bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Prediction and Characterization of RXLR Effectors inPythiumSpecies
Authors: Ai Gan , Yang Kun , Tian Yuee , Ye Wenwu , Zhu Hai , Li Tianli , Du Yaxin , Xia Qingyue , Shen Danyu , Jing Maofeng , Xia Ai , Dou Daolong 
Published: December 2019

AbstractBeing widely existed in oomycetes, the RXLR effector features conserved RXLR-dEER motifs in its N terminal. Every knownPhytophthoraorHyaloperonosporapathogen harbors hundreds of RXLRs. InPythiumspecies, however, none of the RXLR effectors has been characterized yet. Here, we developed a stringent method forde novoidentification of RXLRs and characterized 359 putative RXLR effectors from nine testedPythiumspecies. Phylogenetic analysis revealed a single superfamily formed by all oomycetous RXLRs, suggesting they descent from a common ancestor. RXLR effectors fromPythiumandPhytophthoraspecies exhibited similar sequence features, protein structures and genome locations. In particular, the mosquito biological agentP. guiyangensecontains a significantly larger RXLR repertoire than the other eightPythiumspecies examined, which may result from gene duplication and genome rearrangement events as indicated by synteny analysis. Expression pattern analysis of RXLR-encoding genes in the plant pathogenP. ultimumdetected transcripts from the vast majority of predictedRXLRswith some of them being induced at infection stages. One such RXLRs showed necrosis-inducing activity. Furthermore, all predictedRXLRswere cloned from two biocontrol agentsP. oligandrumandP. periplocum. Three of them were found to encode effectors inducing defense response inNicotiana benthamiana. Taken together, our findings represent the first complete synopsis ofPythiumRXLR effectors, which provides critical clues on their evolutionary patterns as well as the mechanisms of their interactions with diverse hosts.Author summaryPathogens from thePythiumgenus are widespread across multiple ecological niches. Most of them are soilborne plant pathogens whereas others cause infectious diseases in mammals. SomePythiumspecies can be used as biocontrol agents for plant diseases or mosquito management. Despite that phylogenetically close oomycete pathogens secrete RXLR effectors to enable infection, no RXLR protein was previously characterized in anyPythiumspecies. Here we developed a stringent method to predictPythiumRXLR effectors and compared them with known RXLRs from other species. All oomycetous RXLRs form a huge superfamily, which indicates they may share a common ancestor. Our sequence analysis results suggest that the expansion of RXLR repertoire results from gene duplication and genome recombination events. We further demonstrated that most predictedPythium RXLRscan be transcribed and some of them encode effectors exhibiting pathogenic or defense-inducing activities. This work expands our understanding of RXLR evolution in oomycetes in general, and provides novel insights into the molecular interactions betweenPythiumpathogens and their diverse hosts.
Identification of genomic enhancers through spatial integration of single-cell transcriptomics and epigenomics
Authors: González-Blas Carmen Bravo , Quan Xiao-Jiang , Duran-Romaña Ramon , Taskiran Ibrahim Ihsan , Koldere Duygu , Davie Kristofer , Christiaens Valerie , Makhzami Samira , Hulselmans Gert , de Waegeneer Maxime , Mauduit David , Poovathingal Suresh , Aibar Sara , Aerts Stein 
Published: December 2019

AbstractSingle-cell technologies allow measuring chromatin accessibility and gene expression in each cell, but jointly utilizing both layers to mapbona fidegene regulatory networks and enhancers remains challenging. Here, we generate independent single-cell RNA-seq and single-cell ATAC-seq atlases of the Drosophila eye-antennal disc and spatially integrate the data using a virtual latent space that mimics the organization of the 2D tissue. To validate spatially predicted enhancers, we use a large collection of enhancer-reporter lines and identify ∼85% of enhancers in which chromatin accessibility and enhancer activity are coupled. Next, we infer enhancer-to-gene relationships in the virtual space, finding that genes are regulated by multiple redundant enhancers. Exploiting cell-type specific enhancers, we deconvolute cell-type specific effects of bulk-derived chromatin accessibility QTLs. Finally, we discover that Prospero drives neuronal differentiation through the binding of a GGG motif. In summary, we provide a comprehensive spatial characterization of gene regulation in a 2D tissue.
Enrichment of Skeletal Stem Cells from Human Bone Marrow Using Spherical Nucleic Acids
Authors: Xavier Miguel , Kyriazi Maria-Eleni , Lanham Stuart A. , Alexaki Konstantina , El-Sagheer Afaf H. , Brown Tom , Kanaras Antonios G. , Oreffo Richard O.C. 
Published: December 2019

ABSTRACTHuman bone marrow (BM) derived stromal cells contain a population of skeletal stem cells (SSCs), with the capacity to differentiate along the osteogenic, adipogenic and chondrogenic lineages enabling their application to clinical therapies. However, current methods, to isolate and enrich SSCs from human tissues remain, at best, challenging in the absence of a specific SSC marker. Unfortunately, none of the current proposed markers, alone, can isolate a homogenous cell population with the ability to form bone, cartilage, and adipose tissue in humans. Here, we have designed DNA-gold nanoparticles able to identify and sort SSCs displaying specific mRNA signatures. The current approach demonstrates the significant enrichment attained in the isolation of SSCs, with potential therein to enhance our understanding of bone cell biology and translational applications.TABLE OF CONTENTS
Target membrane cholesterol modulates single influenza virus membrane fusion efficiency but not rate
Authors: Liu K. N. , Boxer S. G. 
Published: December 2019

AbstractHost lipid composition influences many stages of the influenza A virus (IAV) entry process, including: initial binding of IAV to sialylated glycans, fusion between the viral envelope and the host membrane, and the formation of a fusion pore through which the viral genome is transferred into a target cell. In particular, target membrane cholesterol has been shown to preferentially associate with virus receptors and alter physical properties of the membrane like fluidity and curvature. These properties affect both IAV binding and fusion, which makes it difficult to isolate the role of cholesterol in IAV fusion from receptor binding effects. Here, we develop a new fusion assay that uses synthetic DNA-lipid conjugates as surrogate viral receptors to tether virions to target vesicles. To avoid the possibly perturbative effect of adding a self-quenched concentration of dye-labeled lipids to the viral membrane, we tether virions to lipid-labeled target vesicles, and use fluorescence microscopy to detect individual, pH-triggered IAV membrane fusion events. Through this approach, we find that cholesterol in the target membrane enhances the efficiency of single-particle IAV lipid mixing, while the rate of lipid mixing is independent of cholesterol composition. We also find that the single-particle kinetics of influenza lipid mixing to target membranes with different cholesterol compositions is independent of receptor binding, suggesting that cholesterol-mediated spatial clustering of viral receptors within the target membrane does not significantly affect IAV hemifusion. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that target membrane cholesterol increases lipid mixing efficiency by altering host membrane curvature.Statement of SignificanceInfluenza A virus is responsible for millions of cases of flu each year. In order to replicate, influenza must enter a host cell through virus membrane fusion, and cholesterol in the target membrane is vital to the dynamics of this process. We report a receptor-free, single virus fusion assay that requires no fluorescent labeling of virus particles. We use this assay to show that cholesterol increases the fraction of fusion events in a manner that is correlated with the spontaneous curvature of the target membrane but is independent of receptor binding. This assay represents a promising strategy for studying viral fusion processes of other enveloped viruses.
The glue produced byDrosophila melanogasterfor pupa adhesion is universal
Authors: Borne Flora , Kovalev Alexander , Gorb Stanislav , Courtier-Orgogozo Virginie 
Published: December 2019

ABSTRACTInsects produce a variety of adhesives for diverse functions such as locomotion, mating, egg or pupal anchorage to substrates. Although they are important for the biology of organisms and potentially represent a great resource for developing new materials, insect adhesives have been little studied so far. Here, we examined the adhesive properties of the larval glue ofD. melanogaster. This glue is made of glycosylated proteins and allows the animal to adhere to a substrate during metamorphosis. We designed an adhesion test to measure the pull-off force required to detach a pupa from a substrate and to evaluate the contact area covered by the glue. We found that the pupa adheres with similar forces to a variety of substrates (with distinct roughness, hydrophilic and charge properties). We obtained an average pull-off force of 217 mN, corresponding to 15 500 times the weight of a pupa and adhesion strength of 137-244 kPa. Surprisingly, the pull-off forces did not depend on the contact area. Our study paves the way for a genetic dissection of the components ofDrosophila melanogasterglue that confer its particular adhesive properties.SUMMARY STATEMENTWe designed an adhesion test to measure the pull-off force required to detach drosophila pupae and found that Drosophila glue adheres similarly to various substrates of different chemical properties.
Investigation into post-adoption usage of mobile ICTs in Australian construction projects
Authors: Hasan Abid , Ahn Seungjun , Rameezdeen Raufdeen , Baroudi Bassam 
Published: December 2019

PurposeWhile mobile Information and Communication Technologies (mobile ICTs) have been adopted by many construction organisations, research on the usage of mobile technologies in the context of construction project management has been scarce. Against this background, the purpose of this paper is to enhance the understanding of how Construction Management Professionals (CMPs) currently use mobile ICTs at work and the factors affecting their usage of mobile ICTs in the context of the Australian construction industry.Design/methodology/approachIn this research, the aim is addressed by a survey-based empirical research approach. A questionnaire was used to collect data about CMPs’ current mobile ICT usage and the factors affecting the usage. Then, relative importance index, factor analysis andχ2test were used to identify the most significant factors affecting their mobile ICT usage.FindingsThis research found that user characteristics such as age or years of experience are not the major factors affecting CMPs’ mobile ICT usage. The research also found that there are several barriers hindering an effective usage of mobile ICTs, namely work-family spillover, system quality issues, inconsistency in the way of using mobile ICTs among CMPs and the lack of organisational support.Originality/valueThe results of this research imply that to fully reap the potential benefits of mobile ICTs in construction projects, those barriers need to be addressed appropriately at the individual, organisational and industry levels. Also, this research informs construction organisations of how mobile ICTs can be deployed and used in the most cost-effective way in their projects.
Students’ self-perceived employability (SPE)
Authors: Pitan Oluyomi Susan , Muller Colette 
Published: December 2019

Purpose
To a prospective employee, self-perception is a vital component of employability; to better understand employability, an exploration of this essential component and its determinants is required. Besides investigating students’ perceptions of their likelihood of success in the graduate labour market, the purpose of this paper is to examine the main influence of gender and field of study and the interaction effects of these two independent variables on students’ self-perceived employability (SPE).

Design/methodology/approach
Data for the study were collected from a sample of 402 final-year students, at two universities in South Africa using an adapted questionnaire. The 402 students comprised of 203 from University A and 199 from University B. In total, 166 were males and 236 females while 104 were from Management Studies, 102 from Education, 72 from Law and 124 from Science and Agriculture. The three stated hypotheses for the study were analysed using factorial ANOVA (2×4) and the Bonferroni post hoc multiple comparison test.

Findings
The main effects of gender and field of study on SPE are both significant, but the interactions between them are not. Male students were found to demonstrate a higher level of SPE. For field of study, Education students demonstrated the highest level of SPE.

Originality/value
The study shows that students, particularly those in their final year, may perceive themselves to be more employable, due to increased awareness of their improved human capital. In addition, both gender and field of study are important attributes affecting students’ SPE. The variations in SPE are indicative of students’ understanding and awareness of labour market realities, offering several implications for universities and all stakeholders of graduate employability.
Modal analysis of trailing edge cutback film cooling
Authors: Luo Yuxi , Wen Fengbo , Hou Rui , Wang Shuai , Wang Songtao , Wang Zhongqi 
Published: December 2019

Purpose
The purpose of this paper devoted to the application of modal analysis to analyze the flow structure of trailing edge cutback film cooling and the effects of vortex structure on the film cooling effectiveness of the cutback surface.

Design/methodology/approach
Large eddy simulation (LES) is used to simulate the trailing edge cutback film cooling. The results of LES are analyzed by proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) method and dynamic mode decomposition (DMD) method. The POD method is used to determine the dominated vortex structure and the energy level of these structures. The DMD method is used to analyze the relationship between vortex structures and wall temperature.

Findings
The POD method shows that the flow field consists of three main vortices – streamwise vortex, lip vortex and coolant vortex. The DMD results show that the lip vortex mainly acts on the middle section of the cutback surface, while the streamwise vortex mainly acts on the back section of the cutback surface.

Research limitations/implications
The modal analysis is only based on numerical simulation but the modal analysis of experimental results will be further studied in the future.

Practical implications
This paper presents the powerful ability of the modal analysis method to study complex flows in trailing edge cutback film cooling. Establishing the relationship between vortex and wall temperature by modal analysis method can provide a new idea for studying convective heat transfer problems.

Originality/value
The role of streamwise vortex in the flow of the trailing edge cutback cooling and its effect on the cooling effectiveness of the cutback surface is found.
Forty years of conflict: the effects of gender and generation on conflict-management strategies
Authors: Rahim M. Afzalur , Katz Jeffrey P. 
Published: December 2019

PurposePrevious studies examining the relationship between gender and conflict-management strategies have generally reported weak or inconsistent results. This paper aims to study extends past research by examining the main and interactive effects of gender on conflict-management strategies over time. The authors propose that conflict-management strategies commonly employed in the workplace are impacted by worker gender as predicted by face negotiation theory and vary over time based on the “generation” of the worker.Design/methodology/approachTo test the study hypotheses, a field study was conducted to assess main and interactive effects of gender and generation on the five strategies for conflict management: Integrating, obliging, dominating, avoiding and compromising. Questionnaire data were collected over four decades (1980s-2010s) from employed students (N = 6,613). Data analysis was performed using a multivariate analysis of covariance.FindingsThe results suggest female employees consistently use more noncompeting strategies (integrating, obliging, avoiding and compromising) than male employees and male employees consistently use more competing strategy (dominating) than female employees. All the main and interaction effects were significant.Research limitations/implicationsWhile this study involved primarily students in the USA studying management at two major public universities, there may be implications for a more global population of workers. However, the results support the notion advanced by face negotiation theory that men will generally seek to save face while women will generally avoid conflict in consideration of others.Practical implicationsThis study demonstrates that workers employ different conflict-management strategies over time and the use of certain strategies varies by gender. An implication of this study is the need to regularly reassess selection, training and evaluation processes for managers. In addition, supervisors should encourage employees to enhance the effective use of cooperative (integrating, obliging and compromising) strategies and focus on specific situations when uncooperative strategies (dominating and avoiding) may be needed.Originality/valueBy using face negotiation theory as the organizing framework to examine changes in conflict-management strategies over time, this study contributes in a substantial way to the understanding of how gender and generation interact to influence the selection and use of conflict-management strategies in the workplace.
Understanding project evaluation – a review and reconceptualization
Authors: Haass Omid , Guzman Gustavo 
Published: December 2019

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to understand the underlying logics applied by different project evaluation approaches and to propose an alternative research agenda.Design/methodology/approachThis paper explores the project evaluation literature via conducting a qualitative research applying systematic literature review and thematic analysis.FindingsThe project evaluation literature has mainly concentrated on the objective aspects of project evaluation and overlooked the subjective aspects that reflect the temporal, dynamic, complex and subjective nature of today’s projects. The authors propose a meta-framework that helps project practitioners to select an appropriate project evaluation criterion for their projects by considering the strengths and limitations of their preferred project evaluation model as well as making project evaluators aware of the underlying logics associated to diverse project evaluation approaches.Research limitations/implicationsThis study suggests that new conceptual approaches to deal with some of the major challenges in the project evaluation field. Practice-based views, narrative analysis and actor-network theory are likely to be useful tools to better understand and cope with the projects’ uncertainty and complexity.Practical implicationsThe findings of this research assist project management practitioners and particularly project evaluators to enhance their understanding of the subjectivity, complexity and dynamics of current projects. To increase the reflexivity and resilience of project evaluation practice, this study also proposes new directions to apply different criteria, sub-criteria and indicators to the evaluation practice.Originality/valueThe originality of this study relies on transcending the conventional objective and rational approaches prevailing in current project evaluation practices. It proposes a research agenda that pave the way to address the shortcomings of conventional project evaluation practice.
A comparative study of depression literacy between pharmacy and non-pharmacy students of a Nigerian university
Authors: Aluh Deborah Oyine , Okonta Matthew , Odili Valentine 
Published: December 2019

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to assess and compare the knowledge and help-seeking behaviors toward depression among pharmacy students and non-pharmacy students.Design/methodology/approachThe study was a cross-sectional descriptive survey and was carried out among undergraduate students of the oldest and largest university in Eastern Nigeria, the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Open-ended questions were used to assess the participants’ recognition of depression and their preferred source of help for a vignette character. The open-ended responses were categorized based on the similarity of thematic content and presented as frequencies/percentages.FindingsA total of 118 out of the 200 pharmacy students sampled responded (59 percent) and 270 students out of the 300 non-pharmacy students surveyed responded (90 percent). A significantly higher proportion of pharmacy students correctly labeled the vignette as depression (61.9 percent) compared to non-pharmacy students (39.6 percent) (χ2=16.57,p=<0.001). Psychologists were the most recommended source of help by both groups of students surveyed. A statistically significant greater proportion of pharmacy students recommended psychiatrists compared to non-pharmacy students (χ2=3.79,p=0.044). There was a significant association between academic level of study and ability to correctly label the vignette among pharmacy and non-pharmacy students [(χ2=18.08,p<0.001), (χ2=10.35,p=0.016)], respectively.Originality/valueThis is the first time the depression literacy of pharmacy students has been surveyed in an African country. The findings from this study are interesting in the context of current efforts to decrease the enormous treatment gap for depression by improving its recognition in community pharmacy settings.
The origin of the country-of-origin image: the role of law
Authors: Lin Chih-Pin , Huang Chi-Jui , Lin Hsin-Mei , Chuang Cheng-Min 
Published: December 2019

Purpose
Country of origin has profound effects on consumer behavior; yet few studies have examined an antecedent of these effects: why some countries enjoy a positive image while others suffer a negative one. Developing an institutional theory of country image, the authors argue that weak legal institutions at the country level increase firm opportunistic behavior that expropriates consumers and decrease the product quality of local brands, thus decreasing the country’s image regarding its products and brands.

Design/methodology/approach
This study measures country image for products and brands using the number of valuable brands (i.e. brands included in the top 500 brands from 2008 to 2016) in a particular home country. Data concerning the rule of law in each country come from the World Bank, and data on the efficiency of countries’ judicial systems comes from Djankov et al. (2007). We also collect patent data from the US Patent and Trade Office, national culture from Hofstede Insights and GDP and GDP per capita from the World Bank as control variables. Panel Poisson regression, Tobit regression and truncated regression are used in the analyses.

Findings
Supporting the institutional theory of country image, both the rule of law and efficiency of the judicial systems show positive and significant effects on country image, even when economy size (GDP), degree of economic development (GDP per capita), level of technology and skill (patents) and culture are controlled.

Practical implications
To improve their country’s image and the brand value of local firms, policymakers should strive to strengthen legal institutions aimed at punishing firm opportunistic behavior in their countries.

Originality/value
Previous research on the country-of-origin effect has not yet appreciated the role of legal institutions in developing the construct of country image.