bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Incidence, detection, and tumour stage of breast cancer in a cohort of Italian women with negative screening mammography report recommending early (short-interval) rescreen
Authors: Ravaioli Alessandra , Foca Flavia , Colamartini Americo , Falcini Fabio , Naldoni Carlo , Finarelli Alba C , de Bianchi Priscilla Sassoli , Bucchi Lauro
Published: February 2010

Background

Although poorly described in the literature, the practice of early (short-interval) rescreen after a negative screening mammogram is controversial due to its financial and psychological burden and because it is of no proven benefit.

Methods

The present study targeted an Italian 2-yearly screening programme (Emilia-Romagna Region, 1997-2002). An electronic dataset of 647,876 eligible negative mammography records from 376,257 women aged 50-69 years was record-linked with the regional breast cancer registry. The statistical analysis addressed the following research questions: (1) the prevalence of recommendation for early (<24 months) rescreen (RES) among negative mammography reports; (2) factors associated with the likelihood of a women receiving RES; and (3) whether women receiving RES and women receiving standard negative reports differed in terms of proportional incidence of interval breast cancer, recall rate at the next rescreen, detection rate of breast cancer at the next rescreen and the odds of having late-stage breast cancer during the interscreening interval and at the next rescreen.

Results

RES was used in eight out of 13 screening centres, where it was found in 4171 out of 313,320 negative reports (average rate 1.33%; range 0.05%-4.33%). Reports with RES were more likely for women aged 50-59 years versus older women (odds ratio (OR) 1.33; 95% CI 1.25-1.42), for the first versus subsequent screening rounds (OR 1.91; 95% CI 1.79-2.04) and with a centre-specific recall rate below the average of 6.2% (OR 1.41; 95% CI 1.32-1.50). RES predicted a 3.51-fold (95% CI 0.94-9.29) greater proportional incidence of first-year interval cancers, a 1.90-fold (95% CI 1.62-2.22) greater recall rate at the next screen, a 1.72-fold (95% CI 1.01-2.74) greater detection rate of cancer at the next screen and a non-significantly decreased risk of late disease stage (OR 0.59; 95% CI 0.23-1.53).

Conclusion

The prevalence of RES was in line with the maximum standard level established by the Italian national guidelines. RES identified a subset of women with greater incidence of interval cancers and greater prevalence of cancers detected at the next screen.
The unfulfilled gene is required for the development of mushroom body neuropil in Drosophila
Authors: Bates Karen E , Sung Carl S , Robinow Steven
Published: February 2010

Background

The mushroom bodies (MBs) of Drosophila are required for complex behaviors and consist of three types of neurons, γ, α'/β' and α/β. Previously, roles for transcription factors in MB neuronal differentiation have only been described for a subset of MB neurons. We are investigating the roles of unfulfilled (unf; HR51, CG16801) in MB development. unf encodes a nuclear receptor that is orthologous to the nuclear receptors fasciculation of axons defective 1 (FAX-1) of the nematode and photoreceptor specific nuclear receptor (PNR) of mammals. Based on our previous observations that unf transcripts accumulate in MB neurons at all developmental stages and the presence of axon pathfinding defects in fax-1 mutants, we hypothesized that unf regulates MB axon growth and pathfinding.

Results

We show that unf mutants exhibit a range of highly penetrant axon stalling phenotypes affecting all neurons of the larval and adult MBs. Phenotypic analysis of unf
X1
mutants revealed that α'/β' and α/β neurons initially project axons but stall prior to the formation of medial or dorsal MB lobes. unf
Z0001
mutants form medial lobes, although these axons fail to branch, which results in a failure to form the α or α' dorsal lobes. In either mutant background, γ neurons fail to develop larval-specific dorsal projections. These mutant γ neurons undergo normal pruning, but fail to re-extend axons medially during pupal development. unf
RNAi
animals displayed phenotypes similar to those seen in unf
Z0001
mutants. Unique asymmetrical phenotypes were observed in unf
X1
/unf
Z0001
compound heterozygotes. Expression of UAS-unf transgenes in MB neurons rescues the larval and adult unf mutant phenotypes.

Conclusions

These data support the hypothesis that unf plays a common role in the development of all types of MB neurons. Our data indicate that unf is necessary for MB axon extension and branching and that the formation of dorsal collaterals is more sensitive to the loss of unf function than medial projections. The asymmetrical phenotypes observed in compound heterozygotes support the hypothesis that the earliest MB axons may serve as pioneers for the later-born MB neurons, providing evidence for pioneer MB axon guidance in post-embryonic development.
Mitochondrial DNA haplogroups in early-onset Alzheimer's disease and frontotemporal lobar degeneration
Authors: Krüger Johanna , Hinttala Reetta , Majamaa Kari , Remes Anne M
Published: February 2010

Background

Mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative damage and the accumulation of somatic mutations in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) have been associated with certain neurodegenerative disorders. Previous studies have also provided controversial results on the association of mtDNA haplogroups with susceptibility to Alzheimer's disease (AD), but possible relationships between mtDNA and frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) have been less frequently studied.

Methods

We analysed the role of mtDNA and its maintenance enzymes in 128 early-onset AD (eoAD) and in 66 FTLD cases. Patients and 99 controls were collected from a defined region of Finland, that of Northern Ostrobothnia, for the determination of mtDNA haplogroups and the analysis of two common mtDNA mutations (m.3243A>G, m.8344A>G). In addition, screening was performed for five common POLG1 mutations (T251I, A467T, P587L, W748S and Y955C) and all the coding exons of the PEO1 and ANT1 genes were screened for mutations.

Results

The frequency of haplogroup cluster IWX was 2.3 fold higher among the FTLD cases than in the controls (OR 2.69, 95% CI 1.09-6.65, p = 0.028). The frequency of mtDNA haplogroups or clusters did not differ between the eoAD cases and controls. The two mtDNA mutations and five POLG1 mutations were absent in the eoAD and FTLD patients. No pathogenic mutations were found in the PEO1 or ANT1 genes.

Conclusions

We conclude that the haplogroup cluster IWX was associated with FTLD in our cohort. Further studies in other ethnically distinct cohorts are needed to clarify the contribution of mtDNA haplogroups to FTLD and AD.
Primary bony non-Hodgkin lymphoma of the cervical spine: a case report
Authors: Smith Zachary A , Sedrak Mark F , Khoo Larry T
Published: February 2010

Introduction

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma primarily originating from the bone is exceedingly rare. To our knowledge, this is the first report of primary bone lymphoma presenting with progressive cord compression from an origin in the cervical spine. Herein, we discuss the unusual location in this case, the presenting symptoms, and the management of this disease.

Case presentation

We report on a 23-year-old Caucasian-American man who presented with two months of night sweats, fatigue, parasthesias, and progressive weakness that had progressed to near quadriplegia. Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging demonstrated significant cord compression seen primarily at C7. Surgical management, with corpectomy and dorsal segmental fusion, in combination with adjuvant chemotherapy and radiation therapy, halted the progression of the primary disease and preserved neurological function. Histological analysis demonstrated an aggressive anaplastic large cell lymphoma.

Conclusion

Isolated primary bony lymphoma of the spine is exceedingly rare. As in our case, the initial symptoms may be the result of progressive cervical cord compression. Anterior corpectomy with posterolateral decompression and fusion succeeded in preventing progressive neurologic decline and maintaining quality of life. The reader should be aware of the unique presentation of this disease and that surgical management is a successful treatment strategy.
"Color Timer" mice: visualization of neuronal differentiation with fluorescent proteins
Authors: Kanki Hiroaki , Shimabukuro Marilia Kimie , Miyawaki Atsushi , Okano Hideyuki
Published: February 2010

The molecular mechanisms governing the differentiation of neural stem cells (NSCs) into neuronal progenitor cells and finally into neurons are gradually being revealed. The lack of convenient means for real-time determination of the stages of differentiation of individual neural cells, however, has been hindering progress in elucidating the mechanisms. In order to be able to easily identify the stages of differentiation of neural cells, we have been attempting to establish a mouse system that would allow progression of neuronal differentiation to be visualized based on transitions between fluorescence colors by using a combination of mouse genetics and the ever-expanding repertoire of fluorescent proteins. In this study we report the initial version of such a mouse system, which we call "Color Timer." We first generated transgenic (Tg; nestin/KOr Tg) mice in which production of the fluorescent protein Kusabira-Orange (KOr) is controlled by the gene regulatory elements within the 2nd intronic enhancer of the nestin gene, which is a good marker for NSCs, so that NSCs would emit orange fluorescence upon excitation. We then confirmed by immunohistochemical and immunocytochemical analyses that the KOr fluorescence closely reflected the presence of the Nestin protein. We also confirmed by a neurosphere formation assay that the intensity of the KOr fluorescence correlated with "stemness" of the cell and it was possible to readily identify NSCs in the two neurogenic regions, namely the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus and the subventricular zone of the lateral ventricle, in the brain of adult nestin/KOr Tg mice by the orange fluorescence they emitted. We then crossed nestin/KOr mice with doublecortin-enhanced Green Fluorescent Protein Tg mice, whose immature neurons emit green fluorescence upon excitation, and it was possible to visualize the progress of NSC-to-neuron differentiation by the transition between fluorescence colors from orange to green. This two-color initial version of the "Color Timer" mouse system will provide a powerful new tool for neurogenesis research.
Expression patterns of intronic microRNAs in Caenorhabditis elegans
Authors: Isik Meltem , Korswagen Hendrik C , Berezikov Eugene
Published: February 2010

Background

MicroRNAs (miRNA) are an abundant and ubiquitous class of small RNAs that play prominent roles in gene regulation. A significant fraction of miRNA genes reside in the introns of the host genes in the same orientation and are thought to be co-processed from the host gene mRNAs and thus depend on the host gene promoter for their expression. However, several lines of evidence for independent expression of intronic miRNAs exist in the literature but the extent of this independence remains unclear.

Results

We performed a systematic analysis of genomic regions surrounding intronic miRNAs in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans and found that, in many cases, there are extended intronic sequences immediately upstream of the miRNAs that are well-conserved between the nematodes. We have generated transcriptional green fluorescent protein reporter fusions in transgenic C. elegans lines and demonstrated that, in all seven investigated cases, the conserved sequences show promoter properties and produce specific expression patterns that are different from the host gene expression patterns. The observed expression patterns are corroborated by the published small RNA sequencing data.

Conclusions

Our analysis reveals that the number of intronic miRNAs that do not rely on their host genes for expression is substantially higher than previously appreciated. At least one-third of the same-strand intronic miRNAs in C. elegans posses their own promoters and, thus, could be transcribed independently from their host genes. These findings provide a new insight into the regulation of miRNA genes and will be useful for the analysis of interactions between miRNAs and their host genes.
Transposition of the Tourist-MITE mPing in yeast: an assay that retains key features of catalysis by the class 2 PIF/Harbinger superfamily
Authors: Hancock C Nathan , Zhang Feng , Wessler Susan R
Published: February 2010

Background

PIF/Harbinger is the most recently discovered DNA transposon superfamily and is now known to populate genomes from fungi to plants to animals. Mobilization of superfamily members requires two separate element-encoded proteins (ORF1 and TPase). Members of this superfamily also mobilize Tourist-like miniature inverted repeat transposable elements (MITEs), which are the most abundant transposable elements associated with the genes of plants, especially the cereal grasses. The phylogenetic analysis of many plant genomes indicates that MITEs can amplify rapidly from one or a few elements to hundreds or thousands.

The most active DNA transposon identified to date in plants or animals is mPing, a rice Tourist-like MITE that is a deletion derivative of the autonomous Ping element. Ping and the closely related Pong are the only known naturally active PIF/Harbinger elements. Some rice strains accumulate ~40 new mPing insertions per plant per generation. In this study we report the development of a yeast transposition assay as a first step in deciphering the mechanism underlying the amplification of Tourist-MITEs.

Results

The ORF1 and TPase proteins encoded by Ping and Pong have been shown to mobilize mPing in rice and in transgenic Arabidopsis. Initial tests of the native proteins in a yeast assay resulted in very low transposition. Significantly higher activities were obtained by mutation of a putative nuclear export signal (NES) in the TPase that increased the amount of TPase in the nucleus. When introduced into Arabidopsis, the NES mutant protein also catalyzed higher frequencies of mPing excision from the gfp reporter gene. Our yeast assay retains key features of excision and insertion of mPing including precise excision, extended insertion sequence preference, and a requirement for two proteins that can come from either Ping or Pong or both elements.

Conclusions

The yeast transposition assay provides a robust platform for analysis of the mechanism underlying transposition catalyzed by the two proteins of PIF/Harbinger elements. It recapitulates all of the features of excision and reinsertion of mPing as seen in plant systems. Furthermore, a mutation of a putative NES in the TPase increased transposition both in yeast and plants.
A conserved distal segment of the mouse CSF-1 receptor promoter is required for maximal expression of a reporter gene in macrophages and osteoclasts of transgenic mice
Authors: Ovchinnikov Dmitry A , DeBats Claire E E , Sester David P , Sweet Matthew J , Hume David A
Published: February 2010

Osteoclasts initiate transcription of the CSF-1 receptor gene from a distinct location upstream of the major macrophage transcription start sites.

Csf1r mRNA in adult mice is expressed in cells of the macrophage lineage, and during development, it is also expressed from a separate promoter in placental trophoblast cells. This mouse trophoblast promoter sequence is conserved across species, but human trophoblasts actually initiate transcription from a separate promoter 20 kb upstream, which is not conserved in rodents. A 7.2-kb fragment of the mouse Csf1r genomic DNA, including the 3.5-kb promoter, the first coding exon and downstream intron, is sufficient to direct reproducible position- and copy number-independent expression of an EGFP reporter in vitro and in vivo. In this study, we have examined the consequence of removal of the 150-bp fragment encompassing the conserved trophoblast promoter region in the context of the 7.2-kb promoter on reporter gene expression in transgenic mice. The deletion ablated expression in the placenta but also abolished expression in multinucleated OCL and reduced expression in macrophages. RT-PCR analyses of Csf1r mRNA revealed that mouse OCL use another promoter within this region, distinct from that used in placental trophoblasts, to generate an alternative 5′UTR.
Coupled equations for reverse time migration in transversely isotropic media
Authors: Fowler Paul J. , Du Xiang , Fletcher Robin P.
Published: February 2010

Reverse time migration (RTM) images reflectors by using time-extrapolation modeling codes to synthesize source and receiver wavefields in the subsurface. Asymptotic analysis of wave propagation in transversely isotropic (TI) media yields a dispersion relation describing coupled P- and SV-wave modes. This dispersion relation can be converted into a fourth-order scalar partial differential equation (PDE). Increased computational efficiency can be achieved using equivalent coupled second-order PDEs. Analysis of the corresponding dispersion relations as matrix eigenvalue systems allows one to characterize all possible coupled linear second-order systems equivalent to a given linear fourth-order PDE and to determine which ones yield optimally efficient finite-difference implementations. Setting the shear velocity along the axis of symmetry to zero yields a simpler approximate TI wave equation that is more efficient to implement. This simpler approximation, however, can become unstable for some plausible combinations of anisotropic parameters. The same eigensystem analysis can be applied using finite vertical shear velocity to obtain solutions that avoid these instability problems.
Phase III Study of Enzastaurin Compared With Lomustine in the Treatment of Recurrent Intracranial Glioblastoma
Authors: Wick Wolfgang , Puduvalli Vinay K. , Chamberlain Marc C. , van den Bent Martin J. , Carpentier Antoine F. , Cher Lawrence M. , Mason Warren , Weller Michael , Hong Shengyan , Musib Luna , Liepa Astra M. , Thornton Donald E. , Fine Howard A.
Published: February 2010

Purpose

This phase III open-label study compared the efficacy and safety of enzastaurin versus lomustine in patients with recurrent glioblastoma (WHO grade 4).

Patients and Methods

Patients were randomly assigned 2:1 to receive 6-week cycles of enzastaurin 500 mg/d (1,125-mg loading dose, day 1) or lomustine (100 to 130 mg/m2, day 1). Assuming a 45% improvement in progression-free survival (PFS), 397 patients were required to provide 80% power to achieve statistical significance at a one-sided level of .025.

Results

Enrollment was terminated at 266 patients (enzastaurin, n = 174; lomustine, n = 92) after a planned interim analysis for futility. Patient characteristics were balanced between arms. Median PFS (1.5 v 1.6 months; hazard ratio [HR] = 1.28; 95% CI, 0.97 to 1.70), overall survival (6.6 v 7.1 months; HR = 1.20; 95% CI, 0.88 to 1.65), and 6-month PFS rate (P = .13) did not differ significantly between enzastaurin and lomustine, respectively. Stable disease occurred in 38.5% and 35.9% of patients and objective response occurred in 2.9% and 4.3% of patients, respectively. Time to deterioration of physical and functional well-being and symptoms did not differ between arms (HR = 1.12; P = .54). Four patients discontinued enzastaurin because of drug-related serious adverse events (AEs). Eleven patients treated with enzastaurin died on study (four because of AEs; one was drug-related). All four deaths that occurred in patients receiving lomustine were disease-related. Grade 3 to 4 hematologic toxicities were significantly higher with lomustine (46 events) than with enzastaurin (one event; P ≤ .001).

Conclusion

Enzastaurin was well tolerated and had a better hematologic toxicity profile but did not have superior efficacy compared with lomustine in patients with recurrent glioblastoma.
Finasteride to Prevent Prostate Cancer: Should All Men or Only a High-Risk Subgroup Be Treated?
Authors: Vickers Andrew J. , Savage Caroline J. , Lilja Hans
Published: February 2010

Purpose

Finasteride has been shown to reduce the incidence of prostate cancer. Yet the use of finasteride remains low, likely because of the risk of adverse effects. We sought to determine whether prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels could identify a high-risk subgroup for which the benefits of finasteride treatment outweigh the potential harms.

Patients and Methods

Raw data from the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial were used to model chemopreventive treatment strategies: treat all men, treat no men, or treat a high-risk subgroup based on PSA level. We weighted the benefits (reduction in cancer rate) and harms (treatment rate) of each strategy using numbers-needed-to-treat thresholds—the maximum number of men a clinician would treat with finasteride to prevent one cancer.

Results

Of 9,058 men, 1,957 were diagnosed with prostate cancer during the 7-year study. For the end point of all cancers, including both for-cause and end-of-study biopsies, the optimal strategy is to treat all or nearly all men. To reduce risk of cancers detected through routine care, treating men with PSA > 1.3 or > 2 ng/mL is optimal. For example, treating only men with PSA > 2 ng/mL reduced the treatment rate by 83% and resulted in a cancer rate only 1.1% higher than treating all men.

Conclusion

Clinicians wishing to reduce the risk of any biopsy-detectable prostate cancer should recommend finasteride to all men. Clinicians who believe that it is unnecessary to prevent all cancers, but that preventing those readily detectable by screening would be desirable, would be best off recommending finasteride only to a high-risk subgroup.
Decision Model of Segmental Compared With Total Abdominal Colectomy for Colon Cancer in Hereditary Nonpolyposis Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Maeda Takafumi , Cannom Rebecca R. , Beart Robert W. , Etzioni David A.
Published: February 2010

Purpose

In choosing the appropriate surgical option for patients with colon cancer and Lynch syndrome, goals of treatment are to maximize life expectancy while preserving quality of life. This study constructs a decision model that encompasses these two related considerations.

Methods

We constructed a state-transition (Markov) model based on assumptions obtained from available data sources and published literature. Two strategies were considered for the treatment of colon cancer in a patient with Lynch syndrome: segmental colectomy (SEG) and total abdominal colectomy (TAC) with ileorectal anastomosis. Quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) were calculated based on utility states for patients based on the colectomy they received. Multiple sensitivity analyses were planned to examine the impact of each assumption on model results.

Results

For young (30-year-old) patients with Lynch syndrome, mean survival was slightly better with TAC than with SEG (34.8 v 35.5 years). When QALYs were considered, the two strategies were approximately equivalent, with QALYs per patient of 21.5 for SEG and 21.2 for TAC. With advancing age, SEG becomes a more favorable strategy. Results of our model were most sensitive to the utility state of TAC (relative to SEG), rates of metachronous occurrence, and stage of cancer at the time of such occurrence.

Conclusion

SEG and TAC are approximately equivalent strategies for patients with colon cancer and Lynch syndrome. The decision regarding which operation is preferable should be made on the basis of patient factors and preferences, with special emphasis on age and the ability of the patient to utilize intensive surveillance.
Naïve Learning in Social Networks and the Wisdom of Crowds
Authors: Golub Benjamin , Jackson Matthew O
Published: February 2010

We study learning in a setting where agents receive independent noisy signals about the true value of a variable and then communicate in a network. They naïvely update beliefs by repeatedly taking weighted averages of neighbors' opinions. We show that all opinions in a large society converge to the truth if and only if the influence of the most influential agent vanishes as the society grows. We also identify obstructions to this, including prominent groups, and provide structural conditions on the network ensuring efficient learning. Whether agents converge to the truth is unrelated to how quickly consensus is approached. (JEL D83, D85, Z13)
Noise, Information, and the Favorite-Longshot Bias in Parimutuel Predictions
Authors: Ottaviani Marco , Sørensen Peter Norman
Published: February 2010

According to the favorite-longshot bias, the expected return on an outcome tends to increase in the fraction of bets laid on that outcome. We derive testable implications for the direction and extent of the bias depending on the ratio of private information to noise present in the market. We link this ratio to observables such as the number of bettors, the number of outcomes, the amount of private information, the level of participation generated by recreational interest in the event, the divisibility of bets, the presence of ex post noise, as well as ex ante asymmetries across outcomes. (JEL D81, D83)
Social Reinforcement: Cascades, Entrapment, and Tipping
Authors: Heal Geoffrey , Kunreuther Howard
Published: February 2010

The actions of different agents sometimes reinforce each other. Examples are network effects and the threshold models used by sociologists as well as (Harvey) Leibenstein's “bandwagon effects.” We model such situations as a game with increasing differences, and show that tipping of equilibria, cascading, and clubs with entrapment are natural consequences of this mutual reinforcement. If there are several equilibria, one of which Pareto dominates, then the inefficient equilibria can be tipped to the efficient one, a result of interest in the context of coordination problems. We characterize the smallest tipping set. (JEL C72, D80, D85, Z13)
Playing With Fire: Cigarettes, Taxes, and Competition from the Internet
Authors: Goolsbee Austan , Lovenheim Michael F , Slemrod Joel
Published: February 2010

This paper documents the rise of the Internet as a source of state tax-free cigarettes and its impact on taxed sales elasticities. Using data on cigarette tax rates, taxable cigarette sales and individual smoking rates by state from 1980 to 2005 merged with data on Internet penetration, this paper documents that there has been a substantial increase in the sensitivity of taxable cigarette sales to state tax rates that is correlated with the rise of Internet usage within states. The estimates imply that the increased sensitivity from cigarette smuggling over the Internet has lessened the revenue generating potential of cigarette tax increases significantly, although states are still far from the revenue-maximizing tax rates. (JEL D12, H25, H31, H71, L66)
The Optimal Taxation of Height: A Case Study of Utilitarian Income Redistribution
Authors: Mankiw N. Gregory , Weinzierl Matthew
Published: February 2010

Should the income tax include a credit for short taxpayers and a surcharge for tall ones? The standard utilitarian framework for tax analysis answers this question in the affirmative. Moreover, a plausible parameterization using data on height and wages implies a substantial height tax: a tall person earning $50,000 should pay $4,500 more in tax than a short person. One interpretation is that personal attributes correlated with wages should be considered more widely for determining taxes. Alternatively, if policies such as a height tax are rejected, then the standard utilitarian framework must fail to capture intuitive notions of distributive justice. (JEL D64, H21, H23, H24, J11)
Book Reviews
Authors: Lev Benjamin
Published: February 2010

In Book Reviews, we review an extensive and diverse range of books. They cover theory and applications in operations research, statistics, management science, econometrics, mathematics, computers, and information systems. In addition, we include books in other fields that emphasize technical applications. However, we do not review software. To submit a book for review, please send it to me at the above address. Although we cannot review all books because of space limitations, we do list all books that we receive. We commission all book reviews and do not accept unsolicited reviews. To become a reviewer, please send me your name, address, and specific areas of expertise. We encourage readers to suggest books for review or to ask publishers to send copies of such books.

The authors or editors of books we review in this issue are Enrique Alba, Bernabé Dorronsoro, Massimiliano Caramia, Paolo Dell'Olmo, Gerald J. Hahn, and Necip Doganaksoy.
CSX Railway Uses OR to Cash In on Optimized Equipment Distribution
Authors: Gorman Michael F. , Acharya Dharma , Sellers David
Published: February 2010

Each day, CSX Railway allocates hundreds of empty railcars among hundreds of customer car orders. In 1997, it implemented the US rail industry's first real-time, fully integrated equipment-distribution optimization system, the dynamic car-planning system (DCP). DCP seamlessly integrates operations research modeling into CSX's process that assigns empty cars to customer car orders. CSX estimates that the DCP system saves the company more than $51 million annually and has saved $561 million since its implementation. DCP has also provided $1.4 billion in capital-expenditure avoidance because of more efficient car allocation. Fewer railcars yield improved return on assets and reduced congestion on the CSX rail network. Customer satisfaction has also increased because of improved empty-car delivery. Public benefits include improved highway safety; reductions in congestion, pollution, and greenhouse gases; and reduced tax-supported road maintenance, thus saving an estimated $600 million.
HP Transforms Product Portfolio Management with Operations Research
Authors: Ward Julie , Zhang Bin , Jain Shailendra , Fry Chris , Olavson Thomas , Mishal Holger , Amaral Jason , Beyer Dirk , Brecht Ann , Cargille Brian , Chadinha Russ , Chou Kathy , DeNyse Gavin , Feng Qi , Padovani Cookie , Raj Sesh , Sunderbruch Kurt , Tarjan Robert , Venkatraman Krishna , Woods Joseph , Zhou Jing
Published: February 2010

Hewlett-Packard (HP) offers many innovative products to meet diverse customer needs. The breadth of its product offering has helped the company achieve unparalleled market reach; however, it has come with significant costs and challenges. By offering multiple similar products, a manufacturer increases its overall demand volatility, reduces forecast accuracy, and can adversely affect revenue and costs across the entire product life cycle. At HP, these impacts included increases in inventory-driven costs and order-cycle time; liabilities to channel partners; and costs of operations, research and development, marketing, and administration. Furthermore, complexity in HP's product lines confused customers, sales representatives, and channel partners, sometimes driving business to competitors. HP developed two powerful operations research-based solutions for managing product variety. The first, a framework for screening new products, uses custom-built return-on-investment (ROI) calculators to evaluate each proposed new product before introduction; those that do not meet a threshold ROI level are targeted for exclusion from the proposed lineup. The second, HP's Revenue Coverage Optimization (RCO) tool, which is based on a fast, new maximum-flow algorithm, is used to manage product variety after introduction. By identifying a core portfolio of products that are important to order coverage, RCO enables HP businesses to increase operational focus on their most critical products. These tools have enabled HP to increase its profits across business units by more than $500 million since 2005. Moreover, HP has streamlined its product offerings, improved execution, achieved faster delivery, lowered overhead, and increased customer satisfaction and market share.
IT Careers Camp: An Early Intervention Strategy to Increase IS Enrollments
Authors: Choudhury Vivek , Lopes Alexandre B. , Arthur Doug
Published: February 2010

This paper reports on a specific promotional initiative designed to spur enrollment in IT-related fields—an IT Careers Camp aimed at high school students. The camp was different from most prior computer camps in that it was not aimed at building skills such as programming or Web development. Rather, it was specifically designed to convince participants that (1) job prospects in the field are strong, and (2) IT/IS work is interesting and creative. To this end, the camp was designed in partnership with a number of corporations, and included as a central element a series of experiential opportunities for participants. Each day of the camp featured a visit to a corporation where the students took part in a hands-on activity that involved solving a business problem with IT. Qualitative and quantitative evaluations indicate that the camp was very successful in changing students' perceptions about the nature of IT work and the IT job market. We believe the camp can be a useful tool to create a pipeline of well-informed students interested in IT careers. We present here details of the design and execution of the camp in the hope that others may wish to replicate our efforts.
Marginality and Problem-Solving Effectiveness in Broadcast Search
Authors: Jeppesen Lars Bo , Lakhani Karim R.
Published: February 2010

We examine who the winners are in science problem-solving contests characterized by open broadcast of problem information, self-selection of external solvers to discrete problems from the laboratories of large research and development intensive companies, and blind review of solution submissions. Analyzing a unique data set of 166 science challenges involving over 12,000 scientists revealed that technical and social marginality, being a source of different perspectives and heuristics, plays an important role in explaining individual success in problem solving. The provision of a winning solution was positively related to increasing distance between the solver's field of technical expertise and the focal field of the problem. Female solvers—known to be in the “outer circle” of the scientific establishment—performed significantly better than men in developing successful solutions. Our findings contribute to the emerging literature on open and distributed innovation by demonstrating the value of openness, at least narrowly defined by disclosing problems, in removing barriers to entry to nonobvious individuals. We also contribute to the knowledge-based theory of the firm by showing the effectiveness of a market mechanism to draw out knowledge from diverse external sources to solve internal problems.
How Do New Ventures Evolve? An Inductive Study of Archetype Changes in Science-Based Ventures
Authors: Ambos Tina C. , Birkinshaw Julian
Published: February 2010

This paper presents a process study on the evolution of new ventures. We adopt the theoretical lens of “archetypes,” which allows us to take a holistic perspective on new venture evolution and to provide rich insights into the interdependencies between the multiple contributory factors that shape the evolutionary process. Our analysis identifies three distinct “venture archetypes,” which typically emphasize one focal area of a business, and it sheds light on the sequencing of these archetypes. We show how the case ventures go through interarchetype transitions, which are triggered by collective cognitive dissonance between the venture leaders' understanding of the old interpretive scheme and the emerging reality and are resolved through internal negotiations. The research provides insights into new venture evolution, the theory of organizational archetypes, and punctuated equilibrium perspectives on organizational change.
Reactions to Territorial Infringement
Authors: Brown Graham , Robinson Sandra L.
Published: February 2010

Territoriality represents a new area of research in organizations. In this study, we empirically examined how territorial infringement leads to anger and reactionary defenses. Using a cognitive appraisal theory of anger, we posited that a perceived infringement evokes anger that, in turn, fuels reactionary defenses. We tested our hypotheses by using data collected in an open-ended survey of 125 employees. They provided us with critical incidents of perceived infringement at work, which we then coded into quantitative measures. We found that employees are territorial over a wide variety of things at work, and they react in many ways when they perceive infringement of these territories. We discuss these findings and suggest several directions for future research in this emerging area.
Enoxaparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia Resulting in Systemic Bleeding; Cyclosporine-Induced Infantile Nodulocystic Acne; Aloe-Induced Hypokalemia; Sertraline-Induced Rhabdomyolysis; Hallucinations Associated with Modafinil; Ziprasidone-Induced Angioedema; Colonic Necrosis with Sodium Polystyrene Sulfonate — Redux
Authors: Shuster Joel
Published: February 2010

The purpose of this feature is to heighten awareness of specific adverse drug reactions (ADRs), discuss methods of prevention, and promote reporting of ADRs to the US Food and Drug Administration's (FDA's) MedWatch program (800-FDA-1088). If you have reported an interesting, preventable ADR to MedWatch, please consider sharing the account with our readers.
Implementation of a Symptom-Triggered Benzodiazepine Protocol for Alcohol Withdrawal in Family Medicine Inpatients
Authors: See Sharon , Nosal Sarah , Barr Wendy Brooks , Schiller Robert
Published: February 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this pilot study was to review the implementation of symptom-triggered benzodiazepine therapy and evaluate the feasibility and outcomes as compared with a previous hospital standard of fixed-dose phenobarbital protocol for alcohol withdrawal on a family medicine service.

Methods

This retrospective chart review of 46 patients' medical records was performed on admissions to the family medicine service occurring between February and October of 2005 compared with February and October of 2006. Included in the study were adults who were suffering from alcohol withdrawal symptoms (AWS), who admitted to heavy daily alcohol intake, who were intoxicated on admission, and who had a history of AWS and/or history of AWS-related seizures. The Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment for Alcohol Scale, Revised (CIWA-Ar) was used to evaluate the impact of individualized symptom-triggered therapy on outcome measurements utilizing symptom-triggered benzodiazepine therapy compared with the previous hospital standard using a fixed-dose phenobarbital protocol.

Results

One hundred percent of the patients in the phenobarbital group required drug compared with 38% in the benzodiazepine group ( P < 0.001). Fewer patients (9.5%) in the benzodiazepine group left the hospital against medical advice (AMA), while 36% of patients in the phenobarbital group left AMA ( P = 0.045). There was no significant difference in length of stay or the number of days on the protocol.

Conclusion

The results of the pilot study demonstrated that symptom-triggered therapy using benzodiazepines resulted in better outcomes than fixed-dosing phenobarbital. Importantly, most patients in the benzodiazepine group required no drug administration.
Imaging Enzymes at Work: Metabolic Mapping by Enzyme Histochemistry
Authors: Van Noorden Cornelis J.F.
Published: February 2010

For the understanding of functions of proteins in biological and pathological processes, reporter molecules such as fluorescent proteins have become indispensable tools for visualizing the location of these proteins in intact animals, tissues, and cells. For enzymes, imaging their activity also provides information on their function or functions, which does not necessarily correlate with their location. Metabolic mapping enables imaging of activity of enzymes. The enzyme under study forms a reaction product that is fluorescent or colored by conversion of either a fluorogenic or chromogenic substrate or a fluorescent substrate with different spectral characteristics. Most chromogenic staining methods were developed in the latter half of the twentieth century but still find new applications in modern cell biology and pathology. Fluorescence methods have rapidly evolved during the last decade. This review critically evaluates the methods that are available at present for metabolic mapping in living animals, unfixed cryostat sections of tissues, and living cells, and refers to protocols of the methods of choice.
Atg9A Protein, an Autophagy-related Membrane Protein, Is Localized in the Neurons of Mouse Brains
Authors: Tamura Hirosumi , Shibata Masahiro , Koike Masato , Sasaki Mitsuho , Uchiyama Yasuo
Published: February 2010

Old and unneeded intracellular macromolecules are delivered through autophagy to lysosomes that degrade macromolecules into bioactive monomers such as amino acids. Autophagy is conserved in eukaryotes and is essential for the maintenance of cellular metabolism. Currently, more than 30 autophagy-related genes (Atgs) have been identified in yeast. Of these genes, the 18 that are essential for autophagosome formation are also conserved in mammalian cells. Atg9 is the only transmembrane Atg protein required for autophagosome formation. Although the subcellular localization of the Atg9A protein (Atg9Ap) has been examined, little is known about its precise cell and tissue distribution. To determine this, we produced an antibody specific to mouse Atg9Ap. The antibody recognized both non-glycosylated and glycosylated Atg9Ap, which have molecular masses of ×94 kDa and 105 kDa, respectively. Although Atg9Ap was ubiquitously detected, it was highly expressed in neurons of the central nervous system. In Purkinje cells, Atg9Ap immunoreactivity was localized in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), trans-Golgi network (TGN), lysosomes/late endosomes, and in axon terminals. These results suggest that Atg9Ap may be involved in autophagosome formation in the ER and axon terminals of neurons, the TGN, and lysosomes/late endosomes.
Violence in Souleymane Ciss's films: a cultural perspective
Authors: Stefanson Blandine
Published: February 2010

This article looks at the cultural and historical sources of paternal wrath in five feature films made by Malian film-maker Souleymane Ciss between 1975 and 1995. These movies depict the conflict with patriarchal tyranny within the family or in the public sphere. In all five films,
young victims attempt to escape their tyrant by returning home to confront him on his own territory. The article first deals with shooting locations and the mental appropriation of space. Second, historical precedents of the paternal urge to kill an offspring are traced back to African epics,
for example the story of Karamoko's execution by his father, Emperor Samori. Finally, the Mande oppositional concepts of fadenya (male rivalry) and badenya (female cooperation) serve as landmarks in Ciss's quest for improved governance and socialization. As Ciss tempers his indictment
of African violence with elliptical and metaphorical cinematography, the author opted for a cultural approach to elucidate the social and political meaning of aesthetic emotion.
Bumping into Reality, Brutal Realism and Bafundi 2009: Some Thoughts on a Student Film Festival
Authors: Tomaselli Keyan G , Dockney Jonathan , Dawson Sarah
Published: February 2010

The 2009 Bafundi Film Festival held in Johannesburg provided a platform where various issues with regards to film were aired and contested. Students were given a taste of the filmmaking world in South Africa and an opportunity to engage with the film and television industry. This review
outlines the major issues that emerged in the discussion and screening sessions. The main theme which ran throughout the festival emerged through the engagement of students who were oriented towards either a theoretical or practical background. The review argues that a singular approach to
filmmaking education is not sufficient for equipping students for the real world. Rather, an inclusive approach is preferred. Examples from the festival are discussed and reveal the tensions that exist between practical and theoretical film education. Participatory filmmaking is provided as
an example of one approach to filmmaking which can overcome various theoretical and technical issues that one may encounter in filmmaking, particularly ethnographic filmmaking. The tensions that exist between aesthetics and ethics are also highlighted and discussed through the use of various
case studies in the review. The main argument of this review is that students need to understand more than just how to press camera buttons; a heuristic engagement with the world of filmmaking will reveal that making a film does not start and end with recording and screening. Rather, filmmaking
as a concept needs to explored by students in order to make films of significance and quality.
Commonalities and differences: How to learn from international comparisons of children's online behaviour
Authors: Hasebrink Uwe , Olafsson Kjartan , Stetka Vaclav
Published: February 2010

As part of the EU Kids Online project, the network developed a methodology for hypothesis testing in a cross-cultural setting, building only on existing research. The aim was to be able to draw conclusions about commonalities and differences in children's online behaviour beyond providing
only individual country descriptions. In doing so the network relied on a systematic and theory-driven collection of information on a country level, which was then analysed in a thematic way and subjected to a series of quality control measures. The results from the analysis proved a significant
contribution to the knowledge base on children's online behaviour at a substantially lower cost than in a project aiming for the collection of primary data.
A first approach to perceptions of social norms regarding reactions towards innocent and non-innocent victims
Authors: Alves Hlder , Correia Isabel
Published: February 2010

This article aims to study whether individuals perceive secondary victimisation reactions as counter-normative or normative (at both a prescriptive and descriptive level) and whether these judgments depend on the victim's innocence (responsibility), the participants' belief in a just
world and the sex of the victim. An experimental study was conducted and, overall, most ratings were in the direction of non-secondary victimisation reactions, independently of the innocence of the victim and of the norm considered. The sole exception involved the perception that most people
approve of and do hold a non-innocent victim responsible for what happened to them. Nevertheless, even in the case of non-secondary victimisation reactions, participants stated that social norms regarding the victim's valuation and the recognition of their suffering would be more likely to
be directed towards an innocent than a non-innocent victim. Furthermore, results suggest a discrepancy between injunctive and descriptive social norms regarding valuation and contacting victims. The latter result is discussed in light of the perverse norm concept.
Women in Portuguese politics
Authors: de Almeida Maria Antnia Pires
Published: February 2010

Has Portugal's transition to democracy since the 1974 revolution enhanced women's participation in politics? Has the democratisation process influenced women's access to elected offices? This paper offers an explanation of the Portuguese political system from a historical perspective,
and an evaluation of the Portuguese political class in order to introduce the gender issue. Although the democratic regime is now more than 30 years old, there is still an under-representation of women in Portuguese politics, which is inscribed into the larger issue of women's access to all
aspects of social, cultural and economic life. However, at all levels of government, women are better educated than men, with a larger proportion coming from the ranks of specialist professionals, teachers and top managers. Not surprisingly, left-wing parties recruit them in larger numbers.