bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Regulated release of cryptococcal polysaccharide drives virulence and suppresses immune cell infiltration into the central nervous system
Authors: Denham Steven T. , Verma Surbhi , Reynolds Raymond C. , Worne Colleen L. , Daugherty Joshua M. , Lane Thomas E. , Brown Jessica C. S. 
Published: September 2017

AbstractCryptococcus neoformansis a common environmental yeast and opportunistic pathogen responsible for 15% of AIDS-related deaths worldwide. Mortality primarily results from meningoencephalitis, which occurs when fungal cells disseminate from the initial pulmonary infection site and spread to the brain. A keyC. neoformansvirulence trait is the polysaccharide capsule. Capsule shields C. neoformans from immune-mediated recognition and destruction. The main capsule component, glucuronoxylomannan (GXM), is found both attached to the cell surface and free in the extracellular space (as exo-GXM). Exo-GXM accumulates in patient serum and cerebrospinal fluid at μg/mL concentrations, has well-documented immunosuppressive properties, and correlates with poor patient outcomes. However, it is poorly understood whether exo-GXM release is regulated or the result of shedding during normal capsule turnover. We demonstrate that exo-GXM release is regulated by environmental cues and inversely correlates with surface capsule levels. We identified genes specifically involved in exo-GXM release that do not alter surface capsule thickness. The first mutant,liv7∆, released less GXM than wild-type cells when capsule is not induced. The second mutant,cnag_00658∆, released more exo-GXM under capsule-inducing conditions. Exo-GXM release observedin vitrocorrelated with polystyrene adherence, virulence, and fungal burden during murine infection. Additionally, we find that exo-GXM reduces cell size and capsule thickness in capsule-inducing conditions, potentially influencing dissemination. Finally, we demonstrated that exo-GXM prevents immune cell infiltration into the brain during disseminated infection and highly inflammatory intracranial infection. Our data suggest that exo-GXM performs a different role from capsule GXM during infection, altering cell size and suppressing inflammation.ImportanceCryptococcus neoformansis a leading cause of life-threatening meningoencephalitis in humans.C. neoformanscells produce an immunosuppressive polysaccharide, glucuronoxylomannan (GXM), that is the main component of a protective surface capsule. GXM is also released free into extracellular space as exo-GXM, although the distinction between cell-attached GXM and exo-GXM has been unclear. Exo-GXM influences the outcome of infection, is the basis for current diagnostic tools, and has potential therapeutic applications. This study increases our basic understanding of the fungal biology that regulates polysaccharide release, suggesting that the release of cell-attached GXM and exo-GXM are distinctly regulated. We also introduce a new concept that exo-GXM may alter cell body and capsule size, thereby influencing dissemination in the host. Finally, we provide experimental evidence to confirm clinical observations that exo-GXM influences inflammation during brain infection.
Estimates of vital rates and predictions of population dynamics change along a long-term monitoring program
Authors: Vincenzi Simone , Jesensek Dusan , Crivelli Alain J. 
Published: September 2017

AbstractDespite the widespread recognition of the importance of monitoring, only a few studies have investigated how estimates of vital rates and predictions of population dynamics change with additional data collected along the monitoring program. We investigate how using the same models estimates of survival, individual growth, along with predictions about future population size change with additional years of monitoring and data collected, using as a model system freshwater populations of marble (Salmo marmoratus), rainbow (Oncorhynchus mykiss), and brown trout (Salmo truttaL.) living in Western Slovenian streams. Fish were sampled twice a year between 2004 and 2015. We found that in 3 out of 4 populations, a few years of data (3 or 4 sampling occasions, between 300 and 500 tagged individuals for survival, 100 to 200 for growth) provided the same estimates of average survival and growth as those obtained with data from more than 15 sampling occasions, while the estimation of the range of survival required more sampling occasions (up to 22 for marble trout), with little reduction of uncertainty around the point estimates. Predictions of mean density and variation in density over time did not change with more data collected after the first 5 years (i.e., 10 sampling occasions) and overall were within 10% of the observed mean and variation in density over the whole monitoring program.
De novo long-read assembly of a complex animal genome
Authors: Eccles David , Chandler Jodie , Camberis Mali , Henrissat Benard , Koren Sergey , Le Gros Graham , Ewbank Jonathan J. 
Published: September 2017

AbstractEukaryotic genome assembly remains a challenge in part because of the prevalence of complex DNA repeats. This is a particularly acute problem for holocentric nematodes because of the large number of satellite DNA sequences found throughout their genomes. These have been recalcitrant to most genome sequencing methods. At the same time, many nematodes are parasites and some represent a serious threat to human health. There is a pressing need for better molecular characterization of animal and plant parasitic nematodes. The advent of long-read DNA sequencing methods offers the promise of resolving complex genomes. Using Nippostrongylus brasiliensis as a test case, applying improved base-calling algorithms and assembly methods, we demonstrate the feasibility of de novo genome assembly matching current community standards using only MinION long reads. In doing so, we uncovered an unexpected diversity of very long and complex DNA repeat sequences, including massive tandem repeats of tRNA genes. The method has the added advantage of preserving haplotypic variants and so has the potential to be used in population analyses.
An exploratory study into organizational repatriates’ emotional support network
Authors: Van Gorp Lore , Boroş Smaranda , Bracke Piet , Stevens Peter A.J. 
Published: September 2017

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine how repatriates’ emotional support network affects their experience of re-entry.

Design/methodology/approach
This inductive, qualitative study is based on 27 semi-structured, in-depth interviews with Belgian organizational repatriates.

Findings
The analyses suggest that expatriation empathy is a key attribute of organizational repatriates’ main emotional support providers. In addition, the results show that although partners are a main source of emotional support on re-entry, they are also important potential causes of distress. Lastly, the results suggest that the cultural diversity of a repatriate’s emotional support network is linked with characteristics of the assignment and that it affects the experience of repatriation.

Research limitations/implications
The results provide empirical evidence that the expatriation empathy of repatriates’ support providers is a more informative characteristic to consider compared with whether they have personal experience of expatriation. In addition, the results suggest that research should also take into account the negative side of social support, and, for example, consider the influence of crossover distress of partners who experience relocation difficulties themselves.

Practical implications
This study points to the possible benefits of organizing social activities or training for repatriates and their partner and any children, as well as the advantages of encouraging expatriates to invite home-country friends to visit.

Originality/value
Although most scholars agree on the importance of support for expatriates’ well-being, the sources of relevant emotional support have received little research attention so far, as has how this influences the repatriation experience.
How to keep teachers healthy and growing: the influence of job demands and resources
Authors: Evers Arnoud T. , Yamkovenko Bogdan , Van Amersfoort Daniël 
Published: September 2017

Purpose
Education depends on high-quality teachers who are committed to professional development and do not get burned out. The purpose of this paper was to investigate how job demands and resources can affect the health and cognitive development of teachers using the Demand-Induced Strain Compensation model.

Design/methodology/approach
A cross-sectional sample of 120 teachers in vocational education was used to investigate the proposed relationships and hypotheses with Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression method.

Findings
In terms of teacher health and development, significant main effects were found for several predictors. Autonomy was significantly and negatively related to emotional exhaustion. Autonomy, emotional supervisor and colleague support were significantly and positively related to teachers’ development. However, little support was found for matching hypotheses, suggesting that matching demands and resources do not offer more explanatory power for occupation outcomes than other types of interaction effects.

Research limitations/implications
More powerful analyses techniques like structural equation modeling could be used in future research with a larger sample size. A second limitation is common method variance.

Practical implications
Schools in vocational education should provide sufficient job resources, such as autonomy and emotional support, but possibly also put a limit on teacher task variety.

Originality/value
Job demands and resources have until now mainly been related to negative outcomes such as poor health and ill-being, while the relationship with learning has also been hypothesized and is therefore meaningful to examine. In addition, it was investigated whether interaction effects of matching demands and resources, better explain these outcomes.
Kinetics of NH3‐oxidation, NO‐turnover, N2O‐production and electron flow during oxygen depletion in model bacterial and archaeal ammonia oxidisers
Authors: Hink Linda , Lycus Pawel , Gubry‐Rangin Cécile , Frostegård Åsa , Nicol Graeme W. , Prosser James I. , Bakken Lars R. 
Published: September 2017

SummaryAmmonia oxidising bacteria (AOB) are thought to emit more nitrous oxide (N2O) than ammonia oxidising archaea (AOA), due to their higher N2O yield under oxic conditions and denitrification in response to oxygen (O2) limitation. We determined the kinetics of growth and turnover of nitric oxide (NO) and N2O at low cell densities of Nitrosomonas europaea (AOB) and Nitrosopumilus maritimus (AOA) during gradual depletion of TAN (NH3 + ) and O2. Half‐saturation constants for O2 and TAN were similar to those determined by others, except for the half‐saturation constant for ammonium in N. maritimus (0.2 mM), which is orders of magnitudes higher than previously reported. For both strains, cell‐specific rates of NO turnover and N2O production reached maxima near O2 half‐saturation constant concentration (2–10 μM O2) and decreased to zero in response to complete O2‐depletion. Modelling of the electron flow in N. europaea demonstrated low electron flow to denitrification (≤1.2% of the total electron flow), even at sub‐micromolar O2 concentrations. The results corroborate current understanding of the role of NO in the metabolism of AOA and suggest that denitrification is inconsequential for the energy metabolism of AOB, but possibly important as a route for dissipation of electrons at high ammonium concentration.
Transcriptome and proteome dynamics in chemostat culture reveal how Campylobacter jejuni modulates metabolism, stress responses and virulence factors upon changes in oxygen availability
Authors: Guccione Edward J. , Kendall John J. , Hitchcock Andrew , Garg Nitanshu , White Michael A. , Mulholland Francis , Poole Robert K. , Kelly David J. 
Published: September 2017

SummaryCampylobacter jejuni, the most frequent cause of food‐borne bacterial gastroenteritis worldwide, is a microaerophile that has to survive high environmental oxygen tensions, adapt to oxygen limitation in the intestine and resist host oxidative attack. Here, oxygen‐dependent changes in C. jejuni physiology were studied at constant growth rate using carbon (serine)‐limited continuous chemostat cultures. We show that a perceived aerobiosis scale can be calibrated by the acetate excretion flux, which becomes zero when metabolism is fully aerobic (100% aerobiosis). Transcriptome changes in a downshift experiment from 150% to 40% aerobiosis revealed many novel oxygen‐regulated genes and highlighted re‐modelling of the electron transport chains. A label‐free proteomic analysis showed that at 40% aerobiosis, many proteins involved in host colonisation (e.g., PorA, CadF, FlpA, CjkT) became more abundant. PorA abundance increased steeply below 100% aerobiosis. In contrast, several citric‐acid cycle enzymes, the peptide transporter CstA, PEB1 aspartate/glutamate transporter, LutABC lactate dehydrogenase and PutA proline dehydrogenase became more abundant with increasing aerobiosis. We also observed a co‐ordinated response of oxidative stress protection enzymes and Fe‐S cluster biogenesis proteins above 100% aerobiosis. Our approaches reveal key virulence factors that respond to restricted oxygen availability and specific transporters and catabolic pathways activated with increasing aerobiosis.
Examining the Use of Corporate Governance Mechanisms in Public–Private Partnerships: Why Do They Not Deliver Public Accountability?
Authors: Stafford Anne , Stapleton Pamela 
Published: September 2017

AbstractThe paper examines corporate governance mechanisms which aim to ensure financial accountability in the context of long‐term Public–Private Partnership (PPP) contracts in Britain, and assesses the degree to which they provide taxpayers with control and accountability. The corporate governance arrangements are drawn from the private sector, and therefore downplay the traditional concepts of probity and stewardship, in part due to the British Treasury's adoption of private sector financial reporting. The paper draws on Shaoul et al.’s (2012a) governance‐based reporting framework to critique the corporate governance mechanisms of structure, financial reporting, contracts, and scrutiny in relation to British PPP projects. It shows that the way these mechanisms are set up means there is a lack of control by the public sector, thus rendering public accountability ineffective.
After the Ribbon Cutting: Governing PPPs in the Medium to Long Term*
Authors: Hodge Graeme , Boulot Emille , Duffield Colin , Greve Carsten 
Published: September 2017

AbstractMuch attention has gone towards ‘up‐front’ processes when delivering infrastructure public–private partnerships (PPPs), but less on how to best govern after the ribbon is cut and the infrastructure built. This paper identifies the primary contractual and institutional governance challenges arising in the medium to long term of PPP concession contracts and explores these governance challenges through interviews with high‐level PPP industry insiders. The paper presents new findings on the importance of good public administration for successful PPP operation, and on the interesting evolution of medium‐ to long‐term governance arrangements. It finds that although industry interviewees agreed PPP governance had improved significantly, they had differing views on how capable Australian states were in governing PPP and how well this task was being undertaken. They were also split on the adequacy of transparency; half feeling satisfied with the current contractual arrangements, and the other half favouring greater transparency, because commercial confidentiality had alienated the public.
Choose Your Own Adventure: Finding a Suitable Discount Rate for Evaluating Value for Money in Public–Private Partnership Proposals*
Authors: Zwalf Sebastian , Hodge Graeme , Alam Quamrul 
Published: September 2017

AbstractThe public sector comparator (PSC) is the key test for determining value for money in public–private partnership (PPP) proposals. Central to the use of the PSC is the discount rate adopted to develop a net present cost for the comparison of privately financed versus traditional delivery options. Several major theories exist informing what the discount rate should be; however, scholarly debate has been inconclusive about which theory is most suitable. This paper considers the two major discount rate theories and examines the discount rate policy applied in eight jurisdictions giving consideration to the rate applied and the theoretical basis on which discount rate policy is developed. It finds that the majority of jurisdictions rely on a variable project specific discount rate formula; a prescribed number is rare; most jurisdictions depart from the major theoretical schools and no two jurisdictions have the same approach; further, that a very wide range of discount rates are in use, ranging from 3.94% (nominal) to 10.15% (nominal) being observed.
The East West Link PPP Project's Failure to Launch: When One Crash‐Through Approach is Not Enough*
Authors: De Martinis Michael , Moyan Leslie 
Published: September 2017

AbstractThe East West Link (EWL) project was to have been a $22.8 billion public–private partnership (PPP) to construct and manage an 18 kilometre road linking freeways east and west of Melbourne. Contracts were signed before and terminated after a state election by different governments. These actions are examples of government control over traditional governance conventions and operational outcomes, also referred to as the ‘crash‐through’ approach. This long‐term infrastructure PPP project enabled the first government to crash‐through its infrastructure plans. However, the newly elected government argued that a new democratic mandate was more important than commercial contract continuation. This option came with a significant cost in excess of $1.1 billion. The project's failure to launch is examined via key events and controversies, and fulfilment of 13 PPP requirements. None were fulfilled, including the proper choice of a PPP as the procurement method and the delivery of value for money. Lessons learnt include the risk of suboptimal PPP outcomes when substandard and rushed state advice is used for decision making. We consider Victoria's Auditor‐General's new ‘follow‐the‐money’ powers and the recently established Infrastructure Victoria in addressing PPP legitimacy.
Public‐Private Partnerships: The Way They Were and What They Can Become
Authors: Hodge Graeme , Greve Carsten , Boardman Anthony 
Published: September 2017

AbstractInfrastructure PPPs are now main‐stream. Both partnership language and its contractual forms have evolved over the past few decades, though. Compared to early optimistic promises, we now have a more nuanced and balanced view of what PPPs are and what they can achieve. Indeed, modern PPPs are tied more to seeking economic growth and political success rather than demonstrating ‘one‐best‐way’ to deliver efficient infrastructure. This article traces where the infrastructure PPP idea has come from and what it is now becoming. It takes a global perspective and places Australian and international experience in this context, particularly through the global financial crisis. It concludes that PPP can become an integrated part of infrastructure development around the world, assuming learning occurs from past experience. It presents several lessons on deepening partnerships; on the multiplicity of the PPP ‘model’ and its ingredients; on policy learning and on governing infrastructure in the medium term. And it also concludes that not only does the PPP brand today still offer manifold possibilities, even more public policy experimentation is currently warranted.
Nutritional and Nutraceutical Properties of Triticum dicoccum Wheat and Its Health Benefits: An Overview
Authors: Dhanavath Srinu , Prasada Rao U.J.S. 
Published: September 2017

AbstractTriticum dicoccum wheat is one of the ancient wheat species and is gaining popularity due to its suggested health benefits as well as its suitability for organic farming. In some parts of the world, certain traditional foods prepared with dicoccum wheat are preferred due to their better taste, texture, and flavor. It is rich in bioactive compounds and its starch has been reported to have slow digestibility. However, content and composition of bioactive compounds is reported to vary depending on the geographical location, seasonal variations, varieties used, and the analytical methods followed. Therefore, in the present study, we report the food uses, digestibility of starch, nutritional and nutraceutical compositions of dicoccum wheat grown in different parts of the world, and also its health benefits in ameliorating diabetes and celiac disease.
A Randomized, Controlled Trial Evaluating Polydextrose as a Fiber in a Wet and Dry Matrix on Glycemic Control
Authors: Rahman Sajida , Zhao Anqi , Xiao Di , Park Eunyoung , Edirisinghe Indika , Burton‐Freeman Britt M. 
Published: September 2017

AbstractFunctional fibers can help Americans increase their fiber intake by incorporating extracted or synthesized fibers into food products. The United States Food and Drug Administration has recently proposed that “added” fibers must demonstrate a physiological health benefit, such as glucose control, to be included on the Nutrition Facts label as a dietary fiber. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of polydextrose (PDX), a water‐soluble glucose polymer resistant to mammalian digestion, on postprandial glucose concentrations when added to relatively high moisture (beverage) versus low moisture (bar) food products. The study was designed as 2 parts with each being controlled, randomized, singe‐blinded, cross‐over trials. A total of 34 and 19 healthy subjects were asked to consume PDX in a beverage and bar, respectively. PDX was investigated at 0, 8, 12, and 16 g in the beverage and 0 and 12 g in the bar. Blood samples were collected before beverage/bar consumption and for 3 h thereafter to evaluate changes in plasma glucose and insulin concentrations. The 12 g PDX condition had significant impact on both outcomes as glucose was significantly increased in both matrices (P > 0.05) and insulin was increased in bar form only (P > 0.05). PDX was well tolerated at all dosages and matrices investigated. PDX did not lower postprandial glucose or insulin in either matrix at the doses provided; therefore, data do not support reporting PDX as a dietary fiber on the Nutrition Facts label under the current proposed rule using glycemic control as the endpoint for physiological benefit.