ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: Effective teamwork is crucial for patient safety in healthcare. The TeamSTEPPS Teamwork Perceptions Questionnaire (T-TPQ) is a widely used tool for assessing teamwork perceptions. The T-TPQ has been adapted and validated for hospital setting use in several countries. This study aimed to translate and validate the T-TPQ into French for use among Tunisian healthcare professionals, enhancing teamwork assessment and patient safety initiatives. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: A rigorous process ensured cultural and linguistic adaptation of the T-TPQ, including back-translation, expert panel review, and pilot testing. 459 healthcare professionals from four hospitals in Kairouan, Tunisia participated. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) compared the original five-factor structure with a revised structure based on exploratory factor analysis (EFA). FINDINGS: Both CFA models demonstrated good fit, with no significant difference between them (∆χ2 = 22.51, p = 0.79). The original five-factor structure was retained due to its established theoretical foundation. The French T-TPQ exhibited strong internal consistency (α = 0.9). Two-way Random ICCs indicated fair to good test-retest reliability for all the five dimensions (0.633-0.848). RESEARCH LIMITATIONS/IMPLICATIONS: Several limitations should be acknowledged. The use of a questionnaire as a data collection tool is the source of a reporting bias, for fear of being identified or for reasons of "social desirability". Nevertheless, this social desirability was minimal, as Baker et al. (2010) took steps to mitigate this during the instrument's development. Additionally, for assessing attitudes and perceptions, self-reported measures are deemed more effective, whereas objective measures are advocated for behavioral assessments. Furthermore, the participants were informed of the absence of good or bad answers, the importance of answering as closely as possible, and the confidentiality. Moreover, considering the data collection period, the COVID- 19 pandemic and its potential impact on recruitment, data collection, and participant responses. Although the sample size of 459 met the recommended criteria for conducting confirmatory factor analysis, as suggested by Bentler and Chou (1987) and (Floyd and Widaman, 1995), the COVID-19 pandemic presented challenges in recruitment. The increased workload and stress on healthcare professionals, coupled with staff redeployment and research restrictions within hospitals and care units, likely hindered achieving an even larger sample size. These circumstances also necessitated adjustments to data collection methods to ensure safety and adherence to pandemic protocols. This involved incorporating online surveys option with paper-based questionnaires and implementing stricter hygiene measures during in person data collection. Furthermore, the pandemic impacted the teamwork perceptions as significantly redefined the healthcare environment, placing immense pressure on professionals due to surging patient volumes, staff shortages, and the emotional burden of caring for critically ill individuals. This heightened stress and workload likely influenced teamwork dynamics, potentially fostering both positive adaptations, such as increased cohesion and support, as well as negative consequences like communication breakdowns and decreased morale (Terregino et al., 2023). PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: We outline significant practical implications for leaders in health care for improving teamwork and patient safety. Or, healthcare leaders can significantly enhance teamwork and patient safety by incorporating the validated French T-TPQ into their improvement strategies. This reliable tool enables the assessment of staff perceptions regarding teamwork strengths and weaknesses, specifically in areas like communication and leadership. By identifying these crucial areas, leaders can implement targeted training programs and interventions. In fact, the existing body of research consistently demonstrates the positive impact of team training interventions, on both teamwork processes and patient outcomes. These interventions have been shown to enhance teamwork skills (Baker et al., 2010; Thomas and Galla, 2013; Weaver et al., 2014). In areas such as communication, leadership, situation monitoring, and mutual support, leading to decreased mortality and morbidity rates (Weaver et al., 2014). Implementing team training programs fosters trust and collaboration around shared goals, contributing to a more effective and safer healthcare environment for both patients and professionals. Additionally, the culturally adapted T-TPQ not only benefits individual healthcare settings but also unlocks opportunities for broader research and collaboration on a global scale. By enabling cross-cultural comparisons and benchmarking, the T-TPQ can deepen our understanding of how teamwork dynamics vary across diverse healthcare environments and cultural contexts. This knowledge is invaluable for tailoring teamwork interventions and training programs to specific populations and settings, ensuring their effectiveness and cultural relevance. Moreover, integrating teamwork training into continuing professional development, interprofessional and medical education initiatives is crucial for cultivating collaborative competencies and building high-performing healthcare teams. Research has shown that interprofessional teamwork experiences significantly enhance collaborative competencies among nursing and medical students, emphasizing the importance of incorporating teamwork training early in healthcare education. This approach equips future healthcare professionals with the necessary skills to navigate complex team environments, ultimately improving patient care quality and mitigating workload issues that contribute to burnout (Simin et al., 2010; Ceylan, 2017; Fox et al., 2018). ORIGINALITY/VALUE: The French version of the T-TPQ was semantically equivalent and culturally relevant with adequate test-retest reliability as compared to the English version, expanding its applicability and contributing to understanding teamwork perceptions in this context. The French T-TPQ offers a valuable tool for assessing teamwork, identifying areas for improvement, and implementing interventions to enhance teamwork and patient safety in Tunisia and potentially other French-speaking regions.
Subject(s)
Cross-Cultural Comparison , Psychometrics , Humans , Surveys and Questionnaires , Female , Adult , Male , Reproducibility of Results , Translations , Patient Care Team/organization & administration , Factor Analysis, Statistical , Middle Aged , Attitude of Health Personnel , Health Personnel/psychologyABSTRACT
Virtual reality based physical stress (VRPS) paradigms could eliminate the influence of social factors on participants, and it may be a desirable tool to explore the impact of personality traits on stress levels. In this study, we attempt to explore the effects of VRPS on stress response among individuals with different personality traits. Forty male participants with an average age of 22.79 ± 0.41 years were divided into two groups based on Harm Avoidance (HA) scores of Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire (TPQ), referred to as the Low-HA group and the High-HA group. The stress levels of the participants were assessed using salivary α-amylase (sAA) activity and heart rate variability (HRV) indices pre- and post-stress. The influence of personality traits on stress response among different groups was analyzed. VRPS significantly affected the sAA activity and HRV indicators of both groups. During and after stress, there were significant differences in sAA activity and HRV indicators between the two groups. The sAA levels and HRV indices of the Low-HA group were lower than those of the High-HA group. Furthermore, sAA levels and HRV indices were correlated with the scores of TPQ. VRPS scenarios elicit different stress responses on individuals with different harm avoidance personality traits. Stress evaluation based on VR scenarios presents potential in personality trait assessments, particularly for distinguishing between individuals with low and high HA tendencies.
Subject(s)
Heart Rate , Personality , Salivary alpha-Amylases , Stress, Psychological , Virtual Reality , Humans , Male , Personality/physiology , Heart Rate/physiology , Stress, Psychological/physiopathology , Stress, Psychological/psychology , Young Adult , Salivary alpha-Amylases/metabolism , Salivary alpha-Amylases/analysis , Saliva/chemistry , Adult , Stress, Physiological/physiology , Surveys and Questionnaires , Harm ReductionABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Personality traits contribute to the risks of smoking. The striatum has been implicated in nicotine addiction and nicotine deprivation is associated with alterations in resting state functional connectivity (rsFC) of the ventral (VS) and dorsal (DS) striatum. However, it remains unclear how striatal rsFC may change following overnight abstinence or how these shorter-term changes in inter-regional connectivity relate to personality traits. METHODS: In the current study, 28 smokers completed assessments with Fagerström Test of Nicotine Dependence, Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire (TPQ), as well as resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans during satiety and after overnight abstinence. We processed imaging data with published routines and evaluated the results with a corrected threshold. RESULTS: Smokers showed increases in the VS-insula rsFC but no significant changes in the DS rsFC after overnight abstinence as compared to satiety. The difference in the VS-insula rsFC (abstinence minus satiety) was negatively correlated with harm avoidance. CONCLUSIONS: These findings highlighted striatal connectivity correlates of very short-term abstinence from smoking and how the VS-insula rsFC may vary with individual personality traits, interlinking neural markers and personality risk factors of cigarette smoking at the earliest stage of abstinence.
Subject(s)
Tobacco Products , Tobacco Use Disorder , Humans , Smokers , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Tobacco Use Disorder/diagnostic imaging , NicotineABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Teamwork and job satisfaction are important among the multidisciplinary team who care patients with chronic illnesses such as heart failure (HF) patients. TeamSTEPPS teamwork perceptions questionnaire (T-TPQ) and Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire "short form" (MSQ-short) are both self-report questionnaires which examine multiple dimensions of perceptions of teamwork and job satisfaction within healthcare settings, respectively. The aim of the study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Greek versions of the TeamSTEPPS Teamwork perceptions questionnaire (Gr-T-TPQ) and Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire "short form" (Gr-MSQ-short). METHODS: A methodological study was contacted in order to assess the construct validity and reliability of the Gr-T-TPQ and Gr-MSQ-short. For that reason, 292 questionnaires were administrated to Greek-Cypriot health care professionals (HCPs). Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted for the data collected with the GrT-TPQ and Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and CFA were also conducted for the data collected with the GrMSQ-short questionnaire. Cronbach's a was calculated as well. RESULTS: CFA of the data collected with Gr-T-TPQ confirmed the initial scale structure with excellent fit indices (× 2 (df) 1124.75 (550), p < 0.0001, AGFI = 0.986, TLI = 0.994, CFI = 0.994, RMSEA = 0.06, 90%, C.I.[0.055-0.065]). Furthermore, all dimensions were found to be correlated (r = 0.65 to r = 0.88) and internal consistency was found adequate (Cronbach's α = 0.96). Subscales also, demonstrated high internal consistency (α = 0.87-0.95). CFA for the data collected with Gr-MSQ-short, did not confirm the initial scale's dimensions. In EFA items 1, 5, 6, 12 and 18 were eliminated from the analysis due to low communalities and multiple components loading. The oblimin rotation with two factors was explaining 58% of the variance. These two factors identified were Supervisor/Autonomy and Task Enrichment. CONCLUSIONS: In general, the Gr-T-TPQ and Gr-MSQ-short are construct-valid instruments for measuring perceptions of teamwork and job satisfaction in Greek speaking HCPs' population.
Subject(s)
Job Satisfaction , Patient Care Team , Psychometrics/instrumentation , Surveys and Questionnaires , Adult , Factor Analysis, Statistical , Female , Greece , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Minnesota , Personal Satisfaction , Reproducibility of Results , Translating , Young AdultABSTRACT
Problematic Internet Use (PIU) encloses excessive online activities (like video gaming, social media use, web-streaming, pornography viewing, buying). Despite its psychological burden, risk factors related to PIU remain still unclear. In the present study we explored the role of personality traits and emotion dysregulation as potential vulnerability factors for PIU. In a sample of American young adults with different PIU risk levels (established through the Internet Addiction Diagnostic Questionnaire), we administered the Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire (TPQ), the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS), the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale, the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale. PIU participants were more likely to report lower TPQ scores in novelty seeking, harm avoidance and reward dependence. Moreover, DERS total scores significantly differed across PIU-risk groups, along with a progressively higher occurrence of depression, anxiety and impulsivity. These results preliminarily support the hypothesis of PIU as a mainly behavior aimed at 'escaping' from negative affects. Besides confirming the role of some personality traits and emotional dysregulation, we propose the concept of risk-trajectories to monitor and prevent the emergence of PIU. Gaining more insight into PIU vulnerability factors may allow us to establish targeted interventions to cope with emotion dysregulation and negative affects.
Subject(s)
Behavior, Addictive/psychology , Emotional Regulation/physiology , Internet Use , Personality Disorders/psychology , Personality/physiology , Risk-Taking , Adolescent , Adult , Behavior, Addictive/diagnosis , Cohort Studies , Cross-Sectional Studies , Female , Humans , Internet Use/trends , Male , Personality Disorders/diagnosis , Social Media/trends , Surveys and Questionnaires , Video Games/psychology , Video Games/trends , Young AdultABSTRACT
Personality traits are the relatively enduring patterns of thoughts, feelings and behaviors that reflect the tendency to respond in certain ways under certain circumstances. Twin and family studies have showed that personality traits are moderately heritable, and can predict various lifetime outcomes, including psychopathology. The Research Domain Criteria characterizes psychiatric diseases as extremes of normal tendencies, including specific personality traits. This implies that heritable variation in personality traits, such as neuroticism, would share a common genetic basis with psychiatric diseases, such as major depressive disorder. Despite considerable efforts over the past several decades, the genetic variants that influence personality are only beginning to be identified. We review these recent and increasingly rapid developments, which focus on the assessment of personality via several commonly used personality questionnaires in healthy human subjects. Study designs covered include twin, linkage, candidate gene association studies, genome-wide association studies and polygenic analyses. Findings from genetic studies of personality have furthered our understanding about the genetic etiology of personality, which, like neuropsychiatric diseases themselves, is highly polygenic. Polygenic analyses have showed genetic correlations between personality and psychopathology, confirming that genetic studies of personality can help to elucidate the etiology of several neuropsychiatric diseases.
Subject(s)
Multifactorial Inheritance/genetics , Personality/genetics , Family/psychology , Genetic Linkage , Genetic Variation , Genome-Wide Association Study/methods , Humans , Personality Inventory , Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide/genetics , Risk Factors , Self Report , Surveys and Questionnaires , Transcriptome/genetics , Twins/geneticsABSTRACT
We report a novel delivery platform for a highly potent anticancer drug, 7-(benzylamino)-3,4-dihydro-pyrrolo[4,3,2-de]quinolin-8(1H)-one (BA-TPQ), using pH- and redox-sensitive poly(methacrylic acid) (PMAA) hydrogel cubes of micrometer size as the encapsulating matrix. The hydrogels are obtained upon cross-linking PMAA with cystamine in PMAA/poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone) multilayers assembled within mesoporous sacrificial templates. The BA-TPQ-loaded hydrogels maintain their cubical shape and pH-sensitivity after lyophilization, which is advantageous for long-term storage. Conversely, the particles degrade in vitro in the presence of glutathione (5mM) providing 80% drug release within 24h. Encapsulating BA-TPQ into hydrogels significantly increases its transport via Caco-2 cell monolayers used as a model for oral delivery where the apparent permeability of BA-TPQ-hydrogel cubes wasâ¼2-fold higher than that of BA-TPQ. BA-TPQ-hydrogel cubes exhibit better anticancer activity against HepG2 (IC50=0.52µg/mL) and Huh7 (IC50=0.29µg/mL) hepatoma cells with a 40% decrease in the IC50 compared to the non-encapsulated drug. Remarkably, non-malignant liver cells have a lower sensitivity to BA-TPQ-hydrogel cubes with 2-fold increased IC50 values compared to those of cancer cells. In addition, encapsulating BA-TPQ in the hydrogels amplifies the potency of the drug via down-regulation of MDM2 oncogenic protein and upregulation of p53 (a tumor suppressor) and p21 (cell proliferation suppressor) expression in HepG2 liver cancer cells. Moreover, enhanced inhibition of MDM2 protein expression by BA-TPQ-hydrogel cubes is independent of p53 status in Huh7 cells. This drug delivery platform of non-spherical shape provides a facile method for encapsulation of hydrophobic drugs and can facilitate the enhanced efficacy of BA-TPQ for liver cancer therapy. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Many potent anticancer drugs are hydrophobic and lack tumor selectivity, which limits their application in cancer therapy. Although cubical hydrogels of poly(methacrylic acid) exhibit excellent biocompatibility and versatility, they have not been investigated for hydrophobic drug delivery due to poor mechanical stability and incompatibility between hydrophobic drugs and a hydrophilic hydrogel network. In this study, we provide a facile method to prepare a multilayer hydrogel-based platform with controlled nanostructure, cubical shape and redox-responsiveness for delivery of highly potent anticancer therapeutics, hydrophobic BA-TPQ. The BA-TPQ-hydrogel cubes have exceptional structural stability upon lyophilization which is advantageous for a long-term storage. The greatly enhanced trans-epithelial permeability and amplified anti-tumor activity of BA-TPQ are achieved by encapsulation in these hydrogel cubes. Furthermore, the anticancer BA-TPQ-hydrogel platform retains the selective activity of BA-TPQ to hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Overall, the produced BA-TPQ-hydrogel cubes demonstrate a high potential for clinical liver cancer therapy.
Subject(s)
Antineoplastic Agents , Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/drug therapy , Drug Delivery Systems/methods , Hydrogels , Liver Neoplasms/drug therapy , Quinones , Antineoplastic Agents/chemistry , Antineoplastic Agents/pharmacokinetics , Antineoplastic Agents/pharmacology , Caco-2 Cells , Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/metabolism , Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/pathology , Hep G2 Cells , Humans , Hydrogels/chemistry , Hydrogels/pharmacokinetics , Hydrogels/pharmacology , Liver Neoplasms/metabolism , Neoplasm Proteins/metabolism , Quinones/chemistry , Quinones/pharmacokinetics , Quinones/pharmacologyABSTRACT
Collaborative practice is a health care standard that improves patient outcomes through maximizing the use of resources and mutual work of all health care providers. Since collaborative practice depends on interdisciplinary communication, effective communication training for health care participants is imperative for success. This article presents the results of research that studied perceptions of interdisciplinary communication and collaborative practice among 24 health care personnel in three correctional facilities in Orange County, California. The research explored different approaches in terms of team structure, mutual support, situation monitoring, leadership, and communication practices. The study used questionnaires to examine the perceptions of teamwork and interdisciplinary communication and how they can be impacted by one educational session. The study results are discussed in terms of modern approaches to health care, including evidence-based practice, along with nationwide initiatives for improving the health of inmates with psychiatric issues.
Subject(s)
Interdisciplinary Communication , Patient Care Team , Prisons , Adult , California , Cross-Sectional Studies , Evidence-Based Medicine , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Quality Improvement , Surveys and QuestionnairesABSTRACT
This study recruited 148 lung cancer patients and 157 healthy Chinese individuals to evaluate the personality traits of Chinese lung cancer patients using the Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire and to investigate the associations between these traits and the rs6090453C/G and rs6011914C/G polymorphisms of the neurotensin receptor 1 gene. The results demonstrated significant differences in the Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire total and subscale scores between the 2 groups. Significant differences were found in the reward dependence 2 (RD2) score between the rs6090453C/G genotypes and in the total harm avoidance (HA), HA1, HA2, HA4, and RD2 scores between the rs6011914C/G genotypes. Thus, patients with lung cancer have specific personality traits, and variations in the neurotensin receptor 1 gene may be involved in the biological mechanisms of the HA and RD personality traits.
Subject(s)
Lung Neoplasms/psychology , Personality/physiology , Receptors, Neurotensin/genetics , Aged , China , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Polymorphism, Genetic , RewardABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: We investigated whether variation in the dopamine D2 receptor gene (DRD2) and tri-dimensional personality questionnaire (TPQ) scores could be used to aid adjustment of daily methadone requirements of heroin addicts. DRD2 TaqI B polymorphisms and TPQ scores were determined in 138 male Taiwanese heroin addicts who were receiving methadone treatment. Borderline index (harm avoidance + novelty seeking-reward dependence) was calculated for each subject, and three groups were defined: high (mean from all subjects plus 1 standard deviation, or greater), low (half of the calculated high score, or lower) and medium (all values between the high and low scores). RESULTS: No significant differences in age (p = 0.60), mean methadone dose (p = 0.75) or borderline index group (p = 0.25) were observed between subjects bearing the B1/B1, B1/B2 and B2/B2 DRD2 TaqI genotypes. Among the individuals with low (≤10), medium (11-20) and high (≥21) borderline index scores, there was a significant difference in mean methadone dose (p = 0.04), but not age (p = 0.90). Further analysis showed that mean methadone dose was significantly higher in subjects with low borderline index scores than in those with high scores (62.5 vs. 47.0 mg/day, p = 0.03). The odds ratio for a daily methadone requirement ≥60 mg (median dose across the 138 subjects) was 2.64-fold greater in the low borderline index group than in the high group (p = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Although the DRD2 TaqI B genotype was not associated with methadone use requirements, borderline index was revealed as a potential predictive marker for the adjustment of methadone dosage requirements in heroin addicts.
Subject(s)
Methadone/metabolism , Receptors, Dopamine D2/genetics , Adult , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Gene Frequency , Genotype , Heroin , Heroin Dependence/genetics , Humans , Male , Methadone/pharmacology , Middle Aged , Personality , Personality Assessment , Polymorphism, Genetic/genetics , Receptors, Dopamine D2/drug effects , Substance-Related Disorders , Surveys and Questionnaires , TaiwanABSTRACT
Personality traits contribute to variation in human behavior, including the propensity to take risk. Extant work targeted risk-taking processes with an explicit manipulation of reward, but it remains unclear whether personality traits influence simple decisions such as speeded versus delayed responses during cognitive control. We explored this issue in an fMRI study of the stop signal task, in which participants varied in response time trial by trial, speeding up and risking a stop error or slowing down to avoid errors. Regional brain activations to speeded versus delayed motor responses (risk-taking) were correlated to novelty seeking (NS), harm avoidance (HA) and reward dependence (RD), with age and gender as covariates, in a whole brain regression. At a corrected threshold, the results showed a positive correlation between NS and risk-taking responses in the dorsomedial prefrontal, bilateral orbitofrontal, and frontopolar cortex, and between HA and risk-taking responses in the parahippocampal gyrus and putamen. No regional activations varied with RD. These findings demonstrate that personality traits influence the neural processes of executive control beyond behavioral tasks that involve explicit monetary reward. The results also speak broadly to the importance of characterizing inter-subject variation in studies of cognition and brain functions.
Subject(s)
Avoidance Learning/physiology , Brain/physiology , Decision Making/physiology , Executive Function/physiology , Exploratory Behavior/physiology , Individuality , Motor Activity , Adult , Brain Mapping , Female , Frontal Lobe/physiology , Humans , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Male , Risk-Taking , Young AdultABSTRACT
We have recently designed and synthesized several novel iminoquinone anticancer agents that have entered preclinical development for the treatment of human cancers. Herein we developed and validated a quantitative HPLC-MS/MS analytical method for one of the lead novel anticancer makaluvamine analog, TCBA-TPQ, and conducted a pharmacokinetic study in laboratory rats. Our results indicated that the HPLC-MS/MS method was precise, accurate, and specific. Using this method, we carried out in vitro and in vivo evaluations of the pharmacological properties of TCBA-TPQ and plasma pharmacokinetics in rats. Our results provide a basis for future preclinical and clinical development of this promising anticancer marine analog.
Subject(s)
Antineoplastic Agents/pharmacokinetics , Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid/methods , Pyrroles/pharmacokinetics , Quinolones/pharmacokinetics , Tandem Mass Spectrometry/methods , Animals , Antineoplastic Agents/blood , Pyrroles/blood , Quinolones/blood , Rats, Sprague-DawleyABSTRACT
We have recently designed and synthesized several novel iminoquinone anticancer agents that have entered preclinical development for the treatment of human cancers. Herein we developed and validated a quantitative HPLC-MS/MS analytical method for one of the lead novel anticancer makaluvamine analog, TCBA-TPQ, and conducted a pharmacokinetic study in laboratory rats. Our results indicated that the HPLC-MS/MS method was precise, accurate, and specific. Using this method, we carried out in vitro and in vivo evaluations of the pharmacological properties of TCBA-TPQ and plasma pharmacokinetics in rats. Our results provide a basis for future preclinical and clinical development of this promising anticancer marine analog.
Subject(s)
Animals , Antineoplastic Agents , Blood , Pharmacokinetics , Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid , Methods , Pyrroles , Blood , Pharmacokinetics , Quinolones , Blood , Pharmacokinetics , Rats, Sprague-Dawley , Tandem Mass Spectrometry , MethodsABSTRACT
Amine oxidases are a family of dimeric enzymes that contain one copper(II) ion and one 2,4,5-trihydroxyphenyalanine quinone per subunit. Here, the low-resolution structures of two Cu/TPQ amine oxidases from lentil (Lens esculenta) seedlings and from Euphorbia characias latex have been determined in solution by small-angle X-ray scattering. The active site of these enzymes is highly buried and requires a conformational change to allow substrate access. The study suggests that the funnel-shaped cavity located between the D3 and D4 domains is narrower within the crystal structure, whereas in solution the D3 domain could undergo movement resulting in a protein conformational change that is likely to lead to easier substrate access.
Subject(s)
Amine Oxidase (Copper-Containing)/metabolism , Copper/metabolism , Amine Oxidase (Copper-Containing)/chemistry , Amino Acid Sequence , Catalytic Domain , Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel , Molecular Sequence Data , Scattering, Small Angle , Sequence Homology, Amino Acid , Substrate SpecificityABSTRACT
The physical intensity of a sound, usually expressed in dB on a logarithmic ratio scale, can easily be measured using technical equipment. Loudness is the perceptual correlate of sound intensity, and is usually determined by means of some sort of psychophysical scaling procedure. The interrelation of sound intensity and perceived loudness is still a matter of debate, and the physiological correlate of loudness perception in the human auditory pathway is not completely understood. Various studies indicate that the activation in human auditory cortex is more a representation of loudness sensation rather than of physical sound pressure level. This raises the questions (1), at what stage or stages in the ascending auditory pathway is the transformation of the physical stimulus into its perceptual correlate completed, and (2), to what extent other factors affecting individual loudness judgements might modulate the brain activation as registered by auditory neuroimaging. An overview is given about recent studies on the effects of sound intensity, duration, bandwidth and individual hearing status on the activation in the human auditory system, as measured by various approaches in auditory neuroimaging. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Human Auditory Neuroimaging.
Subject(s)
Auditory Cortex/physiology , Brain Mapping , Loudness Perception , Acoustic Stimulation , Auditory Cortex/anatomy & histology , Auditory Pathways/physiology , Brain Mapping/methods , HumansABSTRACT
The crystal structure of a copper amine oxidase from Arthrobacter globiformis was determined at 1.08â Å resolution with the use of low-molecular-weight polyethylene glycol (LMW PEG; average molecular weight â¼200) as a cryoprotectant. The final crystallographic R factor and Rfree were 13.0 and 15.0%, respectively. Several molecules of LMW PEG were found to occupy cavities in the protein interior, including the active site, which resulted in a marked reduction in the overall B factor and consequently led to a subatomic resolution structure for a relatively large protein with a monomer molecular weight of â¼70,000. About 40% of the presumed H atoms were observed as clear electron densities in the Fo - Fc difference map. Multiple minor conformers were also identified for many residues. Anisotropic displacement fluctuations were evaluated in the active site, which contains a post-translationally derived quinone cofactor and a Cu atom. Furthermore, diatomic molecules, most likely to be molecular oxygen, are bound to the protein, one of which is located in a region that had previously been proposed as an entry route for the dioxygen substrate from the central cavity of the dimer interface to the active site.
Subject(s)
Amine Oxidase (Copper-Containing)/chemistry , Arthrobacter/enzymology , Anisotropy , Arthrobacter/chemistry , Binding Sites , Cryoprotective Agents/chemistry , Crystallography, X-Ray , Models, Molecular , Oxygen/chemistry , Polyethylene Glycols/chemistry , Protein ConformationABSTRACT
How personality forms and whether personality genes exist are long-studied questions. Various concepts and theories have been presented for centuries. Personality is a complex trait and is developed through the interaction of genes and the environment. Twin and family studies have found that there are critical genetic and environmental components in the inheritance of personality traits, and modern advances in genetics are making it possible to identify specific variants for personality traits. Although genes that were found in studies on personality have not provided replicable association between genetic and personality variability, more and more genetic variants associated with personality traits are being discovered. Here, we present the current state of the art on genetic research in the personality field and finally list several of the recently published research highlights. First, we briefly describe the commonly used self-reported measures that define personality traits. Then, we summarize the characteristics of the candidate genes for personality traits and investigate gene variants that have been suggested to be associated with personality traits.