bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Transcriptomic signatures of brain regional vulnerability to Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Keo Arlin , Mahfouz Ahmed , Ingrassia Angela M.T. , Meneboo Jean-Pascal , Villenet Celine , Mutez Eugénie , Comptdaer Thomas , Lelieveldt Boudewijn P.F. , Figeac Martin , Chartier-Harlin Marie-Christine , van de Berg Wilma D.J. , van Hilten Jacobus J. , Reinders Marcel J.T.
Published: June 2019

The molecular mechanisms underlying the caudal-to-rostral progression of Lewy body pathology in Parkinson’s disease (PD) remain poorly understood. Here, we aimed to unravel transcriptomic signatures across brain regions involved in Braak Lewy body stages in non-neurological controls and PD donors. Using human postmortem brain datasets of non-neurological adults from the Allen Human Brain Atlas, we identified expression patterns related to PD progression, including genes found in PD genome-wide associations studies: SNCA, ZNF184, BAP1, SH3GL2, ELOVL7, and SCARB2. We confirmed these patterns in two datasets of non-neurological subjects (Genotype-Tissue Expression project and UK Brain Expression Consortium) and found altered patterns in two datasets of PD patients. Additionally, co-expression analysis across vulnerable regions identified two modules associated with dopamine synthesis, the motor and immune system, blood-oxygen transport, and contained microglial and endothelial cell markers, respectively. Alterations in genes underlying these region-specific functions may contribute to the selective regional vulnerability in PD brains.
Diversity of fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda and their gut bacterial community in Kenya
Authors: Gichuhi Joseph , Subramanian Sevgan , Khamis Fathiya M. , Van den Berg Johnnie , du Plessis Hannalene , Ekesi Sunday , Herren Jeremy K
Published: June 2019

The invasive fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) is a polyphagous pest that causes widespread damage particularly to maize and sorghum in Africa. The microbiome associated with S. frugiperda could play a role in their success and adaptability. However, these bacterial communities remain poorly studied, especially for S. frugiperda in Africa. We investigated the composition, abundance and diversity of microbiomes associated with larval and adult specimens of S. frugiperda collected from four maize growing regions in Kenya through high throughput sequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA gene. We identified Proteobacteria and Firmicutes as the most dominant phyla and lesser proportions of Bacteroidetes and Actinobacteria. We also observed differences in bacterial microbiome diversity between larvae and adults that are a likely indication that some prominent larval bacterial groups are lost during metamorphosis. Several bacterial groups were found in both adults and larvae suggesting that they are transmitted across developmental stages. Reads corresponding to several known entomopathogenic bacterial clades as well as the non-bacterial entomopathogen, Metarhizium rileyi (Farl.) Kepler, Rehner & Humber (2014), were observed. Mitochondrial DNA haplotyping of the S. frugiperda population in Kenya indicated the presence of both ‘Rice’ and ‘Corn’ strains, with a higher prevalence of the ‘Rice’ strain. Insights into the microbiota may ultimately provide alternative avenues for controlling of this pest.
DOT: Gene-set analysis by combining decorrelated association statistics
Authors: Vsevolozhskaya Olga A. , Shi Min , Hu Fengjiao , Zaykin Dmitri V.
Published: June 2019

Historically, the majority of statistical association methods have been designed assuming availability of SNP-level information. However, modern genetic and sequencing data present new challenges to access and sharing of genotype-phenotype datasets, including cost management, difficulties in consolidation of records across research groups, etc. These issues make methods based on SNP-level summary statistics particularly appealing. The most common form of combining statistics is a sum of SNP-level squared scores, possibly weighted, as in burden tests for rare variants. The overall significance of the resulting statistic is evaluated using its distribution under the null hypothesis. Here, we demonstrate that this basic approach can be substantially improved by decorrelating scores prior to their addition, resulting in remarkable power gains in situations that are most commonly encountered in practice; namely, under heterogeneity of effect sizes and diversity between pairwise LD. In these situations, the power of the traditional test, based on the added squared scores, quickly reaches a ceiling, as the number of variants increases. Thus, the traditional approach does not benefit from information potentially contained in any additional SNPs, while our decorrelation by orthogonal transformation (DOT) method yields steady gain in power. We present theoretical and computational analyses of both approaches, and reveal causes behind sometimes dramatic difference in their respective powers. We showcase DOT by analyzing breast cancer data, in which our method strengthened levels of previously reported associations and implied the possibility of multiple new alleles that jointly confer breast cancer risk.
Time Machine: Can a Dye from 1928 be Re-Purposed for Modern, Fluorescence-Based Detection of Amyloid-Like Fibrils?
Authors: Antimonova O. I. , Grudinina N. A. , Egorov V. V. , Ilyin V. V. , Zabrodskaya Y. A. , Ramsay E. S. , Polukeev V. A. , Shavlovsky M. M.
Published: June 2019

This manuscript describes the chemical synthesis of a compound similar to fluorene and Congo red, including characterization of its spectral properties. It was shown that the dye, during interaction with amyloid-like fibrils of several proteins (lysozyme, insulin, and beta-2-microglobulin), has the ability to change fluorescent spectrum. In contrast, monomeric forms of these proteins did not induce significant spectral changes.
Characterising group-level brain connectivity: a framework using Bayesian exponential random graph models
Authors: Lehmann Brieuc CL , Henson Richard N , Geerligs Linda ,   Cam-CAN, White Simon R
Published: June 2019

The brain can be modelled as a network with nodes and edges derived from a range of imaging modalities: the nodes correspond to spatially distinct regions and the edges to the interactions between them. Whole-brain connectivity studies typically seek to determine how network properties change with a given categorical phenotype such as age-group, disease condition or mental state. To do so reliably, it is necessary to determine the features of the connectivity structure that are common across a group of brain scans. Given the complex interdependencies inherent in network data, this is not a straightforward task. Some studies construct a group-representative network (GRN), ignoring individual differences, while other studies analyse networks for each individual independently, ignoring information that is shared across individuals. We propose a Bayesian framework based on exponential random graph models (ERGM) extended to multiple networks to characterise the distribution of a entire population of networks. Using resting-state fMRI data from the Cam-CAN project, a study on healthy ageing, we demonstrate how our method can be used to characterise and compare the brain's functional connectivity structure across a group of young individuals and a group of old individuals.
Correlated evolution of sex allocation and mating system in wrasses and parrotfishes
Authors: Hodge Jennifer R. , Santini Francesco , Wainwright Peter C.
Published: June 2019

In accordance with predictions of the size-advantage model, comparative evidence confirms that protogynous sex change is lost when mating behavior is characterized by weak size advantage. However, we lack comparative evidence supporting the adaptive significance of sex change. Specifically, it remains unclear whether increasing male size advantage induces transitions to protogynous sex change across species, as it can within species. We show that in wrasses and parrotfishes (Labridae), the evolution of protogynous sex change is correlated with polygynous mating, and that the degree of male size advantage expressed by polygynous species influences transitions between different types of protogynous sex change. Phylogenetic reconstructions reveal strikingly similar patterns of sex allocation and mating system evolution with comparable lability. Despite the plasticity of sex determination mechanisms in labrids, transitions trend towards monandry (all males derived from sex-changed females), with all observed losses of protogyny accounted for by shifts in the timing of sex change to prematuration. Likewise, transitions in mating system trend from the ancestral condition of lek-like polygyny toward greater male size advantage, characteristic of haremic polygyny. The results of our comparative analyses are among the first to confirm the adaptive significance of sex change as described by the size-advantage model.
A Bacterial Surface Layer Protein Exploits Multi-step Crystallization for Rapid Self-assembly
Authors: Herrmann Jonathan , Li Po-Nan , Jabbarpour Fatemeh , Chan Anson C. K. , Rajkovic Ivan , Matsui Tsutomu , Shapiro Lucy , Smit John , Weiss Thomas , Murphy Michael E. P. , Wakatsuki Soichi
Published: June 2019

Surface layers (S-layers) are crystalline protein coats surrounding microbial cells. S-layer proteins (SLPs) regulate their extracellular self-assembly by crystallizing when exposed to an environmental trigger. However, molecular mechanisms governing rapid protein crystallization in vivo or in vitro are largely unknown. Here, we demonstrate that the C. crescentus SLP readily crystallizes into sheets in vitro via a calcium-triggered multi-step assembly pathway. This pathway involves two domains serving distinct functions in assembly. The C-terminal crystallization domain forms the physiological 2D crystal lattice, but full-length protein crystallizes multiple orders of magnitude faster due to the N-terminal nucleation domain. Observing crystallization using time-resolved electron cryo-microscopy (Cryo-EM) reveals a crystalline intermediate wherein N-terminal nucleation domains exhibit motional dynamics with respect to rigid lattice-forming crystallization domains. Dynamic flexibility between the two domains rationalizes efficient S-layer crystal nucleation on the curved cellular surface. Rate enhancement of protein crystallization by a discrete nucleation domain may enable engineering of kinetically controllable self-assembling 2D macromolecular nanomaterials.

Significance Statement

Many microbes assemble a crystalline protein layer on their outer surface as an additional barrier and communication platform between the cell and its environment. Surface layer proteins efficiently crystallize to continuously coat the cell and this trait has been utilized to design functional macromolecular nanomaterials. Here, we report that rapid crystallization of a bacterial surface layer protein occurs through a multi-step pathway involving a crystalline intermediate. Upon calcium-binding, sequential changes occur in the structure and arrangement of the protein, which are captured by time-resolved small angle x-ray scattering and transmission electron cryo-microscopy. We demonstrate that a specific domain is responsible for enhancing the rate of self-assembly, unveiling possible evolutionary mechanisms to enhance the kinetics of 2D protein crystallization in vivo.
Diving beetle offspring oviposited in amphibian spawn prey on the tadpoles upon hatching
Authors: Gould John , Valdez Jose W. , Clulow Simon , Clulow John
Published: June 2019

In highly ephemeral freshwater habitats, predatory vertebrates are typically unable to become established, leaving an open niche often filled by macroinvertebrate predators. However, these predators are faced with the challenge of finding sufficient food sources as the rapid rate of desiccation prevents the establishment of extended food chains and limits the number of prey species present. It could therefore be advantageous for adults to oviposit their offspring in the presence of future prey within sites of extreme ephemerality. We report the first case of adult diving beetles ovipositing their eggs within spawn of the sandpaper frog, Lechriodus fletcheri. This behaviour was found among several pools used by L. fletcheri for reproduction. Beetle eggs oviposited in frog spawn were found to hatch within 24 hours of the surrounding L. fletcheri eggs, with the larvae becoming voracious consumers of the hatched tadpoles. Although it has yet to be established experimentally whether this is an adaptive behaviour, the laying of eggs among potential future tadpole prey in this instance should confer significant fitness benefits for the offspring upon hatching, ensuring that they are provided an immediate source of food at the start of their development and potentially throughout. This oviposition behaviour may be common among diving beetles and could form a significant predatory threat for amphibians with a free-swimming larval stage in ephemeral freshwater habitats.
First report on the effective intraperitoneal therapy of insulin-dependent Diabetes mellitus in pet dogs using “Neo-Islets,” aggregates of adipose stem and pancreatic islet cells
Authors: Gooch Anna , Zhang Ping , Hu Zhuma , Son Natasha Loy , Avila Nicole , Fischer Julie , Roberts Gregory , Sellon Rance , Westenfelder Christof
Published: June 2019

We previously reported that allogeneic, intraperitoneally administered “Neo-Islets,” composed of cultured pancreatic islet cells co-aggregated with high numbers of immunoprotective and cytoprotective Adipose-derived Stem Cells, reestablished, through omental engraftment, redifferentiation and splenic and omental up-regulation of Regulatory T-cells, normoglycemia in autoimmune Type-1 Diabetic Non-Obese Diabetic (NOD) mice without the use of immunosuppressive agents or encapsulation devices. Based on these observations, we are currently testing this Neo-Islet technology in an FDA guided Pilot Study (INAD 012-776) in insulin-dependent, spontaneously diabetic pet dogs by the intraperitoneal administration of 2×10e5 Neo-Islets/kilogram body weight to metabolically controlled (blood glucose, triglycerides, thyroid and adrenal functions) animals under sedation and local anesthesia and ultrasound guidance. We report here initial observations on the first 4 Neo-Islet-treated, insulin dependent pet dogs that are now in the intermediate-term follow-up phase of the study (> 6 months post treatment). Current results indicate that in dogs, Neo-Islets appear to engraft, redifferentiate and physiologically produce insulin, and are neither rejected by auto- or allo-immune attacks, as evidenced by (a) an absent IgG response to the allogeneic cells contained in the administered Neo-Islets, and (b) progressively improved glycemic control that achieves up to a 50% reduction in daily insulin needs paralleled by a significant fall in serum glucose levels. This is accomplished without the use of anti-rejection drugs or encapsulation devices. No adverse or serious adverse events related to the Neo-Islet administration have been observed to date. We conclude that this minimally invasive therapy has significant translational relevance to veterinary and clinical Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus by achieving complete and at this point partial glycemic control in two species, i.e., diabetic mice and dogs, respectively.
Genome sequencing of ion-beam-induced mutants facilitates detection of candidate genes responsible for phenotypes of mutants in rice
Authors: Oono Yutaka , Ichida Hiroyuki , Morita Ryouhei , Nozawa Shigeki , Satoh Katsuya , Shimizu Akemi , Abe Tomoko , Kato Hiroshi , Hase Yoshihiro
Published: June 2019

Ion beams are physical mutagens used for plant and microbe breeding that cause mutations via a distinct mechanism from those of chemical mutagens or gamma rays. We utilized whole-exome sequencing of rice DNA in order to understand the properties of ion beam-induced mutations in a genome-wide manner. DNA libraries were constructed from selected carbon-ion-beam-induced rice mutants by capturing with a custom probes covering 66.3 M bases of nearly all exons and miRNAs predicted in the genome. A total of 56 mutations, including 24 single nucleotide variations, 23 deletions, and 5 insertions, were detected in five mutant rice lines (two dwarf and three early-heading-date mutants). The mutations were distributed among all 12 chromosomes, and the average mutation frequency in the M1 generation was estimated to be 2.7 × 10-7per base. Many single base insertions and deletions were associated with homopolymeric repeats, whereas larger deletions up to seven base pairs were observed at polynucleotide repeats in the DNA sequences of the mutation sites. Of the 56 mutations, six were classified as high-impact mutations that caused a frame shift or loss of exons. A gene that was functionally related to the phenotype of the mutant was disrupted by a high-impact mutation in four of the five lines tested, suggesting that whole-exome sequencing of ion-beam-irradiated mutants could facilitate the detection of candidate genes responsible for the mutant phenotypes.
The vasodilatory mechanism of nitric oxide and hydrogen sulfide in human mesenteric artery of colorectal cancer patients: role of potassium channels
Authors: Hassan Awat Y. , Maulood Ismail M. , Salihi Abbas
Published: June 2019

Recent studies focused on the role of gasotransmitters in cancer progression and prevention. Therefore, this study was designed to explore the vasodilator activity of NO and H2S in human mesenteric artery of CRC patients via activation of K+ channels. For this purpose, two sets of experiments were established. The blood samples from CRC patients were obtained to detect serum levels of Endocan and MDA. Moreover, the role of K+ channels were assessed in mediating vasodilation of human mesenteric artery in response to SNP and Na2S. The level of serum Endocan was decreased in CRC patients compared to healthy individuals, while serum MDA was not changed. The arterial rings precontracted with NE were first relaxed by cumulative addition of increasing concentrations of either SNP (30nM-30μM) or Na2S (1-6mM). Then maximal relaxation rates were calculated for four times at each 15min intervals. Preincubation of arterial rings for 20min with individual K+ channels blockers were significantly reduced relaxation caused by SNP and Na2S at different time intervals. Furthermore, pretreatment of L-NAME did not change the vasodilation induced by Na2S. Vasodilation of CRC mesenteric unchanged by synergistic application of SNP and Na2S. While preincubation of arterial rings with PAG significantly enhanced vasodilation induced by SNP. In conclusion, these results indicate that endothelial dysfunction and oxidative stress do not take part in the pathogenesis of CRC. The dilatory mechanisms of NO and H2S in mesenteric arteries of CRC patients are K+ channels and time dependent, and the activity of CSE enzyme slows down the vasodilator ability of exogenous NO.
Preparation, characterization and luminescence-sensing properties of two ZnII MOFs with mixed 5-amino-2,4,6-tribromoisophthalic acid and bipyridyl-type ligands
Authors: Xu Jie , Zhang Kou-Lin
Published: June 2019

The bromo-substituted aromatic dicarboxylic acid 5-amino-2,4,6-tribromoisophthalic acid (H2ATBIP), in the presence of the N-donor flexible bipyridyl-type ligands 1,3-bis(pyridin-4-yl)propane (bpp) and N,N′-bis(pyridin-4-ylmethyl)oxalamide (4-bpme) and ZnII ions, was used as an O-donor ligand to assemble two novel luminescent metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), namely poly[[(μ-5-amino-2,4,6-tribromoisophthalato-κ2
O
1:O
3)[μ-1,3-bis(pyridin-4-yl)propane-κ2
N:N′]zinc(II)] dimethylformamide monosolvate], {[Zn(C8H2Br3NO4)(C13H14N2)]·C3H7NO}
n
, (1), and poly[[(μ-5-amino-2,4,6-tribromoisophthalato-κ2
O
1:O
3)diaqua[μ-N,N′-bis(pyridin-4-ylmethyl)oxalamide-κ2
N:N′]zinc(II)] monohydrate], {[Zn(C8H2Br3NO4)(C14H14N4O2)(H2O)2]·H2O}
n
, (2), using the solution evaporation method. Both (1) and (2) were characterized by FT–IR spectroscopy, elemental analysis (EA), solid-state diffuse-reflectance UV–Vis spectroscopy, and powder and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Complex (1) shows a two-dimensional (2D) corrugated layer simplified as a 2D (4,4) topological network. The supramolecular interactions (π–π stacking, hydrogen bonding and C—Br...Br halogen bonding) play significant roles in the formation of an extended three-dimensional (3D) supramolecular network of (1). Complex (2) crystallizes in the chiral space group P212121 and exhibits a novel 3D homochiral framework, showing a diamond-like topology with Schläfli symbol 66. The homochirality of (2) is further confirmed by the solid-state circular dichroism (CD) spectrum. The second harmonic generation (SHG) property of (2) was also investigated. The hydrogen and C—Br...Br/O halogen bonding further stabilize the framework of (2). The central ZnII ions in (1) and (2) show tetrahedral and octahedral coordination geometries, respectively. The coordinated and uncoordinated water molecules in (2) could be removed selectively upon heating. Most importantly, (1) and (2) show rapid and highly sensitive sensing for a large pool of nitroaromatic explosives (NAEs).
Top management commitment, corporate social responsibility and green human resource management
Authors: Yusliza M.-Y. , Norazmi Nurul Aimi , Jabbour Charbel José Chiappetta , Fernando Yudi , Fawehinmi Olawole , Seles Bruno Michel Roman Pais
Published: June 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the relationship between top management commitment, corporate social responsibility (CSR) and green human resource management (GHRM).

Design/methodology/approach

A self-administered questionnaire was adopted to perform a systematic collection of data from manufacturing and service organisations in Malaysia. The partial least squares method was used for the conceptual framework of the study.

Findings

The observed findings indicate a significant positive relationship between top management commitment and CSR, as well all dimensions of GHRM. However, counterintuitively, the relationship between CSR and GHRM was found not to be as significant as expected (except for CSR and green analysis/job description), which can be explained through the emerging perspective that CSR and HRM should be linked.

Research limitations/implications

The findings provide insights as to the nature of GHRM and how it is affected by CSR and top management commitment in an emerging economy – in this particular study, Malaysia. Moreover, the observed results highlight the crucial importance of top management commitment in implementing GHRM practices and CSR efficiently in order to create positive environmental performance.

Originality/value

The authors believe that, to date, no study has explored the links between top management commitment, CSR and GHRM using empirical data from Malaysia, as well as that this research is an important emerging topic for researchers, academicians and practitioners.
Environmental training: a systematic review of the state of the art of the theme
Authors: Stefanelli Nelson Oliveira , Teixeira Adriano Alves , Caldeira De Oliveira Jorge Henrique , Antonio Ferreira Marco , Sehnem Simone
Published: June 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to carry out a systematic review of the state of the art of the environmental training theme and to propose a research agenda to shed light on this subject by suggesting new research in the area.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a systematic review of the state of the art of the environmental training theme.

Findings

The authors’ main contribution is the proposal of a research agenda with 11 recommendations for future research, such as conducting research in developed countries; research focusing only on environmental training; qualitative research using case studies; research that explores the co-evolution of environmental training practices with environmental management practices and with the maturity stage of environmental management in organizations; and research that addresses all aspects of environmental training phases proposed by ISO 10015: 2001.

Originality/value

This is the most recent research which conducts a systematic review of the state of the art on environmental training and proposes a research agenda with several suggestions that can guide researchers in human resources, environmental management, sustainability and supply chain management.
Moderating effects on the market orientation and strategic performance relationship in public housing
Authors: Ahmadi Zahra
Published: June 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine how external factors moderate public housing companies’ (PHCs) market orientation (MO) and strategic performance (SP) relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

The quantitative method is applied to data from a survey sent to 289 PHCs in Sweden.

Findings

The results reveal moderating factors. The companies take several initiatives to inform themselves about customers’ needs and distribute the information within the company, but economic conditions, market and technological turbulence in the municipalities moderate the relationship between MO and SP. Economic conditions make it difficult for PHCs to strategically act based on market needs when making decisions and planning construction strategies (SP).

Research limitations/implications

This study is limited by focusing on PHCs, a sector that differs radically from the open market. The study highlights the effects of moderating factors that are important for companies’ SP and long-term construction strategies. From this limited focus, researchers might use the results to compare both similar and different market situations.

Practical implications

The results of the study are useful for companies facing a similar market situation of external moderating constraints. The result might be used in future research related to the area in focus.

Originality/value

This research adds new knowledge to market research by including the impact of economic conditions, which provides insight into how to develop and use market knowledge in real estate and public housing markets.
National cultural value models and reputation of MNCs
Authors: Swoboda Bernhard , Batton Nadine
Published: June 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide a theoretical and empirical comparison of four major national cultural value models for perceived corporate reputation (CR) of multinational corporations (MNCs) across nations: Hofstede, Schwartz, the GLOBE study and Inglehart.

Design/methodology/approach

Two consumer surveys on an MNC and on competitors in 25 countries in the year 2015 (n=20,288 and 25,397) were used for the first time to compare the roles of the cultural value models as antecedents of CR, using multilevel structural equation modeling (MSEM), which disentangles the explained variances on the country level and on the individual level.

Findings

National culture is strongly attributed to individual CR perceptions of MNCs across nations. However, the four conceptual cultural value models explain the variance differently (46.2–84.6 percent) as do particular cultural value dimensions within each model. The results are stable for both surveys.

Research limitations/implications

Novel insights into the roles of cultural value models are provided for international business research. For MNCs aiming to use their CR to attract target groups in foreign countries, this study identifies the most influential cultural value model and particular dimensions.

Originality/value

This study contributes to cultural research by deepening the understanding of the various cultural value models and their importance for MNCs. Moreover, the authors add to the CR research by providing new insights into perception differences and using the still novel MSEM.
Bro or Kook? The effect of dynamic member evaluation on incivility and resources in surf lineups
Authors: Sumpter Dana McDaniel
Published: June 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore processes of group member evaluation and the interpersonal behavioral consequences of perceived group membership, within the context of a temporary group with evolving members.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on data from an autoethnographic study, the author investigates individual socialization into a new group, with a focus on how gender influences interpersonal evaluation processes. The author analyzes the interpersonal organizing behaviors of surf lineups, which are a male-dominated group that is continually socially constructed through changing membership.

Findings

Findings support an association between denial of group membership and outcomes including incivility and denial of resources. The author develops a model of dynamic member evaluation, which identifies how group members continuously evaluate proximate individuals at the stage of impending membership, with identified outcomes of those evaluations.

Research limitations/implications

A limitation of this design is that it generalizes organizing processes from a non-traditional setting to more traditional organizations. The model predicts dynamic member evaluation as individuals organize into groups in a shifting environment, with implications for scholarship on intragroup dynamics, incivility, gender and inclusion.

Practical implications

Understanding dynamic member evaluation provides a path for aspiring or new group members to employ signaling behaviors, which can help to prevent incivility and enhance resource availability. Evidence suggests that the proactive act of signaling competence may help to foster inclusion at the stage of impending membership, which is particularly important given how impending member evaluation is subject to bias. Such understanding also raises the awareness of how majority group members can manage their evaluations and refrain from letting judgments of impending members impact interpersonal behaviors, which may prevent incivility.

Social implications

The findings and resultant model illustrate the process and experience of group inclusion, showing how incivility can manifest and resources can be limited toward impending members who are excluded.

Originality/value

This study contributes to scholarship by introducing dynamic member evaluation, including the content and process of evaluation at the stage of impending membership, how resultant selective incivility can be predicted, and potential contagion effects of such incivility.
Incivility toward managers: gender differences in well-being outcomes
Authors: Holmvall Camilla M. , Sobhani Shayda Maria
Published: June 2019

Purpose

Drawing on selective incivility theory (Cortina, 2008) and the literature on gender and leadership (e.g. Vialet al., 2016), the purpose of this paper is to investigate well-being outcomes of often neglected targets of incivility – those who manage or lead the work of others. The authors examined links between managers’ experiences of incivility from those to whom they report and five well-being outcomes, controlling for co-worker and subordinate incivility.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors used a cross-sectional correlational design to test the hypotheses, with a sample of 50 employees (28 females, 22 males) who supervise, manage or lead the work of others.

Findings

Male and female managers reported similar levels of incivility from subordinates and higher-ups; males reported greater incivility from co-workers. Significant interactions were also found: the relationship between incivility from those higher up and positive affect (high and low intensity) and perceived impact were significantly stronger for female (vs male) managers.

Research limitations/implications

Women did not experience greater workplace incivility than men, albeit the two-week timeframe of measurement may be too short to capture differences. The authors did, however, find evidence that well-being implications of experienced incivility from those higher up are generally stronger for female leaders.

Originality/value

The study investigates multi-source incivility directed at those in leadership/managerial positions and contributes to a growing literature seeking to understand the experiences of women in these roles. Although women in management roles may experience similar levels of incivility as men, they may interpret the behavior in a more negative light, in line with the persistence of sexism in the workplace.
Kaizen event approach: a case study in the packaging industry
Authors: Vo Brian , Kongar Elif , Suárez Barraza Manuel F.
Published: June 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, a case study on the application of lean production principles in a manufacturing facility is presented to demonstrate the impact of frequent and systematic use of a Kaizen event on quality and delivery performance. Second, the detailed description and analysis of the Kaizen event and its impact are provided, including a comprehensive analysis of the role of Kaizen events on employee participation and motivation.

Design/methodology/approach

The study utilizes a Kaizen event’s case study data with the help of various waste detection and elimination tools and techniques. Changes in overall productivity along with potential long-term improvements in the delivery process are also analyzed and documented.

Findings

Pre- and post-quality measures are provided to demonstrate the results of the event on the production quality and on the performance of the overall manufacturing processes. Qualitative findings regarding performance measurements and the impact on the employees are reported.

Research limitations/implications

The Kaizen team applied analytical techniques to one manufacturing site in North America of a company that has a manufacturing presence in 20 different countries.

Originality/value

Kaizen studies involving packaging operations are quite limited. This study fills this gap by detailing the Kaizen event implementation in a packaging delivery and dispensing systems manufacturer for the cosmetic industry. The implementation of this Kaizen event is detailed along with the data and techniques utilized for process improvement. The study also reports findings regarding the impact of the Kaizen event on employee participation.
Biogas or salami? An ethical analysis of two chains for end-of-lay hens
Authors: Mann Stefan , Visak Tatjana
Published: June 2019

Purpose

Since 2010, Swiss slaughterhouses have no longer accepted end-of-lay chickens, so egg producers have had to slaughter the animals on the farm and deliver them to biogas plants for gasification. However, the producers’ association, GalloCircle, has recently contracted a German slaughterhouse to process end-of-lay chickens into meat. As a consequence, an increasing number of these animals are now transported abroad. The purpose of this paper is to compare the two chains from a utilitarian perspective.

Design/methodology/approach

An interview with a central actor is analyzed by objective hermeneutics. In addition, a utilitarian comparison of the two chains is carried out.

Findings

The interview with a core stakeholder reveals that he considers this to be worse for both the animals and the farmers. The system change has been motivated by the (either merely perceived or actual) ethical preferences of consumers. The authors ethical evaluation of the system change shows, however, that highly controversial assumptions would need to be made in order to justify it. The authors doubt that the (alleged) consumer preferences are based on a proper ethical analysis of the two options.

Practical implications

The authors make a case for rationally reconsidering the choice of sending the chickens abroad.

Originality/value

The paper shows that utilitarian analysis is useful to consciously choose between different value chains.
The impact of Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards on the UK investment market: one year on
Authors: French Nick
Published: June 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide an update on how the 2018 energy efficiency legislation in the UK, Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES), is impacting upon the UK market with a particular emphasis on the investment market.

Design/methodology/approach

This practice briefing is an overview of the 2018 legislation and comments on how market awareness has changed since its introduction and the potential impact upon prices of affected properties moving forward.

Findings

This paper discusses how capital and rental values are beginning to be discounted in the market to allow for current and future liabilities under the MEES legislation. This has a significant impact on strategies for property investment.

Practical implications

The role of the property professional is to ensure that clients are fully conversant with their statutory obligations and to advise on appropriate investment strategies to optimise their property portfolios.

Originality/value

This paper provides insights on the requirements of MEES legislation to aid the property professional.
ATDC promotes the growth and invasion of hepatocellular carcinoma cells by modulating GSK‐3β/Wnt/β‐catenin signalling
Authors: Li Weizhi , Xue Hui , Li Yingchao , Li Peijie , Ma Fuquan , Liu Mengying , Kong Shuzhen
Published: June 2019

Accumulating evidence has suggested that the ataxia telangiectasia group D complementing (ATDC) gene is an emerging cancer‐related gene in multiple human cancer types. However, little is known about the role of ATDC in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In this study, we aimed to investigate the expression level, biological function and underlying mechanism of ATDC in HCC. The expression of ATDC in HCC cells was detected by quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction and western blot analysis. Cell growth was determined by cell counting kit‐8 assay and colony formation assay. Cell invasion was assessed by Transwell invasion assay. The activation status of Wnt/β‐catenin signalling was evaluated by the luciferase reporter assay. Functional experiments showed that the silencing of ATDC expression significantly suppressed the growth and invasion of HCC cells, whereas the overexpression of ATDC promoted the growth and invasion of HCC cells in vitro. Moreover, we showed that ATDC overexpression promoted the phosphorylation of glycogen synthase kinase (GSK)‐3β and resulted in the activation of Wnt/β‐catenin signalling. Notably, the inhibition of GSK‐3β activity significantly abrogated the tumour suppressive effect of ATDC silencing, while the silencing of β‐catenin partially reversed the oncogenic effect of ATDC overexpression. Taken together, these findings reveal an oncogenic role of ATDC in HCC and show that the suppression of ATDC impedes the growth and invasion of HCC cells associated with the inactivation of Wnt/β‐catenin signalling. Our study suggests that ATDC may serve as a potential therapeutic target for HCC.
Negotiating Imitation: Examining the Interactions of Consultants and Clients to Understand Institutionalization as Translation
Authors: Gill Michael J. , McGivern Gerry , Sturdy Andrew , Pereira Sandra , Gill David J. , Dopson Sue
Published: June 2019

Organizational scholars increasingly view institutionalization as a process through which actors adapt or translate seemingly successful practices in a field to create variations that are specific to their own organization. Yet little is known about how outsiders who seek to diffuse ‘best practice’ affect translation. We examined interactions between management consultants and their clients in two different consulting projects, which focused on embedding the practice of ‘lean’ in one and the practice of a quality improvement framework in the other. Our findings provide insights into the processes of translation through which promoters and adopters iterate at different stages to reach a compromise, illuminating how the evolution of an imported practice signals the outcome of a negotiation. Furthermore, we demonstrate that management practices are not translated in isolation but enveloped by peripheral practices that are adopted by association. We highlight how the peripheral practice of benchmarking, in both cases, was rarely contested or negotiated and thus proved more resistant to translation. Our analysis allows us to unpack the agency inherent withintranslation‐as‐negotiationand integrate research on diffusion and translation.
Properties and Applications of Morinda citrifolia (Noni): A Review
Authors: Almeida Édipo S. , de Oliveira Débora , Hotza Dachamir
Published: June 2019

Morinda citrifolia commonly known as noni is a perennial plant originating in Southeast Asia, consumed over 2000 years. Due to its versatility of adaptation and use of the structures of the plant for different therapeutic purposes, noni attracted the attention of researchers from the pharmaceutical and food industry. Chemical and nutritional analyzes already performed in M. citrifolia reveal the existence of more than 200 phytochemical substances with bioactive properties such as acids, alcohols, phenols, saccharides, anthraquinones, carotenoids, esters, triterpenoids, flavonoids, glycosides, lactones, iridoids, ketones, lactones, lignans, nucleosides, triterpenides, sterols, and aromatic compounds. The high nutritional value of M. citrifolia may induce therapeutic effects, including antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. The main industrial products from this plant are beverages (juice drinks), powders (from dried fruits), oil (from seeds), and leaf powders. Biological and phytotherapeutic applications of M. citrifolia are promising, but more extensive studies are still required. Thus, this review aims to gather updated and comprehensive information on Morinda citrifolia, discussing its traditional use, biochemical, phytotherapics, and toxicological properties, as well as the recent advances in the processing and standardization of products derived from noni fruit.
Mortality among people with regular or problematic use of amphetamines: a systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Stockings Emily , Tran Lucy Thi , Santo Thomas , Peacock Amy , Larney Sarah , Santomauro Damian , Farrell Michael , Degenhardt Louisa
Published: June 2019

Background and aims

Amphetamines are the second most commonly used class of illicit drugs. We aimed to produce pooled estimates of mortality risks among people with regular or dependent use of amphetamines, with a focus upon all‐cause mortality as well as specific causes of death.

Design

Systematic review and meta‐analysis of cohorts of people with problematic use or dependence on amphetamines with data on all‐cause or cause‐specific mortality.

Setting and participants

Of 4240 papers, 30 were eligible, reporting on 25 cohorts that measured all‐cause mortality, drug poisoning, suicide, accidental injuries, homicide and cardiovascular mortality. Cohorts (n = 35–74 139) were in North America, several Nordic countries and Asia Pacific.

Measurement

Titles/abstracts were independently screened by one reviewer and excluded those reviewed by a second reviewer. Full‐text screening was by two reviewers with discrepancies resolved via a third reviewer. We extracted data on crude mortality rates (CMR) per 100 person‐years (py), standardized mortality ratios (SMRs). We imputed SMRs where possible if not reported by study authors. We also calculated mortality relative risks. Data were pooled using random‐effects models; potential reasons for heterogeneity were explored using subgroup analyses and meta‐regressions.

Findings

Twenty‐three cohorts contributed data for the pooled all‐cause CMR: 1.14 per 100 py [95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.92–1.42]. Pooled cause‐specific mortality rates were: drug poisoning, 0.14 per 100 py (95% CI = 0.06–0.34); cardiovascular disease, 0.13 per 100 py (95% CI = 0.06–0.29); suicide, 0.20 per 100 py (95% CI = 0.07–0.55); accidental injury, 0.20 per 100 py (95% CI = 0.08–0.47) and homicide, 0.03 per 100 py (95% CI = 0.02–0.06). There was substantial heterogeneity for all pooled CMR estimates except homicide. The pooled all‐cause SMR was 6.83 (95% CI = 5.27–8.84). Pooled cause‐specific SMRS were: poisoning, 24.70 (95% CI = 16.67, 36.58); homicide, 11.90 (95% CI = 7.82–18.12); suicide, 12.20 (95% CI = 4.89–30.47); cardiovascular disease, 5.12 (95% CI = 3.74–7.00) and accidental injury, 5.12 (95% CI = 2.88–9.08).

Conclusions

People with regular or dependent amphetamine use are at elevated risk of a range of causes of mortality compared with people without regular or dependent amphetamine use.
Temperature‐dependent development of the double‐spined spruce bark beetle Ips duplicatus (Sahlberg, 1836) (Coleoptera; Curculionidae)
Authors: Davídková Markéta , Doležal Petr
Published: June 2019

Development of the double‐spined spruce bark beetle Ips duplicatus (Sahlberg, 1836) was investigated using the sandwich method under long‐day conditions (LD 18 : 6 h) at 10 constant temperatures: 7, 10, 12, 15, 20, 25, 30, 33, 35 and 39 °C. The method proved unsuitable at lower temperatures (7–12 °C), where high mortality occurred.

At higher temperatures, development from egg to eclosion of adults shortened from 39.0 days at 15 °C to 10.3 days at 30 °C. Temperatures over 33 °C were lethal to all eggs, larvae and pupae. The developmental rate increased linearly at temperatures between 15 and 25 °C.

Stage‐specific parameters, such as upper and lower developmental thresholds and optimum temperature for development, were determined by linear and nonlinear (Logan‐Lactin) models. Lower developmental thresholds obtained from nonlinear regression were calculated to be 9 °C (eggs), 6.1 °C (larvae), 6.9 °C (pupae) and 6.3 °C (development from eggs to pupae). Upper developmental thresholds for all stages oscillated around 39 °C and optimal temperatures oscillated around 30 °C.

The rapid development of I. duplicatus at 15 and 30 °C [10 and 4 days faster than Ips typographus (L.), respectively] may explain its recent outbreak dynamics and low effectivity of preventive control measures
A splicing mutation in PHKG1 decreased its expression in skeletal muscle and caused PSE meat in Duroc × Luchuan crossbred pigs
Authors: Liu Y. , Liu Y. , Ma T. , Long H. , Niu L. , Zhang X. , Lei Y. , Wang L. , Chen Y. , Wang Q. , Zheng Z. , Xu Xuewen
Published: June 2019

In recent years, Luchuan pigs in southern China have been used to produce high‐quality meat by crossbreeding them with Duroc boars; however, PSE (pale, soft and exudative) meat was frequently reported in the crossbred pigs, and the underlying reason remains unknown. We excluded the possibility of the well‐known causative mutations in RYR1 and PRKAG3 but identified the existence of an unfavorable allele of a splicing mutation (g.8283C>A) in PHKG1 in two Duroc boars and three Duroc × Luchuan crossbred pigs with PSE meat. An association analysis with 425 Duroc × Luchuan crossbred pigs revealed that the polymorphism of the splicing site of PHKG1 has significant association with the ultimate meat pH value (P = 0.035) and color score (P = 0.004). In addition, a strong cis‐eQTL (expression QTL) signal for the expression of PHKG1 was identified in 189 Duroc × Luchuan crossbred pigs, and the splicing mutation was proven to be significantly associated with the expression of PHKG1 (P = 4.01e‐11). Furthermore, RNA‐sequencing data analysis confirmed that 131 CC homozygotes had only one transcript (T1), with FPKM (fragments per kilobase of transcript per million) of 35.40 ± 7.28, and 58 CA heterozygotes had two types of transcripts (T1 and T2), with FPKM of 19.63 ± 5.11 and 9.20 ± 2.39 respectively. Based on the association and eQTL analysis results, we concluded that PSE meat in Duroc × Luchuan crossbred pigs is caused by the splicing mutation in PHKG1. Our findings further support the effect of the causative mutation in PHKG1 on meat quality. The GEO accession number for the data is GSE124315.