bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A dynamical systems model for the measurement of cellular senescence
Authors: Galvis Daniel , Walsh Darren , Harries Lorna W. , Latorre Eva , Rankin James
Published: October 2019

Senescent cells provide a good
in vitro
model to study ageing. However, cultures of ‘senescent’ cells consist of a mix of cell subtypes (proliferative, senescent, growth-arrested and apoptotic). Determining the proportion of senescent cells is crucial for studying ageing and developing new anti-degenerative therapies. Commonly used markers such as doubling population, senescence-associated β-galactosidase, Ki-67, γH2AX and TUNEL assays capture diverse and overlapping cellular populations and are not purely specific to senescence. A newly developed dynamical systems model follows the transition of an initial culture to senescence tracking population doubling, and the proportion of cells in proliferating, growth-arrested, apoptotic and senescent states. Our model provides a parsimonious description of transitions between these states accruing towards a predominantly senescent population. Using a genetic algorithm, these model parameters are well constrained by an
in vitro
human primary fibroblast dataset recording five markers at 16 time points. The computational model accurately fits to the data and translates these joint markers into the first complete description of the proportion of cells in different states over the lifetime. The high temporal resolution of the dataset demonstrates the efficacy of strategies for reconstructing the trajectory towards replicative senescence with a minimal number of experimental recordings.
US social fragmentation at multiple scales
Authors: Hedayatifar Leila , Rigg Rachel A. , Bar-Yam Yaneer , Morales Alfredo J.
Published: October 2019

Despite global connectivity, societies seem to be increasingly polarized and fragmented. This phenomenon is rooted in the underlying complex structure and dynamics of social systems. Far from homogeneously mixing or adopting conforming views, individuals self-organize into groups at multiple scales, ranging from families up to cities and cultures. In this paper, we study the fragmented structure of American society using mobility and communication networks obtained from geo-located social media data. We find self-organized patches with clear geographical borders that are consistent between physical and virtual spaces. The patches have multi-scale structure ranging from parts of a city up to the entire nation. Their significance is reflected in distinct patterns of collective interests and conversations. Finally, we explain the patch emergence by a model of network growth that combines mechanisms of geographical distance gravity, preferential attachment and spatial growth. Our observations are consistent with the emergence of social groups whose separated association and communication reinforce distinct identities. Rather than eliminating borders, the virtual space reproduces them as people mirror their offline lives online. Understanding the mechanisms driving the emergence of fragmentation in hyper-connected social systems is imperative in the age of the Internet and globalization.
Ocean acidification affects acid–base physiology and behaviour in a model invertebrate, the California sea hare (Aplysia californica)
Authors: Zlatkin Rebecca L. , Heuer Rachael M.
Published: October 2019

Behavioural impairment following exposure to ocean acidification-relevant CO2levels has been noted in a broad array of taxa. The underlying cause of these disruptions is thought to stem from alterations of ion gradients(HCO3−/Cl−)across neuronal cell membranes that occur as a consequence of maintaining pH homeostasis via the accumulation ofHCO3−. While behavioural impacts are widely documented, few studies have measured acid–base parameters in species showing behavioural disruptions. In addition, current studies examining mechanisms lack resolution in targeting specific neural pathways corresponding to a given behaviour. With these considerations in mind, acid–base parameters and behaviour were measured in a model organism used for decades as a research model to study learning, the California sea hare (Aplysia californica). Aplysia exposed to elevated CO2increased haemolymphHCO3−, achieving full and partial pH compensation at 1200 and 3000 µatm CO2, respectively. Increased CO2did not affect self-righting behaviour. In contrast, both levels of elevated CO2reduced the time of the tail-withdrawal reflex, suggesting a reduction in antipredator response. Overall, these results confirm that Aplysia are promising models to examine mechanisms underlying CO2-induced behavioural disruptions since they regulateHCO3−and have behaviours linked to neural networks amenable to electrophysiological testing.
Swelling and shrinking in prestressed polymer gels: an incremental stress–diffusion analysis
Authors: Rossi Marco , Nardinocchi Paola , Wallmersperger Thomas
Published: October 2019

Polymer gels are porous fluid-saturated materials which can swell or shrink triggered by various stimuli. The swelling/shrinking-induced deformation can generate large stresses which may lead to the failure of the material. In the present research, a nonlinear stress–diffusion model is employed to investigate the stress and the deformation state arising in hydrated constrained polymer gels when subject to a varying chemical potential. Two different constraint configurations are taken into account: (i) elastic constraint along the thickness direction and (ii) plane elastic constraint. The first step entirely defines a compressed/tensed configuration. From there, an incremental chemo-mechanical analysis is presented. The derived model extends the classical linear poroelastic theory with respect to a prestressed configuration. Finally, the comparison between the analytical results obtained by the proposed model and a particular problem already discussed in literature for a stress-free gel membrane (one-dimensional test case) will highlight the relevance of the derived model.
Homogenization of plasmonic crystals: seeking the epsilon-near-zero effect
Authors: Maier M. , Mattheakis M. , Kaxiras E. , Luskin M. , Margetis D.
Published: October 2019

By using an asymptotic analysis and numerical simulations, we derive and investigate a system of homogenized Maxwell's equations for conducting material sheets that are periodically arranged and embedded in a heterogeneous and anisotropic dielectric host. This structure is motivated by the need to design plasmonic crystals that enable the propagation of electromagnetic waves with no phase delay (epsilon-near-zero effect). Our microscopic model incorporates the surface conductivity of the two-dimensional (2D) material of each sheet and a corresponding line charge density through a line conductivity along possible edges of the sheets. Our analysis generalizes averaging principles inherent in previous Bloch-wave approaches. We investigate physical implications of our findings. In particular, we emphasize the role of the vector-valued corrector field, which expresses microscopic modes of surface waves on the 2D material. We demonstrate how our homogenization procedure may set the foundation for computational investigations of: effective optical responses of reasonably general geometries, and complicated design problems in the plasmonics of 2D materials.
A curious observation of phenomena occurring during lapping/polishing processes
Authors: Yang Yue , Li Haonan , Liao Zhirong , Axinte Dragos
Published: October 2019

We demonstrate that the kinematics of the polishing process is more intriguing than an idealized planetary movement as all the previous studies reported. In reality, the workpiece is pseudo-constrained by the planetary carrier and because of this its relative motion to the polishing pad also incurs a ‘parasitic’ movement that previously has not been observed. Here, we report and model this parasitic movement and quantify its effect upon the workpiece surface roughness. Using a motion capture system, the principal and ‘parasitic’ movements between the sample and polishing tool have been tracked and our models validated. It is proved that considering this parasitic movement the prediction of workpiece surface morphology can be significantly improved when compared with the idealized approach (i.e. planetary). Our observations and modelling framework open the avenue to carefully consider the compliance between the tools and workpiece in other manufacturing processes for accurate predictions of the process outcomes.
Synchronized mating signals in a communication network: the challenge of avoiding predators while attracting mates
Authors: Legett Henry D. , Page Rachel A. , Bernal Ximena E.
Published: October 2019

Conspicuous mating signals attract mates but also expose signallers to predators and parasites. Signal evolution, therefore, is driven by conflicting selective pressures from multiple receivers, both target and non-target. Synchronization of mating signals, for example, is an evolutionary puzzle, given the assumed high cost of reduced female attraction when signals overlap. Synchronization may be beneficial, however, if overlapping signals reduce attraction of non-target receivers. We investigate how signal synchronization is shaped by the trade-off between natural and sexual selection in two anuran species: pug-nosed tree frogs (Smilisca sila), in which males produce mating calls in near-perfect synchrony, and túngara frogs (Engystomops pustulosus), in which males alternate their calls. To examine the trade-off imposed by signal synchronization, we conducted field and laboratory playback experiments on eavesdropping enemies (bats and midges) and target receivers (female frogs). Our results suggest that, while synchronization can be a general strategy for signallers to reduce their exposure to eavesdroppers, relaxed selection by females for unsynchronized calls is key to the evolution and maintenance of signal synchrony. This study highlights the role of relaxed selection in our understanding of the origin of mating signals and displays.
Head to head: the case for fighting behaviour inMegaloceros giganteususing finite-element analysis
Authors: Klinkhamer Ada J. , Woodley Nicholas , Neenan James M. , Parr William C. H. , Clausen Philip , Sánchez-Villagra Marcelo R. , Sansalone Gabriele , Lister Adrian M. , Wroe Stephen
Published: October 2019

The largest antlers of any known deer species belonged to the extinct giant deerMegaloceros giganteus. It has been argued that their antlers were too large for use in fighting, instead being used only in ritualized displays to attract mates. Here, we used finite-element analysis to test whether the antlers ofM. giganteuscould have withstood forces generated during fighting. We compared the mechanical performance of antlers inM. giganteuswith three extant deer species: red deer (Cervus elaphus), fallow deer (Dama dama) and elk (Alces alces). Von Mises stress results suggest thatM. giganteuswas capable of withstanding some fighting loads, provided that their antlers interlocked proximally, and that their antlers were best adapted for withstanding loads from twisting rather than pushing actions, as are other deer with palmate antlers. We conclude that fighting inM. giganteuswas probably more constrained and predictable than in extant deer.
Human Reference Genome and a High Contiguity Ethnic Genome AK1
Authors: Kim Jina , Sung Joohon , Han Kyudong , Lee Wooseok , Mun Seyoung , Lee Jooyeon , Bahk Kunhyung , Yang Inchul , Bae Young-Kyung , Kim Changhoon , Kim Jong-il , Seo Jeongsun
Published: October 2019

Studies have shown that the current human reference genome (GRCh38) might miss information for some populations, but “exactly what we miss” is still elusive due to the lower contiguity of non-reference genomes. We juxtaposed the GRCh38 with high contiguity genome assemblies, AK1, to show that ∼1.8% (∼53.4 Mbp) of AK1 sequences missed in GRCh38 with ∼0.76% (∼22.2 Mbp) of ectopic chromosomes. The unique AK1 sequences harbored ∼1,390 putative coding elements. We found that ∼5.3Mb (∼0.2%) of the AK1 sequences aligned and recovered the “unmapped” reads of fourteen individuals (5 East-Asians, 4 Europeans, and 5 Africans) as a reference. The regions that “unmapped” reads aligned included 110 common (shared between ≥2 individuals) and 38 globally (≥7 individuals) missing regions with 25 candidate coding elements. We verified that many of the common missing regions exist in multiple populations and chimpanzee’s DNA. Our study illuminates not only the discovery of missing information but the use of highly precise ethnic genomes in understanding human genetics.
Rapid and differential evolution of the venom composition of a parasitoid wasp depending on the host strain
Authors: Cavigliasso Fanny , Mathé-Hubert Hugo , Kremmer Laurent , Rebuf Christian , Gatti Jean-Luc , Malausa Thibaut , Colinet Dominique , Poirié Marylène
Published: October 2019

Parasitoid wasps rely primarily on venom to suppress the immune response and regulate the physiology of their host. Intraspecific variability of venom protein composition has been documented in some species, but its evolutionary potential is poorly understood. We performed an experimental evolution initiated with crosses of two lines ofLeptopilina boulardiof different venom composition to generate variability and create new combinations of venom factors. The offspring were maintained for 10 generations on two strains ofDrosophila melanogasterdiffering in resistance / susceptibility to the parasitoid lines. The venom composition of individuals was characterized by a semi-automatic analysis of 1D SDS-PAGE protein profiles whose accuracy was checked by Western blot analysis of well-characterized venom proteins. Results evidenced a rapid and differential evolution of the venom composition on both hosts and showed that the proteins beneficial on one host can be costly on the other. Overall, we demonstrated the capacity of rapid evolution of the venom composition in parasitoid wasps, important regulators of arthropod populations, suggesting a potential for adaptation to new hosts. Our approach also proved relevant in identifying, among the diversity of venom proteins, those possibly involved in parasitism success and whose role deserves to be deepened.

Key Contribution

The venom protein composition of parasitoid wasps can evolve rapidly and differently depending on the host strain. Studying this evolution can help identify new venom proteins possibly involved in parasitism success on a given host.
Phosphoregulation provides functional specificity to biomolecular condensates in the cell cycle and cell polarity
Authors: Gerbich Therese M. , Gladfelter Amy S.
Published: October 2019

Cytoplasmic patterning is a feature of many cells from embryos to neurons and fungi. Biomolecular condensation is a way of organizing cytosol in which proteins and nucleic acids coassemble into compartments. How molecular identity of condensates is achieved is not well understood. In the multinucleate, filamentous fungus Ashbya gossypii, the RNA-binding protein Whi3 regulates the cell cycle and cell polarity through forming macromolecular structures that behave like condensates. Whi3 has distinct spatial localizations and mRNA targets making it a powerful model for how, when and where specific identities are established for condensates. Using mass-spectrometry, we identified residues on Whi3 that are differentially phosphorylated under specific conditions and generated mutants which ablate this regulation. This yielded separation of function alleles that were functional for either cell polarity or nuclear cycling but not both. This study shows that phosphorylation of individual residues on molecules in biomolecular condensates can provide specificity that give rise to distinct functional identities in the same cell.

Residue specific phosphorylation of the RNA-binding protein Whi3 is used to specifically regulate subsets of functionally distinct condensates in the multinucleate fungus Ashbya gossypii.
Selecting for altered substrate specificity reveals the evolutionary flexibility of ATP-binding cassette transporters
Authors: Srikant Sriram , Gaudet Rachelle , Murray Andrew W.
Published: October 2019

ABC transporters are the largest family of ATP-hydrolyzing transporters, with members in every sequenced genome, which transport substrates across membranes. Structural studies and biochemistry highlight the contrast between the global structural similarity of homologous transporters and the enormous diversity of their substrates. How do ABC transporters evolve to carry such diverse molecules and what variations in their amino acid sequence alter their substrate selectivity? We mutagenized the transmembrane domains of a conserved fungal ABC transporter that exports a mating pheromone and selected for mutants that export a non-cognate pheromone. Mutations that alter export selectivity cover a region that is larger than expected for a localized substrate-binding site. Individual selected clones have multiple mutations which have broadly additive contributions to specific transport activity. Our results suggest that multiple positions influence substrate selectivity, leading to alternative evolutionary paths towards selectivity for particular substrates, and explaining the number and diversity of ABC transporters.
Imitation as a model-free process in human reinforcement learning
Authors: Najar Anis , Bonnet Emmanuelle , Bahrami Bahador , Palminteri Stefano
Published: October 2019

While there is not doubt that social signals affect human reinforcement learning, there is still no consensus about their exact computational implementation. To address this issue, we compared three hypotheses about the algorithmic implementation of imitation in human reinforcement learning. A first hypothesis, decision biasing, postulates that imitation consists in transiently biasing the learner’s action selection without affecting her value function. According to the second hypothesis, model-based imitation, the learner infers the demonstrator’s value function through inverse reinforcement learning and uses it for action selection. Finally, according to the third hypothesis, value shaping, demonstrator’s actions directly affect the learner’s value function. We tested these three psychologically plausible hypotheses in two separate experiments (N = 24 and N = 44) featuring a new variant of a social reinforcement learning task, where we manipulated the quantity and the quality of the demonstrator’s choices. We show through model comparison that value shaping is favored, which provides a new perspective on how imitation is integrated into human reinforcement learning.
BATCAVE: Calling somatic mutations with a tumor- and site-specific prior
Authors: Mannakee Brian K. , Gutenkunst Ryan N.
Published: October 2019

Detecting somatic mutations withins tumors is key to understanding treatment resistance, patient prognosis, and tumor evolution. Mutations at low allelic frequency, those present in only a small portion of tumor cells, are particularly difficult to detect. Many algorithms have been developed to detect such mutations, but none models a key aspect of tumor biology. Namely, every tumor has its own profile of mutation types that it tends to generate. We present BATCAVE (Bayesian Analysis Tools for Context-Aware Variant Evaluation), an algorithm that first learns the individual tumor mutational profile and mutation rate then uses them in a prior for evaluating potential mutations. We also present an R implementation of the algorithm, built on the popular caller MuTect. Using simulations, we show that adding the BATCAVE algorithm to MuTect improves variant detection. It also improves the calibration of posterior probabilities, enabling more principled tradeoff between precision and recall. We also show that BATCAVE performs well on real data. Our implementation is computationally inexpensive and straightforward to incorporate into existing MuTect pipelines. More broadly, the algorithm can be added to other variant callers, and it can be extended to include additional biological features that affect mutation generation.
Does leader-member similarity in prosocial personality affect informal learning transfer?
Authors: Lim Doo Hun , Yoon Seung Won , Paek Jeeyon , Choi Yuri
Published: October 2019

Purpose

This study aims to examine a structural relationship among agreeableness, similarity in agreeableness, positive affect and transfer of informal learning. Also, it investigates the mediating role of motivation.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected by a survey via snowball sampling. In total, 742 respondents at 72 companies from multiple industries in South Korea participated. The authors performed exploratory confirmatory factor analyses and structural equation modeling to test the research model and hypotheses.

Findings

The results showed that agreeableness made a dual impact as a personal and a relational trait enhancing the employee’s positive affect, and motivation to learn fully mediated the relationship between agreeableness and transfer of informal learning. This supports that prosocial personality traits enhance the employee’s motivation, learning and learning application. The full mediation of motivation to learn between positive affect and informal learning transfer emphasizes the importance of intentionality on the part of employees in informal learning contexts.

Originality/value

Organizational research pays little attention to social perspectives of informal learning (Varelaet al., 2011). The results highlight that workplace informal learning is a socio-psychological process; thus, examining social and psychological factors together would be beneficial.
Future counselors’ career motivations, perceptions, and aspirations
Authors: Poon Dale B. , Watt Helen M.G. , Stewart Sandra E.
Published: October 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the career motivations of future counseling professionals.

Design/methodology/approach

Students completing their Masters of Counseling (n=174) responded to a 30 min survey about their career motivations, counseling career choice satisfaction, planned persistence in the counseling profession and perceptions of the demand and reward structure offered by counseling work. Motivational profiles were educed using hierarchical cluster analysis and compared via MANOVA.

Findings

Four distinct profiles were identified: “moderately engaged with family values,” “lower engaged,” “altruistic with family values” and “multiply motivated.” Clusters differed in their perceptions of the demand and reward structure offered by a counseling career, and their level of satisfaction with, and planned persistence in the profession. Cluster composition was unrelated to age, gender or pursuit of previous careers.

Practical implications

Implications for educators pertain to capitalizing on career motivations for different types of entrants, to tailor recruitment and professional preparation.

Originality/value

The authors add to existing literature by drawing on the theoretical lens of expectancy-value theory in a person-centered approach, to the study of counselor motivations, professional perceptions and career choice satisfaction.
The effect of service quality and customer satisfaction on customer loyalty
Authors: Özkan Pınar , Süer Seda , Keser İstem Köymen , Kocakoç İpek Deveci
Published: October 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of customer satisfaction, service quality, the perceived value of services, corporate image and corporate reputation on customer loyalty and their relationship in the Turkish banking industry. Mediation effects of the perceived value and corporate image and reputation are also studied. Understanding the relationships between the determinants of customer loyalty toward the bank helps management to use corporate image and reputation more effectively in its strategy, thus enhancing the institution’s position in the minds of consumers.

Design/methodology/approach

A model is proposed to explore the relationships of service quality and customer satisfaction with a perceived value and their effect on transforming the corporate image and corporate reputation into the form of customer loyalty toward the bank. A survey is designed within this framework and SEM analysis is conducted in order to study the nature of relationships between variables of interest hypothesized to affect customer behavior and customer loyalty. Mediation tests for perceived value and corporate image and reputation are also conducted.

Findings

The findings of the survey indicate that corporate image and corporate reputation can be used as a common marketing benchmark to measure a bank’s performance. The results demonstrated that customers perceive quality and satisfaction effects loyalty through perceived value, image and reputation.

Research limitations/implications

The study was conducted in Izmir, the third biggest city of Turkey. The sample is composed of regular customers, and the sample size is enough for the study but more studies are needed to generalize the results.

Practical implications

The results provide information to bank managers to effectively assist them to offer appropriate customer service levels sustaining satisfaction, quality and value to the customers within the transactions.

Originality/value

The paper studies the determinants of customer loyalty in the Turkish banking industry and considers the effects of corporate image and corporate reputation as measured by customer satisfaction, service quality and perceived value, on customer loyalty toward banks in Turkey. This model is not studied in bank marketing in Turkey and also in the banking literature.
A data set of aerial imagery from robotics simulator for map-based localization systems benchmark
Authors: Jurevičius Rokas , Marcinkevičius Virginijus
Published: October 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present a new data set of aerial imagery from robotics simulator (AIR). AIR data set aims to provide a starting point for localization system development and to become a typical benchmark for accuracy comparison of map-based localization algorithms, visual odometry and SLAM for high-altitude flights.

Design/methodology/approach

The presented data set contains over 100,000 aerial images captured from Gazebo robotics simulator using orthophoto maps as a ground plane. Flights with three different trajectories are performed on maps from urban and forest environment at different altitudes, totaling over 33 kilometers of flight distance.

Findings

The review of previous research studies show that the presented data set is the largest currently available public data set with downward facing camera imagery.

Originality/value

This paper presents the problem of missing publicly available data sets for high-altitude (100‒3,000 meters) UAV flights; the current state-of-the-art research studies performed to develop map-based localization system for UAVs depend on real-life test flights and custom-simulated data sets for accuracy evaluation of the algorithms. The presented new data set solves this problem and aims to help the researchers to improve and benchmark new algorithms for high-altitude flights.
Adversarial factors in multi-stakeholders’ engagement of global-IT projects
Authors: Mysore Krishnan , Kirytopoulos Konstantinos , Ahn Seungjun , Ma Tony
Published: October 2019

Purpose

Adverse situations negatively impact project stakeholders’ engagement. Past research has sporadically investigated adverse situations affecting stakeholder engagement but lacks a thorough empirical investigation. The paper aims to discuss this issue.

Design/methodology/approach

A web survey was designed to address the knowledge gap of the identification of the impactful adverse situations during multi-stakeholder engagement. The research yielded 144 completed responses from multi-stakeholders engaged in globally distributed ICT projects.

Findings

Exploratory factor analysis revealed eight factors that underpin 26 adverse situations. The top factors, ranked in terms of importance according to their Relative Importance Index (RII) are: dysfunctional conflicts, dearth of reasoning, glitches in project governance, clash of personalities.

Research limitations/implications

This research reveals the factors that can impact engagement in the form of meaningful clusters and dimensions and opens-up a future research agenda toward causation and mitigation studies related to adversarial stakeholder engagement. The study focuses on globally distributed ICT projects and has not explored generalizability in other sectors.

Practical implications

This research enables project managers and stakeholder analysts to get an understanding on the importance of different dimensions of adverse situations in the way stakeholders think, act and emote.

Social implications

Awareness on the potential adversarial stakeholder engagement helps in effectively managing the sustained stakeholder relationships and mental well-being of project stakeholders.

Originality/value

This research contributes to project management practice, as it reveals the underlying factors of adverse situations occurring during multi-stakeholders’ engagement, provides clarity on their components and ranks them in terms of importance for their overall effect on stakeholders’ engagement.
Development and validation of perceived workplace support for small and medium-sized enterprise employees
Authors: Na-Nan Khahan , Wongsuwan Natthaya
Published: October 2019

Purpose

Perceived workplace support (PWS) is an employee’s perception of perceived organisational support (POS), perceived supervisor support (PSS), perceived co-worker support (PCS) and perceived sufficient resource support (PSRS) to operate effectively. The purpose of this paper is to explore the development and validation of employee’s PWS instrument in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 15 items of employees’ PWS instrument in SMEs were developed from the measurement base of earlier published research, concepts and theory. The instrument was applied to a cross-sectional study and data were collected as factor analyses to confirm and ascertain construct validity. Reliability was tested by measuring the internal consistency.

Findings

The instrument showed excellent reliability at 0.894. Four factors as “POS”, “PSS”, “PCS” and “PSRS” were extracted and confirmed from the confirmatory factor analysis.

Originality/value

PWS studies are often used by researchers, human resource departments and organisations to investigate the level of employee support. The instrument developed from this study will enable researchers, human resource departments and organisations to explore levels of POS, PSS, PCS and PSRS.
Managerial ownership and stock price crash risk: a case of Iranian firms
Authors: Haghighi Ali , Safari Gerayli Mehdi
Published: October 2019

Purpose

Increasing managerial ownership gives rise to the managerial opportunistic behaviors, among which bad news hoarding has attracted a lot of attention. Nevertheless, there always exists a threshold level at which the accumulated bad news releases abruptly, thereby resulting in corporate stock price crash risk. On the above arguments, this study aims to investigate the impact of managerial ownership on stock price crash risk of the firms listed on the Tehran Stock Exchange (TSE).

Design/methodology/approach

Sample includes the 485 firm-year observations from companies listed on the TSE during the years 2012-2016 and the research hypothesis was tested using multivariate regression model based on panel data.

Findings

The results reveal that managerial ownership increases the corporate stock price crash risk. These findings are robust to an alternative measure of stock price crash risk, individual analysis of the research hypothesis for each year and endogeneity concern.

Originality/value

The current study is almost the first study, which has been conducted in emerging capital markets, so the findings of the study not only extend the extant theoretical literature concerning the stock price crash risk in developing countries including emerging capital market of Iran but also help policymakers, regulators, investors and users of financial reports to make informed decisions.
Fire-setting and psychopathology: a brief overview of prevalence, pathways and assessment
Authors: Allely Clare S.
Published: October 2019

Purpose

There is increasing attention on investigating the association between fire-setting and psychopathology and also the degree to which fire-setting is a manifestation of mental disorder. Despite the actual prevalence of pyromania remaining elusive, there is growing evidence in the literature highlighting the higher rates of psychiatric mental health disorders in fire-setters, the most common being: schizophrenia, mood disorders (such as anxiety and depression), personality disorders, alcohol abuse and intellectual disability. The purpose of this paper is to highlight more recent work on prevalence, pathways and assessment in offenders who have engaged in fire-setting.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper provides an overview of the literature on fire-setting and psychopathology with a focus on prevalence, pathways and assessment.

Findings

This review identified key literature which has identified a variety of distinct pathways to fire-setting and also highlights two assessments/measures for fire-setters. Such information is useful for clinicians when they encounter this group of offenders.

Practical implications

This paper has identified in the literature and recommends the use of the “Fire Setting Scale” and the “Fire Proclivity Scale” in clinical and/or forensic practice.

Originality/value

There is a very real need for additional empirical research in this area. There is also a need for an increased awareness and understanding of how various types of psychopathy can contribute to fire-setting in both a legal and clinical context.
Service innovation process digitization: areas for exploitation and exploration
Authors: Kitsios Fotis , Kamariotou Maria
Published: October 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to review the dominant role which technology plays in the new service development (NSD) process and indicate the critical success factors that managers should have in mind during the implementation of service projects, as well as the extent to which NSD lead to technological investments.

Design/methodology/approach

Studies were identified using a three-phased literature review methodology, which was suggested by Webster and Watson (2002). A total of 144 papers have been categorized and analyzed based on their content.

Findings

The findings of this paper indicate that information technology (IT) is a critical factor for the success of new services, but managers ignore its benefits. It could be used during the development process, to support managers to produce innovative services.

Practical implications

This study provides practical implications for IT managers, to increase the success rate of service innovation. The understanding of the effect of technology on firm performance can help managers to use technology to increase firms’ performance and provide an opportunity for organizations to benchmark their own processes of service innovation technology with their competitors.

Originality/value

This paper may be of interest to academics who are already studying service innovation or NSD-related scientific areas or researchers who have been introduced to the field but they are interested in examining more specific insights into where current research topics in this literature can be located and how they may contribute to them.
The knowledge management functions of corporate university and their evolution: case studies of two Chinese corporate universities
Authors: Chen Yunqi , Xu Yusen , Zhai Qingguo
Published: October 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the knowledge management functions of corporate universities and their evolution.

Design/methodology/approach

Two Chinese corporate universities in the ICT industry were selected for the case studies. Data were collected by interviews and consulting the documents of the two corporate universities. Grounded theory was used for data analysis.

Findings

The research found that the knowledge management functions of the corporate universities encompass knowledge transfer, knowledge creation and knowledge services for intrapreneurship. The knowledge management functions of the corporate universities are enhancing with the development of the corporate universities. The knowledge management functions mutually reinforce each other. The knowledge network of the corporate universities is expanding and the scope of knowledge managed is broadening.

Practical implications

Companies should make full use of corporate universities in facilitating knowledge transfer, knowledge creation and knowledge services for intrapreneurship.

Originality/value

Analyzing the knowledge management functions of corporate universities and their evolution from the perspective of knowledge network enriches research on knowledge management of corporate universities.
Structuring arts-based analysis in portraiture research
Authors: Straka Annie
Published: October 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe the development of an innovative arts-based analysis process within the framework of portraiture methodology. The paper provides an example of how to incorporate multi-modal forms of analysis within the portraiture framework and offers a fluid, qualitative “recipe” for researchers interested in using portraiture methodology.

Design/methodology/approach

The study described in this paper explores vulnerability and resilience in teaching, using poetry and visual art as integrated elements of the portraiture process. Portraiture is a qualitative, feminist, artistic methodology that draws from ethnography and phenomenology to describe, understand and interpret complex human experiences.

Findings

This research resulted in the methodological development of three stages of analysis within the portraiture process: drafting vignettes, poetic expression and artistic expression. These stages of data analysis highlight the methodological richness of portraiture and center the researcher’s engagement in creative, intuitive and associative processes.

Research limitations/implications

This study contributes to existing scholarship that extends portraiture methodology by including additional aesthetic elements and offers a roadmap for what a multi-modal, arts-based analysis process might look like within the portraiture framework.

Originality/value

The study presented in this paper serves as an example of qualitative research that expands methodological boundaries and centers the role of intuition, association and creativity in research. This work serves as a unique and important contribution to the portraiture literature, offering a provocative roadmap for researchers who are drawn to portraiture as an appropriate methodology to explore their inquiry.
Online tourism-related text: a perspective article
Authors: Xiang Zheng , Shin Seunghun , Li Nao
Published: October 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to outline the development of online tourism-related text with particular focus on the role of technology in transforming this text. It also offers a vision of this ongoing development for the next 75 years, followed by a discussion of its implications for tourism research.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper offers a critical analysis and synthesis of the literature and brings a number of conceptual and theoretical frameworks to present a rich, in-depth discussion of the subject.

Findings

There have been important transformations in online tourism-related text because of the development of information technology. Particularly, the internet, along with more recent social media and the smartphone, has produced vast amount of text in a variety of formats and modalities. Computer programs are increasingly smarter in collecting, processing, understanding and even generating textual content in the context of tourism. Future communications will likely be mediated and dominated by artificial intelligence-based technologies, emerging interfaces and a mix of text and visual contents.

Research limitations/implications

Tourism research entails a paradigm shift that recognizes the changing characteristics of online tourism-related text and the importance of new conceptual and methodological tools for understanding the new language of tourism.

Originality/value

This paper offers a unique view that connects the socio-linguistic basis of tourism with the development of information technology. It may serve as the conceptual foundation for tourism research that uses text as data in understanding a range of marketing and managerial problems in tourism.
Mitigating Groundwater Impacts of Residential Wells through Small‐Scale Distributed Storage in the Skagit River Basin
Authors: Brady Michael P. , Padowski Julie , Yoder Jonathan K. , Jessup Eric , Christensen David , Yang Qingqing , Anderson Barbara
Published: October 2019

The exemption for groundwater wells for residential uses from the prior appropriations system, common in the western United States, has eroded in Washington State since about 2000 due to a series of legal cases. Water markets can allow the transfer of an existing water right, typically from an agricultural use, to compensate for the effect of a new residential well. But water must be legally and physically available in a way suitable to satisfy mitigation requirements. A recent court case in the Skagit basin in Northwestern Washington State has effectively halted residential development in rural areas of the basin because no suitable water rights are available to purchase for mitigation. This paper presents and examines the cost‐effectiveness of various water supply mitigation strategies. We find a small‐scale, distributed stream‐side storage system for augmenting instream flow purchased from downstream sources is relatively cost‐effective to mitigate against the effects of domestic groundwater use compared to more common alternatives. We consider transporting water to storage sites by both small‐gauge pipe and by truck. Overall, trucking water to stream‐side storage and release points tends to be more cost‐effective to mitigate against indoor‐use only given current subbasin housing densities, whereas piping for direct streamflow augmentation is more cost‐effective for higher mitigation needs associated with indoor and outdoor use and higher housing densities.
Emerging trends and the clinical impact of food insecurity in patients with diabetes
Authors: Flint Kristen L. , Davis Georgia M. , Umpierrez Guillermo E.
Published: October 2019

Food insecurity is a major public health concern in the United States affecting 15 million households according to data in 2017 from the US Department of Agriculture. Food insecurity, or the inability to consistently obtain nutritious food, disproportionately affects socioeconomically disadvantaged households, as well as those with chronic diseases including diabetes mellitus (DM). This review article explores the literature over the past 10 years pertaining to the complex relationship between food insecurity, social determinants of health, and chronic disease with an emphasis on diabetes and glycemic control. Those with diabetes and food insecurity together have been shown to have worse glycemic control compared to those who are food secure, but it remains unclear exactly how food insecurity affects glycemic control. Prior interventional studies have targeted aspects of food insecurity in patients with diabetes but have reported variable outcomes with respect to improvement in glycemic control despite effectively reducing rates of food insecurity. Additionally, few data exist regarding long‐term outcomes and diabetes‐related complications in this population. It is likely that many factors at both the community and individual levels impact glycemic control outcomes in the setting of food insecurity. Further studies are needed to better understand these factors and to create multifaceted targets for future interventional studies aimed at improving glycemic control in this population.
Serum leptin, a potential predictor of long‐term angiographic progression in Takayasu’s arteritis
Authors: Ma Lili , Yu Wensu , Dai Xiaomin , Yin Mengmeng , Wang Yujiao , Sun Ying , Kong Xiufang , Cui Xiaomeng , Wu Sifan , Ji Zongfei , Ma Lingying , Chen Huiyong , Lin Jiang , Jiang Lindi
Published: October 2019

Aim

In patients with Takayasu's arteritis (TA), current biomarkers that properly reflect the progression of the vascular structure remain absent. We aimed to determine the serum leptin level to investigate its relationship with imaging changes and assess its value as a predictor for long‐term radiological progression.

Method

This study included 34 untreated TA patients and 40 age‐matched healthy controls. At baseline and during the 5‐year follow‐up, we assessed disease activity using Kerr's criteria and Indian Takayasu Clinical Activity Score (ITAS2010) and monitored laboratory biomarkers as well as imaging findings. Serum leptin levels were measured by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay.

Results

The baseline serum leptin levels were significantly higher in TA patients than in healthy controls. Leptin was significantly positively correlated with triglyceride and high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol levels and negatively correlated with fibrinogen and C‐reactive protein levels. Patients were subdivided into three groups based on their baseline leptin level. During a 5‐year follow‐up, patients in the high and medium leptin groups showed more radiological progression compared to those in the low leptin group. Cox proportional hazard regression analysis showed that a high serum leptin level was a positive predictor of radiological progression.

Conclusion

Leptin is a potential biomarker for assessing TA structural progression. Untreated patients with elevated serum leptin levels are at a higher risk of progression in the aorta. Thus, the leptin level can be a predictor of long‐term radiological progression.
Children report positive experiences of animal‐assisted therapy in paediatric hospital care
Authors: Lindström Nilsson Maria , Funkquist Eva‐Lotta , Edner Ann , Engvall Gunn
Published: October 2019

Aim

To evaluate children's experiences of and responses to animal‐assisted therapy using a therapy dog as complementary treatment in paediatric hospital care.

Methods

The study was performed using mixed methods, by means of qualitative and quantitative data. Fifty children in a paediatric surgery ward, at a tertiary hospital in Sweden, were included between February 2016 to May 2017. Children answered questions about feelings of well‐being and experiences of the hospital stay before and after animal‐assisted therapy, and experiences of their interaction with a therapy dog.

Results

The children's well‐being increased from moderately good before to very good after animal‐assisted therapy, and the children assessed the hospital stay as better after than before. The vast majority of the children (93%) assessed the interaction with the dog as very good. The children described mixed experiences before and mainly positive aspects of joy, satisfaction and pain relief after animal‐assisted therapy.

Conclusion

The children's responses before interaction, of both a positive and negative nature, show a focus shift after the interaction with a therapy dog to mainly positive nature regarding self‐reported feeling of well‐being and experiences of the hospital stay. Using a therapy dog in paediatric hospital care is suitable complementary treatment.