bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Characterizing neuroanatomic heterogeneity in people with and without ADHD based on subcortical brain volumes
Authors: Li Ting , van Rooij Daan , Mota Nina Roth , Buitelaar Jan K. ,   the ENIGMA ADHD Working Group, Hoogman Martine , Vasquez Alejandro Arias , Franke Barbara
Published: December 2019

Background

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder in children and adults. Neuroanatomic heterogeneity limits our understanding of the etiology of ADHD. This study aimed to parse neuroanatomic heterogeneity of ADHD, and to determine whether subgroups could be discerned in patients based on subcortical volumes.

Methods

Using the dataset from the ENIGMA-ADHD Working Group, we applied exploratory factor analysis (EFA) to subcortical volumes of 993 boys with and without ADHD, and to subsamples of 653 adult men, 400 girls, and 447 women. Factor scores derived from the EFA were used to build networks. A community detection (CD) algorithm clustered participants into subgroups based on the networks.

Results

Three factors (basal ganglia, limbic system, and thalamus) were found in boys and men with and without ADHD. The factor structures for girls and women differed from those in males. Given sample size considerations, we concentrated subsequent analyses on males. Male participants could be separated into four communities, though Community 3 was absent in healthy men. Significantly case-control differences of subcortical volumes were observed within communities in boys with increased effect sizes, but not in men. While we found no significant differences in ADHD symptom severity between communities in boys or men; affected men in Community 1 and 4 presented comorbidities more frequently than those in other communities.

Conclusion

Our results indicate that neuroanatomic heterogeneity in subcortical volumes exists, irrespective of ADHD diagnosis. Effect sizes of case-control differences appear more pronounced at least in some of the subgroups.
RatHat: A self-targeting printable brain implant system
Authors: Allen Leila M. , Jayachandran Maanasa , Viena Tatiana D. , Su Meifung , Allen Timothy A.
Published: December 2019

There has not been a major change in how neuroscientists approach stereotaxic methods in decades. Here we present a new stereotaxic method that improves on traditional approaches by reducing costs, training, surgical time, and aiding repeatability. The RatHat brain implantation system is a 3D printable stereotaxic device for rats that is fabricated prior to surgery and fits to the shape of the skull. RatHat builds are directly implanted into the brain without the need for head-leveling or coordinate-mapping during surgery. The RatHat system can be used in conjunction with the traditional u-frame stereotaxic device, but does not require the use of a micromanipulator for successful implantations. Each RatHat system contains several primary components including the implant for mounting intracranial components, the surgical stencil for targeting drill sites, and the protective cap for impacts and debris. Each component serves a unique function and can be used together or separately. We demonstrate the feasibility of the RatHat system in four different proof-of-principle experiments: 1) a 3-pole cannula apparatus, 2) an optrode-electrode assembly, 3) a fixed-electrode array, and 4) a tetrode hyperdrive. Implants were successful, durable, and long-lasting (up to 9 months). RatHat print files are easily created, can be modified in CAD software for a variety of applications, and are easily shared, contributing to open science goals and replications. The RatHat system has been adapted to multiple experimental paradigms in our lab and should be a useful new way to conduct stereotaxic implant surgeries in rodents.

Impact Statement

We demonstrate a new approach to rodent stereotaxic surgery. Rodent neurosurgery is a complex skill that requires expensive equipment for head stabilization and micromanipulators for localization. The RatHat is a 3D printable brain implant system that reduces costs and time using pre-mapped and printed surgical files. A surgical stencil allows for quick placement of drill holes, and a RatHat places components in the brain using atlas coordinates. The RatHat system is an easily shared resource facilitating open science goals for simple replications and archiving of specific experimental applications.
TDM: a temporal decomposition method for removing venous effects from task-based fMRI
Authors: Kay Kendrick , Jamison Keith W. , Zhang Ruyuan , Ugurbil Kamil
Published: December 2019

Most functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is conducted with gradient-echo pulse sequences. Although this yields high sensitivity to blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) signals, gradient-echo acquisitions are heavily influenced by venous effects which limit the ultimate spatial resolution and spatial accuracy of fMRI. While alternative acquisition methods such as spin-echo can be used to mitigate venous effects, these methods lead to serious reductions in signal-to-noise ratio and spatial coverage, and are difficult to implement without leakage of undesirable non-spin-echo effects into the data. Moreover, analysis heuristics such as masking veins or sampling inner cortical depths using high-resolution fMRI may be helpful, but sacrifice information from many parts of the brain. Here, we describe a new analysis method that is compatible with conventional gradient-echo acquisition and provides venous-free response estimates throughout the entire imaged volume. The method involves fitting a low-dimensional manifold characterizing variation in response timecourses observed in a given dataset, and then using identified early and late timecourses as basis functions for decomposing responses into components related to the microvasculature (capillaries and small venules) and the macrovasculature (veins), respectively. We show that this Temporal Decomposition through Manifold Fitting (TDM) method is robust, consistently deriving meaningful timecourses in individual fMRI scan sessions. Moreover, we show that by removing late components, TDM substantially reduces the superficial cortical depth bias present in gradient-echo BOLD responses and eliminates artifacts in cortical activity maps. TDM is general: it can be applied to any task-based fMRI experiment, can be used with standard- or high-resolution fMRI acquisitions, and can even be used to remove residual venous effects from specialized acquisition methods like spin-echo. We suggest that TDM is a powerful method that improves the spatial accuracy of fMRI and provides insight into the origins of the BOLD signal.
Cognitive Functions Mediate the Effect of Preterm Birth on Mathematics Skills in Young Children
Authors: Adrian Julia Anna , Bakeman Roger , Akshoomoff Natacha , Haist Frank
Published: December 2019

Children born preterm are at risk for cognitive deficits and lower academic achievement. Notably, mathematics achievement is generally most affected. Here, we investigated the cognitive functions mediating early mathematics skills and how these are impacted by preterm birth. Healthy children born preterm (gestational age at birth < 33 weeks; n = 51) and children born full term (n = 27) were tested at ages 5, 6, and 7 years with a comprehensive battery of tests. We categorized items of the TEMA-3: Test for Early Mathematics Abilities Third Edition into number skills and arithmetic skills. Using multiple mediation models, we assessed how the effect of preterm birth on mathematics skills is mediated spatial working memory, inhibitory control, visual-motor integration, and phonological processing. Both number and arithmetic skills showed group differences, but with different developmental trajectories. The initial poorer performance observed in the preterm children decreased over time for number skills but increased for arithmetic skills. Phonological processing, visual-motor integration, and inhibitory control were poorer in children born preterm. These cognitive functions, particularly phonological processing, had a mediating effect on both types of mathematics skills. These findings help define and chart the trajectory of the specific cognitive skills directly influencing math deficit phenotypes in children born very preterm. This knowledge provides guidance for targeted evaluation and treatment implementation.
Capturing Protein-Ligand Recognition Pathways in Coarse-grained Simulation
Authors: Dandekar Bhupendra R. , Mondal Jagannath
Published: December 2019

Protein-substrate recognition is highly dynamic and complex process in nature. A key approach in deciphering the mechanism underlying the recognition process is to capture the kinetic process of substrate in its act of binding to its designated protein cavity. Towards this end, microsecond long atomistic molecular dynamics (MD) simulation has recently emerged as a popular method of choice, due its ability to record these events at high spatial and temporal resolution. However, success in this approach comes at an exorbitant computational cost. Here we demonstrate that coarse grained models of protein, when systematically optimised to maintain its tertiary fold, can capture the complete process of spontaneous protein-ligand binding from bulk media to cavity, within orders of magnitude shorter wall clock time compared to that of all-atom MD simulations. The simulated and crystallographic binding pose are in excellent agreement. We find that the exhaustive sampling of ligand exploration in protein and solvent, harnessed by coarse-grained simulation at a frugal computational cost, in combination with Markov state modelling, leads to clearer mechanistic insights and discovery of novel recognition pathways. The result is successfully validated against three popular protein-ligand systems. Overall, the approach provides an affordable and attractive alternative of all-atom simulation and promises a way-forward for replacing traditional docking based small molecule discovery by high-throughput coarse-grained simulation for searching potential binding site and allosteric sites. This also provides practical avenues for first-hand exploration of bio-molecular recognition processes in large-scale biological systems, otherwise inaccessible in all-atom simulations.
Riboflow: using deep learning to classify riboswitches with ~99% accuracy
Authors: Premkumar Keshav Aditya R. , Bharanikumar Ramit , Palaniappan Ashok
Published: December 2019

Riboswitches are cis-regulatory genetic elements that use an aptamer to control gene expression. Specificity to cognate ligand and diversity of such ligands have expanded the functional repetoire of riboswitches to mediate mounting apt responses to sudden metabolic demands and signal changes in environmental conditions. Given their critical role in microbial life, and novel uses in synthetic biology, riboswitch characterisation remains a challenging computational problem. Here we have addressed the issue with advanced deep learning frameworks, namely convolutional neural networks (CNN), and bidirectional recurrent neural networks (RNN) with Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM). Using a comprehensive dataset of 32 ligand classes and a stratified train-validate-test approach, we demonstrated the superior performance of both the deep models (CNN and RNN) relative to other conventional machine learning classifiers on all key performance metrics, including the ROC curve analysis. In particular, the bidirectional LSTM RNN emerged as the best-performing learning method for identifying the ligand-specificity of riboswitches with an accuracy > 0.99 and macro-averaged F-score of 0.96. A dynamic update functionality is inbuilt to account for the discovery of new riboswitches and extend the predictive modelling to any number of new additional classes. Our work would be valuable in the design and assembly of genetic circuits and the development of the next generation of antibiotics. The software is freely available as a Python package and standalone resource for wide use in genome annotation and biotechnology workflows.

Availability

PyPi package: riboflow @ https://pypi.org/project/riboflow

Repository with Standalone suite of tools: https://github.com/RiboswitchClassifier

Language: Python 3.6 with numpy, keras, and tensorflow libraries.

Licence: MIT
ACE: A Probabilistic Model for Characterizing Gene-Level Essentiality in CRISPR Screens
Authors: Hutton Elizabeth R. , Vakoc Christopher R. , Siepel Adam
Published: December 2019

High-throughput knockout screens based on CRISPR-Cas9 are widely used to evaluate the essentiality of genes across a range of cell types. Here we introduce a probabilistic modeling framework, Analysis of CRISPR-based Essentiality (ACE), that enables new statistical tests for essentiality based on the raw sequence read counts from such screens. ACE estimates the essentiality of each gene using a flexible likelihood framework that accounts for multiple sources of variation in the CRISPR-Cas9 experimental process. In addition, the method can identify genes that differ in their degree of essentiality across samples using a likelihood ratio test. We show using simulations that ACE is competitive with the best available methods in predicting essentiality, and is especially useful for the identification of differential essentiality. Furthermore, by applying ACE to publicly available CRISPR-screen data, we are able to identify both known and previously overlooked candidates for genotype-specific essentiality, including RNA m6-A methyltransferases that exhibit enhanced essentiality in the presence of inactivating TP53 mutations. In summary, ACE provides improved quantification of essentiality specific to cancer subtypes, and a robust probabilistic framework for identifying genes responsive to therapeutic targeting.
Neural correlates of response inhibition and performance monitoring in binge watching
Authors: Kilian Carolin , Bröckel Kyra Luisa , Overmeyer Rebecca , Dieterich Raoul , Endrass Tanja
Published: December 2019

With the increasing popularity of internet streaming portals, the question why people develop binge-watching behavior has become a focus of scientific research and its addictive potential is discussed. The current study examined neural correlates of binge-watching during inhibition in a go/nogo task and performance monitoring using electroencephalography. Participants reported high binge-watching behavior (HBW, n = 35) or no binge-watching (NBW, n = 33) episode during the past four weeks. Compared to the NBW group, HBW showed larger P3 during response inhibition and larger error-related negativity (ERN) for errors in the flanker task. Group differences in behavioral measures were not observed. The current results suggest that binge watching may be related to both (1) increased neural recruitment during response inhibition as indicated by the increased P3 to facilitate normal inhibitory performance and (2) enhanced performance monitoring as indicated by the increased ERN. As this neurocognitive profile differs from observations in other addictive and excessive behaviors, implications for this budding field are discussed.
Mitf-family transcription factor function is required within cranial neural crest cells to promote choroid fissure closure
Authors: Sinagoga Katie L. , Larimer-Picciani Alessandra M. , George Stephanie M. , Spencer Samantha A. , Lister James A. , Gross Jeffrey M.
Published: December 2019

A critical step in eye development is closure of the choroid fissure (CF), a transient structure in the ventral optic cup through which vasculature enters the eye and ganglion cell axons exit. While many factors have been identified that function during CF closure, the molecular and cellular mechanisms mediating this process remain poorly understood. Failure of CF closure results in colobomas. Recently,MITFwas shown to be mutated in a subset of human coloboma patients, but how MITF functions during CF closure is unknown. To address this question, zebrafish with mutations inmitfaandtfec, two members of the Mitf-family of transcription factors, were analyzed and their functions during CF closure determined.mitfa;tfecmutants possess severe colobomas and our data demonstrate that Mitf activity is required within cranial neural crest cells (cNCCs) to facilitate CF closure. In the absence of Mitf function, cNCC migration and localization in the optic cup are perturbed. These data shed light on the cellular mechanisms underlying colobomas in patients withMITFmutations and identify a novel role for Mitf function in cNCCs during CF closure.

Summary Statement

Mitf-family transcription factors act within cranial neural crest cells to promote choroid fissure closure. Without Mitf-family function, cNCC localization and function in the CF is disrupted, thus contributing to colobomas.
Mitotic spindle disassembly in human cells relies on CRIPT-bearing hierarchical redox signals
Authors: Xu Kehan , Yang Lingling , Cheng Xiu , Liu Xiaoyan , Huang Hao , Tang Haibing , Xu Xuejiao , Wang Jingyu , Jiang Anan , Wang Chunxue , Lu Meifang , Lv Zhengmei , Shen Lin , Song Feifei , Zhou Haoqian , Zhou Haisheng , Liu Xinhua , Shi Weibing , Zhou Jinghua , Li Xuejun , Li Hong , Cai Chunlin
Published: December 2019

Swift and complete spindle disassembly is essential for cell survival, yet how it happens is largely unknown. Here we used real-time live-cell microscopy and biochemical assays to show that a cysteine-rich protein CRIPT dictates the spindle disassembly in a redox-dependent manner in human cells. This previously reported cytoplasmic protein was found to have a confined nuclear localization during interphase but was distributed to spindles and underwent redox modifications to form disulfides within CXXC pairs during mitosis. Then, it interacts with and transfers redox response to tubulin subunits to induce microtubule depolymerization. The mutants with any of cysteine substitution completely block the spindle disassembly generating two cell populations with long-lasting metaphase spindles or spindle remnants. The live cell recordings of a disease-relevant mutant (CRIPTC3Y) revealed that microtubule depolymerization at spindle ends during anaphase and the entire spindle dissolution during telophase may share a common CRIPT-bearing redox-controlled mechanism.
Evolutionary and Comparative analysis of bacterial Non-Homologous End Joining Repair
Authors: Sharda Mohak , Badrinarayanan Anjana , Seshasayee Aswin Sai Narain
Published: December 2019

DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) are a threat to genome stability. In all domains of life, DSBs are faithfully fixed via homologous recombination. Recombination requires the presence of an uncut copy of duplex DNA that is used as a template for repair. Alternatively, in the absence of a template, cells utilize error-prone Non-homologous end joining (NHEJ). Although ubiquitously found in eukaryotes, NHEJ is not universally present in bacteria. It is unclear as to why many prokaryotes lack this pathway. To understand what could have led to the current distribution of bacterial NHEJ, we carried out comparative genomics and phylogenetic analysis across ~6000 genomes. Our results show that this pathway is sporadically distributed across the phylogeny. Ancestral reconstruction further suggests that NHEJ was absent in the eubacterial ancestor, and can be acquired via specific routes. Integrating NHEJ occurrence data for archaea, we also find evidence for extensive horizontal exchange of NHEJ genes between the two kingdoms as well as across bacterial clades. The pattern of occurrence in bacteria is consistent with correlated evolution of NHEJ with key genome characteristics of genome size and growth rates; NHEJ presence is associated with large genome sizes and/or slow growth rates, with the former being the dominant correlate. Given the central role these traits play in determining the ability to carry out recombination, it is possible that the evolutionary history of bacterial NHEJ may have been shaped by requirement for efficient DSB repair.
Crystal structure, thermodynamic properties and detonation characterization of bis(5-amino-1,2,4-triazol-3-yl)methane
Authors: Li Hongya , Yan Biao , Ma Haixia , Sun Zhiyong , Ma Yajun , Zhang Zhifang
Published: December 2019

Bis(5-amino-1,2,4-triazol-3-yl)methane (BATZM, C5H8N8) was synthesized and its crystal structure characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction; it belongs to the space group Fdd2 (orthorhombic) with Z = 8. The structure of BATZM can be described as a V-shaped molecule with reasonable chemical geometry and no disorder. The specific molar heat capacity (Cp,m
) of BATZM was determined using the continuous Cp
mode of a microcalorimeter and theoretical calculations, and the Cp,m
value is 211.19 J K−1 mol−1 at 298.15 K. The relative deviations between the theoretical and experimental values of Cp,m
, HT
– H
298.15K and ST
– S
298.15K of BATZM are almost equivalent at each temperature. The detonation velocity (D) and detonation pressure (P) of BATZM were estimated using the nitrogen equivalent equation according to the experimental density; BATZM has a higher detonation velocity (7954.87 ± 3.29 m s−1) and detonation pressure (25.72 ± 0.03 GPa) than TNT.
Effect of Al on the microstructure, corrosion behavior and mechanical properties of Mg-4Li
Authors: Zhang Cheng , Wu Liang , Zhao Zilong , Huang Guangsheng , Jiang Bin , Atrens A. , Pan Fusheng
Published: December 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate microstructure, corrosion behavior and mechanical properties of Mg-4Li and Mg-4Li-3Al.

Design/methodology/approach

The microstructure was characterized by using scanning electron microscopy and electron backscatter diffraction. The corrosion behaviors were measured by hydrogen evolution and potentiodynamic polarization tests. The mechanical properties were evaluated by tensile tests.

Findings

The addition of Al results in the precipitation of some Mg-Al phase and Al3Li phase particles, and the formation of some fine recrystallized grains.

Originality/value

Mg-4Li-3Al showed a higher corrosion rate than that of Mg-4Li, attributed to the precipitate particles in Mg-4Li-3Al causing microgalvanic corrosion and the change of grain orientation. The addition of 3 Wt. per cent Al increased the tensile strength by solid solution strengthening, precipitation strengthening, refinement strengthening and texture strengthening, whilst the elongation decreased by almost half.
Hero Honda: Split Wide Open
Authors: Barua Samir K. , Balasubramanian N.
Published: December 2019

The case focuses on governance issues that arise in case of joint ventures. The case is based on one of the most successful joint ventures in the history of corporate India between Honda Motor Company of Japan and the Munjal family of India. They established Hero Honda Motor Company in 1984. The company became the largest producer of motorcycles in the world. The announcement in December 2010 that Honda would sell its stakes in the joint venture to the Munjals came as a surprise to the investors. The process of the transfer including the underlying financial arrangements was not transparent as good governance would require it to be. The Japanese partner too appeared to be guilty of not following its own stated policy on transparency and equity in all business transactions. The case raises several corporate governance issues pertaining to conflict of interest, transparency with absentee shareholders, the role of independent directors on the board and the robustness of board processes. The case also raises concern about regulatory issues connected with the incident.
Jaipuria Institute of Management, Lucknow
Authors: Chand Vijaya Sherry
Published: December 2019

The Director, Jaipuria Institute of Management, Lucknow is preparing to face two challenges: maintaining the educational purpose of transforming students into down-to-earth managers and lifelong champions of the institute, and attracting and retaining good faculty. The case illustrates the institutional processes that a school which is part of a chain needs to consider. The tension between autonomy and conformity, and the concept of a corporate office, which is new to educational settings, are illustrated.
A systematic review of the antecedents of knowledge transfer: an actant-object view
Authors: Shahbaznezhad Hamidreza , Rashidirad Mona , Vaghefi Isaac
Published: December 2019

Purpose

While numerous studies have studied knowledge transfer (KT) and endeavored to address factors influencing KT, little effort has been made to integrate the findings of prior studies. This paper aims to classify the literature on KT through a detailed exploration of different perspectives of KT inter and intra organizations.

Design/methodology/approach

Using actor–network theory (ANT) as the baseline, we conducted a systematic review of KT research to summarize prior KT studies and classify the influential factors on KT. The review covered 115 empirical articles published between 1987 and 2017.

Findings

Drawing on the review and ANT guidelines, the authors proposed a conceptual model to categorize KT constitutes into objects including those related to (1) knowledge, (2) knowledge exchange and (3) technology, as well as actants including those related to (4) organization, (5) team/business unit and (6) knowledge sender/receiver.

Research limitations/implications

Adopting a holistic synthesized approach based on ANT, this research puts forward a valid theoretical foundation on further understanding of KT and its antecedents. Indeed, this paper investigates KT inter and intra organizations to recognize and locate the key antecedents of KT, which is of substantial applicability in today’s knowledge-driven economy.

Practical implications

The findings advance managers and practitioners’ understanding of the important role of actants and objects and their interplay in KT practices.

Originality/value

While most studies on KT have a narrow focus, this research contributes to holistic understanding of motivational, behavioral, technological and organizational issues related to KT. It also offers a thorough and context-free literature review on KT, which synthesizes the findings of prior studies on KT.
Hope Home: early childhood education for social change
Authors: Benetti Sara , Zúñiga Roy
Published: December 2019

Learning outcomes

This case is to familiarize students with the peculiarities of social enterprises (SEs). They would be able to recognize that SEs are hybrid organizations that merge a social purpose with the managerial logics of business ventures. Because of this dual nature, social entrepreneurs need to balance their social aim and the financial viability of the project when analyzing different ways to grow the business, as well as understand and address internal tensions that arise because they have to deal with diverse stakeholders. At the end of the analysis, students would have clear that social and commercial ventures respond to different logics, and therefore, require different managerial models.

Case overview/synopsis

Andrea Meoño was the founder of Hope Home, a center for early childhood education in San José, Costa Rica. The goal of the center was to provide education and daily care to children of disadvantaged families, especially single mothers for whom it was a real challenge to maintain a permanent job to sustain their children, and at the same time, provide them with adequate care and attention. After five years of operating the center, Andrea had to figure out the best way to grow her business, ensuring financial sustainability while keeping true to her original purpose of helping vulnerable mothers by providing their children with excellent educational opportunities.

Complexity academic level

Master’s and Master of Business Administration students taking a course on social entrepreneurship.

Supplementary materials

Teaching Notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes.

Subject code

CSS 3: Entrepreneurship
The good, the bad, and the ugly: organizational effectivity in human resources processes
Authors: Gaytán-Jiménez María de Guadalupe GG , López-Hernández Carlos Eduardo , Cordero-Estefan Jaqueline
Published: December 2019

Learning outcomes

Students are expected to achieve identify the prerequisites and basic to an institutionalization process; prioritize strategic human resources processes as a basis for the growth of the company; analyze the importance of the stages in human resources management; define the areas of opportunity and their respective action plans; and propose the leadership skills that a leader requires.

Case overview/synopsis

Tramuntana® is a travel agency that stands out for being a prime service, which is promoted by its own customers. Its founder wishes to institutionalize his company. The main problem in which they face to grow and consolidate is to maintain their human resources, and in which they cannot be retained, and therefore, do not have a solid structure.

Complexity academic level

Undergraduate and Graduate School of Business and executive education.

Supplementary materials

Teaching Notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes.

Subject code

CSS 1: Accounting and Finance.
Modeling corporate financial distress using financial and non-financial variables
Authors: Balasubramanian Senthil Arasu , G.S. Radhakrishna , P. Sridevi , Natarajan Thamaraiselvan
Published: December 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to develop a corporate financial distress model for Indian listed companies using financial and non-financial parameters by using a conditional logit regression technique.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used a sample of 96 companies, of which 48 were declared sick between 2014 and 2016. The sample was divided into a training sample and a testing sample. The variables for the study included nine financial variables and four non-financial variables. The models were developed using financial variables alone as well as combining financial and non-financial variables. The performance of the test sample was measured with confusion matrix, sensitivity, specificity, precision, F-measure, Types 1 and 2 error.

Findings

The results show that models with financial variables had a prediction accuracy of 85.19 and 86.11 per cent, whereas models with a combination of financial and non-financial variables predict with comparatively better accuracy of 89.81 and 91.67 per cent. Net asset value, long-term debt–equity ratio, return on investment, retention ratio, age, promoters holdings pledged and institutional holdings are the critical financial and non-financial predictors of financial distress.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the financial distress prediction literature in different ways. First, there have been, until now, few studies in the area of financial distress prediction in the Indian context. Second, business failure studies in the past have used only financial variables. The authors have combined financial and non-financial variables in their model to increase predictive ability. Thirdly, in most earlier studies, variable institutional holdings were found to affect financial distress negatively. In contrast, the authors found this parameter to be positively significant to the financial distress of the company. Finally, there have hitherto been few studies that have used promoter holdings pledged (PHP) or pledge ratio. The authors found this variable to influence business failure positively.
Mechanical research on aerostatic guideways in consideration of fluid-structure interaction
Authors: Yan Ruzhong , Wang Liaoyuan , Wang Shengze
Published: December 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to study the mechanical properties of aerostatic guideway taking the structural deformation into account, and further improve the calculation method of guideway.

Design/methodology/approach

A theoretical model of fluid-structure interaction for the numerical simulation was established and mechanical properties of the aerostatic guideway with porous restrictors were solved based on computational fluid dynamics. The deformation law of the guideway with different materials and gas-film thicknesses was revealed, and its static and dynamic characteristic curves were obtained.

Findings

The results indicate that ceramics as the material of guideways exhibit good applicability due to the small deformation, the quick dynamic response and the relatively light weight. The rational initial gas-film of guideway is recommended.

Originality/value

The present work can provide ideas for the design and optimization of aerostatic guideways.

Peer review

The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/ILT-07-2019-0288
Testing fisher effect for the USA: application of nonlinear ARDL model
Authors: Ongan Serdar , Gocer Ismet
Published: December 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the presence of the Fisher effect for the USA from a new methodological perspective differing it from all previous studies using the common linear representation of the Fisher equation.

Design/methodology/approach

The nonlinear ARDL model, recently developed by Shinet al.(2014), is applied for the 10-year US Government bond rates over the period of 1985M1-2017M10.

Findings

The empirical findings indicate that the US Federal Reserve (FED) is a more predominant arbiter in the determination of interest rates during periods of declining inflation rates than periods of rising inflation rates. This finding may allow the FED to apply more proactive and prudent monetary policy. Additionally, this study newly describes and introduces a different version of the partial Fisher effect and extends the Fisher equation to some degree in terms of the partial Fisher effect.

Originality/value

To the best the authors’ knowledge, this method is applied for the first time in testing the Fisher effect for the USA.
Resilient agility in volatile economies: institutional and organizational antecedents
Authors: Gölgeci Ismail , Arslan Ahmad , Dikova Desislava , Gligor David M.
Published: December 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to scrutinize the interplay between resilience and agility in explicating the concept of resilient agility and discuss institutional and organizational antecedents of resilient agility in volatile economies.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors develop a conceptual framework that offers an original account of underlying means of ambidextrous capabilities for organizational change and behaviors in volatile economies and how firms stay both resilient and agile in such contexts.

Findings

The authors suggest that resilient agility, an ambidextrous capability of sensing and acting on environmental changes nimbly while withstanding unfavorable disruptions, can explain entrepreneurial firms’ survival and prosperity. The authors then address institutional (instability and estrangement) and organizational (entrepreneurial orientation (EO) and bricolage) antecedents of resilient agility in volatile economies.

Originality/value

The authors highlight that unfavorable conditions in volatile economies might have bright sides for firms that can leverage them as entrepreneurial opportunities and propose that firms can achieve increased resilient agility when high levels of institutional instability and estrangement are matched with high levels of EO and bricolage.
Do institutional investors have homogeneous influence on corporate social responsibility? Evidence from investor investment horizon
Authors: Meng Yun , Wang Xiaoqiong
Published: December 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relation between the investment horizon of institutional investors and corporate social responsibility (CSR).

Design/methodology/approach

Utilizing unique datasets on CSR and the investor horizon measures (Gaspar et al., 2005), the authors categorize institutional investors into long-term and short-term investors. This method captures the heterogeneity of investors.

Findings

The authors show that long-term institutional investors promote CSR engagement, while short-term investors discourage it. The authors further document that shareholders’ ownership horizon has implications on corporate decisions in the CSR framework. The presence of long (short)-term institutional investors is positively (negatively) associated with dividend payout, discourages (encourages) managerial misbehaviors and enhances (reduces) firm valuation, only for firms with high CSR performance.

Research limitations/implications

Different from previous studies that treat institutional investors homogeneously, this paper provides empirical support that investors are indeed different in influencing CSR.

Originality/value

Few prior studies address the question of whether active engagement by institutional shareholders on CSR issues differs by the types of institutional ownership. The study attempts to fill this gap by examining the effects of institutions’ investment horizon, one of the major ways to classify institutional shareholders, on the CSR performance of firms.
Jamaica’s development of women entrepreneurship: challenges and opportunities
Authors: Saner Raymond , Yiu Lichia
Published: December 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to assess how far Jamaica has come regarding women economic empowerment, female entrepreneurship and its development policies in favour of women entrepreneurship development.

Design/methodology/approach

This exploratory study employs a mixed method approach to achieve its research objectives, consisting of literature review and corroboration with existing database and indices. Key insights of research on female entrepreneurship are used to reflect on published data to assess progress of female entrepreneurship development in Jamaica. The 2017 editions of the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor and Gender Entrepreneurship and Development Index were examined to gain a better understanding of how the Jamaican business environment has progressed or regressed over time and how the economic development and business environment impact female participation in Jamaica’s labour force and entrepreneurial initiatives.

Findings

The economic conditions in Jamaica and the role of females as domestic caregiver have made it difficult for women to enter the labour force even though Jamaican women are relatively better educated than men. Women remain at a disadvantage in the labour force. Jamaica’s legislation and budget allocations in favour of female entrepreneurship are analysed to identify where and how Jamaica is investing its efforts to improve women’s participation in the labour force. The authors conclude with suggestions on how the Jamaican government could facilitate further women entrepreneurship development to reach a more gender balanced inclusive socio-economic development.

Originality/value

While global policy has been promoting women empowerment through entrepreneurial development, little is known on the actual outcome of such human capital investment strategy and the critical vectors that contribute to such outcome. This scarcity of knowledge is also applicable to Jamaica. This paper attempts to contribute to women entrepreneurship research by reaching beyond the output-oriented perspective of various skill development programmes and attempts to link policy choice with overall macro results of entrepreneurship development in general and women entrepreneurship development in specific. The study thus provides a rare glimpse of the entrepreneurship ecosystem in Jamaica.
Urban resilience and sustainable development policies
Authors: da Silva Cristiane Aparecida , dos Santos Edicreia Andrade , Maier Stefania Maria , da Rosa Fabricia Silva
Published: December 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the urban resilience capacity and its relations with the economic, social and environmental well-being in smart cities in the state of São Paulo (SP), particularly after the 2008 financial crisis.

Design/methodology/approach

Concerning its objectives, this study is characterized as descriptive. From the point of view of technical procedures, the research is bibliographic, and regarding data collection, it is documental. The approach of this research is quantitative, since it uses the statistical method. The sample was made up by 62 smart cities located in SP. The analysis comprised the period from 2010 to 2015.

Findings

The urban resilience pillars influence the economic well-being represented by the gross national product, in 58.8 percent, social well-being represented by the life expectancy of the residents of the smart cities, in 71.7 percent, and in environmental well-being indicated by CO2 emissions, in 21.5 percent.

Research limitations/implications

They are related to the researchers’ decision about the methodological design.

Practical implications

This study was limited to smart cities in SP listed in the RBCIH (Brazilian Network of Human Smart Cities), and may be extended to other cities in other Brazilian states.

Social implications

How resilience dimensions related to economic, social and environmental well-being such as poverty, food security, health, well-being, education quality, climate changes, and the like, were measured, which can be investigated in future research studies.

Originality/value

Despite its growing popularity worldwide, the urban resilience pillars and their relationship with human well-being in smart cities in the national context are little investigated, making this research original.
Forest degradation impacts on carbon stocks, tree density and regeneration status in banj oak forests of Central Himalaya
Authors: Pandey Anvita , Arunachalam Kusum , Thadani Rajesh , Singh Vishal
Published: December 2019

The oak forests of the Himalaya are an important repository of carbon. Forest degradation, in terms of loss in biomass and carbon, is a more pressing problem than loss of forest area in the Himalaya. The altitudinal gradient between 1,000 m and 2,200 m is dominated by chir pine and banj oak forest. As a result of small‐scale chronic disturbances the structure and function of banj oak forest is rapidly changing, leaving few pristine patches. Forty permanent plots of 400 m2 in four disturbance categories of Central Himalayas (1,400 m–2,300 m asl) were studied over 3 years (2015, 2016 and 2017) to understand the impact of disturbance on banj oak forests. The study indicates that tree biomass declined by 62% from undisturbed to degraded forests, carbon sequestration rate declined by 73% and was maximum for Moderately disturbed‐A forests, total soil carbon dropped by 79% and mycorrhizal sporocarps declined by 78% from undisturbed to degraded forests. There was an overall decline in tree density by 56% from undisturbed forests to degraded forests. In degraded forests, the invasion of pine, a species tolerant of disturbance, helps in maintaining the forest status but the population structure changes and significant decline in carbon sequestration rate and total biomass stocks (above ground biomass and below ground biomass) was observed. The study indicates that moderate level disturbance promotes better carbon sequestration rates, tree density and the survival of seedlings.
Structural insight into bi‐functional malonyl‐CoA reductase
Authors: Son Hyeoncheol Francis , Kim Sangwoo , Seo Hogyun , Hong Jiyeon , Lee Donghoon , Jin Kyeong Sik , Park Sunghoon , Kim Kyung‐Jin
Published: December 2019

The bi‐functional malonyl‐CoA reductase is a key enzyme of the 3‐hydroxypropionate bi‐cycle for bacterial CO2 fixation, catalysing the reduction of malonyl‐CoA to malonate semialdehyde and further reduction to 3‐hydroxypropionate. Here, we report the crystal structure and the full‐length architecture of malonyl‐CoA reductase from Porphyrobacter dokdonensis. The malonyl‐CoA reductase monomer of 1230 amino acids consists of four tandemly arranged short‐chain dehydrogenases/reductases, with two catalytic and two non‐catalytic short‐chain dehydrogenases/reductases, and forms a homodimer through paring contact of two malonyl‐CoA reductase monomers. The complex structures with its cofactors and substrates revealed that the malonyl‐CoA substrate site is formed by the cooperation of two short‐chain dehydrogenases/reductases and one novel extra domain, while only one catalytic short‐chain dehydrogenase/reductase contributes to the formation of the malonic semialdehyde‐binding site. The phylogenetic and structural analyses also suggest that the bacterial bi‐functional malonyl‐CoA has a structural origin that is completely different from the archaeal mono‐functional malonyl‐CoA and malonic semialdehyde reductase, and thereby constitute an efficient enzyme.
Chromobacterium violaceum delivers violacein, a hydrophobic antibiotic, to other microbes in membrane vesicles
Authors: Choi Seong Yeol , Lim Sungbin , Cho Gayoung , Kwon Jisoo , Mun Wonsik , Im Hansol , Mitchell Robert J.
Published: December 2019

This study describes Chromobacterium violaceum's use of extracellular membrane vesicles (MVs) to both solubilize and transport violacein to other microorganisms. Violacein is a hydrophobic bisindole with known antibiotic activities against other microorganisms. Characterization of the MVs found they carried more violacein than protein (1.37 ± 0.19‐fold), suggesting they may act as a reservoir for this compound. However, MVs are not produced in response to violacein – a ΔvioA isogenic mutant, which is incapable of making violacein, actually produced significantly more MVs (3.2‐fold) than the wild‐type strain. Although violacein is insoluble in water (Log Poctanol:water = 3.34), 79.5% remained in the aqueous phase when it was present within the C. violaceum MVs, an increase in solubility of 1740‐fold. Moreover, tests with a strain of Staphylococcus aureus showed MV‐associated violacein is bactericidal, with 3.1 mg/l killing 90% of S. aureus in 6 h. Tests with the ΔvioA MVs found no loss in the S. aureus viability, even when its MVs were added at much higher concentrations, demonstrating violacein is the active component within the wild‐type MVs. In conclusion, our study clearly demonstrates C. violaceum produces MVs and uses them as vehicles to solubilize violacein and transport this hydrophobic antibiotic to other microbes.
The Impact of Discontinuation of the Medical Examiner System: Cases of Drowning in the Bathtub at Home
Authors: Kakiuchi Yasuhiro , Nagao Ryoko , Ochiai Eriko , Kakimoto Yu , Osawa Motoki
Published: December 2019

The incidence of death by drowning greatly varies among different prefectures in Japan, mainly due to climate difference. However, there could be other factors affecting the incidence of deaths besides climate, for example, differences in regional death investigation systems. Here, we aimed to elucidate other such factors affecting the mortality data of drowning in the bathtub, especially the effects of discontinuing the medical examiner system. Police data in Kyoto and ambulatory care information in Yokohama were used. Data on cases of elderly individuals found dying or dead in the bathtub at home in winter 2014–2015 were obtained. The following data were collected for each case: age, gender, presence/absence of ambulatory transport, performance of autopsy, and cause of death. The autopsy and drowning rates in Kyoto were 0%, whereas both values in Yokohama were significantly higher at 93.1% and 89.4%, respectively (the denominator of each of the rates is the total number of elderly (aged 65 or over) individuals found dying or dead in the bathtub at home in each city during each winter). Despite no significant difference of incidence of total bath‐related death, the proportion of drowning‐related deaths was overwhelmingly higher in Yokohama than in Kyoto. The difference can be attributed to the difference in autopsy rates between the two cities, mainly caused by the presence/absence of a medical examiner system. Therefore, we should pay careful attention to future changes in autopsy/drowning rates in Yokohama, and ascertain whether the change might be continuously influenced by the abolishment of this system.