bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Lipoxygenase 2 functions in exogenous nitric oxide-induced stomatal closure in Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Sun Yanfeng , Lv Dong , Wang Wei , Xu Wei , Wang Li , Miao Chen , Lin Hong-Hui
Published: August 2015

Nitric oxide (NO) and lipoxygenase (LOX)-derived oxylipins play important roles in stomatal closure in plants, and LOX–NO crosstalk has been indicated in mesophyll cells. However, whether the crosstalk also exists in guard cells is not clear and the detailed mechanisms remain unknown. Here, we report that exogenous sodium nitroprusside (SNP, a NO donor)-induced stomatal closure was clearly impaired in the AtLOX2 null mutant lox2–1 compared with wild-type (WT) Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. Patch clamp analysis showed that the SNP-suppressed activity of inward-rectifying potassium channels in lox2–1 guard cell protoplasts was reduced. Moreover, SNP promoted an increase in cytosolic Ca2+ concentration in guard cells of lox2–1 mutants was inhibited compared with the WT. These results suggest that AtLOX2 plays an important role in NO-induced stomatal closure by affecting the cytosolic Ca2+ concentration increase and the activity of inward-rectifying potassium channels in guard cells. Furthermore, lox2–1 mutants showed a higher rate of leaf water loss and a relatively wider stomatal aperture than the WT under normal growth conditions. These data imply that AtLOX2 might modulate stomatal movement by increasing oxylipin generation in A. thaliana.
The contribution of migratory mesopelagic fishes to neuston fish assemblages across the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans
Authors: Olivar M. Pilar , González-Gordillo J. Ignacio , Salat Jordi , Chust Guillem , Cózar Andrés , Hernández-León Santiago , Fernández de Puelles M. Luz , Irigoien Xabier
Published: August 2015

Surface waters are an attractive foraging ground for small fish in the open ocean. This study aims to determine the importance of vertically migrating species in the neuston of oceanic waters across the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans and to ascertain the influence of environmental variables on their distribution patterns. Neustonic fish assemblages were primarily controlled by light. They were dominated by late-larvae and juveniles of Exocoetidae, Hemiramphidae and Scomberesocidae during the day. At night, the vertical migration of mesopelagic species changed the dominance pattern in favour of Myctophidae and Scomberesocidae. The neustonic families’ distribution was primarily related to sea surface temperatures, whereas environmental variables at deeper layers were related to mesopelagic migrating families. Canonical correspondence analysis showed a low but statistically significant contribution of several environmental variables to myctophid species composition (10%), with minimum oxygen concentrations ranking first in variance explanation followed by maximum fluorescence, sea surface temperature and 400-m temperature. Spatial autocorrelation also explained 17% of the variance, indicating the influence of other factors such as historical, demographic and dispersal constraints. The low number of myctophid species in the North Pacific Equatorial Countercurrent appears to be related to the low oxygen concentrations observed in this province.
Identification of human-made physical barriers to fish passage in the Wet Tropics region, Australia
Authors: Kroon Frederieke J. , Phillips Seonaid
Published: August 2015

Human-made physical barriers to fish passage were identified in the Wet Tropics region, Far North Queensland, Australia, through a desktop GIS analysis of the stream and transport networks. A total of 3748 of such potential barriers, comprising bridges, culverts and causeways, were identified in a stream network of 18363km at a scale of 1:100000. These records provide a first step for a complete barrier inventory and assessment for this region, which can be used to prioritise potential barriers for removal and remediation to improve native fish movement and fisheries production.
Single-molecule spectroscopy reveals how calmodulin activates NO synthase by controlling its conformational fluctuation dynamics
Authors: He Yufan , Haque Mohammad Mahfuzul , Stuehr Dennis J. , Lu H. Peter
Published: August 2015

Significance

Electron transfer is a fundamental process in biology that can be coupled to catalysis within redox enzymes through a careful control of protein conformational movements. Using single-molecule fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) spectroscopy, we find that calmodulin binding to neuronal NO synthase reductase domain (nNOSr) both alters and restricts the distributions of NOSr conformational states and the conformational lifetimes, thereby revealing a physical means by which calmodulin may control electron transfer for catalysis.
Talented football players' development of achievement motives, volitional components, and self‐referential cognitions: A longitudinal study†
Authors: Feichtinger Philip , Höner Oliver
Published: August 2015

Adolescence is regarded as a key developmental phase in the course of talented football players' careers. The present study focuses on early adolescent players' development of achievement motives, volitional components, and self‐referential cognitions. Based on the multidimensional and dynamic nature of talent, the development of multifaceted personality characteristics is an important issue in the context of sports talent research. According to previous findings in psychology, personality characteristics' development is defined by both stability and change, and the current study analyses four different types: differential stability (I), mean‐level change (II), individual‐level change (III), and structural stability (IV). The sample consists of 151 male players in the talent development programme of the German Football Association. Psychological diagnostics of the personality characteristics are implemented across longitudinal sections over a time period of three seasons, from the U12 to U14 age classes. The results reveal that the personality characteristics show (I) moderate test–retest correlations over one‐year intervals (.43 ≤ rtt ≤ .62), and lower coefficients for a two‐year period (.26 ≤ rtt ≤ .53). (II) Most of the personality characteristics' mean values differ significantly across the age classes with small effect sizes (.01 ≤ ≤ .03). (III) Only minor individual‐level changes in the football players' development are found. (IV) The personality characteristics' associations within a two‐factor structure do not stay invariant over time. From the results of the present study, conclusions are drawn regarding the talent identification and development process.
The interaction of Gα13 with integrin β1 mediates cell migration by dynamic regulation of RhoA
Authors: Shen Bo , Estevez Brian , Xu Zheng , Kreutz Barry , Karginov Andrei , Bai Yanyan , Qian Feng , Norifumi Urao , Mosher Deane , Du Xiaoping
Published: August 2015

Heterotrimeric G protein Gα13 is known to transmit G protein–coupled receptor (GPCR) signals leading to activation of RhoA and plays a role in cell migration. The mechanism underlying the role of Gα13 in cell migration, however, remains unclear. Recently we found that Gα13 interacts with the cytoplasmic domain of integrin β3 subunits in platelets via a conserved ExE motif. Here we show that a similar direct interaction between Gα13 and the cytoplasmic domain of the integrin β1 subunit plays a critical role in β1-dependent cell migration. Point mutation of either glutamic acid in the Gα13-binding 767EKE motif in β1 or treatment with a peptide derived from the Gα13-binding sequence of β1 abolished Gα13–β1 interaction and inhibited β1 integrin–dependent cell spreading and migration. We further show that the Gα13-β1 interaction mediates β1 integrin–dependent Src activation and transient RhoA inhibition during initial cell adhesion, which is in contrast to the role of Gα13 in mediating GPCR-dependent RhoA activation. These data indicate that Gα13 plays dynamic roles in both stimulating RhoA via a GPCR pathway and inhibiting RhoA via an integrin signaling pathway. This dynamic regulation of RhoA activity is critical for cell migration on β1 integrin ligands.
Structural organization of nuclear lamins A, C, B1, and B2 revealed by superresolution microscopy
Authors: Shimi Takeshi , Kittisopikul Mark , Tran Joseph , Goldman Anne E. , Adam Stephen A. , Zheng Yixian , Jaqaman Khuloud , Goldman Robert D.
Published: August 2015

The nuclear lamina is a key structural element of the metazoan nucleus. However, the structural organization of the major proteins composing the lamina is poorly defined. Using three-dimensional structured illumination microscopy and computational image analysis, we characterized the supramolecular structures of lamin A, C, B1, and B2 in mouse embryo fibroblast nuclei. Each isoform forms a distinct fiber meshwork, with comparable physical characteristics with respect to mesh edge length, mesh face area and shape, and edge connectivity to form faces. Some differences were found in face areas among isoforms due to variation in the edge lengths and number of edges per face, suggesting that each meshwork has somewhat unique assembly characteristics. In fibroblasts null for the expression of either lamins A/C or lamin B1, the remaining lamin meshworks are altered compared with the lamin meshworks in wild-type nuclei or nuclei lacking lamin B2. Nuclei lacking LA/C exhibit slightly enlarged meshwork faces and some shape changes, whereas LB1-deficient nuclei exhibit primarily a substantial increase in face area. These studies demonstrate that individual lamin isoforms assemble into complex networks within the nuclear lamina and that A- and B-type lamins have distinct roles in maintaining the organization of the nuclear lamina.
An interactive genome browser of association results from the UK10K cohorts project
Authors: Geihs Matthias , Yan Ying , Walter Klaudia , Huang Jie , Memari Yasin , Min Josine L. , Mead Daniel ,   UK10K Consortium, Hubbard Tim J. , Timpson Nicholas J. , Down Thomas A. , Soranzo Nicole
Published: August 2015

Summary: High-throughput sequencing technologies survey genetic variation at genome scale and are increasingly used to study the contribution of rare and low-frequency genetic variants to human traits. As part of the Cohorts arm of the UK10K project, genetic variants called from low-read depth (average 7×) whole genome sequencing of 3621 cohort individuals were analysed for statistical associations with 64 different phenotypic traits of biomedical importance. Here, we describe a novel genome browser based on the Biodalliance platform developed to provide interactive access to the association results of the project.

Availability and implementation: The browser is available at http://www.uk10k.org/dalliance.html. Source code for the Biodalliance platform is available under a BSD license from http://github.com/dasmoth/dalliance, and for the LD-display plugin and backend from http://github.com/dasmoth/ldserv.

Contact: ns6@sanger.ac.uk or thomas@biodalliance.org

Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
On planet formation in HL Tau
Authors: Dipierro Giovanni , Price Daniel , Laibe Guillaume , Hirsh Kieran , Cerioli Alice , Lodato Giuseppe
Published: August 2015

We explain the axisymmetric gaps seen in recent long-baseline observations of the HL Tau protoplanetary disc with the Atacama Large Millimetre/Submillimetre Array (ALMA) as being due to the different response of gas and dust to embedded planets in protoplanetary discs. We perform global, three-dimensional dusty smoothed particle hydrodynamics calculations of multiple planets embedded in dust/gas discs which successfully reproduce most of the structures seen in the ALMA image. We find a best match to the observations using three embedded planets with masses of 0.2, 0.27 and 0.55 MJ in the three main gaps observed by ALMA, though there remain uncertainties in the exact planet masses from the disc model.
ALMA and Herschel reveal that X-ray-selected AGN and main-sequence galaxies have different star formation rate distributions
Authors: Mullaney J. R. , Alexander D. M. , Aird J. , Bernhard E. , Daddi E. , Del Moro A. , Dickinson M. , Elbaz D. , Harrison C. M. , Juneau S. , Liu D. , Pannella M. , Rosario D. , Santini P. , Sargent M. , Schreiber C. , Simpson J. , Stanley F.
Published: August 2015

Using deep Herschel and ALMA observations, we investigate the star formation rate (SFR) distributions of X-ray-selected active galactic nucleus (AGN) host galaxies at 0.5 < z < 1.5 and 1.5 < z < 4, comparing them to that of normal, star-forming (i.e. ‘main-sequence’, or MS) galaxies. We find that 34–55 per cent of AGNs in our sample have SFRs at least a factor of 2 below that of the average MS galaxy, compared to ≈15 per cent of all MS galaxies, suggesting significantly different SFR distributions. Indeed, when both are modelled as lognormal distributions, the mass and redshift-normalized SFR distributions of X-ray AGNs are roughly twice as broad, and peak ≈0.4 dex lower, than that of MS galaxies. However, like MS galaxies, the normalized SFR distribution of AGNs in our sample appears not to evolve with redshift. Despite X-ray AGNs and MS galaxies having different SFR distributions, the linear-mean SFR of AGNs derived from our distributions is remarkably consistent with that of MS galaxies, and thus with previous results derived from stacked Herschel data. This apparent contradiction is due to the linear-mean SFR being biased by bright outliers, and thus does not necessarily represent a true characterization of the typical SFR of X-ray AGNs.
Coxiella burnetii Infection With Severe Hyperferritinemia in an Asplenic Patient
Authors: Paine Allison , Miya Tadashi , Webb Brandon J.
Published: August 2015

Q fever is an uncommon but likely underreported zoonotic infection. Severe hyperferritinemia has been associated with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis and other infectious diseases. In this study, we report a case of Coxiella burnetii infection in an asplenic patient complicated by severe hyperferritinemia and bone marrow infiltration. In this case, the marked ferritin elevation may have been an indicator of profound systemic macrophage activation due to preferential intracellular infection of this cell type by C burnetii, perhaps exacerbated by altered mononuclear phagocyte system function in the setting of asplenia.
Haustorium Formation in Medicago truncatula Roots Infected by Phytophthora palmivora Does Not Involve the Common Endosymbiotic Program Shared by Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi and Rhizobia
Authors: Huisman Rik , Bouwmeester Klaas , Brattinga Marijke , Govers Francine , Bisseling Ton , Limpens Erik
Published: August 2015

In biotrophic plant-microbe interactions, microbes infect living plant cells, in which they are hosted in a novel membrane compartment, the host-microbe interface. To create a host-microbe interface, arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi and rhizobia make use of the same endosymbiotic program. It is a long-standing hypothesis that pathogens make use of plant proteins that are dedicated to mutualistic symbiosis to infect plants and form haustoria. In this report, we developed a Phytophthora palmivora pathosystem to study haustorium formation in Medicago truncatula roots. We show that P. palmivora does not require host genes that are essential for symbiotic infection and host-microbe interface formation to infect Medicago roots and form haustoria. Based on these findings, we conclude that P. palmivora does not hijack the ancient intracellular accommodation program used by symbiotic microbes to form a biotrophic host-microbe interface.
Effects of Soil Solarization and Trichoderma asperellum on Soilborne Inoculum of Phytophthora ramorum and Phytophthora pini in Container Nurseries
Authors: Funahashi F. , Parke J. L.
Published: August 2015

Infested container nursery beds are an important source of soilborne Phytophthora spp. for initiating disease through movement with surface water or splashing onto foliage. We investigated the effects of soil solarization, alone or with subsequent amendment with a Trichoderma asperellum biocontrol agent, on the survival of Phytophthora spp. inoculum. In field trials conducted with Phytophthora ramorum in San Rafael, CA and with P. pini in Corvallis, OR, infested rhododendron leaf inoculum was buried at 5, 15, and 30 cm below the soil surface. Solarization for 2 or 4 weeks during summer 2012 eliminated recovery of Phytophthora spp. buried at all depths in California trial 1, at 5 and 15 cm in California trial 2, but only at 5 cm in Oregon. There was no significant reduction of Phytophthora spp. recovery after T. asperellum application. Although the population densities of the introduced T. asperellum at the 5-cm depth were often two- to fourfold higher in solarized compared with nonsolarized plots, they were not significantly different (P = 0.052). Soil solarization appears to be a promising technique for disinfesting the upper layer of soil in container nurseries under certain conditions.
Assessment of Nitrogen Source, Sulfur, and Fall Fungicide Applications on the Management of Spring Dead Spot of Bermudagrass
Authors: Cottrill D. J. , Earlywine D. T. , Miller G. L.
Published: August 2015

Spring dead spot, caused by species of Ophiosphaerella, is the most serious disease of bermudagrass (Cynodon spp.) in regions where cold temperatures induce winter dormancy. Previous research indicates that soil pH reduction may reduce spring dead spot severity. Of the 165 isolates collected from 16 sites in Missouri and surrounding regions, Ophiosphaerella herpotricha was the most prominent spring dead spot pathogen found, with 154 confirmed isolates. Ten isolates were identified as O. korrae, being detected at a low incidence at 6 of 16 sites. In in vitro assays, most mycelial growth of both species occurred from pH 5 to 6, with more growth on calcium-nitrate-amended media than ammonium sulfate. In a naturally infested field study, nitrogen source alone did not affect spring dead spot severity. Less spring dead spot severity (P < 0.05) was observed in plots receiving tebuconazole but no treatment provided more than 38% control after 1 year. Three sulfur applications (each at 98 kg ha−1) provided as much control as a single fall tebuconazole application (0.28 kg a.i. ha−1) in the second year; however, significant phytotoxicity was observed in sulfur-treated plots thereafter. The suppression obtained from one fall tebuconazole treatment was as effective as two.
‘Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum’ Titers in and Infection Effects on Potato Tuber Chemistry of Promising Germplasm Exhibiting Tolerance to Zebra Chip Disease
Authors: Wallis C. M. , Munyaneza J. E. , Chen J. , Novy R. , Bester G. , Buchman J. L. , Nordgaard J. , van Hest P.
Published: August 2015

Long-term sustainable management of zebra chip (ZC) disease of potato requires development of tolerant or resistant germplasm. To this end, 283 potato varieties and breeding clones were infected with the ZC putative causal agent ‘Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum’ (Lso) by potato psyllid vector inoculations in 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013. Potato germplasm was then examined for development of fresh and fried ZC symptoms. Over multiple years 29 breeding clones exhibited little to no symptoms in freshly cut tuber slices, and five exhibited little to no symptoms in fried slices. These five presumed tolerant breeding clones were chosen for further screening to determine whether the lack of physiological responses to Lso infection was the cause of observed tolerance. To this end, tuber amino acid, sugar, and phenolic levels were compared between noninfected and Lso-infected plants. The five putative tolerant clones had less dramatic shifts in host physiology following Lso infection than the susceptible Atlantic cultivar. This suggested lack of host responses to Lso infection that result in major changes in tuber biochemistry is a potential mechanism of ZC resistance. However, the susceptible Atlantic cultivar did have consistently greater Lso titers compared with two of the tolerant entries, so for these reductions in Lso pathogen progression also might be a factor. Regardless, lack of host responses could still remain one trait that could be used to aid in selection of ZC-resistant potato varieties, as other tolerant lines had infection levels consistent with susceptible Atlantic cultivar. These results also suggest that germplasm derived from relatives of cultivated potato plants are viable sources of ZC disease resistance.
Multiple Anesthetic Exposure in Infant Monkeys Alters Emotional Reactivity to an Acute Stressor
Authors: Raper Jessica , Alvarado Maria C. , Murphy Kathy L. , Baxter Mark G.
Published: August 2015

AbstractAbstract

Rhesus monkey infants subjected to three 4-h exposures to sevoflurane manifested increased anxious behavior when confronted with an intruder. The increased anxiety was not attributable to changes in physiologic function during anesthesia. Vocalizations, fear, and irritability behavior, in an age-specific manner, were similar between exposed and nonexposed monkeys. Within a spectrum of behavioral changes induced by neonatal anesthetic exposure, attention should be focused on altered emotional behavior.

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text.

Background

Retrospective studies in humans have shown a higher prevalence of learning disabilities in children that received multiple exposures to general anesthesia before the age of 4 yr. Animal studies, primarily in rodents, have found that postnatal anesthetic exposure causes neurotoxicity and neurocognitive deficits in adulthood. The authors addressed the question of whether repeated postnatal anesthetic exposure was sufficient to cause long-term behavioral changes in a highly translationally relevant rhesus monkey model, allowing study of these variables against a background of protracted nervous system and behavioral development.

Methods

Rhesus monkeys of both sexes underwent either three 4-h exposures to sevoflurane anesthesia (anesthesia group n = 10) or brief maternal separations (control group n = 10) on postnatal day 6 to 10 that were repeated 14 and 28 days later. Monkeys remained with their mothers in large social groups at all times except for overnight observation after each anesthetic/control procedure. At 6 months of age, each monkey was tested on the human intruder paradigm, a common test for emotional reactivity in nonhuman primates.

Results

The frequency of anxiety-related behaviors was significantly higher in monkeys that were exposed to anesthesia as neonates as compared with controls: anesthesia 11.04 ± 1.68, controls 4.79 ± 0.77, mean ± SEM across all stimulus conditions.

Conclusion

Increased emotional behavior in monkeys after anesthesia exposure in infancy may reflect long-term adverse effects of anesthesia.
Zinc as a possible preventive and therapeutic agent in pancreatic, prostate, and breast cancer
Authors: Hoang Ba X. , Han Bo , Shaw David Graeme , Nimni Marcel
Published: August 2015

Zinc is a vital nutrient for human health. Over 300 biological functions in the human body rely on zinc. Even though zinc is incredibly important for our physiology and pathology, our current understanding of zinc, as it relates to tumor cell biology, leaves much to be desired. As with other natural, nonpatentable, and inexpensive agents, zinc remains a subject of explorative research for scientific interest rather than being promoted for practical use. To date, more than 5000 studies with the keywords ‘zinc’ and ‘cancer’ have been indexed in the Web of Knowledge portal. Although the numbers of papers have increased 2.5-fold during the last decade, these vast research data have not generated a single recommendation for the incorporation of zinc use in cancer prevention and treatment. In this review, we intend to analyze the current available research data and epidemiological and clinical evidence on the role of zinc in human cancer prevention and treatment. We focus on the cancers – prostate, breast, and pancreatic – for which the most basic and epidemiological studies with zinc have been carried out. The pancreas, and prostate and mammary glands are secretory tissues that have unusual zinc requirements; they tightly regulate zinc metabolism through integration of zinc import, sequestration, and export mechanisms. This suggests to us that zinc could play an important role in the physiology and pathology of these organs. The objective of this review was to stimulate more interest in the research field, focusing on the role of zinc as a possible preventive and therapeutic agent and the accelerated application of this inexpensive and easily accessible nutrient in clinical oncology.
Evaluating the link between human resource management decisions and patient satisfaction with quality of care
Authors: Oppel Eva-Maria , Winter Vera , Schreyögg Jonas
Published: August 2015

Background:

Patient satisfaction with quality of care is becoming increasingly important in the competitive hospital market. Simultaneously, the growing shortage of clinical staff poses a considerable challenge to ensuring a high quality of care. In this context, a question emerges regarding whether and how human resource management (HRM) might serve as a means to reduce staff shortage problems and to increase patient satisfaction. Although considerable efforts have been devoted to understanding the concepts of patient satisfaction and HRM, little is known about the interrelationships between these concepts or about the link between staff shortage problems and patients’ satisfaction with quality of care.

Purpose:

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between strategic human resource management (SHRM), staff shortage problems, and patients’ satisfaction with care. Furthermore, we analyze how the HRM decision to fill short-term vacancies through temporary staffing affects patient satisfaction. We differentiate between physicians and nurses.

Methodology:

We develop and empirically test a theoretical model. The data (n = 165) are derived from a survey on SHRM that was sent to 732 German hospitals and from a survey on patient satisfaction that comprises 436,848 patient satisfaction ratings. We use a structural equation modeling approach to test the model.

Findings:

The results indicate that SHRM significantly reduces staff shortage problems for both occupational groups. Having fewer physician shortage problems is significantly associated with higher levels of patient satisfaction, whereas this effect is not significant for nurses. Furthermore, the use of temporary staffing considerably reduces patients’ satisfaction with care.

Practice Implications:

Hospital managers are advised to consider the effects of HRM decisions on patients’ satisfaction with care. In particular, investments in SHRM targeted at physicians have significantly positive effects on patient satisfaction, whereas the temporary staffing of physicians and nurses should be avoided.
Comparison of Mydriatic Provocative and Dark Room Prone Provocative Tests for Anterior Chamber Angle Configuration
Authors: Yamada Rika , Hirose Fumitaka , Matsuki Takaaki , Kameda Takanori , Kurimoto Yasuo
Published: August 2015

Purpose:

To investigate the relationship between angle configuration and diagnostic provocation tests such as the mydriatic provocative test (MPT) and the dark room prone provocative test (DRPPT).

Materials and Methods:

Seventy eyes of 70 consecutive patients with primary angle closure suspect, primary angle closure, or primary angle closure glaucoma were included. The anterior chamber depth, angle opening distance 500, trabecular-iris space area 500, and iris thickness (IT) were quantitatively determined by anterior segment optical coherence tomography, and the MPT and DRPPT were used to investigate intraocular pressure variations.

Results:

Seven eyes were positive and 3 eyes were suspected positive, using the MPT, whereas 10 eyes were positive and 7 eyes were suspected positive using the DRPPT. The anterior chamber depth and angle opening distance 500 of the positive and suspected positive groups (positive group), using the MPT, were significantly less than those of the negative group (P=0.013, P=0.013, respectively). IT of the positive group, using the MPT, was significantly greater than the negative group, using the same test (P=0.003). The trabecular-iris space area 500 of the positive group was significantly less than the negative group, using both the MPT (P<0.001) and the DRPPT (P=0.004).

Conclusions:

Eyes from the positive group, using the MPT, contained a shallower anterior chamber, narrower angle, and greater IT than those from the negative group. These results suggested that the MPT results better correlated with the anterior chamber angle configuration in eyes with primary angle closure, than the results using the DRPPT.
Analytical solutions for algebraic growth of disturbances in a stably stratified shear flow
Authors: Jose Sharath , Roy Anubhab , Bale Rahul , Govindarajan Rama
Published: August 2015

We investigate analytically the short-time response of disturbances in a density-varying Couette flow without viscous and diffusive effects. The complete inviscid problem is also solved as an initial value problem with a density perturbation. We show that the kinetic energy of the disturbances grows algebraically at early times, contrary to the well-known algebraic decay at time tending to infinity. This growth can persist for arbitrarily long times in response to sharp enough initial perturbations. The simplest in our three-stage study is a model problem forced by a buoyancy perturbation in the absence of background stratification. A linear growth with time is obtained in the vertical velocity component. This model provides an analogy between the transient mechanism of kinetic energy growth in a two-dimensional density-varying flow and the lift-up mechanism of the three-dimensional constant density flow. Next we consider weak stable background stratification. Interestingly, the lowest order solution here is the same as that of the model flow. Our final study shows that a strong background stratification results in a sub-linear growth with time of the perturbation. A framework is thus presented where two-dimensional streamwise disturbances can lead to large transient amplification, unlike in constant density flow where three dimensions are required.
Chitinophaga barathri sp. nov., isolated from mountain soil
Authors: Zhang Leilei , Liao Shuijiao , Tan Yuanqing , Wang Gejiao , Wang Dan , Zheng Shixue
Published: August 2015

A Gram-stain-negative, non-motile, rod-shaped, aerobic bacterium, designated strain YLT18T, was isolated from mountain cliff soil of Enshi Grand Canyon in China. The major menaquinone was menaquinone 7 (MK-7) and the predominant fatty acids (>5 %) were iso-C15 : 0, C16 : 1ω5c, iso-C17 : 0 3-OH, summed feature 3 (C16 : 1ω7c/iso-C15 : 0 2-OH) and iso-C15 : 0 3-OH. The major polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, two unknown aminophospholipids, two unknown aminolipids and two unknown polar lipids. The DNA G+C content was 55.4 mol%. According to phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences, strain YLT18T was related most closely to Chitinophaga niabensis JS13-10T ( = DSM 24787T) and Chitinophaga cymbidii R156-2T ( = KCTC 23738T), with similarities of 96.7 and 96.2 %, respectively. In addition, strain YLT18T showed obvious differences from the closely related species in terms of esterase (C4) activity, acid production from fructose and rhamnose, and sole carbon source utilization by arabinose and rhamnose. The results from this polyphasic taxonomic study revealed that strain YLT18T represents a novel species of the genus Chitinophaga, for which the name Chitinophaga barathri sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is YLT18T ( = KCTC 42472T = CCTCC AB 2015054T).
Multivariate State Hidden Markov Models for Mark-Recapture Data
Authors: Johnson Devin S. , Laake Jeffrey L. , Melin Sharon R. , DeLong Robert L.
Published: August 2015

State-based Cormack-Jolly-Seber (CJS) models have become an often used method for assessing states or conditions of free ranging animals through time. Although originally envisioned to account for differences in survival and observation processes when animals are moving though various geographical strata, it has evolved to model vital rates in different life-history or diseased states. We further extend this useful class of models to the case of multivariate state data. Researchers can record values of several different states of interest, e.g., geographic location and reproductive state. Traditionally, these would be aggregated into one state with a single probability of state uncertainty. However, by modeling states as a multivariate vector, one can account for partial knowledge of the vector as well as dependence between the state variables in a parsimonious way. A hidden Markov model formulation allows straightforward maximum likelihood inference. The proposed HMM models are demonstrated with a case study using data from a California sea lion vital rates study.
Hexagonal projected symmetries
Authors: Oliveira Juliane F. , Castro Sofia B. S. D. , Labouriau Isabel S.
Published: August 2015

In the study of pattern formation in symmetric physical systems, a three-dimensional structure in thin domains is often modelled as a two-dimensional one. This paper is concerned with functions in {\bb R}^{3} that are invariant under the action of a crystallographic group and the symmetries of their projections into a function defined on a plane. A list is obtained of the crystallographic groups for which the projected functions have a hexagonal lattice of periods. The proof is constructive and the result may be used in the study of observed patterns in thin domains, whose symmetries are not expected in two-dimensional models, like the black-eye pattern.
Fostering and enhancing the role of private sector
Authors: Lukito Anastasia Suhartati
Published: August 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of private sector in Indonesia to prevent and combat corruption practices. The eradication of corruption is not only the government’s problem which can be solved only by government regulations. The private sector should be involved in and be aware of these matters because of the huge interest of the business activities concerning national interest as well as their private interest to achieve highest profit.

Design/methodology/approach

– This paper explores the Indonesian laws on corruption eradication and analyzes the important role of the private sector that needs to be built.

Findings

– The role of private sector in the financial system can be viewed as a non-penal policy, which has a great impact as a prevention method to combat economic crimes such as corruption. A new perspective is needed to build, balance and integrate the role of the private sector. As a new perspective combating corruption, Indonesian Laws on Corruption Eradication is fostering the role of the private sector in promoting integrity and good corporate governance.

Practical implications

– The paper can be a source to explore the eradication of corruption based on Indonesian perspectives.

Originality/value

– This paper contributes by encouraging the private sector to prevent corruption and bribery practices, which, nowadays, are common in Indonesia.
Culture, profitability, non-financial reporting and a meta-analysis
Authors: Maroun Warren
Published: August 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to highlight key limitations of meta-analyses (and the underlying research) dealing with the correlation between corporate social environmental disclosures (CESDs) and financial measures, using cultural characteristics as moderating variables.

Design/methodology/approach

– This paper takes the form of a review. It discusses a research paper published in the current issue ofMeditari Accountancy Research, identifies general limitations of meta-analyses and makes recommendations.

Findings

– Several issues need to be taken into account by meta-analyses examining the correlation between CESD and financial measures over long periods of time. These include the effect of different accounting standards, the implications of the increasing use of fair value measures, the relevance of the users of corporate reports and the importance of corporate governance systems.

Originality/value

– The review contributes to the debate on the need for methodological and theoretical eclecticism when it comes to corporate governance research. Positivist techniques have their role to play, but these must be complemented by interpretive and critical analysis to provide a balanced account of the development and relevance of CSED.
Cultural intelligence and mindfulness in two French banks operating in the US environment
Authors: Kaufman Sophie Revillard , Hwang Alvin
Published: August 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to develop the mindfulness construct in Thomas’ (2006) cultural intelligence (CQ) model and identify three mindfulness facets based on the mindfulness literature: empathy, open-mindedness and using all senses. Relationships among mindfulness, cross-cultural knowledge and cross-cultural behavioral ability are explored.

Design/methodology/approach

– A case study of two French banking institutions operating in the USA is used incorporating multiple sources of data: participant observations, primary public and private documentation sources, archival records, secondary data and open-ended interviews with a key informant.

Findings

– The two organizations showed similar emphasis on cross-cultural knowledge but differences in cross-cultural behavioral ability. These differences were traced to the posited mindfulness components of empathy, open-mindedness and using all senses.

Research limitations/implications

– The two-sample case only provides emerging evidence of the role of mindfulness in linking cross-cultural knowledge to behavioral ability and will require validation through empirical studies to test for significance of relationships among these CQ facets.

Practical implications

– Thomas’ (2006) CQ model and the authors’ understanding of its underlying mindfulness components provide insight in predicting cross-cultural potential of employees and designing customized employee training to help organizations meet the needs of a globally diverse workplace.

Social implications

– The development of mindfulness qualities should improve interactions among individuals in any organizational setting, with added benefit of bridging cross-cultural differences.

Originality/value

– This paper helps extend research on CQ facets using a qualitative method incorporating multiple sources of evidence to explore the mindfulness CQ construct.
The impact of demographic factors on the way lesbian and gay employees manage their sexual orientation at work
Authors: Köllen Thomas
Published: August 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to explore the influence demographic factors have on the way lesbians and gay men manage their sexual orientation at work.

Design/methodology/approach

– Based on data taken from a cross-sectional survey of 1,308 gay and lesbian employees working in Germany, four regression models are proposed. The means of handling one’s homosexuality at work was measured by the 31 items containing Workplace Sexual Identity Management Measure from Anderson et al. (2001).

Findings

– Results indicate that being in a relationship is related to increased openness about one’s homosexuality at work. Furthermore, it appears that the older and the more religious lesbian and gay employees are, the more open (and therefore less hidden) about their sexuality they are. Having a migratory background is related to being more guarded about one’s sexual orientation, whereas personal mobility within the country is not related to the way one manages one’s sexual orientation at work. Lesbians tend to be a little more open and less guarded about their homosexuality compared to gay men.

Research limitations/implications

– The focus of this research (and the related limitations) offers several starting and connecting points for more intersectional research on workforce diversity and diversity management.

Practical implications

– The study’s findings indicate the need for an intersectional approach to organizational diversity management strategies. Exemplified by the dimension “sexual orientation”, it can be shown that the impact each dimension has for an employee’s everyday workplace experiences and behavior in terms of a certain manifestation of one dimension of diversity can only be understood in terms of its interplay with other dimensions of diversity.

Originality/value

– It is shown that manifestations of demographic factors that tend to broaden the individual’s coping resources for stigma-relevant stressors lead to more openness about one’s homosexuality in the workplace.
REVIEW: Searching for resilience: addressing the impacts of changing disturbance regimes on forest ecosystem services
Authors: Seidl Rupert , Spies Thomas A. , Peterson David L. , Stephens Scott L. , Hicke Jeffrey A.
Published: August 2015

The provisioning of ecosystem services to society is increasingly under pressure from global change. Changing disturbance regimes are of particular concern in this context due to their high potential impact on ecosystem structure, function and composition. Resilience‐based stewardship is advocated to address these changes in ecosystem management, but its operational implementation has remained challenging.

We review observed and expected changes in disturbance regimes and their potential impacts on provisioning, regulating, cultural and supporting ecosystem services, concentrating on temperate and boreal forests. Subsequently, we focus on resilience as a powerful concept to quantify and address these changes and their impacts, and present an approach towards its operational application using established methods from disturbance ecology.

We suggest using the range of variability concept – characterizing and bounding the long‐term behaviour of ecosystems – to locate and delineate the basins of attraction of a system. System recovery in relation to its range of variability can be used to measure resilience of ecosystems, allowing inferences on both engineering resilience (recovery rate) and monitoring for regime shifts (directionality of recovery trajectory).

It is important to consider the dynamic nature of these properties in ecosystem analysis and management decision‐making, as both disturbance processes and mechanisms of resilience will be subject to changes in the future. Furthermore, because ecosystem services are at the interface between natural and human systems, the social dimension of resilience (social adaptive capacity and range of variability) requires consideration in responding to changing disturbance regimes in forests.

Synthesis and applications. Based on examples from temperate and boreal forests we synthesize principles and pathways for fostering resilience to changing disturbance regimes in ecosystem management. We conclude that future work should focus on testing and implementing these pathways in different contexts to make ecosystem services provisioning more robust to changing disturbance regimes and advance our understanding of how to cope with change and uncertainty in ecosystem management.
Ectopic expression of Hoxb4a in hemangioblasts promotes hematopoietic development in early embryogenesis of zebrafish
Authors: Shu Li‐Ping , Zhou Zhi‐Wei , Zhou Ting , Deng Min , Dong Mei , Chen Yi , Fu Yan‐Fang , Jin Yi , Zhou Shu‐Feng , He Zhi‐Xu
Published: August 2015

Hemangioblast, including primitive hematopoietic progenitor cells, play an important role in hematopoietic development, however, the underlying mechanism for the propagation of hematopoietic progenitor cells remains elusive. A variety of regulatory molecules activated in early embryonic development play a critical role in the maintenance of function of hematopoietic progenitor cells. Homeobox transcription factors are an important class of early embryonic developmental regulators determining hematopoietic development. However, the effect of homeobox protein Hox‐B4 (HOXB4) ectopic expression on the development of hemangioblasts has not been fully addressed. This study aimed to investigate the role of Hoxb4a, an ortholog gene of HOXB4 in zebrafish, in the hematopoietic development in zebrafish. A transgenic zebrafish line was established with Cre‐loxP system that stably overexpressed enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP)‐tagged Hoxb4a protein under the control of hemangioblast‐specific lmo2 promoter. Overexpression of Hoxb4a in the development of hemangioblasts resulted in a considerable increase in the number of stem cell leukemia (scl) and lmo2‐positive primitive hematopoietic progenitor cells occurring in the posterior intermediate cell mass (ICM). Interestingly, Hoxb4a overexpression also disrupted the development of myelomonocytes in the anterior yolk sac and the posterior ICM, without affecting erythropoiesis in the posterior ICM. Taken together, these results indicate that Hoxb4a favours the development of hematopoietic progenitor cells originated from hemangioblasts in vivo.
Rapid Identification of Synthetic Cannabinoids in Herbal Incenses with DART‐MS and NMR
Authors: Marino Michael A. , Voyer Brandy , Cody Robert B. , Dane A. John , Veltri Mercurio , Huang Ling
Published: August 2015

The usage of herbal incenses containing synthetic cannabinoids has caused an increase in medical incidents and triggered legislations to ban these products throughout the world. Law enforcement agencies are experiencing sample backlogs due to the variety of the products and the addition of new and still‐legal compounds. In our study, proton nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy was employed to promptly screen the synthetic cannabinoids after their rapid, direct detection on the herbs and in the powders by direct analysis in real time mass spectrometry (DART‐MS). A simple sample preparation protocol was employed on 50 mg of herbal sample matrices for quick NMR detection. Ten synthetic cannabinoids were discovered in fifteen herbal incenses. The combined DART‐MS and NMR methods can be used to quickly screen synthetic cannabinoids in powder and herbal samples, serving as a complementary approach to conventional GC‐MS or LC‐MS methods.
Identification and Individualization of Lophophora using DNA Analysis of the trnL/trnF Region and rbcL Gene
Authors: Ng Adrienne E. , Sandoval Ernesto , Murphy Terence M.
Published: August 2015

Lophophora williamsii (peyote) is a small, spineless, greenish‐blue cactus found in Mexico and the southwestern United States. Ingestion of the cactus can result in hallucinations due to its content of mescaline. In the United States, L. williamsii is classified as a Schedule I controlled substance. In this study, we use DNA analysis of the chloroplast trnL/trnF region and chloroplast rbcL gene to identify the individuals of Lophophora. Using the rbcL gene, Lophophora specimens could be distinguished from outgroups, but species within the genus could not be distinguished. The trnL/trnF region split the Lophophora genus into several groups based on the length and substructure of an AT‐rich segment of the sequence. Our results indicate that the genetic variability at the trnL/trnF locus is greater than previously recognized. Although DNA structures at the trnL/trnF region and rbcL gene do not align with the classification of Lophophora species, they can be used to aid in forensic analysis.