bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Islamic Finance and the Afterlives of Development in Malaysia
Authors: Rudnyckyj Daromir
Published: October 2015

Government regulators, Islamic scholars, finance professionals, and secular academics have recently taken steps to turn Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia's capital, into a global hub for Islamic finance. This article describes some of the actions these actors have taken to position Kuala Lumpur as the central node in this emerging financial system. This article highlights key principles of Islamic finance and the debates in which practitioners are engaged while developing ashariah‐compliant financial system. It shows how these plans draw on previous efforts by the Malaysian state—in part in response to Islamist political critiques—to design techniques for the provision of capital commensurable with both Islam and capitalism. In so doing, Malaysia's Islamic finance project expresses four dimensions of the afterlives of development: the creation of alternative political and economic networks; a managerial role for the state; the creation of new forms of expertise; and the assemblage of religious and economic practices, two domains that earlier efforts toward secular modernization had presumed separate.
Sufficient Citizens: Moderation and the Politics of Sustainable Development in Thailand
Authors: Elinoff Eli
Published: October 2015

After the 1997 Asian markets crash, the theory of the “sufficiency economy” altered the discourse of development in Thailand. Emphasizing Buddhist notions of moderation and “enough” sufficiency recast development as a means to temper socio‐economic volatility by reforming consumer affect. Sufficiency theory pinned the nation's economic upheaval on excessive desires, attempting to intervene in these impulses through projects rooted in personal moderation and communality. In this article, I explore the relationship between politics, citizenship, and sufficiency. Through ethnographic analysis of cases from urban squatter settlements taking part in state‐driven participatory urban planning policies, I argue that sufficiency has become central to debates over citizenship in contemporary Thailand. Urban planners use sufficiency to attempt to produce what they term “personal development” and to attempt to defuse political claims by training the poor to moderate their demands by learning “enough.” I also show how residents of squatter communities use the language and practices of sufficiency to make political claims and to demonstrate their legitimacy as citizens with rights to the city. In doing so, I demonstrate how notions of sustainable development tied to moderation extend and potentially interrupt social inequalities.
Ambivalence, the Intergroup Contact Hypothesis, and Attitudes about Gay Rights
Authors: Garner Andrew
Published: October 2015

This article examines the effect of contact with gays and lesbians on inducing or decreasing ambivalence among citizens’ attitudes toward gay rights. Contact may create cross‐pressure or ambivalence among strong conservative‐leaning citizens, causing internal conflict between their political values and their contact with gays and lesbians. Citizens torn between conflicting values will have less predictable attitudes than those not experiencing such conflict. Contact, however, is likely to have the opposite effect among liberal‐leaning citizens, reducing ambivalence and making their attitudes more predictable and uniform. Results from heteroskedastic regression models indicate that contact increases the error variance among evangelicalChristians, strong conservatives, and strong Republicans while decreasing it among their liberal‐leaning counterparts. The results suggest that contact with gays and lesbians can impact the mean level of support for gay rights, as well as the clarity or certainty of those attitudes, although its effect differs across these two dimensions of public opinion.

Related Articles

Bramlett,Brittany H.2012. “.”Politics & Policy40():13‐42.http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1747‐1346.2011.00337.x/fullBarth,Jay L., andJanineParry.2009. “.”Politics & Policy37():31‐50.http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1747‐1346.2007.00160.x/abstractSkipworth,SueAnn,AndrewGarner, andBryanJ. Dettrey.2010. “.”Politics & Policy38():887‐906.http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1747‐1346.2010.00262.x/abstract

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.2010. “?” Accessed on December 20, 2012. Available online athttp://www.itgetsbetter.org/pages/about‐it‐gets‐better‐projectEdsall,Thomas B.2012. “.” (April 15).http://campaignstops.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/04/15/let‐the‐nanotargeting‐begin
Explaining Cross‐Border Political Activities among Latino Immigrants in the United States
Authors: Lee Jongho
Published: October 2015

This study examines the characteristics of those who participate in cross‐border political activities and explains why they do so. Data from a survey of 1,202 Latino immigrants reveal that trans‐state political activities originate in an instrumentally motivated adaptation strategy immigrants employ to protect and promote their material and symbolic goals. Specifically, those who have strong incentives to safeguard their economic interests in the home country are active in home country politics, as are those involved in trans‐state cultural enterprises, since participation in cross‐border cultural activities encourages immigrants to take political action in order to maintain and promote their long‐standing values, beliefs, and cultural practices they acquired from the home country. Participation in cross‐border political activities is thus primarily a manifestation of immigrants' desires to achieve their symbolic as well as material goals, rather than a reflection of their lack of assimilation to the host country.

Related Articles

Bayes, Jane H., and Laura Gonzalez. 2011. “.” Politics & Policy 39 (): 11‐44. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1747‐1346.2010.00281.x/abstract

Garcia‐Acevedo, Maria R. 2008. “.” Politics & Policy 36 (): 1066‐1092. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1747‐1346.2008.00150.x/abstract

Pearson‐Merkowitz, Shanna. 2012. “.” Politics & Policy 40 (): 258‐295. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1747‐1346.2012.00349.x/abstract

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. 2010. “.” . http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gw8IARAEhi0

Carpenter, Charlie. 2012. “.” . http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSZqP6RGJX8

Berger, Joseph. 2009. “.” . http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/15/nyregion/westchester/15colwe.html?_r=0
How modality specific is processing of auditory and visual rhythms?
Authors: Pasinski Amanda C. , McAuley J. Devin , Snyder Joel S.
Published: October 2015

The present study used ERPs to test the extent to which temporal processing is modality specific or modality general. Participants were presented with auditory and visual temporal patterns that consisted of initial two‐ or three‐event beginning patterns. This delineated a constant standard time interval, followed by a two‐event ending pattern delineating a variable test interval. Participants judged whether they perceived the pattern as a whole to be speeding up or slowing down. The contingent negative variation (CNV), a negative potential reflecting temporal expectancy, showed a larger amplitude for the auditory modality compared to the visual modality but a high degree of similarity in scalp voltage patterns across modalities, suggesting that the CNV arises from modality‐general processes. A late, memory‐dependent positive component (P3) also showed similar patterns across modalities.
Feedback delay gradually affects amplitude and valence specificity of the feedback‐related negativity (FRN)
Authors: Peterburs Jutta , Kobza Stefan , Bellebaum Christian
Published: October 2015

Processing of performance‐related feedback is an essential prerequisite for adaptive behavior. Even though in everyday life feedback is rarely immediate, to date very few studies have investigated whether the feedback‐related negativity (FRN), a relative negativity in the ERP approximately 200 to 300 ms after feedback that is sensitive to feedback valence and predictability, is modulated by feedback timing, and findings are inconsistent. The present study investigated effects of gradually increasing feedback delays on feedback processing in the FRN time window. Subjects completed a probabilistic learning task in which feedback was provided after short, intermediate, or long delays. Difference wave‐based analyses showed that amplitudes decreased linearly with increasing feedback delay. A distinct pattern was observed for the FRN as defined in the original waveforms, with FRN amplitudes being largest for long and smallest for short delays. This pattern of results is consistent with the notion that the neural systems underlying feedback processing vary depending on feedback timing. The gradually reduced difference wave signal might reflect a gradual shift away from processing in frontostriatal circuits toward medial temporal involvement. To what extent increased signal amplitudes for longer delays in the original waveforms are related to processing in certain brain structures will need to be determined in future studies.
The relationship between team communication, structure, and academicR&Dperformance: empirical evidence of the national telecommunication program inTaiwan
Authors: Hung Chia‐Liang , Kuo Shan-Jan , Dong Tse‐Ping
Published: October 2015

This research evaluates the frontierNationalTelecommunicationProgram (NTP) inTaiwan using the data envelopment analysis approach and analyzes the influence of team communication and structure onR&Dperformance by establishing a structural equation modeling relationship. The results show that team communication is highly correlated withR&Dperformance. The high‐scored projects have internal communication patterns with a higher meeting frequency but shorter dialogue duration, a uniform distribution of regular meetings, a scheme for the lower hierarchy to meet with the project leader, a well‐managed channel to access accumulative expertise, and an open forum for communication. They also have external communication patterns with a gatekeeper bridging inward and outward information, a lower frequency of time‐consuming external sourcing, and a higher frequency of external cooperation, referencing, learning, and benchmarking. Though team structure has no significant influence onR&Dperformance, the high‐scored research group focused more on the structural dimensions of research strategy, laboratory management, and motivation incentives. This research will provide effective principles of project management to team leaders and industrial policy guidelines to program sponsors.
Value creation from the innovation environment: partnership strategies in university spin‐outs
Authors: Lubik Sarah , Garnsey Elizabeth , Minshall Tim , Platts Ken
Published: October 2015

University spin‐out (USO) companies play an increasingly important role in generating value from radical, generic technologies, but this translation requires significant resources from other players to reach the market. Seven case studies illuminate how relationships with each type of partner can be leveraged to help the firm create value. We find that most firms in the sample are aware of the importance of corporate partners and actively seek to cultivate these relationships, but may not be taking full advantage of the resources available through nonparent academic institutions and otherUSOswith similar or complementary technologies.
Antipodean Social Policy Responses to Economic Crises
Authors: Starke Peter
Published: October 2015

In this article, I analyze the social policy reactions to economic crises in Australia and New Zealand. After the financial crisis of 2008, Australia built its crisis management strategy around a large fiscal stimulus with a significant social policy component, whereas New Zealand did not. While the government enacted fiscal stimulus measures, the social policy component was small and the government soon returned to welfare retrenchment and workfare policy. Based on a detailed account of recent crisis policies as well as a condensed overview of previous crisis responses (to the 1970s oil shocks, the early 1990s recession and the Asian financial crisis), I discuss the contribution of a number of factors to explaining this difference between Australia and New Zealand. These factors include: idiosyncratic causes such as the Australian mining boom and the Christchurch earthquakes, partisan politics, interest group structures, political institutions and policy legacies. The analysis shows that the recent differences cannot fully be explained through idiosyncratic factors, as partisan ideology was already crucial in strategic policy decisions during the first months of the crisis. The historical pattern further supports this conclusion.
The Working Class and Welfare:FrancisG.Castles on the Political Development of the Welfare State inAustralia andNewZealand Thirty Years On
Authors: Deeming Christopher
Published: October 2015

In his celebrated work of comparative policy, Francis Castles argued that a radical wage‐earning model of welfare had evolved inAustralia andNewZealand over the course of the 20th century. TheCastles' thesis is shown to have two parts: first, the ‘fourth world of welfare’ argument that rests upon protection of workers; and, second, an emphasis on the path‐dependent nature of social policy. It is perfectly possible to accept the second premise of the argument without the first, and indeed many do so. It is also possible to accept the importance of wage level protection concerns inAustralasian social policy without accepting the complete fourth world thesis. This article explores the path of social democracy inAustralia andNewZealand and the continuing importance of labour market regulation, as well as considering the extent to which that emphasis still makes Australasian social policy distinctive in the modern age. The argument focuses on the data and policies relating to labour market protection and wages, as well the systems of welfare and social protection, and the comparative information on poverty and inequality.
Welfare Reform in Aotearoa/New Zealand: From Citizen to Managed Worker
Authors: O'Brien Michael
Published: October 2015

Active citizenship, obligations and growing surveillance have been key dimensions of the changing approach to welfare in New Zealand over the last 30 years; this article explores these changes and some of their implications. In a context of growing inequality and poverty, the emphasis has been placed on beneficiary responsibilities rather than rights. Increased participation in paid work, associated with a critical approach to ‘benefit dependency’, has been an integral feature of the changes, reflected in the renaming and restructuring of the benefit system. The article concludes with a discussion on some of the implications of the changes in direction, particularly in relation to poverty levels and the ways in which reduced citizenship rights are associated with and strengthens the positioning of beneficiaries as outsiders.
From Celtic Tiger to Crisis: Progress, Problems and Prospects for Social Security in Ireland
Authors: Hick Rod
Published: October 2015

This article provides an assessment of the impact of changes to social security in Ireland during both the Celtic Tiger and crisis periods, comparing change in social security rates relative to prices and to median equivalized net income. It is argued that, contrary to some commentary, there was progress in terms of social welfare generosity during the Celtic Tiger years, despite Ireland adopting a low‐tax economic model. However, in the latter years of the Celtic Tiger period, this progress was increasingly leveraged against precarious property‐related taxes. Following the collapse of the housing bubble, the bank guarantee and the bailout, there has been substantial retrenchment of social security, both in terms of cuts to some of the primary social welfare payments, tightening of scheme rules as well as more direct cuts to less visible schemes. The article provides an assessment of these changes, ending on a cautionary note in arguing that the prospects for the future do not augur well given Ireland's continued commitment to a low‐tax economic model.
The Impact of the Fiscal Crisis on Greek and Portuguese Welfare States: Retrenchment before the Catch‐up?
Authors: Zartaloudis Sotirios
Published: October 2015

This article examines the impact of the ongoing (2008–13) economic crisis on Greek and Portuguese welfare state reforms in a comparative perspective with a particular focus on the public sector, labour markets and social protection. It is argued that the recent crisis caused ‘shock and awe’ in Greece and Portugal resulting in an unprecedented wave of cuts, tax rises and labour market reforms. In particular, public sector remuneration and jobs were cut, pensions were significantly curtailed and pension rights significantly restricted, successive tax hikes were implemented and welfare benefits became less generous and more conditional. It is argued that these reforms constitute a critical juncture and a considerable effort towards welfare retrenchment, which is which is implemented before converging with the more advanced welfare states of the EU15. Both countries appeared to be significantly more vulnerable to the crisis than the richer countries of Northern Europe (e.g. Germany, Austria, Sweden, Finland and the Netherlands) and their larger Southern counterparts (Italy and Spain). Yet, the latter had to implement similar measures, albeit in a less abrupt and extensive fashion. In other words, it may be that size is less important than economic and political power for coping with the effects of the current crisis.
Teachers' Conceptions of Integrated Mathematics Curricula
Authors: de Araujo Zandra , Jacobson Erik , Singletary Laura , Wilson Patricia , Lowe Laura , Marshall Anne Marie
Published: October 2015

In this qualitative research study, we sought to understand teachers' conceptions of integrated mathematics. The participants were teachers in the first year of implementation of a state‐mandated, high school integrated mathematics curriculum. The primary data sources for this study included focus group and individual interviews. Through our analysis, we found that the teachers had varied conceptions of what the term integrated meant in reference to mathematics curricula. These varied conceptions led to the development of the Conceptions of Integrated Mathematics Curricula Framework describing the different conceptions of integrated mathematics held by the teachers. The four conceptions—integration by strands, integration by topics, interdisciplinary integration, and contextual integration—refer to the different ideas teachers connect as well as the time frame over which these connections are emphasized. The results indicate that even when teachers use the same integrated mathematics curriculum, they may have varying conceptions of which ideas they are supposed to connect and how these connections can be emphasized. These varied conceptions of integration among teachers may lead students to experience the same adopted curriculum in very different ways.
The null hypothesis: globally steady rates of erosion, weathering fluxes and shelf sediment accumulation during Late Cenozoic mountain uplift and glaciation
Authors: Willenbring Jane K. , Jerolmack Douglas J.
Published: October 2015

At the largest time and space scales, the pace of erosion and chemical weathering is determined by tectonic uplift rates. Deviations from equilibrium arise from the transient response of landscape denudation to climatic and tectonic perturbations. We posit that the constraint of mass balance, however, makes it unlikely that such disequilibrium persists at the global scale over millions of years, as has been proposed for late Cenozoic erosion. We synthesize weathering fluxes, global sedimentation rates, sediment yields and tectonic motions to show a remarkable constancy in the pace of Earth‐surface evolution over the last 10 Ma and support the null hypothesis – that global rates of landscape change have remained constant over this time period, despite global climate change and mountain building events. This work undermines the hypothesis that increased weathering due to mountain building or climate change was the primary agent for a decrease in global temperatures.
Plio‐Pleistocene increase of erosion rates in mountain belts in response to climate change
Authors: Herman Frédéric , Champagnac Jean‐Daniel
Published: October 2015

Here, we review an ensemble of observations that point towards a global increase of erosion rates in regions of elevated mountain belts, or otherwise high relief, since the onset of Northern Hemisphere Glaciation about 2–3 Ma. During that period of Earth's history, atmospheric CO2 concentrations may have dropped, and global climate cooled and evolved towards high‐amplitude oscillating conditions that are associated with the waxing and waning of continental ice sheets in the Northern Hemisphere. We argue for a correlation between climate change and increased erosion rates and relief production, which we attribute to some combination of the observed cooling, onset of glaciation, and climatic oscillation at orbital timescales. In our view, glacial erosion played a major role and is driven by the global cooling. Furthermore, analyses of the sedimentary fluxes of many mountain belts show peaks of erosion during the transitions between glacial and inter‐glacial periods, suggesting that the variable climatic conditions have also played a role.
Epidemiology and outcomes of carbapenem‐resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae bacteriuria in kidney transplant recipients
Authors: Pouch S.M. , Kubin C.J. , Satlin M.J. , Tsapepas D.S. , Lee J.R. , Dube G. , Pereira M.R.
Published: October 2015

Background

Little is known about the epidemiology of carbapenem‐resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) bacteriuria following kidney transplantation. We determined the incidence of post‐transplant CRKP bacteriuria in adults who underwent kidney transplant from 2007 to 2010 at 2 New York City centers.

Methods

We conducted a case–control study to identify factors associated with CRKP bacteriuria compared with carbapenem‐susceptible K. pneumoniae (CSKP) bacteriuria, assessed whether CRKP bacteriuria was associated with mortality or graft failure, and compared outcomes of treated episodes of CRKP and CSKP bacteriuria.

Results

Of 1852 transplants, 20 (1.1%) patients developed CRKP bacteriuria. Factors associated with CRKP bacteriuria included receipt of multiple organs (odds ratio [OR] 4.7, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.1–20.4), deceased‐donor allograft (OR 5.9, 95% CI 1.3–26.8), transplant admission length of stay (OR 1.1 per day, 95% CI 1.0–1.1), pre‐transplant CRKP infection or colonization (OR 18.3, 95% CI 2.0–170.5), diabetes mellitus (OR 2.8, 95% CI 1.0–7.8), and receipt of antimicrobials other than trimethoprim‐sulfamethoxazole (OR 4.3, 95% CI 1.6–11.2).

Conclusion

Compared to CSKP bacteriuria, CRKP bacteriuria was associated with increased mortality (30% vs. 10%, P = 0.03) but not graft failure. Treated episodes of CRKP bacteriuria were less likely to achieve microbiologic clearance (83% vs. 97%; P = 0.05) and more likely to recur within 3 months (50% vs. 22%, P = 0.02) than CSKP episodes. CRKP bacteriuria after kidney transplant is associated with mortality and antimicrobial failure after treatment.
Prolonged norovirus infection after pancreas transplantation: a case report and review of chronic norovirus
Authors: Echenique I.A. , Stosor V. , Gallon L. , Kaufman D. , Qi C. , Zembower T.R.
Published: October 2015

Norovirus is a major cause of self‐limited gastroenteritis worldwide. Prevention and treatment are thwarted by rapid viral evolution, and thus supportive care remains the mainstay of therapy. Chronic infection in immunocompromised hosts is increasingly described. We report a case of norovirus infection lasting 2543 days in a pancreas transplant recipient. Serial fecal specimens were obtained, from which a map of genetic relatedness was derived. The clinical course was complicated by renal failure that progressed to end‐stage renal disease. Minimization of immunosuppression was associated with resolution of the infection. Subsequently, the patient experienced a suspected allograft rejection that did not compromise pancreas function. The patient later underwent living‐related renal transplantation without recurrence of enteritis.
Secondary dengue virus infections during the 2009 outbreak in Buenos Aires
Authors: Tittarelli E. , Barrero P. R. , Mistchenko A. S. , Valinotto L. E.
Published: October 2015

Objectives

To evaluate the occurrence of secondary dengue virus (DENV) infections during the 2009 outbreak in a non‐endemic area. Viral loads were evaluated in serum from acute‐phase patients, comparing primary and secondary infection.

Methods

Serum samples from patients with clinical diagnosis of suspected dengue were referred to the Virology Laboratory at ‘Ricardo Gutiérrez’ Children's Hospital. Dengue‐positive samples were classified as primary or secondary DENV infections through serological methods (anti‐DENV IgM and IgG). Viral loads were measured by quantitative real‐time PCR (qRT‐PCR) in samples obtained in the first 5 days of infection. Statistical analyses were performed to evaluate factors that might correlate with differences in the viral load of primary or secondary infection.

Results

A total of 229 DENV cases were confirmed; among them, 22.7% were secondary infections. No significant differences were found between the viral load of primary and secondary infections.

Conclusion

We detected a high percentage of secondary DENV infections in a non‐endemic area; this finding might correspond to socio‐demographic characteristics of the group under study or indicate a previous cryptic DENV circulation causing inapparent infections.
Comparison of Four Friction Models: Feature Prediction
Authors: Sun Yun-Hsiang , Chen Tao , Qiong Wu Christine , Shafai Cyrus
Published: October 2015

In this paper, we provide not only key knowledge for friction model selection among candidate models but also experimental friction features compared with numerical predictions reproduced by the candidate models. A motor-driven one-dimensional sliding block has been designed and fabricated in our lab to carry out a wide range of control tasks for the friction feature demonstrations and the parameter identifications of the candidate models. Besides the well-known static features such as break-away force and viscous friction, our setup experimentally demonstrates subtle dynamic features that characterize the physical behavior. The candidate models coupled with correct parameters experimentally obtained from our setup are taken to simulate the features of interest. The first part of this work briefly introduces the candidate friction models, the friction features of interest, and our experimental approach. The second part of this work is dedicated to the comparisons between the experimental features and the numerical model predictions. The discrepancies between the experimental features and the numerical model predictions help researchers to judge the accuracy of the models. The relation between the candidate model structures and their numerical friction feature predictions is investigated and discussed. A table that summarizes how to select the most optimal friction model among a variety of engineering applications is presented at the end of this paper. Such comprehensive comparisons have not been reported in previous literature.
A New Singularity-Free Formulation of a Three-Dimensional Euler–Bernoulli Beam Using Euler Parameters
Authors: Fan W. , Zhu W. D. , Ren H.
Published: October 2015

In this investigation, a new singularity-free formulation of a three-dimensional Euler–Bernoulli beam with large deformations and large rotations is developed. The position of the centroid line of the beam is integrated from its slope, which can be easily expressed by Euler parameters. The hyperspherical interpolation function is used to guarantee that the normalization constraint equation of Euler parameters is always satisfied. Each node of a beam element has only four nodal coordinates, which are significantly fewer than those in an absolute node coordinate formulation (ANCF) and the finite element method (FEM). Governing equations of the beam and constraint equations are derived using Lagrange's equations for systems with constraints, which are solved by a differential-algebraic equation (DAE) solver. The current formulation can be used to calculate the static equilibrium and linear and nonlinear dynamics of an Euler–Bernoulli beam under arbitrary, concentrated, and distributed forces. While the mass matrix is more complex than that in the ANCF, the stiffness matrix and generalized forces are simpler, which is amenable for calculating the equilibrium of the beam. Several numerical examples are presented to demonstrate the performance of the current formulation. It is shown that the current formulation can achieve the same accuracy as the ANCF and FEM with a fewer number of coordinates.
Model-Based Prediction of Plasma Resistance, and Discharge Voltage and Current Waveforms in Micro-Electrodischarge Machining
Authors: Mujumdar Soham S. , Curreli Davide , Kapoor Shiv G. , Ruzic David
Published: October 2015

In electrodischarge machining (EDM), the thermal energy causing material removal at the electrodes is given by the electrical energy supplied to the discharge. This electrical energy, also known as the discharge energy, can be obtained from time-transient voltage and current waveforms across the electrodes during a discharge. However, in micro-EDM, the interelectrode gaps are shorter causing the plasma resistance to be significantly smaller than other impedances in the circuit. As a result, the voltage and current waveforms obtained by a direct measurement may include voltage drop across the stray impedances in the circuit and may not accurately represent the exact voltage drop across micro-EDM plasma alone. Therefore, a model-based approach is presented in this paper to predict time-transient electrical characteristics of a micro-EDM discharge, such as plasma resistance, voltage, current, and discharge energy. A global modeling approach is employed to solve equations of mass and energy conservations, dynamics of the plasma growth, and the plasma current equation for obtaining a complete temporal description of the plasma during the discharge duration. The model is validated against single-discharge micro-EDM experiments and then used to study the effect of applied open gap voltage and interelectrode gap distance on the plasma resistance, voltage, current, and discharge energy. For open gap voltage in the range of 100–300 V and gap distance in the range of 0.5–6 μm, the model predicts the use of a higher open gap voltage and a higher gap distance to achieve a higher discharge energy.
A real-time articulatory visual feedback approach with target presentation for second language pronunciation learning
Authors: Suemitsu Atsuo , Dang Jianwu , Ito Takayuki , Tiede Mark
Published: October 2015

Articulatory information can support learning or remediating pronunciation of a second language (L2). This paper describes an electromagnetic articulometer-based visual-feedback approach using an articulatory target presented in real-time to facilitate L2 pronunciation learning. This approach trains learners to adjust articulatory positions to match targets for a L2 vowel estimated from productions of vowels that overlap in both L1 and L2. Training of Japanese learners for the American English vowel /æ/ that included visual training improved its pronunciation regardless of whether audio training was also included. Articulatory visual feedback is shown to be an effective method for facilitating L2 pronunciation learning.
Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Grown on Vancomycin-Supplemented Screening Agar Displays Enhanced Biofilm Formation
Authors: Chang Wenjiao , Ding Ding , Zhang Shanshan , Dai Yuanyuan , Pan Qing , Lu Huaiwei , Luo Qingli , Shen Jilong , Ma Xiaoling
Published: October 2015

Brain heart infusion agar containing 3 mg/liter vancomycin (BHI-V3) was used to screen for heterogeneous vancomycin-intermediate
Staphylococcus aureus
(hVISA). There was markedly greater biofilm formation by isolates that grew on BHI-V3 than by strains that did not grow on BHI-V3. Increased biofilm formation by hVISA may be mediated by FnbA- and polysaccharide intercellular adhesin-dependent pathways, and upregulation of
atlA
and
sarA
may also contribute to enhanced biofilm formation by hVISA upon prolonged exposure to vancomycin.
Serum Levels of Antituberculosis Drugs and Their Effect on Tuberculosis Treatment Outcome
Authors: Park Jong Sun , Lee Jae-Yeon , Lee Yeon Joo , Kim Se Joong , Cho Young-Jae , Yoon Ho Il , Lee Choon-Taek , Song Junghan , Lee Jae Ho
Published: October 2015

Therapeutic drug monitoring in tuberculosis remains controversial. We evaluated the relationship between antituberculosis drug levels in blood and clinical outcome. Serum concentrations of first-line antituberculosis drugs were measured in tuberculosis patients between March 2006 and April 2013. Venous blood was drawn 2 h after drug ingestion and was analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. We retrospectively reviewed the data and determined the association of serum drug levels with clinical outcome. Among 413 patients, the prevalences of low serum concentrations of isoniazid (INH), rifampin (RMP), ethambutol (EMB), and pyrazinamide (PZA) were 59.9%, 27.8%, 12.8%, and 8.7%, respectively. The low INH group had a greater percentage of patients with a history of tuberculosis treatment (19.2% versus 11.0%;
P
= 0.026) and was more likely to present with drug-resistant strains (17.6% versus 8.8%;
P
= 0.049) than the normal INH group; however, low levels of INH, RMP, EMB, and PZA were not related to treatment outcome. Low INH level had a tendency to be associated with 2-month culture positivity, but it was not statistically significant (
P
= 0.072) in multivariate analysis. Seventeen (4.1%) patients experienced a recurrence. However, the recurrence rate was not statistically different between the low and normal INH groups. Low serum INH may play a role in recurrence and in acquired drug resistance. However, the serum level of INH was not directly related to either treatment response or recurrence rate. The role and usefulness of therapeutic drug monitoring should be evaluated in further prospective studies.
Antibiotic Resistance among Clinical Ureaplasma Isolates Recovered from Neonates in England and Wales between 2007 and 2013
Authors: Beeton Michael L. , Chalker Victoria J. , Jones Lucy C. , Maxwell Nicola C. , Spiller O. Brad
Published: October 2015

Ureaplasma
spp. are associated with numerous clinical sequelae with treatment options being limited due to patient and pathogen factors. This report examines the prevalence and mechanisms of antibiotic resistance among clinical strains isolated from 95 neonates, 32 women attending a sexual health clinic, and 3 patients under investigation for immunological disorders, between 2007 and 2013 in England and Wales. MICs were determined by using broth microdilution assays, and a subset of isolates were compared using the broth microdilution method and the Mycoplasma IST2 assay. The underlying molecular mechanisms for resistance were determined for all resistant isolates. Three isolates carried the
tet
(M) tetracycline resistance gene (2.3%; confidence interval [CI], 0.49 to 6.86%); two isolates were ciprofloxacin resistant (1.5%; CI, 0.07 to 5.79%) but sensitive to levofloxacin and moxifloxacin, while no resistance was seen to any macrolides tested. The MIC values for chloramphenicol were universally low (2 μg/ml), while inherently high-level MIC values for gentamicin were seen (44 to 66 μg/ml). The Mycoplasma IST2 assay identified a number of false positives for ciprofloxacin resistance, as the method does not conform to international testing guidelines. While antibiotic resistance among
Ureaplasma
isolates remains low, continued surveillance is essential to monitor trends and threats from importation of resistant clones.
Escherichia coli Overexpressing a Baeyer-Villiger Monooxygenase from Acinetobacter radioresistens Becomes Resistant to Imipenem
Authors: Minerdi Daniela , Zgrablic Ivan , Castrignanò Silvia , Catucci Gianluca , Medana Claudio , Terlizzi Maria Elena , Gribaudo Giorgio , Gilardi Gianfranco , Sadeghi Sheila J.
Published: October 2015

Antimicrobial resistance is a global issue currently resulting in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people a year worldwide. Data present in the literature illustrate the emergence of many bacterial species that display resistance to known antibiotics;
Acinetobacter
spp. are a good example of this. We report here that
Acinetobacter radioresistens
has a Baeyer-Villiger monooxygenase (Ar-BVMO) with 100% amino acid sequence identity to the ethionamide monooxygenase of multidrug-resistant (MDR)
Acinetobacter baumannii
. Both enzymes are only distantly phylogenetically related to other canonical bacterial BVMO proteins. Ar-BVMO not only is capable of oxidizing two anticancer drugs metabolized by human FMO3, danusertib and tozasertib, but also can oxidize other synthetic drugs, such as imipenem. The latter is a member of the carbapenems, a clinically important antibiotic family used in the treatment of MDR bacterial infections. Susceptibility tests performed by the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method demonstrate that imipenem-sensitive
Escherichia coli
BL21 cells overexpressing Ar-BVMO become resistant to this antibiotic. An agar disk diffusion assay proved that when imipenem reacts with Ar-BVMO, it loses its antibiotic property. Moreover, an NADPH consumption assay with the purified Ar-BVMO demonstrates that this antibiotic is indeed a substrate, and its product is identified by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry to be a Baeyer-Villiger (BV) oxidation product of the carbonyl moiety of the β-lactam ring. This is the first report of an antibiotic-inactivating BVMO enzyme that, while mediating its usual BV oxidation, also operates by an unprecedented mechanism of carbapenem resistance.
Active-Site Plasticity Is Essential to Carbapenem Hydrolysis by OXA-58 Class D β-Lactamase of Acinetobacter baumannii
Authors: Pratap Shivendra , Katiki Madhusudhanarao , Gill Preet , Kumar Pravindra , Golemi-Kotra Dasantila
Published: October 2015

Carbapenem-hydrolyzing class D β-lactamases (CHDLs) are a subgroup of class D β-lactamases, which are enzymes that hydrolyze β-lactams. They have attracted interest due to the emergence of multidrug-resistant
Acinetobacter baumannii
, which is not responsive to treatment with carbapenems, the usual antibiotics of choice for this bacterium. Unlike other class D β-lactamases, these enzymes efficiently hydrolyze carbapenem antibiotics. To explore the structural requirements for the catalysis of carbapenems by these enzymes, we determined the crystal structure of the OXA-58 CHDL of
A. baumannii
following acylation of its active-site serine by a 6α-hydroxymethyl penicillin derivative that is a structural mimetic for a carbapenem. In addition, several point mutation variants of the active site of OXA-58, as identified by the crystal structure analysis, were characterized kinetically. These combined studies confirm the mechanistic relevance of a hydrophobic bridge formed over the active site. This structural feature is suggested to stabilize the hydrolysis-productive acyl-enzyme species formed from the carbapenem substrates of this enzyme. Furthermore, our structural studies provide strong evidence that the hydroxyethyl group of carbapenems samples different orientations in the active sites of CHDLs, and the optimum orientation for catalysis depends on the topology of the active site allowing proper closure of the active site. We propose that CHDLs use the plasticity of the active site to drive the mechanism of carbapenem hydrolysis toward efficiency.
Biofilms of Pathogenic Nontuberculous Mycobacteria Targeted by New Therapeutic Approaches
Authors: Aung Thet Tun , Yam Joey Kuok Hoong , Lin Shuimu , Salleh Shuhaida Mohamed , Givskov Michael , Liu Shouping , Lwin Nyein Chan , Yang Liang , Beuerman Roger W.
Published: October 2015

Microbial infections of the cornea are potentially devastating and can result in permanent visual loss or require vision-rescuing surgery. In recent years, there has been an increasing number of reports on nontuberculous mycobacterial infections of the cornea. Challenges to the management of nontuberculous mycobacterial keratitis include delayed laboratory detection, low index of clinical suspicion, poor drug penetration, slow response to therapy, and prolonged use of antibiotic combinations. The ability of nontuberculous mycobacteria to evade the host immune response and the ability to adhere and to form biofilms on biological and synthetic substrates contribute to the issue. Therefore, there is an urgent need for new antimicrobial compounds that can overcome these problems. In this study, we evaluated the biofilm architectures for
Mycobacterium chelonae
and
Mycobacterium fortuitum
in dynamic flow cell chamber and 8-well chamber slide models. Our results showed that mycobacterial biofilms were quite resistant to conventional antibiotics. However, DNase treatment could be used to overcome biofilm resistance. Moreover, we successfully evaluated a new antimicrobial compound (AM-228) that was effective not only for planktonic mycobacterial cells but also for biofilm treatment and was compared favorably with the most successful “fourth-generation” fluoroquinolone, gatifloxacin. Finally, a new treatment strategy emerged: a combination of DNase with an antibiotic was more effective than an antibiotic alone.
Preservation of Acquired Colistin Resistance in Gram-Negative Bacteria
Authors: Lee Ji-Young , Choi Myung-Jin , Choi Hyeon Jin , Ko Kwan Soo
Published: October 2015

Colistin-resistant mutants were obtained from 17 colistin-susceptible strains of
Acinetobacter baumannii
,
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
,
Klebsiella pneumoniae
, and
Escherichia coli
. The stability of colistin resistance in these mutants was investigated. Three of four colistin-resistant
P. aeruginosa
mutants recovered colistin susceptibility in colistin-free medium; however, colistin-susceptible revertants were obtained from only one strain each of
A. baumannii
and
E. coli
. No susceptible revertants were obtained from
K. pneumoniae
mutants.
In Vitro
Biochemical Study of CYP51-Mediated Azole Resistance in Aspergillus fumigatus
Authors: Warrilow Andrew G. S. , Parker Josie E. , Price Claire L. , Nes W. David , Kelly Steven L. , Kelly Diane E.
Published: October 2015

The incidence of triazole-resistant
Aspergillus
infections is increasing worldwide, often mediated through mutations in the CYP51A amino acid sequence. New classes of azole-based drugs are required to combat the increasing resistance to existing triazole therapeutics. In this study, a CYP51 reconstitution assay is described consisting of eburicol, purified recombinant
Aspergillus fumigatus
CPR1 (AfCPR1), and
Escherichia coli
membrane suspensions containing recombinant
A. fumigatus
CYP51 proteins, allowing
in vitro
screening of azole antifungals. Azole-CYP51 studies determining the 50% inhibitory concentration (IC
50
) showed that
A. fumigatus
CYP51B (Af51B IC
50
, 0.50 μM) was 34-fold more susceptible to inhibition by fluconazole than
A. fumigatus
CYP51A (Af51A IC
50
, 17 μM) and that Af51A and Af51B were equally susceptible to inhibition by voriconazole, itraconazole, and posaconazole (IC
50
s of 0.16 to 0.38 μM). Af51A-G54W and Af51A-M220K enzymes were 11- and 15-fold less susceptible to inhibition by itraconazole and 30- and 8-fold less susceptible to inhibition by posaconazole than wild-type Af51A, confirming the azole-resistant phenotype of these two Af51A mutations. Susceptibility to voriconazole of Af51A-G54W and Af51A-M220K was only marginally lower than that of wild-type Af51A. Susceptibility of Af51A-L98H to inhibition by voriconazole, itraconazole, and posaconazole was only marginally lower (less than 2-fold) than that of wild-type Af51A. However, Af51A-L98H retained 5 to 8% residual activity in the presence of 32 μM triazole, which could confer azole resistance in
A. fumigatus
strains that harbor the Af51A-L98H mutation. The AfCPR1/Af51 assay system demonstrated the biochemical basis for the increased azole resistance of
A. fumigatus
strains harboring G54W, L98H, and M220K Af51A point mutations.
Nonimpact of Decolonization as an Adjunctive Measure to Contact Precautions for the Control of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Transmission in Acute Care
Authors: Peterson Lance R. , Wright Marc O. , Beaumont Jennifer L. , Komutanon Vanida , Patel Parul A. , Schora Donna M. , Schmitt Bryan H. , Robicsek Ari
Published: October 2015

This was an observational study comparing methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
(MRSA) transmission with no decolonization of medical patients to required decolonization of all MRSA carriers during two consecutive periods: baseline with no decolonization of medical patients (16 months) and universal MRSA carrier decolonization (13 months). The setting was a one-hospital, 156-bed facility with 9,200 annual admissions. Regression models were used to compare rates of MRSA acquisition. The chi-square test was used to compare event frequencies. We used rates of MRSA clinical disease as an outcome monitor of the program. Analysis was done on 15,666 patients who had admission and discharge tests; 27.9% of inpatient days were occupied by a MRSA-positive patient (colonized patient-days) who received decolonization while hospitalized during the baseline period (this 27.9% represented those who had planned surgery) compared to 76.0% during the intervention period (
P
< 0.0001). The rate of MRSA transmission was 97 events (1.0%) for 9,415 admissions (2.0 transmission events/1,000 patient-days) during baseline and was 87 (1.4%) for 6,251 admissions (2.7 transmission events/1,000 patient-days) during intervention (
P
= 0.06; rate ratio, 0.74; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.55 to 1.00). The MRSA nosocomial clinical disease rate was 5.9 infections/10,000 patient-days in the baseline period and was 7.2 infections/10,000 patient-days for the intervention period (rate ratio, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.46 to 1.45;
P
= 0.49). Decolonization of MRSA patients does not add benefit when contact precautions are used for patients colonized with MRSA in acute (hospital) care.