bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Outsourcing as a mode of organizational learning
Authors: Yakhlef Ali 
Published: February 2009

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the extent to which outsourcing can be regarded as a mode of increasing organization learning through the internalization of new routines.Design/methodology/approachThe paper features six case studies of firms that have outsourced parts, or all of their information technology (IT) activities.FindingsWhen a firm outsources an IT activity (that has been performed in‐house), it needs to develop an ability to specify to its supplier(s), and articulate its IT requirements in explicit terms. Firm's effort to externalize knowledge that was internal to an external supplier implies that a great deal of relatively tacit knowledge has to be converted into explicit knowledge, so that suppliers are able to understand the firm's business specificity. In this very process of externalizing knowledge and interacting with suppliers and other market players, the firm develops new rules, routines and procedures relating to how to manage the outsourced IT activity, which over time will be internalized.Originality/valueThe paper is of value in linking outsourcing and organizational learning.
Further evidence for an association between the gamma‐aminobutyric acid receptor A, subunit 4 genes on chromosome 4 and Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence
Authors: Agrawal Arpana , Pergadia Michele L. , Balasubramanian Sumitra , Saccone Scott F. , Hinrichs Anthony L. , Saccone Nancy L. , Breslau Naomi , Johnson Eric O. , Hatsukami Dorothy , Martin Nicholas G. , Montgomery Grant W. , Goate Alison M. , Rice John P. , Bierut Laura J. , Madden Pamela A.F. 
Published: February 2009

ABSTRACTAims  A previous association analysis identified polymorphisms in gamma‐aminobutyric acid receptor A, subunit 4 (GABRA4) and GABRA2 to be associated with nicotine dependence, as assessed by a score of 4 or more on the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND). In the present report, we extend the previous study by expanding our genotyping efforts significantly for these two genes.Design  In 1049 cases (FTND of 4 or more) and 872 controls (smokers with FTND of 0) from the United States and Australia, we examine the association between 23 GABRA4 and 39 GABRA2 recently genotyped single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and nicotine dependence using logistic regression‐based association analyses using the genomic analysis package PLINK.Results  Two and 18 additional SNPs in GABRA4 and GABRA2, respectively, were associated with nicotine dependence. The SNPs identified in GABRA4 (P‐value = 0.002) were restricted to introns 1 and 2, exon 1 and the 5′ end of the gene, while those in GABRA2 localized to the 3′ end of the gene and spanned introns 9–3, and were in moderate to high linkage disequilibrium (as measured by r2) with each other and with previously studied polymorphisms.Conclusion  Our findings demonstrate consistently the role of GABRA4 and GABRA2 in nicotine dependence. However, further research is needed to identify the biological influence of these intronic variations and to isolate functionally relevant polymorphisms neighboring them.
Modeling the genetic and environmental association between peer group deviance and cannabis use in male twins
Authors: Gillespie Nathan A. , Neale Michael C. , Jacobson Kristen , Kendler Kenneth S. 
Published: February 2009

ABSTRACTBackground  Peer group deviance (PGD) is linked strongly to liability to drug use, including cannabis. Our aim was to model the genetic and environmental association, including direction of causation, between PGD and cannabis use (CU).Method  Results were based on 1736 to 1765 adult males from the Mid‐Atlantic Twin Registry with complete CU and PGD data measured retrospectively at three time‐intervals between 15 and 25 years using a life‐history calendar.Results  At all ages, multivariate modeling showed that familial aggregation in PGD was explained by a combination of additive genetic and shared environmental effects. Moreover, the significant PGD–CU association was best explained by a CU→PGD causal model in which large portions of the additive genetic (50–78%) and shared environmental variance (25–73%) in PGD were explained by CU.Conclusions  Until recently PGD was assumed to be an environmental, upstream risk factor for CU. Our data are not consistent with this hypothesis. Rather, they suggest that the liability to affiliate with deviant peers is explained more clearly by a combination of genetic and environmental factors that are indexed by CU which sits as a ‘risk indicator’ in the causal pathway between genetic and environmental risks and the expression of PGD. This is consistent with a process of social selection by which the genetic and environmental risks in CU largely drive the propensity to affiliate with deviant peers.
Impact of US and Canadian precursor regulation on methamphetamine purity in the United States
Authors: Cunningham James K. , Liu Lon‐Mu , Callaghan Russell 
Published: February 2009

ABSTRACTAims  Reducing drug purity is a major, but largely unstudied, goal of drug suppression. This study examines whether US methamphetamine purity was impacted by the suppression policy of US and Canadian precursor chemical regulation.Design  Autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA)‐intervention time–series analysis.Setting  Continental United States and Hawaii (1985–May 2005).Interventions  US federal regulations targeting precursors, ephedrine and pseudoephedrine, in forms used by large‐scale producers were implemented in November 1989, August 1995 and October 1997. US regulations targeting precursors in forms used by small‐scale producers (e.g. over‐the‐counter medications) were implemented in October 1996 and October 2001. Canada implemented federal precursor regulations in January 2003 and July 2003 and an essential chemical (e.g. acetone) regulation in January 2004.Measurements  Monthly median methamphetamine purity series.Findings  US regulations targeting large‐scale producers were associated with purity declines of 16–67 points; those targeting small‐scale producers had little or no impact. Canada's precursor regulations were associated with purity increases of 13–15 points, while its essential chemical regulation was associated with a 13‐point decrease. Hawaii's purity was consistently high, and appeared to vary little with the 1990s/2000s regulations.Conclusions  US precursor regulations targeting large‐scale producers were associated with substantial decreases in continental US methamphetamine purity, while regulations targeting over‐the‐counter medications had little or no impact. Canada's essential chemical regulation was also associated with a decrease in continental US purity. However, Canada's precursor regulations were associated with purity increases: these regulations may have impacted primarily producers of lower‐quality methamphetamine, leaving higher‐purity methamphetamine on the market by default. Hawaii's well‐known preference for ‘ice’ (high‐purity methamphetamine) may have helped to constrain purity there to a high, attenuated range, possibly limiting its sensitivity to precursor regulation.
Gastrointestinal parasites of the grasscutter (Thryonomys swinderianus, Temminck 1827) on the Accra Plains of Ghana
Authors: Kankam Theodora , Adu Emmanuel K. , Awumbila Bawa 
Published: February 2009

AbstractThe gastrointestinal parasites of the grasscutter were investigated between 1996 and 2006 using 180 grasscutters from the Accra Plains. The aim of the study was to develop strategies for the control of the parasites under captive management. The gastrointestinal tracts of the animals were examined for the presence of both helminth and protozoan parasites with the aid of a hand lens, the direct smear and Willis Flotation techniques. In all, fourteen species of helminths were found including twelve nematodes and two cestodes. Trichuris muris was the most common nematode encountered, whilst Hepatocola hepatica was the least commonly encountered nematode. Three genera of protozoans, viz, Trichomonas spp, Giardia spp and Eimeria spp were also encountered, with Giardia spp and Trichomonas spp being reported for the first time in the grasscutter. Eimeria spp were the most prevalent protozoa. The widespread occurrence of protozoal and helminthic parasites in the grasscutter suggests that routine treatment of grasscutters with coccidiostats, anti‐flagellates and anthelminthics such as dimetridazole and albendazole may contribute significantly to improve productivity of animals and reduce the pressure on wild populations.
Clinical trial: dexlansoprazole MR, a proton pump inhibitor with dual delayed‐release technology, effectively controls symptoms and prevents relapse in patients with healed erosive oesophagitis
Authors: METZ D. C. , HOWDEN C. W. , PEREZ M. C. , LARSEN L. , O’NEIL J. , ATKINSON S. N. 
Published: February 2009

SummaryBackground  Dexlansoprazole MR heals all grades of erosive oesophagitis (EO).Aim  To assess efficacy and safety of dexlansoprazole MR in maintaining healed EO and heartburn relief.Methods  In this randomized, double‐blind trial, 445 patients with healed EO received dexlansoprazole MR 30 mg or 60 mg or placebo once daily for 6 months. This trial assessed maintenance of endoscopic healing (primary endpoint) and continued symptom relief based on daily diaries (secondary endpoints).Results  Dexlansoprazole MR 30 mg and 60 mg were superior to placebo for maintaining healed EO (P < 0.0025; Hochberg’s). By life‐table analysis, maintenance rates were 75%, 83% and 27% for dexlansoprazole MR 30 mg, 60 mg and placebo respectively. Crude maintenance rates were 66% for both dexlansoprazole MR doses and 14% for placebo. Dexlansoprazole MR controlled heartburn (medians of 91–96% for 24‐h heartburn‐free days, 96–99% for heartburn‐free nights). The only more common adverse event occurring at a significantly higher rate in dexlansoprazole MR groups than placebo when analysed per patient‐months of exposure was upper respiratory tract infection.Conclusions  Dexlansoprazole MR effectively maintained EO healing and symptom relief; most patients were heartburn‐free for >90% of days. Both doses were well tolerated.
Expression of regulatory genes for lymphoplasmacytic cell differentiation in Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia
Authors: Leleu Xavier , Hunter Zachary R. , Xu Lian , Roccaro Aldo M. , Moreau Anne‐Sophie , Santos Daniel D. , Hatjiharissi Evdoxia , Bakthavachalam Vinod , Adamia Sophia , Ho Allen W. , Soumerai Jacob , Patterson Christopher J. , Manning Robert J. , Hamilton Susanna , Verselis Sigitas , Fox Edward , Carrasco Ruben , Ghobrial Irene M. , Treon Steven P. 
Published: February 2009

SummaryWaldenstrom Macroglobulinemia (WM) is a B‐cell malignancy characterized by excess bone marrow (BM) lymphoplasmacytic cells (LPC). The accumulation of LPC in WM may represent a failure of B‐cells to properly differentiate into plasma cells. The present study investigated transcriptional expression of genes involved in late B‐cell differentiation, including PRDM1, PAX5, XBP1 transcripts and ERN1, in BM B‐cells from 31 patients with WM and six healthy donors. Real time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) determined that approximately 80% of the patients had high XBP1 spliced mRNA expression, 80% of whom had high mRNA ERN1α expression. XBP1, PRDM1 and PAX5 mRNA was present in all patients studied. Using relative quantitative RT‐PCR we isolated two groups with low and high expression of XBP1, XBP1 spliced and ERN1α. Sequence analysis showed germline polymorphisms in all genes studied. These data depict for the first time a heterogeneous expression pattern of the genes involved in late differentiation process of plasma cells in patients with WM and propose a role of XBP1‐ERN1α in WM pathogenesis.
Adaptation of soil microbial communities to temperature: comparison of fungi and bacteria in a laboratory experiment
Authors: BÁRCENAS‐MORENO GEMA , GÓMEZ‐BRANDÓN MARIA , ROUSK JOHANNES , BÅÅTH ERLAND 
Published: February 2009

AbstractTemperature not only has direct effects on microbial activity, but can also affect activity indirectly by changing the temperature dependency of the community. This would result in communities performing better over time in response to increased temperatures. We have for the first time studied the effect of soil temperature (5–50 °C) on the community adaptation of both bacterial (leucine incorporation) and fungal growth (acetate‐in‐ergosterol incorporation). Growth at different temperatures was estimated after about a month using a short‐term assay to avoid confounding the effects of temperature on substrate availability. Before the experiment started, fungal and bacterial growth was optimal around 30 °C. Increasing soil temperature above this resulted in an increase in the optimum for bacterial growth, correlated to soil temperature, with parallel shifts in the total response curve. Below the optimum, soil temperature had only minor effects, although lower temperatures selected for communities growing better at the lowest temperature. Fungi were affected in the same way as bacteria, with large shifts in temperature tolerance at soil temperatures above that of optimum for growth. A simplified technique, only comparing growth at two contrasting temperatures, gave similar results as using a complete temperature curve, allowing for large scale measurements also in field situations with small differences in temperature.
Historical ozone concentrations and flavonoid levels in herbarium specimens of the Antarctic mossBryum argenteum
Authors: RYAN KEN G. , BURNE ALLAN , SEPPELT RODNEY D. 
Published: February 2009

AbstractDepletion of stratospheric ozone since the mid 1970s has led to significant increases in ultraviolet B (UVB) irradiation over Antarctica. The detrimental effects of UVB on plants are many, but plants produce photoprotective flavonoids that reduce cellular damage. We used herbarium samples of the mossBryum argenteumcollected in Antarctica to compare the levels of flavone aglycones in plants collected before and after the formation of the ozone hole. The interpretation of historical data is difficult, because environmental conditions immediately before sample collection are unknown. Factors such as cloud cover can have a significant influence on UVB dose at ground level, modifying the flavonoid content of the specimen and adding considerable variability to the results. Nevertheless, our results revealed significant relationships between total flavone concentration and pooled year classes (P= 0.001). Furthermore, regression analysis showed a significant negative relationship of total flavone concentration and the level of ozone immediately before the time of collection (P= 0.016). In addition, the ratio of luteolin (anortho‐dihydroxylated flavone) to apigenin (a monohydroxylated flavone) increased significantly with several environmental parameters. These included (a) increasing modelled midday UVB radiation (P= 0.002), (b) increasing modelled midday UVB/PAR ratio (P< 0.001), and (c) decreasing ozone concentration (P< 0.001). We emphasise the utility of this ratio in interpreting the historical ozone trends rather than relying on changes in total flavone concentrations alone. These results illustrate that herbarium specimens may reveal historical levels of UVB radiation.
Region‐specific assessment of greenhouse gas mitigation with different manure management strategies in four agroecological zones
Authors: SOMMER SVEN G. , OLESEN JØRGEN E. , PETERSEN SØREN O. , WEISBJERG MARTIN R. , VALLI LAURA , RODHE LENA , BÉLINE FABRICE 
Published: February 2009

AbstractLivestock farming systems are major sources of trace gases contributing to emissions of the greenhouse gases (GHG) nitrous oxide (N2O) and methane (CH4), i.e. N2O accounts for 10% and CH4 for 30% of the anthropogenic contributions to net global warming. This paper presents scenario assessments of whole‐system effects of technologies for reducing GHG emissions from livestock model farms using slurry‐based manure management. Changes in housing and storage practice, mechanical separation, and incineration of the solid fraction derived from separation were evaluated in scenarios for Sweden, Denmark, France, and Italy. The results demonstrated that changes in manure management can induce significant changes in CH4 and N2O emissions and carbon sequestration, and that the effect of introducing environmental technologies may vary significantly with livestock farming practice and interact with climatic conditions. Shortening the in‐house manure storage time reduced GHG emissions by 0–40%. The largest GHG reductions of 49 to, in one case, 82% were obtained with a combination of slurry separation and incineration, the latter process contributing to a positive GHG balance of the system by substituting fossil fuels. The amount and composition of volatile solids (VS) and nitrogen pools were main drivers in the calculations performed, and requirements to improve the assessment of VS composition and turnover during storage and in the field were identified. Nevertheless, the results clearly showed that GHG emission estimates will be unrealistic, if the assumed manure management or climatic conditions do not properly represent a given country or region. The results also showed that the mitigation potential of specific manure management strategies and technologies varied depending on current management and climatic conditions.
Regulation and function of root exudates
Authors: BADRI DAYAKAR V. , VIVANCO JORGE M. 
Published: February 2009

ABSTRACTRoot‐secreted chemicals mediate multi‐partite interactions in the rhizosphere, where plant roots continually respond to and alter their immediate environment. Increasing evidence suggests that root exudates initiate and modulate dialogue between roots and soil microbes. For example, root exudates serve as signals that initiate symbiosis with rhizobia and mycorrhizal fungi. In addition, root exudates maintain and support a highly specific diversity of microbes in the rhizosphere of a given particular plant species, thus suggesting a close evolutionary link. In this review, we focus mainly on compiling the information available on the regulation and mechanisms of root exudation processes, and provide some ideas related to the evolutionary role of root exudates in shaping soil microbial communities.
Antigenic Differences of CEA in Colonic Cancer, Gastric Cancer and Fetal Tissues
Authors: MORI T. , SHIMANO T. , LEE P.‐K. , FUJIMOTO N. , KOSAKI G. 
Published: February 2009

CEA samples were prepared individually from liver metastases of gastric and colonic cancer, and purified with gel filtrations, block electrophoresis and Con A affinity chromatography (the latter was not performed in all cases). Anti‐CEA antisera were produced in 7 and 4 guinea pigs against CEA of gastric cancer and colonic cancer respectively. Upon extensive absorptions with PCA extracts of normal tissues (rich of NCA) and NCA‐2, their anti‐CEA activities were examined on micro‐Ouchterlony plates and by immunofluorescence techniques.There were two types of anti‐CEA antibodies, as observed in our previous study [9], in which crude samples of CEA were utilized as immunogens: a type that showed identical reaction to CEA of adenocarcinomas of the digestive system, squamous cell carcinomas of endodermally derived organs, medullary carcinoma of the thyroid as well as tissues of fetal gastro‐intestinal tract but not to others, while the other type was proven to be specific to gastric or colonic cancer depending on cancer tissues from which the immunized CEA was extracted. In immunofluorescence study, no reaction of these organ‐specific anti‐CEA antibodies to fetal tissues was observed.Further, CEA‐M (Con A binding fraction) and CEA‐P (Con A non‐binding fraction) separated by Con A affinity chromatography, showed identical reaction to any types of anti‐CEA antibodies, though CEA‐P was apparently less antigenic.
Amicon Filtration Technique in a Modified CEA‐Roche Test
Authors: ØRJASÆTER HARALD 
Published: February 2009

Amicon MC 40 multi‐cell filtration system was evaluated for routine use, to avoid the time‐consuming and delaying dialysis in our modified CEA‐Roche test.Four control samples were repeatedly tested by the two modifications, each with 10–12 different assays, and 100 plasma samples from cancer patients were run in parallel. The correlation between results obtained with the Amicon filtration technique and our standard method with dialysis was good over the entire range of measurement, from 1–16 μg/1. No significant differences were seen with the two methods. There was also little difference in the reproducibility. Standard deviations of ±0.3, ±0.4, ±0.8, ± 1.2 and ±0.3, ±0.5, ±0.5, ± 1.7 respectively were found in different ranges of measurement.In our hands the conventional CEA‐Roche test used with the Amicon filtration technique was found to give too low values. Similar observations were made previously with dialysis and use of EDTA CEA‐standard. Our modification, which includes a plasma CEA‐standard, improved the long‐term reproducibility of the test.
Detection of Carcinoplacental Alkaline Phosphatase by Polyacrylamide Gradient Gel Electrophoresis
Authors: MASUZAWA M. , KAMADA T. , ABE H. , SAKOYAMA Y. , OKUBO S. 
Published: February 2009

Human serum alkaline phosphatase (E.C. 3.1.3.1.) was subclassified into several isoenzymes including carcinoplacental alkaline phosphatase isoenzyme (CPALP) by electrophoretic procedures. Since CPALP has three subtypes, such as Regan, Nagao and Variant type, their properties are somewhat different among them, and have no specific property, no simple method has yet been ascertained to detect CPALP separately.CPALP was detected as the fastest migrating isoenzyme band to the anode, using the polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of more than 8.0% gel concentration. Thus, a polyacrylamide gradient gel electrophoresis of 16–8% gel concentration in Tris‐borate buffer system was introduced, which resulted in CPALP being found to be the fastest migrating isoenzyme band to the anode and microheterogeneities of each CPALP were also identified: CPALP (Variant) was electrophoresed rather faster to the anode, CPALP (Nagao); intermediate, and CPALP (Regan), as well as placental alkaline phosphatase isoenzyme; rather slower. In addition, each isoenzyme of CPALP and placental alkaline phosphatase further differentiated clearly into a few subbands.Slow moving new bands appeared by Triton X‐100 treatment.
Limitation in the Specificity of the Assay of Human Chorionic Gonadotropin Using β Subunit Antiserum
Authors: ARENDS J. 
Published: February 2009

In order to ensure a specific radioimmunoassay for human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), suppliers of hCG‐β subunit antiserum advocate to ignore the low‐dose region of the standard curve, hence limiting the sensitivity of the assay.Serum from 37 women with high LH levels in the menopausal range was assayed and the calculated hCG levels were based on the low‐dose region of the hCG standard curve, thus overriding the above‐mentioned recommendation.With this modification of the method a significant correlation was seen between LH and hCG values.The regression line relating LH in the serum samples to hCG was parallel with that relating pure pituitary LH to hCG in the hCG‐β assay.These findings indicate that the hCG‐β assay has a limited specificity and that cross‐reactions from LH are bypassed by lowering the sensitivity of the assay.