bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Rhodoplanes piscinae sp. nov. isolated from pond water
Authors: Chakravarthy S. Kalyana , Ramaprasad E. V. V. , Shobha E. , Sasikala Ch. , Ramana Ch. V.
Published: January 2012

Two strains (JA266T and JA333) of Gram-negative, rod-shaped, phototrophic, purple non-sulfur bacteria were isolated from a freshwater fish pond and an industrial effluent. Both strains were capable of phototrophic and chemotrophic growth. Bacteriochlorophyll a and carotenoids of the spirilloxanthin series were present as photosynthetic pigments. The major fatty acid for both strains was C18 : 1ω7c (>65 %), with minor amounts of 11-methyl C18 : 1ω7c, C16 : 0, C16 : 1ω7c and C18 : 0 also present. Both strains have the lamellar type of intracellular photosynthetic membranes. Ubiquinone-10 (Q10) and rhodoquinone-10 (RQ10) were present as primary quinone components. Diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylcholine were the major polar lipids, while minor amounts of amino lipids (AL1, AL2) and an unidentified lipid (L1) were common to both strains. The DNA G+C contents of strains JA266T and JA333 were 71.3 and 69.9 mol%, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis on the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that both strains clustered with members of the genus

Rhodoplanes

in the class

Alphaproteobacteria

. Strains JA266T and JA333 had gene sequence similarity of 98.7 and 98.9 % with

Rhodoplanes serenus

TUT3530T, 96.4 and 96.5 % with

Rhodoplanes elegans

AS130T, respectively, and less than 96 % with other members of the genus

Rhodoplanes

. 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity between the two strains was 99.3 % and they exhibited high (84.7 %) relatedness based on DNA–DNA hybridization. Furthermore, both strains had less than 65 % DNA–DNA relatedness with the type strain

R. serenus

TUT3530T. On the basis of phenotypic and genotypic data, it is proposed that strain JA266T be classified as a novel species of the genus

Rhodoplanes

, with the species name Rhodoplanes piscinae sp. nov. The type strain of the proposed novel species is JA266T ( = JCM 14934T = KCTC 5627T), while strain JA333 ( = NBRC 107574 = KCTC 5962) is an additional strain.
Phytohabitans flavus sp. nov., Phytohabitans rumicis sp. nov. and Phytohabitans houttuyneae sp. nov., isolated from plant roots, and emended description of the genus

Phytohabitans
Authors: Inahashi Yuki , Matsumoto Atsuko , Ōmura Satoshi , Takahashi Yōko
Published: January 2012

An actinomycete strain, designated K09-0627T, was isolated from the roots of an orchid collected in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. Two actinomycete strains K11-0047T and K11-0057T were isolated from the roots of Rumex acetosa and Houttuynia cordata collected in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. 16S rRNA gene sequence analyses indicated that the isolates belonged to the genus

Phytohabitans,
and that they were closely related to each other and to

Phytohabitans suffuscus

K07-0523T. The DNA–DNA relatedness values between the three isolates and

Phytohabitans suffuscus

were below 70 %. On the basis of phylogenetic analysis, DNA–DNA relatedness values and phenotypic characteristics, the strains should be classified as novel species in the genus

Phytohabitans

, for which the names Phytohabitans flavus sp. nov. (type strain, K09-0627T = JCM 17387T = NBRC 107702T = DSM 45551T), Phytohabitans rumicis sp. nov. (type strain, K11-0047T = JCM 17829T = NBRC 108638T = BCC 48146T) and Phytohabitans houttuyneae sp. nov. (type strain, K11-0057T = JCM 17830T = NBRC 108639T = BCC 48147T) are proposed.
Clinical waste incinerators in Cameroon – a case study
Authors: Ikome Kuwoh Mochungong Peter , Gulis Gabriel , Sodemann Morten
Published: January 2012

Purpose

Incinerators are widely used to treat clinical waste in Cameroon's Northwest Region. These incinerators cause public apprehension owing to purported risks to operators, communities and the environment. This article aims to summarize findings from an April 2008 case study.

Design/methodology/approach

Three incinerators were randomly selected and investigated for site, design and operating standards. Empirical field observation was adopted and data collected through inventory and informal interviews. Bottom ash samples collected from the incinerators were prepared according to standard procedures and analyzed for heavy metals using Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) Emission Spectroscopy.

Findings

Shortcomings associated with site selection, design and operation standards were identified. Chemical analysis revealed that Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, Zn, Mg and Ca were present in the bottom ash with mean concentration ranging from 10 mg/kg for Pb to 178080 mg/kg for Ca.

Research limitations/implications

For logistic reasons, feedstock quantity and quality into the incinerators were not investigated. Neither were soil samples around and away from the incinerators.

Practical implications

Although highly favored, clinical waste incineration methods in this region have to be reconsidered. A thorough health and environmental impact assessment is suggested before subsequent decisions on choice and disposal site is made. This will curb potential negative impacts to the environment and public health.

Originality/value

This article adds a different perspective and sheds additional information to the debate on unsatisfactory clinical waste incinerators in resources‐poor countries. Alternative methods to incineration are presented that will be helpful to practitioners.
Factors relating to doctors' desire to change hospitals in Japan
Authors: Kato Ken , Yamauchi Kazunobu , Miyaji Makoto , Fujiwara Nakako , Katsuyama Kimiko , Amano Hiroshi , Kobayashi Santaro , Naito Michio , Maki Yasunori , Kawahara Hirohisa , Maseki Mitsuaki , Senoo Yoshio
Published: January 2012

Purpose

This study seeks to investigate doctors' desire to change the hospital where they work to sustain higher quality care.

Design/methodology/approach

Self‐administered questionnaires were sent to doctors in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. Data were analyzed using univariate and logistic regression analysis and recursive partitioning.

Findings

Factors related to doctors' desire to change hospitals, according to logistic regression, were interaction between working hours and satisfaction with the hospital, evaluation, local government hospitals versus private ones, small vs large hospitals, ophthalmology versus internal medicine, desire to continue working as a hospital doctor and age. Additionally, working hours were also found to be related, based on recursive partitioning.

Research limitations/implications

The response rate was low and sampling bias was observed – therefore results need careful interpretation. Also, because this was a cross‐sectional study, causal relationships could not be identified. Desire to change hospitals, but not actual behavior, was measured.

Practical implications

Efforts to prevent doctors from changing hospitals should include considering job satisfaction and workload, doctor evaluation methods, support for career progression and organizational management.

Originality/value

As the hospital doctor shortage in rural areas becomes more serious, exploring doctors' desire to leave their current hospital is meaningful for Japanese hospital managers and hospitals worldwide aiming to provide sustainable and higher quality care.
A quality control application in healthcare management using experimental design criteria
Authors: Savsar Mehmet , Al‐Ajmi Moiedh M.
Published: January 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to determine the significant factors that cause delays in surgery operations in a hospital and factors that affect productivity of surgery clinics.

Design/methodology/approach

Data are collected from surgery clinics of an international hospital to identify main factors that affect delays in surgery operation. A design of experiment is then performed and the significance of the effects of these factors is determined. A regression model was also developed to find a relation between surgery delays and the selected factors.

Findings

The results show that such factors as the type of doctors and missing information significantly affect the delay in surgery operations as compared with some other factors, such as admission time considered in the study.

Research limitations/implications

The models developed and the results obtained in this paper are specific to the application presented. However, the procedures are general and can be applied to similar problems.

Practical implications

The results of the study can be used to control important factors to reduce the delays in surgery operations, reduce risks in patient health related to these delays, reduce hospital costs and improve the productivity of these clinics.

Originality/value

The paper considers a management problem related to surgery delays which has not been considered before and presents a procedure to study the causes of the problem. It provides a methodology that could be used to study similar problems in health care management systems and to improve these systems by analyzing operations and activities with respect to the factors that affect productivity and efficiency of such operations.
Oral cancer prevention and early detection
Authors: Jaber Louay , Shaban Sami , Hariri Deema
Published: January 2012

Purpose

Despite the crucial role that healthcare practitioners (HCPs) have in preventing and detecting oral cancer (OC), studies suggest that dentists and physicians do not adequately detect early stage OC which is attributed to their attitude and knowledge. This Saudi Arabian study aims to assess HCP's knowledge and practice vis‐à‐vis OC's risk factors and patient evaluation.

Design/methodology/approach

A questionnaire was distributed to HCPs in six different Saudi Arabian settings. A total of 16 items representing a mixture of OC's risk and non‐risk factors were measured.

Findings

The study found that only 20.9 percent of HCPs could distinguish 11 items or more correctly. Additionally, when HCPs obtained the patient's medical history, no more than 32.3 percent routinely assessed ten important OC issues. Almost 36 percent of HCPs thought that attending to too many patients prevented them from taking proper medical histories, and 37.6 percent admitted that more training in preventing and detecting OC is needed.

Research limitations/implications

Since there is no effective automated system to reach Saudi Arabian practitioners, the number of practitioners involved in this study is limited.

Practical implications

The knowledge and practice of HCPs with relation to OC do not appear to be sufficient and HCPs should have better and more training in OC prevention and early detection.

Originality/value

It appears that Saudi Arabian HCPs do not adequately participate in OC's prevention and early detection. It is suggested that continuous education strategies in Saudi Arabia should be reassessed and emphasis given to OC diagnosis.
Measuring complexity for building projects: a Delphi study
Authors: Xia Bo , Chan Albert P.C.
Published: January 2012

Purpose

The aim of this study is to identify complexity measures for building projects in the People's Republic of China (PRC).

Design/methodology/approach

A three‐round of Delphi questionnaire survey was conducted to identify the key parameters that measure the degree of project complexity. A complexity index (CI) was developed based on the identified measures and their relative importance.

Findings

Six key measures of project complexity have been identified, namely: building structure & function; construction method; the urgency of the project schedule; project size/scale; geological condition; and neighboring environment.

Practical implications

These complexity measures help stakeholders assess degrees of project complexity and better manage the potential risks that might be induced to different levels of project complexity.

Originality/value

The findings provide insightful perspectives to define and understand project complexity. For stakeholders, understanding and addressing the complexity help to improve project planning and implementation.
New life‐cycle costing approach for infrastructure rehabilitation
Authors: Farran Mazen , Zayed Tarek
Published: January 2012

Purpose

Several rehabilitation planning methods are reported in the literature for public infrastructures, such as bridges, pavements, sewers, etc. These methods, however, are limited to specific types of infrastructures. The purpose of the present research is to develop a novel and generic method for Maintenance and Rehabilitation Planning for Public Infrastructure (M&RPPI), which aims at determining the optimal rehabilitation profile over a desired analysis period.

Design/methodology/approach

The M&RPPI method is based on life‐cycle costing (LCC) with probabilistic and continuous rating approach for condition states. The M&RPPI uses a new approach of “dynamic” Markov chain to represent the deterioration mechanism of an infrastructure and the impact of rehabilitation interventions on such infrastructure. It also uses genetic algorithm (GA) in conjunction with Markov chains in order to find the optimal rehabilitation profile. A case study is presented with a comparison between the traditional Markov decision process (MDP) and the newly developed method.

Findings

The new method, which generates lower LCC, is found practical in providing a complete M&R plan over a required study period, compared to a stationary decision policy with the traditional MDP. In addition, GA is found useful in the optimization process and overcomes the computational difficulties for large combinatorial problems.

Research limitations/implications

The implementation of the developed models is limited to only four alternatives/actions. However, the developed models and framework are superior for MDP.

Practical implications

The developed methodology and model play essential roles in the decision‐making process.

Originality/value

The new method is beneficial to researchers and practitioners. It is developed for a single facility; however, it provides a major step towards a broader infrastructure management system and capital budgeting problems.
Intellectual capital and corporate performance in Iranian pharmaceutical industry
Authors: Mehralian Gholamhossein , Rajabzadeh Ali , Reza Sadeh Mohammad , Reza Rasekh Hamid
Published: January 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to empirically study the relationship between intellectual capital (IC) components (human, structural, and physical capitals) with the traditional measures of performance of the firm (profitability, productivity and market valuation) within the pharmaceutical sector of Iran.

Design/methodology/approach

The empirical data were drawn from pharma companies listed in the Iranian Stock Exchange (ISE), over the six‐year period of 2004 to 2009. The analysis of correlation, simple linear multiple regression and artificial neural networks (ANNs) were applied for analyzing any existing relationship between variables in the present study.

Findings

The analysis indicates that the relationships between the performance of a company's IC and conventional performance indicators are varied. The findings suggest that the performance of a company's IC can explain profitability but not productivity and market valuation in Iran. Also the empirical analysis found that physical capital (VACA) was the one which was seen to have the major impact on the profitability of the firms over the period of study, in addition the result of ANN method also confirmed findings of multiple regression.

Practical implications

There is an immediate need for policy makers and corporate managers wake up to the need to start disclosure of the IC of firms. IC measurement is of primary interest for top executives of pharmaceutical firms in Iran.

Originality/value

This is an initial and pioneering study to evaluate the IC and its relationship with the traditional measures of corporate performance in the Iranian pharmaceutical industry. The present study provides a new aspect of performance measurement for research‐based industries in emerging economies and would be a good topic for further research.
Examining middle managers' influence on innovation in construction professional services firms
Authors: Kissi John , Dainty Andrew , Liu Anita
Published: January 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore some of the factors that influence innovation in construction professional services firms. The paper examines the role of middle managers who have responsibility for developing the right conditions that foster innovation at the business unit level.

Design/methodology/approach

A theoretical framework was initially developed through a synthesis of the literature. Using a case study approach, three types of innovation were explored to illustrate the role and influence of middle managers in fostering and exploiting innovations.

Findings

Findings from the study suggested that middle managers' innovation supporting behaviours influence innovation outcomes by helping development of a climate for innovation that influence championing behaviours among project managers.

Research limitations/implications

The study was based on a single United Kingdom‐based construction professional services firm. Nevertheless, the research contributes to the call for more qualitative approaches to understanding leadership research in construction.

Originality/value

Limited research has been undertaken on the impact of leadership on construction innovation beyond senior managers. This paper seeks to contribute to addressing this gap in literature by highlighting the significant role that the middle managers play in enabling innovation in construction professional services firms contrary to well‐publicised negative views on the middle managerial roles.
Innovation or business survival?
Authors: Holt Gary D. , Edwards David J.
Published: January 2012

Purpose

The criticality of mechanical plant to construction activity is well accepted within the literature; however, the supply chain mechanisms by which that demand is satisfied, are much less documented or understood. The purpose of this paper is to address this theoretical gap by: describing Construction Plant Supply Chain (CPSC) evolvement; identifying with present sector difficulties; discussing solutions to those difficulties; and considering the role of innovation within CPSC (historically and for the future).

Design/methodology/approach

A mixed‐method research, i.e. qualitative and preliminary, including literature review, case study inquiry of an established multi‐purpose CPSC player, and open question survey of a limited sample of CPSC stakeholders has been employed in this study. Inductive data analysis via textual interrogation is undertaken.

Findings

In reaction to market forces and business challenges, CPSC evolution demonstrated innovative change from former contractor‐held plant fleets to predominantly private sector “external” supply chains. Of late, CPSC challenges have intensified, given its intrinsic relationship to a depressed UK (and global) economy, dependency on capital investment, and the need for sustained demand. Suggestions to encounter present challenges have been made and a difficult medium‐term future signified.

Research limitations/implications

As a preliminary study, generalisation of findings should be viewed in a limited context; however, given the dearth of research in this subject, the findings make novel contribution to the CPSC literature while signposting fertile avenues for future and more comprehensive research.

Originality/value

No previous research in this specific field has been identified.
Searching for coherence from Viet Nam to Sweden
Authors: Elmeroth Elisabeth
Published: January 2012

Purpose

This study seeks to capture the lived experiences of five refugees making the transition from Viet Nam to Sweden. It seeks to focus on the problems of integration in Swedish society.

Design/methodology/approach

The research took a narrative approach by asking questions about the ways in which refugees make sense of the multiple and sometimes dramatic changes that exile involves. The interpretation procedure was performed in three recurring phases: naïve reading, thematic structural analysis and comprehensive understanding.

Findings

In the structural analyses, three sub‐themes were abstracted: in the hands of authorities/forced to leave home; regarded as uneducated and untrained; and lack of balance. These sub‐themes show a situation that could be interpreted by the concept of sense of coherence (SOC). The comprehensive understanding shows that the prerequisites for a stable SOC are unsatisfactory.

Practical implications

The study reported here implies that there is a need for changes in integration policy. In an integrated society, individuals should be met with a policy that aims to empower and takes into consideration the lived experiences and different components that work together to create an SOC.

Originality/value

The contribution from this research is the combination of qualitative data, the theory about SOC, and the description of the edifice of SOC. This combination helps to understand and explain the essence of the respondents' lived experiences.
Moving forward together? Legacy issues and well‐being in post war Sri Lanka
Authors: Tribe Rachel , Calvert Harriet
Published: January 2012

Purpose

Sri Lanka was subject to a civil war of almost 30 years' duration which was won militarily by the Sri Lankan army in May 2009. Sri Lanka was also seriously affected by the Asian tsunami in December 2004 which affected three‐quarters of the country's coastline and caused considerable damage. In addition, in January 2011, the east of the country suffered from serious flooding. Many Sri Lankans have therefore lived through extremely difficult times. This paper seeks to briefly discuss some of the work undertaken by the UK: Sri Lanka Trauma Group (UKSLTG) over approximately 14 years.

Design/methodology/approach

The author of this paper views well‐being as multi‐faceted, and sees psychological health as influenced by familial, community, spiritual, cultural, socio‐political, and other factors. How an individual construes all these factors is likely to be important, particularly in the context of a civil war, a subsequent military victory by one side, and a recent return to peace. The ensuing legacy may be multi‐layered, and affect individuals, families, groups, and the multiple communities that people are part of in any number of ways. The lessons learned by the UKSLTG through work in a range of contexts and with a variety of groups are discussed.

Findings

The applicability of the knowledge and ideas generated through the work of the UKSLTG and their possible transferability to other contexts will also be briefly considered. The authors are not attempting to provide a definitive account of possible work but a description of what has been learned working in a war and post war situation.

Originality/value

The paper highlights the importance of working in real partnership, of community engagement, and of the need to be flexible and prepared to discount original plans and to be open to doing things differently as circumstances dictate.
How do we help children and families in the midst of collective trauma in Sri Lanka
Authors: Calvert Harriet
Published: January 2012

Purpose

This article is a conceptual paper, based on psychoanalytic understanding of a society at war, and the author attempts to deliver psychoanalytically inspired training for psychosocial workers in Sri Lanka.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper starts with a description of the kind of changes that have taken place in Sri Lanka and how these can be understood as a form of collective trauma. The training delivered by the author as part of the UK‐Sri Lanka Trauma group, are described in detail. The training described in this paper can be seen as consisting of a theoretical part, a supervision part, and of an experiential part. The training is illustrated using a lot of case material, which the participants in Sri Lanka have brought.

Findings

The author notes the fact that participants from any community in Sri Lanka would themselves have been traumatised and this has been acknowledged and worked with during the training described in the paper.

Originality/value

Cultural aspects and dilemmas are discussed, such as what kind of challenge does an “outsider” face in delivering mental health training in a different culture to their own.
Corporate brand building at SRF: challenge of selecting the brand consultant
Authors: Mukherjee Jaydeep , Trivedy Mukund
Published: January 2012

Subject area

The case is about the selecting the agency to take up the brand building challenge of SRF Limited, a well established, large business in India having diverse lines of “industrial products”. The business decision problem of SRF stemmed from the fact that the corporate leadership team, which had to take a decision on the topic had considerable reservation about the appropriateness of each of short–listed agencies for the job at hand. There were also differences of opinion on what would be the criteria for selecting the brand consultant. The Managing Director had to ensure that the team arrived at a consensus, rather than being foisted with a decision from top.

Study level/applicability

This case can be taken up in executive education programs as well as the basic marketing management program at the postgraduate level or in a specialist advertising courses. The case can be taught in the core marketing course at the postgraduate level while discussing the selection on advertising agency.

Case overview

The decision–making focus of the case is about selecting an advertising agency among a set of three, which was most suited to help SRF achieve the repositioning, branding and the awareness creation challenge. The agencies, however, were mostly experienced in building brands for consumer product which was distinct from industrial intermediaries company like SRF. As an organization, SRF had no experience of dealing with an advertising agency, thus the selection was quite a challenge. It brings to focus the decision–making dilemma faced by a large number of companies in emerging markets which are making the transition to brand building.

Expected learning outcomes

The following insights could be elucidated by the case:

Help the students understand the corporate branding concept as distinct from product branding. Decision–making dilemmas associated with corporate brand building for a company with long legacy of product branding. Criteria for evaluating the proposals by advertising agency from the perspective of a client organization.

Supplementary materials

Teaching notes.
GOONJ: the power of cloth
Authors: Nanath Krishnadas
Published: January 2012

Subject area

Strategic management and social innovation

Study level/applicability

Undergraduate and graduate level management/business school students. It can be taught in strategic management and social innovation courses.

Case overview

GOONJ is a non–profit organization which has life and dignity for lakhs of people in India over the last decade. It aimed at bringing up clothing as one of the important aspects of human life and make it available for the needy keeping their dignity intact. The case begins with Anshu Gupta, founder of GOONJ thinking deeply about the high–priority meeting to take GOONJ to the next level and scale up the operations of his social innovation. It then tries to bring up the potential problem of clothing and menstrual hygiene in India followed by explanation of the present working model of GOONJ which allows them to manage the operations with 97 paisa per cloth. With the dream of taking GOONJ to the next level and converting it into a nation–wide phenomenon, will the present model work?

Expected learning outcomes

This case will cover two important aspects: social innovation process (themes, challenges and implications for practice); and strategic management concepts (stakeholder theory, internal–external factor evaluation).

Supplementary materials

Teaching notes.
Sinolink Fine Wines
Authors: Cheng Soo May
Published: January 2012

Subject area

International wine marketing, focusing on the emerging importance of Hong Kong as a wine business hub in the Asia Pacific region.

Study level/applicability

MBA or year 3/4 undergraduate business course. Some prior knowledge of organisational structure, management decision–making, marketing principles and consumer behaviour will be helpful.

Case overview

Sinolink is a small family business that successfully made the transition to become one of the largest local wine dealers in Hong Kong, trading internationally and growing phenomenally through a combination of management and marketing savvy. Its story is worth telling at a time when Hong Kong is emerging as an important wine business hub in the Asia Pacific region. It faces new opportunities and challenges in such a dynamic environment.

Expected learning outcomes

Some learning points are: how vision and leadership affects business strategy; international supplier relationship and product knowledge as critical foundations for the wine business; customer relationship management and marketing as competitive strategies; and flexibility in response to operational considerations and challenges is vital to success

Supplementary materials

Teaching notes.
Elevated albuminuria associated with increased risk of recurrent venous thromboembolism: results of a population‐based cohort study
Authors: van Schouwenburg Inge M. , Mahmoodi Bakhtawar K. , Veeger Nic J. G. M. , Kluin‐Nelemans Hanneke C. , Gansevoort Ron T. , Meijer Karina
Published: January 2012

This study examined the risk of recurrent venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients with elevated albuminuria. In 1997–1998, inhabitants of Groningen, the Netherlands, aged 28–75 years (n = 85 421), were invited to participate in the PREVEND (Prevention of REnal and Vascular ENd stage Disease) Study, an observational, population‐based cohort study. Albuminuria was measured and VTE occurrence was monitored in responding subjects (n = 40 856). Patients with first VTE between study entry and January 2009, identified through databases of the national registry of hospital discharge diagnoses, death certificates, regional anticoagulation clinic and medical records, were used for analysis. Of 351 subjects with first VTE, 37 subjects developed a recurrence during a median follow‐up period of 3·3 (interquartile range, 1·1–6·4) years. The annual incidence of recurrence in subjects with elevated albuminuria (≥20 mg/l) was 5·00% [95% confidence interval (CI); 2·16–9·85], compared to 2·38% (95%CI; 1·59–3·41) in subjects with normal albuminuria (<20 mg/l). Hazard ratio for recurrence was 1·95 (95%CI; 0·89–4·30) after adjustment for age and sex. This hazard ratio was 3·35 (95%CI; 1·18–9·47) in patients with first unprovoked, and 1·12 (95%CI; 0·25–5·01) in those with a first provoked event. This study showed that subjects with elevated albuminuria who experience an unprovoked VTE are at an increased risk of recurrence, independent of age and sex.
Telomere dysfunction and its role in haematological cancer
Authors: Jones Ceri H. , Pepper Chris , Baird Duncan M.
Published: January 2012

Observations in human tumours, as well as mouse models, have indicated that telomere dysfunction may be a key event driving genomic instability and disease progression in many solid tumour types. In this scenario, telomere shortening ultimately results in telomere dysfunction, fusion and genomic instability, creating the large‐scale rearrangements that are characteristic of these tumours. It is now becoming apparent that this paradigm may also apply to haematological malignancies; indeed these conditions have provided some of the most convincing evidence of telomere dysfunction in any malignancy. Telomere length has been shown in several malignancies to provide clinically useful prognostic information, implicating telomere dysfunction in disease progression. In these malignancies extreme telomere shortening, telomere dysfunction and fusion have all been documented and correlate with the emergence of increased genomic complexity. Telomeres may therefore represent both a clinically useful prognostic tool and a potential target for therapeutic intervention.
Didymosphenia geminata growth rates and bloom formation in relation to ambient dissolved phosphorus concentration
Authors: KILROY CATHY , BOTHWELL MAX L.
Published: January 2012

1. The bloom‐forming freshwater stalked diatom Didymosphenia geminata is unusual among algae in that nuisance growths occur almost exclusively in oligotrophic waters. Current hypotheses to explain this phenomenon have assumed supplemental acquisition of phosphorus from novel sources within the stalk/mat matrix.

2. We carried out a synoptic survey of river sites in the South Island, New Zealand, to determine whether D. geminata cell division and stalk development (measured as mat coverage or standing crop) were related to ambient phosphorus concentrations in the overlying river water.

3. High coverage (>50%) by D. geminata was largely concentrated at sites with mean dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP) <2 mg m−3 in the overlying water. Didymosphenia geminata was present at only one site with DRP >4 mg m−3, with very low coverage. Cell division rate (measured as the frequency of dividing cells, FDC) was positively correlated with mean DRP suggesting that division rates were controlled by the available phosphorus concentration in ambient river water. At the same time, FDC was negatively correlated with D. geminata standing crop (measured as an index incorporating percentage cover and mat thickness).

4. In a single river reach with a stable cross‐channel gradient of total dissolved phosphorus (TDP) caused by inflows from a high‐nutrient tributary, again we observed a negative correlation between percentage cover by D. geminata and concentrations of TDP.

5. Finally, we made a series of observations on D. geminata‐dominated communities that had been exposed to water enriched with ‐N and ‐P for 4 weeks, followed by exposure to unenriched water. After 2 weeks of nutrient deprivation, D. geminata cell division rates declined by 60%, mean stalk length increased by 250%, and total carbohydrate quadrupled relative to initial values. The appearance of the community changed from a dark brown mat to a thick pale mat typical of D. geminata blooms.

6. All these results indicate that D. geminata cell division rates are actively controlled by concentrations of available phosphorus in the overlying water and that stalk production (represented by mat thickness and extent, stalk length and total carbohydrate) is inversely related to D. geminata cell division rates. They thus support an explanation for D. geminata blooms in oligotrophic rivers tied to enhanced stalk production in nutrient‐poor waters, rather than through acquisition of additional phosphorus through recycling processes within the mat.
An aerolysin‐like enterotoxin from Vibrio splendidus may be involved in intestinal tract damage and mortalities in turbot, Scophthalmus maximus (L.), and cod, Gadus morhua L., larvae
Authors: Macpherson H L , Bergh Ø , Birkbeck T H
Published: January 2012

Vibrio splendidus is a pathogen that can cause major losses during the early stages of larval turbot rearing when live feed (rotifers or Artemia) is used. As haemolytic bacteria have often been associated with larval rearing losses, we studied the role of the V. splendidus haemolysin in infection of larvae. From a bank of over 10 000 transposon mutants of V. splendidus, two different types of haemolysin‐negative mutants were obtained. Both had lost virulence for larval fish, and immunohistochemistry showed that the transposon mutant studied colonized the turbot larval intestinal tract at a similar level to the wild‐type organism but did not cause damage or signs of enteritis found with the wild‐type organism. One transposon insertion site was located within a gene with high homology to aerolysin, the cytolytic toxin produced by several Aeromonas spp. The haemolysin, which we have termed vibrioaerolysin, had properties similar to aerolysin and osmotic protection studies showed that it formed pores in the membranes of erythrocytes of similar diameter to those of aerolysin. The Tn10 insertion site of the second transposon mutant was in an adjacent ToxR‐like gene, suggesting that this might control expression of the vibrioaerolysin. The gastroenteritis caused by Aeromonas spp. in humans is considered to be due to production of aerolysin causing cyclic AMP‐dependent chloride secretion in cells of the gastrointestinal tract. Damage to the intestinal tract of marine fish larvae could occur in a similar way, and it is possible that several Vibrio spp. found in the developing bacterial flora of the larval fish gut can secrete aerolysin‐like toxins leading to death of larvae in the early rearing stages. Routine bacteriological screening on blood agar plates of live feed is recommended with measures to reduce the concentrations of haemolytic bacteria in rearing systems.
Optimal treatment duration for patients with HCV genotype 1 infection
Authors: Ferenci P.
Published: January 2012

Summary.  The rapidity of viral disappearance on antiviral treatment of chronic hepatitis C with peginterferon/ribavirin correlates with the cure rate. The earlier the virus becomes undetectable, the higher are the response rates. This observation is the basis of response‐guided therapy. Viral clearance within the first 4 weeks of treatment is called a rapid virologic response (RVR). The rate of RVR varies among various populations, with the highest one observed in Asian patients and the lowest in African‐Americans. In patients infected with genotypes 1 and 4 who experience a RVR treatment with peginterferon/ribavirin can be shortened to just 24 weeks without losing efficacy (sustained virologic rate in RVR are >80%). In contrast, patients with a slow decline in viral load (> 2 log drop after 12 weeks with still detectable virus) may benefit from treatment extension to 72 weeks. Prolonged treatment reduces relapse rates but has no significant effect on cure rates. The data in patients with genotypes 2 and 3 are less clear, mostly because these genotypes are much easier to cure and a benefit is hard to detect. Nevertheless in patients with RVR and low baseline viral load treatment can be safely shortened to 16 weeks. The recently described polymorphism in the region of the IL28B gene may help to select patients for abbreviated or extended treatment schedules.
Polar assembly and scaffolding proteins of the virulence‐associated ESX‐1 secretory apparatus in mycobacteria
Authors: Wirth Samantha E. , Krywy Janet A. , Aldridge Bree B. , Fortune Sarah M. , Fernandez‐Suarez Marta , Gray Todd A. , Derbyshire Keith M.
Published: January 2012

The ESX‐1 secretion system is required for pathogenicity of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). Despite considerable research, little is known about the structural components of ESX‐1, or how these proteins are assembled into the active secretion apparatus. Here, we exploit the functionally related ESX‐1 apparatus of Mycobacterium smegmatis (Ms) to show that fluorescently tagged proteins required for ESX‐1 activity consistently localize to the cell pole, identified by time‐lapse fluoro‐microscopy as the non‐septal (old) pole. Deletions in Msesx1 prevented polar localization of tagged proteins, indicating the need for specific protein–protein interactions in polar trafficking. Remarkably, expression of the Mtbesx1 locus in Msesx1 mutants restored polar localization of tagged proteins, indicating establishment of the MtbESX‐1 apparatus in M. smegmatis. This observation illustrates the cross‐species conservation of protein interactions governing assembly of ESX‐1, as well as polar localization. Importantly, we describe novel non‐esx1‐encoded proteins, which affect ESX‐1 activity, which colocalize with ESX‐1, and which are required for ESX‐1 recruitment and assembly. This analysis provides new insights into the molecular assembly of this important determinant of Mtb virulence.
Feasibility of cerebral near‐infrared spectroscopy monitoring in the pre‐hospital environment
Authors: WEATHERALL A. , SKOWNO J. , LANSDOWN A. , LUPTON T. , GARNER A.
Published: January 2012

Background

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a significant cause of death and severe disability from trauma. Pre‐hospital care of patients with TBI may be aided by non‐invasive monitoring of cerebral tissue oxygenation. This pilot observational study was designed to assess if cerebral tissue oximetry using near‐infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is feasible in the pre‐hospital and transport environment.

Methods

After ethics committee review, we undertook a feasibility trial in healthy volunteers, transported by road ambulance or helicopter, to assess if monitoring signals could be obtained in the outside environment and during patient transport.

Results

A total of 33 road ambulance transports and 32 helicopter transports were undertaken. For monitoring commenced outdoors, 33 of 66 probes applied (50%) provided adequate monitoring signal. For road transports, 33 out of 33 transports (100%) resulted in successful bilateral monitoring for more than 70% of the sampling period. For helicopter transports, four transports were cut short by battery failure during the mission and 24 of 28 transports (85.7%) resulted in successful bilateral monitoring for more than 70% of the sampling period. While patient and transport platform movement did not impact on monitoring signals, exposure to ambient light provided a challenge in obtaining monitoring signals that is nevertheless manageable with increased probe shielding.

Conclusions

NIRS monitoring is feasible in the pre‐hospital environment, opening up the possibility for further research of the role of this modality in this setting.
The effects of age on maintenance of intense neuromuscular block with rocuronium
Authors: FURUYA T. , SUZUKI T. , KASHIWAI A. , KONISHI J. , AONO M. , HIROSE N. , KATO J. , OGAWA S.
Published: January 2012

Background

Increasing age is associated with a longer duration of action of neuromuscular block. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of ageing on the recovery of the post‐tetanic count (PTC) from rocuronium‐induced neuromuscular block.

Methods

Twenty‐two younger (20–60 years) and 22 older (> 70 years) patients were enrolled in this study. After induction of anaesthesia with fentanyl and propofol, all patients initially received 1 mg/kg rocuronium and neuromuscular block were evaluated by contractions of the adductor pollicis muscle to ulnar nerve train‐of‐four stimulation using an acceleromyograph. Subsequently, intense rocuronium‐induced block was determined every 6 min using the PTC during 1.0–1.5% sevoflurane and remifentanil anaesthesia. When the first response to the PTC stimulus was detected, 0.2 mg/kg rocuronium was additionally administered, and again, spontaneous recovery of neuromuscular function was monitored until the first response to the PTC reappeared.

Results

Median values (range) of the times from the administration of 1 mg/kg and 0.2 mg/kg rocuronium until recovery of the first detectable PTC were significantly longer in the older [51.0 (27–100) min, P < 0.0001 and 30.0 (12–66) min, P = 0.0036, respectively] than the younger patients [31.5 (21–45) min and 18.0 (12–36) min, respectively].

Conclusion

The times from rocuronium injection to reappearance of the first response to PTC stimulation are approximately twofold longer and more variable in older than younger patients. Hence, the dosing interval of rocuronium should be adjusted using neuromuscular monitoring when maintaining intense neuromuscular block, especially in older patients.
Species and susceptibility distribution of 1062 clinical yeast isolates to azoles, echinocandins, flucytosine and amphotericin B from a multi‐centre study
Authors: Schmalreck A. F. , Willinger B. , Haase G. , Blum G. , Lass‐Flörl C. , Fegeler W. , Becker K. ,   for the Antifungal Susceptibility Testing (AFST) Study Group
Published: January 2012

Descriptive values were determined for eight antifungal agents within the course of a multi‐centre study encompassing 1062 German and Austrian clinical yeast isolates. Candida albicans (54%) was the predominant species isolated followed by Candida glabrata (22%), Candida parapsilosis (6%), Candida tropicalis (5.7%), Candida krusei (4.3%), as well as eleven further candidal and four non‐Candida yeast species. While 519 (48.9%) isolates were tested susceptible to all antifungals tested, no isolate was found to exhibit complete cross resistance. For C. albicans, the proportions of susceptible isolates were 93.2% (amphotericin B), 95.6% (flucytosine), 84.3% (fluconazole), 83.8% (posaconazole), 91.8% (voriconazole), 96.5% (anidulafungin), 96.2% (caspofungin) and 97.6% (micafungin). Patterns of complete parallel resistances were observed within azoles (8.8%) and echinocandins (1.7%). While a decreased susceptibility was found infrequently for echinocandins and flucytosine, it was more common for azoles with highest proportions for isolates of C. glabrata (fluconazole, 40.6%; posaconazole, 37.2%), Candida guilliermondii (fluconazole and posaconazole, each 25.0%), C. krusei (posaconazole, 28.3%; voriconazole, 60%), C. parapsilosis (fluconazole, 70.3%) and C. tropicalis (fluconazole, 62.3%). The descriptive values obtained in this study represent a valid basis for the comparison of recent and future epidemiological surveys to analyse the susceptibility of yeast isolates towards major antifungal substances.
Sharing the Emission Budget
Authors: Grasso Marco
Published: January 2012

Scientific evidence suggests that to have a 75 per cent chance of limiting warming in 2100 to 2°C above the pre-industrial level, the cumulative emissions of CO2 over the period 2010–50 should be capped at 657.1 Gt. The objective of this article is to examine the distribution of such an emission budget by applying different ethical perspectives. In particular, the article first analyses the paths for sharing the emission budget, that is, the major families of distributive patterns that vindicate a number of elementary principles and criteria of distribution. Subsequently, it presents and discusses the shares of the emission budget attributed to states, regions and groupings of states according to the paths investigated and it draws some reflections on the implications of such shares for the ethics of mitigation. Finally, it advances some lessons for international climate policy.
Does Holding Beliefs with Conviction Prevent Policy Actors from Adopting a Compromising Attitude?
Authors: Montpetit Éric
Published: January 2012

Much of the political science literature argues that commitment to beliefs renders the attitudes of policy actors inflexible. Belief commitment encourages alliances among actors who think alike and creates a distance with those whose beliefs differ. As it cuts the flow of information between disagreeing actors, belief commitment constrains the attitudes of actors to consistency across a variety of objects and over time, preventing policy compromises. This article examines the possibility that different beliefs have different effects on attitude. Specifically, it hypothesizes that actors holding purposive beliefs have more consistent attitudes than actors holding material beliefs. Thanks to a survey of North American and European biotechnology policy actors, conducted twice between 2006 and 2008, it is shown that a strong commitment to purposive beliefs encourages attitude consistency across objects and over time, while equal commitment to material beliefs enables more attitude flexibility. Implications for democracy and policy-making compromises are discussed.