bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Organizational knowledge transfer within multinational corporations
Authors: Shiue Yih‐Chearng , Chang Chen‐Chi , Yang Shing‐Ya , Chen Chun‐An 
Published: February 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to develop a reliable and valid measurement of human resource management (HRM) practices and identify the key dimensions based on evidence of the multinational corporations (MNCs) in China. The aim of this paper is to investigate the relationship between HRM practices and knowledge transfer.Design/methodology/approachThis paper involves a questionnaire survey concerning HRM practices, including employee satisfaction, hedonism, and altruism at the organizational level; training and self‐efficiency at the individual level. A quantitative analysis of the questionnaires is conducted through structural equation modeling in order to indicate the direction and relationship between those constructs.FindingsThe results show a striking effect of organizational commitment and individual attitudes on knowledge transfer performance in MNCs.Originality/valueThis paper suggests that organizational commitment and individual attitudes should be conceptualized as being comprised of HRM practices. Further, the results indicate that both commitment and attitudes are needed to facilitate the transfer of knowledge from other parts of the MNC.
Information and communication technologies adoption in SMEs: literature review
Authors: Ongori Henry , Migiro Stephen O. 
Published: February 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the driving forces, challenges benefits, barriers and strategies to decrease barriers to information and communication technologies (ICTs) adoption and assimilation by small‐ and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) in this era of globalization.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is based on a review of literature, both online and print.FindingsThe paper concludes that, ICTs adoption and assimilation in SMEs is critical to enhance their competitiveness. In addition, ICTs usage in SMEs will enhance accessibility into the international markets.Research limitations/implicationsThe major limitation of this paper is that it only reviews relevant literature and that empirical findings are not obtained to give an insight and holistic view of ICTs adoption and assimilation by SMEs.Practical implicationsEffective use of ICTs in SMEs has great impact on its competitiveness and sustainability. In addition, owners/owner managers, policy makers and other stakeholders would be in a position to understand the challenges faced by SMEs in ICTs adoption and come up with various interventions to assist SMEs.Originality/valueDespite the challenges faced by SMEs on ICTs adoption, SMEs stand to benefit from adopting ICTs in their business processes especially in accessing international markets. SMEs play a great role in the economy and thus need special attention.
Clinical predictors of fibrosis in patients with chronic liver disease
Authors: STEPANOVA M. , AQUINO R. , ALSHEDDI A. , GUPTA R. , FANG Y. , YOUNOSSI Z. 
Published: February 2010

Aliment Pharmacol Ther 31, 1085–1094SummaryBackground  Patients with chronic liver disease and components of metabolic syndrome may be at higher risk for fibrosis.Aim  To assess the impact of clinicodemographic factors on hepatic fibrosis in CLD.Methods  Of 1028 chronic liver disease patients, 964 were included in the analysis. Extensive clinico‐demographic and histological data were available. Significant baseline fibrosis (METAVIR stage ≥2) and fibrosis progression (increase of ≥1 stage in subsequent biopsy) were compared between groups using univariate and multivariate analyses.Results  Compared with HCV and HBV, NAFLD patients were more obese (higher BMI and waist circumference), diabetic, hypertensive and hyperlipidaemic. Significant fibrosis occurred in 55%, 43% and 20% of HCV, HBV and NAFLD, respectively. Factors independently associated with fibrosis in NAFLD included DM, elevated AST and ALT. For viral hepatitis, independent predictors of fibrosis were low platelet count (HBV and HCV), age (HBV) and elevated AST and ALT (HCV). A second biopsy was available for 96 patients with follow‐up of about 4 years. Factors independently associated with progression of fibrosis were HCV infection, higher ALT and lower platelet count.Conclusions  Diabetes mellitus is an independent risk factor for fibrosis only in NAFLD. Elevated aminotransferases and/or low platelet counts are independently associated with significant baseline fibrosis or progression of fibrosis, in patients with chronic liver disease.
Risk factors for progression to gastric neoplastic lesions in patients with atrophic gastritis
Authors: VANNELLA L. , LAHNER E. , OSBORN J. , BORDI C. , MIGLIONE M. , DELLE FAVE G. , ANNIBALE B. 
Published: February 2010

Aliment Pharmacol Ther 31, 1042–1050SummaryBackground  Atrophic gastritis, involving the gastric body mucosa, predisposes to gastric neoplastic lesions (GNL). However, regular gastroscopic‐histological follow‐up for GNL is not recommended for patients with atrophic gastritis.Aim  To evaluate risk factors for the progression to GNL in a cohort of patients with atrophic gastritis.Methods  A total of 300 patients with atrophic gastritis [205 women, aged 54 (18–78) years] underwent gastroscopy with six gastric antrum and body biopsies. All patients had at least one follow‐up gastroscopy/histology at an interval of at least 1 year after the atrophic gastritis diagnosis. Baseline clinical and histological features were analysed as risk factors for the development of GNL by Cox‐regression.Results  During a median follow‐up of 4.3 (1–16.5) years, 15 GNL were detected in 14 of the 300 patients with atrophic gastritis: three were gastric cancer, whereas 12 were non‐invasive neoplasia. The annual incidence for GNL was 1%. Cox‐regression analysis identified the following risk factors: age over 50 years (HR 8.8, 95%CI 1.2–68.4), atrophic pangastritis (HR 4.5, 95% CI 1.5–14.1) and severe intestinal metaplasia in the gastric body (HR 4.0, 95% CI 1.3–11.8).Conclusions  Atrophic pangastritis, severe body intestinal metaplasia and/or age over 50 years increase the risk for developing GNL in patients with atrophic gastritis. In this subset of patients, an endoscopic‐histological follow‐up for GNL surveillance may be worthwhile.
Review article: optimizing SVR and management of the haematological side effects of peginterferon/ribavirin antiviral therapy for HCV – the role of epoetin, G‐CSF and novel agents
Authors: MAC NICHOLAS R. , NORRIS S. 
Published: February 2010

Aliment Pharmacol Ther 31, 929–937SummaryBackground  Chronic hepatitis C is one of the leading causes for chronic liver disease globally. The past two decades have seen many advances in hepatitis C treatment. Despite these advances, side effects of treatment are common. Haematological complications of treatment can result in treatment cessation and suboptimal results. Recent data have suggested a role for epoetin/granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G‐CSF) in optimizing sustained virological response (SVR).Aim  To investigate the nature, frequency and management of haematological side effects in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C infection.Methods  The terms hepatitis C, hepatitis C virus (HCV), treatment, side effects, interferon, peginterferon, ribavirin, anaemia, haemoglobin, neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, haematological, growth factor, erythropoietin and G‐CSF were searched on MEDLINE for the period 1991–2009. References from selected articles were also included.Results  Haematological side effects such as anaemia, neutropenia and thrombocytopenia are frequent in anti‐HCV treatment. The off‐label use of haematological growth factors is common and effective.Conclusions  Erythropoietic agents are effective in treating anaemia, preventing ribavirin dose reduction, improving patients’ quality of life, but the effect on SVR is not fully elucidated. G‐CSF is effective in raising absolute neutrophil count; however, neutropenic HCV‐infected patients on combination treatment may not experience increased bacterial infections. Eltrombopag, a new oral thrombopoietin mimetic, may allow combination treatment in patients with thrombocytopenia.
Ethnic variation, epidemiological factors and quality of life impairment associated with dyspepsia in urban Malaysia
Authors: MAHADEVA S. , YADAV H. , RAMPAL S. , EVERETT S. M. , GOH K.‐L. 
Published: February 2010

Aliment Pharmacol Ther 31, 1141–1151SummaryBackground The role of ethnicity in the development of dyspepsia remains uncertain.Aims To examine the epidemiology of dyspepsia in a multi‐ethnic Asian population and its impact on health‐related quality of life (HRQOL).Methods A cross‐sectional survey was conducted in a representative urban population in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.Results A total of 2039 adults (mean ± s.d. age: 40.5 ± 11.8 years, males 44.2%, ethnicity: Malays 45.3%, Chinese 38.0% and Indians 13.1%, tertiary education level 62%, professional employment 47.7% and median monthly income USD 850.00) were interviewed. Dyspepsia was prevalent in 496 (24.3%) adults. Independent predictors for dyspepsia, explored by logistic regression, were identified as: Malay (OR 2.17, 95% CI = 1.57–2.99) and Indian (OR 1.59, 95% CI = 1.03–2.45) ethnicity, heavy chilli intake (OR 2.35, 95% CI = 1.15–4.80), use of regular analgesia (OR 3.51, 95% CI = 2.54–4.87) and chronic illness (OR 1.67, 95% CI = 1.22–2.28). HRQOL was assessed with the EQ‐5D and significantly lower scores were noted in dyspeptics compared with healthy controls (0.85 ± 0.17 vs. 0.95 ± 0.12,P < 0.0001).Conclusion Ethnicity, in addition to recognized epidemiological factors, is a risk factor for dyspepsia in an urban multi‐racial Asian population.
Polyphenol‐enriched apple extract attenuates food allergy in mice
Authors: Zuercher A. W. , Holvoet S. , Weiss M. , Mercenier A. 
Published: February 2010

SummaryBackgroundThe immune system may be modulated with nutrition to prevent the development or to treat the symptoms of allergy. Among other foods, consumption of apples has been linked to reduced incidence of atopic dermatitis and respiratory allergy.ObjectiveWe evaluated the efficacy and mechanisms of a polyphenol‐enriched apple extract in reducing symptoms of food allergy.MethodsIn a model of food allergy to ovalbumin (OVA), BALB/c mice were fed with an apple extract either during sensitization or just before the challenge. After the challenge, allergic symptoms were scored, OVA‐specific serum immunoglobulins were determined by ELISA, cytokine production by mesenteric lymph node (MLN) cells was measured by a multiplex assay and gene expression profiles in the intestine were addressed using quantitative real‐time PCR.ResultsConsumption of the apple extract reduced symptoms of food allergy upon challenge. This was paralleled by reduced levels of intestinal mast cell protease, diminished cytokine secretion by MLN cells and reduced local intestinal mRNA expression of various T‐helper type‐2 associated and pro‐inflammatory genes. Mechanistic studies suggested decrease of mediator release by effector cells and reduction of allergenicity by protein–polyphenol interaction as potential mechanisms responsible for protection.ConclusionPolyphenol‐enriched apple extract can attenuate food allergy symptoms in sensitized mice via two distinct possible mechanisms.
Antigen-dependent immunotherapy of non-obese diabetic mice with immature dendritic cells
Authors: Haase C , Yu L , Eisenbarth G , Markholst H 
Published: February 2010

SummaryImmunotherapy can be used to induce immunological tolerance by a number of different protocols. During the last decade the ability to use tolerogenic dendritic cells (DCs) to prevent autoimmunity has received much attention. Many studies have attempted to use immature or semi-mature DCs to induce tolerance in the non-obese diabetic (NOD) mouse model of human type 1 diabetes. However, most studies to date have used protocols in which generation of DCs involved a culture step in fetal bovine serum (FBS)-supplemented medium which may affect tolerance induction in a non-specific fashion. Indeed, several studies have shown that DCs cultured in the presence of FBS will induce a powerful T helper type 2 (Th2) immune response towards FBS-related antigens which can suppress an ongoing immune response. Hence, this may interfere with diabetes development in the NOD mouse by induction of immune deviation rather than by antigen-specific tolerance. In order to test whether antigen-specific tolerance induction by DC therapy is feasible in the NOD mouse, we therefore generated immature DCs using autologous serum [normal mouse serum (NMS)-supplemented cultures] instead of FBS, and we show that these DCs can protect NOD mice from diabetes, if pulsed with insulin-peptide antigens before adoptive transfer. Our data therefore support that DC therapy is able to prevent diabetes in the NOD mouse in an antigen-specific manner.
Iridescent hindwing patches in the Pipevine Swallowtail: differences in dorsal and ventral surfaces relate to signal function and context
Authors: Rutowski Ronald L. , Nahm Alexandra C. , Macedonia Joseph M. 
Published: February 2010

Summary 1. Iridescent colour signals are directional but, like diffusely reflected colours, vary within and among species in ways that may be adaptations to specific types of receivers in specific light environments. 2. The hindwings of pipevine swallowtail butterflies exhibit brilliant blue and iridescent colour patches on the ventral surface in both sexes and on the dorsal wing surface in males. Evidence suggests that the ventral iridescent blue is a component of the warning coloration of this distasteful species, while the dorsal blue iridescent wing area is a sexual signal. Given differences in the function and ecological context of signal production, we analysed reflectance spectra from the iridescent blue areas of both field‐caught and laboratory‐reared animals to test several predictions about the iridescent colour patches on these wing surfaces. 3. The ventral blue patches in the warning coloration of males and females should be most visible early and late in the day, due to wing orientation relative to sun angle. We therefore predicted that these iridescent colour patches would be brighter and of longer wavelengths than the male dorsal blue patch displayed during midday courtships. The prediction about reflectance intensity was supported but the prediction about hue was not. 4. We predicted that the sexually selected dorsal hindwing iridescence of males would be more variable among individuals and condition dependent than the naturally selected ventral iridescent colour patches. To assess variation and condition dependence, laboratory‐reared and field‐captured individuals were compared. The prediction about variation was not supported, but only the dorsal wing surfaces showed evidence of being condition dependent. 5. We investigated whether development of dorsal and ventral blue iridescence was coupled by determining correlations in colour properties between the wing surfaces. Our finding of positive correlations indicated a potential developmental constraint in the evolution of colour differences between the two wing surfaces. 6. Results of this study suggest that some properties of iridescent coloration on the hindwing of the pipevine swallowtail (especially intensity) may have been fine‐tuned by evolution in response to prevailing ambient light conditions and viewing perspectives that differ among types of signal receivers.
Scaling of basal metabolic rate with body mass and temperature in mammals
Authors: Clarke Andrew , Rothery Peter , Isaac Nick J. B. 
Published: February 2010

Summary 1. We present a statistical analysis of the scaling of resting (basal) metabolic rate, BMR, with body mass, Bm and body temperature, Tb, in mammals. 2. Whilst the majority of the variance in ln BMR is explained by ln Bm, the Tb term is statistically significant. The best fit model was quadratic, indicating that the scaling of ln BMR with ln Bm varies with body size; the value of any scaling exponent estimated for a sample of mammals will therefore depend on the size distribution of species in the study. This effect can account for much of the variation in scaling exponents reported in the literature for mammals. 3. In all models, inclusion of Tb reduced the strength of scaling with ln Bm. The model including Tb suggests that birds and mammals have a similar underlying thermal dependence of BMR, equivalent to a Q10 of 2·9 across the range of Tb values 32–42 °C. 4. There was significant heterogeneity in both the mass scaling exponent and mean BMR across mammalian orders, with a tendency for orders dominated by larger taxa to have steeper scaling exponents. This heterogeneity was particularly marked across orders with smaller mean Bm and the taxonomic composition of the sample will thus also affect the observed scaling exponent. After correcting for the effects of ln Bm and Tb, Soricomorpha, Didelphimorphia and Artiodactyla had the highest BMR of those orders represented by more than 10 species in the data set. 5. Inclusion of Tb in the model removed the effect of diet category evident from a model in ln Bm alone and widely reported in the literature; this was caused by a strong interaction between diet category and Tb in mammals. 6. Inclusion of mean ambient temperature, Ta, in the model indicated a significant inverse relationship between ln BMR and Ta, complicated by an interaction between Ta and Tb. All other things being equal, a polar mammal living at −10 °C has a body temperature ∼2·7 °C warmer and a BMR higher by ∼40% than a tropical mammal of similar size living at 25 °C.
The phylogeographic architecture of the fucoid seaweed Ascophyllum nodosum: an intertidal ‘marine tree’ and survivor of more than one glacial–interglacial cycle
Authors: Olsen Jeanine L. , Zechman Frederick W. , Hoarau Galice , Coyer James A. , Stam Wytze T. , Valero Myriam , Åberg Per 
Published: February 2010

AbstractAim  Ascophyllum nodosum (L.) Le Jolis is a dominant fucoid seaweed occurring along sheltered, rocky shores throughout the North Atlantic (but not in the Pacific), where it is a foundational species of the intertidal community. Its large size and vulnerability to ice‐scour have led to the hypothesis that contemporary populations in the north‐west Atlantic may be the result of de novo recolonization from the north‐east Atlantic since the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) (c. 20 ka). We tested this hypothesis.Location  Temperate North Atlantic rocky intertidal between c. 42 and 65° N latitude.Methods  More than 1300 individuals from 28 populations were sampled from across the entire range of A. nodosum and genotyped for six microsatellite loci, and > 500 individuals were genotyped for two mitochondrial loci, an intergenic spacer (IGS) and the tRNA (W) gene (trnW). Population structure and historical demography were analysed in a standard population genetics and coalescence framework.Results  Based on the presence of private alleles and haplotypes, we found that A. nodosum has survived on both sides of the Atlantic (since before the LGM, dating back to at least the penultimate Eemian interglacial) with similar effective population sizes and divergence times (1.2 and 0.8 Ma). Dispersal has been predominantly from Europe to North America, and there is very weak present‐day population differentiation across the North Atlantic. Diversity measures provided additional support for determining the location of refugia.Main conclusions  Ascophyllum nodosum was apparently little affected by the LGM, although contemporary climate change is likely to have major effects on its latitudinal distribution on both sides of the North Atlantic. It is a very long‐lived species, analogous in virtually all demographic aspects to a tree – resistant to extinction but vulnerable to catastrophic events. The Brittany peninsula is a hotspot of genetic diversity worthy of conservation.
The phylogenetic structure of primate communities: variation within and across continents
Authors: Kamilar Jason M. , Guidi Lisa M. 
Published: February 2010

AbstractAim  Our goals are: (1) to examine the relative degree of phylogenetic overdispersion or clustering of species in communities relative to the entire species pool, (2) to test for across‐continent differences in community phylogenetic structure, and (3) to examine the relationship between species richness and community phylogenetic structure.Location  Africa, Madagascar, Asia, and the Neotropics.Methods  We collected species composition and phylogenetic data for over 100 primate communities. For each community, we calculated two measures of phylogenetic structure: (1) the net relatedness index (NRI), which provides a measure of the mean pairwise phylogenetic distance among all species in the community; and (2) the nearest taxon index (NTI), which measures the relative phylogenetic distance among the closest related species in a community. Both measures are relative to the phylogeny of the species in the entire species pool. The phylocom package uses a randomization procedure to test whether the NRI and NTI values are higher or lower than expected by chance alone. In addition, we used a Kruskal–Wallis test to examine differences in NRI and NTI across continents, and linear regressions to examine the relationship between species richness and NRI/NTI.Results  We found that the majority of individual primate communities in Africa, Asia and the Neotropics consist of member species that are neither more nor less closely related than expected by chance alone. Yet 37% of Malagasy communities contain species that are more distantly related to each other compared with random species assemblages. Also, we found that the average degree of relatedness among species in communities differed significantly across continents, with African and Malagasy communities consisting of more distantly related taxa compared with communities in Asia and the Neotropics. Finally, we found a significant negative relationship between species richness and phylogenetic distance among species in African, Asian and Malagasy communities. The average relatedness among species in communities decreased as community size increased.Main conclusions  The majority of individual primate communities exhibit a phylogenetic structure no different from random. Yet there are across‐continent differences in the phylogenetic structure of primate communities that probably result from the unique ecological and evolutionary characteristics exhibited by the endemic species found on each continent. In particular, the recent extinctions of numerous primates on Madagascar are likely responsible for the low levels of evolutionary relatedness among species in Malagasy communities.