bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
High-level expression of STING restricts susceptibility to HBV by mediating type III IFN induction
Authors: Dansako Hiromichi , Imai Hirotaka , Ueda Youki , Satoh Shinya , Shimotohno Kunitada , Kato Nobuyuki
Published: July 2018

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a hepatotropic DNA virus causing hepatic diseases such as chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. To study HBV, human hepatoma HepG2 cells are currently used as an HBV infectious cell culture model worldwide. HepG2 cells exhibit susceptibility to HBV by exogenously expressing sodium taurocholate cotransporting polypeptide (NTCP). We herein demonstrated that human immortalized hepatocyte NKNT-3 cells exhibited susceptibility to HBV by exogenously expressing NTCP (NKNT-3/NTCP cells). By comparing the cGAS-STING signaling pathway in several NKNT-3/NTCP cell-derived cell clones, we found that STING was highly expressed in cell clones exhibiting resistance but not susceptibility to HBV. High-level expression of STING was implicated in HBV-triggered induction of type III IFN and a pro-inflammatory cytokine, IL-6. In contrast, RNAi-mediated knockdown of STING inhibited type III IFN induction and restored the levels of HBV total transcript in an HBV-infected cell clone exhibiting resistance to HBV. These results suggest that STING regulates susceptibility to HBV by its expression levels.

STING may thus be a novel target for anti-HBV strategies.
A Ubiquitin-Binding Domain that Does Not Bind Ubiquitin
Authors: Lim Michael , Newman Joseph A. , Williams Hannah L. , Aitkenhead Hazel , Gileadi Opher , Svejstrup Jesper Q.
Published: July 2018

Ubiquitylation, the post-translational linkage of ubiquitin moieties to lysines in target proteins, helps regulate a myriad of biological processes. Ubiquitin, and sometimes ubiquitin-homology domains, are recognized by ubiquitin-binding domains, including CUE domains. CUE domains are thus generally thought to function exclusively by mediating interactions with ubiquitylated proteins. The chromatin remodeler, SMARCAD1, interacts with KAP1, a transcriptional corepressor. We show that the SMARCAD1-KAP1 interaction is direct and involves the first SMARCAD1 CUE domain (CUE1) and the RBCC domain of KAP1. A structural model of the minimal KAP1 RBCC-SMARCAD1 CUE1 complex based on X-ray crystallography analysis is presented. Remarkably, the CUE1 domain, which resembles a canonical CUE domain, recognizes 2 clusters of exposed hydrophobic residues on KAP1, but these are presented in the context of a coiled-coil domain, not in a structure resembling ubiquitin. Together, these data challenge the well-established dogma that CUE domains exclusively recognize the ubiquitin-fold.
Cycling with blood flow restriction improves performance and muscle K+ handling and blunts the effect of antioxidant infusion in humans
Authors: Christiansen Danny , Eibye Kasper H. , Rasmussen Villads , Voldbye Hans M. , Thomassen Martin , Nyberg Michael , Gunnarsson Thomas G.P. , Skovgaard Casper , Lindskrog Mads S. , Bishop David J. , Hostrup Morten , Bangsbo Jens
Published: July 2018

We examined if blood flow restriction (BFR) would augment training-induced improvements in muscle K+ handling and performance during intense exercise in men, and if these adaptations would be associated with an effect of muscle antioxidant function on thigh K+ release and with fibre type-dependent modulation of Na+,K+-ATPase-isoform abundance and FXYD1 phosphorylation. Ten recreationally-active men (25 ± 4 y, 49.7 ± 5.3 mL∙kg-1∙min-1) performed 6 weeks of interval cycling, where one leg trained without (control; CON-leg) and the other leg with BFR (BFR-leg, pressure: 178 mmHg). Before and after training, catheters were inserted into the femoral artery and vein, and blood flow was assessed during single-leg knee-extensions at 25% (Ex1) and 90% of leg peak aerobic power (Ex2) with intravenous infusion of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) or saline (placebo), and a resting muscle biopsy was collected. After training, performance during exhaustive exercise increased to a greater extent in BFR-leg (23%) than in CON-leg (12%, p<0.05), whereas thigh K+ release during Ex2 was attenuated in BFR-leg only (p<0.05). Before training, NAC depressed K+ release during Ex1 (p<0.05), but not during Ex2 (p>0.05). After training, this effect was blunted in BFR-leg (p<0.05), whilst the abundance of Na+,K+-ATPase-isoform α1 in type-II (51%), β1 in type-I (33%), and FXYD1 in type-I (108%) and type-II (60%) fibres was higher in BFR-leg (p<0.05; vs. CON-leg). Thus, interval training with BFR elicits greater improvements in performance and reduces muscle net K+ release during intense exercise, which may be caused by elevated ROS scavenging and fibre type-dependent increases in Na+,K+-ATPase-isoform abundance.

Key points

Here, we provide evidence that reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a role in regulating K+ homeostasis in the untrained musculature of humans, as indicated by attenuated thigh K+ efflux during exercise with concomitant antioxidant infusion.

We also demonstrate that interval training with blood flow restriction (BFR) augments improvements in performance and reduces K+ release from contracting muscles during intense exercise

The effect of training with BFR on muscle K+ handling appears to be partly mediated by increasing the protection against ROS, since the effect of antioxidant infusion was blunted after training with restricted blood flow.

Further, training with BFR resulted in higher abundance of Na+,K+-ATPase-isoform α1 in type-II (51%), β1 in type-I (33%), and FXYD1 in type-I (108%) and type-II (60%) muscle fibres. This suggests fibre type-specific adaptations in Na+,K+-ATPase-isoform content are also important for improvements in muscle K+ handling by training with BFR in humans.
The Nonstructural Proteins 3 and 5 from Flavivirus Modulate Nuclear-Cytoplasmic Transport and Innate Immune Response Targeting Nuclear Proteins
Authors: Cervantes-Salazar Margot , Gutiérrez-Escolano Ana L. , Reyes-Ruiz José M. , del Angel Rosa M.
Published: July 2018

Viruses hijack cellular proteins and components to be replicated in the host cell and to evade the immune response. Although flaviviruses have a cytoplasmic replicative cycle, some viral proteins such as the capsid (C) and the RNA dependent RNA polymerase, NS5, can reach the nucleus of the infected cells. Considering the important roles of NS5 in viral replication and in the control of the immune response, and its striking presence in the nucleus, the possible functions of this protein in some mechanisms orchestrated by the nucleus was analyzed. We isolated and identified nuclear proteins that interact with NS5; one of them, the DEAD-box RNA helicase DDX5 is relocated to the cytoplasm and degraded during infection with DENV, which correlates with its function in IFN dependent response. Since DDX5 and many other proteins are relocated from the nucleus to the cytoplasm during flavivirus infection, the integrity and function of the main regulator of the nuclear-cytoplasmic transport, the nuclear pore complex (NPC) was evaluated. We found that during DENV and ZIKV infection nucleoporins (NUPs) such as TPR, Nup153, Nup98, and Nup62 were cleavaged/degraded. The protease NS2B-NS3 induces NUPs degradation and it causes a dramatic inhibition of mature mRNAs export to the cytoplasm but not the export of DDX5 protein, which is dependent on NS5. Here we describe for the first time that the NS3 and NS5 proteins from flavivirus play novel functions hijacking the NPC and some nuclear proteins relevant in triggering immune response pathways, inducing a favorable environment for viral replication.

IMPORTANCE

Viruses, as intracellular obligate parasites, hijack cellular components to enter and replicate in infected cells. Remarkably, in many cases, viruses hijack molecules with crucial functions for the cells. Here it is described how RNA viruses such as DENV and ZIKV, with a cytoplasmic replicative cycle, use NS3 and NS5, two of their unique non-structural proteins with enzymatic activity, to modulate nuclear-cytoplasmic transport. We found that NS3 disrupts the nuclear pore complex, the main regulator in nuclear-cytoplasmic transport, causing a strong reduction in the amount of mature mRNAs in the cytoplasm and an inhibition in innate immune response. Additionally, NS5 induces the relocation of nuclear proteins to the cytoplasm such as DDX5, involved in immune response, which is later degraded by NS3. These findings allow the understanding of crucial mechanisms that viruses use to deal with the control of the immune response to grant the production of new viral particles.
Dynamic variability in apoptotic threshold as a strategy for combating fractional killing
Authors: Qiu Baohua , Zhang Jiajun , Zhou Tianshou
Published: July 2018

Fractional killing, which is a significant impediment to successful chemotherapy, is observed even in a population of genetically identical cancer cells exposed to apoptosis-inducing agents. This phenomenon arises not from genetic mutation but from cell-to-cell variation in the activation timing and level of the proteins that regulate apoptosis. To understand the mechanism behind the phenomenon, we formulate complex fractional killing processes as a first-passage time (FPT) problem with a stochastically fluctuating boundary. Analytical calculations are performed for the FPT distribution in a toy model of stochastic p53 gene expression, where the cancer cell is killed only when the p53 expression level crosses an activity apoptotic threshold. Counterintuitively, we find that threshold fluctuations can effectively enhance cellular killing by significantly decreasing the mean time that the p53 protein reaches the threshold level for the first time. Moreover, faster fluctuations lead to the killing of more cells. These qualitative results imply that dynamic variability in threshold is an unneglectable stochastic source, and can be taken as a strategy for combating fractional killing of cancer cells.
Balance of Mechanical Forces Drives Endothelial Gap Formation and May Facilitate Cancer and Immune-Cell Extravasation
Authors: Escribano Jorge , Chen Michelle B. , Moeendarbary Emad , Cao Xuan , Shenoy Vivek , Garcia-Aznar Jose Manuel , Kamm Roger D. , Spill Fabian
Published: July 2018

The formation of gaps in the endothelium is a crucial process underlying both cancer and immune cell extravasation, contributing to the functioning of the immune system during infection, the unfavorable development of chronic inflammation and tumor metastasis. Here, we present a stochastic-mechanical multiscale model of an endothelial cell monolayer and show that the dynamic nature of the endothelium leads to spontaneous gap formation, even without intervention from the transmigrating cells. These gaps preferentially appear at the vertices between three endothelial cells, as opposed to the border between two cells. We quantify the frequency and lifetime of these gaps, and validate our predictions experimentally. Interestingly, we find experimentally that cancer cells also preferentially extravasate at vertices, even when they first arrest on borders. This suggests that extravasating cells, rather than initially signaling to the endothelium, might exploit the autonomously forming gaps in the endothelium to initiate transmigration.
Permeation of cisplatin through the membranes of normal and cancer cells: a molecular dynamics study
Authors: Rivel T. , Ramseyer C. , Yesylevskyy S. O.
Published: July 2018

In this work, realistic models of membranes of normal and cancer cells are developed. A special focus is given to their cholesterol content. It is shown that the loss of lipid asymmetry in the membranes of cancer cells leads to a decrease of their permeability to cisplatin by one order of magnitude in comparison to the membranes of normal cells. The change of cholesterol molar ratio from 0% to 33% also decreases the permeability of the membrane by approximately one order of magnitude. The permeability of pure DOPC membrane is 5-6 orders of magnitude higher than one of the membrane with realistic lipid composition, which makes it as an inadequate model for the studies of drug permeability.
Lactate dehydrogenases amplify reactive oxygen species in cancer cells in response to oxidative stimuli
Authors: Wu Hao , Wang Yuqi , Ying Mingfeng , Hu Xun
Published: July 2018

Previous studies have revealed that lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA) exhibited an indirect antioxidative activity, which played a crucial role in preventing cancer cells from oxidative stress. Here we demonstrated that, apart from antioxidative activities, LDHA and LDHB displayed prooxidative activity in cancer cells. In aqueous phase, LDHA and B both exhibited ROS-generating activity and LDHB was more active than LDHA. In cancer cells, the dominant antioxidative activity of LDH can be switched to dominant prooxidative activity or vice versa, depending on the strength of oxidative stimuli, indicating that LDH were bifunctional. Moreover, we demonstrated that mitochondrial superoxide served as an initiator to trigger LDH-catalyzed amplification of ROS. The oxidative stimuli, such as modulators of electron transfer chain and anticancer agents that kill cancer cells via ROS induction, induced a ROS generation involving 2 phases, induction of mitochondrial superoxide and amplification of ROS by LDH.
New de novo assembly of the Atlantic bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) improves genome completeness and provides haplotype phasing
Authors: Martinez-Viaud Karine A. , Lawley Cindy Taylor , Vergara Milmer Martinez , Ben-Zvi Gil , Biniashvili Tammy , Baruch Kobi , Leger Judy St. , Le Jennie , Natarajan Aparna , Rivera Marlem , Guillergan Marbie , Jaeger Erich , Steffy Brian , Zimin Aleksey
Published: July 2018

High quality genomes are essential to resolve challenges in breeding, comparative biology, medicine and conservation planning. New library preparation techniques along with better assembly algorithms result in continued improvements in assemblies for non-model organisms, moving them toward reference quality genomes. We report on the latest genome assembly of the Atlantic bottlenose dolphin leveraging Illumina sequencing data coupled with a combination of several library preparation techniques. These include Linked-Reads (Chromium, 10x Genomics), mate pairs, long insert paired ends and standard paired ends. Data were assembled with the commercial DeNovoMAGICTMassembly software resulting in two assemblies, a traditional “haploid” assembly (Tur_tru_Illumina_hap_v1) that is a mosaic of the two parental haplotypes and a phased assembly (Tur_tru_Illumina_phased_v1) where each scaffold has sequence from a single homologous chromosome. We show that Tur_tru_Illumina_hap_v1 is more complete and accurate compared to the current best reference based on the amount and composition of sequence, the consistency of the mate pair alignments to the assembled scaffolds, and on the analysis of conserved single-copy mammalian orthologs. The phased de novo assembly Tur_tru_Illumina_phased_v1 is the first publicly available for this species and provides the community with novel and accurate ways to explore the heterozygous nature of the dolphin genome.
Temporal scaling of ageing as an adaptive strategy ofEscherichia coli
Authors: Yang Yifan , Santos Ana L. , Xu Luping , Lotton Chantal , Taddei François , Lindner Ariel B.
Published: July 2018

Natural selection has long been hypothesised to shape ageing patterns, but whether and how ageing contributes to life-history evolution remains elusive. The complexity of various ageing-associated molecular mechanisms and their inherent stochasticity hinder reductionist approaches to the understanding of functional senescence,i.e. reduced fecundity and increased mortality. Recent bio-demographic work demonstrated that high-precision statistics of life-history traits such as mortality rates could be used phenomenologically to understand the ageing process. We adopted this approach to study cellular senescence in growth-arrestedE. colicells, where damages to functional macromolecules are no longer diluted by fastde novobiosynthesis. We acquired high-quality longitudinal physiological and life history data of large environmentally controlled clonalE. colipopulations at single-cell resolution, using custom-designed microfluidic devices coupled to time-lapse microscopy. We show thatE. colilifespan distributions follow the Gompertz law of mortality, a century-old actuarial observation of human populations, despite developmental, cellular and genetic differences between bacteria and metazoan organisms. Measuring the shape of the hazard functions allowed us to disentangle quantitatively the demographic effects of ageing, which accumulate with time, from age-independent genetic longevity-modulating interventions. A pathway controlling cellular maintenance, the general stress response, not only promotes longevity but also temporally scales the whole distribution by reducing ageing rate. We further show thatE. coli, constrained by the amount of total biosynthesis, adapt to their natural feast-or-famine lifestyle by modulating the amount of maintenance investment, rendering ageing rate a highly evolvable life-history trait.
The Drosophila Cortactin Binding Protein 2 homolog, Nausicaa, regulates lamellipodial actin dynamics in a Cortactin-dependent manner
Authors: O’Connell Meghan E. , Sridharan Divya , Driscoll Tristan , Krishnamurthy Ipsita , Perry Wick G. , Applewhite Derek A.
Published: July 2018

Drosophila CG10915 is an uncharacterized protein coding gene with sequence similarity to human Cortactin Binding Protein 2 (CTTNBP2) and Cortactin Binding Protein 2 N-terminal like (CTTNBP2NL). We have named this gene Nausicaa (naus) and characterize it through a combination of quantitative live-cell total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy, electron microscopy, RNAi depletion, and genetics. We found that Naus co-localizes with F-actin and Cortactin in the lamellipodia of Drosophila S2R+ and D25c2 cells and this localization is lost following Cortactin or Arp2/3 depletion or by mutations that disrupt a conserved proline patch found in its mammalian homologs. Using Permeabilization Activated Reduction in Fluorescence (PARF) and Fluorescence Recovery after Photo-bleaching (FRAP), we find that depletion of Cortactin alters Naus dynamics leading to a decrease in its half-life. Furthermore, we discovered that Naus depletion in S2R+ cells led to a decrease in actin retrograde flow and a lamellipodia characterized by long, unbranched filaments. We demonstrate that these alterations to the dynamics and underlying actin architecture also affect D25c2 cell migration and decrease arborization in Drosophila neurons. We present the novel hypothesis that Naus functions to slow Cortactin’s disassociation from Arp2/3 nucleated branch junctions, thereby increasing both branch nucleation and junction stability.
Epigenome editing of microsatellite repeats defines tumor-specific enhancer functions and dependencies
Authors: Boulay Gaylor , Volorio Angela , Iyer Sowmya , Broye Liliane C. , Stamenkovic Ivan , Riggi Nicolo , Rivera Miguel N.
Published: July 2018

Various types of repetitive sequences are dysregulated in cancer. In Ewing sarcoma, the oncogenic fusion protein EWS-FLI1 induces chromatin features typical of active enhancers at GGAA microsatellite repeats, but the function of these sites has not been directly demonstrated. Here, by combining nascent transcription profiling with epigenome editing, we found that a subset of GGAA microsatellite repeats is transcriptionally active in Ewing sarcoma and that silencing individual repeats abolishes local nascent transcription and leads to markedly reduced expression of putative target genes. Epigenome silencing of these repeat sites does not affect gene expression in unrelated cells, can prevent the induction of gene expression by EWS-FLI1, and, in the case of a GGAA repeat that controls SOX2 expression from a distance of 470 kb, is sufficient to impair the growth of Ewing sarcoma xenografts. Using an experimental approach that is broadly applicable to testing different types of repetitive genomic elements, our study directly demonstrates that specific repeat microsatellites can have critical gene regulation functions in cancer and thus represent tumor-specific vulnerabilities that may be exploited to develop new therapies.
Coordinate regulation of alternative pre-mRNA splicing events by the human RNA chaperone proteins hnRNPA1 and DDX5
Authors: Lee Yeon J. , Wang Qingqing , Rio Donald C.
Published: July 2018

Alternative premessenger RNA (pre-mRNA) splicing is a post-transcriptional mechanism for controlling gene expression. Splicing patterns are determined by both RNA-binding proteins and nuclear pre-mRNA structure. Here, we analyzed pre-mRNA splicing patterns, RNA-binding sites, and RNA structures near these binding sites coordinately controlled by two splicing factors: the heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein hnRNPA1 and the RNA helicase DDX5. We identified thousands of alternative pre-mRNA splicing events controlled by these factors by RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) following RNAi. Enhanced cross-linking and immunoprecipitation (eCLIP) on nuclear extracts was used to identify protein–RNA-binding sites for both proteins in the nuclear transcriptome. We found a significant overlap between hnRNPA1 and DDX5 splicing targets and that they share many closely linked binding sites as determined by eCLIP analysis. In vivo SHAPE (selective 2′-hydroxyl acylation analyzed by primer extension) chemical RNA structure probing data were used to model RNA structures near several exons controlled and bound by both proteins. Both sequence motifs and in vivo UV cross-linking sites for hnRNPA1 and DDX5 were used to map binding sites in their RNA targets, and often these sites flanked regions of higher chemical reactivity, suggesting an organized nature of nuclear pre-mRNPs. This work provides a first glimpse into the possible RNA structures surrounding pre-mRNA splicing factor-binding sites.
Compositionally induced phase transitions and symmetry relations between space groups in the layered system FeIn1−xYxGe2O7
Authors: Moreno-Tovar Rosario , Bucio Lauro , Rosales Ivonne , Orozco Eligio
Published: July 2018

Symmetry reduction in the basic structure of thortveitite-type compound FeInGe2O7–mC22 (C12/m1, No. 12) promoted by the incorporation of yttrium in the formula FeIn1−xYxGe2O7gives rise to a derivative structure called thortveitite-likeAA′Ge2O7–mP44, with symmetry described by the space groupP121/m1 (No. 11) forx= 0.50, 0.75 and 0.90. The structure remains unchanged within the structural type of thortveitite whenx= 0.25. In order to establish structural models for performing a Rietveld refinement to the derivative structure, symmetry relations between space groups connecting the basic and derivative structures were used. The higher contrast to X-rays of Fe3+, In3+and Y3+as well as by the behaviour during the refinements of the isotropic thermal displacements, the values of interatomic distances and calculated bond-valence sums for each atom in the asymmetric unit, were helpful for elucidating the relocation of cations in the different available crystallographic sites generated by the symmetry reduction.
Crystal structure and Hirshfeld surface analysis of N,N′-bis(3-tert-butyl-2-hydroxy-5-methylbenzylidene)ethane-1,2-diamine
Authors: Sen Pinar , Kansiz Sevgi , Golenya Irina A. , Dege Necmi
Published: July 2018

The title compound, C26H36N2O2, crystallizes in the phenol–imine form. In the molecule, there are intramolecular O—H...N hydrogen bonds forming S(6) ring motifs, and the two aromatic rings are inclined to each other by 37.9 (7)°. In the crystal, molecules are linked by pairs of weak C—H...O hydrogen bonds, forming inversion dimers. Hirshfeld surface analysis and two-dimensional fingerprint plots indicate that the most important contributions to the crystal packing are from H...H (77.5%), H...C/C...H (16%), H...O/O...H (3.1%) and H...N/N...H (1.7%) interactions.
Phosphoramidon inhibits the integral membrane protein zinc metalloprotease ZMPSTE24
Authors: Goblirsch Brandon R. , Arachea Buenafe T. , Councell Daniel J. , Wiener Michael C.
Published: July 2018

The integral membrane protein zinc metalloprotease ZMPSTE24 possesses a completely novel structure, comprising seven long kinked transmembrane helices that encircle a voluminous 14 000 Å3cavity within the membrane. Functionally conserved soluble zinc metalloprotease residues are contained within this cavity. As part of an effort to understand the structural and functional relationships between ZMPSTE24 and soluble zinc metalloproteases, the inhibition of ZMPSTE24 by phosphoramidon [N-(α-rhamnopyranosyl-oxyhydroxyphosphinyl)-Leu-Trp], a transition-state analog and competitive inhibitor of multiple soluble zinc metalloproteases, especially gluzincins, has been characterized functionally and structurally. The functional results, the determination of preliminary IC50values by the use of an intramolecular quenched-fluorescence fluorogenic peptide assay, indicate that phosphoramidon inhibits ZMPSTE24 in a manner consistent with competitive inhibition. The structural results, a 3.85 Å resolution X-ray crystal structure of a ZMPSTE24–phosphoramidon complex, indicate that the overall binding mode observed between phosphoramidon and soluble gluzincins is conserved. Based on the structural data, a significantly lower potency than that observed for soluble gluzincins such as thermolysin and neprilysin is predicted. These results strongly suggest a close relationship between soluble gluzincins and the integral membrane protein zinc metalloprotease ZMPSTE24.
Crystallographic study of dioxygen chemistry in a copper-containing nitrite reductase fromGeobacillus thermodenitrificans
Authors: Fukuda Yohta , Matsusaki Takuro , Tse Ka Man , Mizohata Eiichi , Murphy Michael E. P. , Inoue Tsuyoshi
Published: July 2018

Copper-containing nitrite reductases (CuNIRs) are multifunctional enzymes that catalyse the one-electron reduction of nitrite (NO2−) to nitric oxide (NO) and the two-electron reduction of dioxygen (O2) to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). In contrast to the mechanism of nitrite reduction, that of dioxygen reduction is poorly understood. Here, results from anaerobic synchrotron-radiation crystallography (SRX) and aerobic in-house radiation crystallography (iHRX) with a CuNIR from the thermophileGeobacillus thermodenitrificans(GtNIR) support the hypothesis that the dioxygen present in an aerobically manipulated crystal can bind to the catalytic type 2 copper (T2Cu) site ofGtNIR during SRX experiments. The anaerobic SRX structure showed a dual conformation of one water molecule as an axial ligand in the T2Cu site, while previous aerobic SRXGtNIR structures were refined as diatomic molecule-bound states. Moreover, an SRX structure of the C135A mutant ofGtNIR with peroxide bound to the T2Cu atom was determined. The peroxide molecule was mainly observed in a side-on binding manner, with a possible minor end-on conformation. The structures provide insights into dioxygen chemistry in CuNIRs and hence help to unmask the other face of CuNIRs.
Ethyl 2-[2-(4-oxo-4H-chromen-2-yl)phenoxy]acetate
Authors: Goyal Navneet , Do Camilla , Donahue James P. , Mague Joel T. , Foroozesh Maryam
Published: July 2018

In the title flavonoid derivative, C19H16O5, the chromene portion is planar (r.m.s. deviation = 0.022 Å) with the substituents lying closely to the same plane. The dihedral angle between its mean plane and that of the benzene ring is 4.9 (1)°. This planarity is due, in part, to the presence of a strong intramolecular C—H...O hydrogen bond and to two weak C—H...O contacts. In the crystal, neighboring molecules are linked by a C—H...O hydrogen bond and a C—H...π interaction, forming chains along the a-axis direction.
Chloridobis(ethane-1,2-diamine-κ2
N,N′)(3-methylpyridine-κN)cobalt(III) dichloride monohydrate
Authors: Hemanathan K. , Mahalakshmi C. Maharaja , Anbalagan K. , Raja R. , Murugesan K. Sakthi
Published: July 2018

In the title hydrated salt, [CoCl(C6H7N)(C2H8N2)2]Cl2·H2O, the CoIII ion exhibits a distorted octahedral coordination envirnoment defined by four N atoms of two ethane-1,2-diamine ligands, another N atom of the pyridine ligand and a Cl− ligand. The pyridine N atom and the Cl− ligand are in cis positions relative to each other. The crystal packing is dominated by intermolecular N—H...Cl, O—H...Cl and O—H...H hydrogen-bonding interactions involving the amino groups of the complex cation, the lattice water molecule and the non-coordinating Cl− anions. Weak C—H...Cl interactions consolidate the three-dimensional hydrogen-bonded network structure.
Do governance mechanisms deter earnings management and promote corporate social responsibility?
Authors: Suyono Eko , Farooque Omar Al
Published: July 2018

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the influences of corporate governance mechanisms on earnings management practices and corporate social responsibility (CSR) disclosure, at the manufacturing companies listed on the Indonesian Stock Exchange. The authors consider the moderating effect of earnings management on the relationship between governance mechanisms and CSR.

Design/methodology/approach

Insights are drawn from five years company data generated between 2010 and 2014, thus covering a five-year period. Ordinary least squares (OLS) regression analysis is applied to test the hypotheses developed.

Finding

OLS regression results indicate that institutional ownership, managerial ownership and independent boards have a significant deterrent effect on earnings management, while institutional ownership and board of directors have significant positive impact on CSR. Moreover, OLS results reveal a strong moderation effect of earnings management and a positive link between governance and CSR.

Originality/value

These findings have significant policy implications for public policy, regulatory bodies, companies and other stakeholders including the investors in Indonesia. Insights from this study will help to shape and implement an optimal governance system that can address the problem of earnings management and CSR initiatives in Indonesian companies.
An efficient termination control strategy of air-vented dryer for fabric drying
Authors: Wei Yuhui , Su Zhaowei , Lu Huashan , Ding Xue Mei
Published: July 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop an efficient termination control strategy of air-vented dryer in term of energy saving, improving smoothness and reducing microscopic damage of fiber.

Design/methodology/approach

A simple, low cost termination control strategy is developed by testing the instantaneous humidity of exhaust air and then deducing the drying degree of fabric in process. The practicability evaluation of this novel strategy was investigated by using both experimental and mathematical approaches. The effect of termination control strategy on drying efficiency and fabric apparent properties were also discussed.

Findings

Termination control strategy significantly affects drying time, energy consumption, smoothness and microscopic of fiber. Specially, a novel termination control strategy that the combination of equilibrium moisture content of fabric in ambient environment and relative humidity of exhaust air in exhaust duct is workable and can save 25.2 percent of energy consumption, 26.7 percent of the drying time and improve 0.7 grade of the appearance smoothness, as well as significantly reduce the microscopic damage of fiber compare to the original control strategy of dryer. This indicates possible ways to minimize drying energy consumption and dryer damage by reducing unnecessary migrate out of the water from the clothes.

Practical implications

The paper is helpful in not only the development of new drying product but also the optimization of appearance smoothness of fabric after drying and reduce the microscopic damage of fiber.

Originality/value

A novel termination control strategy of dryer is applied to improve drying efficiency of dryer and reduce fabric damage.
Inter-group performance of oil producing countries: a meta and global frontier analysis
Authors: Ohene-Asare Kwaku , Gakpey Victor Sosu , Turkson Charles
Published: July 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to compare the production efficiencies and frontiers differences of oil-producing countries (OPCs) in four inter-governmental organizations (IGOs) in the international petroleum industry with the aim of providing such countries understanding of group characteristics that help maximize their supply interests.

Design/methodology/approach

The empirical analysis is based on 14 years of panel data covering the period from 2000 to 2013. In all 46 unique countries who are members of four IGOs relevant to the international petroleum industry are examined on individual and group bases. The authors use both metafrontier analysis and global frontier difference in examining the group average and group frontiers, respectively.

Findings

Groups with high inter and intra-group collaborations which ensure exchange of information, organizational learning and innovation tend to do better than groups with even higher hydro-carbon endowment. Additionally, hydro-carbon resource endowment may not be the solution to group inefficiency without higher endowment in human capital, economic stability, technology and infrastructure.

Practical implications

Choice of inter-governmental organizational membership should be based on the level of inter- and intra-group collaborations, human capital endowment among others and not mere historic links or even resource endowment.

Originality/value

This is among the few studies to compare and rank IGOs. Specifically, it is among the first studies to analyze the petroleum production efficiencies of IGOs involved in the international petroleum industry. This study assesses the performance differences among OPCs with the aim of identifying for OPCs the characteristics of inter-governmental groups that are beneficial to efficiency in upstream petroleum activities.
Implementation of environmental management practices in the Ghanaian mining and manufacturing supply chains
Authors: Famiyeh Samuel , Kwarteng Amoako
Published: July 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to understand the driving forces of environmental management practices in mining and manufacturing firms using data from Ghana.

Design/methodology/approach

Prior exploratory factor analysis and structural equation modeling, based on questionnaire survey data, were used to study the driving forces of environmental management practices in the extractive and manufacturing firms using institutional theory.

Findings

Environmental management practices by organizations in Ghana are driven by regulatory and the mimetic pressures. Normative pressure has no significant effect on environmental management practices. The authors found no difference between the extractive and the manufacturing sectors as far as the results are concerned.

Research limitations/implications

The results indicate the importance of regulatory bodies in developing good environmental policies that are implemented and monitored in order to achieve improved environmental performance. Effective implementation of environmental policies is likely to motivate other firms to mimic the actions of implementing organizations. One limitation of this work is the use of data from Ghana. It is important for other researchers to assess these relationships using data from a wider geographical area.

Practical implications

The results indicate that organizations implement environmental management practices as a result of coercive and mimetic pressures. In practice, it is therefore important for the regulatory bodies, such as the Environmental Protection Agency Ghana, to be very innovative in developing good environmental regulations that are monitored to ensure implementation by all polluting sources. This is because the results indicate that the monitoring of regulations by regulatory bodies seems to be connected to the implementation of these regulations. Such implementation is also expected to be benchmarked by other firms, thereby influencing the “greening” agenda in Africa.

Originality/value

The study illustrates and provides some insights, and builds on the literature in the area of green supply chain strategies for a developing country’s environment. This is one of the few studies that investigate the driving forces of environmental management implementation using the institutional theory based on data from the African business environment.
The relationship between management characteristics and firm innovation
Authors: Salehi Mahdi , DashtBayaz Mahmoud Lari , Mohammadi Moghadam Samaneh
Published: July 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to assess the relationship between some management features (management capability, management entrenchment, agency costs and overconfidence) and the innovation of companies listed on the Tehran Stock Exchange.

Design/methodology/approach

The study carried out during 2009–2015. A total of 125 companies were selected from eight industries as the sample of study using the method of systematic elimination. A descriptive-correlational design was used in this study and panel data regression models were employed for developing the relationship between research variables.

Findings

The obtained results indicated that managerial ability could foster innovation, while managerial entrenchment could stifle innovation and agency costs and overconfidence have no effect on innovation.

Originality/value

The current study is almost the first project which focuses on the management characteristics and firm innovation in developing countries.
Forced distribution systems and attracting top talent
Authors: Thomason Stephanie J. , Brownlee Amy , Beekman Harris Amy , Rustogi Hemant
Published: July 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to test how an individual’s attractiveness to three types of appraisal systems relates to self-rated psychological entitlement and ethics; and constructs rated by others of: conscientiousness, extraversion and agreeableness.

Design/methodology/approach

A sample of 148 students in graduate-level business courses and matching close friends/significant others were surveyed. Data were analyzed using hierarchical regression and path analysis.

Findings

Path analysis indicated acceptable fit for the overall model of attractiveness to three appraisal types.

Practical implications

Advocates of forced distribution ranking systems (FDRS) suggest that such systems stimulate a high-talent culture and that achievers and strong performers are attracted to FDRS. In contrast, the findings suggest that FDRS are attractive to individuals with high levels of psychological entitlement and low levels of conscientiousness.

Originality/value

Advocates of FDRS and prior research have indicated that such systems reduce leniency bias and stimulate a high-performance and high-talent culture in which honesty is expected and poor performance is not tolerated. Others have found that high achievers and high performers are likely to find such systems attractive. The present study suggests that one downside of FDRS is its attractiveness to workers with low levels of conscientiousness and higher levels of psychological entitlement, which are two personality traits associated with lower levels of performance and a variety of negative outcomes.
Experimenting lean dynamic performance management systems design in SMEs
Authors: Bianchi Carmine , Winch Graham , Cosenz Federico
Published: July 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to frame the potential benefits of lean dynamic performance management (PM) systems for small and micro-enterprises. Such systems may exploit the entrepreneur’s tacit knowledge and build on managerial competencies, by incorporating individual attributes into organisational routines.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper suggests the use of insight models based on the combination of lean PM tools and system dynamics (SD) modelling. Based on a number of exemplary cases, the paper discusses the potential benefits of these models, in respect to four specific contexts: artisan, new company start-up, established firm and micro-giant company. Related to such contexts, the research identifies: needs or priorities, and obstacles or impediments to pursuing business survival and development.

Findings

The conceptual framework discussed in the paper discloses a quite original empirical basis to outline lean dynamic PM systems that may provide entrepreneurs with a set of key-performance drivers that help them to prioritise action, in each of the four analysed contexts.

Originality/value

Growing interest in adopting lean PM models in small and micro-firms appears in the recent PM literature with research highlighting strengths and shortcomings. However, few attempts have been produced to overcome such limitations, while the adoption of SD is relatively new in supporting lean PM system design.
Determinants of Web-based disclosure in the Middle East
Authors: Abdi Henda , Kacem Henda , Omri Mohamed Ali Brahim
Published: July 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the factors influencing the extent of information disclosed on the companies’ websites in the Middle East region.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses multiple regression models to examine the impact of some companies’ characteristics (company size, leverage, profitability, size of the audit firm, ownership concentration) on the extent of online disclosure. The study was conducted on 170 listed companies in seven countries (Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the UAE, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar and Turkey). The website content was analyzed during the period from September 2015 to December 2015.

Findings

The results reveal that the most important factors influencing the level of Web-based disclosure are company size, leverage and the size of the audit firm.

Practical implications

The results of the study will help regulators to formulate policies about Web-based disclosure as they offer insights into the characteristics of those companies which do and do not meet investors’ demands for online information. Thereby, the regulators might expect that the Middle East companies engage in the online reporting to be larger, have higher debt levels and audited by a big-four audit firm.

Originality/value

This study, added to the existing literature by analyzing seven countries in the Middle East region, allows having a clearer idea on the online disclosure in this region as a whole, which has not been examined before. In this paper, to assess the information’s disclosure on the website, the study has been interested in all of the information presented on the websites: financial and non-financial information.
Effectiveness of damaged fireproofing in structural steel members subjected to fire
Authors: Taghipour Anvari Ataollah , Mahamid Mustafa , McNallan Michael , Eslami Mohammadreza
Published: July 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present the effect of damaged fireproofing on structural steel members. This study will show that a minor damage in fireproofing will reduce the fire rating of members significantly. Damaged fireproofing happens in structures due to various reasons, and the question is always how effective is this fireproofing? This paper presents the results of one type of fireproofing and presents a parametric study on the size of damage and its effect on fire resistance of structural steel members.

Design/methodology/approach

The study has been performed using numerical methods, thermal and structural finite element analysis. The analysis method has been verified by experimental results.

Findings

Small fire protection damage or loss leads to significant rise of temperature at the damaged parts and causes severe fire resistance reduction of beams. The higher fire protection damage’s extension at the bottom flange of the steel beams does not have any major influence on the rate of reduction of fire resistance of the beams. Steel beams experience greater fire resistance reduction at higher load levels because of the existing of higher stresses and loads within the steel beam section.

Research limitations/implications

The study has been performed using finite element analysis, and it covers a wide range of practical sizes. However, experimental work will be performed by the researchers when funding is granted.

Practical implications

The study provides researchers and practitioners with an estimate on the effect of damaged fireproofing on fire resistance of structural steel beams.

Social implications

Understanding the effect of the effect of damaged fireproofing helps in estimating the fire resistance of structural steel members, which may protect collapses and disasters.

Originality/value

The research is original; extensive literature review has been performed, and this research is original.
When and how abusive supervision leads to knowledge hiding behaviors
Authors: Khalid Maria , Bashir Sajid , Khan Abdul Karim , Abbas Nida
Published: July 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the association between abusive supervision and knowledge hiding behaviors. The authors further investigate how abusive supervision is linked with knowledge hiding behaviors, and why some subordinates, unlike others, tend to engage in more knowledge hiding behaviors in response to abusive supervision. The authors propose that interpersonal justice mediates the relationship between abusive supervision and knowledge hiding behaviors, and that Islamic work ethics (IWE) weaken the hypothesized relationship between abusive supervision and knowledge hiding behaviors.

Design/methodology/approach

The data were gathered in three time lags from 224 respondents working in the hospitality industry of Pakistan.

Findings

The results reveal that the abusive supervision is positively associated with a knowledge hiding behaviors. This relationship is mediated by perceptions of interpersonal justice, but the IWE moderated this relationship such that in the presence of high levels of IWE, the impact of abusive supervision on knowledge hiding behaviors is weak.

Practical implications

Employees’ values and beliefs can serve as a safeguard against reactions to abusive supervision. The impact of abusive supervision on employees’ behaviors may be minimized by building their ethical values around Islamic principles.

Originality/value

To the best of the knowledge, this is the first study to examine the relationship between abusive supervision and knowledge hiding behaviors. The authors integrate displaced aggression and social exchange theory with the IWE literature to offer new insights in-to the mechanisms and boundary conditions associated with the relationship between abusive supervision and knowledge hiding behaviors.
Graffiti and perceived neighborhood safety: a neuroimaging study
Authors: James Russell , O’Boyle Michael
Published: July 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to uncover the neural basis underlying the negative impact of graffiti on evaluations of neighborhood safety.

Design/methodology/approach

While in a functional magnetic resonance imaging scanner, participants rated the perceived safety of neighborhood scenes shown in photographic images. Some scenes were systematically altered to include graffiti, surveillance cameras or framed public art.

Findings

Consistent with previous research, the average safety rating for each scene including graffiti was significantly lower than for every other non-graffiti scene presented. The powerful salience of graffiti (as demonstrated by increased activation of the left fusiform gyrus) accompanied a decreased salience of other built environment scene elements (as demonstrated by reduced activation in the right parahippocampal gyrus). It appears as though the presence of graffiti causes the cognitive impact of other scene elements to fade. This redirection of cognitive focus may help to explain the dominant impact of graffiti on neighborhood safety evaluations.

Practical implications

Because of these basic perceptual tendencies, graffiti will necessarily dominate neighborhood safety evaluations. In any attempts to improve neighborhood safety evaluations, combating graffiti should be accorded a position of great importance, in keeping with these cognitive realities.

Originality/value

This is the first neuroimaging study of graffiti and perceived neighborhood safety.