bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Glycaemia‐independent ethnic differences in HbA1c in subjects with impaired glucose tolerance
Authors: Likhari T. , Gama R.
Published: July 2009

Aim  To study the ethnic differences in HbA1c between Whites and South Asians with impaired glucose tolerance.

Methods  We audited 75g oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTT) performed in Clinical Chemistry, New Cross Hospital, Wolverhampton over 1 year. HbA1c and glycaemia were compared between Whites and South Asians with impaired glucose intolerance (IGT).

Results  There were 46 South Asians (22 female) and 88 Whites (41 female). South Asian subjects were younger (59.2 ± 14.31 vs. 67.6 ± 12.63 yrs; P < 0.001) and weighed less (78.1 ± 17.2 vs. 87.47 ± 19.1 kgs; P < 0.001) than White subjects. HbA1c levels were higher (6.5 ± 0.7 vs. 6.1 ± 0.6%; P < 0.001) in South Asians compared to Whites. Fasting glucose (5.71 ± 0.5 vs. 5.93 ± 0.7; P = 0.039) was lower in South Asians but 2hour glucose (10.5 ± 1.0 vs. 10.40 ± 0.9; P = 0.404) was similar in both ethnic groups.

Conclusion  South Asians have higher HbA1c levels than Whites despite lower fasting glucose value on OGTT, indicating ethnic differences in HbA1c are due to glycaemia‐independent factors
Increasing incidence and prevalence with limited survival gains among rural Albertans with diabetes: a retrospective cohort study, 1995–2006
Authors: Johnson J. A. , Balko S. U. , Hugel G. , Low C. , Svenson L. W.
Published: July 2009

Objective  To compare recent trends of diabetes prevalence, incidence and mortality between men and women living in urban and rural Alberta, Canada.

Methods  We tracked population trends in diabetes in adults based on diagnostic codes from provincial administrative health records from 1995 to 2006. Location of residence was defined by registered postal codes. Sex‐stratified logistic regression with interactions was used to compare increases in rates over the past decade by location of residence, adjusting for age.

Results  Men in rural residences had the greatest increases in prevalence, at 61%, from 3.6 per 100 in 1995 to 5.8 per 100 in 2006, compared with a 55% increase in urban men, from 3.9 per 100 in 1995 to 6.0 per 100 in 2006 (P < 0.001). Diabetes incidence in rural men increased 61% while urban men had a similar increase of 59% (P = 0.177). Incidence was lower in women in both urban and rural locations, at 5.6 and 5.3 per 1000 in 2006. Overall, mortality rates decreased by 34% for urban men and 8% for rural men with diabetes (P = 0.006). Women with diabetes in rural areas had no decline in overall mortality, compared with a 28% reduction in urban women (P < 0.001).

Conclusions  Diabetes prevalence remains highest in men, with the greatest increases seen in men living in rural residences. While mortality rates have declined substantially over the past decade for those people with diabetes living in urban settings, declines in mortality in rural areas have been much more modest (for men) or non‐existent (for women).
Amitriptyline vs. pregabalin in painful diabetic neuropathy: a randomized double blind clinical trial
Authors: Bansal D. , Bhansali A. , Hota D. , Chakrabarti A. , Dutta P.
Published: July 2009

Aims  To compare the efficacy and safety of pregabalin and amitriptyline in alleviating pain associated with diabetic peripheral neuropathy.

Methods  A randomized, double‐blind, crossover, active–control, clinical trial with variable dose titration was carried out (n = 51). Amitriptyline orally, at doses of 10, 25 and 50 mg at night‐time and pregabalin orally, at doses of 75, 150 and 300 mg twice daily, by optional titration was used. Each drug treatment was of 5 weeks. There was a placebo washout period for 3 weeks between the two drugs. Assessment for pain relief, overall improvement and adverse events were carried out.

Results  Good, moderate and mild pain relief were noted in 21 (48%), 6 (13%) and 7 (15%) patients on pregabalin and 15 (34%), 5 (11%) and 12 (27%) patients on amitriptyline, respectively, by patient’s global assessment of efficacy and safety. Patient and physician’s global assessment, McGill pain questionnaire, Likert pain scale and Patient Global Impression of Change showed no significant difference between the treatments, although improvement with both treatments was seen from the first week. Of the 52 adverse events reported, 34 (65.4%) were with amitriptyline, drowsiness being the commonest [in 19 (43%) patients]. Pregabalin caused adverse events in 18 (25%), of which drowsiness was the most common in nine (20%) patients. The preferred pregabalin dose was 150 mg twice daily.

Conclusions  As there are few differences between the two treatments in efficacy, pregabalin 150 mg twice daily might be the alternative choice as it is associated with fewer adverse effects in our population.
Plasma glucose and hypoglycaemia following exercise in people with Type 1 diabetes: a comparison of three basal insulins
Authors: Arutchelvam V. , Heise T. , Dellweg S. , Elbroend B. , Minns I. , Home P. D.
Published: July 2009

Aim  The aim of this study was to compare the effects of exercise on plasma glucose excursions when using each of three basal insulins in people with Type 1 diabetes.

Research design and methods  This was a multinational, open‐label, randomized, three‐period, crossover clinical trial. People with Type 1 diabetes [n = 51, age 39 ± 10 (± sd) years, 67% men] managed with mealtime plus basal insulin regimens, were exercised for 30 min, 5 h after the last mealtime and basal insulin injection when using insulin detemir, insulin glargine or neutral protamine Hagedorn (NPH) insulin.

Results  There were no significant differences in the plasma glucose excursions during or for 150 min after exercise. During 30 min exercise, five (11%) participants on insulin detemir developed minor hypoglycaemia, six (12%) for NPH and 18 (38%) for glargine. From the end of exercise to 150 min, five (11%) on insulin detemir developed minor hypoglycaemia, seven (14%) for NPH and nine (19%) for glargine. In total, from start of exercise to 150 min after exercise, 10 (21%) participants on insulin detemir experienced minor hypoglycaemia as compared with 13 (27%) for NPH and 27 (57%) for glargine (P < 0.001 glargine vs. detemir and NPH). Maximum plasma cortisol levels were lower on detemir and NPH than glargine.

Conclusions  Insulin detemir was associated with less hypoglycaemia than insulin glargine but not NPH insulin in relatively well‐controlled people with Type 1 diabetes during and after exercise.
Clinical factors associated with gait alterations in diabetic patients
Authors: Allet L. , Armand S. , De Bie R. A. , Golay A. , Pataky Z. , Aminian K. , De Bruin E. D.
Published: July 2009

Aim  To identify clinical factors associated with gait alterations in patients with Type 2 diabetes.

Methods  A sample of 76 diabetic patients underwent clinical examination and an outdoor gait assessment on tarred and cobblestoned terrains. We calculated respective differences in gait speed (performance measure) and gait variability (fall risk index) on changing terrains. Associations with clinical factors were investigated using correlation coefficients and linear regression analysis.

Results  The mean walking speed on the tarred pathway was 4.5 ± 0.6 km/h and 3.9 ± 0.8 km/h on the cobblestone pathway (P < 0.001). The CVGCT increased from 2.6 ± 0.9% on the tarred pathway to 5.1 ± 2.8% on the cobblestone pathway (P < 0.001). Regression analysis showed that 36% of the decrease in gait speed was explained proportionally by the mean of maximal isometric lower limb strength (22.2%; P ≤ 0.01), fear of falls (7.4%; P ≤ 0.01) and participants’ perceived vibration threshold (6.4%; P ≤ 0.01). Moreover, mean maximal isometric strength explained 11.8% (P ≤ 0.01) of the increase of the coefficient of variation of the gait cycle time when participants changed from tarred terrain to cobblestones.

Conclusion  This study indicated that both physiological (strength and proprioception) and cognitive–behavioural factors (fear of falls) should be considered when treating diabetic patients with gait alterations. Therapists should apply these findings when developing specific fall prevention and treatment programmes.
GROWTH AND CYCLES, IN THE MODE OF MARX AND SCHUMPETER
Authors: Boldrin Michele
Published: July 2009

I propose a theory of endogenous growth and cycles under competitive conditions. Firms choose how many workers to hire, how much to invest, and which technologies to use. New capacity, embodying labor‐saving technologies, is costlier than old one but allows for a lower wage bill. The interaction between labor‐saving innovations and changes in the relative price of labor is the source of growth cycles.
SCIENCE‐BASED R&D IN SCHUMPETERIAN GROWTH
Authors: Cozzi Guido , Galli Silvia
Published: July 2009

Firm success is often associated with the development of better products. Private firms undertake applied R&D seeking market advantage, by capitalizing on the freely accessible results of basic research. But unpatentable basic research often fails to address applied R&D open problems. What is the role of the incentives in improving the innovative performance of an economy by matching partially motivated public researchers to their mission? Sometimes government‐funded research projects are mission‐directed, and yet in many cases the public sector academics indulge in carrier‐driven research. An innovation system where, as in the United States, basic research is also driven by patents implicitly sets an ex‐post incentive to the researchers guided by invisible hand. For a public innovation system – like the European one – designing an incentive scheme to motivate public researchers is of key importance for fostering the performance of the economic system. This paper extends the Schumpeterian multisector growth model with vertical innovation by highlighting a link between the degree of ‘targetness’ of public research and aggregate innovation. A positive effect of social capital is also proved.
SUSTAINING THE GOOSE THAT LAYS THE GOLDEN EGG: A CONTINUOUS TREATMENT OF TECHNOLOGICAL TRANSFER
Authors: Sá Nelson , Connolly Michelle , Peretto Pietro
Published: July 2009

This paper proposes a simple model of the trade‐offs perceived by innovating firms when investing in countries with limited intellectual property rights (IPR). The model allows for a continuous treatment of technology transfer and production cost gains occurring through FDI. While it does not consider possible changes in rates of innovation caused by changes in IPR in developing countries, it allows one to uncover a potentially non‐monotonic relationship between welfare and IPR in the recipient country.
Unemployment Durations in West Germany Before and After the Reform of the Unemployment Compensation System during the 1980s
Authors: Fitzenberger Bernd , Wilke Ralf A.
Published: July 2009

This paper analyzes empirically the distribution of unemployment durations in West Germany during the 1980s and 1990s. It therefore covers periods before and after the changes during the mid-1980s in the maximum entitlement periods for unemployment benefits for older unemployed. The analysis is based on the IAB employment subsample containing administrative data for about 500,000 individuals. Since these data only partly reveal the unemployment duration in an economic sense, we use a narrow and a wide proxy for unemployment. Our empirical analysis finds significant changes in the distribution of non-employment durations for older unemployed. At the same time, the distribution of unemployment durations between jobs remained unchanged after the reforms. Our findings clearly show that many firms and workers used the more beneficial laws as a part of early retirement packages. Surprisingly, for those workers who found and accepted a new job, we do not observe a prolongation of their search periods to a sizeable extent.
Controllability and Persistence of Money Market Rates along the Yield Curve: Evidence from the Euro Area
Authors: Busch Ulrike , Nautz Dieter
Published: July 2009

Controllability of longer-term interest rates requires that the persistence of their deviations from the central bank’s policy rate (i.e. the policy spreads) remains sufficiently low. This paper applies fractional integration techniques to assess the persistence of policy spreads of euro area money market rates along the yield curve. Independently from anticipated policy rate changes, there is strong evidence for all maturities that policy spreads exhibit long memory. We show that recent changes in the operational framework and the communication strategy of the European Central Bank (ECB) have significantly decreased the persistence of euro area policy spreads and, thus, have enhanced the ECB’s influence on longer-term money market rates.
Influence of applied quantity, water‐immersion and air‐drying on covering and microstructure of physical sunscreen films
Authors: Tarroux R. , Assalit M.‐F. , Hemmerlé J. , Ginestar J.
Published: July 2009

Synopsis

The features of topically applied suncream films depend on the applied quantities and could be modified by water immersion and air drying. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of the aforementioned factors on physical sunscreen films and to establish the correlation between the in vitro determined Sun Protection Factor (SPF) and the microstructure of the mineral coating. The assessments were conducted by using UV spectroscopy and electron microscopy on sunscreen films applied on both synthetic membranes and human skin. The results emphasize the paramount role played by the applied quantity to produce a continuous and protecting sunscreen film. The microscopic findings show that water immersion induces mainly a compactness of the sunscreen films, whereas no significant alterations were noted after air drying. Lastly, the SPF values, measured before and after water immersion, disclose the satisfactory water resistance of the broad‐spectrum physical sunscreen considered.

Résumé

Les caractéristiques d’applications de films de crème solaire dépendent des quantités appliquées et pourraient être modifiées par immersion dans l’eau ou séchage à l’air. Le but de ce travail était d’étudier les effets des facteurs susmentionnés sur des films d’un anti‐solaire tout minéral et d’établir une corrélation entre le facteur de protection solaire (SPF) in vitro et la microstructure du revêtement minéral. Les investigations ont été conduites par spectroscopie UV et par microscopie électronique à partir de films d’écran solaire appliqués tantôt sur un support de synthèse et tantôt sur de la peau humaine. Les résultats soulignent le rôle majeur joué par la quantité appliquée pour obtenir un film continu et protecteur. Les observations microscopiques montrent que l’immersion dans l’eau induit principalement un compactage de la couche d’anti‐solaire, alors que le séchage ne semble pas entraîner d’altérations significatives. Enfin, les valeurs des SPF, mesurés avant et après immersion dans l’eau, révèlent une résistance à l’eau satisfaisante du produit solaire considéré.
Assessing the Onset of Relief of a Treatment for Migraine
Authors: Laska EM , Siegel C
Published: July 2009

It is common for clinical trials designed to compare treatments for migraine to incorporate a component for estimating onset. Our objective is to describe a stopwatch method for collecting data on time to meaningful relief and a conceptual framework for describing and analysing the results. The survival distribution of onset is modelled in two parts: the probability that onset does not occur, and the survival distribution conditional on its occurrence. Using data from a clinical trial comparing an active treatment and placebo, we illustrate the method and find that the distributions of onset among those with onset do not differ, but the probabilities that onset occurs are substantially different. We illustrate how the model can be used to help determine how long patients without onset should wait before further intervention, how patients interpret the phrase meaningful relief, and how baseline clinical characteristics affect the onset.
Migraine-Like Headache in Bacterial Meningitis
Authors: Lampl C , Yazdi K , Buzath A , Klingler D
Published: July 2009

The effect of sumatriptan has not been previously described in the treatment of the headache of meningitis, although this headache has similarities to migraine. This study presents the clinical features of two patients who had fulminant bacterial meningitis with migraine-like headache and who experienced no improvement in headache intensity after administration of sumatriptan 6 mg s.c. On these grounds the lack of response of this type of headache to sumatriptan is discussed.
NiCl2 and Amiloride Induce Spreading Depression in Guinea Pig Hippocampal Slices
Authors: Gorji A , Scheller D , Tegtmeier F , Köhling R , Straub H , Speckmann E-J
Published: July 2009

Spreading depressions (SD) occur in association with ischaemia, epilepsy and migraine. Intracellular calcium oscillations have been suggested to be involved in the generation and propagation of SD. The present study was performed to study the mechanism of conditioning guinea pig hippocampal slices by the T-type calcium channel blockers NiCl2 and amiloride. SD-like fluctuations of DC potential were recorded by inserting microelectrodes into the CA1 and CA3 regions. The SD occurrence was significantly greater with 10 µmol/ l NiCl2 as well as with 25 and 50 µmol/ l amiloride than with other concentrations of these substances. The concentration response curve was inversely U-shaped with the maximum repetition rates of SDs being achieved at 10 µmol/ l NiCl2 as well as at 25 and 50 µmol/ l amiloride. SD occurrence could be completely blocked by the NMDA antagonist APV (10 µmol/ l) in all cases. These data demonstrate that modulation of the Ca2+ dynamics conditioned guinea pig hippocampal slices and increased their susceptibility to generate SD.
The evolutionary history of a mammal species with a highly fragmented range: the phylogeography of the European snow vole
Authors: Castiglia R. , Annesi F. , Kryštufek B. , Filippucci M. G. , Amori G.
Published: July 2009

The European snow vole Chionomys nivalis has a patchy distribution restricted to rocky habitats across southern Europe and the Near and Middle East. We carried out a phylogeographic study to provide a biogeographic scenario, based on molecular data, outlining the major processes that determined the current distribution of the species. The samples include 26 snow voles from 14 different populations across the entire species range from Spain to Anatolia and Israel. Nearly complete sequences (1037 bp) of the mitochondrial gene for cytochrome b were sequenced. Relationships among haplotypes were inferred with neighbour‐joining, maximum likelihood, maximum parsimony analyses and minimum spanning network. An analysis of mismatch distribution was used to cast light on past demographic expansion. We found 22 different haplotypes that fall into six distinct lineages, all but one is supported by high bootstrap values with all methods. Four lineages are allopatric (Tatra Mts., Iberia, Balkans and Middle East) while divergent haplotypes from two lineages show sympatry in the Alps and the Apennines. The basal relationships of these lineages could not be established by any tree. The mean pairwise genetic distance between lineages ranges from 2.4 to 4.2%. The shape of the mismatch distribution indicated a past expansion event dating back to between 158 000 and 84 000 years ago. These data can be interpreted with the existence of southern glacial refugia (Iberia, Balkans, Middle East and Italy) and one additional northern glacial refugium. The lack of phylogenetic resolution among lineages and the shape of mismatch distribution are indicative of a simultaneous and rapid splitting due to a relatively fast initial expansion of populations. Moreover, the analysis supports the hypothesis of the European origin of C. nivalis and its subsequent eastward dispersion during the Middle Pleistocene.
CRMP‐2 directly binds to cytoplasmic dynein and interferes with its activity
Authors: Arimura Nariko , Hattori Atsushi , Kimura Toshihide , Nakamuta Shinichi , Funahashi Yasuhiro , Hirotsune Shinji , Furuta Kenya , Urano Takashi , Toyoshima Yoko Y. , Kaibuchi Kozo
Published: July 2009

The active transport of proteins and organelles is critical for cellular organization and function in eukaryotic cells. A substantial portion of long‐distance transport depends on the opposite polarity of the kinesin and dynein family molecular motors to move cargo along microtubules. It is increasingly clear that many cargo molecules are moved bi‐directionally by both sets of motors; however, the regulatory mechanism that determines the directionality of transport remains unclear. We previously reported that collapsin response mediator protein‐2 (CRMP‐2) played key roles in axon elongation and neuronal polarization. CRMP‐2 was also found to associate with the anterograde motor protein Kinesin‐1 and was transported with other cargoes toward the axon terminal. In this study, we investigated the association of CRMP‐2 with a retrograde motor protein, cytoplasmic dynein. Immunoprecipitation assays showed that CRMP‐2 interacted with cytoplasmic dynein heavy chain. Dynein heavy chain directly bound to the N‐terminus of CRMP‐2, which is the distinct side of CRMP‐2’s kinesin light chain‐binding region. Furthermore, over‐expression of the dynein‐binding fragments of CRMP‐2 prevented dynein‐driven microtubule transport in COS‐7 cells. Given that CRMP‐2 is a key regulator of axon elongation, this interference with cytoplasmic dynein function by CRMP‐2 might have an important role in axon formation, and neuronal development.
The blood–brain barrier in neurodegenerative disease: a rhetorical perspective
Authors: Carvey Paul M. , Hendey Bill , Monahan Angela J.
Published: July 2009

Recent studies suggest that the function of the blood–brain barrier (BBB) is not static under normal physiologic conditions and is likely altered in neurodegenerative disease. Prevailing thinking about CNS function, and neurodegenerative disease in particular, is neurocentric excluding the impact of factors outside the CNS. This review challenges this perspective and discusses recent reports suggesting the involvement of peripheral factors including toxins and elements of adaptive immunity that may not only play a role in pathogenesis, but also progression of neurodegenerative diseases. Central to this view is neuroinflammation. Several studies indicate that the neuroinflammatory changes that accompany neurodegeneration affect the BBB or its function by altering transport systems, enhancing immune cell entry, or influencing the BBB’s role as a signaling interface. Such changes impair the BBB’s normal homeostatic function and affect neural activity. Moreover, recent studies reveal that alterations in BBB and its transporters affect the entry of drugs used to treat neurodegenerative diseases. Incorporating BBB compromise and dysfunction into our view of neurodegenerative disease leads to the inclusion of peripheral mediators in its pathogenesis and progression. In addition, this changing view of the BBB raises interesting new therapeutic possibilities for drug delivery as well as treatment strategies designed to reinstate normal barrier function.
Bilateralism or the median mandate? An examination of rival perspectives on democratic governance
Authors: WARWICK PAUL V.
Published: July 2009

Michael McDonald and Ian Budge have recently advanced an interpretation of democratic governance based on what they term the ‘median mandate’. This perspective locates the key element of liberal democracy in a close correspondence between government policy and the policy preferences of the median voter on the left‐right scale. The cross‐national evidence they produce in favour of this interpretation is impressive, but it largely hinges on a method for measuring the median voter position in each election that relies on the positions of the various parties in the election and the vote shares they received. This article examines the validity of the median mandate hypothesis when median positions are measured more directly from public opinion surveys (particularly, the Eurobarometer and Comparative Study of Electoral Systems series). The findings show that choice between distinct alternatives, rather than conformity to the median, more accurately characterises governance in democratic systems.
A Staged Service Innovation Model*
Authors: Song Lisa Z. , Song Michael , Di Benedetto C. Anthony
Published: July 2009

Drawing from the new product development (NPD) literature, service quality literature (SERVQUAL), and empirically grounded research with 53 service innovation decision makers, we develop a staged service innovation model (SIM) for decision makers. We tested the model using empirical data from 329 firms across five industries. The empirical results show that integrating prelaunch service quality training into new service development process leads to successful service innovation. The model developed in this article can be used as a decision support tool and diagnostic model for assessing service innovation ideas, evaluating performance of ongoing service innovations, allocating resources, and improving success rate of service innovations. Decision makers can use the measures developed in this study as a checklist to identify their strengths in delivering service quality to their own customers as well as areas of improvement. This article extends service innovation research by combining NPD and service quality development into a single study and opens the door to further work that could help improve the success rate of service innovations. The model can serve as a base model for future research extensions in service innovation research. A major takeaway for the academic reader is that the SIM demonstrates the value of using the SERVQUAL literature to understand how best to provide excellent quality that results in more fully satisfied customers and, ultimately, improved service performance.
Service Architecture and Modularity*
Authors: Voss Christopher A. , Hsuan Juliana
Published: July 2009

An understanding of the nature of service architecture and modularity is crucial to service design and innovation. Two sets of approaches are developed that further our understanding and support decision making. First is a systematic decomposition approach to architecture modeling that allows organizations to understand their current architecture, evaluate alternative architectures, and identify key interfaces between different parts of the service. Second, the article develops a service modularity function (SMF), a mathematical model indicating the degree of modularity deriving from unique services and the degree to which the modules can be replicated across a variety of services. Three areas are identified that can contribute to competitiveness: the possession of unique service modules or elements not easily copied in the short term by competitors; the ability to exploit these through replication across multiple services and/or multiple sites; and the presence of a degree of modularity, which in turn supports both customization and rapid new product development. The SMF can support decision making in the design of services and the exploitation of service innovation. In particular, the relationship between architecture and modularity and the roles of service contact personnel in the customization of services is shown to be complementary. It is proposed that service customization can be either combinatorial (the combination of a set of service processes and products to create a unique service) or menu driven (the selection of one or more services from a set of existing services/products to meet customer needs).
A Design Theory Approach to Building Strategic Network‐Based Customer Service Systems*
Authors: Brohman M. Kathryn , Piccoli Gabriele , Martin Patrick , Zulkernine Farhana , Parasuraman A. , Watson Richard T.
Published: July 2009

Customer service is a key component of a firm's value proposition and a fundamental driver of differentiation and competitive advantage in nearly every industry. Moreover, the relentless coevolution of service opportunities with novel and more powerful information technologies has made this area exciting for academic researchers who can contribute to shaping the design and management of future customer service systems. We engage in interdisciplinary research—across information systems, marketing, and computer science—in order to contribute to the service design and service management literature. Grounded in the design‐science perspective, our study leverages marketing theory on the service‐dominant logic and recent findings pertaining to the evolution of customer service systems. Our theorizing culminates with the articulation of four design principles. These design principles underlie the emerging class of customer service systems that, we believe, will enable firms to better compete in an environment characterized by an increase in customer centricity and in customers' ability to self‐serve and dynamically assemble the components of solutions that fit their needs. In this environment, customers retain control over their transactional data, as well as the timing and mode of their interactions with firms, as they increasingly gravitate toward integrated complete customer solutions rather than single products or services. Guided by these design principles, we iterated through, and evaluated, two instantiations of the class of systems we propose, before outlining implications and directions for further cross‐disciplinary scholarly research.
Shared Services Transformation: Conceptualization and Valuation from the Perspective of Real Options
Authors: Su Ning , Akkiraju Rama , Nayak Nitin , Goodwin Richard
Published: July 2009

In today's volatile global economy, where many organizations face severe pressure to downsize, the “shared services” model, in which a firm merges common functions performed by multiple units into a single service delivery organization, provides an innovative approach to make business more efficient and effective. To successfully implement shared services, firms need to strategically decide whether and how to pursue various service transformation alternatives such as simplification, standardization, consolidation, insourcing, or outsourcing. In this study, we develop the notion of real options into a unique theoretical lens for conceptualizing service organizations and their transformation in an uncertain business environment. Specifically, we view service organization as a set of strategic options that give the firm preferential access to future transformation opportunities. We create a taxonomy of these options, and introduce a decision methodology for valuing alternative shared services transformation approaches. We illustrate this methodology by applying it in a real business case to justify a global firm's decision regarding the transformation of its finance organization.
Dental hygienists in Europe: trends towards harmonization of education and practice since 2003
Authors: Luciak‐Donsberger C , Eaton KA
Published: July 2009

Abstract:  Aim:  The aim of this study was to investigate the trends in dental hygienists’ education and regulation in the European Union (EU) and European Economic Area (EEA) to examine whether, since 2003, there has been harmonization in dental hygiene education.

Methods:  Information and data were obtained via piloted questionnaires and structured interviews with delegates from the International and European Dental Hygienists’ Federations and representatives of the Council of European Chief Dental Officers and by literature review.

Results:  In the EU/EEA, dental hygienists are legally recognized in 22 countries. Since 2003, there has been an increase in the number of Bachelor degree programmes and in autonomous practice. Entry to the profession is now exclusively via a Bachelor degree in five EU/EEA Member States and pending in two more. Ten Member States have adapted their degree programmes to the European Credit Transfer System. Two Member States combine education for dental hygienists and dental therapists. However, dental hygienists are not recognized by EU law and in five Members States, the introduction of the profession has been opposed by dental associations.

Conclusions:  For the reasons of wide variations in the standards of preventive care and periodontal therapies, the formal recognition of the dental hygiene profession by EU legislation and agreement on a pan‐European curriculum for dental hygiene education leading to defined professional competencies and learning outcomes is required. To achieve this, there is a need for a better collaboration between competent authorities including governments, universities and dental and dental hygienists’ associations.
Learning climate in dental hygiene education: a longitudinal case study of a Japanese and Canadian programme
Authors: Saito A , Sunell S , Rucker L , Wilson M , Sato Y , Cathcart G
Published: July 2009

To cite this article:
 
Int J Dent Hygiene  Saito A, Sunell S, Rucker L, Wilson M, Sato Y, Cathcart G. Learning climate in dental hygiene education: a longitudinal case study of a Japanese and Canadian programme.

Abstract:  Educational climates have been found to have important influences on learning, but little feedback has been obtained from dental hygiene students. The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of the learning climate in Japanese and Canadian dental hygiene programmes for the purpose of making positive changes. A survey instrument with 10 dimensions relating to learning climate was adapted from business and dental models, and designated as the Dental Hygiene Student Learning Climate Survey (DHS‐LCS). Higher scores indicated a more positive and supportive learning climate, and lower scores indicated an environment that is potentially less desirable. Students enrolled in a Japanese and a Canadian dental hygiene programme participated in this four‐year study from 2005 to 2008. A total of 402 surveys were returned for an average response rate of 62%. The mean total DHS‐LCS score of Canadian students was statistically significantly higher than that of Japanese students (P < 0.001) in all years tested, indicating that the Canadian students’ perceptions of their learning environment were more favourable than those of the Japanese students. Based on the analyses of the DHS‐LCS data, interventions to improve learning climates were designed and implemented. There were statistically significant improvements (P < 0.01) in DHS‐LCS scores of Japanese and Canadian students over the years of the study, suggesting that student‐centred interventions improved the perceived learning environment. The instrument appears to be helpful in identifying student concerns and can be used to implement interventions to help support a healthier learning climate.
Clinical characteristics of patients with non‐specific and non‐categorized mitochondrial diseases
Authors: Kim Jeong Tae , Lee Yun Jin , Lee Young Mock , Kang Hoon Chul , Lee Joon Soo , Kim Heung Dong
Published: July 2009

Aim:  Mitochondrial disease is a heterogeneous disorder entity induced by defects in mitochondrial respiratory chain complex (MRC). A significant portion of patients with MRC defect will not conform to a specific, known syndrome. We have analysed the clinical features of 108 Korean paediatric patients with non‐specific and non‐categorized mitochondrial disease.

Methods:  We retrospectively reviewed the clinical and laboratory features of 108 paediatrics patients with non‐specific and non‐categorized mitochondrial diseases who showed defects in MRC activity, confirmed by spectrophotometric biochemical enzyme assay of their muscles.

Results:  Neuromuscular involvement was noted in all patients, with developmental delay and seizure accounting for 92.6% and 77.8% of total patients respectively. Various extraneurological symptoms were observed. Most patients exhibited MRC I defect, accounting for 100 (92.6%) patients. The most common brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) finding was diffuse cerebral atrophy. However, in 23.1% of patients, no notable changes were visible on MRI.

Conclusions:  Mitochondrial respiratory chain complex I defect was the most common finding in this study. Though neuromuscular symptoms predominated, with presence of numerous extraneurological findings, we could not find any novel symptoms that might be unique to this category of mitochondrial disease. But, comparatively, more patients presented with unremarkable birth histories and normal brain MRI findings.
Lumbar disc herniation in young children
Authors: Haidar R , Ghanem I , Saad S , Uthman I
Published: July 2009

Aim:  This article explores lumbar disc herniation in young children through focusing on matters relevant to patient presentation, physical examination, differential diagnosis, imaging and treatment.

Methods:  Major databases were searched for studies that addressed lumbar disc herniation in young children.

Results:  Diagnosis of lumbar disc herniation in young children is usually delayed because of the rarity and lack of experience with this entity and the difficulty in extracting a reliable medical history. Nevertheless, lumbar disc herniation should be considered in the differential diagnosis of any young child presenting with a chief complaint of back pain and/or radiculopathy, especially in the setting of recent trauma. This should be coupled with a directed physical examination to elicit signs and narrow the differential diagnosis. Imaging studies, mainly magnetic resonance imaging, will help establish a diagnosis; yet radiographs are still required to exclude other spinal lesions. The initial management of lumbar disc herniation in children is the same as that in adults and consists of conservative treatment unless lumbar disc herniation affects the patient’s motor and neurological functions in which case, early surgical treatment must be undertaken. Although the latter remains more difficult, current experience suggests a favourable outcome.

Conclusion:  Awareness of lumbar disc herniation will help the paediatrician extract a relevant medical history, perform a directed physical examination, and order appropriate imaging studies. This will aid in initiating early intervention, be it conservative or operative, and achieving a favourable outcome.
Effects of home and office care denture reliners on maxillary complete dentures
Authors: Udo‐Yamakawa Aiko , Kawai Yasuhiko
Published: July 2009

doi:10.1111/j.1741‐2358.2009.00308.x
 
Effects of home and office care denture reliners on maxillary complete dentures

Objectives:  The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of office (OR) and home (HR) care temporary denture reliners on satisfaction and functional outcomes in maxillary complete denture wearers.

Methods:  Thirty‐four maxillary edentulous patients received application of either OR or HR to their maxillary complete dentures. Patient’s ratings on satisfaction and functional aspects were measured on a 100‐mm visual analogue scale at 4 days post‐application. Associations between baseline ratings and improvement were also assessed.

Results:  There were no significant differences between the two groups in satisfaction ratings or in the functional outcomes. The OR group showed a significant improvement in mastication and retention, whereas the HR group exhibited a significant improvement in general satisfaction and mastication. Improvement was negatively associated with baseline ratings of speech, ease of cleaning, stability and retention in the OR groups and across all variables, except ease of cleaning, in the HR group.

Conclusion:  When used correctly, home care denture therapy can be as effective as office applied temporary liner in improving satisfaction with problematic maxillary dentures.
Diet Studies in the Romantic Period
Authors: Webb Samantha
Published: July 2009

The burgeoning interdisciplinary field of diet studies examines representations of food, eating and drinking, and other aspects of consumption in literary and non‐literary texts. It emerged in the field of British Romanticism, at the intersection of materialist and formalist criticisms, and draws on food anthropology, food history and consumption studies. It also seeks to intervene into philosophy and aesthetics by revealing the corporeal and gustatory tropes that sometimes ground these fields. The Romantic period has proven to be a fertile literary moment for questions about diet. Coinciding historically with the consumer revolution, the period between the 1780s and 1830s saw many changes in diet, including the rise of haute cuisine, and the introduction of luxury foods like tea, sugar, coffee and chocolate. Dietary reformers also sought to introduce potatoes into the diets of the poor in the wake of food shortages. In tandem with this historical context, the 18th century is also known as the ‘century of taste’, and diet studies examine the gustatory dimensions of the aesthetic concept of taste. In diet studies, food is read as a sign that can demystify ‘Romantic ideology’ but that can also maintain its status as a figure. In this article, I review some of the most important works in the field, and suggest some of the reasons that diet studies has proved to be such a productive intervention into Romantics studies.
Phosphorylation of hormone‐sensitive lipase by protein kinase A in vitro promotes an increase in its hydrophobic surface area
Authors: Krintel Christian , Mörgelin Matthias , Logan Derek T. , Holm Cecilia
Published: July 2009

Hormone‐sensitive lipase (EC 3.1.1.79; HSL) is a key enzyme in the mobilization of fatty acids from stored triacylglycerols. HSL activity is controlled by phosphorylation of at least four serines. In rat HSL, Ser563, Ser659 and Ser660 are phosphorylated by protein kinase A (PKA) in vitro as well as in vivo, and Ser660 and Ser659 have been shown to be the activity‐controlling sites in vitro. The exact molecular events of PKA‐mediated activation of HSL in vitro are yet to be determined, but increases in both Vmax and S0.5 seem to be involved, as recently shown for human HSL. In this study, the hydrophobic fluorescent probe 4,4′‐dianilino‐1,1′‐binaphthyl‐5,5′‐disulfonic acid (bis‐ANS) was found to inhibit the hydrolysis of triolein by purified recombinant rat adipocyte HSL, with a decrease in the effect of bis‐ANS upon PKA phosphorylation of HSL. The interaction of HSL with bis‐ANS was found to have a Kd of 1 μm in binding assays. Upon PKA phosphorylation, the interactions of HSL with both bis‐ANS and the alternative probe SYPRO Orange were increased. By negative stain transmission electron microscopy, phosphorylated HSL was found to have a closer interaction with phospholipid vesicles than unphosphorylated HSL. Taken together, our results show that HSL increases its hydrophobic nature upon phosphorylation by PKA. This suggests that PKA phosphorylation induces a conformational change that increases the exposed hydrophobic surface and thereby facilitates binding of HSL to the lipid substrate.

Structured digital abstract

 MINT‐7211789: PKA (uniprotkb:P05132) phosphorylates (MI:0217) HSL (uniprotkb:P15304) by protein kinase assay (MI:0424)
Brain angiogenesis in developmental and pathological processes: therapeutic aspects of vascular endothelial growth factor
Authors: Shibuya Masabumi
Published: July 2009

The angiogenic process in the central nervous system (CNS) is basically regulated by typical angiogenic signaling systems such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)–VEGF receptors and angiopoietin–Tie receptors. In addition to regular endothelial–pericyte interaction, the CNS vasculature has a unique system of cell to cell communication between endothelial cells and astrocytes which is known as the blood–brain barrier. Among the pathological conditions of the CNS vascular network, stroke is a major disease in which the supply of blood is decreased. Pro‐angiogenic therapy using natural VEGF‐A has so far been unsuccessful, indicating the possible need for a new approach related to upstream or downstream regulators involved in the VEGF‐signaling pathway, or alternate VEGF family members. By contrast, a pathological increase in the blood supply in the CNS is seen in brain tumors, in particular malignant gliomas. In phase II clinical trials, anti‐VEGF therapies have been shown to suppress tumor growth and improve survival rates to some extent. However, tumor invasion and the distant metastasis of gliomas can occur following anti‐angiogenic therapy. Further studies are needed to obtain safer clinical outcomes by developing new strategies with combination therapy using known anti‐angiogenic drugs or by developing unique medicines specifically targeting the blood vessels in brain tumors.
Bipartite recognition and conformational sampling mechanisms for hydride transfer from nicotinamide coenzyme to FMN in pentaerythritol tetranitrate reductase
Authors: Pudney Christopher R. , Hay Sam , Scrutton Nigel S.
Published: July 2009

Elucidating the origin of substrate and coenzyme specificity has been the focus of much work relating to enzyme engineering. Many enzymes exhibit tight specificity for particular substrates despite a close structural relationship to other nonreactive compounds. This tight specificity is especially remarkable and important biologically for the coenzymes NADH and NADPH. In the present study, we examined the preference of pentaerythritol tetranitrate reductase, an ‘old yellow enzyme’ family member, for the coenzymes NADPH over NADH. Using structural and mutagenesis studies, we have previously established that the coenzyme nicotinamide group is the key binding determinant in old yellow enzymes [Khan H et al. (2005)FEBS J272, 4660–4671]. We have now performed detailed transient‐state studies using NAD(P)H and the nonreactive analogues 1,4,5,6‐tetrahydroNAD(P)H [NAD(P)H4], leading us to uncover an additional binding step in the reductive half‐reaction of pentaerythritol tetranitrate reductase. We suggest that this initial binding step may primarily reflect binding of the adenine ribophosphate portion of the coenzyme, and that the second step reflects a rearrangement of the nicotinamide. Bipartite recognition, in which the adenine ribophosphate moiety localizes the coenzyme in the active site region, enables subsequent and localized searches of configurational space by the nicotinamide moiety to form the catalytically relevant charge‐transfer complex. We suggest that this localized search contributes to catalytic efficiency via the principle of ‘reduction in dimensionality’.
Molecular and cellular specificity of post‐translational aminoacyl isomerization in the crustacean hyperglycaemic hormone family
Authors: Ollivaux Céline , Gallois Dominique , Amiche Mohamed , Boscaméric Maryse , Soyez Daniel
Published: July 2009

d‐aminoacyl residues have been detected in various animal peptides from several taxa, especially vertebrates and arthropods. This unusual polymorphism was shown to occur in isoforms of the crustacean hyperglycaemic hormone (CHH) of the American lobster because a d‐phenylalanyl residue was found in position 3 of the sequence (CHH and d‐Phe3 CHH). In the present study, we report the detailed strategy used to characterize, in the lobster neuroendocrine system, isomers of another member of the CHH family, vitellogenesis inhibiting hormone (VIH). We have demonstrated that the fourth residue is either an l‐ or a d‐ tryptophanyl residue (VIH and d‐Trp4 VIH). Furthermore, use of antisera specifically recognizing the epimers of CHH and VIH reveals that aminoacyl isomerization occurs in specialized cells of the X organ–sinus gland neurosecretory system and that the d‐forms of the two neuropeptides are not only present in the same cells, but, importantly, also are co‐packaged within the same secretory vesicles.