bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Study of Event Traffic During the Shared Manipulation of Objects Within a Collaborative Virtual Environment
Authors: Wolff Robin , Roberts David J. , Otto Oliver
Published: July 2004

Event management must balance consistency and responsiveness above the requirements of shared object interaction within a Collaborative Virtual Environment (CVE) system. An understanding of the event traffic during collaborative tasks helps in the design of all aspects of a CVE system. The application, user activity, the display interface, and the network resources, all play a part in determining the characteristics of event management.

Linked cubic displays lend themselves well to supporting natural social human communication between remote users. To allow users to communicate naturally and subconsciously, continuous and detailed tracking is necessary. This, however, is hard to balance with the real-time consistency constraints of general shared object interaction.

This paper aims to explain these issues through a detailed examination of event traffic produced by a typical CVE, using both immersive and desktop displays, while supporting a variety of collaborative activities. We analyze event traffic during a highly collaborative task requiring various forms of shared object manipulation, including the concurrent manipulation of a shared object. Event sources are categorized and the influence of the form of object sharing as well as the display device interface are detailed. With the presented findings the paper wishes to aid the design of future systems.
End System Multicast Protocol for Collaborative Virtual Environments
Authors: Hosseini Mojtaba , Georganas Nicolas D.
Published: July 2004

IP Multicasting has been a crucial requirement of many scalable networked virtual environments by providing an efficient network mechanism through which a sender can transmit its information to a large number of receivers without having to send multiple copies of the same data over a physical link. The widespread deployment of IP Multicast has been slow due to some yet unresolved issues, prompting recent efforts in the development of multicasting protocols at the application layer instead of at the network layer. Most of these protocols address the case of a single source streaming media to a large number of receivers in applications such as video-on-demand or live broadcast. Collaborative and distributed virtual environments exhibit different characteristics that in turn necessitate a different set of requirements for application layer multicast protocols. This paper presents an introduction to application layer multicasting as it relates to distributed and collaborative virtual environments and the development of our own end system multicast protocol for multi-sender virtual teleconference applications.
Using Augmented Virtuality for Remote Collaboration
Authors: Regenbrecht H. , Lum T. , Kohler P. , Ott C. , Wagner M. , Wilke W. , Mueller E.
Published: July 2004

This paper describes the concept, prototypical implementation, and usability evaluation of the Augmented Virtuality (AV)-based videoconferencing (VC) system cAR/PE!. We present a solution that allows three participants at different locations to communicate over a network in an environment simulating a traditional face-to-face meeting. Integrated into the AV environment are live video streams of the participants spatially arranged around a virtual table, a large virtual presentation screen for 2D display and application sharing, and 3D geometry (models) within the room and on top of the table. We describe the general concept and application scenario as well as the actual hardware setup, the implementation, and the use of the system in its current state. Results of two usability studies with 87 subjects are presented that show the general usability of our approach as well as good overall satisfaction. Parts of the work described here were presented as a poster at the second International Symposium on Mixed and Augmented Reality (Regenbrecht, Ott, Wagner, Lum, Kohler, et al., 2003. An Augmented Virtuality Approach to 3D Videoconferencing. Poster at 2nd Int. Symp. on Mixed and Aug. Reality, Tokyo.).
Scene Synchronization for Real-Time Interaction in Distributed Mixed Reality and Virtual Reality Environments
Authors: Hamza-Lup Felix G. , Rolland Jannick P.
Published: July 2004

Advances in computer networks and rendering systems facilitate the creation of distributed collaborative environments in which the distribution of information at remote locations allows efficient communication. One of the challenges in networked virtual environments is maintaining a consistent view of the shared state in the presence of inevitable network latency and jitter. A consistent view in a shared scene may significantly increase the sense of presence among participants and facilitate their interactivity. The dynamic shared state is directly affected by the frequency of actions applied on the objects in the scene. Mixed Reality (MR) and Virtual Reality (VR) environments contain several types of action producers including human users, a wide range of electronic motion sensors, and haptic devices. In this paper, we propose a novel criterion for categorization of distributed MR/VR systems and present an adaptive synchronization algorithm for distributed MR/VR collaborative environments. In spite of significant network latency, results show that for low levels of update frequencies the dynamic shared state can be kept consistent at multiple remotely located sites.
The Soviet Dimension of Italian Communism
Authors: Drake Richard
Published: July 2004

This essay reviews two books that provide diverging views of the relationship between the Italian Communist Party (PCI) and the Soviet Union. The first book, a lengthy collection of declassified documents from the former Soviet archives, provides abundant evidence of the PCI's crucial dependence on Soviet funding. No Communist party outside the Soviet bloc depended more on Soviet funding over the years than the PCI did. Vast amounts of money flowed from Moscow into the PCI's coffers. The Italian Communists maintained their heavy reliance on Soviet funding until the early 1980s. The other book discussed here a memoir by Gianni Cervetti, a former senior PCI financial official seeks to defend the party's policy and to downplay the importance of the aid provided by Moscow. Nonetheless, even Cervetti's book makes clear, if only inadvertently, that the link with the Soviet Union helped spark the broader collapse of Marxism-Leninism as a mobilizing force.
The United States, Brazil, and the Cuban Missile Crisis, 1962 (Part 2)
Authors: Hershberg James G.
Published: July 2004

Though virtually ignored in the historiography, Brazil played an intriguing role in the politics and diplomacy of the Cuban missile crisis and in U.S. Cuban relations during the Kennedy administration. In the years after Fidel Castro took power, successive Brazilian governments tried secretly to mediate between Washington and Havana as their mutual confrontation intensified. Newly available U.S., Brazilian, Cuban, and other sources reveal that this role climaxed during the missile crisis, as John F. Kennedy clandestinely sought to employ Brazil to transmit a message to Castro. In turn, Brazil, which was also promoting a Latin American denuclearization scheme at the United Nations as a possible means of resolving the crisis, sought to broker a formula for U.S. Cuban reconciliation that would heighten the prestige of its own “independent”policy in the Cold War. Ultimately, these efforts failed, but they shed light on previously hidden aspects of both the missile crisis and the triangular U.S. Cuban-Brazilian relationship. This is the concluding part of a two-part article.
On the Campaign Trail: State Planning and Eigen-Sinn in a Communist Campaign to Transform the East German Countryside
Authors: Witkowski Gregory R.
Published: July 2004

Throughout its history, the East German Communist Party (Sozialistische Einheitspartei Deutschlands, hereafter SED) organized campaigns to overcome the economic and political challenges facing it and to launch new program initiatives. Whether the aim was to increase factory safety, beautify a village, or raise standards of living, the party and the East German government used mass mobilizations to shape society, or at least certain social groups. Communist campaigns were directed attempts to improve diverse sectors of society by concentrating resources on arenas marked as economically deficient and socially resistant. By directing their efforts at revolutionizing narrowly defined critical areas, Communist leaders felt that they could enact overarching societal changes. Campaigns thus served as a means to initiate new policies and to correct problems that developed later. They were an essential part both of the state planning so prevalent in Communist systems, and of the often hectic short-term initiatives endemic in such economies. These mobilization efforts were so critical to the regime that one scholar has declared that the German Democratic Republic (GDR) possessed a campaign, rather than a command economy.
Hegel's Württemberg Commentary: Intellectuals and the Construction of Civil Society in Revolutionary-Napoleonic Germany
Authors: McNeely Ian F.
Published: July 2004

G. W. F. Hegel's “Commentary on the Published Proceedings of the Estates Assembly in the Kingdom of Württemberg, 1815–1816” is the notoriously recondite philosopher's most lucid account of Germany's political transformation after the French Revolution and the Napoleonic wars. Written in a punchy, polemical style, yet brimming with philosophical distinctions, the 130–page essay features concrete analyses of political institutions, social groups, and parliamentary debates in Hegel's home state. He published it in the 1817Heidelberg Yearbooks, hoping to reach the educated public and influence the shape of Germany's constitutional order after Napoleon's defeat. The work has never been fully translated or adequately interpreted; it earns but a few, albeit astute, remarks in Terry Pinkard's recent biography. The 1999 Cambridge edition of Hegel'sPolitical Writingsomits it entirely, citing its focus on “esoteric and antiquarian matters peculiar to the political history of Württemberg.” As Hegel himself realized, however, Württemberg's experience dramatized the most profound civic upheaval of the age: the shift from a corporate society composed of particular estates (Stände) to a civil society governed by universal precepts and a “rational” state.
Building an East German Nation: The Construction of a SocialistHeimat, 1945–1961
Authors: Palmowski Jan
Published: July 2004

Followingthe GDR's surprising collapse in 1989, historians have produced a range of studies that have added new contours to its state and society and contributed to a much fuller understanding of the reasons for East Germany's implosion. As scholars became more aware of the “limits of dictatorship” in the GDR, however, the longevity of a state that lasted for almost as long as the second German Empire became all the more perplexing. In response to this problem, a number of historians reflected on approaches practiced by historical anthropologists and sociologists, to explore the distinctive nature of GDR life in its everyday manifestations. Inspired by the pioneering work of Alf Lüdtke and Lutz Niethammer, they began to investigate the history of everyday life at the workplace, within and across generational and gender divides, and in areas such as consumption and leisure.
Stem cells and repair of lung injuries
Authors: Neuringer Isabel P , Randell Scott H
Published: July 2004

Fueled by the promise of regenerative medicine, currently there is unprecedented interest in stem cells. Furthermore, there have been revolutionary, but somewhat controversial, advances in our understanding of stem cell biology. Stem cells likely play key roles in the repair of diverse lung injuries. However, due to very low rates of cellular proliferation in vivo in the normal steady state, cellular and architectural complexity of the respiratory tract, and the lack of an intensive research effort, lung stem cells remain poorly understood compared to those in other major organ systems. In the present review, we concisely explore the conceptual framework of stem cell biology and recent advances pertinent to the lungs. We illustrate lung diseases in which manipulation of stem cells may be physiologically significant and highlight the challenges facing stem cell-related therapy in the lung.
Characterization of the GATC regulatory network in E. coli
Authors: Riva Alessandra , Delorme Marie-Odile , Chevalier Tony , Guilhot Nicolas , Hénaut Corinne , Hénaut Alain
Published: July 2004

Background

The tetranucleotide GATC is methylated in Escherichia. coli by the DNA methyltransferase (Dam) and is known to be implicated in numerous cellular processes. Mutants lacking Dam are characterized by a pleiotropic phenotype. The existence of a GATC regulated network, thought to be involved in cold and oxygen shift, had been proposed and its existence has recently been confirmed. The aim of this article is to describe the components of the GATC regulated network of E. coli in detail and propose a role of this network in the light of an evolutionary advantage for the organism.

Results

We have classified the genes of the GATC network according to the EcoCyc functional classes. Comparisons with all of E. coli's genes and the genes involved in the SOS and stress response show that the GATC network forms a group apart. The functional classes that characterize the network are the Energy metabolism (in particular respiration), Fatty acid/ Phospholipid metabolism and Nucleotide metabolism.

Conclusions

The network is thought to come into play when the cell undergoes coldshock and is likely to enter stationary phase.

The respiration is almost completely under GATC control and according to our hypothesis it will be blocked at the moment of coldshock; this might give the cell a selective advantage as it increases its chances for survival when entering stationary phase under coldshock. We predict the accumulation of formate and possibly succinate, which might increase the cell's resistance, in this case to antimicrobial agents, when entering stationary phase.
Transient spleen enlargement in peripheral blood progenitor cell donors given G-CSF
Authors: Stroncek David F , Dittmar Kristin , Shawker Thomas , Heatherman Angela , Leitman Susan F
Published: July 2004

The administration of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) to peripheral blood progenitor cell (PBPC) donors causes spleen length to increase, but the duration of enlargement is not known. Eighteen healthy subjects were given 10 μg/kg of G-CSF for 5 days and a PBSC concentrate was collected by apheresis. Ultrasound scans were used to assess craniocaudal spleen length before and after G-CSF administration. Mean spleen length increased from a baseline length of 10.7 ± 1.3 cm to 12.1 ± 1.2 cm on the apheresis day (p < 0.001). Ten days after apheresis, spleen length fell to 10.5 ± 1.2 cm and did not differ from baseline levels (p = 0.57), but in 3 subjects remained 0.5 cm greater than baseline length. Increases in spleen length in PBPC donors are transient and reversible.
Effects of occupational polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon exposure on T-lymphocyte functions and natural killer cell activity in asphalt and coke oven workers
Authors: Karakaya Asuman , Ates Ilker , Yucesoy Berran
Published: July 2004

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are environmental carcinogens exhibiting potent immunosuppressive properties. In order to determine PAH-induced immunotoxicity in humans, we investigated possible immunomodulating effects on T-lymphocyte proliferative responses and natural killer (NK) cell activities, at two different exposure levels, in asphalt and coke oven workers. We evaluated the efficiency of urinary 1-hy droxypyrene as a measure of exposure to PAHs. We found a statistically significant inhibition in T-lymphocyte proliferative responses of asphalt and coke oven workers compared to the controls. On the other hand, interestingly, we found significantly higher NK cell activities at three effector:target (E:T) ratios in the asphalt group compared to coke oven and control groups. We conclude that PAHs may cause suppression of T-lymphocyte proliferation at both exposure levels and augment NK cell activity only at low levels of exposure. Our results are in line with others reported in the literature indicating that chronic exposure to PAHs at different levels may alter some immune responses in different ways.
The effect of plasmapheresis on plasma cholinesterase levels in a patient with organophosphate poisoning
Authors: Güven Muhammet , Sungur Murat , Eser Bülent
Published: July 2004

Objective: To describe the role of plasmapheresis in management of organophosphate poisonings. Design: Case report. Setting: A medical intensive care unit of a medical faculty. Patient: A patient with organophosphate poisoning whose cholinesterase levels continuously decline and then increase up to a normal level after plasmapheresis is performed for his sepsis. Interventions: Plasmapheresis with fresh frozen plasma. Measurements and main results: Baseline plasma cholinesterase (ChE) level was 4001 IU/L (normal values: 4000-10000 IU/L). Aspiration pneumonia was developed on day 3, and sepsis occurred on day 5. During this period, ChE levels gradually decreased. On day 5, plasmapheresis was performed for sepsis. Interestingly, plasma ChE levels increased from 2101 IU/L to 6144 IU/L after plasmapheresis. Atropine and pralidoxime were stopped, and a high level of ChE continued during hospitalization. The patient was successfully weaned from mechanical ventilation 3 days after plasmapheresis. Conclusion: Plasma exchange therapy may be considered for patients with organophosphate poisoning unresponsive to atropine and pralidoxime.
Telomere shortening and chromosomal instability abrogates proliferation of adult but not embryonic neural stem cells
Authors: Ferrón Sacri , Mira Helena , Franco Sonia , Cano-Jaimez Marifé , Bellmunt Elena , Ramírez Carmen , Fariñas Isabel , Blasco María A.
Published: July 2004

Chromosome integrity is essential for cell viability and, therefore, highly proliferative cell types require active telomere elongation mechanisms to grow indefinitely. Consistently, deletion of telomerase activity in a genetically modified mouse strain results in growth impairments in all highly proliferative cell populations analyzed so far. We show that telomere attrition dramatically impairs the in vitro proliferation of adult neural stem cells (NSCs) isolated from the subventricular zone (SVZ) of telomerase-deficient adult mice. Reduced proliferation of postnatal neurogenic progenitors was also observed in vivo, in the absence of exogenous mitogenic stimulation. Strikingly, severe telomere erosion resulting in chromosomal abnormalities and nuclear accumulation of p53 did not affect the in vitro proliferative potential of embryonic NSCs. These results suggest that intrinsic differences exist between embryonic and adult neural progenitor cells in their response to telomere shortening, and that some populations of tissue-specific stem cells can bypass DNA damage check points.
Gene expression profiles of transcription factors and signaling molecules in the ascidian embryo: towards a comprehensive understanding of gene networks
Authors: Imai Kaoru S. , Hino Kyosuke , Yagi Kasumi , Satoh Nori , Satou Yutaka
Published: July 2004

Achieving a real understanding of animal development obviously requires a comprehensive rather than partial identification of the genes working in each developmental process. Recent decoding of genome sequences will enable us to perform such studies. An ascidian, Ciona intestinalis, one of the animals whose genome has been sequenced, is a chordate sharing a basic body plan with vertebrates, although its genome contains less paralogs than are usually seen in vertebrates. In the present study, we discuss the genomewide approach to networks of developmental genes in Ciona embryos. We focus on transcription factor genes and some major groups of signal transduction genes. These genes are comprehensively listed and examined with regard to their embryonic expression by in situ hybridization(http://ghost.zool.kyoto-u.ac.jp/tfst.html). The results revealed that 74% of the transcription factor genes are expressed maternally and that 56% of the genes are zygotically expressed during embryogenesis. Of these, 34% of the transcription factor genes are expressed both maternally and zygotically. The number of zygotically expressed transcription factor genes increases gradually during embryogenesis. As an example, and taking advantage of this comprehensive description of gene expression profiles, we identified transcription factor genes and signal transduction genes that are expressed at the early gastrula stage and that work downstream of β-catenin, FoxD and/or Fgf9/16/20. Because these three genes are essential for ascidian endomesoderm specification, transcription factor genes and signal transduction genes involved in each of the downstream processes can be deduced comprehensively using the present approach.
Wave propagation in wet steam
Authors: Petr V
Published: July 2004

Linear wave equations for equilibrium and subcooled wet steam are introduced in the paper, accounting for thermal and inertial relaxation processes between the vapour and droplets. Relations for sonic velocity and absorption were found to be frequency dependent. Analysis of propagation of a step pressure disturbance suggests that the frozen speed of sound should be used to define, for example, the direction of characteristics and conditions for choking of a wet steam flow. It is concluded further that in a near-equilibrium approximation the non-linear wave phenomena in a wet steam can be analysed by the Korteweg-deVries-Burger equation, accounting for non-linear, dispersive and dissipative effects.
Distinguishing Informational Cascades from Herd Behavior in the Laboratory
Authors: Çelen Boğaçhan , Kariv Shachar
Published: July 2004

This paper reports an experimental test of how individuals learn from the behavior of others. By using techniques only available in the laboratory, we elicit subjects' beliefs. This allows us to distinguish informational cascades from herd behavior. By adding a setup with continuous signal and discrete action, we enrich the ball-andurn observational learning experiments paradigm of Lisa R. Anderson and Charles Holt (1997). We attempt to understand subjects' behavior by estimating a model that allows for the possibility of errors in earlier decisions.
Is There a Politically Optimal Level of Judicial Independence?
Authors: Hanssen F. Andrew
Published: July 2004

Independent courts render current policy more durable (by raising the cost of future policy changes) but may also engage in policy-making of their own. This paper asks: Is there an optimal level of judicial independence from the perspective of incumbent officials in the other branches? To answer that question, the paper develops a model of strategic institutional choice, and tests it on the judicial institutions of the American states. Consistent with the model's predictions, the most independenceenhancing institutions are found where political competition between rival parties is tightest and differences between party platforms are largest.
Referrals
Authors: Garicano Luis , Santos Tano
Published: July 2004

This paper studies the matching of opportunities with talent when costly diagnosis confers an informational advantage to the agent undertaking it. When this agent is underqualified, adverse selection prevents efficient referrals through fixed-price contracts. Spot-market contracts that rely on income sharing can match opportunities with talent but induce a team-production problem which, if severe enough, can prevent the referral of valuable opportunities. Partnership contracts, in which agents agree in advance to the allocation of opportunities and of the revenues they generate, support referrals where the market cannot, but often at the expense of distortions on those opportunities that are not referred.
Workers' Education, Spillovers, and Productivity: Evidence from Plant-Level Production Functions
Authors: Moretti Enrico
Published: July 2004

I assess the magnitude of human capital spillovers by estimating production functions using a unique firm-worker matched data set. Productivity of plants in cities that experience large increases in the share of college graduates rises more than the productivity of similar plants in cities that experience small increases in the share of college graduates. These productivity gains are offset by increased labor costs. Using three alternative measures of economic distance—input-output flows, technological specialization, and patent citations—I find that within a city, spillovers between industries that are economically close are larger than spillovers between industries that are economically distant.
Potential Leaks in Hydrocarbon Reservoirs: Costs, Profits and Uncertainties
Authors: Lerche I. , MacKay J. A.
Published: July 2004

A potentially leaking reservoir has an uncertainty on the volumetric resources it might contain because one does not know the extent to which it might have leaked nor does one know that it actually does contain hydrocarbons ahead of drilling. The economic aspects of such an exploration opportunity are investigated in this paper, where it is shown that not only do the uncertain volumetric aspects play a role in determining potential profitability but, and often more importantly, so do the potential drilling costs and the future selling price of product, both of which are also uncertain. It is the combined interaction of both the volumetric uncertainties and the economic uncertainties that determine the possible worth of the opportunity. Here we show how to determine the parameters that are most important in contributing to the uncertainty on the potential worth. We also show how to estimate the probability of achieving break-even and how to determine which parameters are causing the greatest uncertainty on the break-even probability. In this way decision-makers in a corporation can determine more effectively where to concentrate their efforts to improve the uncertainty of critical parameters, and they also know which are the critical parameters to be addressed. Time, effort, and money are thus spared by not focusing on parameters that play more minor roles in the assessment of a potentially leaking reservoir as an exploration opportunity.
Potential Leaks in Hydrocarbon Reservoirs: Impact on Resource Assessments
Authors: Lerche I. , MacKay J. A.
Published: July 2004

Evaluation of the likely resources to be found in a four-way structural closure is undertaken when there is a chance of an open fault intersecting the structure that can leak hydrocarbons. Because one does not know whether the putative hydrocarbons exist in the structure and, even if they exist, whether they fill the structure to the point that leakage can occur, such assessments have, of necessity, to be probabilistic. We show here that there are two main contributions to the uncertainty on the expected resources: the first arises due to the uncertainty of which outcome will be present, and the second arises because the parameters entering the resource assessment each have uncertainties. Both types of uncertainty components have to be considered when evaluating the expected value of the resources and its total uncertainty. The probability one will find resources in excess of a particular value is also evaluated including both components of uncertainty. The dominance of particular parameters to the uncertainty is also evaluated. Simple numerical illustrations show how one uses the procedure in practical situations to evaluate the individual components and also to address properly the worth of obtaining further information, and the type of information, to narrow the range of uncertainty caused by the probable presence of the leaking fault and the amount of hydrocarbons it might be able to leak from the structure.
Performance Analysis of Suspension Seats under High Magnitude Vibration Excitations: II. Design Parameter Study
Authors: Rakheja S. , Boileau P.-É. , Wang Z.
Published: July 2004

The influences of suspension design parameters on the performance of three different suspension seats under high magnitude excitations were investigated using the generalized analytical model developed and validated in the first part of this work. The model was initially applied to study the influences of variations in the seated mass and suspension ride height on the response characteristics. Additional laboratory experiments were conducted and the measured data were used to demonstrate the validity of the generalized model under such variations in operating conditions for all three-suspension seats. The influences of variations in design parameters that could affect the performance under high magnitude excitations, namely suspension damping properties (low-velocity compression mode damping, damping asymmetry and high velocity damping) and properties of the elastic end-stops, on the performance measures are presented. Such influences are assessed in terms of seat effective amplitude transmissibility ( SEAT), vibration dose value ( VDV) ratio, peak accelerationof the seated mass and the peak force developed by the elastic end-stops. The results of the study suggest that suspension dampers with medium to high compression damping, higher rebound damping and higher high-speed damping would be desirable to realize enhanced performance under high magnitude excitations. Elastic end-stops with low stiffness are desirable to reduce the severity of the end-stop impacts.
Effects on Spatial Skills after Exposure to Low Frequency Noise
Authors: Ljungberg Jessica , Neely Gregory , Lundström Ronnie
Published: July 2004

A study of spatial skills was conducted with 27 male and 27 female participants. The aim of the study was to examine the post-exposure effect of a complex low frequency noise (21 Hz) on a mental rotation task. It was hypothesised that reaction time and number of errors would increase after 20 minutes exposure to noise exposure compared to performance after a control condition, and that groups exposed to higher intensity noise would exhibit greater impairment. Three groups of participants were exposed to a control condition and a noise condition (either, 77, 81 or 86 dB (A)). After each exposure, subjects completed a mental rotation task where the stimulus consisted of one of three letters presented in five different rotations, showed either normally or mirrored. The participants were asked to respond as quickly and accurately as possible, affirmatively if the letter presented was not mirrored and negatively if it was mirrored. Statistical analysis revealed that the medium intensity level generated significant post-exposure effects while no effects were seen at the low or high intensity levels.
Impact of Environmental Uncertainty and Task Characteristics on User Satisfaction with Data
Authors: Karimi Jahangir , Somers Toni M. , Gupta Yash P.
Published: July 2004

Today, more than ever before, organizations are faced with the task of processing volumes of information under more uncertain and more competitive environments. This study investigates the impact of environmental uncertainty and task characteristics on user satisfaction with data by using IS and organizational theories. Responses were matched from 77 CEOs and 166 senior managers, who were end users of IS. The partial least squares technique indicated that environmental uncertainty has a positive impact on task characteristics. Task characteristics have a direct and mediating impact on user satisfaction with data. Our findings also demonstrated that user satisfaction with data could be better understood by overlapping IS and organizational theories, rather than by treating the subject matter in disjoint fields. The paper concludes with discussions and implications for researchers and practitioners.
How citizens decide in direct-democratic votes
Authors: Kriesi Hanspeter
Published: July 2004

According to Schumpeter’s extraordinarily influential ‘realistic’ theory of representative democracy, democracy is essentially a method for vesting in certain individuals the power to make binding political. The essence of representative democracy is the ability of
citizens to replace one government by another and, hence, to hold the political decision-makers accountable to them. For Schumpeter and his followers, it is not only natural, but also desirable that the role of the citizens in the political process be narrowly circumscribed. Therefore, the
supporters of the ‘realist’ theory of democracy have always been highly sceptical about direct-democratic procedures. They simply do not believe that citizens are sufficiently qualified for direct participation in political decision-making. Citizens tend to be little interested
in politics and badly informed about it. However, this does not mean that they are unable to make meaningful political decisions. I shall argue that citizens can make meaningful decision, because their choices are simplified and pre-structured by the institutional setting and by the heuristic
cues and the arguments provided by the political elites.
Turning Gate
Authors: Kim Kyung Hyun
Published: July 2004

Abstract This review analyzes Turning Gate, the maverick Korean director Hong Sangsoo's fourth film and perhaps the most critically acclaimed title in his distinguished filmography. It discusses how the film—in a humorous yet rigorous fashion—recasts the modernist filmmaking strategies of double articulation, depiction of everyday mundanity, and subtle disruptions of the dominant film language.
Limitations of Traditional Anticoagulants
Authors: Hawkins David
Published: July 2004

Warfarin and unfractionated heparin have been in clinical use for more than 50 years. Both are effective anticoagulants, but their use is associated with a number of impediments, including the need for intensive coagulation monitoring, wide variation in dose‐response relationships, multiple drug interactions (in the case of warfarin), and serious immune‐mediated thrombocytopenia (in the case of heparin). The introduction of low‐molecular‐weight heparins 10 years ago advanced anticoagulation therapy by enhancing efficacy and eliminating the need for intensive coagulation monitoring. Fondaparinux, the first selective factor Xa inhibitor, represents yet another improvement in anticoagulation therapy with even greater efficacy and safety.
Pharmacoeconomics of Thrombosis Management
Authors: Hawkins David
Published: July 2004

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is the cause of significant morbidity and mortality and may lead to other complications, including recurrent VTE and long‐term postthrombotic syndrome. Venous thromboembolism represents a huge health economic burden of nearly $500 million/year in the United States. Without adequate prophylaxis, patients undergoing major orthopedic surgery are at high risk of developing VTE. Prophylaxis with either unfractionated heparin or warfarin not only substantially reduces the risk of VTE after orthopedic surgery, but also is more cost‐effective than no prophylaxis. Low‐molecular‐weight heparins (LMWHs) have been shown to be superior to unfractionated heparin or warfarin, and despite the fact that they are more expensive, they are cost‐effective. Large‐scale clinical trials have shown that fondaparinux further reduces the likelihood of VTE complications after major orthopedic surgery. A review of the pharmacoeconomic evaluations of fondaparinux leads to the conclusion that fondaparinux is a cost‐effective alternative to LMWHs in VTE prophylaxis.
Unfractionated Heparin in Cardiology: Redefining the Standard of Practice
Authors: Rihn Thomas L. , Díez José ,   Heparin Consensus Group
Published: July 2004

Acute coronary syndromes (ACS) consist of unstable angina (UA), non–ST‐segment myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) and ST‐segment myocardial infarction (STEMI). Timely intervention with effective, predictable antithrombin therapy is critically important in the early management of these conditions. Platelet aggregation is also an important component of thrombus formation in arterial thrombosis. Historically, unfractionated heparin (UFH) has been combined with aspirin to suppress thrombin propagation and fibrin formation; however, its effectiveness has been questioned in this setting. Unlike newer anticoagulant alternatives, UFH paradoxically stimulates platelet aggregation, which may further promote clot formation. In addition, obtaining a valid therapeutic activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) in cardiology patients is a major challenge, and dosing is complex. Due to substantial variation in reagents and instruments, target aPTT ranges for UFH in ACS clinical trials cannot be extrapolated to individual institutions. Further, the risk of ischemic events is greater shortly after abrupt discontinuation of UFH compared with alternative agents with longer half‐lives and less stimulation of platelet aggregation. Key UA‐NSTEMI clinical trials have demonstrated that UFH is inferior to newer agents, such as the low‐molecular‐weight heparins (LMWHs). Consistent with this evidence, the most recent practice guidelines of the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association in UA‐NSTEMI identify the LMWH enoxaparin as the agent of choice. In patients with STEMI receiving the fibrinolytic tenecteplase as reperfusion therapy, enoxaparin has also been superior to UFH in combination. In percutaneous procedures, newer indirect (enoxaparin) and direct (bivalirudin) antithrombins have demonstrated safety and efficacy. There is little doubt that as we move forward in optimizing adjunctive anticoagulation in the cardiology setting, UFH will largely be replaced by better antithrombin agents.
Economics of Unfractionated Heparin: Beyond Acquisition Cost
Authors: Dobesh Paul P. ,   Heparin Consensus Group
Published: July 2004

Despite numerous clinical trials demonstrating advantages of new anticoagulants, unfractionated heparin (UFH) is still used by a number of clinicians in the United States. The reason for this continued use of UFH is not superior efficacy, improved safety, or convenience, but low acquisition cost. However, several other costs associated with the use of UFH are often not considered. Appropriate economic analysis, which considers both cost and outcomes, has not demonstrated support for continued use of UFH. Its continued use based simply on lower cost is not justified by the literature.
Likelihood and Mechanisms of Cross‐Allergenicity Between Sulfonamide Antibiotics and Other Drugs Containing a Sulfonamide Functional Group
Authors: Brackett Carolyn C. , Singh Harleen , Block John H.
Published: July 2004

Concerns about cross‐allergenicity between sulfonamide antibiotics and nonantibiotic, sulfonamide‐containing drugs persist and can complicate patients' drug therapy unnecessarily. No interaction between the human immune system and the sulfonamide functional group has been demonstrated. The immunologic determinant of type I, immediate hypersensitivity responses to sulfonamide antibiotics is the N1 heterocyclic ring. Nonantibiotic sulfonamides do not contain this structural feature. Non‐type I hypersensitivity responses to sulfonamide antibiotics are largely attributable to reactive metabolites that may cause either direct cytotoxicity or immunologic response. Formation of these metabolites is a stereospecific process that occurs at the N4 amino nitrogen of the sulfonamide antibiotics, a structure also not found on any nonantibiotic sulfonamide drugs. The stereospecificity of these reactions implies that cross‐reactivity with nonantibiotic sulfonamide‐containing drugs is highly unlikely; this assertion is supported by recent literature. However, T‐cell recognition of unmetabolized, nonhaptenated parent sulfonamide antibiotic appears to occur in a small subset of hypersensitive patients. Several of the severe cutaneous reactions associated with sulfonamide antibiotics are mediated by T cells. It is not known whether T‐cell recognition of antibiotic is related to the sulfonamide functional group. Until the mechanism of this recognition is elucidated, cross‐reactivity with nonantibiotic sulfonamides appears to remain at least theoretically possible.
Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in the Pediatric Population
Authors: Gaylor Allyson S. , Condren Michelle E.
Published: July 2004

Type 2 diabetes mellitus, once considered a disease only of adults, is now being diagnosed at an increasingly alarming rate in children. It is still unclear whether the presentation, risk factors, course, and treatment of the disease are the same in children as they are in adults. Pediatric‐specific prevalence is being linked to obesity and inactivity, and risk factors include being overweight, family history of the disease, and conditions of insulin resistance such as puberty. Although the clinical presentations of types 1 and 2 diabetes often are different, they can be similar, which makes it difficult to differentiate between the two. Metformin is the only drug approved for the treatment of type 2 diabetes in children, but other drugs are being studied. Prevention is essential. It is critical that health care professionals and the public are educated about this disease and that studies are conducted that focus on children with type 2 diabetes.
Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs as a Means to Optimize Antimicrobial Use Insights from the Society of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists
Authors: Owens Robert C. , Fraser Gilles L. , Stogsdill Patricia
Published: July 2004

Each year, approximately 2 million people in the United States contract an infection during a hospital stay. An increasing percentage of these institutionally acquired infections are attributed to antimicrobial‐resistant organisms. At the same time, studies and surveys suggest that as much as half of all antimicrobial use is inappropriate. Recommendations for preventing and reducing antimicrobial resistance in hospitals stress the importance of improving antimicrobial use, referred to as antimicrobial stewardship, at the institutional level. Antimicrobial stewardship programs have served as wake‐up calls to both clinicians and health care administrators. We review the more recent literature concerning the impact of antimicrobial stewardship programs on costs, outcomes, and resistance and summarize important considerations for implementation of these programs.
Development and Preliminary Testing of a Patient Decision Aid to Assist Pharmaceutical Care in the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease
Authors: Lalonde Lyne , O'Connor Annette M. , Drake Elizabeth , Duguay Pierrette , Lowensteyn Ilka , Grover Steven A.
Published: July 2004

Study Objective. To develop and test a decision aid for patients with hypertension and/or dyslipidemia because a decision aid may assist in pharmaceutical care by providing relevant evidence‐based information.

Design. Before and after use of a decision aid.

Setting. Hypertension clinic of a university hospital and a specialized coronary heart disease‐prevention clinic.

Patients. A convenience sample of 16 patients receiving pharmacologic treatment for hypertension and/or dyslipidemia.

Intervention. A face‐to‐face interview was conducted before using the decision aid. This was followed by a telephone interview after the patient used the decision aid to assess the acceptability of the decision aid to the patient, as well as the patient's knowledge, risk perception, and decisional conflict.

Measurements and Main Results. The decision aid consists of a booklet containing general, evidence‐based information and a personal worksheet. The worksheet provides information on patient risk factors, personal estimates of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, the benefits of treatment options, and values clarification exercise. It invites patients to specify an action plan and follow their own progress over time. Most patients (86–93%) rated the presentation of the information as excellent or very good, 80% judged the information about lifestyle changes and drug therapy to be balanced, 93% rated the amount of information “just right,” and 100% found the decision aid useful. After using the decision aid, patients had higher knowledge scores for general risk factors (before, 91%; after, 100%, p=0.014), personal risk factors (73%, 92%, p=0.016), and treatment options (68%, 99%, p<0.001). More patients were able to estimate correctly their CVD risk category (50%, 93%, p=0.03) and their absolute 10‐year CVD risk (0%, 93%, p<0.001), whereas the overall decisional conflict score decreased (p=0.007).

Conclusion. The decision aid was acceptable to patients and improved their knowledge, risk perception, and decisional conflict. Therefore, the feasibility and impact of using the decision aid in community pharmacies and medical clinics should be assessed.
Extrapyramidal Symptoms Related to Adjunctive Nizatidine Therapy in an Adolescent Receiving Quetiapine and Paroxetine
Authors: Bhanji Nadeem H. , Margolese Howard C.
Published: July 2004

Weight gain is a serious problem with recently introduced atypical antipsychotic agents. Nizatidine, a histamine2 (H2)‐receptor antagonist, may help reduce this weight gain. To our knowledge, no adverse effects have been reported when nizatidine is given at recommended doses with atypical antipyschotic agents. We describe, however, an adolescent who was receiving quetiapine and paroxetine for schizophrenia and depression, and developed extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS; parkinsonism and akathisia) after taking nizatidine for weight loss. Based on a report of another patient who developed EPS after taking higher‐than‐recommended doses of nizatidine, we reviewed the literature on treatment with H2‐receptor antagonists for weight gain and on central nervous system adverse effects of nizatidine. Nizatidine may be effective for reducing weight gain associated with both medical and psychiatric conditions. Its safety profile is usually benign, although some patients may develop serious adverse effects, such as EPS and delirium. Therefore, the drug is recommended for short‐term management of weight gain associated with atypical antipsychotic agents. Patients receiving nizatidine therapy should be monitored closely for development of EPS, particularly when high doses are prescribed.
Pamidronate Treatment for Hypercalcemia in an Infant Receiving Parenteral Nutrition
Authors: Bryowsky Jason J. , Bugnitz Mark C. , Hak Emily B.
Published: July 2004

A 17‐day‐old infant who was delivered 8 weeks premature underwent small bowel resection for necrotizing enterocolitis. During treatment with continuous infusions of furosemide and hydrocortisone, his total calcium concentration had increased. The calcium dose in his parenteral nutrition solution was decreased and then finally withheld. At 7 weeks of age and after 10 days of calcium‐free parenteral nutrition, pamidronate 3 mg (1.1 mg/kg) in 60 ml of normal saline was infused over 6 hours. The infant's total serum calcium concentration decreased, but then 6 days later it had increased again; pamidronate 2 mg (0.7 mg/kg) in 40 ml of normal saline over 4 hours was administered. The patient demonstrated no signs or symptoms of adverse reactions to pamidronate. His serum calcium concentration returned to normal, and calcium‐containing parenteral nutrition was tolerated. The use of pamidronate for treatment of hypercalcemia and chronic conditions that affect normal bone growth is increasing in children. Clinical trials in pediatric patients are necessary to determine how best to use bisphosphonates in this patient population.