bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
B-cell maturation antigen is modified by a single
N
-glycan chain that modulates ligand binding and surface retention
Authors: Huang Han-Wen , Chen Chein-Hung , Lin Chun-Hung , Wong Chi-Huey , Lin Kuo-I
Published: June 2013

Glycosylation, an important posttranslational modification process, can modulate the structure and function of proteins, but its effect on the properties of plasma cells is largely unknown. In this study, we identified a panel of glycoproteins by click reaction with alkynyl sugar analogs in plasma cells coupled with mass spectrometry analysis. The B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA), an essential membrane protein for maintaining the survival of plasma cells, was identified as a glycoprotein exhibiting complex-type
N
-glycans at a single
N
-glycosylation site, asparagine 42. We then investigated the effect of
N
-glycosylation on the function of BCMA and found that the dexamethasone-induced apoptosis in malignant plasma cells can be rescued by treatment with BCMA ligands, such as a proliferation-inducing ligand (APRIL) and B-cell–activating factor (BAFF), whereas removal of terminal sialic acid on plasma cells further potentiated the ligand-mediated protection. This effect is associated with the increased surface retention of BCMA, leading to its elevated level on cell surface. In addition, the α1–3,-4 fucosylation, but not the terminal sialylation, assists the binding of BCMA with ligands in an in vitro binding assay. Together, our results highlight the importance of
N
-glycosylation on BCMA in the regulation of ligand binding and functions of plasma cells.
Temperature-Driven Decline of a Cisco Population in Mille Lacs Lake, Minnesota
Authors: Kumar Rajeev , Martell Steven J. , Pitcher Tony J. , Varkey Divya A.
Published: June 2013

Mille Lacs Lake, Minnesota, has experienced a decline in the population of Cisco Coregonus artedi since the 1980s. Cisco is a coldwater stenotherm, and the population decline is often attributed to a general increase in the lake temperature. However, there also has been a fishery for this species during the last 20 years. To investigate the influence of temperature on this decline, three versions of a surplus production model (SPM) were formulated: (1) SPM with observation error only, (2) SPM with observation error and a maximum temperature anomaly, and (3) state-space SPM with a maximum temperature anomaly and random effects process error. Data on CPUE of sampling gill nets from 1985 to 2007 were used as an index of fish abundance for the lake population. The model parameters were estimated by fitting the predicted CPUE to the observed CPUE. The analysis indicated that temperature explained 36% (model 2) and 40% (model 3) of the change in Cisco abundance. Temperature-influenced, time-varying carrying capacity and maximum sustainable yield (MSY) were also estimated. We concluded that the causes of Cisco decline were a combination of temperature and fishing pressure.

Received April 26, 2012; accepted March 12, 2013
Teachers' perspectives on curriculum making in Primary Geography in England
Authors: Catling Simon
Published: June 2013

The phrase ‘curriculum making’ has recently been used to describe medium‐term planning and teachers’ enactment of such planning in the classroom. This narrows the term%s initial use from that in the first half of the twentieth century when it was employed inclusively from national programmes to lesson planning. While considering related studies about curriculum making, this paper focuses on the interpretation described and used by the Geographical Association (GA) to encourage more open approaches to medium‐term curriculum planning in England by teachers. It reports the outcomes of a small‐scale study of primary teachers’ perspectives on their experiences of curriculum making during one GA project, ‘The Young Geographers Project’. It identifies a number of ‘curriculum dynamics’, including teachers’ feelings of liberation, children%s agency in curriculum making, the importance of subject knowledge, engaging with children%s everyday experiences and interests, and purposefulness for curriculum topics while retaining flexibility and openness. Reflecting on these findings, 10 features pertinent to curriculum making are noted.
Gulf-Wide Decreases in the Size of Large Coastal Sharks Documented by Generations of Fishermen
Authors: Powers Sean P. , Fodrie F. Joel , Scyphers Steven B. , Drymon J. Marcus , Shipp Robert L. , Stunz Gregory W.
Published: June 2013

Large sharks are top predators in most coastal and marine ecosystems throughout the world, and evidence of their reduced prominence in marine ecosystems has been a serious concern for fisheries and ecosystem management. Unfortunately, quantitative data to document the extent, timing, and consequences of changes in shark populations are scarce, thwarting examination of long-term (decadal, century) trends, and reconstructions based on incomplete data sets have been the subject of debate. Absence of quantitative descriptors of past ecological conditions is a generic problem facing many fields of science but is particularly troublesome for fisheries scientists who must develop specific targets for restoration. We were able to use quantitative measurements of shark sizes collected annually and independently of any scientific survey by thousands of recreational fishermen over the last century to document decreases in the size of large sharks from the northern Gulf of Mexico. Based on records from fishing rodeos in three U.S. coastal states, the size (weight or length) of large sharks captured by fishermen decreased by 50–70% during the 20 years after the 1980s. The pattern is largely driven by reductions in the occurrence and sizes of Tiger Sharks Galeocerdo cuvier and Bull Sharks Carcharhinus leucas and to a lesser extent Hammerheads Sphyrna spp. This decrease occurred despite increasing fishing effort and advances in technology, but it is coincident with the capitalization of the U.S. commercial shark long-line fishery in the GOM.

Received April 10, 2012; accepted March 7, 2013
Pieri operators on the affine nilCoxeter algebra
Authors: Berg Chris , Saliola Franco , Serrano Luis
Published: June 2013

We study a family of operators on the affine nilCoxeter algebra. We use these operators to prove conjectures of Lam, Lapointe, Morse, and Shimozono regarding strong Schur functions.
The Inner Membrane Protein HrcV from Xanthomonas spp. Is Involved in Substrate Docking During Type III Secretion
Authors: Hartmann Nadine , Büttner Daniela
Published: June 2013

Pathogenicity of the gram-negative plant-pathogenic bacterium Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria depends on a membrane-spanning type III secretion (T3S) system, which translocates effector proteins into eukaryotic host cells. In this study, we characterized the T3S system component HrcV, which is a member of the YscV/FlhA family of inner membrane proteins. HrcV consists of eight transmembrane helices and a cytoplasmic region (HrcVC). Mutant and protein–protein interaction studies showed that HrcVC is essential for protein function and binds to T3S substrates, including the early substrate HrpB2, the pilus protein HrpE, and effector proteins. Furthermore, HrcVC interacts with itself and with components and control proteins of the T3S apparatus. The interaction of HrcVC with HrpB2, HrpE, and T3S system components depends on amino acid residues in a conserved motif, designated flagella/hypersensitive response/invasion proteins export pore (FHIPEP), which is located in a cytoplasmic loop between transmembrane helix four and five of HrcV. Mutations in the FHIPEP motif abolish HrcV function but do not affect the interaction of HrcVC with effector proteins.
Root-Specific Role for Nicotiana benthamiana RDR6 in the Inhibition of Chinese wheat mosaic virus Accumulation at Higher Temperatures
Authors: Andika Ida Bagus , Sun Liying , Xiang Rong , Li Junmin , Chen Jianping
Published: June 2013

Some viruses only infect plants at cool temperatures but the molecular mechanism underlying this low-temperature dependence remains unclear. Chinese wheat mosaic virus (CWMV, genus Furovirus) was able to infect wheat and Nicotiana benthamiana plants at 16 but not at 24°C. When CWMV-infected plants were transferred to 24°C for 2 weeks, the newly emerged leaves and roots became virus free. Co-infection with Potato virus Y rescued CWMV accumulation in N. benthamiana plants after a temperature shift to 24°C. In transgenic N. benthamiana plants silenced for the N. benthamiana RNA-dependent RNA polymerase 6 (NbRDR6), CWMV was able to accumulate in roots but not in leaves after a temperature shift to 24°C. Deep sequencing of small RNAs showed that, at 16°C, abundant CWMV small interfering (si)RNAs accumulated in infected N. benthamiana plants. Silencing of NbRDR6 increased the abundance of CWMV siRNAs and the generation of siRNAs from hotspots in the CWMV genome. In contrast, when shifted to 24°C for 1 week, CWMV siRNAs were markedly fewer in roots of NbRDR6-silenced than in roots of wild-type plants but were similar in the leaves of those plants. Our results demonstrate the root-specific role of NbRDR6 in the inhibition of CWMV accumulation and biogenesis of CWMV siRNAs at higher temperatures.
Chestnut Leaf Inoculation Assay as a Rapid Predictor of Blight Susceptibility
Authors: Newhouse Andrew E. , Spitzer Jesse E. , Maynard Charles A. , Powell William A.
Published: June 2013

American chestnuts (Castanea dentata), effectively eliminated from eastern North America by chestnut blight in the twentieth century, are the subject of multiple restoration efforts. Screening individual trees (or tree types) for blight resistance is a critical step in all of these programs. Traditional screening involves inoculating stems of >3-year-old trees with the blight fungus (Cryphonectria parasitica), then measuring resulting cankers a few months later. A quicker, nondestructive, quantitative assay, usable on younger plants, would enhance restoration efforts by speeding the screening process. The assay presented here meets these requirements by inoculating excised leaves with the blight fungus and measuring resulting necrotic lesions. Leaves can be collected from few-month-old seedlings or fully mature trees, and results are measured after less than a week. Leaves from several lines of both American and Chinese chestnuts were inoculated, as well as the congener Allegheny chinquapin, and experimental leaf assay results correlate well with stem assay results from these species. Inoculations with virulent and hypovirulent blight fungi strains also showed relative patterns similar to traditional inoculations. Given the correlations to established stem assay results, this procedure could be a valuable tool to quickly evaluate blight resistance in American chestnut trees used for restoration.
Etiology of Ageratum Yellow Vein Diseases in South China
Authors: Jiao Xiaoyang , Gong Huanran , Liu Xuejian , Xie Yan , Zhou Xueping
Published: June 2013

Ageratum conyzoides is a common weed in agricultural regions in Asia. A. conyzoides plants exhibiting yellow vein symptoms were collected from Yunnan and Guangxi provinces of China. Polymerase chain reaction detection and sequence analysis showed that samples collected from Yunnan were mainly infected by Tobacco curly shoot virus (TbCSV) associated with Ageratum yellow vein China betasatellite (AYVCNB), while samples from Guangxi were mostly infected by Papaya leaf curl China virus (PaLCuCNV) and AYVCNB, or by Ageratum yellow vein China virus (AYVCNV) and AYVCNB, with a few exhibiting dual infections by PaLCuCNV, AYVCNV, and AYVCNB. Agrobacterium-mediated inoculation of infectious clones showed that both TbCSV and AYVCNB or PaLCuCNV and AYVCNB produced typical yellow vein symptoms in A. conyzoides. Consequently, Ageratum yellow vein diseases in Yunnan and Guangxi provinces were caused by TbCSV/AYVCNB, PaLCuCNV/AYVCNB, or AYVCNV/ AYVCNB. The implications of these results in relation to the prevalence of begomoviruses in cultivated plants are discussed.
Brassinosteroid Enhances Resistance to Fusarium Diseases of Barley
Authors: Ali Shahin S. , Kumar G. B. Sunil , Khan Mojibur , Doohan Fiona M.
Published: June 2013

Fusarium pathogens are among the most damaging pathogens of cereals. These pathogens have the ability to attack the roots, seedlings, and flowering heads of barley and wheat plants with disease, resulting in yield loss and head blight disease and also resulting in the contamination of grain with mycotoxins harmful to human and animal health. There is increasing evidence that brassinosteroid (BR) hormones play an important role in plant defense against both biotic and abiotic stress agents and this study set out to determine if and how BR might affect Fusarium diseases of barley. Application of the epibrassinolide (epiBL) to heads of ‘Lux’ barley reduced the severity of Fusarium head blight (FHB) caused by Fusarium culmorum by 86% and reduced the FHB-associated loss in grain weight by 33%. Growth of plants in soil amended with epiBL resulted in a 28 and 35% reduction in Fusarium seedling blight (FSB) symptoms on the Lux and ‘Akashinriki’ barley, respectively. Microarray analysis was used to determine whether growth in epiBL-amended soil changed the transcriptional profile in stem base tissue during the early stages of FSB development. At 24 and 48 h post F. culmorum inoculation, there were 146 epiBL-responsive transcripts, the majority being from the 48-h time point (n = 118). Real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis validated the results for eight transcripts, including five defense genes. The results of gene expression studies show that chromatin remodeling, hormonal signaling, photosynthesis, and pathogenesis-related genes are activated in plants as a result of growth in epiBL.
A Comparison of Real-Time PCR Protocols for the Quantitative Monitoring of Asymptomatic Olive Infections by Verticillium dahliae Pathotypes
Authors: Gramaje D. , Pérez-Serrano V. , Montes-Borrego M. , Navas-Cortés J. A. , Jiménez-Díaz R. M. , Landa B. B.
Published: June 2013

Early, specific, and accurate in planta detection and quantification of Verticillium dahliae are essential to prevent the spread of Verticillium wilt in olive using certified pathogen-free planting material and development of resistance. We comparatively assessed the accuracy, specificity, and efficiency of eight real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction protocols published since 2002 for the specific detection and quantification of V. dahliae in various host plant species and in soil, using a background of DNAs extracted from olive roots, stems, and leaves. Results showed that some of those protocols were not specific for V. dahliae or were inhibited when using backgrounds other than water. Ranking of protocols according to a weighted score system placed protocols TAQ (based on intergenic spacer ribosomal DNA target gene) and SYBR-4 (based on the β-tubulin 2 target gene) first in sensitivity and efficiency for the quantification of V. dahliae DNA in small amounts and different types of olive tissues (root and stem) tested. Use of TAQ and SYBR-4 protocols allowed accurate quantification of V. dahliae DNA regardless of the background DNA, with a detection limit being fixed at a cycle threshold of 36 (≈18 fg for SYBR-4 and 15 fg for TAQ) of V. dahliae. The amount of DNA from defoliating (D) and nondefoliating (ND) V. dahliae pathotypes was monitored in Verticillium wilt-resistant ‘Frantoio’ olive using the TAQ and SYBR-4 protocols. In the infection bioassay, higher amounts of D V. dahliae DNA were measured in olive stems, whereas the average amount of fungal DNA in roots was higher for ND-infected plants than D-infected ones. Overall, V. dahliae DNA amounts in all olive tissues tested tended to slightly decrease or remain stable by the end of the experiment (35 days after inoculation). The SYBR-4 and TAQ protocols further enabled detection of V. dahliae in tissues of symptomless plants, suggesting that both techniques can be useful for implementing certification schemes of pathogen-free planting material as well as helpful tools in breeding resistance to V. dahliae in olive.
Biological effects of simple changes in functionality on rhodium metalloinsertors
Authors: Weidmann Alyson G. , Komor Alexis C. , Barton Jacqueline K.
Published: June 2013

DNA mismatch repair (MMR) is crucial to ensuring the fidelity of the genome. The inability to correct single base mismatches leads to elevated mutation rates and carcinogenesis. Using metalloinsertors–bulky metal complexes that bind with high specificity to mismatched sites in the DNA duplex–our laboratory has adopted a new chemotherapeutic strategy through the selective targeting of MMR-deficient cells, that is, those that have a propensity for cancerous transformation. Rhodium metalloinsertors display inhibitory effects selectively in cells that are deficient in the MMR machinery, consistent with this strategy. However, a highly sensitive structure–function relationship is emerging with the development of new complexes that highlights the importance of subcellular localization. We have found that small structural modifications, for example a hydroxyl versus a methyl functional group, can yield profound differences in biological function. Despite similar binding affinities and selectivities for DNA mismatches, only one metalloinsertor shows selective inhibition of cellular proliferation in MMR-deficient versus -proficient cells. Studies of whole-cell, nuclear and mitochondrial uptake reveal that this selectivity depends upon targeting DNA mismatches in the cell nucleus.
Light-induced catalytic and cytotoxic properties of phosphorescent transition metal compounds with a d
8
electronic configuration
Authors: To Wai-Pong , Zou Taotao , Sun Raymond Wai-Yin , Che Chi-Ming
Published: June 2013

Transition metal compounds are well documented to have diverse applications such as in catalysis, light-emitting materials and therapeutics. In the areas of photocatalysis and photodynamic therapy, metal compounds of heavy transition metals are highly sought after because they can give rise to triplet excited states upon photoexcitation. The long lifetimes (more than 1 μs) of the triplet states of transition metal compounds allow for bimolecular reactions/processes such as energy transfer and/or electron transfer to occur. Reactions of triplet excited states of luminescent metal compounds with oxygen in cells may generate reactive oxygen species and/or induce damage to DNA, leading to cell death. This article recaps the recent findings on photochemical and phototoxic properties of luminescent platinum(II) and gold(III) compounds both from the literature and experimental results from our group.
Multi-photon excitation in uncaging the small molecule bioregulator nitric oxide
Authors: Garcia John V. , Zhang Fan , Ford Peter C.
Published: June 2013

Multi-photon excitation allows one to use tissue transmitting near-infrared (NIR) light to access excited states with energies corresponding to single-photon excitation in the visible or ultraviolet wavelength ranges. Here, we present an overview of the application of both simultaneous and sequential multi-photon excitation in studies directed towards the photochemical delivery (‘uncaging’) of bioactive small molecules such as nitric oxide (NO) to physiological targets. Particular focus will be directed towards the use of dyes with high two-photon absorption cross sections and lanthanide ion-doped upconverting nanoparticles as sensitizers to facilitate the uncaging of NO using NIR excitation.
Synchrotron ultrafast techniques for photoactive transition metal complexes
Authors: Borfecchia Elisa , Garino Claudio , Salassa Luca , Lamberti Carlo
Published: June 2013

In the last decade, the use of time-resolved X-ray techniques has revealed the structure of light-generated transient species for a wide range of samples, from small organic molecules to proteins. Time resolutions of the order of 100 ps are typically reached, allowing one to monitor thermally equilibrated excited states and capture their structure as a function of time. This review aims at providing a general overview of the application of time-resolved X-ray solution scattering (TR-XSS) and time-resolved X-ray absorption spectroscopy (TR-XAS), the two techniques prevalently employed in the investigation of light-triggered structural changes of transition metal complexes. In particular, we herein describe the fundamental physical principles for static XSS and XAS and illustrate the theory of time-resolved XSS and XAS together with data acquisition and analysis strategies. Selected pioneering examples of photoactive transition metal complexes studied by TR-XSS and TR-XAS are discussed in depth.
The photochemistry of transition metal complexes using density functional theory
Authors: Garino Claudio , Salassa Luca
Published: June 2013

The use of density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent DFT (TD-DFT) to study the photochemistry of metal complexes is becoming increasingly important among chemists. Computational methods provide unique information on the electronic nature of excited states and their atomic structure, integrating spectroscopy observations on transient species and excited-state dynamics. In this contribution, we present an overview on photochemically active transition metal complexes investigated by DFT. In particular, we discuss a representative range of systems studied up to now, which include CO- and NO-releasing inorganic and organometallic complexes, haem and haem-like complexes dissociating small diatomic molecules, photoactive anti-cancer Pt and Ru complexes, Ru polypyridyls and diphosphino Pt derivatives.
Biotin-conjugated tumour-targeting photocytotoxic iron(III) complexes
Authors: Saha Sounik , Majumdar Ritankar , Hussain Akhtar , Dighe Rajan R. , Chakravarty Akhil R.
Published: June 2013

Iron(III) complexes [FeL(B)] (
1
–
4
) of a tetradentate phenolate-based ligand (H
3
L) and biotin-conjugated dipyridophenazine bases (B),
viz.
7-aminodipyrido [3,2-
a
:2′,3′-
c
]-phenazine (dppza in
1
), (
N
-dipyrido[3,2-
a
:2′,3′-
c
]-phenazino)amidobiotin (dppzNB in
2
), dipyrido [3,2-
a
:2′,3′-
c
]-phenazine-11-carboxylic acid (dppzc in
3
) and 2-((2-biotinamido)ethyl) amido-dipyrido[3,2-
a
:2′,3′-
c
]-phenazine (dppzCB in
4
) are prepared, characterized and their interaction with streptavidin and DNA and their photocytotoxicity and cellular uptake in various cells studied. The high-spin iron(III) complexes display Fe(III)/Fe(II) redox couple near −0.7 V versus saturated calomel electrode in dimethyl sulfoxide–0.1 M tetrabutylammonium perchlorate. The complexes show non-specific interaction with DNA as determined from the binding studies. Complexes with appended biotin moiety show similar binding to streptavidin as that of free biotin, suggesting biotin conjugation to dppz does not cause any loss in its binding affinity to streptavidin. The photocytotoxicity of the complexes is tested in HepG2, HeLa and HEK293 cell lines. Complex
2
shows higher photocytotoxicity in HepG2 cells than in HeLa or HEK293, forming reactive oxygen species. This effect is attributed to the presence of overexpressed sodium-dependent multi-vitamin transporters in HepG2 cells. Microscopic studies in HepG2 cells show internalization of the biotin complexes
2
and
4
essentially occurring by receptor-mediated endocytosis, which is similar to that of native biotin and biotin fluorescein isothiocyanate conjugate.
Light-triggered nitric oxide delivery to malignant sites and infection
Authors: Heilman Brandon , Mascharak Pradip K.
Published: June 2013

The discovery of nitric oxide (NO) as a signalling molecule in various physiological and pathological pathways has spurred research in the design of exogenous NO donors as drugs. In recent years, metal nitrosyls (NO complexes of metals) have been investigated as NO-donating agents. Results from our laboratory during the past few years have demonstrated that metal nitrosyls derived from designed ligands can deliver NO under the total control of light of various frequencies. Careful incorporation of these photoactive nitrosyls into polymer matrices has afforded a set of nitrosyl–polymer composites that can be used to make such NO delivery site-specific. The composite materials have shown excellent antineoplastic and antimicrobial actions in several
in vitro
experiments. This review highlights our key results in the context of recent developments in this area of NO donors that deliver NO on demand.
Photodynamic therapy for photochemists
Authors: Bown Stephen G.
Published: June 2013

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is an evolving technique for localized control of diseased tissue with light after prior administration of a photosensitizing agent and in the presence of oxygen. The biological effect is quite different from surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. With no temperature change during treatment, connective tissues like collagen are largely unaffected, so maintaining the mechanical integrity of hollow organs. PDT is of particular value for pre-cancer and early cancers of the skin (not melanomas) and mouth as the cosmetic and functional results are so good. Another key indication is for small areas of cancer that are unsuitable for or have persisted or recurred after conventional management. It can be applied in areas already exposed to the maximum safe dose of radiotherapy. Outside cancer, in ophthalmology, it is established for age-related macular degeneration, and has considerable potential in arterial disease for preventing restenosis after balloon angioplasty and in the treatment of infectious diseases, where the responsible organisms are accessible to both the photosensitizer and light. New developments on the horizon include techniques for increasing the selectivity for cancers, such as coupling photosensitizers to antibodies, and for stimulating immunological responses, but many further pre-clinical and clinical studies are needed to establish PDT's role in routine clinical practice.
Photoactivatable metal complexes: from theory to applications in biotechnology and medicine
Authors: Smith Nichola A. , Sadler Peter J.
Published: June 2013

This short review highlights some of the exciting new experimental and theoretical developments in the field of photoactivatable metal complexes and their applications in biotechnology and medicine. The examples chosen are based on some of the presentations at the Royal Society Discussion Meeting in June 2012, many of which are featured in more detail in other articles in this issue. This is a young field. Even the photochemistry of well-known systems such as metal–carbonyl complexes is still being elucidated. Striking are the recent developments in theory and computation (e.g. time-dependent density functional theory) and in ultrafast-pulsed radiation techniques which allow photochemical reactions to be followed and their mechanisms to be revealed on picosecond/nanosecond time scales. Not only do some metal complexes (e.g. those of Ru and Ir) possess favourable emission properties which allow functional imaging of cells and tissues (e.g. DNA interactions), but metal complexes can also provide spatially controlled photorelease of bioactive small molecules (e.g. CO and NO)—a novel strategy for site-directed therapy. This extends to cancer therapy, where metal-based precursors offer the prospect of generating excited-state drugs with new mechanisms of action that complement and augment those of current organic photosensitizers.
Managing ‘Generation Y’ occupational therapists: Optimising their potential
Authors: Hills Caroline , Ryan Susan , Warren‐Forward Helen , Smith Derek R.
Published: June 2013

Background/aim

‘Generation Y’ is a descriptor of those therapists born between 1982 and 2000. According to generational theory, each generation have unique characteristics due to the social and historical factors they have experienced during their formative years. Occupational therapy educators have reported on ‘Generation Y’ characteristics observed in occupational therapy students. This study aimed to investigate if managers considered there was a ‘Generation Y’ therapist and their observed characteristics in practice, as well as successful management strategies used to maximise their potential in the workplace.

Methods

A hard copy survey based on the ‘Generation Y’ literature was sent to all managers listed on an Australian University database.

Results

Almost all respondents considered there was a ‘Generation Y’ therapist. Overall, managers reported characteristics of this staff group as being hard working, confident with technology, needing positive feedback and demanding professional development opportunities. Managers also reported that this group may be a challenge to retain in work positions. Managers also viewed ‘Generation Y’ staff as a positive energy and considered that in the future they will be of benefit to the profession.

Conclusion

While there may be generational differences between therapists in the workplace, inclusive management styles may be the most appropriate management approach. Career guidance, facilitating creativity, increasing work responsibility and integrating new technologies like social networking into practice may be appropriate strategies for this staff group, to facilitate both their professional development and to retain them in the profession.
Comparative metagenomics: natural populations of induced prophages demonstrate highly unique, lower diversity viral sequences
Authors: McDaniel Lauren D. , Rosario Karyna , Breitbart Mya , Paul John H.
Published: June 2013

To understand the similarities and differences between a free living viral population and its co‐occurring temperate population, metagenomes of each type were prepared from the same seawater sample from Tampa Bay, FL. Libraries were prepared from extracted DNA of the ambient viruses and induced prophages from the co‐occurring, viral‐reduced microbial assemblage. Duplicate libraries were also prepared using the same DNA amplified by multiple displacement amplification. A non‐viral‐reduced, induced, amplified viral dataset from the same site in 2005 was reanalysed for temporal comparison. The induced viral metagenome was higher in identifiable virus sequences and differed from the other three datasets based on principal component, rarefaction, trinucleotide composition and contig spectrum analyses. This study indicated that induced prophages are unique and have lower overall community diversity than ambient viral populations from the same site. Both of the amplified contemporary metagenomes were enriched in single‐stranded DNA (ssDNA) viral sequences. Six and 16 complete, circular ssDNA viral genomes were assembled from the amplified induced and ambient libraries, respectively, mostly similar to circoviruses. The amplified ambient metagenome contained genomes similar to an RNA‐DNA hybrid virus recently identified in a hot spring and to an ssDNA virus infecting the diatom Chaetoceros.
From models to pathogens: how much have we learned aboutStreptococcus pneumoniaecell division?
Authors: Massidda Orietta , Nováková Linda , Vollmer Waldemar
Published: June 2013

Streptococcus pneumoniaeis an oval‐shapedGram‐positive coccus that lives in intimate association with its human host, both as a commensal and pathogen. The seriousness of pneumococcal infections and the spread of multi‐drug resistant strains call for new lines of intervention. Bacterial cell division is an attractive target to develop antimicrobial drugs. This review discusses the recent advances in understandingS. pneumoniaegrowth and division, in comparison with the best studied rod‐shaped models,Escherichia coliandBacillus subtilis. To maintain their shape, these bacteria propagate by peripheral and septal peptidoglycan synthesis, involving proteins that assemble into distinct complexes called the elongasome and the divisome, respectively. Many of these proteins are conserved inS. pneumoniae, supporting the notion that the ovococcal shape is also achieved by rounds of elongation and division. Importantly,S. pneumoniaeand close relatives with similar morphology differ in several aspects from the model rods. Overall, the data support a model in which a single large machinery, containing both the peripheral and septal peptidoglycan synthesis complexes, assembles at midcell and governs growth and division. The mechanisms generating the ovococcal or coccal shape in lactic‐acid bacteria have likely evolved by gene reduction from a rod‐shaped ancestor of the same group.
Perpetual Strangers: Animals and the Cosmopolitan Right
Authors: Cooke Steve
Published: June 2013

In this article I propose a cosmopolitan approach to animal rights based upon Kant's right of universal hospitality. Many approaches to animal rights buttress their arguments by finding similarities between humans and non-human animals; in this way they represent or resemble ethics of partiality. In this article I propose an approach to animal rights that initially rejects similarity approaches and is instead based upon the adoption of a cosmopolitan mindset acknowledging and respecting difference. Furthermore, and in agreement with Martha Nussbaum, and Sue Donaldson and Will Kymlicka, I endorse the view that theories of animal rights need to be theories of justice and include a political component. Contra Donaldson and Kymlicka, however, I argue that the starting point for analysis of political theories of animal rights should be at the global rather than national level. Taking animals as strangers, I propose adopting a Kantian cosmopolitan mindset and ethic of universal hospitality towards them. I address how a ius cosmopoliticum that is hospitable to the interests of non-human animals can govern interactions with animals on fair terms, and I respond to concerns that cosmopolitanism cannot accommodate non-human animals because it is a democratic ideal, is grounded in logocentrism or rests upon ownership of territory by humans.
Suitability of selected autochthonous lactic acid bacteria cultures for Pecorino Sardo Dolce cheese manufacturing: influence on microbial composition, nutritional value and sensory attributes
Authors: Mangia Nicoletta P , Murgia Marco A , Garau Giovanni , Fancello Francesco , Deiana Pietrino
Published: June 2013

The use of an autochthonous starter culture made up by Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis, Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus casei in the production of experimental Pecorino Sardo Dolce PDO resulted in a high presence of presumptive mesophilic lactococci and lactobacilli, ~10 log colony‐forming units (cfu), and in significantly higher amount of total free amino acids and free fatty acids, 195.1 vs 178.9 and 328.6 vs 191.8 mg/100 g of experimental vs control cheese (made using a commercial starter) respectively. The experimental cheese also displayed better sensory properties such as taste and aftertaste.
Bank and Official Interest Rates: How Do They Interact over Time?
Authors: Lim G. C. , Tsiaplias Sarantis , Chua Chew Lian
Published: June 2013

This study implements a procedure to evaluate time‐varying bank‐interest rate adjustments over a sample period which includes changes in industry structure, market and credit conditions and varying episodes of monetary policy. The model draws attention to the pivotal role of official rates and provides estimates of a bank equilibrium policy rate. The changing sensitivity of official rates to banking conditions is identified. Results are also provided for the variation in intermediation margins and pass‐throughs as well as the interactions between lending and borrowing behaviour over the years, including behaviour before, during and after the global financial crisis. The empirical methodology is applied to the US and the Australian banking systems.
Terms of Trade Shocks: What Are They and What Do They Do?
Authors: Jääskelä Jarkko P. , Smith Penelope
Published: June 2013

This article describes and quantifies the macroeconomic effects of different types of terms of trade shocks and their propagation in the Australian economy. Three types of shocks are identified based on their impact on commodity prices, global manufactured prices and global economic activity. The first two shocks, a world demand shock and a commodity‐market‐specific shock, are fairly standard. The third shock, a globalisation shock that may result, for instance, from the increasing importance of China, India and eastern Europe in the global economy, is more novel. The globalisation shock is associated with a decline in manufactured prices, a rise in commodity prices and an increase in global economic activity.

Determining the underlying source of variation in the terms of trade is shown to be important for understanding the impact on the Australian economy as all three shocks propagate through the economy in different ways. The relative contribution of each shock to inflation, output, interest rates and the exchange rate has also varied over time. The main conclusion of the article is that a higher terms of trade tends to be expansionary but is not always inflationary. A key result is that the floating exchange rate has provided an important buffer to the external shocks that move the terms of trade.
The impact of credit scoring on consumer lending
Authors: Einav Liran , Jenkins Mark , Levin Jonathan
Published: June 2013

We study the adoption of automated credit scoring at a large auto finance company and the changes it enabled in lending practices. Credit scoring appears to have increased profits by roughly a thousand dollars per loan. We identify two distinct benefits of risk classification: the ability to screen high‐risk borrowers and the ability to target more generous loans to lower‐risk borrowers. We show that these had effects of similar magnitude. We also document that credit scoring compressed profitability across dealerships, and provide evidence consistent with the view that credit scoring may have substituted for varying qualities of local information.
Closing the circle: how ecologists can prepare their own quality control material to increase confidence in stable isotope data
Authors: Hawke David J. , Ni Xiaozheng , Cheng Chao , Shigemi Nobuko
Published: June 2013

Stable isotope analysis (SIA) is widely used in ecology but is usually performed by specialist facilities. Consequently, the reliability of SIA data depends completely on the facility's quality systems unless ecologists take steps themselves. Although widely recommended, practical advice on how to do this is lacking.

Here, we outline preparation of 150 vials of an in‐house quality control material (QCM) based on air‐dried soil as an exemplar and describe methods of data analysis applicable to any QCM matrix. Homogeneity testing of the candidate material involves duplicate analysis of 10 randomly chosen vials, a Cochran test for outliers and 1‐way anova. Given that many ecologists find SIA expensive, we propose that an ecologist preparing a soil QCM pretest for homogeneity using a simple colorimetric analysis of a soil quantity (bicarbonate‐extractable P) sensitive to inhomogeneity.

Once pretest homogeneity has been established, homogeneity under SIA can be tested. We obtained a 1‐way anova P value of 0·824 in our laboratory pretest, then 0·782 (δ13C) and 0·125 (δ15N). QCM stability should also be confirmed.

Submission of each batch of samples for SIA should be accompanied by a vial of the QCM, labelled as a normal sample. Control charting of the results then allows detection of within‐batch issues encompassing any component of the analytical process (transport to the laboratory, sample preparation and subsampling, sample analysis, results calculation and reporting) and assessment of long‐term analytical control. Any issue thus identified can form the basis of a conversation with the SIA laboratory about the affected batch of samples.
A comparison of Japanese and Australian consumers’ sensory perceptions of beef
Authors: Polkinghorne Rod J. , Nishimura Takanori , Neath Kate E. , Watson Ray
Published: June 2013

This paper presents a comparison of Japanese and Australian consumer sensory responses to beef, based on Meat Standards Australia methodology. Japanese and Australian consumers evaluated paired beef samples according to four sensory traits, and the weighted results were combined to produce a Meat Quality score (MQ4). The consumers also categorized the beef samples to one of four grades (unsatisfactory, good everyday, better than everyday and premium). The proportion of samples assigned to each grade was similar for Japanese and Australian consumers for yakiniku and shabu shabu cooking methods; however, Japanese consumers assigned lower scores to the grill samples. In terms of the MQ4 boundary scores between grades, these were very similar for both Japanese and Australian consumers across all cooking methods. In terms of the weightings for the four sensory traits, juiciness was more important for Japanese consumers than Australian for grill and shabu shabu cooking methods. Flavor had the highest weighting for both consumer groups. This study showed that a beef description system based on the MQ4 score, with some adjustments to the weightings and cut‐off values, could be useful in describing the eating quality of beef for the Japanese consumer.
Involvement of Spinal CC Chemokine Ligand 5 in the Development of Bone Cancer Pain in Rats
Authors: Hang Li‐Hua , Shao Dong‐Hua , Chen Zheng , Chen Yuan‐Feng , Shu Wei‐Wei , Zhao Zhi‐Guo
Published: June 2013

In this study, we aimed to investigate the role of spinal CC chemokine ligand 5 (CCL5) in the development of bone cancer pain (BCP). A BCP model was established by inoculation of Walker 256 cells into the intramedullary space of rat tibia. The levels of spinal CCL5 mRNA and protein expression significantly and time dependently increased in BCP rats compared with sham rats. On day 15 after inoculation, intrathecal administration of anti‐CCL5 neutralizing antibody (4 μg) significantly attenuated the established mechanical hyperalgesia in the Walker 256 cells‐injected rats, and the effect was abolished by intrathecal pre‐treatment with recombinant rat CCL5 (0.2 μg). These results suggest that the spinal CCL5 may be involved in the development of BCP. The findings of this study may provide an evidence for developing novel analgesic agents to treat BCP.
Use of rectus sheath catheters for pain relief in patients undergoing major pelvic urological surgery
Authors: Dutton Thomas J , McGrath John S. , Daugherty Mark O.
Published: June 2013

Objective

To report on the safety and efficacy of rectus sheath blocks, ‘topped‐up’ using bilateral rectus sheath catheters (RSCs), in patients undergoing major open urological surgery.

Methods

The RSCs were inserted under ultrasound guidance into 200 patients between April 2008 and August 2011, of whom 106 patients underwent radical retropubic prostatectomy (RRP) and 94 underwent open radical cystectomy (ORC).

A retrospective case‐note review was undertaken.

Outcomes included technical success and complication rates of the insertion and use of RSC, visual analogue pain scores, additional analgesia requirements and length of hospital stay (LOS).

Results

All RSCs were successfully placed without complication and used for a mean of 3.6 days for ORC and 2.1 days for RRP.

Early removal occurred in 6.49% of patients.

Low overall pain scores were reported in both groups.

Patients were more likely to require a patient‐controlled analgesia system in the ORC group but the overall need for additional analgesia was low in both groups, reducing significantly after the initial 24 h.

In combination with an enhanced recovery programme, LOS reduced from 17.0 to 10.8 days in the ORC group and from 6.2 to 2.8 days in the RRP group.

Conclusion

The use of RSCs appears to offer an effective and safe method of peri‐operative analgesia in patients undergoing major open urological pelvic surgery.
American Urological Association (AUA) Guideline on prostate cancer detection: process and rationale
Authors: Carter H. Ballentine
Published: June 2013

To review the process and rationale for the American Urological Association (AUA) guideline on prostate cancer detection. The AUA guideline on detection of prostate cancer involved a systematic literature review of >300 studies that evaluated outcomes important to patients (prostate cancer, incidence/mortality, health‐related quality of life, diagnostic accuracy and harms of testing). A multidisciplinary panel interpreted the evidence and formulated statements to assist the urologist and the asymptomatic average‐risk man in decision‐making about prostate cancer detection. Other than prostate‐specific antigen (PSA)‐based prostate cancer screening, there was no evidence to address the outcomes of interest to patients. The strongest evidence that benefits may outweigh harms was in men aged 55–69 years undergoing PSA‐based screening. This led the panel to recommend shared decision‐making for these men at average risk, but recommend against routine screening for other age groups at average risk. Further, to reduce the harms associated with screening (false positive tests, over diagnosis, over treatment), the panel recommended against annual screening for those who choose to be screened. A panel under the auspices of the AUA recommended shared decision‐making for the average risk asymptomatic man aged 55–69 years considering PSA‐based screening for prostate cancer detection.
Testing the difficulty theory of the SON‐R –17, a non‐verbal test of intelligence
Authors: Geerlings Hanneke , Laros Jacob A. , Tellegen Peter J. , Glas Cees A. W.
Published: June 2013

Fischer's (1973) linear logistic test model can be used to test hypotheses regarding the effect of covariates on item difficulty and to predict the difficulty of newly constructed test items. However, its assumptions of equal discriminatory power across items and a perfect prediction of item difficulty are never absolutely met. The amount of misfit in an application of a Bayesian version of the model to two subtests of the SON‐R–17 is investigated by means of item fit statistics in the framework of posterior predictive checks and by means of a comparison with a model that allows for residual (co)variance in the item parameters. The effect of the degree of residual (co)variance on the robustness of inferences is investigated in a simulation study.