bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Low dielectric loss, dielectric response, and conduction behavior in Na-doped Y2/3Cu3Ti4O12 ceramics
Authors: Liang Pengfei , Chao Xiaolian , Yang Zupei
Published: July 2014

The Na-doped Y2/3Cu3Ti4O12 system has been prepared and investigated. Na doping facilitates the formation of oxygen vacancies, which is of great benefit to the growth of the grain size. Proper amount of Na substitution in NaxY(2−x)/3Cu3Ti4O12 ceramics makes the dielectric loss significantly decreased. As x = 0.050, Na0.050Y0.650Cu3Ti4O12 ceramics exhibit the lowest dielectric loss (about 0.022 at 1 kHz) and a relatively high dielectric constant (about 7500 at 1 kHz). The lowered dielectric loss is closely associated with the enhanced resistance of grain boundary. The conduction and dielectric processes of grain boundary become much more difficult after Na doping. Impedance analysis suggests that the same charge defects are responsible for the conduction and dielectric relaxation behaviors of grain boundary. Scaling behaviors indicate that the physical nature of their dielectric relaxation and conduction behavior are independent of the measurement temperature and the Na concentration.
Particle-in-cell simulations of ion-acoustic waves with application to Saturn's magnetosphere
Authors: Koen Etienne J. , Collier Andrew B. , Maharaj Shimul K. , Hellberg Manfred A.
Published: July 2014

Using a particle-in-cell simulation, the dispersion and growth rate of the ion-acoustic mode are investigated for a plasma containing two ion and two electron components. The electron velocities are modelled by a combination of two kappa distributions, as found in Saturn's magnetosphere. The ion components consist of adiabatic ions and an ultra-low density ion beam to drive a very weak instability, thereby ensuring observable waves. The ion-acoustic mode is explored for a range of parameter values such as κ, temperature ratio, and density ratio of the two electron components. The phase speed, frequency range, and growth rate of the mode are investigated. Simulations of double-kappa two-temperature plasmas typical of the three regions of Saturn's magnetosphere are also presented and analysed.
The design criteria of hybrid waveguides using semiconductor gain to compensate the metal loss towards nano-scale lasers with high plasmonicity
Authors: Yang Wei , Zong Hua , Ji Qingbin , Yan Tongxing , Hu Xiaodong
Published: July 2014

In this Letter, we report on the design criteria of plasmonic nano-lasers based on hybrid waveguides using semiconductor gain to compensate for the metal loss. A quantitative measure of the plasmonic-like character in nano-lasers was discussed with the distance of operation wavelength to plasmon resonance, herein defined as “plasmonicity” (Θ=ω/ωsp). We found that the effective index (confinement) increased with plasmonicity rapidly when approaching resonance and the associated giant modal loss prohibited lasing. We further studied the design criteria of a practicable green nano-laser, based on a vertical p-n junction combined with a lateral semiconductor/dielectric/metal core-shell structure. The influence of thickness and permittivity of dielectric spacer and also the critical thickness of the active region were investigated numerically. The approach proposed here will shed light on the future fabrication of electrical injection nano-lasers with high plasmonicity.
Immediate, cumulative and residual effects of short- and long-term low plane of nutrition on milk protein and casein composition
Authors: Cowley F. C. , Barber D. G. , Anstis A. R. , Houlihan A. , Poppi D. P.
Published: July 2014

Immediate and residual effects of two lengths of low plane of nutrition (PON) on the synthesis of milk protein and protein fractions were studied at the Mutdapilly Research Station, in south-east Queensland. Thirty-six multiparous Holstein-Friesian cows, between 46 and 102 days in milk (DIM) initially, were used in a completely randomised design experiment with three treatments. All cows were fed on a basal diet of ryegrass pasture (7.0 kg DM/cow.day), barley-sorghum concentrate mix (2.7 kg DM/cow.day) and a canola meal-mineral mix (1.3 kg DM/cow.day). To increase PON, 5.0 kg DM/cow.day supplemental maize and forage sorghum silage was added to the basal diet. The three treatments were (C) high PON (basal diet + supplemental silage); (L9) low PON (basal diet only) for a period of 9 weeks; and (L3) low PON (basal diet only) for a period of 3 weeks. The experiment comprised three periods (1) covariate – high PON, all groups (5 weeks), (2) period of low PON for either 3 weeks (L3) or 9 weeks (L9), and (3) period of high PON (all groups) to assess ability of cows to recover any production lost as a result of treatments (5 weeks). The low PON treatment periods for L3 and L9 were end-aligned so that all treatment groups began Period 3 together. Although there was a significant effect of L9 on yields of milk, protein, fat and lactose, and concentrations of true protein, whey protein and urea, these were not significantly different from L3. There were no residual effects of L3 or L9 on protein concentration or nitrogen distribution after 5 weeks of realimentation. There was no significant effect of low PON for 3 or 9 weeks on casein concentration or composition.
Nutritional programming and the reproductive function of the offspring
Authors: Chavatte-Palmer P. , Dupont C. , Debus N. , Camous S.
Published: July 2014

There is ample evidence on the importance of maternal nutrition during pregnancy on fetal and offspring development. In ruminant females, the pool of oocytes is complete and definitive before birth, based on the resting reserve of primordial follicles established during fetal life, which represent the lifespan supply for the female’s fertilisable oocytes, whereas in males, although the production of spermatozoa is a continuous process throughout post-pubertal life. Sertoli cells, which play a central role in the development of a functional testis, proliferate during pre- and post-natal life, coordinating testicular development. Both male and female fertility may, therefore, be affected by the maternal environment, but studies on the effects of developmental nutritional conditions on reproductive function and fertility, both in males and females, are relatively scarce. In humans, intrauterine growth retardation has been associated with abnormal ovarian development, characterised by a decreased volume of primordial follicles in the ovarian cortical tissue in girls, and a higher incidence of cryptorchidism in boys, with subsequent low sperm counts in adulthood. Age at puberty and gonadotropin and inhibin B plasma concentrations are also affected. Animal studies suggest both in males and females that maternal undernutrition during pregnancy may affect pituitary response to GnRH and gonadal development and function, depending on the timing and magnitude of the undernutrition. Excess nutrition, which is often associated with intrauterine growth retardation in domestic species, induces effects on the onset of puberty and both testicular and ovarian function, maybe through the observed reduction in fetal growth. This review addresses the influence of maternal nutrition on offspring reproductive function using examples in humans and animals, with particular focus on ruminants.
Single-particle tracking reveals that free ribosomal subunits are not excluded from the
Escherichia coli
nucleoid
Authors: Sanamrad Arash , Persson Fredrik , Lundius Ebba G. , Fange David , Gynnå Arvid H. , Elf Johan
Published: July 2014

Significance

Single-particle tracking in living cells provides a way to identify a particle's binding state based on how it moves. In this work, we track fluorescently labeled ribosomal subunits in bacterial cells. We show that translating ribosomes move much slower than free subunits. More importantly, we show that it is only translating ribosomes that are excluded from the bacterial nucleoid, whereas free subunits have full access to the nucleoid. This finding is important because several gene-regulation mechanisms require that ribosomes are able to initiate translation as soon as the RNA polymerase has initiated transcription, and it has been difficult to reconcile such a requirement with the observation that ribosomes are nucleoid-excluded.
Transcriptional regulation of the sodium-coupled neutral amino acid transporter (SNAT2) by 17β-estradiol
Authors: Velázquez-Villegas Laura A. , Ortíz Víctor , Ström Anders , Torres Nimbe , Engler David A. , Matsunami Risë , Ordaz-Rosado David , García-Becerra Rocío , López-Barradas Adriana M. , Larrea Fernando , Gustafsson Jan-Åke , Tovar Armando R.
Published: July 2014

Significance

During gestation, several metabolic adaptations occur to prepare the mammary gland for lactation, a process essential to sustain the nutritional needs of the newborn. Thus, the capacity of the gland to actively synthesize proteins is dependent on the supply of amino acids regulated by specific amino acid transporters, including the sodium-coupled neutral amino acid transporter 2 (SNAT2). Our findings reveal that 17β-estradiol activates the expression of SNAT2 during gestation via an estrogen response element in the SNAT2 promoter that binds to a specific complex containing poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1, Lupus Ku autoantigen protein p70, and glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) proteins in the presence of estrogen receptor alpha (ER-α). Accordingly, estrogens regulate the expression of SNAT2 via ER-α, utilizing a transcriptional mechanism in which GAPDH, a metabolic enzyme associated with carbohydrate metabolism, is a coactivator.
Estimates of heat kernels for non-local regular Dirichlet forms
Authors: Grigor’yan Alexander , Hu Jiaxin , Lau Ka-Sing
Published: July 2014

In this paper we present new heat kernel upper bounds for a certain class of non-local regular Dirichlet forms on metric measure spaces, including fractal spaces. We use a new purely analytic method where one of the main tools is the parabolic maximum principle. We deduce an off-diagonal upper bound of the heat kernel from the on-diagonal one under the volume regularity hypothesis, restriction of the jump kernel and the survival hypothesis. As an application, we obtain two-sided estimates of heat kernels for non-local regular Dirichlet forms with finite effective resistance, including settings with the walk dimension greater than

2
2

.
Boundary Harnack inequality for Markov processes with jumps
Authors: Bogdan Krzysztof , Kumagai Takashi , Kwaśnicki Mateusz
Published: July 2014

We prove a boundary Harnack inequality for jump-type Markov processes on metric measure state spaces, under comparability estimates of the jump kernel and Urysohn-type property of the domain of the generator of the process. The result holds for positive harmonic functions in arbitrary open sets. It applies, e.g., to many subordinate Brownian motions, Lévy processes with and without continuous part, stable-like and censored stable processes, jump processes on fractals, and rather general Schrödinger, drift and jump perturbations of such processes.
Strichartz estimates for the Schrödinger equation for the sublaplacian on complex spheres
Authors: Casarino Valentina , Peloso Marco
Published: July 2014

In this paper we consider the sublaplacian

L

\mathcal L

on the unit complex sphere

S

2
n
+
1

⊂

C

n
+
1

S^{2n+1}\subset {\mathbf {C}}^{n+1}

, equipped with its natural CR structure, and derive Strichartz estimates with fractional loss of derivatives for the solutions of the free Schrödinger equation associated with

L

\mathcal L

. Our results are stated in terms of certain Sobolev-type spaces that measure the regularity of functions on

S

2
n
+
1

S^{2n+1}

differently according to their spectral localization. Stronger conclusions are obtained for particular classes of solutions, corresponding to initial data whose spectrum is contained in a proper cone of

N

2

{\mathbf {N}}^2

.
A role for eisosomes in maintenance of plasma membrane phosphoinositide levels
Authors: Fröhlich Florian , Christiano Romain , Olson Daniel K. , Alcazar-Roman Abel , DeCamilli Pietro , Walther Tobias C.
Published: July 2014

The plasma membrane delineates the cell and mediates its communication and material exchange with the environment. Many processes of the plasma membrane occur through interactions of proteins with phosphatidylinositol(4,5)-bisphosphate (PI(4,5)P2), which is highly enriched in this membrane and is a key determinant of its identity. Eisosomes function in lateral organization of the plasma membrane, but the molecular function of their major protein subunits, the BAR domain–containing proteins Pil1 and Lsp1, is poorly understood. Here we show that eisosomes interact with the PI(4,5)P2phosphatase Inp51/Sjl1, thereby recruiting it to the plasma membrane. Pil1 is essential for plasma membrane localization and function of Inp51 but not for the homologous phosphatidylinositol bisphosphate phosphatases Inp52/Sjl2 and Inp53/Sjl3. Consistent with this, absence of Pil1 increases total and available PI(4,5)P2levels at the plasma membrane. On the basis of these findings, we propose a model in which the eisosomes function in maintaining PI(4,5)P2levels by Inp51/Sjl1 recruitment.
Molecular dissection of the mechanism by which EWS/FLI expression compromises actin cytoskeletal integrity and cell adhesion in Ewing sarcoma
Authors: Chaturvedi Aashi , Hoffman Laura M. , Jensen Christopher C. , Lin Yi-Chun , Grossmann Allie H. , Randall R. Lor , Lessnick Stephen L. , Welm Alana L. , Beckerle Mary C.
Published: July 2014

Ewing sarcoma is the second-most-common bone cancer in children. Driven by an oncogenic chromosomal translocation that results in the expression of an aberrant transcription factor, EWS/FLI, the disease is typically aggressive and micrometastatic upon presentation. Silencing of EWS/FLI in patient-derived tumor cells results in the altered expression of hundreds to thousands of genes and is accompanied by dramatic morphological changes in cytoarchitecture and adhesion. Genes encoding focal adhesion, extracellular matrix, and actin regulatory proteins are dominant targets of EWS/FLI-mediated transcriptional repression. Reexpression of genes encoding just two of these proteins, zyxin and α5 integrin, is sufficient to restore cell adhesion and actin cytoskeletal integrity comparable to what is observed when the EWS/FLI oncogene expression is compromised. Using an orthotopic xenograft model, we show that EWS/FLI-induced repression of α5 integrin and zyxin expression promotes tumor progression by supporting anchorage-independent cell growth. This selective advantage is paired with a tradeoff in which metastatic lung colonization is compromised.
Csi1p recruits alp7p/TACC to the spindle pole bodies for bipolar spindle formation
Authors: Zheng Fan , Li Tianpeng , Jin Dong-yan , Syrovatkina Viktoriya , Scheffler Kathleen , Tran Phong T. , Fu Chuanhai
Published: July 2014

Accurate chromosome segregation requires timely bipolar spindle formation during mitosis. The transforming acidic coiled-coil (TACC) family proteins and the ch-TOG family proteins are key players in bipolar spindle formation. They form a complex to stabilize spindle microtubules, mainly dependent on their localization to the centrosome (the spindle pole body [SPB] in yeast). The molecular mechanism underlying the targeting of the TACC–ch-TOG complex to the centrosome remains unclear. Here we show that the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe TACC orthologue alp7p is recruited to the SPB by csi1p. The csi1p-interacting region lies within the conserved TACC domain of alp7p, and the carboxyl-terminal domain of csi1p is responsible for interacting with alp7p. Compromised interaction between csi1p and alp7p impairs the localization of alp7p to the SPB during mitosis, thus delaying bipolar spindle formation and leading to anaphase B lagging chromosomes. Hence our study establishes that csi1p serves as a linking molecule tethering spindle-stabilizing factors to the SPB for promoting bipolar spindle assembly.
A novel pathway of rapid TLR-triggered activation of integrin-dependent leukocyte adhesion that requires Rap1 GTPase
Authors: Chung Kyoung-Jin , Mitroulis Ioannis , Wiessner Johannes R. , Zheng Ying Yi , Siegert Gabriele , Sperandio Markus , Chavakis Triantafyllos
Published: July 2014

Rapid β2-integrin activation is indispensable for leukocyte adhesion and recruitment to sites of infection and is mediated by chemokine- or P-selectin glycoprotein ligand-1–induced inside-out signaling. Here we uncovered a novel pathway for rapid activation of integrin-dependent leukocyte adhesion, triggered by toll-like receptor (TLR)–mediated signaling. TLR2 or TLR5 ligation rapidly activated integrin-dependent leukocyte adhesion to immobilized ICAM-1 and fibronectin. Consistently, in vivo administration of the TLR2-ligand Pam3CSK4 increased integrin-dependent slow rolling and adhesion to endothelium within minutes, as identified by intravital microscopy in the cremaster model. TLR2 and TLR5 ligation increased β2-integrin affinity, as assessed by the detection of activation-dependent neoepitopes. TLR2- and TLR5-triggered integrin activation in leukocytes required enhanced Rap1 GTPase activity, which was mediated by Rac1 activation and NADPH oxidase-2–dependent reactive oxygen species production. This novel direct pathway linking initial pathogen recognition by TLRs to rapid β2-integrin activation may critically regulate acute leukocyte infiltration to sites of pathogen invasion.
TheCaenorhabditis elegansSUN protein UNC-84 interacts with lamin to transfer forces from the cytoplasm to the nucleoskeleton during nuclear migration
Authors: Bone Courtney R. , Tapley Erin C. , Gorjánácz Mátyás , Starr Daniel A.
Published: July 2014

Nuclear migration is a critical component of many cellular and developmental processes. The nuclear envelope forms a barrier between the cytoplasm, where mechanical forces are generated, and the nucleoskeleton. The LINC complex consists of KASH proteins in the outer nuclear membrane and SUN proteins in the inner nuclear membrane that bridge the nuclear envelope. How forces are transferred from the LINC complex to the nucleoskeleton is poorly understood. The Caenorhabditis elegans lamin, LMN-1, is required for nuclear migration and interacts with the nucleoplasmic domain of the SUN protein UNC-84. This interaction is weakened by the unc-84(P91S) missense mutation. These mutant nuclei have an intermediate nuclear migration defect—live imaging of nuclei or LMN-1::GFP shows that many nuclei migrate normally, others initiate migration before subsequently failing, and others fail to begin migration. At least one other component of the nucleoskeleton, the NET5/Samp1/Ima1 homologue SAMP-1, plays a role in nuclear migration. We propose a nut-and-bolt model to explain how forces are dissipated across the nuclear envelope during nuclear migration. In this model, SUN/KASH bridges serve as bolts through the nuclear envelope, and nucleoskeleton components LMN-1 and SAMP-1 act as both nuts and washers on the inside of the nucleus.
Single-molecule analysis of diffusion and trapping of STIM1 and Orai1 at endoplasmic reticulum–plasma membrane junctions
Authors: Wu Minnie M. , Covington Elizabeth D. , Lewis Richard S.
Published: July 2014

Following endoplasmic reticulum (ER) Ca2+ depletion, STIM1 and Orai1 complexes assemble autonomously at ER–plasma membrane (PM) junctions to trigger store-operated Ca2+ influx. One hypothesis to explain this process is a diffusion trap in which activated STIM1 diffusing in the ER becomes trapped at junctions through interactions with the PM, and STIM1 then traps Orai1 in the PM through binding of its calcium release-activated calcium activation domain. We tested this model by analyzing STIM1 and Orai1 diffusion using single-particle tracking, photoactivation of protein ensembles, and Monte Carlo simulations. In resting cells, STIM1 diffusion is Brownian, while Orai1 is slightly subdiffusive. After store depletion, both proteins slow to the same speeds, consistent with complex formation, and are confined to a corral similar in size to ER–PM junctions. While the escape probability at high STIM:Orai expression ratios is <1%, it is significantly increased by reducing the affinity of STIM1 for Orai1 or by expressing the two proteins at comparable levels. Our results provide direct evidence that STIM-Orai complexes are trapped by their physical connections across the junctional gap, but also reveal that the complexes are surprisingly dynamic, suggesting that readily reversible binding reactions generate free STIM1 and Orai1, which engage in constant diffusional exchange with extrajunctional pools.
Une écriture retorse: la réponse de Genet à ses juges
Authors: Hanrahan Mairéad
Published: July 2014

Dans ses textes, Jean Genet s'adresse violemment à son ennemi, en particulier à ses juges. Cet article explore comment l'écriture lui permet d'échapper à un rapport spéculaire à ses juges. Cette approche conteste des lectures récentes selon lesquelles les fantasmes de l'écrivain l'auraient fait s'identifier aux nazis, en raison d'une angoisse à l'égard de la castration. Je propose au contraire que Genet s'intéresse plus à tordre qu'à inverser (et donc respecter) la structure hiérarchique du pouvoir. Par le biais d'une lecture de
Pompes funèbres
, j'examine le rapport de l'écriture au mal, notamment l'idée que la cruauté d'un jeune milicien est équivalente à la poésie. L'article montre que le meurtre et l'écriture sont présentés comme des alternatives entre lesquelles le narrateur refuse de juger. S'il y a irresponsabilité à refuser de condamner le tortionnaire, il y aussi responsabilité à reconnaître la valeur inconditionnelle de tout être vivant, même le plus vil. Genet répond ainsi à une exigence éthique en refusant d'agir en juge.
New insights into the incorporation of natural suppressor tRNAs at stop codons in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Authors: Blanchet Sandra , Cornu David , Argentini Manuela , Namy Olivier
Published: July 2014

Stop codon readthrough may be promoted by the nucleotide environment or drugs. In such cases, ribosomes incorporate a natural suppressor tRNA at the stop codon, leading to the continuation of translation in the same reading frame until the next stop codon and resulting in the expression of a protein with a new potential function. However, the identity of the natural suppressor tRNAs involved in stop codon readthrough remains unclear, precluding identification of the amino acids incorporated at the stop position. We established an in vivo reporter system for identifying the amino acids incorporated at the stop codon, by mass spectrometry in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We found that glutamine, tyrosine and lysine were inserted at UAA and UAG codons, whereas tryptophan, cysteine and arginine were inserted at UGA codon. The 5′ nucleotide context of the stop codon had no impact on the identity or proportion of amino acids incorporated by readthrough. We also found that two different glutamine tRNAGln were used to insert glutamine at UAA and UAG codons. This work constitutes the first systematic analysis of the amino acids incorporated at stop codons, providing important new insights into the decoding rules used by the ribosome to read the genetic code.
Tolerance of Formulas Containing Prebiotics in Healthy, Term Infants
Authors: Williams Timberly , Choe Yong , Price Pamela , Katz Gary , Suarez Fabrizis , Paule Charles , Mackey Amy
Published: July 2014

Objective:

The aim of the study was to compare infants' gastrointestinal tolerance of formulas supplemented with 2 different levels of galacto‐oligosaccharides (GOS) versus a control formula (CF) or human milk.

Methods:

Healthy, full‐term infants (n = 180) were enrolled in this 3‐group controlled, double‐blind, multicenter study, and a concurrently enrolled, nonrandomized human milk–fed group (HM) by 8 days of age. Infants were randomized to be fed formula supplemented with either 4 g (EF4) or 8 g (EF8) GOS/L or a CF until day of life (DOL) 119. Infants were to be seen at DOL 14, 35, 56, 84, and 119. Parents were to record detailed 24‐hour information about intake, tolerance to feedings, and stool patterns and consistency each day from enrollment to DOL 35, and for 3 days before DOL 56, 84, and 119. Stool consistency was scored on a 5‐point scale as watery (1), loose/mushy, soft, formed, or hard (5).

Results:

The mean stool consistency score was higher in the CF group throughout the study (CF > EF8 and CF > HM for all study periods and CF > EF4 from DOL 15 to 35, P < 0.05). There was a significantly higher percentage of watery stools in the EF8 versus the CF group from study day 1 (SD 1) to DOL 14 (P < 0.05), but no differences between the groups in number of stools per day. The percentage of feedings with spit up and/or vomiting within 1 hour after feeding was significantly lower for HM versus EF8 and CF from SD 1 to DOL 14 (P < 0.05).

Conclusions:

In this clinical study, milk‐based term infant formula (Similac Advance) with 4 g GOS/L was well‐tolerated in terms of stool consistency and additional measures of gastrointestinal tolerance by newborn infants through the first 4 months of life.
Microbacterium mangrovi sp. nov., an amylolytic actinobacterium isolated from mangrove forest soil
Authors: Lee Learn-Han , Azman Adzzie-Shazleen , Zainal Nurullhudda , Eng Shu-Kee , Mutalib Nurul-Syakima Ab , Yin Wai-Fong , Chan Kok-Gan
Published: July 2014

Strain MUSC 115T was isolated from mangrove soil of the Tanjung Lumpur river in the state of Pahang, Peninsular Malaysia. Cells of this strain stained Gram-positive and were non-spore-forming, short rods that formed yellowish-white colonies on different agar media. The taxonomy of strain MUSC 115T was studied by a polyphasic approach, and the organism showed a range of phylogenetic and chemotaxonomic properties consistent with those of the genus

Microbacterium

. The cell-wall peptidoglycan was of type B2β, containing the amino acids ornithine, alanine, glycine, glutamic acid and homoserine. The muramic acid was of the N-glycolyl form. The predominant menaquinones detected were MK-12, MK-13 and MK-11. The polar lipids consisted of phosphatidylglycerol, phosphoglycolipid, diphosphatidylglycerol, two unidentified lipids, three unidentified phospholipids and four unidentified glycolipids. The major fatty acids of the cell membrane were anteiso-C15 : 0 and anteiso-C17 : 0. The whole-cell sugars detected were ribose, glucose, mannose and galactose. Based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence, strain MUSC 115T showed the highest sequence similarity to

Microbacterium immunditiarum

SK 18T (98.1 %),

M. ulmi

XIL02T (97.8 %) and

M. arborescens

DSM 20754T (97.5 %) and lower sequence similarity to strains of other species of the genus

Microbacterium

. DNA–DNA hybridization experiments revealed a low level of DNA–DNA relatedness (less than 24 %) between strain MUSC 115T and the type strains of closely related species. Furthermore, BOX-PCR fingerprint comparison also indicated that strain MUSC 115T represented a unique DNA profile. The DNA G+C content determined was 70.9±0.7 mol%, which is lower than that of

M. immunditiarum

SK 18T. Based on the combination of genotypic and phenotypic data, it is proposed that strain MUSC 115T represents a novel species of the genus

Microbacterium

, for which the name Microbacterium mangrovi sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is MUSC 115T ( = MCCC 1K00251T = DSM 28240T = NBRC 110089T).
Ideal Osmotic Spaces for Chlorobionts or Cyanobionts Are Differentially Realized by Lichenized Fungi
Authors: Kosugi Makiko , Shizuma Ryoko , Moriyama Yufu , Koike Hiroyuki , Fukunaga Yuko , Takeuchi Akihisa , Uesugi Kentaro , Suzuki Yoshio , Imura Satoshi , Kudoh Sakae , Miyazawa Atsuo , Kashino Yasuhiro , Satoh Kazuhiko
Published: July 2014

Lichens result from symbioses between a fungus and either a green alga or a cyanobacterium. They are known to exhibit extreme desiccation tolerance. We investigated the mechanism that makes photobionts biologically active under severe desiccation using green algal lichens (chlorolichens), cyanobacterial lichens (cyanolichens), a cephalodia-possessing lichen composed of green algal and cyanobacterial parts within the same thallus, a green algal photobiont, an aerial green alga, and a terrestrial cyanobacterium. The photosynthetic response to dehydration by the cyanolichen was almost the same as that of the terrestrial cyanobacterium but was more sensitive than that of the chlorolichen or the chlorobiont. Different responses to dehydration were closely related to cellular osmolarity; osmolarity was comparable between the cyanolichen and a cyanobacterium as well as between a chlorolichen and a green alga. In the cephalodium-possessing lichen, osmolarity and the effect of dehydration on cephalodia were similar to those exhibited by cyanolichens. The green algal part response was similar to those exhibited by chlorolichens. Through the analysis of cellular osmolarity, it was clearly shown that photobionts retain their original properties as free-living organisms even after lichenization.
Interaction of the Arabidopsis GTPase RabA4c with Its Effector PMR4 Results in Complete Penetration Resistance to Powdery Mildew
Authors: Ellinger Dorothea , Glöckner Annemarie , Koch Jasmin , Naumann Marcel , Stürtz Vanessa , Schütt Kevin , Manisseri Chithra , Somerville Shauna C. , Voigt Christian A.
Published: July 2014

The (1,3)-β-glucan callose is a major component of cell wall thickenings in response to pathogen attack in plants. GTPases have been suggested to regulate pathogen-induced callose biosynthesis. To elucidate the regulation of callose biosynthesis in Arabidopsis thaliana, we screened microarray data and identified transcriptional upregulation of the GTPase RabA4c after biotic stress. We studied the function of RabA4c in its native and dominant negative (dn) isoform in RabA4c overexpression lines. RabA4c overexpression caused complete penetration resistance to the virulent powdery mildew Golovinomyces cichoracearum due to enhanced callose deposition at early time points of infection, which prevented fungal ingress into epidermal cells. By contrast, RabA4c(dn) overexpression did not increase callose deposition or penetration resistance. A cross of the resistant line with the pmr4 disruption mutant lacking the stress-induced callose synthase PMR4 revealed that enhanced callose deposition and penetration resistance were PMR4-dependent. In live-cell imaging, tagged RabA4c was shown to localize at the plasma membrane prior to infection, which was broken in the pmr4 disruption mutant background, with callose deposits at the site of attempted fungal penetration. Together with our interactions studies including yeast two-hybrid, pull-down, and in planta fluorescence resonance energy transfer assays, we concluded that RabA4c directly interacts with PMR4, which can be seen as an effector of this GTPase.
Impact of soft law regulation by corporate governance codes on firm valuation: the case of Germany
Authors: Stiglbauer Markus , Velte Patrick
Published: July 2014

Purpose

– This paper aims to provide insight whether disclosed compliance with the German Corporate Governance Code (GCGC) leads to higher valuation on the German stock market.

Design/methodology/approach

– Based on agency theory, stakeholder theory and institutional theory, the authors conduct a meta-analysis and evaluate the value relevance of the compliance with the GCGC.

Findings

– The research finds that compliance with the GCGC is mainly not a value-relevant factor for German companies listed at the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.

Research limitations/implications

– The research considered is not fully comparable with regard to observation date, full integration of the GCGC rules and company selection/sample size. Future research is encouraged to research the valuation effects of compliance with the GCGC for a longer time horizon, the use of uniform performance measures and the integration of all GCGC rules.

Practical implications

– Compliance with the GCGC has not proven to be a value-driver for German listed companies. The authors recommend companies to search for opportunities to make their corporate governance more comprehensive by expanding their corporate governance reporting and thus providing deeper insights on how their processes of management and control work.

Originality/value

– The paper is the first investigation integrating the results of ten years of “code compliance – market valuation” research in Germany. We detect reasons why soft law regulation by corporate governance codes did not function on the German stock market. We additionally address behavioral aspects why investors do not give enough relevance to companies’ corporate governance statements so far.
Corporate governance and the information system: how a framework for IT governance supports ERM
Authors: Rubino Michele , Vitolla Filippo
Published: July 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to illustrate how information technology (IT) governance supports the process of enterprise risk management (ERM). In particular, the paper illustrates how the Control Objectives for Information and related Technology (COBIT) framework helps a company reach its objectives by integrating and supporting the Enterprise Risk Management by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations (COSO ERM) framework.

Design/methodology/approach

– This paper explains how the integration between the two frameworks (COSO ERM and COBIT 5) can represent, for any organization, a good way to achieve the objectives of internal control and risk management and, more generally, corporate governance.

Findings

– The paper identifies some gaps in the COSO ERM and illustrates how the COBIT framework facilitates the implementation of an adequate system of internal control.

Originality/value

– The originality of the work presented here is in analyzing the COBIT 5 together with the COSO ERM framework. This paper highlights that is not enough to apply only an internal control framework for achieving the risk management and internal control system objectives. An IT governance framework, such as COBIT 5 is proposed as a tool that support risk management in order to develop an adequate system of internal control.
Independent non-executive directors strategic role – some evidence from Malaysia
Authors: Azlan Annuar Hairul
Published: July 2014

Purpose

– The overall purpose of the research presented is to ascertain whether independent non-executive directors (INEDs) in Malaysian publicly listed companies (PLCs) are involved in corporate strategy.

Design/methodology/approach

– A qualitative approach, consisting of a series of interviews with board members, was chosen. The sampling frame was made as large as possible and, for the purpose of this study, consisted of board members who sit on PLCs of the main board and Malaysian-owned.

Findings

– The findings reveal that INEDs in Malaysia may display the same types of involvement in the formulation phase as their counterparts in UK, which McNulty and Pettigrew (1999) categorised as taking strategic decisions, shaping strategic decisions and shaping the context, conduct and content of strategy. The findings also show that the three phases of strategy are linked and that INEDs’ behaviour during evaluation may be moderated by the strategy’s success or failure and by their involvement in the earlier phases.

Research limitations/implications

– This research utilised interviews. Generalisations may be an issue when interviews are used as the method of inquiry. Also, the sample is not random, as access to many directors depended on recommendations. In addition, respondents were consciously selected to obtain various board positions that include independent and non-independent directors.

Practical implications

– Findings from this research suggest that the involvement of INEDs in different phases of corporate strategy is an indication that INEDs are no longer focusing much on policing the management. Although control is still a major issue on the board agenda, their strategic involvement may suggest that INEDs are adequately meeting their responsibilities of providing long-term direction to their companies and also suggests that INEDs are in a position to support the Chair effectively. Their active involvement is likely to result in successful strategic formalization and conclusion.

Originality/value

– There is a lack of work on studying barriers to INEDs' effectiveness in developing countries, whereby previous work and literature review were predominantly based upon the experience of Western economies.
Recent corporate governance developments in Greece
Authors: Nerantzidis Michail , Filos John
Published: July 2014

Purpose

– This study aims to investigate the recent corporate governance (CG) developments in Greece. The recent economic crisis of Greece has caused very high mobility, both at a state level by imposing a new Greek regulation in capital market and at a level of associations in Greece by recommending new voluntary codes on CG. Both the new economic conditions in the world economy after the global financial crisis of 2007-2010 and the 2009 economic crisis in Greece provide a valuable opportunity to study the CG and regulatory aspects of CG in Greece.

Design/methodology/approach

– This study has three objectives, namely, to present the reasons which lead the business community in Greece to reconsider existing CG practices and outline the main aspects; to locate the current CG developments and trends in Greece in the last decade (2002-2011), especially in the light of the recent debate between various voluntary codes that have lately been proposed; and, finally, to highlight the efforts that have been made so far by companies to comply with the expanding body of CG best practices and Greek legislation.

Findings

– The main finding is that the development of regulatory reforms and practices on CG is a process based on the European Union directives.

Practical implications

– The improvement of legal, institutional and regulatory framework of CG in Greece can attract new investors.

Originality/value

– This paper re-examines the value of CG in Greece under the new economic conditions.
Higher education’s blend of old and new
Authors: Cole Graham
Published: July 2014

Purpose

– This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies.

Design/methodology/approach

– This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context.

Findings

– In a world seemingly awash with technological innovations, a question which often arises is how to utilize them most effectively. That is one challenge faced by the higher education (HE) sector. Institutions grapple with finding ways to incorporate technology alongside conventional teaching methods. A significant development has been the growing tendency for universities to deliver course content using a “blended learning” approach. Information and communications technologies in the shape of online teaching resources are used in combination with established face-to-face tutoring methods. However, little is yet certain as to the impact of this approach on student motivation and their learning outcomes.

Practical implications

– The paper provides strategic insights and practical thinking that have influenced some of the world’s leading organizations.

Originality/value

– The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to digest format.
Executive coaching: Guidelines that work
Authors: Bozer Gil , Sarros James C. , Santora Joseph C
Published: July 2014

Purpose

– This paper aims to offer a theoretical foundation for a testable framework of executive coaching effectiveness and to share key findings from the research study in executive coaching effectiveness based on the theoretical framework.

Design/methodology/approach

– This article draws on the results from a quasi-experimental field study of four firms whose primary professional services focused on executive coaching.

Findings

– Practical implications and learning lessons for the three constituents: the coachee, the coach and the organization.

Originality/value

– The research can assist individuals and organizations in making informed decisions about designing, implementing and measuring executive coaching programs, thus building the profession of coaching.
Education in entrepreneurship and the Theory of Planned Behaviour
Authors: Heuer Annamária , Kolvereid Lars
Published: July 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of the present empirical study is to investigate the relationship between education in entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial behaviour and compare the effectiveness of frequently used entrepreneurship education teaching approaches.

Design/methodology/approach

– Hypotheses are derived from the “Theory of Planned Behaviour” (“TPB”), which suggests that education in entrepreneurship is positively related to attitude (“A”), subjective norm (“SN”) and perceived behavioural control (“PBC”); that the effect on A, SN and PBC is stronger for extensive courses in entrepreneurship than for more superficial forms of educational efforts; and that education only influences entrepreneurial intentions indirectly through the effect on A, SN and PBC. The hypotheses are tested using data from two different surveys, one from Belgium and one from Norway.

Findings

– None of the hypotheses are supported. However, the findings from the study indicate a strong direct relationship between participation in extensive education programmes in entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial intention.

Research limitations/implications

– Additional empirical evidence would be required to confirm these results and help to improve our understanding of the validity bounds of the TPB in the field of entrepreneurship.

Practical implications

– The findings indicate that educational programs or events of limited duration have a rather limited usefulness and that efforts should rather be directed on programs of longer duration. This would, for instance, speak for a re-orientation of some policies like those financing short seminars on venture creation for unemployed people.

Originality/value

– Using data from two different surveys, one from Belgium and one from Norway, this study raises questions about the sufficiency of the TPB.
Evaluating internships in terms of governance structures
Authors: Lain David , Hadjivassiliou Kari , Corral Alza Antonio , Isusi Iñigo , O’Reilly Jacqueline , Richards Victoria , Will Sue
Published: July 2014

Purpose

– This paper aims to evaluate internships in terms of governance structures. Internships are being promoted as a European Union policy lever to address high youth unemployment. However, concerns exist that internships often have few developmental opportunities and poor employment outcomes, something this conceptual paper examines.

Design/methodology/approach

– The authors develop a conceptual framework for distinguishing between different types of internships based on “dimensions of governance” (contract, agreed duration and partnership). A distinction is made between “open market”, “educational” and “active labour market policy” internships, drawing on examples and evidence from Spain and Portugal.

Findings

– The authors argue that “governed” internships, linked to educational programmes or genuine active labour market policies, are much more likely to have beneficial outcomes than “open market internships”. This is because they provide the positive governance conditions relating to contract, duration and partnership arrangements under which employers, interns and third parties understand how they can benefit from the internship and what their responsibilities are.

Research limitations/implications

– The strength of the paper lies in outlining an analytical framework for future research. The evidence presented from Spain and Portugal provides support for the conceptual framework; future comparative internship research should further test the propositions made across a range of countries and contexts.

Social implications

– By increasing understanding of internship governance, employers, policymakers and educationalists will be in a better position to design successful internships.

Originality/value

– The paper broadens the focus beyond educational internships alone and proposes a conceptual framework for future research.
Human resource management factors and service recovery performance in Malaysian life insurance industry
Authors: Kumar Piaralal Niriender , Mat Norazuwa , Kumar Piaralal Shishi , Awais Bhatti Muhammad
Published: July 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to investigate the human resource factors (rewards, training teamwork and empowerment) that affect service recovery performance (SRP) of customer service employees in life insurances companies. Life insurances industries in Malaysia are facing stiff competitions due to growing consumerism, changing consumer choices and expectations. SRP is very important aspect in the insurances firms toward retaining the customer and one of the key competitive advantages for sustainability and adding value to the organization in the future.

Design/methodology/approach

– The data obtained from 350 customer service employees based on convenience sampling were analyzed using regression and hierarchical analysis.

Findings

– There are two factors, namely, empowerment and training, affecting the SRP. The employment status moderated the relationship between reward and SRP. The limitations of this study have been noted and further research suggestions are also included that are very important for SRP.

Originality/value

– This study has added knowledge regarding the factors that affect SRP, in general, and precisely in life insurance industries in Malaysian context.
Two of a kind? A canonical correlational study of transformational leadership and authentic leadership
Authors: (Brian) Joo Baek-Kyoo , Nimon Kim
Published: July 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between transformational leadership (TL) and authentic leadership (AL) using a canonical correlation analysis (CCA).

Design/methodology/approach

– The sample was 427 knowledge workers from a Fortune Global 100 company in Korea. Descriptive statistics and CCA were used to test the relationship between the two perceived leadership constructs.

Findings

– A canonical correlation indicated that the composite of TL (i.e. idealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation and individualized consideration) was strongly and significantly related to the composite of AL (i.e. transparency, moral/ethical, balanced processing and self-awareness), accounting for 82.3 per cent of the shared variance between the two variable sets.

Research limitations/implications

– This empirical study was based on employees’ perceptions on the two leadership behaviors of their supervisors, using a cross-sectional survey method. In addition, this study is confined to the employees in a for-profit organization in Korean cultural setting, leaving room for speculation with regard to cultural issues.

Practical implications

– It is noted the two leadership behaviors are not substitutable, but complementary. Therefore, human resources development (HRD) practitioners are suggested to design leadership development programs focusing both on AL and TL in a concerted way. In this way, HRD professionals can help their managers enhance their AL and TL capability, and thus let their followers emulate their leader’s behaviors, which ultimately will lead to higher level of organizational commitment, employee/job engagement and in-role and extra-role performance.

Originality/value

– This is the first study that empirically confirmed Burns’ (1978) initial intuitive conceptualization of the authentic transformational leaders. We found that an authentic leader appears to be a transformational leader or vice versa. Another contribution lies in that to identify the common denominator between the two leadership behaviors this study used a relatively rare CCA in the field of HRD.