bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Applying the 2003 Beers update to Medicaid/Medicare enrollees
Authors: Blackwell Steven A. , Ciborowski Gary M. , Baugh David K. , Montgomery Melissa A. 
Published: November 2008

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine rates of potentially inappropriate prescribing in a population dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid using the new 2003 Fick update, which revises the previous 1997 Beers list.Design/methodology/approachCross sectional retrospective review of 2003 Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service (CMS) Medicaid Pharmacy claims data. Claims data submitted for outpatient and nursing home residents for elderly enrollees dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid were analyzed. Potentially inappropriate drug use was assessed using the 2003 Fick update to the previous 1997 Beers list. Inappropriate use was identified based on these criteria for drugs independent of diagnosis.FindingsOf enrollees with drug use, 34 percent received an inappropriate drug per the 1997 Beers list; 47 percent per the 2003 Fick update. Hispanics had the highest percentage of drug recipients receiving an inappropriate drug in the Northeast region per the 2003 Fick update. Within therapeutic category, the number of inappropriate genitourinary products dispensed to total genitourinary products ranked the highest at 20 percent per the 2003 Fick update.Practical implicationsThis study examines variations in Beers drug use in the elderly dually eligible Medicare and Medicaid population in 2003 by applying the 2003 Fick et al. update of the 1997 Beers list to one of the nation's largest sources of person‐specific data on prescribed drugs. Inappropriate use was identified for drugs independent of diagnosis. Of enrollees with drug use, 34 percent received an inappropriate drug per the 1997 Beers list; 47 percent per the 2003 Fick update. Within therapeutic category, the number of inappropriate genitourinary products dispensed to total genitourinary products ranked the highest at 20 percent per the 2003 Fick update. The paper's findings provide evidence that the potential use of inappropriate drugs in Hispanics should be considered separately from other ethnicity groups.Originality/valueA markedly higher rate of potentially inappropriate drug use in the elderly Medicaid population exists following the Fick update. These findings provide evidence that the potential use of inappropriate drugs in Hispanics should be considered separately from other ethnicity groups. By comparing drug use based on therapeutic category, genitourinary products were found to have the highest potential for inappropriate prescribing.
Value creation in virtual communities: the case of a healthcare web site
Authors: Misra Ram , Mukherjee Avinandan , Peterson Richard 
Published: November 2008

PurposeWith the advent of the internet café, chat sessions, instant messengers, special interest e‐groups and now blogs, people do not need to be physically close together to exchange their ideas. The participants can have shared experiences that are instantaneous and pretty much of the same nature that is usually realized by the traditional collection of special interest people in close proximity. The members of these virtual communities share their knowledge, cooperate with each other to solve problems, and feel responsibility for each other. Internet based technologies have been the great enablers of virtual communities. In the high‐involvement healthcare sector, patients are increasingly seeking online advice and information by participating in virtual communities. The purpose of this paper is to understand the process of consumer value creation in virtual communities.Design/methodology/approachThis paper first adopts Cothrel's framework for the creation of value in virtual communities followed by an application of Kozinets' segmentation model of online consumers to explore the process of consumer value creation by a healthcare virtual community. “Netnography” was used as the research technique for this study. Netnography is an ethnographic research method adapted to the online environment. Discourse analysis is applied to interpret the huge volume of online postings.FindingsThe paper identifies four segments of virtual community users – tourists, minglers, devotees, and insiders, and studies their online activities and discussion topics to demonstrate their differential roles as members of healthcare virtual communities.Originality/valueMost of the earlier works that are focused on virtual communities have been conducted at the conceptual level. In this paper a priori user segments in healthcare virtual communities are empirically profiled. Based on the findings, managerial implications for healthcare virtual communities are formulated.
Social enterprise and renewable energy: emerging initiatives and communities of practice
Authors: van der Horst Dan 
Published: November 2008

PurposeAfter years of attempting to develop renewable energy (RE) mainly through large private sector initiatives, the UK government has broadened its approach to provide more support for other actors in this sector. The purpose of this paper is to assess what role social enterprise (SE) activities can play in the development of the RE sector in the UK.Design/methodology/approachThe approach consists of an initial effort to map the sector in terms of project types; and to assess the benefit of supporting SE activities in RE through an empirical case study. Two types of SE‐RE initiatives are examined here, namely a Scottish SE‐RE consultancy (the Highlands and Islands Renewable Energy Company – HICEC) and the various SEs it supports in developing RE projects through grants like the Scottish Community and Household Renewables Initiative (SCHRI).FindingsA typology of enterprise activities in RE is developed, based on activities along the RE supply chain. The case study demonstrates the value of partnership working between HICEC staff and the staff of local SEs, and suggests that the emergence of a community of practice is a key benefit of the SCHRI and the collaborative way in which it was implemented by HICEC. The success of this approach does throw up questions about replicability in different geographical settings.Originality/valueThis is the first paper to explore SE activities in RE. It illustrates that collaborative learning‐by‐doing by individuals across organisational boundaries is key for the successful implementation of RE projects that are new to the UK.
Are fair trade organisations necessarily social enterprises?
Authors: Huybrechts Benjamin , Defourny Jacques 
Published: November 2008

PurposeFair trade organisations (FTOs) have been taken quite early as examples of Social Enterprises (SE) and have contributed to the shaping of the SE concept. The purpose of this paper is to examine more deeply the link between FTOs and SE, both at a conceptual and at an empirical level.Design/methodology/approachFirst, different theoretical frameworks of SE are introduced and confront FT to each of these frameworks. The second step is an empirical study of FTOs across four European countries to illustrate and deepen the links between FT and SE, focusing on the goals and the governance structures of FTOs.FindingsAll the FTOs combine in some way economic, social and sometimes also political goals. FTOs are thus coherent to the “hybrid goals” nature of SEs. FTOs' governance is also quite specific and often innovative in terms of organisational architecture and stakeholders' involvement. Some FTOs are closer to the European – participatory – approach while others are closer to US – individual – approaches. Finally, the governance structures of FTOs seem to reflect quite well their goal mix.Research limitations/implicationsThis paper provides a more solid basis for the often implicit link between FT and SE. Future researches could use this work to explore specific topics of the SE literature in the context of FT (e.g. stakeholders' involvement). The FT example could also be used to examine further the shifting boundaries of the SE reality.Originality/valueThe originality of this paper is to apply the SE concept to a specific field and to show how, within this field, there is at the same time a diversity of organisations, reflecting the diversity of SE approaches; and a range of specific features (especially in terms of goal mix and governance) distinguishing SEs from other types of organisations.
Appalachian By Design: lessons on creating social value
Authors: Lynch Diane , Elliott Barbara Ann , Brock Debbi D. 
Published: November 2008

PurposeThere has been great interest in social enterprise as an innovative response to challenging social problems, where mission and market are intertwined in a hybrid organization. The purpose of this paper is to provide students with a rich learning experience about social enterprises and how a social entrepreneur balances the double bottom line while trying to create social value.Design/methodology/approachThe teaching case study was developed using personal interviews with the founder, board of directors and employees of the organization, observations and materials from the organization.FindingsThe findings from the field show that it is one thing to design a social enterprise that fulfils a social mission, quite another to make it sustainable. At the end of the 2005, the founder of Appalachian By Design (ABD), Diane Browning was faced with the difficult task of improving the financial condition to save the organization. The epilogue and detailed teaching notes provides insights into the impact of the organization on creating job opportunities for rural women in a shifting global economy.Practical implicationsThis longitudinal descriptive case study provides social enterprises with the lessons learned and raises questions that all social entrepreneurs face when developing a social enterprise. The case provides a detailed analysis of the organization development and sustainability which will assist social entrepreneurs in addressing these issues early in the organizations development.Originality/valueThe value of the case of Appalachian By Design to the field is providing a robust analysis of the issues facing social enterprises and building a business model that sustains social value.
Review and analysis of current Shariah‐compliant equity screening practices
Authors: Derigs Ulrich , Marzban Shehab 
Published: November 2008

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to analyze the impact of applying alternative Shariah screens on the resulting universe of halal assets and to show that Shariah screening procedures currently used in practice are inconsistent with respect to discriminating between halal and haram.Design/methodology/approachAn empirical data analysis of the different asset universes obtained when applying the criteria specified by the most prominent Shariah‐compliant funds and indexes to a common standard asset universe, the assets contained in the S&P 500 index.FindingsAnalysis reveals that the asset universes are significantly different in size as well as constituents, i.e. for every index there is a substantial number of assets which are specified as halal or haram but classified the opposite way for other indexes. This indicates that, so far, there is no universal or generally accepted understanding of how to transform the descriptive Shariah rules into a system of checkable investment guidelines.Research limitations/implicationsThe results presented in this paper could motivate the development of a standardized screening framework which, taking into account the existing Shariah guidelines, produces a controlled, unified and understandable classification of assets, by which the credibility and consistency of Islamic equity products is enriched.Practical implicationsIslamic institutions and Shariah scholars are guided to set up a common and standardized Shariah screening norm based on which computer‐based management systems for Shariah compatible portfolios could be developed.Originality/valueThis paper is believed to be the first empirical comparative analysis identifying the impact of using different Shariah screens on the composition of the compliant asset universe. The sensitization of Shariah scholars, fund managers and Islamic investors for the consequences of this so far undiscovered relation will certainly contribute to an enrichment of the credibility and consistency of Islamic equity products.
Oxygen-Mediated Regulation of Biofilm Development Is Controlled by the Alternative Sigma Factor σ
B
in
Staphylococcus epidermidis
Authors: Cotter John J. , O'Gara James P. , Mack Dietrich , Casey Eoin 
Published: November 2008

ABSTRACT

Using a modified rotating-disk reactor to sparge oxygen to
Staphylococcus epidermidis
cultures, we found that oxygen negatively regulates biofilm development by influencing the activity of σ
B
. Under anaerobic conditions, increased σ
B
activity activates
icaADBC
, which encodes enzymes responsible for polysaccharide intercellular adhesin synthesis, by repressing transcription of the negative regulator
icaR
.
Phylogenetic Relationships of Yessotoxin-Producing Dinoflagellates, Based on the Large Subunit and Internal Transcribed Spacer Ribosomal DNA Domains
Authors: Howard Meredith D. A. , Smith G. Jason , Kudela Raphael M. 
Published: November 2008

ABSTRACTYessotoxin (YTX) is a globally distributed marine toxin produced by some isolates of the dinoflagellate speciesProtoceratium reticulatum, Lingulodinium polyedrum, andGonyaulax spiniferawithin the order Gonyaulacales. The process of isolating cells and testing each isolate individually for YTX production during toxic blooms are labor intensive, and this impedes our ability to respond quickly to toxic blooms. In this study, we used molecular sequences from the large subunit and internal transcribed spacer genomic regions in the ribosomal operon of known YTX-producing dinoflagellates to determine if genetic differences exist among geographically distinct populations or between toxic and nontoxic isolates within species. In all analyses, all three YTX-producing species fell within the Gonyaulacales order in agreement with morphological taxonomy. Phylogenetic analyses of available rRNA gene sequences indicate that the capacity for YTX production appears to be confined to the order Gonyaulacales. These findings indicate that Gonyaulacoloid dinoflagellate species are the most likely to produce YTX and thus should be prioritized for YTX screening during events. Dinoflagellate species that fall outside of the Gonyaulacales order are unlikely to produce YTX. Although the rRNA operon offers multiple sequence domains to resolve species level diversification within this dinoflagellate order, these domains are not sufficiently variable to provide robust markers for YTX toxicity.
The Group III Two-Component Histidine Kinase of Filamentous Fungi Is Involved in the Fungicidal Activity of the Bacterial Polyketide Ambruticin
Authors: Dongo Anita , Bataillé-Simoneau Nelly , Campion Claire , Guillemette Thomas , Hamon Bruno , Iacomi-Vasilescu Béatrice , Katz Leonard , Simoneau Philippe 
Published: November 2008

ABSTRACT

We have shown that the plant pathogen
Alternaria brassicicola
exhibited very high susceptibility to ambruticin VS4 and to a lesser extent to the phenylpyrrole fungicide fludioxonil. These compounds are both derived from natural bacterial metabolites with antifungal properties and are thought to exert their toxicity by interfering with osmoregulation in filamentous fungi. Disruption of the osmosensor group III histidine kinase gene Ab
NIK1
(for
A. brassicola
NIK1) resulted in high levels of resistance to ambruticin and fludioxonil, while a mutant isolate characterized by a single-amino-acid substitution in the HAMP domain of the kinase only exhibited moderate resistance. Moreover, the natural resistance of
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
to these antifungal molecules switched to sensitivity in strains expressing AbNIK1p. We also showed that exposure to fludioxonil and ambruticin resulted in abnormal phosphorylation of a Hog1-like mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) in
A. brassicicola
. Parallel experiments carried out with wild-type and mutant isolates of
Neurospora crassa
revealed that, in this species, ambruticin susceptibility was dependent on the OS1-RRG1 branch of the phosphorelay pathway downstream of the OS2 MAPK cascade but independent of the yeast Skn7-like response regulator RRG2. These results show that the ability to synthesize a functional group III histidine kinase is a prerequisite for the expression of ambruticin and phenylpyrrole susceptibility in
A. brassicicola
and
N. crassa
and that, at least in the latter species, improper activation of the high-osmolarity glycerol-related pathway could explain their fungicidal properties.
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
-
Candida albicans
Interactions: Localization and Fungal Toxicity of a Phenazine Derivative
Authors: Gibson Jane , Sood Arpana , Hogan Deborah A. 
Published: November 2008

ABSTRACT

Phenazines are redox-active small molecules that play significant roles in the interactions between pseudomonads and diverse eukaryotes, including fungi. When
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
and
Candida albicans
were cocultured on solid medium, a red pigmentation developed that was dependent on
P. aeruginosa
phenazine biosynthetic genes. Through a genetic screen in combination with biochemical experiments, it was found that a
P. aeruginosa
-produced precursor to pyocyanin, proposed to be 5-methyl-phenazinium-1-carboxylate (5MPCA), was necessary for the formation of the red pigmentation. The 5MPCA-derived pigment was found to accumulate exclusively within fungal cells, where it retained the ability to be reversibly oxidized and reduced, and its detection correlated with decreased fungal viability. Pyocyanin was not required for pigment formation or fungal killing. Spectral analyses showed that the partially purified pigment from within the fungus differed from aeruginosins A and B, two red phenazine derivatives formed late in
P. aeruginosa
cultures. The red pigment isolated from
C. albicans
that had been cocultured with
P. aeruginosa
was heterogeneous and difficult to release from fungal cells, suggesting its modification within the fungus. These findings suggest that intracellular targeting of some phenazines may contribute to their toxicity and that this strategy could be useful in developing new antifungals.
Correlation of Shiga Toxin Gene Frequency with Commonly Used Microbial Indicators of Recreational Water Quality
Authors: Smith Cody J. , Olszewski Adam M. , Mauro Steven A. 
Published: November 2008

ABSTRACT

Shiga toxin (Stx) genes produce proteins that are pathogenic to humans, leading to severe gastrointestinal illness. This work focuses on examining the abundance and distribution of
stx
genes in relation to common microbial indicators in beach water and streams in the vicinity of Presque Isle State Park in Erie, PA. By use of quantitative PCR, the relative abundance levels of
stx
DNA in over 700 samples in the sampling area were determined. The results demonstrate that the abundance and distribution of
stx
genes are variable and do not correlate with the abundance of
Escherichia coli
bacteria, enterococci, or viral particles. These results suggest that microbial indicators of water quality are not adequate in predicting the occurrence of organisms that harbor
stx
genes and highlight the need for standardized pathogen-specific detection protocols for waters utilized for recreational swimming.
Synergistic Inactivation of Spores of ProteolyticClostridium botulinumStrains by High Pressure and Heat Is Strain and Product Dependent
Authors: Bull M. K. , Olivier S. A. , van Diepenbeek R. J. , Kormelink F. , Chapman B. 
Published: November 2008

ABSTRACTThe combined high pressure and heat resistances of spores of five proteolyticClostridium botulinumstrains and of the nonpathogenic surrogate strainClostridium sporogenesPA3679 were compared with their heat-only resistances on the basis of equivalent accumulated thermal lethality, expressed as equivalent minutes at a reference temperature of 105°C (F105°C). Comparisons were made with three model (i.e., diluted) products, namely, 30% (wt/wt) Bolognese sauce, 50% (wt/wt) cream sauce, and rice water agar. Pressure was determined to act synergistically with heat during high-pressure thermal (HPT) processing forC. botulinumFRRB 2802 (NCTC 7273) andC. botulinumFRRB 2804 (NCTC 3805 and 62A) in the Bolognese and cream sauces and forC. botulinumFRRB 2807 (213B) in the Bolognese sauce only. No synergy was observed forC. botulinumFRRB 2803 (NCTC 2916) or FRRB 2806 (62A) orC. sporogenesFRRB 2790 (NCTC 8594 and PA3679) in any of the model products. No significant protective effect of pressure against spore inactivation was determined for anyClostridiumstrain in any product. Because synergy was not consistently observed among strains ofC. botulinumor among products, the prediction of inactivation ofC. botulinumspores by HPT sterilization (HPTS) for the present must assume a complete lack of synergy. Therefore, any HPTS process for low-acid shelf-stable foods must be at least thermally equivalent to an F0process of 2.8 min, in line with current good manufacturing practices. The results of this study suggest that the use ofC. sporogenesPA3679 as a surrogate organism may risk overestimating inactivation ofC. botulinumby HPT processing.
Quantitative PCR Monitoring of Antibiotic Resistance Genes and Bacterial Pathogens in Three European Artificial Groundwater Recharge Systems
Authors: Böckelmann Uta , Dörries Hans-Henno , Ayuso-Gabella M. Neus , Salgot de Marçay Miquel , Tandoi Valter , Levantesi Caterina , Masciopinto Costantino , Van Houtte Emmanuel , Szewzyk Ulrich , Wintgens Thomas , Grohmann Elisabeth 
Published: November 2008

ABSTRACT

Aquifer recharge presents advantages for integrated water management in the anthropic cycle, namely, advanced treatment of reclaimed water and additional dilution of pollutants due to mixing with natural groundwater. Nevertheless, this practice represents a health and environmental hazard because of the presence of pathogenic microorganisms and chemical contaminants. To assess the quality of water extracted from recharged aquifers, the groundwater recharge systems in Torreele, Belgium, Sabadell, Spain, and Nardò, Italy, were investigated for fecal-contamination indicators, bacterial pathogens, and antibiotic resistance genes over the period of 1 year. Real-time quantitative PCR assays for
Helicobacter pylori, Yersinia enterocolitica
, and
Mycobacterium avium
subsp.
paratuberculosis
, human pathogens with long-time survival capacity in water, and for the resistance genes
ermB, mecA, blaSHV-5, ampC, tetO
, and
vanA
were adapted or developed for water samples differing in pollutant content. The resistance genes and pathogen concentrations were determined at five or six sampling points for each recharge system. In drinking and irrigation water, none of the pathogens were detected.
tetO
and
ermB
were found frequently in reclaimed water from Sabadell and Nardò.
mecA
was detected only once in reclaimed water from Sabadell. The three aquifer recharge systems demonstrated different capacities for removal of fecal contaminators and antibiotic resistance genes. Ultrafiltration and reverse osmosis in the Torreele plant proved to be very efficient barriers for the elimination of both contaminant types, whereas aquifer passage followed by UV treatment and chlorination at Sabadell and the fractured and permeable aquifer at Nardò posed only partial barriers for bacterial contaminants.
Characterization of Denitrification Gene Clusters of Soil Bacteria via a Metagenomic Approach
Authors: Demanèche Sandrine , Philippot Laurent , David Maude M. , Navarro Elisabeth , Vogel Timothy M. , Simonet Pascal 
Published: November 2008

ABSTRACT
We characterized operons encoding enzymes involved in denitrification, a nitrogen-cycling process involved in nitrogen losses and greenhouse gas emission, using a metagenomic approach which combines molecular screening and pyrosequencing. Screening of 77,000 clones from a soil metagenomic library led to the identification and the subsequent characterization of nine denitrification gene clusters.