780 research outputs found
The use of strategy tools by chartered accountants in the South African mining
As a third of all directors in South Africa are chartered accountants (CAs), this
research examined the strategising practices of CA strategists in the mining industry. Drawing on the strategy-as-practice perspective, the research aimed to answer questions pertaining to which strategy tools CA strategists use, and how their accounting background informs their decisions on which tools to use and how to use them.
Empirical data were produced through semi-structured individual interviews with CA strategists selected through purposive and snowball sampling. Data were analysed through conversation analysis using thematic coding. Findings portray CA strategists as craftspeople who adapt and interpret strategy tools from an accounting perspective to serve the requirements of the situation they face. The research confirmed wide use of accounting tools in strategising. The research found that the model of strategising, albeit deliberate or emergent, as well as the educational background of the strategist, affects
deciding which strategy tools are used and how they are used. Specifically, findings indicated that mostly analytical tools are used during planning and deliberate strategising whereas people and project-oriented tools are used during implementation. nderstanding how strategy is done in the South African mining industry, offers insight into the social practice of strategy.Financial Governanc
Peroxidase Profiling Reveals Genetic Linkage between Peroxidase Gene Clusters and Basal Host and Non-Host Resistance to Rusts and Mildew in Barley
Background: Higher plants possess a large multigene family encoding secreted class III peroxidase (Prx) proteins. Peroxidases appear to be associated with plant disease resistance based on observations of induction during disease challenge and the presence or absence of isozymes in resistant vs susceptible varieties. Despite these associations, there is no evidence that allelic variation of peroxidases directly determines levels of disease resistance. Methodology/Principal Findings: The current study introduces a new strategy called Prx-Profiling. We showed that with this strategy a large number of peroxidase genes can be mapped on the barley genome. In order to obtain an estimate of the total number of Prx clusters we followed a re-sampling procedure, which indicated that the barley genome contains about 40 peroxidase gene clusters. We examined the association between the Prxs mapped and the QTLs for resistance of barley to homologous and heterologous rusts, and to the barley powdery mildew fungus. We report that 61 % of the QTLs for partial resistance to P. hordei, 61 % of the QTLs for resistance to B. graminis and 47 % of the QTLs for non-host resistance to other Puccinia species co-localize with Prx based markers. Conclusions/Significance: We conclude that Prx-Profiling was effective in finding the genetic location of Prx genes on the barley genome. The finding that QTLs for basal resistance to rusts and powdery mildew fungi tend to co-locate with Prx clusters provides a base for exploring the functional role of Prx-related genes in determining natural differences in levels o
a prospective âbefore/afterâ cohort study
Objectives Antibiotic resistance has risen dramatically over the past years.
For individual patients, adequate initial antibiotic therapy is essential for
clinical outcome. Computer-assisted decision support systems (CDSSs) are
advocated to support implementation of rational anti-infective treatment
strategies based on guidelines. The aim of this study was to evaluate long-
term effects after implementation of a CDSS. Design This prospective
âbefore/afterâ cohort study was conducted over four observation periods within
5â
years. One preinterventional period (pre) was compared with three
postinterventional periods: directly after intensive implementation efforts
(post1), 2â
years (post2) and 3â
years (post3) after implementation. Setting
Five anaesthesiological-managed intensive care units (ICU) (one
cardiosurgical, one neurosurgical, two interdisciplinary and one intermediate
care) at a university hospital. Participants Adult patients with an ICU stay
of >48â
h were included in the analysis. 1316 patients were included in the
analysis for a total of 12â
965 ICU days. Intervention Implementation of a
CDSS. Outcome measures The primary end point was percentage of days with
guideline adherence during ICU treatment. Secondary end points were
antibiotic-free days and all-cause mortality compared for patients with low
versus high guideline adherence. Main results Adherence to guidelines
increased from 61% prior to implementation to 92% in post1, decreased in post2
to 76% and remained significantly higher compared with baseline in post3, with
71% (p=0.178). Additionally, antibiotic-free days increased over study
periods. At all time periods, mortality for patients with low guideline
adherence was higher with 12.3% versus 8% (p=0.014) and an adjusted OR of 1.56
(95% CI 1.05 to 2.31). Conclusions Implementation of computerised regional
adapted guidelines for antibiotic therapy is paralleled with improved
adherence. Even without further measures, adherence stayed high for a longer
period and was paralleled by reduced antibiotic exposure. Improved guideline
adherence was associated with reduced ICU mortality
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CD36 coordinates NLRP3 inflammasome activation by facilitating the intracellular nucleation from soluble to particulate ligands in sterile inflammation
Particulate ligands including cholesterol crystals and amyloid fibrils induce NLRP3-dependent production of interleukin-1ÎČ (IL-1ÎČ) in atherosclerosis, Alzheimer's disease and diabetes. Soluble endogenous ligands including oxidized-LDL, amyloid-ÎČ and amylin peptides accumulate in these diseases. Here we identify a CD36-mediated endocytic pathway that coordinates the intracellular conversion of these soluble ligands to crystals or fibrils, resulting in lysosomal disruption and NLRP3-inflammasome activation. Consequently, macrophages lacking CD36 failed to elicit IL-1ÎČ production in response to these ligands and targeting CD36 in atherosclerotic mice reduced serum IL-1ÎČ and plaque cholesterol crystal accumulation. Collectively, these findings highlight the importance of CD36 in the accrual and nucleation of NLRP3 ligands from within the macrophage and position CD36 as a central regulator of inflammasome activation in sterile inflammation
Bilateral renal artery stenosis and epidermal nevus syndrome in a child
Epidermal nevus syndrome is a rare congenital sporadic neuro-ectodermic disorder, characterized by the presence of epidermal nevi in association with various developmental abnormalities of the skin, eyes, nervous, skeletal, cardiovascular and urogenital systems. We describe a 5-year-old boy with conjunctival lipodermoid, cervical and facial sebaceous nevi who presented at 3Â years of age with hypertension due to bilateral renal artery stenosis together with multiple vascular anomalies (aorta, celiac trunk, superior mesenteric artery) as shown by magnetic resonance angiography. Systemic arterial hypertension was difficult to control despite combined anti-hypertensive drugs and the surgical repair of the aortic coarctation
PTPN11 mutations are not responsible for the Cardiofaciocutaneous (CFC) syndrome
Cardiofaciocutaneous (CFC) syndrome is a multiple congenital anomalies/mental retardation syndrome characterized by congenital heart defects, characteristic facial appearance, short stature, ectodermal abnormalities and mental retardation. It was described in 1986, and to date is of unknown genetic etiology. All reported cases are sporadic, born to non-consanguineous parents and have apparently normal chromosomes. Noonan and Costello syndromes remain its main differential diagnosis. the recent finding of PTPN11 missense mutations in 45-50% of the Noonan patients studied with penetrance of almost 100% and the fact that in animals mutations of this gene cause defects of semilunar valvulogenesis, made PTPN11 mutation screening in CFC patients a matter of interest. We sequenced the entire coding region of the PTPN11 gene in ten well-characterised CFC patients and found no base changes. We also studied PTPN11 cDNA in our patients and demonstrated that there are no interstitial deletions either. the genetic cause of CFC syndrome remains unknown, and PTPN11 can be reasonably excluded as a candidate gene for the CFC syndrome, which we regard as molecular evidence that CFC and Noonan syndromes are distinct genetic entities.Univ Sacred Heart, Ist Genet Med, I-00168 Rome, ItalyUniversidade Federal de SĂŁo Paulo, Escola Paulista Med, Ctr Med Genet, SĂŁo Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de SĂŁo Paulo, Escola Paulista Med, Dept Dermatol, SĂŁo Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de SĂŁo Paulo, Escola Paulista Med, Ctr Med Genet, SĂŁo Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de SĂŁo Paulo, Escola Paulista Med, Dept Dermatol, SĂŁo Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc
Inhibition of Golgi function causes plastid starch accumulation
Little is known about possible interactions between chloroplasts and the Golgi apparatus, although there is increasing evidence for a direct Golgi to chloroplast transport pathway targeting proteins to their destinations within the membranes and stroma of plastids. Here data are presented showing that a blockage of secretion results in a significant increase of starch within plastids. Golgi disassembly promoted either by the secretory inhibitor brefeldin A or through an inducible Sar1-GTP system leads to dramatic starch accumulation in plastids, thus providing evidence for a direct interaction between plastids and Golgi activity. The possibility that starch accumulation is due either to elevated levels of cytosolic sugars because of loss of secretory Golgi activity or even to a blockage of amylase transport from the Golgi to the chloroplast is discussed
Measurement of the Depth of Maximum of Extensive Air Showers above 10^18 eV
We describe the measurement of the depth of maximum, Xmax, of the
longitudinal development of air showers induced by cosmic rays. Almost four
thousand events above 10^18 eV observed by the fluorescence detector of the
Pierre Auger Observatory in coincidence with at least one surface detector
station are selected for the analysis. The average shower maximum was found to
evolve with energy at a rate of (106 +35/-21) g/cm^2/decade below 10^(18.24 +/-
0.05) eV and (24 +/- 3) g/cm^2/decade above this energy. The measured
shower-to-shower fluctuations decrease from about 55 to 26 g/cm^2. The
interpretation of these results in terms of the cosmic ray mass composition is
briefly discussed.Comment: Accepted for publication by PR
The Pierre Auger Observatory III: Other Astrophysical Observations
Astrophysical observations of ultra-high-energy cosmic rays with the Pierre
Auger ObservatoryComment: Contributions to the 32nd International Cosmic Ray Conference,
Beijing, China, August 201
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