bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An integrated workflow for crosslinking mass spectrometry
Authors: Mendes Marta L. , Fischer Lutz , Chen Zhuo A. , Barbon Marta , O’Reilly Francis J. , Giese Sven , Bohlke-Schneider Michael , Belsom Adam , Dau Therese , Combe Colin W. , Graham Martin , Eisele Markus R. , Baumeister Wolfgang , Speck Christian , Rappsilber Juri
Published: June 2018

We present a concise workflow to enhance the mass spectrometric detection of crosslinked peptides by introducing sequential digestion and the crosslink identification software Xi. Sequential digestion enhances peptide detection by selective shortening of long tryptic peptides. We demonstrate our simple 12-fraction protocol for crosslinked multi-protein complexes and cell lysates, quantitative analysis, and high-density crosslinking, without requiring specific crosslinker features. This overall approach reveals dynamic protein-protein interaction sites, which are accessible, have fundamental functional relevance and are therefore ideally suited for the development of small molecule inhibitors.
Genomic analysis of fast expanding bacteria reveals new molecular adaptive mechanisms
Authors: Bosshard Lars , Peischl Stephan , Ackermann Martin , Excoffier Laurent
Published: June 2018

Bacterial populations have been shown to accumulate deleterious mutations during spatial expansions that overall decrease their fitness and ability to grow. However, it is unclear if and how they can respond to selection in face of this mutation load. We examine here if artificial selection can counteract the negative effects of range expansions. We investigated the molecular evolution of 20 lines (SEL) selected for fast expansions and compared them to 20 lines without artificial selection (CONTROL). We find that all 20 SEL lines have been able to increase their expansion speed relative to the ancestral line, unlike CONTROL lines, showing that enough beneficial mutations are produced during spatial expansions to counteract the negative effect of expansion load. Importantly, SEL and CONTROL lines have similar numbers of mutations indicating that they evolved for the same number of generations and that increased fitness is not due to a purging of deleterious mutations. We find that loss of function (LOF) mutations are better at explaining the increased expansion speed of SEL lines than non-synonymous mutations or a combination of the two. Interestingly, most LOF mutations are found in simple sequence repeats located in genes involved in gene regulation and gene expression. We postulate that such potentially reversible mutations could play a major role in the rapid adaptation of bacteria to changing environmental conditions by shutting down expensive genes and adjusting gene expression.

Author Summary

We investigated if strong artificial selection for fast expansion can counteract the negative effects of range expansion which had been shown to lead to an accumulation of deleterious mutations. This experiments showed that i) an increase in expansion speed could occur if bacteria were selected from the largest protruding sectors, and ii) that artificially selected bacterial lines accumulated about the same number of mutations than simply expanding line suggesting that the observed increased fitness is not due to increased purifying selection where deleterious mutations would have been removed in fast growing lines. We find that loss of function (LOF) mutations are best explaining the observed increased expansion speed in selected lines. These mutations, which are known to play an important role in adaptive processes in bacterial populations, frequently consist in small insertion-deletions in simple sequence repeats, and are thus relatively easily reversible. They could thus act as switches that can reversibly shut down genes. Our results therefore suggest that shutting down expensive genes and adjusting gene expression are important for adaptive processes during range expansion.
Evolutionary epidemiology ofStreptococcus iniae: linking mutation rate dynamics with adaptation to novel immunological landscapes
Authors: Silayeva Oleksandra , Engelstädter Jan , Barnes Andrew C
Published: June 2018

Pathogens continuously adapt to changing host environments where variation in their virulence and antigenicity is critical to their long-term evolutionary success. The emergence of novel variants is accelerated in microbial mutator strains (mutators) deficient in DNA repair genes, most often from mismatch repair and oxidised-guanine repair systems (MMR and OG respectively). Bacterial MMR/OG mutants are abundant in clinical samples and show increased adaptive potential in experimental infection models, yet the role of mutators in the epidemiology and evolution of infectious disease is not well understood. Here we investigated the role of mutation rate dynamics in the evolution of a broad host range pathogen,Streptococcus iniae, using a set of 80 strains isolated globally over 40 years. We have resolved phylogenetic relationships using non-recombinant core genome variants, measuredin vivomutation rates by fluctuation analysis, identified variation in major MMR/OG genes and their regulatory regions, and phenotyped the major traits determining virulence in streptococci. We found that both mutation rate and MMR/OG genotype are remarkably conserved within phylogenetic clades but significantly differ between major phylogenetic lineages. Further, variation in MMR/OG loci correlates with occurrence of atypical virulence-associated phenotypes, infection in atypical hosts (mammals), and atypical tissue of a vaccinated primary hosts (barramundi bone). These findings suggest that mutators are likely to facilitate adaptations preceding major diversification events, and may promote emergence of variation permitting colonisation of a novel host tissue, novel host taxa (host jumps), and immune-escape in the vaccinated host.
PRL-1 is required for neuroprotection against olfactory CO2 stimulation in Drosophila
Authors: Guo Pengfei , Xu Xiao , Wang Fang , Yuan Xin , Tu Yinqi , Zhang Bei , Zheng Huimei , Yu Danqing , Ge Wanzhong , Gong Zhefeng , Gao Weiqiang , Yang Xiaohang , Xi Yongmei
Published: June 2018

The Mammalian phosphatase of regenerating liver (PRL) family is primarily recognized for its oncogenic properties. Here we found that in Drosophila, loss of prl-1 resulted in CO2-induced brain disorder presented as irreversible wing hold up with enhancement of Ca2+ responses at the neuron synaptic terminals. Overexpression of Prl-1 in the nervous system could rescue the mutant phenotype. We show that Prl-1 is particularly expressed in CO2-responsive neural circuit and the higher brain centers. Ablation of the CO2 olfactory receptor, Gr21a, suppressed the mutant phenotype, suggesting that CO2 acts as a neuropathological substrate in absence of Prl-1. Further studies found that the wing hold up is an obvious consequence upon knockdown of Uex, a magnesium transporter, which directly interacts with Prl-1. Conditional expression of Uex in the nervous system could rescue the phenotype of prl-1 mutants. We demonstrate that Uex acts genetically downstream of Prl-1. Our findings provide important insights into mechanisms of Prl-1 protection against olfactory CO2 stimulation induced brain disorder at the level of detailed neural circuits and functional molecular connections.
Lag Effects in Primate Brain Size Evolution: A Re-Evaluation
Authors: Dunbar R.I.M.
Published: June 2018

The question as to whether there is a lag between brain and body mass evolution was ostensibly solved two decades ago by Deaner & Nunn (1999) who used phylogenetic methods to show that there was no evidence to suggest that changes in brain size lagged behind changes in body size. However, their assumption that body size would always change ahead of brain size is open to question. In addition, many of their datapoints are confounded by grade shift effects. A reanalysis of their data controlling for these confounds shows that there is in fact a strong lag effect, but that the direction of the lag is the reverse of that originally assumed: brain size typically changes first, and does so under selection from changes in group size. The data suggest that it takes about 2.0 million years for body size to converge back onto the conventional allometric relationship with brain size. In the meantime, species that have increased brain size are likely to incur a significant energy cost that must be met from elsewhere. I show that they seem to do so by changing to a more nutrient-rich diet.
HmtVar: a brand-new resource for human mitochondrial variations and pathogenicity data
Authors: Preste R. , Vitale O. , Clima R. , Attimonelli M.
Published: June 2018

Human mitochondrial data are currently of great interest for both clinicians and researchers, due to the involvement of mitochondria in a number of physiological and pathological processes. Thanks to new sequencing technologies and modern databases, the huge amount of information about mitochondrial genome variability can be exploited to gain interesting insights into the relationship between DNA variants, phenotypes and diseases. For this reason, we have developed the new HmtVar resource, a variant-focused database which allows to explore a dataset of over 30000 human mitochondrial variants together with their pathogenicity prediction. Mitochondrial variation data, initially gathered from the HmtDB platform, are further integrated with in-house pathogenicity assessments based on well-established variants pathogenicity evaluation criteria, as well as with a set of additional annotations from third-party resources. This approach led to a comprehensive collection of information of crucial importance for human mitochondrial variation studies and investigation of common and rare diseases in which the mitochondrion is involved to some extent.

HmtVar is accessible at https://www.hmtvar.uniba.it and its data can be retrieved using either a web interface through the Query page or a state-of-the-art API for programmatic access.
The exon junction complex undergoes a compositional switch that alters mRNP structure and nonsense-mediated mRNA decay activity
Authors: Mabin Justin W. , Woodward Lauren A. , Patton Robert , Yi Zhongxia , Jia Mengxuan , Wysocki Vicki , Bundschuh Ralf , Singh Guramrit
Published: June 2018

The exon junction complex (EJC) deposited upstream of mRNA exon junctions shapes structure, composition and fate of spliced mRNA ribonucleoprotein particles (mRNPs). To achieve this, the EJC core nucleates assembly of a dynamic shell of peripheral proteins that function in diverse post-transcriptional processes. To illuminate consequences of EJC composition change, we purified EJCs from human cells via peripheral proteins RNPS1 and CASC3. We show that EJC originates as an SR-rich mega-dalton sized RNP that contains RNPS1 but lacks CASC3. After mRNP export to the cytoplasm and before translation, the EJC undergoes a remarkable compositional and structural remodeling into an SR-devoid monomeric complex that contains CASC3. Surprisingly, RNPS1 is important for nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) in general whereas CASC3 is needed for NMD of only select mRNAs. The promotion of switch to CASC3-EJC slows down NMD. Overall, the EJC compositional switch dramatically alters mRNP structure and specifies two distinct phases of EJC-dependent NMD.
MBIR: A Cryo-electron Tomography 3D Reconstruction Method that Effectively Minimizes Missing Wedge Artifacts and Restores Missing Information
Authors: Yan Rui , Venkatakrishnan Singanallur V. , Liu Jun , Bouman Charles A. , Jiang Wen
Published: June 2018

Cryo-Electron Tomography (cryo-ET) has become an essential technique in revealing cellular and macromolecular assembly structures in their native states. However, due to radiation damage and the limited tilt range, cryo-ET suffers from low contrast and missing wedge artifacts, which limits the tomograms to low resolution and hinders further biological interpretation. In this study, we applied the Model-Based Iterative Reconstruction (MBIR) method to obtain tomographic 3D reconstructions of experimental cryo-ET datasets and demonstrated the advantages of MBIR in contrast improvement, missing wedge artifacts reduction, and missing information restoration compared with other reconstruction approaches. Considering the outstanding reconstruction quality, MBIR has a great potential in the determination of high resolution biological structures with cryo-ET.
Differential gene expression and gene-set enrichment analysis in Caco-2 monolayers during a 30-day timeline with Dexamethasone exposure
Authors: Robinson J.M. , Turkington S. , Abey S.A. , Kenea N. , Henderson W.A.
Published: June 2018

The Caco-2 cell line has served a historically important role as in vitro model for molecular and cellular biology of polarized intestinal epithelia, including for effects of glucocorticoid hormone Dexamethasone. Glucocorticoid hormones modulate the endogenous stress response and are important pharmaceuticals for inflammatory diseases including IBD, yet while they significantly affect immune cells, less is known about their specific effects upon epithelial cells and specific effect on epithelial permeability. Previous research showed that DEX exposure does not immediately produce a quantitative effect, but only after a prolonged treatment >10 days. Culture age itself causes marked effects in these non-renewing cell layers which acts as a confounding variable for observed DEX results. To improve resolution of GC-responsive gene expression in this context, we tested polarized Caco-2 monolayer cultures during at 30-day timecourse, with ~15-days of continuous Dexamethasone exposure. We tested differential gene expression using a 250-plex gene expression panel with the Nanostring nCounter® system, with multiple replicates collected periodically over the timecourse. Gene panel was selectively enriched a-priori for KEGG pathway annotations from tight-junction, actin cytoskeleton regulation, colorectal cancer pathways and others, allowing highly focused, gene-set pathway enrichment analyses. Nanostring nSolver™ data modelling algorithm uses an optimization algorithm and mixture negative binomial model to factor for Time and DEX covariate effects during determination of DE. Analysis identifies strong, culture age-associated “EMT-like” signature with upregulation of actomyosin contraction and integrins, while DEX treatment is associated with a subtler, yet significant counter-signal with suppression of actomyosin genes, and selective DE for different RTKs.
Placental epigenetics for evaluation of fetal congenital heart defects: Ventricular septal defect (VSD)
Authors: Bahado-Singh Ray , Albayrak Samet , Zafra Rita , Baraa Alosh , Veerappa Avinash M , Mahishi Deepthi , Sayed Nazia , Mishra Nitish K , Guda Chittibabu , Ali-Fehmi Rouba , Radhakrishna Uppala
Published: June 2018

Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD), the most common congenital heart defect, is characterized by a hole in the septum between the right and left ventricles. The pathogenesis of VSD is unknown in most clinical cases. There is a paucity of data relevant to epigenetic changes in VSD. The placenta is a fetal tissue and is a potentially useful surrogate for the evaluation of fetal organ development. To understand epigenetic mechanisms that may play a role in the development of VSD, a genome-wide DNA methylation assay of the placentas of 8 term subjects with isolated VSD and no known or suspected genetic syndromes and 10 normal controls was performed using the Illumina HumanMethylation450 BeadChip assay. The study identified a total of 80 highly accurate potential epigenomic markers in 80 genes for the detection of VSD; area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC ROC) = 1.0 with significant 95% CI (FDR) p-values < 0.05. The biological processes and functions for these differentially methylated genes are known to be associated with heart development or heart disease, including cardiac ventricle development (HEY2, ISL1), heart looping (SRF), cardiac muscle cell differentiation (ACTC1, HEY2), cardiac septum development (ISL1), heart morphogenesis (SRF, HEY2, ISL1, HEYL), Notch signaling pathway (HEY2, HEYL), cardiac chamber development (ISL1), and cardiac muscle tissue development (ACTC1, ISL1). The study also identified eight microRNA genes that have the potential to be biomarkers for the early detection of VSD including miR-191, miR-548F1, miR-148A, miR-423, miR-92B, miR-611, miR-2110, and miR-548H4. To our knowledge this is the first report in which placental analysis has been used for determining the pathogenesis of and predicting CHD.
Exploiting superspace to clarify vacancy and Al/Si ordering in mullite
Authors: Klar Paul Benjamin , Etxebarria Iñigo , Madariaga Gotzon
Published: June 2018

Synchrotron single-crystal X-ray diffraction has revealed diffuse scattering alongside sharp satellite reflections for different samples of mullite (Al4+2xSi2−2xO10−x). Structural models have been developed in (3+1)-dimensional superspace that account for vacancy ordering and Al/Si ordering based on harmonic modulation functions. A constraint scheme is presented which explains the crystal-chemical relationships between the split sites of the average structure. The modulation amplitudes of the refinements differ significantly by a factor of ∼3, which is explained in terms of different degrees of ordering,i.e.vacancies follow the same ordering principle in all samples but to different extents. A new approach is applied for the first time to determine Al/Si ordering by combining density functional theory with the modulated volumes of the tetrahedra. The presence of Si–Si diclusters indicates that the mineral classification of mullite needs to be reviewed. A description of the crystal structure of mullite must consider both the chemical composition and the degree of ordering. This is of particular importance for applications such as advanced ceramics, because the physical properties depend on the intrinsic structure of mullite.
Identification of a tyrosine switch in copper-haem nitrite reductases
Authors: Dong Jianshu , Sasaki Daisuke , Eady Robert R. , Antonyuk Svetlana V. , Hasnain S. Samar
Published: June 2018

There are few cases where tyrosine has been shown to be involved in catalysis or the control of catalysis despite its ability to carry out chemistry at much higher potentials (1 VversusNHE). Here, it is shown that a tyrosine that blocks the hydrophobic substrate-entry channel in copper-haem nitrite reductases can be activated like a switch by the treatment of crystals ofRalstonia pickettiinitrite reductase (RpNiR) with nitric oxide (NO) (−0.8 ± 0.2 V). Treatment with NO results in an opening of the channel originating from the rotation of Tyr323 away from AspCAT97. Remarkably, the structure of a catalytic copper-deficient enzyme also shows Tyr323 in the closed position despite the absence of type 2 copper (T2Cu), clearly demonstrating that the status of Tyr323 is not controlled by T2Cu or its redox chemistry. It is also shown that the activation by NO is not through binding to haem. It is proposed that activation of the Tyr323 switch is controlled by NO through proton abstraction from tyrosine and the formation of HNO. The insight gained here for the use of tyrosine as a switch in catalysis has wider implications for catalysis in biology.
Grazing-incidence small-angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS) on small periodic targets using large beams. Erratum
Authors: Pflüger Mika , Soltwisch Victor , Probst Jürgen , Scholze Frank , Krumrey Michael
Published: June 2018

An error in the paper by Pflüger, Soltwisch, Probst, Scholze & Krumrey [IUCrJ (2017), 431–438] is corrected.
Remittance and poverty in developing countries
Authors: Masron Tajul Ariffin , Subramaniam Yogeeswari
Published: June 2018

Purpose

Remittances to developing countries, especially less developed countries, have been growing tremendously as compared to the past few decades. Nevertheless, whether they can be a critical source of poverty alleviation in developing countries is yet to be conclusively studied. Therefore, this study investigates the implications of remittances on poverty in 44 developing countries from 2006 to 2014.

Design/methodology/approach

A dynamic panel estimator is applied to examine remittances – poverty nexus.

Findings

The results provide strong evidence that the level of poverty tends to be lower in countries with a higher flow of remittances. This may be because of the increase in the household incomes of the poor by virtue of the remittance, and/or the money remitted might be channeled to more productive activities, indicating the powerful role of remittances to maintain a sustainable reduction in poverty.

Originality/value

Although there is no direct policy applicable to remittances, several areas might be good to be assisted and improved by the government.
Divergences in expatriating, remitting and investing remittances between semi-urban and rural Bangladesh
Authors: Akanda M. Aminul Islam
Published: June 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to explore the pattern of expansion of overseas market for wage earners, inflow of remittances, its disposal pattern and the extent of non-productive investments.

Design/methodology/approach

It analyzed behavioral differences between semi-urban and rural households using primary data collected from 78 remittance recipients in Comilla district. Most of the results were produced using arithmetic analytical tools. Besides, one regression model was fit to quantify the effect of a few identical factors on remittance receipts for semi-urban and rural households.

Findings

Members of semi-urban families were early expatriates, who remitted larger amount than rural ones. Years of schooling and overseas experiences had larger marginal effects on remittance amount in rural area compared to semi-urban one. However, aging and overseas labor freedom influenced negatively anywhere. Rural households were more cautious in spending who had lower remittance elasticity than that of semi-urban ones except of capital items. Household assets were concentrated to lands, home appliances and gold ornaments, the rate of return of which were one-tenth of market interest rate.

Practical implications

Non-productive investments were concentrated the most to land for rural households and to ornaments for semi-urban ones. However, education and healthcare appeared as necessary elements in livelihoods, for which households might move toward human resource-related investment schemes.

Originality/value

This study measured the sensitivity with household spending to remittance receipts and why the remittance was not moving into productive schemes in the process of urbanization.
Evaluation of a novel approach to preventing railway suicides: the community stations project
Authors: Ross Anna , Reavley Nicola , Too Lay San , Pirkis Jane
Published: June 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe an evaluation of the Community Stations Project. The Community Stations Project was designed to address railway suicides in two ways: by improving the station environment in a manner that might improve community members’ feelings of wellbeing; and raising community members’ awareness of poor mental health and likelihood of reaching out to at-risk individuals. It involved four types of interventions (arts and culture, music, food and coffee, and “special events”) delivered at four stations in Victoria.

Design/methodology/approach

A short anonymous survey was administered to community members on iPads at the four participating railway stations during the implementation of the interventions (between October and December 2016). The survey included questions about respondents’ demographics, their awareness of the intervention(s), their views of the station, their attitudes towards people with poor mental health and their emotional wellbeing.

Findings

A total of 1,309 people took part in the survey. Of these, 48 per cent of community members surveyed reporting noticing an intervention at their station. Noticing the events was associated with positive views of the station, improved understanding of poor mental health, and a greater likelihood of reaching out to someone who might be at risk of poor mental health. Awareness of intervention events was not associated with respondents’ own emotional wellbeing.

Practical implications

Continuing to focus efforts on mental health awareness activities may further strengthen the impact of the Community Stations Project interventions and ultimately prevent suicides at railway stations.

Originality/value

This paper evaluates a novel approach to improving wellbeing and understanding of poor mental health in the train station environment.
Comparing managers’ and non-managers’ learning and competencies
Authors: Yamazaki Yoshitaka , Toyama Michiko , Putranto Andreas Joko
Published: June 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to empirically explore how managers differ from non-managers with regard to learning skills as competencies and learning style in a public-sector work setting. The paper also examined how learning style affects competency development.

Design/methodology/approach

This study applied Kolb’s experiential learning theory concomitant with its instruments to analyze 12 skills and 4 learning styles. A total of 457 government officers from the Indonesian Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Internal Affairs participated in this study, including 112 managers and 345 non-managers.

Findings

The study had four major findings. Although the two groups were similar in technology skills, managers had stronger skills than non-managers in leadership, relationship, helping, sense making, information gathering, information analysis, theory building, quantitative analysis, goal setting, action and initiative. Relationship skills were important for both managers and non-managers. Managers were more abstract and less concrete learners than non-managers. The learning style with more thinking over feeling affected learning skills development much more than the learning style with more acting over reflecting.

Originality/value

Using experiential learning theory, this study has clarified what competencies of managers are more developed than those of non-managers and how the two groups learn differently.
An integrative review of Web 3.0 in academic libraries
Authors: Balaji B. Preedip , M.S. Vinay , B.G. Shalini , J.S. Mohan Raju
Published: June 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present an integrated literature review exploring the nature of responsive, semantic and interactive Web 3.0 technologies applicable for academic libraries.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conducted an integrated review of the literature combining a strategy of automated and keywords search. The main source for identifying the studies are Emerald Library Studies and Information & Knowledge Management eJournals, Web of Kn.edge and Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts (EBSCO) databases. To this end, a sample of (n = 140) studies was analyzed to characterize the Web 3.0 trends and its applications based on theme, years and document types.

Findings

A review of literature reveals that Web 3.0 needs evaluation as to what extent they are integrated, deployed and mainstreamed into library services and in information management practices. It is important to develop a conceptual framework that explores the linkages of Web 3.0 technologies and their applications in academic libraries.

Originality/value

This review shows how Web 3.0 technologies enhance library services in its holistic conceptualization and how academic libraries are moving into a more robust, inclusive and adaptable phase in their service values and innovation.
How does top management team composition matter for continual growth? Reinvestigating Penrose’s growth theory through the lens of upper echelons theory
Authors: Chen Wein-Hong , Kang Min-Ping , Butler Bella
Published: June 2018

Purpose

Penrose’s argument regarding the managerial constraint on continual expansion over two consecutive periods is termed the “Penrose effect,” a relatively less investigated premise in Penrose’s growth theory. The purpose of this paper is to empirically re-examine the Penrose effect from the perspective of upper echelons theory and investigated how top management team (TMT) composition influences the continual growth of a firm.

Design/methodology/approach

This study empirically tested the hypotheses based on a sample of listed manufacturing firms operating in Taiwan, a newly industrialized economy in the Asia–Pacific region. Moderated hierarchical regression analyses were applied to test hypotheses.

Findings

The empirical results suggest that low TMT diversity (in terms of educational, functional and team tenure diversity) is likely to engender a situation in which the Penrose effect might occur. Additionally, the results indicate that the proportion of functional executives plays a significant role in influencing the growth trend over two consecutive periods and may soften the impact of the Penrose effect.

Practical implications

This paper suggests that appropriate structuring of TMTs and appropriate management of their members’ backgrounds and team tenure diversity can help firms overcome the Penrose effect and grow continually. Furthermore, the proportion of functional executives in a TMT is influential.

Originality/value

This paper uniquely contributes to the theoretical and empirical development of Penrose’s growth theory, upper echelons theory and resource-based view concerning managerial resources.
An end-to-end process of writing and publishing influential literature review articles
Authors: Bodolica Virginia , Spraggon Martin
Published: June 2018

Purpose

Literature reviews are essential tools for uncovering prevalent knowledge gaps, unifying fragmented bodies of scholarship, and taking stock of the cumulative evidence in a field of inquiry. Yet, successfully producing rigorous, coherent, thought-provoking, and practically relevant review articles represents an extremely complex and challenging endeavor. The purpose of this paper is to uncover the key requirements for expanding literature reviews’ reach within and across study domains and provide useful guidelines to prospective authors interested in generating this type of scientific output.

Design/methodology/approach

Drawing upon the authors’ own experience of producing literature reviews and a scrutiny of review papers in major management journals, the authors develop an end-to-end process of writing and publishing review articles of high potential impact.

Findings

The advanced process is broken down into two phases and seven sequential steps, each of them being described in terms of key actions, required skill sets, best practices, metrics of assessment and expected outcomes.

Originality/value

By tapping into the inherent complexity of review articles and demystifying the intricacies associated with pursuing this type of scientific research, the authors seek to inspire a wealth of new influential surveys of specialized literature.
Managerial risk taking: a conceptual model for business use
Authors: Nobre Liana Holanda Nepomuceno , Grable John E. , Silva Wesley Vieira da , Nobre Fábio Chaves
Published: June 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to establish a conceptual model for managerial risk taking that considers objective measures related to an organization’s characteristics and subjective factors related to a decision maker’s profile.

Design/methodology/approach

A multilevel process-centered managerial decision-making framework was developed based on previously published risk taking models. The framework accounts for the conflict between agents and principals, as well as the macro- and micro-level environments in which risky decisions are made.

Findings

The integrative model presented in this paper provides a theoretically robust tool that can be used to further explore the interrelationships among known risk concepts that influence decision making in corporate settings.

Research limitations/implications

The present research is a conceptual model for managerial risk-taking. Further research is needed to test the linkages and propositions within the model, developing measures of the constructs and empirically testing the relationships among the dimensions of risk.

Practical implications

The proposed model can help firms define what manager profile is most suitable in terms of a match to the company’s investment strategy.

Originality/value

This paper is theoretically valuable in describing the relationships among several elements of risk: risk need, risk capacity, risk profile, risk perception, and risk tolerance. Future directions for empirical research are also presented.
Collective efficacy and fear of crime in urban neighbourhoods in Ghana
Authors: Frimpong Louis Kusi , Oteng-Ababio Martin , Owusu George , Wrigley-Asante Charlotte
Published: June 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between neighbourhood characteristics and fear of crime, and further explore how this relationship is mediated by collective efficacy. The background to this is that while research, mainly based on the experiences of western countries is conclusive on how collective efficacy plays a mediating role between neighbourhood structural characteristics and fear of crime, the situation in developing countries remains poorly researched.

Design/methodology/approach

The study drew from a baseline survey conducted in different socio-economic neighbourhoods in four cities in Ghana. With regards to the analysis, results from a series of ordinary least square multiple regression models were used to develop a path diagram to explain the direct and indirect relationships at the various study neighbourhoods.

Findings

Results from the study showed variations of the extent of neighbourhood effect on fear of crime and collective efficacy in the different socio-economic neighbourhoods. More importantly, the study revealed that collective efficacy mediated the effect of a number of neighbourhood characteristics on fear of crime in low-income neighbourhoods compared to middle- and high-income neighbourhoods.

Practical implications

The conclusion of the study brings to the fore the relevance of collective efficacy as a vehicle for building safer communities in Ghana since it relies on local initiatives in addressing criminogenic problems. More importantly, it is suggested that formal crime prevention efforts should be integrated with informal crime control measures, particularly in low-income neighbourhoods.

Originality/value

Using extensive survey data collected in Ghana, the study examines the applicability of collective efficacy, a western-based socio-ecological theory in a developing country context.
Environmental identity and ecotourism behaviours: examination of the direct and indirect effects
Authors: Teeroovengadum Viraiyan
Published: June 2018

Purpose

The paper aims to contribute to theory and practice by investigating into the role of environmental identity in explaining ecotourism attitudes and behaviours by first, testing its direct effects on ecotourism attitude and ecotourism interest, and second, testing its direct and mediated effects on ecotourism intention and willingness to pay a premium.

Design/methodology/approach

The study relies on primary data collected from tourists visiting the island of Mauritius. Data collection took place at several popular tourist sites located in different parts of the island. The questionnaire was self-administered and was immediately collected after completion. A total of 512 usable questionnaires were collected. A two-stage approach to structural equation modelling was used for data analysis.

Findings

The results demonstrate empirically that stronger environmental identity leads directly to more positive ecotourism attitude, greater interest towards ecotourism and a higher willingness to pay a premium. While evidence was not found between the direct link between environmental identity and ecotourism behavioural intentions, the confirmation of full mediating effects shows that stronger environmental identity also leads to an increase in tourists’ intention to engage in ecotourism activities by first influencing their attitude which then results in more favourable behaviours towards ecotourism.

Originality/value

While the contributions of the tourists’ attitude and interest in predicting their behaviours towards ecotourism have been well established by past research, the importance of environmental identity has remained uncertain as to date, given the lack of empirical studies. This present research provides evidence that environmental identity has a major role to play in explaining the behaviours of tourists towards ecotourism products and services.
Inbreeding intensifies sex‐ and age‐dependent disease in a wild mammal
Authors: Benton Clare H. , Delahay Richard J. , Smith Freya A. P. , Robertson Andrew , McDonald Robbie A. , Young Andrew J. , Burke Terry A. , Hodgson Dave
Published: June 2018

The mutation accumulation theory of senescence predicts that age‐related deterioration of fitness can be exaggerated when inbreeding causes homozygosity for deleterious alleles. A vital component of fitness, in natural populations, is the incidence and progression of disease.

Evidence is growing for natural links between inbreeding and ageing; between inbreeding and disease; between sex and ageing; and between sex and disease. However, there is scant evidence, to date, for links among age, disease, inbreeding and sex in a single natural population.

Using ecological and epidemiological data from a long‐term longitudinal field study, we show that in wild European badgers (Meles meles) exposed naturally to bovine tuberculosis (bTB), inbreeding (measured as multilocus homozygosity) intensifies a positive correlation between age and evidence of progressed infection (measured as an antibody response to bTB), but only among females. Male badgers suffer a steeper relationship between age and progressed infection than females, with no influence of inbred status. We found no link between inbreeding and the incidence of progressed infection during early life in either sex.

Our findings highlight an age‐related increase in the impact of inbreeding on a fitness‐relevant trait (disease state) among females. This relationship is consistent with the predictions of the mutation accumulation theory of senescence, but other mechanisms could also play a role. For example, late‐life declines in condition, arising through mechanisms other than mutation accumulation might have increased the magnitude of inbreeding depression in late life.

Whichever mechanism causes the observed patterns, we have shown that inbreeding can influence age‐dependent patterns of disease and, by extension, is likely to affect the magnitude and timing of the late‐life declines in components of fitness that characterise senescence. Better understanding of sex‐specific links between inbreeding, disease and ageing provides insights into population‐level pathogen dynamics and could influence management strategies for wildlife reservoirs of zoonotic disease.
Drivers of individual niche variation in coexisting species
Authors: Costa‐Pereira Raul , Rudolf Volker H. W. , Souza Franco L. , Araújo Márcio S.
Published: June 2018

Although neglected by classic niche theory, individual variation is now recognized as a prevalent phenomenon in nature with evolutionary and ecological relevance. Recent theory suggests that differences in individual variation across competitors can affect species coexistence and community patterns. However, the degree of individual variation is flexible across wild populations and we still know little about the ecological drivers of this variation across populations of single species and, especially, across coexisting species.

Here, we aimed to (a) elucidate the major drivers of individual niche variation in natural communities and (b) to determine how consistent this variation is across coexisting species and communities.

We analysed natural patterns of individual‐level niche variation in four species of coexisting generalist frogs across a wide range of tropical communities. Specifically, we used gut contents and stable isotopes (δ13C and δ15N) from frog species and their prey to quantify individual niche specialization. Then, we combined data on local community structure, availability of prey, phylogenetic relationships and predator–prey size models to test how this variation is related to four ecological factors which are predicted to be key drivers of individual specialization: intraspecific competition, interspecific competition, ecological opportunity (i.e., diversity of resources) and predation.

We found that the degree of individual trophic specialization varied by up to ninefold across populations within the same species. This sizable variation in trophic specialization across populations was at least partially explained by gradients of density of competitors (both conspecifics and heterospecifics) and intraguild predation. However, the specific relationships between individual specialization and these ecological gradients were strongly species‐specific. As consequences, the identity of the species with more individual variation changed among sites and there was typically no spatial correlation in the degree of individual specialization across coexisting species.

Our results show that individual niche specialization within and across species can be strongly context‐dependent and that hierarchies of individual variation among coexisting species are not necessarily consistent across communities. Recent theory suggests that this pattern could lead to concurrent changes in competitive interactions across sites and thereby could play a key role in species coexistence at the landscape level. Our results suggest that individual variation across and within coexisting species has the potential to affect not only species coexistence at local communities, but also regional diversity patterns.
Fatalities Due to Failure of Continuous Subcutaneous Insulin Infusion Devices: A Report of Six Cases
Authors: Ziegler Andrew , Williams Timothy , Yarid Nicole , Schultz Daniel L. , Bundock Elizabeth A.
Published: June 2018

Diabetes mellitus type 1 and type 2 are diseases characterized by impaired regulation of blood glucose due to decreased insulin production and insulin resistance, respectively. Management of diabetes mellitus often requires injection of exogenous insulin. Continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII or insulin pump) is a diabetes treatment modality utilizing a device to aid in regulation of glycemic control. Malfunctions in device components can have rare fatal consequences. Described in this report are six fatalities due to one such malfunction, the failure of plastic cannulas of CSII devices to penetrate the skin and deliver insulin, resulting in fatal diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). The cases derive from four different death investigation systems. For each case, scene and autopsy findings are presented, as well as selected toxicology and histology findings. These cases illustrate the importance of careful examination of CSII devices in death investigations and introduce a discussion on discrepant manner of death classifications.
Intra‐ and Inter‐Element Variability in Mitochondrial and Nuclear DNA from Fresh and Environmentally Exposed Skeletal Remains,
Authors: Antinick Timothy C. , Foran David R.
Published: June 2018

Successful identification of skeletonized remains often relies upon DNA analyses, frequently focusing on the mid‐diaphysis of weight‐bearing long bones. This study explored intra‐bone DNA variability using bovine and porcine femora, along with calcanei and tali. DNA from fresh and short‐term environmentally exposed bone was extracted utilizing demineralization and standard lysis buffer protocols, and DNA quantity and quality were measured. Overall, femoral epiphyses, metaphyses, and the tarsals had more nuclear and mitochondrial DNA than did the femoral diaphyses. DNA loss was much more rapid in buried bones than in surface exposed bones, while DNA quality differed based on environment, but not bone region/element. The demineralization protocol generated more DNA in some bone regions, while the standard lysis was more effective in others, and neither significantly affected DNA quality. Taken together, these findings reinforce the importance of considering inter‐ and intra‐bone heterogeneity when sampling skeletal material for forensic DNA‐based identifications.
CRISPR/Cas9‐based mutation reveals Argonaute 1 is essential for pigmentation in Ostrinia furnacalis
Authors: You Lang , Bi Hong‐Lun , Wang Yao‐Hui , Li Xiao‐Wei , Chen Xi‐En , Li Zhi‐Qian
Published: June 2018

Ostrinia furnacalis (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) is one of the most destructive agricultural pests in Asia. Traditional pest‐management methods include sex pheromone capture, transgenic crops that produce Bacillus thuringiensis toxin, and pesticides. Although these strategies control pest populations effectively, they also cause negative side effects, including dramatically increased pesticide resistance, severe pollution, and hazards for human health. Recently developed genome editing tools provide new prospects for pest management and have been successfully used in several species. However, few examples have been reported in the agricultural pest O. furnacalis due to a lack in genomic information. In this report, we identified only one transcript of O. furnacalis Argonaute 1 (OfAgo1) gene from the genome and cloned the open reading frame. OfAgo1 presented the maximum expression at the embryo stage or in the fat body during the larval stages. To understand its function, an OfAgo1 mutant was constructed using the Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeat/RNA‐guided Cas9 nuclease (CRISPR/Cas9). Mutagenesis of OfAgo1 disrupted cuticle pigmentation by down‐regulating micro RNAs and pigmentation‐related genes. This is the first report for the cloning and functional analysis of OfAgo1, revealing a role of OfAgo1 in cuticle pigmentation. The current report also established a CRISPR/Cas9 system in O. furnacalis, providing a new insight for pest management.