bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
RUNX3 regulates cell cycle-dependent chromatin dynamics by functioning as a pioneer factor of the restriction point
Authors: Lee Jung-Won , Kim Da-Mi , Jang Ju-Won , Park Tae-Geun , Lee You-Soub , Chi Xin-Zi , Park Il Yeong , Hyun Jin-Won , Ito Yoshiaki , Bae Suk-Chul
Published: September 2018

The cellular decision regarding whether to undergo proliferation or death is made at the restriction (R)-point, which is disrupted in nearly all tumors. The identity of the molecular mechanisms that govern the R-point decision is one of the fundamental issues in cell biology. We found that early after mitogenic stimulation, RUNX3 bound to its target loci, where it opened chromatin structure by sequential recruitment of Trithorax group proteins and cell-cycle regulators to drive cells to the R-point. Soon after, RUNX3 closed these loci by recruiting Polycomb repressor complexes, causing the cell to pass through the R-point toward S phase. If the RAS signal was constitutively activated, RUNX3 inhibited cell cycle progression by maintaining R-point-associated genes in an open structure. Our results identify RUNX3 as a pioneer factor for the R-point and reveal the molecular mechanisms by which appropriate chromatin modifiers are selectively recruited to target loci for appropriate R-point decisions.
Relative Principal Components Analysis: Application to Analyzing Biomolecular Conformational Changes
Authors: Ahmad Mazen , Helms Volkhard , Kalinina Olga V. , Lengauer Thomas
Published: September 2018

A new method termed “Relative Principal Components analysis” (RPCA) is introduced that extracts optimal relevant principal components to describe the change between two data samples representing two macroscopic states. The method is widely applicable in data-driven science. Calculating the components is based on a unified physical framework which introduces the objective function, namely the Kullback-Leibler divergence, appropriate for quantifying the change of the macroscopic state as it is effected by the microscopic features. To demonstrate the applicability of RPCA, we analyze the thermodynamically relevant conformational changes of the protein HIV-1 protease upon binding to different drug molecules. In this case, the RPCA method provides a sound thermodynamic foundation for the analysis of the binding process. The relevant collective (global) conformational changes can be reconstructed from the informative latent variables to exhibit both the enhanced and the restricted conformational fluctuations upon ligand association. Moreover, RPCA characterizes the locally relevant conformational changes which can be presented on the structure of the protein.
Cross-sectional and longitudinal research approaches: running pace and step characteristics of elite athletes in the 400-m hurdles
Authors: Otsuka Mitsuo , Isaka Tadao
Published: September 2018

The aim of this study was to clarify the running pace and step characteristics among various competitive-level 400-m hurdlers through cross-sectional and longitudinal research approaches. We analysed spatiotemporal data for 13 male world-class and 14 male national-level 400-m hurdlers. We analysed 16.8 ± 4.2 races for each world-class hurdler and 20.0 ± 6.0 races for each national-level hurdler (the total number of analysed runs was 499) using publicly available television and internet broadcasts. Cross-sectional approach showed that positive relationships of finish time were highly obtained between both first- (r = 0.901) and latter-half split times (r = 0.914). In contrast, the first- and latter-half split times were not significantly correlated to SL and SF. A multiple single-subject approach showed that 14/27 hurdlers were identified as being latter-half speed reliant. In contrast, no hurdlers demonstrated first-half reliance. In the latter half of the race, 12/27 hurdlers were identified as being SF reliant; no hurdlers demonstrated SL reliance. In conclusions, important findings regarding high performance in a cross-sectional research approach do not always corresponded with those in a longitudinal research approach. Athletes and coaches should carefully improve performance in the first half of the race based on an individualization principle for training.
Maternally-regulated gastrulation as a source of variation contributing to cavefish forebrain evolution
Authors: Torres-Paz Jorge , Leclercq Julien , Rétaux Sylvie
Published: September 2018

Sequential developmental events, starting from the moment of fertilization, are crucial for the acquisition of animal body plan. Subtle modifications in such early events are likely to have a major impact in later morphogenesis, bringing along morphological diversification. Here, comparing the blind cave and the surface morphotypes ofAstyanax mexicanusfish, we found heterochronies during gastrulation, producing organizer and axial mesoderm tissues with different properties, including differences in expression ofdkk1b, that may have contributed to cavefish brain evolution. These variations observed during gastrulation depend fully on maternal factors, whereas later phenotypic differences in neural development became progressively hidden when zygotic genes take the control over development. Transcriptomic analysis of fertilized eggs from both morphotypes and reciprocal F1 hybrids showed a strong and specific maternal signature. Our work strongly suggests that maternal effect genes and developmental heterochronies occurring during gastrulation have impacted morphological brain change during cavefish evolution.
Adaptive Encoding of Coordinating Information in the Crayfish Central Nervous System
Authors: Schneider Anna C. , Blumenthal Felix , Smarandache-Wellmann Carmen R.
Published: September 2018

Locomotion is essential for an animal’s survival. This behavior can range from directional changes to adapting the motor force to the conditions of its surroundings. Even if speed and force of movement are changing, the relative coordination between the limbs or body segments has to stay stable in order to provide the necessary thrust. The coordinating information necessary for this task is not always conveyed by sensory pathways. Adaptation is well studied in sensory neurons, but only few studies have addressed if and how coordinating information changes in cases where a local circuit within the central nervous system is responsible for the coordination between body segments at different locomotor activity states.

One system that does not depend on sensory information to coordinate a chain of coupled oscillators is the swimmeret system of crayfish. Here, the coordination of four coupled CPGs is controlled by central Coordinating Neurons. Cycle by cycle, the Coordinating Neurons encode information about the activity state of their home ganglion as burst of spikes, and send it as corollary discharge to the neighboring ganglia. Activity states, or excitation levels, are variable in both the living animal and isolated nervous system; yet the amount of coordinating spikes per burst is limited.

Here, we demonstrate that the system’s excitation level tunes the encoding properties of the Coordinating Neurons. Their ability to adapt to excitation level, and thus encode relative changes in their home ganglion’s activity states, is mediated by a balancing mechanism. Manipulation of cholinergic pathways directly affected the coordinating neurons’ electrophysiological properties. Yet, these changes were counteracted by the network’s influence. This balancing may be one feature to adapt the limited spike range to the system’s current activity state.
Synaptic proteins expressed by oligodendrocytes mediate CNS myelination
Authors: Hughes Alexandria N. , Appel Bruce
Published: September 2018

Oligodendrocytes ensheath neuronal axons with myelin, a proteolipid-rich membrane that increases conduction velocity and provides trophic support. Our lab and others have provided evidence that vesicular release from neurons promotes myelin sheath growth. Complementarily, transcriptomic and proteomic approaches have revealed that oligodendrocytes express many proteins that allow dendrites to sense and respond to vesicular release at synapses. Do axon-myelin contacts use similar communication mechanisms as nascent synapses to form myelin sheaths on axons? To test this, we used fusion proteins to track synaptic vesicle localization and membrane fusion within spinal cord axons of zebrafish larvae during developmental myelination. Additionally, we used a CRISPR/Cas9-mediated GAL4 enhancer trap and genetically-encoded intrabody to detect expression and localization of PSD-95, a component of dendritic postsynaptic complexes, within oligodendrocytes. We found that synaptic vesicles accumulate at ensheathment sites over time and are exocytosed with variable patterning underneath myelin sheaths. Accordingly, we also found that most, but not all sheaths localized PSD-95 with patterning similar to exocytosis site location within the axon. By querying published transcriptome databases, we found that oligodendrocytes express numerous transsynaptic adhesion molecules that function across synapses to promote synapse formation and maturation. Disruption of candidate PDZ-binding transsynaptic adhesion proteins in oligodendrocytes revealed that these proteins have variable effects on sheath length and number. We focused on one candidate, Cadm1b (SynCAM1), and demonstrated that it localized to myelin sheaths where both its PDZ binding and extracellular adhesion to axons are required for myelin sheath growth. Our work reveals shared mechanisms of synaptic and myelin plasticity and provides new targets for mechanistic unraveling of activity-regulated myelination.
Asymmetric adaptation reveals functional lateralization for graded versus discrete stimuli
Authors: Desrochers Melanie , Lang Marianne , Hendricks Michael
Published: September 2018

Abstract 150 words

Animal navigation strategies depend on the nature of the environmental cues used. In the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, navigation has been studied in the context of gradients of attractive or repellent stimuli as well is in response to acute aversive stimuli. We wanted to better understand how sensory responses to the same stimulus vary between graded and acute stimuli, and how this variation relates to behavioral responses. C. elegans has two salt-sensing neurons, ASEL and ASER, that show opposite responses to stepped changes in stimulus levels, however only ASER has been shown to play a prominent role in salt chemotaxis. We used pre-exposure to natural stimuli to manipulate the responsiveness of these neurons and tested their separate contributions to behavior. Our results suggest ASEL is specialized for responses to acute stimulus changes. We also found that ASER remains responsive to graded stimuli under conditions where it is unresponsive to large steps.
In vitro and intracellular activity of imipenem combined with tedizolid, rifabutin, and avibactam against Mycobacterium abscessus
Authors: Run Eva Le , Arthur Michel , Mainardi Jean-Luc
Published: September 2018

Mycobacterium abscessus has emerged as a significant pathogen responsible for chronic pulmonary infections in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients, which are difficult to treat due to resistance to a broad range of antibiotics. The initial phase of the recommended treatment in CF patients includes imipenem used without any β-lactamase inhibitor in spite of the production of the β-lactamase BlaMab. Here, we determine whether the addition of tedizolid, a once-daily oxazolidinone, improves the activity of imipenem alone or in combination with a β-lactamase inhibitor, avibactam, and rifabutin.

The activity of the drugs was evaluated against M. abscessus CIP104536 by determining in vitro and intracellular antibacterial activities. The impact of BlaMab inhibition by avibactam on antibiotic activity was assessed by comparing CIP104536 and its β-lactamase-deficient derivative (ΔblaMab).

The minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of tedizolid against M. abscessus CIP104536 and ΔblaMab were 4 μg/mL. Tedizolid combined with imipenem showed a moderate synergistic effect with fractional inhibitory concentration (FIC) indexes of 0.41 and 0.38 for CIP104536 and ΔblaMab, respectively. For both strains, the addition of tedizolid at 2 μg/mL, corresponding to the peak serum concentration, increased the intracellular efficacy of imipenem at 8 and 32 μg/mL. Addition of avibactam and rifabutin improved the activity of the imipenem-tedizolid combination against CIP104536S.

The imipenem-tedizolid combination should be further considered for the treatment of M. abscessus pulmonary infections in CF patients. The efficacy of the treatment might benefit from the use of a β-lactamase inhibitor, such as avibactam, and the addition of rifabutin.
Biosynthesis of Circular RNA ciRS-7/CDR1as Is Mediated by Mammalian-Wide Interspersed Repeats (MIRs)
Authors: Yoshimoto Rei , Rahimi Karim , Hansen Thomas , Kjems Jørgen , Mayeda Akila
Published: September 2018

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are stable noncoding RNAs with a closed circular structure. One of the first and best studied circRNAs is ciRS-7 (CDR1as) that acts as a regulator of the microRNA miR-7, however, the biosynthesis pathway has remained an enigma. Here we delineate the biosynthesis pathway of ciRS-7. The back-splicing events that form circRNAs are often facilitated by flanking inverted repeats of the primate-specific Alu elements. ciRS-7 gene lacks these elements but, instead, we identified a set of flanking inverted elements belonging to the mammalian-wide interspersed repeat (MIR) family. Splicing reporter assays in HEK293 cells demonstrated that these inverted MIRs are required to generate ciRS-7 through a back-splicing and CRISPR/Cas9-mediated deletions confirmed the requirement of the endogenous MIR elements in SH-SY5Y cells. Using bioinformatics searches, we identified several other MIR-dependent circRNAs that we confirmed experimentally. We propose that MIR-mediated RNA circularization constitutes a new widespread biosynthesis principle for mammalian circRNAs.
Mismatch-repair signature mutations activate gene enhancers across colorectal cancer epigenomes
Authors: Hung Stevephen , Saiakhova Alina , Faber Zachary , Bartels Cynthia F. , Neu Devin , Bayles Ian , Ojo Evelyn , Hong Ellen S. , Pontius W. Dean , Morton Andrew R. , Liu Ruifu , Kalady Matthew , Wald David N. , Markowitz Sanford , Scacheri Peter C.
Published: September 2018

Commonly-mutated genes have been found for many cancers, but less is known about mutations incis-regulatory elements. We leverage gains in tumor-specific enhancer activity, coupled with allele-biased mutation detection from H3K27ac ChIP-seq data, to pinpoint potential enhancer-activating mutations in colorectal cancer (CRC). Analysis of a genetically-diverse cohort of CRC specimens revealed that microsatellite instable (MSI) samples have a high indel rate within active enhancers. Enhancers with indels show evidence of positive selection, increased target gene expression, and a subset is highly recurrent. The indels affect short homopolymer tracts of A/T and increase affinity for FOX transcription factors. We further demonstrate that signature mismatch-repair (MMR) mutations activate enhancers using a xenograft tumor metastasis model, where mutations are induced naturally via CRISPR/Cas9 inactivation ofMLH1prior to tumor cell injection. Our results suggest that MMR signature mutations activate or augment enhancers in CRC tumor epigenomes to provide a selective advantage.
Imaging breast cancer using a dual-ligand nanochain particle
Authors: Covarrubias Gil , Cha Anthony , Rahmy Abdelrahman , Lorkowski Morgan , Perera Vindya , Erokwu Bernadette O. , Flask Chris , Peiris Pubudu M. , Schiemann William P. , Karathanasis Efstathios
Published: September 2018

Nanoparticles often only exploit the upregulation of a receptor on cancer cells to enhance intratumoral deposition of therapeutic and imaging agents. However, a single targeting moiety assumes that a tumor is homogenous and static. Tumoral microenvironments are both heterogenous and dynamic, often displaying variable spatial and temporal expression of targetable receptors throughout disease progression. Here, we evaluated the in vivo performance of an iron oxide nanoparticle in terms of targeting and imaging of orthotropic mouse models of aggressive breast tumors. The nanoparticle, a multi-component nanochain, was comprised of 3-5 iron oxide nanoparticles chemically linked in a linear chain. The nanoparticle’s surface was decorated with two types of ligands each targeting two different upregulated biomarkers on the tumor endothelium, P-selectin and fibronectin. The nanochain exhibited improved tumor deposition not only through vascular targeting but also through its elongated structure. A single-ligand nanochain exhibited a ∼2.5-fold higher intratumoral deposition than a spherical nanoparticle variant. Furthermore, the dual-ligand nanochain exhibited higher consistency in generating detectable MR signals compared to a single-ligand nanochain. Using a 7T MRI, the dual-ligand nanochains exhibited highly detectable MR signal within 3h after injection in two different animal models of breast cancer.
Evaluation of discontinuities in friction stir welds of aluminum matrix composites
Authors: Morales Cindy Estefanía , Miranda Argelia Fabiola , Pérez Gladys Yerania , Hurtado Eduardo
Published: September 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the welding quality of the friction stir joints of Al-SiC with diverse shape of pin geometry tools.

Design/methodology/approach

Aluminum matrix composites are gaining unlimited interest and special position in aeronautical industry because of their properties enhanced by the presence of ceramic reinforcement, such as lower density, dimensional stability, exceptional wear and abrasion resistance. Friction stir welding arises as a promising welding process with more advantages than traditional fusion process in the joining of aeronautical components with the utilization of a non-consumable rotational tool shaped by a shoulder and a pin, which can be designed in as many possible geometries. However, the welding quality is not always achieved when varying these pin configurations.

Findings

The fabrication and implementation of different pin geometry tools to weld the plates of the material allows to study the behavior of the joints assessing some discontinuities produced in the welds.

Practical implications

To examine the microstructural evolution and its behavior in the different zones of the joint, the practical implication consists in the use of different characterization techniques like the optic microscopy and scanning microscopy, furthermore mechanical test such as the measurement of hardness.

Originality/value

The study of the joints uses different welding tool geometries that were fabricated at prototype scale contribute in the microstructural analysis as well as in the evaluation of the possible discontinuities that are presented.
Making communities disaster resilient
Authors: Pandey Chandra Lal
Published: September 2018

Purpose

Understanding bottom-up approaches including local coping mechanisms, recognizing them and strengthening community capacities is important in the process of disaster risk reduction. The purpose of this paper is to address the questions: to what extent existing disaster policies in Nepal support and enable community-based disaster resilience? and what challenges and prospects do the communities have in responding to disaster risk for making communities resilient?

Design/methodology/approach

This paper is based on policy and academic literature reviews complimented by field research in two communities, one in Shankhu, Kathmandu district and another in Satthighare, Kavrepalanchowk district in Nepal. The author conducted in-depth interviews and mapped out key disaster-related policies of Nepal to investigate the role of communities in disaster risk management and post-disaster activities and their recognition in disaster-related policies.

Findings

The author found that existing literature clearly identifies the importance of the community led initiatives in risks reduction and management. It is evolutionary phenomenon, which has already been piloted in history including in the aftermath of Nepal earthquake 2015 yet existing policies of Nepal do not clearly identify it as an important component by providing details of how communities can be better engaged in the immediate aftermath of disaster occurrence.

Research limitations/implications

The author conducted this research based on data from two earthquake affected areas only. The author believes that this research can still play an important role as representative study.

Practical implications

The practical implication of this research is that communities need to understand about risks society for disaster preparedness, mitigation and timely response in the aftermath of disasters. As they are the first responders against the disasters, they also need trainings such as disaster drills such as earthquakes, floods and fire and mock practice of various early warning systems can be conducted by local governments to prepare these communities better to reduce disaster risk and casualties.

Social implications

The mantra of community-based disaster risk management (CBDRM) is community engagement, which means the involvement of local people to understand and prepare against their local hazards and risks associated with disaster and haphazard development. CBDRM approaches motivate people to work together because they feel a sense of belongingness to their communities and recognize the benefits of their involvement in disaster mitigation and preparedness. Clearly, community engagement for disaster risk reduction and management brings great benefits in terms of ownership and direct savings in losses from disasters because the dynamic process allows community to contribute and interchange ideas and activities for inclusive decision making and problem solving.

Originality/value

This research is based on both primary and secondary data and original in case of its findings and conclusion.
Driving forces influencing the uptake of sustainable housing in New Zealand
Authors: Li Xintong , Liu Yisheng , Wilkinson S. , Liu Tingting
Published: September 2018

Purpose

Sustainable houses remain at a low rate among the housing stock in New Zealand. Government, industry and the public are wanting to deliver homes that are energy and water efficient, healthy and adaptive to the climate. The purpose of this paper is to find out the driving forces influencing the uptake of sustainable housing in New Zealand.

Design/methodology/approach

Comparative case studies of Hobsonville Point, Wynyard Quarter and Long Bay were adopted as the primary research method. Semi-structured interviews and an online survey were both conducted for data collection to increase the validity of the research.

Findings

Central and local governments were the most effective driving forces for encouraging sustainable housing. Corporate brand and leadership were critical drivers for public-owned companies, whereas private-owned companies were mainly driven by local governments’ policies and strategies. Social awareness and client demand were increasing to influence the sustainable housing, but there was still room for improvement.

Research limitations/implications

The developers can learn from the sustainable development frameworks to set the sustainability goals. Policymakers can draw lessons from the public sectors’ experiences to carry out new policies and inspire the private sectors to follow. Besides, the basic framework could help the further study to use a larger sample size and more rigorous statistical analysis to explore the synergies among the identified drivers.

Originality/value

This paper provides the useful information on how to promote the uptake of sustainable housing in New Zealand.
Tata: the biggest boardroom coup
Authors: Sudhakar Goparaju Purna
Published: September 2018

Subject area

Corporate governance; General management; Strategy

Study level/applicability

Post Graduate/MBA

Case overview

Tata Group is a conglomerate having 29 listed companies with consolidated revenues of $103bn in FY2016. On October 24, 2016, Cyrus Mistry, chairman of the group has been replaced in an unceremonious way from this job, in a boardroom coup, without being given any opportunity to explain his case. This news arrived in the media between October 2016 and December 2016 and wide and public debates took place on the corporate governance practices of Tata Group. Mistry’s ouster was attributed to non-performance, unethical practices and non-compliance to Tata culture. This case presents the Tata Group performance before Mistry, at the ouster of Mistry, the major trouble points and the corporate governance activities that took place in this saga at Tata Group. The real losers in this battle were the investors who lost $12bn between October 2016 and December 2016. Many of Tata Group companies’ stocks plunged.

Expected learning outcomes

The students will learn corporate governance, know how a non-listed company control and govern listed entities, know the way performance of a chairman of a company has been evaluated and learn how ethical and cultural issues impact the performance of chairman of a listed company.

Supplementary materials

Teaching Notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes.

Subject code

CSS: 11: Strategy
Simulation and experimental analysis of heat transfer characteristics in the plate type heat exchangers using TiO2/water nanofluid
Authors: Khanlari Ataollah , Sözen Adnan , Variyenli Halil İbrahim
Published: September 2018

Purpose

The plate heat exchangers (PHE) with small size but large efficiency are compact types of heat exchangers formed by corrugated thin pressed plates, operating at higher pressures when compared to most other traditional exchangers. This paper aims to analyze heat transfer characteristics in the PHE experimentally and numerically.

Design/methodology/approach

Computational fluid dynamics analysis has been used to simulate the problem by using the ANSYS fluent 16 software. Also, the effect of using TiO2/water nanofluid as working fluid was investigated. TiO2/water nanofluid had 2% (Wt/Wt) nanoparticle content. To improve solubility of the TiO2 nanoparticles, Triton X-100 was added to the mixture. The results have been achieved in different working condition with changes in fluid flow rate and its temperature.

Findings

The obtained results showed that using TiO2/water nanofluid improved the overall heat transfer coefficient averagely as 6%, whereas maximum improvement in overall heat transfer coefficient was 10%. Also, theoretical and experimental results are in line with each other.

Originality/value

The most important feature which separates the present study from the literature is that nanofluid is prepared by using TiO2 nanoparticles in optimum size and mixing ratio with surfactant usage to prevent sedimentation and flocculation problems. This process also prevents particle accumulation that may occur inside the PHE. The main aim of the present study is to predict heat transfer characteristics of nanofluids in a plate heat exchanger. Therefore, it will be possible to analyze thermal performance of the nanofluids without any experiment.
Structural equation modeling of lean manufacturing practices in a developing country context
Authors: Shrafat Fayiz Dahash , Ismail Mohammad
Published: September 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to empirically examine lean manufacturing (LM) practices and to quantify their impact on business performance (BP), with particular emphasis on the mediating role of operational performance (OP) in deriving the BP benefits commonly linked with LM. It also seeks to identify those lean practices most appropriate for application.

Design/methodology/approach

Empirical data on LM practices were collected using a structured survey questionnaire. The sampling frame was Jordanian companies registered and listed by the Amman Chamber of Commerce. In total, 500 questionnaires were distributed among 300 companies and a total of 249 completed questionnaires were eligible for statistical processing, a response rate of 49.8 percent. Invalid questionnaires were eliminated, leaving 228 usable. The theoretical relations were tested by structural equation modeling.

Findings

Although the results of the statistical analysis indicate a positive and significant impact of implementing LM practices on both OP and BP, they also show that the various LM practices did not receive equal recognition among the organizations surveyed. The most commonly adopted lean principles were found to be total preventive maintenance, statistical process control and housekeeping 5S.

Research limitations/implications

Other lean practices have not been considered as a dimension in this study. However, it opens new avenues of investigation relevant to lean practices.

Practical implications

The most significant implication of the study is that managers in manufacturing firms should place more emphasis on LM practices when developing strategies for leveraging performance. The study shows that the LM approach contributes to BP when LM practices are simultaneously implemented.

Originality/value

The originality of this study lies in the new context in which it was conducted. The study adds value by investigating the implementation of LM practices which have been transferred from developed to developing countries and by empirically examining their impact on key performance indicators within the Jordanian manufacturing sector.
How does home country bribery affect firms’ foreign market focus?
Authors: Kim Jinsil , Weng David H. , Lee Seung-Hyun (Sean)
Published: September 2018

Purpose

Drawing on the bribery literature, this paper aims to examine the effect of bribes paid in the home country on firms’ decision to internationalize through exports from transition economies. It also investigates whether the effect of home country bribery may vary from new ventures to established firms, and from those firms that operate in an environment with high to low informal competition.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper tests several hypotheses using a panel data with fixed effects based on a sample of firms in transition economies from the Business Environment and Enterprise Performance Survey.

Findings

First, home country bribery in transition economies can make domestic markets more lenient and dampen firms’ motivation to seek opportunities abroad. Second, new ventures have a higher motivation to focus on their domestic markets after paying bribes. Finally, despite the benefits accrued in the home country through bribery, firms that face a higher level of informal competition in the home country are more likely to seek opportunities abroad.

Practical implications

Managers in transition economies should consider their home country bribery activities in their evaluation of foreign market opportunities. Firms that use money to influence home country government officials, especially new ventures, are advised to have a more holistic view in evaluating foreign market opportunities so they will not miss out on new opportunities.

Originality/value

This paper advances literature on home country institutions and the research on firm global strategies. Moreover, it also highlights several contingencies that shape the effect of home country bribery on firms’ foreign market focus.
Impact of customer orientation on word-of-mouth and cross-buying
Authors: Mukerjee Kaushik , Shaikh Ateeque
Published: September 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the direct impact of proactive customer orientation (PCO) and responsive customer orientation (RCO) on word-of-mouth (WoM) and cross-buying (CB). Further, this study tests the mediating role of perceived value (PV) in the relationship between customer orientation (CO) (PCO and RCO) and WoM as well as CB in the context of retail banking in an emerging market, India.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors used cross sectional survey research design to collect data from 443 customers of retail banks in India. The authors analyzed the data using IBM AMOS 23.0 taking structural equation modeling approach to test the hypothesized relationships.

Findings

The findings of the study suggest that PCO positively influences CB but there is no significant relationship between PCO and WoM. RCO positively influences WoM and CB. PV partially mediates the relationship between RCO and WoM as well as CB. PV does not mediate the relationship between PCO and WoM or the relationship between PCO and CB.

Practical implications

This study shows that managers need to focus on proactive as well as RCO. Further, managers need to adopt RCO in order to ensure cross-buying and promote WoM recommendations by customers. By practicing PCO managers can promote CB. Also, managers will be able to enhance CB and promote WoM recommendations if the value delivered by the bank is perceived to be adequate by customers.

Originality/value

This study contributes to current knowledge in retail banking by testing the relationship between CO and CB as well as WoM through data obtained from customers in an emerging economy. This study also tests the mediating role of PV for the above-mentioned relationships.
Interaction through boundary objects: controversy and friction within digitalization
Authors: Fremont Vincent Hocine Jean , Frick Jens Eklinder , Åge Lars-Johan , Osarenkhoe Aihie
Published: September 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze friction and controversies with interaction processes and their effects on forming new resource interfaces, through the lens of boundary objects.

Design/methodology/approach

The empirical setting consists of two organizations that are trying to enhance their competitive advantage through digitalization. During the process of data collection four different boundary objects were identified. The study illustrates how these boundary objects were characterized in terms of their modularity, standardization, abstractness and tangibility. This paper provides an analysis of how respondents perceived that the development of these boundary objects affected the creation of novel resource interfaces, and the resulting friction and controversy between new and old structures.

Findings

The study concludes that within a producer–user setting a focal boundary object will take on tangible and standardized properties, and the interaction process will expose friction in terms of both power struggles and resource incompatibilities. On the other hand, a boundary object’s modularity gives the actors central to the interaction room to maneuver and avoid resource incompatibilities and the development setting will hence be characterized by controversies.

Originality/value

The analysis indicates that the way individuals perceive boundary objects is central to interaction processes, answering calls for studies that investigate the role of objects within subject-to-object interaction.
Exploring the effects of corporate governance and human governance on management commentary disclosure
Authors: Said Roshima , Abdul Rahim Ariffah Ashikin , Hassan Rohail
Published: September 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of corporate governance and human governance on management commentary disclosure among Malaysian Public Listed in the Main Market, Bursa Malaysia.

Design/methodology/approach

The annual reports of 150 companies listed on the main market, Bursa Malaysia, for the year ended 2014, are examined to analyze the company’s management commentary disclosure using content analysis. A management commentary disclosure index was developed based on the five elements that had been established by the Malaysian Accounting Standards Board (MASB) in Practices of Management Commentary’s framework. The study considers four corporate governance mechanisms such as board composition, board size, board’s education and ownership structure. Structural equation modeling (SEM -PLS), partial least squares (PLS) and SmartPLS software were used to measure the impact of corporate governance and human capital on management commentary disclosure.

Findings

The results reveal that most of the information disclosure by Malaysian Listed companies was not presented in a complete and balanced manner and not providing an insight because they are more focused on describing the process. Besides, there was no clear link between companies’ strategies and performance measure. Consequently, the reporting is not balanced and cannot assist the shareholders in understanding the opportunities and risk associated with the business. The results, based on a structural model, indicated that only two variables, namely, board size and board independence, showed a positive and significant influence on the degree of disclosure information of management commentary. Board independence is the most significant variable that influences the degree of corporate governance and human capital on management commentary disclosure.

Originality/value

The study contributes to the information disclosure literature as it presents in empirical evidence proving that governance mechanism affects the management commentary disclosure of information by companies. This study also provides additional information which is expedient to other researchers since there is lack of studies in management commentary which relates the attributes of corporate and human governance mechanisms as key drivers in providing management commentary information. Importantly, this study will stimulate the interest of academics in research activities concerning the attributes of governance mechanisms and corporate and human governance on management commentary activities.
Frugivore biodiversity and complementarity in interaction networks enhance landscape‐scale seed dispersal function
Authors: García Daniel , Donoso Isabel , Rodríguez‐Pérez Javier
Published: September 2018

Animal biodiversity matters for the provision of ecosystem functions derived from trophic activity. However, the mechanisms underlying this pattern remain elusive since animal abundance and diversity, which are the components commonly used for representing biodiversity, provide poor information about ecological complementarity in species assemblages. An approach based on species interaction networks may overcome this constraint.

Here, we relate frugivore biodiversity and frugivore–plant network structure with landscape‐scale seed dispersal function. We sampled, for two years, and at fourteen plots with variable assemblages of frugivores and plants in the Cantabrian Range (N Spain), data on the abundance and diversity of frugivorous birds, the consumption of fleshy fruits of woody plants and the landscape‐scale patterns of avian seed deposition. As a measure of interaction complementarity in seed dispersal networks, we estimated the degree to which frugivore and plant species specialize in their interacting partners.

Specialization varied strongly across the seed dispersal networks of the different plots, being higher in networks harbouring smaller bird species that dispersed mostly small‐fruited plants, and also in networks with late‐ripening, dominant fruiting species dispersed mostly by wintering birds.

Bird abundance markedly affected seed deposition. Plots harbouring more birds received a higher density of dispersed seeds and showed higher probabilities of seed arrival and seed deposition in open microhabitats. Bird diversity also had a positive effect on the density of dispersed seed and, to a lesser extent, seed arrival probability. Independently of frugivore abundance and diversity, the density of dispersed seeds increased in plots where seed dispersal networks showed a higher degree of specialization.

This study considers the structure of interaction networks to re‐address the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem functionality, evidencing that specialization in frugivore–plant networks drives the large‐scale process of seed dispersal. These results encourage the consideration of interaction complementarity as an underlying mechanism linking animal biodiversity and trophic‐related functions.
Knowledge transfer in age‐diverse coworker dyads in China and Germany: How and when do age‐inclusive human resource practices have an effect?
Authors: Burmeister Anne , van der Heijden Beatrice , Yang Jie , Deller Jürgen
Published: September 2018

Knowledge transfer between age‐diverse employees is gaining importance because of demographic change. We took a relational perspective to examine the indirect effect of human resource practices on knowledge transfer through age‐diversity climate in age‐diverse coworker dyads and contextualised our model by testing country difference and dyadic age difference as moderators. We used data from 159 age‐diverse coworker dyads from China and Germany to test our hypotheses. We found that perceived age‐inclusive human resource practices were positively associated with knowledge sharing and receiving through age‐diversity climate. However, we did not find support for our hypothesis that these indirect effects differed when comparing China and Germany as examples of collectivist and individualist countries. Furthermore, we did not identify the proposed moderating effects of dyadic age difference as the indirect effects of age‐inclusive human resource practices were not significantly different for age‐diverse coworker dyads in which dyadic age difference was high (vs. low).
Iron Fortification of Spiced Vinegar in the Philippines
Authors: Lopez Barrera Emely C. , Gaur Shashank , Andrade Juan E. , Engeseth Nicki J. , Nielsen Christine , Helferich William G.
Published: September 2018

Despite existent fortification initiatives in the Philippines, approximately 50% of the population still suffers from iron deficiency anemia (IDA), mainly in rural areas. Fortification of staple foods has been proved successful in China and Vietnam. Coconut spiced vinegar (SV) is an inexpensive, widely available, and culturally acceptable condiment in Filipino households; however, no technical evidence exists on its potential as fortification vehicle. This study aimed to physicochemically characterize and evaluate the consumer acceptability of SV fortified with ferrous sulfate (FS), ferrous fumarate (FF), or sodium iron ethylenediaminetetraacetate (NaFeEDTA) at 0.2 mg Fe/mL. Iron fortificants were added directly to SV, vortexed, and stored for analysis. A nonfortified SV served as a control. Physicochemical analyses (pH, titratable acidity, color, turbidity, and iron recovery) were conducted from 0 to 6 months postfortification. Consumer acceptability (9‐point hedonic scale: color, appearance, aroma, sourness, and overall acceptability) was conducted using 1‐month fortified vinegar in 96 students and 27 women. Iron recovery of fortified samples was high and similar (>97%) after 3 days of fortification and remained >87% at 6 months postfortification. All samples had minimum acidity of 5.31% and pH between 3.12 and 3.3. Color difference against the control followed the next order: SV‐NaFeEDTA < SV‐FS = SV‐FF. Among students, acceptability of SV‐FS and SV‐FF were lower than the control and SV‐NaFeEDTA for all attributes (P < 0.05) except aroma. In women, overall acceptability and aroma were not different among samples (P > 0.05). Overall, SV‐NaFeEDTA had similar acceptability to the control, and was the most accepted fortified vinegar. SV‐NaFeEDTA shows potential (in terms of physicochemical stability and consumer acceptability) to be used as an iron‐delivery vehicle to address IDA.

Practical Application

The present study addresses the technical and organoleptic challenges of fortifying Filipino spiced vinegar with three iron sources. About 50% of the Filipino population (especially women and children) still suffers from iron deficiency, thus, more effective ways to deliver iron are needed. If successful, our study could pose as the base milestone for implementing mass iron fortification of spiced vinegar, given its frequent consumption and reach of all socioeconomic pockets of the Filipino population. Our aim is to improve the overall nutritional health of at‐risk populations, and our study is one step closer to achieve this goal.
Unveiling the RNA virosphere associated with marine microorganisms
Authors: Urayama Syun‐ichi , Takaki Yoshihiro , Nishi Shinro , Yoshida‐Takashima Yukari , Deguchi Shigeru , Takai Ken , Nunoura Takuro
Published: September 2018

The study of extracellular DNA viral particles in the ocean is currently one of the most advanced fields of research in viral metagenomic analysis. However, even though the intracellular viruses of marine microorganisms might be the major source of extracellular virus particles in the ocean, the diversity of these intracellular viruses is not well understood. Here, our newly developed method, referred to herein as fragmented and primer ligated dsRNA sequencing (flds) version 2, identified considerable genetic diversity of marine RNA viruses in cell fractions obtained from surface seawater. The RNA virus community appears to cover genome sequences related to more than half of the established positive‐sense ssRNA and dsRNA virus families, in addition to a number of unidentified viral lineages, and such diversity had not been previously observed in floating viral particles. In this study, more dsRNA viral contigs were detected in host cells than in extracellular viral particles. This illustrates the magnitude of the previously unknown marine RNA virus population in cell fractions, which has only been partially assessed by cellular metatranscriptomics and not by contemporary viral metagenomic studies. These results reveal the importance of studying cell fractions to illuminate the full spectrum of viral diversity on Earth.
Geographical ecology and conservation of Eugenia L. (Myrtaceae) in the Brazilian Cerrado: Past, present and future
Authors: Oliveira Hauanny Rodrigues , Staggemeier Vanessa G. , Quintino Faria Jair Eustáquio , de Oliveira Guilherme , Diniz‐Filho José Alexandre F.
Published: September 2018

Human actions have caused the fragmentation of natural vegetation, habitat loss and climate change. The Cerrado, considered one of the global hotspots of diversity, has suffered great habitat loss due to these factors, which has been aggravated by the agricultural expansion that took place during the last 60 years. In this context, we chose species of the genus Eugenia L. (Myrtaceae) occurring in the Brazilian Cerrado to describe richness patterns and range loss, and determine conservation priorities for the Cerrado. Ecological niche models (ENMs) were applied to calculate the geographical range of each species in the past (Last Glacial Maximum – LGM, 21 000 years ago), present (PIP, representing current climatic conditions – 1760 years ago) and future (near future – NF, 2080–2100). These results were combined to calculate the richness of the group and also to estimate the range loss of these species in the future. Moreover, we evaluated the irreplaceability of areas for species conservation, aiming to maximize the biotic stability of Eugenia species. Our results showed that the highest species richness in the past was found in the southwestern region of the Cerrado and, currently, the richest regions are found in the central and southeastern areas. However, in the future, we predict a shift of the greatest values of richness towards the southeastern region, an area currently occupied by the Atlantic forest. Although areas with high conservation priorities were found scattered across the biome, this shift is worrisome due to the high fragmentation rate and intensive human occupation thoughout the Atlantic region. Thus, conservation efforts should focus on areas found within these limits.