bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparison of folic acid content and chemical constituents from
oyster mushrooms according to drying method and extraction
conditions
Authors: Kim Ki-Man
Published: November 2020

This study aimed to acquire basic data about folic acid extracted from oyster
mushrooms using hot water and ethanol under optimal conditions. We compared the
chemical components and folic acid content in oyster mushrooms according to
drying method and extraction conditions. The chemical components and the folic
acid content did not significantly differ between lyophilized and cold air-dried
oyster mushrooms (55.10 and 54.56 μg%, respectively). However, the
folic acid content significantly differed in hot air-dried oyster mushrooms
(53.83 μg/100 g). The main free sugars in oyster mushrooms were fructose
and glucose, and the major organic acids were citric acid and lactic acids. When
measuring the yield and folic acid content with different solvent types and
quantities, heating time, and temperatures, the optimal folic acid extraction
conditions were addition of 20-fold volumes of water to solid at 80°C for
8 h, and 20-fold volumes of 50% ethanol to solid at 80°C for 8 h,
respectively. Chemical components did not significantly differ depending on
extraction conditions, but more free sugars were extracted in hot water, and no
differences were observed in organic acid contents. More folic acid was
extracted when using hot water rather, than ethanol, probably because folic acid
is water soluble.
Improved Detection of Air Trapping on Expiratory Computed Tomography Using Deep Learning
Authors: Ram Sundaresh , Hoff Benjamin A. , Bell Alexander J. , Galban Stefanie , Fortuna Aleksa B. , Weinheimer Oliver , Wielpütz Mark O. , Robinson Terry E. , Newman Beverley , Vummidi Dharshan , Chughtai Aamer , Kazerooni Ella A. , Johnson Timothy D. , Han MeiLan K. , Hatt Charles R. , Galban Craig J.
Published: November 2020

Background

Radiologic evidence of air trapping (AT) on expiratory computed tomography (CT) scans is associated with early pulmonary dysfunction in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). However, standard techniques for quantitative assessment of AT are highly variable, resulting in limited efficacy for monitoring disease progression.

Objective

To investigate the effectiveness of a convolutional neural network (CNN) model for quantifying and monitoring AT, and to compare it with other quantitative AT measures obtained from threshold-based techniques.

Materials and Methods

Paired volumetric whole lung inspiratory and expiratory CT scans were obtained at four time points (0, 3, 12 and 24 months) on 36 subjects with mild CF lung disease. A densely connected CNN (DN) was trained using AT segmentation maps generated from a personalized threshold-based method (PTM). Quantitative AT (QAT) values, presented as the relative volume of AT over the lungs, from the DN approach were compared to QAT values from the PTM method. Radiographic assessment, spirometric measures, and clinical scores were correlated to the DN QAT values using a linear mixed effects model.

Results

QAT values from the DN were found to increase from 8.65% ± 1.38% to 21.38% ± 1.82%, respectively, over a two-year period. Comparison of CNN model results to intensity-based measures demonstrated a systematic drop in the Dice coefficient over time (decreased from 0.86 ± 0.03 to 0.45 ± 0.04). The trends observed in DN QAT values were consistent with clinical scores for AT, bronchiectasis, and mucus plugging. In addition, the DN approach was found to be less susceptible to variations in expiratory deflation levels than the threshold-based approach.

Conclusion

The CNN model effectively delineated AT on expiratory CT scans, which provides an automated and objective approach for assessing and monitoring AT in CF patients.
Impact of a public policy restricting staff mobility between long-term care homes in Ontario, Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Jones Aaron , Watts Alexander G. , Khan Salah Uddin , Forsyth Jack , Brown Kevin A. , Costa Andrew P. , Bogoch Isaac I. , Stall Nathan M.
Published: November 2020

Objectives

To assess changes in the mobility of staff between long-term care homes in Ontario, Canada before and after enactment of public policy restricting staff from working at multiple homes.

Design

Pre-post observational study.

Setting and Participants

623 long-term cares homes in Ontario, Canada between March 2020 and June 2020.

Methods

We used anonymized mobile device location data to approximate connectivity between all 623 long-term care homes in Ontario during the 7 weeks before (March 1 – April 21) and after (April 22 – June 13) the policy restricting staff movement was implemented. We visualized connectivity between long-term care homes in Ontario using an undirected network and calculated the number of homes that had a connection with another long-term care home and the average number of connections per home in each period. We calculated the relative difference in these mobility metrics between the two time periods and compared within-home changes using McNemar’s test and the Wilcoxon rank-sum test.

Results

In the period preceding restrictions, 266 (42.7%) long-term care homes had a connection with at least one other home, compared to 79 (12.7%) homes during the period after restrictions, a drop of 70.3% (p <0.001). The average number of connections in the before period was 3.90 compared to 0.77 in after period, a drop of 80.3% (p < 0.001). In both periods, mobility between long-term care homes was higher in homes located in larger communities, those with higher bed counts, and those part of a large chain.

Conclusions and Implications

Mobility between long-term care homes in Ontario fell sharply after an emergency order by the Ontario government limiting long-term care staff to a single home, though some mobility persisted. Reducing this residual mobility should be a focus of efforts to reduce risk within the long-term care sector during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dissociation of motor control from motor awareness in awake sleepwalkers: An EEG study in virtual reality
Authors: Rothacher Yannick , Nguyen Anh , Efthymiou Evdokia , Werth Esther , Baumann Christian R. , Lenggenhager Bigna , Brugger Peter , Kunz Andreas , Imbach Lukas L.
Published: November 2020

Recent behavioral evidence indicates that awake sleepwalkers show dissociation of motor control and motor awareness in a virtual reality (VR) paradigm. Intriguingly, this dissociation resembles the nocturnal disintegration of motor awareness and movement during episodes of sleepwalking. Here, we set out to examine the neural underpinnings of altered motor agency in sleepwalkers by measuring EEG modulation during redirected walking in VR. Using this approach, we discovered distinct EEG patterns in awake sleepwalkers indicating facilitated dual tasking and salient habitual motor control as compared to healthy subjects. These observations provide electrophysiological evidence for the proposed brain-body dissociation in awake sleepwalkers. In conclusion, this study shows proof-of-principle that EEG biomarkers of movement in a VR setting might add to the diagnostic work-up of awake sleepwalkers.
Detection of transmission change points during unlock-3 and unlock-4 measures controlling COVID-19 in India
Authors: Mandal Manisha , Mandal Shyamapada
Published: November 2020

Documentation in scientific literature is not available on prospective evaluation of the efficiency of the unlock measure related to COVID-19 transmission change points in India, projecting the infected population, planning suitable measures related to future interventions and lifting of restrictions so that the economic settings are not damaged beyond repair. We have applied SIR model and Bayesian approach combined with Monte Carlo Markov algorithms on the Indian COVID-19 daily new infected cases from 1 August 2020 to 30 September 2020. We showed that the COVID-19 epidemic declined after implementing unlock-4 measure and the identified change-points were consistent with the timelines of announced unlock-3 and unlock-4 measure, on 1 August 2020 and 1 September 2020, respectively, effectiveness of which were quantified as the change in both effective transmission rates (100% reduction) and the basic reproduction number attaining 1, implying measures taken to control and mitigate the COVID-19 epidemic in India managed to flatten and recede the epidemic curve.
Patterns and persistence of SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies in Chicago to monitor COVID-19 exposure
Authors: Demonbreun Alexis R. , McDade Thomas W. , Pesce Lorenzo , Vaught Lauren A. , Reiser Nina L. , Bogdanovic Elena , Velez Matthew P. , Hsieh Ryan R. , Simons Lacy M. , Saber Rana , Ryan Daniel T. , Ison Michael G. , Hultquist Judd F. , Wilkins John T. , D’Aquila Richard T. , Mustanski Brian , McNally Elizabeth M.
Published: November 2020

Background

Estimates of seroprevalence to SARS-CoV-2 vary widely and may influence vaccination response. We ascertained IgG levels across a single US metropolitan site, Chicago, from June 2020 through December 2020.

Methods

Participants (n=7935) were recruited through electronic advertising and received materials for a self-sampled dried blood spot assay through the mail or a minimal contact in person method. IgG to the receptor binding domain of SARS-CoV-2 was measured using an established highly sensitive and highly specific assay.

Results

Overall seroprevalence was 17.9%, with no significant difference between method of contact. Only 2.5% of participants reported having had a diagnosis of COVID-19 based on virus detection, consistent with a 7-fold greater exposure to SARS-CoV-2 measured by serology than detected by viral testing. The range of IgG level observed in seropositive participants from this community survey overlapped with the range of IgG levels associated with COVID-19 cases having a documented positive PCR positive test. From a subset of those who participated in repeat testing, half of seropositive individuals retained detectable antibodies for 3-4 months.

Conclusions

Quantitative IgG measurements with a highly specific and sensitive assay indicate more widespread exposure to SARS-CoV-2 than observed by viral testing. The range of IgG concentration produced from these asymptomatic exposures is similar to IgG levels occurring after documented non-hospitalized COVID-19, which is considerably lower than that produced from hospitalized COVID-19 cases. The differing ranges of IgG response, coupled with the rate of decay of antibodies, may influence response to subsequent viral exposure and vaccine.

Graphical Abstract
METABOLIC PROFILE IN PLASMA AND CSF OF LEVODOPA-INDUCED DYSKINESIA OF PARKINSON’S DISEASE
Authors: Santos-Lobato Bruno L. , Gardinassi Luiz Gustavo , Bortolanza Mariza , Ferranti Peti Ana Paula , Pimentel Ângela V. , Faccioli Lúcia Helena , Del-Bel Elaine A. , Tumas Vitor
Published: November 2020

Structured Abstract

Background

The existence of few biomarkers and the lack of a better understanding of the pathophysiology of levodopa-induced dyskinesia (LID) in Parkinson’s disease (PD) require new approaches, as the metabolomic analysis, for discoveries.

Objectives

We aimed to identify a metabolic profile associated with LID in patients with PD in an original cohort, and to confirm the results in an external cohort (BioFIND).

Methods

In the original cohort, plasma and CSF were collected from 20 healthy controls, 23 patients with PD without LID, and 24 patients with PD with LID. LC-MS/MS and metabolomics data analysis were used to perform untargeted metabolomics. Untargeted metabolomics data from the BioFIND cohort were analyzed.

Results

We identified a metabolic profile associated with LID in PD, composed of multiple metabolic pathways. In particular, the dysregulation of glycosphingolipids metabolic pathway was more related to LID and was strongly associated with the severity of dyskinetic movements. Further, bile acid biosynthesis and C21-steroid hormone biosynthesis metabolites simultaneously found in plasma and CSF have distinguished patients with LID from other participants. Levels of cortisol and cortisone were reduced in patients with PD and LID compared to patients with PD without LID. Data from the BioFIND cohort confirmed dysregulation in plasma metabolites from the bile acid biosynthesis and C21-steroid hormone biosynthesis pathways.

Conclusion

There is a distinct metabolic profile associated with LID in PD, both in plasma and CSF, which may be associated with the dysregulation of lipid metabolism and neuroinflammation.
Negative attitudes about facemasks during the COVID-19 pandemic: The dual importance of perceived ineffectiveness and psychological reactance
Authors: Taylor Steven , Asmundson Gordon J. G.
Published: November 2020

This study reports a comprehensive empirical investigation of the nature and correlates of anti-mask attitudes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Accumulating evidence underscores the importance of facemasks, as worn by the general public, in limiting the spread of infection. Accordingly, mask-wearing has become increasingly mandatory in public places such as stores and on public transit. Although the public has been generally adherent to mask-wearing, a small but vocal group of individuals refuse to wear masks. Anti-mask protest rallies have occurred in many places throughout the world, sometimes erupting violently. Few empirical studies have examined the relationship between anti-mask attitudes and mask non-adherence and little is known about how such attitudes relate to one another or other factors (e.g., non-adherence to social distancing, anti-vaccination attitudes). To investigate these issues, the present study surveyed 2,078 adults from the US and Canada. Consistent with other surveys, we found that most (84%) people wore masks because of COVID-19. The 16% who did not wear masks scored higher on most measures of negative attitudes towards masks. Network analyses indicated that negative attitudes about masks formed an intercorrelated network, with the central nodes in the network being (a) beliefs that masks are ineffective in preventing COVID-19, and (b) psychological reactance (PR; i.e., an aversion to being forced to wear masks). These central nodes served as links, connecting the network of anti-masks attitudes to negative attitudes toward SARSCoV2 vaccination, beliefs that the threat of COVID-19 has been exaggerated, disregard for social distancing, and political conservatism. Findings regarding PR are important because, theoretically, PR is likely to strengthen other anti-masks attitudes (e.g., beliefs that masks are ineffective) because people with strong PR react with anger and counter-arguments when their beliefs are challenged, thereby leading to a strengthening of their anti-mask beliefs. Implications for improving mask adherence are discussed.
Valuation system connectivity is correlated with poly-drug use in young adults
Authors: Loganathan Kavinash , Lv Jinglei , Cropley Vanessa , Zalesky Andrew , Wei Ho Eric Tatt
Published: November 2020

Poly-drug consumption contributes to fatal overdose in more than half of all poly-drug users. Analyzing decision-making networks may give insight into the motivations behind poly-drug use. We correlated average functional connectivity of the valuation system (VS), executive control system (ECS) and valuation-control complex (VCC) in a large population sample (n=992) with drug use behaviour. VS connectivity is correlated with sedative use, ECS connectivity is separately correlated with hallucinogens and opiates. Network connectivity is also correlated with drug use via two-way interactions with other substances including alcohol and tobacco. These preliminary findings can contribute to our understanding of the common combinations of substance co-use and associated neural patterns.
Optimizing interneuron circuits for compartment-specific feedback inhibition
Authors: Keijser Joram , Sprekeler Henning
Published: November 2020

Cortical circuits process information by rich recurrent interactions between excitatory neurons and inhibitory interneurons. One of the prime functions of interneurons is to stabilize the circuit by feedback inhibition, but the level of specificity on which inhibitory feedback operates is not fully resolved. We hypothesized that inhibitory circuits could enable separate feedback control loops for different synaptic input streams, by means of specific feedback inhibition to different neuronal compartments. To investigate this hypothesis, we adopted an optimization approach. Leveraging recent advances in training spiking network models, we optimized the connectivity and short-term plasticity of interneuron circuits for compartment-specific feedback inhibition onto pyramidal neurons. Over the course of the optimization, the interneurons diversified into two classes that resembled parvalbumin (PV) and somatostatin (SST) expressing interneurons. The resulting circuit can be understood as a neural decoder that inverts the nonlinear biophysical computations performed within the pyramidal cells. Our model provides a proof of concept for studying structure-function relations in cortical circuits by a combination of gradient-based optimization and biologically plausible phenomenological models.
CD15 and CD15s expression is associated with G1 phase of the cell cycle in glioma cell lines
Authors: Jassam Samah A. , Maherally Zaynah , Chairta Paraskevi , Pilkington Geoffrey J. , Fillmore Helen L.
Published: November 2020

Overexpression of the tetrasaccharide carbohydrate epitopes, CD15 and CD15s are associated with non-central nervous system malignancies. While CD15 and CD15s expression is rare in gliomas, recent reports suggest that CD15 may serve as a marker for brain tumour ‘stem-like’ cells. The aim of this study was to determine if this apparent discrepancy may, in part, be explained by temporal expression of CD15 and CD15s at different phases of the cell cycle. We used flow cytometry, immunocytochemistry and a fluorescence cell cycle indicator (FUCCI) system to examine expression in glioblastoma (GBM) cells (UP-007 and SNB-19) and non-neoplastic astrocytes (SC-1800) synchronised via serum starvation, Hydroxyurea and Nocodazole, respectively. CD15 and CD15s expression was significantly increased in glioma cells synchronised to G1 phase compared with non-synchronised cells (p<0.001). This was supported by qualitative results obtained with the (FUCCI) system. Few studies have considered the possibility of cell-cycle dependent CD15 and CD15s expression which may explain the inconsistencies reported in the literature in terms of expression in ‘glioma stem-like cells’ where cells are more likely in S phase where CD15 and CD15s expression would be low.
Rational Design and Synthesis of Selective PRMT4 Inhibitors: a New Chemotype for Development of Cancer Therapeutics
Authors: Sutherland Mathew , Li Alice , Kaghad Anissa , Panagopoulos Dimitrios , Li Fengling , Szewczyk Magdalena , Smil David , Scholten Cora , Bouché Léa , Stellfeld Timo , Arrowsmith Cheryl H. , Barsyte Dalia , Vedadi Masoud , Hartung Ingo V. , Steuber Holger , Britton Robert , Santhakumar Vijayaratnam
Published: November 2020

Protein arginine N-methyl transferase 4 (PRMT4) asymmetrically dimethylates arginine residues of histone H3 and non-histone proteins. The overexpression of PRMT4 in several cancers has stimulated interest in the discovery of inhibitors as biological tools and potentially therapeutics. While several PRMT4 inhibitors have been reported, most display poor selectivity against other members of the PRMT family of methyl transferases. Here, we report the structure-based design of a new class of alanine containing 3-arylindoles as potent and selective PRMT4 inhibitors and describe key structure activity relationships for this class of compounds.
Estimating time-varying selection coefficients from time series data of allele frequencies
Authors: Mathieson Iain
Published: November 2020

Time series data of allele frequencies are a powerful resource for detecting and classifying natural and artificial selection. Ancient DNA now allows us to observe these trajectories in natural populations of long-lived species such as humans. Here, we develop a hidden Markov model to infer selection coefficients that vary over time. We show through simulations that our approach can accurately estimate both selection coefficients and the timing of changes in selection. Finally, we analyze some of the strongest signals of selection in the human genome using ancient DNA. We show that the European lactase persistence mutation was selected over the past 5,000 years with a selection coefficient of 2-2.5% in Britain, Central Europe and Iberia, but not Italy. In northern East Asia, selection at theADH1Blocus associated with alcohol metabolism intensified around 4,000 years ago, approximately coinciding with the introduction of rice-based agriculture. Finally, a derived allele at theFADSlocus was selected in parallel in both Europe and East Asia, as previously hypothesized. Our approach is broadly applicable to both natural and experimental evolution data and shows how time series data can be used to resolve fine-scale details of selection.
Ethical and psychosocial considerations for hospital personnel in the Covid-19 crisis: Moral injury and resilience
Authors: Kreh Alexander , Brancaleoni Rachele , Magalini Sabina Chiara , Rosaria Chieffo Daniela Pia , Flad Barbara , Ellebrecht Nils , Juen Barbara
Published: November 2020

This study aims at investigating the nature of resilience and stress experience of health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thirteen healthcare workers from Italian and Austrian hospitals specifically dealing with COVID-19 patients during the first phase of the pandemic were interviewed. Data was analysed using grounded theory methodology. Psychosocial effects on stress experience, stressors and resilience factors were identified. We generated three hypotheses. Hypothesis one is that moral distress and moral injury are main stressors experienced by healthcare workers. Hypothesis two states that organisational resilience plays an important part in how healthcare workers experience the crisis. Organisational justice and decentralized decision making are essential elements of staff wellbeing. Hypothesis three refers to effective psychosocial support: Basic on scene psychosocial support based on the Hobfoll principles given by trusted and well-known mental health professionals and peers in an integrated approach works best during the pandemic.
The impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak on cancer practice in Japan: using an administrative database
Authors: Itoshima Hisashi , Asami Yuka , Shin Jung-ho , Takada Daisuke , Morishita Tetsuji , Bun Seiko , Okuno Takuya , Kunisawa Susumu , Imanaka Yuichi
Published: November 2020

Background:
Recent researches reported the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID - 19) pandemic on the clinical practice of specific type cancers. The aim of this study was to reveal the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on the clinical practice of various cancers.
Methods:
We included hospitalized patients aged 18 years or older diagnosed between July 2018 and June 2020 with one of the top 12 most common cancers in Japan (colon/rectum, lung, gastric, breast, bladder & urinary tract, pancreas, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, liver, prostate, esophagus, uterus, and gallbladder & biliary tract) using Diagnostic Procedure Combination data, an administrative database in Japan. The intervention was defined April 2020 based on a declaration of emergency from Japanese government. The change volume of number of monthly admissions with each cancer was tested by interrupted time series (ITS) analysis, and monthly cases with radical surgery or chemotherapy for each cancer were descripted.
Results:
403,344 cases were included during the study period. The most common cancer was colon/rectum (20.5%), followed by lung (17.5%). In almost cancer cases, the number of admissions decreased in May 2020. In particular, colorectal, lung, gastric, breast, uterine, or esophageal cancer cases decreased by over 10%. The number of admissions with surgery or chemotherapy decreased in colorectal, lung, gastric, breast, uterine, or esophageal cancer. ITS analysis indicated that cases with gastric or esophageal cancer were affected more than other type of cancer. Conclusions:
The COVID-19 outbreak has a negative impact on the number of admission cases with cancer; the magnitude of impact varied by cancer diagnosis.
Evidence for Numerous Embedded Antisense Overlapping Genes in DiverseE. coliStrains
Authors: Zehentner Barbara , Ardern Zachary , Kreitmeier Michaela , Scherer Siegfried , Neuhaus Klaus
Published: November 2020

The genetic code allows six reading frames at a double-stranded DNA locus, and many open reading frames (ORFs) overlap extensively with ORFs of annotated genes (e.g., at least 30 bp or having an embedded ORF). Currently, bacterial genome annotation systematically discards embedded overlapping ORFs of genes (OLGs) due to an assumed information-content constraint, and, consequently, very few OLGs are known. Here we use strand-specific RNAseq and ribosome profiling, detecting about 200 embedded or partially overlapping ORFs of gene candidates in the pathogenE. coliO157:H7 EDL933. These are typically short, many of them show clear promoter motifs as determined by Cappable-seq, indistinguishable from those of annotated genes, and are expressed at a low level. We could express most of them as stable proteins, and 49 displayed a potential phenotype. Ribosome profiling analyses in three otherE. colistrains predicted between 84 and 190 embedded antisense OLGs per strain except inE. coliK-12, which is an atypical lab strain. We also found evidence of homology to annotated genes for 100 to 300 OLGs perE. colistrain investigated. Based on this evidence we suggest that bacterial OLGs deserve attention with respect to genome annotation and coding complexity of bacterial genomes. Such sequences may constitute an important coding reserve, opening up new research in genetics and evolutionary biology.
High-dimensional association detection in large scale genomic data
Authors: Koch Hillary , Keller Cheryl A. , Xiang Guanjue , Giardine Belinda , Zhang Feipeng , Wang Yicheng , Hardison Ross C. , Li Qunhua
Published: November 2020

Joint analyses of genomic datasets obtained in multiple different conditions are essential for understanding the biological mechanism that drives tissue-specificity and cell differentiation, but they still remain computationally challenging. To address this we introduce CLIMB (Composite LIkelihood eMpirical Bayes), a statistical methodology that learns patterns of condition-specificity present in genomic data. CLIMB provides a generic framework facilitating a host of analyses, such as clustering genomic features sharing similar condition-specific patterns and identifying which of these features are involved in cell fate commitment. We apply CLIMB to three sets of hematopoietic data, which examine CTCF ChIP-seq measured in 17 different cell populations, RNA-seq measured across constituent cell populations in three committed lineages, and DNase-seq in 38 cell populations. Our results show that CLIMB improves upon existing alternatives in statistical precision, while capturing interpretable and biologically relevant clusters in the data.
The ChiS-family DNA-binding domain contains a cryptic helix-turn-helix variant
Authors: Klancher Catherine A. , Minasov George , Podicheti Ram , Rusch Douglas B. , Dalia Triana N. , Satchell Karla J. F. , Neiditch Matthew B. , Dalia Ankur B.
Published: November 2020

Sequence specific DNA-binding domains (DBDs) are conserved in all domains of life. These proteins carry out a variety of cellular functions, and there are a number of distinct structural domains already described that allow for sequence-specific DNA binding, including the ubiquitous helix-turn-helix (HTH) domain. In the facultative pathogenVibrio cholerae, the chitin sensor ChiS is a transcriptional regulator that is critical for the survival of this organism in its marine reservoir. We have recently shown that ChiS contains a cryptic DBD in its C-terminus. This domain is not homologous to any known DBD, but it is a conserved domain present in other bacterial proteins. Here, we present the crystal structure of the ChiS DBD at a resolution of 1.28 Å. We find that the ChiS DBD contains an HTH domain that is structurally similar to those found in other DNA binding proteins, like the LacI repressor. However, one striking difference observed in the ChiS DBD is that the canonical tight “turn” of the HTH is replaced with an insertion containing a β-sheet, a variant which we term the “helix-sheet-helix”. Through systematic mutagenesis of all positively charged residues within the ChiS DBD, we show that residues within and proximal to the ChiS helix-sheet-helix are critical for DNA binding. Finally, through phylogenetic analyses we show that the ChiS DBD is found in diverse Proteobacterial proteins that exhibit distinct domain architectures. Together, these results suggest that the structure described here represents the prototypical member of the ChiS-family of DBDs.

Importance

Regulating gene expression is essential in all domains of life. This process is commonly facilitated by the activity of DNA-binding transcription factors. There are diverse structural domains that allow proteins to bind to specific DNA sequences. The structural basis underlying how some proteins bind to DNA, however, remains unclear. Previously, we showed that in the major human pathogenVibrio choleraethe transcription factor ChiS directly regulates gene expression through a cryptic DNA binding domain. This domain lacked homology to any known DNA-binding protein. In the current study, we determined the structure of the ChiS DNA binding domain (DBD) and find that the ChiS-family DBD is a cryptic variant of the ubiquitous helix-turn-helix (HTH) domain. We further demonstrate that this domain is conserved in diverse proteins that may represent a novel group of transcriptional regulators.
Shift-field refinement of macromolecular atomic models
Authors: Cowtan K. , Metcalfe S. , Bond P.
Published: November 2020

The aim of crystallographic structure solution is typically to determine an atomic model which accurately accounts for an observed diffraction pattern. A key step in this process is the refinement of the parameters of an initial model, which is most often determined by molecular replacement using another structure which is broadly similar to the structure of interest. In macromolecular crystallography, the resolution of the data is typically insufficient to determine the positional and uncertainty parameters for each individual atom, and so stereochemical information is used to supplement the observational data. Here, a new approach to refinement is evaluated in which a `shift field' is determined which describes changes to model parameters affecting whole regions of the model rather than individual atoms only, with the size of the affected region being a key parameter of the calculation which can be changed in accordance with the resolution of the data. It is demonstrated that this approach can improve the radius of convergence of the refinement calculation while also dramatically reducing the calculation time.
The love of money and the propensity to engage in unethical behaviours: a study in the Portuguese context
Authors: Oliveira Filipa , Marques Tânia M.G.
Published: November 2020

Purpose

This work aims to study the relationship between individuals' love of money and their propensity to engage in unethical behaviour.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected through a questionnaire, with the final sample consisting of 297 Portuguese individuals. The hypotheses were tested using linear regression models.

Findings

The results demonstrate that there is no significant relationship between the love of money and the propensity to engage in unethical behaviour. However, there was a significant relationship between the level of budgeting and the propensity to engage in unethical behaviours – for those individuals who have a greater ability to manage their money are less likely to engage in behaviours unethical. The existence of a significant relationship between the “evil” factor and the propensity to engage in unethical behaviour was also validated, which demonstrates that when individuals both associate negative feelings with money and consider love of money to be the “root of evil”, then they are less likely to be involved in unethical behaviour.

Originality/value

This work contributes theoretically and empirically to a better understanding of individuals' attitudes towards money and their propensity to engage in unethical behaviour. The results are of particular academic and organisational relevance due to the implications for human resource management.
How accessories add value to a platform: the role of innovativeness and nonalignability
Authors: Gill Tripat , Ma Zhenfeng , Zhao Ping , Chen Yongjian (Ken)
Published: November 2020

Purpose

This study aims to distinguish between the indispensable (software) versus discretionary (accessories) complementary products to a platform. It investigates the impact of accessories on increasing the perceived value and sales of a base platform. In particular, the role of two distinct characteristics of accessories – innovativeness and structural nonalignability – in driving the sales of the base platform.

Design/methodology/approach

Combining sales data from the US video gaming industry with primary data on the above two aspects of accessories, this study quantifies the effect of accessories portfolio on the sales of three brands of video gaming platforms.

Findings

A distinct network externality arises from accessories for video gaming platforms, above and beyond the effects of game titles. Importantly, the average level of innovativeness and nonalignability of the accessories portfolio, as well as the frequency of introduction of highly innovative and/or nonalignable accessories positively impact the sales of the platform.

Research limitations/implications

This research seeks to address the gap in the innovation literature on the role of discretionary complementary products (i.e. accessories) on platform sales. Future research should examine this in other platform contexts as well.

Practical implications

Managers of platform-mediated products should give due consideration to accessories, as an important driver of the sales of the platforms. Product managers can leverage the advantage of innovative and nonalignable accessories to enhance consumer demand for the platform.

Originality/value

This study is the first to conceptualize and empirically verify the network externality arising from accessories, a heretofore much neglected component of platform-based markets.
The impact of AAOIFI governance disclosure on Islamic banks performance
Authors: Elgattani Tawida , Hussainey Khaled
Published: November 2020

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the impact of the accounting and auditing organisation for Islamic financial institution (AAOIFI) governance disclosure on the performance of Islamic banks (IBs).

Design/methodology/approach

The ordinary least squares regression model was used to test the impact of AAOIFI governance disclosure on the performance of 126 IBs from 8 countries that mandatorily adopt the AAOIFI standards for three years (2013–2015). In this regression model, return on asset (ROA) and return on equity (ROE) are the dependent variables, while AAOIFI governance disclosure is the independent variable. Corporate governance mechanisms, firm characteristics, year dummy and country dummy are used as control variables.

Findings

This paper found an insignificant relationship between AAOIFI governance disclosure and IBs performance.

Research limitations/implications

This study highlighted the implication that the current research may help IBs and encourage them to disclose more information in annual reports, especially those related to AAOIFI governance standards because following good corporate governance leads to good financial performance. The major limitation of the paper is that it is only focussed on two measurements of bank performance – ROA and ROE; it would be good to use other firm performance measures, such as profit margin.

Originality/value

This study provides new empirical evidence on the impact of AAOIFI governance disclosure on IBs performance.
Empowering employees: the other side of electronic performance monitoring
Authors: Sherif Karma , Jewesimi Omolola , El-Masri Mazen
Published: November 2020

Purpose

Advances in electronic performance monitoring (EPM) have raised employees’ concerns regarding the invasion of privacy and erosion of trust. On the other hand, EPM promises to improve performance and processes. This paper aims to focus on how the alignment of EPM design and organizational culture through effective organizational mechanisms can address privacy concerns, and, hence, positively affect employees’ perception toward technology.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on a theoretical lens extending two conceptual frameworks, a qualitative approach was used to analyze interview data collected from a comparative case study of two organizations in the USA and Qatar within the oil and gas sector. These two contexts were selected to emphasize the cross-cultural and organizational differences in employees’ acceptance of EPM.

Findings

The study revealed that national and corporate cultures affected employees’ perception and acceptance of monitoring in both countries. Because of diversity, though EPM was better accepted in Qatar, as they are an easy way to enforce standardization and to push employees to adapt to a dominating corporate culture. Conversely, in the USA where culture is more innovation-oriented, organizational mechanisms shifted the perceptions of EPM to being mean to obtain feedback rather than to impose standards.

Research limitations/implications

This qualitative study is based on a descriptive comparative case study of two organizations with two cultural contexts. The limited sample size and cross-sectional nature of data may need to be extended to a larger cultural scope that is observed over a longer period to safely generalize the findings.

Practical implications

Decision-makers in multinational corporations with different cultural backgrounds may benefit of this study’s outcomes, as it emphasizes the importance of the fit between EPM designs and the cultural settings. Furthermore, organizations aiming to conduct analytics on EPM data have to justify and prove its benefits to employees to facilitate acceptance.

Social implications

The study shows that employees in Qatar have a different cultural frame of reference in their perception of fairness and ethics than their counterparts in the USA because of changes in the meaning of social relations, personal goals and behavioral norms.

Originality/value

The originality of this study lays in its empirical validation of a composite framework examining both national and corporate cultures on employees’ reactions to EPM systems. It also proves the critical importance of organizational mechanisms to align the EPM design with the organization cultural settings.
Renal water conservation and the volume kinetics of fluid‐induced diuresis: A retrospective analysis of two cohorts of elderly men
Authors: Hahn Robert G.
Published: November 2020

Renal water conservation after an overnight fast mirrors the habitual intake of liquid. The hypothesis in the present study was that water conservation influences the diuretic response to infusion of two types of crystalloid fluid. Twenty‐three elderly male patients (mean age 72 years) underwent a total of 46 intravenous infusions of 1.0 or 1.5 L of either hypotonic non‐electrolyte fluid (glycine 1.5%) or isotonic electrolyte fluid (Ringer's acetate or 0.9% saline). Urine osmolality (used to indicate renal water conservation) and plasma creatinine were measured before the infusions started. A two‐volume model was fitted to repeated measurements of the blood haemoglobin concentration and the urinary excretion, using mixed‐effects modelling software. Urine osmolality was examined as a potential covariate to the fixed kinetic parameters. The results show that distribution and redistribution of infused fluid occurred twice as fast for the non‐electrolyte fluids as for the electrolyte‐containing fluids, while the urine flow showed less difference. For both types of fluid, high urine osmolality served as a statistically significant covariate to the rate constant describing urinary excretion. Simulations showed that a high pre‐infusion urine osmolality doubled the time required for the kidneys to excrete 50% of a 30‐minute infusion. High plasma creatinine independently prolonged the elimination of non‐electrolyte fluid. The use of 0.9% saline instead of Ringer's prolonged the excretion of electrolyte‐containing fluid. In conclusion, renal water conservation is a determinant of the diuretic response to crystalloid fluid, regardless of whether the fluid contains electrolytes, and it should be considered in fluid balance studies.
A Danish terminological ontology of incident management in the field of disaster management
Authors: Christensen Lise Lotte Weilgaard , Madsen Bodil Nistrup
Published: November 2020

Lack of concept clarification based on concept modelling results in inappropriate term use and inefficient information and communication technology. In this contribution, we refer to the fire aboard the ship Scandinavian Star in 1990 and the terror attack at Utøya in 2011 as examples. We establish a terminological ontology for 46 Danish concepts included in an alphabetically organized term list on incident management by the Danish Emergency Management Agency (DEMA). Based on this ontology, the main aim is to demonstrate how terminological principles may form the basis for creating structured data, which may support a common understanding of domain‐specific key concepts which again is a prerequisite for successful and well‐functioning disaster management systems. The terminological method will be explained, focusing on terminological ontologies and terminological definitions reflecting the semantic structure of the domain. Further, we illustrate the use of technology for knowledge modelling and sharing, and we briefly describe how the results of terminology work may be stored in a term bank in order to support common understanding and efficient communication. Moreover, terminological ontologies may lay the foundation for data models for disaster management systems, technologies involving Artificial Intelligence, and building blocks of semantic technologies.
Design outsourcing management: Mitigating risks and achieving objectives
Authors: Lee Sun Hye
Published: November 2020

Increasingly, core activities—including research and development (R&D), innovation and design—are being outsourced in practice. However, the research on this trend has focused primarily on R&D and innovation outsourcing. This study considers the relatively less investigated area of design outsourcing and key aspects of its management. Interviews with design experts point to distinct objectives for domestic outsourcing and offshore outsourcing. Generally, efficiency coupled with high quality is pursued by domestic outsourcing, whereas creativity that is tailored to firm particularities is expected from offshore outsourcing. The objectives are intrinsically challenging, especially for the unmeasurable criteria including quality and creativity. This study finds that there are key aspects to be considered to accomplish the objectives: supplier selection and risk mitigation. While further exploring these factors, the study sheds light on the role of in‐house designers overseeing the selection and managing the risks. The findings of this study are an important addition to the body of literature on design management, where there has been an increasing emphasis on the critical role played by design management in corporate performance, but a paucity of understandings on the effective management of design outsourcing.
Molecular and immunochemical characterization of Pop n 2: A new allergen of Populus nigra pollen
Authors: Shams Mohammad‐Hossein , Assarehzadegan Mohammad‐Ali , Eskandari Nahid , Masjedi Mohsen , Kheirandish Farnaz , Ghasemi Ramin , Ganjalikhani hakemi Mazdak , Varzi Ali‐Mohammad , Safari Mojgan , Sohrabi Seyyed‐Mohsen , Abdoli Sereshki Haleh
Published: November 2020

Background

Pollen is one of the most common allergens that cause respiratory allergies worldwide. Pollen grains from poplars have been reported as important sources of pollinosis in many countries.

Objective

The aim of the present study was to determine the molecular and immunochemical characterization of Pop n 2, a novel allergen of Populus nigra (P nigra) pollen extract.

Methods

In this study, the pollen extract of P nigra was analysed by SDS‐PAGE, and the allergenic profile was determined by IgE immunoblotting and specific ELISA using the sera of twenty allergic patients. The coding sequence of Pop n 2 was cloned and expressed in the Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) using plasmid the pET‐21b (+). Finally, the expressed recombinant Pop n 2 was purified by affinity chromatography.

Results

Pop n 2 belongs to the profilin family with a molecular weight of approximately 14 kDa. Pop n 2 is the most IgE‐reactive protein (about 65%) in the P nigra pollen extract. The cDNA sequencing results indicated an open reading frame 396 bp that encodes 131 amino acid residues. The results of ELISA and Immunoblotting assays showed that recombinant Pop n 2 could react with the IgE antibody in patients' sera, like its natural counterpart.

Conclusion

Our data revealed that Pop n 2 is a significant allergen in the P nigra pollen extract. Moreover, we observed that the recombinant Pop n 2 produced by the pET‐21b (+) vector in the E colisystem acts as its natural counterpart.
The use of dynamic MR imaging in patients with clinical pelvic floor disorders
Authors: Langenbach Marcel C. , Park Clara , Vogl Thomas J. , Beeres Martin , Scholtz Jan‐Erik , Gruber‐Rouh Tatjana
Published: November 2020

Objectives

To determine the differences and challenging aspects of dynamic magnetic resonance defecography (MRD) compared to conventional defecography (CD) in diagnostic of clinical symptomatic pelvic floor dysfunction.

Methods

Fifty patients (44 females, 6 males; mean age: 57 years) with symptomatic pelvic floor dysfunction underwent both examinations, CD and MRD. Results were retrospectively intra‐individual and interindividual evaluated in this multicentre study. Visibility and accuracy in diagnosis and classification of rectal prolapse, rectocele, enterocele, sigma diverticula and Cul‐de‐sac phenomenon/syndrome were observed. Differences were analysed using Mann–Whitney U test. P‐values < 0.05 were considered as statistically significant.

Results

CD was significantly superior to MRD in diagnosis and grading of rectal prolapse (p < .001), diagnosis and metric measurements of rectoceles (p = .016), diagnosis of elongated sigmoid colon (p = .008) and Cul‐de‐sac phenomenon and syndrome, respectively (p = .015; p = .008). MRD revealed equal results to CD in detection, localization, tendency to retention and enlargement of rectoceles (p = .337) and findings of enteroceles (p = .604) as well as sigma diverticula (p = .149).

Conclusions

The complementary use of both examination methods, CD and MRD, is important to achieve a comprehensive look on every aspect of pelvic floor disorders and gain optimal results in detection and evaluation of all major disorders of the pelvic floor.