bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Knowledge management, innovation and firm performance
Authors: Darroch Jenny 
Published: June 2005

PurposeTo provide important empirical evidence to support the role of knowledge management within firms.Design/methodology/approachData were collected using a mail survey sent to CEOs representing firms with 50 or more employees from a cross‐section of industries. A total of 1,743 surveys were mailed out and 443 were returned and usable (27.8 percent response rate). The sample was checked for response and non‐response bias. Hypotheses were tested using structural equation modelling.FindingsThis paper presents knowledge management as a coordinating mechanism. Empirical evidence supports the view that a firm with a knowledge management capability will use resources more efficiently and so will be more innovative and perform better.Research limitations/implicationsThe sample slightly over‐represented larger firms. Data were also collected in New Zealand. As with most studies, it is important to replicate this study in different contexts.Practical implicationsKnowledge management is embraced in many organizations and requires a business case to justify expenditure on programs to implement knowledge management behaviours and practices or hardware and software solutions. This paper provides support for the importance of knowledge management to enhance innovation and performance.Originality/valueThis paper is one of the first to find empirical support for the role of knowledge management within firms. Further, the positioning of knowledge management as a coordinating mechanism is also an important contribution to our thinking on this topic.
The concept of knowledge work revisited
Authors: Pyöriä Pasi 
Published: June 2005

PurposeTo identify and critically assess the most recurrent themes in the ongoing debate on knowledge work.Design/methodology/approachA representative selection of studies published since 1962 is reviewed. The review focuses on the theoretical strengths and limitations of the concept of knowledge work.FindingsThe review indicates that definitions of knowledge work abound. Although knowledge work has attracted scholarly minds for several decades and the number of publications in this area has rapidly increased in recent years, it has proved hard to come by a clear and concise definition of this term. However, certain themes, such as a high level of education and skills and the use of information technology as an integral part of the informational labour process, have become increasingly common to both the empirical and the theoretical literature.Originality/valueThe paper helps pave the way for more detailed research by providing an ideal‐typical profile of informational labour.
Corporate South Africa: making multicultural knowledge sharing work
Authors: Finestone Nicozaan , Snyman Retha 
Published: June 2005

PurposeKnowledge management in South Africa is still a very new field of management and knowledge managers are experiencing difficulties with the added dimension of multiculturalism. The history of South Africa, along with its current focus on cultural equality, complicates the matter. This research seeks to look at the challenges facing knowledge managers in a multicultural South African corporate environment.Design/methodology/approachAn exploratory study, using in‐depth interviewing and a focus group as information collection methods, was launched to explore South African knowledge‐management practices in a cross‐section of companies in the economy.FindingsResults showed that companies were afraid to acknowledge cultural differences because of major cultural sensitivity and, as a result, corporate culture was seen as the great equaliser of cultural exchanges. Knowledge managers, along with top management's support, must rather create a cooperative knowledge‐sharing environment in which South Africa's diverse cultures can interact, learn from one another and innovate.Research limitations/implicationsServes as a pilot study that aims to explore new territory. From this explorative research, a new and extensive study of the contributing factors should be conducted. This study does not proclaim to be representative of all companies, as only a cross‐section of the South African corporate market was targeted for participation.Practical implicationsCompany management and knowledge workers will see the necessity of incorporating different approaches to knowledge‐management implementation to suit individual needs.Originality/valueVery little research has been done on this subject from a South African corporate‐environment perspective. These researchers hope to make knowledge workers more sensitive to the influence of multiculturalism on potential implementation of a knowledge‐management strategy.
Pretransition and progressive softening of bovine carbonic anhydrase II as probed by single molecule atomic force microscopy
Authors: Afrin Rehana , Alam Mohammad T. , Ikai Atsushi 
Published: June 2005

AbstractTo develop a simple method for probing the physical state of surface adsorbed proteins, we adopted the force curve mode of an atomic force microscope (AFM) to extract information on the mechanical properties of surface immobilized bovine carbonic anhydrase II under native conditions and in the course of guanidinium chloride–induced denaturation. A progressive increase in the population of individually softened molecules was probed under mildly to fully denaturing conditions. The use of the approach regime of force curves gave information regarding the height and rigidity of the molecule under compressive stress, whereas use of the retracting regime of the curves gave information about the tensile characteristics of the protein. The results showed that protein molecules at the beginning of the transition region possessed slightly more flattened and significantly more softened conformations compared with that of native molecules, but were still not fully denatured, in agreement with results based on solution studies. Thus the force curve mode of an AFM was shown to be sensitive enough to provide information concerning the different physical states of single molecules of globular proteins.
X‐ray structure of putative acyl‐ACP desaturase DesA2 from Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv
Authors: Dyer David H. , Lyle Karen S. , Rayment Ivan , Fox Brian G. 
Published: June 2005

AbstractGenome sequencing showed that two proteins in Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv contain the metal binding motif (D/E)X2HX∼100(D/E)X2H characteristic of the soluble diiron enzyme superfamily. These putative acyl‐ACP desaturase genes desA1 and desA2 were cloned from genomic DNA and expressed in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3). DesA1 was found to be insoluble, but in contrast, DesA2 was a soluble protein amenable to biophysical characterization. Here, we report the 2.0 Å resolution X‐ray structure of DesA2 determined by multiple anomalous dispersion (MAD) phasing from a Se‐met derivative and refinement against diffraction data obtained on the native protein. The X‐ray structure shows that DesA2 is a homodimeric protein with a four‐helix bundle core flanked by five additional helices that overlay with 192 structurally equivalent amino acids in the structure of stearoyl‐ACP Δ9 desaturase from castor plant with an rms difference 1.42 Å. In the DesA2 crystals, one metal (likely Mn from the crystallization buffer) was bound in high occupancy at the B‐site of the conserved metal binding motif, while the A‐site was not occupied by a metal ion. Instead, the amino group of Lys‐76 occupied this position. The relationships between DesA2 and known diiron enzymes are discussed.
A reaction landscape identifies the intermediates critical for self‐assembly of virus capsids and other polyhedral structures
Authors: Endres Dan , Miyahara Masaki , Moisant Paul , Zlotnick Adam 
Published: June 2005

AbstractThe capsids of spherical viruses may contain from tens to hundreds of copies of the capsid protein(s). Despite their complexity, these particles assemble rapidly and with high fidelity. Subunit and capsid represent unique end states. However, the number of intermediate states in these reactions can be enormous—a situation analogous to the protein folding problem. Approaches to accurately model capsid assembly are still in their infancy. In this paper, we describe a sailshaped reaction landscape, defined by the number of subunits in each species, the predicted prevalence of each species, and species stability. Prevalence can be calculated from the probability of synthesis of a given intermediate and correlates well with the appearance of intermediates in kinetics simulations. In these landscapes, we find that only those intermediates along the leading edge make a significant contribution to assembly. Although the total number of intermediates grows exponentially with capsid size, the number of leading‐edge intermediates grows at a much slower rate. This result suggests that only a minute fraction of intermediates needs to be considered when describing capsid assembly.
A critical assessment of the topomer search model of protein folding using a continuum explicit‐chain model with extensive conformational sampling
Authors: Wallin Stefan , Chan Hue Sun 
Published: June 2005

AbstractRecently, a series of closely related theoretical constructs termed the “topomer search model” (TSM) has been proposed for the folding mechanism of small, single‐domain proteins. A basic assumption of the proposed scenarios is that the rate‐limiting step in folding is an essentially unbiased, diffusive search for a conformational state called the native topomer defined by an overall native‐like topological pattern. Successes in correlating TSM‐predicted folding rates with that of real proteins have been interpreted as experimental support for the model. To better delineate the physics entailed, key TSM concepts are examined here using extensive Langevin dynamics simulations of continuum Cα chain models. The theoretical native topomers of four experimentally well‐studied two‐state proteins are characterized. Consistent with the TSM perspective, we found that the sizes of the native topomers increase with experimental folding rate. However, a careful determination of the corresponding probabilities that the native topomers are populated during a random search fails to reproduce the previously predicted folding rates. Instead, our results indicate that an unbiased TSM search for the native topomer amounts to a Levinthal‐like process that would take an impossibly long average time to complete. Furthermore, intraprotein contacts in all four native topomers considered exhibit no apparent correlation with the experimental ϕ‐values determined from the folding kinetics of these proteins. Thus, the present findings suggest that certain basic, generic yet essential energetic features in protein folding are not accounted for by TSM scenarios to date.
High‐quality homology models derived from NMR and X‐ray structures of E. coli proteins YgdK and Suf E suggest that all members of the YgdK/Suf E protein family are enhancers of cysteine desulfurases
Authors: Liu Gaohua , Li Zhaohui , Chiang Yiwen , Acton Thomas , Montelione Gaetano T. , Murray Diana , Szyperski Thomas 
Published: June 2005

AbstractThe structural biology of proteins mediating iron‐sulfur (Fe‐S) cluster assembly is central for understanding several important biological processes. Here we present the NMR structure of the 16‐kDa protein YgdK from Escherichia coli, which shares 35% sequence identity with the E. coli protein SufE. The SufE X‐ray crystal structure was solved in parallel with the YdgK NMR structure in the Northeast Structural Genomics (NESG) consortium. Both proteins are (1) key components for Fe‐S metabolism, (2) exhibit the same distinct fold, and (3) belong to a family of at least 70 prokaryotic and eukaryotic sequence homologs. Accurate homology models were calculated for the YgdK/SufE family based on YgdK NMR and SufE crystal structure. Both structural templates contributed equally, exemplifying synergy of NMR and X‐ray crystallography. SufE acts as an enhancer of the cysteine desulfurase activity of SufS by SufE–SufS complex formation. A homology model of CsdA, a desulfurase encoded in the same operon as YgdK, was modeled using the X‐ray structure of SufS as a template. Protein surface and electrostatic complementarities strongly suggest that YgdK and CsdA likewise form a functional two‐component desulfurase complex. Moreover, structural features of YgdK and SufS, which can be linked to their interaction with desulfurases, are conserved in all homology models. It thus appears very likely that all members of the YgdK/SufE family act as enhancers of Suf‐S‐like desulfurases. The present study exemplifies that “refined” selection of two (or more) targets enables high‐quality homology modeling of large protein families.
Structural model of the amino propeptide of collagen XI α1 chain with similarity to the LNS domains
Authors: Fallahi Arzhang , Kroll Becky , Warner Lisa R. , Oxford Rex J. , Irwin Katey M. , Mercer Linda M. , Shadle Susan E. , Oxford Julia Thom 
Published: June 2005

AbstractFibrillar collagens are the principal structural molecules of connective tissues. The assembly of collagen fibrils is regulated by quantitatively minor fibrillar collagens, types V and XI. A unique amino‐terminal propeptide domain of these collagens has been attributed this regulatory role. The structure of the amino terminal propeptide has yet to be determined. Low sequence similarity necessitated a secondary structure‐based method to carry out homology modeling based upon the determined structure of LNS family members, named for a common structure in the laminin LG5 domain, the neurexin 1B domain and the sex hormone binding globulin. Distribution of amino acids within the model suggested glycosaminoglycan interaction and calcium binding. These activities were tested experimentally. Sequence analyses of existing genes for collagens indicate that 16 known collagen α chains may contain an LNS domain. A similar approach may prove useful for structure/function studies of similar domains in other collagens with similar domains. This will provide mechanistic details of the organization and assembly of the extracellular matrix and the underlying basis of structural integrity in connective tissues. The absolute requirement for collagen XI in skeletal growth is indicated by collagen XI deficiencies such as chondrodystrophies found in the cho/cho mouse and in humans with Stickler syndrome.
Human full‐length Securin is a natively unfolded protein
Authors: Sánchez‐Puig Nuria , Veprintsev Dmitry B. , Fersht Alan R. 
Published: June 2005

AbstractHuman Securin, also called PTTG1 (pituitary tumor transforming gene 1 product), is an estrogen‐regulated proto‐oncogene with multifunctional properties. We characterized human full‐length Securin using a variety of biophysical techniques, such as nuclear magnetic resonance, circular dichroism, and size‐exclusion chromatography. Under physiological conditions, Securin is devoid of tertiary and secondary structure except for a small amount of poly‐(L‐proline) type II helix and its hydrodynamic characteristics suggest it behaves as an extended polypeptide. These results suggest that Securin is unstructured in solution and so belongs to the family of natively unfolded proteins. In addition, to gain structural and quantitative insight, we investigated the binding of Securin to p53. Analytical ultracentrifugation and fluorescence anisotropy studies revealed no evidence of any direct interaction between unmodified recombinant Securin and p53 in vitro.
The crystal structure of PfFabZ, the unique β‐hydroxyacyl‐ACP dehydratase involved in fatty acid biosynthesis of Plasmodium falciparum
Authors: Kostrewa Dirk , Winkler Fritz K. , Folkers Gerd , Scapozza Leonardo , Perozzo Remo 
Published: June 2005

AbstractThe unique β‐hydroxyacyl‐ACP dehydratase in Plasmodium falciparum, PfFabZ, is involved in fatty acid biosynthesis and catalyzes the dehydration of β‐hydroxy fatty acids linked to acyl carrier protein. The structure was solved by single anomalous dispersion (SAD) phasing using a quick‐soaking experiment with potassium iodide and refined to a resolution of 2.1 Å. The crystal structure represents the first structure of a Plasmodium β‐hydroxyacyl‐ACP dehydratase with broad substrate specificity. The asymmetric unit contains a hexamer that appears as a trimer of dimers. Each dimer shows the known “hot dog” fold that has been observed in only a few other protein structures. Each of the two independent active sites in the dimer is formed by equal contributions from both subunits. The active site is mainly hydrophobic and looks like an L‐shaped tunnel. The catalytically important amino acids His 133 and Glu 147′ (from the other subunit), together with His98′, form the only hydrophilic site in this tunnel. The inner end of the active site tunnel is closed by the phenyl ring of Phe 169, which is located in a flexible, partly visible loop. In order to explain the acceptance of substrates longer than ∼C‐7, the phenyl ring must move away to open the tunnel. The present structure supports an enzymatic mechanism consisting of an elimination reaction catalyzed by His 133 and Glu147′. 3‐decynoyl‐N‐acetylcysteamine, an inhibitor known to interact with the E. coli dehydratase/isomerase, turned out to interact covalently with PfFabZ. A first model of PfFabZ with this potent inhibitor is presented.
Welcome Home: Innovating the Forward Supply Chain
Authors: Boyer Kenneth K. , Hult G. Tomas M. 
Published: June 2005

Most retailers have moved relentlessly towards the low price, low customer contact, big box experience over the past three decades.But, as Kenneth K Boyer and G Tomas M Hult show, good service is coming back into style. Reinventing home shopping, as part of a new forward supply chain mindset, could make the retail shopping experience more enjoyable and more convenient. Customers will value it — and pay for it.
Limkain b1, a novel human autoantigen localized to a subset of ABCD3 and PXF marked peroxisomes
Authors: Dunster K , Lai F P L , Sentry J W 
Published: June 2005

Summary
Detection of self-reactive antibodies has an established role in the diagnosis and monitoring of many human autoimmune diseases. Autoantibodies with restricted reactivity to cytoplasmic compartments and structures are an occasional incidental finding following routine examination of serum for antinuclear antibody reactivity. A prerequisite for rational exploitation of self-reactive antibodies, in either clinical or research settings, is the establishment of the molecular identity of the target autoantigen(s). Here we report on the identification of a novel autoantigen that co-localizes with a subset of cytoplasmic microbodies marked by ABCD3 (PMP-70) and/or PXF (PEX19). Immunoscreening a HeLa cell cDNA expression library with a human autoimmune serum identified two clones that encode fragments of limkain b1 (LKAP). We demonstrate that mouse polyclonal antibodies raised against a bacterially expressed fragment of limkain b1 mark the same cytoplasmic structures as human serum, as does an EGFP:LKAPCT429 fusion protein expressed in HeLa cells. An immunoblot screen against a bacterially expressed MBP:LKAPCT429 fusion protein substrate, using a cohort of 16 additional human sera that display Hep 2 cell cytoplasmic staining patterns similar to the prototype  serum,  identified  three  additional  sera  reactive  to  limkain  b1. This is the first report establishing the molecular identity of a peroxisomal autoantigen. Preliminary results suggest that limkain b1 may be a relatively common target of human autoantibodies reactive to cytoplasmic vesicle-like structures.
Analysis of intestinal haem-oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in clinical and experimental colitis
Authors: Paul G , Bataille F , Obermeier F , Bock J , Klebl F , Strauch U , Lochbaum D , Rümmele P , Farkas S , Schölmerich J , Fleck M , Rogler G , Herfarth H 
Published: June 2005

Summary
Haem-oxygenase-1 (HO-1) has been shown to exert anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic and anti-proliferative effects. We investigated HO-1 expression in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and could demonstrate a scattered expression of HO-1 in the intestinal epithelium of severely inflamed colonic mucosa of patients with IBD compared to control specimens such as diverticulitis, suggesting dysregulated expression in IBD. To further analyse potential mechanisms of HO-1 induction in the intestine we employed an in vitro epithelial cell apoptosis model and an experimental colitis model. In vitro induction of HO-1 by the HO-1 inducer cobalt protoporphyrin (CoPP) resulted in a dose-dependent down-regulation of caspase-3 activation in HT-29 cells, indicating an anti-apoptotic function of HO-1 in the intestine. In vivo, preventive HO-1 induction by CoPP in acute dextran sodium sulphate (DSS)-induced colitis led to a significant down-regulation of colonic inflammation (P &lt; 0·01) with a concomitant reduction in interferon (IFN)-γ − but unaffected interleukin (IL)-10-secretion by isolated mesenteric lymph nodes (P &lt; 0·01). Additionally, TUNEL staining of colonic sections demonstrated fewer apoptotic epithelial cells in the colon of CoPP treated animals. No beneficial effects were observed if HO-1 was induced by CoPP after the onset of acute colitis or in chronic DSS-induced colitis. In conclusion, the data suggest a protective role of HO-1 if it is induced before the onset of inflammation. However, as shown by the lack of effects in established acute or in chronic colitis, the induction of HO-1 may not be a promising approach for the treatment of IBD.
Hepatitis C virus RNA and core protein in kidney glomerular and tubular structures isolated with laser capture microdissection
Authors: Sansonno D , Lauletta G , Montrone M , Grandaliano G , Schena F P , Dammacco F 
Published: June 2005

Summary
The role of hepatits C virus (HCV) in the production of renal injury has been extensively investigated, though with conflicting results. Laser capture microdissection (LCM) was performed to isolate and collect glomeruli and tubules from 20 consecutive chronically HCV-infected patients, namely 6 with membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis, 4 with membranous glomerulonephritis, 7 with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis and 3 with IgA-nephropathy. RNA for amplification of specific viral sequences was provided by terminal continuation methodology and compared with the expression profile of HCV core protein. For each case two glomeruli and two tubular structures were microdissected and processed. HCV RNA sequences were demonstrated in 26 (65%) of 40 glomeruli, but in only 4 (10%) of the tubules (P &lt; 0·05). HCV core protein was concomitant with viral sequences in the glomeruli and present in 31 of the 40 tubules. HCV RNA and/or HCV core protein was found in all four disease types. The immunohistochemical picture of HCV core protein was compared with the LCM-based immunoassays of the adjacent tissue sections. Immune deposits were detected in 7 (44%) of 16 biopsy samples shown to be positive by extraction methods. The present study indicates that LCM is a reliable method for measuring both HCV RNA genomic sequences and HCV core protein in kidney functional structures from chronically HCV-infected patients with different glomerulopathies and provides a useful baseline estimate to define the role of HCV in the production of renal injury. The different distribution of HCV RNA and HCV-related proteins may reflect a peculiar ‘affinity’ of kidney microenvironments for HCV and point to distinct pathways of HCV-related damage in glomeruli and tubules.