bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Procedures for testing the homogeneity of relative difference in sparse data
Authors: Lui Kung‐Jong 
Published: July 2005

AbstractTo quantify the excess effect of an experimental treatment over a placebo group in clinical trials, we often consider use of the relative difference, defined as the proportion of patients who would respond to the experimental treatment among those who would not otherwise if they were assigned to the placebo group. To control the effects due to confounders on the response of interest, we frequently employ stratified analysis in practice. Before obtaining a summary estimate of the relative difference, it is desirable to assess whether this measure is constant across strata. Based on the beta–binomial model, we develop simple procedures for testing the homogeneity of relative difference for sparse data in which we have many strata but few patients per stratum. Using Monte Carlo simulations, we demonstrate that the proposed test procedures can generally perform well with respect to type I error in a variety of situations. We further evaluate and study the power of these test procedures. Finally, we note some robustness in using the test procedures proposed here. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Digital library services at the Indian Statistical Institute
Authors: Krishnamurthy M. 
Published: July 2005

PurposeAims to share the experience of the design of digital library in relation to digitise of database and making use of user community with a view to give an efficient library practice.Design/methodology/approachPresents a case study approach to the design of digital library service to provide insight in to the development of online resources.FindingsImportant services like online resource, online public access catalogue (OPAC), consortium and how these sources are helpful in building digital collection in Indian Statistical Institute Bangalore library are discussed.Practical implicationsIn a short period, considerable progress has been made in consortium project in the Indian Statistical Institute libraries. To meet the vision of the academic environment, the library has set up in place strategies that will enable it to provide new information services by which more users of the institution will benefit.Originality/valueGives an introduction to the digitations of the Indian Statistical Institute Library, Ban galore. Focuses on the key initiatives of the various databases.
Temple of the computer
Authors: Falk Howard 
Published: July 2005

PurposeAims to investigate the new use of libraries by the public.Design/methodology/approachBegins by describing the facilities at Seattle Central Library which represents a general escalation of public interest in libraries. Goes on to examine how other libraries are making use of computers and the internet.FindingsIt appears that computer‐based services are the force behind the increase in library use. Discovers that there is an increase in the use of e‐books and that library circulation and maintenance has been improved by the use of radio frequency identification (RFID) tags.Originality/valueThis paper provides a useful insight into how computer‐based services can be used to benefit libraries.
TQM and QFD: exploiting a customer complaint management system
Authors: González Bosch Verónica , Tamayo Enríquez Francisco 
Published: July 2005

PurposeTo present a simple yet comprehensive customer complaint management system (CCMS) which includes tools and concepts from total quality management (TQM) and quality function deployment (QFD) proposed by the authors.Design/methodology/approachA comprehensive CCMS model based on the Deming cycle that integrates practice‐tested methodologies such as QFD, problem solving and failure mode effect analysis (FMEA) was developed. In order to provide an example of the application, possibilities and limitations of our proposed CCMS model, a project developed for a major Latin American transportation company is presented.FindingsExcellent service can only be achieved with a profound knowledge of evolving customer needs. Functional CCMS should be implemented in every company, regardless of its size, structure or products. QFD, FMEA and problem‐solving tools are very useful but, rather than the tools themselves, the fundamental element to develop a successful CCMS is the spirit of improvement towards total customer satisfaction energized by top management's leadership and commitment. A successfully implemented CCMS can change the perspective of complaint management and transform the process of answering complaints from a trivial activity to a more exciting process‐design and learning experience, renovating the spirit of continuous improvement towards service excellence.Research limitations/implicationsThe model may not be useful to some major companies that already have their own database systems for storing and analyzing customer complaints in real time. The results were only validated in a single project with its particular characteristics.Practical implicationsIn a service economy, comprehensive systems for capturing, analyzing and translating customer complaints into adequate actions for focused improvement are required for competitiveness. Simple CCMS can be implemented without significant investment, in order to exploit customer complaints.Originality/valueThis paper presents a simple, yet comprehensive CCMS based on practice‐tested methodologies successfully implemented in an improvement project. Companies that do not have formal CCMS can find efficiency in the model because of its simplicity.
Jerusalem Conference on the Digitisation of Cultural Heritage
Authors: Frank Rivkah 
Published: July 2005

PurposeTo report on the 2004 Jerusalem Conference on the Digitisation of Cultural Heritage, in October 2004.Design/methodology/approachProvides a brief review of the two day conference, which included participants from the USA, Italy, France and other European Union countries.FindingsThe conference addressed the digital concerns of archivists, librarians and museum personnel and provided a forum for the interchange of ideas and problem areas among these three professional groups.Originality/valueGives a useful summary of the main sessions of a conference of interest to information management professionals.
EDUCAUSE: A Conference Summary
Authors: Riggs Colby , Cohen Barbara 
Published: July 2005

PurposeTo report on the 2004 EDUCAUSE Conference held in October in Denver, Colorado.Design/methodology/approachProvides a review of some of the events of the conference.FindingsEDUCAUSE is a nonprofit association whose mission is to advance higher education by promoting the intelligent use of information technology. The programs were designed to help participants tackle current issues and prepare them for future challenges. The conference focused on the theme “IT From a Higher Vantage Point,” and the program included pre‐conference seminars; track sessions; poster sessions; small group meetings; and corporate exhibits, presentations, and workshops.Originality/valueA conference report of interest to information management professionals, especially those involved with higher education.
How We Enhance Information, and How We Are Enhanced . . . Conference Report: Managing and Enhancing Information: Cultures and Conflicts, the ASIST Annual Conference, Providence, Rhode Island, November 12‐17, 2004
Authors: O’Connor Penny 
Published: July 2005

PurposeAims to report on the 2004 Annual Conference of the American Society for Information Science and Technology (ASIST), which had the theme of Managing and Enhancing Information: Cultures and Conflicts. The conference was held in November in Providence, Rhode Island.Design/methodology/approachReviews some of the events of the conference.FindingsFinds that the hot topics of the conference were: Google, blogs, wikis, virtual reference and the Semantic Web.Originality/valueA report that will be of interest to library and information management professionals.
When the Tsunami Struck Sri Lanka
Authors: Warnasuriya Dilmani 
Published: July 2005

PurposeTo describe some first‐hand experiences of the tsunami and earthquakes which hit the region of Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Thailand at the end of 2004.Design/methodology/approachA personal reflection shared by a librarian gives special meaning to first‐hand experiences and how libraries as well as people are faring.FindingsCommunication around the globe was frantic as it became clear that this was a huge catastrophe with great human loss.Originality/valueThis report is of interest to all those interested in how the environment can affect humanity.
New Technologies: A New Reference Search Service and a Couple of Web Browsers
Authors: Riggs Colby 
Published: July 2005

PurposeTo provide a summary of the main features of some new web technologies.Design/methodology/approachReviews, contextualizes and provides a summary of new web technologies.FindingsThe new web technologies include a new reference search engine Answers.com, and two web browsers, Firefox and Netscape 8.0Originality/valueProvides a useful summary for information professionals.
The Wireless Librarian: Using Tablet PCs for Ultimate Reference and Customer Service: A Case Study
Authors: Hibner Holly 
Published: July 2005

PurposeTo provide an overview of the reference services provided through the use of Tablet PCs at the Salem‐South Lyon District Library.Design/methodology/approachA detailed description of what Tablet PCs are and how they work, including information about the benefits Tablet PCs present to reference transactions and tips for librarians to successfully integrate Tablet PCs into their reference service.FindingsTablet PCs allow reference librarians to provide quality customer service to their patrons by saving them time. Librarians who use Tablet PCs during reference transactions have access to online resources from any point in a library’s wireless network.Research limitations/implicationsThere are new models of Tablet PCs available on the market that may not have been tested by librarians. New, improved features of Tablet PCs may enhance their usefulness to librarians.Practical ImplicationsThis paper provides useful information and advice for librarians who are considering using Tablet PCs, or who are searching for a way to enhance their current reference service.ValueThis paper provides insight from librarians who are currently using Tablet PCs in their reference service. This will inspire other librarians to consider using Tablet PCs in their libraries and help them be successful in the integration of Tablets into their reference routines.
KNOWLEDGE ACCUMULATION, AND PRODUCTIVITY: EVIDENCE FROM PLANT‐LEVEL DATA FOR IRELAND
Authors: Cassidy Mark , Görg Holger , Strobl Eric 
Published: July 2005

AbstractThis paper investigates whether knowledge accumulating activities, such as exporting, R&D, or worker training, can enhance plants' productivity. To this end, we use plant‐level panel data for Irish manufacturing. Our results importantly indicate that productivity enhancing effects of these factors are found only for domestic firms, but not for foreign multinationals located in Ireland. We postulate a number of potential reasons inherent to multinational activity possibly driving this result.
PRODUCTIVITY, WORKPLACE PERFORMANCE AND ICT: INDUSTRY AND FIRM‐LEVEL EVIDENCE FOR EUROPE AND THE US
Authors: Matteucci Nicola , O'Mahony Mary , Robinson Catherine , Zwick Thomas 
Published: July 2005

AbstractThis paper considers the contribution of information and communications technology (ICT), to international productivity performance. It first uses an international industry data set and a growth accounting framework, to show that ICT has typically had a lower impact on productivity in Europe than in the US, although there is considerable variation within Europe. The paper also analyses the European situation in greater depth by examining micro‐economic data from Germany, Italy and the UK. While direct comparisons between the national findings are difficult, the results suggest that the UK experience with ICT has been closer to the US than other European countries.
TECHNOLOGY ADOPTION AND THE SKILL MIX OF US MANUFACTURING PLANTS
Authors: Dunne Timothy , Troske Kenneth 
Published: July 2005

AbstractThis paper examines the relationship between technology adoption and the skill mix of the workforce in US manufacturing plants. Using information on the use and adoption of seven different information technologies, we find that the relationship between technology adoption and workforce skill varies across the technologies. The use and adoption of engineering and design tasks are associated with workplaces that have a relatively large share of nonproduction labor. When we examine the relationship between technology adoption and skill upgrading of workforces, we find little correlation between the use and/or adoption of technologies and changes in workforce skill at the plant level. However, we do find that plants adopting technologies related to engineering and design tasks grow faster over the period 1987–1997.
SPATIO‐TEMPORAL ASPECTS OF LAND USE AND LAND COVER CHANGES IN THE NIAH CATCHMENT, SARAWAK, MALAYSIA
Authors: Hansen Tina Svan 
Published: July 2005

ABSTRACTThis paper focuses on the large‐scale land use and land cover changes that have taken place in Sarawak state, East Malaysia over the three decades of 1972‐2002. Results are presented from a detailed land use and cover change (LUCC) study in the Niah River catchment using satellite imagery, questionnaire surveys and interviews. Successive waves of land cover changes have taken place. Large forest areas have been logged and gradually replaced by oil palm plantations, which now occupy more than 40 per cent of the total land area in the catchment. Concurrently, small‐scale farming systems have also changed. Formerly dominant Iban shifting cultivation practices are increasingly being replaced by cash crop production on permanent fields and impacted by off‐farm activities involving many ethnic groups. It is argued that land cover changes are continuous and complex processes involving a large number of variables which can be analysed for different time periods at various scales.
In vivo haematopoietic potential of human neural stem cells
Authors: Almeida‐Porada G. , Crapnell K. , Porada C. , Benoit B. , Nakauchi H. , Quesenberry P. , Zanjani E. D. 
Published: July 2005

SummaryThe fetal sheep model was used to compare the in vivo haematopoietic potential of human neural stem cells (NSC) versus bone marrow (BM)‐derived haematopoietic stem cells (HSC). To this end, sheep were transplanted with either 8 × 105 NSC (n = 11) or HSC, CD34+Lin− (n = 5), and subsequently analysed for haematopoietic chimaerism. While HSC‐transplanted sheep displayed robust donor‐derived haematopoiesis starting at less than 2 months post‐transplant, NSC recipients exhibited haematopoietic engraftment at much later time points. Nevertheless, chimaerism persisted in both groups throughout the course of this study. Transplantation of secondary recipients with human CD45+/HLA‐DR+ cells from the BM of NSC primary recipients at 14 and 16 months post‐transplant demonstrated that long‐term engrafting HSC were present in these animals. At 6 months post‐transplant, both NSC‐ and HSC‐transplanted sheep were mobilised with granulocyte colony‐stimulating factor. In contrast to HSC‐transplanted animals, levels of human blood cells in peripheral blood of NSC‐transplanted sheep remained low throughout mobilisation. Our results show that, although human NSC were able to give rise to multilineage haematopoiesis in our model, the levels, timing of blood cell production and the ability to respond to cytokine mobilisation were different, suggesting that human NSCs latent haematopoietic potential is inherently different from that of true HSC.
Immaturity of IL‐18 gene expression and protein production in cord blood (CB) versus peripheral blood (PB) mononuclear cells and differential effects in natural killer (NK) cell development and function*
Authors: Satwani Prakash , Ayello Janet , van de Ven Carmella , O'Neill Allison F. , Simpson Lynn L. , Baxi Laxmi , Cairo Mitchell S. 
Published: July 2005

SummaryWe have previously demonstrated dysregulation of IL‐12 and IL‐15 gene and protein expression between activated cord blood (CB) versus peripheral blood (PB) mononuclear cells (MNCs). In the present study, we compared IL‐18 gene expression and protein production and IL‐18 mRNA half‐life in basal versus activated CB versus PB MNCs, the effects of IL‐18 ± IL‐12 on MNCs IFN‐γ protein production and ex vivo expansion and activation of CB with IL‐12 + IL‐2 + anti‐CD3 ± IL‐18. Basal and activated levels of IL‐18 were significantly higher in PB versus CB MNCs (P < 0·05). IL‐18 mRNA was coincidental with protein levels and significantly lower in CB (P < 0·05) and its half‐life significantly shorter in CB versus PB MNCs (P < 0·05). IL‐18 synergistically with IL‐12 induced IFN‐γ production from PB greater than CB MNCs (P < 0·05). NK cells expansion (P < 0·001) and cytotoxicity (P < 0·01) was significantly increased with IL‐12 + IL‐2 + anti‐CD3 and IL‐18. In summary IL‐18 gene expression and protein production are significantly decreased in activated CB versus PB MNCs, in part secondary to increased degradation of CB IL‐18 mRNA. These results may have implications for the mechanism(s) in part responsible for the immaturity of CB T‐cell immunity.
Routine expression profiling of microarray gene signatures in acute leukaemia by real‐time PCR of human bone marrow*
Authors: Sakhinia Ebrahim , Faranghpour Maboubeh , Liu Yin John A. , Brady Gerard , Hoyland Judith A. , Byers Richard J. 
Published: July 2005

SummaryCancer subtype diagnosis using microarray signatures has the potential to transform pathological diagnosis but the routine measurement of genes signatures remains difficult. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) measurement of Indicator genes for acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) and acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) was used to determine gene signatures. Bone marrow (BM) mononuclear cells were sorted into total, CD34+ and CD34− fractions, and mRNAs globally amplified from each fraction using polyA PCR. The expression profile of the 17 top‐ranked genes distinguishing AML and ALL were measured by RT‐PCR in five ALL, 26 AML, 12 AML remission, four chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) and nine morphologically normal BM samples. All but two of the genes measured showed similar expression in AML and ALL to that reported previously. Specifically, c‐MYB (P ≤ 0·04) was significantly increased in ALL in the total fraction, whilst HOXA9 (P ≤ 0·19) and cystatin c (P ≤ 0·01) were increased in AML in the CD34+ and CD34− fractions, respectively. c‐MYB, hSNF2, RBAP48, HKRT‐1, LYN, CD33, Adipsin and HOXA9 were increased in AML compared with remission AML, indicating an ability to determine disease activity. The method used is simple, sensitive and robust, enabling routine clinical use, and it can also be extended to other tumours types with gene signatures.
Mice are unsuitable for modelling ABO discordance despite strain‐specific A cross‐reactive natural IgM
Authors: Larkin James M.G. , Porter Colin D. 
Published: July 2005

SummaryABO blood group antigens are immunodominant cell surface oligosaccharides. The function of the ABO system is clinically important in blood transfusion and solid organ transplantation but there is no small animal model of ABO discordance. The present study demonstrated A glycoconjugate‐reactive IgM in the serum of CBA/Ca mice by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay but showed with sugar blocking that the specificity of this IgM was different from that of human anti‐A IgM. Furthermore, immunisation of CBA/Ca mice with the A antigen did not increase reactive IgM titre. In contrast, knock‐out mice for the related carbohydrate antigen galactose(α1,3)galactose mounted a serum IgM response when immunised with the non‐self galactose(α1,3)galactose antigen, which was shown to be T cell‐dependent using a nude/knock‐out animal. Reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction identified transcripts for the enzyme likely to be responsible for the synthesis of the A antigen in organs from CBA/Ca mice although the A antigen was not detected in the same organs by immunohistochemistry. We conclude that CBA/Ca mice possess natural serum IgM with different characteristics to human anti‐A IgM and that CBA/Ca mice may also express the A antigen. As a result, these mice are not suitable for use as a small animal model of ABO discordance.
Composite veneering of metal based fixed partial dentures
Authors: ROSENTRITT M. , BEHR M. , BRÜCKNER H. , HANDEL G. 
Published: July 2005

summary  The aim of this in vitro study was to determine the thermal mechanical properties of veneering composites after polymerization with the appropriate polymerization device. Fracture tests were performed to investigate the effect on fixed partial dentures (FPDs).Dynamic mechanical thermal analysis was used to determine the temperature‐dependent mechanical properties. To approximate the clinical situation, the fracture resistance of three‐unit metal‐based FPDs with different composite veneering was investigated after a simulated 5‐year oral wearing period. The restorations were made of a high gold alloy and veneered with three different composites. To determine the influence of fabrication, one composite was used in a light‐polymerizing and a heat/pressure‐curing version and, in addition, a newly developed heat protection paste was used. After a 5‐year simulation period, the fracture resistance was determined.The storage modulus varied between 14268 N mm−2 (Belleglass) and 6616 N mm−2 (Sinfony). Adoro showed no significant differences between light curing (9155 N mm−2) and heat curing (8184 N mm−2) variations. The Adoro‐veneering with the heat protection paste showed the highest median fracture strength (1700 N), followed by Adoro LC (1555 N), Belleglass (1051 N), Adoro HP (1150 N) and Sinfony (909 N). The most common failure type occurring in all FPDs was a cracking of the composite, exposing the metal framework. All FPDs showed stress cracking of the composite. The heat protection paste seemed to reduce the crack formation after fabrication and increased the fracture resistance of the composite veneering. Stress cracking after thermal cycling and mechanical loading affected all composites, but all veneered three‐unit alloy FPDs showed a fracture resistance sufficient for posterior application.