bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Emotional and behavioural phenotypes in young people with neurodevelopmental CNVs
Authors: Cunningham Adam C , Hall Jeremy , Einfeld Stewart , Owen Michael J , van den Bree Marianne B M
Published: January 2020

Background

A number of disorders caused by copy number variants (CNVs) are associated with a high risk of neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders and cognitive impairments (ND-CNVs). Few studies of ND-CNVs have investigated the emotional and behavioural problems that are important outcomes in young people with developmental and intellectual disabilities using appropriate measures.

Methods

322 young people with 13 ND-CNVs across eight loci (mean age:9.79 years, range:6.02-17.91, 66.5% male) took part in the study. Primary carers completed the Developmental Behaviour Checklist (DBC).

Results

Sixty-seven percent of individuals with an ND-CNV screened positive for clinically significant difficulties. Young people from families with higher incomes (OR=0.71, CI=0.55 – 0.92, p=.009) were less likely to screen positive. Young people born after prolonged labour (OR=2.87, CI=1.18-8.13, p=.030) were more likely to screen positive. The rate of difficulties differed depending on ND-CNV genotype (Deviance=25.83, p=.011), with the lowest rate in 22q11.2 deletion (46%) and the highest in 1q21.1 deletion (87.5%). Individuals with inherited ND-CNVs had greater difficulties (F=6.54, df=1, p=.012, ηp2=.050), including higher self-absorbed (F=5.01, df=1, p=.027, ηp2=.039) and communication disturbance scores (F=9.13, df=1, p=.003, ηp2=.068). Specific patterns of strengths and weaknesses were found for different ND-CNV genotypes. However, ND-CNV genotype explained no more than 7-16% of variance, depending on subdomain.

Conclusions

Behavioural and emotional problems are common in young people with ND-CNVs. The ND-CNV specific patterns we find can provide a basis for more tailored support. More research is needed to better understand the variation in behavioural and emotional problems not accounted for by genotype.
Multi-tissue epigenetic analysis of the osteoarthritis susceptibility locus mapping to the plectin genePLEC
Authors: Sorial A.K. , Hofer I.M.J , Tselepi M. , Cheung K. , Parker E. , Deehan D.J. , Rice S.J. , Loughlin J.
Published: January 2020

Objective

Osteoarthritis (OA) associated single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs11780978 correlates with differential expression ofPLEC, and methylation quantitative trait loci (mQTLs) atPLECCpGs in cartilage. This implies that methylation links chondrocyte genotype and phenotype, thus driving the functional effect.PLECencodes plectin, a cytoskeletal protein that enables tissues to respond to mechanical forces. We sought to assess whetherPLECfunctional effects were cartilage specific.

Method

Cartilage, fat pad, synovium and peripheral blood were collected from patients undergoing arthroplasty.PLECCpGs were analysed for mQTLs and allelic expression imbalance (AEI) was performed. We focussed on previously reported mQTL clusters neighbouring cg19405177 and cg14598846. Plectin was knocked down in a mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) line using CRISPR/Cas9 and cells phenotyped by RNA-sequencing.

Results

Novel mQTLs were discovered in fat pad, synovium and peripheral blood at both clusters. The genotype-methylation effect of rs11780978 was stronger in cg14598846 than in cg19405177 and stronger in joint tissues than in peripheral blood. We observed AEI in synovium in the same direction as for cartilage. Knocking-down plectin impacted on pathways reported to have a role in OA, including Wnt signalling, glycosaminoglycan biosynthesis and immune regulation.

Conclusions

Synovium is also a target of the rs11780978 OA association functionally operating onPLEC. In fat pad, mQTLs were identified but these did not correlate withPLECexpression, suggesting the functional effect is not joint-wide. Our study highlights interplay between genetic risk, DNA methylation and gene expression in OA, and reveals clear differences between tissues from the same diseased joint.
Evaluation of M2-like macrophage enrichment after diffuse traumatic brain injury through transient interleukin-4 expression from engineered mesenchymal stromal cells
Authors: Enam S. F. , Kader S. R. , Bodkin N. , Lyon J. G. , Calhoun M. , Azrak C. , Tiwari P. M. , Vanover D. , Wang H. , Santangelo P. J. , Bellamkonda R. V.
Published: January 2020

Appropriately modulating inflammation after traumatic brain injury (TBI) may prevent disabilities for the millions of those inflicted annually. In TBI, cellular mediators of inflammation, including macrophages and microglia, possess a range of phenotypes relevant for an immunomodulatory therapeutic approach. It is thought that early phenotypic modulation of these cells will have a cascading healing effect. In fact, an anti-inflammatory, “M2-like” macrophage phenotype after TBI has been associated with neurogenesis, axonal regeneration, and improved white matter integrity. There already exists clinical trials seeking an M2-like bias through mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs). However, MSCs do not endogenously synthesize key signals that induce robust M2-like phenotypes such as Interleukin-4 (IL-4). To enrich M2-like macrophages in a clinically relevant manner, we augmented MSCs to transiently express IL-4 via synthetic IL-4 mRNA. We observed that these IL-4 expressing MSCs indeed induce a robust M2-like macrophage phenotype and promote anti-inflammatory gene expression in a modified TBI model of closed head injury. However, here we demonstrate that acute enrichment of M2-like macrophages did not translate to improved functional or histological outcomes. This suggests that an acute enrichment of M2-like macrophages cannot solely orchestrate the neurogenesis, axonal regeneration, and improved WMI after diffuse TBI. To further understand whether dysfunctional pathways underlie the lack of therapeutic effect, we report transcriptomic analysis of injured and treated brains. Through this, we discovered that inflammation persists in spite of acute enrichment of M2-like macrophages in the brain. Last, we comment on our modified TBI model, behavioral studies, and propose that IL-4 expressing MSCs may also have relevance in other cavitary diseases or in improving biomaterial integration into tissues.
Sonogenetics for noninvasive and cellular-level neuromodulation in rodent brain
Authors: Yang Yaoheng , Pacia Christopher Pham , Ye Dezhuang , Zhu Lifei , Baek Hongchae , Yue Yimei , Yuan Jinyun , Miller Mark J. , Cui Jianmin , Culver Joseph P. , Bruchas Michael R. , Chen Hong
Published: January 2020

Sonogenetics, which uses ultrasound to noninvasively control cells genetically modified with ultrasound-sensitive ion channels, can be a powerful tool for investigating intact brain circuits. Here we show that TRPV1 is an ultrasound-sensitive ion channel that can modify the activity of TRPV1-expressing cellsin vitrowhen exposing to focused ultrasound. We also show that focused ultrasound exposure at the mouse brainin vivocan selectively activate neurons that are genetically modified to express TRPV1. We demonstrate that precise manipulation of neural activity via TRPV1-based sonogenetics can be achieved by spatiotemporal control of ultrasound-induced heating. The focused ultrasound exposure is safe based on our inspection of neuronal integrity, apoptosis, and inflammation markers. This sonogenetic tool enables noninvasive, cell-type specific, spatiotemporally controlled modulation of mammalian brain activity.
Revising CX3CR1 expression on murine classical and non-classical monocytes
Authors: Meghraoui-Kheddar A. , Barthelemy S. , Boissonnas A. , Combadière C.
Published: January 2020

In mice, monocytes (Mo) are conventionally described as CX3CR1lowclassical Mo (CMo) and CX3CR1highnon-classical Mo (NCMo) based on the expression level of EGFP in Cx3cr1+/EGFPmice and by analogy with human CX3CR1 expression. Although this terminology is widely used, very few works assessed the strict correlation between EGFP reporter and CX3CR1 expression. Using an unsupervised multiparametric analysis of blood Mo in steady state and after sterile peritonitis, we observed no difference in CX3CR1 expression between CMo and NCMo. Our results highlight that despite being a reliable reporter to discriminate Mo subpopulations, EGFP level in Cx3cr1+/EGFPmice does not reflect CX3CR1 expression measured by a fluorescently-labeled CX3CL1 chemokine and a CX3CR1 specific antibody. In conclusion, authors should be cautious not to identify murine classical and non-classical Mo as CX3CR1lowand CX3CR1highbut rather use alternative markers such as the combination of Ly6C and CD43.
Efficient long fragment editing technique enables large-scale and scarless bacterial genome engineering
Authors: Huang Chaoyong , Guo Liwei , Wang Jingge , Wang Ning , Huo Yi-Xin
Published: January 2020

Bacteria are versatile living systems that enhance our understanding of nature and enable biosynthesis of valuable chemicals. Long fragment editing techniques are of great importance for accelerating bacterial genome engineering to obtain desirable and genetically stable strains. However, the existing genome editing methods cannot meet the needs of engineers. We herein report an efficient long fragment editing method for large-scale and scarless genome engineering inEscherichia coli. The method enabled us to insert DNA fragments up to 12 kb into the genome and to delete DNA fragments up to 186.7 kb from the genome, with positive rates over 95%. We applied this method forE. coligenome simplification, resulting in 12 individual deletion mutants and four cumulative deletion mutants. The simplest genome lost a total of 370.6 kb of DNA sequence containing 364 open reading frames. Additionally, we applied this technique to metabolic engineering and obtained a genetically stable plasmid-independent isobutanol production strain that produced 1.3 g/L isobutanol via shake-flask fermentation. These results suggest that the method is a powerful genome engineering tool, highlighting its potential to be applied in synthetic biology and metabolic engineering.
Cortical ignition dynamics is tightly linked to the core organisation of the human connectome
Authors: Castro Samy , El-Deredy Wael , Battaglia Demian , Orio Patricio
Published: January 2020

The capability of cortical regions to flexibly sustain an “ignited” state of activity has been discussed in relation to conscious perception or hierarchical information processing. Here, we investigate how the intrinsic propensity of different regions to get ignited is determined by the specific topological organisation of the structural connectome. More specifically, we simulated the resting-state dynamics of mean-field whole-brain models and assessed how dynamic multi-stability and ignition differ between a reference model embedding a realistic human connectome, and alternative models based on a variety of randomised connectome ensembles. We found that the strength of global excitation needed to first trigger ignition in a subset of regions is substantially smaller for the model embedding the empirical human connectome. Furthermore, when increasing the strength of excitation, the propagation of ignition outside of this initial core –which is able to self-sustain its high activity– is way more gradual than for any of the randomised connectomes, allowing for graded control of the number of ignited regions. We explain both these assets in terms of the exceptional weighed core-shell organisation of the empirical connectome, speculating that this topology of human structural connectivity may be attuned to support an enhanced ignition dynamic.

Author summary

The activity of the cortex in mammals constantly fluctuates in relation to cognitive tasks, but also during rest. The ability of brain regions to display ignition, a fast transition from low to high activity is central for the emergence of conscious perception and decision making. Here, using a biophysically inspired model of cortical activity, we show how the structural organization of human cortex supports and constrains the rise of this ignited dynamics in spontaneous cortical activity. We found that the weighted core-shell organization of the human connectome allows for a uniquely graded ignition. This graded ignition implies a smooth control of the ignition in cortical areas tuned by the global excitability. The smooth control cannot be replicated by surrogate connectomes, even though they conserve key local or global network properties. Indeed, the first trigger of ignition in the human cortex has the lowest global excitability and corresponds with the strongest interconnected areas, the ignition core. Finally, we suggest developmental and evolutionary constraints of the mesoscale organization that support this enhanced ignition dynamics in cortical activity.
Spreading predictability in complex networks
Authors: Zhao Na , Wang Jian , Yu Yong , Zhao Jun-Yan , Chen Duan-Bing
Published: January 2020

Spreading dynamics analysis is an important and interesting topic since it has many applications such as rumor or disease controlling, viral marketing and information recommending. Many state-of-the-art researches focus on predicting infection scale or threshold. Few researchers pay attention to the predicting of infection nodes from a snapshot. With developing of precision marketing, recommending and, controlling, how to predict infection nodes precisely from snapshot becomes a key issue in spreading dynamics analysis. In this paper, a probability based prediction model is presented so as to estimate the infection nodes from a snapshot of spreading. Experimental results on synthetic and real networks demonstrate that the model proposed could predict the infection nodes precisely in the sense of probability.
Courtship behaviour reveals temporal regularity is a critical social cue in mouse communication
Authors: Perrodin Catherine , Verzat Colombine , Bendor Daniel
Published: January 2020

While animals navigating the real world face a barrage of sensory input, their brains evolved to perceptually compress multidimensional information by selectively extracting the features relevant for survival. Notably, communication signals supporting social interactions in several mammalian species consist of acoustically complex sequences of vocalizations. However, little is known about what information listeners extract from such time-varying sensory streams. Here, we utilize female mice’s natural behavioural response to male courtship songs to identify the relevant acoustic dimensions used in their social decisions. We found that females were highly sensitive to disruptions of song temporal regularity, and preferentially approached playbacks of intact over rhythmically irregular versions of male songs. In contrast, female behaviour was invariant to manipulations affecting the songs’ sequential organization, or the spectro-temporal structure of individual syllables. The results reveal temporal regularity as a key acoustic cue extracted by mammalian listeners from complex vocal sequences during goal-directed social behaviour.
Energetics of stochastic BCM type synaptic plasticity and storing of accurate information
Authors: Karbowski Jan
Published: January 2020

Excitatory synaptic signaling in cortical circuits is thought to be metabolically expensive. Two fundamental brain functions, learning and memory, are associated with long-term synaptic plasticity, but we know very little about energetics of these slow biophysical processes. This study investigates the energy requirement of information storing in plastic synapses for an extended version of BCM plasticity with a decay term, stochastic noise, and nonlinear dependence of neuron’s firing rate on synaptic current (adaptation). It is shown that synaptic weights in this model exhibit bistability. In order to analyze the system analytically, it is reduced to a simple dynamic mean-field for a population averaged plastic synaptic current. Next, using the concepts of nonequilibrium thermodynamics, we derive the energy rate (entropy production rate) for plastic synapses and a corresponding Fisher information for coding presynaptic input. That energy, which is of chemical origin, is primarily used for battling fluctuations in the synaptic weights and presynaptic firing rates, and it increases steeply with synaptic weights, and more uniformly though nonlinearly with presynaptic firing. At the onset of synaptic bistability, Fisher information and memory lifetime both increase sharply, by a few orders of magnitude, but the plasticity energy rate changes only mildly. This implies that a huge gain in the precision of stored information does not have to cost large amounts of metabolic energy, which suggests that synaptic information is not directly limited by energy consumption. Interestingly, for very weak synaptic noise, such a limit on synaptic coding accuracy is imposed instead by a derivative of the plasticity energy rate with respect to the mean presynaptic firing, and this relationship has a general character that is independent of the plasticity type. An estimate for primate neocortex reveals that a relativemetabolic cost of BCM type synaptic plasticity, as a fraction of neuronal cost related to fast synaptic transmission and spiking, can vary from negligible to substantial, depending on the synaptic noise level and presynaptic firing.
Producing Polished Prokaryotic Pangenomes with the Panaroo Pipeline
Authors: Tonkin-Hill Gerry , MacAlasdair Neil , Ruis Christopher , Weimann Aaron , Horesh Gal , Lees John A. , Gladstone Rebecca A , Lo Stephanie , Beaudoin Christopher , Floto R Andrés , Frost Simon D.W. , Corander Jukka , Bentley Stephen D. , Parkhill Julian
Published: January 2020

Population-level comparisons of prokaryotic genomes must take into account the substantial differences in gene content, resulting from frequent horizontal gene transfer, gene duplication and gene loss. However, the automated annotation of prokaryotic genomes is imperfect, and errors due to fragmented assemblies, contamination, diverse gene families and mis-assemblies accumulate over the population, leading to profound consequences when analysing the set of all genes found in a species. Here we introduce Panaroo, a graph based pangenome clustering tool that is able to account for many of the sources of error introduced during the annotation of prokaryotic genome assemblies. We verified our approach through extensive simulations of de novo assemblies using the infinitely many genes model and by analysing a number of publicly available large bacterial genome datasets. Using a highly clonalMycobacterium tuberculosisdataset as a negative control case, we show that failing to account for annotation errors can lead to pangenome estimates that are dominated by error. We additionally demonstrate the utility of the improved graphical output provided by Panaroo by performing a pan-genome wide association study inNeisseria gonorrhoeaeand by analysing gene gain and loss rates across 51 of the major global pneumococcal sequence clusters. Panaroo is freely available under an open source MIT licence athttps://github.com/gtonkinhill/panaroo.
Variable environments select for short lifespan
Authors: Lind Martin I. , Ratikainen Irja I. , Andersson Johan , Carlsson Hanne , Krieg Therese , Larva Tuuli , Maklakov Alexei A.
Published: January 2020

The role of environmental variation in the evolution of lifespan is contested. Classic theory suggests that variable environments result in evolution of long life but novel theoretical breakthroughs show that environmental variation can instead select for short lifespan when the changes are rapid relative to generation time. Here we combined simulation modelling and experimental evolution to study the evolution of lifespan in response to temperature variation to provide the first empirical test of the new theory. Genetically diverse populations of the outcrossing nematodeCaenorhabditis remanei, were exposed to a novel, stressful temperature for 30 generations, in either stable, slowly increasing or fluctuating temperature regimes. We found evolution of shorter lifespan in populations evolving in rapidly fluctuating environments both in simulation models and in real populations supporting the new theory. While climate warming is predicted to increase environmental stochasticity, our results show that fast temperature cycles rapidly select for short lifespan.
A five-axis parallel kinematic mirror unit for soft X-ray beamlines at MAX IV
Authors: Agåker Marcus , Mueller Frieder , Norsk Jensen Brian , Åhnberg Karl , Sjöblom Peter , Deiwiks Jochen , Henniger Hans , Pärna Rainer , Knudsen Jan , Thiagarajan Balasubramanian , Såthe Conny
Published: January 2020

With the introduction of the multi-bend achromats in the new fourth-generation storage rings the emittance has decreased by an order of magnitude resulting in increased brightness. However, the higher brightness comes with smaller beam sizes and narrower radiation cones. As a consequence, the requirements on mechanical stability regarding the beamline components increases. Here an innovative five-axis parallel kinematic mirror unit for use with soft X-ray beamlines using off-axis grazing-incidence optics is presented. Using simulations and measurements from the HIPPIE beamline at the MAX IV Laboratory it is shown that it has no Eigen frequencies below 90 Hz. Its positioning accuracy is better than 25 nm linearly and 17–35 µrad angularly depending on the mirror chamber dimensions.
Supramolecular insight into the substitution of sulfur by selenium, based on crystal structures, quantum-chemical calculations and biosystem recognition
Authors: Đorđević Ivana S. , Popadić Marko , Sarvan Mirjana , Petković-Benazzouz Marija , Janjić Goran V.
Published: January 2020

Statistical analysis of data from crystal structures extracted from the Cambridge Structural Database (CSD) has shown that S and Se atoms display a similar tendency towards specific types of interaction if they are part of a fragment that corresponds to the side chains of cysteine (Cys), methionine (Met) selenocysteine (Sec) and selenomethionine (Mse). The most numerous are structures with C—H...Se and C—H...S interactions (∼80%), notably less numerous are structures with Se...Se and S...S interactions (∼5%), and Se...π and S...π interactions are the least numerous. The results of quantum-chemical calculations have indicated that C—H...Se (∼−0.8 kcal mol−1) and C—H...S interactions are weaker than the most stable parallel interaction (∼−3.3 kcal mol−1) and electrostatic interactions of σ/π type (∼−2.6 kcal mol−1). Their significant presence can be explained by the abundance of CH groups compared with the numbers of Se and S atoms in the crystal structures, and also by the influence of substituents bonded to the Se or S atom that further reduce their possibilities for interacting with species from the environment. This can also offer an explanation as to why O—H...Se (∼−4.4 kcal mol−1) and N—H...Se interactions (∼−2.2 kcal mol−1) are less numerous. Docking studies revealed that S and Se rarely participate in interactions with the amino acid residues of target enzymes, mostly because those residues preferentially interact with the substituents bonded to Se and S. The differences between Se and S ligands in the number and positions of their binding sites are more pronounced if the substituents are polar and if there are more Se/S atoms in the ligand.
C—Br...S halogen bonds in novel thioureaN-oxide cocrystals: analysis of energetic and QTAIM parameters
Authors: Wzgarda-Raj Kinga , Rybarczyk-Pirek Agnieszka J. , Wojtulewski Sławomir , Palusiak Marcin
Published: January 2020

Cocrystals of thiourea with 4-nitropyridineN-oxide, C5H4N2O3·2CH4N2S, (I), and 3-bromopyridineN-oxide, C5H4BrNO·CH4N2S, (II), crystallize in the monoclinic space groupP21/c. In the crystals, molecules of both components are linked by N—H...O hydrogen bonds, creatingR21(6) synthons. The bromine substituent of theN-oxide component in (II) is a centre for C—Br...S halogen bonding to the thiourea molecule. Computations based on quantum chemistry methods (quantum theory of atoms in molecules, QTAIM) and atoms in molecules (AIM) theory were performed for a more detailed description of the observed type of halogen-bonding interaction.
Quasicrystal-related mosaics with periodic lattices interlaid with aperiodic tiles
Authors: He Zhanbing , Shen Yihan , Ma Haikun , Sun Junliang , Ma Xiuliang , Li Hua , Steurer Walter
Published: January 2020

Quasicrystals, which have long-range orientational order without translational symmetry, are incompatible with the theory of conventional crystals, which are characterized by periodic lattices and uniformly repeated unit cells. Reported here is a novel quasicrystal-related solid state observed in two Al–Cr–Fe–Si alloys, which can be described as a mosaic of aperiodically distributed unit tiles in translationally periodic structural blocks. This new type of material possesses the opposing features of both conventional crystals and quasicrystals, which might trigger wide interest in theory, experiments and the potential applications of this type of material.
Sleeping with your enemies – and what happens later
Authors: Barlik Jacek
Published: January 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to find out how organizations communicate with their opponents during crises and later.

Design/methodology/approach

Qualitative research that is interviews with crisis communication professionals in Poland was conducted to explore their opinions, attitudes and practices toward opponents in crises, communication tools employed, methods of settling conflicts and ways of getting along with the former opponents later.

Findings

Communication and crisis managers provided in-depth insights on how they approach opponents during crises and later. Even though public relations professionals are aware that communicating with activist or hostile publics in times of turmoil is important, they pay more attention to internal publics and media. Senior executives often perceive media and journalists as crucial channels to reach out to different stakeholder groups during crises. Ongoing communication with opponents (or former opponents) – also after crises – mostly remains a high call for public relations professionals.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to corporate and crisis communication research by presenting how opponent publics are handled by communication professionals in crises. It shows that most organizations need to rethink their crisis strategies to include opponents in their relationship building, and to maintain these relationships with former opponents beyond the time of crisis.
Making of an entrepreneur: a journey with leather – MVR Leathers
Authors: Murthy Venkatesh , G. Jaganth
Published: January 2020

Learning outcomes

The case discussion will help the participants figure out ways the entrepreneur could handle problems such as labour shortage, demonetisation and customer retention and find possible strategies to overcome them.

Case overview/synopsis

MVR Leathers is a small-scale leather-processing unit located in Chennai. MVR was the brainchild of Venkat Raj, who started his career in 1982 as a casual labourer in an unrelated domain. His unwavering persistence helped him to become an independent entrepreneur by 2008. In achieving his dream to become an entrepreneur, Raj encountered many challenges and an equal number of new opportunities. Each time he faced a challenge, he met a new set of people who helped him. However, at times, the same people who had helped him once might throw him out of the scene. In brief, his struggle is never-ending. He keeps fighting to come back and find new avenues to success. A different set of challenges surfaced as he took charge of his firm as a sole owner. Once again, he countered those challenges with courage and grit. In doing so, he made full use of his experience.

Complexity academic level

The case can be used for discussions at the executive, postgraduate and undergraduate levels. Academic courses that address topics such as entrepreneurship, entrepreneurs, small-firm strategies, business environments, leather industry, leadership, human resource management and entrepreneurial journeys can use the case for classroom learning.

Supplementary materials

Teaching Notes are available for educators only.

Subject code

CSS 3: Entrepreneurship.
Extra care housing: exploring motivations, expectations and perceptions
Authors: Buckland Michael James , Tinker Anthea
Published: January 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore and compare the motivations and expectations that older people have when choosing to move into either a private or housing association (HA) extra care housing (ECH) scheme, and any effects this had on its residents.

Design/methodology/approach

This qualitative study is based on findings from four HA schemes in Tower Hamlets, London, and one private scheme in Warwickshire. Eight semi-structured interviews were conducted with five women and three men of varying backgrounds, from schemes managed by different associations and companies. Interview transcripts were coded and analysed thematically.

Findings

All residents moved into ECH in response to deteriorating health. However, almost all residents had felt obliged to move by others, generally their children. Few residents had any expectations of ECH on arrival, but many developed high expectations of an increased sense of independence and security and of an improved social life. ECH appeared to be beneficial for residents’ health and well-being.

Research limitations/implications

The inability to recruit an equal number of people from HA and private scheme, alongside the small sample size, may compromise the external validity of any conclusions drawn from any comparisons.

Practical implications

This research identifies a lack of knowledge about ECH among the general population and offers insight into areas of poor management within ECH schemes which could be improved.

Social implications

Inadequacies in the ECH model could be attributed to failures in the current health and social care system. Differences between expectations and perceptions of HA vs private schemes should be acknowledged and responded to.

Originality/value

This is a rare example of research exploring the relationships between ECH residents’ motivations and expectations (Hillcoat-Nallétamby and Sardani, 2019), and between those in HA vs private schemes.
The effect of auditor characteristics on tax avoidance of Iranian companies
Authors: Salehi Mahdi , Tarighi Hossein , Shahri Tahereh Alidoust
Published: January 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between auditor characteristics and the level of tax avoidance in an emerging market.

Design/methodology/approach

In this regard, the effect of various factors such as auditor tenure, auditor industry specialization, audit reports and audit fees on tax avoidance was examined. The study sample includes listed companies in the Tehran Stock Exchange. The time period of study is six years from 2011 to 2016. Also in this study, firm size, leverage, firm age and auditor size were controlled.

Findings

The results of this research were determined in four hypotheses. First and second hypotheses that explore the relationship between auditor tenure and auditor industry specialization with tax avoidance were not confirmed. But the results showed a significant relationship between the type of audit opinions and audit fees with tax avoidance.

Originality/value

The current study investigates the auditor characteristics on tax avoidance in a developing nation of Iran and the results may helpful the developing countries.
Business networks in an auto-component cluster: an exploratory study
Authors: Rawat Dinesh
Published: January 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to find out the different types of business networks formed by firms with the stakeholders present in a cluster, i.e. how firms in a cluster interact with the cluster stakeholders?

Design/methodology/approach

To answer the research question, this study uses an exploratory research design, which is carried out in two stages, Stage 1 involves use of primary data, which was collected through semi-structured personal face-to-face interview mode and Stage 2 involves survey research method where data was collected through a survey questionnaire. Data for interviews and questionnaires were collected from managers and owners of firms operating in the cluster at their offices.

Findings

The study has identified four types of business networks between a firm and its buyers, only one type of business network with the suppliers and educational institutes, finally two types of business networks with government agencies and local associations. However, with respect to network with other stakeholders such as research institutes and competitors, the study shows that the interaction between a firm and these stakeholders is not strong i.e. the linkages between them remain largely unfilled.

Research limitations/implications

The study has been limited to only one cluster thus it might not be appropriate to generalise the findings. Further research in this area needs to be done by taking other clusters to generalise the findings.

Originality/value

The study has tried to answer the research gap of lack of literature on types of business networks formed by firms with the stakeholders present in an industrial cluster, and thus, contributed to the existing literature of business networks. The identified business networks provide a much deeper understanding of how firms connect with its buyers, its suppliers, government agencies and educational institutes operating in an auto-component cluster.
Does family ownership affect the profitability of construction and real estate firms? Evidence from India
Authors: Singla Harish Kumar
Published: January 2020

Purpose

The study aims to find if family-owned construction and real estate firms in India are more profitable compared to non-family-owned construction and real estate firms. The study also examines if family ownership and institutional ownership are drivers of the firm profitability.

Design/methodology/approach

The study uses data of 199 construction and real estate firms listed on the National Stock Exchange (NSE), India. The data pertains to a period of 13 years (2006-2018). The family firm is defined on the basis on ownership criteria, and the sample is divided into two groups, namely, family firms and non-family firms. The data is analyzed using a two-samplet-test assuming unequal variance and Prais–Winsten panel regression using correlated panels with corrected standard errors (PCSEs) procedure.

Findings

The findings suggest that family-owned construction and real estate firms are slightly more profitable compared to non-family-owned construction and real estate firms; however, family firms command lesser valuation in the market. The reason for this lower valuation is the mismatch between family holding and institutional holding. A family firm’s profitability is primarily driven by institutional holding that acts as mitigation against the agency conflict.

Originality/value

The paper is the first attempt to analyze the profitability of construction and real estate family firms, and compare it with non-family-owned construction and real estate firms.
Examining the impact of political candidates on hotel revenue
Authors: Belarmino Amanda , Whalen Elizabeth A.
Published: January 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of a charismatic political candidate on hotel revenue in the USA, particularly in their home states, through the lens of the bandwagon effect. Previous researchers have found that political primaries have a significant impact on hotel revenue due to travel to those states; however, there has yet to be an examination of the impact of popular political candidates on hotel revenue.

Design/methodology/approach

This research examined the impact of Bernie Sanders’ campaign on hotel revenue in the state Vermont due to the relatively stable demand experienced in that market. First, the researchers used forecasting methodology and t-tests to determine if there was a significant increase in hotel revenue during the time of the Sanders’ campaign for the state and for Burlington, Vermont, his campaign headquarters. Then, eight semi-structured interviews were conducted with hoteliers in Vermont to determine if the Sanders’ campaign was responsible for the observed changes.

Findings

While the hotel revenue for the state was not significantly different than what would be expected, the hotel revenue in Burlington did see a significant increase. Hoteliers did attribute an increased awareness of the destination and some specific instances of travelers to Sanders’ campaign.

Originality/value

This is the first study to date to demonstrate the influence of a political candidate on hotel revenue and demonstrated that the bandwagon effect can impact hotel revenue. For hoteliers, it demonstrates that increased destination awareness can impact behavioral intentions on a small scale.
Integration of Islamic capital market in ASEAN-5 countries
Authors: Qizam Ibnu , Ardiansyah Misnen , Qoyum Abdul
Published: January 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the nature and integration of Islamic stock markets across the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN-5) countries for economic community (AEC) development.

Design/methodology/approach

Using samples of daily closing prices from 2009 to 2014 across ASEAN-5 countries, co-integration and Granger-causality tests were applied.

Findings

This research finds that Islamic capital markets across ASEAN-5 countries remain highly integrated despite the global financial crisis of 2008, and it also finds the integration strength between Jakarta Islamic Index -Indonesia and Bursa Malaysia Emas Sharia-Malaysia Islamic capital markets to be the most influential across ASEAN-5 countries, while MSCI-Philippine Islamic capital market is the most vulnerable across ASEAN-5 Islamic capital markets.

Research limitations/implications

The overwhelming benefit of Islamic stock market integration across ASEAN-5 countries, and, even in a broader context, awaits further inquiry.

Originality/value

Islamic capital markets across ASEAN-5 countries are integrated regardless of the post-global financial crisis. This contributes to confirming cross-border integration policies, especially for AEC development.
Unified theory of firm: an empirical analysis
Authors: Duasa Jarita , Mhd Sarif Suhaimi , Abdul Sabian Nur Arfifah
Published: January 2020

Purpose

Four main strategies required for firms to be able to achieve their main objectives in organizations under the unified theory of the firm are technological advance, intellectual development, spirituality conducts and customer satisfaction concern. This study aims to explore the inclination of firms to adopt all these strategies in, factors that contribute to the adoption of all these strategies and significant relationship between these strategies of firms in the context of Malaysian firms.

Design/methodology/approach

Using primary data from the survey on a sample of firms in the financial sector of Malaysia, the study adopts several methods of analysis such ast-test for dependent sample,t-test for independent sample and correlation. Furthermore, ordinary least squares regressions are estimated to determine factors that have an impact on a particular strategy.

Findings

It is found that the strategies of the unified theory of the firm significantly contributed to the education level of managers. Highly educated managers tend to adopt strategies most of the time. It is also found that scores of customer satisfaction concern are highly related to scores of intellectual development and spirituality conduct. The correlation coefficient is also high between spirituality conduct and intellectual development.

Originality/value

The study analyzes the adoption of important strategies of a unified theory of firm among several firms using first-hand data (primary data) collected from the survey.
ASD, OCD and violence – a forensic case study
Authors: Edwards Holly , Higham Lorraine
Published: January 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to illustrate the formulation and psychological treatment of a complex case whereby a combination of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) has resulted in violent and aggressive behaviour.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper provides a brief summary of literature in relation to ASD, OCD and risk-offending behaviour followed by a case study of a man (referred to as “John”) with a diagnosis of ASD and OCD who has an extensive history of institutional violence and aggressive behaviour.

Findings

This paper highlights the complexity of a case that may support research suggesting that impaired theory of mind, poor emotional regulation and problems with moral reasoning increase the risk of an individual with ASD engaging in violence, in addition to a comorbidity of ASD and OCD resulting in a more severe and treatment-resistant form of OCD.

Originality/value

This paper highlights the challenges faced when working with a patient with Asperger’s syndrome and OCD with entrenched beliefs that lead to the use of violence as a compulsion to temporarily overcome unpleasant thoughts related to low self-esteem.
Self-determination theory and the collaborative assessment and management of suicidality
Authors: Holmström Édua
Published: January 2020

Purpose

The collaborative assessment and management of suicidality (CAMS) is a first-encounter suicide-specific brief intervention that motivates suicidal individuals for voluntary treatment engagement and choosing life. How the intervention works, however, has not been theoretically explained. The purpose of this paper is to explain the effectiveness using self-determination theory (SDT).

Design/methodology/approach

The paper focuses the theoretical examination on the philosophy of care and the clinical procedures of the CAMS suicide intervention. SDT is used as the theoretical lens of the examination.

Findings

The underlying philosophy of care and the clinical procedures of CAMS enhance the autonomy, relatedness and competence of the client in the first encounter. The paper proposes that fulfilling these basic human needs results in the intervention outcomes of treatment engagement and choosing life for the time being.

Research limitations/implications

The research is limited to the examination of the documented clinical procedures and philosophy of care. Further research applying SDT to the design and empirical testing of therapeutic interventions for suicide prevention is warranted.

Practical implications

Clinicians working with suicidal clients need to empathically address suicidal individuals’ motivation to engage in voluntary treatment and reduce controlling and autonomy-thwarting approaches.

Social implications

Suicidal behaviour is conventionally considered the manifestation of a mental disorder characterized by limited informed decision-making. The success of CAMS points to the contrary. Despite their suffering, many suicidal individuals make informed decisions about treatment with the support of an empathetic clinician.

Originality/value

CAMS has not previously been theoretically explained. This paper explains the effectiveness of the intervention in engaging suicidal clients in further treatment through SDT.
Mental health services designed for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnics (BAME) in the UK: a scoping review of case studies
Authors: Vahdaninia Mariam , Simkhada Bibha , van Teijlingen Edwin , Blunt Hannah , Mercel-Sanca Alan
Published: January 2020

Purpose

Mental health disparities exist among Black, Asian and Minority Ethnics (BAME) populations. This paper aims to provide an overview of mental health services designed for the BAME population in the UK, both established BAME communities and refugee/asylum-seekers.

Design/methodology/approach

A range of electronic databases were searched for peer-reviewed studies conducted within the past decade in the UK. Using the Arksey and O’Malley methodology, data were extracted, analysed and summarised.

Findings

A total of 13 papers were identified, mostly non-randomised community-based. Studies were very heterogeneous in terms of their sample and service provided. After the initial appraisal, the authors presented a narrative synthesis. Overall, all studies reported positive mental health outcomes and beneficial effects.

Research limitations/implications

Because of the time limitations and quality of the papers, the authors only included peer-reviewed journal papers.

Practical implications

Mental health services provided for BAME people, both established and refugee/asylum-seekers are feasible and improve engagement with the services and mental health outcomes. Initiatives are required to facilitate the integration of these targeted services within mental health and community services for BAME in the UK.

Originality/value

This scoping review is a snapshot of the mental health services designed for BAME people in the UK, either established or refugee/asylum-seekers in the past 10 years and adds to the evidence-based knowledge from these studies.
Evaluating green supplier satisfaction
Authors: Bai Chunguang , Satir Ahmet
Published: January 2020

Purpose

There is great uncertainty and volatility in the evaluation and measurement of green supplier satisfaction. The purpose of this paper is to fill this gap based on the information entropy theory (IET) to describe the probability of green supplier satisfaction degree.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors introduce a formal model using analytic hierarchy process (AHP), IET and entropy technique for order preference by similarity to an ideal solution (TOPSIS) method to evaluate green supplier satisfaction and promote them for the better implementation of green supply chain management practices.

Findings

The first finding is developing an effective framework for green supplier satisfaction, incorporating various measures of environmental dimension. Second, a hybrid uncertainty decision method is introduced, by integrating AHP and IET and entropy-TOPSIS.

Research limitations/implications

One of the main limitations of the research is that the authors introduced a conceptual example. Real-world applications need to investigate the accuracy and effectiveness of these measures, and the operational feasibility of this method.

Originality/value

This is one of the first works to provide a comprehensive appraisal model for evaluation of green supplier satisfaction. This study and research method can form general guidelines, and organizations can increasingly benefit from using green supplier satisfaction evaluation as a management tool. Green supplier satisfaction evaluation is just the beginning.