bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Priming Is a Suitable Strategy to Enhance Resistance Towards Leaf Rust in Barley
Authors: Wehner Gwendolin , Kopahnke Doris , Richter Klaus , Kecke Steffen , Schikora Adam , Ordon Frank
Published: February 2019

Priming allows plants to respond faster and stronger to abiotic or biotic stresses. Leaf rust (Puccinia hordei) is an important pathogen of barley (Hordeum vulgare), for which resistance genes are known, but mostly overcome. Therefore, the aims of this study were (i) to establish a priming system in barley, based on bacterial N-acyl homoserine lactone (AHL), and (ii) to get information on the effect of priming on the reaction to leaf rust. Plants were inoculated with bacteria, i.e., Ensifer meliloti with repaired expR copy, producing the oxo-C14-homoserine lactone (AHL) and an E. meliloti strain carrying the attM lactonase gene from Agrobacterium tumefaciens, which cleaves the AHL and acts here as negative control. After three bacterial inoculations, plants were challenged with P. hordei strain I-80 at the three leaves stage. Twelve days after infection, scoring of the leaf area diseased and the infection type was conducted followed by the calculation of the relative susceptibility. First results indicate a significantly (P < 0.001) higher resistance level to P. hordei after inoculation with E. meliloti. Furthermore, significant (P < 0.001) differences were detected between the accessions tested for priming efficiency, which can be the basis to screen a larger set of barley accessions to detect quantitative trait loci or candidate genes involved in priming.

[Formula: see text] Copyright © 2019 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY 4.0 International license .
An Improved Crop Scouting Technique Incorporating Unmanned Aerial Vehicle–Assisted Multispectral Crop Imaging into Conventional Scouting Practice for Gummy Stem Blight in Watermelon
Authors: Kalischuk Melanie , Paret Mathews L. , Freeman Joshua H. , Raj Darren , Da Silva Susannah , Eubanks Shep , Wiggins D. J. , Lollar Matthew , Marois James J. , Mellinger H. Charles , Das Jnaneshwar
Published: February 2019

Multispectral imaging is increasingly used in specialty crops, but its benefits in assessment of disease severity and improvements in conventional scouting practice are unknown. Multispectral imaging was conducted using an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), and data were analyzed for five flights from Florida and Georgia commercial watermelon fields in 2017. The fields were rated for disease incidence and severity by extension agents and plant pathologists at randomized locations (i.e., conventional scouting) followed by ratings at locations that were identified by differences in normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and stress index (i.e., UAV-assisted scouting). Diseases identified by the scouts included gummy stem blight, anthracnose, Fusarium wilt, Phytophthora fruit rot, Alternaria leaf spot, and cucurbit leaf crumple disease. Disease incidence and severity ratings were significantly different between conventional and UAV-assisted scouting (P < 0.01, Bhapkar/exact test). Higher severity ratings of 4 and 5 on a scale of 1 to 5 from no disease to complete loss of the canopy were more consistent after the scouts used the multispectral images in determining sampling locations. The UAV-assisted scouting locations had significantly lower green, red, and red edge NDVI values and higher stress index values than the conventional scouting areas (P < 0.05, ANOVA/Tukey), and this corresponded to areas with higher disease severity. Conventional scouting involving human evaluation remains necessary for disease validation. Multispectral imagery improved watermelon field scouting owing to increased ability to identify disease foci and areas of concern more rapidly than conventional scouting practices with early detection of diseases 20% more often using UAV-assisted scouting.
Microscale light management and inherent optical properties of intact corals studied with optical coherence tomography
Authors: Wangpraseurt Daniel , Jacques Steven , Lyndby Niclas , Holm Jacob Boiesen , Pages Christine Ferrier , Kühl Michael
Published: February 2019

Coral reefs are highly productive photosynthetic systems and coral optics studies suggest that such high efficiency is due to optimized light scattering by coral tissue and skeleton. Here, we characterize the inherent optical properties, i.e. the scattering coefficient,μs, and the anisotropy of scattering,g, of eight intact coral species using optical coherence tomography (OCT). Specifically, we describe light scattering by coral skeletons, coenoarc tissues, polyp tentacles and areas covered by fluorescent pigments (FP). Our results reveal that light scattering between coral species ranges fromμs= 3 mm−1(Stylophora pistillata) toμs= 25 mm−1(Echinopora lamelosa).ForPlatygyra pini,μswas 10-fold higher for tissue versus skeleton, while in other corals (e.g.Hydnophora pilosa) no difference was found between tissue and skeletal scattering. Tissue scattering was threefold enhanced in coenosarc tissues (μs= 24.6 mm−1) versus polyp tentacles (μs= 8.3 mm−1) inTurbinaria reniformis. FP scattering was almost isotropic when FP were organized in granule chromatophores (g= 0.34) but was forward directed when FP were distributed diffusely in the tissue (g= 0.96). Our study provides detailed measurements of coral scattering and establishes a rapid approach for characterizing optical properties of photosynthetic soft tissues via OCTin vivo.
Macronutrient intakes and the lifespan-fecundity trade-off: a geometric framework agent-based model
Authors: Hosking Cameron J. , Raubenheimer David , Charleston Michael A. , Simpson Stephen J. , Senior Alistair M.
Published: February 2019

Lifespan and fecundity, the main components in evolutionary fitness, are both strongly affected by nutritional state. Geometric framework of nutrition (GFN) experiments has shown that lifespan and fecundity are separated in nutrient space leading to a functional trade-off between the two traits. Here we develop a spatially explicit agent-based model (ABM) using the GFN to explore how ecological factors may cause selection on macronutrient appetites to optimally balance these life-history traits. We show that increasing the risk of extrinsic mortality favours intake of a mixture of nutrients that is associated with maximal fecundity at the expense of reduced longevity and that this result is robust across spatial and nutritional environments. These model behaviours are consistent with what has been observed in studies that quantify changes in life history in response to environmental manipulations. Previous GFN-derived ABMs have treated fitness as a single value. This is the first such model to instead decompose fitness into its primary component traits, longevity and fecundity, allowing evolutionary fitness to be an emergent property of the two. Our model demonstrates that selection on macronutrient appetites may affect life-history trade-offs and makes predictions that can be directly tested in artificial selection experiments.
Collective learning from individual experiences and information transfer during group foraging
Authors: Falcón-Cortés Andrea , Boyer Denis , Ramos-Fernández Gabriel
Published: February 2019

Living in groups brings benefits to many animals, such as protection against predators and an improved capacity for sensing and making decisions while searching for resources in uncertain environments. A body of studies has shown how collective behaviours within animal groups on the move can be useful for pooling information about the current state of the environment. The effects of interactions on collective motion have been mostly studied in models of agents with no memory. Thus, whether coordinated behaviours can emerge from individuals with memory and different foraging experiences is still poorly understood. By means of an agent-based model, we quantify how individual memory and information fluxes can contribute to improving the foraging success of a group in complex environments. In this context, we define collective learning as a coordinated change of behaviour within a group resulting from individual experiences and information transfer. We show that an initially scattered population of foragers visiting dispersed resources can gradually achieve cohesion and become selectively localized in space around the most salient resource sites. Coordination is lost when memory or information transfer among individuals is suppressed. The present modelling framework provides predictions for empirical studies of collective learning and could also find applications in swarm robotics and motivate new search algorithms based on reinforcement.
Homogenization of cortical bone reveals that the organization and shape of pores marginally affect elasticity
Authors: Cai Xiran , Brenner Renald , Peralta Laura , Olivier Cécile , Gouttenoire Pierre-Jean , Chappard Christine , Peyrin Françoise , Cassereau Didier , Laugier Pascal , Grimal Quentin
Published: February 2019

With ageing and various diseases, the vascular pore volume fraction (porosity) in cortical bone increases, and the morphology of the pore network is altered. Cortical bone elasticity is known to decrease with increasing porosity, but the effect of the microstructure is largely unknown, while it has been thoroughly studied for trabecular bone. Also, popular micromechanical models have disregarded several micro-architectural features, idealizing pores as cylinders aligned with the axis of the diaphysis. The aim of this paper is to quantify the relative effects on cortical bone anisotropic elasticity of porosity and other descriptors of the pore network micro-architecture associated with pore number, size and shape. The five stiffness constants of bone assumed to be a transversely isotropic material were measured with resonant ultrasound spectroscopy in 55 specimens from the femoral diaphysis of 29 donors. The pore network, imaged with synchrotron radiation X-ray micro-computed tomography, was used to derive the pore descriptors and to build a homogenization model using the fast Fourier transform (FFT) method. The model was calibrated using experimental elasticity. A detailed analysis of the computed effective elasticity revealed in particular that porosity explains most of the variations of the five stiffness constants and that the effects of other micro-architectural features are small compared to usual experimental errors. We also have evidence that modelling the pore network as an ensemble of cylinders yields biased elasticity values compared to predictions based on the real micro-architecture. The FFT homogenization method is shown to be particularly efficient to model cortical bone.
Study on ground settlement and structural deformation for large span subway station using a new pre-supporting system
Authors: Jia Pengjiao , Zhao Wen , Du Xi , Chen Yang , Zhang Chaozhe , Bai Qian , Wang Zhiguo
Published: February 2019

This study presents a novel construction pre-supporting system for large underground space excavation with shallow depth, Steel Tube Slab system (STS), in which adjacent steel pipes are connected by a couple of flanges, bolts and concrete for flexural capacity and lateral stiffness of the whole structure. The STS method is employed for the first time for the construction of the ultra-shallow buried and large span subway station in China, during which ground settlement and structural deformation are monitored. A numerical model for the subway station is established with reliability verified by monitored data comparison from numerical results and investigation on the effect of large span underground excavation on surrounding soil surrounding soil and existing buildings in soft soils. Unlike traditional methods, the STS method can effectively control and reduce the ground settlement during construction, thereby rendering it ideally suited for application in soft soils.
Influence of principal stress effect on deformation and permeability of coal containing beddings under true triaxial stress conditions
Authors: Dai Jiahui , Liu Chao , Li Minghui , Song Zhenlong
Published: February 2019

In situ
stress is generally an anisotropic/true triaxial stress (
σ
1
>
σ
2
>
σ
3
). Bedding weakens the continuity and integrity of coal. It is critical to understand the mechanical behaviour and gas migration of coal under true triaxial stress conditions. We performed experiments of cubic coal samples to investigate the permeability evolution and mechanical behaviour of coal under true triaxial stress conditions by using newly developed true triaxial geophysical apparatus. We analysed the effect of principal stresses on deformation and permeability characteristics of coal containing bedding planes. The results show that volumetric strain, stress states and bedding directions determine the permeability comprehensively. The variable quantity of strain was the largest in the direction normal to the bedding plane. The expansion or compression degree was characterized by the difference between the major and minor principal strain (
ɛ
1
−
ɛ
3
). Essentially, this represents the difficulty degree with regard to coal being compressed at the initial stress state and the deformation degree in
ɛ
1
and
ɛ
3
direction. The variation of (
ɛ
1
−
ɛ
3
) was consistent with that of permeability. Under an identical true triaxial stress condition, permeability was smaller when larger stress was applied in the direction normal to the bedding plane. Additionally, stress level in the direction parallel to the bedding planes and the directions between stresses in the direction parallel to the bedding planes and the flow direction also affect the permeability and strain. By solving lateral expansion coefficient, coal also exhibited anisotropic properties.
Spontaneous conversion of
O
-tosylates of 2-(piperazin-1-yl)ethanols into chlorides during classical tosylation procedure
Authors: Kurteva Vanya B. , Shivachev Boris L. , Nikolova Rositsa P.
Published: February 2019

A direct conversion of piperazinyl ethanols into chlorides via a classical
O
-tosylation protocol is observed. The acceleration of the transformation by the piperazine unit is demonstrated. It is found that the reaction goes via the corresponding
O
-tosylate, which converts spontaneously into chloride with different rate depending on the substrate structure. In the case of pirlindole derivative, partially aromatized chloride formation was observed upon prolongation and/or increased excess of tosyl chloride.
Optogenetic vision restoration with high resolution
Authors: Ferrari U. , Deny S. , Sengupta A. , Caplette R. , Sahel J.A. , Dalkara D. , Picaud S. , Duebel J. , Marre O.
Published: February 2019

The majority of inherited retinal degenerations are due to photoreceptor cell death. In many cases ganglion cells are spared making it possible to stimulate them to restore visual function. Several studies (Bi et al., 2006; Lin et al., 2008; Sengupta et al., 2016; Caporale et al., 2011; Berry et al., 2017) have shown that it is possible to express an optogenetic protein in ganglion cells and make them light sensitive. This is a promising strategy to restore vision since optical targeting may be more precise than electrical stimulation with a retinal prothesis. However the spatial resolution of optogenetically-reactivated retinas has not been measured with fine-grained stimulation patterns. Since the optogenetic protein is also expressed in axons, it is unclear if these neurons will only be sensitive to the stimulation of a small region covering their somas and dendrites, or if they will also respond to any stimulation overlapping with their axon, dramatically impairing spatial resolution. Here we recorded responses of mouse and macaque retinas to random checkerboard patterns following an in vivo optogenetic therapy. We show that optoge-netically activated ganglion cells are each sensitive to a small region of visual space. A simple model based on this small receptive field predicted accurately their responses to complex stimuli. From this model, we simulated how the entire population of light sensitive ganglion cells would respond to letters of different sizes. We then estimated the maximal acuity expected by a patient, assuming it could make an optimal use of the information delivered by this reactivated retina. The obtained acuity is above the limit of legal blindness. This high spatial resolution is a promising result for future clinical studies.
Genome-wide analysis of drug resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates causing pulmonary and extrapulmonary tuberculosis in Russia
Authors: Chernyaeva Ekaterina Nikolayevna , Rotkevich Mikhail , Krasheninnikova Ksenia , Lapidus Alla , Polev Dmitrii E. , Solovieva Natalia , Zhuravlev Viacheslav , Yablonsky Piotr , O'Brien Stephen J.
Published: February 2019

Mycobacterium tuberculosisis a highly studied pathogen due to public health importance. Despite progress in M.tuberculosis genome diversity analysis, there remain insufficient data on genome analysis of M.tuberculosis strains associated with pulmonary vs. extrapulmonary TB (PTB or XPTB respectively) tissue localization. Here we conduct comparative analysis of whole-genome sequence (WGS) for clinical M.tuberculosis strains collected from patients with PTB (n=72) and XPTB (n=73) localization. We further analyze the incidence of point mutations widely used for drug resistance detection in laboratory practice. M.tuberculosis isolates were collected from patients with varying clinical status from 2007 to 2014 in Russia. Bacterial DNA was extracted and sequenced using MiSeq platform (Illumina). WGSdata allowed identifying M.tuberculosis substrains associated with distinctions in the occurrence in PTB v.s. XPTB cases. There occurred little statistically significant specific DNA variants or genotypes diagnostic of tissue distribution, however phylogenetic analyses did reveal M.tuberculosis genetic substrains associated with TB localization. XPTB was associated with Beijing CAO, A and 4.8 groups, while PTB localization was associated with group LAM (4.3). Further, XPTB strain in some cases showed elevated drug resistance patterns relative to PTB isolates. HIV is significantly associated with the development of XPTB in the Beijing B0/W148 group and among unclustered Beijing isolates. This research analysis pinpointed genomic markers identified in XPTB and PTB with detailed characterization of drug-resistance markers of Russian M.tuberculosis isolates. We suggest that further comprehensive analysis of bacterial and human biological signatures might allow for better understanding consistent pattern of XPTB development.
Neural and linguistic differences explain priming and interference during naming
Authors: Wei Tao , Schnur Tatiana T.
Published: February 2019

When naming an object, humans are faster to produce the name (“cat”) if immediately having named a related object (“dog”) but paradoxically slower to name the same object (“cat”) if there are intervening speech acts (Wei and Schnur 2019). This dependence of behavior on prior experience is ubiquitous in other domains, often termed “priming” (if behavior is speeded) or “interference” (if behavior is slower). However, it is unknown the changes in the language system (conceptual, lexical, and/or connections between representations) and corresponding brain mechanisms which create these paradoxical effects on the same speech act. Using fMRI during simple picture naming, we observed distinct brain regions and different connections associated with priming and interference. Greater priming was associated with increased activation in the ventral occipitotemporal cortex, while greater interference was associated with decreased functional connectivity between the left posterior temporal and angular gyri. To provide neural evidence of where in the language system priming and interference in naming occur, we assayed the response of different brain areas to conceptual or lexical aspects of speech. The brain and language systems adapt to prior naming experience by modulating conceptual representations during priming, but modulating conceptual, lexical and the mapping between representations during interference.
Vitellogenin expression in the ovaries of adult honeybee workers provides insights into the evolution of reproductive and social traits
Authors: Mendes Cardoso-Júnior Carlos Antônio , Oldroyd Benjamin P. , Ronai Isobel
Published: February 2019

Social insects are notable for having two female castes that exhibit extreme differences in their reproductive capacity. The molecular basis of these differences is largely unknown. A protein that likely plays a key role in these differences is Vitellogenin (Vg), a powerful antioxidant and insulin-signalling regulator. Here we investigate how Royal Jelly (the major food of honeybee queens) and queen pheromone (a major regulator of worker fertility), affects the longevity and reproductive status of honey bee workers, the expression of Vg, its receptor VgR and associated regulatory proteins. We find that Vg is expressed in the ovaries of workers and that workers fed a queen diet of Royal Jelly have increased Vg expression in the ovaries. Surprisingly, we find that Vg expression is not associated with worker ovary activation. Our findings provide further support for the ‘reproductive ground plan hypothesis’ as Vg has acquired non-reproductive functions in honeybee workers.
Gut microbiota requires vagus nerve integrity to promote depression
Authors: Siopi Eleni , Saha Soham , Moigneu Carine , Bigot Mathilde , Lledo Pierre-Marie
Published: February 2019

Chronic stress constitutes one of the strongest risk factors for depression and can disrupt various aspects of homeostasis, including gut microbiota composition. We found that stress-induced changes in gut microbiota promote depression and decrease adult hippocampal neurogenesis upon transfer to antibiotic-treated recipient mice. Subdiaphragmatic vagotomy abrogated the microbiota-induced effects on behavior and neurogenesis, suggesting that gut microbiota can influence brain plasticity and behavior through vagal afferents.
Trace levels of peptidoglycan in serum underlie the NOD-dependent cytokine response to endoplasmic reticulum stress
Authors: Molinaro Raphael , Flick Robert , Philpott Dana J. , Girardin Stephen E.
Published: February 2019

NOD1 and NOD2 are intracellular sensors of bacterial peptidoglycan that belong to the Nod-like receptor (NLR) family of innate immune proteins. In addition to their role as direct bacterial sensors, it was recently proposed that NOD proteins could detect endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress induced by thapsigargin, an inhibitor of the sarcoplasmic or endoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase family (SERCA) that pumps Ca2+into the ER, resulting in pro-inflammatory signalling. Here, we confirm that thapsigargin induces pro-inflammatory signalling in epithelial cells in a NOD-dependent manner. However, the effect was specific to thapsigargin, as tunicamycin and the subtilase cytotoxin SubAB from Shiga toxigenicEscherichia coli,which induce ER stress by other mechanisms, did not induce cytokine expression. The calcium ionophore A23187 also induced NOD-dependent signalling, and the calcium chelator BAPTA-AM blunted thapsigargin-dependent pro-inflammatory signalling, showing NOD proteins responded to a rise in intracellular Ca2+. Since intracellular Ca2+directly affects vesicular trafficking, we tested if thapsigargin-induced NOD activation required endocytosis. Our results demonstrate that both endocytosis and the addition of serum to the cell culture medium were required for thapsigargin-mediated NOD activation. Finally, we analyzed cell culture grade fetal calf serum as well as serum from laboratory mice by high-pressure liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry, and identified the presence of various peptidoglycan fragments. We propose that cellular perturbations that affect intracellular Ca2+can trigger internalization of peptidoglycan trace contaminants found in culture serum, thereby stimulating pro-inflammatory signalling. The presence of peptidoglycan in animal serum suggests that a homeostatic function of NOD signalling may have been previously overlooked.
PTSD Biomarker Database: Deep Dive Meta-database for PTSD Biomarkers, Visualizations, and Analysis Tools
Authors: Domingo-Fernández Daniel , Provost Allison , Kodamullil Alpha Tom , Marín-Llaó Josep , Lasseter Heather , Diaz Kristophe , Daskalakis Nikolaos P. , Lancashire Lee , Hofmann-Apitius Martin , Haas Magali
Published: February 2019

The PTSD Biomarker Database (PTSDDB) is a database that provides a landscape view of physiological markers being studied as putative biomarkers in the current post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) literature to enable researchers to quickly explore and compare findings. The PTSDDB currently contains over 900 biomarkers and their relevant information from 109 original articles published from 1997 to 2017. Further, the curated content stored in this database is complemented by a web application consisting of multiple interactive visualizations that enable the investigation of biomarker knowledge in PTSD (e.g., clinical study metadata, biomarker findings, experimental methods, etc.) by compiling results from biomarker studies to visualize the level of evidence for single biomarkers and across functional categories. This resource is the first attempt, to the best of our knowledge, to capture and organize biomarker and metadata in the area of PTSD for storage in a comprehensive database that may, in turn, facilitate future analysis and research in the field.

Database URL

https://ptsd.scai.fraunhofer.de
Control of Shoot Meristem Size by an Aminoacyl tRNA Synthetase,OKI1, inArabidopsis
Authors: Kitagawa Munenori , Balkunde Rachappa , Bui Huyen , Jackson David
Published: February 2019

In plants, the stem cells that form the shoot system reside within the shoot apical meristem (SAM), which is regulated by feedback signaling between the WUSCHEL (WUS) homeobox protein and CLAVATA (CLV) peptides and receptors. WUS-CLV feedback signaling can be modulated by various endogenous or exogenous factors such as chromatin state, hormone signaling, reactive oxygen species (ROS) signaling and nutrition, leading to a dynamic control of SAM size corresponding to meristem activity. Despite these insights, however, the knowledge of genes that control stem cell fate is still limited, and in particular the regulation by ROS signaling is only beginning to be comprehended. Here, we report a new regulator of SAM size,OKINA KUKI(OKI1), which is expressed in the SAM and encodes a mitochondrial aspartyl tRNA synthetase (AspRS).oki1mutants display enlarged SAMs with abnormal expression of WUS and CLV3, and overaccumulation of ROS in the meristem. Our findings support the importance of normal AspRS function in the maintenance of the WUS-CLV3 feedback loop and SAM size.
MiR-590-5p sensitises pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cells by blocking autophagy via targeting ATG3
Authors: Li Fazhao , He Jun , Liu Susun , Zhang Yawei , Yang Leping
Published: February 2019

Radio-resistance is a growing concern in treating patients with pancreatic cancer (PC). Here we investigated the role of miR-590-5p in the radio-resistance of PC cells. We developed radioresistant PC cell lines and followed by microarray analysis and levels of miRs compared to parental cell lines. PC cells were transfected using either miR mimics or inhibitors followed by clonogenic survival assays. We also studied the effect of miR-590-5p on autophagy using electron microscopy and immunoblot analysis. In addition, the luciferase assay was used to identify potential targets. The radio-resistant PC cells exhibited decreased expression of miR-590-5p, with elevated autophagy against the parental cells. The over-expression of miR-590-5p inhibited radiation-mediated autophagy, while inhibitors induced autophagy in PC cells. The up-regulation of miR-590-5p enhanced the radio-sensitivity of PC cells. We confirmed ATG-3 as a target of miR-590-5p, whose levels were unregulated in radio-resistant cells. We also found that levels of ATG-3 were associated with autophagy. Expression of miR-590-5p inhibited radiation-mediated autophagy and enhanced the radio-sensitivity of PC cells.
A universal fluorescence-based toolkit for real-time quantification of DNA and RNA nuclease activity
Authors: Sheppard Emily C. , Rogers Sally , Harmer Nicholas J. , Chahwan Richard
Published: February 2019

DNA and RNA nucleases play a critical role in a growing number of cellular processes ranging from DNA repair to immune surveillance. Nevertheless, many nucleases have unknown or poorly characterized activities. Elucidating nuclease substrate specificities and co-factors can support a more definitive understanding of cellular mechanisms in physiology and disease. Using fluorescence-based methods, we present a quick, safe, cost-effective, and real-time versatile nuclease assay, which uniquely studies nuclease enzyme kinetics. In conjunction with a substrate library we can now analyse nuclease catalytic rates, directionality, and substrate preferences. The assay is sensitive enough to detect kinetics of repair enzymes when confronted with DNA mismatches or DNA methylation sites. We have also extended our analysis to study the kinetics of human single-strand DNA nuclease TREX2, DNA polymerases, RNA, and RNA:DNA nucleases. These nucleases are involved in DNA repair, immune regulation, and have been associated with various diseases, including cancer and immune disorders.
The international sinonasal microbiome study (ISMS): a multi-centre, multi-national collaboration characterising the microbial ecology of the sinonasal cavity
Authors: Paramasivan Sathish , Bassiouni Ahmed , Shiffer Arron , Dillon Matthew R , Cope Emily K , Cooksley Clare , Ali Mohammad Javed , Bleier Benjamin , Callejas Claudio , Cornet Marjolein E , Douglas Richard G , Dutra Daniel , Georgalas Christos , Harvey Richard J , Hwang Peter H , Luong Amber U , Schlosser Rodney J , Tantilipikorn Pongsakorn , Tewfik Marc A , Vreugde Sarah , Wormald Peter-John , Caporaso J Gregory , Psaltis Alkis J
Published: February 2019

The sinonasal microbiome remains poorly defined, with our current knowledge based on a few cohort studies whose findings are inconsistent. Furthermore, the variability of the sinus microbiome across geographical divides remains unexplored. We characterise the sinonasal microbiome and its geographical variations in both health and disease using 16S rRNA gene sequencing of 410 individuals from across the world. Although the sinus microbial ecology is highly variable between individuals, we identify a core microbiome comprised of Corynebacterium, Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Haemophilus, and Moraxella species in both healthy and chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) cohorts. Corynebacterium (mean relative abundance = 44.02%) and Staphylococcus (mean relative abundance = 27.34%) appear particularly dominant in the majority of patients sampled. There was a significant variation in microbial diversity between countries (p = 0.001). Amongst patients suffering from CRS with nasal polyps, a significant depletion of Corynebacterium (40.29% vs 50.43%; p = 0.02) and over-representation of Streptococcus (7.21% vs 2.73%; p = 0.032) was identified. The delineation of the sinonasal microbiome and standardised methodology described within our study will enable further characterisation and translational application of the sinus microbiota.
Impacts of diets fed after weaning on gut microbiota and susceptibility to DSS-induced colitis in mice
Authors: Meng Yu , Li Xiaojun , Chen Shuijiao , Li Fujun , Yin Yani , Liu Jianping , Lu Fanggen , Liu Xiaowei
Published: February 2019

Background

Living in a sanitary environment and taking Western-style diet in early life are both risk factors for inflammatory bowel disease and important factors for shaping host gut microbiota. Here, we aimed to establish whether different dietary composition fed during the early period after weaning would associate the susceptibility to DSS-induced colitis with different gut microbiota shifts.

Methods

Eighty weaned Balb/c mice were fed with high sugar, fat, protein, fiber, and standard diet for 8weeks respectively. Inflammation was induced by administration of 2.5% (wt/vol) dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) in drinking water for 7 days, and the microbiota characterized by 16s rRNA based pyrosequencing. Analyzed the inflammatory factors and toll-like receptors by Real-time PCR

Results

The high protein and high fiber+protein group exacerbated severity of DSS-induced colitis, the high fiber and high protein+fiber groups had the effect of reducing colitis, and the high sugar, fat and standard group show the similar disease phenotype of colitis. The diversity and richness of the microflora were significantly decreased in the high fiber group, while only decreased richness of flora was observed in the high protein group. The abundance of Firmicutes was decreased and the abundance of Bacteroides was increased in the high fat, high sugar, high protein and high fiber groups, especially in the high protein and high fiber group. The microbial community structure was slightly different at the species/genus level. The microbial community structure of high protein-fiber group and high fiber-protein group was still similar.

Conclusions

Mice were fed with different dietary compositions of high sugar, fat, protein and fiber diets since weaning, and similar gut microbiota of high-abundance Bacteroides and low-abundance Firmicutes are formed in adult mice. These microbiota do not cause colonic mucosal damage directly. Only high protein diet aggravated DSS-induced colitis, while high fiber diet alleviated the colitis.
Fast beam monitor diamond-based devices for VUV and X-ray synchrotron radiation applications
Authors: Di Fraia Michele , De Sio Antonio , Antonelli Matias , Nesti Renzo , Panella Dario , Menk Ralf H. , Cautero Giuseppe , Coreno Marcello , Catone Daniele , Zema Nicola , Callegari Carlo , Pace Emanuele
Published: February 2019

The improved performance of third-generation light sources and the advent of next-generation synchrotron radiation facilities require the use of extremely precise monitoring of the main photon-beam parameters, such as position, absolute and relative intensity, and temporal structure. These parameters, and associated real-time feedbacks, are fundamental at the beamline control level and at the machine control level, to improve the stability of the photon beams and to provide bunch-to-bunch quantitative information. Fast response time, high radiation hardness and visible–blind response are main features of photon-beam monitors for VUV and X-ray synchrotron radiation beamlines; hence diamond-based detectors are outstanding candidates. Here, results are presented of an extensive measurement campaign aiming at optimizing the capabilities of diamond detectors to discern time structures below the 100 ps timescale. A custom-built device has been fabricated and tested at the Italian Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory Elettra in Trieste. The results obtained show that diamond is an excellent material for ultra-fast photon pulses with picosecond time resolution; finally the possibilities for application at free-electron laser sources are discussed.
Thermally induced dynamics of deployable solar panels of nanosatellite
Authors: Ibrahim Syahrim Azhan , Yamaguchi Eiki
Published: February 2019

Purpose

This study aims to predict the types of thermally induced dynamics (TID) that can occur on deployable solar panels of a small form factor satellite, CubeSat which flies in low Earth orbit (LEO). The TID effect on the CubeSat body is examined.

Design/methodology/approach

A 3U CubeSat with four short-edge deployable solar panels is considered. Time historic temperature of the solar panels throughout the orbit is obtained using a thermal analysis software. The results are used in numerical simulation to find the structural response of the solar panel. Subsequently, the effect of solar panel motion on pointing the direction of the satellite is examined using inertia relief method.

Findings

The thermal snap motion could occur during eclipse transitions due to rapid temperature changes in solar panels’ cross-sections. In the case of asymmetric solar panel configuration, noticeable displacement in the pointing direction can be observed during the eclipse transitions.

Research limitations/implications

This work only examines an LEO mission where the solar cells of the solar panels point to the Sun throughout the daylight period and point to the Earth while in shadow. Simplification is made to the CubeSat structure and some parameters in the space environment.

Practical implications

The results from this work reveal several practical applications worthy of simplifying the study of TID on satellite appendages.

Originality/value

This work presents a computational method that fully uses finite element software to analyze TID phenomenon that can occur in LEO on a CubeSat which has commonly used deployable solar panels structure.
Going out under the shadow of Red China: the geopolitical origin of Hong Kong’s international status
Authors: Fung Chi Keung Charles , Fong Chi Shun
Published: February 2019

Purpose

Many scholars would agree that the international status of Hong Kong is one of the crucial factors that contribute to the continued success of Hong Kong. However, few of them explain the origin of Hong Kong’s international status. The purpose of this paper is to fill this literature gap through the case study of Hong Kong’s admission to an international organization – the Asian Development Bank (ADB) – in the late 1960s.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on declassified archives, a historical approach has been adopted to trace the origin of Hong Kong’s international status.

Findings

The findings suggest that Cold War geopolitics, both local and regional level, explain why Hong Kong, even though remained as a dependent territory of Britain, became a member of an international organization independent from the British influence. While geopolitics at local level incentivized the colonial government to “go out” for external support, geopolitics at the regional level provided an opportunity for Hong Kong to acquire membership of the ADB.

Originality/value

This paper is among the first academic study on the origin of Hong Kong’s international status.
Hong Kong in the world: continuities and changes
Authors: Chan Kenneth Ka Lok
Published: February 2019

Purpose

To fill the gap in the existing literature on the 20th anniversary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), the purpose of this paper is to critically reflect upon the continuities and changes of the city’s relations with the world.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper has adopted a generic approach to shed light on the factors behind the evolution of the international status of Hong Kong from a by-product of geopolitics to a global city in its own right, to understand how the city has been perceived by traditional western partners after 1997 and to investigate how China has made use Hong Kong’s international status.

Findings

It has shown that Beijing’s strategy toward Hong Kong has been marred by the inherent tensions between “becoming Chinese” and “remaining global.” The official discourse of functionalism, according to which economic and professional ties are both the most acceptable and therefore the least resisted pathways available for the development of Hong Kong’s external relations, has the opposite effect of expanding Beijing’s control over the city.

Originality/value

In contrast to the HKSAR Government’s belief that Hong Kong will certainly benefit from the emergence of China, the city has found itself on a shorter leash than ever. It has therefore pinpointed the pitfalls of the logic of functionalism which has dominated the existing literature as much as the policy-making process.
Barriers to the advancement of women of color faculty in STEM
Authors: Corneille Maya , Lee Anna , Allen Sherrice , Cannady Jessica , Guess Alexia
Published: February 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to highlight critical issues facing women of color (WOC) faculty and to synthesize the research literature in order to offer recommendations for action to address inequities using an intersectionality framework.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conducted a qualitative meta-analysis. Relevant articles were obtained through a search of the EBSCO and Google Scholar databases entering in combinations of specific keywords. In order to be included in this review, the manuscripts had to be published between the years 2001 and 2017; in a peer-reviewed journal; and available through the university library system.

Findings

The majority of manuscripts in the meta-analysis revealed high teaching and service loads, ambiguous standards for tenure and lack of culturally responsive mentorship are challenges experienced by WOC faculty. Moreover, there is limited research that examines STEM WOC faculty experiences at minority-serving institutions and in leadership roles. Further research is needed to examine the long-term efficacy of mentoring strategies and institutional transformation efforts for WOC. These numerous challenges cumulatively undermine institutions’ abilities to implement institutional transformation that impacts WOC in higher education.

Originality/value

The recommendations provided are based on the results of the meta-analysis and are intended to promote systemic change for STEM WOC faculty in institutions through intersectional and transformational approaches.
Enhancing performance and commitment through leadership and empowerment
Authors: Saleem Muhammad Abid , Bhutta Zahra Masood , Nauman Muhammad , Zahra Sadaf
Published: February 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the impact of transformational leadership and employee empowerment on employee performance and organizational commitment through the mediational role of behavioral integrity (BI).

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected through a self-administered questionnaire based on measurement of variables adopted from earlier studies. A total of 532 usable responses were collected through officer grade and executive level employees of selected banks from the Multan district, Pakistan. Confirmatory factor analysis was run using AMOS 23.0 whereas PROCESS macro in SPSS 23.0 was used for path analysis.

Findings

The study results revealed that transformational leadership and employee empowerment positively affect employee performance and organizational commitment through the mediational effect of BI.

Originality/value

The role of BI in enhancing employees’ performance and organizational commitment has been overlooked in the extant literature. Especially, in the emerging economies, where there is growing employer–employee trust deficit, this investigation brings in useful contribution.
The effects of nonwork and personal resources on frontline bank employees’ work engagement and critical job outcomes
Authors: Karatepe Osman M. , Ozturk Anastasia , Kim Taegoo Terry
Published: February 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to propose a research model that investigates work engagement as a mediator of the effect of family support on proclivity to leave work early, in-role performance (IRP), service recovery performance (SRP) and extra-role performance (ERP). The research model also examines work engagement as a mediator of the impact of self-efficacy on the aforesaid outcomes. In addition to these relationships, the study assesses self-efficacy as an underlying mechanism linking family support to work engagement.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors employed a time-lagged design. Specifically, data were obtained from frontline bank employees (FBEs) in Russia in three waves, within one week time intervals. FBEs’ performance outcomes were rated by their managers.

Findings

As hypothesized, self-efficacy and family support foster FBEs’ work engagement, which in turn reduces proclivity to leave work early and activates IRP, SRP and ERP. In line with the study predictions, the findings highlight the impact of self-efficacy in the intermediate linkage between family support and work engagement.

Practical implications

Management should organize workshops where FBEs’ family members are invited to participate. In such workshops, they can understand the nature of frontline service jobs in the competitive banking environment and are expected to provide support to FBEs. This is significant because family support influences work engagement directly and indirectly through self-efficacy and affects the above-mentioned performance outcomes only via work engagement. Training programs should not only focus on the development of knowledge, skills and abilities for service delivery and complaint handling but also center on the costs arising from nonattendance behaviors/intentions. As a result, these programs should make FBEs minimize such intentions.

Originality/value

Work engagement is still a timely topic and there have been calls for the identification of factors influencing work engagement and its consequences among frontline employees. Therefore, our study uses family support and self-efficacy as the two crucial resources that can influence employees’ positive psychological states and their work performance. Further, using solid theoretical underpinnings such as conservation of resources, social information processing, and job demands-resources theories, our study is the first to link family support and self-efficacy to multiple performance outcomes and nonattendance intentions via work engagement among FBEs.
The impact of workplace bullying on hotel employees’ well-being
Authors: Hsu Fu-Sung , Liu Yuan-an , Tsaur Sheng-Hshiung
Published: February 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to investigate the moderating effects of organizational justice and workplace friendship on the relationship between workplace bullying and hotel employees’ well-being.

Design/methodology/approach

The research sample included 310 entry-level employees of international tourism hotels in Taiwan. This study adopted hierarchical regression for data analysis.

Findings

The study found that workplace bullying negatively impacted on hotel employees’ well-being. Organizational justice and workplace friendship had significantly positive effects on hotel employees’ well-being. Compared with workplace friendship, organizational justice had a significant moderating effect on the relationship between workplace bullying and hotel employees’ well-being.

Originality/value

In the research fields of hospitality, past studies failed to use organizational justice and workplace friendship to moderate the relationship between workplace bullying and hotel employees’ well-being. This study confirmed that organizational justice could effectively buffer the negative effect of workplace bullying on hotel employees’ well-being.