bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Atomic force microscopy visualizes mobility of photosynthetic proteins in grana thylakoid membranes
Authors: Onoa Bibiana , Fukuda Shingo , Iwai Masakazu , Bustamante Carlos , Niyogi Krishna K. 
Published: September 2018

ABSTRACTThylakoid membranes in chloroplasts contain photosynthetic protein complexes that convert light energy into chemical energy. Photosynthetic protein complexes are considered to undergo structural reorganization to maintain the efficiency of photochemical reactions. A detailed description of the mobility of photosynthetic complexes in real-time is necessary to understand how macromolecular organization of the membrane is altered by environmental fluctuations. Here, we used high-speed atomic force microscopy to visualize and characterize the in situ mobility of individual protein complexes in grana thylakoid membranes isolated from Spinacia oleracea. Our observations reveal that these membranes can harbor complexes with at least two distinctive classes of mobility. A large fraction of grana membranes contained proteins with quasi-static mobility, exhibiting molecular displacements smaller than 10 nm2. In the remaining fraction, the protein mobility is variable with molecular displacements of up to 100 nm2. This visualization at high-spatiotemporal resolution enabled us to estimate an average diffusion coefficient of ∼1 nm2 s-1. Interestingly, both confined and Brownian diffusion models could describe the protein mobility of the second group of membranes. We also provide the first direct evidence of rotational diffusion of photosynthetic complexes. The rotational diffusion of photosynthetic complexes could be an adaptive response to the high protein density in the membrane to guarantee the efficiency of electron transfer reactions. This characterization of the mobility of individual photosynthetic complexes in grana membranes establishes a foundation that could be adapted to study the dynamics of the complexes inside the intact and photosynthetically functional thylakoid membranes to be able to understand its structural responses to diverse environmental fluctuations.STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCEWe characterized the dynamics of individual photosynthetic protein complexes in grana thylakoid membranes from Spinacia oleracea by high-speed atomic microscopy (HS-AFM). Direct visualization at high spatiotemporal resolution unveils that the mobility of photosynthetic proteins is heterogeneous but governed by the confinement effect imposed by the high protein density in the thylakoid membrane. The photosynthetic complexes display rotational diffusion, which might be a consequence of the crowded environment in the membrane and a mechanism to sustain an efficient electron transfer chain.
Connecting surveillance and population-level influenza incidence
Authors: Cope Robert C. , Ross Joshua V. , Chilver Monique , Stocks Nigel P. , Mitchell Lewis 
Published: September 2018

AbstractThere is substantial interest in estimating and forecasting influenza incidence. Surveillance of influenza is challenging as one needs to demarcate influenza from other respiratory viruses, and due to asymptomatic infections. To circumvent these challenges, surveillance data often targets influenza-like-illness, or uses context-specific normalisations such as test positivity or per-consultation rates. Specifically, influenza incidence itself is not reported. We propose a framework to estimate population-level influenza incidence, and its associated uncertainty, using surveillance data and hierarchical observation processes. This new framework, and forecasting and forecast assessment methods, are demonstrated for three Australian states over 2016 and 2017. The framework allows for comparison within and between seasons in which surveillance effort has varied. Implementing this framework would improve influenza surveillance and forecasting globally, and could be applied to other diseases for which surveillance is difficult.
An Empirical Demonstration of Unsupervised Machine Learning in Species Delimitation
Authors: Derkarabetian Shahan , Castillo Stephanie , Koo Peter K. , Ovchinnikov Sergey , Hedin Marshal 
Published: September 2018

AbstractOne major challenge to delimiting species with genetic data is successfully differentiating species divergences from population structure, with some current methods biased towards overestimating species numbers. Many fields of science are now utilizing machine learning (ML) approaches, and in systematics and evolutionary biology, supervised ML algorithms have recently been incorporated to infer species boundaries. However, these methods require the creation of training data with associated labels. Unsupervised ML, on the other hand, uses the inherent structure in data and hence does not require any user-specified training labels, thus providing a more objective approach to species delimitation. In the context of integrative taxonomy, we demonstrate the utility of three unsupervised ML approaches, specifically random forests, variational autoencoders, and t-distributed stochastic neighbor embedding, for species delimitation utilizing a short-range endemic harvestman taxon (Laniatores,Metanonychus). First, we combine mitochondrial data with examination of male genitalic morphology to identify a priori species hypotheses. Then we use single nucleotide polymorphism data derived from sequence capture of ultraconserved elements (UCEs) to test the efficacy of unsupervised ML algorithms in successfully identifying a priori species, comparing results to commonly used genetic approaches. Finally, we use two validation methods to assess a priori species hypotheses using UCE data. We find that unsupervised ML approaches successfully cluster samples according to species level divergences and not to high levels of population structure, while standard model-based validation methods over-split species, in some instances suggesting that all sampled individuals are distinct species. Moreover, unsupervised ML approaches offer the benefits of better data visualization in two-dimensional space and the ability to accommodate various data types. We argue that ML methods may be better suited for species delimitation relative to currently used model-based validation methods, and that species delimitation in a truly integrative framework provides more robust final species hypotheses relative to separating delimitation into distinct “discovery” and “validation” phases. Unsupervised ML is a powerful analytical approach that can be incorporated into many aspects of systematic biology, including species delimitation. Based on results of our empirical dataset, we make several taxonomic changes including description of a new species.
Integrin alpha11 is an Osteolectin receptor and is required for the maintenance of adult skeletal bone mass
Authors: Shen Bo , Vardy Kristy , Hughes Payton , Tasdogan Alpaslan , Zhao Zhiyu , Crane Genevieve , Morrison Sean J. 
Published: September 2018

AbstractWe previously discovered a new osteogenic growth factor that is required to maintain adult skeletal bone mass, Osteolectin/Clec11a. Osteolectin acts on Leptin Receptor+(LepR+) skeletal stem cells and other osteogenic progenitors in bone marrow to promote their differentiation into osteoblasts. Here we identity a receptor for Osteolectin, α11 integrin, which is expressed by LepR+cells and osteoblasts. α11β1 integrin binds Osteolectin with nanomolar affinity and is required for the osteogenic response to Osteolectin. Deletion ofItga11(which encodes α11) from mouse and human bone marrow stromal cells impaired osteogenic differentiation and blocked their response to Osteolectin. LikeOsteolectindeficient mice,Lepr-cre;Itga11fl/flmice appeared grossly normal but exhibited reduced osteogenesis and accelerated bone loss during aging. Osteolectin binding to α11β1 promoted Wnt pathway activation, which was necessary for the osteogenic response to Osteolectin. This reveals a new mechanism for maintenance of adult bone mass: Wnt pathway activation by Osteolectin/α11β1 signaling.
Trained-feature specific offline learning in an orientation detection task
Authors: Tamaki Masako , Wang Zhiyan , Watanabe Takeo , Sasaki Yuka 
Published: September 2018

AbstractIt has been suggested that sleep provides additional enhancement of visual perceptual learning (VPL) acquired before sleep, termed offline performance gains. A majority of the studies that found offline performance gains of VPL used discrimination tasks including the texture discrimination task (TDT). This makes it questionable whether offline performance gains on VPL are generalized to other visual tasks. The present study examined whether a Gabor orientation detection task, which is a standard task in VPL, shows offline performance gains. In Experiment 1, we investigated whether sleep leads to offline performance gains on the task. Subjects were trained with the Gabor orientation detection task, and re-tested it after a 12-hr interval that included either nightly sleep or only wakefulness. We found that performance on the task improved to a significantly greater degree after the interval that included sleep and wakefulness than the interval including wakefulness alone. In addition, offline performance gains were specific to the trained orientation. In Experiment 2, we tested whether offline performance gains occur by a nap. Also, we tested whether spontaneous sigma activity in early visual areas during non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep, previously implicated in offline performance gains of TDT, was associated with offline performance gains of the task. A different group of subjects had a nap with polysomnography. The subjects were trained with the task before the nap and re-tested after the nap. The performance of the task improved significantly after the nap only on the trained orientation. Sigma activity in the trained region of early visual areas during NREM sleep was significantly larger than in the untrained region, in correlation with offline performance gains. These aspects were also found with VPL of TDT. The results of the present study demonstrate that offline performance gains are not specific to a discrimination task such as TDT, and can be generalized to other forms of VPL tasks, along with trained-feature specificity. Moreover, the present results also suggest that sigma activity in the trained region of early visual areas plays an important role in offline performance gains of VPL of detection as well as discrimination tasks.
Age-dependent visualization of neural progenitor cells within the rostral migratory stream via MRI and endogenously labeled micron-sized iron oxide particles
Authors: Shuboni-Mulligan Dorela D. , Chakravarty Shatadru , Mallett Christiane L. , Wolf Alexander M. , Forton Stacey , Shapiro Erik M. 
Published: September 2018

AbstractThe subventricular zone (SVZ) is one of the primary sources for rodent neural progenitor cells (NPC), however, aging greatly impacts the substructure of the region and rate of new cell birth. To determine if age impacts the rate of in vivo migration within animals, we examined the rostral migratory stream (RMS) of animals across 12 days using an established MRI technique. To visualize NPCs, we injected micron sized particles of iron oxide (MPIO) into the lateral ventricle to endogenously label cells within the SVZ, which then appeared as hypo-intensive spots within MR images. Our in vivo MRI data showed that the rate of migration was significantly different between all ages examined, with decreases in the distance traveled as age progressed. The total number of iron oxide labeled cells within the olfactory bulb on day 12, decrease significantly when compared across ages in ex vivo high-resolution scans. We also, for the first time, demonstrated the endogenous labeling of cells within the dentate gyrus (DG) of hippocampus. Here too, there was a significant decrease in the number of labeled cells within the structure across age. Histology of the NPCs verified the decrease in labeling of cells with doublecortin (DCX) as age progressed for both regions. The dramatic reduction of labeling in NPCs within the SVZ and DG observed with MRI, demonstrates the importance of understanding the impact of age on the relationship of NPC and disease.
Optimal control of acute myeloid leukaemia
Authors: Sharp Jesse A , Browning Alexander P , Mapder Tarunendu , Burrage Kevin , Simpson Matthew J 
Published: September 2018

AbstractAcute myeloid leukaemia (AML) is a blood cancer affecting haematopoietic stem cells. AML is routinely treated with chemotherapy, and so it is of great interest to develop optimal chemotherapy treatment strategies. In this work, we incorporate an immune response into a stem cell model of AML, since we find that previous models lacking an immune response are inappropriate for deriving optimal control strategies. Using optimal control theory, we produce continuous controls and bang-bang controls, corresponding to a range of objectives and parameter choices. Through example calculations, we provide a practical approach to applying optimal control using Pontryagin’s Maximum Principle. In particular, we describe and explore factors that have a profound influence on numerical convergence. We find that the convergence behaviour is sensitive to the method of control updating, the nature of the control, and to the relative weighting of terms in the objective function. All codes we use to implement optimal control are made available.
The buoyant cell density ofCryptococcus neoformansis affected by capsule size
Authors: Vij Raghav , Cordero Radames J.B. , Casadevall Arturo 
Published: September 2018

AbstractCryptococcus neoformansis an environmental pathogenic fungus with a worldwide geographical distribution that is responsible for hundreds of thousands human cryptococcosis cases each year. During infection, the yeast undergoes a morphological transformation involving capsular enlargement that increases microbial volume. To understand the factors that play a role in environmental dispersal ofC. neoformansandC. gatiiwe evaluated the buoyant cell density ofCryptococcususing Percoll isopycnic gradients. We found differences in the buoyant cell density of strains belonging toC. neoformansandC. gattispecies complexes. The buoyant cell density ofC. neoformansstrains varied depending on growth medium conditions. In minimal medium, the cryptococcal capsule made a major contribution to the buoyant cell density such that cells with larger capsules had lower density than those with smaller capsules. Removing the capsule, both by chemical or mechanical methods, decreased theC. neoformanscell density. Melanization of theC. neoformanscell wall, which also contributes to virulence, produced a small but consistent increase in cell density.C. neoformanssedimented much slower in seawater as its density approached the density of water. Our results suggest a new function for the capsule whereby it can function as a flotation device to facilitate transport and dispersion in aqueous fluids.
Workplace discipline for an employee’s resilience at Indian bank
Authors: Singh Lata Bajpai , Singh Anita 
Published: September 2018

Subject area
Human resource management, Employee relations, Strategic human resource management.

Study level/applicability
The given case study is to be used by graduate and post-graduate students of Management in the courses of Human Resource Management & Employee Relations. The case may also be used for the discussions on the concepts such as discipline, disciplinary enquiry, grievance settlement procedure, workplace counseling and strategic human resource management.

Case overview
The given case study is hypothetical in nature and meant for academic purpose and classroom teaching. In the given case study, the authors present a grievance settlement mechanism of a banking sector organization. The case study is about a grievance and its settlement of a sales executive in the branch office through the involvement of other senior officials at the workplace. The case study is useful to understand the significance of disciplinary issues, grievance settlement and domestic enquiry and counseling at the workplace.

Expected learning outcomes
The learning objective of the case is to make students understand the significance and various aspects of employee relations at the workplace. It aims at making students familiar with the requirement of discipline, focus on grievance settlement procedure and conducting disciplinary inquiry. The case study further has purpose to make students learn about the importance of counseling and be familiar with steps in counseling for handling real-life situations in their career.

Supplementary materials
Teaching notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes.

Subject code
CSS 6: Human Resource Management.
Two-phase analysis of interface level fluctuation in continuous casting mold with electromagnetic stirring
Authors: Maurya Ambrish , Jha Pradeep Kumar 
Published: September 2018

Purpose
This investigation aims to analyze the steel-flux interface level fluctuation because of electromagnetic stirring and its process parameters in a continuous casting billet mold.

Design/methodology/approach
An un-coupled numerical model for electromagnetic field generation and a coupled numerical model of electromagnetic field and two-phase fluid flow have been developed. The two-phase fluid flow has been modeled using volume of fluid method, in which externally generated time-varying electromagnetic field is coupled and analyzed using magnetohydrodynamic method. Top surface standing wave stability criteria are used to study the criticality of interface stability.

Findings
Results show that application electromagnetic field for stirring increases the interface level fluctuation, specifically at the mold corners and near the submerged entry nozzle. The increase in current intensity and stirrer width barely affect the interface level. However, interface level fluctuation increases considerably with increase in frequency. Using stability criteria, it is found that at 20 Hz frequency, the ratio of height to wavelength of interface wave increases much above the critical value. The iso-surface of the interface level shows that at 20 Hz frequency, mold flux gets entrapped into the liquid steel.

Practical implications
The model may be used during optimization of in-mold electromagnetic stirrer to avoid mold flux entrapment and control the cast quality.

Originality/value
The study of mold level fluctuation in the presence of in-mold electromagnetic stirrer has rarely been reported. The criticality of stirrer process parameters on level fluctuation has not been yet reported. This study lacks in experimental validation; however, the findings will be much useful for the steelmakers to reduce the casting defects.
Labor relations and new generation employees
Authors: Xiong Wei , Wang Tao 
Published: September 2018

PurposeFeelings about conflict in labor relations are determined by both the objective conditions surrounding the dimension of labor relations and their subjective evaluation. This study aims to examine features of the subjective evaluation factors in labor relations for new generation employees born in the post-1980s, transitional China, and to explore the conflict reduction strategies in labor relations.Design/methodology/approachThis study designed items and a scale to measure employees’ subjective evaluation bias regarding labor relations, and conducted a survey of 1,500 employees in 80 Chinese enterprises. It conducted a principal components analysis of the subjective evaluation biases, and a covariance analysis to explore differences in the common factors between employees of two generations. Comparing the subjective bias with the objective status of labor relations, as well as with employers’ expectations, this study analyzed the feelings toward conflict and conflict management strategies.FindingsThere are eight common factors in the subjective evaluation bias toward labor relations, four of which show significant differences between employees of two generations. Employers should study these differences, and apply conflict reduction measures to manage labor relations.Originality/valueThis is one of the first studies to propose the concept of a subjective evaluation bias regarding labor relations, and examine the common factors and features among new generation employees. It establishes a model for feelings toward conflict through four combinations of the subjective preferences and objective status dimensions. This study offers new insights for reducing workplace conflict.
Use of internet as health information resource by community pharmacists in Nigeria
Authors: Anasi Stella Ngozi , Lawal Folasade Olufunke , Paul-Ozieh Abiola 
Published: September 2018

Purpose
The internet has become one of the most commonly used sources for medical and health information. Research that explored the extent to which Nigerian community pharmacists use internet resources for patient care is limited. This study aims to examine the extent to which community pharmacists use the internet for professional practice.

Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected using a questionnaire which was completed by 115 community pharmacists using convenience sampling technique. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for data analysis.

Findings
The results revealed that community pharmacists use a variety of online resources, although only about 25 per cent or less use each of the online resources. The critical challenges that hinder their use of the internet were inadequate power supply, lack of funds to procure personal internet facilities, among others. There is significant relative contribution of demographic variables (gender, age, educational qualification and number of years in professional practice) on frequency of internet use among community pharmacists.

Practical implications
The Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN), Lagos Chapter, should organize continuing professional education for their members to expose them to online resources and emerging trends in professional practice. The community pharmacist should also address the problem of inadequate communication with patients by stepping up communication with the patients about their drug therapy not only through the conventional media but also through internet facilities such as email, WhatsApp and so on.

Originality/value
This study examined the extent to which community pharmacists use the internet for professional activities. This study also empirically investigated the significant relative contribution of demographic variables (gender, age, educational qualification and number of years in professional practice) on the frequency of internet use among community pharmacists.