bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Axl is not an indispensable factor for Zika virus infection in mice
Authors: Wang Zhao-Yang , Wang Zai , Zhen Zi-Da , Feng Kai-Hao , Guo Jing , Gao Na , Fan Dong-Ying , Han Dai-Shu , Wang Pei-Gang , An Jing
Published: August 2017

Recently, Zika virus (ZIKV) outbreak has been associated with a sharp increase in cases of Guillain–Barré syndrome and severe fetal abnormalities. However, the mechanism underlying the interaction of ZIKV with host cells is not yet clear. Axl, a receptor tyrosine kinase, is postulated as a receptor for ZIKV entry; however, its in vivo role during ZIKV infection and its impact on the outcome of the disease have not been fully characterized and evaluated. Moreover, there are contradictory results on its involvement in ZIKV infection. Here we utilized Axl-deficient mice (Axl−/−) and their littermates (Axl+/−) to study the in vivo role of Axl in ZIKV infection. Our results showed that both Axl+/− and Axl−/− suckling mice supported the replication of ZIKV and presented clinical manifestations. No significant difference has been found between Axl-deficient mice and their littermates in terms of the survival rate, clinical manifestations, viral load, ZIKV distribution and histopathological changes in major organs. These results therefore indicate that Axl is not an indispensable factor for ZIKV infection in mice.
Salmonella Typhimurium gastroenteritis leading to chronic prosthetic vascular graft infection
Authors: Cullinan Milo , Clarke Michael , Dallman Tim , Peart Steven , Wilson Deborah , Weiand Daniel
Published: August 2017

Introduction. It is estimated up to 6 % of prosthetic vascular grafts become infected. Staphylococcus aureus is predominant in early infection and coagulase-negative staphylococci are predominant in late infections. Enterobacteriaceae cause 14–40 % of prosthetic vascular graft infections. This is, to our knowledge the first reported case of Salmonella gastroenteritis causing chronic prosthetic vascular graft infection (PVGI).

Case presentation. A 57 years old lady presented with signs and symptoms of prosthetic vascular graft infection. Three years earlier, she had undergone a prosthetic axillo-femoral bypass graft for critical limb ischaemia. The infected prosthetic vascular graft was removed and Salmonella Typhimurium was isolated on culture. In the intervening period, Salmonella Typhimurium was isolated from a faecal specimen, collected during an episode of acute gastroenteritis. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) showed that the respective Salmonella Typhimurium isolates differed by only a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP). Salmonella Typhimurium was not isolated on culture of a faecal specimen collected five days following cessation of antimicrobial therapy. Six months after removal of the prosthetic graft, the patient remains under follow-up for her peripheral vascular disease, which currently requires no further surgical intervention.

Conclusion. This case has clear implications for the management of chronic PVGI. It is vital to collect high-quality surgical specimens for microbiological analysis and empirical choices of antibiotics are unlikely to cover all potential pathogens. It may also be prudent to enquire about a history of acute gastroenteritis when assessing patients presenting with chronic PVGI.
Deubiquitylation and stabilization of p21 by USP11 is critical for cell cycle progression and DNA damage responses
Authors: Deng Tanggang , Yan Guobei , Zhou Yu , Hu Xiaoxiao , Li Jianglin , Hu Jun , Zhang Hui , Feng Peifu , Sheng Xunan , Chen Jieying , Ma Hongchang , Sun Yang , Wei Dong , Hu Bin , Liu Jing , Tan Weihong , Ye Mao
Published: August 2017

p21WAF1/CIP1is a broad-acting cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor. Its stability is essential for proper cell cycle progression and cell fate decision. Ubiquitylation by the multiple E3 ubiquitin ligases complex is the major regulatory mechanism of p21, which induces p21 degradation. However, it is unclear whether ubiquitylated p21 can be recycled. In this study, we report USP11 as a deubiquitylase of p21. In the nucleus, USP11 binds to p21, catalyzes the removal of polyubiquitin chains conjugated onto p21 and stabilizes p21 protein. As a result, USP11 reverses p21 polyubiquitylation and degradation mediated by SCFSKP2, CRL4CDT2and APC/CCDT20in a cell cycle-independent manner. Loss of USP11 causes the destabilization of p21 and induces the G1/S transition in unperturbed cells. Furthermore, p21 accumulation mediated by DNA damage is completely abolished in cells depleted of USP11, which results in abrogation of the G2 checkpoint and induction of apoptosis. Functionally, USP11-mediated stabilization of p21 inhibits cell proliferation and tumorigenesis in vivo. These findings reveal an important mechanism by which p21 can be stabilized by direct deubiquitylation and pinpoint a crucial role of the USP11-p21 axis in regulating cell cycle progression and DNA damage responses.
TraPS-VarI: a python module for the identification of STAT3 modulating germline receptor variants
Authors: Kogan Daniel , Ulaganathan Vijay Kumar
Published: August 2017

Motivation

Human individuals differ because of variations in the DNA sequences of all the 46 chromosomes. Information on genetic variations altering the membrane-proximal binding sites for signal transducer of transcription 3 (STAT3) is valuable for understanding the genetic basis of cancer prognosis and disease progression (Ulaganathan et al, 2015). In this regard, non-synonymous coding region mutations resulting in the alteration of protein sequence in the juxtamembrane region of the type I membrane proteins are biologically and clinically relevant. The knowledge of such rare cell line- and individual-specific germline receptor variants is crucial for the investigation of cell-line specific biological mechanisms and genotype-centric therapeutic approaches.

Results

Here we present TraPS-VarI (TransmembraneProteinSequenceVariantIdentifier), a python module to rapidly identify human germline receptor variants modulating STAT3 binding sites by using the genetic variation datasets in the variant call format 4.0. For the found protein variants the module also checks for the availability of associated therapeutic agents and ongoing clinical trial studies.

Availability

The Source code and binaries are freely available for download athttps://gitlab.com/VJ-Ulaganathan/TraPS-VarIand the documentation can be found athttp://traps-vari.readthedocs.io/.

Contact

ulaganat@biochem.mpg.de&ulaganat@icloud.com

Supplementary information

Supplementary data enclosed with the manuscript file.
BLM helicase suppresses recombination at G-quadruplex motifs in transcribed genes
Authors: van Wietmarschen Niek , Merzouk Sarra , Halsema Nancy , Spierings Diana C.J. , Guryev Victor , Lansdorp Peter M.
Published: August 2017

Bloom syndrome is a cancer predisposition disorder caused by mutations in theBLMhelicase gene. Cells from persons with Bloom syndrome exhibit striking genomic instability characterized by excessive sister chromatid exchange events (SCEs). We applied single-cell DNA template strand-sequencing (Strand-seq) to map the genomic locations of SCEs at a resolution that is orders of magnitude better than was previously possible. Our results show that, in the absence of BLM, sister chromatid exchanges in human and murine cells do not occur randomly throughout the genome but are strikingly enriched at coding regions, specifically at sites of putative guanine quadruplex (G4) motifs in transcribed genes. We propose that BLM protects against genome instability by suppressing recombination at sites of G4 structures, particularly in transcribed regions of the genome.
HOXA1 and TALE proteins display cross-regulatory interactions and form a combinatorial binding code on HOXA1 targets
Authors: De Kumar Bony , Parker Hugo J. , Paulson Ariel , Parrish Mark E. , Pushel Irina , Singh Narendra Pratap , Zhang Ying , Slaughter Brian D. , Unruh Jay R. , Florens Laurence , Zeitlinger Julia , Krumlauf Robb
Published: August 2017

Hoxa1 has diverse functional roles in differentiation and development. We identify and characterize properties of regions bound by HOXA1 on a genome-wide basis in differentiating mouse ES cells. HOXA1-bound regions are enriched for clusters of consensus binding motifs for HOX, PBX, and MEIS, and many display co-occupancy of PBX and MEIS. PBX and MEIS are members of the TALE family and genome-wide analysis of multiple TALE members (PBX, MEIS, TGIF, PREP1, and PREP2) shows that nearly all HOXA1 targets display occupancy of one or more TALE members. The combinatorial binding patterns of TALE proteins define distinct classes of HOXA1 targets, which may create functional diversity. Transgenic reporter assays in zebrafish confirm enhancer activities for many HOXA1-bound regions and the importance of HOX-PBX and TGIF motifs for their regulation. Proteomic analyses show that HOXA1 physically interacts on chromatin with PBX, MEIS, and PREP family members, but not with TGIF, suggesting that TGIF may have an independent input into HOXA1-bound regions. Therefore, TALE proteins appear to represent a wide repertoire of HOX cofactors, which may coregulate enhancers through distinct mechanisms. We also discover extensive auto- and cross-regulatory interactions among the Hoxa1 and TALE genes, indicating that the specificity of HOXA1 during development may be regulated though a complex cross-regulatory network of HOXA1 and TALE proteins. This study provides new insight into a regulatory network involving combinatorial interactions between HOXA1 and TALE proteins.
A genome-wide transcriptome and translatome analysis of Arabidopsis transposons identifies a unique and conserved genome expression strategy for Ty1/Copia retroelements
Authors: Oberlin Stefan , Sarazin Alexis , Chevalier Clément , Voinnet Olivier , Marí-Ordóñez Arturo
Published: August 2017

Retroelements, the prevalent class of plant transposons, have major impacts on host genome integrity and evolution. They produce multiple proteins from highly compact genomes and, similar to viruses, must have evolved original strategies to optimize gene expression, although this aspect has been seldom investigated thus far. Here, we have established a high-resolution transcriptome/translatome map for the near-entirety of Arabidopsis thaliana transposons, using two distinct DNA methylation mutants in which transposon expression is broadly de-repressed. The value of this map to study potentially intact and transcriptionally active transposons in A. thaliana is illustrated by our comprehensive analysis of the cotranscriptional and translational features of Ty1/Copia elements, a family of young and active retroelements in plant genomes, and how such features impact their biology. Genome-wide transcript profiling revealed a unique and widely conserved alternative splicing event coupled to premature termination that allows for the synthesis of a short subgenomic RNA solely dedicated to production of the GAG structural protein and that preferentially associates with polysomes for efficient translation. Mutations engineered in a transgenic version of the Arabidopsis EVD Ty1/Copia element further show how alternative splicing is crucial for the appropriate coordination of full-length and subgenomic RNA transcription. We propose that this hitherto undescribed genome expression strategy, conserved among plant Ty1/Copia elements, enables an excess of structural versus catalytic components, mandatory for mobilization.
Protein microcrystallography using synchrotron radiation
Authors: Yamamoto Masaki , Hirata Kunio , Yamashita Keitaro , Hasegawa Kazuya , Ueno Go , Ago Hideo , Kumasaka Takashi
Published: August 2017

The progress in X-ray microbeam applications using synchrotron radiation is beneficial to structure determination from macromolecular microcrystals such as smallin mesocrystals. However, the high intensity of microbeams causes severe radiation damage, which worsens both the statistical quality of diffraction data and their resolution, and in the worst cases results in the failure of structure determination. Even in the event of successful structure determination, site-specific damage can lead to the misinterpretation of structural features. In order to overcome this issue, technological developments in sample handling and delivery, data-collection strategy and data processing have been made. For a few crystals with dimensions of the order of 10 µm, an elegant two-step scanning strategy works well. For smaller samples, the development of a novel method to analyze multiple isomorphous microcrystals was motivated by the success of serial femtosecond crystallography with X-ray free-electron lasers. This method overcame the radiation-dose limit in diffraction data collection by using a sufficient number of crystals. Here, important technologies and the future prospects for microcrystallography are discussed.
One enzyme, many reactions: structural basis for the various reactions catalyzed by naphthalene 1,2-dioxygenase
Authors: Ferraro Daniel J. , Okerlund Adam , Brown Eric , Ramaswamy S.
Published: August 2017

Rieske nonheme iron oxygenases (ROs) are a well studied class of enzymes. Naphthalene 1,2-dioxygenase (NDO) is used as a model to study ROs. Previous work has shown how side-on binding of oxygen to the mononuclear iron provides this enzyme with the ability to catalyze stereospecific and regiospecificcis-dihydroxylation reactions. It has been well documented that ROs catalyze a variety of other reactions, including mono-oxygenation, desaturation, O- and N-dealkylation, sulfoxidationetc. NDO itself catalyzes a variety of these reactions. Structures of NDO in complex with a number of different substrates show that the orientation of the substrate in the active site controls not only the regiospecificity and stereospecificity, but also the type of reaction catalyzed. It is proposed that the mononuclear iron-activated dioxygen attacks the atoms of the substrate that are most proximal to it. The promiscuity of delivering two products (apparently by two different reactions) from the same substrate can be explained by the possible binding of the substrate in slightly different orientations aided by the observed flexibility of residues in the binding pocket.
A distance geometry-based description and validation of protein main-chain conformation
Authors: Pereira Joana , Lamzin Victor S.
Published: August 2017

Understanding the protein main-chain conformational space forms the basis for the modelling of protein structures and for the validation of models derived from structural biology techniques. Presented here is a novel idea for a three-dimensional distance geometry-based metric to account for the fine details of protein backbone conformations. The metrics are computed for dipeptide units, defined as blocks of Cαi−1—Oi−1—Cαi—Oi—Cαi+1atoms, by obtaining the eigenvalues of their Euclidean distance matrices. These were computed for ∼1.3 million dipeptide units collected from nonredundant good-quality structures in the Protein Data Bank and subjected to principal component analysis. The resulting new Euclidean orthogonal three-dimensional space (DipSpace) allows a probabilistic description of protein backbone geometry. The three axes of the DipSpace describe the local extension of the dipeptide unit structure, its twist and its bend. By using a higher-dimensional metric, the method is efficient for the identification of Cαatoms in an unlikely or unusual geometrical environment, and its use for both local and overall validation of protein models is demonstrated. It is also shown, for the example of trypsin proteases, that the detection of unusual conformations that are conserved among the structures of this protein family may indicate geometrically strained residues of potentially functional importance.
Experimental phase determination with selenomethionine or mercury-derivatization in serial femtosecond crystallography
Authors: Yamashita Keitaro , Kuwabara Naoyuki , Nakane Takanori , Murai Tomohiro , Mizohata Eiichi , Sugahara Michihiro , Pan Dongqing , Masuda Tetsuya , Suzuki Mamoru , Sato Tomomi , Kodan Atsushi , Yamaguchi Tomohiro , Nango Eriko , Tanaka Tomoyuki , Tono Kensuke , Joti Yasumasa , Kameshima Takashi , Hatsui Takaki , Yabashi Makina , Manya Hiroshi , Endo Tamao , Kato Ryuichi , Senda Toshiya , Kato Hiroaki , Iwata So , Ago Hideo , Yamamoto Masaki , Yumoto Fumiaki , Nakatsu Toru
Published: August 2017

Serial femtosecond crystallography (SFX) using X-ray free-electron lasers (XFELs) holds enormous potential for the structure determination of proteins for which it is difficult to produce large and high-quality crystals. SFX has been applied to various systems, but rarely to proteins that have previously unknown structures. Consequently, the majority of previously obtained SFX structures have been solved by the molecular replacement method. To facilitate protein structure determination by SFX, it is essential to establish phasing methods that work efficiently for SFX. Here, selenomethionine derivatization and mercury soaking have been investigated for SFX experiments using the high-energy XFEL at the SPring-8 Angstrom Compact Free-Electron Laser (SACLA), Hyogo, Japan. Three successful cases are reported of single-wavelength anomalous diffraction (SAD) phasing using X-rays of less than 1 Å wavelength with reasonable numbers of diffraction patterns (13 000, 60 000 and 11 000). It is demonstrated that the combination of high-energy X-rays from an XFEL and commonly used heavy-atom incorporation techniques will enable routinede novostructural determination of biomacromolecules.
Progress in small-angle scattering from biological solutions at high-brilliance synchrotrons
Authors: Tuukkanen Anne T. , Spilotros Alessandro , Svergun Dmitri I.
Published: August 2017

Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) is an established technique that provides low-resolution structural information on macromolecular solutions. Recent decades have witnessed significant progress in both experimental facilities and in novel data-analysis approaches, making SAXS a mainstream method for structural biology. The technique is routinely applied to directly reconstruct low-resolution shapes of proteins and to generate atomistic models of macromolecular assemblies using hybrid approaches. Very importantly, SAXS is capable of yielding structural information on systems with size and conformational polydispersity, including highly flexible objects. In addition, utilizing high-flux synchrotron facilities, time-resolved SAXS allows analysis of kinetic processes over time ranges from microseconds to hours. Dedicated bioSAXS beamlines now offer fully automated data-collection and analysis pipelines, where analysis and modelling is conducted on the fly. This enables SAXS to be employed as a high-throughput method to rapidly screen various sample conditions and additives. The growing SAXS user community is supported by developments in data and model archiving and quality criteria. This review illustrates the latest developments in SAXS, in particular highlighting time-resolved applications aimed at flexible and evolving systems.
Background modelling of diffraction data in the presence of ice rings
Authors: Parkhurst James M. , Thorn Andrea , Vollmar Melanie , Winter Graeme , Waterman David G. , Fuentes-Montero Luis , Gildea Richard J. , Murshudov Garib N. , Evans Gwyndaf
Published: August 2017

An algorithm for modelling the background for each Bragg reflection in a series of X-ray diffraction images containing Debye–Scherrer diffraction from ice in the sample is presented. The method involves the use of a global background model which is generated from the complete X-ray diffraction data set. Fitting of this model to the background pixels is then performed for each reflection independently. The algorithm uses a static background model that does not vary over the course of the scan. The greatest improvement can be expected for data where ice rings are present throughout the data set and the local background shape at the size of a spot on the detector does not exhibit large time-dependent variation. However, the algorithm has been applied to data sets whose background showed large pixel variations (variance/mean > 2) and has been shown to improve the results of processing for these data sets. It is shown that the use of a simple flat-background model as in traditional integration programs causes systematic bias in the background determination at ice-ring resolutions, resulting in an overestimation of reflection intensities at the peaks of the ice rings and an underestimation of reflection intensities either side of the ice ring. The new global background-model algorithm presented here corrects for this bias, resulting in a noticeable improvement inRfactors following refinement.
Synthesis and characterization of (cryptand-222)potassium (2-methylimidazolato)(meso-tetraphenylporphinato)ferrate(II)–2-methylimidazole–tetrahydrofuran (1/1/2)
Authors: Wu Qi , Yao Zhen , Li Jianfeng
Published: August 2017

Metalloporphyrin complexes containing an additional imidazole ligand can provide information about the effect of deprotonation or hydrogen bonding on the axial histidine unit in heme proteins. The title high-spin five-coordinate imidazolate-ligated iron(II) porphyrinate, [K(C18H36N2O6)][Fe(C4H5N2)(C44H28N4)]·C4H6N2·2C4H8O, has been synthesized and investigated. The solvated salt crystallizes with one 2-methylimidazole molecule, two tetrahydrofuran solvent molecules and a potassium cation chelated inside a cryptand-222 (4,7,13,16,21,24-hexaoxa-1,10-diazabicyclo[8.8.8]hexacosane) molecule. The imidazolate ligand is ordered. The average Fe—Np (Np is a porphyrin N atom) bond length is 2.113 (11) Å and the axial Fe—NIm (NIm is an imidazolate N atom) is 2.0739 (13) Å. The out-of-plane displacement of the FeII atom from the 24-atom mean plane is 0.6098 (5) Å, indicating an apparent doming of the porphyrin core.
Crystal structures and new perspectives on Y3Au4and Y14Au51
Authors: Celania Chris , Smetana Volodymyr , Mudring Anja-Verena
Published: August 2017

Y3Au4(triyttrium tetragold) and Y14Au51(tetradecayttrium henpentacontagold), two binary representatives of Au-rich rare earth (R) systems crystallize with the space groupsR\overline{3} andP6/m, adopting the Pu3Pd4and Gd14Ag51structure types, respectively (Pearson symbolshR42 andhP65). A variety of binaryR–Au compounds have been reported, although only a few have been investigated thoroughly. Many reports lack information or misinterpret known compounds reported elsewhere. The Pu3Pd4type is fairly common for group 10 elements Ni, Pd, and Pt, while Au representatives are restricted to just five examples,i.e.Ca3Au4, Pr3Au4, Nd3Au4, Gd3Au4, and Th3Au4. Sm6Au7is suspected to be Sm3Au4due to identical symmetry and close unit-cell parameters. The Pu3Pd4structure type allows for full substitution of the position of the rare earth atom by more electronegative and smaller elements,i.e.Ti and Zr. The Gd14Ag51type instead is more common for the group 11 metals, while rare representatives of group 12 are known. Y3Au4can be represented as a tunnel structure with encapsulated cations and anionic chains. Though tunnels are present in Y14Au51, this structure is more complex and is best described in terms of polyhedral `pinwheels' around the tunnel forming polyhedra along thecaxis.
Crystal structure and Hirshfeld surface analysis of 2-amino-4-methoxy-6-methylpyrimidinium 2-hydroxybenzoate
Authors: Jeevaraj Muthaiah , Sivajeyanthi Palaniyappan , Edison Bellarmin , Thanigaimani Kaliyaperumal , Balasubramani Kasthuri , Razak Ibrahim Abdul
Published: August 2017

In the title molecular salt, C6H10N3O+·C7H5O3−, the cation is protonated at the N atom lying between the amine and methyl substituents and the dihedral angle between the carboxyl group and its attached ring in the anion is 4.0 (2)°. The anion features an intramolecular O—H...O hydrogen bond, which closes anS(6) ring. The cation and anion are linked by two N—H...O hydrogen bonds [R22(8) motif] to generate an ion pair in which the dihedral angle between the aromatic rings is 8.34 (9)°. Crystal symmetry relates two ion pairs bridged by further N—H...O hydrogen bonds into a tetramericDDAAarray. The tetramers are linked by pairs of C—H...O hydrogen bonds to generate [100] chains. Hirshfeld surface and fingerprint plot analyses are presented.
Crystal structure of the tetrahydrofuran disolvate of a 94:6 solid solution of [N2,N6-bis(di-tert-butylphosphanyl)pyridine-2,6-diamine]dibromidomanganese(II) and its monophosphine oxide analogue
Authors: Rotter Markus , Mastalir Matthias , Glatz Mathias , Stöger Berthold , Kirchner Karl
Published: August 2017

The MnBr2complex ofN2,N6-bis(di-tert-butylphosphanyl)pyridine-2,6-diamine (1·MnBr2) co-crystallizes with 5.69% of the monophosphine oxide analogue (1O·MnBr2) and two tetrahydrofuran (THF) molecules, namely [N2,N6-bis(di-tert-butylphosphanyl)pyridine-2,6-diamine]dibromidomanganese(II)–[bis(di-tert-butylphosphanyl)({6-[(di-tert-butylphosphanyl)amino]pyridin-2-yl}amino)phosphine oxide]dibromidomanganese(II)–tetrahydrofuran (0.94/0.06/2), [MnBr2(C21H41N3P2)]0.94[MnBr2(C21H41N3OP2)]0.06·2C4H8O. The1·MnBr2and1O·MnBr2complexes are occupationally disordered about general positions. Both complexes feature square-pyramidal coordination of the MnIIatoms. They are connected by weak N—H...Br hydrogen bonding into chains extending along [001]. The THF molecules are located between the layers formed by these chains. One THF molecule is involved in hydrogen bonding to an amine H atom.
Crystal structures of 2-amino-4,4,7,7-tetramethyl-4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-1,3-benzothiazol-3-ium benzoate and 2-amino-4,4,7,7-tetramethyl-4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-1,3-benzothiazol-3-ium picrate
Authors: Sagar Belakavadi K. , Girisha Marisiddaiah , Yathirajan Hemmige S. , Rathore Ravindranath S. , Glidewell Christopher
Published: August 2017

In both 2-amino-4,4,7,7-tetramethyl-4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-1,3- benzothiazol-3-ium benzoate, C11H19N2S+·C7H5O2−, (I), and 2-amino-4,4,7,7-tetramethyl-4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-1,3-benzothiazol-3-ium picrate (2,4,6-trinitrophenolate), C11H19N2S+·C6H2N3O7−, (II), the cations are conformationally chiral as the six-membered rings adopt half-chair conformations, which are disordered over two sets of atomic sites giving approximately enantiomeric disorder. For both cations, the bond lengths indicate delocalization of the positive charge comparable to that in an amidinium cation. The bond lengths in the picrate anion in (II) are consistent with extensive delocalization of the negative charge into the ring and onto the nitro groups, in two of which the O atoms are disordered over two sets of sites. In (I), the ionic components are linked by N—H...O hydrogen bonds to form a chain of rings, and in (II), the N—H...O hydrogen bonds link the components into centrosymmetric four-ion aggregates containing seven hydrogen bonded rings of four different types.
Dimethyl (7-hydroxy-4-methyl-2-oxo-2H-chromen-3-yl)phosphonate
Authors: Li Yunfei , Xiao Yongmei , Zhang Xinchi , Yang Liangru , Yuan Jinwei , Mao Pu
Published: August 2017

In the title compound, C12H13O6P, the coumarin ring system is essentially planar [dihedral angle between the rings = 1.32 (16)°] and the methoxy groups and double-bonded O atom of the phosphonate group are disordered over two sets of sites [occupancy ratio 0.537 (2):0.463 (2)]. In the crystal, C—H...O hydrogen bonds involving the disordered phosphonate O atom as acceptor occur, which generate [100] chains. Weak C—H...O and aromatic π–π stacking interactions [minimum centroid–centroid separation = 3.713 (2) Å] are also observed.
N-Methyl-4-(4-nitrophenyl)-N-nitroso-1,3-thiazol-2-amine
Authors: Jezuita Anna , Spaleniak Grzegorz , Ejsmont Krzysztof , Zaleski Jacek , Zarychta Bartosz
Published: August 2017

The title compound, C10H8N4O3S, is almost planar [dihedral angle between the rings = 2.2 (2)°; r.m.s. deviation for the non-H atoms = 0.050 Å]. In the crystal, C—H...O and C—H...N hydrogen bonds link the molecules into (10-2) layers.
Unsafe insurance
Authors: Dalko Viktoria
Published: August 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to study life-loss risk in some life insurance policies and propose solution to the problem found.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper analyzes the expected payout for murder-for-insurance. It presents legal evidence of 179 court cases and conducts criminological analysis. It compares the lack of safety regulation in life insurance with regulatory actions in selected food and automobile safety cases.

Findings

Some life insurance policies create incentives and, therefore, temptation for murder-for-insurance. The insured can face life-loss risk from not only the beneficiary but also the life insurance agent during the term of the policy.

Practical implications

This paper proposes that defective life insurance policies should be recalled.

Social implications

The proposal has a policy implication of eliminating one type of homicide.

Originality/value

This paper is the first study of its kind, as it places the safety of the insurance consumer in the center.
Fortifying a risk-based approach in the South African AML/CFT process
Authors: Henning Johan , Hauman Mignon
Published: August 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is evaluate the provisions of Financial Intelligence Centre Act Amendment Bill, 2016 which intends to give effect to the implementation of the envisioned risk-based approach in anti-money laundering/combating financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) processes, as well as the extent to which the provisions address certain technical shortcomings elucidated in 2009 Mutual Evaluation Report concerning South Africa’s AML/CFT’s framework.

Design/methodology/approach

Sources of information consisted of scholarly articles, articles retrieved from the Web, news reports, reports published by national and international regulatory bodies, legislation and draft legislation.

Findings

Findings suggest that the South African legislature not only addresses the particular shortcomings specifically highlighted in the 2009 Mutual Evaluation Report comprised by the Financial Action Task Force but also requires the establishment of a framework for the realisation of a risk-based approached in every “risk” scenario and on an on-going basis.

Practical implications

Accountable institutions will be required to establish and implement a Risk Management and Compliance Program which must provide both the framework and the strategy for the execution of the risk-based approach when establishing a business relationship, during the course of administrating the business relationship as well as when concluding any single transaction in pursuit of the business relationship.

Originality/value

This paper serves to alert accountable institutions, compliance and corporate governance professionals and AML and counter-terrorist financing practitioners of the risk-based approach South African accountable institutions will be obliged to implement in their AML/CFT processes, the extent to which a risk-based approach must be incorporated and the aspects that must be provided for in terms of the mandated Risk Management and Compliance Program once the Financial Intelligence Centre Act Amendment Bill, 2016 is signed into law.
Corruption crime and punishment: evidence from China’s state corruption audits
Authors: Liu Guangyou , Liu Siyu
Published: August 2017

Purpose

This paper aims to answer the following two research questions: Do corruption cases present different features before and since the new administration in China? How are criminal penalties affected by these corruption features?

Design/methodology/approach

The investigation is based on the online disclosure of 269 state corruption audits and their consequences, which have been made public by China’s National Audit Office since 2011. By manual coding, these official reports were analyzed, and an appropriate-sized sample of corruption cases was chosen. The authors then adopted Welch’s t-test and regression model methods to test the research hypotheses relevant to the two research questions.

Findings

The authors find that larger embezzlement or bribery amounts and more organizational corruption cases have been detected and punished since the anti-corruption campaign was launched by the new administration. They also conclude that significantly tougher criminal penalties were given to corruption cases involving large monetary amounts, that bribery cases were more harshly punished compared to other occupational crimes and that individual perpetrators received tougher criminal penalties than organizational criminals. In addition, the authors observe a trend that criminal penalties for corruption have been increasingly harsher in recent years.

Research limitations/implications

The limitations of this study are quite clear as the Chinese corruption cases in this sample only include state corruption audit cases and does not refer to high-profile corruption cases investigated by the Central Commission of Discipline Inspection. However, this study suggests that state corruption audit results are a good research sample, which can be used to extend empirical tests to archival data acquired from state audit practices and can encourage more studies on public sector auditing and occupational financial crime.

Practical implications

State corruption audits can be an effective approach to successful anti-corruption campaigns, and the conclusions can be useful to policy makers and legislators in China and other developing countries.

Originality/value

This paper bridges some gaps in the existing financial crime literature. First, this study on corruption features is located within the context of a political administrative change; second, the state audit is highlighted as a supervising agency in the anti-corruption campaign; and third, the authors’ contribution adds to the empirical testing of data sets of state corruption audits within the existing financial crime literature.
Identifying fraud using restatement information
Authors: BenYoussef Nourhene , Khan Saqib
Published: August 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the restatement information disclosed in the Form 8K and the Press Release. It examines the relationship between manipulating the quantity, quality, manner and timing of restatement information and the probability of committing fraud.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors used 18 informational indicators developed by BenYoussef and Breton (2016), and applied the prediction methodology based on F-scores, developed by Dechow et al. (2011).

Findings

Results indicate that the information content of restatement announcements provides significant insights into the likelihood of fraud occurrence. A firm that manipulated previous earnings will continue to do so, and will try to mislead investors by releasing inaccurate and incomplete information in the Form 8K and the Press Release. The model helps identify this manipulation and hence can be used as a tool for fraud detection.

Research implications/limitations

This paper applies the constructs drawn from Information Manipulation Theory to restatement contexts to detect fraud.

Practical implications

The paper is of use to regulators, investors and financial crime experts, as it provides insights to better fraud detection.

Originality/value

The paper is based on proprietary data that were hand collected, and is being used first time to predict fraud.
A cross-country study on manipulations in financial statements of listed companies
Authors: Hasan Md Shamimul , Omar Normah , Barnes Paul , Handley-Schachler Morrison
Published: August 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this study is threefold: first, to detect trends in financial statement manipulation; second, to measure the level of manipulation and to measure the variation in manipulation between countries; and, third, to identify widely used techniques in financial statements manipulation.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses financial data of listed companies from Asia, namely, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Hong Kong and China. The study adopts financial ratios, financial forensic tool, dichotomous approach and statistical tools to analyze the data (84,000 observations) over a period of four years from 2010 to 2013.

Findings

The results show that 34 per cent of sample companies in selected Asian countries are involved in the manipulation of financial statements; the average level of manipulation (overall manipulation index) is 72 per cent; and there is a significant difference between countries at 5 per cent level. The study also identifies four most commonly used techniques, namely: days’ sales in receivable (DSRI), depreciation (DEPI), assets quality (AQI) and total accruals to total assets (TATA).

Research limitations/implications

Although this study found a significant national difference between countries in terms of practicing manipulation in financial statements, it did not address the issue of why some countries have higher level of manipulation and greater fluctuations in manipulation than others. Further study could be conducted to look for the reasons on these issues.

Practical implications

Investors and other stakeholders are advised to judge the manipulation in financial statements before fixing up for investment. At least they should examine Sales, Accounts Receivable, Depreciation, Value of Fixed Assets and Accruals data before accepting the financial statement in good faith.

Social implications

The trend of manipulation in financial statements is increasing day by day and that is why it needs to prevent to protect our society from white collar crime. The cost of white collar crime is much higher and key executives are making money at the expense of investors and other stakeholders. This kind of study creates awareness among stakeholders about the manipulation as well as provides techniques to examine the faithfulness of financial statements. Then, managers will not overstate or understate either revenues or expenses easily, as it can damage the goodwill.

Originality/value

This is the first study of its kind addressing measurement of manipulation score, overall manipulation index (OMI) and identification of widely used variables of manipulation in financial statements are new contributions towards existing literature of earnings manipulation.
How stock markets become desensitized to terror
Authors: Ilalan Deniz
Published: August 2017

Purpose

A widely accepted belief indicates that terror activities have negative impact on stock markets. Contrary to numerous empirical studies, the purpose of this paper is to consider this issue from another point of view in the sense that markets can become desensitized to terror.

Design/methodology/approach

Here, instead of directly analyzing the existing data, the stochastic nature of the events is taken into consideration.

Findings

The author compares three countries and found out that the correlation between terror and stock markets is almost nil when terror events become a commonplace.

Originality/value

This paper applies mean reverting stochastic processes to terror incidents and brings out interesting results.
Reconsidering the effectiveness of an asset confiscation scheme
Authors: Torre Andrew , Vogdanos Dean , Sdraulig Robert
Published: August 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to suggest how the effectiveness of an asset confiscation scheme might be evaluated by focussing on the currently operating Victorian model in Australia. For illustrative purposes, the offence of trafficking a commercial quantity of cannabis has been chosen. This is a topical and important issue, given two recent reports by the Victorian Auditor-General lamenting the absence of a suitable framework for evaluating the scheme’s performance. Because these programs provide important supplementary punishment tools, it is desirable that methodologies to gauge their efficacy be developed.

Design/methodology/approach

The approach to evaluating effectiveness is a mixture of criminological and economic theory coupled with some basic empirics. Utilising insights from the theories of valuing the social losses of crime and that of penalties provides a backdrop against which actual values of confiscated assets can be compared with ideal ones.

Findings

Comparison of actual and ideal values reveals a very considerable gap between the two, which suggests that the scheme is being underutilised relative to its maximum potential. The value of seized assets is well below the ideal order of magnitude. Even though the data on which this finding is based are sparse, the framework can be replicated as better statistics on the scheme’s operations become available.

Originality/value

The suggested methodology builds on and adds to current knowledge of evaluation techniques for legal system programs. Hopefully, it will provide stakeholders with yet another lens through which to view the operation of an asset confiscation scheme, and provide an impetus for collecting better quality data.
Certainty and financial crime control
Authors: Leighton-Daly Mathew
Published: August 2017

Purpose

There has been a significant increase in the number of financial crime regulatory offences (as distinct from traditional fraud offences). The purpose of this paper is to address the question of how should those in positions of control and influence in management take steps to ensure the integrity of those under them and also the relevant conduct of their customers and clients in light of this proliferation.

Design/methodology/approach

The work, which is grounded in the field of criminology, uses a combination doctrinal (legal) and qualitative methods. Its emphasis is on mala prohibita (“wrong because they are prohibited”) offences rather than mala in se (“wrong or evil in itself”). The work situates regulatory offences within the broader criminological debate regarding financial crime. It then analyses and reviews the significance of the requirement for certainty in relation to mala prohibita offences. By reference to some Australian offences, the analysis moves to some offences where uncertainty manifests. Finally, the work proposes some practical ways in which those in positions of control and influence may provide certainty to those under them to ensure integrity.

Findings

The paper argues that a paramount step for those in positions of control and influence, in taking steps to ensure the integrity of those under them and also the relevant conduct of their customers and clients is to provide certainty with regard to the illicit activities relevant to their organisation to those persons under them. The work proposes some practical ways in which those in positions of control and influence may provide certainty to those under them to ensure integrity.

Originality/value

The work is novel because of its focus on regulatory mala prohibita offences rather than the traditional criminal law or mala in se offences (in relation to which there has been much more discussion).
Suspicious alerts in money laundering – the Crédit Agricole case
Authors: Naheem Mohammed Ahmad
Published: August 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide an analysis of the recent Crédit Agricole case outcome, whereby the bank was found to have undertaken insufficient investigation and failed to follow through on reporting suspicious account activity, in line with AML compliance requirements.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper uses the two main legal documents in the Michailidis v Crédit Agricole Corporate and Investment (CACI) bank case and analyses the judgement details to discuss the implications for the banking and financial services sector on money laundering and AML compliance reporting requirements.

Findings

The main findings from the analysis are that banks have a greater legal responsibility towards detecting and reporting suspicious transactions than they would have previously considered. This includes identifying the source and purpose of fund transfers and establishing the beneficial ownership of recipients.

Research limitations/implications

The research topic is new, and therefore, analysis papers and other academic writing on this topic are limited.

Practical implications

The research paper has identified a number of implications to the banking sector on addressing AML deficiencies, especially the detection and reporting requirements of suspicious transactions.

Social implications

This paper has implications for the corporate social responsibility of banks and other financial services towards monitoring the source and use of money that is in their organisation. The paper identifies areas of legal responsibility that banks now have to manage, as part of their commitment to support the prevention of money laundering.

Originality/value

The originality of this paper is the current example of the Crédit Agricole case and the future legal implications for banks and financial services on suspicious transaction reporting and money laundering risk assessment.
Procurement strategies for enhancing exploration and exploitation in construction projects
Authors: Eriksson Per Erik
Published: August 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate how procurement strategies may be designed to facilitate exploration and exploitation in construction projects.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper is based on a literature review of organizational research and construction management literature together with a brief interview study of Swedish clients and contractors.

Findings

The theoretical and empirical findings propose that small and simple projects with low uncertainty and scarce resources may focus on exploitation to enhance short-term efficiency through traditional procurement strategies including delivery systems that separate the actors and their activities (i.e. pure design-build- or design-bid-build-contracts), fixed price payment and price focus in bid evaluation. Large complex projects with high uncertainty and customization benefit from combining exploration and exploitation to enhance sustainable performance. This requires collaborative procurement strategies including joint specification through early contractor involvement, cost reimbursement coupled with incentive-based payment, bid evaluation based on multiple criteria and collaborative tools and activities in partnering arrangements.

Research limitations/implications

This paper contributes to organizational learning literature by pinpointing the need for integrating procurement strategies that enhance combination of exploration and exploitation. The main contribution to the construction management literature involves the investigation of how procurement strategies may affect exploration and exploitation, as identified and articulated in the propositions developed in this paper.

Practical implications

From a practical perspective, the findings highlight the importance of tailoring procurement strategies to project characteristics to enhance a suitable balance between exploration and exploitation in construction projects.

Originality/value

The explicit focus on the operational project-level is uncommon but relevant in organizational learning literature.
Advocating for advocacy
Authors: Osgood Tony
Published: August 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to consider how austerity and managerialism impact advocacy services. It outlines the many roles advocacy encompasses and the benefits advocating contributes to the rebalancing of power.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a commentary on Watts’ article on UK policy underpinning advocacy for autistic adults.

Findings

It is suggested that advocacy is poorly funded and therefore access is limited at a time when advocating for autism is most needed.

Originality/value

This viewpoint extends the current debate around advocacy by considering its core function: solidarity with people seeking adequate support.