The Impact of Perceived Subgroup Formation on Transactive Memory Systems and Performance in Distributed Teams

With distributed teams becoming increasingly common in organizations, improving their performance is a critical challenge for both practitioners and researchers. This research examines how group members\u27 perception of subgroup formation affects team performance in fully distributed teams. The authors propose that individual members\u27 perception about the presence of subgroups within the team has a negative effect on team performance, which manifests itself through decreases in a team\u27s transactive memory system (TMS). Using data from 154 members of 41 fully distributed teams (where no group members were colocated), the authors found that members\u27 perceptions of the existence of subgroups impair the team\u27s TMS and its overall performance. They found these effects to be statistically significant. In addition, decreases in a group\u27s TMS partially mediate the effect of perceived subgroup formation on team performance. The authors discuss the implications of their findings for managerial action, as well as for researchers, and they propose directions for future research

Exerting Spatial Control During Nanoparticle Occlusion within Calcite Crystals

In principle, nanoparticle occlusion within crystals provides a straightforward and efficient route to make new nanocomposite materials. However, developing a deeper understanding of the design rules underpinning this strategy is highly desirable. In particular, controlling the spatial distribution of the guest nanoparticles within the host crystalline matrix remains a formidable challenge. Herein, we show that the surface chemistry of the guest nanoparticles and the [Ca 2+ ] concentration play critical roles in determining the precise spatial location of the nanoparticles within calcite crystals. Moreover, in situ studies provide important mechanistic insights regarding surface‐confined nanoparticle occlusion. Overall, this study not only provides useful guidelines for efficient nanoparticle occlusion, but also enables the rational design of patterned calcite crystals using model anionic block copolymer vesicles

Elicitation of Neutralizing Antibodies Directed against CD4-Induced Epitope(s) Using a CD4 Mimetic Cross-Linked to a HIV-1 Envelope Glycoprotein

The identification of HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein (Env) structures that can generate broadly neutralizing antibodies (BNAbs) is pivotal to the development of a successful vaccine against HIV-1 aimed at eliciting effective humoral immune responses. To that end, the production of novel Env structure(s) that might induce BNAbs by presentation of conserved epitopes, which are otherwise occluded, is critical. Here, we focus on a structure that stabilizes Env in a conformation representative of its primary (CD4) receptor-bound state, thereby exposing highly conserved “CD4 induced” (CD4i) epitope(s) known to be important for co-receptor binding and subsequent virus infection. A CD4-mimetic miniprotein, miniCD4 (M64U1-SH), was produced and covalently complexed to recombinant, trimeric gp140 envelope glycoprotein (gp140) using site-specific disulfide linkages. The resulting gp140-miniCD4 (gp140-S-S-M64U1) complex was recognized by CD4i antibodies and the HIV-1 co-receptor, CCR5. The gp140-miniCD4 complex elicited the highest titers of CD4i binding antibodies as well as enhanced neutralizing antibodies against Tier 1 viruses as compared to gp140 protein alone following immunization of rabbits. Neutralization against HIV-27312/V434M and additional serum mapping confirm the specific elicitation of antibodies directed to the CD4i epitope(s). These results demonstrate the utility of structure-based approach in improving immunogenic response against specific region, such as the CD4i epitope(s) here, and its potential role in vaccine application

Experimental and Computational Studies of the Kinetics of the Reaction of Atomic Hydrogen with Methanethiol

Article on experimental and computational studies of the kinetics of the reaction of atomic hydrogen with methanethiol