bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Kinetic theory of the filamentation instability in a collisional current-driven plasma with nonextensive distribution
Authors: Khorashadizadeh S. M. , Rastbood E. , Niknam A. R.
Published: July 2015

The evolution of filamentation instability in a weakly ionized current-carrying plasma with nonextensive distribution was studied in the diffusion frequency region, taking into account the effects of electron-neutral collisions. Using the kinetic theory, Lorentz transformation formulas, and Bhatnagar-Gross-Krook collision model, the generalized dielectric permittivity functions of this plasma system were achieved. By obtaining the dispersion relation of low-frequency waves, the possibility of filamentation instability and its growth rate were investigated. It was shown that collisions can increase the maximum growth rate of instability. The analysis of temporal evolution of filamentation instability revealed that the growth rate of instability increased by increasing the q-parameter and electron drift velocity. Finally, the results of Maxwellian and q-nonextensive velocity distributions were compared and discussed.
Communication: Multiple atomistic force fields in a single enhanced sampling simulation
Authors: Hoang Viet Man , Derreumaux Philippe , Nguyen Phuong H.
Published: July 2015

The main concerns of biomolecular dynamics simulations are the convergence of the conformational sampling and the dependence of the results on the force fields. While the first issue can be addressed by employing enhanced sampling techniques such as simulated tempering or replica exchange molecular dynamics, repeating these simulations with different force fields is very time consuming. Here, we propose an automatic method that includes different force fields into a single advanced sampling simulation. Conformational sampling using three all-atom force fields is enhanced by simulated tempering and by formulating the weight parameters of the simulated tempering method in terms of the energy fluctuations, the system is able to perform random walk in both temperature and force field spaces. The method is first demonstrated on a 1D system and then validated by the folding of the 10-residue chignolin peptide in explicit water.
Atomic substitution effects on the structural and vibrational properties of NixPb1-xTiO3: X-ray diffraction and Raman scattering investigations
Authors: da Costa R. C. , de Toledo T. A. , Espinosa J. W. M. , Pizani P. S.
Published: July 2015

The effects of the atomic substitution of Pb by Ni in the PbTiO3 ferroelectric perovskite on the vibrational and structural properties was studied using x-ray diffraction and Raman scattering. It was observed that for Ni concentrations between 0.0 and 0.4, there is the formation of a solid solution with reduction of the Raman wavenumber of the E(TO1) soft mode and the tetragonallity factor, which influence directly the temperature of the tetragonal ferroelectric to cubic paraelectric phase transition, the Curie temperature. For concentrations greater than 0.4, it is observed the formation of a PbTiO3 and NiTiO3 composite, denounced by the recovering of the both, tetragonallity factor and the E(TO1) soft mode wavenumber. The values of the Curie temperatures were estimated by the Raman scattering measurements for temperatures ranging from 300 to 950 K.
Light emission from silicon with tin-containing nanocrystals
Authors: Roesgaard Søren , Chevallier Jacques , Gaiduk Peter I. , Hansen John Lundsgaard , Jensen Pia Bomholt , Larsen Arne Nylandsted , Svane Axel , Balling Peter , Julsgaard Brian
Published: July 2015

Tin-containing nanocrystals, embedded in silicon, have been fabricated by growing an epitaxial layer of Si1−x−ySnxCy, where x = 1.6 % and y = 0.04 % on a silicon substrate, followed by annealing at various temperatures ranging from 650 ∘C to 900 ∘C. The nanocrystal density and average diameters are determined by scanning transmission-electron microscopy to ≈1017 cm−3 and ≈5 nm, respectively. Photoluminescence spectroscopy demonstrates that the light emission is very pronounced for samples annealed at 725 ∘C, and Rutherford back-scattering spectrometry shows that the nanocrystals are predominantly in the diamond-structured phase at this particular annealing temperature. The origin of the light emission is discussed.
Influences of German science and scientists on Melbourne Observatory
Authors: Clark Barry A.J.
Published: July 2015

The multidisciplinary approach of Alexander von Humboldt in scientific studies of the natural world in the first half of the nineteenth century gained early and lasting acclaim. Later, given the broad scientific interests of colonial Victoria’s first Government Astronomer Robert Ellery, one could expect to find some evidence of the Humboldtian approach in the operations of Williamstown Observatory and its successor, Melbourne Observatory. On examination, and without discounting the importance of other international scientific contributions, it appears that Melbourne Observatory was indeed substantially influenced from afar by Humboldt and other German scientists, and in person by Georg Neumayer in particular. Some of the ways in which these influences acted are obvious but others are less so. Like the other Australian state observatories, in its later years Melbourne Observatory had to concentrate its diminishing resources on positional astronomy and timekeeping. Along with Sydney Observatory, it has survived almost intact to become a heritage treasure, perpetuating appreciation of its formative influences.
The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation: outcomes of support for Australian science and scholarship
Authors: Finlayson Trevor R.
Published: July 2015

Some of the funding opportunities through the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (AvHF), which are available to international researchers within any field of scholarship to enable them to pursue their research at any one of many German universities and other research institutes, are reviewed. Recent statistical data for research funding by the AvHF, with a particular focus on funding for Australian researchers, are outlined. These data clearly demonstrate the considerable success that has been afforded to Australian science and scholarship as a result of AvHF funding, by comparison with that from other research funding schemes. Some specific personal examples are discussed in order to illustrate the significant influence that funding from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation has had on Australian science and scholarship and the careers of many Australian researchers.
Anoctamin 1 (TMEM16A) is essential for testosterone-induced prostate hyperplasia
Authors: Cha Joo Young , Wee Jungwon , Jung Jooyoung , Jang Yongwoo , Lee Byeongjun , Hong Gyu-Sang , Chang Beom Chul , Choi Yoon-La , Shin Young Kee , Min Hye-Young , Lee Ho-Young , Na Tae-Young , Lee Mi-Ock , Oh Uhtaek
Published: July 2015

Significance

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is characterized by an enlargement of the prostate gland, a common disease in elderly men. Excessive testosterone is considered to cause BPH. However, its etiologic mechanisms are elusive. We found that ANO1, a Ca
2+
-activated Cl
−
channel, is essential for the testosterone-induced BPH. ANO1 was highly expressed in dihydrotestosterone (DHT)-treated prostate epithelial cells. The selective knockdown of ANO1 suppressed DHT-induced cell proliferation. Surprisingly, we found that there were three androgen-response elements in the ANO1 promoter region, which were relevant for the DHT-dependent induction of ANO1. Intraprostate treatment of
Ano1
siRNA inhibited the prostate enlargement in vivo. Thus, ANO1 appears essential for the development of prostate hyperplasia and becomes a useful target for treating BPH.
KTKEGV repeat motifs are key mediators of normal α-synuclein tetramerization: Their mutation causes excess monomers and neurotoxicity
Authors: Dettmer Ulf , Newman Andrew J. , von Saucken Victoria E. , Bartels Tim , Selkoe Dennis
Published: July 2015

Significance

The protein α-synuclein (αS) forms neuronal aggregates in Parkinson’s disease. Its normal folding and assembly state are unsettled. Cross-linking αS in living neurons reveals a major soluble 60-kDa form sizing as a tetramer, but the specificity of the cross-linking has been questioned. Here, we find that certain amino acid substitutions in the conserved αS “KTKEGV” repeat motifs specifically abolish the tetrameric form, indicating that cross-linking of normal αS into tetramers is not artifactual and models of monomeric αS as the major normal form should be reconsidered. An independent method, Venus-YFP complementation, confirms the cross-linking data. Importantly, tetramer abrogation causes αS insolubility, inclusions, and neurotoxicity, suggesting that the adoption of a folded tetrameric form is indispensible for normal αS homeostasis.
Recombinant transfer in the basic genome of
Escherichia coli
Authors: Dixit Purushottam D. , Pang Tin Yau , Studier F. William , Maslov Sergei
Published: July 2015

Significance

A significant fraction of the length of
Escherichia coli
genomes comprises mobile elements integrated at various sites in a ∼4-Mbp basic genome shared by the species. We find that the entire basic genome is continually exchanged by homologous recombination with genome fragments acquired from other genomes in the population. Evolutionary groups appear to exchange DNA preferentially within the same group but also with other groups to different extents. Entering DNA is often fragmented by restriction systems of the recipient cell, with surviving pieces replacing homologous parts of the recipient chromosome. Coevolving populations of phages that package genome fragments and deliver them to cells that have appropriate receptors are likely mediators of most DNA transfers, distributing variability throughout the species.
Jagged mediates differences in normal and tumor angiogenesis by affecting tip-stalk fate decision
Authors: Boareto Marcelo , Jolly Mohit Kumar , Ben-Jacob Eshel , Onuchic José N.
Published: July 2015

Significance

Developing effective antiangiogenesis strategies remains clinically challenging. Unlike physiological angiogenesis, pathological angiogenesis comprises of many microvessels that do not fully mature or develop functionally, because the cell fate decision about which endothelial cells become the tip and lead the following stalk cells is dysregulated. We devised a specific theoretical framework to decipher the cross-talk between two crucial players of the decision-making process of tip and stalk cell fate: VEGF and Notch-Delta-Jagged signaling. We find that high expression of Jagged, but not Delta, can destabilize the terminal differentiation into tip or stalk cells and give rise to a hybrid tip/stalk phenotype, a phenotype that can transform physiological into pathological angiogenesis. Our results offer insights into why tumor-stroma communication often implicates Jagged.
“Some call us heroes, others call us killers.” Experiencing violent spaces: Soviet soldiers in the Afghan War
Authors: Behrends Jan Claas
Published: July 2015

Using memories of and interviews with Soviet soldiers, the article discusses their experience of combat and physical violence during the Soviet War in Afghanistan (1979–1989). With Afghan statehood rapidly dissolving and little interest on the side of the Soviet military to enforce international law, Afghanistan quickly turned into a space where violence became the most important social resource. The soldiers and other Soviet personnel had to adapt to these conditions, which differed immensely from the late socialist society in the USSR. The article traces their immersion into the violent space and discusses their behavior while in Afghanistan. It points to the brutality of counterinsurgency combat and to the atrocities committed by both sides. In addition, it sheds light on the experience of serving in the Soviet Army during the last decade of the USSR. Many of the dysfunctions of the late socialist society were also prevalent – even amplified – while serving in the Soviet Army in Afghanistan. These problems were often exacerbated during the war and impeded the abilities of the Soviet Army. Upon their return from Afghanistan, many veterans found it difficult to return to civilian life in the USSR. Their immersion into the violent space was more rapid and formative than their return to socialist “normality.”
The Euromaidan and the crisis of Russian nationalism
Authors: Horvath Robert
Published: July 2015

This article examines the reverberations in Russia of the Euromaidan protests and the fall of the Yanukovych regime in Ukraine. It shows how the events in Kyiv provoked a major crisis in the Russian nationalist movement, which was riven by vituperative denunciations, the ostracism of prominent activists, the breakdown of friendships, the rupture of alliances, and schisms within organizations. Focusing on pro-Kremlin nationalists and several tendencies of opposition nationalists, it argues that this turmoil was shaped by three factors. First, the Euromaidan provoked clashes between pro-Kremlin nationalists, who became standard-bearers of official anti-Euromaidan propaganda, and anti-Putin nationalists, who extolled the Euromaidan as a model for a revolution in Russia itself. Second, the events in Ukraine provoked ideological contention around issues of particular sensitivity to Russian nationalists, such as the competing claims of imperialism and ethnic homogeneity, and of Soviet nationalism and Russian traditionalism. And third, many nationalists were unprepared for the pace of events, which shifted rapidly from an anti-oligarchic uprising in Kyiv to a push for the self-determination of ethnic Russians in Crimean and southeast Ukraine. As a result, they were left in the uncomfortable position of appearing to collaborate with the oppressors of their compatriots.
Etiology, pathogenesis, antivirals and vaccines of hand, foot, and mouth disease
Authors: Lei Xiaobo , Cui Sheng , Zhao Zhendong , Wang Jianwei
Published: July 2015

Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD), caused by enteroviruses, is a syndrome characterized by fever with vesicular eruptions mainly on the skin of the hands, feet, and oral cavity. HFMD primarily affects infants and young children. Although infection is usually self-limited, severe neurological complications in the central nervous system can present in some cases, which can lead to death. Widespread infection of HFMD across the Asia-Pacific region over the past two decades has made HFMD a major public health challenge, ranking first among the category C notifiable communicable diseases in China every year since 2008. This review summarizes our understanding of HFMD, focusing on the etiology and pathogenesis of the disease, as well as on progress toward antivirals and vaccines. The review also discusses the implications of these studies as they relate to the control and prevention of the disease.
A Randomized Crossover Study Comparing a Novel Needle Guidance Technology for Simulated Internal Jugular Vein Cannulation
Authors: Auyong David B. , Yuan Stanley C. , Rymer Alyse N. , Green Cynthia L. , Hanson Neil A.
Published: July 2015

AbstractAbstract

This study showed that using a simulated neck phantom and a novel needle guidance ultrasound technology decreased posterior vessel wall puncture and carotid puncture while improving needle passes and time.

Background:

Despite ultrasound guidance for central line placement, complications persist, as exact needle location is often difficult to confirm with standard two-dimension ultrasound. A novel real-time needle guidance technology has recently become available (eZono, Germany) that tracks the needle during insertion. This randomized, blinded, crossover study examined whether this needle guidance technology improved cannulation of a simulated internal jugular (IJ) vein in an ultrasound phantom.

Methods:

One hundred physicians were randomized to place a standard needle in an ultrasound neck phantom with or without the needle guidance system. Video cameras were placed externally and within the lumens of the vessels to record needle location in real time. The primary outcome measured was the rate of posterior wall puncture. Secondary outcomes included number of carotid artery punctures, number of needle passes, final needle position, time to cannulation, and comfort level with this new technology.

Results:

The incidence of posterior vessel wall puncture without and with needle guidance was 49 and 13%, respectively (P < 0.001, odds ratio [OR] = 7.33 [3.44 to 15.61]). The rate of carotid artery puncture was higher without needle navigation technology than with needle navigation 21 versus 2%, respectively (P = 0.001, OR = 12.97 [2.89 to 58.18]). Final needle tip position being located within the lumen of the IJ was 97% accurate with the navigation technology and 76% accurate with standard ultrasound (P < 0.001, OR = 10.42 [2.76 to 40.0]). Average time for successful vessel cannulation was 1.37 times longer without guidance technology.

Conclusion:

This real-time needle guidance technology (eZono) shows significant improvement in needle accuracy and cannulation time during simulated IJ vein puncture.
Breastfeeding Self‐Efficacy Scale
Authors: Petrozzi Angela , Gagliardi Luigi
Published: July 2015

Psychological factors can influence breast‐feeding. We translated into Italian and validated the Breastfeeding Self‐Efficacy Scale Short Form (BSES‐SF) and investigated its predictive ability and its relation with postpartum depression symptoms.

BSES‐SF and Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) were administered 2 to 3 days after delivery to 122 mothers. Breast‐feeding was assessed at 3 months.

The BSES‐SF displayed good validity (receiver operating characteristic area = 0.69) for predicting full breast‐feeding at 3 months. In multivariate analysis, the probability of full breast‐feeding increased 2.4% for 1‐point increase of BSES‐SF. The BSES‐SF and EPDS scores were inversely correlated. BSES‐SF is a useful tool to identify the risk of early breast‐feeding attrition.
Environmental offsets, resilience and cost-effective conservation
Authors: Little L. R. , Grafton R. Q.
Published: July 2015

Conservation management agencies are faced with acute trade-offs when dealing with disturbance from human activities. We show how agencies can respond to permanent ecosystem disruption by managing for Pimm resilience within a conservation budget using a model calibrated to a metapopulation of a coral reef fish species at Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia. The application is of general interest because it provides a method to manage species susceptible to negative environmental disturbances by optimizing between the number and quality of migration connections in a spatially distributed metapopulation. Given ecological equivalency between the number and quality of migration connections in terms of time to recover from disturbance, our approach allows conservation managers to promote ecological function, under budgetary constraints, by offsetting permanent damage to one ecological function with investment in another.
The growth threshold conjecture: a theoretical framework for understanding T-cell tolerance
Authors: Arias Clemente F. , Herrero Miguel A. , Cuesta José A. , Acosta Francisco J. , Fernández-Arias Cristina
Published: July 2015

Adaptive immune responses depend on the capacity of T cells to target specific antigens. As similar antigens can be expressed by pathogens and host cells, the question naturally arises of how can T cells discriminate friends from foes. In this work, we suggest that T cells tolerate cells whose proliferation rates remain below a permitted threshold. Our proposal relies on well-established facts about T-cell dynamics during acute infections: T-cell populations are elastic (they expand and contract) and they display inertia (contraction is delayed relative to antigen removal). By modelling inertia and elasticity, we show that tolerance to slow-growing populations can emerge as a population-scale feature of T cells. This result suggests a theoretical framework to understand immune tolerance that goes beyond the self versus non-self dichotomy. It also accounts for currently unexplained observations, such as the paradoxical tolerance to slow-growing pathogens or the presence of self-reactive T cells in the organism.
Eshelby's problem of polygonal inclusions with polynomial eigenstrains in an anisotropic magneto-electro-elastic full plane
Authors: Lee Y.-G. , Zou W.-N. , Pan E.
Published: July 2015

This paper presents a closed-form solution for the arbitrary polygonal inclusion problem with polynomial eigenstrains of arbitrary order in an anisotropic magneto-electro-elastic full plane. The additional displacements or eigendisplacements, instead of the eigenstrains, are assumed to be a polynomial with general terms of order
M
+
N
. By virtue of the extended Stroh formulism, the induced fields are expressed in terms of a group of basic functions which involve boundary integrals of the inclusion domain. For the special case of polygonal inclusions, the boundary integrals are carried out explicitly, and their averages over the inclusion are also obtained. The induced fields under quadratic eigenstrains are mostly analysed in terms of figures and tables, as well as those under the linear and cubic eigenstrains. The connection between the present solution and the solution via the Green's function method is established and numerically verified. The singularity at the vertices of the arbitrary polygon is further analysed via the basic functions. The general solution and the numerical results for the constant, linear, quadratic and cubic eigenstrains presented in this paper enable us to investigate the features of the inclusion and inhomogeneity problem concerning polynomial eigenstrains in semiconductors and advanced composites, while the results can further serve as benchmarks for future analyses of Eshelby's inclusion problem.
Probabilistic numerics and uncertainty in computations
Authors: Hennig Philipp , Osborne Michael A. , Girolami Mark
Published: July 2015

We deliver a call to arms forprobabilistic numerical methods: algorithms for numerical tasks, including linear algebra, integration, optimization and solving differential equations, that return uncertainties in their calculations. Such uncertainties, arising from the loss of precision induced by numerical calculation with limited time or hardware, are important for much contemporary science and industry. Within applications such as climate science and astrophysics, the need to make decisions on the basis of computations with large and complex data have led to a renewed focus on the management of numerical uncertainty. We describe how several seminal classic numerical methods can be interpreted naturally as probabilistic inference. We then show that the probabilistic view suggests new algorithms that can flexibly be adapted to suit application specifics, while delivering improved empirical performance. We provide concrete illustrations of the benefits of probabilistic numeric algorithms on real scientific problems from astrometry and astronomical imaging, while highlighting open problems with these new algorithms. Finally, we describe how probabilistic numerical methods provide a coherent framework for identifying the uncertainty in calculations performed with a combination of numerical algorithms (e.g. both numerical optimizers and differential equation solvers), potentially allowing the diagnosis (and control) of error sources in computations.
The Biot–Savart description of Kelvin waves on a quantum vortex filament in the presence of mutual friction and a driving fluid
Authors: Van Gorder Robert A.
Published: July 2015

We study the dynamics of Kelvin waves along a quantum vortex filament in the presence of mutual friction and a driving fluid while taking into account non-local effects due to Biot–Savart integrals. The Schwarz model reduces to a nonlinear and non-local dynamical system of dimension three, the solutions of which determine the translational and rotational motion of the Kelvin waves, as well as the amplification or decay of such waves. We determine the possible qualitative behaviours of the resulting Kelvin waves. It is well known from experimental and theoretical studies that the Donnelly–Glaberson instability plays a role on the amplification or decay of Kelvin waves in the presence of a driving normal fluid velocity, and we obtain the relevant stability criterion for the non-local model. While the stability criterion is the same for local and non-local models when the wavenumber is sufficiently small, we show that large differences emerge for the large wavenumber case (tightly coiled helices). The results demonstrate that non-local effects have a stabilizing effect on the Kelvin waves, and hence larger normal fluid velocities are required for amplification of large wavenumber Kelvin waves. Additional qualitative differences between the local and non-local models are explored.
On ‘strange’ properties of some symmetric inhomogeneities
Authors: Mogilevskaya Sofia G. , Stolarski Henryk K.
Published: July 2015

The paper presents an analysis of elasticity problems involving a single inhomogeneity which possesses certain types of symmetries. As observed earlier, isotropic problems of that kind exhibit some ‘strange’ and remarkable properties. Under the action of uniform far-field stresses, the averages of the fields inside the inhomogeneities preserve the structure of the far-field loads. Here, it is shown that these properties are exhibited for a wider class of problems, which include anisotropic and non-uniform materials subjected to either far-field loads or constant transformational strains within the inhomogeneity. The proposed modified Eshelby technique facilitates a straightforward analysis of these problems, which is based entirely on the assumed symmetry. It is also shown that some remarkable properties of symmetric inhomogeneities discovered here are related to the so-called ‘strange’ properties of the Eshelby inclusions extensively covered in the literature. Some implications of these findings are discussed.
Environmental and scale-dependent evolutionary trends in the body size of crustaceans
Authors: Klompmaker Adiël A. , Schweitzer Carrie E. , Feldmann Rodney M. , Kowalewski Michał
Published: July 2015

The ecological and physiological significance of body size is well recognized. However, key macroevolutionary questions regarding the dependency of body size trends on the taxonomic scale of analysis and the role of environment in controlling long-term evolution of body size are largely unknown. Here, we evaluate these issues for decapod crustaceans, a group that diversified in the Mesozoic. A compilation of body size data for 792 brachyuran crab and lobster species reveals that their maximum, mean and median body size increased, but no increase in minimum size was observed. This increase is not expressed within lineages, but is rather a product of the appearance and/or diversification of new clades of larger, primarily burrowing to shelter-seeking decapods. This argues against directional selective pressures within lineages. Rather, the trend is a macroevolutionary consequence of species sorting: preferential origination of new decapod clades with intrinsically larger body sizes. Furthermore, body size evolution appears to have been habitat-controlled. In the Cretaceous, reef-associated crabs became markedly smaller than those in other habitats, a pattern that persists today. The long-term increase in body size of crabs and lobsters, coupled with their increased diversity and abundance, suggests that their ecological impact may have increased over evolutionary time.
Effects of neutralizing antibodies on escape from CD8
+
T-cell responses in HIV-1 infection
Authors: Wikramaratna Paul S. , Lourenço José , Klenerman Paul , Pybus Oliver G. , Gupta Sunetra
Published: July 2015

Despite substantial advances in our knowledge of immune responses against HIV-1 and of its evolution within the host, it remains unclear why control of the virus eventually breaks down. Here, we present a new theoretical framework for the infection dynamics of HIV-1 that combines antibody and CD8
+
T-cell responses, notably taking into account their different lifespans. Several apparent paradoxes in HIV pathogenesis and genetics of host susceptibility can be reconciled within this framework by assigning a crucial role to antibody responses in the control of viraemia. We argue that, although escape from or progressive loss of quality of CD8
+
T-cell responses can accelerate disease progression, the underlying cause of the breakdown of virus control is the loss of antibody induction due to depletion of CD4
+
T cells. Furthermore, strong antibody responses can prevent CD8
+
T-cell escape from occurring for an extended period, even in the presence of highly efficacious CD8
+
T-cell responses.
In vitro aggregate formation and unusual colony morphology impairing identification of Roseomonas sp. from a septic patient
Authors: Salimnia Hossein , Fairfax Marilynn R. , Gordon James J. , Lephart Paul R.
Published: July 2015

Introduction:

The Gram-stained morphology of organisms from positive blood culture bottles often suggests diagnoses and therapeutic options. In vitro aggregate formation by the organism in this case led to initial confusion in the diagnosis.

Case presentation:

A 57-year-old woman with a recent stroke returned to the emergency department with acute exacerbation of her neurological deficit. Although afebrile, she had an elevated white blood cell count. Urine analysis revealed 4+ blood, nitrates, leukocyte esterase and bacteria. Blood and urine cultures were collected and intravenous piperacillin/tazobactam treatment was begun. The urine culture grew >100 000 colonies Escherichia coli ml− 1; the antibiotic was changed to ceftriaxone when susceptibilities became available at 48 h. At 61 h, the aerobic blood culture bottle was flagged as positive. A Gram stain revealed spherical structures, which stained predominantly Gram-negative but were Gram-positive in some areas of the smear. Subcultures grew overnight on blood, chocolate and MacConkey agars and on brain–heart infusion (BHI) broth. Growth on MacConkey agar was sparse. A Gram stain of the snow-white, mucoid colonies revealed Gram-negative rods, spherical aggregates and thick-walled tetrads. Subsequent cultures on solid medium grew only Gram-negative rods, but inoculation of isolated colonies from these cultures into BHI broth or negative blood culture bottles caused the thick-walled spheres and tetrads to reappear.

Conclusion:

MicroScan and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight failed to identify the organism, but 16S rRNA gene sequencing identified it as Roseomonas genomospecies 5 (100 % match). To the best of our knowledge, there are no reports in the literature of aggregate-forming Roseomonas.
Tomato I2 immune receptor can be engineered to confer partial resistance to the oomycetePhytophthora infestansin addition to the fungusFusarium oxysporum
Authors: Giannakopoulou Artemis , Steele John F. C. , Segretin Maria Eugenia , Bozkurt Tolga O. , Zhou Ji , Robatzek Silke , Banfield Mark J. , Pais Marina , Kamoun Sophien
Published: July 2015

Plants and animals rely on immune receptors, known as nucleotide-binding domain and leucine-rich repeat containing proteins (NB-LRR or NLR), to defend against invading pathogens and activate immune responses. How NLR receptors respond to pathogens is inadequately understood. We previously reported single-residue mutations that expand the response of the potato immune receptor R3a to AVR3aEM, a stealthy effector from the late blight oomycete pathogenPhytophthora infestans. I2, another NLR that mediates resistance to the wilt causing fungusFusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici, is the tomato ortholog of R3a. We transferred previously identified R3a mutations to I2 to assess the degree to which the resulting I2 mutants have an altered response. We discovered that wild-type I2 protein responds weakly to AVR3a. One mutant in the N-terminal coiled-coil domain, I2I141N, appeared sensitized and displayed markedly increased response to AVR3a. Remarkably, I2I141Nconferred partial resistance toP. infestans.Further, I2I141Nhas an expanded response spectrum toF. oxysporum f. sp. lycopersicieffectors compared to the wild-type I2 protein. Our results suggest that synthetic immune receptors can be engineered to confer resistance to phylogenetically divergent pathogens and indicate that knowledge gathered for one NLR could be exploited to improve NLRs from other plant species.
The relationship between interpregnancy interval (IPI) and mother’s preceding pregnancies (PP)
Authors: Vernier Michel C. , Schulzer Michael , Vernier Pierre R.
Published: July 2015

Introduction

Following the investigation of the mother’s preceding pregnancies on fetal development and postnatal survival of the neonate, we turned our attention to an earlier period, that is the interval separating the onset of the current pregnancy from the end of the preceding one. The objectives of this study is to investigate the variations of interpregnancy interval length associated to the mother’s preceding pregnancies.

Methods

A population of 7773 neonates, alive at the time of hospital discharge, were divided into cohorts according to the current neonate’s sex and number and sex of the mother’s preceding pregnancies. Interpregnancy interval average of each cohort of same neonate’s sex and mother’s parity, but different configuration of preceding pregnancies, were measured and compared.

Results

A positive association was found between mother’s preceding pregnancies and length of interpregnancy interval when current pregnancy and preceding pregnancy were of the same sex, and a negative association when they were of opposite sex.

Discussion

Interpregnancy interval length follows a pattern regarding the gravida’s preceding pregnancy similar to the other early life indicators pattern, birth weight, placenta weight, gestation length and neonatal survival. Our results confirm and complete an immunological explanation of the indicators variations associated to the gravida’s preceding pregnancy.
Automated segmentation of skin strata in reflectance confocal microscopy depth stacks
Authors: Hames Samuel C. , Ardigò Marco , Peter Soyer H. , Bradley Andrew P. , Prow Tarl W.
Published: July 2015

Reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) is a powerful tool for in-vivo examination of a variety of skin diseases. However, current use of RCM depends on qualitative examination by a human expert to look for specific features in the different strata of the skin. Developing approaches to quantify features in RCM imagery requires an automated understanding of what anatomical strata is present in a given en-face section. This work presents an automated approach using a bag of features approach to represent en-face sections and a logistic regression classifier to classify sections into one of four classes (stratum corneum, viable epidermis, dermal-epidermal junction and papillary dermis). This approach was developed and tested using a dataset of 308 depth stacks from 54 volunteers in two age groups (20-30 and 50-70 years of age). The classification accuracy on the test set was 85.6%. The mean absolute error in determining the interface depth for each of the stratum corneum/viable epidermis, viable epidermis/dermal-epidermal junction and dermal-epidermal junction/papillary dermis interfaces were 3.1μm, 6.0μmand 5.5μmrespectively. The probabilities predicted by the classifier in the test set showed that the classifier learned an effective model of the anatomy of human skin.
Layout performance indicators and systematic planning
Authors: Flessas Milena , Rizzardi Vinicius , Tortorella Guilherme Luz , Fettermann Diego , Marodin Giuliano Almeida
Published: July 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to plan the layout of the production area of an industrial kitchen of a theme restaurant through the application of the systematic layout planning (SLP) methodology and the establishment of layout indicators with a specific application in the restaurant business.

Design/methodology/approach

– The authors applied the SLP methodology in the industrial kitchen of a theme restaurant in order to plan and develop layout alternatives. Such layout alternatives were then evaluated according to a set of specific indicators consolidated based on a literature review. Finally, a multi-criteria decision-making tool was used to support the selection of the best layout alternative and suggest to the case study area.

Findings

– The main results could be highlighted as: first, an area, previously unexplored, of approximately 5.40 m² ended up being used as a productive area for the operations; second, 40 percent reduction in work-in-process by removing the refrigerators of groceries and the freezer from the production area; third, indirect indicators, such as customer satisfaction and the employee’s workplace environment, have increased their performance, since customers were better served and working environment became more conducive to a good employee performance.

Originality/value

– Most research in layout planning is typically developed in productive industrial areas, and this paper contributes to the understanding the differences of implementing SLP methodology in a food service business, such as restaurant, and proposes the utilization of specific layout indicators.
Parent voices guide smoking intervention development
Authors: Johnston Robyn , Hearn Lydia , Cross Donna , Thomas Laura T. , Bell Sharon
Published: July 2015

Purpose

– While parents’ influence on their children’s smoking behaviour is widely recognised, little is known about parents of four to eight year olds’ attitudes and beliefs around smoking cessation and how they communicate with their children about smoking. The purpose of this paper is to explore parents’ perceptions of quitting smoking and their beliefs and actions related to the use of parenting practices to discourage smoking by their children.

Design/methodology/approach

– Four focus groups and 17 interviews were conducted with parents (n=46) of four to eight year old children in Perth, Western Australia.

Findings

– Many parents indicated their children strongly influenced their quitting behaviours, however, some resented being made to feel guilty about their smoking because of their children. Parents were divided in their beliefs about the amount of influence they had on their children’s future smoking. Feelings of hypocrisy appear to influence the extent to which parents who smoked talked with their child about smoking. Parents recommended a variety of resource options to support quitting and talking with their child about smoking.

Practical implications

– Interventions aimed at parents who smoke and have young children should: reinforce parents’ importance as role models; highlight the importance of talking to children about smoking when they are young and provide strategies for maintaining ongoing communication; be supportive and avoid making parents feel guilty; and emphasise that quitting smoking is the best option for their child’s health (and their own), while also providing effective harm minimisation options for parents who have not yet quit.

Originality/value

– Parents of children of lower primary school age can be highly influential on their children’s later smoking behaviours, thus, effective interventions that address the current beliefs and practices of these parents may be particularly advantageous.
Multi-period demand allocation among supplier in a supply chain
Authors: Singh Amol
Published: July 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to address the problem of optimal allocation of demand of items among candidate suppliers to maximize the purchase value of items. The purchase value of the items directly relates to cost and quality of raw materials purchased from the supplier. In an increasingly competitive environment, firms are paying more attention to selecting the right suppliers for procurement of raw materials and component parts for their products. The present research work focuses on this issue of supply chain management.

Design/methodology/approach

– This present research work devises a hybrid algorithm for multi-period demand allocation among the suppliers. The customer demand is allocated by using a hybrid algorithm based on the technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS), fuzzy set theory and the mixed linear integer programming (MILP) approaches.

Findings

– The supply chain network is witnessing a changing business environment due to government policies aimed at promoting new small manufacturing enterprises (small and medium-sized enterprises) for intermediate parts and components. Hence, the managers have an option to select a new group of suppliers and allocate the optimal multi-period demand among the new group of suppliers to maximize their purchase value. In this context, the proposed hybrid model would be beneficial for the managers to operate their supply chain effectively and efficiently. The present research work will be helpful for the managers who are interested to reconfigure their supply chain under the failure of any supply chain partner or in a changing business environment. The model provides flexibility to the managers for evaluation of the different available alternatives to take a decision of optimal demand allocation among the suppliers. The proposed hybrid (fuzzy, TOPSIS and MILP) model provides more objective information for supplier evaluation and demand allocation among suppliers in a supply chain. The managers can use the proposed model to the analysis of other management decision-making problems.

Originality/value

– This present research work devises a hybrid algorithm for multi-period demand allocation among the suppliers. This hybrid algorithm prioritizes the suppliers and then allocates the multi-period demand among the suppliers. The customer demand is allocated by using a hybrid algorithm based on the technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS), fuzzy set theory and the mixed linear integer programming (MILP) approaches.
A qualitative meta-analysis of trust in supervisor-subordinate relationships
Authors: Nienaber Ann-Marie , Romeike Philipp Daniel , Searle Rosalind , Schewe Gerhard
Published: July 2015

Purpose

– Interpersonal trust is often considered as the “glue” that binds supervisors together with their subordinates, and creates a positive organisational climate. The purpose of this paper is to investigate factors affecting subordinates’ trust to their supervisor, and the consequences of such a trusting relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

– The authors conducted a qualitative meta-analysis of the trust literature between 1995 and 2011, to identify 73 articles and review 37 theoretical propositions, 139 significant model parameters and 58 further empirical findings.

Findings

– Four distinct clusters of trust antecedents are found: supervisor attributes; subordinate attributes; interpersonal processes and organisational characteristics. Similarly, the authors identify three categories of trust consequences: subordinates’ work behaviour; subordinates’ attitude towards the supervisor; and organisational level effects.

Research limitations/implications

– The authors find a bias towards studying supervisor attributes and interpersonal processes, yet a dearth of attention on subordinate attributes and organisational characteristics. Similarly, the conceptual attention on trust between supervisors and subordinates has been limited, with empirical work reporting predominantly significant findings. Social exchange has dominated as the theoretical perspective, and cross-section as the main research approach. In order to advance this important field more heterogeneity is needed, utilising a range of different theoretical schools and employing different methodologies.

Originality/value

– This seems to be the first qualitative meta-analysis explicitly directed to understanding trust between supervisors and subordinates. The authors contribute to the field of trust by revealing current gaps in the literature and highlighting potential areas of future research.
Job resources and employee engagement: a cross-national study
Authors: Farndale Elaine , Murrer Inge
Published: July 2015

Purpose

– In light of increasing globalization of workforces, the purpose of this paper is to explore the moderating effect of country on the relationship between job resources and employee engagement.

Design/methodology/approach

– Questionnaire responses from 19,260 employees of a large multinational financial services corporation in Mexico, the Netherlands, and the USA are analyzed using regression analyses and a study of effect sizes.

Findings

– The results show that certain job resources (financial rewards, team climate, participation in decision making) positively influence engagement in all three countries. However, the study also shows distinctions between the strength of relationships between these job resources and engagement per country which are explained through cross-cultural theorizing.

Research limitations/implications

– National-level variations in relationships between job resources and employee engagement are evidenced, and these can be explained to a considerable extent by applying a cross-cultural theoretical lens.

Practical implications

– The study highlights the importance for firms to be aware of and learn from the equivalence of constructs and their relationships across countries: although similar relationships were observed across the three countries studied here, the differences may be sufficient to require alternate approaches to appropriate job resources to engender engagement.

Originality/value

– Although there has been considerable empirical investigation into the relationship between job resources and engagement, little has focussed on different national settings simultaneously.
How do working mothers negotiate the work-home interface?
Authors: Araujo Bruno Felix von Borell de , Tureta Cesar Augusto , Araujo Diana Abreu von Borell de
Published: July 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to explore the tactics that mid-career professional working mothers use to improve their work-home balance.

Design/methodology/approach

– The qualitative study used in-depth interviews with 63 Brazilian professional working mothers aged between 37 and 55, having at least one child under the age of 18, and living in dual-career households. The interviews were content analyzed.

Findings

– The study reported four dimensions of boundary work tactics (behavioral, temporal, physical, and communicative) that mid-career working mothers adopted to construct a satisfying level of segmentation or integration between work and home.

Research limitations/implications

– The study suggests individual tactics for actively constructing a generalized work-home state that can be adopted by working mothers. Additionally, the authors suggest that HR managers should develop work-home balance programs that provide policies that adjust to the work-home boundary preferences for those mothers who want to integrate and segment these domains.

Social implications

– The authors hope this study can help mid-career working mothers to understand how they can interact actively with others in such a way that they can better answer their work and home demands.

Originality/value

– This study was the first to use boundary work tactics theory to explore how mid-career professional working mothers improve their work-home balance.