bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Absence of miR-182 Augments Cardiac Allograft Survival
Authors: Wei Liang , Kaul Vandana , Qu Xiumei , Xiong Xiaoxing , Lau Audrey H. , Iwai Naoharu , Martinez Olivia M. , Krams Sheri M.
Published: November 2016

Background

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNA molecules that regulate the posttranscriptional expression of target genes and are important regulators in immune responses. Previous studies demonstrated that the miRNA, miR-182 was significantly increased during allograft rejection. Further, the transcription factor Forkhead box (FOX) protein 1, (FOXO1) was shown to be a target of miR-182. The aim of this study is to further examine the role of miR-182 in alloimmune responses.

Methods

Transplantation of BALB/c cardiac allografts was performed in C57BL/6, miR-182−/−, B6.129S-H2dlAb1-Ea (MHC II− and CD4+ T cell-deficient) and B6.129S2-Tap1tm1Arp (MHC I− and CD8+ T cell-deficient) mice, with or without CTLA-4Ig administration. T cell phenotype, FOXO1 protein levels and graft infiltrating lymphocytes were determined in C57BL/6 or miR-182−/− mice by flow cytometric analysis, Western blot, and immunohistochemistry, respectively.

Results

We now show that T cells, mainly CD4+ are the main cellular source of miR-182 during allograft rejection. In the absence of miR-182, CTLA-4Ig treatment significantly increased allograft survival (31.5 days C57BL/6 vs 60 days miR-182−/−; P < 0.01). Further, CTLA4-Ig treatment inhibits miR-182 expression, increases FOXO1 levels, and reduces the percentage of CD4+CD44hi T cells after transplantation. Fewer T cells infiltrate the cardiac allografts, and memory T cells are significantly decreased in allograft recipients deficient in miR-182 with CTLA4-Ig treatment (P < 0.01).

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that miR-182 contributes to the T-cell responses to alloantigen especially under costimulation blockade. Therapeutics that target specific miRNAs may prove beneficial in transplantation.
The Association Between Broad Antigen HLA Mismatches, Eplet HLA Mismatches and Acute Rejection After Kidney Transplantation
Authors: Do Nguyen Hung Thanh , Wong Germaine , Chapman Jeremy R. , McDonald Stephen P. , Coates Patrick T. , Watson Narelle , Russ Graeme R. , D'Orsogna Lloyd , Lim Wai Hon
Published: November 2016

Background

Epitope matching, which evaluates mismatched amino acids within antigen-antibody interaction sites (eplets), may better predict acute rejection than broad antigen matching alone. We aimed to determine the association between eplet mismatches and acute rejection in kidney transplant recipients.

Methods

The association between eplet mismatches, broad antigen mismatches and acute rejection was assessed using adjusted Cox proportional hazard regression. Model discrimination for acute rejection was evaluated using the area under receiver operating characteristic curves.

Results

Of the 3,499 kidney transplant recipients from 2006 to 2011, the average (SD) number of broad antigen and eplet mismatches were 3.4 (1.7) and 22.8 (12.2), respectively. Compared with 0 to 2 eplet mismatches, the adjusted hazard ratio (HR) for acute rejection among those with 20 or greater eplet mismatches was 2.16 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.33-3.52; P = 0.001). The adjusted area under the curve for broad antigen mismatches was 0.58 (95% CI, 0.56-0.61), similar to that for eplet mismatches (HR, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.56-0.61; P = 0.365). In recipients who were considered as low immunological risk (0-2 broad antigen HLA-ABDR mismatch), those with 20 or greater eplet mismatches experienced an increased risk of rejection compared to those with less than 20 mismatches (adjusted HR, 1.85; 95% CI, 1.11-3.08; P = 0.019).

Conclusions

Increasing number of eplet mismatches is associated with acute rejection in kidney transplant recipients. Consideration of eplet HLA mismatches may improve risk stratification for acute rejection in a selected group of kidney transplant candidates.
Ancient coding sequences underpin the spatial patterning of gene expression in C4leaves
Authors: Reyna-Llorens Ivan , Burgess Steven J. , Williams Ben P. , Stanley Susan , Boursnell Chris , Hibberd Julian M.
Published: November 2016

Photosynthesis is compromised in most plants because an enzymatic side-reaction fixes O2instead of CO2. The energetic cost of oxygenation led to the evolution of C4photosynthesis. In almost all C4leaves compartmentation of photosynthesis between cells reduces oxygenation and so increases photosynthetic efficiency. Here we report that spatial expression of most C4genes is controlled by intrageniccis-elements rather than promoter sequence. Two DNA motifs that cooperatively specify the patterning of genes required for C4photosynthesis are identified. They are conserved in plants and algae that use the ancestral C3pathway. As these motifs are located in exons they represent duons determining both gene expression and amino acid sequence. Our findings provide functional evidence for the importance of transcription factors recognising coding sequence as previously defined by genome-wide binding studies. Furthermore, they indicate that C4evolution is based on ancient DNA motifs found in exonic sequence.
SINCERITIES: Inferring gene regulatory networks from time-stamped single cell transcriptional expression profiles
Authors: Papili Gao Nan , Ud-Dean S.M. Minhaz , Gunawan Rudiyanto
Published: November 2016

Recent advances in single cell transcriptional profiling open up a new avenue in studying the functional role of cell-to-cell variability in physiological processes such as stem cell differentiation. In this work, we developed a novel algorithm called SINCERITIES (SINgle CEll Regularized Inference using TIme-stamped Expression profileS), for the inference of gene regulatory networks (GRNs) from single cell transcriptional expression data. In particular, we focused on time-stamped cross-sectional expression data, a common type of dataset generated from transcriptional profiling of single cells collected at multiple time points after cell stimulation. SINCERITIES recovers the regulatory (causal) relationships among genes by employing regularized linear regression, particularly ridge regression, using temporal changes in the distributions of gene expressions. Meanwhile, the modes of the gene regulations (activation and repression) come from partial correlation analyses between pairs of genes. We demonstrated the efficacy of SINCERITIES in inferring GRNs using simulated time-stampedin silicosingle cell expression data and single transcriptional profiling of THP-1 monocytic human leukemia cell differentiation. The case studies showed that SINCERITIES could provide accurate GRN predictions, significantly better than other GRN inference algorithms such as TSNI, GENIE3 and JUMP3. Meanwhile, SINCERITIES has a low computational complexity and is amenable to problems of extremely large dimensionality.
Probing cytoskeletal modulation of passive and active intracellular dynamics using nanobody-functionalized quantum dots
Authors: Katrukha Eugene A. , Mikhaylova Marina , van Brakel Hugo X. , van Bergen en Henegouwen Paul M. , Akhmanova Anna , Hoogenraad Casper C. , Kapitein Lukas C.
Published: November 2016

The cytoplasm is a highly complex and heterogeneous medium that is structured by the cytoskeleton. Cytoskeletal organization and dynamics are known to modulate cytoplasmic transport processes, but how local transport dynamics depends on the highly heterogeneous intracellular organization of F-actin and microtubules is poorly understood. Here we use a novel delivery and functionalization strategy to utilize quantum dots (QDs) as probes for transport dynamics in different sub-cellular environments. Rapid imaging of non-functionalized QDs revealed two populations with a 100-fold difference in diffusion constant. Depolymerization of actin increased the fast diffusing fraction, suggesting that slow QDs are trapped inside the actin network. When nanobody-functionalized QDs were targeted to different kinesin motor proteins and moved over microtubules, they did not experience strong actin-induced transverse displacements, as suggested previously. Only kinesin-1 bound QDs displayed subtle directional fluctuations, because the specific subset of stable microtubules used by this motor underwent prominent undulations. Using actin-targeting agents we found that the actin network suppresses most microtubule shape remodeling, rather than promoting them. These results demonstrate how the spatial and structural heterogeneity of the cytoskeleton imposes large variations in non-equilibrium intracellular dynamics.
Information theoretic evidence for predictive coding in the face processing system
Authors: Brodski-Guerniero Alla , Paasch Georg-Friedrich , Wollstadt Patricia , Özdemir Ipek , Lizier Joseph T. , Wibral Michael
Published: November 2016

Predictive coding suggests that the brain infers the causes of its sensations by combining sensory evidence with internal predictions based on available prior knowledge. However, the neurophysiological correlates of (pre-)activated prior knowledge serving these predictions are still unknown. Based on the idea that such pre-activated prior knowledge must be maintained until needed we measured the amount of maintained information in neural signals via the active information storage (AIS) measure. AIS was calculated on whole-brain beamformer-reconstructed source time-courses from magnetoencephalography (MEG) recordings of 52 human subjects during the baseline of a Mooney face/house detection task. Pre-activation of prior knowledge for faces showed as alpha- and beta-band related AIS increases in content specific areas; these AIS increases were behaviourally relevant in brain area FFA. Further, AIS allowed decoding of the cued category on a trial-by-trial basis. Moreover, top-down transfer of predictions estimated by transfer entropy was associated with beta frequencies. Our results support accounts that activated prior knowledge and the corresponding predictions are signalled in low-frequency activity (<30 Hz).

Significance statement

Our perception is not only determined by the information our eyes/retina and other sensory organs receive from the outside world, but strongly depends also on information already present in our brains like prior knowledge about specific situations or objects. A currently popular theory in neuroscience, predictive coding theory, suggests that this prior knowledge is used by the brain to form internal predictions about upcoming sensory information. However, neurophysiological evidence for this hypothesis is rare – mostly because this kind of evidence requires making strong a-priori assumptions about the specific predictions the brain makes and the brain areas involved. Using a novel, assumption-free approach we find that face-related prior knowledge and the derived predictions are represented and transferred in low-frequency brain activity.
The dynamics of human cognition: increasing global integration coupled with decreasing segregation found using iEEG
Authors: Cruzat Josephine , Deco Gustavo , Tauste Adrià , Principe Alessandro , Costa Albert , Kringelbach Morten L. , Rocamora Rodrigo
Published: November 2016

Cognitive processing requires the ability to flexibly integrate and process information across large brain networks. More information is needed on how brain networks dynamically reorganize to allow such broad communication across many different brain regions in order to integrate the necessary information. Here, we use intracranial EEG to record neural activity from 12 epileptic patients while they perform three cognitive tasks in order to study how the functional connectivity changes to facilitate communication across the underlying network spanning many different brain regions. At the topological level, this facilitation is characterized by measures of integration and segregation. Across all patients, we found significant increases in integration and decreases in segregation during cognitive processing, especially in the gamma band (50-90 Hz). Accordingly, we also found significantly higher level of global synchronization and functional connectivity during the execution of the cognitive task, again particularly in the gamma band. More importantly, we demonstrate here for the first time that the modulations at the level of functional connectivity facilitating communication across the network were not caused by changes in the level of the underlying oscillations but caused by a rearrangement of the mutual synchronisation between the different nodes as proposed by the “Communication Through Coherence” Theory.
History of Antibiotic Adaptation Influences Microbial Evolutionary Dynamics During Subsequent Treatment
Authors: Yen Phillip , Papin Jason A.
Published: November 2016

Antibiotic regimens often include the sequential changing of drugs to limit development and evolution of resistance of bacterial pathogens. It remains unclear how history of adaptation to one antibiotic can influence the resistance profiles when bacteria subsequently adapt to a different antibiotic. Here, we experimentally evolvedPseudomonas aeruginosato six two-drug sequences. We observed drug order-specific effects whereby: adaptation to the first drug can limit subsequent adaptation to the second drug, adaptation to the second drug can restore susceptibility to the first drug, or final resistance levels depend on the order of the two-drug sequence. These findings demonstrate how resistance not only depends on the current drug regimen but also history of past regimens. These order-specific effects have profound clinical implications and provide support for the need to consider history of past drug exposure when designing strategies to mitigate resistance and combat bacterial infections.
NaviCom: A web application to create interactive molecular network portraits using multi-level omics data
Authors: Dorel Mathurin , Barillot Emmanuel , Zinovyev Andrei , Kuperstein Inna
Published: November 2016

Human diseases such as cancer are routinely characterized by high-throughput molecular technologies, and multi-level omics data are accumulated in public databases at increasing rate. Retrieval and visualization of these data in the context of molecular network maps can provide insights into the pattern of molecular functions encompassed by an omics profile. In order to make this task easy, we developed NaviCom, a Python package and web platform for visualization of multi-level omics data on top of biological network maps. NaviCom is bridging the gap between cBioPortal, the most used resource of large-scale cancer omics data and NaviCell, a data visualization web service that contains several molecular network map collections. NaviCom proposes several standardized modes of data display on top of molecular network maps, allowing to address specific biological questions. We illustrate how users can easily create interactive network-based cancer molecular portraits via NaviCom web interface using the maps of Atlas of Cancer Signaling Network (ACSN) and other maps. Analysis of these molecular portraits can help in formulating a scientific hypothesis on the molecular mechanisms deregulated in the studied disease.
CrystalCMP: an easy-to-use tool for fast comparison of molecular packing
Authors: Rohlíček Jan , Skořepová Eliška , Babor Martin , Čejka Jan
Published: November 2016

A new approach is introduced for the comparison of molecular packing and the identification of identical crystal structure motifs. It has been tested on data sets for the solid forms of benzamide, cabergoline and trospium. In this approach, the packing similarity is calculated using a simple formula involving the distances between molecular centres and the relative orientations of molecular entities inside a finite molecular cluster. The approach is independent of the atomic labelling, the unit-cell parameters, the space group setting and the number of molecules in the asymmetric part of the unit cell. Owing to its low sensitivity to volume changes, this approach allows the comparison of various solid forms (such as polymorphs, hydrates, solvates, co-crystals or salts) of identical or similar molecular compounds. The method is also suitable for identifying similar results from direct space methods, which are often used in powder diffraction.
Identification of the point of diminishing returns in high-multiplicity data collection for sulfur SAD phasing
Authors: Storm Selina L. S. , Dall'Antonia Fabio , Bourenkov Gleb , Schneider Thomas R.
Published: November 2016

High-quality high-multiplicity X-ray diffraction data were collected on five different crystals of thaumatin using a homogeneous-profile X-ray beam at E = 8 keV to investigate the counteracting effects of increased multiplicity and increased radiation damage on the quality of anomalous diffraction data collected on macromolecular crystals. By comparing sulfur substructures obtained from subsets of the data selected as a function of absorbed X-ray dose with sulfur positions in the respective refined reference structures, the doses at which the highest quality of anomalous differences could be obtained were identified for the five crystals. A statistic σ{ΔF}
D
, calculated as the width σ of the normalized distribution of a set {ΔF} of anomalous differences collected at a dose D, is suggested as a measure of anomalous data quality as a function of dose. An empirical rule is proposed to identify the dose at which the gains in data quality due to increased multiplicity are outbalanced by the losses due to decreases in signal-to-noise as a consequence of radiation damage. Identifying this point of diminishing returns allows the optimization of the choice of data collection parameters and the selection of data to be used in subsequent crystal structure determination steps.
A new solvate of furosemide with dimethylacetamide
Authors: Beloborodova Alina A. , Minkov Vasily S. , Boldyreva Elena V.
Published: November 2016

The loop diuretic furosemide is used widely in the treatment of congestive heart failure and edema, and is practically insoluble in water. The physicochemical and pharmacokinetic properties of drugs can be modified by preparing the drug in an appropriate solid-state form. A new solvate of furosemide with dimethylacetamide (DMA) {systematic name: 4-chloro-2-[(furan-2-yl)methylamino]-5-sulfamoylbenzoic acidN,N-dimethylacetamide disolvate}, C12H11ClN2O5S·2C4H9NO, (I), is reported. The channeled structure formed on slow crystallization contains DMA solvent molecules in its channels. This structure adds to the evidence of varied conformations observed across all known structures, so supporting the idea that this flexible molecule has conformational lability. The current structure also differs from those of other previously known furosemide solvates in the number of solvent molecules per furosemide molecule,viz. 2:1 instead of 1:1. Desolvation of (I) gives the most stable form of furosemide,i.e.Form I.
How many photons are needed to reconstruct random objects in coherent X-ray diffractive imaging?
Authors: Jahn T. , Wilke R. N. , Chushkin Y. , Salditt T.
Published: November 2016

This paper presents an investigation of the reconstructibility of coherent X-ray diffractive imaging diffraction patterns for a class of binary random `bitmap' objects. Combining analytical results and numerical simulations, the critical fluence per bitmap pixel is determined, for arbitrary contrast values (absorption level and phase shift), both for the optical near- and far-field. This work extends previous investigations based on information theory, enabling a comparison of the amount of information carried by single photons in different diffraction regimes. The experimental results show an order-of-magnitude agreement.
Examining brand origin recognition accuracy in Indonesia
Authors: Tjiptono Fandy , Andrianombonana Haja Tiana Rakotondrainibe
Published: November 2016

Purpose

Brand origin (BO) has been suggested as an important determinant of brand evaluation and purchase intention. However, previous studies have indicated that consumers have limited knowledge and ability to recognize national origin of brands. The purpose of this paper is to assess brand origin recognition accuracy (BORA) and its relationships with brand evaluation and purchase intention in the Indonesian laptop market.

Design/methodology/approach

A convenient sample of 195 people in Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta participated in the survey. They were given a list of 18 laptop brands (four local and 14 foreign brands) and were asked to identify their actual national origins.

Findings

The study found that consumers are more likely to misidentify than correctly recognize a true BO. This limited ability also has contributed to the low BORA scores for both local and foreign brands. Brand evaluation was found to be positively correlated with purchase intention. However, the current study could only find partial supports for the relationship between BORA scores and brand evaluation as well as purchase intention.

Practical implications

Many Indonesian consumers are unaware of the laptops’ BO, whether it is foreign or local. Companies need to inform, educate, and/or remind consumers of their brand’s true origin and avoid being associated with a weaker country image. Furthermore, despite all four Indonesian laptop brand names seem to use non-Indonesian names, only one brand gains a slightly better brand evaluation from favorable misclassification. It may suggest that the effectiveness of foreign branding strategy in the Indonesian laptop market is debatable.

Originality/value

This is one of the few studies examining BORA in Indonesia, the world’s fourth most populous country and the largest laptop market in Southeast Asia.
Physician perceived value as a mediating variable between marketing mix strategy and physician satisfaction
Authors: Murshid Mohsen Ali , Mohaidin Zurina , Yen Nee Goh , Fernando Yudi
Published: November 2016

Purpose

Physician satisfaction (PHS) in the pharmaceutical business is a major issue that has created serious concerns for pharmaceutical companies and medical practitioners. The purpose of this paper is to explore the mediation effect of physician perceived value (PPV) on the relationship between marketing mix strategy (MMS) and PHS in the pharmaceutical industry in Yemen.

Design/methodology/approach

A non-probability purposive sample of 500 physicians was surveyed by using a self-administered questionnaire. Out of the 500 questionnaires, only 192 surveys were returned. Consequently, only 170 questionnaires were usable for the final analysis, with a 34 percent usable response rate. Several statistical techniques were performed including reliability, factor analysis, multiple regressions analysis, and hierarchical regressions to examine the mediation effect of the PPV.

Findings

The results showed that MMS elements, namely, product, price, promotion, and place, significantly contributed to PHS. The results also indicated that MMS elements, namely, price, place, and promotion, significantly contributed to PPV, whereas product showed an insignificant contribution. The PPV significantly contributed to PHS. Hierarchical regression results indicated that PPV partially mediated the relationship among MMS elements, namely, price, place, promotion, and PHS. Product variable was excluded in hierarchical analyses because the variable was insignificant to PPV.

Originality/value

This paper is the first to deal with perceived value as a mediating variable between elements of MMS (4Ps) for drug product and PHS in the context pharmaceutical business.
Job satisfaction and job performance in the media industry
Authors: Valaei Naser , Jiroudi Shokouh
Published: November 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between job satisfaction and employee performance in the media industry as well as the role of demographic variables, namely, age, gender, income, marital status, and the level of education as categorical moderators on this relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 220 valid questionnaires were collected from employees in the Malaysian media industry to examine the goodness of model fit, sign indeterminacy, measurement model, and structural relationships between constructs. Using partial least squares (PLS) path modelling, this study introduces a full-fledged structural equation modelling approach by applying ADANCO 1.1 advanced composite modelling and SmartPLS 3.2.3. PLS-multi-group analysis is applied to examine the heterogeneity of data and test the hypotheses on moderating variables.

Findings

Payment, promotion, supervision, operating conditions, co-workers, and nature of the work were found to be conducive to employees’ job performance, among which co-workers generated the highest path coefficient followed by operating conditions, payment, and promotion. Hypotheses on the relationships between fringe benefits, contingent rewards, communication, and job performance were rejected. Age, gender, and level of education were found as moderators to the relationship between facets of job satisfaction and employees’ job performance.

Practical implications

The results of importance-performance map analysis can help managers and decision makers to prioritize their actions. The findings show that co-workers and operating conditions have the highest importance and payment and contingent rewards have the highest performance on job performance in the media industry.

Originality/value

This study is among the few that investigates the relationship between job satisfaction and job performance in the media industry by considering demographic factors as the moderating variables. This study also contributes methodologically through the introduction of a synergistic PLS approach.
A descriptive analysis of consumer’s price promotion literacy skills
Authors: Tan Pei Jie , Bogomolova Svetlana
Published: November 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to provide a descriptive analysis of consumers’ ability to comprehend and use common price promotion information when they choose to do so (e.g. to find the least expensive price or to understand the savings amount); second, to identify which consumer groups (in terms of demographic characteristics) find price promotion comprehension particularly challenging.

Design/methodology/approach

An online questionnaire with 14 measures (four literacy, ten numeracy) was administered in the study. Data from 607 Australian consumers were analysed using descriptive, cross-tabulation, and multiple regression analysis via IBM SPSS analytics software.

Findings

On average, 20 per cent of the consumers surveyed were unable to comprehend the price promotion signage. On average, 13 per cent of the consumers were unable to carry out arithmetic tasks using the information on price promotion signage. Multiple regression models showed that income level was the main driving factor for the consumers’ price promotion literacy and numeracy levels.

Research limitations/implications

The present study is the first exploratory examination of consumers’ levels of comprehension (literacy) and effective use (numeracy) regarding common types of price promotion communication. The use of online samples and data collection method overestimates the results effect.

Originality/value

This is a pilot field study to investigate whether levels of consumers’ price promotion literacy and numeracy are adequate for everyday decision making. The information can be used as evidence and justification for further research.
The implications of income dependent equivalence scales for measuring poverty in Sri Lanka
Authors: Jayasinghe Maneka Savithri , Smith Christine , Chai Andreas , Ratnasiri Shyama
Published: November 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to test whether household preferences satisfy the assumption of base-independence, to examine the effects of household income on equivalence scales and thereby food consumption economies of scale and to examine how far conventional poverty rates require adjustment when scale economies in food consumption are taken into consideration.

Design/methodology/approach

To achieve these aims, the authors use a Pendakur (1999) adaptation of the test of base-independence, and income dependent Engel (1895) equivalence scales.

Findings

In Sri Lanka, the hypothesis of base-independence is rejected: the equivalence scales increase with household income both at the national and the sectoral level, that is urban, rural and estate sectors. This suggests that low-income households enjoy greater scale economies. After adjusting for scale economies, urban, rural and estate poverty headcount ratios decline by 3.2, 8.8 and 13.7, respectively, while at the national level the decline is about 8.3.

Research limitations/implications

The results are based on the assumption that all of the adults in the households have identical tastes, irrespective of their gender and age. Furthermore, the survey data exclude three districts in the northern province of Sri Lanka due to resettlement activities took place after the civil war.

Practical implications

Higher scale economies among the poor imply that poverty among low-income households is overstated when using traditional measures of poverty rates.

Originality/value

The novelty of this paper is that it provides insights on the effect of income on food consumption economies of scale and implications of this phenomenon on poverty estimates in the context of a developing country like Sri Lanka.
Wage growth and occupational mobility in Spain: movers vs stayers
Authors: Ruiz Antonio Caparrós
Published: November 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the causality between job mobility status, occupational career and wage growth. First, it will be verified whether the type of job-to-job mobility has some influence on the occupational mobility and, second, whether the type of occupational change has some effect on wage growth for both movers and stayers.

Design/methodology/approach

The influence of job-to-job mobility on occupational mobility is explained through a random effect panel multinomial logit model to account for the unobserved individual heterogeneity. Next, the effect of occupational mobility on wage growth for both movers and stayers is obtained after applying Heckman’s two-step procedure that corrects the endogeneity of occupational mobility in a panel data framework.

Findings

The main results confirm, first, that inter-firm mobility is a mechanism used by the worker to achieve upward mobility. Second, the accumulation of human capital has a positive influence on promotions for movers and stayers, getting the highest probability of upward occupational mobility for workers with higher education. Moreover, promotion is a suitable mechanism for improving worker’s wages. In particular, the wage gain is between 5 percent for stayers and 9 percent for quitters compared to workers who do not change their occupation.

Social implications

The main findings of this research would justify the implementation of active labor market policies that increase market transparency and decrease information asymmetries between workers and employers. In this way, the adjustment process between job offer and demand would improve and workers would have more possibilities of ascending on the occupational ladder and getting better-paid jobs.

Originality/value

To the best of the author’s knowledge, this paper is the first study in the economic literature discussing Spain that examines the links between change of firm, occupational mobility and wage dynamics.
Technology for Islamic microfinance’s disbursement and repayment system
Authors: Rozzani Nabilah , Mohamed Intan Salwani , Syed Yusuf Sharifah Norzehan
Published: November 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the implementation of a mobile network system for an Islamic microfinance institution, made in collaboration with a commercial bank in Malaysia. It also intends to highlight any emerging issues pertaining to the implementation of technology into the disbursement and repayment system of an Islamic microfinance institution from their clients’ perspectives. As Islamic microfinance industry is still growing in Malaysia, findings gathered throughout the course of study are also intended to boost further knowledge relating to this area.

Design/methodology/approach

By using a case study method, interview sessions were conducted separately with clients of the Islamic microfinance institution. The purpose of interview sessions is to identify the benefits and problem that surrounds the usage of mobile banking into the repayment system for Islamic microfinance products. Data triangulation with various public documents was conducted to enhance the credibility and reliability of data, also to support the claims that were made by the respondents.

Findings

It was found that clients are quite satisfied with the disbursement process through a mobile solution. However, the same cannot be said with the repayment process. The difficulties in using the mobile solution pose a major threat to its success. As most clients are not born to be technological savvy, the lack of easiness in methods for the usage of a mobile solution for their transactions pushes them away from further exploring the benefits that can be brought in by the function. Other risks which were highlighted include concerns towards breach of trust and risks of robbery. Clients of the case study, on the other hand, are concerned that the transfer of cash between their meeting venues to the bank would expose them to the public who might try to take advantage from the situation.

Research limitations/implications

As the current study had only focusses on mobile banking aspect of the repayment system for one Islamic microfinance institution, a multiple case study could be adapted to investigate various banking channels being implemented by different Islamic microfinance institutions in Malaysia and their current success.

Practical implications

By highlighting several issues through this study, it is hoped that this Islamic microfinance institution would consider applying other means of payment that are available in the market that is not only cost-efficient, but also beneficial for clients of the institution.

Originality/value

This study highlights the setbacks in the usage of technology by clients of Islamic microfinance institution in Malaysia. Although many approved to the diffusion of innovation in Malaysian banking sector, the same has yet to be achieved in the Islamic microfinance industry, which clients are mostly technology illiterate.
What is the actual prevalence of medical bankruptcies?
Authors: Hackney Donald D. , Friesner Daniel , Johnson Erica H.
Published: November 2016

Purpose

Medical bankruptcies occur when an individual experiences an acute or chronic health event, and the costs of care exceed the individual’s ability to pay. In such cases, the individual typically files for bankruptcy. There is an extensive literature that estimates the prevalence of medical bankruptcy, but studies either select a population whose medical care is extremely expensive or chooses ad hoc thresholds for medical bankruptcy categorizations. In both cases, the prevalence of medical bankruptcy is biased. The purpose of this paper is to estimate the actual prevalence of medical bankruptcies in a manner that avoids these limitations.

Design/methodology/approach

Data are randomly drawn from a single US Bankruptcy Court district. Following the literature, an ad hoc threshold of medical debts which places the bankruptcy filer “at risk” for a medical bankruptcy is postulated. Misclassification analyses are used to estimate the likelihood of a medical bankruptcy filing while adjusting for the use of ad hoc thresholds.

Findings

The naive prevalence of medical bankruptcy is 23.1 percent, but exceeds 50 percent when accounting for misclassification. Many individuals are “ostensibly” medically bankrupt. They are already seriously indebted, and any outside financial shock, including but not limited to medical bills, can push these debtors into insolvency.

Originality/value

Bankruptcy is an important social safety net. An improved understanding of the types and magnitudes of medical debts which precipitate a bankruptcy filing can lead to policies that improve outcomes for bankruptcy filers and reduce the social costs of bankruptcy.
Why Sen’s interpretation of the liberal tradition matters and is also problematic to understanding his social economics
Authors: Weinstein David
Published: November 2016

Purpose

Sen has recently acknowledged his “immense” debts to the liberal tradition of J.S. Mill and, to much lesser extent, to T.H. Green. This essay explores how identifying himself so enthusiastically with Mill sheds light on one’s understanding of Sen’s defense of the capabilities approach. But trying to understand him through the lens of Mill can be a double-edged sword. Sen not only risks causing his readers to append too much Mill to capabilities liberalism, but he also risks encouraging them to misinterpret Mill. These implications naturally bear significantly on how compelling readers find both Sen’s conception of distributive justice and the public policy recommendations based on it. Besides exploring some of the problematic implications of Sen’s readily identifying with Mill’s liberalism in particular, this essay also speculates on what it means to identify with any political philosophical tradition and how such identification colors and adds momentum to both one’s political theorizing and practical recommendations. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

Textual interpretation.

Findings

As noted above, this paper examines how Sen’s esteem for J.S. Mill sheds light on the capabilities approach. It also suggests that using Mill to understand Sen better is fraught with difficulties.

Research limitations/implications

The paper also speculates on what it means to identify with a particular political philosophical tradition much as Sen identifies with Mill’s liberalism.

Practical implications

This paper also explores how such identification with a particular political philosophical tradition colors and adds momentum to both one’s political theorizing and practical recommendations.

Originality/value

Using Mill to understand Sen better is certainly worthwhile. On the other hand, doing this sort of thing risks distorting Mill and even Sen.
The effect of health expenditure on selected maternal and child health outcomes in Sub-Saharan Africa
Authors: Nicholas Ashiabi , Edward Nketiah-Amponsah , Bernardin Senadza
Published: November 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of public and private health expenditures on selected maternal-child health outcomes in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).

Design/methodology/approach

The study utilizes panel data on 40 SSA countries spanning the period 2000-2010. The data are analyzed using the fixed effects estimation technique.

Findings

The results indicate that public health expenditure is inversely and significantly related to infant (IMRR) and under-five (U5MR) mortalities in SSA. Though public health expenditure has the a priori negative sign, it has no significant effect on maternal mortality (MMR) in SSA. Further, private health expenditure did not prove to be significant in improving maternal-child health outcomes (IMRR, U5MR and MMR) in SSA.

Practical implications

The implication of the findings is that a percentage point increase in public health expenditure (as a share of GDP) across the region will result in saving the lives of about 7,040 children every year. Hence, it is important for governments in SSA to increase their shares of health expenditure (public health expenditure) in order to achieve improved health outcomes.

Originality/value

Previous studies have not adequately explored the effect of various components of health expenditures – public and private – on health outcomes in the context of SSA. In addition to the focus on maternal-child health variables such as infant, under-five and maternal mortalities, the study accounts for the possibility of a non-linear and non-monotonic relationship between healthcare expenditures and health outcomes.
“Happy slaves”? The adaptation problem and identity politics in the writings of Amartya Sen
Authors: Burns Tony
Published: November 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between Amartya Sen’s notion of adaptation and his views on identity politics by focussing on the issue of slavery and, more specifically, on the example of the happy or contented slave.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is text based. The methodological approach adopted is that of conceptual analysis, as is typical for work of this kind.

Findings

The paper concludes that the example of the happy or contented slave is indeed a fruitful one for those interested in exploring the relationship between Sen’s views on “the adaptation problem” and his views on identity politics, especially in relation to the subjection of women. Here Sen’s debt to the ideas of Mary Wollstonecraft and John Stuart Mill is particularly important.

Research limitations/implications

One implication of the argument of the paper is that there is a need to consider more carefully the differences that exist between the views of Wollstonecraft and Mill, so far as the example of the happy or contented slave is concerned.

Practical implications

One practical implication of the paper is that, hopefully, it establishes the continued relevance of the ideas of thinkers such as Wollstonecraft and Mill today, not least because of the influence that they have had on theoreticians such as Amartya Sen.

Social implications

The paper addresses issues which are of considerable social and political significance, especially for women in underdeveloped societies today.

Originality/value

The example of the happy or contented slave has not received much discussion in the literature on Sen, although Sen himself has suggested that the distinction between happiness and contentment is an important one, which does merit further discussion.
Virtual reality and robots for autism: moving beyond the screen
Authors: Good Judith , Parsons Sarah , Yuill Nicola , Brosnan Mark
Published: November 2016

Purpose

This short paper reports on the fourth seminar in a seven-seminar series entitled, “Innovative Technologies for Autism: Critical Reflections on Digital Bubbles”, funded by the UK Economic and Social Research Council. The purpose of this paper is to consider in more depth the technologies being developed and used in the autism field, and to critically reflect on their relative benefits and potential pitfalls.

Design/methodology/approach

Presentations from key researchers and practitioners are reviewed, highlighting contemporary issues in the area of autism and technology. The presentations include descriptions of cutting-edge technologies as well as the role of technology in human-human interaction.

Findings

Despite its potential, technology for autism is regarded by many with some caution: technology per se cannot provide solutions to key issues in the field. However, by looking in more depth at the features of new technologies and the interactions that take place with and around them, we can begin to build up a picture of best practice around technology for autism.

Originality/value

This paper offers up-to-date insights from leading academics on the benefits and challenges of innovative technologies in the field of autism research and practice. Specifically, it highlights the importance of including a breadth of expertise in the design of such tools, and the need to consider technology as a means to an end, rather than an end in itself.
Use of a sonification system for science learning by people who are blind
Authors: Lahav Orly , Chagab Nuha , Talis Vadim
Published: November 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine a central need of students who are blind: the ability to access science curriculum content.

Design/methodology/approach

Agent-based modeling is a relatively new computational modeling paradigm that models complex dynamic systems. NetLogo is a widely used agent-based modeling language that enables exploration and construction of models of complex systems by programming and running the rules and behaviors. Sonification of variables and events in an agent-based NetLogo computer model of gas in a container is used to convey phenomena information. This study examined mainly two research topics: the scientific conceptual knowledge and systems reasoning that were learned as a result of interaction with the listen-to-complexity (L2C) environment as appeared in answers to the pre- and post-tests and the learning topics of kinetic molecular theory of gas in chemistry that was learned as a result of interaction with the L2C environment. The case study research focused on A., a woman who is adventitiously blind, for eight sessions.

Findings

The participant successfully completed all curricular assignments; her scientific conceptual knowledge and systems reasoning became more specific and aligned with scientific knowledge.

Practical implications

A practical implication of further studies is that they are likely to have an impact on the accessibility of learning materials, especially in science education for students who are blind, as equal access to low-cost learning environments that are equivalent to those used by sighted users would support their inclusion in the K-12 academic curriculum.

Originality/value

The innovative and low-cost learning system that is used in this research is based on transmittal of visual information of dynamic and complex systems, providing perceptual compensation by harnessing auditory feedback. For the first time the L2C system is based on sound that represents a dynamic rather than a static array. In this study, the authors explore how a combination of several auditory representations may affect cognitive learning ability.
Online corporate social responsibility communication: an emerging country’s perspective
Authors: Appiah Kingsley Opoku , Amankwah Mary Asare , Adu Asamoah Lawrence
Published: November 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the determinants of online corporate social responsibility (CSR) reporting of the insurance industry in Ghana. Specifically, it explores the impact of firm age, size and origin on online CSR reporting using data from 31 private insurance companies in Ghana.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors employ ordinary least squares regression analysis in the estimation of the influence of the predictive variables on firms’ online CSR disclosure.

Findings

The findings indicate positive insignificant association between online CSR disclosure and firm-specific characteristics (i.e. firm age, size and origin). These findings are robust to different specifications.

Originality/value

Research directed towards online CSR communications amongst private insurance firms in the context of emerging market are almost non-existent. This study therefore makes an important contribution by addressing the imbalances of CSR reporting in Ghanaian insurance firms.