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Lectin-like oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) receptor 1 (LOX-1) is a vital scavenger receptor involved in ox-LDL binding, internalization, and subsequent proatherogenic signaling leading to cellular dysfunction and atherosclerotic plaque formation. Existing data suggest that modulation of ox-LDL - LOX-1 interaction can prevent or slow down atherosclerosis. Therefore, we utilized computational methods such as multi-solvent simulation and characterized two top-ranked druggable sites. Using systematic molecular docking followed by atomistic molecular dynamics simulation, we have identified and shortlisted small molecules from the NCI library that target two key binding sites. We demonstrate, using surface plasmon resonance (SPR), that four of the shortlisted molecules bind one-on-one to the purified C-terminal domain (CTLD) of LOX-1 receptor with high affinity (K

Purpose This study aims to empirically examine the relationship between individual learning, organizational learning and employee commitment in the context of health-care industry. Design/methodology/approach A survey instrument was distributed, and data was collected from 346 employees in the health-care industry in the Southern part of India. Hayes’s PROCESS macros were used to test the mediation, moderated moderated-mediation hypotheses. Findings The results reveal organizational learning as a mediator in the relationship between individual learning and continuance commitment, normative commitment and affective commitment moderate the relationship between organizational learning and continuance commitment and three-way interaction between organizational learning, normative commitment and affective commitment to influence continuance commitment of employees. Research limitations/implications As with any survey-based research, the present study suffers from the problems associated with self-report measures: common method bias and social desirability bias. However, the authors attempted to minimize these limitations by following appropriate statistical techniques. Practical implications The study suggests that managers in work organizations need to promote a climate for enhancing learning so that employees remain committed to completing their job and contribute to organizational effectiveness. The results highlight the importance of all three dimensions of organizational commitment: affective, normative and continuance. Originality/value This study provides new insights in understanding complex interactions between three dimensions of commitment in contributing to organizational performance. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, the multilayered model showing three-way interactions between three dimensions of organizational commitment is the first of its kind and is a novel idea.

Purpose This study aims to develop a conceptual model linking the relationship between individual learning, organizational learning and organizational commitment. A multi-layered conceptual model involving three dimensions of organizational commitment: normative, affective and continuance, and individual and organizational learning is presented. Design/methodology/approach The two well-known theories – organizational learning theory and organizational commitment theory – have been combined to systematically explain the importance of the interaction of variables benefitting both individuals and organizations. As learning involves change, a climate of organizational learning would foster connectivity of structure, people and process. At the same time, when an individual expands his learning and gets necessary skills, it is more likely they get connected to the organization and increase their level of commitment. In this study, the authors develop a conceptual model, and the authors apply this to the health-care industry and provide the results in the second paper. Findings The authors postulate that (i) individual learning will be positively related to organizational learning and continuance commitment; (ii) organizational learning will be positively related to continuance commitment; and (iii) organizational learning mediates the relationship between individual learning and continuance commitment. Furthermore, they also postulate that (i) normative commitment and affective commitment moderate the relationship between organizational learning and continuance commitment; and (ii) three-way interaction between organizational learning, normative commitment and affective commitment will strengthen continuance commitment of employees. Research limitations/implications The conceptual model can be applied to organizations from any industry. In the second part, the authors would test the model to the health-care industry and provide the results. Practical implications This study contributes to both practicing managers and the literature on organizational learning and organizational commitment. The study suggests that managers in work organizations need to promote a climate for enhancing learning so that employees remain committed to completing their job and contributing to organizational effectiveness. The results of this study highlight the importance of all three dimensions of organizational commitment: affective, normative and continuance. Originality/value This study provides new insights in understanding complex interactions between three dimensions of commitment in contributing to organizational performance. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, the multilayered model showing three-way interactions between the three dimensions of organizational commitment is the first of its kind and is a novel idea.

The success of an organization is highly dependent on happy and satisfied workforce. Today’s organizations need to be more flexible so that they get equipped to develop their workforce according to the changing industrial scenario. Hence organizations are required to adopt a strategy to improve their employee's quality of work life to satisfy both the organizational objectives and employee needs. The term quality of work life refers to the favourableness or unfavourableness towards a total job environment for people to work. This study aims to measure such favourableness or unfavourableness by analysing four significant dimensions of workplace namely work environment, compensation and rewards, opportunities for career growth and development and work life balance of IT professionals in Taramani - The IT corridor of Chennai. The population of the study consists of 7 million units (as per CEO World Magazine Survey in 2016) among which the researcher chose 30000 units from two IT parks namely Tidal park and Ascendas for the study. The researcher had adopted a representative random sampling method by which 210 units that adequately replicates the larger population were studied to analyse the quality of work life of IT professionals in Taramani, Chennai. The researcher had used structured questionnaire with five-point scale to record the responses. Keywords: Quality of work life, Work force, IT professionals.

Ascorbate is an important cellular antioxidant that gets readily oxidized to dehydroascorbate (DHA). Recycling of DHA is therefore paramount in the maintenance of cellular homeostasis and preventing oxidative stress. Dehydroascorbate reductases (DHARs), in conjunction with glutathione (GSH), carry out this vital process in eukaryotes, among which plant DHARs have garnered considerable attention. A detailed kinetic analysis of plant DHARs relative to their human counterparts is, however, lacking. Chloride intracellular channels (HsCLICs) are close homologs of plant DHARs, recently demonstrated to share their enzymatic activity. This study reports the highest turnover rate for a plant DHAR from stress adapted Pennisetum glaucum (PgDHAR). In comparison, HsCLICs 1, 3, and 4 reduced DHA at a significantly lower rate. We further show that the catalytic cysteine from both homologs was susceptible to varying degrees of oxidation, validated by crystal structures and mass-spectrometry. Our findings may have broader implications on crop improvement using pearl millet DHAR vis-à-vis discovery of cancer therapeutics targeting Vitamin-C recycling capability of human CLICs.

Many pathogenic gram-negative bacteria including Salmonella typhi utilize type III secretion systems (T3SSs) to inject bacterial proteins into host cells and to initiate infections. One of the essential components of the T3SS is the tip protein known as SipD, translocon component via the type III secretion system SPI-1. Here, recombinant SipD is produced and crystallized; the details of cloning, expression, and crystallization are reported. Crystals of SipD are obtained by sitting-drop vapour diffusion method. X-ray diffraction data are collected up to 3.8 A resolution. Single crystals belong to the monoclinic sp. gr. P2; unit-cell parameters: a = 70.86, b = 103.70, c = 89.28 A, β = 107.63°.

This work addresses the power penalty in a Visible Light Communication (VLC) emitter that re-uses illumination Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) for high-speed communications. We quantify the effect of modulation depth for two widely explored modulation schemes in VLC, namely Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) and Pulse Amplitude Modulation (PAM). Extra power is dissipated in the LED and in the modulator due to such modulation. Two popular highspeed VLC transmitter topologies, namely a Bias Tee (Bias-T) and a Serial FET (Serial-F), are compared in terms of efficiency, Extra Energy Per Symbol/Bit (EEPS/B) and complexity. This work presents a theoretical model and compares it to simulationresults. We show that PAM outperforms OFDM in terms of better Bit Error Rate (BER), larger dynamic range for modulation depth, less extra power loss, thus higher power efficiency for communication over an Additive White Gaussian Noise (AWGN) channel.

This article presents a modulator for optical wireless communication (OWC) via LEDs, controlled by a dual closed loop. While the potential communication speed and performance of OWC have received a lot of research attention, the design of appropriate modulator circuits has not been studied so widely. This article addresses the control aspects to minimize power losses and to ensure automatic adaptation to component spreads or aging, for “high-power” LED emitters. We initially address a “low-bandwidth– system, particularly suited for indoor camera-based detection, and then a “higher bandwidth” one for Li-Fi data communication. In contrast to maximizing data throughput as it applies to high-speed modulators, low-speed modulators aim at high power and high efficiency in general lighting applications. Specifically, for the high-power modulator, we propose a control strategy that allows a wide range of combinations of LED types and LED power supplies. The power consumption of the modulator is minimized by voltage margin setting that is automatically adapt to the modulation and the LED type using the nonlinear detector. The common industry practice is to use constant-current LED drivers for powering LEDs. After creating a theoretical framework of some generality to evaluate designs and control loops with rationals and verified models, we realize modulator designs that are supplied by constant current LED drivers and verify their performance by simulation and measurements.