bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Experts within kaizen teams: how to get the most from their knowledge
Authors: Sandoval‐Arzaga Fernando , Suárez‐Barraza Manuel F.
Published: June 2010

Purpose

One of the main problems for managers is forming work groups where experts' knowledge is truly utilized in order to successfully solve the task assigned. The question that arises is: “How can expert knowledge be best utilized for different types of teams?” The purpose of this article is to explore and describe how experts' knowledge is deployed in a specific context, as with Kaizen teams.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used a qualitatively based interpretive methodology, applying the case study as a research strategy through a dual design, which combines longitudinal and retrospective studies.

Findings

As a result of the conclusions from the field study, a set of practical recommendations is presented here that can be useful for general and middle management involved in improvement and innovation efforts.

Research limitations/implications

This study is supported in the context of three case studies. Therefore does not seek the empirical generalization but analytical generalization.

Practical implications

As a result of the conclusions from the field study, a set of practical recommendations is presented here that can be useful for general and middle management involved in improvement and innovation efforts.

Social implications

Sharing knowledge and promoting organizational learning goes beyond individual benefits and the organization to have an impact on society as it promotes dialogue, collaboration and respect as a way to solve problems and propose solutions.

Originality/value

Amplifying knowledge deployment between the expert and the apprentice in a Kaizen context is one of the unexplored topics in literature on continuous innovation and knowledge management.
Supporting participation in organizational information exchange: psychological recommendations
Authors: Kimmerle Joachim
Published: June 2010

Purpose

The aim of this article is to show how members of an organization can be encouraged to participate actively in information exchange and in the creation of an organizational knowledge base.

Design/methodology/approach

This article addresses this issue by providing recommendations from motivational and social psychology.

Findings

The article provides recommendations concerning people's need for self‐determination, for social relations, regarding their reputation, and their need for favorable self‐presentation.

Originality/value

The recommendations from motivational and social psychology are supposed help organizations to support participation in organizational information exchange.
The control system in the Italian banking sector: recent changes in the application of Legislative Decree No. 231 of June 8, 2001
Authors: Opromolla Gabriella , Maccarini Michela
Published: June 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the application of the rules governing the control system in the banking sector, particularly with respect to the impact of Legislative Decree No. 231 of June 8, 2001.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper describes the contents of Legislative Decree 231/2001 and regulations issued by Italian financial regulators; it describes the solutions offered by ABI (the Italian Banking Association) guidelines in order to organize the internal control system of banks; it also outlines recent developments in case law as to the organizational models adopted by companies and describes the outcome of empirical surveys carried out on the matter.

Findings

Italian banking companies adequately comply with legislative requirements set forth on prevention of corporate crimes and companies liability; for the first time a recent decision assessed the adequacy of the organization model adopted by a listed company.

Practical implications

The paper provides certain empirical data to help the reader understand the impact of the above said Legislative Decree on the internal control system and adoption of the organizational models by Italian companies, including banks.

Originality/value

This paper provides suggestions with reference to the implementation by banks and banking groups of organizational models and their contents.
Supreme Court upholds Gartenberg standard in Jones v. Harris
Authors: Avery Cameron S. , Dykstra Paul H. , Phillips Richard M. , Pike Paulita A. , Rotunno W. , Williamson Gwendolyn A.
Published: June 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the US Supreme Court's March 30, 2010 decision in Jones v. Harris Associates, LP concerning the evaluation of investment advisory fees under Section 36(b) of the Investment Company Act of 1940.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper lays out the background of Section 36(b), the Second Circuit's 1982 decision in Gartenberg v. Merrill Lynch, and the plaintiff's allegation in the Jones case; discusses differences of opinion among the circuit courts on the fiduciary duty standard in Section 36(b); and explains the Supreme Court's reaffirmation of the Gartenberg standard, including a review of Section 36(b) on advisers' fiduciary duty, the role of comparative fees in the Section 36(b) calculus, the role of independent directors, and the dangers associated with judicial review of a board's decision regarding advisory fees.

Findings

The Court concluded its opinion by once more endorsing the principles articulated in Gartenberg.

Originality/value

The paper provides practical guidance from experienced securities lawyers.
SEC provides details on amendments to money market fund rules
Authors: Hunt John
Published: June 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide a detailed discussion of the SEC's recent amendments to Rule 2a‐7 and other rules under the Investment Company Act of 1940 that affect money market funds, as approved by the Commission on January 27, 2010.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper reviews the principal changes to the 1940 Act's money market fund rules; discusses the new obligations the Amendments impose on money market fund boards of directors as well as the new policies the Amendments require funds to adopt; reviews the various compliance dates for the Amendments.

Findings

The Amendments reflect three categories of changes to the rules governing money market funds: changes to Rule 2a‐7’s risk limiting conditions governing a fund portfolio's maturity, credit quality, diversification and liquidity; changes relating to operational aspects of money market funds; and new disclosure requirements.

Originality/value

The paper provides practical guidance by an experienced securities lawyer.
SEC proposes changes to stock buyback safe harbor
Authors: Cerveny Laurie A. , Wittlin Floyd I. , O'Brien Michael P. , Trocchio Michael R.
Published: June 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explain the Securities and Exchange Commission's recently proposed amendments to Rule 10b‐18 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are intended to modernize Rule 10b‐18 to reflect changes in the market since the Rule's adoption.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper provides an overview of Rule 10b‐18, which provides an issuer that is buying its own stock a safe harbor from liability for market manipulation if the issuer satisfies the purchase, timing, price and volume conditions defined in Rule 10b‐18. It outlines the proposed amendments to the timing condition, price condition, limitation on disqualification, and the time in which the safe harbor is available in connection with an acquisition by a special purpose acquisition company.

Findings

The proposed amendments are intended to modernize Rule 10b‐18 to reflect changes in the market since the Rule's adoption.

Practical implications

The proposed amendments to the price condition and the disqualification provisions will likely be welcome by issuers and brokers who have been challenged by the evolution of market practices and technology, but the amendments to the timing condition and the restrictions on SPACs could result in fewer opportunities for issuers to purchase their own shares under the safe harbor.

Originality/value

The paper provides practical guidance from experienced securities lawyers.
FINRA issues proposed rules on securities lending, permissible use of customer securities and callable securities
Authors: Forbes Jessica , Gnall Gregory P.
Published: June 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explain three new rules FINRA has proposed as part of the process of developing a consolidated rulebook: Rules 4314 (Securities Loans and Borrowings), Rule 4330 (Customer Protection – Permissible Use of Customer Securities), and Rule 4340 (Callable Securities).

Design/methodology/approach

The paper explains Rule 4314, which sets forth the requirements for a member firm that is a party to an agreement for the loan or borrowing of securities; Rule 4330, which governs the borrowing or lending of a customer's margin securities that are eligible to be pledged or loaned; and Rule 4340, which establishes the obligations of a member as to callable securities in its possession or control.

Findings

Broker‐dealers engaging in securities lending activities will need to review their agreements, disclosures and recordkeeping procedures in order to comply with the proposed rules upon their adoption, particularly those who may engage in such activities involving fully paid and excess margin securities. As to the proposed new rule on callable securities in their possession and control, broker‐dealers will need to review their recordkeeping procedures and consider whether they want to adopt more flexible procedures on allocations involving partially redeemed or called securities.

Originality/value

The paper provides practical guidance from experienced securities lawyers.
FINRA implements same‐day clearance process of shelf registration statements
Authors: Bressman Stuart , Ghorra Theodore J.
Published: June 2010

Purpose

The purpse of this paper is to explain the new “Same‐Day Clearance Option” FINRA has made available to issuers and members effective March 1, 2010.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper explains the background of pre‐offering review of registered securities offerings for compliance with FINRA's regulations and the increased volume of shelf takedown offering submissions that led FINRA to offer the Same‐Day Clearance Option; outlines the three same‐day clearance methods, base filing only, takedown filing, and concurrent based and takedown filing; and discusses the effect the Same‐Day Clearance Option will have on issuers and members.

Findings

Since September 2008, the financial markets have been extremely volatile, causing many issuers' market capitalizations to fall and the number of shelf takedown offering submissions to increase accordingly, placing a greater burden on FINRA and causing a delay in the review and approval process for a number of such offerings.

Practical implications

With this change, issuers will be better able to take advantage of market conditions when they prove amenable to offerings, and members will be better positioned to market and consummate an offering without the time constraints presented by the traditional FINRA approval process.

Originality/value

The paper provides practical guidance from experienced securities lawyers.
Summary of selected FINRA regulatory notices January‐March 2010
Authors: Davis Henry A.
Published: June 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this summary is to provide excerpts of selected Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Regulatory Notices and Disciplinary Actions issued in January, February, and March 2010.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper provides excerpts from FINRA Regulatory Notice 10‐05, Deferred Variable Annuities; Regulatory Notice Regulatory Notice 10‐09, Reverse Convertibles, and Regulatory Notice 10‐14, Trade Reporting and Compliance Engine (TRACE).

Findings

(10‐05) FINRA Rule 2330 (formerly NASD Rule 2821) establishes sales practice standards regarding recommended purchases and exchanges of deferred variable annuities. No member shall recommend to any customer the purchase or exchange of a deferred variable annuity unless such member or person associated with a member has a reasonable basis to believe that the transaction is suitable in accordance with NASD Rule 2310 and, in particular, that there is a reasonable basis to believe that the customer has been informed, in general terms, of various features of deferred variable annuities. NASD Rule 2310 requires that, before recommending the purchase or sale of a security, firms must have a reasonable basis for determining that the product is both suitable for at least some investors, and suitable for each specific customer to whom it is recommended. (10‐09) Reverse exchangeable securities, commonly called “reverse convertibles,” are popular structured products with retail investors, due in large part to the high yields they offer. However, reverse convertibles are complex investments that often involve terms, features and risks that can be difficult for retail investors and registered representatives to evaluate. (10‐14) FINRA believes that it is important to provide access to historical transaction‐level data through the Trade Reporting and Compliance Engine (TRACE), particularly for research purposes.

Originality/value

These are direct excerpts designed to provide a useful digest for the reader and an indication of regulatory trends. The FINRA staff is aware of this summary but has neither reviewed nor edited it. For further detail as well as other useful information, the reader should visit www.finra.org
Graph indexing and querying: a review
Authors: Sakr Sherif , Al‐Naymat Ghazi
Published: June 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide a detailed discussion for different types of graph queries and a different mechanism for indexing and querying graph databases.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper reviews the existing approaches and techniques for indexing and querying graph databases. For each approach, the strengths and weaknesses are discussed with particular emphasis on the target application domain. Based on an analysis of the state‐of‐the‐art of research literature, the paper provides insights for future research directions and untouched challenging research aspects.

Findings

Several graph indexing and querying techniques have been proposed in the literature. However, there is still a clear room for improvement and further research issues in that domain.

Research limitations/implications

The paper identifies the advantages and disadvantages of the different graph indexing mechanisms and their suitability for different practical applications. The paper provides some guidelines and recommendations which are useful for future research in the area of graph databases.

Practical implications

The paper has practical implications for social networks, protein networks, chemical compounds, multimedia database, and semantic web.

Originality/value

The paper contributes to the implementation of an efficient indexing and querying mechanism for graph databases in different application domains.
Health, education, and economic growth in East Asia
Authors: Li Hongyi , Liang Huang
Published: June 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine empirically the sources of economic growth based on an augmented Mankiw, Romer, and Weil's model which considers human capital in the forms of both health and education for a group of East Asian economies including China.

Design/methodology/approach

Empirical results are based on the analysis of a panel dataset from 1961 to 2007. Sub‐sample estimation for the post‐1997 Asian Financial Crisis period is also considered for comparison purposes.

Findings

The impact of the stock of health and education on economic growth is statistically significant for both the whole sample and sub‐sample period. However, the impact of investment in education on economic growth is a little “fragile”. The statistical results show that the statistical impact of health on economic growth is stronger than that of education. It seems that it is more plausible for the policymakers in East Asia to invest more in health than educational human capital.

Originality/value

This paper is one of the first empirical studies to analyze the effect of human capital in the form of both health and education on economic growth in East Asia.
The distributional impact of income tax in Canada and China: 1997‐2005
Authors: Lin Horn‐Chern , Zeng Tao
Published: June 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the distributional impact of personal income tax in Canada and China over the most recent decade.

Design/methodology/approach

The Urban Household Survey in China and the Canadian Socio‐Economic Information Management System data are employed.

Findings

It was found that, in both Canada and China, the personal income taxes are progressive, that is, tax payments and average tax rates are increasing in the income share of high‐income taxpayers.

Research limitations/implications

This paper does not explore the connection between tax progressivity differences and social, political, and cultural differences in the two countries.

Practical implications

This paper is of interest to policy makers, economists, and academics, who seek to design an income tax system which can mitigate income inequity efficiently. Given that income taxes have changed in China in recent years, future studies should be conducted to compare the distributional impacts of the new tax system against those of the old tax system.

Originality/value

This is the first study of distributional impact of income tax in China. This is also the first study to compare tax distribution between China and a developed country.
Gender, context and entrepreneurial learning
Authors: Ettl Kerstin , Welter Friederike
Published: June 2010

Purpose

The purpose of the paper is to offer an insight into gender, context and entrepreneurial learning of women entrepreneurs in Germany.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper explores entrepreneurial learning of women entrepreneurs both conceptually and empirically. Section 1 introduces a conceptual framework, which allows analysing entrepreneurial learning both from an individual gender‐specific and from a context‐based perspective. Empirically, the paper explores how women entrepreneurs acquire the (business‐related) knowledge to start and grow an enterprise and the impact of regional, sector, family and social as well as macro environments in this regard. Findings are based on 31 in‐depths interviews with women entrepreneurs and 23 interviews with key experts.

Findings

It is found that the meso environment is more of an indirect influence; the macro and micro environments are strong influences on lives and decisions of women entrepreneurs, especially on their opportunity recognition. The business environment has both a direct and indirect influence.

Practical implications

The results demonstrate an ongoing need for a contemporary image of women's entrepreneurship in Germany. The major challenge for policy‐makers and support organizations therefore lies in propagating diverse entrepreneurial images and in incorporating the diversity of women's entrepreneurship and their specific learning approaches into policies and support offers.

Originality/value

The paper contributes a different and so far neglected perspective on entrepreneurial learning and opportunity recognition, drawing attention to the contextual influences and the embedding of cognitive processes.
Gender in campus incubation: evidence from Ireland
Authors: Treanor Lorna , Henry Colette
Published: June 2010

Purpose

Women entrepreneurs face gender‐specific barriers surrounding access to: networks of information, assistance, finance and investment funds, in addition to socio‐cultural barriers. Business incubation literature indicates the supports provided to tenant incubator companies (including: assistance from incubation managers, access to academic institutions and facilities and access to contact networks), generally increase survival rates and can accelerate growth in turnover, employment levels and export sales. Business incubators could, therefore, offer an ideal environment for women entrepreneurs to overcome many gender‐related barriers. The Irish Government has invested, via “Enterprise Ireland”, over €46 million in campus‐incubators but the gender composition of incubation tenants accessing this state funding has not been explored.

Design/methodology/approach

A study of all “Enterprise Ireland” funded campus‐incubators in Ireland was undertaken between November 2006 and March 2007. A survey of 100 per cent of centre managers explored their background, demands on time, the contact networks and relationships with the academic host in each centre and services provided. For cross‐referencing purposes, some tenants and prospective tenants were also surveyed in relation to tenant expectations and service delivery; the culture of incubation centres; incubation centres' policies are: tenant recruitment and selection.

Findings

This paper highlights the under‐representation of women‐owned businesses in Ireland's campus incubation centres.

Research limitations/implications

These findings highlight key areas requiring attention from researchers, policy makers and incubation managers to facilitate best practice.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to current knowledge as there has, to date, been no comprehensive study or evaluation of gender equality, or suitability of services provided, in campus‐incubators.
Behind the veil: women‐only entrepreneurship training in Pakistan
Authors: Azam Roomi Muhammad , Harrison Pegram
Published: June 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to understand the gender‐related challenges of Pakistani women entrepreneurs, to explore these women's particular capacity‐building needs, and to assess the impact of capacity‐building programs on the establishment and performance of the women's enterprises.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper begins with a review of various theoretical contexts through which to understand women's entrepreneurship in an Islamic socio‐cultural context. From this, the paper derived two working propositions: women in Islamic Pakistan face particular barriers to becoming entrepreneurs; these barriers can be reduced by women‐only training in entrepreneurial competences. These propositions are examined in a three‐part longitudinal process: a field survey to gather information about the training needs of current and potential women entrepreneurs, the design and delivery of a women‐only training module, a follow‐up survey with participants, 18 months later. Subjects and participants were randomly selected, and segmented according to entrepreneurial factors and characteristics.

Findings

Results confirm that the barriers perceived by women entrepreneurs in Islamic Pakistan can be alleviated through women‐only training that allows participants to develop capital and competences. Greater clarity about learning outcomes desired and achieved by women entrepreneurs in an Islamic socio‐cultural context can be a basis for designing improved training and education programmes, with a view to women's economic empowerment.

Practical implications

For women entrepreneurs living in an Islamic society, this analysis has implications for understanding the importance and effectiveness of entrepreneurial training especially in a women‐only setting. For policy makers, it turns the spotlight on the need for creating an environment conducive to female entrepreneurship consistent with socio‐cultural structures and gender asymmetries.

Originality/value

There are no comparable previous data on the learning preferences and outcomes of this particular demographic group.
Tackling Two Diseases with HDL
Authors: Hansson Göran K. , Björkholm Magnus
Published: June 2010

A lipoprotein that transports cholesterol to the liver also controls the proliferation of myeloid stem cells.
Could East Antarctica Be Headed for Big Melt?
Authors: Fox Douglas
Published: June 2010

New research suggests that the world's largest ice sheet may be more vulnerable than once thought to rising CO
2
levels and temperatures.
Pyrosequencing Analysis of Bacterial Biofilm Communities in Water Meters of a Drinking Water Distribution System
Authors: Hong Pei-Ying , Hwang Chiachi , Ling Fangqiong , Andersen Gary L. , LeChevallier Mark W. , Liu Wen-Tso
Published: June 2010

The applicability of 454 pyrosequencing to characterize bacterial biofilm communities from two water meters of a drinking water distribution system was assessed. Differences in bacterial diversity and composition were observed. A better understanding of the bacterial ecology of drinking water biofilms will allow for effective management of water quality in distribution systems.
Integrated Microbial Survey Analysis of Prokaryotic Communities for the PhyloChip Microarray
Authors: Schatz Michael C. , Phillippy Adam M. , Gajer Pawel , DeSantis Todd Z. , Andersen Gary L. , Ravel Jacques
Published: June 2010

PhyloTrac is an integrated desktop application for analysis of PhyloChip microarray data. PhyloTrac combined with PhyloChip provides turnkey and comprehensive identification and analysis of bacterial and archaeal communities in complex environmental samples. PhyloTrac is free for noncommercial organizations and is available for all major operating systems at
http://www.phylotrac.org/
.
Origin of the Putrescine-Producing Ability of the Coagulase-Negative BacteriumStaphylococcus epidermidis2015B
Authors: Coton Emmanuel , Mulder Niels , Coton Monika , Pochet Sylvie , Trip Hein , Lolkema Juke S.
Published: June 2010

A multiplex PCR method, aimed at the detection of genes associated with biogenic amine production, identified theodcgene encoding ornithine decarboxylase in 1 of 15 strains ofStaphylococcus epidermidis. The ability of the positive strain,S. epidermidis2015B, to produce putrescinein vitrowas demonstrated by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). In this strain, theodcgene was detected on plasmid DNA, suggesting that the ability to form putrescine is carried by a mobile element, which explains the fact that the trait is strain dependent within theS. epidermidisspecies. A 6,292-bp nucleotide sequence harboring the putativeodcgene was determined.S. epidermidisornithine decarboxylase (ODC) showed 60 to 65% sequence identity with known ODCs of Gram-positive as well as Gram-negative bacteria. Downstream of theodcgene, a gene encoding a putative amino acid transporter was found that shared 59% sequence identity with the ornithine/putrescine exchanger (PotE) ofEscherichia coli. Cloning and expression of thepotEgene ofS. epidermis2015B inLactococcus lactisdemonstrated that the gene product transported ornithine and putrescine into the cells and efficiently exchanged putrescine for ornithine. Analysis of the flanking regions showed high identity levels with differentS. epidermidisplasmid sequences, which would confirm the plasmidic location of theodcoperon. It follows that theodcandpotEgene pair encodes a putrescine-producing pathway inS. epidermis2015B that was acquired through horizontal gene transfer.
Synthesis of Trypsin-Resistant Variants of the
Listeria
-Active Bacteriocin Salivaricin P
Authors: O'Shea Eileen F. , O'Connor Paula M. , Cotter Paul D. , Ross R. Paul , Hill Colin
Published: June 2010

Two-component salivaricin P-like bacteriocins have demonstrated potential as antimicrobials capable of controlling infections in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). The anti-
Listeria
activity of salivaricin P is optimal when the individual peptides Sln1 and Sln2 are added in succession at a 1:1 ratio. However, as degradation by digestive proteases may compromise the functionality of these peptides within the GIT, we investigated the potential to create salivaricin variants with enhanced resistance to the intestinal protease trypsin. A total of 11 variants of the salivaricin P components, in which conservative modifications at the trypsin-specific cleavage sites were explored in order to protect the peptides from trypsin degradation while maintaining their potent antimicrobial activity, were generated. Analysis of these variants revealed that eight were resistant to trypsin digestion while retaining antimicrobial activity. Combining the complementary trypsin-resistant variants Sln1-5 and Sln2-3 resulted in a MIC
50
of 300 nM against
Listeria monocytogenes
, a 3.75-fold reduction in activity compared to the level for wild-type salivaricin P. This study demonstrates the potential of engineering bacteriocin variants which are resistant to specific protease action but which retain significant antimicrobial activity.
Development and Validation of a Continuous
In Vitro
System Reproducing Some Biotic and Abiotic Factors of the Veal Calf Intestine
Authors: Gérard-Champod Marie , Blanquet-Diot Stéphanie , Cardot Jean-Michel , Bravo David , Alric Monique
Published: June 2010

Following the January 2006 European ban of antibiotics used as growth promoters in the veal calf industry, new feed additives are needed in order to maintain animal health and growth performance. As an alternative to
in vivo
experiments in the testing of such additives, an
in vitro
system modeling the intestinal ecosystem of the veal calf was developed. Stabilization of the main cultured microbial groups and their metabolic activity were tracked in an
in vitro
continuous fermentor operated under anaerobiosis, at pH 6.5, and at a temperature of 38.5°C and supplied with one of three different nutritive media (M1, M2, or M3). These media mainly differed in their concentrations of simple and complex carbohydrates and in their lipid sources.
In vitro
microbial levels and fermentative metabolite concentrations were compared to
in vivo
data, and the biochemical composition of the nutritive media was compared to that of the veal calf intestinal content. All three nutritive media were able to stabilize anaerobic and facultative anaerobic microflora, lactate-utilizing bacteria, bifidobacteria, lactobacilli, enterococci, and
Bacteroides fragilis
group bacteria at levels close to
in vivo
values. The microbiota was metabolically active, with high concentrations of lactate, ammonia, and short-chain fatty acids found in the fermentative medium. Comparison with
in vivo
data indicated that M3 outperformed M1 and M2 in simulating the conditions encountered in the veal calf intestine. This
in vitro
system would be useful in the prescreening of new feed additives by studying their effect on the intestinal microbiota levels and fermentative metabolite production.
Persistence of Avian Influenza Virus (H5N1) in Feathers Detached from Bodies of Infected Domestic Ducks
Authors: Yamamoto Yu , Nakamura Kikuyasu , Yamada Manabu , Mase Masaji
Published: June 2010

Asian lineage highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (H5N1) continues to cause mortality in poultry and wild bird populations at a panzootic scale. However, little is known about its persistence in contaminated tissues derived from infected birds. We investigated avian influenza virus (H5N1) persistence in feathers detached from bodies of infected ducks to evaluate their potential risk for environmental contamination. Four-week-old domestic ducks were inoculated with different clades of avian influenza virus (H5N1). Feathers, drinking water, and feces were collected on day 3 postinoculation and stored at 4°C or 20°C. Viral persistence in samples was investigated for 360 days by virus isolation and reverse transcription-PCR. Infectious viruses persisted for the longest period in feathers, compared with drinking water and feces, at both 4°C and 20°C. Viral infectivity persisted in the feathers for 160 days at 4°C and for 15 days at 20°C. Viral titers of 10
4.3
50% egg infectious doses/ml or greater were detected for 120 days in feathers stored at 4°C. Viral RNA in feathers was more stable than the infectivity. These results indicate that feathers detached from domestic ducks infected with highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (H5N1) can be a source of environmental contamination and may function as fomites with high viral loads in the environment.
Community Dynamics of Bacteria in Sourdough Fermentations as Revealed by Their Metatranscriptome
Authors: Weckx Stefan , Van der Meulen Roel , Allemeersch Joke , Huys Geert , Vandamme Peter , Van Hummelen Paul , De Vuyst Luc
Published: June 2010

The lactic acid bacterial (LAB) community dynamics of two wheat and two spelt sourdough fermentations that were daily back-slopped were monitored during a period of 10 days by hybridizing time-related RNA samples, representing the metatranscriptome, to an LAB functional gene microarray. To indicate the species present in each hybridized sample, annotation information for the 2,269 oligonucleotides on the microarray was used. The overall hybridization data revealed that after a transition phase of 5 days, in which atypical sourdough LAB species, including
Enterococcus
species, were found, a stabilized ecosystem was established with
Lactobacillus plantarum
and
Lactobacillus fermentum
as the dominating LAB species. Compared with the combined outcome of culture-dependent and culture-independent identification techniques, the microarray data revealed a functional role for
Lactococcus lactis
in the early stage ecosystem and the dominance of
Pediococcus pentosaceus
in most of the fermentations, besides
L. plantarum
and
L. fermentum
. Consequently, metatranscriptome hybridization data obtained using an LAB functional gene microarray was shown to be an interesting alternative to microbiological analysis of the community dynamics of complex food ecosystems.
Simultaneously Discrete Biomineralization of Magnetite and Tellurium Nanocrystals in Magnetotactic Bacteria
Authors: Tanaka Masayoshi , Arakaki Atsushi , Staniland Sarah S. , Matsunaga Tadashi
Published: June 2010

Magnetotactic bacteria synthesize intracellular magnetosomes comprising membrane-enveloped magnetite crystals within the cell which can be manipulated by a magnetic field. Here, we report the first example of tellurium uptake and crystallization within a magnetotactic bacterial strain,Magnetospirillum magneticumAMB-1. These bacteria independently crystallize tellurium and magnetite within the cell. This is also highly significant as tellurite (TeO32−), an oxyanion of tellurium, is harmful to both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Additionally, due to its increasing use in high-technology products, tellurium is very precious and commercially desirable. The use of microorganisms to recover such molecules from polluted water has been considered as a promising bioremediation technique. However, cell recovery is a bottleneck in the development of this approach. Recently, using the magnetic property of magnetotactic bacteria and a cell surface modification technology, the magnetic recovery of Cd2+adsorbed onto the cell surface was reported. Crystallization within the cell enables approximately 70 times more bioaccumulation of the pollutant per cell than cell surface adsorption, while utilizing successful recovery with a magnetic field. This fascinating dual crystallization of magnetite and tellurium by magnetotactic bacteria presents an ideal system for both bioremediation and magnetic recovery of tellurite.
The Genome Sequence of the Crenarchaeon
Acidilobus saccharovorans
Supports a New Order,
Acidilobales
, and Suggests an Important Ecological Role in Terrestrial Acidic Hot Springs
Authors: Mardanov Andrey V. , Svetlitchnyi Vitali A. , Beletsky Alexey V. , Prokofeva Maria I. , Bonch-Osmolovskaya Elizaveta A. , Ravin Nikolai V. , Skryabin Konstantin G.
Published: June 2010

Acidilobus saccharovorans
is an anaerobic, organotrophic, thermoacidophilic crenarchaeon isolated from a terrestrial hot spring. We report the complete genome sequence of
A. saccharovorans
, which has permitted the prediction of genes for Embden-Meyerhof and Entner-Doudoroff pathways and genes associated with the oxidative tricarboxylic acid cycle. The electron transfer chain is branched with two sites of proton translocation and is linked to the reduction of elemental sulfur and thiosulfate. The genomic data suggest an important role of the order
Acidilobales
in thermoacidophilic ecosystems whereby its members can perform a complete oxidation of organic substrates, closing the anaerobic carbon cycle.
In Vivo
Enzyme Immobilization by Inclusion Body Display
Authors: Steinmann Björn , Christmann Andreas , Heiseler Tim , Fritz Janine , Kolmar Harald
Published: June 2010

A novel strategy for
in vivo
immobilization of enzymes on the surfaces of inclusion bodies has been established. It relies on expression in
Escherichia coli
of the polyhydroxybutyrate synthase PhaC from
Cupriavidus necator
, which carries at its amino terminus an engineered negatively charged α-helical coil (Ecoil) and forms inclusion bodies upon high-level expression. Coexpression in the same cell of galactose oxidase (GOase) from
Fusarium
spp. carrying a carboxy-terminal positively charged coil (lysine-rich coil [Kcoil]) sequence results in heterodimeric coiled-coil formation
in vivo
and in the capture of the enzyme in active form on the surface of the inclusion body particle. These round-shaped enzyme-decorated microparticles, with sizes of approximately 0.7 μm, can be isolated from lysed cells simply by centrifugation. The cost-effective one-step generation and isolation of enzymes immobilized on inclusion body particles may become useful for various applications in bioprocessing and biotransformation.
Genome-Driven Investigation of Compatible Solute Biosynthesis Pathways ofPseudomonas syringaepv. syringae and Their Contribution to Water Stress Tolerance
Authors: Kurz Matthias , Burch Adrien Y. , Seip Britta , Lindow Steven E. , Gross Harald
Published: June 2010

The foliar pathogenPseudomonas syringaepv. syringae exhibits an exceptional ability to survive on asymptomatic plants as an epiphyte. Intermittent wetting events on plants lead to osmotic and matric stresses which must be tolerated for survival as an epiphyte. In this study, we have applied bioinformatic, genetic, and biochemical approaches to address water stress tolerance inP. syringaepv. syringae strain B728a, for which a complete genome sequence is available.P. syringaepv. syringae B728a is able to produce the compatible solutes betaine, ectoine,N-acetylglutaminylglutamine amide (NAGGN), and trehalose. Analysis of osmolyte profiles ofP. syringaepv. syringae B728a under a variety ofin vitroandin plantaconditions reveals that the osmolytes differentially contribute to water stress tolerance in this species and that they interact at the level of transcription to yield a hierarchy of expression. While the interruption of a putative gene cluster coding for NAGGN biosynthesis provided the first experimental evidence of the NAGGN biosynthetic pathway, application of this knockout strain and also agfpreporter gene fusion strain demonstrated the small contribution of NAGGN to cell survival and desiccation tolerance ofP. syringaepv. syringae B728a underin plantaconditions. Additionally, detailed investigation ofectC, an orphan of the ectoine cluster (lacking theectAandectBhomologs), revealed its functionality and that ectoine production could be detected in NaCl-amended cultures ofP. syringaepv. syringae B728a to which sterilized leaves ofSyringa vulgarishad been added.
Effect of the Deletion of
qmoABC
and the Promoter-Distal Gene Encoding a Hypothetical Protein on Sulfate Reduction in
Desulfovibrio vulgaris
Hildenborough
Authors: Zane Grant M. , Yen Huei-che Bill , Wall Judy D.
Published: June 2010

The pathway of electrons required for the reduction of sulfate in sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) is not yet fully characterized. In order to determine the role of a transmembrane protein complex suggested to be involved in this process, a deletion in
Desulfovibrio vulgaris
Hildenborough was created by marker exchange mutagenesis that eliminated four genes putatively encoding the QmoABC complex and a hypothetical protein (DVU0851). The Qmo (
q
uinone-interacting
m
embrane-bound
o
xidoreductase) complex is proposed to be responsible for transporting electrons to the dissimilatory adenosine-5′-phosphosulfate reductase in SRB. In support of the predicted role of this complex, the deletion mutant was unable to grow using sulfate as its sole electron acceptor with a range of electron donors. To explore a possible role for the hypothetical protein in sulfate reduction, a second mutant was constructed that had lost only the gene that codes for the DVU0851 protein. The second constructed mutant grew with sulfate as the sole electron acceptor; however, there was a lag that was not present with the wild-type or complemented strain. Neither deletion strain was significantly impaired for growth with sulfite or thiosulfate as the terminal electron acceptor. Complementation of the Δ(
qmoABC
-DVU0851) mutant with all four genes or only the
qmoABC
genes restored its ability to grow by sulfate respiration. These results confirmed the prediction that the Qmo complex is in the electron pathway for sulfate reduction and revealed that no other transmembrane complex could compensate when Qmo was lacking.
Rapid Microarray-Based Genotyping of Enterohemorrhagic
Escherichia coli
Serotype O156:H25/H−/Hnt Isolates from Cattle and Clonal Relationship Analysis
Authors: Geue Lutz , Schares Susann , Mintel Birgit , Conraths Franz J. , Müller Elke , Ehricht Ralf
Published: June 2010

Since enterohemorrhagic
Escherichia coli
(EHEC) isolates of serogroup O156 have been obtained from human diarrhea patients and asymptomatic carriers, we studied cattle as a potential reservoir for these bacteria.
E. coli
isolates serotyped by agglutination as O156:H25/H−/Hnt strains (
n
= 32) were isolated from three cattle farms during a period of 21 months and characterized by rapid microarray-based genotyping. The serotyping by agglutination of the O156 isolates was not confirmed in some cases by the results of DNA-based serotyping as only 25 of the 32 isolates were conclusively identified as O156:H25. In the multilocus sequence typing (MLST) analysis, all EHEC O156:H25 isolates were characterized as sequence type 300 (ST300) and ST688, which differ by a single-nucleotide exchange in the
purA
gene. Oligonucleotide microarrays allow simultaneous detection of a wider range of EHEC-associated and other
E. coli
virulence markers than other methods. All O156:H25 isolates showed a wide spectrum of virulence factors typical for EHEC. The
stx
1
genes combined with the EHEC
hlyA
(
hlyA
EHEC
) gene, the
eae
gene of the ζ subtype, as well as numerous other virulence markers were present in all EHEC O156:H25 strains. The behavior of eight different cluster groups, including four that were EHEC O156:H25, was monitored in space and time. Variations in the O156 cluster groups were detected. The results of the cluster analysis suggest that some O156:H25 strains had the genetic potential for a long persistence in the host and on the farm, while other strains did not. As judged by their pattern of virulence markers,
E. coli
O156:H25 isolates of bovine origin may represent a considerable risk for human infection. Our results showed that the miniaturized
E. coli
oligonucleotide arrays are an excellent tool for the rapid detection of a large number of virulence markers.
Interdomain Conjugal Transfer of DNA from Bacteria to Archaea
Authors: Dodsworth Jeremy A. , Li Lei , Wei Shiping , Hedlund Brian P. , Leigh John A. , de Figueiredo Paul
Published: June 2010

Escherichia coli
transforms the methanogenic archaeon
Methanococcus maripaludis
at frequencies ranging from 0.2 × 10
−6
to 2 × 10
−6
per recipient cell. Transformation requires cell-to-cell contact,
oriT
, and
tra
functions, is insensitive to DNase I, and otherwise displays hallmarks of conjugation.
Genomic Sequence and Characterization of the Virulent Bacteriophage φCTP1 from
Clostridium tyrobutyricum
and Heterologous Expression of Its Endolysin
Authors: Mayer Melinda J. , Payne John , Gasson Michael J. , Narbad Arjan
Published: June 2010

The growth of
Clostridium tyrobutyricum
in developing cheese leads to spoilage and cheese blowing. Bacteriophages or their specific lytic enzymes may provide a biological control method for eliminating such undesirable organisms without affecting other microflora. We isolated the virulent bacteriophage φCTP1 belonging to the
Siphoviridae
and have shown that it is effective in causing lysis of sensitive strains. The double-stranded DNA genome of φCTP1 is 59,199 bp, and sequence analysis indicated that it has 86 open reading frames.
orf29
was identified as the gene coding for the phage endolysin responsible for cell wall degradation prior to virion release. We cloned and expressed the
ctp1l
gene in
E. coli
and demonstrated that the partially purified protein induced lysis of
C. tyrobutyricum
cells and reduced viable counts both in buffer and in milk. The endolysin was inactive against a range of clostridial species but did show lysis of
Clostridium sporogenes
, another potential spoilage organism. Removal of the C-terminal portion of the endolysin completely abolished lytic activity.
Production of the Chiral Compound (
R
)-3-Hydroxybutyrate by a Genetically Engineered Methylotrophic Bacterium
Authors: Hölscher Tina , Breuer Uta , Adrian Lorenz , Harms Hauke , Maskow Thomas
Published: June 2010

In this study, a methylotrophic bacterium,
Methylobacterium rhodesianum
MB 126, was used for the production of the chiral compound (
R
)-3-hydroxybutyrate (
R
-3HB) from methanol.
R
-3HB is formed during intracellular degradation of the storage polymer (
R
)-3-polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB). Since the monomer
R
-3HB does not accumulate under natural conditions,
M. rhodesianum
was genetically modified. The gene (
hbd
) encoding the
R
-3HB-degrading enzyme,
R
-3HB dehydrogenase, was inactivated in
M. rhodesianum
. The resulting
hbd
mutant still exhibited low growth rates on
R
-3HB as the sole source of carbon and energy, indicating the presence of alternative pathways for
R
-3HB utilization. Therefore, transposon mutagenesis was carried out with the
hbd
mutant, and a double mutant unable to grow on
R
-3HB was obtained. This mutant was shown to be defective in lipoic acid synthase (LipA), resulting in an incomplete citric acid cycle. Using the
hbd lipA
mutant, we produced 3.2 to 3.5 mM
R
-3HB in batch and 27 mM (2,800 mg liter
−1
) in fed-batch cultures. This was achieved by sequences of cultivation conditions initially favoring growth, then PHB accumulation, and finally PHB degradation.