bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Does listening comprehension improve as a result of a short study abroad experience?
Authors: Llanes Àngels , Prieto Botana Goretti
Published: September 2015

The need to function in multilingual environments and the fact that study abroad (SA) is believed to be one of the most efficient language learning contexts (Collentine, 2009) have boosted the popularity of SA programs. While numerous recent studies have examined the SA impact on oral fluency, vocabulary or writing, among others, certain areas, such as listening skills (Llanes, 2011), have yet to receive substantial attention. In an attempt to address this issue, a pretest-posttest design study was conducted to gauge the listening skills of 12 college students at the beginning and the end of a 5-week SA experience in Costa Rica. Results from non-parametric tests revealed that despite the brief duration of the program, participants’ overall listening comprehension improved significantly. Individual analysis revealed that significant gains emerged in exit tasks in which the topic of conversation was kept consistent, suggesting that contextualization plays a crucial role in input comprehension.
Centrin 3 is an inhibitor of centrosomal Mps1 and antagonizes centrin 2 function
Authors: Sawant Dwitiya B. , Majumder Shubhra , Perkins Jennifer L. , Yang Ching-Hui , Eyers Patrick A. , Fisk Harold A.
Published: September 2015

Centrins are a family of small, calcium-binding proteins with diverse cellular functions that play an important role in centrosome biology. We previously identified centrin 2 and centrin 3 (Cetn2 and Cetn3) as substrates of the protein kinase Mps1. However, although Mps1 phosphorylation sites control the function of Cetn2 in centriole assembly and promote centriole overproduction, Cetn2 and Cetn3 are not functionally interchangeable, and we show here that Cetn3 is both a biochemical inhibitor of Mps1 catalytic activity and a biological inhibitor of centrosome duplication. In vitro, Cetn3 inhibits Mps1 autophosphorylation at Thr-676, a known site of T-loop autoactivation, and interferes with Mps1-dependent phosphorylation of Cetn2. The cellular overexpression of Cetn3 attenuates the incorporation of Cetn2 into centrioles and centrosome reduplication, whereas depletion of Cetn3 generates extra centrioles. Finally, overexpression of Cetn3 reduces Mps1 Thr-676 phosphorylation at centrosomes, and mimicking Mps1-dependent phosphorylation of Cetn2 bypasses the inhibitory effect of Cetn3, suggesting that the biological effects of Cetn3 are due to the inhibition of Mps1 function at centrosomes.
Small-molecule agonists of mammalian Diaphanous–related (mDia) formins reveal an effective glioblastoma anti-invasion strategy
Authors: Arden Jessica D. , Lavik Kari I. , Rubinic Kaitlin A. , Chiaia Nicolas , Khuder Sadik A. , Howard Marthe J. , Nestor-Kalinoski Andrea L. , Alberts Arthur S. , Eisenmann Kathryn M.
Published: September 2015

The extensive invasive capacity of glioblastoma (GBM) makes it resistant to surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy and thus makes it lethal. In vivo, GBM invasion is mediated by Rho GTPases through unidentified downstream effectors. Mammalian Diaphanous (mDia) family formins are Rho-directed effectors that regulate the F-actin cytoskeleton to support tumor cell motility. Historically, anti-invasion strategies focused upon mDia inhibition, whereas activation remained unexplored. The recent development of small molecules directly inhibiting or activating mDia-driven F-actin assembly that supports motility allows for exploration of their role in GBM. We used the formin inhibitor SMIFH2 and mDia agonists IMM-01/-02 and mDia2-DAD peptides, which disrupt autoinhibition, to examine the roles of mDia inactivation versus activation in GBM cell migration and invasion in vitro and in an ex vivo brain slice invasion model. Inhibiting mDia suppressed directional migration and spheroid invasion while preserving intrinsic random migration. mDia agonism abrogated both random intrinsic and directional migration and halted U87 spheroid invasion in ex vivo brain slices. Thus mDia agonism is a superior GBM anti-invasion strategy. We conclude that formin agonism impedes the most dangerous GBM component—tumor spread into surrounding healthy tissue. Formin activation impairs novel aspects of transformed cells and informs the development of anti-GBM invasion strategies.
Meis3 is required for neural crest invasion of the gut during zebrafish enteric nervous system development
Authors: Uribe Rosa A. , Bronner Marianne E.
Published: September 2015

During development, vagal neural crest cells fated to contribute to the enteric nervous system migrate ventrally away from the neural tube toward and along the primitive gut. The molecular mechanisms that regulate their early migration en route to and entry into the gut remain elusive. Here we show that the transcription factor meis3 is expressed along vagal neural crest pathways. Meis3 loss of function results in a reduction in migration efficiency, cell number, and the mitotic activity of neural crest cells in the vicinity of the gut but has no effect on neural crest or gut specification. Later, during enteric nervous system differentiation, Meis3-depleted embryos exhibit colonic aganglionosis, a disorder in which the hindgut is devoid of neurons. Accordingly, the expression of Shh pathway components, previously shown to have a role in the etiology of Hirschsprung’s disease, was misregulated within the gut after loss of Meis3. Taken together, these findings support a model in which Meis3 is required for neural crest proliferation, migration into, and colonization of the gut such that its loss leads to severe defects in enteric nervous system development.
Joint modeling of cell and nuclear shape variation
Authors: Johnson Gregory R. , Buck Taraz E. , Sullivan Devin P. , Rohde Gustavo K. , Murphy Robert F.
Published: September 2015

Modeling cell shape variation is critical to our understanding of cell biology. Previous work has demonstrated the utility of nonrigid image registration methods for the construction of nonparametric nuclear shape models in which pairwise deformation distances are measured between all shapes and are embedded into a low-dimensional shape space. Using these methods, we explore the relationship between cell shape and nuclear shape. We find that these are frequently dependent on each other and use this as the motivation for the development of combined cell and nuclear shape space models, extending nonparametric cell representations to multiple-component three-dimensional cellular shapes and identifying modes of joint shape variation. We learn a first-order dynamics model to predict cell and nuclear shapes, given shapes at a previous time point. We use this to determine the effects of endogenous protein tags or drugs on the shape dynamics of cell lines and show that tagged C1QBP reduces the correlation between cell and nuclear shape. To reduce the computational cost of learning these models, we demonstrate the ability to reconstruct shape spaces using a fraction of computed pairwise distances. The open-source tools provide a powerful basis for future studies of the molecular basis of cell organization.
Ccq1-Tpz1TPP1interaction facilitates telomerase and SHREC association with telomeres in fission yeast
Authors: Moser Bettina A. , Raguimova Olga N. , Nakamura Toru M.
Published: September 2015

Evolutionarily conserved shelterin complex is essential for telomere maintenance in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. Elimination of the fission yeast shelterin subunit Ccq1 causes progressive loss of telomeres due to the inability to recruit telomerase, activates the DNA damage checkpoint, and loses heterochromatin at telomere/subtelomere regions due to reduced recruitment of the heterochromatin regulator complex Snf2/histone deacetylase–containing repressor complex (SHREC). The shelterin subunit Tpz1TPP1directly interacts with Ccq1 through conserved C-terminal residues in Tpz1TPP1, and tpz1 mutants that fail to interact with Ccq1 show telomere shortening, checkpoint activation, and loss of heterochromatin. While we have previously concluded that Ccq1-Tpz1TPP1interaction contributes to Ccq1 accumulation and telomerase recruitment based on analysis of tpz1 mutants that fail to interact with Ccq1, another study reported that loss of Ccq1-Tpz1TPP1interaction does not affect accumulation of Ccq1 or telomerase. Furthermore, it remained unclear whether loss of Ccq1-Tpz1TPP1interaction affects SHREC accumulation at telomeres. To resolve these issues, we identified and characterized a series of ccq1 mutations that disrupt Ccq1-Tpz1TPP1interaction. Characterization of these ccq1 mutants established that Ccq1-Tpz1TPP1interaction contributes to optimal binding of the Ccq1-SHREC complex, and is critical for Rad3ATR/Tel1ATM-dependent Ccq1 Thr93 phosphorylation and telomerase recruitment.
Multifluid squirt flow and hysteresis effects on the bulk modulus–water saturation relationship
Authors: Papageorgiou G. , Chapman M.
Published: September 2015

Many applications of seismology require the calculation of wave speed and attenuation in rocks saturated with multiple fluids. Squirt flow is known to be an important effect in fully saturated rocks but the extension to the multifluid case is unclear. Neglecting capillary effects, we generalize previous work on squirt flow to the case where two fluids are present. We derive expressions for the effective fluid properties, but the results depend on the spatial distributions, and not only volume fractions, of the two fluids. Our results demonstrate that such multifluid squirt flow may be responsible for hysteresis effects in elastic properties during imbibition and drainage.
The Role of Anxiety in Coercive Family Processes with Aggressive Children
Authors: Granic Isabela , Lougheed Jessica P.
Published: September 2015

The majority of aggressive children exhibit symptoms of anxiety. This chapter outlines a novel theoretical model that builds explicitly on coercion theory, linking aggression with the regulation of anxiety in both caregivers and children. Three hypotheses are suggested and data are applied to support this model: (1) unpredictable oscillations between permissive and hostile parenting (two distinct aspects of the coercive cycle) induces anxiety in children, which in turn triggers aggressive behavior; (2) peer relations and difficult school contexts exacerbate anxiety, which in turn may trigger bouts of aggression that function as regulation for distressing emotions; and (3) to improve the efficacy of treatments for childhood aggression, anxiety needs to be one of the primary targets of treatment. Almost no research has directly tested these hypotheses, but the chapter reviews extant research and theory consistent with these claims and suggests future research designs that can test them specifically.
Network Responsiveness
Authors: Stuart Toby E. , Kleinbaum Adam M.
Published: September 2015

Intra-organizational social networks are known to be important antecedents to individual career attainment, but research examining their influence on firm-level performance has been limited. We argue that the intra-organizational network is likely to affect two firm-level outcomes: coordination and adaptability. Prior research has shown formal structure to be a useful tool for reshaping organizational networks, but we argue that firms vary in their rates of network responsiveness. When formal organizational structure is changed, some firms will experience a rapid reshaping of their networks; in other firms, the network will respond more slowly to the new formal structure. We posit that slow network responsiveness may provide coordination advantages via compensatory fit, whereas fast network responsiveness may facilitate more rapid adaptability. We view network responsiveness as a useful means through which the internal network structure of a firm drives ambidexterity, dynamic capabilities, and firm performance.
How Leaders Use Values-based Guidance Systems to Create Dynamic Capabilities
Authors: Kanter Rosabeth Moss , Bird Matthew , Bernstein Ethan S. , Raffaelli Ryan
Published: September 2015

How do strategic leaders create change-adept organizations? Based on qualitative field research, this chapter argues that well-defined institutionalized purpose, values, and principles act as an organizational guidance system that integrates and strengthens the micromechanisms which enable leaders to build dynamic capabilities and, therefore, change-adept organizations. From empirical case studies, we distill micromechanisms through which organizational guidance systems create fertile soil for dynamic capabilities. The five micromechanisms are values-based decision heuristics; intrinsic motivation with positive emotions; an organizational control system based on entrepreneurial self-organization, self-management, and peer regulation; an organizational identity that (a) fosters a longer-term perspective and (b) widens the firm’s scope; and ecosystem creation. While much of the dynamic capabilities literature has focused on testing causal relationships between key performance variables and constructs, our goal here is to “open up” the regression model, provide a closer qualitative inspection of the “how-to” micromechanisms, and thereby advance a multidisciplinary research agenda.
Political Development
Authors: Bates Robert H.
Published: September 2015

This article traces the trajectory of scholarship in the field of political development, beginning with the rise of what became known as “modernization theory” in the 1960s, which saw political development gain recognition as a subfield of political science. The article cites the works of prominent scholars within the modernization school and associates the birth of the subfield with historical developments spanning World War II and the war in Vietnam. It also discusses the transition from modernization theory to neoclassical political economy, made possible by the emergence of the newly industrialized countries and the fall of the Soviet Union. Finally, it considers the rise of democracy following the demise of communism, along with the study of political geography and the study of the historical determinants of contemporary politics.
The Churches of the East and the Enlightenment
Authors: Moschos Dimitrios
Published: September 2015

This chapter describes the complexity of relations between the Eastern churches and the Enlightenment. The emergence of self-identity of modern Eastern Orthodoxy in theology and church life includes the distancing of East from West (and Islam), and simultaneous use of the tools of self-reflection of Western Christian and secular thinking until the Enlightenment. These tools stem in turn from basic cultural components of the Greek East re-used by the Italian and Northern Renaissance. While in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries learned theologians and churchmen tried to form an “Orthodox Christian Enlightenment,” the beginning of the nineteenth century found the institutional church more hostile to Western Enlightenment, mainly because of its political radicalization in France; this explains various developments in church politics and theological currents in the East from the nineteenth century until today.
Leibniz, Wolff, and Early Modern Theology
Authors: Goldenbaum Ursula
Published: September 2015

Despite the widespread agreement that German theology has been deeply influenced by Leibniz and Wolff, there has been little interest in Leibniz’s theology, even less in that of Wolff. Both men aimed to reconcile modern mathematical science with religion based on historical truth. They achieved their goal by a rationalist epistemology: While human beings can only reach a small amount of a priori knowledge it is through this knowledge that they resemble God, understand God’s creation as the best possible world and attain the deepest love of God, as well as of all parts of his creation, in particular the love of neighbor.
Utility of a Cucumber Plant Bioassay to Assess Fungicide Efficacy Against Pseudoperonospora cubensis
Authors: Keinath Anthony P.
Published: September 2015

Over a dozen fungicides are registered in the United States to manage cucurbit downy mildew caused by Pseudoperonospora cubensis. Efficacy varies greatly among them, due, in part, to reduced sensitivity to some fungicides in some pathogen populations. The objective of this study was to determine whether fungicide efficacy could be assessed using fungicide-treated cucumber (Cucumis sativus) exposed to natural inoculum for a brief period. Potted cucumber plants were treated with water or 1 of 13 fungicides registered to control cucurbit downy mildew. One day later, they were placed in a field among cucumber plants that had symptoms and signs of downy mildew. After a 48-h exposure to P. cubensis, potted plants were moved to a growth chamber held at day and night temperatures of 21 and 18°C, respectively, and 50% relative humidity. Severity (leaf area with symptoms) of downy mildew was rated 5 and 7 days later. The assay was done eight times, twice each in July and October 2013 and 2014. Year, season, trial, and interactions among these factors affected downy mildew development. Severity at 7 days on plants treated with mandipropamid, azoxystrobin, dimethomorph, cymoxanil, fluopicolide, and propamocarb was not significantly different from the water control treatment in eight, five, three, three, two, and two of eight bioassays, respectively. Severity on plants treated with cyazofamid, fluazinam, mancozeb + zoxamide, mancozeb, chlorothalonil, and ametoctradin + dimethomorph was less than on plants treated with water in all bioassays. These six fungicides should be effective when applied early in the season to prevent initial infections. Cyazofamid and mancozeb + zoxamide prevented an increase in severity between rating times. In conclusion, the assay consistently detected resistance to mandipropamid and azoxystrobin and demonstrated the efficacy of six other fungicides.
Rapid Diagnosis of Soybean Seedling Blight Caused by Rhizoctonia solani and Soybean Charcoal Rot Caused by Macrophomina phaseolina Using LAMP Assays
Authors: Lu Chenchen , Song Bi , Zhang HaiFeng , Wang YuanChao , Zheng XiaoBo
Published: September 2015

A new method of direct detection of pathogenic fungi in infected soybean tissues has been reported here. The method rapidly diagnoses soybean seedling blight caused by Rhizoctonia solani and soybean charcoal rot caused by Macrophomina phaseolina, and features loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP). The primers were designed and screened using internal transcribed spacers (ITS) as target DNAs of both pathogens. An ITS-Rs-LAMP assay for R. solani and an ITS-Mp-LAMP assay for M. phaseolina that can detect the pathogen in diseased soybean tissues in the field have been developed. Both LAMP assays efficiently amplified the target genes over 60 min at 62°C. A yellow-green color (visible to the naked eye) or intense green fluorescence (visible under ultraviolet light) was only observed in the presence of R. solani or M. phaseolina after addition of SYBR Green I. The detection limit of the ITS-Rs-LAMP assay was 10 pg μl–1 of genomic DNA; and that of the ITS-Mp-LAMP assay was 100 pg μl–1 of genomic DNA. Using the two assays described here, we successfully and rapidly diagnosed suspect diseased soybean samples collected in the field from Jiangsu and Anhui provinces.
Initial Experience of an Anesthesiology-based Service for Perioperative Management of Pacemakers and Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators
Authors: Rooke G. Alec , Lombaard Stefan A. , Van Norman Gail A. , Dziersk Jörg , Natrajan Krishna M. , Larson Lyle W. , Poole Jeanne E.
Published: September 2015

AbstractAbstract

The authors describe the successful training of a group of anesthesiologists at their institution to perform perioperative cardiovascular implantable electronic device management. Their experience suggests that an anesthesiology-based service can meet the challenge of providing efficient and high-level care for surgical patients with cardiovascular implantable electronic devices.

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text.

Background

Management of cardiovascular implantable electronic devices (CIEDs), including pacemakers and implantable cardioverter defibrillators, for surgical procedures is challenging due to the increasing number of patients with CIEDs and limited availability of trained providers. At the authors’ institution, a small group of anesthesiologists were trained to interrogate CIEDs, devise a management plan, and perform preoperative and postoperative programming and device testing whenever necessary.

Methods

Patients undergoing surgery between October 1, 2009 and June 30, 2013 at the University of Washington Medical Center were included in a retrospective chart review to determine the number of devices actively managed by the Electrophysiology/Cardiology Service (EPCS) versus the Anesthesiology Device Service (ADS), changes in workload over time, surgical case delays due to device management, and errors and problems encountered in device programming.

Results

The EPCS managed 254 CIEDs, the ADS managed 548, and 227 by neither service. Over time, the ADS providers managed an increasing percentage of devices with decreasing supervision from the EPCS. Only two CIEDs managed by the ADS required immediate assistance from the EPCS. Patients who were unstable postoperatively were referred to the EPCS. Although numerous issues in programming were encountered, primarily when restoring demand pacing after programming asynchronous pacing for surgery, no patient harm resulted from ADS or EPCS management of CIEDs.

Conclusions

An ADS can provide safe CIED management for surgery, but it requires specialized provider training and strong support from the EPCS. Due to the complexity of CIED management, an ADS will likely only be feasible in high-volume settings.
Trimodality Treatment of Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma
Authors: Kapeles Matthew , Gensheimer Michael F. , Mart Dylan A. , Sottero Theo L. , Kusano Aaron S. , Truong Anh , Farjah Farhood , Laramore George E. , Stelzer Keith J. , Patel Shilpen A.
Published: September 2015

Objective:

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a deadly disease with varying treatment options. This study retrospectively describes treatment practices at the University of Washington Medical System from 1980 to 2011, and evaluates the impact of trimodality therapy and radiation (photon and neutron) on survival.

Methods:

A retrospective study was conducted on patients treated for MPM. Univariate and multivariate methods were utilized to evaluate potential factors associated with survival. Treatments received and baseline characteristics were included. Survival analysis of trimodality therapy was performed using a propensity score method to control for baseline characteristics.

Results:

Among 78 eligible patients, the median age at diagnosis was 59 years and the median survival was 13.7 months. On multivariate analysis, the significant predictors of improved survival were age, smoking history, location, and receipt of radiation therapy or chemotherapy. In the 48 patients receiving radiation therapy, the difference in survival between neutron therapy and non-neutron therapy patients was not statistically significant: hazard ratio, 1.20 (95% confidence interval, 0.68-2.13), P=0.52. Patients receiving trimodality therapy were more likely to have early-stage disease (60% vs. 30%) and epithelioid histology (86% vs. 58%). In a propensity score-weighted Cox proportional hazards model, trimodality therapy patients had improved overall survival, hazard ratio 0.45, P=0.004, median 14.6 versus 8.6 months.

Conclusions:

Trimodality therapy was significantly associated with prolonged survival in patients with MPM, even when adjusting for baseline patient factors. Radiation therapy was associated with improved survival, but the modality of radiation therapy used was not associated with outcome.
Concurrent Radiotherapy With Cetuximab or Platinum-based Chemotherapy for Locally Advanced Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck
Authors: Lu Sharon M. , Lien Winston W.
Published: September 2015

Objectives:

The management of high-risk cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) is not well defined. We review outcomes in patients with locally advanced cutaneous SCCHN treated with radiation and concomitant platinum (Pt)-based chemotherapy or cetuximab (Cx).

Methods:

We identified 23 patients treated at our institution from 2007 to 2014. Systemic therapy consisted of Pt-based chemotherapy for 15 (65%) patients and Cx for 8 (35%) patients. Treatment intent was definitive for 48% and adjuvant for 52% of the cases.

Results:

The majority (87%) of patients had stage III/IV disease and 9 (39%) patients had unresectable disease. All patients were being treated for recurrent disease. Aside from median age (59 Pt vs. 71 Cx, P=0.04), there were no significant differences in patient and tumor characteristics between those receiving Pt versus Cx therapy. At mean follow-up of 24 months, locoregional recurrence and distant failure were observed in 52% and 17% of all patients, respectively. Estimated 2-year disease-free survival and overall survival in the Cx versus Pt groups were: 50% versus 30% (P=0.25), and 73% versus 40% (P=0.32), respectively.

Conclusions:

Radiotherapy with either concurrent Pt or Cx appears to offer similar clinical outcomes in patients with locally advanced cutaneous SCCHN.
Hemostatic dressings in civil prehospital practice: 30 uses of QuikClot Combat Gauze
Authors: Travers Stéphane , Lefort Hugues , Ramdani Eric , Lemoine Sabine , Jost Daniel , Bignand Michel , Tourtier Jean-Pierre
Published: September 2015

To report the use and describe the interest of hemostatic dressings in a civilian setting, we provided medical prehospital teams with QuikClot Combat Gauze (QCG) and asked physicians to complete a specific questionnaire after each use. Thirty uses were prospectively reported. The wounds were mostly caused by cold steel (n=15) and were primarily cervicocephalic (n=16), with 19/30 active arterial bleedings. For 26/30 uses, hemostatic dressing was justified by the inefficiency of other hemostasis techniques. Those 30 applications were associated with 22 complete cessations of bleeding, six decreases of bleeding, and ineffectiveness in two cases. The application of QCG permitted the removal of an effective tourniquet that was applied initially for three patients. No side-effects were reported. The provision of hemostatic dressings in civilian resuscitation ambulances was useful by providing an additional tool to limit bleeding while rapidly transporting the injured patient to a surgical facility.
Ectodysplasin signalling genes and phenotypic evolution in sculpins (
Cottus
)
Authors: Cheng Jie , Sedlazek Fritz , Altmüller Janine , Nolte Arne W.
Published: September 2015

Despite their deeply conserved function among vertebrates, ectodysplasin (Eda) signalling genes are involved in microevolutionary change in humans and sticklebacks. If such a dual role is common, Eda signalling genes constitute hotspots for morphological evolution. Variation in sculpin (
Cottus
) skin prickling and body shape resembles patterns caused by variation in Eda signalling in sticklebacks. We mapped Eda signalling genes and performed quantitative trait locus mapping in crosses between
Cottus rhenanus
and
Cottus perifretum
. A genomic region containing the Eda receptor (Edar) was strongly associated with prickling and contributed to shape. The expression of Edar in developing prickles and skeletal elements in
Cottus
was confirmed by
in situ
hybridization. Coding sequence changes between Edar alleles in
C. rhenanus
and
C. perifretum
exceeded sequence differentiation in other vertebrates. However, it is likely that additional genetic elements besides coding changes affect the phenotypic variation. Although the phenotype in a natural hybrid lineage between
C. rhenanus
and
C. perifretum
resembles
C. perifretum
, the respective coding Edar alleles are not fully fixed (88.6%). Hence, our results support an involvement of Eda signalling in microevolutionary changes, but imply that the Edar gene is affected by multiple evolutionary processes that vary among freshwater sculpins.
Exploring the nature of ecological specialization in a coral reef fish community: morphology, diet and foraging microhabitat use
Authors: Brandl Simon J. , Robbins William D. , Bellwood David R.
Published: September 2015

Patterns of ecological specialization offer invaluable information about ecosystems. Yet, specialization is rarely quantified across several ecological niche axes and variables beyond the link between morphological and dietary specialization have received little attention. Here, we provide a quantitative evaluation of ecological specialization in a coral reef fish assemblage (f. Acanthuridae) along one fundamental and two realized niche axes. Specifically, we examined ecological specialization in 10 surgeonfish species with regards to morphology and two realized niche axes associated with diet and foraging microhabitat utilization using a recently developed multidimensional framework. We then investigated the potential relationships between morphological and behavioural specialization. These relationships differed markedly from the traditional ecomorphological paradigm. While morphological specialization showed no relationship with dietary specialization, it exhibited a strong relationship with foraging microhabitat specialization. However, this relationship was inverted: species with specialized morphologies were microhabitat generalists, whereas generalized morphotypes were microhabitat specialists. Interestingly, this mirrors relationships found in plant–pollinator communities and may also be applicable to other ecosystems, highlighting the potential importance of including niche axes beyond dietary specialization into ecomorphological frameworks. On coral reefs, it appears that morphotypes commonly perceived as most generalized may, in fact, be specialized in exploiting flat and easily accessible microhabitats.
Long-term acclimation to elevated
p
CO
2
alters carbon metabolism and reduces growth in the Antarctic diatom
Nitzschia lecointei
Authors: Torstensson Anders , Hedblom Mikael , Mattsdotter Björk My , Chierici Melissa , Wulff Angela
Published: September 2015

Increasing atmospheric CO
2
levels are driving changes in the seawater carbonate system, resulting in higher
p
CO
2
and reduced pH (ocean acidification). Many studies on marine organisms have focused on short-term physiological responses to increased
p
CO
2
, and few on slow-growing polar organisms with a relative low adaptation potential. In order to recognize the consequences of climate change in biological systems, acclimation and adaptation to new environments are crucial to address. In this study, physiological responses to long-term acclimation (194 days, approx. 60 asexual generations) of three
p
CO
2
levels (280, 390 and 960 µatm) were investigated in the psychrophilic sea ice diatom
Nitzschia lecointei
. After 147 days, a small reduction in growth was detected at 960 µatm
p
CO
2
. Previous short-term experiments have failed to detect altered growth in
N. lecointei
at high
p
CO
2
, which illustrates the importance of experimental duration in studies of climate change. In addition, carbon metabolism was significantly affected by the long-term treatments, resulting in higher cellular release of dissolved organic carbon (DOC). In turn, the release of labile organic carbon stimulated bacterial productivity in this system. We conclude that long-term acclimation to ocean acidification is important for
N. lecointei
and that carbon overconsumption and DOC exudation may increase in a high-CO
2
world.
Antricoccus suffuscus gen. nov., sp. nov., isolated from a natural cave
Authors: Lee Soon Dong
Published: September 2015

A novel actinobacterium, designated strain C4-31T, was isolated from soil collected from a cave. Cells were aerobic, Gram-reaction-positive, oxidase-negative, catalase-positive and non-motile cocci. Comparison of 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that the organism occupied a distinct phylogenetic position within the suborder Frankineae, with sequence similarity values of less than 93.2 % to members of this suborder. The diagnostic diamino acid in the cell-wall peptidoglycan was meso-diaminopimelic acid. The major menaquinone was MK-9(H4). The polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylinositol mannoside, an unknown aminophospholipid and an unknown phospholipid. The major fatty acids were iso-C16 : 0, C17 : 1ω6c and C16 : 0. The G+C content of the DNA was 62.8 mol%. On the basis of morphological and chemotaxonomic data as well as phylogenetic evidence, strain C4-31T ( = KCTC 39556T = DSM 100065T) is considered to represent the type strain of a novel species of a new genus in the suborder Frankineae, for which the name Antricoccus suffuscus gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed.
Micromonospora fluostatini sp. nov., isolated from marine sediment
Authors: Phongsopitanun Wongsakorn , Kudo Takuji , Mori Mihoko , Shiomi Kazuro , Pittayakhajonwut Pattama , Suwanborirux Khanit , Tanasupawat Somboon
Published: September 2015

The novel actinomycete strain PWB-003T, which produced fluostatins B and C antibiotics, was isolated from nearshore sediment collected from Panwa Cape, Phuket Province, Thailand. Data from the present polyphasic study indicated that strain PWB-003T represented a member of the genus Micromonospora. It produced single spores on substrate mycelia and contained meso-diaminopimelic acid in the cell-wall peptidoglycan. Whole-cell hydrolysate contained ribose, xylose, arabinose, mannose and glucose. The predominant menaquinone was MK-10 (H4). Cellular fatty acids comprised C18 : 1ω9c, iso-C16 : 0, anteiso-C17 : 0, iso-C15 : 0 and iso-C17 : 0. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity analysis, the novel strain was closely related to Micromonospora eburnea LK2-10T (99.38 %), Micromonospora chaiyaphumensis MC5-1T (99.16 %), Micromonospora yangpuensis FXJ6.011T (98.97 %), Micromonospora echinaurantiaca DSM 43904T (98.97 %), Micromonospora pallida DSM 43817T (98.97 %), Micromonospora sagamiensis DSM 43912T and Micromonospora auratinigra JCM 12357T (both 98.97 %). The G+C content of the DNA was 74.5 mol%. DNA–DNA relatedness values among strain PWB-003T and related type strains ranged from 11.3 ± 1.3 to 38.8 ± 1.1 %. On the basis of these observations, strain PWB-003T could be distinguished from its closely related type strains and is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Micromonospora, for which the name Micromonospora fluostatini sp. nov. (type strain PWB-003T = JCM 30529T = PCU 341T = TISTR 2345T) is proposed.
Numerical simulation of turbulent natural convection combined with surface thermal radiation in a square cavity
Authors: Miroshnichenko Igor V , Sheremet M A
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to present transient turbulent natural convection with surface thermal radiation in a square differentially heated enclosure using non-primitive variables like stream function and vorticity.

Design/methodology/approach

– The governing equations formulated in dimensionless variables “stream function, vorticity and temperature,” within the Boussinesq approach taking into account the standard two equation k-ε turbulence model with physical boundary conditions have been solved using an iterative implicit finite-difference method.

Findings

– It has been found that using of the presented algebraic transformation of the mesh allows to effectively conduct numerical analysis of turbulent natural convection with thermal surface radiation. It has been shown that the average convective Nusselt number increases with the Rayleigh number and decreases with the surface emissivity, while the average radiative Nusselt number is an increasing function of these key parameters. It has been shown that a presence of surface thermal radiation effect leads to an expansion of the eddy viscosity zones close to the walls.

Originality/value

– It should be noted that for the first time in this paper we used stream function and vorticity variables with very effective algebraic transformation of the mesh in order to create a non-uniform mesh for an analysis of turbulent flow. Such method allows to reduce the computational time essentially in comparison with using of the primitive variables. The considered method has been successfully validated on the basis of the experimental and numerical data of other authors in case of turbulent natural convection without thermal radiation. The used numerical method would benefit scientists and engineers to become familiar with the analysis of turbulent convective heat and mass transfer, and the way to predict the properties of the turbulent flow in advanced nuclear systems, in industrial sectors including transportation, power generation, chemical sectors, ventilation, air-conditioning, etc.
Simulation of the double emulsion formation through a hierarchical T-junction microchannel
Authors: Azarmanesh Milad , Farhadi Mousa , Azizian Pooya
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to present a practical way to create three kinds of double emulsions such as double emulsion, double-component double emulsion and viscoelastic double emulsion.

Design/methodology/approach

– A hierarchical T-junction microfluidic device is selected to simulate this phenomenon. A system of the three-phase flows consists of the inner, middle and outer phases were simulated by the direct numerical simulation (DNS) method. The dripping regime is considered for the droplet formation in both T-junctions. The adaptive mesh refinement technique is used to simulate the droplet formation and determine the interface rupture.

Findings

– The one-step and two-step encapsulation are used to create the double emulsion and the viscoelastic double emulsion, respectively. In both T-junctions, droplets are created by the balance of three parameters which are instability, viscous drag and pressure buildup. The one-step formation of double emulsion is presented for encapsulates the viscoelastic fluid.

Originality/value

– The simulated hierarchical microchannel shows some desirable features for creating the complex compounds. The encapsulation process is simulated in micro-scale that is useful for drug delivery applications.
Pressure and volume changes of an air bubble in a liquid water flow through a heated micro-channel
Authors: Prigent Guillaume , DULUC Marie-Christine , Le Quéré Patrick
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to study a gas bubble flowing in a micro-channel filled with liquid and to quantify the compressibility effects induced in the bubble by a heat supply at the walls of the channel.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper presents a model and its numerical implementation. A hybrid method combining front-tracking techniques and a Heaviside step function is introduced to ensure an accurate satisfaction of the mass and energy conservation laws.

Findings

– Compressibility effects in the bubble are quantified. Test cases for numerical simulations of two-phase flows involving heat transfer are proposed.

Originality/value

– The authors present original test cases in which expansion or compression of a gas bubble flowing in a liquid are induced by heat transfer at the wall.
Students’ awareness of the tripartite accounting in Bowen University, Iwo
Authors: Oladele Femi
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to assess Nigerian students’ level of awareness of the tripartite accounting (TA), unmask the ills of the propaganda for professional practice as the core of the accounting profession and emphasise the TA. Awareness of the fact that the frontiers of accounting is increasingly expanding beyond professional practice is inchoate in Nigeria. The role of accounting extends further to research and policy formulations for governments and corporate organisations, as it assumes a multi-dimensional sine qua non for reporting, budgeting and budgetary control, environmental impact measurement, forensics and other socio-political and economic policy measures.

Design/methodology/approach

– Questionnaires were administered to 100 final-year students from the Department of Accounting in Bowen University, Iwo.

Findings

– There is unilateral stereotype of the profession always tending to practice as the core of the accounting profession; there is little awareness of the benefits of undertaking research and/or policy-based accounting, limiting students’ focus to becoming only professional practitioners, which results in low number of senior academics in the field of Accounting evident in most tertiary institutions and the evident inadequacies of Nigeria’s standards-setting and policy-making systems and mechanisms.

Originality/value

– Tertiary institutions should be the “place of orientation” for the TA, nurturing and developing students’ interest, hence, the strong proposal for balancing TA through clamour for institutional interrelationship to ensure effectiveness, efficiency, progress and sustainability of the profession.
Human capital disclosure, accounting numbers, and share price
Authors: Motokawa Katsuhiro
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to show the associations between the amount of voluntary human capital (HC) disclosures and company profiles, including required HC and accounting information to verify a disclosure theory that consolidates four traditional theories. It also verifies the previously found association between voluntary HC information and share price.

Design/methodology/approach

– This research uses regression analysis and graphical modelling of a stratified random sample from the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Text mining software is used for content analysis of annual reports to quantify the amount of qualitative HC information.

Findings

– This study finds associations between the amount of voluntary HC information and the number of employees and the average salary. In particular, information about competence/qualification and personnel are related.

Research limitations/implications

– The results provide some support for the consolidated theory and are presumably consistent with the signalling theory and stakeholder theory in terms of the labour market rather than the financial market.

Originality/value

– By using both regression analysis and, graphical modelling this study shows the difference between the outputs of Germany and Japan and how HC characteristics of a firm relate to its disclosure behaviour, revealing hidden aspects that traditional prior studies have ignored.
Trust in manufacturing engineering project systems: an evolutionary perspective
Authors: Leseure Michel
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to explore the robustness of the emerging body of knowledge about collaborative supply chains in the context of Engineered-to-Order (ETO) manufacturing engineering project systems.

Design/methodology/approach

– This paper uses an evolutionary classification technique to build an evolutionary history for an industry case study: the French ETO machine design industry.

Findings

– The evolutionary history shows that collaborative forms of governance have been used in this industry after an era of failed transactional market-based governance. The industry, however, has abandoned collaborative forms of governance to return to its historical roots towards more vertical integration.

Research limitations/implications

– Findings are only relevant in the context of the investigated industry.

Practical implications

– In certain industrial settings managers should consider the promise of collaboration and trust with cautious.

Originality/value

– The data set supports Williamson’s (1993) rejection of trust as a mode of governance and calls for a more careful delineation of the conditions of recourse to trust in managerial situations.
Towards lean transformation: the analysis of lean implementation frameworks
Authors: Chay TickFei , Xu YuChun , Tiwari Ashutosh , Chay FooSoon
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– Failure in engaging shop floor employees (including supervisory staff) in lean, lacking of supervisory skills in leading workers and lacking of lean technical knowhow among the shop floor employees are some of the major obstacles in lean transformation. One of the reasons of inefficient lean transformation is the shortages in frameworks or plans in implementing lean. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the shortfalls in the current lean implementation frameworks.

Design/methodology/approach

– The frameworks were analysed according to the following criteria: first, “What” is the approach of lean implementation, i.e. top-down or bottom-up; second, “How” to implement lean (description of steps or sequences of lean implementation along the lean journey); third, “Why” – the reason of adoption of the proposed lean tools, techniques or practices (thereafter TTPs) in each phase of lean implementation; and fourth, “Who” are the targeted internal stakeholders to use or apply the lean TTPs that were proposed in the frameworks.

Findings

– Most of the current available lean frameworks were prone to top-down approach but not bottom-up. Improvement initiatives from the shop floor employees were often overlooked by researchers. In proposing their frameworks, most of the researchers have neglected the importance of “Why” aspect in the adoption of TTPs or the framework itself without giving the “reason” for each of the elements in lean implementation. Besides the aspects of “What” and “How”, the mentioned “Why” aspect is important in contributing to capability building among the shop floor employees in carrying out improvement, problem-solving or waste elimination activities. The aspect of “Who should carry out which lean TTP” was somewhat not emphasised by most of the lean researchers. In addition, the current frameworks were prone to “one-best-way” approach with lacking of contingency sense, which is one of the common criticisms against Lean Production System.

Originality/value

– This paper provides a critical view on the shortfalls of current lean implementation frameworks, and proposes an insight of new criteria for future research in analysing and proposing new lean implementation framework towards lean transformation.
SEC applies whistleblower protections to confidentiality agreements
Authors: Adams Daniel , Chunias Jennifer , Hale Robert , Newell John , Goldberg William T.
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– The article highlights one of several recent SEC enforcement developments involving whistleblowers.

Design/methodology/approach

– The article describes a recent SEC enforcement action based on confidentiality provisions of a company agreement, highlights the provision that the SEC found to be a violation of federal securities laws as amended by the Dodd-Frank Act, and summarizes several other related recent federal regulatory developments. The article suggests actions that companies may wish to take in light of the SEC’s enforcement action in this case.

Findings

– The SEC’s expansive view of the Dodd-Frank Act whistleblower protections may require companies to undertake a broad review of confidentiality provisions in various agreements and policies.

Practical implications

– Companies should review all confidentiality provisions in light of the KBR enforcement action to determine which agreements, policies and other documents may require amendment to avoid violating the Dodd-Frank whistleblower protections under the federal securities laws. This potentially includes employment-related agreements, HR materials, various other legal documents, and corporate codes of conduct, among others.

Originality/value

– The article presents the reasons and practical suggestions for review of confidentiality provision in company agreements, policies and other documents.