bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Causal Model to Find the Relationships Between 3PL Service Providers and the Performance of the Logistics Process in Mexican Manufacturing Companies
Authors: Avelar-Sosa Liliana , Maldonado-Macías Aidé Aracely , Hernández-Arellano Juan L. , Estupiñan Stephanie A.
Published: October 2019

The purpose of this chapter is to present the relationship between the external service provider named Third Party Logistics 3PL and the performance of the logistics process in Mexican manufacturing companies, in order to ascertain the contribution of the aspects considered, allowing companies' suggested improvement actions. Through a field research in Ciudad Juarez and making use of an instrument about 3PL, authors considered four variables: transport, transport management, information technologies, and warehouse. To find the causal model with the relationships between the variables, authors used structural equations modelling. That also identified the relevant aspects in 3PL providers companies' manufacturing and collaboration activities realized in the practice. The results indicate that mainly the information technologies and the transport management have a greater influence on the performance of the logistics process in this type of company.
An Analysis of the Traveling Speed in the Traveling Hoist Scheduling Problem for Electroplating Processes
Authors: Gomar-Madriz José Itzcoatl , Hernandez-González Salvador , Navarrete-Damián Jaime
Published: October 2019

The Hoist Scheduling Problem is combinatory, so tools such as mathematical programming need to be used to get the sequence of movements, respecting the constraints of the process by minimizing the cycle time. A sequence in which the order of movements follows the order of the process is known as the basic diagram. These schedules do not have any clearance for the hoist to make any other movements, resulting in a loss in productivity. This chapter takes the production line of a Mexican factory as a case study, analyzing the hoist's travelling speed to find sequences of movements that could improve productivity. The results of the study indicate that the cycle time has a nonlinear behavior in respect of the hoist's travelling speed and it was determined that there are travelling speeds for which sequences are obtained with enough clearance to make other movements and keep other carriers on the line. A suitable speed was estimated in the case.
M Stands for Media, Migration, and Modern Slavery in the UK
Authors: Okorie Nelson , Usaini Suleimanu
Published: October 2019

This chapter examined the issues of victimization and modern slavery actions against foreign migrants in the UK as well as the possible solutions suggested by media outlets and human right groups, using documentaries as examples. The method adopted was qualitative content analysis and two documentaries of Aljazeera were used. Also, three research questions were raised and adequately answered in this study. From the findings of the study, two predominant areas of modern slavery actions were forced labour and prostitution, which are interlinked with human trafficking. It was recommended that the media in UK should serve as agents of racial tolerance and social integration for Roma migrants.
Role of the Media on Migrants' Vulnerability to Health Hazards
Authors: Ogundoyin Olayinka Susan
Published: October 2019

Health is an important aspect of human existence. Good health depends on a variety of factors like physical, biological, economic, and environmental factors. These factors have a contributory effect on the total well-being of a person positively or negatively. One of the negative effects is migration. Illegal migration has helped in the spread of communicable and non-communicable diseases. Many migrants are unaware of the health implication of migration because they are not equipped with necessary information for informed decision. This information can only be made available through the media. There has been a paucity of literature on migration and health. This chapter sought to examine how the media has helped to disseminate information that encourage or discourage people to migrate. It was recommended that the media work in concert with government and non-governmental organizations to provide information that would show case the health challenges migrants face. It also recommended that testimonies of survivors should be reported in a way that would discourage potential migrants.
Media Hype, Greener Pastures Syndrome, and Migration in Nigeria
Authors: Mobolaji Adeola Obafemi , Ojebuyi Babatunde Raphael
Published: October 2019

The phenomenon of human migration has been described as a threat to resources and job distribution in Africa. It has been assumed that, apart from economic instability in Nigeria, portrayal of Europe and America, through films and Hip-Hop musical lyrics and videos, has also influenced most Nigerians to perceive migration as the only solution to their predicaments. However, extant studies are yet to empirically prove this hypothesis. Therefore, this chapter, through a content analysis, examines contents of Nigerian films and Hip-Hop music videos, as subsets of mass media discourse, with a view to establishing the nature of these contents in terms of how they could influence Nigerians' attitude towards migration to foreign countries. Findings show that contents of Nigerian films and Hip-Hop music videos contain rhetorical discourse with persuasive effect capable of luring Nigerian youths to foreign countries. This chapter also provides justification for the enactment of framework for policy formulation for effective control of media system and illegal migration by Nigerians.
A Wearable ECG Monitoring System for Resource-Constrained Settings
Authors: Arun Uma , Sriraam Natarajan
Published: October 2019

Recent advancement in wearable technology has created a huge impact in healthcare delivery and clinical diagnosis. Remote access of physiological, vital parameters from patients and improvement in their day-to-day quality of life were the significant indicators due to this availability of wearable technology. Though wearable physiological monitoring systems for long-term monitoring of Electro cardiogram (ECG) were developed at high-cost involvement, there is a huge need for such technology for resource-constrained settings, at a low cost. This chapter suggests a wearable ECG monitoring system by making use of single channel textile sensors for screening of cardiac episodes. The proposed Cardiac signal framework (CARDIF) with chest textile-based sensors ensures the required qualitative signal for clinical assessment and the evaluation of fidelity measures confirms its suitability for early screening of cardiac episodes. The proposed CARDIF framework involves low-cost design without sacrificing the required clinical diagnosis requirement and can be extended for long-term, continuous monitoring in resource-constrained settings.
ENT Endoscopic Surgery and Mixed Reality
Authors: Gomes Ataide Elmer Jeto , Fritzsche Holger , Filax Marco , Chittamuri Dinesh , Potluri Lakshmi Sampath , Friebe Michael
Published: October 2019

Minimally invasive otorhinolaryngology surgery uses a system that consists of an endoscope, microscope, high-resolution display, and several surgical tools to perform procedures of the Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) up to the upper Oesophagus. The complexity, and number of systems used, forces the surgeon to focus on multiple factors rather than exclusively on the procedure. This chapter focuses on the development of a system integrating the endoscopic feed with a Mixed Reality (MR) headset. For that, the visual data stream from an endoscopy system is integrated with an MR head-mounted device. An application was developed using Unity, Visual Studio, and Windows 10 SDK. The application also had the ability to access pre-operative images through its Graphical User Interface, and was integrated with the endoscopic feed wirelessly over a local area network. The application was tested in an educational abdominal phantom. The goal was to streamline the surgeon's focus more on the patient and to provide access to pre-operative images for in-procedure comparison at their fingertips.
Tourist Shopping and Omnichanneling
Authors: García-Milon Alba , Juaneda-Ayensa Emma , Olarte-Pascual Cristina , Pelegrín-Borondo Jorge
Published: October 2019

In recent years new technologies have increased access to information and, as a result, many channels can be used in an integrated and combined way. Omnichannel strategies have emerged in shopping which allow consumers to have integrative and holistic experiences. This trend, in addition to its influence on the general consumer, has implications for tourists who can take advantage of different channels in their costumer journeys through adopting omnichannel behaviors. Due to the importance of omnichanneling and tourist shopping, and the fact that no studies examine them in conjunction, this theoretical chapter aims to launch this research line; future research lines are presented to improve the retail sector and tourists' shopping experiences.
Effect of Channel Modeling on Intercept Behavior of a Wireless BAN With Optimal Sensor Scheduling
Authors: Kakkar Deepti , Kaur Gurjot , Kakkar Parveen , Sangwan Urvashi
Published: October 2019

Body area networks (BANs), a type of Personal Area Networks (PANs), form a significant part of health care applications. This chapter analyzes the effect of channel modeling on the intercept behavior of a wireless BAN while taking optimal sensor scheduling into account. A comparison is drawn between Lognormal and Weibull models for this case. Wireless BANs represent wireless networks of sensors allocated on, in, and around the human body. BANs are basically meant for health care applications where long-lasting and reliable operation is a must. Some healthcare applications carry sensitive information, therefore security is an important issue. A BAN with a sink node and various sensors is considered here along with an eavesdropper. Due to the radio wave propagation's broadcast nature, the wireless communication can be overheard by the eavesdropper. To safeguard the BAN, the propagation channels need to be characterized and modeled for designing reliable communication systems.
Reflexive Tourism Supply Chain Management
Authors: Li Chiung-Li , Lin Yun-Hui , Chen Yi-Hsuan , Lo Wei-Shuo
Published: October 2019

This article is on the practical framework of reflexive tourism supply chain management as it is proposed for enhancing students' understanding of sustainability. The practical framework consists of three phases through a case study examination of a local community. The three phases are (1) including program design in the upstream tourism industry, (2) travel to a local community in the downstream tourism industry, and (3) reflexive learning of understanding of sustainability. The study contributions propose that a practical framework can enhance students' green consciousness with critical thinking, make sustainability learning more interesting for students, and allow students to gain personal understanding from cognition, experience, and reflexive contexts in Asia-Pacific higher education.
A Game-Based Approach for Simulation and Design of Supply Chains
Authors: Pal Kamalendu , Karakostas Bill
Published: October 2019

This chapter reviews the potential benefits and challenges of knowledge-based computer game simulation as means of understanding the dynamics of global procurement and manufacturing supply chains. In particular the chapter focuses on the use of software agents to assist decision making across the supply chain, for example in raw material procurement. The chapter describes a framework for supply chain scenarios in multi-agent based simulation games. The agents' behaviour is governed by business rules, based on the concept of normative knowledge representation and its reasoning mechanism (known as rule-based reasoning, RBR) and that also come closer to the task that confronts the supply chain operational manager – the analysis of current case in hand in terms of previously decided business problem solutions, known as case-based reasoning (CBR). The aim is to introduce more realistic behavior of the supply chain actors and improve understanding in operational management of supply chains.
Information Technology Paraphernalia for Supply Chain Management Decisions
Authors: Patro Chandra Sekhar , Raghunath K. Madhu Kishore
Published: October 2019

Technology and world around have always been advancing time to time. One can speak of diverse areas to show how important IT is in daily business life, and of much Supply chain is one such area with more scope for Information Technology (IT) and has become a determinant of competitive advantage across the organizations. In order to survive in today's competitive environment the firms need to manage the future supply chain. In order to deliver quality information to the decision-maker at the right time and in order to automate the process of data collection, collation and refinement, the companies have to make IT an ally, harness its full potential and use it in the best possible means. IT is beneficial for cooperation and integration within the stakeholders of the supply chain. The chapter throw a light upon the stature of various technology based Tools in Supply Chain Management (SCM). The study also highlights the contribution of technology in helping to restructure the entire supply chain process to achieve higher service levels, lower inventory and the supply chain costs.
SCOR Model and the Green Supply Chain
Authors: Akkucuk Ulas
Published: October 2019

Supply chain management (SCM) is a continually evolving field, relying on breaking down internal and external organizational barriers to gain efficiencies, improve customer support and increase flexibility, thereby resulting in lower costs and increased market share. An emerging area in supply chain practice is green SCM, which integrates environmental management with traditional SCM. Green supply chain management is seen as an important step companies need to take on the road to sustainable practices. SCOR Model (Supply Chain Operations Reference) has been developed by the Supply Chain Council (SCC now merged with APICS) in order to guide companies applying SCM principles. The GreenSCOR model was also developed as an integrated green SCM tool that allows companies to manage their supply chain's environmental impacts, resulting in more efficient operations which have minimal impact on the environment. This chapter will talk about how SCM principles can be modified to reduce the adverse effects of company operations on the environment, especially using the GreenSCOR model.
Role of Information Technology on Supply Chain Management of Pharmaceutical Industry
Authors: Saha Saibal Kumar , Jha Ajeya
Published: October 2019

Supply Chain Management SCM is a very critical part of any business. A well-coordinated SCM can improve the efficiency of the business and help in cost reduction. As information technology (IT) is being used widely across all businesses, SCM can benefit to a large extent by the use of IT. This article reviews a number of papers in this field and suggests research gaps for further exploration. The aim of this article is to review the literature on the role of IT on supply chain management (SCM) with special focus on the pharmaceutical industry and suggest possible gaps from the point of view of researchers and practitioners. The article finds that IT has made a significant impact in improving the efficiency of SCM. But its successful implementation and collaboration with other firms is the key to success for an efficient SCM. Within each category, gaps have been identified.
Improving Construction Supply Chains through Collaborative Modelling, a case of South Africa
Authors: Aigbavboa Clinton , Masemeni Neo Malose , Thwala Wellington
Published: October 2019

This chapter report on some of the challenges faced and successes achieved during the construction of the recently completed Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) headquarters in South Africa. Qualitative interviews where conducts with five (5) professionals which were part of the construction supply chain team that completed the DEA project in South Africa. Findings summary were that the South African construction industry exists in a very dynamic and volatile environment with common challenges as evident in other countries. This challenge, necessitates the use of collaborative means of managing the various phases of the supply chain. It was also found that the use of collaborative models such as Public Private Partnership (PPP) can prove rewarding when stakeholders involved in a project have an understanding of the model and its dynamics. This chapter contributes to the use of PPP collaborative models in construction project delivery in South Africa.
Identification of Potential Clients, Providers, and Competitors in Supply Chain Networks
Authors: Bruno Giulia
Published: October 2019

In the last years Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) were driven to aggregate in industrial networks, due to the need to compete in a globalized market, but also to the aspiration to provide sufficient stability for their own small business. SMEs belonging to networks share objectives and strategies with the other SMEs, while preserving their own individual autonomy. One of this network type is the supply chain, where companies collaborate with one or more other companies depending on the sector they belong. A typical problem in this context is to evaluate the place of a new SME inside the network, i.e., the number of potential clients, suppliers and competitors that the SME would have. The goal of this work is to offer an method to analyze the potentiality of existing SME networks based on public information available on the Web.
System Dynamics Simulation of a Supply Chain Intelligence Model
Authors: Dey Debasri , Sinha D.
Published: October 2019

Supply chains today are, primarily, measured by Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) such as order-fulfillment, availability to the consumer (percent in-stock) and cost reduction, as well as financial KPIs such as return on investment (ROI), return on brand equity and inventory. These KPIs measure the performance of supply chain as a whole. A supply chain is a network of nodes. The performances of individual nodes are measured with KPIs such as production rate, shipment rate, inventory and the like. These metrics may indicate the performance but may not indicate the cause of such performance. For example, a node whose production rate is below the desired level may be because of poor supply of inputs of production by its supplier node.Thus mere identification of KPIs and their evaluation will not enable to identify the root cause of a problem in a supply chain. Therefore, we need a business intelligence framework that will satisfy the objectives, namely, identification of outcome of each node of the supply chain and its cause. The existing Supply Chain Intelligence (SCI) frameworks aims at identifying metrics that reflect the performance of individual nodes and the total supply chain, but fail to identify the cause of such outcomes. It implies that the linkages or association between the KPIs of individual nodes are required to be identified and defined. In this paper, contingency and systems approach has been used to identify the dimensions of the firm, its internal environment, the complement and the external environment. A system dynamics based approach has been used to identify the causality and resulting behavior of the supply chain. The paper proposes a SCI framework and a System dynamics Model that help in identifying the reasons for supply chin performance and lead to the actions required to be taken for improvement in performance of the supply chain.
Risk Evaluation of EPC Supply Chain Based on SCOR and Multi-Level Grey Model
Authors: Liang Cao , Jingchun Feng , Yuan Ren
Published: October 2019

With the development of China's economy, large-scale engineering and complex engineering are emerging. The Engineering Procurement Construction (EPC) project general contracting model is widely used in civil engineering, water conservancy, railway, water treatment, waste incineration plants and other large engineering area. The increasing complexity of construction technology and the risks are facing overwhelming and fragile supply chain. Based on the deep analysis of supply chain operation reference (SCOR) model, which is widely used in various fields of industry, this article puts forward the preliminary index system of supply chain risk of EPC project by analytic hierarchy process (AHP). The risk index system of waste incineration project including 5 first-level risk indicators and 27 second-level risk indicators has been established and determined. The multi-level grey model is used to evaluate the risk index, calculate the grey evaluation coefficient and the grey evaluation weight vector as well as the weight matrix, draw the specific risk evaluation value of the project, and sort the first level index. Finally, an EPC example of a waste incineration in Hubei Province is used to verify the feasibility and reliability of the method.
Cloud Computing Adoption
Authors: Priyadarshinee Pragati
Published: October 2019

The purpose of this chapter is to develop a cloud computing adoption scale for Indian manufacturing, service, and process industries. The scale development procedure has been followed from the previous studies and is refined further for clear understanding to adopt easily. In the first step, the authors have conducted a qualitative study for item selection. The second step includes pilot testing of 110 responses for measurement scale purification, and finally, they are validating the scale with 660 sample respondents through convergent validity and discriminant validity. The initial result showed very poor threshold values for the items “top management support” and “marketplace establishment,” which have strong literature support. This measurement scale will help managers to evaluate the level of cloud adoption to increase the business performance. The study is a first attempt to develop a validated scale for cloud adoption that can be used in Indian industries.
Large-Scale Renewable Energy Monitoring and Forecast Based on Intelligent Data Analysis
Authors: Ozkan Mehmet Baris , Küçük Dilek , Buhan Serkan , Demirci Turan , Karagoz Pinar
Published: October 2019

Intelligent data analysis techniques such as data mining or statistical/machine learning algorithms are applied to diverse domains, including energy informatics. These techniques have been successfully employed in order to solve different problems within the energy domain, particularly forecasting problems such as renewable energy and energy consumption forecasts. This chapter elaborates the use of intelligent data analysis techniques for the facilitation of renewable energy monitoring and forecast. First, a review of the literature is presented on systems and forecasting approaches applied to the renewable energy domain. Next, a generic and large-scale renewable energy monitoring and forecast system based on intelligent data analysis is described. Finally, a genuine implementation of this system for wind energy is presented as a case study, together with its performance analysis results. This chapter stands as a significant reference for renewable energy informatics, considering the provided conceptual and applied system descriptions, heavily based on smart computing techniques.
Application of the Software System of Finite Element Analysis for the Simulation and Design Optimization of Solar Photovoltaic Thermal Modules
Authors: Panchenko Vladimir , Chirskiy Sergey , Kharchenko Valeriy Vladimirovich
Published: October 2019

The chapter discusses the simulation of thermal operating conditions and the optimization of the design of solar photovoltaic thermal modules. As a realization of the developed method, two photovoltaic thermal modules with one-sided solar cells with one-sided heat removal and two-sided solar cells with two-sided heat removal are presented. The components of the developed models of solar modules must be optimized on the basis of the required indicators of the thermal mode of operation of the modules. For this task, a method has been developed for visualizing thermal processes using the Ansys system of finite element analysis, which has been used to research thermal modes of operation and to optimize the design of the modules created. With the help of the developed method, the temperature fields of the module components, coolant velocity and its flow lines in the developed models of a planar photovoltaic thermal roofing panel and a concentrator photovoltaic thermal two-sided module are visualized.
How to Manage the Effectiveness of Presowing Treatment of Seeds
Authors: Vasilyev Aleksey , Dzhanibekov Alim , Vasilyev Alexey Alexeyevich , Budnikov Dmitry , Samarin Gennadiy
Published: October 2019

Variants of seed response to external disturbances were studied to determine the principles that should be followed during pre-sowing treatment. The approach that involves analysis of seeds' adaptive response has been applied. The basic organizational rules have been specified for external disturbance application to seeds. The use of informational method for studying the biological response of seeds on external actions made it possible to find the rules that have to be followed when pre-sawing treatment is performed with the use of electrophysical excitation. The essence of these rules is that the following sequence of operations shall be carried out in the process of pre-sowing treatment: to define the lowest energy level of external disturbance corresponding to the seed's sensitivity threshold, to organize cyclic action of external factors on seeds, to vary the amplitude of external factor within cycles, to vary the mode of external disturbance. The field experiments were carried out for several years, during which the pre-sowing treatment of seeds was determined.
Mental Illness and Women in Cinema
Authors: Tüysüz Dilan
Published: October 2019

The representation of mental illness and individuals suffering from a specific mental illness in films is a phenomenon encountered since the first years of cinema. Mental diseases in many film genres such as horror, science fiction, comedy, and crime are used as scary, laughing, or drama elements. The representations of various psychopathologies in the films give an idea about these disorders to the ordinary viewer. However, these representations can accurately describe the reality and also have the risk of being defective and incomplete. It is seen that people who have mental disorders in cinema are generally presented in the way that ‘dangerous, violent, unpredictable characters' within the frame of limited and distorted patterns. It is possible to say that these cliché representations differ according to gender. Female characters with mental disorders are described as ‘beautiful and troubled women' in cinema. Related films were taken as an example in this study and it is aimed examine the representation of female characters with mental disorders in these films.
Tool Path and Sheet Thickness Distribution of Axisymmetric Cup in Single Point Incremental Forming
Authors: Li Ching Lun , Ni Yung Kuan , Haw Yang , Lu Yuung Hwa
Published: September 2019

This study involved planning different tool paths for an axisymmetric cup to explore the forming characteristics of the single point incremental forming (SPIF) process. In addition, this study developed a gradient theory to compute the inclined angle between the tangential and horizontal directions of the cup formed using single point incremental forming. The sheet thickness distribution of the cup was also calculated. To verify the theory, circle arc cups were formed by CNC machining using different tool paths. It was found that the cup formed using the spiral evolutional snail-line tool path produced a better surface than that formed using the equal height evolutional tool path. The sheet thicknesses of circle arc cups obtained by the experiment and using the cosine law were compared. A larger deviation was noted in the initial portion of the cup, whereas a smaller deviation was found in the other portion. This study also adopted a dual-conical cup to investigate the relationship between thickness and the initial inclined angle at the initial portion. It was found that a larger initial inclined angle led to good coincidence between the experimental and theoretical sheet thicknesses.
Discovery of Trissolcus japonicus (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) in Ontario, Canada
Authors: Gariepy Tara D. , Talamas Elijah J.
Published: September 2019

We report the detection and adventive establishment of the samurai wasp, Trissolcus japonicus (Ashmead) (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae), a candidate classical biological control agent for the invasive Halyomorpha halys (Stål) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), in southwestern Ontario, Canada. Nine naturally laid, field-collected pentatomid egg masses were collected in 2017 and 2018, and two of these egg masses, belonging to Halyomorpha halys and Podisus maculiventris (Say) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), produced adults of T. japonicus. The identification of T. japonicus was confirmed using DNA barcoding as well as morphological characteristics. The remaining egg masses yielded adults of the native Telenomus podisi Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae) and Anastatus reduvii (Ashmead) (Hymenoptera: Eupelmidae).
Contamination level and exposure assessment to Aflatoxin M1 in Jordanian infant milk formulas
Authors: Awaisheh Saddam S. , Rahahleh Razan J. , Algroom Rania M. , Al-Bakheit Ala'a A. , Al-Khaza'leh Ja'far M. , Al-Dababseh Basim A.
Published: September 2019

Aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) is a principal hydroxylated-aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) metabolite, and has been classified as possible human carcinogen (group 2B). The aim of this study was to survey the contamination level, estimated daily intake (EDI) and tolerable daily intake % (TDI%) of AFM1 in Jordanian infant milk formulas. A total of 120 samples, 48 starter and 72 follow-on formula samples were collected and analyzed using ELISA technique. Of the 120 surveyed samples, 58 (48.33%) were AFM1-positive and exceeded the EU maximum limit for AFM1 in IMF (25 ng/kg). The average AFM1 concentration was 69.93 and 84.78 ng AFM1/kg, with range of <5 − 89.25 and <5 – 213.84 ng AFM1/kg in starter and follow-on formula, respectively. It is also noteworthy the high EDI of AFM1 by infants (1.557 and 1.551 ng AFM1/kg b.w./day), and the high TDI% values (786.9 and 775.9%). In addition, current study indicated high-extrapolated AFB1 content in the feed; accordingly, raised the need to implement good agricultural and hygienic practices as preventive and controlling measures to decrease AFM1 in milk and IMF through controlling AFB1 in feed at the farm level. Finally, it is obvious that the contamination of IMF by AFM1 is an international problem, and the protection of infants and young children against AFM1 in Jordan requires a fundamental setup of clear legal limits of AFM1 in Jordanian standards and strict monitoring and continual analysis of IMF traded and consumed in Jordan.
Non-invasive prenatal rhesus D genotyping using cell-free foetal DNA
Authors: Rather Riyaz Ahmad , Dhawan Veena , Saha Subhas Chandra
Published: September 2019

Background & objectives:

Non-invasive prenatal diagnosis (NIPD) of rhesus D (RHD) genotype using cell-free foetal DNA is extensively used in many developed countries. Studies on NIPD from India are scarce. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the performance of non-invasive foetal RHD genotyping by targeting exon 10 of the RHD gene using cell-free DNA.

Methods:

DNA was extracted from the maternal plasma of alloimmunized and non-alloimmunized women between 7 and 34 wk of gestation. RHD sequence was determined by quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Results were compared with RhD phenotype obtained from cord blood samples of neonates.

Results:

A total of 135 samples from RhD-negative pregnant women were collected. The foetal RHD status was conclusive in all 135 (100%) cases. The highest number of cases reported for RHD genotyping were from Punjab (38.5%) followed by Haryana (24.4%), Himachal Pradesh (17.0%) and Chandigarh Union Territory (13.3%). The non-invasive test correctly predicted the foetal RhD phenotype in 133 of 135 cases, making the accuracy of the test as 98.51 per cent [95% confidence interval (CI): 97.90-99.50%]. The overall sensitivity and specificity of the test were 99.18 per cent (95% CI: 95.52-99.98%) and 92.31 per cent (95% CI: 63.97-99.81%), respectively, with negative and positive predictive values of 99.80 per cent (95% CI: 94.85-99.87%) and 96.31 per cent (95% CI: 62.87-98.84%), respectively.

Interpretation & conclusions:

Non-invasive foetal RHD determination by single-exon quantitative PCR exhibited high accuracy and could be used in routine clinical practice after confirmatory studies are done.
A comparative study on erlotinib & gefitinib therapy in non-small cell lung carcinoma patients
Authors: Thomas Preenumol , Vincent Bini , George Christeena , Joshua Julie Mariam , Pavithran K. , Vijayan Meenu
Published: September 2019

Background & objectives:

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) targeting the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) have been evaluated in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Erlotinib and gefitinib are the first-generation EGFR-TKIs for patients with NSCLC. However, there is a paucity of studies comparing the effectiveness of these two drugs. Hence, this study was aimed to compare the effectiveness and safety of erlotinib and gefitinib in NSCLC patients.

Methods:

This study included 71 NSCLC patients who received EGFR-TKIs between 2013 and 2016. Adverse drug reaction of both erlotinib (n=37) and gefitinib (n=34) was determined and graded according to Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events grading system. Effectiveness was measured using response evaluation criteria in solid tumours and progression-free survival (PFS). Pharmacoeconomic analysis was performed by cost-effective analysis.

Results:

When comparing safety profile, both the drugs had similar adverse events except for dermal side effects such as acneiform eruption (51.4%), rash (54.05%) and mucositis (59.5%) for erlotinib and 20.6, 26.5 and 29.4 per cent for gefitinib, respectively. The PFS of the two drugs was compared to differentiate the effectiveness of erlotinib and gefitinib. There was no significant difference between the effectiveness of the two drugs. The pharmacoeconomic analysis showed that gefitinib was more cost-effective than erlotinib.

Interpretation & conclusions:

This study showed that erlotinib and gefitinib had similar effectiveness but gefitinib had a better safety profile compared to erlotinib. Therefore, gefitinib could be considered a better option for NSCLC patients compared to erlotinib. However, further studies need to be done with a large sample to confirm these findings.
Surveillance for enterotoxigenic & enteropathogenic Escherichia coli isolates from animal source foods in Northwest Iran
Authors: Abri Ramin , Javadi Afshin , Asghari Roghayeh , Razavilar Vadood , Salehi Taghi Zahraei , Safaeeyan Firouzeh , Rezaee Mohammad Ahangarzadeh
Published: September 2019

Background & objectives:

Diarrhoeagenic Escherichia coli strains are common agents of diarrhoea particularly in developing countries. Food products of animal origin are considered as common carriers of E. coli. This study was undertaken to identify enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) and enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) pathotypes in animal-source foods (ASF).

Methods:

A total of 222 ASF samples were investigated. Based on the culture and biochemical tests, 109 E. coli isolates were identified. Duplex-polymerase chain reaction assay was used to detect ETEC and EPEC. The target genes selected for each category were the lt and st for the ETEC, and eae and bfp for the EPEC isolates.

Results:

The occurrence of E. coli in dairy and meat products was 45 and 52.5 per cent, respectively. Among the E. coli isolates, two ETEC, one typical EPEC and three atypical EPEC were detected in meat samples, whereas only one typical EPEC and one atypical EPEC were detected in dairy samples.

Interpretation & conclusions:

Our results showed presence of ETEC and EPEC strains in ASFs. The milk without pasteurization and traditional dairy products produced in unhygienic conditions are most likely the main sources of E. coli pathotypes and other zoonotic pathogens and thus can be considered a potential hazard to the health of the community.
Rapid detection of drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis directly from clinical specimens using allele-specific polymerase chain reaction assay
Authors: Sinha Pallavi , Banerjee Tuhina , Srivastava G.N. , Anupurba Shampa
Published: September 2019

Background & objectives:

Rapid detection of drug resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) is essential for the efficient control of tuberculosis. Hence, in this study a nested-allele-specific (NAS) PCR, nested multiple allele-specific PCR (NMAS-PCR) and multiple allele-specific (MAS) PCR assays were evaluated that enabled detection of the most common mutations responsible for isoniazid (INH) and rifampicin (RIF) resistance in MTB isolates directly from clinical specimens.

Methods:

Six pairs of primers, mutated and wild type, were used for the six targets such as codon 516, 526 and 531 of rpoB, codon 315 of katG and C15-T substitution in the promoter region of mabA-inhA using allele-specific (AS) PCR assays (NAS-PCR, NMAS-PCR and MAS-PCR). The performance of AS PCR method was compared with phenotypic drug susceptibility testing (DST).

Results:

The usefulness of AS PCR assays was evaluated with 391 clinical specimens (251 Acid fast bacilli smear positive and MTB culture positive; 93 smear negative and MTB culture positive; 47 smear positive and MTB culture negative) and 344 MTB culture positive isolates. With culture-based phenotypic DST as a reference standard, the sensitivity and specificity of the NAS-PCR, NMAS-PCR and MAS-PCR assay for drug resistance-related genetic mutation detection were 98.6 and 97.8 per cent for INH, 97.5 and 97.9 per cent for RIF and 98.9 and 100 per cent for multidrug resistance (MDR).

Interpretation & conclusions:

The performance of AS PCR assays showed that those could be less expensive and technically executable methods for rapid detection of MDR-TB directly from clinical specimens.
Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in chronic tension-type headache
Authors: Mattoo Bhawna , Tanwar Suman , Bhatia Rohit , Tripathi Manjari , Bhatia Renu
Published: September 2019

Background & objectives:

Tension-type headache (TTH) is the most common type of primary headache disorder. Its chronic form is often the most ignored and challenging to treat. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a novel technique in the treatment of chronic pain. The aim of this pilot study was to explore the effect of low-frequency repetitive TMS (rTMS) on pain status in chronic TTH (CTTH) by subjective and objective pain assessment.

Methods:

Patients (n=30) diagnosed with CTTH were randomized into rTMS (n=15) and placebo (n=15) groups in this study. Pre-intervention detailed history of patients was taken. Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) for Pain and questionnaires [Headache Impact Test-6 (HIT-6), McGill Pain Questionnaire, Pain Beliefs Questionnaire, Coping Strategies Questionnaire, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory Test, Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression and WHO-Quality of Life Questionnaire-Brief version] were filled, and objective assessments such as nociceptive flexion reflex (NFR) and conditioned pain modulation were done. The tests were repeated after 20 sessions (5 days/week). In the rTMS group, 1200 pulses in eight trains of 150 pulses each were given at 1Hz over the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (RDLPFC). In the placebo group, the rTMS coil was placed such that magnetic stimulation did not reach the cortex.

Results:

The NRS score decreased significantly (P<0.001) and NFR thresholds increased significantly (P=0.011) in the rTMS group when compared to placebo group.

Interpretation & conclusions:

Subjective improvements in the NRS, HIT-6, McGill Present Pain Intensity, trait of anxiety and psychological pain beliefs were observed. The increase in the thresholds of NFR served as an objective marker for improvement in pain status. Further studies need to be done to confirm our preliminary findings.
The Death of Dionysus and Ethical Dualism: On Olympiodorus’ Anthropogony and Neoplatonic Depictions of the Manichaean Cosmos
Authors: Božič Blaž
Published: September 2019

The version of anthropogony presented in Olympiodorus’ interpretation of Socrates’ philosophical argument against suicide (In Phaed. 1.3.3.–14) suggests two important questions: about the role of ethical dualism and original sin in pagan religion and philosophy on the one hand, and about the extent of Olympiodorus’ innovativeness on the other. I argue that Olympiodorus’ time foregrounded ethical dualism as a major concern in allegorical interpretations of Dionysus’ death by dismemberment, and that certain antecedents for a dualistic view might have existed (e.g. in the theological concepts of Orphic religions). Although any attempt to establish historical connections is bound to be speculative, some sources indicate that the specific link of Dionysus’ death with ethical dualism is not necessarily an innovation contributed in its entirety by Olympiodorus. I derive my main argument from a reference by Alexander of Lycopolis, who mentions that some of the Manichaeans used similar metaphors to describe the structure of the cosmos, which is based in their teachings on an ethical conflict.
Pavzanijevi kralji Arkadije
Authors: Cedilnik Alenka
Published: September 2019

Članek ob Pavzanijevem Vodiču po Grčiji osvetljuje starejša obdobja zgodovine Arkadije. Čeprav antični viri ta čas predstavljajo skozi mitološke like in zgodbe, vseeno posredujejo informacije tudi o povsem zgodovinskih dogodkih in procesih. Pavzanijev prikaz je zelo splošen in standarden ter v osnovnih potezah pravilen, čeprav ostajajo nepreverljive podrobnosti pripovedi. A da se v ozadju pripovedi skriva zrno resnice, med drugim dokazujejo arheološke najdbe. Pavzanijevi podatki o zgodovini Arkadije obenem niso le vir informacij o omenjenem obdobju, ampak posredno pričajo tudi o okoliščinah nastanka izročila, na katerega se avtor naslanja.
Relaciones entre prácticas artísticas, espacio social, visibilidad y gestión de la complejidad
Authors: Parramon Arimany Ramon
Published: October 2019

Las prácticas artísticas que se caracterizan por una tendencia a la desmaterialización, a la creación colectiva y a la concepción de la obra-como-proceso, pierden presencia y notoriedad en un contexto marcado por la hipervisibilidad y la inmediatez. Ante la necesidad de hacer inteligible la complejidad social, en un contexto de sobrexposición, el arte puede ser una forma de acción que contribuya a visibilizar aspectos de la realidad e incidir en ella. Pero si el arte no consigue regenerar y diversificar sus mecanismos de producción, puede quedar excluido de esta labor socializadora. La producción artística, entendida desde una perspectiva sistémica, puede afrontar la gestión de la complejidad como esencia, a la vez que conectarse a otros ámbitos, disciplinas o formas de ver-entender el mundo, que comparten el objetivo de descifrar e investigar para trazar futuros posibles, y contribuir a los procesos de emancipación colectiva.En este artículo se plantea la necesidad de redefinir las funciones que asume el arte contemporáneo en relación con los contextos sociales en los que se articula. Tomando como referencia el “productivismo” de los años 20 y las teorías del “arte sistémico” de finales de lo años 60, se ponen en relación con la producción artística contemporánea que activa experiencias que plantean una conexión con determinados espacios sociales, y lo afronta desde la gestión de la complejidad.

 
Rabbit haemorrhagic disease: experimental study of a recent highly pathogenic GI.2/RHDV2/b strain and evaluation of vaccine efficacy
Authors: Le Minor O. , Boucher S. , Joudou L. , Mellet R. , Sourice M. , Le Moullec T. , Nicolier A. , Beilvert F. , Sigognault-Flochlay A.
Published: September 2019

In 2010, a variant of the rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV) belonging to a new GI.2 genotype was identified in France and rapidly spread worldwide. Due to antigenic difference, new vaccines including G1.2 strains have been developed to confer adequate protection. An increase in the pathogenicity of the circulating strains was recently reported. The objective of this experimental study was to characterise the infection with a highly pathogenic GI.2/RHDV2/b isolate (2017) and assess the efficacy of Filavac VHD K C+V vaccine (Filavie) against this strain. Four and 10-wk-old specific pathogen-free rabbits were inoculated with a recommended dose of vaccine. After 7 d, controls and vaccinated rabbits were challenged and clinically monitored for 14 d. All animals were necropsied and blood, organs and urine were sampled for quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) analysis. In adult groups, regular nasal and rectal swabbing were performed, and faeces were collected after death to monitor RNA shedding. In control groups, the challenge strain induced acute RHD between 31 and 72 h post-inoculation, with a mortality rate of 100% for kits and 89% for adult rabbits. Except for a shorter mean time to death in kits, similar clinical signs and lesions were observed between age groups. The vaccination significantly prevented all mortality, clinical signs, detection of viral RNA in serum and gross lesions in kits and adult rabbits. In adult groups, we also demonstrated that vaccine significantly protected from detectable RNA shedding via naso-conjunctival and rectal routes. Two weeks after challenge, RNA copies were not detected by PCR in the liver, spleen, lungs, kidneys, faeces and urine of vaccinated adult rabbits. The findings for kits were similar, except that very low levels of RNA were present in the liver and spleen of a few rabbits. These data show that immunisation prevented any significant viral multiplication and/or allowed a rapid clearance. We concluded that, despite the quick evolution of GI.2/RHDV2/b strains, the protection conferred by the vaccine remains adequate. In the context of coexistence of both GI.1 and GI.2 genotypes in some countries, with the circulation of multiples recombinant viruses, the vaccination should be based on the association of strains from both genotypes.