bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The cap-binding site of influenza virus protein PB2 as a drug target
Authors: Severin Chelsea , Rocha de Moura Tales , Liu Yong , Li Keqin , Zheng Xiaofeng , Luo Ming
Published: January 2016

The RNA polymerase of influenza virus consists of three subunits: PA, PB1 and PB2. It uses a unique `cap-snatching' mechanism for the transcription of viral mRNAs. The cap-binding domain of the PB2 subunit (PB2cap) in the viral polymerase binds the cap of a host pre-mRNA molecule, while the endonuclease of the PA subunit cleaves the RNA 10–13 nucleotides downstream from the cap. The capped RNA fragment is then used as the primer for viral mRNA transcription. The structure of PB2cap from influenza virus H1N1 A/California/07/2009 and of its complex with the cap analog m7GTP were solved at high resolution. Structural changes are observed in the cap-binding site of this new pandemic influenza virus strain, especially the hydrophobic interactions between the ligand and the target protein. m7GTP binds deeper in the pocket than some other virus strains, much deeper than the host cap-binding proteins. Analysis of the new H1N1 structures and comparisons with other structures provide new insights into the design of small-molecule inhibitors that will be effective against multiple strains of both type A and type B influenza viruses.
Crystal structure of dimethyl[(E)-2-(1-methyl-5-nitro-1H-imidazol-4-yl)ethenyl]amine
Authors: Beliaev Nikolai , Slepukhin Pavel
Published: January 2016

The title compound, C8H12N4O2, crystallized with two independent molecules in the asymmetric unit. The bonds lengths of the enamine moiety show strong conjugation in the N—C=C system. In the crystal, the two independent molecules are linked by C—H...O hydrogen bonds, forming zigzag chains along [10-1]. The chains are linked by further C—H...O hydrogen bonds, forming layers parallel to theacplane.
2-Bromo-5-methylpyridine
Authors: Roy Mrittika , Golen James A. , Manke David R.
Published: January 2016

The title compound, C6H6BrN, has half of a molecule in the asymmetric unit, as it sits on a crystallographic plane of symmetry. In the crystal, weak C—H...N interactions link the molecules, forming chains along [100]. No π–π interactions are observed.
Node-link mapping, an asset?
Authors: Melton Vanessa , Ledwith Sue
Published: January 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the use of node-link mapping (NLM) on the effectiveness of a structured treatment for dual diagnosis for men living in a low-secure environment.

Design/methodology/approach

– In total, 15 participants were recruited and randomly allocated to one of two conditions. The control group, treatment as usual (TAU) or the treatment group, TAU with NLM. Outcome measures used were: a qualitative evaluation form, The Alcohol and Illegal Drugs Decisional Balance Scale and the Brief Situational Confidence Questionnaire.

Findings

– Results indicate no statistically significant difference for either group on the pre- and post-treatment outcome measures used. Qualitative data indicated that those using NLM reported the intervention as useful and instructive more often.

Research limitations/implications

– The results gained were only a snapshot of the intervention straight after treatment and did not take into account any long-term benefits of therapy such as substance use relapse rates. The outcome measures used may not have been properly understood by all respondents, or reflect practical change. The NLM tool may not have been used as confidently as TAU. The TAU condition needs to be reviewed to improve effectiveness, and NLM to be included to improve the accessibility. A study comparing other outcome tools needs to be completed. Training for staff using NLM may require coaching.

Originality/value

– This paper has a high/low originality. It highlights a number of advantages to NLM when comparing this to TAU.
Dual diagnoses among detained female systematic offenders
Authors: Blaauw Eric , Strijker Gytha , Boerema Yentl , Veersma Eric , van der Meer-Jansma Margreet , Anthonio Gabriel
Published: January 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine the prevalence of psychopathology including substance use disorders in a sample of detained female systematic offenders.

Design/methodology/approach

– All case files of female systematic offenders who had been subjected to a special court order for systematic offenders in the period 2004-2014 were studied. A total of 81 fairly complete case files were selected for the study. These were all systematic offenders as they had been sentenced for at least 25 offences with an average of 102 offences over a period of 17.5 years.

Findings

– All except one woman were addicted to substances in the past year, with an average duration of addiction of 21 years. In addition, 53 per cent were diagnosed with another DSM Axis I disorder and 73 per cent were diagnosed with a personality disorder. Furthermore, 32-59 per cent were found to have intellectual dysfunctions. In total, 12 per cent had one type of the above disorders, 43 per cent two types, 31 per cent three types and 14 per cent all four types. The prevalence rates of these disorders were higher than those reported in other prison studies.

Research limitations/implications

– It is concluded that female systematic offenders can be characterised as problematic in many respects. Even in such a problematic group treatment can be provided.

Originality/value

– The present study is the only study that provides prevalence data of mental disorders among female systematic offenders.
Project delivery systems for nZEB projects
Authors: Kantola Mikko , Saari Arto
Published: January 2016

Purpose

– The paper aims to reveal the most functioning project delivery systems for nearly zero-energy building (nZEB) projects. The focus is set to reveal the qualities of the systems that support the nZEB goals and sustainability.

Design/methodology/approach

– Research method used in this paper is inductive reasoning. The reasoning is based on existing literature, and conclusions are drawn by combining pieces of that literature.

Findings

– The state-of-the-art heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) and insulation requirements of nZEB technology and the lack of experience in the industry regarding nZEB projects suggest that modern collaboration-based project delivery systems should be favoured. The authors found that the most suitable project delivery system for a standard nZEB project is the integrated project delivery (IPD), which binds the financial goals of the main parties together via a reimbursement solution: target pricing. The authors also found the construction management (CM) at-risk system a suitable solution, especially if it is modified by adding the tools utilised in the IPD approach, thereby making it an IPD lite system.

Originality/value

– The paper has value for the entire construction industry in Finland and European Union (EU). The owners and construction companies can use the findings in their development efforts towards nZEB construction. The EU 2020 nZEB degree makes all the findings concerning practicalities of nZEB projects valuable due to the lack of time and the lack of experience in the industry.
Risk analysis in maintainability of high-rise buildings under tropical conditions using ensemble neural network
Authors: De Silva Nayanthara , Ranasinghe Malik , De Silva Chathura Ranjan
Published: January 2016

Purpose

– The aim of this research study is to develop a risk-based framework that can quantify maintainability to forecast future maintainability of a building at early stages as a decision tool to minimize increase of maintenance cost.

Design/methodology/approach

– A survey-based approach was used to explore the risk factors in the domain of maintainability risks under tropical environmental conditions. The research derived ten risk factors based on 58 identified causes related to maintainability issues as common to high-rise buildings in tropical conditions. Impact of these risk factors was evaluated using an indicator referred to as the “maintenance score (MS)” which was derived from the “whole-life maintenance cost” involved in maintaining the expected “performance” level of the building. Further, an ensemble neural network (ENN) model was developed to model the MS for evaluating maintainability risks in high-rise buildings.

Findings

– Results showed that predictions from the model were highly compatible and in the same order when compared with calculations based on actual past data. It further showed that, maintainability of buildings could be improved if the building was designed, constructed and managed properly by controlling their maintainability risks.

Originality/value

– The ENN model was used to analyze maintainability of a high-rise building. Thus, it provides a useful tool for designers, clients, facilities managers/maintenance managers and users to analyze maintainability risks of buildings at early stages.
IJPDLM’s 45th anniversary: a retrospective bibliometric analysis and future directions
Authors: Ellinger Alexander  E. , Chapman Karen
Published: January 2016

Purpose

– After 40 years, IJPDLM received its first impact factor from Web of Science in 2010. This anniversary editorial provides a retrospective bibliometric assessment of IJPDLM over its initial five years as a Web of Science journal (2011-2015). First, IJPDLM’s citation metrics are compared to those for the Web of Science journal subject category of Management. Next, IJPDLM’s most cited articles, best papers and special issues together with the international diversity of the journal’s author base from 2011 to 2015 are reviewed. The analysis also presents the journals that cite IJPDLM most frequently, as well as the journals most frequently cited in IJPDLM. Finally, IJPDLM is compared to peer journals in the logistics and SCM field on various scholarly metrics including impact factor, five-year impact factor, h5-index, number of citations received and self-citation rate. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

– Retrospective bibliometric analysis of IJPDLM from 2011 to 2015.

Findings

– Boosted by the journal’s admission to Web of Science in 2010, IJPDLM has made steady progress toward fulfilling the mission of providing its constituents with timeliness, inclusiveness and impact.

Practical implications

– The comparison of IJPDLM’s scholarly metrics with those of peer journals and journals in the Web of Science Management category will be of interest and value to logistics and SCM researchers.

Originality/value

– The retrospective overview and celebration of IJPDLM’s progress over the last five years and future directions will be of interest to the journal’s stakeholders and prospective authors.
Temporal effects of information from social networks on online behavior
Authors: Ha Hong-Youl , John Joby , John J. Denise , Chung Yong-Kyun
Published: January 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine the temporal effects of perceptions of information obtained from social networks (SNS) on online shopping behavior using trust as a mediator. The model adopts the two dimensional view of trust: cognitive and affective trust. The direct effects and indirect effects of information perceptions on behavioral intentions are empirically explored using a longitudinal approach. Specifically, we investigate the comparative roles of cognitive and affective trust on the influence of perceptions of information from SNS on online shopping behavior.

Design/methodology/approach

– The study was fielded at two points in time (TandT+1) that were approximately 14 months apart. The survey (T) was distributed via e-mail to 1,484 prospects. From this mailing, 297 prospects who had not replied and another 145 with missing data were removed, leaving 1,042 respondents. In all, 14 months later, the survey (T+1) was e-mailed to these 1,042 respondents who took part in the survey at time pointT. At time pointT+1, only 341 respondents from the original sample responded. After excluding those with missing values, the final sample included 313 respondents.

Findings

– The results show significant carryover effects from timeTto timeT+1 in perceptions of information obtained from a social network, in behavioral intentions and in both dimensions of trust. Furthermore, the study revealed that over time, the influence of affective trust is greater than that of cognitive trust, both in its effect on behavioral intentions as well as in its mediating role between information perceptions and behavioral intentions.

Originality/value

– The study contributes to the literature on the mediating roles of cognitive and affective trust in the development of behavioral intentions on over time in the social network environment.
Googling environmental issues
Authors: Qin Jie , Peng Tai-Quan
Published: January 2016

Purpose

– Queries as a pioneering measure of public attention on various social issues have elicited considerable scholarly attention. The purpose of this paper is to address two fundamental questions, as follows: first, how do we identify niche queries that internet users search for on specific social issues?; and second, what are the measurement properties of queries data in gauging public attention on social issues?

Design/methodology/approach

– The present study uses public attention on environmental issues in the USA as the empirical setting of research. An iterative framework is developed to identify niche queries to measure public attention on environmental issues. The measurement properties of queries data are assessed by comparing the dynamics of public attention on environmental issues captured by queries data with that measured by the “most important problem” (MIP) question in Gallup opinion polls.

Findings

– A list of 39 niche queries that internet users search for on environmental issues is identified. The dynamics of public attention on environmental issues determined by the search trends of these 39 queries is found to positively correlate with that measured by Gallup MIP polls, whereas both dynamics can forecast each other well in a 12-month time frame.

Originality/value

– The findings of the study possess methodological and practical implications. The study shows that queries data are complementary to, rather than substitutes of, public opinion polls in measuring public attention on environmental issues. The iterative framework developed in the study can be applied in future studies to help researchers identify valid queries to measure public attention on other social issues, as it can minimize researchers’ subjective biases in selecting search queries. Policymakers and environmentalists can utilize our approach to monitor the status of public attention on environmental issues and implement campaigns to mobilize favorable public opinion when the decline of public attention is predicted by the trends of web search queries.
Which UGC features drive web purchase intent? A spike-and-slab Bayesian Variable Selection Approach
Authors: Owusu Richard A , Mutshinda Crispin M , Antai Imoh , Dadzie Kofi Q , Winston Evelyn M
Published: January 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to identify user-generated content (UGC) features that determine web purchase decision making.

Design/methodology/approach

– The authors embed a spike-and-slab Bayesian variable selection mechanism into a logistic regression model to identify the UGC features that are critical to web purchase intent. This enables us to make a highly reliable analysis of survey data.

Findings

– The results indicate that the web purchase decision is driven by the relevance, up-to-dateness and credibility of the UGC information content.

Research limitations/implications

– The results show that the characteristics of UGC are seen as positive and the medium enables consumers to sort information and concentrate on aspects of the message that are similar to traditional word-of-mouth (WOM). One important implication is the relative importance of credibility which has been previously hypothesized to be lower in the electronic word-of-mouth (e-WOM) context. The results show that consumers consider credibility important as the improved technology provides more possibilities to find out about that factor. A limitation is that the data are not fully representative of the general population but our Bayesian method gives us high analytical quality.

Practical implications

– The study shows that UGC impacts consumer online purchase intentions. Marketers should understand the wide range of media that provide UGC and they should concentrate on the relevance, up-to-dateness and credibility of product information that they provide.

Originality/value

– The analytical quality of the spike- and- slab Bayesian method suggests a new way of understanding the impact of aspects of UGC on consumers.
Measuring mobile learning readiness: scale development and validation
Authors: Lin Hsin-Hui , Lin Shinjeng , Yeh Ching-Hsuan , Wang Yi-Shun
Published: January 2016

Purpose

– Based on the literature on technology readiness, online learning readiness, and mobile computer anxiety, the purpose of this paper is to develop and validate a mobile learning readiness (MLR) scale which can be used to assess individuals’ readiness to embrace m-learning systems.

Design/methodology/approach

– Based on previous literature, this study conceptualizes the construct of MLR and generates an initial 55-item MLR scale. A total of 319 responses are collected from a three-month internet-based survey. Based on the sample data, this study provides an empirical validation of the MLR construct and its underlying dimensionality, and develops a generic MLR scale with desirable psychometric properties, including reliability, content validity, criterion-related validity, convergent validity, discriminant validity, and nomological validity.

Findings

– This study develops and validates a 19-item MLR scale with three dimensions (i.e. m-learning self-efficacy, optimism, and self-directed learning). A tentative norm of the MLR scale is presented, and the scale’s theoretical and practical applications are also discussed.

Originality/value

– This study is a pioneering effort to develop and validate a MLR scale. The results of this study are helpful to researchers in building m-learning theories and to educators in assessing and promoting individuals’ acceptance of m-learning systems.
Effect of digital transformation on organisational performance of SMEs
Authors: Chen Ying-Yu Kerri , Jaw Yi-Long , Wu Bing-Li
Published: January 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of the pilot implementation of an industry-specific web portal as an IT resource on textile SMEs organisational performance. Using a resource-based perspective, portal delivery functionalities, considered as non-physical IT resources, are analysed using the dimensions of portal usefulness, portal interface, and service-oriented portal functions on SMEs users’ perceived outcomes of organisational performance.

Design/methodology/approach

– Qualitative and quantitative approaches are used to explore the research hypotheses. Data were collected using field interviews and survey from senior executives of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Taiwanese textile industry.

Findings

– Results indicate that the service-oriented portal function dimension, consisting of portal maintenance service, B2B function, and cloud computing, significantly influences organisational performance. Unexpected findings, such as the negative impact of greater industry benchmark information on perceived SME performance, deserve further investigation.

Research limitations/implications

– The study extends the theory and knowledge on the resource-based view and its implications on e-business organisational performance of SMEs. The study also offers findings relevant to the design of portal sites for SME administrators and information service providers. Limitations of the research include a small size and the industry-specific data limiting the generalisability of the findings.

Practical implications

– Research results practically serve as informative indicators for policy makers, information service providers, and SMEs executives to evaluate feasible elements for web portal design in traditional industry. Findings from this study may help portal service providers in designing better web portal functionalities for SMEs.

Originality/value

– This study contributes to the IT business value literature by identifying the linkages between industry-specific portal delivery functionalities and perceived organisational performance through the examination of portal usefulness, portal interface, and service-oriented portal function for textile SMEs.
Direct and indirect effects of shrub encroachment on alpine grasslands mediated by plant–flower visitor interactions
Authors: Lara‐Romero Carlos , García Cristina , Morente‐López Javier , Iriondo José M.
Published: January 2016

Mutualistic interactions structure ecological communities and they are strongly influenced by the combined effect of different drivers of global change. Land‐use changes and global warming have elicited rapid shrub encroachment in alpine grasslands in recent decades, which may have detrimental outcomes for native alpine forbs. In spite of the importance of this process, we lack knowledge about how shrub encroachment modifies community‐wide patterns of plant–pollinator mutualistic interactions.

Based on the functional biodiversity hypothesis (FBH), which predicts higher pollinator biodiversity in species‐rich plant communities, we asked whether the increase in nutritional resources available for pollinators due to shrub expansion modifies pollinator niche breadth and species richness, and whether these changes affect plant–plant interactions.

For this purpose, we compared quantitative plant–flower visitor interaction network assemblages at replicated plots in two habitat types in dry cryophilic grasslands of Sierra de Guadarrama (Spain): (i) encroached pastures (EP) and (ii) pastures dominated by forb species where shrub species are absent (PA).

As predicted by FBH, flower visitor richness increased in EP, but their niche breadth did not vary. Furthermore, shrubs had more interactions with flower visitors and received more visits per plant than forbs in EP in agreement with their significantly higher linkage and strength.

Overall, results revealed that moderate levels of shrub encroachment affected the flower visitation patterns of forb species in alpine grasslands as flower visitor diversity increased and plant–plant competition for shared flower visitors became greater. These findings highlight the need to use an integrative approach to study the cascading effects of global change drivers on species interactions and their impact on the structure and functioning of threatened ecological communities.
Assessment Inequity in a Declining Housing Market: The Case of Detroit
Authors: Hodge Timothy R. , McMillen Daniel P. , Sands Gary , Skidmore Mark
Published: January 2016

We examine the degree to which assessment practices in the City of Detroit have created substantial inequities in property tax payments across residential properties. Two key contributions of this article include: (1) inequities created by assessment practices are examined in a collapsed real estate market, and (2) quantile regression techniques are used to determine how assessment practices have altered assessment distributions within and across property value groups. Results show that current practices have created a wide range of property tax payments across properties with similar value (horizontal inequity), and similar tax payments for properties of differing values (vertical inequity).
Patient features predicting long‐term survival and health‐related quality of life after radical surgery for non‐small cell lung cancer
Authors: Rauma Ville , Salo Jarmo , Sintonen Harri , Räsänen Jari , Ilonen Ilkka
Published: January 2016

Background

This study presents a retrospective evaluation of patient, disease, and treatment features predicting long‐term survival and health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) among patients who underwent surgery for non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods

Between January 2000 and June 2009, 586 patients underwent surgery at the Helsinki University Hospital. The 276 patients still alive in June 2011 received two validated quality of life questionnaires (QLQ): the generic 15D and the cancer‐specific EORTC QLQ‐C30 + QLQ‐LC13. We used binary and linear regression analysis modeling to identify patient, disease, and treatment characteristics that predicted survival and long‐term HRQoL.

Results

When taking into account patient, disease, and treatment characteristics, long‐term survival was quite predictable (69.5% correct), but not long‐term HRQoL (R2 between 0.041 and 0.119). Advanced age at the time of surgery, male gender, comorbidity (measured with the Charlson comorbidity index), clinical and pathological stages II‐IV, and postoperative infectious complications predicted a lower survival rate. Features associated with poorer long‐term HRQoL (measured with the 15D) were comorbidity, postoperative complications, and the use of the video‐assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) technique.

Conclusions

Long‐term HRQoL is only moderately predictable, while prediction of long‐term survival is more reliable. Lower HRQoL is associated with comorbidities, complications, use of the VATS technique, and reduced pulmonary function, while adjuvant therapy is associated with higher HRQoL.
Association of genetic variability in enzymes metabolizing chemotherapeutic agents with treatment response in head and neck cancer cases
Authors: Dhawan Ankur , Ruwali Munindra , Pant Mohan C , Rahman Qamar , Parmar Devendra
Published: January 2016

Aim

The prevalence of genetic variants of thiopurine S‐methyltransferse (TPMT) and dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD) in healthy controls (500) and the treatment response in 500 cases of head and neck cancer of north Indian origin was studied.

Methods

Blood collected from all the subjects was used for isolation of DNA followed by genotyping studies. The cases received cisplatin and 5‐fluorouracil (5‐FU) or chemo‐radiotherapy and treatment response was measured using WHO criteria.

Results

Low frequency of heterozygous mutant genotypes of TPMT*2 (2%), TPMT*3B (2.2%), TPMT*3C (4.6%), DPD IVS14+1G>A (3.6%) and G1601A (3%) was observed, although no homozygous mutants could be identified. Treatment response studies in cases receiving cisplatin and 5‐FU or chemo‐radiotherapy revealed that the number of nonresponders was higher in cases who carried variant genotypes of TPMT*3B (62.50%) or TPMT*3C (59.26%) or DPD IVS14+1G>A (61.90%). Likewise, the number of nonresponders was still higher in cases carrying combination of these genetic variants. Furthermore, the frequency of nonresponders was higher in cases who carried the variant genotypes of TPMT or DPD and were also tobacco users.

Conclusions

Our data clearly show that TPMT and DPD genes are polymorphic in the north Indian population and may be important in determining the treatment response in cases. The data have also suggest tobacco may play an important role in determining the outcome of cancer therapy and there is an urgent need for assessment of drugs for their efficacy/toxicity in smokers compared to nonsmokers.
Topical pine tar: History, properties and use as a treatment for common skin conditions
Authors: Barnes Tanya M , Greive Kerryn A
Published: January 2016

Pine tar is the end product of pine wood carbonisation following distillation using extreme heat. An extensive literature search was conducted back to the 1950s for this review. Pine tar has been used in medicine for more than 2000 years to treat a range of skin conditions because of its soothing and antiseptic properties. Pine tar should not be confused with coal tar, which has been produced from coal for approximately a hundred years. Pine tar is thought to exert its effect by reducing DNA synthesis and mitotic activity, which promotes a return to normal keratinisation. In addition, pine tar has been shown to be antipruritic, anti‐inflammatory, antibacterial and antifungal. These properties make pine tar suitable for the topical treatment of eczema, psoriasis, seborrhoeic dermatitis and other dry, itchy, flaky or inflamed skin conditions. Topical products available over‐the‐counter in Australia today contain up to 2.3% pine tar, and come in several different formulations that can be used on the entire body, including the face. Modern day pine tar is manufactured with increased purity to eliminate toxic phenol and carcinogenic components, which have been of concern in the past. Primary irritation is uncommon. In conclusion, the long experience with topical pine tar therapy and its worldwide usage, together with the evidence presented in this review, suggests that pine tar is an effective treatment with minimal safety risk.
Using a Cardiac Event Recorder in Children with Potentially Arrhythmia‐Related Symptoms
Authors: Saygi Murat , Ergul Yakup , Ozyilmaz Isa , Sengul Fatma Sevinc , Guvenc Osman , Aslan Eyup , Guzeltas Alper , Akdeniz Celal , Tuzcu Volkan
Published: January 2016

Background

In this study, we reported our experience with the use of cardiac event recorders in pediatric patients.

Methods

We evaluated 583 patients fitted with an event recorder (15–30 days) between March 2010 and November 2014 at our clinic. Excluded from the study were 117 patients with no recorded events and six with records contaminated by electrocardiogram artifacts. All of the patients received electrocardiograms, Holter monitoring, and echocardiography before the cardiac event recording.

Results

The patient sample consisted of 460 patients (64% female). The mean age was 12.8 ± 4.1 years. The median number of recorded events was 7. The indications included palpitations in 336 (73%) patients, syncope in 27 (6%) patients, and chest pain and palpitations in 97 (21%) patients. Whereas 64 patients (14%) had structural heart disease according to echocardiographic examination, the remaining patients had normal echocardiographic examination results. The most frequent cardiac comorbidities were mitral valve prolapse (6%), operated tetralogy of Fallot (1.5%), and complicated congenital heart diseases with single ventricle physiology (1%). The recorded events were sinus tachycardia in 113 (25%) patients, supraventricular tachycardia in 35 (8%) patients, ventricular extrasystole in 20 (4%) patients, supraventricular extrasystole in nine (2%) patients, and ventricular tachycardia in two (0.4%) patients. Based on the event recorder and follow‐up electrocardiogram findings, 46 patients received an electrophysiology study/ablation. The symptom‐rhythm correlation was 39%.

Conclusion

In the presence of possible arrhythmia‐related symptoms in children, a cardiac event recorder can be considered a useful primary diagnostic method. More research on this topic is needed.
Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) therapy for multiple myeloma
Authors: Atanackovic Djordje , Radhakrishnan Sabarinath V. , Bhardwaj Neelam , Luetkens Tim
Published: January 2016

The introduction of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)‐modified T cells has revolutionized immunotherapy and cancer treatment as a whole. However, so far, clinical efficacy has only been demonstrated for CD19‐positive B cell lymphomas. For Multiple Myeloma (MM), the second most common haematological malignancy, there are currently no clinical results supporting the usefulness of the adoptive transfer of CAR‐modified T cells. This might be related to the fact that an ideal surface target has not yet been identified or the presence of strong local immunosuppression in the tumour microenvironment, which is a hallmark of MM. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of promising target molecules for CAR T cell approaches in MM and we outline a number of ways in which the local immunosuppression in MM can be overcome. By providing a strategy for the design of CAR T cell treatments for MM we hope to transform this new therapeutic approach into a valuable tool within the therapeutic armamentarium for MM.
Assessing End‐Of‐Supply Risk of Spare Parts Using the Proportional Hazard Model
Authors: Li Xishu , Dekker Rommert , Heij Christiaan , Hekimoğlu Mustafa
Published: January 2016

Operators of long field‐life systems like airplanes are faced with hazards in the supply of spare parts. If the original manufacturers or suppliers of parts end their supply, this may have large impacts on operating costs of firms needing these parts. Existing end‐of‐supply evaluation methods are focused mostly on the downstream supply chain, which is of interest mainly to spare part manufacturers. Firms that purchase spare parts have limited information on parts sales, and indicators of end‐of‐supply risk can also be found in the upstream supply chain. This article proposes a methodology for firms purchasing spare parts to manage end‐of‐supply risk by utilizing proportional hazard models in terms of supply chain conditions of the parts. The considered risk indicators fall into four main categories, of which two are related to supply (price and lead time) and two others are related to demand (cycle time and throughput). The methodology is demonstrated using data on about 2,000 spare parts collected from a maintenance repair organization in the aviation industry. Cross‐validation results and out‐of‐sample risk assessments show good performance of the method to identify spare parts with high end‐of‐supply risk. Further validation is provided by survey results obtained from the maintenance repair organization, which show strong agreement between the firm's and the model's identification of high‐risk spare parts.
Current status of transnasal endoscopy worldwide using ultrathin videoscope for upper gastrointestinal tract
Authors: Tanuma Tokuma , Morita Yoshinori , Doyama Hisashi
Published: January 2016

Transnasal endoscopy with an ultrathin endoscope has been reported to be highly acceptable even without any sedative measures. Poor image quality and complex manipulation have been reported as shortcomings of this type of endoscopy compared with standard transoral endoscopy. However, image quality has improved markedly with the latest ultrathin endoscopes. To investigate the status of clinical use of endoscopes, we recently conducted a questionnaire survey involving 149 facilities (98 in Japan and 51 overseas). In Japan, transnasal endoscopes were being used primarily in clinics (34% in clinics and 9% in hospitals). Overseas, however, transnasal endoscopes were seldom used (1% in hospitals and 0% in clinics). This may be attributable to the complex pretreatment and more challenging manipulation required for transnasal endoscopes. However, it is evident that transnasal endoscopes are highly acceptable for patients. If the pretreatment required is simplified and healthcare physicians improve their skills and understanding, this type of endoscopy will have high potential for common use.
Role of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in context‐dependent motor performance
Authors: Lee Y.‐Y. , Winstein C. J. , Fisher B. E.
Published: January 2016

Context‐dependent motor performance is a phenomenon in which people perform better in the environmental context where they originally practised a task. Some animal and computer simulation studies have suggested that context‐dependent performance may be associated with neural activation of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). This study aimed to determine the role of the DLPFC in context‐dependent motor performance by perturbing the neural processing of the DLPFC with repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in healthy adults. Thirty healthy adults were recruited into the Control, rTMS DLPFC and rTMS Vertex groups. The participants practised three finger sequences associated with a specific incidental context (a coloured circle and a location on the computer screen). One day following practice, the rTMS groups received 1 Hz rTMS prior to the testing conditions in which the sequence‐context associations remained the same as practice (SAME) or changed (SWITCH). All three groups improved significantly over practice on day 1. The second day testing results showed that the DLPFC group had a significantly lower decrease in motor performance under the SWITCH condition than the Control and Vertex groups. This finding suggests a specific role of the DLPFC in context‐dependent motor performance.
Sources of bias in single‐trial normalization procedures
Authors: Ciuparu Andrei , Mureşan Raul C.
Published: January 2016

Baseline normalization procedures are essential for the analysis of brain activity. These use statistics of a reference (baseline) period to normalize data along the entire trial (baseline and stimulus periods). A very popular procedure is pseudo z‐scoring, traditionally applied to time–frequency spectral power estimates, where it was recently shown to generate positive bias. Bias was thought to arise because of outliers stemming from the skewed distribution of spectral power values. Here we challenge this view and causally show that bias originates from a more general problem that affects a wide array of normalization techniques, including some that are routinely used. We show that bias is caused by the division of correlated terms and that it depends directly on the sign and magnitude of correlation between the numerator and denominator. Correlation emerges either from the properties of the data being normalized or from the properties of the normalization method. z‐scoring produces bias when source data have a skewed distribution but it is bias‐free when the distribution is symmetric, while methods such as dF/F for fluorescence data lead to bias because the numerator and denominator are inherently correlated. We provide a simple, fast and general solution to reduce and even eliminate bias by welding (fusing) baseline periods of multiple trials into a single, large baseline. This method is generic, can be used to normalize individual trials and provides bias‐free estimates given a long enough extended baseline. We show that baseline fusing is superior to more complex techniques that have been proposed before.
Extent and time‐course of competition in visual cortex between emotionally arousing distractors and a concurrent task
Authors: Deweese Menton M. , Müller Matthias , Keil Andreas
Published: January 2016

Emotionally arousing cues automatically attract attentional resources, which may be at the cost of processing task‐related information. Of central importance is how the visual system resolves competition for processing resources among stimuli differing in motivational salience. Here, we assessed the extent and time‐course of competition between emotionally arousing distractors and task‐related stimuli in a frequency‐tagging paradigm. Steady‐state visual evoked potentials (ssVEPs) were evoked using random‐dot kinematograms that consisted of rapidly flickering (8.57 Hz) dots, superimposed upon emotional or neutral distractor pictures flickering at 12 Hz. The time‐varying amplitude of the ssVEP evoked by the motion detection task showed a significant reduction to the task‐relevant stream while emotionally arousing pictures were presented as distractors. Competition between emotionally arousing pictures and moving dots began 450 ms after picture onset and persisted for an additional 2600 ms. Competitive effects of the overlapping task and picture stream revealed cost effects for the motion detection task when unpleasant pictures were presented as distractors between 450 and 1650 ms after picture onset, where an increase in ssVEP amplitude to the flickering picture stimulus was at the cost of ssVEP amplitude to the flickering dot stimulus. Cost effects were generalized to all emotionally arousing contents between 1850 and 3050 ms after picture onset, where the greatest amount of competition was evident for conditions in which emotionally arousing pictures, compared to neutral, served as distractors. In sum, the processing capacity of the visual system as measured by ssVEPs is limited, resulting in prioritized processing of emotionally relevant cues.
Cognitive load and autonomic response patterns under negative priming demand in depersonalization‐derealization disorder
Authors: Lemche Erwin , Sierra‐Siegert Mauricio , David Anthony S. , Phillips Mary L. , Gasston David , Williams Steven C.R. , Giampietro Vincent P.
Published: January 2016

Previous studies have yielded evidence for cognitive processing abnormalities and alterations of autonomic functioning in depersonalization‐derealization disorder (DPRD). However, multimodal neuroimaging and psychophysiology studies have not yet been conducted to test for functional and effective connectivity under cognitive stress in patients with DPRD. DPRD and non‐referred control subjects underwent a combined Stroop/negative priming task, and the neural correlates of Stroop interference effect, negative priming effect, error rates, cognitive load span and average amplitude of skin conductance responses were ascertained for both groups. Evoked haemodynamic responses for basic Stroop/negative priming activations were compared. For basic Stroop to neutral contrast, patients with DPRD differed in the location (inferior vs. superior lobule) of the parietal region involved, but showed similar activations in the left frontal region. In addition, patients with DPRD also co‐activated the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (BA9) and posterior cingulate cortex (BA31), which were also found to be the main between‐group difference regions. These regions furthermore showed connectivity with frequency of depersonalization states. Evoked haemodynamic responses drawn from regions of interest indicated significant between‐group differences in 30–40% of time points. Brain‐behaviour correlations differed mainly in laterality, yet only slightly in regions. A reversal of autonomic patterning became evident in patients with DPRD for cognitive load spans, indicating less effective arousal suppression under cognitive stress – patients with DPRD showed positive associations of cognitive load with autonomic responses, whereas controls exhibit respective inverse association. Overall, the results of the present study show only minor executive cognitive peculiarities, but further support the notion of abnormalities in autonomic functioning in patients with DPRD.
Alpine restoration in the NSW Snowy Mountains: Interview with Roger Good
Authors: Good Roger , McDonald Tein
Published: January 2016

With a career stretching from the 1960s, Roger Good clocked up over 50 years’ experience in restoring alpine ecosystems, particularly bogs and fens. This interview (recorded not long before Roger's untimely death in 2015) shows how the evolving approaches to restoration in Australia's Snowy Mountains mirror the evolving broad discipline of restoration.
What is the reasonable option for elderly patients with incidental pancreatic cystic neoplasms? Follow‐up observation versus surgical resection
Authors: Kim Hyo Jung , Kim Jae Seon , Lee Jae Min , Joo Moon Kyung , Lee Beom Jae , Kim Ji Hoon , Yeon Jong Eun , Park Jong‐Jae , Lee Hong Sik , Byun Kwan Soo , Kim Chang Duck , Bak Young‐Tae
Published: January 2016

Aims

Pancreatic cystic neoplasms (PCN) with malignant potential are thought to be less aggressive than ordinary ductal adenocarcinoma, even in the setting of malignant transformation. Therefore, deciding whether or not to carry out surgery is very difficult, especially in elderly and asymptomatic patients, because of the high risk of perioperative morbidities. The aim of the present study was to examine clinical outcomes of PCN patients aged 65 years or older.

Methods

This retrospective analysis included patients with incidentally detected PCN with follow‐up durations >1 year. Patients diagnosed with obvious simple cysts, pseudocysts or pancreatic cancer and patients with a history of pancreatic disease were excluded from the study.

Results

The present study included 201 patients (older group 104 patients ≥65 years; younger group 97 patients <65 years). Surgical resections were carried out for 27 patients in the older group and 41 patients in the younger group. There were 133 patients who were followed up without surgery (mean follow‐up duration 41 months). Postoperative morbidity occurred in 22.2% of the patients in the older group and 21.9% of the patients in the younger group. Malignancy occurred in one patient in the older group and in two patients in the younger group. The PCN diameter increased in 20 patients during follow up: 16.9% of the older group and 12.5% of the younger group.

Conclusions

The malignancy rate was very low in incidental PCN patients irrespective of age. Follow‐up observation without surgery appears to be a safe option in older patients with morbidity. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017; 17: 256–261.
Perimenopause and Menopause Are Associated With High Frequency Headache in Women With Migraine: Results of the American Migraine Prevalence and Prevention Study
Authors: Martin Vincent T. , Pavlovic Jelena , Fanning Kristina M. , Buse Dawn C. , Reed Michael L. , Lipton Richard B.
Published: January 2016

Objectives

To examine the relationship of headache frequency to the stages of the menopausal transition in mid‐life women with migraine.

Background

Past studies suggest that the perimenopause is associated with an increased prevalence of migraine, particularly in those with a history of premenstrual syndrome. The effect of the menopausal transition on the frequency of headache attacks in women with migraine has not been explored.

Methods

This was a cross‐sectional observational study. Using data from the 2006 American Migraine, Prevalence and Prevention study survey, women meeting modified ICHD‐3 beta criteria for migraine between the ages of 35–65 years were included in analyses. Women who had never menstruated or were pregnant, breastfeeding, or using exogenous sex hormones were excluded. The 2006 survey was selected because it included detailed questions on the menstrual cycle. The stages of the menopausal transition were defined based upon the self‐reported cycle length and/or duration of amenorrhea. The primary outcome, high vs low headache frequency, was defined using a cut score of ≥10 headache days per month. Binary logistic regression models were used to assess the influence of menopausal stage on headache frequency category using premenopause as the reference group. Adjustments for stage of menopausal transition and sociodemographics (eg, age and income) were included in the first model, while the second model included sociodemographics, depression, body mass index, preventative medications, and medication overuse.

Results

The study sample included 3664 women at a mean age of 46 years. Among women who were premenopausal, 8.0% (99/1242) were in the high frequency headache group in comparison with 12.2% (154/1266) of perimenopausal and 12.0% (131/1095) of postmenopausal women. Compared with premenopausal women, the adjusted odds of being in the high frequency headache group was 1.62 (95% CI = 1.23, 2.12) for perimenopausal and 1.76 (95% CI = 1.23, 2.52) for postmenopausal women (Model 1). In model 2, high frequency headache was only increased in perimenopausal women with an OR of 1.42 (95% CI = 1.03, 1.94).

Conclusions

The risk of high frequency headache is increased in women during the perimenopause compared to premenopause in the fully adjusted model. The fact that the increased risk of high frequency headache was not statistically significant for menopause in the fully adjusted models suggests that different mechanisms might account for the increased risk for this stage of the menopausal transition. Recognition of the increased risk of high frequency headache during the menopausal transition suggests a need for optimized preventive treatment of migraine during this time of women's life.