bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Diagnostic yield and therapeutic impact of single‐balloon enteroscopy: Series of 106 cases
Authors: Ramchandani Mohan , Reddy D Nageshwar , Gupta Rajesh , Lakhtakia Sandeep , Tandan Manu , Rao Guduru V , Darisetty Santosh
Published: August 2009

Background and Aim:  Single‐balloon enteroscopy (SBE) is a novel method of balloon assisted enteroscopy which allows deep intubation of intestine and has therapeutic potential. This prospective study was done in a tertiary care center to evaluate the feasibility, complications, diagnostic and therapeutic yield of SBE in patients with suspected small bowel disorders.

Methods:  One hundred and six patients (mean age 40.1 years, range 12–76 years, 65 men) with suspected small bowel diseases underwent 131 SBE procedures between February 2007 and July 2008.

Results:  Indications for SBE included obscure gastrointestinal bleeding (OGIB) (40), chronic abdominal pain with abnormal imaging studies (34), chronic diarrhea (20), polyposis syndromes (11) and foreign body (1).The mean insertion depth was 255.8 ± 84.5 cm beyond the duodenojejunal flexure by the oral route and 163 ± 59.3 cm proximal to the ileocecal valve by the per anal approach. The mean duration of the procedure for antegrade and retrograde enteroscopy was 65.9 ± 19.5 min and 72.3 ± 18.3 min, respectively. Pan‐enteroscopy was possible in 25% of cases (five of 20 cases in which total enteroscopy was attempted). Diagnostic yields in cases of OGIB, chronic abdominal pain and chronic diarrhea were 60%, 65% and 55%, respectively. Overall new diagnosis was established in 46% and the extent of known disease was assessed in 15% of cases. In 21% of patients, therapeutic interventions were carried out while surgical treatment was directed to 8.4% of the patients. No major complications were observed.

Conclusion:  SBE is well tolerated and has good diagnostic yield, having a similar yield to previous double‐balloon enteroscopy reports.
Trunk strength and mobility changes in children with slow transit constipation
Authors: Chase Janet W , Stillman Barry C , Gibb Susan M , Clarke Melanie CC , Robertson Val J , Catto‐Smith Anthony G , Hutson John M , Southwell Bridget R
Published: August 2009

Background and Aim:  It appears that there are no published reports on childhood slow transit constipation (STC) that have considered the state of the musculoskeletal components of the trunk in these children. The present study aimed to determine whether children with STC have different trunk musculoskeletal characteristics that might be related to their defecation difficulties, compared to controls.

Methods:  With the aid of computer‐analyzed photographs and clinical testing, 41 children with STC and 41 age‐matched controls were examined for Marfanoid features, sitting posture, spinal joint mobility and trunk muscle strength. The latter was assessed by measuring maximum voluntary abdominal bulging and retraction in sitting, and active trunk extension in prone‐lying. Levels of general exercise and sedentary activities were evaluated by questionnaire.

Results:  STC subjects were more slumped in relaxed sitting (P ≤ 0.001), less able to bulge (P ≤ 0.03) and less able to actively extend the trunk (P = 0.02) compared to controls. All subjects sat more erect during abdominal bulging (P ≤ 0.03).

Conclusion:  The results show that STC children have reduced trunk control and posture, which indicates that clinicians should include training of trunk muscles and correction of sitting posture. There was no evidence that children with STC exercised less than the controls.
Cecal intubation rate with the double‐balloon endoscope after incomplete conventional colonoscopy: A study in 45 patients
Authors: Moreels Tom G , Macken Elisabeth J , Roth Bernard , Van Outryve Marc J , Pelckmans Paul A
Published: August 2009

Background and Aim:  Conventional colonoscopy is the gold standard for colorectal cancer screening. However, a failure rate to complete conventional colonoscopy of more than 10% is reported in the literature. We evaluated whether the therapeutic Fujinon double‐balloon endoscope EN‐450T5/20 is a valuable tool to intubate the cecum and to carry out all conventional endoscopic procedures after incomplete conventional colonoscopy.

Methods:  Forty‐five consecutive patients with prior incomplete conventional colonoscopy were prospectively enrolled. All but three procedures were carried out under conscious sedation with the patient in the left lateral decubitus position without fluoroscopic guidance.

Results:  The cecum was reached in 42 of 45 patients (93%) and in 62% additional therapeutic interventions were carried out. Double‐balloon colonoscopy required less conscious sedation compared to conventional colonoscopy. No external abdominal compression nor fluoroscopic control was used. The insertion depth of the double‐balloon endoscope did not exceed the working length of a conventional colonoscope.

Conclusions:  The present study illustrates that the concept of double‐balloon endoscopy is a valuable alternative to reach the cecum after prior incomplete conventional colonoscopy, especially due to redundant colon and colonic loop formation. The procedure requires less conscious sedation and no fluoroscopic control, but allows all conventional endoscopic interventions.
Serum apolipoprotein C‐III in high‐density lipoprotein: a key diabetogenic risk factor in Turks
Authors: Onat A. , Hergenç G. , Ayhan E. , Uğur M. , Kaya H. , Tuncer M. , Can G.
Published: August 2009

Aims  We studied determinants of serum apolipoprotein C‐III (apoC‐III) and whether levels of apoC‐III or its fractions predict metabolic syndrome (MetS), Type 2 diabetes and coronary heart disease (CHD).

Methods  The predictive value of apoC‐III, measured by immunoturbimetric immunoassay in 802 tracked individuals of a Turkish general population in determining cardiometabolic risk was assessed over 4.4 ± 1.2 years’ follow‐up. Patients with MetS, Type 2 diabetes and CHD at baseline were excluded.

Results  Total apoC‐III, as well as both fractions, was significantly, linearly and inversely related to smoking status, positively to alcohol usage and to levels of complement C3. Mid and high tertiles of total or non‐high density lipoprotein (HDL) apoC‐III predicted significantly and independently incident MetS; they predicted CHD with risk ratios of 1.6 [95% confidence intervals (CI) 1.02–2.5], for 1 sd increment, after adjustments that included HDL cholesterol and body mass index (BMI). The highest tertile of HDL apoC‐III was a major independent predictor of new‐onset diabetes with a 2.5‐fold risk ratio for 1 sd increment (95% CI 1.5–4.0) in combined sexes, after adjustment for waist circumference, HDL cholesterol and other confounders and was a better predictor than waist girth.

Conclusions  Serum total apoC‐III or its fractions are linearly and inversely associated with smoking, positively with alcohol usage and serum complement C3. The presumably dysfunctional HDL apoC‐III is a stronger predictor of Type 2 diabetes than waist girth in Turks. Non‐HDL apoC‐III predicts strongly the development of MetS as well as incident CHD, independent of HDL cholesterol, BMI and non‐lipid factors. The atherogenicity of apoC‐III and dysfunctionality of HDL apoC‐III carry huge public health implications in Turks.
Long‐term glycaemic control with metformin–sulphonylurea–pioglitazone triple therapy in PROactive (PROactive 17)
Authors: Scheen A. J. , Tan M. H. , Betteridge D. J. , Birkeland K. , Schmitz O. , Charbonnel B. ,   on behalf of the PROactive investigators
Published: August 2009

Aims  We assessed the long‐term glycaemic effects and the safety profile of triple therapy with the addition of pioglitazone vs. placebo in patients with Type 2 diabetes treated with combined metformin–sulphonylurea therapy in the PROspective pioglitAzone Clinical Trial In macroVascular Events (PROactive).

Methods  In a post‐hoc analysis, we identified patients treated with metformin plus sulphonylurea combination therapy and not receiving insulin at baseline (n = 1314). In those patients, we compared the effects of pioglitazone (force‐titrated to 45 mg/day, n = 654) vs. placebo (n = 660) on glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) reduction, concomitant changes in medications and initiation of permanent insulin use (defined as daily insulin use for a period of ≥ 90 days or ongoing use at death/final visit).

Results  Significantly greater reductions in HbA1c and greater proportions of patients with HbA1c at target were noted with pioglitazone vs, placebo, despite a decrease in the use of other oral glucose‐lowering agents. There was an approximate twofold increase in progression to permanent insulin use in the placebo group vs. the pioglitazone group: 31.1 vs. 16.1%, respectively, when added to combination therapy. The overall safety of the metformin–sulphonylurea–pioglitazone triple therapy was good.

Conclusions  Intensifying an existing dual oral therapy regimen to a triple oral regimen by adding pioglitazone to the classical metformin–sulphonylurea combination resulted in sustained improvements in glycaemic control and reduced progression to insulin therapy. The advantages and disadvantages of adding pioglitazone instead of adding basal insulin should be assessed further.
Persistent arterial stiffness and endothelial dysfunction following successful pancreas–kidney transplantation in Type 1 diabetes
Authors: Stadler M. , Theuer E. , Anderwald C. , Hanusch‐Enserer U. , Auinger M. , Bieglmayer C. , Quehenberger P. , Bischof M. , Kästenbauer T. , Wolzt M. , Wagner O. , Prager R.
Published: August 2009

Objective  Successful simultaneous pancreas‐kidney transplantation (SPK) in Type 1 diabetic (T1DM) patients results in improved cardiovascular outcome and survival. However, it is doubtful whether the impairment of cardiovascular and endothelial function in T1DM can be completely reversed.

Methods  Pulse‐wave velocity, stroke volume, heart rate, serological markers of endothelial dysfunction (soluble intercellular, vascular cell‐adhesion molecules, E‐selectin, and plasminogen‐activator‐inhibitor‐1) were measured in 10 T1DM patients after SPK with non‐diabetic glucose levels, 10 T1DM patients with poor [T1DM>8; glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c)>8%], and 10 with good glucose control (T1DM<7, HbA1c<7%), in 6 non‐diabetic patients after kidney transplantation (KT) and 9 non‐diabetic control subjects (CON), matching for major anthropometric characteristics.

Results  Pulse‐wave velocity was increased in SPK (P < 0.02 vs. CON, KT, T1DM<7) and in T1DM>8 (P < 0.02 vs. T1DM<7). Systolic blood pressure was increased in SPK (P < 0.05 vs. CON). Stroke volume was reduced in SPK, T1DM>8 and T1DM<7 and KT (P < 0.01 vs. CON). Heart rate was elevated in SPK and in T1DM>8 (P < 0.0003 vs. CON and T1DM<7). In SPK, soluble intercellular and vascular cell‐adhesion molecules were 100% and 44% higher (P < 0.03 vs. CON), respectively, while plasminogen‐activator‐inhibitor‐1 was decreased in SPK (P < 0.02 vs. CON).

Conclusion  T1DM patients after SPK experience arterial stiffness, a higher heart‐rate and blood pressure, reduced stroke volume and serological signs of endothelial dysfunction. Thus, functional and structural cardiovascular alterations as a result of glucotoxicity, uraemia and hypertension in T1DM might not be completely resolved by SPK.
Skeletal muscle microvascular exchange capacity is associated with hyperglycaemia in subjects with central obesity
Authors: Turzyniecka M. , Wild S. H. , Krentz A. J. , Chipperfield A. J. , Gamble J. , Clough G. F. , Byrne C. D.
Published: August 2009

Aims  Poor glycaemic control is associated with increased risk of microvascular disease in various organs including the eye and kidney, but the relationship between glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) and microvascular function in skeletal muscle has not been described. We tested the association between HbA1c and a measure of microvascular exchange capacity (Kf) in skeletal muscle in people with central obesity at risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

Methods  Microvascular function was measured in 28 women and 19 men [mean (± sd) age 51 ± 9 years] with central obesity who did not have diabetes. We estimated insulin sensitivity by hyperinsulinaemic–euglycaemic clamp, visceral and total fatness by magnetic resonance imaging, fitness (VO2 max by treadmill testing), physical activity energy expenditure [metabolic equivalents of tasks (METS) by use of the SenseWear Pro armband] and skeletal muscle microvascular exchange capacity (Kf) by venous occlusion plethysmography.

Results  In regression modelling, age, sex and fasting plasma glucose accounted for 30.5% of the variance in HbA1c (r2 = 0.31, P = 0.001). Adding Kf to this model explained an additional 26.5% of the variance in HbA1c (r2 = 0.57, P = 0.0001 and Kf was strongly and independently associated with HbA1c (standardized B coefficient −0.45 (95% confidence interval −0.19, −0.06), P = 0.001).

Conclusions  We found a strong negative independent association between a measure of skeletal muscle microvascular exchange capacity (Kf) and HbA1c. Kf was associated with almost as much of the variance in HbA1c as fasting plasma glucose.
Initiating insulin therapy in elderly patients with Type 2 diabetes: efficacy and safety of lispro mix 25 vs. basal insulin combined with oral glucose‐lowering agents
Authors: Wolffenbuttel B. H. R. , Klaff L. J. , Bhushan R. , Fahrbach J. L. , Jiang H. , Martin S.
Published: August 2009

Aims  To compare starter insulins in the elderly subgroup of the DURABLE trial 24‐week initiation phase.

Methods  In a post‐hoc analysis of the ≥ 65 years subgroup enrolled in the DURABLE trial, we compared the safety and efficacy of lispro mix 25 (LM25: lispro 25%/insulin lispro protamine suspension 75%), n = 258, vs. glargine, n = 222, added to oral glucose‐lowering agents.

Results  Baseline glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) was similar (LM25 8.7 ± 1.2, glargine 8.8 ± 1.1%, P = 0.612). At 24‐weeks, LM25 patients had lower HbA1c (7.0 ± 0.9 vs. 7.3 ± 0.9%, P < 0.001), greater HbA1c reduction (−1.7 ± 1.2 vs. −1.5 ± 1.1%, P < 0.001), and more patients reaching HbA1c < 7.0% (55.6 vs. 41.0%, P = 0.005). LM25 patients were on more insulin (0.40 ± 0.19 vs. 0.33 ± 0.19 u/kg/day, P < 0.001) and experienced more weight gain (3.6 ± 3.6 vs. 1.8 ± 3.2 kg, P < 0.001). Additionally, LM25‐treated patients reported a higher mean overall hypoglycaemia rate than glargine patients (40.8 ± 47.6 vs. 31.1 ± 48.5 episodes/patient/year, P = 0.037), while nocturnal hypoglycaemia rates were similar. Over 24 weeks, incidence of severe hypoglycaemia was higher for LM25 (4.3% vs. 0.9%, P = 0.018); however, by 24‐week endpoint incidence was similar (0.8% vs. 0.0%P = 0.125).

Conclusions  In this elderly subgroup post‐hoc analysis, LM25 demonstrated a lower endpoint HbA1c and a higher % of patients reaching HbA1c target of < 7.0%, but with more weight gain and higher rates of hypoglycaemia compared to glargine.
Oil accumulation in leaves directed by modification of fatty acid breakdown and lipid synthesis pathways
Authors: Slocombe Steve P. , Cornah Jo , Pinfield‐Wells Helen , Soady Kelly , Zhang QianYi , Gilday Alison , Dyer John M. , Graham Ian A.
Published: August 2009

Plant oils in the form of triacylglycerol (TAG) are used for food, industrial feedstock and biofuel manufacture. Although TAG is typically harvested from the fruit or seeds of oil crop species, plants can also accumulate small amounts of TAG in the leaves and other vegetative tissues. Here we show that leaf TAG levels can be increased significantly (10–20 fold) by blocking fatty acid breakdown, particularly during extended dark treatments or leaf senescence in the model plant Arabidopsis. Generation of a double mutant in fatty acid breakdown and diacylglycerol acyltransferase 1 (DGAT1) resulted in a severe vegetative growth phenotype suggesting that partitioning of fatty acids to TAG in leaves is carried out predominantly by this acyltransferase. LEC2, a seed development transcription factor involved in storage product accumulation, was ectopically expressed during senescence in the fatty acid breakdown mutant COMATOSE (cts2). This resulted in accumulation of seed oil type species of TAG in senescing tissue. Our data suggests that recycled membrane fatty acids can be re‐directed to TAG by expressing the seed‐programme in senescing tissue or by a block in fatty acid breakdown. This work raises the possibility of producing significant amounts of oil in vegetative tissues of biomass crops such as Miscanthus.
The synthesis and accumulation of stearidonic acid in transgenic plants: a novel source of ‘heart‐healthy’ omega‐3 fatty acids
Authors: Ruiz‐López Noemí , Haslam Richard P. , Venegas‐Calerón Mónica , Larson Tony R. , Graham Ian A. , Napier Johnathan A. , Sayanova Olga
Published: August 2009

Dietary omega‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acids have a proven role in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and precursor disease states such as metabolic syndrome. Although most studies have focussed on the predominant omega‐3 fatty acids found in fish oils (eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid), recent evidence suggests similar health benefits from their common precursor, stearidonic acid. Stearidonic acid is a Δ6‐unsaturated C18 omega‐3 fatty acid present in a few plant species (mainly the Boraginaceae and Primulaceae) reflecting the general absence of Δ6‐desaturation from higher plants. Using a Δ6‐desaturase from Primula vialii, we generated transgenic Arabidopsis and linseed lines accumulating stearidonic acid in their seed lipids. Significantly, the P. vialiiΔ6‐desaturase specifically only utilises α‐linolenic acid as a substrate, resulting in the accumulation of stearidonic acid but not omega‐6 γ‐linolenic acid. Detailed lipid analysis revealed the accumulation of stearidonic acid in neutral lipids such as triacylglycerol but an absence from the acyl‐CoA pool. In the case of linseed, the achieved levels of stearidonic acid (13.4% of triacylglycerols) are very similar to those found in the sole natural commercial plant source (Echium spp.) or transgenic soybean oil. However, both those latter oils contain γ‐linolenic acid, which is not normally present in fish oils and considered undesirable for heart‐healthy applications. By contrast, the stearidonic acid‐enriched linseed oil is essentially devoid of this fatty acid. Moreover, the overall omega‐3/omega‐6 ratio for this modified linseed oil is also significantly higher. Thus, this nutritionally enhanced linseed oil may have superior health‐beneficial properties.
Health Care Reforms in Developing Asia: Propositions and Realities
Authors: Wu Xun , Ramesh M.
Published: August 2009

Market‐oriented reforms in the health sector continue to dominate health policy agendas in many developing countries despite growing evidence of their negative impacts. This article critically examines eight key arguments that are used to justify market‐oriented reforms and that continue to hold widespread appeal among policy makers and analysts. The authors conclude that although the axiom that health care is atypical due to pervasive market failures is widely acknowledged by reformers, the scope and depth of the negative consequences of market competition and private sector involvement are systematically underestimated in policy design and implementation, while the regulatory capacity to overcome them is overestimated. Their analysis suggests that while there is considerable scope for market‐oriented reforms, the success of such reforms depends on a tight set of conditions that are often absent in the health care sector, especially but not exclusively in developing countries.
The Kilosa Killings: Political Ecology of a Farmer–Herder Conflict in Tanzania
Authors: Benjaminsen Tor A. , Maganga Faustin P. , Abdallah Jumanne Moshi
Published: August 2009

Farmer–herder conflicts in Africa are often presented as being driven by ‘environmental scarcity’. Political ecologists, however, argue that these conflicts should be analysed within a broader historical and policy context. This article presents a case study of a local conflict in the Kilosa District in Tanzania that tragically culminated in the killing of thirty‐eight farmers on 8 December 2000. To understand the conflict, the authors argue that it is necessary to study the history of villagization and land use in the District, as well as national land tenure and pastoral policies. Attempts at agricultural modernization have fostered an anti‐pastoral environment in Tanzania. The government aim is to confine livestock keeping to ‘pastoral villages’, but these villages lack sufficient pastures and water supplies, leading herders to search for such resources elsewhere. Pastoral access to wetlands is decreasing due to expansion of cultivated areas and the promotion of agriculture. The main tool that pastoralists still possess to counteract this trend is their ability to bribe officials. But corruption further undermines people's trust in authorities and in the willingness of these authorities to prevent conflicts. This leads actors to try to solve problems through other means, notably violence.
Fixing the financial system
Authors: Peters Georgina
Published: August 2009

At the base of the current recession is a global financial system that is arguably the root of the problem. Georgina Peters considers how the system came unglued and what it will take to repair it.
From Edison To Immelt: The GE Way
Authors: Crainer Stuart
Published: August 2009

General Electric is one of the great corporations of our times. While others fall by the wayside, it has forged a uniquely strong corporate trajectory over more than a century. But what makes the giant tick? How has GE outlasted the competition and does it have the strength and sense of purpose to carry on?Stuart Crainer explores the GE way.
Positioning for the future
Authors: Connolly John
Published: August 2009

The next two years is a make or break period for companies, and the way business leaders respond will determine winners and losers for the next decade. Deloitte's UK Chief Executive and Global Chairman, John Connolly, explains how.
Leadership in challenging times
Authors: Brown Tom
Published: August 2009

It's an understatement to say that the current business climate is a challenging one. Tom Brown weighed the insights offered at London Business School's Global Leadership Summit and offers the best thoughts on what it takes to lead organizations right now.
The Indian mystique
Authors: Kumar Nirmalya
Published: August 2009

The rise of global business means that Western companies will increasingly encounter Indians as customers, competitors and collaborators. Nirmalya Kumar profiles how best to collaborate with Indian business leaders.
Is the global market economy broken?
Authors: Dearlove Des
Published: August 2009

Governments are reeling. Companies are foundering. People are worrying. The global market economy is stressed to levels not seen in a long time. Des Dearlove has been asking people if the world's economy is broken. He quickly discovered that it's not a yes‐or‐no question.
Seizing the upside of a downturn
Authors: Brown Tom
Published: August 2009

Is it possible for an economic downturn to be a time of managerial inspiration? We found 50 ways to answer that question with a “Yes!”
Covert operations
Authors: Martin Stephen , Birkinshaw Julian , Crainer Stuart
Published: August 2009

Few executives have insight into what really goes on in their organizations. CEO Stephen Martin seized a rare opportunity to anonymously discover the nitty gritty of his company. He shares his insights with Julian Birkinshaw and Stuart Crainer.
Management — according to a wild animal?
Authors: Spencer L. Vaughan , Crainer Stuart
Published: August 2009

Know anyone who talks about the business world using phrases like “a new broom sweeps clean” or “cheeky monkey” while excitedly jumping around (much to the dismay of many left‐brained business executives)? If you're nodding yes, chances are you've met, read or heard L. Vaughan Spencer. If you're nodding to sleep, wake up!Stuart Crainer wants to introduce you to a whole new genus of management guru.
Outbound open innovation and its effect on firm performance: examining environmental influences
Authors: Lichtenthaler Ulrich
Published: August 2009

Firms may open up their innovation processes on two dimensions. While inbound open innovation refers to the acquisition of external technology in open exploration processes, outbound open innovation describes the outward transfer of technology in open exploitation processes. Prior open innovation research has focused on the inbound dimension, whereas the outbound dimension has been relatively neglected. Therefore, this article addresses the relationship between outbound open R&D strategies and firm performance. We use data from 136 industrial firms to test four hypotheses on the moderating effects of environmental factors in the relationship between open innovation strategies and firm performance. The results show that the degree of technological turbulence, the transaction rate in technology markets, and the competitive intensity in technology markets strengthen the positive effects of outbound open innovation on firm performance. By contrast, the degree of patent protection does not facilitate successful open innovation. The results are crucially important to managers because they show under what environmental conditions open innovation strategies enhance performance.
Community engineering for innovations: the ideas competition as a method to nurture a virtual community for innovations
Authors: Ebner Winfried , Leimeister Jan Marco , Krcmar Helmut
Published: August 2009

‘Crowdsourcing’ is currently one of the most discussed key words within the open innovation community. The major question for both research and business is how to find and lever the enormous potential of the ‘collective brain’ to broaden the scope of ‘open R&D’. Based on a literature review in the fields of Community Building and Innovation Management, this work develops an integrated framework called ‘Community Engineering for Innovations’. This framework is evaluated in an Action Research project – the case of an ideas competition for an ERP Software company. The case ‘SAPiens’ includes the design, implementation and evaluation of an IT‐supported ideas competition within the SAP University Competence Center (UCC) User Group. This group consists of approximately 60,000 people (lecturers and students) using SAP Software for educational purposes. The current challenges are twofold: on the one hand, there is not much activity yet in this community. On the other, SAP has not attempted to systematically address this highly educated group for idea generation or innovation development so far. Therefore, the objective of this research is to develop a framework for a community‐based innovation development that generates innovations, process and product ideas in general and for SAP Research, in particular, combining the concepts of idea competitions and virtual communities. Furthermore, the concept aims at providing an interface to SAP Human Resources processes in order to identify the most promising students in this virtual community. This paper is the first to present an integrated concept for IT‐supported idea competitions in virtual communities for leveraging the potential of crowds that is evaluated in a real‐world setting.
Is open source software living up to its promises? Insights for open innovation management from two open source software‐inspired projects1
Authors: Müller‐Seitz Gordon , Reger Guido
Published: August 2009

At present, several virtual initiatives claim to be acting according to the open source software (OSS) arena, which is often deemed a role model for open innovation. Against this background, this research focuses on a comparative case study of two non‐profit project networks that attempt to operate in line with the OSS phenomenon: Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia, and the development of an automobile, Open Source car. We show that many parallels to the OSS arena can be drawn in both cases. However, this analysis must be performed cautiously, as several factors limit the applicability of OSS principles to non‐software‐related arenas. We conclude with a discussion of implications for open innovation research and managerial practice.
Integrating inside and outside innovators: a sociotechnical systems perspective
Authors: Neyer Anne‐Katrin , Bullinger Angelika C. , Moeslein Kathrin M.
Published: August 2009

Innovation literature stresses the importance of opening the innovation process to internal and external innovators. The question of what determines the integration of these types of innovators in the innovation process remains open. We use a sociotechnical systems perspective to address a number of challenges with respect to this matter: an organization deploying different innovation practices to open the innovation process might not be aware which types of innovators are de facto integrated in its innovation process. Alternatively, an organization targeting the integration of a particular type of innovator might not use the suitable innovation practices to integrate the knowledge of this type of innovator. To address these challenges, our comparative case‐study analysis in 15 medium‐sized firms derives a theoretical framework proposing that a combined analysis of innovation practices and underlying social interactions is needed to decide about the integration of a particular type of innovator in the innovation process. Being aware of these interrelations will allow organizations to act more consciously when opening their innovation processes.
On the open design of tangible goods
Authors: Raasch Christina , Herstatt Cornelius , Balka Kerstin
Published: August 2009

Open source software development has received considerable scholarly attention, much of which is based on the presumption that the ‘open source model’ holds some lessons of broader applicability. Nonetheless, our knowledge of its deployment outside the software industry is very limited. This paper focuses on the open source development of tangible objects, the so‐called open design. We propose a generalised definition of open source development. Drawing on 27 exploratory interviews and six comparative case studies selected from a pool of more than 75 projects, we analyse the workings of open design. The analysis reveals that open design is already being implemented in a substantial variety of projects with different organisational and institutional structures.
Opening up for competitive advantage – How Deutsche Telekom creates an open innovation ecosystem
Authors: Rohrbeck René , Hölzle Katharina , Gemünden Hans Georg
Published: August 2009

When, on 21st September 2006, ‘The Economist’ compared incumbent telecommunication operators with dinosaurs that could soon face extinction, most readers were ready to agree. The mixture of declining revenues and fierce competition was believed to shake the market and soon to dethrone former national champions. However, there are ways to fight that extinction and one way is to open up for competitive advantage. This paper reflects on a case study at Deutsche Telekom, the German national telecommunication operator. The aim of this study is to analyse to what extent the open innovation paradigm has been embraced inside this now multinational company. Using empirical evidence from 15 in‐depth interviews, we identify 11 open innovation instruments and detail their value contribution. We can show that Deutsche Telekom has successfully enhanced its innovation capacity by opening up its traditional development process and embracing external creativity and knowledge resources.
Exploring open innovation practice in firm‐nonprofit engagements: a corporate social responsibility perspective
Authors: Holmes Sara , Smart Palie
Published: August 2009

This paper examines the concept of open innovation within the context of corporate social responsibility. It demonstrates how the practice of open innovation unfolds in inter‐organizational collaborations that involve the voluntary or charitable sector, outlining the findings of an explorative collective case study of eight voluntary dyadic partnerships between corporate and nonprofit organizations in the United Kingdom, which have resulted in innovation outcomes. Two generic approaches to open innovation were witnessed: firstly, a more exploratory approach to dyadic engagement activities that resulted in an emergent innovation process, and secondly, a focused and pre‐determined search activity to exploit the resources of the nonprofit partner that demonstrated a more planned innovation process. Two distinct boundary‐spanning roles were identified: in dyads exhibiting few organizational linkages, the role was associated with formal responsibilities from senior management to ‘manage’ innovation opportunities and outcomes. In dyads exhibiting high linkages, there was no such formality; the role was a ‘conduit’ to facilitate search and exploration to locate opportunities for innovation through idea exchange. Overall, this research demonstrates the value of an open innovation approach driven by the need to address societal and social issues (rather than those purely economic). Such practice broadens a firm's ‘search’ activities and delivers innovations in exchange for enhanced social legitimacy – acting innovation capital for future enterprising activities and market advantage.
Dealing with the Proliferation of Bilateral Free Trade Agreements
Authors: Menon Jayant
Published: August 2009

Bilateral free trade agreements (BTAs) have been proliferating. The outcome of this proliferation of often overlapping BTAs and plurilateral free trade agreements (PTAs) is described as the spaghetti bowl effect or, in the Asian region, the noodle bowl effect. This is costly, and welfare reducing. How do we remedy the situation? In this paper, we consider the various options proposed in dealing with the spaghetti bowl, and assess their ability to do so. A general limitation of these proposals is their tendency to group all kinds of BTAs together, treating them as a homogeneous group. Thus, the proposals ignore underlying differences in motivation in forming BTAs. To overcome this, we develop a taxonomy for classifying BTAs by motivation before considering the effectiveness of the different remedies proposed. We find that each proposal has its pros and cons, and can cater for different types of BTAs. Thus, a combination of the various proposals may be warranted, even in the event of an expeditious and bona fide conclusion to the Doha Round.
Migraine as a Systemic Vasculopathy
Authors: Tietjen GE
Published: August 2009

Epidemiological studies suggests that migraine is associated with disorders of the cerebral, coronary, retinal, dermal and peripheral vasculature. There is evidence that migraine is associated with endothelial dysfunction, both as a cause and a consequence. Endothelial dysfunction, a vascular risk factor, is characterized by endothelial activation and impaired vascular reactivity. Plasma and genetic biomarkers for these conditions have been identified. The clinical significance lies in the potential for the rapid identification of migraineurs at increased risk of ischaemic stroke and vascular disease through ascertainment of endothelial dysfunction biomarkers. It is uncertain whether stroke, myocardial infarction and other vasculopathies can be prevented by migraine prophylaxis, endothelial repair, platelet inhibition or a combination of these strategies.
The EU Comitology System: Intergovernmental Bargaining and Deliberative Supranationalism?
Authors: BLOM‐HANSEN JENS , BRANDSMA GIJS JAN
Published: August 2009

Two images exist of the day‐to‐day practice of the EU comitology system. The first claims that comitology is deliberation by policy experts in which informal norms, deliberation and good arguments matter more than economic interests and formal voting rules. The second image portrays comitology as an arena for intergovernmental bargaining designed by the Member States to control the Commission. The article systematically investigates these images based on survey evidence from a questionnaire to the Danish and Dutch national representatives on nearly all comitology committees in 2006. The evidence suggests that both images hold and that their relative importance is determined by the nature of the issues dealt with by the individual comitology committees.
Everything But Arms: Much More than Appears at First Sight*
Authors: FABER GERRIT , ORBIE JAN
Published: August 2009

This article examines the impact of the EU's ‘Everything But Arms’ initiative. Starting from the observations that the effects in terms of trade flows have been modest and that EBA nevertheless sparked fierce debate within the EU, we argue that it has had broader ramifications beyond exports of least‐developed countries. Subsequently, we analyse the influence of EBA on three interrelated areas: reforming EU agricultural policy (internal), restructuring EU–ACP relations (regional) and forging a WTO round (global). We conclude that EBA has played a catalysing role in these issues, in line with the globalist‐liberal preferences which have become dominant in the EU.
Shocks to New and Old Europe: How Symmetric?
Authors: MIKEK PETER
Published: August 2009

Strong symmetry of shocks allows for the formation of a monetary union with low costs due to losing monetary sovereignty. I employ vector autoregression to identify structural shocks and study their symmetry through time. I find that the underlying structural shocks have not changed significantly and remain rather asymmetric, particularly demand shocks.
From ‘Civilian Power’ to ‘Global Power’: Explicating the European Union's ‘Grand Strategy’ Through the Articulation of Discourse Theory
Authors: ROGERS JAMES
Published: August 2009

By articulating discourse theory to build on the concepts of ‘strategic culture’, ‘security culture’ and ‘grand strategy’, we argue that the European Union has adopted a ‘global power’ approach since approximately 1999, having been previously constituted as a ‘civilian power’ since the 1970s. We suggest this paradigmatic shift was influenced by a growing discourse coalition of ‘euro‐strategists’, which mobilized to prevent another European foreign policy failure like the Yugoslav Wars of the 1990s. While this project remains in its infancy, it has already led to the articulation and institutionalization of a new vision of security within the enlarged European community. Indeed, we contend that the continued expansion of this ‘global power’ approach is likely to have profound implications for the future of European integration, potentially leading to a deeper and more tightly unified European geopolitical space.
Influence of starter culture type and incubation temperatures on rheology and microstructure of low fat set yoghurt
Authors: ABBASI HABIB , MOUSAVI MOHAMMAD EBRAHIMZADEH , EHSANI MOHAMMAD REZA , D‐JOMEA ZAHRA EMAM , VAZIRI MOHARAM , RAHIMI JAMSHID , AZIZNIA SOMAYEH
Published: August 2009

The effects of different cultures and incubation temperatures on the physical properties of low fat yoghurts were investigated. The samples were incubated with exopolysaccharide (EPS)‐producing and non‐EPS‐producing cultures at 37, 42 and 45°C. All measured parameters except firmness were influenced by culture type and incubation temperature. Firmness, G′ and G″ were maximised at 42°C for both cultures. Increased incubation temperature and EPS culture led to a higher water‐holding capacity but lower syneresis, G′ and G″. The EPS treatment incubated at 37°C showed even lower syneresis than non‐EPS treatments incubated at higher temperatures.
Variegated neoliberalization: geographies, modalities, pathways
Authors: BRENNER NEIL , PECK JAMIE , THEODORE NIK
Published: August 2009

Across the broad field of heterodox political economy, ‘neoliberalism’ appears to have become a rascal concept – promiscuously pervasive, yet inconsistently defined, empirically imprecise and frequently contested. Controversies regarding its precise meaning are more than merely semantic. They generally flow from underlying disagreements regarding the sources, expressions and implications of contemporary regulatory transformations. In this article, we consider the handling of ‘neoliberalism’ within three influential strands of heterodox political economy – the varieties of capitalism approach; historical materialist international political economy; and governmentality approaches. While each of these research traditions sheds light on contemporary processes of market‐oriented regulatory restructuring, we argue that each also underplays and/or misreads the systemically uneven, or ‘variegated’, character of these processes. Enabled by a critical interrogation of how each approach interprets the geographies, modalities and pathways of neoliberalization processes, we argue that the problematic of variegation must be central to any adequate account of marketized forms of regulatory restructuring and their alternatives under post‐1970s capitalism. Our approach emphasizes the cumulative impacts of successive ‘waves’ of neoliberalization upon uneven institutional landscapes, in particular: (a) their establishment of interconnected, mutually recursive policy relays within an increasingly transnational field of market‐oriented regulatory transfer; and (b) their infiltration and reworking of the geoinstitutional frameworks, or ‘rule regimes’, within which regulatory experimentation unfolds. This mode of analysis has significant implications for interpreting the current global economic crisis.
Seeding induced by α‐synuclein oligomers provides evidence for spreading of α‐synuclein pathology
Authors: Danzer Karin M. , Krebs Simon K. , Wolff Michael , Birk Gerald , Hengerer Bastian
Published: August 2009

Lewy bodies, α‐synuclein (α‐syn) immunopositive intracellular deposits, are the pathological hallmark of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Interestingly, Lewybody‐like structures have been identified in fetal tissue grafts about one decade after transplantation into the striatum of PD patients. One possible explanation for the accelerated deposition of α‐syn in the graft is that the aggregation of α‐syn from the host tissue to the graft is spread by a prion disease‐like mechanism. We discuss here an in vitro model which might recapitulate some aspects of disease propagation in PD. We found here that in vitro‐generated α‐syn oligomers induce transmembrane seeding of α‐syn aggregation in a dose‐ and time‐dependent manner. This effect was observed in primary neuronal cultures as well as in neuronal cell lines. The seeding oligomers were characterized by a distinctive lithium dodecyl sulfate‐stable oligomer pattern and could be generated in a dynamic process out of pore‐forming oligomers. We propose that α‐syn oligomers form as a dynamic mixture of oligomer types with different properties and that α‐syn oligomers can be converted into different types depending on the brain milieu conditions. Our data indicate that extracellular α‐syn oligomers can induce intracellular α‐syn aggregation, therefore we hypothesize that a similar mechanism might lead to α‐syn pathology propagation.
Nutrient transport systems in brain: 40 years of progress
Authors: Spector Reynold
Published: August 2009

In the last 40 years, especially with the application of new neurochemical and molecular biologic techniques, there has been an explosive progress in understanding how nutrients are transported across the blood–brain barrier and choroid plexus into brain and CSF, and how nutrient homeostasis in brain is achieved. In most cases, there are separate transporters, or in a few cases, systems that transport related substances (e.g., biotin, lipoic, and pantothenic acids). This review focuses on three crucial nutrients (glucose, ascorbic acid, and folates) for which there is substantial new information including ‘knock down’ and ‘knockout’ models in mice and/or humans. The overall objective is to show that this new knowledge leads not just to a more thorough understanding (e.g., of ‘why’ questions like: why do neurons require up to 10 mM ascorbic acid intracellulary?); but in some cases leads to clinically important predictions that allow treatment of heretofore devastating neurologic disorders.
ISOTOPIC DISCRIMINANTS BETWEEN LATE BRONZE AGE GLASSES FROM EGYPT AND THE NEAR EAST
Authors: DEGRYSE P. , BOYCE A. , ERB‐SATULLO N. , EREMIN K. , KIRK S. , SCOTT R. , SHORTLAND A. J. , SCHNEIDER J. , WALTON M.
Published: August 2009

This paper presents oxygen, strontium and neodymium isotopic analysis from a series of Late Bronze Age glasses from Egypt and Mesopotamia. It was found that oxygen and neodymium isotopes alone cannot readily distinguish between glasses from the various sites. However, combined Sr and Nd isotope analysis separate the data into three groups: an Egyptian group with relatively low Sr and Nd ratios; a Late Bronze Age (LBA) Nuzi group with high Sr and low Nd ratios; and an intermediate Sr and high Nd ratio grouping of glasses from Tell Brak. These findings suggest that most of the glass from Nuzi and Tell Brak had different raw materials and hence the glass was probably produced at different manufacturing sites. However, one glass ingot found at Tell Brak (TB1) appears to have Nuzi‐type Sr–Nd characteristics. This is the first positive identification of multiple production sites in LBA Mesopotamia and an exceptional example of a glass that may have been exchanged from one LBA site to another.
Integration and Identity in an International Context: Problems and Ambiguities in the New Politics of Multiculturalism
Authors: Parvin Phil
Published: August 2009

Debates about multiculturalism, minority rights, and identity dominated Anglo-American political theory during the majority of the 1990s, and continue to raise important questions concerning the nature of citizenship, community, and the responsibilities of liberal states. They were popular, too, among policy makers, politicians, and journalists: many academics and practitioners were, for a time, united in their support for multiculturalism. Just as the philosophical literature at that time became more ‘multiculturalist’, so many European states increasingly adopted multiculturalist policies as a way of including historically marginalised groups into mainstream liberal culture or, in some cases, as a way of protecting minority groups from unfair pressures from the majority culture. However, as time has gone on, the multiculturalist turn in liberal political theory, and among many European governments, has waned. In the wake of terrorist atrocities around the world, growing concerns about the erosion of civic and national identity, and fears that cultural recognition can permit illiberal practices, many academics and practitioners have sought to distance themselves from the idea that it is a role of the state to afford special treatment to cultural minorities, and have sought once again to emphasise those common bonds which unite citizens of liberal democratic states, rather than those cultural identities which may serve to divide them. This article evaluates some of the recent philosophical literature on multiculturalism against the changing political landscape in Britain and Europe and suggests that the multiculturalist position remains weakened by a number of crucial ambiguities.
Treatment of Facial Molluscum Contagiosum with Trichloroacetic Acid
Authors: Bard Susan , Shiman Michael I. , Bellman Betty , Connelly Elizabeth Alvarez
Published: August 2009

Abstract:  Molluscum contagiosum (MC) virus is a common cutaneous infection in the pediatric population, most commonly affecting school‐aged children. Spontaneous clearing of lesions usually occurs over time; however, treatment is often sought due to cosmetic significance, pruritus, or concerns of transmission and autoinoculation. Chemical destruction with cantharidin, which is derived from blister beetle extract, is very safe and highly effective, making it the treatment of choice in the pediatric population. However, treatment of facial lesions or those in the diaper area are not recommended with this agent. Trichloroacetic acid is a safe and effective agent frequently utilized in dermatologic practice, most commonly in the treatment of verrucae. We have successfully used topical trichloroacetic acid to treat facial molluscum contagiousum and present the following technique for proper application.