bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Entrepreneurial Leadership in the Context of Company Start‐Up and Growth
Authors: Freeman Dan , Siegfried Robert L.
Published: April 2015

Starting a new business is easy. Leading a start‐up and transitioning from founder to CEO is hard. As a result, less than 1 in 25 new companies will grow to have 50 or more employees. This article examines three important challenges faced by entrepreneurial leaders at start‐up: developing a vision, achieving optimal persistence, and executing through chaos. The article also considers three capabilities needed by founders who seek to continue to lead their companies during the growth stage of the entrepreneurial process: strategic thinking, coaching, and self‐evaluation. The Siegfried Group, LLP, a leading national CPA firm that provides Leadership Advisory and Talent Delivery services to Fortune 1000 organizations, is used as a brief case study to illustrate key challenges and capabilities associated with entrepreneurial leadership.
Second order statistics of the SC receiver over Rician fading channels in the presence of multiple Nakagami‐m interferers
Authors: Milic Dejan , Djosic Danijel , Stefanovic Caslav , Panic Stefan , Stefanovic Mihajlo
Published: April 2015

In this paper, a numerical approach to the performance analysis of a signal‐to‐interference‐based selection combining receiver, operating over a Rician multipath‐fading environment, in the presence of multiple Nakagami‐m co‐channel interferers is provided. Closed form expressions are obtained for the first‐order and second‐order statistical measures, that is, the probability density function, cumulative distribution function, and average level‐crossing rate of the received signal. Further, the aforementioned results are used for an efficient evaluation of other performance measures, such are outage probability and average fade duration. A graphical representation of the obtained numerical results is also provided in order to present and discuss the influence of transmission parameters on the studied performance measures. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Changes in nutrient composition and in vitro ruminal fermentation of total mixed ration silage stored at different temperatures and periods
Authors: Kondo Makoto , Shimizu Kazuma , Jayanegara Anuraga , Mishima Takashi , Matsui Hiroki , Karita Shuichi , Goto Masakazu , Fujihara Tsutomu
Published: April 2015

BACKGROUND

Total mixed ration (TMR) is widely used for dairy cattle and needs to be prepared daily because it deteriorates rapidly. Ensiling TMR allows preservation and saves labour at the farm; however, silage fermentation may influence various nutritional components. The objectives of this study were to evaluate nutritional changes and in vitro rumen fermentation of TMR silage that was stored at different temperatures and durations on a laboratory scale in comparison with those of typical TMR before ensiling.

RESULTS

No distinct changes in crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fibre and non‐fibrous carbohydrate contents were observed during silage fermentation. However, clear changes were observed in the soluble CP and soluble sugar fractions; solubilisation of the CP fraction in TMR silage was enhanced by prolonged storage and higher storage temperatures, and most soluble sugars were lost during ensiling. Short‐chain fatty acid concentrations in the in vitro rumen from TMRs before and after ensiling were not significantly different; however, throughout incubation, NH3‐N concentrations from TMR silages were significantly higher than those from TMR before ensiling.

CONCLUSION

A higher ruminal NH3‐N concentration from TMR silage may be a result of a shortage of fermentable sugars and enhanced deamination of CP. Feeding TMR ensiled under a high temperature must be investigated to balance proteins and carbohydrates for rumen fermentation. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry
Optimizing Indigenous Soil Fertility Assessments. A Case Study in Cotton‐Based Systems in Burkina Faso
Authors: Kambiré Fabèkourè , Bielders Charles L. , Kestemont Marie‐Paule
Published: April 2015

Participatory development of sustainable soil fertility (SF) management practices requires building bridges between science and indigenous knowledge. Whereas scientific SF indicators are reasonably standardized, indigenous SF indicators are site‐specific and system‐specific. Furthermore, the process of indigenous SF evaluation is very time consuming. This study therefore aimed at investigating the compatibility between local and analytical SF indicators, and at optimizing the process of indigenous SF assessment. Thirteen cotton plots were evaluated by famers on a scale from 0 (fertile) to 5 (degraded) and sampled for physico‐chemical characterization. Farmers identified 13 SF indicators related to soil, crop status, biological activity and management. Of these, 10 were retained to calculate a local SF index (LFI). Clay and silt content, pHwater and P‐Bray explained 88% of the total variance in LFI, indicating good yet incomplete compatibility between the indigenous and scientific approaches. Because of redundancy among local indicators, it was shown that the LFI could be estimated using one pedo‐indicator, one bio‐indicator and one phyto‐indicator without significant loss of accuracy. However, a minimum local indicator dataset composed of six indicators was recommended to allow for data cross‐checking. There was a trade‐off between the number of indicators and the number of farmers needed to estimate the LFI. There was a reasonable agreement between local and analytical fertility indicators, even though farmers' perception appeared rather more based on the effect and consequences of SF than on its actual status. Although compatible, analytical indicators should be translated into variables similar to local indicators in order to facilitate communication. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
High Sulfur Content Polymer Nanoparticles Obtained from Interfacial Polymerization of Sodium Polysulfide and 1,2,3‐Trichloropropane in Water
Authors: Lim Jeewoo , Jung Unho , Joe Won Tae , Kim Eui Tae , Pyun Jeffrey , Char Kookheon
Published: April 2015

Sulfur‐rich materials have recently attracted keen interest for their potentials in optical, electrochemical, and pesticidal applications as well as their utility in dynamic covalent bond chemistry. Many sulfur‐rich polymers, however, are insoluble and processing methods are therefore very limited. The synthesis and characterization of water‐dispersible polymer nanoparticles (NPs) with the sulfur content exceeding 75% by weight, obtained from the interfacial polymerization between 1,2,3‐trichloropropane and sodium polysulfide in water is reported here. The interfacial polymerization yields well‐defined sulfur‐rich NPs in the presence of surfactants, which are capable of serving a dual role as a phase transfer catalyst on top of emulsifiers. Such dual role allows for the control of the product NP size by varying its concentration. The surfactants can be easily removed by centrifugation and redispersion in water is also reported here. The resulting sulfur‐rich NPs are characterized through elemental analysis, dynamic light scattering, ζ‐potential measurements, and scanning electron microscopy.

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A Comparison of the Reactivity of Two Platinum Catalysts for Silicone Polymer Cross‐Linking by UV‐Activated Hydrosilation Reaction
Authors: Marchi Sophie , Sangermano Marco , Meier Patrick , Kornmann Xavier
Published: April 2015

The synthesis of silicon compounds is mainly achieved by room temperature or high‐temperature vulcanization reaction. Several transition‐metal organometallic compounds such as platinum complexes can be used as catalysts to accelerate the thermal reaction. Moreover, these compounds are found to be also efficient for the cross‐linking of silicone polymer by UV‐activated reaction. In particular, cyclopentadienyl platinum complexes are considered as catalysts that can sustain an extremely high photochemical reaction after UV‐light excitation. The reactivity of these catalysts (in particular the trimethyl(methylcyclopentadienyl) (IV) complex (Me‐Cp)Pt(Me)3) for the photopolymerization of silicon polymer compounds is evaluated and compared with the most common bis(acetylacetonate)platinum (II) catalyst used for the UV‐activated hydrosilation reaction.
Proteinkinase‐Inhibitoren: selektiv und wirksam
Authors: Freitag Anne , Laufer Stefan
Published: April 2015

In zahlreichen krankheitsrelevanten Prozessen wie der Entstehung und Progression von Krebs und Autoimmunerkrankungen sind Proteinkinasen überaktiviert. Sie gezielt zu hemmen, ist nicht einfach. Die medizinische Chemie hat diese Herausforderung angenommen und präsentiert erste Lösungen.
Hauptsache, die Chemie stimmt
Authors: Groß Michael
Published: April 2015

“Eine rasante Komödie mit großartigen Schauspielern, tödlichen Intrigen und viel schwarzem Humor. Definitiv verschreibungspflichtig!” steht auf der Verpackung des ab zwölf Jahren freigegebenen Films. Von der Verantwortung des Wissenschaftlers ist nicht die Rede.
A simple three‐dimensional distinct element modeling of the mechanical behavior of bonded sands
Authors: Jiang Mingjing , Zhang Fuguang , Thornton Colin
Published: April 2015

This paper presents a simple three‐dimensional (3D) Distinct Element Method (DEM) for numerical simulation of the mechanical behavior of bonded sands. First, a series of micro‐mechanical tests on a pair of aluminum rods glued together by cement with different bond sizes were performed to obtain the contact mechanical responses of ideally bonded granular material. Second, a 3D bond contact model, which takes into account the influences of bond sizes, was established by extending the obtained 2D experimental results to 3D case. Then, a DEM incorporating the new contact model was employed to perform a set of drained triaxial compression tests on the DEM bonded specimens with different cement contents under different confining pressures. Finally, the mechanical behavior of the bonded specimens was compared with the available experimental results. The results show that the DEM incorporating the simple 3D bond contact model is able to capture the main mechanical behavior of bonded sands. The bonded specimen with higher cement content under lower confining pressure exhibits more pronounced strain softening and shear dilatancy. The peak and residual strengths, the apparent cohesion and peak/residual friction angles, and the position and slope of the critical state line increase with increase in cement content. Microscopically, bond breakage starts when the system starts to dilate and the maximum rate of bond breakage coincides with the maximum rate of dilation. Bond breakage is primarily due to tension‐shear failure and the percentage of such failures is independent of both confining pressure and cement content. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
On a Random Walk Survivability problem with arc failures and memory
Authors: Büke Burak , Smith J. Cole , Thomas Sadie
Published: April 2015

Consider a directed network in which each arc can fail with some specified probability. An entity arrives on this network at a designated origin node and traverses the network in a random‐walk fashion until it either terminates at a destination node, or until an arc fails while being traversed. We study the problem of assessing the probability that the random walk reaches the destination node, which we call the survival probability of the network. Complicating our analysis is the assumption that certain arcs have “memory,” in the sense that after a memory arc is successfully traversed, it cannot fail on any subsequent traversal during the walk. We prove that this problem is #P‐hard, provide methods for obtaining lower and upper bounds on the survival probability, and demonstrate the effectiveness of our bounding methods on randomly generated networks. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. NETWORKS, Vol. 66(1), 67–86 2015
Bodily Pain Intensity in Nursing Home Residents With Pressure Ulcers: Analysis of National Minimum Data Set 3.0
Authors: Ahn Hyochol , Stechmiller Joyce , Fillingim Roger , Lyon Debra , Garvan Cynthia
Published: April 2015

Clinical reports suggest that superficial pressure ulcers produce pain, but that pain decreases as the wound advances in stage. This study of the relationship between pressure ulcer stage and bodily pain intensity in nursing home residents was a secondary analysis of the national Minimum Data Set 3.0 assessment data in long‐term care facilities, collected from nursing home residents at least 65 years of age. Data were examined from residents with pressure ulcers who completed a bodily pain intensity interview between January and March 2012 (N = 41,680) as part of the MDS comprehensive assessment. After adjusting for other variables (e.g., cognition, functional impairment, presence of comorbidities, use of scheduled pain medication, and sociodemographic variables), bodily pain intensity for those with more severe pressure ulcers in comparison to those with Stage I ulcers was higher by 11% (Stage II), 14% (Stage III), 24% (Stage IV), and 22% (suspected deep tissue injury). Because multivariate analysis showed that greater bodily pain intensity was associated with an advanced stage of pressure ulcer, health care providers should assess bodily pain intensity and order appropriate pain management for nursing home residents with pressure ulcers, particularly for those with advanced pressure ulcers who are vulnerable to greater bodily pain intensity. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
On the Hydrophilicity and Water Resistance Effect of Styrene‐Acrylonitrile Copolymer Treated by CF4 and O2 Plasmas
Authors: López‐García Jorge , Primc Gregor , Junkar Ita , Lehocký Marian , Mozetič Miran
Published: April 2015

A commercial formulation of styrene‐acrylonitrile copolymer (SAN) sheets were surface‐modified by using non‐thermal radiofrequency and microwave plasma treatments. In order to evaluate the possible improvement of SAN surface properties, the modification was performed using oxygen and tetraflouromethane (CF4) discharges under different treatment durations and output powers. The untreated and treated samples were chemically and morphologically characterised by X‐ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), and surface charge was evaluated by zeta potential (ζ) measurements. In addition, water contact angle measurements were employed for evaluating the extent of hydrophilicity and hydrophobicity on the treated specimens. The overall outcome indicated drastic chemical and physical surface changes, which vary according to the carrier gas. Surface became noticeably hydrophilic after few seconds of oxygen plasma treatments, whilst the surface became hydrophobic after the CF4 treatments. The present approach might serve as a feasible and promising method to alter the surface properties of styrene‐acrylonitrile copolymers.
SNARE protein analog‐mediated membrane fusion
Authors: Kumar Pawan , Guha Samit , Diederichsen Ulf
Published: April 2015

Fusion of lipid membranes to form a single bilayer is an essential process for life and provides important biological functions including neurotransmitter release. Membrane fusion proteins facilitate approximation of interacting membranes to overcome the energy barrier. In case of synaptic transmission, proteins involved are known as soluble N‐ethylmaleimide‐sensitive‐factor attachment receptor (SNARE) proteins. The SNAREs from synaptic vesicles interact with the SNAREs from the target membrane to form a coiled‐coil bundle of four helices, thus pulling the membranes tightly together and initiating fusion. However, it remains unclear how these proteins function at molecular level. Natural systems are often too complex to obtain unambiguous results. Simple model systems mimicking natural proteins in synthetic lipid bilayers are powerful tools for obtaining insights into this essential biological process. An important advantage of such systems is their well‐defined composition, which can be systematically varied in order to fully understand events at molecular level. In this review, selected model systems are presented based upon specific interactions between recognition units embedded in separate lipid bilayers mimicking native SNARE protein‐mediated membrane fusion. Copyright © 2015 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Rhythmic Island: Latvian Migrants in Guernsey and their Enfolded Patterns of Space‐Time Mobility
Authors: King Russell , Lulle Aija
Published: April 2015

Rather than a marginal activity, visiting friends and relatives (VFR) is a fundamental part of the migrant experience. We illustrate this assertion by an in‐depth study of Latvian labour migration to Guernsey. Since the 1990s, low incomes and high unemployment in post‐Soviet Latvia combine with niche‐specific labour demands in Guernsey to create migratory flows of mainly female workers. The small‐scale nature of this circular migration system allows a deeper theorisation of the many linkages between migration and VFR. In particular we deploy time‐geography and rhythmanalysis to explore the various ways that migration and VFR are enfolded within each other, within the life‐courses of the protagonists, and within the capitalist rhythms of temporary labour migration. Empirical evidence comes from interviews with 90 Latvian migrants in Guernsey and with 16 employers. VFR mobilities are space‐time events of co‐presence which can take place either in Latvia or in Guernsey. Both directions of visits can involve touristic functions, and VFR to Guernsey can also carry the potential to stimulate further migration. Further research could pay more attention to gender aspects and to prospects for permanent return migration to Latvia. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Photocarrier dynamics in CIGS, CZTS, and related materials revealed by ultrafast optical spectroscopy
Authors: Okano Makoto , Phuong Le Quang , Kanemitsu Yoshihiko
Published: April 2015

We discuss the photocarrier dynamics in emerging thin‐film solar‐cell materials, Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS), Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS), and CdTe‐based nanocrystals (NCs), using time‐resolved photoluminescence and femtosecond pump–probe spectroscopy. In CIGS and CZTS samples, we found long‐lived free photocarriers and slow intraband relaxation at room temperature. These distinctive behaviors of the free carriers are considered common features in multinary semiconductors and are related to the complicated near‐band edge structure due to potential fluctuations, which might affect solar‐cell efficiencies. We revealed the relationship in CdTe‐based type‐II NCs between hot carrier transfer and intraband relaxation, providing a better understanding of the charge separation mechanism in multinary semiconductors. We also demonstrated the usefulness of ultra‐fast optical spectroscopy techniques for clarifying the photocarrier dynamics in various semiconducting bulk and nano‐structure materials for solar cells.
EPR and SPM studies of Zn‐Ni ferrites
Authors: Aliyeva Sh. N. , Aliyeva Y. N. , Nadjafov A. I. , Hasanov I. S. , Huseynov E. K. , Mehdiyev T. R.
Published: April 2015

Electron paramagnetic resonance studies have been carried out over 3.7‐300 K on micropowders of Ni1‐xZnxFe2O4 ferrites, obtained by high temperature synthesis and preliminary characterized by X‐ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry in a wide range of tempera‐tures. Complimentary, scanning probe microscopy, compris‐ing atomic and magnetic force microscopies has been applied to polycrystalline Ni1‐xZnxFe2O4thin films. The correlation between X‐ray and differential scanning calorimetry data has been observed. Deconvolution of the obtained paramagnetic resonance spectra into Gaussian components and their further analysis have allowed retrival of the compensation points of the magnetc momenta of the sublattices of Ni1‐xZnxFe2O4, as well as of superparamagnetism effect and g‐factors dispersion verified by studies on polycrystalline thin films. (© 2015 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
The effect of dextrin addition during Cu2ZnSnS4 thin film preparation by photochemical deposition
Authors: Moriya Katsuhiko , Shimotsuma Hikaru , Tanaka Kunihiko , Uchiki Hisao
Published: April 2015

Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) thin films were prepared by annealing films of Cu2S, ZnS, and SnS2 precursors deposited on a soda‐lime glass substrate by photochemical deposition (PCD) from an aqueous solution containing CuSO4, ZnSO4, SnSO4, and Na2S2O3. This paper discusses the effect of adding dextrin as a titrant during the PCD preparation of CZTS thin films. We investigated the effects of dextrin addition on the surface morphology of the resulting films. The surfaces of films prepared with added dextrin were composed of uniformly sized grains. The results also demonstrate that the surface morphology of photochemically deposited CZTS films can be smooth if the proper additives are employed. (© 2015 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Deep absorption band in Cu(In,Ga)Se2 thin films and solar cells observed by transparent piezoelectric photothermal spectroscopy
Authors: Shirakata Sho , Atarashi Akiko , Yagi Masakazu
Published: April 2015

The photo‐acoustic spectroscopy (PAS) using a transparent piezoelectric photo‐thermal (Tr‐PPT) method was carried out on Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) thin films (both CIGS/Mo/SLG and CdS/CIGS/Mo/SLG) and solar cells (ZnO/CdS/CIGS/Mo/SLG). Using the Tr‐PPT method, the high background absorption in the below gap region observed in both a microphone and a conventional transducer PAS spectra was strongly reduced. This high background absorption came from the CIGS/Mo interface. This result proves that the Tr‐PPT PAS is the surface sensitive method. In the below‐band region, a bell‐shape deep absorption band has been observed at 0.76 eV, in which a full‐width at the half‐maximum value was 70‐120 meV. This deep absorption band was observed for both CdS/CIGS/Mo/SLG and ZnO/CdS/CIGS/Mo/SLG structures. The peak energy of the absorption band was independent of the alloy composition for 0.25≤Ga/III≤0.58. Intensity of the PA signal was negatively correlated to the Na concentration at the CIGS film surface. The origin of the 0.76 eV peak is discussed with relation to native defects such as a Cu‐vacancy‐related defect (© 2015 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
A Force to Be Reckoned With: A Review of Synthetic Microswimmers Powered by Ultrasound
Authors: Rao K. Jagajjanani , Li Fei , Meng Long , Zheng Hairong , Cai Feiyan , Wang Wei
Published: April 2015

Synthetic microswimmers are a class of artificial nano‐ or microscale particle capable of converting external energy into motion. They are similar to natural microswimmers such as bacteria in behavior and are, therefore, of great interest to the study of active matter. Additionally, microswimmers show promise in applications ranging from bioanalytics and environmental monitoring to particle separation and drug delivery. However, since their sizes are on the nano‐/microscale and their speeds are in the μm s−1 range, they fall into a low Reynolds number regime where viscosity dominates. Therefore, new propulsion schemes are needed for these microswimmers to be able to efficiently move. Furthermore, many of the hotly pursued applications call for innovations in the next phase of development of biocompatible microswimmers. In this review, the latest developments of microswimmers powered by ultrasound are presented. Ultrasound, especially at MHz frequencies, does little harm to biological samples and provides an advantageous and well‐controlled means to efficiently power microswimmers. By critically reviewing the recent progress in this research field, an introduction of how ultrasound propels colloidal particles into autonomous motion is presented, as well as how this propulsion can be used to achieve preliminary but promising applications.
Ex Vivo Induced Regulatory Human/Murine Mesenchymal Stem Cells as Immune Modulators
Authors: Hinden Liad , Shainer Reut , Almogi-Hazan Osnat , Or Reuven
Published: April 2015

Over the past decade there has been a growing interest in using mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) as an immune-regulatory agent for prevention and treatment of various immune disorders including graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), transplanted organ rejection, and autoimmune diseases. However, the high diversity in the results from clinical trials using MSCs for such disorders emphasizes the need for MSCs to be “professionalized” ex vivo to a more defined regulatory phenotype before administering to patients. To this aim, we have established an ex vivo immunomodulatory triple combination treatment (TCT) for MSCs, using IFNγ, TGFβ, and kynurenine. We show that pretreated MSCs acquire an immunomodulatory phenotype, have improved regulatory functions, and upregulate the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase, indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX2), heme oxygenase 1, leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), and programmed death ligand 1. We define the pathway of kynurenine induced aryl hydrocarbon receptor activation in MSCs and how it contributes to the upregulation of COX2 expression and IL-6 downregulation. The combination of reduced IL-6 secretion with enhanced LIF expression leads to the inhibition of Th17 differentiation in coculture of TCT MSCs and lymphocytes. To test the immunomodulatory function of TCT MSCs in vivo, we used the cells as GVHD prophylaxis in a GVHD mouse model. TCT MSCs administration significantly decreased GVHD score and improved mouse survival. Importantly, single administration could attenuate disease symptoms for more than 3 weeks. Based on these results, we suggest considering TCT MSCs as an improved cell therapy for systemic diseases with an underlying inflammatory and immunologic etiology. Stem Cells 2015;33:2256–2267
Notch Receptor-Ligand Engagement Maintains Hematopoietic Stem Cell Quiescence and Niche Retention
Authors: Wang Weihuan , Yu Shuiliang , Zimmerman Grant , Wang Yiwei , Myers Jay , Yu Vionnie W. C. , Huang Dan , Huang Xiaoran , Shim Jeongsup , Huang Yuanshuai , Xin William , Qiao Peter , Yan Minhong , Xin Wei , Scadden David T. , Stanley Pamela , Lowe John B. , Huang Alex Y. , Siebel Christian W. , Zhou Lan
Published: April 2015

Notch is long recognized as a signaling molecule important for stem cell self-renewal and fate determination. Here, we reveal a novel adhesive role of Notch-ligand engagement in hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs). Using mice with conditional loss of O-fucosylglycans on Notch EGF-like repeats important for the binding of Notch ligands, we report that HSPCs with faulty ligand binding ability display enhanced cycling accompanied by increased egress from the marrow, a phenotype mainly attributed to their reduced adhesion to Notch ligand-expressing stromal cells and osteoblastic cells and their altered occupation in osteoblastic niches. Adhesion to Notch ligand-bearing osteoblastic or stromal cells inhibits wild type but not O-fucosylglycan-deficient HSPC cycling, independent of RBP-JK-mediated canonical Notch signaling. Furthermore, Notch-ligand neutralizing antibodies induce RBP-JK-independent HSPC egress and enhanced HSPC mobilization. We, therefore, conclude that Notch receptor–ligand engagement controls HSPC quiescence and retention in the marrow niche that is dependent on O-fucosylglycans on Notch. Stem Cells 2015;33:2280–2293
Second Language Listening Instruction: Comparing a Strategies‐Based Approach With an Interactive, Strategies/Bottom‐Up Skills Approach
Authors: Yeldham Michael
Published: April 2015

This quasi‐experimental study compared a strategies approach to second language listening instruction with an interactive approach, one combining a roughly equal balance of strategies and bottom‐up skills. The participants were lower‐intermediate‐level Taiwanese university EFL learners, who were taught for 22 hours over one and a half semesters. Their progress through the respective courses was charted via multiple instruments designed to assess growth in their listening proficiency, strategy use, bottom‐up skills, and affect‐related learner characteristics. Pretest and posttest one‐way ANOVAs showed no significant differences between the two groups on any of the dimensions tested. However, a repeated‐measures ANOVA showed significant gains by the strategies group in listening comprehension, but not by the interactive group. On this longitudinal within‐group comparison, the strategies group also demonstrated larger effect sizes than the interactive group for listening instruction, one measure of strategies growth, and the learner characteristics of confidence and motivation, whereas the interactive group showed larger effect sizes than the strategies group for all measures of bottom‐up skills involved. The outcome between the groups in terms of listening proficiency suggests that for lower‐intermediate‐level listeners, it is better to focus more on developing their listening strategies than to provide them with a balanced interactive approach.
Chronic toxicological effects of β‐diketone antibiotics on Zebrafish (Danio rerio) using transcriptome profiling of deep sequencing
Authors: Wang Huili , Yin Xiaohan , Li Fanghui , Dahlgren Randy A. , Zhang Yuna , Zhang Hongqin , Wang Xuedong
Published: April 2015

Transcriptome analysis is important for interpreting the functional elements of the genome and revealing the molecular constituents of cells and tissues. Herein, differentially transcribed genes were identified by deep sequencing after zebrafish (Danio rerio) were exposed to β‐diketone antibiotics (DKAs); 23,129 and 23,550 mapped genes were detected in control and treatment groups, a total of 3238 genes were differentially expressed between control and treatment groups. Of these genes, 328 genes (213 up‐ and 115 down‐regulation) had significant differential expression (p < 0.05) and an expression ratio (control/treatment) of >2 or <0.5. Additionally, we performed Gene Ontology (GO) category and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses, and found 266 genes in the treatment group with annotation terms linked to the GO category. A total of 77 differentially expressed transcriptional genes were associated with 132 predicted KEGG metabolic pathways. Serious liver tissue damage was reflected and consistent with the differences in genetic classification and function from the transcriptome analysis. These results enhance our understanding of zebrafish developmental processes under exposure to DKA stress. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 31: 1357–1371, 2016.
Etiology and pathogenesis of the cohesinopathies
Authors: Zakari Musinu , Yuen Kobe , Gerton Jennifer L.
Published: April 2015

Cohesin is a chromosome‐associated protein complex that plays many important roles in chromosome function. Genetic screens in yeast originally identified cohesin as a key regulator of chromosome segregation. Subsequently, work by various groups has identified cohesin as critical for additional processes such as DNA damage repair, insulator function, gene regulation, and chromosome condensation. Mutations in the genes encoding cohesin and its accessory factors result in a group of developmental and intellectual impairment diseases termed ‘cohesinopathies.’ How mutations in cohesin genes cause disease is not well understood as precocious chromosome segregation is not a common feature in cells derived from patients with these syndromes. In this review, the latest findings concerning cohesin's function in the organization of chromosome structure and gene regulation are discussed. We propose that the cohesinopathies are caused by changes in gene expression that can negatively impact translation. The similarities and differences between cohesinopathies and ribosomopathies, diseases caused by defects in ribosome biogenesis, are discussed. The contribution of cohesin and its accessory proteins to gene expression programs that support translation suggests that cohesin provides a means of coupling chromosome structure with the translational output of cells. WIREs Dev Biol 2015, 4:489–504. doi: 10.1002/wdev.190

This article is categorized under:

Gene Expression and Transcriptional Hierarchies > Gene Networks and Genomics

Birth Defects > Craniofacial and Nervous System Anomalies
Met‐ocean conditions influence on floating offshore wind farms power production
Authors: Martini Michele , Guanche Raúl , Armesto José A. , Losada Iñigo J. , Vidal César
Published: April 2015

Met‐ocean conditions may affect the performance of a floating wind turbine, since a harsh climate could lead the system to exceed its operating thresholds and thus to force the machine shutdown.

In this paper, it is a proposed methodology to evaluate the effect of met‐ocean conditions on the long‐term dynamic behaviour, and energy production, of a floating wind farm. For a sample of 500 MW farm located off the coast of Aberdeen (Scotland), 20 years of met‐ocean data are generated by means of meteorological reanalysis techniques. A subset of 1000 hourly conditions is selected, by means of a maximum dissimilarity algorithm, and input to a dynamic floating wind turbine model. Numerical results are then interpolated for the whole set of met‐ocean data, using radial basis functions. This approach allows to dramatically reduce the global computation time. Tower inclination and hub acceleration are chosen as relevant operating parameters: the former mainly depends on mean wind speed and direction, being largest at rated wind speed. The latter is also affected by significant wave height, and reaches its highest values when wind and waves are aligned. For each simulation, any machine exceeding the selected safety threshold is considered to be shut down. Assuming continuous operation, the average lifespan capacity factor of the farm is 50.2%; more restrictive tolerances result in a non‐linear reduction of the energy production. This approach may help both at the design and the operational stage, in determining the best trade‐off between energy production and safe operation. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Syntheses, Structures, and Properties of Two Zinc(II) Metal‐Organic Frameworks based on Biphenyl‐2,3,3′,5′‐tetracarboxylic Acid and N‐Donor Ancillary Ligands
Authors: Li Rong‐Fang , Gu Yan‐Xue , Liu Xin‐Fang , Feng Xun , Ma Lu‐Fang
Published: April 2015

Hydrothermal reactions of biphenyl‐2,3,3′,5′‐tetracarboxylic acid (H4bptc) with zinc salts in the presence of 1,4‐bis(2‐pyridylmethyl)piperazin (bpmp) and 4,4‐dipyridyl (dpy) afforded the coordination polymers {[Zn2(bptc)(bpmp)]·3H2O}n (1) and {[Zn(H2bptc)(dpy)]·3H2O}n (2). Their structures were determined by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction analysis and further characterized by elemental analysis, IR spectroscopy, and TG analyses. Complex 1 displays an unusual three‐dimensional (3D) supramolecular motif generated by hydrogen bonding interactions between two single‐layered 2D networks. Complex 2 represents a 2D layer structure, and such layers are further united together into three‐dimensional supramolecular structure through intricate hydrogen bonding. In addition, luminescence properties of complexes 1 and 2 were also investigated.
Constrained Dual Scaling for Detecting Response Styles in Categorical Data
Authors: Schoonees Pieter C. , van de Velden Michel , Groenen Patrick J. F.
Published: April 2015

Dual scaling (DS) is a multivariate exploratory method equivalent to correspondence analysis when analysing contingency tables. However, for the analysis of rating data, different proposals appear in the DS and correspondence analysis literature. It is shown here that a peculiarity of the DS method can be exploited to detect differences in response styles. Response styles occur when respondents use rating scales differently for reasons not related to the questions, often biasing results. A spline-based constrained version of DS is devised which can detect the presence of four prominent types of response styles, and is extended to allow for multiple response styles. An alternating nonnegative least squares algorithm is devised for estimating the parameters. The new method is appraised both by simulation studies and an empirical application.
An Exact Method for Partitioning Dichotomous Items Within the Framework of the Monotone Homogeneity Model
Authors: Brusco Michael J. , Köhn Hans-Friedrich , Steinley Douglas
Published: April 2015

The monotone homogeneity model (MHM—also known as the unidimensional monotone latent variable model) is a nonparametric IRT formulation that provides the underpinning for partitioning a collection of dichotomous items to form scales. Ellis (Psychometrika 79:303–316, 2014, doi:10.1007/s11336-013-9341-5) has recently derived inequalities that are implied by the MHM, yet require only the bivariate (inter-item) correlations. In this paper, we incorporate these inequalities within a mathematical programming formulation for partitioning a set of dichotomous scale items. The objective criterion of the partitioning model is to produce clusters of maximum cardinality. The formulation is a binary integer linear program that can be solved exactly using commercial mathematical programming software. However, we have also developed a standalone branch-and-bound algorithm that produces globally optimal solutions. Simulation results and a numerical example are provided to demonstrate the proposed method.
Novel Cosic resonance (standing wave) solutions for components of the JAK–STAT cellular signaling pathway: A convergence of spectral density profiles
Authors: Karbowski Lukasz M. , Murugan Nirosha J. , Persinger Michael A.
Published: April 2015

Cosic discovered that spectral analyses of a protein sequence after each constituent amino acid had been transformed into an appropriate pseudopotential predicted a resonant energy between interacting molecules. Several experimental studies have verified the predicted peak wavelength of photons within the visible or near‐visible light band for specific molecules. Here, this concept has been applied to a classic signaling pathway, JAK–STAT, traditionally composed of nine sequential protein interactions. The weighted linear average of the spectral power density (SPD) profiles of each of the eight “precursor” proteins displayed remarkable congruence with the SPD profile of the terminal molecule (CASP‐9) in the pathway. These results suggest that classic and complex signaling pathways in cells can also be expressed as combinations of resonance energies.
Implementing corporate lean programs: The effect of management control practices
Authors: Netland Torbjørn H. , Schloetzer Jason D. , Ferdows Kasra
Published: April 2015

We examine how management control practices relate to the implementation of a corporate lean program at the factory level. Our empirical analysis uses data from a large manufacturing firm that is implementing a corporate lean program in its global plant network. We find that using dedicated teams to lead the lean program, developing and frequently reviewing lean‐focused performance reports, and using nonfinancial rewards linked to lean implementation are favorably associated with more extensive implementation of lean practices in the factories. We do not find evidence that the use of management‐initiated internal audits and financial rewards tied to lean implementation are strongly associated with more extensive lean implementation. We also present evidence of a positive relation between lean implementation and improvements in operational performance in the factories. Overall, these findings suggest that when implementing a corporate lean program, the firm must pay careful attention to the type of management control practices it uses for controlling the input, process, and output aspects of the lean program.
Stable isotope ecology of land snails from a high-latitude site near Fairbanks, interior Alaska, USA
Authors: Yanes Yurena
Published: April 2015

Land snails have been investigated isotopically in tropical islands and mid-latitude continental settings, while high-latitude locales, where snails grow only during the summer, have been overlooked. This study presents the first isotopic baseline of live snails from Fairbanks, Alaska (64°51’N), a proxy calibration necessary prior to paleoenvironmental inferences using fossils. δ13C values of the shell (– 10.4 ± 0.4‰) and the body (– 25.5 ± 1.0‰) indicate that snails consumed fresh and decayed C 3-plants and fungi. A flux-balance mixing model suggests that specimens differed in metabolic rates, which may complicate paleovegetation inferences. Shell δ18O values (– 10.8 ± 0.4‰) were ~ 4‰ higher than local summer rain δ18O. If calcification occurred during summer, a flux-balance mixing model suggests that snails grew at temperatures of ~ 13°C, rainwater δ18O values of ~– 15‰ and relative humidity of ~ 93%. Results from Fairbanks were compared to shells from San Salvador (Bahamas), at 24°51’N. Average (annual) δ18O values of shells and rainwater samples from The Bahamas were both ~ 10‰ 18O-enriched with respect to seasonal (summer) Alaskan samples. At a coarse latitudinal scale, shell δ18O values overwhelmingly record the signature of the rainfall during snail active periods. While tropical snails record annual average environmental information, high-latitude specimens only trace summer season climatic data.
Opening to the Australian Journal of Environmental Education Special 30-Year Anniversary Issue
Authors: Cutter-Mackenzie Amy , Gough Annette , Gough Noel , Whitehouse Hilary
Published: April 2015

2014 represents the 30th year of the Australian Journal of Environmental Education (AJEE), making it one of the oldest academic journals in environmental education still in publication. The oldest is The Journal of Environmental Education, founded in 1969. Another journal, The International Journal of Environmental Education and Information, was founded in 1981 but is no longer in publication, and the Southern African Journal of Environmental Education, also founded in 1984, has not had any issues since 2011.
An Introduction to Genetics for Language Scientists
Authors: Dediu Dan
Published: April 2015

During the last few decades we have discovered enormous amounts about our genomes, their evolution and, importantly for linguists and language scientists, the genetic foundations of language and speech. Accessible and readable, this introduction is designed specifically for students and researchers working in language and linguistics. It carefully focuses on the most relevant concepts, methods and findings in the genetics of language and speech, and covers a wide range of topics such as heritability, the molecular mechanisms through which genes influence our language, and the evolutionary forces affecting them. Filling a large gap in the literature, this essential guide explores relevant examples including hearing loss, stuttering, dyslexia, brain growth and development, as well as the normal range of variation. It also contains a helpful glossary of terms, and a wide range of references so the reader can pursue topics of interest in more depth.
An Integrative Approach to Successional Dynamics
Authors: Meiners Scott J. , Pickett Steward T. A. , Cadenasso Mary L.
Published: April 2015

Much of what is considered conventional wisdom about succession is not as clear cut as it is generally believed. Yet, the importance of succession in ecology is undisputed since it offers a real insight into the dynamics and structure of all plant communities. Part monograph and part conceptual treatise, An Integrative Approach to Successional Dynamics presents a unifying conceptual framework for dynamic plant communities and uses a unique long-term data set to explore the utility of that framework. The fourteen chapters, each written in a nontechnical style and accompanied by numerous illustrations and examples, cover diverse aspects of succession, including community, population and disturbance dynamics, diversity, community assembly, heterogeneity, functional ecology and biological invasion. This unique text will be a great source of reference for researchers and graduate students in ecology and plant biology, as well as others with an interest in the subject.
Forging Rivals
Authors: Schiller Reuel
Published: April 2015

The three decades after the end of World War II saw the rise and fall of a particular version of liberalism in which the state committed itself to promoting a modest form of economic egalitarianism while simultaneously embracing ethnic, racial, and religious pluralism. But by the mid-1970s, postwar liberalism was in a shambles: while its commitment to pluralism remained, its economic policies had been abandoned, and the Democratic Party, its primary political vehicle, was collapsing. Schiller attributes this demise to the legal architecture of postwar liberalism, arguing that postwar liberalism's goals of advancing economic egalitarianism and promoting pluralism ultimately conflicted with each other. Through the use of specific historical examples, Schiller demonstrates that postwar liberalism was riddled with legal and institutional contradictions that undermined progressive politics in the mid-twentieth-century United States.
Dangerous Crossings
Authors: Kim Claire Jean
Published: April 2015

Dangerous Crossings offers an interpretation of the impassioned disputes that have arisen in the contemporary United States over the use of animals in the cultural practices of nonwhite peoples. It examines three controversies: the battle over the 'cruelty' of the live animal markets in San Francisco's Chinatown, the uproar over the conviction of NFL superstar Michael Vick on dogfighting charges, and the firestorm over the Makah tribe's decision to resume whaling in the Pacific Northwest after a hiatus of more than seventy years. Claire Jean Kim shows that each dispute demonstrates how race and species operate as conjoined logics, or mutually constitutive taxonomies of power. Analyzing each case as a conflict between single optics (the optic of cruelty and environmental harm vs the optic of racism and cultural imperialism), she argues for a multi-optic approach that takes different forms of domination seriously, and thus encourages an ethics of avowal among different struggles.
A Student's Guide to Waves
Authors: Fleisch Daniel , Kinnaman Laura
Published: April 2015

Waves are an important topic in the fields of mechanics, electromagnetism, and quantum theory, but many students struggle with the mathematical aspects. Written to complement course textbooks, this book focuses on the topics that students find most difficult. Retaining the highly popular approach used in Fleisch's other Student's Guides, the book uses plain language to explain fundamental ideas in a simple and clear way. Exercises and fully-worked examples help readers test their understanding of the concepts, making this an ideal book for undergraduates in physics and engineering trying to get to grips with this challenging subject. The book is supported by a suite of online resources available at www.cambridge.org/9781107643260. These include interactive solutions for every exercise and problem in the text and a series of video podcasts in which the authors explain the important concepts of every section of the book.
The Life and Letters of Washington Allston
Authors: Flagg Jared Bradley
Published: April 2015

Washington Allston (1779–1843) was considered by many at the time to be the greatest painter yet produced by the United States. After four years at Harvard, where he made an impression with his poetry, he went to London and became a pupil of the artist Benjamin West. On a tour of the continent, he met Samuel Taylor Coleridge in Rome, painted his portrait and became his firm friend. After a period at home, during which he married, Allston returned to London, and through Coleridge met Wordsworth, Southey, and the earl of Egremont, the great patron of artists, especially J. W. M. Turner. In this environment of intellectual and artistic experiment, Allston created paintings on religious, literary and historical topics, with an emphasis on landscape and contrasts of light and dark. This 1893 biography by his nephew and pupil Jared Bradley Flagg (1820–99) throws light on the artist, his works, and his milieu.