bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Predicting Minimal Residual Disease in Acute Myeloid Leukemia through Stochastic Modeling of Clonality
Authors: Dinh Khanh , Jaksik Roman , Corey Seth J. , Kimmel Marek
Published: October 2019

Event-free and overall survival remains poor for acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Chemo-resistant clones contributing to relapse of the disease arise from minimal residual disease (MRD) rather than resulting from newly acquired mutations during or after chemotherapy. MRD is the presence of measurable leukemic cells using non-morphologic assays. It is considered a strong predictor of relapse. The dynamics of clones comprising MRD is poorly understood and is considered influenced by a form of Darwinian selection. We propose a stochastic model based on a multitype (multi-clone) age-dependent Markov branching process to study how random events in MRD contribute to the heterogeneity in response to treatment in a cohort of six patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas database with whole genome sequencing data at two time points. Our model offers a more accurate understanding of how relapse arises and which properties allow a leukemic clone to thrive in the Darwinian competition among leukemic and normal hematopoietic clones. The model suggests a quantitative relationship between MRD and time to relapse and therefore may aid clinicians in determining when and how to implement treatment changes to postpone or prevent the time to relapse.

Author summary

Relapse affects about 50% of AML patients who achieved remission after treatment, and the prognosis of relapsed AML is poor. Current evidence has shown that in many patients, mutations giving rise to relapse are already present at diagnosis and remain in small numbers in remission, defined as the minimal residual disease (MRD). We propose a mathematical model to analyze how MRD develops into relapse, and how random events in MRD may affect the patient’s fate. This work may aid clinicians in predicting the range of outcomes of chemotherapy, given mutational data at diagnosis. This can help in choosing treatment strategies that reduce the risk of relapse.
Examination of zinc in the circadian system
Authors: Moshirpour Mahtab , Nakashima Amy S. , Sehn Nicole , Smith Victoria M. , Dyck Richard H. , Antle Michael C.
Published: October 2019

Zinc is a trace element that is essential for a large number of biological and biochemical processes in the body. In the nervous system zinc is packaged into synaptic vesicles by the ZnT3 transporter, and synaptic release of zinc can influence the activity of postsynaptic cells, either directly though its own cognate receptors, or indirectly by modulating activation of receptors for other neurotransmitters. Here, we explore the anatomical and functional aspects of zinc in the circadian system. Melanopsin-containing retinal ganglion cells in the mouse retina were found to colocalize ZnT3, indicating that they can release zinc at their synaptic targets. While the master circadian clock in the hamster suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) was found to contain, at best, sparse zincergic input, the intergeniculate leaflet (IGL) was found to have prominent zincergic input. Levels of zinc in these areas were not affected by time of day. Additionally, IGL zinc staining persisted following enucleation, indicating other prominent sources of zinc instead of, or in addition to, the retina. Neither enhancement nor chelation of free zinc at either the SCN or IGL altered circadian responses to phase-shifting light in hamsters. Finally, entrainment, free-running, and circadian responses to light were explored in mice lacking the ZnT3 gene. In every aspect explored, the ZnT3-KO mice were not significantly different from their wildtype counterparts. These findings highlight the presence of zinc in areas critical for circadian functioning but have yet to identify a role for zinc in these areas.

Highlights

The synaptic zinc transporter ZnT3 is found in melanopsin-containing retinal ganglion cells.

While zinc input to the hamster SCN was found to be sparse at best, prominent zincergic staining was found throughout the IGL.

Zinc levels in the SCN and IGL did not change between the night and day.

Neither increasing nor decreasing zinc levels in either the SCN or IGL had an influence on circadian responses to light.

Mice lacking the ZnT3 transporter did not differ from wildtype mice on a wide variety of circadian measures.
Cotranslational Folding Stimulates Programmed Ribosomal Frameshifting in the Alphavirus Structural Polyprotein
Authors: Harrington Haley R. , Zimmer Matthew H. , Chamness Laura M. , Nash Veronica , Penn Wesley D. , Miller Thomas F. , Mukhopadhyay Suchetana , Schlebach Jonathan P.
Published: October 2019

Viruses maximize their genetic coding capacity through a variety of biochemical mechanisms including programmed ribosomal frameshifting (PRF), which facilitates the production of multiple proteins from a single transcript. PRF is typically stimulated by structural elements within the mRNA that generate mechanical tension between the transcript and ribosome. However, in this work we show that the forces generated by the cotranslational folding of the nascent polypeptide chain can also enhance PRF. Using an array of biochemical, cellular, and computational techniques, we first demonstrate that the Sindbis virus structural polyprotein forms two competing topological isomers during biosynthesis at the ribosome-translocon complex. We then show that the formation of one of these topological isomers is linked to PRF. Coarse-grained molecular dynamic simulations reveal that the translocon-mediated membrane integration of a transmembrane domain upstream from the ribosomal slip-site generates a force on the nascent polypeptide chain that scales with observed frameshifting. Together, our results demonstrate that cotranslational folding of this protein generates a tension that stimulates PRF. To our knowledge, this constitutes the first example in which the conformational state of the nascent chain has been linked to PRF. These findings raise the possibility that, in addition to RNA-mediated translational recoding, a variety of cotranslational folding and/ or binding events may also stimulate PRF.
Temporal regulation of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunits supports central cholinergic synapse development
Authors: Rosenthal Justin S. , Yin Jun , Long Caixia , Spillman Emma , Sheng Chengyu , Yuan Quan
Published: October 2019

Construction and maturation of the postsynaptic apparatus are crucial for synapse and dendrite development. The fundamental mechanisms underlying these processes are most often studied in glutamatergic central synapses in vertebrates. Whether the same principles apply to excitatory cholinergic synapses in the insect central nervous system (CNS) is not known. To address this question, we investigated Drosophila ventral lateral neurons (LNvs) and identified nAchRα1 (Dα1) and nAchRα6 (Dα6) as the main functional nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAchR) subunits in these cells. With morphological and calcium imaging studies, we demonstrated their distinct roles in supporting dendrite morphogenesis and synaptic transmission. Furthermore, our analyses revealed a transcriptional upregulation of Dα1 and downregulation of Dα6 during larval development, indicating a close association between the temporal regulation of nAchR subunits and synapse maturation. Together, our findings show transcriptional regulation of nAchR composition is a core element of developmental and activity-dependent regulation of central cholinergic synapses.
COMT Val158Met polymorphism associated with greater susceptibility to framing effects in healthy older adults
Authors: Quinn Carson M. , Borzello Mia , Zahir Ali , Kramer Joel H. , Chiong Winston
Published: October 2019

Age-related neural changes may compromise older adults’ decision-making, increasing their risk of fraud and financial abuse. One manifestation of nonrational influences on decision-making is susceptibility to “framing effects,” in which decisions are biased by irrelevant contextual features of how choice information is presented. We investigated whether polymorphisms in genes related to dopamine neurotransmission (COMT) and neurodegeneration (ApoE) influence the susceptibility of older adults to framing effects. We administered an online test of susceptibility to framing effects to a cohort of 113 healthy older adults who had undergone genetic testing for COMT and ApoE genotype. The task required the participant to choose a risky or safe option in pairs of situations that were monetarily equivalent but differed in whether the choice was framed in terms of gains or losses. A general linear model was used to test for associations between inconsistency in choice across the set of choice pairs and these genotypes, controlling for age, education, gender and traditional measures of executive function. While no association to framing effects was found for ApoE, the Valine allele of COMT Val158Met was significantly associated with greater susceptibility to framing, although the association was no longer significant after adjustment for demographic covariates. Our results suggest that greater frontal dopamine concentrations associated with the COMT Met allele are protective against less consistent decision making in older adults. When compared to previous findings in young adults, our findings provide additional support for an inverted-U shaped model of prefrontal dopamine function.
Non-conservation of folding rates in the thioredoxin family reveals degradation of ancestral unassisted-folding
Authors: Gamiz-Arco Gloria , Risso Valeria A. , Candel Adela M. , Inglés-Prieto Alvaro , Romero-Romero Maria L. , Gaucher Eric A. , Gavira Jose A. , Ibarra-Molero Beatriz , Sanchez-Ruiz Jose M.
Published: October 2019

Evolution involves not only adaptation, but also the degradation of superfluous features. Many examples of degradation at the morphological level are known (vestigial organs, for instance). However, the impact of degradation on molecular evolution has been rarely addressed. Thioredoxins serve as general oxidoreductases in all cells. Here, we report extensive mutational analyses on the folding of modern and resurrected ancestral bacterial thioredoxins. Contrary to claims from recent literature,in vitrofolding rates in the thioredoxin family are not evolutionary conserved, but span at least a ∼100-fold range. Furthermore, modern thioredoxin folding is often substantially slower than ancestral thioredoxin folding. Unassisted folding, as probedin vitro, thus emerges as an ancestral vestigial feature that underwent degradation, plausibly upon the evolutionary emergence of efficient cellular folding-assistance. More generally, our results provide evidence that degradation of ancestral features shapes, not only morphological evolution, but also the evolution of individual proteins.
Population genetic analysis of 12 X-STRs in a Bahraini population sample (Allele and haplotype frequencies of 12 X-STRs in Bahraini population)
Authors: Al-Snan Noora R. , Messaoudi Safia A. , Bakhiet Moiz , Mansoor Latifa A.
Published: October 2019

To date, there are very limited genetic studies conducted on the Kingdom of Bahrain and this is one of the first studies conducted to evaluate the 12 X-STRs included in the Investigator X-12 QS kit. Bahrain is a small archipelago located in the Arabian Gulf. X-STRs are very informative in population genetics studies, human identification and complex kinship analysis. One hundred and fifty-six (156) buccal swabs were collected using cotton from non-relatives’ Bahraini males from four different regions of Bahrain. DNA was processed using QIAsymphony SP instrument following quantification with Investigator Quantiplex HYres Kit in the 7500 Real-Time PCR System and detected in ABI 3500xl Genetic Analyzer. Analysis was done using different statistical softwares to obtain allele frequencies and haplotype frequencies-based upon the available four clusters of Linkage Groups (LGs)- and the forensic parameters.. Results indicated the diversity of the Bahraini population in terms of high Power of Discrimination (PD) and Probability of Match (PM) values obtained. The combined values of each forensic parameter such as cPDM, Mean exclusion chance (CMEC) Krüger, CMEC Kishida, and CMEC Desmarais as well as CMEC Desmarais Duo, were 0.9999983, 9999979, 0.9999939, 0.9999996 and 0.9999514 respectively based on the allele and haplotype frequencies. No shared profiles were observed. Number of non-standard alleles and null samples were obtained with more profoundly in locus DXS10148. We have conducted phylogenetic tree as well as multidimensional scale to analyze the Interpopulation diversity between Bahraini population and nine other populations and found out they reflect the geographical and social background of the region. Overall, the results confirm the importance of X-STRs in discriminating between individuals among Bahraini population and in establishing DNA databases for forensic and kinship studies.
Influenza B viruses exhibit lower within-host diversity than influenza A viruses in human hosts
Authors: Valesano Andrew L. , Fitzsimmons William J. , McCrone John T. , Petrie Joshua G. , Monto Arnold S. , Martin Emily T. , Lauring Adam S.
Published: October 2019

Influenza B virus undergoes seasonal antigenic drift more slowly than influenza A, but the reasons for this difference are unclear. While the evolutionary dynamics of influenza viruses play out globally, they are fundamentally driven by mutation, reassortment, drift, and selection within individual hosts. These processes have recently been described for influenza A virus, but little is known about the evolutionary dynamics of influenza B virus (IBV) at the level of individual infections and transmission events. Here we define the within-host evolutionary dynamics of influenza B virus by sequencing virus populations from naturally-infected individuals enrolled in a prospective, community-based cohort over 8176 person-seasons of observation. Through analysis of high depth-of-coverage sequencing data from samples from 91 individuals with influenza B, we find that influenza B virus accumulates lower genetic diversity than previously observed for influenza A virus during acute infections. Consistent with studies of influenza A viruses, the within-host evolution of influenza B viruses is characterized by purifying selection and the general absence of widespread positive selection of within-host variants. Analysis of shared genetic diversity across 15 sequence-validated transmission pairs suggests that IBV experiences a tight transmission bottleneck similar to that of influenza A virus. These patterns of local-scale evolution are consistent with influenza B virus’ slower global evolutionary rate.

Importance

The evolution of influenza virus is a significant public health problem and necessitates the annual evaluation of influenza vaccine formulation to keep pace with viral escape from herd immunity. Influenza B virus is a serious health concern for children, in particular, yet remains understudied compared to influenza A virus. Influenza B virus evolves more slowly than influenza A, but the factors underlying this are not completely understood. We studied how the within-host diversity of influenza B virus relates to its global evolution by sequencing viruses from a community-based cohort. We found that influenza B virus populations have lower within-host genetic diversity than influenza A virus and experience a tight genetic bottleneck during transmission. Our work provides insights into the varying dynamics of influenza viruses in human infection.
Sex and pedagogy influences in physics learning-related reorganization of brain activation
Authors: Bartley Jessica E. , Riedel Michael C. , Salo Taylor , Bottenhorn Katherine L. , Boeving Emily R. , Laird Robert W. , Sutherland Matthew T. , Pruden Shannon M. , Brewe Eric , Laird Angela R.
Published: October 2019

Physics is a challenging academic pursuit in which university students regularly struggle to achieve success. Female students tend to perform negatively on introductory physics conceptual assessments compared to their male peers; however, active-learning classroom curricula are known to broadly improve performance on these tests. Here, we used fMRI to delineate physics-related brain activity in 107 students and probed for changes following a semester of active-learning or lecture-based physics instruction. Large-scale reorganization of brain activity accompanying learning occurred in a mixed frontoparietal and default mode network. Sex differences were observed in frontoparietal, default mode, and primary visual areas before and after instruction. Regions showing significant pedagogy, sex, and time interactions were revealed during physics retrieval, suggesting the type of class students complete may influence sex differences in how students retrieve information. These results reveal potentially elucidating sex and pedagogy differences underlying the neural mechanisms supporting physics learning.
Regional dynamics of fractal dimension of the left ventricular endocardium from cine computed tomography images
Authors: Manohar Ashish , Rossini Lorenzo , Colvert Gabrielle , Vigneault Davis M. , Contijoch Francisco , Chen Marcus Y. , del Alamo Juan C. , McVeigh Elliot R.
Published: October 2019

We present a method to leverage the high fidelity of CT to quantify regional left ventricular function using topography variation of the endocardium as a surrogate measure of strain. 4DCT images of 10 normal and 10 abnormal subjects, acquired with standard clinical protocols, were used. The topography of the endocardium was characterized by its regional values of fractal dimension (FD), computed using a box-counting algorithm developed in-house. The average FD in each of the 16 American Heart Association segments was calculated for each subject as a function of time over the cardiac cycle. The normal subjects showed a peak systolic percentage change in FD of 5.9% ± 2% in all free-wall segments, while the abnormal cohort experienced a change of 2% ± 1.2% (p < 0.00001). Septal segments, being smooth, did not undergo large changes in FD. Additionally, a principal component analysis was performed on the temporal profiles of FD to highlight the possibility for unsupervised classification of normal and abnormal function. The method developed is free from manual contouring and does not require any feature tracking or registration algorithms. The FD values in the free wall segments correlated well with radial strain and with endocardial regional shortening measurements.
When the going gets tough, the tough get going: effect of extreme climate on an Antarctic seabird’s life history
Authors: Jenouvrier Stéphanie , Aubry Lise , Daalen Silke van , Barbraud Christophe , Weimerskirch Henri , Caswell Hal
Published: October 2019

1

Individuals differ in many ways. Most produce few offspring; a handful produce many. Some die early; others live to old age. It is tempting to attribute these differences in out-comes to differences in individual traits, and thus in the demographic rates experienced. However, there is more to individual variation than meets the eye of the biologist. Even among individuals sharing identical traits, life history outcomes will vary due to individual stochasticity, i.e., to chance. Quantifying the contributions of heterogeneity and chance is essential to understanding natural variability. Inter-individual differences vary across environmental conditions. Heterogeneity and stochasticity depend on environmental conditions. We show that favorable conditions increase the contributions of individual stochasticity, and reduce the contributions of heterogeneity, to variance in demographic outcomes in a seabird population. The opposite is true under poor conditions. This result has important consequence for understanding the ecology and evolution of life history strategies.
Late ERP amplitude for self-face perception positively associated with heartbeat perception accuracy
Authors: Tumialis A.V. , Alikovskaia T.A. , Smirnov A.S. , Khoroshikh P.P. , Fadeev K.A. , Gutnikov S.A. , Golokhvast K.S.
Published: October 2019

Perception of yourself involves the integration of information from various sources. In a number of studies, it was found that the perception of one’s own face is accompanied by an increase in the accuracy of perception of heartbeats and the amplitude of brain potentials caused by heart beats. In this study, subjects had to do a heartbeat count test to determine the accuracy of the interception. Then, the subjects were presented with the faces of an unknown person, a friend and the subject’s own face. The simultaneous registration of EEG was organized. We analyzed the relationship between the amplitude of the evoked potentials when viewing these faces and the accuracy of interoception. It was found that the amplitude of the late EP component (850 - 1106 ms) has a positive correlation with IAcc in the central and right parietal and occipital areas when perceiving one’s own face. According to the localization of distributed sources of activity, it was found that the connection is localized in the right anterior upper temporal cortex. Thus, the association between exteroceptive perception of one’s own face and IAcc occurs in the late period of EP. Moreover it is localized in the right temporal region of the cortex, associated with multisensory integration and recognition of personal information.
An evaluation model for aboveground biomass based on Hyperspectral Data from field and TM8 in Khorchin grassland, China
Authors: Zhang Xiaohua , Tian Meirong , Chen Xiuli , Fan Yongjun , Ma Jianjun , Xing Danlu
Published: October 2019

Biomass is an important indicator for monitoring vegetation degradation and productivity. This study tests the applicability of Hyperspectral Remote-Sensing in situ measurements for high-precision estimation aboveground biomass (AGB) on regional scales of Khorchin grassland landscape in Inner Mongolia, China. Field experiments were carried out which collected hyperspectral data with a portable visible/NIR hyperspectral spectrometer (SOC 710), and collected aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP). Ground spectral models were then developed to estimate ANPP from the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), which was measured in the field following the same method as that of the Thematic Mapper(TM) from the Landsat 8 land imager (TM_NDVI). Regression analysis was used to assess the relationship between ANPP and NDVI based on coefficients of determination (R2) and error analysis. The estimation of ANPP had unique optimal regression models. By comparing the different spectral inversion models, we selected an exponential model associating ANPP with NDVI (ANPP = 12.523*e3.370*(0.462*TM_NDVI+0.413), standard error = 24.74 g m-2, R2 = 0.636, P < 0.001). This study suggests that the model can be used to monitor the condition and estimate the productivity of grassland at regional scales. The results still show a high potential to map grassland degradation proxies on the ground hyperspectral model. Thus, this study presents biomass hyperspectral inversion technology to remotely detect and monitor grassland degradation and productivity at high precision.
ASM-Clust: classifying functionally diverse protein families using alignment score matrices
Authors: Speth Daan R. , Orphan Victoria J.
Published: October 2019

Rapid advances in sequencing technology have resulted in the availability of genomes from organisms across the tree of life. Accurately interpreting the function of proteins in these genomes is a major challenge, as annotation transfer based on homology frequently results in misannotation and error propagation. This challenge is especially pressing for organisms whose genomes are directly obtained from environmental samples, as interpretation of their physiology and ecology is often based solely on the genome sequence. For complex protein (super)families containing a large number of sequences, classification can be used to determine whether annotation transfer is appropriate, or whether experimental evidence for function is lacking. Here we present a novel computational approach for de novo classification of large protein (super)families, based on clustering an alignment score matrix obtained by aligning all sequences in the family to a small subset of the data. We evaluate our approach on the enolase family in the Structure Function Linkage Database.

Availability and implementation

ASM-Clust is implemented in bash with helper scripts in perl. Scripts comprising ASM-Clust are available for download from https://github.com/dspeth/bioinfo_scripts/tree/master/ASM_clust/
Expression profiling of single cells and patient cohorts identifies multiple immunosuppressive pathways and an altered NK cell phenotype in glioblastoma
Authors: Close Helen J. , Stead Lucy F. , Nsengimana Jérémie , Reilly Katrina A. , Droop Alastair , Wurdak Heiko , Mathew Ryan K. , Corns Robert , Newton-Bishop Julia , Melcher Alan A. , Short Susan C. , Cook Graham P. , Wilson Erica B.
Published: October 2019

Glioblastoma (GBM) is an aggressive cancer with a very poor prognosis. Generally viewed as weakly immunogenic, GBM responds poorly to current immunotherapies. To better understand this problem we used a combination of NK cell functional assays together with gene and protein expression profiling to define the NK cell response to GBM and explore immunosuppression in the GBM microenvironment. In addition, we used transcriptome data from patient cohorts to classify GBM according to immunological profiles. We show that glioma stem-like cells, a source of post-treatment tumour recurrence, express multiple immunomodulatory cell surface molecules and are targeted in preference to normal neural progenitor cells by natural killer (NK) cellsex vivo. In contrast, GBM-infiltrating NK cells express reduced levels of activation receptors within the tumour microenvironment, with hallmarks of TGF-β mediated inhibition. This NK cell inhibition is accompanied by expression of mutiple immune checkpoint molecules on T cells. Single cell transcriptomics demonstrated that both tumour and haematopoietic-derived cells in GBM express multiple, diverse mediators of immune evasion. Despite this, immunome analysis across a patient cohort identifies a spectrum of immunological activity in GBM, with active immunity marked by co-expression of immune effector molecules and feedback inhibitory mechanisms. Our data show that GBM is recognised by the immune system but that anti-tumour immunity is restrained by multiple immunosuppressive pathways, some of which operate in the healthy brain. The presence of immune activity in a subset of patients suggests that these patients will more likely benefit from combination immunotherapies directed against multiple immunosuppressive pathways.
Polygenic adaptation after a sudden change in environment
Authors: Hayward Laura K. , Sella Guy
Published: October 2019

Polygenic adaptation is thought to be ubiquitous, yet remains poorly understood. Here, we model this process analytically, in the plausible setting of a highly polygenic, quantitative trait that experiences a sudden shift in the fitness optimum. We show how the mean phenotype changes over time, depending on the effect sizes of loci that contribute to variance in the trait, and characterize the allele dynamics at these loci. Importantly, we describe the two phases of the allele dynamics: a rapid phase in which directional selection introduces small frequency differences between alleles whose effects are aligned with or opposed to the shift, which ultimately lead to small differences in their probability of fixation during a second, longer phase, governed by stabilizing selection. As we discuss, our key results should hold in more general settings, and have important implications for efforts to identify the genetic basis of adaptation in humans and other species.
Orthogonal proteomic platforms and their implications for the stable classification of high-grade serous ovarian cancer subtypes
Authors: Thomas Stefani N. , Friedrich Betty , Schnaubelt Michael , Chan Daniel W. , Zhang Hui , Aebersold Ruedi
Published: October 2019

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) Clinical Proteomic Tumor Analysis Consortium (CPTAC) has established a two-dimensional liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (2DLC-MS/MS) workflow using isobaric tagging to compare protein abundance across samples. The workflow has been used for large-scale clinical proteomic studies with deep proteomic coverage within and outside of CPTAC. SWATH-MS, an instance of data-independent acquisition (DIA) proteomic methods, was recently developed as an alternate proteomic approach. In this study, we analyzed remaining aliquots of peptides using SWATH-MS from the original retrospective TCGA samples generated for the CPTAC ovarian cancer proteogenomic study (Zhang et al., 2016). The SWATH-MS results indicated that both methods confidently identified differentially expressed proteins in enriched pathways associated with the robust Mesenchymal subtype of high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) and the homologous recombination deficient tumors also present in the original study. The results demonstrated that SWATH/DIA-MS presents a promising complementary or orthogonal alternative to the CPTAC harmonized proteomic method, with the advantages of simpler, faster, and cheaper workflows, as well as lower sample consumption. However, the SWATH/DIA-MS workflow resulted in shallower proteome coverage. Overall, we concluded that both analytical methods are suitable to characterize clinical samples such as in the high-grade serous ovarian cancer study, providing proteomic workflow alternatives for cancer researchers depending on the specific goals and context of the studies.
The site-symmetry induced representations of layer groups on the Bilbao Crystallographic Server
Authors: de la Flor Gemma , Orobengoa Danel , Evarestov Robert A. , Kitaev Yuri E. , Tasci Emre , Aroyo Mois I.
Published: October 2019

The section of the Bilbao Crystallographic Server (http://www.cryst.ehu.es) dedicated to subperiodic groups includes a new tool calledLSITESYMfor the study of materials with layer and multilayer symmetry. This new program, based on the site-symmetry approach, establishes the symmetry relations between localized and extended crystal states using representations of layer groups. The efficiency and utility of the programLSITESYMis demonstrated by illustrative examples, which include the analysis of phonon symmetry in Aurivillius compounds and in van der Waals layered crystals MoS2and WS2.
A novel crystal form of metacetamol: the first example of a hydrated form
Authors: Zemtsova Viktoria M. , Fedorov Alexey Yu. , Fedorova Elizaveta A. , Boa Callum , Arkhipov Sergey G. , Rychkov Denis A. , Minkov Vasily S. , Pulham Colin R. , Boldyreva Elena V.
Published: October 2019

We report the crystal structure and crystallization conditions of a first hydrated form of metacetamol (a hemihydrate), C8H9NO2·0.5H2O. It crystallizes from metacetamol-saturated 1:1 (v/v) water–ethanol solutions in a monoclinic structure (space group P21/n) and contains eight metacetamol and four water molecules per unit cell. The conformations of the molecules are the same as in polymorph II of metacetamol, which ensures the formation of hydrogen-bonded dimers and R
2
2(16) ring motifs in its crystal structure similar to those in polymorph II. Unlike in form II, however, these dimers in the hemihydrate are connected through water molecules into infinite hydrogen-bonded molecular chains. Different chains are linked to each other by metacetamol–water and metacetamol–metacetamol hydrogen bonds, the latter type being also present in polymorph I. The overall noncovalent network of the hemihydrate is well developed and several types of hydrogen bonds are responsible for its formation.
Crystal structure and mesogenic behaviour of a new fluorene derivative: 9,9-dimethyl-2,7-bis(4-pentylphenyl)-9H-fluorene
Authors: Gupta Sakuntala , Choudhury Tanmay , Dmochowska Ewelina , Kula Przemyslaw , Borbone Fabio , Centore Roberto
Published: October 2019

The title compound, C37H42, is a new mesogenic compound containing the fluorene moiety. It exhibits enantiotropic nematic liquid crystalline behaviour with melting at 125 °C and isotropization at 175 °C. The crystallographically independent unit contains two molecules oriented face-to-edge with respect to each other. The two molecules have nearly the same conformation of the bis-phenyl fluorene moiety. The molecular packing in the crystal phase is nematic-like.
Ba4YZr3F23and Ba4LnZr3F23: a new noncentrosymmetric potential host structure type for optical devices
Authors: Laval Jean-Paul , Taoudi Abdelkrim
Published: October 2019

The first ternary BaF2–Ln(Y)F3–ZrF4phases crystallizing near the composition range of fluoride glasses, namely Ba4YZr3F23(barium yttrium fluoridozirconate) and isotypic Ba4LnZr3F23(Ln = Yb, Er and Nd), have been synthesized. The crystal structure of Ba4YZr3F23cannot be correctly determined in the centrosymmetric space groupPnma(R1 = 0.09); it is preferably described in the noncentrosymmetric space groupPn21a(R1 = 0.028). All cations are located aty= 0.25–0.29 and 0.75–0.79. This new structure type is formed by infinite {[YZr3F23]8−}ncolumns associating, along [001], YF9tricapped trigonal prisms, ZrF8dodecahedra and ZrF7polyhedra. These columns are interconnectedviaBaF10+1and BaF12irregular polyhedra.
Effect of interactivity and congruence on brand advocacy and brand acceptance
Authors: Vashisht Devika
Published: October 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the combined effect of game-interactivity and game-product congruence on consumers’ brand advocacy and brand acceptance in the context of in-game advertising.

Design/methodology/approach

A 2 (interactivity: high or low)×2 (game-product congruence: high or low) between-subject measures design is used. In total, 140 students participated in the study. A 2×2 between-subjects multivariate analysis of variance is used to test the hypotheses.

Findings

The results reveal that for a high-interactive game, congruent condition results in higher brand advocacy and superior brand acceptance than the incongruent condition. However, for a low-interactive game, both congruent and incongruent conditions will result in the same level of brand advocacy as well as equal levels of brand acceptance.

Research limitations/implications

This paper provides implications for theory as well as practice by providing the empirical evidence of the combined effect of game-interactivity and game-product congruence on consumers’ brand advocacy and brand acceptance from the perspective of attention and elaboration. If higher brand advocacy and greater brand acceptance are the objectives of the brand managers, then a high interactive with congruent brand placements would be the right approach for effective advergames.

Originality/value

This investigation contributes to non-traditional advertising media literature, specifically to the area of branded entertainment, like brand placements in digital games by examining and exploring the influence of game-specific factors on players’ brand advocacy and brand acceptance. Moreover, this paper is one of the first to reveal the real-time roles of game-specific factors in generating gamers’ brand advocacy and brand acceptance from the perspectives of attention and elaboration, in an emerging marketing context, like India.
Generalized self-efficacy of youth in the new territories
Authors: Spires Bob , Howington Eric , Rojewski Jay
Published: October 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to gain insight into the generalized self-efficacy (GSE) of youth in the New Territories of Hong Kong. Youth issues have been at the forefront of political discourse in the region and often youth are presented in the media as having fundamental deficits, which are tied to growing inequality and lack of social mobility. This study offers more perspective of the characteristics of Hong Kong youth to contribute to the literature as well as influence the discourse on youth and youth issues.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is based on a community survey of youth in the New Territories of Hong Kong with over 2000 respondents. The survey was based on a valid and reliable instrument on GSE to measure the GSE of youth in the region. GSE characteristics are analyzed using descriptive statistics, Cronbach’s α for internal consistency, factor analysis to verify the dimensional nature of the scale. The relationships between GSE and age and gender were analyzed using multiple linear regression model.

Findings

Findings indicated that despite a slightly higher, yet statistically significant GSE scores for females, and little impact of age on GSE, Hong Kong youth have normal levels of GSE. This finding offers a counter to the pathologizing of youth’s individual characteristics, and implies the need for a shift in discourse toward more targeted examination of the structural issues that act as barriers to social mobility of today’s young people in Hong Kong.

Research limitations/implications

The study focused on GSE, which is correlated with other constructs such as confidence, but not established in causal relationships with other variables. More research is needed to link GSE and confidence in these groups, as well as links to structural issues that may impact various youth characteristics.

Practical implications

The study offers insight, which could be used to inform Non-Governmental Organizations and educational programs targeting disadvantaged youth. Programs that pathologize youth characteristics may be able to employ the findings to shift approaches toward more targeted skills-building as well as programming addressing structural barriers.

Social implications

The study offers a counter-narrative to the contemporary deficit view of today’s youth in Hong Kong. This study provides basis for shifting the discourse away from situating social issues in Hong Kong at the individual level with youth, and toward structural, societal level influences on inequality and social mobility of younger generations.

Originality/value

Although GSE has been measured across the globe, this study sought to target the GSE of a group that has been framed in the media and political discourse as lacking in a variety of important characteristics. This study’s findings offer a counter-narrative to the generally negative attitudes toward youth as shy, lacking in confidence, antisocial and without a strong work ethic.
The development of Catholic-State relations: harmony or conflict
Authors: Lin Yaotang Peter
Published: October 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to conduct a brief survey on the Catholic Church in Taiwan since its establishment by the Spanish missionaries in 1662 until today on its internal development and external relationship with the government. It is interesting to discover that, mostly, the Church has a harmonious relationship with the government, except a very few cases in which its foreign missionaries following the social teaching of the Church antagonize the government. However, it does not affect the close relationship between the Church and government in Taiwan.

Design/methodology/approach

It is a qualitative research on archive and books to research on the events of the Catholic Church in Taiwan in the discipline of social sciences. Historical research is in the majority of events.

Findings

The finding is acceptable because it is one of the few writings on the Catholic Church in Taiwan when writing on the Protestant Churches in Taiwan is flooding.

Originality/value

This is a ground-breaking work with academic value.
Two cases of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy leading to rapid psychological improvement in people with intellectual disabilities
Authors: Oliver Mark A. , Selman Matthew , Brice Samuel , Alegbo Rebecca
Published: October 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to show that Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) may have utility with this client group in routine clinical practice.

Design/methodology/approach

This uncontrolled double case study describes the targeting of ACT processes with people referred to a mental health service for people with intellectual disabilities because of distressing intrusive thoughts. It includes qualitative data to illustrate the opinions of the participants eight weeks after the end of therapy.

Findings

Both clients described rapid relief from distress, with some additional untargeted benefits emerging too. The participants provided follow-up qualitative data in which they described how the therapy had helped them as well as areas where it had not.

Research limitations/implications

This paper presents uncontrolled case studies selected from routine clinical practice. They were selected due to their similarity of outcome and will not represent the experience of every client treated this way.

Practical implications

The practical implications are that a therapy often considered to rely on the use of metaphors and the manipulation of complex metacognitions may be useful for people with more limited verbal and cognitive ability if the therapy is adapted to meet their level of ability.

Originality/value

There has been very little published on using ACT with an intellectual disabilities population. This paper has originality value in that it illustrates the application of the approach in routine clinical practice. Additionally, the qualitative follow-up allows the participants’ voices to be heard about their experience of this approach.
Exploring entrepreneurial characteristics among university students: an evidence from India
Authors: Anwar Imran , Saleem Imran
Published: October 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the entrepreneurial characteristics among university students in India studying business and also comparing the levels of entrepreneurial characteristics between entrepreneurially inclined and entrepreneurially not inclined students.

Design/methodology/approach

In this study, the authors included six entrepreneurial characteristics, namely, risk taking propensity, innovativeness, locus of control, need for achievement, general self-efficacy and tolerance for ambiguity to define the entrepreneurial profile of students. Convenient sampling was used for collecting the data using a seven-point Likert scale based on 38-items self-administered questionnaire. Data were collected from three universities of different cities, namely, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, CSJM University, Kanpur and KMCUAF University, Lucknow. In total, 300 questionnaires were distributed in each of the universities, and 719 questionnaires were found statistically suitable for the study. Students were asked the question “What career option are you planning to choose after completing your graduation?” to know the inclination of the students.

Findings

Results of thet-test confirmed that levels of all the entrepreneurial characteristics are higher in entrepreneurially inclined students when compared to entrepreneurially not inclined students except in terms of general self-efficacy. Thus, entrepreneurially inclined students carry higher risk taking propensity, innovativeness, locus of control, need for achievement and tolerance for ambiguity.

Research limitations/implications

This study is confined only to undergraduate students from business background, and only three universities were included in the sample. Further research can be done taking students from different streams, namely, engineering, science and technology and arts etc. University-wise studies can also be conducted with the view to bring comparability among the students in terms of levels of entrepreneurial characteristics based upon the inclination shown.

Practical implications

This research provides the deeper understanding about what course contents are effective in developing entrepreneurial characteristics among the students and what are to be added with the view to raise potential entrepreneurs.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to establishing the differences across different entrepreneurial characteristics between entrepreneurially inclined and non-inclined undergraduate students.
Factors affecting the performance of Indonesian special food SMEs in entrepreneurial orientation in East Java
Authors: Hutahayan Benny
Published: October 2019

Purpose

This study aims to examine comprehensively the factors determining the performance of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) producing Indonesian special food in East Java.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is quantitative and qualitative. Primary data was collected from entrepreneurs in East Java, those producing Indonesian special food. Secondary data was obtained from the literature, literature study, journals, Central Bureau of Statistics and the office of industry, trade, cooperatives and SMEs in East Java. Areas selected for this study were Surabaya, Madiun, Malang, Pasuruan, Lamongan and Banyuwangi. The population was small and medium entrepreneurs producing Indonesian special food in the selected cities. Based on the PLS sampling rule, the number of samples in each research area was 50, with total of 300 respondents (50 × 6). The methods of collecting primary data were interviews and questionnaire. Data analysis was done using GSCA.

Findings

The study firstly found the significant influence of entrepreneurial orientation on business strategies of SMEs producing Indonesian special food in East Java. SME managers have a high entrepreneurial orientation. Secondly, it found a significant influence of entrepreneurial orientation on business performance of SMEs producing Indonesian special food in East Java. Thirdly, the study found that government policy is not a moderating variable. Additionally, business strategies have a significant influence on the performance of SMEs producing Indonesian special food in East Java. Finally, dynamics of the environment and business strategy have a significant influence on the performance of manufacturing industry in South Sulawesi.

Originality/value

To know the effect of entrepreneurial orientation, environmental dynamism, consisting of uncertainty of environment and intensity of competition, and business strategies toward business performance. Considering the findings of the previous studies, the authors would like to re-examine the effect of entrepreneurial orientation on business performance, which also compares the findings of previous studies, especially, the one by Lee and Tsang (2003) on SMEs in Singapore.