bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection Increases the Risk of Incident Uveitis Among People Living With HIV/AIDS
Authors: Yen Yung-Feng , Feng Jia-Yih , Yi-Fong Su Vincent , Chuang Pei-Hung , Ko Ming-Chung , Chen Chu-Chieh , Li Yi-Jie , Pan Sheng-Wei , Su Wei-Juin
Published: June 2018

Background:

Case reports indicated that HIV itself may be a direct cause of uveitis. However, the association of HIV with incident uveitis has not been extensively studied. This nationwide cohort study determined the association of HIV with incident uveitis.

Methods:

Since January 1, 2003, we identified adult people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) from Taiwan Centers for Disease Control HIV Surveillance Database. A control cohort without HIV infection, matched for age and sex, was selected for comparison from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. The time-dependent Cox proportional hazards model was used to determine the associations of HIV and highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) with incident uveitis, while considering death as a competing risk event.

Results:

Of the total 120,430 patients (24,086 PLWHA and 96,344 matched controls), 609 (0.51%) had incident uveitis, including 334 (1.39%) PLWHA and 265 (0.28%) controls. After adjusting for age, sex, and comorbidities, HIV infection was found to be an independent risk factor for incident uveitis [adjusted hazard ratio (AHR), 5.55; 95% confidence interval (CI): 4.67 to 6.59]. Within PLWHA, the risk of incident uveitis was significantly higher in those who received HAART (AHR, 2.46; 95% CI: 1.71 to 3.54). In addition, considering the short- and long-term effects of HAART on incident uveitis, HAART was found to associate with a higher risk of uveitis development within 1 year of treatment (AHR, 3.36; 95% CI: 2.41 to 4.69), but not after 1 year of HAART initiation (AHR, 1.14; 95% CI: 0.76 to 1.72).

Conclusions:

HIV infection is an independent risk factor for incident uveitis.
Brief Report: Antimalarial Benefit of HIV Antiretroviral Therapy in Areas of Low to Moderate Malaria Transmission Intensity
Authors: Greenhalgh Scott , Hobbs Charlotte V. , Parikh Sunil
Published: June 2018

Background:

We previously used mathematical modeling to predict reduced malaria incidence in children with protease inhibitor (PI)-, compared with nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor–, based highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), in moderate to high malaria transmission areas. These effects were accounted for, in part, by pharmacokinetic (PK) interactions between PIs and artemether–lumefantrine (AL).

Objective:

Because of potentially reduced malaria transmission reservoirs in HIV-infected children due to PI/AL PK interactions impacting non–HIV-infected children, we estimate the antimalarial benefit of PI-based HAART in all children, and in HIV-infected children only residing in low to moderate malaria transmission areas.

Design:

A dynamic model of malaria transmission was developed to evaluate the PK interaction of PI-based HAART with the antimalarial, AL for preventing malaria.

Methods:

To evaluate the benefit of HIV PI-based HAART on malaria incidence, a malaria transmission model with varying degrees of HIV newborn prevalence was developed using recent pediatric clinical trial data in Lilongwe, Malawi.

Results:

Comparing situations of low to high HIV newborn prevalence, and low to moderate malaria transmission intensities, our model predicts the combination of PI-based HAART with AL-treated malaria prevents 0.04–24.8 and 0.05–34.5 annual incidences of malaria overall per 1000 children, and saves 0.003–1.66 and 0.003–2.30 disability-adjusted life years per 1000 children, respectively. When incorporating seasonality, 0.01–7.3 and 0.01–5.9 annual incidences of malaria overall per 1000 children, and 0.0–0.5 and 0.001–0.41 disability-adjusted life years per 100 children, are prevented, respectively.

Conclusions:

In low to moderate malaria transmission intensity areas, PI-based HAART may reduce malaria events in children when AL is used.
Integrated Treatment for Smoking Cessation, Anxiety, and Depressed Mood in People Living With HIV: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: O'Cleirigh Conall , Zvolensky Michael J. , Smits Jasper A. J. , Labbe Allison K. , Coleman Jessica N. , Wilner Julianne G. , Stanton Amelia M. , Gonzalez Adam , Garey Lorra , Regenauer Kristen S. , Rosenfield David
Published: June 2018

Objective:

Among people living with HIV, cigarette smoking rates are higher than among the general population, and anxiety, depression, and their disorders are common and associated with smoking and poorer outcomes during cessation. This study evaluated the efficacy of an integrated smoking cessation intervention, developed to target anxiety, depression, and smoking cessation concurrently among people living with HIV.

Method:

Smokers living with HIV who reported at least moderate motivation to quit smoking were randomized into a novel 9-week integrated intervention (QUIT), consisting of 1 psychoeducation (prerandomization) session and 9 weekly 1-hour sessions of cognitive behavioral therapy for smoking cessation and anxiety/depression plus nicotine replacement therapy, or a 9-week enhanced standard smoking intervention (ETAU), consisting of 1 psychoeducation session (prerandomization) and 4 brief weekly check-in sessions plus nicotine replacement therapy. All were instructed to make a quit attempt at week 6.

Results:

Seventy-two participants were enrolled, and 53 were randomized. 41/53 participants completed the active treatment phase of the study. 7-day point-prevalence abstinence, verified with expired carbon monoxide, was significantly higher among those in the integrated intervention than those in the enhanced standard intervention both end-of-treatment {[MQUIT = 59%, METAU = 9%; b = 5.60, 95% confidence interval: (2.64 to 8.56), t(332) = 3.72, P < 0.001]} and 6-months post-quit date {[MQUIT = 46%, METAU = 5%; b = 7.69, 95% confidence interval: (4.60 to 10.78), t(332) = 4.90, P < 0.001]}. Consideration of patterns of missingness did not alter the significance of these findings.

Conclusions:

The integrated intervention was associated with substantially higher short-term and long-term abstinence rates than the enhanced standard intervention. These data provide promising initial evidence supporting the benefits of an integrated anxiety–depression/smoking cessation program specifically tailored for people living with HIV.
A Roadmap for Aspiring Surgeon-Scientists in Today's Healthcare Environment
Authors: Goldstein Allan M. , Blair Alex B. , Keswani Sundeep G. , Gosain Ankush , Morowitz Michael , Kuo John S. , Levine Matthew , Ahuja Nita , Hackam David J.
Published: June 2018

Objective:

Surgeon-scientists are an essential component of the field of academic surgery, contributing to the fundamental understanding of disease and the discovery of innovative therapies. Despite this recognized value, the current landscape of academic medicine presents significant barriers to establishing and maintaining a successful career as a surgeon performing basic/translational research. Our objective is to define these barriers to academic success for surgeons, and to provide a consensus strategy for optimizing the chances of success.

Summary Background Data:

There is a significant decline in the proportion of academic surgeons who are pursuing basic science/translational research, which represents a potential threat to the very identify of the translational surgeon-scientist.

Methods:

Based on published literature and expert opinion, the Basic Science Committee of the Society of University of Surgeons prepared this roadmap to encourage and guide the next generation of surgeon-scientists as they embark on their academic careers.

Results:

This roadmap highlights key elements to consider in choosing an initial job and the importance of identifying a team of committed mentors. Expectations and guidelines for the first several years in practice are offered.

Conclusions:

With guidance and mentorship, aspiring surgeonscientists can overcome the challenges inherent in choosing this career path and sustain the important legacy of those before them.
Radiotherapy and cisplatin increase immunotherapy efficacy by enabling local and systemic intratumoral T-cell activity
Authors: Kroon Paula , Frijlink Elselien , Iglesias-Guimarais Victoria , Volkov Andriy , van Buuren Marit M , Schumacher Ton N , Verheij Marcel , Borst Jannie , Verbrugge Inge
Published: June 2018

To increase cancer immunotherapy success, PD-1 blockade must be combined with rationally selected treatments. Here, we examined in a poorly immunogenic mouse breast cancer model the potential of antibody-based immunomodulation and conventional anti-cancer treatments to collaborate with anti-PD-1 treatment. One important requirement to improve anti-PD-1-mediated tumor control was to promote tumor-specific cytotoxic T cell (CTL) priming, which was achieved by stimulating the CD137 costimulatory receptor. A second requirement was to overrule PD-1-unrelated mechanisms of CTL suppression in the tumor micro-environment (TME). This was achieved by radiotherapy and cisplatin treatment. In the context of CD137/PD-1-targeting immunotherapy, radiotherapy allowed for tumor elimination by altering the TME, rather than intrinsic CTL functionality. Combining this radioimmunotherapy regimen with low-dose cisplatin improved CTL-dependent regression of a contralateral tumor outside the radiation field. Thus, systemic tumor control may be achieved by combining immunotherapy protocols that promote T cell priming with (chemo)radiation protocols that permit CTL activity in both the irradiated tumor and (occult) metastases.

Summary statement

This study reveals that radiotherapy and cisplatin can be ‘re-purposed’ to improve antibody-based immunotherapy success in poorly immunogenic breast cancer by overruling PD-1 unrelated mechanisms of T cell suppression in the tumor micro-environment.
The evolution of a beneficial association between an animal and a microbial community
Authors: Rebar D. , Leggett H. C. , Aspinall S.M.L. , Duarte A. , Kilner R.M.
Published: June 2018

Animals are now known to be intimately associated with microbial communities, some of which enhance animal fitness. Yet relatively little is known about how these beneficial associations initially arose. We investigated this problem with an experiment on burying beetles, Nicrophorus vespilloides, which breed on the body of a small dead vertebrate. We found that burying beetles breeding on germ-free mice produced smaller larvae, with lower fitness, than those breeding on conventional germ-laden mice. Thus, burying beetles gain benefits from the microbial community associated with their carrion breeding resource, because they lose fitness when this community is removed experimentally. Our experiment suggests that a symbiosis between an animal and a microbial community might begin as an adaptation to the microbial ecosystem in which the animal lives, even when these microbes exist outside the animal, are transiently associated with it at each generation and are not directly transmitted from parents to offspring.
Improving peptide-spectrum matching by fragmentation prediction using Hidden Markov Models
Authors: Kirik Ufuk , Refsgaard Jan C. , Jensen Lars J.
Published: June 2018

Tandem mass-spectrometry has become the method of choice for high-throughput, quantitative analysis in proteomics. However, since the link between the peptides and the proteins they originate from is typically broken, identification of the analyzed peptides relies on matching of the fragmentation spectra (MS2) to theoretical spectra of possible candidate peptides, often filtered for precursor ion mass. To this end, peptide-spectrum matching algorithms score the concordance between the experimental and the theoretical spectra of candidate peptides, by evaluating the number (or proportion) of theoretically possible fragment ions observed in the experimental spectra, without any discrimination. However, the assumption that each theoretical fragment is just as likely to be observed is inaccurate. On the contrary, MS2 spectra often have few dominant fragments.

We propose a novel prediction algorithm based on a hidden Markov model, which allow for the training process to be carried out very efficiently. Using millions of MS/MS spectra generated in our lab, we found an overall good reproducibility across different fragmentation spectra, given the precursor peptide and charge state. This result implies that there is indeed a pattern to fragmentation that justifies using machine learning methods. Furthermore, the overall agreement between spectra of the same peptide at the same charge state serves as an upper limit on how well prediction algorithms can be expected to perform.

We have investigated the performance of a third order HMM model, trained on several million MS2 spectra, in various ways. Compared to a mock model, in which the fragment ions and their intensities are shuffled, we see a clear difference in prediction accuracy using our model. This result indicates that our model can pick up meaningful patterns, i.e. we can indeed learn the fragmentation process. Secondly, looking at the variability of the prediction performance by varying the train/test data split, in a K-fold cross validation scheme, we observed an overall robust model that performs well independent of the specific peptides that are present in the training data.

Last but not least, we propose that the real value of this model is as a pre-processing step in the peptide identification process, by discerning fragment ions that are unlikely to be intense for a given candidate peptide, rather than using the actual predicted intensities. As such, probabilistic measures of concordance between experimental and theoretical spectra, would leverage better statistics.
The effects on neutral variability of recurrent selective sweeps and background selection
Authors: Campos José Luis , Charlesworth Brian
Published: June 2018

Levels of variability and rates of adaptive evolution may be affected by hitchhiking, the effect of selection on evolution at linked sites. Hitchhiking can be caused either by selective sweeps or by background selection, involving the spread of new favorable alleles or the elimination of deleterious mutations, respectively. Recent analyses of population genomic data have fitted models where both these processes act simultaneously, in order to infer the parameters of selection. Here, we investigate the consequences of relaxing a key assumption of some of these studies – that the time occupied by a selective sweep is negligible compared with the neutral coalescent time. We derive a new expression for the expected level of neutral variability in the presence of recurrent selective sweeps and background selection. We also derive approximate integral expressions for the effects of recurrent selective sweeps. The accuracy of the theoretical predictions was tested against multilocus simulations, with selection, recombination and mutation parameters that are realistic forDrosophila melanogaster. In the presence of crossing over, there is approximate agreement between the theoretical and simulation results. We show that the observed relations between the rate of crossing over and the level of synonymous site diversity and rate of adaptive evolution in Drosophila are probably mainly caused by background selection, whereas selective sweeps and population size changes are needed to produce the observed distortions of the site frequency spectrum.
Efficient coding of subjective value
Authors: Polanía Rafael , Woodford Michael , Ruff Christian C.
Published: June 2018

Preference-based decisions are essential for survival, for instance when deciding what we should (not) eat. Despite their importance, choices based on preferences are surprisingly variable and can appear irrational in ways that have defied mechanistic explanations. Here we propose that subjective valuation results from an inference process that accounts for the information structure of values in the environment and that maximizes information in value representations in line with demands imposed by limited coding resources. A model of this inference process explains the variability in both subjective value reports and preference-based choices, and predicts a new preference illusion that we validate with empirical data. Interestingly, the same model also explains the level of confidence associated with these reports. Our results imply that preference-based decisions reflect information-maximizing transmission and statistically optimal decoding of subjective values by a limited-capacity system. These findings provide a unified account of how humans perceive and valuate the environment to optimally guide behavior.
Nanopore sequencing of long ribosomal DNA amplicons enables portable and simple biodiversity assessments with high phylogenetic resolution across broad taxonomic scale
Authors: Krehenwinkel Henrik , Pomerantz Aaron , Henderson James B. , Kennedy Susan R. , Lim Jun Ying , Swamy Varun , Shoobridge Juan Diego , Patel Nipam H. , Gillespie Rosemary G. , Prost Stefan
Published: June 2018

Background

In light of the current biodiversity crisis, DNA barcoding is developing into an essential tool to quantify state shifts in global ecosystems. Current barcoding protocols often rely on short amplicon sequences, which yield accurate identification of biological entities in a community, but provide limited phylogenetic resolution across broad taxonomic scales. However, the phylogenetic structure of communities is an essential component of biodiversity. Consequently, a barcoding approach is required that unites robust taxonomic assignment power and high phylogenetic utility. A possible solution is offered by sequencing long ribosomal DNA (rDNA) amplicons on the MinION platform (Oxford Nanopore Technologies).

Results

Using a dataset of various animal and plant species, with a focus on arthropods, we assemble a pipeline for long rDNA barcode analysis and introduce a new software (MiniBar) to demultiplex dual indexed nanopore reads. We find excellent phylogenetic and taxonomic resolution offered by long rDNA sequences across broad taxonomic scales. We highlight the simplicity of our approach by field barcoding with a miniaturized, mobile laboratory in a remote rainforest. We also test the utility of long rDNA amplicons for analysis of community diversity through metabarcoding and find that they recover highly skewed diversity estimates.

Conclusions

Sequencing dual indexed, long rDNA amplicons on the MinION platform is a straightforward, cost effective, portable and universal approach for eukaryote DNA barcoding. Long rDNA amplicons scale up DNA barcoding by enabling the accurate recovery of taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity. However, bulk community analyses using long-read approaches may introduce biases and will require further exploration.
Functional and genetic characterization of anincF-type multidrug resistance plasmid isolated from fresh spinach
Authors: Ajayi Adeyinka O. , Perry Benjamin J. , Yost Christopher K.
Published: June 2018

The presence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and clinically-relevant antibiotic resistance genes within raw foods is an on-going food safety concern. It is particularly important to be aware of the microbial quality of fresh produce because foods such as leafy greens including lettuce and spinach are minimally processed and often consumed raw therefore they often lack a microbial inactivation step. This study characterizes the genetic and functional aspects of a mobile, multidrug resistance plasmid, pLGP4, isolated from fresh spinach bought from a farmers’ market. pLGP4 was isolated using a bacterial conjugation approach. The functional characteristics of the plasmid were determined using multidrug resistance profiling and plasmid stability assays. pLGP4 was resistant to six of the eight antibiotics tested and included ciprofloxacin and meropenem. The plasmid was stably maintained within host strains in the absence of an antibiotic selection. The plasmid DNA was sequenced using an Illumina MiSeq high throughput sequencing approach and assembled into contigs using SPAdes. PCR mapping and Sanger DNA sequencing of PCR amplicons was used to complete the plasmid DNA sequence. Comparative sequence analysis determined that the plasmid was similar to plasmids that have been frequently associated with multidrug resistant clinical isolates ofKlebsiella spp. DNA sequence analysis showed pLGP4 harbouredqnrB1and several other antibiotic resistance genes including three β-lactamases:blaTEM-1,blaCTX-M-15andblaOXA-1. The detection of a multidrug-resistant, clinically-relevant plasmid on fresh spinach emphasizes the importance for vegetable producers to implement evidence-based food safety approaches into their production practises to ensure the food safety of leafy greens.
Categorized analysis of forest ecological values in the China’s conversion cropland to forest program
Authors: Yuan Wen-Ge , Zheng Jian-Wei , Gu Jian-Cai , Lu Gui-Qiao
Published: June 2018

Background

The China’s Conversion Cropland to Forest Program (CCFP) is one of the large state ecological construction programs. Up to now, the program has effectively improved the ecological environment and produced large ecological benefit. However, there were also some problems in its implementation process, the program has been sometimes less effective than the expected.

Methods

Based on the data and the methods of ‘State report on monitoring ecological effects in CCFP’ and the Chinese Forest Ecosystem Research Network (CFERN) in 2013, we analyzed the categorized ‘forest ecological benefit value’ (B-V) s in the three forest restoration ways in different regions in China to provide references for CCFP construction.

Results

The unit area B-Vs in CCFP varied between 35 000 RMBs.hm−2.a−1and 100 000 RMBs.hm−2.a−1. Water conservation B-V and species conservation B-V were the two largest constituents, nutrient accumulation B-V was the least in all the categorized B-Vs on regional and unit area scale. The rank of restoration ways on average unit area total B-Vs was—‘hillside forest conservation’ > ‘returning cropland to forest’ > ‘afforestation on suitable barren hills and wasteland’ in CCFP. Among the categorized B-Vs, some pairs were positively correlated with each other and some were negatively correlative. The correlation coefficients and some regression equations were given in the text and the attached Fig.s.

Conclusions

Water conservation B-V was the highest and nutrient accumulation B-V was the lowest whether on regional or unit area scale in CCFP.

Forest ecological B-Vs varied in different forest restoration ways and different regions in CCFP. The ‘hillside forest conservation’ restoration way and the water conservation B-V should be paid more attention in China’s future forest restoration. We suggest that suitable forest restoration ways should be selective according to the regional specific and ecological targets.

There were correlations among the categorized B-Vs, and the correlations varied with different forest restoration ways in CCFP. Knowing about the correlations could clarify the targeted restoration ways according to the goal of ecological benefit.
Heritability Estimation and Differential Analysis with Generalized Linear Mixed Models in Genomic Sequencing Studies
Authors: Sun Shiquan , Zhu Jiaqiang , Mozaffari Sahar , Ober Carole , Chen Mengjie , Zhou Xiang
Published: June 2018

Motivation

Genomic sequencing studies, including RNA sequencing and bisulfite sequencing studies, are becoming increasingly common and increasingly large. Large genomic sequencing studies open doors for accurate molecular trait heritability estimation and powerful differential analysis. Heritability estimation and differential analysis in sequencing studies requires the development of statistical methods that can properly account for the count nature of the sequencing data and that are computationally efficient for large data sets.

Results

Here, we develop such a method, PQLseq (Penalized Quasi-Likelihood for sequencing count data), to enable effective and efficient heritability estimation and differential analysis using the generalized linear mixed model framework. With extensive simulations and comparisons to previous methods, we show that PQLseq is the only method currently available that can produce unbiased heritability estimates for sequencing count data. In addition, we show that PQLseq is well suited for differential analysis in large sequencing studies, providing calibrated type I error control and more power compared to the standard linear mixed model methods. Finally, we apply PQLseq to perform gene expression heritability estimation and differential expression analysis in a large RNA sequencing study in the Hutterites.

Availability and implementation

PQLseq is implemented as an R package with source code freely available atwww.xzlab.org/software.htmlandhttps://cran.r-project.org/web/packages/PQLseq/index.html.

Contact

XZ (xzhousph@umich.edu)

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available online.
Efficient Synthesis of Mutants Using Genetic Crosses
Authors: Pratapa Aditya , Jalihal Amogh P. , Ravi S. S. , Murali T. M.
Published: June 2018

The genetic cross is a fundamental, flexible, and widely-used experimental technique to create new mutant strains from existing ones. Surprisingly, the problem of how to efficiently compute a sequence of crosses that can make a desired target mutant from a set of source mutants has received scarce attention. In this paper, we make three contributions to this question.

First, we formulate several natural problems related to efficient synthesis of a target mutant from source mutants. Our formulations capture experimentally-useful notions of verifiability (e.g the need to confirm that a mutant contains mutations in the desired genes) and permissibility (e.g., the requirement that no intermediate mutants in the synthesis be inviable).

Second, we develop combinatorial techniques to solve these problems. We prove that checking the existence of a verifiable, permissible synthesis is NP-complete in general. We complement this result with three polynomial time or fixed-parameter tractable algorithms for optimal synthesis of a target mutant for special cases of the problem that arise in practice.

Third, we apply these algorithms to simulated data and to synthetic data. We use results from simulations of a mathematical model of the cell cycle to replicate realistic experimental scenarios where a biologist may be interested in creating several mutants in order to verify model predictions. Our results show that the consideration of permissible mutants can affect the existence of a synthesis or the number of crosses in an optimal one. Our algorithms gracefully handle the restrictions that permissible mutants impose. Results on synthetic data show that our algorithms scale well with increases in the size of the input and the fixed parameters.
A biologically driven directional change in susceptibility to global-scale glaciation during the Precambrian-Cambrian transition
Authors: Boyle Richard A. , Löscher Carolin R.
Published: June 2018

Integrated geological evidence suggests that grounded ice sheets occurred at sea level across all latitudes during two intervals within the Neoproterozoic era; the “snowball Earth” (SBE) events. Glacial events at ~730 and ~650 million years ago (Ma) were probably followed by a less severe but nonetheless global-scale glaciation at ~580Ma, immediately preceding the proliferation of the first fossils exhibiting unambiguous animal-like form. Existing modelling identifies weathering-induced CO2 draw-down as a critical aspect of glacial inception, but ultimately attributes the SBE phenomenon to unusual tectonic boundary conditions. Here we suggest that the evident directional decrease in Earth’s susceptibility to a SBE suggests that such a-directional abiotic factors are an insufficient explanation for the lack of SBE events since ~580 Ma. Instead we hypothesize that the terrestrial biosphere’s capacity to sustain a given level of biotic weathering-enhancement under suboptimal/declining temperatures, itself decreased over time: because lichens (with a relatively robust tolerance of sub-optimal temperatures) were gradually displaced on the land surface by more complex photosynthetic life (with a narrower temperature window for growth). We use a simple modelling exercise to highlight the critical (but neglected) importance of the temperature sensitivity of the biotic weathering enhancement factor and discuss the likely values of key parameters in relation to both experiments and the results of complex climate models. We show how the terrestrial biosphere’s capacity to sustain a given level of silicate-weathering-induced CO2 draw-down is critical to the temperature/greenhouse forcing at which SBE initiation is conceivable. We do not dispute the importance of low degassing rate and other tectonic factors, but propose that the unique feature of the Neoproterozoic was biology’s capacity to tip the system over the edge into a runaway ice-albedo feedback; compensating for the self-limiting decline in weathering rate during the temperature decrease on the approach to glaciation. Such compensation was more significant in the Neoproterozoic than the Phanerozoic due, ultimately, to changes in the species composition of the weathering interface over the course of evolutionary time.
Crystal structures and kinetic analyses ofN-acetylmannosamine-6-phosphate 2-epimerases fromFusobacterium nucleatumandVibrio cholerae
Authors: Manjunath Lavanyaa , Guntupalli Sai Rohit , Currie Michael J. , North Rachel A. , Dobson Renwick C. J. , Nayak Vinod , Subramanian Ramaswamy
Published: June 2018

Sialic acids are nine-carbon sugars that are found abundantly on the cell surfaces of mammals as glycoprotein or glycolipid complexes. Several Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria have the ability to scavenge and catabolize sialic acids to use as a carbon source. This gives them an advantage in colonizing sialic acid-rich environments. The genes of the sialic acid catabolic pathway are generally present as the operonnanAKE. The third gene in the operon encodes the enzymeN-acetylmannosamine-6-phosphate 2-epimerase (NanE), which catalyzes the conversion ofN-acetylmannosamine 6-phosphate toN-acetylglucosamine 6-phosphate, thus committing it to enter glycolysis. The NanE enzyme belongs to the isomerase class of enzymes possessing the triose phosphate isomerase (TIM) barrel fold. Here, comparative structural and functional characterizations of the NanE epimerases from two pathogenic Gram-negative bacteria,Fusobacterium nucleatum(Fn) andVibrio cholerae(Vc), have been carried out. Structures of NanE from Vc (VcNanE) with and without ligand bound have been determined to 1.7 and 2.7 Å resolution, respectively. The structure of NanE from Fn (FnNanE) has been determined to 2.2 Å resolution. The enzymes show kinetic parameters that are consistent with those ofClostridium perfringensNanE. These studies allowed an evaluation of whether NanE may be a good drug target against these pathogenic bacteria.
Qualitative job insecurity and turnover intention
Authors: Urbanaviciute Ieva , Lazauskaite-Zabielske Jurgita , Vander Elst Tinne , De Witte Hans
Published: June 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to test two hypotheses. First, an indirect relationship between qualitative job insecurity and turnover intention through basic psychological need satisfaction was investigated. Second, a moderated mediation analysis was conducted to explore potential sectoral differences in this indirect relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

A cross-sectional design was used to collect and analyze the data. In total, 358 employees participated in the study (private sectorn=178, public sectorn=180). The data were collected through an online survey platform.

Findings

Qualitative job insecurity was indirectly related to turnover intention through the satisfaction of the basic psychological needs for autonomy, competence and relatedness. The indirect relationships were more salient in the private sector.

Research limitations/implications

Basic psychological needs may explain the relationship between qualitative job insecurity and turnover intention. Furthermore, sector differences may exist in the way job insecurity is responded to. However, a longitudinal study is necessary to confirm the sequential effects.

Originality/value

The study provides a constructive replication of the findings on basic psychological need satisfaction as a mediator between job insecurity and employee outcomes. A novel aspect is the authors’ focus on sector differences, which draws attention to contextual factors that may shape the way employees respond to job-insecure situations.
The role of geographic spillovers in employment policy planning: an empirical investigation for Russian regions
Authors: Aldieri Luigi , Kotsemir Maxim , Vinci Concetto Paolo
Published: June 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to look at the factors driving labour creation in Russia, while paying attention to the role of innovation policy. The study considers innovation variables with indicators linked to social conditions (social filter component) and geographical spillovers for 85 regions during the period 2010-2016.

Design/methodology/approach

In particular, the study uses latitude and longitude coordinates to compute the distance between Russian regions according to the Haversine formula. In this manner, it measures the spillovers as the weighted sum of R&D capital stock on the basis of computed distance, according to the accessibility index procedure.

Findings

The finding is very important in terms of policy implications for supporting employment. As the results stress that own innovation produces labour creation effects, while knowledge spillovers are labour-saving, the study could conclude that regional innovation policy may have undetermined the objective of an efficient level of absorptive capacity able to benefit positively from external innovation.

Originality/value

The study contributes to the literature by exploring whether geographical spillovers are labour-friendly or labour-saving in Russia.
Trust, commitment, customer intimacy and customer loyalty in Islamic banking relationships
Authors: Tabrani Mirza , Amin Muslim , Nizam Ahmad
Published: June 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of trust in enhancing customer loyalty, and to test the mediation role of commitment and customer intimacy in the relationship between trust and customer loyalty.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 500 questionnaires were distributed and 200 were returned (40 percent response rate), and a structural equation modeling technique was used to test the hypotheses.

Findings

The results of this study show that trust has a significant relationship with commitment and customer intimacy but no significant relationship was found with customer loyalty. Commitment and customer intimacy have a significant relationship with customer loyalty. The mediation analysis reveals that commitment and customer intimacy play a mediation role in the relationship between trust and customer loyalty.

Practical implications

This study indicates that commitment and customer intimacy affect customer loyalty. The role of commitment and customer intimacy as a mediator between trust and customer loyalty indicates that customers are committed to continuing and maintaining the relationships with Islamic banks.

Originality/value

This study provides empirical evidence on interrelationships between trust, commitment, customer intimacy and customer loyalty in banking relationships.
Development of whole garment formed on four-bed computerized flat knitting machine
Authors: Peng Jiajia , Jiang Gaoming , Cong Honglian , Luo Xuan , Zhao Yan
Published: June 2018

Purpose

The whole garment technology offers a solution for the production efficiency by directly knitting a seamless tubular garment. Due to its complexity, high requirements and few references, the technology has not been widely applied in mass production. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to show garment technology’s detailed design method, the technique calculation process and its merits compared than common technology.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper first analyzes the knitting principle of the four-bed computerized flat knitting machine from its configuration. After that, the design method is putted forward as well as the technique calculation process. To reveal the advantages of the whole garment technology, this paper builds a comprehensive evaluation system by comparing the knitting time, labor cost and the yarn consumption.

Findings

With the evaluation system, the whole garment technology is proved to be more productive, cost-saving and less materials-consuming. Moreover, this advantage stands more out when the machine gage is higher.

Research limitations/implications

Due to limited research time and references, this paper only presents the whole garment technology for knitting common and traditional styles. More complicated and fashioned garments can be studied in the future research.

Practical implications

The design method and technology presented in this paper can be used as a reference for both the designers in the manufacture industry and the scholars for academic research works.

Originality/value

This paper has presented the whole garment technology and a specific method for technique calculation with consideration of garment structures. It also builds a evaluation system to show the advantages in terms of knitting efficiency, labor cost and yarn consumption.
Travel motivation of Indonesian seniors in choosing destination overseas
Authors: Wijaya Serli , Wahyudi Wahyuniwati , Kusuma Claudia Benita , Sugianto Evelyn
Published: June 2018

Purpose

This study focuses on the Indonesian seniors’ motivation in terms of travelling to a destination abroad. Using the push–pull motivation constructs and recognising the role of culture in influencing travel behaviour, the purpose of this study is to develop a better understanding of the underlying factors that explain why Indonesian seniors travel to and select an international destination.

Design/methodology/approach

A questionnaire-based survey was completed to collect data from 246 Indonesian seniors aged 55 years and over who had travelled overseas. Factor analysis was applied to reduce the total of 34 push and pull travel motivation items into new underlying factors. Informal interviews were also undertaken to support the analysis.

Findings

Personal development, relaxation and relationship enhancement appeared to be the three factors that internally pushed the seniors to travel abroad. Meanwhile, facilities and hygiene, destination familiarity, value for money and destination proximity, local attractions and supporting travel facilities were found to be the factors that pulled the seniors to select an international destination they would like to visit. The emergence of relationship enhancement, destination familiarity and value for money and destination proximity factors were evident that the unique aspect of Indonesian cultural values could shape the motivation of Indonesian seniors to go travelling.

Originality/value

Although studies on senior travel motivation are abundant, empirical research studies that focus on examining Indonesian senior travel behaviour are still rare. This study therefore serves as one of the first attempts to examine the behaviour of Indonesian seniors when undertaking outbound travel trip. Based on the study’s findings, practical recommendations were offered to tourism stakeholders involved in tailoring a specific tourism product and services for the Indonesian senior tourist market.
Compassion on university degree programmes at a UK university
Authors: Gilbert Theo , Doolan, NTF Martina , Beka Sylvia , Spencer Neil , Crotta Matteo , Davari Soheil
Published: June 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the neuroscience that underpins the psychology of compassion as a competency. The authors explain why this cognitive competency is now taught and assessed on modules of different degree subjects in a UK university.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is divided into first, an exploration of recent psychology and neuroscience literature that illuminates the differences, and relationship, between empathy and compassion for safeness building in teams. Within that, the role of oxytocin in achieving social and intellectual rewards though the exercise of cognitive flexibility, working memory and impulsive inhibitory control (Zelazoet al., 2016) is also identified. The literature findings are compared against relevant qualitative data from the above university, so far, nine years of mixed methods action research on compassion-focussed pedagogy (CfP).

Findings

These are that the concept and practice of embedding compassion as an assessed cognitive competency in university group work is illuminated and rationalised by research findings in neuroscience.

Research limitations/implications

The limitations of the study are that, so far, fMRI research methods have not been used to investigate student subjects involved in the CfP now in use.

Practical implications

The paper has implications for theory, policy and practice in relation to managing the increasing amount of group work that accompanies widening participation in higher education (HE).

Social implications

The social implications of what is outlined in the paper pertain to student mental health, and academic achievement; to policy and practice for HE curriculum design across subjects and disciplines; and for the HE remit to serve the public good.

Originality/value

A review of this kind specifically for student assessed group and its implications for student academic achievement and mental health has not, apparently, been published.
Work-life balance psychological contract perceptions for older workers
Authors: Kraak Johannes Marcelus , Russo Marcello , Jiménez Alfredo
Published: June 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of work–life balance (WLB) inducements of the psychological contract on three work-related outcomes for a sample of Dutch older workers: psychological contract breach, turnover intentions and intentions to participate in development activities.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper employs polynomial regression and response surface methodology.

Findings

Results show that the volume at which fulfillment occurs is important in predicting feelings of psychological contract violation and intentions to engage in development activities but that this relationship is not straightforward for turnover intentions. Furthermore, under- and over-fulfillment have different relationships with intentions to participate in development activities than previous literature suggests. Additionally, gender moderates a number of the relationships in this study.

Originality/value

This study provides detailed insights regarding the dynamics between promised and delivered WLB inducements and outcomes for a sample of older workers instead of presenting generalized differences between several age groups.
Commentary on “Australia’s National Disability Insurance Scheme: a collaboration opportunity for academia and industry”
Authors: Greig Rob
Published: June 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide a UK perspective on the article by Mason et al. on Australia’s National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).

Design/methodology/approach

A commentary on the main article, drawing on the author’s knowledge and experience of the implementation of personalisation in the UK and information gleaned during a recent visit to Australia.

Findings

There is a major risk that the implementation of NDIS will repeat some of the failings of personalisation in the UK. Specifically, the failures of public bodies to invest in supporting people to take effective control over the resources available to them, and to instigate action to manage the emerging market in ways that promote innovative community options, risk the forces of the free market economy undermining disabled people’s ability to make maximum use of any new choice and control open to them.

Originality/value

This is a personal perspective, backed by experience, on a current policy development that is of international interest.
Diversification of the Middle Urals multi-touristic potential
Authors: Kondyukova Elena , Shershneva Elena
Published: June 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to review tourist directions that reflect the uniqueness of the Sverdlovsk region of Russia and form the basis of its multi-touristic potential.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper reviews diversification of the Middle Urals tourist potential based on its natural, geographic, business, ethno-cultural and industrial features.

Findings

The findings reveal the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats relating to the implementation of the multi-touristic brand “Great Ural”.

Research limitations/implications

Sverdlovsk region is known as a great industrial region of the Russia. The paper reveals that this region is an area with wide tourism potential. The authors deem that tourist diversification will help to improve the competitiveness of the Middle Urals.

Originality/value

The main output of the paper is a review of the key directions for tourism in the Sverdlovsk region with implications for practitioners, tourists and entrepreneurs. The identification of problems and imperfections in the Middle Urals tourism market is also useful for researchers working in the area of territorial marketing.
The Russian hospitality and tourism market
Authors: Sheresheva Marina Y.
Published: June 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to review the contributions made to the strategic question about the challenges and opportunities driving the Russian tourism and hospitality market as it becomes more diverse with new destinations.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the strategic question, a brief analysis of each contribution was carried out to identify the key findings, as they relate to the theme.

Findings

The findings reveal 11 key characteristics related to major issues and shifts in the contemporary Russian tourism and hospitality market.

Research limitations/implications

The findings add to the literature on hospitality and tourism in emerging markets by unveiling the pros and cons of developing new destinations and types of tourism in Russia. Overall, the theme issue provides a useful framework for discussion with a wider range of stakeholders. This is important to both academics and practitioners engaged in hospitality and tourism development and research.

Originality/value

All 11 articles have contributed different perspectives to the topic and confirm that it is important for all key stakeholders to consider both international trends in hospitality and tourism and the region-specific resources and opportunities that make many parts of Russia potentially attractive to different target audiences with broad interests and preferences.