Pollutant-Induced Modulation in Conformation and β-Lactamase Activity of Human Serum Albumin

Structural changes in human serum albumin (HSA) induced by the pollutants 1-naphthol, 2-naphthol and 8-quinolinol were analyzed by circular dichroism, fluorescence spectroscopy and dynamic light scattering. The alteration in protein conformational stability was determined by helical content induction (from 55 to 75%) upon protein-pollutant interactions. Domain plasticity is responsible for the temperature-mediated unfolding of HSA. These findings were compared to HSA-hydrolase activity. We found that though HSA is a monomeric protein, it shows heterotropic allostericity for β-lactamase activity in the presence of pollutants, which act as K- and V-type non-essential activators. Pollutants cause conformational changes and catalytic modifications of the protein (increase in β-lactamase activity from 100 to 200%). HSA-pollutant interactions mediate other protein-ligand interactions, such as HSA-nitrocefin. Therefore, this protein can exist in different conformations with different catalytic properties depending on activator binding. This is the first report to demonstrate the catalytic allostericity of HSA through a mechanistic approach. We also show a correlation with non-microbial drug resistance as HSA is capable of self-hydrolysis of β-lactam drugs, which is further potentiated by pollutants due to conformational changes in HSA

Crowdsourcing-based business model for online customer service:a case study

Abstract Crowdsourcing has changed how people work and created new types of business models. Crowdsourcing can be utilised by outsourcing small organisational tasks that are usually performed in-house or building the whole business concept upon an unknown crowd. This paper presents how a literature based framework can be applied to develop an innovative crowdsourcing-based business model in online customer service. The relevant literature on crowdsourcing, business models, and customer services was reviewed. The business model of a start up firm was analysed in the empirical study. The key elements, challenges, and benefits of a crowdsourcing-based online customer service business were defined. The key challenges of the model include service quality, service availability, crowd motivation, client attraction, a balance between the crowd and client numbers, and platform-related challenges. The main advantages of the model include cost-effectiveness, an industry-specific crowd, service availability, competitive service quality, human touch, and a lower price point

Improving supply chain transparency between a manufacturer and suppliers:a triadic case study

Abstract This paper addresses supply chain transparency improvement in a triadic manufacturersupplier-supplier relationship. It investigates the problem of improving transparency using a set of interviews; then, a detailed problematization and a simulation model is formulated based on the results. The interview results show that there are two key issues to be considered: information systems issues related directly to transparency and capability issues related to utilizing transparency. The simulation results support developing capabilities by illustrating the effects of different options for coordinating material flow. The results of the study also indicate that while solutions to improve transparency can be relatively straightforward to implement, developing the capability to benefit from it can be more challenging, even in a well-established close partnership. In addition, suppliers may be hesitant to collaborate without active manufacturer involvement

Elaborating factors affecting visual control in a big room

Abstract Purpose: The “big room” concept and lean philosophy have become increasingly popular in the construction industry. Visual control is a central part of lean philosophy and the big room concept; its aim is to improve information flow, joint problem-solving and real-time decision-making. Visual control facilitates effective project management by providing information on what work is performed and why, customer requirements, deadlines, work status and potential problems. This study aims to explore how visualisation supports project management and control in a big room and the factors that facilitate good visual control. Design/methodology/approach: This research is based on the case study method, and the objective is to elaborate the current understanding of factors that affect visual control. The study includes a literature review and an empirical study of a large construction project. Findings: The results indicate that many factors facilitate visual control. Despite the importance of facilities and tools, communication and teamwork are identified as the key factors. On a broader level, the results indicate a need for a holistic approach in developing visual management strategies and practices in the construction industry and in complex projects in particular. Research limitations/implications: A single case may not be able to offer a generalised picture of this complex topic. However, the study provides novel insights for practitioners and researchers interested in the development of visual control and big rooms. Future research topics are also proposed. Originality/value: While previous studies have identified many elements of successful big room implementation — including integration and early involvement, information sharing, tools and facilities — this study focusses specifically on the factors that facilitate visual control

Structure of the dimeric autoinhibited conformation of DAPK2, a pro-apoptotic protein kinase.

The death-associated protein kinase (DAPK) family has been characterized as a group of pro-apoptotic serine/threonine kinases that share specific structural features in their catalytic kinase domain. Two of the DAPK family members, DAPK1 and DAPK2, are calmodulin-dependent protein kinases that are regulated by oligomerization, calmodulin binding, and autophosphorylation. In this study, we have determined the crystal and solution structures of murine DAPK2 in the presence of the autoinhibitory domain, with and without bound nucleotides in the active site. The crystal structure shows dimers of DAPK2 in a conformation that is not permissible for protein substrate binding. Two different conformations were seen in the active site upon the introduction of nucleotide ligands. The monomeric and dimeric forms of DAPK2 were further analyzed for solution structure, and the results indicate that the dimers of DAPK2 are indeed formed through the association of two apposed catalytic domains, as seen in the crystal structure. The structures can be further used to build a model for DAPK2 autophosphorylation and to compare with closely related kinases, of which especially DAPK1 is an actively studied drug target. Our structures also provide a model for both homodimerization and heterodimerization of the catalytic domain between members of the DAPK family. The fingerprint of the DAPK family, the basic loop, plays a central role in the dimerization of the kinase domain

An enhanced memetic differential evolution in filter design for defect detection in paper production.

This article proposes an Enhanced Memetic Differential Evolution (EMDE) for designing digital filters which aim at detecting defects of the paper produced during an industrial process. Defect detection is handled by means of two Gabor filters and their design is performed by the EMDE. The EMDE is a novel adaptive evolutionary algorithm which combines the powerful explorative features of Differential Evolution with the exploitative features of three local search algorithms employing different pivot rules and neighborhood generating functions. These local search algorithms are the Hooke Jeeves Algorithm, a Stochastic Local Search, and Simulated Annealing. The local search algorithms are adaptively coordinated by means of a control parameter that measures fitness distribution among individuals of the population and a novel probabilistic scheme. Numerical results confirm that Differential Evolution is an efficient evolutionary framework for the image processing problem under investigation and show that the EMDE performs well. As a matter of fact, the application of the EMDE leads to a design of an efficiently tailored filter. A comparison with various popular metaheuristics proves the effectiveness of the EMDE in terms of convergence speed, stagnation prevention, and capability in detecting solutions having high performance