In re Silicon Graphics Inc.: Shareholder Wealth Effects Resulting from the Interpretation of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act\u27s Pleading Standard

This Article presents an empirical study of changes in shareholder wealth resulting from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals decision in In re Silicon Graphics Inc. Securities Litigation, which interpreted the pleading provision established in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the Reform Act ). Congress passed the Reform Act as part of an ongoing effort to protect corporations from abusive suits alleging fraud by hindsight. In such suits, plaintiffs claimed that a sudden drop in a company\u27s stock price was evidence that the issuer and its management covered up the bad news that led to the price drop. The Reform Act discourages such suits by requiring complaints alleging fraud to state with particularity facts giving rise to a strong inference that the defendant acted with the required state of mind. Courts have interpreted the Reform Act\u27s pleading standard in diverse ways. The Ninth Circuit\u27s interpretation in Silicon Graphics is the most stringent, requiring plaintiffs to allege facts that would show the defendants were deliberately reckless in making the misrepresentation that gave rise to the fraud claim. This pleading standard allows courts to dismiss fraud suits at an early stage if the court deems they lack merit, but it also increases the risk courts will dismiss meritorious suits as well

In re Silicon Graphics Inc.: Shareholder Wealth Effects Resulting from the Interpretation of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act\u27s Pleading Standard

This Article presents an empirical study of changes in shareholder wealth resulting from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals decision in In re Silicon Graphics Inc. Securities Litigation, which interpreted the pleading provision established in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the Reform Act ). Congress passed the Reform Act as part of an ongoing effort to protect corporations from abusive suits alleging fraud by hindsight. In such suits, plaintiffs claimed that a sudden drop in a company\u27s stock price was evidence that the issuer and its management covered up the bad news that led to the price drop. The Reform Act discourages such suits by requiring complaints alleging fraud to state with particularity facts giving rise to a strong inference that the defendant acted with the required state of mind. Courts have interpreted the Reform Act\u27s pleading standard in diverse ways. The Ninth Circuit\u27s interpretation in Silicon Graphics is the most stringent, requiring plaintiffs to allege facts that would show the defendants were deliberately reckless in making the misrepresentation that gave rise to the fraud claim. This pleading standard allows courts to dismiss fraud suits at an early stage if the court deems they lack merit, but it also increases the risk courts will dismiss meritorious suits as well

The effect of osteopathic manipulative treatment on length of stay in posterolateral postthoracotomy patients: A retrospective case note study

Objective This study retrospectively evaluated the effect of OMT on length of stay (LOS) in hospitalized posterolateral postthoracotomy patients. Methods Inpatient medical records of patients who received posterolateral thoracotomies with lung resection between 1998 and 2011 were reviewed for demographic data, LOS, thoracotomy surgery data, consultation data excluding osteopathic manipulative medicine, discharge data, and osteopathic manipulative medicine consultation data. Results Thirty-eight patients received posterolateral thoracotomies with lung resection; 23 patients received OMT and 15 did not. The mean (standard deviation) LOS was 11.0 (6.8) days (range, 5–29 days) for those who received OMT and 10.4 (5.5) days (range, 3–22 days) for those who did not (P = .90). Five patients developed postoperative ileus, and all had received OMT. Patients receiving 2 surgical procedures had a longer LOS than those receiving 1 surgical procedure (P = .002). Having a decortication performed during the thoracotomy increased LOS by a mean of 6.4 days (P = .005). Patients admitted directly to the intensive care unit were more likely to receive OMT than those who were not (P = .03). Conclusion While there was no difference in LOS, severity of illness was different between patients who received OMT and those who did not. Patients who developed postoperative ileus and most of those admitted directly to the intensive care unit received OMT, suggesting that severity of illness was greater for those who received OMT. Future studies should include a higher subject number in order to stratify for illness severity and also assess the effect of OMT on postoperative pain

Extracellular Matrix Hydrogel Promotes Tissue Remodeling, Arteriogenesis, and Perfusion in a Rat Hindlimb Ischemia Model.

ObjectiveThis study aimed to examine acellular extracellular matrix based hydrogels as potential therapies for treating peripheral artery disease (PAD). We tested the efficacy of using a tissue specific injectable hydrogel, derived from decellularized porcine skeletal muscle (SKM), compared to a new human umbilical cord derived matrix (hUC) hydrogel, which could have greater potential for tissue regeneration because of its young tissue source age.BackgroundThe prevalence of PAD is increasing and can lead to critical limb ischemia (CLI) with potential limb amputation. Currently there are no therapies for PAD that effectively treat all of the underlying pathologies, including reduced tissue perfusion and muscle atrophy.MethodsIn a rodent hindlimb ischemia model both hydrogels were injected 1-week post-surgery and perfusion was regularly monitored with laser speckle contrast analysis (LASCA) to 35 days post-injection. Histology and immunohistochemistry were used to assess neovascularization and muscle health. Whole transcriptome analysis was further conducted on SKM injected animals on 3 and 10 days post-injection.ResultsSignificant improvements in hindlimb tissue perfusion and perfusion kinetics were observed with both biomaterials. End point histology indicated this was a result of arteriogenesis, rather than angiogenesis, and that the materials were biocompatible. Skeletal muscle fiber morphology analysis indicated that the muscle treated with the tissue specific, SKM hydrogel more closely matched healthy tissue morphology. Short term histology also indicated arteriogenesis rather than angiogenesis, as well as improved recruitment of skeletal muscle progenitors. Whole transcriptome analysis indicated that the SKM hydrogel caused a shift in the inflammatory response, decreased cell death, and increased blood vessel and muscle development.ConclusionThese results show the efficacy of an injectable ECM hydrogel alone as a potential therapy for treating patients with PAD. Our results indicate that the SKM hydrogel improved functional outcomes through stimulation of arteriogenesis and muscle progenitor cell recruitment

Building a Model of Collaboration Between Historically Black and Historically White Universities

Despite increases over the last two decades in the number of degrees awarded to students from underrepresented groups in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines, enhancing diversity in these disciplines remains a challenge. This article describes a strategic approach to this challenge—the development of a collaborative partnership between two universities: the historically Black Elizabeth City State University and the historically White University of New Hampshire. The partnership, a type of learning organization built on three mutually agreed upon principles, strives to enhance opportunities for underrepresented students to pursue careers in the STEM disciplines. This article further describes six promising practices that framed the partnership, which resulted in the submission of nine proposals to federal agencies and the funding of four grants that led to the implementation, research, learning, and evaluation that followed

Palliative care needs in patients hospitalized with heart failure (PCHF) study: rationale and design

Abstract Aims The primary aim of this study is to provide data to inform the design of a randomized controlled clinical trial (RCT) of a palliative care (PC) intervention in heart failure (HF). We will identify an appropriate study population with a high prevalence of PC needs defined using quantifiable measures. We will also identify which components a specific and targeted PC intervention in HF should include and attempt to define the most relevant trial outcomes. Methods An unselected, prospective, near-consecutive, cohort of patients admitted to hospital with acute decompensated HF will be enrolled over a 2-year period. All potential participants will be screened using B-type natriuretic peptide and echocardiography, and all those enrolled will be extensively characterized in terms of their HF status, comorbidity, and PC needs. Quantitative assessment of PC needs will include evaluation of general and disease-specific quality of life, mood, symptom burden, caregiver burden, and end of life care. Inpatient assessments will be performed and after discharge outpatient assessments will be carried out every 4 months for up to 2.5 years. Participants will be followed up for a minimum of 1 year for hospital admissions, and place and cause of death. Methods for identifying patients with HF with PC needs will be evaluated, and estimates of healthcare utilisation performed. Conclusion By assessing the prevalence of these needs, describing how these needs change over time, and evaluating how best PC needs can be identified, we will provide the foundation for designing an RCT of a PC intervention in HF

Generation of a Fully Human scFv that binds Tumor-Specific Glycoforms

Tumor-specific glycosylation changes are an attractive target for the development of diagnostic and therapeutic applications. Periostin is a glycoprotein with high expression in many tumors of epithelial origin including ovarian cancer. Strategies to target the peptide portion of periostin as a diagnostic or therapeutic biomarker for cancer are limited due to increased expression of periostin in non-cancerous inflammatory conditions. Here, we have screened for antibody fragments that recognize the tumor-specific glycosylation present on glycoforms of periostin containing bisecting N-glycans in ovarian cancer using a yeast-display library of antibody fragments, while subtracting those that bind to the periostin protein with glycoforms found in non-malignant cell types. We generated a biotinylated form of a fully human scFv antibody (scFvC9) that targets the bisecting N-glycans expressed by cancer cells. Validation studies in vitro and in vivo using scFvC9 indicate this antibody can be useful for the development of diagnostic, imaging, and therapeutic applications for cancers that express the antigen