Creating a Fit Between BPR and IT Infrastructure: A Proposed Framework for Effective Implementation

As business imperatives change and new high-capability information technologies (IT) appear, organizations recognize the need to remain at the forefront of change by reengineering their business processes and implementing enabling responsive IT infrastructures. However, experience in this context indicates a lack of comprehension of essential elements and their mutual relationships that can contribute to the success of business-process change-implementation efforts. This article proposes a framework for managing IT for effective business-process redesign (BPR) implementation. After establishing BPR principles, components, and the relationship of BPR to some organizational and technological approaches, it presents the role and benefits of IT in BPR. The article then discusses in detail the core elements of the framework. Its theme is that an IT infrastructure that covers issues of BPR strategy development, IT strategic alignment, IT infrastructure development, IT sourcing, legacy systems reengineering, IS integration, and IS function competence is essential and critical for effective implementation.     

Detection of Raillietina saudiae from the domestic pigeon in Saudi Arabia through 18S and 28S rDNA genes

Raillietina saudiae is a well-studied avian gastrointestinal parasite belonging to the family Davaineidae and is the most prevalent cyclophyllid tapeworm infecting pigeon in Saudi Arabia. The present study considered as a complementary analysis of Al-Quraishy et al. (2019; Parasitol Int 71 , 59–72) with molecular studies for two ribosomal DNA genes employed for precise recognition of this Raillietina species. The annotated partial 18S and 28S rDNA gene regions were found to be 888 and 900 bp long that utilized further to elucidate their genetic relationships at species level using maximum likelihood method. The query sequence of R. saudiae is well aligned and placed within the Davaineidae family, with the same clade of all species of Raillietina that well separated from other cyclophyllidean cestodes especially taeniid and hymenolepid species. Sequence data recorded the monophyly of Raillietina species. The current phylogeny supports the usage of the partial 18S and 28S rDNA genes as reliable markers for phylogenetic reconstructions.     

Alkaline phosphatase and acid phosphatase levels in saliva and serum of patients with healthy periodontium,gingivitis, and periodontitis before and after scaling with root planing: A clinico-biochemical study

Periodontitis is commonly diagnosed based on clinical parameters. However, the analysis of a few unique biomarkers of the disease process present in the saliva and blood can further assist the estimation of the rate of disease progression.AimThe present study attempted to correlate the alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and acid phosphatase (ACP) levels in saliva and serum between patients with healthy periodontium, gingivitis, and chronic periodontitis.Materials and methodsThe present study was conducted in 135 subjects between 20 and 55 years of age. The subjects were divided into three groups, namely healthy (Group A), gingivitis (Group B), and chronic periodontitis (Group C). The clinical parameters were recorded using the plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), and probing depth (PD). Saliva and serum were analyzed for ALP and ACP levels using an auto analyzer. All patients underwent scaling and root planning (SRP) along with oral hygiene instructions. Patients were then recalled after four weeks, and blood and saliva samples were collected to estimate ALP and ACP levels prior to clinical examination.ResultsThe clinical parameters exhibited a statistically significant decrease in the PI and GI in both group B and group C after SRP. A significant change in the PD and attachment levels (AL) was observed in the periodontitis group after SRP. The mean salivary & serum ALP levels exhibited a statistically significant decrease in group B & C after SRP. The mean serum ACP levels exhibited a statistically significant decrease in group B & C after SRP However, the salivary ACP levels decrease after SRP was only statistically significant in group C.ConclusionSerum and salivary ALP and ACP levels were markedly decreased in the gingivitis and periodontitis groups after SRP and were positively correlated with the clinical parameters.     

Laser Doppler Flare Imaging and Quantitative Thermal Thresholds Testing Performance in Small and Mixed Fiber Neuropathies

IntroductionSmall fiber neuropathy might be a part of typical mixed small and large fiber neuropathy, or a distinct entity, affecting exclusively small nerve fibers.ObjectivesExplore the utility of small nerve fiber testing in patients with clinical presentation suggesting small fiber neuropathy, with and without evidence for concomitant large fiber neuropathy.MethodsPatients attending the neuromuscular clinic from 2012 to 2015 with a clinical presentation suggesting small nerve fiber impairment, who had Laser Doppler flare imaging (LDI_Flare) and quantitative thermal testing (QTT) were evaluated for this study. Patients with clinical or electrophysiological evidence for concomitant large fiber neuropathy were not excluded.ResultsThe sensitivities of LDI_Flare, cooling and heat threshold testing were 64%, 36%, and 0% respectively for clinically highly suggestive small fiber neuropathy, 64%, 56%, and 19% respectively for mixed fiber neuropathy, and 86%, 79%, and 29% respectively for diabetic mixed fiber neuropathy.DiscussionLDI_Flare and cooling thresholds testing are non-invasive small nerve fiber testing modalities, with moderate performance in patients with small and mixed fiber neuropathy, and excellent performance in diabetic mixed fiber neuropathy.     

Design and total synthesis of (-)-codonopsinine, (-)-codonopsine and codonopsinine analogues by O-(2-oxopyrrolidin-5-yl)trichloroacetimidate as amidoalkylating agent with improved antimicrobial activity via solid lipid nanoparticle formulations

A general strategy towards total synthesis of (-)-codonopsinine, (-)-codonopsine and codonopsinine analogues has been developed from (D)-tartaric acid via the intermediate (3S,4R)-1-methyl-2-oxo-5-(2,2,2-trichloroacetamido)pyrrolidinediacetate (7). α-amidoalkylation studies of 7 with electron rich benzene derivative 8a-g as C-nucleophiles afforded (aryl derivatives) 9a-g. The target compounds 1, 2 and 13c-g were readily obtained from 10a-g via Grignard addition to the homochiral lactam which was produced by deoxygenation using Lewis-acid followed by deacetylation. The synthesized compounds were loaded onto solid lipid nanoparticle formulations (SLNs) prepared by hot emulsification-ultrasonication technique using Compritol as solid lipid and Pluronic f68 as surfactant. SLNs were fully evaluated and the permeation of synthesized compound from SLNs was assayed against non-formulated compounds through dialysis membranes using Franz cell. The data indicated good physical characteristics of the prepared SLNs, sustaining of release profiles and significant improvement of permeation ability when compared to the non-formulated compounds. The antibacterial and antifungal activities of 1, 2 and 13c-g were determined by disc diffusion and microbroth dilution method to determine the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) against seven microorganisms (Staphyloccus aureus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus mirabilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii and Candida albicans). The most active compounds against the Gram positive S. aureus were 1, 13C, 13d, and 13g. Also, 13c, 13d, and 13e had antibacterial activity but not 13f against some Gram negative organisms (E. coli, and P. mirabilis). MIC concentrations against P. aeruginosa, and K. pneumoniae were?≥512?μg/ml, while that against A. baumannii was?≥128?μg/ml except for nanoformulae of 13e and 13f that were 16 and 64?μg/ml, respectively. No antifungal activity against Candida albicans was recorded for all compounds and their nanoformulae (MIC?>?1024?μg/ml). SLNs were found to decrease the MIC values for some of the compounds with no effect on the antifungal activity. In conclusion, we demonstrated a novel, straight-forward and economical procedure for the total synthesis of (-)-codonopsinine 1, (-)-codonopsine 2 and codonopsinine analogues 13c-g from simple and commercially available starting materials; d-tartaric acid; with antimicrobial activities against Gram positive and Gram-negative organisms that were improved by SLNs formulations.     

Effect of symbiont acquisition on growth,survival and fertility of the terrestrial isopod Porcellionides pruinosus (Crustacea,Oniscidea)

Growth rate, survival, mean size of reproductive females and fertility were assessed in the terrestrial isopod Porcellionides pruinosus fed an artificial diet supplemented with potential sources of symbionts. The acquisition of symbionts was experimentally manipulated through feeding experiments to investigate the effect of the acquisition mechanism on isopod performances over 4 months. Five groups of isolated newborn were fed differently (basal diet or control; basal diet with leaf litter, faeces, gut; and basal diet mixed with antibiotic), weighed and counted at 0, 2 and 4 months. Growth rate differed significantly between diet groups at 2 and 4 months. No significant difference of survival was detected, but groups fed on a diet with supplements (leaf litter, faeces and gut) had a higher rate of survival. Size and fertility of reproductive females differed significantly across diet groups. Our findings showed the importance of the acquisition mode of symbionts on the life history of Oniscidea and the role of diet intake on the performance of P. pruinosus.     

Perception of Body Ownership Is Driven by Bayesian Sensory Inference

Recent studies have shown that human perception of body ownership is highly malleable. A well-known example is the rubber hand illusion (RHI) wherein ownership over a dummy hand is experienced, and is generally believed to require synchronized stroking of real and dummy hands. Our goal was to elucidate the computational principles governing this phenomenon. We adopted the Bayesian causal inference model of multisensory perception and applied it to visual, proprioceptive, and tactile stimuli. The model reproduced the RHI, predicted that it can occur without tactile stimulation, and that synchronous stroking would enhance it. Various measures of ownership across two experiments confirmed the predictions: a large percentage of individuals experienced the illusion in the absence of any tactile stimulation, and synchronous stroking strengthened the illusion. Altogether, these findings suggest that perception of body ownership is governed by Bayesian causal inference—i.e., the same rule that appears to govern the perception of outside world.     

First Report of Curtobacterium flaccumfaciens pv. flaccumfaciens Causing Cowpea Bacterial Wilt in Iran

During surveys in cowpea fields of Marand County, East Azerbaijan province, Iran, in the summer of 2013, a suspected bacterial disease was observed on cowpea leaves as tan spots and interveinal necrotic lesions surrounded by chlorotic margins. The disease was of high incidence where some fields had been fully destroyed and severity of the disease in some fields had reached up to 70%. Gram‐positive, yellow‐pigmented, coryneform bacteria were isolated from infected leaves. Pathogenicity of isolates was confirmed on 20‐day‐old cowpea (cv. Khoy) plants, and they were identified as Curtobacterium flaccumfaciens pv. flaccumfaciens based on biochemical test results confirmed using specific PCR primers. This is the first report of C. flaccumfaciens pv. flaccumfaciens, the causal agent of cowpea bacterial wilt in Iran.     

Derivation and validation of clinical phenotypes for COPD: a systematic review

Background

The traditional classification of COPD, which relies solely on spirometry, fails to account for the complexity and heterogeneity of the disease. Phenotyping is a method that attempts to derive a single or combination of disease attributes that are associated with clinically meaningful outcomes. Deriving phenotypes entails the use of cluster analyses, and helps individualize patient management by identifying groups of individuals with similar characteristics. We aimed to systematically review the literature for studies that had derived such phenotypes using unsupervised methods.

Methods

Two independent reviewers systematically searched multiple databases for studies that performed validated statistical analyses, free of definitive pre-determined hypotheses, to derive phenotypes among patients with COPD. Data were extracted independently.

Results

9156 citations were retrieved, of which, 8 studies were included. The number of subjects ranged from 213 to 1543. Most studies appeared to be biased: patients were more likely males, with severe disease, and recruited in tertiary care settings. Statistical methods used to derive phenotypes varied by study. The number of phenotypes identified ranged from 2 to 5. Two phenotypes, with poor longitudinal health outcomes, were common across multiple studies: young patients with severe respiratory disease, few cardiovascular co-morbidities, poor nutritional status and poor health status, and a phenotype of older patients with moderate respiratory disease, obesity, cardiovascular and metabolic co-morbidities.

Conclusions

The recognition that two phenotypes of COPD were often reported may have clinical implications for altering the course of the disease. This review also provided important information on limitations of phenotype studies in COPD and the need for improvement in future studies.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12931-015-0208-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.