A conceptual framework of e-fraud control in an integrated supply chain

The integration of supply chains offers many benefits; yet, it may also render organisations more vulnerable to electronic fraud (e-fraud). E-fraud can drain on organisations’ financial resources, and can have a significant adverse effect on the ability to achieve their strategic objectives. Therefore, efraud control should be part of corporate board-level due diligence, and should be integrated into organisations’ practices and business plans.
Management is responsible for taking into consideration the relevant cultural, strategic and implementation elements that inter-relate with each other and to coordinating the human, technological and financial resources necessary to designing and implementing policies and procedures for controlling e-fraud. Due to the characteristics of integrated supply chains, a move from the traditional vertical approach to a systemic, horizontal-vertical approach is necessary. Although the e-fraud risk cannot be eliminated, risk mitigation policies and processes tailored to an organisation’s particular vulnerabilities can significantly reduce the risk and may even preclude certain classes of frauds.
In this paper, a conceptual framework of e-fraud control in an integrated supply chain is proposed. The proposed conceptual framework can help managers and practitioners better understand the issues and plan the activities involved in a systemic, horizontal-vertical approach to e-fraud control in an integrated supply chain, and can be a basis upon which empirical studies can be build.

The myeloproliferative disorder-associated JAK2 V617F mutant escapes negative regulation by suppressor of cytokine signaling 3

The somatic JAK2 valine-to-phenylalanine (V617F) mutation has been detected in up to 90% of patients with polycythemia and in a sizeable proportion of patients with other myeloproliferative disorders such as essential thrombocythemia and idiopathic myelofibrosis. Suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS3) is known to be a strong negative regulator of erythropoietin (EPO) signaling through interaction with both the EPO receptor (EPOR) and JAK2. We report here that JAK2 V617F cannot be regulated and that its activation is actually potentiated in the presence of SOCS3. Instead of acting as a suppressor, SOCS3 enhanced the proliferation of cells expressing both JAK2 V617F and EPOR. Additionally, although SOCS1 and SOCS2 are degraded in the presence of JAK2 V617F, turnover of SOCS3 is inhibited by the JAK2 mutant kinase and this correlated with marked tyrosine phosphorylation of SOCS3 protein. We also observed constitutive tyrosine phosphorylation of SOCS3 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) derived from patients homozygous for the JAK2 V617F mutant. These findings suggest that the JAK2 V617F has overcome normal SOCS regulation by hyperphosphorylating SOCS3, rendering it unable to inhibit the mutant kinase. Thus, JAK2 V617F may even exploit SOCS3 to potentiate its myeloproliferative capacity.

Heating effects on water repellency in Australian eucalypt forest soils and their value in estimating wildfire soil temperatures

Wildfires can induce or enhance soil water repellency under a range of vegetation communities. According to mainly USA-based laboratory studies, repellency is eliminated at a maximum soil temperature (T) of 280–400°C. Knowledge of T reached during a wildfire is important in evaluating post-fire soil physical properties, fertility and seedbed status. T is, however, notoriously difficult to ascertain retrospectively and often based on indicative observations with a large potential error. Soils under fire-prone Australian eucalypt forests tend to be water repellent when dry or moderately moist even if long unburnt. This study aims to quantify the temperature of water repellency destruction for Australian topsoil material sampled under three sites with contrasting eucalypt cover (Eucalyptus sieberi, E. ovata and E. baxteri). Soil water repellency was present prior to heating in all samples, increased during heating, but was abruptly eliminated at a specific T between 260 and 340°C. Elimination temperature varied somewhat between samples, but was found to be dependent on heating duration, with longest duration resulting in lowest elimination temperature. Results suggest that post-fire water repellency may be used as an aid in hindcasting soil temperature reached during the passage of a fire within repellency-prone environments.

Sequential 123-I-iododexetimide scans in temporal lobe epilepsy: comparison with neuroimaging scans (MR imaging and 18-F-FDG-PET imaging)

Purpose Muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs) play an important role in the generation of seizures. Single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) with ¹²³I-iododexetimide (IDEX) depicts tracer uptake by mAChRs. Our aims were to: (a) determine the optimum time for interictal IDEX SPECT imaging; (b) determine the accuracy of IDEX scans in the localisation of seizure foci when compared with video EEG and MR imaging in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE); (c) characterise the distribution of IDEX binding in the temporal lobes and (d) compare IDEX SPECT and ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) in identifying seizure foci.
Methods We performed sequential scans using IDEX SPECT imaging at 0, 3, 6 and 24 h in 12 consecutive patients with refractory TLE undergoing assessment for epilepsy surgery. Visual and region of interest analyses of the mesial, lateral and polar regions of the temporal lobes were used to compare IDEX SPECT, FDG PET and MR imaging in seizure onset localisation.
Results The 6-h IDEX scan (92%; κappa=0.83, p=0.003) was superior to the 0-h (36%; kappa=0.01, p>0.05), 3-h (55%;κappa=0.13, p>0.05) and 24-h IDEX scans in identifying the temporal lobe of seizure origin. The 6-h IDEX scan correctly predicted the temporal lobe of seizure origin in two patients who required intracranial EEG recordings to define the seizure onset. Reduced ligand binding was most marked at the temporal pole and mesial temporal structures. IDEX SPECT was superior to interictal FDG PET (75%; κappa=0.66, p=0.023) in seizure onset localisation. MR imaging was non-localising in two patients in whom it was normal and in another patient in whom there was bilateral symmetrical hippocampal atrophy.
Conclusion The 6-h IDEX SPECT scan is a viable alternative to FDG PET imaging in seizure onset localisation in TLE.

The prevalence and selected characteristics of non-fatal opioid overdoses attended by ambulance in Australia

Key Points
1. Ambulance attendance at non-fatal opioid overdose is a common event in mainland Australia (among heroin users in particular).
2. The monthly rate of non-fatal opioid overdose attended by ambulance was generally highest in Victoria (Melbourne) followed by NSW with the rates substantially lower in the remaining mainland states over the period Jan  1999 - Feb 2001.
3. Non-fatal opioid overdose victims were most likely to be male in all states with the proportion of males highest in Victoria (77%).
4. Non-fatal opioid overdose victims were aged around 28 years with ages lowest in WA (26) and highest in NSW (30).
5. The rates of transportation varied according to ambulance service practice across the states with around 94% of cases transported in WA and around 19% and 30% of cases transported in Melbourne and NSW respectively.

Developing relationships – a nonlinear perspective

The research examining marketing relationships has traditionally assumed that they develop in an evolutionary linear process. There has been limited discussion of the fact that over a relationship’s lifespan it may in fact both strengthen and weaken, and that inactivity does not necessarily infer relationship failure. The paper proposes a model that allows relationships to move in multiple directions over their existence.

Inactivity within relationships

The relationship life cycle has been central to relationship development literature and has largely assumed that relationship development is an evolutionary linear process. There has generally been limited discussion of the fact that over a relationship’s lifespan it may in fact strengthen, weaken, and even become inactive, which is not the same as relationship failure. The paper proposes a dynamic model of relationship development that includes relationship inactivity as a significant phase.

Re-examining relationship development

Research examining marketing relationships has not traditionally discussed the fact that business-to-business relationships strengthen and weaken over its life. The model also suggests relationship inactivity is not necessarily the same as relationship failure. The paper proposes a model that allows relationships to move in multiple directions over their existence.

Pollutants increase song complexity and the volume of the brain area HVC in a songbird

Environmental pollutants which alter endocrine function are now known to decrease vertebrate reproductive success. There is considerable evidence for endocrine disruption from aquatic ecosystems, but knowledge is lacking with regard to the interface between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Here, we show for the first time that birds foraging on invertebrates contaminated with environmental pollutants, show marked changes in both brain and behaviour. We found that male European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) exposed to environmentally relevant levels of synthetic and natural estrogen mimics developed longer and more complex songs compared to control males, a sexually selected trait important in attracting females for reproduction. Moreover, females preferred the song of males which had higher pollutant exposure, despite the fact that experimentally dosed males showed reduced immune function. We also show that the key brain area controlling male song complexity (HVC) is significantly enlarged in the contaminated birds. This is the first evidence that environmental pollutants not only affect, but paradoxically enhance a signal of male quality such as song. Our data suggest that female starlings would bias their choice towards exposed males, with possible consequences at the population level. As the starling is a migratory species, our results suggest that transglobal effects of pollutants on terrestrial vertebrate physiology and reproduction could occur in birds.

International well-being index : the Austrian version

The International Well-being Index (IWI) measures both personal and national well-being. It comprises two subscales: the Personal Well-being Index (PWI) and the National Well-being Index (NWI). The aim of this paper is to test the psychometric properties (validity and reliability) of the translated scale in Austria. Convergent validity is assessed using the Scales of Psychological Well-Being, the Satisfaction with Life Scale and the Positive and Negative Affect Scale. In addition, a Visual–Analog Scales capturing “satisfaction with life as a whole” was applied. The participants were 581 students of the Medical University Innsbruck (female: 47.7%; age: 23.2 ± 3.7). Internal consistency (Cronbach’s α) of the IWI was for both scales > .70 (PWI: .85; NWI: .83). The exploratory factor analysis of the IWI identified a 2-factor-structure identical with the two scales of the IWI explaining 54.2% of the variance. The convergent validity hypotheses were confirmed, construct validity was partly confirmed for the PWI being a deconstruction of a first factor called “satisfaction with life” (38.1% explained variance). Happy participants scored higher on the PWI (84.3 ± 7.9 vs. 68.7 ± 13.7; p < .001) and NWI (64.3 ± 15.8 vs. 57.9 ± 15.1; p < .001) scores than unhappy participants. It is concluded that the Austrian version of the IWI is a reliable and valid instrument to assess personal and national well-being. Further studies including a representative sample should be carried out on a recurring basis to use the IWI as an indicator for social science research in Austria.