bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Molecular basis of abasic site sensing in single-stranded DNA by the SRAP domain of E. coli yedK
Authors: Wang Na , Bao Hongyu , Chen Liu , Liu Yanhong , Li Yue , Wu Baixing , Huang Hongda
Published: August 2019

HMCES and yedK were recently identified as sensors of abasic sites in ssDNA. In this study, we present multiple crystal structures captured in the apo-, nonspecific-substrate-binding, specific-substrate-binding, and product-binding states of yedK. In combination with biochemical data, we unveil the molecular basis of AP site sensing in ssDNA by yedK. Our results indicate that yedK has a strong preference for AP site-containing ssDNA over native ssDNA and that the conserved Glu105 residue is important for identifying AP sites in ssDNA. Moreover, our results reveal that a thiazolidine linkage is formed between yedK and AP sites in ssDNA, with the residues that stabilize the thiazolidine linkage important for the formation of DNA-protein crosslinks between yedK and the AP sites. We propose that our findings offer a unique platform to develop yedK and other SRAP domain-containing proteins as tools for detecting abasic sites in vitro and in vivo.
Gene silencing by double-stranded RNA from C. elegans neurons reveals functional mosaicism of RNA interference
Authors: Ravikumar Snusha , Devanapally Sindhuja , Jose Antony M
Published: August 2019

Delivery of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) into animals can silence genes of matching sequence in diverse cell types through mechanisms that have been collectively called RNA interference. In the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, dsRNA from multiple sources can trigger the amplification of silencing signals. Amplification occurs through the production of small RNAs by two RNA-dependent RNA polymerases (RdRPs) that are thought to be tissue-specific - EGO-1 in the germline and RRF-1 in somatic cells. Here we demonstrate that EGO-1 can compensate for the lack of RRF-1 when dsRNA from neurons is used to silence genes in intestinal cells. However, the lineal origins of cells that can use EGO-1 varies. This variability could be because random sets of cells can either receive different amounts of dsRNA from the same source or use different RdRPs to perform the same function. Variability is masked in wild-type animals, which show extensive silencing by neuronal dsRNA. As a result, cells appear similarly functional despite underlying differences that vary from animal to animal. This functional mosaicism cautions against inferring uniformity of mechanism based on uniformity of outcome. We speculate that functional mosaicism could contribute to escape from targeted therapies and could allow developmental systems to drift over evolutionary time.
A Constructive Proof of Helmholtz’s Theorem
Authors: De La Calle Ysern Bernardo , Sabina De Lis José C
Published: August 2019

It is a known result that any vector field ${\boldsymbol{u}}$ that is locally Hölder continuous on an arbitrary open set $\Omega\subset \mathbb{R}^3$ can be written on $\Omega$ as the sum of a gradient and a curl. Should $\Omega$ be unbounded, no conditions are required on the behaviour of ${\boldsymbol{u}}$ at infinity. We present a direct, self-contained proof of this theorem that only uses elementary techniques and has a constructive character. It consists in patching together local solutions given by the Newtonian potential that are then modified by harmonic approximations—based on solid spherical harmonics—to assure convergence near infinity for the resulting series.
Interleukin-36 family dysregulation drives joint inflammation and therapy response in psoriatic arthritis
Authors: Boutet Marie-Astrid , Nerviani Alessandra , Lliso-Ribera Gloria , Lucchesi Davide , Prediletto Edoardo , Ghirardi Giulia Maria , Goldmann Katriona , Lewis Myles , Pitzalis Costantino
Published: August 2019

Objectives

IL-36 agonists are pro-inflammatory cytokines involved in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. However, their role in the pathogenesis of arthritis and treatment response to DMARDs in PsA remains uncertain. Therefore, we investigated the IL-36 axis in the synovium of early, treatment-naïve PsA, and for comparison RA patients, pre- and post-DMARDs therapy.

Methods

Synovial tissues were collected by US-guided biopsy from patients with early, treatment-naïve PsA and RA at baseline and 6 months after DMARDs therapy. IL-36 family members were investigated in synovium by RNA sequencing and immunohistochemistry, and expression levels correlated with DMARDs treatment response ex vivo. Additionally, DMARDs effects on IL-36 were investigated in vitro in fibroblast-like synoviocytes.

Results

PsA synovium displayed a reduced expression of IL-36 antagonists, while IL-36 agonists were comparable between PsA and RA. Additionally, neutrophil-related molecules, which drive a higher activation of the IL-36 pathway, were upregulated in PsA compared with RA. At baseline, the synovial expression of IL-36α was significantly higher in PsA non-responders to DMARDs treatment, with the differential expression being sustained at 6 months post-treatment. In vitro, primary PsA-derived fibroblasts were more responsive to IL-36 stimulation compared with RA and, importantly, DMARDs treatment increased IL-36 expression in PsA fibroblasts.

Conclusion

The impaired balance between IL-36 agonists–antagonists described herein for the first time in PsA synovium and the decreased sensitivity to DMARDs in vitro may explain the apparent lower efficacy of DMARDs in PsA compared with RA. Exogenous replacement of IL-36 antagonists may be a novel promising therapeutic target for PsA patients.
Differential DNA methylation correlates with response to methotrexate in rheumatoid arthritis
Authors: Nair Nisha , Plant Darren , Verstappen Suzanne M , Isaacs John D , Morgan Ann W , Hyrich Kimme L , Barton Anne , Wilson Anthony G ,   the MATURA investigators
Published: August 2019

Objectives

Identifying blood-based biomarkers that predict treatment response in RA is a clinical priority. We investigated differential DNA methylation as a candidate biomarker of response for the first-line drug used in RA, MTX.

Methods

DNA methylation was measured in DNA samples from individuals recruited to the Rheumatoid Arthritis Medication Study. Differentially methylated positions were compared between whole blood samples collected at baseline and at 4 weeks from patients who, by 6 months, had a good (n = 34) or poor response (n = 34) to MTX using linear modelling, adjusting for gender, age, cell composition, baseline 28-joint disease activity score (DAS28) and smoking status. Analyses also compared methylation with changes in DAS28 and changes in swollen joint count and tender joint count, and changes in CRP over the initial 6 months after MTX commencement. Differentially methylated positions showing significant differences with any response parameter were tested using pyrosequencing in an independent group of 100 patients from the Rheumatoid Arthritis Medication Study.

Results

In the discovery group, two CpG sites showed methylation changes at 4 weeks associated with clinical EULAR response by 6 months. Significant changes in methylation for three differentially methylated positions associated with change in tender joint counts, three with change in swollen joint count and a further four with change in CRP. Of the 12 CpGs, four showed replicated association in an independent dataset of samples from the Rheumatoid Arthritis Medication Study.

Conclusion

These data represent an advance on current practice by contributing to a personalized medicine strategy allowing an escalation or change in therapy as early as 4 weeks.
The Relationship Between Level of Catastrophizing and Mental Health Comorbidity in Individuals With Whiplash Injuries
Authors: Paré Catherine , Thibault Pascal , Côté Pierre , Pimentel Stephania D. , Shen Shiyang , Yakobov Esther , Sullivan Michael J.L.
Published: August 2019

Objectives:

Pain catastrophizing has been shown to be correlated with measures of mental health problems such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, the clinical implications of findings reported to date remain unclear. To date, no study has been conducted to determine meaningful cut-scores on measures of catastrophizing indicative of the heightened risk of mental health comorbidity. One objective of the present study was to identify the cut-score on the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS) indicative of the heightened risk of the comorbidity of depression and PTSD. A second objective was to determine whether mental health comorbidity mediated the relationship between catastrophizing and occupational disability.

Materials and Methods:

The sample consisted of 143 individuals with whiplash injuries. Pain severity, pain catastrophizing, depression, and post-traumatic stress symptoms were assessed after admission to a rehabilitation program. Mental health comorbidity was operationally defined as obtaining a score above the clinical threshold on measures of depressive and/or post-traumatic stress symptom severity.

Results:

A receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed that a PCS score of 22 best distinguished between participants with and without mental health comorbidity. Results also revealed that mental health comorbidity mediated the relationship between catastrophizing and occupational disability.

Discussion:

The findings suggest that a score of ≥22 on the PCS should alert clinicians to the possibility that patients might also be experiencing clinically significant symptoms of depression or PTSD. Greater attention to the detection and treatment of mental health conditions associated with whiplash injury might contribute to more positive recovery outcomes.
Surgical Technique and Algorithm for Treatment of Displaced Intra-articular Calcaneal Fractures Using a Sinus Tarsi Approach and Plate Fixation
Authors: Fuentes Eduardo , Nuñez Matias
Published: August 2019

This article describes the surgical technique used in the treatment of closed and displaced intra-articular calcaneal fracture, sinus tarsi approach and fixation with a locking plate including a therapeutic algorithm.

Level of Evidence: Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
A New Test for the Detection of Direct Oral Anticoagulants (Rivaroxaban and Apixaban) in the Emergency Room Setting
Authors: Frydman Galit H. , Ellett Felix , Van Cott Elizabeth M. , Hayden Douglas , Majmudar Maulik , Vanderburg Charles R. , Dalzell Haley , Padmanabhan Divya L. , Davis Nick , Jorgensen Julianne , Toner Mehmet , Fox James G. , Tompkins Ronald G.
Published: August 2019

Objectives:

Determining whether a patient has taken a direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) is critical during the periprocedural and preoperative period in the emergency department. However, the inaccessibility of complete medical records, along with the generally inconsistent sensitivity of conventional coagulation tests to these drugs, complicates clinical decision making and puts patients at risk of uncontrollable bleeding. In this study, we evaluate the utility of inhibitor-II-X (i-II-X), a novel, microfluidics-based diagnostic assay for the detection and identification of Factor Xa inhibitors (FXa-Is) in an acute care setting.

Design:

First-in-human, 91-patient, single-center retrospective pilot study.

Setting:

Emergency room.

Patients:

Adult patients admitted into the emergency department, which received any clinician-ordered coagulation test requiring a 3.2% buffered sodium citrate blood collection tube.

Interventions:

None.

Measurements and Main Results:

Plasma samples from patients admitted to the emergency department were screened for the use of FXa-Is, including apixaban and rivaroxaban, within the past 24 hours using our new i-II-X microfluidic test. i-II-X results were then compared with results from conventional coagulation tests, including prothrombin time (PT) and international normalized ratio (INR), which were ordered by treating clinicians, and an anti-Xa assay for rivaroxaban. The i-II-X test detected DOACs in samples collected from the emergency department with 95.20% sensitivity and 100.00% specificity. Unlike PT and INR, i-II-X reliably identified patients who had prolonged clotting times secondary to the presence of a FXa-I.

Conclusions:

The i-II-X test overcomes the limitations of currently available coagulation tests and could be a useful tool by which to routinely screen patients for DOACs in emergency and critical care settings. Our new diagnostic approach is particularly relevant in clinical situations where medical records may be unavailable, or where precautions need to be taken prior to invasive interventions, such as specific reversal agent administration.
A Review of the Literature on the Global Epidemiology of Corneal Blindness
Authors: Porth Julia M. , Deiotte Erin , Dunn Matthew , Bashshur Ramona
Published: August 2019

Purpose:

This study seeks to review published research on the global epidemiology of corneal blindness, with a specific focus on the available published estimates of incidence, prevalence, and trends in incidence or prevalence, as well as the contribution of corneal causes to overall burden of blindness.

Methods:

A scoping review was conducted of the published literature on the global epidemiology of corneal blindness, with emphasis on prevalence and incidence studies. Four databases were searched using both epidemiological and corneal blindness keywords. This review was limited to studies with a primary aim of determining the incidence, prevalence, or trends in corneal blindness or the percentage of blindness due to corneal causes. Only conditions considered to signify current blindness were included, not diseases that eventually could lead to blindness if left untreated.

Results:

A total of 185 articles met the selection criteria. Of these, 145 articles investigated all-cause blindness prevalence. Only 10 articles specifically aimed to determine estimates of corneal blindness prevalence, 7 articles provided results for all-cause blindness incidence, and no studies focused on obtaining corneal blindness incidence. Data on corneal blindness were most often present in studies investigating all-cause blindness and in trachoma studies.

Conclusions:

The results demonstrate the somewhat inconsistent and fragmented information regarding corneal causes of vision loss. A significant outcome of this research is the demonstration of a need for further research into global corneal blindness and the necessary steps to address the problem.
The Efficacy of Modafinil as a Cognitive Enhancer
Authors: Kredlow M. Alexandra , Keshishian Ani , Oppenheimer Sarah , Otto Michael W.
Published: August 2019

Background

Animal models and human studies have identified the potential of modafinil as a cognitive enhancing agent, independent of its effects on promoting wakefulness in sleep-deprived samples. Given that single-dose applications of other putative memory enhancers (eg, d-cycloserine, yohimbine, and methylene blue) have shown success in enhancing clinical outcomes for anxiety-related disorders, we conducted a meta-analytic review examining the potential for single-dose effects for modafinil on cognitive functioning in non–sleep-deprived adults.

Methods

A total of 19 placebo-controlled trials that examined the effects of single-dose modafinil versus placebo on the cognitive domains of attention, executive functioning, memory, or processing speed were identified, allowing for the calculation of 67 cognitive domain–specific effect sizes.

Results

The overall positive effect of modafinil over placebo across all cognitive domains was small and significant (g = 0.10; 95% confidence interval, 0.05–0.15; P < 0.001). No significant differences between cognitive domains were found. Likewise, no significant moderation was found for modafinil dose (100 mg vs 200 mg) or for the populations studied (psychiatric vs nonpsychiatric).

Conclusions

In conclusion, the available evidence indicates only limited potential for modafinil to act as a cognitive enhancer outside sleep-deprived populations.
Minimal Effects of Binaural Auditory Beats for Subclinical Insomnia
Authors: Bang Young Rong , Choi Ha yun , Yoon In-Young
Published: August 2019

Background

Auditory binaural beat (BB) stimulation is known to modulate electroencephalographic activity by brain entrainment, but few studies have established whether BB can affect the sleep state. We examined the effect of θ BB in improving sleep disturbances and daytime alertness.

Methods

We conducted double-blind and sham-controlled randomized trial. Subjects with subclinical insomnia were randomly assigned and listened to music for 2 weeks with or without θ BB for 30 minutes before going to sleep.

Results

There were 43 participants (32 female; mean age, 34.3 ± 10.4 years) who finished the trial. The insomnia severity decreased at 2 weeks in both groups without significant differences in Insomnia Severity Index score (4.41 ± 4.32 vs 2.71 ± 4.66, P = 0.656), although the effect was much stronger for the music with the BB group than for the music-only group (Cohen d = 1.02 vs 0.58). In awake electroencephalographic analysis, the relative β power after 2 weeks was higher in the music with the BB group than in the music-only group (0.2 ± 7.02 vs −3.91 ± 6.97, P = 0.041).

Conclusions

Auditory θ BB with music does not induce evident improvement of sleep disturbances more than does pure music, but could alter brain activity toward increasing daytime alertness in subclinical insomnia, which needs to be corroborated in a clinical population.
Ovarian Sclerosing Stromal Tumor and Müllerian Cyst in an 11-yr-old Girl: A Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Zhang Xi , Guo Jingang , Yang Li , Zhao Yuanyuan , Zhang Yanjie , Wang Pei
Published: August 2019

Sclerosing stromal tumor (SST) is an extremely rare ovarian neoplasm that primarily affects young female individuals. Patients with SST often present with pelvic pain and menstrual irregularities. Herein, we report a case of SST of the ovary in an 11-yr-old girl with symptoms of abdominal pain and menstrual irregularities. A preoperative diagnosis of tumors in the left adnexa and right ovary was made by pelvic ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging, and the patient underwent exploratory laparotomy and laparoscopic cystectomy. The ovarian masses were removed and proven to be SST in the left ovary and Müllerian cyst in the right fallopian tube on histopathologic examination and immunochemistry. To our knowledge, the 11-yr-old patient presented here was the only case with SST and Müllerian cyst simultaneously.
Learning in anticipation of reward and punishment: Perspectives across the human lifespan
Authors: Betts Matthew J. , Richter Anni , de Boer Lieke , Tegelbeckers Jana , Perosa Valentina , Chowdhury Rumana , Dolan Raymond J. , Seidenbecher Constanze , Schott Björn H. , Düzel Emrah , Guitart-Masip Marc , Krauel Kerstin
Published: August 2019

Pavlovian biases influence the interaction between action and valence by coupling reward seeking to action invigoration and punishment avoidance to action suppression. In this study we used an orthogonalised go/no-go task to investigate learning in 247 individuals across the human lifespan (7-80 years) to demonstrate that all participants, independently of age, demonstrated an influence of Pavlovian control. Computational modeling revealed peak performance in young adults was attributable to greater sensitivity to both rewards and punishment. However in children and adolescents an increased bias towards action but not reward sensitivity was observed. In contrast, reduced learning in midlife and older adults was accompanied with decreased reward sensitivity and especially punishment sensitivity. These findings reveal distinct learning capabilities across the human lifespan that cannot be probed using conventional go/reward no-go/punishment style paradigms that have important implications in life-long education.
Agronomic, physiological and molecular characterization of rice mutants revealed key role of ROS and catalase in high temperature stress tolerance
Authors: Zafar Syed Adeel , Hameed Amjad , Ashraf Muhammad , Khan Abdus Salam , Zia-ul-Qamar  , Li Xueyong , Siddique Kadambot H.M.
Published: August 2019

Plants adapt to harsh environments particularly high temperature stress by regulating their physiological and biochemical processes, which are key tolerance mechanisms. Thus, identification of heat-tolerant rice genotypes and reliable selection indices are crucial for rice improvement programs. Here, we evaluated the response of a rice mutant population for high-temperature stress at the seedling and reproductive stages based on agronomic, physiological and molecular traits. The estimate of variance components revealed significant differences (P<0.001) among genotypes, treatments and their interaction for almost all traits. Principal component analysis showed significant diversity among the genotypes and traits under high-temperature stress. The mutant ‘HTT-121’ was identified as the most heat tolerant mutant with higher grain yield, panicle fertility, cell membrane thermo-stability (CMTS) and antioxidant enzyme levels under heat stress conditions. Various seedling-based morpho-physiological traits (leaf fresh weight, relative water contents, malondialdehyde, CMTS) and biochemical traits (superoxide dismutase, catalase and hydrogen peroxide) explained variations in grain yield that could be used as selection indices for heat tolerance in rice at early growth stages. Notably, heat sensitive mutants showed a significant accumulation of ROS level, reduced activities of catalase and upregulation ofOsSRFP1expression under heat stress, suggesting their key role in regulating heat tolerance in rice. The heat-tolerant mutants identified in this study could be used in breeding programs and the development of mapping populations to unravel the underlying genetic architecture for heat-stress adaptability.

Summary text for table of contents

Heat stress probably due to changing climate scenario has become a serious threat for global rice production. On the other side, efforts to develop high yielding cultivars have led to the reduced genetic variability to withstand harsh environmental conditions. This study aimed to identify novel heat tolerant mutants developed through gamma irradiation which will provide a unique genetic resource for breeding programs. Further, we have identified reliable selection indices for screening heat-tolerant rice germplasm at early growth stages.
Human colon-on-a-chip enables continuous in vitro analysis of colon mucus layer accumulation and physiology
Authors: Sontheimer-Phelps Alexandra , Chou David B. , Tovaglieri Alessio , Ferrante Thomas C. , Duckworth Taylor , Fadel Cicely , Frismantas Viktoras , Jalili-Firoozinezhad Sasan , Kasendra Magdalena , Stas Eric , Weaver James C. , Richmond Camilla A. , Levy Oren , Prantil-Baun Rachelle , Breault David T. , Ingber Donald E.
Published: August 2019

Background & Aims

The mucus layer in the human colon protects against commensal bacteria and pathogens, and defects in its unique bilayered structure contribute to intestinal disorders, such as ulcerative colitis. However, our understanding of colon physiology is limited by the lack of in vitro models that replicate human colonic mucus layer structure and function. Here, we investigated if combining organ-on-a-chip and organoid technologies can be leveraged to develop a human-relevant in vitro model of colon mucus physiology.

Methods

A human colon-on-a-chip (Colon Chip) microfluidic device lined by primary patient-derived colonic epithelial cells was used to recapitulate mucus bilayer formation, and to visualize mucus accumulation in living cultures non-invasively.

Results

The Colon Chip supports spontaneous goblet cell differentiation and accumulation of a mucus bilayer with impenetrable and penetrable layers, and a thickness similar to that observed in human colon, while maintaining a subpopulation of proliferative epithelial cells. Live imaging of the mucus layer formation on-chip revealed that stimulation of the colonic epithelium with prostaglandin E2, which is elevated during inflammation, causes rapid mucus volume expansion via an NKCC1 ion channel-dependent increase in its hydration state, but no increase in de novo mucus secretion.

Conclusion

This study is the first to demonstrate production of colonic mucus with a physiologically relevant bilayer structure in vitro, which can be analyzed in real-time non-invasively. The Colon Chip may offer a new preclinical tool to analyze the role of mucus in human intestinal homeostasis as well as diseases, such as ulcerative colitis and cancer.
The influence of pulsed gas metal arc welding on the fatigue and corrosion-fatigue properties of wrought aluminium 6061-T651
Authors: Du Toit Madeleine , Mutombo Kalenda
Published: August 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to characterise the hardness, tensile properties, corrosion behaviour and fatigue properties (in air and in a 3.5 per cent NaCl solution) of aluminium 6061-T651 in the as-received and as-welded conditions.

Design/methodology/approach

Aluminium 6061-T651 plate material, prepared with double-V or square butt joint preparations was welded using semi-mechanised or mechanised pulsed gas metal arc welding. Magnesium-alloyed ER5356 or ER5183 filler material or silicon-alloyed ER4043 filler wire was used. The material was characterised in the as-supplied and as-welded conditions, and fatigue tests were performed in air and in a 3.5 per cent NaCl solution. The fatigue results were compared to the reference fatigue design curves for aluminium published in Eurocode 9 – Part 1-3.

Findings

Significant softening, attributed to the partial dissolution and coarsening of precipitates, grain growth and recrystallisation during welding, was observed in the heat-affected zone (HAZ) of the 6061-T651 welds. During tensile testing, failure occurred in the HAZ of all 6061 welds tested. Welding reduced the room temperature fatigue life of all specimens evaluated. In 6061 welds, failure occurred preferentially in the softened HAZ of the welds. The presence of a corrosive environment (a 3.5 per cent NaCl solution in this investigation) during fatigue testing reduced the fatigue properties of all the samples tested. Corrosion pits formed preferentially at second phase particles and reduced the overall fatigue life by accelerating fatigue crack initiation.

Originality/value

The fatigue properties of welded aluminium structures under dynamic loading conditions have been studied extensively. Welding is known to create tensile residual stresses, to promote grain growth, recrystallisation and softening in the HAZ, and to introduce weld defects that act as stress concentrations and preferential fatigue crack initiation sites. Several fatigue studies of aluminium welds emphasised the role of precipitates, second phase particles and inclusions in initiating fatigue cracks. When simultaneously subjected to a corrosive environment and dynamic loading, the fatigue properties are often adversely affected and even alloys with good corrosion resistance may fail prematurely under conditions promoting fatigue failure. The corrosion-fatigue performance of aluminium welds has not been systematically examined to date.
Sintering and hot corrosion of yttria silicate tablets in molten salts prepared by spark plasma sintering
Authors: Navarro Villanueva Merlina A. , Soto Hernández Luis A. , Vicente Mendoza Melquisedec , Morales Ramírez Ángel de J. , Juárez López Fernando
Published: August 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to study the microstructural hot corrosion behaviour of the sintered Y2SiO5 ceramic silicate under a Na2SO4 + V2O5 mixture at an engine representative temperature of 1150°C. Y2SiO5 is a promising candidate for thermal barrier coatings (TBC) due to its excellent chemical stability at high temperatures. As a continuous source of Y3+, it is expected that Y2SiO5 environmental barrier coating may prolong the lifetime of TBC systems by stopping the degradation caused by the loss of the Y2O3 stabilizer.

Design/methodology/approach

Two routes were chosen for the yttria silicate powder synthesis by sol-gel from TEOS and APTES precursors as the difference in Si source changed the ratio of Y2SiO5/Y2Si2O7 phases. Hot corrosion studies using Na2SO4 and V2O5 mixtures were conducted on both surfaces of APTES and TEOS tablets at 1150°C for 8 h in atmospheric air. The morphology and microstructure analyses of the silicate samples after hot corrosion tests were carried out using a SEM and X-ray diffraction analyse techniques.

Findings

Based on the degradation, the general status of the APTES tablet after hot corrosion presents a better hot corrosion resistance at a temperature of 1150°C than does that of the TEOS tablet. In the TEOS tablet, the crystal morphology of NaY9Si60O26 woodchip shapes with a size of 60 µm is developed on the surface for finally initiating some cracks. In the APTES case, the crystal morphology of rod-like shapes with a size of 100 µm is developed; hence, a dense thick layer predominately postpones the reaction of V2O5 and Na2SO4 with yttria silicate, and consequently, less damage is observed.

Originality/value

Coating yttria silicate preparation is very complicated; the problems of a high synthesis temperature, long production period and low yield still need to be solved. Under these perspectives, ceramics prepared via spark plasma sintering (SPS) can reach theoretical high densities and a fine grain size can be retained after the SPS process; hence, well resistance to the corrosion in molten salts is expected to obtain for the sintered yttria silicate tablets.
Designing a balanced scorecard using a scenario approach
Authors: González Miguel Angel , Quezada Luis , Palominos Pedro
Published: August 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to design a method or process that relates dynamic environmental conditions with the strategic objectives present in a company’s strategy map, thereby allowing rapid analysis and the generation of new strategies that the company can adopt in a timely manner in order to maintain and/or improve its competitive position in the market.

Design/methodology/approach

One training session and three workshops were run involving the company staff. The intervention team reviewed and analyzed the results achieved and prepared the final presentation. Finally, they were asked to evaluate the intervention methodology with respect to usefulness and ease of use.

Findings

The developed methodology allows companies to obtain a broader vision of their future prospects. The executives’ participation in the process provided them a vision and understanding of the most relevant and sensitive variables of their environment.

Research limitations/implications

The proposed methodology is easy to use. It provides a simple and agile mechanism to adapt the strategy of an organization to the changes in the market and environment.

Social implications

This process will provide social benefit for the global community, from both a methodological perspective and a practical one, as it will provide a tool that will positively impact competitiveness and quality of life for workers and the wider community.

Originality/value

This paper allows the identification of the possible scenarios and their incorporation into a strategy map, which may help companies deal with the changes in their competitive environment. The strategy maps generated for each of the scenarios provide useful information with respect to presented events.
Entrepreneurial Innovation Management: the joint Italy–Colombia master’s degree
Authors: della Volpe Maddalena
Published: August 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to acknowledge the value of joint educational entrepreneurship programs: universities impact on economic growth by building collaborative networks in order to encourage innovation through interdisciplinary training schemes. The case of the master’s degree in Entrepreneurial Innovation Management, set up jointly by the University of Salerno and the Universidad Católica de Pereira, is presented.

Design/methodology/approach

In order to conduct a competitive market analysis, the latest data on master’s degrees in economics and information technologies management have been collected by means of a scraping procedure in order to build a data set for analysis. The authors have considered the masters’ degrees offered in Bogotá, where most universities of Colombia are located.

Findings

The data point out that current master’s degree courses do not recognize the importance of interdisciplinary training, which is in great demand in the world of work: economics and computer science never run together and rarely do universities collaborate within a network to set up joint programs.

Practical implications

The entrepreneurial culture could yield economic and social benefits by training students for a dynamic, global and increasingly digital job market. The case study represents a first step in building a network, which could be extended to other countries in the future.

Originality/value

The originality of the study lies in the proposal of a joint Italy–Colombia master’s degree, which is set up within a higher education network and may prove useful in creating job opportunities in both countries involved. Moreover, the learning path balances two traditionally separated disciplinary fields: economics and computer engineering.
Bank diversification and performance in an emerging market
Authors: Duho King Carl Tornam , Onumah Joseph Mensah , Owodo Raymond Agbesi
Published: August 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of diversification on profitability, profit efficiency and financial stability of Ghanaian banks.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors employed a panel regression technique on a data set of 32 banks from 2000 to 2015. The data envelopment analysis is used to compute profit efficiency scores with credit risk accounted for.

Findings

The results suggest that income diversification decreases profit, profit efficiency and financial stability. The impact on profit and stability is U-shaped. The impact of asset diversification was found to be insignificant. High competition reduces both profitability and profit efficiency which is inconsistent with the quiet-life hypothesis of Hicks (1935), but financial stability increases with competition. High investment in tangible assets is associated with poor performance. Non-banking financial institutions that later became universal banks are not financially stable. Competition, size, age, government ownership and leverage which are controlled for and a sensitivity analysis conducted also provided relevant insights.

Practical implications

The results are relevant in understanding the events in the Ghanaian banking industry in 2017–2018. Income diversification strategy is essential in determining the performance of banks. Management has to figure out the extent and scope of their diversification to benefit from the strategy.

Originality/value

The authors examined diversification from the view-point of both the income statement and statement of financial position while most prior studies focused on only one aspect. The study is one of the few studies that employed the risk-adjusted profit efficiency measure in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Luxury fashion and sustainability: looking good together
Authors: Campos Franco Jacqueline , Hussain Dildar , McColl Rod
Published: August 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to highlight critical sustainability challenges facing luxury fashion firms and to describe examples of best practice in responding to these challenges.

Design/methodology/approach

The research approach combines a detailed literature review with multiple-case examples. The paper adopts the triple bottom line framework for structuring the analysis and findings, which suggests reporting sustainability efforts in three categories of actions – social, environmental and economic.

Findings

Prior research suggests that luxury fashion marketing and principles of sustainability may represent contradictory philosophies. However, this paper of case examples suggests that this may no longer be the case. We identify six lessons in guiding future sustainability practices.

Practical implications

The findings have implications for managers operating in luxury fashion, but the findings are also pertinent to managers in other industries.

Originality/value

Prior research in luxury fashion has generally focused on the industry’s poor record in sustainability and how luxury and sustainability may be incompatible. In this paper, we conclude that most luxury fashion firms are aware of the need to integrate sustainability into their business models. By uncovering examples of best practice in sustainability, we demonstrate how luxury fashion firms have responded to these challenges with lessons for other industry sectors.
Microaggressive classroom language and diminished cognitive functioning
Authors: Banks Brea M. , Cicciarelli Kara
Published: August 2019

Purpose

The current literature has not provided insight into the effects of using racially derogatory words in the context of academic instruction or when reviewing historical texts. This study aims to examine the impact of such microaggressive language on cognitive performance among university students.

Design/methodology/approach

Using experimental methodologies, the participants were recruited to the research lab and assigned to one of the three conditions, as they were exposed to a derogatory word, heard a replacement of the word or did not hear it at all. Given the results of prior studies, researchers hypothesized that participants holding marginalized racial/ethnic identities would experience greater levels of cognitive depletion, as measured by the Stroop (1935) color-naming task, when compared to their white counterparts, as it was expected that students from underrepresented racial/ethnic backgrounds would be more affected by use of such language.

Findings

The primary hypothesis was supported, as students from underrepresented backgrounds who were exposed to the microaggressive language displayed diminished Stroop (1935) performance as compared to those not exposed and their white counterparts who heard the same language.

Originality/value

This study adds to the literature surrounding the immediate impact of microaggression of university students holding marginalized racial/ethnic identities.
Friction spot lap joining of the anodized aluminium alloy 6061 with high-density polyethylene sheets
Authors: Ali Ghadanfer Hussein , Hussein Sabah Khammass
Published: August 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to join an anodized aluminium alloy AA6061 sheet with high-density polyethylene (HDPE) using friction spot process.

Design/methodology/approach

The surface of AA6061 sheet was anodized to increase the pores’ size. A lap joint configuration was used to join the AA6061 with HDPE sheets by the friction spot process. The joining process was carried out using a rotating tool of different diameters: 14, 16 and 18 mm. Three tool-plunging depths were used – 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3 mm – with three values of the processing time – 20, 30 and 40 s. The joining process parameters were designed according to the Taguchi approach. Two sets of samples were joined: the as-received AA6061/HDPE and the anodized AA6061/HDPE.

Findings

Frictional heat melted the HDPE layers near the lap joint line and penetrated it through the surface pores of the AA6061 sheet via the applied pressure of the tool. The tool diameter exhibited higher effect on the joint strength than processing time and the tool-plunging depth. Specimens of highest and lowest tensile force were failed by necking the polymer side and shearing the polymer layers at the lap joint, respectively. Molten HDPE was mechanically interlocked into the pores of the anodized surface of AA6061 with an interface line of 18-m width.

Originality/value

For the first time, HDPE was joined with the anodized AA6061 by the friction spot process. The joint strength reached an ideal efficiency of 100 per cent.
The class II benzoyl‐coenzyme A reductase complex from the sulfate‐reducing Desulfosarcina cetonica
Authors: Anselmann Sebastian E. L. , Löffler Claudia , Stärk Hans‐Joachim , Jehmlich Nico , von Bergen Martin , Brüls Thomas , Boll Matthias
Published: August 2019

Benzoyl‐CoA reductases (BCRs) catalyse a key reaction in the anaerobic degradation pathways of monocyclic aromatic substrates, the dearomatization of benzoyl‐CoA (BzCoA) to cyclohexa‐1,5‐diene‐1‐carboxyl‐CoA (1,5‐dienoyl‐CoA) at the negative redox potential limit of diffusible enzymatic substrate/product couples (E°′ = −622 mV). A 1‐MDa class II BCR complex composed of the BamBCDEGHI subunits has so far only been isolated from the Fe(III)‐respiring Geobacter metallireducens. It is supposed to drive endergonic benzene ring reduction at an active site W‐pterin cofactor by flavin‐based electron bifurcation. Here, we identified multiple copies of putative genes encoding the structural components of a class II BCR in sulfate reducing, Fe(III)‐respiring and syntrophic bacteria. A soluble 950 kDa Bam[(BC)2DEFGHI]2 complex was isolated from extracts of Desulfosarcina cetonica cells grown with benzoate/sulfate. Metal and cofactor analyses together with the identification of conserved binding motifs gave rise to 4 W‐pterins, two selenocysteines, six flavin adenine dinucleotides, four Zn, and 48 FeS clusters. The complex exhibited 1,5‐dienoyl‐CoA‐, NADPH‐ and ferredoxin‐dependent oxidoreductase activities. Our results indicate that high‐molecular class II BCR metalloenzyme machineries are remarkably conserved in strictly anaerobic bacteria with regard to subunit architecture and cofactor content, but their subcellular localization and electron acceptor preference may differ as a result of adaptations to variable energy metabolisms.
Paradoxical leadership in public sector organisations: Its role in fostering employee resilience
Authors: Franken Esme , Plimmer Geoff , Malinen Sanna
Published: August 2019

Government organisations, and their employees, need to be resilient to manage challenges such as resource constraints, rising demands, and the tensions and contradictions that underlie much public sector work, often stemming from the need to balance different stakeholder interests. Employee resilience, defined as the capacity to continuously adapt and flourish, even in the face of challenge, is an individual level construct that also benefits organisations. Despite its benefits, little is known about how to foster it. This paper explores whether paradoxical leadership (PL) can contribute to employee resilience. PL – the ability to balance competing structural and relational demands over time – may be one means of supporting employee resilience, as it corresponds to the tensions and paradoxes that exist in public sector work. This correspondence between PL and tensions in public administration work means that PL may also help employees behave resiliently. Findings from a quantitative survey (n = 233) in a large New Zealand public sector organisation indicate that PL antecedes resilience. The effect of PL facets on employee resilience is partially mediated by perceptions of organisational support.
Mechanistically Inspired Kinetic Approach to Describe Interactions During Co‐Culture Growth of Carnobacterium maltaromaticum and Listeria monocytogenes
Authors: Pedrozo Hector A. , Dallagnol Andrea M. , Vignolo Graciela M. , Pucciarelli Amada B. , Schvezov Carlos E.
Published: August 2019

Lactic acid bacteria and Listeria monocytogenes are psychotropic organisms that can grow and compete in food such as lightly preserved fishery products. Predictive microbiology is nowadays one of the leading tools to assess the behavior of bacteria in food and to predict food spoilage. Mathematical models can be used to predict the growth, inactivation or growth probability of bacteria. Currently, the efforts in microbial modeling are oriented towards extrapolation of results beyond experiments in order to predict the growth of interacting microorganisms and develop new food preservation processes. In the present work, a model combining both heterogeneous population and quasi‐chemical approaches to describe the different phases of the bacterial growth curve is presented. The model was applied to both monoculture and co‐culture cases of lactic acid bacteria, Carnobacterium maltaromaticum H‐17, and two Listeria monocytogenes strains in a raw fish extract. It is a highlight that our model includes novel inhibition reactions due to the accumulation of metabolites, and a general equation to take into account the effect of chemical compounds during the lag or physiological adaptation phase of the cells. Our results show that the proposed model can accurately describe the experimental data when the curve shape is a sigmoid, and when it presents a maximum. Besides, the parameters have biological interpretability since the model is mechanistically inspired.
Data Analytics and the Erosion of the Work/Nonwork Divide
Authors: Eisenstadt Leora
Published: August 2019

Numerous statutes and common law doctrines conceive of a dividing line between work time and nonwork time and delineate the activities that must be compensated as work. While technological innovations and increasing desires for workplace flexibility have begun to erode this divide, it persists, in part, because of the ways in which the division protects employers and employees alike. Nonetheless, the explosion of data analytics programs that allow employers to monitor and rely upon a worker's off‐duty conduct will soon weaken the dividing line between work and nonwork in dramatically greater and more troubling ways than ever before. The emergence of programs allowing employers to track, predict, rely upon, and possibly control nonwork activities, views, preferences, and emotions represents a major blurring of the line between work and nonwork. This article contends that these advances in data analytics suggest a need to reexamine the notion of work versus nonwork time and to question whether existing protections adequately consider a world in which these lines are so significantly muddled. As a society, we need to acknowledge the implications of the availability of massive quantities of employees’ off‐duty data and to decide whether and how to regulate its use by employers. Whether we, as a society, decide to allow market forces to dictate acceptable employer behavior, choose to regulate and restrict the use of off‐duty data for adverse employment decisions, or find some middle ground that requires disclosure and consent, we should choose our own course rather than allowing the technology to be the guide.