bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A large-scale assessment of lake bacterial communities reveals pervasive impacts of human activities
Authors: Kraemer S.A. , da Costa N. Barbosa , Shapiro B.J. , Huot Y. , Walsh D.
Published: October 2019

Lakes play a pivotal role in ecological and biogeochemical processes and have been described as ‘sentinels’ of environmental change. Assessing ‘lake health’ across large geographic scales is critical to predict the stability of their ecosystem services and their vulnerability to anthropogenic disturbances. The LakePulse research network is tasked with the assessment of lake health across gradients of land use on a continental scale. Bacterial communities are an integral and rapidly responding component of lake ecosystems, yet large-scale responses to anthropogenic activity remain elusive. Here, we assess the ecological impact of land use on bacterial communities from 220 lakes covering more than 660 000 km2across Eastern Canada. Alteration of communities was found on every level examined including richness, community composition, community network structure and indicator taxa of high or low lake water quality. Specifically, increasing anthropogenic impact within the watershed lowered richness mediated by changes in salinity. Likewise, community composition was significantly correlated with agriculture and urban development within a watershed. Interaction networks showed decreasing complexity and fewer keystone taxa in impacted lakes. Together, these findings point to vast bacterial community changes of largely unknown consequences induced by human activity within lake watersheds.

Significance Statement

Lakes play central roles in Earth’s ecosystems and are sentinels of climate change and other watershed alterations. Assessing lake health across large geographic scales is therefore critical to predict ecosystem stability and lake vulnerability to anthropogenic disturbances. In this context, the LakePulse research network is tasked with a large-scale assessment of lake health across Canada. Bacterial communities are an integral and rapidly responding component of lake ecosystems, yet their large-scale responses to anthropogenic activity remain unknown. Here, we assessed the anthropogenic impact on bacterial communities of over 200 lakes located across large environmental gradients. We found communities to be impacted on every level investigated, indicating that human activities within watersheds cause vast bacterial community changes of largely unknown consequences.
Flexible coordinator and switcher hubs for adaptive task control
Authors: Cocuzza Carrisa V , Ito Takuya , Schultz Douglas , Bassett Danielle S , Cole Michael W
Published: October 2019

Functional connectivity studies have identified at least two large-scale neural systems that constitute cognitive control networks – the frontoparietal network (FPN) and cingulo-opercular network (CON). Control networks are thought to support goal-directed cognition and behavior. It was previously shown that the FPN flexibly shifts its global connectivity pattern according to task goal, consistent with a “flexible hub” mechanism for cognitive control. Our aim was to build on this finding to develop a functional cartography (a multi-metric profile) of control networks in terms of dynamic network properties. We quantified network properties in (male and female) humans using a high-control-demand cognitive paradigm involving switching among 64 task sets. We hypothesized that cognitive control is enacted by the FPN and CON via distinct but complementary roles reflected in network dynamics. Consistent with a flexible “coordinator” mechanism, FPN connections were varied across tasks, while maintaining within-network connectivity to aid cross-region coordination. Consistent with a flexible “switcher” mechanism, CON regions switched to other networks in a task-dependent manner, driven primarily by reduced within-network connections to other CON regions. This pattern of results suggests FPN acts as a dynamic, global coordinator of goal-relevant information, while CON transiently disbands to lend processing resources to other goal-relevant networks. This cartography of network dynamics reveals a dissociation between two prominent cognitive control networks, suggesting complementary mechanisms underlying goal-directed cognition.

Significance Statement

Cognitive control supports a variety of behaviors requiring flexible cognition, such as rapidly switching between tasks. Furthermore, cognitive control is negatively impacted in a variety of mental illnesses. We used tools from network science to characterize the implementation of cognitive control by large-scale brain systems. This revealed that two systems – the frontoparietal (FPN) and cingulo-opercular (CON) networks – have distinct but complementary roles in controlling global network reconfigurations. The FPN exhibited properties of a flexible coordinator (orchestrating task changes), while CON acted as a flexible switcher (switching specific regions to other systems to lend processing resources). These findings reveal an underlying distinction in cognitive processes that may be applicable to clinical, educational, and machine learning work targeting cognitive flexibility.
Genomic features of BRDT binding sites in gene units suggest transcriptional partners and specific epigenetic landscapes to regulate transcriptional activity during spermatogenesis
Authors: Wang Li , Chepelev Iouri , Her Yoon Ra , Manterola Marcia , Berkovits Binyamin , Cui Kairong , Zhao Keji , Wolgemuth Debra J.
Published: October 2019

BRDT, a member of the BET family of double bromodomain-containing proteins, is expressed uniquely in the male germ line, is essential for spermatogenesis in the mouse, and binds to acetylated transcription start sites of genes expressed in meiosis and spermiogenesis. It has thus been postulated to be a key regulator of transcription in meiotic and post-meiotic cells. To understand the function of BRDT in regulating gene expression, we characterized its genome-wide distribution, in particular the features of the BRDT binding sites within gene units, by ChIP-Seq analysis of enriched fractions of spermatocytes and spermatids. In both cell types, BRDT binding sites were mainly located in promoters, first exon, and introns of genes that are highly transcribed during meiosis and spermiogenesis. Furthermore, in promoters, BRDT binding sites overlapped with several histone modifications and histone variants associated with active transcription, and were also enriched for consensus sequences for specific transcription factors, including MYB, RFX, ETS and ELF1 in pachytene spermatocytes, and JunD, c-Jun, CRE and RFX in round spermatids. Our analysis further revealed that BRDT-bound genes play key roles in diverse biological processes that are essential for proper spermatogenesis. Taken together, our data suggest that BRDT is involved in the recruitment of different transcription factors to distinctive chromatin regions within gene units to regulate diverse downstream target genes that function in male meiosis and spermiogenesis.
Tumour suppressor WT1 regulates the let-7-Igf1r axis in kidney mesenchyme
Authors: Bharathavikru Ruthrothaselvi , Slight Joan , Aitken Stuart , Petrovich Giulia , Charlton Jocelyn , Stancheva Viktoriya , Essafi Abdelkader , Pritchard-Jones Kathy , Hastie Nicholas D
Published: October 2019

Wilms’ tumour 1 (WT1) is a transcription factor and a tumour suppressor, essential for the development and homeostasis of multiple tissues derived from the intermediate and lateral plate mesoderm. Germline WT1 mutations result in the eponymous paediatric kidney cancer, genitourinary anomalies and in some cases congenital diaphragmatic hernia One common feature in Wilms’ Tumours (WT), is upregulation of IGF2 through genetic and/or epigenetic mechanisms. Recent studies have identified both somatic and germline mutations in microRNA processing genes (MIRPG) in WT. Whether these different epigenetic and genetic causes converge on common targets and the mechanisms by which they act are still unclear. WT1 is involved in RNA binding and regulates the RNA stability of important developmental genes. We now show that WT1 interacts with let-7 family of microRNAs, and the absence of WT1 results in reduced levels of mature microRNA in cell lines and kidney mesenchyme. As a consequence, let-7 targets, including Igf1 receptor (Igf1r), are upregulated in the absence of Wt1, thus confirming the presence of a WT1-let7-Igf1r axis. These findings suggest a possible mechanism by which WT1 mutations lead to WT, and reinforce the idea that the perturbation of the microRNA and IGF signalling pathways are important contributing factors in the aetiology of WT.
Epidermal green autofluorescence intensity is significantly associated with the serum levels of multiple cytokines of LPS-exposed mice
Authors: Li Yujia , Zhang Mingchao , Yang Zhaoxia , Ying Weihai
Published: October 2019

Inflammation plays various crucial pathological and physiological roles, in which a number of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines are important mediators. It is of great scientific and clinical significance to search for non-invasive approaches for evaluating cytokine levels in the blood. Our previous study reported that epidermal green autofluorescence (AF) intensity of LPS-exposed mice is highly correlated with LPS doses. In our current study, we determined if epidermal green AF intensity is associated with the serum levels of various cytokines in the LPS-exposed mice. We found that both epidermal green AF intensity and LPS doses are significantly associated with the serum levels of key cytokines including interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6 and IL-10. Both epidermal green AF intensity and LPS doses are also significantly associated with the pro-inflammatory factors including IL-2, IL-12(p40), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), MIP-1α, MIP-1β, and regulated on activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted (RANTES/CCL5), as well as anti-inflammatory factors including IL-5 and granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF). Our findings have suggested that detection of epidermal green AF intensity may become first approach for non-invasive evaluation of certain cytokine levels in human body, which could profoundly enhance our capacity to evaluate inflammation levels for monitoring health state, disease state and therapeutic effects.
Structural insight into the formation of lipoprotein-β-barrel complexes by the β-barrel assembly machinery
Authors: Létoquart Juliette , Rodriguez-Alonso Raquel , Nguyen Van Son , Louis Guennaëlle , Calabrese Antonio N. , Radford Sheena E. , Cho Seung-Hyun , Remaut Han , Collet Jean-François
Published: October 2019

The β-barrel assembly machinery (BAM) inserts outer membrane β-barrel proteins (OMPs) in the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria. In Enterobacteriacea, BAM also mediates export of the stress sensor lipoprotein RcsF to the cell surface by assembling RcsF-OMP complexes. Although BAM has been the focus of intense research due to its essential activity in generating and maintaining the outer membrane, how it functions remains poorly understood. Here, we report the crystal structure of the key BAM component BamA in complex with RcsF. BamA adopts an inward-open conformation, with the lateral gate to the membrane closed. The globular domain of RcsF is lodged deep inside the lumen of the BamA barrel, binding regions proposed to undergo an outward and lateral opening during OMP insertion. Our structural and biochemical data indicate a push-and-pull mechanism for RcsF export upon conformational cycling of BamA and provide a mechanistic explanation for how RcsF uses its interaction with BamA to detect envelope stress. Our data also suggest that the flux of incoming OMP substrates is involved in the control of BAM activity. Overall, the structural insights gleaned here elucidate a fundamental biological process and suggest a new avenue for antibiotic development.
Signal-space projection suppresses the tACS artifact in EEG recordings
Authors: Vosskuhl Johannes , Mutanen Tuomas P. , Neuling Toralf , Ilmoniemi Risto J. , Herrmann Christoph S.
Published: October 2019

1.

Background

To probe the functional role of brain oscillations, transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) has proven to be a useful neuroscientific tool. Because of the huge tACS-caused artifact in electroencephalography (EEG) signals, tACS–EEG studies have been mostly limited to compare brain activity between recordings before and after concurrent tACS. Critically, attempts to suppress the artifact in the data cannot assure that the entire artifact is removed while brain activity is preserved. The current study aims to evaluate the feasibility of specific artifact correction techniques to clean tACS-contaminated EEG data.

New Method

In the first experiment, we used a phantom head to have full control over the signal to be analyzed. Driving pre-recorded human brain-oscillation signals through a dipolar current source within the phantom, we simultaneously applied tACS and compared the performance of different artifact-correction techniques: sine subtraction, template subtraction, and signal-space projection (SSP). In the second experiment, we combined tACS and EEG on a human subject to validate the best-performing data-correction approach.

Results

The tACS artifact was highly attenuated by SSP in the phantom and the human EEG; thus, we were able to recover the amplitude and phase of the oscillatory activity. In the human experiment, event-related desynchronization could be restored after correcting the artifact.

Comparison with existing methods

The best results were achieved with SSP, which outperformed sine subtraction and template subtraction.

Conclusions

Our results demonstrate the feasibility of SSP by applying it to human tACS–EEG data.
Microsatellite instability as a tool to diagnose genome instability in CHO cell culture
Authors: Chitwood Dylan G. , Wang Qinghua , Elliott Kathryn , Bullock Aiyana , Jordana Dwon , Li Zhijang , Wu Cathy , Harcum Sarah W. , Saski Christopher A.
Published: October 2019

As bioprocess intensification has increased over the last 30 years, yields from mammalian cell processes have increased from 10’s of milligrams to over 10’s of grams per liter. Most of these gains in productivity have been due to increasing cell numbers in the bioreactors, and with those increases in cell numbers, strategies have been developed to minimize metabolite waste accumulation, such as lactate and ammonia. Unfortunately, cell growth cannot occur without some waste metabolite accumulation, as central metabolism is required to produce the biopharmaceutical. Inevitably, metabolic waste accumulation leads to decline and termination of the culture. While it is understood that the accumulation of these unwanted compounds imparts a less than optimal culture environment, little is known about the genotoxic properties and the influence of these compounds on global genome instability. In this study, we examined the effects on Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells’ genome sequences and physiology due to exposure to elevated ammonia levels. We identified genome-wide de novo mutations, in addition to variants in functional regions of certain genes involved in the mismatch repair (MMR) pathway, such as DNA2, BRCA1 and RAD52, which led to loss-of-function and eventual genome instability. Additionally, we characterized the presence of microsatellites against the most recent Chinese Hamster genome assembly and discovered certain loci are not replicated faithfully in the presence of elevated ammonia, which represents microsatellite instability (MSI). Furthermore, we found 124 candidate loci that may be suitable biomarkers to gauge genome stability in CHO cultures.
H2A.Z is dispensable for both basal and activated transcription in post-mitotic mouse muscles
Authors: Belotti Edwige , Lacoste Nicolas , Simonet Thomas , Papin Christophe , Padmanabhan Kiran , Ramos Lorrie , Dalkara Defne , Scionti Isabella , Hamiche Ali , Dimitrov Stefan , Schaeffer Laurent
Published: October 2019

The histone variant H2A.Z is enriched in nucleosomes surrounding the transcription start site of active promoters, suggesting that it might be implicated in transcription. It is also required during mitosis. However, evidences obtained so far mainly rely on correlative evidences obtained in actively dividing cells. We have defined a paradigm in which cell cycle cannot interfere with H2A.Z transcriptional studies by developing an in vivo systems to invalidate H2A.Z in terminally differentiated post-mitotic muscle cells to dissociate its role during transcription from its role during mitosis. ChIP-seq, RNA-seq and ATAC-seq experiments performed on H2A.Z KO post-mitotic muscle cells show that this histone variant is neither required to maintain nor to activate transcription. Altogether, this study provides in vivo evidence that in the absence of mitosis H2A.Z is dispensable for transcription and that the enrichment of H2A.Z on active promoters is rather a marker than an actor of transcriptional activity.
Activation of G-protein coupled estradiol receptor 1 in the dorsolateral striatum attenuates preference for cocaine and saccharin in male but not female rats
Authors: Quigley Jacqueline A. , Becker Jill B.
Published: October 2019

There are sex differences in the response to psychomotor stimulants, where females exhibit a greater response than males, due to the presence of the gonadal hormone estradiol (E2). Extensive research has shown that E2 enhances drug-seeking and the rewarding properties of cocaine for females. The role of E2 in male drug-seeking, however, is not well understood. The current study investigated pharmacological manipulation of E2 receptors in the dorsolateral striatum (DLS) on preference for cocaine in gonad-intact male and female rats. In males, activation of G-protein coupled E2 receptor 1 (GPER1), via administration of ICI 182,780 or G1, attenuated conditioned place preference for 10mg/kg cocaine, while inhibition of GPER1, via G15, enhanced preference at a 5mg/kg cocaine dose. Similarly, GPER1 activation, via G1, prevented males from forming a preference for 0.1% saccharin (SACC) versus plain water. Surprisingly, activation of GPER1 did not alter preference for cocaine or SACC in females. These studies also examined the quantity of E2 receptor mRNA in the dorsal striatum, using qPCR. No sex differences in relative mRNA expression of ERα, ERβ, and GPER1 were observed. However, there was greater GPER1 mRNA, relative to ERα and ERβ, in both males and females. The results presented here indicate that E2, acting via GPER1, may be protective against drug preference in male rats.
MEF2C hypofunction in neuronal and neuroimmune populations cooperate to produce MEF2C haploinsufficiency syndrome-like behaviors in mice
Authors: Harrington Adam J. , Bridges Catherine M. , Blankenship Kayla , Assali Ahlem , Berto Stefano , Siemsen Benjamin M. , Moore Hannah W. , Cho Jennifer Y. , Tsvetkov Evgeny , Thielking Acadia , Konopka Genevieve , Everman David B. , Scofield Michael D. , Skinner Steven A. , Cowan Christopher W.
Published: October 2019

Microdeletions of theMEF2Cgene are linked to a syndromic form of autism termedMEF2Chaploinsufficiency syndrome (MCHS). Here, we show that MCHS-associated missense mutations cluster in the conserved DNA binding domain and disrupt MEF2C DNA binding. DNA binding-deficient globalMef2cheterozygous mice (Mef2c-Het) display numerous MCHS-like behaviors, including autism-related behaviors, as well as deficits in cortical excitatory synaptic transmission. We find that hundreds of genes are dysregulated inMef2c-Het cortex, including significant enrichments of autism risk and excitatory neuron genes. In addition, we observe an enrichment of upregulated microglial genes, but not due to neuroinflammation in theMef2c-Het cortex. Importantly, conditionalMef2cheterozygosity in forebrain excitatory neurons reproduces a subset of theMef2c-Het phenotypes, while conditionalMef2cheterozygosity in microglia reproduces social deficits and repetitive behavior. Together our findings suggest that MEF2C regulates typical brain development and function through multiple cell types, including excitatory neuronal and neuroimmune populations.
Mechanistic insight into crossing over during mouse meiosis
Authors: Peterson Shaun E. , Keeney Scott , Jasin Maria
Published: October 2019

Characteristics of heteroduplex DNA illuminate how strands exchange during homologous recombination, but mismatch correction can obscure them. To investigate recombination mechanisms, meiotic crossover products were analyzed at two hotspots inMsh2–/–mice containing homologous chromosomes derived from inbred strains. Recombination frequencies were unchanged in the mutant, implying that MSH2-dependent recombination suppression does not occur at this level of diversity. However, a substantial fraction of crossover products retained heteroduplex DNA in the absence of MSH2, and some also had multiple switches between parental markers suggestive of MSH2-independent correction. Recombinants appeared to reflect a biased orientation of crossover resolution, possibly stemming from asymmetry at DNA ends established in earlier intermediates. Many crossover products showed no evidence of heteroduplex DNA, suggesting dismantling by D-loop migration. Unlike the complexity of crossovers in yeast, these two modifications of the original double-strand break repair model may be sufficient to explain most meiotic crossing over in mice.
Producers’ cooperative products in short food supply chains: consumers’ response
Authors: Koutsou Stavriani , Sergaki Panagiota
Published: October 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate an innovation concerning a short food supply chain (SFSC) created by a newly established producers’ cooperative in Greece that sells fresh milk to consumers via automatic vending machines; the consumers’ response toward this innovation; and the financial performance of the cooperative.

Design/methodology/approach

The case study focused on consumer’s attitudes toward the cooperative’s fresh milk sold by automatic vending machines and the cooperative’s financial performance. A structured questionnaire was answered by 912 consumers in Thessaloniki during 2015 and analyzed using the IBM SPSS STATISTICS program, version 22. Additionally, the cooperative’s financial data (2012–2015) were used in order to calculate its financial performance.

Findings

The authors identified five unique consumer categories according to consumer motive, of which social motives are considered in the sample as the most important. The cooperative’s financial indicators are satisfying, especially taking into consideration the severe economic crisis in Greece over the past years.

Research limitations/implications

It is difficult to evaluate Thesgala as there exists no similar producer cooperative in SFSCs in Greece. The cooperative is recently established and therefore financial indicators represent a short time period.

Practical implications

Producers, especially small ones in remote or peri-urban areas, can be involved in a SFCS and reach consumers via their cooperatives (or by founding a cooperative). Producer’s cooperatives can include SFSCs in their strategic planning in order to stimulate changes in the food system for the benefit of both producers and consumers.

Social implications

Policy makers should orient the appropriate policy measures to support SFSCs for the benefit of society as a whole.

Originality/value

The research investigates an SFSC that was created as a producer’s initiative (not a consumer’s) via their cooperative. It advances knowledge of how to initiate changes in the food system.
Conservation payments, off-farm employment and household welfare for farmers participating in the “Grain for Green” program in China
Authors: Li Li , Tsunekawa Atsushi , MacLachlan Ian , Li Guicai , Koike Atsushi , Guo Yuanyuan
Published: October 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the factors (including conservation payments) that influence household decisions to participate in off-farm work and estimate the impact of participation on household welfare under the auspices of the Grain for Green (GfG) program.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors used survey data from 225 farm households on the Loess Plateau and addressed the possible sample selection and endogeneity problems by employing a jointly estimated endogenous switching regression (ESR) model.

Findings

The findings of this paper are as follows: off-farm participation is positively related to households’ educational attainment and negatively related to their land resource endowment and the presence of children; participation in off-farm work exerts positive effects on household income and per capita household income, but negative effects on farm productivity; and conservation payments show no significant impact on off-farm participation, no significant impact on any of the three household welfare indicators for off-farm non-participant households, but a significantly negative impact for off-farm participant households.

Originality/value

This paper makes two contributions. First, the authors address the selection bias and endogeneity problem of GfG participating households by employing the ESR method and explicitly estimating the treatment effects of off-farm participation on their household welfare. Neglecting these problems leads to biased estimates and misleading policy implications. Second, this analysis stresses the important role of government in reducing market or institutional failure and other barriers that impede farmers’ efficient allocation choices instead of compensating households for conserving sloping land, shedding new light on the most effective policy options to achieve the program’s goals.
Complementarity of capabilities across cultures
Authors: Anning-Dorson Thomas
Published: October 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate how service firms across two different cultural contexts use their customer involvement capabilities to create competitive advantage. The study further assesses the possible complementarity effect of innovation and involvement capabilities in enhancing firm competitiveness. Lastly, the study draws on the complementarity of capabilities and social institutions to examine whether different cultural contexts explain the use of involvement capability among service firms.

Design/methodology/approach

The study sampled service firms from an emerging economy (India) and high-income economy (The UK), which have different cultural contexts (collectivism/individualist) to assess the hypothesized relationship. Data collection processes were adapted to the contexts to optimize reliability and relevance. Multi-group structural equation modeling was used in analyzing the data.

Findings

The study finds that cultural contexts explain the positive relationship between customer involvement capability and firm competitiveness such that in collectivist cultures, involvement capability is more positively related to competitiveness but negative in individualistic contexts. However, in both contexts, service firms can through capability bundling increase firm competitiveness. The study found that the complementarity effects of innovation and involvement capabilities were found to be positive in both contexts.

Originality/value

This study departs from previous studies by arguing that customer involvement is a complementary capability that helps exploit the potential of innovation capability of service firms. This study further demonstrates that cultural context defines the effectiveness of involvement capability in achieving firm competitiveness.
Influence of online hotel reviews on the fit between strategy and use of management control systems
Authors: Lunkes Rogério J. , Bortoluzzi Daiane Antonini , Anzilago Marcielle , da Rosa Fabricia Silva
Published: October 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the influence of online hotel reviews (OHRs) on the fit between strategy and use of the management control system (MCS) in small- and medium-sized hotels in Brazil. The study analyzed the influence of the variable OHR on the fit between the deliberate strategy and emergent strategy, as well as the diagnostic use and interactive use, of MCS.

Design/methodology/approach

The study was carried out with the application of a questionnaire in small- and medium-sized hotels in Brazil. The analyses are based on 78 responses from Brazilian hotels. The analysis used the modeling of structural equations by parts (SmartPLS).

Findings

The results show the influence that external variables have in the adjustment of management systems. Specifically, the authors present quantitative evidence that OHR plays an important role in the adjustment between the deliberate strategy and the diagnostic use of MCS.

Research limitations/implications

The results have several implications for research and practice.

Practical implications

The results have several implications for research and practice. A practical implication of this work is to understand how external variables (e.g. OHR) can be important in the fit of management systems. This study offers value for managers in that it supports the argument that hotels can benefit from the use of OHR in the MCS fit.

Originality/value

This study provides evidence for the influence of external variables, such as OHR, on the fit between strategy and MCS use. The study contributes to the literature by providing new evidence of the role of guest evaluations in aligning strategies with the use of MCS.
Dynamic transfer pricing under conditions of uncertainty – the use of real options
Authors: Smolarski Jan M. , Wilner Neil , Vega Jose G.
Published: October 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the applicability of real options methodology with respect to developing internal transfer pricing mechanisms. A pervasive theme in existing models is their inability to handle the dynamic and volatile nature of today’s business environment, as well as their lack of objective managerial flexibility. The authors address these and other issues and develop a transfer pricing mechanism based on Black–Scholes and the binomial options pricing methodology, which is better suited in today’s dynamic business environment.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors use a conceptual approach in developing theoretical justifications and show, practically, how a transfer price can be developed using two different real options pricing models.

Findings

The authors find that real options transfer price mechanism (real options framework [ROF]) can effectively deal with many of the issues that permeate a modern organization with complex multi-dimensional operations. The authors argue that uncertainty and behavioral issues commonly associated with setting transfer prices are better handled using a transfer pricing mechanism that preserves flexibility at the business unit level, the managerial level and the firm level. The approach allows for different managerial styles in both centralized and decentralized sub-units within the same organization. The authors argue that an open multi-dimensional framework using real options is suitable under conditions of uncertainty and managerial opportunism.

Practical implications

ROF-based transfer pricing may be significant in that firms can use it as a tool to manage an organization by setting the prices centrally and at the same time allowing managers to select the transfer price that best suits their specific situation and operating conditions. This may result in a more efficient and more profitable organization.

Originality/value

The contribution of the paper is the melding of the ROF from the finance literature with the accounting problem of setting a transfer price for items lacking a competitive market price. The authors also contribute to existing research by explicitly developing a framework that values managerial flexibility, takes into account uncertainty and considers the behavioral aspects of the transfer pricing process. The authors establish the conditions under which a generic real options model is a feasible alternative in determining a transfer price.
Hungry people cannot take care of their future: impact of hunger on intertemporal choice
Authors: Lu Wei , Zhou Yuwei , Pan Li Sunny , Zhao Yuhao
Published: October 2019

Purpose

People often need to make intertemporal choices in their daily life, such as savings and spending, but their decisions are not always entirely rational. The purpose of this paper is to study the effect of hunger on intertemporal choices and the moderating effect of sensitivity to reward.

Design/methodology/approach

Two studies verified these two hypotheses. The first study confirmed the existence of the main effect by manipulating food aroma. In the second study, by manipulating hunger with images, the authors increased external validity of the study and confirmed the regulation of the sensitivity of rewards.

Findings

The authors found that hungry people prefer to reap the benefits as early as possible in an intertemporal choice; this effect is significant only for those people who are sensitive to reward.

Practical implications

The research contributes to understand more about which factors will influence Chinese residents’ decisions on savings and spending. It also has practical implication for government policy, for example, proposing new ideas for reducing household savings rate and stimulating consumption.

Originality/value

The results confirmed that hunger significantly affects consumers’ intertemporal choices, which broadened the scope of researches on the factors that influence intertemporal choice, and advanced the study on the influence of individual’s physiological state on intertemporal choices. This study filled the gaps in previous researches, and opened up new research ideas for interdisciplinary study.
The relationship between leader construal level and leader-member exchange relationship
Authors: Emirza Sevgi , Katrinli Alev
Published: October 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of leader’s construal level, which is the tendency of the leader to construe things abstractly or concretely, on leader-member exchange (LMX) quality and the moderating role of relational demography, which is the comparative similarity between supervisor and subordinate in demographic characteristics. The authors hypothesize a positive relationship between leader construal level and the quality of relationship, such that, as the leader’s construal level increases and becomes more abstract, the quality of relationship improves. Furthermore, demographic similarity is expected to moderate the relationship between leader construal level and LMX quality.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from 159 employees with an online questionnaire. Hierarchical regression analysis was used for hypothesis testing.

Findings

Results show that the leader’s construal level is positively associated with LMX quality. Moreover, demographic similarity moderates this relationship such that when subordinate and supervisor have similar demographic characteristics, the effect of leader construal level on LMX is higher.

Originality/value

This study addresses the call for further research on leader-related antecedents of LMX by showing that leader construal level predicts relationship quality. This study also enhances our understanding of how to leverage the construal level in leadership research. Moreover, this study provides a deeper and more integrated understanding regarding the development of LMX relationships by delineating the interactive effect of leader-related features and relational demography.
Bradykinin‐potentiating factor isolated from Leiurus quinquestriatus scorpion venom alleviates cardiomyopathy in irradiated rats via remodelling of the RAAS pathway
Authors: Hasan Hesham Farouk , Radwan Rasha R. , Galal Shereen Mohamed
Published: October 2019

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of a bradykinin‐potentiating factor (BPF) isolated from Leiurus quinquestriatus scorpion venom as a natural modulator of radiation‐induced cardiac damage. Four groups of rats were treated as follows; control group, group receiving BPF (1 µg/g b.wt i.p./biweekly) for 4 weeks, group irradiated at 6 Gy, group receiving BPF post‐irradiation for 4 weeks. Irradiation induced a significant elevation of myocardial parameters: atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), cardiac troponin I (cTnI), potassium (K+) and creatine kinase (CK); vascular indices: lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and endothelin I; oxidative stress indices: malondialdehyde (MDA) associated with a significant depletion of both reduced glutathione (GSH) in the cardiac tissue homogenate and serum ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) depletion and significantly reinforced elevation of Renin Angiotensin Aldosterone System (RAAS) indices: serum angiotensin II (AngII) and aldosterone, and also protein expression of cleaved caspase‐3 and cyclophilin A. BPF administration altered the biochemical damage of radiation, specifically inhibited AngII formation, aldosterone release and prevented the histopathological and immunohistochemical alterations which were observed in cardiac tissue with significant reduction in mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) caused by irradiation. In conclusion, biochemical assays, histopathological and immunohistochemical findings of the present study demonstrated that exogenous BPF isolated from scorpion venom reduced the cardiomyopathy alterations induced by irradiation via remodelling of the RAAS pathway.
Markets and welfare effects of food fraud
Authors: Meerza Syed Imran Ali , Giannakas Konstantinos , Yiannaka Amalia
Published: October 2019

This study develops a theoretical framework of heterogeneous consumers and producers and imperfectly competitive food companies to analyse the system‐wide market and welfare effects of food fraud in the form of food adulteration and mislabelling. The results show that, while the price impacts of food fraud are product‐specific with the equilibrium prices of high‐quality and low‐quality products moving in different directions, the equilibrium quantities depend on the relative magnitude of the demand and supply effects of food fraud. Regarding the welfare effects of food fraud, they are shown to be highly asymmetric across different consumers and producers. In addition to enabling the disaggregation of the welfare effects of food fraud, the explicit consideration of agent heterogeneity, asymmetries in the probability of fraud detection and the endogeneity of the producer quality choices also enables the derivation of a key result of this study; contrary to what is traditionally believed, both low‐quality and high‐quality producers can have economic incentives to commit fraud. The group that is more likely to cheat is determined by the social attitudes towards fraudulent behaviour, the enforcement policy parameters and the relative magnitude of the demand and supply effects of food fraud. A comparison of the market effects of mislabelling and food adulteration reveals that, while the equilibrium quantity of the high‐quality product is higher in the presence of mislabelling, producers are more likely to mislabel than adulterate their products.
Consumers’ Sensory Perception of Food Attributes: Identifying the Ideal Formulation of Gluten‐ and Lactose‐Free Brownie Using Sensory Methodologies
Authors: Pio Ávila Bianca , Cardozo Luis Otávio , Alves Gabriela Dutra , Gularte Márcia Arocha , Monks Jander , Elias Moacir Cardoso
Published: October 2019

Products for consumers with special needs (celiac) and those who prefer a differentiated diet are necessary due to growing demand and a niche market to be exploited. The incorporation of other substances in the formulation of cakes requires a detailed analysis of their characteristics and sensorial attributes. However, the use of these flours may change the sensory characteristics of a product that is normally made from wheat flour. This study aimed to identify the ideal formulation of gluten‐ and lactose‐free brownies made with rice flour and beans/lentils in consumer perception, through the combination of sensory tests. Using these data, the aim was to define recommendations for the reformulation of a product of high consumer acceptance, using easily accessible ingredients. The sensory methods used were descriptive analysis with a group of 20 trained evaluators and a group of 100 consumers evaluated through the check‐all‐that‐apply and just‐about‐right questionnaire; all groups performed the acceptance test by hedonic scale. Data were analyzed using multivariate techniques and correlation matrices. The results showed that the attributes selected by the trained evaluators and consumers were sufficient to indicate that color and texture were the most striking characteristics that should be improved in brownie formulations without gluten and lactose.

Practical Application

The study assumes that from the combination of sensory methods it is possible to verify the attributes that are most attractive to consumers in gluten‐free and lactose‐free cake formulations, using easily accessible ingredients that have technological, nutritional, and sensory quality, such as those formulated with wheat.
Preventive antibiotic treatment of calves: emergence of dysbiosis causing propagation of obese state‐associated and mobile multidrug resistance‐carrying bacteria
Authors: Dobrzanska Dorota A. , Lamaudière Matthew T. F. , Rollason Jessica , Acton Lauren , Duncan Michael , Compton Sharon , Simms John , Weedall Gareth D. , Morozov Igor Y.
Published: October 2019

In agriculture, antibiotics are used for the treatment and prevention of livestock disease. Antibiotics perturb the bacterial gut composition but the extent of these changes and potential consequences for animal and human health is still debated. Six calves were housed in a controlled environment. Three animals received an injection of the antibiotic florfenicol (Nuflor), and three received no treatment. Faecal samples were collected at 0, 3 and 7 days, and bacterial communities were profiled to assess the impact of a therapy on the gut microbiota. Phylogenetic analysis (16S‐rDNA) established that at day 7, antibiotic‐treated microbiota showed a 10‐fold increase in facultative anaerobic Escherichia spp, a signature of imbalanced microbiota, dysbiosis. The antibiotic resistome showed a high background of antibiotic resistance genes, which did not significantly change in response to florfenicol. However, the maintenance of Escherichia coli plasmid‐encoded quinolone, oqxB and propagation of mcr‐2, and colistin resistance genes were observed and confirmed by Sanger sequencing. The microbiota of treated animals was enriched with energy harvesting bacteria, common to obese microbial communities. We propose that antibiotic treatment of healthy animals leads to unbalanced, disease‐ and obese‐related microbiota that promotes growth of E. coli carrying resistance genes on mobile elements, potentially increasing the risk of transmission of antibiotic resistant bacteria to humans.
Haloperidol for the treatment of delirium in critically ill patients: A systematic review with meta‐analysis and Trial Sequential Analysis
Authors: Barbateskovic Marija , Krauss Sara R. , Collet Marie O. , Andersen‐Ranberg Nina C. , Mathiesen Ole , Jakobsen Janus C. , Perner Anders , Wetterslev Jørn
Published: October 2019

Background

Haloperidol is the most frequently used drug to treat delirium in the critically ill patients. Yet, no systematic review has focussed on the effects of haloperidol in critically ill patients with delirium.

Methods

We conducted a systematic review with meta‐analysis and Trial Sequential Analysis of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) assessing the effects of haloperidol vs any intervention on all‐cause mortality, serious adverse reactions/events, days alive without delirium, health‐related quality of life (HRQoL), cognitive function and delirium severity in critically ill patients with delirium. We also report on QTc prolongation, delirium resolution and extrapyramidal symptoms.

Results

We included 8 RCTs with 11 comparisons (n = 951). We adjudicated one trial as having overall low risk of bias. Three trials used rescue haloperidol; excluding these, we did not find an effect of haloperidol vs control on all‐cause mortality (RR 1.01; 95% CI 0.33‐3.06; I2 = 0%; 112 participants; 3 trials; 4 comparisons; very low certainty) or delirium severity (SMD −0.15; 95% CI −0.61‐0.30; I2 = 27%; 134 participants; 3 trials; 4 comparisons; very low certainty). No trials reported adequately on serious adverse reactions/events. Only one trial reported on days alive without delirium, cognitive function and QTc prolongation, and no trials reported on HRQoL. Sensitivity analyses, including trials using rescue haloperidol, did not change the results.

Conclusions

The evidence for the use of haloperidol to treat critically ill patients with delirium is sparse, of low quality and inconclusive. We therefore have no certainty regarding any beneficial, harmful or neutral effects of haloperidol in these patients.
A thing of the past? Household surveys in a rapidly evolving (agricultural) data landscape: Insights from the LSMS‐ISA
Authors: Carletto Calogero , Gourlay Sydney
Published: October 2019

Household surveys, a pivotal component of every country's national statistical system, continue to be criticized and praised in equal manner. While recognizing their limitations, it is clear that certain types of data must continue to be collected through household surveys, preferably in an integrated manner with other data sources. This is particularly true in the agricultural space for which household and farm surveys will be critical both to collect primary data as well as to validate alternative data sources. Recent methodological gains and technological innovations offer a unique opportunity to address many of the shortcomings of agricultural data. In this article, we briefly describe select examples of such methodological and technological changes, drawing from the Living Standards Measurement Study‐Integrated Surveys on Agriculture, a survey program aimed at improving the availability, quality, and relevance of agricultural data in multitopic, multipurpose household surveys.
The Mobilizing Effect of Parties' Moral Rhetoric
Authors: Jung Jae‐Hee
Published: October 2019

How does parties' use of moral rhetoric affect voter behavior? Prior comparative party research has studied party positions without much attention to how parties explain and justify their positions. Drawing insights from political and moral psychology, I argue that moral rhetoric mobilizes copartisan voters by activating positive emotions about their partisan preference. I expect this to hold among copartisans who are exposed to party rhetoric. To test my argument, I measure moral rhetoric by text‐analyzing party manifestos from six English‐speaking democracies and measure mobilization using copartisan turnout in survey data. The results support my argument. Furthermore, I find evidence in support of the theoretical mechanism using survey experiments and panel survey data from Britain. The article shows that moral rhetoric is a party campaign frame that has important consequences for voter behavior.