bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Climate change? A comparison of language and literacy practices relating to the teaching of science across the Key Stage 2/3 interface in two school clusters
Authors: McCullagh John , Jarman Ruth 
Published: October 2009

AbstractThis paper reports the findings of a study of the literacy perceptions and practices of general primary teachers (Key Stage 2) and post‐primary science teachers (Key Stage 3) within two clusters of schools. The study also explores the possible impact on pupils of any difference in the language climate which may accompany them on their journey across this curricular interface. Interviews with science managers and teachers suggest a quite restricted view of literacy is taken in both phases of schooling with no evidence of any practices which may support the notion of curricular continuity. The different approaches to the introduction of scientific terminology, writing, reading and classroom discussion were reflected in pupils' accounts of their experience and clearly posed a problem for some. We suggest there would be merit in teachers adopting a much wider perspective on literacy which recognises the opportunities for developing the interrelated strands of “general literacy” and “the discourses of science” alongside “learning through language”. By addressing each of these domains, and sharing practice across the key stages, a more comprehensive and coherent approach to “language, literacy and science learning” may result, in turn helping minimise the adverse effects of “language climate change”.
Reading lessons: teacher–pupil interactions with text during three KS1 shared reading sessions
Authors: John Claire 
Published: October 2009

AbstractChanges in the teaching of reading during the past decade include a shift away from a previous emphasis on ‘one‐to‐one’ learning experiences to a focus upon more communal forms of learning which place the teacher center stage. With the teacher's role thus highlighted, teacher–pupil interaction in practice has come under the spotlight, with a number of studies raising concerns about the quality of teaching taking place and suggesting this is featuring more traditional patterns of ‘IRF’ exchanges between teachers and pupils, which are limiting to children's learning. This article reports on a small‐scale study into teacher–pupil interaction styles during three Key Stage 1 ‘shared reading’ sessions – an activity in which teacher and children work together on an enlarged, illustrated text, with the teacher explicitly modeling components of the reading process to children. The article considers the more tacit modelling taking place during these sessions and how particular linguistic patterning used by teachers frames reading as an educational and cultural activity in ways that position children differentially in relation to it. In particular, it considers how variation in the use of the IRF exchange can mediate different cultural meanings about what it is to engage with text as a reader.
Operational Improvement: The Key to Value Creation in Private Equity
Authors: Matthews Gary , Bye Mark , Howland James 
Published: October 2009

With credit tightening having reduced the availability of leverage and intensified the competition for new deals, the economic recession has caused many companies in private equity firm portfolios to under‐perform. These changes are forcing the private equity firms to depend even more on their ability to improve operating performance to achieve their investment goals and generate attractive returns. But few PE firms have proved capable of achieving such improvements in portfolio companies consistently over time.In this paper, the authors discuss several ways that private equity firms use their operating expertise to drive value in their portfolio companies. They also examine the analytical framework used by some PE firms when assessing and prioritizing the many operational initiatives that could be undertaken within a newly acquired company. Part of that examination involves a detailed look at how private equity firms assemble an attractive mix of operational improvement projects in their initial 100‐day plans. Finally, the authors explore one of the challenges faced by private equity firms when attempting to implement operational enhancements in newly acquired companies: bringing about change without alienating company management.The real‐world application of this approach is demonstrated with a case study that shows how one private equity buyer put its operational skills into practice to help create value within a mid‐sized portfolio company.
Bankruptcy as an Auction Process: Lessons from Sweden
Authors: Eckbo B. Espen , Thorburn Karin S. 
Published: October 2009

The traditional U.S. Chapter 11 bankruptcy process in which financial claims are renegotiated under court protection and the firm continues to operate under existing management has long been criticized by economists as an inefficient way of dealing with financially distressed companies. In this paper, the authors make the case for a mandatory auction bankruptcy system of the kind now used in Sweden—one that requires all companies filing for Chapter 11 to be sold in open auctions soon after the filing.After discussing the notable features of and differences between the U.S. and Swedish bankruptcy systems, the authors summarize recent research (much of it their own) on the benefits and possible drawbacks of the Swedish system. Among the most notable findings of this research, there is no evidence that mandatory bankruptcy auctions in Sweden lead to “fire‐sale” discounts in auction premiums. Moreover, the fact that three‐quarters of the Swedish companies that filed for bankruptcy survived as going concerns should allay concerns that an auction system will produce excessive liquidations. At the same time, the post‐bankruptcy operating profitability of the companies that emerge from Swedish auctions as going concerns tends to be on a par with that of their (non‐bankrupt) industry peers. Such post‐operating performance, when combined with a 75% rate of reorganization (versus liquidation), suggests that allowing auction investors—instead of the bankruptcy court—decide which companies survive and how they get capitalized and restructured has been quite effective in accomplishing the two aims of a bankruptcy system: (1) preserving intact all economically viable enterprises while (2) eliminating the excess capacity that results from prolonging the existence of companies that are never expected to earn high enough returns on capital to attract private investment.Consistent with these findings, the U.S. in recent years has seen a sharp increase in the use of auctions in Chapter 11 bankruptcies, though on a voluntary rather than a mandatory basis. Such a change reflects the growing recognition of the role of auction processes in reducing bankruptcy costs and preserving going‐concern values as U.S. capital market participants push harder for private workouts, “prepackaged” Chapter 11 filings, and auction sales in Chapter 11.
Historic Changes in the High Yield Bond Market
Authors: Reilly Frank K. , Wright David J. , Gentry James A. 
Published: October 2009

In a history that now stretches about four decades, the high yield (HY) market has experienced growth in issuance and out‐standings that is remarkable both for its level (about 13% per annum, with HY bonds now accounting for about 25% of the total corporate bond market) and its cyclicality and sensitivity to the broad economy. The HY market has also experienced a notable shift away from B‐rated bonds and toward both lower‐risk Ba‐rated bonds and, to a lesser extent, more risky Caa‐rated bonds. Consistent with this development, studies of the performance of HY bonds show Ba‐rated bonds experiencing not only lower risk, but also higher returns than Caa‐rated bonds, which have produced surprisingly low average returns along with exceptionally high volatility. At the same time, studies of the correlation of HY bond returns with returns on other major asset classes report that all classes of HY bonds (but particularly the riskier B‐ and Caa‐rated bonds) have consistently stronger relationships with common stocks (especially small‐cap stocks) than with Treasuries and investment‐grade bonds.Analysis of the volatility of HY bond returns over time shows that during periods of stability in the economy and financial markets, the volatility of HY bond returns has been very similar to that of investment‐grade bonds. But during periods of political or economic uncertainty, the volatility of HY bonds has become two or three times that of investment‐grade bonds, approaching the volatility of common stocks. The main driver of the significant increase in the risk of the aggregate HY bond market during periods of uncertainty has been Caa‐rated bonds, whose risk pattern has been remarkably similar to that of small‐cap common stocks.Analysis of the credit risk spread (or CRS) series for both the composite HY bond market and each of its rating categories shows markedly non‐normal distributions with significant positive “skewness”—that is, periods of exceptionally high spreads (that are not counterbalanced by periods of exceptionally low spreads). The authors also report a consistently strong relationship of the CRS series with default rates and the general state of the economy, with major peaks occurring during or shortly after economic recessions.Near the end of 2008, however, there was a clear break in this relationship when the CRS reached an historic peak of 2,000 basis points, or more than five standard deviations above its long‐term mean, while the default rate (at 4%) was below its long‐term average. The authors offer two explanations for this break in CRS‐default rate relationship: the jump in the CRS caused by the extreme flight to quality and drop in liquidity for all risky securities during the second half of 2008; and the use of covenant‐lite securities and other sources of financial flexibility that appear to have enabled many HY issuers to defer defaults (if not avoid them entirely).
New Insights into Rights Offerings as Signals of Firm Quality: Evidence from Australia*
Authors: Balachandran Balasingham , Faff Robert , Theobald Michael 
Published: October 2009

Australian companies can choose among three different types of rights offerings: full standby (also known as “fully underwritten”); uninsured (or “non‐underwritten”); and partial standby (“partly underwritten”). At the same time, each of these three kinds of rights offerings can be either renounceable or non‐renounceable, with the former providing securities that can be sold while in the latter case the rights are forfeited if not exercised.The main argument of this paper is that managers effectively signal the quality of their company through their choice of rights issue method. Consistent with this argument, the authors summarize the findings of their own research showing that high‐quality companies tend to choose full standby rights issues, with the full backing of an underwriter playing a “certifying” role for investors. By contrast, low‐quality firms tend to use partial standby issues with large subscription price discounts, while companies of intermediate‐quality choose uninsured rights issues. The authors also provide evidence that full standby rights issues are positively correlated with expected shareholder takeup, while both partial standby and uninsured issues have a negative correlation with takeup. Consistent with the above findings, the market response is most positive (or least negative) in the case of non‐renounceable, full standby rights issues with relatively low price discounts. The market reaction is most negative for non‐renounceable, partial standby issues with high price discounts.
Expression patterns of specific promyelocytic/retinoic acid receptor‐α transcripts in patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia
Authors: LIN J. , HAN L.‐X. , QIAN J. , WANG Y.‐L. , YAO D.‐M. , QIAN Z. , YANG X.‐F. , SHENG X.‐J. 
Published: October 2009

SummarySeveral additional promyelocytic/retinoic acid receptor‐α (PML/RARα) transcripts besides bcr1, bcr2, and bcr3 have been identified in patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). However, the expression levels of these specific isoforms and their clinical relevance have not been studied to date. The real‐time quantitative polymerase chain reaction was established to detect each specific isoform of PML/RARα transcripts (bcr1/2, P46R3, P4R3, bcr3, and P2R3) in 46 APL patients. Whereas P46R3 and P4R3 isoforms were concurrently expressed in both bcr1‐ and bcr2‐positive patients, P2R3 isoform was expressed only in bcr3‐positive patients. A total of 13 patients had lower expression of bcr1/2 (median 11.60%, 0.86–108.51%) than that of P46R3 (median 14.26%, 6.03–222.91%; P = 0.001). The expression level of P4R3 (median 19.10%, 0.71–266.19%) was lower than the sum of bcr1/2 and P46R3 (median 37.94%, 9.62–403.51%) in all cases (P < 0.001). All 16 cases with bcr3 had concurrent low expression of P2R3 (P < 0.001). Structural analysis revealed that both P4R3 and P2R3 splicing resulting in the generation of a premature termination codon, which was recognized by nonsense‐mediated decay (NMD). We suggest that alternative splicing of PML/RARα transcripts might be involved in NMD and each isoform should be quantified to further understand the pathogenesis of APL, stratify the risk of relapse, and monitor minimal residual disease.
Community‐Based Participatory Clinical Research in Obesity by Adolescents: Pipeline for Researchers of the Future
Authors: Branch Robert , Chester Ann 
Published: October 2009

AbstractWe propose a novel, untapped opportunity, challenging cultural and man‐power barriers to transferring advances in biomedical science knowledge that will improve community health care (Type II Clinical Translational Research) in a medically underserved community. We describe a pilot model in which adolescents apply principles of Community‐Based Participatory Research (CBPR) at the epicenter of the obesity diabetes epidemic in rural Appalachia in West Virginia. The model invites minority, financially disadvantaged, and educationally disadvantaged adolescents to become educated on ethics, then provides infrastructure to support study design and conduct of CBPR. This experience demonstrates that these adolescents can effi ciently, with quality and integrity, reach into the most vulnerable of communities and their own families to show that the prevalence of obesity is at 50% and diabetes 10.4% (n= 989). Our experience illustrates the infrastructure requirements for this strategy to be successful and emphasizes the substantial benefit that could accrue if the model is successfully sustained. The benefit includes not only the translation of knowledge to influence community lifestyle behavior but also the creation of a pipeline of new biomedical scientists for the future.
Enhanced healing of diabetic foot ulcers using local heat and electrical stimulation for 30 min three times per week
Authors: PETROFSKY Jerrold Scott , LAWSON Daryl , BERK Lee , SUH Hyejin 
Published: October 2009

AbstractBackground:  Electrical stimulation (ES) with heating is effective in healing chronic wounds. However, it this effect due to ES alone or both heating and ES? The aim of the present study was to deduce the individual roles of heat and ES in the healing of chronic wounds.Methods:  The study was performed on 20 patients (mean age 48.4 ± 14.6 years) with non‐healing diabetic foot ulcers (mean duration 38.9 ± 23.7 months) who received local dry heat (37°C; n = 10) or local dry heat + ES (n = 10) three times a week for 4 weeks. Patients were given ES using biphasic sine wave stimulation (30 Hz, pulse width 250 μs, current approximately 20 mA).Results:  Skin blood flow in and around the wound was measured with a laser Doppler flow imager. In the ES + heat group, the average wound area and volume decreased significantly by 68.4 ± 28.6% and 69.3 ± 27.1%, respectively (both P < 0.05), over the 1‐month period. During the average session, blood flow increased to 102.3 ± 25.3% with local heat and to 152.3 ± 23.4% with ES + heat. In the group receiving treatment with local heat only, wounds that had not healed for at least 2 months showed 30.1 ± 22.6% healing (i.e. a decrease in wound area) after 1 month. Although this level of healing was significant, it was less than that observed in the ES + heat group (P < 0.05).Conclusions:  Local dry heat and ES work well together to heal chronic diabetic foot wounds; however, local heat would appear to be a relevant part of this therapy because ES alone has produced little healing in previous studies.
Phage Therapy To Reduce PreprocessingSalmonellaInfections in Market-Weight Swine
Authors: Wall Samantha K. , Zhang Jiayi , Rostagno Marcos H. , Ebner Paul D. 
Published: October 2009

ABSTRACTContamination of meat products with food-borne pathogens usually results from the carcass coming in contact with the feces of an infected animal during processing. In the case ofSalmonella, pigs can become colonized with the organism during transport and lairage from contaminated trailers and holding pens, resulting in increased pathogen shedding just prior to processing. Increased shedding, in turn, amplifies the likelihood of carcass contamination by magnifying the amount of bacteria that enters the processing facility. We conducted a series of experiments to test whether phage therapy could limitSalmonellainfections at this crucial period. In a preliminary experiment done with small pigs (3 to 4 weeks old; 30 to 40 lb), administration of an anti-Salmonellaphage cocktail at the time of inoculation withSalmonella entericaserovar Typhimurium reducedSalmonellacolonization by 99.0 to 99.9% (2- to 3-log reduction) in the tonsils, ileum, and cecum. To test the efficacy of phage therapy in a production-like setting, we inoculated four market-weight pigs (in three replicates) withSalmonella entericaserovar Typhimurium and allowed the challenged pigs to contaminate a holding pen for 48 h. Sixteen naïve pigs were randomly split into two groups which received either the anti-Salmonellaphage cocktail or a mock treatment. Both groups of pigs were comingled with the challenged pigs in the contaminated pen. Treatment with the anti-Salmonellaphage cocktail significantly reduced cecalSalmonellaconcentrations (95%;P< 0.05) while also reducing (numerically) ilealSalmonellaconcentrations (90%;P= 0.06). Additionalin vitrostudies showed that the phage cocktail was also lytic against several non-Typhimurium serovars.
Genomic Characterization of the Intron-Containing T7-Like Phage phiL7 ofXanthomonas campestris
Authors: Lee Chia-Ni , Lin Juey-Wen , Weng Shu-Fen , Tseng Yi-Hsiung 
Published: October 2009

ABSTRACTThe lytic phage phiL7, which morphologically belongs to theSiphoviridaefamily, infectsXanthomonas campestrispv. campestris. Nucleotide sequence analysis has revealed that phiL7 contains a linear double-stranded DNA genome (44,080 bp, 56% G+C) with a 3′-protrudingcossite (5′-TTACCGGAC-3′) and 59 possible genes. Among the deduced proteins, 32 have homologs with known functions and 18 show no database similarities; moreover, the genes encoding these 18 proteins mostly have varying G+C contents and form clusters dispersed along the genome. Only 39 genes have sequences related (27% to 78%) to those of sequenced genes ofX. oryzaepv. oryzae phages, although the genome size and architecture of theseXanthomonasphages are similar. These findings suggest that phiL7 acquired genes by horizontal transfer, followed by evolution via various types of mutations. Major differences were found between phiL7 and theX. oryzaepv. oryzae phages: (i) phiL7 has a group I intron inserted in the DNA polymerase gene, the first such intron observed inXanthomonasphages; (ii) although infection of phiL7 exerted inhibition to the host RNA polymerase, similar to the situations inX. oryzaepv. oryzae phages Xp10 and Xop411, sequence analysis did not identify a homologue of the Xp10 p7 that controls the shift from host RNA polymerase (RNAP) to viral RNAP during transcription; and (iii) phiL7 lacks the tail fiber protein gene that exhibits domain duplications thought to be important for host range determination in OP1, and sequence analysis suggested that p20 (tail protein III) instead has the potential to play this role.
Influence of Species Specificity and Other Factors on Bacteria Associated with the Coral
Stylophora pistillata
in Taiwan
Authors: Hong Mei-Jhu , Yu Yi-Ting , Chen Chaolun A. , Chiang Pei-Wen , Tang Sen-Lin 
Published: October 2009

ABSTRACT

Species of bacteria associated with
Stylophora pistillata
were determined by analyses of 16S ribosomal genes. Coral samples were taken from two distinct sites at Kenting, in the far south of Taiwan; three coral colonies at each site were tagged and sampled in the winter and summer of 2007. Six hundred 16S rRNA gene clones were selected and sequenced for diversity analysis and community comparison. LIBSHUFF and nonparametric multiple dimensional scaling analyses showed variations in the composition of the coral-associated bacteria in the different samples, suggesting that seasonal and geographic factors and variations in individual coral colonies were all vital drivers of the structure of the
S. pistillata
-associated bacterial community. To examine the association between species specificity and environmental impacts on the structure of the coral-associated bacterial community, we conducted an integrated, comparative analysis of 44 coral-associated bacterial data sets, including the present study's data. The clustering analysis suggests that the influence of spatial and temporal factors on the coral-associated bacteria population structure is considerable; nonetheless, the effect of species specificity is still detectable in some coral species, especially those from the Caribbean Sea.
The Siderophore Pyoverdine of
Pseudomonas syringae
pv. tabaci 6605 Is an Intrinsic Virulence Factor in Host Tobacco Infection
Authors: Taguchi Fumiko , Suzuki Tomoko , Inagaki Yoshishige , Toyoda Kazuhiro , Shiraishi Tomonori , Ichinose Yuki 
Published: October 2009

ABSTRACT

To investigate the role of iron uptake mediated by the siderophore pyoverdine in the virulence of the plant pathogen
Pseudomonas syringae
pv. tabaci 6605, three predicted pyoverdine synthesis-related genes,
pvdJ
,
pvdL
, and
fpvA
, were mutated. The
pvdJ
,
pvdL
, and
fpvA
genes encode the pyoverdine side chain peptide synthetase III
l
-Thr-
l
-Ser component, the pyoverdine chromophore synthetase, and the TonB-dependent ferripyoverdine receptor, respectively. The Δ
pvdJ
and Δ
pvdL
mutants were unable to produce pyoverdine in mineral salts-glucose medium, which was used for the iron-depleted condition. Furthermore, the Δ
pvdJ
and Δ
pvdL
mutants showed lower abilities to produce tabtoxin, extracellular polysaccharide, and acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs), which are quorum-sensing molecules, and consequently had reduced virulence on host tobacco plants. In contrast, all of the mutants had accelerated swarming ability and increased biosurfactant production, suggesting that swarming motility and biosurfactant production might be negatively controlled by pyoverdine. Scanning electron micrographs of the surfaces of tobacco leaves inoculated with the mutant strains revealed only small amounts of extracellular polymeric matrix around these mutants, indicating disruption of the mature biofilm. Tolerance to antibiotics was drastically increased for the Δ
pvdL
mutant, as for the Δ
psyI
mutant, which is defective in AHL production. These results demonstrated that pyoverdine synthesis and the quorum-sensing system of
Pseudomonas syringae
pv. tabaci 6605 are indispensable for virulence in host tobacco infection and that AHL may negatively regulate tolerance to antibiotics.