bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Enterprise risk management: A best practice approach
Authors: Francis Sebastian , Paladino Bob 
Published: February 2008

AbstractWhat do leading companies with robust, best practice‐based enterprise risk management (ERM) programs know that could benefit your organization? This article, which draws on research with 17 leading private‐ and public‐sector organizations, details ERM practices your organization can use to define, manage, and integrate ERM programs. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Incentive compensation: Bridging theory and practice
Authors: Fisher Joseph G. , Sprinkle Geoffrey B. , Walker Lynda L. 
Published: February 2008

AbstractThis article discusses the four roles that compensation and reward programs serve in organizations—motivating effort, directing attention, extracting information, and attracting able individuals. The article highlights the delicate interplay between compensation theory and practice—and the importance of matching the compensation program to the needs at hand. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Implementation of the balanced scorecard at Barberton citizens hospital
Authors: Josey Chuck , Kim Il‐woon 
Published: February 2008

AbstractIncreasing competition in the health care industry has caused many hospitals to use innovative management tools to improve performance and maintain competitive advantages. At Barberton Citizens Hospital, a balanced scorecard was implemented recently when senior management redefined the hospital's mission and corporate values. The results were impressive. Operational measures improved during the first year of the implementation, and they led to a significant increase in revenues and profit. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
TGF‐β signaling preserves RECK expression in activated pancreatic stellate cells
Authors: Lee Hongsik , Lim Chaeseung , Lee Jungeun , Kim Nayoung , Bang Sangsu , Lee Hojae , Min Bonhong , Park Gilhong , Noda Makoto , Stetler‐Stevenson William G. , Oh Junseo 
Published: February 2008

AbstractActivated pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of pancreatic fibrosis, but the detailed mechanism for dysregulated accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) remains unclear. Cultured rat PSCs become activated by profibrogenic mediators, but these mediators failed to alter the expression levels of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) to the endogenous tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs). Here, we examined the expression of RECK, a novel membrane‐anchored MMP inhibitor, in PSCs. Although RECK mRNA levels were largely unchanged, RECK protein expression was barely detected at 2, 5 days after plating PSCs, but appeared following continued in vitro culture and cell passage which result in PSC activation. When PSCs at 5 days after plating (PSCs‐5d) were treated with pepstatin A, an aspartic protease inhibitor, or TGF‐β1, a profibrogenic mediator, RECK protein was detected in whole cell lysates. Conversely, Smad7 overexpression or suppression of Smad3 expression in PSCs after passage 2 (PSCs‐P2) led to the loss of RECK protein expression. These findings suggest that RECK is post‐translationally processed in pre‐activated PSCs but protected from proteolytic degradation by TGF‐β signaling. Furthermore, collagenolytic activity of PSCs‐5d was greatly reduced by TGF‐β1, whereas that of PSCs‐P2 was increased by anti‐RECK antibody. Increased RECK levels were also observed in cerulein‐induced acute pancreatitis. Therefore, our results suggest for the first time proteolytic processing of RECK as a mechanism regulating RECK activity, and demonstrate that TGF‐β signaling in activated PSCs may promote ECM accumulation via a mechanism that preserves the protease inhibitory activity of RECK. J. Cell. Biochem. 104: 1065–1074, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The role of nerve growth factor in hyperosmolar stress induced apoptosis
Authors: Chang Eun‐Ju , Im Young Sun , Kay EunDuck P. , Kim Jong Youl , Lee Jong Eun , Lee Hyung Keun 
Published: February 2008

AbstractNerve growth factor (NGF) is a neurotrophic factor that plays an important role in the differentiation and growth of neuronal cells. It is also regarded as an inflammatory mediator in non‐neuronal tissues under physiological stress conditions. The mechanisms of NGF production and its roles in hyperosmolar stress conditions have not been established. In this study, we show that NGF levels in cultured human corneal epithelial cells (HCECs) were up‐regulated during hyperosmolar stress by IL‐1β, but not TNF‐α. NF‐κB activity, but not AP‐1, increased significantly under hyperosmolar conditions, and NF‐κB was involved in IL‐1β‐induced NGF production. IL‐1β‐induced NGF production reduced JNK phosphorylation and HCEC apoptosis. These changes were accompanied by down‐regulated Bax and caspase‐3, ‐8, ‐9 activities. NGF siRNA and the tyrosine kinase inhibitor K252a significantly enhanced Bax up‐regulation. Thus, up‐regulated NGF under hyperosmolar stress conditions may contribute, at least in part, to reduced HCEC apoptosis. This conclusion suggests that enhanced NGF expression may be beneficial in recovering corneal damage due to chronic hyperosmolar stress. J. Cell. Physiol. 216: 69–77, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Autocrine signaling involved in cell volume regulation: The role of released transmitters and plasma membrane receptors
Authors: Franco Rodrigo , Panayiotidis Mihalis I. , Ochoa de la Paz Lenin D. 
Published: February 2008

AbstractCell volume regulation is a basic homeostatic mechanism transcendental for the normal physiology and function of cells. It is mediated principally by the activation of osmolyte transport pathways that result in net changes in solute concentration that counteract cell volume challenges in its constancy. This process has been described to be regulated by a complex assortment of intracellular signal transduction cascades. Recently, several studies have demonstrated that alterations in cell volume induce the release of a wide variety of transmitters including hormones, ATP and neurotransmitters, which have been proposed to act as extracellular signals that regulate the activation of cell volume regulatory mechanisms. In addition, changes in cell volume have also been reported to activate plasma membrane receptors (including tyrosine kinase receptors, G‐protein coupled receptors and integrins) that have been demonstrated to participate in the regulatory process of cell volume. In this review, we summarize recent studies about the role of changes in cell volume in the regulation of transmitter release as well as in the activation of plasma membrane receptors and their further implications in the regulation of the signaling machinery that regulates the activation of osmolyte flux pathways. We propose that the autocrine regulation of Ca2+‐dependent and tyrosine phosphorylation‐dependent signaling pathways by the activation of plasma membrane receptors and swelling‐induced transmitter release is necessary for the activation/regulation of osmolyte efflux pathways and cell volume recovery. Furthermore, we emphasize the importance of studying these extrinsic signals because of their significance in the understanding of the physiology of cell volume regulation and its role in cell biology in vivo, where the constraint of the extracellular space might enhance the autocrine or even paracrine signaling induced by these released transmitters. J. Cell. Physiol. 216: 14–28, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Comparative study of aromatization selectivity during N‐heptane reforming on sintered Pt/Al2O3 and Pt‐Re/Al2O3 catalysts
Authors: Susu Alfred A 
Published: February 2008

AbstractBACKGROUND: The metal dispersed over a support can be present as small crystallites with sizes less than 5 nm. The smaller crystallites favour aromatization while larger crystallites favour cracking/hydrogenolysis. Sintering results in the agglomerization of smaller metal crystallites. Correlation of size with aromatization selectivity was investigated.RESULTS: The primary products of n‐heptane reforming on fresh Pt were methane, toluene, and benzene, while on fresh Pt‐Re, the only product was methane. Both catalysts exhibited enhanced aromatization selectivity at different oxygen sintering temperatures. The reaction products ranged from only toluene at 500 °C sintering temperature to methane at a sintering temperature of 650 °C with no reaction at 800 °C for the Pt/Al2O3 catalyst. On Pt‐Re/Al2O3 catalyst, methane was the sole product at a sintering temperature of 500 °C while only toluene was produced at a sintering temperature of 800 °C.CONCLUSION: This is the first time that sintering has been used to facilitate aromatization of supported Pt and Pt‐Re catalysts. A superior selectivity behaviour associated with bi‐metallic Pt catalysts is established. It was found that no reaction occurred on Pt catalyst after sintering at 800 °C whereas sintering Pt‐Re at 800 °C promoted aromatization solely to toluene. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry
Novel interactions of perlecan: Unraveling perlecan's role in angiogenesis
Authors: Bix Gregory , Iozzo Renato V. 
Published: February 2008

AbstractPerlecan, a highly conserved and ubiquitous basement membrane heparan sulfate proteoglycan, is essential for life, inasmuch as its absence results in embryonic lethality in mice and C. elegans, and neonatal lethality in humans. Perlecan plays an essential role in vasculogenesis and chondrogenesis, as well as in pathological states where these processes are maladapted. Although a large body of evidence supports a pro‐angiogenic role for perlecan, recent findings suggests that portions of the perlecan protein core can be antiangiogenic, requiring a further evaluation of the functioning of this complex molecule. This review is focused on the genetics of mammalian and nonmammalian perlecan, the elucidation of its novel interacting partners and its role in angiogenesis. By more fully understanding perlecan's functioning in angiogenesis, we may gain invaluable insight that could lead to therapeutic interventions in cancer and other pathologic states. Microsc. Res. Tech., 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Sparse approximate inverse preconditioning of deflated block‐GMRES algorithm for the fast monostatic RCS calculation
Authors: Rui P. L. , Chen R. S. 
Published: February 2008

AbstractA sparse approximate inverse (SAI) preconditioning of deflated block‐generalized minimal residual (GMRES) algorithm is proposed to solve large dense linear systems with multiple right‐hand sides arising from monostatic radar cross section (RCS) calculations. The multilevel fast multipole method (MLFMM) is used to accelerate the matrix–vector product operations, and the SAI preconditioning technique is employed to speed up the convergence rate of block‐GMRES (BGMRES) iterations. The main purpose of this study is to show that the convergence rate of the SAI preconditioned BGMRES method can be significantly improved by deflating a few smallest eigenvalues. Numerical experiments indicate that the combined effect of the SAI preconditioning technique that clusters most of eigenvalues to one, coupled with the deflation technique that shifts the rest of the smallest eigenvalues in the spectrum, can be very beneficial in the MLFMM, thus reducing the overall simulation time substantially. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
UV‐B climatology in Central Spain
Authors: Bilbao Julia , González Pablo Salvador , Castrillo Argimiro De Miguel 
Published: February 2008

AbstractBroadband ultraviolet‐B solar irradiance, 280–315 nm, at ground level in Valladolid (Spain) has been recorded for a 45‐month period, from July 2002 to March 2006.Daily maximum of hourly average irradiance values occur in July, 2.02 W m−2, and minimum, 0.3 W m−2, in December at solar noon. UV‐B daily values follow the pattern of the solar elevation angle; the total accumulated UV‐B irradiation along a mean year reaches 7.04 MJ m−2.A study of the most representative statistical characteristics of hourly average UV‐B irradiance and daily irradiation values has been carried out and the results show that the inter‐quartile range is small in winter and increases in spring and summer; maximum stability in UV‐B takes place at solar noon and around summer; it can be concluded that this maximum may be considered representative of the UV‐B irradiance values.The inter‐annual variability has been examined; the monthly‐integrated UV‐B irradiation values show a large annual cycle with a maximum in July, when the influences of the annual ozone column and summer solstice occur.The UV‐B potential and extraterrestrial irradiation has been calculated and determined in order to know the attenuation of UV‐B radiation through the atmosphere. It has been obtained that the UV‐B percentage transmitted by the atmosphere increases from winter to summer, a maximum value of 10% is obtained in July and a minimum of 4% in December. The atmospheric transparency without clouds oscillates between 10% in spring and 3% in November. Copyright © 2008 Royal Meteorological Society
Affinity capillary electrophoretic DNA separation using PEG‐oligodeoxyribonucleotide block copolymers: Relationship between peak resolution and affinity strength
Authors: Kanayama Naoki , Takarada Tohru , Kimura Ayumi , Shibata Hideaki , Maeda Mizuo 
Published: February 2008

AbstractCapillary electrophoretic separation of chemically synthesized ssDNA and a single‐base‐substituted one (normal and mutant ssDNA, respectively) was demonstrated using a PEG‐oligodeoxyribonucleotide block copolymer (PEG‐b‐ODN) as an affinity ligand. When the base sequence of PEG‐b‐ODN was designed to be complementary to part of normal ssDNA including the base‐substituted site, the electrophoretic mobility of normal ssDNA significantly decreased whereas that of mutant ssDNA slightly changed. Resolution of the separation strongly depended on the ODN length of the copolymer, the capillary temperature, and the Mg2+ concentration in the running buffer, indicating that the retardation of migration of normal ssDNA was induced by the reversible hybridization with PEG‐b‐ODN. It was found that the dissociation constant (Kd) of the duplex between normal ssDNA and the affinity probe ODN should be smaller than 10–6 M to achieve the good peak separation. In addition, we calculated the mobility of the complex (μC) between normal ssDNA and PEG‐b‐ODN using a two‐state model. The base sequence of affinity probe ODN appropriate to achieve the sufficient resolution will be predicted on the basis of the μC and Kd values.
Pesticide analysis by MEKC on a microchip with hydrodynamic injection from organic extract
Authors: Smirnova Adelina , Shimura Kiyohito , Hibara Akihide , Proskurnin Mikhail A. , Kitamori Takehiko 
Published: February 2008

AbstractAn integrated microchip for monitoring carbamate pesticides in environmental water using continuous flow chemical processes is under development, i. e., the integration of hydrolysis, azo‐derivatization, liquid–liquid extraction, electrophoretic separation, and quantification. The separation of the derivatives of four carbamate pesticides (carbaryl, carbofuran, propoxur, and bendiocarb) extracted in the continuous flow of a 1‐butanol phase was studied in a silica microchip using micellar EKC. A baseline separation of four pesticide derivatives was achieved on a silica chip using hydrodynamic injection with electroosmotic gating. Detection using a thermal lens microscope showed good linearity in the concentration range of 10–6 –10–5 M with an LOD of 5×10–7 M, which is superior to that of conventional CE with UV absorption detection at a level of 10–4 M.
A critical comparison of tourism policies of Hong Kong and Singapore — an avenue to mutual learning
Authors: Wong Emma P. Y. , Bauer Thomas G. , Wong Kevin K. F. 
Published: February 2008

AbstractThis study examines how mutual learning can potentially enhance the destination competitiveness and sustainability of Hong Kong and Singapore. By comparing the recent tourism policies of the two city states, and by interviewing key government officials, major industrial players, academic experts and representatives of international tourism organisations, it was found that both governments can learn from each other in various aspects. The Hong Kong government can learn from its Singapore counterpart the recognition and proactive support it provides to the industry, its visionary leadership, and its eagerness to learn. At the same time, the Singapore government can learn from Hong Kong in promoting entrepreneurship within the tourism industry. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Increased susceptibility of chronic ulcerative colitis‐induced carcinoma development in DNA repair enzyme Ogg1 deficient mice
Authors: Liao Jie , Seril Darren N. , Lu Gary G. , Zhang Meng , Toyokuni Shinya , Yang Allison L. , Yang Guang‐Yu 
Published: February 2008

AbstractOgg1 DNA repair enzyme recognizes and excises oxidative stress‐caused 8‐hydroxyl‐deoxyguanosine (8‐OHdG) from GC base‐pairs. Ogg1 knockout mice are phenotypically normal, but exhibit elevated levels of 8‐OHdG in nuclear and mitochondrial DNA, as well as moderately elevated mutagenesis and spontaneous lung tumors and UV‐induced skin tumors. To elucidate the mechanistic role of inflammation‐caused oxidative stress in carcinogenesis, the development of chronic ulcerative colitis (UC)‐induced carcinoma in Ogg1 knockout mice was studied using a dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)‐induced UC model without the use of a carcinogen. Ogg1 (−/−), Ogg1 (+/−), and wild type C57BL/6 mice were subjected to long‐term, cyclic DSS treatment to induce chronic UC and carcinogenesis. In wild type C57BL/6 control mice after 15 cycles of DSS treatment, colorectal adenocarcinoma incidence was 24.1% (7/29 mice), with a tumor volume of 27.9 ± 5.2 mm3. Ogg1 (−/−) mice showed significantly increased adenocarcinoma development in the colon with a tumor incidence of 57.1% (12 of 21 mice, P < 0.05) and a tumor volume of 35.1 ± 6.1 mm3. Ogg1 mice (+/−) also exhibited significantly increased tumor development in the colon with a tumor incidence of 50.0% (13/26 mice) and a tumor volume of 29.1 ± 7.2 mm3. Histopathologic analyses revealed that colorectal tumors were well‐differentiated tubular adenocarcinomas or mucinous carcinoma and adjacent colonic mucosa showed mild to moderate chronic UC. Using immunohistochemical approaches, Ogg1 (−/−) and (+/−) mice exhibited similar numbers and staining intensities of macrophages in UC areas as seen in Ogg1 (+/+) mice, but markedly increased numbers and staining intensities of 8‐OHdG positive inflammatory and epithelial cells. These results provide important evidence on the relationship between inflammation‐caused oxidative stress, DNA repair enzyme Ogg1, and carcinogenesis. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Joint venture evolution: extending the real options approach
Authors: Li Jing , Dhanaraj Charles , Shockley Richard L. 
Published: February 2008

AbstractReal options theory has emerged as a promising avenue to study joint venture (JV) evolution as a strategic response to managing uncertainty. We extend the real options approach by integrating it with game theory. Such a combined method enriches the valuation functions of each partnering firm and helps to identify the optimal decisions for exercising options in a JV. In our model, each firm's synergy from the joint operation and its knowledge acquisition capability (KAC) can significantly influence the competitive dynamics between partners, potentially affecting how each firm decides to acquire, divest, or dissolve. We employ a new solution technique in real options theory to capture the stochastic process of three factors, and use computer simulation to test the model under varying conditions. The results are stated in five testable propositions, providing a better understanding of the dynamics of a JV. We find that symmetries between partners in synergy or KAC contribute to stability or dissolution of the JV, whereas asymmetries in synergy or KAC make acquisition of the JV assets by one partner desirable. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
1H and 13 C NMR assignments for two lignans from the heartwood of Streblus asper
Authors: Li Jun , Zhang Yan‐Jun , Jin Bai‐Feng , Su Xiao‐Jian , Tao Yi‐Wen , She Zhi‐Gang , Lin Yong‐Cheng 
Published: February 2008

AbstractIn our ongoing investigation of the bioactive constituents from plants, two new lignans, magnolignan A‐2‐O‐β‐D‐glucopyranoside and strebluslignanol were isolated from heartwood of Streblus asper, along with three known lignans, magnolignan A, magnolol, and magnaldehyde D. 1D and 2D NMR experiments, including COSY, HMQC, and HMBC, and other spectroscopic methods, including UV, IR, and MS were used for the determination of the structures and NMR assignments. Primary bioassays showed that magnolignan A‐2‐O‐β‐D‐glucopyranoside and strebluslignanol have medium cytotoxic activity against HEp‐2 and HepG2 cells, with IC50 of 13.3 µM, 46.4 µM and 10.1 µM, 21.7 µM, respectively. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Spin–spin coupling across intramolecular NH+N hydrogen bonds in models for proton sponges: an ab initio investigation
Authors: Del Bene Janet E. , Alkorta Ibon , Elguero José 
Published: February 2008

AbstractAb initio calculations have been performed to obtain structures and coupling constants 1J(NH), 1hJ(HN), and 2hJ(NN) for models of proton sponges with symmetric and asymmetric NH+N intramolecular hydrogen bonds (IMHBs). For a given model, the asymmetric structure has a lower energy, a longer NN distance, and a hydrogen bond which has a greater deviation from linearity. The computed values of 2hJ(NN) for the models are significantly less than predicted values based on the distance dependence of 2hJ(NN) for complexes with intermolecular NH+N hydrogen bonds. However, the reduced values of 2hJ(NN) cannot be attributed solely to the distortion of the hydrogen bond in the models, but also reflect differences in s electron populations at the nitrogens in both the ground state and the excited states which couple to it through the Fermi‐contact (FC) operator. Values of 2hJ(NN) for IMHBs can be related quadratically to the NN distances in the models, and demonstrate that there is no discrepancy between computed values of 2hJ(NN) at the short NN distances found in these systems and experimental data for proton sponges. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Optimal design of pulsed arterial spin labeling MRI experiments
Authors: Xie Jingyi , Gallichan Daniel , Gunn Roger N. , Jezzard Peter 
Published: February 2008

AbstractQuantitative measurement of cerebral blood flow (CBF) using arterial spin labeling (ASL) MRI requires the acquisition of multiple inversion times (TIs) and the application of an appropriate kinetic model. The choice of these sampling times will have an impact on the precision of the estimated parameters. Here, optimal sampling schedule (OSS) design techniques, based on the Fisher Information approach, are applied in order to derive an optimal sampling scheme for pulsed arterial spin labeling (PASL) experiments. Such an approach should improve the precision of parameter estimation from experimental data, and provide a formal framework for optimally selecting a limited number of samples. In this study, we aimed to optimize the estimation precision of CBF and bolus arrival time from the PASL data. The performance of OSS was compared to a more standard evenly distributed sampling schedule (EDS) using both simulated and measured experimental data sets. It was found that OSS was able to significantly improve the precision of parameter estimation in PASL studies that sought to estimate either both CBF and bolus arrival time, or CBF alone. Magn Reson Med, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.