Armani suits and lab coats: can HRM and science co-exist?

The current paper considers the special case of the uptake of, and support for, HRM initiatives in scientific research organisations. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation) HRM professionals to review the level of HRM integration and acceptance. Results indicated that as a group,scientists pose quite a challenge to HRM professionals. Furthermore, examples of HR representation as a senior strategic partner were limited and the devolution to the line of HR responsibilities has met with some resistance. Overall divergent priorities and different career backgrounds posed significant hurdles for HR professionals

Engineering better biomass-degrading ability into a GH11 xylanase using a directed evolution strategy

Background: Improving the hydrolytic performance of hemicellulases on lignocellulosic biomass is of considerable importance for second-generation biorefining. To address this problem, and also to gain greater understanding of structure-function relationships, especially related to xylanase action on complex biomass, we have implemented a combinatorial strategy to engineer the GH11 xylanase from Thermobacillus xylanilyticus (Tx-Xyn). Results: Following in vitro enzyme evolution and screening on wheat straw, nine best-performing clones were identified, which display mutations at positions 3, 6, 27 and 111. All of these mutants showed increased hydrolytic activity on wheat straw, and solubilized arabinoxylans that were not modified by the parental enzyme. The most active mutants, S27T and Y111T, increased the solubilization of arabinoxylans from depleted wheat straw 2.3-fold and 2.1-fold, respectively, in comparison to the wild-type enzyme. In addition, five mutants, S27T, Y111H, Y111S, Y111T and S27T-Y111H increased total hemicellulose conversion of intact wheat straw from 16.7%(tot. xyl) (wild-type Tx-Xyn) to 18.6% to 20.4%(tot. xyl). Also, all five mutant enzymes exhibited a better ability to act in synergy with a cellulase cocktail (Accellerase 1500), thus procuring increases in overall wheat straw hydrolysis. Conclusions: Analysis of the results allows us to hypothesize that the increased hydrolytic ability of the mutants is linked to (i) improved ligand binding in a putative secondary binding site, (ii) the diminution of surface hydrophobicity, and/or (iii) the modification of thumb flexibility, induced by mutations at position 111. Nevertheless, the relatively modest improvements that were observed also underline the fact that enzyme engineering alone cannot overcome the limits imposed by the complex organization of the plant cell wall and the lignin barrier

Permutations whose reverse shares the same recording tableau in the RSK correspondence

The RSK correspondence is a bijection between permutations and pairs of standard Young tableaux with identical shape, where the tableaux are commonly denoted $P$ (insertion) and $Q$ (recording). It has been an open problem to demonstrate $$|\{w \in \mathfrak{S}_n | \, Q(w) = Q(w^r)\}| = \begin{cases} \displaystyle 2^{\frac{n-1}{2}}{n-1 \choose \frac{n-1}{2}} & n \text{ odd} \newline \displaystyle 0 & n \text{ even} \end{cases},$$ where $w^r$ is the reverse permutation of $w$. First we show that for each $w$ where $Q(w) = Q(w^r)$ the recording tableau $Q(w)$ has a symmetric hook shape and satisfies a certain simple property. From these two results, we succeed in proving the desired identity.Comment: 14 pages, 4 figure

Uma visão de alunos universitários sobre a relação de seus pais como casal

En una relación de pareja, sus integrantes comparten expectativas relacionadas con lo que vivieron y aprendieron en su familia de origen, de manera que la nueva familia reflejará patrones que los hijos reproducirán en un futuro. Si los hijos perciben relaciones de pareja adecuadas, retomarán estas mismas relaciones en la formación de su nueva familia; sin embargo, cuando esta relación se ve afectada por la separación, es probable que existan diferencias importantes en la percepción de los hijos. El objetivo del presente artículo fue analizar la percepción de universitarios respecto a la relación de sus padres como pareja dentro de la dinámica familiar, tomando en cuenta si sus padres vivían juntos o separados. Se utilizó una muestra intencional compuesta por 566 alumnos universitarios, de los cuales 345 eran mujeres y 221, hombres. Se aplicó el cuestionario Dinámica de la Familia Nuclear Mexicana de Vásquez et al. (2003), aunque solo se abordó el área "Los padres. Su dinámica cómo pareja". La diferencia estadística entre grupos se obtuvo a través de la prueba U de Mann-Whitney. Los resultados mostraron diferencias estadísticamente significativas entre la percepción de los universitarios con respecto a sus padres cuando viven juntos o cuando viven separados. Se concluyó que existen diferentes factores que afectan el funcionamiento de la dinámica familiar, los cuales influyen de manera diferencial en la percepción que puede tener cada miembro de la familia.When a couple starts a new family, both members share expectations based on what they have learned from their experience in their respective families of origin, in such a way that their offspring will repeat the same patterns in the future. If children perceive a healthy appropriate relationship between their parents, chances are that they too will have a good relationship when they start their own families. However, children will have a different perception when their parents go through a separation or divorce. Based on these facts, the aim of this article was to analyze university students' perception regarding their parents' relationship as a couple within their family environment, taking into consideration whether their parents lived together or separately. A target group comprised of 566 university students of which 345 were women and 221 were men participated in the study. The instrument used was the measurement questionnaire "Dinámica de la Familia Nuclear Mexicana" [The Mexican Family Dynamics] (Vásquez, et al., 2003). In this study the only area addressed was "Parents and their relationship as a couple". The statistical difference between groups was obtained using the Mann-Whitney U test. The results showed significant statistical differences between university students' perception of their parents depending on whether they live together or separately. A conclusion was reached on the existence of different factors that affect the family environment, which has a differential influence on each family member's perception.Em uma relação de casal, seus integrantes compartilham expectativas relacionadas com o que viveram e aprenderam em sua família de origem, de forma que a nova família refletirá padrões que os filhos reproduzirão no futuro. Se os filhos percebem relações de casal adequadas, retomarão essas mesmas relações na formação da sua nova família; no entanto, quando essa relação se vê afetada pela separação, é provável que existam diferenças importantes na percepção dos filhos. O objetivo do presente artigo foi analisar a percepção de universitários com respeito à relação de seus pais como casal dentro da dinâmica familiar, levando em consideração se seus pais viviam juntos ou separados. Utilizou-se uma amostra intencional composta por 566 alunos universitários, dos quais 345 eram mulheres e 221, homens. Aplicou-se o questionário Dinâmica da Família Nuclear Mexicana, de Vásquez et al. (2003), ainda que apenas a área "Os pais - sua dinâmica como casal" tenha sido abordada. A diferença estatística entre grupos foi obtida através do Teste U de Mann-Whitney. Os resultados mostraram diferenças estatisticamente significativas entre a percepção dos universitários com respeito a seus pais quando vivem juntos ou quando vivem separados. Concluiu-se que existem diferentes fatores que afetam o funcionamento da dinâmica familiar, os quais influenciam de maneira diferencial na percepção que cada membro da família pode ter

The GH51 α-l-arabinofuranosidase from Paenibacillus sp. THS1 is multifunctional, hydrolyzing main-chain and side-chain glycosidic bonds in heteroxylans.

Background: Conceptually, multi functional enzymes are attractive because in the case of complex polymer hydrolysis having two or more activities defined by a single enzyme offers the possibility of synergy and reduced enzyme cocktail complexity. Nevertheless, multi functional enzymes are quite rare and are generally multi domain assemblies with each activity being defined by a separate protein module. However, a recent report described a GH51 arabinofuranosidase from Alicyclobacillus sp. A4 that displays both α l arabinofuranosidase and β d xylanase activities, which are defined by a single active site. Following on from this, we describe in detail another multi functional GH51 arabinofuranosidase and discuss the molecular basis of multifunctionality. Results: THSAbf is a GH51 α l arabinofuranosidase. Characterization revealed that THSAbf is active up to 75 °C, stable at 60 °C and active over a broad pH range (4–7). THSAbf preferentially releases para nitrophenyl from the l arabino furanoside ( k cat / K M = 1050 s − 1 mM − 1 ) and to some extent from d galactofuranoside and d xyloside. THSAbf is active on 4 O methylglucuronoxylans from birch and beechwood (10.8 and 14.4 U mg − 1 , respectively) and on sugar beet branched and linear arabinans (1.1 ± 0.24 and 1.8 ± 0.1 U mg − 1 ). Further investigation revealed that like the Alicyclo - bacillus sp. A4 α l arabinofuranosidase, THSAbf also displays endo xylanase activity, cleaving β 1,4 bonds in heteroxy lans. The optimum pH for THASAbf activity is substrate dependent, but ablation of the catalytic nucleophile caused a general loss of activity, indicating the involvement of a single active center. Combining the α l arabinofuranosidase with a GH11 endoxylanase did not procure synergy. The molecular modeling of THSAbf revealed a wide active site cleft and clues to explain multi functionality

Combined approaches provide an anatomical and transcriptomic fingerprint of maize cell wall digestibility

Understanding cell wall biosynthesis and degradation in grasses has become a major aim in plant biology. Although independent previous reports have focused on specific features that dictate cell wall digestibility, cytological, biochemical, and gene regulation parameters have never been integrated within the same study. Herein, we applied a combination of state-of-the-art technologies and different scales of observation on two maize lines that are characterized by highly contrasted forage digestibility. Comparative image analysis of internode sections allow to get an anatomical fingerprint associated with high digestibility: a thin peripheral rind of lignified parenchyma, small numerous vascular bundles, and low proportion of PeriVascular Sclerenchyma (PVS). This cell type patterning led to enhanced digestibility when internode sections were treated with Celluclast, a commercially cell wall degrading enzyme. At a lower scale of observation, Laser Capture Microdissection (LCM) followed by thioacidolysis of PVS revealed a higher proportion of Syringyl (S) unit lignins in the low digestible line while the high digestible line was p-Hydroxyphenyl (H)-rich. Moreover, cytological observation of internodes of the two lines point out that this difference in composition is associated with a delayed lignification of PVS. At the same time, comparative transcriptomics on internodes indicated differential expression of several genes encoding enzymes along the phenylpropanoid pathway and known cell wall-associated Transcription Factors (TFs). Together, these results give an integrative view of different factors which could aim in designing a maize silage ideotype and provide a novel set of potential regulatory genes controlling lignification in maize

Germline Mutation of RPS20, Encoding a Ribosomal Protein, Causes Predisposition to Hereditary Nonpolyposis Colorectal Carcinoma Without DNA Mismatch Repair Deficiency

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