bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Motifs of VDAC2 required for mitochondrial Bak import and tBid-induced apoptosis
Authors: Naghdi Shamim , Várnai Péter , Hajnóczky György
Published: September 2015

Significance

Voltage-dependent anion channel 2 (VDAC2), like other VDAC proteins, transports solutes across the outer mitochondrial membrane, but it is the only isoform that supports mitochondrial import of cell death-executing proteins, Bak/Bax. To address the underlying mechanism, we created chimeras of VDAC2 and VDAC1 and tested their competency to rescue Bak insertion and apoptosis in VDAC2-deficient cells. Our gain-of-function studies revealed that the middle domain (123–179 aa) is required for rescue. Loss-of-function studies identified two critical residues (T168, D170). Finally, applying these clues to recently solved structures we identified a discrete site on the cytoplasmic side of VDAC2's pore that likely supports Bak insertion and apoptosis.
Extent of hippocampal atrophy predicts degree of deficit in recall
Authors: Patai Eva Zita , Gadian David G. , Cooper Janine M. , Dzieciol Anna M. , Mishkin Mortimer , Vargha-Khadem Faraneh
Published: September 2015

Significance

Which memory processes are dependent on the hippocampus is still being debated. Using data obtained from a large cohort of patients who had sustained hippocampal damage early in life enabled us to determine which type of mnemonic deficit showed a correlation with extent of hippocampal injury. Scores on tests of recall memory correlated significantly with hippocampal volumes, but scores on equally difficult tests of recognition memory did not. The results provide strong support for the view that the hippocampus is essential for recall but not for recognition.
Mechanisms of leiomodin 2-mediated regulation of actin filament in muscle cells
Authors: Chen Xiaorui , Ni Fengyun , Kondrashkina Elena , Ma Jianpeng , Wang Qinghua
Published: September 2015

Significance

Actin filaments are the fundamental building blocks for cellular motility in muscle cells. However, the regulation of actin filaments in sarcomeres is poorly understood. Lmod is a class of potent tandem-G-actin–binding nucleators in muscle cells. Lmod mutations, deletion, or instability lead to lethal nemaline myopathy. Here we report the crystal structure of actin–Lmod2 complex and complementary functional studies. Our data collectively unraveled the mechanisms of Lmod’s essential functions as an actin nucleator and filament length regulator, thus providing a solid foundation for understanding the molecular basis of disease-causing mutations and malfunctions of Lmod that often are life threatening. Most importantly, our results suggest a previously unrecognized level of regulation in mammalian signal transduction mediated by certain tandem-G-actin–binding nucleators.
Minimal model for collective kinetochore–microtubule dynamics
Authors: Banigan Edward J. , Chiou Kevin K. , Ballister Edward R. , Mayo Alyssa M. , Lampson Michael A. , Liu Andrea J.
Published: September 2015

Significance

Coordinated metaphase chromosome motions are driven by microtubule (MT) dynamics. MTs stochastically switch between growing and shrinking states with rates that depend on forces and biochemical factors acting at the kinetochore–MT interface. Single-MT behavior is known from in vitro experiments, but it is unclear how many MTs cooperate to control chromosome dynamics. We construct and experimentally test a minimal model for collective MT dynamics. The force dependence of the MTs leads to bistable and hysteretic dynamics. This produces chromosome oscillations and error-correcting behavior, as observed in vivo. Our model provides a mechanistic, predictive framework in which we can incorporate further biological complexity.
Mechanisms of cyclic AMP/protein kinase A- and glucocorticoid-mediated apoptosis using S49 lymphoma cells as a model system
Authors: Keshwani Malik M. , Kanter Joan R. , Ma Yuliang , Wilderman Andrea , Darshi Manjula , Insel Paul A. , Taylor Susan S.
Published: September 2015

Significance

Cyclic AMP, the first identified second messenger, regulates a wide array of cellular functions including apoptosis by activating protein kinase A (PKA) and, in turn, the phosphorylation of target proteins. The current study uses a variety of biochemical and functional analyses to assess wild-type S49 lymphoma cells and kin
–
, a clonal variant that lacks PKA. The results identify key alterations in the ability of kin
–
cells to process PKA and also define previously unidentified alterations in cAMP- and glucocorticoid-promoted killing of kin
–
S49 cells. The findings provide evidence for PKA-dependent pathway switching in cell death responses and have implications for therapeutic development in diseases with aberrant apoptosis.
Global contact and quasiconformal mappings of Carnot groups
Authors: Cowling Michael , Ottazzi Alessandro
Published: September 2015

We show that globally defined quasiconformal mappings of rigid Carnot groups are affine, but that globally defined contact mappings of rigid Carnot groups need not be quasiconformal, and a fortiori not affine.
Early Christianity
Authors: van den Heever Gerhard A.
Published: September 2015

The study of early Christianity overlaps with closely related fields of study such as New Testament canonical literature, Historical Jesus studies, and early Christian history (or church history/patristics). This survey will concentrate on the broader conceptualization of the formation of the religio-historical phenomenon named Christianity, the religio-historical contexts that formed the matrix for the emergence of Christianity, Christianity as the taxonomizer for a number of cultural practices or as a subset of the broader Greco-Roman Mediterranean culture including its cultural production, and the history of scholarship on early Christianity. Broadly speaking, early Christianity as a historical phenomenon is framed by two “events,” namely, at the one end, the career of Jesus of Nazareth and the subsequent formation of Jesus- or Christ-groups in the 1st century ce, and at the other end, in the 4th century ce, the Constantinian revolution which signaled the Christianization of the Roman Empire (or which goes by the shorthand of “Nicaea”—after the Council called in 325 ce). These are not hard and fast boundaries as there are good reasons to include subsequent developments beyond the Council of Chalcedon, into the 6th century ce, in the purview. Beyond that, the study of early Christianity also encompasses the newly emerged field of “Christian origins,” by which is specifically referred to the interdisciplinary, non-theological theorizing of the origins of Christianity. All in all, this bibliographic overview assumes, in line with new directions in scholarship on early Christianity, that the study of early Christianity is best approached from the perspective of the newly defined study field of early Christian studies. The difference between early Christian studies and disciplines such as early church history and patristics is constituted by the fact that early Christian studies is informed by theories of history and of religion and is practiced as a kind of cultural studies.
Antwerp
Authors: Marnef Guido
Published: September 2015

From the late 15th century onward, the city of Antwerp experienced an enormous demographic and economic expansion and became the commercial metropolis of the West par excellence. Merchants from Portugal, Spain, England, Germany, and other parts of Europe settled in Antwerp and gave the city a cosmopolitan character. The rapid economic growth had far reaching consequences for the city’s social and cultural life. A limited number of merchants and bankers realized big fortunes and caused a highly polarized wealth structure. At the same time, the increasing prosperity created opportunities for a broad social middle group. The economic expansion greatly stimulated cultural and artistic activities. Foreigners visiting Antwerp were struck by the elaborated and laicized school system. The book printing industry boomed too, giving Antwerp a dominant position in the Low Countries. A similar evolution happened in the realm of the arts. A contemporary observed that the best artists moved to Antwerp and commented that “art prefers to be with abundance.” The cosmopolitan character of the city, the availability of books, and the high level of schooling created an openness and a critical attitude in religious matters and contributed to the rise of Protestantism. Furthermore, from 1566 onward Antwerp played a key role in the Netherlandish, or Dutch, Revolt. In 1585, however, rebellious Antwerp surrendered to the besieging Spanish army and quickly became a stronghold of the Counter-Reformation. The closure of the Scheldt River to navigation after 1585 notwithstanding, the Antwerp economy experienced an Indian summer in the first half of the 17th century thanks to the integration of commerce into the Iberian trade system. Furthermore, art production highly profited from the construction and redecoration of churches, turning Antwerp into an international center of baroque art. The history of Antwerp’s so-called Golden Age generated much historical research. While a focus on the economic and social aspects characterized the 1960s and 1970s, the history of art and culture has drawn considerable attention in the years since then.
Perceptual Inference in Chronic Pain
Authors: Tabor Abby , O’Daly Owen , Gregory Robert W. , Jacobs Clair , Travers Warren , Thacker Michael A. , Moseley Graham Lorimer
Published: September 2015

Objective:

The experience of chronic pain critically alters one’s ability to interact with their environment. One fundamental issue that has received little attention, however, is whether chronic pain disrupts how one perceives their environment in the first place. The Economy of Action hypothesis purports that the environment is spatially scaled according to the ability of the observer. Under this hypothesis it has been proposed that the perception of the world is different between those with and without chronic pain. Such a possibility has profound implications for the investigation and treatment of pain. The present investigation tested the application of this hypothesis to a heterogenous chronic pain population.

Methods:

Individuals with chronic pain (36; 27F) and matched pain-free controls were recruited. Each participant was required to judge the distance to a series of target cones, to which they were to subsequently walk. In addition, at each distance, participants used Numerical Rating Scales to indicate their perceived effort and perceived pain associated with the distance presented.

Results:

Our findings do not support the Economy of Action hypothesis: there were no significant differences in distance estimates between the chronic pain and pain-free groups (F
1,60=0.927; P=0.340). In addition, we found no predictive relationship in the chronic pain group between anticipated pain and estimated distance (F
1,154=0.122, P=0.727), nor anticipated effort (1.171, P=0.281) and estimated distance (F
1,154=1.171, P=0.281).

Discussion:

The application of the Economy of Action hypothesis and the notion of spatial perceptual scaling as a means to assess and treat the experience of chronic pain are not supported by the results of this study.
Coexistence of Fetal Cardiac Malformation and Maternal Drug-Induced Lupus: Is Lamotrigine Safe?
Authors: Degirmencioglu Halil , Sari Fatma N. , Alyamac Dizdar Evrim , Say Birgul , Altug Nahide , Uras Nurdan , Canpolat Fuat E. , Oguz Serife S.
Published: September 2015

Lamotrigine (LTG) is a widely used second-generation antiepileptic drug for long-term therapy of epileptic patients. Although LTG monotherapy during pregnancy is assumed to be relatively safe, teratogenic effects related to LTG has been reported previously. The presence of fetal malformations and maternal drug-induced lupus erythematosus concurrently in a pregnant women using LTG have not been reported before. We herein report a term infant with coarctation of aorta and ventricular septal defect, who was born to a mother treated with LTG for epilepsy before conception and throughout pregnancy. The mother was diagnosed with drug-induced lupus erythematosus at the 36th gestational week, and the symptoms resolved after discontinuation of the drug. Fetal cardiac anomalies should be searched in mothers who were exposed to LTG during pregnancy.
One Extra Gram of Protein to Preterm Infants From Birth to 1800 g
Authors: Bellagamba Maria Paola , Carmenati Elisabetta , D’Ascenzo Rita , Malatesta Michela , Spagnoli Cristina , Biagetti Chiara , Burattini Ilaria , Carnielli Virgilio P.
Published: September 2015

Objective:

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect on growth and neurodevelopment of increasing amino acid (AA) during parenteral nutrition and protein intake during enteral nutrition in extremely low birth‐weight infants starting from birth to day of reaching 1800 g body weight.

Methods

: We randomized preterm infants with birth weight 500 to 1249 g either to a high AA/protein intake (HiP [high protein]: parenteral nutrition = 3.5 AA, enteral nutrition = 4.6 protein g · kg−1 · day−1) or to a standard of care group (StP [standard protein]: parenteral nutrition = 2.5 AA, enteral nutrition = 3.6 protein g · kg−1 · day−1). The primary outcome was weight gain from birth to 1800 g.

Results: Two:

hundred twenty‐six patients were screened, 164 completed the study and were analyzed (82 StP and 82 HiP). Cumulative AA/protein intake from birth to 1800 g was 178 ± 42 versus 223 ± 45 g/kg in the StP versus HiP group respectively, P < 0.0001.

Blood urea was higher in HiP than in StP group both during parenteral and enteral nutrition (P = 0.004).

Weight gain from birth to 1800 g was 12.3 ± 1.6 in StP and 12.6 ± 1.7 g · kg−1 · day−1 in HiP group (P = 0.294). We found no difference in any growth parameters neither during hospital stay nor at 2 years corrected age. Bayley III score at 24 months corrected age was 93.8 ± 12.9 in StP group and 94.0 ± 13.9 in the HiP group, P = 0.92.

Conclusions:

Increasing AA/protein intake both during parenteral and enteral nutrition does not improve growth and neurodevelopment of small preterm infants 500 to 1249 g birth weight.
Determinants of Pediatric Psychiatry Length of Stay in 2 Urban Emergency Departments
Authors: Chakravarthy Bharath , Yang Allen , Ogbu Uzor , Kim Carole , Iqbal Anum , Haight Joanna , Anderson Craig , DiMassa Giancarlo , Bruckner Tim , Bhargava Rishi , Schreiber Merrit , Lotfipour Shahram
Published: September 2015

Objectives

Pediatric mental illness poses a significant burden with an overall prevalence of approximately 10%. Increasingly, children with mental disorders seek care in the emergency department (ED). However, the ED is not an ideal setting. Pediatric mental health patients receive limited treatment and experience significantly longer length of stay (LOS) than other patients seen in the ED. This study examines patient and hospital factors associated with LOS and prolonged LOS (PLOS).

Methods

This is a retrospective chart review of patients between the ages of 3 and 17 presenting at 2 participating urban EDs with a psychiatric diagnosis from May 2010 to May 2012.

Results

This study includes 939 patients with an average age of 14.1 years and a median LOS of 295 minutes. The diagnosis was the strongest predictor of LOS and PLOS. Patients with a psychotic disorder or suicide attempt or ideation experienced a longer LOS, 35% and 55% increases, respectively, and an increased odds of PLOS (odds ratio, 3.07 and 8.36, respectively). Patient sex, previous history of self-harm, and the daily census were associated with both a longer LOS and PLOS. Ethnicity, site of admission, and year of admission were only associated with LOS.

Conclusions

Diagnosis-specific management factors are the primary determinant of LOS. However, some patient characteristics and hospital operational factors are also associated with LOS. Organizational reforms and an evaluation of the required human and material resources are necessary to improve access to and availability of pediatric mental health care.
Clostridium punense sp. nov., an obligate anaerobe isolated from healthy human faeces
Authors: Lanjekar Vikram Bholanath , Marathe Nachiket Prakash , Shouche Yogesh Shreepad , Ranade Dilip Ramchandra
Published: September 2015

An obligately anaerobic, rod-shaped (0.5–1.0 × 2.0–10.0 μm), Gram-stain-positive bacterium, occurring mainly singly or in pairs, and designated BLPYG-8T, was isolated from faeces of a healthy human volunteer aged 56 years. Cells were non-motile. Oval, terminal spores were formed that swell the cells. The strain was affiliated with the genus Clostridium sensu stricto (Clostridium rRNA cluster I) as revealed by 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. Strain BLPYG-8T showed 97.3 to 97.4 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity with Clostridium sulfidigenes DSM 18982T, Clostridium subterminale DSM 6970T and Clostridium thiosulfatireducens DSM 13105T. DNA–DNA hybridization and phenotypic analysis showed that the strain was distinct from its closest relatives, C. sulfidigenes DSM 18982T, C. subterminale DSM 6970T, C. thiosulfatireducens DSM 13105T with 54.2, 53.9 and 53.3 % DNA–DNA relatedness, respectively. Strain BLPYG-8T grew in PYG broth at temperatures between 20 and 40 °C (optimum 37 °C). The strain utilized a range of amino acids as well as carbohydrates as a source of carbon and energy. Glucose fermentation resulted in the formation of volatile fatty acids mainly acetic acid, n-butyric acid and organic acids such as succinic and lactic acid. The DNA G+C content of strain BLPYG-8T was 44.1 mol%. The major fatty acids (>10 %) were C14 : 0, iso-C15 : 0, C16 : 1ω7c and C16 : 0. Phylogenetic analysis and specific phenotypic characteristics and/or DNA G+C content differentiated the strain from its closest relatives. On the basis of these data, strain BLPYG-8T represents a novel species of the genus Clostridium, for which the name Clostridium punense sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is BLPYG-8T ( = DSM 28650T = CCUG 64195T = MCC 2737T).
The role of work-to-leisure conflict in promoting frontline employees’ leisure satisfaction
Authors: Lin Jo-Hui , Wong Jehn-Yih , Ho Ching-hua
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to examine a mediating model of work-to-leisure conflict (WLC) based on the job demand-control-support model (JDCS model) and conflict roles of work and non-work life. This model proposes that work loading, time-off autonomy and support from supervisors and co-workers are related to WLC and leisure satisfaction.

Design/methodology/approach

– A sample of 457 frontline employees drawn from within the hospitality and tourism industry completed a study questionnaire. All hypothesized relationships were estimated using structural equation modeling.

Findings

– Results support a theoretical model in which WLC works as a partial mediator between job stress variables and leisure satisfaction. Findings suggest that low workload and flexible time-off contribute to alleviating WLC and facilitating leisure satisfaction and with the addition of high co-worker support, directly benefit employee leisure satisfaction.

Practical implications

– Management implications related to job design and work-related social support are discussed.

Originality/value

– The current study contributes to the existing knowledge base by testing WLC as a partial mediator between work loading–leisure satisfaction and time-off autonomy–leisure satisfaction relationships. These findings help human resource management managers broaden their understanding of the role of WLC in balancing frontline employees’ life in work and non-work domains.
The cyclical effect of advertising
Authors: Park Kwangmin , Jang SooCheong (Shawn)
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to provide an understanding of the effects of advertising based on economic cycles. To comprehend advertising effects in the restaurant industry from an economic cycle perspective, this study investigated both short- and long-run advertising effects under periods of economic contraction and expansion and compared those effects between the two economic periods.

Design/methodology/approach

– The data were collected from the COMPUSTAT database for the restaurant industry (SIC 5,812) from 1979 to 2010. To estimate the economic cycles, the 2005 year-based real gross domestic product (GDP) was used from the Bureau of Economic Analysis. Also, all variables were depreciated by the value of the US dollar in 2005. For estimation, a single equation error correction model was used to examine the short-term and long-term effects of advertising.

Findings

– The results of this study indicated that both the short- and long-term effects of advertising on sales growth were more obvious in contraction periods than in expansion periods. However, the short-run effects of advertising on brand equity did not significantly differ between expansion and contraction periods. Further, the long-term effects of advertising on brand equity were greater in expansion periods than in contraction periods. The findings suggest that restaurant firms should not reduce their advertising budgets during periods of economic contraction to take advantage of superior sales growth outcomes during these periods.

Practical implications

– The results of this study provide restaurant managers with useful practical implications. During economic contraction periods, restaurant managers should not reduce advertising budgets to take an ascendant position in terms of sales growth. Though the net positive effect at year t + 1 of contraction periods was smaller than that of expansion periods for sales growth, this is temporal and the long-run positive effect on sales growth spreads into future periods. Thus, a counter-cyclical advertising strategy could compensate for reduced sales from weak customer demands during economic contraction periods.

Originality/value

– There have been many empirical studies on the advertising effect in the literature. However, this study examined whether the effects of advertising differ between economic expansion and contraction periods. This specificity is helpful for industrial practitioners as well as academic researchers.
Learning from the pioneers
Authors: Waterbury Theresa
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to capture challenges faced and lessons learned when implementing Lean in higher education.

Design/methodology/approach

– During 2010-2014, faculty, staff, and administration from three community colleges and four four-year universities attended Educational Lean workshops. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the administrators who originally sought the training opportunity or their designee who coordinated Lean events.

Findings

– The paper provides insights from seven colleges and universities who have experience with implementing Lean in higher education. Organizational and personal elements are identified and discussed along with seven critical reflection questions to consider before implementing Lean.

Research limitations/implications

– Further research is needed to understand the role of the senior leadership team when implementing Lean as a continuous improvement strategy. This research provides some insight, but is limited to the factors identified by the seven institutions.

Practical implications

– The findings of this study can be used to assist higher education institutions considering a Lean initiative. Critical reflection questions include: Who will oversee the Lean initiative? How will human and financial resources be allocated? When and how will professional development opportunities be offered for senior leaders, facilitators, and employees? How will facilitators continue to develop their skills? How will projects be selected? How will Lean thinking be introduced into academic departments?

Originality/value

– This provides original research in the area of implementing Lean in higher education and its concurrent challenges.
Optimum temperature and solar radiation periods for Kano using flat plate collector
Authors: Waziri N. H. , Usman A.M. , Enaburekhan J. S.
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to determine the optimum temperature and solar radiation periods from November 2008 to April 2009.

Design/methodology/approach

– Four flat plate collectors were constructed and inclined at an angle ß = 0o, Φ°, (Φ + 15)o and (Φ − 15)° tilt angles where Φ is the latitude of the location (12.1o). The tests were conducted for a period of six months spanning from November 2008 to April 2009. Readings were taken for solar radiation, absorber surface temperature and ambient temperature from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on an hourly basis. The amount of solar energy in W/m2 for Kano metropolis, which lies on latitude 12.1°, was determined experimentally.

Findings

– It was observed that the maximum temperature was 100°C, and it falls in April at the 12.1° tilt angle followed by 99.9°C and 99.8°C at –2.9° and 0°, respectively, within same month. April is the optimum period having the highest temperature. The maximum solar radiation for the six months recorded was 1070.4 W/m2 and fell on 4th and 8th of February at the 27.1° tilt angle and the highest mean monthly solar radiation was 953.7593W/m2 in November at the 27.1° tilt angle followed by 895.7321 and 888.6286W/m2 in February at the 27.1° and 12.1° tilt angle, respectively.

Research limitations/implications

– The research is limited to six-month periods and Kano metropolis.

Originality/value

– The research was carried out in the Department of Mechanical Engineering Bayero University Kano, Nigeria.
Autoclave design for high pressure-high temperature corrosion studies
Authors: Lasebikan B.A. , Akisanya A.R. , Deans W.F.
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to develop an autoclave that can be used to assess corrosion behaviour of suitable material in high-pressure–high-temperature (HPHT) environments. Many new discoveries of oil and gas field are in HPHT environments. The development of such fields requires appropriate selection of materials that are able to withstand not just the service loads but also corrosive production fluids in the HPHT environment.

Design/methodology/approach

– The exposure of material samples to elevated pressure and temperature is usually done using an autoclave. The suitability of an existing autoclave for HPHT corrosion studies is provided together with suggestions on necessary design modifications. An alternative design of the autoclave is proposed based on functionality requirements and life cycle cost assessment.

Findings

– It is concluded that the existing autoclave was unsuitable for HPHT corrosion tests, and modifications were very expensive to implement and/or not foolproof. A new autoclave was designed, manufactured, tested and successfully used to study the effect of aqueous solution on the corrosion of a pipe subject to a combination of axial tension, internal pressure and elevated temperature.

Research limitations/implications

– The maximum design pressure of 15 MPa is more than sufficient for high-pressure corrosion studies in aqueous solution where partial pressure of the dissolved gas is one of the main controlling parameters. However, the design pressure is only suitable for corrosion studies in a seawater environment of up to 1,500 m water depth.

Originality/value

– A new design of autoclave together with all the necessary piping, assembly and control system is proposed for HPHT corrosion studies. The autoclave can be used as standalone or integrated with a mechanical testing machine and thus enables corrosion studies under a wide range of loading.
Design and evaluation of a low-cost street-level image capturing vehicle for south-east Asia
Authors: de Souza-Daw Tony , Ross Robert , Nhan Truong  Duy , Hung Le Anh , Trung Nguyen  Duc Quoc , Chau Le Hai , Phuong Hoang Minh , Ngoc Le Hoang , Nkhoma Mathews
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to present a low-cost, highly mobile system for performing street-level imaging. Street-level imaging and geo-location-based services are rapidly growing in both popularity and coverage. Google Street View and Bing StreetSide are two of the free, online services which allow users to search location-based information on interactive maps. In addition, these services also provide software developers and researchers a rich source of street-level images for different purposes – from identifying traffic routes to augmented reality applications. Currently, coverage for Street View and StreetSide is limited to more affluent Western countries with sparse coverage throughout south-east Asia and Africa. In this paper, we present a low-cost system to perform street-level imaging targeted towards the congested, motorcycle-dominant south-east Asian countries. The proposed system uses a catadioptric imaging system to capture 360-degree panoramic images which are geo-located using an on-board GPS. The system is mounted on the back of a motorcycle to provide maximum mobility and access to narrow roads. An innovative backwards remapping technique for flattening the images is discussed along with some results from the first 150 km which have been captured from Southern Vietnam.

Design/methodology/approach

– The design was a low-cost prototype design using low-cost off-the-shelf hardware with custom software and assembly to facilitate functionality.

Findings

– The system was shown to work well as a low-cost omnidirectional mapping solution targeted toward sea-of-motorbike road conditions.

Research limitations/implications

– Some of the pictures returned by the system were unclear. These could be improved by having artificial lighting (currently only ambient light is used), a gyroscope-stabilised imaging platform and a higher resolution camera.

Originality/value

– This paper discusses a design which facilitates low-cost, street-level imaging for a sea-of-motorcycle environment. The system uses a catadioptric imaging approach to give a wide field of view without excessive image storage requirements using dozens of cameras.
Exploring the use of financial capacity as a predictor of construction company corporate performance
Authors: Tucker George Cyril , Windapo Abimbola , Cattell Keith  Stone
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine the resilient operational variables that impact the corporate performance of construction companies in the South African construction industry and to explore whether financial capacity can be used as a predictor of construction company performance in the context of the South African construction industry.

Design/methodology/approach

– The operational variables of construction companies that impact their corporate performance were identified through an in-depth review of the extant literature. A combination of convenience and snowball sampling techniques were used in identifying 185 building and civil engineering construction companies based in four provinces of South Africa and registered in Grades 2-6 of the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) contractor grading register. The data used in the study were collected from this cohort of respondents through the use of structured questionnaires. At the end of the study period, 62 valid responses representing a response rate of 33.5 per cent were received. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics.

Findings

– The findings of this study indicate that there is a significant positive relationship between the financial capital and net assets of construction companies and their corporate performance in terms of turnover. The data collected did not support any significant relationship between other operating financial variables, such as Return on Capital Employed and profitability and financial performance.

Research limitations/implications

– A predictive model for predicting the financial performance of firms was developed from the data collected. The implication of this is that the more financial capital possessed by a construction company, the more the company’s financial performance in terms of turnover. The CIDB can use financial capacity as a measure when grading contractors, as a good number of contractors are not performing. The predictive model developed could be adopted by the CIDB as an instrument for predicting the corporate financial performance of construction companies that seek to be listed on their contractor grading register.

Originality/value

– This research will be of significance to researchers and members of the research community in providing new knowledge as well as to contractors in enabling them to understand the importance of having financial capital. It is also of importance to the CIDB in their quest for contractor and construction industry development. Further research to validate the results obtained in this study using a larger sample size across more provinces of South Africa will form the basis of future studies.
Heterotrophic bacteria from an extremely phosphate‐poor lake have conditionally reduced phosphorus demand and utilize diverse sources of phosphorus
Authors: Yao Mengyin , Elling Felix J. , Jones CarriAyne , Nomosatryo Sulung , Long Christopher P. , Crowe Sean A. , Antoniewicz Maciek R. , Hinrichs Kai‐Uwe , Maresca Julia A.
Published: September 2015

Heterotrophic Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria were isolated from Lake Matano, Indonesia, a stratified, ferruginous (iron‐rich), ultra‐oligotrophic lake with phosphate concentrations below 50 nM. Here, we describe the growth of eight strains of heterotrophic bacteria on a variety of soluble and insoluble sources of phosphorus. When transferred to medium without added phosphorus (P), the isolates grow slowly, their RNA content falls to as low as 1% of cellular dry weight, and 86–100% of the membrane lipids are replaced with amino‐ or glycolipids. Similar changes in lipid composition have been observed in marine photoautotrophs and soil heterotrophs, and similar flexibility in phosphorus sources has been demonstrated in marine and soil‐dwelling heterotrophs. Our results demonstrate that heterotrophs isolated from this unusual environment alter their macromolecular composition, which allows the organisms to grow efficiently even in their extremely phosphorus‐limited environment.
Sucrose in bloom‐forming cyanobacteria: loss and gain of genes involved in its biosynthesis
Authors: Kolman María A. , Salerno Graciela L.
Published: September 2015

Bloom‐forming cyanobacteria are widely distributed in freshwater ecosystems. To cope with salinity fluctuations, cyanobacteria synthesize compatible solutes, such as sucrose, to maintain the intracellular osmotic balance. The screening of cyanobacterial genomes revealed that homologues to sucrose metabolism‐related genes only occur in few bloom‐forming strains, mostly belonging to Nostocales and Stigonematales orders. Remarkably, among Chroococcales and Oscillatoriales strains, homologues were only found in M. aeruginosa PCC 7806 and Leptolyngbya boryana PCC 6306, suggesting a massive loss of sucrose metabolism in bloom‐forming strains of these orders. After a complete functional characterization of sucrose genes in M. aeruginosa PCC 7806, we showed that sucrose metabolism depends on the expression of a gene cluster that defines a transcriptional unit, unique among all sucrose‐containing cyanobacteria. It was also demonstrated that the expression of the encoding genes of sucrose‐related proteins is stimulated by salt. In view of its ancestral origin in cyanobacteria, the fact that most bloom‐forming strains lack sucrose metabolism indicates that the genes involved might have been lost during evolution. However, in a particular strain, like M. aeruginosa PCC 7806, sucrose synthesis genes were probably regained by horizontal gene transfer, which could be hypothesized as a response to salinity fluctuations.
Skills training for young adults with special educational needs for transition into employment
Authors: Sankardas Sulata Ajit , Rajanahally Jayashree
Published: September 2015

The research reported here was conducted to investigate the perception that people with disabilities find it a challenge to seek employment (Hernandez et al., ). It is suggested that this situation could be due to a lack of specific employment‐based training. Hence young adults with special educational needs (SEN) may require job‐specific training before they seek employment (Flannery et al., ). This research investigated the importance of specific skills training for young adults with SEN and also looked at opinions about that training in the area of the retail sector for young adults above the age of 18 years with SEN, and subsequently their success in seeking employment. The research was conducted in Chennai in the state of Tamil Nadu. The views of vocational instructors, parents and professionals in the retail sector were analysed, and conclusions were drawn as to whether this sector is a viable proposition as a career option for young adults with SEN.
Measurement of Postmortem 1,5‐anhydroglucitol in Vitreous Humor for Forensic Diagnosis
Authors: Takata Tomoyo , Yamasaki Yukie , Kitao Takashi , Miyaishi Satoru
Published: September 2015

In forensic diagnosis, postmortem blood glucose is known to be susceptible to change after death. However, the 1,5‐anhydroglucitol (1,5‐AG) concentrations in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) reflect the mean blood glucose level for a short period of time. In this study, we compared the postmortem 1,5‐AG concentrations in vitreous humor and CSF in 47 subjects to evaluate the utility of this concentration in the vitreous humor for forensic diagnosis. The postmortem 1,5‐AG concentrations in vitreous humor (mean±SD: 20.2 ± 8.7 μg/mL) and CSF (16.8 ± 8.7 μg/mL) did not differ significantly and showed a strong correlation (r2 = 0.87, p < 0.01). These results suggest that the vitreous humor 1,5‐AG concentration provides useful information on the antemortem blood glucose level, in addition to the HbA1c value and the CSF 1,5‐AG concentration.
8 A Manger in a Sea of Mud: Material Legacies and Loss at the Temple of the Innocent Blood
Authors: Gray D. Ryan
Published: September 2015

Early in the 1920s, Mother Catherine Seal founded her Temple of the Innocent Blood in what is now known as the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans. Under her leadership, the Temple became not just a church but also the center of an auto‐constructed and integrated space that explicitly defied the racist ideologies of white supremacy. Utilizing data from recent excavations at the site, this chapter explores how materiality is enmeshed in the daily place‐making strategies of individuals on the fringes of urban society. By constituting a singular space, the Temple, through the person of Mother Catherine, transformed ordinary, mass‐produced items, suffusing them with qualities only apparent within the totality of the social world she created. The persistence and durability of objects at the site of the Temple gave them power to transform long after Mother Catherine's death, and the traces of the Temple still resonate in the memory of the neighborhood in unforeseen ways today.
9 Tracing Everyday Life at Trimithis (Dakhleh Oasis, Egypt)
Authors: Boozer Anna Lucille
Published: September 2015

This article explores how concepts of “trace” might help archaeologists disentangle and interpret the material remains of ordinary life.Traceis a theoretical vantage long exploited by social theorists to explore the unintentional, quotidian residues of ordinary people. The term trace is relevant to archaeology because it refocuses attention from active agency to more subtle undercurrents within daily life rhythms. I explore two Romano‐Egyptian houses from the same city from a trace perspective in order to reveal the small‐scale daily life choices of individuals. The results of this exploration suggest future directions for the archaeological use of trace to explore materiality, everyday life, and subtle signatures of multi‐cultural scenarios.
11 Producing Goods, Shaping People: The Materiality of Crafting
Authors: Hendon Julia A.
Published: September 2015

The study of craft production has a long and venerable history in archaeological research on ancient societies. In this chapter, I consider the crafting of useful and desired things from a materiality perspective by looking at the interactions between the craftpersons, the materials with which they work, and the ways that their end products are valued in society. I use two examples: working with fibers by the Maya of Mesoamerica and with metals by the Moche of Andean South America. These are two very different kinds of materials whose characteristics affect how one interacts with them. Crafting was a part of everyday life for the Maya and Moche. Through these two case studies I illustrate the role crafting plays in the development of identities and personhood, in the process contributing to the meaning of everyday life to people in these societies.
Austerity, welfare reform and the rising use of food banks by children in England and Wales
Authors: Lambie‐Mumford Hannah , Green Mark A
Published: September 2015

Since 2010, UK social policy has been dominated by austerity and welfare reform. These policy platforms sit on a wider set of shifts in policy framings, in terms of both understanding the issue of poverty and the most effective solutions to it. The resulting strategies employed have had significant impacts on children and their household incomes. Within the context of the changing nature of state welfare and the drive for more privatised (non‐state) provision, this paper focuses on the effects of this on assistance to children in particular, employing charitable food banks as a case study. Empirical data from the UK's largest food bank organisation (the Trussell Trust Foodbank Network) are explored to chart the rise of this provision as an example of the increasingly important role charitable organisations are playing in caring for children in the face of a reduced welfare state. The results show that both in mean and absolute terms, provision of food parcels to children by charitable foodbanks has grown considerably since the impacts of austerity, welfare reform and rising costs of living kicked in (2012/13). The results indicate that foodbanks are playing a bigger role in the provision of care to children generally in this context, but particularly where childhood deprivation is high. This paper furthers geographical discussions about the changing nature of care for those in or at risk of poverty, focusing on the increased vulnerability of children that has resulted from recent social policy shifts. Food banks form a particularly high‐profile example of the rising prominence of charitable care in the context of an increasingly reduced welfare state. By discussing some of the key challenges of this provision, the paper also facilitates critical thinking about the issues that the contemporary shift away from universal social security and public care services might raise.
Effects of ethanol, molasses and Lactobacillus plantarum on the fermentation quality, in vitro digestibility and aerobic stability of total mixed ration silages in the Tibetan plateau of China
Authors: Yuan Xianjun , Wen Aiyou , Wang Jian , Guo Gang , Desta Seare T. , Shao Tao
Published: September 2015

In Tibet, it is common practice to make and relocate total mixed ration (TMR) silages before feeding due to the uneven distribution of forages temporally and spatially. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of Lactobacillus plantarum (L), molasses (M) or ethanol (E) on the fermentation quality and aerobic stability of local adaptive TMR silage. After 45 days of ensiling, pH and ammonia nitrogen in inoculated TMR silages were significantly lower than control. During the first 6 days of the aerobic exposure test, a small fluctuation in lactic acid concentration for all TMR silages was observed, and then silages with ethanol continued this trend, while lactic acid in silage without ethanol sharply decreased until the end of the aerobic exposure period. Meanwhile, pH gradually increased along the aerobic exposure; silages treated with ethanol showed lower pH after 9 days of aerobic exposure. The population of yeast gradually increased during 6 days of aerobic exposure, after that an accelerated rise was observed in TMR silages without ethanol. The combinational beneficial effect of L. plantarum and ethanol was found in combined addition of ethanol and Lactobacillus plantarum silages (EL), indicated by intermediate fermentation quality and higher aerobic stability.
Response inhibition and interference control in patients with bipolar I disorder and first‐degree relatives
Authors: Hıdıroğlu Ceren , Torres Ivan J , Er Ayşe , Işık Gizem , Yalın Nefize , Yatham Lakshmi N , Ceylan Deniz , Özerdem Ayşegül
Published: September 2015

Objectives

The current study aimed to assess both response inhibition (RI) and interference control (IC) in euthymic patients with bipolar disorder (BD‐Ps) as well as asymptomatic first‐degree relatives (BD‐Rs) and healthy controls (HCs) in order to evaluate trait‐as opposed to illness‐associated features of these components.

Methods

BD‐Ps (n = 35) who had been in the euthymic state for at least six months, BD‐Rs (n = 30), and HCs (n = 33) completed a Stop‐Signal Task (SST) and Stroop Task to assess RI and IC, respectively. Groups were compared on the stop‐signal reaction time (SSRT), stop‐signal delay (SSD), mean reaction time on go trials (go‐RT), Stroop interference score (S‐interference), and number of errors on the color–word‐naming trial (S‐error). Associations between the patient's clinical features and RI and IC, between the patient's treatment and RI and IC, and between RI and IC in each group were investigated.

Results

BD‐Ps and BD‐Rs had significantly shorter go‐RT and SSD, and longer SSRT compared to HCs, with these scores being similar between the BD‐Ps and BD‐Rs. Also, both BD‐Ps and BD‐Rs made significantly more S‐errors than HCs, whereas, the S‐interference score was not significantly different between groups. There were no significant correlations between Stroop Task and SST scores within each group, nor between clinical features or treatment variables and RI and IC in BD‐Ps.

Conclusions

Overall, impairment in RI and IC (only on S‐error score) was present in both patients and relatives. The persistence of these deficits in the absence of mood symptoms suggests that these features may represent candidate endophenotypes for bipolar disorder.
The Foundations of Social Partnership
Authors: Behrens Martin , Helfen Markus
Published: September 2015

‘Social partnership’ between capital and labour is a distinctive characteristic of German industrial relations. Based on a survey of 142 German employers’ associations, we investigate differences in their support for partnership with unions. We find that organizational characteristics (e.g. membership density) as well as positive experiences with their union counterparts explain why employers’ associations adhere to the norms of social partnership. Building on an analysis that combines political and organizational institutionalism, we find that the positive evaluation of social partnership held by employers is associated with their positive experiences in more recent interactions with unions in collective bargaining, a more encompassing definition of an association's policy domain and a long‐term history of mutual collaboration.