bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Beyond accuracy: creating interoperable and scalable text-mining web services
Authors: Wei Chih-Hsuan , Leaman Robert , Lu Zhiyong
Published: February 2016

Summary: The biomedical literature is a knowledge-rich resource and an important foundation for future research. With over 24 million articles in PubMed and an increasing growth rate, research in automated text processing is becoming increasingly important. We report here our recently developed web-based text mining services for biomedical concept recognition and normalization. Unlike most text-mining software tools, our web services integrate several state-of-the-art entity tagging systems (DNorm, GNormPlus, SR4GN, tmChem and tmVar) and offer a batch-processing mode able to process arbitrary text input (e.g. scholarly publications, patents and medical records) in multiple formats (e.g. BioC). We support multiple standards to make our service interoperable and allow simpler integration with other text-processing pipelines. To maximize scalability, we have preprocessed all PubMed articles, and use a computer cluster for processing large requests of arbitrary text.

Availability and implementation: Our text-mining web service is freely available at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/CBBresearch/Lu/Demo/tmTools/#curl

Contact: Zhiyong.Lu@nih.gov
The Combination of Rhizopus chinensis Lipase and Transglutaminase Affects the Rheology and Glutenin Macropolymer Properties of Frozen Dough
Authors: Tang Xiaojuan , Wang Feng , Huang Weining , Zou Qibo , Jia Chunli , Jin Dadi , Omedi Jacob‐Ojobi , Li Zhibin
Published: February 2016

The combination of Rhizopus chinensis lipase (RCL) and transglutaminase (TG) was previously reported to improve the quality of frozen dough bread. In this study, the effects of RCL, TG, and their combination on the modification of glutenin macropolymer (GMP) and rheological properties of dough during frozen storage were investigated. Frozen storage changed both GMP and rheology properties of dough. TG treatment significantly decreased the ratio of high‐molecular‐weight glutenin subunits to low‐molecular‐weight glutenin subunits and GMP content in fresh dough, and GMP particle size increased. The effect of RCL on GMP properties was not significant, but its combination with TG dramatically increased the proportion of the larger particles and weighted average volume (D4.3) in GMP. The treatment with the enzyme combination could have inhibited the depolymerization of GMP, which slowed down the decrease rate of some parameters such as GMP content, proportion of larger particles, D4.3, and release of free amino and thiol groups during frozen storage. The modification of GMP properties by enzyme treatment weakened the effect of the freezing process on rheological properties of dough, especially TG treatment and its combination with RCL. Correlation between GMP particle size and dough properties (dough tensile force and elastic modulus) after freezing and enzyme treatment were confirmed.
Seasonal and Cross-Seasonal Timing of Fungicide Trunk Injections in Apple Trees to Optimize Management of Apple Scab
Authors: Aćimović Srđan G. , VanWoerkom Anthony H. , Garavaglia Thomas , Vandervoort Christine , Sundin George W. , Wise John C.
Published: February 2016

To optimize the number and timing of trunk injections for season-long control of apple scab (Venturia inaequalis), we evaluated 1 to 2 and 4 seasonal and cross-seasonal injections of potassium phosphites and synthetic fungicides and quantified residues in leaves and fruit. Phosphites accumulated in the canopy at the highest concentrations, aligned well in time with scab suppression, and gave better leaf scab control of 41.8 to 73.5% than propiconazole (16.9 to 51.5%) or cyprodinil + difenoconazole (5.4 to 17.4%). More injections of phosphites controlled leaf scab better than fewer (23.7% versus 48.2%), and more fungicide injections resulted in 21.9 to 51.1% better leaf scab control than fewer. Leaf scab control with phosphites was only 3.2 to 13.9% better with 4 cross-seasonal compared with 4 seasonal injections, while 1 to 2 seasonal compared with 1 to 2 cross-seasonal injections improved scab control only for 4.2 to 22.1%. On shoots, injected phosphites provided comparable or for 4.4 to 10.5% and 22.3 to 41.4% better scab control than spray standards. On fruit, injected phosphites slightly improved control compared with sprayed phosphites or the sprayed fungicide standard (33.4 to 40.8%). Two seasonal injections of phosphites controlled shoot scab 5.7% better than 9 spray applications. Five sprays of cyprodinil + difenoconazole controlled scab better than their injections. Fruit residues of phosphites reached 2.8 ppm and declined in all treatments except in 2 seasonal injections and phosphite sprays. Cyprodinil and difenoconazole fruit residues reached 0.02 and 0.07 ppm and declined sharply toward the end of the season. These were far below the United States, Codex, and EU MRL-s of 1, 0.8, and 0.5 ppm for difenoconazole, and 1.7, 2, and 1 ppm for cyprodinil, respectively.
The Genetic Structure, Virulence, and Fungicide Sensitivity of Fusarium fujikuroi in Taiwan
Authors: Chen Yu-Chia , Lai Ming-Hsin , Wu Chia-Yi , Lin Tsung-Chun , Cheng An-Hsiu , Yang Chin-Cheng , Wu Hsin-Yuh , Chu Sheng-Chi , Kuo Chien-Chih , Wu Yea-Fang , Lin Guo-Cih , Tseng Min-Nan , Tsai Yi-Chen , Lin Chun-Chi , Chen Chi-Yu , Huang Jenn-Wen , Lin Heng-An , Chung Chia-Lin
Published: February 2016

The rice disease bakanae, caused by Fusarium fujikuroi Nirenberg, has been present in Taiwan for over a century. To better understand the genetic diversity and structure of F. fujikuroi, a set of 16 polymorphic simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers were newly developed and used to analyze 637 F. fujikuroi isolates collected in 14 cities or counties around Taiwan from 1996 to 2013. On the basis of Bayesian clustering, the isolates were classified into four highly differentiated clusters: cluster B likely derived from the more widespread and genetically diversified clusters A or C, and cluster D was restricted to four cities or counties and may have been introduced from unknown sources genetically distinct from clusters A, B, and C. The coexistence of both mating types (MAT1-1:MAT1-2 = 1:1.88) and the highly diversified vegetative compatibility groups (VCG) (16 VCG among the 21 assessed isolates) suggest the likelihood of sexual reproduction in the field. However, the biased mating type ratios and linkage disequilibrium in the population suggest nonrandom mating between individuals. A significant pattern of isolation by distance was also detected, which implies a geographical restricted gene flow and low dissemination ability of F. fujikuroi. Evaluation of 24 representative isolates on eight rice varieties revealed differential levels of virulence, however no clear pattern of specific variety x isolate interaction was observed. Investigations of the differences in virulence and fungicide sensitivity between 8 early isolates (1998 and 2002) and 52 recent isolates (2012) indicate the evolution of increased resistance to the fungicide prochloraz in F. fujikuroi in Taiwan.
A Deoxynivalenol-Activated Methionyl-tRNA Synthetase Gene from Wheat Encodes a Nuclear Localized Protein and Protects Plants Against Fusarium Pathogens and Mycotoxins
Authors: Zuo Dong-Yun , Yi Shu-yuan , Liu Rong-Jing , Qu Bo , Huang Tao , He Wei-Jie , Li Cheng , Li He-Ping , Liao Yu-Cai
Published: February 2016

Fusarium graminearum is the fungal pathogen that causes globally important diseases of cereals and produces mycotoxins such as deoxynivalenol (DON). Owing to the dearth of available sources of resistance to Fusarium pathogens, characterization of novel genes that confer resistance to mycotoxins and mycotoxin-producing fungi is vitally important for breeding resistant crop varieties. In this study, a wheat methionyl-tRNA synthetase (TaMetRS) gene was identified from suspension cell cultures treated with DON. It shares conserved aminoacylation catalytic and tRNA anticodon binding domains with human MetRS and with the only previously characterized plant MetRS, suggesting that it functions in aminoacylation in the cytoplasm. However, the TaMetRS comprises a typical nuclear localization signal and cellular localization studies with a TaMetRS::GFP fusion protein showed that TaMetRS is localized in the nucleus. Expression of TaMetRS was activated by DON treatment and by infection with a DON-producing F. graminearum strain in wheat spikes. No such activation was observed following infection with a non-DON-producing F. graminearum strain. Expression of TaMetRS in Arabidopsis plants conferred significant resistance to DON and F. graminearum. These results indicated that this DON-activated TaMetRS gene may encode a novel type of MetRS in plants that has a role in defense and detoxification.
Having Two Ears Facilitates the Perceptual Separation of Concurrent Talkers for Bilateral and Single-Sided Deaf Cochlear Implantees
Authors: Bernstein Joshua G. W. , Goupell Matthew J. , Schuchman Gerald I. , Rivera Arnaldo L. , Brungart Douglas S.
Published: February 2016

Objectives:

Listening to speech with multiple competing talkers requires the perceptual separation of the target voice from the interfering background. Normal-hearing listeners are able to take advantage of perceived differences in the spatial locations of competing sound sources to facilitate this process. Previous research suggests that bilateral (BI) cochlear-implant (CI) listeners cannot do so, and it is unknown whether single-sided deaf (SSD) CI users (one acoustic and one CI ear) have this ability. This study investigated whether providing a second ear via cochlear implantation can facilitate the perceptual separation of targets and interferers in a listening situation involving multiple competing talkers.

Design:

BI-CI and SSD-CI listeners were required to identify speech from a target talker mixed with one or two interfering talkers. In the baseline monaural condition, the target speech and the interferers were presented to one of the CIs (for the BI-CI listeners) or to the acoustic ear (for the SSD-CI listeners). In the bilateral condition, the target was still presented to the first ear but the interferers were presented to both the target ear and the listener’s second ear (always a CI), thereby testing whether CI listeners could use information about the interferer obtained from a second ear to facilitate perceptual separation of the target and interferer.

Results:

Presenting a copy of the interfering signals to the second ear improved performance, up to 4 to 5 dB (12 to 18 percentage points), but the amount of improvement depended on the type of interferer. For BI-CI listeners, the improvement occurred mainly in conditions involving one interfering talker, regardless of gender. For SSD-CI listeners, the improvement occurred in conditions involving one or two interfering talkers of the same gender as the target. This interaction is consistent with the idea that the SSD-CI listeners had access to pitch cues in their normal-hearing ear to separate the opposite-gender target and interferers, while the BI-CI listeners did not.

Conclusions:

These results suggest that a second auditory input via a CI can facilitate the perceptual separation of competing talkers in situations where monaural cues are insufficient to do so, thus partially restoring a key advantage of having two ears that was previously thought to be inaccessible to CI users.
Dynamic Splinting in Children and Adolescents With Stiffness After Knee Surgery
Authors: Pace James L. , Nasreddine Adam Y. , Simoni Michael , Zurakowski David , Kocher Mininder S.
Published: February 2016

Purpose:

The purpose of this study was to investigate the indications and outcomes of dynamic splinting (DS) of the arthrofibrotic knee in the pediatric population.

Methods:

Seventy-four patients (41 males, 33 females) with postoperative arthrofibrosis treated with DS after an index knee surgery were reviewed. Median age was 13 years (range, 4 to 18 y), and median follow-up was 17 months (interquartile range, 10 to 28 mo). Demographics, index surgery procedure, preoperative and postoperative knee range of motion (ROM) measurements, treatment length and subsequent need for manipulation under anesthesia (MUA), and surgical lysis of adhesions (LOA) were evaluated. A ROM deficit was defined as lack of extension ≥10 degrees or lack of flexion <130 degrees. Successful improvement of ROM was defined as an increase of ≥10 degrees in flexion, extension, or both. There were 23 patients with flexion deficit only, 17 with extension deficit only, and 34 with combined flexion and extension deficits. Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to assess median improvement in ROM. Patients were classified into 4 surgical groups: anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction without meniscal repair (n=19), ACL reconstruction with meniscal repair (n=12), tibial spine fracture repair (n=21), and other (n=22). Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify independent predictors of failure of DS requiring MUA and LOA.

Results:

A total of 57 patients with flexion deficits showed median improvement of 30 degrees in flexion (95% confidence interval, 0-90 degrees; P<0.001), and 51 patients with extension deficits showed median improvement of 7 degrees in extension (95% confidence interval, 0-60 degrees; P<0.001). DS was associated with ROM improvement in 84% and avoided the need for surgery in 58% of all 74 patients included in the study. Multivariate analysis of the ACL with meniscus repair subgroup revealed that each 1-month delay in DS treatment was associated with a 5-fold increased risk of undergoing a LOA (P=0.007). Thirty-six (63%) patients with flexion deficit avoided need for surgery, whereas 26 (51%) patients with extension deficits avoided surgery.

Conclusions:

Our data suggest that DS is an effective method to increase knee ROM and reduce the need for subsequent MUA/LOA in the pediatric and adolescent patient with arthrofibrosis after an index knee surgery.

Level of Evidence:

Level IV—retrospective case series.
Body Image and Quality of Life and Brace Wear Adherence in Females With Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis
Authors: Schwieger Traci , Campo Shelly , Weinstein Stuart L. , Dolan Lori A. , Ashida Sato , Steuber Keli R.
Published: February 2016

Background:

Clinical evidence regarding the ability of braces to decrease the risk of curve progression to surgical threshold in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) continues to strengthen. Unfortunately, there is still a great deal of uncertainty regarding the impact of brace wear on psychosocial well-being or the impact of psychological well-being on brace wear adherence. The purpose of this study is to evaluate psychosocial well-being, in particular body image and quality of life (QOL), and brace wear adherence in female AIS patients undergoing brace treatment.

Methods:

The Bracing in Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis Trial (BrAIST) was a multicenter, controlled trial using randomized and preference assignments into an observation or brace treatment group. BrAIST patients were skeletally immature adolescents diagnosed with AIS having moderate curve sizes (20 to 40 degrees). Patients in the bracing group were instructed to wear a thoracolumbosacral orthosis, at least 18 h/d. Scores on the Spinal Appearance Questionnaire and the PedsQL4.0 Generic Scales from 167 female BrAIST patients who were randomized to brace treatment (n=58) and patients who chose brace treatment (n=109) were analyzed.

Results:

At baseline and at 12 months, no differences were found between the least-adherent brace wear group (<6 h/d) and most-adherent brace wear group (≥12 h/d) patients in terms of major curve, body image, and QOL. In the most-adherent group, poorer body image scores were significantly correlated with poorer QOL scores at baseline, at 6 months, and at 12 months but not at 18 months. In general, body image scores and QOL scores were not significantly correlated in the least-adherent group. When comparing patients that had a ≥6 degree increase of their major curve between baseline and 12 months to patients that did not, there were no significant differences in body image or QOL scores.

Conclusions:

For females adolescents with AIS, body image and QOL do not have a significant impact on brace wear adherence and are subsequently not significantly impacted by brace wear.

Level of Evidence:

Level II—therapeutic (prospective comparative study).
Femoral Neck Stress Fractures in Children Younger Than 10 Years of Age
Authors: Boyle Matthew J. , Hogue Grant D. , Heyworth Benton E. , Ackerman Kathryn , Quinn Bridget , Yen Yi-Meng
Published: February 2016

Background:

Femoral neck stress fractures are rare in healthy children, with only 9 cases previously reported. The present article reviews our institutional experience with femoral neck stress fractures in children younger than 10 years of age, to highlight the unique features of this condition.

Methods:

We undertook a retrospective review of clinical records of patients who had been treated at our institution for an idiopathic femoral neck stress fracture between 2000 and 2014. To focus on children rather than adolescents, the World Health Organization’s definition of adolescent as a person between 10 and 19 years of age was used; we thereby limited our analysis to patients younger than 10 years of age.

Results:

The study included 6 patients (3 males, 3 females) treated for an idiopathic femoral neck stress fracture, with a mean age at diagnosis of 7.7 years (range, 5.2 to 8.9 y). All patients presented with a limp, which worsened with activity and had persisted for a mean of 5 weeks (range, 2 to 9 wk). None of the patients had experienced an increase in activity level or sporting volume before symptom onset. On examination, 3 patients experienced pain with terminal hip flexion and 3 patients demonstrated pain-free hip range of motion. Plain radiography demonstrated inferior femoral neck cortical disruption, suggesting a compression-type stress fracture mechanism. The diagnosis was confirmed by cross-sectional imaging in all cases. All patients were initially treated with 6 to 8 weeks of non–weight-bearing followed by 4 to 6 weeks of partial weight-bearing, leading to complete healing in 4 patients. Two patients demonstrated incomplete healing and were managed with spica casting for an additional 6 weeks.

Conclusions:

Our case series illustrates the unique features of this rare condition in children, with a history and examination profile distinct from those of adolescents and adults. Compliance with weight-bearing restrictions is difficult in this population and hip spica casting may be required to permit complete healing.

Level of Evidence:

Level IV—case series.
Interactive effects of 9-cis-retinoic acid and androgen on proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis of LNCaP prostate cancer cells
Authors: Eskra Jillian N. , Kuiper Jan W. , Walden Paul D. , Bosland Maarten C. , Özten Nur
Published: February 2016

9-cis-Retinoic acid (9cRA), which binds to both retinoic acid receptors and retinoic X receptors, inhibits prostate cancer induction in rats and reduces growth of prostate cancer cells. However, the nature of this growth inhibition and the interactive influence of androgens are not well defined and are the subject of this report. LNCaP and PC-3 cells were cultured and treated with a range of 9cRA concentrations for 3–6 days in the absence or presence of 5α-dehydrotestosterone. 9cRA inhibited cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner, plateauing at 10−7 mol/l. Treatment of cells with 10−6 mol/l 9cRA inhibited 5α-dihydroxytestosterone (DHT)-stimulated proliferation, the effect of which was maximal at 10−9 mol/l DHT. Treatment of DHT (10−9 mol/l)-exposed cells with 9cRA caused a dose-dependent increase in prostate-specific antigen in the medium after 6 days, but not 3 days. 9cRA caused a dose-dependent increase in apoptotic cells stained with H33258 after 3 days, but not 6 days; however, on using flow cytometry, apoptosis was apparent at both 3 and 6 days. Flow cytometry also revealed interference of G0/G1 to S phase transition by 9cRA. Inhibition by 9cRA of anchorage-independent growth of PC-3 cells was also found; LNCaP cells did not grow colonies in soft agar. 9cRA inhibited growth and induced differentiation of human LNCaP prostate cancer cells in vitro and inhibited anchorage-independent growth of PC-3 cells. Because 9cRA and 13-cis-retinoic acid, which is retinoic acid receptor-selective, prevent prostate carcinogenesis in rats, and 13-cis-retinoic acid also inhibits growth of human prostate cancer cells, the RAR is a potential molecular target for prostate cancer prevention and therapy.
Phenotypic Variation in Different Lesions of Mycosis Fungoides Biopsied Within a Short Period of Time From the Same Patient
Authors: Kash Natalie , Massone Cesare , Fink-Puches Regina , Cerroni Lorenzo
Published: February 2016

Phenotypic variants of mycosis fungoides (MF) include mainly the expression of cytotoxic markers by neoplastic cells (either α/β or γ/δ cytotoxic). To manage the patient properly, distinction from other cutaneous cytotoxic natural killer/T-cell lymphomas is paramount. Particularly for cutaneous γ/δ T-cell lymphoma, distinction is often based on clinicopathologic correlation (presence of tumors at first diagnosis as opposed to patches only in MF). The authors report a case of cytotoxic MF characterized by expression of TCRγ in two of three biopsies performed within a time frame of 1 week. The patient presented with patches, plaques, and 1 tumor at the time of first diagnosis; thus, distinction from cutaneous γ/δ T-cell lymphoma was not possible on clinical grounds alone. The diagnosis of MF was established, thanks to the phenotypic variations revealed by the three biopsies, with 1 lacking expression of cytotoxic proteins (TIA-1 and granzyme B) and of TCRγ. This case shows the importance to perform several biopsies in cases of cutaneous lymphoma, as morphologic and phenotypic features are variable and information gathered from a single biopsy may result in a wrong diagnosis.
Epidemiology and Outcome of Acute Kidney Injury According to Pediatric Risk, Injury, Failure, Loss, End-Stage Renal Disease and Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes Criteria in Critically Ill Children—A Prospective Study*
Authors: Volpon Leila C. , Sugo Edward K. , Consulin Julio C. , Tavares Tabata L. G. , Aragon Davi C. , Carlotti Ana P. C. P.
Published: February 2016

Objective:

We aimed to investigate the epidemiology, risk factors, and short- and medium-term outcome of acute kidney injury classified according to pediatric Risk, Injury, Failure, Loss, End-Stage Renal Disease, and Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes criteria in critically ill children.

Design:

Prospective observational cohort study.

Setting:

Two eight-bed PICUs of a tertiary-care university hospital.

Patients:

A heterogeneous population of critically ill children.

Interventions:

None.

Measurements and Main Results:

Demographic, clinical, laboratory, and outcome data were collected on all patients admitted to the PICUs from August 2011 to January 2012, with at least 24 hours of PICU stay. Of the 214 consecutive admissions, 160 were analyzed. The prevalence of acute kidney injury according to pediatric Risk, Injury, Failure, Loss, End-Stage Renal Disease and Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes criteria was 49.4% vs. 46.2%, respectively. A larger proportion of acute kidney injury episodes was categorized as Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes stage 3 (50%) compared with pediatric Risk, Injury, Failure, Loss, End-Stage Renal Disease F (39.2%). Inotropic score greater than 10 was a risk factor for acute kidney injury severity. About 35% of patients with acute kidney injury who survived were discharged from the PICU with an estimated creatinine clearance less than 75 mL/min/1.73 m2 and one persisted with altered renal function 6 months after PICU discharge. Age 12 months old or younger was a risk factor for estimated creatinine clearance less than 75 mL/min/1.73 m2 at PICU discharge. Acute kidney injury and its severity were associated with increased PICU length of stay and longer duration of mechanical ventilation. Eleven patients died; nine had acute kidney injury (p < 0.05). The only risk factor associated with death after multivariate adjustment was Pediatric Risk of Mortality score greater than or equal to 10.

Conclusions:

Acute kidney injury defined by both pediatric Risk, Injury, Failure, Loss, End-Stage Renal Disease and Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes criteria was associated with increased morbidity and mortality, and may lead to long-term renal dysfunction.
Protective Role of BST2 Polymorphisms in Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV-1 and Adult AIDS Progression
Authors: Kamada Anselmo J. , Bianco Anna M. , Zupin Luisa , Girardelli Martina , Matte Maria C. C. , Medeiros Rúbia Marília de , Almeida Sabrina Esteves de Matos , Rocha Marineide M. , Segat Ludovica , Chies José A. B. , Kuhn Louise , Crovella Sergio
Published: February 2016

Bone marrow stromal cell antigen-2 (BST-2)/Tetherin is a restriction factor that prevents Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) release from infected cells and mediates pro-inflammatory cytokine production. This study investigated the risk conferred by single nucleotide polymorphisms (rs919266, rs9192677, and rs9576) at BST-2 coding gene (BST2) in HIV-1 mother-to-child transmission and in disease progression. Initially, 101 HIV-1+ pregnant women and 331 neonates exposed to HIV-1 from Zambia were enrolled. Additional BST2 single nucleotide polymorphism analyses were performed in 2 cohorts with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) progression: an adult Brazilian cohort (37 rapid, 30 chronic and 21 long-term non-progressors) and an Italian pediatric cohort (21 rapid and 67 slow progressors). The rs9576A allele was nominally associated with protection during breastfeeding (P = 0.019) and individuals carrying rs919266 GA showed slower progression to AIDS (P = 0.033). Despite the influence of rs919266 and rs9576 on BST2 expression being still undetermined, a preventive role by BST2 polymorphisms was found during HIV-1 infection.
Incidence of Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis Using Gadobenate Dimeglumine in 1423 Patients With Renal Insufficiency Compared With Gadodiamide
Authors: Bruce Richard , Wentland Andrew L. , Haemel Anna K. , Garrett Robert W. , Sadowski Donna R. , Djamali Arjang , Sadowski Elizabeth A.
Published: February 2016

Objective

The purpose of this study was to assess the incidence of nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF) before and after educational interventions, implementation of a clinical screening process, and change to gadobenate dimeglumine in patients who had an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of 30 mL/min per 1.72 m2 or less.

Methods

This is a Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act compliant, institutional review board exempt study. Two periods were studied—July 2005 to June 2006, during which gadodiamide was utilized as our magnetic resonance (MR) contrast agent, and November 2006 to August 2014, during which gadobenate dimeglumine was used as our MR contrast agent in patients who had an eGFR 30 mL/min per 1.72 m2 or less. In addition to a change in the MR contrast agent, education of our staff physician to the risks of NSF with MR contrast agents and the implementation of a clinical screening process occurred. The rate of NSF before and after the interventions was compared using the χ2 test.

Results

There was a statistically significant difference in the incidence of NSF in patients with an eGFR 30 mL/min per 1.72 m2 or less between the 2 periods: July 2005 to June 2006, 6 of 246 patients were diagnosed with NSF (P < 0.001), versus November 2006 to August 2014, 0 of 1423 patients were diagnosed with NSF.

Conclusions

Our data demonstrates a marked decrease in the incidence of NSF after education of our referring physicians, implementation of clinical screening process, and change to gadobenate dimeglumine from gadodiamide in patients with renal insufficiency. This approach potentially provides an acceptable risk-benefit profile for patients with renal insufficiency that required MR imaging for clinical care.
Neck abscess as the initial manifestation of pharyngeal cancer
Authors: Uhliarova Barbora , Hajtman Andrej
Published: February 2016

Introduction:

Pharyngeal carcinoma and neck abscesses are not uncommon, but neck infection as the initial presentation of primary head and neck cancer is rare, and these patients risk potential misdiagnosis.

Case presentation:

We report our experience with two patients who had an unusual first presentation of pharyngeal cancer – a deep neck infection and a relapsing abscess of the thyroid gland.

Conclusion:

Our case series demonstrates the need for meticulous physical examination of the head and neck in all patients presenting with neck abscess. It is important to consider malignant tumour as a possible cause of deep neck infection and an abscess of the thyroid gland. Diagnosis and subsequent treatment is delayed if malignancy is not clinically suspected.
Examining ICT application adoption in Australian home-based businesses
Authors: Burgess Stephen , Paguio Rafael
Published: February 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to report on a study that examines an under-researched area, the use of information and communications technologies (ICT) in Australian home-based businesses (HBB).

Design/methodology/approach

– HBB constitute a large part of the economy, yet little is known of how they use ICT to improve their business operations. The study involved a case study comprising interviews with 30 business operators in the Western region of Melbourne, a major Australian city. The findings were analysed using a unique approach to Rogers’ (2003) Diffusion of Innovations, employing the innovation-decision process as a lens for the analysis.

Findings

– The study findings suggest that ICT application adoption in HBB participants is not uniform, with adoption of applications such as e-mail differing from adoption of newer applications, such as social networking. ICT use needs to be considered according to individual ICT applications and explained in the context of particular HBB. The study contributes to studies of innovation adoption, particularly in relation to the use of ICT applications in HBB.

Research limitations/implications

– It should be remembered that this study involved interviews with a broad selection of 30 HBB in the Western region of Melbourne, Australia. The results should be considered in the context of hypothesis generation in regards to HBB rather than hypothesis testing that can occur with larger samples. The authors feel that this study would be representative of the practices of ICT adoption in many such groupings of HBB in cities of major Western countries, but hesitate to claim that similar, specific uses of ICT applications would be matched elsewhere.

Practical implications

– This study has a number of practical implications. The results suggest that researchers should consider adoption of individual ICT applications in HBB. Further, policy makers looking to support the use of ICT by HBB should consider that the HBB in this study had adopted different ICT applications and were at different stages of ICT adoption. This is worth considering when deciding upon policies relating to how to suppzort the HBB sector (such as provision of training support and so forth).

Originality/value

– The paper introduces a unique means to assess the adoption of ICT applications by examining their level of penetration, level of maturity and usefulness to HBB.
Knowledge management capability, customer relationship management, and service quality
Authors: Tseng Shu-Mei
Published: February 2016

Purpose

– Firms survive by exploiting knowledge resources to maintain customer relationships more efficiently and effectively, as well as enhance their service quality. However, whether an enterprise can effectively utilize knowledge resources determines the effectiveness of knowledge management capability (KMC). Hence, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship among KMC, customer relationship management (CRM), and service quality.

Design/methodology/approach

– In order to explore on KMC, CRM, and service quality, the questionnaire and partial least square (PLS) techniques were used.

Findings

– The results indicate that KMC has a positive influence on CRM and service quality; and further, that CRM has a positive influence on service quality. This result also reveals constructive suggestions that allow firms to strengthen their KMC and CRM, as well as enhance their service quality.

Research limitations/implications

– This research applied a purposive sampling method and obtained a slightly inadequate number of respondents. Therefore, it is suggested that future research should apply a random sampling method to collect more responses and increase the generalizability of the findings.

Practical implications

– This research aims to investigate KMC, CRM, and service quality, as well as establish and verify the patterns of the aforementioned relationships based on how enterprises implement their KMC and CRM to enhance service quality.

Originality/value

– Although the critical factors for enhancing service quality have been identified in previous studies, few have specifically explored KMC despite the fact that it has a dramatic impact on service quality. To fill this knowledge gap, the present study employed a questionnaire and PLS techniques to explore the relationship among KMC, CRM, and service quality. Comprehending the essentials for enhancing service quality can provide useful management insights into developing effective strategies that allow enterprises to retain customers.
Text mining stackoverflow
Authors: Joorabchi Arash , English Michael , Mahdi Abdulhussain E.
Published: February 2016

Purpose

– The use of social media and in particular community Question Answering (Q & A) websites by learners has increased significantly in recent years. The vast amounts of data posted on these sites provide an opportunity to investigate the topics under discussion and those receiving most attention. The purpose of this paper is to automatically analyse the content of a popular computer programming Q & A website, StackOverflow (SO), determine the exact topics of posted Q & As, and narrow down their categories to help determine subject difficulties of learners. By doing so, the authors have been able to rank identified topics and categories according to their frequencies, and therefore, mark the most asked about subjects and, hence, identify the most difficult and challenging topics commonly faced by learners of computer programming and software development.

Design/methodology/approach

– In this work the authors have adopted a heuristic research approach combined with a text mining approach to investigate the topics and categories of Q & A posts on the SO website. Almost 186,000 Q & A posts were analysed and their categories refined using Wikipedia as a crowd-sourced classification system. After identifying and counting the occurrence frequency of all the topics and categories, their semantic relationships were established. This data were then presented as a rich graph which could be visualized using graph visualization software such as Gephi.

Findings

– Reported results and corresponding discussion has given an indication that the insight gained from the process can be further refined and potentially used by instructors, teachers, and educators to pay more attention to and focus on the commonly occurring topics/subjects when designing their course material, delivery, and teaching methods.

Research limitations/implications

– The proposed approach limits the scope of the analysis to a subset of Q & As which contain one or more links to Wikipedia. Therefore, developing more sophisticated text mining methods capable of analysing a larger portion of available data would improve the accuracy and generalizability of the results.

Originality/value

– The application of text mining and data analytics technologies in education has created a new interdisciplinary field of research between the education and information sciences, called Educational Data Mining (EDM). The work presented in this paper falls under this field of research; and it is an early attempt at investigating the practical applications of text mining technologies in the area of computer science (CS) education.
An employee who was not there: a study of job boredom in white-collar work
Authors: Harju Lotta K. , Hakanen Jari J.
Published: February 2016

Purpose

– Job boredom is an amotivational state at work, where employees lack interest in their work activities and have difficulties concentrating on them. Although recent research suggests that job boredom may concern a wide range of industries, studies investigating the experience and its emergence in white-collar work are scarce. Thereby the purpose of this paper is to contextualize job boredom by exploring the experience and its preconditions in white-collar work.

Design/methodology/approach

– This inductive, exploratory study employed data from 13 focus group interviews (n=72) in four organizations to investigate the emergence and experience of job boredom.

Findings

– Three types of job boredom was found. Each type involved distinct temporal experiences: inertia, acceleration and disrupted rhythm at work. The findings suggest that different types of job boredom involve specific conditions that hamper the activation of individual capabilities and disrupt temporal experience accordingly.

Research limitations/implications

– Extending the conceptualization of job boredom may enable better understanding of the variety of consequences often associated with the phenomenon.

Practical implications

– It is also important for organizations to recognize that there are different types and various preconditions of job boredom in white-collar work, as it may have a negative impact on employee well-being and performance.

Originality/value

– The results indicate that job boredom is a more nuanced phenomenon than earlier believed. By identifying job boredom in white-collar work as an experience with various forms and respective preconditions, this study expands the understanding of the phenomenon and its emergence.
HRM in healthcare: the role of work engagement
Authors: Shantz Amanda , Alfes Kerstin , Whiley Lilith
Published: February 2016

Purpose

– Due to increasing cost pressures, and the necessity to ensure high quality patient care while maintaining a safe environment for patients and staff, interest in the capacity for HRM practices to make a difference has piqued the attention of healthcare professionals. The purpose of this papers is to present and test a model whereby engagement mediates the relationship between four HRM practices and quality of care and safety in two different occupational groups in healthcare, namely, nurses and administrative support workers.

Design/methodology/approach

– Structural equation modeling was used to analyze questionnaire data collected by the National Health Service in the UK as part of their 2011 Staff Survey (n=69,018). The authors tested the hypotheses for nurses and administrative support workers separately.

Findings

– Training, participation in decision making, opportunities for development, and communication were positively related to quality of care and safety via work engagement. The strength of the relationships was conditional on whether an employee was a nurse or administrative support worker.

Originality/value

– This is the first paper to examine the mediating role of engagement on the relationship between four relevant HRM practices in the healthcare context, and outcomes important to healthcare practitioners. The authors also add value to the HRM literature by being among the first to use the job demands resources model to explain the impact of HRM practices on performance outcomes. Moreover, the authors provide insight into how HRM practices affect outcomes in the world’s largest publicly funded healthcare service.
Large-Eddy Simulation of an n-Dodecane Spray Flame Under Different Ambient Oxygen Conditions
Authors: Pei Yuanjiang , Hu Bing , Som Sibendu
Published: February 2016

An n-dodecane spray flame was simulated using a dynamic structure large-eddy simulation (LES) model coupled with a detailed chemistry combustion model to understand the ignition processes and the quasi-steady state flame structures. This study focuses on the effect of different ambient oxygen concentrations, 13%, 15%, and 21%, at an ambient temperature of 900 K and an ambient density of 22.8 kg/m3, which are typical diesel-engine relevant conditions with different levels of exhaust gas recirculation (EGR). The liquid spray was treated with a traditional Lagrangian method. A 103-species skeletal mechanism was used for the n-dodecane chemical kinetic model. It is observed that the main ignitions occur in rich mixture, and the flames are thickened around 35–40 mm off the spray axis due to the enhanced turbulence induced by the strong recirculation upstream, just behind the head of the flames at different oxygen concentrations. At 1 ms after the start of injection (SOI), the soot production is dominated by the broader region of high temperature in rich mixture instead of the stronger oxidation of the high peak temperature. Multiple realizations were performed for the 15% O2 condition to understand the realization-to-realization variation and to establish best practices for ensemble-averaging diesel spray flames. Two indexes are defined. The structure-similarity index (SSI) analysis suggests that at least 5 realizations are needed to obtain 99% similarity for mixture fraction if the average of 16 realizations is used as the target at 0.8 ms. However, this scenario may be different for different scalars of interest. It is found that 6 realizations would be enough to reach 99% of similarity for temperature, while 8 and 14 realizations are required to achieve 99% similarity for soot and OH mass fraction, respectively. Similar findings are noticed at 1 ms. More realizations are needed for the magnitude-similarity index (MSI) for the similar level of similarity as the SSI.
Local Kinematic Analysis of Closed-Loop Linkages—Mobility, Singularities, and Shakiness
Authors: Müller Andreas
Published: February 2016

The mobility of a linkage is determined by the constraints imposed on its members. The geometric constraints define the configuration space (c-space) variety as the geometric entity in which the finite mobility of a linkage is encoded. The aim of a local kinematic analysis of a linkage is to deduce its finite mobility, in a given configuration, from the local c-space geometry. In this paper, a method for the local analysis is presented adopting the concept of the tangent cone to a variety. The latter is an algebraic variety approximating the c-space. It allows for investigating the mobility in regular as well as singular configurations. The instantaneous mobility is determined by the constraints, rather than by the c-space geometry. Shaky and underconstrained linkages are prominent examples that exhibit a permanently higher instantaneous than finite DOF even in regular configurations. Kinematic singularities, on the other hand, are reflected in a change of the instantaneous DOF. A c-space singularity as a kinematic singularity, but a kinematic singularity may be a regular point of the c-space. The presented method allows to identify c-space singularities. It also reveals the ith-order mobility and allows for a classification of linkages as overconstrained and underconstrained. The method is applicable to general multiloop linkages with lower pairs. It is computationally simple and only involves Lie brackets (screw products) of instantaneous joint screws. The paper also summarizes the relevant kinematic phenomena of linkages.
A Fractional Calculus Model of Viscoelastic Stator Supports Coupled With Elastic Rotor–Stator Rub
Authors: Smyth Patrick A. , Varney Philip A. , Green Itzhak
Published: February 2016

Rotating machinery is inherently susceptible to costly and dangerous faults. One such commonly encountered fault is undesirable dynamic contact between the rotor and stator (i.e., rotor–stator rub). The forces generated during rotor–stator rub are fundamentally tribological, as they are generated by contact and friction and result in wear. These forces are typically found by assuming linear elastic contact and dry Coulomb friction at the rotor–stator interface, where the normal force is a linear function of the interference. For the first time, this work incorporates viscoelasticity into the stator support and investigates its influence on the global dynamics of rotor–stator rub. The viscoelastic stator supports are modeled using fractional calculus, an approach which adeptly and robustly characterizes the viscoelasticity. Specifically, a fractional derivative order of one-half is employed to generate an analytic time-domain form of viscoelastic impedance. This approach directly assimilates viscoelasticity into the system dynamics, since the rotor equations of motion are integrated numerically in the time-domain. The coupled rotor–stator dynamic model incorporating viscoelastic supports is solved numerically to explore the influence of viscoelasticity. This model provides a framework for analysis of dynamic systems where viscoelasticity is included.
Rugby Talent Development
Authors: Worsnop Simon A.
Published: February 2016

The purpose of this article is to examine the application of talent development principles to the coaching of rugby. It will consider the generic and sport specific problems of talent identification and selection, particularly the danger of early selection that poses the dual problems of early disengagement on the one hand and over specialization on the other. The paper will touch upon the various proposed models of athlete development and discuss the ways in which a national governing body of sport can influence player development along the age continuum. The role of the individual coach in developing young players and the importance of coach development and education will also be considered. Understanding the needs of players at different times in their development, and having a clear knowledge of how to improve performance in an efficient, time restrained but also enjoyable manner is a key skill for any coach. However, this skill requires time to grow and many coach education systems do not provide the ongoing support mechanisms that will enable a coach to grow and flourish, resulting in a less than optimal coaching environment.
Sticky business
Authors: Nalepa Grzegorz
Published: February 2016

Dissolving mutant TP53 protein aggregates kills cancers.
Kinetic Studies on CphA Mutants Reveal the Role of the P158-P172 Loop in Activity versus Carbapenems
Authors: Bottoni Carlo , Perilli Mariagrazia , Marcoccia Francesca , Piccirilli Alessandra , Pellegrini Cristina , Colapietro Martina , Sabatini Alessia , Celenza Giuseppe , Kerff Frédéric , Amicosante Gianfranco , Galleni Moreno , Mercuri Paola Sandra
Published: February 2016

Site-directed mutagenesis of CphA indicated that prolines in the P158-P172 loop are essential for the stability and the catalytic activity of subclass B2 metallo-β-lactamases against carbapenems. The sequential substitution of proline led to a decrease of the catalytic efficiency of the variant compared to the wild-type (WT) enzyme but also to a higher affinity for the binding of the second zinc ion.