bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Intersubject consistent dynamic connectivity during natural vision revealed by functional MRI
Authors: Di Xin , Biswal Bharat B
Published: October 2019

The functional communications between brain regions are thought to be dynamic. However, it is usually difficult to elucidate whether the observed dynamic connectivity is functionally meaningful or simply due to noise during unconstrained task conditions such as resting-state. During naturalistic conditions, such as watching a movie, it has been shown that local brain activities, e.g. in the visual cortex, are consistent across subjects. Following similar logic, we propose to study intersubject correlations of the time courses of dynamic connectivity during naturalistic conditions to extract functionally meaningful dynamic connectivity patterns. We analyzed a functional MRI (fMRI) dataset when the subjects watched a short animated movie. We calculated dynamic connectivity by using sliding window technique, and quantified the intersubject correlations of the time courses of dynamic connectivity. Although the time courses of dynamic connectivity are thought to be noisier than the original signals, we found similar level of intersubject correlations of dynamic connectivity to those of regional activity. Most importantly, highly consistent dynamic connectivity could occur between regions that did not show high intersubject correlations of regional activity, and between regions with little stable functional connectivity. The analysis highlighted higher order brain regions such as the default mode network that dynamically interacted with posterior visual regions during the movie watching, which may be associated with the understanding of the movie.

Highlights

Intersubject consistency may provide a complementary approach to study brain dynamic connectivity

Widespread brain regions showed highly consistent dynamic connectivity during movie watching, while these regions themselves did not show highly consistent regional activity

Consistent dynamic connectivity often occurred between regions from different functional systems
Human iPSC modeling reveals mutation-specific responses to gene therapy in Best disease
Authors: Sinha Divya , Steyer Benjamin , Shahi Pawan K. , Mueller Katherine , Valiauga Rasa , Edwards Kimberly L. , Bacig Cole , Steltzer Stephanie S. , Srinivasan Sandhya , Abdeen Amr , Cory Evan , Periyasamy Viswesh , Siahpirani Alireza Fotuhi , Stone Edwin M. , Tucker Budd A , Roy Sushmita , Pattnaik Bikash R. , Saha Krishanu , Gamm David M.
Published: October 2019

Dominantly inherited disorders are not typically considered therapeutic candidates for gene augmentation. Here, we utilized patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cell-derived retinal pigment epithelium (iPSC-RPE) to test the potential of gene augmentation to treat Best disease, a dominant macular dystrophy caused by over 200 missense mutations in BEST1. Gene augmentation in iPSC-RPE fully restored BEST1 calcium-activated chloride channel activity and improved rhodopsin degradation in iPSC-RPE models of recessive bestrophinopathy and dominant Best disease caused by two different ion binding domain mutations. A dominant Best disease iPSC-RPE model that did not respond to gene augmentation showed normalization of BEST1 channel activity following CRISPR-Cas9 editing of the mutant allele. We then tested gene editing in all three dominant Best disease iPSC-RPE models, which produced premature stop codons exclusively within the mutant BEST1 alleles. Single-cell profiling demonstrated no adverse perturbation of RPE transcriptional programs in any model, although off-target analysis detected a silent genomic alteration in one model. These results suggest that gene augmentation is a viable first-line approach for some dominant Best disease patients and that non-responders are candidates for alternate approaches such as genome editing. However, testing genome editing strategies for on-target efficiency and off-target events using patient-matched iPSC-RPE model systems is warranted. In summary, personalized iPSC-RPE models can be used to select among a growing list of gene therapy options to maximize safety and efficacy while minimizing time and cost. Similar scenarios likely exist for other genotypically diverse channelopathies, expanding the therapeutic landscape for affected patients.

Significance

Dominantly inherited disorders pose distinct challenges for gene therapies, particularly in the face of extreme mutational diversity. We tested whether a broad gene replacement strategy could reverse the cellular phenotype of Best disease, a dominant blinding condition that targets retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). Using RPE generated from patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), we show that gene replacement functionally overcomes some, but not all, of the tested mutations. In comparison, all dominant Best disease models tested were phenotypically corrected after mutation-specific genome editing, although one off-target genomic alteration was discovered. Our results support a two-tiered approach to gene therapy for Best disease, guided by safety and efficacy testing in iPSC-RPE models to maximize personal and public health value.
The transcriptional response of genes to RpoS concentration in Escherichia coli is not determined by core promoter sequences
Authors: Beeler Suzannah M. , Doering Christopher R. , Tran Sarena , Stoebel Daniel M.
Published: October 2019

The alternative sigma factor RpoS is an important regulatory protein in Escherichia coli, responsible for mediating the general stress response. RpoS levels vary continuously in response to different stresses. Previous work has shown that genes vary in their responsiveness to increasing RpoS concentrations, with some genes being “sensitive,” requiring only a low level of RpoS to be relatively highly expressed, while other genes are “insensitive,” only being highly expressed in the presence of high levels of RpoS. In other systems, this type of variation is caused by interactions between the regulatory protein and the DNA it binds. To see if this is the case for RpoS, we measured twelve RpoS binding site mutants for their effects on maximal expression and responsiveness to increasing RpoS concentration. While maximal expression varied over an order of magnitude across these twelve constructs, the responsiveness to increasing RpoS concentration was largely unaffected, suggesting that the RpoS binding site alone is not responsible for a genes’ sensitivity or insensitivity to RpoS. In addition, we swapped the RpoS binding region between sensitive and insensitive promoters and found no change in the behavior of the promoter. Taken together, these results argue that differences in sensitivity of the RpoS-dependent promoters are not due to interactions between RpoS and the various DNA sites it binds.
A Novel Optimization-Based Tool to Automate Infeasible Cycle-Free Gapfilling of Genome-Scale Metabolic Models
Authors: Schroeder Wheaton L. , Saha Rajib
Published: October 2019

Stoichiometric metabolic modeling, particularly Genome-Scale Models (GSMs), is now an indispensable tool for systems biology. The model reconstruction process typically involves collecting information from public databases; however, incomplete systems knowledge leaves gaps in any reconstruction. Current tools for addressing gaps use databases of biochemical functionalities to address gaps on a per-metabolite basis and can provide multiple solutions, but cannot avoid Thermodynamically Infeasible Cycles (TICs), invariably requiring lengthy manual curation. To address these limitations, this work introduces an optimization-based multi-step method named OptFill which performs TIC-avoiding whole-model gapfilling. We applied OptFill to three fictional prokaryotic models of increasing sizes and to a published GSM of Escherichia coli, iJR904. This application resulted in holistic and infeasible cycle free gapfilling solutions. Part of OptFill can, in addition, be adapted to automate inherent TICs identification in any GSM, such as iJR904. Overall, OptFill can address critical issues in automated development of high-quality GSMs.

In Brief

Stoichiometric models of metabolism are useful in studying metabolic interactions in biological systems, but are labor-intensive to create, particularly when addressing gaps or cycles in metabolic reconstruction process. Introduced here is a novel tool, OptFill, which can be used to address both gaps and cycles in model reconstruction, increasing automation.

Highlights

This work presents an alternative to state-of-the-art methods for gapfilling.

Unlike current methods, this method is holistic and infeasible cycle free.

This method is applied to three test and one published model.

This method might also be used to address infeasible cycling.
Selectivity and engineering of the sialoglycan-binding spectrum in Siglec-like adhesins
Authors: Bensing Barbara A. , Loukachevitch Lioudmila V. , Agarwal Rupesh , Yamakawa Izumi , Luong Kelvin , Hadadianpour Azadeh , Yu Hai , Fialkowski Kevin P. , Castro Manuel A , Wawrzak Zdzislaw , Chen Xi , Baudry Jerome , Smith Jeremy C. , Sullam Paul M , Iverson T M
Published: October 2019

The Siglec-like Serine-Rich Repeat (SRR) adhesins mediate bacterial attachment to mammalian hosts via sialoglycan receptors. Here, we combine structural, computational, biochemical, and phylogenetic approaches to elucidate the determinants of the sialoglycan-binding spectrum across the family of Siglec-like SRR adhesins. We further identified mutable positions that disproportionately affect sialoglycan selectivity, as demonstrated by increases in binding to alternative ligands of 2- to 3-orders of magnitude. Biologically, these studies highlight how bacteria nimbly modulate the receptor interaction during coevolution of host and pathogen. These studies additionally created binding proteins specific for sialyl-T antigen or 6S-sialyl LewisX that can recognize glycosylation of human plasma proteins. The engineered binding proteins can facilitate the characterization of normal cellular glycan modifications or may be used as diagnostic tools in disease states with altered glycosylation.

Significance

The ability of bacteria to bind selectively to host receptors underlies both commensalism and pathogenesis. Here, we identify the molecular basis for receptor selectivity in streptococci that bind to sialoglycan receptors. This revealed how to convert these adhesins into selective probes that measure triand tetrasacharides within the context of larger glycosylations. These probes that can be used in a laboratory with no specialized equipment and can be used to address biological questions relating to sialoglycan-dependent signaling and adhesion.
A neural circuit basis for context-modulation of individual locomotor behavior
Authors: Skutt-Kakaria Kyobi , Reimers Pablo , Currier Timothy A. , Werkhoven Zach , de Bivort Benjamin L.
Published: October 2019

Defying the cliche that biological variation arises from differences in nature or nurture, genetically identical animals reared in the same environment exhibit striking differences in their behaviors. Innate behaviors can be surprisingly flexible, for example by exhibiting context-dependence. The intersection of behavioral individuality and context-dependence is largely unexplored, particularly at the neural circuit level. Here, we show that individual flies’ tendencies to turn left or right (locomotor handedness) changes when ambient illumination changes. This change is itself a stable individual behavioral characteristic. Silencing output neurons of the central complex (a premotor area that mediates goal-directed navigation) blocks this change. These neurons respond to light with idiosyncratic changes to their baseline calcium levels, and idiosyncratic morphological variation in their presynaptic arbors correlates with idiosyncratic sensory-context-specific turn biases. These findings provide a circuit mechanism by which individual locomotor biases arise and are modulated by sensory context.
Genomic Polymorphisms in Toxin-Antitoxin Systems and Identification of Novel Phylo-SNPs and Polymorphisms Associated with Drug Resistance/Susceptibility in Clinical Isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis from Mumbai, India
Authors: Nilgiriwala Kayzad , Chitalia Vidushi , Shah Sanchi , Papewar Akshata
Published: October 2019

Toxin-antitoxin (TA) modules are one of the prominent determinants that triggers a persistent state aiding Mycobacterium tuberculosis evasion to host generated stresses. The 79 characterized and putative TA systems described in M. tuberculosis are dominated by the VapBC, MazEF, HigAB, RelBE and ParDE TA families, largely involved in persistence and cell arrest. Hence, there is a need to maintain and conserve the TA loci in the chromosome of the pathogen. It is essential to study the genomic differences of the TA systems in clinical isolates along with its association to drug susceptibility patterns and lineage. In the current study, the TA loci and their promoter sequences were analysed from the whole genome sequence data of 74 clinical isolates. Mykrobe Predictor was used for lineage identification and drug resistance predictions in the clinical isolates. Polymorphisms associated with 79.8% (63/79) TA systems were observed across 72 clinical isolates. Among the TA systems, the isolates had a varying number of polymorphisms localised primarily in the toxin genes (58.7%), antitoxin genes (40.7%) and chaperones (0.6%), due to Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) resulting in transition (67.3%), transversion or frameshift mutations. Our analysis suggests the presence of novel Phylo-SNPs by establishing high confidence association of specific lineages to polymorphisms in the TA systems. Notably, association of polymorphisms in Rv1838c-1839c (VapBC13), Rv3358-3357 (YefM/YoeB) and Rv0240-0239 (VapBC24) to Delhi/Central Asia lineage. The polymorphic loci of the 3 TA systems is localised in the antitoxin gene of the Delhi/Central Asia strains, with a resultant silent mutation. The assessment of correlation between TA polymorphisms and the drug resistance profile revealed correlation of SNPs in VapBC35 with drug resistant M. tuberculosis strains and SNPs in VapBC24, VapBC13 and YefM/YoeB to drug sensitive strains.
Youth activism, state-contained participation and democratic legitimacy in Singapore
Authors: Ho Chiew-Siang Bryan
Published: October 2019

Purpose

This research is concerned with youth activism in Singapore historically and the importance of legitimacy for understanding the further development of youth activism and Singapore’s democratization process. It takes into account issues pertaining to good governance, economic performance and democratic participation (legitimacy). The paper aims to discuss this issue.

Design/methodology/approach

The research adopts a historical approach, qualitative in nature with some quantitative analysis based on documentary research, press reports and content analysis.

Findings

Historically youth activism was vibrant and dynamic in the fight for independence and against inequality and injustice during the colonial era in Singapore. Under Lee Kuan Yew’s rule, the scope and boundary of democratic participation (legitimacy) were delimited and controlled by the state. State-contained or controlled participation has replaced contentious politics. In the Singapore General Election in 2011, the younger generation of Singapore electorate, who are better educated and well-travelled, however, proved themselves to be rational and pragmatic when they exercised their rights to reject polices detrimental to their socio-economic well-beings as well as to the inclusiveness of society. The People’s Action Party (PAP) had the lowest vote share (60 per cent) in history. Since then the PAP government had stepped up its efforts in improving welfare gains of the citizens as well as managing public discontents with more effective policies. The PAP victory in the Singapore election (GE 2015), however, showed that among other reasons, welfare gains and good governance helped in salvaging the electoral legitimacyvis-à-visthe political legitimacy of the PAP government. However, the PAP government’s continual harsh treatment of critics, young and old, means that to achieve democratic legitimacy, it has to break through the shackles of authoritarian leadership style and elite governance, which have led to the regime’s failure to face up to the reality of an emerging civic participatory culture in the Singapore contexts.

Originality/value

Legitimacy is an important concept. To date there is no systematic application of this concept to the study of Singapore electoral politics. This paper employs Bruce Gilley’s determinants of legitimacy – democratic legitimacy, welfare gains and good governance – to explicate the basis of the PAP’s regime legitimacy, the contradictions inherent in state-contained participation and political representation that delimited and undermined the nature, scope and boundary of democratic legitimacy.
Building customer loyalty in retail banking: a serial-mediation approach
Authors: Kamath Pallavi R. , Pai Yogesh P. , Prabhu Nandan K.P.
Published: October 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to advance research on the relationship between customer experience and customer loyalty by exploring the serially mediating roles of brand equity and customer satisfaction and the moderating roles of age, gender, education and family income in the retail banking industry.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 500 responses of retail banking customers were used to test the model using the partial least squares structural equation modeling approach. Advanced statistical techniques, such as importance-performance map analysis and a joint application of FIMIX-PLS and PLS-POS, were used to gain new insights.

Findings

The study highlighted that the relationship between customer experience and loyalty is serially mediated by brand equity and customer satisfaction. Age, gender and education were found to be significant moderators in the customer experience–loyalty relationship. Age and gender were found to be significant moderators in the brand equity–loyalty relationship.

Practical implications

The study strongly suggests that practitioners not only focus on delivering exceptional customer experiences but also on providing leverage brand equity and satisfaction to build customer loyalty. Practitioners should focus on training their front-line employees to improve the quality of their behavior and relations with customers and thereby build customer loyalty.

Originality/value

To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to explore the mediating role of several variables sequentially and the moderating role of customer demographics in the customer experience–customer loyalty relationship.
Money transfer between banks
Authors: Lippi Andrea , Barbieri Laura , Poli Federica
Published: October 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine which individual traits of financial advisors influence portfolio transfer speed when a financial advisor recommends investors to migrate to a new financial intermediary.

Design/methodology/approach

With reference to the years 2014–2016, one of the three leading Italian tied-agent banks provided the authors with an exclusive and unique data set containing information regarding the financial advisors who had become tied agents, transferring their existing portfolios from their previous banks (traditional or tied-agent banks). The authors observed the ability of the migrant financial advisor in successfully transferring the entire portfolio declared within 12 months of observation. To investigate empirically which personal traits of financial advisors determine their success in the rapid transfer of clients’ portfolios to a new financial intermediary, the authors applied a Cox proportional hazards model.

Findings

The authors find that factors such as age, type of bank of origin and size of the managed financial portfolio positively affect the speed transfer.

Practical implications

The obtained results may be interesting for guiding recruiting policies of financial intermediaries.

Social implications

Regulators should closely examine the phenomenon analyzed in this paper to avoid conflict of interests.

Originality/value

The literature on this topic is scarce, mainly due to the lack of available data. This paper represents an original contribution to open a new field of research.
Business tourism in Porto: an empirical investigation of its potentialities and development challenges
Authors: Pinho Micaela , Marques Jorge
Published: October 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the potentialities and weaknesses of the city of Porto (Portugal) in the business tourism segment in order to ensure and develop a destination’s business tourism strategy position.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected through the participation of 28 experts living/working in Porto in a three-round Delphi exercise. Experts should identify the main straights, weaknesses and opportunities of the city for the business tourism development.

Findings

The main results show that the city’s potential to become landmark destination in the business tourism sector far outweighs its limitations. With measures aimed to improve the functionality of the business tourism segment and marketing strategies to increase external promotion, Porto meets the conditions to become an excellent business tourism destination.

Originality/value

Many studies have been conducted from the perspective of leisure tourism; few have been conducted from the perspective of the business tourism and none have been conducted from the perspective of the business tourism in the city of Porto. This research fills a gap in the literature relating to the practice of meeting industry. It represents the first attempt to elicit stakeholders opinions about important issues related to the development of business tourism in the city. The results of the study provide a more informed and systematic basis on which to develop the business tourism segment in Porto.
Research on the wheel wear of metro vehicles based on the time-varying passenger flow
Authors: Zhu AiHua , Fu Caozheng , Yang JianWei , Li Qiang , Zhang Jiao , Li Hongxiao , Zhang Kaiqi
Published: October 2019

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the effect of time-varying passenger flow on the wheel wear of metro vehicles to provide a more accurate model for predicting wheel wear and a new idea for reducing wheel wear.

Design/methodology/approach

Sectional passage flow data were collected from an operational metro line. A wheel wear simulation based on time-varying passenger flow was performed via the SIMPACK software to obtain the worn wheel profile and wear distribution. The simulation involves the following models: vehicle system dynamics model, wheel-track rolling contact model, wheel wear model and variable load application model. Later, the simulation results were compared with those obtained under the traditional constant load condition and the measured wear data.

Findings

For different distances traveled by the metro vehicle, the simulated wheel profile and wear distribution under the variable load remained closer to the measurements than those obtained under the constant load. As the distance traveled increased, the depth and position of maximum wear and wear growth rate under the variable load tended to approach the corresponding measured values. In contrast, the simulation results under the constant load differed greatly from the measured values. This suggests that the model accuracy under the variable load was significantly improved and the simulation results can offer a more accurate basis for wear prediction.

Practical implications

These results will help to predict wheel wear more accurately and provide a new idea for simulating wheel wear of metro vehicles. At the same time, measures for reducing wheel wear were discussed from the perspective of passenger flow changes.

Originality/value

Existing research on the wheel wear of metro vehicles is mainly based on the constant load condition, which is quite different from the variable load condition where the passenger flow in real vehicles varies over time. A method of simulating wheel wear based on time-varying load is proposed in this paper. The proposed method shows a great improvement in simulation accuracy compared to traditional methods and can provide a more accurate basis for wear prediction and wheel repair.
Trust in the sharing economy: the AirBnB case
Authors: Zamani Efpraxia D. , Choudrie Jyoti , Katechos George , Yin Yaping
Published: October 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine sharing economy online marketplaces with the aim of understanding how trust perceptions form and get communicated through sharing economy platforms.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors build on online user comments and reviews as aggregated by independent third-party websites, and apply a qualitative analysis.

Findings

The findings show that the quantity of information and communication are important drivers towards building trust perceptions, while an overall lack of interaction between users and the marketplace provider intensifies perceived risks.

Originality/value

The authors validated the importance of trust and the authors have illustrated that the critical conditions that hinder trust formation are information asymmetry as well as the lack of interaction. What is also an interesting implication is that the impact of both of these can be exacerbated when there is a perceived lack of support among users and between them and the marketplace operator.
“Dominance by birthright”? Reconfiguration of firm boundaries to acquire new resources and capabilities
Authors: Chan Jin Hooi , Reiner David
Published: October 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine pre-entry resources and capabilities (R&Cs) of de alio and de novo entrants in an emerging industry. Then, the authors investigate how entrants modify their firm boundaries, after entering a new industry, to acquire the R&Cs deemed critical to be competitive and survive in the industry.

Design/methodology/approach

The analysis uses the global biofuel industry as a case study. The authors use multiple sets of data, including primary data collected from semi-structured interviews with industry stakeholders and experts across major biofuel-producing countries as well as quantitative data from industry reports.

Findings

Firms typically deploy two successive strategies in order to survive and grow. First, they extend vertical boundaries to capitalize on their own pre-entry R&Cs. Then they move quickly to acquire new R&Cs, which are classified as critical in the value chain of the industry. A new taxonomy of pre-entry R&Cs is proposed to distinguish critical and non-critical forms of R&Cs, and to reflect the ease of acquisition of any requisite R&Cs, which are context specific. These strategic moves lead to the bi-directional vertical integration observed in the biofuel industry.

Research limitations/implications

Managers need to be able to assess the opportunities for entry and subsequent strategies to be competitive by assessing their R&Cs in terms of criticality and ease of acquisition in their entry decision making.

Originality/value

A new taxonomy of R&Cs of the firm is proposed which has theoretical significance and practical implications for new entrants.
Holistic urban heritage management of an historic temple town
Authors: Kandasamy Kiruthiga , Kesavaperumal Thirumaran
Published: October 2019

Purpose

Urban heritage management is motivated by the alarming rise in destruction of historic buildings; the implementation of pointless urbanization plans and uncontrolled commercial development threatening to overwhelm our historic built heritage. Hence, there is an immediate need for urban heritage planning in historic towns, especially in India where urban growth is rampant. The purpose of this paper is to examine how development in the historic temple town of Kumbakonam can be managed by using a holistic approach that preserves the town’s historic flavor, sacred traditions and built heritage.

Design/methodology/approach

The historic center of Kumbakonam has been surveyed and is the focus of this study. Utilizing a case study methodology, the authors made multiple field visits to document the special heritage character of the town, conducted interviews with people living in the study area and evaluated the existing policies and guidelines for development of Tamil Nadu in view of the holistic approach.

Findings

The study reinforced the belief that the historic temple town of Kumbakonam has significant urban heritage worthy of preservation. However, due to chaotic and ill-planned urban development, changing land use, intrusion of contemporary architectural styles, commercialization and the lack of strong policy guidelines for holistic management, the special heritage character of the town is threatened with continued destruction.

Practical implications

This research on Kumbakonam can help urban planners to develop viable heritage management programs for other historic temple towns of Tamil Nadu. The authors describe and evaluate some guidelines for retaining the social and cultural flavor as well as the built heritage of towns like Kumbakonam by taking a holistic approach.

Originality/value

Up to now, there has been no attempt to come up with comprehensive management guidelines for integrating the unique urban heritage characteristics of the historic temple towns of Tamil Nadu in plans for urbanization.
The influence of Indian culture on negotiation from a French perspective
Authors: Vindry Benjamin , Gervais Florence
Published: October 2019

Purpose

With India becoming a strategic trading partner for France, the purpose of this paper is to identify and describe cultural differences between India and France in order to achieve three main objectives: What traits or values are salient for Indians when negotiating with French people? The second to assess the utility and appropriateness of cultural dimensions as described by Hofstede (1991, 2001) and Trompenaars (1993, 2004) to gain insight into this process, and finally to prepare a French businessman to negotiate with an Indian partner.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative approach is best to achieve the research objectives. Expert profiles were defined according to the guidelines set out by Bogneret al.(2009). Snowball sampling method was used, whereby the first French businessmen interviewed provided contacts of other negotiators. Six semi-directive interviews were conducted lasting 1 h and 30 min each. Data collection and analysis were carried out according to Gioia’s proposed methodology (Gioiaet al., 2013).

Findings

This qualitative inquiry enabled a deep inductive analysis, resulting in the emergence of seven key characteristics of the negotiation process in India. Cultural dimensions as defined by Hofstede (1991, 2001) and Trompenaars (1993, 2004) are useful in explaining four of these. However, three other characteristics cannot be directly related to these cultural dimensions, and among them, the seventh characteristic, the importance of having an Indian mediator in the negotiation, emerges as an original and decisive advantage for the foreign partner.

Research limitations/implications

Interviewing a larger sample of experts would strengthen the precision, validity and reliability of the findings. Furthermore, investigating buyer–seller relationships and negotiation theories would help to gain an alternative and complementary insight into this complex topic.

Originality/value

Cultural differences between France and India are a poorly documented and under-researched topic.
SEC reporting obligations for insiders and large traders under Section 13 and Section 16 of the Exchange Act
Authors: Zwickel Arthur L. , Pisani Keith D. , Harrison Alicia M.
Published: October 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide investment advisers, broker dealers, individual investors and other securities firms with a current and detailed summary of the reporting regime under Sections 13 and 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) and guidance on how to comply with the disclosure requirements of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on Schedule 13D, Schedule 13G, Form 13F, Form 13H and Forms 3, 4 and 5.

Design/methodology/approach

The approach of this paper discusses the transactions or beneficial ownership interests in securities that trigger a reporting requirement under Section 13 and/or Section 16 of the Exchange Act, identifies the person or persons that have the obligation to file reports with the SEC, details the information required to be disclosed in the publicly available reports, and explains certain trading restrictions imposed on reporting persons as well as the potential adverse consequences of filing late or failing to make the requisite disclosures to the SEC.

Findings

The SEC continues to provide updated guidance on the disclosure requirements under Sections 13 and 16 of the Exchange Act, which individual investors and securities firms – largely insiders – must take into account when filing any new or amended reports on Schedule 13D, Schedule 13G, Form 13F, Form 13H and Forms 3, 4 and 5.

Originality/value

This article provides expert analysis and guidance from experienced securities lawyers.
Commentary on “Who’s Challenging Who?: a co-produced approach for training staff in learning disability services about challenging behaviour”
Authors: Haydon-Laurelut Mark Andrew , Nunkoosing Karl
Published: October 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide a commentary on the article by Flynn et al.

Design/methodology/approach

In this commentary, the authors will develop some further thoughts about the importance of empathy, its relational nature and place in practice. The authors use some examples from systemic practice to illustrate.

Findings

Social psychological research underlines the importance of empathy in practice. Systemic practice and other collaborative approaches that ask about the experiences and abilities of people with a learning disability and their networks can support new possibilities as network members are listened to, included and respected.

Originality/value

The relational nature of empathy and its connection with practice is explored in this paper.
An auxiliary control aided modified sliding mode control for a PMSG based wind energy conversion system
Authors: Parida Shubhranshu Mohan , Rout Pravat Kumar , Kar Sanjeeb Kumar
Published: October 2019

Purpose

This study proposes a modified sliding mode control technique having a proportional plus integral (PI) sliding surface aided by auxiliary control applied to a wind turbine driven permanent magnet synchronous generator. This paper aims to realize real and reactive power control, keeping the voltage under the desired limit during transients.

Design/methodology/approach

First, a PI sliding surface type sliding mode control (PISMC) is formulated, which is capable of dragging the system to the desired state and stability. Then a saturation function-based auxiliary controller is incorporated with PISMC to enhance its performance during wind speed and system parameter variations.

Findings

The proposed controller can tackle the problems faced while using a PI controller and the conventional sliding mode controller (CSMC) such as lack of robustness and requirement of unnecessary large control signals to overcome the parametric uncertainties and problem of chattering.

Originality/value

To justify the superior performance of the proposed controller in terms of robustness, reliability and accuracy a comparative study is done with the CSMC and PI controllers. The simulations are performed using MATLAB.
Drivers of social media disengagement: a study of young consumers in Vietnam
Authors: Nguyen Long Thang Van , Nayak Rajkishore , Watkins Jerry , Nguyen Phuong Ngoc Duy
Published: October 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to identify and discuss selected reasons for social media disengagement (SMD). Drawing upon two-factor theory, it is argued that the determinants of consumer disengagement may be different from those that enable consumer engagement. Accordingly, extrinsic factors of social media experiences (SMEs), subjective norms (SN), perceived anonymity (PA) and perceived credibility (PC) trigger previously engaged consumers to terminate their interactions with the brand on social media.

Design/methodology/approach

A quantitative survey targeting young members from one of the largest social media communities in Vietnam was used in 2018. A total of 387 completed questionnaires were used for data analysis using covariance-based structural equation modeling.

Findings

Results reveal that PC is the main driver of SMD. Moreover, PA, SME and SN are indirectly related to SMD via PC.

Practical implications

The study provides some strategic recommendations for brand managers to re-design user interaction with social media brand pages to improve consumer retention and minimize consumer disengagement.

Originality/value

While consumer engagement with social media has received much attention from practitioners and academics, a research gap exists around the “dark side” of consumer engagement in which consumers can disengage from their relationship with brand on social media. This disengagement can lead ultimately to the termination of the relationship between the consumer and the brand. This research contributes to marketing literature by providing empirical evidence for relevant constructs driving consumer disengagement from the brand’s social media pages.
Thinking together changes the educational experiences, provision and outcomes for SEND pupils – professional learning communities enhancing practice, pedagogy and innovation
Authors: Van Themaat Jacqui Ver Loren
Published: October 2019

This article reflects on how school‐based professional learning communities (PLCs) can support the professional learning of educators from different school settings who share a common goal of ensuring quality teaching and learning opportunities for pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). PLCs offer the opportunity to move beyond continued professional development that often only requires passive participating in a training session, to an effective culture of professional learning which requires an internal process in which educators can create professional knowledge through interaction with information in a way that challenges previous assumptions and creates new meanings (Timperley, 2011:4‐5). I will describe how sharing classroom‐based knowledge, experiences and expertise across school settings, through a professional learning mind‐set lens, guided by a teacher/educator inquiry and/or knowledge building cycles, promotes meaningful outcomes for pupils. I investigate the similarities and differences between two PLCs I facilitate: the Autism Network for Educators (ANfE) and the Teaching Assistant (TA) Network and how these communities require every participant to demonstrate relentless commitment to self and professional and practice improvement, by valuing on‐going learning and continuous inquiry. PLCs promote the concept of improvement as a team effort for which everyone is responsible. The article concludes that when our pupils become the central purpose of our professional learning, instead of a by‐product of continued professional development, we promote a school‐ and system‐wide culture that offers sustainable professional development thought improved outcomes for every pupil.
Embedding effective autism knowledge and practice in mainstream primary schools: The development of a successful model for outreach
Authors: Reed Stephanie
Published: October 2019

This article reports on a project based on the development of a model for outreach to support three federated mainstream primary schools in London, England to develop their understanding and practice with children with autism. The principal aim of the initiative was to ensure that knowledge and capacity within the participating schools increased; leading to better outcomes for pupils with autism. Data were collected through outreach visit observations, questionnaires completed by staff at different levels including the executive head teacher, SENCos, teachers and learning support assistants, as well as a combined SENCo report detailing individual and whole school impact ‐ including parent and pupil voice. The findings indicate the outreach model improved the knowledge and understanding across all levels of staffing, from senior leadership to learning support assistants which had direct impact on the provision and outcomes for pupils. This was achieved via a series of class observations by a recognised autism specialist teacher, followed by action setting sessions with class teams. After the schools were empowered and supported to monitor the outreach actions themselves, successful research‐based strategies, resources and approaches were implemented more immediately leading to better outcomes for pupils and continued in‐school support. This highlighted the need for in‐school accountability. The findings also highlight the significant importance of the involvement of senior leadership and the subsequent impact on understanding and successful practice throughout the schools.
F654A and K558Q Mutations in NMDA Receptor 1 Affect Ethanol‐Induced Behaviors in Drosophila
Authors: Troutwine Benjamin , Park Annie , Velez‐Hernandez Maria E. , Lew Linda , Mihic S. John , Atkinson Nigel S.
Published: October 2019

Background

N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate (NMDA) receptors regulate synaptic plasticity and modulate a wide variety of behaviors. Mammalian NMDA receptors are inhibited by ethanol (EtOH) even at low concentrations. In mice, the F639A mutation in transmembrane domain (TMD) 3 of the NR1 subunit reduces EtOH sensitivity of the receptor and, in some paradigms, reduces behavioral EtOH sensitivity and increases EtOH consumption. We tested the fly equivalent of the F639A and K544Q mutations for effects on EtOH sensitivity. Drosophila shows a high degree of behavioral and mechanistic conservation in its responses to EtOH.

Methods

Homologous recombination and CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing were used to generate amino acid changes in the Drosophila NMDAR1 gene, yielding F654A and K558Q alleles. Animals were tested for the degree of EtOH sensitivity, the ability to acquire tolerance to EtOH, EtOH drinking preference, circadian rhythmicity, learning, and locomotor defects.

Results

We observed that mutating the NMDAR1 channel also reduces EtOH sensitivity in adult flies. However, in flies, it was the K558Q mutation (orthologous to K544Q in mice) that reduces EtOH sensitivity in a recovery‐from‐sedation assay. The effects of the F654A mutation (orthologous to F639A in mice) were substantially different in flies than in mammals. In flies, F654A mutation produces phenotypes opposite those in mammals. In flies, the mutant allele is homozygous viable, does not seem to affect health, and increases EtOH sensitivity. Both mutations increased feeding but did not alter the animal's preference for 5% EtOH food. F654A depressed circadian rhythmicity and the capacity of males to court, but it did not depress the capacity for associative learning. K554Q, on the other hand, has little effect on circadian rhythmicity, only slightly suppresses male courtship, and is a strong learning mutant.

Conclusions

Mutations in TMD 3 and in the extracellular‐vestibule calcium‐binding site of the NR1 NMDA subunit affect EtOH sensitivity in Drosophila.
Movement patterns of forest elephants (Loxodonta cyclotis Matschie, 1900) in the Odzala‐Kokoua National Park, Republic of Congo
Authors: Molina‐Vacas Guillem , Muñoz‐Mas Rafael , Martínez‐Capel Francisco , Rodriguez‐Teijeiro José Domingo , Le Fohlic Guillaume
Published: October 2019

African forest elephants (Loxodonta cyclotis Matschie, 1900) are ecological engineers that play a fundamental role in vegetation dynamics. The species is of immediate conservation concern, yet it is relatively understudied. To narrow this knowledge gap, we studied the drivers of daily movement patterns (linear displacements) of forest elephants—characterised by a set of geographical, meteorological and anthropogenic variables—in the Odzala‐Kokoua National Park, Republic of Congo. Explicitly, we used conditional random forest to model and disentangle the main environmental factors governing the displacements of six forest elephants, fitted with GPS collars and tracked over 16 months. Results indicated that females moved further distances than males, while the presence of roads or human settlements disrupted elephant behaviour resulting in faster displacements. Forest elephants moved faster along watercourses and through forest with understory dominated by Marantaceae forests and bais, but moved slower in savannahs. Finally, flood‐prone areas—described by elevation and accumulated precipitation—and higher temperatures prevented longer displacements. We expect these results to improve the knowledge on the species movements through different habitats, which would benefit its conservation management.
Editorial: HBV—the naked truth? Authors’ reply
Authors: Jiang Bingfu , Peiffer Kai‐Henrik , Hildt Eberhard
Published: October 2019

LINKED CONTENT

This article is linked to Jiang et al and Pasetto et al papers. To view these articles, visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.15381 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.15428.
Editorial: a non‐dietary treatment for coeliac disease—two steps forward, one step back?
Authors: Mitchell Hannah , Garg Mayur
Published: October 2019

LINKED CONTENT

This article is linked to Truitt et al and Truit and Anderson papers. To view these articles, visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.15435 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.15494.
Editorial: pressure to close the therapeutic window of non‐selective beta blockers? Authors’ reply
Authors: Tergast Tammo L. , Maasoumy Benjamin
Published: October 2019

LINKED CONTENT

This article is linked to Tergast et al and Mandorfer and Reiberger papers. To view these articles, visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.15439 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.15472.
Editorial: proton pump inhibition – microbial complications beyond dysbiosis
Authors: Hov Johannes Roksund
Published: October 2019

LINKED CONTENT

This article is linked to Min et al paper. To view this article, visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.15466.
Relation between cell‐bound exopolysaccharide production via plasmid‐encoded genes and rugose colony morphology in the probiotic Lactobacillus brevis KB290
Authors: Fukao Masanori , Zendo Takeshi , Inoue Takuro , Fuke Nobuo , Moriuchi Tomoo , Yamane Yasuhiro , Nakayama Jiro , Sonomoto Kenji , Fukaya Tetsuya
Published: October 2019

The probiotic Lactobacillus brevis KB290 is a natural producer of cell‐bound exopolysaccharide (EPS), and the plasmid‐encoded glycosyltransferase genes are responsible for this EPS production. KB290 forms unique rugose colonies inside an agar medium; this characteristic is useful for detecting and enumerating KB290 in the gut or feces. However, the genetic elements associated with this morphology remain unclear. Here, we aimed to investigate the relation between the plasmid eps genes and rugose colony morphology in KB290. The plasmid‐cured mutants formed smooth colonies, and the rugose colony morphology was restored after complementation with the eps genes. The eps genes were successfully cloned and expressed in other L. brevis and L. plantarum strains. In these transformant strains, the presence of the EPS, consisting of glucose and N‐acetylglucosamine, correlated with rugose colonies, indicating that EPS is responsible for rugose colony formation. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report identifying the genetic factors influencing rugose colonies in Lactobacillus strains. This rugose colony formation may serve as a useful selective marker for KB290 in routine laboratory and research settings and can be used to detect the spontaneous loss of plasmids in this strain.