bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Neuro-Ophthalmology: Transitioning From Old to New Models of Health Care Delivery
Authors: Frohman Larry P.
Published: May 2017

In contradiction to fundamental laws of supply and demand, 2 decades of payment policies have led to some medical specialties experiencing declines in both manpower and reimbursement. This paradox has resulted in increasingly long wait times to see some specialists, some specialties becoming less attractive to potential trainees, and a dearth of new trainees entering these fields. Evolving models of health care delivery hold the promise of increasing patient access to most providers and may diminish costs and improve outcomes for most patients/conditions. However, patients who need care in understaffed fields may, in the future, be unable to quickly access a specialist with the requisite expertise. Impeding the sickest and most complex patients from seeing physicians with appropriate expertise may lead to increased costs and deleterious outcomes—consequences contrary to the goals of health care reform. To ensure appropriate access for these patients requires 2 conditions: 1. Compensation models that do not discourage trainees from pursuing nonprocedural specialties, and 2. A care delivery model that expediently identifies and routes these patients to the appropriate specialist.
Processes on the emergent landscapes of biochemical reaction networks and heterogeneous cell population dynamics: differentiation in living matters
Authors: Huang Sui , Li Fangting , Zhou Joseph X. , Qian Hong
Published: May 2017

The notion of an attractor has been widely employed in thinking about the nonlinear dynamics of organisms and biological phenomena as systems and as processes. The notion of a landscape with valleys and mountains encoding multiple attractors, however, has a rigorous foundation only for closed, thermodynamically non-driven, chemical systems, such as a protein. Recent advances in the theory of nonlinear stochastic dynamical systems and its applications to mesoscopic reaction networks, one reaction at a time, have provided a new basis for a landscape of open, driven biochemical reaction systems under sustained chemostat. The theory is equally applicable not only to intracellular dynamics of biochemical regulatory networks within an individual cell but also to tissue dynamics of heterogeneous interacting cell populations. The landscape for an individual cell, applicable to a population of isogenic non-interacting cells under the same environmental conditions, is defined on the counting space of intracellular chemical compositionsx= (x1,x2, … ,xN) in a cell, wherexℓis the concentration of the ℓth biochemical species. Equivalently, for heterogeneous cell population dynamicsxℓis the number density of cells of the ℓth cell type. One of the insights derived from the landscape perspective is that the life history of an individual organism, which occurs on the hillsides of a landscape, is nearly deterministic and ‘programmed’, while population-wise an asynchronous non-equilibrium steady state resides mostly in the lowlands of the landscape. We argue that a dynamic ‘blue-sky’ bifurcation, as a representation of Waddington's landscape, is a more robust mechanism for a cell fate decision and subsequent differentiation than the widely pictured pitch-fork bifurcation. We revisit, in terms of the chemostatic driving forces upon active, living matter, the notions of near-equilibrium thermodynamic branches versus far-from-equilibrium states. The emergent landscape perspective permits a quantitative discussion of a wide range of biological phenomena as nonlinear, stochastic dynamics.
Expanding the substrates for a bacterial hydrogenlyase reaction
Authors: Lamont Ciaran M , Kelly Ciarán L , Pinske Constanze , Buchanan Grant , Palmer Tracy , Sargent Frank
Published: May 2017

Escherichia coli produces enzymes dedicated to hydrogen metabolism under anaerobic conditions. In particular, a formate hydrogenlyase (FHL) enzyme is responsible for the majority of hydrogen gas produced under fermentative conditions. FHL comprises a formate dehydrogenase (encoded by fdhF) linked directly to [NiFe]-hydrogenase-3 (Hyd-3), and formate is the only natural substrate known for proton reduction by this hydrogenase. In this work, the possibility of engineering an alternative electron donor for hydrogen production has been explored. Rational design and genetic engineering led to the construction of a fusion between Thermotoga maritima ferredoxin (Fd) and Hyd-3. The Fd-Hyd-3 fusion was found to evolve hydrogen when co-produced with T. maritima pyruvate :: ferredoxin oxidoreductase (PFOR), which links pyruvate oxidation to the reduction of ferredoxin. Analysis of the key organic acids produced during fermentation suggested that the PFOR/Fd-Hyd-3 fusion system successfully diverted pyruvate onto a new pathway towards hydrogen production.
Evolution of Hierarchy in Bacterial Metabolic Networks
Authors: Goodman Aaron , Feldman Marcus
Published: May 2017

Background

In self-organized systems, the concept of flow hierarchy is a useful way to characterize the movement of information throughout a network. Hierarchical network organizations are shown to arise when there is a cost of maintaining links in the network. A similar constraint exists in metabolic networks, where costs come from reduced efficiency of nonspecific enzymes or from producing unnecessary enzymes. Previous analyses of bacterial metabolic networks have been used to predict the minimal nutrients that a bacterium needs to grow, its mutualistic relationships with other bacteria, and its major ecological niche. Using flow hierarchy, we can also infer the tradeoffs between growth rate and metabolic efficiency that bacteria make given their environmental constraints.

Results

Using a comparative approach on 2,935 bacterial metabolic networks, we show that flow hierarchy in bacterial metabolic networks tracks a fundamental tradeoff between growth rate and biomass production, and reflects a bacterium’s realized ecological strategy. Additionally, by inferring the ancestral metabolic networks, we find that hierarchy decreases with distance from the root of the tree, suggesting the important pressure of increased growth rate relative to efficiency in the face of competition.

Conclusions

Just as hierarchical character is an important structural property in efficiently engineered systems, it also evolves in self-organized bacterial metabolic networks, reflects the life-history strategies of those bacteria, and plays an important role in network organization and efficiency.
Duplication and Sub/neofunctionalization ofmalvolio, an Insect Homolog ofnramp, in the Subsocial BeetleNicrophorus vespilloides
Authors: Mehlferber Elijah C. , Benowitz Kyle M. , Roy-Zokan Eilleen M. , McKinney Elizabeth C. , Cunningham Christopher B. , Moore Allen J.
Published: May 2017

Gene duplication has long been thought to play a facilitating role in evolution. With growing numbers of sequenced genomes, increasing numbers of duplicate genes are uncovered with unknown functions. Here we examinemalvolio, a gene involved in heavy metal transport but that also affects behavior in honey bees andDrosophila. There is only one copy of malvolio in honey bees and Drosophila despite its different roles. A phylogenetic analysis in insects suggests thatmalvoliohas duplicated multiple times in different orders. To test if the two copies might have different functions, we examined expression levels ofmalvolioin brain, fat bodies, Malpighian tubules, midgut, ovaries, testes and thoracic musculature in the beetleNicrophorus vespilloides. We found thatmvl1was expressed in all tissues, with highest expression in fat bodies and relatively lower expression in testes, Malpighian tubules, and brain, and ovaries. Expression ofmvl2differed, with significant expression only seen in brain and midgut. Becausemalvoliohas been implicated in behavior, and these beetles have highly developed parenting behavior, we next examined expression during different behavioral states including virgin, mating, preparing resources for offspring, feeding offspring and post care. We found differing expression patterns for the two copies, withmvl1increasing in expression during resource preparation and feeding offspring, andmvl2decreasing in these same states. Given these patterns of expression, we suggest thatmalvolioinN. vespilloideshas experienced sub/neofunctionalization following its duplication, and is evolving differing and tissue-specific roles in behavior and physiology.
Towards an understanding of spiral patterning in theSargassum muticumshoot apex
Authors: Linardić Marina , Braybrook Siobhan A.
Published: May 2017

In plants and parenchymatous brown algae the body arises through the activity of an apical meristem (a niche of cells or a single cell). The meristem produces lateral organs in specific patterns, referred to as phyllotaxis. In plants, two different control mechanisms have been proposed – one is position-dependent and relies on morphogen accumulation at future organ sites whereas the other is a lineage-based system which links phyllotaxis to the apical cell division pattern. Here we examine the apical patterning of the brown alga,Sargassum muticum, which exhibits spiral phyllotaxis (137.5° angle) and an unlinked apical cell division pattern. TheSargassumapex presents characteristics of a self-organising system, similar to plant meristems. We were unable to correlate the plant morphogen auxin with bud positioning in Sargassum, nor could we predict cell wall softening at new bud sites. Our data suggests that inSargassum muticumthere is no connection between phyllotaxis and the apical cell division pattern indicating a position-dependent patterning mechanism may be in place. The underlying mechanisms behind the phyllotactic patterning appear to be distinct from those seen in plants.

The brown algaSargassum muticumdisplays spiral phyllotaxis developed from a position-dependent self-organising mechanism, different from that understood in plants.
Comparative genomics of apomictic root-knot nematodes: hybridization, ploidy, and dynamic genome change
Authors: Szitenberg Amir , Salazar-Jaramillo Laura , Blok Vivian C. , Laetsch Dominik R. , Joseph Soumi , Williamson Valerie M. , Blaxter Mark L. , Lunt David H.
Published: May 2017

The Root-Knot Nematodes (RKN; genus Meloidogyne) are important plant parasites causing substantial agricultural losses. The Meloidogyne incognita group (MIG) of species, most of which are obligatory apomicts (mitotic parthenogens), are extremely polyphagous and important problems for global agriculture. While understanding the genomic basis for their variable success on different crops could benefit future agriculture, analyses of their genomes pose challenges due to complex evolutionary histories that may incorporate hybridization, ploidy changes, and chromosomal fragmentation. Here we sequence 19 genomes, representing five species of key RKN collected from different geographic origins. We show that a hybrid origin that predated speciation within the MIG has resulted in each species possessing two divergent genomic copies. Additionally, the MIG apomicts are hypotriploids, with a proportion of one genome present in a second copy, and this proportion varies among species. The evolutionary history of the MIG genomes is revealed to be very dynamic, with non-crossover recombination both homogenising the genomic copies, and acting as a mechanism for generating divergence between species. Interestingly, the automictic MIG speciesM. floridensisdiffers from the apomict species in that it has become homozygous throughout much of its genome.
Recruitment of a SUMO isopeptidase to rDNA stabilizes silencing complexes by opposing SUMO targeted ubiquitin ligase activity
Authors: Liang Jason , Singh Namit , Carlson Christopher R. , Albuquerque Claudio P. , Corbett Kevin D. , Zhou Huilin
Published: May 2017

Post-translational modification by SUMO (small ubiquitin-like modifier) plays important but still poorly understood regulatory roles in eukaryotic cells, including as a signal for ubiquitination by SUMO targeted ubiquitin ligases (STUbLs). Here, we delineate the molecular mechanisms for SUMO-dependent control of ribosomal DNA (rDNA) silencing through the opposing actions of a STUbL (Slx5:Slx8) and a SUMO isopeptidase (Ulp2). We identify a conserved region in the Ulp2 C terminus that mediates its specificity for rDNA-associated proteins and show that this region binds directly to the rDNA-associated protein Csm1. Two crystal structures show that Csm1 interacts with Ulp2 and one of its substrates, the rDNA silencing protein Tof2, through adjacent conserved interfaces in its C-terminal domain. Disrupting Csm1's interaction with either Ulp2 or Tof2 dramatically reduces rDNA silencing and causes a marked drop in Tof2 abundance, suggesting that Ulp2 promotes rDNA silencing by opposing STUbL-mediated degradation of silencing proteins. Tof2 abundance is rescued by deletion of the STUbL SLX5 or disruption of its SUMO-interacting motifs, confirming that Tof2 is targeted for degradation in a SUMO- and STUbL-dependent manner. Overall, our results demonstrate how the opposing actions of a localized SUMO isopeptidase and a STUbL regulate rDNA silencing by controlling the abundance of a key rDNA silencing protein, Tof2.
Acute inactivation of the replicative helicase in human cells triggers MCM8–9-dependent DNA synthesis
Authors: Natsume Toyoaki , Nishimura Kohei , Minocherhomji Sheroy , Bhowmick Rahul , Hickson Ian D. , Kanemaki Masato T.
Published: May 2017

DNA replication fork progression can be disrupted at difficult to replicate loci in the human genome, which has the potential to challenge chromosome integrity. This replication fork disruption can lead to the dissociation of the replisome and the formation of DNA damage. To model the events stemming from replisome dissociation during DNA replication perturbation, we used a degron-based system for inducible proteolysis of a subunit of the replicative helicase. We show that MCM2-depleted cells activate a DNA damage response pathway and generate replication-associated DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). Remarkably, these cells maintain some DNA synthesis in the absence of MCM2, and this requires the MCM8–9 complex, a paralog of the MCM2–7 replicative helicase. We show that MCM8–9 functions in a homologous recombination-based pathway downstream from RAD51, which is promoted by DSB induction. This RAD51/MCM8–9 axis is distinct from the recently described RAD52-dependent DNA synthesis pathway that operates in early mitosis at common fragile sites. We propose that stalled replication forks can be restarted in S phase via homologous recombination using MCM8–9 as an alternative replicative helicase.
The identification and functional annotation of RNA structures conserved in vertebrates
Authors: Seemann Stefan E. , Mirza Aashiq H. , Hansen Claus , Bang-Berthelsen Claus H. , Garde Christian , Christensen-Dalsgaard Mikkel , Torarinsson Elfar , Yao Zizhen , Workman Christopher T. , Pociot Flemming , Nielsen Henrik , Tommerup Niels , Ruzzo Walter L. , Gorodkin Jan
Published: May 2017

Structured elements of RNA molecules are essential in, e.g., RNA stabilization, localization, and protein interaction, and their conservation across species suggests a common functional role. We computationally screened vertebrate genomes for conserved RNA structures (CRSs), leveraging structure-based, rather than sequence-based, alignments. After careful correction for sequence identity and GC content, we predict ∼516,000 human genomic regions containing CRSs. We find that a substantial fraction of human–mouse CRS regions (1) colocalize consistently with binding sites of the same RNA binding proteins (RBPs) or (2) are transcribed in corresponding tissues. Additionally, a CaptureSeq experiment revealed expression of many of our CRS regions in human fetal brain, including 662 novel ones. For selected human and mouse candidate pairs, qRT-PCR and in vitro RNA structure probing supported both shared expression and shared structure despite low abundance and low sequence identity. About 30,000 CRS regions are located near coding or long noncoding RNA genes or within enhancers. Structured (CRS overlapping) enhancer RNAs and extended 3′ ends have significantly increased expression levels over their nonstructured counterparts. Our findings of transcribed uncharacterized regulatory regions that contain CRSs support their RNA-mediated functionality.
In-house experiential education after the Greek crisis: recessionary effects on experiential learning design and implementation of an effective vocational training
Authors: Azaria Albertos , Valkanos Efthymios , Dukakis Nick
Published: May 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of the Greek recession on the design of adult vocational training through the financial crisis effects on entrepreneurship and, in particular, the significance of the conditions of the in-house experiential learning effective implementation in the new macroeconomic circumstances.

Design/methodology/approach

An overall theoretical approach is attempted through the bibliographic review and the analysis of selected scientific forums’ data.

Findings

The results of the literature review yielded 24 important factors-prerequisites that influence the implementation of in-house experiential adult education. The importance of the in-house experiential learning and the role of adult educators are emphasized in the direction of the essential skills acquisition that shall provide employees and enterprises with intellectual and practical assistance, so that they may adjust to the new macroeconomic environment.

Practical implications

This effort has provided a number of useful proposals to each recipient involved in adult education and training in order to reinforce the support of the business world as much as possible, especially during the time period of recession, and to reduce unemployment.

Originality/value

Starting from the fact that the macroeconomic recession itself constitutes an inevitable experience of an entire social, economic and educational system, the present study attempts a realistic approach of the significance of in-house experiential education and training in the direction of successful adjustment of enterprises, employees, adult educators and the State itself against the challenges of our times.
Measuring trust and commitment in collective actions
Authors: Tadesse Getaw , Kassie Girma Tesfahun
Published: May 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the theoretical and empirical possibility of measuring trust and commitment in collective actions.

Design/methodology/approach

The study employs choice experiments to estimate trust implicitly as opposed to the common practice of measuring trust explicitly. Several experiments were conducted to assess members’ level of trust and commitment to marketing cooperatives in rural Ethiopia.

Findings

The results of the study indicate that significant number of farmers do not yet have trust in their organization and fellow members in both absolute and relative terms. The probability of trust increases when members actively participate in cooperative governance, are less diverse, stay longer in the cooperative, and when cooperatives are older. The authors also learnt that both trust and commitment have indeed improved the performance of farmers’ market organizations. Trust in cooperative is asymmetrically sensitive to incentives and disincentives.

Research limitations/implications

The study implied that research efforts attempting to estimate trust in collective action shall use an implicit measurement and consider the sensitivity of trust to relativeness, incentives and types of transactions.

Practical implications

The findings of this study showed that rural organizations that are established with external help, such as agricultural cooperatives in Africa, seem to struggle to earn the trust of their current and potential members. This implies that given the effectiveness and persistence of informal rural organizations emerged through mutual trust, cooperatives must be organized either through informal ways as trust-based organizations or based on cooperative business principles of voluntarism and independence.

Originality/value

This paper employs the behaviorally appealing choice experiment approach to capture the different aspects of trust such as relativism, sensitivity of trust to incentive and types of transactions in smallholder producers’ organizations.
Love thy neighbor – religion and prosociality
Authors: Heineck Guido
Published: May 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between religious involvement and attitudinal (importance of helping others and of being socially active) and behavioral components of prosociality (volunteering, charitable giving, and blood donations) in Germany.

Design/methodology/approach

The empirical analyses are based on representative, longitudinal data from the German Socio-Economic Panel, which allows avoiding issues of reverse causality.

Findings

The results suggest for a moderate, positive link between individuals’ religious involvement as measured by church affiliation and church attendance and the prosociality aspects addressed. Despite the historic divide in religion, the results in West and East Germany do not differ substantially in terms of the underlying mechanisms.

Originality/value

The paper complements the growing literature from experimental economics on the relationship between individuals’ religiosity and their prosociality. Based on representative longitudinal data, it contributes by providing evidence for Germany for which there is barely any insight yet and by addressing a wider range of attitudinal and (self-reported) behavioral components of prosociality.
Information system users’ creativity
Authors: Pacauskas Darius , Rajala Risto
Published: May 2017

Purpose

Information technology has been recognized as one of the keys to improved productivity in organizations. Yet, existing research has not paid sufficient attention to how information systems (ISs) influence the creative performance of individual users. The paper aims to discuss this issue.

Design/methodology/approach

This study draws on the theories of flow and cognitive load to establish a model of the predicted influences. The authors hypothesize that the information technology supports creativity by engaging individuals in a creative process and by lowering their cognitive load related to the process. To test these hypotheses, the authors employ a meta-analytical structural equation modeling approach using 24 previous studies on creativity and ISs use.

Findings

The results suggest that factors that help the user to maintain an interest in the performed task, immerse the user in a state of flow, and lower a person’s cognitive load during IS use can affect the user’s creative performance.

Research limitations/implications

The findings imply that a combination of the theories of flow and cognitive load complements the understanding of how ISs influence creativity.

Originality/value

This paper proposes an explanation on why ISs affect creativity, which can be used by scholars to position further research, and by practitioners to implement creativity support systems.
“What if my mum sees it?”
Authors: Marder Ben , Shankar Avi , Houghton David , Joinson Adam
Published: May 2017

Purpose

It is known that to encourage people to interact (e.g. sharing) with brands through social media, businesses create content in line with the expectations of their target audience. On these sites, however, such interaction by consumers is visible, contributing to their self-presentation, which can be seen by their wider network; some of whom will find it appropriate, others may not. Currently, little is known about the effects of consumers’ own diverse set of audiences on behavioral intention toward brand interaction and emotional effect. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

Survey methodology (n=386) was adopted to examine intention to interact with real brand posts.

Findings

Results show that the brand interaction is associated with social anxiety when it is felt that visible evidence of such actions is discrepant from the audience expectations. This, then, constrains the behavioral intention to interact with brands online.

Practical implications

For businesses to maximize brand interactions and minimize social anxiety, they must be mindful of not just the expectations of their target but also consider their target’s own network. For site designers, this research urges for greater refining of privacy tools and suggests the addition of a “Secret Like” option.

Originality/value

Encouraging visible brand interaction through social media is paramount for businesses. Managers focus only on their target audience when designing content but neglect to consider the self-presentational implications of interacting with branded content to wider networks. This paper shows that this must be considered to increase success and maintain ethical practice. This is of value for multiple-stakeholders, managers, users, site designers and academics.
Do entrepreneurial education programs impact the antecedents of entrepreneurial intention?
Authors: Pedrini Matteo , Langella Valentina , Molteni Mario
Published: May 2017

Purpose

Since the number of Entrepreneur Education Programs (EEPs) is constantly increasing, there is an ongoing debate on their effectiveness on entrepreneurial intention, but mixed results were found. This paper aims to analyse the impact of an EEP on the antecedents of the entrepreneurial intention in Ghana.

Design/methodology/approach

Following the theory of planned behaviour, we analysed the impact of the EEP on 30 participants of the “E4impact MBA” managed in Accra (Ghana), using an explanatory approach with a mixed-method quasi-experimental design featuring pre and post-testing as well as methods for measuring students’ self-perceived change.

Findings

Results show that EEPs strongly and positively affect some physiological characteristics, skills, and knowledge of participants, which are antecedents of entrepreneurial intentions.

Originality/value

The study offers a perspective of EEPs programs in a fast-expanding market, covering the lack of studies on entrepreneurship in these areas, and it is focus on a post-graduate program covering the lacks of studies on these level of education.
Entrepreneurial intentions of university students: a case-based study
Authors: Palalić Ramo , Ramadani Veland , Ðilović Arnela , Dizdarević Alina , Ratten Vanessa
Published: May 2017

Purpose

This study aims to examine the entrepreneurial intentions of university students at the International University of Sarajevo. For this purpose, the entrepreneurial desires and entrepreneurial orientations of the students across several demographic variables were measured. These variables included prior entrepreneurial experience, student’s gender, faculty, year of study and attitude towards more courses on entrepreneurship. Nevertheless, the research also examined how business environment influences the entrepreneurial intentions of students by considering the same set of variables.

Design/methodology/approach

The objectives of this paper have been achieved by using a quantitative research instrument, where the cross-sectional survey method for collecting primary data is used. In total, 173 usable responses have been collected from the beginning of April to the end of May in the academic year 2015/2016.

Findings

The results indicate that the greater the demotivation with the current business surrounding, the smaller the entrepreneurial intentions of the students are when the prior entrepreneurial experience, gender, year of study and attitude towards more courses on entrepreneurship are considered. The study suggests that improving the overall business surrounding and entrepreneurial education might increase the entrepreneurial intentions of the students.

Originality/value

This is the first paper that treats entrepreneurial intentions of University students in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Exploring the case for truth and reconciliation in mental health services
Authors: Spandler Helen , McKeown Mick
Published: May 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the case for a truth and reconciliation (T&R) process in the context of mental health services.

Design/methodology/approach

The approach is a conceptual review of T&R approaches; a consideration of why they are important; and how they might be applied in the context of mental health services and psychiatry. First, the paper sets out a case for T&R in psychiatry, giving some recent examples of how this might work in practice. Then it outlines potential objections which complicate any simplistic adoption of T&R in this context.

Findings

In the absence of an officially sanctioned T&R process a grassroots reparative initiative in mental health services may be an innovative bottom-up approach to transitional justice. This would bring together service users, survivors and refusers of services, with staff who work/ed in them, to begin the work of healing the hurtful effects of experiences in the system.

Originality/value

This is the first paper in a peer-reviewed journal to explore the case for T&R in mental health services. The authors describe an innovative T&R process as an important transitional step towards accomplishing reparation and justice by acknowledging the breadth and depth of service user and survivor grievances. This may be a precondition for effective alliances between workers and service users/survivors. As a result, new forms of dialogic communication and horizontal democracy might emerge that could sustain future alliances and prefigure the social relations necessary for more humane mental health services.
Technology and application of shape memory polymers in textiles
Authors: Chakraborty J.N. , Dhaka Priyanka Kumari , Sethi Akshit Vikram , Arif Md
Published: May 2017

Purpose

Shape memory polymers (SMPs) respond with a change in their shape against a specific stimulus by memorizing their original shape and are reformed after deformation most often by changing the temperature of the surrounding without additional mechanical efforts. In the coming years, these polymers indeed will be in limelight to manufacture textile materials which will retain their shape even after prolonged use under disturbed conditions. This study aims at defining shape memory materials and polymers as well as their technological characteristics and also highlights application in various fields of textiles.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology used to explain these SMPs have been carried out starting with the discussion on their properties, their physical nature, types, viz., shape memory alloys (SMAs), shape memory ceramics, shape memory hybrid, magnetic shape memory alloy, shape memory composites, shape memory gels and SMP along with properties of each type. Other related details of these polymers, such as their advantages, structure and mechanism, shape memory functionality, thermally responsive SMPs and applications, have been detailed.

Findings

It has been observed that the SMPs are very important in the fields of wet and melt-spun fibers to offer novel and functional properties, cotton and wool fabric finishing, to produce SMP films, foams and laminated textiles, water vapor permeable and breathable SMP films, etc.

Originality/value

The field of SMPs is new, and very limited information is available to enable their smooth production and handling.
Cultural heritage management under tourism pressure
Authors: Imon Sharif Shams
Published: May 2017

Purpose

This paper aims to bridge the epistemological gap between heritage and tourism in understanding (and describing) the link between what is protected in heritage and what is a sustainable use of heritage as a tourism resource. This is accomplished by focusing on the socio-cultural dimension of heritage.

Design/methodology/approach

Three case studies involving UNESCO World Heritage sites and representing different stages of tourism development from three different developing economies are discussed. The case studies are based on the author’s extensive monitoring and evaluation of World Heritage Site management over the course of a decade, including tourism management, and they feature in-depth discussions with government heritage authorities and with heritage and tourism experts and stakeholders; observation and monitoring activities; and review of policy and project documents, heritage and tourism plans, UNESCO and other professional bodies’ reports and academic research works.

Findings

A symbiotic relationship between the environment, people and economy and the multi-sectoral nature of the tourism industry makes achieving sustainable development goals almost impossible unless there is a coordinated and integrated approach by the all parties involved, especially in culturally and naturally sensitive areas. The spirit of place is used as a conceptual framework in the application of systems. Theories seem to be the way forward for a sustainable management of tourism in such areas.

Originality/value

The paper addresses an important and under-researched aspect of tourism-heritage encounters: How the socio-cultural impacts of tourism affect the value of cultural heritage, especially in the context of developing economies.
The impacts of casino tourism development on Macao residents’ livelihood
Authors: But Jose Wing Pong , Ap John
Published: May 2017

Purpose

The purpose of the study is to examine the livelihood impacts, any inequalities and poverty consequences in the special administration region of Macao, following the liberalization of the gaming industry and the subsequent development of casino resorts.

Design/methodology/approach

A descriptive research design was used, which adopted the case study method to conduct this research study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to identify and gain better understanding of the impacts influencing residents’ livelihoods. Content analysis was used to analyze the data.

Findings

The findings identified and examined the major livelihood impacts affecting local residents, and the recommendations of local residents in addressing these impacts were provided.

Research limitations/implications

The research was conducted as a descriptive cross-sectional study. To fully understand holistically the recent casino development and monitor the likelihood outcomes, a longitudinal study could be undertaken. The unit of analysis for this study was individual residents. Not all stakeholders representing different groups and organizations in the community were included, such as local authorities and community groups.

Originality/value

The result of this paper can provide policy-makers, planners and non-government organizations with a better view of the consequences of casino tourism development. The study will extend our knowledge of casino tourism development and enhance decision-making regarding tourism development that can deliver “real” rather than perceived benefits for all in the community.
Conclusion: managing rapid tourism growth
Authors: Dioko Leonardo (Don) A.N.
Published: May 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this concluding paper is to distill several guiding principles, as to how communities can manage rapid tourism growth, drawn from the collection of articles in this theme issue. The paper provides a concise, grounded case study to anchor the overall conclusion of the theme issue.

Design/methodology/approach

It summarizes the essence of the different articles comprising the issue, identifies their common link to the strategic question and highlights the relevance of each.

Findings

The paper presents six guiding principles for managing rapid tourism growth, ranging from bolstering social support for residents’ livelihood and providing sustainable assistance for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to prioritizing community needs for transportation and mobility. Analytic tools to help mitigate the loss of place, identity and heritage and identify optimum levels of visitor numbers are also described.

Originality/value

The paper underscores problems emanating from rapid tourism growth and seeks to synthesize the disparate ideas on precipitous tourism-induced change by anchoring them largely (but not only) in the specific context of Macao as a highly urbanized city affected by rapid tourism growth.
Reflections on the theme issue outcomes
Authors: Dioko Leonardo (Don) A.N. , Teare Richard
Published: May 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to profile the Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes (WHATT) theme issue ‘How can communities manage rapid tourism growth? The experience of Macao and other destinations?’ with reference to the experiences of the theme editor and writing team.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper uses structured questions to enable the theme editor to reflect on the rationale for the theme issue question, the starting point, the selection of the writing team and material and the editorial process.

Findings

The paper observes that involving authors with different academic and professional backgrounds in fields as diverse as urban planning, economics, transportation and heritage management is daunting but valuable. The outcomes of a broad-ranging collaboration yield fresh insights, a deeper understanding of the issues and an array of possible responses to the theme issue question.

Practical implications

The theme issue outcomes provide lines of enquiry for others to explore and reinforce the value of WHATT’s approach to collaborative working and writing.

Originality/value

The collaborative work reported in this theme issue offers a unified but contrarian response to the theme’s strategic question. Taken together, the collection of articles constitutes a provocative yet authorative call to action in response to the problems highlighted.
Pseudo‐spectral method using rotated staggered grid for elastic wave propagation in 3D arbitrary anisotropic media
Authors: Zou Peng , Cheng Jiubing
Published: May 2017

Staggering grid is a very effective way to reduce the Nyquist errors and to suppress the non‐causal ringing artefacts in the pseudo‐spectral solution of first‐order elastic wave equations. However, the straightforward use of a staggered‐grid pseudo‐spectral method is problematic for simulating wave propagation when the anisotropy level is greater than orthorhombic or when the anisotropic symmetries are not aligned with the computational grids. Inspired by the idea of rotated staggered‐grid finite‐difference method, we propose a modified pseudo‐spectral method for wave propagation in arbitrary anisotropic media. Compared with an existing remedy of staggered‐grid pseudo‐spectral method based on stiffness matrix decomposition and a possible alternative using the Lebedev grids, the rotated staggered‐grid‐based pseudo‐spectral method possesses the best balance between the mitigation of artefacts and efficiency. A 2D example on a transversely isotropic model with tilted symmetry axis verifies its effectiveness to suppress the ringing artefacts. Two 3D examples of increasing anisotropy levels demonstrate that the rotated staggered‐grid‐based pseudo‐spectral method can successfully simulate complex wavefields in such anisotropic formations.
Nitrotoga is selected over Nitrospira in newly assembled biofilm communities from a tap water source community at increased nitrite loading
Authors: Kinnunen Marta , Gülay Arda , Albrechtsen Hans‐Jørgen , Dechesne Arnaud , Smets Barth F.
Published: May 2017

Community assembly is a central topic in microbial ecology: how do assembly processes interact and what is the relative contribution of stochasticity and determinism? Here, we exposed replicate flow‐through biofilm systems, fed with nitrite‐supplemented tap water, to continuous immigration from a source community, present in the tap water, to determine the extent of selection and neutral processes in newly assembled biofilm communities at both the community and the functional guild (of nitrite‐oxidizing bacteria, NOB) levels. The community composition of biofilms assembled under low and high nitrite loading was described after 40 days of complete nitrite removal. The total community assembly, as well as the NOB guild assembly were largely governed by a combination of deterministic and stochastic processes. Furthermore, we observed deterministic enrichment of certain types of NOB in the biofilms. Specifically, elevated nitrite loading selected for a single Nitrotoga representative, while lower nitrite conditions selected for a number of Nitrospira. Therefore, even when focusing on ecologically coherent ensembles, assembly is the result of complex stochastic and deterministic processes that can only be interrogated by observing multiple assemblies under controlled conditions.
‘I just find it boring’: Findings from an affective adolescent reading intervention
Authors: Cockroft Charlotte , Atkinson Cathy
Published: May 2017

Research suggests that reading engagement and motivation are strong predictors of reading performance. Reading motivation may decline as students approach adolescence, resulting in less time spent with text. To date, there has been no research on how practitioners might directly support students to address affective factors in reading. In this exploratory case study, three disengaged, Year 8 readers received five sessions of an affective intervention aimed at helping them explore and challenge their own ambivalence towards reading. Quantitative and qualitative data from pre‐, post‐ and three‐month follow‐up indicated a range of benefits in relation to reading engagement and motivation, including improved self‐efficacy, increased participation and the usefulness of talking about affective factors in reading. Findings are further examined and implications for practitioners are discussed.
Effects of Sorbic Acid‐Chitosan Microcapsules as Antimicrobial Agent on the Properties of Ethylene Vinyl Alcohol Copolymer Film for Food Packaging
Authors: Hu Shuaifeng , Yu Jie , Wang Zhe , Li Li , Du Yunfei , Wang Liping , Liu Yuan
Published: May 2017

This paper discusses the possibility of using sorbic acid‐chitosan microcapsules (S‐MPs) as an antibacterial component of active ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH) film. S‐MPs with a diameter of approximately 1 to 4 μm showed a sorbic acid loading capacity of 46.5%. Addition of S‐MPs (3%, w/w) increased the tensile strength, haze, oxygen, and water vapor barrier properties, as well as reduced the elongations at break and transmittance of S‐MPs‐EVOH (S‐MP‐EVOH) film. Antibacterial tests showed that the inhibitory capacity of S‐MP‐EVOH film against Salmonella Enteritidis and Escherichia coli was higher than that against Listeria monocytogenes. Moreover, the antibacterial effect of sorbic acid‐EVOH (S‐EVOH) film was stronger than that of S‐MP‐EVOH film. However, S‐MP‐EVOH film demonstrated a longer effective time than S‐EVOH film. Using the total viable counts and total volatile base nitrogen as the judgment standard, S‐MP‐EVOH/polyethylene terephthalate (PET) composite film could extend the shelf life of fish fillets by 4 d at 4 °C, compared with EVOH/PET film. For this reason, S‐MP could be a potential antibacterial component of active films.
A comparison of sedimentary DNA and pollen from lake sediments in recording vegetation composition at the Siberian treeline
Authors: Niemeyer Bastian , Epp Laura S. , Stoof‐Leichsenring Kathleen R. , Pestryakova Luidmila A. , Herzschuh Ulrike
Published: May 2017

Reliable information on past and present vegetation is important to project future changes, especially for rapidly transitioning areas such as the boreal treeline. To study past vegetation, pollen analysis is common, while current vegetation is usually assessed by field surveys. Application of detailed sedimentary DNA (sedDNA) records has the potential to enhance our understanding of vegetation changes, but studies systematically investigating the power of this proxy are rare to date. This study compares sedDNA metabarcoding and pollen records from surface sediments of 31 lakes along a north–south gradient of increasing forest cover in northern Siberia (Taymyr peninsula) with data from field surveys in the surroundings of the lakes. sedDNA metabarcoding recorded 114 plant taxa, about half of them to species level, while pollen analyses identified 43 taxa, both exceeding the 31 taxa found by vegetation field surveys. Increasing Larix percentages from north to south were consistently recorded by all three methods and principal component analyses based on percentage data of vegetation surveys and DNA sequences separated tundra from forested sites. Comparisons of the ordinations using procrustes and protest analyses show a significant fit among all compared pairs of records. Despite similarities of sedDNA and pollen records, certain idiosyncrasies, such as high percentages of Alnus and Betula in all pollen and high percentages of Salix in all sedDNA spectra, are observable. Our results from the tundra to single‐tree tundra transition zone show that sedDNA analyses perform better than pollen in recording site‐specific richness (i.e., presence/absence of taxa in the vicinity of the lake) and perform as well as pollen in tracing vegetation composition.
Immune modulator therapy for microscopic colitis in a case series of 73 patients
Authors: Cotter T. G. , Kamboj A. K. , Hicks S. B. , Tremaine W. J. , Loftus E. V. , Pardi D. S.
Published: May 2017

Background

Microscopic colitis (MC) is a common cause of chronic diarrhoea. Various treatment options have been described, but there are limited data describing outcomes of corticosteroid‐sparing treatments.

Aim

To evaluate the outcomes of patients with active MC treated with immune modulators.

Methods

All patients seen at Mayo Clinic, Rochester between January 1, 1997 and November 30, 2016 with a histological diagnosis of MC were identified. Patients treated with an immune modulator of interest were selected and clinical outcomes recorded.

Results

Seventy‐three MC patients (50 collagenous colitis and 23 lymphocytic colitis) with a median disease duration of 24 months (range, 7‐60) were included. The indications for treatment were budesonide‐refractoriness in 66%, budesonide dependence in 29%, and budesonide intolerance in 5%. Median age was 51.8 years (range, 43.4‐63.1) and 61 (84%) were female. Thiopurines were used in 49 patients (67%) for a median of 4 months (range, 1.5‐15). Complete and partial response occurred in 43% and 22% respectively. Adverse effects resulting in therapy cessation occurred in 17 patients (35%). Twelve patients (16%) were treated with methotrexate for a median of 14 months (3‐18.8). Complete and partial response occurred in 58% and 17%, respectively. Anti‐TNF therapy was used in 10 patients (14%) for a median of 4 months (range, 2.3‐5.5). Complete response occurred in four patients and partial response in four patients.

Conclusions

The majority of patients with active MC responded to thiopurines, methotrexate, or anti‐TNF therapy. Larger controlled studies are required to confirm the efficacy and safety of these medications in MC.