bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Possibility of SARS-CoV-2 infection in metastatic microenvironment of cancer
Authors: Hayashi Takuma , Konishi Ikuo
Published: May 2021

According to a report from the World Health Organization, the mortality and severity rates among patients with cancer infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are significantly higher than those of individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2 without complications. Common and cancer-specific risk factors may be involved in the mortality and severity rates of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Various factors have been determined to contribute to the aggravation of COVID-19 in patients with cancer. However, on the basis of current research, the factors involved in the aggravation of COVID-19 in patients with cancer have not been fully investigated. In the general course of treatment for patients with cancer, the detection of the formation of metastases in other organs is common. Therefore, the present study investigates the association between lung metastatic lesion formation and SARS-CoV-2 infectivity. On the basis of the results obtained, in the pulmonary micrometastatic niche of patients with ovarian cancer, alveolar epithelial stem-like cells adjacent to the ovarian cancer were observed. Moreover, it was revealed that angiotensin-converting enzyme 2, a host-side receptor for SARS-CoV-2, was expressed in alveolar epithelial stem-like cells adjacent to the ovarian cancer in the pulmonary micrometastatic niche. Furthermore, it was also observed that the SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein receptor-binding domain binds to alveolar epithelial stem-like cells. In other words, it was suggested that patients with cancer and pulmonary micrometastases may be more susceptible to SARS-CoV-2. The prevention of de novo niche formation in metastatic disease may be a new strategy for the clinical treatment of COVID-19 for patients with cancer.
Disentangling network topology and pathogen spread
Authors: Pérez-Ortiz María , Manescu Petru , Caccioli Fabio , Fernández-Reyes Delmiro , Nachev Parashkev , Shawe-Taylor John
Published: May 2021

How do we best constrain social interactions to prevent the transmission of communicable respiratory diseases? Indiscriminate suppression, the currently accepted answer, is both unsustainable long term and implausibly presupposes all interactions to carry equal weight. Transmission within a social network is determined by the topology of its graphical structure, of which the number of interactions is only one aspect. Here we deploy large-scale numerical simulations to quantify the impact on pathogen transmission of a set of topological features covering the parameter space of realistic possibility. We first test through a series of stochastic simulations the differences in the spread of disease on several classes of network geometry (including highly skewed networks and small world). We then aim to characterise the spread based on the characteristics of the network topology using regression analysis, highlighting some of the network metrics that influence the spread the most. For this, we build a dataset composed of more than 9000 social networks and 30 topological network metrics. We find that pathogen spread is optimally reduced by limiting specific kinds of social contact – unfamiliar and long range – rather than their global number. Our results compel a revaluation of social interventions in communicable diseases, and the optimal approach to crafting them.
The Maldistribution of Pediatric Providers as a Potential Driver of Reduced Educational Outcomes
Authors: Boyle Jessica C. , Domingue Benjamin W.
Published: May 2021

Objective

Despite evidence of a strong bidirectional connection between educational achievement and health, few studies have examined the link between these intertwining forces on a national level. This study takes advantage of a new population-level dataset to explicitly link child health access to academic outcomes in nearly every U.S. school district.

Methods

National data were used to construct and link district-level measures of child health access to district-level measures of third-grade achievement. Specifically, location data for over 256,000 practicing pediatricians and family physicians were linked to achievement data from 12,296 school districts. We include district-level rates of uninsured children as an additional measure of child health access.

Results

First, physician supply is unequally distributed across districts and their student populations. Second, districts that had higher physician supply tended to have higher test scores. This relationship is most pronounced for districts with relatively few pediatricians and family physicians. While the rate of uninsured children is largely correlated with community socioeconomic status, physician supply appears to operate independently of this measure.

Conclusion

Early childhood health and wellbeing are linked to cognitive performance and achievement in school. We provide evidence to illustrate an aspect of this relationship: children with less access to healthcare providers also do less well in school. The specific patterning of this finding suggests a need to reconsider how availability and access to pediatricians and family physicians is currently configured. Future research should examine whether a redistribution of the existing physician workforce could result in a net academic benefit for students.
SARS-CoV-2 convergent evolution as a guide to explore adaptive advantage
Authors: Zahradník Jiří , Nunvar Jaroslav , Schreiber Gideon
Published: May 2021

Much can be learned from 1.2 million sequences of SARS-CoV-2 generated during the last 15 months. Out of the overwhelming number of mutations sampled so far, only few rose to prominence in the viral population. Many of these emerged recently and independently in multiple lineages. Such a textbook example of convergent evolution at the molecular level is not only curiosity but a guide to uncover the basis for adaptive advantage behind these events. Focusing on the extent of the convergent evolution in the spike (S) protein, our report confirms that the most concerning SARS-CoV-2 lineages carry the heaviest burden of convergent S-protein mutations, suggesting their fundamental adaptive advantage. The great majority (21/25) of S-protein sites under convergent evolution tightly cluster in three functional domains; N-terminal domain, receptor-binding domain, and Furin cleavage site. We further show that among the S-protein receptor-binding motif mutations, ACE2 affinity-improving substitutions are favored. While the probed mutation space in the S protein covered all amino-acids reachable by single nucleotide changes, substitutions requiring two nucleotide changes or epistatic mutations of multiple-residues have only recently started to emerge. Unfortunately, despite their convergent emergence and physical association, most of these adaptive mutations and their combinations remain understudied. We aim to promote research of current variants which are currently understudied but may become important in the future.
Plitidepsin has a positive therapeutic index in adult patients with COVID-19 requiring hospitalization
Authors: Varona José F. , Landete Pedro , Lopez-Martin Jose A. , Estrada Vicente , Paredes Roger , Guisado-Vasco Pablo , de Orueta Lucía Fernández , Torralba Miguel , Fortún Jesús , Vates Roberto , Barberán José , Clotet Bonaventura , Ancochea Julio , Carnevali Daniel , Cabello Noemí , Porras Lourdes , Gijón Paloma , Monereo Alfonso , Abad Daniel , Zúñiga Sonia , Sola Isabel , Rodon Jordi , Izquierdo-Useros Nuria , Fudio Salvador , Pontes María José , Rivas Beatriz de , Girón de Velasco Patricia , Sopesén Belén , Nieto Antonio , Gómez Javier , Avilés Pablo , Lubomirov Rubin , White Kris M. , Rosales Romel , Yildiz Soner , Reuschl Ann-Kathrin , Thorne Lucy G. , Jolly Clare , Towers Greg J. , Zuliani-Alvarez Lorena , Bouhaddou Mehdi , Obernier Kirsten , Enjuanes Luis , Fernández-Sousa Jose M. ,   Plitidepsin – COVID - 19 Study Group, Krogan Nevan J. , Jimeno José M. , García-Sastre Adolfo
Published: May 2021

Plitidepsin is a marine-derived cyclic-peptide that inhibits SARS-CoV-2 replication at low nanomolar concentrations by the targeting of host protein eEF1A (eukaryotic translation-elongation-factor-1A). We evaluated a model of intervention with plitidepsin in hospitalized COVID-19 adult patients where three doses were assessed (1.5, 2 and 2.5 mg/day for 3 days, as a 90-minute intravenous infusion) in 45 patients (15 per dose-cohort). Treatment was well tolerated, with only two Grade 3 treatment-related adverse events observed (hypersensitivity and diarrhea). The discharge rates by Days 8 and 15 were 56.8% and 81.8%, respectively, with data sustaining dose-effect. A mean 4.2 log10 viral load reduction was attained by Day 15. Improvement in inflammation markers was also noted in a seemingly dose-dependent manner. These results suggest that plitidepsin impacts the outcome of patients with COVID-19.

One-Sentence Summary

Plitidepsin, an inhibitor of SARS-Cov-2 in vitro, is safe and positively influences the outcome of patients hospitalized with COVID-19.
Use of traditional medicine in treatment of migraine during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic: an online survey
Authors: Ismail Ismail Ibrahim , Al-Hashel Jasem Y.
Published: May 2021

Since the declaration of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, patients with migraine were specifically vulnerable to worsening of their headaches. Traditional medicine (TM) has been used to treat headache disorders for centuries, especially during times of a healthcare emergencies, similar to the current pandemic. We aimed to assess the use of TM in treatment of migraine amid COVID-19 pandemic in Kuwait, using an online, self-administered questionnaire. A total of 1018 patients completed the survey. TM was used by 39.9% respondents. The greatest users of TM were those with older age (p =0.04), and longer disease duration (p =0.005). TM users were found to be more compliant to treatments than non-TM users (p<0.02). However, they reported significantly less communication with their physicians (p <0.001) during the pandemic. This study showed higher rates of TM use, as a way of self-treatment, among patients with migraine during COVID-19 pandemic. Neurologists should prepare their patients with “rescue” strategies for headache management, and new means of communication, to face these “new normal” challenges.
Influence of past infection with SARS-CoV-2 on the response to the BioTech/Pfizer BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine in health care workers: kinetics and durability of the humoral response
Authors: Ontañón Jesús , Blas Joaquín , de Cabo Carlos , Santos Celia , Ruiz-Escribano Elena , García Antonio , Marín Luis , Sáez Lourdes , Beato José Luis , Rada Ramón , Navarro Laura , de Baranda Caridad Sainz , Solera Javier
Published: May 2021

Background

Vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 have provided an invaluable resource in the fight against this infection. Given the current vaccine shortage, vaccination programs must prioritize their distribution to the most appropriate segments of the population.

Methods

We carried out a prospective cohort study with 63 health care workers (HCWs) from a public General Hospital. We compared antibody responses to two doses of BNT162b2 mRNA Covid-19 vaccine between HCWs with laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection before vaccination (experienced HCWs) and HCWs who were not previously infected (naïve HCWs).

Results

Seven days after the first vaccine dose HCWs with previous infection experienced a 126 fold increase in antibody levels (GMC 26955 AU; 95% CI 18785-35125). However, in the HCW naïve group the response was much lower and only 5 of them showed positive antibody levels (>50 AU). The HCWs with previous infection did not significantly increased their antibody levels after the second dose while there was a significant increase in the naive HCW group (16 fold; GMC 20227 AU; 95% CI: 15179-25275). Approximately two months after completing vaccination, the level of antibodies was much lower in naive HCWs (GMC 6595 AU vs. 25003 AU; p<0.001)

Conclusion

The study shows that 10 months after the disease has passed, the immune system is capable of producing a rapid and powerful secondary antibody response after one single dose of the vaccine. This response reflects the persistence of immunological memory and it is independent of whether or not anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies are detected in blood. Besides, we found that the second dose does not improve the antibody response in individuals with previous Covid-19 infection. Nonetheless, two months later, the persistence of antibody levels is still higher in the experienced HCWs. These data suggest that immune memory remains for a long time in recovered individuals, and therefore, vaccination in this group could be postponed until immunization of the rest of the population is complete.
Bacterial CRISPR-Cas Abundance Increases Precipitously at Around 45°C: Linking Antivirus Immunity to Grazing Risk
Authors: Lan Xin-Ran , Liu Zhi-Ling , Niu Deng-Ke
Published: May 2021

Although performing adaptive immunity, CRISPR-Cas systems are present in only 40% of bacterial genomes. Here, we observed an abrupt transition of bacterial CRISPR-Cas abundance at around 45°C. Phylogenetic comparative analyses confirmed that the abundance correlates with growth temperature only at the temperature range around 45°C. Meanwhile, we noticed that the diversities of cellular predators have a precipitous decline at this temperature range. The grazing risk faced by bacteria reduces substantially at around 45°C and almost disappears above 60°C. So viral lysis would become the dominating factor of bacterial mortality, and antivirus immunity has a higher priority. In temperature ranges where the abundance of cellular predators does not change with temperature, temperatures would have negligible effects on CRISPR-Cas abundance. The hypothesis predicts that bacteria should also be rich in CRISPR-Cas systems if they live in other extreme conditions inaccessible to grazing predators.
ThePlasmodiumNOT1-G Paralogue Acts as an Essential Nexus for Sexual Stage Maturation and Parasite Transmission
Authors: Hart Kevin J. , Power B. Joanne , Rios Kelly T. , Sebastian Aswathy , Lindner Scott E.
Published: May 2021

Productive transmission of malaria parasites hinges upon the execution of key transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulatory events. While much is now known about how specific transcription factors activate or repress sexual commitment programs, far less is known about the production of a preferred mRNA homeostasis following commitment and through the host-to-vector transmission event. Here we show thatPlasmodiumparasites have taken the unique approach to duplicate the NOT1 scaffold protein of the CAF1/CCR4/Not complex in order to dedicate one paralogue for essential transmission functions. Moreover, this NOT1-G paralogue is central to the sex-specific functions previously associated with its interacting partners, as deletion ofnot1-ginPlasmodium yoeliileads to a comparable or complete arrest phenotype for both male and female parasites. We show that, consistent with its role in other eukaryotes, PyNOT1-G localizes to cytosolic puncta throughout much of thePlasmodiumlife cycle. PyNOT1-G is essential to both the complete maturation of male gametes and to the continued development of the fertilized zygote originating from female parasites. Comparative transcriptomics of wild-type andpynot1-g-parasites shows that loss of PyNOT1-G leads to transcript dysregulation preceding and during gametocytogenesis, and shows that PyNOT1-G acts to preserve mRNAs that are critical to sexual and early mosquito stage development. Finally, we demonstrate that the tristetraprolin-binding domain, which acts as the typical organization platform for RNA decay (TTP) and RNA preservation (ELAV/HuR) factors is dispensable for PyNOT1-G’s essential blood stage functions but impacts host-to-vector transmission. Together, we conclude thatPlasmodiumhas created and adapted a NOT1-G paralogue to fulfill the complex transmission requirements of both male and female parasites.
Interneuron subtypes enable independent modulation of excitatory and inhibitory firing rates after sensory deprivation
Authors: Richter Leonidas M. A. , Gjorgjieva Julijana
Published: May 2021

Diverse interneuron subtypes determine how cortical circuits process sensory information depending on their connectivity. Sensory deprivation experiments are ideally suited to unravel the plasticity mechanisms which shape circuit connectivity, but have yet to consider the role of different inhibitory subtypes. We investigate how synaptic changes due to monocular deprivation affect the firing rate dynamics in a microcircuit network model of the visual cortex. We demonstrate that, in highly recurrent networks, deprivation-induced plasticity generates fundamentally different activity changes depending on interneuron composition. Considering parvalbumin-positive (PV+) and somatostatin-positive (SST+) interneuron subtypes can capture the experimentally observed independent modulation of excitatory and inhibitory activity during sensory deprivation when SST+ feedback is sufficiently strong. Our model also applies to whisker deprivation in the somatosensory cortex revealing that these mechanisms are general across sensory cortices. Therefore, we provide a mechanistic explanation for the differential role of interneuron subtypes in regulating cortical dynamics during deprivation-induced plasticity.
Double face of cytochrome c in cancers. New look into human breast ducts with Raman imaging
Authors: Abramczyk H. , Brozek-Pluska B. , Kopeć M.
Published: May 2021

Cytochrome c (Cyt c) is a key protein that is needed to maintain life (respiration) and cell death (apoptosis). The dual-function of Cyt c comes from its capability to act as mitochondrial redox carrier that transfers electrons between the membrane-embedded complexes III and IV and to serve as a cytoplasmic apoptosis-triggering agent, activating the caspase cascade.1–6 However, the precise roles of Cyt c in mitochondria, cytoplasm and extracellular matrix under normal and pathological conditions are not completely understood.7–9

To date, no pathway of Cyt c release that results in caspase activation has been compellingly demon-strated in any invertebrate.10 The significance of mitochondrial dysfunctionality has not been studied in ductal carcinoma to the best of our knowledge.1

Here we show that proper concentration of monounsaturated fatty acids, saturated fatty acids, cardi-olipin and Cyt c is critical in the correct breast ductal functioning and constitutes an important parameter to assess breast epithelial cells integrity and homeostasis. We look inside human breast ducts answering fundamental questions about location and distribution of various biochemical components inside the lumen, epithelial cells of the duct and the extracellular matrix around the cancer duct during cancer development in situ. We found in histopathologically controlled breast cancer duct that Cyt c, cardi-olipin, and palmitic acid are the main components inside the lumen of cancerous duct in situ. The pre-sented results show direct evidence that Cyt c is released to the lumen from the epithelial cells in can-cerous duct. In contrast the lumen in normal duct is empty and free of Cyt c. Our results demonstrate how Cyt c is likely to function in cancer development. We anticipate our results to be a starting point for more sophisticated in vitro and in vivo animal models. For example, the correlation between concentration of Cyt c and cancer grade could be tested in various types of cancer. Furthermore, Cyt c is a target of anti-cancer drug development 11,12 and a well-defined and quantitative Raman based assay for oxidative phosphorylation and apoptosis will be relevant for such developments.
A neural network account of memory replay and knowledge consolidation
Authors: Barry Daniel N. , Love Bradley C.
Published: May 2021

Replay can consolidate memories through offline neural reactivation related to past experiences. Category knowledge is learned across multiple experiences, and its subsequent generalisation is promoted by consolidation and replay during rest and sleep. However, aspects of replay are difficult to determine from neuroimaging studies. We provided insights into category knowledge replay by simulating these processes in a neural network which approximated the roles of the human ventral visual stream and hippocampus. Generative replay, akin to imagining new category instances, facilitated generalisation to new experiences. Consolidation-related replay may therefore help to prepare us for the future as much as remember the past. Generative replay was more effective in later network layers functionally similar to the lateral occipital cortex than layers corresponding to early visual cortex, drawing a distinction between neural replay and its relevance to consolidation. Category replay was most beneficial for newly acquired knowledge, suggesting replay helps us adapt to changes in our environment. Finally, we present a novel mechanism for the observation that the brain selectively consolidates weaker information; a reinforcement learning process in which categories were replayed according to their contribution to network performance. This reinforces the idea of consolidation-related replay as an active rather than passive process.
Hippocampal reconfiguration of events in mnemonic networks
Authors: Collin Silvy H.P. , Milivojevic Branka , Doeller Christian F.
Published: May 2021

It is widely assumed that episodic memories are not stored in isolation but rather in dynamic event networks. However, the mechanisms of the underlying dynamic of these representations, in particular how such networks are updated, remain elusive. In this study, we investigated the reconfiguration of events into event networks in the hippocampus by presenting new events that could update either one of two competing narratives. During the first session, participants viewed four animated movies, each representing a distinct narrative; two distinct narratives from the Jones family and two distinct narratives from the Smith family. During the second session, we re-exposed participants to snapshots of these narratives along with snapshots of new events from one of the two families, allowing updating of the acquired event networks of that family. Our findings show that the hippocampus integrated new events that relate to the old family, and then integrated these new events with the corresponding old events. Furthermore, hippocampal representations of the events within a narrative became better integrated after updating. Our results shed new light on the neural mechanisms underlying flexible mnemonic updating with realistic events and further advance our understanding of the structured reconfiguration of event networks in memory.
Loss-of-function variants in the schizophrenia risk gene SETD1A alter neuronal network activity in human neurons through cAMP/PKA pathway
Authors: Wang Shan , van Rhijn Jon-Ruben , Akkouh Ibrahim , Kogo Naoki , Maas Nadine , Bleeck Anna , Ortiz Irene Santisteban , Lewerissa Elly , Wu Ka Man , Schoenmaker Chantal , Djurovic Srdjan , van Bokhoven Hans , Kleefstra Tjitske , Kasri Nael Nadif , Schubert Dirk
Published: May 2021

Heterozygous loss-of-function (LoF) mutations in SETD1A, which encodes a subunit of histone H3 lysine 4 methyltransferase, were shown to cause a novel neurodevelopmental syndrome and increase the risk for schizophrenia. We generated excitatory/inhibitory neuronal networks from human induced pluripotent stem cells with a SETD1A heterozygous LoF mutation (SETD1A+/-) using CRISPR/Cas9. Our data show that SETD1A haploinsufficiency resulted in morphologically increased dendritic complexity and functionally increased bursting activity. This network phenotype was primarily driven by SETD1A haploinsufficiency in glutamatergic neurons. In accordance with the functional changes, transcriptomic profiling revealed perturbations in gene sets associated with glutamatergic synaptic function. At the molecular level, we identified specific changes in the cAMP/PKA pathway pointing toward a hyperactive cAMP pathway in SETD1A+/- neurons. Finally, by pharmacologically targeting the cAMP pathway we were able to rescue the network deficits in SETD1A+/- cultures. Our results demonstrate a link between SETD1A and the cAMP-dependent pathway in human neurons.
Lipid kinases VPS34 and PIKfyve coordinate a phosphoinositide cascade to regulate Retriever-mediated recycling on endosomes
Authors: Giridharan Sai Srinivas Panapakkam , Luo Guangming , Rivero-Ríos Pilar , Steinfeld Noah , Tronchere Helene , Singla Amika , Burstein Ezra , Billadeau Daniel D. , Sutton Michael A. , Weisman Lois
Published: May 2021

Cell-surface receptors control how cells respond to their environment. Many cell-surface receptors recycle from endosomes to the plasma membrane via a recently discovered pathway, which includes sorting-nexin SNX17, Retriever, WASH and CCC complexes. Here we discover that PIKfyve and its upstream PI3-kinase VPS34 positively regulate this pathway. VPS34 produces PI3P, which is the substrate for PIKfyve to generate PI3,5P2. We show that PIKfyve controls recycling of cargoes including integrins, receptors that control cell migration. Furthermore, endogenous PIKfyve colocalizes with SNX17, Retriever, WASH and CCC complexes on endosomes. Importantly, PIKfyve inhibition causes a loss of Retriever and CCC from endosomes, and mutation of the lipid binding site on a CCC subunit impairs its endosomal localization and delays integrin recycling. In addition, we show that recruitment of SNX17 is an early step and requires VPS34. These discoveries suggest that VPS34 and PIKfyve coordinate an ordered pathway to regulate recycling from endosomes and suggest how PIKfyve functions in cell migration.
AAV-BR1 targets endothelial cells in the retina to reveal their morphological diversity and to deliver Cx43
Authors: Ivanova Elena , Corona Carlo , Eleftheriou Cyril G. , Stout Randy F. , Körbelin Jakob , Sagdullaev Botir T.
Published: May 2021

Endothelial cells (ECs) are key players in the development and maintenance of the vascular tree, the establishment of the blood brain barrier and control of blood flow. Disruption in ECs is an early and active component of vascular pathogenesis. However, our ability to selectively target ECs in the CNS for identification and manipulation is limited. Here, in the mouse retina, a tractable model of the CNS, we utilized a recently developed AAV-BR1 system to identify distinct classes of ECs along the vascular tree using a GFP reporter. We then developed an inducible EC-specific ectopic Connexin 43 (Cx43) expression system using AAV-BR1-CAG-DIO-Cx43-P2A-DsRed2 in combination with a mouse line carrying inducible CreERT2 in ECs. We targeted Cx43 because its loss has been implicated in microvascular impariment in numerous diseases such as diabetic retinopathy and vascular edema. GFP-labeled ECs were numerous, evenly distributed along the vascular tree and their morphology was polarized with respect to the direction of blood flow. After tamoxifen induction, ectopic Cx43 was specifically expressed in ECs. Similarly to endogenous Cx43, ectopic Cx43 was localized at the membrane contacts of ECs and it did not affect tight junction proteins. The ability to enhance gap junctions in ECs provides a precise and potentially powerful tool to treat microcirculation deficits, an early pathology in numerous diseases.
An infection-activated redox switch promotes tumor growth
Authors: Kovalyova Yekaterina , Bak Daniel W. , Gordon Elizabeth M. , Fung Connie , Shuman Jennifer H. B. , Cover Timothy L. , Amieva Manuel R. , Weerapana Eranthie , Hatzios Stavroula K.
Published: May 2021

Oxidative stress is a defining feature of most cancers, including those that stem from carcinogenic infections1. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) can drive tumor formation2–4, yet the molecular oxidation events that contribute to tumorigenesis are largely unknown. Here we show that inactivation of a single, redox-sensitive cysteine in the host protease legumain, which is oxidized during infection with the gastric cancer-causing bacterium Helicobacter pylori, accelerates tumor growth. By using chemical proteomics to map cysteine reactivity in human gastric cells, we determined that H. pylori infection induces oxidation of legumain at Cys219. Legumain oxidation, which is enhanced by the ROS-promoting bacterial oncoprotein CagA, dysregulates intracellular legumain processing and localization and decreases legumain activity in H. pylori-infected cells. We further show that the site-specific loss of Cys219 reactivity increases tumor growth and mortality in a xenograft model. Our findings establish a link between the precise oxidation of a host protein and tumorigenic signaling during bacterial infection and demonstrate the importance of oxidative post-translational modifications in tumor growth.
Crystal structure characterization and electronic structure of a rare-earth-containing Zintl phase in the Yb–Al–Sb family: Yb3AlSb3
Authors: Shang Rongqing , Nguyen An T. , He Allan , Kauzlarich Susan M.
Published: May 2021

A rare-earth-containing compound, ytterbium aluminium antimonide, Yb3AlSb3(Ca3AlAs3-type structure), has been successfully synthesized within the Yb–Al–Sb system through flux methods. According to the Zintl formalism, this structure is nominally made up of (Yb2+)3[(Al1−)(1b– Sb2−)2(2b– Sb1−)], where1band2bindicate 1-bonded and 2-bonded, respectively, and Al is treated as part of the covalent anionic network. The crystal structure features infinite corner-sharing AlSb4tetrahedra, [AlSb2Sb2/2]6−, with Yb2+cations residing between the tetrahedra to provide charge balance. Herein, the synthetic conditions, the crystal structure determined from single-crystal X-ray diffraction data, and electronic structure calculations are reported.
Unique octahedral rotation pattern in the oxygen-deficient Ruddlesden–Popper compound Gd3Ba2Fe4O12
Authors: Urushihara Daisuke , Nakajima Kenta , Nakamura Ariki , Fukuda Koichiro , Sugai Hodaka , Konishi Shinya , Tanaka Katsuhisa , Asaka Toru
Published: May 2021

A novel Ruddlesden–Popper-related compound, Gd3Ba2Fe4O12, was discovered and its crystal structure was determinedviasingle-crystal X-ray diffraction. The structure has an ordered structure of octahedra and pyramids along thecaxis. Gd3Ba2Fe4O12belongs to the tetragonal systemP42/ncm, witha= 5.59040 (10) Å andc= 35.1899 (10) Å. TheA-site ions in the Ruddlesden–Popper structure,i.e.Gd3+and Ba2+, exhibit an ordering along thecaxis. The perfect oxygen deficiency is accommodated at the GdO layers in the proper Ruddlesden–Popper structure. Using the bond-valence-sum method, the Fe ions in the FeO6octahedra and FeO5pyramids represent valence states of +3 and +2.5, respectively, demonstrating a two-dimensional charge disproportionation. The corner-sharing FeO6octahedra and FeO5pyramids are tilted in opposite directions, with the neighbours around one axis of the simple perovskite configuration, which, using Glazer's notation, can be represented asa−b0c0/b0a−c0. In the perovskite blocks, the facing FeO5pyramids across the Gd layer rotate in the same sense, which is a unique rotation feature related to oxygen deficiency.
Cognitive impairment and treatment outcomes amongst people attending an alcohol intervention service for those aged 50+
Authors: Seddon Jennifer , Wadd Sarah , Elliott Lawrie , Madoc-Jones Iolo
Published: May 2021

Purpose

No studies have evaluated the relationship between cognitive impairment and alcohol treatment outcomes amongst older drinkers. This study aims to explore the extent of cognitive impairment amongst older adults seeking alcohol treatment and examine the relationship between cognitive impairment, treatment retention and alcohol use following treatment.

Design/methodology/approach

The study used data from the Drink Wise Age Well programme; an alcohol intervention service for older adults (aged 50+). The Montreal Cognitive Assessment was used to screen for cognitive impairment; alcohol use was assessed using the alcohol use disorders identification test.

Findings

In total, 531 participants completed the assessment at treatment entry. Over half the sample were male (57%), with a mean age of 60 years (Standard deviation: 7.09). Almost half (48.4%) had cognitive impairment at the entry to treatment: 51.6% had a normal cognitive function, 41.4% had mild cognitive impairment, 5.8% had moderate cognitive impairment and 1.1% had severe cognitive impairment. Cognitive impairment was not associated with increased treatment drop-out and was not predictive of alcohol use following treatment. Alcohol treatment was associated with a significant improvement in cognitive functioning.

Originality/value

This study suggests there may be a significant amount of unidentified cognitive impairment amongst older adults attending alcohol treatment. Assessment and routine screening for cognitive impairment in drug and alcohol services may help in care planning and setting treatment goals; in the absence of routine screening opportunities for treatment planning and intervention may be missed.
The influence of sexual objectification on guilt assessment on a sample of Italian graduates
Authors: Cabras Cristina , Tumatis Roberta , Mondo Marina , Sechi Cristina
Published: May 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of sexual objectification on the attribution processes of the guilt of a defendant – and also on the level of guilt. It was also hypothesized that legal expertise could be a protective factor in countering the influence of sexual objectification.

Design/methodology/approach

Sexual objectification can be defined as the perspective in which a person is evaluated solely in terms of his or her body parts or sexual function. As yet, no studies have assessed the influence of sexual objectification on guilt assessment in the legal system; this paper aims to explore whether sexual objectification has an influence on the attribution processes of a defendant's guilt.

Findings

The statistical analysis revealed that the sexually objectified defendant received a guilty verdict more often than a non-sexually objectified defendant; additionally, legal experts were more likely to identify the defendant as not guilty than non-legal experts. The findings support the hypothesis that sexual objectification is indeed one of the common stereotypes that lead to discrimination.

Originality/value

The present study provides novel findings regarding sexual objectification in the forensic context in which the defendant is viewed and evaluated.
Professionals’ views on children’s service user involvement
Authors: Kiili Johanna , Itäpuisto Maritta , Moilanen Johanna , Svenlin Anu-Riina , Malinen Kaisa Eveliina
Published: May 2021

Purpose

Children are gradually attaining recognition as service users and their involvement in service development has been advanced in recent years. This study draws on empirical research in social and health-care services designed for children and families. The purpose of this paper is to analyse how professionals understand children’s involvement as experts by experience. The focus is on professionals’ views and intergenerational relations.

Design/methodology/approach

The research data comprise 25 individual and 10 group interviews with managers and professionals working in social and health-care services in one Finnish province. The data were analysed using qualitative thematic analysis.

Findings

The professionals recognised the value of children’s service user involvement. However, they concentrated more on the challenges than the possibilities it presents. Health-care professionals emphasised parental needs and children’s vulnerability. In turn, the professionals from social services and child welfare non-governmental organisations perceived children as partners, although with reservations, as they discussed ethical issues widely and foregrounded the responsibilities of adults in protecting children. In general, the professionals in both domains saw themselves as having ethical responsibility to support children’s service user involvement while at the same time setting limits to it.

Originality/value

This study confirmed the importance of taking intergenerational relations into account when developing children’s service user involvement. The results indicate that professionals also need to reflect on the ethical challenges with children themselves as, largely owing to the generational position of children as minors, they rarely perceive them as partners in ethical reflection.
Innovation affecting growth aspirations of early stage entrepreneurs: culture and economic freedom matter
Authors: Saeedikiya Mehrzad , Li Jizhen , Ashourizadeh Shayegheh , Temiz Serdar
Published: May 2021

Purpose

Earlier research confirms the positive effect of innovation in shaping growth ambitions of entrepreneurs. The aim of this paper is to investigate whether the effect of innovation on growth ambitions of entrepreneurs is contingent on the role of institutions, namely, culture and economic freedom. In other words, the authors’ objective is to provide an institutionally contingent understanding of the role of innovation in shaping growth ambitions of early-stage entrepreneurs.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors applied hierarchical linear modeling technique on the data of 100,566 early-stage entrepreneurs in 109 countries that participated in annual surveys of Global Entrepreneurship Monitor.

Findings

The authors find that the effect of innovation on shaping growth ambitions of early stage entrepreneurs is contingent on the role of culture such that, in secular cultures, innovation benefits growth ambitions more than traditional cultures. Further, the authors found that the effect of innovation on growth expectations is dependent on the level of economic freedom in the country in which the firms operate so that in the countries with higher level of economic freedom, early-stage entrepreneurs expect more growth out of their innovation as compared to their counterparts in the depressed economies.

Originality/value

The results contribute to our understanding of entrepreneurial growth aspirations as a result of the interplay of entrepreneur–firm–environment nexus.
Impacts of spirituality, intrinsic religiosity and Islamic work ethics on employee performance in Morocco: the mediating role of intrinsic motivation
Authors: Hassi Abderrahman , Balambo Mohammed Amine , Aboramadan Mohammed
Published: May 2021

Purpose

Given the growing importance of spirituality and religion-related factors in the workplace, this paper aims to analyze the effects of spirituality, intrinsic religiosity and Islamic work ethics (IWE) on employee job performance.

Design/methodology/approach

Building on these theoretical concepts and perspectives, the authors hypothesized that employee intrinsic motivation mediated these proposed effects. To verify these propositions, the authors examined data collected from 224 full-time employees working for various organizations in Morocco. The authors conducted structural equations modeling (SEM) analyses using the AMOS 24 platform and Bayesian analyses to investigate direct and indirect effects.

Findings

First, the authors found that only IWE has positive and significant direct effect on job performance. Second, the findings indicate that employee intrinsic motivation does not mediate the relationship between the independent variables of spirituality and intrinsic religiosity and the dependent variable of job performance. These results may be because of the fact that Islamic principles and values are implemented and more reinforced in the Moroccan workplace than new and modern concepts such as intrinsic religiosity and spirituality.

Research limitations/implications

The present paper used a cross-sectional methodology, which did not allow testing causation between the constructs under study.

Practical implications

Organizations and managers alike ought to resort to IWE insights with the objective to increase the performance of their Muslim members.

Originality/value

This paper is novel as it represents a study on spirituality in a non-Western context. It also uses a relatively sizeable sample (N = 224) of full-time employees in the workplace.
Advancements in urban logistics toward smart, sustainable reforms in developing enabling technologies and markets
Authors: Sharma Vikash , Raut Rakesh D. , Govindarajan Usharani Hareesh , Narkhede Balkrishna Eknath
Published: May 2021

Purpose

The research article's primary purpose is to understand the advancements in urban logistics and allied fields over time along with a consideration of its enabling technologies.

Design/methodology/Approach

An initial review is used to build a keyword vocabulary, combinations of which were then applied to the Scopus, ScienceDirect, Emerald Insights, the Web of Science (WOS), Elsevier, Taylor and Francis, Wiley, Inderscience, Springer, Google Scholar and IEEE Xplore for extracting academic publication collection. The first part includes bibliometric analysis; network analysis is done based on the finally selected 645 papers (only those articles include either of the keywords mentioned above in title, abstract, and keywords). The second part conducts a review of the existing literature review studies (only 21 literature review studies out of 645 articles). The last one discusses the advancement in the topics based on the selected research articles.

Findings

This research discussed the advancement of the urban logistics and allied field, key academic forums and key researchers. It is evident from the analysis that the research related to key emerging themes like implementing innovative concepts and sustainability; application of green technologies; data collection, visualization, monitoring and sharing; and automatic logistic systems are still in the nascent stage. However, these research areas gained momentum in the recent past.

Research limitations

Urban logistics are essential and play a crucial role for such rapidly growing cities to function. Despite playing a vital role, urban ecosystem logistics is often neglected in formal urban planning. Hence, as a response to customer and business demand, private entities regularly invest in new technologies and solutions. Since such investments are toward profits, various environmental, social and economic challenges arise.

Originality/value

This research investigates the advancements in urban logistics toward smart, sustainable reforms in developing enabling technologies and markets. The obtained research articles are subjected to bibliometric, descriptive, network and content analysis to present a rundown of advancements, relationships and trends in emerging research gaps.
Impact of linguistic ostracism on knowledge sharing, hiding and hoarding and the moderating role of cultural intelligence
Authors: Albana Mohammad Jamal , Yeşiltaş Mehmet
Published: May 2021

Purpose

Drawing on the theory of belongingness, this study scrutinizes the impact of linguistic ostracism on knowledge sharing, knowledge hiding and knowledge hoarding and the moderating role of cultural intelligence (CQ) in a diverse and multi-cultural work setting.

Design/methodology/approach

A two-phase sampling of judgmental and random sampling techniques was used to recruit local and foreign workers in the Jordanian service industry. The present study empirically analyzes the sample of 394 employees' responses by applying variance-based structural equation modeling (VB-SEM).

Findings

VB-SEM results indicate that linguistic ostracism lessens knowledge sharing behavior and heightens knowledge hiding and hoarding. CQ moderates two of the said associations, specifically by buffering the causal link between linguistic ostracism and knowledge hiding, as well as linguistic ostracism and knowledge hoarding. Consequently, CQ did not moderate the causal link between linguistic ostracism and knowledge sharing.

Practical implications

The study's findings can help managers and decision-makers in such workplaces better understand the deleterious effects of linguistic ostracism and how CQ functions as a buffer. The study concludes with theoretical and managerial implications.

Originality/value

Very few investigations have been conducted to determine the consequences of linguistic ostracism in today's multi-cultural and diverse work environment. This paper is among the first to unveil the association of linguistic ostracism and CQ with various knowledge management (KM) concepts.
The representativeness heuristic at work in decision-making: building blocks and individual-level cognitive and behavioral factors
Authors: Galavotti Ilaria , Lippi Andrea , Cerrato Daniele
Published: May 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to develop a conceptual framework on how the representativeness heuristic operates in the decision-making process. Specifically, the authors unbundle representativeness into its building blocks: search rule, stopping rule and decision rule. Furthermore, the focus is placed on how individual-level cognitive and behavioral factors, namely experience, intuition and overconfidence, affect the functioning of this heuristic.

Design/methodology/approach

From a theoretical standpoint, the authors build on dual-process theories and on the adaptive toolbox view from the “fast and frugal heuristics” perspective to develop an integrative conceptual framework that uncovers the mechanisms underlying the representativeness heuristic.

Findings

The authors’ conceptualization suggests that the search rule used in representativeness is based on analogical mapping from previous experience, the stopping rule is the representational stability of the analogs and the decision rule is the choice of the alternative upon which there is a convergence of representations and that exceeds the decision maker's aspiration level. In this framework, intuition may help the decision maker to cross-map potentially competing analogies, while overconfidence affects the search time and costs and alters both the stopping and the decision rule.

Originality/value

The authors develop a conceptual framework on representativeness, as one of the most common, though still poorly investigated, heuristics. The model offers a nuanced perspective that explores the cognitive and behavioral mechanisms that shape the use of representativeness in decision-making. The authors also discuss the theoretical implications of their model and outline future research avenues that may further contribute to enriching their understanding of decision-making processes.