bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Local-to-global signal transduction at the core of the Mn2+ sensing riboswitch
Authors: Suddala Krishna C , Price Ian R , Janeček Michal , Kührová Petra , Dandpat Shiba , Šponer Jiří , Banáš Pavel , Ke Ailong , Walter Nils G
Published: February 2019

The widespread manganese-ion sensing yybP-ykoY riboswitch controls the expression of bacterial Mn2+ homeostasis genes. Here, we first determine the crystal structure of the ligand-bound yybP-ykoY riboswitch from Xanthomonas oryzae at 2.85 Å resolution, revealing two conformations with docked four-way junction (4WJ) and incompletely coordinated metal ions. In >50 μs of MD simulations, we observe that loss of divalents from the core triggers local structural perturbations in the adjacent docking interface, laying the foundation for signal transduction to the regulatory switch helix. Using single-molecule FRET, we unveil a previously unobserved extended 4WJ conformation that samples transient docked states in the presence of Mg2+. Only upon adding sub-millimolar Mn2+, however, can the 4WJ dock stably, a feature lost upon mutation of an adenosine contacting Mn2+ in the core. These observations illuminate how subtly differing ligand preferences of competing metal ions become amplified by the coupling of local with global RNA dynamics.
PARAMO pipeline: reconstructing ancestral anatomies using ontologies and stochastic mapping
Authors: Tarasov Sergei , Mikó István , Yoder Matthew Jon , Uyeda Josef C.
Published: February 2019

Comparative phylogenetics has been largely lacking a method for reconstructing the evolution of phenotypic entities that consist of ensembles of multiple discrete traits – entire organismal anatomies or organismal body regions. In this study, we provide a new approach namedPARAMO(PhylogeneticAncestralReconstruction ofAnatomy byMappingOntologies) that appropriately models anatomical dependencies and uses ontology-informed amalgamation of stochastic maps to reconstruct phenotypic evolution at different levels of anatomical hierarchy including entire phenotypes. This approach provides new opportunities for tracking phenotypic radiations and evolution of organismal anatomies.
QUANTIFYING CORAL MORPHOLOGY
Authors: Zawada Kyle J. A. , Dornelas Maria , Madin Joshua S.
Published: February 2019

The morphology of coral colonies has important implications for their biological and ecological performance, including their role as ecosystem engineers. However, given that morphology is difficult to quantify across many taxa, morphological variation is typically shoehorned into coarse growth form categories (e.g., arborescent and digitate). In this study, we develop a quantitative schema for morphology by identifying three-dimensional shape variables that can describe coral morphology. We contrast six variables estimated from 152 laser scans of coral colonies that ranged across seven growth form categories and three orders of magnitude of size. We found that 88% of the variation in shape was captured by two axes of variation and three shape variables. The main axis was variation in volume compactness (cf. sphericity) and the second axis was the trade-off between surface complexity and the vertical distribution of volume (i.e., top heaviness). Variation in volume compactness also limited variation along the second axis, where surface complexity and vertical volume distribution ranged more freely when compactness was low. Traditional growth form categories occupied distinct regions within this morpho-space. However, these regions overlapped due to shape changes with colony size. Nonetheless, four of the shape variables were able to predict traditional growth form categories with 70 to 95% accuracy, suggesting that the continuous variables captured much of the qualitative variation inherently implied by these growth forms. Distilling coral morphology into geometric variables that capture shape variation will allow for better tests of the mechanisms that govern coral biology, ecology and ecosystem services such as reef building and provision of habitat.
Comprehensive Assessment of Sequence and Expression of Circular-RNAs in Progenitor Cell Types of the Developing Mammalian Cortex
Authors: Dori Martina , Alieh Leila Haj Abdullah , Cavalli Daniel , Massalini Simone , Lesche Mathias , Dahl Andreas , Calegari Federico
Published: February 2019

ABSRTRACT

Circular (circ) RNAs have recently emerged as a novel class of non coding transcripts whose identification and function remain elusive. Among many tissues and species, the mammalian brain is the organ in which circRNAs are more abundant and first evidence of their functional significance started to emerge. Yet, even within this well studied organ, annotation of circRNAs remains fragmentary, their sequence is unknown and their expression in specific cell types was never investigated. Overcoming these limitations, here we provide the fist comprehensive identification of circRNAs and their expression patterns in proliferating neural stem cells, neurogenic progenitors and newborn neurons of the developing mouse cortex. Extending the current knowledge about the diversity of this class of transcripts by the identification of nearly 4,000 new circRNAs, our study is the first to provide the full sequence information and expression patterns of circRNAs in cell types representing the lineage of neurogenic commitment. We further exploited our data by evaluating the coding potential, evolutionary conservation and biogenesis of circRNAs that we found to arise from a specific sub-class of linear mRNAs. Our study provides the arising field of circRNA biology with a powerful new resource to address the complexity and potential biological significance of this new class of transcripts.
Short-Term Plasticity Following Motor Sequence Learning Revealed by Diffusion MRI
Authors: Tavor Ido , Botvinik-Nezer Rotem , Bernstein-Eliav Michal , Tsarfaty Galia , Assaf Yaniv
Published: February 2019

Current non-invasive methods to detect structural plasticity in humans are mainly used to study long-term changes. Diffusion MRI was recently proposed as a novel approach to reveal gray matter changes following spatial navigation learning and object-location memory tasks. In the present work we used diffusion MRI to investigate the short-term neuroplasticity that accompanies sequential motor learning. Following a 45-minutes training session in which participants learned to accurately play a short sequence on a piano keyboard, changes in diffusion properties were revealed mainly in motor system regions such as the premotor cortex and cerebellum. A second learning session taking place immediately afterwards shifted the attention of participants onto timing of key pressing instead of accuracy. This second session induced a different plasticity pattern, demonstrating the dynamic nature of this phenomenon, formerly thought to require months of training in order to be detectable. These results provide us with an important reminder that the brain is an extremely dynamic structure. Furthermore, diffusion MRI offers a novel measure to follow tissue plasticity particularly over short timescales, allowing new insights into the dynamics of structural brain plasticity.
The fog of genetics: Known unknowns and unknown unknowns in the genetics of complex traits and diseases
Authors: de Magalhães João Pedro , Wang Jingwei
Published: February 2019

Associating genetic variants with phenotypes is not only important to understand the underlying biology but also to identify potential drug targets for treating diseases. It is widely accepted that for most complex traits many associations remain to be discovered, the so-called “missing heritability.” Yet missing heritability can be estimated, it is a known unknown, and we argue is only a fraction of the unknowns in genetics. The majority of possible genetic variants in the genome space are either too rare to be detected or even entirely absent from populations, and therefore do not contribute to estimates of phenotypic or genetic variability. We call these unknown unknowns in genetics the “fog of genetics.” Using data from the 1000 Genomes Project we then show that larger genes with greater genetic diversity are more likely to be associated with human traits, demonstrating that genetic associations are biased towards particular types of genes and that the genetic information we are lacking about traits and diseases is potentially immense. Our results and model have multiple implications for how genetic variability is perceived to influence complex traits, provide insights on molecular mechanisms of disease and for drug discovery efforts based on genetic information.
Resident memory CD8 T cells persist for years in human small intestine
Authors: Bartolomé Casado Raquel , Landsverk Ole J.B. , Chauhan Sudhir Kumar , Richter Lisa , Phung Dang , Greiff Victor , Risnes Louise Fremgaard , Yao Ying , Neumann Ralf Stefan , Yaqub Sheraz , Øyen Ole , Horneland Rune , Aandahl Einar Martin , Paulsen Vemund , Sollid Ludvig M. , Qiao Shuo-Wang , Bækkevold Espen S. , Jahnsen Frode L.
Published: February 2019

In human small intestine, most CD8 T cells in the lamina propria and epithelium express a resident memory (Trm) phenotype and persist for at least one year in transplanted tissue. Intestinal CD8 Trm cells have a clonally expanded immune repertoire that is stable over time and exhibit enhanced protective capabilities.

Graphical abstract

Highlights

The vast majority of CD8 T cells in the human small intestine are Trm cells

CD8 Trm cells persist for >1 year in transplanted duodenum

Intraepithelial and lamina propria CD8 Trm cells show highly similar TCR repertoire

Intestinal CD8 Trm cells efficiently produce cytokines and cytotoxic mediators
Dimerization of human Rio2 kinase/ATPase locks its ATP-binding site in an apo state
Authors: Maurice Frédérique , Pérébaskine Natacha , Fribourg Sébastien
Published: February 2019

Rio proteins form a conserved family of atypical protein kinases. Rio2 is a serine/threonine protein kinase/ATPase involved in pre-40S ribosomal maturation. Current crystal structures of archaeal and fungi Rio2 proteins report a monomeric form of the protein. Here, we describe three atomic structures of the human Rio2 kinase showing that it forms a homodimer. Upon self-association, the ATP-binding pocket is hidden from the solvent and the protein is locked in an apo state corresponding to an inactive form of the kinase. The homodimerization is mediated by key residues previously shown to be responsible for ATP binding and catalysis. This unusual protein kinase dimer reveals an intricate mechanism of mutually exclusive substrate binding and oligomeric state formation. We propose that this oligomeric state could serve a dual function in maintaining the protein in an inactive state and being a novel type of nuclear import signal.

Significance Statement

Rio kinases form a family of atypical protein kinases that are believed to be ATPases rather than kinases. The three members of the Rio family are involved in ribosome biogenesis. We show here that contrarily to what was reported so far, Rio2 is able homodimerize in a conformation that locks it in an apo state, preventing its (re)association to pre-mature ribosomes. This unconventional self-association is not seen in any other protein kinase. This mechanism is likely to be transient and could used to efficiently re-import the protein to the nucleus.
Temporal regulation of cell polarity via the interaction of the Ras GTPase Rsr1 and the scaffold protein Bem1
Authors: Miller Kristi E. , Park Hay-Oak
Published: February 2019

Establishing cell polarity is critical for growth and development of most organisms. The Cdc42 GTPase plays a central role in polarity development in species ranging from yeast to humans. In budding yeast, a specific growth site (i.e. bud site) is selected in the G1 phase, which determines the axis of cell polarization. Rsr1, a Ras GTPase, interacts with Cdc42 and its associated proteins to promote polarized growth at the proper bud site. Yet the mechanism underlying spatial cue-directed cell polarization is not fully understood. Here, we show that Rsr1 associates with Bem1, a scaffold protein, preferentially in its GDP-bound state in early G1. This interaction involves a part of the Bem1 Phox homology (PX) domain, which overlaps with a region previously shown to interact with Exo70, an exocyst component. Furthermore, overexpression of the constitutively GDP-bound Rsr1 interferes with Bem1’s association with Exo70 and inhibits Bem1-dependent Exo70 polarization. We propose that Rsr1 plays a delicate role in coordination of spatial and temporal regulation of polarity establishment via its GTP- and GDP-bound states.
Gaussian Process Based Heteroscedastic Noise Modeling for Tumor Mutation Burden Prediction from Whole Slide Images
Authors: Park Sunho , Xu Hongming , Hwang Tae Hyun
Published: February 2019

Tumor mutation burden (TMB) is a quantitative measurement of how many mutations present in tumor cells from a patient tumor as assessed by next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology. High TMB is used as a predictive biomarker to select patients that likely respond to immunotherapy in many cancer types, thus it is critical to accurately measure TMB for cancer patients who need to receive the immunotherapy. Recent studies showed that image features from histopathology whole slide images can be used to predict genetic features (e.g., mutation status) or clinical outcome of cancer patients. In this study, we develop a computational method to predict the TMB level from cancer patients’ histopathology whole slide images. The prediction problem is formulated as multiple instance learning (MIL) because a whole slide image (a bag) has to be divided into multiple image blocks (instances) due to computational reasons but a single label is available only to an entire whole slide image not to each image block. In particular, we propose a novel heteroscedastic noise model for MIL based on the framework of Gaussian process (GP), where the noise variance is assumed to be a latent function of image level features. This noise variance can encode the confidence in predicting the TMB level from each training image and make the method to put different levels of effort to classify images according to how difficult each image can be correctly classified. The method tries to fit an easier image well while it does not put much effort in classifying a harder (ambiguous) image correctly. Expectation and propagation (EP) is employed to efficiently infer our model and to find the optimal hyper-parameters. We have demonstrated from synthetic and real-world data sets that our method outperforms on TMB prediction from whole slide images base-line methods, including a special case of our method that does not include the heteroscedastic noise modeling and multiple instance ordinal regression (MIOR) that is one of few algorithms to solve ordinal regression in the MIL setting.
Objective Assessment of Beat Quality in Transcranial Doppler Measurement of Blood Flow Velocity in Cerebral Arteries
Authors: Jalaleddini Kian , Canac Nicolas , Thorpe Samuel G. , Delay Benjamin , Dorn Amber Y. , Scalzo Fabien , Thibeault Corey M. , Wilk Seth , Hamilton Robert B.
Published: February 2019

Objective

Transcranial Doppler (TCD) ultrasonography measures pulsatile cerebral blood flow velocity in the arteries and veins of the head and neck. Similar to other real-time measurement modalities, especially in healthcare, the identification of high quality signals is essential for clinical interpretation. Our goal is to identify poor quality beats and remove them prior to further analysis of the TCD signal.

Methods

We selected objective features for this purpose including Euclidean distance between individual and average beat waveform, cross-correlation between individual and average beat waveform, ratio of the high frequency power to the total beat power, beat length, and variance of the diastolic portion of the beat waveform. We developed an iterative outlier detection algorithm to identify and remove the beats that are different from others in a recording. Finally, we tested the algorithm on a dataset consisting of more than 16 hours of TCD data recorded from 48 stroke and 35 in-hospital control subjects.

Results

We assessed the performance of the algorithm in estimating clinically important TCD parameters by comparison to those identified from beats hand-annotated by an expert. The results show that there is strong correlation between the two that delineates the algorithm has successfully recovered clinically important features. We obtained significant improvement in estimating the TCD parameters using the algorithm accepted beats compared to using all beats (r>0.78, p<0.01).

Significance

Our algorithm provides a valuable tool to the clinicians for automated detection of the reliable portion of the data. Moreover, it can be used as a pre-processing tool to improve the data quality for machine learning algorithms for automated diagnosis of pathologic beat waveform.
Intra- and Inter-Specific Investigations of Skeletal DNA Methylation and Femur Morphology in Primates
Authors: Housman Genevieve , Quillen Ellen E. , Stone Anne C.
Published: February 2019

Objectives

Epigenetic mechanisms influence the development and maintenance of complex phenotypes and may also contribute to the evolution of species-specific phenotypes. With respect to skeletal traits, little is known about the gene regulation underlying these hard tissues or how tissue-specific patterns are associated with bone morphology or vary among species. To begin exploring these topics, this study evaluates one epigenetic mechanism, DNA methylation, in skeletal tissues from five nonhuman primate species which display anatomical and locomotor differences representative of their phylogenetic groups.

Materials and Methods

First, we test whether intra-specific variation in skeletal DNA methylation is associated with intra-specific variation in femur morphology. Second, we identify inter-specific differences in DNA methylation and assess whether these lineage-specific patterns may have contributed to species-specific morphologies. Specifically, we use the Illumina Infinium MethylationEPIC BeadChip to identify DNA methylation patterns in femur trabecular bone from baboons (n=28), macaques (n=10), vervets (n=10), chimpanzees (n=4), and marmosets (n=6).

Results

Significant differentially methylated positions (DMPs) were associated with a subset of morphological variants, but these likely have small biological effects and may be confounded by other variables associated with morphological variation. Conversely, several species-specific DMPs were identified, and these are found in genes enriched for functions associated with complex skeletal traits.

Discussion

Overall, these findings reveal that while intra-specific epigenetic variation is not readily associated with skeletal morphology differences, some inter-specific epigenetic differences in skeletal tissues exist and may contribute to evolutionarily distinct phenotypes. This work forms a foundation for future explorations of gene regulation and skeletal trait evolution in primates.
The carboxyl-terminal sequence of Bim enables Bax activation and killing of unprimed cells
Authors: Chi Xiaoke , Nguyen Dang , Pemberton James M , Osterlund Elizabeth J , Liu Qian , Brahmbhatt Hetal , Zhang Zhi , Lin Jialing , Leber Brian , Andrews David W.
Published: February 2019

The Bcl-2 family BH3 protein Bim promotes apoptosis at mitochondria by activating the pore forming proteins Bax and Bak and by inhibiting the anti-apoptotic proteins Bcl-XL, Bcl-2 and Mcl-1. Bim binds to these proteins via its BH3 domain and to the mitochondrial membrane by a carboxyl-terminal sequence (CTS). In cells killed by Bim, the expression of a Bim mutant in which the CTS was deleted (BimL-dCTS) triggered variable amounts of apoptosis that correlated with inhibition of anti-apoptotic proteins being sufficient to permeabilize mitochondria isolated from the same cells. Detailed analysis of the molecular mechanism demonstrated that BimL-dCTS inhibited Bcl-XL but did not activate Bax. Our examination of additional point mutants unexpectedly revealed that the CTS of Bim is required for physiological concentrations of Bim to activate Bax and that different residues in the CTS enable Bax activation and binding to membranes.
Conditional Prediction of RNA Secondary Structure Using NMR Chemical Shifts
Authors: Zhang Kexin , Frank Aaron T.
Published: February 2019

Inspired by methods that utilize chemical-mapping data to guide secondary structure prediction, we sought to develop a framework for using assigned chemical shift data to guide RNA secondary structure prediction. We first used machine learning to develop classifiers which predict the base-pairing status of individual residues in an RNA based on their assigned chemical shifts. Then, we used these base-pairing status predictions as restraints to guide RNA folding algorithms. Our results showed that we could recover the correct secondary folds for nearly all of the 108 RNAs in our dataset with remarkable accuracy. Finally, we assessed whether we could conditionally predict the structure of the model RNA, microRNA-20b (miR-20b), by folding it using folding restraints derived from chemical shifts associated with two distinct conformational states, one a free (apo) state and the other a protein-bound (holo) state. For this test, we found that by using folding restraints derived from chemical shifts, we could recover the two distinct structures of the miR-20b, confirming our ability to conditionally predict its secondary structure. A command-line tool for Chemical Shifts to Base-Pairing Status (CS2BPS) predictions in RNA has been incorporated into our CS2Structure Git repository and can be accessed via: https://github.com/atfrank/CS2Structure.
Single molecule real time (SMRT) full length RNA-sequencing reveals novel and distinct mRNA isoforms in human bone marrow cell subpopulations
Authors: Mays Anne Deslattes , Schmidt Marcel O. , Graham Garrett T. , Tseng Elizabeth , Baybayan Primo , Sebra Robert , Sanda Miloslav , Mazarati Jean-Baptiste , Riegel Anna T. , Wellstein Anton
Published: February 2019

Hematopoietic cells are continuously replenished from progenitor cells that reside in the bone marrow. To evaluate molecular changes during this process, we analyzed the transcriptomes of freshly harvested human bone marrow progenitor (lineage-negative) and differentiated (lineage-positive) cells by single molecule, real time (SMRT) full length RNA sequencing. This analysis revealed a ∼5-fold higher number of transcript isoforms than previously detected and showed a distinct composition of individual transcript isoforms characteristic for bone marrow subpopulations. A detailed analysis of mRNA isoforms transcribed from the ANXA1 and EEF1A1 loci confirmed their distinct composition. The expression of proteins predicted from the transcriptome analysis was validated by mass spectrometry and validated previously unknown protein isoforms predicted e.g. for EEF1A1. These protein isoforms distinguished the lineage negative cell population from the lineage positive cell population. Finally, transcript isoforms expressed from paralogous gene loci (e.g. CFD, GATA2, HLA-A, B & C) also distinguished cell subpopulations but were only detectable by full length RNA sequencing. Thus, qualitatively distinct transcript isoforms from individual genomic loci separate bone marrow cell subpopulations indicating complex transcriptional regulation and protein isoform generation during hematopoiesis.
Improved discovery of genetic interactions using CRISPRiSeq across multiple environments
Authors: Jaffe Mia , Dziulko Adam , Smith Justin D. , St.Onge Robert P. , Levy Sasha F. , Sherlock Gavin
Published: February 2019

Large-scale genetic interaction (GI) screens in yeast have been invaluable for our understanding of molecular systems biology and for characterizing novel gene function. Owing in part to the high costs and long experiment times required, a preponderance of GI data has been generated in a single environmental condition. However, an unknown fraction of GIs may be specific to other conditions. Here, we developed a pooled-growth CRISPRi-based sequencing assay for GIs, CRISPRiSeq, which increases throughput such that GIs can be easily assayed across multiple growth conditions. We assayed the fitness of approximately 17,000 strains encompassing approximately 7700 pairwise interactions in five conditions and found that the additional conditions increased the number of GIs detected nearly threefold over the number detected in rich media alone. In addition, we found that condition-specific GIs are prevalent and improved the power to functionally classify genes. Finally, we found new links during respiratory growth between members of the Ras nutrient–sensing pathway and both the COG complex and a gene of unknown function. Our results highlight the potential of conditional GI screens to improve our understanding of cellular genetic networks.
M-BLANK: a program for the fitting of X-ray fluorescence spectra
Authors: Crawford Andrew M. , Deb Aniruddha , Penner-Hahn James E.
Published: February 2019

The X-ray fluorescence data from X-ray microprobe and nanoprobe measurements must be fitted to obtain reliable elemental maps. The most common approach in many fitting programs is to initially remove a per-pixel baseline. Using X-ray fluorescence data of yeast and glial cells, it is shown that per-pixel baselines can result in significant, systematic errors in quantitation and that significantly improved data can be obtained by calculating an average blank spectrum and subtracting this from each pixel.
Designing a hybrid cloud for a supply chain network of Industry 4.0: a theoretical framework
Authors: Sundarakani Balan , Kamran Rukshanda , Maheshwari Piyush , Jain Vipul
Published: February 2019

Purpose

Supply chain is the area that requires effective and integrated means of communication, shared risk, collaboration and orchestration in order to work successfully and the cloud computing has lot to offer to this domain. Cloud computing has appeared as a modern paradigm in supply chain networks for creating intelligent industries of future. The purpose of this paper is to propose a framework that can transform supply chain stakeholders toward Industry 4.0.

Design/methodology/approach

Cloud computing is attributed with increasing competitiveness by focusing on cost reduction, greater elasticity, flexibility and maximum utilization of resources which results in successfully achieving business goals. This paper proposes a Hybrid Supply Chain Cloud model, which integrates the infrastructure, the resources and the configurations of platforms.

Findings

This research paper is aimed at proposing a hybrid cloud that essentially helps in integrating the supply chain network with the flexibility and efficiency. It is important that a supply chain network adds value to ensure customer satisfaction and this can be best achieved by collaborating it with hybrid cloud.

Research limitations/implications

This research provides a consistent central management and comprehensive view of all computing resources, which gives organizations the knowledge they need to optimize workload placement.

Practical implications

The findings derived from this research aim to facilitate policy makers and practitioners to develop effective courses of action in current and future supply chain management. Therefore, upon implementation, this model can provide long-term benefits for the organizations by improving the overall efficiency of its supply chain network.

Originality/value

The proposed hybrid cloud will provide deep level of integration in Industry 4.0 situation and thereby brought up portable comprehensive infrastructure based on resources and required configuration in real-time environment.
Measuring university efficiency
Authors: Duan Sophia Xiaoxia
Published: February 2019

Purpose

Public universities worldwide are under growing pressure to increase efficiency. Understanding how teaching and research contribute to the overall efficiency of university operations is of great importance for universities to improve their performance. This paper aims to discuss this issue.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper adopts a holistic approach to evaluate university efficiency from three perspectives including overall university operations efficiency, university teaching efficiency and university research efficiency. It applies the technique of data envelopment analysis to 36 Australian universities during the period 2011–2015 to evaluate their relative efficiency from these three perspectives. A strategic group analysis is further conducted for exploring the source of inefficiency of an individual university in its respective strategic group.

Findings

This study reveals that Australian universities maintain a comparatively high level of efficiency in terms of overall operations and research during the period 2011–2015. Teaching efficiency, however, is underwhelming during this period. It further shows that universities with low efficiency seeking to improve their overall operations efficiency can allocate the limited resource to teaching instead of research.

Practical implications

This study is crucial to both Australian government and Australian universities. The government is provided with the information about the optimum performance levels for universities under certain fixed resource. As a result, resources or funding can be allocated based on the performance ranking. The efficiency information is also in demand among Australian universities. In order to successfully strive for more funding from the federal government in an environment of increased competition, universities need to not only know their relative position among their peers, but also get guidelines on how to improve their performance.

Originality/value

The novelty of this study lies in the decomposing of efficiency models to identify inefficiencies in university operations. Such a study provides individual universities with valuable information on how they can make full use of their resources to improve their efficiency in an increasingly competitive environment.
Transit advertising in corporate branding: a multilevel study
Authors: Ngan Henrique F. Boyol , Yang Fiona X.
Published: February 2019

Purpose

The purpose of the present study is to examine the effectiveness of tourist shuttle bus advertising for the corporate brand image of gaming and hospitality operators.

Design/methodology/approach

Grounded in the theoretical framework of Message Response Involvement (MRI) theory, a multilevel design with hierarchical modeling was adopted to examine the hypothesized paths between consumers’ message processing components and corporate brand equity. The moderating effects of shuttle bus design were also investigated. The data were collected via a self-administered questionnaire from 595 tourists visiting Macao.

Findings

The results indicated that advertising effectiveness (i.e., corporate brand equity) was largely dependent on consumers’ motivation and ability to process information. When design was included as a moderator, it enhanced the influence of consumers’ motivation to process information on advertising effectiveness.

Research limitations/implications

The findings highlight the importance of tourist shuttle buses as an advertising platform in the hospitality and gaming industry and depict important aspects of consumers and executional cues that corporations should focus on improving shuttle bus advertising effectiveness.

Originality/value

This study examines an underexplored, yet frequently used, advertising channel – the shuttle bus. Specifically, it offers a better understanding of transit advertising effectiveness from the corporate level (design) and individual level (consumers’ motivation, ability and opportunity) in the tourism and hospitality industry.
Supply chain management and organizational performance: the resonant influence
Authors: Duong Binh An Thi , Truong Huy Quang , Sameiro Maria , Sampaio Paulo , Fernandes Ana Cristina , Vilhena Estela , Bui Loan Thi Cam , Yadohisa Hiroshi
Published: February 2019

Purpose

A single supply chain management (SCM) practice will have a certain impact on organizational performance (OP). However, since it is placed in a system that many other practices are conducted simultaneously, the practice itself will interact with other ones (i.e. affect/be affected). As a consequence, the efficiency of the affected practice is increased and it is expected to maximize the impact of SCM practices on OP. This mechanism is named the “resonant” influence that is a new approach in the SCM literature. The purpose of this paper is to test the above mechanism toward an insight into the relationship between SCM and OP.

Design/methodology/approach

Two models were compared: the competitive models only exist in direct effects; and the other contains relationships between practices that are able to show the mechanism of the resonant influence, i.e. the hypothetical model. A data set gained from Vietnamese garment enterprises was used to validate the mechanism of the resonant influence.

Findings

Empirical evidence from Vietnamese garment sector showed that the competitive models could explain 42.8, 26.3 and 34 percent variance of operational performance, customer satisfaction and financial performance, respectively. In the meantime, the hypothetical model containing the resonant influence is capable to explain 69.5, 33.1 and 57.3 percent. For the impact of each SCM practice on OP, all relationships in the hypothetical model are also greater than those in competitive ones. These results supported the mechanism of the resonant influence.

Research limitations/implications

This research provides an insight into the relationship between SCM practices and OP. By the resonant influence, the effectiveness of each affected SCM practice itself is magnified and OP is also increased remarkably.

Practical implications

Understanding the resonant influence, companies can apply this mechanism to enhance effectiveness of SCM practices at the lowest cost. To this end, the SCM practices should be implemented simultaneously as an integrated system rather than independent ones and the structural model proposed in this study is able to be used as “a guide map” for applying this mechanism.

Originality/value

This is one of pioneer empirical studies in the SCM literature that proposed and validated the concept of “resonant influence.”
A decade of Finnish engineering education for sustainable development
Authors: Takala Annina , Korhonen-Yrjänheikki Kati
Published: February 2019

Purpose

The paper aims to examine the current status and development of sustainable development in Finnish engineering education.

Design/methodology/approach

The study consists of interviews with key stakeholders supplemented with the analysis of documented material. Development is discussed in relation to the findings of collaborative strategy process in the year 2009.

Findings

The paper observes that the Finnish universities providing engineering education are committed to sustainable development in their strategies. However, a lot of work remains to be done before the strategies are implemented and sustainable development is integrated to all degree programs. Explicit knowledge and individual learning in clearly defined disciplinary boundaries have been the main focus of engineering education.

Practical implications

The paper suggests that engineers need to be provided with mental tools to cope with uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity. Key competencies include holistic understanding, communication and collaboration skills, ability and willingness for critical and reflective thinking, creativity, innovativeness and entrepreneurship. Thus, collaborative learning, open dialogue and innovation are at the heart of education for sustainable development.

Originality/value

This paper has a relatively wide approach as it analyses sustainable development in the context of Finnish engineering education both on institutional and societal levels and is based on a national project.
Displacement through incarceration: an opportunity for personal re-engagement
Authors: Eades David N.
Published: February 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to highlight that interpersonal relations within a visits venue in a carceral space can be restorative. This provides implications for staff working in institutions to support a visits programme to assist those incarcerated.

Design/methodology/approach

The experiences of those formerly incarcerated are captured through an ethnography of engagement by way of semi-structured interviews and field notes. In methodology it draws upon the fields of criminology and prison sociology, and in particular using an ethnographic approach within the field of Carceral Geography.

Findings

Interpersonal relationships developed, with a “significant other” within the liminality of displacement, are therapeutic in nature and potentially contribute to ongoing healthier relationships than previously experienced, once a person is released from incarceration. These also assist those incarcerated transition into the community when released.

Research limitations/implications

The sample within the study was only small, did not include the impact of family members, nor the impact of not having visitors upon people who are incarcerated. The feedback received was all positive. Other people might have had alternative experiences that were not captured in this study.

Practical implications

A practical outcome of this research is to encourage the development of interpersonal relationships and the reconstruction of social networks for those incarcerated as a means of early intervention for their recovery and future progress reintegrating back into society.

Social implications

The impact of a significant other helps those formerly incarcerated to value the importance of close supportive relationships in contributing to the lives of others socially.

Originality/value

Assisting those incarcerated develop a relationship with a significant other provides a unique protective element as a social intervention. Staff within institutions have a unique role within their service to facilitate visitors and to encourage those incarcerated to connect with a significant other so as to help their mental health, support their general well-being and give them hope for the future.
Factors affecting the efficacy of the Australian indigenous business exemption
Authors: Storey Matthew
Published: February 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to describe a qualitative research project that investigated factors leading to the very low use of the Australian Commonwealth Government’s indigenous business exemption (IBE), particularly from 2011 to 2015.

Design/methodology/approach

The project involved interviews with 12 selected stakeholders from Indigenous firms, procuring agencies and policy designers, which took place in 2016.

Findings

Analysis of the interviews suggested that poor use of the IBE was primarily attributed to risk aversion inside government and limited communication of the existence of the policy outside government.

Originality/value

A range of other factors and methods of overcoming these problems are also identified; principal amongst these is the need for procuring agencies to engage with Indigenous suppliers in a coordinated and deliberate fashion.
The effect of brand authenticity on consumer–brand relationships
Authors: Oh Hyunjoo , Prado Paulo Henrique Muller , Korelo Jose Carlos , Frizzo Francielle
Published: February 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to explore the impact of brand authenticity on forming self-reinforcing assets (enticing-the-self, enriching-the-self and enabling-the-self), which subsequently influence the brand-self connectedness and consumers’ behavioral intentions.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors surveyed 347 consumers in the USA and Brazil and used structural equation modeling to test the relationship among brand authenticity, self-reinforcing assets, brand-self connectedness and behavioral intentions.

Findings

Brand authenticity was found to influence the self-reinforcing assets. In turn, the self-reinforcing assets promoted closeness toward the brand, thereby increasing the behavioral intentions of consumers to buy a product, visit a store/website in the future and recommend the brand to other people.

Practical implications

Marketing practitioners can use these results to promote better brand positioning by considering brand authenticity as a key factor in how consumers cognitively assess brands.

Originality/value

This paper shows that brand authenticity is a key antecedent of consumer–brand self-reinforcing assets.
Softening the hierarchy: the role of student agency in building learning organisations
Authors: Hill Stephanie
Published: February 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the role of student agency in building learning organisations (LOs) based on a case study of a student learning community (SLC) model that incorporates learning-centred dialogue between students and teachers.

Design/methodology/approach

The case study adopted a multi-phase design involving multiple perspectives. Data were collected using questionnaires and semi-structured interviews following student and teacher involvement in two classroom events and subsequent dialogic encounters.

Findings

Key insights emerged demonstrating the value of the SLC model in creating conditions that support LOs by enabling pedagogical spaces where students and teachers learn together, as well as the need for this model to encompass marginal voices and negotiate alternative approaches to accountability.

Research limitations/implications

This small-scale case study was based on a purposive sample of 10 teachers and 14 students from a single school setting in England. Therefore, there are limitations in generalising results to other contexts. Furthermore, the use of self-report measures to examine this case limits analysis of the case study conditions.

Practical implications

The investigation provides insight into the implementation of this model through a consideration of teacher–student relationships, guidelines for dialogic encounters, training in student-led lessons and observations, as well as factors concerning the inclusivity and authenticity of this approach.

Originality/value

Growing interest in student agency emphasises the importance of further investigation into initiatives aiming to develop meaningful student involvement. This paper provides new perspectives on the insights generated by the SLC model in order to support the development of student agency models in other schools.
Skill India initiative – implications for the hospitality sector in India
Authors: Munjal Sandeep , Tiwari Shweta
Published: February 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide an introduction to the Indian government’s “skill India” initiative, the scale of the task, progress to-date, the rationale for the theme issue question and the approach taken by the theme editors, their writing team and the wider stakeholders who contributed their insights to analysis and the generation of recommendations.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper draws on prior research related to the skilled labour challenge and explores issues identified by hospitality industry leaders and other key stakeholders. The skill India initiative led by the central government aims to resolve the skills gap, and this paper establishes the context of the theme issue by presenting a macro-view of the labour supply deficiency that the sector faces and the impact the initiative has made to-date.

Findings

The paper profiles the approach adopted by the theme authors and their writing team in relation to the strategic question.

Practical implications

The theme issue draws extensively from the experiences of industry, training partners and government agencies and institutions, and it reflects their varied perspectives. The research has implications for all stakeholders as they work to find solutions to key issues and challenges around the effective implementation of the skill India mission.

Originality/value

This research identifies some of the issues that are affecting the impact and success of the skill India initiative, and it provides recommendations for government, NGOs, training partners and industry to improve the outcomes of the programmes on offer.
It is not just about paying your dues: Impact of generational cohort on active and passive union participation
Authors: Smith Christopher , Duxbury Linda , Halinski Michael
Published: February 2019

The lack of a validated measure of active–passive union participation and a dearth of research into the relationship between generational cohort and union participation challenge union leaders to develop policies and practices to facilitate union renewal. We address these issues by (a) developing a multidimensional measure of union participation that captures both active and passive components, (b) using structural equation modelling to validate the measure within a nomological framework, and (c) investigating the impact of generational cohort on all paths in our framework. Data from members of a large American union confirm that generational cohort influences how union members participate in their union. The two‐factor measure developed in this study facilitates research into antecedents and outcomes of passive and active union participation. Our findings should also prove useful to unions seeking to increase participation within their membership, academics researching unions and generational cohort, and human resource practitioners operating in unionised environments.