Article
Psychology, Multidisciplinary
Sonja Biglbauer, Anita Lauri Korajlija
Summary: This study aimed to examine the differences between socially anxious and non-anxious individuals on social media. The results showed that although there was no significant difference in the time spent on social media, their usage patterns were different. Less active use increased the risk of social anxiety, and offline social support was a significant correlate of social anxiety.
COMPUTERS IN HUMAN BEHAVIOR
(2023)
Article
Business
Min Zhang, Yuzhuo Li, Rongjie Gu, Cheng Luo
Summary: Social networking sites have changed individual lifestyles and the means of sharing information. Users are more likely to share experiential purchases on SNSs than material ones, influenced by their perceived social approval of the purchase.
JOURNAL OF RETAILING AND CONSUMER SERVICES
(2021)
Article
Psychology, Multidisciplinary
Elizabeth J. Goldman, Anna-Elisabeth Baumann, Diane Poulin-Dubois
Summary: The study found that there is a developmental transition during the preschool years in the attribution of biological and psychological properties to social robots, with 5-year-olds showing a better understanding of mechanical properties and less anthropomorphism towards humanoid robots.
FRONTIERS IN PSYCHOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Multidisciplinary
Juan Xie, Zhe He, Gary Burnett, Ying Cheng
Summary: This study examines how mothers exchange pregnancy and parenting-related information in online communities, and finds that they exhibit normative behavior and share common information values in these communities. Furthermore, interactions between mothers' online communities, offline communities, and lifeworld are observed, aligning with the theory of Information Worlds. The study highlights implications for healthcare provision, information services, and future empirical research.
COMPUTERS IN HUMAN BEHAVIOR
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Dachuan Zhang, Ye Tian, Yu Tian, Huadong Xing, Sheng Liu, Haoyang Zhang, Shaozhen Ding, Pengli Cai, Dandan Sun, Tong Zhang, Yanhong Hong, Hongkun Dai, Weizhong Tu, Junni Chen, Aibo Wu, Qian-Nan Hu
Summary: The article introduces a new platform that integrates data-driven computational methods with experimental validation to predict toxin biotransformation and discover new metabolites. This platform will help explore the "dark matter" of toxin metabolites and promote the discovery of detoxification enzymes.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Information Science & Library Science
Lin Huang, Daqing Zheng, Weiguo Fan
Summary: The study found that there is a positive relationship between the use of social networking sites and life satisfaction, as well as four types of social capital (i.e. online/offline and bonding/bridging SC). Online bonding SC and offline bridging SC are positively related to life satisfaction and can mediate the relationship between SNS usage and life satisfaction. Furthermore, offline bonding SC is positively related to online bonding SC, while online bridging SC is positively related to offline bridging SC, indicating different transformation directions between online and offline social capital in the context of SNS.
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY & PEOPLE
(2022)
Article
Business
Lapo Mola, Renata Kaminska, Nathalie Richebe, Andrea Carugati
Summary: In knowledge-intensive organizations, the introduction of Enterprise Social Network Systems (ESNSs) plays a critical role in promoting knowledge sharing and competition. This paper aims to understand the interactions between the organization mandating ESNSs use and the individuals expected to adopt it, using institutional and social regulation theories. The study reveals three strategies implemented by different actors to align their practices with the new social networking tool.
TECHNOLOGICAL FORECASTING AND SOCIAL CHANGE
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Akansha Srivastava, Palakkad Krishnanunni Vinod
Summary: In this study, the metabolic alterations of endometrial cancer (EC) were investigated to understand the variations in metabolism within tumor samples. Through integration of transcriptomics data and the human genome-scale metabolic network, metabolic subtypes of EC were identified, with each subtype displaying dysregulated metabolic pathways and reporter metabolites. The correlation between metabolic subtypes and clinical variables was explored, revealing significant associations with patient survival, tumor stages, mutation, and copy number variations.
Article
Psychology, Clinical
Chao Liu, Dong Yang, Zhiyong Han
Summary: This study investigates the impact of passive social networking service (SNS) use, subjective well-being, privacy concern, and impression management concern on SNS users' continuance intention. The findings show that passive SNS use does not significantly undermine continuance intention, but it does negatively moderate the relationship between subjective well-being and continuance intention. The study also reveals the antecedents of passive SNS use and subjective well-being and presents the mechanism underlying users' continuance intention.
PSYCHOLOGY RESEARCH AND BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Psychology, Multidisciplinary
Hyunjin Kang, Wonsun Shin
Summary: This study examines the complex relationships between motivations for using Facebook and privacy boundary management. The user's self-extension to Facebook mediates these relationships and may also impact boundary turbulence management. The study also highlights the importance of perceiving a social networking service as part of oneself as a significant psychological factor explaining the link between motives for using SNSs and privacy management.
FRONTIERS IN PSYCHOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Xing Zheng, Yazhou Zhao, Nenad Naumovski, Wen Zhao, Guan Yang, Xiaofeng Xue, Liming Wu, Daniel Granato, Wenjun Peng, Kai Wang
Summary: This study investigated the effects of honey supplementation on cardiometabolic and inflammatory markers, as well as gut microbiota and metabolomic profiles, in mice. Results showed that honey diets led to less weight gain, decreased liver cell ballooning, reduced serum cholesterol and TNF-alpha levels, and increased antioxidant enzyme activity. Different diet types were associated with distinct gut microbiota and metabolomics profiles.
Article
Psychology, Multidisciplinary
Philippe Verduyn, Nino Gugushvili, Ethan Kross
Summary: Research shows that the impact of social networking sites on well-being depends on how users utilize them, with active engagement benefiting well-being and passive consumption being detrimental. However, the traditional active-passive model may not fully capture this relationship. The extended active-passive model refines the original model by decomposing active and passive use, as well as considering user characteristics, offering a nuanced understanding of the link between SNS use and well-being.
CURRENT DIRECTIONS IN PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Business
Katerina Makri, Karolos Papadas, Bodo B. Schlegelmilch
Summary: Drawing on social identity theory and self-verification theory, this study aims to delineate the relationship between global identity and global social networking sites usage, providing insights into the role of global identity in shaping SNS behavior through users' motivation. Empirical evidence from global SNS users in Austria, Indonesia and Thailand show differences across countries, indicating the existence of country-specific patterns. This research extends the current literature on digital and international marketing and offers nuanced insights for SNS managers to tailor marketing strategies in different country contexts.
JOURNAL OF BUSINESS RESEARCH
(2021)
Review
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Linda-Elisabeth Reimann, Sonja Utz, Christine Anderl
Summary: This study examines the predictors of active behavior in video conferences, including external networking, proactive and reactive online networking, and social anxiety. The results suggest that external networking positively predicts active video conference behavior, while social anxiety has a negative effect.
SOCIAL SCIENCE COMPUTER REVIEW
(2023)
Article
Computer Science, Hardware & Architecture
Zinelaabidine Nadir, Tarik Taleb, Hannu Flinck, Ouns Bouachir, Miloud Bagaa
Summary: 5G and beyond mobile systems are targeting emerging industrial and entertainment verticals, which bring extra overhead to the network. The challenges lie in meeting the vigorous and conflicting requirements of verticals such as autonomous driving and immersive services like VR/AR. The article discusses the potential and challenges of immersive remote services, emphasizing the need for ultra-low latency to avoid failure and accidents when remotely controlling devices.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Steven A. van der Hoek, Matej Rusnak, Irene Hjorth Jacobsen, Jose L. Martinez, Douglas B. Kell, Irina Borodina
Summary: Ergothioneine, a natural antioxidant, was successfully produced using the oleaginous yeast Yarrowia lipolytica as a host, reaching a high production yield in fed-batch fermentation. This study demonstrates the potential of Y. lipolytica for efficient ergothioneine production, highlighting its promise for industrial applications.
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Ivayla Roberts, Marina Wright Muelas, Joseph M. Taylor, Andrew S. Davison, Yun Xu, Justine M. Grixti, Nigel Gotts, Anatolii Sorokin, Royston Goodacre, Douglas B. Kell
Summary: This study utilizes untargeted metabolomics analysis to evaluate 120 samples of COVID-19 patients and predict the severity and outcome of the infection. The study identifies a group of metabolites with relevant biological functions, such as deoxycytidine and ureidopropionate (indirectly reflecting viral load), kynurenine (reflecting host inflammatory response), and multiple short chain acylcarnitines (energy metabolism) that can predict disease severity and outcome.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Douglas B. Kell, Gert Jacobus Laubscher, Etheresia Pretorius
Summary: Post-acute sequelae of COVID, commonly known as Long COVID, is a frequent consequence of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Fibrin amyloid microclots may underpin the majority of symptoms by blocking capillaries and limiting oxygen exchange.
BIOCHEMICAL JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Steven A. van der Hoek, Matej Rusnak, Guokun Wang, Lyubomir Dimitrov Stanchev, Luana de Fatima Alves, Mathew M. Jessop-Fabre, Kalaivani Paramasivan, Irene Hjorth Jacobsen, Nikolaus Sonnenschein, Jose L. Martinez, Behrooz Darbani, Douglas B. Kell, Irina Borodina
Summary: Ergothioneine is a rare sulfur-containing amino acid with potent antioxidant properties. Engineered yeast strains can be used to produce high levels of ergothioneine using glucose as the carbon source. Metabolic engineering and medium optimization are effective strategies to improve ergothioneine production.
METABOLIC ENGINEERING
(2022)
Review
Surgery
Connor M. Bunch, Ernest E. Moore, Hunter B. Moore, Matthew D. Neal, Anthony V. Thomas, Nuha Zackariya, Jonathan Zhao, Sufyan Zackariya, Toby J. Brenner, Margaret Berquist, Hallie Buckner, Grant Wiarda, Daniel Fulkerson, Wei Huff, Hau C. Kwaan, Genevieve Lankowicz, Gert J. Laubscher, Petrus J. Lourens, Etheresia Pretorius, Maritha J. Kotze, Muhammad S. Moolla, Sithembiso Sithole, Tongai G. Maponga, Douglas B. Kell, Mark D. Fox, Laura Gillespie, Rashid Z. Khan, Christiaan N. Mamczak, Robert March, Rachel Macias, Brian S. Bull, Mark M. Walsh
Summary: The postoperative morbidity and mortality of convalescent COVID-19 patients has been found to be higher, highlighting the need for individual risk assessment and delayed elective surgeries to improve postoperative outcomes.
FRONTIERS IN SURGERY
(2022)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Etheresia Pretorius, Chantelle Venter, Gert Jacobus Laubscher, Maritha J. Kotze, Sunday O. Oladejo, Liam R. Watson, Kanshu Rajaratnam, Bruce W. Watson, Douglas B. Kell
Summary: Fibrin amyloid microclots and platelet hyperactivation in South African patients with Long COVID/PASC may be responsible for the persistent symptoms. Hypertension, high cholesterol levels, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes mellitus were found to be the most important comorbidities. The study highlights the need for further research on the pathophysiology and treatment of Long COVID/PASC.
CARDIOVASCULAR DIABETOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Mohammad S. Radi, Jesus E. SalcedoSora, Se Hyeuk Kim, Suresh Sudarsan, Anand V. Sastry, Douglas B. Kell, Markus J. Herrgard, Adam M. Feist
Summary: Membrane transport proteins are potential targets for medical and biotechnological applications. In this study, adaptive laboratory evolution was used to identify membrane transporters for four amino acids and specific mutations that modulate the activities of these transporters. The evolved strains displayed increased growth rates at high concentrations of the targeted amino acids. Whole genome sequencing revealed key mutations targeting the transporters and reverse engineering confirmed their causality. The functional roles of novel transporters were validated, and a production strain showed higher productivity when an identified exporter was overexpressed.
METABOLIC ENGINEERING
(2022)
Review
Neurosciences
Corlia Grobler, Marvi van Tongeren, Jan Gettemans, Douglas B. Kell, Etheresia Pretorius
Summary: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder with no cure, affecting 50 million people worldwide. The disease is characterized by the presence of senile plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, made up of amyloid-beta and hyperphosphorylated tau proteins. Despite various hypotheses, such as the amyloid-beta, inflammatory, vascular, and infectious hypotheses, there is still an incomplete understanding of AD pathogenesis. This paper presents a systems biology approach to connect these hypotheses and suggests P. gingivalis as a potential treatment target.
JOURNAL OF ALZHEIMERS DISEASE
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Louise C. Kenny, Leslie W. SCOPE Consortium, Leslie W. Brown, Paloma Ortea, Robin Tuytten, Douglas B. Kell
Summary: In this study, the concentration of the antioxidant nutraceutical ergothioneine in the plasma of 432 first time mothers was analyzed. Results showed a weak association between ergothioneine levels and maternal age, but not with BMI. Out of these 432 women, 97 developed pre-term or term pre-eclampsia. A threshold at the 90th percentile of the reference range in the control population was set, and it was found that only 1% of the women with ergothioneine levels above this threshold developed pre-eclampsia, suggesting a potential protective effect.
BIOSCIENCE REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Hematology
Simone Turner, Caitlin A. Naidoo, Thomas J. Usher, Arneaux Kruger, Chantelle Venter, Gert J. Laubscher, M. Asad Khan, Douglas B. Kell, Etheresia Pretorius
Summary: The prevailing hypotheses for the persistent symptoms of Long COVID have been narrowed down to immune dysregulation and autoantibodies, widespread organ damage, viral persistence, and fibrinaloid microclots (entrapping numerous inflammatory molecules) together with platelet hyperactivation. We demonstrate significantly increased concentrations of von Willebrand factor (VWF), platelet factor 4 (PF4), serum amyloid A (SAA), a-2 antiplasmin (a-2AP), endothelial-leukocyte adhesion molecule 1 (E-selectin), and platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule (PECAM-1) in the soluble part of the blood. Presence of microclotting, together with relatively high levels of six biomarkers known to be key drivers of endothelial and clotting pathology, points to thrombotic endothelialitis as a key pathological process in Long COVID.
SEMINARS IN THROMBOSIS AND HEMOSTASIS
(2023)
Review
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Simone Turner, M. Asad Khan, David Putrino, Ashley Woodcock, Douglas B. Kell, Etheresia Pretorius
Summary: Approximately 10% of COVID-19 patients experience prolonged symptoms known as Long COVID, affecting around 65 million people worldwide. Multiple pathophysiological processes contribute to Long COVID, including viral factors, host factors, and downstream impacts, all leading to the persistence of the disorder. These mechanisms result in the development of thrombotic endothelialitis, endothelial inflammation, hyperactivated platelets, and fibrinoid microclots, affecting all organ systems and explaining the various symptoms of Long COVID.
TRENDS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY AND METABOLISM
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Douglas B. Kell, Etheresia Pretorius
Summary: It is now well established that the polymerisation of blood-clotting protein fibrinogen can lead to the formation of amyloid fibrin clots, known as fibrinaloids. These clots entrap molecules and can block microcapillaries, causing various diseases including Long COVID. The formation of fibrinaloids also generates novel epitopes, leading to the generation of autoantibodies and contributing to autoimmunity.
BIOCHEMICAL JOURNAL
(2023)
Editorial Material
Hematology
Etheresia Pretorius, Douglas B. Kell
Summary: Microscopy imaging can be used to investigate the properties of microclots and contribute to the clinical diagnoses and prognoses of different diseases. Measuring parameters such as size, distribution, spectral properties, resistance to proteolysis, cross-seeding ability, and concentration dependence of binding to small molecules can provide valuable information. Combining microscopy imaging with other methodologies like proteomics and imaging flow cytometry could open up new possibilities for personalized medicine.
SEMINARS IN THROMBOSIS AND HEMOSTASIS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sunday O. Oladejo, Liam R. Watson, Bruce W. Watson, Kanshukan Rajaratnam, Maritha J. Kotze, Douglas B. Kell, Etheresia Pretorius
Summary: 'Long COVID' refers to the continued experience of SARS-CoV-2 symptoms in patients who have survived a COVID-19 infection. Millions of people worldwide are affected by Long COVID. Solving this conundrum requires lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, where experts from various disciplines collaborated and shared data to tackle the problem. However, there is currently no global consensus on the definition, diagnosis, and treatment of Long COVID. This study examines data sharing and data science applications in understanding Long COVID and expediting relief for those affected.
SOUTH AFRICAN JOURNAL OF SCIENCE
(2023)
Meeting Abstract
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Melanie Walker, Emma M. Federico, Douglas B. Kell, Christopher Dupont, Amy Proal, Etheresia Pretorius
