bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
iterativeWGCNA: iterative refinement to improve module detection from WGCNA co-expression networks
Authors: Greenfest-Allen Emily , Cartailler Jean-Philippe , Magnuson Mark A. , Stoeckert Christian J.
Published: December 2017

Weighted-gene correlation network analysis (WGCNA) is frequently used to identify highly co-expressed clusters of genes (modules) within whole-transcriptome datasets. However, transcriptome-scale networks tend to be highly connected, making it challenging for the hierarchical clustering underlying the WGCNA-based classification to discriminate coherently expressed gene sets without significant information loss from either a priori filtering of the expression dataset or a posteriori pruning of the cluster dendrogram.

Here we present iterativeWGCNA, a Python-wrapped extension for the WGCNA R software package that improves the robustness of detected modules and minimizes information loss. The method works by pruning poorly fitting genes from estimated modules and then re-running WGCNA to refine gene clusters. After refining, pruned genes are assembled into a new expression dataset to isolate overlapping modules and the process repeated. In doing so, iterativeWGCNA provides an unsupervised, non-biased filtering to generate a robust, comprehensive network-based classification of whole-transcriptome expression datasets.
Determination of atomic vacancies in InAs/GaSb strained-layer superlattices by atomic strain
Authors: Kim Honggyu , Meng Yifei , Kwon Ji-Hwan , Rouviére Jean-Luc , Zuo Jian Min
Published: December 2017

Determining vacancy in complex crystals or nanostructures represents an outstanding crystallographic problem that has a large impact on technology, especially for semiconductors, where vacancies introduce defect levels and modify the electronic structure. However, vacancy is hard to locate and its structure is difficult to probe experimentally. Reported here are atomic vacancies in the InAs/GaSb strained-layer superlattice (SLS) determined by atomic-resolution strain mapping at picometre precision. It is shown that cation and anion vacancies in the InAs/GaSb SLS give rise to local lattice relaxations, especially the nearest atoms, which can be detected using a statistical method and confirmed by simulation. The ability to map vacancy defect-induced strain and identify its location represents significant progress in the study of vacancy defects in compound semiconductors.
Crystal structure of the η4-ketimine titanium complex (diphenylamido-κN){3-methyl-6-[(4-methylphenyl)(phenylazanidyl)methylidene]cyclohexa-2,4-dien-1-yl-κ2N,C1}(η5-pentamethylcyclopentadienyl)titanium(IV)
Authors: Fischer Malte , Schmidtmann Marc , Beckhaus Rüdiger
Published: December 2017

The molecular structure of the title titanium(IV) half-sandwich complex, [Ti(η5-C10H15)(η4-C21H19N)(C12H10N)], shows a three-legged piano-stool geometry at the central TiIVatom, comprising of one pentamethylcyclopentadienyl ligand, one bidentate ketimine ligand in an η4-coordination mode and one monodentate diphenylamide ligand. Except for van der Waals forces, there are no significant intermolecular interactions in the crystal.
Crystal structure of 2,3-dimethoxy-N-(4-nitrophenyl)benzamide
Authors: Yaman Mavişe , Almarhoon Zainab M. , Çakmak Şükriye , Kütük Halil , Meral Güngör , Dege Necmi
Published: December 2017

In the title compound, C15H14N2O5, the benzene rings are nearly coplanar, making a dihedral angle of 4.89 (8)°. An intramolecular N—H...O hydrogen bond occurs between the imino and methoxy groups. In the crystal, weak C—H...O hydrogen bonds link the molecules into supramolecular chains propagating along thea-axis direction. π–π stacking is observed between parallel benzene rings of neighbouring chains, the centroid-to-centroid distance being 3.6491 (10) Å. Three-dimensional Hirshfeld surface analyses and two-dimensional fingerprint plots have been used to analyse the intermolecular interactions present in the crystal.
trans-Chloridotetrakis(4-methylpyridine-κN)(nitrosyl-κN)ruthenium(II) bis(hexafluoridophosphate) acetone 0.75-solvate
Authors: Shamran Mohammed Hasan , Mallet-Ladeira Sonia , Cormary Benoit , Tassé Marine , Malfant Isabelle
Published: December 2017

The title compound, [RuCl(NO)(C6H7N)4](PF6)2·0.75(CH3)2CO, comprises four ligands of 4-picoline in equatorial position around the central atom. Overall, the complex features an octahedral coordination environment around the central RuIIatom, with the chlorido ligandtransto the nitrosyl. The bond length of the nitrosyl N=O ligand is 1.140 (5) Å, while the angle Ru—N=O is 179.0 (4)°. The asymmetric unit contains four PF6−counter-anions, two with occupancy of 0.25 and one with occupancy of 0.5. One PF6−anion is disordered over two sets of sites and one other is disordered with an acetone molecule that occupies the same site.
4-Methylanilinium trichloroacetate
Authors: Suresh S. , Pandi P. , Kumar R. Mohan , Chakkaravarthi G.
Published: December 2017

The asymmetric unit of the title molecular salt, C7H10N+·C2Cl3O2−, consists of two cations and two anions. In the crystal, N—H...O hydrogen bonds link the components into [100] chains incorporatingR23(10) loops and weak π–π stacking [centroid-to-centroid distance = 3.865 (2) Å] is also observed.
Agri-environment policy for grain production in China: toward sustainable intensification
Authors: Jiao Xiao-qiang , He Gang , Cui Zhen-ling , Shen Jian-bo , Zhang Fu-suo
Published: December 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the historical pattern of environmental cost due to grain production in China and to provide further implications of technologies and policies for the transformation of China’s agricultural development toward sustainable intensification.

Design/methodology/approach

The data sets about grain production, arable land and chemical fertilizer use in China were collected from FAO, NBSC, and IFA. Greenhouse gas emissions were estimated using life cycle assessments. The policies concerning grain production and the environment were collected from the Ministry of Agriculture, and the State Council of China.

Findings

China has produced enough food to feed its growing population, but has neglected the resource-environmental costs of grain production since 1978. Consequently, China’s grain production is always accompanied with a high cost of resource and environment sustainability. However, from 2006 to 2015, the growth rate of grain production has surpassed that of chemical fertilizer consumption, resulting in improvement in nutrient use efficiency and decreasing trends of environmental cost for grain production. This could be partially attributed to technology innovations, such as Soil-Testing and Fertilizer-Recommendations (STFR), soil quality and crop management improvement, and so on, and policy supports (policies of STFR, soil quality improvement, and high-yield construction). This indicated that China’s grain production is starting to transform from high-input and high-output model to “less for more.”

Originality/value

This study is the first to determine the detailed, historical role of technological innovation and agri-environmental policy on the sustainability of grain production in China. The findings should have significant implications for technology and policy for the transformation of China’s agriculture development to sustainable intensification.
Rural education across China’s 40 years of reform: past successes and future challenges
Authors: Yue Ai , Tang Bin , Shi Yaojiang , Tang Jingjing , Shang Guanminjia , Medina Alexis , Rozelle Scott
Published: December 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe the policy and trends in rural education in China over the past 40 years; and also discuss a number of challenges that are faced by China’s rural school system.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors use secondary data on policies and trends over the past 40 years for preschool, primary/junior high school, and high school.

Findings

The trends over the past 40 years in all areas of rural schooling have been continually upward and strong. While only a low share of rural children attended preschool in the 1980s, by 2014 more than 90 percent of rural children were attending. The biggest achievement in compulsory education is that the rise in the number of primary students that finish grade 6 and matriculate to junior high school. There also was a steep rise of those going to and completing high school. While the successes in upscaling rural education are absolutely unprecedented, there are still challenges.

Research limitations/implications

This is descriptive analysis and there is not causal link established between policies and rural schooling outcomes.

Practical implications

The authors illustrate one of the most rapid rises of rural education in history and match the achievements up with the policy efforts of the government. The authors also explore policy priorities that will be needed in the coming years to raise the quality of schooling.

Originality/value

This is the first paper that documents both the policies and the empirical trends of the success that China has created in building rural education from preschool to high school during the first 40 years of reform (1978-2018). The paper also documents – drawing on the literature and the own research – the achievements and challenges that China still face in the coming years, including issues of gender, urbanization, early childhood education and health and nutrition of students.
Determinants and consequences of board size: conditional indirect effects
Authors: Ali Muhammad
Published: December 2017

Purpose

Board size is an important dimension of corporate governance. The purpose of this study is to propose and test indirect effects of organization size on organizational performance via board size, in the context of industry.

Design/methodology/approach

The study’s predictions were tested in 288 medium and large organizations listed on the Australian Securities Exchange using archival data.

Findings

The findings of this study suggest the following: organization size is positively associated with board size and this relationship is stronger in manufacturing organizations; board size is positively associated with performance and this relationship is conditional on industry; and organization size has an indirect effect on performance via board size, and this indirect effect is also conditional on industry.

Research limitations/implications

The results provide some support for the resource dependency theory, agency theory and contingency theory.

Practical implications

The findings suggest that directors should take into account the effects of board size and industry to provide a more precise assessment of the board’s performance.

Originality/value

It predicts and tests the pioneering moderating effect of industry (manufacturing vs services) on the organization size–board size, board size–organizational performance and organization size–board size–organizational performance relationships.
Exploring student’s team behavior through entrepreneurship education: a time-lagged study
Authors: Chen Ming-Huei , Agrawal Somya
Published: December 2017

Purpose

Based on group development theories, the purpose of this paper is to evaluate student’s team behavior during different stages of team development.

Design/methodology/approach

A time-lagged survey method was used to collect data over a period of 18 weeks from 40 undergraduate students enrolled in an entrepreneurship course. Hierarchical linear regression and structural equation modeling were used for analysis.

Findings

Findings reveal that during the early stages of team development, a leader with an entrepreneurial approach directed student’s team behavior proactively. Analysis showed that lower level of task conflict strengthened the impact of leadership on team cohesion. It was also found that during the pre-final stages, students demonstrated knowledge-sharing behavior once they were characterized by team cohesion.

Research limitations/implications

Data were collected from student teams, which may not generalize to organizational teams.

Social implications

This research presents first of the few empirical studies investigating the above-mentioned interrelationships and provides insights on the order of events that contribute to perceived team performance. An attempt was also made to extend the group theories by exploring the effects of leadership on task conflict.

Originality/value

Showcasing the dynamics of student’s team behavior during the different stages of team development, this study highlights the importance of teamwork to students and provides useful insights to course facilitators and teachers. In light of the results, educators should take account of team dynamics when designing effective teaching methods and incentives.
A goal programming model for a sustainable biomass supply chain network
Authors: Petridis Konstantinos , Grigoroudis Evangelos , Arabatzis Garyfallos
Published: December 2017

Purpose

The design of a biomass supply chain is a problem where multiple stakeholders with often conflicting objectives are involved. To accommodate the aspects stakeholder, the supply chain design should incorporate multiple objectives. In addition to the supply chain design, the management of energy from biomass is a demanding task, as the operation of production of biomass products needs to be aligned with the rest of the operations of the biomass supply chain. The purpose of the paper is to propose a mathematical framework for the optimal design of biomass supply chain.

Design/methodology/approach

An integrated mathematical framework that models biomass production, transportation and warehousing throughout the nodes of a biomass supply chain is presented. Owing to conflicting objectives, weights are imposed on each aspect, and a 0-1 weighted goal programming mixed-integer linear programming (WGP MILP) programming model is formulated and used for all possible weight representations under environmental, economic and social criteria.

Findings

The results of the study show that emphasis on the environmental aspect, expressed with high values in the environmental criterion, significantly reduces the level of CO2emissions derived from the transportation of biomass through the various nodes of the supply chain. Environmental and economic criteria seem to be moving in the same direction for high weight values in the corresponding aspect. From the results, social criterion seems to move to the opposite direction from environmental and economic criteria.

Originality/value

An integrated mathematical framework is presented modeling biomass production, transportation and warehousing. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, such a model that integrates multiple objectives with supply chain design has not yet been published.
Co-production as deep engagement
Authors: Mangai Mary S. , De Vries Michiel S.
Published: December 2017

Purpose

While there is an urgent need for clean water in Ghana and Nigeria, governments lack the financial means to do much to address this need. This does not mean that improving access to clean water is impossible. On the contrary, this paper argued that engaging citizens through co-production, as is already being done in developed countries in the fields of care-giving, waste management, healthcare and community policing, could provide a successful strategy. The purpose of this paper is to examine how public water facilities are being managed to improve and sustain access to clean water for domestic use in rural areas in Ghana and Nigeria.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey interview with households and in-depth interviews with water professionals were conducted in Ghana and Nigeria to help the authors understand the practicalities of the co-production of clean water and how this is improving and maintaining access to clean water sources. The paper draws on a philosophical framework of “deep” citizen engagement to describe the merits of co-production and how it works in practice in developing countries.

Findings

Based on the interviews with officials and surveys among the population of rural areas in the two countries studied, the authors found that the two countries vary significantly in their approach to water management decisions and the extent to which citizens are involved. Ghana’s approach seems much more successful than Nigeria when it comes to maintaining boreholes for water supply with the help of the population. In Nigeria, three-quarters of the public water facilities are non-functional, while in Ghana, community involvement in maintaining public water facilities has resulted in the sustained use of boreholes and eliminated the lack of access to clean water in many communities.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to the practical understanding of co-production in developing countries and the potential of such co-production in improving clean water access. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, no previous scientific research has studied how co-production can improve and sustain access specifically to clean water sources in developing countries, and this paper aimed to fill this gap.
Social issue qua wicked problems
Authors: Coombs W. Timothy , Holladay Sherry J.
Published: December 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe the need to theorize firms’ involvement in social issues and propose the social issues management model as a framework for analyzing the communication processes underlying social issues management. An application of the new approach is illustrated through a brief case analysis.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is conceptual and emphasizes theory building for firm’s involvement in social issues management.

Findings

The paper describes modifications to the general issues management model that can be adopted to reflect the social issues management process and contemporary digital media environments.

Practical implications

The paper can benefit theory and practice of social issues management by describing how specific communication strategies and digital media use may affect social issues management.

Social implications

Because firms increasingly are motivated or urged by stakeholders to take stands on social issues, understanding how they can perform the role of social issue manager can enhance their potential for contributing to positive social change.

Originality/value

The paper provides a much needed update to the models of issues management used in strategic communication. The new model accounts for the increasing pressure on firms to address social issues and the role of digital communication channels in that process.
Monitoring mobilization: a discursive psychological analysis of online mobilizing practices
Authors: Sneijder Petra , Stinesen Baukje , Harmelink Maartje , Klarenbeek Annette
Published: December 2017

Purpose

The purpose of the paper is to describe the ways in which people use language to achieve mobilization. Recognizing and anticipating the discursive practices that are used online, for instance for mobilization, increasingly is a primary concern for professionals in crisis communication or issue management.

Design/methodology/approach

A discursive psychological perspective is drawn upon to conduct a qualitative analysis of the interactional and rhetorical features of mobilization on two Facebook event pages, and to discover patterns of talk.

Findings

Three dominant discursive patterns were identified: disputing the integrity of authorities, constructing a positive atmosphere and a feeling of “togetherness” and constructing decisive identities. These activities play an important role in mobilization and are accomplished by the use of language. Furthermore, it demonstrates that mobilization involves the concern of not overtly presenting oneself as a victim or activist.

Research limitations/implications

Insights into the discursive strategies people use to achieve mobilization are important for recognizing these discursive phenomena during media monitoring. The analysis presented in this paper does not allow the authors to draw general conclusions nor the success of the strategies in terms of the actual events.

Practical implications

The study offers important insights for communication professionals (for instance, in the domain of crisis communication), enabling them to recognize mobilizing practices in other contexts and designing an adequate response.

Social implications

The study exposes those issues that are important for mobilizing a community and creating public engagement.

Originality/value

In addition to other studies on the role of language in mobilization, the current study adds a perspective that takes into account both the rhetorical and the interactional features of mobilization. Furthermore, the findings are implemented in a training for professionals in the domain of crisis communication.
Maintenance of lift systems affecting resident satisfaction in low-cost high-rise residential buildings
Authors: Au-Yong Cheong Peng , Azmi Nur Farhana , Mahassan Nur Aaina
Published: December 2017

Purpose

Providing quality low-cost high-rise residential housing for poor households remains a major concern worldwide and especially in Malaysia. Despite government effort to maintain the quality of the housing through the Housing Maintenance Program and 1Malaysia Maintenance Fund Program (TP1M), the maintenance industry is still faced with serious housing quality problems in terms of facilities, one of which is the lift system. As the most expensive and important transportation system in a high-rise building, a lift system requires regular maintenance and inspection to provide safe and effective service to occupants. Unfortunately, most lift systems in Malaysia are not effectively maintained. The purpose of this paper is to examine contributing factors to the breakdown of lift systems, which greatly affect resident satisfaction in low-cost high-rise residential buildings.

Design/methodology/approach

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with three stakeholders involved in maintenance management to identify the common causes of lift breakdown. Subsequently, a questionnaire survey was used to investigate resident satisfaction with the system.

Findings

The results demonstrate vandalism as the most common cause for the frequent breakdown of lift system in low-cost housing. The study also reveals that there is a significant relationship between system breakdown rate and residents’ satisfaction.

Originality/value

The paper concludes with the recommendation that stakeholders, including both maintenance personnel and residents, should commit themselves to ensuring that the use and care of lift system are correct
Articulating value and impact through outcome-centered service delivery
Authors: Grieves Kay , Pritchard Oliver
Published: December 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to share the ways in which student and learning support at the University of Sunderland has embedded and matured a new outcome-centered performance model – the Quality Model – in order to create an agile evidence-base of value, outcome and impact evidence. The authors will also share how, having established the fundamental principles regarding value and impact capture in our library setting, the concepts and approaches have also been developed and applied successfully within the context of multi-converged service delivery across the wider student and learning support service, using the AMOSSHE Value and Impact Toolkit.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors’ approach will be illustrated with two case studies, the first focusing on the university library services and the second on the student counseling service.

Findings

The findings will reveal that by establishing an outcome-focused model, the authors have been able to apply it across a converged service in order to generate the evidence required to articulate the value and impact of our key service objectives.

Originality/value

As a performance approach, the Quality Model is an original concept in that it is a self-formed model designed to meet the strategic needs of the University of Sunderland. It differs from many performance models in that it is founded on a holistic approach to service culture and customer-relationship management and is based upon strategic marketing principles. The AMOSSHE Toolkit is a pre-existing toolkit which is fully referenced in the paper. The Quality Model and AMOSSHE Toolkit are of particular relevance as many higher education services are increasingly challenged to demonstrate their value and impact and the outcomes their services deliver. This calls for a strategic approach to managing qualitative evidence. Therefore, although bespoke, the approach is transferable to the strategic priorities of other HE settings.
From crime science to the crime of science
Authors: Briggs Daniel , Pérez Suárez Jorge Ramiro , Cordero Verdugo Raquel Rebeca
Published: December 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide an honest and critical reflection with regard to the damage neoliberalised education systems have had on the “crime science” of criminology in Spain.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper is a viewpoint based on our experience of teaching criminology and researching crime problems in Spain.

Findings

We argue that the neoliberalisation of education systems results in a “crime of science” in the sense that this produces rampant competition between university institutions which is amplified by the emergence of internal and external corporate enterprises who compete against each other in commodifying knowledge around crime which is largely focussed on a combination of statistical measurements and zonal mapping. This results in the reproduction of misleading conceptions about how crime occurs because the research is not grounded in offenders’ experiences and pays no attention to the political economy, power and corruption and the oscillating relationship between agent and social structure. This has negative implications for the development of critical knowledge which should equip we to reconceptualise how and why social problems occur.

Practical implications

These infractions have major implications on how we are able to report on crime problems.

Social implications

As researchers/students, the authors are only able “diagnose problems” and answer questions and lose the capacity to question the answers as well as question the way the authors question.

Originality/value

We do not think that many criminologists would be prepared to write these words (unless it was being published in a high-impact factor journal).
Augmenting talent management for sustainable development in Africa
Authors: Mwila Natasha Katuta , Turay Mabel Ironn Sky
Published: December 2017

Purpose

With the steady overall development of the continent, the African business landscape over the last decade has witnessed increased growth through numerous avenues. Growth has been through the emergence of formalised small and medium enterprises, the growth of business and transition from one scale to another as well as inward foreign direct investment. The purpose of this paper is to investigate how this business growth can be sustained, particularly in the area of talent management, within the framework of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper presents the findings of a narrative inquiry conducted in 2016 on an expert panel of talent managers in businesses based in South Africa.

Findings

The focus of the inquiry was the challenges in talent currently faced by South African businesses and what possible solutions, that address the question of sustainable development, may lie in talent management practices. The study finds that there may be scope for the augmentation of current practice in psychometric testing which may address a plethora of problems currently defining the talent context in African business.

Originality/value

The growth of African businesses has presented interesting challenges in managing the African business particularly in the area of human resources and talent management. A persistent notion is the question of sustaining this growth on the continent. As enterprise grows, the need for talent is ever more pressing. This paper seeks to present pathways to sustainability in this regards.
Hybridization can promote adaptive radiation by means of transgressive segregation
Authors: Kagawa Kotaro , Takimoto Gaku
Published: December 2017

Understanding the mechanisms of rapid adaptive radiation has been a central problem of evolutionary ecology. Recently, there is a growing recognition that hybridization between different evolutionary lineages can facilitate adaptive radiation by creating novel phenotypes. Yet, theoretical plausibility of this hypothesis remains unclear because, for example, hybridization can negate pre‐existing species richness. Here, we theoretically investigate whether and under what conditions hybridization promotes ecological speciation and adaptive radiation using an individual‐based model to simulate genome evolution following hybridization between two allopatrically evolved lineages. The model demonstrated that transgressive segregation through hybridization can facilitate adaptive radiation, most powerfully when novel vacant ecological niches are highly dissimilar, phenotypic effect size of mutations is small and there is moderate genetic differentiation between parental lineages. These results provide a theoretical basis for the effect of hybridization facilitating adaptive radiation.
Type 1 diabetes mellitus effects on dental enamel formation revealed by microscopy and microanalysis
Authors: Silva Bruna Larissa Lago , Medeiros Danila Lima , Soares Ana Prates , Line Sérgio Roberto Peres , Pinto Maria das Graças Farias , Soares Telma de Jesus , do Espírito Santo Alexandre Ribeiro
Published: December 2017

Background

Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) largely affects children, occurring therefore at the same period of deciduous and permanent teeth development. The aim of this work was to investigate birefringence and morphology of the secretory stage enamel organic extracellular matrix (EOECM), and structural and mechanical features of mature enamel from T1DM rats.

Methods

Adult Wistar rats were maintained alive for a period of 56 days after the induction of experimental T1DM with a single dose of streptozotocin (60 mg/kg). After proper euthanasia of the animals, fixed upper incisors were accurately processed, and secretory stage EOECM and mature enamel were analyzed by transmitted polarizing and bright field light microscopies (TPLM and BFLM), energy‐dispersive x‐ray (EDX) analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and microhardness testing.

Results

Bright field light microscopies and transmitted polarizing light microscopies showed slight morphological changes in the secretory stage EOECM from diabetic rats, which also did not exhibit statistically significant alterations in birefringence brightness when compared to control animals (P > .05). EDX analysis showed that T1DM induced statistically significant little increases in the amount of calcium and phosphorus in outer mature enamel (P < .01) with preservation of calcium/phosphorus ratio in that structure (P > .05). T1DM also caused important ultrastructural alterations in mature enamel as revealed by SEM and induced a statistically significant reduction of about 13.67% in its microhardness at 80 μm from dentin‐enamel junction (P < .01).

Conclusions

This study shows that T1DM may disturb enamel development, leading to alterations in mature enamel ultrastructure and in its mechanical features.
Reintroducing the Eurasian beaver Castor fiber to Scotland
Authors: Gaywood Martin J.
Published: December 2017

In November 2016, the Scottish Government announced that they were minded to allow the two 'trial' reintroduced populations of Eurasian beaver Castor fiber to remain in Scotland and be allowed to expand naturally, and that the species will receive legal protection. This was a historic moment: the first formally approved reintroduction of a mammal species anywhere in the United Kingdom.

The issues surrounding beaver reintroduction to Scotland had been the subject of intense investigation and public debate over the previous 21 years. Extensive multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary work was performed to assess the desirability and feasibility of reintroducing the Eurasian beaver and informed the government's decision. This was one of the most detailed assessments carried out for any species reintroduction proposal.

The work was broadly divided into desk‐based and stand‐alone studies based primarily on the European and North American experience of living with beavers, the scientifically monitored Scottish Beaver Trial reintroduction in west Scotland, a study of beavers resulting from unauthorised releases in an east Scotland catchment and the work of a specialist group that examined beaver–salmonid interactions and issues.

It was confirmed that beavers have a very positive influence on biodiversity overall, although some specific species and habitats of high conservation importance can be adversely affected if appropriate management is not in place. Beavers provide a range of ecosystem services with the potential for socio‐economic benefits. However, beavers' activities may affect some land uses, the extent and significance depending on local conditions. Management techniques are well developed, although some will require refinement and appropriate licensing within a Scottish regulatory regime. A strategic approach to developing management throughout Scotland will need to be progressed in partnership with key stakeholders.
La investigación-acción en la educación básica en Iberoamérica. Una revisión de la literatura
Authors: Díaz-Bazo Carmen del Pilar
Published: December 2017

Este artículo de revisión presenta la revisión de la literatura de 57 artículos publicados entre 2000 y 2014, que desarrollan experiencias de investigación-acción (IA) en aulas de primaria y secundaria en Iberoamérica, y analiza la finalidad de la IA, las temáticas, la posición del investigador, sus aportes y limitacio­nes. Los resultados revelan que la IA se orienta a la mejora y transformación de la práctica en áreas curriculares no siempre evaluadas por los sistemas educativos. El maestro es partici­pante, y no protagonista (maestro-investigador o coinvestiga­dor) o autor de la investigación sobre su propia práctica.
Interpelando la invisibilidad estructural, la visibilidad selectiva y la universalización de la violación sexual hacia las mujeres indígenas en Colombia: notas para la construcción de un campo de investigación
Authors: Amador Ospina Marcela
Published: December 2017

En este artículo desarrollo una aproximación teórica a la violación sexual hacia las mujeres, en general, y hacia las mujeres indígenas, en particular. Presento un balance de la producción académica sobre el tema y un análisis crítico informado por las preguntas y desafíos que me ha planteado un itinerario de investigación que inicié en 2005 y que se ha alimentado en los últimos años con una amplia investigación empírica sobre las experiencias de violación sexual de las mujeres nasa del norte del Cauca. Sin embargo, debo aclarar que mi intención no es presentar mi trabajo de campo ni discutir sus principales resultados, que aparecen ya en otros textos (2016, 2017, en prensa). Parto de reconocer el amplio y prolífico campo de indagación sobre “violencia” en Colombia, pero, a la vez, busco interpelarlo, planteando nuevos caminos de investigación que han sido silenciados por las miradas hegemónicas sobre el tema, cuyos abordajes han sobredimensionado la violencia política como objeto de investigación.
Laminar Convective Nanofluid Flow Over a Backward-Facing Step With an Elastic Bottom Wall
Authors: Selimefendigil Fatih , Öztop Hakan F.
Published: December 2017

In the present study, laminar forced convective nanofluid flow over a backward-facing step was numerically investigated. The bottom wall downstream of the step was flexible, and finite element method was used to solve the governing equations. The numerical simulation was performed for a range of Reynolds number (between 25 and 250), elastic modulus of the flexible wall (between 104 and 106), and solid particle volume fraction (between 0 and 0.035). It was observed that the flexibility of the bottom wall results in the variation of the fluid flow and heat transfer characteristics for the backward-facing step problem. As the value of Reynolds number and solid particle volume fraction enhances, local and average heat transfer rates increase. At the highest value of Reynolds number, heat transfer rate is higher for the case with the wall having lowest value of elastic modulus whereas the situation is reversed for other value of Reynolds number. Average Nusselt number reduces by about 9.21% and increases by about 6.1% for the flexible wall with the lowest elastic modulus as compared to a rigid bottom wall for Reynolds number of 25 and 250. Adding nano-additives to the base fluid results in higher heat transfer enhancements. Average heat transfer rates enhance by about 35.72% and 35.32% at the highest solid particle volume fraction as compared to nanofluid with solid volume fraction of 0.01 for the case with wall at the lowest and highest elastic modulus. A polynomial type correlation for the average Nusselt number along the flexible hot wall was proposed, which is dependent on the elastic modulus and solid particle volume fraction. The results of this study are useful for many thermal engineering problems where flow separation and reattachment coupled with heat transfer occur. Control of convective heat transfer for such configurations with wall flexibility and nanoparticle inclusion to the base fluid was aimed in this study to find the effects of various pertinent parameters for heat transfer enhancement.
Experimental Characterization of Intrinsic Properties Associated With Air-Assisted Liquid Jet and Liquid Sheet
Authors: Balaji K. , Sivadas V. , Radhakrishna Vishnu , Ashok Bhatija Khushal , Sai Charan K.
Published: December 2017

The present study focuses on experimental characterization of interfacial instability pertinent to liquid jet and liquid sheet in the first wind-induced zone. To accomplish this objective, the interfacial wave growth rate, critical wave number, and breakup frequency associated with air-assisted atomizer systems were extracted by utilizing high-speed flow visualization techniques. For a range of liquid to gas velocities tested, nondimensionalization with appropriate variables generates the corresponding correlation functions. These functions enable to make an effective comparison between interfacial wave developments for liquid jet and sheet configurations. It exhibits liquid sheets superiority over liquid jets in the breakup processes leading to efficient atomization.
Differential Engagement of Fermentative Taxa in Gut Contents of the Earthworm Lumbricus terrestris
Authors: Meier Anja B. , Hunger Sindy , Drake Harold L.
Published: December 2017

The earthworm gut is an anoxic, saccharide-rich microzone in aerated soils. The apparent degradation of diverse saccharides in the alimentary canal of the model earthwormLumbricusterrestrisis concomitant with the production of diverse organic acids, indicating that fermentation is an ongoing process in the earthworm gut. However, little is known about how different gut-associated saccharides are fermented. The hypothesis of this investigation was that different gut-associated saccharides differentially stimulate fermentative microorganisms in gut contents ofL. terrestris. This hypothesis was addressed by (i) assessing the fermentation profiles of anoxic gut content microcosms that were supplemented with gut-associated saccharides and (ii) the concomitant phylogenic analysis of 16S rRNA sequences. Galactose, glucose, maltose, mannose, arabinose, fucose, rhamnose, and xylose stimulated the production of fermentation products, including H2, CO2, acetate, lactate, propionate, formate, succinate, and ethanol. Fermentation profiles were dependent on the supplemental saccharide (e.g., glucose yielded large amounts of H2and ethanol, whereas fucose did not, and maltose yielded large amounts of lactate, whereas mannose did not). Approximately 1,750,000 16S rRNA sequences were affiliated with 37 families, and phylogenic analyses indicated that a respective saccharide stimulated a subset of the diverse phylotypes. AnAeromonas-related phylotype displayed a high relative abundance in all treatments, whereas keyEnterobacteriaceae-affiliated phylotypes were stimulated by some but not all saccharides. Collectively, these results reinforce the likelihood that (i) different saccharides stimulate different fermentations in gut contents of the earthworm and (ii) facultative aerobes related toAeromonadaceaeandEnterobacteriaceaecan be important drivers of these fermentations.

IMPORTANCEThe feeding habits of earthworms influence the turnover of elements in the terrestrial biosphere. The alimentary tract of the earthworm constitutes an anoxic saccharide-rich microzone in aerated soils that offers ingested microbes a unique opportunity for anaerobic growth. The fermentative activity of microbes in the alimentary tract are responsible for thein situproduction of (i) organic compounds that can be assimilated by the earthworm and (ii) H2that is subject toin vivoemission by the earthworm and can be trophically linked to secondary microbial events in soils. To gain insight on how fermentative members of the gut microbiome might respond to the saccharide-rich alimentary canal, this study examines the impact of diverse gut-associated saccharides on the differential activation of fermentative microbes in gut contents of the model earthwormL. terrestris.
CerR, a Single-Domain Regulatory Protein of the LuxR Family, Promotes Cerecidin Production and Immunity in Bacillus cereus
Authors: Zhang Li , Teng Kunling , Wang Jian , Zhang Zheng , Zhang Jie , Sun Shutao , Li Lili , Yang Xiaopan , Zhong Jin
Published: December 2017

Cerecidins are small lantibiotics from
Bacillus cereus
that were obtained using a semi-
in vitro
biosynthesis strategy and showed prominent antimicrobial activities against certain Gram-positive bacteria. However, the parental strain
B. cereus
As 1.1846 is incapable of producing cerecidins, most probably due to the transcriptional repression of the cerecidin gene cluster. Located in the cerecidin gene cluster,
cerR
encodes a putative response regulator protein that belongs to the LuxR family transcriptional regulators. CerR (84 amino acids) contains only a conserved DNA binding domain and lacks a conventional phosphorylation domain, which is rarely found in lantibiotic gene clusters. To investigate its function in cerecidin biosynthesis,
cerR
was constitutively expressed in
B. cereus
As 1.1846. Surprisingly, Constitutive expression of
cerR
enabled the production of cerecidins and enhanced self-immunity of
B. cereus
toward cerecidins. Reverse transcription-PCR analysis and electrophoresis mobility shift assays indicated, respectively, that the
cer
cluster was transcribed in two transcripts (
cerAM
and
cerRTPFE
) and that CerR regulated the cerecidin gene cluster directly by binding to the two predicted promoter regions of
cerA
and
cerR
. DNase I footprinting experiments further confirmed that CerR specifically bound to the two promoter regions at a conserved inverted repeat sequence that was designated a CerR binding motif (
cerR
box). The present study demonstrated that CerR, as the first single-domain LuxR family transcriptional regulator, serves as a transcriptional activator in cerecidin biosynthesis and activates the cerecidin gene cluster, which was otherwise cryptic in
B. cereus
.

IMPORTANCE
Lantibiotics with intriguing and prominent bioactivities are potential peptide antibiotics that could be applied in many areas, including food and pharmaceutical industries. The biosynthesis of lantibiotics is generally controlled by two-component regulatory systems consisting of histidine kinases and response regulators, while some unique and interesting regulatory systems are also revealed with the ever-increasing discovery of lantibiotic gene clusters among diverse microorganisms. Dissection of diverse lantibiotic regulation machineries would permit deep understanding of the biological functions of lantibiotics in different niches and even enable genetic activation of lantibiotic gene clusters that are otherwise cryptic. The significance of our study is to illuminate the regulatory mechanism of a special single-domain protein, CerR, in regulating cerecidin biosynthesis in
Bacillus cereus
, providing a possible novel approach to activate cryptic lantibiotic clusters.
Simultaneous Insertion of Two Ligands in gD for Cultivation of Oncolytic Herpes Simplex Viruses in Noncancer Cells and Retargeting to Cancer Receptors
Authors: Leoni Valerio , Petrovic Biljana , Gianni Tatiana , Gatta Valentina , Campadelli-Fiume Gabriella
Published: December 2017

Insertion of a single-chain variable-fragment antibody (scFv) to HER2 (human epidermal growth factor receptor 2) in gD, gH, or gB gives rise to herpes simplex viruses (HSVs) specifically retargeted to HER2-positive cancer cells, hence to highly specific nonattenuated oncolytic agents. Clinical-grade virus production cannot rely on cancer cells. Recently, we developed a double-retargeting strategy whereby gH carries the GCN4 peptide for retargeting to the noncancer producer Vero-GCN4R cell line and gD carries the scFv to HER2 for cancer retargeting. Here, we engineered double-retargeted recombinants, which carry both the GCN4 peptide and the scFv to HER2 in gD. Novel, more-advantageous detargeting strategies were devised so as to optimize the cultivation of the double-retargeted recombinants. Nectin1 detargeting was achieved by deletion of amino acids (aa) 35 to 39, 214 to 223, or 219 to 223 and replacement of the deleted sequences with one of the two ligands. The last two deletions were not attempted before. All recombinants exhibited the double retargeting to HER2 and to the Vero-GCN4R cells, as well as detargeting from the natural receptors HVEM and nectin1. Of note, some recombinants grew to higher yields than others. The best-performing recombinants carried a gD deletion as small as 5 amino acids and grew to titers similar to those exhibited by the singly retargeted R-LM113 and by the nonretargeted R-LM5. This study shows that double retargeting through insertion of two ligands in gD is feasible and, when combined with appropriate detargeting modifications, can result in recombinants highly effective
in vitro
and
in vivo
.

IMPORTANCE
There is increasing interest in oncolytic viruses following the FDA and European Medicines Agency (EMA) approval of the oncolytic HSV Oncovex
GM-CSF
and, mainly, because they greatly boost the immune response to the tumor and can be combined with immunotherapeutic agents, particularly immune checkpoint inhibitors. A strategy to gain high cancer specificity and avoid virus attenuation is to retarget the virus tropism to cancer-specific receptors of choice. However, cultivation of retargeted oncolytics in cells expressing the cancer receptor may not be approvable by regulatory agencies. We devised a strategy for their cultivation in noncancer cells. Here, we describe a double-retargeting strategy, based on the simultaneous insertion of two ligands in gD, one for retargeting to a producer, universal Vero cell derivative and one for retargeting to the HER2 cancer receptor. These insertions were combined with novel, minimally disadvantageous detargeting modifications. The current and accompanying studies indicate how to best achieve the clinical-grade cultivation of retargeted oncolytics.