Future-Proofing Your Microbiology Resource Announcements Genome Assembly for Reproducibility and Clarity.

Descriptions of resources, like the genome assemblies reported in Microbiology Resource Announcements, are often frozen at their time of publication, yet they will need to be interpreted in the midst of continually evolving technologies. It is therefore important to ensure that researchers accessing published resources have access to all of the information required to repeat, interpret, and extend these original analyses. Here, we provide a set of suggestions to help make certain that published resources remain useful and repeatable for the foreseeable future

The Human Fungal Pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans Escapes Macrophages by a Phagosome Emptying Mechanism That Is Inhibited by Arp2/3 Complex-Mediated Actin Polymerisation

The lysis of infected cells by disease-causing microorganisms is an efficient but risky strategy for disseminated infection, as it exposes the pathogen to the full repertoire of the host's immune system. Cryptococcus neoformans is a widespread fungal pathogen that causes a fatal meningitis in HIV and other immunocompromised patients. Following intracellular growth, cryptococci are able to escape their host cells by a non-lytic expulsive mechanism that may contribute to the invasion of the central nervous system. Non-lytic escape is also exhibited by some bacterial pathogens and is likely to facilitate long-term avoidance of the host immune system during latency. Here we show that phagosomes containing intracellular cryptococci undergo repeated cycles of actin polymerisation. These actin ‘flashes’ occur in both murine and human macrophages and are dependent on classical WASP-Arp2/3 complex mediated actin filament nucleation. Three dimensional confocal imaging time lapse revealed that such flashes are highly dynamic actin cages that form around the phagosome. Using fluorescent dextran as a phagosome membrane integrity probe, we find that the non-lytic expulsion of Cryptococcus occurs through fusion of the phagosome and plasma membranes and that, prior to expulsion, 95% of phagosomes become permeabilised, an event that is immediately followed by an actin flash. By using pharmacological agents to modulate both actin dynamics and upstream signalling events, we show that flash occurrence is inversely related to cryptococcal expulsion, suggesting that flashes may act to temporarily inhibit expulsion from infected phagocytes. In conclusion, our data reveal the existence of a novel actin-dependent process on phagosomes containing cryptococci that acts as a potential block to expulsion of Cryptococcus and may have significant implications for the dissemination of, and CNS invasion by, this organism.\ud \u

Method to integrate management tools aiming organizational excellence

Paper aims The main objective of this article is to present and validate a method to integrate multiple management tools aiming for organizational excellence in medium and large enterprises. Originality There is a scarcity of methods to integrate management tools to support companies in their operations. This study aims to fill this gap, proposing a manner for companies to perform this integration. Research method The method was developed considering tools and concepts well-established in the literature, such as Lean Thinking, Six Sigma, Balanced ScoreCard, among other management tools. The mentioned method was validated through a survey with managers and directors who are experts in organizational strategies. They were carefully selected considering their professional background. Main findings The proposed method provides an alignment between strategy and execution, presenting a cyclical characteristic to be continuously reviewed method, considering market needs. The survey verified the adherence of the method and to conclude that it is a feasible alternative to reach organizational excellence. Although integration of management methods is fundamental for companies to reach organizational excellence status, this kind of guidelines is scarce in the literature. Implications for theory and practice This method can be used to increase companies’ performance and competitivity

Perception of shop floor employees regarding senior management support in lean projects and its relationship with initiatives success

Purpose – Over the years, the lean production philosophy has shown satisfactory results for companies from different sectors in different countries. Aiming to contribute to the knowledge base on the mentioned philosophy, this study aims to verify the perception of shop floor employees regarding senior management support in lean projects and its relationship with initiatives success. Design/methodology/approach – Through a literature review, 18 aspects of a lean journey were identified and divided into four constructs by a panel of specialists. This information was used to compose a questionnaire, and a survey was conducted with 198 shop floor employees of two auto parts companies. Data analysis was done via Structural Equation Modeling. Findings – As a general result, it was possible to prove that when employees perceive more significant support from senior management in lean projects, the greater is the perception of initiatives success. Therefore, it is interesting that the involvement of senior management occurs at all stages of the project. Originality/value – The results described here have practical implications, especially for managers interested in implementing lean projects; they must be aware of the importance of senior management support for the success of previous projects

Ectopic A-lattice seams destabilize microtubules

Natural microtubules typically include one A-lattice seam within an otherwise helically symmetric B-lattice tube. It is currently unclear how A-lattice seams influence microtubule dynamic instability. Here we find that including extra A-lattice seams in GMPCPP microtubules, structural analogues of the GTP caps of dynamic microtubules, destabilizes them, enhancing their median shrinkage rate by >20-fold. Dynamic microtubules nucleated by seeds containing extra A-lattice seams have growth rates similar to microtubules nucleated by B-lattice seeds, yet have increased catastrophe frequencies at both ends. Furthermore, binding B-lattice GDP microtubules to a rigor kinesin surface stabilizes them against shrinkage, whereas microtubules with extra A-lattice seams are stabilized only slightly. Our data suggest that introducing extra A-lattice seams into dynamic microtubules destabilizes them by destabilizing their GTP caps. On this basis, we propose that the single A-lattice seam of natural B-lattice MTs may act as a trigger point, and potentially a regulation point, for catastrophe

The promise of microarrays in the management and treatment of breast cancer

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy afflicting women from Western cultures. Developments in breast cancer molecular and cellular biology research have brought us closer to understanding the genetic basis of this disease. Recent advances in microarray technology hold the promise of further increasing our understanding of the complexity and heterogeneity of this disease, and providing new avenues for the prognostication and prediction of breast cancer outcomes. These new technologies have some limitations and have yet to be incorporated into clinical use, for both the diagnosis and treatment of women with breast cancer. The most recent application of microarray genomic technologies to studying breast cancer is the focus of this review

Microbial ligand costimulation drives neutrophilic steroid-refractory asthma

Funding: The authors thank the Wellcome Trust (102705) and the Universities of Aberdeen and Cape Town for funding. This research was also supported, in part, by National Institutes of Health GM53522 and GM083016 to DLW. KF and BNL are funded by the Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, BNL is the recipient of an European Research Commission consolidator grant and participates in the European Union FP7 programs EUBIOPRED and MedALL. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Barriers to the acceptance of electronic medical records by physicians from systematic review to taxonomy and interventions

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The main objective of this research is to identify, categorize, and analyze barriers perceived by physicians to the adoption of Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) in order to provide implementers with beneficial intervention options.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A systematic literature review, based on research papers from 1998 to 2009, concerning barriers to the acceptance of EMRs by physicians was conducted. Four databases, "Science", "EBSCO", "PubMed" and "The Cochrane Library", were used in the literature search. Studies were included in the analysis if they reported on physicians' perceived barriers to implementing and using electronic medical records. Electronic medical records are defined as computerized medical information systems that collect, store and display patient information.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The study includes twenty-two articles that have considered barriers to EMR as perceived by physicians. Eight main categories of barriers, including a total of 31 sub-categories, were identified. These eight categories are: A) Financial, B) Technical, C) Time, D) Psychological, E) Social, F) Legal, G) Organizational, and H) Change Process. All these categories are interrelated with each other. In particular, Categories G (Organizational) and H (Change Process) seem to be mediating factors on other barriers. By adopting a change management perspective, we develop some barrier-related interventions that could overcome the identified barriers.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Despite the positive effects of EMR usage in medical practices, the adoption rate of such systems is still low and meets resistance from physicians. This systematic review reveals that physicians may face a range of barriers when they approach EMR implementation. We conclude that the process of EMR implementation should be treated as a change project, and led by implementers or change managers, in medical practices. The quality of change management plays an important role in the success of EMR implementation. The barriers and suggested interventions highlighted in this study are intended to act as a reference for implementers of Electronic Medical Records. A careful diagnosis of the specific situation is required before relevant interventions can be determined.</p