bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Organisational learning as an antecedent of technology transfer and new product development
Authors: Jabar Juhaini , Soosay Claudine , Santa Ricardo 
Published: December 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of organisational learning (comprising absorptive capacity, nature and type of alliances and learning environment) through strategic technology alliances on technology transfer and new product development. The paper is based on a larger research on alliances in the Malaysian manufacturing industry.Design/methodology/approachThe antecedents and outcomes of organisational learning were tested using structural equation modelling, based on data collected from 335 organisations through an online survey questionnaire.FindingsThe findings depict that absorptive capacity, nature and type of alliances and learning environment significantly affect technology transfer in Malaysian manufacturers, but not necessarily new product development simultaneously. Nevertheless, the results establish technology transfer as an effective means for building innovative capabilities in developing new products. This is imperative for attaining Malaysia's current goal in improving the manufacturing industry and becoming an industrialised nation by the year 2020.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings advocate further deliberations for manufacturers in Malaysia in shaping their strategies and learning objectives when embarking on collaborative relations, as these can result in technological competencies and ultimately the capacity to develop new innovative products.Practical implicationsThe paper offers useful insights for manufacturers when forming technology alliances; and facilitate decisions by current practitioners in managing collaborations. The paper also informs Malaysian Government institutions in developing mechanisms, economic policy strategies and business support services for enhancing the economic and commercial viability of Malaysian manufacturing activities and products.Originality/valueThe value of this paper lies in discerning the current capabilities and strategies of manufacturing firms in developing nations in order to remain competitive.
Effects of using minomi in in‐plant materials supply
Authors: Hanson Robin 
Published: December 2010

Purpose“Minomi” is a unit load where no container is used. The aim of this paper is to identify the effects of using minomi in the materials supply within an assembly plant.Design/methodology/approachBased on three case studies within the body shop of Saab Automobile in Trollhättan, Sweden, effects of using minomi are identified. Furthermore, relations are identified between these effects and the different characteristics of each case.FindingsThe paper identifies both benefits and drawbacks of using minomi and relates these benefits and drawbacks to different part characteristics, characteristics of the receiving assembly station, and characteristics of handling and storage. Among the benefits is that minomi is associated with space efficient presentation of parts. This can enable the presentation of a large number of part variants and also result in time efficient parts picking in the receiving assembly operations.Practical implicationsThrough the knowledge gained in the case studies, the potential benefits associated with minomi are more likely to be realised within industry.Originality/valueThe paper provides insight into the concept of minomi, which has previously received very little attention in research literature, but which can offer substantial benefits within industry if used under the right conditions.
An investigation for improvement of the 3D‐digitization process: a reverse engineering approach
Authors: Chowdary Boppana V. , De Noon Ayanna‐Rene , Ali Fahraz , Imbert Clement A.C. 
Published: December 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to provide a comprehensive work flow for the improvement of the Reverse Engineering (RE) process in producing non‐uniform rational B‐splines (NURBS) models from scanned point cloud data. This should become a reliable guide in the creation of desired 3D‐CAD models in order to improve efficiency of downstream operations and further to make decisions regarding quality control.Design/methodology/approachThe paper deals with a detailed investigation of operations in achieving an object's accuracy in the data editing phase and data fitting phase that employs the use of a 3D scanner. A case example involving the ShapeGrabber® AI310 laser scanner was used in digitizing the physical object. Operations considered for investigation at the data editing phase include relaxation, decimation of triangles and sharpening of edges. Contour detection, construct patches, target patch count, grid construction and grid resolution are selected as the operations for investigation in the data fitting phase. Evaluation of the generated digitized models was carried out by performing tests which include 3D Comparisons and Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerance (GD & T) testing.FindingsThe process of data editing is considered to be extremely time consuming which requires a high degree of skill in order to carry out the data manipulation steps. For the purpose of investigation, an electrical socket cover was considered as the object for digitization. The study found some contributors to enhance the quality of the digital model that can be used in the first piece inspection. The results indicate that although the operations associated with the data fitting phase affect the overall quality of the digitized model; they are however, limited by whatever the quality achieved at the data editing phase.Practical implicationsThe RE work flow described in this research will assist designers and practitioners in improving both the efficiency and effectiveness of design and manufacturing functions.Originality/valueThe data editing and fitting processes are time consuming due to various adjustments necessary in obtaining a NURBS model from the digitized data. Thus, the proposed RE work flow identified the steps to realize the desired CAD models from the point cloud data. Moreover, from this study, practitioners will get a concise overall understanding about which geometrical features need to be adjusted so that the required model can be achieved; instead of the need to develop this procedure by themselves through the process of trial and error.
Competitive intelligence in Tunisian companies
Authors: Nasri Wadie 
Published: December 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to investigate the degree of knowledge of competitive intelligence in Tunisian companies.Design/methodology/approachThis exploratory study was conducted using semi‐in‐depth interviews and focus group with six executives in six companies in Tunisia. Three sectors were chosen for this study: communication technologies, manufacturing and commercial retailing. These companies are prevalent in Tunisia and are very different.FindingsThe results show that Tunisian managers are conscious of the importance of competitive intelligence in the management of their companies. Second, managers believe that internal sources of information are more valuable than external sources information and personal source information is deemed most valuable. Third, the results of the process and structure questions indicate that companies may not yet be investing appropriately in building the internal infrastructure required for fully effective intelligence efficacy. Finally, this practice is not organised in a separate department and, if it is mostly done in the marketing department.Practical implicationsTo know and develop this practice, a company must, on the one hand, build internal competitive intelligence process. On the other hand, develop a sensitisation programme that is continuous and that should focus on telling employees what competitive intelligence is, what they can, and should, contribute and demonstrate the value in sharing information.Originality/valueThis study is the first to investigate competitive intelligence in Tunisia. The results lead to a number of recommendations to develop competitive intelligence in Tunisian companies. Various methods are proposed including awareness and training program, recognising by managers the value of competitive intelligence as an important tool to develop competitive intelligence.
Place recognition and automatic semantic annotation via the Whereabouts diary
Authors: Mamei Marco 
Published: December 2010

PurposeModern handheld devices provided with localization capabilities can create a diary of the user whereabouts, and provide a description of the user habits and a complement of the user profile in several applications. The places we go, in fact, reveal something about us; for example, two persons can be matched as compatible given the fact that they visit the same places. The purpose of this paper is to describe the Whereabouts diary in this context.Design/methodology/approachThis paper presents the Whereabouts diary, an application/service to log the places visited by the user and to label them, in an automatic way, with descriptive semantic information. Web‐retrieved information, and the temporal patterns with which different places are visited, can be used to automatically define meaningful semantic labels to the visited places.FindingsThe paper verified that such diary application can be created and can effectively classify the places visited by the user. In particular, geocoding and white‐pages web services were used to extract information about a place, and Bayesian networks to classify places on the basis of the time at which they have been visited.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper discusses this implementation, and presents experimental results. Experiments show that the identification of places and the accuracy of the place classification mechanism are effective, while the accuracy of geocoding and white‐pages retrieval should be improved.Originality/valueThis paper shows the novel Whereabouts diary application. Several mechanisms presented are original to this approach. In addition, several applications that can exploit the diary are illustrated.
Inferring social networks from physical interactions: a feasibility study
Authors: Kostakos Vassilis , Kostakos Panos A. 
Published: December 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to present a prototype system that can be used to capture longitudinal socialising processes by recording people's encounters in space.Design/methodology/approachThe paper presents the results of a longitudinal study, carried out with members of the public, which demonstrates the capabilities of the system.FindingsThe findings show that community structure can be inferred from physical interactions, and that different locations exhibit varying community structures.Originality/valueThe paper argues that such a system can usefully be deployed in environments where people interact and socialise, as a mechanism for inferring the underlying network structure of those people's relationships.
Involvement of the
Shewanella oneidensis
Decaheme Cytochrome MtrA in the Periplasmic Stability of the β-Barrel Protein MtrB
Authors: Schicklberger Marcus , Bücking Clemens , Schuetz Bjoern , Heide Heinrich , Gescher Johannes 
Published: December 2010

ABSTRACT

The
Shewanella oneidensis
outer membrane β-barrel protein MtrB is part of a membrane-spanning protein complex (MtrABC) which is necessary for dissimilatory iron reduction. Quantitative PCR, heterologous gene expression, and mutant studies indicated that MtrA is required for periplasmic stability of MtrB. DegP depletion compensated for this MtrA dependence.
Mechanism of Binding of Prothioconazole to
Mycosphaerella graminicola
CYP51 Differs from That of Other Azole Antifungals
Authors: Parker Josie E. , Warrilow Andrew G. S. , Cools Hans J. , Martel Claire M. , Nes W. David , Fraaije Bart A. , Lucas John A. , Kelly Diane E. , Kelly Steven L. 
Published: December 2010

ABSTRACT

Prothioconazole is one of the most important commercially available demethylase inhibitors (DMIs) used to treat
Mycosphaerella graminicola
infection of wheat, but specific information regarding its mode of action is not available in the scientific literature. Treatment of wild-type
M. graminicola
(strain IPO323) with 5 μg of epoxiconazole, tebuconazole, triadimenol, or prothioconazole ml
−1
resulted in inhibition of
M. graminicola
CYP51 (MgCYP51), as evidenced by the accumulation of 14α-methylated sterol substrates (lanosterol and eburicol) and the depletion of ergosterol in azole-treated cells. Successful expression of MgCYP51 in
Escherichia coli
enabled us to conduct spectrophotometric assays using purified 62-kDa MgCYP51 protein. Antifungal-binding studies revealed that epoxiconazole, tebuconazole, and triadimenol all bound tightly to MgCYP51, producing strong type II difference spectra (peak at 423 to 429 nm and trough at 406 to 409 nm) indicative of the formation of classical low-spin sixth-ligand complexes. Interaction of prothioconazole with MgCYP51 exhibited a novel spectrum with a peak and trough observed at 410 nm and 428 nm, respectively, indicating a different mechanism of inhibition. Prothioconazole bound to MgCYP51 with 840-fold less affinity than epoxiconazole and, unlike epoxiconazole, tebuconazole, and triadimenol, which are noncompetitive inhibitors, prothioconazole was found to be a competitive inhibitor of substrate binding. This represents the first study to validate the effect of prothioconazole on the sterol composition of
M. graminicola
and the first on the successful heterologous expression of active MgCYP51 protein. The binding affinity studies documented here provide novel insights into the interaction of MgCYP51 with DMIs, especially for the new triazolinethione derivative prothioconazole.
Variation inListeria monocytogenesDose Responses in Relation to Subtypes Encoding a Full-Length or Truncated Internalin A
Authors: Chen Yuhuan , Ross William H. , Whiting Richard C. , Van Stelten Anna , Nightingale Kendra K. , Wiedmann Martin , Scott Virginia N. 
Published: December 2010

ABSTRACTInternalin A (InlA; encoded byinlA) facilitates the crossing of the intestinal barrier byListeria monocytogenes. Mutations leading to a premature stop codon (PMSC) ininlAand thus attenuated mammalian virulence have been reported. We recently characterized 502L. monocytogenesfood isolates from a retail survey and 507 human clinical isolates from multiple U.S. states with respect to the presence/absence ofinlAmutations. The objective of this study was to investigate the hypothesis that dose responses for human listeriosis vary betweenL. monocytogenesstrains with and those without a PMSC ininlA. Subtype-specific prevalence and concentration distributions in food, along with epidemiologic and consumption data, were input into established dose-response models to generate anrvalue (probability of a cell causing illness). Under the conservative assumption thatL. monocytogeneslevels at retail represent levels consumed, mean log10rvalues were −8.1 and −10.7 forL. monocytogenessubtypes with genes encoding a full-length and a truncated InlA, respectively.L. monocytogenescarrying a 5′ frameshift mutation in a homopolymeric tract showed a mean log10rvalue of −12.1. Confidence intervals for thervalues and their differences varied depending on subtypes. When the increase in concentration ofL. monocytogenessubtypes between retail and consumption was considered, mean log10rvalues were reduced to −10.4, −13.8, and −12.8 for the subtypes with genes encoding a full-length InlA, for the subtypes carrying a PMSC ininlA, and for allL. monocytogenesisolates regardless of subtype, respectively. Our study provides further quantitative evidence thatL. monocytogenessubtypes vary in abilities and relative likelihoods of causing human disease, which were mechanistically related to defined genetic markers.
Global Regulation of the Response to Sulfur Availability in the Cheese-Related BacteriumBrevibacterium aurantiacum
Authors: Forquin Marie-Pierre , Hébert Agnès , Roux Aurélie , Aubert Julie , Proux Caroline , Heilier Jean-François , Landaud Sophie , Junot Christophe , Bonnarme Pascal , Martin-Verstraete Isabelle 
Published: December 2010

ABSTRACTIn this study, we combined metabolic reconstruction, growth assays, and metabolome and transcriptome analyses to obtain a global view of the sulfur metabolic network and of the response to sulfur availability inBrevibacterium aurantiacum. In agreement with the growth ofB. aurantiacumin the presence of sulfate and cystine, the metabolic reconstruction showed the presence of a sulfate assimilation pathway, thiolation pathways that produce cysteine (cysEandcysK) or homocysteine (metXandmetY) from sulfide, at least one gene of the transsulfuration pathway (aecD), and genes encoding three MetE-type methionine synthases. We also compared the expression profiles ofB. aurantiacumATCC 9175 during sulfur starvation or in the presence of sulfate. Under sulfur starvation, 690 genes, including 21 genes involved in sulfur metabolism and 29 genes encoding amino acids and peptide transporters, were differentially expressed. We also investigated changes in pools of sulfur-containing metabolites and in expression profiles after growth in the presence of sulfate, cystine, or methionine plus cystine. The expression of genes involved in sulfate assimilation and cysteine synthesis was repressed in the presence of cystine, whereas the expression ofmetX,metY,metE1,metE2, andBL613, encoding a probable cystathionine-γ-synthase, decreased in the presence of methionine. We identified three ABC transporters: two operons encoding transporters were transcribed more strongly during cysteine limitation, and one was transcribed more strongly during methionine depletion. Finally, the expression of genes encoding a methionine γ-lyase (BL929) and a methionine transporter (metPS) was induced in the presence of methionine in conjunction with a significant increase in volatile sulfur compound production.
Comparison of Family 9 Cellulases from Mesophilic and Thermophilic Bacteria
Authors: Mingardon Florence , Bagert John D. , Maisonnier Cyprien , Trudeau Devin L. , Arnold Frances H. 
Published: December 2010

ABSTRACT

Cellulases containing a family 9 catalytic domain and a family 3c cellulose binding module (CBM3c) are important components of bacterial cellulolytic systems. We measured the temperature dependence of the activities of three homologs:
Clostridium cellulolyticum
Cel9G,
Thermobifida fusca
Cel9A, and
C. thermocellum
Cel9I. To directly compare their catalytic activities, we constructed six new versions of the enzymes in which the three GH9-CBM3c domains were fused to a dockerin both with and without a
T. fusca
fibronectin type 3 homology module (Fn3). We studied the activities of these enzymes on crystalline cellulose alone and in complex with a miniscaffoldin containing a cohesin and a CBM3a. The presence of Fn3 had no measurable effect on thermostability or cellulase activity. The GH9-CBM3c domains of Cel9A and Cel9I, however, were more active than the wild type when fused to a dockerin complexed to scaffoldin. The three cellulases in complex have similar activities on crystalline cellulose up to 60°C, but
C. thermocellum
Cel9I, the most thermostable of the three, remains highly active up to 80°C, where its activity is 1.9 times higher than at 60°C. We also compared the temperature-dependent activities of different versions of Cel9I (wild type or in complex with a miniscaffoldin) and found that the thermostable CBM is necessary for activity on crystalline cellulose at high temperatures. These results illustrate the significant benefits of working with thermostable enzymes at high temperatures, as well as the importance of retaining the stability of all modules involved in cellulose degradation.
Novel Probiotic
Bifidobacterium bifidum
CECT 7366 Strain Active against the Pathogenic Bacterium
Helicobacter pylori
Authors: Chenoll E. , Casinos B. , Bataller E. , Astals P. , Echevarría J. , Iglesias J. R. , Balbarie P. , Ramón D. , Genovés S. 
Published: December 2010

ABSTRACT

Helicobacter pylori
is considered one of the major risk factors underlying the development of gastritis and gastric and duodenal ulcers. Moreover, 50% of the population carries this bacterium, and consequently, when it is detected, eradication of
H. pylori
is strongly recommended. Regarding the use of probiotics as functional agents, several studies have shown that there is a direct relationship between the addition of certain probiotic bacteria and
in vitro
inhibition of
H. pylori
; however,
in vivo
studies showing bifidobacterial activity against
H. pylori
remain scarce. In this study, a
Bifidobacterium bifidum
strain which proved active
in vitro
against
H. pylori
has been isolated, with inhibition levels reaching 81.94% in the case of the supernatant and even 94.77% inhibition for supernatant purified by cationic exchange followed by an inverse phase.
In vivo
studies using a BALB/c mouse model have proved that this strain partially relieves damage to gastric tissues caused by the pathogen and also decreases the
H. pylori
pathogenicity ratio. This novel strain fulfills the main properties required of a probiotic (resistance to gastrointestinal juices, biliary salts, NaCl, and low pH; adhesion to intestinal mucus; and sensitivity to antibiotics). Furthermore, the absence of undesirable metabolites has been demonstrated, and its food safety status has been confirmed by acute ingestion studies in mice. In summary, the results presented here demonstrate that
Bifidobacterium bifidum
CECT 7366 can be considered a probiotic able to inhibit
H. pylori
both
in vitro
and
in vivo
.
Extension of the Substrate Utilization Range of
Ralstonia eutropha
Strain H16 by Metabolic Engineering To Include Mannose and Glucose
Authors: Sichwart Shanna , Hetzler Stephan , Bröker Daniel , Steinbüchel Alexander 
Published: December 2010

ABSTRACT

The Gram-negative facultative chemolithoautotrophic bacterium
Ralstonia eutropha
strain H16 is known for its narrow carbohydrate utilization range, which limits its use for biotechnological production of polyhydroxyalkanoates and possibly other products from renewable resources. To broaden its substrate utilization range, which is for carbohydrates and related compounds limited to fructose,
N
-acetylglucosamine, and gluconate, strain H16 was engineered to use mannose and glucose as sole carbon sources for growth. The genes for a facilitated diffusion protein (
glf
) from
Zymomonas mobilis
and for a glucokinase (
glk
), mannofructokinase (
mak
), and phosphomannose isomerase (
pmi
) from
Escherichia coli
were alone or in combination constitutively expressed in
R. eutropha
strain H16 under the control of the neokanamycin or
lac
promoter, respectively, using an episomal broad-host-range vector. Recombinant strains harboring pBBR1MCS-3::
glf
::
mak
::
pmi
or pBBR1MCS-3::
glf
::
pmi
grew on mannose, whereas pBBR1MCS-3::
glf
::
mak
and pBBR1MCS-3
::glf
did not confer the ability to utilize mannose as a carbon source to
R. eutropha
. The recombinant strain harboring pBBR1MCS-3::
glf
::
pmi
exhibited slower growth on mannose than the recombinant strain harboring pBBR1MCS-3::
glf
::
mak
::
pmi
. These data indicated that phosphomannose isomerase is required to convert mannose-6-phosphate into fructose-6-phosphate for subsequent catabolism via the Entner-Doudoroff pathway. In addition, all plasmids also conferred to
R. eutropha
the ability to grow in the presence of glucose. The best growth was observed with a recombinant
R. eutropha
strain harboring plasmid pBBR1MCS-2::P

nk

::
glk
::
glf
. In addition, expression of the respective enzymes was demonstrated at the transcriptional and protein levels and by measuring the activities of mannofructokinase (0.622 ± 0.063 U mg
−1
), phosphomannose isomerase (0.251 ± 0.017 U mg
−1
), and glucokinase (0.518 ± 0.040 U mg
−1
). Cells of recombinant strains of
R. eutropha
synthesized poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) to ca. 65 to 67% (wt/wt) of the cell dry mass in the presence of 1% (wt/vol) glucose or mannose as the sole carbon sources.