bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Overlap and diversity in antimicrobial peptide databases: compiling a non-redundant set of sequences
Authors: Aguilera-Mendoza Longendri , Marrero-Ponce Yovani , Tellez-Ibarra Roberto , Llorente-Quesada Monica T. , Salgado Jesús , Barigye Stephen J. , Liu Jun
Published: March 2015

Motivation: The large variety of antimicrobial peptide (AMP) databases developed to date are characterized by a substantial overlap of data and similarity of sequences. Our goals are to analyze the levels of redundancy for all available AMP databases and use this information to build a new non-redundant sequence database. For this purpose, a new software tool is introduced.

Results: A comparative study of 25 AMP databases reveals the overlap and diversity among them and the internal diversity within each database. The overlap analysis shows that only one database (Peptaibol) contains exclusive data, not present in any other, whereas all sequences in the LAMP_Patent database are included in CAMP_Patent. However, the majority of databases have their own set of unique sequences, as well as some overlap with other databases. The complete set of non-duplicate sequences comprises 16 990 cases, which is almost half of the total number of reported peptides. On the other hand, the diversity analysis identifies the most and least diverse databases and proves that all databases exhibit some level of redundancy. Finally, we present a new parallel-free software, named Dover Analyzer, developed to compute the overlap and diversity between any number of databases and compile a set of non-redundant sequences. These results are useful for selecting or building a suitable representative set of AMPs, according to specific needs.

Availability and implementation: The regularly updated non-redundant sequence databases and the Dover Analyzer software to perform custom analysis are available at http://mobiosd-hub.com/doveranalyzer/.

Contact:  ymarrero77@yahoo.es

Supplementary information:  Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Recommendations to improve the usability of drug-drug interaction clinical decision support alerts
Authors: Payne Thomas H , Hines Lisa E. , Chan Raymond C , Hartman Seth , Kapusnik-Uner Joan , Russ Alissa L , Chaffee Bruce W , Hartman Christian , Tamis Victoria , Galbreth Brian , Glassman Peter A , Phansalkar Shobha , van der Sijs Heleen , Gephart Sheila M , Mann Gordon , Strasberg Howard R , Grizzle Amy J , Brown Mary , Kuperman Gilad J , Steiner Chris , Sullins Amanda , Ryan Hugh , Wittie Michael A , Malone Daniel C
Published: April 2015

Objective: To establish preferred strategies for presenting drug-drug interaction (DDI) clinical decision support alerts.

Materials and Methods: A DDI Clinical Decision Support Conference Series included a workgroup consisting of 24 clinical, usability, and informatics experts representing academia, health information technology (IT) vendors, healthcare organizations, and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT. Workgroup members met via web-based meetings 12 times from January 2013 to February 2014, and two in-person meetings to reach consensus on recommendations to improve decision support for DDIs. We addressed three key questions: (1) what, how, where, and when do we display DDI decision support? (2) should presentation of DDI decision support vary by clinicians? and (3) how should effectiveness of DDI decision support be measured?

Results: Our recommendations include the consistent use of terminology, visual cues, minimal text, formatting, content, and reporting standards to facilitate usability. All clinicians involved in the medication use process should be able to view DDI alerts and actions by other clinicians. Override rates are common but may not be a good measure of effectiveness.

Discussion: Seven core elements should be included with DDI decision support. DDI information should be presented to all clinicians. Finally, in their current form, override rates have limited capability to evaluate alert effectiveness.

Conclusion: DDI clinical decision support alerts need major improvements. We provide recommendations for healthcare organizations and IT vendors to improve the clinician interface of DDI alerts, with the aim of reducing alert fatigue and improving patient safety.
Comparison of consumers’ views on electronic data sharing for healthcare and research
Authors: Kim Katherine K , Joseph Jill G , Ohno-Machado Lucila
Published: April 2015

New models of healthcare delivery such as accountable care organizations and patient-centered medical homes seek to improve quality, access, and cost. They rely on a robust, secure technology infrastructure provided by health information exchanges (HIEs) and distributed research networks and the willingness of patients to share their data. There are few large, in-depth studies of US consumers’ views on privacy, security, and consent in electronic data sharing for healthcare and research together.

Objective This paper addresses this gap, reporting on a survey which asks about California consumers’ views of data sharing for healthcare and research together.

Materials and Methods The survey conducted was a representative, random-digit dial telephone survey of 800 Californians, performed in Spanish and English.

Results There is a great deal of concern that HIEs will worsen privacy (40.3%) and security (42.5%). Consumers are in favor of electronic data sharing but elements of transparency are important: individual control, who has access, and the purpose for use of data. Respondents were more likely to agree to share deidentified information for research than to share identified information for healthcare (76.2% vs 57.3%, p < .001).

Discussion While consumers show willingness to share health information electronically, they value individual control and privacy. Responsiveness to these needs, rather than mere reliance on Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), may improve support of data networks.

Conclusion Responsiveness to the public’s concerns regarding their health information is a pre-requisite for patient-centeredness. This is one of the first in-depth studies of attitudes about electronic data sharing that compares attitudes of the same individual towards healthcare and research.
Six cases of silicosis: implications for health surveillance of stonemasons
Authors: Nicol L. M. , McFarlane P. A. , Hirani N. , Reid P. T.
Published: March 2015

Background

Silicosis is one of the oldest occupational lung diseases, but it continues to cause significant morbidity and mortality worldwide.

Aims

To report cases of silicosis presenting to two specialist respiratory clinics.

Methods

A retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data of cases of silicosis in workers referred to specialist respiratory clinics.

Results

Over the course of 6 years, six cases were identified. The patients were all male with an age range between 24 and 39 years. The duration of silica exposure ranged between 7 and 20 years (mean 13 years). Four cases were entirely asymptomatic at presentation, and two cases described minimal shortness of breath on exertion. Pulmonary function tests were normal in three cases, and a mild restrictive ventilatory defect was documented in the other cases. All had a low apparent predicted probability of pneumoconiosis based on health questionnaires, spirometry and duration of silica exposure. The initial chest X-ray was abnormal in all six cases with radiological evidence of silicosis (International Labour Office profusion category ≥1/1) on imaging, and all had evidence of silicosis on high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT). Three patients had already progressed to progressive massive fibrosis on HRCT scanning at the time of referral to specialist respiratory services.

Conclusions

The appearances of these six cases of silicosis in young, asymptomatic construction workers emphasizes the importance of enforcing effective exposure control and comprehensive surveillance programmes. Our observations highlight the importance of having a low threshold for early radiological screening to promote early and effective detection of this disease.
Relativistic radiative transfer in a moving stratus irradiated by a luminous flat source
Authors: Fukue Jun
Published: April 2015

Relativistic radiative transfer in a geometrically thin stratus (sheet-like gaseous cloud with finite optical depth), which is moving at a relativistic speed around a luminous flat source, such as accretion disks, and is irradiated by the source, is examined under the special relativistic treatment. Incident radiation is aberrated and Doppler-shifted when it is received by the stratus, and emitted radiation is also aberrated and Doppler-shifted when it leaves the stratus. Considering these relativistic effects, we analytically obtain the emergent intensity as well as other radiative quantities in the purely scattering case for both infinite and finite strati. We mainly consider the frequency-integrated case, but also briefly show the frequency-dependent one. We also solve the relativistic radiative transfer equation numerically, and compare the results with the analytical solutions. In the infinite stratus, the mean intensity in the comoving and inertial frames decreases and becomes constant, as the stratus speed increases. The flux in the comoving frame decreases exponentially with the optical depth. The emergent intensity decreases as the speed increases, since the incident photons are redshifted at the bottom-side of the stratus. In the finite stratus, the mean intensity in the comoving and inertial frames quickly increases in the top-side region due to the aberrated photons. The flux in the comoving frame is positive in the range of 0 < β ≤ 0.4, while it becomes negative for β ≳ 0.5. The behavior of the emergent intensity is similar to that of the infinite case, although there is an irradiation effect caused by the aberrated photons.
Optimization of Near‐Infrared Reflectance Model in Measuring Gelatinization Characteristics of Rice Flour with a Rapid Viscosity Analyzer (RVA) and Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC)
Authors: Xie Lihong , He Xiaoyan , Duan Binwu , Tang Shaoqing , Luo Ju , Jiao Guiai , Shao Gaoneng , Wei Xiangjin , Sheng Zhonghua , Hu Peisong
Published: March 2015

This study compared the calibration models generated by combinations of different mathematical and preprocessing treatments as well as regression algorithms to optimize the analysis of gelatinization properties of rice flour by using near‐infrared spectroscopy, in comparison with conventional techniques of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and rapid viscosity analysis (RVA). A total of 220 milled rice flours were used for model construction. A model generated by the modified partial least squares regression (MPLS) with mathematical treatment “2, 8, 8, 2” (second‐order derivative computed based on eight data points, and eight and two data points in the second smoothing, respectively) and detrend preprocessing was identified as the best for simultaneously measuring onset temperature (To), peak temperature (Tp), and conclusion temperature (Tc) of DSC. MPLS/“2, 8, 8, 2”/weighted multiplicative scattering correction preprocessing was identified as the best for RVA properties. The results indicated that near‐infrared reflectance spectroscopy could be used to rapidly predict gelatinization properties of rice flour for the purposes of quality evaluation of germplasm and selection of intermediate lines in breeding programs.
Species or Genotypes? Reassessment of Four Recently Described Species of the Ceratocystis Wilt Pathogen, Ceratocystis fimbriata, on Mangifera indica
Authors: Oliveira Leonardo S. S. , Harrington Thomas C. , Ferreira Maria A. , Damacena Michelle B. , Al-Sadi Abdullah M. , Al-Mahmooli Issa H. S. , Alfenas Acelino C.
Published: March 2015

Ceratocystis wilt is among the most important diseases on mango (Mangifera indica) in Brazil, Oman, and Pakistan. The causal agent was originally identified in Brazil as Ceratocystis fimbriata, which is considered by some as a complex of many cryptic species, and four new species on mango trees were distinguished from C. fimbriata based on variation in internal transcribed spacer sequences. In the present study, phylogenetic analyses using DNA sequences of mating type genes, TEF-1α, and β-tubulin failed to identify lineages corresponding to the four new species names. Further, mating experiments found that the mango isolates representing the new species were interfertile with each other and a tester strain from sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas), on which the name C. fimbriata is based, and there was little morphological variation among the mango isolates. Microsatellite markers found substantial differentiation among mango isolates at the regional and population levels, but certain microsatellite genotypes were commonly found in multiple populations, suggesting that these genotypes had been disseminated in infected nursery stock. The most common microsatellite genotypes corresponded to the four recently named species (C. manginecans, C. acaciivora, C. mangicola, and C. mangivora), which are considered synonyms of C. fimbriata. This study points to the potential problems of naming new species based on introduced genotypes of a pathogen, the value of an understanding of natural variation within and among populations, and the importance of phenotype in delimiting species.
Nonlinear neutral inclusions: assemblages of coated ellipsoids
Authors: Bolaños Silvia Jiménez , Vernescu Bogdan
Published: April 2015

The problem of determining nonlinear neutral inclusions in (electrical or thermal) conductivity is considered. Neutral inclusions, inserted in a matrix containing a uniform applied electric field, do not disturb the field outside the inclusions. The well-known Hashin-coated sphere construction is an example of a neutral inclusion. In this paper, we consider the problem of constructing neutral inclusions from nonlinear materials. In particular, we discuss assemblages of coated ellipsoids. The proposed construction is neutral for a given applied field.
Maribacter spongiicola sp. nov. and Maribacter vaceletii sp. nov., isolated from marine sponges, and emended description of the genus Maribacter
Authors: Jackson Stephen A. , Kennedy Jonathan , Morrissey John P. , O'Gara Fergal , Dobson Alan D.W.
Published: April 2015

Two Gram-stain-negative, rod-shaped, orange, catalase- and oxidase-positive, non-motile bacteria, designated W13M1AT and W15M10T, were isolated from the marine sponges Suberites carnosus and Leucosolenia sp., respectively, which were sampled from Lough Hyne, Co. Cork, Ireland. Analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequences of these isolates revealed that they are members of the genus Maribacter, in the family Flavobacteriaceae of the phylum Bacteroidetes. The type strain most closely related to strain W13M1AT is Maribacter forsetii DSM 18668T with a gene sequence similarity of 96.5 %. The closest related type strain to strain W15M10T is Maribacter orientalis DSM 16471T with a gene sequence similarity of 98.3 %. Phylogenetic inference and phenotypic data combined indicate that the isolates represent two novel species of the genus Maribacter, for which the names Maribacter spongiicola sp. nov. with type strain W15M10T ( = NCIMB 14725T = DSM 25233T) and Maribacter vaceletii sp. nov. with type strain W13M1AT ( = NCIMB 14724T = DSM 25230T), are proposed.
Lactococcus
hircilactis sp. nov. and Lactococcus
laudensis sp. nov., isolated from milk
Authors: Meucci Aurora , Zago Miriam , Rossetti Lia , Fornasari Maria Emanuela , Bonvini Barbara , Tidona Flavio , Povolo Milena , Contarini Giovanna , Carminati Domenico , Giraffa Giorgio
Published: April 2015

Two strains of lactic acid bacteria, designated 117T and 4195T, were isolated from goat milk in Valtellina, Italy and from cow milk in Valle Trompia, Italy, respectively, and characterized taxonomically by a polyphasic approach. The strains were Gram-stain-positive, coccoid, non-spore-forming and catalase-negative bacteria. Morphological, physiological and phylogenetic data indicated that these isolates belonged to the genus Lactococcus. Strain 117T was closely related to Lactococcus fujiensis, Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis, L. lactis subsp. cremoris, L. lactis subsp. hordniae, L. lactis subsp. tructae and Lactococcus taiwanensis, showing 93–94 % and 82–89 % 16S rRNA and rpoB gene sequence similarities, respectively. Strain 4195T was closely related to Lactococcus chungangensis, Lactococcus raffinolactis, Lactococcus plantarum and Lactococcus piscium, showing 92–98  % and 86–99  % 16S rRNA and rpoB gene sequence similarities, respectively. Based on this evidence and the data obtained in the present study, the milk isolates represent two novel species of the genus Lactococcus, for which the names Lactococcus
hircilactis sp. nov., and Lactococcus
laudensis sp. nov. are proposed. The respective type strains are 117T ( = LMG 28352T = DSM 28960T) and 4195T ( = LMG 28353T = DSM 28961T).
A conserved intronic U1 snRNP-binding sequence promotestrans-splicing inDrosophila
Authors: Gao Jun-Li , Fan Yu-Jie , Wang Xiu-Ye , Zhang Yu , Pu Jia , Li Liang , Shao Wei , Zhan Shuai , Hao Jianjiang , Xu Yong-Zhen
Published: April 2015

Unlike typicalcis-splicing,trans-splicing joins exons from two separate transcripts to produce chimeric mRNA and has been detected in most eukaryotes.Trans-splicing in trypanosomes and nematodes has been characterized as a spliced leader RNA-facilitated reaction; in contrast, its mechanism in higher eukaryotes remains unclear. Here we investigatemod(mdg4), a classictrans-spliced gene inDrosophila, and report that two critical RNA sequences in the middle of the last 5′ intron, TSA and TSB, promotetrans-splicing ofmod(mdg4). In TSA, a 13-nucleotide (nt) core motif is conserved acrossDrosophilaspecies and is essential and sufficient fortrans-splicing, which binds U1 small nuclear RNP (snRNP) through strong base-pairing with U1 snRNA. In TSB, a conserved secondary structure acts as an enhancer. Deletions of TSA and TSB using the CRISPR/Cas9 system result in developmental defects in flies. Although it is not clear how the 5′ intron finds the 3′ introns, compensatory changes in U1 snRNA rescuetrans-splicing of TSA mutants, demonstrating that U1 recruitment is critical to promotetrans-splicing in vivo. Furthermore, TSA core-like motifs are found in many othertrans-splicedDrosophilagenes, includinglola.These findings represent a novel mechanism oftrans-splicing, in which RNA motifs in the 5′ intron are sufficient to bring separate transcripts into close proximity to promotetrans-splicing.
Evaluation of collection methods in reverse logistics by using fuzzy mathematics
Authors: Jindal Anil , Sangwan Kuldip Singh
Published: April 2015

Purpose

– The efficiency and effectiveness of reverse logistics (RL) is dependent on collection methods as the collection activities are critical in determining the economic viability of the entire recovery chain. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the various collection methods used in RL under uncertain environment.

Design/methodology/approach

– An integrated fuzzy multi-criteria decision model has been developed for the evaluation of various collection methods. The evaluation has been done based on the criteria of initial investment, value added recovery, return volume, operating cost, degree of supply chain control, and level of customer satisfaction. The three alternatives used in the study are collection by the manufacturer directly from the customer, collection by the retailer, and collection by the third party. The fuzzy analytical hierarchy process has been used to compute the criteria weights and fuzzy technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution has been used to rank the alternative collection methods. Fuzzy mathematics has been used to take care of uncertainties in the RL.

Findings

– Selection and evaluation of alternative collection methods is affected by multiple criteria like initial investment, value added recovery, return volume, operating cost, degree of supply chain control, and level of customer satisfaction. The utility of the proposed evaluation methodology has been validated by solving a case example from automotive company.

Originality/value

– The proposed methodology will provide a useful tool to the decision maker for the evaluation and selection of the alternative collection methods in RL. This will help companies in strategic decision making to prioritize and develop collection facilities accordingly.
Migrants and self-reported financial literacy
Authors: Zuhair Segu , Wickremasinghe Guneratne , Natoli Riccardo
Published: March 2015

Purpose

– The issue of migrant financial literacy remains largely unresolved despite the increasing focus on financial literacy in general. The purpose of this paper is to provide a migrant-based approach to provide a snapshot of the self-reported levels of financial literacy specifically for a group of newly arrived culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) migrants.

Design/methodology/approach

– A questionnaire is employed to explore the financial literacy of selected migrant groups representing the regions of Africa, Asia and Europe.

Findings

– The findings reveal that: migrants are eager to seek further information to assist with their financial decision making; better access and utilisation of basic financial services seems to be an area where improvement is required; and self-reported financial literacy levels are influenced by education levels.

Research limitations/implications

– Although the research targets newly arrived CALD migrants, no claims can be made regarding the representation of CALD migrants as a whole. The research has implications with respect to the development of a more adequate provision of avenues for CALD migrants to utilise basic financial services. This paper provides recommendations for future research in this area.

Originality/value

– A migrant’s financial literacy is typically based on a “one-size-fits-all” questionnaire, which only provides a broad examination of financial literacy aspects. This study addresses this gap by undertaking a case study focused solely on newly arrived migrants.
Teacher autonomy support intervention as a classroom practice in a Thai school
Authors: Kaur Amrita , Hashim Rosna Awang , Noman Mohammad
Published: March 2015

Purpose

– The benefits of teacher autonomy support for optimal school functioning is evident in literature. However, studies are meager about teachers applying the concept of autonomy support in real settings (regular classroom).

Design/methodology/approach

– Based on empirical data within self-determination theory, a longitudinal intervention program was designed to facilitate autonomy support instruction in a natural classroom setting and to assess its effectiveness on Thai students’ learning motivation. In a quasi-experimental, nonequivalent control group design, with an appended withdrawal design, 103 students from Grade 6 of a Thai public school underwent the intervention for seven weeks in natural classroom settings. The students in both the groups self-reported their class-related experience before intervention (pretest), after intervention (posttest1) and after the withdrawal of intervention (posttest2).

Findings

– MANOVA results revealed a significant mean difference for all dependent measures on posttest1 between the experimental group and control group. Also, after the withdrawal of treatment, the experimental group showed a significant omnibus effect on combination of dependent measures, while scores of control group were stable.

Originality/value

– The findings have implications for elementary school teachers in Thailand to adapt and adopt autonomy supportive instruction as a classroom practice.
Perceptions of justice as a catalyst for whistle-blowing by trainee auditors in South Africa
Authors: Soni Faeeza , Maroun Warren , Padia Nirupa
Published: April 2015

Purpose

– This study aims to use organisational justice theory to examine variations in the propensity of trainee auditors in South Africa to blow the whistle internally on misconduct by an engagement leader.

Design/methodology/approach

– Three vignettes describing high and low states of distributive, procedural and interactive justice are presented to a sample of trainee auditors. A questionnaire is used to gauge the likelihood of trainees blowing the whistle after taking into account a number of control variables. Preliminary results are analysed using parametrict-tests and one-way ANOVA’s.

Findings

– The study finds that the likelihood of trainee auditors reporting an engagement leader for misconduct increases when there is a high level of distributive, interactional and procedural justice. Gender, age, seniority, the importance of religion and performance ratings does not appear to have an effect on the propensity to whistle-blowing.

Research limitations/implications

– The growing importance of an effective mechanism for reporting malfeasance is reflected in both the academic and professional literature. Prior research has found that ensuring high levels of organisational justice is one means of promoting whistle-blowing in a professional setting. This paper argues that the same applies to trainee auditors. In turn, this suggests that audit firms wanting to implement sound audit quality control practices should be mindful of how their whistle-blowing policies are implemented and perceived by their junior staff.

Originality/value

– This paper is the first to apply organisational justice theory in a South African setting with specific reference to trainee auditors. As such, it makes an important contribution to the literature on whistle-blowing. The findings should also be of interest to the audit profession when seeking to implement effective quality control and monitoring systems, as required by the relevant professional standards.
Measuring electric energy efficiency in Portuguese households
Authors: Weyman-Jones Thomas , Boucinha Júlia Mendonça , Inácio Catarina Feteira
Published: March 2015

Purpose

– There is a great interest from the European Union in measuring the efficiency of energy use in households, and this is an area where EDP has done research in both data collection and methodology. This paper reports on a survey of electric energy use in Portuguese households, and reviews and extends the analysis of how efficiently households use electrical energy. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate household electrical energy efficiency in different regions using econometric analysis of the survey data. In addition, the same methodology was applied to a time-series data set, to evaluate recent developments in energy efficiency.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper describes the application to Portuguese households of a new approach to evaluate energy efficiency, developed by Filippini and Hunt (2011, 2012) in which an econometric energy demand model was estimated to control for exogenous variables determining energy demand. The variation in energy efficiency over time and space could then be estimated by applying econometric efficiency analysis to determine the variation in energy efficiency.

Findings

– The results obtained allowed the identification of priority regions and consumer bands to reduce inefficiency in electricity consumption. The time-series data set shows that the expected electricity savings from the efficiency measures recently introduced by official authorities were fully realized.

Research limitations/implications

– This approach gives some guidance on how to introduce electricity saving measures in a more cost effective way.

Originality/value

– This paper outlines a new procedure for developing useful tools for modelling energy efficiency.
Local attitudes towards natural resources management in rural Ghana
Authors: Cobbinah Patrick Brandful
Published: March 2015

Purpose

– Local support is fundamental in natural resources management (NRM). However, recent studies indicate that NRM in protected areas in developing countries is often faced with local resistance due to its impacts on livelihoods. The purpose of this paper is to examine local attitudes – positive and negative responses – towards NRM in protected areas and implications of NRM benefits on local support for conservation of protected areas.

Design/methodology/approach

– A quantitative research method was used for this study. Structured questionnaire survey was administered to 310 respondents across four case study communities – Abrafo, Mesomagor, Adadientem and Nuamakrom – around the Kakum Conservation Area (KCA), Ghana. χ2 test and logistic regression were used to analyse the data with the aid of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software.

Findings

– Findings showed positive attitudes towards NRM in protected areas (85.9 per cent) and high support for conservation of KCA (86.5 per cent). Respondents recognised the importance of the KCA in managing natural resources especially forest and water resources. Positive attitudes towards conservation of KCA were largely influenced by receipt of socio-economic benefits from the KCA, in terms of employment, income and involvement in KCA management. However, those excluded from socio-economic benefits from the KCA also expressed positive attitudes towards conservation, suggesting that support for NRM transcends socio-economic benefits. On the other hand, local people recognised the challenges associated with NRM in protected areas such as increased farm raids by wildlife, loss of access to timber and non-timber forest products.

Originality/value

– This paper has revealed that although socio-economic benefits from NRM in protected areas influence local people’s support for conservation, local knowledge of the environmental benefits is equally important. The depth of local knowledge of NRM in the KCA is dependent on educational status and level of involvement of respondents in the KCA in terms of employment, and the effectiveness of educational campaigns by the park officials. Therefore, in the absence of clear development programmes from government and park officials to educate and involve local people in NRM, it appears the conservation objective upon which NRM in protected areas are designed may not be realised.
Aristotelian rhetoric and Facebook success in Israel’s 2013 election campaign
Authors: Samuel-Azran Tal , Yarchi Moran , Wolfsfeld Gadi
Published: April 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the mapping of the social media discourse involving politicians and their followers during election campaigns, the authors examined Israeli politicians’ Aristotelian rhetoric on Facebook and its reception during the 2013 elections campaign.

Design/methodology/approach

– The authors examined the Aristotelian rhetorical strategies used by Israeli politicians on their Facebook walls during the 2013 elections, and their popularity with social media users.

Findings

– Ethos was the most prevalent rhetorical strategy used. On the reception front, pathos-based appeals attracted the most likes. Finally, the results point to some discrepancy between politicians’ campaign messages and the rhetoric that actually gains social media users’ attention.

Research limitations/implications

– The findings indicate that Israel’s multi-party political system encourages emphasis on candidates’ credibility (ethos) in contrast to the prevalence of emotion (pathos) in typical election campaigns in two-party systems like the USA. One possible explanation is the competitive nature of elections in a multi-party system where candidates need to emphasise their character and distinct leadership abilities.

Practical implications

– Politicians and campaign managers are advised to attend to the potential discrepancy between politicians’ output and social media users’ preferences, and to the effectiveness of logos-based appeals.

Originality/value

– The study highlights the possible effect of the party system on politicians’ online rhetoric in social media election campaigns.
Hannan and Hannan v Healey and Healey 2013 to 2014
Authors: Defoe Peter S.
Published: April 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the application of the ratio in Ankerson v Connelly 1906 2Ch 544(Ch) and 1907 1Ch 678(CA) to a modern domestic right to light situation and the need for rights of light surveyors to be aware of relevant case law when advising their client.

Design/methodology/approach

– This paper adopts a case study approach describing the circumstances of the case, the approach of the appointed experts and the decision of the court.

Findings

– The court found for the Respondent in that the Dominant Owner’s property had been altered to create an additional burden upon the Servient Owner and the altered part of the Dominant Owner’s property had not yet acquired an independent right to light through prescription.

Originality/value

– This is an unreported case that illustrates the application of a case decided over 100 years ago.
Corruption levels of countries and progress on ensuring environmental sustainability
Authors: Anderson Beverlee B.
Published: April 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationships of selected measures of environmental sustainability and the level of corruption within countries.

Design/methodology/approach

– The design uses secondary data from Transparency International on perception of corruption within countries. The World Economic Forum’s (WEF’s) environmental sustainability assessment is one measure of environmental sustainability used in the study. World Bank data on CPIA Policies and institutes for environmental sustainability that foster and protect sustainable use of natural resources and manage pollution and its data on the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) target of the percent of population with access to improved drinking water were two specific measures used to indicate environmental sustainability. A series of statistical tests were used to examine the relationships among perceptions of corruption and a country’s policies and reported improvements in environmental sustainability.

Findings

– The findings are mixed; the level of corruption does not appear to always be negatively associated with environmental sustainability as was expected.

Research limitations/implications

– The research is limited by the availability of data from reliable sources over a period of time. The corruption data, while the best available, are based on opinions and perceptions. Only selected aspects of a country’s environmental sustainability were examined; these included the Environmental Sustainability Index, evaluations of selected countries; policies and institutions; and the improvement in the percent of the population with access to safe drinking water.

Social implications

– In general, the less corruption, the better the record of environmental sustainability. However, corruption may not be a negative influence on specific selected aspects of environmental sustainability as would be anticipated.

Originality/value

– This study examines selected aspects of the potential relationships between corruption and environmental sustainability measures. There is little, if any, research into this relationship.
Inclusive education in Australia: rhetoric, reality and the road ahead
Authors: Anderson Joanna , Boyle Christopher
Published: April 2015

Inclusive education (IE) is a term that has been part of the educational discourse in Australia for almost two decades. While there is no overarching definition under which IE operates in that country, it is accepted that the meaning behind the term has shifted from being exclusively about students with a disability to now encompassing the delivery of a high‐quality education to all students. The public education system is carrying the burden of an increasingly diverse student population (Gonski et al., 2011), and as such, each of the eight educational jurisdictions responsible for the schools within their borders have developed policies and increased funding levels in the name of IE (Graham, in press). Despite this, there are currently no standards or guidelines provided at the state or federal level to measure the success (or not) of IE practices within Australian educational sectors. This article aims to do just that, by providing a ‘report card’ on IE in Australia. An extensive review of the current literature and related educational policies and reports was conducted, and Loreman's (2014) three guides for measuring IE – student participation, student achievement and post‐school options – were adopted to evaluate the performance of Australia's public education system. The findings indicate that, despite operating under the same national legislative acts, the eight educational jurisdictions in Australia are managing and enacting IE in different ways, leading to inconsistent levels of access and educational outcomes for students. Rates of segregation and exclusion (through both the provision of education in ‘alternative’ settings and disciplinary action) are on the increase, with disproportionate representation of students from minority groups. This has been exacerbated by the inception of a national testing regime, which some have argued is in breach of the Disability Discrimination Act as it excludes participation by particular groups of students. On the flip side, for the first time Australia has a consistent curriculum that has provided a set of outcomes for all students, and the gap between Indigenous and non‐Indigenous students in the areas of literacy and numeracy is on the decrease, albeit a slow decrease. However, there is still a long way to go, and this paper discusses the need for a national approach to IE to enable the continued development of effective schooling for all students across Australia.
Purification of anti‐colorectal cancer monoclonal antibody CO17‐1A from insect cell culture using a French press and sonication
Authors: Lim Chae‐Yeon , Park Se‐Ra , Lee Jeong‐Hwan , Ko Kisung
Published: March 2015

Monoclonal antibody (mAb) CO17‐1A binds to GA733, which is a tumor‐associated glycoprotein antigen highly expressed on the colorectal cancer cell surface. Thus, mAb CO17‐1A is considered a useful biomolecule for diagnosis and treatment against colorectal cancer. Previously, we established a baculovirus–insect cell expression system for the production of mAb CO17‐1A. In order to use mAb CO17‐1A as a diagnostic and therapeutic tool, however, the antibody must be properly purified from the insect cells. In this study, our aim was to investigate effective purification processes of mAb CO17‐1A expressed in Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf9) insect cells, using a French press and sonication for cell disruption. SDS‐PAGE confirmed that both mAb CO17‐1A and mAb CO17‐1A fused to the KDEL endoplasmic reticulum (ER) retention signal (mAb CO17‐1AK) were expressed clearly in Sf9 insect cells. Western blot analysis showed that detection levels of mAb CO17‐1A and CO17‐1AK were higher when the insect cells were disrupted two times by the French press and then sonicated, compared to only one French press disruption plus sonication. Optical microscopy confirmed that insect cells treated with both the French press and sonication were properly disrupted. Analysis of gene sequence information on mAb CO17‐1A verified that a signal peptide is present but a transmembrane protein does not exist. These results suggest that cell disruption by the French press twice and sonication once is an effective method for improving purification efficiency.
Absolute Determination of the Gelling Point of Gelatin under Quasi‐thermodynamic Equilibrium
Authors: Bellini Franco , Alberini Ivana , Ferreyra María G. , Rintoul Ignacio
Published: April 2015

Thermodynamic studies on phase transformation of biopolymers in solution are useful to understand their nature and to evaluate their technological potentials. Thermodynamic studies should be conducted avoiding time‐related phenomena. This condition is not easily achieved in hydrophilic biopolymers. In this contribution, the simultaneous effects of pH, salt concentration, and cooling rate (Cr) on the folding from random coil to triple helical collagen‐like structures of gelatin were systematically studied. The phase transformation temperature at the absolute invariant condition of Cr = 0 °C/min (TTCr=0) is introduced as a conceptual parameter to study phase transformations in biopolymers under quasi‐thermodynamic equilibrium and avoiding interferences coming from time‐related phenomena. Experimental phase diagrams obtained at different Cr are presented. The TTCr=0 compared with pH and TTCr=0 compared with [NaCl] diagram allowed to explore the transformation process at Cr = 0 °C/min. The results were explained by electrostatic interactions between the biopolymers and its solvation milieu.
PFR2: a curated database of planktonic foraminifera 18S ribosomal DNA as a resource for studies of plankton ecology, biogeography and evolution
Authors: Morard Raphaël , Darling Kate F. , Mahé Frédéric , Audic Stéphane , Ujiié Yurika , Weiner Agnes K. M. , André Aurore , Seears Heidi A. , Wade Christopher M. , Quillévéré Frédéric , Douady Christophe J. , Escarguel Gilles , de Garidel‐Thoron Thibault , Siccha Michael , Kucera Michal , de Vargas Colomban
Published: April 2015

Planktonic foraminifera (Rhizaria) are ubiquitous marine pelagic protists producing calcareous shells with conspicuous morphology. They play an important role in the marine carbon cycle, and their exceptional fossil record serves as the basis for biochronostratigraphy and past climate reconstructions. A major worldwide sampling effort over the last two decades has resulted in the establishment of multiple large collections of cryopreserved individual planktonic foraminifera samples. Thousands of 18S rDNA partial sequences have been generated, representing all major known morphological taxa across their worldwide oceanic range. This comprehensive data coverage provides an opportunity to assess patterns of molecular ecology and evolution in a holistic way for an entire group of planktonic protists. We combined all available published and unpublished genetic data to build PFR2, the Planktonic foraminifera Ribosomal Reference database. The first version of the database includes 3322 reference 18S rDNA sequences belonging to 32 of the 47 known morphospecies of extant planktonic foraminifera, collected from 460 oceanic stations. All sequences have been rigorously taxonomically curated using a six‐rank annotation system fully resolved to the morphological species level and linked to a series of metadata. The PFR2 website, available at http://pfr2.sb-roscoff.fr, allows downloading the entire database or specific sections, as well as the identification of new planktonic foraminiferal sequences. Its novel, fully documented curation process integrates advances in morphological and molecular taxonomy. It allows for an increase in its taxonomic resolution and assures that integrity is maintained by including a complete contingency tracking of annotations and assuring that the annotations remain internally consistent.
From a line in the sand to a landscape of decisions: a hierarchical diversity decision framework for estimating and communicating biodiversity loss along anthropogenic gradients
Authors: Voss Kristofor A. , King Ryan S. , Bernhardt Emily S.
Published: March 2015

When setting water quality criteria, managers must choose thresholds for stressors that are protective of aquatic biodiversity. Setting such thresholds requires making implicit judgments about the degree of biodiversity loss that managers are willing to accept.

We present a new modelling approach, the hierarchical diversity decision framework (HiDDeF) that explicitly communicates the sensitivity of water quality benchmarks to these implicit judgments. We apply HiDDeF to a data set of stream macroinvertebrate abundances across 218 sites in south‐western West Virginia, USA, where alkaline mine drainage increases streamwater conductivity and leads to the loss of sensitive taxa throughout regional river networks.

By integrating responses of individual taxa within a flexible hierarchical framework, HiDDeF reliably predicts macroinvertebrate assemblages across the full range of conductivities observed in the training data set but requires only a fraction (~10%) of the sites required in previous studies. HiDDeF results suggest that the current conductivity benchmark (300 μS cm−1) for regional streams translates to 50% loss in abundance for at least one‐quarter of regional macroinvertebrate taxa.

HiDDeF produces a ‘decision landscape’ that allows decision‐makers to assess sensitivity of proposed benchmarks to their choice of protective level. HiDDeF allows users to investigate both individual‐ and community‐level responses to environmental gradients and generates output that includes a comprehensive summary of uncertainty in model parameters.
Self‐Reported Risk‐Taking Behavior During Matched‐Frequency Sessions of Alcohol Versus Combined Alcohol and Energy Drinks Consumption: Does Co‐Ingestion Increase Risk‐Taking?
Authors: Peacock Amy , Droste Nicolas , Pennay Amy , Lubman Dan I. , Miller Peter , Newcombe David , Bruno Raimondo
Published: April 2015

Background

Emerging evidence indicates that consumers of alcohol mixed with energy drink (AmED) self‐report lower odds of risk‐taking after consuming AmED versus alcohol alone. However, these studies have been criticized for failing to control for relative frequency of AmED versus alcohol‐only consumption sessions. These studies also do not account for quantity of consumption and general alcohol‐related risk‐taking propensity. The aims of the present study were to (i) compare rates of risk‐taking in AmED versus alcohol sessions among consumers with matched frequency of use and (ii) identify consumption and person characteristics associated with risk‐taking behavior in AmED sessions.

Methods

Data were extracted from 2 Australian community samples and 1 New Zealand community sample of AmED consumers (n = 1,291). One‐fifth (21%; n = 273) reported matched frequency of AmED and alcohol use.

Results

The majority (55%) of matched‐frequency participants consumed AmED and alcohol monthly or less. The matched‐frequency sample reported significantly lower odds of engaging in 18 of 25 assessed risk behaviors in AmED versus alcohol sessions. Similar rates of engagement were evident across session type for the remaining behaviors, the majority of which were low prevalence (reported by <15%). Regression modeling indicated that risk‐taking in AmED sessions was primarily associated with risk‐taking in alcohol sessions, with increased average energy drink (ED) intake associated with certain risk behaviors (e.g., being physically hurt, not using contraception, and driving while over the legal alcohol limit).

Conclusions

Bivariate analyses from a matched‐frequency sample align with past research showing lower odds of risk‐taking behavior after AmED versus alcohol consumption for the same individuals. Multivariate analyses showed that risk‐taking in alcohol sessions had the strongest association with risk‐taking in AmED sessions. However, hypotheses of increased risk‐taking post‐AmED consumption were partly supported: Greater ED intake was associated with increased likelihood of specific behaviors, including drink‐driving, sexual behavior, and aggressive behaviors in the matched‐frequency sample after controlling for alcohol intake and risk‐taking in alcohol sessions. These findings highlight the need to consider both personal characteristics and beverage effects in harm reduction strategies for AmED consumers.