bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development of humanized mouse and rat models with full-thickness human skin and autologous immune cells
Authors: Agarwal Yash , Beatty Cole , Ho Sara , Thurlow Lance , Das Antu , Kelly Samantha , Castronova Isabella , Salunke Rajeev , Biradar Shivkumar , Yeshi Tseten , Richardson Anthony , Bility Moses
Published: January 2020

The human skin is a major barrier for host defense against many human pathogens, with several pathogens directly targeting the skin for replication and disease. The skin is also the primary route of infection for a myriad of vector-borne diseases; thus cutaneous immune cells play a major role in modulating transmission for such infectious diseases. Several human pathogens that target the skin as a major route of infection are unable to infect traditional rodent models or recapitulate the pathogenesis in humans. It is well established that differences exist in human skin and immune cell biology compared to rodent models. Therefore, rodent (mouse and rat) models that incorporate human skin and immune cells would addressed the above discussed technical gap, and enablein vivomechanistic studies of human host-skin pathogen interactions, and support the development of novel therapeutics. Here, we introduce the novel human Skin and Immune System (hSIS)-humanized NOD-scidIL2Rgnull(NSG) mouse and Sprague-Dawley-Rag2tm2heraIl2rgtm1hera(SRG) rat models, co-engrafted with full-thickness human fetal skin, autologous fetal lymphoid tissues, and fetal liver-derived hematopoietic stem cells. hSIS-humanized rodents support the development of adult-like, full-thickness human skin and human lymphoid tissues, and support human immune cell development. Furthermore, the engrafted human skin supports Methicillin-resistantStaphylococcus aureusinfection, demonstrating the utility of these humanized rodent models in studying human disease.
Simultaneous Determination of Contents of Flavonol Glycosides and Terpene Lactones in Ginkgo Biloba Tablets by Ultra High Performance Liquid Chromatography Tandem Single Quadrupole Mass Spectrometry Detector
Authors: Ma Lin , Zhang Jie , Jin Wei-rong , Wang Siwang
Published: January 2020

Ginkgo biloba leaf tablets is an effective ingredient in the treatment of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. In the process of drug production, the quality of ginkgo preparations is often controlled by measuring the content of seven ingredients in ginkgo leaves. To establish UPLC-MS multicomponent analysis method for ginkgo biloba tablets and to simultaneously determine the contents of quercetin (QUE), isorhamnetin(ISO), kaempferol(KAE) and GinkgolideA (GA),ginkgolideB(GB),ginkgolideC(GC) and bilobalide (BB) in ginkgo tablets. Waters Xbridge C18(4.6×150mm,3.5um) column was used, mobile phase A was acetonitrile and mobile phase B was water (containing 0.10% formic acid). The injection volume was 10μL.Negative ion mode monitoring was conducted with ESI. Scanning range:m/z100∼1400.The detection ions of the seven tested components includem/z301.0(QUE),m/z284.9(KAE),m/z315.1(ISO),m/z453.1(GA),m/z423.1(G B),m/z439.0(GC)and m/z325.0(BB), respectively. Within a space of 10min, flavonoids and terpene lactones in ginkgo biloba tablets were completely separated. The peak area exhibited an excellent linear relationship with the concentration. The sample recovery rate ranged from 91.74% to 109.77%.Precision RSDs of within-day and between-day were lower than 2.879% and 3.928% respectively. The method for determination of seven components in ginkgo biloba tablets displays good repeatability, recovery rate and precision, for which it can be applied to quality control of ginkgo biloba tablets.
Analysis of gene expression and connectivity on hippocampus of Alzheimer’s disease by a new comprehensive approach
Authors: Jiang Shan
Published: January 2020

Gene expression and gene connectivity describe two different functional aspects of a gene. These two different measures reveal different information about the involvement of genes in disorders. Previous case-control gene expression studies have often focused on expression level of individual genes. Correlated expression relationships among genes, measured as gene connectivity, have obtained limited attention. We developed a comprehensive method, TRIple Differentiation (TRID), to assess these two measures, both separately and jointly. We applied TRID to gene expression data in hippocampus tissue samples from three Alzheimer’s disease (AD) microarray datasets. Following TRID, comparisons among the three datasets showed poor consistency for disease-associated individual genes but reproducible changes of disease-associated biological pathways annotated for functional protein-protein interaction (PPI) modules identified from network analysis. Our results suggest that changes of gene expression in hippocampus of AD patients are highly heterogeneous at the individual gene level, while biological pathways annotated for PPI modules identified based on TRID weights demonstrate consistency among the three datasets. The R package TRID can be accessed from GitHub (https://github.com/shannjiang/TRID).
Dendritic normalisation improves learning in sparsely connected artificial neural networks
Authors: Bird Alex D , Cuntz Hermann
Published: January 2020

Inspired by the physiology of neuronal systems in the brain, artificial neural networks have become an invaluable tool for machine learning applications. However, their biological realism and theoretical tractability are limited, resulting in poorly understood parameters. We have recently shown that biological neuronal firing rates in response to distributed inputs are largely independent of size, meaning that neurons are typically responsive to the proportion, not the absolute number, of their inputs that are active. Here we introduce such a normalisation, where the strength of a neuron’s afferents is divided by their number, to various sparsely-connected artificial networks. The learning performance is dramatically increased, providing an improvement over other widely-used normalisations in sparse networks. The resulting machine learning tools are universally applicable and biologically inspired, rendering them better understood and more stable in our tests.
Repeated evolution of circadian clock dysregulation in cavefish populations
Authors: Mack Katya L. , Jaggard James B. , Persons Jenna L. , Passow Courtney N. , Stanhope Bethany A. , Ferrufino Estephany , Tsuchiya Dai , Smith Sarah E. , Slaughter Brian D. , Kowalko Johanna , Rohner Nicolas , Keene Alex C. , McGaugh Suzanne E.
Published: January 2020

Circadian rhythms are nearly ubiquitous throughout nature, suggesting they are critical for survival in diverse environments. Organisms inhabiting environments with arrhythmic days, such as caves, offer a unique opportunity to study the evolution of circadian rhythms in response to changing ecological pressures. Here we demonstrate that the cave environment has led to the repeated disruption of the biological clock across multiple populations of Mexican cavefish, with the circadian transcriptome showing widespread reductions in rhythmicity and changes to the timing of the activation/repression of genes in the core pacemaker. Then, we investigate the function of two genes with decreased rhythmic expression in cavefish. Mutants of these genes phenocopy reductions in sleep seen in multiple cave populations, suggesting a link between circadian dysregulation and sleep reduction. Altogether, our results reveal that evolution in an arrhythmic environment has resulted in dysregulation to the biological clock across multiple populations by diverse molecular mechanisms.
metan: an R package for multi-environment trial analysis
Authors: Olivoto Tiago , Dal’Col Lúcio Alessandro
Published: January 2020

Multi-environment trials (MET) are crucial steps in plant breeding programs that aim increasing crop productivity to ensure global food security. The analysis of MET data requires the combination of several approaches including data manipulation, visualization, and modeling. As new methods are proposed, analyzing MET data correctly and completely remains a challenge, often intractable with existing tools.

Here we describe themetan Rpackage, a collection of functions that implement a workflow-based approach to (a) check, manipulate and summarise typical MET data; (b) analyze individual environments using both fixed and mixed-effect models; (c) compute parametric and non-parametric stability statistics; (c) implement biometrical models widely used in MET analysis; and (d) plot typical MET data quickly.

In this paper, we present a summary of the functions implemented inmetanand how they integrate into a workflow to explore and analyze MET data. We guide the user along a gentle learning curve and show how adding only a few commands or options at a time, powerfull analyzes can be implemented.

metanoffers a flexible, intuitive, and richly documented working environment with tools that will facilitate the implementation of a complete analysis of MET data sets.
WHIMP links the actin nucleation machinery to Src-family kinase signaling during protrusion and motility
Authors: Kabrawala Shail , Zimmer Margaret D. , Campellone Kenneth G.
Published: January 2020

Cell motility is governed by cooperation between the Arp2/3 complex and nucleation factors from the Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome Protein (WASP) family, which together assemble actin filament networks to drive membrane protrusion. Here we identify WHIMP (WAVE Homology In Membrane Protrusions) as a new member of the WASP family. The Whimp gene is encoded on the X-chromosome of multiple animals, including mice. Murine WHIMP promotes Arp2/3-dependent actin assembly, but is less potent than other nucleation factors. Nevertheless, WHIMP-mediated Arp2/3 activation enhances both plasma membrane ruffling and wound healing migration, whereas WHIMP depletion impairs protrusion and slows motility. WHIMP expression also increases Src-family kinase activity, and WHIMP-induced ruffles contain the additional nucleation factors WAVE1, WAVE2, and N-WASP, but not JMY or WASH. Perturbing the function of Src-family kinases, WAVE proteins, or Arp2/3 complex inhibits WHIMP-driven ruffling. These results suggest that WHIMP-mediated actin assembly plays a direct role in membrane protrusion, but also results in feedback control of tyrosine kinase signaling to modulate the activation of multiple WASP-family proteins.

AUTHOR SUMMARY

The actin cytoskeleton is a collection of protein polymers that assemble and disassemble within cells at specific times and locations. Sophisticated cytoskeletal regulators called nucleation factors ensure that actin polymerizes when and where it is needed, and most nucleation factors are members of the Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome Protein (WASP) family. Several of the 8 known WASP-family proteins function in cell motility, but how the different factors collaborate with one another is not well understood. In this study, we identified WHIMP, a new WASP-family member which is encoded on the X chromosome of a variety of animals. In mouse cells, WHIMP enhances cell motility by assembling actin filaments that push the cell membrane forward. Unexpectedly, WHIMP also activates tyrosine kinase enzymes, proteins that stimulate multiple WASP-family members during motility. Our results open new avenues of research into how nucleation factors cooperate during movement and how the molecular activities that underlie motility differ in distinct cell types and organisms.
Species-specific, age-varying plant traits affect herbivore growth and survival
Authors: Yang Louie H. , Cenzer Meredith L. , Morgan Laura J. , Hall Griffin W.
Published: January 2020

Seasonal windows of opportunity represent intervals of time within a year during which organisms have improved prospects of achieving life history aims such as growth or reproduction, and may be commonly structured by temporal variation in abiotic factors, bottom-up factors, and top-down factors. Although seasonal windows of opportunity are likely to be common, few studies have examined the factors that structure seasonal windows of opportunity in time. Here, we experimentally manipulated host plant age in two milkweed species (Asclepias fascicularisandAsclepias speciosa) in order to investigate the role of plant species-specific and plant age-varying traits on the survival and growth of monarch caterpillars (Danaus plexippus). We show that the two plant species showed diverging trajectories of defense traits with increasing age. These species-specific and age-varying host plant traits significantly affected the growth and survival of monarch caterpillars through both resource quality- and resource quantity-based constraints. The effects of plant age on monarch developmental success were comparable to and sometimes larger than those of plant species identity. We conclude that species-specific and age-varying plant traits are likely to be important factors with the potential to structure seasonal windows of opportunity for monarch development, and examine the implications of these findings for both broader patterns in the ontogeny of plant defense traits and the specific ecology of milkweed-monarch interactions in a changing world.
Transport Phenomena in Fluid Films with Curvature Elasticity
Authors: Mahapatra Arijit , Saintillan David , Rangamani Padmini
Published: January 2020

Cellular membranes are elastic lipid bilayers that contain a variety of proteins, including ion channels, receptors, and scaffolding proteins. These proteins are known to diffuse in the plane of the membrane and to influence the bending of the membrane. Experiments have shown that lipid flow in the plane of the membrane is closely coupled with the diffusion of proteins. Thus there is a need for a comprehensive framework that accounts for the interplay between these processes. Here, we present a theory for the coupled in-plane viscous flow of lipids, diffusion of transmembrane proteins, and curvature elastic deformation of lipid bilayers. The proteins in the membrane are modeled such that they influence membrane bending by inducing a spontaneous curvature. We formulate the free energy of the membrane with a Helfrich-like curvature elastic energy density function modified to account for the chemical potential energy of proteins. We derive the conservation laws and equations of motion for this system. Finally, we present results from dimensional analysis and numerical simulations and demonstrate the effect of coupled transport processes in governing the dynamics of membrane bending and protein diffusion.
Sox2 modulation increases naïve pluripotency plasticity
Authors: Tremble Kathryn , Stirparo Giuliano G. , Bates Lawrence E. , Maskalenka Katsiaryna , Stuart Hannah T. , Jones Kenneth , Andersson-Rolf Amanda , Radzisheuskaya Aliaksandra , Koo Bon-Kyoung , Bertone Paul , Silva José C. R.
Published: January 2020

Induced pluripotency provides a tool to explore the molecular mechanisms underlying the establishment, maintenance and differentiation of naïve pluripotent stem cells (nPSCs). Here, we report that self-renewal of nPSCs requires minimal Sox2 expression (Sox2-low). Sox2-low nPSCs do not show impaired neuroectoderm specification and differentiate efficientlyin vitrointo all embryonic germ lineages. Strikingly, Sox2-low cells also differentiate towards the trophoblast lineage bothin vitroandin vivo. At the single-cell level self-renewing Sox2-low nPSCs exhibit a homogeneous naïve molecular signature. However, they also display a basal trophoblast molecular signature and decreased ability of Oct4 to bind naïve-associated regulatory sequences compared to control cells. These features underlie observed enhanced cell potency upon the removal of self-renewing cues. In sum, this work defines Sox2 as a restrictor of developmental potential and suggests perturbation of the naïve pluripotent network as an underlying cause of increased cell potency.

Highlights

Low Sox2 expression is sufficient for naïve pluripotent stem cell self-renewal

Low Sox2 expression does not impair neurectoderm differentiationin vitro

Low Sox2 expression impairs Oct4 genomic occupancy

Low Sox2 expression increases naïve pluripotent cell plasticityin vitroandin vivo
TOP the Transcription Orientation Pipeline and its use to investigate the transcription of non-coding regions: assessment with CRISPR direct repeats and intergenic sequences
Authors: Houenoussi Kimberley , Boukheloua Roudaina , Vernadet Jean-Philippe , Gautheret Daniel , Vergnaud Gilles , Pourcel Christine
Published: January 2020

A large proportion of non-coding sequences in prokaryotes are transcribed, playing an important role in the cell metabolism and defense against exogenous elements. This is the case of small RNAs and of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats “CRISPR” arrays. The CRISPR-Cas system is a defense mechanism that protects bacterial and archaeal genomes against invasions by mobile genetic elements such as viruses and plasmids. The CRISPR array, made of repeats separated by unique sequences called spacers, is transcribed but the nature of the promoter and of the transcription regulation is not well known. We describe the Transcription Orientation Pipeline (TOP) which makes use of transcriptome sequence reads to recover those corresponding to a selected sequence, and determine the direction of the transcription. CRISPR repeat sequences extracted from CRISPRCasdb were used to test the performances of the program. Statistical tests show that CRISPR elements can be reliably oriented with as little as 100 mapped reads. TOP was applied to all the available RNA-Seq Illumina sequencing archives from species possessing a CRISPR array, allowing comparisons with programs dedicated to the orientation of CRISPR repeats. In addition TOP was used to analyze small non-coding RNAs inStaphylococcus aureus, demonstrating that it is a valuable and convenient tool to investigate the transcription orientation of any sequence of interest.

Availability and implementation

TOPs is implemented in Python and is freely available via the I2BC github repository athttps://github.com/i2bc/TOP.
Age-related DNA methylation changes are sex-specific: a comprehensive assessment
Authors: Yusipov Igor , Bacalini Maria Giulia , Kalyakulina Alena , Krivonosov Mikhail , Pirazzini Chiara , Gensous Noémie , Ravaioli Francesco , Milazzo Maddalena , Giuliani Cristina , Vedunova Maria , Fiorito Giovanni , Gagliardi Amedeo , Polidoro Silvia , Garagnani Paolo , Ivanchenko Mikhail , Franceschi Claudio
Published: January 2020

In humans, females live longer than males but experience a worse longevity, as genome-wide autosomal DNA methylation differences between males and females have been reported. So far, few studies have investigated if DNA methylation is differently affected by aging in males and females. We performed a meta-analysis of 4 large whole blood datasets, comparing 4 aspects of epigenetic age-dependent remodeling between the two sexes: differential methylation, variability, epimutations and entropy. We reported that a large fraction (43%) of sex-associated probes undergoes age-associated DNA methylation changes, and that a limited number of probes shows age-by-sex interaction. We experimentally validated 2 regions mapping inFIGNandPRR4genes, and showed sex-specific deviations of their methylation patterns in models of decelerated (centenarians) and accelerated (Down syndrome) aging. While we did not find sex differences in the age-associated increase in epimutations and in entropy, we showed that the number of probes showing age-related increase in methylation variability is 15 times higher in males compared to females. Our results can offer new epigenetic tools to study the interaction between aging and sex and can pave the way to the identification of molecular triggers of sex differences in longevity and age-related diseases prevalence.
Hedgehog signaling is required for endomesodermal patterning and germ cell development inNematostella vectensis
Authors: Chen Cheng-Yi , McKinney Sean A. , Ellington Lacey R. , Gibson Matthew C.
Published: January 2020

Two distinct mechanisms for primordial germ cell (PGC) specification are observed within Bilatera: early determination by maternal factors or late induction by zygotic cues. Here we investigate the molecular basis for PGC specification inNematostella, a representative pre-bilaterian animal where PGCs arise as paired endomesodermal cell clusters during early development. We first present evidence that the putative PGCs delaminate from the endomesoderm upon feeding, migrate into the gonad primordia, and mature into germ cells. We then show that the PGC clusters arise at the interface betweenhedgehog1andpatcheddomains in the developing mesenteries and use gene knockdown, knockout and inhibitor experiments to demonstrate that Hh signaling is required for both PGC specification and general endomesodermal patterning. These results provide evidence that theNematostellagermline is specified by inductive signals rather than maternal factors, and support the existence of zygotically-induced PGCs in the eumetazoan common ancestor.
Deletion of RsmE 16S rRNA methyltransferase leads to low level increase in aminoglycoside resistance inMycobacterium smegmatis
Authors: Bijpuria Shipra , Sharma Rakesh , Taneja Bhupesh
Published: January 2020

Owing to its central role in cellular function, ribosome is one of the most common targets of antibiotics in bacteria. Mutations inrrsgene, ribosomal protein genes, methyltransfersases or drug influx/efflux are often found to overcome the drug response. Despite modulation of methylation pattern in the ribosome through mutations in the methyltransferases as one of key modulators of drug response,rsmG (gidB)is the only conserved methyltransferase associated with low-level drug resistance in large number of mycobacterial isolates. Here, we present the first evidence of association of methylation by mycobacterial RsmE, that methylates U1498 of 16S rRNA, with low levels of drug resistance. Deletion of the RsmE-homolog ofMycobacterium smegmatisleads to at least two-fold increase in the inhibitory concentration of aminoglycosides that bind in the decoding center proximal to U1498 in the 30S subunit. The change in inhibitory concentrations was highly specific and does not show any cross-resistance to drugs of other classes. Surprisingly, Rv2372c, the RsmE-homolog ofMycobacterium tuberculosishas the largest number of mutations among conserved ribosomal methyltransfersases, aftergidB, highlighting the role of mutations in the RsmE methyltransferase as a key emerging mechanism of drug resistance in clinical strains ofM. tuberculosis. Our work underlies the association of methylation by the RsmE-homolog with drug resistance and lays the groundwork to tackle this emerging mechanism of drug resistane in mycobacteria.
Despite of DNA repair ability the Fanconi anemia mutant protein FANCGR22P destabilizes mitochondria and leads to genomic instability via FANCJ helicase
Authors: Bose K Jagadeesh Chandra , Kapoor Bishwajit Singh , Mondal Kamal , Ghosh Subhrima , Mokhamatam Raveendra B. , Manna Sunil K. , Mukhopadhyay Sudit S.
Published: January 2020

Fanconi anemia (FA) is a unique DNA damage repair pathway. Almost twenty-two genes have been identified which are associated with the FA pathway. Defect in any of those genes causes genomic instability, and the patients bear the mutation become susceptible to cancer. In our earlier work, we have identified that Fanconi anemia protein G (FANCG) protects the mitochondria from oxidative stress. In this report, we have identified eight patients having mutation (C.65G>C; p.Arg22Pro) in the N-terminal of FANCG. The mutant protein hFANCGR22P is able to repair the DNA and able to retain the monoubiquitination of FANCD2 in FANCGR22P/FGR22P cell. However, it lost mitochondrial localization and failed to protect mitochondria from oxidative stress. Mitochondrial instability in the FANCGR22P cell causes the transcriptional down-regulation of mitochondrial iron-sulphur cluster biogenesis protein Frataxin (FXN) and resulting iron deficiency of FA protein FANCJ, an iron-sulphur containing helicase involved in DNA repair.
A new high-pressure benzocaine polymorph — towards understanding the molecular aggregation in crystals of an important active pharmaceutical ingredient (API)
Authors: Patyk-Kaźmierczak Ewa , Kaźmierczak Michał
Published: January 2020

Benzocaine (BZC), an efficient and highly permeable anaesthetic and an active pharmaceutical ingredient of many commercially available drugs, was studied under high pressure up to 0.78 GPa. As a result, new BZC polymorph (IV) was discovered. The crystallization of polymorph (IV) can be initiated by heating crystals of polymorph (I) at a pressure of at least 0.45 GPa or by their compression to 0.60 GPa. However, no phase transition from polymorph (I) to (IV) was observed. Although polymorph (IV) exhibits the same main aggregation motif as in previously reported BZC polymorphs (I)–(III), i.e. a hydrogen-bonded ribbon, its molecular packing and hydrogen-bonding pattern differ considerably. The N—H...N hydrogen bonds joining parallel BZC ribbons in crystals at ambient pressure are eliminated in polymorph (IV), and BZC ribbons become positioned at an angle of about 80°. Unfortunately, crystals of polymorph (IV) were not preserved on pressure release, and depending on the decompression protocol they transformed into polymorph (II) or (I).
Open innovation and the formation of university–industry links in the food manufacturing and technology sector
Authors: Johnston Andrew
Published: January 2020

Purpose

Despite typically being regarded as “low tech”, the food manufacturing and technology sector is increasingly turning to open innovation practices involving collaboration with universities in order to innovate. Given the broad range of activities undertaken by this sector and the fact that it utilises analytical, synthetic and symbolic knowledge for innovation, it makes an interesting case study on the factors that influence the formation of university–industry (U–I) links. The paper aims to discuss this issue.

Design/methodology/approach

Using data from 249 collaborative projects that occurred between UK universities and food manufacturing and technology firms, the analysis utilises a logistic regression model based on a “synthetic counterfactual approach” to modelling the probability a collaborative link will be established with one university and not others.

Findings

The results suggest that organisational proximity, conceptualised through the presence of prior ties between actors, has the largest influence on the formation of U–I links. In addition, spatial and technological proximities between actors also have a positive influence on link formation. This result suggests that the specificity of knowledge of the food sector is important in the formation of these U–I links.

Research limitations/implications

The results suggest that the open innovation practices of food manufacturing and technology firms are like other sectors, even though their innovation practices are considered to be different. However, the limitations of the paper mean that these findings may be specific to firms in the food manufacturing and technology sector in the UK.

Originality/value

The food sector is under-represented in empirical studies on university collaboration; this paper addresses this and provides new insights into the formation of these links.
Development of helmet mold design system using 3D anthropometric analysis
Authors: Kang Yeonghoon , Kim Sungmin
Published: January 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop a software can generate helmet mold from three-dimensional (3D) human body scan data.

Design/methodology/approach

An algorithm has been developed to divide data into arbitrary number of groups considering the width, length and height of head using the standard normal distribution theory. A basic helmet mold is generated automatically based on the shape of representative convex hull for each group.

Findings

It is possible to analyze the 3D human body scan data of groups with various characteristics and apply them to mass customized production of helmet.

Practical implications

This methodology can be applied for designing other products related to the head shape such as goggles and masks by varying the measurement items of the head.

Social implications

This methodology will enable mass customized production centered on consumers in the production and design of various equipment and goods to be worn on the head.

Originality/value

An algorithm has been developed to define the vertex point, which is the limit of scan data, for the analysis of 3D human body scan data scan data. In addition, a system was developed that can mass-produce customized products by effectively dividing groups while taking into account the physical characteristics of consumers.
Economic freedom and Hofstede’s cultural dimensions
Authors: DeBode Jason D. , Haggard Dana L. , Haggard K. Stephen
Published: January 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the influence of broad cultural dimensions, as well as those of religion and legal origin, on countries’ economic freedom, i.e., trade freedom, investment freedom, business freedom, labor freedom, monetary freedom, as well as a composite measure of economic freedom.

Design/methodology/approach

Linear regression of publicly available data regarding economic freedom (Miller et al., 2018) on cultural dimensions (Hofstede, 2009), legal origin and religion (LaPorta et al., 1999) for 52 countries was performed to determine the impact of these factors on economic freedom.

Findings

Results indicated femininity was the cultural dimension associated with the most measures of economic freedom. Short-term-oriented cultures were predictive of greater business freedom, while more restrained cultures were associated with greater business and monetary freedoms. Higher individualism was predictive of greater monetary freedom. Catholicism positively predicted investment freedom and negatively predicted business freedom. French civil law negatively predicted labor freedom, while socialist legal origins positively predicted trade freedom, but negatively predicted business freedom.

Originality/value

This is the first study to examine the impacts of culture, law and religion on economic freedom. One practical implication of this research is that countries would be wise to emphasize more feminine aspects in their cultures, as these are associated with greater economic freedom. Even minor adjustments that move in the direction of cooperation and fair processes might help increase economic freedoms and the many benefits that stem from such freedoms.
A critical review of alternative measures of telecommunications service quality
Authors: Abd-Elrahman Abd-Elrahman Hassanein , Hassan Sally Ali , El-Borsaly Azza Abd-Elkader , Hafez Eglal Abd-Elmoneim
Published: January 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to review the service quality (SQ) models established in various empirical studies conducted across the world specifically applied to telecommunications services.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper examines different SQ models reported in the literature applicable to the telecommunications sector. The selected 29 studies were limited to empirical English studies based on survey data and statistical methods of analysis and having the SQ construct defined from the customers’ perspective.

Findings

The review of various SQ models in telecommunications revealed that the meaning of SQ may have some universal aspects, as demonstrated by the similarities in the underlying dimensions as proposed in different studies. This paper lends support to the contention that the dimensions of the telecommunications SQ construct and their importance vary with the cultural and country context. A proposed model for measuring telecommunications SQ was presented as a trial to extract the best of previous models.

Research limitations/implications

This paper reviews only empirical studies based on survey data and statistical methods of analysis from 2001 to 2019.

Practical implications

The paper indicates that a generic instrument for measurement of SQ or even one specifically developed for telecommunications may not be applicable in its original form for all cultural contexts. The development of a customized scale, such as a modified SERVQUAL for measuring the SQ for a particular cultural or country context at that particular time, is warranted.

Originality/value

The reported study describes and contrasts a large number of SQ measurement constructs and highlights the usage of dimensions.
Drivers for a cross-sector successful collaboration: the Basque country model of action
Authors: Enciso-Santocildes Marta , Vidu Ana , Gómez-Urquijo Laura
Published: January 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to show the positive effects of a cross-sector collaboration between public administration and third sector in the Basque Country. Solidarity within European society is a concern increasingly addressed from broader perspectives in broader territories. Civil society involvement has also reached public administrations. The European Commission H2020 project, SOLIDUS Solidarity in European societies: empowerment, social justice and citizenship (2016–2018), responds to the need to build a “renewed” Europe after the economic crisis, addressing social areas as employment, education, housing, health, civic engagement.

Design/methodology/approach

The communicative methodology (CM) has been used in this research paper, including qualitative fieldwork involving representatives of third-sector organizations. The CM already showed its impact on society, through several research projects in which it has been applied. CM is based on including stakeholders’ voices into research from the initial design until the end, responding their needs from research evidence. Thus, it contributes to put in common the knowledge of experts and stakeholders.

Findings

Searching for successful practices of social innovation, this paper analyzed which elements enable such relationships between public administration and third-sector organizations to promote successful public policies. Even some risks and barriers have been highlighted, the authors’ specific aim focuses on the positive aspects. Therefore, it shows drivers for a most efficient way of public management, which could potentially be extrapolated to other contexts. Some of these drivers are the following: support and collaboration between sectors, institutional trust, co-creation, active participation of the third sector, solidarity and commitment, efficient social policies and workers’ professionalization.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to returning to institutions and society the atmosphere of trust that the crisis context has damaged. The Basque Countries’ comprehensive model of action proves to attend citizenship contributing to a better society, from engaging a successful collaboration across sectors. The creation of two models of collaboration helps to progress in the positive interaction between the third sector and government. This paper is also original because it gives voice to people directly involved on the field and uses their knowledge to describe drivers and assess collaboration and participation of the third sector.

Peer review

The peer review history for this paper is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-06-2019-0378
Socioeconomic and demographic forecasters of upgraded water and sanitation facilities admittance in Rwanda
Authors: Bikorimana Gerard , Shengmin Sun
Published: January 2020

Purpose

Upgraded water and better sanitation are essential for human health, but it is still a challenge to get admittance to these facilities and the concerns of public health becomes most victims. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the socioeconomic and demographic forecaster linked with admittance to safer water and upgraded sanitation facilities in Rwanda. The study uses the cross-sectional data from the 2014 to 2015 Rwanda Demographic Health Survey and uses linear generalized models for the analysis.

Design/methodology/approach

The logit and probit regressions were used to analyze whether or not any forecaster variables influenced the predicted variable.

Findings

The findings showed that the households with the highest education background were 11.55 times more probable to have admittance to upgraded water sources compared to those who had none level of education. Likewise, the respondents with secondary and higher education were, respectively, 9.55 times and 4.09 times more probable to have admittance to upgraded latrine facilities. The authors found the increase of household size as significantly associated with admittance to the upgraded water source and latrine facilities compared to those families with fewer household members. The results also found that wealthier households had a larger odds ratio significance in getting admittance to upgraded water sources and sanitation facilities compared to poorer households. The study results found the greatest gap in access to upgraded water sources and sanitation facilities in rural areas compared to urban areas.

Research limitations/implications

The implications of the study results call for water policy formulation and implementation in Rwanda, as well as generally for other developing countries.

Originality/value

In Rwanda, this is the first study that empirically inspected the relationship between socioeconomic and demographic forecasters on admittance to upgraded water and sanitation facilities.

Peer review

The peer review history for this article is available at:https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-07-2019-0452
The impact of green supply chain integration on sustainable performance
Authors: Han Zhaojun , Huo Baofeng
Published: January 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the impact of green supply chain integration (GSCI) on sustainable performance which includes environmental, social and economic performance.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on data collected from 206 Chinese manufacturers, this study uses structural equation modeling with the maximum-likelihood estimation method to test the theoretical model.

Findings

The results show that different dimensions of GSCI have different outcomes. Green internal integration lays the foundation for green supplier integration (GSI) and green customer integration (GCI), and is related to both environmental and social performance. GSI is positively related to economic performance, whereas GCI is positively related to social performance.

Originality/value

Believing that “how to be green” matters, this study focuses on an integrative approach to green supply chain management (GSCM), shedding new light on how GSCI influences performance and providing practical guidelines for different stakeholders.
The Pransky interview: Dr James Kuffner, CEO at Toyota Research Institute Advanced Development, Coinventor of the rapidly, exploring random tree algorithm
Authors: Pransky Joanne
Published: January 2020

Purpose

The following article is a “Q&A interview” conducted by Joanne Pransky of Industrial Robot Journal as a method to impart the combined technological, business and personal experience of a prominent, robotic industry PhD-turned entrepreneur regarding his pioneering efforts of bringing technological inventions to market. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

The interviewee is Dr James Kuffner, CEO at Toyota Research Institute Advanced Development (TRI-AD). Kuffner is a proven entrepreneur and inventor in robot and motion planning and cloud robotics. In this interview, Kuffner shares his personal and professional journey from conceptualization to commercial realization.

Findings

Dr Kuffner received BS, MS and PhD degrees from the Stanford University’s Department of Computer Science Robotics Laboratory. He was a Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Tokyo where he worked on software and planning algorithms for humanoid robots. He joined the faculty at Carnegie Mellon University’s Robotics Institute in 2002 where he served until March 2018. Kuffner was a Research Scientist and Engineering Director at Google from 2009 to 2016. In January 2016, he joined TRI where he was appointed the Chief Technology Officer and Area Lead, Cloud Intelligence and is presently an Executive Advisor. He has been CEO of TRI-AD since April of 2018.

Originality/value

Dr Kuffner is perhaps best known as the co-inventor of the rapidly exploring random tree (RRT) algorithm, which has become a key standard benchmark for robot motion planning. He is also known for introducing the term “Cloud Robotics” in 2010 to describe how network-connected robots could take advantage of distributed computation and data stored in the cloud. Kuffner was part of the initial engineering team that built Google’s self-driving car. He was appointed Head of Google’s Robotics Division in 2014, which he co-founded with Andy Rubin to help realize the original Cloud Robotics concept. Kuffner also co-founded Motion Factory, where he was the Senior Software Engineer and a member of the engineering team to develop C++ based authoring tools for high-level graphic animation and interactive multimedia content. Motion Factory was acquired by SoftImage in 2000. In May 2007, Kuffner founded, and became the Director of Robot Autonomy where he coordinated research and software consulting for industrial and consumer robotics applications. In 2008, he assisted in the iOS development of Jibbigo, the first on-phone, real-time speech recognition, translation and speech synthesis application for the iPhone. Jibbigo was acquired by Facebook in 2013. Kuffner is one of the most highly cited authors in the field of robotics and motion planning, with over 15,000 citations. He has published over 125 technical papers and was issued more than 50 patents related to robotics and computer vision technology.
A conceptual framework for digital civics pedagogy informed by the philosophy of information
Authors: Clements Estelle
Published: January 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to draw on the philosophy of information, specifically the work of Luciano Floridi, to argue that digital civics must fully comprehend the implications of the digital environment, and consequently an informational ontology, to deliver to students an education that will prepare them for full participation as citizens in the infosphere.

Design/methodology/approach

Introducing this philosophy for use in education, the research discusses the ethical implications of ontological change in the digital age; informational organisms and their interconnectivity; and concepts of agency, both organic and artificial in digitally mediated civic interactions and civic education.

Findings

With the provision of a structural framework rooted in the philosophy of information, robust mechanisms for civics initiatives can be enacted.

Originality/value

The paper allows policy makers and practitioners to formulate healthy responses to digital age challenges in civics and civics education.
Information and design: book symposium on Luciano Floridi’s The Logic of Information
Authors: Gorichanaz Tim , Furner Jonathan , Ma Lai , Bawden David , Robinson Lyn , Dixon Dominic , Herold Ken , Søe Sille Obelitz , Van der Veer Martens Betsy , Floridi Luciano
Published: January 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to review and discuss Luciano Floridi’s 2019 book The Logic of Information: A Theory of Philosophy as Conceptual Design, the latest instalment in his philosophy of information (PI) tetralogy, particularly with respect to its implications for library and information studies (LIS).

Design/methodology/approach

Nine scholars with research interests in philosophy and LIS read and responded to the book, raising critical and heuristic questions in the spirit of scholarly dialogue. Floridi responded to these questions.

Findings

Floridi’s PI, including this latest publication, is of interest to LIS scholars, and much insight can be gained by exploring this connection. It seems also that LIS has the potential to contribute to PI’s further development in some respects.

Research limitations/implications

Floridi’s PI work is technical philosophy for which many LIS scholars do not have the training or patience to engage with, yet doing so is rewarding. This suggests a role for translational work between philosophy and LIS.

Originality/value

The book symposium format, not yet seen in LIS, provides forum for sustained, multifaceted and generative dialogue around ideas.
Entrepreneurial skill-building in rural ecosystems
Authors: Lyons Thomas S. , Lyons John S. , Jolley G. Jason
Published: January 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to argue that defining, measuring and developing skills are crucial to successful entrepreneurship and that being able to do so can help to build strong rural entrepreneurial ecosystems.

Design/methodology/approach

The literature on entrepreneurship success and entrepreneurial skills is reviewed, and this knowledge is used to create and describe the Entrepreneurship Skill-building Framework (ESBF), which provides a scaffold for thinking about the identification, measurement and development of essential entrepreneurship skills. The same literature is used to develop a tool for effectuating the ESBF, called the Readiness Inventory for Successful Entrepreneurship (RISE), which assesses entrepreneurship skills using the communimetrics theory of measurement.

Findings

Both the ESBF and the RISE are detailed, and they are applied to the successful development and maintenance of rural entrepreneurial ecosystems, with an example from practice. Specific implications for rural entrepreneurship-focused economic development are also discussed.

Originality/value

The ESBF represents a new way of framing entrepreneurship skills and their development. The RISE is a skills assessment tool that is clinical, not predictive, utilizing an innovative theory of measurement. Together, they offer a fresh approach to thinking about the purpose and effective implementation of entrepreneurial ecosystems.
Hypotheses on the causes of financial crime
Authors: Ruggiero Vincenzo
Published: January 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the aftermath of the 2006-07 financial crisis and attempts to identify a range of causes that were responsible for it and are likely to trigger similar events in the future. The analytical tradition established by the study of white-collar crime provides the background for such an examination, which avails itself of some conceptualisations derived from classical economic thought.

Design/methodology/approach

Explanations of financial crime can resort to general theories based on allegedly universal values. They can posit the existence of criminaloids, namely, individuals who indulge in illegal practices, or ‘honest fraud’, while not deeming themselves culpable. Anomie and control theory in criminology have highlighted how the causes of financial crime are associated with general criminogenic contexts or with individual propensities or mindsets. This paper adds to the existing perspectives a number of variables that can provide a more nuanced picture of financial crimes.

Findings

This paper attempts to identify a range of discrete variables that can be termed interstitial in the sense that they can accompany a variety of theoretical hypotheses, locate themselves in the space left in between the different approaches while providing supplementary analytical foci. Ignorance, entitlement, reverse Keynesianism, recklessness, efficiency and the finance curse may offer additional angles from which the causation of financial crime can be observed. Sociological and criminological arguments, in this paper, are interspersed with notions derived from classical economics.

Originality/value

The originality of this contribution is to be found in its use of different theoretical traditions, establishing a dialogue between social theory, criminology and economic thought.