/value

This paper fulfils an identified need for SMEs to achieve WCM status and offers a novel/practical framework and PAM tool which are timely because the DTI is promulgating the need for SMEs to become world‐class.
An ontology‐assisted analysis in aligning business process with e‐commerce standards
Authors: Seng Jia‐Lang , Lin Woodstock
Published: March 2007

Purpose

The purpose of this research is to articulate an analysis framework and a method for the cross‐national business‐to‐business integration electronic commerce (B2Bi EC) by exploring an ontology‐assisted schema and semantics resolution in the business process alignment with electronic commerce standards.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper presents an ontology‐assisted analysis method and alignment model in the implementation of the B2B electronic commerce standard specification over the existing trading partners' public processes in the syntactic and semantic integration and interoperability. An application of the Unified Modeling Language is made to analyze the public process in the domain and in the standard. Terms, concepts, relations, and links are created from the analysis results and converted into an ontology representation. Web Ontology Language is introduced to formulate the analyzed knowledge and experience to align the domain and the standard. There are correspondences and conflicts in the process of alignment. They are resolved via the shared and reusable ontology which is a convergence of the domain ontology and the standard ontology. The converged and shared ontology is achieved via a set of rules and heuristics that are created in the research.

Findings

The key of success in the B2Bi EC lies in the ability to accomplish the process interoperability and the schema comparability. Three main tasks have to be achieved to fulfill the requirements. This research constructs a prototype to implement the method. The prototype is used to illustrate the feasibility and validity of the method. A set of starter experiments has been conducted in use of a straight‐through example of a purchase order process in the alignment with the RosettaNet standard and the ebXML standard. The starter experiment serves as the baseline to demonstrate that the method is feasible and valid.

Originality/value

A syntactic and semantic analysis method and alignment model are developed and demonstrated in the research. Integration and interoperability are accomplished in use of the systematic and analytic method.
An intelligent condition‐based maintenance scheduling model
Authors: Baek Jun‐Geol
Published: March 2007

Purpose

Condition‐based maintenance (CBM) has increasingly drawn attention in industry because of its many benefits. The CBM problem is a kind of state‐dependent scheduling problem, and is very hard to solve within the conventional Markov decision process framework. The purpose of this paper is to present an intelligent CBM scheduling model for which incremental decision tree learning as an evolutionary system identification model and dynamic programming as a control model are developed.

Design/methodology/approach

To fully exploit the merits of CBM, this paper models CBM scheduling as a state‐dependent, sequential decision‐making problem. The objective function is formulated as the minimization of the total maintenance cost. Instead of interpreting the problem within the widely used Markovian framework, this paper proposes an intelligent maintenance scheduling approach that integrates an incremental decision tree learning method and deterministic dynamic programming techniques.

Findings

Although the intelligent maintenance scheduling approach proposed in this paper does not guarantee an optimal scheduling policy from a mathematical viewpoint, it is verified through a simulation‐based experiment that the intelligent maintenance scheduler is capable of providing a good scheduling policy that can be used in practice.

Originality/value

This paper presents an intelligent maintenance scheduler. As a system identification model, we devise a new incremental decision tree learning method by which interaction patterns among attributes and machine condition are disclosed in an evolutionary manner. A deterministic dynamic programming technique is then applied to select the best safe state in terms of the total maintenance cost.
Complainer characteristics when exit is closed
Authors: Tronvoll Bård
Published: March 2007

Purpose

The paper seeks to investigate whether the demographic and socio‐economic characteristics of complainers in a monopolistic market are different from those in a competitive market.

Design/methodology/approach

A literature review is undertaken, with particular emphasis on the socio‐economic characteristics of complainers. An empirical study is then presented. The empirical study consists of a large survey of satisfaction among consumers of the Norwegian Office for Social Insurance – a monopolistic governmental service provider.

Findings

The study reveals that complainers in this monopolistic market belong to lower socio‐economic groups. They typically have low incomes, are outside the labour market, have a modest standard of accommodation, and live alone.

Research limitations/implications

The study analyses only one type of monopolistic institution in only one country. The generalisability of the findings might, therefore, be limited. The study demonstrates that consumer complaint behaviour in this monopolistic market differs from behaviour reported in competitive markets. Moreover, the study indicates that complainers in this monopolistic market are confronted with different complaint barriers when exit is closed.

Practical implications

The findings of the study suggest that a monopolistic institution should encourage dissatisfied consumers to complain, and should make internal switching possibilities known to consumers.

Originality/value

This paper is the first to study complainer characteristics in a monopolistic market structure empirically. The paper questions previous assumptions that complainers necessarily belong to upper socio‐economic groups.
IBM's “tangible culture” approach can smooth the way to successful transformation
Authors: Moulton Reger Sara J.
Published: March 2007

Purpose

Describes the “tangible culture” approach in promoting culture change, and smoothing the way to successful integration, which consultants and researchers devised to resolve some of the issues IBM faced over the $3.5 billion acquisition of PricewaterhouseCoopers Consulting in 2002.

Design/methodology/approach

Details the three concepts – “business practices”, “right vs. right”, and “outcome narratives” – which lie at the heart of the tangible‐culture approach, and some of their practical applications.

Findings

Demonstrates that tangible culture specifically targets the culture issues associated with mergers and acquisitions, alliances (e.g. outsourcing), major restructuring (e.g. shared services) and transformation. It can provide the clarity to help companies to reduce their risks and achieve full operations more quickly, while avoiding the delays, strife, additional costs and lost revenues that can erode a business case.

Practical implications

Shows that organizations can now do something about culture clash and no longer need simply to hope for the best.

Originality/value

Accepts that tangible culture is not a silver bullet, and is still proving itself, but advances the view that it is bringing benefits to IBM and to the author's clients.
BHSF taps into the graduate talent‐bank
Authors: Chapman Michael
Published: March 2007

Purpose

Describes how UK healthcare‐insurance provider BHSF Ltd successfully recruits, trains and retains talented graduates.

Design/methodology/approach

Details the qualities the company looks for in its graduate recruits, the development program they are offered and the skills they put into operation. Highlights, in particular, the role of corporate social responsibility projects in helping the graduates to develop. Describes in detail the experiences of one graduate recruit in the company.

Findings

Shows that graduate projects have included the development of the customer relationship management (CRM) system, implementation of performance metrics in customer service and revision of the staff performance‐appraisal system.

Practical implications

Demonstrates that small and medium‐size companies (SMEs) can benefit greatly from the enthusiasm and fresh talent graduates bring to a business.

Originality/value

Demonstrates that the graduate‐development program benefits the business because managers are able to delegate projects to graduates, saving operational time and resources. Often graduates can research in depth and report on a particular business issue, providing new perspectives. Such reports focus attention and can be used as a management tool for decision‐making.
Space‐time management and office floorspace demand
Authors: Fawcett William , Chadwick Andrew
Published: March 2007

Purpose

To model the floorspace demand of office‐based organisations in which employees spend periods of time working at off‐site locations, and identify the scope for efficiency improvements.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper compares the experience gained in applying an innovative method of space‐planning in practice, with mathematical simulations of activity‐space scenarios. Both approaches are described.

Findings

Experience in practice demonstrates that significant reductions can be made in the floorspace demand of many office‐based organisations, but the simulations show that is not feasible to achieve a perfect activity‐space “fit” when the pattern of activities is uncertain. Space‐time management becomes increasingly critical as office floorspace is used more efficiently.

Originality/value

Shows that there are opportunities for reducing the floorspace demand of most organisations compared to current usage, but there is a limit on achievable efficiency gains.
Service quality in outsourced facility maintenance services
Authors: Marja Rasila Heidi , Florian Gersberg Nils
Published: March 2007

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to assess service quality of outsourced facility maintenance services (FMS) from end‐user perspective. For this purpose, a two‐dimensional model for service quality in a FMS context is presented.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper is based on interviews in case study organizations.

Findings

The findings suggest that FMS quality may be divided into two industry‐specific dimensions – service recovery quality (response to a service failure) and observed maintenance quality (technical outcome). It seems that the main quality problems are linked to service recovery quality. These problems are caused by personalities of service personnel and lack of communication between end‐users and the service provider.

Practical implications

For FMS providers and building owners it is important to understand the nature of end‐user perceived FMS quality formation. This makes it possible to assess the service provision and to improve the performance of FMS if necessary. If the service recovery processes and observed maintenance quality are not understood well, the improvements may be directed to the wrong processes.

Originality/value

The quality of outsourced FMS is important for employers, employees, building owners and FMS providers. Still, there is very little research on end‐user perceived FMS quality. This paper creates a basis for further research on this important topic.
Perceptions of the impact of primary care organizations on GP prescribing
Authors: Prosser Helen , Walley Tom
Published: March 2007

Purpose

This qualitative study aims to examine key stakeholders' perspectives of primary care group/trust prescribing strategies. Within the context of general practice prescribing, the paper also debates the wider issue of whether GPs' prescribing autonomy is under threat from managerial expansion following recent organisational changes in primary care.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were obtained from focus groups and a series of individual semi‐structured interviews with GPs and key primary care organisation stakeholders.

Findings

The data underlie a tension between the managerial objective of cost‐restraint and GPs' commitment to quality improvement and individual clinical patient management. In presenting both managerial and medical narratives, two divergent and often conflicting discourses emerge, which leads to speculation that managerial attempts to constrain prescribing autonomy will achieve only limited success. The contention is that GPs' discourse features as a challenge to a managerial discourse that reflects attempts to regulate, standardise and curtail clinical discretion. This is due not only to GPs' expressed hegemonic ideals that clinical practice centres on the interests of the individual patient, but also to the fact that the managerial discourse of evidence‐based medicine encapsulates only a limited share of the knowledge that GPs draw on in decision making. However, while managers' discourse presented them as unwilling to impose change or directly challenge clinical practice, evidence also emerged to suggest that is not yet possible to be sufficiently convinced of the future retention of prescribing autonomy. On the other hand, the use of peer scrutiny posed an indirect managerial influence on prescribing, whilst the emergence of prescribing advisors as analysts of cost‐effectiveness may threaten doctors' dominance of medical knowledge.

Research limitations/implications

There is a continuing need to analyse the impact of the new managerial reforms on primary care prescribing.

Originality/value

This study provides a snapshot of managerial and GP relations at a time of primary care transition.
NASD expands broker‐dealer's duty of best execution
Authors: Yim Soo J. , Farris Öberg Christie
Published: March 2007

Purpose

This paper seeks to explain amendments to NASD Rule 2320(a), commonly known as the “best execution rule”, approved by the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 21, 2006.

Design/methodology/approach

Explains the scope of the best execution obligation, as amended; outlines factors relevant to a best execution determination; and suggests questions broker‐dealers should consider as they review their best execution policies and procedures in light of the amendments.

Findings

Most significantly, the amendments make the rule applicable to “any transaction for or with a customer or a customer of another broker‐dealer”, thus imposing the duty of best execution on a member that executes a customer order received from another broker‐dealer. The NASD also has reiterated that debt transactions are subject to the rule. In addition, the rule amendments update certain language and add new Interpretive Material regarding certain aspects of the rule.

Originality/value

A useful interpretation of recent amendments to the best execution rule.
FASB statement on fair value measurements
Authors: Zacharski Anthony H. , Rosenblat Alan , Wagner Erin , Teufel Adam
Published: March 2007

Purpose

This paper sets out to describe the FASB Statement on Fair Value Measurements (FAS 157).

Design/methodology/approach

Explains the Statement's definition of fair value, the three valuation techniques pre‐scribed by the Statement, a fair value hierarchy established by the Statement, a valuation method used when inputs are based on bid and ask prices, and disclosures required by the Statement to enable users to assess the inputs used to develop fair value measurements.

Findings

The Statement identifies three valuation techniques: the market approach, the income approach, and the cost approach. The Statement establishes a fair value hierarchy based on whether the inputs are “observable” or “unobservable”.

Originality/value

Explains a new accounting statement that may change some accounting practices of investment companies and broker‐dealers.
Exploring the role of music on young health and fitness club member loyalty: an empirical study
Authors: Oliver John
Published: March 2007

Purpose

The importance of music in the advertising industry has been long established and is well known to induce consumer emotion, enjoyment, attention and recall. This research aims to develop this positive association theme by investigating whether the type of music played in studio classes would have any impact on the loyalty attitudes of young health and fitness club members toward classes and their service provider.

Design/methodology/approach

This study was exploratory in nature and thus employed a qualitative research methodology were 18 in‐depth interviews were conducted. A non‐probability, judgment sample of 16‐24 year old health and fitness club members who had a particular interest in studio classes was conducted.

Findings

The findings indicated that young health and fitness club members were music conscious and that current studio class music was considered by respondents to be standardised. Furthermore, incorporating different music genres in classes can act as a point of consumer differentiation between service providers, therefore, resulting in higher levels of customer loyalty.

Research limitations/implications

As the research is based on a non‐probability sample, the findings of this paper need to be considered with caution. However, the research may provide some insight or inspiration for future researchers to develop, and or, replicate the findings in order to produce generalisations on the role that music in studio classes can play in developing young consumer loyalty.

Originality/value

This paper takes the mutually exclusive bodies of literature in music and advertising, and customer loyalty and examines them together in a way that seeks to gain insight into loyalty in young consumers. As a result this paper is unique in this sense.
Evaluating eReverse auctions (EeRA)
Authors: Hackney Ray , Loesch Andrea , Irani Zahir , Ghoneim Ahmad , Ozkan Sevgi
Published: March 2007

Purpose

To evaluate issues relating to the implementation of electronic reverse auctions (eRA) within local government procurement processes.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology is a structured case analysis approach to enable qualitative data to be modelled through a visual toolset simulation.

Findings

The paper identifies a set of business scenarios to demonstrate the impact of different eRA strategies in this respect.

Practical implications

The case research described in this paper proposes a detailed, achievable and valid approach to evaluating the complex issues associated with eRAs.

Originality/value

The outcome of the investigation will provide valuable insights into the complexities associated with the eProcurement process.
The Swedish Legal Services Policy Remix: The Shift from Public Legal Aid to Private Legal Expense Insurance
Authors: Regan Francis
Published: March 2007

A number of governments in the 1960s and 1970s pursued the goal of equal access to legal services by establishing publicly funded legal aid schemes. Some societies also promoted Legal Expense Insurance (LEI) to fill some of the gaps in legal aid. The recent trend to small government means many societies are keen to experiment further with legal services policy. This article examines one such experiment in Sweden where reforms included major cuts to public legal aid and requiring most people to rely on private LEI. But how well does this policy mix promote equal access to legal services? And are there lessons for other societies? In this article I describe and assess the policy remix. I argue that the reforms are a bold policy experiment but that they had mixed and some undesirable consequences, and that there are few lessons for other societies.
The Contingency Legal Aid Fund: A Third Way to Finance Personal Injury Litigation
Authors: Capper David
Published: March 2007

Northern Ireland missed out on all the major reforms to civil justice which took place in England and Wales during the 1980s and 1990s. However the reform movement is now gathering pace and a Legal Services Commission is due to start work in the spring of 2003. This article considers how personal injury claims might be funded. The government wants to introduce conditional fee agreements (CFAs) but widespread hostility expressed by many interested parties led to the consideration of an alternative funding system, the Contingency Legal Aid Fund (CLAF). The relative merits of CFAs and CLAF are considered in the following pages.
029 Differential Angiogenic Responses in Oral Mucosal and Cutaneous Wounds
Authors: Szpaderska A. M. , Walsh C. G. , Steinberg M. J. , DiPietro L. A.
Published: March 2007

Wound healing in adults is a multi‐step process that concludes with scar formation. A common clinical observation is that intra‐oral wounds demonstrate privileged healing when compared to wounds at extra‐oral sites. Oral mucosa heals faster and with less scar formation than skin does. We have shown that oral mucosal wounds exhibit decreased inflammation and faster reepithelialization than skin wounds. The present study compares angiogenesis in oral mucosal and skin wounds, and examines in vitro VEGF production by oral and epidermal keratinocytes. Two 1 mm diameter excisional full‐thickness wounds were placed on lateral sides of the tongue and on the dorsal skin of anesthetized BALB/C mice. At 0, 2, 4, 12, 24, 36 hours and 2, 3, 5, and 7 days after injury, wound tissue was harvested for analysis. VEGF and FGF‐2 levels were measured by ELISA, and normalized for protein content. The level of VEGF in oral mucosal wounds was less than that of cutaneous wounds at all time points. At 24 hours, VEGF levels peaked in oral wounds, yet were much lower than comparable skin wounds (106.6 +/− 19 vs. 194.0 +/− 23.6 pg/mg protein, p < 0.001). At 36 hours, wound VEGF levels had declined in oral mucosa, while reaching peak levels in skin (82.7 +/−  8.9 vs. 374.2 +/− 27 pg/mg protein, p < 0.001). No differences in FGF‐2 levels were seen. The relative increase in tissue vascularization during wound repair, analyzed by CD 31 immunostaining, was lower in oral mucosal wounds than in skin (3.4 +/− 0.2% vs. 11.5 +/− 0.5%, p < 0.001). For in vitro experiments, normal human epidermal and oral mucosal keratinocytes were grown for 12 h under hpoxic conditions. In response to hypoxia, VEGF protein production, determined by ELISA, increased 2.3‐fold in oral keratinocytes vs. 3.3‐fold in epidermal keratinocytes. RT‐PCR analysis revealed that relative VEGF mRNA expression increased 2‐fold in oral vs. 4‐fold in epidermal keratinocytes. This study demonstrates that the differential repair of skin and oral mucosal wounds involves distinct patterns of angiogenesis, and that keratinocytes exhibit intrinsic site‐specific differences in VEGF production.
032 Transcriptional Profiling of Wound Healing Progression
Authors: Murad A. , Sierra‐Honigmann M.R.
Published: March 2007

The complexity of cellular and molecular events that occur during wound healing is given by the rapid and continuous changes of matrix structure, cell population, local cytokine composition, nutrient and oxygen availabilities and overall metabolic activity. Angiogenesis is an essential event in the repair of injured tissue. Transcriptional events leading to wound neovascularization begin immediately after the injury has occurred and continue throughout the process until scar remodeling becomes quiescent. This study investigated progression of wound angiogenesis by quantitatively measuring transcripts of multiple genes that participate in wound angiogenesis. The studies were done using a murine model of bilateral 3 mm excision wounds. Wound tissues were collected from 6 hours up to 10 days post‐wounding. Each time point consisted of 8 wounds pooled from four different mice. After RNA purification, the samples were analyzed by quantitative real‐time RT‐PCR using specific TaqMan probe/primer sets for selected transcripts that included the following groups: a) angiogenic factors; b) anti‐angiogenic factors; c) receptors; d) cytokines and enzymes; e) matrix proteins; f) signaling molecules and transcription factors; g) apoptosis and proliferation markers; and h) housekeeping genes. A total of 58 genes were profiled including four housekeeping genes. The transcripts revealed several patterns of expression. Some genes such as angiopoietin 1(Ang1), e‐selecting, placental growth factor (PlGF), MMP‐9 and thrombospondin 1(TSP1) had a clear biphasic pattern where early peaks were detected within the first 24 hours after wounding and were followed by dowregulation and a second increase in transcription after several days. Other transcripts appeared early and had a sustained expression and they include fibroblast growth factor two (FGF2), FGF7, hypoxia inducile factor alpha (HIF‐1a) and STAT3. Examples of late transcripts included HOXD3 and alpha smooth muscle actin. Results derived from this study largely confirm previous studies profiling a small number of individual genes such as VEGF, TSP1 and 2 and others. However, the present study integrates complete transcriptional profiles of large number of genes known to have a critical role in healing progression with a particular emphasis on revascularization. A more detailed model of event sequences that lead to tissue reperfusion after injury is derived from the results.

Funded by a Cedars‐Sinai grant from the Skirball‐Kenis Center for Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and RO1GM066292 to MRSH.
044 Adenoviral Gene Transfer of IL‐10 Differentially Regulates Hyaluronic Acid Synthase 1: Implications for Scarless Wound Healing
Authors: Kozin ED , Keswani SG , Zoltick PW , Gordon AD , Katz AB , Herlyn M , Crombleholme TM
Published: March 2007

Introduction. We have demonstrated that wounds treated with adenoviral overexpression of Il‐10 (AdIl‐10) heal scarlessly, resembling fetal wound healing. Hyaluronic acid (HA) is elevated in fetal wounds. We hypothesized that IL‐10 creates a permissive environment for scarless healing through the differential mediation of hyaluronic acid synthases (Has1–3). Methods. Adult C57 mice (n = 24) were pretreated with 5 × 108 PFU AdIL‐10, AdLacz, or PBS. 48 hrs post‐injection, 2‐cm incisional wounds were created at the site of injection. Wounds harvested at 1, 3, and 5 days were analyzed for mRNA transcript levels of Has 1–3 and GAPDH via RT‐PCR and band densitometry. Data expressed as signal intensity ratio relative to GAPDH ± SEM.  Results. The three Has transcripts were expressed after pre‐treatment and wounding at day 1, 3, and 5. At day 1, there is no significant difference in Has mRNA levels. At Day 3, Has1 transcript levels are significantly decreased in AdIl‐10 treated wounds vs. controls. (Il‐10 0.28 ± 0.04; LacZ 0.53 ± 0.06; PBS 0.43 ± 0.43, p < 0.005) At Day 5, there was a significant increase in Has1 transcript levels in AdIl‐10 treated wounds compared to controls. (Il‐10 0.82 ± 0.08; LacZ 0.41 ± 0.06; PBS 0.57 ± 0.03, p < 0.005) At Day 3 and 5, there was no significant difference in Has2 and Has3 levels in AdIl‐10 treated wounds vs. controls.  Conclusions. Adenoviral mediated overexpression of Il‐10 results in the differential expression of Has1 at day 3 and 5. Has1 encodes for high molecular weight HA, which is associated with inhibition of angiogenesis and leukocyte infiltrates as observed in the HA‐rich environment of fetal wounds. The effects of AdIl‐10 may in part be due to the differential expression of Has1 creating a permissive environment for fetal‐like scarless wound repair.
046 Characterization of Wound Repair Effects after rAd‐p21 Treatment
Authors: Looper D. , Kang D.W. , Gu D‐L. , Maneval D. , Zepeda M.
Published: March 2007

Excessive scarring is a significant clinical problem, resulting in both adverse tissue form and function and the goal of therapeutic interventions is to reduce and prevent excessive scarring. We have demonstrated that a recombinant adenovirus containing the cyclin‐dependent kinase inhibitor p21 (rAd‐p21), inhibited scar formation by blocking cell cycle progression and attenuated cell proliferation at the wound site (Perkins et al 2002). Recently, we have shown rAd‐p21 specific antiproliferative effects on granulation tissue in vivo(Gu, et al, manuscript submitted). Safety parameters using rAd‐p21 for anti‐scarring may include effects on wound strength and dehiscence of the wound. We tested effects of rAd‐p21 on wound strength in vivo using tensile strength as an endpoint and included comparisons with other clinically relevant antiproliferative agents. Specifically, rAd‐p21 at doses from 1 × 107 to 3.8 × 1010 particle (PN) per incision was administered intradermally to linear rat incisions and assayed 14–28 days post treatment. rAd‐p21 mildly reduced tensile strength at high doses (≥3 × 1010PN), whereas low to moderate doses (1 × 107 to 1 × 1010PN) had no effect. Interestingly, all rAd‐p21 treated wounds regained tensile strength indistinguishable from vehicle control, 4 weeks after treatment, suggesting that rAd‐p21 wounds recover with time. An adenovirus control vector, not containing a gene (rAd‐Empty), showed subtle reduction of tensile strength that was only statistically significant at day 21. This suggests that delivery of rAd‐Empty alone in the wound has little effect on wound strength. Triamcinolone at 5 mg/mL/wound, 5‐FU at 10 mg/mL/wound, and low doses of MMC did not significantly reduce tensile strength, although high doses of MMC (0.2 mg/mL/wound) severely reduced tensile strength which failed to recover after 28 days. Morphological analysis of all groups revealed necrosis only in the MMC treatment. This data suggests that rAd‐p21 may reduce the hyperproliferative status in excessive scar formation with minimal effects on wound strength.