bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A robust platform for chemical genomics in bacterial systems
Authors: French Shawn , Mangat Chand , Bharat Amrita , Côté Jean-Philippe , Mori Hirotada , Brown Eric D.
Published: January 2016

While genetic perturbation has been the conventional route to probing bacterial systems, small molecules are showing great promise as probes for cellular complexity. Indeed, systematic investigations of chemical-genetic interactions can provide new insights into cell networks and are often starting points for understanding the mechanism of action of novel chemical probes. We have developed a robust and sensitive platform for chemical-genomic investigations in bacteria. The approach monitors colony volume kinetically using transmissive scanning measurements, enabling acquisition of growth rates and conventional endpoint measurements. We found that chemical-genomic profiles were highly sensitive to concentration, necessitating careful selection of compound concentrations. Roughly 20,000,000 data points were collected for 15 different antibiotics. While 1052 chemical-genetic interactions were identified using the conventional endpoint biomass approach, adding interactions in growth rate resulted in 1564 interactions, a 50–200% increase depending on the drug, with many genes uncharacterized or poorly annotated. The chemical-genetic interaction maps generated from these data reveal common genes likely involved in multidrug resistance. Additionally, the maps identified deletion backgrounds exhibiting class-specific potentiation, revealing conceivable targets for combination approaches to drug discovery. This open platform is highly amenable to kinetic screening of any arrayable strain collection, be it prokaryotic or eukaryotic.
The Portuguese and the Sea
Authors: Newitt Malyn
Published: January 2016

This chapter looks at the portrayal of Portuguese seamen by two English-language writers—Rudyard Kipling in Captains Courageous and Alan Villiers in The Quest of the Schooner Argus. The latter describes the White Fleet made up of cod-fishing vessels that stayed abroad in North American waters for six months of the year making their crews long term seasonal migrants.
Modern Optics
Authors: Guenther B. D.
Published: January 2016

This book presents good treatments of paraxial matrix optics, aberration theory, Fourier transform optics (Fresnel–Kirchhoff formulation), Gaussian and Bessel beams, multiple thin films, surface plasmons, photonic crystals, and fiber optics. In addition to theory, the book surveys the state of the art in applications including laser optics, computational imaging, medical imaging, polarization, optical modulation, and nonlinear optics. It requires background in Fourier transforms, electromagnetism up to Maxwell’s equations, and matrix algebra for the relevant topics. There are problems at the end of each chapter. A large number of figures, both diagrams and photographs are included to give readers a good physical insight into optics.
Fractionally Integrated Data and the Autodistributed Lag Model: Results from a Simulation Study
Authors: Esarey Justin
Published: January 2016

Two contributions in this issue, Grant and Lebo and Keele, Linn, and Webb, recommend using an ARFIMA model to diagnose the presence of and estimate the degree of fractional integration, then either (i) fractionally differencing the data before analysis or, (ii) for cointegrated variables, estimating a fractional error correction model. But Keele, Linn, and Webb also present evidence that ARFIMA models yield misleading indicators of the presence and degree of fractional integration in a series with fewer than 1000 observations. In a simulation study, I find evidence that the simple autodistributed lag model (ADL) or equivalent error correction model (ECM) can, without first testing or correcting for fractional integration, provide a useful estimate of the immediate and long-run effects of weakly exogenous variables in fractionally integrated (but stationary) data.
Crystal structure of the flavoenzyme PA4991 fromPseudomonas aeruginosa
Authors: Jacewicz Agata , Schnell Robert , Lindqvist Ylva , Schneider Gunter
Published: January 2016

The locus PA4991 inPseudomonas aeruginosaencodes an open reading frame that has been identified as essential for the virulence and/or survival of this pathogenic organism in the infected host. Here, it is shown that this gene encodes a monomeric FAD-binding protein of molecular mass 42.2 kDa. The structure of PA4991 was determined by a combination of molecular replacement using a search model generated withRosettaand phase improvement by a low-occupancy heavy-metal derivative. PA4991 belongs to the GR2family of FAD-dependent oxidoreductases, comprising an FAD-binding domain typical of the glutathione reductase family and a second domain dominated by an eight-stranded mixed β-sheet. Most of the protein–FAD interactions areviathe FAD-binding domain, but the isoalloxazine ring is located at the domain interface and interacts with residues from both domains. A comparison with the structurally related glycine oxidase and glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase shows that in spite of very low amino-acid sequence identity (<18%) several active-site residues involved in substrate binding in these enzymes are conserved in PA4991. However, enzymatic assays show that PA4991 does not display amino-acid oxidase or glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase activities, suggesting that it requires different substrates for activity.
Crystallographic observation of the movement of the membrane-distal domain of the T7SS core component EccB1 fromMycobacterium tuberculosis
Authors: Xie Xiao-Qian , Zhang Xiao-Li , Qi Chao , Li De-Feng , Fleming Joy , Wang Da-Cheng , Bi Li-Jun
Published: January 2016

The protein EccB1, a core component of the type VII secretion system (T7SS) ofMycobacterium tuberculosis, has been identified as an ATPase and is essential for the secretion of virulence factors by the ESX-1 system. In a previous study, EccB1 structures were determined in two different conformations. Here, two new conformations are identified and described. These four conformations present snapshots of the swinging movement of the membrane-distal domain A2. The movement of this domain involves conformational changes in two flexible loops (loop A, residues 243–264, and loop B, residues 324–341) which are rich in proline and glycine residues and connect domain A2 to domains C1 and B2. It is proposed that the movement of this domain is related to the ATPase activity of EccB1 and its homologues, as well as to the substrate transport of ESX secretion systems.
Crystal structure of (η2,η2-cycloocta-1,5-diene)(η5-indenyl)cobalt(I)
Authors: Jungk Phillip , Spannenberg Anke , Hapke Marko
Published: January 2016

The title compound, [Co(C8H12)(C9H7)], was synthesized by the reaction of metallated 2-H-indene with CoCl(PPh3)3and 1,5-cyclooctadiene in tetrahydrofuran/toluene. In the molecule, the CoIatom is coordinated by the two double bonds of the 1,5-cyclooctadiene ligand and η5-bonded to the indenyl ligand. The asymmetric unit contains two molecules of the CoIcomplex with very similar conformations. In the crystal, molecules are arranged into rows parallel to [100]. Apart from dispersion forces, there are no notable intermolecular interactions in the crystal.
Diethyl 2,2′-({[1,4-phenylenebis(azanediyl)]bis(methylene)}bis(1H-pyrrole-2,1-diyl))diacetate
Authors: Alshawi Jasim , Yousif Muoayed , Timco Grigore , Zangana Karzan H. , Winpenny Richard , Al-Jeboori Mohamad J.
Published: January 2016

The complete molecule of the title compound, C24H30N4O4, is generated by crystallographic inversion symmetry. The molecule is S-shaped and the pyrrole groups have anantiortransconfirmation with respect to the central benzene ring, to which they are inclined by 76.38 (9)°. In the crystal, molecules are linkedviaC—H...O hydrogen bonds, forming layers parallel to theacplane. Within the layers there are C—H...π interactions present. There are, however, no significant interactions between the layers.
1-Methyl-3,5-diphenyl-1H-1,2,4-diazaphosphole
Authors: Duan Lian , Ma Fengle , Zheng Wenjun
Published: January 2016

In the titleN-substituted 1,2,4-diazaphosphole, C15H13N2P, the phenyl rings make dihedral angles of 29.8 (3) and 55.9 (3)° with the 1,2,4-diazaphosphole ring. In the crystal, no significant intermolecular interactions are present.
(Acetato-κO){2-[(2-aminoethyl-κN)disulfanyl]ethanaminium}dichloridozinc(II)
Authors: Kuwamura Naoto , Laskar Payel , Konno Takumi
Published: January 2016

In the title compound, [Zn(C4H13N2S2)(CH3COO)Cl2], the ZnIIion is in a tetrahedral coordination geometry, coordinated by one acetate, two chloride and one 2-[(2-aminoethyl)disulfanyl]ethanaminium ligand, with a Zn—O distance of 1.977 (3) Å, a Zn—N distance of 2.015 (3) Å and Zn—Cl distances of 2.2673 (18) and 2.2688 (15) Å. In the crystal, molecules are self-assembled by N—H...Cl hydrogen bonds, leading to a one-dimensional chain structure. The chains interact with each other through N—H...O, N—H...S, C—H...Cl and C—H...S hydrogen bonding, completing a three-dimensional hydrogen-bonding network structure.
What can be done to improve outcomes for prisoners with a dual diagnosis?
Authors: Moyes Hattie Catherine Ann , Heath Joshua James , Dean Lucy Victoria
Published: January 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to review the literature on offenders with a dual diagnosis and discuss how prison-based services can improve to better meet the needs of prisoners with co-occurring substance misuse and mental health disorders.

Design/methodology/approach

– A comprehensive literature search of PsycINFO, JSTOR, PubMed and Google Scholar, reviewing international studies on dual diagnosis amongst offender and community samples spanning the last three decades, supplemented by international policy, guidance papers and reports was conducted to explore how services can be improved.

Findings

– It was found that research into dual diagnosis amongst prisoners internationally was scarce. However, from the evidence available, several consistent factors emerged that led to the following recommendations: integrated treatment needs to be coordinated and holistic, staged and gender-responsive; increased availability of “low level”, flexible interventions; transitional support and continuity of care upon release with the utilisation of peer mentors; comprehensive assessments in conducive settings; mandatory dual diagnosis training for staff; and increased funding for female/gender-responsive services.

Practical implications

– The recommendations can inform commissioners, funders and service providers of areas where support must be improved to address the needs of prisoners with a dual diagnosis.

Social implications

– Improved outcomes for prisoners with a dual diagnosis would likely have a positive effect on society, with improvements in mental health and substance misuse treatment impacting on rates of reoffending.

Originality/value

– This paper brings originality and value to the sector because it reviews relevant research on dual diagnosis and translates it into practical implications for policy makers.
Investigating human and technological requirements for successful implementation of a BIM-based mobile augmented reality environment in facility management practices
Authors: Gheisari Masoud , Irizarry Javier
Published: January 2016

Purpose

– With the facility management industry increasingly adopting building information modeling (BIM) technologies, there is a need to investigate where this industry stands in its application. Moreover, studies on efficient and cost-effective solutions to integrate BIM and mobile augmented reality (MAR) present an environment where facility managers can experience an intuitive natural interaction with their mobile interfaces to efficiently access needed information. The industry’s view on this new approach of accessing information from BIM models should also be investigated, and its feedback should be considered for future phases of this avenue of research.

Design/methodology/approach

– This paper explores not only how BIM can be beneficial to facility management practitioners, but also how its integration with MAR and making the data accessible through handheld mobile devices can enhance current facility management practices. An online survey was conducted to assess professional facility managers’ characteristics, technology use and working environment as well as the current status of BIM application in their practices. An online video scenario has also been used to illustrate to facility managers how an ideal BIM-MAR-integrated environment could provide them with mobile access to their required information. Facility managers’ feedback on usability, applicability and challenges of such environment has also been investigated through a follow-up survey.

Findings

– With this paper, industry practitioners as well as academic researchers will be able to understand the current status of BIM and mobile computing application in facility management along with the benefits and challenges of implementing these technologies in an augmented reality (AR) environment.

Originality/value

– Understanding facility managers’ requirements, characteristics and the way they do their tasks would be of great value for development of tools or systems that would facilitate their practices.
Future of supply chain planning: closing the gaps between practice and promise
Authors: Jonsson Patrik , Holmström Jan
Published: January 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to develop a research agenda for supply chain planning (SCP) relevant for practice.

Design/methodology/approach

– The authors critically evaluate academic literature on SCP in order to understand how problems are addressed in their particular context, what the outcomes are, and the mechanisms producing the observed outcomes. Four categories of SCP are studied: sales and operations planning (S
&
OP), supply chain master planning, supply chain materials management, and collaborative materials management. The authors introduce the concept of enabling mechanisms to identify specific innovations in materials management and production management that can facilitate the future improvement of SCP.

Findings

– The critical evaluation of current SCP theory presents very limited results that are of practical relevance. SCP is not presented as an intervention and the results are not in a form that is actionable for practitioners. The body of literature is almost absent in addressing problems according to context, it presents limited evidence of intended outcomes, and it fails to identify unintended outcomes. As a consequence, research is unable to bolster theoretical understandings of how outcomes – both intended and unintended – are achieved. In the forward-looking research agenda the authors leverage the understanding of the enabling mechanisms in order to propose research to make mature S
&
OP and novel types of SCP implementable.

Research limitations/implications

– The paper is an example of a structured approach to developing a research agenda that is relevant to practice and can be used more widely in logistics and supply chain management.

Practical implications

– This paper presents a research agenda to close the gap between practice and promise in SCP.

Originality/value

– The authors operationalize what constitutes practical relevance for an established field of research.
The extended enterprise: a decade later
Authors: Spekman Robert , Davis Edward W
Published: January 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to review the state of the art in extended enterprise (EE) thinking.

Design/methodology/approach

– The approach used the 2004 book,The Extended Enterprise, as the jumping-off point to review the literature and better define the EE. What was once projected as depicting the future state of supply chain management is now shaping the way in which organizations interact with their customers and suppliers. New issues in this arena include considerations of risk, knowledge sharing, and supply chain performance. The authors review these new developments, describe how they might affect the collaborative supply chain, and posit future trends.

Findings

– The major theme from this research is that EE thinking is emerging among global companies as a primary way in which firms now compete. The term “Collaborative supply chains” appears, in some circles, to replace the term “EE.” Yet the principles and tenets delineated in the term “EE” are captured in “collaborative supply chains.” The authors find that the EE concept is distinct from other supply chains or subcontracting relationships in that firms are linked as learning organizations. Also, the authors have noted barriers to collaboration such as an unwillingness to share information, lack of trust, perceptions of lack of mutuality and symmetry, and mistrust about the fairness of benefits, costs, and risk sharing.

Research limitations/implications

– The limitations of this research could be a function of the papers reviewed since this review was not intended to be exhaustive but merely illustrative of the extant research. Nonetheless, the conclusions from the focus on risk, knowledge sharing, and performance hold strong implications for more collaborative relations among supply chain partners.

Originality/value

– Given the importance of supply chain partnerships, this research adds perspective for those firms that are reluctant to engage in such collaborative partnerships. This review contributes to extended enterprise thinking and is therefore insightful for both academics and practitioners.
Search engines crawling process optimization: a webserver approach
Authors: Zineddine Mhamed
Published: January 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to decrease the traffic created by search engines’ crawlers and solve the deep web problem using an innovative approach.

Design/methodology/approach

– A new algorithm was formulated based on best existing algorithms to optimize the existing traffic caused by web crawlers, which is approximately 40 percent of all networking traffic. The crux of this approach is that web servers monitor and log changes and communicate them as an XML file to search engines. The XML file includes the information necessary to generate refreshed pages from existing ones and reference new pages that need to be crawled. Furthermore, the XML file is compressed to decrease its size to the minimum required.

Findings

– The results of this study have shown that the traffic caused by search engines’ crawlers might be reduced on average by 84 percent when it comes to text content. However, binary content faces many challenges and new algorithms have to be developed to overcome these issues. The proposed approach will certainly mitigate the deep web issue. The XML files for each domain used by search engines might be used by web browsers to refresh their cache and therefore help reduce the traffic generated by normal users. This reduces users’ perceived latency and improves response time to http requests.

Research limitations/implications

– The study sheds light on the deficiencies and weaknesses of the algorithms monitoring changes and generating binary files. However, a substantial decrease of traffic is achieved for text-based web content.

Practical implications

– The findings of this research can be adopted by web server software and browsers’ developers and search engine companies to reduce the internet traffic caused by crawlers and cut costs.

Originality/value

– The exponential growth of web content and other internet-based services such as cloud computing, and social networks has been causing contention on available bandwidth of the internet network. This research provides a much needed approach to keeping traffic in check.
Socio-economic factors determining the way e-tourism is used in European Union member states
Authors: Szopiński Tomasz , Staniewski Marcin Waldemar
Published: January 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to test the frequency of the use of e-tourism by consumers/internet users of various European Union member states and to identify the socio-economic variables that determine this frequency.

Design/methodology/approach

– The secondary data regarding the use of e-tourism services in 28 European Union member states were used for analysis. Relationships between variables and the frequency of the use of e-tourism services by consumers in 28 countries in Europe were analyzed. For each of the 32 benchmarked countries, a representative sample of internet users was surveyed via local online panels. Also CATI approach was used in one country.

Findings

– The authors of this study identify a statistically significant relationship between the frequency of the use of e-tourism by internet users and their country of origin. Statistically significant relationships between the frequency of using e-tourism and socio-economic variables, such as age, sex, education level, occupation, and professional position, are also identified.

Practical implications

– The findings of this study can provide tour operators with useful suggestions on how to extend the utility of internet (e-commerce) in order to develop their business, get more customers and improve their profitability. Simultaneously, these results may contribute to enhancing competitiveness of the whole European Union and increasing its gross domestic product.

Originality/value

– With the worldwide rapid growth of internet (and e-commerce) many benefits can be reach by tourism sector especially in the growing competition. The paper is unique because it shows data collected from almost 25,000 respondents and it presents a comparison of the use of e-tourism among citizens of 28 European Union member states.
Analyzing user perspective on the factors affecting use intention of mobile based transfer payment
Authors: Upadhyay Parijat , Jahanyan Saeed
Published: January 2016

Purpose

– This study makes an integrated approach in identifying the factors affecting usage intention of mobile-based payment services. Such services are being marketed aggressively by cellular service providers and are different from usual mobile-based banking. The study incorporates prominent factors like the technical characteristics, technology-specific characteristics, user-specific characteristics, and task-specific characteristics and others from published literature. The purpose of this paper is to highlight those factors which have significant impact on the adoption of such service so that the adoption rate can be increased.

Design/methodology/approach

– A nationwide primary survey was conducted using validated questionnaire requesting response for the factors obtained from published literature. In total, 196 respondents participated in the survey. Totally, 11 hypotheses were formulated and statistically tested for their significance in context to the study. Confirmatory study was on the significant factors and a model has been proposed.

Findings

– The study finds that factors like perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, system quality, connectivity, discomfort, task-technology fit and structural assurance have significant impact on the usage intention of mobile money services whereas factors such as perceived monetary value, absorptive capacity and personal innovativeness have been found to be insignificant.

Originality/value

– There have been no studies conducted which reported mobile-based transfer payment adoption issues where-in the transfer mechanism is independent of formal banking. The findings would be beneficial for service providers of mobile-based payment services to understand their subscribers and roll out value added services.
Private public distinction of the target and the long run operating performance of acquirers
Authors: Shams Syed M. M. , Gunasekarage Abeyratna
Published: January 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this study is to examine whether the acquirers of private targets outperform their peers that acquire public targets in the long run.

Design/methodology/approach

– Using two samples of acquirers of private and public targets, this paper analyses their short-run market performance and long-run operating performance. Univariate analyses and multiple regressions are used to analyse abnormal stock returns and abnormal cash flow performances of bidders.

Findings

– Acquirers of private targets earn significantly higher abnormal return than acquirers of public targets during the announcement period. Similarly, the long-run operating performance of acquirers of private targets is significantly higher than that of the acquirers of public targets. However, the performance difference between two groups is more pronounced when cash flows are scaled by the market value of acquirers.

Originality/value

– This is the first Australian study to examine whether the long-run operating performance of acquirers depends on the organisational form of the target acquired.
The long-run performance of the New Zealand stock markets: 1899-2013
Authors: Frijns Bart , Tourani-Rad Alireza
Published: January 2016

Purpose

– The aim of this paper is to construct a historical index for the New Zealand stock markets going back to 1899. From these historical returns, the authors can extract the average capital gains and dividend yield. It also allows them to provide an estimate for the equity risk premium (ERP).

Design/methodology/approach

– The authors collect stock-level data (prices, dividends, etc.) from quote records that are kept at the National Library in Wellington. From the stock-level data, the authors compute a value-weighted market index over the period 1899-2013.

Findings

– Over the period 1899-2013, the arithmetic mean of equity returns is 10.82 per cent p.a., with a standard deviation of 20.09 per cent. The New Zealand equity market had 92 years of positive returns and 23 years of negative returns during the sample period. The 10-year government bond yield, over the entire period, has an arithmetic mean return of 5.75 per cent. The ERP, on average, is 5.07 per cent.

Originality/value

– The authors collect the longest available historical data series for the New Zealand equity market. They document statistical properties as well as the long-term ERP over the entire sample period of 115 years and several subperiods. The ERP is a key input in corporate/project valuation.
Ukrainians in the German Armed Forces During the Second World War
Authors: Khromeychuk Olesya
Published: January 2016

During the Second World War large numbers of inhabitants of central, eastern and southern Europe joined the German Armed Forces. Among them were around 250,000 soldiers who identified themselves as Ukrainian. They served in the Wehrmacht, as well as the Waffen SS; a considerable number of them also served in the auxiliary police. They were motivated to join the German Armed Forces by a combination of different factors. This article aims to shed some light on the broad range of circumstances that facilitated the recruitment of thousands of Ukrainians to fight on the side of the Third Reich. It discusses several well‐known formations that were comprised of Ukrainians, such as the Nachtigall and Roland battalions and the Waffen SS ‘Galicia’ Division, as well as other units that have not been widely discussed in an academic context.
Energy production and sustainability: A study of Belo Monte hydroelectric power plant
Authors: Berchin Issa Ibrahim , Garcia Jéssica , Heerdt Mauri Luiz , Moreira Angélica de Quevedo , da Silveira Ana Clara Medeiros , de Andrade Guerra José Baltazar Salgueirinho Osório
Published: January 2016

The increase in energy demand due to economic and population growth necessitates the expansion of the Brazilian energy supply. Hydropower energy, a renewable energy source, arguably clean, presents an energy solution for many countries such as Brazil, with large hydric reservoirs, which help them reduce energy dependence on fossil and imported fuel sources. However, it must be emphasized that without careful planning, the creation of hydropower plants will cause severe social and environmental damage due to the large areas that need to be flooded for the implementation of these plants. The installation of hydropower plants floods vast forest areas, causing loss of biodiversity, displacement of native Brazilian people and riverside populations, and changes to the water acid levels and the natural course of rivers. To mitigate these effects, authorities must first conduct a study on installation possibilities and potential socio‐environmental consequences, to be interpreted and used by the agents involved. Aiming to analyze the social‐environmental impacts of the hydropower plants, this research seeks to investigate the capacity of mitigation of the negative effects of the implementation of the hydropower plants, specifically with regard to the Belo Monte plant, Brazil.
Thoracoscopic tracheal reconstruction without surgical field intubation
Authors: Zhao Kejia , Mei Jiandong , Hai Yang , Liu Chengwu , Ma Lin , Liu Lunxu
Published: January 2016

A cross‐filed endotracheal intubation is usually applied to maintain single lung ventilation during both open and thoracoscopic tracheal resection and reconstruction. Herein, we report a case of thoracoscopic tracheal resection and reconstruction with interrupted ventilation via transoral endotracheal intubation in a patient with thoracic tracheal adenocarcinoma. Tracheal anastomosis was accomplished using a running suture with a 3‐0 Prolene stitch.
Persistent postsurgical pain after video‐assisted thoracic surgery – an observational study
Authors: Wildgaard K. , Ringsted T. K. , Hansen H. J. , Petersen R. H. , Kehlet H.
Published: January 2016

Background

The risk of persistent postsurgical pain (PPP) and subsequent pain‐related functional impairment may potentially be reduced by video‐assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) compared to thoracotomy. The aim of the study was therefore to assess in detail the incidence and consequences on activities of daily living of PPP after VATS.

Methods

Using a prospective observational design, 47 patients undergoing VATS completed both preoperative, early postoperative and 3 months follow‐up. Preoperative pain, pain characteristics, psychological factors, pain‐related functional impairment and quantitative sensory testing (QST) including nociceptive thresholds were compared with postoperative data.

Results

Only five (11%) patients developed PPP with NRS > 3 originating from the surgical area. However, about 30% of patients still reported some pain‐related functional impairment from the surgical area within four well‐defined domains of everyday activities. Psychological and sensory thermal tests did not predict persistent postoperative pain, except preoperative pin‐prick sensitivity was higher in patients with PPP. Postoperative pain 7 days after surgery was significantly higher in PPP patients. Preoperative pain originating from remote areas did not predict PPP.

Conclusion

The incidence of PPP, nerve damage (based on QST) and pain‐related functional impairment following VATS was lower than reported following thoracotomy. No psychological or other factors predicted PPP. These findings call for further large‐scale studies to support VATS to decrease PPP.
Pressure‐dependent changes in haematocrit and plasma volume during anaesthesia, a randomised clinical trial
Authors: Damén T. , Reinsfelt B. , Redfors B. , Nygren A.
Published: January 2016

Background

Induction of general anaesthesia has been shown to cause haemodilution and an increase in plasma volume. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether prevention of hypotension during anaesthesia induction could avoid haemodilution.

Methods

Twenty‐four cardiac surgery patients, 66 ± 10 years, were randomised to receive either norepinephrine in a dose needed to maintain mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) at pre‐anaesthesia levels after induction or to a control group that received vasopressor if MAP decreased below 60 mmHg. No fluids were infused. Changes in plasma volume were calculated with standard formula: 100 × (Hctpre/Hctpost − 1)/(1 − Hctpre). Arterial blood gas was analysed every 10 minutes and non‐invasive continuous haemoglobin (SpHb) was continuously measured.

Results

Pre‐anaesthesia MAP was 98 ± 7 mmHg. Ten minutes after anaesthesia induction, the haematocrit decreased by 5.0 ± 2.5% in the control group compared with 1.2 ± 1.4% in the intervention group, which corresponds to increases in plasma volume by 310 ml and 85 ml respectively. MAP decreased to 69 ± 15 mmHg compared to 92 ± 10 mmHg in the intervention group. The difference maintained throughout the 70 min intervention period. The change in haemoglobin level measured by blood gas analysis could not be detected by SpHb measurement. The mean bias between the SpHb and blood gas haemoglobin was 15 g/l.

Conclusion

During anaesthesia induction, haematocrit decreases and plasma volume increases early and parallel to a decrease in blood pressure. This autotransfusion is blunted when blood pressure is maintained at pre‐induction levels with norepinephrine.
Applying Western models of volunteering in Hong Kong: The role of empathy, prosocial motivation and motive–experience fit for volunteering
Authors: Aydinli‐Karakulak Arzu , Bender Michael , Chong Alice Ming Lin , Yue Xiaodong
Published: January 2016

The present research investigates the applicability of prominent Western volunteering frameworks in Hong Kong. Two cross‐sectional surveys involving a total of 268 respondents were conducted. In Study 1, we tested a model of volunteering among 149 Hong Kong Chinese adult individuals (Mage = 34.8 years; 51.7% female) that examines antecedents and outcomes of voluntary engagement. Results show that prosocial motivation relates to volunteering, and that volunteering in turn predicts life satisfaction. Unexpectedly, and unlike studies in Western settings, other‐oriented empathy was not related to volunteering. Study 2 tests the propositions of the Volunteer Process Model (VPM) among 119 Hong Kong Chinese volunteers (Mage = 36.9 years; 58.0% female). Findings largely support the VPM: our results indicate that the link between motives, voluntary service length and frequency is mediated by satisfaction with volunteering. Moreover, findings suggest that a fit between motives and experience seems relevant for increasing volunteers' satisfaction with their service. Results of both studies suggest that Western volunteering models can be applied to volunteering in East Asian cultures when culture‐specific adaptations are considered.
Nationwide study of headache pain in Italy shows that pain assessment is still inadequate in paediatric emergency care
Authors: Benini Franca , Piga Simone , Zangardi Tiziana , Messi Gianni , Tomasello Caterina , Pirozzi Nicola , Cuttini Marina ,   the PIPER Study Group
Published: January 2016

Aim

Italian national guidelines on pain management were published in 2010, but there is little information on how effective pain management is in paediatric emergency care, with other countries reporting poor levels. Using headache as an indicator, we described pain assessment in Italian emergency departments and identified predictors of algometric scale use.

Methods

All Italian paediatric and maternal and child hospitals participated, plus four general hospitals. Data on all children aged 4–14 years admitted during a one‐month period with headache as their chief complaint were abstracted from clinical records. Multivariable analyses identified predictors of algometric assessment, taking into account the cluster study design.

Results

We studied 470 admissions. During triage, pain was assessed using a standardised scale (41.5%), informally (15.5%) or was not recorded (42.9%). Only 32.1% of the children received analgesia in the emergency department. The odds ratios for predictors of algometric assessment were non‐Italian nationality (3.6), prehospital medication (1.8), admission to a research hospital (7.3) and a more favourable nurses‐to‐admissions ratio of 10.8 for the highest versus lowest tertile.

Conclusion

Despite national guidelines, paediatric pain assessment in Italian emergency care was suboptimal. Hospital variables appeared to be stronger predictors of adequate assessment than patient characteristics.
Effects of amino acids supplementation in low crude protein diets on growth performance, carcass traits and serum parameters in finishing gilts
Authors: Jiao Xilan , Ma Wenfeng , Chen Yanrong , Li Zhentian
Published: January 2016

This study investigated the effects of amino acids (AA) supplementation in low crude protein (CP) diets on growth performance and carcass characteristics in finishing gilts. One hundred and eighty gilts (59.1 ± 5.1 kg) were randomly allotted to one of five diets which consisted of a high CP (15.6%) diet or four low CP (11.6%) diets for 50 days. The low CP diets were supplemented with lysine + threonine + methionine (LCM), LCM + tryptophan (LCT), LCT + valine (LCV) or LCV + isoleucine (LCI), respectively. Gilts were housed at six pigs per pen with six pens per treatment. At the end of the 50‐day experiment, 30 gilts (one pig per pen) with average body weight (BW) of 98 kg were killed to evaluate carcass traits. The pigs fed the diet supplemented with LCV obtained the highest average daily gain (ADG), which was higher than those of pigs fed the diet supplemented with LCM (P < 0.05). Dietary supplementation with tryptophan, valine and isoleucine in low CP diets increased ADG (linear and quadratic effect, P < 0.05), serum levels of valine (quadratic effect, P < 0.05) and isoleucine (linear and quadratic effect, P < 0.05) and immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgA (linear and quadratic effect, P < 0.05) in finishing gilts. © 2016 Japanese Society of Animal Science
Biased ligand quantification in drug discovery: from theory to high throughput screening to identify new biased μ opioid receptor agonists
Authors: Winpenny David , Clark Mellissa , Cawkill Darren
Published: January 2016

Background and Purpose

Biased GPCR ligands are able to engage with their target receptor in a manner that preferentially activates distinct downstream signalling and offers potential for next generation therapeutics. However, accurate quantification of ligand bias in vitro is complex, and current best practice is not amenable for testing large numbers of compound. We have therefore sought to apply ligand bias theory to an industrial scale screening campaign for the identification of new biased μ receptor agonists.

Experimental Approach

μ receptor assays with appropriate dynamic range were developed for both Gαi‐dependent signalling and β‐arrestin2 recruitment. Δlog(Emax/EC50) analysis was validated as an alternative for the operational model of agonism in calculating pathway bias towards Gαi‐dependent signalling. The analysis was applied to a high throughput screen to characterize the prevalence and nature of pathway bias among a diverse set of compounds with μ receptor agonist activity.

Key Results

A high throughput screening campaign yielded 440 hits with greater than 10‐fold bias relative to DAMGO. To validate these results, we quantified pathway bias of a subset of hits using the operational model of agonism. The high degree of correlation across these biased hits confirmed that Δlog(Emax/EC50) was a suitable method for identifying genuine biased ligands within a large collection of diverse compounds.

Conclusions and Implications

This work demonstrates that using Δlog(Emax/EC50), drug discovery can apply the concept of biased ligand quantification on a large scale and accelerate the deliberate discovery of novel therapeutics acting via this complex pharmacology.
Extracellular vesicle transfer of cancer pathogenic components
Authors: Fujita Yu , Yoshioka Yusuke , Ochiya Takahiro
Published: January 2016

Extracellular vesicles (EV), known as exosomes and microvesicles, serve as versatile intercellular communication vehicles. Increasing evidence has shown that cancer cell‐derived EV carry pathogenic components, such as proteins, messenger RNA (mRNA), microRNA (miRNA), DNA, lipids and transcriptional factors, that can mediate paracrine signaling in the tumor microenvironment. These data suggest that EV transfer of cancer pathogenic components enable long‐distance crosstalk between cancer cells and distant organs, resulting in the promotion of the initial steps for pre‐metastatic niche formation. Understanding the metastatic mechanisms through EV transfer may open up a new avenue for cancer therapeutic strategies. Furthermore, the circulating EV have also been of interest as a source for liquid biopsies. EV in body fluids provide a reliable source of miRNA and proteins for cancer biomarkers. The tumor‐specific components in EV effectively provide various messages on the physiological and pathological status of cancer patients. Although many researchers are searching for EV biomarkers using miRNA microarrays and proteome analyses, the detection technology for circulating EV in body fluids has not yet reached the point of clinical application. In this review, we summarize recent findings regarding EV function, specifically in metastasis through the transfer of cancer pathogenic components. Furthermore, we highlight the potential of using circulating EV for cancer diagnosis.
An Empirical Investigation in Sustaining High‐Quality Performance
Authors: Su Hung‐Chung , Linderman Kevin
Published: January 2016

Many organizations that were once quality leaders have had challenges sustaining high‐quality performance. Although research has examined frameworks and concepts that lead to high‐quality performance, few studies examine how to sustain high‐quality performance. Sustaining performance may require additional capabilities from what it takes to achieve it. Drawing on quality management literature, organizational resilience literature, and the theory of dynamic capabilities in the strategy literature, this study empirically investigates the effects of four capabilities that help sustain high‐quality performance. The analysis shows that capabilities in improvement, innovation, sensing weak signals, and responsiveness all help sustain high‐quality performance. This suggests that what it takes to achieve high‐quality performance is different, in part, from what it takes to sustain it. The data comes from a survey of 147 manufacturing business units. The analysis shows that the relative benefits of these capabilities may depend on the level of competitive intensity and environmental uncertainty. The findings provide empirical support for a theoretical model and practical guidance for sustaining quality performance.
Comparison of Left Ventricular Contractile Abnormalities in Stress‐Induced Cardiomyopathy versus Obstructive Coronary Artery Disease Using Two‐Dimensional Strain Imaging
Authors: Briasoulis Alexandros , Marinescu Karolina , Mocanu Marian , Sattar Assad , Qaqi Osama , Cardozo Shaun , Kottam Anupama , Afonso Luis
Published: January 2016

Background

Data on left ventricular (LV) strain profiles in patients with takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TC) in comparison with obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) are limited. We sought to investigate regional and global LV longitudinal strain in a cohort of patients with known TC using two‐dimensional strain imaging (2DS) in comparison with patients with acute cardiomyopathy (ACM) due to severe obstructive left anterior descending arterial disease or triple‐vessel disease and healthy controls.

Methods

Transthoracic echocardiography was performed in 34 patients with established TC, 24 patients with ACM, and 30 healthy subjects. We measured the segmental longitudinal strain in apical views by the use of EchoInsight Epsilon software. Left ventricular global longitudinal strain (GLS) was calculated by averaging segmental wall strains.

Results

The TC and ACM groups were comparable for age and demographic characteristics. Systolic and diastolic function were significantly impaired in both groups compared to controls. LV global and segmental systolic strain was also significantly attenuated in patients with TC and ACM compared to controls (P < 0.001). Moreover, LV basal segmental longitudinal strain was higher in the patients with TC compared to ACM (P = 0.02). Global and apical segmental strain appear to be higher in patients with mid‐ventricular variant compared to those with apical variant of TC with apical strain cutoff value of −7.85%, offering the best discriminatory value for differentiating these two patterns (P = 0.001).

Conclusions

The results of this hypothesis‐generating study indicate that longitudinal LV strain parameters are similarly impaired in patients with TC and ACM due to severe obstructive left anterior descending arterial disease or triple‐vessel disease. Assessment of two‐dimensional LV strain parameters could help differentiate between different TC patterns.
Cognitive flexibility modulates maturation and music‐training‐related changes in neural sound discrimination
Authors: Saarikivi Katri , Putkinen Vesa , Tervaniemi Mari , Huotilainen Minna
Published: January 2016

Previous research has demonstrated that musicians show superior neural sound discrimination when compared to non‐musicians, and that these changes emerge with accumulation of training. Our aim was to investigate whether individual differences in executive functions predict training‐related changes in neural sound discrimination. We measured event‐related potentials induced by sound changes coupled with tests for executive functions in musically trained and non‐trained children aged 9–11 years and 13–15 years. High performance in a set‐shifting task, indexing cognitive flexibility, was linked to enhanced maturation of neural sound discrimination in both musically trained and non‐trained children. Specifically, well‐performing musically trained children already showed large mismatch negativity (MMN) responses at a young age as well as at an older age, indicating accurate sound discrimination. In contrast, the musically trained low‐performing children still showed an increase in MMN amplitude with age, suggesting that they were behind their high‐performing peers in the development of sound discrimination. In the non‐trained group, in turn, only the high‐performing children showed evidence of an age‐related increase in MMN amplitude, and the low‐performing children showed a small MMN with no age‐related change. These latter results suggest an advantage in MMN development also for high‐performing non‐trained individuals. For the P3a amplitude, there was an age‐related increase only in the children who performed well in the set‐shifting task, irrespective of music training, indicating enhanced attention‐related processes in these children. Thus, the current study provides the first evidence that, in children, cognitive flexibility may influence age‐related and training‐related plasticity of neural sound discrimination.