bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Beyond the iron triangle: reflections of an early career academic
Authors: Turner Michelle
Published: September 2016

Purpose

The Rethinking Project Management (RPM) research agenda has been influential in multiple domains. These include industry, education and research. In response to the call for papers for this special issue, the purpose of this paper is to consider RPM with a particular focus on the human side of project management.

Design/methodology/approach

Prior to joining academia, the author worked as a project manager for 15 years. This provided an opportunity for the author to consider the influence of RPM from three viewpoints: project practitioner; project educator; and researcher in project management.

Findings

Resources originating from project management bodies of knowledge and professional associations relating to the human side of project management are limited. This serves to emphasize the importance of the RPM-inspired research and its influence on the teaching and education of project professionals. The RPM agenda has also served to endorse a research agenda which is wide ranging and one that seeks to better understand and support the human element of project management.

Originality/value

RPM has encouraged researchers to consider project management beyond classical project management and the iron triangle of time, cost and quality. In doing so, there has emerged a rich and diverse body of knowledge which underpins the human element of project management and positively impacts the skills development of project professionals and the practice of project management.
Project studies and engaged scholarship
Authors: Geraldi Joana , Söderlund Jonas
Published: September 2016

Purpose

In 2006, the “Rethinking Project Management” network called for a paradigm shift in project research, and proposed five research directions. The directions inspired research and marked a milestone in the development of the field. The purpose of this paper is to reflect on the past decade and to rejuvenate these research directions.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors propose the umbrella term: “project studies” to denote the research related to projects and temporary organizing. Project studies is conceived not only as a body of research, but also as a social process embedded in research communities, and contemporary Zeitgeist. Based on Sandberg’s interpretative approach to the fit between work and works (in this case research-researcher) and Habermas’ three types of human interests: technical, practical, and emancipatory, the authors develop a conceptual framework circumscribing three types of research in project studies.

Findings

The conceptual framework is used to craft future research directions, in the lines proposed by Winteret al.(2006b).

Research limitations/implications

The authors conclude by proposing for a sixth theme on the practice of theorizing, and call for engaged, ambidextrous scholars, who’s “job” goes beyond the writing of articles and research applications, and includes shaping discourses of project research, nurturing new project scholars, contributing to project practice and carefully considering the legacy of projects and project studies in society.

Originality/value

This paper positions research as a social process, and the role of researchers as actors shaping research in project studies.
Rethinking project practice: emerging insights from a series of books for practitioners
Authors: Dalcher Darren
Published: September 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify the major trends and contributions published in the Advances in Project Management book series and place them in the context of the findings and outputs from the Rethinking Project Management Network. A key aim is to address the concerns of project practitioners and explore the alternatives to the assumed linear rationality of project thinking. The paper further offers a guided catalogue to some of the key ideas, concepts and approaches offered to practitioners through the series.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a conceptual review paper that reflects on the main areas covered in a book series aimed at improving modern project practice and explores the implications on practice, knowledge and the relationship between research and practice. The topics are addressed through the prism of the Rethinking Project Management Network findings.

Findings

The paper explores new advances in project management practice aligning them with key trends and perspectives identified as part of the Rethinking Project Management initiative. It further delineates new areas of expertise augmenting those mentioned in the disciplinary canons of knowledge.

Research limitations/implications

The paper offers a new understanding of how knowledge is created in, for and by practice. Improving the relationship between theory and practice may demand a new appreciation of the role of practitioners and the value of their reflection in context.

Practical implications

The primary implication is to explore the new directions and perspectives covered by authors in the Advances in Project Management series, and identify main areas and topics that feature in the emerging discourse about project management practice. In addition, new conceptualisations of the role of practitioners in making sense of project realities are offered and considered.

Originality/value

New areas of interest and activity are identified and examined, offering a catalogue of new writing and perspectives in project practice. Reflection on the relationship between research and practice encourages fresh thinking about the crucial role of practitioner knowledge and reflection.
The determinants of export performance: a review of the literature 2006-2014
Authors: Chen Jieke , Sousa Carlos M.P. , He Xinming
Published: September 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to synthesize and evaluate recent studies on determinants of export performance.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a vote-counting technique this paper reviews 124 papers published between 2006 and 2014 to assess the determinants of export performance.

Findings

The results indicate that significant progress has been made during these nine years and that: numerous new determinants are identified, data quality and statistical biases have received considerable attention, and interaction and indirect relationships are considered. However, at the same time, the research of export performance is still limited by a lack of synthetic theoretical basis, inconsistent empirical test results, and insufficiency in the research framework and statistical methodologies.

Originality/value

Export performance has received increasing attention over recent decades, but the area is still characterized by fragmentation and diversity hindering theoretical and practical development. This paper integrates the findings of recent studies on export performance and provides further discussion from both theoretical and methodological aspects, and points out the directions for future research.
The governance-performance relationship: evidence from Ghana
Authors: Owusu Andrews , Weir Charlie
Published: September 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact corporate governance, measured by a governance index, on the performance of listed firms in a developing economy, Ghana. It also evaluates the effect of the introduction of a code of corporate governance on compliance rates across Ghanaian firms as well as assessing the impact of the code’s introduction on firm performance for the study period 2000-2009.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper develops a Ghanaian corporate governance index (GCGI) containing 33 provisions to measure corporate governance quality during the pre-code and the post-code sub-periods. The authors use a panel data analytical framework and fixed effects regressions to analyse the governance-performance relationships.

Findings

After controlling for endogeneity, the authors find a statistically significant and positive relationship between the GCGI and firm performance. The analysis shows evidence of a statistically significant increase in the degree of compliance with the Ghanaian Code from the pre-2003 sub-period to the post-2003 sub-period. The authors also find that the introduction of the code has led to improved firm performance. However, not all elements of corporate governance appear to have a significant effect on firm performance.

Research limitations/implications

One limitation of this study is the development of a corporate governance index. The binary coding used to construct the GCGI may not reflect the relative importance of the different corporate governance provisions. This means that all elements included in the index are given equal weighting. Future research may assign weights to each of the corporate governance provisions but this may have the disadvantage of making subjective judgements relative to the importance of each corporate governance provision recommended by the Ghanaian Code.

Practical implications

These results have important implications for both policy makers and companies. For policy makers, it is encouraging for the development of a code of corporate governance to regulate firms rather than enforcing rigid laws that may not be value relevant. For companies, the improvement in compliance with a code of corporate governance can provide a means of achieving improved performance.

Originality/value

This paper adds to the limited evidence on the governance-performance relationship in developing economies and in particular it analyses the role of a governance index. It is also the first paper to compare the pre- and the post-code governance index-performance relationship in an African or developing country.
Using international standards as a complement to overcome the unachieved nature of local GAAPs
Authors: Klibi Mohamed Faker
Published: September 2016

Purpose

In recent years, Tunisian listed companies have been preparing their financial statements under a hybrid set of accounting standards; a mixture of national and international standards. The purpose of this paper is to empirically verify to what extent this particular form of de facto compliance with IAS/IFRS (which are not authorized in Tunisia) is used among listed companies. The paper further analyzes accounting professionals’ perception of the current state of Tunisian standards and their attitudes in the absence of relevant national Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAPs).

Design/methodology/approach

Two methodological approaches were used to answer the paper’s research questions: a document analysis approach and a survey questionnaire.

Findings

The document analysis revealed that a growing number of listed companies complement local GAAPs by standards they select among IAS/IFRS. The perception study indicated that Tunisian Accounting Standards are, indeed, less suitable for listed companies’ needs. Accordingly, when there is no local standard to measure a specific transaction or event, accounting professionals seem to have no problem in using some IAS/IFRS as a complement to overcome the unachieved nature of local GAAPs. However, the overall findings are likely to suggest that international standards used must not conflict with the Tunisian conceptual framework’s provisions. This means that the use of IAS/IFRS in conjunction with local GAAPs is generally perceived as being beneficial to the quality of financial statements.

Research limitations/implications

This study may be of interest to many developing countries that have not continued the harmonization of their accounting standards with IAS/IFRS. Future research should focus on the reasons which have led to this unachieved harmonization and the consequences of the normative gap which might emerge.

Practical implications

Previous research has often shown how difficult it is to apply international accounting standards in developing countries, especially when they do not correspond to the companies’ needs. Difficulties could occur when local standard-setters do not accurately know which new international standards are suitable to the market needs. The study gives some insights suggesting that corporate accounting practices should be analyzed to understand the real needs for new standards.

Originality/value

The paper highlights the beginning of a de facto convergence with international accounting standards without any support of national de jure convergence. Consideration of this phenomenon may contribute to the understanding of the malaise that characterizes the current accounting standard-setting in developing countries.
The use of sustainability incentives in executive remuneration contracts
Authors: Abdelmotaal Heba , Abdel-Kader Magdy
Published: September 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine which firm characteristics affect the usage of sustainability incentives in executive remuneration contracts, and whether these sustainability incentives have an impact on shareholders’ return.

Design/methodology/approach

The analysis is based on a sample of 212 firms from the FTSE 350 firms over the period of 2009-2011.

Findings

The results indicate that there is a significant relationship between the adoption of sustainability incentives in executive remuneration and firm size, compensation committee independence, the corporate social responsibility (CSR) sustainability committee, CSR sustainability index, and resource efficiency policy variables. Further, there is evidence to support a positive impact on the shareholders’ return.

Research limitations/implications

The results of this study should be interpreted within two limitations. First, the limited numbers of the sample years due to the limited number of firms used sustainability incentives. Second, the use of a dummy variable in the measurement of the adoption of sustainability incentives in the analysis.

Practical implications

The paper includes implications for the development of sustainability incentives within the performance measurement system and compensation contracts that could be a solution for the agency problem.

Originality/value

This study provides empirical evidence on an increased use of sustainability incentives in UK firms, and identifies firm’s characteristics that explain such increase in the sustainability incentives, finally its positive impact on the shareholders’ return.
Public spaces as workplace for mobile knowledge workers
Authors: Ng Cheuk Fan
Published: September 2016

Purpose

This purpose of this paper is to review the relationships between the physical and social characteristics of public and semi-public spaces and work behaviors of mobile knowledge workers employed by organizations.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a literature review of research from several disciplines on teleworking from multiple settings, particularly in public and semi-public spaces.

Findings

This review suggests that both the physical and social characteristics of public and semi-public spaces can constrain the cognitive work and communication of knowledge workers. The physical characteristics include amount of space, layout, ambient conditions and internet and Wi-Fi connectivity. To be effective, mobile workers perform different tasks at different workplaces that support those specific work tasks. Planning and coordinating work tasks for different workplaces is time-consuming and requires anticipation of constraints and effort to overcome obstacles encountered in these places.

Research limitations/implications

Little empirical research focusing on these new workplaces is available. There is much need for future research that uses larger, representative samples and a diversity of methods. As this paper is based on a review of a small number of studies currently available in peer-reviewed journals written in English, the findings should be considered tentative.

Practical implications

Understanding how the design of the physical workplace, work processes, organizational support and its interface with the virtual space support successful mobile work is crucial for organizations. Corporate real estate and facility managers of public and semi-public spaces should support mobile workers’ needs for internet and Wi-Fi connectivity and provide separate spaces for cognitive work and private business conversations.

Originality/value

This paper extends the research about teleworking from home to working in public and semi-public spaces.
The impact of the ambient environment and building configuration on occupant productivity in open-plan commercial offices
Authors: Mulville Mark , Callaghan Nicola , Isaac David
Published: September 2016

Purpose

This paper sets out to understand the impact of the ambient environment on perceived comfort, health, wellbeing and by extension productivity in the workplace.

Design/methodology/approach

The research combined an occupant survey considering satisfaction with the ambient environment, health and wellbeing and workplace behaviour with the monitoring of ambient environmental conditions.

Findings

The paper demonstrates that the ambient environment can have a significant impact on occupant comfort, health and wellbeing, which in turn has implications for built asset performance. Within the ambient environmental factors considered, a hierarchy may exist with noise being of particular importance. Occupant behaviour within the workplace was also found to be influential.

Research limitations/implications

The research was limited to a single commercial office building, and a wider range of case studies would therefore be of benefit. The research was also limited to the summer months.

Practical implications

The findings show that an active approach to asset management is required, by continuously monitoring internal environment and engaging with occupants. This must carefully consider how ambient environmental factors and workplace behaviour impact upon occupants’ comfort, health and wellbeing to ensure the performance of the built asset is maximised.

Originality/value

This paper demonstrates that both occupiers’ workplace behaviour and ambient environmental conditions can have an impact on occupant comfort, health, wellbeing and productivity. The paper strengthens the case for the active management of the workplace environment through environmental monitoring and behaviour change campaigns supported by corresponding changes to workplace culture.
Testing for bubbles in the BRICS stock markets
Authors: Chang Tsangyao , Gil-Alana Luis , Aye Goodness C. , Gupta Rangan , Ranjbar Omid
Published: September 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether there exist multiple bubbles in the Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) stock markets.

Design/methodology/approach

In this study, the authors apply the generalized sup Augmented Dickey-Fuller test, a new recursive test proposed by Phillipset al.(2015) and use monthly data on stock price-dividend ratio.

Findings

The empirical results indicate that there exist multiple bubbles in the stock markets of the BRICS. Further, the dates of the bubbles also correspond to specific events in the stock markets of these economies. This finding has important economic and policy implications.

Originality/value

The authors declare that this paper is original and has not been published by another journal previously.
The effects of the global financial crisis on the Colombian local currency bonds prices
Authors: Cayon Edgardo , Sarmiento-Sabogal Julio , Shukla Ravi
Published: September 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to perform an event study using high frequency data on peso-denominated Colombian government bonds to measure the effects of news during the global financial crisis (GFC).

Design/methodology/approach

Using standard event study methodology, the authors want to see if a surprise (originating from macroeconomic news and GFC events) has a significant effect on asset prices measurable as abnormal returns. The authors also assume that the US market acted as a transmission mechanism for the crisis in a standard market model framework and control for confounding effects from events that originated from the crisis by taking into account the effect of global, regional and local macroeconomic surprises in the period before, during and after the GFC.

Findings

The results show that there was resilience and decoupling of the Colombian local currency bond market from the events of the GFC.

Research limitations/implications

The results show that there was resilience (in terms of abnormal returns) and decoupling of the Colombian local currency bond market from the events of the GFC. The paper also finds that, on an average, Colombian bonds performed better during the period of the GFC than the period before and after the GFC.

Practical implications

In the event study using individual bonds the paper finds that, in most cases, negative news had a positive impact in Colombian bond prices during the GFC.

Social implications

These results have important policy implications in emerging markets economies in terms of the benefits of substituting foreign currency debt with local currency debt.

Originality/value

This paper provides a date and time-specific timeline (Table III) of the most significant GFC events and news. The paper finds that for all the periods under observation local news related to inflation had the greatest impact in bond prices. In the case of global and regional news, inflation and trade-related surprises had also significant effects on bond prices but to a lesser extent.
On poverty and the persistence of poverty in Benin
Authors: Alia Didier Yelognisse , Jossa-Jouable Alia Katia A.S.M. , Fiamohe Edwige Rose
Published: September 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the determinants of poverty and the persistence of poverty in Benin using a longitudinal data for the years 2006-2011. The paper also seeks to understand the dynamic of poverty and what factors explain households’ mobility across poverty status over time.

Design/methodology/approach

To answer the research questions, the paper develops and estimates logit and probit models of poverty. In addition to households’ characteristics as explanatory variables, the models control for the previous years’ poverty status to test for the hypothesis of persistence in poverty. Next, the paper extends the analysis to compute poverty transition matrix and estimates a multinomial models of the determinants of these transitions.

Findings

The paper finds that households’ demographic and socio-economic characteristics are strongly correlated with their poverty status. It also finds a strong evidence of persistence of poverty: being poor in a year increases the likelihood of remaining poor in the following years. The analysis of the dynamic of poverty reveals that there is a large and rapid change in poverty with households moving in and out of poverty. Across all models, it appears that human capital accumulation through education and labor skills are the strongest forces lifting households out of poverty and persistence of poverty.

Practical implications

Taken together, the results suggest that public policies should not only seek to lift households out of poverty, but also seek to reduce re-entries into poverty by investing in education and improving employment skills.

Originality/value

A key contribution of the study is the characterization of the profile of poor and persistently poor households in Benin, and the analysis of the factors explaining the dynamic of poverty. It updates and complements previous studies on poverty in Benin using the most recent nationally representative longitudinal data. The findings stress the crucial importance of human capital as a key force to lift households out of poverty.
Perceived organizational support and well-being: a weekly study
Authors: Caesens Gaëtane , Stinglhamber Florence , Ohana Marc
Published: September 2016

Purpose

Prior research has conceptualized perceived organizational support (POS) as a stable variable over time varying from one individual to another. Nevertheless, it can be assumed that POS fluctuates within the same person over the course of several weeks due to different experiences lived at work. The authors suggested in the present study that weekly POS is predictive of employees’ weekly subjective well-being at work (i.e. increased positive affect toward the organization, and decreased negative affect toward the organization and psychological strains at work). In addition, the purpose of this paper is to examine the mediating role played by weekly work engagement in these relationships.

Design/methodology/approach

In total, 20 employees completed a first general questionnaire and then completed an online questionnaire during 12 consecutive weeks.

Findings

Results of hierarchical linear models indicated that weekly POS positively predicts weekly employees’ work engagement which, in turn, positively predicts weekly employees’ well-being (i.e. increasing positive affect toward the organization and decreasing negative affect toward the organization and psychological strains at work).

Research limitations/implications

Overall, these findings contribute to the POS and work engagement literatures. It shows that POS fluctuates within person over the course of several weeks and is a predictor of weekly employees’ well-being through its effects on weekly work engagement.

Originality/value

To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to examine within-person weekly variations in POS as a predictor of employees’ weekly work engagement and its subsequent consequences.
Party differences in political content on social media
Authors: Vraga Emily
Published: September 2016

Purpose

Social networking sites (SNS) increasingly serve as a source of political content for Americans. The purpose of this paper is to clarify the relationships between types of political content exposure, especially congruent vs incongruent content, and its effects on political expression and participation. This study pays special attention to whether these relationships differ depending on whether an individual affiliates with the Republican or Democratic party.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses a representative national sample to examine the relationships among exposure to congruent vs incongruent political content via SNS, political expression, and political participation. This study also tests whether these relationships are consistent for Democrats vs Republicans.

Findings

The results suggest the effects of political content exposure on political expression on SNS depend on how many friends post about politics, as well as whether that content is congruent or incongruent with one’s political beliefs. Moreover, the relationship between exposure to congruent vs incongruent content, political expression, and political participation differs for Republicans and Democrats.

Originality/value

This study highlights the need for researchers to take more care in distinguishing the type of and the audience for political content exposure via social media websites. Further, if the relationships between seeing political content via social media and acting upon such content – either through posting behaviors or participatory activities – differs by political group, it raises the potential for disparities in democratic engagement.
“Games with learning”: adpositions and the lusory attitude
Authors: Duncan Sean C.
Published: September 2016

Purpose

Games and learning research has diverged into “games for learning” and “games as learning” research. This paper aims to provide a third framing, “games with learning”, that can help address the lived experiences learners have with these media outside of formal, instructional contexts.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper is a critical analysis of the current games and learning field, considering what has been missed by recent research in the field and how we might benefit from further consideration of what Bernard Suits calls the “lusory attitude” or voluntary choice to accept inefficiencies in achieving goals. The paper analyzes dominant rhetoric of educational game research, with the intent of revealing the implicit assumptions about play and choice that much recent “games for learning” and “games as learning” work may have ignored.

Findings

The paper reveals that the further consideration of learning through extant play with games (characterized here as “games with learning”) can be a means of shifting the direction of educational games research toward investigations of how games are played “in the wilds” of out-of-school contexts. The paper advocates for a shifting of focus from compulsory contexts to the study of voluntary game play.

Social implications

The paper argues for the complex value of games and gameplay in non-institutional settings, and advocates for further research to understand games in non-institutional spaces.

Originality/value

The key argument is that games and learning to date has focused inordinately on how games can further educational design, rather than how the use of games can reveal important new contexts for learning.
Playing (with) POST cards
Authors: Holden Jeremiah Isaac , Poggione Pagan , Kupperman Jeff
Published: September 2016

Purpose

This article illustrates through word, image and design the back-and-forth exchange characteristic of Project Oriented Semantic Trading (POST) Cards, a game-based professional learning ritual relevant to educators’ problems of practice. In describing the iterative designs and features of POST Cards, this article intentionally depicts alternative means of narrative and scholarship via imaginative, playful and visual (re)presentation.

Design/methodology/approach

Both POST Cards and this inquiry use a design-based process driven by theory about play, intended to improve education practice, and iteratively co-created with participants. As an annotated and dialogical worked example, this representation of game play moves beyond the monolithic medium of printed text. With the intention to provoke discussion about the content and configuration of inquiry, this article traces the literal and figurative tradeoffs associated with the development and play of POST Cards.

Findings

In surveying the design and enactment of POST Cards across two iterations, and a related Quote Cards mutation, three design principles are relevant to fostering greater playfulness in higher education: embrace the inevitability of tradeoffs, invite players to co-create new features and iterations, and create conditions whereby everyday rituals and social practices are transformed into improvisational and discursive play.

Originality/value

As an annotated narrative constructed in the form and spirit of POST Cards, this inquiry is notable for presenting an experimental form of multimodal literacy and also for revealing how higher education settings and practices may be designed as playgrounds upon which to render visionary, risky and expressive approaches to game-based collaboration and creative scholarship.
Masculinized females produce heavier offspring in a group living rodent
Authors: Correa Loreto A. , León Cecilia , Ramírez‐Estrada Juan , Soto‐Gamboa Mauricio , Sepúlveda Roger D. , Ebensperger Luis A.
Published: September 2016

Alternative morphotypes have been reported less frequently in females than in males. An exception to this rule is the gradient of phenotypical masculinization reported in some female mammals, in which feminized and masculinized females represent two opposite ends along this gradient. These phenotypical differences originate during prenatal development as the consequence of maternal effects. Feminized and masculinized females differ in several traits, including morphological, physiological, behavioural and reproductive traits.

Differences previously reported in reproductive traits between feminized and masculinized females come mostly from mechanistic studies performed in the laboratory, and not necessarily on social species. As a result, it is unclear to what extent these reported differences between female alternative morphotypes materialize in wild, natural populations.

We quantified the effect of female alternative morphotype on female reproductive traits in a natural population of Octodon degus, a highly social rodent. We assessed female alternative morphotype through a continuous gradient of anogenital distance. Thus, feminized females were close to the short end of anogenital distance, while masculinized females were close to the long end of this gradient. We also tested the hypothesis that the social environment interacts with female morphotype to influence female reproductive traits.

In female degus, only body weight affected litter size, where heavier females weaned more offspring. Masculinized females delivered male‐biased litters and weaned heavier offspring. Lastly, masculinized females gave birth later in the breeding season compared to feminized females.

Contrary to previous claims, our findings do not support that masculinized females are less fertile than feminized females. Moreover, masculinized females produced heavier, potentially higher quality offspring compared with feminized females.
UHPLC‐ESI‐MS/MS for the Quantification of Eight Major Gingerols and Shogaols in Ginger Products: Effects of Ionization Polarity and Mobile Phase Modifier on the Sensitivity
Authors: Park Su Yeon , Jung Mun Yhung
Published: September 2016

We developed and validated an improved ultra high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC)‐electrospray ionization (ESI)‐tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) method for the fast separation and quantification of 8 major gingerols and shogaols (4‐, 6‐, 8‐, 10‐, and 12‐gingerols, and 6‐, 8‐, and 10‐shogaols) in gingerol products. The ionization polarity and mobile phase modifier greatly affected the mass ion profiles and sensitivity of the analytes. A mobile phase modifier of 0.05 mM ammonium formate dramatically decreased the sodium adduct ions and greatly increased the protonated ions of the gingerols and shogaols. Positive ion UHPLC‐MS/MS with the ammonium formate in mobile phase showed greatly higher (4.5‐ to 15.7‐fold) sensitivities than negative ion UHPLC. The positive ion UHPLC‐MS/MS method showed excellent linearities (r2 > 0.999), low limits of detection (LOD = 2.5 to 8.2 pg), high accuracy and precision, and no considerable matrix effect. Baseline separation of the 8 target compounds was achieved in 1 min by the UHPLC with a short C18 core‐shell column. The method was successfully applied to analyze the compounds in fresh and dried powdered gingers, and dietary supplements. The total contents of the major compounds in the fresh gingers, dried powdered gingers, and dietary supplements were in the range of 1114 to 1478, 4380 to 11324, and 2915 to 29998 mg/kg, respectively. There was about 10‐fold variation of the content in the dietary supplements with the commercial brands. This represents the 1st report on the ionization polarity and mobile phase modifier on the sensitivity of gingerols and shogaols in LC‐mass spectrometry. Furthermore, the established method provided great improvement in chromatographic separation of the target gingerols.
Fractionation and assimilation of Mg isotopes by fungi is species dependent
Authors: Fahad Zaenab A. , Bolou‐Bi Emile B. , Köhler Stephan J. , Finlay Roger D. , Mahmood Shahid
Published: September 2016

Symbiotic ectomycorrhizal fungi mobilize nutrients from both organic and inorganic substrates and supply them to their host plants. Their role in mobilizing base cations and phosphorus from mineral substrates through weathering has received increasing attention in recent years but the processes involved remain to be elucidated. We grew selected ectomycorrhizal and nonmycorrhizal fungi in axenic systems containing mineral and organic substrates and examined their capacity to fractionate and assimilate stable isotopes of magnesium. The mycorrhizal fungi were significantly depleted in heavy isotopes with the lowest Δ26Mg values (the difference between δ26Mg in fungal tissue and δ26Mg in the substrate) compared with nonmycorrhizal fungi, when grown on mineral substrates containing granite particles. The ectomycorrhizal fungi accumulated significantly higher concentrations of Mg, K and P than the nonmycorrhizal fungi. There was a highly significant statistical relationship between δ26Mg tissue signature and mycelial concentration of Mg, with a clear separation between most ectomycorrhizal fungi and the nonmycorrhizal fungi. These results are consistent with the idea that ectomycorrhizal fungi have evolved efficient mechanisms to mobilize, transport and store Mg within their mycelia.
Effects of Sex, Drinking History, and Omega‐3 and Omega‐6 Fatty Acids Dysregulation on the Onset of Liver Injury in Very Heavy Drinking Alcohol‐Dependent Patients
Authors: Vatsalya Vatsalya , Song Ming , Schwandt Melanie L. , Cave Matthew C. , Barve Shirish S. , George David T. , Ramchandani Vijay A. , McClain Craig J.
Published: September 2016

Background

Heavy alcohol consumption frequently causes liver inflammation/injury, and certain fatty acids (FAs) may be involved in this liver pathology. In this study, we evaluated the association of heavy drinking and the changes in the FA levels involved in the ω‐6 (pro‐inflammatory) and ω‐3 (anti‐inflammatory) state in alcohol‐dependent (AD) patients who had no clinical manifestations of liver injury. We aimed to identify sex‐based differences in patients with mild or no biochemical evidence of liver injury induced by heavy drinking.

Methods

A total of 114 heavy drinking AD female and male patients aged 21 to 65 years without clinical manifestations of liver injury, who were admitted to an alcohol dependence treatment program, were grouped by the alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels: ≤40 IU/l, as no liver injury (GR.1), and >40 IU/l, as mild liver injury (GR.2). Patients were actively drinking until the day of admission. Comprehensive metabolic panel, comprehensive FA panel, and drinking history data were evaluated.

Results

Elevated ALT and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) showed close association with markers of heavy alcohol intake. In the patients with mild biochemical liver injury (GR.2), females showed significantly higher AST level than males. Significant association of AST and total drinks in past 90 days (TD90) in females, and AST and heavy drinking days in past 90 days (HDD90) in males was observed. The ω‐6:ω‐3 ratio showed a significant pro‐inflammatory response only in females with mild liver injury (GR.2) when adjusted by drinking history marker, TD90. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) were increased in males with liver injury, while females did not show any comparable rise in EPA; and DHA levels were lower.

Conclusions

Measures of heavy drinking, TD90 and HDD90, predicted changes in liver injury. Changes in the ω‐3 and ω‐6 FA levels and the ω‐6:ω‐3 ratio showed a pro‐inflammatory shift in patients with biochemical liver injury with a significant effect in females. Changes in FAs involved in the inflammatory state may represent one mechanism for liver inflammation/injury in response to heavy alcohol drinking.
Effect of swine leukocyte antigen‐DQA gene variation on diarrhea in Large White, Landrace, and Duroc piglets
Authors: Yang Q. L. , Huang X. Y. , Zhao S. G. , Liu L. X. , Zhang S. W. , Huang W. Z. , Gun S. B.
Published: September 2016

Piglet diarrhea is one of the most common factors that affects the benefits of the swine industry. Although recent studies have shown that exon 2 of SLA‐DQA is associated with piglet resistance to diarrhea, contributions of genetic variation in the additional exon coding regions of this gene remain unclear. Here, we investigated variation in exons 1, 3 and 4 of the SLA‐DQA gene and evaluated their effects on diarrheal infection in 425 suckling piglets. No variation was identified in exon 1. In exon 3, there were eight alleles detected, generated by 14 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and three nucleotide deletions, eight SNPs being newly identified. Four allele sequences and three SNPs were identified in exon 4, only one SNP being newly identified. Statistical analysis showed that the genotypes of exon 3 are significantly associated with piglet diarrhea; indeed, genotypes DQA*wb01/wb02 and wb04/wb05 are clearly associated with resistance to piglet diarrhea, as they have the lowest probabilities of infection (P < 0.05). However, no significant association was found between the genotypes of exon 4 and diarrhea (P > 0.05). These results provide important new information concerning the level of genetic diversity at the SLA‐DQA locus and suggest that further genetic association studies of piglet diarrhea resistance should include analyses of both exons 2 and 3 of this locus.
Human serum substitution by artificial sera of scalable allergen reactivity based on polyclonal antibodies and chimeras of human FcγRI and IgE domains
Authors: Offermann N. , Plum M. , Hübner U. , Rathloff K. , Braren I. , Fooke M. , Spillner E.
Published: September 2016

Human sera are the first choice as controls for diagnostic applications such as immunoassays, but are limited regarding availability, varying quality, and high costs. In this study, we aimed to circumvent these limitations by the use of a chimeric adaptor molecule comprising the extracellular domains of the human FcγRI (CD64) fused with human IgE Fc domains (CD64‐IgE Fc). Allergen‐specific antibodies were produced in rabbits using eight different allergens, extracts, and allergen mixtures including mites, pollen, drugs, and food. Preincubation of polyclonal IgG with CD64‐IgE Fc established allergen‐specific artificial sera that showed comparable results for more than 20 allergens and allergen extracts in three diagnostic systems for the determination of specific IgE. The agreement for these artificial sera is within ±1 radioallergosorbent test (RAST) class. Hence, rabbit IgG complexed with the IgG‐specific CD64‐IgE Fc adaptor molecule could provide a substitute for human reference sera with specificity for virtually any protein of interest.
Mid‐pregnancy fetal growth, uteroplacental Doppler indices and maternal demographic characteristics: role in prediction of stillbirth
Authors: Familiari Alessandra , Scala Carolina , Morlando Maddalena , Bhide Amar , Khalil Asma , Thilaganathan Basky
Published: September 2016

Introduction

To evaluate the relative value of mid trimester fetal growth, uterine artery Doppler indices and maternal demographics in prediction of stillbirth.

Material and methods

Retrospective cohort study; 23 894 singleton pregnancies routinely scanned between 19 and 24 weeks’ gestation. Maternal characteristics included age, body mass index, ethnicity and medical history. Fetal biometry indices, birthweight and uterine artery pulsatility index values were converted to percentiles and multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed. The predictive accuracy was assessed using receiver operating characteristic curves analysis. The main outcome was prediction of preterm and term stillbirths.

Results

Non‐Caucasian ethnicity, femur length centile and uterine artery pulsatility index were significantly associated with the risk of stillbirth (all p < 0.01). The detection rate of screening by maternal factors alone was 19% for all stillbirths, and 12 and 14% for term and preterm stillbirth at a 10% false positive rate, respectively. Using femur length centile alone, the detection rates were 27 and 23%, respectively. Uterine artery pulsatility index alone was able to predict 24 and 31% of term and preterm stillbirths. Screening by combining maternal factors, femur length centile and uterine artery Doppler detected 27 and 35% of term and preterm stillbirths at a 10% false positive rate.

Conclusions

Second trimester ultrasound assessment offers an opportunity to identify pregnancies at the highest risk of stillbirth occurring as a consequence of placental dysfunction. This information may be useful to improve pregnancy outcome by identifying women who may benefit from increased ultrasound surveillance and/or timely intervention.
Retinal oximetry in patients with ischaemic retinal diseases
Authors: Rilvén Sandra , Torp Thomas Lee , Grauslund Jakob
Published: September 2016

The retinal oximeter is a new tool for non‐invasive measurement of retinal oxygen saturation in humans. Several studies have investigated the associations between retinal oxygen saturation and retinal diseases. In the present systematic review, we examine whether there are associations between retinal oxygen saturation and retinal ischaemic diseases. We used PubMed and Embase to search for retinal oxygen saturation and retinal ischaemic diseases. Three separate searches identified a total of 79 publications. After two levels of manual screening, 10 studies were included: six about diabetic retinopathy (DR) and four about retinal vein occlusion. No studies about retinal artery occlusion were included. In diabetes, all studies found that increases in retinal venous oxygen saturation (rvSatO2) were associated with present as well as increasing levels of DR. Four of six studies also found increased retinal arterial oxygen saturation (raSatO2) in patients with DR. In patients with central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO), all studies found that rvSatO2 was reduced, but raSatO2 remained unchanged. Branch retinal vein occlusion was not associated with changes in retinal oxygen saturation, but this was based on a single study. In conclusion, DR is associated with increased rvSatO2 and might also be related to increased raSatO2. Central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) is correlated with increased rvSatO2 but unrelated to raSatO2. Prospective studies are needed to expand these findings. These would tell whether retinal oximetry could be a potential tool for screening or a biomarker of treatment outcome in patients with ischaemic retinal diseases.
Inhibition of melatonin metabolism in humans induced by chemical components from herbs and effective prediction of this risk using a computational model
Authors: Wang Chao , Huo Xiaokui , Tian Xiangge , Xu Min , Dong Peipei , Luan Zhilin , Wang Xiaobo , Zhang Baojing , Zhang Bo , Huang Shanshan , Deng Sa , Ma Xiaochi
Published: September 2016

Background and Purpose

Herbs which are widely used as food and medicine, are involved in many physiopathological processes. Melatonin is a human hormone, synthesized and secreted by the pineal gland, with a range of biological functions. Here, we have evaluated the potential influences of components extracted from common herbs on melatonin metabolism in humans.

Experimental Approach

An in vivo pharmacokinetic study involving 12 healthy subjects, in vitro incubations with human liver microsomes (HLMs) and recombinant human cytochrome P (CYP) isoenzymes and an in silico quantitative structure–activity relationship (QSAR) model analysis using comparative molecular field analysis and comparative molecular similarity indices analysis methods were employed to explore these interactions.

Key Results

After systematic screening of 66 common herbs, Angelica dahurica exhibited the most potent inhibition of melatonin metabolism in vitro. The in vivo pharmacokinetic study indicated inhibition of melatonin metabolism, with approximately 12‐ and 4‐fold increases in the AUC and Cmax of melatonin in human subjects. Coumarins from A. dahurica, including imperatorin, isoimperatorin, phellopterin, 5‐methoxypsoralen and 8‐methoxypsoralen, markedly inhibited melatonin metabolism with Ki values of 14.5 nM, 38.8 nM, 6.34 nM, 5.34 nM and 18 nM respectively, through inhibition of CYP 1A2, 1A1 and 1B1 in HLMs. A QSAR model was established and satisfactorily predicted the potential risk of coumarins for inhibition of melatonin metabolism in vivo.

Conclusion and Implications

Coumarins from A. dahurica inhibited melatonin metabolism in vivo and in vitro. Our findings provide vital guidance for the clinical use of melatonin.