bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Expression of the Eight GABAA Receptor α Subunits in the Developing Zebrafish Central Nervous System
Authors: Monesson-Olson Bryan , McClain Jon J. , Case Abigail E. , Dorman Hanna E. , Turkewitz Daniel R. , Steiner Aaron B. , Downes Gerald B.
Published: January 2018

GABA is a robust regulator of both developing and mature neural networks. It exerts many of its effects through GABAA receptors, which are heteropentamers assembled from a large array of subunits encoded by distinct genes. In mammals, there are 19 different GABAA subunit types, which are divided into the α, β, γ, δ, ε, π, θ and ρ subfamilies. The immense diversity of GABAA receptors is not fully understood. However, it is known that specific isoforms, with their distinct biophysical properties and expression profiles, tune responses to GABA. Although larval zebrafish are well-established as a model system for neural circuit analysis, little is known about GABAA receptors diversity and expression in this system. Here, using database analysis, we show that the zebrafish genome contains at least 23 subunits. All but the mammalian θ and ε subunits have at least one zebrafish ortholog, while five mammalian GABAA subunits have two zebrafish orthologs. Zebrafish contain one subunit, β4, which does not have a clear mammalian ortholog. Similar to mammalian GABAA receptors, the zebrafish α subfamily is the largest and most diverse of the subfamilies. In zebrafish there are eight α subunits, and RNA in situ hybridization across early zebrafish development revealed that they demonstrate distinct patterns of expression in the brain, spinal cord, and retina. Some subunits were very broadly distributed, whereas others were restricted to small populations of cells. Subunit-specific expression patterns were similar between zebrafish, frogs and rodents, which suggests that the roles of different GABAA receptor isoforms are largely conserved among vertebrates. This study provides a platform to examine isoform specific roles of GABAA receptors within zebrafish neural circuits and it highlights the potential of this system to better understand the remarkable heterogeneity of GABAA receptors.
Quantification of double stranded DNA breaks and telomere length as proxies for corneal damage and replicative stress in 64 human keratoconus corneas
Authors: Wisse Robert PL , Kuiper Jonas JW , Radstake Timothy RDJ , Broen Jasper CA
Published: January 2018

Purpose

The pathogenesis of keratoconus (KC) is multifactorial and associated with oxidative stress and subsequent DNA damage. The aim of this study was to investigate differences in DNA damage and replicative stress in patients with KC, and in both healthy and diseased controls.

Methods

Sixty-four corneal buttons were obtained from 27 patients with KC after corneal transplant surgery, 21 patients with a decompensated graft (DG), and 16 healthy controls (HC). The amount of intact Alu elements per genome copy as measured by qPCR was used to quantify intact DNA. Telomere length was measured as a proxy for replicative stress. In addition, telomerase reverse transcriptase(hTERT)gene expression level was assessed.

Results

Mean (±SD) DNA damage was similar between the KC (5.56 ±14.08), DG (3.16 ±8.22), and HC (3.51 ±6.66) groups (P=0.807). No associations were found between DNA damage and patient age (P=0.523), atopic constitution (P=0.240), or contact lens wear (P=0.393). Telomere length differed (P=0.034), most notably in the KC group, andhTERTwas not detected in any corneal sample. Three cross-linked (CXL) KC corneas did not contain significant more DNA damage (2.6x,P =0.750).

Conclusions

Based on these findings, differences in actual corneal DNA damage in KC could not be identified, and the longer telomere length in KC did not support replicative stress as a major etiological factor in the pathogenesis of KC. Future longitudinal investigations on KC etiology should assess progressive early cases to better comprehend the cellular and molecular processes preceding the archetypical morphological changes.

Precis

Oxidative stress is allegedly linked with the development of keratoconus. Whether these stressors actually lead to persisting DNA damage and replicative stress is debated. DNA damage was comparable with control samples, and a shortened telomere length was not identified.
Hidden partners: Using cross-docking calculations to predict binding sites for proteins with multiple interactions
Authors: Lagarde Nathalie , Carbone Alessandra , Sacquin-Mora Sophie
Published: January 2018

Protein-protein interactions control a large range of biological processes and their identification is essential to understand the underlying biological mechanisms. To complement experimental approaches, in silico methods are available to investigate protein-protein interactions. Cross-docking methods, in particular, can be used to predict protein binding sites. However, proteins can interact with numerous partners and can present multiple binding sites on their surface, which may alter the binding site prediction quality. We evaluate the binding site predictions obtained using complete cross-docking simulations of 358 proteins with two different scoring schemes accounting for multiple binding sites. Despite overall good binding site prediction performances, 68 cases were still associated with very low prediction quality, presenting individual area under the specificity-sensitivity ROC curve (AUC) values below the random AUC threshold of 0.5, since cross-docking calculations can lead to the identification of alternate protein binding sites (that are different from the reference experimental sites). For the large majority of these proteins, we show that the predicted alternate binding sites correspond to interaction sites with hidden partners, i.e. partners not included in the original cross-docking dataset. Among those new partners, we find proteins, but also nucleic acid molecules. Finally, for proteins with multiple binding sites on their surface, we investigated the structural determinants associated with the binding sites the most targeted by the docking partners.

Abbreviations

ANOVA: ANalysis Of Variance; AUC: Area Under the Curve; Best Interface: BI; CAPRI: Critical Assessment of Prediction of Interactions; CC-D: Complete Cross-Docking; DNA: DesoxyriboNucleic Acid; FDR: False Discovery Rate; FRIres(type): Fraction of each Residue type in the Interface; FP: False Positives; GI: Global Interface; HCMD: Help Cure Muscular Dystrophy; JET: Joint Evolutionary Tree; MAXDo: Molecular Association via Cross Docking; NAI: Nucleic Acid Interface; NPV: Negative Predicted Value; PDB: Protein Data Bank; PIP: Protein Interface Propensity; PiQSi: Protein Quaternary Structure investigation; PPIs: Protein-Protein Interactions; PPV: Positive Predicted Value; Prec.: Precision; PrimI: Primary Interface; RNA: RiboNucleic Acid; ROC: Receiver Operating Characteristic; SecI: Secondary Interface; Sen.: Sensitivity; Spe.: Specificity; TN: True Negatives; TP: True Positives; WCG: World Community Grid.
Dynamic Flux Balance Analysis Models in SBML
Authors: König Matthias , Watanabe Leandro H. , Grzegorzewski Jan , Myers Chris J.
Published: January 2018

Computational models in systems biology and systems medicine are typically simulated using a single formalism such as ordinary differential equations (ODE). However, more complex models require the coupling of multiple formalisms since different biological phenomena are better described by different methods. For example, metabolism in steady state is often modeled using flux-balance analysis (FBA) whereas dynamic changes of model components are better described via ODEs. The coupling of FBA and ODE modeling formalisms results in dynamic FBA models. A major challenge is how to describe such hybrid models that couple multiple formalisms in a standardized way so that they can be exchanged between tools and simulated consistently in a reproducible manner. This paper presents a scheme for encoding and implementation of dynamic FBA models in the Systems Biology Markup Language (SBML), thereby enabling the exchange of multi-framework computational models between software tools. We demonstrate the feasibility of the approach using various example models and show that different tools are able to simulate the hybrid models and agree on the results. As part of this work, two independent implementations of a multi-framework simulation method for dynamic FBA have been developed supporting such models: iBioSim and sbmiutils.
Controlling for temporal discounting shifts rats from geometric to human-like arithmetic bisection
Authors: Kopec Charles D , Brody Carlos D
Published: January 2018

How our brains measure the passage of time is still largely open for debate. One behavioral task commonly used to study how durations are perceived is the Temporal Bisection Task, in which subjects categorize time durations as either “short” or “long.” The duration equally likely to be categorized as short or long is known as the bisection point. It has been consistently demonstrated that for humans, the bisection point is near the arithmetic mean of the longest and shortest durations the subject was trained on. In contrast, for non-human subjects it has been consistently found near the geometric mean. This difference implies that humans may process or represent temporal durations differently than other species. Here we present a behavioral model that reconciles the differences by demonstrating that rats’ performance on this task is driven not only by their noisy estimates of duration, but also by the temporally-discounted value of future rewards. The model correctly predicts shifts in the bisection point induced by unequal rewards and explains otherwise-paradoxical psychometric reversals documented three decades ago. Furthermore, as predicted by the model, we found that modifying the Temporal Bisection Task to eliminate the temporally-discounted reward component shifted the rats’ bisection point from the geometric mean to the arithmetic mean, thus bringing the rat results into line with the human results. We therefore propose that humans and rats (and perhaps other non-human subjects as well) process temporal information similarly, and that the difference between them in the Temporal Bisection Task may be simply due to rats weighing temporal discounting of future rewards more strongly than humans.
Complexity-Aware Simple Modeling
Authors: Gómez-Schiavon Mariana , El-Samad Hana
Published: January 2018

Mathematical models continue to be essential for deepening our understanding of biology. On one extreme, simple or small-scale models help delineate general biological principles. However, the parsimony of detail in these models as well as their assumption of modularity and insulation make them inaccurate for describing quantitative features. On the other extreme, large-scale and detailed models can quantitatively recapitulate a phenotype of interest, but have to rely on many unknown parameters, making them often difficult to parse mechanistically and to use for extracting general principles. We discuss some examples of a new approach — complexity-aware simple modeling — that can bridge the gap between the small‐ and large-scale approaches.

Highlights

Simple or small-scale models allow deduction of fundamental principles of biological systems

Detailed or large-scale models can be quantitatively accurate but difficult to analyze

Complexity-aware simple models can extract principles that are robust to the presence of unknown complex interactions

Graphical abstract
USP7 cooperates with NOTCH1 to drive the oncogenic transcriptional program in T cell leukemia
Authors: Arcipowski Kelly M. , Martinez Carlos A. , Jin Qi , Zhu Yixing , Diaz Blanca Teresa Gutierrez , Wang Kenneth K. , Johnson Megan R. , Volk Andrew G. , Wang Feng , Wu Jian , Wang Hui , Sokirniy Ivan , Thomas Paul M. , Goo Young Ah , Abshiru Nebiyu A. , Hijiya Nobuko , Peirs Sofie , Vandamme Niels , Berx Geert , Goosens Steven , Marshall Stacy A. , Randleman Emily J. , Takahashi Yoh-hei , Wang Lu , Bartom Elizabeth T. , Collings Clayton K. , Vlierberghe Pieter Van , Strikoudis Alexandros , Kelly Stephen , Ueberheide Beatrix , Mantis Christine , Kandela Irawati , Bourquin Jean-Pierre , Bornhauser Beat , Serafin Valentina , Bresolin Silvia , Paganin Maddalena , Accordi Benedetta , Basso Giuseppe , Kelleher Neil L. , Weinstock Joseph , Kumar Suresh , Crispino John D. , Shilatifard Ali , Ntziachristos Panagiotis
Published: January 2018

T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is an aggressive disease, affecting children and adults. Treatments1-6 show high response rates but have debilitating effects and carry risk of relapse5,7,8. Previous work implicated NOTCH1 and other oncogenes1,2,9-20. However, direct inhibition of these pathways affects healthy tissues and cancer alike. Here, we demonstrate that ubiquitin-specific protease 7 (USP7)21-32 controls leukemia growth by stabilizing the levels of the NOTCH1 and JMJD3 demethylase. USP7 is overexpressed T-ALL and is transcriptionally regulated by NOTCH1. In turn, USP7 controls NOTCH1 through deubiquitination. USP7 is bound to oncogenic targets and controls gene expression through H2B ubiquitination and H3K27me3 changes via stabilization of NOTCH1 and JMJD3. We also show that USP7 and NOTCH1 bind T-ALL superenhancers, and USP7 inhibition alters associated gene activity. These results provide a new model for deubiquitinase activity through recruitment to oncogenic chromatin loci and regulation of both oncogenic transcription factors and chromatin marks to promote leukemia. USP7 inhibition33 significantly blocked T-ALL cell growth in vitro and in vivo. Our studies also show that USP7 is upregulated in the aggressive high-risk cases of T-ALL and suggest that USP7 expression might be a prognostic marker in ALL and its inhibition could be a therapeutic tool against aggressive leukemia.
Efficient pedigree recording for fast population genetics simulation
Authors: Kelleher Jerome , Thornton Kevin R. , Ashanderf Jaime , Ralph Peter L.
Published: January 2018

In this paper we describe how to efficiently record the entire genetic history of a population in forwards-time, individual-based population genetics simulations with arbitrary breeding models, population structure and demography. This approach dramatically reduces the computational burden of tracking individual genomes by allowing us to simulate only those loci that may affect reproduction (those having non-neutral variants). The genetic history of the population is recorded as a succinct tree sequence as introduced in the software packagemsprime, on which neutral mutations can be quickly placed afterwards. Recording the results of each breeding event requires storage that grows linearly with time, but there is a great deal of redundancy in this information. We solve this storage problem by providing an algorithm to quickly ‘simplify’ a tree sequence by removing this irrelevant history for a given set of genomes. By periodically simplifying the history with respect to the extant population, we show that the total storage space required is modest and overall large efficiency gains can be made over classical forward-time simulations. We implement a general-purpose framework for recording and simplifying genealogical data, which can be used to make simulations of any population model more efficient. We modify two popular forwards-time simulation frameworks to use this new approach and observe efficiency gains in large, whole-genome simulations of one to two orders of magnitude. In addition to speed, our method for recording pedigrees has several advantages: (1) All marginal genealogies of the simulated individuals are recorded, rather than just genotypes. (2) A population of N individuals with M polymorphic sites can be stored inO(NlogN+M) space, making it feasible to store a simulation’s entire final generation as well as its history. (3) A simulation can easily be initialized with a more efficient coalescent simulation of deep history. The software for recording and processing tree sequences is named tskit.

Author Summary

Sexually reproducing organisms are related to the others in their species by the complex web of parent-offspring relationships that constitute the pedigree. In this paper, we describe a way to record all of these relationships, as well as how genetic material is passed down through the pedigree, during a forwards-time population genetic simulation. To make effective use of this information, we describe both efficient storage methods for this embellished pedigree as well as a way to remove all information that is irrelevant to the genetic history of a given set of individuals, which dramatically reduces the required amount of storage space. Storing this information allows us to produce whole-genome sequence from simulations of large populations in which we have not explicitly recorded new genomic mutations; we find that this results in computational run times of up to 50 times faster than simulations forced to explicitly carry along that information.
Impact of Human Behavioral Papers at Journal of Neuroscience
Authors: Herzfeld David , Shadmehr Reza
Published: January 2018

A recent policy change at Journal of Neuroscience (JN) has significantly increased editorial “desk rejections”, reducing the number of papers that are considered for publication. Survey results from 130 scientists suggested that the new policy may have had a particularly large impact on studies that focused on human behavioral techniques. To quantify the effects of the new policy, we gathered data on all papers ever published in JN (~35,000), as well as all papers that had cited the JN papers (~2.7 million papers). We found that the recent change in editorial policy had disproportionately affected rejection rates of human behavioral papers: since 2015, the number of human behavioral papers as a proportion of all papers published in JN has seen a 30% decline. While there has been a long-term declining trend in the journal’s impact factor, we found that this declining impact factor was shared by both human behavioral papers as well as other papers in the journal. This suggested that whatever may have been the source of the declining impact factor at JN, this source was affecting the various areas of research equally. That is, it was unlikely that papers in any one field were responsible for the declining impact factor number at JN. Indeed, when impact was measured over the long-term, we found that the average human behavioral paper at JN consistently outperformed other papers, generating a significantly higher number of citations per year at 5 and 10 years post publication.
Recapitulation of human germline coding variation in an ultra-mutated infant leukemia
Authors: Gout Alexander M , Kotecha Rishi S , Kaur Parwinder , Abad Ana , Foley Bree , Carter Kim W , Cole Catherine H , Bond Charles S , Kees Ursula R , Waithman Jason , Cruickshank Mark N
Published: January 2018

Background

Mixed lineage leukemia/Histone-lysine N-methyltransferase 2Agene rearrangements occur in 80% of infant acute lymphoblastic leukemia, but the role of cooperating events is unknown. While infant leukemias typically carry few somatic lesions, we identified a case with over 100 somatic point mutations per megabase and here report unique genomic-features of this case.

Results

The patient presented at 82 days of age, one of the earliest manifestations of cancer hypermutation recorded. The transcriptional profile showed global similarities to canonical cases. Coding lesions were predominantly clonal and almost entirely targeting alleles reported in human genetic variation databases with a notable exception in the mismatch repair gene,MSH2. There were no rare germline alleles or somatic mutations affecting proof-reading polymerase genesPOLEorPOLD1, however there was a predicted damaging mutation in the error prone replicative polymerase,POLK. The patient’s diagnostic leukemia transcriptome was depleted of rare and low-frequency germline alleles due to loss-of-heterozygosity, while somatic point mutations targeted low-frequency and common human alleles in proportions that offset this discrepancy. Somatic signatures of ultra-mutations were highly correlated with germline single nucleotide polymorphic sites indicating a common role for 5-methylcytosine deamination, DNA mismatch repair and DNA adducts.

Conclusions

These data suggest similar molecular processes shaping population-scale human genome variation also underlies the rapid evolution of an infant ultra-mutated leukemia.
MaREA: Metabolic feature extraction, enrichment and visualization of RNAseq data
Authors: Graudenzi Alex , Maspero Davide , Isella Claudio , Filippo Marzia Di , Mauri Giancarlo , Medico Enzo , Antoniotti Marco , Damiani Chiara
Published: January 2018

The characterization of the metabolic deregulations that distinguish cancer phenotypes, and which might be effectively targeted by ad-hoc strategies, is a key open challenge. To this end, we here introduce MaREA (Metabolic Reaction Enrichment Analysis), a computational pipeline that processes cross-sectional RNAseq data to identify the metabolic reactions that are significantly up-/ down-regulated in different sample subgroups. MaREA relies on the definition of a Reaction Activity Score, computed as a function of the expression level of genes encoding for reaction enzymes, which can also be used as an effective metrics to cluster samples into distinct metabolic subgroups. MaREA finally allows to visualize the results in a graphical form directly on metabolic maps. We apply MaREA to distinct cancer datasets and we show that it can produce useful information and new experimental hypotheses on metabolic deregulation of cancer cells, also allowing to stratify patients in metabolic clusters with significantly different survival expectancy.
Luminal MCF-12A and myoepithelial-like Hs 578Bst cells form bilayered acini similar to human breast
Authors: Weber-Ouellette Anne , Busby Mélanie , Plante Isabelle
Published: January 2018

2.3.1

The mammary gland is a complex organ, structured in a ramified epithelium supported by the stroma. The epithelium’s functional unit is the bilayered acinus, made of a layer of luminal cells surrounded by a layer of basal cells mainly composed of myoepithelial cells. The aim of this study was to develop a reproducible and manipulable three-dimensional co-culture model of the bilayered acinusin vitroto study the interactions between the two layers. Two different combinations of cell lines were co-cultured in Matrigel: SCp2 and SCg6 mice cells, or MCF-12A and Hs 578Bst human cell lines. Cell ratios and Matrigel concentration were optimized. The resulting acini were analysed by confocal microscopy using epithelial (E-cadherin) and myoepithelial (α-smooth muscle actin) markers. SCp2 and SCg6 cells formed distinct three-dimensional structures, whereas MCF-12A and Hs 578Bst cells formed some bilayered acini. Thisin vitrobilayered acini model will allow us to understand the role of interactions between luminal and myoepithelial cells in the normal breast development.
Interfering with MIF-CD74 signalling on macrophages and dendritic cells with a peptide-based approach restores the immune response against metastatic melanoma
Authors: Figueiredo Carlos R. , Azevedo Ricardo A. , Mousdell Sasha , Resende-Lara Pedro T. , Ireland Lucy , Santos Almudena , Girola Natalia , Cunha Rodrigo L.O.R. , Schmid Michael C. , Polonelli Luciano , Travassos Luiz R. , Mielgo Ainhoa
Published: January 2018

Mounting an effective immune response against cancer requires the activation of innate and adaptive immune cells. Metastatic melanoma is the most aggressive form of skin cancer. Immunotherapies that boost the activity of effector T cells have shown a remarkable success in melanoma treatment. Patients, however, can develop resistance to such therapies by mechanisms that include the establishment of an immune suppressive tumour microenvironment. Understanding how metastatic melanoma cells suppress the immune system is vital to develop effective immunotherapies against this disease. In this study, we find that the innate immune cells, macrophages and dendritic cells are suppressed in metastatic melanoma. The Ig-CDR-based peptide C36L1 is able to restore macrophages and dendritic cells’ immunogenic functions and to inhibit metastatic growth in vivo. Mechanistically, we found that C36L1 interferes with the MIF-CD74 tumour-innate immune cells immunosuppressive signalling pathway and thereby restores an effective anti-tumour immune response. C36L1 directly binds to CD74 on macrophages and dendritic cells, disturbing CD74 structural dynamics and inhibiting MIF signalling through CD74. Our findings suggest that interfering with MIF-CD74 immunosuppressive signalling in macrophages and dendritic cells using peptide-based immunotherapy can restore the anti-tumour immune response in metastatic melanoma. Our study provides the rationale for further development of peptide-based therapies to restore the anti-tumour immune response.
Proteasome Substrate Capture and Gate Activation by Mycobacterium tuberculosis PafE
Authors: Hu Kuan , Jastrab Jordan B. , Zhang Susan , Kovach Amanda , Zhao Gongpu , Darwin K. Heran , Li Huilin
Published: January 2018

In all domains of life, proteasomes are gated chambered proteases that require opening by activators in order to facilitate protein degradation. Twelve proteasome accessory factor E (PafE) monomers assemble into a single, dodecameric ring to promote proteolysis that is required for the full virulence of the human bacterial pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis. While the best characterized proteasome activators use ATP to deliver proteins into a proteasome, PafE does not require ATP. In order to understand the mechanism of PafE-mediated protein targeting and proteasome activation, we studied the interactions of PafE with native substrates, including a newly identified proteasome substrate, Rv3213c, and with proteasome core particles. We characterized the function of a highly conserved feature conserved in bacterial proteasome activator proteins: a glycine-glutamine-tyrosine-leucine or "GQYL" motif at their carboxyl-termini that is essential to stimulate proteolysis. Using cryo-electron microscopy, we found that the GQYL motif of PafE interacts with specific residues in the α-subunits of the proteasome core particle to trigger gate opening and degradation. Finally, we found that PafE rings have 40-Å openings lined with hydrophobic residues that form a chamber for capturing substrates prior to the onset of degradation. This result suggests PafE has a previously unrecognized chaperone activity. Collectively, our data provide new insights on the mechanistic understanding of ATP-independent proteasome degradation in bacteria.
TMEM16F activation by Ca2+triggers plasmalemma expansion and directs PD-1 trafficking
Authors: Bricogne Christopher , Fine Michael , Pereira Pedro M. , Sung Julia , Tijani Maha , Henriques Ricardo , Collins Mary K , Hilgemann Donald W.
Published: January 2018

TMEM16F, an ion channel gated by high cytoplasmic Ca2+, is required for cell surface phosphatidylserine exposure during platelet aggregation and T cell activation. Here we demonstrate in Jurkat T cells and HEK293 cells that TMEM16F activation triggers large-scale surface membrane expansion in parallel with lipid scrambling. Following TMEM16F mediated scrambling and surface expansion, cells undergo extensive membrane shedding. The membrane compartment that expands the cell surface does not involve endoplasmic reticulum or acidified lysosomes. Surprisingly, T cells lacking TMEM16F expression not only fail to expand surface membrane, but instead rapidly internalize membrane via massive endocytosis (MEND). The T cell co-receptor PD-1 is selectively shed when TMEM16F triggers membrane expansion, while it is selectively internalized in the absence of TMEM16F. Its participation in this trafficking is determined by its single transmembrane domain. Thus, we establish a fundamental role for TMEM16F as a regulator of Ca2+-activated membrane trafficking.
Supramolecular heterosynthon assemblies of ortho-phenylenediamine with substituted aromatic carboxylic acids
Authors: Mishra Risha , Pallepogu Raghavaiah
Published: January 2018

Co-crystallization experiments conducted between ortho-phenylenediamine (OPDA) and five substituted aromatic acids (phthalic acid, salicylic acid, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, 4-nitrobenzoic acid and 3,5-dinitrobenzoic acid) reveal the formation of supramolecular networks constructed from acid–base heterosynthons of ortho-phenylenediammonium cations with respective aromatic anions. All of these coformers are generally regarded as safe (GRAS) molecules. The five reported crystal structures are sustained predominantly by intermolecular N+−H...O−, N—H...O− and N—H...O hydrogen-bonding interactions; in addition intramolecular O—H...O and intermolecular O—H...O, O—H...O− and C—H...O interactions contribute to the formation of various networks. Five 1:1 salts [NH2C6H4NH3]+·[COOHC6H4COO]− (1); [NH2C6H4NH3]+·[OHC6H4COO]− (2); [{NH2C6H4NH2}2·{OHC6H4COOH}2·{NH2C6H4NH3}+
2·{OHC6H4COO}−
2] (OPDPHB) (3); [NH2C6H4NH3]+·[NO2C6H4COO]− (4) and [NH2C6H4NH3]+·[(NO2)2C6H4COO]− (5) were isolated as single crystals by the slow evaporation method and were characterized using spectroscopic and X-ray crystallographic techniques. X-ray diffraction studies confirmed the formation of salts. The pK
a difference between the amine and respective acid favours the transfer of a proton from the acid to the amine, which leads to the formation of the anion and the cation. The interactions between these ions resulted in a stable heterosynthon in each case. The asymmetric units of salts (1), (2), (4) and (5) contain one anion and one cation each, but salt (3) consists of two anions, two cations and two neutral species in its asymmetric unit. A polymorph of salt (3) was also isolated from the crystallization of the ground material from liquid-assisted grinding [{NH2C6H4NH2}·{NH2C6H4NH3}+·{OHC6H4COO}−] (OPDPHB 3P). The polymorph crystallized in the monoclinic non-centrosymmetric space group P21. The liquid-assisted grinding experiments using a 1:1 ratio also revealed the formation of the expected salts, except salt (3), where this product matches with polymorph (OPDPHB 3P).
The crystal structure of cesbronite, Cu3TeO4(OH)4: a novel sheet tellurate topology
Authors: Missen O. P. , Mills S. J. , Welch M. D. , Spratt J. , Rumsey M. S. , Birch W. D. , Brugger J.
Published: January 2018

The crystal structure of cesbronite has been determined using single-crystal X-ray diffraction and supported by electron-microprobe analysis, powder diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. Cesbronite is orthorhombic, space group Cmcm, with a = 2.93172 (16), b = 11.8414 (6), c = 8.6047 (4) Å and V = 298.72 (3) Å3. The chemical formula of cesbronite has been revised to CuII
3TeVIO4(OH)4 from CuII
5(TeIVO3)2(OH)6·2H2O. This change has been accepted by the Commission on New Minerals, Nomenclature and Classification of the International Mineralogical Association, Proposal 17-C. The previously reported oxidation state of tellurium has been shown to be incorrect; the crystal structure, bond valence studies and charge balance clearly show tellurium to be hexavalent. The crystal structure of cesbronite is formed from corrugated sheets of edge-sharing CuO6 and (Cu0.5Te0.5)O6 octahedra. The structure determined here is an average structure that has underlying ordering of Cu and Te at one of the two metal sites, designated as M, which has an occupancy Cu0.5Te0.5. This averaging probably arises from an absence of correlation between adjacent polyhedral sheets, as there are two different hydrogen-bonding configurations linking sheets that are related by a ½a offset. Randomised stacking of these two configurations results in the superposition of Cu and Te and leads to the Cu0.5Te0.5 occupancy of the M site in the average structure. Bond-valence analysis is used to choose the most probable Cu/Te ordering scheme and also to identify protonation sites (OH). The chosen ordering scheme and its associated OH sites are shown to be consistent with the revised chemical formula.
Improvement the structural behavior of recycled RC elements using CdO nanoparticles
Authors: Atta Ahmed , Ali Nehal , Taman Mohamed , Etman Emad
Published: January 2018

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the use of CdO nanoparticles with recycled aggregates (RAs) and its effect on the structural behavior of reinforced concrete (RC) slab elements.

Design/methodology/approach

The study has been conducted through three phases: in the first phase, the structure of lab-synthesized CdO nanoparticles was investigated and then cement was partially replaced by CdO nanoparticles to estimate the optimum dose. The second phase focused on the properties of the RA collected from demolition wastes. In the third phase, RC slabs with different concrete mixes using RA and CdO nanoparticles were experimentally tested.

Findings

The results indicated good effect of using CdO nanoparticles with RA to improve the RC slab specimens’ behavior compared with the control specimen.

Originality/value

In present times, nanoparticles have a promising importance in the construction field. The influence of nanoparticles on the compressive strength of the concrete has been investigated by many researchers, but using it with RA is considered a new topic.
Engaging with arranged marriages: a lesson for transnational higher education
Authors: Annabi Carrie Amani , McStay Amanda L. , Noble Allyson Fiona , Sidahmed Maha
Published: January 2018

Purpose

High levels of absenteeism have been observed amongst male students attending two transnational higher education (TNHE) institutions in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). One reason offered is an obligation to attend engagement ceremonies. Many ceremonies are linked to arranged marriages. The purpose of this paper is to contradict assumptions that suggest that higher education reduces arranged marriages, and to highlight that university policies overlook cultural nuances.

Design/methodology/approach

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 25 male postgraduate students aged between 22 and 45. Content analysis was used to analyse and interpret the data.

Findings

Several interviewees chose to have an arranged marriage and some saw their postgraduate studies as an opportunity to have a better chance of securing a wife. Equally, several students felt that university policies were unsympathetic to cultural obligations.

Research limitations/implications

This research was restricted to male students from two TNHE institutes in the UAE.

Practical implications

This research provides insight for TNHE managers by providing student-centric research into cultural reasons that prevent student attendance.

Social implications

TNHE is not fully responsive to familial obligations within collective societies. In consequence, there has been a lack of sympathy within policies regarding students’ requirement to fulfil cultural commitments.

Originality/value

The paper explores the challenges of creating culturally sensitive educational policy and practices.
Managing international branch campuses
Authors: Hill Christopher , Thabet Rawy Abdelrahman
Published: January 2018

Purpose

International branch campuses (IBCs) are complex entities and while much has been written about their expansion and development, the literature is largely from an external perspective. There have been few longitudinal studies examining the development of an IBC over time. The purpose of this paper is to review the development of one IBC over an eight-year time period, to identify the key learning points for institutional managers of other IBCs or for institutions intending to establish an IBC.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper is a culmination of research, conducted during the eight years when the lead author worked at the University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus (UNMC). The author was involved in practical management aspects as well as the research and analysis of IBC development. This paper represents a form of ethnographic research where the author conducted interviews, meetings and discussion groups, observed institutional policies, strategies and operations in action and was in an ideal position to identify and discuss their impacts on institutional performance.

Findings

This paper examines key management issues during the early, developing and evolving stages of an IBC and discusses key issues including communication, curriculum, identity and management. Key challenges, procedural issues, managerial responses and strategy will be presented to highlight foundational concerns for IBC development and areas and topics that must be given priority and support.

Originality/value

This paper considers the management of an IBC from the reflective standpoint of an author employed in a senior management position, during a period of significant growth of UNMC. The author provides insights and discussion involving practical experience.
The differential effect of cognitive and emotional elements of experience quality on the customer-service provider’s relationship
Authors: Alnawas Ibrahim , Hemsley-Brown Jane
Published: January 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to examine the differential effect of two cognitive (i.e. product experience, outcome focussed) and two emotional experiences (i.e. surprise and immersion) on customers’ cognitive outcomes (i.e. satisfaction, trust and value), and customers’ emotional outcomes (i.e. passion, connection and affection); and second, to test the differential effect of customers’ cognitive and emotional outcomes on switching resistance loyalty (SRL).

Design/methodology/approach

Survey data were collected from 843 respondents using an online panel in the UK. Structural equation modelling was employed to analyse the data (AMOS 18.0).

Findings

First, cognitive experiences had a more significant effect on customers’ cognitive outcomes compared to their effect on customers’ emotional outcomes. Second, emotional experiences had a more significant effect on customers’ emotional outcomes compared to their effect on customers’ cognitive outcomes. Third, the impact of customers’ emotional outcomes on SRL was not significantly higher compared to that of customers’ cognitive outcomes. Fourth, the indirect effect of cognitive experiences on SRL was significantly higher, compared to that of emotional experiences.

Originality/value

The key contribution of this research stems from examining the differential effect of cognitive and emotional experiences on different consumers’ cognitive and emotional outcomes, thus providing deeper insights into the nature of the relationship between such variables.
Mental capacity legislation and its impact on parents with learning difficulties involved in childcare and family law proceedings assessments in England and Wales
Authors: Wilcox Daniel T. , Craig Leam A. , Donathy Marguerite L. , MacDonald Peter
Published: January 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to consider the impact of mental capacity legislation when applied to parents with learning difficulties who lack capacity within childcare and family law proceedings in England and Wales.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper relies on a range of material including reports published by independent mental health foundations, official inquiries and other public bodies. It also refers to academic and practitioner material in journals and government guidance.

Findings

The paper critically reviews the application of the guidance when assessing mental capacity legislation as applied in England and Wales and offers by way of illustration several case examples where psychological assessments, and the enhancement of capacity, have assisted parents who were involved in childcare and family law proceedings.

Research limitations/implications

There has been little published research or governmental reports on the number of cases when parents involved in childcare and family law proceedings have been found to lack capacity. No published prevalence data are available on the times when enhancing capacity has resulted in a change of outcome in childcare and family law proceedings.

Practical implications

The duty is on the mental health practitioners assessing mental capacity that they do so in a structured and supportive role adhering to good practice guidance and follow the guiding principles of mental capacity legislation assuming that the individual has capacity unless it is established that they lack capacity. Guidance and training is needed to ensure that the interpretation of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) and its application is applied consistently.

Social implications

For those who are considered to lack mental capacity to make specific decisions, particularly within childcare and family law proceedings, safeguards are in place to better support such individuals and enhance their capacity in order that they can participate more fully in proceedings.

Originality/value

While the MCA legislation has now been enacted for over ten years, there is very little analysis of the implications of capacity assessments on parents involved in childcare and family law proceedings. This paper presents an overview and, in places, a critical analysis of the new safeguarding duties of mental health practitioners when assessing for, and enhancing capacity in parents.
“Adults at risk”: “vulnerability” by any other name?
Authors: Pritchard-Jones Laura
Published: January 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore and critique the conceptual and terminological shift – particularly from “vulnerability” to “adult at risk” – in adult safeguarding under the Care Act 2014 and the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper compares the notion of the vulnerable adult in safeguarding, with the notion of an adult at risk under the Care Act 2014 and the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 and questions to what extent such a shift addresses existing criticisms of “vulnerability”.

Findings

The paper criticises the notion of the “vulnerable adult” for perpetuating the stigma associated with an impairment or disability, and for the types of legal and policy responses deemed appropriate under such an understanding of vulnerability. While efforts to replace the term “vulnerable adult” with “adult at risk” are, to some extent, to be welcomed, “adult at risk” under the legislation relies on the same characteristics for which the “vulnerable adult” has been criticised. Nevertheless, the safeguarding provisions under the two Acts have made some strides forward in comparison to their legal and policy predecessors and the notion of the “vulnerable adult”.

Originality/value

This paper’s originality and value lie in its scrutiny of the notion of “vulnerability” in adult safeguarding, in comparison to the newer terminology of an “adult at risk”, whilst also suggesting that in important respects – in relation to the interventions deemed appropriate where an adult is perceived to be at risk – the two pieces of legislation are a marked improvement on their predecessors. It also offers some thoughts as to how criticisms of the new legislation may be overcome.
Random assignment in sexual offending programme evaluation: the missing method
Authors: Walton Jamie S.
Published: January 2018

Purpose

The need for random assignment in sexual offending programme evaluation is clear. Decades of high dependence on weak-inference methodology, that of observational studies, has inhibited professional agreement regarding the effects of programmes. Observational studies have a place in evaluation research when more rigorous scientific designs precede them, as occurs in neighbouring fields of drug development and health. If, however, observational studies remain the only method used to evaluate sexual offending programmes, the field will continue to endure uncertainty with confident causal inferences regarding their effects remaining elusive. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper takes the form of a literature review and discussion.

Findings

The case for random assignment is made alongside a rebuttal of arguments against their use.

Originality/value

This is an original look at the need for random assignment in sexual offending programme evaluation taking into account existing studies and discussion topics.
A developed genetic algorithm for solving the multi-objective supply chain scheduling problem
Authors: Borumand Ali , Beheshtinia Mohammad Ali
Published: January 2018

Purpose

Proper management of supplies and their delivery greatly affects the competitiveness of companies. This paper aims to propose an integrated decision-making approach for integrated transportation and production scheduling problem in a two-stage supply chain. The objective functions are minimizing the total delivery tardiness, production cost and the emission by suppliers and vehicles and maximizing the production quality.

Design/methodology/approach

First, the mathematical model of the problem is presented. Consequently, a new algorithm based on a combination of the genetic algorithm (GA) and the VIKOR method in multi-criteria decision-making, named GA-VIKOR, is introduced. To evaluate the efficiency of GA-VIKOR, it is implemented in a pharmaceutical distribution company located in Iran and the results are compared with those obtained by the previous decision-making process. The results are also compared with a similar algorithm which does not use the VIKOR method and other algorithm mentioned in the literature. Finally, the results are compared with the optimized solutions for small-sized problems.

Findings

Results indicate the high efficiency of GA-VIKOR in making decisions regarding integrated production supply chain and transportation scheduling.

Research limitations/implications

This research aids the manufacturers to minimize their total delivery tardiness and production cost and at the same time maximize their production quality. These improve the customer satisfaction as a part of social and manufacturer’s power of competitiveness. Furthermore, the emission minimizing objective functions directly provides benefits to the environment and the society.

Originality/value

This paper investigates a new supply chain scheduling the problems and presents its mathematical formulation. Moreover, a new algorithm is introduced to solve the multi-objective problems.
From slaves to servant leaders: remembering the contributions of John Merrick and Alonzo Herndon
Authors: Prieto Leon C. , Phipps Simone Trixie Allison , Mathur-Helm Babita
Published: January 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to contribute to knowledge in the field of business by recognizing two historic entrepreneurs who played an important role in the African-American community, and by viewing their contributions through the lens of servant leadership.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is conducted by reviewing and synthesizing a number of writings from sources, such as history journals, newspapers and other resources.

Findings

The main finding is that two former slaves (Merrick and Herndon) practiced servant leadership in the early twentieth century as a way to create jobs and transform communities.

Originality/value

The contributions made by African-Americans have not been adequately covered in the literature. This paper begins to fill a noticeable void by highlighting the contributions of two former slaves who managed to become successful servant leaders within their communities.