bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Rainfall and temperature scenario for Bangladesh using 20 km mesh AGCM
Authors: Mizanur Rahman Md. , Ferdousi Nazlee , Sato Yasuo , Kusunoki Shoji , Kitoh Akio
Published: February 2012

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the use of the Meteorological Research Institute (MRI) global 20-km mesh Atmospheric General Circulation Model (AGCM), called MRI-AGCM, to simulate rainfall and mean surface air temperature. Through calibration and validation the MRI-AGCM was adapted for Bangladesh for generating rainfall and temperature scenarios.

Design/methodology/approach

– The model generated rainfall was calibrated with ground-based observed data in Bangladesh during the period of 1979-2006. The Climate Research Unit (CRU) data are also used for understanding of the model performance. Better performance of MRI-AGCM obtained through validation process increased confidence in utilizing it in the future rainfall projection for Bangladesh.

Findings

– Rainfall and mean surface air temperature projection for Bangladesh is experimentally obtained for the period of 2075-2099. This work finds that the MRI-AGCM simulated rainfall and temperature are not directly useful in application purpose. However, after validation and calibration, acceptable performance is obtained in estimating annual rainfall and mean surface air temperature in Bangladesh.

Originality/value

– Change of rainfall is projected about 0.64 percent in monsoon season (JJAS), 1.90 percent in post-monsoon season (ON) and 13.46 percent in Winter season (DJF) during the period of 2075-2099. Similarly, change of mean surface air temperature is projected about 2.5 degrees Celsius for the same period.
China's next big challenge: mastering radical technology
Authors: Kriz Anton , Cunneen David
Published: February 2012

Purpose

China has been exceptionally competent at utilising the technology of others but the ability to develop its own is yet to be tested. The purpose of this paper is to investigate China's capacity for nurturing radical technology. For China to recapture its earlier technological prowess it will need a creative class. The paper proposes eight stepping stones for China to move from its current situation to a position where creativity and radical technology re‐emerge.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a conceptual paper that investigates options for China using a historical and trans‐disciplinary review.

Findings

Radical technology was a major strength for China prior to the 1500s. This paper suggests that China's subsequent demise in the technology stakes came from a combination of factors including regressive policies and the West finding a new politico‐economic model around science and technology. In total, eight stepping stones for Chinese institutional reform around creativity and radical technology are proposed.

Practical implications

Chinese businesses need to go much further than cost innovations and incremental additions to seriously challenge the creative capacity of their Western counterparts. This paper offers important insights for Chinese policy makers as they embark on innovation advancement in a highly competitive international business environment.

Social implications

Fostering radical technology is a challenge for any society. Developing this aspect of Chinese society is a critical element for China and its policy makers as they progress to the next phase of economic growth.

Originality/value

The paper shows that identifying systemic issues for China's radical technology demise is important. Offering steps for China to increase its capacity for radical technology is equally worthy of investigation.
Aiming for resilience and adaptation in managing environment
Authors: Lin Moe Tun
Published: February 2012

Purpose

Environmental and emergency leaders are important individuals who play a vital role in managing ecological resources. Based on the resilience thinking of Walker and Salt, this study highlights aims to how resilience for adaptive management can be built by incorporating vision formation of environmental and emergency management leaders.

Design/methodology/approach

The study addresses two research questions: What constitutes environmental and emergency leadership systems? How are the concepts of vulnerability, resilience, and adaptation relevant to the environmental and emergency management processes? The study employs two case studies and discusses how resilience leadership can be incorporated into environmental management and emergency management systems in organizations.

Findings

This study includes a review that consists of activities in resilience‐building, and the process of vision formation. It explains how resilience thinking influences vision. Investigations of the application of the resilience approach by examining two environmental and emergency leadership organizations in Arizona demonstrate how situations can improve with resilience thinking and leadership in emergency and environmental management systems.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the knowledge body of resilience and leadership by calling importance and incorporation of resilience thinking into the management systems of environment and emergency management.
Vulnerability assessment and retrofitting of existing school buildings: a case study of Aceh
Authors: Darshan Shrestha Hari , Yatabe Ryuichi , Bhandary Netra Prakash , Subedi Jishnu
Published: February 2012

Purpose

As the widely held perception is that retrofitting is a complicated process and is expensive, the purpose of this paper is to analyze cost effectiveness of retrofitting existing buildings in order to make them safer against earthquake and also to add child friendly features. This case study focuses on the simple method of retrofitting on rectangular single storey existing school buildings. The school buildings are of different types, based on material, shape and size, number of storeys and their vulnerability to earthquake is different case by case. The paper also outlines the process of vulnerability assessment and approach to retrofitting.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is based on the data collected from a case study carried out in Aceh (Indonesia) as a part of an assessment of vulnerability of newly constructed school facilities and retrofitting them in order to increase their seismic performance.

Findings

One of the key findings of this study is that retrofitting can be achieved through the use of simple methods, tools and equipment and local human resource. This approach not only reduced the vulnerability of school children to earthquake disaster but also contributed to disseminate the message of culture of safety among the neighboring communities. Another major finding is that cost of retrofitting is less compared to the cost of demolition and rebuilding. The retrofitting option further saves the cost as it is time saving and the downtime is less. The retrofitting process and onsite training can also be an effective medium for dissemination of best construction practices in the community. The process also helps the local people to understand the context of risk and raise awareness on disaster risk reduction.

Research limitations/implications

The findings of this paper are not limited to vulnerability assessment and retrofitting of school building in Aceh. They can be replicated in other parts of Indonesia and countries having similar type of buildings.

Practical implications

The findings of this paper will be useful for decision makers to replicate similar processes in other types of schools in other areas. The findings will also be useful advocate disaster safer and child friendly schools.

Originality/value

The paper is unique in its findings that retrofitting of school buildings does not only make the schools safer and reduces the risk to children but is also cost effective compared to new construction.
Disclosure and cross‐listing: evidence from Asia‐Pacific firms
Authors: Li Eng Li , Ling Qianhua (Q)
Published: February 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine whether both country disclosure environment and firm‐level disclosures are associated with cross‐listing in the USA or London or otherwise.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors test the association using a sample of Asia‐Pacific firms covered in the Standard and Poor's, 2001/2002 disclosure survey, capturing the country‐level disclosure using the Center for International Financial Analysis and Research (CIFAR) score. The firm‐level disclosure is measured using the S&P disclosure score. The authors conduct a logistic regression analysis and a two‐stage least squares analysis to examine whether the outcome, cross‐listing or not, is associated with the country disclosure environment and firm‐level disclosures.

Findings

The authors find that Asia‐Pacific firms from weak disclosure environments and having higher firm‐level disclosure scores are more likely to seek listing in the USA. Further, the paper provides initial evidence that these Asia‐Pacific firms are as likely to seek listing in London as in the USA. No significant difference was found in S&P scores between US and London cross‐listings after controlling for the effects of other variables. This suggests that firms that cross‐list in London present similar disclosure levels to firms that cross‐list in the USA.

Originality/value

The paper's findings contribute to the cross‐listing literature on disclosure by showing that the interaction between firm‐level disclosure and country‐level disclosure has an impact on whether a firm cross‐lists in the USA/London or not. The authors' comparison of US cross‐listings versus London cross‐listings provides the first evidence that disclosures of US and London cross‐listings are not significantly different.
Do US commercial banks use FAS 157 to manage earnings?
Authors: Chong Gin , Huang Henry , Zhang Yi
Published: February 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine whether commercial banks manage earnings through their use of Level 3 valuation under The Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 157 (FAS 157), Fair Value Measurements. To achieve this goal, the authors investigate the association between banks' performance and size with the percentage of Level 3 inputs for valuing assets and liabilities. The FAS 157 requires or permits US listed firms to adopt one of the three levels of inputs to measure and report fair values of their assets and liabilities. Level 1 input is based on quoted prices in the active markets; Level 2 is from the observable markets other than quoted prices; while Level 3 is based on unobservable and firm‐generated inputs.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors extract information from all the 10Q‐reports submitted by the US commercial banks (SEC Code 6021) for the first two quarters of 2008. Since Level 3 input is subject to the highest level of managerial discretion, this is expected to be an avenue for earnings management. Multivariate regression was applied to test whether the banks' performance and size are associated with a higher level of Level 3 input.

Findings

Out of 329 quarterly bank observations, the authors find large banks and poor performing banks with lower returns on assets, lower cash flows, and higher amounts of provision for loan losses, use more Level 3 inputs on valuing their assets and liabilities.

Research limitations/implications

The results suggest that US commercial banks use FAS157 as an avenue for earnings management. The results have implications for the accounting standard setters, banking sector and policy decision makers.

Originality/value

This is the first paper providing evidence that banks use fair value measurements to manipulate earnings.
People value for team effectiveness in China
Authors: Yang Xiaofeng , Chu Xiaoping
Published: February 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between team leader's people value and team effectiveness based on social identity theory. This paper focuses on how team leader's people value affects team effectiveness in the Chinese context. It also examines the mediating effect of leader identification between leader's people value and team effectiveness.

Design/methodology/approach

A literature review on people value, leader identification and team effectiveness provided the authors' model and hypothesis. Using a sample of 64 teams with 386 employees and 64 team leaders from ten companies, hierarchical regression was conducted to test the hypothesis.

Findings

The findings suggest that follower's identification with leader is an important way to understand leader's people value for employees in encouraging employees to strive for team effectiveness. Leaders in teams should pay special attention to their people value for employees.

Research limitations/implications

The data are self‐reported and subject to biases, and may not be accurate, Both the scales of leader identification and team effectiveness were developed in western countries, and they may not capture the full meaning in China. Cross‐sectional data were used in this study; future research should use a longitudinal design to prove the direction of causality among the contracts.

Originality/value

This paper is original in its investigation on how leader's people value influences team effectiveness, through the mediation of leader identification at team level in a Chinese context.
Condition management and the causes of psychosis
Authors: Holttum Sue
Published: February 2012

Purpose

This Research Watch seeks to summarise two recent research papers. The first evaluates a scheme that trains people in managing their mental health or physical condition to increase their chances of gaining employment. The second examines the social causes of psychosis.

Design/methodology/approach

A search was carried out for research papers with a mental health and social inclusion focus published within the past 12 months.

Findings

In the first paper, half of a sample of over 2,000 people accessing a seven‐week cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT)‐based condition management programme (CMP) for people with mental or physical health conditions showed a clear improvement in psychological well‐being, and three months later 26 per cent were either in paid work or working towards it. However, there is a case for employment support being more integrated with the mental health system, and possibly also not to be time‐limited. The second paper highlights the importance of recognising the multifaceted and complex causes of psychosis and, in particular, social causes. If these social causes were to be given as much weight as biological factors, then it seems likely that social exclusion, and psychosis itself, would be reduced.

Originality/value

This paper summarises research relating to mental health and social inclusion that has emerged within the past 12 months.
On the artistic shaping of delusion in psychosis
Authors: Chadwick Peter
Published: February 2012

Purpose

The paper aims to discuss delusion as a creative experience.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper addresses narrative rendering of delusional thinking in detail and related styles of thought in artists.

Findings

Enhanced creativity during psychosis can be put to productive use in recovery. Artistic cultures may help psychosis sufferers move to a more socially inclusive, consensual view of reality.

Originality/value

The paper emphasises the artistic aspect of psychosis as a counterweight to the “machine aesthetic” of positivistic science and also stresses the importance of spiritual experience to recovery.
“They don't just cater, they care” – a case on Sakthi's Kitchen Pvt Ltd
Authors: Manikandan Varsha , Swaminathan G. , Khattri Varsha
Published: February 2012

Subject area

The given case deals with the fact that primary objectives of services producers and marketers are identical to those of all marketers: to develop and provide offerings that satisfy consumer needs and expectations, thereby ensuring their own economic survival. To achieve these objectives, service providers need to understand how consumers choose, experience, and evaluate their service offerings. It also talks about employing innovative techniques at the basic level by optimizing available resources offering quality service at value based pricing, thereby, increasing customer retention by developing the trust of the consumer.

Study level/applicability

Graduation or post graduation level students studying subjects pertaining to the services aspect of marketing, namely innovative service offerings, value for money, service experience and evaluation, challenge of integrating the 4 A's of services marketing and offering them in sustainable quality, promotional or communication mix for services and consumer behaviour.

Case overview

Today's dual-career couples, single-parent families, and two-job families are realizing a burning consumer need: more time. Individuals in these and other non-traditional family configurations are overstressed with their work and home obligations and find that dealing with many of life's everyday tasks is overwhelming. For many customers, all types of shopping have become “drudgery or worse.” The antidote to this time deficiency is found in many new services that recover time for consumers. One such professional service is catering. The present case study deals with grass root level innovations in this service offering that adds flavour to our lives.

Expected learning outcomes

Understanding the catering services offering and its features in evolving consumer's world; analyzing the importance of optimizing available resources and offering customer satisfaction, ensuring marketers own economic survival; realizing the significance of value offering and related value based pricing for services; comprehending the importance of word of mouth in post experience evaluation in services; the effect of quality and quantity consciousness in marketers while offering catering services; and understanding obstacles and challenges faced by small and medium service industries at the initial level.

Supplementary materials

Teaching notes.
Buyer-seller relationship – challenge in export marketing for The Handicrafts and Handlooms Export Corporation (HHEC)
Authors: Sharma Anuj , Dey A.K. , Karwa Prerna
Published: February 2012

Subject area

International marketing/export marketing.

Study level/applicability

This case is appropriate for discussion in courses such as international marketing and export marketing of post graduate studies in management. The case can also be used for management development programmes concerning practising managers.

Case overview

The case is based on export marketing strategy with special focus on developing strong buyer (customer) relationships and the associated challenges of a trading company, The Handicrafts and Handlooms Exports Corporation of India Ltd (HHEC). The corporation primarily engages in export of handlooms and handicraft products from India. Since 2005-06 the corporation has been incurring losses and it was only in 2010-11 that the corporation has registered a positive net profit.

Expected learning outcomes

To understand the appropriate strategies for buyer retention; to understand appropriate promotion strategies of non-essential items like handicraft, handloom and carpets; and to help students in making decisions for export marketing like understanding product characteristic, development of samples, procurement of products, vendor management, and pricing decisions.

Supplementary materials

Teaching notes.
The French OQALI survey on dairy products: comparison of nutrient contents and other nutrition information on labels among types of brands
Authors: Menard C. , Dumas C. , Gillot N. , Laurent L. , Labarbe B. , Ireland J. , Volatier J.‐L.
Published: February 2012

Menard C., Dumas C., Gillot N., Laurent L., Labarbe B., Ireland J. & Volatier J.‐L. (2012) The French OQALI survey on dairy products: comparison of nutrient contents and other nutrition information on labels among types of brands. J Hum Nutr Diet. 25, 323–333

Background:  Depending on their spending power, consumers may choose foodstuffs from more or less expensive types of brands (national, retailer, economy‐line retailer or discount brands). The present study, on dairy products, assesses the nutritional composition and the frequencies of labelled nutrition parameters, according to types of brands.

Methods:  The 1646 most consumed dairy products were collected. Nutrient contents and other labelled nutrition parameters provided on the packaging (i.e. nutrition and health claims, nutrition guidelines such as guideline daily amounts, consumption advice and information on added vitamins and minerals) were captured in the French branded product composition database (OQALI).

Results:  Significant differences between brands were found for energy, protein, fat, saturates, carbohydrate, sugars, dietary fibre, calcium and sodium, in four of six dairy groups studied, but not systematically. National brands and retailer brands provided more detailed nutrition labelling and more frequent nutrition claims than cheaper brands. More retailer brand products provided nutrition guidelines and consumption advice than the other branded products. National brand products more frequently contained added vitamins and minerals and more frequently bore health claims.

Conclusions:  Nutrient contents of the cheaper brands of dairy products did not vary systematically from more expensive ones. However, national brands and retailer brands products provided more nutrition information on labels than the cheaper ones. There should be more detailed studies comparing different types of brands regarding labelling practices for nutrient contents and other nutrition information about foodstuffs to help prepare public health recommendations, adapted to all consumers, regardless of their income.
Inhibitory effect of prolactin on Toxoplasma proliferation in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with hyperprolactinemia
Authors: DZITKO K. , ŁAWNICKA H. , GATKOWSKA J. , DZIADEK B. , KOMOROWSKI J. , DŁUGOŃSKA H.
Published: February 2012

Despite many years of studies on the mechanisms of immunological defence responses induced in host organisms by Toxoplasma, no satisfactory immunoprophylaxis or chemotherapy have yet been established for humans. Thus, alternative methods to prevent toxoplasmosis and to enhance the efficacy of currently used antitoxoplasmic drugs are under evaluation. In this work, we strove to determine the influence of human prolactin (endogenous present in serum – sPRL and recombinant – rhPRL) on the course of Toxoplasma infection of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) originating from female hyperprolactinemia patients. This study revealed that exogenous rhPRL as well as autologous sPRL from inactivated sera significantly restricted intracellular growth of Toxoplasma in PBMC cultures. Moreover, analysis of IL‐10 production by PBMC infected with Toxoplasma and cultured in the presence of sPRL showed a positive correlation between sPRL concentration and the level of IL‐10. The obtained results could indicate the possible protective action of PRL in a host organism infected with Toxoplasma and suggest that a significant increase in the serum PRL level, during pregnancy for instance, might significantly limit the risk of Toxoplasma spreading and could play an important role in natural protection against toxoplasmosis. The mechanism of inhibitory effect of PRL needs further detailed study.
Phase I clinical trial of oral rosiglitazone in combination with intravenous carboplatin in cancer‐bearing dogs
Authors: Allstadt Frazier S. , McKemie D. S. , Guerrero T. A. , LaChapelle H. , Skorupski K. A. , Kass P. H. , Rodriguez C. O.
Published: February 2012

Rosiglitazone is an FDA‐approved peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) agonist and antidiabetic agent in humans that has been investigated for its ability to reduce tumor cell growth. The purpose of this study was to determine the maximally tolerated dose, peak plasma concentrations and side effect profile of oral rosiglitazone when combined with carboplatin in dogs with cancer. Rosiglitazone was administered at 6 and 8 mg/m2 to seven dogs. Carboplatin was administered at 240–300 mg/m2 in combination with rosiglitazone. For toxicity evaluation, the toxicity data for the seven dogs in this study were combined with the toxicity data from three dogs previously reported in a methodology study. Peak plasma rosiglitazone concentrations varied with dose. The dose‐limiting toxicity was hepatic at a dose of 8 mg/m2. Three dogs had mild to moderate alanine aminotransferase elevations but no changes in total bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, blood glucose or γ‐glutamyltranspeptidase values were noted.
Nonparametric Inference for Median Costs with Censored Data
Authors: Zhao Hongwei , Zuo Chen , Chen Shuai , Bang Heejung
Published: February 2012

Summary Increasingly, estimations of health care costs are used to evaluate competing treatments or to assess the expected expenditures associated with certain diseases. In health policy and economics, the primary focus of these estimations has been on the mean cost, because the total cost can be derived directly from the mean cost, and because information about total resources utilized is highly relevant for policymakers. Yet, the median cost also could be important, both as an intuitive measure of central tendency in cost distribution and as a subject of interest to payers and consumers. In many prospective studies, cost data collection is sometimes incomplete for some subjects due to right censoring, which typically is caused by loss to follow‐up or by limited study duration. Censoring poses a unique challenge for cost data analysis because of so‐called induced informative censoring, in that traditional methods suited for survival data generally are invalid in censored cost estimation. In this article, we propose methods for estimating the median cost and its confidence interval (CI) when data are subject to right censoring. We also consider the estimation of the ratio and difference of two median costs and their CIs. These methods can be extended to the estimation of other quantiles and other informatively censored data. We conduct simulation and real data analysis in order to examine the performance of the proposed methods.
Epoxy pipe relining—an emerging contact allergy risk for workers
Authors: Berglind Ingegärd Anveden , Lind Marie‐Louise , Lidén Carola
Published: February 2012

Background. Epoxy pipe relining is a method of repairing old and worn water pipes supplying households. The method, using epoxy resin systems (ERSs), involves creating a new pipe inside an existing pipe. Large amounts of epoxy are normally handled at small, temporary worksites.

Objectives. To describe working conditions and contact allergies to ERSs in 8 patients with occupational contact dermatitis related to their work in the relining trade.

Methods. Eight patients with suspected work‐related eczema in the relining trade were referred to our Occupational and Environmental Dermatology outpatient unit. They were examined and patch‐tested between August 2010 and May 2011.

Results. Seven patients were patch test‐positive to ERSs, and 6 of 8 reacted to the epoxy resin (MW 340) in the baseline series. Five of the patients were patch test‐positive to their own work products. Seven of the cases had to leave the relining trade because of skin problems.

Conclusions. Relining is a widely used alternative to replacing old pipes, and entails a risk of massive skin exposure to ERSs and consequently a high risk of developing allergic contact dermatitis. Further mapping of working methods and use of personal protective equipment (PPE) is crucial to reduce hazardous skin exposure.
Two cycles of the PS‐341/bortezomib, adriamycin, and dexamethasone combination followed by autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients
Authors: Lee Jung‐Hee , Lee Je‐Hwan , Kim Dae‐Young , Kim Sung‐Doo , Choi Yunsuk , Kang Young‐Ah , Seol Miee , Lee Kyoo‐Hyung
Published: February 2012

Introduction:  Treatment with 3–6 cycles of PS‐341/bortezomib, adriamycin, and dexamethasone (PAD) has been explored in terms of induction therapy prior to autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) in patients with multiple myeloma (MM). We evaluated the effects of two cycles of PAD given before ASCT.

Patients and methods:  Patients received two 21‐d cycles of PAD (bortezomib 1.3 mg/m2 × 4 d, adriamycin 9 mg/m2 × 4 d, and dexamethasone 40 mg × 4 d × 2). Starting on day 12 of cycle 2, patients were given subcutaneous granulocyte‐colony stimulating factor to mobilize peripheral blood stem cells (PBSCs). Following PBSC harvesting, ASCT was performed using high‐dose melphalan, followed by thalidomide.

Results:  A total of 32 patients were enrolled. Of 31 who completed two cycles of PAD, 25 (81%) achieved a partial response (PR) or better. Major adverse events were cytopenia, with grade I/II neurotoxicity evident during 4.8% of PAD cycles. Two patients were withdrawn from the study prior to PBSC collection. Thirty patients showed successful mobilization of PBSCs and underwent ASCT, with all 30 showing adequate neutrophil and platelet recovery. Following ASCT, 14 patients (47%) achieved a complete response (CR), 8 (27%) a very good partial response (VGPR), and 6 (20%) PR. Thalidomide was given to 25 patients after ASCT, as maintenance therapy. Twelve patients showed better responses after administration of thalidomide, and a total of 21 patients (70%) achieved CR. The 5‐yr probabilities of overall and progression‐free survival were 71.1% and 23.5%, respectively.

Conclusion:  A short course of PAD was effective as an induction treatment before ASCT in patients newly diagnosed with MM. Prospective comparisons with longer courses of such treatment are needed.
Fractures in a tertiary Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in Wales
Authors: Wei Christina , Stevens Jennifer , Harrison Sara , Mott Alison , Warner Justin
Published: February 2012

Aim:  To explore associations with fractures reported in a tertiary neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

Method:  Babies admitted to NICU from 1998 to 2007 in Cardiff, UK, with fractures during admission were identified. Clinical information was extracted from inpatient records. Results were reported as median (ranges).

Results:  Seventy‐one fractures were recorded in 27 (boys = 16) infants with a gestational age of 28 (23.6–40.4) weeks and birthweight of 920 g (485–4875). Fractures were recognized at 57 (1–128) days of age. Neonates with fractures without clear aetiologies (n = 17) were more preterm (p < 0.001), were born lighter (p < 0.001), required multiple medical interventions, were more commonly osteopenic (p < 0.001), had fractures detected later (p < 0.001) and had more posterior rib fractures (p = 0.009). Rib fractures were detected later than other sites (p = 0.002). Associations with rib fractures included osteopenia (p = 0.04), longer oxygen therapy (p = 0.018), length on total parental nutrition (p = 0.03), later achievement of full enteral feeds (p = 0.038), sepsis (p = 0.038) and surgical procedures (p = 0.004). Posterior rib fractures were more common in babies born more preterm (25.1 vs. 29.4 weeks, p = 0.003) and requiring diuretics (p = 0.027).

Conclusion:  Fractures in premature infants are associated with a variety of predisposing factors. Clinicians evaluating the cause of rib and multiple fractures in preterm neonates shortly after discharge need to take these factors into consideration.
Light Might Directly Affect Retinal Ganglion Cell Mitochondria to Potentially Influence Function†
Authors: del Olmo‐Aguado Susana , Manso Alberto G. , Osborne Neville N.
Published: February 2012

Visible light (360–760 nm) entering the eye impinges on the many ganglion cell mitochondria in the non‐myelinated part of their axons. The same light also disrupts isolated mitochondrial function in vitro and kills cells in culture with the blue light component being particularly lethal whereas red light has little effect. Significantly, a defined light insult only affects the survival of fibroblasts in vitro that contain functional mitochondria supporting the view that mitochondrial photosensitizers are influenced by light. Moreover, a blue light insult to cells in culture causes a change in mitochondrial structure and membrane potential and results in a release of cytochrome c. Blue light also causes an alteration in mitochondria located components of the OXPHOS (oxidative phosphorylation system). Complexes III and IV as well as complex V are significantly upregulated whereas complexes I and II are slightly but significantly up‐ and downregulated, respectively. Also, blue light causes Dexras1 and reactive oxygen species to be upregulated and for mitochondrial located apoptosis‐inducing factor to be activated. A blue light detrimental insult to cells in culture does not involve the activation of caspases but is known to be attenuated by necrostatin‐1, typical of a death mechanism named necroptosis.
Effect of Organic Matter on the In Vitro Photoeradication of Pseudomonas aeruginosa by Means of a Cationic Tetraaryl‐porphyrin†
Authors: Orlandi Viviana T. , Caruso Enrico , Banfi Stefano , Barbieri Paola
Published: February 2012

Photodynamic therapy is emerging as an antimicrobial alternative approach; the concomitant presence of a photosensitizer (PS), O2 and visible light induces lethal oxidative damages to bacterial cells. Among Gram‐negative bacteria, Pseudomonas aeruginosa seems to be one of the least susceptible to photodynamic treatment. In this study, we evaluated the influence of several experimental conditions on photoeradication of a planktonic culture of P. aeruginosa PAO1 by means of a tetracationic meso‐arylsubstituted porphyrin (RM24). Our findings suggest that the photo‐oxidative stress induced by RM24 is strictly correlated to the amount of PS bound to the cells that in turn decreases with the increasing concentrations of organic compounds in the medium. The photoeradication is dependent on PS concentrations, cellular density and light dose. RM24 was able to induce oxidative stress by means of singlet oxygen formation, although ROS formation cannot be ruled out. The standardized experimental conditions of the photospot test allowed us to evidence intraspecific PDT sensitivity differences among three strains of P. aeruginosa.
Time course of hydrogen peroxide–thioredoxin balance and its influence on the intracellular signalling in myocardial infarction
Authors: Schenkel Paulo Cavalheiro , Tavares Angela Maria Vicente , Fernandes Rafael Oliveira , Diniz Gabriela Placoná , Ludke Ana Raquel Lehenbauer , Ribeiro Maria Flavia Marques , da Rosa Araujo Alex Sander , Barreto‐Chaves Maria Luiza , Belló‐Klein Adriane
Published: February 2012

We investigated the myocardial thioredoxin‐1 and hydrogen peroxide concentrations and their association with some prosurvival and pro‐apoptotic proteins, during the transition from myocardial infarction (MI) to heart failure in rats. Male Wistar rats were divided into the following six groups: three sham‐operated groups and three MI groups, each at at 2, 7 and 28 days postsurgery. Cardiac function was analysed by echocardiography; the concentration of H2O2 and the ratio of reduced to oxidized glutathione were measured spectrophotometrically, while the myocardial immunocontent of thioredoxin‐1, angiotensin II, angiotensin II type 1 and type 2 receptors, p‐JNK/JNK, p‐ERK/ERK, p‐Akt/Akt, p‐mTOR/mTOR and p‐GSK3β/GSK3β was evaluated by Western blot. Our results show that thioredoxin‐1 appears to make an important contribution to the reduced H2O2 concentration. It was associated with lower JNK expression in the early period post‐MI (2 days). However, thioredoxin‐1 decreased, while renin–angiotensin system markers and levels of H2O2 increased, over 28 days post‐MI, in parallel with some signalling proteins involved in maladaptative cardiac remodelling and ventricular dysfunction. These findings provide insight into the time course profile of endogenous antioxidant adaptation to ischaemic injury, which may be useful for the design of therapeutical strategies targeting oxidative stress post‐MI.
Variation in Stress Resistance Patterns among
stx
Genotypes and Genetic Lineages of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli O157
Authors: Lee Ken-ichi , French Nigel P. , Jones Geoff , Hara-Kudo Yukiko , Iyoda Sunao , Kobayashi Hideki , Sugita-Konishi Yoshiko , Tsubone Hirokazu , Kumagai Susumu
Published: February 2012

To evaluate the relationship between bacterial genotypes and stress resistance patterns, we exposed 57 strains of Shiga toxin-producing
Escherichia coli
(STEC) O157 to acid, freeze-thaw, heat, osmotic, oxidative, and starvation stresses. Inactivation rates were calculated in each assay and subjected to univariate and multivariate analyses, including principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis. The
stx
genotype was determined for each strain as was the lineage-specific polymorphism assay (LSPA6) genotype. In univariate analyses, strains of the
stx
1
stx
2
genotype showed greater resistance to heat than strains of the
stx
1
stx
2c
genotype; moreover, strains of the
stx
1
stx
2
genotype showed greater resistance to starvation than strains of the
stx
2
or
stx
2c
genotypes. LSPA6 lineage I (LI) strains showed greater resistance to heat and starvation than LSPA6 lineage II (LII) strains. PCA revealed a general trend that a strain with greater resistance to one type of stress tended to have greater resistance to other types of stresses. In cluster analysis, STEC O157 strains were grouped into stress-resistant, stress-sensitive, and intermediate clusters. In
stx
genotypes, all strains of the
stx
1
stx
2
genotype were grouped with the stress-resistant cluster, whereas 72.7% (8/11) of strains of the
stx
1
stx
2c
genotype grouped with the stress-sensitive cluster. In LI strains, 77.8% (14/18) of the strains were grouped with the stress-resistant cluster, whereas 64.7% (11/17) of LII strains were grouped with the stress-sensitive cluster. These results indicate that the genotypes of STEC O157 that are frequently associated with human illness, i.e., LI or the
stx
1
stx
2
genotype, have greater multiple stress resistance than do strains of other genotypes.
Microbial Scout Hypothesis, Stochastic Exit from Dormancy, and the Nature of Slow Growers
Authors: Buerger S. , Spoering A. , Gavrish E. , Leslin C. , Ling L. , Epstein S. S.
Published: February 2012

We recently proposed a scout model of the microbial life cycle (S. S. Epstein, Nature 457:1083, 2009), the central element of which is the hypothesis that dormant microbial cells wake up into active (so-called scout) cells stochastically, independently of environmental cues. Here, we check the principal prediction of this hypothesis: under growth-permissive conditions, dormant cells initiate growth at random time intervals and exhibit no species-specific lag phase. We show that a range of microorganisms, including environmental species,
Escherichia coli
, and
Mycobacterium smegmatis
, indeed wake up in a seemingly stochastic manner and independently of environmental conditions, even in the longest incubations conducted (months to years long). As is implicit in the model, most of the cultures we obtained after long incubations were not inherently slow growers. Of the environmental isolates that required ≥7 months to form visible growth, only 5% needed an equally long incubation upon subculturing, with the majority exhibiting regrowth within 24 to 48 h. This apparent change was not a result of adaptive mutation; rather, most microbial species that appear to be slow growers were in fact fast growers with a delayed initiation of division. Genuine slow growth thus appears to be less significant than previously believed. Random, low-frequency exit from the nongrowing state may be a key element of a general microbial survival strategy, and the phylogenetic breadth of the organisms exhibiting such exit indicates that it represents a general phenomenon. The stochasticity of awakening can also provide a parsimonious explanation to several microbiological observations, including the apparent randomness of latent infections and the existence of viable-but-nonculturable cells (VBNC).
Isolation of a Paenibacillus sp. Strain and Structural Elucidation of Its Broad-Spectrum Lipopeptide Antibiotic
Authors: Guo Yaoqi , Huang En , Yuan Chunhua , Zhang Liwen , Yousef Ahmed E.
Published: February 2012

This research was initiated to search for novel antimicrobial compounds produced by food or environmental microorganisms. A new bacterial strain, designated OSY-SE, which produces a unique and potent antimicrobial agent was isolated from soil. The isolate was identified as a
Paenibacillus
sp. through cultural, biochemical, and genetic analyses. An antimicrobial compound was extracted from
Paenibacillus
OSY-SE with acetonitrile and purified using liquid chromatography. After analyses by mass spectrometry (MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), the antimicrobial compound was determined to be a cyclic lipopeptide consisting of a C
15
fatty acyl (FA) chain and 13 amino acids. The deduced sequence is FA-Orn-Val-Thr-Orn-Ser-Val-Lys-Ser-Ile-Pro-Val-Lys-Ile. The carboxyl-terminal Ile is connected to Thr by ester linkage. The new compound, designated paenibacterin, showed antagonistic activities against most Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria tested, including
Listeria monocytogenes
, methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
,
Escherichia coli
O157:H7, and
Salmonella enterica
serovar Typhimurium. Paenibacterin is resistant to trypsin, lipase, α-glucosidase, and lysozyme. Its antimicrobial activity was lost after digestion by pronase and polymyxin acylase. Paenibacterin is readily soluble in water and fairly stable to exposure to heat and a wide range of pH values. The new isolate and its antimicrobial agent are being investigated for usefulness in food and medical applications.
Role of ATG8 and Autophagy in Programmed Nuclear Degradation in Tetrahymena thermophila
Authors: Liu Ming-Liang , Yao Meng-Chao
Published: February 2012

Autophagy is an evolutionarily conserved mechanism for the degradation of cellular components, but its role in enucleation during differentiation has not been established.
Tetrahymena thermophila
is a unicellular eukaryote with two functionally distinct nuclei, the somatic (macro-) and the germ line (micro-) nuclei. These nuclei are produced during sexual reproduction (conjugation), which involves differentiation and selective degradation of several specific nuclei. To examine the role of autophagy in nuclear degradation, we studied the function of two ATG8 genes in
Tetrahymena
. Through fluorescent protein tagging, we found that both proteins are targeted to degrading nuclei at specific stages, with some enrichment on the nuclear periphery, suggesting the formation of autophagosomes surrounding these nuclei. In addition,
ATG8
knockout mutant cells showed a pronounced delay in nuclear degradation without apparently preventing the completion of other developmental events. This evidence provided direct support for a critical role for autophagy in programmed nuclear degradation. The results also showed differential roles for two ATG8 genes, with
ATG8-65
playing a more significant role in starvation than
ATG8-2
, although both are important in nuclear degradation.
Prevalence and Detailed Mapping of the Gonococcal Genetic Island in Neisseria meningitidis
Authors: Woodhams Katelynn L. , Benet Zachary L. , Blonsky Sarah E. , Hackett Kathleen T. , Dillard Joseph P.
Published: February 2012

The 57-kb gonococcal genetic island (GGI) encodes a type IV secretion system (T4SS) that is found in most strains of
N. gonorrhoeae
. This T4SS functions to secrete single-stranded DNA that is active in natural transformation. The GGI has also been found in some strains of
N. meningitidis
. We screened 126 isolates of
N. meningitidis
and found the GGI in 17.5% of strains, with the prevalence varying widely among serogroups. The GGI is found in a significant number of serogroup C, W-135, and X strains but was not found in strains of serogroup A, B, or Y. Through detailed PCR mapping and DNA sequencing, we identified five distinct GGI types in meningococci. DNA sequencing and a genetic assay revealed that the GGI was likely integrated into the meningococcal chromosome by the site-specific recombinase XerCD and that the GGI can be excised and lost from the genome. Functional studies showed that in contrast with the gonococcal T4SS, the meningococcal T4SS does not secrete DNA, nor does it confer Ton-independent intracellular survival. Deletion of T4SS genes did not affect association with or invasion of host cells. These results demonstrate that the GGI is found in a significant proportion of meningococcal strains and that while some strains carry multiple insertions and deletions in the GGI, other strains carry intact T4SS genes and may produce functional secretion systems.
Effect of heat stress on cardiac output and systemic vascular conductance during simulated hemorrhage to presyncope in young men
Authors: Ganio Matthew S. , Overgaard Morten , Seifert Thomas , Secher Niels H. , Johansson Pär I. , Meyer Martin A. S. , Crandall Craig G.
Published: February 2012

During moderate actual or simulated hemorrhage, as cardiac output decreases, reductions in systemic vascular conductance (SVC) maintain mean arterial pressure (MAP). Heat stress, however, compromises the control of MAP during simulated hemorrhage, and it remains unknown whether this response is due to a persistently high SVC and/or a low cardiac output. This study tested the hypothesis that an inadequate decrease in SVC is the primary contributing mechanism by which heat stress compromises blood pressure control during simulated hemorrhage. Simulated hemorrhage was imposed via lower body negative pressure (LBNP) to presyncope in 11 passively heat-stressed subjects (increase core temperature: 1.2 ± 0.2°C; means ± SD). Cardiac output was measured via thermodilution, and SVC was calculated while subjects were normothermic, heat stressed, and throughout subsequent LBNP. MAP was not changed by heat stress but was reduced to 45 ± 12 mmHg at the termination of LBNP. Heat stress increased cardiac output from 7.1 ± 1.1 to 11.7 ± 2.2 l/min ( P < 0.001) and increased SVC from 0.094 ± 0.018 to 0.163 ± 0.032 l·min−1·mmHg−1 ( P < 0.001). Although cardiac output at the onset of syncopal symptoms was 37 ± 16% lower relative to pre-LBNP, presyncope cardiac output (7.3 ± 2.0 l/min) was not different than normothermic values ( P = 0.46). SVC did not change throughout LBNP ( P > 0.05) and at presyncope was 0.168 ± 0.044 l·min−1·mmHg−1. These data indicate that in humans a cardiac output adequate to maintain MAP while normothermic is no longer adequate during a heat-stressed-simulated hemorrhage. The absence of a decrease in SVC at a time of profound reductions in MAP suggests that inadequate control of vascular conductance is a primary mechanism compromising blood pressure control during these conditions.