bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A pilot study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of treprostinil in the treatment of calcinosis in systemic sclerosis
Authors: Chung Melody P , Valenzuela Antonia , Li Shufeng , Catanese Benjamin , Stevens Kate , Fiorentino David , Strand Vibeke , Chung Lorinda
Published: October 2021

Objectives

We evaluated the safety and efficacy of oral treprostinil in preventing progression of SSc-associated calcinosis.

Methods

This prospective open-label study enrolled 12 SSc patients meeting 2013 ACR/EULAR classification criteria with confirmed clinical and radiographic evidence of one or more calcinosis deposit in the hands. Patients received oral treprostinil for 1 year. Primary endpoints were safety/tolerability and percentage of patients without radiographic progression of calcinosis at 1 year (<25% increase in Scleroderma Clinical Trials Consortium radiographic score). Secondary endpoints included 1-year changes in Scleroderma HAQ (SHAQ), Cochin Hand Functional Scale, Medical Outcomes Survey Short Form 36 (SF-36), Raynaud Condition Score and patient/physician assessment of calcinosis severity.

Results

Twelve female patients were enrolled, half with diffuse cutaneous disease; median age was 55 years (range 35–68 years). Five patients completed the study. Seven patients withdrew due to intolerable adverse effects (n = 3), intercurrent unrelated illness (n = 2, cirrhosis, cancer), progressive SSc (n = 1) and personal reasons (n = 1). Most patients developed headaches and gastrointestinal adverse effects. Four of 11 (36%) patients with 1-year follow-up hand radiographs experienced progression of calcinosis. Of five who completed treatment, calcinosis was stable in four (80%) with progression in one. Based on SF-36 Physical and Mental Component and Domain scores, transition question and SF-6D utility score, all patients who finished the trial reported overall improvement or no change compared with baseline.

Conclusion

Oral treprostinil was poorly tolerated in SSc patients with calcinosis. Of five patients who completed treatment, most (80%) had documented stability of calcinosis on hand radiographs at 1 year.

ClinicalTrials.gov identifier

NCT02663895.
Parotid gland swelling in primary Sjögren’s syndrome: activity and other sialadenosis causes
Authors: Valim Valeria , Secco Anastasia , Reis de Oliveira Fabiola , Vázquez Marcos , Barbosa Rosa Bianca , Lourenço Macagnani Fernanda , Vargas-Bueno Katherine Daniela , Rojas Elías , Hernández-Delgado Alejandra , Catalan-Pellet Antonio , Hernández-Molina Gabriela
Published: October 2021

Objective

To assess the prevalence of parotid gland swelling (PGS) and its association with features of SS and other causes of sialadenosis in a Latin-American cohort of primary SS.

Methods

We included 668 patients from Argentina, Brazil, Mexico and Paraguay. We retrospectively registered demographics, disease duration, oral/ocular symptoms, serology and scored the basal ESSDAI. We defined PGS as a recurrent or persistent increase of volume of any parotid glands during adulthood (self-reported and/or physical examination). We registered the presence of diabetes mellitus, dyslipidaemia, body mass index and alcohol consumption. We used logistic regression analysis reporting odds ratio (OR) and 95% CI.

Results

PGS was present in 242 patients (36.2%): 78 previous to SS diagnosis, 86 concomitantly, 73 during follow-up and five unknown. At the multivariate analysis, PGS was associated with RF (OR 2.47, 95% CI: 1.1, 6.5, P = 0.0001), basal articular ESSDAI domain (OR 1.63, 95% CI: 1.01, 2.6, P = 0.04) and alcohol consumption (OR 2.42, 95% CI: 1.41, 4-15). Patients with PGS during the follow-up had a higher prevalence of alcohol consumption (45.3%) compared with the remaining PGS cases (26.8%; OR 2.41 95% CI: 1.2, 4.7), or patients without parotid gland swelling (15.6%; OR 3.8 95% CI: 1.7, 8.2) in all the adjusted models.

Conclusion

PGS generally precedes or presents concomitantly with SS diagnosis, and is related to RF and articular activity. Alcohol consumption is an additional factor in PGS, especially during follow-up. The meaning of this last finding as well as its prognostic implications remains to be elucidated and deserves further evaluation in prospective studies.
Racial and Class Inequality in US Incarceration in the Early Twenty-First Century
Authors: Muller Christopher , Roehrkasse Alexander F
Published: October 2021

The relative importance of racial and class inequality in incarceration in the United States has recently become the subject of much debate. In this paper, we seek to give this debate a stronger empirical foundation. First, we update previous research on racial and class inequality in people’s likelihood of being imprisoned. Then, we examine racial and class inequality in people’s risk of having a family member imprisoned or living in a high-imprisonment neighborhood. We find that racial inequality in prison admissions has fallen in the twenty-first century, while class inequality has surged. However, in recent years, Black people with high levels of education and income were more likely than white people with low levels of education and income to experience the imprisonment of a family member or to live in a neighborhood with a high imprisonment rate. These seemingly contradictory conclusions can be reconciled by the fact that enduring structures of racial domination have made class boundaries among Black people more permeable than they are among white people. Imprisonment in the United States is increasingly reserved for the poor. But because Black Americans are disproportionately connected to the poor through their families and neighborhoods, racial inequality exceeds class inequality in people’s indirect experiences with imprisonment.
Inhibition of Oomycetes by the Mixture of Maleic Acid and Copper Sulfate
Authors: Yeon Jehyeong , Park Ae Ran , Nguyen Hang Thi Thu , Gwak Hanna , Kim Jiwon , Sang Mee Kyung , Kim Jin-Cheol
Published: October 2021

Since the protective activity of the Bordeaux mixture against plant disease caused by oomycetes was discovered, copper compounds have been used for more than a century as an effective plant protection strategy. However, the application of excessive copper can cause adverse effects through long-term heavy metal accumulation in soils. Therefore, it is necessary to develop new strategies to reduce or replace copper in pesticides based on organic and low-input farming systems. Organic acids are eco-friendly. In this study, we tested the antifungal and anti-oomycete activity of maleic acid (MA) and copper sulfate (CS) against 13 plant pathogens. Treatment with a mixture of MA and CS showed strong anti-oomycetes activity against Phytophthora xcambivora, P. capsici, and P. cinnamomi. Moreover, the concentration of CS in the activated mixture of MA and CS was lower than that in the activated CS only, and the mixture showed synergy or partial synergy effects on the anti-oomycete activity. Application of a wettable powder formulation of MA and CS mixture (MCS 30WP; 26.67% MA and 3.33% CS) had excellent protective activity in pot experiments with control values of 73% Phytophthora blight on red pepper, 91% damping-off on cucumber, and 84% Pythium blight on creeping bentgrass, which are similar to those of the CS wettable powder formulation (6.67% CS) containing two times the CS content of MCS 30WP. These observations suggest that the synergistic effect of the MA and CS combination is a sustainable alternative for effective management of destructive oomycete diseases.
Virulence of Fungi Isolated from Ambrosia Beetles to Acer amoenum Branches
Authors: Saragih Syaiful Amri , Kusumoto Dai , Takemoto Shuhei , Torii Masato , Kamata Naoto
Published: October 2021

In Japan, no association between the ambrosia beetle and their fungal symbionts causing branch dieback or tree mortality on maple, Acer amoenum, has been reported. However, we identified dieback of several branches and numerous holes created by three species of ambrosia beetles, Euwallacea fornicatus, Euwallacea interjectus, and Platypus calamus, on Acer amoenum trees at the University of Tokyo Tanashi Forest, Tokyo Metropolis, Japan, in 2016. The high attack density of the beetles was observed on the weakened trees; however, the contribution of the associated fungi to the branch dieback was still unknown. We isolated fungi carried by these three beetles and inoculated them to Acer amoenum cut main trunks and sapling branches to determine whether the associated fungi caused the branch dieback. Fusarium euwallaceae was isolated from all Euwallacea fornicatus and Euwallacea interjectus, whereas Arthrinium phaeospermum, Raffaelea cyclorhipidia, and Epicoccum nigrum were isolated from P. calamus, with 35, 15, and 5% isolation frequencies, respectively. Inoculation with F. euwallaceae and R. cyclorhipidia induced statistically significantly wider sapwood discoloration (six and four times wider for F. euwallaceae and R. cyclorhipidia, respectively) than the controls, and larger water-conductance loss (2 and 1.7 times larger for F. euwallaceae and R. cyclorhipidia, respectively) than the controls. However, the observed lesions were not large enough to cause discoloration, and symptoms of dieback were not observed, even 13 months after the inoculation. Therefore, we concluded that the virulence of the four investigated fungi to Acer amoenum was very low and that these fungi were likely not the primary cause of the branch dieback.
A Phase II Study to Assess the Safety and Efficacy of the Dual mTORC1/2 and PI3K Inhibitor Bimiralisib (PQR309) in Relapsed, Refractory Lymphoma
Authors: Collins Graham P. , Eyre Toby A. , Schmitz-Rohmer Debora , Townsend William , Popat Rakesh , Giulino-Roth Lisa , Fields Paul A. , Krasniqi Fatime , Soussain Carole , Stathis Anastasios , Andjelkovic Nebojsa , Cunningham David , Mandic Danijela , Radulovic Sinisa , Tijanic Ivan , Horowitz Netanel A. , Kurtovic Sabira , Schorb Elisabeth , Schmidt Christian , Dimitrijević Saša , Dreyling Martin
Published: October 2021

Bimiralisib is an orally bioavailable pan-phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitor which has shown activity against lymphoma in preclinical models. This phase I/II study evaluated the response rate to bimiralisib at 2 continuous dose levels (60 mg and 80 mg) in patients with relapsed/refractory lymphoma. Fifty patients were enrolled and started treatment. The most common histologies were diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (n = 17), follicular lymphoma (n = 9), T-cell lymphoma (n = 8), and others (mostly indolent). Patients had been treated with a median of 5 prior lines of treatment and 44% were considered refractory to their last treatment. Mean duration of treatment (and standard deviations) with 60 mg once daily (o.d.) was 1.3 ± 1.2 months, and with 80 mg o.d. 3.7 ± 3.9 months. On an intention to treat analysis, the overall response rate was 14% with 10% achieving a partial response and 4% a complete response. Thirty-six percent of patients were reported as having stable disease. No dose-limiting toxicities were observed during the phase I portion of the study. Overall, 70% of patients had a grade 3 treatment emergent adverse events (TEAE) and 34% had a grade 4 TEAE; 28% of patients discontinued treatment due to toxicity. The most frequent TEAEs grade ≥3 was hyperglycemia (24%), neutropenia (20%), thrombocytopenia (22%), and diarrhea (12%). Per protocol, hyperglycemia required treatment with oral antihyperglycemic agents in 28% and with insulin in 14%. At 60 mg or 80 mg continuous dosing, bimiralisib showed modest efficacy with significant toxicity in heavily pretreated patients with various histological subtypes of lymphoma.
Strengthening Healthy Work Environment Outcomes Via Interprofessional Direct Care Champion Roles
Authors: Doherty Dennis P. , Wood Laura J. , Durkin Gregory J.
Published: October 2021

OBJECTIVE

To provide an organization-wide, systematic approach to creating and sustaining healthy work environments (HWEs) through frontline interprofessional staff education and coaching engagement.

BACKGROUND

HWE has been an overarching concept in the organization's nursing professional practice model since 2014; however, few practice settings routinely translated survey findings to improve the work environment's health via local interprofessional direct care team members.

METHODS

The program used a participatory approach where HWE champions committed to participate in centralized professional development activities and local quality improvement initiatives to bolster the health of area work environments.

RESULTS

Fifty-one champions representing 44 practice settings participated in the professional development program. Mean HWE scores for all standards increased from year 1 to 2, with 15 practice settings seeing categorical improvement. Meaningful recognition and true collaboration were the standards most often targeted for improvement.

CONCLUSION

The HWE champion role appears to be a promising strategy for engaging frontline interprofessional staff in the assessment and implementation of initiatives to improve the health of work environments.
Strategies to Enhance Comprehension in the Healthcare Setting for Patients With Dyslexia
Authors: Shields Lisa B. E. , Flanders Kimberly
Published: October 2021

Dyslexia involves extreme difficulty with reading, writing, and spelling in your native language despite at least average intelligence. Health literacy refers to the ability to read, understand, and use health information to make appropriate health decisions. Dyslexia is rarely mentioned as a contributing factor to health literacy. Medical providers should be more aware of the special needs of dyslexic patients and implement interventions to allow them to successfully navigate the healthcare environment.
An Interview With Janeane N. Anderson Regarding Patient-Provider Communication and Health Disparities
Authors: Reid Ponte Patricia
Published: October 2021

This month's column is an interview with Dr Janeane N. Anderson, assistant professor, College of Nursing, at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) in Memphis who is a health communication scholar with a focus on patient-provider communication and healthcare disparities.
Two- and Three-Segment Surgically Assisted Rapid Maxillary Expansion: A Clinical Trial
Authors: Prado Gabriela P. R. , Koga Alexandre F. , Furtado Fabianne M. G. P. , Ferreira Lydia M. , Pereira Max D.
Published: October 2021

Background:

The literature shows no consensus on whether two- or three-segment surgically assisted rapid maxillary expansion is the best operative technique.

Methods:

The present clinical trial was designed to compare the outcome of two- and three-segment osteotomy surgically assisted rapid maxillary expansion. Thirty-two adult patients with transverse maxillary deficiency greater than or equal to 5 mm were randomly assigned to two- and three-segment groups (n = 16). Dimensional and psychological assessments (Oral Health Impact Profile and Brazilian Orthognathic Quality of Life Questionnaire) were carried out before surgical intervention and at one of the following time points: completion of expansion, removal of expanding device, 6 months after completion of expansion, or 10 months after completion of expansion. Dimensional assessments for asymmetric expansion of the maxilla and for changes in the area and volume of the palatine vault were performed on digital data from tomographic and laser scanning with the aid of an engineering inspection software.

Results:

No statistically significant differences were found in asymmetry or stability outcomes between groups. The psychological benefit provided by the three-segment technique did not spread through the domains of the quality-of-life questionnaires.

Conclusions:

The current findings suggest that three-segment surgically assisted rapid maxillary expansion outcomes do not exceed those obtained with its two-segment counterpart regarding symmetry of maxillary expansion and stability of area and volume of the palatine vault. Furthermore, psychological nuances evidenced in two- and three-segment groups with the tools used play a limited, short-lasting role, or a specific, more sensitive assessment tool needs to be developed.

CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE:

Therapeutic, II.
Why Primary Rhinoplasty Fails
Authors: Rohrich Rod J. , Savetsky Ira L. , Avashia Yash J.
Published: October 2021

Rhinoplasty remains one of the most challenging operations performed by plastic surgeons. The complexity lies in the ability to have a consistent and predictable aesthetic result. The unpredictability is mainly attributable to the interplay of manipulated internal structures and wound healing dynamics. In addition, setting realistic expectations with the patient is essential for achieving high postoperative patient satisfaction. An open rhinoplasty approach enables an accurate and in-depth evaluation and intervention. The authors provide a detailed analysis and discussion on why primary rhinoplasty fails, along with the surgical approach for preventing these failures.
How to Host a Virtual Educational Conference
Authors: Lisiecki Jeffrey L. , Rohrich Rod J. , Chung Kevin C.
Published: October 2021

Virtual education is a promising tool for expanding surgical training and continuing education. The authors present their preferred platforms for virtual surgical education, and discuss security and privacy concerns. Maintaining communication and keeping sessions engaging require special consideration when education is done virtually. The limitations to virtual education may soon be mitigated by new technologies. In this article, the authors aim to describe the benefits, current modalities, tips for use, and future directions for virtual education as it pertains to plastic surgeons and trainees during the current coronavirus pandemic.
Species identification of Australian marsupials using collagen fingerprinting
Authors: Peters Carli , Richter Kristine K. , Manne Tiina , Dortch Joe , Paterson Alistair , Travouillon Kenny , Louys Julien , Price Gilbert J. , Petraglia Michael , Crowther Alison , Boivin Nicole
Published: October 2021

The study of faunal remains from archaeological sites is often complicated by the presence of large numbers of highly fragmented, morphologically unidentifiable bones. In Australia, this is the combined result of harsh preservation conditions and frequent scavenging by marsupial carnivores. The collagen fingerprinting method known as zooarchaeology by mass spectrometry (ZooMS) offers a means to address these challenges and improve identification rates of fragmented bones. Here, we present novel ZooMS peptide markers for 24 extant marsupial and monotreme species that allow for genus-level distinctions between these species. We demonstrate the utility of these new peptide markers by using them to taxonomically identify bone fragments from a nineteenth-century colonial-era pearlshell fishery at Bandicoot Bay, Barrow Island. The suite of peptide biomarkers presented in this study, which focus on a range of ecologically and culturally important species, have the potential to significantly amplify the zooarchaeological and paleontological record of Australia.
Addressing Social Determinants While Social Distancing: The Development of an Evidence-Based Social Needs Screening for a Telehealth Setting
Authors: Reed Ruby E. , Suárez-Nieto María Valentina , Lee Jiwoo , Wary Neil K. , Wang Songnan , Koo Rachel Minseo , Osterberg Lars , Caceres Wendy , Charon Mina , Filsoof Amy , Montacute Tamara , Singh Baldeep
Published: October 2021

Effectively addressing social determinants of health in clinical care can be challenging, and screening for such social needs is often overlooked. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated health disparities and the impacts of social determinants of health, increasing the importance of both effective screening and intervention to address social needs. In response, the student-run free clinics at Stanford University sought to meet this need amongst our patient population by developing an evidence-based social needs screening (SNS) and referral protocol and integrating it into our novel telehealth model. The new protocol was implemented significantly more consistently compared to our previous checklist-based SNS, and more need was identified amongst our patient population than with the checklist-based, pre-pandemic screen. The new screening and referral protocol facilitated comprehensive patient care that addresses the social determinants of health in the clinical setting by improving our ability to identify patient social needs and refer such patients to community organizations. In describing the development, design, and implementation of this SNS, we hope to provide an example strategy for addressing social determinants of health within a student-run free clinic setting, and to encourage other student-run clinics and/or free clinics to similarly expand locally relevant social needs services.
Spike in asthma healthcare presentations in eastern England during June 2021: a retrospective observational study using syndromic surveillance data
Authors: Elliot AJ , Bennett C , Hughes HE , Morbey RA , Todkill D , Thompson R , Landeg O , OConnell E , Seltzer M , Lang W , Edeghere O , Oliver I
Published: October 2021

Background

Thunderstorm asthma is often characterised by a sudden surge in patients presenting with exacerbated symptoms of asthma linked to thunderstorm activity. On 17 June 2021, Public Health England (PHE) observed a large spike in health care seeking behaviour by patients presenting with asthma and difficulty breathing symptoms across parts of England.

Objectives

To describe the epidemiology of the observed asthma spike and explore available meteorological and environmental data to understand potential causes of this episode.

Design

A retrospective observational study was conducted of patient visits to health care services in England as monitored through surveillance systems routinely operated by PHE. The number of presentations during the asthma event was compared to expected levels for the overall population and across specific regions.

Setting

Healthcare services in England.

Main outcome measures

Number of patients presenting to healthcare services for asthma- and difficulty breathing-type symptoms.

Results

Spikes in asthma and difficulty breathing were detected across several PHE syndromic surveillance systems. Across affected areas ED attendances for asthma increased by 560% on 17 June compared to the average number of weekday daily attendances during the previous 4 weeks. GP out of hours contacts increased by 422%, NHS 111 calls 193%, NHS 111 online assessments 581% and ambulance call outs 54%. Increases were particularly noted in patient age groups 5-14 and 15-44 years. In non-affected regions, increases were small (<10%) or decreased, except for NHS 111 online assessments where there was an increase of 39%. A review of the meteorological conditions showed several localised, weak or moderate thunderstorms specifically across parts of South East England on the night of June 16.

Conclusions

An unprecedented episode of asthma was recorded in England, characterised by significant surges in health care seeking behaviour. However, the links to meteorologically defined thunderstorm activity were not as clear as previous episodes, with less evidence of severe thunderstorm activity in those areas affected, prompting further discussion about the causes of these events and implications for public health management of the risk.
Assessing the Impact of Race on Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR) Prediction
Authors: Zhang Linying , Richter Lauren R. , Hripcsak George
Published: October 2021

Background

The appropriate use and the implications of using variables that attempt to encode a patient’s race in clinical predictive algorithms remain unclear. The clinical algorithm for estimating glomerular filtration rate (GFR) adjusts for race, but the observed difference between Black and non-Black participants lacks biologically substantiated evidence. We investigated the impact of using a race variable on GFR prediction by race-stratified error analysis.

Methods

We implemented three predictive algorithms with varied amount of input information from an electronic health record database to estimate GFR. We compared the prediction error of the estimated GFR with and without the variable race between Black patients and White patients.

Results

The prediction error for patients coded as Black was higher than that for patients coded as White across all three algorithms. Removing race from the prediction algorithm did not lower the prediction error for patients coded as Black, neither did it decrease the difference in error between the two groups. The algorithm that included the most information with thousands of variables but excluding race produced the most accurate estimate for both groups and minimized the difference in performance between the two groups.

Conclusion

The prediction error for patients coded as Black was higher compared to those coded as White, regardless of inclusion of race as a variable. Using a large amount of information represented in electronic health record variables achieved a more accurate prediction of GFR and the least difference in prediction error across racial groups.
COVCOG 1: Factors predicting Cognitive Symptoms in Long COVID. A First Publication from the COVID and Cognition Study
Authors: Guo Panyuan , Ballesteros Alvaro Benito , Yeung Sabine P , Liu Ruby , Saha Arka , Curtis Lyn , Kaser Muzaffer , Haggard Mark P , Cheke Lucy G
Published: October 2021

Since its first emergence in December 2019, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has evolved into a global pandemic. Whilst often considered a respiratory disease, a large proportion of COVID-19 patients report neurological symptoms, and there is accumulating evidence for neural damage in some individuals, with recent studies suggesting loss of gray matter in multiple regions, particularly in the left hemisphere. There are a number of mechanisms by which COVID-19 infection may lead to neurological symptoms and structural and functional changes in the brain, and it is reasonable to expect that many of these may translate into cognitive problems. Indeed, cognitive problems are one of the most commonly reported symptoms in those suffering from “Long COVID”—the chronic illness following COVID-19 infection that affects between 10–25% of sufferers. The COVID and Cognition Study is a part cross-sectional, part longitudinal, study documenting and aiming to understand the cognitive problems in Long COVID. In this first paper from the study, we document the characteristics of our sample of 181 individuals who had suffered COVID-19 infection, and 185 who had not. We explore which factors may be predictive of ongoing symptoms and their severity, as well as conducting an in-depth analysis of symptom profiles. Finally, we explore which factors predict the presence and severity of cognitive symptoms, both throughout the ongoing illness and at the time of testing. The main finding from this first analysis is that that severity of initial illness is a significant predictor of the presence and severity of ongoing symptoms, and that some symptoms during the acute illness—particularly limb weakness—may be more common in those that have more severe ongoing symptoms. Symptom profiles can be well described in terms of 5 or 6 factors, reflecting the variety of this highly heterogenous condition suffered by the individual. Specifically, we found that neurological and fatigue symptoms during the initial illness, and that neurological, gastro-intestinal, and cardiopulmonary symptoms during the ongoing illness, predicted experience of cognitive symptoms.
Dissecting gating mechanisms of Orai calcium channel paralogs using constitutively active Orai mutants that mimic STIM1-gated state
Authors: Augustynek Bartłomiej , Gyimesi Gergely , Dernič Jan , Sallinger Matthias , Albano Giuseppe , Klesse Gabriel J. , Kandasamy Palanivel , Grabmayr Herwig , Frischauf Irene , Fuster Daniel G. , Peinelt Christine , Hediger Matthias A. , Bhardwaj Rajesh
Published: October 2021

In humans, there are three paralogs of the Orai Ca2+ channel, which lie at the heart of the store-operated calcium entry (SOCE) machinery. While the STIM-mediated gating mechanism of Orai channels is still being actively investigated, several artificial and natural variants are known to cause constitutive activity of the human Orai1 channel. Surprisingly, little is known about the conservation of the gating mechanism among the different human Orai paralogs and orthologs in other species. In our work, we show that the mutation corresponding to the activating mutation H134A in transmembrane helix 2 (TM2) of human Orai1 also activates Orai2 and Orai3, likely via a similar mechanism. However, this cross-paralog conservation does not apply to the “ANSGA” nexus mutations in TM4 of human Orai1 which mimic the STIM1-activated state of the channel. Investigating the mechanistic background of these differences, we identified two positions, H171 and F246 in human Orai1, which directly control the channel activation triggered by the “ANSGA” mutations in Orai1. Our results shed new light on these important gating checkpoints and show that the gating mechanism of the Orai channels is affected by multiple factors that are not necessarily evolutionarily conserved, such as the TM4-TM3 coupling.
Focal adhesion membrane is dotted with protein islands and partitioned for molecular hop diffusion
Authors: Fujiwara Takahiro K. , Takeuchi Shinji , Kalay Ziya , Nagai Yosuke , Tsunoyama Taka A. , Kalkbrenner Thomas , Chen Limin H. , Shibata Akihiro C.E. , Iwasawa Kokoro , Ritchie Ken P. , Suzuki Kenichi G.N. , Kusumi Akihiro
Published: October 2021

Using the ultrafast camera system and new theories for hop diffusion described in the companion paper, we for the first time demonstrated that membrane molecules undergo hop diffusion among the compartments in the bulk basal plasma membrane (PM), with virtually the same compartment sizes (108 nm) as those in the bulk apical PM and the same dwell lifetimes within a compartment (10 and 24 ms for the phospholipid and transferrin receptor, respectively), suggesting that the basic structures and molecular dynamics are very similar in the bulk regions of the apical and basal PMs. Ultrafast PALM and single-molecule imaging revealed that the focal adhesion (FA) is mostly a fluid membrane, partitioned into ∼74-nm compartments where transferrin receptor and β3 integrin undergo hop diffusion, and that the FA membrane is sparsely dotted with 51-nm diameter paxillin islands, where many other FA proteins probably assemble (compartmentalized archipelago model). β3 integrin intermittently associates with the paxillin islands, dynamically linking them to the extracellular matrix.

An ultrafast camera with single fluorescent-molecule sensitivities developed by Fujiwara et al. reveals that the focal adhesion membrane is dotted with protein islands and partitioned for molecular hop diffusion, and integrin β3 molecules become temporarily immobilized at the islands.
A novel role for the extraembryonic area opaca in positioning the primitive streak of the early chick embryo
Authors: Lee Hyung Chul , Stern Claudio D.
Published: October 2021

Classical studies have established that the marginal zone, a ring of extraembryonic epiblast immediately surrounding the embryonic epiblast (area pellucida) of the chick embryo is important in setting embryonic polarity by positioning the primitive streak, the site of gastrulation. The more external extraembryonic region (area opaca) was only thought to have nutritive and support functions. Using experimental embryology approaches, this study reveals three separable functions for this outer region: first, juxtaposition of the area opaca directly onto the area pellucida induces a new marginal zone from the latter; this induced domain is entirely posterior in character. Second, ablation and grafting experiments using an isolated anterior half of the blastoderm and pieces of area opaca suggest that the area opaca can influence the polarity of the adjacent marginal zone. Finally, we show that the loss of the ability of such isolated anterior half-embryos to regulate (re-establish polarity spontaneously) at the early primitive streak stage can be rescued by replacing the area opaca by one from a younger stage. These results uncover new roles of chick extraembryonic tissues in early development.

Summary statement

Two adjacent extraembryonic tissues, the area opaca and the marginal zone, interact to influence the polarity of the early chick embryo.
The endoplasmic reticulum adopts two distinct tubule forms
Authors: Wang Bowen , Zhao Zhiheng , Xiong Michael , Yan Rui , Xu Ke
Published: October 2021

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is a versatile organelle with diverse functions. Through super-resolution microscopy, we show that the peripheral ER in the mammalian cell adopts two distinct forms of tubules. Whereas an ultrathin form, R1, is consistently covered by ER-membrane curvature-promoting proteins, e.g., Rtn4 in the native cell, in the second form, R2, Rtn4 and analogs are arranged into two parallel lines at a conserved separation of ∼105 nm over long ranges. The two tubule forms together account for ∼90% of the total tubule length in the cell, with either one being dominant in different cell types. The R1-R2 dichotomy and the final tubule geometry are both co-regulated by Rtn4 (and analogs) and the ER sheet-maintaining protein Climp63, which respectively define the edge curvature and lumen height of the R2 tubules to generate a ribbon-like structure of well-defined width. Accordingly, the R2 tubule width correlates positively with the Climp63 intralumenal size. The R1 and R2 tubules undergo active remodeling at the second/sub-second time scales as they differently accommodate proteins, with the former effectively excluding ER-luminal proteins and ER-membrane proteins with large intraluminal domains. We thus uncover a dynamic structural dichotomy for ER tubules with intriguing functional implications.
A self-consistent approach to describe unit-cell-parameter and volume variations with pressure and temperature
Authors: Angel Ross , Mazzucchelli Mattia , Gonzalez-Platas Javier , Alvaro Matteo
Published: October 2021

A method for the self-consistent description of the large variations of unit-cell parameters of crystals with pressure and temperature is presented. It employs linearized versions of equations of state (EoSs) together with constraints to ensure internal consistency. The use of polynomial functions to describe the variation of the unit-cell angles in monoclinic and triclinic crystals is compared with the method of deriving them from linearized EoSs fordspacings. The methods have been implemented in theCrysFMLFortran subroutine library. The unit-cell parameters and the compressibility and thermal expansion tensors of crystals can be calculated from the linearized EoSs in an internally consistent manner in a new utility in theEosFit7cprogram, which is available as freeware at http://www.rossangel.net.
X-ray powder diffraction in education. Part I. Bragg peak profiles
Authors: Dinnebier Robert , Scardi Paolo
Published: October 2021

A collection of scholarly scripts dealing with the mathematics and physics of peak profile functions in X-ray powder diffraction has been written using the Wolfram language inMathematica. Common distribution functions, the concept of convolution in real and Fourier space, instrumental aberrations, and microstructural effects are visualized in an interactive manner and explained in detail. This paper is the first part of a series dealing with the mathematical description of powder diffraction patterns for teaching and education purposes.
High-accuracy polarimetric studies on lead germanate single crystals
Authors: Shopa Mykola , Ftomyn Nazar , Shopa Yaroslav
Published: October 2021

A high-accuracy polarimetric technique has been used for the characterization of a lead germanate ferroelectric single crystal. The measurement results of the linear and circular birefringence in the [010] direction at a wavelength of 633 nm under the influence of an electric field are presented. Gyration–electric field hysteresis loops at alternative crystal positions in the polarization system have been used to determine the ellipticity of the eigenwaves. A temperature dependence of the gyration tensor component g
11 in the temperature range of 300–450 K was found.
Data- and diversity-driven development of a Shotgun crystallization screen using the Protein Data Bank
Authors: Abrahams Gabriel , Newman Janet
Published: October 2021

Protein crystallization has for decades been a critical and restrictive step in macromolecular structure determination via X-ray diffraction. Crystallization typically involves a multi-stage exploration of the available chemical space, beginning with an initial sampling (screening) followed by iterative refinement (optimization). Effective screening is important for reducing the number of optimization rounds required, reducing the cost and time required to determine a structure. Here, an initial screen (Shotgun II) derived from analysis of the up-to-date Protein Data Bank (PDB) is proposed and compared with the previously derived (2014) Shotgun I screen. In an update to that analysis, it is clarified that the Shotgun approach entails finding the crystallization conditions that cover the most diverse space of proteins by sequence found in the PDB, which can be mapped to the well known maximum coverage problem in computer science. With this realization, it was possible to apply a more effective algorithm for selecting conditions. In-house data demonstrate that compared with alternatives, the Shotgun I screen has been remarkably successful over the seven years that it has been in use, indicating that Shotgun II is also likely to be a highly effective screen.
An integrated lean and ISO 14001 framework for environmental performance: an assessment of New Zealand meat industry
Authors: Ahmed Aqeel , Mathrani Sanjay , Jayamaha Nihal
Published: October 2021

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to explore the implementation of an integrated lean and ISO 14001 approach in meat industry for environmental performance and examine a proposed conceptual framework by capturing insights from lean and ISO 14001 experts in New Zealand (NZ).

Design/methodology/approach

Semi-structured interviews have been conducted with a group of consultants (lean and ISO 14001) to evaluate the suitability of an integrated lean and ISO 14001 approach in the meat industry for environmental performance. A conceptual framework from literature has guided this study leading to its further development based on the empirical evidence collected.

Findings

Findings have illustrated a synergistic positive impact of lean and ISO 14001 implementation as an integrated approach for sustaining environmental performance in the meat industry. A joint implementation program provides more clarity in aligning ISO 14001 operational procedures with lean tools and techniques for an enhanced environmental performance outcome.

Practical implications

The application of an integrated lean and ISO 14001 framework is proposed in this paper, which can help industry practitioners and academia in developing a joint implementation strategy and conducting future research.

Originality/value

To the best of the author’s knowledge, this study is the first to assess the effective implementation of lean and ISO 14001 as an integrated approach in the NZ meat industry.
A data set of comparable estimates of the private rate of return to schooling in the world, 1970–2014
Authors: Montenegro Claudio E. , Patrinos Harry Anthony
Published: October 2021

Purpose

Young people experience lower employment, income and participation rates, as well as higher unemployment, compared to adults. Theory predicts that people respond to labor market information. For more than 50 years, researchers have reported on the patterns of estimated returns to schooling across economies, but the estimates are usually based on compilations of studies that may not be strictly comparable. The authors create a dataset of comparable estimates of the returns to education.

Design/methodology/approach

The data set on private returns to education includes estimates for 142 economies from 1970 to 2014 using 853 harmonized household surveys. This effort holds the constant definition of the dependent variable, the set of controls, sample definition and the estimation method for all surveys.

Findings

The authors estimate an average private rate of return to schooling of 10%. This provides a reasonable estimate of the returns to education and should be useful for a variety of empirical work, including critical information for youth.

Originality/value

This is the first attempt to bring together surveys from so many countries to create a global data set on the returns to education.
Thank you for sharing! How knowledge sharing and information availability affect public employees’ job satisfaction
Authors: Fischer Caroline , Döring Matthias
Published: October 2021

Purpose

This study aims to examine the impact of job-related knowledge sharing on information availability and job satisfaction for information-receiving employees in the public sector. Following self-determination theory, the study suggests that job satisfaction is only partly affected by knowledge sharing itself, but particularly through the availability of job-related information enabling the information receiver to work effectively.

Design/methodology/approach

The hypotheses are tested with data from the US Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey from 2018. Additionally, results are replicated with earlier waves of the survey.

Findings

Results show the positive impact of job-related knowledge sharing on job satisfaction, whereby the availability of job-relevant information mediates this relationship partially.

Practical implications

This study confirms that managers should provide room for social interactions when introducing knowledge management practices.

Originality/value

The results emphasize that knowledge sharing is a highly social process in which support and relatedness play a significant role in success in addition to the diffusion of information itself.
Understanding misinformation and rumors that generated panic buying as a social practice during COVID-19 pandemic: evidence from Twitter, YouTube and focus group interviews
Authors: Naeem Muhammad , Ozuem Wilson
Published: October 2021

Purpose

The purpose of the study is to understand how socially shared misinformation and rumors can enhance the motivation to protect personal interests and enhance social practices of panic buying.

Design/methodology/approach

The study employed a number of qualitative data collection methods for the purpose of triangulation, as it can offer thick interpretation and can help to develop a context specific research framework.

Findings

The shared misinformation and rumors on social media developed into psychological, physical and social threats; therefore, people started panic buying to avoid these negative consequences. People believed that there were differences between the information shared by politicians and government officials and reality, such as “everything is under control,” whereas social media showed people standing in long queues and struggling to buy the necessities of life. The shared misinformation and rumors on social media became viral and received social validation, which created panic buying in many countries.

Research limitations/implications

It is the responsibility of government, politicians, leaders, media and the public to control misinformation and rumors, as many people were unable to buy groceries due either to socio-economic status or their decisions of late buying, which increased depression among people.

Originality/value

The study merged the theory of rumor (TORT) transmission and protection motivation theory (PMT) to understand how misinformation and rumors shared through social media increased global uncertainty and the desire to panic buy across the world.
Exploring library management support for enhancing self-directed learning: narratives from research-support librarians
Authors: Samah Nazrinda A. , Mohd Tahir Lokman , Wan Mamat Wan Ali @ Wan Yusoff
Published: October 2021

Purpose

This qualitative study explores the issue of library management support in providing a self-directed learning environment for research-support librarians which is an under-explored feature of librarianship in Malaysian public university libraries.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of nine research-support librarians purposely selected from these libraries took part in in-depth interview sessions. The responses were analysed using Miles and Huberman's technique, which involves data reduction, data display, conclusion-drawing and verification.

Findings

Five emerging themes and 31 sub-themes were identified. There was a general consensus among the respondents that their library management does provide research-support librarians with a self-directed learning environment to enhance their competencies as academic librarians. Nevertheless, these librarians also highlighted some challenges, issues and barriers related to the initiative and support received. Some suggestions are advanced for improvements to support self-directed learning by research-support librarians working in public university libraries.

Originality/value

Empirically, this study attempts to fill the gap in the knowledge that needs to be addressed from the perspective of Malaysian librarians, especially the research-support librarians, who serve in public universities in Malaysia, who have received little attention from local librarianship researchers.
Exploring the critical success determinants for supply chain management in modular integrated construction projects
Authors: Wuni Ibrahim Yahaya , Shen Geoffrey Qiping
Published: October 2021

Purpose

Modular integrated construction (MiC) projects are co-created by a network of organizations and players providing different roles, information and activities throughout the supply chains. Hence, a successful delivery of MiC projects can hardly be decoupled from effective supply chain management (SCM). This study investigated the critical success determinants of effective SCM in MiC projects.

Design/methodology/approach

Comprehensive literature research and expert review identified 20 candidate success determinants, which formed the basis for a structured questionnaire survey of experts in eighteen countries. The study computed the mean scores, normalized mean values and significance indices of success determinants for SCM in MiC projects.

Findings

The analysis revealed that design for SCM, effective communication and information sharing, organizational readiness and familiarity with MiC, seamless integration and coordination of supply chain, early involvement of critical supply chain stakeholders and extensive supply chain planning are the top five critical success determinants of effective SCM in MiC projects. The 20 success determinants are categorized into five: project strategy, bespoke competencies, process management, stakeholder management and risk management.

Research limitations/implications

The study has some limitations. The smaller sample size could affect the generalizability of the results. The generalized analysis of the success determinants overlooked their sensitivities to specific contexts, industry climates and project types.

Originality/value

The study established a novel set of critical success determinants for SCM in MiC projects that have not been explicitly discussed in the MiC success literature and described their hypothetical dynamic linkages. It contributes to a better understanding of how best to manage the MiC project supply chain effectively.