bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Antecedents to perceived service quality: an exploratory study in the banking industry
Authors: Gounaris Spiros P. , Stathakopoulos Vlassis , Athanassopoulos Antreas D.
Published: July 2003

Using empirical data derived from the Greek banking sector, the authors attempt to model the influence of bank‐specific (market orientation) and customer‐specific (comparison shopping, influence by word‐of‐mouth‐communication and personal relations with banks’ employees) parameters on the customer’s perception of service quality. The latter is conceptualised and examined as a multidimensional concept comprising employee competence, the bank’s reliability, the innovativeness of the bank’s products, its pricing (value for money), the bank’s physical evidence and the convenience of the bank’s branch network. As the findings suggest, the various dimensions of the quality of service offered by a bank are not influenced by all the antecedents examined in this study. Moreover, the gravity of the influence that each of the examined parameters exercises on the customer’s perception of the various dimensions of quality was also found to vary considerably, with certain dimensions being more influenced by the same parameter than others. Based on these findings, the authors suggest specific implications for both the academia and practitioners in the banking industry.
Strategy, competition and diversification in European and Mexican banking
Authors: Bátiz‐Lazo Bernado , Wood Douglas
Published: July 2003

This article identifies whether top managers in banks’ parent companies are highly involved in the design of strategy and examines how management styles influence (or reflect influences) on diversification decisions within bank markets. Alongside this assessment, the research ranks the main concerns to design strategy in banking within an international setting (including the role of information and telecommunication technologies in the design and implementation of banks’ diversification strategies). Results emerging from triangulating responses suggested that, on balance, top managers in bank markets are predisposed to integrate around purely strategic rather than purely financial targets or a combination of strategic and financial performance. Management of diversity does not seem to be time invariant. with results suggesting that information technology management played a secondary role in the design of bank strategy but, at the same time, information technology applications were perceived as an important force to modify competition in bank markets.
Beyond psychometrics
Authors: Barrett Paul
Published: July 2003

A statement from Michell (Michell, J., “Normal science, pathological science, and psychometrics”,Theory and Psychology, Vol. 10 No. 5, 2000, pp. 639‐67), “psychometrics is a pathology of science”, is contrasted with conventional definitions provided by leading texts. The key to understanding why Michell has made such a statement is bound up in the definition of measurement that characterises quantification of variables within the natural sciences. By describing the key features of quantitative measurement, and contrasting these with current psychometric practice, it is argued that Michell is correct in his assertion. Three avenues of investigation would seem to follow from this position, each of which, it is suggested, will gradually replace current psychometric test theory, principles, and properties. The first attempts to construct variables that can be demonstrated empirically to possess a quantitative structure. The second proceeds on the basis of using qualitative (non‐quantitatively structured) variable structures and procedures. The third, applied numerics, is an applied methodology whose sole aim is pragmatic utility; it is similar in some respects to current psychometric procedures except that “test theory” can be discarded in favour of simpler tests of observational reliability and validity. Examples are presented of what future practice may look like in each of these areas. It is to be hoped that psychometrics begins to concern itself more with the logic of its measurement, rather than the ever‐increasing complexity of its numerical and statistical operations.
Encouraging SME participation in training: identifying practical approaches
Authors: Johnston Karen , Loader Kim
Published: July 2003

This study was designed to provide insights into how barriers to small‐ to medium‐sized enterprises’ (SMEs’) participation can be addressed by training providers by examining evidence from a training programme offered over a period of 21 months. Previous research findings identifying influences on SME participation in training have been used as an analytical framework to examine an experience of training design and delivery in practice. Discussion and analysis of project data within the framework above identifies support for some of the relationships between SME participation and these influences. SMEs have taken up the training, participation grew over time, and positive feedback was received. More respondents reported an intention to participate in future training than had taken part in prior training. It therefore seems that the approach taken has been successful in overcoming barriers to SME participation. The paper concludes by discussing the implications of the findings for learning approaches that promote SME take up.
Understanding the impact of a consultant’s worldview: the use of metaphor in a diagnostic exercise
Authors: Massey Claire
Published: July 2003

This action research study seeks to identify the barriers to effective organisational consulting, and to understand the choices consultants make in working with clients. In the first stage of the research the consultants’ experiences, their educational qualifications, and their knowledge of the consultancy literature were identified as important factors in leading to successful client assignments. However, the consultants concluded that the most important influence on the way in which they planned client projects was the way in which they “saw” organisations. This notion provided the basis for the final cycle of the project. Here, the researcher and the consultants sought to describe their organisational metaphors for organisations, and assess the degree to which they influenced their behaviour with clients.
Mapping the terrain of spirituality in organizations research
Authors: Benefiel Margaret
Published: July 2003

Researchers in the burgeoning new field of spirituality in organizations face a number of significant field‐shaping questions, e.g. how should spirituality in organizations be defined and what research methods are most appropriate for this work – quantitative, qualitative, a combination of the two, or entirely new methods? The answers given to these questions will determine the shape of this new field and the direction research will take over the next several decades. This article addresses these questions by mapping the terrain of current spirituality in organizations research, in three stages. It begins by examining trails being blazed by pioneers venturing into this new territory, considering the progress these pioneers have made and the work remaining to be done. It then moves to questions lurking in the background of this pioneering work. Finally, it articulates the new frontier in spirituality in organizations research, a frontier which beckons adventurous pioneers to enter.
Workplace spirituality and employee work attitudes
Authors: Milliman John , Czaplewski Andrew J. , Ferguson Jeffery
Published: July 2003

One important question in the field of workplace spirituality concerns the relationship of this construct with employee work attitudes. This study attempts to make a rigorous empirical examination of the relationship between workplace spirituality and five prevalent employee job attitudinal variables. It assesses the validity and reliability of the measures used and discusses the results of the analysis, which indicate that each of the three dimensions of spirituality used has a significant relationship with two or more of the five job attitude variables examined. While acknowledging that spirituality at work is an abstract concept, this study attempts to provide some of the first empirical support that there is a positive association between spirituality at work and employee job outcomes. The paper concludes with a number of implications and research directions for both academics and business managers, including the need to investigate the comprehensive impact of spirituality at work on individuals and organizations.
Realities, threats and opportunities facing the Portuguese tourism industry
Authors: Yasin Mahmoud , Alavi Jafar , Sobral Filipe , Lisboa João
Published: July 2003

The growth in the global tourism market place presents many countries with great opportunities to capitalize on their natural competitive advantages. However, achieving the economic potential of global tourism remains elusive for many countries, despite their natural advantages. In this context, Portugal is a case in point. The Portuguese tourism industry is facing some serious challenges that are limiting its potential. This study offers Portuguese tourism industry leaders practical insights into the characteristics of the Portuguese tourism industry in the context of the challenges and opportunities of the global tourism market place. Understanding the dynamics and characteristics of this critical industry in a global context is a crucial first step toward formulating a tourism strategy that capitalizes on the growth of the global tourism market and the natural advantage that Portugal enjoys in this important market.
Information technology in small Scottish hotels: is it working?
Authors: Buick Ian
Published: July 2003

It is widely recognised that the small hotel sector of the British hospitality industry is an under researched area, even though small hotels dominate the business. While some internationally respected authors have considered the nature and extent of computing in small hotels, there is however a paucity of research in this important area. This paper aims to: critically evaluate the factors that determine the nature of computerisation – within the small Scottish hotels sector; understand how information technology/computing is used by these entrepreneurs; benchmark their usage with research undertaken with small Welsh, French and Greek hospitality entrepreneurs; and to establish the need for further research to understand variances.
Municipal terrorism management in the United States
Authors: Perry Ronald W.
Published: July 2003

In the USA, terrorist threats captured government attention following 11 September 2001. Cities remain the most likely setting for terrorist incidents. Many cities, building on a successful federal program begun in 1997, have developed metropolitan medical response systems (MMRS) to address the consequences of terrorist incidents. The basic system design has been tested both through drills and incidents – including the attacks on the World Trade Center – and appears to function well. This paper describes the philosophy and elements of the MMRS model. The model has considerable value as a readily exportable strategy for responding to municipal terrorist incidents.
Stress in disaster response: a risk management approach
Authors: Paton Douglas
Published: July 2003

Using a risk management framework, this paper discusses an approach to conceptualising disaster stress risk that can be used to develop readiness strategies that facilitate an adaptive response to disaster stress in emergency managers. It illustrates this process by describing how incident, operational and organisational demands interact with resilience and vulnerability factors to affect stress risk during the mobilisation, response and reintegration phases of disaster response. It argues for stress risk management to be integrated with the application of the risk management paradigm to other aspects of disaster management.
Disaster preparedness: a social‐cognitive perspective
Authors: Paton Douglas
Published: July 2003

Despite considerable effort and expenditure on public hazard education, levels of disaster preparedness remain low. By integrating and expanding on natural hazards and health research on protective behaviour, this paper proposes a social cognitive model of disaster preparedness. The model describes a developmental process that commences with factors that motivate people to prepare, progresses through the formation of intentions, and culminates in decisions to prepare. Following their critical appraisal, variables implicated at each stage are identified and their role in the preparedness process described. The implications of the model for the conceptualisation and assessment of preparedness is discussed, as is its implications for risk reduction and communication strategies.
A decision support system for the promotion of security in shipping
Authors: Tzannatos E.S.
Published: July 2003

Shows transportation appears to be a target and/or means of achieving the illegal pursuits of organised crime and terrorism. Among transportation modes, shipping presents the highest security risk since, on the one hand, it is the main facilitator of international trade (within this context it inevitably serves the illegal transportation of people, drugs and arms) and, on the other hand, a terrorism‐targeted ship, whether a passenger or cargo carrier, poses a major threat in terms of loss of human life and property, as well as the threat of damage to the environment. Despite efforts to address the issues of maritime security, the shipping industry still presents a sizeable deficit in implementing security measures. Furthermore, when global events, such as the Athens 2004 Summer Olympics, are organised in coastal locations where extensive shipping activity is concentrated, maritime security becomes a particularly critical issue. The development of a decision support system (DSS) for the promotion of security in shipping is proposed and presented. The DSS is basically a security management tool utilising the capabilities of information and communication technologies, in order to provide support towards the general implementation of the International Ship and Port Security (ISPS) Code, and the development as well as maintenance of the associated security plans.
Heterotrophic Bacterial Growth Efficiency and Community Structure at Different Natural Organic Carbon Concentrations
Authors: Eiler Alexander , Langenheder Silke , Bertilsson Stefan , Tranvik Lars J.
Published: July 2003

Batch cultures of aquatic bacteria and dissolved organic matter were used to examine the impact of carbon source concentration on bacterial growth, biomass, growth efficiency, and community composition. An aged concentrate of dissolved organic matter from a humic lake was diluted with organic compound-free artificial lake water to obtain concentrations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) ranging from 0.04 to 2.53 mM. The bacterial biomass produced in the cultures increased linearly with the DOC concentration, indicating that bacterial biomass production was limited by the supply of carbon. The bacterial growth rate in the exponential growth phase exhibited a hyperbolic response to the DOC concentration, suggesting that the maximum growth rate was constrained by the substrate concentration at low DOC concentrations. Likewise, the bacterial growth efficiency calculated from the production of biomass and CO
2
increased asymptotically from 0.4 to 10.4% with increasing DOC concentration. The compositions of the microbial communities that emerged in the cultures were assessed by separation of PCR-amplified 16S rRNA fragments by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling of the gel profiles showed that there was a gradual change in the community composition along the DOC gradient; members of the β subclass of the class
Proteobacteria
and members of the
Cytophaga-Flavobacterium
group were well represented at all concentrations, whereas members of the α subclass of the
Proteobacteria
were found exclusively at the lowest carbon concentration. The shift in community composition along the DOC gradient was similar to the patterns of growth efficiency and growth rate. The results suggest that the bacterial growth efficiencies, the rates of bacterial growth, and the compositions of bacterial communities are not constrained by substrate concentrations in most natural waters, with the possible exception of the most oligotrophic environments.
Differential Transfer and Dissemination of Hypovirus and Nuclear and Mitochondrial Genomes of a Hypovirus-Infected
Cryphonectria parasitica
Strain after Introduction into a Natural Population
Authors: Hoegger Patrik J. , Heiniger Ursula , Holdenrieder Ottmar , Rigling Daniel
Published: July 2003

Biological control of plant diseases generally requires release of living organisms into the environment. Cryphonectria hypoviruses function as biological control agents for the chestnut blight fungus,
Cryphonectria parasitica
, and hypovirus-infected
C. parasitica
strains can be used to treat infected trees. We used naturally occurring molecular marker polymorphisms to examine the persistence and dissemination of the three genomes of a hypovirus-infected
C. parasitica
strain, namely, the double-stranded RNA genome of
Cryphonectria
hypovirus 1 (CHV1) and the nuclear and mitochondrial genomes of its fungal host. The hypovirus-infected strain was experimentally introduced into a blight-infested chestnut coppice forest by treating 73 of 246 chestnut blight cankers. Two years after introduction, the hypovirus had disseminated to 36% of the untreated cankers and to 35% of the newly established cankers. Spread of the hypovirus was more frequent within treated sprout clusters than between sprout clusters. Mitochondrial DNA of the introduced fungus also was transferred into the resident
C. parasitica
population. Concomitant transfer of both the introduced hypovirus and mitochondrial DNA was detected in almost one-half of the treated cankers analyzed. The introduced mitochondrial DNA haplotype also was found in three resident isolates from newly established cankers. The nuclear genome of the introduced strain persisted in the treated cankers but did not spread beyond them.
Construction of Deoxyriboaldolase-Overexpressing
Escherichia coli
and Its Application to 2-Deoxyribose 5-Phosphate Synthesis from Glucose and Acetaldehyde for 2′-Deoxyribonucleoside Production
Authors: Horinouchi Nobuyuki , Ogawa Jun , Sakai Takafumi , Kawano Takako , Matsumoto Seiichiro , Sasaki Mie , Mikami Yoichi , Shimizu Sakayu
Published: July 2003

The gene encoding a deoxyriboaldolase (DERA) was cloned from the chromosomal DNA of
Klebsiella pneumoniae
B-4-4. This gene contains an open reading frame consisting of 780 nucleotides encoding 259 amino acid residues. The predicted amino acid sequence exhibited 94.6% homology with the sequence of DERA from
Escherichia coli
. The DERA of
K. pneumoniae
was expressed in recombinant
E. coli
cells, and the specific activity of the enzyme in the cell extract was as high as 2.5 U/mg, which was threefold higher than the specific activity in the
K. pneumoniae
cell extract. One of the
E. coli
transformants, 10B5/pTS8, which had a defect in alkaline phosphatase activity, was a good catalyst for 2-deoxyribose 5-phosphate (DR5P) synthesis from glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate and acetaldehyde. The
E. coli
cells produced DR5P from glucose and acetaldehyde in the presence of ATP. Under the optimal conditions, 100 mM DR5P was produced from 900 mM glucose, 200 mM acetaldehyde, and 100 mM ATP by the
E. coli
cells. The DR5P produced was further transformed to 2′-deoxyribonucleoside through coupling the enzymatic reactions of phosphopentomutase and nucleoside phosphorylase. These results indicated that production of 2′-deoxyribonucleoside from glucose, acetaldehyde, and a nucleobase is possible with the addition of a suitable energy source, such as ATP.
Two-Step Freezing Procedure for Cryopreservation of Rumen Ciliates, an Effective Tool for Creation of a Frozen Rumen Protozoa Bank
Authors: Nsabimana E. , Kišidayová S. , Macheboeuf D. , Newbold C. J. , Jouany J. P.
Published: July 2003

The present study aimed at the long-term storage of rumen protozoa as living cells in liquid nitrogen. The two-step or interrupted slow freezing procedure was used to cryopreserve six of the dominant species of rumen ciliates isolated from monofaunated animals,
Dasytricha ruminantium
,
Entodinium caudatum
,
Epidinium ecaudatum caudatum
,
Eudiplodinium maggii
,
Isotricha prostoma
, and
Polyplastron multivesiculatum
. We optimized the first step in the interrupted slow freezing procedure, from the extracellular ice nucleation temperature to the holding temperature, and studied the effects of the cooling rates on survival. In addition to the nature of the cryoprotectant (dimethyl sulfoxide), the equilibration temperature and equilibration time (25°C and 5 min, respectively), and the holding time at subzero temperature (45 min) recommended previously (S. Kišidayová, J. Microbiol. Methods
22:
185-192, 1995), we found that a holding temperature of −30°C, a cooling rate from extracellular ice nucleation temperature to holding temperature of between 1.2°C/min and 2.5°C/min, depending on the ciliate, and rumen juice as the freezing and thawing medium markedly improved the survival rate. Survival rates determined after 2 weeks in liquid nitrogen were 100% for
Isotricha
, 98% for
Dasytricha
, 85% for
Epidinium
, 79% for
Polyplastron
, 63% for
Eudiplodinium
, and 60% for
Entodinium
. They were not significantly modified after a period of 1 year in liquid nitrogen. Four of the five ciliate species cryopreserved for 8 months in liquid nitrogen successfully colonized the rumen when inoculated into defaunated animals. These results have made it possible to set up a bank of cryopreserved rumen protozoa.
Characterization and Molecular Cloning of a Novel Enzyme, Inorganic Polyphosphate/ATP-Glucomannokinase, of
Arthrobacter
sp. Strain KM
Authors: Mukai Takako , Kawai Shigeyuki , Matsukawa Hirokazu , Matuo Yuhsi , Murata Kousaku
Published: July 2003

A bacterium exhibiting activities of several inorganic polyphosphate [poly(P)]- and ATP-dependent kinases, including glucokinase, NAD kinase, mannokinase, and fructokinase, was isolated, determined to belong to the genus
Arthrobacter
, and designated
Arthrobacter
sp. strain KM. Among the kinases, a novel enzyme responsible for the poly(P)- and ATP-dependent mannokinase activities was purified 2,200-fold to homogeneity from a cell extract of the bacterium. The purified enzyme was a monomer with a molecular mass of 30 kDa. This enzyme phosphorylated glucose and mannose with a high affinity for glucose, utilizing poly(P) as well as ATP, and was designated poly(P)/ATP-glucomannokinase. The
K

m

values of the enzyme for glucose, mannose, ATP, and hexametaphosphate were determined to be 0.50, 15, 0.20, and 0.02 mM, respectively. The catalytic sites for poly(P)-dependent phosphorylation and ATP-dependent phosphorylation of the enzyme were found to be shared, and the poly(P)-utilizing mechanism of the enzyme was shown to be nonprocessive. The gene encoding the poly(P)/ATP-glucomannokinase was cloned from
Arthrobacter
sp. strain KM, and its nucleotide sequence was determined. This gene contained an open reading frame consisting of 804 bp coding for a putative polypeptide with a calculated molecular mass of 29,480 Da. The deduced amino acid sequence of the polypeptide exhibited homology to the amino acid sequences of the poly(P)/ATP-glucokinase of
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
H37Rv (level of homology, 45%), ATP-dependent glucokinases of
Corynebacterium glutamicum
(45%),
Renibacterium salmoninarum
(45%), and
Bacillus subtilis
(35%), and proteins of bacteria belonging to the order
Actinomyces
whose functions are not known. Alignment of these homologous proteins revealed seven conserved regions. The mannose and poly(P) binding sites of poly(P)/ATP-glucomannokinase are discussed.
Microbial Diversity of Cryptoendolithic Communities from the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica
Authors: de la Torre José R. , Goebel Brett M. , Friedmann E. Imre , Pace Norman R.
Published: July 2003

In the McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica, microorganisms colonize the pore spaces of exposed rocks and are thereby protected from the desiccating environmental conditions on the surface. These cryptoendolithic communities have received attention in microscopy and culture-based studies but have not been examined by molecular approaches. We surveyed the microbial biodiversity of selected cryptoendolithic communities by analyzing clone libraries of rRNA genes amplified from environmental DNA. Over 1,100 individual clones from two types of cryptoendolithic communities, cyanobacterium dominated and lichen dominated, were analyzed. Clones fell into 51 relatedness groups (phylotypes) with ≥98% rRNA sequence identity (46 bacterial and 5 eucaryal). No representatives of
Archaea
were detected. No phylotypes were shared between the two classes of endolithic communities studied. Clone libraries based on both types of communities were dominated by a relatively small number of phylotypes that, because of their relative abundance, presumably represent the main primary producers in these communities. In the lichen-dominated community, three rRNA sequences, from a fungus, a green alga, and a chloroplast, of the types known to be associated with lichens, accounted for over 70% of the clones. This high abundance confirms the dominance of lichens in this community. In contrast, analysis of the supposedly cyanobacterium-dominated community indicated, in addition to cyanobacteria, at least two unsuspected organisms that, because of their abundance, may play important roles in the community. These included a member of the α subdivision of the
Proteobacteria
that potentially is capable of aerobic anoxygenic photosynthesis and a distant relative of
Deinococcus
that defines, along with other
Deinococcus
-related sequences from Antarctica, a new clade within the
Thermus-Deinococcus
bacterial phylogenetic division.
Identification and Characterization of a GDSL Esterase Gene Located Proximal to theswrQuorum-Sensing System ofSerratia liquefaciensMG1
Authors: Riedel Kathrin , Talker-Huiber Daniela , Givskov Michael , Schwab Helmut , Eberl Leo
Published: July 2003

Serratia liquefaciensMG1 employs theswrquorum-sensing system to control various functions, including production of extracellular enzymes and swarming motility. Here we report the sequencing of theswrflanking DNA regions. We identified a gene upstream ofswrRand transcribed in the same direction, designatedestA, which encodes an esterase that belongs to family II of lipolytic enzymes. EstA was heterologously expressed inEscherichia coli, and the substrate specificity of the enzyme was determined in crude extracts. With the aid of zymograms visualizing EstA on polyacrylamide gels and by the analysis of a transcriptional fusion of theestApromoter to the promoterlessluxABgenes, we showed that expression of the esterase is not regulated by theswrquorum-sensing system. AnestAmutant was generated and was found to exhibit growth defects on minimal medium containing Tween 20 or Tween 80 as the sole carbon source. Moreover, we show that the mutant produces greatly reduced amounts ofN-acyl-homoserine lactone (AHL) signal molecules on Tween-containing medium compared with the wild type, suggesting that under certain growth conditions EstA may be important for providing the cell with precursors required for AHL biosynthesis.
Dominance of
Vibrio fischeri
in Secreted Mucus outside the Light Organ of
Euprymna scolopes
: the First Site of Symbiont Specificity
Authors: Nyholm Spencer V. , McFall-Ngai Margaret J.
Published: July 2003

Previous studies of the
Euprymna scolopes-Vibrio fischeri
symbiosis have demonstrated that, during colonization, the hatchling host secretes mucus in which gram-negative environmental bacteria amass in dense aggregations outside the sites of infection. In this study, experiments with green fluorescent protein-labeled symbiotic and nonsymbiotic species of gram-negative bacteria were used to characterize the behavior of cells in the aggregates. When hatchling animals were exposed to 10
3
to 10
6
V. fischeri
cells/ml added to natural seawater, which contains a mix of approximately 10
6
nonspecific bacterial cells/ml,
V. fischeri
cells were the principal bacterial cells present in the aggregations. Furthermore, when animals were exposed to equal cell numbers of
V. fischeri
(either a motile or a nonmotile strain) and either
Vibrio parahaemolyticus
or
Photobacterium leiognathi
, phylogenetically related gram-negative bacteria that also occur in the host's habitat, the symbiont cells were dominant in the aggregations. The presence of
V. fischeri
did not compromise the viability of these other species in the aggregations, and no significant growth of
V. fischeri
cells was detected. These findings suggested that dominance results from the ability of
V. fischeri
either to accumulate or to be retained more effectively within the mucus. Viability of the
V. fischeri
cells was required for both the formation of tight aggregates and their dominance in the mucus. Neither of the
V. fischeri
quorum-sensing compounds accumulated in the aggregations, which suggested that the effects of these small signal molecules are not critical to
V. fischeri
dominance. Taken together, these data provide evidence that the specificity of the squid-vibrio symbiosis begins early in the interaction, in the mucus where the symbionts aggregate outside of the light organ.
Identification of a NovelCryptosporidiumGenotype in Pigs
Authors: Ryan U. M. , Samarasinghe B. , Read C. , Buddle J. R. , Robertson I. D. , Thompson R. C. A.
Published: July 2003

Over a 3-year period, a total of 646 fecal samples from pigs in 22 indoor and outdoor herds from Western Australia were screened forCryptosporidiumspp. by microscopy. Results revealed that 39 of 646 samples (6.03%) were positive forCryptosporidium. Cryptosporidiumwas much more common in outdoor herds (17.2%) than in indoor herds (0.5%) and was more common in animals between the ages of 5 and 8 weeks (69.2%) than in younger animals (P< 0.0001). Molecular characterization of the positive samples at the 18S ribosomal DNA locus identified two distinct genotypes ofCryptosporidium: the previously identified pig genotype I and a novel pig genotype (pig genotype II), both of which warrant species status.
Role of the
Bacillus methanolicus
Citrate Synthase II Gene,
citY
, in Regulating the Secretion of Glutamate in
l
-Lysine-Secreting Mutants
Authors: Brautaset Trygve , Williams Mark D. , Dillingham Richard D. , Kaufmann Christine , Bennaars Assumpta , Crabbe Edward , Flickinger Michael C.
Published: July 2003

The thermotolerant, restrictive methylotroph
Bacillus methanolicus
MGA3 (ATCC 53907) can secrete 55 g of glutamate per liter (maximum yield, 0.36 g/g) at 50°C with methanol as a carbon source and a source of ammonia in fed-batch bioreactors. A homoserine dehydrogenase mutant, 13A52-8A66, secreting up to 35 g of
l
-lysine per liter in fed-batch fermentations had minimal 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase activity [7.3 nmol min
−1
(mg of protein)
−1
], threefold-increased pyruvate carboxylase activity [535 nmol min
−1
(mg of protein)
−1
], and elevated citrate synthase (CS) activity [292 nmol min
−1
(mg of protein)
−1
] and simultaneously secreted glutamate (20 to 30 g per liter) and
l
-lysine. The flow of carbon from oxaloacetate is split between transamination to aspartate and formation of citrate. To investigate the regulation of this branch point, the
B. methanolicus
gene
citY
encoding a CSII protein with activity at 50°C was cloned from 13A52-8A66 into a CS-deficient
Escherichia coli
K2-1-4 strain. A
citY
-deficient
B. methanolicus
mutant, NCS-L-7, was also isolated from the parent strain of 13A52-8A66 by
N
-methyl-
N
′-nitro-
N
-nitrosoguanidine mutagenesis, followed by selection with monofluoroacetate disks on glutamate plates. Characterization of these strains confirmed that
citY
in strain 13A52-8A66 was not altered and that
B. methanolicus
possessed several forms of CS. Analysis of
citY
cloned from NCS-L-7 showed that the reduced CS activity resulted from a frameshift mutation. The level of glutamate secreted by NCS-L-7 was reduced sevenfold and the ratio of
l
-lysine to glutamate secreted was increased 4.5-fold compared to the wild type in fed-batch cultures with glutamate feeding. This indicates that glutamate secretion in
l
-lysine-overproducing mutants can be altered in favor of increased
l
-lysine secretion by regulating in vivo CS activity.
Thermal Inactivation of Nonproteolytic
Clostridium botulinum
Type E Spores in Model Fish Media and in Vacuum-Packaged Hot-Smoked Fish Products
Authors: Lindström Miia , Nevas Mari , Hielm Sebastian , Lähteenmäki Liisa , Peck Michael W. , Korkeala Hannu
Published: July 2003

Thermal inactivation of nonproteolytic
Clostridium botulinum
type E spores was investigated in rainbow trout and whitefish media at 75 to 93°C. Lysozyme was applied in the recovery of spores, yielding biphasic thermal destruction curves. Approximately 0.1% of the spores were permeable to lysozyme, showing an increased measured heat resistance. Decimal reduction times for the heat-resistant spore fraction in rainbow trout medium were 255, 98, and 4.2 min at 75, 85, and 93°C, respectively, and those in whitefish medium were 55 and 7.1 min at 81 and 90°C, respectively. The
z
values were 10.4°C in trout medium and 10.1°C in whitefish medium. Commercial hot-smoking processes employed in five Finnish fish-smoking companies provided reduction in the numbers of spores of nonproteolytic
C. botulinum
of less than 10
3
. An inoculated-pack study revealed that a time-temperature combination of 42 min at 85°C (fish surface temperature) with >70% relative humidity (RH) prevented growth from 10
6
spores in vacuum-packaged hot-smoked rainbow trout fillets and whole whitefish stored for 5 weeks at 8°C. In Finland it is recommended that hot-smoked fish be stored at or below 3°C, further extending product safety. However, heating whitefish for 44 min at 85°C with 10% RH resulted in growth and toxicity in 5 weeks at 8°C. Moist heat thus enhanced spore thermal inactivation and is essential to an effective process. The sensory qualities of safely processed and more lightly processed whitefish were similar, while differences between the sensory qualities of safely processed and lightly processes rainbow trout were observed.
Development of Reverse Transcription (RT)-PCR and Real-Time RT-PCR Assays for Rapid Detection and Quantification of Viable Yeasts and Molds Contaminating Yogurts and Pasteurized Food Products
Authors: Bleve Gianluca , Rizzotti Lucia , Dellaglio Franco , Torriani Sandra
Published: July 2003

Reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR) and real-time RT-PCR assays have been used to detect and quantify actin mRNA from yeasts and molds. Universal primers were designed based on the available fungal actin sequences, and by RT-PCR they amplified a specific 353-bp fragment from fungal species involved in food spoilage. From experiments on heat-treated cells, actin mRNA was a good indicator of cell viability: viable cells and cells in a nonculturable state were detected, while no signal was observed from dead cells. The optimized RT-PCR assay was able to detect 10 CFU of fungi ml
−1
in pure culture and 10
3
and 10
2
CFU ml
−1
in artificially contaminated yogurts and pasteurized fruit-derived products, respectively. Real-time RT-PCR, performed on a range of spoiled commercial food products, validated the suitability of actin mRNA detection for the quantification of naturally contaminating fungi. The specificity and sensitivity of the procedure, combined with its speed, its reliability, and the potential automation of the technique, offer several advantages to routine analysis programs that assess the presence and viability of fungi in food commodities.
Production of a Polyunsaturated Isoprenoid Wax Ester during Aerobic Metabolism of Squalene by
Marinobacter squalenivorans
sp. nov
Authors: Rontani Jean-François , Mouzdahir Abdelkrim , Michotey Valerie , Caumette Pierre , Bonin Patricia
Published: July 2003

This paper describes the production of 5,9,13-trimethyltetradeca-4
E
,8
E
,12-trienyl-5,9,13-trimethyltetradeca-4
E
,8
E
,12-trienoate during the aerobic degradation of squalene by a
Marinobacter
strain, 2Asq64, isolated from the marine environment. A pathway involving initial cleavage of the C
10
-C
11
or C
14
-C
15
double bonds of the squalene molecule is proposed to explain the formation of this polyunsaturated isoprenoid wax ester. The isoprenoid wax ester content reached 1.1% of the degraded squalene at the mid-exponential growth phase and then decreased during the stationary phase. The wax ester content increased by approximately threefold in N-limited cultures, in which the ammonium concentration corresponds to conditions often found in marine sediments. This suggests that the bacterial formation of isoprenoid wax esters might be favored in such environments. The bacterial strain is then characterized as a member of a new species, for which we propose the name
Marinobacter squalenivorans
sp. nov.
Vibrio cholerae
Hemagglutinin/Protease Degrades Chironomid Egg Masses
Authors: Halpern Malka , Gancz Hanan , Broza Meir , Kashi Yechezkel
Published: July 2003

Cholera is a severe diarrheal disease caused by specific serogroups of
Vibrio cholerae
that are pathogenic to humans. The disease does not persist in a chronic state in humans or animals. The pathogen is naturally present as a free-living organism in the environment. Recently, it was suggested that egg masses of the nonbiting midge
Chironomus
sp. (Diptera) harbor and serve as a nutritive source for
V. cholerae
, thereby providing a natural reservoir for the organism. Here we report that
V. cholerae
O9, O1, and O139 supernatants lysed the gelatinous matrix of the chironomid egg mass and inhibited eggs from hatching. The extracellular factor responsible for the degradation of chironomid egg masses (egg mass degrading factor) was purified from
V. cholerae
O9 and O139 and was identified as the major secreted hemagglutinin/protease (HA/P) of
V. cholerae.
The substrate in the egg mass was characterized as a glycoprotein. These findings show that HA/P plays an important role in the interaction of
V. cholerae
and chironomid egg masses.
Microplate Bioassay for Nisin in Foods, Based on Nisin-Induced Green Fluorescent Protein Fluorescence
Authors: Reunanen J. , Saris P. E. J.
Published: July 2003

A plasmid coding for the nisin two-component regulatory proteins, NisK and NisR, was constructed; in this plasmid agfpgene (encoding the green fluorescent protein) was placed under control of the nisin-induciblenisFpromoter. The plasmid was transformed into non-nisin-producingLactococcus lactisstrain MG1614. The new strain could sense extracellular nisin and transduce it to green fluorescent protein fluorescence. The amount of fluorescence was dependent on the nisin concentration, and it could be measured easily. By using this strain, an assay for quantification of nisin was developed. With this method it was possible to measure as little as 2.5 ng of pure nisin per ml in culture supernatant, 45 ng of nisin per ml in milk, 0.9 μg of nisin in cheese, and 1 μg of nisin per ml in salad dressings.
Identification of Two-Component Regulatory Systems in
Bifidobacterium infantis
by Functional Complementation and Degenerate PCR Approaches
Authors: MacConaill Laura E. , Butler Derek , O'Connell-Motherway Mary , Fitzgerald Gerald F. , van Sinderen Douwe
Published: July 2003

Two-component signal transduction systems (2CSs) are widely used by bacteria to sense and adapt to changing environmental conditions. With two separate approaches, three different 2CSs were identified on the chromosome of the probiotic bacterium
Bifidobacterium infantis
UCC 35624. One locus was identified by means of functional complementation of an
Escherichia coli
mutant. Another two were identified by PCR with degenerate primers corresponding to conserved regions of one protein component of the 2CS. The complete coding regions for each gene cluster were obtained, which showed that each 2CS-encoding locus specified a histidine protein kinase and an assumed cognate response regulator. Transcriptional analysis of the 2CSs by Northern blotting and primer extension identified a number of putative promoter sequences for this organism while revealing that the expression of each 2CS was growth phase dependent. Analysis of the genetic elements involved revealed significant homology with several distinct regulatory families from other high-G+C-content bacteria. The conservation of the genetic organization of these three 2CSs in other bacteria, including a number of recently published
Bifidobacterium
genomes, was investigated.
Design and Application of a New Cryptic-Plasmid-Based Shuttle Vector for
Magnetospirillum magneticum
Authors: Okamura Yoshiko , Takeyama Haruko , Sekine Takumi , Sakaguchi Toshifumi , Wahyudi Aris Tri , Sato Rika , Kamiya Shinji , Matsunaga Tadashi
Published: July 2003

A 3.7-kb cryptic plasmid designated pMGT was found in
Magnetospirillum magneticum
MGT-1. It was characterized and used for the development of an improved expression system in strain AMB-1 through the construction of a shuttle vector, pUMG. An electroporation method for magnetic bacteria that uses the cryptic plasmid was also developed.
Environmental Isolates of
Aeromonas
spp. Harboring the
cagA
-Like Gene of
Helicobacter pylori
Authors: Datta Simanti , Khan Asis , Nandy Ranjan K. , Rehman Motiur , Sinha Sutapa , Chattopadhyay Santanu , Das Suresh C. , Nair G. Balakrish
Published: July 2003

We investigated the presence of
cagA-
like gene of
Helicobacter pylori
in environmental isolates of
Aeromonas
spp. from different water samples of Calcutta, India, by colony hybridization using a
cagA
-specific DNA probe and by PCR with
cagA
-specific primers. Nucleotide sequencing of five PCR products revealed 97 to 98% homology to canonical
cagA
of
H. pylori
26695 as well as to four clinical
H. pylori
strains from Calcutta. The
cagA
-like gene of the environmental isolates was unstable in laboratory conditions and tended to be lost upon subculturing.
Infection of
Acanthamoeba castellanii
with
Mycobacterium bovis
and
M. bovis
BCG and Survival of
M. bovis
within the Amoebae
Authors: Taylor Stephanie J. , Ahonen Leena J. , de Leij Frans A. A. M. , Dale Jeremy W.
Published: July 2003

Survival of
Mycobacterium bovis
after ingestion by protozoa would provide an environmental reservoir for infection of cattle. We have shown that
M. bovis
survived ingestion by
Acanthamoeba castellanii
. In contrast, two strains of
M. bovis
BCG did not survive well within
Acanthamoeba.
W∞ ALGEBRAS FROM NONCOMMUTATIVE CHERN–SIMONS THEORY
Authors: PINZUL A. , STERN A.
Published: June 2003

We examine Chern–Simons theory written on a noncommutative plane with a "hole", and show that the algebra of observables is a nonlinear deformation of the w∞ algebra. The deformation depends on the level (the coefficient in the Chern–Simons action), and the noncommutativity parameter, which were identified, respectively, with the inverse filling fraction (minus one) and the inverse density in a recent description of the fractional quantum Hall effect. We remark on the quantization of our algebra. The results are sensitive to the choice of ordering in the Gauss law.
AN ALGORITHM FOR THE MICROSCOPIC EVALUATION OF THE COEFFICIENTS OF THE SEIBERG–WITTEN PREPOTENTIAL
Authors: FLUME R. , POGHOSSIAN R.
Published: June 2003

A procedure, allowing us to calculate the coefficients of the SW prepotential in the framework of the instanton calculus is presented. As a demonstration explicit calculations for 2, 3 and 4-instanton contributions are carried out.
HADRONIC STRING, CONFORMAL INVARIANCE AND CHIRAL SYMMETRY
Authors: ALFARO J. , BALART L. , ANDRIANOV A. A. , ESPRIU D.
Published: June 2003

While it is clear that in some kinematic regime QCD can be described by an effective (as opposed to fundamental) string theory, it is not at all clear how this string theory should be. The "natural" candidate, the bosonic string, leads to amplitudes with the usual problems related to the existence of the tachyon, the absence of the adequate Adler zero, and massless vector particles, not to mention the conformal anomaly. The supersymmetric version does not really solve most of these problems. For a long time it has been believed that the solution of at least some of these difficulties is associated to a proper identification of the vacuum, but this program has remained elusive. We show in this work how the first three problems can be avoided, by using a sigma model approach where excitations above the correct (chirally noninvariant) QCD vacuum are identified. At the leading order in a derivative expansion we recover the nonlinear sigma model of pion interactions. At the next-to-leading order the O(p4) Lagrangian of Gasser and Leutwyler is obtained, with values for the coefficients that match the observed values. We also discuss some issues related to the conformal anomaly.
AN INSTRUMENT TO MEASURE VELOCITY PROFILE BY MEANS OF ULTRASOUND TECHNIQUES
Authors: COLDANI G. , GHIDETTI P. , LOMBARDI R. , CORAZZA I. , ZANNOLI R.
Published: June 2003

Using our knowledge on ultrasound-based techniques, we designed and developed the Flow Rate Profiler (FRP). This is an instrument capable of measuring the local velocities of fluids that feature bulk mechanical unhomogeneities; this property is necessary to obtain scattered acoustic signals.

The FRP emits a focused ultrasound beam into the medium as a sequence of short pulses in order to estimate the velocity profile.

Correlation techniques are used: they allow the required real time evaluations to be carried out without sophisticated and expensive electronic processing networks. In fact, the correlation function of stochastic processes can be obtained by analyzing only the signs of the considered samples. A real time 1-bit correlator board and the acquisition software process the echoes to obtain correlation values. After that, an off-line post-elaboration step is performed on the stored raw profiles to correct them.

The system was tested in laboratory by simulating a steady state known flow in a long tube and measuring the velocity profile by the device: a strong correlation (r = 0.98) between settled values and measured ones was found.

The system was then tested on normal subjects on the carotid artery. Blood flow velocity profiles, instantaneous flows, local shear rates and vessel diameters were measured.