bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mutational signatures driven by epigenetic determinants stratify patients for therapeutic interventions in gastric cancer
Authors: Buttura Jaqueline Ramalho , Provisor Monize Nakamoto , Valieris Renan , Calsavara Vinicius Fernando , Drummond Rodrigo Duarte , Defelicibus Alexandre , Lima Joao Paulo , Freitas Helano Carioca , Lima Vladmir C. Cordeiro , Bartelli Thais Fernanda , Wiedner Marc , Rosales Rafael , Gollob Kenneth John , Loizou Joanna , Dias-Neto Emmanuel , Nunes Diana Noronha , da Silva Israel Tojal
Published: April 2020

DNA mismatch repair deficiency (dMMR) leads to increased mutation load, which in turn may impact anti-tumor immune responses and treatment effectiveness. Currently, there are different mutational signatures described in primary cancers that are associated with dMMR. Whether the somatic and epigenetic changes in MMR genes precede one or more dMMR signatures, and if so by which mechanism remains unknown. To investigate the relationship between these changes and dMMR signatures, we performed a de novo extraction of mutational signatures in a large cohort of 787 gastric cancer patients. We detected three dMMR-related signatures, one of which clearly discriminates tumors with MLH1 gene silencing caused by hyper-methylation within its promoter (AUC = 98%). We then demonstrate that samples with the highest exposures to signature share features related to better prognosis, encompassing clinical and molecular aspects, as well as altered immune infiltrate composition, predictive of a better response to immune checkpoint inhibitors. Overall, our analysis explored the impact of modifications in MMR-related genes on shaping specific mutational signatures and we provide evidence that patient classification based on mutational signature exposure can identify a group of patients with a good prognosis and who are potentially good candidates for immunotherapy.
Non surgical procedure related postoperative Complications independently predicts perioperative mortality, in gastrointestinal and Hpb surgeries.- A retrospective Analysis of prospectively maintained data
Authors: Vasavada Bhavin , patel Hardik
Published: April 2020

Aim

The Aim of the study was to evaluate relationship between non surgical procedure related complication and 30 days mortality.

Material and Methods

All gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary procedures performed in last 3 years have been evaluated retrospectively. Non surgical procedure related postoperative complications were defined as perioperative complications non related to surgical procedures or techniques and related to patients’ physiological health or comorbidities (e.g acute kidney injury, ARDS, acute respiratory failure, pre existing sepsis, etc.), Surgical related complications were defined as perioperative complications related to surgical procedures or techniques (e.g. bleeding, leaks, sepsis due to leaks etc.). Factors affecting 30 days mortality and morbidity were analysed using univariate and multivariate analysis. Chi square test was used for categorical values, Mann Whitney U test was used for numerical values. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used for multivariate analysis. Statistical analysis was used suing SPSS version 21.

Results

Total 325 major hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery was done in our institute in last 2 years. 30 days overall mortality rate was 6.4%. In univariate analysis mortality was significantly associated with nonsurgical procedure related complications. (p < 0.0001). Surgical complications were not associated with mortality. On univariate analysis other factors associated with mortality were emergency surgeries, high CDC grade of surgery, higher ASA grades, increase operative duration, increased blood product requirements. However on multivariate analysis only nonsurgical procedure related postoperative complications independently predicted mortality. (p=0.001).

Conclusions

Non surgical procedure related post operative complications (Physiological) is strongly associated with 30 days mortality, suggesting improved perioperative care can help to reduce post operative mortality.
A CNN-LSTM Architecture for Detection of Intracranial Hemorrhage on CT scans
Authors: Nguyen Nhan T. , Tran Dat Q. , Nguyen Nghia T. , Nguyen Ha Q.
Published: April 2020

We propose a novel method that combines a convolutional neural network (CNN) with a long short-term memory (LSTM) mechanism for accurate prediction of intracranial hemorrhage on computed tomography (CT) scans. The CNN plays the role of a slice-wise feature extractor while the LSTM is responsible for linking the features across slices. The whole architecture is trained end-to-end with input being an RGB-like image formed by stacking 3 different viewing windows of a single slice. We validate the method on the recent RSNA Intracranial Hemorrhage Detection challenge and on the CQ500 dataset. For the RSNA challenge, our best single model achieves a weighted log loss of 0.0522 on the leaderboard, which is comparable to the top 3% performances, almost all of which make use of ensemble learning. Importantly, our method generalizes very well: the model trained on the RSNA dataset significantly outperforms the 2D model, which does not take into account the relationship between slices, on CQ500. Our codes and models will be made public.
Estimating the probability of New Zealand regions being free from COVID-19 using a stochastic SEIR model
Authors: Bogacz Rafal
Published: April 2020

This report describes a method for estimating the probability that there are no infected or pre-symptomatic individuals in a populations on a basis of historical data describing the number of cases in consecutive days. The method involves fitting a stochastic version of Susceptible Exposed Infected Recovered model, and using the model to calculate the probability that the number of both exposed and infected individuals is equal to 0. The model is used to predict the current probabilities for all District Health Boards in New Zealand. These probabilities are highly correlated with the number of days with no new cases of COVID-19.
Network-based assessment of HDAC6 activity is highly predictive of pre-clinical and clinical responses to the HDAC6 inhibitor ricolinostat
Authors: Zeleke Tizita Z. , Pan Qingfei , Chiuzan Cody , Onishi Maika , Alvarez Mariano J. , Honan Erin , Yang Min , Chia Pei Ling , Mukhopadhyay Partha , Kelly Sean , Wu Ruby , Fenn Kathleen , Trivedi Meghna S. , Accordino Melissa , Crew Katherine D , Hershman Dawn L , Maurer Matthew , Jones Simon , Califano Andrea , Kalinsky Kevin , Yu Jiyang , Silva Jose
Published: April 2020

Despite the anticancer activity of pan-histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors, their clinical use has been limited due to toxicity. However, the development of more specific inhibitors that selectively inhibit individual HDACs is emerging as a novel and well-tolerated alternative. Here, we present the results of the first clinical trial evaluating the activity of ricolinostat (the leading HDAC6 inhibitor) in breast cancer (BC) patients.

We have developed a computational network-based algorithm to evaluate the activity of the HDAC6 protein, based on the enrichment of its transcriptional targets in differentially expressed genes (HDAC6 score). Through preclinical in vitro and in vivo studies, we confirmed that the HDAC6 score can stratify the sensitivity of BC cells to ricolinostat treatment and may thus have value as a predictive biomarker. Moreover, analysis of ∼3,000 primary human breast cancers showed that ∼30% of them present high HDAC6 scores. Based on these results, we designed a phase Ib clinical trial to evaluate the activity of ricolinostat plus nab-paclitaxel in metastatic BC patients. Study results showed that the two agents can be safely combined, that clinical activity is identified specifically in patients with HR+/HER2-disease, and that the HDAC6 score was predictive of response. Expansion of our analysis to other tumor types identified multiple cohorts enriched in high HDAC6 score samples. These results suggest that the HDAC6 score may provide an effective, CLIA certified predictive biomarker of ricolinostat sensitivity in multiple human cancers.

SIGNIFICANCE

The clinical use of HDAC inhibitors is hampered by the toxicity associated with blocking multiple HDACs. Here, we show that the specific HDAC6 inhibitor ricolinostat is safe and presents clinical activity in breast cancers and that the HDAC6 score has predictive biomarker potential to identify patients who can benefit from this therapy.
Features of 16,749 hospitalised UK patients with COVID-19 using the ISARIC WHO Clinical Characterisation Protocol
Authors: Docherty AB , Harrison EM , Green CA , Hardwick H , Pius R , Norman L , Holden KA , Read JM , Dondelinger F , Carson G , Merson L , Lee J , Plotkin D , Sigfrid L , Halpin S , Jackson C , Gamble C , Horby PW , Nguyen-Van-Tam JS ,   ISARIC4C Investigators, Dunning J , Openshaw PJM , Baillie JK , Semple MG
Published: April 2020

Structured abstract

Objective

To characterize the clinical features of patients with severe COVID-19 in the UK.

Design

Prospective observational cohort study with rapid data gathering and near real-time analysis, using a pre-approved questionnaire adopted by the WHO.

Setting

166 UK hospitals between 6th February and 18th April 2020.

Participants

16,749 people with COVID-19.

Interventions

No interventions were performed, but with consent samples were taken for research purposes. Many participants were co-enrolled in other interventional studies and clinical trials.

Results

The median age was 72 years [IQR 57, 82; range 0, 104], the median duration of symptoms before admission was 4 days [IQR 1,8] and the median duration of hospital stay was 7 days [IQR 4,12]. The commonest comorbidities were chronic cardiac disease (29%), uncomplicated diabetes (19%), non-asthmatic chronic pulmonary disease (19%) and asthma (14%); 47% had no documented reported comorbidity. Increased age and comorbidities including obesity were associated with a higher probability of mortality. Distinct clusters of symptoms were found: 1. respiratory (cough, sputum, sore throat, runny nose, ear pain, wheeze, and chest pain); 2. systemic (myalgia, joint pain and fatigue); 3. enteric (abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhoea). Overall, 49% of patients were discharged alive, 33% have died and 17% continued to receive care at date of reporting. 17% required admission to High Dependency or Intensive Care Units; of these, 31% were discharged alive, 45% died and 24% continued to receive care at the reporting date. Of those receiving mechanical ventilation, 20% were discharged alive, 53% died and 27% remained in hospital.

Conclusions

We present the largest detailed description of COVID-19 in Europe, demonstrating the importance of pandemic preparedness and the need to maintain readiness to launch research studies in response to outbreaks.

Trial documentation

Available at https://isaric4c.net/protocols. Ethical approval in England and Wales (13/SC/0149), and Scotland (20/SS/0028). ISRCTN (pending).
Predictors of adherence to public health instructions during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Pollak Yehuda , Dayan Haym , Shoham Rachel , Berger Itai
Published: April 2020

Importance

Identifying risk factors for adherence to public health instructions for the COVID-19 pandemic may be crucial for controlling the rate of transmission and the pandemic’s health and economic impacts.

Objective

To determine sociodemographic, health-related, risk-related, and instruction-related factors that predict non-adherence to instructions for the COVID-19 pandemic.

Design

Cross-sectional survey in Israel collected between March 28 and April 10, 2020.

Setting

Population-based study.

Participants

A convenience sample completed an online survey.

Exposures

Sociodemographic, health-related, risk-related, and instruction-related characteristics of the participants that have been linked to adherence to medical instructions.

Main Outcome and Measure

Non-adherence to instructions defined by a mean score of less than 4 on a 1 to 5 adherence scale consisting of 19 instruction items.

Results

Among 654 participants (413 [64.8%] female, age 40.14 [15.23] years), 28.7% were defined as non-adherents. Non-adherence was associated with male gender [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.54, CI 1.03– 2.31], not having children [aOR = 1.73, 1.13–2.65], smoking [aOR = 2.27, CI 1.42–3.62], high levels of ADHD symptoms [aOR = 1.55, CI 1.07–2.25], high levels of past risk-taking behavior [aOR = 1.41, CI 1.10–1.81], as well as by current high psychological distress [aOR = 1.51, CI 1.14–2.01], low perceived risk of COVID-19 [aOR = 1.52, CI 1.22–1.89], low exposure to the instructions [aOR = 1.45, CI 1.14–1.82], and low perceived efficacy of the instructions [aOR = 1.47, CI 1.16–1.85]. Adjusted OR of age, economic status, physical health status, and exposure to media did not reach the significance level.

Conclusions and Relevance

People with the above characteristics may have increased risk for non-adherence to public health instructions. There appears to be a need for setting out and communicating instructions to specifically targeted at-risk populations.

Key Points

Question

What factors are associated with non-adherence to public health instructions during COVID-19?

Findings

In a cross-sectional study of 654 Israeli participants, non-adherence to instructions was associated with male gender, not having children, smoking, high levels of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms, low level of pro-sociality, and high levels of past risk-taking behavior, as well as by current high psychological distress, high perceived risk of the COVID-19, high exposure to the instructions, and high perceived efficacy of the instructions.

Meaning

The findings suggest that in setting out and communicating public health instructions, policymakers should consider the above sociodemographic, health-related, risk-related, and instruction-related characteristics.
Neuroimaging Correlates of Emotional Response-Inhibition Discriminate Between Young Depressed Adults With and Without Sub-threshold Bipolar Symptoms
Authors: Cha Jungwon , Speaker Sidra , Hu Bo , Altinay Murat , Koirala Parashar , Karne Harish , Spielberg Jeffrey , Anand Amit
Published: April 2020

Background

A significant number of subjects with major depression (MDD) exhibit subthreshold mania symptoms (MDD+). This study investigated, for the first time, using emotional inhibition tasks, whether the neurobiology of MDD+ subjects is more akin to bipolar disorder depression (BDD) or to MDD subjects without any subthreshold bipolar symptoms (MDD−).

Method

This study included 118 medication-free young adult subjects (16 – 30 yrs.): 20 BDD, 28 MDD+, 41 MDD−, and 29 HC subjects. Participants underwent fMRI during emotional and non-emotional Go/No-go tasks during which they responded for Go stimuli and inhibited response for happy, fear, emotional (happy + fear) and non-emotional (gender) faces No-go stimuli. Linear mixed effects (LME) analysis for group effects and Gaussian Process Classifier (GPC) analyses was conducted.

Results

MDD− group compared to both the BDD and MDD+ groups, exhibited significantly lower activation in parietal, temporal and frontal regions (cluster-wise corrected p <0.05) for emotional inhibition conditions vs. non-emotional condition. No significant differences were found between BDD and MDD+ groups. GPC classification of emotional vs non-emotional response-inhibition activation pattern showed good discrimination between BDD and MDD− subjects (AUC: 0.70; balanced accuracy: 70% (p = 0.006)) as well as MDD+ and MDD− subjects (AUC: 0.72; balanced accuracy: 67% (p = 0.015)) but less efficient discrimination between BDD and MDD+ groups (AUC: 0.68; balanced accuracy: 61% (p = 0.091)). Notably, classification of the MDD− group was weighted for left amygdala activation pattern.

Conclusion

Using an fMRI emotional Go-Nogo task, MDD− subjects can be discriminated from BDD subjects and MDD+.
Upper extremity exomuscle for shoulder abduction support
Authors: Simpson Cole , Huerta Bryce , Sketch Sean , Lansberg Maarten , Hawkes Elliot , Okamura Allison
Published: April 2020

Assistive devices may aid motor recovery after a stroke, but access to such devices is limited. Exosuits can aid human movement and may be more accessible alternatives to current devices, but we know little about how they might assist post-stroke upper extremity movement. Here, we designed an exosuit actuator to support shoulder abduction, which we call an “exomuscle” and is based on a form of growing robot called a pneumatic-reel actuator. We also assembled a ceiling-mounted support for a positive control. We verified that both supports reduce the activity of shoulder abductor muscles and do not impede range of motion in healthy participants (n=4). Then, we measured reachable workspace area in stroke survivors (n=6) with both supports and without support. Our exomuscle increased workspace area in four participants (180±90 cm2) while the ceiling support increased workspace area in five participants (792±540 cm2). Design decisions that reduce exomuscle complexity, such as leaving the forearm free, likely contribute to performance differences between the two supports. Heterogeneity amongst stroke survivors’ abilities likely contribute to high variability in our results. Though both supports performed similarly for healthy participants, performance differences in stroke survivors highlight the need to validate assistive devices in the target population.
The dual orexin/hypocretin receptor antagonist suvorexant reduces addiction-like behaviors for the opioid fentanyl
Authors: O’Connor Shayna L. , Fragale Jennifer E. , James Morgan H , Aston-Jones Gary
Published: April 2020

The orexin (hypocretin) system is critical for motivated seeking of all drugs of abuse, including opioids. In 2019, the National Institute on Drug Addiction (NIDA) identified the orexin system as a high priority target mechanism for novel pharmacological therapies to treat opioid use disorder (OUD). Suvorexant (Belsomra™) is a dual orexin receptor 1/orexin receptor 2 (OxR1/OxR2) antagonist that is FDA-approved for the treatment of insomnia, and thus has the potential to be readily repurposed for the treatment of OUD. However, studies have yet to test the therapeutic potential of suvorexant with respect to reducing opioid-related behaviors. Accordingly, here we investigated the efficacy of suvorexant in reducing several addiction-relevant behaviors in fentanyl self-administrating rats. In rats with limited drug experience, suvorexant decreased motivation for fentanyl on a behavioral economics (BE) task. This effect was greatest in rats with the highest motivation for fentanyl. Suvorexant was even more effective at decreasing motivation for fentanyl following induction of a more robust addiction phenotype by intermittent access (IntA) self-administration of the opioid. Suvorexant also attenuated punished responding for fentanyl and reduced cued reinstatement in IntA rats. Suvorexant did not affect general locomotor activity or natural reward seeking, indicating that at the doses used here, suvorexant can be used to reduce drug seeking with limited sedative or off-target effects. Together, these results highlight the therapeutic potential of suvorexant, particularly in individuals with the severe OUD.
Biomarker model for cancer: Development of fast LC-MS/MS method for reduced and oxidized glutathione
Authors: Nassar Ray F. , Chitralia Praneeth , Rushworth Roger , O’Donnell Charles , Gagrin Iswarya
Published: April 2020

In recent years, there have been significant efforts devoted to countering the challenge of detecting cancer in early stages. Reduced glutathione (GSH) plays an important role in the antioxidant system and is required for the maintenance of the redox status of the cell, defense against free radicals and detoxification of toxic compounds. GSH may be converted to oxidized glutathione (GSSG) during the oxidative stress that it regularly undergoes when combating cancer cells. Therefore, the ratio of GSH to the total amount of glutathione can be an extremely useful biomarker for detecting cancer. However, there has yet to be an effective method of detecting and quantifying glutathione in cells, making it extremely difficult to use as a biomarker. In this study, we have created an effective method of detecting both forms of glutathione, utilizing high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS). The analysis time took less than 1 minute, and we were able to quantify both GSH and GSSG in one method. The limit of quantitation is 1 ng/mL, and we ran three trials, each examining a range of concentrations, from 1 to 500 ng/ml of GSH and GSSG. Results were calculated using peak area ratios, using HPLC-MS/MS technology, we were able to determine both the amounts of GSH and GSSG in a single method, creating a fast, reliable, non-invasive, and cost-effective method of testing early stages of cancer.
Inhibition of the NLRP3 inflammasome prevents ovarian aging
Authors: Navarro-Pando José M. , Alcocer-Gómez Elísabet , Castejón-Vega Beatriz , Muntané Jordi , Bullon Pedro , Wang Chun , Hoffman Hal M. , Sanz Alberto , Mbalaviele Gabriel , Ryffel Bernhard , Cordero Mario D.
Published: April 2020

Inflammation is a hallmark of many processes during aging and reproductive physiology, negatively affecting female fertility. The goal of this study was to evaluate the role of the NLRP3 inflammasome in ovarian aging and female fertility. Age-dependent increased expression of NLRP3 in the ovary was observed in female WT mice during reproductive aging. High expression of NLRP3, caspase 1 and IL-1β was also observed in granulosa cells from patients with primary ovarian insufficiency. Ablation of the NLRP3 inflammasome improved the survival and pregnancy rates in mice, increased hormonal levels of AMH, a biochemical marker of ovarian reserve, and autophagy rates in ovarian tissue. Deficiency of the NLRP3 inflammasome also reduced serum FSH and estradiol levels. Consistent with these results, pharmacological inhibition of NLRP3 using a direct NLRP3 inhibitor, MCC950, improved fertility in female mice to levels comparable to those ofNlrp3−/−mice. These results suggest that the NLRP3 inflammasome is implicated in the age-dependent loss of female fertility and position this inflammasome as a potential new therapeutic target for the treatment of infertility.
Remote control of CAR T cell therapies by thermal targeting
Authors: Miller Ian C. , Sun Lee-Kai , Harris Adrian M. , Gamboa Lena , Zamat Ali , Kwong Gabriel A.
Published: April 2020

The limited ability to control anti-tumor activity within tumor sites contributes to poor CAR T cell responses against solid malignancies. Systemic delivery of biologic drugs such as cytokines can augment CAR T cell activity despite off-target toxicity in healthy tissues that narrows their therapeutic window. Here we develop a platform for remote control of CAR T therapies by thermal targeting. To enable CAR T cells to respond to heat, we construct synthetic thermal gene switches that trigger expression of transgenes in response to mild elevations in local temperature (40–42 °C) but not to orthogonal cellular stresses such as hypoxia. We show that short pulses of heat (15–30 min) lead to more than 60-fold increases in gene expression without affecting key T cell functions including proliferation, migration, and cytotoxicity. We demonstrate thermal control of broad classes of immunostimulatory agents including CARs, Bispecific T cell Engagers (BiTEs), and cytokine superagonists to enhance proliferation and cell targeting. In mouse models of adoptive transfer, photothermal targeting of intratumoral CAR T cells to control the production of an IL-15 superagonist significantly enhances anti-tumor activity and overall survival. We envision that thermal targeting could improve the safety and efficacy of next-generation therapies by allowing remote control of CAR T cell activity.
IPSC-derived midbrain astrocytes from Parkinson’s disease patients carrying pathogenicSNCAmutations exhibit alpha-synuclein aggregation, mitochondrial fragmentation and excess calcium release
Authors: Barbuti Peter A. , Antony Paul , Novak Gabriella , Larsen Simone B. , Berenguer-Escuder Clara , Santos Bruno FR. , Massart Francois , Grossmann Dajana , Shiga Takahiro , Ishikawa Kei-ichi , Akamatsu Wado , Finkbeiner Steven , Hattori Nobutaka , Krüger Rejko
Published: April 2020

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is characterized by the loss of A9 midbrain dopaminergic neurons and the accumulation of alpha-synuclein aggregates in remaining neurons. Many studies of the molecular and cellular basis of neurodegeneration in PD have made use of iPSC-derived neurons from patients with familial PD mutations. However, approximately half of the cells in the brain are glia, and their role facilitating neurodegeneration is unclear. We developed a novel serum-free protocol to generate midbrain astrocytes from patient-derived iPSCs harbouring the pathogenic p.A30P, p.A53T mutations inSNCA, as well as duplication and triplication of theSNCAlocus. In our cellular model, aggregates of alpha-synuclein occurred only within the GFAP+astrocytes carrying the pathogenicSNCAmutations. Assessment of spontaneous cytosolic calcium (Ca2+) release using Fluo4 revealed thatSNCAmutant astrocytes released excess Ca2+compared to controls. Unbiased evaluation of 3D mitochondrial morphometric parameters showed that theseSNCAmutant astrocytes had increased mitochondrial fragmentation and decreased mitochondrial connectivity compared to controls, and reduced mitochondrial bioenergetic function. This comprehensive assessment of different pathogenicSNCAmutations derived from PD patients using the same cellular model enabled assessment of the mutation effect, showing that p.A53T and triplication astrocytes were the most severely affected. Together, our results indicate that astrocytes harbouring the familial PD mutations inSNCAare dysfunctional, suggesting a contributory role for dysfunctional astrocytes in the disease mechanism and pathogenesis of PD.

Table of Contents Image

Main Points

We used a novel serum-free protocol to generate midbrain-specific functional astrocytes from Parkinson’s disease patients carrying pathological mutations inSNCA

Patient-derived astrocytes show morphological and functional impairments
A near-chromosome level genome assembly ofAnopheles stephensi
Authors: Chida Afiya Razia , Ravi Samathmika , Jayaprasad Suvratha , Paul Kiran , Saha Jaysmita , Suresh Chinjusha , Whadgar Saurabh , Kumar Naveen , Rao K Raksha , Ghosh Chaitali , Choudhary Bibha , Subramani Suresh , Srinivasan Subhashini
Published: April 2020

Malaria remains a major healthcare risk to growing economies like India and a chromosome-level reference genome ofAnopheles stephensiis critical for successful vector management and an understanding of vector evolution. We report a chromosome-level assembly of an Indian strain from draft genomes of two strains using a homology-based iterative approach. The resulting assembly with an L50 of 9 had long enough scaffolds for building 90% of the three chromosomes using physical markers. The sequencing of individuals reveals a genetic diversity ten times higher than what is reported. Based on the developmental transcriptome and orthology of the 54 olfactory receptors (ORs) to those of otherAnophelesspecies, we identify olfactory receptors with the potential for host recognition in the genusAnopheles. A comparative analysis of the genomes suggests limited inter-chromosomal gene flow and chromosomal arm switching with a potential role in adaptive radiation within the genusAnopheles.
A multiplexed work-flow for absolute quantification ofKlebsiella oxytocaNif proteins
Authors: Waite Christoph James , Battle Anya Lindstrom , Bennett Mark , Buck Martin , Schumacher Jörg
Published: April 2020

Global imbalances of the nitrogen cycle are increasingly recognized as a major challenge to human development, and are exacerbated by the use of synthetic inorganic fertilizers. Biotechnology alternatives to inorganic fertilizers include biofertilisation from nitrogen fixing bacteria (diazotrophs), expressing nitrogenase and auxiliary genes (nifgenes). In order to directly quantify all twenty Nif proteins through multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) MS, we established a high throughput pipeline to generate a set ofKlebsiella oxytocaNif protein QconCATs as quantotypic standards. A stringent validation of the pipeline and QconCATs application with regards to isotopic labelling efficiency (100%), limits of detection and quantification, analyte to internal standard concentration boundaries was used for optimisation. Using three QconCATs for the measurement of 20 likely low, middle and high Nif protein abundances enabled detection of all Nif proteins, 19 of which could be accurately quantified and their variation over time monitored. Stoichiometries betweenKlebsiella oxytocaNif proteins and changes between early and late transition into diazotrophy suggest i) a temporal regulation ofnifgene cluster expression that may be linked to nitrogenase expression and maturation; ii) vast disparities in Nif protein abundances and iii) high dependency on thenifLAmaster regulator pair fornifgene expression.
Impact of expertise of audit committee chair and nomination committee chair on financial performance of firm
Authors: Chaudhry Naveed Iqbal , Roomi Muhammad Azam , Aftab Iqra
Published: April 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the influence of financial, monitoring and experiential expertise of audit committee chair (ACC) and HR, monitoring and experiential expertise of nomination committee chair (NCC) on the financial performance (FP) of the firm.

Design/methodology/approach

Quantitative approach was used in this study to collect data from 50 non-financial firms of Pakistan and to analyze the data through e-views for testing hypotheses.

Findings

The findings revealed that financial and monitoring expertise of ACC and experiential expertise of NCC positively influence return on assets, return on equity and the net profit margin of the firm. However, no significant influence of experiential expertise of ACC and monitoring and HR expertise of NCC on FP was found.

Research limitations/implications

The findings of this study will help firms of Pakistan to understand what expertise of their ACC and NCC can contribute to the enhancement of their FP. However, the current study examined the non-financial firms of Pakistan only.

Originality/value

Past studies have never shown the particular focus on different types of expertise of “Chairs” of nomination and audit committees in a combined research to analyze their impact on FP of firms. The present study has abridged this gap in the field of expertise of chairs of board committees so, it will open new areas of discussion for future researchers in domains of “agency theory”, “human capital theory” and corporate governance.
Fostering process innovations in construction through industry–university consortium
Authors: Lavikka Rita , Seppänen Olli , Peltokorpi Antti , Lehtovaara Joonas
Published: April 2020

Purpose

University research efforts have not been effective in developing lasting impacts on operations management in construction because of inadequate coordination between academia and industry. This study aims to describe the development of an industry–university (IU) relationship which has enabled the conduct of practically and scientifically relevant research.

Design/methodology/approach

Design science research was carried out between 2016 and 2019 to build a consortium between a university and 17 design, construction, technology and logistics companies for enabling process innovations in construction. The consortium conducted industry-funded research on various topics, such as takt production, lean design management, prefabrication, measurement of waste and business models supported by digitalisation. The academic and practical impacts of the consortium’s research projects were investigated through a survey and in-depth company interviews.

Findings

The paper presents a conceptual model for creating an IU relationship to support scientifically and practically relevant research. The model includes network architects who mobilised consortium development and a joint governance body that developed a shared long-term vision and selected research topics based on this vision. The results show that using the model’s approach, the consortium selected research topics that have led to both academic publications and process innovations in construction.

Originality/value

Using empirical data, this study describes how to create a win-win IU innovation relationship that enables the implementation of process innovations into the construction sector and, at the same time, the conduct of scientific research in construction management.
A dynamic reliability assessment methodology of gear transmission system of wind turbine
Authors: Liu Huahan , Dong Qiang , Jiang Wei
Published: April 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present a new methodology, used for dynamic reliability analysis of a gear transmission system (GTS) of wind turbine (WT), which could be used for assembly decision-making of the parts with errors to improve the GTS’s performance.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper involves the dynamic and dynamic reliability analysis of a GTS. The history curves of dynamic responses of the parts are obtained with the developed gear-bearing coupling dynamic model considering the random errors, failure dependency and random load. Then, the surrogate models of the mean and standard deviation of responses are presented by statistics, rain flow counting method and corrected-partial least squares regression response surface method. Further, a novel dynamic reliability model based on the maximum extreme theory, a theory of sequential statistics, equivalent principles and the inverse transform theory of random variable sampling, is developed to overcome the limitations of traditional methods.

Findings

The dynamic reliability of GTS considering the different impact factors are evaluated. The proposed reliability methodology not only overcomes the limitations associated with traditional approaches but also provides good guidance to assembly the parts in a GTS to its best performance.

Originality/value

Instead of constant errors, this paper considers the randomness of the impact factors to develop the dynamic reliability model. Further, instead of the limitation of the normal distribution of the random parameters in the traditional method, the proposed methodology can deal with the problems with non-normal distribution parameters, which is more suitable for the real engineering problems.
Patternmaking for middle-aged women's swimsuit applying 3D scan pattern development
Authors: Han Hyunjung , Han Hyunsook , Kim Taehoon
Published: April 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to propose the swimsuit patternmaking method suitable for the body shapes of middle-aged women and to propose the swimsuit pattern development procedures that enable automated swimsuit patternmaking.

Design/methodology/approach

To propose the patternmaking method of the swimsuit, which is suitable for the body shape of middle-aged women, the swimsuit patterns were developed in three stages in this study. The measurements of the middle-aged woman body model were compared with the size of the developed pattern in each stage, and the optimal stretch rate of the fabric was defined. In total, 22 items were used for size analysis of developed patterns in each stage.

Findings

The swimsuit patternmaking method proposed in this study was derived by considering the body shapes of middle-aged women, desired design and fabric characteristics. Also, a series of processes, including obtaining a raw pattern from the surface of the three-dimensional (3D) human body, designing patterns by the expert, evaluating patterns, drafting the final pattern and the final patternmaking method, was presented.

Practical implications

This study has great significance to provide a manual of swimsuit patternmaking for middle-aged women, which has high tightness and movement compatibility.

Originality/value

The swimsuit patternmaking method proposed in this study is relatively simple because it is based on the human body measurements and delivers the lines and the calculated values clearly and objectively rather than the patterner's intuition does so that it is suitable for the automation of the swimsuit patternmaking for the middle-aged women.
Numerical modelling of the interaction between eccrine sweat and textile fabric for the development of smart clothing
Authors: Stephenson Ted , Carvalho Ellero Caio , Sebastia-Saez Daniel , Klymenko Oleksiy , Maria Battley Angela , Arellano-Garcia Harvey
Published: April 2020

Purpose

Live non-invasive monitoring of biomarkers is of great importance for the medical community. Moreover, some studies suggest that there is a substantial business gap in the development of mass-production commercial sweat-analysing wearables with great revenue potential. The objective of this work is to quantify the concentration of biomarkers that reaches the area of the garment where a sensor is positioned to advance the development of commercial sweat-analysing garments.

Design/methodology/approach

Computational analysis of the microfluidic transport of biomarkers within eccrine sweat glands provides a powerful way to explore the potential for quantitative measurements of biomarkers that can be related to the health and/or the physical activity parameters of an individual. The numerical modelling of sweat glands and the interaction of sweat with a textile layer remain however rather unexplored. This work presents a simulation of the production of sweat in the eccrine gland, reabsorption from the dermal duct into the surrounding skin and diffusion within an overlying garment.

Findings

The model represents satisfactorily the relationship between the biomarker concentration and the flow rate of sweat. The biomarker distribution across an overlying garment has also been calculated and subsequently compared to the minimum amount detectable by a sensor previously reported in the literature. The model can thus be utilized to check whether or not a given sensor can detect the minimum biomarker concentration threshold accumulated on a particular type of garment.

Originality/value

The present work presents to the best of our knowledge, the earliest numerical models of the sweat gland carried out so far. The model describes the flow of human sweat along the sweat duct and on to an overlying piece of garment. The model considers complex phenomena, such as reabsorption of sweat into the skin layers surrounding the duct, and the structure of the fibres composing the garment. Biomarker concentration maps are obtained to check whether sensors can detect the threshold concentration that triggers an electric signal. This model finds application in the development of smart textiles.
Impact of transactional, relational and balanced contract on affective commitment
Authors: Singh Nishant , Tyagi Harsha , Bamel Umesh
Published: April 2020

Purpose

This paper is aimed at examining the impact of three types of psychological contracts such as transactional, relational and balanced contract on affective commitment by keeping meaningful work (MFW) as a mediator in this relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

The data of 355 employees was collected from the large heavy Indian manufacturing organizations. The mediation path was analyzed through SPSS macro computational tool, i.e. PROCESS.

Findings

The result suggests that MFW partially mediates the relationship between all three types of psychological contract and affective commitment.

Originality/value

The study adds value to research in organizational behavior and human psychology by providing new insights on employee-employer relationships, MFW, and commitment.
How consumer-based brand equity relates to market share of global and local brands in developed and emerging countries
Authors: Zarantonello Lia , Grappi Silvia , Formisano Marcello , Brakus Josko
Published: April 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between consumer-based brand equity (CBBE) – conceptualized as consisting of brand awareness, perceived quality, brand associations, perceived value and brand loyalty – and market share for different brand types (global versus local) in different country groups (developed versus emerging).

Design/methodology/approach

This paper combines consumer–survey-based data, experts' coding and retail panel data of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) brands in 29 countries.

Findings

In developed countries, the relationship between each CBBE component (except for brand associations) with market share is stronger for local than global brands. In emerging countries, the relationship between each CBBE component with market share is stronger for global than local brands.

Research limitations/implications

This paper contributes to better understanding the relationships between CBBE and market share by showing how CBBE components relate to market share for different brand types (global and local) in different country groups (developed and emerging). Limitations arise from constraints related to existing datasets (e.g. limited number of variables and type of product categories considered).

Practical implications

This paper offers insights to managers working in multinational FMCG companies, as it suggests which CBBE components relate more strongly to the global or local brands' market shares in different countries.

Originality/value

This paper analyzes the relationship between CBBE and market share by focusing on different brand types (global versus local) in different country groups (developed versus emerging). It does so by using a company dataset and showing correspondence with conceptualizations and measures of brand equity from the academic literature. It also considers a large set of 29 countries, extending research beyond national boundaries.
Cloud computing technology adoption: an evaluation of key factors in local governments
Authors: Ali Omar , Shrestha Anup , Osmanaj Valmira , Muhammed Shahnawaz
Published: April 2020

Purpose

The significance of cloud services in information technology (IT) is increasing as a means of achieving enhanced productivity, efficiency and cost reduction. Through cloud-based service, the reliability and scalability of an organization’s systems can be enhanced since organizations such as local governments are able to concentrate on their main business strategies. This research seeks to identify critical factors that may have an impact on the acceptance of cloud-based services, where the organizational context is based on local governments in Australia.

Design/methodology/approach

To formulate a more comprehensive IT innovation adoption model for cloud technology, factors from the technology-organizational-environment framework, desires framework and diffusion of innovation model were integrated. Data was obtained from 480 IT staff working in 47 local government organizations.

Findings

The research results show that the factors which had a statistically significant and positive impact on the adoption of cloud-based services in local governments were compatibility, complexity, cost, security concerns, expected benefits and organization size. It is likely that the outcomes from this research will provide insights to any organization seeking to make investment decisions on the adoption of cloud-based services.

Research limitations/implications

Limitations include generalizability of the findings since the data is restricted to local government areas in Queensland, Australia. Further, the sample mostly included individuals with managerial positions and may not completely capture the cloud adoption factors relevant for front line IT employees. Another limitation is the possible omission of factors that may be relevant but not considered due to the selected theories. Lastly, this research did not differentiate between different types of cloud adoption such as private, public, community and hybrid models that are possible in this context.

Originality/value

The paper provides a combination framework of cloud-based service adoption based on a literature review on cloud adoption from an IS perspective. It adapts integrated model to establish a more comprehensive innovation adoption framework for cloud technology.
Macaulay’s theory of duration: 80-year thematic bibliometric review of the literature
Authors: Shah Syed Alamdar Ali , Sukmana Raditya , Fianto Bayu Arie
Published: April 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this research is to propose a framework for research on Macaulay duration and establish future research directions.

Design/methodology/approach

Thematic, bibliometric and content analyses have been used to review 168 research papers published between 1938 and 2019 taken from ISI Web of Science and Scopus contributed by leading authors, journals and regulatory bodies.

Findings

Identification and integration of themes of duration theory, duration model development and duration model implementation leading to unattended research gaps, and framework for research on Macaulay duration.

Research limitations/implications

The study is based on an extensive review of the literature to extract important themes, research gaps and frameworks. It does not empirically investigate significance of Macaulay duration and various sectors.

Practical implications

This research has several aspects that are helpful for practitioners. Macaulay duration has been the subject of empirical research only without any guiding framework. This research provides a platform to initiate profound researches in various areas of finance. Various proposed models are required to be tested under holistic approach in conventional and emerging fields, especially in Islamic settings.

Originality/value

This research highlights, research themes leading to framework, research gaps and factors that are crucial in developing, extending and testing duration models leading to enhancement of theoretical base of Macaulay duration.
Photoacoustic effect and controlled release of azo and Schiff base derivatives modified by click reagents under the NIR light
Authors: Yang Libin , Wang Dong , Gao Hong , Cao Hui , Zhao Yuzhen , Miao Zongcheng , Yang Zhou , He Wanli
Published: April 2020

Purpose

This study aims to develop a new kind of functional low molecular weight organic dyes, which is highly efficient, meanwhile inexpensive and easily prepared and modified and can be used in photoacoustic (PA) imaging and photothermal therapy (PTT). To further realize the release of molecules under the biomedical condition, the releasing efficiency of micellar nanoparticles under different stimuli were represented.

Design/methodology/approach

A class of azo and Schiff base derivatives with different click reagents were characterized by PA imaging and photothermal (PT) experiments. The molecule with best PT effect was loaded into a temperature-stimuli-sensitive amphiphilic block copolymer which demonstrated the capability of releasing the polymers under the near-infrared (NIR) light of 650 nm.

Findings

The PA and PT effects of a series of azo and Schiff base derivatives with different click reagents were characterized. Introducing the click reagent F4-TCNQ can result in red shift of peaks of PA intensity. Stimulated with 650 nm laser irradiation, the polymer processed higher release rate than being stimulated by temperature stimuli.

Practical implications

This paper not only guides the design of NIR dyes with good PA intensity but also provides a method which has great potential for the application of NIR photothermal dyes in the field of biotechnology for controlled release.

Originality/value

This paper uses click reagents to modify azo and Schiff derivatives and an amphiphilic block copolymer under NIR light to realize controlled release.