bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Anticancer Drug Impact on DNA – A Study by Neutron Spectrocopy, Synchrotron-based FTIR and EXAFS
Authors: de Carvalho Ana L.M. Batista , Mamede Adriana P. , Dopplapudi Asha , Sakai Victoria Garcia , Doherty James , Frogley Mark , Cinque Gianfelice , Gardner Peter , Gianolio Diego , de Carvalho Luís A.E. Batista , Marques Maria P.M.
Published: August 2018

A complementary structural and dynamical information on drug-DNA interplay has been achieved at a molecular level, for Pt/Pd-drugs, allowing a better understanding of their pharmacodynamic profile. The interaction of two cisplatin-like dinuclear Pt(II) and Pd(II) complexes with DNA was studied through a multidisciplinary experimental approach, using quasi-elastic neutron scattering (QENS) techniques coupled to synchrotron-based extended X-ray absorption fine structure (SR-EXAFS) and Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy-Attenuated Total Reflectance (SR-FTIR-ATR). The drug impact on DNA’s dynamical profile,viaits hydration layer, was provided by QENS, a drug-triggered enhanced mobility having been revealed. Additionally, an onset of anharmonicity was detected for dehydrated DNA, at room temperature. Far- and mid-infrared measurements allowed the first simultaneous detection of the drugs and its primary pharmacological target, as well as the drug-prompted changes in DNA’s conformation that mediate cytotoxicity in DNA extracted from drug-exposed human triple negative breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231), a low prognosis type of cancer. The local environment of the absorbing Pd(II) and Pt(II) centers in the drugs’ adducts with adenine, guanine and glutathione was attained by EXAFS.
Mechanical vibration does not systematically reduce the tremor in Essential Tremor patients
Authors: Lora-Millán Julio Salvador , López-Blanco Roberto , Gallego Juan Álvaro , Benito-León Julián , de la Aleja Jesús González , Rocon Eduardo
Published: August 2018

Essential tremor (ET) is a major cause of disability and is not effectively managed in half of the patients. We investigated whether mechanical vibration could reduce tremor in ET by selectively recruiting afferent pathways. We used piezoelectric actuators to deliver vibratory stimuli to the hand and forearm during long trials (4 min), while we monitored the tremor using inertial sensors. We analyzed the effect of four stimulation strategies, including different constant and variable vibration frequencies, in 18 ET patients. Although there was not a clear homogeneous response to vibration across patients and strategies, in most cases (50-72%) mechanical vibration was associated with an increase in the amplitude of their tremor. In contrast, the tremor was reduced in 5-22% of the patients, depending on the strategy. However, these results are hard to interpret given the intrinsic variability of the tremor: during equally long trials without vibration, the tremor changed significantly in 67% of the patients (increased in 45%; decreased in 22%). We conclude that mechanical vibration of the limb does not have a systematic effect on tremor in ET. Moreover, the observed intrinsic variability of the tremor should be taken into account when designing future experiments to assess tremor in ET and how it responds to any intervention.
The transmembrane protein Crb2a regulates cardiomyocyte apicobasal polarity and adhesion in zebrafish
Authors: Jiménez-Amilburu Vanesa , Stainier Didier Y.R.
Published: August 2018

Tissue morphogenesis requires changes in cell-cell adhesion as well as in cell shape and polarity. Cardiac trabeculation is a morphogenetic process essential to form a functional ventricular wall. Here we show that zebrafish hearts lacking Crb2a, a component of the Crumbs polarity complex, display compact wall integrity defects and fail to form trabeculae. Crb2a localization is very dynamic, at a time when other cardiomyocyte junctional proteins also relocalize. Before the initiation of cardiomyocyte delamination to form the trabecular layer, Crb2a is expressed in all ventricular cardiomyocytes colocalizing with the junctional protein ZO-1. Subsequently, Crb2a becomes localized all along the apical membrane of compact layer cardiomyocytes and is downregulated by those delaminating. We show that blood flow and Nrg/ErbB2 signaling regulate these Crb2a localization changes.crb2amutants display a multilayered wall with polarized cardiomyocytes, a unique phenotype. Our data further indicate that Crb2a regulates cardiac trabeculation by controlling the localization of tight and adherens junctions in cardiomyocytes. Importantly, transplantation data show that Crb2a controls trabeculation in a CM-autonomous manner. Altogether, our study reveals a critical role for Crb2a during cardiac development.

Summary statement

Investigation of the Crumbs polarity protein Crb2a in zebrafish reveals a novel role in cardiac development via regulation of cell-cell adhesion and apicobasal polarity.
DART-ID increases single-cell proteome coverage
Authors: Chen Albert T. , Franks Alexander , Slavov Nikolai
Published: August 2018

Analysis by liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) can identify and quantify thousands of proteins in microgram-level samples, such as those comprised of thousands of cells. This process, however, remains challenging for smaller samples, such as the proteomes of single mammalian cells, because reduced protein levels reduce the number of confidently sequenced peptides. To alleviate this reduction, we developed Data-driven Alignment of Retention Times for IDentification (DART-ID). DART-ID implements principled Bayesian frameworks for global retention time (RT) alignment and for incorporating RT estimates towards improved confidence estimates of peptide-spectrum-matches. When applied to bulk or to single-cell samples, DART-ID increased the number of data points by 30 – 50% at 1% FDR, and thus decreased missing data. Benchmarks indicate excellent quantification of peptides upgraded by DART-ID and support their utility for quantitative analysis, such as identifying cell types and cell-type specific proteins. The additional datapoints provided by DART-ID boost the statistical power and double the number of proteins identified as differentially abundant in monocytes and T-cells. DART-ID can be applied to diverse experimental designs and is freely available at http://github.com/SlavovLab/DART-ID.

Author Summary

Identifying and quantifying proteins in single cells gives researchers the ability to tackle complex biological problems that involve single cell heterogeneity, such as the treatment of solid tumors. Mass spectrometry analysis of peptides can identify their sequence from their masses and the masses of their fragment ion, but often times these pieces of evidence are insufficient for a confident peptide identification. This problem is exacerbated when analyzing lowly abundant samples such as single cells. To identify even peptides with weak mass spectra, DART-ID incorporates their retention time – the time when they elute from the liquid chromatography used to physically separate them. We present both a novel method of aligning the retention times of peptides across experiments, as well as a rigorous framework for using the estimated retention times to enhance peptide sequence identification. Incorporating the retention time as additional evidence leads to a substantial increase in the number of samples in which proteins are confidently identified and quantified.
Parvalbumin loss following chronic sub-anesthetic NMDA antagonist treatment is age-dependent in the hippocampus: Implications for modeling NMDA hypofunction
Authors: Honeycutt Jennifer A. , Chrobak James J.
Published: August 2018

A marked decrease in parvalbumin (PV), a calcium-binding protein specific to a subset of GABAergic neurons, is a consistent finding in postmortem schizophrenic brain tissue. This reduction is selective to PV and is regionally specific: occurring primarily in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus (HPC) of patients. Rodent models of NMDA receptor hypofunction utilizing NMDA antagonist treatments – e.g. ketamine (KET) – show schizophrenia-like cognitive and behavioral impairments with parallel changes in PV. While decreased PV is considered a hallmark of neuropathology in schizophrenia, previous work elucidating the effects of KET administration on PV are contradictory, with findings suggesting decreased, increased, or no change in PV expression. Upon close examination of the procedures used across studies, there are two primary inconsistencies, including: 1) the age of animals used; and 2) the timeline of post-treatment tissue collection. To better understand whether these key differences impact observed PV changes, the present study investigated the impact of age and time of sacrifice on chronic KET-induced PV changes in the neocortex and HPC. Our findings suggest an effect of age, but not sacrifice timeline, on PV cell count following 14 days of sub-anesthetic KET treatment. We provide evidence that 1-month-old rats exhibit significant KET-induced HPC PV decreases, while adult rats show a modest increase in HPC PV following chronic KET. Taken together, we propose that PV is a dynamic marker, and that changes in cell counts - and their interpretation - following NDMA antagonist treatment should be considered in the context of age.
“Positive and negative plant-soil feedbacks are caused by mycorrhizal type, soil fertility, and phylogenetic relatedness in a mixed Dipterocarp rain forest”
Authors: Segnitz R. Max , Russo Sabrina E. , Davies Stuart J. , Peay Kabir G.
Published: August 2018

While work in temperate forests suggests that there may be consistent differences in plant-soil feedback (PSF) between plants with arbuscular and ectomycorrhizal associations, it is unclear whether this is compatible with the high diversity of tropical rainforests. To examine this, we tested the effect of mycorrhizal type, phylogenetic distance, and soil fertility on variation in PSF strength in a mixed-tropical rainforest with a uniquely high diversity of ectomycorrhizal and arbuscular mycorrhizal trees. We found positive phylogenetic PSFs for ectomycorrhizal tree species that were insensitive to soil fertility. By contrast, PSFs for arbuscular mycorrhizal tree species were negative, and increasingly so with greater soil fertility. Our results demonstrate consistent effects of mycorrhizal types on plant population dynamics across biomes, and help explain biogeographic variation across tropical forests, such as familial dominance of the Dipterocarpaceae in SE Asia. However, they also raise questions about the role of PSFs in maintaining tropical diversity.

Statement of authorship

RMS, SER, SJD and KGP designed the experiment. RMS conducted the experiment and collected data. RMS analyzed data with input from KGP and SER. RMS wrote the first draft of the manuscript, and all authors contributed to subsequent revision and preparation of the manuscript.
Double trigger agricultural insurance products with weather index and yield index
Authors: Xiao Yugu , Yao Jing
Published: August 2018

Purpose

Agricultural weather index insurance (WII) has been introduced in pilot or experimental form in many countries. However, the effective demand for WII is often limited by the impact of the basis risk. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to propose a new type of double trigger product, named “supplement” type, to reduce basis risk and improve the performance of the standalone WII.

Design/methodology/approach

Two measures of performance are introduced by the certainty equivalent income of expected utility theory. Through the Monte Carlo experiments and empirical study, this paper compares the performance of three types of double trigger products.

Findings

The findings indicate that the supplement type can significantly improve the performance of the single weather index product. First, it covers the downside basis risk and the catastrophic basis risk when the standalone WII fails to do so, especially in case of extreme losses. Second, it is superior when the correlation between the weather index and the yield index is not so strong, and can further enhance the performance of insurance even when the weather index and the yield index are highly correlated, for which the standalone WII could perform well.

Originality/value

The supplement type double trigger product proposed in this paper as an enhancement version finds a more preferable way to improve the standalone WII with relative lower complexity.
Internal, external, and media stakeholders’ evaluations during transgressions
Authors: Koehler Isabelle , Raithel Sascha
Published: August 2018

Purpose

As crises are largely perceptual, the deeper the understanding is of how stakeholders perceive crisis situations, the more effectively corporations can target their crisis communication messages. The purpose of this paper is to investigate how different stakeholder groups process information during transgression-based corporate crises.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is based on 17 qualitative interviews with the internal, external and media stakeholders of an organisation that experienced a major transgression-based crisis. A case study approach is adopted to analyse and understand how these stakeholders process and respond to the same crisis event.

Findings

Findings suggest that there are considerable differences in the crisis evaluations of different stakeholder groups. This study identifies several elements specific to internal, external and media stakeholders’ crisis information processing.

Research limitations/implications

Although the findings are tied to the specific case, the authors extend the existing theory by shedding light on the specific factors that shape the evaluations of different stakeholder groups during a transgression.

Practical implications

The findings may help managers in building more accurate assumptions and knowledge with respect to crisis effects on an organisation’s stakeholders and thus provide the basis for more effective crisis communication.

Originality/value

Prior crisis information-processing models provide fragmented and generic insights into the specifics of different stakeholder groups and thus lead crisis communication to miss opportunities to attenuate the loss of a corporation’s social approval. This study moves towards an integrated framework of how different stakeholders evaluate a transgression-based corporate crisis.
Sensorless finite-state predictive torque control of induction motor fed by four-switch inverter using extended Kalman filter
Authors: Chebaani Mohamed , Goléa Amar , Benchouia Med Toufik , Goléa Noureddine
Published: August 2018

Purpose

Direct Torque Control (DTC) of induction motor drives is a well-established technique owing to features such as fast dynamic and insensibility to motor parameters. However, conventional DTC scheme, based on comparators and the switching table, suffers from large torque and flux ripples. To improve DTC performance, this study aims to propose and implement a sensorless finite-state predictive torque control using extended Kalman Filter in dSPACE environment.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper deals with the design of an extended Kalman filter for estimating the state of an induction motor model and for sensorless control of systems using this type of motor as an actuator. A complex-valued model is adopted that simultaneously allows a simpler observability analysis of the system and a more effective state estimation.

Findings

Simulation and experimental results reveal that the drive system, associated with this technique, can effectively reduce flux and torque ripples with better dynamic and steady state performance. Further, the proposed approach maintains a constant switching frequency.

Originality/value

The proposed speed observer have been developed and implemented experimentally under different operating conditions such as parameter variation, no-load/load disturbances and speed variations in different speed operation regions.
Modelling of turbulence energy decay based on hybrid methods
Authors: Abdibekova Aigerim , Zhakebayev Dauren , Abdigaliyeva Akmaral , Zhubat Kuanysh
Published: August 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to present an exact and fast-calculated algorithm for the modelling of turbulent energy decay based on two different methods: finite-difference and spectral methods.

Design/methodology/approach

The filtered three-dimensional non-stationary Navier–Stokes equation is used for simulating the turbulent process. The problem is solved using hybrid methods, where the equation of motion is solved using finite difference methods in combination with cyclic penta-diagonal matrix, which allowed to reach high order of accuracy, and Poisson equation is solved using the spectral methods, which is proposed to speed up the solution procedure. For validation of the given algorithm, the turbulent characteristics were compared with the exact solution of the classical Taylor and Green vortex problem, showing good agreement.

Findings

The proposed method shows high computational efficiency and good estimation quality. A numerical algorithm for solving non-stationary three-dimensional Navier–Stokes equations for modelling of isotropic turbulence decay using hybrid methods was developed. The simulation’s turbulence characteristics show good agreements with analytical solution. The developed numerical algorithm can be used for simulation of turbulence decay with different values of viscosity.

Originality/value

An efficient algorithm for simulation of turbulence processes depending on the properties of the viscosity was developed.
A probability transformation method (PTM) for the dynamic stochastic response of structures with non-Gaussian excitations
Authors: Falsone Giovanni , Laudani Rossella
Published: August 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to present an approach for the probabilistic characterization of the response of linear structural systems subjected to random time-dependent non-Gaussian actions.

Design/methodology/approach

Its fundamental property is working directly on the probability density functions of the actions and responses. This avoids passing through the evaluation of the response statistical moments or cumulants, reducing the computational effort in a consistent measure.

Findings

It is an efficient method, for both its computational effort and its accuracy, above all when the input and output processes are strongly non-Gaussian.

Originality/value

This approach can be considered as a dynamic generalization of the probability transformation method recently used for static applications.
Foresight of cyber security threat drivers and affecting technologies
Authors: Raban Yoel , Hauptman Aharon
Published: August 2018

Purpose

The cyber security industry emerged rapidly in recent years due to mounting cyber threats and increasing cyber hacking activities. Research on emerging technologies emphasizes the risks and sometimes neglects to address the potential positive contribution to cyber security. The purpose of this study is to conduct a relatively balanced long-term foresight study to elicit major significant threat drivers and to identify emerging technologies that are likely to have a significant impact on defense and attack capabilities in cyber security.

Design/methodology/approach

The main instruments used in this study were horizon scanning and an online survey among subject-matter experts that assessed emerging threats and the potential impact of several emerging technologies on cyber defense capabilities and cyber attack capabilities.

Findings

An expert survey shows that cyber resilience, homomorphic encryption and blockchain may be considered as technologies contributing mainly to defense capabilities. On the other hand, Internet of Things, biohacking and human machine interface (HMI) and autonomous technologies add mainly to attack capabilities. In the middle, we find autonomous technologies, quantum computing and artificial intelligence that contribute to defense, as well as to attack capabilities, with roughly similar impact on both.

Originality/value

This study adds to the current research a balanced long-term view and experts’ assessment of negative and positive impacts of emerging technologies, including their time to maturity and consensus levels. Two new Likert scale measures were applied to measure the potential impact of emerging technologies on cyber security, thus enabling the classification of the results into four groups (net positive, net negative, positive-positive and negative-negative).
Sustainable organisational learning – a lite tool for implementing learning in enterprises
Authors: Brandi Ulrik , Christensen Peter
Published: August 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore how enterprises are to arrange its learning processes in order to optimise the integration and creation of sustainable organisational learning. The paper describes a lite learning evaluation technology that makes processual real-time evaluation of implementation of new knowledge and competences in practice context.

Design/methodology/approach

The research is based on a case study that is designed and planned as a mixed method inquiry. The empirical case study is based on data from a large Danish enterprise from the telecommunication industry conducting a leadership and sales training programme. Case study analysis uses data drawn from the implemented pulse survey followed up with qualitative interviews with the course participants.

Findings

The authors show results on two levels. On the individual level, processual real-time lite learning evaluation tools create transparency and adaptability. On the organisational level, tool shapes the organisational capacity to improve routines and practices for how to work with organisational learning and learning data in general. Instead of treating learning and development as something that happens “automatically”, organisations now have a tool for informed decisions aimed at creating sustainable organisational learning processes and results.

Originality/value

The paper prompts insights that call for enterprises to enhance focus and dialogue on how to work in new and smart ways with learning at a multi-stakeholder level in organisations. The design and deployment of a real-time lite evaluation tool in organisations are key to bolster learning and competence development, so that organisations and societies can become more responsive in responding to the challenges posed by today’s knowledge economy.
Study on the thermal-moisture comfort of knitted upper fabric with the foot model
Authors: Jin Zimin , Lei Lei , Meng Haitao , Gao Li , Yan Yuxiu
Published: August 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to measure the thermal and moisture resistance of the knitted upper fabrics with the foot model, which provided basis for designing and producing sports shoes with thermal-moisture comfort.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper, different yarn materials and fabric stitches were selected as the changing factors. The three kinds of yarn materials and the three kinds of fabric stitches were combined to design and weave eight pieces of knitted upper fabrics. Human sweating was simulated by the thermal-moisture comfort foot model, and then tested the thermal and moisture resistance of eight pieces of fabrics in different parts of the foot. Finally, the relationship between yarn material, fabric stitch, and the thermal and moisture resistance in different parts of the foot was analyzed by data.

Findings

The composition of the yarn material and fabric stitch has certain effect on the thermal-moisture comfort in different sections of the foot. When the yarn material of the four parts of the lateral arch, medial arch, ankle and heel is composed of 31.1tex moisture wicking polyester/33.3tex spandex coated yarn, the yarn material of the instep and toes is composed of 31.1tex ordinary polyester/33.3tex spandex coated yarn, and all parts of fabric stitch choose single-sided loop transfer stitch, the knitted sports shoes have the best thermal-moisture comfort.

Originality/value

The study used the thermal-moisture comfort foot model to simulate the human body metabolism and sweating system. Through the quantitative analyze of the thermal and moisture resistance of knitted upper fabrics to provide basis for the producers to design and product knitted sports shoes with good thermal-moisture comfort.
How families shape women’s entrepreneurial success in Morocco: an intersectional study
Authors: Constantinidis Christina , Lebègue Typhaine , El Abboubi Manal , Salman Noura
Published: August 2018

Purpose

Studies on women’s entrepreneurship in Morocco are scarce, despite the potential of women for the country’s economy. This research takes place in a socio-cultural environment searching for a compromise between tradition and modernity. Families occupy a prominent place in Morocco, directly influencing women’s activities. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of family in Moroccan women’s entrepreneurial success.

Design/methodology/approach

The qualitative research is based on 60 interviews with women entrepreneurs in Morocco, including women business owners, women professionals and also women co-operators who have not been documented until now, due to data accessibility. It is diversified in terms of personal, family and professional characteristics. The analysis uses an intersectionality framework taking gender and social class into consideration.

Findings

The results highlight three categories of women entrepreneur: the “elite”, the “self-made women” and the “co-operators”. Each category is characterised by specific familial and professional realities, underpinned by differentiated dynamics in terms of gender and social class.

Practical implications

The study, from a practical point of view, contributes to a better understanding of the differentiated realities encountered in terms of women’s entrepreneurship, in the Moroccan context.

Originality/value

Studies in developing countries tend to consider women entrepreneurs as a homogeneous group. This research highlights the fact that family support, women entrepreneurs’ practices and their role in entrepreneurial success depend on the background situations in terms of gender and social class. It also contributes to the entrepreneurial success field, revealing different definitions and perceptions of success among women entrepreneurs.
The effect of supply chain information management and information system infrastructure
Authors: Sundram Veera Pandiyan Kaliani , Bahrin Atikah Shamsul , Abdul Munir Zarina Binti , Zolait Ali Hussein
Published: August 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explain the relationship between supply chain information management, supply chain information system (IS) infrastructure, supply chain integration and the manufacturing performance of firms in manufacturing industry in Malaysia. Therefore, the study addresses a gap in research concerning the effect of supply chain information practices toward manufacturing performance.

Design/methodology/approach

The research design for this study employed the quantitative method using survey questionnaires that have been developed based on a thorough and detailed analysis of the relevant literature. Based on a sample consist of 248 usable data, mediated multiple regression analysis was used to examine the research model.

Findings

The findings indicate that supply chain integration fully mediates the relationship between supply chain information management and supply chain information system infrastructure (ISI) toward manufacturing performance.

Research limitations/implications

This research is limited to a particular sample: i.e. electrical and electronics manufacturing firms in Peninsular Malaysia. Thus, the results need to be generalized to encompass wider samples.

Practical implications

Organizations interest in making all members in their supply chain to communicate using information network to support managers in better decision making while adopting more enhanced information management and system infrastructure. As a plus, it helps in integrating various internal and external value chain processes across manufacturing firms in the organization’s supply chain network. As result, manufacturing firms could improve their performance in the long run.

Originality/value

The originality of this study lies in employing a newly developed framework-based existing theoretical argument to examine the effectiveness of supply chain information management and system infrastructure with an improved influence from supply chain integration toward the manufacturing performance.
Influencing salespeople’s work outcomes through authentic leadership
Authors: Azanza Garazi , Gorgievski Marjan J. , Moriano Juan Antonio , Molero Fernando
Published: August 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationships between sales managers’ authentic leadership style and salespeople’s positive development.

Design/methodology/approach

Multilevel regression analysis was used to examine the data from 40 work teams from several Spanish retail companies (190 salespeople and 40 sales managers).

Findings

In line with previous studies, the analyses indicated that sales managers’ authentic leadership style as perceived by employees significantly predicted salespeople’s work engagement and psychological capital (PsyCap). Contrary to the expectations, salespeople’s perceptions of sales managers’ authentic leadership did not relate to sales managers’ self-ratings of authentic leadership, but instead related to sales managers’ gender (women were perceived as more authentic) and higher perceived frequency of leader–follower interaction.

Originality/value

The study contributes to the literature by testing if sales managers’ variables (gender and self-ratings of authentic leadership and perceived frequency of leader–follower interaction) predict salespeople’s perceptions of authentic leadership, which in turn, predict salespeople’s positive development (work engagement and PsyCap).
The positive impact of guilt
Authors: Liu Wei , Xiang Shuting
Published: August 2018

Purpose

A self-regulatory framework to explore the positive effects of negative emotions on proactive outcomes for employees is discussed. The purpose of this paper is to examine how and when employee feedback can facilitate feelings of guilt and result in positive learning behaviors in the workplace.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors test the research model using data from field surveys based on a two-wave data collection from 176 employees. Participants completed two paper-based surveys with a time lag of one week.

Findings

The results demonstrate that the feelings of guilt work as a mediator in the association between feedback and employee learning. As a specific negative emotion, guilt has a significant and positive impact on employee learning in the workplace. The findings also demonstrate that transformational leadership can make employees aware of the gap between expectations and their performance. Transformational leaders motivate guilty employees to engage in learning activities through the promotion of regulatory focus.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the literature on emotions and employee learning in several ways. First, the study raises the association between feedback and employee learning through guilt in the workplace. Second, the study considers the boundaries for facilitating learning behaviors.
Context congruity effects of online product recommendations: an eye-tracking study
Authors: Luan Jing , Yao Zhong , Shen Yongchao , Xiao Jie
Published: August 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to understand how the context congruity effects of online product recommendations (PRs) by recommendation agents (RAs) influence consumers’ attention to and memory of recommended products in an online shopping environment.

Design/methodology/approach

The study focuses on the context congruity effects of online PRs by examining consumers’ browsing patterns and attention characteristics (fixation counts and fixation duration) using an eye-tracking device and by measuring memory performance with an aided memory test. Three types of PRs (highly congruent, lowly congruent and incongruent PRs) and two degrees of involvement (high and low involvement) are considered.

Findings

The results of the gaze data show that context congruity effects can influence consumers’ PR attention, but this effect is not moderated by involvements. The results of the memory data show that PR recognition is influenced not only by context congruity effects but also by involvement. Another significant finding is that attention to a PR does not necessarily guarantee better memory performance.

Practical implications

The study significantly contributes to deepening the understanding of how context congruity can influence consumers’ attention to and memory of PRs. The findings also have important managerial and practical implications, such that selecting and presenting PRs should be based on context congruity effects.

Originality/value

First, introducing context congruity effects to investigate the effectiveness of online PRs by RAs not only provides an important theoretical contribution to research on recommendation effectiveness but also enriches its application. Second, the findings suggest that the relationship between visual attention and memory is not definitely positive. Third, to interpret the complex translation process from attention to memory, the authors propose a methodology that considers stimulus attributes, issue involvement, cognitive capacity and cognitive interference.
The influence of procedural justice on citizen satisfaction with state law enforcement
Authors: White Clair , Hogan Michael , Shelley Tara , Unnithan N. Prabha
Published: August 2018

Purpose

There are a number of individual and contextual variables that influence public opinion of the police but we know little about the public opinion regarding state law enforcement agencies. Prior studies involving municipal police and other criminal justice agencies indicate that the perceptions of procedural justice, or fair treatment, are important predictors of citizen satisfaction with police services. The purpose of this paper is to examine whether individuals who perceive procedurally just treatment during their contact with a state patrol officer improve the levels of satisfaction with the state patrol.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper presents the results of a public opinion study (n=846) regarding the Colorado State Patrol conducted in 2009. A subsample of 393 individuals who had contact with the state patrol and were further surveyed about their contact with the officer. Logistic regression models were used to examine individual- and contextual-level variables influence satisfaction with the state patrol and whether this relationship was mediated by the perceptions of procedural justice.

Findings

The authors found that individuals who perceive higher levels of procedural justice expressed higher satisfaction with the state patrol. Females, older respondents, and non-white respondents expressed greater satisfaction, as well as those who had voluntary contact or were not arrested. More importantly, procedural justice mediated the effect of involuntary contact and arrest on levels of satisfaction, and while non-white respondents were less likely to experience procedural justice, when levels of procedural justice are controlled for, they have higher levels of satisfaction.

Originality/value

The findings emphasize the significance of citizen perceptions of procedural justice during contacts with members of the state patrol. The current study contributes to our knowledge of procedural justice and citizen satisfaction with police encounters given previous research on citizen satisfaction with police focuses almost exclusively on local-level agencies, and research on procedural justice asks the respondents almost exclusively about the police in general.
Apartheid and post-apartheid analysis of public confidence in the police
Authors: Boateng Francis D. , Lee Jihye Yoo
Published: August 2018

Purpose

Given the tumultuous history of policing in South Africa, the historic relationship between the police and the public, and the continuous rising crime rates, it is perplexing that little quantitative research has been conducted on legitimacy and the SAPS. The current study assesses public confidence in police in South Africa by analyzing data from a more than three-decade-old public opinion survey. The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to examine changes in public confidence since 1981; and second, to determine factors that cause variations in confidence during a given period.

Design/methodology/approach

To achieve the objectives, the authors analyzed longitudinal data collected from 1981 to 2014 as part of the world Value Survey program. ANOVA and multivariate regression analyses were conducted.

Findings

Findings indicate that confidence in SAPS was highest during the period immediately after apartheid and then dwindled from 1999 onwards. Moreover, race, happiness and education have historically influenced public confidence in the police.

Originality/value

These findings provide information that could be useful for transforming the SAPS, especially in developing viable strategies to strengthen the police’s relationship with citizens. Additionally, the manuscript provides an original contribution to the study of public attitudes toward the police and police legitimacy, especially in a non-western society.
Show cause analysis
Authors: Cubitt Timothy I.C. , Judges Samantha J.H.
Published: August 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to detect and examine any trends in the self-reported causation of misconduct among officers being considered for dismissal.

Design/methodology/approach

The data utilised in this study consisted of show cause notice (SCN) responses. In the process of being considered for dismissal, officers’ may offer the causes of or mitigating factors to their misconduct as a means of avoiding dismissal. This study utilised these responses as a data source. Data collection occurred between January 2013 and October 2016, resulting in a cohort of n=100 responses comprised of between 1 and ~1,000 pages of free text. Qualitative methods were preferred, a conventional content analysis was performed with coding categories derived from SCN response text.

Findings

The results of this study indicate noteworthy levels of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and related mental health issues amongst this cohort, as well as pervasive financial and workplace stressors, which officers frequently link to the causation of their misconduct. Of particular note is the consistent co-occurrence of work-related stressors and health issues, most commonly through formally diagnosed PTSD.

Research limitations/implications

This study indicates an opportunity for support services to impact positively on mental health and stress, and subsequently misconduct among police officers.

Originality/value

There is still very little understanding of the causation of misconduct among police officers. This is the first time that this data have been utilised in any form of the research, it provides valuable insight into a potential alternative method of addressing misconduct to reactionary investigative action.
Examining officer support for and perceived effects of police consolidation
Authors: Gruenewald Jeff , Wilson Jeremy M. , Grammich Clifford A.
Published: August 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to review officer support for the consolidation of law enforcement agencies.

Design/methodology/approach

The current study surveys 139 officers employed by four agencies that have recently undergone a consolidation of police services. The survey asked officers their level of support for consolidation of services as well as their views of how consolidation has affected employment conditions, organizational characteristics, and the delivery of police services.

Findings

While officers generally support consolidation, views on the effects of shared services vary significantly by level of support. Officers who most strongly support consolidation are also most likely to view it as leading to improvements in some working conditions (e.g. job satisfaction, morale), elements of organizational capacity (e.g. professionalism, investigative/intelligence capacity, recruitment), and the delivery of services (e.g. cost-effectiveness, quality and efficiency of services, and reductions in crime).

Research limitations/implications

The sample size and response rate are low. Still, the study offers insights into officer views of consolidation not previously available.

Practical implications

This research offers insights to communities considering the consolidation of police services regarding what organizational, employment, and service conditions are most likely to appeal to officers, whose support is necessary for successful implementation.

Originality/value

While single case studies previously considered officer attitudes on these issues, this work is the first to comparatively examine views of shared services across varying levels of support for consolidation.
“Neighborhood” influence on police use of force: state-of-the-art review
Authors: Shjarback John
Published: August 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present a state-of-the-art review on the topic of neighborhood/ecological influence on police use of force. In doing so, it provides an overview of the theoretical formulation and early ethnographic work on the topic as well as an in-depth critique of the issues that require further discussion.

Design/methodology/approach

Using several databases, a literature search was performed to collect the available empirical studies on the topic.

Findings

An analysis of the extant literature suggests that neighborhood/ecological influence on police use of force might not be as uniform as previously discussed, and it suffers from the ability to make sufficient comparisons. Tests vary based on the use of force measures, units of analysis, and the neighborhood-level variables examined.

Originality/value

This review should serve as a point of departure for scholars working in this area moving forward. It is hoped that the review provides thought-provoking commentary on the limitations of previous studies and the challenges facing this line of inquiry in the future.
Shaping the police workforce: a state-of-the-art literature review
Authors: den Heyer Garth , Mendel Jonathan
Published: August 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to review the evidence about the factors shaping the police workforce, commissioned by the Scottish Police Authority and Scottish Institute for Policing Research.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper uses the theory of strategic fit to assess the available evidence relating to reshaping the police workforce and brings together the most relevant recent reviews of police organisations and empirical studies on these issues. The use of the theory enabled the strategies that have been adopted by police agencies in recent years to be evaluated in relation to the current political and economic environment.

Findings

The authors find that here is considerable uncertainty and while there has been previous discussion on the benefits of larger or smaller forces there is not robust evidence that a particular force size is optimal for either efficacy or efficiency, although very small forces may struggle in some ways. There is also mixed evidence about whether increasing police organisation resourcing to allow more officers to be employed reduces crime levels, and there is a relative lack of evidence about the impact this has on the other areas of community life in which police are involved.

Research limitations/implications

There are major weaknesses in research relating to police organisational reform: there is no accepted theory of police reform, no accepted method as to how such a reform should be evaluated nor have there been any comparative studies of earlier police civilianisation programs (Braithwaite, Westbrook and Ledema, 2005).

Originality/value

Previous work on this topic often focuses on which organisational structure – whether in terms of workforce mix or size – is most efficient or effective. This research takes an alternative perspective and argues for a shift in the research agenda to take account of the friction involved in processes of organisational change, both in order to build a stronger research understanding of these important aspects of change and to more effectively inform policy. The paper provides a basis for the development of theories for understanding police reform in general – and workforce restructuring in particular – alongside appropriate methods for researching it.
Glycine betaine metabolism in the acetogenic bacterium Acetobacterium woodii
Authors: Lechtenfeld Mats , Heine Julia , Sameith Janin , Kremp Florian , Müller Volker
Published: August 2018

The quarternary, trimethylated amine glycine betaine (GB) is widespread in nature but its fate under anoxic conditions remains elusive. It can be used by some acetogenic bacteria as carbon and energy source but the pathway of GB metabolism has not been elucidated. We have identified a gene cluster involved in GB metabolism and studied acetogenesis from GB in the model acetogen Acetobacterium woodii. GB is taken up by a secondary active, Na+ coupled transporter of the betaine‐choline‐carnitine (BCC) family. GB is demethylated to dimethylglycine, the end product of the reaction, by a methyltransferase system. Further conversion of the methyl group requires CO2 as well as Na+ indicating that GB metabolism involves the Wood‐Ljungdahl pathway. These studies culminate in a model for the path of carbon and electrons during acetogenensis from GB and a model for the bioenergetics of acetogenesis from GB.
Food, Farm and Rural Policies after Brexit? Some Knowns, and Known Unknowns
Authors: Swinbank Alan
Published: August 2018

Brexit negotiations were triggered in March 2017 when the UK notified its intention to leave the EU. A year later, a draft Withdrawal Agreement was produced. It is hoped that this will result in a legally binding agreement when the European Council meets in autumn 2018, but this is not guaranteed. The draft provides for a transitional period, extending from March 2019 – when the UK will formally leave the EU – to the end of 2020, during which time EU law and policies – including the common agricultural policy – will continue to apply. The UK–EU‐27 trade arrangements that will apply from 1 January 2021 are yet to be determined. Both the UK and EU‐27 insist they are determined to keep the Irish border open, but how this outcome can be reconciled with the UK's stated ambition of forging new trade links around the world, is yet to be determined. Regulatory provisions, relating to food safety and animal and plant health for example, together with the high tariffs on many agri‐food products, put the agriculture and food sectors at the core of this debate. Direct payments will be phased out in England, but the scope for policy divergence between the various nations of the UK is uncertain.