bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Quality of tourism destination – a scale development
Authors: Mukherjee Srabanti , Adhikari Atanu , Datta Biplab
Published: January 2018

Purpose

The tourism literature has focused only on destination branding; nonetheless, measuring the quality of a destination from the tourism point of view has been overlooked, especially in the context of the emerging markets. This paper aims to focus on developing a scale measuring the overall quality of the tourist destinations.

Design/methodology/approach

With the help of extensive review of the literature, the study identified the key variables for measuring the quality of tourism destination in emerging markets. Thereafter, to determine the factor structure (purification stage) and assess the stability of the factor structure (validation stage), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) has been conducted. A second-order CFA has been conducted to analyse the factor structure stability of the broad dimensions, namely, the quality of service, the quality of destination features and the quality of experience.

Findings

This research shows that the quality of tourism can be determined not only by the quality of destination features but also by the quality of service and the quality of experience one perceives from a destination. Together, these three dimensions and their various sub-dimensions form a valid scale to measure the overall quality of a tourist destination.

Practical implications

This study provides marketing managers an idea of the dimensions that affect tourist destination quality. They can now align the dimensions measuring destination quality with the destinations that they are marketing to tourists. This can add to the competitive advantage of any place brand.

Originality/value

This study has developed three distinct measurement scales for quality of experience, quality of destination feature and quality of services and validated the same with adequate data following appropriate scale development procedure. Through empirical research, the authors have integrated these three dimensions as the constructs for measuring the overall quality of tourist destinations. Hence, as a pioneering attempt, the authors have developed a scale to measure the quality of tourist destinations.
Top ten South African companies’ disclosure of materiality determination process and material issues in integrated reports
Authors: Steenkamp Natasja
Published: January 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop guidelines of what award winning companies, leading practice in integrated reporting (IR) disclose in their integrated reports about material issues and their materiality determination processes. Also, to provide insight into what they disclose about their perception of materiality.

Design/methodology/approach

A content analysis was conducted to investigate what the top 10 South African companies of the 2015 Ernst and Young Excellence in Integrated Reporting Awards disclosed in their 2014 and 2015 integrated reports about their materiality determination processes, material issues and what materiality means to them. Thematic analyses were conducted in developing guidelines.

Findings

All except one company applied the International Integrated Reporting Framework. The materiality determination processes, material issues and companies’ descriptions of materiality are diverse. Material issues most companies identified relate to employees, social and environmental issues, customers and sustainable performance.

Practical implications

The proposed guidelines will provide useful strategies for organisations embarking on the IR journey about what issues could be considered as material and therefore included in integrated reports. It also proposes activities companies can undertake to identify, evaluate and prioritise material issues and execute their materiality determination process.

Originality/value

This paper is the first to develop guidelines of material matters and materiality determination processes. It also adds to existing literature on IR practice and the application of materiality.
Auditing patent portfolio for strategic exploitation
Authors: Grimaldi Michele , Cricelli Livio , Rogo Francesco
Published: January 2018

Purpose

Several causes may induce firm managers to analyze the actual technology condition of patent portfolios, among which is the need of exploiting patents strategically. In this paper, the question of how to support intellectual property (IP) managers of large high technology companies in their strategic decision-making process of evaluating patents is examined. The purpose of this paper is to provide a decision support framework that suggests the suitable exploitation strategy for patents.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper proposes an audit framework able to point out whether patents are aligned to the overall business strategy, to select those that are not aligned, and to identify the most appropriate exploitation strategy for each patent of the portfolio. The framework is structured into two phases: in the first one, patents are selected through the analysis of four dimensions that characterize the value of patents effectively; in the second one, a questionnaire is distributed to IP managers in order to support their decision on patents. The paper illustrates case-based applications of the framework.

Findings

Results of applications show that the framework is able to suggest IP managers the suitable exploitation strategy on four possible alternatives (maintaining, licensing, selling, abandoning) for each patent of their portfolios.

Originality/value

The framework is an innovative and valuable tool to IP managers, and besides its structural formulation, it is appreciable in terms of application expedition and efficiency of performance.
Intellectual capital and performance
Authors: Pedro Eugénia , Leitão João , Alves Helena
Published: January 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to determine the predominant classification of intellectual capital (IC), in terms of components, using the literature of reference on the relationship between IC and performance and considering multi-dimensional analysis axes (MAAs): organisational, regional and national.

Design/methodology/approach

A systematic literature review (SLR) is presented focussing on empirical studies on IC published in the period 1960-2016. A protocol for action is defined and a research question is raised, gathering data from the databases of: Web of Science, Scopus and Google Scholar. A social network analysis is also provided to determine the type of networks embracing groups, IC individual components and performance type.

Findings

Of the 777 papers included in the SLR, 189 deal with the relationship between IC and performance. The paper highlights the greater development of empirical studies starting from 2004; the organisational MAA is the most studied. The most frequently used groups of components in studies dealing with IC’s influence on performance corresponds to a triad of human capital; structural (organisational or process) capital; and relational (social or customer) capital, which determine positively the performance of organisations/regions/countries, but their influence is not linear and depends on various factors associated with the context and surrounding environment.

Practical implications

This study has wide-ranging implications for politicians/governments, managers and academics, providing empirical evidence about the relationships between the components of IC and performance, by MAAs, and a global vision and better understanding of how those IC components have developed and how they are related to performance.

Originality/value

Due to the high number of references covering a wide range of disciplines and the various dimensions (e.g. organisational, regional and national) that form IC, it becomes fundamental to carry out an SRL and systematise its MAAs to deepen knowledge about what has been discovered/developed in this domain, in terms of empirical studies, in order to situate the topic in a wider theoretical-practical context. The paper is exceptionally wide-ranging, covering the period 1960-2016. It is one of the first clarifying studies on systemisation of the literature on IC, by MAA, and an in-depth study of IC’s impact on the performance of organisations/regions and countries which may serve as a guideline for future studies using the taxonomy proposed.
What Words Can’t Say
Authors: Elder Alexis M.
Published: January 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to survey the moral psychology of emoji, time-restricted messaging and other non-verbal elements of nominally textual computer-mediated communication (CMC). These features are increasingly common in interpersonal communication. Effects on both individual well-being and quality of intimate relationships are assessed. Results of this assessment are used to support ethical conclusions about these elements of digital communication.

Design/methodology/approach

Assessment of these non-verbal elements of CMC is framed in light of relevant literature from a variety of fields, including neuroscience, behavioral economics and social psychology. The resulting ethical analysis is informed by both Aristotelian and Buddhist virtue ethics.

Findings

This paper finds that emoji and other nonverbal elements of CMC have positive potential for individual well-being and interpersonal communication. They can be used to focus and direct attention, express and acknowledge difficult emotions and increase altruistic tendencies.

Research limitations/implications

This paper is conceptual, extrapolating from existing literature to investigate possibilities rather than reporting on novel experiments. It is not intended to substitute for empirical research on use patterns and their effects. But by identifying positive potential, it can help both users and designers to support individual and relational well-being.

Practical implications

The positive effects identified here can be incorporated into both design and use strategies for CMC.

Social implications

Situating ethical analysis of these trending technologies within literature from the social sciences on the effects of stylized faces, disappearing messages and directed attention can help us both understand their appeal to users and best practices for using them to enrich our social lives.

Originality/value

The paper uses empirically informed moral psychology to understand a deceptively trivial-looking phenomenon with wide-ranging impacts on human psychology and relationships.
The restructuring of the Spanish banking system: analysis of the efficiency of financial entities
Authors: Martín Emilio , Bachiller Alfredo , Bachiller Patricia
Published: January 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the performance of Spanish banking entities between 2009 and 2013, a period marked by the reform of the banking system with a large number of mergers and integrations.

Design/methodology/approach

First, efficiency is measured applying the data envelopment analysis (DEA) methodology and, then, the Malmquist index is calculated to assess its evolution.

Findings

The results show that most of the entities have improved their performance from the production approach. However, from the intermediation approach, the efficiency of the sample has deteriorated, which raises questions about the sustainability of the traditional banking business when the current credit restriction strategy is long lasting.

Practical implications

The comparative analysis demonstrates that, after the deep reforms carried out in Spain, the banking entities maintain similar efficiency rankings to those they had at the beginning of the period analysed. This shows that the reform has created new groups that operate adequately, avoiding the closing of institutions. Despite the better rationalisation of the available resources, the outlook for Spanish banks remains unclear in the current macroeconomic context, which does not favour the banking business.

Originality/value

The study contributes to the literature on the Spanish banking system because it adds new empirical evidence about its restructuring and it applies a DEA model to a sample before and after mergers. The authors discuss theoretical and managerial implications and offer suggestions for future research on this field.
The effect of CEO tenure and specialization on timely audit reports of Iranian listed companies
Authors: Salehi Mahdi , Lari Dasht Bayaz Mahmoud , Naemi Mohamadreza
Published: January 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine whether the characteristics of a CEO, that is, tenure and financial expertise, could affect the timeliness of an audit report.

Design/methodology/approach

Research data gathered from listed companies on the Tehran Stock Exchange during the four-year period 2013-2016.

Findings

The results obtained from model fittings indicated that there is only a negative and significant relationship between CEO financial expertise and natural logarithm of audit report lag and no significant relationship observed between the former and two other indices of timely audit report. Moreover, no significant relationship was found between the CEO tenure and other three indices of timely audit report.

Originality/value

This paper is the first study, which developed the literature of timely audit report using CEO tenure effect and financial expertise tests for timely audit reports in Iran.
Portfolio turnover activity and mutual fund performance
Authors: Champagne Claudia , Karoui Aymen , Patel Saurin
Published: January 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to propose a new measure of portfolio activity, the modified turnover (MT), which represents the portion of the portfolio that the manager changes from one quarter to the next. Compared with the traditional turnover, the MT measure has a distinct interpretation, relies on portfolio holdings, includes the effects of flows and ignores the effects of offsetting trades.

Design/methodology/approach

Using quarterly holdings data, the authors examine the relationship between fund turnover, performance, and flows for a sample of 2,856 actively managed mutual funds over the period 1991-2012. The authors provide numerical examples to illustrate how the suggested measure, MT, is different from the traditional turnover measure. The authors use panel regressions, simple and double sorts to examine the predictability of performance.

Findings

The authors find evidence that high MT predicts lower performance. The comparison between the highest and lowest quintiles sorted based on MT reveals a difference of −2.41 percent in the annual risk-adjusted return. Furthermore, high MT predicts lower net flows. The authors also find that MT relates positively to other activeness measures while volatility, flows, size, number of stocks, and the expense ratio are significant determinants of MT. Overall, the results suggest that frequent churning of a portfolio is value destroying for investors and signals a manager’s lack of skill.

Originality/value

The authors offer a simple measure, namely, MT, for estimating the fraction of a portfolio that changes from one quarter to the next. Armed with this tool, the authors investigate whether funds deviate from their previous quarter’s holdings because of valuable or noisy information, and whether such signals are exploited by fund investors.
Pathogenic mechanisms of invasive group A Streptococcus infections by influenza virus–group A Streptococcus superinfection
Authors: Okamoto Shigefumi , Nagase Satoshi
Published: January 2018

Group A Streptococcus (GAS) are pathogenic bacteria of the genus Streptococcus and cause severe invasive infections that comprise a wide range of diverse diseases, including acute respiratory distress syndrome, renal failure, toxic shock‐like syndrome, sepsis, cellulitis and necrotizing fasciitis. The essential virulence, infected host and external environmental factors required for invasive GAS infections have not yet been determined. Superinfection with influenza virus and GAS induced invasive GAS infections was demonstrated by our team in a mouse model, after which clinical cases of invasive GAS infections secondary to influenza virus infection were reported by other investigators in Japan, USA, Canada, UK China, and other countries. However, the pathogenic mechanisms underlying influenza virus‐GAS superinfection are not yet fully understood. The present review describes the current knowledge about invasive GAS infections by superinfection. Topics addressed include the bacteriological, virological and immunological mechanisms impacting invasion upon superinfection on top of underlying influenza virus infection by GAS and other bacteria (i.e., Streptococcus pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus). Future prospects are also discussed.
Dynamics of Regulatory Policymaking in Sweden: The Role of Media Advocacy and Public Opinion
Authors: Rasmussen Anne , Romeijn Jeroen , Toshkov Dimiter
Published: January 2018

While extensive literatures study the responsiveness of policy to public opinion and the influence of interest groups, few studies look at both factors simultaneously. This article offers an analysis of the influence of media advocacy and public opinion on political attention and policy change for four regulatory issues over a relatively long period of time in Sweden. The data pools together measures of public support for specific policies with new data on attention to the policy issues in the Swedish parliament, policy developments over time and detailed coding of the claims of interest advocates in two major Swedish newspapers. Analyzing this data, a complex picture without a general tendency for either public opinion or media advocacy to act as dominant forces in producing policy change is revealed, although some evidence is found that the public is successful in stimulating political attention when it supports policy proposals aimed at changing the status quo.
Monotonicity In Word Formation: The Case Of Italo‐Romance Result State Adjectives
Authors: Bentley Delia
Published: January 2018

The Monotonicity Hypothesis (Koontz‐Garboden ) predicts that no productive word formation operations delete any decompositional operators that are part of word meaning. We test this hypothesis examining Italo‐Romance result state participles. First, we consider rhizotonic~arrhizotonic pairs which provide morphologically transparent evidence for the contrast between non‐passive (non‐agentive) and passive (agentive) result state adjectives (e.g., Sicilian cuòttu/cùattu vs. cuciùtu ‘cooked’). Whereas the non‐passive result states of other languages have received decausative accounts, our findings suggest that such non‐monotonic accounts are based on an incorrect interpretation of the results of a key diagnostic test. Broadening the scope of our investigation, we consider other classes of non‐passive result state adjectives, which are indisputably non‐causative and cannot but be formed monotonically. We put forward a monotonic account of the formation of Italo‐Romance result state adjectives, which captures all the classes under investigation and can be extended to the result state adjectives of other languages. Ultimately, this study provides strong support for monotonicity in word formation.
Cardiorespiratory fitness, exercise haemodynamics and birth outcomes: the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults Study
Authors: Lane‐Cordova AD , Carnethon MR , Catov JM , Montag S , Lewis CE , Schreiner PJ , Dude A , Sternfeld B , Badon SE , Greenland P , Gunderson EP
Published: January 2018

Objective

Determine associations of cardiorespiratory fitness, exercise systolic blood pressure (SBP) and heart rate recovery (HRR) following a maximal exercise test performed years preceding pregnancy with odds of preterm birth (PTB; <37 weeks' gestation) and small for gestational age (SGA; birthweight <10th percentile) delivery.

Design

Prospective, longitudinal.

Setting

Multi‐site, observational cohort study initially consisting of 2787 black and white women aged 18–30 at baseline (1985–86) and followed for 25 years (Y25; 2010–2011).

Population

768 nulliparous women at baseline who reported ≥1 live birth by the Y25 exam.

Methods

We used Poisson regression to determine associations of exposures with PTB/SGA.

Main outcome measures

PTB and/or SGA births.

Results

Women with PTB (n = 143) and/or SGA (n = 88) were younger, had completed fewer years of education and were more likely to be black versus women without PTB/SGA (n = 546). Women with PTB/SGA had lower fitness (501 ± 9 versus 535 ± 6 seconds, P < 0.002) and higher submaximal SBP than women without PTB/SGA (144 ± 1 versus 142 ± 1 mmHg, P < 0.04). After adjustment, no exercise test variables were associated with PTB/SGA, though the association with HRR and submaximal SBP approached significance in the subset of women who completed the exercise test <5 years before the index birth.

Conclusions

Neither fitness nor haemodynamic responses to exercise a median of 5 years preceding pregnancy, were associated with PTB/SGA. These findings indicate excess likelihood of PTB/SGA is not detectable by low fitness or exercise haemodynamic responses 5 years preceding pregnancy, but exercise testing, especially HRR and submaximal SBP, may be more useful when conducted closer to the onset of pregnancy.

Tweetable abstract

Exercise testing conducted >5 years before pregnancy may not detect women likely to have PTB/SGA.
Detection of Volatile Compounds of Cheese and Their Contribution to the Flavor Profile of Surface‐Ripened Cheese
Authors: Bertuzzi Andrea S. , McSweeney Paul L.H. , Rea Mary C. , Kilcawley Kieran N.
Published: January 2018

The volatiles responsible for the typical aroma of cheese are produced mainly by lipolytic and proteolytic pathways and by the metabolism of lactose, lactate, and citrate. The volatile profile of cheese is determined by gas chromatography (GC), which includes the extraction, separation, and detection of volatiles. A wide range of extraction techniques is available, and technological improvements have been developed in GC separation and detection that enhance our understanding of the role of individual key volatiles to cheese flavor. To date, for surface‐ripened cheese, the main volatiles detected that contribute to flavor include acids, ketones, alcohols, and sulfur compounds. However, based on the limited number of studies undertaken and the approaches used, it appears that a significant degree of bias possibly exists that may have over‐ or underestimated the impact of specific chemical classes involved in the flavor of these types of cheese.
The Effect of Lowering the Legal Drink‐Drive Limit on the Toxicological Findings in Driver Fatalities: A Comparison of Two Jurisdictions,
Authors: Hamnett Hilary J. , Poulsen Helen
Published: January 2018

In December 2014, the legal blood alcohol limit for drivers in both Scotland and New Zealand was reduced from 80 to 50 mg/100 mL. This paper reports a retrospective study comparing changes in the toxicological findings in deceased drivers and motorcyclists before and after the limit change in both jurisdictions. A year of fatal motor vehicle crashes prior to and following the limit change is examined for both countries. In Scotland, there was an increase in drug prevalence among fatally injured drivers and motorcyclists, with the use of all drug groups increasing after the limit change, with the exception of cannabinoids. In New Zealand, there was a reduction in cases involving drugs only, but increases in the numbers of deceased drivers and motorcyclists positive for alcohol only and co‐using alcohol and drugs.
In silico identification, characterization and expression analysis of attacin gene family in response to bacterial and fungal pathogens in Tenebrio molitor
Authors: Jo Yong Hun , Park Soyi , Park Ki Beom , Noh Mi Young , Cho Jun Ho , Ko Hye Jin , Kim Chang Eun , Patnaik Bharat Bhusan , Kim Jin , Won Ran , Bang In Seok , Lee Yong Seok , Han Yeon Soo
Published: January 2018

Antimicrobial peptides are effector molecules induced after microbial challenges. These form important components of innate host defense against the pathogens by exhibiting wide‐spectrum antimicrobial activities. In this study, we identified three attacin‐like genes from Tenebrio molitor RNASeq database using Tribolium castaneum attacin gene family as query. The T. molitor attacin gene family was annotated as TmAttacin‐1a [comprising of 154 amino acids (aa)], TmAttacin‐1b (150 aa) and TmAttacin‐2 (164 aa), respectively. Temporal expression analysis shows that the TmAttacin‐1a and ‐1b mRNAs are highly expressed in late larval stages, followed by a general decline in the pre‐pupal stages. The mRNA level shows a decline during metamorphosis, and gets slightly overexpressed in pupal‐adult transition stages. On the other hand, TmAttacin‐2 is mainly overexpressed at 1‐day old pupal stage. Spatial expression analysis indicates that TmAttacin‐1a, −1b, and −2 mRNAs are primarily expressed in gut and fat body, but not in hemocytes and Malpighian tubules in T. molitor larvae. Interestingly, TmAttacin‐1b shows more than 20‐fold expression in the ovary, whereas TmAttacin‐1a and −2 show similar expression patterns in gut, fat body, hemocyte, ovary, and testis in T. molitor adults. Induction pattern analysis demonstrates that the intracellular Gram‐positive bacteria, L. monocytogenes elicited the strongest response by inducing ~1,000‐fold expression of TmAttacin‐1a mRNA. The highest level of TmAttacin‐1b mRNA (~350‐fold) was induced by Gram‐negative bacteria, E. coli. However, the TmAttacin‐2 transcripts were not induced by microbial challenges. These results indicate that TmAttacin‐1a and ‐1b may be required for antimicrobial defenses in T. molitor.
Insect growth regulatory and larvicidal activity of chalcones against Aedes albopictus
Authors: Lee Seok‐Hee , Choi Jae Young , Lee Bo Ram , Fang Ying , Kim Jong Hoon , Park Dong Hwan , Park Min Gu , Woo Ra Mi , Kim Woo Jin , Je Yeon Ho
Published: January 2018

Widespread use of chemical insecticides has resulted in development of insect resistance and natural products with biological activities could become an attractive alternative to control insect pests. In order to find more effective insecticides for controlling mosquito, various mosquitocidal compounds are studied. Recently, juvenile hormone antagonists (JHANs) have been found to be to safe and effective insecticides for control of mosquito. In order to identify novel insecticidal compounds with JHAN activity, several chalcones were surveyed on their JHAN activities and larvicidal activities against Aedes albopictus larvae. Among them, 2′‐hydroxychalcone and cardamonin showed high levels of JHAN and mosquito larvicidal activities. These results suggested that chalcones with JHAN activity could be useful for control of mosquito larvae.
Baculovirus titration method based on MOI values for optimizing recombinant protein expression of the anti‐cancer vaccine candidate GA733‐Fc using Sf9 insect cells
Authors: Moussavou Ghislain , Lee Jeong‐Hwan , Qiao Lu , Noh Yoo Hun , Shin Yong Kyoo , Lee Tae Jin , Lee Seung Ho , Ko Kisung
Published: January 2018

The baculovirus expression system has been considered as a highly efficient tool for the production of recombinant biopharmaceutical proteins. The recombinant antigenic glycoprotein GA733 is a cell surface protein that is strongly expressed in human colorectal cancer. Efficient virus titration should be established to achieve optimal multiplicity of infection (MOI) conditions, which are in turn essential for strong expression of the recombinant GA733 fused to the human immunoglobulin IgG Fc fragment (GA733‐Fc) in the baculovirus‐insect system. In the present study, the Sf9 cell line was transfected with plasmid DNA containing the GA733‐Fc expression cassette under the control of the baculovirus polyhedron promoter. MOI values (0.05, 0.1, 0.5, 1, and 3) were calculated based on both microscope observations and results of titration assay and then used to determine the optimum recombinant expression and harvested sample [cell culture media (CM) or cell lysate (CL)]. The pFastBac dual vector carrying the GA733‐Fc gene was constructed to express GA733‐Fc and used to generate recombinant baculoviruses. Western blotting results showed that recombinant protein expression was dependent on the MOI. In addition, CM and CL showed significant differences in protein synthesis and protein secretion capacities. Our findings suggested that our proposed titration method can be used for reliable calculation of MOI values, which significantly influence recombinant GA733‐Fc protein expression in the baculovirus‐insect cell system.
Human Milk Oligosaccharides Attenuate Antigen–Antibody Complex Induced Chemokine Release from Human Intestinal Epithelial Cell Lines
Authors: Zehra Sehrish , Khambati Ibrahim , Vierhout Megan , Mian M. Firoz , Buck Rachael , Forsythe Paul
Published: January 2018

There has been increased interest in the use of dietary ingredients, including prebiotics such as human‐milk oligosaccharides (HMOs), as therapeutic strategies for food allergy. Understanding the mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects of HMOs is important to realizing their therapeutic potential.

Here we demonstrate that the HMO, 6’‐sialyllactose (6’SL) inhibited chemokine (IL‐8 and CCL20) release from T‐84 and HT‐29 cells stimulated with antigen–antibody complex, TNFα or PGE2; an effect that was PPARγ dependent and associated with decreased activity of the transcription factors AP‐1 and NFκB. In contrast, 2’‐fucosyllactose (2’FL) selectively inhibited CCL20 release in response to antigen antibody complex in a PPARγ independent manner.

This study reinforces the concept that structurally different oligosaccharides have distinct biological activities and identifies, for the first time, that the HMOs, 6’SL, and 2’FL, modulate human epithelial cell responses related to allergic disease. These findings encourage further investigation of the therapeutic potential of specific HMOs in food allergy.

Practical Application

This study provides evidence for direct effects of HMOs in addition to their prebiotic role and demonstrates, for the first time, modulation of Ag–IgE complex activation of human epithelial cells that may have important implications for food‐allergy.

The study also reinforces the concept that structurally different oligosaccharides have distinct biological activities. In determining the composition of infant formula, addition of oligosaccharides with specific structures may provide direct modulation of immune responses and potentially attenuate symptoms or development of food allergy.
Photo‐Curable Metal‐Chelating Coatings Offer a Scalable Approach to Production of Antioxidant Active Packaging
Authors: Lin Zhuangsheng , Goddard Julie
Published: January 2018

Synthetic metal chelators (for example, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, EDTA) are widely used as additives to control trace transition metal induced oxidation in consumer products. To enable removal of synthetic chelators in response to increasing consumer demand for clean label products, metal‐chelating active food packaging technologies have been developed with demonstrated antioxidant efficacy in simulated food systems. However, prior work in fabrication of metal‐chelating materials leveraged batch chemical reactions to tether metal‐chelating ligands, a process with limited industrial translatability for large‐scale fabrication. To improve the industrial translatability, we have designed a 2‐step laminated photo‐grafting process to introduce metal chelating functionality onto common polymeric packaging materials. Iminodiacetic acid (IDA) functionalized materials were fabricated by photo‐grafting poly(acrylic acid) onto polypropylene (PP) films, followed by a second photo‐grafting process to graft‐polymerize an IDA functionalized vinyl monomer (GMA‐IDA). The photo‐grafting was conducted under atmospheric conditions and was completed in 2 min. The resulting IDA functionalized metal‐chelating material was able to chelate iron and copper, and showed antioxidant efficacy against ascorbic acid degradation, supporting its potential to be used synergistically with natural antioxidants for preservation of food and beverage products. The 2‐step photo‐grafting process improves the throughput of active packaging coatings, enabling potential roll‐to‐roll fabrication of metal‐chelating active packaging materials for antioxidant food packaging applications.

Practical Application

To address consumer and retail demands for “clean label” foods and beverages without a corresponding loss in product quality and shelf life, producers are seeking next generation technologies such as active packaging. In this work, we will report the synthesis of metal‐chelating active packaging films, which enable removal of the synthetic additive, ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid. The new synthesis technique improves the throughput of metal‐chelating active packaging coatings, enabling potential roll‐to‐roll fabrication of the materials for antioxidant food packaging applications.
MiR‐339 depresses cell proliferation via directly targeting S‐phase kinase‐associated protein 2 mRNA in lung cancer
Authors: Ren Hong , Zhang Yueqiao , Zhu Hongzhou
Published: January 2018

Background

S‐phase kinase‐associated protein 2 (Skp2) takes great part in the development of multiple tumors. However, the post‐transcriptional modulation mechanism of Skp2 remains unclear. Here, we present a new regulatory microRNA of Skp2, miR‐339, which directly targets Skp2 to inhibit cell proliferation in lung cancer.

Methods

The expression of miR‐339 or Skp2 in lung cancer samples was tested by real time‐PCR. The correlation between miR‐339 and Skp2 in lung cancer samples was analyzed by Pearson's correlation coefficient. The effect of miR‐339 or anti‐miR‐339 on Skp2 was evaluated by immunoblotting. The luciferase reporter gene assay was used to test the targeting of miR‐339 on Skp2. 3‐(4,5‐Dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐2,5 diphenyltetrazolium bromide and colony formation analysis were applied to examine the function of miR‐339 targeting Skp2 in lung cancer cells.

Results

The negative correlation of miR‐339 with Skp2 was found in clinical human lung cancer tissues. Furthermore, Skp2 expression was obviously abated by miR‐339 in lung cancer A549 cells. Mechanistically, we used bioinformatics to predict that miR‐339 could target the 3′‐untranslated region of Skp2 mRNA. Luciferase reporter gene assay demonstrated that miR‐339 could decrease the luciferase activities of the 3′‐untranslated region vector of Skp2. In terms of function, ectopic miR‐339 expression significantly suppressed cell proliferation in lung cancer. Overexpressed Skp2 accelerated miR‐339‐bated proliferation of lung cancer cells. MiR‐339 inhibitor promoted cell proliferation in lung cancer, but Skp2 RNA interference reversed miR‐339 inhibitor‐driven cell proliferation.

Conclusion

MiR‐339 targets the 3′‐untranslated region of Skp2 mRNA to depress the proliferation of lung cancer cells.
Phytosanitary irradiation of three species of spider mites (Trombidiformes: Tetranychidae)
Authors: Nicholas Adrian , Lidbetter Fiona , Eagleton Nyet , Spohr Lorraine , Harris Anne , Barchia Idris
Published: January 2018

The survival of three species of Tetranychidae mites: Tetranychus evansi (tomato red spider mite), Tetranychus ludeni (bean spider mite) and Tetranychus urticae (two‐spotted mite), exposed to gamma irradiation doses of 200, 300, 400, 500 and 600 Gy was investigated. The aim was to identify an irradiation dose capable of killing or sterilising mites infesting horticultural produce to prevent movement to and colonisation of host plants in non‐infested regions or countries. Eggs were irradiated separately; otherwise, to simulate naturally occurring mite populations, mixed life stages (immatures and adults) were combined and the treatment effects compared to non‐irradiated controls. Irradiated eggs of all species failed to develop and hatch at 200 Gy and above. Tetranychus urticae was the most tolerant species, requiring an irradiation dose of 300 Gy to ensure all adult females were sterilised. Sterilised adults continued to lay eggs, but these eggs failed to develop or hatch. Tetranychus evansi and T. ludeni were sterilised when irradiated at 200 Gy. Based on these results, a dose of 300 Gy is recommended as a phytosanitary measure to prevent the survival of these species of Tetranychidae pests of horticultural produce in non‐infested regions. Combined with data from other studies this study proposes a generic dose for Tetranychidae mites of 375 Gy.
Ecosystem service of biological pest control in Australia: the role of non‐crop habitats within landscapes
Authors: Gagic Vesna , Paull Cate , Schellhorn Nancy A
Published: January 2018

Semi‐natural areas surrounding field crops are generally shown to enhance natural enemies of pests and biocontrol services within field crops worldwide. However, most of the evidence comes from work conducted in temperate regions of the northern hemisphere and it remains unclear to what extent these conclusions hold true in other parts of the world. Here, we provide an overview of the research in Australia investigating the link between populations of pests and their natural enemies and the type, quality, quantity and spatial arrangement of non‐crop habitats surrounding field crops. There is strong evidence in Australia that exotic weeds support multiple pest species, but the link between weediness of semi‐natural habitats and biological pest control within field crops remains to be investigated. Further, woody vegetation in good condition (not grazed, with mid‐ and under‐story and good ground cover) appears to supports multiple natural enemies that move into crops, especially when in close proximity to the crop. The role of grasslands is less conclusive, and in some cases, other crops, such as lucerne, may play a major role for biocontrol within neighbouring crops. At the landscape scale, proportion of non‐crop vegetation had opposing results at different spatial scales and for different natural enemies. However, the research investigating landscape composition is scarce, particularly in relation to biological pest control. We conclude that non‐crop vegetation in a good condition is critical for developing solutions for improving biological pest control and reducing risk of pest outbreaks, but more research is needed to understand the mechanisms and develop reliable recommendations.
Understanding of diagnosis and medications among non‐English‐speaking older patients
Authors: Teo Ken GW , Tacey Mark , Holbeach Edwina
Published: January 2018

Objective

To determine whether non‐English‐speaking background (NESB) patients had a poorer understanding of diagnosis and medications compared to English‐speaking background (ESB) patients.

Methods

English‐speaking background and NESB patients admitted to inpatient geriatric evaluation and management (GEM) unit were asked standardised questions about their admission diagnosis, reason for GEM admission and medications. Accuracy of answers, as compared to medical notes, ranked as ‘full credit’, ‘partial credit’ or ‘no credit’.

Results

Of the 66 patients recruited (30 NESB), understanding of diagnosis and purpose of GEM admission was good. There was no difference between ESB and NESB patients. Understanding of medications taken prior to admission was poor, with 67% of overall patients scoring ‘no credit’. NESB patients were more likely to score ‘no credit’ compared to ESB (80% vs 56%, P = 0.036).

Conclusion

Reassuringly, patients had a reasonable understanding of diagnosis and purpose of GEM admission. Lack of understanding of medications, especially among NESB patients, should be improved.
Topical benzydamine hydrochloride for prevention of postoperative sore throat in adults undergoing tracheal intubation for elective surgery: a systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Kuriyama A. , Aga M. , Maeda H.
Published: January 2018

Postoperative sore throat has a negative impact on patient satisfaction and recovery. Benzydamine hydrochloride is a non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drug available for topical use. We performed a systematic review and meta‐analysis to assess the efficacy and safety of topical application of benzydamine to prevent postoperative sore throat in adults undergoing elective surgery under general anaesthesia. We searched PubMed,EMBASE, Web of Science and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials to identify relevant randomised controlled trials and pooled the data using a random effects model. The primary outcomes were the incidence and severity of sore throat 24 h after surgery/extubation, and adverse events. The quality of evidence was assessed using the grading of recommendations, assessment, development and evaluation (GRADE) criteria. Thirteen randomised controlled trials involving 1842 patients were included. Compared with control patients who did not receive analgesia, benzydamine was associated with a decreased incidence of postoperative sore throat, with a risk ratio (95%CI) of 0.31 (0.20–0.47), but not with significantly reduced severity, the standardised mean difference (95%CI) being −0.27 (−0.63 to 0.08). There were no significant adverse events related to benzydamine. Benzydamine was also associated with a reduced incidence of postoperative sore throat when compared with lidocaine, with a risk ratio (95%CI) of 0.18 (0.07–0.43). We judged the evidence for the outcome ‘incidence of postoperative sore throat’ as high quality.
Some Recently Rediscovered Analyses of Chinese Bronzes from Oxford
Authors: Pollard A. M. , Rawson J. , Liu R.
Published: January 2018

We report here the rediscovery of the chemical analyses of approximately 540 Chinese bronze objects, carried out in RLAHA in the late 1950s by optical emission spectrometry. Although largely of historical interest, they do in fact even now approximately double the number analyses of Chinese bronze objects that contain data on both major and minor elements. In fact, the other major equivalent data sets, from the Freer Gallery and the Sackler Collection, are of approximately the same vintage. We attempt to evaluate the quality of the data, and address a controversy that appeared in the literature during the 1960s and 1970s about the value of arsenic measurements in Chinese bronzes as an indicator of authenticity.
A Study on the Elemental Composition of Chinese Mise Type Wares from Different Periods and Kilns
Authors: Sun H. Y. , Li L. , Zheng J. M. , Yan L. T. , Huang Y. , Feng X. Q.
Published: January 2018

A large number of porcelain shards were unearthed at the Hehuaxin and Silongkou kilns around the Shanglin Lake, Ningbo, China, some of which had clear stratification to enable the determination of the date of firing. With the purpose of studying the elemental composition in different cultural periods and between kilns, the chemical compositions of 43 typical shards from these two kilns were determined by energy‐dispersive X‐ray fluorescence (EDXRF). The results show that the mean contents of K2O, CaO and MnO in the glaze fluctuate in different cultural periods at the Hehuaxin kiln, but not systematically. Principal component analysis (PCA) indicates that samples from the Five Dynasties and the Northern Song dynasty are similar to each other. This shows continuity in the raw materials and firing technology between the two dynasties. Comparing the mise type wares from the Hehuaxin and Silongkou kilns in the Northern Song dynasty, we found that MnO and ZrO2 in the glaze can be used as fingerprinting elements to distinguish between samples from these two sites. In spite of this, their chemical compositions are broadly similar. Thus, perhaps, their chemical compositions can be taken as typical for those of the mise type wares produced around the Shanglin Lake.
Investigating Human Migration and Horse‐Trading in Yelang (夜郎) Through Strontium Isotope Analysis of Skeletons from Zhougshui Sites, South‐West China (1300 bc – ad 25)
Authors: Zhang X. X. , Wang X. R. , Wu X. T. , Jin Z. Y. , Zhang H. R. , Huang F.
Published: January 2018

Yelang (夜郎), a mysterious state located in the south‐western area of early China and dating from the Bronze Age to the Early Iron Age (1300 bc – ad 25), is a cultural interactive junction between the Yunnan–Guizhou Plateau and the Yangtze River Basin. The Zhongshui Basin in Weining County, Guizhou Province, was one of the important distribution areas of the Yelang civilization. This area, which includes sites at Jigongshan (鸡公山; 1300 – 800 bc), Hongyingpan (红营盘; 700 – 400 bc) and Yinzitan (银子坛; 400 bc – ad 25), has provided a very integrated chronology, spanning from the Bronze Age to the Early Iron Age in the eastern Yunnan – western Guizhou area. To investigate human migration and horse‐trading at these Yelang sites, we conducted a strontium isotopic analysis on the teeth enamel of humans and horses unearthed from these three sites. The results indicated the following: (1) people at the earlier sites (Jigongshan and Hongyingpan) were all indigenous, whereas in the Yinzitan cemetery, there was a more immigrant population, and all the people who were buried in an upper limb flexed supine position were non‐local; and (2) most of the horses found at the Jigongshan and Yinzitan sites show different provenances, probably related to the famous Dian (滇) and Zuo (筰) horses recorded in historical documents, providing more clues for further study on horse‐trading in South‐West China during the Bronze Age and the Early Iron Age.
Realist‐Constructivism and the India–Pakistan Conflict: A New Theoretical Approach for an Old Rivalry
Authors: Michael Arndt
Published: January 2018

The India–Pakistan conflict, one of the oldest unresolved interstate conflicts in the world, began in 1947 and has shown no signs of abating. Both realist and constructivist interpretations have offered several differing explanations as to the roots and persistence of this conflict. The article argues that a realist‐constructivist approach as suggested by Samuel Barkin provides a new and better angle for explaining the genesis, evolution, and persistence of the India–Pakistan conflict, in addition to allowing prediction of future developments. Importantly, realist‐constructivism combines several different analytical dimensions: It looks at the way in which power structures affect patterns of normative change in international relations and, conversely, the way in which a particular set of norms affects power structures. Both these dimensions have been overlooked as variables that can explain why it will be difficult to come up with lasting solutions for the India–Pakistan conflict.
Balancing Local Concerns and Global Views: Western Administrative Theory in China's Reform Practices
Authors: Zang Leizhen , Wang Puqu
Published: January 2018

China's five‐yearly governmental restructuring has always taken place in lockstep with the Communist Party of China National Congress. Moreover, the theme of every administrative reform in the past three decades has complied with that of theoretical research by foreign scholars during the same period. The Chinese government draws lessons from theories of foreign public administration to explore ways to reform its practices. By means of evaluating the gains and losses of the Chinese government in the abovementioned process, this article points out that theories of Western public administration meet local challenges while contributing to China's reform practices. Through their analyses, we use China's practices as examples to highlight the balance between local concerns and global views and to suggest how scholars can better advise governments in the process of administrative reforms in other developing countries.