bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Breathlessness and inflammation: potential relationships and implications
Authors: Ryan Richella , Spathis Anna , Clow Angela , Booth Sara
Published: July 2016

Purpose of review

Breathlessness and chronic inflammation both span a wide range of disease contexts and hold prognostic significance. The possibility of a causal relationship between the two has been hypothesized. The aims of this article are to review the intersections between breathlessness and inflammation in the literature, describe potential mechanisms connecting the two phenomena, and discuss the potential clinical implications of a causal relationship.

Recent findings

There is a very limited literature exploring the relationship between systemic inflammation and breathlessness in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart failure, and cancer. One large study in cancer patients is suggestive of a weak association between self-reported breathlessness and inflammation. Studies exploring the relationship between inflammation and Medical Research Council Dyspnoea grade in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients have produced inconsistent findings. Although a causal relationship has not yet been proven, there is evidence to support the existence of potential mechanisms mediating a relationship. This evidence points to a role for the skeletal muscle and stress hormone systems.

There is much progress to be made in this area. Interventional studies, evaluating the impact of anti-inflammatory interventions on breathlessness, are needed to help determine whether a causal relationship exists. If proven, this relationship might have important implications for both the treatment and impact of breathlessness.
Genetic determinants of lactococcal C2viruses for host infection and their role in phage evolution
Authors: Millen Anne M. , Romero Dennis A.
Published: July 2016

Lactococcus lactis is an industrial starter culture used for the production of fermented dairy products. Pip (phage infection protein) bacteriophage-insensitive mutant (BIM) L. lactis DGCC11032 was isolated following challenge of parental strain DGCC7271 with C2viruses. Over a period of industrial use, phages infecting DGCC11032 were isolated from industrial whey samples and identified as C2viruses. Although Pip is reported to be the receptor for many C2viruses including species type phage c2, a similar cell-membrane-associated protein, YjaE, was recently reported as the receptor for C2virus bIL67. Characterization of DGCC7271 BIMs following challenge with phage capable of infecting DGCC11032 identified mutations in yjaE, confirming YjaE to be necessary for infection. DGCC7271 YjaE mutants remained sensitive to the phages used to generate pip variant DGCC11032, indicating a distinction in host phage determinants. We will refer to C2viruses requiring Pip as c2-type andC2viruses that require YjaE as bIL67-type. Genomic comparisons of two c2-type phages unable to infect pip mutant DGCC11032 and four bIL67-type phages isolated on DGCC11032 confirmed the segregation of each group based on resemblance to prototypical phages c2 and bIL67, respectively. The distinguishing feature is linked to three contiguous late-expressed genes: l14–15–16 (c2) and ORF34–35–36 (bIL67). Phage recombinants in which the c2-like l14–15–16 homologue gene set was exchanged with corresponding bIL67 genes ORF34–35–36 were capable of infecting a pip mutated host. Together, these results correlate the phage genes corresponding to l14–15–16 (c2) and ORF34–35–36 (bIL67) to host lactococcal phage determinants Pip and YjaE, respectively.
DISTRIBUTION OF THE ENDANGERED GIANT KANGAROO RAT,DIPODOMYS INGENS, ON THE NAVAL PETROLEUM RESERVES, CALIFORNIA
Authors: O’Farrell Thomas P. , Mathews Nancy E. , McCue Patrick M. , Kelly Mary S.
Published: July 2016

Burrows of the endangered giant kangaroorat,Dipodomys ingens, were found on the U.S. Department of Energy’s Naval Petroleum Reserves in Kern County, California. The majority of burrows (63%) were found in areas of low relief (4.3 ± 0.5°, n=32) on valley floors but 28% were unexpectedly found on low relief areas (6.4 ± 0.8°, n=39) in the uplands. Burrows were not distributed in proportion to the arealextend of the soil series, but were concentrated in deep alluvial sandy loams. Well pads were the most frequently observed (73% of 211) humandisturbance in the vicinity of burrows, but they were the most distant (150± 61m, n=150). Dirt roads were observed closer to burrows (50 ± 10 m, n=28) but less frequently (4%). Only 8 burrows were found in the vicinity of proposed petroleum developments but no projects had to me modified to avoid negatively affecting the species.

RESUMEN.—Madrigueras de las ratas canguro,Dipodomys ingens,a riesgo de extinsioń, fueron localizadas en el Departmento de Energía, Reservas Navales de Petroleo en el Condado de Kern, California. La mayoria de las madrigueras (63%) se encuentran en arias de bajo relieve (4.3 ± 0.5°, n=32) en valles, pero el 28% fueron inesperadamente localizadas en arias de bajo relieve (6.4 ± 0.8°, n=39) en terrenos elevados. Las madriguera no se distribuyen en proporcion de acuerdo a la variedad de terrenos, sino concentradas en las lomas aluviales arenosas. Los disturbios humanos observados con mas frecuencia (73% of 211) en la vecindad de las madrigueras son los almohadillas de pozos petroleros pero se encontran amayor distancia (150 ± 61m, n=150). Caminos de tierra fueron encontrados cerca de las madrigueras (50 ± 10m, n=28) pero con menos frecuenciz (4%). Unicamente ocho madrigueras fueron localizadas en la vecindad de los propuestos desarroyos petroleros pero ningun proyecto se debe modificar para evitar efectos negativos que pueden afectar a la especie.
Should tissue structure suppress or amplify selection to minimize cancer risk?
Authors: Hindersin Laura , Werner Benjamin , Dingli David , Traulsen Arne
Published: July 2016

Background

It has been frequently argued that tissues evolved to suppress the accumulation of growth enhancing cancer inducing mutations. A prominent example is the hierarchical structure of tissues with high cell turnover, where a small number of tissue specific stem cells produces a large number of specialised progeny during multiple differentiation steps. Another well known mechanism is the spatial organisation of stem cell populations and it is thought that this organisation suppresses fitness enhancing mutations. However, in small populations the suppression of advantageous mutations typically also implies an increased accumulation of deleterious mutations. Thus, it becomes an important question whether the suppression of potentially few advantageous mutations outweighs the combined effects of many deleterious mutations.

Results

We argue that the distribution of mutant fitness effects, e.g. the probability to hit a strong driver compared to many deleterious mutations, is crucial for the optimal organisation of a cancer suppressing tissue architecture and should be taken into account in arguments for the evolution of such tissues.

Conclusion

We show that for systems that are composed of few cells reflecting the typical organisation of a stem cell niche, amplification or suppression of selection can arise from subtle changes in the architecture. Moreover, we discuss special tissue structures that can suppress most types of non-neutral mutations simultaneously.
The evolution of no-cost resistance at sub-MIC concentrations of streptomycin inStreptomyces coelicolor
Authors: Westhoff Sanne , van Leeuwe Tim M. , Qachach Omar I. , Zhang Zheren , van Wezel Gilles P. , Rozen Daniel E.
Published: July 2016

At the high concentrations used in medicine, antibiotics exert strong selection on bacterial populations for the evolution of resistance. However, these lethal concentrations may not be representative of the concentrations bacteria face in soil, a recognition that has lead to questions of the role of antibiotics in soil environments as well as the dynamics of resistance evolution during sub-lethal challenge. Here we examine the evolution of resistance to sub-MIC concentrations of streptomycin in the filamentous soil bacteriumStreptomyces coelicolor. First, we show that spontaneous resistance to streptomycin causes an average fitness deficit of ~21% in the absence of drugs; however, these costs are eliminated at concentrations as low as 1/10 the MIC of susceptible strains. Using experimental evolution, we next show that resistance readily evolves at these non-lethal doses. More important,S. coelicolorresistance that evolves at sub-MIC streptomycin is cost-free. Whole-genome analyses reveal that sub-MIC evolved clones fix a distinct set of mutations to those isolated at high drug concentrations. Our results broaden the conditions under which resistance can evolve in nature and suggest that the long-term persistence of these strains is facilitated by the absence of pleiotropic fitness costs. Finally, our data cast doubt on arguments that low-concentration antibiotics in nature are signals, instead supporting models that resistance evolves in response to antibiotics used as weapons.
Single Cell Pluripotency Regulatory Networks
Authors: Stumpf Patrick S. , Ewing Rob , MacArthur Ben D.
Published: July 2016

Embryonic stem (ES) cells represent a popular model system for investigating development, tissue regeneration and repair. Although much is known about the molecular mechanisms that regulate the balance between self-renewal and lineage commitment in ES cells, the spatiotemporal integration of responsive signalling pathways with core transcriptional regulatory networks are complex and only partially understood. Moreover, measurements made on populations of cells reveal only average properties of the underlying regulatory networks, obscuring their fine detail. Here, we discuss the reconstruction of regulatory networks in individual cells using novel single cell transcriptomics and proteomics, in order to expand our understanding of the molecular basis of pluripotency, including the role of cell-cell variability within ES cell populations, and ways in which networks may be controlled in order to reliably manipulate cell behaviour.
The evolution of DNA methylation and its relationship to sociality in insects
Authors: Bewick Adam J. , Vogel Kevin J. , Moore Allen J. , Schmitz Robert J.
Published: July 2016

DNA methylation contributes to gene and transcriptional regulation in eukaryotes, and therefore has been hypothesized to facilitate the evolution of flexible traits such as sociality in insects. However, DNA methylation is sparsely studied in insects. Therefore, we documented patterns of DNA methylation across a wide diversity of insects. Furthermore, we tested the hypothesis that the DNA methylation system will be associated with presence/absence of sociality among insects. We also predicted that underlying enzymatic machinery is concordant with patterns of DNA methylation. We found DNA methylation to be widespread, detected in all orders examined except Diptera (flies). Whole genome bisulfite sequencing showed that orders differed in levels of DNA methylation. Hymenopteran (ants, bees, wasps and sawflies) had some of the lowest levels, including several potential losses. Blattodea (cockroaches) show all possible patterns, including a potential loss of DNA methylation in a eusocial species whereas solitary species had the highest levels. Phylogenetically corrected comparisons revealed no evidence that supports evolutionary dependency between sociality and DNA methylation. Species with DNA methylation do not always possess the typical enzymatic machinery. We identified a gene duplication event in the maintenance DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) that is shared by some hymenopteran, and paralogs have experienced divergent, non-neutral evolution. This diversity and non-neutral evolution of underlying machinery suggests alternative DNA methylation pathways may exist. Altogether, DNA methylation is highly variable in insects and is not a universal driver of social behavior. Future, functional studies are required to advance our understanding of DNA methylation in insects.
CENPT bridges adjacent CENPA nucleosomes on young human α-satellite dimers
Authors: Thakur Jitendra , Henikoff Steven
Published: July 2016

Nucleosomes containing the CenH3 (CENPA or CENP-A) histone variant replace H3 nucleosomes at centromeres to provide a foundation for kinetochore assembly. CENPA nucleosomes are part of the constitutive centromere associated network (CCAN) that forms the inner kinetochore on which outer kinetochore proteins assemble. Two components of the CCAN, CENPC and the histone-fold protein CENPT, provide independent connections from the ∼171-bp centromeric α-satellite repeat units to the outer kinetochore. However, the spatial relationship between CENPA nucleosomes and these two branches remains unclear. To address this issue, we use a base-pair resolution genomic readout of protein–protein interactions, comparative chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) with sequencing, together with sequential ChIP, to infer the in vivo molecular architecture of the human CCAN. In contrast to the currently accepted model in which CENPT associates with H3 nucleosomes, we find that CENPT is centered over the CENPB box between two well-positioned CENPA nucleosomes on the most abundant centromeric young α-satellite dimers and interacts with the CENPB/CENPC complex. Upon cross-linking, the entire CENPA/CENPB/CENPC/CENPT complex is nuclease-protected over an α-satellite dimer that comprises the fundamental unit of centromeric chromatin. We conclude that CENPA/CENPC and CENPT pathways for kinetochore assembly are physically integrated over young α-satellite dimers.
Sulfate-bridged dimeric trinuclear copper(II)–pyrazolate complex with three different terminal ligands
Authors: Mezei Gellert
Published: July 2016

The reaction of CuSO4·5H2O, 4-chloropyrazole (4-Cl-pzH) and triethylamine (Et3N) in dimethylformamide (DMF) produced crystals of diaquahexakis(μ-4-chloropyrazolato-κ2N:N′)bis(N,N-dimethylformamide)di-μ3-hydroxido-bis(μ4-sulfato-κ4O:O′:O′′:O′′)hexacopper(II)N,N-dimethylformamide tetrasolvate dihydrate, [Cu3(OH)(SO4)(C3H2ClN2)3(C3H7NO)(H2O)]2·4C3H7NO·2H2O. The centrosymmetric dimeric molecule consists of two trinuclear copper–pyrazolate units bridged by two sulfate ions. The title compound provides the first example of a trinuclear copper–pyrazolate complex with three different terminal ligands on the Cu atoms, and also the first example of such complex with a strongly binding basal sulfate ion. Within each trinuclear unit, the CuIIatoms are bridged by μ-pyrazolate groups and a central μ3-OH group, and are coordinated by terminal sulfate, H2O and DMF ligands, respectively. Moreover, the sulfate O atoms coordinate at the apical position to the Cu atoms of the symmetry-related unit, providing square–pyramidal coordination geometry around each copper cation. The metal complex and solvent molecules are involved in O—H...O hydrogen bonds, leading to a two-dimensional network parallel to (10-1).
Ethyl 2-(6-nitro-2H-indazol-2-yl)acetate
Authors: Rejouani Fatima-Zahra , Mojahidi Souad , Rakib El Mostapha , Mdeghri Alaoui Abdelouahed , Saadi Mohamed , El Ammari Lahcen
Published: July 2016

In the title compound, C11H11N3O4, the indazolyl ring and the nitro group are nearly coplanar, with the greatest deviation from their mean plane being 0.103 (2) Å. The mean plane through the acetate group is almost perpendicular to the indazolyl ring, subtending a dihedral angle of 88.05 (7)°. In the crystal, molecules are linked by C—H...O and C—H...N non-classical hydrogen bonds to form supramolecular layers that stack along theaaxis.
Dichlorido[2-(pyridin-2-yl-κN)benzo[b][1,5]naphthyridine-κN1]zinc
Authors: Ohtsu Hideki , Oura Takahiro , Takaoka Mikio , Tsuge Kiyoshi , Tanaka Koji
Published: July 2016

The coordination environment of the ZnIIatom in the title complex, [ZnCl2(C17H11N3)], is distorted tetrahedral. The NAD+/NADH-analogous ligand is twisted and chelates through one pyridine N atom and one N atom of the benzonaphthyridine ring system. In the crystal, molecules are stacked along theaaxis and are held together through π–π interactions.
New Zealand ShakeOut exercise: lessons learned by schools
Authors: Tipler Karlene S. , Tarrant Ruth A. , Johnston David M. , Tuffin Keith F.
Published: July 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to identify lessons learned by schools from their involvement in the 2012 New Zealand ShakeOut nationwide earthquake drill.

Design/methodology/approach

– The results from a survey conducted with 514 schools were collated to identify the emergency preparedness lessons learned by schools through their participation in the ShakeOut exercise.

Findings

– Key findings indicated that: schools were likely to do more than the minimum when presented with a range of specific emergency preparedness activities; drills for emergency events require specific achievement objectives to be identified in order to be most effective in preparing schools; and large-scale initiatives, such as the ShakeOut exercise, encourage schools and students to engage in emergency preparedness activities.

Practical implications

– Based on the findings, six recommendations are made to assist schools to develop effective emergency response procedures.

Originality/value

– The present study contributes to the ongoing efforts of emergency management practitioners and academics to enhance the efficacy of school-based preparedness activities and to, ultimately, increase overall community resilience.
Considering socio-cultural factors of disaster risk management
Authors: Kasdan David Oliver
Published: July 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between factors of socio-cultural contexts and disaster risk. Recent efforts by international organizations and research scholarship have emphasized that applying contextual understandings of human behavior can improve the effectiveness of disaster risk management (DRM).

Design/methodology/approach

– The research employs multiple correlation analysis to find significant relationships between two sources of socio-cultural data and the World Risk Index scores.

Findings

– There are interesting relationships between various measures of socio-cultural context and disaster risk, such as correlations with levels of individualism, self-expression, and secular-rational values.

Research limitations/implications

– While using the broadest sample available with the data sources, generalizations about the relationships must be tempered as inherently anecdotal and needing greater depth of study. The national level of analysis is controversial.

Practical implications

– Emergency managers can extend the knowledge about socio-cultural influences on disaster risk to tailor policy for effective practices.

Social implications

– Societies may recognize their behaviors as being conducive or obstructive to DRM based on their socio-cultural characteristics; governments may operationalize the findings into policy responses for more nuanced mitigation efforts.

Originality/value

– This research adds to the momentum for considering non-technical approaches to DRM and expands the potential for social science derived variables in DRM.
Learning from the past
Authors: Cheema Abdur Rehman , Mehmood Abid , Imran Muhammad
Published: July 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to provide a historical analysis of the disaster management structure, policies and institutions in Pakistan between 1947 and 2005, and highlights the contemporary challenges in view of the learning from the past.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper uses a historic-integrative case study approach to disaster management and risk reduction policy, planning and practice. Qualitative data were collected through purposive sampling and a case study design was adopted. A broad range of actors was recruited as research participants. In total, 22 semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted in relation to this study in six different districts of Pakistan to achieve insight into the role of different institutions and stakeholders.

Findings

– Overall, the post-colonial flood-centric policy framework and fragmented responsibilities of different disaster management institutions show the lack of an effective institutional structure for disaster management and mitigation in Pakistan, particularly at the local level. Until the event of the 2005 earthquake, policies heavily relied on attaining immediate and short-term goals of response and relief while ignoring the long-term objectives of strategic planning for prevention and preparedness as well as capacity building and empowerment of local institutions and communities.

Practical implications

– The analysis explains, in part, why disaster planning and management needs to be given due attention in the developing countries at different policy scales (from local to national) especially in the face of limited resources, and what measures should be taken to improve effectiveness at different phases of the disaster management cycle.

Originality/value

– The paper advances the importance of a historical case study approach to disaster management and mitigation. The empirical work provides original research evidence about the approaches to dealing with disasters in Pakistan and thus enriches existing knowledge of disaster management policy and planning about the country.
Online consumers’ reactions to price decreases: Amazon’s Kindle 2 case
Authors: Lee Kyung Young , Jin Ying , Rhee Cheul , Yang Sung-Byung
Published: July 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to investigate how consumers respond to price changes by analyzing online product reviews (OPRs) posted on a product (Amazon’s Kindle 2), and to suggest several future research topics on online consumers’ reactions embedded in OPRs.

Design/methodology/approach

– An exploratory case study is conducted using OPRs added to the Kindle 2. By analyzing 6,714 OPRs, the authors examine how online consumers respond to two continual price decreases embedded in the observable (star rating and review depth) and implicit (positive and negative emotions) features of OPRs as well as how the number of OPRs per day has changed after two price drops.

Findings

– The authors found that all four features of OPRs (star rating, review depth, positive emotion, and negative emotion) and the number of OPRs per day had significantly changed after two price decreases for both long-term and short-term periods. In addition, online consumers’ reactions to price decreases in terms of these four features and the change in the number of OPRs per day were different between the first and the second price drops.

Research limitations/implications

– This study investigates online consumers’ reactions to price decreases only. Future research should investigate other cases where price changes under the dynamic pricing strategy in order to find the relationship between price increases/decreases and consumers’ reactions.

Practical implications

– This study implies that online merchants should consider consumer groups’ innovation adoption stages and make strategic decisions for price decreases to improve the sales of their products.

Originality/value

– While prior research involving the effects of price changes on consumers’ reactions has focussed on offline consumers, this is among the first attempts to address the long- and short-term reactions to price changes in terms of both the observable and implicit features of OPRs, and suggests that consumers’ reactions to price changes in OPRs are more complex.
Cultural and religiosity drivers and satisfaction outcomes of consumer perceived deception in online shopping
Authors: Agag Gomaa M. , El-Masry Ahmed A.
Published: July 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to develop and test a model that focuses on the cultural and religiosity drivers and satisfaction outcomes of consumer perceptions about online retailers’ deceptive practices. It specifically investigates: the role of cultural orientation and religiosity in forming consumer ethical ideology; the link between the consumer’s ethical ideology and his/her perceptions regarding the deceptive practices of online retailers; and the effect of perceived deception on consumer satisfaction.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper is based on a quantitative survey conducted among 468 Egyptian consumers aged 18 and above. These were measured on a five-point Likert scale. To test the hypothesized relationships among the constructs of the model, structural equation modelling was employed.

Findings

– The study confirmed that power distance, uncertainty avoidance, and religiosity are important in forming idealistic attitudes, while both individualism and masculinity lead to an egoistic attitude. Idealism was observed to have a positive association with consumer perceived deception, while egoism was found to negatively affect consumer perceived deception. Finally, it was revealed that the perceptions of consumer about the deceptive practices of online retailing decrease consumer satisfaction.

Originality/value

– This research puts together in a single model both antecedents and outcomes of the perceptions of consumer about the deceptive practices of online retailing; concurrently examines the role of cultural orientation, religiosity, and ethical ideology of the consumer in forming ethical attitudes and responses; focuses on the instrumental role of cultural characteristics on consumer ethical perceptions from the perspective of the individual, rather than the society as a whole; and provides useful examination of the effects of perceived deception on consumer satisfaction.
The importance of brand architecture in business networks
Authors: Aureli Selena , Forlani Fabio
Published: July 2016

Purpose

This study aims to understand if network brand management is a key activity in tourism business networks and how the network brand relates to the place brand and the brands of individual network members.

Design/methodology/approach

Preference has been given to a qualitative approach and to the use of case study methodology. Two qualitative techniques have been used: document analysis and in-depth semi-structured interviews.

Findings

Results indicate that network brand identity is a prerequisite for all alliances, thus confirming the brand’s aggregating role in business networks. However, the network brand is not always exploited for commercial purposes, as signalled by the few efforts in communication activities. Results also indicate that there is a strong connection between the network brand and the place, confirming that tourism businesses are intertwined on a local context and cannot avoid citing the place where they operate.

Research limitations/implications

Two main aspects limit the generalizability of this study. First, the empirical evidence is limited to four case studies and refers to only one country. Second, chairmen of the examined networks were interviewed without investigating the opinions of network members who may have contrasting views.

Practical implications

Poor brand management within the examined networks suggests that network managers should have more decision-making power. To apply concepts of brand architecture, network managers should be able to influence brand strategies of individual network members. For example, structures and processes could be created to engage all members in brand management activities like for Destination Management Organizations (DMOs) searching to increase participation of all stakeholders.

Originality/value

The novelty of this study is that it explores the role of brand management in networks created by partners with equal decision power. Moreover, it differs from previous research on inter-firm relations because it adopts the concept of brand consonance to evaluate if networks will succeed in the long term thanks to a proper management of the network brand.
Corporate social responsibility: engaging the community
Authors: Deigh Linda , Farquhar Jillian , Palazzo Maria , Siano Alfonso
Published: July 2016

Purpose

This paper aims to extend corporate social responsibility (CSR) theory by exploring how firms engage with community. The community is frequently cited as a stakeholder of the firm, but in spite of its status in networks it has not been the focus of research. Drawing on community theory and Carroll’s pyramid for the foundation of this study, the authors undertake an empirical investigation to advance knowledge in CSR engagement with a particular stakeholder group.

Design/methodology/approach

To generate an in-depth insight, the study adopts a multiple case study approach involving the purposeful selection of three retail banks in Ghana as units of analysis. It draws on multiple data sources to strengthen its findings.

Findings

The study finds that community engagement consists of four spheres of activity: donations, employee voluntarism, projects and partnerships. Philanthropy forms part of largelyad hocCSR actions by firms. The study also finds that philanthropy is not merely a desired function of the CSR pyramid but an essential one.

Practical implications

This research imparts increased understanding of how firms engage with an important but frequently overlooked stakeholder group – community.

Originality/value

This study presents specific theoretical extensions to CSR through its identification of four core activities of community engagement.
Cooperative behaviour and place branding: a longitudinal case study in Italy
Authors: Rinaldi Chiara , Cavicchi Alessio
Published: July 2016

Purpose

This paper aims to understand the motivations driving cooperative behaviour between heterogeneous stakeholders in place-branding activities, focusing on contract-based and relation-based cooperation constructs.

Design/methodology/approach

The longitudinal case study method is used to help understanding how the investigated network has evolved over four years from an attempt to build a regional umbrella-brand to a network contract between 13 enterprises.

Findings

The findings suggest that the relationships of trust and shared values among stakeholders are essential to foster cooperation, but also that contract-based governance complements a relation-based governance, enhancing the performance of the alliance.

Research limitations/implications

The main limitation is related to the case study methodology, as results are strongly dependent on the specific characteristics of the stakeholders and the geographical area analysed.

Social implications

The role of stakeholders in building a place brand is increasingly important. When analysing cooperative behaviour drivers, more attention should be paid to such intangible assets as social, human, relational and organisational capital.

Originality/value

This longitudinal case study emphasises that for success in place-branding activities, contract-based cooperation can be particularly useful at the beginning of a network alliance, while relation-based cooperation ensures the strength and continuity of the partnership but it takes time to develop. Responsible leaders, working as relationship facilitators/enablers, are important to keep network members engaged, by creating trust and favouring mutual beneficial relationships between stakeholders.
A framework of place branding, place image, and place reputation
Authors: Foroudi Pantea , Gupta Suraksha , Kitchen Philip , Foroudi Mohammad M. , Nguyen Bang
Published: July 2016

Purpose

This paper aims to develop a framework that links the concepts of place branding, place image and place reputation. Focusing on the antecedents and outcomes of place branding in the context of an emerging country, namely, Iran, the model further examines critical moderation variables.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative approach was undertaken, comprising face-to-face in-depth interviews with 15 respondents, involved in communicating about their country for various purposes such as encouraging tourism, promoting exports and attracting investments. Based on analysis of the qualitative data, a comprehensive framework for place branding was formulated.

Findings

Findings indicate that the key indicators of identifying a place brand come under two headings, namely, national culture (country’s name, country’s brand, country attributes, social changes, geography and environment, people, culture (history, language, etc.) and infrastructure (security, economic condition, technological advancement, tourism development goals, place marketing and promotional strategy), which influences on the favorability of place branding. In addition, five main moderators of the outcomes of place branding were identified, namely, political perception, social media and news, place awareness, place association and tourism experience.

Practical implications

Effective place branding could help a country attract tourists, visitors, traders and investors. Place branding should be considered a constructive tool that can be successfully applied to managing a country’s image.

Originality/value

Place branding has received little attention in the context of emerging markets. This is the first known study undertaken with a view to understand and develop a place branding model that links with place image and place reputation in an emerging country. The study identifies 12 antecedents of place branding and five important moderators. Findings will help policymakers, country brand managers and communication professionals more generally who deal with a country’s image and reputation and those involved in improving the tourism industry in Iran.
SPATIAL DIMENSIONS OF THE EFFECT OF NEIGHBORHOOD DISADVANTAGE ON DELINQUENCY*
Authors: VOGEL MATT , SOUTH SCOTT J.
Published: July 2016

Research examining the relationship between neighborhood socioeconomic disadvantage and adolescent offending typically examines only the influence of residential neighborhoods. This strategy may be problematic as 1) neighborhoods are rarely spatially independent of each other and 2) adolescents spend an appreciable portion of their time engaged in activities outside of their immediate neighborhood. Therefore, characteristics of neighborhoods outside of, but geographically proximate to, residential neighborhoods may affect adolescents’ propensity to engage in delinquent behavior. We append a spatially lagged, distance‐weighted measure of socioeconomic disadvantage in “extralocal” neighborhoods to the individual records of respondents participating in the first two waves of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, 1997 Cohort (N = 6,491). Results from negative binomial regression analyses indicate that the level of socioeconomic disadvantage in extralocal neighborhoods is inversely associated with youth offending, as theories of relative deprivation, structured opportunity, and routine activities would predict, and that the magnitude of this effect rivals that of the level of disadvantage in youths’ own residential neighborhoods. Moreover, socioeconomic disadvantage in extralocal neighborhoods suppresses the criminogenic influence of socioeconomic disadvantage in youths’ own neighborhoods, revealing stronger effects of local neighborhood disadvantage than would otherwise be observed.
Gambling versus Designing: Organizing for the Design of the Probability Space in the Energy Sector
Authors: Hooge Sophie , Kokshagina Olga , Le Masson Pascal , Levillain Kevin , Weil Benoit , Fabreguettes Vincent , Popiolek Nathalie
Published: July 2016

The objective of this paper is to elucidate an organizational process for the design of generic technologies (GTs). While recognizing the success of GTs, the literature on innovation management generally describes their design according to evolutionary strategies featuring multiple and uncertain trials, resulting in the discovery of common features among multiple applications. This random walk depends on multiple market and technological uncertainties that are considered exogenous: as smart as he can be, the ‘gambler’ must play in a given probability space. However, what happens when the innovator is not a gambler but a designer, i.e., when the actor is able to establish new links between previously independent emerging markets and technologies? Formally speaking, the actor designs a new probability space. Building on a case study of two technological development programmes at the French Center for Atomic Energy, we present cases of GTs that correspond to this logic of designing the probability space, i.e. the logic of intentionally designing common features that bridge the gap between a priori heterogeneous applications and technologies. This study provides another example showing that the usual trial‐and‐learning strategy is not the only strategy to design GTs and that these technologies can be designed by intentionally building new interdependences between markets and technologies. Our main result is that building these interdependences requires organizational patterns that correspond to a ‘design of exploration’ phase in which multiple technology suppliers and application providers are involved in designing both the probability space itself and the instruments to explore and benefit from this new space.
Podoplanin associates with adverse postoperative prognosis of patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma
Authors: Xia Yu , Liu Li , Xiong Ying , Bai Qi , Wang Jiajun , Xi Wei , Qu Yang , Xu Jiejie , Guo Jianming
Published: July 2016

Podoplanin, a transmembrane sialomucin‐like glycoprotein, was recently shown to be involved in tumor progression and metastasis, and its potential role in facilitating platelet‐based tumor embolization and promigratory phenotype of cancer cells was also demonstrated. In this study, we assessed the clinical significance of tumoral podoplanin expression in 295 patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) through immunohistochemistry on tissue microarrays and analyzing the staining intensity. Univariate analysis suggested an adverse prognostic effect of high tumoral podoplanin expression on patients' overall survival (OS) and recurrence‐free survival (RFS) (P < 0.001 for both). In the multivariate analysis, high tumoral podoplanin expression (using staining intensity as either a continuous or dichotomous variable) was still an independent adverse prognostic factor for patient survival (OS, P < 0.001, RFS, P < 0.001 for continuous; OS, P < 0.001, RFS, P = 0.002 for dichotomous). Moreover, stratified analysis identified a higher prognostic power in the intermediate/high risk patient groups. After utilizing those parameters in the validated multivariate analysis, two nomograms were constructed to predict ccRCC patients' OS and RFS (c‐index 0.815 and 0.805, respectively), and performed better than existing integrated models (P < 0.001 for all comparisons). In conclusion, high tumoral podoplanin expression could independently predict an adverse clinical outcome for ccRCC patients, and it might be useful in future for clinical decision‐making and therapeutic developments.
A small molecule identified through an in silico screen inhibits Aurora B–INCENP interaction
Authors: Unsal Esra , Degirmenci Bahar , Harmanda Büşra , Erman Burak , Ozlu Nurhan
Published: July 2016

Aurora B is a serine/threonine kinase that has a central role in the regulation of mitosis. The observation of Aurora B overexpression in cancer makes it a promising target to develop antitumoral inhibitors. We describe a new potential inhibitor that exclusively targets the interaction site of Aurora B and its activator INCENP. We performed a structure‐based virtual screening and determined five potential candidates of 200 000 compounds, which selectively bind to the Aurora B::INCENP interaction site, but not to the ATP‐binding site (kinase pocket) of Aurora B or other related kinases. Further characterization in vivo validated the inhibitory role of one of these five compounds in Aurora B::INCENP complex formation and exhibited hallmarks of Aurora inhibition such as chromosome congression and segregation defects that interfere with the progression into cytokinesis and result in multinuclear cells. Our results provide an alternative approach on the way of exploring specific kinase inhibitors.
Cobalt release and complications resulting from the use of dental prostheses
Authors: Al‐Imam Hiba , Benetti Ana R. , Özhayat Esben B. , Pedersen Anne M. L. , Johansen Jeanne D. , Thyssen Jacob P. , Jellesen Morten S. , Gotfredsen Klaus
Published: July 2016

Background

Cobalt release from dental prostheses has been shown to elicit allergic reactions in cobalt‐allergic patients. It is therefore important to investigate whether these prostheses are possible sources of sensitization.

Objectives

To assess (i) cobalt release from dental prostheses and (ii) allergic reactions to components of dental prostheses, and (iii) to investigate the oral mucosa for inflammation 1–5 years after insertion of the prostheses.

Method

Clinical oral examination was conducted in 66 patients with 84 dental prostheses. Cobalt release from 84 functional (used) and 32 non‐functional (new) prostheses was investigated with the cobalt spot test. Contact allergy was assessed by patch testing. Smear tests for Candida spp. were performed in patients showing signs of inflammation of the oral mucosa. The prostheses were assessed for biological and technical complications.

Results

None of the functional prostheses released cobalt, whereas this was observed in 24 of 32 non‐functional prostheses. None of the patients had contact allergy to cobalt. Of the 66 patients, 11 showed signs of inflammation of the oral mucosa, 2 had oral candidiasis, 16 had ill‐fitting prostheses, and all had insufficient oral hygiene.

Conclusions

Dental prostheses released cobalt during the fabrication stages, but not 1–5 years after insertion. No allergic reactions were observed. Signs of inflammation were related to candidiasis, insufficient oral hygiene, and ill‐fitting prostheses.
A global assessment of alien amphibian impacts in a formal framework
Authors: Measey G. J. , Vimercati G. , de Villiers F. A. , Mokhatla M. , Davies S. J. , Thorp C. J. , Rebelo A. D. , Kumschick S.
Published: July 2016

Aims

The environmental and socio‐economic impacts of alien species need to be quantified in a way that makes impacts comparable. This allows managers to prioritize their control or removal based on impact scores that can be easily interpreted. Here we aim to score impacts of all known alien amphibians, compare them to other taxonomic groups and determine the magnitude of their ecological and socio‐economic impacts and how these scores relate to key traits.

Location

Global.

Methods

We used the generic impact scoring system (GISS) to assess impacts. These impacts were compared to other previously assessed taxonomic groups (mammals, birds, freshwater fish, invertebrates and plants). For each species scored, we investigated the relationship of impacts with key variables (taxonomy, size, clutch size, habitat and native range) using general linear mixed models.

Results

Our data show that alien amphibians have similar impacts to other taxonomic groups, but comparatively fewer (41%) could be scored using available literature: < 7% of species had 71% of literature used for scoring. Concerning the environment, amphibians scored similar to birds and fish, but lower than mammals. Regarding socio‐economy, only seven species scored impacts, but these were surprisingly serious. Bufonids and pipids consistently scored higher than other amphibian taxa. Species with larger body size and more offspring had higher environmental impacts.

Main conclusions

Alien amphibians appear to be comparable to other taxa such as birds and freshwater fish in their environmental and socio‐economic impact magnitude. However, there is insufficient literature to score impacts of the majority of alien amphibians, with socio‐economic impacts particularly poorly represented.
Interventions for managing weight change following paediatric acquired brain injury: a systematic review
Authors: Shah Emily , Lodh Rajib , Siddell Poppy , Morrall Matthew C H J
Published: July 2016

Objective

To systematically review literature reporting interventions for weight change following paediatric acquired brain injury (ABI).

Method

A systematic search of the literature was conducted using advanced search techniques. The retrieval identified 1562 papers, of which 30 were relevant. The total number of paediatric participants was 759.

Results

There is a paucity of higher quality evidence to support the use of weight change interventions following paediatric ABI. Substantial variation in screening, outcome measures, intervention, and reporting were demonstrated. Some support was found for the use of hypothalamic‐sparing surgery as a method to prevent obesity following craniopharyngioma resection.

Interpretation

There is a need for further study in this area to inform clinical and research practice; recommendations are given.
Traumatic dental injury research: on children or with children?
Authors: Wallace Ann , Rogers Helen J. , Zaitoun Halla , Rodd Helen D. , Gilchrist Fiona , Marshman Zoe
Published: July 2016

Background and aim

It is widely acknowledged that children should participate in healthcare decisions, service development and even setting research agendas. Dental traumatology is a major component of paediatric dentistry practice and research. However, little is known about young patients’ contribution to new knowledge in this field. The aim of the study was to establish the extent to which children are involved in contemporary dental trauma research and to evaluate the quality of the related literature.

Material and methods

A systematic review of the dental trauma literature was conducted from 2006 to 2014. The electronic databases, MEDLINE and Scopus, were used to identify relevant studies. The selected papers were independently examined by five calibrated reviewers. Studies were categorized by the degree of children's involvement and appraised using a validated quality assessment tool.

Results

The initial search yielded 4374 papers. After application of the inclusion and exclusion criteria, only 96 studies remained. Research on children accounted for 87.5% of papers, and a proxy was involved in 4.2%. Children were engaged to some degree in only 8.3% of studies, and there were no studies where children were active research participants. In the quality assessment exercise, papers scored, on average, 57% (range = 14–86%).

Conclusion

There is scope to encourage more active participation of children in dental trauma research in the future. Furthermore, there are some areas where the quality of research could be improved overall.
Volatiles from Botrytis cinerea‐infected and healthy berries of Vitis vinifera influence the oviposition behaviour of Epiphyas postvittana
Authors: Rizvi S.Z.M. , Raman A.
Published: July 2016

Interactions among plants, plant‐feeding insects, and plant–pathogenic fungi are partially mediated by volatile compounds. Herbivorous insects use sensory cues to choose host plants for feeding and/or oviposition that are likely to support survival and development of progeny. It is known that some fungus‐induced alterations in plants can modify plant volatiles, which are recognized by the olfactory receptors of the insect, either as an attractant or as a deterrent. We tested for the presence of behaviour‐modifying volatiles emanating from the berries of Vitis vinifera L. (Vitaceae) infected with Botrytis cinerea Pers. (Helotiales). We tested the olfactory behaviour of adults of Epiphyas postvittana Walker (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) to these volatiles using two‐choice and wind‐tunnel experiments. We hypothesized that olfactory cues influence E. postvittana's oviposition behaviour. We found that volatiles emanating from B. cinerea‐infected berries did not significantly attract the gravid females of E. postvittana; consequently, they laid significantly fewer eggs on infected berries. Furthermore, significantly fewer females of E. postvittana were found attracted to infected berries in the wind tunnel assay. Ethanol and 3‐methyl‐1‐butanol were abundant in B. cinerea‐infected berries. Oviposition assays made with laboratory standards of ethanol and 3‐methyl‐1‐butanol confirmed their role in regulating the olfactory behaviour of E. postvittana site selection.