bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT AND EMPLOYEE INVOLVEMENT
Authors: Wilkinson Adrian , Marchington Mick , Goodman John , Ackers Peter 
Published: February 2007

Adrian Wilkinson and his colleagues discuss the growing importance of quality management in the UK, outline the basic principles of TQM, and examine its implications for employee involvement. They suggest that there are contradictions between the ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ sides of TQM. This can be exemplified in the relationship between TQM and employee involvement which has not been fully explored. Drawing on a major programme of research on employee involvement, three cases are analysed. They argue that the links between TQM and employee involvement are more complex than the TQM literature would have us believe and there are tensions between employee involvement and TQM. Finally, there is a wider discussion of the subject which analyses a number of constraints on the implementation of TQM in the UK.Adrian Wilkinson, Mick Marchington and John Goodman are respectively Lecturer, Senior Lecturer and Professor in the School of Management at the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology. Peter Ackers is a Lecturer at Loughborough University Business School.
Can Commitment Be Managed? A Longitudinal Analysis of Employee Commitment and Human Resource Policies
Authors: Morris Tim , Lydka Helen , O'Creevy Mark Fenton 
Published: February 2007

Tim Morris, Helen Lydka and Mark Fenton O'Creevy present data on a group of graduates during the first five years of employment. Dividing the sample into those who have remained with their original employer and those who have changed, they examine attitudinal commitment and tenure intentions against a set of human resource policies measured at three points in time. They find that those policies significantly associated with high commitment change over time; that attitudinal and behavioural commitment are conceptually distinct constructs; and that behavioural commitment is a less stable construct than attitudinal commitment. Generally, it appears that employee commitment is more provisional than is implied by much of the literature.Tim Morris is a Lecturer at the London Business School, Helen Lydka a researcher at the Henley Management College, and Mark Fenton O'Creevy a Research Fellow at the LBS Centre for Organisational Research.
FORECASTING THE SOUTH AFRICAN ECONOMY WITH VARs AND VECMs
Authors: Gupta Rangan 
Published: February 2007

AbstractThe paper develops a Bayesian Vector Error Correction Model (BVECM) of the South African economy for the period 1970:1‐2000:4 and forecasts GDP, consumption, investment, short and long term interest rates, and the CPI. We find that a tight prior produces relatively more accurate forecasts than a loose one. The out‐of‐sample‐forecast accuracy resulting from the BVECM is compared with those generated from the Classical variant of the VAR and VECM and the Bayesian VAR. The BVECM is found to produce the most accurate out of sample forecasts. It also correctly predicts the direction of change in the chosen macroeconomic indicators.
First Identification of
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Isolates Producing a KPC-Type Carbapenem-Hydrolyzing β-Lactamase
Authors: Villegas Maria Virginia , Lolans Karen , Correa Adriana , Kattan Juan Nicolas , Lopez Jaime A. , Quinn John P. 
Published: February 2007

ABSTRACT

In Medellin, Colombia, three
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
isolates with high-level carbapenem resistance (MIC ≥ 256 μg/ml) and an isolate of
Citrobacter freundii
with reduced susceptibility to imipenem produced the plasmid-mediated class A carbapenemase KPC-2. This is the first report of a KPC-type β-lactamase identified outside of the family
Enterobacteriaceae
.
A Live
Salmonella enterica
Serovar Enteritidis Vaccine Allows Serological Differentiation between Vaccinated and Infected Animals
Authors: Adriaensen Connie , De Greve Henri , Tian Jean Q. , De Craeye Stéphane , Gubbels Eline , Eeckhaut Venessa , Van Immerseel Filip , Ducatelle Richard , Kumar Mahesh , Hernalsteens Jean-Pierre 
Published: February 2007

ABSTRACT

Three precisely defined deletion mutants of
Salmonella enterica
serovar Enteritidis were constructed, a guanine auxotrophic Δ
guaB
mutant, a nonflagellated Δ
fliC
mutant, and an auxotrophic and nonflagellated Δ
guaB
Δ
fliC
double mutant. All three mutants were less invasive than the wild-type strain in primary chicken cecal epithelial cells and the human epithelial cell line T84 and less efficiently internalized in the chicken macrophage cell line HD11. The Δ
fliC
mutant was pathogenic in orally infected BALB/c mice, while the Δ
guaB
mutant was attenuated and conferred protection against a challenge with the pathogenic parent strain. The Δ
guaB
Δ
fliC
double mutant was totally asymptomatic and conferred better protection than the Δ
guaB
mutant. This indicates that the major flagellar protein flagellin is not required for efficient vaccination of BALB/c mice against
Salmonella
infection. The Δ
guaB
Δ
fliC
mutant was also safe for vaccination of 1-day-old chickens. After two immunizations, it induced statistically significant protection against infection of the internal organs of the birds by a virulent
S. enterica
serovar Enteritidis challenge strain but not against intestinal colonization. These data demonstrate that nonflagellated attenuated
Salmonella
mutants can be used as marker vaccines.
Effects of Exogenous Transforming Growth Factor β onTrypanosoma congolenseInfection in Mice
Authors: Namangala Boniface , Sugimoto Chihiro , Inoue Noboru 
Published: February 2007

ABSTRACTThe socioeconomic implications of trypanosomosis in sub-Saharan Africa and the limitations of its current control regimes have stimulated research into alternative control methods. Considering the pro- and anti-inflammatory properties of transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) and its potential to enhance immunity against protozoan parasites, we examined the effects of intraperitoneally delivered TGF-β1 in C57BL/6 mice infected withTrypanosoma congolense, the hemoprotozoan parasite causing nagana in cattle. A triple dose of 10 ng TGF-β1 significantly reduced the first parasitemic peak and delayed mortality of infected mice. Furthermore, exogenous TGF-β1 significantly decreased the development of trypanosome-induced anemia and splenomegaly. The apparent TGF-β1-induced antitrypanosome protection, occurring mainly during the early stage of infection, correlated with an enhanced parasite antigen-specific Th1 cell response characterized by a skewed type I cytokine response and a concomitant stronger antitrypanosome immunoglobulin G2a antibody response. Infected TGF-β1-pretreated mice exhibited a significant reduction in the trypanosome-induced hyperexpansion of B cells. Furthermore, evidence is provided herein that exogenous TGF-β1 activates macrophages that may contribute to parasite control. Collectively, these data indicate that exogenous TGF-β1 is immunostimulative, inducing partial protection againstT. congolenseinfection, possibly through mechanisms involving innate immune responses.
Functional Analysis of Neutralizing Antibodies against
Clostridium perfringens
Epsilon-Toxin
Authors: McClain Mark S. , Cover Timothy L. 
Published: February 2007

ABSTRACT

The
Clostridium perfringens
epsilon-toxin causes a severe, often fatal illness (enterotoxemia) characterized by cardiac, pulmonary, kidney, and brain edema. In this study, we examined the activities of two neutralizing monoclonal antibodies against the
C. perfringens
epsilon-toxin. Both antibodies inhibited epsilon-toxin cytotoxicity towards cultured MDCK cells and inhibited the ability of the toxin to form pores in the plasma membranes of cells, as shown by staining cells with the membrane-impermeant dye 7-aminoactinomycin D. Using an antibody competition enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), a peptide array, and analysis of mutant toxins, we mapped the epitope recognized by one of the neutralizing monoclonal antibodies to amino acids 134 to 145. The antibody competition ELISA and analysis of mutant toxins suggest that the second neutralizing monoclonal antibody also recognizes an epitope in close proximity to this region. The region comprised of amino acids 134 to 145 overlaps an amphipathic loop corresponding to the putative membrane insertion domain of the toxin. Identifying the epitopes recognized by these neutralizing antibodies constitutes an important first step in the development of therapeutic agents that could be used to counter the effects of the epsilon-toxin.
Functional Antibodies Elicited by Two Heptavalent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccines in the Finnish Otitis Media Vaccine Trial
Authors: Ekström Nina , Väkeväinen Merja , Verho Jouko , Kilpi Terhi , Käyhty Helena ,   the FinOM Study Group
Published: February 2007

ABSTRACTIn the Finnish Otitis Media Vaccine Trial, the now-licensed pneumococcal conjugate vaccine containing polysaccharides conjugated to protein CRM197(PncCRM) and the experimental pneumococcal polysaccharide-meningococcal outer membrane protein complex conjugate vaccine (PncOMPC), showed similar efficacy profiles against acute otitis media despite different antibody concentrations in sera. We now report the opsonophagocytic activities (OPA) in these sera. OPA, antibody concentration, and avidity for serotypes 6B, 19F, and 23F were determined in sera of infants who received either pneumococcal conjugate (PCV) or control vaccine at 2, 4, and 6 months of age and either the homologous or pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine at 12 months of age. OPA varied by vaccine and serotype. The majority of PCV recipients had positive OPA after the fourth dose, while OPA was undetectable in the control group. Coinciding with the efficacy data, the concentration of antibodies required for 50% killing was low for 6B and high for 19F for both PCVs. Contradictory to the efficacy data, PncOMPC induced lower functional capacity to 23F than PncCRM. OPA correlated with antibody concentration, while avidity and functional capacity of antibodies showed no correlation. The OPA data provide valuable additional information for serotype-specific differences in protection and when evaluating serotype-specific immunogenicity and should thus be considered when defining serological correlates of protection.
Safety and Immunogenicity of an Enterotoxigenic
Escherichia coli
Vaccine Patch Containing Heat-Labile Toxin: Use of Skin Pretreatment To Disrupt the Stratum Corneum
Authors: Glenn Gregory M. , Villar Christina P. , Flyer David C. , Bourgeois A. Louis , McKenzie Robin , Lavker Robert M. , Frech Sarah A. 
Published: February 2007

ABSTRACT

Transcutaneous immunization allows safe delivery of native heat-labile enterotoxin (LT) from
Escherichia coli
via application of a simple patch. Physical disruption of the stratum corneum can improve the efficiency of delivery. In the current study, the stratum corneum was disrupted using an electrocardiogram prep pad prior to patch application. The effects were quantified using transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and were correlated with the immune responses. Sixty adults received 50 μg of LT from three lots of LT (20 adults per group) administered in a patch on days 0 and 21. The immunizations were well tolerated. There were no differences in the anti-LT immunoglobulin G (IgG) titers between the three LT lots; the seroconversion rate was 100%, and the mean anti-LT IgG titer was 12,185 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay units (EU) (a 24-fold increase). TEWL measurements obtained at the time of the second immunization were found to correlate with the day 42 individual increases in the anti-LT IgG titer (
r
= 0.59,
P
< 0.001). In a comparative assessment of the immune responses, sera after an LT
+
ST
+
(E2447A) oral ETEC challenge, which induced moderate to severe diarrhea in 81% of the recipients, had anti-LT IgG titers of 3,245 EU (a 10.8-fold increase). Similarly, the anti-LT IgG titer after administration of an oral cholera toxin B subunit-containing cholera vaccine, which cross-reacts with LT and protects against LT and LT/heat-stable toxin ETEC disease in the field, was 6,741 EU (a 3.3-fold increase). This study confirmed that a well-tolerated regimen for stratum corneum disruption before vaccine patch application results in robust immunity comparable to natural immunity and vaccine-induced immunity and that the magnitude of stratum corneum disruption correlates with the immune response.
Promoting Organizational Citizenship Behavior in Schools: The Impact of Individual and Organizational Characteristics
Authors: Somech Anit , Ron Ifat 
Published: February 2007

Purpose: The success of schools fundamentally depends on teachers’ willingness to go above and beyond the call of duty, namely, to exhibit organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs). Attempts to understand the causes of OCB frequently focus on individual characteristics; only recently have researchers begun to direct their attention to more contextual variables. The present study continues this line of research and proposes an integrative model. This allows the authors to examine simultaneously the relative impact of individual characteristics (dispositional variables of positive affectivity, negative affectivity, and teacher attitude) to perceived superior support and an organizational characteristic (of organizational values of individualism versus collectivism) on OCB at school. Method: Data were collected from a survey of 104 teachers and their principals at eight elementary schools in northern Israel. Results : A mixed models analysis demonstrates that perceived supervisor support and collectivism were positively related to OCB, whereas a negative relation was found between negative affectivity and OCB; no relation was found between positive affectivity and OCB. However, when these variables were examined simultaneously, the organizational variable of collectivism proved the most effective predictor of OCB. Implications: The present results should serve to encourage OCB researchers to focus more attention on characteristics of organizational context as related to OCB. Schools are powerful suppliers of norms to their teachers, and exchange relationships that form within schools, as well as collective values, may partly determine the level of OCB in them.
The prevalence and characteristics of shoulder pain after traumatic brain injury
Authors: Leung Joan , Moseley Anne , Fereday Sarah , Jones Taryn , Fairbairn Timothy , Wyndham Shirley 
Published: February 2007

Objective: To determine the prevalence and characteristics of shoulder pain in people with traumatic brain injury participating in inpatient rehabilitation and to compare the clinical presentation with that of people with stroke. Design: A prospective comparative study. Setting: Six metropolitan rehabilitation units. Subjects: Eighty-seven people with traumatic brain injury and 52 people with stroke took part in the study. Main measures: Assessment of shoulder pain, range of motion, strength and function was conducted on admission and, for the subjects with traumatic brain injury, at discharge if rehabilitation exceeded two weeks. Results: The prevalence of shoulder pain in people with traumatic brain injury was 62%, which was comparable with the 69% of subjects with stroke that experienced shoulder pain (odds ratio 0.72, 95% confidence interval 0.34 -1.5). Fracture in the shoulder complex and passive shoulder external rotation range of motion were the best predictors for shoulder pain after traumatic brain injury. This was different from the subjects with stroke for which the best predictors were passive shoulder flexion range of motion and length of acute hospital stay. Conclusion: There is a relatively high prevalence of shoulder pain after traumatic brain injury. Trauma to the shoulder complex contributes to shoulder pain after traumatic brain injury, making clinical presentation different from people with stroke. The findings support the need for greater attention in the management of shoulder pain after traumatic brain injury.
Prospective Evaluation of Prolonged Fresh Osteochondral Allograft Transplantation of the Femoral Condyle
Authors: McCulloch Patrick C. , Kang Richard W. , Sobhy Mohamed H. , Hayden Jennifer K. , Cole Brian J. 
Published: February 2007

Background Focal articular cartilage lesions of the knee in young patients present a therapeutic challenge. Little information is available pertaining to the results after implantation of prolonged fresh grafts. Hypothesis Prolonged fresh osteochondral allografts present a viable option for treating large full-thickness articular cartilage lesions. Study Design Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Methods This study presents the results of 25 consecutive patients who underwent prolonged fresh osteochondral allograft transplantation for defects in the femoral condyle. The average patient age was 35 years (range, 17-49 years). The average length of follow-up was 35 months (range, 24-67 months). Prospective data were collected using several subjective scoring systems, as well as objective and radiographic assessments. Results Statistically significant improvements (P < .05) were seen for the Lysholm (39 to 67), International Knee Documentation Committee scores (29 to 58), all 5 components of the Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (Pain, 43 to 73; Other Disease-Specific Symptoms, 46 to 64; Activities of Daily Living Function, 56 to 83; Sport and Recreation Function, 18 to 46; Knee-Related Quality of Life, 22 to 50), and the Short Form-12 physical component score (36 to 40). Overall, patients reported 84% (range, 25% to 100%) satisfaction with their results and believed that the knee functioned at 79% (range, 35% to 100%) of their unaffected knee. Radiographically, 22 of the grafts (88%) were incorporated into host bone. Conclusion Fresh osteochondral allograft transplantation is an acceptable intermediate procedure for treatment of localized osteochondral defects of the femur. At 2-year follow-up, it is well incorporated and offered consistent improvements in pain and function. Clinical Relevance Prolonged fresh allograft transplantation is a safe and effective technique for addressing symptomatic osteoarticular lesions in the knees of young patients.
The in Vivo Kinematics of the Anteromedial and Posterolateral Bundles of the Anterior Cruciate Ligament during Weightbearing Knee Flexion
Authors: Jordan Susan S. , DeFrate Louis E. , Wook Nha Kyung , Papannagari Ramprasad , Gill Thomas J. , Li Guoan 
Published: February 2007

Background Recently, double-bundle anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction has been advocated. However, there are little data on the in vivo biomechanics of the anteromedial and posterolateral bundles of the anterior cruciate ligament. Our objective was to measure the kinematics of the 2 bundles during weightbearing flexion. Study Design Descriptive laboratory study. Hypothesis The bundles of the anterior cruciate ligament are longest at low flexion angles during in vivo weightbearing flexion. Methods Magnetic resonance images from 7 healthy subjects were used to create 3-dimensional models of the knee. The attachments of the anteromedial and posterolateral bundles were outlined on each model. Next, the subjects performed a quasi-static lunge from full extension to 135° while being imaged using a dual orthogonal fluoroscopic system. The models and fluoroscopic images were used to reproduce the motion of the knee. The length, elevation, deviation, and twist of the functional bundles were measured. Results The anteromedial and posterolateral bundles were longest at low flexion angles and shortened significantly with increasing flexion. The elevation and deviation angles of both bundles were similar at low flexion angles (<45°). The twist of the bundles was minimal (<5°) at low flexion. Conclusion With in vivo flexion, the anteromedial and posterolateral bundles did not demonstrate the reciprocal behavior noted in previous cadaveric studies. Both bundles were parallel and maximally elongated at low flexion angles. Our data suggest that if a double-bundle reconstruction is performed, 2 tunnels might need to be drilled in the femur and tibia to reproduce the orientation of the anterior cruciate ligament. Both anteromedial and posterolateral grafts should be fixed at low flexion angles to prevent over-constraint.
Smoking cessation in patients with respiratory diseases: a high priority, integral component of therapy
Authors: Tønnesen P. , Carrozzi L. , Fagerström K. O. , Gratziou C. , Jimenez-Ruiz C. , Nardini S. , Viegi G. , Lazzaro C. , Campell I. A. , Dagli E. , West R. 
Published: February 2007

Smoking cessation is the one of the most important ways to improve the prognosis of patients with respiratory disease. The Task Force on guidelines for smoking cessation in patients with respiratory diseases was convened to provide evidence-based recommendations on smoking cessation interventions in respiratory patients.
Based on the currently available evidence and the consensus of an expert panel, the following key recommendations were made. 1) Patients with respiratory disease have a greater and more urgent need to stop smoking than the average smoker, so respiratory physicians must take a proactive and continuing role with all smokers in motivating them to stop and in providing treatment to aid smoking cessation. 2) Smoking cessation treatment should be integrated into the management of the patient's respiratory condition. 3) Therapies should include pharmacological treatment (
i
.
e
. nicotine replacement therapy, bupropion or varenicline) combined with behavioural support. 4) Respiratory physicians should receive training to ensure that they have the knowledge, attitudes and skills necessary to deliver these interventions or to refer to an appropriate specialist. 5) Although the cost of implementing these recommendations will partly be offset by a reduction in attendance for exacerbations,
etc
., a budget should be established to enable implementation.
Research is needed to establish optimum treatment strategies specifically for respiratory patients.