bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Implementing a Multi‐Agency Needs Assessment in a Secure Adolescent Unit
Authors: Hindley Nick , James Anthony C. , Gurney‐Smith Ben 
Published: October 2003

Background:  Process issues in relation to the introduction of standardised needs assessments have traditionally received little attention.Method:  Descriptive approach to the theoretical and practical aspects of the development of an assessment process using a structured instrument, the clinical version of the Salford Needs Assessment Schedule for Adolescents (SNASA). The context for this was child and adolescent mental health liaison with a social services secure unit for adolescent boys.Results:  The use of a structured process model facilitated the implementation process enormously. Positive outcomes were experienced by participating staff at different levels within agency hierarchies and by the wider professional network.Conclusions:  Successful implementation and continuing use of structured assessments and other instruments in multi‐agency settings requires attention to process issues. Such attention needs to be concerted and ongoing. Within child and adolescent mental health settings such an approach may be helpful beyond the field of secure adolescent care.
Honeymoons and Liabilities: The Relationship between Age and Performance in Research and Development Alliances
Authors: Deeds David L. , Rothaermel Frank T. 
Published: October 2003

The use of strategic alliances by technology ventures has increased dramatically over the last 20 years. During this period companies not only have increased the use of alliances but also have used them in more strategically important areas, particularly in research and development (R&D) and new product development. Thus, successful management of strategic alliances in high‐technology industries has become critical to a firm's new product development and ultimately to firm performance. Yet little is known about what determines the performance of individual alliances. This article examines the relationship between the age of an alliance and the performance of the alliance.Two competing hypotheses regarding the form of the functional relationship between alliance age and alliance performance are developed and are tested. First, a liability of newness hypothesis, which posits that alliance performance increases in a linear fashion over time, is tested. Then a honeymoon hypothesis, which posits that the relationship between age and alliance performance is nonlinear with alliance performance decreasing initially but increasing over time, is tested. It is proposed further here that alliances that are more important to the focal firm exhibit longer honeymoon periods.A measure of individual alliance performance is developed based on our field study in the biotechnology industry. The competing hypotheses are tested using regression analysis on the sample of 115 R&D alliances. Then the analysis is extended by splitting the sample into high‐ and low‐importance alliances to enhance the robustness of the findings. Further, such a split‐sample approach enables testing for a potential moderating effect of alliance importance on the hypothesized relationship between alliance age and alliance performance.The results suggest that the relationship between age and alliance performance seems to be U‐shaped curvilinear rather than linear, with the minimum point of alliance performance occurring after approximately four and one‐half years. Thus, the results indicate that strategic alliances appear to face a liability of adolescence rather than a liability of newness. Contrary to expectations, it also is found that important alliances exhibit generally shorter honeymoons.
Does an Industry Effect Exist for Initial Public Offerings?
Authors: Akhigbe Aigbe , Borde Stephen F. , Whyte Ann Marie 
Published: October 2003

AbstractWe examine the impact of initial public offerings (IPOs) on rival firms and find that the valuation effects are insignificant. This insignificant reaction can be explained by offsetting information and competitive effects. Significant positive information effects are associated with IPOs in regulated industries and the first IPO in an industry following a period of dormancy. Significant negative competitive effects are associated with larger IPOs in competitive industries, those in relatively risky industries, those in high‐performing industries, and those in the technology sector. IPO firms that use the proceeds for debt repayment appear to represent a more significant competitive threat to rival firms relative to IPO firms that use their proceeds for other purposes.
Motives in the Acquisitions of NASDAQ Targets during the Aftermath of the 1987 Crash
Authors: Gondhalekar Vijay , Bhagwat Yatin 
Published: October 2003

AbstractAfter the crash of 1987, the Nasdaq composite index stayed below the precrash level for nearly two years. Takeover activity surged in this after‐crash period. We compare the motives in the acquisitions of Nasdaq targets during the after‐crash period with those in the ten‐year period before the crash. We find that the announcement period return to acquirers and the proportion of acquirers with positive gains declines in the after‐crash period. For both the periods, agency is the motive for takeovers that have negative total gains (acquirer + target), but synergy and hubris are comotives for takeovers that have positive total gains. The proportion of takeovers in which the managers of acquirers act against the interest of the shareholders increases after the crash.
Clinical Potential of the Acyclic Nucleoside Phosphonates Cidofovir, Adefovir, and Tenofovir in Treatment of DNA Virus and Retrovirus Infections
Authors: De Clercq Erik 
Published: October 2003

SUMMARYThe acyclic nucleoside phosphonates HPMPC (cidofovir), PMEA (adefovir), and PMPA (tenofovir) have proved to be effective in vitro (cell culture systems) and in vivo (animal models and clinical studies) against a wide variety of DNA virus and retrovirus infections: cidofovir against herpesvirus (herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 varicella-zoster virus, cytomegalovirus [CMV], Epstein-Barr virus, and human herpesviruses 6, 7, and 8), polyomavirus, papillomavirus, adenovirus, and poxvirus (variola virus, cowpox virus, vaccinia virus, molluscum contagiosum virus, and orf virus) infections; adefovir against herpesvirus, hepadnavirus (human hepatitis B virus), and retrovirus (human immunodeficiency virus types 1 [HIV-1] and 2 [HIV-2], simian immunodeficiency virus, and feline immunodeficiency virus) infections; and tenofovir against both hepadnavirus and retrovirus infections. Cidofovir (Vistide) has been officially approved for the treatment of CMV retinitis in AIDS patients, tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (Viread) has been approved for the treatment of HIV infections (i.e., AIDS), and adefovir dipivoxil (Hepsera) has been approved for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B. Nephrotoxicity is the dose-limiting side effect for cidofovir (Vistide) when used intravenously (5 mg/kg); no toxic side effects have been described for adefovir dipivoxil and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate, at the approved doses (Hepsera at 10 mg orally daily and Viread at 300 mg orally daily).
Infections in Patients with Inherited Defects in Phagocytic Function
Authors: Andrews Timothy , Sullivan Kathleen E. 
Published: October 2003

SUMMARYPatients with defects in phagocytic function are predisposed to intracellular microorganisms and typically have early dissemination of the infection. Recognition of the underlying disorder and aggressive antimicrobial therapy has been beneficial for the patients. Improved understanding of the pathophysiology has also affected patient management by allowing specific, targeted immunomodulatory intervention. The disorders described in this review are not common but have had a significant impact on our understanding of the role of phagocytic cells in host defense. Conversely, understanding the role of the neutrophil and macrophage in infection has benefited not just the patients described in this review but also other patients with similar disease processes.
Babesia divergens
, a Bovine Blood Parasite of Veterinary and Zoonotic Importance
Authors: Zintl Annetta , Mulcahy Grace , Skerrett Helen E. , Taylor Stuart M. , Gray Jeremy S. 
Published: October 2003

SUMMARY

Babesia divergens
is an intraerythrocytic protozoan parasite, transmitted by the tick
Ixodes ricinus
, and is the main agent of bovine babesiosis in Europe. It is not only a cause of significant loss to the cattle industry; it can also infect immunocompromised humans, causing medical emergencies characterized by rapid fulmination and parasitemias that may exceed 70%. The current emphasis in Europe on sustainable agriculture and extensification is likely to lead to an increase in vector tick populations with increased risk of infection. Despite the veterinary and zoonotic importance of this parasite, relatively little research has been carried out on
B. divergens
, and many questions regarding the parasite's epidemiology and the host's response remain unanswered. A better understanding of the species' biology and host-parasite interactions may lead to improved control mechanisms and new trends in vaccine and antibabesial drug development. This review provides the first comprehensive summary of
B. divergens
biology, including its morphology, life cycle, and host specificity, and the current state of knowledge of both human and bovine infections.
Role of Toll-Like Receptors in Pathogen Recognition
Authors: Janssens S. , Beyaert R. 
Published: October 2003

SUMMARYThe innate immune system relies on a vast array of non-clonally expressed pattern recognition receptors for the detection of pathogens. Pattern recognition receptors bind conserved molecular structures shared by large groups of pathogens, termed pathogen-associated molecular patterns. The Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are a recently discovered family of pattern recognition receptors which show homology with theDrosophilaToll protein and the human interleukin-1 receptor family. Engagement of different TLRs can induce overlapping yet distinct patterns of gene expression that contribute to an inflammatory response. The TLR family is characterized by the presence of leucine-rich repeats and a Toll/interleukin-1 receptor-like domain, which mediate ligand binding and interaction with intracellular signaling proteins, respectively. Most TLR ligands identified so far are conserved microbial products which signal the presence of an infection, but evidence for some endogenous ligands that might signal other danger conditions has also been obtained. Molecular mechanisms for pathogen-associated molecular pattern recognition still remain elusive but seem to be more complicated than initially anticipated. In most cases, direct binding of microbial ligands to TLRs still has to be demonstrated. Moreover,DrosophilaTLRs bind endogenous ligands, generated through a proteolytic cascade in response to an infection. In the case of endotoxin, recognition involves a complex of TLR4 and a number of other proteins. Moreover, TLR heterodimerization further extends the spectrum of ligands and modulates the response towards specific ligands. The fact that TLR expression is regulated in both a cell type- and stimulus-dependent fashion further contributes to the complexity.
Prevention of Cytomegalovirus Disease in Recipients of Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplants
Authors: Meijer Ellen , Boland Greet J. , Verdonck Leo F. 
Published: October 2003

SUMMARY

The main risk factors for cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease in recipients of allogeneic stem cell transplants (SCT) are recipient CMV seropositivity and acute graft-versus-host disease. Currently, two antiviral strategies, prophylactic or preemptive antiviral treatment, are used for prevention of CMV disease. Preemptive treatment is most favorable when short-term (14-day) treatment is applied. Several methods are available for monitoring of CMV reactivation. PCR-based CMV DNA detection assays are the most sensitive methods; however, the clinical benefit of this high sensitivity is unclear. Even more, there is lack of clarity whether PCR tests can better be performed with plasma, whole blood, or peripheral blood leukocyte samples. Recovery of a CMV-specific CD8
+
cytotoxic-T-lymphocyte (CTL) response is necessary for preventing CMV reactivation and disease. Reconstitution of absolute CMV-specific CTL counts to values above 10 × 10
6
to 20 × 10
6
CTLs/liter is associated with protection from CMV disease. In the near future, preemptive therapy might be withheld in patients with CMV reactivation who are shown to have adequate CMV-specific cytotoxic T-cell levels. Antiviral therapy with (val)acyclovir has been studied only as prophylactic treatment for prevention of CMV infection. High-dose oral valacyclovir is more effective than acyclovir when used in addition to preemptive treatment of CMV reactivation with ganciclovir or foscarnet. Three antiviral drugs have been tested for preemptive therapy of CMV reactivation and/or treatment of CMV disease. Although intravenous ganciclovir is considered the drug of choice, foscarnet has similar efficacy and less toxicity, especially hematologic toxicity. Cidofovir has not been tested extensively, but so far the results are disappointing. Oral valganciclovir for preemptive treatment of SCT recipients is currently being studied. In addition to antiviral therapy, adoptive immunotherapy with CMV-specific cytotoxic T cells as prophylactic or preemptive therapy is a very elegant strategy; however, generation of these cells is expensive and time-consuming, and therefore the therapy is not available at every transplantation center. Magnetic selection of CMV-specific CD8
+
T cells from peripheral blood by using HLA class I-peptide tetramers may be very promising, making this strategy more accessible.
Potential Uses of Probiotics in Clinical Practice
Authors: Reid Gregor , Jass Jana , Sebulsky M. Tom , McCormick John K. 
Published: October 2003

SUMMARYProbiotics are defined as live microorganisms that, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host. There is now mounting evidence that selected probiotic strains can provide health benefits to their human hosts. Numerous clinical trials show that certain strains can improve the outcome of intestinal infections by reducing the duration of diarrhea. Further investigations have shown benefits in reducing the recurrence of urogenital infections in women, while promising studies in cancer and allergies require research into the mechanisms of activity for particular strains and better-designed trials. At present, only a small percentage of physicians either know of probiotics or understand their potential applicability to patient care. Thus, probiotics are not yet part of the clinical arsenal for prevention and treatment of disease or maintenance of health. The establishment of accepted standards and guidelines, proposed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the World Health Organization, represents a key step in ensuring that reliable products with suitable, informative health claims become available. Based upon the evidence to date, future advances with single- and multiple-strain therapies are on the horizon for the management of a number of debilitating and even fatal conditions.
Bacterial Wall as Target for Attack
Authors: Koch Arthur L. 
Published: October 2003

SUMMARYWhen Bacteria, Archaea, and Eucarya separated from each other, a great deal of evolution had taken place. Only then did extensive diversity arise. The bacteria split off with the new property that they had a sacculus that protected them from their own turgor pressure. The saccular wall of murein (or peptidoglycan) was an effective solution to the osmotic pressure problem, but it then was a target for other life-forms, which created lysoymes and β-lactams. The β-lactams, with their four-member strained rings, are effective agents in nature and became the first antibiotic in human medicine. But that is by no means the end of the story. Over evolutionary time, bacteria challenged by β-lactams evolved countermeasures such as β-lactamases, and the producing organisms evolved variant β-lactams. The biology of both classes became evident as the pharmaceutical industry isolated, modified, and produced new chemotherapeutic agents and as the properties of β-lactams and β-lactamases were examined by molecular techniques. This review attempts to fit the wall biology of current microbes and their clinical context into the way organisms developed on this planet as well as the changes arising since the work done by Fleming. It also outlines the scientific advances in our understanding of this broad area of biology.
American Canine Hepatozoonosis
Authors: Ewing S. A. , Panciera R. J. 
Published: October 2003

SUMMARYAmerican canine hepatozoonosis (ACH) is a tick-borne disease that is spreading in the southeastern and south-central United States. Characterized by marked leukocytosis and periosteal bone proliferation, ACH is very debilitating and often fatal. Dogs acquire infection by ingesting nymphal or adult Gulf Coast ticks (Amblyomma maculatum) that, in a previous life stage, ingested the parasite in a blood meal taken from some vertebrate intermediate host. ACH is caused by the apicomplexanHepatozoon americanumand has been differentiated from Old World canine hepatozoonosis caused byH. canis.UnlikeH. canis, which is transmitted by the ubiquitous brown dog tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineus),H. americanumis essentially an accidental parasite of dogs, for which Gulf Coast ticks are not favored hosts. The geographic portrait of the disease parallels the known distribution of the Gulf Coast tick, which has expanded in recent years. Thus, the endemic cycle ofH. americanuminvolvesA. maculatumas definitive host and some vertebrate intermediate host(s) yet to be identified. Although coyotes (Canis latrans) are known to be infected, it is not known how important this host is in maintaining the endemic cycle. This review covers the biology of the parasite and of the tick that transmits it and contrasts ACH with classical canine hepatozoonosis. Clinical aspects of the disease are discussed, including diagnosis and treatment, and puzzling epidemiologic issues are examined. Brief consideration is given to the potential for ACH to be used as a model for study of angiogenesis and of hypertrophic osteoarthropathy.
Antigens and Alternatives for Control ofAnaplasma marginaleInfection in Cattle
Authors: Kocan Katherine M. , de la Fuente José , Guglielmone Alberto A. , Meléndez Roy D. 
Published: October 2003

SUMMARYAnaplasmosis, a tick-borne cattle disease caused by the rickettsiaAnaplasma marginale, is endemic in tropical and subtropical areas of the world. The disease causes considerable economic loss to both the dairy and beef industries worldwide. Analyses of 16S rRNA, groESL, and surface proteins have resulted in the recent reclassification of the order Rickettsiales. The genusAnaplasma, of whichA. marginaleis the type species, now also includesA. bovis,A. platys, andA. phagocytophilum, which were previously known asEhrlichia bovis,E. platys, and theE. phagocytophilagroup (which causes human granulocytic ehrlichiosis), respectively. Live and killed vaccines have been used for control of anaplasmosis, and both types of vaccines have advantages and disadvantages. These vaccines have been effective in preventing clinical anaplasmosis in cattle but have not blockedA. marginaleinfection. Thus, persistently infected cattle serve as a reservoir of infective blood for both mechanical transmission and infection of ticks. Advances in biochemical, immunologic, and molecular technologies during the last decade have been applied to research ofA. marginaleand related organisms. The recent development of a cell culture system forA. marginaleprovides a potential source of antigen for the development of improved killed and live vaccines, and the availability of cell culture-derived antigen would eliminate the use of cattle in vaccine production. Increased knowledge ofA. marginaleantigen repertoires and an improved understanding of bovine cellular and humoral immune responses toA. marginale, combined with the new technologies, should contribute to the development of more effective vaccines for control and prevention of anaplasmosis.
Laboratory Diagnosis of Amebiasis
Authors: Tanyuksel Mehmet , Petri William A. 
Published: October 2003

SUMMARYThe detection ofEntamoeba histolytica, the causative agent of amebiasis, is an important goal of the clinical microbiology laboratory. To assess the scope ofE. histolyticainfection, it is necessary to utilize accurate diagnostic tools. As more is discovered about the molecular and cell biology ofE. histolytica, there is great potential for further understanding the pathogenesis of amebiasis. Molecular biology-based diagnosis may become the technique of choice in the future because establishment of these protozoa in culture is still not a routine clinical laboratory process. In all cases, combination of serologic tests with detection of the parasite (by antigen detection or PCR) offers the best approach to diagnosis, while PCR techniques remain impractical in many developing country settings. The detection of amebic markers in serum in patients with amebic colitis and liver abscess appears promising but is still only a research tool. On the other hand, stool antigen detection tests offer a practical, sensitive, and specific way for the clinical laboratory to detect intestinalE. histolytica. All the current tests suffer from the fact that the antigens detected are denatured by fixation of the stool specimen, limiting testing to fresh or frozen samples.
Current Perspectives on Ophthalmic Mycoses
Authors: Thomas Philip A. 
Published: October 2003

SUMMARYFungi may infect the cornea, orbit and other ocular structures. Species ofFusarium,Aspergillus,Candida, dematiaceous fungi, andScedosporiumpredominate. Diagnosis is aided by recognition of typical clinical features and by direct microscopic detection of fungi in scrapes, biopsy specimens, and other samples. Culture confirms the diagnosis. Histopathological, immunohistochemical, or DNA-based tests may also be needed. Pathogenesis involves agent (invasiveness, toxigenicity) and host factors. Specific antifungal therapy is instituted as soon as the diagnosis is made. Amphotericin B by various routes is the mainstay of treatment for life-threatening and severe ophthalmic mycoses. Topical natamycin is usually the first choice for filamentous fungal keratitis, and topical amphotericin B is the first choice for yeast keratitis. Increasingly, the triazoles itraconazole and fluconazole are being evaluated as therapeutic options in ophthalmic mycoses. Medical therapy alone does not usually suffice for invasive fungal orbital infections, scleritis, and keratitis due toFusariumspp.,Lasiodiplodia theobromae, andPythium insidiosum. Surgical debridement is essential in orbital infections, while various surgical procedures may be required for other infections not responding to medical therapy. Corticosteroids are contraindicated in most ophthalmic mycoses; therefore, other methods are being sought to control inflammatory tissue damage. Fungal infections following ophthalmic surgical procedures, in patients with AIDS, and due to use of various ocular biomaterials are unique subsets of ophthalmic mycoses. Future research needs to focus on the development of rapid, species-specific diagnostic aids, broad-spectrum fungicidal compounds that are active by various routes, and therapeutic modalities which curtail the harmful effects of fungus- and host tissue-derived factors.