bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exercise and angiotensin receptor blockade enhance recovery after orthopaedic trauma in mice by decreasing pain and improving muscle regeneration
Authors: Tawfik Vivianne L. , Quarta Marco , Paine Patrick , Forman Thomas E. , Pajarinen Jukka , Takemura Yoshinori , Goodman Stuart B. , Rando Thomas A. , Clark J. David
Published: September 2019

Chronic pain and disability after limb injury are major public health problems. One key obstacle to addressing these adverse outcomes is that we do not know when exercise should be initiated or whether the beneficial effects of exercise can be reproduced using pharmacological tools. In these studies, we developed and used a murine model of orthopaedic trauma combining tibia fracture and pin fixation with tibialis anterior muscle damage. Behavioral measures included mechanical nociceptive thresholds and distances run on exercise wheels. Bone healing was quantified using microCT scanning, and muscle fiber size distribution as well as fibrosis were followed using immunohistochemistry. We found that the model provided robust mechanical allodynia, fibrosis and a shift to smaller average muscle fiber size lasting up to 5 weeks from injury. We also observed that allowing “late” (weeks 1-2) rather than “early” (weeks 0-1) wheel running after injury resulted in greater overall running activity and greater reversal of allodynia. In parallel, the late running paradigm was also associated with lower levels of muscle fibrosis and a return towards normal muscle fiber diameters. Providing the anti-fibrotic angiotensin receptor blocker losartan to mice in drinking water blocked TGFbeta production while reducing both allodynia and muscle fibrosis. Combining losartan and late exercise provided no additional benefit. We conclude that early healing after orthopaedic trauma must be allowed prior to the initiation of exercise to achieve optimal pain, functional and physiological outcomes. Losartan may provide many of the same pain, functional and physiological outcomes by its regulation of TGFbeta signaling and is a viable candidate for translational studies.

Key points summary

Our tibial fracture orthopaedic injury model in mice recapitulates the major manifestations of complex trauma including nociceptive sensitization, bone fracture, muscle fibrosis and muscle fiber loss.

Delayed exercise after complex orthopaedic trauma results in decreased muscle fibrosis and improved pain

Losartan, an angiotensin-receptor blocker with antifibrotic abilities, recapitulates the effect of exercise on post-injury recovery
ER stress sensor Ire1 deploys a divergent transcriptional program in response to lipid bilayer stress
Authors: Ho Nurulain , Wu Haoxi , Xu Jiaming , Koh Jhee Hong , Yap Wei Sheng , Goh Wilson Wen Bin , Chong Shu Chen , Taubert Stefan , Thibault Guillaume
Published: September 2019

Membrane integrity at the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is tightly regulated and is implicated in metabolic diseases when compromised. Using an engineered sensor that exclusively activates the unfolded protein response (UPR) during aberrant ER membrane lipid composition, we identified pathways beyond lipid metabolism that are necessary to maintain ER integrity in yeast and are conserved in C. elegans. To systematically validate yeast mutants disrupting ER membrane homeostasis, we identified a lipid bilayer stress (LBS) sensing switch in the UPR transducer protein Ire1, located at the interface of the amphipathic and transmembrane helices. Furthermore, transcriptome and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) analyses pinpoint the UPR as a broad-spectrum compensatory pathway in which LBS and proteotoxic stress-induced UPR deploy divergent transcriptional programs. Together, these findings reveal the UPR program as the sum of two independent stress events and could be exploited for future therapeutic intervention.
Position-dependent effects of cytosine methylation onFWAexpression inArabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Srikant Thanvi , Wibowo Anjar , Schwab Rebecca , Weigel Detlef
Published: September 2019

Gene expression can be modulated by epigenetic modifications to chromatin, and variants of the same locus distinguished by fixed, heritable epigenetic differences are known as epialleles. DNA methylation at cytosines is a prominent epigenetic modification, particularly in plant genomes, that can modulate gene expression. There are several examples where epialleles are associated with differentially methylated regions that affect the expression of overlapping or close-by genes. However, there are also many differentially methylated regions that have not been assigned a biological function despite their proximity to genes. We investigated the positional importance of DNA methylation at theFWA (FLOWERING WAGENINGEN)locus inArabidopsis thaliana, a paradigm for stable epialleles. We show that cytosine methylation can be established not only over the well-characterizedSINE-derived repeat elements that overlap with the transcription start site, but also in more distal promoter regions.FWAsilencing, however, is most effective when methylation covers the transcription start site.
Information-based taste maps in insular cortex are shaped by stimulus concentration
Authors: Porcu E , Benz KM , Ball F , Tempelmann C , Hanke M , Noesselt T
Published: September 2019

Taste processing is an essential ability in all animals signaling potential harm or benefit of ingestive behavior. Although the peripheral taste coding is well understood, current evidence for central taste processing remains contradictory. To address this issue, human participants judged pleasantness and intensity of low and high-concentration tastes (salty, sweet, sour, bitter) in two fMRI-experiments. High-resolution fMRI and multivariate pattern analysis were used to characterize taste-related informational content in human gustatory cortex (GC). Clusters within GC were narrowly tuned to specific tastants consistently across tasks. Importantly, taste concentrations completely altered the spatial layout of putative taste-specific maps with distinct, non-overlapping patterns for each taste category at different concentration levels. Together, our results point at population-level representations in human GC as a complex function of taste category and concentration.
Reconstruction of Average Subtracted Tubular Regions (RASTR) Enables Structure Determination of Tubular Filaments by Cryo-EM
Authors: Randolph Peter S. , Stagg Scott M.
Published: September 2019

As the field of electron microscopy moves forward, the increasing complexity of samples being produced demand more involved processing methods. In this study, we have developed a new processing method for generating 3D reconstructions of tubular structures. Tubular biomolecules are common throughout many cellular processes and are appealing targets for a variety of biophysical research. Processing of tubules with helical symmetry is relatively straightforward for electron microscopy if the helical parameters are known, but tubular structures that deviate from helical symmetry (asymmetrical components, local but no global order, etc) present myriad issues. Here we present a new processing technique called Reconstruction of Average Subtracted Tubular Regions (RASTR), which was developed to reconstruct tubular structures without applying symmetry. We explain the RASTR approach and quantify its performance using three examples: a simulated symmetrical tubular filament, a symmetrical tubular filament from cryo-EM data, and a membrane tubule coated with locally ordered but not globally ordered proteins.
Photon-statistics in sensitized emission FRET and FLIM: a comparative theoretical analysis
Authors: Esposito Alessandro
Published: September 2019

FRET imaging is an essential analytical method in biomedical research. The limited photon-budget experimentally available, however, imposes compromises between spatiotemporal and biochemical resolutions, photodamage and phototoxicity. The study of photon-statistics in biochemical imaging is thus important in guiding the efficient design of instrumentation and assays. Here, we show a comparative analysis of photon-statistics in FRET imaging demonstrating how the precision of FRET imaging varies vastly with imaging parameters. Therefore, we provide analytical and numerical tools for assay optimization. FLIM is a very robust technique with excellent photon-efficiencies but also intensity-based FRET imaging can reach very high precision by utilizing also information within acceptor fluorescence.
Identification of Chikungunya virus nucleocapsid core assembly modulators
Authors: Jones-Burrage Sara E. , Tan Zhenning , Li Lichun , Zlotnick Adam , Mukhopadhyay Suchetana
Published: September 2019

The alphavirus Chikungunya virus is transmitted to humans via infected mosquitos. Most infected humans experience symptoms which can range from short-term fatigue and fever to debilitating arthritis that can last for months or years. Some patients relapse and experience symptoms months or years after the initial bout of disease. The capsid protein of Chikungunya virus forms a shell around the viral RNA genome; this structure is called the nucleocapsid core. The core protects the genome during virus transmission and with the correct environmental trigger, this proteinaceous shell dissociates and releases the viral genome to initiate infection. We hypothesized that targeting compounds to interfere with the nucleocapsid core’s function would constrain virus spread either by inhibiting the release of viral genomes during entry or by reducing the number of infectious virus particles assembled. We implemented a high throughput,in vitro,FRET-based assay to monitor nucleic acid packaging by purified Chikungunya capsid protein as a proxy for nucleocapsid core assembly and disassembly. We screened 10,000 compounds and found 45 that substantially modulated the assembly of core-like particles. A subset of compounds was selected to study their effects in virus-infected vertebrate cells. Our results show that four compounds inhibit infectious virus production by at least 90% in a dose-dependent manner. The most promising inhibitor was tested and found to reduce the amount of nucleocapsid cores inside the cell during Chikungunya virus infection. These compounds could be the foundation for anti-viral therapeutics.

Highlights

A FRET-based assay to detect nucleic acid packaging by Chikungunya virus capsid protein

Identification of small molecules that modulate core-like particle assembly

A subset of compounds that interfere with in vitro assembly also inhibit Chikungunya virus production in cell culture

Identification of antiviral molecules that may not be identified by assays using reporter viruses

Potential starting compounds for developing direct-acting antivirals
Epigenetic adaptation prolongs photoreceptor survival during retinal degeneration
Authors: Dharmat Rachayata , Kim Sangbae , Liu Hehe , Fu Shangyi , Li Yumei , Chen Rui
Published: September 2019

Neural degenerative diseases often display a progressive loss of cells as a stretched exponential distribution. The mechanisms underlying the survival of a subset of genetically identical cells in a population beyond what is expected by chance alone remains unknown. To gain mechanistic insights underlying prolonged cellular survival, we used Spata7 mutant mice as a model and performed single-cell transcriptomic profiling of retinal tissue along the time course of photoreceptor degeneration. Intriguingly, rod cells that survive beyond the initial rapid cell apoptosis phase progressively acquire a distinct transcriptome profile. In these rod cells, expression of photoreceptor-specific phototransduction pathway genes is downregulated while expression of other retinal cell type-specific marker genes is upregulated. These transcriptomic changes are achieved by modulation of the epigenome and changes of the chromatin state at these loci, as indicated by immunofluorescence staining and single-cell ATAC-seq. Consistent with this model, when induction of the repressive epigenetic state is blocked by in vivo histone deacetylase inhibition, all photoreceptors in the mutant retina undergo rapid degeneration, strongly curtailing the stretched exponential distribution. Our study reveals an intrinsic mechanism by which neural cells progressively adapt to genetic stress to achieve prolonged survival through epigenomic regulation and chromatin state modulation.
A post-processing algorithm for building longitudinal medication dose data from extracted medication information using natural language processing from electronic health records
Authors: McNeer Elizabeth , Beck Cole , Weeks Hannah L. , Williams Michael L. , James Nathan T. , Choi Leena
Published: September 2019

Objective

We developed a post-processing algorithm to convert raw natural language processing (NLP) output from electronic health records (EHRs) into a usable format for analysis. This algorithm was specifically developed for creating datasets for use in medication-based studies.

Materials and Methods

The algorithm was developed using output from two NLP systems, MedXN and medExtractR. We extracted medication information from deidentified clinical notes from Vanderbilt’s EHR system for two medications, tacrolimus and lamotrigine. The algorithm consists of two parts. Part I parses the raw NLP output and connects entities together. Part II removes redundancies and calculates dose intake and daily dose. We evaluated each part by comparing to human-determined gold standards that were generated using approximately 300 records from 10 subjects for each medication and each NLP system.

Results

The algorithm performed well. For MedXN, the F-measures were at or above 0.99 for Part I and at or above 0.97 for Part II. For medExtractR, the F-measures for Part I were 1.00 and for Part II they were at or above 0.98.

Discussion

Our post-processing algorithm was developed separately from an NLP system, making it easier to modify and generalize to other systems. It performed well to convert NLP output to analyzable data, but it cannot perform well in certain cases, such as when incorrect information is extracted by the NLP system.

Conclusion

Our post-processing algorithm provides a way to convert raw NLP output to a form that is useful for medication-based studies, leading to more opportunities to use EHR data for diverse studies.
Increasing demand for plasma membrane contributes to the energetic cost of early zebrafish embryogenesis
Authors: Rodenfels Jonathan , Sartori Pablo , Golfier Stefan , Nagendra Kartikeya , Neugebauer Karla , Howard Jonathon
Published: September 2019

How do early embryos apportion the resources stored in the sperm and egg? Recently, we established isothermal calorimetry (ITC) to measure heat dissipation by living zebrafish embryos and to estimate the energetics of specific developmental events. During the reductive cleavage divisions, the rate of heat dissipation increases from ∼60 nJ·s−1at the 2-cell stage to ∼90 nJ·s−1at the 1024-cell stage. Here we ask, which cellular process(es) drive these increasing energetic costs? We present evidence that the cost is due to the increase in the total surface area of all of the cells of the embryo. First, embryo volume stays constant during the cleavage stage, indicating that the increase is not due to growth. Second, the heat increase is blocked by nocodazole, which inhibits DNA replication, mitosis and cell division; this implicates some aspect of cell proliferation contributing to these costs. Third, the heat increase scales with total cell surface area rather than total cell number. Finally, the calculated costs of maintaining and assembling plasma membranes and associated proteins probably accounts for a significant proportion of the heat increase. Thus, the cell’s membrane is likely to contribute significantly to the total energy budget of the embryo.

Highlight summary for TOC

Rodenfels et al. measure the energetic costs of early zebrafish development, using calorimetry. Embryonic heat dissipation increases, but, more slowly than the number of cells during early cleavage stage development. Instead, the heat dissipation scales with the energetic cost associated with maintaining and producing new plasma membrane.
Insight into the role of pre-assembly and desolvation in crystal nucleation: a case of p-nitrobenzoic acid
Authors: Zong Shuyi , Wang Jingkang , Wu Hao , Liu Qi , Hao Yunhui , Huang Xin , Wu Dehui , Zhou Guanchen , Hao Hongxun
Published: September 2019

As one of the most important phenomena in crystallization, the crystal nucleation process has always been the focus of research. In this work, influences of pre-assembly species and the desolvation process on the crystal nucleation process were studied. p-Nitrobenzoic acid (PNBA) was taken as a model compound to investigate the relationship between solution chemistry and nucleation kinetics in seven different solvents. One unsolvated form and four solvates of PNBA were obtained and one of the solvates was newly discovered. The nucleation behaviours and nucleation kinetics of PNBA in the seven solvents were studied and analyzed. Density functional theory (DFT) and solvation energy calculation were adopted to evaluate the strength of solute–solvent interactions. Vibrational spectroscopy combined with molecular simulation was applied to reveal the pre-assembly species in the solution. Based on these results, a comprehensive understanding of the relationship between molecular structure, crystal structure, solution chemistry and nucleation dynamics was proposed and discussed. It was found that the structural similarity between solution chemistry and crystal structure, the interaction between specific sites and the overall strength of solvation will jointly affect the nucleation process.
Measuring consumers’ perceptions of business ethicality on price, product, and service domains
Authors: Tsalikis John , Van Solt Michelle , Seaton Bruce
Published: September 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine consumer perceptions across various countries, and uses content analysis in order to compare individual countries’ perceptions of ethicality over three business domains: price, product and service.

Design/methodology/approach

The data encompasses measurements from 18 countries including the USA and countries in Eastern and Western Europe, Latin America, Asia and the Middle East Hofstede’s cultural dimensions and the gross national income purchasing power parity were explored to explain the differences in focus between countries.

Findings

The results indicate that Mexico and Argentina place a higher focus on price, while Russia, China and India place a greater focus on the product element. In terms of ethical perceptions of service, only Brazil places high focus on this domain. The results indicated that uncertainty avoidance was significant for five of the six countries focusing on price, suggesting that price provides a level of certainty and therefore less ambiguity.

Originality/value

The importance of this study is based on the idea that consumer trust is vital to the efficient running of economic activity.
Influential safety technology adoption predictors in construction
Authors: Nnaji Chukwuma , Gambatese John , Karakhan Ali , Eseonu Chinweike
Published: September 2019

Purpose

Existing literature suggests that construction worker safety could be optimized using emerging technologies. However, the application of safety technologies in the construction industry is limited. One reason for the constrained adoption of safety technologies is the lack of empirical information for mitigating the risk of a failed adoption. The purpose of this paper is to fill the research gap through identifying key factors that predict successful adoption of safety technologies.

Design/methodology/approach

In total, 26 key technology adoption predictors were identified and classified using a combination of literature review and an expert panel. The level of influence for each identified safety technology adoption predictor was assessed and ranked using the Relative Importance Index. Analysis of variance was performed as well to assess the potential difference in perceived level of importance for the predictors when the study participants were clustered according to work experience and company size.

Findings

Statistical analysis indicates that 12 out of the 26 predictors identified are highly influential regarding technology adoption decision-making in construction. Technology reliability, effectiveness and durability were ranked as the most influential predictors. The participants who work for small companies and who had less than ten years of experience rated individual- and technology-related predictors significantly lower than the experienced participants working for medium and large companies.

Practical implications

The present study provides construction researchers and practitioners with valuable information regarding safety technology predictors and their magnitude, both of which are essential elements of a successful safety technology adoption process. Improved technology adoption can enhance workplace safety and minimize worker injuries, providing substantial benefits to the construction industry.

Originality/value

This study contributes to technology adoption knowledge by identifying and quantifying the influential predictors of safety technologies in relation to different organizational contexts. The study informs the need to develop an integrated conceptual model for safety technology adoption.
Pervasive sensing technologies for facility management: a critical review
Authors: Xu Jinying , Chen Ke , Zetkulic Anna Elizabeth , Xue Fan , Lu Weisheng , Niu Yuhan
Published: September 2019

Purpose

The practice of facility management (FM) has been evolving with the rapid development of pervasive sensing technologies (PSTs) such as sensors, automatic identification (auto-ID), laser scanning and photogrammetry. Despite the proliferation of research on the use of PSTs for FM, a comprehensive review of such research is missing from the literature. This study aims to cover the knowledge void by examining the status quo and challenges of the selected PSTs with a focus on FM.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper reviewed 204 journal papers recounting cases of using PSTs for FM. The reviewed papers were extracted from Elsevier Scopus database using the advanced search.

Findings

Findings of this study revealed that PSTs and FM applications form a many-to-many mapping, i.e. one PST could facilitate many FM applications, and one application can also be supported by various PSTs. It is also found that energy modeling and management is the most referred purpose in FM to adopt PSTs, while space management, albeit important, received the least attention. Five challenges are identified, which include high investment on PSTs, data storage problem, absence of proper data exchange protocols for data interoperability, a lack of mature data processing methods for data utilization and privacy of users.

Originality/value

This paper paints a full picture of PSTs adoption for FM. It pinpoints the promising explorations for tackling the key challenges to future development.
Modified condition decision coverage criteria for test suite prioritization using particle swarm optimization
Authors: Nayak Gayatri , Ray Mitrabinda
Published: September 2019

Purpose

Test suite prioritization technique is the process of modifying the order in which tests run to meet certain objectives. Early fault detection and maximum coverage of source code are the main objectives of testing. There are several test suite prioritization approaches that have been proposed at the maintenance phase of software development life cycle. A few works are done on prioritizing test suites that satisfy modified condition decision coverage (MC/DC) criteria which are derived for safety-critical systems. The authors know that it is mandatory to do MC/DC testing for Level A type software according to RTCA/DO178C standards. The paper aims to discuss this issue.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper provides a novel method to prioritize the test suites for a system that includes MC/DC criteria along with other important criteria that ensure adequate testing.

Findings

In this approach, the authors generate test suites from the input Java program using concolic testing. These test suites are utilized to measure MC/DC% by using the coverage calculator algorithm. Now, use MC/DC% and the execution time of these test suites in the basic particle swarm optimization technique with a modified objective function to prioritize the generated test suites.

Originality/value

The proposed approach maximizes MC/DC% and minimizes the execution time of the test suites. The effectiveness of this approach is validated by experiments on 20 moderate-sized Java programs using average percentage of fault detected metric.
Sitting at ease: British military graffiti in an operational camp in the 1970s
Authors: Kirke Charles
Published: September 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to describe, analyze and explain British military graffiti (“latrinalia”) in ablutions blocks in two operational camps in the 1970s. This material was chosen for two reasons: first, it allowed the researcher to approach what the soldiers were thinking about and sharing in an unofficial context; second, such material is not represented in the scholarly literature on the British army. The aim of the research was, therefore, to explore a regularly occurring but under-researched field of British army organizational culture.

Design/methodology/approach

Latrinalia from one operational base was recorded and analyzed by quantity and type into a typology that emerged from the data. From this analysis, areas in which the graffiti authors were preoccupied were deduced. These graffiti were compared with similar material recorded from a different unit (with no personnel in common with the first) in the same context, two years later.

Findings

There was extensive common ground between the two sets of graffiti, particularly in the areas of identity, attitudes to the campaign, and opinions held about officers. Differences in the sets of results were explained by reference to factors external to the military campaign.

Research limitations/implications

In view of the paucity of other research with which to compare, confirm or refute the findings of this study, further research on British military graffiti is needed.

Practical implications

It is clear that ablution graffiti/latrinalia in military units on operations provide insights into a unit’s organizational culture and matters of current concern to the soldiers. Such graffiti may, therefore, be considered as a useful ethnographic source.

Social implications

There are implications for the better understanding of soldiers’ concerns on operations.

Originality/value

The paper approaches a hitherto unexplored aspect of the lived experience of British soldiers on operations.
In the family way: an exploration of family business resilience
Authors: Beech Nick , Devins David , Gold Jeff , Beech Susan
Published: September 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to explore the concept of resilience set within a family business context and considers how familiness and the nature of noneconomic factors, such as relationship dynamics influence performance. This paper provides new insights into the nature and impact of familiness as a mediating device, uncovering the potential for reframing resilience theory and practice.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper draws on a review of the extant literature in the areas of resilience and familiness as a means of developing a deeper understanding of the social-ecological system of the family firm.

Findings

The study reveals family business as a complex interrelationship between complimentary social-ecological systems. It highlights the complexity of family business and the challenges of the relational nature of familiness and how this presents additional layers of complexity in the decision making process and implementation.

Research limitations/implications

The paper draws on literature that is dominated by western culture and may partially or not at all reflect the issues associated with organisational resilience in family firms with such backgrounds and their culturally bound social-ecological systems.

Originality/value

The paper seeks to fill a knowledge gap by exploring the key elements of organisational resilience in the context of familiness. The work calls for further research into the nature of familiness connections mediating the nature of family relational dynamics. It further provides a framework indicating how these elements can shape and subvert day-to-day management events, raising implications for theory and practice and calls for deeper empirical research to be undertaken.
Hydrodynamic effect of non-closed elliptical grooves of bi-directional rotation gas face seals
Authors: Xie Jing , Bai Shaoxian , Ma Chunhong
Published: September 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to improve opening performance of bi-directional rotation gas face seals by investigating the hydrodynamic effect of non-closed elliptical grooves.

Design/methodology/approach

A model of non-closed elliptical groove bi-directional rotation gas face seal is developed. The distribution of lubricating film pressure is obtained by solving gas Reynolds equations with the finite difference method. The program iterates repeatedly until the convergence criterion on the opening force is satisfied, and the sealing performance is finally obtained.

Findings

Non-closed elliptical groove presents much stronger hydrodynamic effect than the closed groove because of drop of the gas resistance flowing into grooves. Besides, the non-closed elliptical groove presents significant hydrodynamic effect under bi-directional rotation conditions, and an increase of over 40 per cent is obtained for the opening force at seal pressure 4.5 MPa, as same level as the unidirectional spiral groove gas seal. In the case of bi-directional rotation, the value of the inclination angle is recommended to set as 90° presenting a structure symmetry so as to keep best opening performance for both positive and reverse rotation.

Originality/value

A model of non-closed elliptical groove bi-directional rotation gas face seal is established. The hydrodynamic mechanism of this gas seal is illustrated. Parametric investigation of inclination angle and integrity rate is presented for the non-closed elliptical groove bi-directional rotation gas face seal.
Provision and usage of open government data: strategic transformation paths
Authors: Ham Juyeon , Koo Yunmo , Lee Jae-Nam
Published: September 2019

Purpose

To create the expected value and benefits through open data, appropriate provision and usage of data are required simultaneously. However, the level of provision and usage of open data differs from country to country. Moreover, previous research on open data has only focused on either open data provision or usage. To fill the research gap, the purpose of this paper is threefold: first, to understand the current status of the provision and usage of open data; second, to identify patterns in the provision and usage of open data; and third, to provide appropriate future directions and guidelines for the transformation paths of each pattern.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors analyzed the data collected from open data portals of 13 countries that provide information on the provision and usage of open data together.

Findings

The authors identified four patterns of the provision and usage of open data, namely, availability-driven, government-driven, market-driven and interaction-driven patterns. Furthermore, three strategic paths of transformation reach a high level of open data provision and usage, namely, data provision-focused, data usage-focused and balanced transformation paths.

Originality/value

This study provides a foundation that enables researchers to build a holistic theory that can integrate fragmented and incomplete knowledge of open data and usage, particularly in the context of government.
Impact of contract farming on product quality upgrading: the case of rice in Togo
Authors: Adabe Kokou E. , Abbey Abbevi G. , Egyir Irene S. , Kuwornu John K.M. , Anim-Somuah Henry
Published: September 2019

Purpose

Due to rapid urbanization, rice consumption in Togo has also rapidly increased. Most consumers prefer imported rice over domestically produced rice due to the higher quality of the imported rice. The purpose of this paper is to show that it is possible to upgrade the quality of Togo’s domestically produced rice by providing technical and management support in the form of contract farming.

Design/methodology/approach

Cross-sectional data were collected using a multi-stage sampling technique. An endogenous switching regression model was used for data analysis.

Findings

The results show that by participating in contract farming, paddy rice quality was upgraded from Grade IV (poor quality) to Grade I (premium quality). The factors influencing this upgrade in the quality of paddy rice grown through contract farming are: the number of extension visits to the farmer, the mode of threshing used by the farmer, and the agro-ecological zone of the farmer.

Research limitations/implications

The data for this study are limited to one country, Togo and this may have implications for generalizing the results for other countries.

Originality/value

This study is original research that contributes to an improved understanding of the impacts of contract farming on the quality of agricultural products produced in developing and emerging economies.
Do factors influencing consumer home-buying attitudes explain output growth?
Authors: Baghestani Hamid , Viriyavipart Ajalavat
Published: September 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to focus on the relationship between attitudinal data from the long-running Michigan Surveys of Consumers and US real GDP growth. One survey question asks, “Generally speaking, do you think now is a good time or a bad time to buy a house?” with the follow-up question “Why do you say so?” There are several factors for consumers to choose as reasons. Given the strong link between US housing market activity and business cycles, the authors ask whether the responses to the follow-up question explain the behavior of output growth.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors employ an augmented autoregressive model to investigate the relationship between output growth and the responses to the follow-up question for 1986–2007 and for 1986–2018, which includes the 2008 financial crisis. The authors follow the general-to-specific approach to obtain the final model estimates for interpretation. For a deeper analysis, the authors estimate the model using the responses of survey participants in the bottom 33 percent, middle 33 percent and upper 33 percent income categories, separately. While avoiding aggregation bias, this approach helps reveal important information embodied in the cross-sectional distribution of the data.

Findings

The follow-up question focuses on such factors as home prices, mortgage rates, houses as a good/bad investment, timing, uncertain future and affordability. The authors find that the majority of these factors chosen as reasons by consumers in the middle and upper 33 percent income categories explain the behavior of output growth. Among the factors chosen as reasons by consumers in the bottom 33 percent income category, only the mortgage rate and uncertain future explain output growth.

Originality/value

This study provides new insights into the usefulness of detailed consumer survey data in explaining the behavior of output growth and further underlines the usefulness of such measures across different income categories for revealing important information contained in the cross-sectional distribution of the data.
Modeling effects of banking regulations and supervisory practices on capital adequacy state transition in developing countries
Authors: Jamali Ali
Published: September 2019

Purpose

The FDIC Improvement Act of 1991 sets out five categories of capital and mandates corrective action for banks. Each bank based on its capital amount fall in the certain categories or states. The purpose of this paper is to consider the effect of banking regulations and supervisory practices on capital state transition.

Design/methodology/approach

First, the authors investigate how much the practices influence banks' capital adequacy using a dynamic panel data method, the generalized method of moments. Then, to scrutinize the results of the first phase, the authors estimate the effect of practices on some characteristics of capital state transition such as transition intensity, transition probability and state sojourn time using multi-state models for panel data in 107 developing countries over the period 2000 to 2012.

Findings

The dynamic regression results show that capital guidelines, supervisory power and supervisory structure can have significantly positive effects on the capital adequacy state. Moreover, the multi-state Markov panel data model estimation results show that the significantly positive-effect practices can change the capital state transition intensity considerably; for example, they can transmit the critical-under-capitalized (the lowest) capital state of banks directly to a well or the adequate-capitalized (the highest) capital state without passing through middle states (under-capitalized and significantly-undercapitalized). Moreover, the results present some new evidence on transition probability and state sojourn time.

Originality/value

The main contribution of this paper, unlike the existing literature, is to consider the power of banking regulations and supervisory practices to improve the capital state using a multi-state Markov panel data model.
A multi-dimensional meta-heuristic model for managing organizational change
Authors: Arazmjoo Hanieh , Rahmanseresht Hossein
Published: September 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to offer a dynamic meta-heuristic model of effecting organizational change which informs smooth directing and routinizing change according to the specific situation relevant to every change attempt.

Design/methodology/approach

Because of the dynamic nature of variables and their interaction, developing a static model cannot be tenable. This study, therefore, attempts to generate a meta-heuristic method for constructing a dynamic organizational change model by combining qualitative methods (content analysis and Delphi Technique) and Artificial Neural Networks (Fuzzy Theory and Genetic Algorithm).

Findings

Each change program requires its unique method of implementation as change attempts are context specific. Hence, static models should give way to some dynamic ones. Whereas such static models abound, this paper stands out as offering a dynamic model for organizational change by using a rather unconventional method.

Research limitations/implications

This can be regarded as a road map informing higher echelons of the complexity and leadership of change, while at the same time helping change agents have access to acceptable amount of variables that can make their change attempts more promising.

Originality/value

This model contains more flexible variables which reflect the incumbent organizations’ situations. While almost all previous models of change attempt take into account a few/handful variables which are seen to impact on change solidly and independently. But such an analysis with the usual statistical and mathematical methods is not justified. This challenge is met here using metaheuristics and artificial intelligence methods. The model formulated, thus, is dynamic, non-linear and multi-dimensional. Entering the data related to any specific field turns it to a customized model suitable for use in a given field; and this is not only a contribution to the theory but also can allegedly increase the chance of the success of the change agent managing to utilize the optimal amount of variables suggested in this paper.
Technological capability, relational capability and firms’ performance
Authors: Salisu Yakubu , Abu Bakar Lily Julienti
Published: September 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to empirically evaluate the mediating role of learning capability on the relationship between technological capability, relational capability and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) performance in developing economy of Africa.

Design/methodology/approach

A quantitative survey design was employed to collect the data from owner/manager of manufacturing SMEs in Nigeria. Partial least square structural equation model was used in the evaluation of both the measurement and structural models to determine the reliability and validity of the measurement and test the hypotheses, respectively.

Findings

The statistical result indicates a positive relationship between technological capability, learning capability and SMEs performance. Equally, relational capability significantly and positively relates to SMEs learning capability. However, relational capability negatively relates to SMEs performance, while technological capability also negatively relates to learning capability. Furthermore, learning capability mediates the negative relationship of relational capability and SMEs performance to significant positive relationship, while it does not mediate the relationship of technological capability and performance.

Research limitations/implications

The analysis of this study is restricted to only resource-based view and dynamic capability theory. Data of the study were collected once a time on a self-reported technique. The study contributed significantly to the body literature on technological and relational capabilities and performance. It also demonstrated the need for SMEs manager to recognize and appreciate the roles of these strategic capabilities in achieving sustainable competitive position.

Practical implications

Through relational capability SMEs develops efficient collaborative relationship to acquire new techniques, knowledge. This is specifically, essential for SMEs firms from less developing and emerging economies as they are lagging behind at the global competitive platform, and that the possession of specific advantage locally may not be adequately enough to help penetrate the global markets. Similarly, technological capability enable firms to identify acquire and apply new external knowledge to develop operational competencies which may lead to the attainment of superior performance.

Social implications

Government policies and programs designed to support technological development and innovation must be adjusted to consider the peculiar nature of SMEs firms in terms of technology and innovativeness that enhances competitive position and performance.

Originality/value

This study empirically examined the relationship of technological and relational capabilities and the SMEs learning capability and performance.
Developing and assessing a graduate student reference service
Authors: Canuel Robin , Hervieux Sandy , Bergsten Veronica , Brault Amélie , Burke Rachelle
Published: September 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to formally assess the training program received by information studies graduate students and the reference services they provided at a research-intensive university.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative content analysis was used to evaluate if graduate students incorporated the training they received in their provision of reference services. The students’ virtual reference transcripts were coded to identify the level of questions asked, if a reference interview occurred and if different teaching methods were used by the students in their interactions. The in-person reference transactions recorded by the students were coded for the level of questions asked.

Findings

The main findings demonstrate a low frequency of reference interviews in chat interactions with a presence in only 23 per cent of instances while showing that instructional methods are highly used by graduate student reference assistants and are present in 66 per cent of chat conversations.

Originality/value

This study is of interest to academic libraries who wish to partner with information studies programs and schools to offer graduate students valuable work experience. It aims to show the value that graduate students can bring to reference services. Furthermore, it highlights the importance of continuously developing training programs and assessing the performance of graduate students working in these roles.
Efficacy of alitretinoin depending on the concomitant use of topical corticosteroids in chronic hand eczema patients
Authors: Cheon Dong Uk , Kim Jeong Eun , Ko Joo Yeon , Ro Young Suck
Published: September 2019

Alitretinoin is the only systemic agent approved for the treatment of severe chronic hand eczema (CHE) unresponsive to potent topical corticosteroids. Clinical trials have shown the efficacy of oral alitretinoin with topical emollients for CHE treatment, but most studies have failed to reach a therapeutic success rate of 50%. Reasonably, we thought it would be more effective to combine topical corticosteroids with oral alitretinoin, but the concomitant use of topical corticosteroids has not been studied yet. One‐hundred and seven Korean patients diagnosed with CHE were recruited. The participants were divided into two groups depending on the concomitant use of topical corticosteroids. Comparative analysis was performed between the combined therapy (alitretinoin and topical corticosteroids) and monotherapy groups (alitretinoin only) by using physician global assessment (PGA), patient's global assessment (PaGA), modified total lesion symptom score (mTLSS), and recurrence rates. The combined therapy group showed a significantly higher treatment success rate than the alitretinoin monotherapy group for all efficacy parameters (PGA: P < 0.001, PaGA: P < 0.001, mTLSS changes: P < 0.001), but there was no significant difference in recurrence rates between the groups (P = 0.266). Combined use of topical corticosteroids is recommended for CHE patients being treated with oral alitretinoin due to clinically rapid and superior effectiveness.
Validation of ICD‐11 PTSD and complex PTSD in foster children using the International Trauma Questionnaire
Authors: Haselgruber A. , Sölva K. , Lueger‐Schuster B.
Published: September 2019

Objective

ICD‐11 introduces post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and complex PTSD (CPTSD) as two distinct trauma‐related disorders. Using the International Trauma Questionnaire (ITQ) as disorder‐specific measure, this study is the first to examine the factorial and construct validity of ICD‐11 PTSD, CPTSD and the ITQs’ applicability in children.

Methods

Two hundred and eight Austrian foster children completed a set of standardized measures. Excluding participants who reported not having experienced any kind of trauma, a final sample of 136 children completed the ITQ. Factorial and construct validity of ICD‐11 CPTSD and psychometric properties of ITQ scales were assessed by factor analysis and latent class analysis.

Results

Confirmatory factor analysis supported the two‐factor higher‐order model of ICD‐11 CPTSD in children by high factor loadings and excellent model fit. Reliability and regression analysis evidenced psychometric adequacy and discriminant validity of ITQ scales. Latent class analysis substantiated construct validity of ICD‐11 CPTSD, identifying a CPTSD (22.8%), PTSD (31.6%) and low symptoms class (45.6%). The CPTSD class showed highest rates of childhood trauma, comorbid psychopathology and functional impairment.

Conclusion

Factorial and construct validity of ICD‐11 CPTSD was evidenced in children for the first time using precise descriptions of ICD‐11 symptom content, supporting the reliability and validity of the ITQ in children.