bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Enhancing Gesture Decoding Performance Using Signals from Posterior Parietal Cortex: A Stereo-Electroencephalograhy (SEEG) Study
Authors: Wang Meng , Li Guangye , Jiang Shize , Wei Zixuan , Hu Jie , Chen Liang , Zhang Dingguo
Published: November 2019

Objective

Hand movement is a crucial function for humans’ daily life. Developing brain-machine interface (BMI) to control a robotic hand by brain signals would help the severely paralyzed people partially regain the functional independence. Previous intracranial electroencephalography (iEEG)-based BMIs towards gesture decoding mostly used neural signals from the primary sensorimotor cortex while ignoring the hand movement related signals from posterior parietal cortex (PPC). Here, we propose combining iEEG recordings from PPC with that from primary sensorimotor cortex to enhance the gesture decoding performance of iEEG-based BMI.

Approach

Stereoelectroencephalography (SEEG) signals from 25 epilepsy subjects were recorded when they performed a three-class hand gesture task. Across all 25 subjects, we identified 524, 114 and 221 electrodes from three regions of interest (ROIs), including PPC, postcentral cortex (POC) and precentral cortex (PRC), respectively. Based on the time-varying high gamma power (55-150 Hz) of SEEG signal, both the general activation in the task and the fine selectivity to gestures of each electrode in these ROIs along time was evaluated by the coefficient of determinationr2. According to the activation along time, we further assessed the first activation time of each ROI. Finally, the decoding accuracy for gestures was obtained by linear support vector machine classifier to comparatively explore if the PPC will assist PRC and POC for gesture decoding.

Main Results

We find that a majority(L: >60%,R: >40%) of electrodes in all the three ROIs present significant activation during the task. A large scale temporal activation sequence exists among the ROIs, where PPC activates first, PRC second and POC last. Among the activated electrodes, 15% (PRC), 26% (POC) and 4% (left PPC) of electrodes are significantly selective to gestures. Moreover, decoding accuracy obtained by combining the selective electrodes from three ROIs together is 5%, 3.6%, and 8% higher than that from only PRC and POC when decoding features across, before, and after the movement onset, were used.

Significance

This is the first human iEEG study demonstrating that PPC contains neural information about fine hand movement, supporting the role of PPC in hand shape encoding. Combining PPC with primary sensorimotor cortex can provide more information to improve the gesture decoding performance. Our results suggest that PPC could be a rich neural source for iEEG-based BMI. Our findings also demonstrate the early involvement of human PPC in visuomotor task and thus may provide additional implications for further scientific research and BMI applications.
Polyploidization events shaped the transcription factor repertoires in legumes (Fabaceae)
Authors: Moharana Kanhu C. , Venancio Thiago M.
Published: November 2019

Transcription factors (TF) are essential for proper plant growth and development. Several legumes, particularly soybean, are rich sources of protein and oil, with great impact in the economy of several countries. Here we report a phylogenomic analysis of major TF families in legumes and their potential association with important traits such as nitrogen fixation and seed development. We used TF DNA-binding domains to systematically screen the genomes of 15 legume and 5 non-legume species. The percentage of TFs ranged from 3-8% of the gene complements. TF orthologous groups (OG) in extant species were used to estimate OG sizes in ancestor nodes using a gene birth-death model, which allowed us to identify lineage-specific expansions. Together, OG analysis and rate of synonymous substitutions (Ks) between gene pairs show that major TF expansions are strongly associated with known whole-genome duplication (WGD) events in the legume (∼58 mya) and Glycine (∼13 mya) lineages, which account for a large fraction of the Ph. vulgaris and Gl. max TF repertoires. Out of the 3407 Gl. max TFs, 1808 and 676 can be traced back to a single homeolog in Ph. vulgaris and Vi vinifera, respectively. We found a trend for TFs expanded in legumes to be preferentially transcribed in roots and nodules, suggesting their recruitment early in the evolution of nodulation in the legume clade. We also found TF expansions in the Glycine WGD that were followed by gene loss in the wild soybean Gl. soja, including genes located within important quantitative trait loci. Together, our findings strongly support the roles of two WGDs in shaping the TF repertoires in the legume and Glycine lineages, which are likely related to important aspects of legume and soybean biology.
The C-terminal RRM/ACT domain is crucial for fine-tuning the activation of ‘long’ RelA-SpoT Homolog enzymes by ribosomal complexes
Authors: Takada Hiraku , Roghanian Mohammad , Murina Victoriia , Dzhygyr Ievgen , Murayama Rikinori , Akanuma Genki , Atkinson Gemma C. , Garcia-Pino Abel , Hauryliuk Vasili
Published: November 2019

The (p)ppGpp-mediated stringent response is a bacterial stress response implicated in virulence and antibiotic tolerance. Both synthesis and degradation of the (p)ppGpp alarmone nucleotide are mediated by RelA-SpoT Homolog (RSH) enzymes which can be broadly divided in two classes: single-domain ‘short’ and multi-domain ‘long’ RSH. The regulatory ACT (Aspartokinase, Chorismate mutase and TyrA) / RRM (RNA Recognition Motif) domain is a near-universal C-terminal domain of long RSHs. Deletion of RRM in both monofunctional (synthesis-only) RelA as well as bifunctional (i.e. capable of both degrading and synthesising the alarmone) Rel renders the long RSH cytotoxic due to overproduction of (p)ppGpp. To probe the molecular mechanism underlying this effect we characterisedEscherichia coliRelA andBacillus subtilisRel RSHs lacking RRM. We demonstrate that, first, the cytotoxicity caused by the removal of RRM is counteracted by secondary mutations that disrupt the interaction of the RSH with the starved ribosomal complex – the ultimate inducer of (p)ppGpp production by RelA and Rel – and, second, that the hydrolytic activity of Rel is not abrogated in the truncated mutant. Therefore, we conclude that the overproduction of (p)ppGpp by RSHs lacking the RRM domain is not explained by a lack of auto-inhibition in the absence of RRM or/and a defect in (p)ppGpp hydrolysis. Instead, we argue that it is driven by misregulation of the RSH activation by the ribosome.
How do invasion syndromes evolve? An experimental evolution approach using the ladybird Harmonia axyridis
Authors: Foucaud Julien , Hufbauer Ruth A. , Ravigné Virginie , Olazcuaga Laure , Loiseau Anne , Ausset Aurélien , Wang Su , Zang Lian-Sheng , Leménager Nicolas , Tayeh Ashraf , Weyna Arthur , Gneux Pauline , Bonnet Elise , Dreuilhe Vincent , Poutout Bastien , Estoup Arnaud , Facon Benoît
Published: November 2019

Experiments comparing native to introduced populations or distinct introduced populations to each other show that phenotypic evolution is common and often involves a suit of interacting phenotypic traits. We define such sets of traits that evolve in concert and contribute to the success of invasive populations as an ‘invasion syndrome’. The invasive Harlequin ladybirdHarmonia axyridisdisplays such an invasion syndrome with, for instance, females from invasive populations being larger and heavier than individuals from native populations, allocating more resources to reproduction, and spreading reproduction over a longer lifespan. Invasion syndromes could emerge due to selection acting jointly and directly on a multitude of traits, or due to selection on one or a few key traits that drive correlated indirect responses in other traits. Here, we investigated the degree to which theH. axyridisinvasion syndrome would emerge in response to artificial selection on either female body mass or on age at first reproduction, two traits involved in their invasion syndrome. To further explore the interaction between environmental context and evolutionary change in molding the phenotypic response, we phenotyped the individuals from the selection experiments in two environments, one with abundant food resources and one with limited resources. The two artificial selection experiments show that the number of traits showing a correlated response depends upon the trait undergoing direct selection. Artificial selection on female body mass resulted in few correlated responses and hence poorly reproduced the invasion syndrome. In contrast, artificial selection on age at first reproduction resulted in more widespread phenotypic changes, which nevertheless corresponded only partly to the invasion syndrome. The artificial selection experiments also revealed a large impact of diet on the traits, with effects dependent on the trait considered and the selection regime. Overall, our results indicate that direct selection on multiple traits was likely necessary in the evolution of theH. axyridisinvasion syndrome. Furthermore, they show the strength of using artificial selection to identify the traits that are correlated in different selective contexts, which represents a crucial first step in understanding the evolution of complex phenotypic patterns, including invasion syndromes.
“mir152hypomethylation, potentially triggered by embryonic hypoxia, as a common mechanism for non-syndromic cleft lip/palate”
Authors: Alvizi Lucas , Brito Luciano Abreu , Bischain Bárbara , da Silva Camila Bassi Fernandes , Ramos Sofia Ligia Guimaraes , Kobayashi Gerson Shigeru , Wang Jaqueline , Passos-Bueno Maria Rita
Published: November 2019

Non-syndromic cleft lip/palate (NSCLP), the most common human craniofacial malformations, is a complex disorder given its genetic heterogeneity and multifactorial component revealed by genetic, epidemiological and epigenetic findings. Association of epigenetic variations with NSCLP has been made, however still of little functional investigation. Here we combined a reanalysis of NSCLP methylome data with genetic analysis and used bothin vitroandin vivoapproaches to dissect the functional effects of epigenetic changes. We found a frequent differentially methylated region inmir152, hypomethylated in NSCLP cohorts (21-26%), leading tomir152overexpression.In vivoanalysis using zebrafish embryos revealed thatmir152upregulation leads to craniofacial impairment analogue to palatal defects. Also, we demonstrated that zebrafish embryonic hypoxia leads tomir152upregulation combined withmir152hypomethylation and also analogue palatal alterations. We therefore suggestmir152hypomethylation, potentially induced by hypoxia in early development, as a novel and frequent predisposing factor to NSCLP.
Dorsal raphe oxytocin receptors regulate the neurobehavioral consequences of social touch
Authors: Grieb Z.A. , Ford E.G. , Manfredsson F.P. , Lonstein J.S.
Published: November 2019

Prosocial interactions are essential for group-living animals and are regulated by tactile cues shared among the group members. Neurobiological mechanisms through which social touch influences prosociality and related affective behaviors are relatively unknown. Using the evolutionarily ancient mother-young dyad as a model, we hypothesized that neurobehavioral consequences of social touch involves an interaction between central oxytocin (released during social touch) and serotonin (regulating affect and neuroplasticity). New mother rats showed upregulation of numerous aspects of the oxytocin system in the midbrain dorsal raphe (DR; source of forebrain serotonin) compared to non-maternal females. Preventing this upregulation by OTR knockdown in the maternal DR elicited infanticide, reduced nursing, increased aggression, and decreased active coping behavior. OTR knockdown also decreased serotonin-immunoreactive fibers, and increased neuroplasticity-restricting perineuronal nets, in the primary somatosensory cortex. Thus, oxytocin signaling in the DR regulates mechanisms involved in serotonin-induced cortical plasticity, which refines the tactile processing underlying prosocial behaviors.
Facile Accelerated Specific Therapeutic (FAST) Platform to Counter Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria
Authors: Eller Kristen A. , Aunins Thomas R. , Courtney Colleen M. , Campos Jocelyn K. , Otoupal Peter B. , Erickson Keesha E. , Madinger Nancy E. , Chatterjee Anushree
Published: November 2019

Multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria pose a grave concern to global health. This problem is further aggravated by a lack of new and effective antibiotics and countermeasure platforms that can sustain the creation of novel antimicrobials in the wake of new outbreaks or evolution of resistance to antibiotics. To address this, we have developed a Facile Accelerated Specific Therapeutic (FAST) platform that can develop effective therapies against MDR bacteria within a week. Our FAST platform combines four essential modules- design, build, test, and delivery-of drug development cycle. The design module comprises a bioinformatics toolbox that predicts sequence-specific peptide nucleic acids (PNAs) that target non-traditional pathways and genes of bacteria in minutes. The build module constitutes in-situ synthesis and validation of selected PNAs in less than four days and efficacy testing within a day. As a proof of concept, these PNAs were tested against MDR clinical isolates. Here we tested Enterobacteriaceae including carbapenem-resistant Escherichia coli, extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) Klebsiella pneumoniae, New Delhi Metallo-beta-lactamase-1 carrying Klebsiella pneumoniae and MDR Salmonella enterica. PNAs showed significant growth inhibition for 82% of treatments, with nearly 18% of the treatments leading to more than 97% decrease. Further, these PNAs are capable of potentiating antibiotic activity in the clinical isolates despite presence of cognate resistance genes. Finally, FAST offers a novel delivery approach to overcome limited transport of PNAs into mammalian cells to clear intracellular infections. This method relies on repurposing the bacterial Type III secretion system in conjunction with a kill switch that is effective at eliminating 99.6% of an intracellular Salmonella infection in human epithelial cells. Our findings demonstrate the potential of the FAST platform in treating MDR bacteria in a rapid and effective manner.
Ferroptosis contributes to developmental cell death in rice blast
Authors: Shen Qing , Liang Meiling , Yang Fan , Deng Yi Zhen , Naqvi Naweed I.
Published: November 2019

We identified that ferroptosis, an iron-dependent non-apoptotic cell death process, occurs in the rice blast fungusMagnaporthe oryzae, and plays a key role in infection-related development therein. Ferroptosis in the blast fungus was confirmed based on the four basic criteria. We confirmed the dependence of ferroptosis on ferric ions, and optimized C11-BODIPY581/591as a key sensor for subcellular detection and quantification of lipid peroxides that mediate ferroptotic cell death during the pathogenic growth phase ofM. oryzae.In addition, we uncovered an important regulatory function for reduced glutathione and the NADPH oxidases in generating/modulating the superoxide moieties for ferroptotic cell death inMagnaporthe. Ferroptosis was found to be necessary for the specific developmental cell death in conidia during appressorium maturation in rice blast. Such ferroptotic cell death initiated first in the terminal cell and progressed sequentially to the entire conidium. Chelation of iron or chemical inhibition of ferroptosis caused conidial cells to remain viable and led to strong defects in host invasion byM. oryzae.Precocious induction of ferroptosis in a blast-susceptible rice cultivar led to resistance againstM. oryzaeinvasion. Interestingly, ferroptosis and autophagy were found to play inter-reliant or codependent roles in contributing to such precise cell death inM. oryzaeconidia during pathogenic differentiation. Our study provides significant molecular insights into understanding the role of developmental cell death and iron homeostasis in infection-associated morphogenesis and in fungus-plant interaction in the blast pathosystem.
Proprioception is subject-specific and improved without performance feedback
Authors: Wang Tianhe , Zhu Ziyan , Kana Inoue , Yu Yuanzheng , He Hao , Wei Kunlin
Published: November 2019

Accumulating evidence indicates that the human’s proprioception map appears subject-specific. However, whether the idiosyncratic pattern persists across time with good within-subject consistency has not been quantitatively examined. Here we measured the proprioception by a hand visual-matching task in multiple sessions over two days. We found that people improved their proprioception when tested repetitively without performance feedback. Importantly, despite the reduction of average error, the spatial pattern of proprioception errors remained idiosyncratic. Based on individuals’ proprioceptive performance, a standard convolutional neural network classifier could identify people with good accuracy. We also found that subjects’ baseline proprioceptive performance could not predict their motor performance in a visual trajectory-matching task even though both tasks require accurate mapping of hand position to visual targets in the same workspace. Using a separate experiment, we not only replicated these findings but also ruled out the possibility that performance feedback during a few familiarization trials caused the observed improvement in proprioception. We conclude that the conventional proprioception test itself, even without feedback, can improve proprioception but leave the idiosyncrasy of proprioception unchanged.
Switch from translation initiation to elongation needs Not4 and Not5 collaboration
Authors: Allen George E , Panasenko Olesya O , Villanyi Zoltan , Zagatti Marina , Weiss Benjamin , Polte Christine , Ignatova Zoya , Collart Martine A
Published: November 2019

Not4 and Not5 are crucial components of the Ccr4-Not complex with pivotal functions in mRNA metabolism. Both associate with ribosomes but mechanistic insights on their function remain elusive. Here we determine that Not5 and Not4 synchronously impact translation initiation and Not5 alone alters translation elongation. Deletion of Not5 causes elongation defects in a codon-dependent fashion, increasing and decreasing the ribosome dwelling occupancy at minor and major codons, respectively. This larger difference in codons’ translation velocities alters translation globally and enables kinetically unfavorable processes such as nascent chain deubiquitination to take place. In turn, this leads to abortive translation and favors protein aggregation. These findings highlight the global impact of Not4 and Not5 in controlling the speed of mRNA translation and transition from initiation to elongation.

Not4 and Not5 regulate translation synchronously but distinguishably, facilitating smooth transition from initiation to elongation
EMIn-depth profiling of calcite precipitation by environmental bacteria reveals fundamental mechanistic differences with relevance to application
Authors: Reeksting Bianca J. , Hoffmann Timothy D. , Tan Linzhen , Paine Kevin , Gebhard Susanne
Published: November 2019

Microbial-induced calcite precipitation (MICP) has not only helped to shape our planet’s geological features, but is also a promising technology to address environmental concerns in civil engineering applications. However, limited understanding of the biomineralization capacity of environmental bacteria impedes application. We therefore surveyed the environment for different mechanisms of precipitation across bacteria. The most fundamental difference was ureolytic ability, where urease-positive bacteria caused rapid, widespread increases in pH, while non-ureolytic strains produced such changes slowly and locally. These pH shifts correlated well with patterns of precipitation on solid media. Strikingly, while both mechanisms led to high levels of precipitation, we observed clear differences in the precipitate. Ureolytic bacteria produced homogenous, inorganic fine crystals, whereas the crystals of non-ureolytic strains were larger with a mixed organic/inorganic composition. When representative strains were tested in application for crack healing in cement mortars, non-ureolytic bacteria gave robust results, while ureolytic strains showed more variation. This may be explained by our observation that urease activity varied between growth conditions, or by the different nature and therefore material performance of the precipitate. Our results shed light on the breadth of biomineralization activity among environmental bacteria, an important step towards the rational design of bacteria-based engineering solutions.
Multiplexed biosensors for precision bacteria tropism in vivo
Authors: Chien Tiffany , Harimoto Tetsuhiro , Kepecs Benjamin , Gray Kelsey , Coker Courtney , Pu Kelly , Azad Tamjeed , Danino Tal
Published: November 2019

The engineering of microbes spurs biotechnological innovations, but requires control mechanisms to confine growth within defined environments for translation. Here we engineer bacterial growth tropism to sense and grow in response to specified oxygen, pH, and lactate signatures. Coupling biosensors to drive essential gene expression reveals engineered bacterial localization within upper or lower gastrointestinal tract. Multiplexing biosensors in an AND logic-gate architecture reduced bacterial off-target colonization in vivo.
A thermophilic phage uses a small terminase protein with a fixed helix-turn-helix geometry
Authors: Hayes Janelle A. , Hilbert Brendan J. , Gaubitz Christl , Stone Nicholas P. , Kelch Brian A.
Published: November 2019

Tailed bacteriophage use a DNA packaging motor to encapsulate their genome during viral particle assembly. The small terminase (TerS) component acts as a molecular matchmaker by recognizing the viral genome as well as the main motor component, the large terminase (TerL). How TerS binds DNA and the TerL protein remains unclear. Here, we identify the TerS protein of the thermophilic bacteriophage P74-26. TerSP76-26 oligomerizes into a nonamer that binds DNA, stimulates TerL ATPase activity, and inhibits TerL nuclease activity. Our cryo-EM structure shows that TerSP76-26 forms a ring with a wide central pore and radially arrayed helix-turn-helix (HTH) domains. These HTH domains, which are thought to bind DNA by wrapping the helix around the ring, are rigidly held in an orientation distinct from that seen in other TerS proteins. This rigid arrangement of the putative DNA binding domain imposes strong constraints on how TerSP76-26 can bind DNA. Finally, the TerSP76-26 structure lacks the conserved C-terminal β-barrel domain used by other TerS proteins for binding TerL, suggesting that a well-ordered C-terminal β-barrel domain is not necessary for TerS to carry out its function as a matchmaker.
High-efficiency multi-site genomic editing (HEMSE) ofPseudomonas putidathrough thermoinducible ssDNA recombineering
Authors: Aparicio Tomas , Nyerges Akos , Martínez-García Esteban , de Lorenzo Víctor
Published: November 2019

While single-stranded DNA recombineering is a powerful strategy for higher-scale genome editing, its application to species other than enterobacteria is typically limited by the efficiency of the recombinase and the action of native mismatch repair (MMR) systems. By building on [i] availability of the Erf-like single-stranded DNA-annealing protein Rec2, [ii] adoption of tightly-regulated thermoinducible device and [iii] transient expression of a MMR-supressingmutLallele, we have set up a coherent genetic platform for entering multiple changes in the chromosome ofPseudomononas putidawith an unprecedented efficacy and reliability. The key genetic construct to this end is a broad host range plasmid encoding co-transcription ofrec2andP. putida’smutLE36KPPat high levels under the control of the PL/cI857 system. Cycles of short thermal shifts ofP. putidacells followed by transformation with a suite of mutagenic oligos delivered different types of high-fidelity genomic changes at frequencies up to 10% per single change—that can be handled without selection. The same approach was instrumental to super-diversify short chromosomal portions for creating libraries of functional genomic segments—as shown in this case with ribosomal binding sites. These results enable the multiplexing of genome engineering ofP. putida, as required for metabolic engineering of this important biotechnological chassis.
Multi-functional antibodies are induced by the RTS,S malaria vaccine and associated with protection in a phase I/IIa trial
Authors: Kurtovic Liriye , Atre Tanmaya , Feng Gaoqian , Wines Bruce D. , Chan Jo-Anne , Boyle Michelle J. , Drew Damien R. , Mark Hogarth P. , Fowkes Freya J. I. , Bergmann-Leitner Elke S. , Beeson James G.
Published: November 2019

Background

RTS,S is the leading malaria vaccine candidate, but only confers partial efficacy against malaria in children. RTS,S is based on the majorPlasmodium falciparumsporozoite surface antigen, circumsporozoite protein (CSP). The induction of anti-CSP antibodies is important for protection, however, it is unclear how protective antibodies function.

Methods

We quantified the induction of functional anti-CSP antibody responses in healthy malaria-naïve adults (N=45) vaccinated with RTS,S/AS01. This included the ability to mediate effector functions via the fragment crystallizable (Fc) region, such as interacting with human complement proteins and Fcγ-receptors (FcγRs) that are expressed on immune cells, which promote various immunological functions.

Results

Our major findings were i) RTS,S-induced antibodies mediate Fc-dependent effector functions, ii) functional antibodies were generally highest after the second vaccine dose; iii) functional antibodies targeted multiple regions of CSP, iv) participants with higher levels of functional antibodies had a reduced probability of developing parasitemia following homologous challenge (p<0.05); v) non-protected subjects had higher levels of anti-CSP IgM.

Conclusions

Our data suggests a role for Fc-dependent antibody effector functions in RTS,S-induced immunity. Enhancing the induction of these functional activities may be a strategy to improve the protective efficacy of RTS,S or other malaria vaccines.
Protein products of non-stop mRNA disrupt nucleolar homeostasis
Authors: Davis Zoe H. , Mediani Laura , Vinet Jonathan , Alberti Simon , Holehouse Alex S. , Carra Serena , Brandman Onn
Published: November 2019

Mutations that cause ribosome stalling or impair the cell’s protective response to stalling have been demonstrated to cause neurodegeneration, yet the mechanisms underlying these pathologies remain poorly understood. Here we investigated the fate of defective proteins translated from stall-inducing, nonstop mRNA that escape ubiquitylation by the Ribosome-associated Quality Control (RQC) E3 ligase LTN1. We found that nonstop protein products accumulated in nucleoli and this localization was driven by polylysine tracts produced by translation of the poly(A) tail of nonstop mRNA. Nucleolar sequestration increased the solubility of invading proteins but disrupted nucleoli, altering their dynamics, morphology, and resistance to stress. Changes in nucleolar morphology are consistent with a simple physical model in which LTN1 impairment enhances the inter-molecular interactions of nucleolar components. Our work elucidates how failure to degrade the protein products of stalled translation may affect distal cellular processes and will inform studies on the pathology of neurodegenerative disease.
ML2S-SVM: multi-label least-squares support vector machine classifiers
Authors: Xu Shuo , An Xin
Published: November 2019

Purpose

Image classification is becoming a supporting technology in several image-processing tasks. Due to rich semantic information contained in the images, it is very popular for an image to have several labels or tags. This paper aims to develop a novel multi-label classification approach with superior performance.

Design/methodology/approach

Many multi-label classification problems share two main characteristics: label correlations and label imbalance. However, most of current methods are devoted to either model label relationship or to only deal with unbalanced problem with traditional single-label methods. In this paper, multi-label classification problem is regarded as an unbalanced multi-task learning problem. Multi-task least-squares support vector machine (MTLS-SVM) is generalized for this problem, renamed as multi-label LS-SVM (ML2S-SVM).

Findings

Experimental results on the emotions, scene, yeast and bibtex data sets indicate that the ML2S-SVM is competitive with respect to the state-of-the-art methods in terms of Hamming loss and instance-based F1 score. The values of resulting parameters largely influence the performance of ML2S-SVM, so it is necessary for users to identify proper parameters in advance.

Originality/value

On the basis of MTLS-SVM, a novel multi-label classification approach, ML2S-SVM, is put forward. This method can overcome the unbalanced problem but also explicitly models arbitrary order correlations among labels by allowing multiple labels to share a subspace. In addition, the multi-label classification approach has a wider range of applications. That is to say, it is not limited to the field of image classification.
Supply chains under resource pressure
Authors: Kalaitzi Dimitra , Matopoulos Aristides , Bourlakis Michael , Tate Wendy
Published: November 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the implications of supply chain strategies that manufacturing companies can use to minimise or overcome natural resource scarcity, and ultimately improve resource efficiency and achieve competitive advantage. The relationship between resource efficiency and competitive advantage is also explored.

Design/methodology/approach

The proposed research model draws on resource dependence theory. Data were collected from 183 logistics, purchasing, sustainability and supply chain managers from various manufacturing companies and analysed by applying the partial least squares structural equation modelling technique.

Findings

The results indicate that both buffering and bridging strategies improve resource efficiency; however, only bridging strategies seem to lead to firm’s competitive advantage in terms of ownership and accessibility to resources. The relationship between resource efficiency and competitive advantage is not supported.

Research limitations/implications

Future research could confirm the robustness of these findings by using a larger sample size and taking into account other supply chain members.

Practical implications

This research provides guidance to managers faced with the growing risk of resource scarcity to achieve a resource efficient supply chain and an advantage over competitors.

Originality/value

Studies have explored the appropriate strategies for minimising dependencies caused by the scarcity of natural resources in the field of supply chain management; however, there is limited empirical work on investigating the impact of these strategies on resource efficiency and competitive advantage.
Do recovery processes need empowered frontline employees?
Authors: Santos Juliana Bonomi , Hernandez José Mauro , Leão Wandick
Published: November 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether frontline employee empowerment (FEE) is necessary in the presence of streamlined recovery processes when customers attribute responsibility for the recovery process to the service provider.

Design/methodology/approach

The hypotheses were tested through a survey conducted with 253 bank customers, combined with two laboratory experiments run with 354 undergraduate students to assess service recovery efforts by an online store and a clinical laboratory.

Findings

Customers who attribute more responsibility for the recovery process to service providers only become more satisfied with FEE when recovery processes are not streamlined. The presence of streamlined processes and FEE is not sufficient to raise post-recovery satisfaction levels in individuals who attribute little responsibility for the process to service providers.

Originality/value

The study extends the literature on contingencies that influence the design of recovery strategies by showing when FEE matters. It also highlights the risks of designing service recovery practices, such as FEE or streamlined recovery processes, without considering that different customers do not evaluate such efforts in the same fashion. Research on service recovery design needs to fully integrate concepts from marketing, operations and human resources when the goal is to evaluate the effectiveness of such practices. The outcomes also offer managers insights for designing recovery strategies.
The magnificent “I” in business education: evidence from Greece
Authors: Anninos Loukas N. , Chytiri Alexandra Paraskevi , Chytiris Leonidas
Published: November 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to examine the level of narcissism and its individual traits in students who study business, in the particular context of a regional country such as Greece; and, second, to test how several demographic variables are related to narcissism levels.

Design/methodology/approach

The study consists of a theoretical part on narcissism in business education and an empirical part that was based on a survey conducted with the use of a questionnaire. The analysis includes hypothesis testing and basic statistical tests.

Findings

Findings suggest that sex, study levels, years of business experience and (personal/family) income do impact specific narcissistic dimensions, which may be a cause for concern both for employers and higher education providers.

Research limitations/implications

The study was conducted in a regional country, the participants were students of public higher education institutions only and the questionnaire was self-reported, which could lead to likely social desirability effects.

Practical implications

The investigation of narcissism in the Greek business education might be of interest to business education providers (for providing curriculum that help future managers/leaders to deploy the positive characteristics of narcissism and avoid or not to develop the negative ones) and to future employers to apply more effective human resource practices, i.e. selection, training, rewarding.

Originality/value

The study at hand aimed to investigate the presence of narcissism and its individual (narcissistic) behavioral dimensions in students studying business in Greece.
Impact of ethnicity and self-employment on initial financing and business performance in entrepreneurship in China
Authors: Appiah Bismark Kusi , Donghui Zhang , Majumder Shapan Chandra
Published: November 2019

Purpose

The purpose of the current study is to analyze the influence that is caused by ethnicity and volunteer self-employment in entrepreneurship on the initial financing and business performance of Chinese enterprises. The increasing trend of entrepreneurship has raised certain ethnic challenges in entrepreneurship owing to globalization and now there are several minority groups that are running their households in China. So, the current study aims to assess whether the minority-operated and majority-operated firms have different access to initial financing and different business performance.

Design/methodology/approach

The data are collected from 25 Chinese enterprises about the current variables, and the relationships are tested. This study has used the ordinary least of square (OLS) regression model to examine the findings.

Findings

The purposive sampling is used in the current study because the purpose of the present research is to understand and study the role of ethnicity and self-employment in initial financing and business performance of Chinese enterprises and so the data was collected from related enterprises. This study has used the ordinary least of square (OLS) regression model to examine the findings.

Originality/value

The current findings have significant implications in theory and practice. This study will be a great addition to the literature because the self-employment has never been examined before in such models to assess the role of forceful or volunteer self-employment in entrepreneurship, and so, it will open new doors of research for future researchers.
Wine and wine tourism experience: a theoretical and conceptual review
Authors: Santos Vasco Ribeiro , Ramos Paulo , Almeida Nuno , Santos-Pavón Enrique
Published: November 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to provide a theoretical and conceptual analysis of wine and wine tourism experiences evidencing the current state of the art and providing some directions for future research.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper provides an in-depth literature review and content analysis of prior work.

Findings

The experience focussed on wine andwine tourismrequires further exploration. The boundaries of the wine andwine tourism experience were identified, togetherwith highlights and strategic agenda for future actions.

Originality/value

Based on some key prior literature on the topic of wine and tourism experience, future research directions and approaches were proposed.
Can tourism value heritage?
Authors: Araújo Luís
Published: November 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present the Portuguese REVIVE project, which aims to promote the re-qualification and tourism utilization of a set of national properties with architectural, heritage, historical and cultural value. The purpose is to convert them into economic assets thereby generating employment and wealth throughout the territory.

Design/methodology/approach

The main decisions related to the REVIVE program are analyzed and related to the sector’s present performance.

Findings

The heritage need for recovery, as well as its return to public enjoyment through a new form of tourist use, was the motto for the construction of the REVIVE Program. Of the 33 properties identified and integrated in the REVIVE program, 17 are located in the countryside. Out of the total,16 properties have already been put to tender, highlighting that 7 contracts have been signed with the contest winners, in an estimated investment of over €50m.

Originality/value

This paper shows how the Portuguese Tourism Strategy 2027 identifies as differentiating assets the history, the culture and the identity of territories and local communities. Among other lines of action, it also highlights the valorization of communities and territories, thereby boosting the economy.
Leading the way for sustainable development
Authors: Costa Jorge , Montenegro Mónica , Gomes João
Published: November 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to introduce the papers in this issue and to explain the pertinence of the strategic question.

Design/methodology/approach

A brief context for the strategic question is provided, as well as the issue alignment and a content analysis of the papers selected.

Findings

From the analysis of the papers selected for this theme issue, it becomes clear that sustainable development is now one of the major concerns in the world today.

Originality/value

The papers selected for this issue shed light on an important theme issue question: how can tourism strategy contribute to sustainable development?
Altitudinal Distribution of Meltwater and Its Effects on Glacio‐Hydrology in Glacierized Catchments, Central Asia
Authors: Shafeeque Muhammad , Luo Yi , Wang Xiaolei , Sun Lin
Published: November 2019

In glacierized catchments, elevation is correlated with meltwater through its association with temperature, precipitation, and glacier hypsometry. The revelation of the altitudinal distribution of meltwater, unattended and not fully understood in previous work, might provide a better understanding of climate change impacts on glacio‐hydrology. Here, critical zone approach was defined and applied in 12 glacierized catchments of the Tien Shan–Pamir–Karakorum Mountains, Central Asia using manually calibrated glacier‐enhanced Soil and Water Assessment Tool model over 1966–2005. The critical zone, a sequence of elevation bands with above‐average snow and glacier melt, contributes maximum meltwater to total runoff. The critical zone shared 37%–95% (average = 80%) of meltwater contributions to total runoff, although its size was only 13%–30% of the total elevational relief. The critical zone controlled 76% and 82% variability in relative changes of glacier area and total runoff at the catchment scale, respectively. The increase in temperature was identified as the dominant driver for variations in total runoff in all catchments except Vakhsh and Yurungkash, where precipitation change remained dominant. Overall, glacier hypsometry limited the first‐order control of meltwater distributions on glacio‐hydrology. It is concluded that critical zone approach can interpret the proxy role of elevation to affect water availability under climate and glacier area change in glacierized catchments.
The expression of p‐p62 and nuclear Nrf2 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and association with radioresistance
Authors: Wang Zhe , Zhang Jingze , Li Minghuan , Kong Li , Yu Jinming
Published: November 2019

Background

The roles of p62‐Keap1‐Nrf2 pathway in the radioresistance of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) have not yet been revealed. This study aimed to clarify the expression and correlation of p‐p62 and nuclear Nrf2 and their association with radioresistance in ESCC.

Methods

This study included 164 cases of inoperable locally advanced ESCC. All patients received concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT). Immunohistochemical staining was used to detect the expression of p‐p62 and nuclear Nrf2. The results were analyzed independently by two pathologists.

Results

There was no significant relationship between p‐p62 or nuclear Nrf2 and patients' clinical characteristics. Compared to patients with low expression of p‐p62, patients with high expression of p‐p62 showed lower objective response rate (ORR). Similarly, patients with high expression of nuclear Nrf2 exhibited lower ORR compared to those with low expression of nuclear Nrf2. The expression of p‐p62 was positively correlated with that of nuclear Nrf2. Moreover, the correlation coefficient between them was higher among patients showing no response to CCRT. Univariate analysis revealed that higher expression of p‐p62 or nuclear Nrf2 was significantly associated with poorer PFS and OS. Multivariate analysis indicated that the expression of nuclear Nrf2 and treatment response were independent prognostic factors for PFS. Sex, treatment response, expression of p‐p62 and nuclear Nrf2 were independent prognostic factors for OS.

Conclusion

Higher expression of p‐p62 and nuclear Nrf2 are associated with lower ORR as well as poorer prognosis, which indicates that p62‐Keap1‐Nrf2 pathway might play an essential role in the radioresistance of ESCC.

Key points

The expression of p‐p62 and nuclear Nrf2 in ESCC show a significant relationship with patients' responses to CCRT and influence the prognosis of ESCC.

p62‐Keap1‐Nrf2 pathway might be a new target for radiosensitization in ESCC.
A Neolithic innovation in eastern Arabia: haematite axes and adzes
Authors: Charpentier Vincent
Published: November 2019

Well before metallurgy, Neolithic societies in the Gulf were engaging in a very peculiar form of metal object production, particularly of axes and adzes made from haematite. In the heart of the Neolithic Middle East, this innovation was specific to Arabian shores between the Musandam and Qatar peninsulas. Quite infrequent among Neolithic lithic assemblages from Arabia, axes and adzes were mostly collected on the surface of domestic settlements. One is often dealing with objects to which the most focus has been given, apart from arrowheads and projectile points. Several sites or outcrops are present on the Emirati coastline and Gulf islands. Inland mountain ranges also include some of these. From Ra’s al‐Khaimah to Qatar, only 500 km separate the most distant Neolithic domestic settlements which possess haematite axes or hoes, a distance that is quite small when one considers the circulation of polished stone blades in other societies of the same period. Within the Middle East, south‐eastern Arabia during the Neolithic engaged in a very original means of production of metal objects, as the latter did not focus on copper, a very malleable and much more available material, but on haematite, which was much harder.
How Behavioral Science Ultimately Fails Retirement Savers: A Noble Experiment
Authors: Muir Dana M.
Published: November 2019

Behavioral scientists boast that their insights have increased savings in 401(k) plans. Evidence shows that careful use of default decision settings and nudges can prevent decisional errors and encourage behavior that aligns with public policy while retaining individual power of choice. Indeed, even the Swedish National Academy of Sciences highlighted the effect of his behavioral science work on retirement savings when it awarded the 2017 Nobel Prize in economics to Professor Richard Thaler. This article shows, though, that, unlike the three plan default settings attributed to behavioral science insights, the default setting that I term automatic retention fails. That failure means too many savers take affirmative actions to move (rollover) assets from their 401(k) plans to individual retirement accounts (IRAs). Primarily because of rollovers, IRAs hold more than 11.5% of U.S. household financial assets. However, usually the decision to roll over is not an optimal choice for the saver. This last mile problem undermines the goal of the first three default settings to help employees build long‐term retirement savings. This article examines research on what causes default settings to be slippery, as is the case for automatic retention, instead of sticky, as is the case for the other 401(k) default settings. It then evaluates three categories of potential interventions to mitigate the popularity of rollovers: aggressive regulation, expansion of fiduciary obligation, and use of incremental impeding altering rules. It concludes that adoption of incremental impeding altering rules would be both politically feasible and effective in increasing the stickiness of the automatic retention default setting.
Plant‐derived medicinal entomochemicals: an integrated approach to biodiscovery in Australia
Authors: Faast Renate , Weinstein Philip
Published: November 2019

Despite an ancient and well‐established use of insects in traditional medicine, our understanding of their bioactive compounds (entomochemicals) lags far behind that of medicinal plants (phytochemicals). In this review, we focus particularly on insect–plant interactions, to examine the possible dependence of the medicinal properties of insects on phytochemicals that they bioaccumulate or chemically modify. We suggest that a cross‐disciplinary approach including ethnobiology, insect ecology and phytochemistry can provide new opportunities in bioprospecting. Such opportunities lie not only in identifying medicinal entomochemicals that are based on phytochemical accumulation or modification but also on using insects as bioindicators of what plants may contain novel phytochemicals that have not yet been studied. Firstly, evidence is drawn from the international literature on the medicinal use of insects, many of which have pharmacological properties now well established in the Western scientific paradigm. Secondly, we highlight the value of a cross‐disciplinary approach to bioprospecting in an Australian context, where records of traditional Aboriginal use of medicinal insects are scant. Particularly, we explore the Aboriginal use of Lepidoptera as a case study, including witchetty grubs, hawkmoths and processionary caterpillars. We conclude that opportunities remain to connect traditional, ecological and chemical knowledge for biodiscovery, in collaboration with Indigenous communities. Ultimately, the success of any such endeavour is dependent on the successful conservation management of insect biodiversity into the future.