bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hydrogen utilising bacteria from the forestomach of eastern grey (Macropus giganteus) and red (Macropus rufus) kangaroos
Authors: Ouwerkerk D. , Maguire A. J. , McMillen L. , Klieve A. V.
Published: October 2009

Reductive acetogenesis is an alternative to methanogenesis for removing hydrogen produced during enteric fermentation. In Australia, kangaroos have evolved an enlarged forestomach analogous to the rumen of sheep and cattle. However, unlike sheep and cattle, kangaroos produce very little methane from enteric fermentation. From samples of gut contents from five eastern grey and three red kangaroos, we were not able to detect methanogens using a PCR protocol, but did detect the formyltetrahydrofolate synthetase (FTHFS) gene (likely to be used for reductive acetogenesis) in all animals. Isolations to recover acetogens resulted in two different classes of hydrogen consuming bacteria being isolated. The first class consisted of acetogens that possessed the FTHFS gene, which except for Clostridium glycolicum, were not closely related to any previously cultured bacteria. The second class were not acetogens but consisted of enterobacteria (Escherichia coli and Shigella) that did not possess FTHFS genes but did utilise hydrogen and produce acetate. Enumeration of the acetogens containing the FTHFS gene by real-time PCR indicated that bacteria of the taxa designated YE257 were common to all the kangaroos whereas YE266/YE273 were only detected in eastern grey kangaroos. When present, both species occurred at densities above ×106 cell equivalents per mL. C. glycolicum was not detected in the kangaroos and, unlike YE257 and YE266/273, is unlikely to play a major role in reductive acetogenesis in the foregut of kangaroos.
Minimal membrane docking requirements revealed by reconstitution of Rab GTPase-dependent membrane fusion from purified components
Authors: Stroupe Christopher , Hickey Christopher M. , Mima Joji , Burfeind Amy S. , Wickner William
Published: October 2009

Rab GTPases and their effectors mediate docking, the initial contact of intracellular membranes preceding bilayer fusion. However, it has been unclear whether Rab proteins and effectors are sufficient for intermembrane interactions. We have recently reported reconstituted membrane fusion that requires yeast vacuolar SNAREs, lipids, and the homotypic fusion and vacuole protein sorting (HOPS)/class C Vps complex, an effector and guanine nucleotide exchange factor for the yeast vacuolar Rab GTPase Ypt7p. We now report reconstitution of lysis-free membrane fusion that requires purified GTP-bound Ypt7p, HOPS complex, vacuolar SNAREs, ATP hydrolysis, and the SNARE disassembly catalysts Sec17p and Sec18p. We use this reconstituted system to show that SNAREs and Sec17p/Sec18p, and Ypt7p and the HOPS complex, are required for stable intermembrane interactions and that the three vacuolar Q-SNAREs are sufficient for these interactions.
VIP1 response elements mediate mitogen-activated protein kinase 3-induced stress gene expression
Authors: Pitzschke Andrea , Djamei Armin , Teige Markus , Hirt Heribert
Published: October 2009

The plant pathogen
Agrobacterium tumefaciens
transforms plant cells by delivering its T-DNA into the plant cell nucleus where it integrates into the plant genome and causes tumor formation. A key role of VirE2-interacting protein 1 (VIP1) in the nuclear import of T-DNA during
Agrobacterium
-mediated plant transformation has been unravelled and VIP1 was shown to undergo nuclear localization upon phosphorylation by the mitogen-activated protein kinase MPK3. Here, we provide evidence that VIP1 encodes a functional bZIP transcription factor that stimulates stress-dependent gene expression by binding to VIP1 response elements (VREs), a DNA hexamer motif. VREs are overrepresented in promoters responding to activation of the MPK3 pathway such as
Trxh8
and
MYB44.
Accordingly, plants overexpressing VIP1 accumulate high levels of
Trxh8
and
MYB44
transcripts, whereas stress-induced expression of these genes is impaired in
mpk3
mutants.
Trxh8
and
MYB44
promoters are activated by VIP1 in a VRE-dependent manner. VIP1 strongly enhances expression from a synthetic promoter harboring multiple VRE copies and directly interacts with VREs in vitro and in vivo. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays of the
MYB44
promoter confirm that VIP1 binding to VREs is enhanced under conditions of MPK3 pathway stimulation. These results provide molecular insight into the cellular mechanism of target gene regulation by the MPK3 pathway.
A consensus genetic map of cowpea [
Vigna unguiculata
(L) Walp.] and synteny based on EST-derived SNPs
Authors: Muchero Wellington , Diop Ndeye N. , Bhat Prasanna R. , Fenton Raymond D. , Wanamaker Steve , Pottorff Marti , Hearne Sarah , Cisse Ndiaga , Fatokun Christian , Ehlers Jeffrey D. , Roberts Philip A. , Close Timothy J.
Published: October 2009

Consensus genetic linkage maps provide a genomic framework for quantitative trait loci identification, map-based cloning, assessment of genetic diversity, association mapping, and applied breeding in marker-assisted selection schemes. Among “orphan crops” with limited genomic resources such as cowpea [
Vigna unguiculata
(L.) Walp.] (2
n
= 2
x
= 22), the use of transcript-derived SNPs in genetic maps provides opportunities for automated genotyping and estimation of genome structure based on synteny analysis. Here, we report the development and validation of a high-throughput EST-derived SNP assay for cowpea, its application in consensus map building, and determination of synteny to reference genomes. SNP mining from 183,118 ESTs sequenced from 17 cDNA libraries yielded ≈10,000 high-confidence SNPs from which an Illumina 1,536-SNP GoldenGate genotyping array was developed and applied to 741 recombinant inbred lines from six mapping populations. Approximately 90% of the SNPs were technically successful, providing 1,375 dependable markers. Of these, 928 were incorporated into a consensus genetic map spanning 680 cM with 11 linkage groups and an average marker distance of 0.73 cM. Comparison of this cowpea genetic map to reference legumes, soybean (
Glycine max
) and
Medicago truncatula
, revealed extensive macrosynteny encompassing 85 and 82%, respectively, of the cowpea map. Regions of soybean genome duplication were evident relative to the simpler diploid cowpea. Comparison with
Arabidopsis
revealed extensive genomic rearrangement with some conserved microsynteny. These results support evolutionary closeness between cowpea and soybean and identify regions for synteny-based functional genomics studies in legumes.
Evidence that chytrids dominate fungal communities in high-elevation soils
Authors: Freeman K. R. , Martin A. P. , Karki D. , Lynch R. C. , Mitter M. S. , Meyer A. F. , Longcore J. E. , Simmons D. R. , Schmidt S. K.
Published: October 2009

Periglacial soils are one of the least studied ecosystems on Earth, yet they are widespread and are increasing in area due to retreat of glaciers worldwide. Soils in these environments are cold and during the brief summer are exposed to high levels of UV radiation and dramatic fluctuations in moisture and temperature. Recent research suggests that these environments harbor immense microbial diversity. Here we use sequencing of environmental DNA, culturing of isolates, and analysis of environmental variables to show that members of the Chytridiomycota (chytrids) dominate fungal biodiversity and perhaps decomposition processes in plant-free, high-elevation soils from the highest mountain ranges on Earth. The zoosporic reproduction of chytrids requires free water, yet we found that chytrids constituted over 70% of the ribosomal gene sequences of clone libraries from barren soils of the Himalayas and Rockies; by contrast, they are rare in other soil environments. Very few chytrids have been cultured, although we were successful at culturing chytrids from high-elevation sites throughout the world. In a more focused study of our sites in Colorado, we show that carbon sources that support chytrid growth (eolian deposited pollen and microbial phototrophs) are abundant and that soils are saturated with water for several months under the snow, thus creating ideal conditions for the development of a chytrid-dominated ecosystem. Our work broadens the known biodiversity of the Chytridomycota, and describes previously unsuspected links between aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems in alpine regions.
Fibronectin forms the most extensible biological fibers displaying switchable force-exposed cryptic binding sites
Authors: Klotzsch Enrico , Smith Michael L. , Kubow Kristopher E. , Muntwyler Simon , Little William C. , Beyeler Felix , Gourdon Delphine , Nelson Bradley J. , Vogel Viola
Published: October 2009

Rather than maximizing toughness, as needed for silk and muscle titin fibers to withstand external impact, the much softer extracellular matrix fibers made from fibronectin (Fn) can be stretched by cell generated forces and display extraordinary extensibility. We show that Fn fibers can be extended more than 8-fold (>700% strain) before 50% of the fibers break. The Young's modulus of single fibers, given by the highly nonlinear slope of the stress-strain curve, changes orders of magnitude, up to MPa. Although many other materials plastically deform before they rupture, evidence is provided that the reversible breakage of force-bearing backbone hydrogen bonds enables the large strain. When tension is released, the nano-sized Fn domains first contract in the crowded environment of fibers within seconds into random coil conformations (molten globule states), before the force-bearing hydrogen bond networks that stabilize the domain's secondary structures are reestablished within minutes (double exponential). The exposure of cryptic binding sites on Fn type III modules increases steeply upon stretching. Thus fiber extension steadily up-regulates fiber rigidity and cryptic epitope exposure, both of which are known to differentially alter cell behavior. Finally, since stress-strain relationships cannot directly be measured in native extracellular matrix (ECM), the stress-strain curves were correlated with stretch-induced alterations of intramolecular fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) obtained from trace amounts of Fn probes (mechanical strain sensors) that can be incorporated into native ECM. Physiological implications of the extraordinary extensibility of Fn fibers and contraction kinetics are discussed.
Kinetics of hyperpolarized
13
C
1
-pyruvate transport and metabolism in living human breast cancer cells
Authors: Harris Talia , Eliyahu Galit , Frydman Lucio , Degani Hadassa
Published: October 2009

Metabolic fluxes can serve as specific biomarkers for detecting malignant transformations, tumor progression, and response to microenvironmental changes and treatment procedures. We present noninvasive hyperpolarized
13
C NMR investigations on the metabolic flux of pyruvate to lactate, in a well-controlled injection/perfusion system using T47D human breast cancer cells. Initial rates of pyruvate-to-lactate conversion were obtained by fitting the hyperpolarized
13
C and ancillary
31
P NMR data to a model, yielding both kinetic parameters and mechanistic insight into this conversion. Transport was found to be the rate-limiting process for the conversion of extracellular pyruvate to lactate with
K
m
= 2.14 ± 0.03 mM, typical of the monocarboxylate transporter 1 (MCT1), and a
V
max
= 27.6 ± 1.1 fmol·min
−1
·cell
−1
, in agreement with the high expression level of this transporter. Modulation of the environment to hypoxic conditions as well as suppression of cells' perfusion enhanced the rate of pyruvate-to-lactate conversion, presumably by up-regulation of the MCT1. Conversely, the addition of quercetin, a flavonoidal MCT1 inhibitor, markedly reduces the apparent rate of pyruvate-to-lactate conversion. These results suggest that hyperpolarized
13
C
1
-pyruvate may be a useful magnetic resonance biomarker of MCT regulation and malignant transformations in breast cancer.
A novel method for mining highly imbalanced high-throughput screening data in PubChem
Authors: Li Qingliang , Wang Yanli , Bryant Stephen H.
Published: October 2009

Motivation: The comprehensive information of small molecules and their biological activities in PubChem brings great opportunities for academic researchers. However, mining high-throughput screening (HTS) assay data remains a great challenge given the very large data volume and the highly imbalanced nature with only small number of active compounds compared to inactive compounds. Therefore, there is currently a need for better strategies to work with HTS assay data. Moreover, as luciferase-based HTS technology is frequently exploited in the assays deposited in PubChem, constructing a computational model to distinguish and filter out potential interference compounds for these assays is another motivation.

Results: We used the granular support vector machines (SVMs) repetitive under sampling method (GSVM-RU) to construct an SVM from luciferase inhibition bioassay data that the imbalance ratio of active/inactive is high (1/377). The best model recognized the active and inactive compounds at the accuracies of 86.60% and 88.89 with a total accuracy of 87.74%, by cross-validation test and blind test. These results demonstrate the robustness of the model in handling the intrinsic imbalance problem in HTS data and it can be used as a virtual screening tool to identify potential interference compounds in luciferase-based HTS experiments. Additionally, this method has also proved computationally efficient by greatly reducing the computational cost and can be easily adopted in the analysis of HTS data for other biological systems.

Availability: Data are publicly available in PubChem with AIDs of 773, 1006 and 1379.

Contact:  ywang@ncbi.nlm.nih.gov; bryant@ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Supplementary information:  Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Extraction of β‐Glucan from Oat Bran in Laboratory Scale
Authors: Immerstrand Tina , Bergenståhl Björn , Trägårdh Christian , Nyman Margareta , Cui Steve , Öste Rickard
Published: October 2009

Effects of various enzymes and extraction conditions on yield and molecular weight of β‐glucans extracted from two batches of commercial oat bran produced in Sweden are reported. Hot‐water extraction with a thermostable α‐amylase resulted in an extraction yield of ≈76% of the β‐glucans, while the high peak molecular weight was maintained (1.6 × 106). A subsequent protein hydrolysis significantly reduced the peak molecular weight of β‐glucans (by pancreatin to 908 × 103 and by papain to 56 × 103). These results suggest that the protein hydrolyzing enzymes may not be pure enough for purifying β‐glucans. The isolation scheme consisted of removal of lipids with ethanol extraction, enzymatic digestion of starch with α‐amylase, enzymatic digestion of protein using protease, centrifugation to remove insoluble material, removal of low molecular weight components using dialysis, precipitation of β‐glucans with ethanol, and air‐drying.
Overexpression of SeveralArabidopsisHistone Genes IncreasesAgrobacterium-Mediated Transformation and Transgene Expression in Plants
Authors: Tenea Gabriela N. , Spantzel Joerg , Lee Lan-Ying , Zhu Yanmin , Lin Kui , Johnson Susan J. , Gelvin Stanton B.
Published: October 2009

The Arabidopsis  thaliana histone H2A-1 is important for Agrobacterium tumefaciens–mediated plant transformation. Mutation of HTA1, the gene encoding histone H2A-1, results in decreased T-DNA integration into the genome of Arabidopsis roots, whereas overexpression of HTA1 increases transformation frequency. To understand the mechanism by which HTA1 enhances transformation, we investigated the effects of overexpression of numerous Arabidopsis histones on transformation and transgene expression. Transgenic Arabidopsis containing cDNAs encoding histone H2A (HTA), histone H4 (HFO), and histone H3-11 (HTR11) displayed increased transformation susceptibility, whereas histone H2B (HTB) and most histone H3 (HTR) cDNAs did not increase transformation. A parallel increase in transient gene expression was observed when histone HTA, HFO, or HTR11 overexpression constructs were cotransfected with double- or single-stranded forms of a gusA gene into tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) protoplasts. However, these cDNAs did not increase expression of a previously integrated transgene. We identified the N-terminal 39 amino acids of H2A-1 as sufficient to increase transient transgene expression in plants. After transfection, transgene DNA accumulates more rapidly in the presence of HTA1 than with a control construction. Our results suggest that certain histones enhance transgene expression, protect incoming transgene DNA during the initial stages of transformation, and subsequently increase the efficiency of Agrobacterium-mediated transformation.
Management of metadata and automation for mail-in measurements with the APS 11-BM high-throughput, high-resolution synchrotron powder diffractometer
Authors: Toby Brian H. , Huang Yu , Dohan Don , Carroll David , Jiao Xuesong , Ribaud Lynn , Doebbler Jennifer A. , Suchomel Matthew R. , Wang Jun , Preissner Curt , Kline David , Mooney Tim M.
Published: October 2009

A high-resolution and high-throughput synchrotron powder diffractometer has been automated for use with samples that are mailed in by Advanced Photon Source users. Implementation of a relational database with web interfaces for both outside users and beamline staff, which is integrated into the facility-wide proposal and safety system, allows all aspects of beamline management to be integrated. This system permits users to request kits for mounting samples, to provide sample safety information, to obtain their collected data and to provide usage information upon project completion in a quick and simple manner. Beamline staff use a separate interface to note receipt of samples, schedule and collect diffraction data, post-process and quality-check data, and dispose of samples. The design of the software and database are discussed in detail.
Characterization of order domains in γ-TiAl by orientation microscopy based on electron backscatter diffraction
Authors: Zambaldi Claudio , Zaefferer Stefan , Wright Stuart I.
Published: October 2009

A new approach to resolve the slight tetragonality ofL10-ordered γ-TiAl by electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) is presented. The phase has ac/aratio of only about 2% larger than unity. The corresponding EBSD patterns therefore exhibit cubic pseudosymmetry. As a consequence, different order variants cannot be easily distinguished on the basis of their EBSD patterns. Automated orientation mapping results in frequent misindexing. In the past, either this problem was overcome by identifying order domains by relatively laborious transmission electron microscopy, or the order domain structure was ignored altogether by using a generic face-centered cubic structure to solve for the crystal orientations, accepting a significant loss of microstructural information. The presented approach is based on the detection of the minor tetragonal distortion of the diffraction patterns by an accurate measurement of backscatter Kikuchi band positions. To this end an accurate pattern center calibration together with high-accuracy parameters for pattern acquisition and indexing are required. Together with a modified indexing algorithm, the order domains in a lamellar microstructure of Ti–45.9Al–8Nb (at%) could be reliably identified. The occurrence of superlattice reflections in the Kikuchi patterns was used to validate the technique. The developed method was successfully applied to create a crystal orientation map of Ti–45.9Al–8Nb (at%) with a fully resolved domain microstructure.
Preservation of scientific and cultural heritage in Balkan countries
Authors: Tonta Yaşar
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The peoples living in the Balkan Peninsula over centuries have created a very rich cultural heritage and the constant political upheavals in the region have affected the development and preservation of their cultures. This paper aims to review the internet infrastructure and networked readiness levels of the Balkan countries, which are conducive to scientific co‐operation and preservation of digitised cultural heritage. It also explores the destructive effects of wars on the cultural riches of the region.

Design/methodology/approach

The internet facilities and the scientific production of the Balkan countries were identified using published sources and Thomson's Web of Science database. A game‐theoretic approach was used to expound the consequences of wars and the adverse effects of the nation‐building process on cultural heritage artefacts.

Findings

Balkan countries lack sound internet infrastructures, hindering their contributions to the world of science and stifling scientific co‐operation among themselves in terms of joint papers. The co‐ordinated efforts have yet to exist to streamline the digital preservation of the unique cultural heritage of the Balkan countries.

Originality/value

This paper discusses the impact of the nation‐building process on cultural and scientific heritage artefacts using the concepts of the “game theory”. It reinforces the fact that destroying the cultural heritage artefacts during wars is not a “zero‐sum game” in which the dominant culture wins and the “other” culture loses. It is not even a “lose‐lose game” in which both parties lose. Rather, humanity loses part of its whole cultural heritage forever.
Library web sites in Pakistan: an analysis of content
Authors: Qutab Saima , Mahmood Khalid
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate library web sites in Pakistan, to analyse their content and navigational strengths and weaknesses and to give recommendations for developing better web sites and quality assessment studies.

Design/methodology/approach

Survey of web sites of 52 academic, special, public and national libraries in Pakistan based on a 77‐item checklist.

Findings

Pakistani libraries have developed web sites over the past few years but these are few in number. No directory is available to locate library web sites and no scholarly literature has been written on this topic in Pakistan. No standards for content selection were considered in developing library web sites so they lack uniformity and often miss important features.

Research limitations/implications

This research includes web sites of all types of libraries in Pakistan. Web sites with at least one independent page on a parent organisation's web site are included.

Originality/value

This study is the first of its kind ever conducted in Pakistan. The findings of this paper will be helpful in improving library web sites.
The challenges of internationalising national culture‐based hand‐crafted products
Authors: Cambra‐Fierro Jesus , Vazquez‐Carrasco Rosario , Centeno Edgar
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to illustrate how small to medium‐sized enterprise firms can develop internationalization processes successfully.

Design/methodology/approach

A case study is used to illustrate the milestones of the global process.

Findings

The paper finds that, although internationalization is a complicated task, the adequate management of resources allows firms to achieve their objectives.

Originality/value

The paper takes as reference a national culture‐based hand‐crafted product, which is really difficult to internationalize.
Marketing theory and practice: the case of the Egg Card
Authors: Madichie Nnamdi O.
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to review Egg Card's current marketing strategy, drawing on the recent media flurry over its disaffected customers. The paper also seeks to highlight the extent of Egg Card's contribution to the gap between marketing theory (i.e. marketing as an academic discipline) and practice (marketing in the real world) and to point out the implications this might have for the future of marketing as an academic discipline.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper adopts a qualitative content analysis of academic, media, and other official company reports on the development of the gaps between marketing theory and practice.

Findings

Egg Card's (post‐acquisition by Citigroup since May 2007) first‐mover response to the global economic downturn and ensuing credit‐crunch epitomizes the entrenched disconnection between how marketing is taught as an academic discipline and how it plays out in the real world.

Originality/value

The paper attempts to introduce a new concept – Jaymarketer – into the marketing literature in the hope that academics will become able to reconnect with the real world of marketing. Hopefully, this will set the stage for further research on how to bridge the dichotomies between marketing theory and marketing practice.
Denoising using linear and nonlinear multiresolutions II: cell‐average framework and color images
Authors: Amat Sergio , Ruiz Juan , Carlos Trillo J.
Published: October 2009

Purpose

Multiresolution representations of data are classical tools in image processing applications. The purpose of this paper is to discuss a particular problem, obtaining good reconstructions of noise images.

Design/methodology/approach

A nonlinear multiresolution scheme within Harten's framework corresponding to a nonlinear cell‐average technique is used for color image denoising.

Findings

This paper finds it is possible, for example, to apply the theoretical framework to case studies in internationally operating companies delivering a mix of goods and services.

Research limitations/implications

The present study provides a starting point for further research in the denoising problems using nonlinear techniques.

Originality/value

Moreover, the proposed framework has proven to be useful in improving the classical linear multiresolution approaches.
Case study of cultural comparison using a simulation game – COSIGA
Authors: Ma Zheng , Lin Chih‐Cheng , Pawar Kul , Riedel Johann
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to implement the simulation game in the cultural comparison study so as to understand the impact of cultural differences on the team interaction.

Design/methodology/approach

In order to focus on the factor of “national culture” and avoid other factors which can affect the results, this paper conducted a simulation game – COSIGA – for the data collection and factor control. Two sets of groups were performed to represent two national cultures – the UK and China.

Findings

This paper finds that there is more decision providing in the UK teams and more decision seeking in the China teams. The China teams used a more intuitive process to make decisions, and the UK teams used a more reference process to make decisions. There were more repetitions of the problem‐solving process in the China teams than in the UK teams. The looping problem‐solving process was present in the China teams and the linear problem‐solving process in the UK teams.

Originality/value

This paper presents a case study of cultural comparison using a simulation game. The selection criteria and factor control of the simulation game is outlined for the practical implications.
Organisational challenges of the semantic web in digital libraries: a Norwegian case study
Authors: Bygstad Bendik , Ghinea Gheorghita , Klæboe Geir‐Tore
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine from a socio‐technical point of view the impact of semantic web technology on the strategic, organisational and technological levels. The semantic web initiative holds great promise for the future for digital libraries. There is, however, a considerable gap in semantic web research between the contributions in the technological field and research in the organisational field.

Design/methodology/approach

A comprehensive case study of the National Library of Norway (NL) is conducted, building on two major sources of information: the documentation of the digitising project of the NL; and interviews with nine different stakeholders at three levels of NL's organisation during June to August 2007. Top managers are interviewed on strategy, middle managers and librarians are interviewed regarding organisational issues and ICT professionals are interviewed on technology issues.

Findings

The findings indicate that the highest impact will be at the organisational level. This is mainly because inter‐organisational and cross‐organisational structures have to be established to address the problems of ontology engineering, and a development framework for ontology engineering in digital libraries must be examined.

Originality/value

ICT professionals and library practitioners should be more mindful of organisational issues when planning and executing semantic web projects in digital libraries. In particular, practitioners should be aware that the ontology engineering process and the semantic meta‐data production will affect the entire organisation. For public digital libraries this probably will also call for a more open policy towards user groups to properly manage the process of ontology engineering.
Editorial: Communities and champions of practice: catalysts for learning and knowing
Authors: Love Peter E.D.
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The concept of community of practice is a common parlance in many organisations, but has yet to be utilised as strategic tool by construction organisations to improve the performance of their operations. The purpose of this paper is to how they can be used to improve the performance of projects made.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper uses the normative literature to develop a proposal for using communities of practice in construction projects.

Findings

An inter‐organisational form of community of practice, known as “champions of practice,” is propagated for use in the construction industry. The “champions of practice” is independent from the project team and comprised of individuals from a learning alliances that have been established. The “champions of practice” is developed as an active know‐how platform to provide advice pertaining to issues of “best practice” that have been accumulated from projects.

Originality/value

The “champions of practice” provides a continuous source of learning and knowledge for all those organisations that have formed a learning alliance. The creation of such a form of community of practice can provide invaluable insights about best practice, which can be formalised and shared in a meaningful and reflective way. It is through proactively sharing knowledge and learning together that the industry can change and obtain the significant improvements that have been asked for by various governments worldwide.
A strategy for managing customer relations on the internet: evidence from the football sector
Authors: Kriemadis Thanos , Kotsovos Andreas , Kartakoullis Nikos
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide a better understanding of how the internet is used as a strategic tool in electronic customer relationship management (e‐CRM) in the football sector. In particular, the research questions this paper addresses are: How can the online environment be described? How are the customers served in this online environment? The first research question provides an overview of the online environment and the second research question describes the services offered in this online environment.

Design/methodology/approach

The qualitative research is the appropriate approach, in order to collect the required data, as the particular research characterizes a complete and comprehensive view and understanding of a phenomenon in its entity. The research is based on the use of double case study approach combining two data collection methods, participant observation and documentation. This particular research adopts the approach of participant observation and documentation. Primary data are collected through an observation checklist, with the help of browse target web sites related to the study. In order to get additional information about the clubs' specific data, the paper used e‐mails. Secondary data were collected through documents from different sources to verify the collected data. In documentation are used official publications, newspapers, journals, and brochures.

Findings

The study indicates that the design of a web site needs to be viewed primarily as a business task, which is consistent with previous research, not a technical task. The web site design needs to be appropriate to the needs of the club and should focus supporting business goals. Managers need to increase web site self‐problem solving functions. It helps to decrease customer's interactivity with company's representatives. The contents match with the theory mostly. They are match efficient in providing online services but they still need to provide complete shipping information. This study contributes to previous theory since it has investigated the use of the internet in customer relationship management (CRM). However, due to the lack of research concerning the e‐CRM in the football sector this study needs further consideration by collecting data through interviews with CRM managers and fans. Finally, the same study can be conducted on a larger sample of web sites.

Originality/value

CRM and internet as strategic tools in the football sector is a new research area and not covered adequately in recent and past publications in recognized international journals.
Hot‐Pressed (Pb,La)(Zr,Ti)O3 Ferroelectric Ceramics for Electrooptic Applications
Authors: HAERTLING G. H. , LAND C. E.
Published: October 2009

Transparent ferroelectric ceramic materials suitable for a variety of electrooptic applications were found in the quaternary (Pb,La)(Zr,Ti)O3 system. These PLZT materials are prepared from mixed oxides and hot‐pressed typically at 1100°C for 16 h at 2000 psi. Modifying the lead zirconate‐titanate system with lanthana linearly reduces the Curie point with increasing lanthana. Transmission measurements in the visible and infrared show that these materials exhibit a nearly constant response from the absorption edge of 0.37 μ to ∼6 μm. The highest transmission values, essentially 100% (neglecting reflection losses of ∼18%) for thin polished plates, were noted for compositions containing 8 at.% La or more. Specific compositions within the system display electrooptic memory or conventional linear or quadratic electrooptic effects; on the basis of the magnitude of the electrooptic effects, they compare quite favorably with single crystals.
Effect of syndecan‐1 overexpression on mesenchymal tumour cell proliferation with focus on different functional domains
Authors: Zong F. , Fthenou E. , Castro J. , Péterfia B. , Kovalszky I. , Szilák L. , Tzanakakis G. , Dobra K.
Published: October 2009

Objectives:  Syndecan‐1 is a transmembrane proteoglycan involved in various biological processes. Its extracellular, transmembrane and cytoplasmic domains may all participate in signal transduction. The aim of this study was to investigate the biological roles of these domains of syndecan‐1.

Materials and methods:  We transfected cells of two mesenchymal tumour cell lines with a full‐length syndecan‐1 construct and three truncated variants, namely 78 construct lacking the EC domain with exception of DRKE sequence; 77 construct lacking extracellular the whole domain and RMKKK corresponding to a short cytoplasmic motif. Subcellular distribution was revealed using confocal laser microscopy. Overexpression of the constructs was verified using real‐time RT‐PCR and by FACS analysis and effects of syndecan‐1 on cell behaviour were explored. Cell cycle analysis allowed for dissection of mechanisms regulating cell proliferation.

Results:  Overexpression of syndecan‐1 influenced expression profile of the other syndecan members, and decreased tumour cell proliferation significantly by two mechanisms, as follows: increased length of G0/G1 phase was the most evident change in RMKKK and 77 transfectants, whereas prolonged S phase was more obvious in full‐length transfectants. Overexpression of syndecan‐1 changed the tumour cell morphology in an epithelioid direction.

Conclusions:  Both full‐length and truncated syndecan‐1 inhibited proliferation of the mesenchymal tumour cells, providing new insights into the importance for cancer growth of different functional domains of this proteoglycan.
Flight endurance in relation to adult age in the green‐veined white butterflyPieris napi
Authors: ÅHMAN MIKAEL , KARLSSON BENGT
Published: October 2009

The flight apparatus in butterflies, as well as in other insects, is costly to manufacture. Since most animals live in a world where resources are limited, trade‐offs are expected and available resources must thus be allocated between flight and other functions, such as reproduction.

To mitigate this trade‐off, previous studies have shown that butterflies can break down flight muscles in the thorax as they age in order to use muscle nutrients for reproduction.

Although breakdown of flight muscles is expected to reduce flight ability, relative flight muscle mass (thorax mass/body mass) in many butterfly species does not decrease with age. The aim of the present study was to test the relationship between flight endurance and adult age in the green‐veined white butterflyPieris napi(L.). The tests were performed in the laboratory at five different temperatures.

The results showed that age has a significant influence on butterfly flight endurance; older butterflies showed reduced flight endurance. Male butterflies fly for a longer time than females and flight endurance increases with temperature in both sexes.
Fish‐based assessment of ecological status of Finnish lakes loaded by diffuse nutrient pollution from agriculture
Authors: RASK M. , OLIN M. , RUUHIJÄRVI J.
Published: October 2009

Abstract  The European Union Water Framework Directive stipulates that pressures on surface waters due to diffuse loading of nutrients have to be taken into account in determination of their ecological status. A Finnish data set of fish communities in 178 lakes was used to assess the effects of agriculture‐induced nutrient loads on the ecological status of lakes. The lakes were divided to reference (n = 100) and impacted sites (n = 78) based on water quality, land use and nutrient load data. Fish sampling was conducted by standardised gill net test fishing. A fish‐based classification tool of the four parameters (EQR4) was applied to assess the ecological status of lakes. The parameters included were: mean total biomass of fish per gill net night, number of fish individuals per gill net night, biomass proportion of cyprinid fishes and the presence of indicator species. The analysis resulted in a median EQR4 value of 0.78 (good status) for reference lakes and 0.56 (moderate status) for affected lakes. Thus, the classification tool gave an acceptable output for different nutrient‐loaded lakes.
Evolution rampant: house mice on Madeira
Authors: BERRY R. J.
Published: October 2009

House mice are extra‐ordinary animals –extra‐ordinary in the literal sense of that word. They are pests – but also a valued laboratory animal. They are generalized rodents – and successful in habitats from tundra to tropics and from sea‐level to high altitudes. They have differentiated into a perplexity of taxa, yet differ little in their general morphology. They were long scorned by ecologists as recently arrived commensals, but are increasingly illuminating evolutionary processes as new techniques are applied to their study. Local forms, once valued only by taxonomists, are proving ever more interesting as their genetics are probed. In 1992, Mathias & Mira described the apparently unexciting characteristics of mice living on the two main islands of the Madeira group, 600 km west of continental Portugal. Then in 2000, Britton‐Davidian et al. discovered that there were at least six chromosomal (Robertsonian) races on the main island. In the past decade, studies of molecular and mitochondrial genomes have shown an array of variables and posed questions about the origins and subsequent evolution of these island mice. In this issue of Molecular Ecology, Förster et al. report on the mtDNA haplotypes found on the island and in mainland Portugal, discuss the probable source of the island colonizers, and consider data which might give information about the timing of the colonizing event(s).
Salt sensitivity in chickpea
Authors: FLOWERS TIMOTHY J. , GAUR POORAN M. , GOWDA C. L. LAXMIPATHI , KRISHNAMURTHY L. , SAMINENI SRINIVASAN , SIDDIQUE KADAMBOT H. M. , TURNER NEIL C. , VADEZ VINCENT , VARSHNEY RAJEEV K. , COLMER TIMOTHY D.
Published: October 2009

The growth of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is very sensitive to salinity, with the most susceptible genotypes dying in just 25 mm NaCl and resistant genotypes unlikely to survive 100 mm NaCl in hydroponics; germination is more tolerant with some genotypes tolerating 320 mm NaCl. When growing in a saline medium, Cl‐, which is secreted from glandular hairs on leaves, stems and pods, is present in higher concentrations in shoots than Na+. Salinity reduces the amount of water extractable from soil by a chickpea crop and induces osmotic adjustment, which is greater in nodules than in leaves or roots. Chickpea rhizobia show a higher ‘free‐living’ salt resistance than chickpea plants, and salinity can cause large reductions in nodulation, nodule size and N2‐fixation capacity. Recent screenings of diverse germplasm suggest significant variation of seed yield under saline conditions. Both dominance and additive gene effects have been identified in the effects of salinity on chickpea and there appears to be sufficient genetic variation to enable improvement in yield under saline conditions via breeding. Selections are required across the entire life cycle with a range of rhizobial strains under salt‐affected, preferably field, conditions.
Porteresia coarctata (Roxb.) Tateoka, a wild rice: a potential model for studying salt‐stress biology in rice
Authors: SENGUPTA SONALI , MAJUMDER ARUN LAHIRI
Published: October 2009

Porteresia coarctata (Syn = Oryza coarctata) is a tetraploid wild rice growing abundantly in the coastal region of India and some other Asian countries. The salt tolerance property of this mangrove associate has been dealt with by a number of workers earlier. The distinct morphology and leaf architecture enabling the plant to exclude salt is a characteristic feature of Porteresia in comparison with Oryza sp. A number of genes have been isolated and characterized from Porteresia that are related to the salt‐tolerance property of the plant. Evidence have accumulated that some pathways critical to salt tolerance are in operation in Porteresia of which the inositol metabolic pathway has been recently elaborated. Some of the enzymes of Porteresia have been shown to function as salt‐tolerant under in vitro studies giving a clue that this wild halophytic rice may have evolved genes and proteins capable of functioning under a salt environment. Bioprospecting of such genes and proteins coupled with genomic and proteomic approaches remain an exciting area of research in evaluating this plant as a model for salt tolerance for the rice plant.
What, if anything, is specific about having a rare disorder? Patients’ judgements on being ill and being rare
Authors: Huyard Caroline
Published: October 2009

Background  Growing efforts are made to improve the situation of persons with rare diseases, but the specific nature of these disorders remains unclear.

Objectives  To establish (1) to what extent people with rare disorders think that their disease’s rarity causes particular difficulties, (2) to what extent these difficulties relate to other causes than rarity (i.e. other characteristics of the disease or other components of the illness experience), (3) to what extent the rarity of the disease may relate to components of patients’ experience other than those that are traditionally addressed (i.e. personal or daily life aspects).

Methods  Semi‐structured interviews with 29 patients and 15 parents of children with one of six rare diseases (cystic fibrosis, fragile X syndrome, Wilson’s disease, mastocytosis, locked‐in syndrome and a sixth syndrome). The interviews were conducted in France. The analysis draws on French pragmatic sociology and focuses on the participants’ judgements of their experience.

Findings  The participants considered as normal and acceptable a range of situations that are often viewed as specific to rare disorders and unfair. This rather positive evaluation was conditional on some specific moral criteria being met. The participants attributed the cause of their difficulties to the failure of health professionals to meet these criteria. In the participants’ experience, disease‐related associations play a key role and rarity seems to contribute to making them especially important.

Conclusions  Patients’ experience would be considerably improved if health professionals more often fulfilled their moral expectations, especially regarding diagnosis disclosure and information. (250 words)
A novel HLA‐B allele, B*4096 was identified by sequence‐based typing in a Chinese individual
Authors: Zhang Y. , Lu H.‐X. , Liu Y. , Zhu C.‐F.
Published: October 2009

A novel HLA‐B allele, B*4096, has been identified in a Chinese individual by sequence‐based typing, which has seven nucleotide changes from the closest matching allele B*40060101 resulting in five amino acid changes: 101Ser→Asn; 104Ser→Thr; 105Leu→Ala; 106Arg→ Leu and 107Gly→Arg.
A frame shift due to a two‐nucleotide deletion results in an HLA‐B null allele, B*9549N
Authors: Zou H.‐Y. , Li Z. , Jin S.‐Z. , Cheng X. , Cheng L.‐H.
Published: October 2009

This report describes the identification of a new human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I null allele, B*9549N, resulting from a premature stop codon in exon 3.
The predicted protein structures of the novel DRB1*0717 and DRB1*0701 are highly related
Authors: Wurm M. , Tischer S. , Immenschuh S. , Blasczyk R. , Eiz‐Vesper B.
Published: October 2009

This article describes the identification of the novel human leukocyte antigen (HLA) allele DRB1*07 7 that was detected in a potential stem‐cell donor of Caucasian origin. Compared to DRB1*070101, the new allele is characterized by a nonsynonymous nucleotide exchange of C→T at position 201 in exon 2 replacing Arg by Trp in codon 72. As this sequence variation has not been seen earlier in any other HLA‐DRB allele, it is most probably the result of a point mutation.
Cloning and sequencing analysis of a novel HLA‐Cw*08 variant allele, Cw*0827
Authors: Deng Z.‐H. , Wang D.‐M. , Xu Y.‐P.
Published: October 2009

The novel HLA‐Cw*0827 variant allele differs from the closest allele Cw*0802 by five nucleotide changes.
A novel HLA‐B allele: HLA‐B*5419
Authors: Lee K. W. , Seo J. J.
Published: October 2009

B*5419 differs from B*5401 by a single nucleotide substitution at codon 13 (TCC → TTC).
The novel HLA‐G*01010302 allele differs from G*01010301 by a single nucleotide change in intron 5
Authors: Cervera I. , Herraiz M. A. , Román A , Vidart J , Martinez‐Laso J
Published: October 2009

HLA‐G*01010301 and G*01010302 differ by a single point mutation in intron 5.
Identification of a novel HLA‐A*680202 allele by sequence‐based typing in an African American individual
Authors: Serov Y. , Hommel‐Berrey G. , Lobashevsky A.
Published: October 2009

The new HLA‐A*680202 differs from HLA‐A*680201 by one synonymous nucleotide substitution at position 618 (ACG → ACT).
HLA‐B*0777 allele differs from B*0707 by a single residue in the antigen binding groove
Authors: Balas A. , Planelles D. , Sanz G. F. , Montoro J. A. , Vicario J. L.
Published: October 2009

Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I sequence‐based typing (SBT) for hematopoietic unrelated donor searching in a Romanian Caucasian patient showed the presence of a novel HLA‐B allele defined as B*0777. HLA‐B*0777 has two nucleotides changes at the same codon from B*0707, resulting an amino acid replacement 99Y > 99S.