bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Structural basis of GTPase-mediated mitochondrial ribosome biogenesis and recycling
Authors: Hillen Hauke S. , Lavdovskaia Elena , Nadler Franziska , Hanitsch Elisa , Linden Andreas , Bohnsack Katherine E. , Urlaub Henning , Richter-Dennerlein Ricarda
Published: March 2021

Ribosome biogenesis is an essential process that requires auxiliary factors to promote folding and assembly of ribosomal proteins and RNA. In particular, maturation of the peptidyl transferase center (PTC), the catalytic core of the ribosome, is mediated by universally conserved GTPases, but the molecular basis is poorly understood. Here, we define the mechanism of GTPase-driven maturation of the human mitochondrial ribosomal large subunit (mtLSU) using a combination of endogenous complex purification,in vitroreconstitution and cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM). Structures of transient native mtLSU assembly intermediates that accumulate in GTPBP6-deficient cells reveal how the biogenesis factors GTPBP5, MTERF4 and NSUN4 facilitate PTC folding. Subsequent addition of recombinant GTPBP6 reconstitutes late mtLSU biogenesisin vitroand shows that GTPBP6 triggers a molecular switch by releasing MTERF4-NSUN4 and GTPBP5 accompanied by the progression to a near-mature PTC state. In addition, cryo-EM analysis of GTPBP6-treated mature mitochondrial ribosomes reveals the structural basis for the dual-role of GTPBP6 in ribosome biogenesis and recycling. Together, these results define the molecular basis of dynamic GTPase-mediated PTC maturation during mitochondrial ribosome biogenesis and provide a framework for understanding step-wise progression of PTC folding as a critical quality control checkpoint in all translation systems.
Default Mode Network spatial configuration varies across task domains
Authors: Mancuso Lorenzo , Cavuoti-Cabanillas Sara , Liloia Donato , Manuello Jordi , Buzi Giulia , Duca Sergio , Cauda Franco , Costa Tommaso
Published: March 2021

Recent developments in network neuroscience suggest reconsidering what we thought we knew about the Default Mode Network (DMN). Although this network has always been seen as unitary and associated with the resting state, a new deconstructive line of research is pointing out that the DMN could be divided into multiple subsystems supporting different functions. By now, it is well known that the DMN is not only deactivated by tasks, but also involved in affective, mnestic, and social paradigms, among others. Nonetheless, it is starting to become clear that the array of activities in which it is involved, might also be extended to more extrinsic functions. The present meta-analytic study is meant to push this boundary a bit further. The BrainMap database was searched for all experimental paradigms activating the DMN, and their activation maps were then computed. An additional map of task-induced deactivations was also created. A Multidimensional Scaling indicated that such maps could be arranged along an anatomo-psychological gradient, which goes from midline core activations, associated with the most internal functions, to the involvement of lateral cortices in more external tasks. Further investigations suggested that such extrinsic mode is especially related to reward, semantic, and emotional functions. However, an important finding was that the variability of task-induced DMN anatomic redistribution was hard to recapitulate, as none of the maps, or any linear combination of them, could represent the whole space of its dynamical reconfiguration. Altogether, our findings suggest that the DMN may be characterized by a richer functional diversity and a more spatial complexity than previously suggested.
An efficient urine peptidomics workflow identifies chemically defined dietary gluten peptides from patients with celiac disease
Authors: Palanski Brad A. , Weng Nielson , Zhang Lichao , Hilmer Andrew J. , Fall Lalla A. , Swaminathan Kavya , Jabri Bana , Sousa Carolina , Fernandez-Becker Nielsen Q. , Khosla Chaitan , Elias Joshua E.
Published: March 2021

Celiac disease (CeD) is an autoimmune disorder induced by consuming gluten proteins from wheat, barley, and rye. Glutens resist gastrointestinal proteolysis, resulting in peptides that elicit inflammation in patients with CeD. Despite well-established connections between glutens and CeD, chemically defined, bioavailable peptides produced from dietary proteins have never been identified from humans in an unbiased manner. This is largely attributable to technical challenges, impeding our knowledge of potentially diverse peptide species that encounter the immune system. Here, we developed a novel liquid chromatographic-mass spectrometric workflow for untargeted sequence analysis of the urinary peptidome. We detected 679 distinct dietary peptides, of which ~35% have a CeD-relevant T cell epitope and ~5% are known to stimulate innate immune responses. Remarkably, gluten peptides from patients with CeD qualitatively and quantitatively differ from controls. Our results provide a new foundation for understanding gluten immunogenicity, improving CeD management, and characterizing the dietary and urinary peptidomes.
eQTL mapping in fetal-like pancreatic progenitor cells reveals early developmental insights into diabetes risk
Authors: Nguyen Jennifer P. , Arthur Timothy D. , Fujita Kyohei , Salgado Bianca M. , Donovan Margaret K.R. ,   iPSCORE Consortium, Matsui Hiroko , Kim Ji Hyun , D’Antonio-Chronowska Agnieszka , D’Antonio Matteo , Frazer Kelly A.
Published: March 2021

The impact of genetic regulatory variation active in early pancreatic development on adult pancreatic disease and traits is not well understood. Here, we generate a panel of 107 fetal-like iPSC-derived pancreatic progenitor cells (iPSC-PPCs) from whole genome-sequenced individuals and identify 4,065 genes and 4,016 isoforms whose expression and/or alternative splicing are affected by regulatory variation. We integrate eQTLs identified in adult islets and whole pancreas samples, which reveal 1,805 eQTL associations that are unique to the fetal-like iPSC-PPCs and 1,043 eQTLs that exhibit regulatory plasticity across the fetal-like and adult pancreas tissues. Colocalization with GWAS risk loci for pancreatic diseases and traits show that some putative causal regulatory variants are active only in the fetal-like iPSC-PPCs and likely influence disease by modulating expression of disease-associated genes in early development, while others with regulatory plasticity likely exert their effects in both the fetal and adult pancreas by modulating expression of different disease genes in the two developmental stages.
Direct phosphorylation and stabilization of HIF-1α by PIM1 kinase drives angiogenesis in solid tumors
Authors: Casillas Andrea L. , Chauhan Shailender S. , Toth Rachel K. , Sainz Alva G. , Clements Amber N. , Jensen Corbin C. , Langlais Paul R. , Miranti Cindy K. , Cress Anne E. , Warfel Noel A.
Published: March 2021

Angiogenesis is essential for sustained growth of solid tumors. Hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) is a master regulator of angiogenesis and constitutive activation of HIF-1 is frequently observed in human cancers. Thus, understanding mechanisms governing the activation of HIF-1 is critical for successful therapeutic targeting of tumor angiogenesis. Herein, we establish a new regulatory mechanism responsible for the constitutive activation of HIF-1α in cancer, irrespective of oxygen tension. PIM1 kinase directly phosphorylates HIF-1α at threonine 455, a previously uncharacterized site within its oxygen-dependent degradation domain. This phosphorylation event disrupts the ability of prolyl hydroxylases (PHDs) to bind and hydroxylate HIF-1α, interrupting its canonical degradation pathway and promoting constitutive transcription of HIF-1 target genes. Overexpression of PIM1 is sufficient to stabilize HIF-1α in normoxia and stimulate angiogenesis in a HIF-1-dependent mannerin vivo. CRISPR mutants of HIF-1α (Thr455D) showed increased tumor growth, proliferation and angiogenesis. Moreover, T455D xenograft tumors were refractory to the anti-angiogenic and cytotoxic effects of PIM inhibitors. These data identify a new signaling axis responsible for hypoxia-independent activation of HIF-1 and expand our understanding of the tumorigenic role of PIM1 in solid tumors.
A comparison of the Mouse Song Analyzer and DeepSqueak ultrasonic vocalization analysis systems in C57BL/6J, FVB.129, and FVB mice
Authors: Binder Matthew S. , Pranske Zachary P. , Lugo Joaquin N.
Published: March 2021

Vocal communication is an essential behavior in mammals and is relevant to human neurodevelopmental conditions. Mice produce communicative vocalizations, known as ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs), that can be recorded with various programs. The Mouse Song Analyzer is an automated analysis system, while DeepSqueak is a semi-automated system. We used data from C57BL/6J, FVB.129, and FVB mice to compare whether the DeepSqueak and Mouse Song Analyzer systems measure a similar total number, duration, and fundamental frequency of USVs. We found that the two systems detected a similar quantity of USVs for FVB.129 mice (r= .90,p< .001), but displayed lower correlations for C57BL/6J (r= .76,p< .001) and FVB mice (r= .60,p< .001). We also found that DeepSqueak detected significantly more USVs for C57BL/6J mice than the Mouse Song Analyzer. The two systems detected a similar duration of USVs for C57BL/6J (r= .82,p< .001), but lower correlations for FVB.129 (r= .13,p< .001) and FVB mice (r= .51,p< .01) were found, with DeepSqueak detecting significantly more USVs per each strain. We found lower than acceptable correlations for fundamental frequency in C57BL/6J (r= .54,p< .01), FVB.129 (r= .76,p< .001), and FVB mice (r= .07,p= .76), with the Mouse Song Analyzer detecting a significantly higher fundamental frequency for FVB.129 mice. These findings demonstrate that the strain of mouse used significantly affects the number, duration, and fundamental frequency of USVs that are detected between programs. Overall, we found that DeepSqueak is more accurate than the Mouse Song Analyzer.
Membrane Hydrophobicity Determines the Activation Free Energy of Passive Lipid Transport
Authors: Rogers Julia R. , Garcia Gustavo Espinoza , Geissler Phillip L.
Published: March 2021

The collective behavior of lipids with diverse chemical and physical features determines a membrane’s thermodynamic properties. Yet, the influence of lipid physicochemical properties on lipid dynamics, in particular interbilayer transport, remains underexplored. Here, we systematically investigate how the activation free energy of passive lipid transport depends on lipid chemistry and membrane phase. Through all-atom molecular dynamics simulations of 11 chemically distinct glycerophos-pholipids, we determine how lipid acyl chain length, unsaturation, and headgroup influence the free energy barriers for two elementary steps of lipid transport, lipid desorption, which is rate-limiting, and lipid insertion into a membrane. Consistent with previous experimental measurements, we find that lipids with longer, saturated acyl chains have increased activation free energies compared to lipids with shorter, unsaturated chains. Lipids with different headgroups exhibit a range of activation free energies; however, no clear trend based solely on chemical structure can be identified, mirroring difficulties in the interpretation of previous experimental results. Compared to liquid-crystalline phase membranes, gel phase membranes exhibit substantially increased free energy barriers. Overall, we find that the activation free energy depends on a lipid’s local hydrophobic environment in a membrane and that the free energy barrier for lipid insertion depends on a membrane’s interfacial hydrophobicity. Both of these properties can be altered through changes in lipid acyl chain length, lipid headgroup, and membrane phase. Thus, the rate of lipid transport can be tuned through subtle changes in local membrane composition and order, suggesting an unappreciated role for nanoscale membrane domains in regulating cellular lipid dynamics.

SIGNIFICANCE

Cell homeostasis requires spatiotemporal regulation of heterogeneous membrane compositions, in part, through non-vesicular transport of individual lipids between membranes. By systematically investigating how the chemical diversity present in glycerophospholipidomes and variations in membrane order influence the free energy barriers for passive lipid transport, we discover a correlation between the activation free energy and membrane hydrophobicity. By demonstrating how membrane hydrophobicity is modulated by local changes in membrane composition and order, we solidify the link between membrane physicochemical properties and lipid transport rates. Our results suggest that variations in cell membrane hydrophobicity may be exploited to direct non-vesicular lipid traffic.
Gold nanocluster mediated delivery of siRNA to intact plant cells for efficient gene knockdown
Authors: Zhang Huan , Cao Yuhong , Xu Dawei , Goh Natalie S. , Demirer Gozde S. , Chen Yuan , Landry Markita P. , Yang Peidong
Published: March 2021

RNA interference (RNAi), which involves the delivery of small interfering RNA molecules (siRNA), has been used to validate target genes in plants, to understand and control cellular metabolic pathways, and as a ‘green’ alternative for crop pest tolerance. Conventional siRNA delivery methods such as viruses andAgrobacterium-mediated delivery exhibit limitations in host plant species range and their use can result in uncontrolled DNA integration into the plant host genome. Here, we synthesize polyethyleneimine functionalized gold nanoclusters (PEI-AuNCs) to mediate siRNA delivery into intact plant cells and show these constructs enable efficient gene knockdown. We demonstrate that functionalized AuNCs protect siRNA from RNase degradation and are small enough (~2 nm) to bypass the plant cell wall which exhibits a size exclusion limit of 5-20 nm. These AuNCs in turn enable up to 76.5 ± 5.9% GFP mRNA knockdown efficiency with no cellular toxicity. Our data suggest this simple and biocompatible platform for passive delivery of siRNA into intact plant cells could have broad applications in plant biotechnology.
Establishment and Resilience of Transplanted Gut Microbiota in Aged Mice
Authors: Wang Ying , Tang Jinhui , Lv Qingqing , Tan Yuxiang , Dong Xiaoxiao , Liu Hongbin , Zhao Nannan , He Zhen , Kou Yan , Tan Yan , Liu Xin-an , Wang Liping , Liu Yang-Yu , Dai Lei
Published: March 2021

Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), a procedure in which fecal material is transferred from a donor to a recipient, has been increasingly used as a treatment to restore healthy gut microbiota. There is a substantial difference in the composition of gut microbiota between young and aged hosts, but little is known about whether age matching between the FMT donor and recipient affects microbiota restoration and long-term maintenance. In the present investigation, we aimed to study the establishment and resilience of transplanted gut microbiota in aged recipients. We treated naturally aged mice (20 months old) with a broad-spectrum antibiotic cocktail and monitored the restoration of gut microbiota over 8 weeks. The diversity of gut microbiota in aged mice failed to reach the baseline level via spontaneous recovery; in contrast, FMT from either (age-)matched or unmatched donors facilitated the recovery of gut microbiota diversity. The microbiota transplanted from different donors successfully established in the aged recipients and had long-term effects on the gene expression profiles of the host colon. Finally, we evaluated the long-term maintenance of transplanted microbiota via intentional disruption of gut homeostasis. We found that lack of age matching between FMT donors and recipients may decrease the resilience of transplanted gut microbiota against colonic inflammation. The results from our study systematically examining the effects of FMT on the gut homeostasis of aged hosts suggest that the compatibility between donors and recipients should be taken into account when implementing FMT.
Time-lagged Independent Component Analysis of Random Walks and Protein Dynamics
Authors: Schultze Steffen , Grubmüller Helmut
Published: March 2021

Time-lagged independent component analysis (tICA) is a widely used dimension reduction method for the analysis of molecular dynamics (MD) trajectories and has proven particularly useful for the construction of protein dynamics Markov models. It identifies those ‘slow’ collective degrees of freedom onto which the projections of a given trajectory show maximal autocorrelation for a given lag time. Here we ask how much information on the actual protein dynamics and, in particular, the free energy landscape that governs these dynamics the tICA-projections of MD-trajectories contain, as opposed to noise due to the inherently stochastic nature of each trajectory. To answer this question, we have analyzed the tICA-projections of high dimensional random walks using a combination of analytical and numerical methods. We find that the projections resemble cosine functions and strongly depend on the lag time, exhibiting strikingly complex behaviour. In particular, and contrary to previous studies of principal component projections, the projections change non-continuously with increasing lag time. The tICA-projections of selected 1μs protein trajectories and those of random walks are strikingly similar, particularly for larger proteins, suggesting that these trajectories contain only little information on the energy landscape that governs the actual protein dynamics. Further the tICA-projections of random walks show clusters very similar to those observed for the protein trajectories, suggesting that clusters in the tICA-projections of protein trajectories do not necessarily reflect local minima in the free energy landscape. We also conclude that, in addition to the previous finding that certain ensemble properties of non-converged protein trajectories resemble those of random walks, this is also true for their time correlations. Due to the higher complexity of the latter, this result also suggests tICA analyses as a more sensitive tool to test MD simulations for proper convergence.
PySTACHIO: Python Single-molecule TrAcking stoiCHiometry Intensity and simulatiOn, a flexible, extensible, beginner-friendly and optimized program for analysis of single-molecule microscopy data
Authors: Shepherd Jack W , Higgins Ed J , Wollman Adam J M , Leake Mark C
Published: March 2021

As camera pixel arrays have grown larger and faster, and optical microscopy techniques ever more refined, there has been an explosion in the quantity of data acquired during routine light microcopy. At the single-molecule level, analysis involves multiple steps and can rapidly become computationally expensive, in some cases intractable on office workstations. Complex bespoke software can present high activation barriers to entry for new users. Here, we redevelop our quantitative single-molecule analysis routines into an optimized and extensible Python program, with GUI and command-line implementations to facilitate use on local machines and remote clusters, by beginners and advanced users alike. We demonstrate that its performance is on par with previous MATLAB implementations but runs an order of magnitude faster. We tested it against challenge data and demonstrate its performance is comparable to state-of-the-art analysis platforms. We show the code can extract fluorescence intensity values for single reporter dye molecules and, using these, estimate molecular stoichiometries and cellular copy numbers of fluorescently-labeled biomolecules. It can evaluate 2D diffusion coefficients for the characteristically short single-particle tracking data. To facilitate benchmarking we include data simulation routines to compare different analysis programs. Finally, we show that it works with 2-color data and enables colocalization analysis based on overlap integration, to infer interactions between differently labelled biomolecules. By making this freely available we aim to make complex light microscopy single-molecule analysis more democratized.

Highlights

We present PySTACHIO, a refined version of our spot tracking algorithm

We demonstrate highly improved performance over previous MATLAB versions

PySTACHIO can accurately estimate stoichiometries and 2D diffusion coefficients

Performance is comparable to state-of-the-art packages on challenge data

PySTACHIO has both GUI and command line interfaces and can be hosted as a web app

Graphical abstract
Project buffer sizing and dynamic buffer consumption algorithm in power generation construction
Authors: Zohrehvandi Shakib , Khalilzadeh Mohammad , Amiri Maghsoud , Shadrokh Shahram
Published: March 2021

Purpose

The aim of this research is to propose a buffer sizing and buffer controlling algorithm (BSCA) as a heuristic algorithm for calculating project buffer and feeding buffers as well as dynamic controlling of buffer consumption in different phases of a wind power plant project in order to achieve a more realistic project duration.

Design/methodology/approach

The BSCA algorithm has two main phases of planning and buffer sizing and construction and buffer consumption. Project buffer and feeding buffers are determined in the planning and buffer sizing phase, and their consumption is controlled in the construction and buffer consumption phase. The heuristic algorithm was coded and run in MATLAB software. The sensitivity analysis was conducted to show the BSCA influence on project implementation. Then, to evaluate the BSCA algorithm, inputs from this project were run through several algorithms recently presented by researchers. Finally, the data of 20 projects previously accomplished by the company were applied to compare the proposed algorithm.

Findings

The results show that BSCA heuristic algorithm outperformed the other algorithms as it shortened the projects' durations. The average project completion time using the BSCA algorithm was reduced by about 15% compared to the previous average project completion time.

Originality/value

The proposed BSCA algorithm determines both the project buffer and feeding buffers and simultaneously controls their consumption in a dynamic way.
Barriers to employment for refugees seeking work in the Australian construction industry: an exploratory study
Authors: Loosemore Martin , Alkilani Suhair Z. , Hammad Ahmed W.A.
Published: March 2021

Purpose

In Australia, as in many other countries, refugees are over-represented in the ranks of the unemployed, under-employed and precariously employed and often become frustrated in their attempts to secure work. Despite the construction industry being a major potential source of employment for refugees, there has been a surprising lack of research into their experiences of securing work in the industry. Addressing this gap and also the general lack of voice for refugees in construction research, the aim of this paper is to explore the barriers refugees face in securing employment in the construction industry.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper reports a survey of refugees who have worked or attempted to seek work in the Australian construction industry.

Findings

Results show that the main barriers to securing employment in construction are: lack of local work experience; employer discrimination; employer failure to recognise previous qualifications, skills and experience and employers not understanding the challenges they face. Government employment agencies and systems are also perceived to be of limited value and overly complex, in contrast to the activities of not-for-profit support agencies.

Research limitations/implications

While the research is limited to Australia, the findings contribute an important and missing refugee dimension to the emerging body of research on construction social procurement. They also contribute unique sector-specific insights into the broader debate about refugee resettlement and employment. Further research is needed in other national contexts.

Practical implications

Recommendations are made to address the barriers to employment identified including: initiatives to provide refugees with work experience in the industry; education to break-down negative stereotypes of refugees among employers; greater support for not-for-profits supporting refugees and reform of government and employment agency systems and procedures.

Social implications

By enhancing understanding of the barriers to employment for refugees in construction and proposing solutions to reduce those barriers, this research contributes new insights into a growing global challenge of how we better integrate growing numbers of refugees into harmonious and prosperous societies.

Originality/value

The findings are important in facilitating the smoother integration of refugees into society. Beyond the moral imperative, there are significant social, cultural and economic benefits which successful refugee integration brings to host countries and industries like construction which in many countries are now being required to employ refugees in their workforce as a condition of public sector contracts.
High-frequency forecasting from mobile devices’ bigdata: an application to tourism destinations’ crowdedness
Authors: Ramos Vicente , Yamaka Woraphon , Alorda Bartomeu , Sriboonchitta Songsak
Published: March 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to illustrate the potential of high-frequency data for tourism and hospitality analysis, through two research objectives: First, this study describes and test a novel high-frequency forecasting methodology applied on big data characterized by fine-grained time and spatial resolution; Second, this paper elaborates on those estimates’ usefulness for visitors and tourism public and private stakeholders, whose decisions are increasingly focusing on short-time horizons.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses the technical communications between mobile devices and WiFi networks to build a high frequency and precise geolocation of big data. The empirical section compares the forecasting accuracy of several artificial intelligence and time series models.

Findings

The results robustly indicate the long short-term memory networks model superiority, both for in-sample and out-of-sample forecasting. Hence, the proposed methodology provides estimates which are remarkably better than making short-time decision considering the current number of residents and visitors (Naïve I model).

Practical implications

A discussion section exemplifies how high-frequency forecasts can be incorporated into tourism information and management tools to improve visitors’ experience and tourism stakeholders’ decision-making. Particularly, the paper details its applicability to managing overtourism and Covid-19 mitigating measures.

Originality/value

High-frequency forecast is new in tourism studies and the discussion sheds light on the relevance of this time horizon for dealing with some current tourism challenges. For many tourism-related issues, what to do next is not anymore what to do tomorrow or the next week.

Plain Language Summary

This research initiates high-frequency forecasting in tourism and hospitality studies. Additionally, we detail several examples of how anticipating urban crowdedness requires high-frequency data and can improve visitors’ experience and public and private decision-making.
Strategic stakeholder management: investor relations in South Africa
Authors: Nel George Frederick , Van der Spuy Pieter Van Aardt
Published: March 2021

Purpose

The study explores the use of professional investor relations (IR) practices in South African (SA) listed companies to understand which theories may be responsible for IR's adoption and growth in South Africa, an emerging economy. Therefore, this study evaluates shareholder value maximisation, stakeholder and legitimization theory and institutional isomorphism theory as possible theories to explain professional IR behaviour in SA listed companies.

Design/methodology/approach

The study design is qualitative and exploratory, based on a questionnaire developed and sent to all companies listed on the Johannesburg Securities Exchange (JSE).

Findings

The results indicate evidence of isomorphic spread to SA environments from practices observed in the UK and the USA, which we find are mostly performed to promote shareholder interests. The data suggest some evidence that the communication needs of black economic empowerment and environmental, social and governance (ESG) investors are given priority, suggesting the utility of professional IR to obtain legitimisation from society. Contrary to expectation is that social media communication channels are not extensively used.

Practical implications

The descriptive nature of this study may be valuable to IR practitioners to improve SA IR practises, while neglected legitimisation opportunities with regard to the needs of ESG and black economic empowerment shareholders may be fruitfully addressed by practitioners.

Originality/value

This study innovates in its use of legitimisation theory and isomorphism theory to develop the study's expectations. Social problems provide contextual elements unique to SA which provides a good opportunity to test the expectation of legitimisation theory's influence on professional IR practices.
Rescuing industrial memory: the industrial heritage of Isla Teja sixty years after the natural disaster
Authors: Arnet Virginia
Published: March 2021

Purpose

This paper explores tools and methodologies associated with the recovery of industrial areas from a territorial and urban perspective.

Design/methodology/approach

This study describes the theoretical foundations of a specific industrial reality, using the city of Valdivia as a case study. Intermediate cities are resilient urban areas that support the changes derived from deindustrialization. Here, we present the contextualization of a contemporary recovery tool in Valdivia. First, industrial and geographical antecedents are described. Then, essential aspects of memory, territory and society are defined. Finally, challenges and opportunities derived from the contextual approach of the proposed recovery model are discussed.

Findings

Three thematic lines were used to design the proposed heritage recovery model: memory, territory and society. The recovery of industrial memory, a programmatic reconstruction that includes a contemporary and environmentally sensitive utilization of the territory, and the restoration of the lost connection between the city and the territory, proved to be essential in this task.

Research limitations/implications

This proactive research allowed an in-depth analysis of the addressed topic and the exhaustive design of a tool for heritage recovery, following the provisions of the regional legislation. However, the authors acknowledge that the contextualization of the contextualization of the project actual project may limit the project execution.

Originality/value

This paper explores the development of a new tool for the evaluation, intervention, and preservation of the industrial heritage of intermediate cities, as an alternative to the traditional methods of intervention.
GCC countries' market risk premia and US monetary policy announcements
Authors: Wu Hong
Published: March 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to examine if the market risk premiums of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries are particularly higher on prescheduled US monetary policy announcement days. The findings shed light on the causality relationship from the state of the global economy to the GCC equity markets as well as their integration with the rest of the world.

Design/methodology/approach

The author takes the standard event-study approach, following Fama et al. (1969). As the announcement days are prescheduled, the impact of the announcements on the GCC markets' risk premia allows for test of causality, while other studies address predictability and association.

Findings

The author finds that excess returns are higher, both economically and statistically, on announcement days in most individual GCC countries and the region overall. Moreover, additional compensations may not appear on the exact days of announcement in a few countries; rather, on the days right before or after announcements, possibly due to information leakage or gradual diffusion. My results show that there is a causal relationship from the state of the global economy to the GCC equity markets' risk premia. This new evidence supports integration between the Gulf region's and the world's financial markets.

Practical implications

The evidence of risk–return transmission from US monetary policy announcements to GCC countries' equity indices supports integration between the region's and the world's financial markets. The study results will help guide investors' and corporations' investing, capital budgeting and portfolio evaluation decisions.

Originality/value

This paper extends the announcement literature (Savor and Wilson 2013, 2014) by examining the responses of the GCC countries, the major players of the global oil markets. The empirical analysis documents a causal relationship from the state of the global economy, as revealed by US monetary policy announcements, to the GCC equity indices. This new evidence supports increased integration between the Gulf region and the world, a finding that investors and corporations should consider when making investing, capital budgeting and portfolio evaluation decisions.
Impact of general trust on bank risk-taking: the moderating effect of confidence in banks
Authors: Masoud Heba , Albaity Mohamed
Published: March 2021

Purpose

This study examines the effect of general trust (GT) and confidence in banks (CIB) on bank risk-taking. Besides, it explores the moderating role of CIB on the relationship between GT and bank risk-taking.

Design/methodology/approach

Secondary data was obtained from the World Value Survey, World Bank and BankFocus from 2011 to 2018. Two-step system GMM estimator was used to examine the links between the GT and CIB with bank risk-taking in MENA region.

Findings

Results indicated that both GT and CIB negatively influenced bank risk-taking. Moreover, CIB weakened the negative relationship between GT and bank risk-taking. However, the results were different for MENA region as compared to the full sample.

Originality/value

The studies on the link between trust and bank risk-taking are either carried out on an international sample or using a developed economies sample. However, the authors believe that developing economies might exhibit different relationships due to cultural and structural differences present in developed countries. Besides, the authors believe that testing the moderating effect of CIB could shed more light on the differences between developing and developed countries.
The future of farm tourism in the Philippines: challenges, strategies and insights
Authors: Yamagishi Kafferine , Gantalao Cecil , Ocampo Lanndon
Published: March 2021

Purpose

This study aims to draw observations on the current status and potentials of the Philippines as a farm tourism destination and identify the underlying factors that inhibit farm tourism development. It intends to gauge the challenges that Filipino farmers face in diversifying farms and operating farm sites and uses these challenges in crafting strategies and policies for relevant stakeholders. It also provides Philippine farm tourism literature to address the limitations of references in the topic.

Design/methodology/approach

The study adopts an exploratory type of inquiry method and secondary data collection from various sources, such as published journal articles, news articles and reports, to gain insights and relevant information on farm tourism. The study also uses a threats, opportunities, weaknesses and strengths analysis approach to develop competitive farm tourism strategies.

Findings

The Philippines, with vast agricultural land, has the necessary base for farm tourism, and the enactment of the Farm Tourism Development Act of 2016 bridges this potential. With low agricultural outputs, the country draws relevance for farm tourism as a farm diversification strategy to supplement income in rural communities. While having these potentials, crucial initiatives in physical characteristics, product development, education and training, management and entrepreneurship, marketing and customer relations and government support must be implemented. Farmers' lack of skills, training and capital investment potential to convert their farms into farm tourism sites serves as the major drawback. Thus, developing entrepreneurial and hospitality skills is crucial.

Originality/value

This work presents a historical narrative of initiatives and measures of the Philippine farm tourism sector. It also provides a holistic discussion and in-depth analysis of the current state, potentials, strategies and forward insights for farm tourism development.
Identification of trans‐AT polyketide clusters in two marine bacteria reveals cryptic similarities between distinct symbiosis factors
Authors: Kačar Dina , Cañedo Librada M. , Rodríguez Pilar , González Elena G. , Galán Beatriz , Schleissner Carmen , Leopold‐Messer Stefan , Piel Jörn , Cuevas Carmen , de la Calle Fernando , García José L.
Published: March 2021

Glutarimide‐containing polyketides are known as potent antitumoral and antimetastatic agents. The associated gene clusters have only been identified in a few Streptomyces producers and Burkholderia gladioli symbiont. The new glutarimide‐family polyketides, denominated sesbanimides D, E and F along with the previously known sesbanimide A and C, were isolated from two marine alphaproteobacteria Stappia indica PHM037 and Labrenzia aggregata PHM038. Structures of the isolated compounds were elucidated based on 1D and 2D homo and heteronuclear NMR analyses and ESI‐MS spectrometry. All compounds exhibited strong antitumor activity in lung, breast and colorectal cancer cell lines. Subsequent whole genome sequencing and genome mining revealed the presence of the trans‐AT PKS gene cluster responsible for the sesbanimide biosynthesis, described as sbn cluster. Strikingly, the modular architecture of downstream mixed type PKS/NRPS, SbnQ, revealed high similarity to PedH in pederin and Lab13 in labrenzin gene clusters, although those clusters are responsible for the production of structurally completely different molecules. The unexpected presence of SbnQ homologues in unrelated polyketide gene clusters across phylogenetically distant bacteria, raises intriguing questions about the evolutionary relationship between glutarimide‐like and pederin‐like pathways, as well as the functionality of their synthetic products.
Characterization of key odor‐active compounds in sweet Petit Manseng (Vitis vinifera L.) wine by gas chromatography–olfactometry, aroma reconstitution, and omission tests
Authors: Lan Yibin , Guo Jingxian , Qian Xu , Zhu Baoqing , Shi Ying , Wu Guangfeng , Duan Changqing
Published: March 2021

Petit Manseng (Vitis vinifera L.) has become a popular variety in China for the production of semisweet and sweet wines. However, few studies focused on investigating the molecular odor code of its key odorants. In this study, the key odor‐active compounds of Chinese sweet Petit Manseng wine were identified by gas chromatography–olfactometry (GC–O) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). Fifty‐five odorous zones were sniffed and identified by application of aroma extraction dilution analysis on a distillate prepared by liquid–liquid extraction and solvent‐assisted flavor evaporation. Among them, isoamyl alcohol, ethyl octanoate, isovaleric acid, (E)‐β‐damascenone, and phenylethanol particularly displayed with highest flavor dilution factors above 1024. The quantification of volatiles by headspace solid‐phase microextraction coupled with GC–MS and GC coupled with triple quadrupole MS/MS and a calculation of odor activity values (OAVs) indicated 23 volatiles with OAVs above 1. Ethyl hexanoate showed the highest OAV with 208.8, followed by (E)‐β‐damascenone (189.0), 3‐mercaptohexanol (60.3), isoamyl acetate (45.4), and furaneol (40.1). The aroma of the sweet wine was successfully reconstituted by combining 42 aroma compounds in a model wine solution. 3‐Mercaptohexanol, (E)‐β‐damascenone, furaneol, γ‐octalactone + γ‐decalactone + γ‐hexalactone, and ethyl cinnamate had important influence on the aroma of sweet Petit Manseng wine assessed by omission tests. Moreover, the discrimination of wines from three regions was successfully achieved by partial least squares discriminant analysis based on quantitative results of key odorants. 3‐Mercaptohexanol was considered as the most responsible for the region discrimination and had highest concentrations in Petit Manseng wines from Jiaodong Peninsula.

Practical Application

Understanding of the knowledge in key odorants of Petit Manseng wines could be useful to improve wine quality through viticultural and enological practices.
Safety and utility of performing CT‐guided biopsies of pulmonary lesions that arise after radiotherapy
Authors: Ohta Kengo , Shimohira Masashi , Ogino Hiroyuki , Nagai Keiichi , Sawada Yusuke , Nakayama Keita , Shibamoto Yuta
Published: March 2021

This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility, safety and usefulness of performing computed tomography (CT)‐guided biopsies of pulmonary lesions that arise after radiotherapy. Seventeen patients (14 males and 3 females; median age: 69 years, range: 48–84 years) underwent CT‐guided biopsies of pulmonary lesions that occurred in lung regions that had previously been treated with radiotherapy. Three patients underwent CT‐guided biopsies twice, and thus, the total number of procedures was 20. We reviewed the subjects’ medical records and images, and evaluated the rate for obtaining pathological diagnosis with the biopsy sample, subsequent clinical course, and complications associated with the procedure. In 19 of 20 procedures (95%), the CT‐guided biopsy resulted in a pathological diagnosis being obtained. In 14 procedures, the pathological results were consistent with the patients’ clinical courses. In the remaining 5 procedures, the lesions were pathologically diagnosed as benign, but they increased in size thereafter; so the lesions were considered to be clinically malignant. The results were considered to represent sampling errors. There were 3 minor complications (slight pneumothorax which did not require drainage) (3/20, 15%), and there were no major complications. In conclusion, performing CT‐guided biopsies of pulmonary lesions that arise after radiotherapy appears to be feasible, safe and useful.
Bipolar disorder and cannabis use: A bidirectional two‐sample Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Jefsen Oskar Hougaard , Speed Maria , Speed Doug , Østergaard Søren Dinesen
Published: March 2021

Cannabis use is associated with a number of psychiatric disorders; however, the causal nature of these associations has been difficult to establish. Mendelian randomization (MR) offers a way to infer causality between exposures with known genetic predictors (genome‐wide significant single nucleotide polymorphisms [SNPs]) and outcomes of interest. MR has previously been applied to investigate the relationship between lifetime cannabis use (having ever used cannabis) and schizophrenia, depression, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), but not bipolar disorder, representing a gap in the literature. We conducted a two‐sample bidirectional MR study on the relationship between bipolar disorder and lifetime cannabis use. Genetic instruments (SNPs) were obtained from the summary statistics of recent large genome‐wide association studies (GWAS). We conducted a two‐sample bidirectional MR study on the relationship between bipolar disorder and lifetime cannabis use using inverse variance weighted regression, weighted median regression, and Egger regression. Genetic liability to bipolar disorder was significantly associated with an increased risk of lifetime cannabis use; however, genetic liability to lifetime cannabis use showed no association with the risk of bipolar disorder. The sensitivity analyses showed no evidence for pleiotropic effects. The present findings support a causal effect of liability to bipolar disorder on the risk of using cannabis at least once. No evidence was found for a causal effect of liability to cannabis use on the risk of bipolar disorder. These findings add important new knowledge to the understanding of the complex relationship between cannabis use and psychiatric disorders.
The long‐term cardiovascular impact of hypertension in pregnancy – A missed opportunity
Authors: Davis Gregory K. , Henry Amanda , Arnott Clare , Brown Mark A.
Published: March 2021

Women who have had hypertension in pregnancy, both pre‐eclampsia and gestational hypertension, have a two‐ to three‐fold increased risk of cardiovascular disease later in life. It is unclear whether this is an unmasking of latent risk, the result of damage to the vascular tree during pregnancy, or both. Irrespective of the underlying pathophysiology, these women are uniquely identified sufficiently early in their lives for lifestyle interventions, if adopted, to improve their long‐term health. Currently, follow‐up of these women is inadequate and implementation of a coordinated follow‐up program, and further research into how best to provide it, is urgently needed.
SARS‐CoV‐2 infection, COVID‐19 and timing of elective surgery
Authors: El‐Boghdadly K. , Cook T. M. , Goodacre T. , Kua J. , Blake L. , Denmark S. , McNally S. , Mercer N. , Moonesinghe S. R. , Summerton D. J.
Published: March 2021

The scale of the COVID‐19 pandemic means that a significant number of patients who have previously been infected with SARS‐CoV‐2 will require surgery. Given the potential for multisystem involvement, timing of surgery needs to be carefully considered to plan for safe surgery. This consensus statement uses evidence from a systematic review and expert opinion to highlight key principles in the timing of surgery. Shared decision‐making regarding timing of surgery after SARS‐CoV‐2 infection must account for severity of the initial infection; ongoing symptoms of COVID‐19; comorbid and functional status; clinical priority and risk of disease progression; and complexity of surgery. For the protection of staff, other patients and the public, planned surgery should not be considered during the period that a patient may be infectious. Precautions should be undertaken to prevent pre‐ and peri‐operative infection, especially in higher risk patients. Elective surgery should not be scheduled within 7 weeks of a diagnosis of SARS‐CoV‐2 infection unless the risks of deferring surgery outweigh the risk of postoperative morbidity or mortality associated with COVID‐19. SARS‐CoV‐2 causes either transient or asymptomatic disease for most patients, who require no additional precautions beyond a 7‐week delay, but those who have persistent symptoms or have been hospitalised require special attention. Patients with persistent symptoms of COVID‐19 are at increased risk of postoperative morbidity and mortality even after 7 weeks. The time before surgery should be used for functional assessment, prehabilitation and multidisciplinary optimisation. Vaccination several weeks before surgery will reduce risk to patients and might lessen the risk of nosocomial SARS‐CoV‐2 infection of other patients and staff. National vaccine committees should consider whether such patients can be prioritised for vaccination. As further data emerge, these recommendations may need to be revised, but the principles presented should be considered to ensure safety of patients, the public and staff.