bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Patterns and motivations of successful women pursuing their careers in New Zealand call centres
Authors: Hunt Vivienne , Rasmussen Erling 
Published: October 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to report on the experience of women working in New Zealand call centres after finding contrary evidence in the international research which suggests call centre work does not offer career opportunities for its mainly female workforce. The research seeks to explore the career progress of women in a selection of call centres to determine whether the New Zealand employment relations context contributed to outcomes different to those reported in the international research.Design/methodology/approachCase study methodology and six different call centre types were used to find 32 women who had experienced career progress. Semi‐structured in‐depth interviews were held with the women and senior management representatives at each organisation. Analysis of interview transcripts identified common themes and patterns across the case studies. Insights were gained from survey responses from 60 entry‐level workers, many of whom were return‐to‐work mothers, new immigrants or students.FindingsThe findings demonstrated that women were achieving considerable career success in the call centres investigated. Management practices accommodated their different labour market needs and respondents spoke about their passion and enjoyment of call centre work. The entry‐level workers reported that being part of the call centre workplace, allowed them to meet people, develop new skills and confidence while enhancing their career prospects. At many levels, call centre processes seemed to have enabled respondents to become competent, connected and confident workers.Originality/valueContrary to the international portrayal of call centre work and the career prospects for female workers the paper highlights the need for researchers to link employment outcomes to particular employment contexts.
Diagnosis and management of pituitary abscess: experiences from 33 cases
Authors: Liu Fuyi , Li Guilin , Yao Yong , Yang Yi , Ma Wenbin , Li Yongning , Chen Gao , Wang Renzhi 
Published: October 2010

SummaryObjective  Pituitary abscess is a rare disorder with nonspecific presenting manifestations, often making a correct preoperative diagnosis difficult. To better determine the salient signs and symptoms of pituitary abscess and to evaluate the effectiveness of surgical and antibiotic therapies, we conducted a review of patients treated for pituitary abscess at the Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH).Methods  A total of 33 consecutive patients referred to PUMCH between 1991 and 2007 were included. While 30 patients underwent surgery and antibiotic therapy, three patients accepted only antibiotic therapy. A complete history, a thorough record of signs and symptoms, pituitary imaging and biochemical panels were obtained for each patient.Results  Most of the patients presented with complaints and symptoms consistent with a sellar mass, generally in the absence of any evidence of infection. Diabetes insipidus, hypopituitarism and headache were the most common clinical indicators. Typical magnetic resonance (MR) images after gadolinium injection demonstrated a sellar cystic mass with an enhanced rim. Although there were several recurrences, the abscess resolved in nearly all cases. Hypopituitarism generally did not recover, and hormone replacement therapy was usually necessary.Conclusions  Presentation of diabetes insipidus, hypopituitarism and a sellar cystic mass with an enhanced rim may be suggestive of a pituitary abscess. For most patients, a transsphenoidal evacuation, followed by antibiotic therapy, is recommended. However, antibiotic therapy alone may be useful for acute cases. In our experience, pituitary abscesses can usually be treated, though the accompanying hypopituitarism is difficult to cure, and requiring lifelong hormonal replacement.
Water stress induces up‐regulation of DOF1 and MIF1 transcription factors and down‐regulation of proteins involved in secondary metabolism in amaranth roots (Amaranthus hypochondriacus L.)
Authors: Huerta‐Ocampo J. A. , León‐Galván M. F. , Ortega‐Cruz L. B. , Barrera‐Pacheco A. , De León‐Rodríguez A. , Mendoza‐Hernández G. , Barba de la Rosa A. P. 
Published: October 2010

AbstractRoots are the primary sites of water stress perception in plants. The aim of this work was to study differential expression of proteins and transcripts in amaranth roots (Amaranthus hypochondriacus L.) when the plants were grown under drought stress. Changes in protein abundance within the roots were examined using two‐dimensional electrophoresis and LC/ESI‐MS/MS, and the differential expression of transcripts was evaluated with suppression subtractive hybridisation (SSH). Induction of drought stress decreased relative water content in leaves and increased solutes such as proline and total soluble sugars in roots. Differentially expressed proteins such as SODCu‐Zn, heat shock proteins, signalling‐related and glycine‐rich proteins were identified. Up‐regulated transcripts were those related to defence, stress, signalling (Ser, Tyr‐kinases and phosphatases) and water transport (aquaporins and nodulins). More noteworthy was identification of the transcription factors DOF1, which has been related to several plant‐specific biological processes, and MIF1, whose constitutive expression has been related to root growth reduction and dwarfism. The down‐regulated genes/proteins identified were related to cell differentiation (WOX5A) and secondary metabolism (caffeic acid O‐methyltransferase, isoflavone reductase‐like protein and two different S‐adenosylmethionine synthetases). Amaranth root response to drought stress appears to involve a coordinated response of osmolyte accumulation, up‐regulation of proteins that control damage from reactive oxygen species, up‐regulation of a family of heat shock proteins that stabilise other proteins and up‐regulation of transcription factors related to plant growth control.
Effect of Zataria multiflora Boiss. essential oil on colony morphology and ultrastructure of Aspergillus flavus
Authors: Gandomi Hassan , Misaghi Ali , Akhondzadeh Basti Afshin , Hamedi Hassan , Ramezani Shirvani Zahra 
Published: October 2010

SummaryThe mode of inhibitory action of Zataria multiflora Boiss. essential oil (EO) on the fungus, Aspergillus flavus, was studied by colony morphology examination, light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The EO at concentrations used in this study suppressed the size of the colony as well as sporulation. SEM of mycelia treated with given concentrations of EO showed morphological alterations ranging from loss of turgidity and uniformity of mycelia at low concentrations of EO to evident destruction of the hyphae at higher concentration of EO. Semi‐thin sections of mycelia exposed to different concentrations of EO were analysed by light microscopy and revealed that the major change at level as low as 50 ppm of EO was limited to vacuolisation of cytoplasm resulting in cell swelling, while at higher concentrations, detachment of the cell membrane from the cell wall, deformation of mycelia and shedding the cytoplasm from the cell were the main alterations. These damages were well documented by TEM, which showed that the main sites of action of EO were the plasma membrane and cell wall. In conclusion, morphological and structural changes observed in this study may be one of the mechanisms involved in growth inhibition of the fungi and reducing aflatoxin production.
Frontonasal facial angle in chromosomally normal fetuses at 11+0 to 13+6 weeks
Authors: Vicario Roberta , Pirollo Linda Maria Azzurra , De Angelis Cristina , Narcisi Marianovella , Pietropolli Adalgisa , Piccione Emilio 
Published: October 2010

AbstractAim:  To establish the normal range of frontonasal angle (FNA) at 11+0 to 13+6 weeks of gestation and the feasibility of FNA measurement, evaluate the correlation of such a parameter with crown‐rump length (CRL) and nuchal translucency (NT) and assess the potential of FNA in improving the performance of first trimester sonographic and biochemical screening for trisomy 21.Methods:  We conducted a prospective study in 400 singleton uncomplicated pregnancies. FNA was obtained during maternal screening for trisomy 21. NT thickness and FNA were measured by 2D ultrasound in a midsagittal plane of the fetal profile. FNA was measured between the line along the upper surface of the frontal bone and the superior edge of the nasal profile until the echogenic tip. Determination of maternal serum free β‐human chorionic gonadotropin (β‐hCG) and pregnancy‐associated plasma protein‐A (PAPP‐A) was committed and concomitantly evaluated by blood sample. Patient‐specific risk was calculated using Fetal Medicine Foundation software (Astraia Software GMBH, Munich, Germany).Results:  Mean FNA increased with CRL from 119.80° at CRL 45 mm to 125.85° at CRL 84 mm. A significant association between the FNA and NT thickness was detected, while no significant association was found between FNA and serum PAPP‐A or β‐hCG.Conclusion:  At 11+0 to 13+6 weeks FNA increases with fetal CRL and NT thickness. Such an increase is not related to serum biochemistry.
Raloxifene temporarily reduces arterial stiffness
Authors: Obayashi Satoshi , Terauchi Masakazu , Kato Kiyoko , Akiyoshi Mihoko , Kubota Toshiro 
Published: October 2010

AbstractAim:  Aortic stiffness is widely recognized as an important, independent determinant of cardiovascular risk. The cardio‐ankle vascular index (CAVI) has been developed to estimate vascular wall stiffness which is theoretically less affected by varied blood pressure. The purpose of this paper was to evaluate the change of CAVI during one‐year use of raloxifene (RLX).Material & Methods:  Forty‐eight women who visited the menopausal clinic in Tokyo Medical and Dental University were enrolled in this study. Twenty‐two patients with osteopenia/osteoporosis (mean age 61.3 ± 1.1) out of 48 had RLX 60 mg/day (RLX group). The remaining 26 women (mean age 56.3 ± 1.0) had no medication and were recognized as younger, healthy control (control group). CAVI and ankle‐brachial index were measured every 6 months, compared among 0, 6 and 12 months, in respective group.Results:  CAVI showed a significant positive correlation to age by the single linear regression analysis. Control group indicated no change of age‐adjusted CAVI through 12 months, but RLX group showed significant reduction of CAVI at 6 months and increased to the original level after 12 months. On the other hand, ankle‐brachial index change showed significant increase in control group, but slight increase in RLX group, suggesting no increased risk of arterial stenosis. Furthermore, CAVI in the relatively younger group (50 to 59 years; n = 11) indicated stronger reduction at 6 months than older group, suggesting high sensitivity to RLX treatment in the younger group.Conclusion:  RLX treatment reduced CAVI value at 6 months which was superior in relatively younger group.
A Mass-Conserving Complementarity Formulation to Study Lubricant Films in the Presence of Cavitation
Authors: Giacopini Matteo , Fowell Mark T. , Dini Daniele , Strozzi Antonio 
Published: October 2010

AbstractA new mass-conserving formulation of the Reynolds equation is developed using the concept of complementarity. This new method overcomes the drawbacks previously associated with the use of such complementarity formulations for the solution of cavitation problems in which reformation of the liquid film occurs. Validation against a number of analytical and semi-analytical formulations, for a variety of problems including textured bearings and squeeze film dampers, is performed. The current formulation is shown to be in very good agreement with existing analytical and numerical mass-conserving solutions.
Identification of Synthetic Inducers and Inhibitors of the Quorum-Sensing Regulator LasR in
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
by High-Throughput Screening
Authors: Borlee Bradley R. , Geske Grant D. , Blackwell Helen E. , Handelsman Jo 
Published: October 2010

ABSTRACT

We report the screening of 16,000 synthetic compounds for induction and inhibition of quorum sensing in a
Pseudomonas putida
N-acylated
l
-homoserine lactone (AHL) sensor strain engineered with the LasR transcriptional activator. LasR controls virulence gene expression in the opportunistic pathogen
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
and is of significant interest as a therapeutic target. Nine compounds that inhibit and 14 compounds that induce LasR activity were identified in our high-throughput screen.
Escherichia coliBinary Culture Engineered for Direct Fermentation of Hemicellulose to a Biofuel
Authors: Shin Hyun-Dong , McClendon Shara , Vo Trinh , Chen Rachel R. 
Published: October 2010

ABSTRACTMetabolic engineering has created severalEscherichia colibiocatalysts for production of biofuels and other useful molecules. However, the inability of these biocatalysts to directly use polymeric substrates necessitates costly pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis prior to fermentation. Consolidated bioprocessing has the potential to simplify the process by combining enzyme production, hydrolysis, and fermentation into a single step but requires a fermenting organism to multitask by producing both necessary enzymes and target molecules. We demonstrate here a binary strategy for consolidated bioprocessing of xylan, a complex substrate requiring six hemicellulases for complete hydrolysis. An integrated modular approach was used to design the two strains to function cooperatively in the process of transforming xylan into ethanol. The first strain was engineered to coexpress two hemicellulases. Recombinant enzymes were secreted to the growth medium by a method oflppdeletion with over 90% efficiency. Secreted enzymes hydrolyzed xylan into xylooligosaccharides, which were taken in by the second strain, designed to use the xylooligosaccharides for ethanol production. Cocultivation of the two strains converted xylan hemicellulose to ethanol with a yield about 55% of the theoretical value. Inclusion of other three hemicellulases improved the ethanol yield to 70%. Analysis of the culture broth showed that xylooligosaccharides with four or more xylose units were not utilized, suggesting that improving the use of higher xyloogligomers should be the focus in future efforts. This is the first demonstration of an engineered binary culture for consolidated bioprocessing of xylan. The modular design should allow the strategy to be adopted for a broad range of biofuel and biorefinery products.
Development of a Sequence-Characterized Amplified Region Marker-Targeted Quantitative PCR Assay for Strain-Specific Detection ofOenococcus oeniduring Wine Malolactic Fermentation
Authors: Solieri Lisa , Giudici Paolo 
Published: October 2010

ABSTRACTControl over malolactic fermentation (MLF) is a difficult goal in winemaking and needs rapid methods to monitorOenococcus oenimalolactic starters (MLS) in a stressful environment such as wine. In this study, we describe a novel quantitative PCR (QPCR) assay enabling the detection of anO. oenistrain during MLF without culturing.O. oenistrain LB221 was used as a model to develop a strain-specific sequence-characterized amplified region (SCAR) marker derived from a discriminatory OPA20-based randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) band. The 5′ and 3′ flanking regions and the copy number of the SCAR marker were characterized using inverse PCR and Southern blotting, respectively. Primer pairs targeting the SCAR sequence enabled strain-specific detection without cross amplification of otherO. oenistrains or wine species of lactic acid bacteria (LAB), acetic acid bacteria (AAB), and yeasts. The SCAR-QPCR assay was linear over a range of cell concentrations (7 log units) and detected as few as 2.2 × 102CFU per ml of red wine with good quantification effectiveness, as shown by the correlation of QPCR and plate counting results. Therefore, the cultivation-independent monitoring of a singleO. oenistrain in wine based on a SCAR marker represents a rapid and effective strain-specific approach. This strategy can be adopted to develop easy and rapid detection techniques for monitoring the implantation of inoculatedO. oeniMLS on the indigenous LAB population, reducing the risk of unsuccessful MLF.
Impact of Metal Pollution and
Thlaspi caerulescens
Growth on Soil Microbial Communities
Authors: Epelde Lur , Becerril José M. , Kowalchuk George A. , Deng Ye , Zhou Jizhong , Garbisu Carlos 
Published: October 2010

ABSTRACT

Soil microorganisms drive critical functions in plant-soil systems. As such, various microbial properties have been proposed as indicators of soil functioning, making them potentially useful in evaluating the recovery of polluted soils via phytoremediation strategies. To evaluate microbial responses to metal phytoextraction using hyperaccumulators, a microcosm experiment was carried out to study the impacts of Zn and/or Cd pollution and
Thlaspi caerulescens
growth on key soil microbial properties: basal respiration; substrate-induced respiration (SIR); bacterial community structure as assessed by PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE); community sizes of total bacteria, ammonia-oxidizing bacteria, and chitin-degrading bacteria as assessed by quantitative PCR (Q-PCR); and functional gene distributions as determined by functional gene arrays (GeoChip).
T. caerulescens
proved to be suitable for Zn and Cd phytoextraction: shoots accumulated up to 8,211 and 1,763 mg kg
−1
(dry weight [DW]) of Zn and Cd, respectively. In general, Zn pollution led to decreased levels of basal respiration and ammonia-oxidizing bacteria, while
T. caerulescens
growth increased the values of substrate-induced respiration (SIR) and total bacteria. In soils polluted with 1,000 mg Zn kg
−1
and 250 mg Cd kg
−1
(DW), soil bacterial community profiles and the distribution of microbial functional genes were most affected by the presence of metals. Metal-polluted and planted soils had the highest percentage of unique genes detected via the GeoChip (35%). It was possible to track microbial responses to planting with
T. caerulescens
and to gain insight into the effects of metal pollution on soilborne microbial communities.
Proposed Modifications of Environmental Protection Agency Method 1601 for Detection of Coliphages in Drinking Water, with Same-Day Fluorescence-Based Detection and Evaluation by the Performance-Based Measurement System and Alternative Test Protocol Validation Approaches
Authors: Salter Robert S. , Durbin Gregory W. , Conklin Ernestine , Rosen Jeff , Clancy Jennifer 
Published: October 2010

ABSTRACTColiphages are microbial indicators specified in the Ground Water Rule that can be used to monitor for potential fecal contamination of drinking water. The Total Coliform Rule specifies coliform andEscherichia coliindicators for municipal water quality testing; thus, coliphage indicator use is less common and advances in detection methodology are less frequent. Coliphages are viral structures and, compared to bacterial indicators, are more resistant to disinfection and diffuse further distances from pollution sources. Therefore, coliphage presence may serve as a better predictor of groundwater quality. This study describes Fast Phage, a 16- to 24-h presence/absence modification of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Method 1601 for detection of coliphages in 100 ml water. The objective of the study is to demonstrate that the somatic and male-specific coliphage modifications provide results equivalent to those of Method 1601. Five laboratories compared the modifications, featuring same-day fluorescence-based prediction, to Method 1601 by using the performance-based measurement system (PBMS) criterion. This requires a minimum 50% positive response in 10 replicates of 100-ml water samples at coliphage contamination levels of 1.3 to 1.5 PFU/100 ml. The laboratories showed that Fast Phage meets PBMS criteria with 83.5 to 92.1% correlation of the same-day rapid fluorescence-based prediction with the next-day result. Somatic coliphage PBMS data are compared to manufacturer development data that followed the EPA alternative test protocol (ATP) validation approach. Statistical analysis of the data sets indicates that PBMS utilizes fewer samples than does the ATP approach but with similar conclusions. Results support testing the coliphage modifications by using an EPA-approved national PBMS approach with collaboratively shared samples.
Adaptation to Cold and Proteomic Responses of the Psychrotrophic Biopreservative
Lactococcus piscium
Strain CNCM I-4031
Authors: Garnier Matthieu , Matamoros Sebastien , Chevret Didier , Pilet Marie-France , Leroi Francoise , Tresse Odile 
Published: October 2010

ABSTRACT

There is considerable interest in the use of psychrotrophic bacteria for food biopreservation and in the understanding of cold adaptation mechanisms. The psychrotrophic biopreservative
Lactococcus piscium
strain CNCM I-4031 was studied for its growth behavior and proteomic responses after cold shock and during cold acclimation. Growth kinetics highlighted the absence of growth latency after cold shock, suggesting a very high promptness in cold adaptation, a behavior that has never been described before for lactic acid bacteria (LAB). A comparative proteomic analysis was applied with two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE), and upregulated proteins were identified by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Both cold shock and cold acclimation triggered the upregulation of proteins involved in general and oxidative stress responses and fatty acid and energetic metabolism. However, 2-DE profiles and upregulated proteins were different under both conditions, suggesting a sequence of steps in cold adaptation. In addition, the major 7-kDa Csp protein was identified in the
L. piscium
CNCM I-4031 genome but was not cold regulated. The implication of the identified cold shock proteins and cold acclimation proteins in efficient cold adaptation, the possible regulation of a histidyl phosphocarrier protein, and the roles of a constitutive major 7-kDa Csp are discussed.
Synthetic Riboswitches That Induce Gene Expression in Diverse Bacterial Species
Authors: Topp Shana , Reynoso Colleen M. K. , Seeliger Jessica C. , Goldlust Ian S. , Desai Shawn K. , Murat Dorothée , Shen Aimee , Puri Aaron W. , Komeili Arash , Bertozzi Carolyn R. , Scott June R. , Gallivan Justin P. 
Published: October 2010

ABSTRACT
We developed a series of ligand-inducible riboswitches that control gene expression in diverse species of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, including human pathogens that have few or no previously reported inducible expression systems. We anticipate that these riboswitches will be useful tools for genetic studies in a wide range of bacteria.
Development of a Versatile Procedure Based on Natural Transformation for Marker-Free Targeted Genetic Modification in
Streptococcus thermophilus
Authors: Fontaine Laetitia , Dandoy Damien , Boutry Céline , Delplace Brigitte , de Frahan Marie Henry , Fremaux Christophe , Horvath Philippe , Boyaval Patrick , Hols Pascal 
Published: October 2010

ABSTRACT

A versatile natural transformation protocol was established for and successfully applied to 18 of the 19
Streptococcus thermophilus
strains tested. The efficiency of the protocol enables the use of
in vitro
-amplified mutagenesis fragments to perform deletion or insertion of large genetic fragments. Depending on the phenotype linked to the mutation, markerless mutants can be selected either in two steps, i.e., resistance marker insertion and excision using an adapted Cre-
loxP
system, or in one step using a powerful positive screening procedure as illustrated here for histidine prototrophy.