bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Price Delegation in Sales Organizations: An Empirical Investigation
Authors: Hansen Ann-Kristin , Joseph Kissan , Krafft Manfred
Published: March 2014

The allocation of decision rights is an integral component of designing organizational architecture. Economists have long understood the importance of co-locating decision rights with the knowledge that is valuable to those decisions. Following this prescription, marketing scholars have developed strong theoretical arguments in favor of delegating pricing authority to the sales force. Empirical work, however, reveals a significant number of sales organizations yielding only minimal authority to their salespeople. Given this divergence between theory and practice, we develop and empirically test two mitigating factors that could potentially explain why firms restrict pricing authority. We test our hypotheses on a sample of 222 German sales organizations and find that the data are generally consistent with our conceptualization.
Cost Sharing under Uncertainty: An Algorithmic Approach to Cooperative Interval-Valued Games
Authors: Kimms Alf , Drechsel Julia
Published: March 2014

Recently, Branzei, Dimitrov, and Tijs (2003) introduced cooperative interval-valued games. Among other insights, the notion of an interval core has been coined and proposed as a solution concept for interval-valued games. In this paper we will present a general mathematical programming algorithm which can be applied to find an element in the interval core. As an example, we discuss lot sizing with uncertain demand to provide an application for interval-valued games and to demonstrate how interval core elements can be computed. Also, we reveal that pitfalls exist if interval core elements are computed in a straightforward manner by considering the interval borders separately.
Simultaneous Vehicle and Crew Routing and Scheduling for Partial- and Full-Load Long-Distance Road Transport
Authors: Drexl Michael , Rieck Julia , Sigl Thomas , Press Bettina
Published: March 2014

This paper studies a simultaneous vehicle and crew routing and scheduling problem arising in long-distance road transport in Europe: Pickup-and-delivery requests have to be fulfilled over a multi-period planning horizon by a heterogeneous fleet of trucks and drivers. Typically, in the vehicle routing literature, a fixed assignment of a driver to a truck is assumed. In our approach, we abandon this assumption and allow truck/driver changes at geographically dispersed relay stations. This offers greater planning flexibility and allows a better utilization of trucks, but also creates intricate interdependencies between trucks and drivers and requires the synchronization of their routes. A solution heuristic based on a two-stage decomposition of the problem is developed, taking into account European Union social legislation for drivers, and computational experiments using real-world data provided by a major German forwarder are presented and analyzed. The obtained results suggest that for the vehicle and driver cost structure prevalent in Western Europe and for transport requests that are not systematically acquired to complement one another, no cost savings are possible through simultaneous vehicle and crew routing and scheduling, although no formal proof of this fact is possible.
Autoxidative and Photooxidative Reactivity of Highly Branched Isoprenoid (HBI) Alkenes
Authors: Rontani J.‐F. , Belt S. T. , Vaultier F. , Brown T. A. , Massé G.
Published: March 2014

Autoxidation of several mono‐, di‐, tri‐ and tetra‐unsaturated highly branched isoprenoid (HBI) alkenes was induced in organic solvents using a radical initiator and enhancer, and their degradation rates were compared to those of classical phytoplanktonic lipids (mono‐unsaturated fatty acids, sterols and chlorophyll phytyl side‐chain). Autoxidation of two HBI trienes was also investigated in senescent and highly photodegraded diatom cells, collected in the Antarctic, using Fe2+ ions as radical inducers. Autoxidation rates of HBI alkenes were found to increase with the number of tri‐substituted double bonds, as expected. Further, HBI trienes possessing one bis‐allylic position (where hydrogen abstraction is highly favoured) were found to be particularly reactive towards autoxidation and degraded at similar rates compared to polyunsaturated fatty acids in diatom cells. By comparison of the autoxidation products of the most reactive tri‐unsaturated HBI with the corresponding photooxidation products, some specific tracers of these two types of abiotic degradation processes were identified. The lack of reactivity of the mono‐unsaturated HBI IP25 and a structurally similar di‐unsaturated HBI towards autoxidative degradation supports the good preservation of these biomarkers in marine sediments.
Fundamentals of Stream Processing
Authors: Andrade Henrique C. M. , Gedik Buğra , Turaga Deepak S.
Published: March 2014

Stream processing is a novel distributed computing paradigm that supports the gathering, processing and analysis of high-volume, heterogeneous, continuous data streams, to extract insights and actionable results in real time. This comprehensive, hands-on guide combining the fundamental building blocks and emerging research in stream processing is ideal for application designers, system builders, analytic developers, as well as students and researchers in the field. This book introduces the key components of the stream computing paradigm, including the distributed system infrastructure, the programming model, design patterns and streaming analytics. The explanation of the underlying theoretical principles, illustrative examples and implementations using the IBM InfoSphere Streams SPL language and real-world case studies provide students and practitioners with a comprehensive understanding of such applications and the middleware that supports them.
The communities of helminth parasites ofHeterandria bimaculata(Teleostei: Poeciliidae) from the upper Río La Antigua basin, east-central Mexico show a predictable structure
Authors: SALGADO-MALDONADO GUILLERMO , NOVELO-TURCOTTE MARÍA TERESA , VAZQUEZ GABRIELA , CASPETA-MANDUJANO JUAN MANUEL , QUIROZ-MARTÍNEZ BENJAMÍN , FAVILA MARIO
Published: March 2014

We investigated a basic generalization in parasite community ecology stating that stochastic processes played a major part in determining the composition of helminth communities of freshwater fish, or on the contrary, if these communities are predictable, diverse and structured species assemblages. We determined the species pool of helminth parasites of a tropical freshwater fishHeterandria bimaculatain its heartland, the upper Río La Antigua basin in east-central Mexico. Approaching our data from the metapopulation standpoint we studied the spatial patterns, and examined the variation in composition and richness of the component communities across different locations. We tested the prediction that helminth species may be recognized as common or rare; and also two hypotheses anticipating depauperate communities and decay of similarity between component communities with increasing distance. We found these communities composed by a highly structured and predictable set of specialist autogenic helminth species that are constant and abundant, dominating all components throughout space. The prediction that it is possible to recognize common and rare species was met. Richer than expected communities were found, as well as highly homogeneous component communities, where neighbouring components were more similar than distant ones. We speculated that the processes shaping the development of these component communities include stable, predictable habitats through time, allowing for a slow gradual dispersion process limited by host and parasite species capabilities. Our study suggests that metapopulation theory can assist in the prediction of community composition and in the understanding of spatial and temporal community variability.
Community-wide transcriptome of the oral microbiome in subjects with and without periodontitis
Authors: Duran-Pinedo Ana E , Chen Tsute , Teles Ricardo , Starr Jacqueline R , Wang Xiaoshan , Krishnan Keerthana , Frias-Lopez Jorge
Published: March 2014

Despite increasing knowledge on phylogenetic composition of the human microbiome, our understanding of the in situ activities of the organisms in the community and their interactions with each other and with the environment remains limited. Characterizing gene expression profiles of the human microbiome is essential for linking the role of different members of the bacterial communities in health and disease. The oral microbiome is one of the most complex microbial communities in the human body and under certain circumstances, not completely understood, the healthy microbial community undergoes a transformation toward a pathogenic state that gives rise to periodontitis, a polymicrobial inflammatory disease. We report here the in situ genome-wide transcriptome of the subgingival microbiome in six periodontally healthy individuals and seven individuals with periodontitis. The overall picture of metabolic activities showed that iron acquisition, lipopolysaccharide synthesis and flagellar synthesis were major activities defining disease. Unexpectedly, the vast majority of virulence factors upregulated in subjects with periodontitis came from organisms that are not considered major periodontal pathogens. One of the organisms whose gene expression profile was characterized was the uncultured candidate division TM7, showing an upregulation of putative virulence factors in the diseased community. These data enhance understanding of the core activities that are characteristic of periodontal disease as well as the role that individual organisms in the subgingival community play in periodontitis.
Electronic structure of the oxygen evolving complex in photosystem II, as revealed by55Mn Davies ENDOR studies at 2.5 K
Authors: Jin Lu , Smith Paul , Noble Christopher J. , Stranger Rob , Hanson Graeme R. , Pace Ron J.
Published: March 2014

55Mn pulsed ENDOR of the oxygen evolving complex (S2state) at 2.5 K indicates the presence of a MnIII3MnIVtetranuclear cluster.
A highly sensitive and selective colorimetric sensor for the detection of Mn2+ based on supramolecular silver nanoparticle clusters
Authors: Hu Ren , Zhang Liang , Li Haibing
Published: March 2014

A colorimetric sensor decorated with β-cyclodextrin and adamantine has been designed to enhance the sensitivity of Mn2+ detection.
Cotton fabric-based electrochemical device for lactate measurement in saliva
Authors: Malon Radha S. P. , Chua K. Y. , Wicaksono Dedy H. B. , Córcoles Emma P.
Published: March 2014

We describe a method for the determination of lactate concentration in saliva samples by using a simple and low-cost cotton fabric-based electrochemical device.
A novel integrated biosensor based on co-immobilizing the mediator and microorganism for water biotoxicity assay
Authors: Li Jiuming , Yu Yuan , Qian Jun , Wang Yu , Zhang Jinghua , Zhi Jinfang
Published: March 2014

A novel integrated biosensor for biotoxicity assay has been developed by co-immobilizing microorganisms and mediators within a novel redox hydrogel.
Uniaxial negative thermal expansion facilitated by weak host–guest interactions
Authors: Engel Emile R. , Smith Vincent J. , Bezuidenhout Charl X. , Barbour Leonard J.
Published: March 2014

The mechanism of uniaxial negative thermal expansion in a crown ether solvate is facilitated by weak electrostatic host–guest interactions with the nitromethane guest molecule playing a critical role.
On the hydrates of codeine phosphate: the remarkable influence of hydrogen bonding on the crystal size
Authors: Runčevski Tomče , Petruševski Gjorgji , Makreski Petre , Ugarkovic Sonja , Dinnebier Robert E.
Published: March 2014

The strong influence of water molecules on the crystal size and shape of codeine phosphate hydrates is reported.
Tuning the structure and function of metal–organic frameworks via linker design
Authors: Lu Weigang , Wei Zhangwen , Gu Zhi-Yuan , Liu Tian-Fu , Park Jinhee , Park Jihye , Tian Jian , Zhang Muwei , Zhang Qiang , Gentle III Thomas , Bosch Mathieu , Zhou Hong-Cai
Published: March 2014

Advances in metal–organic frameworks are highlighted with an emphasis on tuning the structure and function via linker design.
Accelerating electrostatic pair methods on graphical processing units to study molecules in supercritical carbon dioxide
Authors: Baker John A. , Hirst Jonathan. D.
Published: March 2014

Traditionally, electrostatic interactions are modelled using Ewald techniques, which provide a good approximation, but are poorly suited to GPU architectures. We use the GPU versions of the LAMMPS MD package to implement and assess the Wolf summation method. We compute transport and structural properties of pure carbon dioxide and mixtures of carbon dioxide with either methane or difluoromethane. The diffusion of pure carbon dioxide is indistinguishable when using the Wolf summation method instead of PPPM on GPUs. The optimum value of the potential damping parameter, α, is 0.075. We observe a decrease in accuracy when the system polarity increases, yet the method is robust for mildly polar systems. We anticipate the method can be used for a number of techniques, and applied to a variety of systems. Substitution of PPPM can yield a two-fold decrease in the wall-clock time.
Kondorski reversal in magnetic nanowires
Authors: Skomski Ralph , Schubert Eva , Enders Axel , Sellmyer D. J.
Published: March 2014

Magnetization reversal in nanowire systems, such as alnico-type permanent magnets, slanted columns produced by glancing-angle deposition, and nanowires embedded in alumina templates, is investigated by model calculations. The angular dependence of the domain-wall propagation is Kondorski-like, reminiscent of Kondorski pinning in bulk materials but with a somewhat different physics and consistent with Kerr hysteresis-loop measurements. Criss-cross patterning of alnicos improves the coercivity but reduces the remanence, with virtually zero net effect on energy product. Finally, we briefly discuss the wire-radius dependence of the coercivity in the context of "shape anisotropy" and the occurrence of interaction domains in alnico.
Perturbative approximation to hybrid equation of motion coupled cluster/effective fragment potential method
Authors: Ghosh Debashree
Published: March 2014

Hybrid quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) methods provide an attractive way to closely retain the accuracy of the QM method with the favorable computational scaling of the MM method. Therefore, it is not surprising that QM/MM methods are being increasingly used for large chemical/biological systems. Hybrid equation of motion coupled cluster singles doubles/effective fragment potential (EOM-CCSD/EFP) methods have been developed over the last few years to understand the effect of solvents and other condensed phases on the electronic spectra of chromophores. However, the computational cost of this approach is still dominated by the steep scaling of the EOM-CCSD method. In this work, we propose and implement perturbative approximations to the EOM-CCSD method in this hybrid scheme to reduce the cost of EOM-CCSD/EFP. The timings and accuracy of this hybrid approach is tested for calculation of ionization energies, excitation energies, and electron affinities of microsolvated nucleic acid bases (thymine and cytosine), phenol, and phenolate.
A compact bellows-driven diamond anvil cell for high-pressure, low-temperature magnetic measurements
Authors: Feng Yejun , Silevitch D. M. , Rosenbaum T. F.
Published: March 2014

We present the design of an efficient bellows-controlled diamond anvil cell that is optimized for use inside the bores of high-field superconducting magnets in helium-3 cryostats, dilution refrigerators, and commercial physical property measurement systems. Design of this non-magnetic pressure cell focuses on in situ pressure tuning and measurement by means of a helium-filled bellows actuator and fiber-coupled ruby fluorescence spectroscopy, respectively. We demonstrate the utility of this pressure cell with ac susceptibility measurements of superconducting, ferromagnetic, and antiferromagnetic phase transitions to pressures exceeding 8 GPa. This cell provides an opportunity to probe charge and magnetic order continuously and with high resolution in the three-dimensional Magnetic Field–Pressure–Temperature parameter space.
Ferromagnetism at room temperature in Cr-doped anodic titanium dioxide nanotubes
Authors: Liao Yulong , Zhang Huaiwu , Li Jie , Yu Guoliang , Zhong Zhiyong , Bai Feiming , Jia Lijun , Zhang Shihong , Zhong Peng
Published: March 2014

This study reports the room-temperature ferromagnetism in Cr-doped TiO2 nanotubes (NTs) synthesized via the electrochemical method followed by a novel Cr-doping process. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy showed that the TiO2 NTs were highly ordered with length up to 26 μm, outer diameter about 110 nm, and inner diameter about 100 nm. X-ray diffraction results indicated there were no magnetic contaminations of metallic Cr clusters or any other phases except anatase TiO2. The Cr-doped TiO2 NTs were further annealed in oxygen, air and argon, and room-temperature ferromagnetism was observed in all Cr-doped samples. Moreover, saturation magnetizations and coercivities of the Cr-doped under various annealing atmosphere were further analyzed, and results indicate that oxygen content played a critical role in the room-temperature ferromagnetism.
Euler force actuation mechanism for siphon valving in compact disk-like microfluidic chips
Authors: Deng Yongbo , Fan Jianhua , Zhou Song , Zhou Teng , Wu Junfeng , Li Yin , Liu Zhenyu , Xuan Ming , Wu Yihui
Published: March 2014

Based on the Euler force induced by the acceleration of compact disk (CD)-like microfluidic chip, this paper presents a novel actuation mechanism for siphon valving. At the preliminary stage of acceleration, the Euler force in the tangential direction of CD-like chip takes the primary place compared with the centrifugal force to function as the actuation of the flow, which fills the siphon and actuates the siphon valving. The Euler force actuation mechanism is demonstrated by the numerical solution of the phase-field based mathematical model for the flow in siphon valve. In addition, experimental validation is implemented in the polymethylmethacrylate-based CD-like microfluidic chip manufactured using CO2 laser engraving technique. To prove the application of the proposed Euler force actuation mechanism, whole blood separation and plasma extraction has been conducted using the Euler force actuated siphon valving. The newly introduced actuation mechanism overcomes the dependence on hydrophilic capillary filling of siphon by avoiding external manipulation or surface treatments of polymeric material. The sacrifice for highly integrated processing in pneumatic pumping technique is also prevented by excluding the volume-occupied compressed air chamber.
Phonons, nature of bonding, and their relation to anomalous thermal expansion behavior of M2O (M = Au, Ag, Cu)
Authors: Gupta M. K. , Mittal R. , Chaplot S. L. , Rols S.
Published: March 2014

We report a comparative study of the dynamics of Cu2O, Ag2O, and Au2O (i.e., M2O with M = Au, Ag, and Cu) using first principle calculations based on the density functional theory. Here, for the first time, we show that the nature of chemical bonding and open space in the unit cell are directly related to the magnitude of thermal expansion coefficient. A good match between the calculated phonon density of states and that derived from inelastic neutron scattering measurements is obtained for Cu2O and Ag2O. The calculated thermal expansions of Ag2O and Cu2O are negative, in agreement with available experimental data, while it is found to be positive for Au2O. We identify the low energy phonon modes responsible for this anomalous thermal expansion. We further calculate the charge density in the three compounds and find that the magnitude of the ionic character of the Ag2O, Cu2O, and Au2O crystals is in decreasing order, with an Au-O bond of covalent nature strongly rigidifying the Au4O tetrahedral units. The nature of the chemical bonding is also found to be an important ingredient to understand the large shift of the phonon frequencies of these solids with pressure and temperature. In particular, the quartic component of the anharmonic term in the crystal potential is able to account for the temperature dependence of the phonon modes.
Optical switching and photoluminescence in erbium-implanted vanadium dioxide thin films
Authors: Lim Herianto , Stavrias Nikolas , Johnson Brett C. , Marvel Robert E. , Haglund Richard F. , McCallum Jeffrey C.
Published: March 2014

Vanadium dioxide (VO2) is under intensive consideration for optical switching due to its reversible phase transition, which features a drastic and rapid shift in infrared reflectivity. Classified as an insulator–to–metal transition, the phase transition in VO2 can be induced thermally, electrically, and optically. When induced optically, the transition can occur on sub-picosecond time scales. It is interesting to dope VO2 with erbium ions (Er3+) and observe their combined properties. The first excited-state luminescence of Er3+ lies within the wavelength window of minimal transmission-loss in silicon and has been widely utilized for signal amplification and generation in silicon photonics. The incorporation of Er3+ into VO2 could therefore result in a novel photonic material capable of simultaneous optical switching and amplification. In this work, we investigate the optical switching and photoluminescence in Er-implanted VO2 thin films. Thermally driven optical switching is demonstrated in the Er-implanted VO2 by infrared reflectometry. Photoluminescence is observed in the thin films annealed at ∼800 °C or above. In addition, Raman spectroscopy and a statistical analysis of switching hysteresis are carried out to assess the effects of the ion implantation on the VO2 thin films. We conclude that Er-implanted VO2 can function as an optical switch and amplifier, but with reduced switching quality compared to pure VO2.
Effect of threading dislocation density and dielectric layer on temperature-dependent electrical characteristics of high-hole-mobility metal semiconductor field effect transistors fabricated from wafer-scale epitaxially grown p-type germanium on silicon substrates
Authors: Ghosh Swapnadip , Leonhardt Darin , Han Sang M.
Published: March 2014

We report the electrical characteristics of Schottky contacts and high-hole-mobility, enhancement-mode, p-channel metal semiconductor field effect transistors (MESFETs) fabricated on Ge epitaxially grown on Si substrates. The Ge film covers the entire underlying Si substrate at the wafer scale without mesas or limited-area growth. The device performance is characterized primarily as a function of threading dislocation density in the epitaxial Ge film (2 × 107, 5 × 107, 7 × 107, and 2 × 108 cm−2) and dielectric layers (SiO2, Al2O3, and HfO2) inserted between gate metal and Ge. The thin dielectric layers (∼1.3 nm) are used to unpin the Fermi level. The device performance improves with decreasing threading dislocation density and the use of HfO2. The hole mobility in the Ge film with 2 × 107 cm−2 dislocation density, obtained from Hall measurements, is 1020 cm2/V-s. Capacitance-voltage measurements on Schottky contacts provide the energy-dependent interfacial trap density of 6 × 1011 cm−2 eV−1, while current-voltage measurements provide an ON/OFF current ratio of 250. Based on the current-voltage characteristics of p-MESFETs, we have obtained an external transconductance of 7 mS/mm and low-field, effective hole-mobility of 307 cm2/V-s under 0.1 MV/cm at room temperature. The cut-off frequency of MESFETs is 10 GHz at 200 K and 2 GHz at 300 K. These results compare well with other reported transistor performance.
The phase-lock dynamics of the laser wakefield acceleration with an intensity-decaying laser pulse
Authors: Li Wentao , Liu Jiansheng , Wang Wentao , Zhang Zhijun , Chen Qiang , Tian Ye , Qi Rong , Yu Changhai , Wang Cheng , Tajima T. , Li Ruxin , Xu Zhizhan
Published: March 2014

An electron beam with the maximum energy extending up to 1.8 GeV, much higher than the dephasing limit, is experimentally obtained in the laser wakefield acceleration with the plasma density of 3.5 × 1018 cm−3. With particle in cell simulations and theoretical analysis, we find that the laser intensity evolution plays a major role in the enhancement of the electron energy gain. While the bubble length decreases due to the intensity-decay of the laser pulse, the phase of the electron beam in the wakefield can be locked, which contributes to the overcoming of the dephasing. Moreover, the laser intensity evolution is described for the phase-lock acceleration of electrons in the uniform plasma, confirmed with our own simulation. Since the decaying of the intensity is unavoidable in the long distance propagation due to the pump depletion, the energy gain of the high energy laser wakefield accelerator can be greatly enhanced if the current process is exploited.
A vibration energy harvester using magnet/piezoelectric composite transducer
Authors: Qiu Jing , Chen Hengjia , Wen Yumei , Li Ping , Yang Jin , Li Wenli
Published: March 2014

In this research, a vibration energy harvester employing the magnet/piezoelectric composite transducer to convert mechanical vibration energy into electrical energy is presented. The electric output performance of a vibration energy harvester has been investigated. Compared to traditional magnetoelectric transducer, the proposed vibration energy harvester has some remarkable characteristic which do not need binder. The experimental results show that the presented vibration energy harvester can obtain an average power of 0.39 mW for an acceleration of 0.6g at frequency of 38 Hz. Remarkably, this power is a very encouraging power figure that gives the prospect of being able to power a widely range of wireless sensors in wireless sensor network.
A surface flattening mechanism of a heteroepitaxial film consisting of faceted non-flat top twins: [11¯3¯]-oriented GaN films grown on m-plane sapphire substrates
Authors: Jue Miyeon , Yoon Hansub , Lee Hyemi , Lee Sanghwa , Kim Chinkyo
Published: March 2014

We carried out experiments and computational simulations in order to answer a yet unanswered question about a surface flattening mechanism of a [11¯03¯]-oriented GaN film consisting of faceted non-flat top twins. Our results revealed that an overgrowth of one variant of twins over the other, which was manifested only at a thickness larger than a few microns due to a slight asymmetric crystallographic tilt (1.0° ± 0.4°) of twins, played a key role in a surface flattening mechanism. In addition, we experimentally demonstrated that GaN grown on a SiO2-patterned m-plane sapphire substrate had no asymmetric tilt and that no surface flattening occurred.
Tandem photonic-crystal thin films surpassing Lambertian light-trapping limit over broad bandwidth and angular range
Authors: Oskooi Ardavan , Tanaka Yoshinori , Noda Susumu
Published: March 2014

Random surface texturing of an optically thick film to increase the path length of scattered light rays, first proposed nearly thirty years ago, has thus far remained the most effective approach for photon absorption over the widest set of conditions. Here, using recent advances in computational electrodynamics, we describe a general strategy for the design of a silicon thin film applicable to photovoltaic cells based on a quasi-resonant approach to light trapping where two partially disordered photonic-crystal slabs, stacked vertically on top of each other, have large absorption that surpasses the Lambertian limit over a broad bandwidth and angular range.
Development of a phosphatase activity assay using excised plant roots
Authors: Das Jaya , Comerford Nicholas , Wright David , Marois Jim , Mackowiak Cheryl
Published: March 2014

Root phosphatase mediated mineralisation of organic phosphorus (P) can affect P availability in agricultural and forest landscapes. Phosphatases hydrolyse organic P into inorganic P that can be taken up by plants. We developed a method to determine mineralisable organic P by phosphatases exuded by excised live roots/microbial systems. We used excised greenhouse- and field-grown roots with para-nitrophenylphosphate, glucose-1-phosphate and phytic acid as sources of organic P. Experimental variables were analysed including linearity of the reaction, presence of inorganic P, organic P exuded from roots, possible abiotic degradation of organic P, and background inorganic/organic P. Organic P mineralisation by root–phosphatase complexes was found to be linear through 6 h. Phosphorus contaminants into the system were found to be within 10% of mineralised organic P. We used this technique to answer questions about organic P bioavailability, including effect of organic P sources, plant species, plant variety, plant stress and root conditions. Overall, this method was sensitive to organic P source and plant stress of greenhouse and field-grown roots, plant species and root physiological conditions. Unlike other methods used to determine phosphatase activity, this method is not limited by lengthy preparation to develop model plants, nor is there any restriction on the choice of organic P or plant species. Our results suggest that this is an attractive method for determining organic P mineralisation specificity among and within plant species, and it can be easily integrated into routine laboratory analyses.
Characterization of Rice Blast Resistance Gene Pi61(t) in Rice Germplasm
Authors: Ma Jianbing , Jia M. H. , Jia Y.
Published: March 2014

Identification of resistance (R) genes to races of Magnaporthe oryzae in rice (Oryza sativa) germplasm is essential for the development of rice cultivars with long-lasting blast resistance. In the present study, one major quantitative trait locus, qPi93-3, was fine mapped using a recombinant inbred line (RIL), F8 RIL171, derived from the cross between ‘Nipponbare’ and ‘93-11’. RIL171 contained a heterozygous qPi93-3 allele which was found to be resistant against nine U.S. common races—ID1, IA1, IB49, IE1, IA45, IB1, IC17, IB45, and IH1—of M. oryzae. An F2 mapping population consisting of 2,381 individuals derived from RIL171 was evaluated with a field isolate (race) ARB82 (IA1) of M. oryzae under greenhouse conditions. Disease reaction of a resistant/susceptible ratio of 3:1 was identified with F2:F3 families. In total, 12 simple sequence repeat markers spanning qPi93-3 were used for fine mapping. Consequently, qPi93-3 was delimited to 4.2 Mb between RM3246 and RM7102. Three insertion-deletion (InDel) markers located between RM3246 and RM7102, that had previously used to map Pi61(t), showed that qPi93-3 was Pi61(t). The existence of Pi61(t) in 136 rice germplasm lines from the United States Department of Agriculture rice core collection was evaluated using Pi61(t)-specific InDel markers. Pi61(t) was identified as a source of resistance in 5 of the 136 lines. The characterized germplasm will be useful for rice breeders to use for improving blast resistance.
Long-Term Induction of Defense Gene Expression in Potato by Pseudomonas sp. LBUM223 and Streptomyces scabies
Authors: Arseneault Tanya , Pieterse Corné M. J. , Gérin-Ouellet Maxime , Goyer Claudia , Filion Martin
Published: March 2014

Streptomyces scabies is a causal agent of common scab of potato, which generates necrotic tuber lesions. We have previously demonstrated that inoculation of potato plants with phenazine-1-carboxylic acid (PCA)- producing Pseudomonas sp. LBUM223 could significantly reduce common scab symptoms. In the present study, we investigated whether LBUM223 or an isogenic phzC– mutant not producing PCA could elicit an induced systemic resistance response in potato. The expression of eight defense-related genes (salicylic acid [SA]-related ChtA, PR-1b, PR-2, and PR-5; and jasmonic acid and ethylene-related LOX, PIN2, PAL-2, and ERF3) was quantified using newly developed TaqMan reverse-transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction assays in 5- and 10-week-old potted potato plants. Although only wild-type LBUM223 was capable of significantly reducing common scab symptoms, the presence of both LBUM223 and its PCA-deficient mutant were equally able to upregulate the expression of LOX and PR-5. The presence of S. scabies overexpressed all SA-related genes. This indicates that (i) upregulation of potato defense-related genes by LBUM223 is unlikely to contribute to common scab's control and (ii) LBUM223's capacity to produce PCA is not involved in this upregulation. These results suggest that a direct interaction occurring between S. scabies and PCA-producing LBUM223 is more likely involved in controlling common scab development.
Roles of Agrobacterium tumefaciens membrane-bound ferritin (MbfA) in iron transport and resistance to iron under acidic conditions
Authors: Bhubhanil Sakkarin , Chamsing Jareeya , Sittipo Panida , Chaoprasid Paweena , Sukchawalit Rojana , Mongkolsuk Skorn
Published: March 2014

Agrobacterium tumefaciensmembrane-bound ferritin (MbfA) is a member of the erythrin (Er)–vacuolar iron transport family. The MbfA protein has an Er or ferritin-like domain at its N terminus and has been predicted to have five transmembrane segments in its C-terminal region. Analysis of protein localization using PhoA and LacZ reporter proteins supported the view that the N-terminal di-iron site is located in the cytoplasm whilst the C-terminal end faces the periplasm. AnA. tumefaciens mbfAmutant strain had 1.5-fold higher total iron content than the WT strain. Furthermore, multi-copy expression ofmbfAreduced total iron content two- and threefold in WT andmbfAmutant backgrounds, respectively. These results suggest that MbfA may function as an iron exporter rather than an iron storage protein. ThembfAmutant showed 10-fold increased sensitivity to the iron-activated antibiotic streptonigrin, implying that the mutant had increased accumulation of intracellular free iron. Growth of thembfAmutant was reduced in the presence of high iron under acidic conditions. The expression ofmbfAwas induced highly in cells grown in iron-replete medium at pH 5.5, further supporting the view thatmbfAis involved in the response to iron under acidic conditions.A. tumefaciensMbfA may play a protective role against increased free iron in the cytoplasm through iron binding and export, thus preventing iron-induced toxicity via the Fenton reaction.
Bis{(R)-N-[(R)-2-benzyloxy-1-(4-tert-butylphenyl)ethyl]-2-methylpropane-2-sulfinamide} monohydrate
Authors: Humes Charlotte L. , Banker Tyler J. , Dorn Stephanie C. M. , Shanahan James P. , Brennessel William W. , Weix Daniel J.
Published: March 2014

The asymmetric unit of the title compound, 2C23H33NO2S·H2O, contains one organic molecule in a general position and one co-crystallized water molecule on a crystallographic twofold axis. Each water molecule serves as a hydrogen-bond donor to a pair of S=O acceptors on symmetry-related molecules. Thus, each trio of molecules forms one title formula unit. These groupings are further connected along [010]viaweak non-classical C—H...O hydrogen bonds.
Trichodermaerin: a diterpene lactone fromTrichoderma asperellum
Authors: Chantrapromma Suchada , Jeerapong Chotika , Phupong Worrapong , Quah Ching Kheng , Fun Hoong-Kun
Published: March 2014

The title compound, C20H28O3, known as `trichodermaerin' [systematic name: (4E)-4,9,15,16,16-pentamethyl-6-oxatetracyclo[10.3.1.01,10.05,9]hexadec-4-ene-7,13-dione], is a diterpene lactone which was isolated fromTrichoderma asperellum. The structure has a tetracycic 6–5–7–5 ring system, with the cyclohexanone ring adopting a twisted half-chair conformation and the cyclopentane ring adopting a half-chair conformation, whereas the cycloheptene and tetrahydrofurananone rings are in chair and envelope (with the methyl-substituted C atom as the flap) conformations, respectively. The three-dimensional architecture is stabilized by C—H...O interactions.
4-Amino-N-(2,3-dihydro-1,3-thiazol-2-ylidene)benzenesulfonamide–2,4,6-tris(pyridin-2-yl)-1,3,5-triazine (1/1)
Authors: Arman Hadi D. , Kaulgud Trupta , Tiekink Edward R. T.
Published: March 2014

The sulfathiazole molecule in the title 1:1 co-crystal, C9H9N3O2S2·C18H12N6, adopts an approximate L-shape [dihedral angle between the five- and six-membered rings = 86.20 (9)°] and features an intramolecular hypervalent S...O interaction [2.8666 (15) Å]. Overall, the triazine molecule has the shape of a disk as the pendant pyridine rings are relatively close to coplanar with the central ring [dihedral angles = 18.35 (9), 6.12 (9) and 4.67 (9)°]. In the crystal packing, a linear supramolecular chain aligned along [01-1] is formed as a result of amino–pyridyl N—H...N hydrogen bonding withsyn-disposed pyridyl molecules of one triazine, and amine–pyridyl N—H...N hydrogen bonding with the third pydridyl ring of a second triazine molecule. A three-dimensional architecture arises as the chains are connected by C—H...O interactions.
The missing link between BPM and accounting
Authors: Sonnenberg Christian , vom Brocke Jan
Published: March 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to integrate business process management (BPM) and accounting on a conceptual level in order to account for the economic implications of process-state changes in process design-time and process run-time.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper adopts a design science research paradigm. The research, grounded in an “events” approach to accounting theory, builds on the REA accounting model that has been adapted for the design of a process accounting model (PAM).

Findings

– The paper presents a PAM that can be used to structure event records in process-aware information systems (PAIS) to enable process-oriented accounting. The PAM is specified as a light weight data structure that is intended for the integration of PAIS and accounting information systems.

Research limitations/implications

– As this paper is technical in nature, more research is needed to evaluate more thoroughly its approach in naturalistic settings.

Practical implications

– The PAM can support traditional accounting approaches, and because of the adopted events approach, it readily supports use cases related to real-time analytics in BPM and accounting.

Originality/value

– The PAM presents a novel approach to integrating BPM and accounting. The novelty of this approach lies in its use of event records to document flows of economic resources.
Bridging community and prison for older adults: invoking human rights and elder and intergenerational family justice
Authors: Maschi Tina , Viola Deborah , T. Harrison Mary , Harrison William , Koskinen Lindsay , Bellusa Stephanie
Published: March 2014

Purpose

– Older adults in prison present a significant health and human rights challenge for the criminal justice system. To date, there is no known study that provides a comprehensive examination or portrait of older persons in prison. The purpose of this paper is to understand individual, family, system, and community vulnerabilities that can complicate successful community reintegration for these individuals.

Design/methodology/approach

– This study provides a cross-sectional, descriptive analysis of biopsychosocial, spiritual, and prison use characteristics associated with a sample of 677 older prisoners, aged 50+, in a state-wide prison system.

Findings

– Results indicate the extent of diversity within this population based on demographic, clinical, social, legal profiles, prison service use patterns, and professional and personal contacts.

Research limitations/implications

– Due to the diversity within this population, an interdisciplinary approach is needed to address the complex social and health care needs of an aging prison population and to plan for their reentry.

Practical implications

– These findings suggest the need for holistic prevention, assessment, and interventions to interrupt the social-structural disparities that foster and support pathways to incarceration and recidivism.

Originality/value

– The human rights implications for the current treatment of older adults in prison include providing in-prison treatment that promotes safety, well-being, reconciliation, and seamless bridges between prison and community for older adults and their families. The True Grit Program is presented as an example of a humanistic and holistic approach of such an approach.
Can e-business adoption be influenced by knowledge management? An empirical analysis of Malaysian SMEs
Authors: Yee-Loong Chong Alain , Ooi Keng-Boon , Bao Haijun , Lin Binshan
Published: March 2014

Purpose

–The aim of this research paper is to evaluate the effect of knowledge management on the adoption of the e-business in the supply chain of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Malaysia.

Design/methodology/approach

–Questionnaires were distributed to 200 Malaysian SMEs with a response rate of 68 percent. Data were analyzed by employing multiple regression analysis.

Findings

–The results showed that knowledge management processes such as knowledge acquisition and knowledge application are significant in affecting Malaysian SMEs' decision to adopt e-business in their supply chain. Knowledge dissemination was found not to be significant in affecting the adoption of e-business among Malaysian SMEs.

Practical implications

–This study has addressed the previous lack of literature on the relationship between knowledge management processes and e-business adoption among Malaysian SMEs.

Originality/value

–Although existing literature has shown a relationship between knowledge management processes and technology adoption, this study empirically verifies an adoption model based on knowledge management processes. SMEs can use this model to do a pre-test baseline measurement and reassessment of effect by any KM changes on e-business adoption periodically. Organizations planning to adopt e-business would also be able to apply strategies based on the findings from this research.
The mediating effect of knowledge sharing on the relationship between trust and virtual team effectiveness
Authors: Pangil Faizuniah , Moi Chan Joon
Published: March 2014

Purpose

– The limited proximal communication between virtual team members can create a lack of trust among members which can significantly reduce the effectiveness of these teams. Hence, this study was conducted to examine the relationship between trust and virtual team effectiveness by looking into the mediating effect of knowledge sharing.

Design/methodology/approach

– This is a cross-sectional study conducted in a multinational company in Malaysia. Questionnaires were distributed to individuals working in a virtual environment. The questionnaire required the respondents to answer questions regarding three different types of trust (i.e. personality-based trust, institutional-based trust and cognitive-based trust), their knowledge sharing behavior, and their evaluation of the effectiveness of the virtual teams that they are involved with.

Findings

– Results of hierarchical regression analysis indicated that knowledge sharing and all the three types of trust are significantly related to virtual team effectiveness. However, only personality-based trust and institutional-based trust are significantly related to knowledge sharing, but knowledge sharing only partially mediates the relationship between these two types of trust and team effectiveness.

Research limitations/implications

– The population of this study are virtual teams working for an organization, hence the generalizability of the findings to other settings is unknown.

Originality/value

– Trust has been founded to be a significant predictor of virtual team effectiveness. However, this paper shows the effect of different types of trust and the role of knowledge sharing in mediating the relationship between trust and virtual team effectiveness.
Increased drug resistance is associated with reduced glucose levels and an enhanced glycolysis phenotype
Authors: Bhattacharya B , Low S H H , Soh C , Kamal Mustapa N , Beloueche‐Babari M , Koh K X , Loh J , Soong R
Published: March 2014

Background and Purpose

The testing of anticancer compounds in vitro is usually performed in hyperglycaemic cell cultures, although many tumours and their in vivo microenvironments are hypoglycaemic. Here, we have assessed, in cultures of tumour cells, the effects of reduced glucose levels on resistance to anticancer drugs and investigated the underlying cellular mechanisms.

Experimental Approach

PIK3CA mutant (AGS, HGC27), and wild‐type (MKN45, NUGC4) gastric cancer cells were cultured in high‐glucose (HG, 25 mM) or low‐glucose (LG, 5 mM) media and tested for sensitivity to two cytotoxic compounds, 5‐fluorouracil (5‐FU) and carboplatin, the PI3K/mTOR inhibitor, PI103 and the mTOR inhibitor, Ku‐0063794.

Key Results

All cells had increased resistance to 5‐FU and carboplatin when cultured in LG compared with HG conditions despite having similar growth and cell cycle characteristics. On treatment with PI103 or Ku‐0063794, only the PIK3CA mutant cells displayed increased resistance in LG conditions. The PIK3CA mutant LG cells had selectively increased p‐mTOR, p‐S6, p‐4EBP1, GLUT1 and lactate production, and reduced reactive oxygen species, consistent with increased glycolysis. Combination analysis indicated PI103 and Ku‐0063794 were synergistic in PIK3CA mutant LG cells only. Synergism was accompanied by reduced mTOR signalling and increased autophagy.

Conclusions and Implications

Hypoglycaemia increased resistance to cytotoxic agents, especially in tumour cells with a high dependence on glycolysis. Dual inhibition of the PI3K/mTOR pathway may be able to attenuate such hypoglycaemia‐associated resistance.
Identification of novel targets for antiangiogenic therapy by comparing the gene expressions of tumor and normal endothelial cells
Authors: Otsubo Tsuguteru , Hida Yasuhiro , Ohga Noritaka , Sato Hideshi , Kai Toshihiro , Matsuki Yasushi , Takasu Hideo , Akiyama Kosuke , Maishi Nako , Kawamoto Taisuke , Shinohara Nobuo , Nonomura Katsuya , Hida Kyoko
Published: March 2014

Targeting tumor angiogenesis is an established strategy for cancer therapy. Because angiogenesis is not limited to pathological conditions such as cancer, molecular markers that can distinguish between physiological and pathological angiogenesis are required to develop more effective and safer approaches for cancer treatment. To identify such molecules, we determined the gene expression profiles of murine tumor endothelial cells (mTEC) and murine normal endothelial cells using DNA microarray analysis followed by quantitative reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction analysis. We identified 131 genes that were differentially upregulated in mTEC. Functional analysis using siRNA‐mediated gene silencing revealed five novel tumor endothelial cell markers that were involved in the proliferation or migration of mTEC. The expression of DEF6 and TMEM176B was upregulated in tumor vessels of human renal cell carcinoma specimens, suggesting that they are potential targets for antiangiogenic intervention for renal cell carcinoma. Comparative gene expression analysis revealed molecular differences between tumor endothelial cells and normal endothelial cells and identified novel tumor endothelial cell markers that may be exploited to target tumor angiogenesis for cancer treatment.