bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The mediating role of knowledge exploration and exploitation for the development of an entrepreneurial university
Authors: Centobelli Piera , Cerchione Roberto , Esposito Emilio , Shashi Shashi
Published: June 2019

Purpose

The modern knowledge-based economy acknowledges the role of the third mission of universities related to the process of knowledge transfer as a driving force to face sustainability issues, in addition to the two traditional missions focusing on research and teaching. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationships between internal environment, external environment, knowledge exploitation, knowledge exploration and university performance.

Design/methodology/approach

This study applies confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling to test the conceptual model in the Chinese education system.

Findings

The findings confirm the higher impact of internal environment on both knowledge exploitation and knowledge exploration as compared to external environment. Knowledge exploitation is more strongly related to university performance than knowledge exploration. These results highlight the imperative role of internal university stakeholders in fostering knowledge management strategies. In addition, they encourage academicians, practitioners and policy makers to focus their attention on the impact of knowledge management models, tools and practices in universities to achieve the entrepreneurial development which, in turn, has a positive impact on individual graduates and innovation ecosystems.

Originality/value

The necessity to develop a more entrepreneurial university, as well as the lack of evidence of their development in emerging countries, highlights the need to investigate how specific factors and knowledge management processes are impacting the universities’ performance. In fact, although previous studies provide an explanation of the impact of internal and external factors on a university’s performance, contributions integrating these concepts with strategic knowledge management processes are still lacking.
CSR communication through Facebook in the Latin American integrated market (MILA)
Authors: Suárez-Rico Yuli Marcela , García-Benau Mª Antonia , Gómez-Villegas Mauricio
Published: June 2019

Purpose

This study aims to analyse CSR communication in the Latin American Integrated Market companies using Facebook, by studying disclosure and its determinants along with the legitimacy and interactivity of CSR posts.

Design/methodology/approach

A content analysis of Facebook posts and an index were developed to establish disclosure levels explained by regression modelling. In addition, an analysis of Facebook posts, reactions and comments was carried out.

Findings

Content analysis shows that most of the posts correspond to the categories of society and environment. Regression modelling shows there is a strong association between corporate and board characteristics and disclosure levels. In spite of the dialogic character of Facebook, interactivity levels of messages are low, although high levels of legitimacy are observed in posts by consumer and financial companies.

Research limitations/implications

This study examines companies included in the Latin American Integrated Market. The generalisation of the results is limited to this context.

Practical implications

Understanding CSR communication may enable companies to relate more effectively with their stakeholders and possibly change their practices as a result of the feedback provided.

Originality/value

This study offers an important contribution to the literature on CSR communication by performing an analysis of information disclosure on Facebook and its explanatory factors. Another contribution of this study is its examination of the legitimacy and interactivity of CSR information disclosure in Latin America, a relatively understudied region.
Self-efficacy and self-regulatory factors as impediments to Pasifika students’ success in accounting education
Authors: Ali Irshad , Narayan Anil K.
Published: June 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the issues of underrepresentation and barriers that impede Pasifika students’ achievement and success in tertiary accounting education.

Design/methodology/approach

The participants of the study were the second- and third-year students from the “Pasifika” ethnic community enrolled in undergraduate accounting degree papers. The first stage of data were collected through face-to-face questionnaire survey and quantitatively analysed. Further data were collected through focus group meetings held as “talona” sessions and analysed using descriptive narrative, to capture the lived experience of the students.

Findings

The findings of the study suggest that low self-efficacy beliefs, low self-regulation and culturally unresponsive pedagogical practices negatively impact on Pasifika student success in accounting education. Better student engagement; use of culturally responsive pedagogy; utilisation of internal assessment tools; and more strategic use of group work could help enhance the retention and success of Pasifika students in accounting programmes. The findings also suggest that the institutional support framework for Pasifika students’ needs to be more responsive to proactively help develop their self-efficacy and self-regulation learning needs.

Practical implications

This research makes a significant contribution by informing accounting educators, support staff, tertiary institutions and other stakeholders including Pasifika students, of potential challenges faced by Pasifika students in completing a tertiary accounting qualification. The findings have the potential to assist in the design and implementation of actionable strategies to enhance the retention and success rates for students from this group.

Originality/value

This research complements earlier studies on barriers faced by students from disadvantaged communities in gaining tertiary qualifications and looks specifically at challenges faced by Pasifika students in gaining an accounting qualification.
CSR and tax: a study in the transition from an ‘aggregate’ to ‘real entity’ view of corporations
Authors: McCredie Bronwyn , Sadiq Kerrie
Published: June 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to empirically test whether corporates, via publicly disclosed sentiment and in response to government initiatives such as domestic corporate tax reform measures that address transparency, are beginning to view tax as a fourth dimension of corporate social responsibility (CSR).

Design/methodology/approach

To determine whether corporate attitudes towards tax are changing, representations about the corporate entity by a variety of stakeholders and through numerous channels were analysed using Leximancer software. These representations were in response to four distinct Australian domestic tax reform measures instituted during and subsequent to the Australian Government Senate Inquiry into corporate tax avoidance. The use of Leximancer, a data-analysis and mapping software that automates the coding of document text, delineates concepts and identifies themes, is well suited to the nature and size of the data used (Lodhia and Martin, 2011) and ensures the validity and reliability of the results (Dumay, 2014).

Findings

This paper provides evidence on the efficacy of global and domestic tax-reform measures that target tax avoidance through transparency. This is demonstrated by a progressive change in corporate attitudes towards tax and suggests a transition, albeit nascent, from the aggregate view to the real entity view of a corporation. As such, this study provides evidence of the inception of a corporate conscience when it comes to tax, whereby tax is instituted as a fourth dimension of CSR.

Research limitations/implications

Using a theoretical framework which adopts the historically accepted views of the firm, the authors argue that a shift from the aggregate view to the real entity view of a corporation will have the following implications: an expansion of the dimensional factors of CSR (economic, social, environmental and tax); a new standard or definition of corporate responsibility which encompasses both legal and moral considerations and has transparency at its core (Narotzki, 2016); and a new outlook where consumers realise that they have the power to influence and demand action from corporates.

Originality/value

This paper uses state-of-the-art software to empirically test the efficacy of global and domestic tax reform measures that target transparency, ultimately providing evidence supporting the adoption of these measures and the recognition of a new dimension of CSR, tax.
Quality versus volume of carbon disclosures and carbon reduction targets
Authors: Saha Anup Kumar , Saha Bipasha , Choudhury Tonmoy , Jie Ferry
Published: June 2019

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the relationship between the quality and volume of carbon emission disclosures (CED) in UK higher educational institutions (HEIs), with an emphasis on the impact of the Higher Education Funding Council of England (HEFCE) carbon reduction target on such disclosures.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on stewardship theory, this study explores the decision usefulness of the CED by HEIs, i.e. whether a larger volume of CED means that it is more useful to readers and stakeholders. A framework was developed to measure the CED quality. The relationships between CED volume and quality were examined using the ordered probit regression model.

Findings

CED volume in annual reports and HEFCE carbon reduction target were found to have a significant positive impact on CED quality. There exists a void in research with carbon disclosures by HEIs, an area which has been widely researched with regard to profit-seeking organisations. The study adds to the earlier related studies by its contribution about HEIs to the disclosure literature.

Research limitations/implications

The study is distinct in investigating the relationship between volume and quality of CED by HEIs. However, the impact of CED would need to be clear to motivate the HEIs to engage in such disclosure. Thus, future studies should investigate the impact of both volume and quality of CED on reputation.

Originality/value

The study recognises that the characteristics of HEIs are distinct from profit-seeking organisations, which have been widely researched in literature. Generalising the research studies on profit-oriented companies for the most publicly funded UK HEIs may mislead any outcome. This study is distinct from the reader’s point of view in exploring whether more CED is more useful in better decision-making.
Advisor gender and advice justification in advice taking
Authors: Ribeiro Vinicius Farias , Hilal Adriana Victoria Garibaldi de , Avila Marcos Gonçalves
Published: June 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify under what circumstances advisor gender and advice justification influence advice taking by managers.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors designed a quasirational managerial decision experiment with both analytic and intuitive cues. The design was a 2 × 2 between-subjects factorial, in which gender (male/female) and advice justification (intuitive/analytic) were crossed. The experiment involved two independent samples, taken from Amazon Mechanical Turk workers and Brazilian professionals.

Findings

Results suggest that, in general, analytic justification is more valued than intuitive justification. The findings also infer that depending on the advisees’ sample and providing that advice justification is analytic, quasirational scenarios seem to favor male advisors (MTurk sample) or both male and female advisors with “male values” (professional sample), as analysis is traditionally considered a “male value.”

Practical implications

Analytic justification will likely lead to more advice utilization in quasirational managerial situations, as it may act as a safeguard for the accuracy of the offered advice.

Social implications

The results might signal an ongoing, but slow, process leading to the mitigation of gender stereotypes, considering that the male gender stereotype was active in the MTurk sample, but not in the professional one.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the advice-taking research field by showing the interplay between advisor gender and advice justification in a quasirational managerial decision setting with both analytic and intuitive cues. In advice-taking literature, observations are usually collected from students. However, as this study focused on managerial decisions, the authors collected independent samples from MTurk workers and Brazilian professionals.
A note on the technology herd: evidence from large institutional investors
Authors: Uwilingiye Josine , Cakan Esin , Demirer Riza , Gupta Rangan
Published: June 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine intentional herding among institutional investors with a particular focus on the technology sector that was the driver of the “New Economy” in the USA during the dot-com bubble of the 1990s.

Design/methodology/approach

Using data on technology stockholdings of 115 large institutional investors, the authors test the presence of herding by examining linear dependence and feedback between individual investors’ technology stockholdings and that of the aggregate market. Unlike other models to detect herding, the authors use Geweke (1982) type causality tests that allow authors to disentangle spurious herding from intentional herding via tests of bidirectional and instantaneous causality across portfolio positions in technology stocks.

Findings

After controlling information-based (spurious) herding, the tests show that 38 percent of large institutional investors tend to intentionally herd in technology stocks.

Originality/value

The findings support the existing literature that investment decisions by large institutional investors are not only driven by fundamental information, but also by cognitive bias that is characterized by intentional herding.
Applications of additive manufacturing at selected South African universities: promoting additive manufacturing education
Authors: Alabi Micheal Omotayo , De Beer Deon , Wichers Harry
Published: June 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the recent applications of additive manufacturing (AM) research and activities within selected universities in the Republic of South Africa (SA).

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is a general review of AM education, research and development effort within selected South African universities. The paper begins by looking at several support programmes and investments in AM technologies by the South African Department of Science and Technology (DST). The paper presents South Africa’s AM journey to date and recent global development in AM education. Next, the paper reviews the recent research activities on AM at four selected South African universities, South Africa AM roadmap and South African AM strategy. The future prospects of AM education and research are then evaluated through a SWOT analysis. Finally, the paper looks at the sustainability of AM from an education perspective.

Findings

The main lessons that have been learnt from South African AM research activities within selected universities are as follows: AM research activities at South African universities serve as a platform to promote AM education, and several support programmes and investments from South Africa’s DST have greatly enhanced the growth of AM across different sectors, such as medical, manufacturing, industrial design, tooling, jewellery and education. The government support has also assisted in the actualisation of the “Aeroswift” project, the world’s largest and fastest state-of-the-art AM machine that can 3D print metal parts. The AM research activities within South Africa’s universities have shown that it is not too late for developing countries to start and embrace AM technologies both in academia and industry. Based on a SWOT analysis, the future prospects of AM technology in SA are bright.

Practical implications

Researchers/readers from different backgrounds such as academic, industrial and governmental will be able to learn important lessons from SA’s AM journey and the success of SA’s AM researchers/practitioners. This paper will allow the major investors in AM technologies and business to see great opportunities to invest in AM education and research at all educational levels (i.e. high schools, colleges and universities) in South Africa.

Originality/value

The authors believe that the progress of AM education and research activities within SA’s universities show good practice and achievement over the years in both the applications of AM and the South African AM strategy introduced to promote AM research and the educational aspect of the technologies.
Corporate social responsibility and bankruptcy
Authors: Cooper Elizabeth , Uzun Hatice
Published: June 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to examine corporate social responsibility (CSR) and corporate bankruptcy. Specifically, the authors ask the following research questions: Does CSR play a role in determining the likelihood of bankruptcy? Does CSR explain the difference in the probability of that firm eventually reorganizing and emerging from bankruptcy?

Design/methodology/approach

The authors address these questions by testing three CSR theories using a sample of 78 firms that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy during the period 2007 to 2014 along with a matched sample of firms that did not.

Findings

Overall, the findings indicate that stronger CSR firms are less likely to become bankrupt relative to weaker CSR firms, all else being equal. This result is in line with the stakeholder theory of CSR. However, results do not support the conjecture that CSR matters when it comes to bankruptcy emergence. While CSR seems to influence whether a company experiences bankruptcy in the first place, having strong CSR does not seem to help a firm once it has filed for Chapter 11.

Research limitations/implications

This paper extends the existing CSR literature but looks at CSR not from the angel of financial “success” but rather from financial “failure”.

Practical implications

The results could potentially help academics and practitioners alike in seeking understanding and reason behind CSR involvement and bankruptcy avoidance and success.

Originality/value

This is the first paper to test whether CSR plays a role in bankruptcy. The authors use a recent sample of firms with CSR scores that experienced a bankruptcy and a matched sample of CSR-scored firms that did not experience bankruptcy.
Sensitivity of economic policy uncertainty to investor sentiment
Authors: Rehman Mobeen Ur , Apergis Nicholas
Published: June 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to explore the impact of investor sentiments on economic policy uncertainty (EPU). The analysis also considers the momentum effect, stock market returns volatility and equity pricing inefficiencies across markets, which, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, has not been addressed in the literature. The role of these control variables has collectively been considered to have important behavioral implications for international investors

Design/methodology/approach

Quantile regressions are used for estimation purpose, as it provides robust and more efficient estimates rather than those coming from the traditional regression model.

Findings

The momentum effect is negative and significant only at higher quantiles, while oil prices are positive and significant across all quantiles. The exchange rate exerts a negative and significant effect on EPU, whereas equity price volatility (i.e. investor sentiment) exerts a negative and significant impact on EPU in most of the quantiles.

Research limitations/implications

The results have important implications for international investors and policymakers, especially in terms of the breakdown of economic policy uncertainty across different sample markets. The breakdown of complete sample period into sub-samples acts as a robust analysis and documents the similarity of the results for the Asian and developed markets cases, but not in the case of the European markets.

Practical implications

The findings imply the importance of financial stability that impacts the accumulation of systemic risks and adds smoothness to the financial cycle in particular geographical areas.

Originality/value

The contribution of this paper is threefold. First, existing literature highlights and empirically tests the impact of economic policy uncertainty on different market, macro-economic and global control variables. The analysis, however, performs it in the reverse order, i.e. analyzing the impact of the momentum effect (investor sentiment variables), equity market inefficiencies and volatility (market variables) and exchange rates and Brent oil (control variables). Second, to check the sensitivity of economic policy uncertainty, the analysis analyzes a wide range of markets, segregated as emerging, developed and European regions over the sample period to generate region-wise implications. Finally, the analysis explores the relationship of aforementioned variables with economic policy uncertainty keeping in view the non-linear structure and prior evidence and investor sentiments and economic policy uncertainty in the regression model.
Printed soft angular/torque sensors using carbon black-silicone composite
Authors: Li Muyang , Assadian Mahtab , Ramezani Maziar , Aw Kean C.
Published: June 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to propose the need for soft and flexible sensors that actually measure the turning angle and torque of a joint. Conventional rigid angular/torque sensors have compatibility issues in wearable applications due to its bulkiness, non-compliance and high rigidity.

Design/methodology/approach

The sensing element of the sensor is based on carbon black (CB)/Ecoflex composite, deposited via extrusion printing technique. A simple finite element analysis was used to explain the non-linearity and non-symmetricity behaviours of the sensor.

Findings

This prototype can measure the angular rotation up to ±180° and a maximum torque value of 0.6 Nm. The geometry of the printed CB/Ecoflex composite as piezoresistive trace has a significant effect on the output (resistance change) response.

Originality/value

This research explored an extrusion printing techniques that allow customization to construct a soft piezoresistive strain sensor, which can be used as an angular/torque sensor.
The ever-changing personality: revisiting the concept of triple-loop learning
Authors: Fahrenbach Florian , Kragulj Florian
Published: June 2019

Purpose

Considering personality as changeable through a bottom-up process of altering states, habits and traits, constitutes a shift in the predominant paradigm within personality psychology. The purpose of this paper is to reconsider Bateson’s theory of learning and organizational triple-loop learning in light of this recent empirical evidence.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper uses a multi-disciplinary conceptual approach. Based on an integrative analysis of literature from recent work in personality psychology, four dimensions (process, content, time and context) are identified that allow linking personality change and triple-loop learning.

Findings

Identifying a bottom-up process of changing states, habits and traits as being central to change personality, allows for reconsidering Bateson’s theory of learning as a theory of personality development (Learning II) and personality change (Learning III). Functionally equivalent, organizational triple-loop learning is conceptualized as a change in an organization’s identity over time that may be facilitated through a change in responding to events and a change in the organization’s routines.

Practical implications

Interventions that change how organizations respond to events and that change the routines within an organization may be suitable to facilitate triple-loop learning in terms of changing organizational identity over time.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to the discussion on Bateson’s theory of learning and organizational triple-loop learning. As interest in personality change grows in organization studies, this paper aims to transfer these findings to organizational learning.
Dynamic capabilities, organizational learning and ambidexterity in a higher education institution
Authors: Souza Carla Patricia da Silva , Takahashi Adriana Roseli Wünsch
Published: June 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to analyse how dynamic capabilities (DC) affect organizational learning (OL) in a Brazilian higher education institution (HEI) and how this relationship affects organisational ambidexterity (OA).

Design/methodology/approach

The research strategy involves a qualitative, single case study. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, documentary research over a 15-year period and nonparticipant observation. Data were analysed using narrative analysis.

Findings

The results show that founders and managers influence the activities related to sensing, seizing and reconfiguring DC. They interpreted the new opportunities and shared them with other individuals. Gradually, a collective sense about the new ideas was constructed. New academic and administrative routines were created and an OL process took place at the HEI, which resulted in a valuable balance between exploration and exploitation (OA) for the organisation.

Originality/value

The study offers insight into how DC, OL and OA can be related. Although each construct has its own independent definition, there are similarities between them. The case study demonstrates how these theories were affected, and the research, therefore, makes a new methodological contribution regarding how to study DC, OL and OA as an integrative phenomenon.
Measuring player development outputs in European football clubs (2005-2006 to 2015-2016)
Authors: Bullough Steve , Coleman Richard
Published: June 2019

Purpose

The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) legislative intervention around “home-grown” player quotas came into effect for the 2006-2007 season, aiming to protect playing opportunities and the development of indigenous talent. Previous research has identified clear differences between clubs and club types regarding opportunities for academy players. This paper aims to examine the outputs from six European leagues (France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Spain and England), identifying differences between national associations, club type, and on an individual club level. The paper investigates different league structure (in terms of allowing reserve teams in the professional leagues) and assesses UEFAs legislation in relation to programme theory (expected outcomes).

Design/methodology/approach

The study is based on playing data from 200 clubs and 3,329 indigenous players making their debut in one of the six leagues since 2006, and includes ten seasons of competition to 2015-2016.

Findings

The number of players produced and playing opportunities offered since 2006 are more prominent in the Spanish, The Netherlands, French and German leagues compared to Italy and England. For those clubs competing in all ten seasons, a similar pattern emerges with those four nations producing greater outputs. Four clubs significantly outperform others in terms of producing players reaching any top-six league first team, and for their own academy graduates. Additionally, the four leagues allowing reserve teams in their professional structure have a higher level of “output” for their academy players.

Originality/value

The paper discusses issues in the design of the legislation (not making nationality a factor and being unable to control other dominant variables) as key weaknesses to influencing change, and achieve the rationale cited by UEFA for its introduction.
Does size matter?
Authors: Ramchandani Girish , Plumley Daniel , Preston Harry , Wilson Rob
Published: June 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to explore at what league size competitive balance reaches its best level through a longitudinal study and by using the English Premier League (EPL) as an example.

Design/methodology/approach

To test the influence of league size on competitive balance in the EPL, the authors first calculated competitive balance scores for 22 seasons between 1995/96 and 2016/17 under the existing 20 team system. They then calculated a further ten normalised competitive balance scores for each EPL season by adjusting the league size to examine the league size threshold at which competitive balance in each season of the EPL was at its best level.

Findings

The analysis indicates that the current league structure of 20 teams compromises the overall level of competitive balance in the EPL in comparison with a league comprising between 10 and 19 teams. However, the authors cannot pinpoint the precise league size at which the EPL is most competitively balanced, as no significant differences were observed between the competitive balance indices for these league sizes.

Originality/value

The findings of this study have practical relevance for league organisers and the Union of European Football Associations given that they themselves have stated that competitive balance will be a big challenge for the European football industry in the coming years.
Determinants of green product buying decision among young consumers in Malaysia
Authors: Tan Christine Nya Ling , Ojo Adedapo Oluwaseyi , Thurasamy Ramayah
Published: June 2019

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the factors, which may potentially influence green product buying decision among young consumers in Malaysia.

Design/methodology/approach

A perceived lack of intention to buy green products observed among the Malaysian Generation Young consumers has sparked the interest to carry out this study. With the aid of structured questionnaires, data were collected from a total of 217 respondents, between 18 and 25 years of age.

Findings

The results of data analysis indicated that environmental consciousness, eco-label, price and advertising were significant predictors of green product buying behaviour. Contrary to the hypothesis, attitude was not a significant predictor of green buying behaviour among young consumers. The implications of these findings and directions for future research are outlined at the end of this paper.

Originality/value

This study offers empirical insights from the perspective of an emerging economy on the determinants of green products buying behaviour among young consumers.
Individual niche trajectories drive fitness variation
Authors: Costa‐Pereira Raul , Toscano Benjamin , Souza Franco L. , Ingram Travis , Araújo Márcio S.
Published: June 2019

Variation in fitness across individuals is central to population growth, species coexistence and evolution by natural selection. Fitness variation associated with resource use is hugely consequential, but how this variation is generated and maintained within natural populations remains unclear. In particular, individual fitness may depend on many cumulative foraging decisions over time, but this hypothesis remains untested.

We used multi‐tissue stable isotope analysis to determine isotopic niche trajectories within species, populations and sexes of thin‐toed frogs and explored how this temporal dimension of diet affects individual reproductive investment, body condition and parasite load.

We found that individual frogs shifted their diets less than expected under a null model, likely due to functional trade‐offs that limit the incorporation of new prey types over time. However, within the observed range of diet shifts, individuals that modified their diet to a greater degree exhibited higher fitness, although this effect was sex‐dependent.

We suggest that these different relationships between isotopic niche trajectory length and fitness within thin‐toed frogs are driven by variability in the resource environment, negative density dependence and allometric constraints. These strong fitness effects suggest that the temporal dimension of diet change is a potential target of natural selection and, therefore, could drive correlated evolution in phenotypic traits underlying diet flexibility. Our findings add a new level of complexity to the understanding of ecological and evolutionary consequences of niche variation by demonstrating that temporal variation in foraging consistency within populations leads to different fitness pay‐offs.

A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article.
Cross‐seasonal legacy effects of arthropod community on plant fitness in perennial plants
Authors: Stam Jeltje M. , Kos Martine , Dicke Marcel , Poelman Erik H.
Published: June 2019

In perennial plants, interactions with other community members during the vegetative growth phase may influence community assembly during subsequent reproductive years and may influence plant fitness. It is well‐known that plant responses to herbivory affect community assembly within a growing season, but whether plant–herbivore interactions result in legacy effects on community assembly across seasons has received little attention. Moreover, whether plant–herbivore interactions during the vegetative growing season are important in predicting plant fitness directly or indirectly through legacy effects is poorly understood.

Here, we tested whether plant–arthropod interactions in the vegetative growing season of perennial wild cabbage plants, Brassica oleracea, result in legacy effects in arthropod community assembly in the subsequent reproductive season and whether legacy effects have plant fitness consequences. We monitored the arthropod community on plants that had been induced with either aphids, caterpillars or no herbivores in a full‐factorial design across 2 years. We quantified the plant traits ‘height’, ‘number of leaves’ and ‘number of flowers’ to understand mechanisms that may mediate legacy effects. We measured seed production in the second year to evaluate plant fitness consequences of legacy effects.

Although we did not find community responses to the herbivory treatments, our data show that community composition in the first year leaves a legacy on community composition in a second year: predator community composition co‐varied across years. Structural equation modelling analyses indicated that herbivore communities in the vegetative year correlated with plant performance traits that may have caused a legacy effect on especially predator community assembly in the subsequent reproductive year. Interestingly, the legacy of the herbivore community in the vegetative year predicted plant fitness better than the herbivore community that directly interacted with plants in the reproductive year.

Synthesis. Thus, legacy effects of plant–herbivore interactions affect community assembly on perennial plants across growth seasons and these processes may affect plant reproductive success. We argue that plant–herbivore interactions in the vegetative phase as well as in the cross‐seasonal legacy effects caused by plant responses to arthropod herbivory may be important in perennial plant trait evolution such as ontogenetic variation in growth and defence strategies.
Contrasting the Pb (II) and Cd (II) tolerance of Enterobacter sp. via its cellular stress responses
Authors: Jiang Zhongquan , Jiang Liu , Zhang Lin , Su Mu , Tian Da , Wang Tong , Sun Yalin , Nong Ying , Hu Shuijin , Wang Shimei , Li Zhen
Published: June 2019

Successful application of microorganisms to heavy metal remediation depends on their resistance to toxic metals. This study contrasted the differences of tolerant mechanisms between Pb2+ and Cd2+ in Enterobacter sp. Microbial respiration and production of formic acid showed that Enterobacter sp. had a higher tolerant concentration of Pb (>1000 mg l−1) than Cd (about 200 mg l−1). Additionally, SEM confirmed that most of Pb and Cd nanoparticles (NPs) were adsorbed onto cell membrane. The Cd stress, even at low concentration (50 mg l−1), significantly enlarged the sizes of cells. The cellular size raised from 0.4 × 1.0 to 0.9 × 1.6 μm on average, inducing a platelet‐like shape. In contrast, Pb cations did not stimulate such enlargement even up to 1000 mg l−1. Moreover, Cd NPs were adsorbed homogeneously by almost all the bacterial cells under TEM. However, only a few cells work as ‘hot spots’ on the sorption of Pb NPs. The heterogeneous sorption might result from a ‘self‐sacrifice’ mechanism, i.e., some cells at a special life stage contributed mostly to Pb sorption. This mechanism, together with the lower mobility of Pb cations, caused higher microbial tolerance and removal efficiency towards Pb2+. This study sheds evident contrasts of bacterial resistance to the two most common heavy metals.
Transcriptome responses to elevated CO2 level and Wolbachia‐infection stress in Hylyphantes graminicola (Araneae: Linyphiidae)
Authors: Su Qi‐Chen , Wang Xia , Deng Chan , Yun Yue‐Li , Zhao Yao , Peng Yu
Published: June 2019

Hylyphantes graminicola is a resident spider species found in maize and cotton fields and is an important biological control agent of various pests. Previous studies have demonstrated that stress from elevated CO2 and Wolbachia infection can strongly affect spider species. Thus, based on CO2 levels (400 ppm, current atmospheric CO2 concentration and 800 ppm, high CO2 concentration) and Wolbachia status (Wolbachia‐infected, W+ and Wolbachia‐uninfected, W−), we divided H. graminicola individuals into four treatment groups: W− 400 ppm, W− 800 ppm, W+ 400 ppm, and W+ 800 ppm. To investigate the effects of elevated CO2 levels (W− 400 vs W− 800), Wolbachia infection (W− 400 vs W+ 400), and the interactions between these two factors (W− 400 vs W+ 800), high‐throughput transcriptome sequencing was employed to characterize the de novo transcriptome of the spiders and identify stress‐related differentially expressed genes (DEGs). De novo assembly of complementary DNA sequences generated 86 688 unigenes, 23 938 of which were annotated in public databases. A total of 84, 21, and 157 DEGs were found among W− 400 vs W− 800, W− 400 vs W+ 400, and W− 400 vs W+ 800, respectively. Functional enrichment analysis revealed that metabolic processes, signaling, and catalytic activity were significantly affected by elevated CO2 levels and Wolbachia infection. Our findings suggest that the impact of elevated CO2 levels and Wolbachia infection on the H. graminicola transcriptome was, to a large extent, on genes involved in metabolic processes. This study is the first description of transcriptome changes in response to elevated CO2 levels and Wolbachia infection in spiders.
Associations between blood lead, cadmium, and mercury levels with hyperuricemia in the Korean general population: A retrospective analysis of population‐based nationally representative data
Authors: Jung Wonkil , Kim Yunkyung , Lihm Hoseob , Kang Jihun
Published: June 2019

Aim

An elevated serum uric acid level is associated with various diseases, such as gout, hypertension, renal impairment, and diabetes. Heavy metals, including lead and cadmium, are suspected to increase serum uric acid levels, but evidence regarding this is not sufficient, particularly in the Asian population. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the association between lead, cadmium and mercury exposure and hyperuricemia in the Korean general population.

Methods

We enrolled 2682 participants (1124 men and 1528 women) aged ≥19 years from The Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Sex‐ and hyperuricemic state‐stratified general characteristics of study participants were compared using the Chi‐square test, Student's t test, and Mann–Whitney U test for categorical, continuous, and non‐normally distributed continuous variables, respectively. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate the association between blood lead and cadmium levels and hyperuricemia.

Results

Subjects with hyperuricemia had higher blood lead and cadmium levels than those without hyperuricemia. Lead and cadmium exposure had a positive association with serum uric acid levels in a dose–response manner in the nationally representative Korean population. In logistic analysis, blood cadmium levels had a positive association with increasing risk for hyperuricemia only in men, and this association was more evident in cotinine‐verified non‐smokers. Although an incremental trend of hyperuricemia in relation to lead exposure was observed, it was not statistically significant.

Conclusion

Further studies are necessary to clarify the observed association, and public health strategies to reduce heavy metal exposure may be necessary for decreasing the potential harmful effects of hyperuricemia.
Cannabidiol inhibits sucrose self‐administration by CB1 and CB2 receptor mechanisms in rodents
Authors: Bi Guo‐Hua , Galaj Ewa , He Yi , Xi Zheng‐Xiong
Published: June 2019

A growing number of studies suggest therapeutic applications of cannabidiol (CBD), a recently U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)–approved medication for epilepsy, in treatment of many other neuropsychological disorders. However, pharmacological action and the mechanisms by which CBD exerts its effects are not fully understood. Here, we examined the effects of CBD on oral sucrose self‐administration in rodents and explored the receptor mechanisms underlying CBD‐induced behavioral effects using pharmacological and transgenic approaches. Systemic administration of CBD (10, 20, and 40 mg/kg, ip) produced a dose‐dependent reduction in sucrose self‐administration in rats and in wild‐type (WT) and CB1−/− mice but not in CB2−/− mice. CBD appeared to be more efficacious in CB1−/− mice than in WT mice. Similarly, pretreatment with AM251, a CB1R antagonist, potentiated, while AM630, a selective CB2R antagonist, blocked CBD‐induced reduction in sucrose self‐administration, suggesting the involvement of CB1 and CB2 receptors. Furthermore, systemic administration of JWH133, a selective CB2R agonist, also produced a dose‐dependent reduction in sucrose self‐administration in WT and CB1−/− mice, but not in CB2−/− mice. Pretreatment with AM251 enhanced, while AM630 blocked JWH133‐induced reduction in sucrose self‐administration in WT mice, suggesting that CBD inhibits sucrose self‐administration likely by CB1 receptor antagonism and CB2 receptor agonism. Taken together, the present findings suggest that CBD may have therapeutic potential in reducing binge eating and the development of obesity.
Reduced bioavailability of oral amoxicillin tablets compared to suspensions in Roux‐en‐Y gastric bypass bariatric subjects
Authors: Montanha Maiara Camotti , dos Santos Magon Thiago Ferreira , de Souza Alcantara Conrado , Simões Caroline Ferraz , Silva Sandra Regina Bin , Kuroda Cristina Megumi , Yamada Sérgio Seiji , de Oliveira Lucas Eduardo Savóia , Nasser Daoud , Junior Nelson Nardo , Mazucheli Josmar , Diniz Andrea , Paixão Paulo Jorge Pereira Alves , Kimura Elza
Published: June 2019

Aims

To evaluate the relative bioavailability of oral amoxicillin (AMX) tablets in comparison to AMX suspension in Roux‐en‐Y gastric bypass bariatric subjects.

Methods

A randomized, double‐blind, cross‐over study was performed on the bioavailability of oral AMX tablets and suspension in Roux‐en‐Y gastric bypass subjects operated at least 3 months previously . Doses of 875 mg of the AMX tablet or 800 mg of the AMX suspension were given to all the subjects, allowing a washout of 7 days between the periods. Blood samples were collected at 0, 0.25, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 4, 6 and 8 hours after drug administration and the AMX levels were quantified by liquid chromatography coupled with triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry. The pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated by noncompartmental analysis, normalized to an 875 mg dose and the bioavailability of the AMX from the tablets was compared to that from the suspension formulation.

Results

Twenty subjects aged 42.65 ± 7.21 years and with a body mass index of 29.88 ± 4.36 kg/m2 were enrolled in the study. The maximum AMX plasma concentration of the tablets and the suspension (normalized to 875 mg) were 7.42 ± 2.99 mg/L and 8.73 ± 3.26 mg/L (90% confidence interval of 70.71–99.11), and the total area under the curve from time zero to infinity were 23.10 ± 7.41 mg.h/L and 27.59 ± 8.32 mg.h/L (90% confidence interval of 71.25–97.32), respectively.

Conclusion

The tablets presented a lower bioavailability than the suspension formulation and the total absorbed amount of AMX in these subjects was lower in comparison to the standard AMX absorption rates in nonbariatric subjects, regardless of the formulation.
The duration of the third stage in relation to postpartum hemorrhage
Authors: van Ast Manon , Goedhart Martijn M. , Luttmer Roosmarijn , Orelio Claudia , Deurloo Koen L. , Veerbeek Jan
Published: June 2019

Introduction

In this study, we describe the distribution of placenta delivery and the incidence of postpartum hemorrhage in both spontaneous placental delivery and manual removal of the placenta.

Methods

A retrospective study was performed of 7603 singleton vaginal deliveries of a gestational age over 32 weeks, registered between September 2011 and 2016. We calculated the incidence of postpartum hemorrhage (≥1000 mL blood loss) per 10‐minute duration of the third stage. The odds ratio for developing postpartum hemorrhage was assessed, adjusted for risk factors. The incidence of postpartum hemorrhage was compared between women that did and did not receive manual removal of placenta.

Results

The median duration of the third stage was 10 minutes (interquartile range 7‐16 minutes). The median amount of blood loss was 300 mL (200‐400 mL). The overall incidence of postpartum hemorrhage was 8.5%. With every additional 10 minutes of third‐stage duration, the risk of developing postpartum hemorrhage significantly increased. In a third stage longer than 60 minutes, the incidence of postpartum hemorrhage was 21.2% without manual removal of the placenta and 70.3% with manual removal.

Conclusions

The incidence of postpartum hemorrhage increases significantly from 10 to 19 minutes into the third stage. Women with the removal of the placenta had a significantly higher percentage of postpartum hemorrhage. The optimal timing for manual removal of the placenta should be investigated in a carefully designed randomized controlled trial to examine whether earlier manual removal of placenta lowers the incidence and limits the severity of postpartum hemorrhage.
Knowledge structures for integrating working and learning: A reflection on a decade of learning technology research for workplace learning
Authors: Ley Tobias
Published: June 2019

Designing intelligent services for workplace learning presents a special challenge for researchers and developers of learning technology. One of the reasons is that considering learning as a situated and social practice is nowhere so important than in the case where learning is tightly integrated with workplace practices. The current paper analyses the experience of more than 10 years of research intending to offer intelligent services through capturing and leveraging knowledge structures in workplace learning. The reflection looks at results of several European research projects that have promoted this view. From this analysis, I arrive at a dichotomy of guidance versus emergence that describes how the technologies foregrounded one or the other, and what the effects of these design choices have been. I derive conclusions for dealing with this design trade‐off in terms of conceptual, technological and empirical research.