bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A mutant O-GlcNAcase as a probe to reveal global dynamics of protein O-GlcNAcylation during Drosophila embryonic development
Authors: Mariappa Daniel , Selvan Nithya , Borodkin Vladimir S. , Alonso Jana , Ferenbach Andrew T. , Shepherd Claire , Navratilova Iva Hopkins , van Aalten Daan M.F.
Published: July 2015

O-GlcNAcylation is a reversible type of serine/threonine glycosylation on nucleocytoplasmic proteins in metazoa. Various genetic approaches in several animal models have revealed that O-GlcNAcylation is essential for embryogenesis. However, the dynamic changes in global O-GlcNAcylation and the underlying mechanistic biology linking them to embryonic development is not understood. One of the limiting factors towards characterizing changes in O-GlcNAcylation has been the limited specificity of currently available tools to detect this modification. In the present study, harnessing the unusual properties of an O-GlcNAcase (OGA) mutant that binds O-GlcNAc (O-N-acetylglucosamine) sites with nanomolar affinity, we uncover changes in protein O-GlcNAcylation as a function of Drosophila development.
Regulatory Review: Speech-Language Pathology and Aural Rehabilitation
Authors: Kinder Renee
Published: July 2015

Understanding regulatory requirements when providing auditory rehabilitative services to Medicare beneficiaries involves understanding of Medicare guidelines and billing and coding procedures. This paper will serve to provide general outline and provide guidance on resources to allow clinicians to explore regulations specific to their region.
Survey on non‐isolated high‐voltage step‐up dc–dc topologies based on the boost converter
Authors: Tofoli Fernando Lessa , Pereira Dênis de Castro , Josias de Paula Wesley , Oliveira Júnior Demercil de Sousa
Published: July 2015

The major consideration in dc–dc conversion is often associated with high efficiency, reduced stresses involving semiconductors, low cost, simplicity and robustness of the involved topologies. In the last few years, high‐step‐up non‐isolated dc–dc converters have become quite popular because of its wide applicability, especially considering that dc–ac converters must be typically supplied with high dc voltages. The conventional non‐isolated boost converter is the most popular topology for this purpose, although the conversion efficiency is limited at high duty cycle values. In order to overcome such limitation and improve the conversion ratio, derived topologies can be found in numerous publications as possible solutions for the aforementioned applications. Within this context, this work intends to classify and review some of the most important non‐isolated boost‐based dc–dc converters. While many structures exist, they can be basically classified as converters with and without wide conversion ratio. Some of the main advantages and drawbacks regarding the existing approaches are also discussed. Finally, a proper comparison is established among the most significant converters regarding the voltage stress across the semiconductor elements, number of components and static gain.
Robust active disturbance rejection controller design to improve low‐voltage ride‐through capability of doubly fed induction generator wind farms
Authors: Chowdhury Md Ayaz , Sayem Abu Hena Md , Shen Weixiang , Islam Kazi Shariful
Published: July 2015

This study presents the design of a robust active disturbance rejection (ADR) controller in order to improve low‐voltage ride‐through (LVRT) capability of wind farms connected with doubly fed induction generator (DFIG). The ADR controller is particularly effective in real‐time estimation and mitigation of the total effect of various uncertainties against a wide range of parameter variations, model uncertainties and large disturbances. The performance evaluation of the designed controller is performed on an IEEE system under different test cases. The simulation results show that the proposed controller is robust against uncertainties in operating conditions and successfully improves the damping and voltage stability and thus the LVRT capability of DFIGs.
Event‐driven probabilistic topology management in sparse wireless sensor network
Authors: Das Sankar Narayan , Misra Sudip
Published: July 2015

In a sparse wireless sensor network (WSN), event parameters such as event location and affected area cannot be directly estimated from the sensor observations, as the average distortion of sensor observations, because of the sparsity of network, is greater than in the dense ones. Moreover, observations of all the nodes which detect an event do not have the same significance in the estimation of event parameters. The authors propose a sensor collaboration scheme, named probabilistic event monitoring in sparse network (PEMS), which assists, in a distributed manner, the sensor nodes with significant observations to participate in the event monitoring process. The proposed collaboration scheme, PEMS, is based on the principle of Monte Carlo methods. Further, the event monitoring nodes restructure the network topology with the help of facility location theory for efficient energy management. Extensive simulations show that the event parameters with nominal distortion can be estimated from the observations transmitted by the PEMS‐assisted event‐monitoring nodes and those nodes can enhance their energy efficiency at the time of event monitoring.
Distribution pattern of cytoplasmic organelles, spindle integrity, oxidative stress, octamer-binding transcription factor 4 (Oct4) expression and developmental potential of oocytes following multiple superovulation
Authors: Kalthur Guruprasad , Salian Sujith Raj , Nair Ramya , Mathew Jemey , Adiga Satish Kumar , Kalthur Sneha Guruprasad , Zeegers Dimphy , Hande M. Prakash
Published: July 2015

The aim of the present study was to determine the effects of repeated superovulation on oocyte quality and embryo developmental potential. Female Swiss albino mice were injected with 5 IU pregnant mare’s serum gonadotropin followed 48 h by 10 IU human chorionic gonadotropin. Mice were superovulated up to four times with a gap of 7 days between each superovulation cycle. Ovarian weight increased significantly with an increasing number of superovulation cycles. Although the first stimulation cycle resulted in a threefold increase in the number of oocytes, the number of oocytes decreased gradually after subsequent stimulations. Increased cytoplasmic fragmentation, abnormal mitochondrial distribution, aggregation of Golgi apparatus, spindle damage, increased intracellular oxidative stress and a decrease in expression of octamer-binding transcription factor 4 (Oct4) expression were observed in these oocytes. Further, embryos derived from mice subjected to multiple stimulation cycles exhibited a low blastocyst rate, decreased hatching rate and increased apoptosis in blastocysts. In conclusion, the present study demonstrates that repeated superovulation adversely affects mouse oocyte quality by altering the distribution of cytoplasmic organelles, increasing oxidative stress and decreasing Oct4 expression, resulting in poor developmental potential of the embryos.
Temporal dynamics of helminth infections in eastern grey kangaroos (Macropus giganteus) in Victoria
Authors: Cripps Jemma , Beveridge Ian , Martin Jennifer K. , Borland Duncan , Coulson Graeme
Published: July 2015

Parasite infection is increasingly recognised as a factor shaping the population dynamics, life history and behaviour of hosts. However, before the impacts of parasites on wildlife hosts can be investigated, seasonal patterns in host exposure to parasitic agents must be determined. We examined infection patterns at three sites in Victoria, and combined field experiments and observations to construct a generalised life cycle of the helminth community in eastern grey kangaroos (Macropus giganteus). Kangaroo populations in Victoria had very similar helminth communities, with 20–25 species detected at each site. Despite examining relatively few hosts in this study, at least 87% of all gastrointestinal helminths were recovered according to bootstrap estimates. The prepatent period of infection in eastern grey kangaroo nematodes was at least 3 months, and faecal egg output showed a distinct seasonal pattern, with a peak in egg counts from October through to January each year. Data from one site indicated that faecal egg counts were influenced predominantly by the abundance of a single nematode species (Pharyngostrongylus kappa), despite adults accounting for only 7% of the total nematode burden. This highlights the problems associated with using faecal egg counts to estimate nematode burdens in this host. Contamination of pasture plots showed that nematode eggs take ~14 days to larvate once deposited, and that autumn rains likely triggered emergence from faecal pellets. The abundance of infective larvae in the environment therefore appears to be closely tied to environmental conditions, with a peak in infection of hosts in the winter months.
Differential sensing for the regio- and stereoselective identification and quantitation of glycerides
Authors: Diehl Katharine L. , Ivy Michelle Adams , Rabidoux Scott , Petry Stefan Matthias , Müller Günter , Anslyn Eric V.
Published: July 2015

Significance

Lipid metabolism is a growing area of biochemical research because understanding these pathways could lead to treatments for metabolic disorders such as obesity and type 2 diabetes. To study lipid metabolism, researchers need tools to identify and quantitate glycerides, the main component of animal fat. However, it can be difficult to tell one glyceride apart from another subtly different glyceride using current analytical methods such as mass spectrometry. Thus, we developed a method of discriminating glycerides using an array of cross-reactive proteins in conjunction with pattern recognition algorithms. By incorporating an olefin metathesis pretreatment step, we were able to distinguish glyceride regio- and stereoisomers and to predict these structural features. Finally, we achieved quantitation of glycerides in mixtures.
Luck egalitarians versus relational egalitarians: on the prospects of a pluralist account of egalitarian justice
Authors: Lippert-Rasmussen Kasper
Published: July 2015

Pluralist egalitarians think that luck and relational egalitarianism each articulates a component in a pluralist account of egalitarian justice. However, this ecumenical view appears problematic in the light of Elizabeth Anderson’s claim that the divide arises because two incompatible views of justification are in play, which in turn generates derivative disagreements – e.g. about the proper currency of egalitarian justice. In support of pluralist egalitarianism I argue that two of Anderson’s derivative disagreements are not rooted in the disagreement over justification she identifies, and that the disagreement over justification cuts across standard disagreements between luck and relational egalitarian justice.
Residents’ Experience of Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) as a Clinical Tool following Practical Application: A Mixed-Methods Study
Authors: Clemence A. Jill , Balkoski Victoria I. , Lee Minsun , Poston John , Schaefer Bianca M. , Maisonneuve Isabelle M. , Bromley Nicole , Lukowitsky Mark , Pieterse Portia , Antonikowski Angela , Hamilton Christopher J. , Hall Schekeva , Glick Stanley D.
Published: July 2015

Background

Screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT), an evidence-based validated system for providing early detection and brief treatment of substance use disorders, has been widely used in the training of medical residents across specialties at a number of sites. This article investigates the effectiveness of SBIRT training during short-term follow-up at Albany Medical Center, one of the initial Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) grantees.

Methods

Training outcomes were measured by training satisfaction following opportunities to apply SBIRT skills in clinical work, the rate at which these techniques were applied in clinical work, and the degree to which residents felt that the SBIRT training provided skills that were applicable to their practice. We examined differences in learning experience by postgraduate year and by program, and conducted a qualitative analysis in a convergent parallel mixed-methods design to elucidate barriers encountered by residents upon using SBIRT techniques in clinical practice.

Results

Residents remained highly satisfied with the training at 4-month follow-up, with 80.1% reporting that they had used SBIRT skills in their clinical work. Use of SBIRT techniques was high at 6-month follow-up as well, with 85.9% of residents reporting that they regularly screened their patients for substance use, 74.4% reporting that they had applied brief intervention techniques, and 78.2% indicating that SBIRT training had made them overall more effective in helping patients with substance use issues. Differences in application rates and satisfaction were found by specialty. Qualitative analyses indicated that residents encountered patient readiness and specific contextual factors, such as time constraints, externally imposed values, and clinical norms, as barriers to implementation.

Conclusions

Despite encountering obstacles such as time constraints and patient readiness, residents utilized many of the skills they had learned during SBIRT training in clinical practice and reported finding these skills useful in their management of patients with substance use issues.
Interim Buprenorphine Treatment in Opiate Dependence: A Pilot Effectiveness Study
Authors: Abrahamsson Tove , Widinghoff Carolina , Lilliebladh Anna , Gedeon Charlotte , Nilvall Kent , Hakansson Anders
Published: July 2015

Background

Interim methadone treatment (i.e., temporary medication-only treatment) has been tested in a few U.S. studies as a method for facilitated referral to and initiation of opioid maintenance treatment in heroin dependence. However, despite the favorable safety profile of buprenorphine compared with methadone, interim treatment with buprenorphine rarely has been tested and reported in the scientific literature. The present pilot effectiveness study aims to assess the feasibility of an interim buprenorphine treatment for initiation of individuals with opiate dependence into full-scale opioid maintenance treatment, and to study baseline predictors of successful transfer to full-scale treatment.

Methods

Interim treatment was introduced in a high-threshold setting with waiting lists to opioid maintenance treatment. Consecutive patients on the waiting list were offered the option to enter interim treatment. The interim program was a medication-only condition with supervised daily doses of buprenorphine-naloxone. The main outcome was successful transfer to full-scale opioid maintenance treatment, which required a drug-free urine sample.

Results

Forty-four patients entered interim buprenorphine treatment. Among them, 57% ( n = 25) were successfully transferred to full-scale treatment after an average of 44 days. Remaining patients could not be transferred, generally because they did not manage to become drug-free. Successful transfer to full-scale treatment was associated with a lower baseline Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) score (4.4 vs. 12.6; P < .001) and tended to be associated with lower cannabis use (5.2 vs. 10.4 days during the past 30 days; P = .06) and lower heroin use (7.2 vs. 9.9 days; P = .09) prior to baseline. In a logistic regression analysis, only lower AUDIT score predicted successful treatment entry.

Conclusions

According to these pilot data, supervised buprenorphine-naloxone in a medication-only interim treatment condition appears to be a feasible way to improve treatment initiation in a high-threshold setting. Polydrug use, including higher levels of alcohol consumption, may predict a more complicated course in interim treatment.
Avoidability of long 𝑘-abelian repetitions
Authors: Rao Michaël , Rosenfeld Matthieu
Published: July 2015

We study the avoidability of long

k
k

-abelian-squares and

k
k

-abelian-cubes on binary and ternary alphabets. For

k
=
1

k=1

, these are Mäkelä’s questions. We show that one cannot avoid abelian-cubes of abelian period at least

2
2

in infinite binary words, and therefore answering negatively one question from Mäkelä. Then we show that one can avoid

3
3

-abelian-squares of period at least

3
3

in infinite binary words and

2
2

-abelian-squares of period at least 2 in infinite ternary words. Finally, we study the minimum number of distinct

k
k

-abelian-squares that must appear in an infinite binary word.
Sometimes more is more: iterative participatory design of infographics for engagement of community members with varying levels of health literacy
Authors: Arcia Adriana , Suero-Tejeda Niurka , Bales Michael E , Merrill Jacqueline A , Yoon Sunmoo , Woollen Janet , Bakken Suzanne
Published: July 2015

Objective To collaborate with community members to develop tailored infographics that support comprehension of health information, engage the viewer, and may have the potential to motivate health-promoting behaviors.

Methods The authors conducted participatory design sessions with community members, who were purposively sampled and grouped by preferred language (English, Spanish), age group (18–30, 31–60, >60 years), and level of health literacy (adequate, marginal, inadequate). Research staff elicited perceived meaning of each infographic, preferences between infographics, suggestions for improvement, and whether or not the infographics would motivate health-promoting behavior. Analysis and infographic refinement were iterative and concurrent with data collection.

Results Successful designs were information-rich, supported comparison, provided context, and/or employed familiar color and symbolic analogies. Infographics that employed repeated icons to represent multiple instances of a more general class of things (e.g., apple icons to represent fruit servings) were interpreted in a rigidly literal fashion and thus were unsuitable for this community. Preliminary findings suggest that infographics may motivate health-promoting behaviors.

Discussion Infographics should be information-rich, contextualize the information for the viewer, and yield an accurate meaning even if interpreted literally.

Conclusion Carefully designed infographics can be useful tools to support comprehension and thus help patients engage with their own health data. Infographics may contribute to patients’ ability to participate in the Learning Health System through participation in the development of a robust data utility, use of clinical communication tools for health self-management, and involvement in building knowledge through patient-reported outcomes.
“Community vital signs” : incorporating geocoded social determinants into electronic records to promote patient and population health
Authors: Bazemore Andrew W , Cottrell Erika K , Gold Rachel , Hughes Lauren S , Phillips Robert L , Angier Heather , Burdick Timothy E , Carrozza Mark A , DeVoe Jennifer E
Published: July 2015

Social determinants of health significantly impact morbidity and mortality; however, physicians lack ready access to this information in patient care and population management. Just as traditional vital signs give providers a biometric assessment of any patient, “community vital signs” (Community VS) can provide an aggregated overview of the social and environmental factors impacting patient health. Knowing Community VS could inform clinical recommendations for individual patients, facilitate referrals to community services, and expand understanding of factors impacting treatment adherence and health outcomes. This information could also help care teams target disease prevention initiatives and other health improvement efforts for clinic panels and populations. Given the proliferation of big data, geospatial technologies, and democratization of data, the time has come to integrate Community VS into the electronic health record (EHR). Here, the authors describe (i) historical precedent for this concept, (ii) opportunities to expand upon these historical foundations, and (iii) a novel approach to EHR integration.
Within-individual plasticity explains age-related decrease in stress response in a short-lived bird
Authors: Lendvai Ádám Z. , Giraudeau Mathieu , Bókony Veronika , Angelier Frédéric , Chastel Olivier
Published: July 2015

A crucial problem for every organism is how to allocate energy between competing life-history components. The optimal allocation decision is often state-dependent and mediated by hormones. Here, we investigated how age, a major state variable affects individuals' hormonal response to a standardized stressor: a trait that may reflect allocation between self-maintenance and reproduction. We caught free-living house sparrows and measured their hormonal (corticosterone) response to capture stress in consecutive years. Using a long-term ringing dataset, we determined the age of the birds, and we partitioned the variation into within- and among-individual age components to investigate the effects of plasticity versus selection or gene flow, respectively, on the stress response. We found large among-individual variation in the birds' hormone profiles, but overall, birds responded less strongly to capture stress as they grew older. These results suggest that stress responsiveness is a plastic trait that may vary within individuals in an adaptive manner, and natural selection may act on the reaction norms producing optimal phenotypic response in the actual environment and life-history stage.
Changes in the background losses of woody plant foliage to insects during the past 60 years: are the predictions fulfilled?
Authors: Kozlov Mikhail V. , Zvereva Elena L.
Published: July 2015

The existing scenarios generally predict that herbivory will increase with climate warming. An analysis of the published data on the background foliar losses of woody plants to insects in natural ecosystems across the globe from 1952 to 2013 provided no support for this hypothesis. We detected no temporal trend in herbivory within the temperate climate zone and a significant decrease in herbivory in the tropics. From 1964 to 1990, herbivory in the tropics was 39% higher than in the temperate region, but these differences disappeared by the beginning of the 2000s. Thus, environmental changes have already disturbed one of the global ecological patterns—the decrease in herbivory with latitude—by affecting ecosystem processes differently in tropical and temperate climate zones.
Journals, learned societies and money:
Philosophical Transactions
,
ca
. 1750–1900
Authors: Fyfe Aileen
Published: July 2015

This paper investigates the finances of the Royal Society and its
Philosophical Transactions
, showing that in the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries journal publishing was a drain on funds rather than a source of income. Even without any expectation of profit, the costs of producing
Transactions
nevertheless had to be covered, and the way in which this was done reflected the changing financial situation of the Society. An examination of the Society's financial accounts and minute books reveals the tensions between the Society's desire to promote the widespread communication of natural knowledge, and the ever-increasing cost of doing so, particularly by the late nineteenth century.
Non-Markovian models of the growth of a polymer chain
Authors: Sokolovski D. , Rusconi S. , Akhmatskaya E. , Asua J. M.
Published: July 2015

Using simple exactly solvable models, we show that event-dependent time delays may lead to significant non-Poisson effects in the statistics of polymer chain growth. The results are confirmed by stochastic simulation of various growth scenarios. Our interest in mathematical aspects of non-Markovian growth arises from recent successful application of delayed probability density functions in stochastic modelling of controlled radical polymerization.
Fracture mechanics implications for apparent static friction coefficient in contact problems involving slip-weakening laws
Authors: Papangelo A. , Ciavarella M. , Barber J. R.
Published: July 2015

We consider the effect of differing coefficients of static and dynamic friction coefficients on the behaviour of contacts involving microslip. The classic solutions of Cattaneo and Mindlin are unchanged if the transition in coefficients is abrupt, but if it occurs over some small slip distance, the solution has some mathematical similarities with those governing the normal tractions in adhesive contact problems. In particular, if the transition to dynamic slip occurs over a sufficiently small area, we can identify a ‘JKR’ approximation, where the transition region is condensed to a line. A local singularity in shear traction is then predicted, with a stress-intensity factor that is proportional to the square root of the local contact pressure and to a certain integral of the friction coefficient–slip distance relation. We can also define an equivalent of the ‘small-scale yielding’ criterion, which enables us to assess when the singular solution provides a good approximation. One consequence of the results is that the static coefficient of friction determined from force measurements in experiments is significantly smaller than the value that holds at the microscale.
Carry-over effects of food supplementation on recruitment and breeding performance of long-lived seabirds
Authors: Vincenzi Simone , Hatch Scott , Merkling Thomas , Kitaysky Alexander S.
Published: July 2015

Supplementation of food to wild animals is extensively applied as a conservation tool to increase local production of young. However, in long-lived migratory animals, the carry-over effects of food supplementation early in life on the subsequent recruitment of individuals into natal populations and their lifetime reproductive success are largely unknown. We examine how experimental food supplementation early in life affects: (i) recruitment as breeders of kittiwakes
Rissa tridactyla
born in a colony on Middleton Island (Alaska) between 1996 and 2006 (
n
= 1629) that bred in the same colony through 2013 (
n
= 235); and (ii) breeding success of individuals that have completed their life cycle at the colony (
n
= 56). Birds were raised in nests that were either supplemented with food (Fed) or unsupplemented (Unfed). Fledging success was higher in Fed compared with Unfed nests. After accounting for hatching rank, growth and oceanic conditions at fledging, Fed fledglings had a lower probability of recruiting as breeders in the Middleton colony than Unfed birds. The per-nest contribution of breeders was still significantly higher for Fed nests because of their higher productivity. Lifetime reproductive success of a subset of kittiwakes that thus far had completed their life cycle was not affected by the food supplementation during development. Our results cast light on the carry-over effects of early food conditions on the vital rates of long-lived animals and support food supplementation as an effective conservation strategy for long-lived seabirds.
Beyond species recognition: somatic state affects long-distance sex pheromone communication
Authors: Chemnitz Johanna , Jentschke Petra C. , Ayasse Manfred , Steiger Sandra
Published: July 2015

Long-range sex pheromones have been subjected to substantial research with a particular focus on their biosynthesis, peripheral perception, central processing and the resulting orientation behaviour of perceivers. Fundamental to the research on sex attractants was the assumption that they primarily coordinate species recognition. However, especially when they are produced by the less limiting sex (usually males), the evolution of heightened condition dependence might be expected and long-range sex pheromones might, therefore, also inform about a signaller's quality. Here we provide, to our knowledge, the first comprehensive study of the role of a male's long-range pheromone in mate choice that combines chemical analyses, video observations and field experiments with a multifactorial manipulation of males' condition. We show that the emission of the long-distance sex pheromone of the burying beetle,Nicrophorus vespilloidesis highly condition-dependent and reliably reflects nutritional state, age, body size and parasite load—key components of an individual's somatic state. Both, the quantity and ratio of the pheromone components were affected but the time invested in pheromone emission was largely unaffected by a male's condition. Moreover, the variation in pheromone emission caused by the variation in condition had a strong effect on the attractiveness of males in the field, with males in better nutritional condition, of older age, larger body size and bearing less parasites being more attractive. That a single pheromone is influenced by so many aspects of the somatic state and causes such variation in a male's attractiveness under field conditions was hitherto unknown and highlights the need to integrate indicator models of sexual selection into pheromone research.
Biological auctions with multiple rewards
Authors: Reiter Johannes G. , Kanodia Ayush , Gupta Raghav , Nowak Martin A. , Chatterjee Krishnendu
Published: July 2015

The competition for resources among cells, individuals or species is a fundamental characteristic of evolution. Biological all-pay auctions have been used to model situations where multiple individuals compete for a single resource. However, in many situations multiple resources with various values exist and single reward auctions are not applicable. We generalize the model to multiple rewards and study the evolution of strategies. In biological all-pay auctions the bid of an individual corresponds to its strategy and is equivalent to its payment in the auction. The decreasingly ordered rewards are distributed according to the decreasingly ordered bids of the participating individuals. The reproductive success of an individual is proportional to its fitness given by the sum of the rewards won minus its payments. Hence, successful bidding strategies spread in the population. We find that the results for the multiple reward case are very different from the single reward case. While the mixed strategy equilibrium in the single reward case with more than two players consists of mostly low-bidding individuals, we show that the equilibrium can convert to many high-bidding individuals and a few low-bidding individuals in the multiple reward case. Some reward values lead to a specialization among the individuals where one subpopulation competes for the rewards and the other subpopulation largely avoids costly competitions. Whether the mixed strategy equilibrium is an evolutionarily stable strategy (ESS) depends on the specific values of the rewards.
Social orienting in gaze leading: a mechanism for shared attention
Authors: Edwards S. Gareth , Stephenson Lisa J. , Dalmaso Mario , Bayliss Andrew P.
Published: July 2015

Here, we report a novel social orienting response that occurs after viewing averted gaze. We show, in three experiments, that when a person looks from one location to an object, attention then shifts towards the face of an individual who has subsequently followed the person's gaze to that same object. That is, contrary to ‘gaze following’, attention instead orients in the opposite direction to observed gaze and towards the gazing face. The magnitude of attentional orienting towards a face that ‘follows’ the participant's gaze is also associated with self-reported autism-like traits. We propose that this gaze leading phenomenon implies the existence of a mechanism in the human social cognitive system for detecting when one's gaze has been followed, in order to establish ‘shared attention’ and maintain the ongoing interaction.
Critical appraisal of tubular putative eumetazoans from the Ediacaran Weng'an Doushantuo biota
Authors: Cunningham John A. , Vargas Kelly , Pengju Liu , Belivanova Veneta , Marone Federica , Martínez-Pérez Carlos , Guizar-Sicairos Manuel , Holler Mirko , Bengtson Stefan , Donoghue Philip C. J.
Published: July 2015

Molecular clock analyses estimate that crown-group animals began diversifying hundreds of millions of years before the start of the Cambrian period. However, the fossil record has not yielded unequivocal evidence for animals during this interval. Some of the most promising candidates for Precambrian animals occur in the Weng'an biota of South China, including a suite of tubular fossils assigned to
Sinocyclocyclicus
,
Ramitubus
,
Crassitubus
and
Quadratitubus
, that have been interpreted as soft-bodied eumetazoans comparable to tabulate corals. Here, we present new insights into the anatomy, original composition and phylogenetic affinities of these taxa based on data from synchrotron radiation X-ray tomographic microscopy, ptychographic nanotomography, scanning electron microscopy and electron probe microanalysis. The patterns of deformation observed suggest that the cross walls of
Sinocyclocyclicus
and
Quadratitubus
were more rigid than those of
Ramitubus
and
Crassitubus
.
Ramitubus
and
Crassitubus
specimens preserve enigmatic cellular clusters at terminal positions in the tubes. Specimens of
Sinocyclocyclicus
and
Ramitubus
have biological features that might be cellular tissue or subcellular structures filling the spaces between the cross walls. These observations are incompatible with a cnidarian interpretation, in which the spaces between cross walls are abandoned parts of the former living positions of the polyp. The affinity of the Weng'an tubular fossils may lie within the algae.
Bacillus paralicheniformis sp. nov., isolated from fermented soybean paste
Authors: Dunlap Christopher A. , Kwon Soon-Wo , Rooney Alejandro P. , Kim Soo-Jin
Published: July 2015

An isolate of a Gram-stain-positive, facultatively anaerobic, motile, rod-shaped, endospore-forming bacterium was recovered from soybean-based fermented paste. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene indicated that the strain was most closely related to Bacillus sonorensis KCTC-13918T (99.5 % similarity) and Bacillus licheniformis DSM 13T (99.4 %). In phenotypic characterization, the novel strain was found to grow at 15–60 °C and to tolerate up to 10 % (w/v) NaCl. Furthermore, the strain grew in media with pH 6–11 (optimal growth at pH 7.0–8.0). The predominant cellular fatty acids were anteiso-C15 : 0 (37.7 %) and iso-C15 : 0 (31.5 %). The predominant isoprenoid quinone was menaquinone 7 (MK-7). The cell-wall peptidoglycan contained meso-diaminopimelic acid. A draft genome sequence of the strain was completed and used for phylogenetic analysis. Phylogenomic analysis of all published genomes of species in the B. licheniformis group revealed that strains belonging to B. licheniformis clustered into two distinct groups, with group 1 consisting of B. licheniformis DSM 13T and 11 other strains and group 2 consisting of KJ-16T and four other strains. The DNA G+C content of strain KJ-16T was 45.9 % (determined from the genome sequence). Strain KJ-16T and another strain from group 2 were subsequently characterized using a polyphasic taxonomic approach and compared with strains from group 1 and another closely related species of the genus Bacillus. Based upon the consensus of phylogenetic and phenotypic analyses, we conclude that this strain represents a novel species within the genus Bacillus, for which the name Bacillus paralicheniformis sp. nov. is proposed, with type strain KJ-16T ( = KACC 18426T = NRRL B-65293T).
Jatrophihabitans fulvus sp. nov., an actinobacterium isolated from grass soil
Authors: Jin Long , Lee Hyung-Gwan , Ko So-Ra , Ahn Chi-Yong , Oh Hee-Mock
Published: July 2015

A Gram-stain-positive, aerobic, non-motile, non-spore-forming, rod-shaped bacterium, designated strain PB158T, was isolated from grass soil sampled in Daejeon, Republic of Korea. Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequence studies placed the novel isolate in the class Actinobacteria, and most closely related to Jatrophihabitans endophyticus S9-650T and Jatrophihabitans soli KIS75-12T with 98.1 and 97.0 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity, respectively. Cells of strain PB158T formed yellow colonies on R2A agar, contained MK-9(H4) as the predominant menaquinone, meso-diaminopimelic acid as the diagnostic diamino acid, and included iso-C16 : 0, C18 : 1ω9c, and C17 : 1ω8c as the major fatty acids (>5 %). The acyl type was found to be N-glycolylated. The G+C content of genomic DNA of strain PB158T was 72.4 mol%. In DNA–DNA hybridizations, the DNA–DNA relatedness value observed between strain PB158T and the type strain of J. endophyticus was 21.8 % indicating that the two strains do not belong to the same species. Thus, the combined genotypic and phenotypic data supported the conclusion that strain PB158T represents a novel species of the genus Jatrophihabitans, for which the name Jatrophihabitans fulvus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is PB158T ( = KCTC 33605T = JCM 30448T).
Phylogenomic analysis shows that ‘Bacillus vanillea’ is a later heterotypic synonym of Bacillus siamensis
Authors: Dunlap Christopher A.
Published: July 2015

‘Bacillus vanillea’ XY18 ( = CGMCC 8629 = NCCB 100507) was isolated from cured vanilla beans and involved in the formation of vanilla aroma compounds. A draft genome of this strain was assembled and yielded a length of 3.71 Mbp with a DNA G+C content of 46.3 mol%. Comparative genomic analysis with its nearest relatives showed only minor differences between this strain and the genome of the Bacillus siamensis KCTC 13613T ( = BCC 22614T = KACC 16244T), with a calculated DNA–DNA hybridization (DDH) value of 91.2 % and an average nucleotide identity (ANI) of 98.9 %. This DDH value is well above the recommended 70 % threshold for species delineation, as well as the ANI threshold of 95 %. In addition, the results of morphological, physiological, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic analyses indicate that the type strains of these two taxa are highly similar with phenotype coherence. A core genome multi-locus sequencing analysis was conducted for the strains and the results show that ‘Bacillus vanillea’ XY18 clusters closely to the type strain of Bacillus siamensis. Therefore, it is proposed that the species ‘Bacillus vanillea’ XY18 ( = CGMCC 8629 = NCCB 100507) should be reclassified as a later heterotypic synonym of Bacillus siamensis KCTC 13613T ( = BCC 22614T = KACC 16244T). An emended description of Bacillus siamensis is provided.
Alkalimarinus sediminis gen. nov., sp. nov., isolated from marine sediment
Authors: Zhao Jin-Xin , Liu Qian-Qian , Zhou Yan-Xia , Chen Guan-Jun , Du Zong-Jun
Published: July 2015

Strain FA028T, a beige-pigmented, facultatively anaerobic, heterotrophic, catalase-negative and oxidase-positive, Gram-stain-negative bacterium, was isolated from marine sediment of the coast of Weihai, China. Cells of strain FA028T were rod-shaped, 1–3 μm in length and 0.5 μm in width. The strain was able to grow at 13–37 °C, at pH 7.0–9.5 and in the presence of 1.0–4.0 % (w/v) NaCl. Optimal growth was observed at 28 °C, with 3.0 % NaCl and at pH 7.5–8.0. Nitrate was not reduced. The G+C content of the DNA was 43.4 mol%. The isoprenoid quinone was Q-9 and the main cellular fatty acids (>10 %) were C16 : 0, C16 : 1ω9c and iso-C15 : 0 2-OH/C16 : 1ω7c. The major polar lipids in strain FA028T were phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine and diphosphatidylglycerol; phospholipid was present in moderate to minor amounts in the polar lipid profile. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain FA028T was affiliated with the phylum Proteobacteria. 16S rRNA gene sequence comparisons showed that this isolate is unique, sharing < 93 % similarity with species of the families Alteromonadaceae and Oceanospirillaceae. On the basis of the phenotypic and phylogenetic data, strain FA028T should be classified as representing a novel species of a new genus within the family Alteromonadaceae, for which the name Alkalimarinus sediminis gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of Alkalimarinus sediminis is FA028T ( = CICC 10906T = KCTC 42258T).
Roseomonas oryzae sp. nov., isolated from paddy rhizosphere soil
Authors: Ramaprasad E. V. V. , Sasikala Ch. , Ramana Ch. V.
Published: July 2015

A non-motile, coccus-shaped, pale-pink-pigmented bacterium, designated strain JC288T, was isolated from a paddy rhizosphere soil collected from Western Ghats, Kankumbi, Karnataka, India. Cells were found to be Gram-stain-negative, and catalase- and oxidase-positive; the major fatty acids were C16 : 0, C16 : 1ω7c/C16 : 1ω6c, C18 : 1ω7c/C18 : 1ω6cand C18 : 12-OH. The predominant respiratory quinone was Q-10 and the genomic DNA G+C content was 67.5 mol%. Strain JC288Tcontained diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylcholine, four unidentified aminolipids, three unidentified phospholipids, two unidentified lipids, an aminophospholipid and a glycolipid. Hydroxyspirilloxanthin was the major carotenoid of strain JC288T. 16S rRNA gene sequence comparisons indicated that strain JC288Trepresents a member of the genusRoseomonaswithin the familyAcetobacteraceaeof the phylumProteobacteria. Strain JC288Tshared the highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity withRoseomonas rhizosphaeraeYW11T(97.3 %),Roseomonas aestuariiJC17T(97.1 %),Roseomonas cervicalisCIP 104027T(95.9 %) and other members of the genusRoseomonas( < 95.5 %). The distinct genomic difference and morphological, physiological and chemotaxonomic differences from the previously described taxa support the classification of strain JC288Tas a representative of a novel species of the genusRoseomonas, for which the nameRoseomonas oryzaesp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is JC288T( = KCTC 42542T = LMG 28711T).
Aureimonas glaciistagni sp. nov., isolated from a melt pond on Arctic sea ice
Authors: Cho Yirang , Lee Inae , Yang Yoon Y. , Baek Kiwoon , Yoon Soo J. , Lee Yung M. , Kang Sung-Ho , Lee Hong K. , Hwang Chung Y.
Published: July 2015

A Gram-staining-negative, motile, aerobic and rod-shaped bacterial strain, PAMC 27157T, was isolated from a melt pond on sea ice in the Chukchi Sea. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence of strain PAMC 27157T revealed an affiliation to the genus Aureimonas with the closest sequence similarity (96.2 %) to that of Aureimonas phyllosphaerae. Strain PAMC 27157T grew optimally at 30 °C and pH 7.0 in the presence of 3.5 % (w/v) NaCl. The major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylmonomethylethanolamine, sulfoquinovosyldiacylglycerol and an unidentified aminolipid. The major cellular fatty acid was summed feature 8 (C18 : 1ω7c and/or C18 : 1ω6c, 83.1 %) and the major respiratory quinone was Q-10. The genomic DNA G+C content was 69.1 mol%. The combined phylogenetic, phenotypic and chemotaxonomic data showed that strain PAMC 27157T could be clearly distinguished from species of the genus Aureimonas with validly published names. Thus, strain PAMC 27157T should be classified as representing a novel species in the genus Aureimonas, for which the name Aureimonas glaciistagni sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is PAMC 27157T ( = KCCM 43049T = JCM 30183T).
The challenges of an integrated governance process in healthcare
Authors: Delaney Lori
Published: July 2015

Purpose

– Dysfunctional governance processes have contributed to catastrophic healthcare system failures due to discordance between clinical and corporate governance processes. The emergence of an integrated governance approach endeavours to overcome the traditional boundaries between corporate and clinical governance systems, to enhance understanding and transparency in the organisations approach to service provision. The purpose of this paper is to discusses the attributes of an integrated governance approach and its contribution to enhancing service delivery.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper provides an overview of the governance approaches and the emergence of integrated governance to improve overall service delivery.

Findings

– An integrated governance approach erodes the traditional boundaries that exist within the complex healthcare system. This allows for a greater understanding of healthcare strategies and organisational objectives, and the dissemination of these throughout the organisation. Further, enhancing awareness within the clinical setting of the core attributes of the organisation and for the upper echelons of management to have a greater understanding of the clinical issues. Integrated governance acknowledges the contribution of all stakeholders including consumers in safe guarding the delivery of healthcare and its standards.

Originality/value

– This paper contributes to the discussion and debate regarding governance approaches and how these are situated in enhancing organisational performance.
Clinical governance in Australia
Authors: Spigelman Allan D , Rendalls Shane
Published: July 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to overview, background and context to clinical governance in Australia, areas for further development and potential learnings for other jurisdictions.

Design/methodology/approach

– Commentary; non-systematic review of clinical governance literature; review of web sites for national, state and territory health departments, quality and safety organisations, and clinical colleges in Australia.

Findings

– Clinical governance in Australia shows variation across jurisdictions, reflective of a fragmented health system with responsibility for funding, policy and service provision being divided between levels of government and across service streams. The mechanisms in place to protect and engage with consumers thus varies according to where one lives. Information on quality and safety outcomes also varies; is difficult to find and often does not drill down to a service level useful for informing consumer treatment decisions. Organisational stability was identified as a key success factor in realising and maintaining the cultural shift to deliver ongoing quality.

Research limitations/implications

– Comparison of quality indicators with clinical governance systems and processes at a hospital level will provide a more detailed understanding of components most influencing quality outcomes.

Practical implications

– The information reported will assist health service providers to improve information and processes to engage with consumers and build further transparency and accountability.

Originality/value

– In this paper the authors have included an in depth profile of the background and context for the current state of clinical governance in Australia. The authors expect the detail provided will be of use to the international reader unfamiliar with the nuances of the Australian Healthcare System. Other studies (e.g. Russell and Dawda, 2013; Phillips et al., n.d.) have been based on deep professional understanding of clinical governance in appraising and reporting on initaitives and structures. This review has utilised resources available to an informed consumer seeking to understand the quality and safety of health services.