bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Transforming the Acquisition Enterprise: A Framework for Analysis and a Case Study of Ship Acquisition
Authors: Pennock Michael J. , Rouse William B. , Kollar Diane L.
Published: April 2007

The acquisition of public sector complex systems is time‐consuming, very expensive, and rife with uncertainties. The enterprise associated with acquisition is an excellent candidate for transformation— fundamental change to achieve substantially higher levels of value. This paper argues that choosing among alternative transformation initiatives should be based on an enterprise‐wide perspective as well as systematic economic valuation of the alternative investments. An options‐based methodology for assessing the economic value of alternative initiatives is presented and illustrated in the context of military ship building. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Syst Eng 10: 99– 117, 2007
Marketing in the global economy: Creditworthiness
Authors: Tuller Lawrence W.
Published: April 2007

The importance of accurate credit information on potential clients and customers is even more critical when doing business overseas—a thorough check before committing resources is always a good idea.
Young Hong Kong managers: Their doubts about 1997
Authors: Caldwell James L. , Moser Ernest R.
Published: April 2007

The economic success of Hong Kong—especially when compared to its much larger neighbor the People's Republic of China—has been a source of worry among business leaders in light of the colony's planned reversion back to China in 1997. Young managers in particular are nervous that, under the bureaucratic and repressive dominion of China, economic growth and opportunities will dwindle. How China handles its own affairs, as well as those of Hong Kong, may well affect the region's economy well into the next century.
The Bulgarian executive: Promoter or obstacle to the economy?
Authors: Puchev Plamen
Published: April 2007

How well are Bulgarian managers adapting to the advent of market economy in the former socialist state? Part of the difficulty lies in a lack of practical business knowledge on the part of managers. Also, many executives are reluctant to give up a system that they know. Ultimately, the future of economic reform in Bulgaria will hinge on how willing managers are to integrate change.
Europe 1992: Regionalism and globalism
Authors: Miller William F.
Published: April 2007

The changes that Europe has seen in the past few years—the growing reality of a unified EC, the reforms in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union, and the results of economic and political events from outside—have opened up new opportunities and created new challenges. Perhaps the most important result of “Europe '92” will be its ability to spur on a new era of innovation and entrepreneurship whose effects will be felt around the globe.
Managing the problem of blocked funds in Latin America
Authors: Haar Jerry
Published: April 2007

The potential for investment growth is Latin America has become increasingly evident over the past few years, but hard currency shortages in the region have led to a blockage of funds on the part of local governments. Companies that wish to invest in Latin American need to know how to avoid having their investments tied up unnecessarily.
The use of R&D consortia as market barriers: Case studies of consortia in the United States, Japan, and Western Europe
Authors: Hart Jeffrey A.
Published: April 2007

There are strong temptations to use research and development (R&D) consortia as barriers to trade and investment. The cases discussed here, the VLSI Project in Japan, Sematech in the United States, the Joint European Submicron Silicon Initiative (JESSI), the European Eureka EU95 program, the European Vision 1250 program, and NHK Engineering Services in Japan are all in the field of high technology electronics. Electronics has been made a priority for public research and development efforts because the governments of advanced industrial countries believe that competitiveness in high technology electronics is important for both national security and overall economic competitiveness. R&D consortia are used by governments and the European Community to pool the risks of the development of new technologies. Access to full membership in these R&D consortia in all three regions is limited, as a rule, to firms owned and headquartered in the region. Access to the technology created is limited in a variety of ways, the most important of which is the inability to work with the technologies themselves at an early stage, which is a major disadvantage in high technology industries. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Impact of system culture on West and East German Managers: A new topic of intercultural management research
Authors: Autenrieth Christine
Published: April 2007

The transformation from socialism to capitalism and from a socialist planned economy to a social market economy in the new Federal States of the Federal Republic of Germany confronts the affected people with a new life and working world. On the level of the enterprises, it is especially human resource management that is faced with integrating the different preceding experience, qualifications, and cultural values of their managers from the new Federal States into the company. In order to carry out this task adequately, human resource management needs an appropriate detailed analysis. Intercultural management research offers a suitable framework, as it is familiar with management in the context of different cultures and societies. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Technology transfer in Mexico: Past patterns and new problems related to the North American free trade agreement
Authors: Pfaff John F. , Sordo Juan Garcia , Schwarz Theodore , Trevino Salvador , Sepulveda Cesar J. M. , Dominquez Carlos G. Villarreal
Published: April 2007

As the Mexican economy prepares to transition from a relatively closed and protected market to a regionally integrated free market which is part of the proposed North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), a change in its technology licensing environment will be needed to enable Mexican companies to compete for technology with firms from the other member countries of the NAFTA. This study identifies the national sources which have provided Mexico with technology and the Mexican industrial sectors which have been able to attract this technology in the 1980s. It further evaluates the current licensing environments in Canada, Mexico, and the U.S.A. as well as in the Latin American Integration Association (LAIA). The study provides recommendations for changes to the Mexican licensing environment and proposes strategies for attracting technology to Mexican industry under the changed conditions which would be introduced by the NAFTA. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Assessment of reproductive behavior and hormonal cycles in geriatric western Lowland gorillas
Authors: Margulis Susan W. , Atsalis Sylvia , Bellem Astrid , Wielebnowski Nadja
Published: April 2007

The population of western lowland gorillas in North American zoos is aging and, as is the case with the aging human population, may have unique physical and social needs. We have documented previously that 25% of aging females (5/22) ceased to show reproductive cycles entirely, and could be defined as menopausal. Approximately 32% of females showed somewhat irregular cycling patterns. We review our hormonal and behavioral findings on reproductive aging in gorillas; describe the range of cycling patterns that we see and how we interpret these; and discuss the implications of these findings for captive management and husbandry of aging gorillas. We monitored fecal hormone metabolites (progestogens) in 30 gorillas and collected simultaneous behavioral data to evaluate the relationship between cyclicity and sexual behavior. We identified and described several discrete patterns of irregular cycling. These included extreme variability of cycle length, cyclic patterns with unusually low progestogen peak concentrations that possibly may not support luteal activity, and large variability in maximum progestogen peak height among cycles. All of these changes are consistent with age‐related hormonal changes observed in humans and may be signs of changes in fertility as well. Behaviorally, nearly all cycling females exhibited signs of estrus. Affiliative behavior between male silverbacks and estrous females was observed in the control females, but not the geriatric females. These findings suggest that pre‐menopausal females are exhibiting signs of perimenopause. As is the case in humans, such changes in hormone patterns may occur years before the onset of menopause. As enhancements in nutrition, husbandry, and veterinary medicine have led to increased longevity in our zoo populations of apes, it has become imperative that we investigate and better understand associated physiological and behavioral changes in geriatric animals to ensure appropriate management of this increasing demographic sub‐population. Zoo Biol 0:1–23, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Semen collection and evaluation in free‐ranging Brazilian rattlesnakes (Crotalus durissus terrificus)
Authors: Zacariotti Rogério Loesch , Grego Kathleen Fernandes , Fernandes Wilson , Sant'Anna Sávio Stefanini , de Barros Vaz Guimarães Marcelo Alcindo
Published: April 2007

Two hundred‐ninety species of reptiles are estimated to need urgent action for conservation, with at least 113 threatened species worldwide. The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species includes 80 species of snakes, with six native Brazilian species, a number likely to be an underestimation. Some authors believe that assisted reproduction would be an important tool to improve reproduction in captivity of some reptiles. An efficient technique for semen collection and evaluation is an important step in development of protocols for cryopreservation of semen or artificial insemination in snakes, contributing to the conservation of endangered species. Although these techniques are important, some basic semen parameters are described for four of the ∼2,900 snake species in the world. The Brazilian rattlesnake (Crotalus durissus terrificus) was chosen as a model for semen collection in snakes because it is found quite often in Sao Paulo State. Semen was collected once from each animal by the same investigator during the mating season of this species in Brazil. After antiseptic cleansing of the skin around the cloaca, the snakes were injected subcutaneously with a dose of 15 mg/kg of 1% solution of lidocaine around the cloaca. Semen was collected with ventral massages after cloacal relaxation and directly from genital papilla inside the cloaca. A total of 28 ejaculates from 39 animals were obtained, representing collection efficiency of 71.80%. Semen volume and concentration in Brazilian rattlesnakes ranged from 3–70 µl and from 0.94–2.23 × 109 spermatozoa/ml, respectively. Zoo Biol 0:1–6, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Specification and verification challenges for sequential object-oriented programs
Authors: Leavens Gary T. , Leino K. Rustan M. , Müller Peter
Published: April 2007

The state of knowledge in how to specify sequential programs in object-oriented languages such as Java and C# and the state of the art in automated verification tools for such programs have made measurable progress in the last several years. This paper describes several remaining challenges and approaches to their solution.
Geographic patterns in the distribution of Palearctic songbirds
Authors: Roselaar Cees S. , Sluys Ronald , Aliabadian Mansour , Mekenkamp Peter G. M.
Published: April 2007

A database was created of digitized equal area distribution maps of 3,036 phylogenetic species of Palearctic songbirds. Biogeographic patterns are reported for two data sets: (1) including all passeriform bird species reported as breeding within the boundaries of our study map, (2) passeriform species restricted in their distribution to our study region, thus excluding the partly extra-limital taxa. With respect to the data set excluding partly extra-limital taxa, the average range size is 238 grid cells (grid cell area: 4,062 km2). Analysis of the geographic distribution of species richness for the full data set showed several hotspot regions, mostly located in mountainous areas. The index of range-size rarity identified similar hotspot regions as that for species richness, albeit that the range-size rarity de-emphasized the central Siberian hotspot. Range-size rarity hotspots that are not evident on the measure of species richness concern a great number of islands. Much more prominent on the index of range-size rarity are the Atlas Mountains of northern Africa, the Jabal al Akhdar region in NE Libya, and the eastern border of the Mediterranean. Restricting the analysis of geographic variation to the 25% of the species with smallest ranges resulted in a greatly simplified pattern of hotspots.
Cellular cardiomyoplasty in large myocardial infarction: Can the beneficial effect be enhanced by ACE‐inhibitor therapy?
Authors: Olivares Emerson L. , Costa‐e‐Sousa Ricardo H. , Werneck‐de‐Castro João P.S. , Pinho‐Ribeiro Vanessa , Silva Márcia G. , Ribeiro Karla C. , Mattos Elisabete C. , Goldenberg Regina C.S. , de Carvalho Antonio C. Campos , Masuda Masako Oya
Published: March 2007

Background:

Cellular cardiomyoplasty with bone marrow derived stromal (MSC) and mononuclear (BMNC) cells has been shown to improve performance of infarcted hearts. We performed a comparative study with MSC and BMNC and tested the hypothesis that captopril treatment could enhance the beneficial effect of cell therapy in large myocardial infarctions.

Methods

Male syngeneic Wistar rats underwent experimental infarction and were randomized to receive 1–3×106 MSC, 108 BMNC or vehicle (BSS group). Two additional groups were treated with captopril and received 1–3×106 MSC (Cap.MSC) or vehicle (Cap).

Results:

The ejection fraction (EF%) of MSC and BMNC‐treated rats was higher than in the BSS rats, eight weeks after transplantation (33.0±4.0, 34.0±2.0 and 20.0±2.0% respectively, P<0.01). Both captopril‐treated groups improved EF% similarly. But only captopril plus MSC treatment almost restored cardiac function to control levels, 8 weeks after injection (60.50±5.40% vs. 41.00±4.50% in Cap.MSC and Cap respectively, P<0.05). Many DAPI‐labelled cells were found in the scar tissue of the left ventricle only in the Cap.MSC group.

Conclusions:

Cell transplantation with both MSC and BMNC produced a similar stabilisation of heart function, but the success of the cell engraftment and the recovery of cardiac performance were dependent on concomitant treatment with captopril.
Inhibition of hepatic glucose 6‐phosphatase system by the green tea flavanol epigallocatechin gallate
Authors: Csala Miklós , Margittai Éva , Senesi Silvia , Gamberucci Alessandra , Bánhegyi Gábor , Mandl József , Benedetti Angelo
Published: March 2007

Effect of 5–100 μM epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) on hepatic glucose 6‐phosphatase (G6Pase) system was investigated. EGCG inhibited G6Pase in intact but not in permeabilized rat liver microsomes, suggesting the interference with the transport. However, EGCG did not hinder microsomal glucose 6‐phosphate (G6P) uptake. Instead, it increased the accumulation of radioactivity after the addition of [14C]G6P, presumably due to a slower release of [14C]glucose, the product of luminal hydrolysis. Indeed, EGCG was found to inhibit microsomal glucose efflux. Since G6Pase activity is depressed by glucose in a concentration‐dependent manner, we concluded that EGCG inhibits G6Pase through an elevated luminal glucose level.
The surface protease PgtE of Salmonella enterica affects complement activity by proteolytically cleaving C3b, C4b and C5
Authors: Ramu Päivi , Tanskanen Rauna , Holmberg Mikko , Lähteenmäki Kaarina , Korhonen Timo K. , Meri Seppo
Published: March 2007

Complement activity in mammalian serum is fundamentally based on three homologous components C3b, C4b and C5. During systemic infection, the gastrointestinal pathogen Salmonella enterica disseminates within host phagocytic cells but also extracellularly. Consequently, systemic Salmonella transiently confronts the complement system. We show here that the surface protease PgtE of S. enterica proteolytically cleaves C3b, C4b and C5 and that the expression of PgtE enhances bacterial resistance to human serum. Degradation of C3b was further enhanced by PgtE‐mediated plasminogen activation.
Identification and characterization of a novel toxin–antitoxin module from Bacillus anthracis
Authors: Agarwal Shivangi , Agarwal Shivani , Bhatnagar Rakesh
Published: March 2007

Comparative genome analysis of Bacillus anthracis revealed a pair of linked genes encoding pemK (K, killer protein) and pemI (I, inhibitory protein) homologous to pem loci of other organisms. Expression of PemK in Escherichia coli and Bacillus anthracis was bacteriostatic whereas the concomitant expression of PemI reversed the growth arrest. PemK expression effectively inhibited protein synthesis with no significant effect on DNA replication. Coexpression and interaction of these proteins confirmed it to be a Type II addiction module. Thermal denaturation analysis reflected poor conformational stability of PemI as compared to PemK. Circular dichroism analysis indicated that PemI contains twice the amount of β‐sheets as PemK. Gel retardation assays demonstrated that PemI binds to its upstream DNA sequence. This study reports the first evidence of an active chromosome encoded toxin–antitoxin locus in B. anthracis.
What can Caenorhabditis elegans tell us about the nuclear envelope?
Authors: Gorjánácz Mátyás , Jaedicke Andreas , Mattaj Iain W.
Published: March 2007

The nuclear envelope (NE) of the eukaryotic cell provides an essential barrier that separates the nuclear compartment from the cytoplasm. In addition, the NE is involved in essential functions such as nuclear stability, regulation of gene expression, centrosome separation and nuclear migration and positioning. In metazoa the NE breaks down and re‐assembles around the segregated chromatids during each cell division. In this review we discuss the molecular constituents of the Caenorhabditis elegans NE and describe their role in post‐mitotic NE re‐formation, as well as the usefulness of C. elegans as an in vivo system for analyzing NE dynamics.
Activation of intracellular signaling pathways is necessary for an increase in VDR expression and its nuclear translocation
Authors: Gocek Elżbieta , Kiełbiński Marek , Marcinkowska Ewa
Published: March 2007

1,25‐Dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25D) regulates gene transcription through the nuclear vitamin D receptor (VDR) and initiates rapid cellular responses via an unknown mechanism. Here we report that 1,25D induces a rapid increase in synthesis of VDR protein and its transport to the nucleus. These results are similarly obtained in myeloid leukemia cell lines, and in blast cells from blood of patients diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia, subtypes M2 and M4. Our results suggest that stability of unliganded VDR is LY294002‐ and PD98059‐dependent, and that ligation of VDR leads to its increased translation and nuclear translocation. The receptor localized in the cell nucleus is not exported back to the cytosol by exportin 1. We also show that the cytosolic portion of VDR in leukemia cells is localized in the vicinity of the plasma membrane, close to the F‐actin cytoskeleton.
More than one door – Budding of enveloped viruses through cellular membranes
Authors: Welsch Sonja , Müller Barbara , Kräusslich Hans-Georg
Published: March 2007

Enveloped viruses exit their host cell by budding from a cellular membrane and thereby spread from one cell to another. Virus budding in general involves the distortion of a cellular membrane away from the cytoplasm, envelopment of the viral capsid by one or more lipid bilayers that are enriched in viral membrane glycoproteins, and a fission event that separates the enveloped virion from the cellular membrane. While it was initially thought that virus budding is always driven by viral transmembrane proteins interacting with the inner structural proteins, it is now clear that the driving force may be different depending on the virus. Research over the past years has shown that viral components specifically interact with host cell lipids and proteins, thereby adopting cellular functions and pathways to facilitate virus release. This review summarizes the current knowledge of the cellular membrane systems that serve as viral budding sites and of the viral and cellular factors involved in budding. One of the best studied cellular machineries required for virus egress is the ESCRT complex, which will be described in more detail.
Abundance of microRNA target motifs in the 3′‐UTRs of 20 527 human genes
Authors: Iwama Hisakazu , Masaki Tsutomu , Kuriyama Shigeki
Published: April 2007

A mechanism, selective avoidance, proposes that microRNA (miRNA) target sites are selectively depleted in the 3′‐UTRs of genes expressed at the same time and place as a miRNA. If this mechanism is ubiquitous, the target motif occurrences in the 3′‐UTRs would be decreased. To test this hypothesis, we examined miRNA target motif occurrences in the 3′‐ and 5′‐UTRs of 20 527 human protein‐coding genes. The results revealed that miRNA target motifs appeared more frequently than non‐target motifs and were enriched in the 3′‐UTRs. This enrichment was relatively reduced in a set of 2525 genes coexpressed with miR‐124a in the prefrontal cortex, but still remained at a high level, suggesting that miRNA target motifs are fostered by some other factors that surpass the influence of selective avoidance.
The C‐terminal sequence from common bugle leaf galactan:galactan galactosyltransferase is a non‐sequence‐specific vacuolar sorting determinant
Authors: Tapernoux-Lüthi Esther M. , Schneider Thomas , Keller Felix
Published: April 2007

The Ajuga reptans L. galactan:galactan galactosyltransferase (ArGGT) is a vacuolar enzyme that synthesizes long‐chain raffinose family oligosaccharides (RFOs), the major storage carbohydrates of this plant. ArGGT is structurally and functionally related to acid plant α‐galactosidases (α‐Gals) of the glycosylhydrolase family 27, present in the apoplast or the vacuole. Sequence comparison of acid α‐Gals with ArGGT revealed that they all contain an N‐terminal signal sequence and a highly similar core sequence. Additionally, ArGGT and some acid α‐Gals contain C‐terminal extensions with low sequence similarities to each other. Here, we show that the C‐terminal pentapeptide, SLQMS, is a non‐sequence‐specific vacuolar sorting determinant. Analogously, we demonstrate that the C‐terminal extensions of selected acid α‐Gals from Arabidopsis, barley, and rice, are also non‐sequence‐specific vacuolar sorting determinants, suggesting the presence of at least one vacuolar form of acid α‐Gal in every plant species.
Mechanism of vitamin D3‐induced transcription of phospholipase D1 in HaCat human keratinocytes
Authors: Kikuchi Ryosuke , Sobue Sayaka , Murakami Masashi , Ito Hiromi , Kimura Ami , Iwasaki Takashi , Shibayama Shuji , Takagi Akira , Kojima Tetsuhito , Suzuki Motoshi , Banno Yoshiko , Nozawa Yoshinori , Murate Takashi
Published: April 2007

1α,25‐Dihydroxyvitamin D3 (VitD3) increases protein and gene expression of phospholipase D1 (PLD1), but not PLD2, in HaCaT human keratinocytes. We show that VitD3 increases PLD1 gene expression through a vitamin D responsive element (VDRE) on the 5′ PLD1 promoter (−260 bp to −246 bp from exon 1). Similar results were obtained by transfecting VitD3 receptor (VDR) into HEK293 cells, which are originally VitD3‐unresponsive. Electrophoresis mobility shift assays (EMSA) and chromatin immunoprecipitation (CHIP) assays showed that the complex of VitD3, VDR and retinoid X receptor α (RXRα) binds to the VDRE and increases PLD1 gene expression in HaCaT cells.
Scanning Electron Microscopic Findings of the Gliding Surface of the A1 Pulley in Trigger Fingers and Thumbs
Authors: SBERNARDORI M. C. , MAZZARELLO V. , TRANQUILLI-LEALI P.
Published: March 2007

The gliding surface of the A1 pulley was studied in 20 cases of primary trigger finger by scanning and transmission electron microscope. In 12 normal specimens, the whole deep surface was covered uniformly by an amorphous extracellular matrix. In the pathological samples, there was the same general surface appearance but, also, areas, varying in shape and dimension where loss of the extracellular matrix had exposed the collagen fibres and a few cells of the middle layer of the pulley. There were also changes typical of “chondroid-metaplasia”. These data were confirmed by transmission electron microscopy. The fragmented areas are probably the result of altered forces of friction between the pulley and the flexor tendon and may be the “gate” through which the forces of friction cause chondroid-metaplasia in the underlying fibrous tissue, a phenomenon recognised to be one step in the pathogenesis of trigger finger.
The Surgical Treatment and Outcomes of High-Pressure Injection Injuries of the Hand
Authors: BEKLER H. , GOKCE A. , BEYZADEOGLU T. , PARMAKSIZOGLU F.
Published: March 2007

High-pressure injection injuries to the hand are uncommon soft tissue traumas of the hand which are frequently underestimated. They are, however, not uncommon among workers in industry using paint, automotive grease, solvents and diesel oil. The prognostic factors are the type, amount and temperature of the material and the pressure of injection. The results of 14 surgically treated high-pressure injection injuries of the hand with a minimum of two years follow-up are reported. Ten cases required soft tissue debridement and foreign body removal. Six required reconstructive microsurgical procedures and one underwent digital tip amputation, which followed major and devastating soft tissue problems. In the present study, we describe the mechanism of the soft tissue damage and the principles of treatment. This study confirms the fact that high-pressure injection injury to the hand is a significant problem, which can easily lead to serious sequelae and, even, amputation.
Endoscopic repair of anterior table: Frontal sinus fractures with a medpor implant
Authors: Kim Kenneth K. , Mueller Reid , Huang Faye , Strong Bradley E.
Published: April 2007

Objectives

Isolated anterior table frontal sinus fractures are commonly repaired through a coronal incision. Endoscopic repair of these injuries has recently been described. This study evaluates the endoscopic repair of isolated anterior table frontal sinus fractures with a Medpor implant.

Methods

Preinjury photographs of 10 cadaveric heads were obtained. Anterior table frontal sinus fractures were generated in all cadavers. The fractures were documented with postinjury computerized tomography (CT) scans. The fractures were then endoscopically repaired with a Medpor implant. Five cadavers received prefabricated implants generated from the post injury CT data. Five cadavers received a standard implant (0.85 mm sheet) contoured intraoperatively. The success of each repair was documented with post repair CT scans, photographs, and direct transcutaneous visualization.

Results

All 10 defects were successfully repaired within 1 to 2 mm. All implants were palpable, but no objective asymmetry could be appreciated photographically or on CT scan.

Conclusion

Anterior table frontal sinus fractures can be endoscopically repaired with either a standard 0.85 mm sheet or a prefabricated implant. Clinical application of this technique would be expected to reduce operating time, surgical morbidity, and cost.
Organizing hematoma of the maxillary sinus
Authors: Song Hyung Min , Jang Yong Ju , Chung Yoo‐Sam , Lee Bong‐Jae
Published: April 2007

Objective

The study aims to elucidate the clinical features and surgical results of OHMS (organizing hematoma of the maxillary sinus).

Study Design and Setting

We performed a chart review of 20 patients undergoing surgery for maxillary sinus lesions and pathologically diagnosed with OHMS between January 1990 and December 2005.

Results

The most common complaint was frequent epistaxis (70%). Paranasal CT scans showed unilateral expansile maxillary opacification, heterogeneous enhancement, bony destruction (25%), and focal calcification (15%). Treatment consisted of a sublabial approach combined with endonasal endoscopic surgery (50%), endonasal endoscopic surgery alone (45%), and Denker's operation (5%). All patients had a successful outcome without recurrence.

Conclusion

Conservative surgical approaches such as sublabial or endonasal endoscopic surgery alone or in combination lead to excellent outcomes without recurrence. We propose the term “OHMS” to better describe this rare pathology.

Significance

Our report is the largest series of OHMS to date.
Refining indications for the use of mitomycin C using a randomized controlled trial with an animal model
Authors: Shvidler Joseph , Bothwell Nici E. , Cable Benjamin
Published: April 2007

Objectives

To evaluate the effect of mitomycin on the repair of acquired subglottic stenosis and to define the optimal concentration of mitomycin that would minimize restenosis after repair.

Study Design And Setting

A randomized prospective model was used in which 20 ferrets (Mustela putorius furo) underwent simulated intubation injury that was then treated with CO2 laser lysis.

Results

Comparison of cross‐sectional airway areas, after stenosis repair, showed no significant differences between control and mitomycin treatment groups. Comparison of histologic scores for both inflammation and mucosalization yielded no difference between control and treatment animals.

Conclusions

Mitomycin C appeared to have no benefit when placed after repair of an acquired stenosis.

Significance

This study closely models the injury experienced by children with acquired subglottic stenosis. These data provide clear evidence that mitomycin is limited in its effect on established wounds and help further define its role as an adjuvant for surgery in the aerodigestive tract.
Biofilm formation in an in vitro model of cochlear implants with removable magnets
Authors: Loeffler Kimberly A. , Johnson Trey A. , Burne Robert A. , Antonelli Patrick J.
Published: April 2007

Background

Cochlear implant (CI) recesses, such as the removable magnet pocket, appear to harbor more biofilm than smooth surfaces. The aim of this study was to examine the impact of removable magnets on biofilm formation in an in vitro model.

Methods

Silastic models were constructed to represent CIs with and without a magnet pocket and with and without a titanium blank in the pocket. CIs were exposed to a culture of a biofilm forming strain of Staphylococcus aureus. Adherence of planktonic bacteria and biofilm formation were assessed with quantitative bacterial counts and scanning electron microscopy.

Results

Adherent bacterial counts were significantly higher in CI models with an empty magnet pocket (P = 0.0097). Biofilm formation was significantly lower in CI models without a magnet pocket (P = 0.0121).

Conclusions

CI magnet pockets harbor bacteria that can increase biofilm development in an in vitro model.
Cochlear implantation and quality of life in postlingually deaf adults: Long‐term follow‐up
Authors: Damen Godelieve W.J.A. , Beynon Andy J. , Krabbe Paul F.M. , Mulder Jef J.S. , Mylanus Emmanuel A.M.
Published: April 2007

Objective

To investigate long‐term quality of life (QoL) in postlingually deaf adults after entering the cochlear implantation (CI) program.

Study Design and Setting

Follow‐up study from 1998 onwards in tertiary university medical center. Long‐term CI users, patients who have not received a CI, and relatively short‐term CI users were re‐evaluated six years after initial data collection in 1998 by using three questionnaires (NCIQ, HUI3, and SF36) and speech perception tests.

Results and Conclusions

In general, the beneficial effect of CI remained stable during long‐term follow‐up, though scores on the questionnaires decreased slightly. Outcomes before and after cochlear implantation were significantly different. The group without a CI demonstrated slightly decreasing trends in outcomes. Long‐term speech perception performance improved in time.

Significance

This is the first study to investigate long‐term follow‐up of CI patients, in all aspects of QoL combined with speech perception performance, in comparison with postlingually deaf adults without CI.
Natural history of tracheostomy‐dependent idiopathic congenital bilateral vocal fold paralysis
Authors: Berkowitz Robert G
Published: April 2007

Objective

To identify the age at which spontaneous improvement in vocal fold function occurs that will allow decannulation to be performed in tracheostomy‐dependent children with isolated idiopathic congenital bilateral vocal fold paralysis (BVFP).

Study Design And Setting

Retrospective chart review in tertiary pediatric center.

Results

Three children were identified who underwent tracheostomy between 13 and 45 days old. Two patients have been decannulated at age 5 years 11 months and 7 years 1 month, but both have persistent symptoms of upper airway obstruction. One patient remains tracheostomy‐dependent at 4 years of age with only minimal vocal cord abduction.

Conclusions

Spontaneous improvement in vocal fold function sufficient to allow decannulation appears to occur during the second quinquennium of life.

Significance

Conservative treatment could be considered as an alternative to surgery in severe idiopathic congenital BVFP.
Absorption and metabolism of bioactive molecules after oral consumption of cooked edible heads ofCynara scolymusL. (cultivar Violetto di Provenza) in human subjects: a pilot study
Authors: Azzini E. , Bugianesi R. , Romano F. , Di Venere D. , Miccadei S. , Durazzo A. , Foddai M. S. , Catasta G. , Linsalata V. , Maiani G.
Published: April 2007

The current growing interest for natural antioxidants has led to a renewed scientific attention for artichoke, due not only to its nutritional value, but, overall, to its polyphenolic content, showing strong antioxidant properties. The major constituents of artichoke extracts are hydroxycinnamic acids such as chlorogenic acid, dicaffeoylquinic acids caffeic acid and ferulic acid, and flavonoids such as luteolin and apigenin glycosides.Invitrostudies, using cultured rat hepatocytes, have shown its hepatoprotective functions andin vivostudies have shown the inhibition of cholesterol biosynthesis in human subjects. Several studies have shown the effect on animal models of artichoke extracts, while information on human bioavailability and metabolism of hydroxycinnamates derivatives is still lacking. Results showed a plasma maximum concentration of 6·4 (sd 1.8) ng/ml for chlorogenic acid after 1 h and its disappearance within 2 h (P < 0·05). Peak plasma concentrations of 19·5 (sd6·9) ng/ml for total caffeic acid were reached within 1 h, while ferulic acid plasma concentrations showed a biphasic profile with 6·4 (sd1·5) ng/ml and 8·4 (sd4·6) ng/ml within 1 h and after 8 h respectively. We observed a significant increase of dihydrocaffeic acid and dihydroferulic acid total levels after 8 h (P < 0·05). No circulating plasma levels of luteolin and apigenin were present. Our study confirms the bioavailability of metabolites of hydroxycinnamic acids after ingestion of cooked edibleCynara scolymusL. (cultivar Violetto di Provenza).
In appreciation of Sir Philip Randle: The glucose-fatty acid cycle
Authors: Sugden Mary C.
Published: April 2007

The coordinated regulation of metabolic fuel selection is crucial to energy homeostasis. Philip Randle and his colleagues developed the fundamental concept of interplay between carbohydrate and lipid fuels in relation to the requirement for energy utilisation and storage. Their insight has fashioned current understanding of the regulation of metabolism in health and disease, as well as providing a springboard for research into the roles of lipid derivatives in insulin resistance and, at the transcriptional level, lipid-regulated nuclear hormone receptors.
Redesigning a class of its own: social and human capital formation in the German banking elite, 1870–1990
Authors: Berghoff Hartmut , Köhler Ingo
Published: April 2007

German bankers are renowned for their central position in the German model of ‘coordinated capitalism’ and for their elevated social status. Over the last 130 years, no other part of the entrepreneurial elite in Germany has displayed more power and stability. This article uses the concepts of social and human capital to explain this success and how German banking changed its patterns of recruitment, training and careers in response to general political and social trends. It also applies these concepts to the transformation of German banking from personal to managerial and, after 1970, to global capitalism. A conservative approach prevailed that integrated new demands but did so very cautiously. At the end of the twentieth century these features began to operate against German banking and weaken its international competitiveness, as the stock of specific social capital had created an inward-looking mindset.
The Maria Theresa dollar in the early twentieth-century Red Sea region: a complementary interface between multiple markets
Authors: Kuroda Akinobu
Published: April 2007

The riddle of why the Maria Theresa dollar issued by Vienna continued in circulation for over one and a half centuries in Africa and the Middle East has never been fully explained. Contrary to common belief, the popularity of this particular silver dollar did not depend on its intrinsic content. The Maria Theresa dollar complemented other monies so well that no authority could replace it with its own currency. The circuit of the coin functioned as a buffering interface between local markets, which collected products like coffee through fractional currencies, and the international market, in which the products were traded in terms of a standard currency like sterling. The complementary role of the Maria Theresa dollar resulted from a self-organising process by markets themselves in order to stabilise transactions.
‘Human understanding’ in imagining and organising sound: some implications of John Locke's Essay for ecological, cognitive and embodied approaches to composition
Authors: Dean Roger T , Bailes Freya
Published: April 2007

We discuss John Locke's ideas in his essay of 1690 on sound and its cognition and relation to bodily motion. The ideas have interesting implications for the construction of organised sound. We argue that our ecological and statistical experience of sounds in our natural (and man-made) environment is in several respects critical for our choices as soundsmiths and our impressions as listeners. Sonic repetition, both sensory and imag(in)ed, contributes to that environment. Input sounds may be ‘coupled’ to output sounds; and in some cases the physical processes generating sound and the cognitive processes of receiving them are joined. As music technologists we may think of the computer, our sonic vehicle, as a joined bodily sonic-prosthesis. ‘Simple’ sonic ideas may associate with each other through shared biological bases, and become tools for creation of ‘complex’ ideas, as Locke cogitates. Furthermore, we now have new routes towards such complex sounds, including our computer prostheses.
The process of ‘collective creation’ in the composition of UK hip-hop turntable team routines
Authors: Smith Sophy
Published: April 2007

This article looks at the compositional processes of hip-hop teams based in the UK, focusing on those that have emerged from the practice of creating team ‘routines’. Turntable teams, such as the Scratch Perverts, the Mixologists and the DMU Crew, do not create their original compositions from within the Western art tradition of an independent artist creating work in isolation, which is then communicated to performers through staff notation. Instead, turntable teams compose and perform as a collective to create original compositions from existing records, and in doing so have developed innovative compositional strategies.

To be able to analyse and discuss the creative processes of hip-hop turntable teams it has been necessary to construct my own model framework to enable me to identify similar patterns in the creative processes of the teams discussed. In the article, I discuss and analyse one routine from each of the three teams using this framework, focusing on the emergent process of ‘collective creation’. The article concludes by establishing a number of characteristics of the compositional processes used by UK turntable teams. Until now, scholarship has neglected the music of hip-hop. Previous work on hip-hop music has been concerned with either sociological or cultural and historical aspects. This article offers a new approach to hip-hop scholarship because it focuses on the actual music of turntable teams and the emergent processes that have developed to create it.
Periconceptional use of folic acid in Shanxi Province of northern China
Authors: Li Zhiwen , Ren Aiguo , Zhang Le , Liu Jianmeng , Li Zhu
Published: April 2007

Objective

To understand the periconceptional use of folic acid and its association with selected characteristics in northern China.

Design

As part of a population-based case–control study on external structural birth defects, we analysed periconceptional use of folic acid among control mothers.

Setting

The study was conducted in four counties (Pingding, Xiyang, Taigu and Zezhou) in Shanxi Province of northern China.

Subjects

The subjects in this study were the control mothers, who were interviewed between January 2003 and May 2005.

Results

Of the 480 respondent mothers, 49 women (10.2%) reported ever using folic acid supplements, and only 16 women (3.3%) used it periconceptionally. The rates of any use and periconceptional use did not change significantly with study year. Periconceptional use of folic acid was significantly increased among women with more than high school education (odds ratio (OR) = 4.57, P < 0.10), women who were not farmers (OR = 4.72, P < 0.05), women with a history of birth-defect-affected pregnancy (OR = 32.73, P < 0.05) and women who planned their pregnancy (OR = 7.88, P < 0.10).

Conclusion

The rate of periconceptional folic acid use was among the lowest of those reported from other countries. More work should be done to improve preconceptional use of folic acid with special attention on less educated women and women farmers.
Educational variations in the consumption of foods containing fat in Finland and the Baltic countries
Authors: Petkeviciene Janina , Klumbiene Jurate , Prättälä Ritva , Paalanen Laura , Pudule Iveta , Kasmel Anu
Published: April 2007

Objective

To examine educational differences among people who consume foods containing fat in Finland and the Baltic countries.

Design

Data were collected from cross-sectional postal Finbalt Health Monitor surveys that were carried out in 1998, 2000 and 2002.

Setting

Estonia, Finland, Latvia and Lithuania.

Subjects

For each survey, nationally representative random samples of adults aged 20–64 years were drawn from population registers (Estonia,n = 3656; Finland,n = 9354, Latvia,n = 6015; Lithuania,n = 5944).

Results

Differences were revealed between the countries in the consumption of foods that contain fat. Finnish people consumed butter on bread, high-fat milk, meat and meat products, and vegetable oil for cooking less frequently than people in the Baltic countries. Cheese was most popular in Finland. Educational differences in fat-related food habits were examined by applying logistic regression analysis. A positive association was found between level of education and consumption of vegetable oil used in food preparation. Drinking high-fat milk was associated with low education in all countries. People with higher education tended to consume cheese more often. Educational patterns in the consumption of butter on bread and in the consumption of meat and meat products differed between countries.

Conclusions

The consumption of foods containing fat was related to educational levels in all four countries. The diet of better-educated people was closer to recommendations for the consumption of saturated and unsaturated fats than the diet of people with lower level of education. The educational gradient was more consistent in Finland than in the Baltic countries. These existing educational differences in sources of fat consumed should be taken into account in the development of national cardiovascular disease prevention programmes.
Determination of coefficient of friction between the equine foot and different ground surfaces: anin vitrostudy
Authors: Vos Nicolas J , Riemersma Dirk J
Published: April 2007

Slippery surfaces are a continuous concern in equine veterinary practice during both treatment and orthopaedic work-ups, especially when horses have to trot on circles. Sliding of the equine foot on the ground with the potential of injury is prevented if the horizontally acting accelerating or decelerating forces on the foot do not exceed maximal friction. Friction can be calculated and therefore anticipated if the coefficient of friction (μ) between the foot of the horse and the particular ground surface is known. Friction between shod and unshod cadaver equine hooves and different ground surfaces (concrete, tarmac and rubber) was determined by pulling the hooves horizontally in a uniform motion. Horizontal forces (Fh) were measured on a force plate and with a portable digital electronic force meter. The coefficient of friction (μ) was calculated as the quotient betweenFhand the gravity force (N) of the object, hence:μ = Fh /N. This study has shown that the coefficient of friction between equine hooves and a specific ground surface can be determined using a portable digital force meter or a force plate. Friction significantly depended not only on the type of surface but also on shoeing of the equine foot. Bare feet showed more friction with the hard surfaces (bricks and tarmac), the shod feet showing more friction with the rubber surfaces. Coefficients of friction could be used to estimate the possibility of injuries occurring in the equine industry during exercise and/or lameness or pre-purchase examinations.
Stammzellen – Grundlagen und therapeutische Perspektiven
Authors: Blum
Published: April 2007

Stammzellen sind somatische Zellen mit unterschiedlichem Proliferations- und Differenzierungspotenzial. Embryonale Stammzellen (ESC) sind toti- oder pluripotent und werden aus humanen Blastozysten gewonnen. Vor kurzem ist es gelungen durch Zellkerntransfer von Patientenzellen ESC für den individuellen Zell- bzw. Gewebeersatz herzustellen. Adulte Stammzellen (ASC) sind multipotent und werden postnatal gewonnen. ASC finden sich im peripheren Blut sowie in zahlreichen Geweben bzw. Organen und können für therapeutische Zwecke in vitro zu einer Vielzahl von Zelltypen und Geweben differenzieren («tissue engineering»). Wie erste klinische Beispiele zeigen, haben embryonale und adulte Stammzellen ein enormes therapeutisches Potenzial. Vor der routinemässigen Anwendung beim Menschen sind jedoch noch zahlreiche technische Fragen, Probleme der biologischen Sicherheit und ethische Aspekte zu klären bzw. zu berücksichtigen sowie der therapeutische Nutzen durch qualifizierte klinische Studien zu demonstrieren.