bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Aquatic Biodiversity in the U.S. State Wildlife Action Plans
Authors: Mawdsley Jonathan , Palmeri Davia , Humpert Mark
Published: May 2017

We surveyed state wildlife action plan (SWAP) coordinators in all 50 U.S. states; the commonwealths of Puerto Rico and the Northern Mariana Islands; the territories of the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and America Samoa; and the District of Columbia to document the inclusion of aquatic animal species in the revised SWAPS, completed by state fish and wildlife agencies in 2015–2017. Based on the responses received, we anticipate increased coverage of several major aquatic groups, including fishes, dragonflies and damselflies, mollusks, crayfishes, and corals, in the revised plan documents. A majority of SWAPs will include key aquatic groups such as native freshwater fishes, freshwater snails, freshwater mussels, dragonflies and damselflies, crayfishes, stoneflies, and mayflies. By incorporating these species into the revised plans, state fish and wildlife agencies and their partners will have opportunities to apply dedicated funding from programs such as the State and Tribal Wildlife Grants Program to the conservation of these species and their habitats.
Responsible Recreational Fisheries: A Chinese Perspective
Authors: Yang Zi-jiang , Chen Yushun , Wang Dongchun , Liu Long-teng , Liu Cong , Hughes Robert M. , Liu Yadan
Published: May 2017

Recreational fisheries have been largely developed only in recent decades in China. However, this development is not occurring in an entirely responsible manner. Responsible recreational fisheries in China require fully considering socioeconomic and environmental impacts and minimizing negative impacts of fisheries and fishery products. Responsible recreational fisheries also need to consider climate change, responsible tourism, and developing a modern fishery. In this paper, we define the concept of responsible recreational fisheries, present its current status and challenges, and then provide strategies and recommendations. We conclude that both recreational anglers and fishery enterprises should practice self-discipline, be aware of local community needs, follow fisheries laws and regulations, and respect local cultures. It is urgent for fisheries governmental agencies in China to generate policies and regulations to ensure the development of its recreational fisheries in a responsible manner.
Hsc70 chaperone activity is required for the cytosolic slow axonal transport of synapsin
Authors: Ganguly Archan , Han Xuemei , Das Utpal , Wang Lina , Loi Jonathan , Sun Jichao , Gitler Daniel , Caillol Ghislaine , Leterrier Christophe , Yates John R. , Roy Subhojit
Published: May 2017

Soluble cytosolic proteins vital to axonal and presynaptic function are synthesized in the neuronal soma and conveyed via slow axonal transport. Our previous studies suggest that the overall slow transport of synapsin is mediated by dynamic assembly/disassembly of cargo complexes followed by short-range vectorial transit (the “dynamic recruitment” model). However, neither the composition of these complexes nor the mechanistic basis for the dynamic behavior is understood. In this study, we first examined putative cargo complexes associated with synapsin using coimmunoprecipitation and multidimensional protein identification technology mass spectrometry (MS). MS data indicate that synapsin is part of a multiprotein complex enriched in chaperones/cochaperones including Hsc70. Axonal synapsin–Hsc70 coclusters are also visualized by two-color superresolution microscopy. Inhibition of Hsc70 ATPase activity blocked the slow transport of synapsin, disrupted axonal synapsin organization, and attenuated Hsc70–synapsin associations, advocating a model where Hsc70 activity dynamically clusters cytosolic proteins into cargo complexes, allowing transport. Collectively, our study offers insight into the molecular organization of cytosolic transport complexes and identifies a novel regulator of slow transport.
Gene silencing and a novel monoallelic expression pattern in distinct CD177 neutrophil subsets
Authors: Eulenberg-Gustavus Claudia , Bähring Sylvia , Maass Philipp G. , Luft Friedrich C. , Kettritz Ralph
Published: May 2017

CD177 presents antigens in allo- and autoimmune diseases on the neutrophil surface. Individuals can be either CD177-deficient or harbor distinct CD177neg and CD177pos neutrophil subsets. We studied mechanisms controlling subset-restricted CD177 expression in bimodal individuals. CD177pos, but not CD177neg neutrophils, produced CD177 protein and mRNA. Haplotype analysis indicated a unique monoallelic CD177 expression pattern, where the offspring stably transcribed either the maternal or paternal allele. Hematopoietic stem cells expressed both CD177 alleles and silenced one copy during neutrophil differentiation. ChIP and reporter assays in HeLa cells with monoallelic CD177 expression showed that methylation reduced reporter activity, whereas demethylation caused biallelic CD177 expression. HeLa cell transfection with c-Jun and c-Fos increased CD177 mRNA. Importantly, CD177pos human neutrophils, but not CD177neg neutrophils, showed a euchromatic CD177 promoter, unmethylated CpGs, and c-Jun and c-Fos binding. We describe epigenetic mechanisms explaining the two distinct CD177 neutrophil subsets and a novel monoallelic CD177 expression pattern that does not follow classical random monoallelic expression or imprinting.
Article-level assessment of influence and translation in biomedical research
Authors: Santangelo George M.
Published: May 2017

Given the vast scale of the modern scientific enterprise, it can be difficult for scientists to make judgments about the work of others through careful analysis of the entirety of the relevant literature. This has led to a reliance on metrics that are mathematically flawed and insufficiently diverse to account for the variety of ways in which investigators contribute to scientific progress. An urgent, critical first step in solving this problem is replacing the Journal Impact Factor with an article-level alternative. The Relative Citation Ratio (RCR), a metric that was designed to serve in that capacity, measures the influence of each publication on its respective area of research. RCR can serve as one component of a multifaceted metric that provides an effective data-driven supplement to expert opinion. Developing validated methods that quantify scientific progress can help to optimize the management of research investments and accelerate the acquisition of knowledge that improves human health.
‘Le blanc souci de notre toile’: Writing White in Modern French Poetry and Art
Authors: Robertson Eric
Published: May 2017

White has the value of an optical sensation that exceeds colour: it is the condition of light, the sum total of all the colours of the spectrum combined. While it can therefore signify totality, it is also synonymous with the unfinished, the colour of the blank canvas, and the empty page. Perhaps on account of this ambivalent status, at once stopping short of and transcending perceptible phenomena, white has the power to evoke a more spiritual realm that might lie beyond the three dimensions of the material world. Unsurprisingly, then, white holds an iconic status in the development of abstract art and modern poetry alike. Examining a range of instances from Mallarmé to Malevich, Apollinaire to Arp, Didi-Huberman’s reflections on the work of Simon Hantaï, Sarkis, and Esther Shalev-Gerz, and the intermedial poetry of Caroline Bergvall, this reading of colour will explore some of the different significations that white has acquired in poetry and art-writing.
Colour, Desire, and Destruction in Béatrice Bonhomme’s
La Maison abandonnée
Authors: O’Connor Clémence
Published: May 2017

To write colour is to draw into the space of the text an element of the visual idiom that resists words: while a painting’s line and framing invite the viewer of even non-figurative art to perceive semantically, colour expressivity defies language. Yet its immediacy and embodiment appeal to the contemporary poet. In Béatrice Bonhomme’s
livre d’artiste
,
La Maison abandonnée
(2006), a collaboration with pastel artist Christine Charles, we follow the speaker’s meanderings through a house soon to be destroyed, but ephemerally painted over by a fresco or graffiti artist who remains anonymous. Colour saturates the speaker’s apprehension of the place and is presented as a catalyst to the act of writing; yet it ultimately eludes words, which prove unable to tell colour apart from light or from other senses, namely touch. But, in their discontinuous, gradually undone account of the viewing process, words can still bring out the congruity of colour’s temporality and aesthetics. Violent, chaotic, and desire-driven, the frescoes seem to look forward to their destruction, presenting it as a creative process in its own right; one that will intensify their celebratory energy and their hurried, unbridled aesthetics in a moment of consummate undoing.
SVIR epidemic model with age structure in susceptibility, vaccination effects and relapse
Authors: Wang Jinliang , Guo Min , Liu Shengqiang
Published: May 2017

An SVIR epidemic model with continuous age structure in the susceptibility, vaccination effects and relapse is proposed. The asymptotic smoothness, existence of a global attractor, the stability of equilibria and persistence are addressed. It is shown that if the basic reproductive number $\Re_0<1$, then the disease-free equilibrium is globally asymptotically stable. If $\Re_0>1$, the disease is uniformly persistent, and a Lyapunov functional is used to show that the unique endemic equilibrium is globally asymptotically stable. Combined effects of susceptibility age, vaccination age and relapse age on the basic reproductive number are discussed.
Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma with Biallelic Inactivation of CDKN2A/B on 9p21 have Distinct Gene Expression Signature and are Associated with Poor Prognosis
Authors: Girgis Andrew H.
Published: May 2017

Purpose

The clinical implications of biallelic inactivation ofCDKN2A/Bin clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) and relevant dysregulated biological pathways and gene signatures were investigated.

Materials and Methods

Data were obtained from the TCGA data set and validated using Project GENIE and previously published dataset.CDKN2A/Ballelic status was classified into 3 groups, including biallelicCDKN2A/Binactivation (homozygous deletion or combined heterozygous deletion and mutation), monoallelicCDKN2A/Bloss (heterozygous deletion or mutation) and absentCDKN2A/Ballelic loss. Univariate and multivariate cancer-specific survival and disease-free survival analyses were performed. Integrated analyses of copy number, gene expression (mRNA and miRNA), protein expression and methylation changes were conducted.

Results

Of 440 patients with ccRCC 17 (3.9%) had biallelicCDKN2A/Binactivation and 116 (26.4%) had monoallelicCDKN2A/Bloss.CDKN2A/Ballelic inactivation was associated with late tumor stage, high histological grade, presence of metastasis and greater tumor size. Patients with biallelic deletion ofCDKN2A/Bshowed significantly worse cancer-specific survival and disease-free survival (p<0.0001). Significant co-occurrence ofMTAPhomozygous deletion was observed inCDKN2A/Bbiallic inactivated tumors (46.7%; p<0.001). Significant underexpression ofCDKN2A/Bwas observed in biallelic inactivated tumors at the mRNA and protein levels. miR-21 was the most highly expressed miRNA in biallelic inactivated tumors. Biallelic inactivated tumors were significantly enriched for genes related to activation ofATRin response to replication stress and miR-21 target genes.

Conclusions

CDKN2A/Bbiallelic inactivation may be a prognostic marker for ccRCC and is associated with distinct dysregulation of gene expression signatures.
Biochemical adaptations of the retina and retinal pigment epithelium support a metabolic ecosystem in the vertebrate eye
Authors: Kanow Mark A. , Giarmarco Michelle M. , Jankowski Connor , Tsantilas Kristine , Engel Abbi L. , Du Jianhai , Linton Jonathan D. , Farnsworth Christopher C. , Sloat Stephanie R. , Lindsay Ken J. , Parker Edward D. , Brockerhoff Susan E. , Sadilek Martin , Chao Jennifer R. , Hurley James B.
Published: May 2017

Here we report multiple lines of evidence for a comprehensive model for retinal energy metabolism. Metabolic flux, locations of key enzymes and our finding that glucose enters the neural retina almost entirely through photoreceptors support a conceptually new model for retinal metabolism. In this model, glucose from the choroidal blood supply passes through the retinal pigment epithelium to the retina where photoreceptors convert it to lactate. Photoreceptors then export the lactate as fuel for the retinal pigment epithelium and for neighboring Müller glial cells. A key feature of this model is that aerobic glycolysis in photoreceptors produces lactate to suppress glycolysis in the neighboring retinal pigment epithelium. That enhances the flow of glucose to the retina by minimizing consumption of glucose within the retinal pigment epithelium. This framework for metabolic relationships in retina provides new insights into the underlying causes of retinal disease, age-related vision loss and metabolism-based therapies.
Metabolic constraints and quantitative design principles in gene expression during adaption of yeast to heat shock
Authors: Pereira Tania , Vilaprinyo Ester , Belli Gemma , Herrero Enric , Salvado Baldiri , Sorribas Albert , Altés Gisela , Alves Rui
Published: May 2017

Microorganisms evolved adaptive responses that enable them to survive stressful challenges in ever changing environments by adjusting metabolism through the modulation of gene expression, protein levels and activity, and flow of metabolites. More frequent challenges allow natural selection ampler opportunities to select from a larger number of phenotypes that are compatible with survival. Understanding the causal relationships between physiological and metabolic requirements that are needed for cellular stress adaptation and gene expression changes that are used by organisms to achieve those requirements may have a significant impact in our ability to interpret and/or guide evolution.

Here, we study those causal relationships during heat shock adaptation in the yeastSaccharomyces cerevisiae. We do so by combining dozens of independent experiments measuring whole genome gene expression changes during stress response with a nonlinear simplified kinetic model of central metabolism.

This combination is used to create a quantitative, multidimensional, genotype-to-phenotype mapping of the metabolic and physiological requirements that enable cell survival to the feasible changes in gene expression that modulate metabolism to achieve those requirements. Our results clearly show that the feasible changes in gene expression that enable survival to heat shock are specific for this stress. In addition, they suggest that genetic programs for adaptive responses to desiccation/rehydration and to pH shifts might be selected by physiological requirements that are qualitatively similar, but quantitatively different to those for heat shock adaptation. In contrast, adaptive responses to other types of stress do not appear to be constrained by the same qualitative physiological requirements. Our model also explains at the mechanistic level how evolution might find different sets of changes in gene expression that lead to metabolic adaptations that are equivalent in meeting physiological requirements for survival. Finally, our results also suggest that physiological requirements for heat shock adaptation might be similar between unicellular ascomycetes that live in similar environments. Our analysis is likely to be scalable to other adaptive response and might inform efforts in developing biotechnological applications to manipulate cells for medical, biotechnological, or synthetic biology purposes.
Improved transcriptome sampling pinpoints 26 paleopolyploidy events in Caryophyllales, including two paleo-allopolyploidy events
Authors: Yang Ya , Moore Michael J. , Brockington Samuel F. , Mikenas Jessica , Olivieri Julia , Walker Joseph F. , Smith Stephen A.
Published: May 2017

Studies of the macroevolutionary legacy of paleopolyploidy are limited by an incomplete sampling of these events across the tree of life. To better locate and understand these events, we need comprehensive taxonomic sampling as well as homology inference methods that accurately reconstruct the frequency and location of gene duplications.

We assembled a dataset of transcriptomes and genomes from 169 species in Caryophyllales, of which 43 were newly generated for this study, representing one of the densest sampled genomic-scale datasets yet available. We carried out phylogenomic analyses using a modified phylome strategy to reconstruct the species tree. We mapped phylogenetic distribution of paleopolyploidy events by both tree-based and distance-based methods, and explicitly tested scenarios for paleo-allopolyploidy.

We identified twenty-six paleopolyploidy events distributed throughout Caryophyllales, and using novel techniques inferred two to be paleo-allopolyploidy.

Through dense phylogenomic sampling, we show the propensity of paleo-polyploidy in the clade Caryophyllales. We also provide the first method for utilizing transcriptome data to detect paleo-allopolyploidy, which is important as it may have different macro-evolutionary implications compared to paleo-autopolyploidy.
nQuire: A Statistical Framework For Ploidy Estimation Using Next Generation Sequencing
Authors: Weiß Clemens L. , Pais Marina , Cano Liliana M. , Kamoun Sophien , Burbano Hernán A.
Published: May 2017

Intraspecific variation in ploidy occurs in a wide range of species including pathogenic and nonpathogenic eukaryotes such as yeasts and oomycetes. Ploidy can be inferred indirectly - without measuring DNA content - from experiments using next-generation sequencing (NGS). We present nQuire, a statistical framework that distinguishes between diploids, triploids and tetraploids using NGS. The command-line tool models the distribution of base frequencies at variable sites using a Gaussian Mixture Model, and uses maximum likelihood to select the most plausible ploidy model. nQuire handles large genomes at high coverage efficiently and uses standard input file formats.

We demonstrate the utility of nQuire analyzing individual samples of the pathogenic oomycetePhytophthora infestansand the Baker’s yeastSaccharomyces cerevisiae. Using these organisms we show the dependence between reliability of the ploidy assignment and sequencing depth. Additionally, we employ normalized maximized log-likelihoods generated by nQuire to ascertain ploidy level in a population of samples with ploidy heterogeneity. Using these normalized values we cluster samples in three dimensions using multivariate Gaussian mixtures. The cluster assignments retrieved from aS. cerevisiaepopulation recovered the true ploidy level in over 96% of samples. Finally, we show that nQuire can be used regionally to identify chromosomal aneuploidies.

nQuire provides a statistical framework to study organisms with intraspecific variation in ploidy. nQuire is likely to be useful in epidemiological studies of pathogens, artificial selection experiments, and for historical or ancient samples where intact nuclei are not preserved. It is implemented as a stand-alone Linux command line tool in the C programming language and is available atgithub.com/clwgg/nQuireunder the MIT license.
An interaction between cancer progression and social environment in Drosophila
Authors: Dawson Erika H. , Bailly Tiphaine P.M. , Dos Santos Julie , Moreno Céline , Devilliers Maëlle , Maroni Brigitte , Sueur Cédric , Casali Andreu , Ujvari Beata , Thomas Frederic , Montagne Jacques , Mery Frederic
Published: May 2017

This preprint has been reviewed and recommended by Peer Community In Evolutionary Biology (http://dx.doi.ors/10.24072/pci.evolbiol.100030)

The influence of oncogenic phenomena on the ecology and evolution of animal species is fast becoming an important research topic. Similar to host-pathogen interactions, cancer negatively affects host fitness, which should lead to the selection of host control mechanisms, including behavioral traits that best minimize the proliferation of malignant cells. Social behavior is one such trait, which is suggested to influence cancer progression. While the ecological benefits of sociality in gregarious species are widely acknowledged, only limited data are available on the role of the social environment on cancer progression. Here, we exposed adultDrosophila, with colorectal-like tumors, to different social environments. First, we show that cancerous flies kept in complete isolation exhibit increased tumor progression. Yet, more surprisingly, we find that cancerous flies, kept in groups with other non-cancerous individuals, also develop tumors at a faster rate compared to those kept with other cancerous conspecifics, suggesting a strong impact of social group composition on cancer growth. Finally, we show that flies can discriminate between individuals at different stages of tumor growth and selectively choose their social environment accordingly. Control flies actively avoid flies with cancer but only at the later stages of tumor development, whereas cancerous flies display strong social interactions with cancerous flies in the early stages of tumor growth. Our study demonstrates the reciprocal links between cancer and social interactions, as well as highlighting how sociality impacts health and fitness in animals and its potential implications for disease ecology and ecosystem dynamics.
Graphene oxide-quenching-based fluorescencein situhybridization (G-FISH) to detect RNA in tissue: simple and fast tissue RNA diagnostics
Authors: Hwang Do Won , Choi Yoo Ri , Kim Dohyun , Park Hye Yoon , Kim Kyu Wan , Kim Mee Young , Park Chul-Kee , Lee Dong Soo
Published: May 2017

FISH-based RNA detection in paraffin-embedded tissue can be challenging, with complicated procedures producing uncertain results and poor image quality. Here, we developed a robust RNA detection method based on graphene oxide (GO) quenching and recovery of fluorescence in situ hybridization (G-FISH) in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissues. Using G-FISH technique, the long noncoding BC1 RNA, β-actin mRNA, miR-124a and miR-21 could be detected in the cytoplasm of a mouse brain, primary hippocampal neurons, and glioblastoma multiforme tumor tissues, respectively. G-FISH showed the increased BC1 RNA level in individual hippocampal neurons of Alzheimer’s disease brain. The fluorescence recovered by G-FISH correlated highly with the amount of miR-21, as measured by real time RT-PCR. We propose G-FISH as a simple, fast, inexpensive, and sensitive method for RNA detection, with very low background, which could be applied to a variety of researches or diagnostic purposes.
A robust method to estimate regional polygenic correlation identifies heterogeneity in the shared heritability between complex traits
Authors: Paré Guillaume , Mao Shihong , Deng Wei Q.
Published: May 2017

Background

Complex traits can share a substantial proportion of their polygenic heritability. However, genome-wide polygenic correlations between pairs of traits can mask heterogeneity in their shared polygenic effects across loci. We propose a novel method (WML-RPC) to evaluate polygenic correlation between two complex traits in small genomic regions using summary association statistics. Our method tests for evidence that the polygenic effect at a given region affects two traits concurrently.

Results

We show through simulations that our method is well calibrated, powerful and more robust to misspecification of linkage disequilibrium than other methods under a polygenic model. As small genomic regions are more likely to harbour specific genetic effects, our method is ideal to identify heterogeneity in shared polygenic correlation across regions. We illustrate the usefulness of our method by addressing two questions related to cardio-metabolic traits. First, we explored how regional polygenic correlation can inform on the strong epidemiological association between HDL cholesterol and coronary artery disease (CAD), suggesting a key role for triglycerides metabolism. Second, we investigated the potential role of PPARγ activators in the prevention of CAD.

Conclusions

Our results provide a compelling argument that shared heritability between complex traits is highly heterogeneous across loci.
Use of Wyckoff position splittings in the supercell model of crystals with point defects
Authors: Evarestov R. A. , Kitaev Yu. E. , Porsev V. V.
Published: May 2017

The atomic sublattices occupying different Wyckoff positions in a host crystal are shown to be subdivided in the supercell model owing to the splitting of the occupied Wyckoff positions. The site symmetries of the split Wyckoff positions are in general different, which significantly increases the number of possible occupation schemes for impurities and defects in the supercell model. It is demonstrated that the use of the programs and retrieval tools of the Bilbao Crystallographic Server considerably simplifies the group-theoretical analysis of Wyckoff position splittings in the supercell model of a crystal with a point defect. Ab initio calculations of electronic states of single defects in ZnO (Zn and O neutral vacancies) within the supercell model are performed to demonstrate the influence of Wyckoff position splittings on the results.
An in situ USAXS–SAXS–WAXS study of precipitate size distribution evolution in a model Ni-based alloy
Authors: Andrews Ross N. , Serio Joseph , Muralidharan Govindarajan , Ilavsky Jan
Published: May 2017

Intermetallic γ′ precipitates typically strengthen nickel-based superalloys. The shape, size and spatial distribution of strengthening precipitates critically influence alloy strength, while their temporal evolution characteristics determine the high-temperature alloy stability. Combined ultra-small-, small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering (USAXS–SAXS–WAXS) analysis can be used to evaluate the temporal evolution of an alloy's precipitate size distribution (PSD) and phase structure during in situ heat treatment. Analysis of PSDs from USAXS–SAXS data employs either least-squares fitting of a preordained PSD model or a maximum entropy (MaxEnt) approach, the latter avoiding a priori definition of a functional form of the PSD. However, strong low-q scattering from grain boundaries and/or structure factor effects inhibit MaxEnt analysis of typical alloys. This work describes the extension of Bayesian–MaxEnt analysis methods to data exhibiting structure factor effects and low-q power law slopes and demonstrates their use in an in situ study of precipitate size evolution during heat treatment of a model Ni–Al–Si alloy.
X-ray topography of subsurface crystal layers
Authors: Swiatek Zbigniew , Fodchuk Igor , Zaplitnyy Ruslan
Published: May 2017

New capabilities of the Berg–Barrett topographic method are demonstrated using a skew-asymmetric X-ray diffraction scheme for investigating structural changes near the surface of semiconductor materials. Specifying the X-ray extinction depth, the details of defects and strains are revealed with high resolution. Consequently, analysis of structural distortion of layers near the surface after various types of surface processing becomes more complete.
Design of novel aerial jet target
Authors: Goraj Zdobyslaw Jan , Malinowski Marek , Frydrychewicz Andrzej
Published: May 2017

Purpose

This paper aims to present and discuss the requirements for flying targets which sometimes are contradictory to each other and to perform a trade-off analysis before the design activity is started. It also aims to demonstrate conceptual and preliminary design processes using a practical example of PW-61 configuration and to show how results of experimental flight tests using a scaled flying target will be described and analyzed before manufacturing the full scale flying target.

Design/methodology/approach

An important part of the paper consists of the selection of tailplane configuration of the flying target UAV to protect some expensive on-board systems against serious damages and to obtain a sufficient dynamic stability, independently of the amount of the petrol in fuel tank. Inverted V-tail, U-tail and H-tail configurations were considered and compared both, theoretically and in-flight experiments.

Findings

Flight dynamics models and associated computational procedures were useful both in a preliminary design phase and during the final assessment of the configuration after flight tests. Selection of the tailplane configuration for the flying target UAV is very important to protect some expensive on-board systems against serious damages and to obtain a sufficient dynamic stability, independent of the amount of the petrol in fuel tank.

Practical implications

Flying targets should be speedy, maneuverable, cheap, easy in deployment and multi-recoverable (if not destroyed by live ammunition), must have relatively low take-off weight and an endurance of at least 1 h. This paper can be useful for proper selection of requirements and preliminary design parameters to make the design process more economically effective.

Originality/value

This paper presents very efficient methods of assessing the design parameters of flying targets, especially in an early stage of the design process. Stability computations are performed based on equations of motion and are supplemented by flight tests using the scaled flying models. It can be considered as an original, not typical, but very practical approach because it delivers lots of data in the early design stages at relatively low cost.
The electric-powered motorglider AOS-71 – the study of development
Authors: Marjanowski Jędrzej , Tomasiewicz Jan , Frączek Wojciech
Published: May 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present the process of design and prototyping of a two-seat, electric-powered, self-launching motorglider AOS-71 closely connected with the teaching process conducted by the academic staff of Warsaw University of Technology (WUT) within a unique educational ULS – Ultra Light Sailplanes programme.

Design/methodology/approach

The selected design methods and tools used during the development of the motorglider have been described. The computer aided design/computer aided manufacturing modules of the Siemens NX software were used to work on the structural design, tools and technical documentation. The core of the ULS educational programme is to educate aerospace engineering students by providing an opportunity for them to participate in each phase of the aircraft life cycle – from conceptual drawings through structural design and prototyping to manufacturing, testing and maintenance.

Findings

The main innovations of the AOS-71 design are: retractable ecological electric propulsion, spacious cockpit where seats are located side by side and the all-composite airframe made of 90 per cent advanced carbon epoxy composites.

Practical implications

The electric motorglider can be used as a multifunctional flying laboratory for flight research and student education.

Originality/value

The AOS-71 project and its continuation are a valuable example of involving aerospace students in each phase of the aircraft life cycle. It also contributes to the research in the field of using innovative electrical propulsion systems in aircraft designs.
Implementation of the LPS using an excel spreadsheet
Authors: Zaeri Fahimeh , Rotimi James Olabode Bamidele , Hosseini M. Reza , Cox Jeff
Published: May 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the implementation challenges of one of lean construction’s recent tools, the last planner system (LPS), by exploring issues in the New Zealand construction sector to identify potential areas for improvement. To achieve this aim, the study formulated two objectives: to present the challenges in LPS use and to explore solutions by using an Excel spreadsheet for facilitating LPS applications.

Design/methodology/approach

The study drew primarily upon a case study approach. A fieldwork study and document analysis of a New Zealand construction project were conducted with an extensive literature review undertaken on the LPS concept.

Findings

The findings revealed that although an automated spreadsheet could be a simple and inexpensive option for using the LPS, data collection, storage and transfer into the spreadsheet could significantly influence the reliability of the LPS outcomes. Most data utilisation challenges were found to occur around the three data sets included in the weekly work plan (WWP). The study presented several automation solutions which had been applied to overcome data utilisation challenges.

Originality/value

Among the first of its kind in the construction industry, this study, with its first-hand account of an organisation which uses the lean paradigm, provides an in-depth insight into LPS tool implementation. The study extends the current body of knowledge by unearthing the challenges of LPS integration into construction activities and presenting efforts undertaken in a construction case project to overcome relevant issues. This adds value by enhancing the reliability of the LPS and, consequently, the effectiveness of its implementation in practical terms.
Spanning the multilevel boundaries of construction organisations
Authors: Sackey Enoch , Akotia Julius
Published: May 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to study the interdependent boundary-spanning activities that characterise the level of permeability of knowledge, information flow and learning among construction supply chains involved in the delivery of building information modelling (BIM)-compliant construction projects. Construction projects are mobilised through a number of interdependent processes and multi-functional activities by different practitioners with myriad specialised skills. Many of the difficulties that manifest in construction projects can be attributed to the fragmented work activities and inter-disciplinary nature of project teams. This is nevertheless becoming ever more pertinent with the rise of technology deployment in construction organisations.

Design/methodology/approach

The study combined experts’ sampling interviews and a case study research method to help offer better insights into the kind of emerging multilevel boundary practices as influenced by the rapidly evolving construction technological solutions. The experts’ sampling helped inform better understanding by unravelling the key changes in contemporary boundary configurations and related boundary-spanning practices within technology-mediated construction project settings. The case study also helped to establish the manifestation of best practices for managing multilevel boundaries in BIM-enabled construction project organisations.

Findings

The study has revealed that different generic organisational BIM strategies as developed in specialised boundaries are reconfigured as appropriate at the project level to produce project-specific BIM execution plan (BXP). The outcome of project BXP is dependent on the project organisational teams that cooperate in creating new solutions and on conceding space for negotiations and compromises which conflicting interests at the project level can find to be both desirable and feasible. The implementation effort is therefore contingent on mutual translation in which different actors with different insights instigate their practice through negotiation and persuasion which eventually are reinforced by contractual agreements and obligations.

Originality/value

The paper has presented a novel and well-timed empirical insight into BIM-enabled project delivery and best practices that span multilevel boundaries of construction organisations.
Deliberate institutional differentiation through graduate attributes
Authors: Benson Lyle , Enström Rickard
Published: May 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe the creation and deliberate positioning of a new Bachelor of Commerce program at MacEwan School of Business, Canada, by formally integrating professional skills in the curriculum. Through institutional narratives and statistical measurements, the authors detail the process from the first broad conversation and the different phases of the institutional deliberations to a measurement of students’ development of professional skills and self-confidence through the eyes of student peer coaches.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper explains the institutional thinking process and the inputs that were sought when creating the new Bachelor of Commerce program with integrated professional skills. Hard data were collected on student peer coaches’ development of professional skills through a scale for assessing managerial competencies for undergraduate business students. In addition, coaches’ development of peer-coaching self-confidence was measured. This allows for the correlation between the two constructs self-confidence and professional skills development to be measured.

Findings

The formal implementation of professional skills and peer-coaching of professional skills in the Bachelor of Commerce program showed to be effective in furthering students’ development of professional skills and self-confidence. Also, this study illustrates the need for deliberate and systematic planning, and the inherent differentiating opportunities, when creating a new degree program.

Originality/value

This paper encourages institutional positioning initiatives and presents insights into the training of large cohorts of undergraduate business in their acquisition of professional skills.
The patent management trichotomy: patenting, publishing, and secrecy
Authors: Holgersson Marcus , Wallin Martin W.
Published: May 2017

Purpose

Extant research and practice of patent management are often occupied with how to best utilize patenting as a source of competitive advantage. The purpose of this paper is to suggest a patent management trichotomy where firms make strategic decisions between patenting, publishing, and secrecy.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is conceptual in nature and draws on received IP management literature to develop an analytical framework.

Findings

The authors suggest that the choice between patenting, publishing, and secrecy can be understood in terms of differences in the degree to which the firm can appropriate value from the invention and the degree to which it can operate freely.

Originality/value

Through an analysis along the dimensions of direct and indirect appropriation as well as static and dynamic freedom to operate, the paper conceptualizes the choice between patenting, publishing, and secrecy in a way useful for managers as well as for academics.
The impact of partners’ technological diversification in joint patenting
Authors: Natalicchio Angelo , Messeni Petruzzelli Antonio , Garavelli Achille Claudio
Published: May 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to understand if and how the technological diversifications of collaborating firms and public research organisations (PROs) affect the technological impact of the resulting joint-patented innovations.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conduct an analysis on a database of 590 dyadic joint patents, assigned to both firms and PROs, registered from 1976 to 2010 to the US Patent and Trademark Office and belonging to green technological classes, as defined by the International Patent Classification green inventory.

Findings

The study reveals that the assignees’ technological diversification has a significant influence on the impact of the patents jointly developed. Indeed, the results show that the most impactful joint patents result from collaborations involving technologically diversified firms.

Research limitations/implications

This research sheds further light on the establishment of R&D collaborations between firms and PROs to jointly innovate. Specifically, it provides a novel perspective to investigate the impact of joint patents, by focussing on the assignees’ technological profile.

Practical implications

The present work suggests that firms characterised by a higher degree of technological diversification are more likely to co-develop patent of higher technological impact, as resulting from collaboration with PROs.

Originality/value

This study investigates the factors affecting the impact of joint patents resulting from collaborations between firms and PROs. In particular, the present research focusses on the effect of a relevant characteristic of the partners, such as their technological diversification.
Corporate strategies for technology acquisition: evidence from patent transactions
Authors: Caviggioli Federico , De Marco Antonio , Scellato Giuseppe , Ughetto Elisa
Published: May 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine, for a sample of ten corporations in three industries (i.e. automotive suppliers, semiconductors, and computer networks), the different strategies that firms undertake when acquiring patent-protected technologies. In particular, the authors analyze and compare two alternative channels for patent acquisition: markets for technology (MFT) and merger and acquisition (M&A) processes.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors implement two types of analyses, at both patent and firm level. First, the authors perform an econometric analysis to evaluate whether acquired patented technologies differ in their patent bibliographic characteristics with respect to patent-protected technologies that have been developed internally by the examined firms. The authors then investigate the presence of differences in the characteristics of transacted patents acquired in the MFT or by means of M&A activities. Second, the authors take a firm-level perspective and examine the technology acquisition strategies adopted by selected companies to identify the presence of common patterns, industry-driven specificities and firm peculiarities.

Findings

The authors find that acquired patented technologies are, on average, more complex, of higher technical merit and the corresponding patents show a higher legal robustness. Econometric results reveal the presence of differences between M&A and MFT patents: the latter seem to protect less complex, and thus easier to trade, inventions. The analysis of the patterns of patent acquisitions at the firm level shows the presence of different strategies for the external sourcing of patented technologies, based on whether acquired patents protect core or non-core technology areas of the analyzed firms. Such patterns are discussed in the light of the different streams of the literature on intellectual property (IP) management.

Originality/value

This paper makes use of a new and comprehensive data set of the US patent transactions that took place between 2002 and 2010. The authors added detailed data on the evolution of the corporate trees of analyzed firms. The paper contributes to the literature on technology acquisitions and MFT by examining the different channels for patented technology acquisitions. The issue represents an emerging area of interest in the field of IP management.
IP, openness, and innovation performance: an empirical study
Authors: Aloini Davide , Lazzarotti Valentina , Manzini Raffaella , Pellegrini Luisa
Published: May 2017

Purpose

Intellectual property protection mechanisms (IPPMs) include a variety of methods suitable for protecting valuable intangible assets of companies, and it is of great relevance to study how companies use these mechanisms to ensure the appropriability of innovation, in a context in which innovation is increasingly open. Indeed, there is a tension between the aim to share knowledge with external partners and the need to protect valuable know-how. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship among the use of IPPMs, open innovation (OI), and the innovation performance of companies.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is based upon a survey conducted on 477 firms from Finland, Italy, Sweden, and UK in 2012.

Findings

The study shows that IPPMs have an indirect impact on innovation performance, mediated by the degree of openness. More precisely, IPPMs positively influence the level of openness, which, in turn, positively influences the innovation performance.

Originality/value

The empirical analysis contributes on two issues widely debated in the literature: the impact of IPPMs on innovation performance and the role of IPPMs as enablers or disablers of OI.
Exploring digital preservation requirements
Authors: Pinnick Jaana
Published: May 2017

Purpose

The aim of this paper was to explore digital preservation requirements within the wider National Geoscience Data Centre (NGDC) organisational framework in preparation for developing a preservation policy and integrating associated preservation workflows throughout the existing research data management processes. This case study is based on an MSc dissertation research undertaken at Northumbria University.

Design/methodology/approach

This mixed methods case study used quantitative and qualitative data to explore the preservation requirements and triangulation to strengthen the design validity. Corporate and the wider scientific priorities were identified through literature and a stakeholder survey. Organisational preparedness was investigated through staff interviews.

Findings

Stakeholders expect data to be reliable, reusable and available in preferred formats. To ensure digital continuity, the creation of high-quality metadata is critical, and data depositors need data management training to achieve this. Recommendations include completing a risk assessment, creating a digital asset register and a technology watch to mitigate against risks.

Research limitations/implications

The main constraint in this study is the lack of generalisability of results. As the NGDC is a unique organisation, it may not be possible to generalise the organisational findings, although those relating to research data management may be transferrable.

Originality/value

This research examines the specific nature of geoscience data retention requirements and looks at existing NGDC procedures in terms of enhancing digital continuity, providing new knowledge on the preservation requirements for a number of national datasets.
Metadata and video games emulation: an effective bond to achieve authentic preservation?
Authors: Carta Giovanni
Published: May 2017

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to rethink the concept of significant properties in relationship to video game emulation.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper, video games are examined as complex digital objects, that is digital objects that are constituted by multiple layers that are interconnected with other objects. Starting from the assumption that metadata are fundamental to individuate the authenticity and accuracy of a complex digital object, the research is based on the analysis of the most recent frameworks that propose a substantial use of metadata to perform gaming emulation.

Findings

Technical metadata are being used within emulation frameworks to describe digital environments and objects. Although metadata cannot be considered a definitive solution for preserving significant properties of video games, they should be used in a more extensive way across frameworks.

Originality/value

This paper tries to provide insights on video game properties that can help to refine the debate on emulation.