bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Farnesyl Transferase Inhibition for the Treatment of Tauopathies
Authors: Hernandez Israel , Luna Gabriel , Rauch Jennifer N , Giroux Michel , Karch Celeste M , Boctor Daniel , Storm Nadia J , Diaz Antonio , Zekanowski Cezary , Kang Alexander A , Hinman Cassidy , Cerovac Vesna , Guzman Elmer , Zhou Honjun , Goate Alison , Fisher Steven K , Cuervo Ana M , Kosik Kenneth S.
Published: December 2018

Tau inclusions are a shared feature of many neurodegenerative conditions and tau mutations lead to frontotemporal dementia. Approaches to treatment of these conditions have focused directly on the tau protein by targeting its post-translational modifications, its levels and its tendency to aggregate. We discovered a novel regulatory pathway for tau degradation that operates through the Rhes protein, a GTPase. Rhes is farnesylated and treatment with the farnesyl transferase inhibitor, lonafarnib, reduced Rhes, attenuated behavioral abnormalities, significantly reduced atrophy, tau inclusions, sumoylation and ubiquitination, as well as microgliosis in the rTg4510 tauopathy mouse. Direct reduction of Rhes levels reproduced the results observed with lonafarnib. The mechanism of lonafarnib action, as mediated by Rhes to reduce tau pathology, operates through the lysosome without involvement of the proteasome. Finally we show that the developmental increase in Rhes levels can be homeostatically regulated in the presence of tau mutations as a protective mechanism through which cells sense abnormal tau before any pathology is present. The extensive human trials of lonafarnib for other conditions, makes this drug ideal for repurposing to treat tauopathies.
Neuronal Mechanisms of Strategic Cooperation
Authors: Song Ong Wei , Madlon-Kay Seth , Platt Michael L.
Published: December 2018

Here we demonstrate that during strategic gameplay monkeys behave as if they reason recursively about other individuals’ beliefs and desires in order to predict their choices and to guide their own actions, especially the decision to cooperate. Neurons in mid superior temporal sulcus (mSTS), the putative homolog of the human temporo-parietal junction (TPJ), signal abstract non-perceptual social information, including payoffs, intentions, and outcomes, and further distinguish between social and nonsocial agents while monkeys play the game. We demonstrate for the first time that a subpopulation of these neurons selectively signals cooperatively obtained rewards. Neurons in the anterior cingulate gyrus (ACCg), an area implicated in vicarious reinforcement and empathy, do not distinguish agency and as a population carry less information about strategic variables. These findings suggest the capacity to mentalize has deep roots in the strategic social behavior of primates, and endorse mSTS as the evolutionary wellspring of these functions.
Nanoporous Boron Nitride for High Efficient Water Desalination
Authors: Gu Zonglin , Liu Shengtang , Dai Xing , Chen Serena , Yang Zaixing , Zhou Ruhong
Published: December 2018

Membrane filtration processes for water desalination have been greatly improved thanks to rapid development of nanoporous 2-dimentional (2D) materials. Nanoporous graphene and molybdenum disulfide have proved to show promising properties for desalination. In this study, we detailly investigated the desalination performance of a different nanoporous 2D material, nanoporous boron nitride (BN), by Molecular Dynamics simulation. Our calculations demonstrated that nanoporous BN allows for rapid water permeability with effective salt rejection. The permeability is not only two orders of magnitude higher than existing commercial techniques but also much higher than nanoporous graphene and molybdenum disulfide membranes. We further showed that the pores with B-h edges or with N-h edges present different desalination efficiency. Compared to N-h pores, B-h pores have better desalination performance in term of higher water flux. To the best of our knowledge, nanoporous BN is the 2D material having the highest water permeability thus far while maintaining high salt rejection. Overall, our results shed light on the potential advantages of using nanoporous BN for water purification.
Ageing affects DNA methylation drift and transcriptional cell-to-cell variability in muscle stem cells
Authors: Hernando-Herraez Irene , Evano Brendan , Stubbs Thomas , Commere Pierre-Henri , Clark Stephen , Andrews Simon , Tajbakhsh Shahragim , Reik Wolf
Published: December 2018

Age-related tissue alterations have been associated with a decline in stem cell number and function. Although increased cell-to-cell variability in transcription or epigenetic marks has been proposed to be a major hallmark of ageing, little is known about the molecular diversity of stem cells during ageing. Here, by combined single-cell transcriptome and DNA methylome profiling in mouse muscle stem cells, we show a striking global increase of uncoordinated transcriptional heterogeneity together with context-dependent alterations of DNA methylation with age. Importantly, promoters with increased methylation heterogeneity are associated with increased transcriptional heterogeneity of the genes they drive. Notably, old cells that change the most with age reveal alterations in the transcription of genes regulating cell-niche interactions. These results indicate that epigenetic drift, by accumulation of stochastic DNA methylation changes in promoters, is a substantial driver of the degradation of coherent transcriptional networks with consequent stem cell functional decline during ageing.
Sustaining attention for a prolonged period of time increases temporal variability in cortical responses
Authors: Reteig Leon C. , van den Brink Ruud L. , Prinssen Sam , Cohen Michael X , Slagter Heleen A.
Published: December 2018

Our ability to stay focused is limited: prolonged performance of a task typically results in mental fatigue and decrements in performance over time. This so-called vigilance decrement has been attributed to depletion of attentional resources, though other factors such as reductions in motivation likely also play a role. In this study, we examined three EEG markers of attentional control, to elucidate which stage of attentional processing is most affected by time-on-task and motivation. To elicit the vigilance decrement, participants performed a sustained attention task for 80 minutes without breaks. After 60 minutes, participants were motivated by an unexpected monetary incentive to increase performance in the final 20 minutes. We found that task performance and self-reported motivation declined rapidly, reaching a stable levels well before the motivation manipulation was introduced. Thereafter, motivation increased back up to the initial level, and remained there for the final 20 minutes. While task performance also increased, it did not return to the initial level, and fell to the lowest level overall during the final 10 minutes. This pattern of performance changes was mirrored by the trial-to-trial consistency of the phase of theta (3–7 Hz) oscillations, an index of the variability in timing of the neural response to the stimulus. As task performance decreased, temporal variability increased, suggesting that attentional stability is crucial for sustained attention performance. The effects of attention on our two other EEG measures—early P1/N1 event-related potentials and pre-stimulus alpha (9–14 Hz) power—did not change with time-on-task or motivation. In sum, these findings show that the vigilance decrement is accompanied by a decline in only some facets of attentional control, which cannot be fully brought back online by increases in motivation. The vigilance decrement might thus not occur due to a single cause, but is likely multifactorial in origin.
Diversification of retinoblastoma protein function associated with cis and trans adaptations
Authors: Mouawad Rima , Prasad Jaideep , Thorley Dominic , Himadewi Pamela , Kadiyala Dhruva , Wilson Nathan , Kapranov Philipp , Arnosti David N.
Published: December 2018

Retinoblastoma proteins are eukaryotic transcriptional co-repressors that play central roles in cell cycle control, among other functions. Although most metazoan genomes encode a single retinoblastoma protein, gene duplications have occurred at least twice: in the vertebrate lineage, leading to three genes encoding Rb, p107, and p130, while separately in the Drosophila lineage an ancestral Rbf1 gene and a derived Rbf2 gene. Structurally, Rbf1 resembles p107 and p130 most closely, and mutation of the gene is lethal, while Rbf2 is more divergent, and is not essential for development. Rbf1 has been demonstrated to be a potent repressor of canonical cell-cycle promoters, unlike Rbf2. The retention of Rbf2 over 60 million years in the entire Drosophila lineage points to essential functions, however. We show here that Rbf2 regulates a broad set of cell growth control related genes, and can antagonize Rbf1 on specific sets of promoters. Rbf2 null mutants exhibit abnormal development of the female reproductive tract, with reduced egg laying, while heterozygous null mutants exhibit an increased rate of egg deposition, suggesting that the normal function of this protein is critical for optimal control of fertility. The structural alterations found in conserved regions of the Rbf2 gene suggest that this gene was sub- or neofunctionalized to develop specific regulatory specificity and activity. We define cis regulatory features of Rbf2 target genes that allow preferential repression by this protein, indicating that it is not merely a weaker version of the ancestral protein. The specialization of retinoblastoma function in Drosophila may reflect a parallel evolution found in vertebrates, and raises the possibility that cell growth control is equally important to cell cycle function for this conserved family of transcriptional corepressors.
Response to a Synthetic Pheromone Source by OX4319L, a Self-Limiting Diamondback Moth (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae) Strain, and Field Dispersal Characteristics of Its Progenitor Strain
Authors: Bolton Michael , Collins Hilda L , Chapman Tracey , Morrison Neil I , Long Stefan J , Linn Charles E , Shelton Anthony M
Published: December 2018

The Diamondback Moth, Plutella xylostella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae), is a global pest that infests vegetable and field crops within the Brassica family. A genetically engineered strain of P. xylostella, OX4319L, carrying a self-limiting gene, has shown potential for managing P. xylostella populations, using sustained releases of OX4319L male moths. In order for such a strain to provide control, the transgenic individuals must exhibit attraction to female P. xylostella sex pheromone and adequate dispersal in the field. In this study, we tested these key traits. First, we compared the responses of the OX4319L male moths to a synthetic female sex pheromone source in wind tunnel trials to those of males from three other strains. We found that OX4319L males responded comparably to strains of non-engineered males, with all males flying upwind towards the pheromone source. Second, we used mark-release-recapture studies of a wildtype P. xylostella strain, from which the OX4319L strain was originally developed, to assess dispersal under field conditions. Released males were recaptured using both pheromone-baited and passive traps within a 2.83 ha circular cabbage field, with a recapture rate of 7.93 percent. Males were recaptured up to the boundary of the field at 95 m from the central release point. The median dispersal of males was 14 m. These results showed the progenitor strain of OX4319L retained its ability to disperse within a host field. The results of these experiments are discussed in relation to the potential for the effective use of engineered male-selecting P. xylostella strains under field conditions.
Global analysis of protein homomerization in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Authors: Kim Yeonsoo , Jung Jong Pil , Pack Chan-Gi , Huh Won-Ki
Published: December 2018

In vivo analyses of the occurrence, subcellular localization, and dynamics of protein–protein interactions (PPIs) are important issues in functional proteomic studies. The bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) assay has many advantages in that it provides a reliable way to detect PPIs in living cells with minimal perturbation of the structure and function of the target proteins. Previously, to facilitate the application of the BiFC assay to genome-wide analysis of PPIs, we generated a collection of yeast strains expressing full-length proteins tagged with the N-terminal fragment of Venus (VN), a yellow fluorescent protein variant, from their own native promoters. In the present study, we constructed a VC (the C-terminal fragment of Venus) fusion library consisting of 5671 MATα strains expressing C-terminally VC-tagged proteins (representing ∼91% of the yeast proteome). For genome-wide analysis of protein homomer formation, we mated each strain in the VC fusion library with its cognate strain in the VN fusion library and performed the BiFC assay. From this analysis, we identified 186 homomer candidates. We further investigated the functional relevance of the homomerization of Pln1, a yeast perilipin. Our data set provides a useful resource for understanding the physiological roles of protein homomerization. Furthermore, the VC fusion library together with the VN fusion library will provide a valuable platform to systematically analyze PPIs in the natural cellular context.
Anchor: trans-cell type prediction of transcription factor binding sites
Authors: Li Hongyang , Quang Daniel , Guan Yuanfang
Published: December 2018

The ENCyclopedia of DNA Elements (ENCODE) consortium has generated transcription factor (TF) binding ChIP-seq data covering hundreds of TF proteins and cell types; however, due to limits on time and resources, only a small fraction of all possible TF-cell type pairs have been profiled. One solution is to build machine learning models trained on currently available epigenomic data sets that can be applied to the remaining missing pairs. A major challenge is that TF binding sites are cell-type–specific, which can be attributed to cellular contexts such as chromatin accessibility. Meanwhile, indirect TF-DNA binding and interactions between TFs complicate this regulatory process. Technical issues such as sequencing biases and batch effects render the prediction task even more challenging. Many pioneering efforts have been made to predict TF binding profiles based on DNA sequence and DNase-seq footprints, but to what extent a model can be generalized to completely untested cell conditions remains unknown. In this study, we describe our first place solution to the 2017 ENCODE-DREAM in vivo TF binding site prediction challenge. By carefully addressing multisource biases and information imbalance across cell types, we created a pipeline that significantly outperforms the current state-of-the-art methods. The proposed method is sufficiently complex enough to model nonlinear interactions between TF binding motifs and chromatin accessibility information up to 1500 bp from the genomic region of interest.
Does Big N matter for audit quality? Evidence from Japan
Authors: Semba Hu Dan , Kato Ryo
Published: December 2018

Purpose

There has been growing concern worldwide regarding audit quality in Japan after the Kanebo and Olympus accounting scandals. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Japanese audit market from 2001 to 2011 to determine whether audit quality differs between Big N and Non-Big N audit firms and whether this difference, if existed, changed during 2007 when the number of big audit firms declined from four to three and the requirements of audit quality became more rigorous.

Design/methodology/approach

This study employs a sample of Japanese listed firms from fiscal year 2001 to 2011. Five proxy variables for audit quality are used and the data are analyzed using the propensity score matching method.

Findings

The authors show that irrespective of their size, all audit firms in Japan provide the same quality of service, when controlling for client characteristics including keiretsu, foreign sales ratio and bankruptcy risk measured in Japan. Additionally, the results suggest that although only three major audit firms remain in the Japanese audit market after the dissolution of PricewaterhouseCooper’s Chuo-Aoyama firm in 2007, the audit quality difference between Big N and Non-Big N remained unchanged before and after 2007.

Originality/value

The study contributes to the lack of existing empirical evidence on audit quality in Japan, a country characterized with low audit litigation risk and more emphasis on auditor reputation, given the influence of the notable change in Japanese audit market competition from Big 4 to Big 3. The study’s research design contributes to the extant literature by using multiple proxies of audit quality.
Numerical simulation of EWOD on a printed circuit board for cleanroom-less digital fluidic manufacturing applications
Authors: Vafaie Reza Hadjiaghaie , Dehganpour Hossein , Moradpour Abolfazl
Published: December 2018

Purpose

Digital microfluidic devices have been demonstrated to have great potential for a wide range of applications. These devices need expensive photolithography process and clean room facilities, while printed circuit board (PCB) technology provides high configurability and at low cost. This study aims to investigate the mechanism of electrowetting-on-a-dielectric (EWOD) on PCB by solving the multiphysics interaction between fluid droplet and electric field. The performance of system will be improved by inducing an efficient electric field inside the droplet.

Design/methodology/approach

To induce an electric field inside the droplet on a PCB and change the initial contact angle, the mechanism of EWOD is studied based on energy minimization method and a set of simulations are carried out by considering multiphysics interaction between the fluid droplet and external electric field. The performance of EWOD on a PCB system is investigated using different electrode structures.

Findings

Surface tension plays an efficient role in smaller sizes and can be used to move and control a fluid droplet on a surface by changing the interfacial surface tension. EWOD on a PCB system is studied. and it revealed that any change in electric field affects the droplet contact angle and as a result droplet deformation and movement. The electrode pattern is an important parameter which could change the electric potential distribution inside the droplet. Array of electrodes with square, zigzag interdigitated and crescent shapes are studied to enhance the EWOD force on a PCB substrate. Based on the results, the radial shape of the crescent electrodes keeps almost the same actuated contact line, applies uniform force on the droplet periphery and prevents the droplet from large deformation. A droplet velocity of 0.6 mm/s is achieved by exciting the crescent electrodes at 315 V. Furthermore, the behavior of system is characterized for process parameters such as actuation voltage, dielectric constant of insulator layer, fluidic material properties and the resultant velocity and contact angle. The study of contact angle distribution and droplet motion revealed that it is helpful to generate EWOD mechanism on a PCB which does not need more complicated fabrication processes.

Originality/value

The ability to handle and manipulate the droplets is very important for chemistry on-chip analysis such as immunoassay chips. Furthermore, a PCB-based electrowetting-on-dielectric device is of high interest because it does not need cleanroom facilities and avoids additional high-cost fabrication processes. In the present research, the EWOD mechanism is studied on a PCB by using different electrode patterns.
Numerical study of Carreau nanofluid flow past vertical plate with the Cattaneo–Christov heat flux model
Authors: B. Vasu , Ray Atul Kumar
Published: December 2018

Purpose

To achieve material-invariant formulation for heat transfer of Carreau nanofluid, the effect of Cattaneo–Christov heat flux is studied on a natural convective flow of Carreau nanofluid past a vertical plate with the periodic variations of surface temperature and the concentration of species. Buongiorno model is considered for nanofluid transport, which includes the relative slip mechanisms, Brownian motion and thermophoresis.

Design/methodology/approach

The governing equations are non-dimensionalized using suitable transformations, further reduced to non-similar form using stream function formulation and solved by local non-similarity method with homotopy analysis method. The numerical computations are validated and verified by comparing with earlier published results and are found to be in good agreement.

Findings

The effects of varying the physical parameters such as Prandtl number, Schmidt number, Weissenberg number, thermophoresis parameter, Brownian motion parameter and buoyancy ratio parameter on velocity, temperature and species concentration are discussed and presented through graphs. The results explored that the velocity of shear thinning fluid is raised by increasing the Weissenberg number, while contrary response is seen for the shear thickening fluid. It is also found that heat transfer in Cattaneo–Christov heat conduction model is less than that in Fourier’s heat conduction model. Furthermore, the temperature and thermal boundary layer thickness expand with the increase in thermophoresis and Brownian motion parameter, whereas nanoparticle volume fraction increases with increase in thermophoresis parameter, but reverse trend is observed with increase in Brownian motion parameter.

Originality/value

The present investigation is relatively original as very little research has been reported on Carreau nanofluids under the effect of Cattaneo–Christov heat flux model.
Investigating the cost of offsite construction housing in Western Australia
Authors: Sutrisna Monty , Cooper-Cooke Barry , Goulding Jack , Ezcan Volkan
Published: December 2018

Purpose

Offsite construction approaches and methodologies have been proffered a potential solution for controlling “traditional” projects, especially where high levels of complexity and uncertainty exist. Given this, locations such as Western Australia (WA), where there are unique housing provision challenges, offsite construction method was considered a potential solution for not only addressing the complexity/uncertainty challenges but also alleviating the housing shortage. However, whilst acknowledging the benefits of offsite construction, recognition was also noted on perceived barriers to its implementation, primarily relating to cost uncertainty. This recognition is exacerbated by very limited offsite construction cost data and information available in the public domain. In response to this, this paper sims to provide detailed cost analysis of three offsite construction projects in WA.

Design/methodology/approach

To hold parameters constant and facilitate cross-case comparative analysis, data were collected from three embedded case studies from three residential housing projects in WA. These projects represent the most contemporary implementation of offsite in WA; where two were completed in 2016/2017 and the third project was still ongoing during the data collection of this research. The research methodological approach and accompanying data analysis component engaged a variety of techniques, which was supported by archival study of project data and evidence gathered from the offsite construction provider.

Findings

Core findings revealed three emerging themes from residential offsite construction projects pertinent to cost. Specifically, the overall cost of delivering residential housing project with offsite construction techniques, the cost variability of offsite construction residential housing projects as impacted by uncertainties and the cash flow of residential offsite construction projects based on the payment term. These three major cost drivers are elucidated in this paper.

Originality/value

This research presents new cost insights to complement the wider adoption of offsite construction techniques. It presents additional information to address the limited cost data and information of offsite construction projects available in the public domain particularly for residential housing projects (within the bounded context of WA). It also highlights the further stages needed to enhance data validity, cognisant of universal generalisability and repeatability, market maturity and stakeholder supply chains.
Corporate social responsibility or sustainability in music festivals
Authors: Richardson Neil
Published: December 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to establish whether social considerations are valued within the UK music festivals.

Design/methodology/approach

A case study featuring 21 semi-structured interviews with stakeholders delivering seven music festivals. Thematic analysis enabled identification of insights into differences between organisers and suppliers.

Findings

The respondents were positive towards sustainability; however, CSR had little recognition. Both stakeholder groups adopted “ethical” practices. Suppliers want organisers to be transparent and fair. Organisers want supplier to comply with their approaches. All stakeholders need to improve their communications.

Research limitations/implications

As a small qualitative study, it is not representative of the sector. Furthermore, suppliers may be unwilling to critique festivals. Social desirability bias may be evident.

Practical implications

Festivals operate in increasingly competitive environments; hence, the insights herein should improve stakeholder and festivalgoer engagement.

Social implications

The stakeholders exhibited diverse sustainability orientations and unfailingly made the business case for SMEs adopting sustainable practices. Ethical practices herein seek partly to address social exclusion. Organisers have attracted festivalgoers who are not averse to the notion that societal endeavours are not just good for society, but also good for them.

Originality/value

Few studies of the adoption of social considerations exist within the creative industries.
Study on driver’s braking intention identification based on functional near-infrared spectroscopy
Authors: Zhu Lei , Li Shuguang , Li Yaohua , Wang Min , Li Yanyu , Yao Jin
Published: December 2018

Purpose

Cooperative driving refers to a notion that intelligent system sharing controlling with human driver and completing driving task together. One of the key technologies is that the intelligent system can identify the driver’s driving intention in real time to implement consistent driving decisions. The purpose of this study is to establish a driver intention prediction model.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors used the NIRx device to measure the cerebral cortex activities for identifying the driver’s braking intention. The experiment was carried out in a virtual reality environment. During the experiment, the driving simulator recorded the driving data and the functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) device recorded the changes in hemoglobin concentration in the cerebral cortex. After the experiment, the driver’s braking intention identification model was established through the principal component analysis and back propagation neural network.

Findings

The research results showed that the accuracy of the model established in this paper was 80.39 per cent. And, the model could identify the driver’s braking intent prior to his braking operation.

Research limitations/implications

The limitation of this study was that the experimental environment was ideal and did not consider the surrounding traffic. At the same time, other actions of the driver were not taken into account when establishing the braking intention recognition model. Besides, the verification results obtained in this paper could only reflect the results of a few drivers’ identification of braking intention.

Practical implications

This study can be used as a reference for future research on driving intention through fNIRS, and it also has a positive effect on the research of brain-controlled driving. At the same time, it has developed new frontiers for intention recognition of cooperative driving.

Social implications

This study explores new directions for future brain-controlled driving and wheelchairs.

Originality/value

The driver’s driving intention was predicted through the fNIRS device for the first time.
Social urbanism: public policy and place brand
Authors: Doyle Caroline
Published: December 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to focus on how a public policy designed to address a social problem ultimately became the place brand.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper uses a qualitative case study approach focusing on the city of Medellín, Colombia. It draws from fieldwork conducted in Medellín over 2014 and 2015, including semi-structured interviews with an array of local stakeholders.

Findings

The paper concludes that local governments should be aware that the policymaking process can become part of their branding. It also shows the importance of the continual involvement of stakeholders in the place brand process to ensure it is a sustainable brand.

Originality/value

There are limited studies which focus on how a public policy designed to address a social problem ultimately becomes the place brand. This paper shows how a public policy, social urbanism, became the branding of Medellín.
The puzzle of internal audit function budget toward specialist auditor choice and audit fees
Authors: AL-Qadasi Adel Ali , Abidin Shamharir , Al-Jaifi Hamdan Amer
Published: December 2018

Purpose

This study is motivated by the lack of internal audit function (IAF) research and by the call for research on the impact of dominant owners such as family shareholders on audit fees and the demand for audit quality. This study aims to examine the impact of the IAF budget on the selection of industry-specialist auditors and on audit fees, particularly in companies with family-controlled shareholders, a feature unique to Malaysia.

Design/methodology/approach

Data of Malaysian-listed companies during the period 2009-2012 are used. To examine the relationships, logit and ordinary least square regressions are used. Several additional analyses are conducted to assess the robustness of the main results, including alternative measures of specialist auditor and family ownership, endogeneity problems and self-selection bias.

Findings

The results show that the IAF budget is positively related to hiring industry-specialist auditors and audit fees. However, family companies are less likely to support the positive association between IAF costs and engage specialist auditors than non-family companies. In addition, a complementary association between the costs of IAF and audit fees for both family and non-family companies was found. Finally, the results show that there is a negative association between family ownership and the ratio of IAF costs to audit fees, suggesting that family companies rely more upon external auditing than internal auditing.

Originality/value

The contribution of this study is to provide an empirical evidence about the tradeoff between IAF and both industry-specialist auditors and audit fees with considering the moderating impact of family-ownership shareholdings. This issue is yet to be examined, and it provides implications for policymakers and practitioners, as it offers insights into the importance of investing in IAF toward hiring industry-specialist auditors and pricing the audit services.
Towards a framework for measuring creative economy: evidence from Balkan countries
Authors: Ndou Valentina , Schiuma Giovanni , Passiante Giuseppina
Published: December 2018

Purpose

The creative process through which the territorial resources, knowledge and culture are used, exploited and configured to match needs and to achieve congruence with the changing business environment has become a crucial process for competitiveness. This is even more relevant for economies of developing countries which are continuously struggling to reap the benefits of globalisation, as well as to grasp the new opportunities for competitiveness. As such, this paper aims to try to concentrate on the dynamic perspectives of the creative economy of countries by distinguishing between the potentialities and performance. The paper tackles the influence that creativity capacities might have on performance of countries.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology consists in identifying creative economy indicators from a diverse data set of the World Economic Forum and distinguish them between potential and performance indicators.

Findings

Data reveal as good progress and emphasis is being devoted to increasing the level of creativity; however, the Balkan countries still holdup in their capacity to boost innovation.

Practical implications

The paper provide a new focus of research on creativity measurement that is significant for understanding what creative capacities territories possess and the ability to make proficient use for growth and innovation.

Originality/value

This paper proposes a new operational framework for measuring and interpreting the creative economy indicators by identifying not only indicators that gauge the potentialities of a country, but also indicators that are linked with the performance dimension, as well as the relationship amongst them.
Application of Bernoulli wavelet method for estimating a solution of linear stochastic Itô-Volterra integral equations
Authors: Mirzaee Farshid , Samadyar Nasrin
Published: December 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop a new method based on operational matrices of Bernoulli wavelet for solving linear stochastic Itô-Volterra integral equations, numerically.

Design/methodology/approach

For this aim, Bernoulli polynomials and Bernoulli wavelet are introduced, and their properties are expressed. Then, the operational matrix and the stochastic operational matrix of integration based on Bernoulli wavelet are calculated for the first time.

Findings

By applying these matrices, the main problem would be transformed into a linear system of algebraic equations which can be solved by using a suitable numerical method. Also, a few results related to error estimate and convergence analysis of the proposed scheme are investigated.

Originality/value

Two numerical examples are included to demonstrate the accuracy and efficiency of the proposed method. All of the numerical calculation is performed on a personal computer by running some codes written in MATLAB software.
Hydraulic manifold design via additive manufacturing optimized with CFD and fluid-structure interaction simulations
Authors: Alshare Aiman A. , Calzone Fedrico , Muzzupappa Maurizio
Published: December 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the feasibility of using additive manufacturing (AM) technique to produce an efficient valve manifold for hydraulic actuator by redesigning valve blocks produced by conventional methods.

Design/methodology/approach

A priori, a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis was carried out using the software ANSYS Fluent to determine the optimal flow path that results in least pressure drop, highest average velocity and least energy losses. Fluid–structure interaction (FSI) simulations, processed with imported pressure distribution from the CFD, were conducted to determine the resulting loading and deformations of the manifold assembly.

Findings

The new design offers a 23 per cent reduction of oil volume in the circuit, while weighing 84 per cent less. When using the new design, a decrease of pressure drop by nearly 25 per cent and an increase in the average velocity by 2.5 per cent is achieved. A good agreement, within 16 per cent, is found in terms of the pressure drop between the experiment and computational model.

Originality/value

It is possible to build an efficient hydraulic manifold design by iterative refinement for adequate production via selective laser melting (SLM) and minimize used material to circumventing building support structures in non-machinable features of the manifold.
The effect of corruption and culture on corporate social performance: an empirical study
Authors: Agyei-Mensah Ben Kwame , Buertey Samuel
Published: December 2018

Purpose

The study aims to examine the simultaneous influence of corruption and culture on corporate social and environmental performance of selected companies.

Design/methodology/approach

Theoretical propositions on how corruption and culture influence corporate social responsibility performance were developed and empirically tested. Corruption is measured using Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index and Schwartz (2008) cultural dimension is used as a measure of culture. Descriptive analysis was performed to provide the background statistics of the variables examined. This was followed by regression analysis which forms the main data analysis.

Findings

The multiple regression analysis results indicated that corruption and two of the three cultural dimensions (embeddedness and Mastery) are significantly related to corporate social responsibility performance.

Originality/value

The study contributes to the corporate social responsibility literature by revealing that corruption and culture are key determinants of corporate social responsibility performance.
G59S mutation in the GJB2 gene in a Chinese family with classic Vohwinkel syndrome
Authors: Xie Ming‐xing , Yang Wei‐ping , Luo Hao‐jie , Ismail Ferina , Hao Yang‐yang , Yang Jian‐qiang
Published: December 2018

Vohwinkel syndrome (VS) is a rare autosomal dominant condition, also known as mutilating palmoplantar keratoderma accompanied by sensorineural deafness. The LOR and GJB2 genes are reported to be responsible for VS. The GJB2 gene encodes connexin 26, a component of intercellular gap junctions expressed in various tissues. We report the case of a 31‐year‐old Chinese woman with classic VS characterized by sensorineural deafness and mutilating palmoplantar keratoderma. Further genetic studies demonstrated a nucleotide change (c.175G>A) in the GJB2 gene, leading to an amino acid alteration (G59S). This identical missense mutation (G59S) has also been reported in a patient with Bart–Pumphrey syndrome. Together with our findings and previous studies, we conclude that the identical mutation (G59S) in the GJB2 gene contributes to various manifestations.
A critique for eco‐evolutionary dynamics
Authors: Hendry Andrew P.
Published: December 2018

A growing body of empirical work supports and informs the role of genetic variation and contemporary evolution in shaping ecological dynamics at the population, community and ecosystem levels. Although much progress has been made, I contend that reliance on several common empirical and inferential approaches is limiting forward progress in key areas, which leads me to several suggestions.

More studies should focus on revealing eco‐evolutionary dynamics as they play out in the “real world,” as opposed to laboratories and mesocosms.

At the community and ecosystem levels, increasing effort should be directed towards the importance of evolution acting through population density, as opposed to only direct per‐capita effects.

More work should be directed towards the effects of whole‐community evolution, as opposed to the evolution of only particular focal species.

New and innovative approaches are needed for studying how natural selection resists evolutionary and ecological change, thus generating cryptic eco‐evolutionary dynamics.

Although simultaneous improvement on all of these fronts is perhaps impossible for any single research programme, even advances in one or more areas could dramatically improve our understanding of the prevalence, power and relevance of eco‐evolutionary dynamics.

A plain language summary is available for this article.
Occupational therapy medicolegal assessment of domestic assistance requirements: Focus group perspectives
Authors: Arnold Susan , Mackenzie Lynette , Millington Michael , James Carole
Published: December 2018

Background/aim

Estimating domestic assistance requirements within the medicolegal field is a role for occupational therapists. It is a complex multidimensional process of clinical reasoning with no published research outlining how an occupational therapist translates assessment data into the number of hours of domestic assistance required. This study describes the current occupational therapy practice of estimating domestic assistance hours within the medicolegal context.

Method

Three focus groups, totalling 14 occupational therapists providing medicolegal reports in New South Wales, were conducted. Sydney University provided ethics approval. Focus group data were thematically analysed.

Results

Four themes were identified:

Tasks included as housework.

Assessment process – interview of pre‐injury and recovery status; functional performance on specific tasks and a tour of the home.

Influential factors – include legal system restrictions, medical management, cultural and society values, family expectations, location and impact of diagnosis.

Strategies to determine care – triangulation of observed data with medical reports and clinical experience. Knowledge of community and own performance times within the framework of occupational therapy philosophy

Discussion

No single method of translating assessment data to hours of care was identified. Therapists use of their own housework performance raises ethical issues. Use of claimant only statements raises issues of inaccurate data on which to base decisions. Therapists should refer to occupational therapy process of clinical reasoning to explain their recommendations even though the reasoning does not give a definite number of care hours.

Conclusion

Therapists need to understand the factors influencing their clinical reasoning when integrating all available information into an estimating of domestic assistance hours. Further study analysing the content of medicolegal report may provide information as to how therapists document their clinical reasoning for court.
Undo the brake of tumour immune tolerance with antibodies, peptide mimetics and small molecule compounds targeting PD‐1/PD‐L1 checkpoint at different locations for acceleration of cytotoxic immunity to cancer cells
Authors: Gu Wenyi , Wang Lihui , Wu Yanheng , Liu Jun‐Ping
Published: December 2018

Recent clinical success of immunotherapy that inhibits the negative immune regulatory pathway programmed cell death protein‐1/PD‐1 ligand 1 (PD‐1/PD‐L1) has initiated a new era in the treatment of metastatic cancer. However, greater challenges remain to treat all cancers. The molecular architecture in the immune synapse constituting positive engagements for immune activation and negative checkpoints against immune hyperactivity is regulated dynamically by interaction between proteostasis and tumour microenvironment. This article reviews recent progresses in our understandings of the cellular and molecular mechanisms of the negative checkpoint PD‐1/PD‐L1 behaviours in immune tolerance of tumourigenesis and metastasis. We provide an overview on PD‐L1 gene expression regulation, protein turnover, intra‐ and extracellular trafficking, exosome‐mediated inter‐cellular transport, molecular interface peptide mimetics, inhibitory chemical compounds such as metformin, and antibody dynamics. We summarise PD‐L1 post‐translational modifications including glycosylation, palmitoylation, phosphorylation and ubiquitination, reflecting future research directions and opportunities in identifying tumour‐specific signalling targets, their regulatory molecules and pathways for intervention into various types of cancers.
Repeated evolutionary transitions of flavobacteria from marine to non‐marine habitats
Authors: Zhang Hao , Yoshizawa Susumu , Sun Ying , Huang Yongjie , Chu Xiao , González José M. , Pinhassi Jarone , Luo Haiwei
Published: December 2018

The taxonomy of marine and non‐marine organisms rarely overlap, but the mechanisms underlying this distinction are often unknown. Here, we predicted three major ocean‐to‐land transitions in the evolutionary history of Flavobacteriaceae, a family known for polysaccharide and peptide degradation. These unidirectional transitions were associated with repeated losses of marine signature genes and repeated gains of non‐marine adaptive genes. This included various Na+‐dependent transporters, osmolyte transporters and glycoside hydrolases (GH) for sulfated polysaccharide utilization in marine descendants, and in non‐marine descendants genes for utilizing the land plant material pectin and genes facilitating terrestrial host interactions. The K+ scavenging ATPase was repeatedly gained whereas the corresponding low‐affinity transporter repeatedly lost upon transitions, reflecting K+ ions are less available to non‐marine bacteria. Strikingly, the central metabolism Na+‐translocating NADH: quinone dehydrogenase gene was repeatedly gained in marine descendants, whereas the H+‐translocating counterpart was repeatedly gained in non‐marine lineages. Furthermore, GH genes were depleted in isolates colonizing animal hosts but abundant in bacteria inhabiting other non‐marine niches; thus relative abundances of GH versus peptidase genes among Flavobacteriaceae lineages were inconsistent with the marine versus non‐marine dichotomy. We suggest that phylogenomic analyses can cast novel light on mechanisms explaining the distribution and ecology of key microbiome components.
Avian influenza, non‐tariff measures and the poultry exports of China
Authors: Zhou Li , Li Lingzhi , Lei Lei
Published: December 2018

This paper focuses on the direct impact of avian influenza outbreaks and the impact of the consequent non‐tariff measures (NTMs) on the international poultry trade. Using monthly export data from China and its 122 poultry importing countries, a random‐effect gravity model has been adopted. Emphasising the agri‐food trade in a global value chain context, the research analysis distinguishes between ‘agri‐food goods’ (mostly uncooked poultry products) and ‘processed goods’ (mostly cooked poultry products). The results show that domestic avian influenza outbreaks have a significant negative impact on a country's poultry imports compared with such outbreaks in exporting countries. Moreover, NTMs induced by avian influenza reduce the uncooked poultry trade but temporarily increase the cooked poultry trade. However, with a time‐lag, the cooked poultry trade may soon face increasing NTMs. The results also imply that developing countries that attempt to export agri‐food products to developed countries should increase and enhance processed food production.
The interplay between governmental communications and fellow citizens’ reactions via twitter: Experimental results of a theoretical crisis in the Netherlands
Authors: Bakker Marije H. , van Bommel Marco , Kerstholt José H. , Giebels Ellen
Published: December 2018

This study aimed to gain insight into the interplay between citizens’ reactions on Twitter and governmental communications as well as their effects on self‐reliant behaviour and trust. Two experimental studies were conducted. In Study 1, participants first received other citizens’ reactions followed by the government's communications about how to act. Participants received supporting, opposing, mixed, or no reactions from other citizens. In Study 2, participants first received the government's communications with either certain or uncertain crisis information, followed by the different citizens’ reactions. The results showed that citizens’ reactions via Twitter are not necessarily detrimental to the effectiveness of governmental communications regarding self‐reliant behaviour. In addition, our findings suggest being careful with providing uncertain governmental communications during a crisis.