Flow Control: How New Geo-Economic Ambitions Reshape Globalization

Stewarding companies through a fragile International system in transition is and will be challenging. The current International order is fragile because the global leadership vacuum is widening, diverging concepts of sovereignty are colliding, the fabric of political power is changing, and emerging status quo challengers are combining cooperation and competition to test the resolve of incumbent lead nations. The ambivalence of technological progress reinforces all of these aspects. Most importantly, corporate decision-makers and investors need to understand that Adam Smith's idea of an 'invisible hand' driving a laissez-faire approach to politics is over. This transition phase is characterized – proverbially – by the 'iron fist with deep pockets,' i.e., authoritarian capitalism, and the vociferous 'Twitter finger,' i.e., executive populism. Both question well-established modes of interaction between politics and economics

Wood allocation trade-offs between fiber wall, fiber lumen, and axial parenchyma drive drought resistance in neotropical trees

Functional relationships between wood density and measures of xylem hydraulic safety and efficiency are ambiguous, especially in wet tropical forests. In this meta-analysis, we move beyond wood density per se and identify relationships between xylem allocated to fibers, parenchyma, and vessels and measures of hydraulic safety and efficiency. We analyzed published data of xylem traits, hydraulic properties and measures of drought resistance from neotropical tree species retrieved from 346 sources. We found that xylem volume allocation to fiber walls increases embolism resistance, but at the expense of specific conductivity and sapwood capacitance. Xylem volume investment in fiber lumen increases capacitance, while investment in axial parenchyma is associated with higher specific conductivity. Dominant tree taxa from wet forests prioritize xylem allocation to axial parenchyma at the expense of fiber walls, resulting in a low embolism resistance for a given wood density and a high vulnerability to drought-induced mortality. We conclude that strong trade-offs between xylem allocation to fiber walls, fiber lumen, and axial parenchyma drive drought resistance in neotropical trees. Moreover, the benefits of xylem allocation to axial parenchyma in wet tropical trees might not outweigh the consequential low embolism resistance under more frequent and severe droughts in a changing climate.Peer reviewe

Improving Ebola infection prevention and control in primary healthcare facilities in Sierra Leone: a single-group pretest post-test, mixed-methods study

Background Accomplishing infection prevention and control (IPC) in health facilities in Sub-Saharan Africa is challenging. Owing to poor IPC, healthcare workers (HCWs) were frequently infected during Sierra Leone's Ebola epidemic. In late 2014, IPC was rapidly and nationally scaled up. We carried out workshops in sampled facilities to further improve adherence to IPC. We investigated HCW experiences and observed practice gaps, before and after the workshops. Methods We conducted an uncontrolled, before and after, mixed-methods study in eight health facilities in Bo and Kenema Districts during December 2014 and January 2015. Quantitative methods administered to HCWs at baseline and follow-up included a survey on attitudes and self-efficacy towards IPC, and structured observations of behaviours. The intervention involved a workshop for HCWs to develop improvement plans for their facility. We analysed the changes between rounds in survey responses and behaviours. We used interviews to explore attitudes and self-efficacy throughout the study period. Results HCWs described IPC as ‘life-saving’ and personal protective equipment (PPE) as uncomfortable for providers and frightening for patients. At baseline, self-efficacy was high (median=4/strongly agree). Responses reflecting unfavourable attitudes were low for glove use (median=1/strongly disagree, IQR, 1–2) and PPE use with ill family members (median=1, IQR, 1–2), and mixed for PPE use with ill HCWs (median=2/disagree, IQR, 1–4). Observations demonstrated consistent glove reuse and poor HCW handwashing. The maintenance of distance (RR 1.09, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.16) and patient handwashing (RR 1.19, 95% CI 1.3 to 1.25) improved to >90%. Conclusions We found favourable attitudes towards IPC and gaps in practice. Risk perceptions of HCWs and tendencies to ration PPE where chronic supply chain issues normally lead to PPE stock-outs may affect practice. As Sierra Leone's Ebola Recovery Strategy aims to make all facilities IPC compliant, socio-behavioural improvements and a secure supply chain are essential

Spongiibacter marinus gen. nov., sp. nov., a halophilic marine bacterium isolated from the boreal sponge Haliclona sp. 1

Strain HAL40bT was isolated from the marine sponge Haliclona sp. 1 collected at the Sula Ridge off the Norwegian coast and characterized by physiological, biochemical and phylogenetic analyses. The isolate was a small rod with a polar flagellum. It was aerobic, Gram-negative and oxidase- and catalase-positive. Optimal growth was observed at 20–30 °C, pH 7–9 and in 3 % NaCl. Substrate utilization tests were positive for arabinose, Tween 40 and Tween 80. Enzyme tests were positive for alkaline phosphatase, esterase lipase (C8), leucine arylamidase, acid phosphatase, naphthol-AS-BI-phosphohydrolase and N-acetyl-β-glucosaminidase. The predominant cellular fatty acid was C17 : 1 ω8, followed by C17 : 0 and C18 : 1 ω7. Analysis by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight MS was used to characterize the strain, producing a characteristic low-molecular-mass protein pattern that could be used as a fingerprint for identification of members of this species. The DNA G+C content was 69.1 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis supported by 16S rRNA gene sequence comparison classified the strain as a member of the class Gammaproteobacteria. Strain HAL40bT was only distantly related to other marine bacteria including Neptunomonas naphthovorans and Marinobacter daepoensis (type strain sequence similarity >90 %). Based on its phenotypic, physiological and phylogenetic characteristics, it is proposed that the strain should be placed into a new genus as a representative of a novel species, Spongiibacter marinus gen. nov., sp. nov.; the type strain of Spongiibacter marinus is HAL40bT (=DSM 17750T =CCUG 54896T)

Sixfold improved single particle measurement of the magnetic moment of the antiproton

Our current understanding of the Universe comes, among others, from particle physics and cosmology. In particle physics an almost perfect symmetry between matter and antimatter exists. On cosmological scales, however, a striking matter/antimatter imbalance is observed. This contradiction inspires comparisons of the fundamental properties of particles and antiparticles with high precision. Here we report on a measurement of the g-factor of the antiproton with a fractional precision of 0.8 parts per million at 95% confidence level. Our value /2=2.7928465(23) outperforms the previous best measurement by a factor of 6. The result is consistent with our proton g-factor measurement gp/2=2.792847350(9), and therefore agrees with the fundamental charge, parity, time (CPT) invariance of the Standard Model of particle physics. Additionally, our result improves coefficients of the standard model extension which discusses the sensitivity of experiments with respect to CPT violation by up to a factor of 20.EU/ERC/290870-MEFUCOMax-Planck SocietyHelmholtz-GemeinschaftRIKEN Initiative Research Unit ProgramRIKEN President FundingRIKEN Pioneering Project FundingRIKEN FPR FundingRIKEN JRA ProgramMEXT/24000008Max-Planck SocietyEU/ERC Advanced Grant/290870-MEFUCOHelmholtz-GemeinschaftCERN-fellowship program

Adsorption and reaction of CO on (Pd–)Al2O3 and (Pd–)ZrO2: vibrational spectroscopy of carbonate formation

γ-Alumina is widely used as an oxide support in catalysis, and palladium nanoparticles supported by alumina represent one of the most frequently used dispersed metals. The surface sites of the catalysts are often probed via FTIR spectroscopy upon CO adsorption, which may result in the formation of surface carbonate species. We have examined this process in detail utilizing FTIR to monitor carbonate formation on γ-alumina and zirconia upon exposure to isotopically labelled and unlabelled CO and CO2. The same was carried out for well-defined Pd nanoparticles supported on Al2O3 or ZrO2. A water gas shift reaction of CO with surface hydroxyls was detected, which requires surface defect sites and adjacent OH groups. Furthermore, we have studied the effect of Cl synthesis residues, leading to strongly reduced carbonate formation and changes in the OH region (isolated OH groups were partly replaced or were even absent). To corroborate this finding, samples were deliberately poisoned with Cl to an extent comparable to that of synthesis residues, as confirmed by Auger electron spectroscopy. For catalysts prepared from Cl-containing precursors a new CO band at 2164 cm−1 was observed in the carbonyl region, which was ascribed to Pd interacting with Cl. Finally, the FTIR measurements were complemented by quantification of the amount of carbonates formed via chemisorption, which provides a tool to determine the concentration of reactive defect sites on the alumina surface

Deformation of intrasalt beds recorded by magnetic fabrics

Funding Information Israel Science Foundation (ISF). Grant Number: 868/17 Israeli Government. Grant Number: 40706 Israel Science Foundation. Grant Number: 868/17Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Improved limit on the directly measured antiproton lifetime

Continuous monitoring of a cloud of antiprotons stored in a Penning trap for 405 days enables us to set an improved limit on the directly measured antiproton lifetime. From our measurements we extract a storage time of 3.15x108 equivalent antiproton-seconds, resulting in a lower lifetime limit of Tp > 10.2,a with a confidence level of 68%. This result improves the limit on charge-parity-time violation in antiproton decays based on direct observation by a factor of 7

Quality of Maternal and Neonatal Care in Albania, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan: A Systematic, Standard-Based, Participatory Assessment

BACKGROUND: Progress in maternal and neonatal mortality has been slow in many countries despite increasing access to institutional births, suggesting deficiencies in the quality of care. We carried out a systematic assessment of the quality of maternal and newborn care in three CEE/CIS countries, using an innovative approach to identify priority issues and promote action. METHODS: A standard-based tool, covering over 400 items grouped in 13 main areas ranging from support services to case management, was used to assess a sample of ten maternity hospitals in Albania, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan. Sources of information were visit to services, medical records, observation of cases, and interviews with staff and mothers. A score (range 0 to 3) was attributed to each item and area of care. The assessment was carried out by a multidisciplinary team of international and national professionals. Local managers and staff provided the necessary information and were involved in discussing the findings and the priority actions. RESULTS: Quality of care was found to be substandard in all 13 areas. The lowest scores (between one and two) were obtained by: management of normal labour, delivery, obstetric complications and sick babies; infection prevention; use of guidelines and audits; monitoring and follow-up. Neonatal care as a whole scored better than obstetric care. Interviewed mothers identified lack of information, insufficient support during labour and lack of companionship as main issues. Actions to improve quality of care were identified at facility as well as at central level and framed according to main health system functions. CONCLUSIONS: Quality of care is a key issue to improve maternal and neonatal outcomes, particularly in countries such as CEE/CIS where access to institutional births is nearly universal. Approaches that involve health professionals and managers in comprehensive, action-oriented assessments of quality of care are promising and should be further supported

Features of mammalian microRNA promoters emerge from polymerase II chromatin immunoprecipitation data

Background: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short, non-coding RNA regulators of protein coding genes. miRNAs play a very important role in diverse biological processes and various diseases. Many algorithms are able to predict miRNA genes and their targets, but their transcription regulation is still under investigation. It is generally believed that intragenic miRNAs (located in introns or exons of protein coding genes) are co-transcribed with their host genes and most intergenic miRNAs transcribed from their own RNA polymerase II (Pol II) promoter. However, the length of the primary transcripts and promoter organization is currently unknown. Methodology: We performed Pol II chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP)-chip using a custom array surrounding regions of known miRNA genes. To identify the true core transcription start sites of the miRNA genes we developed a new tool (CPPP). We showed that miRNA genes can be transcribed from promoters located several kilobases away and that their promoters share the same general features as those of protein coding genes. Finally, we found evidence that as many as 26% of the intragenic miRNAs may be transcribed from their own unique promoters. Conclusion: miRNA promoters have similar features to those of protein coding genes, but miRNA transcript organization is more complex. © 2009 Corcoran et al