bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A eukaryote-wide perspective on the diversity and evolution of the ARF GTPase protein family
Authors: Vargová Romana , Wideman Jeremy G. , Derelle Romain , Klimeš Vladimír , Kahn Richard A. , Dacks Joel B. , Eliáš Marek 
Published: November 2020

AbstractThe evolution of eukaryotic cellular complexity is interwoven with the extensive diversification of many protein families. One key family is the ARF GTPases that act in eukaryote-specific processes, including membrane traffic, tubulin assembly, actin dynamics, and cilia-related functions. Unfortunately, our understanding of the evolution of this family is limited. Sampling an extensive set of available genome and transcriptome sequences, we have assembled a dataset of over 2,000 manually curated ARF family genes from 114 eukaryotic species, including many deeply diverged protist lineages, and carried out comprehensive molecular phylogenetic analyses. These reconstructed as many as 16 ARF family members present in the last eukaryotic common ancestor (LECA), nearly doubling the previously inferred ancient system complexity. Evidence for the wide occurrence and ancestral origin of Arf6, Arl13 and Arl16 is presented for the first time. Moreover, Arl17, Arl18 and SarB, newly described here, are absent from well-studied model organisms and as a result their function(s) remain unknown. Analyses of our dataset revealed a previously unsuspected diversity of membrane association modes and domain architectures within the ARF family. We detail the step-wise expansion of the ARF family in the metazoan lineage, including discovery of several new animal-specific family members. Delving back to its earliest evolution in eukaryotes, the resolved relationship observed between the ARF family paralogs sets boundaries for scenarios of vesicle coat origins during eukaryogenesis. Altogether, our work fundamentally broadens the understanding of the diversity and evolution of a protein family underpinning the structural and functional complexity of the eukaryote cells.SignificanceARF Family GTPases are crucial regulations of a diversity of cellular compartments and processes and as such the extent of this system in eukaryotes reflects both cellular complexity in modern eukaryotes and its evolution. Strikingly, a comprehensive comparative genomic analysis of the protein family is lacking, leaving its recent and ancient evolution poorly resolved. We performed a comprehensive molecular evolutionary analysis, reconstructing a highly complex ARF family complement in the Last Eukaryotic Common Ancestor, including a number of paralogs never before identified as such, and we find resolved relationships between the paralogs. This work has implications for cellular evolution from eukaryogenesis to cellular complexity in metazoans.
In Vitro and Insilico screening platform for the identification of aldose reductase inhibitors for antidiabetic lead compounds fromAbutilon indicum (L.)
Authors: Lavanya L , Veeraraghavan V. , Prashantha CN , Srihari Renuka 
Published: November 2020

AbstractIntroductionType 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) is a long-term metabolic disorder that primarily characterized by impaired insulin resistance to become hyperglycemia. People suffering from T2DM have a higher risk of developing various diseases but, on top of that, some diabetic drugs are also suspected of increasing the risk in some cases. Aldose reductase is a key target enzyme to catalyze the reduction of glucose to sorbitol and does not readily diffuse across cell membranes and cause retinopathy and neuropathy. The aldolase reductase inhibitors prevent the conversion of glucose to sorbitol and may have the capacity of preventing and / or treating several diabetic complications. It will be expected to be twofold in the subsequent decade due to intensification in the senile population with the number of people affected, thus adding to the liability on medical providers in poor developed countries using herbal medicine to control the diabetes. In recent investigation, the antidiabetic property of phytochemicals extracted from leafs ofAbutilon indicum (L.)is elucidated using animal models.Materials and MethodsIn the current study using aldose reductase enzyme assay inhibitor of Rat lens Aldose reductase were treated withA. indicummethanolic leaf extract at different concentrations (6.25, 12.5, 25, 50, 100, and 200μg/mL). Copper sulphate was used as reference drug and docking studies to predict the screen the best aldose reductase inhibitor.Results and DiscussionThe crude extract exhibited cytotoxicity against rat lens aldose reductase (IC50= 135.8 μg/L vs ref 13.60 μg/L) using In Vitro. The docking is performed with 11 compounds shows Ertugliflozin, 9H-Cycloisolongifolene, 8-oxo and 7-hydroxy cadalene showed a good binding interaction with aldose reductase.ConclusionWe are concluding that the invitro andin silicoanalysis helps researchers to utilize these compound for aldose reductase inhibitors and further can be used for clinical applications.
SARS-CoV-2 epidemic calculation in Italy by SEIR compartmental models
Authors: Battineni Gopi , Chintalapudi Nalini , Amenta Francesco 
Published: November 2020

PurposeAfter the identification of a novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) at Wuhan, China, a pandemic was widely spread worldwide. In Italy, about 240,000 people were infected because of this virus including 34,721 deaths until the end of June 2020. To control this new pandemic, epidemiologists recommend the enforcement of serious mitigation measures like country lockdown, contact tracing or testing, social distancing and self-isolation.Design/methodology/approachThis paper presents the most popular epidemic model of susceptible (S), exposed (E), infected (I) and recovered (R) collectively called SEIR to understand the virus spreading among the Italian population.FindingsDeveloped SEIR model explains the infection growth across Italy and presents epidemic rates after and before country lockdown. The results demonstrated that follow-up of strict measures such that country lockdown along with high testing is making Italy practically a pandemic-free country.Originality/valueThese models largely help to estimate and understand how an infectious agent spreads in a particular country and how individual factors can affect the dynamics. Further studies like classical SEIR modeling can improve the quality of data and implementation of this modeling could represent a novelty of epidemic models.
Food waste measurement toward a fair, healthy and environmental-friendly food system: a critical review
Authors: Amicarelli Vera , Bux Christian 
Published: November 2020

PurposeGiven the importance of food waste in the economic, social, health and environmental dimensions, the purpose of this work is to detect, through a systematic and configurative literature review on food-waste-measurement methodologies, the global approaches, characteristics, limitations, opportunities and results applied within the literature. The analysis of these papers provides useful information about how far we are from international action plans and, therefore, how we need to direct programs and policies to measure and reduce food waste and ensure food security and food safety.Design/methodology/approachThe authors have conducted a systematic, configurative literature review on food waste measurement methodologies applied only within empirical studies published in academic peer-reviewed scientific journals. Based on the Commission Delegated Decision (EU) 2019/1597 of May 3, 2019 (OJEU, 2019) regarding common methodologies and minimum quality requirements for the homogeneous assessment of food waste quantities and composition, the authors investigated the issue on Web of Science Core Collection (WoS) from June 2000 to June 2020. The authors researched keywords within article titles, abstracts and author keywords by utilizing 34 different research strings.FindingsThe proposed review particularly refers to following topics: measurement methodologies applied according to the Commission Delegated Decision (EU) 2019/1597; editorial placement and publication timeline; geographical area; food supply-chain stage and publication journals; and the main features, limitations, opportunities and results for each measurement methodology as presented by authors. Among the first 48,000 results, only 58 academic articles are perfectly in line with the aim of the review, highlighting the lack of standardized methodologies, the limits of those proposed and the deficiency of comparable results to achieve sustainable international goals.Originality/valueThe proposed review is one of the few concerning food waste measurement methodologies. Food waste measurement is essential to rebalance the actual inadequate food system and to switch it toward a fair, healthy and environmentally friendly one, thereby (1) managing the human nutrition system paradox of hungry, undernourished and over-weight people; (2) reducing food insecurity; (3) ensuring each living being's access to healthy, nutritious and sustainable food; and (4) reducing environmental impacts (neutral or positive impact) and the loss of biodiversity and mitigating climate change.
Does political risk lower bilateral trade flow? A gravity panel framework for Thailand vis-à-vis her trading partners
Authors: Goswami Gour Gobinda , Panthamit Nisit 
Published: November 2020

PurposePolitical risk factors play a pivotal role in determining the bilateral trade flow of Asian countries in general and the Association for Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries in particular. The main purpose of this research paper is to examine the impact of disaggregated political risk in lowering the bilateral trade flow of Thailand, a prominent member of ASEAN, vis-à-vis her 132 trading partners.Design/methodology/approachUsing panel data of Thailand with her partner countries for the period 1984–2015, this paper uses four different panel specifications named pooled ordinary least squares and random effects estimations (estimated generalized least squares estimation) of three types by controlling for cross-sectional heteroscedasticity, time-wise heteroscedasticity and contemporaneous correlation.FindingsHolding other gravity-based determinants constant, for one unit increase in the ranking of indicator of military in politics at home and abroad, trade flow decreases by 5–9% of the total trade flow of Thailand per year. For other types of political risks like government instability at home and abroad, difficulties in investment profile at home and abroad and internal and external conflict at home and abroad, the decrease is also substantial and most statistically significant. The magnitude of loss due to the military channel at home and abroad can amount to US$9.38–US$16.88 bn per year for Thailand, after controlling for other gravity variables.Research limitations/implicationsThe reasons for risk originating from different political channels could be explored at the regional or global level to understand their global and local dimensions.Practical implicationsPolicymakers should attempt to resolve the political risks at home and abroad in an amicable manner, through dialogue, so that bilateral trade flow is not inhibited.Social implicationsBy taking economic reforms only, the trading problem cannot be resolved until and unless Thailand involves her society, politics and administrative mechanisms in a conducive manner to facilitate her trade. A dialogue among bureaucracy, political authority and military is beneficial in mitigating political risks.Originality/valueThe paper is unique in the sense that it makes a solid attempt to identify the potential channels of disaggregated political risk in affecting trade flow negatively, in a gravity framework, by controlling for different kinds of error structure.
Do banks accumulate a higher level of intellectual capital? Evidence from an emerging market
Authors: Tran Ngoc Phu , Vo Duc Hong 
Published: November 2020

PurposeIn developed countries, banks are perceived to accumulate a higher level of intellectual capital than firms in other sectors. However, this perception has not been considered or tested in the context of an emerging market such as Vietnam, which has one of the most dynamic economies in the Asian region. This study estimates and compares the level of accumulation of intellectual capital and its four components by financial and nonfinancial firms in Vietnam. Furthermore, this study examines the relationship between intellectual capital and its components and the performance of financial and nonfinancial firms.Design/methodology/approachThis study uses data collected from the annual reports of 75 financial and 75 nonfinancial firms in Vietnam from 2011 to 2018. A modified value-added intellectual coefficient model is adopted to measure the level of intellectual capital at firms. Various aspects of intellectual capital are considered, including the efficiency of human capital, structural capital, capital employed and relational capital. In addition, the generalized method of moments is used to ensure the robustness of the findings.FindingsFindings in this study indicate that financial firms in Vietnam have accumulated a higher level of intellectual capital than nonfinancial firms. In addition, intellectual capital contributes positively to financial firms' performance. Three components of intellectual capital – structural capital efficiency, capital employed efficiency and relational capital efficiency – positively affect performance by financial firms.Research limitations/implicationsThis study is limited to financial and nonfinancial firms in Vietnam. Empirical studies in the future should incorporate the efficiency aspects of these types of firms because different industries might have different characteristics, in particular, their current efficiency level, which might cause differences in relation to the accumulation of intellectual capital.Practical implicationsThe findings of this study provide valuable evidence and implications for executives and policymakers in creating, managing and enhancing intellectual capital within the Vietnamese context, in particular in the financial sector.Originality/valueTo the best of our knowledge, this is the first empirical study conducted in the context of Vietnam, with the following two objectives: (1) to measure and compare the level of accumulation of intellectual capital by financial and nonfinancial firms in Vietnam; and (2) to examine the contribution of intellectual capital and its components to the performance by financial and nonfinancial firms in Vietnam.
Sympatric pairings of dryland grass populations, mycorrhizal fungi and associated soil biota enhance mutualism and ameliorate drought stress
Authors: Remke Michael J. , Johnson Nancy C. , Wright Jeffrey , Williamson Matthew , Bowker Matthew A. 
Published: November 2020

Abstract

There is evidence that the distribution of ecotypes of plants and their symbiotic arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi and other associated soil biota may be structured by the availability of essential soil nutrients; and that locally adapted partnerships most successfully acquire limiting nutrients. This study tests the hypotheses that plant genotypes are adapted to the water availability of their local environment, and this adaptation involves associations with local soil biota, including AM fungi.

We grew semi‐arid Bouteloua gracilis ecotypes from relatively wet and dry sites, with either sympatric or allopatric soil inoculum under moderate and extreme soil drying treatments to examine (a) how varying degrees of water limitation influence grass responses to soil biota and (b) the relationship between AM fungal structures and the responses.

Under extreme soil drying, the dry site ecotype tended to perform better than the wet site ecotype. Both ecotypes performed best in either drying treatment when inoculated with their sympatric soil biota. Sympatric pairings produced more AM fungal hyphae, arbuscules and dark septate fungi. Extreme soil drying tended to accentuate these apparent benefits of sympatry to both plants and fungal symbionts, relative to the moderate drying treatment.

Our findings support the hypothesis that AM symbioses help Bouteloua gracilis ecotypes adapt to local water availability. This conclusion is based on the observations that as water became increasingly limited, sympatric partnerships produced more AM fungal hyphae and arbuscules and fewer vesicles. The abundances of hyphae and arbuscules were positively correlated with plant growth, suggesting that in sympatric pairs of plants and AM fungi, allocation to fungal structures is optimized to maximize benefits and minimize the costs of the symbioses. This provides strong evidence that co‐adaptation among plants and their associated AM fungi can ameliorate drought stress.

Synthesis. Our study documents the role of locally adapted soil borne plant symbionts in ameliorating water stress. We found a relationship between AM fungal structures in roots and plant performance. Generally, plants and fungi from the same site resulted in more positive effects on plant growth.
Getting the measure of the biodiversity crisis in Mediterranean coastal habitats
Authors: Sperandii Marta Gaia , Barták Vojtěch , Carboni Marta , Acosta Alicia Teresa Rosario 
Published: November 2020

Abstract

Assessing temporal changes in plant communities is a core aim of temporal ecology and a shared priority of global conservation agendas which is particularly urgent in threatened ecosystems. Mediterranean coastal dunes harbour some of the most threatened habitats in Europe. Yet, surprisingly, studies capturing the recent temporal dynamics of biodiversity in these systems by accounting for multiple diversity facets and different aspects of community structure are missing.

Here, using data from a resurveying study, we provide a first comprehensive, habitat‐based, multi‐faceted assessment of recent (10–15 years) temporal changes in threatened Mediterranean coastal dunes. To this aim, we quantified taxonomic and functional changes in plant communities using indices capturing multiple biodiversity features, and we explored trends at both the community level and the species level. We compared observed biodiversity changes across habitats (to look for evidence of generalized biodiversity loss) and across facets (to infer the potential loss of unique functions), and tested their significance using a null model. Overall, we predicted large compositional shifts and biodiversity loss beyond expectations in many communities, although with differences among habitat types.

Our results reveal severe shifts in the taxonomic profile of the communities, mostly driven by a non‐random species loss, and little temporal overlap in functional space, implying large changes in both community structure and ecological strategies of the investigated habitats. This, together with the disappearance of c. 23% of historical plots and with substantial losses in focal species, suggests that intense degradation processes are occurring in coastal dune habitats, particularly on the upper beach and on shifting dunes.

Synthesis. This study provides the first evidence of large, often non‐random, taxonomic and functional changes occurring in Mediterranean coastal dune plant communities in a surprisingly short time‐span. Along with furthering our knowledge of the recent dynamics affecting these endangered ecosystems, our results also pinpoint the types of habitats that are most at risk, helping to direct future conservation efforts and management. Future research should now be directed at more precisely testing potential drivers of these changes.
Development of a Bangla version of the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) and the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI)
Authors: Abdal Syed Jamil , Yesmin Sabrina , Shazzad Md. Nahiduzzamane , Azad Mohammad Abul Kalam , Shahin Md. Abu , Choudhury Minhaj Rahim , Islam Md. Nazrul , Haq Syed Atiqul 
Published: November 2020

AbstractAimDevelopment of a Bangla version of the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) and the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI).MethodsThis biphasic observational study performed the translation and adaptation of the questionnaires carried out in 5 steps with pre‐testing in 30 AS patients followed by the psychometric validation of the pre‐final Bangla version utilizing content and construct validity in 115 AS patients. The reliability was examined through internal consistency and test–retest reliability involving 23 AS patients.ResultsAfter pre‐testing of the pre‐final Bangla version of both indices, the psychometric validation found that the convergent validity of Bangla version of BASDAI showed strong correlation with C‐reactive protein (r = .75) and the Maastricht Ankylosing Spondylitis Enthesitis (r = .64), and moderate correlation with erythrocyte sedimentation rate (r = .49). Again, the Bangla BASFI showed significant correlation with occiput‐to‐wall distance (OWD) (r = .50), mentum‐to‐sternum distance (MSD) (r = .50), chest expansion (CE) (r = −.40), finger‐to‐floor (FFD) (r = .55), number of swollen joints (r = .69), and number of enthesitis (r = .68). The divergent validity demonstrated weak correlations between BASDAI and OWD (r = .43), MSD (r = .34), CE (r = −.44), FFD (r = .47). The divergent validity of BASFI could not be assessed due to lack of a suitable comparing parameter. The instruments revealed acceptable internal consistency as Cronbach's alpha was 0.86 for BASDAI and 0.93 for BASFI. A 7‐day test–retest reliability measured by the intraclass correlation coefficient were 0.80 (CI at 95% = 0.58‐0.90) for BASDAI and 0.83 (CI at 95% = 95% 0.64‐0.92) for BASFI respectively.ConclusionsBangla version of BASDAI and BASFI may be useful in disease activity and functional ability assessment in AS patients.
Impact of CYP2D6 activity and cachexia progression on enantiomeric alteration of plasma tramadol and its demethylated metabolites and their relationships with central nervous system symptoms in head and neck cancer patients
Authors: Suzuki Koji , Naito Takafumi , Tanaka Hironari , Shibata Kaito , Yamada Yasuhide , Itoh Kunihiko , Kawakami Junichi 
Published: November 2020

AbstractThis study aimed to evaluate the influence of CYP2D6 activity and cachexia progression on the enantiomeric alteration of plasma tramadol and its demethylated metabolites in head and neck cancer patients. Fifty‐three head and neck cancer patients receiving oral tramadol were enrolled. The plasma concentrations of tramadol, O‐desmethyltramadol (ODT) and N‐desmethyltramadol (NDT) enantiomers were determined. The CYP2D6 activity score (AS) and degree of cachexia progression were assessed according to genotype and the Glasgow Prognostic Score (GPS), respectively. The enantiomeric ratio of NDT was (+)‐form dominant in all patients. CYP2D6 AS had negative correlations with the plasma concentrations of (+)‐NDT and (−)‐NDT. The plasma concentrations of (+)‐tramadol and (+)‐ODT were higher in patients with GPS 1 or 2 than in those with GPS 0. Lower metabolic ratios to NDT enantiomers were observed in patients with GPS 1 or 2. In patients with GPS 1 or 2, the plasma (−)‐tramadol was associated with the incidence of central nervous system symptoms. In conclusion, CYP2D6 AS partially explained the contribution of CYP2D6 activity to plasma tramadol and its demethylated metabolite enantiomers. Additionally, cachexia progression elevated the plasma (+)‐tramadol and (+)‐ODT levels through the reduction of N‐demethylation of (+)‐tramadol.