bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Establishing a Clinical Research Collaboration: An SLP Perspective
Authors: Craig Jennifer
Published: April 2014

Conducting research as a practicing clinician is difficult. Barriers include lack of time, education, and funding. Collaborating with other professionals is one way to facilitate research in the clinical setting. Practicing clinicians are exposed to real-world, clinically relevant, patient-centric problems on a daily basis. Refinement of these clinical questions makes excellent research questions, whose answers can guide clinical practice. Selection of a collaborative research team requires consideration toward interpersonal communication styles and each professional's knowledge, skills, and scope of practice. Establishment of professional goals and an understanding of what each professional can dedicate to the research endeavor are key to maintaining the health of a research team. Promoting collaboration at the pre-professional level and seeking out collaborative opportunities will advance clinical research and ultimately improve patient outcomes.
Perspective: Fifty years of density-functional theory in chemical physics
Authors: Becke Axel D.
Published: April 2014

Since its formal inception in 1964–1965, Kohn-Sham density-functional theory (KS-DFT) has become the most popular electronic structure method in computational physics and chemistry. Its popularity stems from its beautifully simple conceptual framework and computational elegance. The rise of KS-DFT in chemical physics began in earnest in the mid 1980s, when crucial developments in its exchange-correlation term gave the theory predictive power competitive with well-developed wave-function methods. Today KS-DFT finds itself under increasing pressure to deliver higher and higher accuracy and to adapt to ever more challenging problems. If we are not mindful, however, these pressures may submerge the theory in the wave-function sea. KS-DFT might be lost. I am hopeful the Kohn-Sham philosophical, theoretical, and computational framework can be preserved. This Perspective outlines the history, basic concepts, and present status of KS-DFT in chemical physics, and offers suggestions for its future development.
Two-dimensional relativistic space charge limited current flow in the drift space
Authors: Liu Y. L. , Chen S. H. , Koh W. S. , Ang L. K.
Published: April 2014

Relativistic two-dimensional (2D) electrostatic (ES) formulations have been derived for studying the steady-state space charge limited (SCL) current flow of a finite width W in a drift space with a gap distance D. The theoretical analyses show that the 2D SCL current density in terms of the 1D SCL current density monotonically increases with D/W, and the theory recovers the 1D classical Child-Langmuir law in the drift space under the approximation of uniform charge density in the transverse direction. A 2D static model has also been constructed to study the dynamical behaviors of the current flow with current density exceeding the SCL current density, and the static theory for evaluating the transmitted current fraction and minimum potential position have been verified by using 2D ES particle-in-cell simulation. The results show the 2D SCL current density is mainly determined by the geometrical effects, but the dynamical behaviors of the current flow are mainly determined by the relativistic effect at the current density exceeding the SCL current density.
High-frequency programmable acoustic wave device realized through ferroelectric domain engineering
Authors: Ivry Yachin , Wang Nan , Durkan Colm
Published: April 2014

Surface acoustic wave devices are extensively used in contemporary wireless communication devices. We used atomic force microscopy to form periodic macroscopic ferroelectric domains in sol-gel deposited lead zirconate titanate, where each ferroelectric domain is composed of many crystallites, each of which contains many microscopic ferroelastic domains. We examined the electro-acoustic characteristics of the apparatus and found a resonator behavior similar to that of an equivalent surface or bulk acoustic wave device. We show that the operational frequency of the device can be tailored by altering the periodicity of the engineered domains and demonstrate high-frequency filter behavior (>8 GHz), allowing low-cost programmable high-frequency resonators.
Dual harmonic Kelvin probe force microscopy at the graphene–liquid interface
Authors: Collins Liam , Kilpatrick Jason I. , Vlassiouk Ivan V. , Tselev Alexander , Weber Stefan A. L. , Jesse Stephen , Kalinin Sergei V. , Rodriguez Brian J.
Published: April 2014

Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM) is a powerful technique for the determination of the contact potential difference (CPD) between an atomic force microscope tip and a sample under ambient and vacuum conditions. However, for many energy storage and conversion systems, including graphene-based electrochemical capacitors, understanding electrochemical phenomena at the solid–liquid interface is paramount. Despite the vast potential to provide fundamental insight for energy storage materials at the nanoscale, KPFM has found limited applicability in liquid environments to date. Here, using dual harmonic (DH)-KPFM, we demonstrate CPD imaging of graphene in liquid. We find good agreement with measurements performed in air, highlighting the potential of DH-KPFM to probe electrochemistry at the graphene–liquid interface.
Enhanced relativistic self-focusing of Hermite-cosh-Gaussian laser beam in plasma under density transition
Authors: Nanda Vikas , Kant Niti
Published: April 2014

Enhanced and early relativistic self-focusing of Hermite-cosh-Gaussian (HChG) beam in the plasmas under density transition has been investigated theoretically using Wentzel-Kramers-Brillouin and paraxial ray approximation for mode indices m=0, 1, and 2. The variation of beam width parameter with normalized propagation distance for m=0, 1, and 2 is reported, and it is observed that strong self-focusing occurs as the HChG beam propagates deeper inside the nonlinear medium as spot size shrinks due to highly dense plasmas and the results are presented graphically. A comparative study between self-focusing of HChG beam in the presence and absence of plasmas density transition is reported. The dependency of beam width parameter on the normalized propagation distance for different values of decentered parameter “b” has also been presented graphically. For m=0 and 1, strong self-focusing is reported for b=1.8, and for m=2 and b=1.8, beam gets diffracted. The results obtained indicate the dependency of the self-focusing of the HChG beam on the selected values of decentered parameter. Moreover, proper selection of decentered parameter results strong self-focusing of HChG beam. Stronger self-focusing of laser beam is observed due to the presence of plasma density transition which might be very useful in the applications like the generation of inertial fusion energy driven by lasers, laser driven accelerators, etc.
Spin and valley transport in monolayers of MoS2
Authors: Sun J. F. , Cheng F.
Published: April 2014

We investigate theoretically quantum transport and Goos-Hänchen (GH) effect of electrons in a p-n-p junction on monolayers of MoS2. We find that the transmission properties of spin-up (spin-down) electrons in K valley are the same with spin-down (spin-up) electrons in K′ valley due to the time-reversal symmetry. The GH shifts for the transmitted K and K′ beams in the n-p interface are in the opposite direction, and GH shifts for the spin-up and spin-down electron beams at the same valley have different values in the same direction due to the different group velocities. Therefore, the spin-up and spin-down electrons can be separated after passing a sufficiently long channel created by a p-n-p junction. These features provide us a new way to generate a fully spin- and valley-polarized current in monolayers of MoS2.
Electrospun ZnO/SiO2 hybrid nanofibrous mat for flexible ultraviolet sensor
Authors: Xi Min , Wang Xiaoxu , Zhao Yong , Zhu Zhengtao , Fong Hao
Published: April 2014

A freestanding/flexible hybrid mat consisting of crystalline ZnO nanofibers (∼75 wt. %) and amorphous SiO2 nanofibers (∼25 wt. %) was prepared by the technique of electrospinning followed by the pyrolysis in air at 650 °C. The electrospun ZnO/SiO2 hybrid mat was then studied to fabricate a flexible ultraviolet (UV) sensor, and the photo-response of this sensor was characterized under varied UV light intensities; additionally, the sensor performance under the bending condition was also evaluated. The results indicated that the flexible UV sensor had excellent sensitivity and reproducibility/reversibility, and it also exhibited high performance under the bending condition.
High-throughput particle separation and concentration using spiral inertial filtration
Authors: Burke Jeffrey M. , Zubajlo Rebecca E. , Smela Elisabeth , White Ian M.
Published: April 2014

A spiral inertial filtration (SIFT) device that is capable of high-throughput (1 ml/min), high-purity particle separation while concentrating recovered target particles by more than an order of magnitude is reported. This device is able to remove large fractions of sample fluid from a microchannel without disruption of concentrated particle streams by taking advantage of particle focusing in inertial spiral microfluidics, which is achieved by balancing inertial lift forces and Dean drag forces. To enable the calculation of channel geometries in the SIFT microsystem for specific concentration factors, an equivalent circuit model was developed and experimentally validated. Large particle concentration factors were then achieved by maintaining either the average fluid velocity or the Dean number throughout the entire length of the channel during the incremental removal of sample fluid. The SIFT device was able to separate MCF7 cells spiked into whole blood from the non-target white blood cells (WBC) with a recovery of nearly 100% while removing 93% of the sample volume, which resulted in a concentration enhancement of the MCF7 cancer cells by a factor of 14.
Modulating chemotaxis of lung cancer cells by using electric fields in a microfluidic device
Authors: Kao Yu-Chiu , Hsieh Meng-Hua , Liu Chung-Chun , Pan Huei-Jyuan , Liao Wei-Yu , Cheng Ji-Yen , Kuo Po-Ling , Lee Chau-Hwang
Published: April 2014

We employed direct-current electric fields (dcEFs) to modulate the chemotaxis of lung cancer cells in a microfluidic cell culture device that incorporates both stable concentration gradients and dcEFs. We found that the chemotaxis induced by a 0.5 μM/mm concentration gradient of epidermal growth factor can be nearly compensated by a 360 mV/mm dcEF. When the effect of chemical stimulation was balanced by the electrical drive, the cells migrated randomly, and the path lengths were largely reduced. We also demonstrated electrically modulated chemotaxis of two types of lung cancer cells with opposite directions of electrotaxis in this device.
Synthesis and Structural Characterisation of Palladium(II) Complexes with N,N′,N-Tridentate N′-Substituted N,N-Di(2-picolyl)amines and their Application to Methyl Methacrylate Polymerisation
Authors: Kim Sunghoon , Kim Dongil , Song Yujin , Lee Ha-Jin , Lee Hyosun
Published: March 2014

The reaction of [Pd(CH3CN)2Cl2] with N′-substituted N,N-di(2-picolyl)amine-based ancillary ligands, for example N,N-di(2-picolyl)cyclohexylmethylamine (L1), N,N-di(2-picolyl)benzylamine (L2), N,N-di(2-picolyl)aniline (L3), and 1,4-bis[bis(2-pyridylmethyl)aminomethyl]benzene (L4), in the presence of NaClO4 in ethanol yields a new series of [(NN′N)PdCl]X (X = ClO4, Cl) complexes, i.e. mononuclear [LnPdCl]ClO4 (Ln = L1, L2, L3) and binuclear [L4Pd2Cl2]Cl2. X-Ray crystallographic analysis determined that the Pd atom in complexes [(NN′N)PdCl]X showed a slightly distorted square-planar geometry involving three nitrogen atoms and a chlorido ligand. Moreover, the unit cell included a ClO4– or Cl– anion as the counterion. The complex [L1PdCl]ClO4 showed the highest catalytic activity for the polymerisation of methyl methacrylate in the presence of modified methylaluminoxane at 60°C among the mononuclear PdII complexes. Specifically, the activity of binuclear [L4Pd2Cl2]Cl2 was 2-fold higher than the corresponding mononuclear [L2PdCl]ClO4 per active palladium metal centre.
The Elusive Ethenediselone, Se=C=C=Se
Authors: Pedersen Carl Th. , Wong Ming Wah , Takimiya Kazuo , Gerbaux Pascal , Flammang Robert
Published: March 2014

The neutral ethenediselone, Se=C=C=Se, has been characterised by neutralisation–reionisation mass spectrometry, which implies a minimum lifetime of the order of microseconds. Tetraselenafulvalene 1 and tetramethyltetraselenafulvalene 2 were used as precursor molecules. Flash vacuum thermolysis (FVT) of these compounds with isolation of the products in Ar matrices permitted the identification of ethyne, 2-butyne, CSe2, and selenoketene, H2C=C=Se, but at best traces of Se=C=C=Se survived the FVT/matrix isolation experiment. Multiconfigurational calculations indicate that Se=C=C=Se is a ground state triplet molecule with a very small singlet-triplet gap.
Australian sexually transmissible infection and HIV testing guidelines for asymptomatic men who have sex with men 2014: a review of the evidence
Authors: Templeton David J. , Read Phillip , Varma Rajesh , Bourne Christopher
Published: April 2014

Men who have sex with men (MSM) in Australia and overseas are disproportionately affected by sexually transmissible infections (STIs), including HIV. Many STIs are asymptomatic, so regular testing and management of asymptomatic MSM remains an important component of effective control. We reviewed articles from January 2009–May 2013 to inform the 2014 update of the 2010 Australian testing guidelines for asymptomatic MSM. Key changes include: a recommendation for pharyngeal chlamydia (Chlamydia trachomatis) testing, use of nucleic acid amplification tests alone for gonorrhoea (Neisseria gonorrhoeae) testing (without gonococcal culture), more frequent (up to four times a year) gonorrhoea and chlamydia testing in sexually active HIV-positive MSM, time required since last void for chlamydia first-void urine collection specified at 20 min, urethral meatal swab as an alternative to first-void urine for urethral chlamydia testing, and the use of electronic reminders to increase STI and HIV retesting rates among MSM.
Long-term natural succession improves nitrogen storage capacity of soil on the Loess Plateau, China
Authors: Deng Lei , Wang Kai-bo , Shangguan Zhou-ping
Published: March 2014

Land-use change resulting from natural succession enhances the nitrogen (N) accumulation capacity of terrestrial ecosystems. To explore those factors that foster changes in soil N storage under evolving conditions of vegetation succession, a study on N storage at differing stages along a 150-year chronosequence was conducted in the Ziwuling Forest Region in the central part of the Loess Plateau, China. A principal finding was the rapid increase in N storage in the 0–60 cm soil layer, which achieves a stable value after the shrub community stage (~50–60 years), leading to the overall long-term (~150 years) accumulation of soil stored N in the post-abandonment secondary forest. Soil N accumulated mainly in the pioneer stage and showed a significant increase before the shrub community stage (P < 0.05). The N storage in the 0–60 cm soil layer changed from 5.8 to 8.4 Mg ha–1 during the transition from abandoned farmland (~3–5 years) to climax community (Quercus liaotungensis Koidz forest) (~150 years). The N storage values were higher in the upper (<20 cm) than the deeper soil layers (>20 cm). In the topsoil (0–20 cm), N storage values showed a markedly positive correlation with soil organic carbon (SOC), total soil N and fine roots. In the deeper soil layers (20–40 and 40–60 cm) there was a correlation only with TN. Soil bulk density, soil water content and soil pH were not the determining factors behind N storage values in the topsoil (0–20 cm), although they did show negative, positive and negative correlations, respectively. In addition, they showed no consistent correlations in the lower soil layer (<20 cm). The results suggest that changes to N storage values were the result of the accumulation of SOC, total N and primary productivity during the process of forest succession, and this capacity is positively related to post-abandonment forest succession on the Loess Plateau, China.
Impact of short-rotation Acacia hybrid plantations on soil properties of degraded lands in Central Vietnam
Authors: Dong Tran Lam , Doyle Richard , Beadle Chris L. , Corkrey Ross , Quat Nguyen Xuan
Published: March 2014

Acacia hybrid (A. mangium × A. auriculiformis) is the main species planted for short-rotation forestry in Vietnam. In this study, the effect of these plantations on some key properties of degraded gravelly soils in Central Vietnam was assessed. Soil samples were collected from second- or third-rotation plantations representative of five age classes (0.5–5 years old), and in adjacent abandoned lands as controls. Compared with abandoned land, stock of total soil carbon (C) was significantly higher at ages 0.5, 1.5, 2.5 and 5 years (18.4–19.5 v. 13.0 Mg ha–1), total nitrogen (N) at 0.5 and 1.5 years (1.5–1.7 v. 1.0 Mg ha–1), exchangeable calcium at 0.5, 1.5 and 2.5 years (215–294 v. 42 Mg ha–1), magnesium at 0.5, 1.5, 2.5 and 3.5 years (39–48 v. 19 Mg ha–1), and sodium at all ages (46–59 v. 5 Mg ha–1). Electrical conductivity was significantly higher at all ages (58.5–69.4 v. 32.7 µS cm–1). Differences in extractable phosphorus and exchangeable potassium were not significantly different between plantations and abandoned land. Bulk density was significantly lower in plantations than abandoned land at all ages (1.36–1.42 v. 1.55 Mg ha–1), pHCaCl2 at 0.5 and 5 years (3.78–3.84 v. 3.98), and pHH2O at 5 years (4.30 v. 4.52). Because the soils were gravelly, differences in concentration of total C and nutrients between abandoned land and plantations were not the same as those for stocks after correction for gravel content and bulk density. Within a rotation, most soil properties did not change significantly with plantation age, although they appeared to decrease during the first 3 years; total C then recovered to initial levels, but total N and exchangeable cations remained lower. Some soil properties were strongly related to gravel content and elevation, but not to growth rate. We conclude that consecutive plantings of short-rotation Acacia hybrid on degraded and abandoned land can lead to changes in some soil properties.
Protein aggregation can inhibit clathrin-mediated endocytosis by chaperone competition
Authors: Yu Anan , Shibata Yoko , Shah Bijal , Calamini Barbara , Lo Donald C. , Morimoto Richard I.
Published: April 2014

Significance

The aggregation of mutant proteins is pathologically implicated in a large number of neuropathies, including Huntington disease and ALS. Although the appearance of protein aggregates is known to sequester other proteins, how this results in the gain-of-function toxicity in these diseases is unclear. Here, we show that the aggregation of disease-associated proteins causes the reversible collapse of clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME) and inhibits the internalization of membrane receptors that affect neuronal function. CME inhibition occurs through aggregate-mediated sequestration of the molecular chaperone heat shock cognate protein 70, which is essential for CME. We propose that a toxic “tug-of-war” occurs between aggregates and endogenous client proteins for available chaperones, leading to the collapse of multiple cellular processes in neurodegeneration and other protein conformation diseases.
SQUID–SIMS is a useful approach to uncover primary signals in the Archean sulfur cycle
Authors: Fischer Woodward W. , Fike David A. , Johnson Jena E. , Raub Timothy D. , Guan Yunbin , Kirschvink Joseph L. , Eiler John M.
Published: April 2014

Significance

A challenge to understanding ancient sulfur-cycle processes on early Earth is the persistent observation that postdepositional processes have affected all Archean-age rocks, impacting geochemical signals, and the quality of paleoenvironmental interpretations. To solve this problem we developed a combination of texture-specific microscale techniques—scanning high-resolution low-temperature superconducting quantum interference device microscopy and secondary ion mass spectrometry. We applied these techniques in a well-studied Archean-age sedimentary succession in South Africa to unravel the mineralization and isotopic history and reveal primary sulfur-cycle processes. We observed systematic patterns of isotope ratios at microscopic scales that inform the nature of enigmatic sulfur-isotope mass anomalies unique to this time interval and further support hypotheses for the early evolution of sulfate-reduction metabolisms.
Multiphasic construct studied in an ectopic osteochondral defect model
Authors: Jeon June E. , Vaquette Cédryck , Theodoropoulos Christina , Klein Travis J. , Hutmacher Dietmar W.
Published: April 2014

In vivo
osteochondral defect models predominantly consist of small animals, such as rabbits. Although they have an advantage of low cost and manageability, their joints are smaller and more easily healed compared with larger animals or humans. We hypothesized that osteochondral cores from large animals can be implanted subcutaneously in rats to create an ectopic osteochondral defect model for routine and high-throughput screening of multiphasic scaffold designs and/or tissue-engineered constructs (TECs). Bovine osteochondral plugs with 4 mm diameter osteochondral defect were fitted with novel multiphasic osteochondral grafts composed of chondrocyte-seeded alginate gels and osteoblast-seeded polycaprolactone scaffolds, prior to being implanted in rats subcutaneously with bone morphogenic protein-7. After 12 weeks of
in vivo
implantation, histological and micro-computed tomography analyses demonstrated that TECs are susceptible to mineralization. Additionally, there was limited bone formation in the scaffold. These results suggest that the current model requires optimization to facilitate robust bone regeneration and vascular infiltration into the defect site. Taken together, this study provides a proof-of-concept for a high-throughput osteochondral defect model. With further optimization, the presented hybrid
in vivo
model may address the growing need for a cost-effective way to screen osteochondral repair strategies before moving to large animal preclinical trials.
The evolutionary reality of higher taxa in mammals
Authors: Humphreys Aelys M. , Barraclough Timothy G.
Published: April 2014

Species are generally regarded as a fundamental unit of biodiversity. By contrast, higher taxa such as genera and families, while widely used as biodiversity metrics and for classification and communication, are generally not believed to be shaped by shared evolutionary processes in the same way as species. We use simulations to show that processes which are important for emergence of evolutionarily significant units (ESUs) at the species level, namely geographical isolation and ecological divergence, can generate evolutionary independence above the species level and thereby lead to emergence of discrete phylogenetic clusters (higher ESUs). Extending phylogenetic approaches for delimiting evolutionarily significant species to broader phylogenetic scales, we find evidence for the existence of higher ESUs in mammals. In carnivores, euungulates and lagomorphs the hierarchical level of units detected correspond, on average, to the level of family or genus in traditional taxonomy. The units in euungulates are associated with divergent patterns of body mass, consistent with occupation of distinct ecological zones. Our findings demonstrate a new framework for studying biodiversity that unifies approaches at species and higher levels, thus potentially restoring higher taxa to their historical status as natural entities.
A genome-wide RNAi screen identifies factors required for distinct stages of C. elegans piRNA biogenesis
Authors: Goh Wee-Siong Sho , Seah Jun Wen Eugene , Harrison Emily J. , Chen Caifu , Hammell Christopher M. , Hannon Gregory J.
Published: April 2014

In animals, piRNAs and their associated Piwi proteins guard germ cell genomes against mobile genetic elements via an RNAi-like mechanism. In Caenorhabditis elegans, 21U-RNAs comprise the piRNA class, and these collaborate with 22G RNAs via unclear mechanisms to discriminate self from nonself and selectively and heritably silence the latter. Recent work indicates that 21U-RNAs are post-transcriptional processing products of individual transcription units that produce ∼26-nucleotide capped precursors. However, nothing is known of how the expression of precursors is controlled or how primary transcripts give rise to mature small RNAs. We conducted a genome-wide RNAi screen to identify components of the 21U biogenesis machinery. Screening by direct, quantitative PCR (qPCR)-based measurements of mature 21U-RNA levels, we identified 22 genes important for 21U-RNA production, termed TOFUs (Twenty-One-u Fouled Ups). We also identified seven genes that normally repress 21U production. By measuring mature 21U-RNA and precursor levels for the seven strongest hits from the screen, we assigned factors to discrete stages of 21U-RNA production. Our work identifies for the first time factors separately required for the transcription of 21U precursors and the processing of these precursors into mature 21U-RNAs, thereby providing a resource for studying the biogenesis of this important small RNA class.
PRDE-1 is a nuclear factor essential for the biogenesis of Ruby motif-dependent piRNAs in C. elegans
Authors: Weick Eva-Maria , Sarkies Peter , Silva Nicola , Chen Ron A. , Moss Sylviane M.M. , Cording Amy C. , Ahringer Julie , Martinez-Perez Enrique , Miska Eric A.
Published: April 2014

Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNA) are small regulatory RNAs with essential roles in maintaining genome integrity in animals and protists. Most Caenorhabditis elegans piRNAs are transcribed from two genomic clusters that likely contain thousands of individual transcription units; however, their biogenesis is not understood. Here we identify and characterize prde-1 (piRNA silencing-defective) as the first essential C. elegans piRNA biogenesis gene. Analysis of prde-1 provides the first direct evidence that piRNA precursors are 28- to 29-nucleotide (nt) RNAs initiating 2 nt upstream of mature piRNAs. PRDE-1 is a nuclear germline-expressed protein that localizes to chromosome IV. PRDE-1 is required specifically for the production of piRNA precursors from genomic loci containing an 8-nt upstream motif, the Ruby motif. The expression of a second class of motif-independent piRNAs is unaffected in prde-1 mutants. We exploited this finding to determine the targets of the motif-independent class of piRNAs. Together, our data provide new insights into both the biogenesis and function of piRNAs in gene regulation.
PID-1 is a novel factor that operates during 21U-RNA biogenesis in Caenorhabditis elegans
Authors: de Albuquerque Bruno F.M. , Luteijn Maartje J. , Cordeiro Rodrigues Ricardo J. , van Bergeijk Petra , Waaijers Selma , Kaaij Lucas J.T. , Klein Holger , Boxem Mike , Ketting René F.
Published: April 2014

The Piwi–piRNA pathway represents a small RNA-based mechanism responsible for the recognition and silencing of invading DNA. Biogenesis of piRNAs (21U-RNAs) is poorly understood. In Caenorhabditis elegans, the piRNA-binding Argonaute protein PRG-1 is the only known player acting downstream from precursor transcription. From a screen aimed at the isolation of piRNA-induced silencing-defective (Pid) mutations, we identified, among known Piwi pathway components, PID-1 as a novel player. PID-1 is a mostly cytoplasmic, germline-specific factor essential for 21U-RNA biogenesis, affecting an early step in the processing or transport of 21U precursor transcripts. We also show that maternal 21U-RNAs are essential to initiate silencing.
Functional Analysis of the Hydrophilic Loop in Intracellular Trafficking of Arabidopsis PIN-FORMED Proteins
Authors: Ganguly Anindya , Park Minho , Kesawat Mahipal Singh , Cho Hyung-Taeg
Published: April 2014

Different PIN-FORMED proteins (PINs) contribute to intercellular and intracellular auxin transport, depending on their distinctive subcellular localizations. Arabidopsis thaliana PINs with a long hydrophilic loop (HL) (PIN1 to PIN4 and PIN7; long PINs) localize predominantly to the plasma membrane (PM), whereas short PINs (PIN5 and PIN8) localize predominantly to internal compartments. However, the subcellular localization of the short PINs has been observed mostly for PINs ectopically expressed in different cell types, and the role of the HL in PIN trafficking remains unclear. Here, we tested whether a long PIN-HL can provide its original molecular cues to a short PIN by transplanting the HL. The transplanted long PIN2-HL was sufficient for phosphorylation and PM trafficking of the chimeric PIN5:PIN2-HL but failed to provide the characteristic polarity of PIN2. Unlike previous observations, PIN5 showed clear PM localization in diverse cell types where PIN5 is natively or ectopically expressed and even polar PM localization in one cell type. Furthermore, in the root epidermis, the subcellular localization of PIN5 switched from PM to internal compartments according to the developmental stage. Our results suggest that the long PIN-HL is partially modular for the trafficking behavior of PINs and that the intracellular trafficking of PIN is plastic depending on cell type and developmental stage.
Development of assessment methodology for improving performance in SME's
Authors: Munir Ahmad Mohammad , Alaskari Osama
Published: April 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to develop an assessment methodology that can be used to evaluate performance of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the manufacturing sector.

Design/methodology/approach

– This area of the study focuses on the assessment of performance in manufacturing SMEs. The methodology contains qualitative and quantitative measures that can quantify the opportunities and benefits within SMEs, as well as identifying the performance gaps between the current performance of the company and world-class performance. This includes reviewing the literature relating to assessment methodology and collecting data by carrying out semi-structured interviews with staff at target SMEs.

Findings

– The results show that the proposed assessment methodology is effective in identifying hidden opportunities and benefits in the manufacturing SMEs sector, establishing world-class performance of the companies and comparing this with current performance in order to identify gaps in performance in manufacturing SMEs.

Practical implications

– This assessment can be used for monitoring and assessing SMEs performance. The developed methodology can be used by manufacturing SMEs as an assessment and benchmarking tool. It enables manufacturing SMEs to identify opportunities for improvement and determine the gaps in current performance; this will assist manufacturing SMEs in selecting an appropriate tool to improve their performance in order to achieve the company objectives.

Originality/value

– This paper presents a successful and effective assessment methodology for manufacturing SMEs. It measures current performance which will provide a useful indicator to identify waste. It attempts to improve company performance and suggests how such activities could be organised and managed more effectively. Consequently it leads to a high potential for cost and time saving and quality improvement.
Motivating an action design research approach to implementing online training in an organisational context
Authors: Rogerson Christine , Scott Elsje
Published: April 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to explore the effectiveness of action design research (ADR), a combination of action research and design science research, when conducting research where both practical relevance and academic rigor are required.

Design/methodology/approach

– This paper presents ADR in action in order to motivate its use when investigating real-world organisational concerns requiring practical solutions, whilst also fulfilling academic requirements.

Findings

– When research methodology aligns to research objectives, the resulting synchronicity can elevate the outcome considerably. From this study, which attempts to address concerns of informing practice, as well as advancing theory, ADR appears to be an extremely effective research tool.

Research limitations/implications

– The study is limited to a single organisation and it would not be possible to make statistical generalisations. It is hoped, however, that the findings can be generalised to a theory that can be used in a similar setting. It would be valuable to discover whether other studies using ADR also find such effective alignment between relevance and rigour.

Practical implications

– The research involves an intervention in the finance course offerings for staff training in the workplace. The detailed description of each of the seven ADR stages could prove useful for other researchers contemplating using ADR. The paper offers an example of ADR in practice.

Originality/value

– This paper outlines the suitability and advantages of adopting an ADR approach, where the goal is to meet the challenge of implementing a solution in a real-world situation, whilst also adding to academic theory and knowledge.
Towards a better understanding of intellectual capital in Mexican SMEs
Authors: Daou Alain , Karuranga Egide , Su Zhan
Published: April 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to understand the characteristics of intellectual capital (IC) in Mexican small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Due to the shift from traditional factors of production to knowledge-based economy, an understanding of the role of IC has become crucial for SMEs to develop a competitive advantage.

Design/methodology/approach

– This study takes an in depth look at the three components of IC: human, organizational, and external capital. In order to do so, a quantitative study on 445 SMEs was conducted based on data collected through an online survey. A structural equation model is proposed that is a fit with the reality of Mexican SMEs. Regional differences are highlighted by means of multigroup analysis.

Findings

– The results suggest that the features of human and organizational capital are consistent with previous studies on SMEs in emerging economies. However, external capital shows some distinctive characteristics unique to Mexican context.

Practical implications

– Implications for managers and policymakers are discussed, whereby an adaptation of programs and policies are required to fit the Mexican context at the national and regional levels.

Originality/value

– To the best of the authors knowledge, this is the first study that observes the components of IC in Mexican SMEs.
Navigating the phase change to the creative economy
Authors: Denning Stephen
Published: April 2014

Purpose

– This article argues that successful leadership needed for the Creative Economy requires different ways of managing, leading, following, thinking, speaking and acting in the workplace.

Design/methodology/approach

– The article outlines both the principles and implementation steps and conditions for success.

Findings

– Five principles are core to the new way of managing: 1. Organizational goal: a shift from an inward-looking goal maximizing shareholder returns to an outward-looking goal of delighting customers profitably. Innovation and transformation are now imperatives. 2. Organizational structure: a shift from managerial command and control to enabling collaboration among diverse self-organizing teams, networks and ecosystems. 3. Coordination of work: a shift from coordinating work by hierarchical bureaucracy with rules, roles, plans and reports to dynamic linking, with iterative approaches to development and direct customer feedback from, and interaction with, teams, networks and ecosystems. 4. Values: a shift from a single-minded preoccupation with profit and efficiency to an embrace of values that will grow the firm and the accompanying ecosystems. 5. Communications: a shift from top-down directives to multi-directional conversations across organizational boundaries about working together on common goals.

Practical implications

– Offers leaders a roadmap for managing during market phase changes, a complex transformation in human behavior produced by a new way to satisfy consumption needs.

Originality/value

– It alerts top management of the need both to recognize and anticipate many coming phase changes and explains how to revolutionize the process of managing the response to them in the creative economy.
Forced imbibition into a limestone: measuring P‐wave velocity and water saturation dependence on injection rate
Authors: Lopes Sofia , Lebedev Maxim , Müller Tobias M. , Clennell Michael B. , Gurevich Boris
Published: April 2014

Quantitative interpretation of time‐lapse seismic data requires knowledge of the relationship between elastic wave velocities and fluid saturation. This relationship is not unique but depends on the spatial distribution of the fluid in the pore‐space of the rock. In turn, the fluid distribution depends on the injection rate. To study this dependency, forced imbibition experiments with variable injection rates have been performed on an air‐dry limestone sample. Water was injected into a cylindrical sample and was monitored by X‐Ray Computed Tomography and ultrasonic time‐of‐flight measurements across the sample. The measurements show that the P‐wave velocity decreases well before the saturation front approaches the ultrasonic raypath. This decrease is followed by an increase as the saturation front crosses the raypath. The observed patterns of the acoustic response and water saturation as functions of the injection rate are consistent with previous observations on sandstone. The results confirm that the injection rate has significant influence on fluid distribution and the corresponding acoustic response. The complexity of the acoustic response —‐ that is not monotonic with changes in saturation, and which at the same saturation varies between hydrostatic conditions and states of dynamic fluid flow – may have implications for the interpretation of time‐lapse seismic responses.
‘I don't care whether it's HPV or ABC, I just want to know if I have cancer.’ Factors influencing women's emotional responses to undergoing human papillomavirus testing in routine management in cervical screening: a qualitative study
Authors: O'Connor M , Costello L , Murphy J , Prendiville W , Martin CM , O'Leary JJ , Sharp L ,   the Irish Screening Research Consortium (CERVIVA)
Published: April 2014

Objective

To explore emotional responses, and predictors of negative reactions, among women undergoing human papillomavirus (HPV) tests in routine clinical practice.

Design

Exploratory qualitative interview study.

Setting

A large busy colposcopy clinic in a Dublin hospital.

Sample

Twenty‐seven women who had had an HPV DNA test in the previous 6 months following one or more low‐grade cytology tests or treatment for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN).

Methods

In‐depth semi‐structured interviews were conducted. Interview transcripts were analysed using a thematic approach (Framework Analysis).

Main outcome measures

Women's emotional responses and predictors of negative emotional reactions.

Results

For most women, having a test for high‐risk HPV types generated little negative or positive emotional impact. Adverse emotional responses related to HPV infection rather than testing. Factors that influenced whether women experienced negative emotional responses were: concerns over abnormal cytology or diagnosis of CIN; HPV knowledge; awareness of HPV being sexually transmitted; awareness of HPV prevalence; and HPV information needs. Women's concerns about abnormal cytology/CIN dominated all other issues.

Conclusions

These qualitative data suggest that in the context of follow up of abnormal cytology or treatment for CIN, the emotional impact of HPV testing may be modest: women's primary concerns at this time relate to abnormal cytology/CIN.
Distorted Communication, Unequal Representation: Constituents Communicate Less to Representatives Not of Their Race
Authors: Broockman David E.
Published: April 2014

Communications from constituents strongly shape the representation politicians provide. However, if politicians hear less from some constituents than others, this unequal communication may lead to unequal representation. In this article, I present a field experiment demonstrating that constituents are less likely to communicate to representatives not of their race. The experiment exploited electoral rules in Maryland, where several multimember districts have both black and white representatives. I provided 8,829 residents of such districts an opportunity to communicate to one of their actual representatives, whose race I randomized. Both blacks and whites were markedly less likely to communicate to their representatives not of their race. These results imply that politicians receive racially distorted communication, hearing disproportionately infrequently from constituents unlike them. The fact that most racial minorities have white representatives may thus help explain both minorities’ less frequent communication to their representatives and the diminished substantive representation minorities typically receive.
How Capitalism Will Save Colonialism: The Privatization of Reserve Lands in Canada
Authors: Pasternak Shiri
Published: April 2014

This paper surveys the ways in which the First Nations Property Ownership Act (FNPOA) is the site of both tension and alliance between state, non‐state, and local Indigenous interests converging around a common agenda of land “modernization” in Canada. It is a convergence, I argue, that must be read in the context of a reorganization of society under neoliberalism. The FNPOA legislation is discursively framed to acknowledge Indigenous land rights while the bill simultaneously introduces contentious measures to individualize and municipalize the quasi‐communal land holding of reserves. The intersections of alliance around this land modernization project foreground the complex ways in which capitalism and colonialism, though inextricably tied, perform distinguishable economic processes, and how we must be attentive to the particulars of their co‐articulation with local formations of indigeneity.
Effects of core vitrectomy in the treatment of age‐related macular degeneration
Authors: Schramm Katharina , Mueller Michael , Koch Frank H. , Singh Pankaj , Kohnen Thomas , Koss Michael J.
Published: April 2014

Purpose

To investigate the clinical efficacy and safety of an additional core vitrectomy to the standard therapy in patients with exudative age‐related macular degeneration (ARMD).

Methods

In this prospective, controlled, single‐centre study, 50 eyes of 50 patients (mean age: 74.1 ± 7.1; median 74 (69/78)) with ARMD were enrolled and randomized 1:1 to group 1 – core vitrectomy additional to three times injections of ranibizumab (3x Rbz) and Group 2 – 3x Rbz (control). 1 16 of 25 eyes in Group 1(64%) and 12 of 25 (48%) in Group 2 had a posterior vitreous detachment (PVD) prior to start of the study. Changes in best‐corrected visual acuity (BCVA) using ETDRS charts, central macular thickness and macular volume (OCT) as well as the rate of reinjection with an OCT‐based pro renata (PRN) protocol were monitored prospectively over 48 weeks. Forty‐seven eyes completed follow‐up at week 48.

Results

In Group 1, 4 of 24 lost 1 line of BCVA (16.7%) and 3 of 24 lost 2 lines (12.5%), whereas 17 of 24 gained more than 1 line (70.8%) and improved in average by 9.8 letters. In Group 2, 3 of 23 remained stable and 20 of 23 gained more than or exactly 1 line (78.3%), resulting in 14.3 letters, with no loss of lines. Central macular thickness decreased by 85.58 μm (28.8%) in Group 1 and by 121.43 μm (32.68%) in Group 2 compared with baseline. In Group 1, four patients received three additional and two patients, two additional Rbz injections. In Group 2, three patients received three additional, three patients two and 12 patients one additional Rbz injections. This yielded in an average injection rate of 3.66 in Group 1 and 4.17 in Group 2 over 48 weeks. Posterior vitreous detachment (PVD) was identified in Group 1 in 16 of 24 (66.7%) and in Group 2 in 12 of 23 (52.2%) patients at baseline. At week 48, 6 of 8 (75%) of the patients in Group 1 with initial attached vitreous showed a vitreal detachment, whereas only 1 of 11 (9%) in Group 2 had a new occurred detachment of the vitreous. No systemic or ocular adverse events were noticed.

Conclusion

An initial core vitrectomy combined with a conventional ranibizumab injection regimen for exudative AMD patients was safe and lead to similar functional results with less intravitreal ranibizumab injections over 48 weeks.
The bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitor ibrutinib (PCI‐32765) blocks hairy cell leukaemia survival, proliferation and B cell receptor signalling: a new therapeutic approach
Authors: Sivina Mariela , Kreitman Robert J. , Arons Evgeny , Ravandi Farhad , Burger Jan A.
Published: April 2014

B cell receptor (BCR) signalling plays a critical role in the progression of several B‐cell malignancies, but its role in hairy cell leukaemia (HCL) is ambiguous. Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK), a key player in BCR signalling, as well as
B cell migration and adhesion, can be targeted with ibrutinib, a selective, irreversible BTK inhibitor. We analysed BTK expression and function in HCL and analysed the effects of ibrutinib on HCL cells. We demonstrated uniform BTK protein expression in HCL cells. Ibrutinib significantly inhibited HCL proliferation and cell cycle progression. Accordingly, ibrutinib also reduced HCL cell survival after BCR triggering with anti‐immunoglobulins and abrogated the activation of kinases downstream of the BCR (PI3K and MAPK). Ibrutinib also inhibited BCR‐dependent secretion of the chemokines CCL3 and CCL4 by HCL cells. Interestingly, ibrutinib inhibited also CXCL12‐induced signalling, a key pathway for bone marrow homing. Collectively, our data support the clinical development of ibrutinib in patients with HCL.