bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha–dependent induction of FoxP3 drives regulatory T-cell abundance and function during inflammatory hypoxia of the mucosa
Authors: Clambey Eric T. , McNamee Eóin N. , Westrich Joseph A. , Glover Louise E. , Campbell Eric L. , Jedlicka Paul , de Zoeten Edwin F. , Cambier John C. , Stenmark Kurt R. , Colgan Sean P. , Eltzschig Holger K.
Published: September 2012

Recent studies have demonstrated dramatic shifts in metabolic supply-and-demand ratios during inflammation, a process resulting in localized tissue hypoxia within inflammatory lesions (“inflammatory hypoxia”). As part of the adaptive immune response, T cells are recruited to sites of inflammatory hypoxia. Given the profound effects of hypoxia on gene regulation, we hypothesized that T-cell differentiation is controlled by hypoxia. To pursue this hypothesis, we analyzed the transcriptional consequences of ambient hypoxia (1% oxygen) on a broad panel of T-cell differentiation factors. Surprisingly, these studies revealed selective, robust induction of FoxP3, a key transcriptional regulator for regulatory T cells (Tregs). Studies of promoter binding or loss- and gain-of-function implicated hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α in inducing FoxP3. Similarly, hypoxia enhanced Treg abundance in vitro and in vivo. Finally, Treg-intrinsic HIF-1α was required for optimal Treg function and
Hif1a
–deficient Tregs failed to control T-cell–mediated colitis. These studies demonstrate that hypoxia is an intrinsic molecular cue that promotes FoxP3 expression, in turn eliciting potent anti-inflammatory mechanisms to limit tissue damage in conditions of reduced oxygen availability.
Bacille Calmette-Guérin induces NOD2-dependent nonspecific protection from reinfection via epigenetic reprogramming of monocytes
Authors: Kleinnijenhuis Johanneke , Quintin Jessica , Preijers Frank , Joosten Leo A. B. , Ifrim Daniela C. , Saeed Sadia , Jacobs Cor , van Loenhout Joke , de Jong Dirk , Stunnenberg Hendrik G. , Xavier Ramnik J. , van der Meer Jos W. M. , van Crevel Reinout , Netea Mihai G.
Published: September 2012

Adaptive features of innate immunity, recently described as “trained immunity,” have been documented in plants, invertebrate animals, and mice, but not yet in humans. Here we show that bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination in healthy volunteers led not only to a four- to sevenfold increase in the production of IFN-γ, but also to a twofold enhanced release of monocyte-derived cytokines, such as TNF and IL-1β, in response to unrelated bacterial and fungal pathogens. The enhanced function of circulating monocytes persisted for at least 3 mo after vaccination and was accompanied by increased expression of activation markers such as CD11b and Toll-like receptor 4. These training effects were induced through the NOD2 receptor and mediated by increased histone 3 lysine 4 trimethylation. In experimental studies, BCG vaccination induced T- and B-lymphocyte–independent protection of severe combined immunodeficiency SCID mice from disseminated candidiasis (100% survival in BCG-vaccinated mice vs. 30% in control mice). In conclusion, BCG induces trained immunity and nonspecific protection from infections through epigenetic reprogramming of innate immune cells.
Programmed −1 frameshifting efficiency correlates with RNA pseudoknot conformational plasticity, not resistance to mechanical unfolding
Authors: Ritchie Dustin B. , Foster Daniel A. N. , Woodside Michael T.
Published: September 2012

Programmed −1 frameshifting, whereby the reading frame of a ribosome on messenger RNA is shifted in order to generate an alternate gene product, is often triggered by a pseudoknot structure in the mRNA in combination with an upstream slippery sequence. The efficiency of frameshifting varies widely for different sites, but the factors that determine frameshifting efficiency are not yet fully understood. Previous work has suggested that frameshifting efficiency is related to the resistance of the pseudoknot against mechanical unfolding. We tested this hypothesis by studying the mechanical properties of a panel of pseudoknots with frameshifting efficiencies ranging from 2% to 30%: four pseudoknots from retroviruses, two from luteoviruses, one from a coronavirus, and a nonframeshifting bacteriophage pseudoknot. Using optical tweezers to apply tension across the RNA, we measured the distribution of forces required to unfold each pseudoknot. We found that neither the average unfolding force, nor the unfolding kinetics, nor the parameters describing the energy landscape for mechanical unfolding of the pseudoknot (energy barrier height and distance to the transition state) could be correlated to frameshifting efficiency. These results indicate that the resistance of pseudoknots to mechanical unfolding is not a primary determinant of frameshifting efficiency. However, increased frameshifting efficiency was correlated with an increased tendency to form alternate, incompletely folded structures, suggesting a more complex picture of the role of the pseudoknot involving the conformational dynamics.
Unprecedented hydroxyl radical-dependent two-step chemiluminescence production by polyhalogenated quinoid carcinogens and H
2
O
2
Authors: Zhu Ben-Zhan , Mao Li , Huang Chun-Hua , Qin Hao , Fan Rui-Mei , Kalyanaraman Balaraman , Zhu Jun-Ge
Published: September 2012

Most chemiluminescence (CL) reactions usually generate only one-step CL, which is rarely dependent on the highly reactive and biologically/environmentally important hydroxyl radicals (
•
OH). Here, we show that an unprecedented two-step CL can be produced by the carcinogenic tetrachloro-1,4-benzoquinone (also known as
p
-chloranil) and H
2
O
2
, which was found to be well-correlated to and directly dependent on its two-step metal-independent production of
•
OH. We proposed that
•
OH-dependent formation of quinone-dioxetane and electronically excited carbonyl species might be responsible for this unusual two-step CL production by tetrachloro-1,4-benzoquinone/H
2
O
2
. This is a unique report of a previously undefined two-step CL-producing system that is dependent on intrinsically formed
•
OH. These findings may have potential applications in detecting and quantifying
•
OH and the ubiquitous polyhalogenated aromatic carcinogens, which may have broad biological and environmental implications for future research on these types of important species.
New Caledonian crows reason about hidden causal agents
Authors: Taylor Alex H. , Miller Rachael , Gray Russell D.
Published: September 2012

The ability to make inferences about hidden causal mechanisms underpins scientific and religious thought. It also facilitates the understanding of social interactions and the production of sophisticated tool-using behaviors. However, although animals can reason about the outcomes of accidental interventions, only humans have been shown to make inferences about hidden causal mechanisms. Here, we show that tool-making New Caledonian crows react differently to an observable event when it is caused by a hidden causal agent. Eight crows watched two series of events in which a stick moved. In the first set of events, the crows observed a human enter a hide, a stick move, and the human then leave the hide. In the second, the stick moved without a human entering or exiting the hide. The crows inspected the hide and abandoned probing with a tool for food more often after the second, unexplained series of events. This difference shows that the crows can reason about a hidden causal agent. Comparative studies with the methodology outlined here could aid in elucidating the selective pressures that led to the evolution of this cognitive ability.
Late Pleistocene climate change and the global expansion of anatomically modern humans
Authors: Eriksson Anders , Betti Lia , Friend Andrew D. , Lycett Stephen J. , Singarayer Joy S. , von Cramon-Taubadel Noreen , Valdes Paul J. , Balloux Francois , Manica Andrea
Published: September 2012

The extent to which past climate change has dictated the pattern and timing of the out-of-Africa expansion by anatomically modern humans is currently unclear [Stewart JR, Stringer CB (2012)
Science
335:1317–1321]. In particular, the incompleteness of the fossil record makes it difficult to quantify the effect of climate. Here, we take a different approach to this problem; rather than relying on the appearance of fossils or archaeological evidence to determine arrival times in different parts of the world, we use patterns of genetic variation in modern human populations to determine the plausibility of past demographic parameters. We develop a spatially explicit model of the expansion of anatomically modern humans and use climate reconstructions over the past 120 ky based on the Hadley Centre global climate model HadCM3 to quantify the possible effects of climate on human demography. The combinations of demographic parameters compatible with the current genetic makeup of worldwide populations indicate a clear effect of climate on past population densities. Our estimates of this effect, based on population genetics, capture the observed relationship between current climate and population density in modern hunter–gatherers worldwide, providing supporting evidence for the realism of our approach. Furthermore, although we did not use any archaeological and anthropological data to inform the model, the arrival times in different continents predicted by our model are also broadly consistent with the fossil and archaeological records. Our framework provides the most accurate spatiotemporal reconstruction of human demographic history available at present and will allow for a greater integration of genetic and archaeological evidence.
Unimodal sequences and quantum and mock modular forms
Authors: Bryson Jennifer , Ono Ken , Pitman Sarah , Rhoades Robert C.
Published: September 2012

We show that the rank generating function
U
(
t
; 
q
) for strongly unimodal sequences lies at the interface of quantum modular forms and mock modular forms. We use
U
(-1; 
q
) to obtain a quantum modular form which is “dual” to the quantum form Zagier constructed from Kontsevich’s “strange” function
F
(
q
). As a result, we obtain a new representation for a certain generating function for
L
-values. The series
U
(
i
; 
q
) = 
U
(-
i
; 
q
) is a mock modular form, and we use this fact to obtain new congruences for certain enumerative functions.
High-throughput lensfree 3D tracking of human sperms reveals rare statistics of helical trajectories
Authors: Su Ting-Wei , Xue Liang , Ozcan Aydogan
Published: September 2012

Dynamic tracking of human sperms across a large volume is a challenging task. To provide a high-throughput solution to this important need, here we describe a lensfree on-chip imaging technique that can track the three-dimensional (3D) trajectories of > 1,500 individual human sperms within an observation volume of approximately 8–17 mm3. This computational imaging platform relies on holographic lensfree shadows of sperms that are simultaneously acquired at two different wavelengths, emanating from two partially-coherent sources that are placed at 45° with respect to each other. This multiangle and multicolor illumination scheme permits us to dynamically track the 3D motion of human sperms across a field-of-view of > 17 mm2and depth-of-field of approximately 0.5–1 mm with submicron positioning accuracy. The large statistics provided by this lensfree imaging platform revealed that only approximately 4–5% of the motile human sperms swim along well-defined helices and that this percentage can be significantly suppressed under seminal plasma. Furthermore, among these observed helical human sperms, a significant majority (approximately 90%) preferred right-handed helices over left-handed ones, with a helix radius of approximately 0.5–3 μm, a helical rotation speed of approximately 3–20 rotations/s and a linear speed of approximately 20–100 μm/s. This high-throughput 3D imaging platform could in general be quite valuable for observing the statistical swimming patterns of various other microorganisms, leading to new insights in their 3D motion and the underlying biophysics.
Strain-dependent diversity in the
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
quorum-sensing regulon
Authors: Chugani Sudha , Kim Byoung Sik , Phattarasukol Somsak , Brittnacher Mitchell. J. , Choi Sang Ho , Harwood Caroline S. , Greenberg E. Peter
Published: September 2012

Quorum sensing allows bacteria to sense and respond to changes in population density. Acyl-homoserine lactones serve as quorum-sensing signals for many
Proteobacteria
, and acyl-homoserine lactone signaling is known to control cooperative activities. Quorum-controlled activities vary from one species to another. Quorum-sensing controls a constellation of genes in the opportunistic pathogen
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
, which thrives in a number of habitats ranging from soil and water to animal hosts. We hypothesized that there would be significant variation in quorum-sensing regulons among strains of
P. aeruginosa
isolated from different habitats and that differences in the quorum-sensing regulons might reveal insights about the ecology of
P. aeruginosa
. As a test of our hypothesis we used RNA-seq to identify quorum-controlled genes in seven
P. aeruginosa
isolates of diverse origins. Although our approach certainly overlooks some quorum-sensing–regulated genes we found a shared set of genes, i.e., a core quorum-controlled gene set, and we identified distinct, strain-variable sets of quorum-controlled genes, i.e., accessory genes. Some quorum-controlled genes in some strains were not present in the genomes of other strains. We detected a correlation between traits encoded by some genes in the strain-variable subsets of the quorum regulons and the ecology of the isolates. These findings indicate a role for quorum sensing in extension of the range of habitats in which a species can thrive. This study also provides a framework for understanding the molecular mechanisms by which quorum-sensing systems operate, the evolutionary pressures by which they are maintained, and their importance in disparate ecological contexts.
On the strength of glasses
Authors: Wisitsorasak Apiwat , Wolynes Peter G.
Published: September 2012

The remarkable strength of glasses is examined using the random first order transition theory of the glass transition. The theory predicts that strength depends on elastic modulus but also on the configurational energy frozen in when the glass is prepared. The stress catalysis of cooperative rearrangements of the type responsible for the supercooled liquid’s high viscosity account quantitatively for the measured strength of a range of metallic glasses, silica, and a polymer glass.
Residualization of Hatchery Steelhead: A Meta-Analysis of Hatchery Practices
Authors: Hausch Stephen J. , Melnychuk Michael C.
Published: September 2012

Freshwater residualization, whereby anadromous juvenile salmonids fail to emigrate seawards within the primary migration period, causes considerable economic and ecological management concern. Previous studies have attempted to identify possible factors contributing to residualization, including both fish-related and release methodology–related attributes, in order to develop measures to reduce it. Here, we synthesize 48 previous estimates of the residualization rates of hatchery-reared steelhead Oncorhynchus mykiss from 16 studies and evaluate the cross-study effects of several factors that can be controlled by hatchery managers. The proportion of fish in hatchery release groups that residualized ranged from 0% to 17% (average, 5.6%). Characteristics of the release process were dominant in affecting residualization rates, while characteristics of individual steelhead primarily determined which, but not how many, individuals residualized. Releases of fewer fish and those located closer to the ocean or to a confluence with a major river produced fewer residuals than larger releases located further upstream. Acclimation ponds also appeared to reduce residualization, but there was no evidence of a release date effect across locations and years. Within a release year, individuals from endemic broodstock had higher residualization rates than those from hatchery-propagated broodstock while smaller individuals and larger males were more likely to residualize than individuals of intermediate size (∼213 mm fork length). To meet management objectives of reducing steelhead residualization, we recommend releases closer to an ocean or large river, particularly for releases of relatively few fish, in conjunction with the use of acclimation ponds. Management effort should focus on selective harvesting of hatchery residuals, a process which may be supported by rearing and release strategies. These objectives may trade off with conservation objectives; straying risk and genetic effects should especially be taken into account.

Received September 22, 2011; accepted June 28, 2012
Exercise as an Adjunct Treatment for Opiate Agonist Treatment: Review of the Current Research and Implementation Strategies
Authors: Weinstock Jeremiah , Wadeson Heather K. , VanHeest Jaci L.
Published: September 2012

Opiate dependence is a significant public health concern linked to poor quality of life, comorbid psychiatric disorders, and high costs to society. Current opiate agonist treatments are an effective but limited intervention. Adjunctive interventions could improve and augment opiate agonist treatment outcomes, including drug abstinence, quality of life, and physical health. This article reviews exercise as an adjunctive intervention for opiate agonist treatment, especially in regards to improving mood and overall quality of life, while reducing other substance use. Poor adherence and dropout frequently prevent many individuals from garnering the many physical and mental health benefits of exercise. Strategies for implementing an exercise intervention, including safety considerations, are discussed.
Effects of Winter Feeding on Growth, Body Composition, and Processing Traits of Co-Cultured Blue Catfish, Channel Catfish, and Channel Catfish×Blue Catfish Hybrids
Authors: Bosworth Brian G
Published: September 2012

The effects of winter feeding on growth, body composition, and processing yield were compared for co-cultured blue catfish Ictalurus furcatus, channel catfish I. punctatus, and channel catfish×blue catfish hybrids. Fish (∼0.4–0.7 kg) from each genetic group were stocked communally at 5,625 fish/ha in ten 0.04-ha ponds during mid-November. Fish in five ponds were fed at 2% of initial body weight twice per week; fish in the other five ponds were not fed. The study was terminated after 14 weeks, and fish were weighed and processed. Analyzed traits were weight change (%), survival, and yields (%) of carcass, shank fillet, nugget, head, viscera, skin, intraperitoneal fat, liver, and ovary. Among fed fish, hybrids gained the most weight, channel catfish had intermediate weight gain, and blue catfish gained the least weight. Unfed blue catfish lost more weight than unfed channel catfish and hybrids. Survival was not different among genetic groups or between feeding regimes. Interactions among main effects for processing and body composition traits made generalizations difficult, but carcass yield was consistently higher for blue catfish and hybrids than for channel catfish, higher for females than for males, and higher for fed fish than for unfed fish. Shank fillet yield was higher for hybrids than for blue catfish and channel catfish, higher for females than for males, and higher for fed fish than for unfed fish. Nugget yield was higher for blue catfish than for channel catfish and hybrids and was higher for fed fish than for unfed fish. Blue catfish and hybrids had higher intraperitoneal fat yield and lower liver and ovary yield than channel catfish. Fed fish had higher intraperitoneal fat and liver yield than unfed fish. Winter feeding improved growth and fillet yield in all groups, but the benefits of winter feeding were lower for blue catfish than for channel catfish and hybrid catfish.
LAPCs promote follicular helper T cell differentiation of Ag-primed CD4+ T cells during respiratory virus infection
Authors: Yoo Jae-Kwang , Fish Eleanor N. , Braciale Thomas J.
Published: September 2012

The humoral immune response to most respiratory virus infections plays a prominent role in virus clearance and is essential for resistance to reinfection. T follicular helper (Tfh) cells are believed to support the development both of a potent primary antibody response and of the germinal center response critical for memory B cell development. Using a model of primary murine influenza A virus (IAV) infection, we demonstrate that a novel late activator antigen-presenting cell (LAPC) promotes the Tfh response in the draining lymph nodes (dLNs) of the IAV-infected lungs. LAPCs migrate from the infected lungs to the dLN “late,” i.e., 6 d after infection, which is concomitant with Tfh differentiation. LAPC migration is CXCR3-dependent, and LAPC triggering of Tfh cell development requires ICOS–ICOSL–dependent signaling. LAPCs appear to play a pivotal role in driving Tfh differentiation of Ag-primed CD4+ T cells and antiviral antibody responses.
Feeding hotspots for four northwest Atlantic groundfish species
Authors: Methratta Elizabeth T. , Link Jason S.
Published: September 2012

Methratta, E.T., and Link, J.S. 2012. Feeding hotspots for four northwest Atlantic groundfish species. — ICES Journal of Marine Science, 69: 1710–1721. We used predator distribution and stomach content data to estimate the annual per capita rate of consumption for four representative predator species from the northwestern Atlantic Ocean, and considered how consumption is influenced by depth, bottom salinity, sediment grain size, location variables, and species-specific diet components. We found that geographic variables and species-specific prey resources were significantly associated with consumption rates, a pattern consistent with predator-prey theory. Prey categories comprised of fish were particularly important for a more mobile predator (silver hake Merluccius bilinearis), whereas benthic invertebrate prey were consistently important for a more sedentary predator (little skate Raja erinacea). Hotspots in consumption rates that overlap with particular prey resources were highlighted by the significance of location variables (longitude) for winter flounder Pseudopleuronectes americanus, silver hake, little skate, and sea raven Hemitripterus americanus. Depth was an important explanatory factor for consumption by little skate, but the explanatory value of abiotic habitat factors was low for the other three species. Greater emphasis on species-specific food habits, migratory patterns, and ecological interactions at the synoptic scales relevant to fisheries is needed for fisheries management.
Modelling perceived quality of tomato by structural equation analysis
Authors: Martínez‐Carrasco L. , Brugarolas M. , Martínez‐Poveda A. , Ruiz J.J. , García‐Martínez S.
Published: September 2012

Purpose

This paper aims to further progress in research on perceived quality of fresh fruit and vegetables. It seeks to develop and discuss two models for perceived quality of tomato, including the price variable as an indicator for perceived quality of tomato.

Design/methodology/approach

The data come from a survey of 400 consumers that measures the importance of a set of tomato attributes on a Likert scale. The models were adjusted by means of structural equation analysis. Two procedures were followed for model development: the first started from an exploratory factor analysis. In the second, relations and correlations among variables were established starting from the theoretical framework that differentiates among search, experience and credence attributes.

Findings

Two models of tomato perceived quality are formulated and discussed. Both established that the perceived quality of fresh tomato could be explained through nine attributes. Some of them can be deduced at the place of purchase; some, during consumption while others are a question of trust. With regard to using price as an indicator of the perceived quality of tomato, both models suggested the elimination of this variable from the model for perceived quality.

Originality/value

Studying perceived quality has received much attention in research on the behaviour of food consumers. Nevertheless, there are not many attempts to establish models for the perceived quality of fresh fruit and vegetables. Specifically, there are very few studies on consumer behaviour that analyse the perceived quality of tomato. Thus, this study is one of the first attempts to establish a model for perceived quality of tomato.
The relationship between social exchange variables, OCB, and performance
Authors: Cohen Aaron , Ben‐Tura Eli , Vashdi Dana R.
Published: September 2012

Purpose

The goal of this study is to examine the moderating effect of two group characteristics, group size and group cohesiveness, on the relationship between organizational commitment and transformational leadership, on the one hand, and in‐role and extra role behaviors, on the other. Based on social exchange theory, the main expectation was that the two group characteristics would create different conditions for exchange, influencing the relationship between determinants and outcomes.

Design/methodology/approach

The sample was 223 Israeli employees from a variety of occupations (nurses, social workers, physiotherapists, laboratory employees, administrative staff, etc.) working in 31 medical units in two health care organizations (a response rate of 59 percent).

Findings

HLM analyses showed strong moderating effects of both group cohesiveness and group size. The findings show that group characteristics strongly affect the nature and direction of the relationship between the examined determinants and the behavioral outcomes. The findings also revealed a significant three‐way interaction, demonstrating that group size and cohesiveness have an important joint effect. Cohesiveness differed in its effects on how commitment and transformational leadership are related to organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) and in‐role performance depending on whether the groups were large or small.

Originality/value

This study examines group size as a possible moderator, a construct only rarely considered in studies that attempt to predict OCB. The inclusion of leadership style is an important addition, considering that a good part of the exchange processes that take place in this context are between the employee and his/her supervisor.
HR attributions and the dual commitment of outsourced IT workers
Authors: Fontinha Rita , José Chambel Maria , De Cuyper Nele
Published: September 2012

Purpose

Outsourced information technology (IT) workers establish two different employment relationships: one with the outsourcing company that hires them and another with the client organization where they work daily. The attitudes that an employee has towards both organisations may be influenced by the interpretations or attributions that employees make about the reasons behind the human resource (HR) management practices implemented by the outsourcing company. This paper aims to propose that commitment‐focused HR attributions are positively and control‐focused HR attributions are negatively related to the affective commitment to the client organization, through the affective commitment to the outsourcing company.

Design/methodology/approach

These hypotheses were tested with a sample of 158 highly skilled outsourced employees from the IT sector. Data were analyzed with structural equation modeling (SEM).

Findings

The paper's hypotheses were supported. It can conclude that, if an employee interprets the HR practices as part of a commitment‐focused strategy of the outsourcing company, it has clear attitudinal benefits. The study found that the relationship between HR attributions and the commitment to the client organization is mediated by the commitment to the outsourcing company.

Practical implications

These findings hint at the critical role of outsourcing companies in managing the careers of these highly marketable employees.

Originality/value

This paper is the first to apply the concept of HR attributions to contingent employment literature in general and to outsourced IT workers in particular.
Outsourcing: mass layoffs and displaced workers' experiences
Authors: Michael Boniface , Michael Rashmi
Published: September 2012

Purpose

Outsourcing of information technology jobs outside the USA has resulted in social costs in the form of mass layoffs and displaced workers. The purpose of this paper is to show the social cost of outsourcing from a transaction cost economics (TCE) perspective.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper analyses the incidences of mass layoffs in sectors prone to outsourcing and its consequences on displaced workers. Mass Layoff Statistics (MLS) and the Displaced Workers Survey (DWS) data generated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), USA, between 1996 and 2010, are examined for this purpose.

Findings

Outsourcing as a reason for mass layoffs has continued to persist up until 2010. Displaced workers experienced earnings losses after job losses and reemployment. The more educated workers had higher post displacement reemployment rates, while older persons suffered the most earnings losses.

Research limitations/implications

The data pertain to the period 1996 to 2010, including the “Dot Com Bubble Bust” and the “Great Recession.” Changes in data collection methods by BLS over this time period makes it difficult to compare some of the data.

Practical implications

For policy makers, managers and workers, this study focuses attention on the outsourcing by information technology dependent sectors and the accompanying social costs in the form of displaced workers.

Originality/value

Most papers focus on the efficiency gains of outsourcing but this paper focuses attention on the social cost of outsourcing, which is under‐researched and often overlooked.
Strategic and tactical factors for successful ERP projects: insights from an Asian country
Authors: Dezdar Shahin
Published: September 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify strategic and tactical factors that are crucial for the successful implementation of enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems. Although there are many factors that influence the success, the paper focuses on strategic factors, namely, top management support, project management, business process reengineering, and tactical factors, namely, enterprise‐wide communication, user training and education, and ERP vendor support.

Design/methodology/approach

The study was conducted using a survey questionnaire. The questionnaires were distributed to ERP users in Iranian organizations and in total, 384 responses were collected and analyzed.

Findings

A significant relationship was found between top management support, project management, enterprise‐wide communication, user training and education, and ERP vendor support with ERP implementation success. However, the relationship between business process reengineering and ERP implementation success was not supported.

Originality/value

This paper is one of the few that examine the success of ERP implementation from the perspective of key stakeholders (operational/unit/functional managers). It has contributed to academic research by producing empirical evidence to support the theories of critical success factors and ERP implementation success. The outcomes of this research are useful to ERP vendors and consultants to prepare some strategies to overcome the misfit between their ERP products and ERP adopting organizations in developing countries. Moreover, ERP adopting organizations and managers could gain an understanding of the complexities inherent in ERP installations to avoid barriers and increase the likelihood of achieving desired results.
Problematising the interplay between employment relations, migration and mobility
Authors: Rodriguez Jenny K. , Mearns Lesley
Published: September 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to introduce the special issue by problematising labour agency, precariousness, and labour fragmentation as defining themes of the interplay between employment relations, migration and mobility.

Design/methodology/approach

Drawing from discussions about the impact of globalisation on changes in features of work and employment, and bringing together theory and research on employment relations and labour migration, the paper discusses the relational spatial and temporal nature of agency, the diverse features of worker experiences of precariousness, and the resulting fragmentation in labour solidarity.

Findings

Labour agency, precariousness and labour fragmentation intersect to create the axis of dynamics of hardship and abuse that dominate work experiences of migrant workers in the global labour market. Globalisation has a pervasive impact in articulating and perpetuating systemic processes of closure, entrapment and containment, which are triggered by migration and legitimised by dynamics of employment relations.

Originality/value

The paper contributes to current discussions about the interplay between migration, mobility and employment relations and sets out future directions of research to enhance our understanding of the role of employment relations to perpetuate, legitimise and normalise dynamics of globalisation that promote the migrant division of labour and create contradictory labour demands and displacements in the global labour market.
Recognition of fabric density with quadratic local extremum
Authors: Wang Xiuchen , Li Xiaojiu
Published: September 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to propose a new recognition algorithm on quadratic local extremum for fabric density recognition.

Design/methodology/approach

The density wave is established to correctly detect density by searching local extremes. The gray wave of each line in fabric image is extracted first. The derivation of gray wave is calculated, extreme waves including all true extreme values and false extreme values are obtained. And then the second derivative of extreme waves are calculated and the result makes local correction. The density wave, which can represent position and quantity of yarn and interstice, is established. According to the resolution and size parameters of image, the function of density with density wave statistics is given.

Findings

The experiment and analysis proved that the method proposed can detect fabric density simply and successfully with less calculation and no image preprocessing.

Research limitations/implications

The algorithm provides practical guidelines for fabric density detection and provides a new thought for fabric characteristic identification. Future work could be focused on the development of methods for the automatic algorithm with color fabrics.

Originality/value

The algorithm based on quadratic local extremum presented in this paper is a new method to successfully detect fabric density and can be applied to the recognition for other categories of clothing fabrics and images.
The joint effect of budgetary participation and broad‐scope management accounting systems on management performance
Authors: Cheng Min‐Tsung
Published: September 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the interaction effect of budgetary participation (BP) and broad‐scope management accounting systems (BMAS) on management performance (MP).

Design/methodology/approach

A survey questionnaire was administered to managers of listed electronics companies in Taiwan. A moderated multiple regression model containing a product term was used to examine the interaction effect among BMAS, BP, and MP.

Findings

The results show the presence of a non‐monotonic interaction relationship between BP and MP over the range of the extent of BMAS. These findings support the hypothesis that a high (low) perceived usefulness of BMAS information is correlated with MP in situations of high (low) BP.

Originality/value

The paper provides additional empirical evidence to make clear the nature of the interaction between BP and BMAS impacting MP. The empirical evidence presented in the paper reveals that BMAS plays an essential mediating role in the relationship between BP and MP. Firms implementing a BP system should pay particular attention to the fit collocation of both BMAS and BP.
How are women's glass ceiling beliefs related to career success?
Authors: Smith Paul , Caputi Peter , Crittenden Nadia
Published: September 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to test the concurrent criterion validity of a new measure, the Career Pathways Survey (CPS) by exploring how women's glass ceiling beliefs are related to five major indicators of subjective career success: career satisfaction, happiness, psychological wellbeing, physical health and work engagement (WE).

Design/methodology/approach

Data from a cross‐sectional study of 258 women working in Australian organizations were analyzed. The participants completed the CPS and measures of subjective career success. The CPS assesses four sets of beliefs about glass ceilings: denial, resilience, acceptance and resignation.

Findings

Regression analyses showed denial was positively associated with career satisfaction and WE; resignation was negatively related to happiness and both emotional and physical wellbeing; resilience had positive relationships with happiness and WE; acceptance was negatively related to WE. The findings provide support for the hypotheses and the concurrent validity of the CPS.

Research limitations/implications

Given the study uses a cross‐sectional design, causal directions found between variables are inferences. Further research with longitudinal and experimental studies is needed to provide support for these inferences.

Practical implications

Training programs to analyze glass ceiling beliefs after testing with the CPS may be a beneficial strategy to help women identify reasons for their career goals. Feedback from CPS testing might facilitate greater awareness of the causes of women's subjective success in organizations.

Originality/value

The paper is the first to shed light on the connections between these success variables and women's beliefs about glass ceilings.
Serbia brand identity: perspectives of residents and diaspora
Authors: Novčić Branka , Damnjanović Vesna , Popesku Mihajlo
Published: September 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify, compare and contrast different perspectives of Serbian residents and diaspora regarding Serbia brand identity.

Design/methodology/approach

Attitudinal statements for research design of study were collected within a period of 12 months from national media (TV and newspapers) and ten focus groups. Multiple surveying techniques consisting of on‐the‐filed and on‐line surveys were applied. In total, 900 responses were collected and results were analyzed using principal component; also 740 examinees with Serbian citizenship and permanent residence in Serbia participated in the survey and 160 examinees from diaspora.

Findings

Findings demonstrated that certain differences and similarities exist in the Serbia brand image perceptions between Serbian residents and diaspora. The first difference is reflected in the number of brand identity elements identified by each of the two examined groups. Diaspora identified four brand identity elements which are marked as mild nostalgia, business and pleasure destination, great cuisine and negative media bias; whilst residents identified six elements: people, obsolescence, negative media bias, cultural uniqueness, tourist destination and national treasure. The second difference, reflected in the mere content of the brand elements, is mainly determined by the fact that diaspora's perception is mainly influenced by the nostalgia, whilst residents’ perception is mainly influenced by national pride. These elements constantly interact to fulfil country brand promises to stakeholders.

Research limitations/implications

The main constrains in this research study refer to small sample for diaspora and people living in Serbian countryside; people with a lower education are underrepresented.

Practical implications

The study suggests guidelines for long‐term brand strategy development for Serbia as a brand. Different framework of destination brand identity from resident and diaspora perspective can be of immense use to brand planners for identification of problems for better brand positioning of Serbia as a country.

Originality/value

The research results emphasize perceptions of Serbia brand identity from resident and diaspora perspective and provide better understanding of the main components for communicating country branding strategy for Serbia. Both groups hold the view that Serbia suffers from negative media bias but still stays a recommendable tourist destination and a place to be.
Environmental management in the transport sector: findings of a quantitative survey
Authors: Oberhofer Peter , Fürst Elmar
Published: September 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the status quo of environmental management in the Austrian road freight transport sector. Different environmental practices are analyzed and the influence of attitudes and firm size is evaluated.

Design/methodology/approach

A multi‐step empirical approach was performed. Based on a theoretical approach and a desktop survey on company web sites, several semi‐structured expert interviews were performed. Subsequently, an online‐survey was conducted and then analyzed by statistical methods.

Findings

It was found that although companies in the road freight transport sector are aware of the importance of sustainable issues, actual performance needs to be improved. The authors found significant differences, particularly between smaller and larger firms.

Research limitations/implications

Due to its nature as a research survey, the findings might be subject to some limitations such as sampling errors, non‐response effects and social desirability bias.

Practical implications

Small to medium‐sized enterprises in particular will profit from a supportive framework which motivates to improve their environmental performance. Therefore, knowledge about specific ways of improvements and financial aids have to be provided.

Originality/value

The survey is a in‐depth analysis of the status quo of environmental management in the domain of road freight transport, taking into account differences between transport for hire or reward and transport on own account.
Improving autism services in Hampshire: a lifespan approach
Authors: Dittrich Rachel , Burgess Linda
Published: September 2012

Purpose

This article aims to report the findings of a consultation in which people with autism, their families, carers and professionals were asked about their experiences of living with autism and using services in Hampshire. The consultation took place in order to develop a strategy for people with autism within Hampshire.

Design/methodology/approach

Hampshire Autism Voice and other stakeholders made it clear that it was important to include both adults and children to truly explore the needs of the local population who have autism. A questionnaire was devised and distributed to adults and children, parents and carers, and professionals.

Findings

The responses to the consultation show that experiences in Hampshire are similar to those reported elsewhere in the literature. They reaffirm the importance of the Autism Act and the necessity to address the needs of older children and adults who have slipped though the diagnosis and eligibility nets, but also highlight how pathways in life can be better when autism is recognised and supported early on, how serious damage to people's lives may be prevented, and how a holistic approach that starts from early childhood and promotes awareness and understanding throughout services is desired amongst Hampshire residents affected by autism.

Practical implications

The article advocates taking a strategic approach to improving services and facilities for people with autism across the whole life course, rather than focusing only on adults.

Originality/value

This was the first Hampshire autism‐specific consultation to obtain the views of people with autism, their families, carers and professionals on their experiences of living with autism and the services provided in the county. Taking a life course approach to autism‐related needs might, to date, be innovative within an English county council.
Designing dementia nursing and residential care homes
Authors: Hadjri Karim , Faith Verity , McManus Maria
Published: September 2012

Purpose

This study seeks to appraise the design of nursing and residential care homes for people with dementia in Northern Ireland using the design audit checklist developed by the Dementia Services Development Centre – DSDC.

Design/methodology/approach

The appraisal used postal questionnaires, based on the DSDC essential design criteria, that were sent to facility managers. This was conducted in order to establish the level of compliance with these criteria to achieve a dementia‐friendly home, and to ascertain whether there are any noticeable differences between nursing homes and residential care homes.

Findings

The study identified the types of homes that were seen as failing to meet most of the DSDC design criteria and, in particular, which criteria are not met according to their managers. Results from this sample suggest that nursing homes align better with DSDC criteria than residential care homes. The study concludes that the majority of managers perceive their care homes to meet over 50 percent of the essential criteria, with just over 5 percent below the 50 percent mark.

Research limitations/implications

Given that this study used postal questionnaires more research is needed in order to validate results. Behavioral and policy implications are crucial aspects that will be the subject of future research which will involve post‐occupancy evaluation.

Practical implications

More attention to dementia‐friendly building design needs to be taken into consideration by residential care homes, and more improvement would still be required by nursing homes not meeting all criteria.

Originality/value

The paper highlights the importance of dementia‐friendly building design and the requirements for more care in designing and fitting care environments for people with dementia.
Enterprise content management research: a comprehensive review
Authors: Alalwan Jaffar Ahmad , Weistroffer Heinz Roland
Published: September 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide a comprehensive literature review of enterprise content management (ECM) research, a conceptual framework of areas of concern regarding ECM, and an agenda for future ECM research, based on the review and conceptual framework.

Design/methodology/approach

To gain an understanding of the ECM literature, a structured research approach is adopted, consisting of two phases. The first phase consists of identifying the relevant ECM research papers. In the second phase, the analysis phase, the current ECM research is categorized based on three structural pillars: system component dimensions, system lifecycle, and strategic managerial aspects.

Findings

After a review and classification of 91 ECM publications, it is found that ECM involves several sophisticated and interacting technical, social, organizational, and business aspects. The current ECM literature can be grouped around three main pillars: the first pillar consists of the four ECM component dimensions (tools, strategy, process, and people). The second pillar is the enterprise system lifecycle (adoption, acquisition, evolution, and evaluation). The final pillar is the strategic managerial aspect (change management, and management commitment). Based on the review and a proposed conceptual framework, an agenda for future research around the aforementioned three pillars is suggested.

Originality/value

There is a lack of ECM meta‐analysis research that explains the current state of the field. This paper contributes to information systems research by describing and classifying the published literature in ECM and by pointing out the gaps where further research is most needed. Furthermore, the paper provides a framework that may provide a conceptual structure for future studies.