bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The occasional perils of reflection (across the midline; in geometric morphometrics)
Authors: Katz David C.
Published: September 2019

Manually collecting landmark data on a large biological sample takes a long time. Several options exist to speed data collection, though each strategy introduces problems or raises concerns of its own. For bilaterally symmetric structures (e.g., crania), some recent papers recommend limiting landmark collection to one side and the midline, then “mirror-reflecting” landmarks across the midline to produce an approximation of the true bilateral configuration. However, where the midline is narrow relative to the bilateral anatomy, net midline landmark deviations from the mid-sagittal axis or plane will distort the mirror-reflected configuration. Here, I test whether this is a substantive concern at the scale of real biology. To do so, I simulate small amounts of mediolateral error on the mean shape from a sample of human mandibles (n= 178), then compare the distribution of simulated forms to variation in the data. I also test how faithfully mirror-reflected configurations replicate bilateral shape and size relationships. In both analyses, midline deviations from symmetry create striking distortions. I go on to show that incorporating a small number of landmarks from the opposite side of the mandible produces far more accurate estimates of bilateral shape than does mirror reflection. Mirror reflection is clearly inappropriate for these data and is likely suspect in all cases of narrow midline morphology.
The evolutionary plasticity of chromosome metabolism allows adaptation to DNA replication stress
Authors: Fumasoni Marco , Murray Andrew W.
Published: September 2019

Chromosome metabolism is defined by the pathways that collectively maintain the genome, including chromosome replication, repair and segregation. Because aspects of these pathways are conserved, chromosome metabolism is considered resistant to evolutionary change. We used the budding yeast,Saccharomyces cerevisiae, to investigate the evolutionary plasticity of chromosome metabolism. We experimentally evolved cells constitutively experiencing DNA replication stress caused by the absence of Ctf4, a protein that coordinates the activities at replication forks. Parallel populations adapted to replication stress, over 1000 generations, by acquiring multiple, successive mutations. Whole-genome sequencing and testing candidate mutations revealed adaptive changes in three aspects of chromosome metabolism: DNA replication, DNA damage checkpoint and sister chromatid cohesion. Although no gene was mutated in every population, the same pathways were sequentially altered, defining a functionally reproducible evolutionary trajectory. We propose that this evolutionary plasticity of chromosome metabolism has important implications for genome evolution in natural populations and cancer.
Effective CRISPRa-Mediated Control of Gene Expression in Bacteria Must Overcome Strict Target Site Requirements
Authors: Fontana Jason , Dong Chen , Kiattisewee Cholpisit , Chavali Venkata P. , Tickman Benjamin I. , Carothers James M. , Zalatan Jesse G.
Published: September 2019

In bacterial systems, CRISPR-Cas transcriptional activation (CRISPRa) has the potential to dramatically expand our ability to regulate gene expression, but we currently lack a complete understanding of the rules for designing effective guide RNA target sites. We have identified multiple features of bacterial promoters that impose stringent requirements on bacterial CRISPRa target sites. Most importantly, we found that shifting a gRNA target site by 2-4 bases along the DNA target can cause a nearly complete loss in activity. The loss in activity can be rescued by shifting the target site 10-11 bases, corresponding to one full helical turn. Practically, our results suggest that it will be challenging to find a gRNA target site with an appropriate PAM sequence at precisely the right position at arbitrary genes of interest. To overcome this limitation, we demonstrate that a dCas9 variant with expanded PAM specificity allows activation of promoters that cannot be activated byS. pyogenesdCas9. These results provide a roadmap for future engineering efforts to further expand and generalize the scope of bacterial CRISPRa.
Haplotype-based inference of the distribution of fitness effects
Authors: Vecchyo Diego Ortega-Del , Lohmueller Kirk E. , Novembre John
Published: September 2019

Recent genome sequencing studies with large sample sizes in humans have discovered a vast quantity of low-frequency variants, providing an important source of information to analyze how selection is acting on human genetic variation. In order to estimate the strength of natural selection acting on low-frequency variants, we have developed a likelihood-based method that uses the lengths of pairwise identity-by-state between haplotypes carrying low-frequency variants. We show that in some non-equilibrium populations (such as those that have had recent population expansions) it is possible to distinguish between positive or negative selection acting on a set of variants. With our new framework, one can infer a fixed selection intensity acting on a set of variants at a particular frequency, or a distribution of selection coefficients for standing variants and new mutations. We apply our method to theUK10Kphased haplotype dataset of 3,781 individuals and find a similar proportion of neutral, moderately deleterious, and deleterious variants compared to previous estimates made using the site frequency spectrum. We discuss several interpretations for this result, including that selective constraints have remained constant over time.
Stochastic sampling provides a unifying account of visual working memory limits
Authors: Schneegans Sebastian , Taylor Robert , Bays Paul M
Published: September 2019

Research into human working memory limits has been shaped by the competition between different formal models, with a central point of contention being whether internal representations are continuous or discrete. Here we describe a sampling approach derived from principles of neural coding as a new framework to understand working memory limits. Reconceptualizing existing models in these terms reveals strong commonalities between seemingly opposing accounts, but also allows us to identify specific points of difference. We show that the discrete versus continuous nature of sampling is not critical to model fits, but that instead random variability in sample counts is the key to reproducing human performance in both single- and whole-report tasks. A probabilistic limit on the number of items successfully retrieved is an emergent property of stochastic sampling, requiring no explicit mechanism to enforce it. These findings resolve discrepancies between previous accounts and establish a unified computational framework for working memory that is compatible with neural principles.
Mental operations in rhythm: motor-to-sensory transformation mediates imagined singing
Authors: Li Yanzhu , Luo Huan , Tian Xing
Published: September 2019

What enables our mental activities for thinking verbally or humming in our mind? We hypothesized that the interaction between motor and sensory systems induces speech and melodic mental representations, and this motor-to-sensory transformation forms the neural basis that enables our verbal thinking and covert singing. Analogous with the neural entrainment to auditory stimuli, participants imagined singing lyrics of well-known songs rhythmically while their neural electromagnetic signals were recorded using magnetoencephalography (MEG). We found that when participants imagined singing the same song in similar durations across trials, the delta frequency band (1-3 Hz, similar to the rhythm of the songs) showed more consistent phase coherence across trials. This neural phase tracking of imagined singing was observed in a frontal-parietal-temporal network – the proposed motor-to-sensory transformation pathway, including the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), insula, premotor, intra-parietal sulcus (IPS), the temporal-parietal junction (TPJ), primary auditory cortex (HG), and superior temporal gyrus and sulcus (STG & STS). These results suggest that neural responses can entrain the rhythm of mental activity. Moreover, the theta band (4-8 Hz) phase coherence was localized in the auditory cortices. The mu (9-12 Hz) and beta (17-20 Hz) bands were observed in the right-lateralized sensorimotor systems that were consistent with the singing context. The gamma band was broadly manifested in the observed network. The coherent activation in the motor-to-sensory transformation network as well as the frequency-specific activation in the motor, somatosensory, and auditory cortices mediate the internal construction of perceptual representations and form the foundation of neural computations for mental operations.
Modeling Cancer Genomic Data in Yeast Reveals Selection Against ATM Function During Tumorigenesis
Authors: Hohl Marcel , Mojumdar Aditya , Hailemariam Sarem , Kuryavyi Vitaly , Ghisays Fiorella , Sorenson Kyle , Chang Matthew , Taylor Barry S. , Patel Dinshaw J. , Burgers Peter M. , Cobb Jennifer A. , Petrini John H. J.
Published: September 2019

The DNA damage response (DDR) comprises multiple functions that collectively preserve genomic integrity and suppress tumorigenesis. The Mre11 complex and ATM govern a major axis of the DDR and several lines of evidence implicate that axis in tumor suppression. Components of the Mre11 complex are mutated in approximately five percent of human cancers. Inherited mutations of complex members cause severe chromosome instability syndromes, such as Nijmegen Breakage Syndrome, which is associated with strong predisposition to malignancy. And in mice, Mre11 complex mutations are markedly more susceptible to oncogene-induced carcinogenesis. The complex is integral to all modes of double strand break (DSB) repair and is required for the activation of ATM to effect DNA damage signaling. To understand which functions of the Mre11 complex are important for tumor suppression, we undertook mining of cancer genomic data from the clinical sequencing program at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, which includes the Mre11 complex among the 468 genes assessed. Twenty five mutations in MRE11 and RAD50 were modeled in S.cerevisiae and in vitro. The mutations were chosen based on recurrence and conservation between human and yeast. We found that a significant fraction of tumor-borne RAD50 and MRE11 mutations exhibited separation of function phenotypes wherein Tel1/ATM activation was defective while DNA repair functions were mildly or not affected. At the molecular level, the gene products of RAD50 mutations exhibited defects in ATP binding and hydrolysis. The data reflect the importance of Rad50 ATPase activity for Tel1/ATM activation and suggest that inactivation of ATM signaling confers an advantage to burgeoning tumor cells.

Author Summary

A complex network of functions is required for suppressing tumorigenesis. These include processes that regulate cell growth and differentiation, processes that repair damage to DNA and thereby prevent cancer promoting mutations and signaling pathways that lead to growth arrest and programmed cell death. The Mre11 complex influences both signaling and DNA repair. To understand its role in tumor suppression, we characterized mutations affecting members of the Mre11 complex that were uncovered through cancer genomic analyses. The data reveal that the signaling functions of the Mre11 complex are important for tumor suppression to a greater degree than its role in DNA repair.
Abuse among elderly living in old age homes of Pokhara Lekhnath Metropolitan City
Authors: Baral Mira Adhikari , Bhagwati KC , Bhandari Pramila
Published: September 2019

Elder abuse is a common social problem in developed and developing countries and it imposes a huge impact in the physical and mental health of the elderly. With the changes in the socioeconomic aspect of Nepalese society, many elderly are relocating from their homes to old age homes. This study was conducted to assess the status of abuse among the elderly before they enter to old aged homes.

A cross sectional study was conducted to assess the status of abuse among elderly before they enter to the old age homes. Consecutive sampling technique was used and semi structured interview schedule was used to collect the data from 109 elderly residing in 6 old aged homes in Pokhara. Collected data was analyzed descriptive and inferential (chi square) statistics using SPSS version 16.

The findings from the study showed that that 97.2% of the elderly experienced some forms of abuse before they were brought to the old Age home. Majority of them reported that they experienced neglect (83.5%) followed by verbal abuse (34.9) while least of them (5.5%) reported that they suffered physical abuse(2.8%) and financial abuse(2.8%). However, no significant association could be seen between abuse of elderly with age, education, marital status, place of residence, having children and adequacy of income. It is recommended that the nation develop and implement necessary plans to strengthen the social security of the people at their old age.
Evaluation of rice wild relatives as a source of traits for adaptation to iron toxicity and enhanced grain quality
Authors: Bierschenk Birgit , Tagele Melle Tilahun , Ali Basharat , Ashrafuzzaman Md , Wu Lin-Bo , Becker Matthias , Frei Michael
Published: September 2019

Rice wild relatives (RWR) constitute an extended gene pool that can be tapped for the breeding of novel rice varieties adapted to abiotic stresses such as iron (Fe) toxicity. Therefore, we screened 75 Oryza genotypes including 16 domesticated O. sativas, one O. glaberrima, and 58 RWR representing 21 species, for tolerance to Fe toxicity. Plants were grown in a semi-artificial greenhouse setup, in which they were exposed either to control conditions, an Fe shock during the vegetative growth stage (acute treatment), or to a continuous moderately high Fe level (chronic treatment). In both stress treatments, foliar Fe concentrations were characteristic of Fe toxicity, and plants developed foliar stress symptoms, which were more pronounced in the chronic Fe stress especially toward the end of the growing season. Among the genotypes that produced seeds, only the chronic stress treatment significantly reduced yields due to increases in spikelet sterility. Moreover, a moderate but non-significant increase in grain Fe concentrations, and a significant increase in grain Zn concentrations were seen in chronic stress. Both domesticated rice and RWR exhibited substantial genotypic variation in their responses to Fe toxicity. Although no RWR strikingly outperformed domesticated rice in Fe toxic conditions, some genotypes scored highly in individual traits. Two O. meridionalis accessions were best in avoiding foliar symptom formation in acute Fe stress, while an O. rufipogon accession produced the highest grain yields in both chronic and acute Fe stress. In conclusion, this study provides the basis for using interspecific crosses for adapting rice to Fe toxicity.
Accuracy of whole-genome sequence imputation using hybrid peeling in large pedigreed livestock populations
Authors: Ros-Freixedes Roger , Whalen Andrew , Chen Ching-Yi , Gorjanc Gregor , Herring William O , Mileham Alan J , Hickey John M
Published: September 2019

Background

We demonstrate high accuracy of whole-genome sequence imputation in large livestock populations where only a small fraction of individuals (2%) had been sequenced, mostly at low coverage.

Methods

We used data from four pig populations of different sizes (18,349 to 107,815 individuals) that were broadly genotyped at densities between 15,000 and 75,000 markers genome-wide. Around 2% of the individuals in each population were sequenced (most at 1x or 2x and a small fraction at 30x; average coverage per individual: 4x). We imputed whole-genome sequence with hybrid peeling. We evaluated the imputation accuracy by removing the sequence data of a total of 284 individuals that had been sequenced at high coverage, using a leave-one-out design. We complemented these results with simulated data that mimicked the sequencing strategy used in the real populations to quantify the factors that affected the individual-wise and variant-wise imputation accuracies using regression trees.

Results

Imputation accuracy was high for the majority of individuals in all four populations (median individual-wise correlation was 0.97). Individuals in the earliest generations of each population had lower accuracy than the rest, likely due to the lack of marker array data for themselves and their ancestors. The main factors that determined the individual-wise imputation accuracy were the genotyping status of the individual, the availability of marker array data for immediate ancestors, and the degree of connectedness of an individual to the rest of the population, but sequencing coverage had no effect. The main factors that determined variant-wise imputation accuracy were the minor allele frequency and the number of individuals with sequencing coverage at each variant site. These results were validated with the empirical observations.

Conclusions

The coupling of an appropriate sequencing strategy and imputation method, such as described and validated here, is a powerful strategy for generating whole-genome sequence data in large pedigreed populations with high accuracy. This is a critical step for the successful implementation of whole-genome sequence data for genomic predictions and fine-mapping of causal variants.
Annotation-Informed Causal Mixture Modeling (AI-MiXeR) reveals phenotype-specific differences in polygenicity and effect size distribution across functional annotation categories
Authors: Shadrin Alexey A. , Frei Oleksandr , Smeland Olav B. , Bettella Francesco , O’Connell Kevin S. , Gani Osman , Bahrami Shahram , Uggen Tea K. E. , Djurovic Srdjan , Holland Dominic , Andreassen Ole A. , Dale Anders M.
Published: September 2019

Determining the contribution of functional genetic categories is fundamental to understanding the genetic etiology of complex human traits and diseases. Here we present Annotation Informed MiXeR: a likelihood-based method to estimate the number of variants influencing a phenotype and their effect sizes across different functional annotation categories of the genome using summary statistics from genome-wide association studies. Applying the model to 11 complex phenotypes suggests diverse patterns of functional category-specific genetic architectures across human diseases and traits.
Quantitative proteomics reveals remodeling of protein repertoire across life phases ofDaphnia pulex
Authors: Peshkin Leonid , Boukhali Myriam , Haas Wilhelm , Kirschner Marc W. , Yampolsky Lev Y.
Published: September 2019

The microcrustaceanDaphniais becoming an organism of choice for genomic and proteomic studies of the effects of environmental stressors. However, the changes in protein expression across the life cycle have not been fully characterized. We analyzed the proteomes of adult females, juveniles, asexually produced embryos, and the ephippia - resting stages containing two sexually produced diapausing freezing- and desiccation-resistant embryos. Overall, we were significantly more likely to detect proteins with known molecular functions than proteins with no detectable orthology. Similarly we could detect those with stronger gene model support, as judged by mutual best BLAST hits between two independent genome assemblies than those without such support. This suggests that we could apply our proteomics pipeline to verify hypothesized proteins, even given less-than-perfect reference gene models. In particular, we observed up-regulation of vitellogenins and down-regulation of actins and myosins in embryos of both types, as compared to juveniles and adults and overrepresentation of cell-cycle related proteins in the developing embryos, as compared to both diapausing embryos and adults. We found upregulation of small heat-shock proteins and redox peroxidases, as well as overrepresentation of stress-response proteins in the ephippium relative to the asexually produced non-diapausing embryos. The ephippium also showed up-regulation of three trehalose-synthesis proteins and down-regulation of a trehalose hydrolase, consistent with the role of trehalose in protection against freezing and desiccation.

Statement of significance of the study

Freshwater plankton crustaceanDaphniais rapidly becoming a model organism of choice for ecological and developmental genomics. While there have been several advances towards establishing the protocols and reference datasets for proteomics, a detailed dataset covering several main steps of asexual and sexual phases ofDaphnialife cycle is not yet available. Moreover, different versions ofD. pulexgenome differ in the number of protein-coding genes identified; it is unclear whether these differences are caused by differences between sequenced genotypes or between gene model methodology used. In this study we report LC-MS2/MS3 proteomes of whole body adult females, juvenile females, asexually produces embryos and diapausing eggs capable of surviving freezing and desiccation.
Resolution and dose dependence of radiation damage in biomolecular systems
Authors: Atakisi Hakan , Conger Lauren , Moreau David W. , Thorne Robert E.
Published: September 2019

The local Fourier-space relation between diffracted intensity I, diffraction wavevector q and dose D, \tilde I(q,D), is key to probing and understanding radiation damage by X-rays and energetic particles in both diffraction and imaging experiments. The models used in protein crystallography for the last 50 years provide good fits to experimental I(q) versus nominal dose data, but have unclear physical significance. More recently, a fit to diffraction and imaging experiments suggested that the maximum tolerable dose varies as q
−1 or linearly with resolution. Here, it is shown that crystallographic data have been strongly perturbed by the effects of spatially nonuniform crystal irradiation and diffraction during data collection. Reanalysis shows that these data are consistent with a purely exponential local dose dependence, \tilde I(q,D) = I
0(q)exp[−D/D
e(q)], where D
e(q) ∝ q
α with α ≃ 1.7. A physics-based model for radiation damage, in which damage events occurring at random locations within a sample each cause energy deposition and blurring of the electron density within a small volume, predicts this exponential variation with dose for all q values and a decay exponent α ≃ 2 in two and three dimensions, roughly consistent with both diffraction and imaging experiments over more than two orders of magnitude in resolution. The B-factor model used to account for radiation damage in crystallographic scaling programs is consistent with α = 2, but may not accurately capture the dose dependencies of structure factors under typical nonuniform illumination conditions. The strong q dependence of radiation-induced diffraction decays implies that the previously proposed 20–30 MGy dose limit for protein crystallography should be replaced by a resolution-dependent dose limit that, for atomic resolution data sets, will be much smaller. The results suggest that the physics underlying basic experimental trends in radiation damage at T ≃ 100 K is straightforward and universal. Deviations of the local I(q, D) from strictly exponential behavior may provide mechanistic insights, especially into the radiation-damage processes responsible for the greatly increased radiation sensitivity observed at T ≃ 300 K.
Autobiographical vignettes in annual report CEO letters as a lens to understand how leadership is conceived and enacted
Authors: Craig Russell , Amernic Joel
Published: September 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine autobiographical vignettes that are embedded in the annual report letters to shareholders of chief executive officers (CEOs). The aim is to reveal the capacity of this narrative to self-construct leader identity, show how they can help CEOs attain legitimacy and how they help CEOs to exert management control.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is positioned within literature that focuses on the importance of the annual report CEO letter and the strategic use of CEO autobiographical vignettes therein. Three autobiographical vignettes included in letters to shareholders signed by E. Hunter Harrison, CEO of Canadian National Railway (2004, 2005 and 2007), are analysed using close reading techniques. This involved the authors separately reading each vignette by slowing down the reading process to aid understanding of the text’s “inner workings”. Several close readings of each vignette were conducted until a consensus was reached between the authors.

Findings

Autobiographical vignettes have strong potential to be used strategically, as rhetorical devices, to help CEOs exert management control, facilitate change, shape leader-follower relationships and sustain self-legitimacy.

Originality/value

This paper is the first within the accounting domain to highlight the potential for autobiographical narrative in a CEO’s annual letter to shareholders to convey corporate information (including strategic intent), to construct leader identity and to exert management control.
Financing from Islamic microfinance institutions: evidence from Indonesia
Authors: Fianto Bayu Arie , Gan Christopher , Hu Baiding
Published: September 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate factors that determine rural households’ access to finance provided by Islamic microfinance institutions (MFIs) in Indonesia.

Design/methodology/approach

A two-year panel data set with logistic regression is used to identify the determinants of access to finance by rural households. The study sample comprises of 289 Islamic MFIs’ clients and 140 non-clients from East Java, Indonesia. The clients consist of 111 rural households with profit and loss sharing (PLS) schemes, 162 clients with non-profit and loss sharing (non-PLS) schemes and 16 clients with both schemes.

Findings

The empirical results show that age, gender and income influence rural households to access finance provided by Islamic MFIs. The results show an increase in age and income increase the respondents’ likelihood to access finance. Further, male respondents are more likely to access finance from Islamic MFIs than females.

Research limitations/implications

The empirical analysis is limited to data obtained from East Java province in Indonesia, and other provinces may show different results. However, this study is among the few studies that investigate access to finance from Islamic MFIs based on PLS and non-PLS schemes.

Originality/value

The novelty of this study lies in the unique financing accessibility between PLS and non-PLS schemes in Islamic MFIs. This study will be an important addition to the emerging literature on Islamic microfinance.
The effects of auditor switching towards abnormal return in manufacturing company
Authors: Nawangsari Filmiar Yunida , Iswajuni Iswajuni
Published: September 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of simultaneous and partial auditor switching toward the abnormal return of manufacturing companies listed in Indonesia Stock Exchange between 2009 and 2012.

Design/methodology/approach

Auditor switching is divided into some types: lateral Big 4 to Big 4 (B4B4), lateral non Big 4 to non Big 4 (NB4NB4), cross-up (CU) and cross-down. The abnormal return is measured with a market-adjusted model. In this study, company size is used as the control variable and is measured using the natural logarithm of the total assets (LnTA) and return on equity. Multiple linear regression is used for analysis with significant value a= 5 percent. The hypotheses were tested using f-test and t-test.

Findings

The result shows that simultaneous auditor switchings affect the abnormal return. In partial auditor switching, only CU switch has effects on the abnormal return.

Originality/value

This study provides additional literature on the effect of auditor switching, especially on an abnormal return.
The effect of company characteristics and auditor characteristics to audit report lag
Authors: Abdillah Muhammad Rifqi , Mardijuwono Agus Widodo , Habiburrochman Habiburrochman
Published: September 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine and analyze the factors that affect an auditor’s efficiency in completing the audit process proxied by audit report lag. The factors used in this study are selected by looking at the characteristics of the company and the characteristics of an auditor.

Design/methodology/approach

Company characteristics were proxied by the audit committee effectiveness, financial condition, accounting complexity and profitability, whereas auditor characteristics were proxied with auditor reputation, audit tenure and auditors industry specialization. Populations of this study were all manufacturing companies listed in Indonesian Stock Exchange in 2014–2016. Based on the purposive sampling method, the number of samples obtained from 231 companies was 77. Multiple linear regression method was used to analyze this study. Hypothesis testing was done by statistical t-test (partial).

Findings

The results showed that partially variables of the audit committee effectiveness and profitability had a significant negative effect on audit report lag while the variable financial condition had a significant positive effect on audit report lag. Meanwhile, variables of the accounting complexity, auditor reputation, audit tenure and auditors’ industry specialization did not show significant influence on audit report lag.

Originality/value

This study tests both company’s and auditor’s characteristic on audit report lag that as far as authors know never been tested simultaneously.
Establishing the measurement invariance in measures of consumers’ perceived value
Authors: Eom Hyo Jin , Lu Zhenqiu (Laura)
Published: September 2019

Purpose

Researchers have used the construct of consumers’ perceived value to examine the behavioral attitudes or outcomes from different shopping experiences. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the equivalence of psychometric characteristics of consumers’ perceived value across groups of consumers to support the underlying assumption that the construct is universally equivalent across different shopping contexts.

Design/methodology/approach

Confirmatory factor analyses were performed to examine the measurement invariance of consumers’ perceived value in the different types of brand and retailer collaborations in a sample of 856 American consumers.

Findings

Based on the sequential tests, the results confirmed the consistent structure of the measurement instrument of consumers’ perceived value. In practical applications, although the invariance of monetary value could not be established at the metric level, the findings suggest that social value, convenient value and epistemic value were invariant across groups of consumers in the different shopping contexts.

Originality/value

This research may provide valuable insights into the measurement invariance of consumers’ perceived value, as well as suggestions for researchers before conducting substantive tests of theories with the construct.
Sexy or smart? The impact of endorser ethnicity and portrayal on Chinese women’s attitudes toward luxury advertising
Authors: Yin Cheng-Yue , Bi Nan , Poon Patrick , Sun Yang
Published: September 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the interaction effect of endorser ethnicity (local Chinese vs Western) and portrayal (smart vs sexy) on Chinese women’s attitudes toward luxury advertisements and brands, as well as any moderating effect appearance self-esteem has on the above-mentioned interaction.

Design/methodology/approach

Two online experiments were conducted. Study 1 was a 2×2 factorial design (with 280 participants), while Study 2 was a 2×2 ×2 factorial design (with 320 participants). Data were analyzed using a multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) test and simple effect analysis.

Findings

Results demonstrated that Chinese female consumers are more likely to have a positive attitude toward advertisements for luxury goods and brands when a local Chinese (vs Western) endorser is used and portrayed as smart (vs sexy), particularly if consumers have low appearance self-esteem.

Research limitations/implications

The research focused only on female consumers and only one product type was used for the experiments. The use of controls for potential confounding effects was insufficient in this study design.

Practical implications

To maximize profits, marketers should choose the most appropriate combination of endorser ethnicity and portrayal in the Chinese luxury goods market. Accordingly, if adopting a localization strategy and using a Chinese female endorser, the endorser should be portrayed as smart rather than sexy. In contrast, if a luxury brand adopts an internationalization strategy and uses the same Western female endorser as in other countries, it is more effective to portray her as sexy rather than smart. Furthermore, advertisers should pay particular attention to Chinese female consumers who have low appearance self-esteem when advertising their product and/or brand.

Originality/value

Compared with past studies concerned with consumers’ perceptions of endorser image in advertisements through a focus on endorser ethnicity, this study linked endorser portrayal with his/her ethnicity and discussed the interaction effects between these two factors on consumers’ attitudes toward the advertisement and the brand portrayed in the advertisement. The findings herein contribute new insights to the body of work on luxury marketing and endorser advertising.
Cultural values affect functional food perception
Authors: Neupane Saugat , Chimhundu Ranga , Chan K.C.
Published: September 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between consumers’ cultural values and their functional food perception.

Design/methodology/approach

The research is qualitative in nature and uses the grounded theory method. The data were collected through in-depth interviews with three ethnic groups, Anglo-Australian, Chinese and Indian ethnic groups in Australia. The constant comparative data analysis approach was used to analyse the interview text.

Findings

The results indicate that there is a relationship between consumers’ cultural values and their functional food perception. Functional food perception depends upon the consumers’ predisposition towards their culture, their motives for functional food consumption and the level of perseverance towards functional foods.

Research limitations/implications

The study includes only three ethnic groups and is qualitative in nature, which may limit its generalisability to the universe. The inclusion of more ethnic groups and additional sources of data could form directions for future research.

Practical implications

Functional food marketers can assess the kind of cultural values the ethnic groups in Australia uphold and capture those values in their marketing strategies. The cultural values in the framework could be used for the segmentation of functional food consumers. In a multicultural setting like Australia, segmentation of consumers based on the standard values would be more feasible and effective to target consumers spread across different ethnic groups but who uphold similar values.

Originality/value

The research has attempted to fill the gap in the existing literature about the relationship between culture and functional food perception. The latent variables in the theoretical framework proposed by the qualitative enquiry can be a good starting point for understanding the influence of cultural values on functional food perception and the development of a more comprehensive theoretical framework for functional food behaviour.
The continuance usage intention of Alipay
Authors: Khayer Abul , Bao Yukun
Published: September 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the continuance intention of Alipay by proposing an integrated model. This paper highlights how the capacity of providing context-based information to the users plays significant role in determining the continuance intention of mobile payment like Alipay.

Design/methodology/approach

Data are collected from 336 Alipay users from Wuhan, P.R. China. To analyze the data, the authors apply structural equation modeling approach. Also, the authors perform importance-performance map analysis (IPMA) to identify the critical factors in explaining the continuance intention of Alipay.

Findings

The results of the study reveal that confirmation and perceived usefulness significantly influence the continuance intention of Alipay through satisfaction. Also, perceived usefulness, satisfaction, context and ubiquity have direct impact on the continuance intention of Alipay through attitude. According to IPMA, perceived ease of use, confirmation and context require special managerial consideration to improve their performance.

Originality/value

This research has proposed and validated an integrated model by incorporating context-awareness theory and technology continuance theory. This study provides significant insights that can assist respective decision-makers to formulate/adjust their strategies related to the retention of the existing users of mobile payment like Alipay.
Café2Go: a struggle to build a local brand and stay ahead
Authors: Mohammed Amna Abdullah , Ahmad Syed Zamberi
Published: September 2019

Learning outcomes

The learning outcomes are as follows: to enable the learners to understand advantages and disadvantages of franchises in the company; to understand the strength and weakness points of Café2Go, its underlying strategy and what makes the company a unique outlet; to acquire a better understanding on the key challenges or dilemmas that Café2Go faces and to provide recommendations to address such dilemmas; to evaluate innovative marketing plans that would aid in expanding Café2Go internationally; and to understand cause-effect analysis of project management and the reason for the increase in the operationalization cost on Café2Go.

Case overview/synopsis

This case study presents the story of Jassim Al-Bastaki who was once rejected as a franchisee and later managed to be a pioneering franchiser in the UAE. The case aims to highlight the new coffee products and distribution methods Al-Bastaki used to compete in the over-saturated coffee market in Dubai. Al-Bastaki distinguished the first Café2Go by offering camel products in a mobile truck. It was the first “café-on-wheels” in the UAE, and it marketed the slogan of “wherever you are”. This case study discusses the challenges the project faced while marketing the unpopular, salty drink camel milk and issuing the necessary licenses for the coffee truck. The case study also elaborates on the innovative strategies Al-Bastaki used to convince customers of the health benefits of camel milk, to serve camel milk in appealing forms such as milkshakes and to replace the banned mobile truck with kiosks, cubicles, mobile trolleys and free phone call services. The case study also aims to highlight the obstacles associated with the franchise model and to reveal how Al-Bastaki overcame such challenges, using the franchise model, to expand Café2Go beyond the UAE. What started as a mobile coffee truck in 2009, in Dubai, has changed into an expanding business in Qatar, Libya, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and Spain (Masudi, 2013).

Complexity academic level

The case study is relevant for undergraduate and post-graduate management degrees, and specifically business administration, entrepreneurship, small business management courses.

Supplementary materials

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

Subject code

CSS 3: Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurial intentions and gender: pathways to start-up
Authors: Nikou Shahrokh , Brännback Malin , Carsrud Alan L. , Brush Candida G.
Published: September 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to revisit the conceptualization and measurement of entrepreneurial intentions. Significant studies anchored in the Theory of Planned Behavior use causal statistical approaches to entrepreneurial intentions. This methodological approach, leads to the conclusion that there is a single pathway for all groups of people to achieve business start-up. Even though theory suggests approaches by women entrepreneurs to start a business may be influenced by different factors from those influencing men, results are inconclusive in these analyses. The authors argue that methodological preferences for linear, causal analytical approaches limit the understanding of gender similarities and differences in the business start-up process. The authors propose that when considering diverse samples, it is unreasonable to assume there is only a single pathway leading to business start-up.

Design/methodology/approach

Building on fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) and data set of 2,038 respondents, the authors investigate factors predicting the intentions to start a business and evaluate the alternative conjunctive paths that emerge.

Findings

The fsQCA results shows that the relationship among conditions leading to entrepreneurial intentions is complex and is best represented as multiple and conjectural causation configurations. In other words, there are multiple significant pathways (refers to equifinality) that predict intentions to start a business start-up, and there are significant differences by gender.

Originality/value

This study is one of the first to examine the roll of gender as a sperate condition in the analysis. This paper offers implications for theory and future research and highlights the complexity of this domain.
Equity analysis of health system accessibility from perspective of people with disability
Authors: Zandam Hussain , Juni Muhamad Hanafiah
Published: September 2019

Purpose

Self-evaluated access and accessibility has been found to be associated with healthcare seeking and quality of life. Studies have shown that, however, a vast majority of individuals with disability living in poor countries have limited access to healthcare influenced by several barriers. The purpose of this paper is to compare the perception of general accessibility of health care services and its association with access barriers and other contextual factors between people with physical disabilities and counterparts without disability.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is a cross sectional survey involving 213 individuals with physical disabilities and 213 counterparts without disability sampled using a multi-stage method. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire with sections on socioeconomic and living conditions, education, health, employment and access to health care. Data analysis involved usingχ2for proportions andT-test and multiple regressions (stepwise) method to determine significant factors that influence perception on accessibility.

Findings

The study finds that people with disabilities fared worse in various socioeconomic factors such as education, employment, income and assets possession. People with disabilities also experience more dimensional barriers and reported poor health system accessibility. The difference in accessibility continued after adjusting for other variables, implying that there are more inherent factors that explain the perception of access for people with disabilities.

Practical implications

Governments should ensure equitable access to health care delivery for people with disabilities through equitable health policies and services that are responsive to the needs of people with disabilities and promote the creation of enabling environment to enhance participation in health care delivery.

Originality/value

The authors confirm that the paper has neither been submitted to peer review, nor is in the process of peer reviewing or accepted for publishing in another journal. The author(s) confirms that the research in this work is original, and that all the data given in the paper are real and authentic. If necessary, the paper can be recalled, and errors corrected. The undersigned authors transfer the copyright for this work to theInternational Journal of Health Governance. The authors are free of any personal or business association that could represent a conflict of interest regarding the paper submitted, and the authors have respected the research ethics principles.
An evaluation of Web of Science, Scopus and Google Scholar citations in operations management
Authors: Chapman Karen , Ellinger Alexander E.
Published: September 2019

Purpose

Ongoing deliberation about how research productivity should be measured is exacerbated by extensive disparity between the number of citations for scholarly works reported by commercial academic search engines and Google Scholar (GS), the premier web crawling service for discovering research citations. Disparities identified in citation comparison studies have also led to disagreement about the value of the higher number of citations for social sciences and business scholarly articles consistently reported by GS. The purpose of this paper is to extend previous database citation comparison studies by manually analyzing a sample of unique GS citations to a leading operations management journal (i.e. citations found only in GS and not the commercial search engines) to reveal just where these additional citations are coming from.

Design/methodology/approach

In addition to comparing citation counts for the three databases, unique GS citation data for the sample of journal articles was manually captured and reviewed. The authors’ approach provides a much more in-depth examination of the provenance of GS citations than is found in previous studies.

Findings

The findings suggest that concerns about the value of unique GS citations may not be warranted since the document types for the unique GS citing documents identified in the analysis are dominated by familiar scholarly formats. Predominantly authentic and validated journal publications, dissertations, conference papers, and book and book chapters accounted for the large majority of the unique GS citations analyzed.

Practical implications

The study lends further credence to contentions that the use of citations reported in GS is appropriate for evaluating research impact in disciplines where other formats beyond the English-language journal article are valued.

Originality/value

Developing a more informed understanding of the provenance of unique GS citations in the authors’ field is important because many scholars not only aspire to publish in elite journals with high impact factors based on citation counts provided by commercial databases to demonstrate quality, but also report the larger number of citations for their publications that are reported by GS to demonstrate impact. The in-depth manual analysis suggests that GS provides a more nuanced and comprehensive representation of research impact and international scope than the commercial databases.