bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparative Analysis of Non-linear Behaviour with Power Spectral Intensity Response Between Normal and Epileptic EEG Signals
Authors: Ghosh Budhaditya , Sengupta Sourya , Nag Sayan , Biswas Sayan , Sanyal Shankha
Published: August 2017

Epilepsy is a neurological condition which affects the nervous system. It is a general term used for a group of disorders in which nerve cells of the brain discharge anomalous electrical impulses from time to time, causing a temporary malfunction of the other nerve cells of the brain. EEG signal provides an important cue for diagnosis and interpretation related to prognosis of epilepsy. In this work we envisage to provide novel tool which can be used to detect the prognosis of epileptic disorder by comparing linear and nonlinear modalities of EEG analysis conventionally used Power spectral analysis and a robust non linear method, Detrended Fluctuation Analysis (DFA). Publicly available dataset is used for this work consisting of 100 normal patients EEG data as control group and 100 epileptic patients EEG data for comparison. Response for different frequency bands (alpha, theta, beta) of the EEG spectrum have been analyzed using Detrended Fluctuation Analysis (DFA) and Power Spectral Intensity (PSI). The comparison of the DFA scaling exponent with the spectral power data is calculated for all the 3 different frequency bands of EEG signal provide new and interesting results which have been discussed in detail.
N-methyl-bacillithiol, a new metabolite discovered in theChlorobiaceae, indicates that bacillithiol and derivatives are widely phylogenetically distributed
Authors: Hiras Jennifer , Sharma Sunil V. , Raman Vidhyavathi , Tinson Ryan A. J. , Arbach Miriam , Rodrigues Dominic F. , Norambuena Javiera , Hamilton Chris J. , Hanson Thomas E.
Published: August 2017

Low-molecular weight (LMW) thiols are metabolites that mediate redox homeostasis and the detoxification of chemical stressors in cells. LMW thiols are also thought to play a central role in sulfur oxidation pathways in phototrophic bacteria, including theChlorobiaceae. Fluorescent thiol labeling of metabolite extracts coupled with HPLC showed thatChlorobaculum tepidumcontained a novel LMW thiol with a mass of 412 ± 1 Da corresponding to a molecular formula of C14H24N2O10S. These data suggested the new thiol is closely related to bacillithiol (BSH), the major LMW thiol from low G+C% Gram-positive bacteria. By comparing the as-isolated bimane adduct with chemically synthesized candidate structures, theCba. tepidumthiol structure was identified as N-methyl-bacillithiol (N-Me-BSH), methylated on the cysteine nitrogen, a rarely observed modification in metabolism. Orthologs of bacillithiol biosynthetic genes in theCba. tepidumgenome were required for the biosynthesis of N-Me-BSH. Furthermore, the CT1040 gene product was genetically identified as the BSH N-methyltransferase. N-Me-BSH was found in allChlorobiexamined as well asPolaribactersp. strain MED152, a member of theBacteroidetes.A comparative genomic analysis indicated that BSH/N-Me-BSH is synthesized not only by members of theChlorobi,Bacteroidetes,Deinococcus-Thermus, andFirmicutes, but also byAcidobacteria,Chlamydiae,Gemmatimonadetes, andProteobacteria.

Significance Statement

Here, N-Me-BSH is shown to be a redox-responsive LMW thiol cofactor inCba. tepidumand the gene,nmbA, encoding the BSH N-methyltransferase responsible for its synthesis is identified. The co-occurrence of orthologs to BSH biosynthesis genes and bacillithiol N-methyltransferase was confirmed to correctly predict LMW thiol biosynthesis in phylogenetically distant genomes. The analysis indicates that BSH/N-Me-BSH are likely the most widely distributed class of LMW thiols in biology. This finding sheds light on the evolution of LMW thiol metabolism, which is central to redox homeostasis, regulation and stress resistance in all cellular life. It also sheds light on a rare chemical modification. N-Me-BSH is the fourth instance of cysteinyl nitrogen methylation in metabolism. Identification of the BSH N-methyltransferase reported here will enable detailedin vivoandin vitrodissection of the functional consequences of this modification. As a standalone N-methyltransferase, NmbA may be useful as a component of constructed biosynthetic pathways for novel product (bio)synthesis.
Structural basis of the Cope rearrangement and C–C bond-forming cascade in hapalindole/fischerindole biogenesis
Authors: Newmister Sean A. , Li Shasha , Garcia-Borràs Marc , Sanders Jacob N. , Yang Song , Lowell Andrew N. , Yu Fengan , Smith Janet L. , Williams Robert M. , Houk K. N. , Sherman David H.
Published: August 2017

STRUCTURES

The atomic coordinates and structure factors for:

HpiC1 W73M/K132M SeMet (P212121) –1.7 Å

HpiC1 native (C2) –1.5 Å

HpiC1 native (P42) –2.1 Å

HpiC1 Y101F (C2) –1.4 Å

HpiC1 Y101S (C2) –1.4 Å

HpiC1 F138S (P21) –1.7 Å

HpiC1 Y101F/F138S (P21–1.65 Å have been deposited with the Research Collaboratory for Structural Bioinformatics as Protein Data Bank entries 5WPP, 5WPR, 6AL6, 5WPR, 5WPU, 6AL7, and 6AL8 (www.rcsb.org).

GRANTS

This work was supported by: The authors thank the National Science Foundation under the CCI Center for Selective C-H Functionalization (CHE-1205646), the National Institutes of Health (CA70375 to RMW and DHS), R35 GM118101, R01 GM076477 and the Hans W. Vahlteich Professorship (to DHS) for financial support. M.G-B. thanks the Ramón Areces Foundation for a postdoctoral fellowship. J.N.S. acknowledges the support of the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number F32GM122218. Computational resources were provided by the UCLA Institute for Digital Research and Education (IDRE) and the Extreme Science and Engineering Discovery Environment (XSEDE), which is supported by the NSF (OCI-1053575). The content does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

Hapalindole alkaloids are a structurally diverse class of cyanobacterial natural products defined by their varied polycyclic ring systems and diverse biological activities. These polycyclic scaffolds are generated from a common biosynthetic intermediate by the Stig cyclases in three mechanistic steps, including a rare Cope-rearrangement, 6-exo-trigcyclization, and electrophilic aromatic substitution. Here we report the structure of HpiC1, a Stig cyclase that catalyzes the formation of 12-epi-hapalindole U in vitro. The 1.5 Å structure reveals a dimeric assembly with two calcium ions per monomer and the active sites located at the distal ends of the protein dimer. Mutational analysis and computational methods uncovered key residues for an acid catalyzed [3,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement and specific determinants that control the position of terminal electrophilic aromatic substitution leading to a switch from hapalindole to fischerindole alkaloids.
Development of Inflammatory Bowel Disease is Linked to a Longitudinal Restructuring of the Gut Metagenome in Mice
Authors: Sharpton Thomas , Lyalina Svetlana , Luong Julie , Pham Joey , Deal Emily M. , Armour Courtney , Gaulke Christopher , Sanjabi Shomyseh , Pollard Katherine S.
Published: August 2017

The gut microbiome is linked to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) severity and altered in late stage disease. However, it is unclear how gut microbial communities change over the course of IBD development, especially in regards to function. To investigate microbiome mediated disease mechanisms and discover early biomarkers of IBD, we conducted a longitudinal metagenomic investigation in an established mouse model of IBD, where dampened TGF-β signaling in T cells leads to peripheral immune activation, weight loss, and severe colitis. IBD development is associated with abnormal gut microbiome temporal dynamics, including dampened acquisition of functional diversity and significant differences in abundance trajectories for KEGG modules such as glycosaminoglycan degradation, cellular chemotaxis, and type III and IV secretion systems. Most differences between sick and control mice emerge when mice begin to lose weight and heightened T cell activation is detected in peripheral blood. However, lipooligosaccharide transporter abundance diverges prior to immune activation, indicating that it could be a pre-disease indicator or microbiome-mediated disease mechanism. Taxonomic structure of the gut microbiome also significantly changes in association with IBD development, and the abundance of particular taxa, including several species ofBacteroides, correlate with immune activation. These discoveries were enabled by our use of generalized linear mixed effects models to test for differences in longitudinal profiles between healthy and diseased mice while accounting for the distributions of taxon and gene counts in metagenomic data. These findings demonstrate that longitudinal metagenomics is useful for discovering potential mechanisms through which the gut microbiome becomes altered in IBD.

Importance

IBD patients harbor distinct microbial communities with different functional capabilities compared to healthy people. But is this cause or effect? Answering this question requires data on changes in gut microbial communities leading up to disease onset. By performing weekly metagenomic sequencing and mixed effects modeling on an established mouse model of IBD, we identified several functional pathways encoded by the gut microbiome that covary with host immune status. These pathways are novel early biomarkers that may either enable microbes to live inside an inflamed gut or contribute to immune activation in IBD mice. Future work will validate the potential roles of these microbial pathways in host-microbe interactions and human disease. This study is novel in its longitudinal design and focus on microbial pathways, which provided new mechanistic insights into the role of gut microbes in IBD development.
Cerebellar Purkinje cell simple spike activity in awake mice represents phase differences between oscillations in medial prefrontal cortex and hippocampus
Authors: McAfee Samuel S. , Liu Yu , Sillitoe Roy V. , Heck Detlef H.
Published: August 2017

The cerebellum has long been recognized for its role in tasks involving precise timing, particularly the temporal coordination of movements. Here we asked whether cerebellar might be involved in the temporal coordination of the phases of neuronal oscillations in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and dorsal hippocampus CA1 region (CA1). These two structures and the cerebellum are jointly involved in spatial working memory. The phases of oscillations in the mPFC and CA1 have been shown to reach a stable alignment (coherence) during the decision making process in a spatial working memory task. Here we report that PC simple spike activity in the cerebellar lobulus simplex in awake, head-fixed mice represents specific phase differences between oscillations in the mPFC and CA1. Most PCs represented phase differences in more than one the conventional frequency bands (delta, theta, beta and gamma). Between the 32 PCs analyzed here, phase differences in all frequency bands were represented. PCs representing phase differences in the theta and low gamma bands showed significant population preference for mPFC phase leading CA1 phase. These findings support the possibility of a cerebellar involvement in the temporal coordination of phase relationships between oscillations in the mPFC and CA1.
Correcting palindromes in long reads after whole-genome amplification
Authors: Warris Sven , Schijlen Elio , van de Geest Henri , Vegesna Rahulsimham , Hesselink Thamara , te Lintel Hekkert Bas , Sanchez Perez Gabino , Medvedev Paul , Makova Kateryna D. , de Ridder Dick
Published: August 2017

Next-generation sequencing requires sufficient DNA to be available. If limited, whole-genome amplification is applied to generate additional amounts of DNA. Such amplification often results in many chimeric DNA fragments, in particular artificial palindromic sequences, which limit the usefulness of long reads from technologies such as PacBio and Oxford Nanopore. Here, we present Pacasus, a tool for correcting such errors in long reads. We demonstrate on two real-world datasets that it markedly improves subsequent read mapping andde novoassembly, yielding results similar to these that would be obtained with non-amplified DNA. With Pacasus long-read technologies become readily available for sequencing targets with very small amounts of DNA, such as single cells or even single chromosomes.
Payment mechanisms for contractors for better environmental hazard controlling in road construction projects
Authors: Walimuni Piumi Chethana , Samaraweera Aparna , De Silva Lalith
Published: August 2017

Purpose

There is a growing concern that contractors can be motivated for environmental protection through effective fund allocation and proper payment mechanisms. However, an in-depth analysis of environmental hazard-controlling methods and related payments to the contractor in road construction in Sri Lanka is not much popular among the extant literature. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to explore different payment mechanisms that are being used with environmental hazard-controlling methods, to achieve better control in such hazards in Sri Lankan road construction projects.

Design/methodology/approach

This research was approached through a mixed research method. Initially, hazard-controlling methods and relative payment mechanisms for the contractor were identified through three exploratory case studies using interviews, observations and document survey. Next, the relative effectiveness of payment mechanisms for contractors for better environmental hazard controlling was identified through a questionnaire survey with a sample of 45 professionals involved in 15 road construction projects.

Findings

Based on the findings, a comprehensive list of environmental hazard-controlling methods was derived. Furthermore, four types of payment mechanisms were identified: (A)-payments, where a unit price was assigned; (B)-payments, where a provisional sum was established in the contract; (C)-payments, where fixed amounts (lump sums) were assigned in the contract and (D)-payments made along with some main work item in the contract. Relative effectiveness of these four mechanisms for better control of environmental hazards was varied for each hazard-controlling method being practiced in a road construction project.

Originality/value

These findings would be more beneficial for consultants, project managers, bidders and estimators in the pre-contract stage. This is by identifying cost items for environmental hazard controlling and selecting relatively more effective payment mechanisms to motivate contractors for better control of environmental hazards during project execution.
The moderating role of non-controlling supervision and organizational learning culture on employee creativity
Authors: Jeong Shinhee , McLean Gary N. , McLean Laird D. , Yoo Sangok , Bartlett Kenneth
Published: August 2017

Purpose

By adopting a multilevel approach, this paper aims to examine the relationships among employee creativity and creative personality, domain expertise (i.e. individual-level factors), non-controlling supervision style and organizational learning culture (i.e. team-level factors). It also investigates the cross-level interactions between individual differences and organizational context influencing employee creativity.

Design/methodology/approach

Hierarchical linear modeling was performed to test the hypotheses using multisource data with 416 employees and their supervisors in 86 research and development teams.

Findings

This paper found that domain expertise and non-controlling supervision style are positively associated with employee creativity. Also, a positive moderating role of non-controlling supervision style was found in explaining the relationship between domain expertise and employee creativity. However, no significant relationship was found between creative personality and employee creativity, and there was no moderating effect of organizational learning culture. The paper discusses the theoretical implications of these findings and provides practical suggestions based on the findings.

Originality/value

This paper has begun to address the significant gap in the extant employee creativity literature and has departed from the common research practice of investigating creativity at a single level. It has expanded understanding of the antecedents of creativity with empirical evidence, as it revealed domain expertise and non-controlling supervision as influential factors. Further, domain expertise has generally positive effects on creative performance, whether non-controlling leadership is high or low. Additionally, this study brings an interesting insight in interpreting the contribution of organizational learning culture as measured by the Dimensions of Learning Organization Questionnaire to creativity and also affirms the importance of autonomy that increases intrinsic motivation and creativity. Another theoretical contribution of this study can be found from an intriguing contradiction in the literature that understands the role of expertise in creative performance. Moreover, the finding on non-controlling supervision supports the effectiveness of a freedom approach.
Ex post to ex ante: using some lessons from the global financial crisis to prepare for future risk
Authors: Kelly Hugh F.
Published: August 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop benchmarking standards for risk premiums in capitalization rates and commercial mortgage rates, to examine the impact of investor choice of property type and geographic markets on those risk premiums, and to supplement the quantitative analysis with historical and behavioral decision-making factors.

Design/methodology/approach

Using data sets extending from 1Q 1995 to 2Q 2016, a range of risk premiums is calculated and norms established at the 65th and 35th percentiles by property type and investment position. Relative levels of the risk premiums are compared to three defined categories of urban markets, to discover potential risks in yield-seeking market selection. A historical context is discussed to illustrate that prudential judgment is needed to supplement statistical measures of risk.

Findings

A stable range of risk premiums is identified for the pre-financial crisis period 1995-2003, the dislocations of risk pricing 2004-2007 leads to an extreme reaction 2009-2012. A period of “renormalization” is hypothesized thereafter. An important distinction is made between the transaction peak of 2007, and the numerically similar peak of 2015. Taxonomy of urban property markets is adduced.

Practical implications

Investment analyses and portfolio allocation decisions can benefit from a longitudinal examination of risk premiums hitherto unavailable. The proposed taxonomy of markets has been shown (elsewhere) to correlate to investment performance. City planners may wish to capture increased real estate value stemming from investor preferences among cities.

Originality/value

The risk premium benchmarking is not previously available in the scholarly literature. The historical context as a prudential element in evaluating risk is not often emphasized in the finance literature.
Collective effect of bending load and hygrothermal aging on glass fibre reinforced plastic
Authors: Wang Guanhui , Xiao Lin , Nan Tiantian , Jia Jin , Xiao Haiying , Zhang Dongxing
Published: August 2017

Purpose

This study aimed to investigate the collective effects of bending load and hygrothermal aging on glass fibre-reinforced plastics (GFRP) due to the fact that stress and water absorption is inevitable during GFRP applications.

Design/methodology/approach

The water boiling method was used to study the moisture absorption, desorption behaviour and evaluate the performance of GFRP laminates under loading in this article. The moisture diffusion of laminates is characterized in three aging conditions (25°C, 45°C and 65°C water), along with three levels of bending load coefficients (0, 0.3 and 0.6). The moisture diffusion coefficients are determined through the curve fitting method of the experimental data of the initial process, based on the Fickian diffusion model. Moreover, the laminates’ performance is further discussed after adequate environmental aging and loading.

Findings

It was found that moisture absorption is promoted by the presence of bending load and boiling during this study. The absorption diffusion coefficient and moisture equilibrium content of the specimens increased with an increasing loading ratio and temperature. The bending strength of the laminate varied according to a contrary trend. Furthermore, the desorbed moisture content is found to be much higher after higher levels of bending load because it is harder to desorb the moisture in the interfaces and micro cracks.

Research limitations/implications

Collective effects of bending load and hygrothermal aging promote the absorption and result in accelerating property degradation of GFRP. It is significant to focus on these effects on the failure of GFRP.

Originality/value

A novel unit was designed to simulate the various loading acted on containers in this work.
Prediction of the concentration of dye and nanosilver particle on silk fabric using artificial neural network
Authors: Shams Nateri Ali , Hajipour Abbas , Balarak Saeedeh , Khayati Gholam
Published: August 2017

Purpose

This study aimed to Simultaneous matching of color and antimicrobial properties of silk fabric treated with silver nanoparticle. The antimicrobial finishing using silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) is one of the most important finishing processes in the textile industry. Color matching is widely applied in the textile industry, but there has been a need for the prediction of AgNPs concentration for the matching of dyed silver-treated samples.

Design/methodology/approach

In this research, the silk fabrics were dyed with various concentrations of C.I. Acid Red 359 dye at 0.5, 1, 1.5 and 2 per cent (w/w). The dyed fabrics were then coated with AgNPs in several concentrations at 0.015, 0.030, 0.050, 0.100 and 0.250 ml/l. The prediction of dye and AgNPs concentrations were evaluated using single constant color matching and artificial neural network techniques.

Findings

The obtained results indicate that the accuracy of dye concentration prediction, as well as AgNPs concentration prediction, was improved by using a neural network method. Also, the correlation between actual and predicted dye and AgNPs concentrations in the best neural networks is more than the single constant color matching method.

Originality/value

Simultaneous antibacterial and color matching of nanosilver-treated fabric is novel. This method achieved acceptable accuracy for antibacterial and color matching.
Availability, access and utilization
Authors: Abbade Eduardo Botti
Published: August 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify the association between the levels of food utilization (FU), food availability, economic access (EA) and physical access (PA) to food in developing countries – the main dimensions underlying the concept of food security.

Design/methodology/approach

This study analyzed available data from 57 developing countries. The variables investigated were: food availability (FA), EA to food measured through economic development, PA to food using the Logistics Performance Index as a proxy, and FU. The paper uses factorial, correlation and cluster analyses.

Findings

The results show that the dimensions of food security are strongly and positively correlated. PA has a moderate association with FU (ρS=0.5338 [p<0.001]; ρP=0.4252; [p<0.01]). EA has a strong association with FU (ρS=0.6998 [p<0.001]; ρP=0.6404; [p<0.01]). Moreover, cluster analysis suggests that some countries present significant urgencies regarding some of the food security dimensions considered.

Research limitations/implications

Cluster analysis has some limitations regarding the interpretations of the key findings. Moreover, many factors affect food security promotion; this paper addresses just a few of them.

Practical implications

Through a better alignment of food security dimensions worldwide, policy makers, as well as private sector actors, might achieve better conditions to reduce food waste or loss, supply a wider diversity of foods, reduce adverse environmental impacts, reduce logistics costs and, finally, reduce food prices.

Originality/value

This study outlines specific fragilities regarding the main dimensions of food security in developing economies. Thus, this study highlights that some countries need to focus urgently on certain, specific dimensions in order to promote the food security for their populaces.
Decision-making framework for investing in emerging markets
Authors: Hess Dominic , Moser Roger , Narayanamurthy Gopalakrishnan
Published: August 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify and understand the obstacles and drivers of financial investors while deciding upon investment opportunities in emerging markets.

Design/methodology/approach

Relevant factors for financial investors in emerging markets were identified through a literature review and a series of expert interviews. Identified factors were broadly grouped into three categories, namely, microeconomic aspects, macroeconomic aspects, and aspects of the functionality of the local banking system. Finally, an expert panel (Delphi) technique is used to validate the findings in cocoa industry in Ivory Coast.

Findings

A decision-making framework that enables the evaluation of the attractiveness of an industry in emerging market from a financial investor perspective is developed and its application is demonstrated on the cocoa industry in Ivory Coast. Probability and consensus of the projections for the individual decision elements are tabulated along with the insights into both encouraging and discouraging aspects.

Research limitations/implications

Current study is a timely contribution to the call for papers in the research literature to develop frameworks that are contextualized in emerging markets. Similar to any other qualitative study, this study lacks the generalizability of results. But, the framework developed can act as a starting point toward the generalizability of the findings in future.

Practical implications

Decision elements identified in this study can act as a checklist for financial investors and top management to choose the elements that are relevant to the investment problem being dealt by them. Also, the study can act as a handy demonstration to practitioners for applying the framework using expert panel.

Social implications

A major challenge of the investment environment in emerging market is the non-availability of quality information on the potential investment opportunities. In this study, the authors suggest a framework to overcome this information asymmetry challenge and expect it to promote financial investments in emerging economies which in turn will improve the quality of life of people in these economies.

Originality/value

First study to present an approach to help financial investors to conduct profound evaluation and gain more in-depth insights into the future investment opportunity attractiveness of a particular industry in an emerging market.
The impacts and visions of the green fertilizer technologies (GFT)
Authors: Adnan Nadia , Nordin Shahrina Md , Rahman Imran , Noor Amir
Published: August 2017

Purpose

With the increased stress on sustainability and food security, in addition, the need towards halting environmental deprivation has focused attention on green fertilizer technology (GFT), which is the means of improving the situation causing the rising environmental concern. It also gives efficient use of farm resources which can help to protect crops. Moreover, the adoption of GFT is one aspect to answer the problem in regards to the sustainable environment. In the year 1980, an initiative took place to simplify the adoption decision in the developing countries. Regardless of the low adoption rate elsewhere, comparable exertions in the current year have originated in developing countries. Accepting those primary factors that influence the adoption of GFT is very important. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

This study re-examines these factors and draws policy implications from that review for future actions. This research study re-examines them, based on other studies examining the inadequate adoption of GFT in developing countries, by generalising their conclusions to clarify why farmers have or have not made the decision to adopt GFT. The ability to address that awareness enables the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) model to predict the farmer’s intention of acceptability of the GFT. By following a socio-psychological approach, by using TPB, the researchers have found out the paddy farmers’ adoption decision towards GFT. The researchers later discuss the implications for promoting the adoption of GFT, which delivers suggestions for the upcoming research study.

Findings

The idea of this research study is to seek farmers’ understanding about environmental attitudes in connection with conservation behaviour. The overall aim of this paper is to conceptualise the framework created by amending the environmental concern amongst paddy farmers towards GFT.

Originality/value

This research study will allow more academic consideration and may direct future research on the empirical findings on the environmental concern through the proposed conceptual framework amongst paddy farmers in Malaysia.
Contribution to the evaluation of the environmental risks induced by the worn-water discharges of an Algerian tannery
Authors: Saadi Saadia , Djebabra Mebarek , Boulagouas Wafa
Published: August 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the environmental risks of the worn-water discharges of an Algerian tannery.

Design/methodology/approach

It consists of a proposal for a combined methods based on the simultaneous use of the environmental structured analysis and design techniques and environmental failure mode and effect analysis (EFMEA).

Findings

In the contribution, the authors insist on the complementarity between these two methods to the identification and measurement of the environmental parameters of an Algerian tannery. The identified environmental impacts were prioritized on the environmental priority number combined with the improvement possibility (F).

Research limitations/implications

The contribution makes it possible to deduce the environmental aspects and, consequently, to emphasize the contribution of the environmental risk assessment on the environmental performance evaluation.

Practical implications

The contribution constitutes an invaluable help to the implementation of environmental performance evaluation process.

Originality/value

The employing coupled structured analysis and technical design and EFMEA methods have remarkably reduced the significance of the environmental impacts of an Algerian tannery.
Differential stimulus control of drug‐seeking: multimodal reinstatement
Authors: Batten Seth R. , Beckmann Joshua S.
Published: August 2017

In animal models of substance‐use disorder, individuals that repeatedly self‐administer drugs of abuse have long‐lasting neuronal adaptations that do not occur ostensibly in control animals only exposed to natural reinforcers (e.g. food). Because any treatment for substance‐use disorder will be given to individuals with drug‐taking histories, adequate dissociation of the specific neurobehavioral mechanisms underlying drug reinforcement, natural reinforcement and their associated cue effects requires an experimental model that exposes individuals to both reinforcer conditions, along with their associated stimuli. Furthermore, contingent stimuli that reinforce drug seeking through second‐order relationships may produce reinstatement of drug seeking through different neurobehavioral means than non‐contingent exposure to stimuli that signal the availability of a drug reinforcer, effectively producing different modes of stimulus‐induced reinstatement. Toward experimental isolation of the relationships mentioned, herein, we used a within‐session multiple schedule of reinforcement containing both discriminative (SD) and conditioned (CS) stimuli to study stimulus control of drug‐taking and food‐taking behavior, along with how these functionally distinct cues may differentially reinstate drug‐seeking and food‐seeking behavior within a single animal. We demonstrate specific stimulus control over drug and food taking; furthermore, we demonstrate that the same stimulus (i.e. cue light) operating as an SD or CS produced differential reinstatement of drug‐taking and food‐taking behavior. The results suggest that contingent CSs and non‐contingent SDs produce reinstatement through different neurobehavioral processes and, within‐session multiple schedules, can be used to study different modes of specific stimulus control over drug and food seeking in a single animal with both drug‐taking and food‐taking history.
Female sex, good performance status, and bevacizumab‐induced hypertension associated with survival benefit in Asian patients with recurrent glioblastoma treated with bevacizumab
Authors: Liau Chi‐Ting , Chou Wen‐Chi , Wei Kuo‐Chen , Chang Chen‐Nen , Toh Cheng‐Hong , Jung Shih‐Ming
Published: August 2017

Aim

The goals of this study were to assess the activity and safety profile of bevacizumab in Taiwan Chinese patients with recurrent glioblastoma, to determine whether their response differed from that reported in other clinical trials, and to examine potential prognostic factors for survival.

Methods

We retrospectively assessed patients who received bevacizumab for recurrent glioblastoma between 2012 and 2015. Twelve predefined variables and the outcomes of our cohort were analyzed.

Results

In total, 76 patients with recurrent glioblastoma were analyzed. The overall response rate was 59.2%, including 19 patients (25.0%) with complete response and 26 patients (34.2%) with partial response. The median progression‐free survival and overall survival were 5.2 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 4.6–5.8 months) and 7.8 months (95% CI, 5.8–9.8 months), respectively. Multivariate analysis identified sex and grade 3 posttreatment hypertension (systolic ≥ 160 mmHg or diastolic ≥ 100 mmHg) as the only independent predictive factors for progression‐free survival and overall survival. Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status was also found to be independently predictive of improved overall survival.

Conclusion

We showed good responses using bevacizumab and the progression‐free survival and overall survival were comparable with those previously reported. The adverse events of bevacizumab in our study were generally acceptable and manageable. Female sex, good performance status, and grade 3 posttreatment hypertension were suggested to be associated with survival benefits.
A review of international clinical practice guidelines for the use of oxygen in the delivery room resuscitation of preterm infants
Authors: Wilson A , Vento M , Shah PS , Saugstad O , Finer N , Rich W , Morton RL , Rabi Y , Tarnow‐Mordi W , Suzuki K , Wright IM , Oei JL
Published: August 2017

Aim

To collate and assess international clinical practice guidelines (CPG) to determine current recommendations guiding oxygen management for respiratory stabilisation of preterm infants at delivery.

Methods

A search of public databases using the terms ‘clinical practice guidelines’, ‘preterm’, ‘oxygen’ and ‘resuscitation’ was made and complemented by direct query to consensus groups, resuscitation expert committees and clinicians. Data were extracted to include the three criteria for assessment: country of origin, gestation and initial FiO2 and target SpO2 for the first 10 minutes of life.

Results

A total of 45 CPGs were identified: 36 provided gestation specific recommendations (<28 to <37 weeks) while eight distinguished only between ‘preterm’ and ‘term’. The most frequently recommended initial FiO2 were between 0.21 and 0.3 (n = 17). Most countries suggested altering FiO2 to meet SpO2 targets recommended by expert committees, However, specific five‐minute SpO2 targets differed by up to 20% (70–90%) between guidelines. Five countries did not specify SpO2 targets.

Conclusion

CPG recommendations for delivery room oxygen management of preterm infants vary greatly, particularly in regard to gestational ages, initial FiO2 and SpO2 targets and most acknowledge the lack of evidence behind these recommendations. Sufficiently large and well‐designed randomised studies are needed to inform on this important practice.
Survey highlights the need for specific interventions to reduce frequent conflicts between healthcare professionals providing paediatric end‐of‐life care
Authors: Archambault‐Grenier Marie‐Anne , Roy‐Gagnon Marie‐Hélène , Gauvin France , Doucet Hubert , Humbert Nago , Stojanovic Sanja , Payot Antoine , Fortin Sylvie , Janvier Annie , Duval Michel
Published: August 2017

Aims

This study explored how paediatric healthcare professionals experienced and coped with end‐of‐life conflicts and identified how to improve coping strategies.

Methods

A questionnaire was distributed to all 2300 professionals at a paediatric university hospital, covering the frequency of end‐of‐life conflicts, participants, contributing factors, resolution strategies, outcomes and the usefulness of specific institutional coping strategies.

Results

Of the 946 professionals (41%) who responded, 466 had witnessed or participated in paediatric end‐of‐life discussions: 73% said these had led to conflict, more frequently between professionals (58%) than between professionals and parents (33%). Frequent factors included professionals’ rotations, unprepared parents, emotional load, unrealistic parental expectations, differences in values and beliefs, parents’ fear of hastening death, precipitated situations and uncertain prognosis. Discussions with patients and parents and between professionals were the most frequently used coping strategies. Conflicts were frequently resolved by the time of death. Professionals mainly supported designating one principal physician and nurse for each patient, two‐step interdisciplinary meetings – between professionals then with parents – postdeath ethics meetings, bereavement follow‐up protocols and early consultations with paediatric palliative care and clinical ethics services.

Conclusion

End‐of‐life conflicts were frequent and predominantly occurred between healthcare professionals. Specific interventions could target most of the contributing factors.
Towards a politics of disaster response: presidential disaster instructions in China, 1998–2012
Authors: Tao Peng , Chen Chunliang
Published: August 2017

China's disaster management system contains no law‐based presidential disaster declarations; however, the national leader's instructions (pishi in Chinese) play a similar role to disaster declarations, which increase the intensity of disaster relief. This raises the question of what affects presidential disaster instructions within an authoritarian regime. This research shows that China's disaster politics depend on a crisis threshold system for operation and that the public and social features of disasters are at the core of this system. China's political cycle has no significant impact on disaster politics. A change in the emergency management system has a significant bearing on presidential disaster instructions, reflecting the strong influence of the concept of rule of law and benefiting the sustainable development of the emergency management system. In terms of disaster politics research, unlocking the black box of China's disaster politics and increasing the number of comparative political studies will benefit the development of empirical and theoretical study.
Monitoring and reporting attacks on education in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Somalia
Authors: Bennouna Cyril , van Boetzelaer Elburg , Rojas Lina , Richard Kinyera , Karume Gang , Nshombo Marius , Roberts Leslie , Boothby Neil
Published: August 2017

The United Nations' Monitoring and Reporting Mechanism is charged with documenting six grave violations against children in a time of conflict, including attacks on schools. Many of these incidents, however, remain unreported across the globe. This study explores whether or not a local knowledge base of education and child protection actors in North and South Kivu Provinces, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and in Mogadishu, Somalia, could contribute to a more complete record of attacks on education in those areas. Hundreds of semi‐structured interviews were conducted with key informants across the three settings, and in total 432 attacks on education were documented. Purposive samples of these reports were verified and a large majority was confirmed. Local non‐governmental organisations and education institutions were most knowledgeable about these incidents, but most never reported them to a monitoring authority. The study concludes that attack surveillance and response were largely insufficient, and recommends investing in mechanisms that utilise local knowledge to address these shortcomings.
Many transcription factors contribute to C. elegans growth and fat storage
Authors: Mori Akihiro , Holdorf Amy D. , Walhout Albertha J.M.
Published: August 2017

Reverse genetic screens by RNA interference (RNAi) in model organisms such as the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans have provided numerous insights into gene function, thereby connecting genotype to phenotype. However, genes that contribute only subtly are often missed because relatively large numbers of measurements and reliable quantification are required to overcome experimental and biological noise that may mask subtle phenotypic effects. Here, we address this challenge by focusing on two phenotypes in C. elegans: growth and fat storage. We carried out comprehensive RNAi knockdown of transcription factors (TFs), as these are known important regulators of biological processes during development and the maintenance of homeostasis. Microscopy images of TF knockdown animals stained with Oil Red O (ORO) were captured, and body size (proxy for growth) and ORO staining intensity (proxy for fat storage) were precisely quantified using a newly developed imaging tool we named IPPOME (Image Processing for Precise and Objective MEasurement). We found that a surprisingly large proportion of TFs contribute to growth and fat storage, but that most TFs have only subtle, yet significant effects. This study provides a blueprint for studies of other genes and phenotypes in C. elegans.
An exploration of co‐parenting in the context of caring for a child prenatally diagnosed and born with a complex health condition
Authors: McKechnie Anne Chevalier , Rogstad Jamie , Martin Katherine M. , Pridham Karen F.
Published: August 2017

Aim

The aim of this study was to describe co‐parenting communication in couples in the context of caregiving for children prenatally diagnosed and born with complex health conditions.

Background

Foetal diagnosis of complex health conditions such as heart, central nervous system, or abdominal anomalies are confirmed more often than ever before. Following diagnosis, parents face challenges beginning before birth. The quality of co‐parenting, when two individuals relate to each other as parents and share parental responsibilities, can have an impact on child health and development. Yet, little is known about co‐parenting during the transition to parenthood after foetal diagnosis.

Design

This secondary analysis of interview data was informed by Bowlby's theoretical work on a parent's view of self as caregiver and the literature on co‐parenting.

Methods

Data were drawn from a larger, mixed methods, longitudinal study and included audio‐recorded interviews conducted with 16 parents participating as eight couples after foetal diagnosis during the third trimester of pregnancy in 2011–2012 and again when children were 14–37 months old in 2014. Analysis of interviews transcribed verbatim focused on co‐parenting communication.

Findings

Co‐parenting communication regarding support, agreement and information sharing and a new category of shared meaning were related to the diagnosis before birth. Later, couples evolved in their co‐parenting communication while caring for their toddlers and working towards achieving a sense of normalcy.

Conclusion

Variation in co‐parenting communication among couples preparing and caring for children with complex health conditions, including the development of a shared meaning of the child's diagnosis, needs further investigation to inform nursing assessment and guide tailored interventions.
Cholinergic modulation of the hippocampal region and memory function
Authors: Haam Juhee , Yakel Jerrel L.
Published: August 2017

Acetylcholine (ACh) plays an important role in memory function and has been implicated in aging‐related dementia, in which the impairment of hippocampus‐dependent learning strongly manifests. Cholinergic neurons densely innervate the hippocampus, mediating the formation of episodic as well as semantic memory. Here, we will review recent findings on acetylcholine's modulation of memory function, with a particular focus on hippocampus‐dependent learning, and the circuits involved. In addition, we will discuss the complexity of ACh actions in memory function to better understand the physiological role of ACh in memory.

This is an article for the special issue XVth International Symposium on Cholinergic Mechanisms.

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Metal chelator EGCG attenuates Fe(III)‐induced conformational transition of α‐synuclein and protects AS‐PC12 cells against Fe(III)‐induced death
Authors: Zhao Juan , Xu Lihui , Liang Qingnan , Sun Qing , Chen Congheng , Zhang Yuan , Ding Yu , Zhou Ping
Published: August 2017

The fibrillation and aggregation of α‐synuclein (AS), along with the conformational transition from random coil to β‐sheet, are the critical steps in the development of Parkinson's disease (PD). It is acknowledged that iron accumulation in the brain may lead to the fibrillation of AS. However, (‐)‐epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) can penetrate the blood–brain barrier, chelate metal ions, and inhibit the fibrillation of amyloid proteins. Therefore, EGCG is warranted to be investigated for its potential to cure amyloid‐related diseases. In the present work, we sought to study the effects of EGCG on Fe(III)‐induced fibrillation of AS on both molecular and cellular levels. We demonstrate that Fe(III) interacts with the amino residue of Tyr and Ala of AS, then accelerates the fibrillation of AS, and increases intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the AS transduced‐PC12 cells (AS‐PC12 cells). However, EGCG significantly inhibits this process by chelating Fe(III) and protects AS‐PC12 cells against the toxicity induced by ROS and β‐sheet‐enriched AS fibrils. These findings yield useful information that EGCG might be a promising drug to prevent and treat the neurodegenerative diseases.

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