bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of conformation traits on functional longevity in South African Holstein cattle
Authors: Imbayarwo-Chikosi V. E. , Ducrocq V. , Banga C. B. , Halimani T. E. , Van Wyk J. B. , Maiwashe A. , Dzama K.
Published: December 2016

A proportional hazards model with a piecewise Weibull baseline hazard was used to determine the impact of observed scores for rump, udder, feet and leg traits on longevity. Conformation data of a total of 15 704 cows with either of or all 13 type traits for the period 1995–2013 were obtained from the Holstein Society of South Africa. Functional longevity was defined as the number of days from first calving to culling or censoring, adjusted for production. Type traits were fitted to the reference model one at a time. The model included the fixed time-dependent effect of region by year of calving, within-herd milk production class by year-season, number of lactations by stage of lactation by within-herd milk production class, protein and fat percent production class by year of calving, herd size by annual herd size change, fixed time-independent effect of age at first calving and presence of type record. Cows without type scores were 7–26% more likely to be culled than those with scores. Udder traits had the greatest impact on functional longevity. Fore teat placement had the strongest influence on functional longevity followed by udder depth, fore udder attachment, median ligament and rear treat placement. Rump and udder width had the least Chi-square contributions. Risk of culling was significantly higher for cows with very narrow chest, weak median ligament, extremely towed out teats and short rump height. There is potential for indirectly selecting animals for longevity based on udder type trait information.
Cholesterol metabolism in rabbit blastocysts under maternal diabetes
Authors: Pendzialek S. Mareike , Schindler Maria , Plösch Torsten , Gürke Jacqueline , Haucke Elisa , Hecht Stefanie , Fischer Bernd , Santos Anne Navarrete
Published: December 2016

In the rabbit reproductive model, maternal experimentally induced insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (expIDD) leads to accumulation of lipid droplets in blastocysts. Cholesterol metabolism is a likely candidate to explain such metabolic changes. Therefore, in the present study we analysed maternal and embryonic cholesterol concentrations and expression of related genes in vivo (diabetic model) and in vitro (embryo culture in hyperglycaemic medium). In pregnant expIDD rabbits, the serum composition of lipoprotein subfractions was changed, with a decrease in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and an increase in very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol; in uterine fluid, total cholesterol concentrations were elevated. Expression of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase (HMGCR), very low-density lipoprotein receptor (VLDLR), sterol regulatory element binding transcription factor 2 (SREBF2), insulin-induced gene-1 (INSIG1) and cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase (CYP7A1) mRNA was decreased in the liver and low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) mRNA expression was decreased in the adipose tissue of diabetic rabbits. In embryos from diabetic rabbits, the mean (± s.e.m.) ratio of cholesterol concentrations in trophoblasts to embryoblasts was changed from 1.27 ± 2.34 (control) to 0.88 ± 3.85 (expIDD). Rabbit blastocysts expressed HMGCR, LDLR, VLDLR, SREBF2 and INSIG1 but not CYP7A1, without any impairment of expression as a result of maternal diabetes. In vitro hyperglycaemia decreased embryonic HMGCR and SREBF2 transcription in rabbit blastocysts. The findings of the present study show that a diabetic pregnancy leads to distinct changes in maternal cholesterol metabolism with a minor effect on embryo cholesterol metabolism.
The current state of reproductive biology research in Australia and New Zealand: core themes from the Society for Reproductive Biology Annual Meeting, 2016
Authors: Akison L. K. , Andraweera P. H. , Bertoldo M. J. , Brown H. M. , Cuffe J. S. M. , Fullston T. , Holland O. , Schjenken J. E.
Published: December 2016

Because reproduction is essential for all life, it is central to our understanding of all aspects of biology. The Society for Reproductive Biology (SRB) 2016 conference held on the Gold Coast (Qld, Australia) displayed the current breadth of reproductive research in Australia and New Zealand, with additional insights from world leaders in the field. This conference review provides a focused summary of the key questions, emerging ideas and novel technologies that were presented in the symposia. Presented research demonstrated key advances in how stem cell biology may allow us to better understand pluripotency, as well as how environmental and lifestyle factors, such as circadian disruption, smoking, alcohol and diet, affect gametogenesis, embryo implantation, placental function and reproductive capacity. Sessions also highlighted the role of reproductive biology in providing insight into the mechanisms and processes governing a wide range of biological science disciplines, including cancer research and therapies, oncofertility, conservation of native species and chronic non-communicable diseases. Recurring themes included the importance of male and female gamete quality for reproductive potential and the critical and varied roles of the placenta in the maintenance of a healthy pregnancy. Dysregulation of reproductive processes can contribute to a variety of pathological states that affect future health, fertility and fecundity. Research being conducted by the SRB has the potential to shape not only the fertility of the current generation, but also the health and reproductive viability of future generations.
Structural insights into the LCIB protein family reveals a new group of β-carbonic anhydrases
Authors: Jin Shengyang , Sun Jian , Wunder Tobias , Tang Desong , Cousins Asaph B. , Sze Siu Kwan , Mueller-Cajar Oliver , Gao Yong-Gui
Published: December 2016

Significance

Many aquatic microorganisms have evolved CO
2
-concentration mechanisms (CCMs) to boost photosynthesis. The green algae
Chlamydomonas reinhardtii
has the best-characterized eukaryotic CCM model. Mutants lacking the limiting CO
2
-inducible B protein (LCIB) protein are unable to survive in air. To investigate the molecular underpinnings of this effect, we biochemically and structurally characterized a number of LCIB homologues from diverse organisms, including constitutively carbonic anhydrase (CA)-active proteins. We discovered that LCIB proteins structurally resemble β-CAs in both overall fold and active site architecture. Our results provide insight into the molecular mechanism of the LCIB family involved in microalgal CCMs.
Impact of the gut microbiota on enhancer accessibility in gut intraepithelial lymphocytes
Authors: Semenkovich Nicholas P. , Planer Joseph D. , Ahern Philip P. , Griffin Nicholas W. , Lin Charles Y. , Gordon Jeffrey I.
Published: December 2016

Significance

Comparing germ-free mice with those colonized at birth or later provides a way to determine how gut microbial community exposure affects the chromatin landscape of cells along the gut or at remote sites, ascertain how alterations in chromatin accessibility are correlated with functional features of different lineages, and determine whether there is a critical window of exposure when microbial signals must be received to alter the landscape durably. Genome-wide analysis of chromatin accessibility in intraepithelial lymphocytes and circulating T cells purified from gnotobiotic mice revealed enhancers and flanking genes involved in signaling and metabolic pathways that are sensitive to colonization status. Colonization does not fundamentally alter lineage-specific
cis
-regulatory landscapes but induces quantitative changes in the accessibility of preestablished enhancer elements.
Parents have lives, too!
Authors: Budziszewska Magdalena , Pietrzak Janina
Published: December 2016

The ability to tell one’s own, culturally valid life story emerges in adolescence — the process that has been metaphorically termed “getting a life”. Between early adolescence and the verge of adulthood, autobiographical stories gain broader temporal perspectives and show greater complexity. But do adolescents use the same narrative story structure when talking about their close ones, such as their parents? We analysed 348 texts written by adolescents and early adults concerning their parents. We demonstrated that, with age, communication changes from a descriptive, present tense format to complex life stories. We used specific indicators of narrative form: text structure, intentionality, temporal perspective, and point of view. Results indicate that early adults are more likely than are younger individuals to use narrative structure and content in their communication. We conclude that, by the end of adolescence, parents are increasingly given their own life stories in the voices of their children.
A study in Mayan paleography
Authors: Mora Marín David
Published: December 2016

This paper constitutes an application of paleographic analysis of ancient Mayan hieroglyphic writing in line with the comprehensive approach elaborated by Lacadena (1995a, 1995b). More specifically, it reviews the evidence for the origin and development of T168/2M1a, the logogram ʔAJAW ‘lord, ruler’, and proposes a relationship between it and T130/2S2, the syllabogram wa. Additionally, the paper contributes with a more complete diachronic perspective than has been attempted before by incorporating evidence from the earliest texts. Moreover, a graphic relationship between T168/2M1a and T130/2S2 is proposed, explained on the basis of designs of T168/2M1a starting in the Late Preclassic and Early Classic, as well as the graphic operations of rotation and ‘re-rotation’, a process introduced in this paper for the first time. The paper also suggests that the relationship between these signs is not merely graphic, but also acrophonic, and it elaborates a typology and chronological seriation of T168/2M1a, with the aim of assisting scholars in assigning relative chronologies to unprovenienced texts lacking calendrical data.
The Welfare Economics of “Buy Local”
Authors: Winfree Jason , Watson Philip
Published: December 2016

This paper provides a theoretical model of how various aspects of the “buy local” movement influence social welfare and output across two regions. Market power considerations are also addressed where one region has a competitive advantage in production. While consumers buy local for a variety of reasons, our model categorizes some of the motivations and analyzes the impacts on output under various market structures. Welfare is calculated when demand is changed due to subsidies or taxes. We also allow for the presence of externalities. We find that, in the absence of market power or externalities, deadweight losses occur when the region without a competitive advantage buys more locally. However, in the presence of significant externalities and in the presence of market power, it is possible that profits to producers from consumers buying local could increase more than consumer utility is harmed, thus increasing aggregate social welfare. This could arise if consumers genuinely feel there are sufficient positive externalities from local production or negative externalities from non‐local production to warrant the loss of efficiency. We point out that understanding the motivation behind the movement is critical when analyzing welfare effects since some motivations are counter‐productive to each other.
Cross-React: a new structural bioinformatics method for predicting allergen cross-reactivity
Authors: Negi Surendra S , Braun Werner
Published: December 2016

The phenomenon of cross-reactivity between allergenic proteins plays an important role to understand how the immune system recognizes different antigen proteins. Allergen proteins are known to cross-react if their sequence comparison shows a high sequence identity which also implies that the proteins have a similar 3D fold. In such cases, linear sequence alignment methods are frequently used to predict cross-reactivity between allergenic proteins. However, the prediction of cross-reactivity between distantly related allergens continues to be a challenging task. To overcome this problem, we developed a new structure-based computational method, Cross-React, to predict cross-reactivity between allergenic proteins available in the Structural Database of Allergens (SDAP). Our method is based on the hypothesis that we can find surface patches on 3D structures of potential allergens with amino acid compositions similar to an epitope in a known allergen. We applied the Cross-React method to a diverse set of seven allergens, and successfully identified several cross-reactive allergens with high to moderate sequence identity which have also been experimentally shown to cross-react. Based on these findings, we suggest that Cross-React can be used as a predictive tool to assess protein allergenicity and cross-reactivity.

Availability and Implementation: Cross-React is available at: http://curie.utmb.edu/Cross-React.html
Systematic Review and Metaanalysis of Acute Kidney Injury Associated With Concomitant Vancomycin and Piperacillin/Tazobactam
Authors: Hammond Drayton A. , Smith Melanie N. , Li Chenghui , Hayes Sarah M. , Lusardi Katherine , Bookstaver P. Brandon
Published: December 2016

Concomitant vancomycin and piperacillin/tazobactam (PT) may be associated with increased acute kidney injury (AKI) compared to vancomycin without PT. Medline, Cochrane, and Scopus were searched through October 2016 using “vancomycin,” “piperacillin,” “tazobactam,” and “AKI,” “acute renal failure,” or “nephrotoxicity.” A registered meta-analysis (PROSPERO: CRD42016041646) with relevant scenarios was performed. Fourteen observational studies totaling 3549 patients were analyzed. Concomitant vancomycin and PT was associated with AKI in unadjusted odds ratio (OR, 3.12; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.04–4.78) and in adjusted OR (aOR, 3.11; 95% CI, 1.77–5.47) analyses. Similar findings were seen assessing studies in adults (aOR, 3.15; 95% CI, 1.72–5.76), children (OR, 4.55; 95% CI, 2.71–10.21), and when <50% of patients received care in an intensive care unit (aOR, 3.04; 95% CI, 1.49–6.22) but not ≥50% (aOR, 2.83; 95% CI, 0.74–10.85). Increased AKI with concomitant vancomycin and PT should be considered when determining beta-lactam therapy.
An Employment Guarantee as Risk Insurance? Assessing the Effects of the NREGS on Agricultural Production Decisions
Authors: Gehrke Esther
Published: December 2016

Uninsured risk constrains households in their production decisions in many developing countries. Similarly to crop insurance, employment guarantees can support farmers in managing agricultural production risks. Evidence from representative panel data of Andhra Pradesh, India, suggests that the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) reduces households’ uncertainty about future income streams because it provides employment opportunities in rural areas independently of weather shocks and crop failure. Therewith the NREGS makes an ex-post labor supply response to agricultural shocks more efficient. Households with access to the NREGS are found to shift their production toward riskier but also more profitable crops. The observed shifts in agricultural production do considerably raise the profitability of agricultural production and hence the incomes of smallholder farmers. The findings are not driven by changes in the labor or cost intensity of those crops, which supports the idea that the causal mechanism underlying the observed changes is indeed an insurance effect.
Energy-Saving Effects of Progressive Pricing and Free CFL Bulb Distribution Program: Evidence from Ethiopia
Authors: Iimi Atsushi , Elahi Raihan , Kitchlu Rahul , Costolanski Peter
Published: December 2016

In Africa, about 70 percent of the total population still lives without electricity. Significant resources are needed to meet the gap. Demand-side management is crucial to curb the increasing demand even in developing countries. A traditional approach is to raise prices, but promoting energy-efficient products such as compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) bulbs is also a win-win proposition. While end-users can reduce their spending, power utilities can avoid costly investments in new generation capacity. This paper estimates the effects of progressive pricing as well as CFL distribution program in Ethiopia. It is found that the increasing block tariff structure reduced the demand: the price elasticity is estimated at 0.29. This is particularly useful to influence large-volume users, who are presumably the rich. The CFL program is also found effective to contain the electricity demand. The estimated impact is about 45 kWh per customer. This is significant energy savings particularly for low-volume users.
15N‐Labeling of Egg Proteins for Studying Protein Network Formation During Pound Cake Making
Authors: Deleu Lomme J. , Wilderjans Edith , Van Haesendonck Ingrid , Brijs Kristof , Delcour Jan A.
Published: December 2016

Proteins from wheat and egg are important for pound cake texture, but their exact role is insufficiently understood. A clear, analytical distinction between proteins from wheat flour, egg white, or egg yolk has been a main challenge. However, this can be addressed by using egg proteins carrying 15N. Therefore, egg white and yolk protein were enriched in 15N by mixing 15N‐labeled leucine into hen feed. Incorporation of egg and flour proteins in the protein network was monitored based on changes in their extractability during cake making. The relative contribution of different noncovalent and covalent bonds could be determined by using different extraction media. We for the first time distinguished between the contribution of egg white, egg yolk, and wheat protein in network formation during pound cake making. Our results show that during batter mixing hardly any intermolecular disulfide bonds are formed and that baking induces tremendous changes in protein extractability. A protein network based on both disulfide bonds and hydrophobic interactions is formed during baking. This covalent network includes almost all egg white protein and most of the yolk and wheat flour protein. The remaining protein fraction most probably lacks sulfhydryl groups and/or intramolecular disulfide bonds.
Alkylation of Free Thiol Groups During Extraction: Effects on the Osborne Fractions of Wheat Flour
Authors: Schmid Markus , Wieser Herbert , Koehler Peter
Published: December 2016

Wheat proteins are classified according to solubility into the so‐called Osborne fractions. Because wheat flour contains both free thiol and disulfide groups, thiol–disulfide interchange reactions are possible during extraction. Osborne fractionation of 12 different wheat flour samples was performed in the presence of N‐ethylmaleinimide (NEMI) to alkylate free thiol groups and without addition of NEMI (control). The addition of NEMI during extraction tended to decrease the content of gliadins (predominantly α‐gliadins) and caused an increase of the content of glutenins in most flour samples. Thus, alkylation of free thiol groups during extraction led to a decline of the gliadin/glutenin ratio from 2 (control) to approximately 1.5 (NEMI). NEMI and control gliadins were separated by gel‐permeation HPLC into an oligomeric subfraction (high‐molecular‐weight [HMW] gliadins) and two monomeric subfractions. In most flours (8 of 12), the addition of NEMI led to a significant increase of the content of HMW gliadins. HMW gliadins from cultivar Akteur wheat were preparatively isolated from NEMI and control gliadins and characterized by HPLC, sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and N‐terminal sequencing. HMW gliadin isolated in the presence of NEMI had a significantly higher content of low‐molecular‐weight glutenin subunits and disulfide‐bound cysteine as well as a lower content of α‐gliadins and disulfide‐bound glutathione compared with the control.
Type IV Effector Proteins Involved in the Medicago-Sinorhizobium Symbiosis
Authors: Nelson Matthew S. , Chun Chan Lan , Sadowsky Michael J.
Published: December 2016

In this study, we investigated genetic elements of the type IV secretion system (T4SS) found in Sinorhizobium spp. and the role they play in symbiosis. Sinorhizobium meliloti and S. medicae each contain a putative T4SS similar to that used by Agrobacterium tumefaciens during pathogenesis. The Cre reporter assay for translocation system was used to validate potential effector proteins. Both S. meliloti and S. medicae contained the effector protein TfeA, which was translocated into the host plant. Sequence analysis revealed the presence of a nod box involved in transcriptional activation of symbiosis-related genes, upstream of the transcriptional regulator (virG) in the Sinorhizobium T4SS. Replicate quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analyses indicated that luteolin, released by roots and seeds of Medicago truncatula, upregulated transcription of tfeA and virG. Mutations in the T4SS apparatus or tfeA alone resulted in reduced numbers of nodules formed on M. truncatula genotypes. In addition, S. meliloti KH46c, which contains a deletion in the T4SS, was less competitive for nodule formation when coinoculated with an equal number of cells of the wild-type strain. To our knowledge, TfeA is the first T4SS effector protein identified in Sinorhizobium spp. Our results indicate that Sinorhizobium i) uses a T4SS during initiation of symbiosis with Medicago spp., and ii) alters Medicago cells in planta during symbiosis. This study also offers additional bioinformatic evidence that several different rhizobial species may use the T4SS in symbiosis with other legumes.
Genetic Variation in Native Populations of the Laurel Wilt Pathogen,Raffaelea lauricola, in Taiwan and Japan and the Introduced Population in the United States
Authors: Wuest Caroline E. , Harrington Thomas C. , Fraedrich Stephen W. , Yun Hye-Young , Lu Sheng-Shan
Published: December 2016

Laurel wilt is a vascular wilt disease caused by Raffaelea lauricola, a mycangial symbiont of an ambrosia beetle, Xyleborus glabratus. The fungus and vector are native to Asia but were apparently introduced to the Savannah, GA, area 15 or more years ago. Laurel wilt has caused widespread mortality on redbay (Persea borbonia) and other members of the Lauraceae in the southeastern United States, and the pathogen and vector have spread as far as Texas. Although believed to be a single introduction, there has been no extensive study on genetic variation of R. lauricola populations that would suggest a genetic bottleneck in the United States. Ten isolates of R. lauricola from Japan, 55 from Taiwan, and 125 from the United States were analyzed with microsatellite and 28S rDNA markers, and with primers developed for two mating-type genes. The new primers identified isolates as either MAT1 or MAT2 mating types in roughly equal proportions in Taiwan and Japan, where there was also high genetic diversity within populations based on all the markers, suggesting that these populations may have cryptic sex. Aside from a local population near Savannah and a single isolate in Alabama that had unique microsatellite alleles, the U.S. population was genetically uniform and included only the MAT2 mating type, supporting the single introduction hypothesis. This study suggests the importance of preventing a second introduction of R. lauricola to the United States, which could introduce the opposite mating type and allow for genetic recombination.
Tip Fold-over in Cochlear Implantation: Case Series
Authors: Zuniga M. Geraldine , Rivas Alejandro , Hedley-Williams Andrea , Gifford Rene H. , Dwyer Robert , Dawant Benoit M. , Sunderhaus Linsey W. , Hovis Kristen L. , Wanna George B. , Noble Jack H. , Labadie Robert F.
Published: December 2016

Objective:

To describe the incidence, clinical presentation, and performance of cochlear implant (CI) recipients with tip fold-over.

Study Design:

Retrospective case series.

Setting:

Tertiary referral center.

Patients:

CI recipients who underwent postoperative computed tomography (CT) scanning.

Intervention(s):

Tip fold-over was identified tomographically using previously validated software that identifies the electrode array. Electrophysiologic testing including spread of excitation or electric field imaging (EFI) was measured on those with fold-over.

Main Outcome Measure(s):

Location of the fold-over; audiological performance pre and postselective deactivation of fold-over electrodes.

Results:

Three hundred three ears of 235 CI recipients had postoperative CTs available for review. Six (1.98%) had tip fold-over with 5/6 right-sided ears. Tip fold-over occurred predominantly at 270 degrees and was associated with precurved electrodes (5/6). Patients did not report audiological complaints during initial activation. In one patient, the electrode array remained within the scala tympani with preserved residual hearing despite the fold-over. Spread of excitation supported tip fold-over, but the predictive value was not clear. EFI predicted location of the fold-over with clear predictive value in one patient. At an average follow-up of 11 months, three subjects underwent deactivation of the overlapping electrodes with two of them showing marked audiological improvement.

Conclusion:

In a large academic center with experienced surgeons, tip fold-over occurred at a rate of 1.98% but was not immediately identifiable clinically. CT imaging definitively showed tip fold-over. Deactivating involved electrodes may improve performance possibly avoiding revision surgery. EFI may be highly predictive of tip fold-over and can be run intraoperatively, potentially obviating the need for intraop fluoroscopy.
Stimulus visibility controls the balance between attention-induced changes in contrast appearance and decision bias
Authors: Itthipuripat Sirawaj , Chang Kai-Yu , Bong Ashley , Serences John T
Published: December 2016

While attention is known to improve information processing, whether attention can alter visual appearance has been a cornerstone of debate for 100+ years. Although recent studies suggest that attention can alter appearance, it has been argued that the reported appearance changes reflect response bias. Here, we provide a resolution to this debate by showing that attention has different effects on appearance and response bias depending on stimulus visibility. In a contrast judgment task where the contrast of attended and unattended stimuli varied across a full range of contrast values, human participants exhibited a substantial amount of response bias to the attended stimulus, when stimuli were hard to see. However, when stimuli were easier to see, response bias decreased and attention primarily increased perceived contrast. These results help constrain philosophical arguments about the cognitive penetrability of perception and reconcile the long-standing debate about the attention effect on appearance and response bias.
Engineered Cpf1 Enzymes with Altered PAM Specificities
Authors: Gao Linyi , Cox David B.T. , Yan Winston X. , Manteiga John , Schneider Martin , Yamano Takashi , Nishimasu Hiroshi , Nureki Osamu , Zhang Feng
Published: December 2016

The RNA-guided endonuclease Cpf1 is a promising tool for genome editing in eukaryotic cells1-5. Compared to other genome editing platforms, Cpf1 offers distinct advantages, such as the ability to easily target multiple genes simultaneously3, as well as low rates of off-target activity4, 5. However, theAcidaminococcus sp. BV3L6Cpf1 (AsCpf1), which has been successfully harnessed for genome editing, can only robustly cleave target sites preceded by a TTTV protospacer adjacent motif (PAM), which may limit its practical utility. To address this limitation, we used a structure- guided saturation mutagenesis screen to increase the targeting range of Cpf1. We engineered two variants of AsCpf1 with the mutations S542R/K607R and S542R/K548V/N552R that can cleave target sites with TYCV/CCCC and TATV PAMs, respectively, with enhanced activitiesin vitroand in human cells. Genome-wide assessment of off-target activity indicated that these variants retain a high level of DNA targeting specificity, which can be further improved by introducing mutations in non-PAM-interacting domains. Together, these variants increase the targeting range of AsCpf1 to one cleavage site for every ~8.7 bp in non-repetitive regions of the human genome, providing a useful addition to the CRISPR/Cas genome engineering toolbox.
Responsible lobbying: an empirical study in the EU
Authors: Bauer Theresa
Published: December 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the awareness and practice responsible lobbying in the EU. Specifically, the purpose of this paper is to examine the extent to which responsible lobbying criteria are fulfilled and to investigate whether responsible lobbying yields concrete benefits in the political arena.

Design/methodology/approach

The study takes a quantitative approach combining descriptive and multivariate partial least squares (PLS) analysis based on data gained from an online survey among lobbyists in the EU. A new measurement instrument for responsible lobbying is used that grasps the multidimensional phenomenon with a formative-formative higher-order construct.

Findings

The study reveals that criteria of responsible lobbying are fulfilled to a large extent according to the lobbyists. The PLS analysis confirms the applicability of the multidimensional model of responsible lobbying, although there is only a weak link between Dimension (1), referring to the company’s stated corporate social responsibility (CSR) commitment and coherence with lobbying and the second-order construct responsible lobbying. Based on the information given by respondents, the analysis provides evidence for a positive impact of responsible lobbying on both lobbying success and corporate reputation, but also for the dependence of these two variables on additional factors.

Originality/value

Responsible lobbying as an aligned approach to CSR and lobbying is a long neglected research topic, which has been gaining interest recently. This study contributes to empirical knowledge on the awareness and practice of responsible lobbying in the EU by taking a quantitative approach based on a solid theoretical foundation.
Mind: the gap – to advance CSR research, think about stakeholder cognition
Authors: L. Barnett Michael
Published: December 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop a better understanding of how, and how well, stakeholders make decisions about rewarding firms for acts of social responsibility and punish firms for their lack thereof.

Design/methodology/approach

The author integrates factors at the individual, firm, and industry levels that cause variation in how stakeholders attend to corporate social (ir)responsibility.

Findings

The author explicates the multi-level cognitive process stakeholders undertake in attending to firm’s actions and identifies limits on their ability to fulfill their central role in conditioning firms to be more socially responsible.

Research limitations/implications

The author outlines areas for future research that can fill gaps in the understanding of how stakeholders notice, make sense of, and respond to corporate social practices.

Social implications

The author argues that, under many conditions, business case or self-regulatory solutions may be inadequate to increase corporate social responsibility (CSR), and instead, formal regulatory solutions may prove necessary.

Originality/value

This paper brings needed structure to the literature on CSR. By delving deeper into the minds of stakeholders and outlining a multi-level cognitive process, it enables scholars to better address the key managerial issue of when, not simply whether, it pays to be good.
Science and responsibility for the well-being of the global community
Authors: Forge John
Published: December 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to address the topic of the social responsibility and the scientist from a philosophical perspective. This is a (relatively) neglected topic, as philosophers have tended to focus on moral responsibility. Nevertheless, it is important, and timely.

Design/methodology/approach

Analytical, based on the author’s previous work. This is not an empirical study.

Findings

That it is essential for scientists to adopt a global outlook with respect to their social responsibilities. This is in (stark) contrast to the conclusion that would be reached for moral responsibility.

Research limitations/implications

In addition to offering some concrete proposals (see below), a general approach to the question is offered that will be useful for further work.

Practical implications

Were the suggestions for socially responsible science put into practice, then this would entail a re-orientation of some parts of scientific research; for instance, a moratorium on weapons research.

Social implications

The long-run social implications of not re-orienting science, for instance not to focus even more effort on climate change, will be negative in the extreme.

Originality/value

The social responsibility of science has always been important, but it is even more important today. By focussing on global responsibility, this paper offers a new approach.
Consumer preferences for regional meat products
Authors: Paustian Margit , Reinecke Franziska-Elisabeth , Theuvsen Ludwig
Published: December 2016

Purpose

Consumers are increasingly interested in the origin of their food, especially in the case of meat products where food safety issues are relevant. The purpose of this paper is to empirically examine the trend of regional food consumption and the influencing factors for consumer preferences of regional meat products. For the first time cognitive, normative and affective attributes, as well as point of purchase and socio-demographic characteristics, were put together in a conceptual framework to investigate which factors are influencing consumer preferences for regional meat products.

Design/methodology/approach

A representative sample of German consumers was surveyed in 2014. After measuring the determinants of perceived quality of regional meat products, an attribute-level factor analysis were used to test inter-dependence between the variables. All five factors, accounting for 77 percent of the sample, were examined by a binary logistic regression model.

Findings

Logit regression analysis found that three factors, including normative and affective attributes, significantly affect and influence consumer preferences for regional meat products, whereas cognitive attributes have no significant influence on consumer preferences.

Originality/value

The findings have interesting implications for retailers with respect to meat marketing activities, as well as for researchers with respect to further research on regional meat products. Though, it comes out that it is promising to concentrate on normative and affective attributes regarding product presentation and meat marketing of regional meat products.
Barriers and facilitators of HACCP adoption in the Armenian dairy industry
Authors: Galstyan Suren H. , Harutyunyan Tsovinar L.
Published: December 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to report the results of a study that investigated the barriers and facilitators associated with the adoption of a hazard analysis critical control point based food safety management system (HACCP FSMS) in dairy processing companies of Armenia.

Design/methodology/approach

A cross-sectional qualitative research design was employed to examine managerial experience and perceptions of barriers and drivers to organizational adoption of HACCP FSMS procedures. The data were collected in 20 food processing facilities in the dairy industry through individual in-depth interviews with their representatives and in governmental and non-governmental organizations through focus group discussions with 23 policy makers and food safety consultants. Diffusion of innovations theory provided a framework for systematic exploration of the phenomenon under study.

Findings

Most frequently reported drivers of adoption included enhanced traceability, increased export opportunities, improved organizational image, and broader accountability. Major impeding factors, such as high investment costs, value incompatibility, excessive documentation, inadequate physical and technological infrastructures, and low observability led to less favorable attitudes toward the organizational change needed for HACCP FSMS adoption. The results indicate that larger organizations with well-developed infrastructures and skilled workforce have an advantage over smaller organizations in the process of adoption.

Originality/value

This study provides a comprehensive theory-based analysis of perceived determinants of organization-wide adoption of HACCP-based system in Armenia. The results of the study support and extend the findings of earlier research and provide new insights into HACCP FSMS adoption across different contexts.
Exploring the acceptability of amaranth-enriched bread to support household food security
Authors: de Beer Hanli , Mielmann Annchen , Coetzee Lizelle
Published: December 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the acceptability of an identified staple product enriched with amaranth grain, a traditionally used wild plant familiar to most of the population, after households’ food security status revealed that the majority of them were either at risk or food insecure.

Design/methodology/approach

A two-phase non-experimental, quantitative survey design with purposive sampling was used to explore the variety of foods consumed and the food security status of lower skilled (n=63) and higher skilled (n=81) income-earning households. During the second phase, recipe development and sensory acceptance of bread enriched with grain amaranth (n=91) were determined. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the data.

Findings

Food insecurity was evident among the majority of the lower skilled income households while nearly one in four households in both groups were at risk to become insecure. Daily consumption of chicken and maize meal was evident in lower income households while the frequency in higher income households were significantly less. Bread was found to be the most consumed food product among all households (p=0.001; r=0.455). Supplementation of wheat flour with amaranth flour, a nutritious traditionally familiar wild plant, to support households’ food consumption was investigated. Results from sensory evaluation panels revealed that both bread samples with different percentage of amaranth flour (15 and 25 per cent) were acceptable.

Originality/value

The most important contribution of this study is the re-introduction and incorporation of a traditional food, amaranth, into a modern frequently consumed food to support households’ nutritional and monetary demands to ultimately contribute to general well-being and household food security.
How convenient!? Adolescents’ vistas on food competences in a convenience context
Authors: Wahlen Stefan , van der Horst Hilje , Pothoff Roosje
Published: December 2016

Purpose

Adolescents are at a stage in their life course in which they increasingly become choosers, buyers and preparers of food. Hence, they develop and employ required competences. Current food-related competences of adolescents are shaped in an environment with an abundance of convenience foods. Simultaneously food education has been limited in many western countries. The purpose of this paper is to scrutinize how young practitioners engage with the notion of convenience in a context with a strong presence of convenience foods.

Design/methodology/approach

Empirical data for this paper have been collected in a Dutch high school context following a participatory approach in focus group discussions. Data have been gathered from different food-related exercises within a classroom context.

Findings

The findings indicate that adolescents’ food competences and meanings are heavily shaped by the abundant presence of convenience foods. Adolescents perceive a nuanced picture of a skilful consumer that incorporates convenience foods in ways that minimize time efforts, preserves some preparatory tasks for fun cooking and has knowledge about health effects of fatty and salty foods.

Originality/value

The investigation takes a novel look on convenience food consumption from a practice perspective scrutinizing competences through the lens of adolescent practitioners. The authors make a plea for tapping into the potential of research on children and adolescents as novice performers of practices to understand how practices are shaped and changed and how practices recruit new practitioners.
Critical success factors for post-disaster infrastructure recovery
Authors: Liu Miao , Scheepbouwer Eric , Giovinazzi Sonia
Published: December 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to synthesise critical success factors (CSFs) for advancing post-disaster infrastructure recovery and underpinning recovery authorities in decision making when facing future disasters.

Design/methodology/approach

The seismic recovery after the Canterbury (NZ) earthquake sequence in 2010-2011 was selected as a case study for identifying CSFs for an efficient recovery of infrastructure post-disaster. A combination of research approaches, including archival study, observations and semi-structured interviews were conducted for collecting data and evidences by engaging with participants involved at various tiers in the post-disaster recovery and reconstruction. The CSFs are evaluated and analysed by tracking the decision-making process, examining resultant consequences and foreseeing onwards challenges.

Findings

Six salient CSFs for strengthening infrastructure recovery management after disasters are identified. Furthermore, the study shows how each of these CSFs have been incorporated into the decision-making process in support of the post-disaster recovery and what difficulties encountered in the recovery process when implementing.

Practical implications

The proposed CSFs provide a future reference and guidance to be drawn on by decision makers when project-managing post-disaster recovery operations.

Originality/value

The value of the paper is that it bridges the gap between managerial contexts and technical aspects of post-disaster recovery process in an effort to rapidly and efficiently rebuild municipal infrastructure.
A study of housing reconstruction and social cohesion among conflict and tsunami affected communities in Sri Lanka
Authors: Haigh Richard , Hettige Siri , Sakalasuriya Maheshika , Vickneswaran G. , Weerasena Lasantha Namal
Published: December 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to critically analyse the role of housing reconstruction projects in post conflict and post tsunami Sri Lanka, and to discuss their implications on conflict prevention.

Design/methodology/approach

Using four housing reconstruction projects in Batticaloa, Kilinochchi and Jaffna Districts, Sri Lanka, as case studies, and a novel methodological framework, the study explores the causal relations among the independent variables associated with housing reconstruction and dependent variables related to conflict prevention. The data, gathered from interviews and project reports, were analysed using propositions from a literature review, adopting a thematic analytical approach.

Findings

This study finds that reconstruction has created new forms of conflicts and tensions for the people who came to live in the newly constructed houses. The hostile relations that existed among different ethnic groups during the conflict were continued, and to some extent, exacerbated by the reconstruction undertaken after the war.

Practical implications

The study identifies causal relations among the independent variables associated with housing reconstruction and dependent variables related to conflict prevention, which can be used to inform physical reconstruction programmes after conflict.

Originality/value

The research presents a novel methodological framework. The results reveal concerns in housing and infrastructure development that have implications for future research and practice in post conflict environments.
Risk and culture: the case of typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines
Authors: Dalisay Soledad Natalia , De Guzman Mylene T.
Published: December 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to look into the socio-cultural contexts that shaped people’s evacuation decisions during typhoon Haiyan in three affected areas in the Philippines.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a multi-sited ethnography that utilized interviews, focus group discussion and participatory risk mapping among selected women and men in areas affected by typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines.

Findings

Coastal communities encounter threats from storm surges as brought about by typhoons. During such periods, disaster evacuation programs are implemented. In some instances, evacuation programs are met with resistance from community members. Such resistance has been attributed to the people’s hard headedness and ignorance of the potential impacts of living in hazard prone areas. This paper argues that it is not solely for these reasons that people refused to evacuate. Results showed that hesitance may also be due to other considerations and priorities vital to people. It is also because people had faith in the knowledge and strategies that they were able to develop by engaging with hazards through time. Furthermore, previous experiences with disaster evacuation programs cast doubt on their value in saving their lives. Life in the evacuation areas can be as dangerous if not more compared with living in their coastal homes. Some of the informants believed that they were being moved from hazard zones to death zones. This paper ends with recommendations for the development of evacuation programs that build people’s resilience while taking into consideration the local moral world in identified hazard zones in the Philippines.

Research limitations/implications

The study focused on three areas affected by typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines, namely, Tacloban City, Guiuan, Eastern Samar, and San Francisco, Cebu.

Originality/value

Most research on disaster mitigation looked into the engineering and technology aspects. This paper looks into the socio-cultural contexts of disaster evacuation.
Long-term satisfaction of post disaster resettled communities
Authors: Dias Nuwan Tharanga , Keraminiyage Kaushal , DeSilva Kushani Kulasthri
Published: December 2016

Purpose

After tsunami 2004, it was estimated that more than 98,000 permanent houses had to be rebuilt. However, ten years on, as communities, are they satisfied in their new homes? What are the indicators affecting the long-term satisfaction of resettled communities in relation to their new permanent houses. The purpose of this paper is to qualitatively evaluate the level of long-term satisfaction of two tsunami affected resettled communities in Sri Lanka in a bid to identify the indicators affecting the long-term satisfaction of post disaster resettled communities in relation to permanent housing.

Design/methodology/approach

In addition to the thorough literature review conducted to evaluate the state of the art in the subject area, a series of interviews were conducted with experts and tsunami affected communities in Sri Lanka to gather primary data for this research. The literature review is used to establish the initial list of indicators of long-term satisfaction of resettlements. The expert interviews and the community interviews were used to verify and refine the initially identified indicators.

Findings

A sustainable resettlement programme is just not merely reconstruction of a set of houses. A resettlement programme should re-establish the socio-economic and cultural life of people. Reconstruction of a house does not solve the housing issue; it is vital to look in to the indicators which can convert a house into a home and the surrounding into a neighbourhood.

Originality/value

This paper makes a significant contribution in terms of identifying indicators affecting the long-term community satisfaction with resettlement programmes taking into account economic, social and cultural factors with a special emphasis on post tsunami resettlements in Sri Lanka.