bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of Ophiostoma ulmi and Ophiostoma novo‐ulmi culture filtrates on elm cultures from genotypes with different susceptibility to Dutch elm disease
Authors: Diez J. , Gil L.
Published: June 2007

Cell cultures of callus tissue cultures obtained from four elm genotypes (Ulmus minor; Ulmus minor×Ulmus pumila; [Ulmus carpinifolia×Ulmus glabra] × [Ulmus wallichiana×Ulmus glabra]; and Ulmus pumila), either susceptible or resistant to Dutch elm disease (DED) were exposed to culture filtrates of Ophiostoma ulmi and Ophiostoma novo‐ulmi. Elm cells were largely affected by crude culture filtrate incorporated into the media. However, the correlation between ‘in vivo’ cell resistance and growth in the presence of culture filtrate was poor: the effects of fungal media components were greater than that exerted by fungal exotoxins. Therefore, it is concluded that these ‘in vitro’ assays cannot be used to evaluate resistance sources to DED in elms, or to assess specific pathogenicity of fungal isolates.
Tiarosporella durmitorensissp. nov. – a new pathogenic fungus on needles ofAbies alba
Authors: Karadži D. M.
Published: June 2007

A fungus causing necrosis and needle cast has been discovered on fir trees (Abies alba) in a hight of 1700 m above sea level in Yugoslavia. The intensity of infection was very high, and the needles of all age classes were infected. The consequence of the infection is the death of the tree. The pathogen is described as a new speciesTiarosporella durmitorensisKaradžić. So far, this fungus has been found only in European silver fir stands in the National Park Durmitor and in the National Park Biogradska Gora (Montenegro).
Comparison of vegetative compatibility types in Italian and Swiss subpopulations of Cryphonectria parasitica
Authors: Cortesi P. , Rigling D. , Heiniger U.
Published: June 2007

Tester isolates of 20 vegetative compatibility (vc) types from 11 Italian subpopulations and tester isolates of 26 vc types from five Swiss subpopulations of Cryphonectria parasitica were compared by two different vc test methods. A total of 31 different vc types was identified; 15 vc types were common to both countries, five Italian vc types were not found in Switzerland and 11 Swiss vc types were not found in Italy. These 31 vc types were labelled with the acronym EU, followed by progressive numbers and may constitute the base for a common European nomenclature. The vc type EU‐2 was the most common vc type in both countries and dominated in all Swiss and in seven Italian subpopulations. The vc types EU‐1 and EU‐5 were found primarily in northern Italy and Switzerland, while EU‐10 and EU‐12 were most common in southern Italy. The diversity of vc types was greater in the subpopulations of Switzerland and northern Italy than in the subpopulations of southern Italy. The geographical distribution of vc types in Europe should therefore be taken into consideration for biological control measures of chestnut blight and quarantine regulations.
Investigating Burkholderia cepacia complex populations recovered from Italian maize rhizosphere by multilocus sequence typing
Authors: Dalmastri Claudia , Baldwin Adam , Tabacchioni Silvia , Bevivino Annamaria , Mahenthiralingam Eshwar , Chiarini Luigi , Dowson Christopher
Published: June 2007

The Burkholderia cepacia complex (BCC) comprises at least nine closely related species of abundant environmental microorganisms. Some of these species are highly spread in the rhizosphere of several crop plants, particularly of maize; additionally, as opportunistic pathogens, strains of the BCC are capable of colonizing humans. We have developed and validated a multilocus sequence typing (MLST) scheme for the BCC. Although widely applied to understand the epidemiology of bacterial pathogens, MLST has seen limited application to the population analysis of species residing in the natural environment; we describe its novel application to BCC populations within maize rhizospheres. 115 BCC isolates were recovered from the roots of different maize cultivars from three different Italian regions over a 9‐year period (1994–2002). A total of 44 sequence types (STs) were found of which 41 were novel when compared with existing MLST data which encompassed a global database of 1000 clinical and environmental strains representing nearly 400 STs. In this study of rhizosphere isolates approximately 2.5 isolates per ST was found, comparable to that found for the whole BCC population. Multilocus sequence typing also resolved inaccuracies associated with previous identification of the maize isolates based on recA gene restriction fragment length polymorphims and species‐specific polymerase chain reaction. The 115 maize isolates comprised the following BCC species groups, B. ambifaria (39%), BCC6 (29%), BCC5 (10%), B. pyrrocinia (8%), B. cenocepacia IIIB (7%) and B. cepacia (6%), with BCC5 and BCC6 potentially constituting novel species groups within the complex. Closely related clonal complexes of strains were identified within B. cepacia, B. cenocepacia IIIB, BCC5 and BCC6, with one of the BCC5 clonal complexes being distributed across all three sampling sites. Overall, our analysis demonstrates that the maize rhizosphere harbours a massive diversity of novel BCC STs, so that their addition to our global MLST database increased the ST diversity by 10%.
Use of a stress inducible promoter to drive ectopic AtCBF expression improves potato freezing tolerance while minimizing negative effects on tuber yield
Authors: Pino María‐Teresa , Skinner Jeffrey S. , Park Eung‐Jun , Jeknić Zoran , Hayes Patrick M. , Thomashow Michael F. , Chen Tony H. H.
Published: June 2007

Solanum tuberosum is a frost‐sensitive species incapable of cold acclimation. A brief exposure to frost can significantly reduce its yields, while hard frosts can completely destroy entire crops. Thus, gains in freezing tolerance of even a few degrees would be of considerable benefit relative to frost damage. The S. tuberosum cv. Umatilla was transformed with three Arabidopsis CBF genes (AtCBF1‐3) driven by either a constitutive CaMV35S or a stress‐inducible Arabidopsis rd29A promoter. AtCBF1 and AtCBF3 over‐expression via the 35S promoter increased freezing tolerance about 2 °C, whereas AtCBF2 over‐expression failed to increase freezing tolerance. Transgenic plants of AtCBF1 and AtCBF3 driven by the rd29A promoter reached the same level of freezing tolerance as the 35S versions within a few hours of exposure to low but non‐freezing temperatures. Constitutive expression of AtCBF genes was associated with negative phenotypes, including smaller leaves, stunted plants, delayed flowering, and reduction or lack of tuber production. While imparting the same degree of freezing tolerance, control of AtCBF expression via the stress‐inducible promoter ameliorated these negative phenotypic effects and restored tuber production to levels similar to wild‐type plants. These results suggest that use of a stress‐inducible promoter to direct CBF transgene expression can yield significant gains in freezing tolerance without negatively impacting agronomically important traits in potato.
Gypsy Education: At the Crossroads
Authors: Acton Thomas
Published: June 2007

In the Sixties 90 per cent of Gypsies could not read or write. Dr Thomas Acton, senior lecturer in the sociology of social policy, Thames Polytechnic, and vice chairman, National Gypsy Education Council, discusses progress since then.
Feuerstein and the FE Curriculum
Authors: Pendlebury Barbara
Published: June 2007

Instrumental Enrichment has helped further education students with learning difficulties to develop their thinking skills. ‘It seems to bring out intelligence which has hitherto Iain dormant’ observes Barbara Pendlebury, senior lecturer in special needs, Abraham Moss Centre, North Manchester College
On Being a Support Teacher …
Authors: Hockley Lois
Published: June 2007

Personal thoughts and experiences of a teacher taking on a new role as a support teacher in primary and comprehensive schools in Banbury are described by Lois Hockley, now head of Service for Pupils with Learning Difficulties, East Devon.
Narrower Focus, Narrowed Chances?
Authors: Spalding Bob , Florek Anton
Published: June 2007

One thing is clear ‐ the government is set on generating an educational revolution through the National Curriculum and the key elements must be seen to be successful by 1992 ‐ the next general election year.
Parents and Education for Severe Learning Difficulties
Authors: Wells Ian
Published: June 2007

Over the last 20 years, research has taken an increasing interest in the roles of parents in the education of children with severe learning difficulties. Aspects of these findings which portray the relationships between parents and the children's schools are taken from a review of different aspects of parental roles by Ian Wells, senior research officer with the Northern Ireland Council for Educational Research, Belfast.
The Code of Practice through LEA eyes
Authors: Dyer Christopher
Published: June 2007

Christopher Dyer is a Monitoring Officer (SEN) with the London Borough of Newham and Honorary Secretary of The National Association of Advisory Officers for Special Education (NAAOSE). He places the Code of Practice in its hisotrical context, considers it through the eyes of a Local Education Authority Officer, provides a critical appreciation of the good and the less good aspects, and offers his thourghts on the opportunities and the dangers.
Whatever happpened to precision teaching?
Authors: Kessissoglou Sophie , Farrell Peter
Published: June 2007

Sophie Kessissoglou, Research Associate, and Peter Farrell, Senior Lecturer in Education, at the University of Manchester, remind practitioners of the effectiveness of precision teaching and report on a small scale study which offers a level of evaluation not previously recorded in Britain.
The transition from school to adulthood: aspiration and careers advice for young adults with learning and adjustment difficulties
Authors: Armstrong Derrick , Davies Paul
Published: June 2007

Derrick Armstrong, a post‐doctoral research associate in the Division of Education at the University in Sheffield, and Paul Davies, a researcher working in the Centre for the Study of Education and Training at Lancaster University, report on the experiences of 29 young people about to leave special education. They consider the support offered by schools and specialist careers advisors, and the opportunities and barriers experienced during transition. It is suggested that, although the quality of advice and support offered to young people at a school is good, there appears to be a subsequent lack of coherence which can make these leavers highly vulnerable when they move to employment, training or further education.
WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES FEMINISM MAKE TO THE STUDY OF GERMAN LITERATURE?1
Authors: Watanabe‐O'Kelly Helen
Published: June 2007

German departments in the United Kingdom often still have a traditional canon when it comes to their pre‐twentieth century syllabus. This came into being when the history of German literature was established at the end of the eighteenth and the beginning of the nineteenth centuries. This ‘official’ German literature excluded women writers, even though in this period there was a great number of them, for reasons which the article discusses. The article then attempts to demonstrate what is lost if female voices are excluded from the canon. Attempts to extend it are, however, usually countered either by assumptions that women's writing must be of lesser quality than men's, simply because it is not canonical, or by assump tions that, because German literature is full of depictions of women, women's experience is thereby taken into account. The article questions these two responses and then goes on to posit that feminism will not only change and expand what students of German read but must also profoundly alter how canonical works and authors are taught. Ultimately, this will lead to a questioning of all working practices within academic institutions.
GOD AND GYNAECOLOGY WOMENS SECRETS IN THE DUTCH HISTORIEBIJEL VAN 1360
Authors: SHERWOODSMITH MARIA
Published: June 2007

his paper examines two passages in the dutch Historiebijbel van 1360 which are ascribed to Aristotle and discuss the issues of menstrauation and multiple births. It discusses the background of this apparently incongruous mingling of God and gynaecology, and addresses some of the questions which arise from these passages. It focusses first on the Hitoriebijbel van 1360, them on the tradition of the Secreta Multierum, which provides the source of the passages in question. These are then quoted and analuysed in the light of their literatry and historical context. It is suggested that the more sympathetic tone of the Dutch texts could be related to positive images of women and the association with the Virgin Mary
‘SCHLECHTES MENSCH/GUTES OPFER’: THE ROLE OF MARIE IN GEORG BOCHNER'S WOYZECK
Authors: Martin Laura
Published: June 2007

Readings of Woyzeck which seek to explain the eponymous character's behaviour as externally caused as well as those who see in him the epitome of solitary Man, alone in the universe, alike ignore the consequences of Woyzecks insanity and social subjugation: namely, the murder of Mane. Yet this murder is by no means the logical result of Woyzeck's abuse by his social superiors nor is it a solution to his existential loneliness.

This feminist reading of Woyzeck draws on theories of the scapegoat and sacrifice (Girard) and on feminist cultural critiques (Irigaray and others) to reveal the culturally determined assumptions about sexuality, love, and revenge, which make the murder of a promiscuous woman both a necessary and an acceptable outcome of the play. It also proposes that the relevance of Büchner's play for the modern, and especially the woman, reader or spectator lies in its exploration of the production of such cultural assumptions, and not in their unquestioning reproduction.
MOTHERS AND LOVERS IN SOME NOVELS BY KAFKA AND BROD
Authors: Robertson Ritchie
Published: June 2007

Gender studies using literary materials have as yet said little about the part played by separation from the mother in shaping masculinity. Its importance is illustrated from three novels by Kafka and Brod. In Der Verschollene, mother‐figures are threatening or untrustworthy, and sexually active women arouse fear. Brod's Das große Wagnis expresses frankly the nostalgia of adult men for nonsexual maternal love, and assigns women a quasi‐religious redemptive function. In Das Schloß, a response to Brod's novel, Kafka suggests a theology centring on the Fall into adult sexuality; his characters, male and female, are romantically enthralled by a patriarchal masculinity that cannot provide lasting happiness; a playful, feminised state preceding separation from the mother can only be glimpsed nostalgically, and the protagonist poignantly fails to recreate it in an adult relationship.
Reverse Association Between High-Altitude Headache and Nasal Congestion
Authors: Jafarian S , Gorouhi F , Lotfi J
Published: June 2007

No evidence is available to show that nasal congestion is a manifestation of exposing an individual to high altitude and hypoxia. Since both nasal congestion and high-altitude headache are vasogenic, we explored whether there is a coincidence between these two symptoms. A prospective observational study was carried out on a cohort of 118 adults (>18 years old) in a mountain clinic at 3450 m. After 24 h of ascent, an interview was held to ask if each individual experienced acute mountain sickness symptoms (headache, etc.) and nasal congestion. Sixty-six (55.9%) individuals mentioned headache within 24 h after ascent and nasal congestion was reported by 34 (28.8%) individuals. There was a reverse association between headache and nasal congestion ( P < 0.001). In conclusion, there is a reverse association between altitude headache and nasal congestion, probably as result of contradictory autoregulation effects or exaggerated sympathetic activity.
Dissecting corollary discharge dysfunction in schizophrenia
Authors: Ford Judith M. , Gray Max , Faustman William O. , Roach Brian J. , Mathalon Daniel H.
Published: June 2007

During talking, a corollary discharge prepares cortex for self‐generated sounds, minimizing responsiveness and providing a way to recognize sounds as self‐generated. When we talk, we are the agent producing the sound and know what sound to expect. The auditory ERP N1 is normally suppressed during talking, but less so in schizophrenia, perhaps due to deficits in agency and expectancy inherent to talking. N1 was assessed in 27 patients (23 schizophrenia, 4 schizoaffective) and 26 controls. During talking, subjects said “ah” every 1–2 s. During agency, subjects pressed a button to deliver “ah” every 1–2 s. During expectancy, “ah” followed a visual warning. Talking yielded greatest N1 suppression in controls and greatest suppression failure in patients. Agency and expectancy had modest suppression effects on N1 and only in controls. Group differences in expectancy and agency could not account for failed corollary discharge during talking in patients.
ESPI Measurements of Strain on a CFRP‐Reinforced Bending Beam1
Authors: Hack E. , Schumacher A.
Published: June 2007

Abstract:  This paper presents 3D electronic speckle pattern interferometry (ESPI) measurement results of strain components at the end of a carbon‐fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) plate adhesively bonded to a reinforced concrete beam. To minimise speckle decorrelation because of the inevitable rigid‐body motion of the measured specimen, the load was increased in small increments. Two evaluation schemes are compared: the step‐by‐step addition of the measured displacement components and regain of the correlation by image shifting. Strain is evaluated by interpolating the in‐plane displacement measurements along selected lines, and is compared with results from finite element analysis (FEA). An uncertainty estimate is given.
Photomechanics in Dynamic Fracture and Friction Studies
Authors: Lim Jaeyoung , Ravi‐Chandar K.
Published: June 2007

Abstract:  Studies of fracture and friction under dynamic loading conditions have benefited enormously from the use of optical methods of diagnosfis. Specifically, photoelasticity and high‐speed photography have provided methods of detailed characterisation of these phenomena. In this paper, we present the results from experiments aimed at investigating fracture and frictional sliding under shear loading conditions.
Potential Role of Type 5 Phosphodiesterase Inhibition in the Treatment of Congestive Heart Failure
Authors: Katz Stuart D.
Published: June 2007

Endothelial dysfunction is associated with impairment of aerobic capacity in patients with heart failure and may play a role in the progression of disease. Impaired endothelium‐dependent vasodilation in patients with heart failure can be attributed to decreased bioavailability of nitric oxide and attenuated responses to nitric oxide in vascular smooth muscle. Impaired vasodilation in response to nitric oxide derived from vascular endothelium or organic nitrates in vascular smooth muscle may be related in part to increased degradation of the second messenger cyclic guanosine monophosphate by type 5 phosphodiesterase. Sildenafil, a specific type 5 phosphodiesterase inhibitor currently approved for the treatment of erectile dysfunction, has been shown to acutely enhance endothelium‐dependent vasodilation in patients with heart failure. Further studies are warranted to characterize the safety and efficacy of type 5 phosphodiesterase inhibition in the treatment of chronic heart failure.
The Role of Norepinephrine in Exercise Impairment in Congestive Heart Failure
Authors: Leclerc Kenneth M. , Levy Wayne C.
Published: June 2007

Congestive heart failure is a disorder that includes a multitude of neurohormonal responses that become maladaptive over time. Chronic sympathetic stimulation adversely affects the well‐being and survival of heart failure patients and contributes to the exercise intolerance frequently seen in these patients. Norepinephrine levels have been correlated with poorer survival in heart failure patients. Administration of norepinephrine has been shown to impair exercise responses in those with congestive heart failure, and the recent effort to incorporate β blocker therapy into the standard management of heart failure patients addresses this abnormal neurohormonal process. Studies with central acting sympatholytics have shown mixed results. The use of drugs such as clonidine has been suggested as potentially useful therapy in the long‐term management of patients with heart failure, but definitive conclusions await further study. Regular exercise has been shown to reduce resting norepinephrine levels in heart failure subjects. This may serve as an additional rationale to recommend chronic exercise for these patients.
Neurohormonal Abnormalities in Heart Failure: Impact of Exercise Training
Authors: Braith Randy W. , Edwards David G.
Published: June 2007

Endurance exercise training appears to beneficially alter the clinical course of chronic heart failure. The specific mechanisms responsible for exercise‐induced benefits, however, are not completely understood. This review examines the impact of endurance exercise training on neurohormonal mechanisms, which play a central role in the progression of chronic heart failure. Few studies, however, have been specifically designed to elucidate exercise‐induced mechanisms responsible for the suppression of neurohormonal activation in patients with chronic heart failure and the literature on this topic is derived from a limited number of small, single‐center studies. The available data suggests that endurance exercise training programs of moderate duration (?16 weeks) are efficacious in suppressing circulating levels of catecholamines, angiotensin II, arginine vasopressin, and aldosterone. Additionally, endurance exercise training improves baroreceptor sensitivity and heart rate variability, suggesting that exercise ameliorates the autonomic derangement in chronic heart failure by increasing the parasympathetically mediated component of heart rate variability. Pharmacologic suppression of sympathetic activity has proved, by and large, to be successful at reducing mortality in patients with chronic heart failure. Exercise‐induced modulation of sympathetic activity may also be instrumental at reducing morbidity and mortality but this has not been carefully investigated and is a fertile area for further research.
Immunomodulating Therapy: New Treatment Modality in Congestive Heart Failure
Authors: Aukrust Pål , Damås Jan Kristian , Gullestad Lars
Published: June 2007

Accumulating evidence indicates that inflammatory cytokines play a pathogenic role in congestive heart failure (CHF) by influencing heart contractility, inducing hypertrophy, and promoting apoptosis or fibrosis, contributing to the continuous myocardial remodeling process. Traditional cardiovascular drugs seem to have little influence on the overall cytokine network, and immunomodulatory therapy has emerged as a possible new treatment modality in CHF. Several animal studies have suggested that modulation of inflammatory cytokines may improve cardiac performance. The authors have recently demonstrated that intravenous immunoglobulin enhances the left ventricular ejection fraction in CHF patients, and that this is significantly correlated with anti‐inflammatory effects of such therapy. While intravenous immunoglobulin is not necessarily the drug of choice, this study suggests a potential role for immunomodulatory therapy in CHF in addition to optimal cardiovascular treatment regimens. Further research will more precisely identify the most important actors in the immunopathogenesis of CHF and contribute to the development of more specific immunomodulating agents for this disorder.
Beta‐Blocker Treatment of Chronic Heart Failure: Comparison of Carvedilol and Metoprolol
Authors: Maack Christoph , Elter Thomas , Böhm Michael
Published: June 2007

Beta blockers have been shown to prolong survival in chronic heart failure. It is currently a matter of debate whether any β blocker is superior to the other in terms of improving symptoms, left ventricular function, or prognosis. A number of comparative studies have been performed with metoprolol, a β1‐selective “second‐generation”β blocker, and carvedilol, a nonselective and vasodilatative “third‐generation”β blocker. This review will focus on the different pharmacological profiles of carvedilol and metoprolol as well as on the clinical consequences derived from these differences. The results indicate that in some studies carvedilol is superior to metoprolol in improving left ventricular ejection fraction. However, because there is no conclusive evidence that carvedilol is superior to metoprolol in terms of prognosis, it is not justified to substitute metoprolol with carvedilol. Comparative data on mortality reduction are not available before termination of the Carvedilol or Metoprolol European Trial. Nevertheless, the different effects of both β blockers on the β‐adrenergic system have an impact on tolerability and β‐adrenergic responsiveness and thus exercise tolerance in heart‐failure patients.
Metolazone and Its Role in Edema Management
Authors: Sica Domenic A.
Published: June 2007

Metolazone is commonly administered in conjunction with a loop diuretic to manage volume overload in patients otherwise resistant to loop diuretic therapy alone. Metolazone is a thiazide‐type diuretic that is characterized by slow and sometimes erratic absorption when administered as the Zaroxylyn product. This absorptive profile together with the large volume of distribution and high degree of renal clearance for metolazone provide the pharmacologic basis for a favorable diuretic combination effect. Zaroxylyn should always be administered cautiously and only with a means of surveillance allowing the patient's weight to be carefully monitored so as to avoid excessive diuresis. If an excessive diuresis occurs with a metolazone and loop diuretic combination both drugs should be stopped temporarily. The temptation should be avoided to simply reduce the doses of either metolazone or the loop diuretic as a means to controlling an active diuresis.
Switching Between Beta Blockers in Heart Failure Patients: Rationale and Practical Considerations
Authors: Abraham William T.
Published: June 2007

The clinical benefit of β blockade has been proven in a variety of pathologic settings, including hypertension, angina pectoris, acute‐ and post‐myocardial infarction, and congestive heart failure. However, β blockers do not all share the same clinical outcomes with respect to efficacy or safety in many of these conditions. This is especially true in HF, where differences in reverse remodeling and effects on the periphery may be important differentiating factors leading to improved efficacy. In fact, β blockers are a heterogeneous group of agents with respect to pharmacology, receptor biology, hemodynamic effects, and tolerability. As cardiovascular disease progresses, the issue of switching from one β blocker to another is an important consideration as to how to optimize the effectiveness of adrenergic blockade. Because of the differences among β blockers, switching should be conducted in a manner that takes into account pharmacologic differences. For example, the similarities and differences of receptor subtype blockade of the two agents and the potential effects of ancillary properties. Two protocols for switching between carvedilol, a third‐generation nonselective agent with vasodilation through α1 blockade, and a β1‐selective agent (e.g., metoprolol, atenolol) are described to simplify the process and maximize the safety and tolerability of this procedure. The optimal selection and use of adrenergic‐blocking agents in the cardiovascular continuum will assist in providing improved management while minimizing safety and tolerability concerns.
Retrospective Review: The Incidence of Non‐ST Segment Elevation MI in Emergency Department Patients Presenting With Decompensated Heart Failure
Authors: Peacock W. Frank , Emerman Charles E. , Doleh Mohamad , Civic Kimberly , Butt Saud
Published: June 2007

The authors performed a 6‐month review of heart failure patients presenting to a teaching hospital emergency department to determine the rate of positive serum myocardial infarction markers. All patients with an emergency department discharge diagnosis of heart failure were included; those with a creatinine level >2.0 mg/dL were excluded. There were 151 patients who met the entry criteria, with a mean age of 68.6±13.6 years, and 84 (56%) were men. The mean ejection fraction was 32%, and the mean Framingham score was 3.8±1.6. Twenty (14%) had positive markers. Troponin T was positive in 17 (11%), and creatine kinase was positive in nine (6%). Both markers were positive in six (4%). Chest pain was absent in 70% of the positive marker group. The authors conclude that elevated cardiac markers are not rare in decompensated heart failure. These pilot data suggest these tests should be routinely obtained on heart failure patients.
Sildenafil and Assessment of Pulmonary Arterial Reactivity in Heart Failure
Authors: Alaeddini Jamshid , Uber Patricia , Park Myung H. , Scott Robert L. , Mehra Mandeep R.
Published: June 2007

Pulmonary hypertension is a daunting accompaniment of advanced heart failure. Efforts to safely and consistently lower pulmonary vascular resistance are necessary but fraught with challenges. In this report the authors explore the novel use of sildenafil, an inhibitor of phosphodiesterase‐5, in tackling pulmonary hypertension in heart failure. The salutary effects of this agent deserve further study.
Isolated Tricuspid Stenosis and Heart Failure: a Focus on Carcinoid Heart Disease
Authors: Thatipelli Mallikarjun R. , Uber Patricia A. , Mehra Mandeep R.
Published: June 2007

A rare clinical occurrence, heart failure in the setting of tricuspid stenosis should immediately trigger a search for underlying systemic carcinoid disease. Carcinoid tumor cells can secrete a variety of vasoactive substances that result in skin erythema, excretory diarrhea, bronchospasm, and hemodynamic instability, but these manifestations are noted only in a few patients. Right heart valvular disease is common since the vasoactive noxious substances pass through the right heart unaffected and undergo metabolism in the pulmonary circulation, thereby decreasing involvement of the left‐sided valves. Localization of the carcinoid tumor followed by surgically directed valvular treatment is mandatory for relief of symptoms. In nonoperative candidates, cytotoxic chemotherapy or long‐term symptomatic drug treatment with somatostatin is indicated.
High Incidence of Elevated B‐Type Natriuretic Peptide Levels and Risk Factors for Heart Failure in an Unselected At‐Risk Population (Stage A): Implications for Heart Failure Screening Programs
Authors: Silver Marc A. , Pisano Carol
Published: June 2007

Only early detection and treatment is likely to stem the current epidemic of heart failure (HF). Several common cardiovascular and metabolic conditions increase the risk of developing symptomatic HF, but its detection by a simple and reliable screening method has proved elusive. HF screening sessions were conducted in September and November 2001. Members of the community with HF risk factors (e.g., hypertension, coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia) were invited—all specifically without a history of HF. The screening included a history review, health history questionnaire, measurement of blood pressure and pulse, as well as a measurement of B‐type natriuretic peptide (BNP) level. A total of 233 individuals attended these two sessions: 108 men and 125 women (mean age, 63 years). Of the 233 subjects screened, the majority (92%) had ≥1 risk factor with an average of 2.8 risk factors for HF. The most common risks included hyperlipidemia (112), hypertension (112), age >65 years (105), cigarette smoking (105), coronary artery disease (60), and diabetes mellitus (54). Many subjects also had symptoms consistent with HF, with most (182, 82%) recording ≥1 symptom. Blood pressure measurements revealed a mean systolic of 139 mm Hg and mean diastolic of 79 mm Hg; on the screening days, 48% and 59% of subjects demonstrated either systolic or diastolic blood pressures above normal, respectively. BNP levels ranged from 0–479 pg/mL with an average of 40 pg/mL. A total of 24 subjects (10.3%) had a BNP level >100 pg/mL, and a total of 32 subjects (13.7%) had a level >80 pg/mL. The follow‐up data showed that all 24 subjects saw their physician within 6 months after the screening. By 12 months following the initial screening program, 21 of the 24 subjects with elevated BNP levels (88%) underwent further testing and 18 of the 24 (67%) had changes in their medications. BNP screening identifies subjects at high risk for developing HF. Most subjects at risk have multiple risk factors and abnormal blood pressure. Approximately 10% of this population tested with an abnormal level of BNP, higher than the Food and Drug Administration‐assigned cut‐point diagnostic for HF. Increased public and physician awareness and information are needed to transform screening opportunities into a strategic approach to improve health care and HF prevention.
Management of Acute Decompensated Heart Failure in the Emergency Department
Authors: Peacock W. Frank , Allegra John , Ander Douglas , Collins Sean , Diercks Deborah , Emerman Charles , Kirk Douglas J. , Starling Randall C. , Silver Marc , Summers Richard
Published: June 2007

Heart failure, a disease of epidemic proportions, has a tremendous clinical and financial impact on the US health care system. With more than 5 million Americans diagnosed with heart failure and 5‐year mortality approaching 50%, it is the most common cause of hospitalization in patients older than 65 years and is the single most expensive diagnosis in the US health care system. Because the average US hospital loses more than $1000 per heart failure admission, effective therapies that decrease length of stay, reduce hospital costs, and prevent 30‐day readmissions are needed. This article reviews the relevant pathophysiology of heart failure, discusses the newest diagnostic strategies for emergency department diagnoses, evaluates recent advances and effects of early aggressive therapies, and presents a suggested algorithm for the treatment of acutely decompensated heart failure in emergency departments.
Unique Symptoms of Japanese Stagnation: An Equity Market Perspective
Authors: HAMAO YASUSHI , MEI JIANPING , XU YEXIAO
Published: June 2007

This paper documents several unique financial symptoms of Japanese economic stagnation in the 1990s. We find a surprising fall in firm‐level volatility and turnover in Japanese stocks after the market crash in 1990. These results stand in sharp contrast to the U.S. case, where firm‐level volatility generally increases after a market crash. Further analysis reveals a parallel sharp reduction in earnings heterogeneity among Japanese firms. Preliminary evidence suggests that the reduction in firm‐level volatility may be related to Japanese business group protection. The large decrease in firm‐level volatility may impede the equity market's information role, as it has made it more difficult over the past decade for both investors and managers to distinguish high quality from low‐quality firms.
Two Pitfalls of Linearization Methods
Authors: KIM JINILL , KIM SUNGHYUN HENRY
Published: June 2007

This paper illustrates two types of pitfalls when linearization methods are improperly applied. First, if we linearize the constraints before deriving the optimality conditions, the derived conditions are not correct up to first order. Second, even when we obtain the behavior of the economy that is correct to the first order, applying this behavior to welfare implications may lead to incorrect results. We also review different ways to avoid those pitfalls.
Optimal Cost Sampling for Decision Making with Multiple Regression Models
Authors: Eakin Mark , Schkade Lawrence L. , Whiteside Mary
Published: June 2007

This paper develops an explicit relationship between sample size, sampling error, and related costs for the application of multiple regression models in observational studies. Graphs and formulas for determining optimal sample sizes and related factors are provided to facilitate the application of the derived models. These graphs reveal that, in most cases, the imprecision of estimates and minimum total cost are relatively insensitive to increases in sample size beyond n=20. Because of the intrinsic variation of the regression model, even if larger samples are optimal, the relative change in the total cost function is small when the cost of imprecision is a quadratic function.

A model‐utility approach, however, may impose a lower bound on sample size that requires the sample size be larger than indicated by the estimation or cost‐minimization approaches. Graphs are provided to illustrate lower‐bound conditions on sample size. Optimal sample size in view of all considerations is obtained by the maximin criterion, the maximum of the minimum sample size for all approaches.
Computer Support for Strategic Decision‐Making Processes: Review and Analysis*
Authors: Sabherwal Rajiv , Grover Varun
Published: June 2007

This paper examines how computer‐based support for strategic decision‐making processes varies across the phases of decision making under a variety of conditions (represented by five contingency variables). The paper draws extensively from empirical research on the strategic decision‐making processes, recognizing that these processes can be conducted in different ways. The relationships between the modes of the strategic decision process, the contingency variables, and the characteristics of computer‐based support are examined. The paper thus represents an important first step towards deriving prescriptive implications for designers of computer‐based support, whereby they can understand and design tools/systems for various phases and types of strategic decision‐making processes.
An Integrative, Experiential Approach to Production Management Education
Authors: LaForge R. Lawrence , McNichols Charles W.
Published: June 2007

This paper addresses the important relationship between production and operations management (POM) and information technology. An approach to POM education is presented in which information technology is used to create an experiential learning environment that integrates the topics taught in POM courses. Results of an implementation of the proposed approach are presented and implications are discussed for POM education.
Musings of a Well‐Wvelled Editor
Authors: Markland Robert E.
Published: June 2007

If you would not be forgotten, As soon as you are dead rotten, Either write things worth reading, Or do things worth the writing. Poor Richard's Almanac Benjamin Franklin, 1738
A Bayesian Approach for Analyzing Results of Vehicle Collision Tests
Authors: Carnahan James V. , Krishnan K. S.
Published: June 2007

Certain motor vehicle safety standards stipulate a collision test speed and a set of performance criteria that vehicles must satisfy during or after the collision test. For example, Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 301 requires a 30 mile per hour (mph) barrier collision and specifies a certain maximum allowable limit on the total spillage of fuel. Vehicle designs are required to meet this standard; however, when collision tests are conducted at speeds higher than the standard, vehicles do not always satisfy the performance criteria. This paper develops a mathematical model for estimating the probability of meeting the standard by using a Bayesian framework to incorporate engineering judgment with collision test results. The model is based on the idea that there are random features to a vehicle's ability to meet performance standards in a collision, especially at such elevated speeds. Example calculations are included to illustrate the estimation of the probability of meeting the standard and to compare it with a maximum likelihood approach.
An Instrument for Measuring the Critical Factors of Quality Management
Authors: Saraph Jayant V. , Benson P. George , Schroeder Roger G.
Published: June 2007

Much has been written about how quality should be managed in an organization. The quality literature contains many case studies of successful companies and descriptions of quality concepts and quality improvement programs. To date, however, there has been no systematic attempt to organize and synthesize the various prescriptions offered, nor have measures of organizational quality management been proposed for areas such as top management leadership, training, employee involvement, and supplier management. While many organizations collect quality data such as defect rates, error rates, rework cost, and scrap cost, these are not measures of organization‐wide quality management.

This paper provides a synthesis of the quality literature by identifying eight critical factors (areas) of quality management in a business unit. Operational measures of these factors are developed using data collected from 162 general managers and quality managers of 89 divisions of 20 companies. The measures can be used individually or in concert to produce a profile of organization‐wide quality practices. The measures are found to be both valid and reliable. Such measures could be used by decision makers in an organization to assess the status of quality management in order to direct improvements in the quality area. Researchers can use such measures to better understand quality management practice and to build theories and models that relate the critical factors of quality management to the organization's quality environment and quality performance.
Unacceptable Solutions and the Hybrid Discriminant Model
Authors: Koehler Gary J.
Published: June 2007

A new family of linear programming (LP) discriminant models, the hybrid discriminant model, was recently presented with claims that it avoids all the problems of its predecessor LP models. However, this note shows that it does not avoid unacceptable solutions.
The Internal Validity of the Trade‐Off Method of Conjoint Analysis
Authors: Safizadeh M. Hossein
Published: June 2007

The discovery of consumers' preferences for multiattribute products/services has recently become possible with the development of conjoint measurement techniques. Conjoint analysis uses an individual's preference ranking or rating of some deliberately manipulated constructs of a concept to determine his/her numerically valued preferences for levels of those attributes that comprise the concept. Generally speaking, there are two methods of data collection for conjoint analysis: the full profile and the trade‐off methods. This paper calls into question the internal validity of the preferences obtained via the trade‐off method. An empirical analysis, which is based on the subjects' preferences for selecting a hospital, clearly shows that the estimates derived from the trade‐off method may not reflect consumers' true preferences.
Ambiguous Criteria Weights in AHP: Consequences and Solutions*
Authors: Schoner Bertram , Wedley William C.
Published: June 2007

Two related streams of criticism of the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) have not yet been satisfactorily resolved, although both date from the early 1980s. The first relates to ambiguity in the meaning of the relative importance of one criterion as compared to another. The second is concerned with reversals of rank alleged to be possible when new options are introduced in an AHP problem. Both proponents and critics of AHP agree that rank reversals occur, but disagree on the legitimacy of such reversals. This paper shows that there is a necessary correspondence between the manner in which criteria importances are interpreted and computed and the manner in which the weights of the options under each criterion are normalized. In general, if this relationship is ignored, incorrect weights are generated for options under consideration regardless of whether new options are added or deleted. A rank reversal on the addition of an option is merely symptomatic of this fact, and such reversals do not occur when the correspondence condition is met.
A Comparative Analysis of Master Production Scheduling Techniques for Assemble‐To‐Order Products
Authors: Tallon William J.
Published: June 2007

This paper studies the master production scheduling (MPS) activity of manufacturing firms that produce assemble‐to‐order (ATO) products. It describes four techniques for master scheduling ATO products: end‐product bills, modular bills, super bills, and percentage bills. These procedures are compared in terms of the percentage of customer orders delivered late, the mean tardiness of customer order deliveries, and the total cost of inventory using simulation analysis. The results indicate that the performance of an MPS technique is affected by the level of uncertainty of the end products' demands and the degree of component commonality in the product structure. In particular, modular bills produce the highest customer service level and super bills produce the lowest total inventory cost under most operating conditions. The conclusions also suggest that the choice of a particular MPS technique is often a compromise between the benefits of improved MPS performance and the costs of implementing and executing the MPS system.
Some Empirical Findings on Short‐Term Forecasting: Technique Complexity and Combinations
Authors: Sanders Nada R. , Ritzman Larry P.
Published: June 2007

The purpose of this research is to determine if prior findings that favor simple forecasting techniques and technique combinations hold true in a short‐term forecasting environment, where demand data can be quite volatile. Twenty‐two time series of daily data from a real business setting are used to test one‐period ahead forecasts, the epitome of short‐term forecasting. The time series vary systematically as to data volatility and forecast difficulty. Forecast accuracy is measured in terms of both mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) and mean percentage error (MPE).
Management of dry eye related to systemic diseases in childhood and longterm follow‐up
Authors: Mac Cord Medina Flávio , Silvestre de Castro Rosane , Leite Suzana C. , Rocha Eduardo M. , De Melo Rocha Gutemberg
Published: June 2007

Purpose:  Dry eye in children is not common in general practice and is usually referred to tertiary centres for diagnostic confirmation. In the present review we examine the potential causes of dry eye in children and report the management and longterm follow‐up of dry eye in childhood with reference to clinical diversity, systemic associations, ocular outcomes and treatment trends.

Methods:  A retrospective, consecutive case series was studied by evaluating the clinical charts of children with dry eye over a 96‐month period. Minimal diagnostic inclusion criteria were presence of ocular surface damage and tear deficiency.

Results:  Fourteen patients with an age range at presentation of 1−17 years were evaluated. Ten patients were female, four were male and all had bilateral involvement. The most frequent symptoms were red eye, photophobia and low visual acuity (VA). Four patients had corneal ulcers. Two patients had best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) ≤ 20/200 at first examination. One of these plus another patient presented with BCVA ≤ 20/200 at the last visit. All patients were treated with artificial tears; three received autologous serum tears and five submitted to conjunctival flaps to preserve the integrity of the eye. Associated systemic conditions were found in all patients and were congenital in six of them.

Conclusions:  Early manifestations of dry eye in childhood are a potential indication of systemic disease. The ocular condition may be misdiagnosed and correct treatment delayed. Most diseases are bilateral and may jeopardize VA. Systemic investigation, close follow‐up and preparing the family for longterm and multidisciplinary treatment are necessary to preserve ocular health and identify systemic associations.