Search-phase echolocation calls of the New Zealand lesser short-tailed bat (Mystacina tuberculata) and long-tailed bat (Chalinolobus tuberculatus).

This paper describes the search-phase echolocation calls of lesser short-tailed bats (Mystacina tuberculata) and long-tailed bats (Chalinolobus tuberculatus). Calls were recorded from all three subspecies of short-tailed bat and seven populations of long-tailed bat, three in Northland, two in the central North Island, and two in the lower South Island. The calls were recorded in the field and digitised, then three spectral components and one temporal component of the calls were measured. Calls of the lesser short-tailed bat could be loosely classified into subspecies by means of multivariate discriminant function analysis. Similarly, long-tailed bat calls showed regional variation, and discriminant function analysis was able to fit calls to regional groups with a high rate of success. The significance of the results presented is discussed in terms of the conservation of New Zealand bats and the unique ecology of the lesser short-tailed bat.

The entrepreneurial break-up : disengaging from the start-up phase

Research on firm exit has grown considerably in volume and sophistication in recent years, leading to new insights and strengthened research-based evidence. However, no framework explicitly explains nascent disengagement, i.e., termination of start-up efforts before the firm has reached an operational stage. Further, prior research has had limited success at explaining nascent entrepreneurial behaviour using theories based on logics of resource availability and economic rationality. In response, this chapter approaches nascent stage disengagement unconventionally by proposing to analogously apply Sternberg’s (1986) Triangular Theory of Love, arguing that founders are less likely to give up the start-up effort if they create strong, almost loving relations to their businesses. Nascent entrepreneurs who terminate the start-up process are proposed to lack one or more of the components – intimacy, passion, and commitment – which are essential according to Sternberg’s theory.

Developing and evaluating interventions that are applicable and relevant to inpatients and those who care for them; a multiphase, pragmatic action research approach

Background Randomised controlled trials may be of limited use to evaluate the multidisciplinary and multimodal interventions required to effectively treat complex patients in routine clinical practice; pragmatic action research approaches may provide a suitable alternative. Methods A multiphase, pragmatic, action research based approach was developed to identify and overcome barriers to nutritional care in patients admitted to a metropolitan hospital hip-fracture unit. Results Four sequential action research cycles built upon baseline data including 614 acute hip-fracture inpatients and 30 purposefully sampled clinicians. Reports from Phase I identified barriers to nutrition screening and assessment. Phase II reported post-fracture protein-energy intakes and intake barriers. Phase III built on earlier results; an explanatory mixed-methods study expanded and explored additional barriers and facilitators to nutritional care. Subsequent changes to routine clinical practice were developed and implemented by the treating team between Phase III and IV. These were implemented as a new multidisciplinary, multimodal nutritional model of care. A quasi-experimental controlled, ‘before-and-after’ study was then used to compare the new model of care with an individualised nutritional care model. Engagement of the multidisciplinary team in a multiphase, pragmatic action research intervention doubled energy and protein intakes, tripled return home discharge rates, and effected a 75% reduction in nutritional deterioration during admission in a reflective cohort of hip-fracture inpatients. Conclusions This approach allowed research to be conducted as part of routine clinical practice, captured a more representative patient cohort than previously reported studies, and facilitated exploration of barriers and engagement of the multidisciplinary healthcare workers to identify and implement practical solutions. This study demonstrates substantially different findings to those previously reported, and is the first to demonstrate that multidisciplinary, multimodal nutrition care reduces intake barriers, delivers a higher proportional increase in protein and energy intake compared with baseline than other published intervention studies, and improves patient outcomes when compared with individualised nutrition care. The findings are considered highly relevant to clinical practice and have high translation validity. The authors strongly encourage the development of similar study designs to investigate complex health problems in elderly, multi-morbid patient populations as a way to evaluate and change clinical practice.

The suitability of DEAE-Cl active groups on customized poly(GMA-co-EDMA) continuous stationary phase for fast enzyme-free isolation of plasmid DNA

The creation of a commercially viable and a large-scale purification process for plasmid DNA (pDNA) production requires a whole-systems continuous or semi-continuous purification strategy employing optimised stationary adsorption phase(s) without the use of expensive and toxic chemicals, avian/bovine-derived enzymes and several built-in unit processes, thus affecting overall plasmid recovery, processing time and economics. Continuous stationary phases are known to offer fast separation due to their large pore diameter making large molecule pDNA easily accessible with limited mass transfer resistance even at high flow rates. A monolithic stationary sorbent was synthesised via free radical liquid porogenic polymerisation of ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EDMA) and glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) with surface and pore characteristics tailored specifically for plasmid binding, retention and elution. The polymer was functionalised with an amine active group for anion-exchange purification of pDNA from cleared lysate obtained from E. coli DH5α-pUC19 pellets in RNase/protease-free process. Characterization of the resin showed a unique porous material with 70% of the pores sizes above 300 nm. The final product isolated from anion-exchange purification in only 5 min was pure and homogenous supercoiled pDNA with no gDNA, RNA and protein contamination as confirmed with DNA electrophoresis, restriction analysis and SDS page. The resin showed a maximum binding capacity of 15.2 mg/mL and this capacity persisted after several applications of the resin. This technique is cGMP compatible and commercially viable for rapid isolation of pDNA.

Towards the design of a scalable and commercially viable technique for plasmid purification using a methacrylate monolithic stationary phase

A monolithic stationary phase was prepared via free radical co-polymerization of ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EDMA) and glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) with pore diameter tailored specifically for plasmid binding, retention and elution. The polymer was functionalized. with 2-chloro-N,N-diethylethylamine hydrochloride (DEAE-Cl) for anion-exchange purification of plasmid DNA (pDNA) from clarified lysate obtained from E. coli DH5α-pUC19 culture in a ribonuclease/ protease-free environment. Characterization of the monolithic resin showed a porous material, with 68% of the pores existing in the matrix having diameters above 300 nm. The final product isolated from a single-stage 5 min anion-exchange purification was a pure and homogeneous supercoiled (SC) pDNA with no gDNA, RNA and protein contamination as confirmed by ethidium bromide agarose gel electrophoresis (EtBr-AGE), enzyme restriction analysis and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. This non-toxic technique is cGMP compatible and highly scalable for production of pDNA on a commercial level.

Effects of strain artefacts arising from a pre-defined callus domain in models of bone healing mechanobiology

Iterative computational models have been used to investigate the regulation of bone fracture healing by local mechanical conditions. Although their predictions replicate some mechanical responses and histological features, they do not typically reproduce the predominantly radial hard callus growth pattern observed in larger mammals. We hypothesised that this discrepancy results from an artefact of the models’ initial geometry. Using axisymmetric finite element models, we demonstrated that pre-defining a field of soft tissue in which callus may develop introduces high deviatoric strains in the periosteal region adjacent to the fracture. These bone-inhibiting strains are not present when the initial soft tissue is confined to a thin periosteal layer. As observed in previous healing models, tissue differentiation algorithms regulated by deviatoric strain predicted hard callus forming remotely and growing towards the fracture. While dilatational strain regulation allowed early bone formation closer to the fracture, hard callus still formed initially over a broad area, rather than expanding over time. Modelling callus growth from a thin periosteal layer successfully predicted the initiation of hard callus growth close to the fracture site. However, these models were still susceptible to elevated deviatoric strains in the soft tissues at the edge of the hard callus. Our study highlights the importance of the initial soft tissue geometry used for finite element models of fracture healing. If this cannot be defined accurately, alternative mechanisms for the prediction of early callus development should be investigated.

Synthesis of novel interlocked architectures in solution and solid phase

Mechanically interlocked molecules, such as catenanes and rotaxanes, are fascinating due to their unique sensing and catalytic properties and their potential to act as molecular motors or switches. Traditionally their synthesis has been laborious and expensive, however this research project endeavoured to overcome this challenge by exploring novel ways of preparing mechanically interlocked molecules both in solution and on surfaces. A series of disulfide-linked macrocycles, [2]catenanes and [2]rotaxanes were synthesised in solution using reversible dynamic covalent chemistry. Subsequently, the interlocked architectures were adapted into solid-tethered systems via attachment to swelling polystyrene resins.

The quality of life and caregiving burden among caregivers of people with dementia in Hanoi, Bac Ninh and Hai Phong, Vietnam

This three phase study aimed to describe dementia carer's quality of life (QoL) and perceived burden, and explore the associations between family carer characteristics, burden and perceived QoL in Vietnam. Dementia carers in the capital, Hanoi, in Phase 1 (N= 153) and from Hanoi, Hai Phong and Bac Ninh in Phase 2 (N=347) completed questionnaires. Survey results showed dementia carers reported low QoL, predicted by high perceived burden. Other carer characteristics including age, gender, family income and perceived experience were significantly associated with QoL. Filial piety contributed to only a single domain of QoL. Phase 3 employed qualitative methods to explore the specific issues faced by daughter carers. Findings suggested that filial gratitude and positive aspects of the role may influence the caring experience of daughter carers. Further investigation of the specific support needs of general dementia carers, and daughter carers in particular, in Vietnam is warranted.

A semi-alternating direction method for a 2-D fractional FitzHugh–Nagumo monodomain model on an approximate irregular domain

A FitzHugh-Nagumo monodomain model has been used to describe the propagation of the electrical potential in heterogeneous cardiac tissue. In this paper, we consider a two-dimensional fractional FitzHugh-Nagumo monodomain model on an irregular domain. The model consists of a coupled Riesz space fractional nonlinear reaction-diffusion model and an ordinary differential equation, describing the ionic fluxes as a function of the membrane potential. Secondly, we use a decoupling technique and focus on solving the Riesz space fractional nonlinear reaction-diffusion model. A novel spatially second-order accurate semi-implicit alternating direction method (SIADM) for this model on an approximate irregular domain is proposed. Thirdly, stability and convergence of the SIADM are proved. Finally, some numerical examples are given to support our theoretical analysis and these numerical techniques are employed to simulate a two-dimensional fractional Fitzhugh-Nagumo model on both an approximate circular and an approximate irregular domain.