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Abstract North Korea today is a most unusual post-socialist state. Market actors and market prices are integral to economic life, but private property remains illegal, and private enterprise outside the [...]

The essay reviews the following works: Slum Health: From the Cell to the Street. Edited by Jason Corburn and Lee Riley. Oakland: University of California Press, 2016. Pp. xvii, 315. [...]

Uptake of nitrogen (total nitrogen (TN), N[H.sub.4]-N, and N[O.sub.3]-N) and phosphorus (total dissolved phosphorus (TDP) and total phosphorus (TP)) was quantified June through September 2009-2011 using whole-river fertilization in a seventh-order, P- limited river (Kootenai River, Idaho, USA), at discharges up to three orders of magnitude greater than previously studied. Mean uptake length ([S.sub.w]) and uptake velocity ([V.sub.f] values were similar for dosed TDP and N[H.sub.4]; both had steep gradients indicating rapid uptake, while N[O.sub.3]-N did not. TP remained higher than reference levels. TN showed no clear pattern. Autotrophs accounted for 28% of daylight mean N[O.sub.3]-N uptake compared with 72% by heterotrophs. Nutrient uptake was strongly associated with chlorophyll accrual and epilithon growth rates. Mean midsummer epilithon growth and N rates roughly tripled late summer rates. TDP uptake length ([S.sub.w] = 5.7 km) showed a slow increase with increasing stream order consistent with published findings. Mean TDP uptake velocity ([V.sub.f] = 32 mm x [min.sup.-1]) was eight times greater than previously seen in smaller streams. [V.sub.f] (10.9 [+ or -] 5 mm x [min.sup.-1]) and [S.sub.w] (16.8. [+ or -] 7 km) for N[O.sub.3]-N increased with increasing river order and discharge. L'absorption de l'azote (NT, N[H.sub.4]-N et N[O.sub.3]-N)etduphosphore (PDT et PT)aete quantifiee de juinaseptembre 2009-2011 en utilisant la fertilisation a l'echelle de la riviere dans une riviere limitee en P de septieme ordre (la riviere Kootenai, en Idaho, aux Etats-Unis), a des debits de jusqu'a trois ordres de grandeur superieurs aux debits deja etudies. Les valeurs de distance d'absorption ([S.sub.w]) et de vitesse d'absorption ([V.sub.f]) moyennes etaient semblables pour des ajouts doses de PDT et de N[H.sub.4], tous deux presentant de forts gradients refletant une absorption rapide, contrairement au N[O.sub.3]-N. Le PT demeurait superieur aux valeurs de reference. Le NT ne presentait pas de tendance claire. Les autotrophes expliquaient 28% de l'absorption moyenne de N[O.sub.3]-N durant le jour, comparativement a 72% pour les heterotrophes. L'absorption de nutriments etait fortement associee aux taux d'accumulation de chlorophylle et de croissance de l'epilithon. Les taux moyens de croissance de l'epilithon et d'absorption de N au milieu de l'ete etaient environ trois fois superieurs aux taux de la fin de l'ete. La distance d'absorption du PDT ([S.sub.w] = 5,7 km) presentait une lente augmentation parallelement a l'ordre du cours d'eau, une constatation qui concorde avec des observations dejapubliees. La vitesse d'absorption moyenne duPDT, [V.sub.f] (32 mm x [min.sup.-1]), etait huit fois plus grande que les vitesses observees par le passe dans de plus petits cours d'eau. La [V.sub.f] (10,9 [+ or -] 5 mm x [min.sup.-1]) et la [S.sub.w] (16,8 [+ or -] 7 km) pour le N[O.sub.3]-N augmentaient parallelement a l'ordre et au debit de la riviere. [Traduit par la Redaction], Introduction Biological uptake is a fundamental regulating mechanism of nutrient dynamics and subsequent ecological processes in flowing (lotic) waters and has been an important topic in stream ecology since the [...]

Organizational performance is often dependent on the timing of critical processes and the simultaneous use of both technology and routines. Existing publications emphasize the importance of time sensitivity but also reflect divergent, untested perspectives. Prior works do not clearly explain or examine how different mechanisms are associated with achieving time-sensitive versus general (or non-time-sensitive) performance. We build on concepts from organizational mindfulness and organizational routines to address these gaps. Specifically, this paper examines how the mindful use of information technologies and adherence to specified routines are associated with both time-sensitive and general organizational performance. We employ split-group structural equation modeling based on high and low levels of information technology adoption to account for potential technology contingencies in performance. We use time-sequenced data from 262 U.S. hospitals to analyze two categories of clinical care quality: time-sensitive care and general care. The results indicate that mindful use of technologies is associated with both time-sensitive and general performance in contexts with high technology adoption but not in those with low adoption. In contrast, adherence to specified routines is associated with time-sensitive performance in contexts with low technology adoption but not in those with high adoption. The results also clarify that high levels of technology adoption and mindful use may at times assume the place of specified routines in their association with time-sensitive performance. Finally, we find evidence that continuous improvement may bridge adherence to specified routines and mindful use of technologies. Keywords: time-sensitive performance * mindfulness * organizational routines * information systems * technology use * healthcare * quality * continuous improvement, 1. Introduction Organizational performance is often dependent on the timing of critical organizing processes. Manufacturing processes must be executed within certain cycle times or customer demand will remain unmet (Meyer [...]

In the 1990s, a part of the North Korean economy underwent a process of marketization and de facto privatization. While largely spontaneous, this process was eerily reminiscent of developments in other post-Communist countries in Eastern Europe. One of the results was the emergence of a new entrepreneurial class, a nascent bourgeoisie. In order to overcome the obstacles that arose from the lack of any legal framework for their activities, they often chose to register their enterprises with state agencies, creating what we call Pseudo-state Enterprises (PSEs). Utilizing an agency theory approach, with particular emphasis on property rights and contracting problems, this article traces the origin of the PSE, their interaction with the state, how they are managed and the challenges they face. The article is based on refugee interviews with five North Koreans involved with the PSE-related activities in nine entities covering a range of different sectors. Keywords North Korea, marketization, postsocialism, postcommunism, transition, principal-agent problems, black market, Pseudo-state enterprises, INTRODUCTION This article is about how entrepreneurs created new de jure state-owned enterprises in North Korea starting from the late 1990s. The major focus of the article is the 2000-2011 [...]

To investigate the opportunity for hospitals to achieve better care at lower cost, we examine two key process quality measures, conformance quality and experiential quality, and two measures of performance, readmission rate and cost per discharge. Conformance quality represents a hospital's level of adherence to evidence-based standards of care, whereas experiential quality represents the level of interaction between hospital's caregivers and patients. Analyzing six years of data from 3,474 U.S. acute care hospitals, we find that combining conformance and experiential quality results in lower readmission rates. However, conformance quality and experiential quality each independently increase cost per discharge, which suggests that a readmissions-costs trade-off is unavoidable. To investigate this further, we conduct post hoc analyses by distinguishing between the granular elements of experiential quality (EQ) based on task type: response-focused EQ and communication-focused EQ. Response-focused EQ measures caregivers' ability to respond to patient's explicit needs, whereas communication-focused EQ measures caregivers' ability to engage in meaningful conversations with the patient. We find that combining communication-focused EQ with conformance quality reduces readmission rates. Moreover, as conformance quality increases, the cost of improving communication-focused EQ decreases, indicating complementarity. Response-focused EQ in combination with conformance quality also results in reduced readmission rates. However, as conformance quality increases, the cost of improving response-focused EQ also increases, suggesting that these dimensions might compete for resources. Taken together, our results suggest that hospital administrators can mitigate the trade-off between reducing readmissions and controlling costs by prioritizing communication-focused EQ over response-focused EQ. Keywords: healthcare delivery; conformance quality; experiential quality; readmissions, trade-off History: Received May 22, 2013; accepted December 4, 2014, by Serguei Netessine, operations management. Published online in Articles in Advance July 21, 2015., 1. Introduction In their latest report, the Institute of Medicine argues that delivering the 'Best Care at Lower Cost' is the fundamental path to reviving America's healthcare system (Institute of [...]

Sepsis is a systemic inflammatory response induced by an infection, leading to organ dysfunction and mortality. Historically, sepsis-induced organ dysfunction and lethality were attributed to the interplay between inflammatory and anti-inflammatory responses. With advances in intensive care management and goal-directed interventions, early sepsis mortality has diminished, only to surge later after 'recovery' from acute events, prompting a search for sepsis-induced alterations in immune function. Sepsis is well known to alter innate and adaptive immune responses for sustained periods after clinical 'recovery,' with immunosuppression being a prominent example of such alterations. Recent studies have centered on immune-modulatory therapy. These efforts are focused on defining and reversing the persistent immune cell dysfunction that is associated with mortality long after the acute events of sepsis have resolved., Introduction Sepsis is the constellation of symptoms occurring when an infection leads to a systemic inflammatory response (1), including fever, leukocytosis or leukopenia, decreased vascular resistance frequently leading to hypotension [...]

Dengue virus (DV) reacts with myeloid DAP12-associating lectin-1 (MDL-1) on immature polymorphonuclear leukocytes. Interaction of DV with [MDL-1.sup.+] cells triggers systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) and dengue shock syndrome (DSS), [...]

Stable sulfur isotopes from the reduced sulfur fraction of Late Triassic-Early Jurassic marine sediments at Kennecott Point in British Columbia, Canada, show evidence for a major perturbation in sulfur cycling coincident with a major carbon cycle perturbation in the wake of a mass extinction event at the Triassic-Jurassic boundary. The [delta][sup.34]S of reduced sulfur shifts from values consistent with open system bacterial sulfate reduction (-30[per thousand]) to values higher than any previously reported for Early Jurassic sulfates (20[per thousand]) and consistent with complete utilization of sulfate and Rayleigh fractionation in a closed system. We suggest that this isotopic shift was initiated by declining seawater sulfate concentration due to evaporite deposition in nascent Atlantic rift zones and enhanced by a local mechanism, such as a decoupling of the zone of sulfate reduction from the sulfate supply due to a catastrophic increase in the flux of land-derived sediments reaching the sea in the wake of massive terrestrial plant die-off during the Triassic-Jurassic mass extinction.

A variety of viruses establish latency by integrating their genome into the host genome. The integration event generally occurs in a nonspecific manner, precluding the prediction of functional consequences from resulting disruptions of affected host genes. The nonpathogenic adeno-associated virus (AAV) is unique in its ability to stably integrate in a site-specific manner into the human MBS85 gene. To gain a better understanding of the integration mechanism and the consequences of MBS85 disruption, we analyzed the molecular structure of AAV integrants in various latently infected human cell lines. Our study led to the observation that AAV integration causes an extensive but partial duplication of the target gene. Intriguingly, the molecular organization of the integrant leaves the possibility that a functional copy of the disrupted target gene could potentially be preserved despite the resulting rearrangements. A latently infected, Mbs85-targeted mouse ES cell line was generated to study the functional consequences of the observed duplication-based integration mechanism. AAV-modified ES cell lines continued to self-renew, maintained their multilineage differentiation potential and contributed successfully to mouse development when injected into blastocysts. Thus, our study reveals a viral strategy for targeted genome addition with the apparent absence of functional consequences. embryonic stem cells | MBS85 | gene targeting | Rep | AAVS1

Marital satisfaction has been psychometrically measured using many different instruments not soundly based on theory. The Revised Dyadic Adjustment Scale (RDAS), consisting of 14 items, is commonly accepted by researchers and practitioners to measure marital satisfaction but was not specifically designed to measure marital satisfaction. The Satisfaction with Married Life Scale (SWML), consisting of five items, is a short scale specifically targeted toward measuring marital satisfaction. An online sample collected from 1,187 couples throughout the United States was used to compare these instruments' correlation (r = .782), factor structures, reliability (SWML, [alpha] = .958; RDAS, [alpha] = .943), theoretical foundation, and validity. These instruments are on parity with each other when measuring marital satisfaction; however, each instrument yields implications for practitioners and researchers desiring to measure marital satisfaction. KEYWORDS marital satisfaction, satisfaction with married life, scale development

It is becoming increasingly clear that the autonomic nervous system and the immune system demonstrate cross-talk during inflammation by means of sympathetic and parasympathetic pathways (1,2). Weinvestigated whether phagocytes are [...]

We report an eyetracking study investigating the effects of linguistic focus on eye movements and memory during two readings of a text. Across two presentations of the text, a critical word either changed to a semantically related word or remained unchanged. Focus on the critical word was manipulated using context. Eye movements were monitored during reading, and there was a secondary task of detecting the word change. Results indicated that when a word changed, participants were more successful at detecting it when it was in focus. In the second display, there were more fixations and longer viewing times on a changed than on an unchanged word, but only when the critical word was in focus; eye movement data for changed and unchanged words did not differ when the word was not in focus. We suggest that linguistic focus leads to more detailed lexical semantic representations but not more effortful initial encoding of information.

The first terrestrialization of species that evolved from previously aquatic taxa was a seminal event in evolutionary history. For vertebrates, one of the most important terrestrialized groups, this event was interrupted by a time interval known as Romer's Gap, for which, until recently, few fossils were known. Here, we argue that geochronologic range data of terrestrial arthropods show a pattern similar to that of vertebrates. Thus, Romer's Gap is real, occupied an interval from 360 million years before present (MYBP) to 345 MYBP, and occurred when environmental conditions were unfavorable for air-breathing, terrestrial animals. These model results suggest that atmospheric oxygen levels were the major driver of successful terrestrialization, and a low-oxygen interval accounts for Romer's Gap. Results also show that terrestrialization among members of arthropod and vertebrate clades occurred in two distinct phases. The first phase was a 65-million-year (My) interval from 425 to 360 MYBP, representing an earlier, prolonged event of complete arthropod terrestrialization of smaller-sized forms (425-385 MYBP) and a subsequent, modest, and briefer event of incipient terrestrialization of larger-sized, aquatic vertebrates (385-360 MYBP). The second phase began at 345 MYBP, characterized by numerous new terrestrial species emerging in both major clades. The first and second terrestrialization phases bracket Romer's Gap, which represents a depauperate spectrum of major arthropod and vertebrate taxa before a major Late Paleozoic colonization of terrestrial habitats. atmospheric [O.sub.2] | Paleozoic | tetrapods

Most Latin American Studies Association members are probably unaware that the Association actually grew out of the Latin American Research Review, not the other way around. The year after the [...]

Author(s): Markus Huber-Lang [1, 6]; J Vidya Sarma [2, 6]; Firas S Zetoune [2, 6]; Daniel Rittirsch [2]; Thomas A Neff [2]; Stephanie R McGuire [2]; John D Lambris [3]; [...]

To purchase or authenticate to the full-text of this article, please visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-5915.2006.00121.x Byline: Peter Ward (1), Honggeng Zhou (2[dagger]) Keywords: Information Systems; Just-in-Time; Lean Manufacturing; Survey Research Abstract: ABSTRACT Managers seeking to improve lead-time performance are challenged by how to balance resources and investments between process improvement achieved through lean/just-in-time (JIT) practices and information technology (IT) deployment. However, extant literature provides little guidance on this question. Motivated by both practical importance and lack of academic research, this article examines empirically the relationships among interfirm IT integration, intrafirm IT integration, lean/JIT practices, and lead-time performance using data from IndustryWeek's Census of Manufacturers (IndustryWeek, 2006). The results provide several new insights on the relationship between IT integration and lean/JIT practices. First, the study confirms that implementing lean/JIT practices significantly reduces lead time. Second, lean/JIT practices mediate the influence of IT integration on lead-time performance. This suggests that process improvements that result from lean/JIT practices are important contributors to the success of IT integration. Even companies that have experienced success in reducing lead time through lean/JIT practices may benefit from IT integration practices such as those embodied in enterprise resource planning systems. The findings provide managers with empirical evidence and a theoretical framework on the balance between lean/JIT and IT for effecting improvement in lead-time performance, thus offering practical guidance on this important question. Future research is needed to extend the lean/JIT practices in this study to supply chain practices and explore the relationship between supply chain practices and IT integration. Author Affiliation: (1)Department of Management Sciences, Fisher College of Business, The Ohio State University, 2100 Neil Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210, e-mail:ward.1@osu.edu (2)Department of Decision Sciences, Whittemore School of Business and Economics, University of New Hampshire, 15 College Road, Durham, NH 03824, e-mail:honggeng.zhou@unh.edu Article History: [Received: February 2005. Accepted: April 2006.] Article note: ([dagger]) Corresponding author.

Linkages between information technology (IT) integration among firms, lean/just-in-time strategies, and lead-time reduction are examined.

Respiratory epithelial cells play a crucial role in the inflammatory response in endotoxin-induced lung injury, an experimental model for acute lung injury. To determine the role of epithelial cells in the upper respiratory compartment in the inflammatory response to endotoxin, we exposed tracheobronchial epithelial cells (TBEC) to lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Expression of inflammatory mediators was analyzed, and the biological implications were assessed using chemotaxis and adherence assays. Epithelial cell necrosis and apoptosis were determined to identify LPS-induced cell damage. Treatment of TBEC with LPS induced enhanced protein expression of cytokines and chemokines (increases of 235-654%, P < 0.05), with increased chemotactic activity regarding neutrophil recruitment. Expression of the intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule-I (VCAM-I) was enhanced by 52-101% (P < 0.0001). This upregulation led to increased adhesion of neutrophils, with >95% adherence to TBEC after LPS stimulation, which could be blocked by either ICAM-1 (69%) or VCAM-1 antibodies (55%) (P < 0.05). Enhanced neutrophil-induced necrosis of TBEC was observed when TBEC were exposed to LPS. Reduced neutrophil adherence by ICAM-1 or VCAM-1 antibodies resulted in significantly lower TBEC death (52 and 34%, respectively, P < 0.05). Therefore, tight adherence of neutrophils to TBEC appears to promote epithelial cell killing. In addition to indirect effector cell-induced TBEC death, direct LPS-induced cell damage was seen with increased apoptosis rate in LPS-stimulated TBEC (36% increase of caspase-3, P < 0.01). These data provide evidence that LPS induces TBEC killing in a necrosis- and apoptosis-dependent manner. lipopolysaccharide; inflammatory mediators; leukocytes

THE RATIONALE FOR THIS EXTENDED EDITION OF LARR LARR readers may be wondering about the reasons for this "bumper" extended edition containing almost 200 additional pages. This is a strategic [...]

A catastrophic extinction occurred at the end of the Permian Period. However, baseline extinction rates appear to have been elevated even before the final catastrophe, suggesting sustained environmental degradation. For terrestrial vertebrates during the Late Permian, the combination of a drop in atmospheric oxygen plus climate warming would have induced hypoxic stress and consequently compressed altitudinal ranges to near sea level. Our simulations suggest that the magnitude of altitudinal compression would have forced extinctions by reducing habitat diversity, fragmenting and isolating populations, and inducing a species-area effect. It also might have delayed ecosystem recovery after the mass extinction., A catastrophic extinction marks the end of the Permian (1, 2) and is attributed to an acute climate crisis, among other causes (3 5). However, background extinction rates and ecosystem [...]

The role of estrogen in the regulation of the inflammatory response is not well defined. In this study, we investigated the effects of ovarian hormones on the acute inflammatory response in mouse lungs. Acute lung injury was induced by intratracheal instillation of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in male, female, and ovariectomized (OVX) mice. End points of injury were polymorphonuclear neutrophil (PMN) content in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluids, myeloperoxidase activity in whole lung, and leak of albumin into the lung. After intratracheal instillation of LPS, all end points of injury were substantially increased in male and OVX mice compared with the female mice with intact ovaries. BAL fluids of all mice showed similar levels of chemokines (macrophage inflammatory protein MIP-2, KC, and monocyte chemoattractant proteins MCP-1 and MCP-3) and TNF-[alpha], but enhanced levels of IL-1[beta] were found in OVX and male mice. Serum levels of IL-6 and ICAM-1 levels in lung homogenates from OVX and male mice, compared with those in female mice with intact ovaries, were also enhanced after instillation of LPS. Albumin and PMN content in LPS-injured lungs were reduced to levels found in female mice after administration of estradiol in OVX mice and corresponded to reduced IL-1[beta], IL-6, and ICAM-1 levels. These data suggest that estrogen suppresses lung inflammatory responses in mice through an effect on vascular cell adhesion molecules and proinflammatory mediators. lipopolysaccharide; vascular cell adhesion molecule-l; interleukin1[beta]; interleukin-6

The Karoo basin of South Africa exposes a succession of Upper Permian to Lower Triassic terrestrial strata containing abundant terrestrial vertebrate fossils. Paleomagnetic/magnetostratigraphic and carbon-isotope data allow sections to be correlated across the basin. With this stratigraphy, the vertebrate fossil data show a gradual extinction in the Upper Permian punctuated by an enhanced extinction pulse at the Permian-Triassic boundary interval particularly among the dicynodont therapsids, coinciding with negative carbon-isotope anomalies., The Permian extinction is universally portrayed as the most catastrophic of all Phanerozoic mass extinctions (1), yet its cause remains problematic. Various hypotheses include climate change due to increased atmospheric [...]

INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW: MARGINALITY THEN AND NOW By Peter M. Ward One of the goals of the new editorial team of LARR is to promote fora and workshops on cutting-edge [...], This paper derives from a LARR-sponsored forum at the LASA 2003 Congress held in Dallas in March 2003. Targeted at younger scholars, a panel of leading researchers whose early work was shaped by marginality and dependency thinking of the 1960s were invited to reflect cross-generationally about how paradigms analyzing poverty in Latin American cities have shifted from that time to the present. Specifically, each of the authors compares "marginality" as it was construed more than three decades ago with contemporary constructions of poverty and social organization arising from their more recent research. While there are important continuities, the authors concur that the so-called "new poverty" today is very different, being more structural, more segmented and, perhaps paradoxically, more exclusionary than before. Moreover, the shift from a largely patrimonialist and undemocratic state towards one that, while more democratic, is also slimmer and downsized, thereby shifting state intervention and welfare systems ever more to local level governments and to the quasi-private sector of nongovernmental organizations. If earlier marginality theory overemphasized the separation of the poor from the mainstream, today's new poverty is often embedded within structures of social exclusion that severely reduce opportunities for social mobility among the urban poor.

The performance of the land market in several irregular settlements outside Rio Grande City, Starr Country, Texas is analyzed. In particular, the impact upon the land prices of a major title 'regularization' is explored.

This is the second annual report to provide comparative data about LARR manuscript submission and acceptance rates, the average time taken in review, and the disciplinary areas and countries represented [...]

Distinct assemblages of paleosols above and below the Permian-Triassic boundary in the Karoo Basin of South Africa are evidence for reorganization of ecosystems following this greatest of all mass extinctions. The Permian-Triassic boundary is recognized from the last appearance of Dicynodon and from a series of negative excursions in the isotopic composition of carbon within therapsid tusks, pedogenic carbonate nodules, and organic matter. The boundary is also marked by laminated beds with very weakly developed paleosols, a change from purple (10R) to brownish red (2.5YR) paleosols, and a thin (10-cm) claystone breccia of reworked soil clasts. Paleoclimatic changes include a shift from arid and highly seasonal paleoclimate inferred from diffuse and shallow calcareous nodules in Permian paleosols to semiarid and less seasonal paleoclimate inferred from deep and well-focused calcic horizons in Triassic paleosols. An earliest Triassic shift to warmer and wetter paleoclimate is also indicated by increased chemical weathering, abundance of lycopsids, and diversity of labyrinthodonts. Permian paleosols have root traces comparable to those of open shrubland and riparian woodland, whereas Triassic paleosols have root traces and profile forms like soils of open woodland. This is a significant paleoenvironmental change, but not as dramatic a change as would be expected from the devastating extinctions of 88% of fossil vertebrate genera. Latest Permian therapsid reptiles were diverse and ecologically specialized. In contrast, the principal earliest Triassic therapsid, Lystrosaurus, was a burrower with no specific habitat preference. Its short internal nares, barrel chest, and high neural spines would have given it greater aerobic scope than preexisting therapsids and may have been an advantage under conditions of hypercapnia and hypoxia. These adaptations and associated ecosystem changes are compatible with widespread vertebrate mortality by acidosis and pulmonary edema in a postapocalyptic greenhouse created by the voluminous release of methane from shallow marine and permafrost clathrates. Keywords: paleosol, vertebrate, Permian-Triassic, Karoo Basin, South Africa.

This is the second issue of LARR to appear under the masthead of the University of Texas at Austin. The editors are pleased to have received such a favorable response [...]

The history of therapeutic interventions in clinical trials for sepsis has been referred to as the "graveyard for pharmaceutical companies." That is now set to change, as research provides hope for new approaches that will be therapeutically effective in humans with sepsis., Author(s): Niels C. Riedemann [1]; Ren-Feng Guo [1]; Peter A. Ward (corresponding author) [1] There is now general agreement that sepsis and the systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) are accompanied [...]

Supply chain management (SCM) and interorganizational information systems (IOIS) have gained significant importance in recent years, aided by anecdotal success stories of firms obtaining competitive advantage using these systems. Historically, the two streams of research have developed relatively independently, with operations and logistics researchers studying supply chains and information systems/information technology researchers covering the IOIS domain. Here, we describe the enhancement of knowledge that can be obtained by juxtaposing these two areas. This research study proposes a framework, the 'supply chain management--interorganizational information system (SCM--IOIS) matrix,' to help understand the alignment of IOIS capabilities with the needs of supply chain members. The framework is validated using data from Industry Week's census of manufacturers. The findings from this exploratory study support our proposition that firms align the levels of IOIS with the sophistication and coordination of their SCM efforts. Index Terms--Customer management orientation, information system integration, interorganizational information system, supplier management orientation, supply chain coordination, supply chain management.

The extinction of vertebrates around the time of the Permian-Triassic boundary h. as long been regarded as a gradual event occurring over millions of years. Our new field investigations of fluvial strata in the central and southern Karoo Basin of South Africa have revealed the presence of an event bed coinciding with a mass extinction of terrestrial fauna and flora. The bed is in a sedimentary sequence that is marked by a reddening of flood-plain mud rocks and a change from high- to low-sinuosity river channel systems. Here we show that the pattern of vertebrate taxa disappearing below this boundary and the subsequent appearance of new taxa above the boundary are consistent with a relatively sudden, possibly catastrophic event, perhaps of 50 000 yr duration or less. Keywords: Permian-Triassic extinction, vertebrate extinction patterns, therapsids, Karoo Basin.

The rate, timing, and pattern of change in different regions and paleoenvironments are critical for distinguishing among potential causes for the Permian-Triassic (P-T) extinction. Carbon isotopic stratigraphy can provide global chronostratigraphic control. We report a large (delta)(super 13)C excursion at the P-T boundary and no long-term Permian (delta)(super 13)C trends for samples from the interior of Pangea. Stratigraphic gaps between available samples limit the resolution of our (delta)(super 13)C curve, but the excursion is within a 15-m-thick zone of overlap between Permian and Triassic taxa. Sedimentological and taphonomic observations demonstrate that this 15 m interval does not represent geologically instantaneous deposition. Together these data support a rapid and globally synchronous P-T event, but suggest that it occurred over a geologically resolvable interval of time.

In the present paper, we characterize an antibody, mAb BV13, directed to mouse vascular endothelial (VE)-cadherin, a major adhesive protein of interendothelial adherens junctions. When added to cultured endothelial cells, BV13 induces a redistribution of VE-cadherin from intercellular junctions. VE-cadherin redistribution did not change the localization of platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule or tight junction markers such as zonula occludens 1, cingulin, and junctional adhesion molecule. Intravenous administration of mAb BV13 induced a concentration- and time-dependent increase in vascular permeability in heart and lungs. By electron microscopy, interstitial edema and accumulation of mixed types of inflammatory cells in heart and lungs were observed. Injection of (rhodamine-labeled) Ricinus communis I lectin showed focal spots of exposed basement membrane in the alveolar capillaries and in some larger pulmonary vessels. These data indicate that VE-cadherin is required for vascular integrity and normal organ functions.

Byline: Maria-Thereza S. Piccolo (1,4), Yun Wang (1), Serge Verbrugge (2), Roscoe L. Warner (1), Paulina Sannomiya (3), Nelson S. Piccolo (4), Monica S. Piccolo (4), Tony E. Hugli (5), Peter A. Ward (1), Gerd O. Till (1) Abstract: Acute thermal trauma is well known to produce evidence of a 'systemic inflammatory response' in vivo, as manifested by evidence of complement activation, appearance in plasma of a variety of inflammatory factors, and development of multi-organ injury. The current studies were focused on acute thermal injury of rat skin and factors responsible for accompanying activation of blood neutrophils. Acute thermal injury of rat skin resulted in a time-dependent loss of L-selectin and up-regulation of Mac-1 (CD11b/CD18) on blood neutrophils, with no changes in LFA-1 (CD11a/CD18). The loss of L-selectin was prevented by blockade of C5a but not by blockade of the [alpha]-chemokine, macrophage inflammatory protein-2 (MIP-2). C5a, the [alpha] chemokines, MIP-2 and keratinocyte-derived cytokine (KC), and platelet activating factor (PAF) contributed to up-regulation of blood neutrophil Mac-1. Blocking interventions against these mediators also blunted the degree of neutropenia developing after thermal trauma. These data suggest that activation of blood neutrophils after thermal trauma is related to the role of several chemotactic mediators. These studies may provide clues regarding factors responsible for development of the 'systemic inflammatory response syndrome' after thermal injury in the experimental model employed. Author Affiliation: (1) Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109 (2) Department of Experimental Anesthesiology, Erasmus University of Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands (3) Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil (4) Pronto Socorro para Queimaduras, Goiania-GO, Brazil (5) Division of Immunology, Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, 92037 Article History: Registration Date: 30/09/2004

Protective effects of C5a blockade in sepsis have been studied in rats using cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). In rats depleted of C3, a complement factor, CLP brought very short survival times, while most of those C3-intact and preimmune IgG-treated were dead in 7 days. Blood neutrophils from the latter rats had C5a, a powerful complement activation product, on surfaces.

Sepsis was induced in rats, and the protective effects of C5a blockade studied. Sepsis in humans is difficult to treat and the mortality rate is high. Data indicate that sepsis brings on excessive production of D5a, which compromises the bactericidal function of neutrophils. C5a is a low molecular weight anaphylatoxin and potent agonist for neutrophils and endothelial cells. It has vasopermiability and vasodilating functions.

A study was conducted to analyze the functions of the C-X-C chemokines cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant and macrophage inflammatory protein-2 in the development of lung injury after hindlimb ischemia-reperfusion in rats. Normal human blood was obtained in vials supporting citrate. Neutrophils were then determined by Ficoll and dextran sedimentation. Moreover, data were examined using a one-way analysis of variance.

Byline: Kenneth S. Kilgore (1), Peter A. Ward (1), Jeffrey S. Warren (1) Abstract: A variety of inflammatory diseases are accompanied by activation of the complement system. We examined the role of the membrane attack complex (MAC) in mediating neutrophil adhesion to endothelial cells. To assemble the MAC in endothelial cell monolayers, a C5b-like molecule was created through the treatment of purified C5 with the oxidizing agent chloramine-T, followed by addition of the remaining components (C6-C9) that constitute the MAC. Use of this method abrogated potentially confounding effects mediated by other complement components (e.g., C5a). MAC assembly resulted in a rapid (30 min), concentration-dependent increase in neutrophil adherence. A monoclonal antibody directed against P-selectin inhibited MAC-mediated neutrophil adhesion. A whole cell EIA confirmed P-selectin expression after formation of the MAC. Incubation of neutrophils with the platelet-activating factor receptor antagonist, CF 3988, also significantly decreased adhesion, indicating that PAF plays a role in MAC-mediated adhesion. These results suggest that the MAC can promote neutrophil adhesion through P-selectin and PAF-mediated mechanisms. Author Affiliation: (1) Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, 1301 Catherine Road, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109--0602 Article History: Registration Date: 03/10/2004

Byline: Michael S. Mulligan (1), Alex B. Lentsch (1), Thomas P. Shanley (1), Masayuki Miyasaka (2), Kent J. Johnson (1), Peter A. Ward (1) Abstract: Acute hemorrhagic lung injury occurs in humans with anti-GBM antibody (Goodpasture's syndrome), however, the mechanism of this injury is still largely unknown. To date, treatment has been confined to steroids and plasmaphoresis. Infusion of anti-GBM antibody into rats caused lung injury with intra-alveolar hemorrhage and intrapulmonary accumulation of neutrophils. Lung injury was dependent on the presence of neutrophils and complement and required both TNF[alpha] and IL-1. Experiments employing blocking antibodies to adhesion molecules demonstrated requirements for the [beta].sub.1 integrin VLA-4, [beta].sub.2 integrins LFA-1 and Mac-1, and L-selectin. The endothelial cell adhesion molecules, E-selectin and ICAM-1, were also required for the full development of lung injury. Inhibition of TNF[alpha] or IL-1 or adhesion molecules reduced both lung injury and tissue neutrophil accumulation. Thus, this study underscores cytokine and adhesion molecule requirements for neutrophil mediated injury in lung and kidney caused by anti-GBM, suggesting potential targets for the treatment of Goodpasture's syndrome in humans. Author Affiliation: (1) Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109 (2) Department of Bioregulation, Osaka University Medical School, Japan Article History: Registration Date: 03/10/2004