bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Articulating value and impact through outcome-centered service delivery
Authors: Grieves Kay , Pritchard Oliver 
Published: December 2017

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to share the ways in which student and learning support at the University of Sunderland has embedded and matured a new outcome-centered performance model – the Quality Model – in order to create an agile evidence-base of value, outcome and impact evidence. The authors will also share how, having established the fundamental principles regarding value and impact capture in our library setting, the concepts and approaches have also been developed and applied successfully within the context of multi-converged service delivery across the wider student and learning support service, using the AMOSSHE Value and Impact Toolkit.

Design/methodology/approach
The authors’ approach will be illustrated with two case studies, the first focusing on the university library services and the second on the student counseling service.

Findings
The findings will reveal that by establishing an outcome-focused model, the authors have been able to apply it across a converged service in order to generate the evidence required to articulate the value and impact of our key service objectives.

Originality/value
As a performance approach, the Quality Model is an original concept in that it is a self-formed model designed to meet the strategic needs of the University of Sunderland. It differs from many performance models in that it is founded on a holistic approach to service culture and customer-relationship management and is based upon strategic marketing principles. The AMOSSHE Toolkit is a pre-existing toolkit which is fully referenced in the paper. The Quality Model and AMOSSHE Toolkit are of particular relevance as many higher education services are increasingly challenged to demonstrate their value and impact and the outcomes their services deliver. This calls for a strategic approach to managing qualitative evidence. Therefore, although bespoke, the approach is transferable to the strategic priorities of other HE settings.
From crime science to the crime of science
Authors: Briggs Daniel , Pérez Suárez Jorge Ramiro , Cordero Verdugo Raquel Rebeca 
Published: December 2017

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to provide an honest and critical reflection with regard to the damage neoliberalised education systems have had on the “crime science” of criminology in Spain.

Design/methodology/approach
This paper is a viewpoint based on our experience of teaching criminology and researching crime problems in Spain.

Findings
We argue that the neoliberalisation of education systems results in a “crime of science” in the sense that this produces rampant competition between university institutions which is amplified by the emergence of internal and external corporate enterprises who compete against each other in commodifying knowledge around crime which is largely focussed on a combination of statistical measurements and zonal mapping. This results in the reproduction of misleading conceptions about how crime occurs because the research is not grounded in offenders’ experiences and pays no attention to the political economy, power and corruption and the oscillating relationship between agent and social structure. This has negative implications for the development of critical knowledge which should equip we to reconceptualise how and why social problems occur.

Practical implications
These infractions have major implications on how we are able to report on crime problems.

Social implications
As researchers/students, the authors are only able “diagnose problems” and answer questions and lose the capacity to question the answers as well as question the way the authors question.

Originality/value
We do not think that many criminologists would be prepared to write these words (unless it was being published in a high-impact factor journal).
Augmenting talent management for sustainable development in Africa
Authors: Mwila Natasha Katuta , Turay Mabel Ironn Sky 
Published: December 2017

Purpose
With the steady overall development of the continent, the African business landscape over the last decade has witnessed increased growth through numerous avenues. Growth has been through the emergence of formalised small and medium enterprises, the growth of business and transition from one scale to another as well as inward foreign direct investment. The purpose of this paper is to investigate how this business growth can be sustained, particularly in the area of talent management, within the framework of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Design/methodology/approach
This paper presents the findings of a narrative inquiry conducted in 2016 on an expert panel of talent managers in businesses based in South Africa.

Findings
The focus of the inquiry was the challenges in talent currently faced by South African businesses and what possible solutions, that address the question of sustainable development, may lie in talent management practices. The study finds that there may be scope for the augmentation of current practice in psychometric testing which may address a plethora of problems currently defining the talent context in African business.

Originality/value
The growth of African businesses has presented interesting challenges in managing the African business particularly in the area of human resources and talent management. A persistent notion is the question of sustaining this growth on the continent. As enterprise grows, the need for talent is ever more pressing. This paper seeks to present pathways to sustainability in this regards.
Hybridization can promote adaptive radiation by means of transgressive segregation
Authors: Kagawa Kotaro , Takimoto Gaku 
Published: December 2017

AbstractUnderstanding the mechanisms of rapid adaptive radiation has been a central problem of evolutionary ecology. Recently, there is a growing recognition that hybridization between different evolutionary lineages can facilitate adaptive radiation by creating novel phenotypes. Yet, theoretical plausibility of this hypothesis remains unclear because, for example, hybridization can negate pre‐existing species richness. Here, we theoretically investigate whether and under what conditions hybridization promotes ecological speciation and adaptive radiation using an individual‐based model to simulate genome evolution following hybridization between two allopatrically evolved lineages. The model demonstrated that transgressive segregation through hybridization can facilitate adaptive radiation, most powerfully when novel vacant ecological niches are highly dissimilar, phenotypic effect size of mutations is small and there is moderate genetic differentiation between parental lineages. These results provide a theoretical basis for the effect of hybridization facilitating adaptive radiation.
Type 1 diabetes mellitus effects on dental enamel formation revealed by microscopy and microanalysis
Authors: Silva Bruna Larissa Lago , Medeiros Danila Lima , Soares Ana Prates , Line Sérgio Roberto Peres , Pinto Maria das Graças Farias , Soares Telma de Jesus , do Espírito Santo Alexandre Ribeiro 
Published: December 2017

BackgroundType 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) largely affects children, occurring therefore at the same period of deciduous and permanent teeth development. The aim of this work was to investigate birefringence and morphology of the secretory stage enamel organic extracellular matrix (EOECM), and structural and mechanical features of mature enamel from T1DM rats.MethodsAdult Wistar rats were maintained alive for a period of 56 days after the induction of experimental T1DM with a single dose of streptozotocin (60 mg/kg). After proper euthanasia of the animals, fixed upper incisors were accurately processed, and secretory stage EOECM and mature enamel were analyzed by transmitted polarizing and bright field light microscopies (TPLM and BFLM), energy‐dispersive x‐ray (EDX) analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and microhardness testing.ResultsBright field light microscopies and transmitted polarizing light microscopies showed slight morphological changes in the secretory stage EOECM from diabetic rats, which also did not exhibit statistically significant alterations in birefringence brightness when compared to control animals (P > .05). EDX analysis showed that T1DM induced statistically significant little increases in the amount of calcium and phosphorus in outer mature enamel (P < .01) with preservation of calcium/phosphorus ratio in that structure (P > .05). T1DM also caused important ultrastructural alterations in mature enamel as revealed by SEM and induced a statistically significant reduction of about 13.67% in its microhardness at 80 μm from dentin‐enamel junction (P < .01).ConclusionsThis study shows that T1DM may disturb enamel development, leading to alterations in mature enamel ultrastructure and in its mechanical features.
Reintroducing the Eurasian beaver Castor fiber to Scotland
Authors: Gaywood Martin J. 
Published: December 2017

Abstract

In November 2016, the Scottish Government announced that they were minded to allow the two 'trial' reintroduced populations of Eurasian beaver Castor fiber to remain in Scotland and be allowed to expand naturally, and that the species will receive legal protection. This was a historic moment: the first formally approved reintroduction of a mammal species anywhere in the United Kingdom.

The issues surrounding beaver reintroduction to Scotland had been the subject of intense investigation and public debate over the previous 21 years. Extensive multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary work was performed to assess the desirability and feasibility of reintroducing the Eurasian beaver and informed the government's decision. This was one of the most detailed assessments carried out for any species reintroduction proposal.

The work was broadly divided into desk‐based and stand‐alone studies based primarily on the European and North American experience of living with beavers, the scientifically monitored Scottish Beaver Trial reintroduction in west Scotland, a study of beavers resulting from unauthorised releases in an east Scotland catchment and the work of a specialist group that examined beaver–salmonid interactions and issues.

It was confirmed that beavers have a very positive influence on biodiversity overall, although some specific species and habitats of high conservation importance can be adversely affected if appropriate management is not in place. Beavers provide a range of ecosystem services with the potential for socio‐economic benefits. However, beavers' activities may affect some land uses, the extent and significance depending on local conditions. Management techniques are well developed, although some will require refinement and appropriate licensing within a Scottish regulatory regime. A strategic approach to developing management throughout Scotland will need to be progressed in partnership with key stakeholders.
Differential Engagement of Fermentative Taxa in Gut Contents of the Earthworm Lumbricus terrestris
Authors: Meier Anja B. , Hunger Sindy , Drake Harold L. 
Published: December 2017

ABSTRACTThe earthworm gut is an anoxic, saccharide-rich microzone in aerated soils. The apparent degradation of diverse saccharides in the alimentary canal of the model earthwormLumbricusterrestrisis concomitant with the production of diverse organic acids, indicating that fermentation is an ongoing process in the earthworm gut. However, little is known about how different gut-associated saccharides are fermented. The hypothesis of this investigation was that different gut-associated saccharides differentially stimulate fermentative microorganisms in gut contents ofL. terrestris. This hypothesis was addressed by (i) assessing the fermentation profiles of anoxic gut content microcosms that were supplemented with gut-associated saccharides and (ii) the concomitant phylogenic analysis of 16S rRNA sequences. Galactose, glucose, maltose, mannose, arabinose, fucose, rhamnose, and xylose stimulated the production of fermentation products, including H2, CO2, acetate, lactate, propionate, formate, succinate, and ethanol. Fermentation profiles were dependent on the supplemental saccharide (e.g., glucose yielded large amounts of H2and ethanol, whereas fucose did not, and maltose yielded large amounts of lactate, whereas mannose did not). Approximately 1,750,000 16S rRNA sequences were affiliated with 37 families, and phylogenic analyses indicated that a respective saccharide stimulated a subset of the diverse phylotypes. AnAeromonas-related phylotype displayed a high relative abundance in all treatments, whereas keyEnterobacteriaceae-affiliated phylotypes were stimulated by some but not all saccharides. Collectively, these results reinforce the likelihood that (i) different saccharides stimulate different fermentations in gut contents of the earthworm and (ii) facultative aerobes related toAeromonadaceaeandEnterobacteriaceaecan be important drivers of these fermentations.IMPORTANCEThe feeding habits of earthworms influence the turnover of elements in the terrestrial biosphere. The alimentary tract of the earthworm constitutes an anoxic saccharide-rich microzone in aerated soils that offers ingested microbes a unique opportunity for anaerobic growth. The fermentative activity of microbes in the alimentary tract are responsible for thein situproduction of (i) organic compounds that can be assimilated by the earthworm and (ii) H2that is subject toin vivoemission by the earthworm and can be trophically linked to secondary microbial events in soils. To gain insight on how fermentative members of the gut microbiome might respond to the saccharide-rich alimentary canal, this study examines the impact of diverse gut-associated saccharides on the differential activation of fermentative microbes in gut contents of the model earthwormL. terrestris.
CerR, a Single-Domain Regulatory Protein of the LuxR Family, Promotes Cerecidin Production and Immunity in Bacillus cereus
Authors: Zhang Li , Teng Kunling , Wang Jian , Zhang Zheng , Zhang Jie , Sun Shutao , Li Lili , Yang Xiaopan , Zhong Jin 
Published: December 2017

ABSTRACT

Cerecidins are small lantibiotics from
Bacillus cereus
that were obtained using a semi-
in vitro
biosynthesis strategy and showed prominent antimicrobial activities against certain Gram-positive bacteria. However, the parental strain
B. cereus
As 1.1846 is incapable of producing cerecidins, most probably due to the transcriptional repression of the cerecidin gene cluster. Located in the cerecidin gene cluster,
cerR
encodes a putative response regulator protein that belongs to the LuxR family transcriptional regulators. CerR (84 amino acids) contains only a conserved DNA binding domain and lacks a conventional phosphorylation domain, which is rarely found in lantibiotic gene clusters. To investigate its function in cerecidin biosynthesis,
cerR
was constitutively expressed in
B. cereus
As 1.1846. Surprisingly, Constitutive expression of
cerR
enabled the production of cerecidins and enhanced self-immunity of
B. cereus
toward cerecidins. Reverse transcription-PCR analysis and electrophoresis mobility shift assays indicated, respectively, that the
cer
cluster was transcribed in two transcripts (
cerAM
and
cerRTPFE
) and that CerR regulated the cerecidin gene cluster directly by binding to the two predicted promoter regions of
cerA
and
cerR
. DNase I footprinting experiments further confirmed that CerR specifically bound to the two promoter regions at a conserved inverted repeat sequence that was designated a CerR binding motif (
cerR
box). The present study demonstrated that CerR, as the first single-domain LuxR family transcriptional regulator, serves as a transcriptional activator in cerecidin biosynthesis and activates the cerecidin gene cluster, which was otherwise cryptic in
B. cereus
.

IMPORTANCE
Lantibiotics with intriguing and prominent bioactivities are potential peptide antibiotics that could be applied in many areas, including food and pharmaceutical industries. The biosynthesis of lantibiotics is generally controlled by two-component regulatory systems consisting of histidine kinases and response regulators, while some unique and interesting regulatory systems are also revealed with the ever-increasing discovery of lantibiotic gene clusters among diverse microorganisms. Dissection of diverse lantibiotic regulation machineries would permit deep understanding of the biological functions of lantibiotics in different niches and even enable genetic activation of lantibiotic gene clusters that are otherwise cryptic. The significance of our study is to illuminate the regulatory mechanism of a special single-domain protein, CerR, in regulating cerecidin biosynthesis in
Bacillus cereus
, providing a possible novel approach to activate cryptic lantibiotic clusters.
Simultaneous Insertion of Two Ligands in gD for Cultivation of Oncolytic Herpes Simplex Viruses in Noncancer Cells and Retargeting to Cancer Receptors
Authors: Leoni Valerio , Petrovic Biljana , Gianni Tatiana , Gatta Valentina , Campadelli-Fiume Gabriella 
Published: December 2017

ABSTRACT

Insertion of a single-chain variable-fragment antibody (scFv) to HER2 (human epidermal growth factor receptor 2) in gD, gH, or gB gives rise to herpes simplex viruses (HSVs) specifically retargeted to HER2-positive cancer cells, hence to highly specific nonattenuated oncolytic agents. Clinical-grade virus production cannot rely on cancer cells. Recently, we developed a double-retargeting strategy whereby gH carries the GCN4 peptide for retargeting to the noncancer producer Vero-GCN4R cell line and gD carries the scFv to HER2 for cancer retargeting. Here, we engineered double-retargeted recombinants, which carry both the GCN4 peptide and the scFv to HER2 in gD. Novel, more-advantageous detargeting strategies were devised so as to optimize the cultivation of the double-retargeted recombinants. Nectin1 detargeting was achieved by deletion of amino acids (aa) 35 to 39, 214 to 223, or 219 to 223 and replacement of the deleted sequences with one of the two ligands. The last two deletions were not attempted before. All recombinants exhibited the double retargeting to HER2 and to the Vero-GCN4R cells, as well as detargeting from the natural receptors HVEM and nectin1. Of note, some recombinants grew to higher yields than others. The best-performing recombinants carried a gD deletion as small as 5 amino acids and grew to titers similar to those exhibited by the singly retargeted R-LM113 and by the nonretargeted R-LM5. This study shows that double retargeting through insertion of two ligands in gD is feasible and, when combined with appropriate detargeting modifications, can result in recombinants highly effective
in vitro
and
in vivo
.

IMPORTANCE
There is increasing interest in oncolytic viruses following the FDA and European Medicines Agency (EMA) approval of the oncolytic HSV Oncovex
GM-CSF
and, mainly, because they greatly boost the immune response to the tumor and can be combined with immunotherapeutic agents, particularly immune checkpoint inhibitors. A strategy to gain high cancer specificity and avoid virus attenuation is to retarget the virus tropism to cancer-specific receptors of choice. However, cultivation of retargeted oncolytics in cells expressing the cancer receptor may not be approvable by regulatory agencies. We devised a strategy for their cultivation in noncancer cells. Here, we describe a double-retargeting strategy, based on the simultaneous insertion of two ligands in gD, one for retargeting to a producer, universal Vero cell derivative and one for retargeting to the HER2 cancer receptor. These insertions were combined with novel, minimally disadvantageous detargeting modifications. The current and accompanying studies indicate how to best achieve the clinical-grade cultivation of retargeted oncolytics.
Nerve terminals at the human corneoscleral limbus
Authors: Al-Aqaba Mouhamed A , Anis Fady S , Mohammed Imran , Dua Harminder S 
Published: December 2017

AimsTo demonstrate and characterise distinct subepithelial compact nerve endings (CNE) at the human corneoscleral limbus.MethodsTen fresh human donor corneoscleral discs (mean age, 67 years) and 26 organ-cultured corneoscleral rims (mean age, 59 years) were studied. All samples were subjected to enzyme histochemical staining related to endogenous acetylcholinesterase present in nerve tissue and H&E staining. Whole-mount en face imaging with NanoZoomer digital pathology microscope and serial cross-section imaging with light microscope were undertaken.ResultsNerves entering the corneoscleral limbus and peripheral cornea terminate under the epithelium as enlarged multiloculated and multinucleated ovoid structures within a 2 mm zone. They are closely associated with the rete pegs of the limbal palisades and the limbal epithelial crypts, often located within characteristic stromal invaginations of these structures. Their numbers ranged from 70 to 300 per corneoscleral rim. The size ranged from 20 to 100 µm. They had one or more nerve connections and were interconnected to other similar endings and to the limbal nerve plexus.ConclusionHuman corneoscleral limbus demonstrates a population of nerve terminals resembling CNE with distinct morphological features. They are closely associated with the limbal stem cell niches, suggesting a potential contribution to the niche environment.