bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation After Total Knee Arthroplasty
Authors: Bistolfi Alessandro , Zanovello Jessica , Ferracini Riccardo , Allisiardi Fabrizio , Lioce Elisa , Magistroni Ernesta , Berchialla Paola , Da Rold Ilaria , Massazza Giuseppe
Published: October 2017

Objective

The aim of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of the use of the neuromuscular electrical stimulation after total knee arthroplasty.

Design

The study used a systematic review of randomized controlled trials (MEDLINE, PubMed, Cochrane Library, and PEDro) using Patient Population or Problem, Intervention, Comparison, Outcomes, Setting approach to formulate the research question, controlled terms, and Boolean operators. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were defined in advance. “Neuromuscular electrical stimulation” and “total knee arthroplasty” were used as keywords. The overall risk of bias was determined according to the following: random sequence generation, concealment, blinding mass of participants and staff, commissioning blind assessment results, incomplete data, and loans received.

Results

Of the 36 identified studies, six were included in the review (496 participants). In these studies, one group of patients followed a rehabilitation protocol (control group) and the other followed a rehabilitation program plus a session of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (neuromuscular electrical stimulation group). Patients of neuromuscular electrical stimulation groups got the best scores (timed up and go test, stair climbing test, and walk test). Neuromuscular electrical stimulation benefits were strong in the first postoperative weeks/months and gradually diminished.

Conclusions

Neuromuscular electrical stimulation allows a slightly better functional recovery after total knee arthroplasty, especially in the first period, with more evident benefits in patients with a severe lack of muscular activation. Nevertheless, there is no difference at medium-long term.
Disability and Health Consequences of Traumatic Brain Injury
Authors: Jourdan Claire , Azouvi Philippe , Genêt François , Selly Nicolas , Josseran Loic , Schnitzler Alexis
Published: October 2017

Objective

The aim of the study was to measure the prevalence of traumatic brain injury (TBI)-related disability and health status in the general population.

Design

The French National Survey, conducted in households and institutions, assessed 33,896 adults. Data included sequelae from TBI, impairments, current health conditions, and uses of health services. Analyses, adjusted for age and sex, compared subjects who declared sequelae from TBI (n = 479) with the remaining survey population (n = 33,287). Use of weighting factors ensured that results were representative of the national population.

Results

Prevalence of persistent sequelae from TBI in France was 704/100,000. Median time since injury was 14 yrs. For all Core Set items of the International Classification of Functioning, subjects with TBI reported more impairments than the control population: adjusted odds ratios from 1.7 (behavioral difficulties) to 8.6 (motor difficulties). Rates of cardiovascular, respiratory, musculoskeletal, digestive, urological, neurological, and psychiatric conditions were higher in the TBI population. Use of health services was greater, and women with TBI had higher rates of unmet health needs.

Conclusions

Persistent sequelae from TBI significantly affect health in the general population. Planning of post-TBI care should address the chronic needs of these persons.
Feasibility and Reliability of Functional Muscle Tests in Lung Transplant Recipients
Authors: Kienbacher Thomas , Achim-Gunacker Grace , Pachner Melanie , Kerschan-Schindl Katharina , Gunacker Patrik , Habenicht Richard , Klepetko Walter , Jaksch Peter , Doblhammer Stephan , Ebenbichler Gerold
Published: October 2017

Objective

This study investigates the feasibility, reliability, and correlations of recommended functional tests in lung transplant recipients shortly after surgery.

Design

This is an observational study.

Methods

Fifty patients (28 females) performed well-standardized maximum isometric back extension in a sitting position, handgrip strength, and Biering-Sørensen endurance tests shortly before discharge from the acute hospital, shortly thereafter, and 2 mos later after subacute rehabilitation.

Results

Back extension testing was well feasible, but only two thirds of the patients could perform the Biering-Sørensen test at baseline and they experienced a greater number of minor but no major adverse events. Absolute reliability measures and the intraclass correlation coefficients were excellent for the strength (0.97–0.98 [0.95–0.99]) and good for the endurance tests (0.69 [0.26–0.87]). Handgrip revealed high correlation with back strength (≥0.75) but not with Biering-Sørensen scores.

Conclusions

Well-controlled maximum back strength testing is feasible and reliable, and the scores are highly correlated with grip strength in lung transplant recipients shortly before hospital discharge. The Biering-Sørensen test should be limited to patients without dominant weakness and/or fear. Future research should investigate whether grip instead of back extension strength can safely be used for proper exercise prescription.
Depressive Symptoms, Antidepressant Medication Use, and Inflammatory Markers in the Diabetes Prevention Program
Authors: de Groot Mary , Marrero David , Mele Lisa , Doyle Todd , Schwartz Frank , Mather Kieren J. , Goldberg Ronald , Price David W. , Ma Yong , Knowler William C.
Published: October 2017

Objective

Antidepressant medication use (ADM) has been shown to predict diabetes. This article assessed the role of inflammatory markers in this relationship within the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP).

Methods

DPP participants randomized to metformin (MET), life-style intervention (ILS), or placebo (PLB) were assessed for depression (Beck Depression Inventory [BDI]) annually, ADM use semiannually, serum inflammatory markers (C-reactive protein [CRP], interleukin 6 [IL-6]) at baseline and year 1, and diagnosis of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) semiannually (for 3.2 years).

Results

At baseline (N = 3187), M (SD) body mass index was 34 (6) kg/m2 and the median (interquartile range) BDI score was 3 (1–7). One hundred eighty-one (5.7%) reported ADM use and 328 (10%) had BDI scores of 11 or higher. CRP and IL-6 levels did not differ by treatment group. Baseline ADM, but not BDI score, was associated with higher levels of baseline CRP adjusted for demographic, anthropometric variables, and other medications (20% higher, p = .01). Year 1 CRP decreased for non-ADM users in the MET (−13.2%) and ILS (−34%) groups and ADM users in the ILS group (−29%). No associations were found with IL-6. CRP and continuous use of ADM predicted incident T2DM in the PLB group. In the ILS group, continuous and intermittent ADM, but not CRP, predicted T2DM. In the MET group, CRP predicted incident T2DM. CRP did not mediate the risk of T2DM with ADM use in any group.

Conclusions

ADM was significantly associated with elevated CRP and incident T2DM. In the PLB group, ADM and CRP independently predicted onset of T2DM; however, CRP did not significantly mediate the effect of ADM.
Methods in field chronobiology
Authors: Dominoni Davide M. , Åkesson Susanne , Klaassen Raymond , Spoelstra Kamiel , Bulla Martin
Published: October 2017

Chronobiological research has seen a continuous development of novel approaches and techniques to measure rhythmicity at different levels of biological organization from locomotor activity (e.g. migratory restlessness) to physiology (e.g. temperature and hormone rhythms, and relatively recently also in genes, proteins and metabolites). However, the methodological advancements in this field have been mostly and sometimes exclusively used only in indoor laboratory settings. In parallel, there has been an unprecedented and rapid improvement in our ability to track animals and their behaviour in the wild. However, while the spatial analysis of tracking data is widespread, its temporal aspect is largely unexplored. Here, we review the tools that are available or have potential to record rhythms in the wild animals with emphasis on currently overlooked approaches and monitoring systems. We then demonstrate, in three question-driven case studies, how the integration of traditional and newer approaches can help answer novel chronobiological questions in free-living animals. Finally, we highlight unresolved issues in field chronobiology that may benefit from technological development in the future. As most of the studies in the field are descriptive, the future challenge lies in applying the diverse technologies to experimental set-ups in the wild.

This article is part of the themed issue ‘Wild clocks: integrating chronobiology and ecology to understand timekeeping in free-living animals’.
Time is honey: circadian clocks of bees and flowers and how their interactions may influence ecological communities
Authors: Bloch Guy , Bar-Shai Noam , Cytter Yotam , Green Rachel
Published: October 2017

The interactions between flowering plants and insect pollinators shape ecological communities and provide one of the best examples of coevolution. Although these interactions have received much attention in both ecology and evolution, their temporal aspects are little explored. Here we review studies on the circadian organization of pollination-related traits in bees and flowers. Research, mostly with the honeybee,
Apis mellifera
, has implicated the circadian clock in key aspects of their foraging for flower rewards. These include anticipation, timing of visits to flowers at specified locations and time-compensated sun-compass orientation. Floral rhythms in traits such as petal opening, scent release and reward availability also show robust daily rhythms. However, in only few studies was it possible to adequately determine whether these oscillations are driven by external time givers such as light and temperature cycles, or endogenous circadian clocks. The interplay between the timing of flower and pollinator rhythms may be ecologically significant. Circadian regulation of pollination-related traits in only few species may influence the entire pollination network and thus affect community structure and local biodiversity. We speculate that these intricate chronobiological interactions may be vulnerable to anthropogenic effects such as the introduction of alien invasive species, pesticides or environmental pollutants.

This article is part of the themed issue ‘Wild clocks: integrating chronobiology and ecology to understand timekeeping in free-living animals’.
Speech tracking in auditory and motor regions reflects distinct linguistic features
Authors: Keitel Anne , Gross Joachim , Kayser Christoph
Published: October 2017

Abstract

During online speech processing, our brain tracks the acoustic fluctuations in speech at different time-scales. Previous research has focussed on generic time-scales (for example, delta or theta bands) that are assumed to map onto linguistic features such as prosody or syllables. However, given the high inter-subject variability in speaking patterns, such a generic association between the time-scales of brain activity and speech properties can be ambiguous. Here, we analyse speech tracking in source-localised magnetoencephalographic data by directly focusing on time-scales extracted from statistical regularities in the speech material. This revealed widespread tracking at the time-scales of phrases (0.6 – 1.3 Hz), words (1.8 – 3 Hz), syllables (2.8 – 4.8 Hz), and phonemes (8 – 12.4 Hz). Importantly, when examining the relevance for single-trial comprehension, we found stronger tracking for correctly comprehended trials in the left premotor cortex at the phrasal scale, and in left middle temporal cortex at the word scale. Control analyses using generic bands confirmed that these effects were specific to the stimulus-tailored speech regularities. Furthermore, we found that the phase at the phrasal time-scale coupled to beta-power in motor areas. This cross-frequency coupling likely mediates the comprehension effect in the motor system, and implies top-down temporal prediction in speech perception. Together, our results reveal specific functional and perceptually relevant roles of distinct entrainment processes along the auditory-motor pathway. These processes act concurrently at time-scales within the traditional delta band and highlight the role of neural tracking mechanisms that reflect the temporal characteristics of speech.
Comparing Cell Division- and Cell Reproduction-based Cell Lineage Analysis for Early Embryogenesis ofCaenorhabditis elegans
Authors: Liu Shi V.
Published: October 2017

Cell lineage analysis holds important stakes for understanding heredity and cell differentiation. Conventional cell lineages are reconstructed according to a cell division doctrine of one mother cell dividing into two daughter cells. An alternative cell lineage reconstruction method followed a cell reproduction discovery of multiple daughter cells reproduced from a same mother cell. To see which reconstruction method reflects reality of early embryogenesis ofCaenorhabditis elegans, a side-by-side comparison was made between two methods. Here I show cell division-based lineage distorted reality and failed in revealing any true genealogy. Cell reproduction – based lineage conformed to reality with exact same number of cells in every developmental stage under examination and showed clear genealogical relationship. A paradigm-shift from cell division-to cell reproduction-based cell lineage analysis is necessary for correct understanding of developmental biology and will lead to a revolution in cell biology and life science.
Working Memory Training Integrates Visual Cortex into Beta-Band Networks in Congenitally Blind Individuals
Authors: Rimmele Johanna M. , Gudi-Mindermann Helene , Nolte Guido , Röder Brigitte , Engel Andreas K.
Published: October 2017

Congenitally blind individuals activate the visual cortex during non-visual tasks. Such crossmodal reorganization is likely associated with changes in large-scale functional connectivity, the spectral characteristics of which can be assessed by analysis of neural oscillations. To test visual cortical integration into working memory networks, we recorded magnetoencephalographic data from congenitally blind and sighted individuals during resting state as well as during a voice-based working memory task prior to and following working memory training with voices, or tactile stimuli or a training-control condition. Auditory training strengthened beta-band (17.5-22.5 Hz) connectivity (imaginary coherency) in the blind and theta-band (2.5-5 Hz) connectivity in the sighted during the task, suggesting different neural coupling mechanisms. In the sighted, theta-band connectivity increased between brain areas involved in auditory working memory (inferior frontal, superior temporal, insular cortex). In the blind, beta-band networks largely emerged during the training, and connectivity increased between brain areas involved in auditory working memory and the visual cortex. The prominent involvement of the right fusiform face area in this beta-band network suggests a task-specific integration of visual cortex. Our findings highlight large-scale interactions as a key mechanism of functional reorganization following congenital blindness, and provide new insights into the spectral characteristics of the mechanism.
OPRM1A118G and serum β-endorphin interact with sex and digit ratio (2D:4D) to influence risk and course of alcohol dependence
Authors: Gegenhuber Jordan Bruno , Weinland Christian , Kornhuber Johannes , Mühle Christiane , Lenz Bernd
Published: October 2017

Activation of mesolimbic mu-opioid receptor by its endogenous ligand, β-endorphin, mediates part of the rewarding effects of alcohol, yet there is controversial evidence surrounding the relationship between the functional mu-opioid receptor gene (OPRM1) A118G single nucleotide polymorphism and alcohol dependence risk. Some preclinical evidence suggests that sex and sex hormone-dependent prenatal brain organization may interact with the opioid system to influence alcohol drinking behavior. We genotyped 200 alcohol-dependent patients and 240 healthy individuals for the A118G variant and measured serum β-endorphin level at recruitment and during acute withdrawal. We then evaluated the association between these factors and alcohol dependence risk and outcome in the context of both sex and second-to-fourth digit length ratio (2D:4D) – a biomarker of prenatal sex hormone load. For the first time, the AA genotype was found to be associated with elevated alcohol-related hospital readmission risk, more readmissions, and fewer days until first readmission in male but not female patients. Upon accounting for 2D:4D, the G-allele predicted alcohol dependence and more readmissions (1 vs ≥2) in males, suggesting prenatal sex hormones interact withOPRM1to influence addiction pathology. Withdrawal β-endorphin level also correlated negatively with withdrawal severity in females but not in males, indicating β-endorphin might protect against withdrawal-induced stress in a sex-specific manner. Organizational effects of sex hormones may prime individuals for alcohol dependence by inducing permanent changes to the endogenous opioid system.
Microfluidic Transfection for High-Throughput Mammalian Protein Expression
Authors: Woodruff Kristina , Maerkl Sebastian J.
Published: October 2017

Mammalian synthetic biology and cell biology would greatly benefit from improved methods for highly parallel transfection, culturing and interrogation of mammalian cells. Transfection is routinely performed on high-throughput microarrays, but this setup requires manual cell culturing and precludes precise control over the cell environment. As an alternative, microfluidic transfection devices streamline cell loading and culturing. Up to 280 transfections can be implemented on the chip at high efficiency. The culturing environment is tightly regulated and chambers physically separate the transfection reactions, preventing cross-contamination. Unlike typical biological assays that rely on end-point measurements, the microfluidic chip can be integrated with high-content imaging, enabling the evaluation of cellular behavior and protein expression dynamics over time.
Mapfuser: an integrative toolbox for consensus map construction and Marey maps
Authors: van Muijen Dennis , Basnet Ram K. , Dek Nathalie N.J. , Maliepaard Chris , Gutteling Evert W.
Published: October 2017

Motivation

Where standalone tools for genetic map visualisation, consensus map construction, and Marey map analysis offer useful analyses for research and breeding, no single tool combines the three. Manual data curation is part of each of these analyses, which is difficult to standardize and consequently error prone.

Results

Mapfuser provides a high-level interface for common analyses in breeding programs and quantitative genetics. Combined with interactive visualisations and automated quality control, mapfuser provides a standardized and flexible toolbox and is available as Shiny app for biologists. Reproducible research in the R package is facilitated by storage of raw data, function parameters, and results in an R object. In the shiny app a rmarkdown report is available.

Availability

Mapfuser is available as R package athttps://github.com/dmuijen/mapfuserunder the GPL-3 License and is available for public use as Shiny application athttps://plantbreeding.shinyapps.io/mapfuser. Documentation for the R package is available as package vignette. Shiny app documentation is integrated in the application.

Contact

dennis.vanmuijen@wur.nl
Umbilical Cord Blood Diagnostics for Early Onset Sepsis in Premature Infants: Detection of Bacterial DNA and Systemic Inflammatory Response
Authors: Mithal Leena B. , Malczynski Michael , Qi Chao , Green Stefan , Seed Patrick C. , Mestan Karen K.
Published: October 2017

Statement of financial support:

This work has been supported by a Thrasher Research Fund Early Career Award (#12573), National Institutes of Health (K23 HL093302 [KKM], R01GM108494 [PCS])), the Gerber Foundation, the Hartwall Foundation, and the Northwestern Memorial Foundation (Friends of Prentice Grants Initiative).

Disclosure statement

The authors of this manuscript have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

Category of Study

Translational
Assessment of batch-correction methods for scRNA-seq data with a new test metric
Authors: Büttner Maren , Miao Zhichao , Wolf F Alexander , Teichmann Sarah A , Theis Fabian J
Published: October 2017

Single-cell transcriptomics is a versatile tool for exploring heterogeneous cell populations. As with all genomics experiments, batch effects can hamper data integration and interpretation. The success of batch effect correction is often evaluated by visual inspection of dimension-reduced representations such as principal component analysis. This is inherently imprecise due to the high number of genes and non-normal distribution of gene expression. Here, we present a k-nearest neighbour batch effect test (kBET,https://github.com/theislab/kBET) to quantitatively measure batch effects. kBET is easier to interpret, more sensitive and more robust than visual evaluation and other measures of batch effects. We use kBET to assess commonly used batch regression and normalisation approaches, and quantify the extent to which they remove batch effects while preserving biological variability. Our results illustrate that batch correction based on log-transformation orscranpooling followed byComBatreduced the batch effect while preserving structure across data sets. Finally we show that kBET can pinpoint successful data integration methods across multiple data sets, in this case from different publications all charting mouse embryonic development. This has important implications for future data integration efforts, which will be central to projects such as the Human Cell Atlas where data for the same tissue may be generated in multiple locations around the world.

[Before final publication, we will upload the R package to Bioconductor]
The role of m6A-RNA methylation in stress response regulation
Authors: Engel Mareen , Röh Simone , Eggert Carola , Kaplick Paul M. , Tietze Lisa , Arloth Janine , Weber Peter , Rex-Haffner Monika , Jakovcevski Mira , Uhr Manfred , Eder Matthias , Wotjak Carsten T. , Schmidt Mathias V. , Deussing Jan M. , Binder Elisabeth B. , Chen Alon
Published: October 2017

N6-Methyladenosine (m6A) is an abundant internal RNA modification that regulates transcript processing and translation. The regulation of brain m6A by stressful stimuli in vivo and its role in the stress response are currently unknown.

Here, we provide a detailed analysis of the stress-epitranscriptome using m6A-Seq, global and gene-specific m6A measurements. We show that stress exposure and glucocorticoids alter m6A and its regulatory network in a region- and time-specific manner. We demonstrate that depletion of the methyltransferase Mettl3 and the demethylase Fto in adult neurons increases fear memory, and alters the transcriptome response to fear as well as synaptic plasticity. Finally, we report that regulation of m6A is impaired in major depressive disorder patients following glucocorticoid receptor activation.

Our findings indicate that brain m6A represents a novel layer of complexity in gene expression regulation after stress and that dysregulation of the m6A-response may contribute to the pathophysiology of stress-related psychiatric disorders.

Highlights

m6A RNA methylation in adult mouse brain is regulated by stress

Brain m6A levels are temporally and spatially regulated by stress

Mettl3 and Fto-KO alter fear memory, transcriptome response and synaptic plasticity

The m6A-glucocorticoid-response is impaired in major depressive disorder patients

eTOC blurb

Engel et al. demonstrate a brain-area-specific and time-dependent role for the mRNA modification, m6A, in stress-response regulation. Manipulating m6A-enzymes alters fear-memory, transcriptome-response and synaptic-plasticity. Altered m6A dynamics in depressed patients suggest an involvement of m6A-modifications in stress-related psychiatric disorders.
Identification of Memory Reactivation during Sleep by EEG Classification
Authors: Belal Suliman , Cousins James , El-Deredy Wael , Parkes Laura , Schneider Jules , Tsujimura Hikaru , Zoumpoulaki Alexia , Perapoch Marta , Lewis Penelope
Published: October 2017

Memory reactivation during sleep is critical for consolidation, but also extremely difficult to measure as it is subtle, distributed and temporally unpredictable. This article reports a novel method for detecting such reactivation in standard sleep recordings. During learning, participants produced a complex sequence of finger presses, with each finger cued by a distinct audio-visual stimulus. Auditory cues were then re-played during subsequent sleep to trigger neural reactivation through a method known as targeted memory reactivation (TMR). Next, we used electroencephalography data from the learning session to train a machine learning classifier, and then applied this classifier to sleep data to determine how successfully each tone had elicited memory reactivation. Above chance classification was significantly higher in slow wave sleep than in stage 2, suggesting differential efficacy of TMR in these two sleep stages. Interestingly, classification success reduced across numerous repetitions of the tone cue, suggesting either a gradually reducing responsiveness to such cues or a plasticity-related change in the neural signature as a result of cueing. We believe this method will be invaluable for future investigations of memory consolidation.
Nasty Prophages and the Dynamics of Antibiotic-Tolerant Persister Cells
Authors: Harms Alexander , Fino Cinzia , Sørensen Michael A. , Semsey Szabolcs , Gerdes Kenn
Published: October 2017

Bacterial persisters are phenotypic variants that survive antibiotic treatment in a dormant state and can be formed by multiple pathways. We recently proposed that the second messenger (p)ppGpp drivesEscherichia colipersister formation through protease Lon and the activation of toxin-antitoxin (TA) modules. This model found support in the field, but also generated controversy as part of recent heated debates on the validity of significant parts of the literature. In this study, we therefore used our previous work as a model to critically examine common experimental procedures in order to understand and overcome the inconsistencies often observed between results of different laboratories. Our results show that seemingly simple antibiotic killing assays are very sensitive to variation of culture conditions and bacterial growth phase. Additionally, we found that some assay conditions cause the killing of antibiotic-tolerant persisters via induction of cryptic prophages. Similarly, the inadvertent infection of mutant strains with bacteriophage φ80, a notorious laboratory contaminant, has apparently caused several phenotypes that we reported in our previous studies. We therefore reconstructed all infected mutants and probed the validity of our model of persister formation in a refined assay setup that uses robust culture conditions and unravels the dynamics of persister cells through all bacterial growth stages. Our results confirm the importance of (p)ppGpp and Lon, but do not anymore support a role of TA modules inE. colipersister formation. We anticipate that the results and approaches reported in our study will lay the ground for future work in the field.

Importance

The recalcitrance of antibiotic-tolerant persister cells is thought to cause relapsing infections and antibiotic treatment failure in various clinical setups. Previous studies have identified multiple genetic pathways involved in persister formation, but also revealed reproducibility problems that sparked controversies about adequate tools to study persister cells. In this study we unraveled how typical antibiotic killing assays often fail to capture the biology of persisters and instead give widely different results based on ill-controlled experimental parameters and artifacts caused by cryptic as well as contaminant prophages. We therefore established a new, robust assay that enabled us to follow the dynamics of persister cells through all growth stages of bacterial cultures without distortions by bacteriophages. This system also favored adequate comparisons of mutant strains with aberrant growth phenotypes. We anticipate that our results will contribute to a robust, common basis of future studies on the formation and eradication of antibiotic-tolerant persisters.
Algorithmic complexity of EEG for prognosis of neurodegeneration in idiopathic rapid eye movement behavior disorder (RBD)
Authors: Ruffini Giulio , Ibañez David , Kroupi Eleni , Gagnon Jean-François , Montplaisir Jacques , Postuma Ronald B. , Castellano Marta , Soria-Frisch Aureli
Published: October 2017

Objective

Idiopathic REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD) is a serious risk factor for neurodegenerative processes such as Parkinson’s disease (PD). We investigate the use of EEG algorithmic complexity derived metrics for its prognosis.

Methods

We analyzed resting state EEG data collected from 114 idiopathic RBD patients and 83 healthy controls in a longitudinal study forming a cohort in which several RBD patients developed PD or dementia with Lewy bodies. Multichannel data from∼5 minute recordings was converted to spectrograms and their algorithmic complexity estimated using Lempel-Ziv-Welch compression (LZW).

Results

Complexity measures and entropy rate displayed statistically significant differences between groups. Results are compared to those using the ratio of slow to fast frequency power, which they are seen to complement by displaying increased sensitivity even when using a few EEG channels.

Conclusions

Poor prognosis in RBD appears to be associated with decreased complexity of EEG spectrograms stemming in part from frequency power imbalances and cross-frequency amplitude coupling.

Significance

Algorithmic complexity metrics provide a robust, powerful and complementary way to quantify the dynamics of EEG signals in RBD with links to emerging theories of brain function stemming from algorithmic information theory.

Index Terms

Biomarkers, EEG, LZW, PD, LBD
Determinants of organizational innovation: a framework
Authors: Busaibe Leena , Singh Sanjay Kumar , Ahmad Syed Zamberi , Gaur Sanjaya S.
Published: October 2017

Purpose

This study aims to examine the effect of gender perspectives in organizational leadership and culture on organizational innovations within the oil and gas industry in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Design/methodology/approach

The study examined research in the area of organizational innovation and proposed a framework to help practitioners to create an environment that promotes and strengthens innovation thinking at an institutional level.

Findings

Based on the literature, a framework of organizational innovation was developed with gender as a control factor. It shows the mediating effect of employee performance management on the independent variables, organizational leadership and culture.

Research limitations/implications

The oil and gas industry in the UAE should be a suitable environment for organizational innovation. Gender differences justify further investigation, especially the implications for female leaders, such as promotion and career advancement.

Practical implications

The results of this study will provide practical insights to executives, strategy-makers and practitioners and enable them to increase innovation among individuals and teams.

Originality/value

This study provides a comprehensive framework to assist practitioners and academics to understand the correlation of organizational innovation in the oil and gas industry.
Relating multidimensional perfectionism and academic procrastination among Indian university students
Authors: Ghosh Rachana , Roy Santanu
Published: October 2017

Purpose

This study aims to examine the impact of multidimensional perfectionism on academic procrastination among university students in India and to explore whether gender plays any role in this relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from a sample of 90 female and 60 male students, aged 18-23 years, enrolled in full-time bachelor’s and master’s programs in a central university in the National Capital Region of India and analyzed adopting different statistical techniques.

Findings

The findings indicated that academic procrastination positively correlates with all the three dimensions of perfectionism – self-oriented perfectionism, other-oriented perfectionism and socially prescribed perfectionism. The different dimensions of perfectionism also significantly predict academic procrastination. Gender differences exist with regard to other-oriented perfectionism, socially prescribed perfectionism and academic procrastination.

Research limitations/implications

The results highlight that the different dimensions of perfectionism play a critical role in shaping academic procrastination among university students, but this trajectory often differs between male and female students. Further research among a larger student audience would help concretize the study conclusions.

Originality/value

This study extends the extant literature by examining the predictive relationships between the different dimensions of perfectionism and academic procrastination and the gender differences that exist with regard to academic procrastination and the different dimensions of perfectionism among university students, especially within the context of a developing country (i.e., India).
Station-keeping control for a stratosphere airship via wind speed prediction approach
Authors: Qiu Jihui , Shen Shaoping , Li Zhibin
Published: October 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to improve the control precision of the station-keeping control for a stratosphere airship through the feedforward-feedback PID controller which is designed by the wind speed prediction based on the incremental extreme learning machine (I-ELM).

Design/methodology/approach

First of all, the online prediction of wind speed is implemented by the I-ELM with rolling time. Second, the feedforward-feedback PID controller is designed through the position information of the airship and the predicted wind speed. In the end, the one-dimensional dynamic model of the stratosphere airship is built, and the controller is applied in the numerical simulation.

Findings

Based on the conducted numerical simulations, some valuable conclusions are obtained. First, through the comparison between the predicted value and true value of the wind speed, the wind speed prediction based on I-ELM is very accurate. Second, the feedforward-feedback PID controller designed in this paper is very effective.

Originality/value

This paper is very valuable to the research of a high-accuracy station-keeping control of stratosphere airship.
TML: a language to specify aerial robotic missions for the framework Aerostack
Authors: Molina Martin , Suarez-Fernandez Ramon A. , Sampedro Carlos , Sanchez-Lopez Jose Luis , Campoy Pascual
Published: October 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe the specification language TML for adaptive mission plans that the authors designed and implemented for the open-source framework Aerostack for aerial robotics.

Design/methodology/approach

The TML language combines a task-based hierarchical approach together with a more flexible representation, rule-based reactive planning, to facilitate adaptability. This approach includes additional notions that abstract programming details. The authors built an interpreter integrated in the software framework Aerostack. The interpreter was validated with flight experiments for multi-robot missions in dynamic environments.

Findings

The experiments proved that the TML language is easy to use and expressive enough to formulate adaptive missions in dynamic environments. The experiments also showed that the TML interpreter is efficient to execute multi-robot aerial missions and reusable for different platforms. The TML interpreter is able to verify the mission plan before its execution, which increases robustness and safety, avoiding the execution of certain plans that are not feasible.

Originality/value

One of the main contributions of this work is the availability of a reliable solution to specify aerial mission plans, integrated in an active open-source project with periodic releases. To the best knowledge of the authors, there are not solutions similar to this in other active open-source projects. As additional contributions, TML uses an original combination of representations for adaptive mission plans (i.e. task trees with original abstract notions and rule-based reactive planning) together with the demonstration of its adequacy for aerial robotics.
The governance of vulnerability: regulation, support and social divisions in action
Authors: Brown Kate
Published: October 2017

Purpose

Diverse narratives and practices concerned with “vulnerability” increasingly inform how a range of social issues are understood and addressed, yet the subtle creep of the notion into various governance arenas has tended to slip by unnoticed. The purpose of this paper is to explore the role of vulnerability in responding to longstanding and on-going dilemmas about social precariousness and harm.

Design/methodology/approach

Drawing on in-depth qualitative research into how vulnerability was operationalised in services for “vulnerable” young people in an English city, prominent narratives of vulnerability are traced, which operate in relation to a variety of often-dissonant service user responses.

Findings

The paper shows the governance of vulnerability as a dynamic process, informed by policy developments and wider beliefs about the behaviours of “problem” populations, interpreted and modified by interactions between practitioners and young people, and in turn shaping lived experiences of vulnerability. Patterns in this process illuminate how vulnerability narratives re-shape long-running tensions at the heart of social welfare interventions between a drive to provide services that might mitigate social precariousness and an impetus towards regulating behaviour.

Originality/value

The paper argues that although gesturing to inclusivity, the governance of vulnerability elaborates power dynamics and social divisions in new ways. Resulting outcomes are evidently varied and fluid, holding the promise of further social change.
Informed digital learning through social living labs as participatory methodology
Authors: Hughes Hilary , Wolf Rike , Foth Marcus
Published: October 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore social living labs as a participatory methodology and context for fostering digital literacy and community well-being. This approach is examined through a case study of Food Rescue Townsville, a voluntary community organisation in North Queensland, Australia.

Design/methodology/approach

Using qualitative case study methodology, the research investigated volunteers’ experience of a social living lab where they selected, installed and used open source Food Rescue Robot software.

Findings

The social living lab enhanced volunteers’ digital literacy and the organisation’s efficiency. The participatory nature and transformative intentions of social living labs are similar to action research as both promote social change through collaboration.

Research limitations/implications

The case study intentionally focuses on one community organisation to gain in-depth insights of a real-life social living lab.

Practical implications

The paper models an innovative approach that contributes to community learning and well-being. It presents a social living labs framework for digital literacy development that is underpinned by participatory action research cycle and integrates informed learning principles. Social living labs provide a learning context and approach that extends beyond digital skills instruction to a holistic process of using information to learn. They enable individuals to participate as digital citizens in the creation, curation and use of digital information.

Social implications

Informed digital learning through social living labs addresses the digital divide by fostering digital participation, volunteering and community engagement.

Originality/value

The paper is of interest to researchers, information literacy educators and community groups. Theoretical insights and participatory practices of the Food Rescue Townsville case, and the proposed social living labs framework are transferable to other communities.
The direct library supply of individual textbooks to students: examining the value proposition
Authors: Broadhurst Dominic
Published: October 2017

Purpose

This paper aims to highlight the value of a library led e-textbook programme at a the UK university.

Design/methodology/approach

The data for the results were obtained from two surveys of students. First, from an online survey of 575 students who received an individual copy of an e-textbook from The University of Manchester Library. Second, from a face to face survey of 146 students, based on a random sample of students entering the Alan Gilbert Learning Commons at the University. In addition, a series of one-to-one interviews were conducted with 40 members of academic faculty, who were teaching the course modules, on which the students received their own e-textbook.

Findings

This research highlights the significant benefits a library led e-textbook service can offer to students, academic faculty, the wider University and to the profile of the library. Provision of the e-textbooks leads to higher engagement of learning from students, their increased satisfaction with the University and Library, plus addresses issue of reducing their direct costs. It also leads to enhanced pedagogy from the perspective of academic faculty.

Practical implications

The paper addresses issues of inequality of provision for individual students and contributes to enhanced learning for all students.

Originality/value

Library led initiatives are very new in this field and this project is one of the first to both undertake this provision and to undertake extensive research to assess the value of the project.
Information innovation: it’s all about people
Authors: Smedley Jo
Published: October 2017

Purpose

This paper discusses the importance of effectively engaging people in sharing information and managing its implementation across organisations as a key part of successful change initiatives.

Design/methodology/approach

Consideration why information is important to an organisation and how people and space contribute to its current and future effective management.

Findings

How flexibility of working practices and the creative management of physical and virtual space empowers and enables change in innovating new working practices.

Research limitations/implications

How creative thinking contributes to flexibility and streamlining of established practices to achieve effective information management. There is no “final answer” – it is an ongoing iterative process which depends on people engagement for continued success.

Practical implications

Within a working environment of ongoing change, it is important that the value of engaging people in organisational change is embedded as a key part of assuring continuing successful outcomes.

Social implications

The methods of engaging people in successful change need to be carefully considered to maximise overall outcomes reflecting a “hearts and mind” perspective. Approaches used are often individual to different groups within wider communities. All contribute to achieving effective change outcomes across a whole organisation.

Originality/value

Today’s information age is ever changing. People are an organisations best asset. An effective information management system enables a flexible, agile and response to access data, develop information and progress knowledge to build ongoing sustainability.
VPNs in the library
Authors: Massis Bruce
Published: October 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the use of a virtual private network (VPN) as an additional protective strategy for patrons using library computers.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is a literature review and commentary on this topic that has been addressed by professionals, researchers and practitioners.

Findings

Credit must be given to those libraries who have made free VPN services available to their patrons, thus encouraging off-site usage of library resources through this extra layer of authentication in an effort to provide them with a trust level of privacy beyond their standard expectations. Should the library not provide such a service at present, at least an individual can add a VPN to one’s protective bag of tricks to, perhaps, in an effort to place even a limited constraint on those who would do them harm when online.

Originality/value

The value in exploring this topic is to provide some context and potential options for patrons through their use of a VPN.
Serious games in K-12 education
Authors: Papanastasiou George , Drigas Athanasios , Skianis Charalabos , Lytras Miltiadis D.
Published: October 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the integration of serious games (SGs) in the area of special educational needs in the last ten years (2007-2017).

Design/methodology/approach

SGs indicate positive effects on students with special educational needs and promote a multi-sensory style of learning.

Findings

Research showed that SGs are able to keep K-12 education students with attention, memory and developmental disabilities engaged in classroom facilities scaffolding their learning through increased motivation, independence, autonomy and resultant self-esteem.

Research limitations/implications

Time constraints, cost and availability of appropriate games as well as the small sample of the individuals being investigated are some of the research limitations the paper refers to.

Practical implications

Learning through SGs has educational values that are based on learning concepts intrinsically motivating.

Social implications

Students with attention, memory and developmental disabilities demonstrate characteristics of engagement, creativity, control and communication.

Originality/value

SGs-based learning has proven its value added to students with attention, memory and executive control difficulties as well as mental or developmental disabilities engaging students better than when using traditional methods.
Engagement of older people in Wales – how Cymru Older People’s Alliance is forging a new direction
Authors: Milsom Steven George
Published: October 2017

Purpose

The adverse impact of austerity on the available capacity of public bodies to give priority to engagement of older people means self-determination and older people representing the best interests of older people more generally – needs a fresh impetus if the voice of older people is to be heard and not marginalised. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper describes how a new direction for Cymru Older People’s Alliance was shaped, the engagement directly with older people that informed changes and key transitions negotiated to become a charity and form a democratically elected membership, with stronger structures and improved means to ensuring the “voice” of older people is heard.

Findings

Co-production, increased citizen engagement and promoting well-being are important new concepts in Welsh legislation but it is only through growing the infrastructure that enables older people to represent their own interests, that these new requirements will produce tangible results and progress can be made.

Originality/value

If we are to challenge ageism and recognise that older people need to be empowered and enabled to make their own decisions, then older people’s organisations need to change and adapt to the prevailing financial climate. This is not an easy pathway but it can be achieved through good planning, strong governance and effective engagement, listening carefully to older people’s views.