bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Phylogenomics supported by geometric morphometrics reveals delimitation of sexual species within the polyploid apomicticRanunculus auricomuscomplex (Ranunculaceae)
Authors: Karbstein Kevin , Tomasello Salvatore , Hodac Ladislav , Dunkel Franz G. , Daubert Mareike , Hörandl Elvira
Published: January 2020

Species are the basic units of biodiversity and evolution. Nowadays, they are widely considered as ancestor-descendant lineages. Their definition remains a persistent challenge for taxonomists due to lineage evolutionary role and circumscription, i.e., persistence in time and space, ecological niche or a shared phenotype of a lineage. Recognizing and delimiting species is particularly methodically challenging in fast-evolving, evolutionary young species complexes often characterized by low genetic divergence, hybrid origin, introgression and incomplete lineage sorting (ILS).Ranunculus auricomusis a large Eurasian apomictic polyploid complex that probably has arisen from the hybridization of a few sexual progenitor species. However, even delimitation and relationships of diploid sexual progenitors have been unclearly ranging from two to twelve species. Here, we present an innovative workflow combining phylogenomic methods based on 86,782 parameter-optimized RADseq loci and target enrichment of 663 nuclear genes together with geometric morphometrics to delimit sexual species in this evolutionary young complex (< 1 Mya). For the first time, we revealed a fully resolved and well-supported maximum likelihood (ML) tree phylogeny congruent to neighbor-net network and STRUCTURE results based on RADseq data. In a few clades, we found evidence of discordant patterns indicated by quartet sampling (QS) and reticulation events in the neighbor-net network probably caused by introgression and ILS. Together with coalescent-based species delimitation approaches based on target enrichment data, we found five main genetic lineages, with an allopatric distribution in Central and Southern Europe. A concatenated geometric morphometric data set including basal and stem leaves, as well as receptacles, revealed the same five main clusters. We accept those five morphologically differentiated, geographically isolated, genetic main lineages as species:R. cassubicifoliuss.l. (incl.R. carpaticola),R. flabellifolius,R. envalirensiss.l. (incl.R. cebennensis),R. marsicusandR. notabiliss.l. (incl.R. austroslovenicus,R. calapius,R. mediocompositus, R. peracrisandR. subcarniolicus). Our comprehensive workflow combing phylogenomic methods supported by geometric morphometrics proved to be successful in delimiting closely related sexual taxa and applying an evolutionary species concept, which is also transferable to other evolutionarily young species complexes.
Ecological assembly processes of the bacterial and fungal microbiota of wild and domesticated wheat species
Authors: Hassani M. Amine , Özkurt Ezgi , Franzenburg Sören , Stukenbrock Eva H.
Published: January 2020

Plant domestication has led to substantial changes in the host physiology. How this anthropogenic intervention has contributed in altering the wheat microbiota is not well understood. Here, we investigated the role of ecological selection, drift and dispersal in shaping the bacterial and fungal communities associated with domesticated wheat Triticum aestivum and two wild relatives, Triticum boeoticum and Triticum urartu. Our study shows that the bacterial and fungal microbiota of wild and domesticated wheat species follow distinct community assembly patterns. Further, we revealed a more prominent role of neutral processes in the assembly of the microbiota of domesticated wheat and propose that domestication has relaxed selective processes in the assembly of the wheat microbiota.
Lysine Acetylation Reshapes The Downstream Signaling Landscape of Vav1 in Lymphocytes
Authors: Rodríguez-Fdez Sonia , Nevado Lucía F. , Lorenzo-Martín L. Francisco , Bustelo Xosé R.
Published: January 2020

Vav1 works both as a catalytic Rho GTPase activator and an adaptor molecule. These functions, which are critical for T cell development and antigenic responses, are tyrosine phosphorylation-dependent. However, it is not known whether other posttranslational modifications can modulate the signaling output of this protein. Here, we show that Vav1 becomes acetylated in a stimulation- and SH2 domain-dependent manner. We also demonstrate that the acetylation of four residues located in the catalytic, lysine rich and SH2 domains preferentially buffers the Vav1 adaptor function that favors the stimulation of the nuclear factor of activated T cells. As a result, it modifies the signaling diversification properties normally exhibited by Vav1 in lymphocytes. This new regulatory layer is not shared by Vav family paralogs.
Quantifying Tensile Forces at Cell–Cell Junctions with a DNA-based Fluorescent Probe
Authors: Zhao Bin , Li Ningwei , Xie Tianfa , Liang Chungwen , Bagheri Yousef , Sun Yubing , You Mingxu
Published: January 2020

Cells are physically contacting with each other. Direct and precise quantification of forces at cell–cell junctions is still challenging. Herein, we have developed a DNA-based ratiometric fluorescent probe, termed DNAMeter, to quantify intercellular tensile forces. These lipid-modified DNAMeters can spontaneously anchor onto live cell membranes. The DNAMeter consists of two self-assembled DNA hairpins of different force tolerance. Once the intercellular tension exceeds the force tolerance to unfold a DNA hairpin, a specific fluorescence signal will be activated, which enables the real-time imaging and quantification of tensile forces. Using E-cadherin-modified DNAMeter as an example, we have demonstrated an approach to quantify, at the molecular level, the magnitude and distribution of E-cadherin tension among epithelial cells. Compatible with readily accessible fluorescence microscopes, these easy-to-use DNA tension probes can be broadly used to quantify mechanotransduction in collective cell behaviors.
Identification of QTLs for high grain yield and component traits in New Plant Types of rice
Authors: Donde Ravindra , Mohapatra S. , Baksh S. Y. , Padhy B. , Mukherjee M. , Roy S. , Chattopadhyay K. , Anandan A. , Swain P. , Sahoo K. K. , Singh O. N. , Behera L. , Dash S. K.
Published: January 2020

A panel of 60 genotypes consisting of New Plant Types (NPTs) along withindica,tropicalandtemperate japonicagenotypes were phenotypically evaluated for four seasons in irrigated situation for grain yieldper seand component traits. Twenty NPT genotypes were found to be promising with an average grain yield of 5.45 to 8.8 t/ha. A total of 85 SSR markers were used in the study to identify QTLs associated with grain yieldper seand related traits. Sixty-six (77.65%) markers were found to be polymorphic. The PIC values varied from 0.516 to 0.92 with an average of 0.704. A moderate level of genetic diversity (0.39) was detected among genotypes. Variation to the tune of 8% within genotypes, 68% among the genotypes within the population and 24% among the populations were observed (AMOVA). The association analysis using GLM and MLM models led to the identification of 30 and 10 SSR markers were associated with 70 and 16 QTLs, respectively. Thirty novel QTLs linked with 16 SSRs were identified to be associated with eleven traits, namely, tiller number (qTL-6.1, qTL-11.1, qTL-4.1), panicle length (qPL-1.1, qPL-5.1,qPL-7.1, qPL-8.1), flag leaf length (qFLL-8.1, qFLL-9.1), flag leaf width (qFLW-6.2, qFLW-5.1,qFLW-8.1, qFLW-7.1), total no. of grains (qTG-2.2, qTG-a7.1), thousand-grain weight (qTGW-a1.1, qTGW-a9.2, qTGW-5.1, qTGW-8.1), fertile grains (qFG-7.1), seed length-breadth ratio (qSlb-3.1), plant height (qPHT-6.1, qPHT-9.1), days to 50% flowering (qFD-1.1) and grain yield per se (qYLD-5.1, qYLD-6.1a, qYLD-11.1). This information could be useful for identification of highly potential parents for development of transgressive segregants. Moreover, super rice genotypes could be developed through pyramiding of these QTLS for important yield traits for prospective increment in yield potentiality and breaking yield ceiling.
Computed tomography reveals hip dysplasia in the extinct Pleistocene saber-tooth catSmilodon
Authors: Balisi Mairin A. , Sharma Abhinav K. , Howard Carrie M. , Shaw Christopher A. , Klapper Robert , Lindsey Emily L.
Published: January 2020

Reconstructing the behavior of extinct species is challenging, particularly for those with no living analogues. However, damage preserved as paleopathologies on bone can record how an animal moved in life, potentially reflecting behavioral patterns. Here, we assess hypothesized etiologies of pathology in a pelvis and associated right femur of aSmilodon fatalissaber-toothed cat, one of the best-studied species from the Pleistocene-age Rancho La Brea asphalt seeps, California, USA, using visualization by computed tomography (CT). The pelvis exhibits massive destruction of the right hip socket that was interpreted, for nearly a century, to have developed from trauma and infection. CT imaging reveals instead that the pathological distortions characterize chronic remodeling that began at birth and led to degeneration of the joint over the animal’s life. These results suggest that this individual suffered from hip dysplasia, a congenital condition common in domestic dogs and cats. This individual reached adulthood but could not have hunted properly nor defended territory on its own, likely relying on a social group for feeding and protection. While extant social felids are rare, these fossils and others with similar pathologies are consistent with a spectrum of social strategies inSmilodonsupported by a predominance of previous studies.
Mimicry of dopamine 1 receptor signaling with Cell-Penetrating Peptides
Authors: Lorenzon Nicola , Gestin Maxime , Langel Ülo
Published: January 2020

In this study, through the use of protein mimicry, a peptide was developed to activate the dopamine 1 receptor signaling pathway in substitution of L-DOPA. The peptide proved to be capable of efficiently ubiquitously penetrating the cell without the need for transfection agents or chiral recognition by specific pathways. Furthermore, the peptide induced the cellular response normally achieved through the activation of the receptor in cells that had not been treated with the natural ligand. The peptide could work as a candidate substitute to L-DOPA, leading the way for a peptides-based treatment for Parkinson’s disease.
Local retinoic acid directs emergence of the extraocular muscle functional unit
Authors: Comai Glenda , Tesarova Marketa , Dupé Valerie , Rhinn Muriel , Vallecillo Garcia Pedro , da Silva Fabio , Feret Betty , Exelby Katherine , Dollé Pascal , Carlsson Leif , Pryce Brian , Spitz Francois , Stricker Sigmar , Zikmund Tomas , Kaiser Jozef , Briscoe James , Schedl Andreas , Ghyselinck Norbert B. , Schweitzer Ronen , Tajbakhsh Shahragim
Published: January 2020

Coordinated development of muscles, tendons, and their attachment sites ensures emergence of functional musculoskeletal units that are adapted to diverse anatomical demands among different species. How these different tissues are patterned and functionally assembled during embryogenesis is poorly understood. Here, we investigated the morphogenesis of extraocular muscles (EOMs), an evolutionary conserved cranial muscle group that is crucial for the coordinated movement of the eyeballs and for visual acuity. By means of lineage analysis, we redefined the cellular origins of periocular connective tissues interacting with the EOMs, which do not arise exclusively from neural crest mesenchyme as previously thought. Using 3D imaging approaches, we established an integrative blueprint for the EOM functional unit. By doing so, we identified a developmental time window where individual EOMs emerge from a unique muscle anlage and establish insertions in the sclera, which sets these muscles apart from classical muscle-to-bone type of insertions. Further, we demonstrate that the eyeballs are a source of diffusible retinoic acid that allow their targeting by the EOMs in a temporal and dose dependent manner. Using genetically modified mice and inhibitor treatments, we find that endogenous local variations in the concentration of retinoids contribute to the establishment of tendon condensations and attachment sites that precede the initiation of muscle patterning. Collectively, our results highlight how global and site-specific programs are deployed for the assembly of muscle functional units with precise definition of muscle shapes and topographical wiring of their tendon attachments.
Nephrotic Syndrome-Associated Hypercoagulopathy is Alleviated by Nuclear Receptor Agonist Therapy with both Pioglitazone and Glucocorticoids
Authors: Waller Amanda P. , Agrawal Shipra , Wolfgang Katelyn J. , Kino Jiro , Chanley Melinda A. , Smoyer William E. , Kerlin Bryce A. ,   the Pediatric Nephrology Research Consortium (PNRC)
Published: January 2020

Background

Thrombosis is a potentially life-threatening nephrotic syndrome (NS) complication. We have previously demonstrated that hypercoagulopathy is proportional to NS severity in rat models and that pioglitazone (Pio) reduces proteinuria both independently and in combination with methylprednisolone (MP), a glucocorticoid (GC). However, the effect of these treatments on NS-associated hypercoagulopathy remains unknown. We thus sought to determine the ability of Pio and GC to alleviate NS-associated hypercoagulopathy.

Methods

Puromycin aminonucleoside-induced rat NS was treated with sham, Low- or High-dose MP, Pio, or combination (Pio+Low-MP) and plasma was collected at day 11. Plasma samples were collected from children with steroid-sensitive NS (SSNS) and steroid-resistant NS (SRNS) upon presentation and after 7 weeks of GC therapy. Plasma endogenous thrombin potential (ETP), antithrombin (AT) activity, and albumin (Alb) were measured using thrombin generation, amidolytic, and colorimetric assays, respectively.

Results

In a rat model of NS, both High-MP and Pio improved proteinuria and corrected hypoalbuminemia, ETP and AT activity (P<0.05). Proteinuria (P=0.005) and hypoalbuminemia (P<0.001) were correlated with ETP. In childhood NS, while ETP was not different at presentation, GC therapy improved proteinuria, hypoalbuminemia, and ETP in children with SSNS (P<0.001) but not SRNS (P=0.330).

Conclusions

Both Pio and GC diminish proteinuria and significantly alleviate hypercoagulopathy. Both Pio and MP improved hypercoagulopathy in rats, and successful GC therapy (SSNS) also improved hypercoagulopathy in childhood NS. These data suggest that even a partial reduction in proteinuria may reduce NS-associated thrombotic risk.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT

Nephrotic syndrome (NS) is characterized by massive proteinuria and is complicated by a complex, acquired hypercoagulopathy that markedly increases the risk for potentially life-threatening venous thromboembolism (VTE). This study demonstrates a strong correlation between proteinuria reduction and improvement of an established VTE-risk biomarker, in both a well-established animal model and in childhood NS before and after steroid treatment. We show that nuclear receptor agonists with known disparate mechanisms of action successfully reduce proteinuria and simultaneously improve NS-associated hypercoagulopathy. These data suggest that complete or partial proteinuria reduction by any therapeutic modality may concurrently reduce NS-associated thrombotic risk.
Identifying novel B-cell targets for chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease by screening of chemical probes in a patient-derived cell assay
Authors: Sundström Yvonne , Shang Ming-Mei , Panda Sudeepta Kumar , Grönwall Caroline , Wermeling Fredrik , Gunnarsson Iva , Lundberg Ingrid E , Sundström Michael , Jakobsson Per-Johan , Berg Louise
Published: January 2020

B-cell secretion of autoantibodies drives autoimmune diseases, including systemic lupus erythematosus and idiopathic inflammatory myositis. Few therapies are presently available for treatment of these patients, often resulting in unsatisfactory effects and helping only some of patients. We developed a screening assay for evaluation of novel targets suspending B-cell maturation into antibody secreting cells, which could contribute to future drug development. The assay was employed for testing 43 high quality chemical probes and compounds inhibiting under-explored protein targets, using primary cells from patients with autoimmune disease. Probes inhibiting bromodomain family proteins and histone methyl transferases demonstrated abrogation of B-cell functions to a degree comparable to a positive control, the JAK inhibitor tofacitinib. Inhibition of each target rendered a specific functional cell and potential disease modifying effect, indicating specific epigenetic protein targets as potential new intervention points for future drug discovery and development efforts.
Prediction of contact fatigue life of AT40 ceramic coating based on neural network
Authors: Zhou Renze , Xing Zhiguo , Wang Haidou , Piao Zhongyu , Huang Yanfei , Guo Weiling , Ma Runbo
Published: January 2020

Purpose

With the development of deep learning-based analytical techniques, increased research has focused on fatigue data analysis methods based on deep learning, which are gaining in popularity. However, the application of deep neural networks in the material science domain is mainly inhibited by data availability. In this paper, to overcome the difficulty of multifactor fatigue life prediction with small data sets,

Design/methodology/approach

A multiple neural network ensemble (MNNE) is used, and an MNNE with a general and flexible explicit function is developed to accurately quantify the complicated relationships hidden in multivariable data sets. Moreover, a variational autoencoder-based data generator is trained with small sample sets to expand the size of the training data set. A comparative study involving the proposed method and traditional models is performed. In addition, a filtering rule based on the R2 score is proposed and applied in the training process of the MNNE, and this approach has a beneficial effect on the prediction accuracy and generalization ability.

Findings

A comparative study involving the proposed method and traditional models is performed. The comparative experiment confirms that the use of hybrid data can improve the accuracy and generalization ability of the deep neural network and that the MNNE outperforms support vector machines, multilayer perceptron and deep neural network models based on the goodness of fit and robustness in the small sample case.

Practical implications

The experimental results imply that the proposed algorithm is a sophisticated and promising multivariate method for predicting the contact fatigue life of a coating when data availability is limited.

Originality/value

A data generated model based on variational autoencoder was used to make up lack of data. An MNNE method was proposed to apply in the small data case of fatigue life prediction.
An empirical analysis of search engines’ response to web search queries associated with the classroom setting
Authors: Anuyah Oghenemaro , Milton Ashlee , Green Michael , Pera Maria Soledad
Published: January 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine strengths and limitations that search engines (SEs) exhibit when responding to web search queries associated with the grade school curriculum

Design/methodology/approach

The authors employed a simulation-based experimental approach to conduct an in-depth empirical examination of SEs and used web search queries that capture information needs in different search scenarios.

Findings

Outcomes from this study highlight that child-oriented SEs are more effective than traditional ones when filtering inappropriate resources, but often fail to retrieve educational materials. All SEs examined offered resources at reading levels higher than that of the target audience and often prioritized resources with popular top-level domain (e.g. “.com”).

Practical implications

Findings have implications for human intervention, search literacy in schools, and the enhancement of existing SEs. Results shed light on the impact on children’s education that result from introducing misconception about SEs when these tools either retrieve no results or offer irrelevant resources, in response to web search queries pertinent to the grade school curriculum.

Originality/value

The authors examined child-oriented and popular SEs retrieval of resources aligning with task objectives and user capabilities–resources that match user reading skills, do not contain hate-speech and sexually-explicit content, are non-opinionated, and are curriculum-relevant. Findings identified limitations of existing SEs (both directly or indirectly supporting young users) and demonstrate the need to improve SE filtering and ranking algorithms.
Is earnings management associated with corporate environmental disclosure?
Authors: Gerged Ali Meftah , Al-Haddad Lara Mohammad , Al-Hajri Meshari O.
Published: January 2020

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the association between corporate environmental disclosure (CED) and earnings management (EM) in a Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) emerging market, namely, Kuwait.

Design/methodology/approach

Using panel data from firms listed on the Kuwaiti stock exchange from 2010 to 2014, this paper applies a fixed-effects model to examine the CED-EM nexus. This analysis was supplemented with estimating a two-stage least-squares (2SLS) model and a generalised method of moment model to address any concerns regarding endogeneity problems.

Findings

The results are suggestive of a significant and negative relationship between CED and EM in Kuwait. This implies that the environmentally responsible managers are less likely to be engaged in EM practices in Kuwait.

Research limitations/implications

The theoretical implication of the results of this study is that managers in Kuwait seem to use CED as a method to decrease the possibility of any formal or informal actions that could be imposed upon their activities.

Originality/value

So far, a limited number of studies focused on examining the CED-EM nexus internationally. Furthermore, studies carried out to examine the CED-EM link within a GCC market is virtually non-existent. This study, therefore, presents the first empirical analysis of this relationship in Kuwait. Also, this study is of a significant value stemming from the environmental challenges that are facing Kuwait as an oil-reliant economy coupled together with the crucial economic development in Kuwait and its critical contribution to the GCC economy.
Facilitating the application of auditors’ underlying skeptical disposition
Authors: Khan Jahanzeb , Harding Noel
Published: January 2020

Purpose

Motivated by ongoing calls for auditors to exercise an elevated level of professional skepticism, this paper aims to examine the relationship between basic human values (values) and an underlying skeptical disposition (trait skepticism). Understanding the values that are associated with levels of trait skepticism will help in the design of audit environments that make the application of an underlying skeptical disposition more likely.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey was administered in which 140 postgraduate auditing students responded to the Schwartz value survey to measure the relative importance of different values, and the Hurtt trait skepticism scale to measure trait skepticism. The relative importance of the ten values was regressed against trait skepticism.

Findings

This study finds that the importance placed in the values of tradition and power, relative to other values, is negatively associated with levels of trait skepticism.

Research limitations/implications

The use of postgraduate auditing students as participants may limit the generalizability of the study’s findings.

Practical implications

Qualified by the need for future research to test the generalizability of the findings to an audit practitioner sample, the results of this study suggest that auditors with higher levels of trait skepticism may experience negative affect in environments that emphasize values of power and tradition. To the extent that current audit environments emphasize tradition and power, the results may help explain why trait skepticism is not consistently reflected in audit judgments and actions.

Originality/value

The affective implications of the environment within which auditors exercise professional skepticism is emerging as an important area by which to understand and improve audit quality. By identifying the values that those with a high skeptical disposition place relatively less importance in, this study informs an understanding of the circumstances where an underlying skeptical disposition is more or less likely to be reflected in auditor judgments and actions.
Teaching IFRS: evidence from course experience and approaches to learning in China
Authors: Natoli Riccardo , Wei Zi , Jackling Beverley
Published: January 2020

Purpose

The introduction of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) has brought about renewed calls for the learning environment to foster a deep approach to learning by students. Given this, the purpose of this paper is to determine what aspects of the learning environment, as measured by the Course Experiences Questionnaire, created in two semester-long financial accounting classes, influence students’ approaches to learning, as perceived by Chinese accounting students.

Design/methodology/approach

A logistic regression model based on responses from 497 accounting students across two universities in China is used to address this issue.

Findings

The findings provide original empirical evidence of the Chinese accounting students’ expectations of deep learning. The main results showed that teaching quality and clear goals and standards were significantly associated with a deep approach to learning.

Research limitations/implications

As two universities are included in the study, the findings are not necessarily generalisable to all accounting degree courses across China. There are practical implications for the teaching of IFRS in the financial accounting unit in China, and particularly for the two universities. Specifically, instructors need to foster students’ learning environment and inspire an enhanced approach to deep learning by focusing more on communicating their expected academic standards and improving their quality of teaching to reverse the passive approach taken by the vast majority of Chinese accounting students.

Originality/value

As one of the few studies from a Chinese accounting classroom context with respect to the learning approaches to teaching IFRS, this study will contribute to extend the existing knowledge of the learning environment of Chinese universities.
A fast algorithm for the adaptive discretization of 3D parametric curves
Authors: Zhang Jianming , Ju Chuanming , Chi Baotao
Published: January 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present a fast algorithm for the adaptive discretization of three-dimensional parametric curves.

Design/methodology/approach

The proposed algorithm computes the parametric increments of all segments to obtain the parametric coordinates of all discrete nodes. This process is recursively applied until the optimal discretization of curves is obtained. The parametric increment of a segment is inversely proportional to the number of sub-segments, which can be subdivided, and the sum of parametric increments of all segments is constant. Thus, a new expression for parametric increment of a segment can be obtained. In addition, the number of sub-segments, which a segment can be subdivided is calculated approximately, thus avoiding Gaussian integration.

Findings

The proposed method can use less CPU time to perform the optimal discretization of three-dimensional curves. The results of curves discretization can also meet requirements for mesh generation used in the preprocessing of numerical simulation.

Originality/value

Several numerical examples presented have verified the robustness and efficiency of the proposed algorithm. Compared with the conventional algorithm, the more complex the model, the more time the algorithm saves in the process of curve discretization.
The digitalization of the innovation process
Authors: Agostini Lara , Galati Francesco , Gastaldi Luca
Published: January 2020

Purpose

As various scholars have pointed out, the exponential growth in digital technologies has resulted in significant improvements to many business processes, and has also played a significant role in the field of innovation. The purpose of this paper is to organise the contributions of this special issue according to a framework that considers three topics currently being debated extensively in literature: innovation inputs, innovation processes and innovation outcomes.

Design/methodology/approach

Papers in this special issue adopt both qualitative and quantitative approaches based on the purpose of the study, which gives also a methodological variety to the special issue.

Findings

Papers in this special issue show that because of digital technologies: first, inputs are progressively becoming interrelated, making most of innovation endeavours happening in inter-organizational ecosystems of actors; second, innovation processes are gradually being compressed, anticipating and enhancing the phases in which customer feedback is gathered and employed; and finally, innovation outputs are increasingly taking the form of platforms used to create value by matching the supply of an asset with demand.

Originality/value

The value of this and other papers included in the special issue consists of embracing the topic of digital innovation from a managerial standpoint, contributing to the understanding of how the innovation process and other business processes may be affected by the use of digital technologies.
Towards a sustainable HRM in Latin America? Union-management relationship in Chile
Authors: Gutiérrez Crocco Francisca , Martin Angel
Published: January 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to discuss why and how the notion of sustainability has been integrated to the practices of HRM in Chile. Especially, it examines how the union‒management relationship shapes and is shaped by the adoption of a sustainable approach. By doing so, it contributes to a broader debate about HRM in Latin America.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper draws on a case study conducted between 2016 and 2018 in two large companies. In each of these companies, besides the analysis of internal and administrative documentation, human resource managers, line managers and union officers were interviewed.

Findings

In this paper, two main findings are discussed. First, the sustainable HRM idea installed in Chile has not involved a total renunciation of some old ideological frames, but rather an adjustment of these. The old paternalist managerialism is shaping a path to a new HRM model, willing to yield part of its control to workers, but not less unitarist in its foundations. Second, the sustainable HRM concept adoption by the studied companies is not primarily motivated by economic goals as it may have occurred in other contexts, but by the need of a solution to labour conflicts in a context of union action renewal.

Practical implications

This research could be used to teach about leadership, strategy and sustainability, highlighting the importance of understanding the contested nature of the employment relations within these processes of changing. To accomplish this, HR practitioners need to get more involved with pluralistic perspectives in labour relations and thus achieve effective sustainable practices in the workplace. It is also relevant that unions recognise and strengthen their ability to influence these policies.

Originality/value

This paper sheds lights on how the concept of sustainable HRM has been introduced in Latin America, which has been slightly discussed in mainstream scientific literature. It also provides empirical evidence about unexplored and recent changes in HRM and proposes new perspectives for the study of this topic in the region, considering variables as the managerial ideologies, current labour disputes and the relevance of trade union voice.
Staffing agencies in work relationships with independent contractors
Authors: Ruiner Caroline , Wilkesmann Maximiliane , Apitzsch Birgit
Published: January 2020

Purpose

While staffing agencies are gaining importance in work relationships with the highly skilled workforce, their work relations with highly skilled independent contractors have not been investigated yet. Staffing agencies as labor market intermediaries charge a fee to help independent contractors as well as client organizations to create contracts for services while independent contractors remain self-employed. Besides their growing relevance, their exact role remains unclear. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to analyze the role of staffing agencies in work relationships with highly skilled independent contractors.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors applied a mixed-methods design comprising a qualitative interview study with independent contractors and staffing agencies’ representatives (n=29) coupled with a quantitative survey of staffing agencies (n=81).

Findings

The analysis shows that staffing agencies are important actors in work relationships with highly skilled independent contractors. However, the relationships can be differentiated into rather standardized ones on the one hand and individualized relations on the other hand. This seems to correspond with differences between sectors.

Originality/value

First, the authors discuss staffing agencies as new intermediaries and highlight their relevance in the negotiation of working conditions. Second, the authors emphasize variations of the role of staffing agencies in triadic work relationships of highly skilled independent contractors in relation to specificities of sectors. Third, the study also adds on organizational support theory and related research.
Management systems and improving supply chain processes
Authors: Zimon Dominik , Madzik Peter , Sroufe Robert
Published: January 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of implementing standardized management systems on processes related to competitiveness. The authors also want to better understand how these systems create value for a client in organizations co-developing supply chains operating in Eastern and Central Europe.

Design/methodology/approach

This is an empirical study utilizing a survey methodology with two groups of respondents, logistic service providers and focal companies. Data analysis was based on descriptive statistics and on analysis of variance (ANOVA) with organization type as a stratification factor. Deeper investigation of latent relationships between variables was performed with factor analysis with principal component analysis as the main method for factor extraction.

Findings

The research shows standardized management systems are useful in supply chain management (SCM) regardless of the role that the organization plays in the supply chain. However, the strength of their positive impact varies.

Practical implications

The results and new insights presented within this study should prove useful for organizations co-creating supply chains in Europe. Decision makers considering the implementation of guidelines for standardized management systems will find multiple benefits and innovative outcomes within supply chains when choosing to implement. For researchers, the results of this study fill a gap in this area of research on SCM and standardized management systems while providing a path for continued and emerging research.

Originality/value

The results obtained help to fill a gap in the literature regarding a lack of research in the context of Easter and Central Europe and contribute to the advancement of knowledge about the impact of standardized management systems on SCM that includes the importance of both environmental and social performance.
The extent of audit report lag and governance mechanisms
Authors: Kaaroud Mohamed Ahmed , Mohd Ariffin Noraini , Ahmad Maslina
Published: January 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the extent of audit report lag and its association with governance mechanisms in the Islamic banking institutions in Malaysia.

Design/methodology/approach

The extent of audit report lag is defined by the number of days from a company’s financial year-end to the signature date on its audit report. The sample of the study comprises 112 observations of Islamic banking institutions’ financial reports for the period 2008-2014. A balanced panel data analysis is performed to analyse the association between the extent of audit report lag and governance mechanisms.

Findings

The findings show that the extent of audit report lag for the sample selected ranges from a minimum period of 7 days to a maximum period of 161 days, and the extent of audit report lag is approximately two months on average. A fixed effects analysis indicates that audit committee expertise and audit committee meeting have significant association with the extent of audit report lag. On the other hand, board independence, audit committee size andShari’ahboard expertise have insignificant association with the extent of audit report lag. In addition, one control variable (Islamic bank size) is found to be significantly associated with longer audit report lag.

Practical implications

The findings provide useful feedback for Malaysian policymakers on the past and current practices of financial reports and of governance mechanisms. The findings of the study would help the policymakers in monitoring the Islamic banking institutions’ compliance with financial reports submission requirements. The policymakers perhaps could relook into governance mechanisms that reduce the extent of audit report lag in the Islamic banking institutions and implement regulations to strengthen them.

Originality/value

Unlike the majority of prior studies that investigated the association between the extent of audit report lag and governance mechanisms, this study provides two contributions. First, to the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first piece of research that examined the association between governance mechanisms and the extent of audit report lag in Islamic banking institutions. Second, the study examined the association of new governance variable, namely,Shari’ahcommittee expertise which has not been previously examined in the literature of audit report lag.
Network centrality analysis in management and accounting sciences
Authors: Dias Alexandre , Ruthes Sidarta , Lima Leonardo , Campra Elisa , Silva Maycon , Bragança de Sousa Millena , Porto Geciane
Published: January 2020

Purpose

This study aims to analyze how gender, research experience and geography are related to the researchers’ importance in the co-authorship network on management and accounting in Brazil.

Design/methodology/approach

A social network based on the co-authorship relationships in the papers published in leading Brazilian journals was examined using a logit model to estimate the probability of occupying prevailing positions.

Findings

The findings showed a network with a high level of fragmentation and a scarcity of authors serving as gatekeepers. Based on the number of directed links and collaboration with influential and well-connected authors, men were more likely to occupy central positions than women. Authors with higher academic degrees tended to establish more links but were more likely to distance from other authors. In terms of geography, authors from more- and less-favored regions may report similar propensity to occupy central positions.

Practical implications

Decision-makers should consider the importance of strengthening collaboration between different research groups and encourage female participation in broader collaborative networks. Research evaluation bodies should strengthen incentives regarding interinstitutional partnerships.

Originality/value

Studies on collaborative networks in management and accounting sciences are less common and generally focus on describing the networks. This paper combines social network analysis and econometric procedures to analyze the relationship between demographic and geographical aspects, and distinct network centrality indexes.
A conceptual examination of Lean, Six Sigma and Lean Six Sigma models for managing waste in manufacturing SMEs
Authors: Sodhi Harsimran Singh , Singh Doordarshi , Singh Bikram Jit
Published: January 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine and evaluate various Lean, Six Sigma and Lean Six Sigma (LSS) models proposed by various researchers, which have been implemented in manufacturing organizations.

Design/methodology/approach

The present study has followed three major steps in methodology. In the first step, pooling of various research articles has been done, followed by development of the primary results. At the final step, analysis and development of the LSS model have been performed.

Findings

This paper evaluated and examined various models of Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma and LSS and developed an advanced LSS model that can be deployed in any manufacturing organization with the purpose of scrap reduction.

Originality/value

The findings of this study will assist shop floor managers to implement an LSS model in their organizations, which can effectively reduce the waste and enhance the overall productivity and quality of the manufactured products.
Neighbourhood diversity mitigates drought impacts on tree growth
Authors: Fichtner Andreas , Schnabel Florian , Bruelheide Helge , Kunz Matthias , Mausolf Katharina , Schuldt Andreas , Härdtle Werner , von Oheimb Goddert
Published: January 2020

Biodiversity is considered to mitigate detrimental impacts of climate change on the functioning of forest ecosystems, such as drought‐induced decline in forest productivity. However, previous studies produced controversial results and experimental evidence is rare. Specifically, the biological mechanisms underlying mitigation effects remain unclear, as existing work focuses on biodiversity effects related to the community scale.

Using trait‐based neighbourhood models, we quantified changes in above‐ground wood productivity of 3,397 trees that were planted in a large‐scale tree diversity experiment in subtropical China across gradients of neighbourhood diversity and climatic conditions over a 6‐year period. This approach allowed us to simultaneously assess to what extent functional traits of a focal tree and biodiversity at the local neighbourhood scale mediate the growth response of individual trees to drought events.

We found that neighbourhood tree species richness can mitigate for drought‐induced growth decline of young trees. Overall, positive net biodiversity effects were strongest during drought and increased with increasing taxonomic diversity of neighbours. In particular, drought‐sensitive species (i.e. those with a low cavitation resistance) benefitted the most from growing in diverse neighbourhoods, suggesting that soil water partitioning among local neighbours during drought particularly facilitated most vulnerable individuals. Thus, diverse neighbourhoods may enhance ecosystem resistance to drought by locally supporting drought‐sensitive species in the community.

Synthesis. Our findings demonstrate that mechanisms operating at the local neighbourhood scale are a key component for regulating forests responses to drought and improve insights into how local species interactions vary along stress gradients in highly diverse tree communities.
“Estamos aquí pero no soy de aqui”: American Mexican Youth, Belonging and Schooling in Rural, Central Mexico
Authors: Bybee Eric Ruiz , Feinauer Whiting Erin , Jensen Bryant , Savage Victoria , Baker Alisa , Holdaway Emma
Published: January 2020

This article explores notions of belonging and citizenship for “American Mexican” students—Mexican‐heritage youth born in the United States who return to Mexico with their families. Our findings reveal belonging as a sociocultural practice that participants negotiated spatially and relationally, chiefly by making their US‐born status more and less visible within particular spaces at school. The experiences of American‐Mexican youth reveal the crucial roles of migration and belonging in shaping civic identities and future potentials in a transnational world.
Open‐label study to investigate the safety and efficacy of adjunctive perampanel in pediatric patients (4 to <12 years) with inadequately controlled focal seizures or generalized tonic‐clonic seizures
Authors: Fogarasi Andras , Flamini Robert , Milh Mathieu , Phillips Steven , Yoshitomi Shinsaku , Patten Anna , Takase Takao , Laurenza Antonio , Ngo Leock Y.
Published: January 2020

Objective

Study 311 (NCT02849626) was a global, multicenter, open‐label, single‐arm study that assessed safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics of once‐daily adjunctive perampanel oral suspension in pediatric patients (aged 4 to <12 years) with focal seizures (FS) (with/without focal to bilateral tonic‐clonic seizures [FBTCS]) or generalized tonic‐clonic seizures (GTCS).

Methods

In the 311 Core Study, a 4‐week Pre‐treatment Period (Screening/Baseline) preceded a 23‐week Treatment Period (11‐week Titration; 12‐week Maintenance) and 4‐week Follow‐up. Endpoints included safety/tolerability (primary endpoint), median percent change in seizure frequency per 28 days from Baseline (Treatment Period), and 50% responder and seizure‐freedom rates (Maintenance Period). Patients were stratified by age (4 to <7; 7 to <12 years) and concomitant enzyme‐inducing anti‐seizure drug (EIASD) use.

Results

One hundred eighty patients were enrolled (FS, n = 149; FBTCS, n = 54; GTCS, n = 31). The Core Study was completed by 146 patients (81%); the most common primary reason for discontinuation was adverse event (AE) (n = 14 [8%]). Mean (standard deviation) daily perampanel dose was 7.0 (2.6) mg/day and median (interquartile range) duration of exposure was 22.9 (2.0) weeks. The overall incidence of treatment‐emergent AEs (TEAEs; 89%) was similar between patients with FS (with/without FBTCS) and GTCS. The most common TEAEs were somnolence (26%) and nasopharyngitis (19%). There were no clinically important changes observed for cognitive function, laboratory, or electrocardiogram (ECG) parameters or vital signs. Median percent reductions in seizure frequency per 28 days from Baseline were as follows: 40% (FS), 59% (FBTCS), and 69% (GTCS). Corresponding 50% responder and seizure‐freedom rates were as follows: FS, 47% and 12%; FBTCS, 65% and 19%; and GTCS, 64% and 55%, respectively. Improvements in response/seizure frequency from Baseline were seen regardless of age or concomitant EIASD use.

Significance

Results from the 311 Core Study suggest that daily oral doses of adjunctive perampanel are generally safe, well tolerated, and efficacious in children age 4 to <12 years with FS (with/without FBTCS) or GTCS.
Mitigating the negative effects of emotional labor: A study of disaster response and recovery workers after the 2010 Haiti earthquake
Authors: Kroll Alexander , Remington Christa L. , Awasthi Pallavi , Ganapati N. Emel
Published: January 2020

One of the most pressing governance challenges around the globe is managing disasters and their underlying risk factors. Little is known about effective strategies to minimize burnout and posttraumatic stress disorder among practitioners involved in addressing this challenge, especially in countries that rely mainly on international aid agencies for the delivery of basic services to their citizens. This article draws on the emotional labor literature to identify routes addressing the negative consequences of doing response and recovery work in postdisaster contexts. Based primarily on surveys and interviews with response and recovery workers involved after the 2010 Haiti earthquake, it advances and extends previous emotional labor theory on the mitigating factors of service workers' burnout. It points to the importance of autonomy and training as well as five coping mechanisms: relying on informal support, utilizing humor, leaving work at work, decompressing alone, and rotating job positions.