bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Problems in transfer of business experienced by Finnish entrepreneurs
Authors: Malinen Pasi
Published: March 2004

Transfer of business will become more and more important in the immediate future as large numbers of entrepreneurs in Europe are growing older. The attention paid to the phenomenon is still not adequate. The research aims at giving a recent picture on the Finnish transfer of business situation. Various writers have come up with different scenarios as to a successful transfer of business. In this research, compare some recent Finnish findings are compared with the data collected in connection with a larger small family business research programme. The paper presents similarities to and dissimilarities from previous findings. Technical, hard issues (financing, taxation) are not the most problematic issues in transfer of business as experienced by Finnish entrepreneurs; the problems are in obtaining assistance in transfer of business planning and finding a successor/buyer. Limitations are discussed and suggestions for future research are put forward where findings challenge previous research.
Late‐season induction of diapause in Nezara viridula and its effect on adult coloration and post‐diapause reproductive performance
Authors: Musolin Dmitry L. , Numata Hideharu
Published: March 2004

Nezara viridula (L.) (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) recently expanded its distribution range in Japan and reached Osaka. In the southern temperate zone, the species overwinters in the adult stage and reproductive diapause is associated with a body colour change from green to russet. In Osaka, the reproductive diapause is only induced in September–October and nymphs from late egg masses are destined to die during winter. However, the fate of adults emerging late in the season remained unknown. Survival, body colour change, and post‐diapause reproduction were studied under quasi‐natural conditions in Osaka in 1999–2000 in those adults that attained adulthood as late as in November. Two experimental cohorts were used: in the Outdoor cohort, insects were reared outdoors starting in their second instar (28 September); in the Laboratory cohort, nymphs and subsequently adults were reared from the same day under diapause‐inducing conditions (L10:D14 at 25 °C), then acclimatized (5 days at 20 °C and 5 days at 15 °C; L10:D14) and transferred outdoors on 1 December. Adults in both cohorts did not reproduce in autumn and survived the winter with a low mortality. More than 20% of adults in the Outdoor cohort failed to change body colour from green to russet during winter, apparently because of the low ambient temperature, suggesting that the environmental conditions required for colour change do not completely coincide with those required for diapause induction, and that the colour of the adults is not always a reliable indicator of diapause in this species. After overwintering, females from the Outdoor cohort produced significantly fewer egg masses and eggs and had a significantly shorter period of oviposition than females that entered diapause under short‐day conditions in the Laboratory cohort. Thus, if progeny from the late egg masses attain adulthood late in the autumn, these adults have high chances of successful overwintering, but their reproductive output after the winter diapause is significantly reduced.
Characterization of a Bacillus thuringiensis strain with a broad spectrum of activity against lepidopteran insects
Authors: Martínez Clara , Porcar Manuel , López Alejandro , De Escudero Iñigo Ruiz , Pérez‐Llarena Francisco J. , Caballero Primitivo
Published: March 2004

The insect pathogen Bacillus thuringiensis is suitable for use in biological control, and certain strains have been developed as commercial bioinsecticides. The molecular and biological characterization of a Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. aizawai strain, named HU4‐2, revealed its potential as a bioinsecticide. The strain was found to contain eight different cry genes: cry1Ab, cry1Ad, cry1C, cry1D, cry1F, cry2, cry9Ea1, and a novel cry1I‐type gene. Purified parasporal crystals from strain HU4‐2 comprised three major proteins of 130–145 kDa, which were tested for their insecticidal potency to four species of Lepidoptera (Helicoverpa armigera, Spodoptera exigua, S. littoralis, and S. frugiperda) and three species of mosquito (Culex pipiens pipiens, Aedes aegypti, and Anopheles stephensi). The crystal proteins were highly toxic against all the species of Lepidoptera tested, moderately toxic against two of the mosquito species (C. pipiens and Ae. aegypti), but no toxicity was observed against a third species of mosquito (An. stephensi) at the concentrations used in our study. The LC50 values of the HU4‐2 Bt strain against H. armigera larvae (5.11 µg/ml) was similar to that of HD‐1 Bt strain (2.35 µg/ml), the active ingredient of the commercial product Dipel®. Additionally, the LC50 values of the HU4‐2 Bt strain against S. littoralis, S. frugiperda, and S. exigua (2.64, 2.22, and 3.38 µg/ml, respectively) were also similar to that of the Bt strain isolated from the commercial product Xentari® for the same three species of Spodoptera (1.94, 1.34, and 2.19 µg/ml, respectively). Since Xentari® is significantly more toxic to Spodoptera spp. than Dipel® and, reciprocally, Dipel® is significantly more toxic against H. armigera than Xentari®, we discuss the potential of the HU4‐2 strain to control all these important lepidopteran pests.
Competitive interactions between an exotic and a native ladybeetle: a field cage study
Authors: Hoogendoorn Marlijn , Heimpel George E.
Published: March 2004

We conducted field‐cage studies on the direct interactions between a coccinellid species native to North America, Coleomegilla maculata De Geer, and a species introduced from Asia, Harmonia axyridis (Pallas) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae). We compared the mortality and weight gain of larvae of both species in field cages that enclosed one or both species with corn plants containing high or low aphid numbers. We did not find a significant effect of the presence of H. axyridis on the survival or weight gain of C. maculata, but H. axyridis larvae weighed more when kept with C. maculata for 5 days than when kept with equal numbers of conspecifics. This suggests that intraspecific competition was stronger for H. axyridis than the interspecific competition with C. maculata. The spatial distribution of C. maculata over the plants differed between single‐species and two‐species treatments in a manner that suggested that this species avoided interactions with H. axyridis.
Union Birth, Growth and Death: The Impact of the State, Management and Community at the Lithgow Ironworks, 1900-1914
Authors: Patmore Greg
Published: March 2004

Australian trade union membership grew dramatically from 1900 to 1914. While there is recognition that compulsory arbitration played an important role, there are a range of factors that may explain the growth. There is also a focus in this debate on unions that grew rather than those that collapsed and a neglect of the workplace in the debate. Through an analysis of the Lithgow Ironworks this paper hopes to broaden the debate about union growth. It attempts to explain why iron and steel unionism arose, briefly collapsed and re-organised at the Ironworks and it focuses on the state, management and community or locality as explanatory factors.
Kingsley Laffer Memorial Lecture
Authors: Lansbury Russell D.
Published: March 2004

Despite rising levels of prosperity in Australia in recent decades, there is growing economic and social inequality. Many people are working longer hours and more intensively in insecure jobs. Australia has one of the highest levels of casual employment in the industrialised world. Stress at work is one of the major causes of occupational illness. A more decentralised system of industrial relations has contributed to this situation by removing many of the previous safeguards that workers had under awards and agreements. This is exemplified by a number of award-based employment arrangements related to various forms of leave (e.g. sick leave and maternity leave) which have been ‘traded off’ in enterprise agreements, often without union involvement or worker representation. This process has been assisted by the federal government’s legislative reforms which have been hostile to unions and have contributed to a decline in unionisation. The government has also weakened the powers of the Australian Industrial Relations Commission to protect workers whose bargaining power is weak.

Many of those who advocate an even more deregulated and individualised form of industrial relations for Australia argue that the forces of globalisation provide no alternative. Yet other countries, particularly in northern Europe, have retained strong labour market institutions to provide adequate social protection while competing effectively in the international economy. Indeed, rather than seeing globalisation as a threat, Australia should be supporting the efforts of international agencies, such as the International Labour Organisation, to assist other small nations to strengthen the rights of their citizens in the workplace and labour market. To ensure that Australia remains both a prosperous and an equitable society, we need a new social contract or partnership between employers, workers, unions, community, organisations and government. The three pillars of a new social contract comprisepolicies that are well established in many of the advanced industrialised societies. The first pillar is an active labour market policy that has been long advocated by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and would see resources invested in job creation rather than job reduction. The second pillar is the rebuilding of Australia’s skills and intellectual capital by encouraging greater investment in training and development of the workforce. The third pillar is the establishment of a national superannuation system to ensure both universal coverage and secure entitlements. To achieve these goals, the federal government must develop a comprehensive industrial relations policy that involves greater regulation of the labour market and restoration of labour market institutions to ensure more equitable wages and working conditions. These measures are required to ensure that economic efficiency is achieved without undermining social equity, which is the basis of democratic society.
Meeting the Educational Needs of Special Populations
Authors: Bleske-Rechek April , Lubinski David , Benbow Camilla P.
Published: March 2004

We evaluated the Advanced Placement (AP) program from the point of view of intellectually precocious youth and their subsequent educational-vocational outcomes, analyzing normative and idiographic longitudinal data collected across 30 years from 3,937 participants. Most took AP courses in high school, and those who did frequently nominated an AP course as their favorite. Students who took AP courses, compared with their intellectual peers who did not, appeared more satisfied with the intellectual caliber of their high school experience and, ultimately, achieved more. Overall, this special population placed a premium on intellectual challenge in high school and found the lack of such challenge distressing. These findings can inform contemporary educational policy debates regarding the AP program; they also have general implications for designing and evaluating educational interventions for students with special needs.
Don't Stand So Close to Me
Authors: Holland Rob W. , Roeder Ute-Regina , Rick B.van Baaren , Brandt Aafje C. , Hannover Bettina
Published: March 2004

Three studies investigated the effects of self-construal activation on behavior conducive to interpersonal proximity. Study 1 revealed that compared with control participants, participants who were primed with the independent (or personal) self sat further away from where they anticipated another person would sit in a waiting room. Results of Study 2 indicated that participants primed with the interdependent (or social) self sat closer to the anticipated other person than did those primed with the independent self. Finally, Study 3 used the chronic self-construal of participants to predict the seating distance in dyadic settings. Results showed that greater independence of participants' self-construals was associated with greater spatial distance during the interaction. Together, the studies provide clear evidence that self-construal activation automatically influences interpersonal behavior as reflected in the actual distance between the self and others. Results are discussed in terms of the functions and motives connected to self-construals.
Vantage Point in Traumatic Memory
Authors: McIsaac Heather K. , Eich Eric
Published: March 2004

Persons with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) spontaneously recalled the traumatic event that led to their condition from either a field or an observer vantage point. In the former case, participants recollected the event as if they were seeing it again through their own eyes; in the latter case, the event was recalled from the perspective of a detached spectator. Analysis of the two types of recollections revealed marked differences in their contents. Whereas field memories afforded richer accounts of the affective reactions, somatic sensations, and psychological states that participants experienced during the focal trauma, observer memories contained more information about participants' physical appearance and actions and the spatial layout of the traumatic scene. Observer trauma memories were also experienced as less emotional and anxiety provoking than field trauma memories. The discussion focuses on the clinical implications of these findings and prospects for future research on traumatic memory.
Near-Death Experiences and the Temporal Lobe
Authors: Britton Willoughby B. , Bootzin Richard R.
Published: March 2004

Many studies in humans suggest that altered temporal lobe functioning, especially functioning in the right temporal lobe, is involved in mystical and religious experiences. We investigated temporal lobe functioning in individuals who reported having transcendental “near-death experiences” during life-threatening events. These individuals were found to have more temporal lobe epileptiform electroencephalographic activity than control subjects and also reported significantly more temporal lobe epileptic symptoms. Contrary to predictions, epileptiform activity was nearly completely lateralized to the left hemisphere. The near-death experience was not associated with dysfunctional stress reactions such as dissociation, posttraumatic stress disorder, and substance abuse, but rather was associated with positive coping styles. Additional analyses revealed that near-death experiencers had altered sleep patterns, specifically, a shorter duration of sleep and delayed REM sleep relative to the control group. These results suggest that altered temporal lobe functioning may be involved in the near-death experience and that individuals who have had such experiences are physiologically distinct from the general population.
Amygdala Responses to Emotionally Valenced Stimuli in Older and Younger Adults
Authors: Mather Mara , Canli Turhan , English Tammy , Whitfield Sue , Wais Peter , Ochsner Kevin , John D.E. Gabrieli , Carstensen Laura L.
Published: March 2004

As they age, adults experience less negative emotion, come to pay less attention to negative than to positive emotional stimuli, and become less likely to remember negative than positive emotional materials. This profile of findings suggests that, with age, the amygdala may show decreased reactivity to negative information while maintaining or increasing its reactivity to positive information. We used event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging to assess whether amygdala activation in response to positive and negative emotional pictures changes with age. Both older and younger adults showed greater activation in the amygdala for emotional than for neutral pictures; however, for older adults, seeing positive pictures led to greater amygdala activation than seeing negative pictures, whereas this was not the case for younger adults.
The Basic Laws of Conditioning Differ for Elemental Cues and Cues Trained in Compound
Authors: Urushihara Kouji , Stout Steven C. , Miller Ralph R.
Published: March 2004

The cue-duration effect (i.e., longer cues result in less conditioned responding than shorter cues) was examined as a function of whether cues were trained alone or in compound. Compound (AX) or elemental (X) cues of either long or short duration were paired with the unconditioned stimulus. In testing with X alone, the cue-duration effect was observed with elementally trained cues, but not with compound cues. Instead, stronger responding resulted from training with long compound cues relative to short compound cues (i.e., a reversed cue-duration effect). Moreover, an overshadowing effect (i.e., decreased responding due to compound conditioning) was observed when conditioning was conducted with a short cue, but compound conditioning resulted in enhanced responding when it was conducted with a long cue (i.e., reversed overshadowing). These findings are consistent with other recent demonstrations that some laws of learning that apply to elementally trained cues do not similarly apply to cues trained in compound.
Inhibition of Return From Stimulus to Response
Authors: Prime David J. , Ward Lawrence M.
Published: March 2004

In a standard inhibition-of-return (IOR) paradigm using a manual key-press response, we examined the effect of IOR both on the amplitude of early sensory event-related brain potential (ERP) components and on the motor-related lateralized readiness potential (LRP). IOR was associated with a delay of premotor processes (target-locked LRP latency) and reduced sensory ERP activity. No effect of IOR was found on motor processes (response-locked LRP latency). Thus, IOR must arise at least in part from changes in perceptual processes, and, at least when measured with manual key presses, IOR does not arise from inhibition of motor processes. These results are consistent with the results of attention-orienting studies and provide support for an inhibition-of-attention explanation for IOR.
Does Color Synesthesia Pose a Paradox for Early-Selection Theories of Attention?
Authors: Laeng Bruno , Svartdal Frode , Oelmann Hella
Published: March 2004

P.M. is a synesthete who experiences colors when viewing alphanumeric symbols. Her search for a target differing from distractors by a synesthetic color feature takes the form of a pop-out search. Thus, it would seem that synesthesia can occur preattentively. However, discrepancies between the regression functions of response times observed in target-present trials and target-absent trials, and the fact that fast response times occur only when the target is within a few degrees of visual angle from fixation, indicate that P.M.'s synesthesia does not occur preattentively, but rather is within the focus of attention. We conclude that synesthesia is a genuine perceptual phenomenon that can have substantial influence on visual processing.
Keeping It Short
Authors: Wiens Stefan , Fransson Peter , Dietrich Thomas , Lohmann Peter , Ingvar Martin , Arne Öhman
Published: March 2004

Research has shown that backward masking is a powerful tool for studying unconscious mental processes. Whereas studies have traditionally presented stimuli using cathode-ray tube (CRT) monitors or mechanical shutters together with slide projectors, recent studies (mainly in functional magnetic resonance imaging, fMRI) have begun to use methods based on liquid crystal displays (LCDs) and thin-film transistor (TFT) technology. However, because of differences in technology, all methods may not be equally suited for masking. When methods were compared for their accuracy in presenting pictures at short durations, LCD and TFT presentations had poor accuracy, but shutter and CRT presentations had better accuracy. Because CRTs interfere with the imaging process in fMRI, we recommend the use of mechanical shutters. However, our results may not generally apply to all displays, so we advise researchers to validate the presentation parameters of their displays. The procedure described here may be useful for that purpose.
Dream Rebound
Authors: Wegner Daniel M. , Wenzlaff Richard M. , Kozak Megan
Published: March 2004

People spent 5 min before sleep at home writing their stream of thought as they suppressed thoughts of a target person, thought of the person, or wrote freely after mentioning the person. These presleep references generally prompted people to report increased dreaming about the person. However, suppression instructions were particularly likely to have this influence, increasing dreaming about the person as measured both by participants' self-ratings of their dreams and by raters' coding of mentions of the person in written dream reports. This effect was observed regardless of emotional attraction to the person.
QUERCETIN, AN ANTI‐OXIDANT BIOFLAVONOID, ATTENUATES DIABETIC NEPHROPATHY IN RATS
Authors: Anjaneyulu Muragundla , Chopra Kanwaljit
Published: March 2004

1. Diabetic nephropathy is an important microvascular complication and one of the main causes of end‐stage renal disease. Many in vivo and in vitro studies have indicated that oxidative stress is one of the major pathophysiological mechanisms involved in the development of diabetic nephropathy. In the present study, we examined the effect of an anti‐oxidant bioflavonoid quercetin on renal function and oxidative stress in streptozotocin (STZ)‐induced diabetic rats.

2. Diabetes was induced in Sprague‐Dawley rats with a single intravenous injection of STZ (45 mg/kg). Four weeks after STZ injection, quercetin (10 mg/kg per day) was given orally for 4 weeks in both control and diabetic rats. Plasma glucose levels and bodyweights were measured at 4 and 8 weeks after the STZ injection. At the termination of the experiments, urine albumin excretion, urine output, serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine and urea clearance were measured. The renal oxidative stress marker malonaldehyde, glutathione levels and the anti‐oxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase and catalase were measured in kidney homogenate.

3. Streptozotocin‐injected rats showed significant increases in blood glucose, polyuria, proteinuria and a decrease in bodyweight compared with age‐matched control rats. After 8 weeks, diabetic rats exhibited renal dysfunction, as evidenced by reduced creatinine and urea clearance, and proteinuria along with a marked increase in oxidative stress, as determined by lipid peroxidation and activities of key anti‐oxidant enzymes. Treatment with quercetin significantly attenuated renal dysfunction and oxidative stress in diabetic rats.

4. These results confirm the role of oxidative stress in the development of diabetic nephropathy and point to the possible anti‐oxidative mechanism being responsible for the nephroprotective action of quercetin.
INCREASED SUSCEPTIBILITY OF VENTRICULAR ARRHYTHMIAS TO ACONITINE IN ANAESTHETIZED RATS IS ATTRIBUTED TO THE INHIBITION OF BAROREFLEX
Authors: Shu He , Yi‐Ming Wuliya , Xu Li‐Ping , Miao Chao‐Yu , Su Ding‐Feng
Published: March 2004

1. Aconitine is widely used to produce ventricular arrhythmias in anaesthetized rats. The present work was designed to test the hypothesis that anaesthesia may increase the susceptibility of ventricular arrhythmia to aconitine due to the inhibition of arterial baroreflex. In addition, the susceptibility of ventricular arrhythmia to aconitine at different times during the course of a whole day was also investigated.

2. Male Sprague‐Dawley rats were used. Arrhthymias were induced by aconitine infusion at six time points (01.00, 05.00, 09.00, 13.00, 17.00 and 21.00 h) with rats in both anaesthetized and conscious states. In sinoaortic‐denervated (SAD) rats, ventricular arrhythmias were induced by aconitine infusion between 09.00 and 13.00 h.

3. There was a significant difference in the lethal dose of aconitine between anaesthetized and conscious rats (99.6 ± 30.1 vs 58.2 ± 14.7 µg/kg; P < 0.001). Anaesthesia did increase the susceptibility of rats to ventricular arrhythmias following aconitine.

4. In SAD rats, the lethal dose of aconitine was less than that for baroreflex‐intact rats when determined in the conscious state. The difference in the lethal dose of aconitine between SAD and baroreflex‐intact rats disappeared when it was determined in anaesthetized rats.

5. The time of day did not affect the susceptibility of either anaesthetized or conscious rats to ventricular arrhythmias following aconitine, except for a difference in the ventricullar fibrillation threshold dose between 13.00 and 17.00 h in anaesthetized rats.

6. In conclusion, anaesthesia may increase the risk of ventricular arrhythmias following aconitine. Intact arterial baroreflex function is necessary to prevent drug‐induced ventricular arrhythmias.
Enhanced biodegradation reduces the capacity of metham sodium to control soil pests
Authors: Matthiessen John N , Warton Ben , Shackleton Mark A
Published: March 2004

Abstract  Enhanced biodegradation of methyl isothiocyanate (MITC), the toxin produced by the broad‐spectrum biocide metham sodium, substantially reduced its toxicity to whitefringed weevil, Naupactus leucoloma (Boheman), in laboratory tests using metham sodium‐treated field soils. A level of enhanced biodegradation in a highly degrading soil that reduced MITC production and persistence to approximately 10% of that in a mildly degrading soil caused a doubling of the LC90. Given the very high acute toxicity of MITC, this superficially limited effect in reality demonstrates the dramatic impact that severe levels of enhanced biodegradation can have in reducing the efficacy of metham sodium for control of soil‐borne pests and diseases.
The use of models and methods for strategic planning: Towards an holistic view of strategy
Authors: Philpott E. , Hamblin D. J. , Baines T. , Kay G.
Published: March 2004

Formulating manufacturing business strategy is often fragmented in as much as current tools address upstream and downstream vertical integration with product integration, or more recently, product and infrastructure integration. Rarely do tools address all of these dimensions in an holistic manner. The research described in this paper is that undertaken in the MAPSTRAT project: a scoping study with industrial partners, aiming to satisfy this business need. A comprehensive literature study is described which is contextualized using six case studies. The paper stresses the importance of ‘joined‐up thinking’ and outlines plans for an appropriate tool that is under development.
Teaching meta‐heuristics within virtual learning environments
Authors: Reiners T. , Voß S.
Published: March 2004

Modern education of operations research and management science (OR/MS) can greatly benefit from interactive learning methods in order to build and develop modeling and problem‐solving skills. In this paper we consider the teaching of meta‐heuristics as an important part of OR/MS with significant recent interest. We discuss possibilities of supporting the teaching of meta‐heuristics such as simulated annealing or tabu search through interactive learning. The paper also presents a survey of some relevant issues within VORMS (Virtual Operations Research/Management Science), a project currently undertaken at six universities within Germany, and provides a presentation of the advances regarding the teaching of meta‐heuristics within this project. Further ideas refer to incorporating hotframe, a heuristic optimization framework, into the virtual learning environment.
Cellular therapy services provided by blood centers and hospitals in the United States, 1999: an analysis from the Nationwide Blood Collection and Utilization Survey
Authors: Read Elizabeth J. , Sullivan Marian T.
Published: March 2004

BACKGROUND: The 2000 Nationwide Blood Collection and Utilization Survey was designed to assess cellular therapy product services in US blood centers and hospitals.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Questionnaires were returned by 2,040 institutions. Data were analyzed for 30 quantitative variables related to cellular therapy product activities.

RESULTS: 269 institutions, including 231 (12.2%) of the hospitals, 37 (25.9%) of the blood centers, and one cryobank, perforrmed HPC services. Collected PBSC (20,517) and cord blood products (12,628) far exceeded bone marrow (1,572), lymphocytes (578), and cultured cells (344). PBPC collections dropped 36.5 percent since the 1997 survey. Cord blood accounted for 35.4 percent of collections and 39.5 percent of products processed, but only 1.9 percent of infusions.

CONCLUSIONS: Most cellular therapy services in hospitals and blood centers were HPC‐related. The dramatic drop in PBPC collections since 1997 reflects the decline in autologous PBPC transplantation for breast cancer. Cord blood's high collection‐to‐infusion ratio demonstrates a substantial resource expenditure for banking a product for future clinical needs. Lymphocytes and cultured cell products contributed minimally to activities in this survey, but will likely increase in the future. Data from additional academic and commercial manufacturers of cellular therapy products should be included in future surveys.
Recombinant glycophorins C and D as tools for studying Gerbich blood group antigens
Authors: Schawalder Alissa , Reid Marion E. , Yazdanbakhsh Karina
Published: March 2004

BACKGROUND: The Gerbich blood group system antigens are carried on glycophorin C (GPC) and glycophorin D (GPD) and variants thereof. These glycoproteins have been expressed in a heterologous system to study the individual antigens and to determine whether Ana is antithetical to Ge2.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: cDNAs encoding GPC, GPD, GPC.Yus, GPC.Ge, GPC.Lsa, and GPD.Lsa were transfected and stably expressed in a human embryonic kidney cell line (293T). Individual Gerbich antigens were analyzed with MoAbs and human poly‐ clonal antibodies by flow cytometry and immunoblotting. Recombinant GPD and GPD.An(a) were expressed transiently and analyzed for expression of Ge2 and Ana antigens.

RESULTS: All recombinant variants were detected with sialidase‐resistant and ‐sensitive anti‐Ge2, anti‐Ge3, and anti‐Ge4. Ge4 antigen expression was depressed in GPC.Ls(a) transfectants as well as on Ls(a+) RBCs. GPD.An(a) recombinant protein expressed Ana and Ge2 antigens.

CONCLUSION: Cell lines stably expressing glycosylated Gerbich proteins were developed in a heterologous system by transfecting individual variant forms of GPC and GPD. Unexpectedly, it was found that Ge4 antigen is reduced in both the GPC.Ls(a) recombinant and the Ls(a+) RBCs. It was also shown that Ana and Ge2 anti‐ gens were expressed on a single GPD.An(a) protein and, therefore, they cannot be antithetical.
Development of a sensitive PCR inhibition method to demonstrate HBV nucleic acid inactivation
Authors: Aytay Shahika , Ohagen Asa , Busch Michael P. , Alford Bernadette , Chapman John R. , Lazo Aris
Published: March 2004

BACKGROUND: The evaluation of pathogen reduction technologies with relevant viruses currently contaminating the blood supply is limited by the availability of high‐titer virus inocula and sensitive in vitro or in vivo infectivity assays. Because HBV infectivity can only be assessed by in vivo studies with chimpanzees, a sensitive PCR inhibition assay was developed to measure PEN110 inactivation of HBV.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: PCR amplification of 1.1 kb of HBV genome was optimized to determine DNA damage introduced by treatment with PEN110 in RBCs. Inactivation of duck HBV (DHBV) in RBCs, with measure‐ ment of the in vitro infectivity, was performed to validate the PCR assay.

RESULTS: The PCR was highly specific and sensitive for amplification of the HBV genome and used to demon‐ strate a reduction of at least 7.2 and 8.1 log geq per mL within the first 18 hours of PEN110 treatment. PEN110 inactivation of DHBV was also achieved within the first 18 hours with a reduction factor of at least 5.0 log tissue culture infectious dose 50 percent per mL, suggesting that PCR inhibition is an alternative to infectivity assays.

CONCLUSION: This study establishes PCR inhibition as a reasonable approach to assess the efficiency of PEN110 inactivation of human pathogens with human plasma donations that have been found to contain high titers of relevant agents during different stages of infection.
Molecular and serologic characterization of DWI, a novel “high‐grade” partial D
Authors: Körmöczi Günther F. , Legler Tobias J. , Daniels Geoff L. , Green Caroll A. , Struckmann Renate , Jungbauer Christof , Moser Sabine , Flexer Manuela , Schönitzer Diether , Panzer Simon , Gassner Christoph
Published: March 2004

BACKGROUND: Accurate D antigen identification is essential for pretransfusion and prenatal evaluation to prevent anti‐D alloimmunization. Quantitative and qualitative D variants may pose typing problems and require particular consideration because of differing potential for anti‐D induction.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: A novel partial D, DWI, was discovered in an anti‐D‐alloimmunized D+ Austrian woman. This D variant was investigated by RHD genotyping and nucleotide sequencing, as well as characterization of its serologic properties.

RESULTS: The proposita exhibited a single‐nucleotide exchange in RHD Exon 7 (1073T>C) predicting a Met358Thr substitution in the sixth extracellular loop of the RhD polypeptide. All DWI individuals identified (the proposita and two relatives) were genotyped DWIdCcee, which, together with the family tree, was highly suggestive of a DWICe haplotype association. Epitope mapping studies revealed only minor D antigen modification with weakening but not loss of epitopes D1.1, D9.1, and D16.1. Antigen density varied individually between 8000 and 8600 D sites per erythrocyte. No known low‐frequency Rh antigen was detected. Despite the highly retained D epitope composition, the DWI proposita's serum sample contained alloanti‐D from an immunization event many years earlier.

CONCLUSION: The findings of this investigation emphasize the possible clinical significance of “high‐grade” partial D variants that are likely to be missed by routine serology.
Peripheral blood circulating immature cell counts predict CD34+ cell yields in G‐CSF‐induced PBPC mobilization in healthy donors
Authors: Kozuka Teruhiko , Ikeda Kazuma , Teshima Takanori , Yoshida Chikamasa , Shinagawa Katsuji , Kojima Kensuke , Matsuo Keitaro , Bessho Akihiro , Sunami Kazutaka , Hiramatsu Yasushi , Maeda Yoshinobu , Noguchi Toshio , Yamamoto Kazuhiko , Fujii Nobuharu , Imai Toshi , Kusumoto Kinuyo Kaneda , Masuda Kozo , Takenaka Katsuto , Ishimaru Fumihiko , Niiya Kenji , Koide Norio , Tanimoto Mitsune , Harada Mine
Published: March 2004

BACKGROUND: It has been previously reported that the number of circulating immature cells (CIC) in peripheral blood (PB) estimates the number of CD34+ cells collected in G‐CSF plus chemotherapy‐induced PBPC mobilization. The correlation of CIC counts in PB with CD34+ cell yield and its usefulness was evaluated in G‐CSF‐induced PBPC mobilization for healthy donors.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: CIC counts in PB and CD34+ cell counts in the apheresis product from 122 collections were assessed, and the relationship between these two variables was evaluated with the Pearson rank correlation analysis, the chi‐squared test, and the U‐test.

RESULTS: CIC counts were correlated weakly with the number of CD34+ cells per L of blood processed in the apheresis product (Pearson rank correlation analysis; r = 0.357, p < 0.0001). When a level of 1.7 × 109 CICs per L was selected as a cutoff value, the sensitivity and specificity for collecting more than 20 × 106 CD34+ cells per L of blood processed were 63.6 and 77.5 percent, respectively.

CONCLUSION: The present study suggests that the number of CICs in PB may estimate the number of CD34+ cells collected. The data indicate that CIC counts above 1.7 × 109 per L can be used as a good predictor for PBPC collections containing more than 20 × 106 CD34+ cells per L of blood processed in a single apheresis procedure.
Hb content‐based transfusion policy successfully reduces the number of RBC units transfused
Authors: Arslan Önder , Toprak Selami , Arat Mutlu , Kayalak Yasemin
Published: March 2004

BACKGROUND: RBC transfusions should be based on Hb content of the products instead of units. As high as a 50‐percent difference in Hb content can be encountered between two units. In this study, 500 mL of whole blood (WB)‐generated RBCs according to their total Hb content was used to decrease the number of units ordered by using a new software called Hemosoft.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Fifty‐one con‐ secutive patients were enrolled for the study. The median age and male‐to‐female ratio were 38 (range, 16‐69) and 28:23, respectively. Patients’ diagnoses were 38 acute leukemia, 11 lymphoma, and 2 multiple myeloma. When placing orders for RBCs, clinicians were asked to send the information about patient's actual body weight (ABW) and their actual and target Hb. The total blood volume of the recipient was calculated, and the aim was to find the best RBCs from the inventory to decrease two‐unit orders to one unit, or four units to two or one unit, all done using Hemosoft. Posttransfusion Hb was checked 2 hours after transfusion. ABW and the median pretransfusion Hb level were 64 kg (range, 40‐100) and 7.3 g per dL (5.6‐9.8), respectively.

RESULTS: A total of 104 RBC units were ordered for 51 patients. In 49 (96.1%), the order was for two units and in 2 (3.9%) was for three units. Hemosoft successfully found a suitable match in 62.7 percent (32/51) of the orders. Actual number of RBCs transfused was two units (41.25) and one unit (58.8%), respectively. In total, 72 units were transfused with a reduction of 30 percent (72/104) from the original order. The median target Hb level was 9.3 g per dL (range, 7.0‐11.3) and overall success rate to achieve it was 96.6 percent (range, 73.8‐124.2). There was no impact of inventory size, but the ABW of the recipient was found significant to have a successful match unit (58.8 ± 11.0 kg vs. 75.0 ± 8.4 kg, respectively; p = 0.0001).

CONCLUSION: We clearly demonstrated that the number of RBC transfusions could be minimized by the rational use of the Hb content of the units. Although the total numbers of patients who shall benefit from this approach seems to be limited, it allows us to use high‐Hb‐content units rationally by using an in‐house blood‐banking software.
Liquid storage, shipment, and cryopreservation of cord blood
Authors: Hubel Allison , Carlquist Dale , Clay Mary , McCullough Jeff
Published: March 2004

BACKGROUND: Cord blood banking requires methods for shipping and storage. This study examines the influence of shipping via overnight courier on postthaw viability of cord blood.

STUDY DESIGNS AND METHODS: Anticoagulated cord blood was divided with one sample diluted 1:1 using STM‐sav (a storage solution) and the other undiluted. Units were shipped from Minneapolis to Memphis and returned, RBC‐depleted, cryopreserved, stored for 14 days, and thawed. MNC counts, percent viable cells, quantity of CD34+ cells, and frequency of CFU‐GM were measured. Temperature during shipment was continu‐ ously monitored.

RESULTS: Preliminary studies showed the packing and processing protocol influenced the temperatures experi‐ enced during shipping. Samples achieved temperatures below 10°C within 4 to 8 hours with a few units dropping near or below 1°C with cold ambient temperatures. The MNC recovery, CD34+45+ recovery, and frequency of CFU‐GM for samples that were shipped were comparable to those observed using static liquid storage. The postthaw viable cell recovery was greatest for storage and shipping times of 24 hours and decreased when the storage and shipping times were longer.

CONCLUSION: Ambient conditions and the packing and processing protocol influence the temperature history of the sample. Samples stored beyond 24 hours in liquid storage and shipping exhibit a decreased postthaw recovery.
Viable CD34+ stem cell content of a cord blood graft: which measurement performed before transplantation is most representative?
Authors: Van haute Inge , Lootens Nele , De Smet Saskia , De Buck Carine , Verdegem Linda , Vanheusden Katrien , Pinxteren Jef , Vandekerckhove Bart
Published: March 2004

BACKGROUND: Patient survival in allogeneic cord blood transplantation is critically dependent on total nucleated cell (TNC) count or total CD34+ cell count per kg of body weight. Theoretically, viable CD34+ cell measurement at the time of infusion should give a better indication of the suitability of a certain transplant. The relation between measurements on different samples and viable CD34+ cell count on the graft itself was analyzed.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Viable CD34+ cells were measured with a no‐wash, single‐platform technique with 7‐aminoactinomycin D. Analysis was performed before freezing on the cord blood, after freezing and thawing on the cord blood unit itself, and on various samples.

RESULTS: Cord blood volume correlated poorly with viable CD34+ cell content (r = 0.24) as did initial TNC count and WBC count (r = 0.57 and r = 0.48, respectively). In contrast, viable CD34 cell content determined before freezing correlated well with viable CD34 cell content of the graft (r = 0.91) but was on average 25 percent higher than after freezing and thawing. The best correlations with the CD34+ cell content of the cord blood unit were obtained with CD34 cell measurements on a separate cryovial (r = 0.95). These CD34 cell measurements on frozen samples were found to be very reproducible (r = 0.96).

CONCLUSION: Viable CD34 cell count of the graft is both accurate and precise when measured on a separate sample frozen together with the cord blood unit. This measurement can be performed by the transplant center to exclude between‐laboratory variability.
NAT screening of blood donors for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus can potentially prevent transfusion associated transmissions
Authors: Schmidt Michael , Brixner Veronika , Ruster Brigitte , Hourfar Michael K. , Drosten Christian , Preiser Wolfgang , Seifried Erhard , Roth W. Kurt
Published: March 2004

BACKGROUND:The severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) was first described in February 2003. Close contact with symptomatic patients appears to be the main route of transmission, whereas blood transfusion trans‐ mission could not be ruled out.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS:A SARS coronavirus (SARS‐CoV) detection kit developed by C. Drosten (Bernhard Nocht Institute, BNI) was used to amplify SARS‐CoV sequences from blood donor samples. We tested 31,151 blood donor samples in minipools of up to 96 samples. To validate the sensitivity of the assay, routine donor minipools (88 ± 8 samples per pool) were spiked with plasma of an imported case of SARS or of a subsequently infected contact person, respectively. Gamma‐irradiated cell culture supernatants of Vero E6 cells, infected with SARS‐CoV, were used as positive controls.

RESULTS:None of 31,151 blood donors were positive for the presence of SARS. Two 96‐member plasma pools that were each spiked with 100 µL of plasma of the German index patient or his wife, respectively, were positive. Overall, 0.85 percent of test results had to be considered invalid owing to negative internal controls.

CONCLUSION:A real‐time CoV PCR test is able to detect SARS‐CoV in viremic blood donor samples even in the beginning of the disease when patients present minor clinical symptoms. Thus the assay could potentially help to prevent transfusion‐associated SARS‐CoV transmissions.
Low‐dose lenograstim to enhance engraftment after autologous stem cell transplantation: a prospective randomized evaluation of two different fixed doses
Authors: Suh Cheolwon , Kim Hyo‐Jung , Kim Sang‐Hee , Kim Shin , Lee Soon‐Jong , Lee Yoon‐Shin , Kim Eun‐Kyoung , Kim Sung‐Bae , Lee Jung‐Sin , Kim Michael W. , Kim Kihyun , Yoon And Sung‐Soo
Published: March 2004

BACKGROUND: G‐CSF is used to enhance hemato‐ poietic recovery after autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT), but the optimal dose of G‐CSF during engraft‐ ment has not been established. The medical cost of ASCT is a serious financial burden in developing countries, and G‐CSF is the most costly drug used in this procedure. We evaluated whether a lower, vial‐size fitted dose of lenograstim is clinically equivalent to a higher fixed dose.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: A prospective randomized study was performed on 33 patients (11 non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma, 8 multiple myeloma, 14 breast cancer) undergoing ASCT. Patients were randomly administered 100 µg or 250 µg lenograstim daily starting on the next day of ASCT, with a minimum infusion of 3 × 106 CD34+ cells per kg.

RESULTS: For both lenograstim doses, median time to neutrophil engraftment was 9 days and median time to PLT engraftment was 11 days. Episodes of clinically documented infections were 10 per 379 patient‐days in the 100 µg per day group and 10 per 320 patient‐days in the 250 µg per day group. There were no between‐group differences in requirements for transfusion of RBCs or PLTs. Duration of hospitalization was 16 days for the 100 µg per day group and 17 days for the 250 µg per day group. Daily lenograstim dose per patient's body weight and total amount of lenograstim used during ASCT were both significantly lower in the 100 µg per day group.

CONCLUSION: Administration of 100 µg per day of lenograstim showed comparable clinical efficacy to 250 µg per day lenograstim for immediate hematopoietic recovery after ASCT. Use of the lower dose was associated with lower overall lenograstim usage and lower cost.
Upper‐extremity deep venous thrombosis complicating whole‐blood donation
Authors: Covin R.B. , Rich N.L. , Aysola Agnes
Published: March 2004

BACKGROUND: Up to 36 percent of blood donors may experience a donation‐related complication. Fatigue, bruises, hematomas, and vasovagal reactions comprise the great majority of donor reactions and injuries. Serious complications are rare.

CASE REPORT: A 20‐year‐old female taking the third‐generation oral contraceptive desogestrel/ethinyl estradiol and ethinyl estradiol (Mircette) developed bruising and increased pain and swelling of her right arm over a 5‐day period after whole‐blood donation. She was a first‐time donor and the venipuncture was reported as being mildly traumatic. There was no personal or family history of thrombosis.

RESULTS: Ultrasound examination of her upper extremity revealed the presence of a deep venous thrombosis that required treatment with enoxaparin sodium for 5 days and warfarin for 6 months. Evaluation for thrombophilia was negative. The only risk factor for thrombosis was use of oral contraceptives.

CONCLUSION: Although serious complications from whole‐blood donation are rare, they may occur. Deep venous thrombosis should be considered in a donor presenting with increasing pain and swelling after blood donation.