bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
MCO: towards an ontology and unified vocabulary for a framework-based annotation of microbial growth conditions
Authors: Tierrafría VH , Mejía-Almonte C , Camacho-Zaragoza JM , Salgado H , Alquicira K , Gama-Castro S , Collado-Vides J.
Published: November 2017

Motivation

A major component in our understanding of the biology of an organism is the mapping of its genotypic potential into the repertoire of its phenotypic expression profiles. This genotypic to phenotypic mapping is executed by the machinery of gene regulation that turns genes on and off, which in microorganisms is essentially studied by changes in growth conditions and genetic modifications. Although many efforts have been made to systematize the annotation of experimental conditions in microbiology, the available annotation is not based on a consistent and controlled vocabulary for the unambiguous description of growth conditions, making difficult the identification of biologically meaningful comparisons of knowledge generated in different experiments or laboratories, a task urgently needed given the massive amounts of data generated by high throughput (HT) technologies.

Results

We curated terms related to experimental conditions that affect gene expression inE. coliK-12. Since this is the best studied microorganism, the collected terms are the seed for the first version of the Microbial Conditions Ontology (MCO), a controlled and structured vocabulary that can be expanded to annotate microbial conditions in general. Moreover, we developed an annotation framework using the MCO terms to describe experimental conditions, providing the foundation to identify regulatory networks that operate under a particular condition. MCO supports comparisons of HT-derived data from different repositories. In this sense, we started to map common RegulonDB terms and Colombos bacterial expression compendia terms to MCO.

Availability and Implementation

As far as we know, MCO is the first ontology for growth conditions of any bacterial organism and it is available athttp://regulondb.ccg.unam.mx/. Furthermore, we will disseminate MCO throughout the Open Biomedical Ontology (OBO) Foundry in order to set a standard for the annotation of gene expression data derived from conventional as well as HT experiments inE. coliand other microbial organisms. This will enable the comparison of data from diverse data sources.

Contact

sgama@ccg.unam.mx,collado@ccg.unam.mx
The effect of macromolecular crowding on single-round transcription by E. coli RNA polymerase
Authors: Chung SangYoon , Lerner Eitan , Jin Yan , Kim Soohong , Alhadid Yazan , Grimaud Logan Wilson , Zhang Irina X. , Knobler Charles M. , Gelbart William M. , Weiss Shimon
Published: November 2017

Biological reactions in the cellular environment differ physicochemically from those performed in dilute buffer solutions due to, in part, slower diffusion of various components in the cellular milieu, increase in their chemical activities, and modulation of their binding affinities and conformational stabilities.In vivotranscription is therefore expected to be strongly influenced by the ‘crowdedness’ of the cell. Previous studies of transcription under macromolecular crowding conditions have focused mainly on multiple cycles of RNAP-Promoter associations, assuming that the association is the rate-determining step of the entire transcription process. However, recent reports demonstrated that late initiation and promoter escape could be the rate-determining steps for some promoter DNA sequences. The investigation of crowding effects on these steps undersingle-roundconditions is therefore crucial for better understanding of transcription initiationin vivo. Here, we have implemented anin vitrotranscription quenched-kinetics single-molecule assay to investigate the dependence of transcription reaction rates on the sizes and concentrations of crowders. Our results demonstrate an expected slowdown of transcription kinetics due to increased viscosity, and an unexpected enhancement in transcription kinetics by large crowding agents (at a given viscosity). More importantly, the enhancement’s dependence on crowder size significantly deviates from hard-sphere model (scaled-particle theory) predictions, commonly used for description of crowding effects. Our findings shed new light on how enzymatic reactions are affected by crowding conditions in the cellular milieu.
Is dopamine D1 receptor availability related to social behavior? A positron emission tomography replication study
Authors: Plavén-Sigray Pontus , Matheson Granville J. , Gustavsson Petter , Stenkrona Per , Halldin Christer , Farde Lars , Cervenka Simon
Published: November 2017

Background

Associations between dopamine receptor levels and pro- and antisocial behavior have previously been demonstrated in human subjects using positron emission tomography (PET) and self-rated measures of personality traits. So far, only one study has focused on the D1-dopamine receptor (D1-R), ﬁnding a positive correlation with the trait social desirability, which is characterized by low dominant and high afﬁliative behavior, while physical aggression showed a negative correlation. The aim of the present study was to replicate these previous ﬁndings using a new independent sample of subjects.

Methods

Twenty-six healthy males were examined with the radioligand [11C]SCH-23390, and completed the Swedish universities Scales of Personality (SSP) which includes measures of social desirability and physical trait aggression. The simpliﬁed reference tissue model with cerebellum as reference region was used to calculate BPND values in the whole striatum and limbic striatum. The two regions were selected since they showed strong association between D1-R availability and personality scores in the previous study. Pearson’s correlation coefﬁcients and replication Bayes factors were then employed to assess the replicability and robustness of previous results.

Results

There were no signiﬁcant correlations (all p values > 0.3) between regional BPND values and personality scale scores. Replication Bayes factors showed strong to moderate evidence in favor no relationship between D1-receptor availability and social desirability (striatum BF01 = 12.4; limbic striatum BF01 = 7.2) or physical aggression scale scores (limbic striatum BF01 = 3.3), compared to the original correlations.

Discussion

We could not replicate the previous ﬁndings of associations between D1-R availability and either pro- or antisocial behavior as measured using the SSP. Rather, there was evidence in favor of failed replications of associations between BPND and scale scores. Potential reasons for these results are restrictive variance in both PET and personality outcomes due to high sample homogeneity, or that the previous ﬁndings were false positives.
Intestinal crypts recover rapidly from focal damage with coordinated motion of stem cells that is impaired by aging
Authors: Choi Jiahn , Rakhilin Nikolai , Gadamsetty Poornima , Joe Daniel J. , Tabrizian Tahmineh , Lipkin Steven M. , Huffman Derek M. , Shen Xiling , Nishimura Nozomi
Published: November 2017

Despite the continuous renewal and turnover of the small intestinal epithelium, the intestinal stem cell niche maintains a ‘soccer ball-like’, alternating pattern of stem and Paneth cells in the crypt. To study the robustness of the niche pattern, we used intravital two-photon microscopy in mice with fluorescently-labeled Lgr5+ intestinal stem cells and precisely perturbed the mosaic pattern with femtosecond laser ablation. Ablation of one to three cells initiated rapid motion of niche cells that restored the alternation in the crypt pattern within about two hours without any cell proliferation. Crypt cells then performed a coordinated dilation of the crypt lumen, which resulted in peristalsis-like motion that forced damaged cells out of the niche. Crypt cell motion was reduced with inhibition of the ROCK pathway and attenuated with old age, and both resulted in incomplete pattern recovery. This suggests that in addition to proliferation and self-renewal, motility of stem cells is critical for maintaining homeostasis. Reduction of this novel behavior of stem cells could contribute to disease and age-related changes.
Role of guard-cell ABA in determining maximal stomatal aperture and prompt vapor-pressure-deficit response
Authors: Yaaran Adi , Negin Boaz , Moshelion Menachem
Published: November 2017

Abscisic acid (ABA) is known to be involved in stomatal closure. However, its role in stomatal response to rapid increases in the vapor pressure deficit (VPD) is unclear. To study this issue, we generated guard cell (GC)-specific ABA-insensitive Arabidopsis plants (GC-specific abi1-1; GCabi). Under normal conditions, the stomatal conductance (gs) and apertures of GCabi plants were greater than those of control plants. This supports GC ABA role as limiting maximal stomatal aperture under non-stressful conditions. When there was a rapid increase in VPD (0.15 to 1 kPa), the gs and stomatal apertures of GCabi decreased in a manner similar that observed in the WT control, but different from that observed in WT plants treated with fusicoccin. Low VPD increased the size of the stomatal apertures of the WT, but not of GCabi. We conclude that GC ABA does not play a significant role in the initial, rapid stomatal closure that occurs in response to an increase in VPD, but is important for stomatal adaptation to ambient VPD. We propose a biphasic angiosperm VPD-sensing model that includes an initial passive-hydraulic, ABA-independent phase and a subsequent ABA-dependent steady-state phase in which stomatal behavior is optimized for ambient VPD conditions.

Highlight

Guard-cell ABA does not play a significant role in the immediate closure of stomata following an increase in the VPD, but is important for stomatal adaptation to ambient VPD.
Structure of transmembrane helix 8 and possible membrane defects in CFTR
Authors: Corradi Valentina , Gu Ruo-Xu , Vergani Paola , Tieleman D. Peter
Published: November 2017

The cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) is an ion channel that regulates the flow of anions across epithelia. Mutations in CFTR cause cystic fibrosis. CFTR belongs to the ATP-Binding Cassette (ABC) transporter superfamily, and gating is controlled by phosphorylation and ATP binding and hydrolysis. Recent ATP-free and ATP-bound structures of zebrafish CFTR revealed an unwound segment of transmembrane helix (TM) 8, which appears to be a unique feature of CFTR not present in other ABC transporter structures. Here, by means of 1 μs long molecular dynamics simulations, we investigate the interactions formed by this TM8 segment with nearby helices, in both ATP-free and ATP-bound states. We highlight the structural role of TM8 in maintaining the functional architecture of the pore and we describe a distinct membrane defect that is found near TM8 only in the ATP-free state. The results of the MD simulations are discussed in the context of the gating mechanism of CFTR.
Ant nurse workers exhibit behavioral and transcriptomic signatures of specialization on larval stage
Authors: Walsh Justin T. , Warner Michael R. , Kase Adrian , Cushing Benjamin J. , Linksvayer Timothy A.
Published: November 2017

Division of labor within and between the worker and queen castes is thought to underlie the tremendous success of social insects. Colonies might benefit if subsets of nurse workers specialize further in caring for larvae of a certain stage or caste, given that larval nutritional requirements depend on stage and caste. We used short- (<1 hr) and long-term (ten days) behavioral observations to determine whether nurses of the pharaoh ant (Monomorium pharaonis) exhibit such specialization. We found that nurses were behaviorally specialized based on larval instar but not on larval caste. This specialization was widespread, with 56% of nurses in the short-term and between 22-27% in the long-term showing significant specialization. Additionally, we identified ∼200 genes that were differentially expressed in nurse head and abdominal tissues between nurses feeding young versus old larvae. These included 18 genes predicted to code for secreted proteins, which may be passed from nurses to larvae via trophallaxis, as well as vitellogenin and major royal jelly protein-1, which have previously been implicated in the transfer of nutrition from nurse to larvae and the regulation of larval development and caste in social insects. Altogether, our results provide the first evidence in any social insect for a division of labor among nurse workers based on larval stage, and our study begins to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying this specialization.
Maternal proteins that are phospho-regulated upon egg activation include crucial factors for oogenesis, egg activation and embryogenesis inDrosophila melanogaster
Authors: Zhang Zijing , Krauchunas Amber R. , Huang Stephanie , Wolfner Mariana F.
Published: November 2017

Egg activation is essential for the successful transition from a mature oocyte to a developmentally competent egg. It consists of a series of events including the resumption and completion of meiosis, initiation of translation of some maternal mRNAs and destruction of others, and changes to the vitelline envelope. This drastic change of cell state is accompanied by large scale alteration of the phospho-proteome of the cell. Despite the importance of this transition in cell and developmental state, it has been difficult to find many of its regulators. We hypothesize that phosphorylation state changes between oocyte and early embryo regulate the activities of proteins that are necessary during or after this transition, and thus that the set of phospho-regulated proteins would be an enriched source for finding critical players in the egg-to-embryo transition. To test this, we used germline-specific RNAi to examine the function of 189 maternal proteins that are phospho-regulated during egg activation inDrosophila melanogaster. We identified 53 genes whose knockdown reduced or abolished egg production, as well as 50 genes for which maternal knockdown led to significant impairment or abolishment of the eggs’ ability to hatch (hatchability). We observed different stages of developmental arrest in the embryos with impaired hatchability and several distinct categories of abnormalities in the maternal knockdown embryos that arrest early in development, suggesting potential roles of the candidates in egg activation and early embryogenesis. Our results, validated by our detection of multiple genes with previously-documented maternal-effect phenotypes among the proteins we tested, revealed 15 genes with new roles in egg activation and early embryogenesis. Given that protein phospho-regulation also occurs during this transition in other organisms, we suggest that the phospho-regulated proteins may provide an enriched dataset for identifying important players in the egg-to-embryo transition.
Hyperedge bundling: A practical solution to spurious interactions in MEG/EEG source connectivity analyses
Authors: Wang Sheng H. , Lobier Muriel , Siebenhühner Felix , Puoliväli Tuomas , Palva Satu , Matias Palva J.
Published: November 2017

Inter-areal functional connectivity (FC), neuronal synchronization in particular, is thought to constitute a key systems-level mechanism for coordination of neuronal processing and communication between brain regions. Evidence to support this hypothesis has been gained largely using invasive electrophysiological approaches. In humans, neuronal activity can be non-invasively recorded only with magneto- and electroencephalography (MEG/EEG), which have been used to assess FC networks with high temporal resolution and whole-scalp coverage. However, even in source-reconstructed MEG/EEG data, signal mixing, or “source leakage”, is a significant confounder for FC analyses and network localization.

Signal mixing leads to two distinct kinds of false-positive observations: artificial interactions (AI) caused directly by mixing and spurious interactions (SI) arising indirectly from the spread of signals from true interacting sources to nearby false loci. To date, several interaction metrics have been developed to solve the AI problem, but the SI problem has remained largely intractable in MEG/EEG all-to-all source connectivity studies. Here, we advance a novel approach for correcting SIs in FC analyses using source-reconstructed MEG/EEG data.

Our approach is to bundle observed FC connections into hyperedges by their adjacency in signal mixing. Using realistic simulations, we show here that bundling yields hyperedges with good separability of true positives and little loss in the true positive rate. Hyperedge bundling thus significantly decreases graph noise by minimizing the false-positive to true-positive ratio. Finally, we demonstrate the advantage of edge bundling in the visualization of large-scale cortical networks with real MEG data. We propose that hypergraphs yielded by bundling represent well the set of true cortical interactions that are detectable and dissociable in MEG/EEG connectivity analysis.

Highlights

A true interaction often is “ghosted” into a multitude of spurious edges (SI)

Effective in controlling and illustrating SI

Hyperedges have much improved TPR and graph quality

Advantages in visualizing connectivity
An integrative strategy to identify the entire protein coding potential of prokaryotic genomes by proteogenomics
Authors: Omasits Ulrich , Varadarajan Adithi R. , Schmid Michael , Goetze Sandra , Melidis Damianos , Bourqui Marc , Nikolayeva Olga , Québatte Maxime , Patrignani Andrea , Dehio Christoph , Frey Juerg E. , Robinson Mark D. , Wollscheid Bernd , Ahrens Christian H.
Published: November 2017

Accurate annotation of all protein-coding sequences (CDSs) is an essential prerequisite to fully exploit the rapidly growing repertoire of completely sequenced prokaryotic genomes. However, large discrepancies among the number of CDSs annotated by different resources, missed functional short open reading frames (sORFs), and overprediction of spurious ORFs represent serious limitations. Our strategy toward accurate and complete genome annotation consolidates CDSs from multiple reference annotation resources, ab initio gene prediction algorithms and in silico ORFs (a modified six-frame translation considering alternative start codons) in an integrated proteogenomics database (iPtgxDB) that covers the entire protein-coding potential of a prokaryotic genome. By extending the PeptideClassifier concept of unambiguous peptides for prokaryotes, close to 95% of the identifiable peptides imply one distinct protein, largely simplifying downstream analysis. Searching a comprehensive Bartonella henselae proteomics data set against such an iPtgxDB allowed us to unambiguously identify novel ORFs uniquely predicted by each resource, including lipoproteins, differentially expressed and membrane-localized proteins, novel start sites and wrongly annotated pseudogenes. Most novelties were confirmed by targeted, parallel reaction monitoring mass spectrometry, including unique ORFs and single amino acid variations (SAAVs) identified in a re-sequenced laboratory strain that are not present in its reference genome. We demonstrate the general applicability of our strategy for genomes with varying GC content and distinct taxonomic origin. We release iPtgxDBs for B. henselae, Bradyrhizobium diazoefficiens and Escherichia coli and the software to generate both proteogenomics search databases and integrated annotation files that can be viewed in a genome browser for any prokaryote.
Morphofunctional experience-dependent plasticity in the honeybee brain
Authors: Andrione Mara , Timberlake Benjamin F. , Vallortigara Giorgio , Antolini Renzo , Haase Albrecht
Published: November 2017

Repeated or prolonged exposure to an odorant without any positive or negative reinforcement produces experience-dependent plasticity, which results in habituation and latent inhibition. In the honeybee (Apis mellifera), it has been demonstrated that, even if the absolute neural representation of an odor in the primary olfactory center, the antennal lobe (AL), is not changed by repeated presentations, its relative representation with respect to unfamiliar stimuli is modified. In particular, the representation of a stimulus composed of a 50:50 mixture of a familiar and a novel odorant becomes more similar to that of the novel stimulus after repeated stimulus preexposure. In a calcium-imaging study, we found that the same functional effect develops following prolonged odor exposure. By analyzing the brains of the animals subjected to this procedure, we found that such functional changes are accompanied by morphological changes in the AL (i.e., a decrease in volume in specific glomeruli). The AL glomeruli that exhibited structural plasticity also modified their functional responses to the three stimuli (familiar odor, novel odor, binary mixture). We suggest a model in which rebalancing inhibition within the AL glomeruli may be sufficient to elicit structural and functional correlates of experience-dependent plasticity.
Improving the convergence rate of a hybrid input–output phasing algorithm by varying the reflection data weight
Authors: He Hongxing , Su Wu-Pei
Published: November 2017

In an iterative projection algorithm proposed forab initiophasing, the error metrics typically exhibit little improvement until a sharp decrease takes place as the iteration converges to the correct high-resolution structure. Related to that is the small convergence probability for certain structures. As a remedy, a variable weighting scheme on the diffraction data is proposed. It focuses on phasing low- and medium-resolution data first. The weighting shifts to incorporate more high-resolution reflections when the iteration proceeds. It is found that the precipitous drop in error metrics is replaced by a less dramatic drop at an earlier stage of the iteration. It seems that once a good configuration is formed at medium resolution, convergence towards the correct high-resolution structure is almost guaranteed. The original problem of phasing all diffraction data at once is reduced to a much more manageable one due to the dramatically smaller number of reflections involved. As a result, the success rate is significantly enhanced and the speed of convergence is raised. This is illustrated by applying the new algorithm to several structures, some of which are very difficult to solve without data weighting.
Financial constraints and production efficiency
Authors: Khanal Aditya R. , Regmi Madhav
Published: November 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to study the production and efficiency of rice growers in drought prone areas with special attention given to economic and financial factors.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors use a parametric stochastic frontier approach and a non-parametric data envelopment analysis.

Findings

The study found that financial and liquidity constraints negatively influence production efficiency while off-farm work positively influences efficiency in drought prone areas.

Originality/value

Many biotic and abiotic factors affect the production efficiency of rice growers. Among abiotic stress, drought is the strongest constraint affecting nearly one third of the total rice area in Asia and causing significant economic losses. Farmers’ economic conditions and financial constraints further exacerbate the situation. However, very few studies have analyzed the efficiency in drought prone areas and the influence of economic and financial factors. This study contributes to in this regard by augmenting economic and financial factors in the efficiency estimation of drought prone areas using parametric and non-parametric approach.
Family firms and collaborative innovation: present debates and future research
Authors: Bigliardi Barbara , Galati Francesco
Published: November 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is threefold: first, to identify the unique characteristics of family firms in terms of the ability to manage and the willingness to engage in collaborative innovation; second, to investigate the existence of contingent factors affecting the heterogeneity of family firms’ behavior regarding these dimensions; and third, to propose a future research agenda.

Design/methodology/approach

This study consists of a systematic literature review.

Findings

Based on the results of a systematic review, the authors explain why family firms have a different behavior in terms of collaborative innovation if compared to the non-family counterparts and, following the contingent-based perspective, the authors also explain how different contingent factors can contribute to cause the heterogeneity of family firms’ behavior when facing collaborative innovation. Finally, the authors present a research agenda aimed at stimulating and guiding future research.

Research limitations/implications

The main limitation of the review is the wide definition of collaborative innovation provided at the beginning of the manuscript, in the introduction. In fact, with the aim of including all the studies dealing with collaborative innovation in the family firms’ context, the authors adopt a broad definition of external collaborative innovation that encompasses each process by which organizations work together to achieve an innovation outcome.

Originality/value

To the knowledge, this is the first systematic review addressing this relevant topic and proposing a future research agenda. The authors believe it could represent an important guide (but also a stimulus) for scholars interesting in the topic.
Cultural and creative entrepreneurs: understanding the role of entrepreneurial identity
Authors: Werthes Daniela , Mauer René , Brettel Malte
Published: November 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore whether and how entrepreneurs in the cultural and creative industries develop an entrepreneurial identity. It also aims to expand research on cultural and creative entrepreneurship.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is based on longitudinal qualitative cases and analyses the potential entrepreneurial identity development of eight cultural and creative entrepreneurs from Germany. The researchers create a framework to ascertain whether and, if so, how cultural and creative entrepreneurs develop an entrepreneurial identity.

Findings

The findings suggest that cultural and creative entrepreneurs do develop an entrepreneurial identity and incorporate their cultural and creative identity into that entrepreneurial identity whereas self-reflection is a key driver in the development.

Practical implications

Cultural and creative entrepreneurs are a key driver of economic development. Hence, it is important to generate a more detailed understanding of their entrepreneurial mind-set and their behaviour.

Originality/value

The study suggests that cultural and creative entrepreneurs actively develop an entrepreneurial identity and that self-reflection, communication with other entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial experience are the main drivers of their identity development. Nevertheless, their cultural and creative identity does have an influence on their entrepreneurial identity. In addition, the study demonstrates how such entrepreneurs develop their identity.
French football, foreign investors: global sports as country branding
Authors: Chanavat Nicolas
Published: November 2017

Purpose

This research aims to examine the fundamental elements regarding Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) marketing strategy. Specifically, the objective of this analysis is the implementation of globalizing the club brand of PSG.

Design/methodology/approach

The author held three 2-h face-to-face meetings. Given that the main criterion in the choice of the respondent for a case study was the quality of the information that could be obtained during the interview, the professionals were selected because of their direct involvement in the PSG’s global marketing strategy. Data collection was conducted with the aid of several in-depth interviews with the Deputy General Manager (in charge of commercial activities), Frédéric Longuépée, the Corporate and Brand Communications Manager, Nicolas Serres and the Brand Diversification and Development Manager (in charge of eSports), Fabien Allègre.

Findings

It appears that since the acquisition of PSG by Qatar Sports Investments, the club has entered a new era and has set in motion a strategy to compete with the biggest sports brands in the world. The results of this research reveal that the globalization strategy of PSG is itself part of Qatar’s internationalization approach. The findings also suggest that the global marketing strategy of the club is based on three key steps. First was the reorganization of the club to create an omnisports brand with a new CEO at its head, which is highlighted here. The rebuilding of the brand followed, through the creation of new identity and logotype, the acquisition of brands-athletes and controlled communication. Finally, the development of the club which is based on the diversification of growth drivers.

Originality/value

Overall, these results contribute to the enrichment of sports clubs and global marketing research This research offers a unique perspective and insights on the marketing strategic globalization of a professional sports club linked with the internationalization of a country. Best practices become visible through this analysis, which might serve as guidelines in other contexts.
Corporate accelerators: fostering innovation while bringing together startups and large firms
Authors: Kupp Martin , Marval Moyra , Borchers Peter
Published: November 2017

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the experience of hub:raum, the accelerator program of Deutsche Telekom, to deduce potential success factors. In today’s fast-paced world, large companies strive to keep up with the disruptive changes in their markets brought by innovative startups. In face of these challenges, the paradigm of open innovation encourages firms to use internal ideas and external sources of knowledge to advance their innovation output (Chesbrough, 2003). Yet, in practice, this is much easier said than done, particularly when large firms engage in partnerships with startups.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper is based on interviews and academic collaboration with hub:raum.

Findings

From the five years of experience since the foundation of hub:raum, one of the first German corporate accelerators, the authors have seen five key success factors: transparent and aligned goals, an independent team of startup advocates, a large and committed external network, top-management backing, long-term objectives and performance indicators.

Research limitations/implications

This paper is based on the case study of hub:raum. There are several limitations to this approach. Hub:raum has a clear industry focus in the information and communications technology industry and also acting international has a strong German and European focus.

Practical implications

Based on the identified five success factors, executives working with or designing accelerator programs can significantly increase the chances of success of these kind of programs. Constantly working on the right alignment of these factors with the overall objective of the incubator program is the key task of the management.

Social implications

Designing and running corporate accelerator programs more successfully will also help to enable more startups to join forces with corporates, creating more jobs and developing successful product innovation.

Originality/value

The paper is based on working for five years closely with the hub:raum management, a series of interviews and longitudinal study of this specific accelerator program.
Bitcoin transactions: a digital discovery of illicit activity on the blockchain
Authors: Turner Adam , Irwin Angela Samantha Maitland
Published: November 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to determine if Bitcoin transactions could be de-anonymised by analysing the Bitcoin blockchain and transactions conducted through the blockchain. In addition, graph analysis and the use of modern social media technology were examined to determine how they may help reveal the identity of Bitcoin users. A review of machine learning techniques and heuristics was carried out to learn how certain behaviours from the Bitcoin network could be augmented with social media technology and other data to identify illicit transactions.

Design/methodology/approach

A number of experiments were conducted and time was spend observing the network to ascertain how Bitcoin transactions work, how the Bitcoin protocol operates over the network and what Bitcoin artefacts can be examined from a digital forensics perspective. Packet sniffing software, Wireshark, was used to see whether the identity of a user is revealed when they set up a wallet via an online wallet service. In addition, a block parser was used to analyse the Bitcoin client synchronisation and reveal information on the behaviour of a Bitcoin node when it joins the network and synchronises to the latest blockchain. The final experiment involved setting up and witnessing a transaction using the Bitcoin Client API. These experiments and observations were then used to design a proof of concept and functional software architecture for searching, indexing and analyzing publicly available data flowing from the blockchain and other big data sources.

Findings

Using heuristics and graph analysis techniques show us that it is possible to build up a picture of behaviour of Bitcoin addresses and transactions, then utilise existing typologies of illicit behaviour to collect, process and exploit potential red flag indicators. Augmenting Bitcoin data, big data and social media may be used to reveal potentially illicit financial transaction going through the Bitcoin blockchain and machine learning applied to the data sets to rank and cluster suspicious transactions.

Originality/value

The development of a functional software architecture that, in theory, could be used to detect suspicious illicit transactions on the Bitcoin network.
The Mammalian Circadian Clock Exhibits Chronic Ethanol Tolerance and Withdrawal‐Induced Glutamate Hypersensitivity, Accompanied by Changes in Glutamate and TrkB Receptor Proteins
Authors: Lindsay Jonathan H. , Prosser Rebecca A.
Published: November 2017

Background

Alcohol tolerance and withdrawal‐induced effects are criteria for alcohol use disorders listed by the DSM‐V. Although tolerance and withdrawal have been studied over many decades, there is still uncertainty regarding mechanistic distinctions that characterize these different forms of ethanol (EtOH)‐induced plasticity. Previously, we demonstrated that the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) circadian clock develops both acute and rapid tolerance to EtOH inhibition of glutamate‐induced circadian phase shifts. Here, we demonstrate that chronic EtOH tolerance and withdrawal‐induced glutamate hypersensitivity occur in vitro and that rapid tolerance, chronic tolerance, and glutamate hypersensitivity have distinct cellular changes.

Methods

We use single‐unit extracellular electrophysiological recordings to determine whether chronic tolerance to EtOH inhibition of glutamatergic phase shifts and withdrawal‐induced glutamate hypersensitivity develop in the SCN. We use Western blotting to compare phosphorylation state and total expression of N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate (NMDA) receptor subunits and associated proteins in the SCN after mice were exposed to varying EtOH consumption paradigms.

Results

Chronic tolerance developed after a minimum of 8 days of 4 h/d EtOH access, as indicated by a decreased sensitivity to EtOH inhibition of glutamate‐induced phase shifts. We also observed an increased sensitivity to glutamate‐induced phase shifts in SCN tissue following withdrawal. We demonstrated an increase in the ratio of NR2B:NR2A NMDA receptor subunit expression after 21 days, but not after 10 days of EtOH drinking. This increase persisted during EtOH withdrawal, along with an increase in NR2B Y1472 phosphorylation, mature brain‐derived neurotrophic factor, and phosphorylated TrkB.

Conclusions

These results demonstrate that multiple tolerance forms and withdrawal‐induced glutamate hypersensitivity occur in the SCN and that these different forms of EtOH‐induced plasticity are accompanied by distinct changes in cellular physiology. Importantly, this study further demonstrates the power of using the SCN as a model system to investigate EtOH‐induced plasticity.
Incident diuretic drug use and adverse respiratory events among older adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Authors: Vozoris Nicholas T. , Wang Xuesong , Austin Peter C. , O'Donnell Denis E. , Aaron Shawn D. , To Teresa M. , Gershon Andrea S.
Published: November 2017

Aims

Diuretic drugs may theoretically improve respiratory health outcomes in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) through several possible mechanisms, but they might also lead to respiratory harm. We evaluated the association of incident oral diuretic drug use with respiratory‐related morbidity and mortality among older adults with COPD.

Methods

This was a population‐based, retrospective cohort study using health administrative data from Ontario, Canada, for the period 2008–2013. We identified adults aged 66 years and older with nonpalliative COPD using a validated algorithm. Respiratory‐related morbidity and mortality were evaluated within 30 days of incident oral diuretic drug use compared to nonuse using Cox proportional hazard regression and applying inverse probability of treatment weighting using the propensity score to minimize confounding.

Results

Out of 99 766 individuals aged 66 years and older with COPD identified, incident diuretic receipt occurred in 51.7%. Relative to controls, incident diuretic users had significantly increased rates for hospitalization for COPD or pneumonia [hazard ratio (HR) 1.22, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.07–1.40], as well as more emergency room visits for COPD or pneumonia (HR 1.35, 95% CI 1.18–1.56), COPD or pneumonia‐related mortality (HR 1.41; 95% CI 1.04–1.92) and all‐cause mortality (HR 1.20, 95% CI 1.06–1.35). The increased respiratory‐related morbidity and mortality observed were specifically as a result of loop diuretic use.

Conclusions

Incident diuretic drugs, and more specifically loop diuretics, were associated with increased rates of respiratory‐related morbidity and mortality among older adults with nonpalliative COPD. Further studies are needed to determine if this association is causative or due to unresolved confounding.
The interplay of gender and social background: A longitudinal study of interaction effects in reading attitudes and behaviour
Authors: Becker Michael , McElvany Nele
Published: November 2017

Background

Researchers often report and discuss gender differences. However, recent research has drawn attention to interaction effects between gender and other social categories.

Aims

This study analysed the development of disparities in students’ reading‐related self‐concept, intrinsic motivation, and behaviour, as they relate to differences in gender and socio‐economic family background. Drawing on expectancy‐value theory, we regarded reading‐related self‐concept, motivation, and behaviour as key to explaining the growing differences between boys and girls in adolescence. Specifically, we focused on the interaction between gender and socio‐economic background in children, which has been discussed in the context of moderating gender differences but not in the context of reading‐related attitudes and behaviour.

Sample

The investigation is based on a longitudinal sample of N = 717 German students between third and sixth grades.

Method

We used questionnaire data from both students and parents. To compare students’ development across time, we applied multigroup latent growth curve models.

Results

We found evidence of increasing gender differences, which were also moderated by the socio‐economic status (SES) of parents: a gender gap either already existed (intrinsic motivation and reading behaviour) or intensified (reading self‐concept and reading behaviour) between third and sixth grades. The interaction of gender and SES seemed particularly important for reading self‐concept, with the gender gap growing less substantially for higher‐SES children. Moreover, this pattern persisted for reading self‐concept, even when controlling for achievement differences.

Conclusions

The results provide evidence that gender, social background, and the interaction of the two are relevant for development in the domain of reading, even in young children.
Chronology of a lacustrine core from Lake Linggo Co using a combination ofOSL,14C and210Pb dating: implications for the dating of lacustrine sediments from the Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Hu Gang , Yi Chaolu , Zhang Jiafu , Cao Guirong , Pan Baolin , Liu Jinhua , Jiang Tao , Yi Shuangwen , Li Dehong , Huang Jianwei
Published: November 2017

Vast palaeolakes once occupied the Qinghai‐Tibetan Plateau (TP). Analyses of the sedimentary records of these lakes could potentially provide an extensive dating archive. Many previously constructed age‐depth models simulating lacustrine cores have been principally based on radiocarbon (14C) dating. However, such dating could have been hampered by the so‐called ‘lake reservoir effect’ (LRE) and the reworking of lakebed sediments, resulting in inaccurate14C age‐depth models and limiting interpretations of existing lacustrine palaeoclimatic records. Lake Linggo Co is located on the centralTP, in one of the coldest and most arid regions of Tibet. We dated a 9.87‐m‐long lacustrine core extracted from the lakebed at a water depth of ~60 m using a combination of210Pb,14C and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) techniques. Some14C ages showed significant age reversals; all the14C ages were much older than the210Pb andOSLages for the same depths. This could possibly be attributed to the presence of old, inherited carbon, causing the inherited14C age to appear unstable during the deposition period. The210Pb andOSLages were roughly concordant, and were also consistent with the stratigraphical succession. We therefore suggest that14C dating may, on its own, be inadequate for accurate dating of lacustrine sediment sites on theTP, and that theOSLmethod should also be applied in order to evaluate the reliability of any14C ages. With this approach, we constructed an age‐depth model, revealing sedimentation rates of 1.7, 0.8, 6.8 and 0.6 mm a−1between 0–1.9, 1.9–4.2, 4.2–4.4 and 4.4–9.4 ka, respectively.
Early intervention and environmental factors: optimizing the development of infants born preterm
Authors: Pelc Karine , Gajewska Aleksandra
Published: November 2017

This commentary is on the original article by Spittle et al. on pages 54–62.
RISING TOP INCOMES AND INCREASED BORROWING IN THE REST OF THE DISTRIBUTION
Authors: Thompson Jeffrey
Published: November 2017

One potential consequence of rising top‐income concentration is borrowing by less‐affluent households attempting to maintain relative living standards. This paper evaluates the “keeping up with the Joneses” phenomenon, examining the responsiveness of payment‐to‐income ratios for different debt types across the income distribution to changes in income among affluent households. The analysis provides evidence for the responsiveness of debt to rising top incomes. Middle‐ and upper‐middle‐income households take on more housing‐related debt and have higher payments in places with higher top‐income levels. Among lower‐income households non‐mortgage borrowing and debt payments decline, consistent with restrictions in the supply of credit. (JEL D63, D14)
CORPORATE TAX POLICY AND INDUSTRY LOCATION WITH FULLY ENDOGENOUS PRODUCTIVITY GROWTH
Authors: Davis Colin , Hashimoto Ken‐ichi
Published: November 2017

This paper considers how national corporate tax policy affects productivity growth through adjustments in geographic patterns of industry in a two‐country model of trade. With trade costs and imperfect knowledge spillovers between countries, production concentrates partially and innovation concentrates fully in the country with the lowest tax rate. A rise in the international corporate tax differential accelerates productivity growth through an increase in the production share of the low‐tax country that improves knowledge spillovers from industry to innovation. The paper also investigates the relationship between the corporate tax differential and the level of market entry, and analytically characterizes the effects of changes in tax policy on national welfare. (JEL F43, O30, O40, R12)
Heterogeneous neuronal activity in the lateral habenula after short‐ and long‐term cocaine self‐administration in rats
Authors: Gao Ping , Groenewegen Henk J. , Vanderschuren Louk J. M. J. , Voorn Pieter
Published: November 2017

Cocaine addiction is thought to be the result of drug‐induced functional changes in a neural network implicated in emotions, learning and cognitive control. Recent studies have implicated the lateral habenula (LHb) in drug‐directed behavior, especially its aversive aspects. Limited cocaine exposure has been shown to alter neuronal activity in the LHb, but the impact of long‐term drug exposure on habenula function has not been determined. Therefore, using c‐fos as a marker, we here examined neuronal activity in LHb in rats that self‐administered cocaine for either 10 or 60 days. Both the density of labeled cells and the cellular labeling intensity were measured in the lateral (LHbL) and medial (LHbM) parts of LHb. After 10 days of cocaine self‐administration, both the density and intensity of c‐fos‐positive cells were significantly increased in LHbL, but not LHbM, while after 60 days, an increased density (but not intensity) of labeled neurons in both LHbL and LHbM was observed. Most c‐fos‐labeled neurons were glutamatergic. In addition, we found increased GAD65 expression after 10 but not 60 days of cocaine self‐administration in the rostral mesencephalic tegmental nucleus. These data shed light on the complex temporal dynamics by which cocaine self‐administration alters activity in LHb circuitry, which may play an important role in the descent to compulsive drug use as a result of prolonged cocaine‐taking experience.
Annual global mean temperature explains reproductive success in a marine vertebrate from 1955 to 2010
Authors: Mauck Robert A. , Dearborn Donald C. , Huntington Charles E.
Published: November 2017

The salient feature of anthropogenic climate change over the last century has been the rise in global mean temperature. However, global mean temperature is not used as an explanatory variable in studies of population‐level response to climate change, perhaps because the signal‐to‐noise ratio of this gross measure makes its effect difficult to detect in any but the longest of datasets. Using a population of Leach's storm‐petrels breeding in the Bay of Fundy, we tested whether local, regional, or global temperature measures are the best index of reproductive success in the face of climate change in species that travel widely between and within seasons. With a 56‐year dataset, we found that annual global mean temperature (AGMT) was the single most important predictor of hatching success, more so than regional sea surface temperatures (breeding season or winter) and local air temperatures at the nesting colony. Storm‐petrel reproductive success showed a quadratic response to rising temperatures, in that hatching success increased up to some critical temperature, and then declined when AGMT exceeded that temperature. The year at which AGMT began to consistently exceed that critical temperature was 1988. Importantly, in this population of known‐age individuals, the impact of changing climate was greatest on inexperienced breeders: reproductive success of inexperienced birds increased more rapidly as temperatures rose and declined more rapidly after the tipping point than did reproductive success of experienced individuals. The generality of our finding that AGMT is the best predictor of reproductive success in this system may hinge on two things. First, an integrative global measure may be best for species in which individuals move across an enormous spatial range, especially within seasons. Second, the length of our dataset and our capacity to account for individual‐ and age‐based variation in reproductive success increase our ability to detect a noisy signal.