bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Identification of general patterns of sex-biased expression inDaphnia, a genus with environmental sex determination
Authors: Molinier Cécile , Reisser Céline M.O. , Fields Peter , Ségard Adeline , Galimov Yan , Haag Christoph R.
Published: February 2018

Daphniareproduce by cyclic-parthenogenesis, where phases of asexual reproduction are intermitted by sexual production of diapause stages. This life cycle, together with environmental sex determination, allow the comparison of gene expression between genetically identical males and females. We investigated gene expression differences between males and females in four genotypes ofDaphnia magnaand compared the results with published data on sex-biased gene expression in two otherDaphniaspecies, each representing one of the major phylogenetic clades within the genus. We found that 42% of all annotated genes showed sex-biased expression inD. magna. This proportion is similar both to estimates from otherDaphniaspecies as well as from species with genetic sex determination, suggesting that sex-biased expression is not reduced under environmental sex determination. Among 7453 single copy, one-to-one orthologs in the threeDaphniaspecies, 707 consistently showed sex-biased expression and 675 were biased in the same direction in all three species. Hence these genes represent a core-set of genes with consistent sex-differential expression in the genus. A functional analysis identified that several of them are involved in known sex determination pathways. Moreover, 75% were overexpressed in females rather than males, a pattern that appears to be a general feature of sex-biased gene expression inDaphnia.

Short summary

In some species with environmental sex determination, gene expression can be compared between genetically identical males and females. Here, we investigated sex-biased expression in one such species,D. magna, and compared it with data from two congeners. We found that all three species have a common set of 675 genes with consistent differential expression and with a strong bias towards overexpression in females rather than males. Moreover, the proportion of sex-biased genes in each of the threeDaphniaspecies was similar toDrosophilaspecies with genetic sex determination, suggesting that sex-biased expression is not necessarily reduced under environmental sex determination.
Phasingviapure crystallographic least squares: an unexpected feature
Authors: Burla Maria Cristina , Carrozzini Benedetta , Cascarano Giovanni Luca , Giacovazzo Carmelo , Polidori Giampiero
Published: February 2018

Crystallographic least-squares techniques, the main tool for crystal structure refinement of small and medium-size molecules, are for the first time used forab initiophasing. It is shown that the chief obstacle to such use, the least-squares severe convergence limits, may be overcome by a multi-solution procedure able to progressively recognize and discard model atoms in false positions and to include in the current model new atoms sufficiently close to correct positions. The applications show that the least-squares procedure is able to solve many small structures without the use of important ancillary tools:e.g.no electron-density map is calculated as a support for the least-squares procedure.
Crystal structure and Hirshfeld surface analysis of the naturally occurring cassane-type diterpenoid, 6β-cinnamoyl-7β-hydroxyvouacapen-5α-ol
Authors: Ogbeide K. Osahon , Kumar Rajesh , Mujeeb-Ur-Rehman  , Owolabi Bodunde , Falodun Abiodun , Choudhary M. Iqbal , Yousuf Sammer
Published: February 2018

The title compound, C29H36O5, a cassane-type diterpenoid {systematic name: (4aR,5R,6R,6aS,7R,11aS,11bR)-4a,6-dihydroxy-4,4,7,11b-tetramethyl-1,2,3,4,4a,5,6,6a,7,11,11a,11b-dodecahydrophenanthro[3,2-b]furan-5-yl 3-phenylprop-2-enoate}, was isolated from a medicinally important plant,Caesalpinia pulcherrima(Fabaceae). In the molecule, three cyclohexane rings aretrans-fused and adopt chair, chair and half-chair conformations. In the crystal, molecules are linkedviaO—H...O hydrogen bonds, forming a tape structure along theb-axis direction. The tapes are further linked into a double-tape structure through C—H...π interactions. The Hirshfeld surface analysis indicates that the contributions to the crystal packing are H...H (65.5%), C...H (18.7%), O...H (14.5%) and C...O (0.3%).
Synthesis and structure of an aryltellurenium(II) cation; [4-tert-butyl-2,6-bis(1-pentyl-1H-benzimidazol-2-yl-κN3)phenyl-κC1]tellurium(II) (1,4-dioxane)triiodidomercurate(II)
Authors: Rani Varsha , Singh Harkesh B. , Butcher Ray J.
Published: February 2018

In the title salt, (C34H41N4Te)[HgI3(C4H8O2)], the aryltellurenium [C34H41N4Te]+cations and [HgI3(dioxane)]−anions are linked by a short interaction between the Te atom and one of the I-atom donors of the anion, as well as through weak C—H...I interactions. The geometry around the Te atom is T-shaped with the coordination comprising a C atom of the central aromatic ring and two N atom donors of the benzimidazolyl moiety. The Te—N bond lengths are almost equal [2.232 (3) and 2.244 (3) Å], while the Te—C bond length is 2.071 (4) Å. The N—Te—N bond angle is 150.68 (11)°. The HgIIatom of the anion is coordinated by iodide ions from three sides and the fourth coordination site is occupied by an O atom of the solvent molecule (dioxane). Thus, it attains a trigonal–pyrimidal geometry, with O—Hg—I angles ranging of 90.76 (8) and 96.76 (7)° and I—Hg—I angles ranging from 112.41 (1) to 125.10 (1)°. The cations and anions are involved in numerous weak π–π stacking interactions involving both the central phenyl ring and two inversion-related benzimidazole moieties, which propagate in thea-axis direction. In addition, there are numerous C—H...I interactions between the cations and anions, which link them into a complex three-dimensional array.
The effects of innovation speed and quality on differentiation and low-cost competitive advantage
Authors: Le Phong Ba , Lei Hui
Published: February 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to verify the effect of organizational learning (OL) and two specific aspects of innovation, innovation speed and innovation quality, on competitive advantage.

Design/methodology/approach

Structural equation modeling has been applied to test the degree of influence of OL and innovation on two types of competitive advantage (differentiation and low-cost advantage) using data collected from 279 Chinese firms.

Findings

The findings show that innovation speed and quality play mediating roles in the relationship between OL and competitive advantage. In general, while innovation speed has greater effects on low-cost competitive advantage, OL and innovation quality have greater effects on differentiation competitive advantage.

Research limitations/implications

This paper offers directors/managers a deeper understanding of the factors necessary to promote competitive advantage in their firms.

Practical implications

This paper offers CEOs/managers a deeper understanding of the necessary factors needed to promote competitive advantage in their firms.

Originality/value

This paper provides practical and theoretical initiatives on innovation and competitive advantage that can be used to promote specific aspects of innovation and build up competitive advantage for relevant organizations.
Design and analysis of cantilever based piezoelectric vibration energy harvester
Authors: Savarimuthu Kirubaveni , Sankararajan Radha , M. Gulam Nabi Alsath , Roji M. Ani Melfa
Published: February 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to present the design of a cantilever beam with various kinds of geometries for application in energy harvesting devices with a view to enhance the harvested power. The cantilever beams in rectangular, triangular and trapezoidal geometries are simulated, designed and evaluated experimentally. A power conditioning circuit is designed and fabricated for rectification and regulation.

Design/methodology/approach

The analytical model based on Euler–Bernoulli beam theory is analyzed for various cantilever geometries. The aluminum beam with Lead Zirconate Titanate (PZT) 5H strip is used for performing frequency, displacement, strain distribution, stress and potential analysis. A comparative analysis is done based on the estimated performance of the cantilevers with different topologies of 4,500 mm3 volume.

Findings

The analysis shows the trapezoidal cantilever yielding a maximum voltage of 66.13 V at 30 Hz. It exhibits maximum power density of 171.29 W/mm3 at optimal resistive load of 330 kΩ. The generated power of 770.8 µW is used to power up a C-mote wireless sensor network.

Originality/value

This study provides a complete structural analysis and implementation of the cantilever for energy harvesting application, integration of power conditioning circuit with the energy harvester and evaluation of the designed cantilevers under various performance metrics.
Positive and negative behaviours resulting from brand attachment
Authors: Japutra Arnold , Ekinci Yuksel , Simkin Lyndon
Published: February 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationships between brand attachment and consumers’ positive and negative behaviours. Furthermore, this study examines the moderating effects of attachment styles on these relationships.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is based on a survey of 432 respondents, and the data are analysed using the structural equation modelling approach.

Findings

This study empirically supports that brand attachment and attachment styles (i.e. anxiety attachment and avoidance attachment) are distinct. Brand attachment influences consumers’ not only positive behaviour (i.e. brand loyalty) but also negative behaviours, such as trash-talking, schadenfreude and anti-brand actions. The findings of the study suggest that only avoidance attachment style moderates the relationships between brand attachment and these consumer behaviours. The link between brand attachment and brand loyalty is attenuated for high-attachment-avoidance consumers. In contrast, the links between brand attachment and trash-talking, schadenfreude and anti-brand actions are strengthened.

Practical implications

This study assists marketing managers in understanding that a strong brand attachment may result in negative behaviours that can harm a company’s brand image. Thus, building a strong relationship with consumers will not always be beneficial. Companies should be aware of the consequences of building relationships with consumers who have a high level of attachment anxiety and/or avoidance.

Originality/value

This paper highlights that brand attachment not only influences brand loyalty behaviour but also three negative behaviours: trash-talking, schadenfreude and anti-brand actions. Moreover, the links between brand attachment and negative behaviours are strengthened when consumers have a high level of attachment avoidance.
An integrated approach to assess the vulnerability to erosion in mangroves using GIS models in a tropical coastal protected area
Authors: Vieira José Guilherme Moreira Simões , Salgueiro Joana , Soares Amadeu Mortágua Velho da Maia , Azeiteiro Ulisses , Morgado Fernando
Published: February 2018

Purpose

The development of models that allows the evaluation and prediction of erosion processes is an important tool for the management and planning of coastal systems. Mangrove forests systems are under threat by the impacts of erosion, which is also intensified by human activity (and aggravated in the scenarios of global warming and climate change). The purpose of this paper is to develop a model of geographic information systems (GIS) that can be used for any estuary area, but it can also be used for mangroves.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper uses georeferentiation which is defined as a set of parameters that best characterize the mangrove areas: elevation (m); geomorphology; geology; land cover; anthropogenic activities; distance to the coastline (m) and maximum tidal range (m). Three different methods are used to combine the various vulnerability parameters, namely, DRASTIC index, analytical hierarchy process (AHP) and square root of the geometric mean.

Findings

The three approaches presented in this work show different types evaluating vulnerability to erosion, highlighting a stronger overvaluation of the areas presented with a high vulnerability, through the use of DRASTIC index when compared with two other approaches. The use of the AHP shows similarity to the square root of the geometric mean model, but the AHP also presents a higher percentage of vulnerable areas classified as having medium to very high vulnerability. On the other hand, the use of square root of the geometric mean led to a higher percentage of areas classified as having low and very low vulnerability.

Research limitations/implications

These three qualitative models, based on a cognitive approach, using the set of parameters defined in this research, are a good tool for the spatial distribution of erosion in different mangroves in the world.

Originality/value

Global warming and climate change scenarios require adaptation and mitigation options supported by science-based strategies and solutions.
Consumers’ valuation of academic and deprivation-compensating aspects of school performance in England
Authors: Andreou Sofia
Published: February 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the willingness of households to pay for academic and deprivation-compensating components of the Contextual Value Added (CVA) indicator of school quality used in England in order to locate themselves in the catchment area of state schools. Deprivation-compensating school performance, defined as the difference in the disadvantaged intake between two schools with the same academic performance.

Design/methodology/approach

The empirical analysis, based on data drawn from three independent UK data sources, used parametric and non-parametric analysis approaches. The analysis conducted separately for primary and secondary schools, because household behaviour can differ between these two levels of education.

Findings

Consumers are willing to pay for houses in the catchment area of primary and secondary schools with high academic achievement, as measured by the mean score; whereas, the component of the CVA indicating deprivation-compensating aspects of school performance is found to have a positive effect only on the price of houses in the catchment area of primary schools in London; its impact on the price of houses elsewhere is mostly negative.

Practical implications

The analysis in this study suggested that the recently adopted practice of using CVA as a measure of school quality in England can encourage government and Local Authorities to pay more attention to raising the deprivation-compensating aspects of school performance of their schools.

Originality/value

This is the first study to explore the value which households attach to deprivation-compensating outcomes, at a given level of academic performance using the CVA indicator.
Designing a conceptual methodology for structuration research
Authors: Makrygiannakis Georgios , Jack Lisa
Published: February 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the application of social theory as conceptual methodology in the design of case study research.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors examine how social theory can be used to design case study research when the choice of theory is made before or during the empirical enquiry. Rather than simply presenting the elements of design, the focus is on the ways the elements relate and connect to each other, i.e. how a researcher can design each step to facilitate the work that needs to be done in the others.

Findings

A circular research design starts and finishes with the theory. The conceptual tools that social theories offer can be used to guide researchers into the empirical field and out of it. A conceptually driven design facilitates the interconnection between the various steps of a research project and can keep theory, research problem and data closely connected.

Research limitations/implications

There is a role for systematic research design in interpretative case studies in management accounting and control. Although this paper uses strong structuration theory, the circular design proposed can be applied for other social theories and methodologies where an abductive approach is appropriate.

Originality/value

There are very few papers that explicitly demonstrate the implications of research design choices in case study research. In particular, the authors contribute to discussions on the conduct of interpretative research in management control and demonstrate that, especially for structuration theory, a conceptual methodology approach to research design, data collection and analysis can lead to theoretical insight.
Is the medium the message?
Authors: Lodhia Sumit
Published: February 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to consider the vital role that the medium for communication plays in the sustainability reporting process and provides an agenda for advancing research in this area.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a theoretical paper that draws upon previous literature to highlight that the newer communication media extends the capabilities of traditional media and provides insights into future research directions.

Research limitations/implications

This paper highlights that communication medium has a critical role in sustainability reporting and changes the dynamics of such reporting, leading to a change in the research approaches to study this phenomenon.

Practical implications

The paper has implications for practitioners in relation to the use of various communication media for sustainability reporting.

Social implications

The paper highlights that modern information and communication technologies transform reporting into communication, thereby providing potential for enhancing the engagement of stakeholders with a corporation.

Originality/value

This paper suggests that the role of the communication medium is integral to the communication of sustainability issues to stakeholders and that future research needs to justify the choice of the medium used for sustainability reporting studies.
Implications of corporate accountability on civil society
Authors: Alexander David , Tiron-Tudor Adriana , Dragu Ioana
Published: February 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to focus on corporate accountability, analysing the case of Rosia Montana Gold Corporation (RMGC) from the perspective of civil society, acting as a significant stakeholder.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors ground the research on legitimacy theory, as the paper presents the company’s efforts to obtain the approval/legitimacy from one of its main vocal stakeholders: civil society. The paper presents the historical background of the Rosia Montana region, and then explains the stages of the RMGC project development, together with the company’s actions to be recognised by the local environment. They also investigate the corporate reports issued by Rosia Montana Gold Corporation, especially in and after 2010.

Findings

The results show that RMGC failed to gain the legitimacy of the Romanian society, and the authors discuss causes and implications.

Originality/value

This research brings a valuable contribution to the corporate reporting literature, being one of the first studies on the state of reporting in Romania in the mining sector, analysing the implications of the relationship between corporate accountability and civil society.
A rubric and methodology for benchmarking referral goals
Authors: Ward David , Jacoby JoAnn
Published: February 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to identify more advanced criteria for identifying referral opportunities and improve understanding of when to refer through developing and defining distinct question categories and related criteria.

Design/methodology/approach

Chat transcripts were analyzed and coded using a rubric developed on the basis of published research and original criteria developed for the study. Coding focused on whether a referral was made, if an opportunity was missed (termed “referral gap”), and what factors influenced its presence or absence.

Findings

Quantitative and qualitative factors that influence when referrals are successfully made were identified. Questions higher on the reference effort assessment data scale and those relating to subject-based research tended to have a higher referral gap, while the presence of instruction in evaluating resources had a positive impact on referrals being made. Recognizing patron-based factors such as knowledge of library policies also impacted the presence of referrals.

Research limitations/implications

Limitations include the data, which were taken from a single institution and primarily reflect questions occurring in academic libraries.

Practical implications

Suggestions are provided for training and reference management approaches to improve the presence, substance and quality of referrals.

Originality/value

The study introduces a new measure for evaluating referrals, termed the “referral gap.” The methodology also expands on traditional data points used to measure when referrals should occur, which typically focus on patron and staff affiliations.
Seeing through the network
Authors: Savard Dany
Published: February 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate upper-undergraduate and graduate students’ perceptions of interdisciplinarity in relation to their information-seeking habits by analyzing their beliefs, rationalizations and preferences around the retrieval, evaluation and use of information sources for interdisciplinary research.

Design/methodology/approach

This study made use of focus group interviews with 18 student participants enrolled in different academic programs in the humanities and social sciences at a research university in Toronto. Transcript data were analyzed through use of the constant comparison method.

Findings

Students perceive the classification of library collections as both helpful and problematic in their pursuits of interdisciplinary work. Students believe that knowing how to identify appropriate terminology while navigating scholarly and non-scholarly environments is crucial to their success in interdisciplinary research. Librarians can adjust their service philosophies and research tools to better anticipate the needs of students engaged in interdisciplinary research.

Originality/value

This paper adds to the literature by providing library practitioners and other interested parties with a unique view of how undergraduate and graduate students contextualize their information needs when undertaking interdisciplinary research work.
A two-parameter distributed sensing system for temperature and strain monitoring based on highly nonlinear fiber
Authors: Zhan Yage , Shen Ziyang , Sun Zeyu , Yu Qiao , Liu Hong , Kong Yong
Published: February 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to theoretically analyze and experimentally demonstrate the investigation of and present a kind of sensing system for monitoring simultaneous temperature and strain measurements based on highly nonlinear fiber (HNLF) and single mode fiber (SMF).

Design/methodology/approach

First, the stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) characteristics of the HNLF have been studied, including the Brillouin gain bandwidth, Brillouin gain center frequency and SBS threshold. Second, based on the Brillouin gain center frequency, the Brillouin frequency shift coefficients of strain and temperature in HNLF have been studied. Third, the sensing and signal interrogation scheme for simultaneous monitoring of temperature and strain with high resolution has been presented.

Findings

It is found that the HNLF has a wider Brillouin gain bandwidth. The SBS threshold of HNLF is 78 mW, which is much larger than 7.9 mW of SMF. Also, the Brillouin frequency shift coefficients of strain and temperature in HNLF are 0.0308 and 0.413 MHz/°C, respectively.

Originality/value

The larger threshold of SBS is useful to avoid SBS under certain situations that Spontaneous Brillouin Scattering is necessary and should be applied. The technique is based on the fact that the Brillouin frequency shift coefficients of strain and temperature in HNLF are different from those in SMF. Therefore, the two-parameter monitoring can be achieved by producing SBS and obtaining the back-scattering Brillouin signal light simultaneously in HNLF and SMF.
Responding to business model innovation: organizational unlearning and firm failure
Authors: Snihur Yuliya
Published: February 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to examine Borders response to business model innovation (BMI) by Amazon in the bookselling industry. The case illuminates potential causes for protracted periods of organizational unlearning, explaining why organizational unlearning, although beneficial in many documented cases, can also be insufficient to prevent failure.

Design/methodology/approach

Archival data are used to study Borders’s historical evolution from 1995 to its 2011 bankruptcy. Theoretical inferences are drawn from this case to shed light on the process of organizational unlearning.

Findings

Borders failed because its top managers were unable to adjust its traditionalist superstore identity to respond in an adequate manner to the changes in their environment. Instead, the company went through protracted phases of weathering the storm, denial and unlearning, resulting in bankruptcy. This extreme case of failure explains why sometimes, organizational unlearning might be insufficient, resulting in organizational demise rather than renewal.

Research limitations/implications

A longitudinal study of an extreme case allows the author to build links between the research on organizational unlearning and the scholarship on organizational identity.

Practical implications

Organizations may survive longer if their top managers engage in the process of organizational identity change in response to BMI in their industry. The article proposes a few actions that organizations might usefully take to react to BMI before it is too late.

Social implications

Better understanding of failure may enable preventive behavior.

Originality/value

This article explains how organizational identity prevents learning the right things and augments the dangers organizations face during unlearning.
Organizational unlearning: time to expand our horizons?
Authors: Becker Karen
Published: February 2018

Purpose

Interest in the topic of unlearning has grown in recent years, fueled by rapid changes in the business environment and resultant organizational change. This change challenges individuals and organizations to unlearn past knowledge and practice to embrace new organizational realities. However, much of the unlearning literature focuses on either individual or organizational factors that enable or hinder unlearning. This paper aims to look beyond the organizational boundary to question whether there are tensions between professionals and the organizations in which they work that influence organizational unlearning.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a conceptual paper analyzing how professions are established to identify the implications for organizational unlearning. The critical elements of a profession are explored to identify the potential impact that professionals within the organization may have on organizational learning and unlearning.

Findings

The paper argues that to facilitate unlearning, organizations must recognize not only internal factors but also external pressures on individuals and groups. In particular, professions with a strong identity may represent a significant force that can either engender or resist attempts to learn and unlearn by the organization.

Originality/value

Within the existing unlearning literature, individual and organizational factors that facilitate or hinder unlearning have been widely canvased. However, little attention has been given to the factors beyond organizational boundaries that may also impact unlearning, particularly for individuals and groups with strong professional identities. This paper offers some unique insights into this potential factor for consideration by those seeking to enhance organizational unlearning.
Social comparison, materialism, and compulsive buying based on stimulus-response-model: a comparative study among adolescents and young adults
Authors: Islam Tahir , Sheikh Zaryab , Hameed Zahid , Khan Ikram Ullah , Azam Rauf I.
Published: February 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide the overview of factors responsible for materialism and compulsive buying among adolescents and young adults. In today’s world, materialism is a crucial phenomenon of the modern age. According to social comparison theory, comparisons are a significant factor affecting the behavioral intentions of adolescents and young adults. Thus, this study develops a framework based on the stimulus–organism–response model and uses the framework to examine the impact of interpersonal communication and marketing factors on social comparison, materialism and compulsive buying, with social media acting as a moderator.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a survey method, data were collected in Study 1 from adolescents (n = 298) and in Study 2 from young adults (n = 345). Structural equation modeling analysis using partial least squares technique was used to analyze the data.

Findings

The results show that social comparison plays a significant role in developing materialistic values and compulsive buying among adolescents and young adults. Through these two studies, it was found that young adults are more socially comparative, materialistic and compulsive in buying as compared to adolescents. Moreover, social media use moderated the relationship between social comparison with peers and media celebrities, which means that rapid increase of social media use leads adolescents and young adults to create high social comparison and materialistic values.

Research limitations/implications

This research is based on the cross-sectional method, which limits the research findings.

Practical implications

This research helps corporate managers understand the interpersonal communication role in creating social comparison among individuals. The study found that peer communication plays a more important role in enhancing the social comparative values among young adults than among adolescents, which provides clear implications for the practitioner.

Originality/value

This study makes a significant contribution to extant literature by discussing the above issue and presenting quantitative data. The study extends the literature by examining and validating a theoretical model of how interpersonal communication among socializing agents affects social comparison among young adults and adolescents. This research examines outcomes of the social comparison with parents, peers and social media, based on the stimulus–organism–response (SOR) model.
Revising a measure to assess consumer-related family communication patterns
Authors: Krcmar Marina , Lapierre Matthew Allen
Published: February 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to revise an earlier version of a measure used to assess parent–child consumer-based communication to better capture how parents talk with their children about consumer matters.

Design/methodology/approach

Three separate studies were used to revise the measure. The first tested the original measure with parents and children in a supermarket to determine its predictive validity. The second utilized focus groups with parents to refine the measure. The final study sampled 503 parents via MTurk to test the performance of the revised measure regarding reliability and validity.

Findings

The first study found that the original scale did not perform well as it relates to predicting child consumer behavior. The second study used parents to describe in their own words how they talk to their own children about consumer issues. Using these insights, the final study used the redesigned scale and identified four dimensions to the consumer-related family communication patterns instrument: collaborative communication, control communication, product value and commercial truth. These four dimensions had good reliability, convergent validity and predictive validity.

Research limitations/implications

With an updated measure of parent–child consumer-based communication that more closely matches how parents talk to their children about consumer issues, this measure can help researchers understand how children are socialized as consumers.

Originality/value

This study offers researchers a reliable and valid measure of parent–child consumer-based communication that can help inform future studies on this important topic.
Becoming at home in residential care for older people: a material culture perspective
Authors: Lovatt Melanie
Published: February 2018

Residential homes encourage new residents to bring belongings with them, so that they can personalise their room and ‘feel at home’. Existing literature on material culture in residential homes views objects as symbols and repositories of home and identity, which can facilitate a sense of belonging in residents through their display in residents' rooms. I suggest that this both misunderstands the processual and fluid nature of home and identity, and conceptualises objects as essentially passive. This article uses ethnographic data and theories of practice and relationality to argue that rather than the meaning of home being inherent in objects, or felt subjectively by residents, meaning is generated through ongoing, everyday interactions between the two. I show that residents became at home by acquiring new things –as well as displaying existing possessions – and also through interacting with mundane objects in everyday social and relational practices such as cleaning and hosting. I conclude that being at home in older people's residential homes need not be so different from being at home at other stages of the life course and in other settings. This challenges conceptualisations of older people's homes – and older age itself – as somehow unknowable and unfamiliar.
Thinking with care infrastructures: people, devices and the home in home blood pressure monitoring
Authors: Weiner Kate , Will Catherine
Published: February 2018

The growing consumer market in health monitoring devices means that technologies that were once the preserve of the clinic are moving into spaces such as homes and workplaces. We consider how one such device, blood pressure monitors, comes to be integrated into everyday life. We pursue the concept of ‘care infrastructure’, drawing on recent scholarship in STS and medical sociology, to illuminate the work and range of people, things and spaces involved in self‐monitoring. Drawing on a UK study involving observations and interviews with 31 people who have used a consumer blood pressure monitor, we apply the concept beyond chronic illness, to practices involving consumer devices – and develop a critical account of its value. We conclude that the care infrastructure concept is useful to highlight the socio‐material arrangements involved in self‐monitoring, showing that even for ostensibly personal devices, monitoring may be a shared practice that expresses care for self and for others. The concept also helps draw attention to links between different objects and spaces that are integral to the practice, beyond the device alone. Care infrastructure draws attention to the material, but ensures that analytic attention engages with both material and social elements of practice and their connections.
Private finance initiative hospital architecture: towards a political economy of the Royal Liverpool University Hospital
Authors: Jones Paul
Published: February 2018

Sociological analysis has done much to illuminate the architectural contexts in which social life takes place. Research on care environments suggests that the built environment should not be understood as a passive backdrop to healthcare, but rather that care is conditioned by the architecture in which it happens. This article argues for the importance of going beyond the hospital walls to include the politics that underwrite the design and construction of hospital buildings. The article assesses the case of the yet‐to‐be‐realised Liverpool Royal University Hospital, and the private finance initiative (PFI) funding that underpins the scheme, which is suggested as a salient ‘external’ context for understanding architecture's role in the provision of healthcare of many kinds for many years to come. PFI has major implications for democratic accountability and local economy, as well as for the architecture of the hospital as a site of care. Critical studies can illuminate these paradoxically visible‐but‐opaque hospital spaces by going beyond that which is immediately empirically evident, so as to reveal the ways in which hospital architecture is conditioned by political and economic forces.
POISONED DEVELOPMENT: ASSESSING CHILDHOOD LEAD EXPOSURE AS A CAUSE OF CRIME IN A BIRTH COHORT FOLLOWED THROUGH ADOLESCENCE
Authors: J. SAMPSON ROBERT , S. WINTER ALIX
Published: February 2018

The consequences of lead exposure for later crime are theoretically compelling, but direct evidence from representative, longitudinal samples is sparse. By capitalizing on an original follow‐up of more than 200 infants from the birth cohort of the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods matched to their blood lead levels from around age 3 years, we provide several tests. Through the use of four waves of longitudinal data that include measures of individual development, family background, and structural inequalities in how lead becomes embodied, we assess the hypothesized link between early childhood lead poisoning and both parent‐reported delinquent behavior and official arrest in late adolescence. We also test for mediating developmental processes of impulsivity and anxiety or depression. The results from multiple analytic strategies that make different assumptions reveal a plausibly causal effect of childhood lead exposure on adolescent delinquent behavior but no direct link to arrests. The results underscore lead exposure as a trigger for poisoned development in the early life course and call for greater integration of the environment into theories of individual differences in criminal behavior.
An Investigation of China‐U.S. Bilateral Trade and Exchange Rate Changes Using the Autoregressive Distributed Lag Model
Authors: Hurley Dene T. , Papanikolaou Nikolaos
Published: February 2018

This paper examines how China's bilateral trade with the U.S. responds to exchange rate changes of the real Chinese yuan against the U.S. dollar using annual data covering the period 1985 to 2014. The short‐run dynamics of the China‐U.S. trade balance vs. the yuan's depreciation is examined through the S‐curve and J‐curve effects, and the long‐run relationship is established using the autoregressive distributed lag model. The paper found evidence of the S‐curve but not of the J‐curve in the short‐run although the J‐curve effect is found to be present in the long‐run. China's bilateral ratio of exports to imports with the U.S. is found to have an inelastic response to the yuan's exchange rate change against the U.S. dollar in the short‐run, but in the long‐run, it has the expected elastic response. Compared with the influence of the Yuan‐U.S. dollar exchange rate change and China's real income, U.S. real GDP has the largest impact on China‐U.S. bilateral trade relations in the long‐run. Additionally, the structural break in the data series in 2008 from the Great Recession had a small but significant short‐term effect on the bilateral trade between the two nations. Following an exchange rate shock, the deviation of China's trade ratio from its long‐run level takes less than 2 years to converge.
Molecular pilot study on peripheral populations of Kenyan greenbul in an afromontane fragmented forest
Authors: De Santis Vanessa , Mwinami Timothy , Chesire Dominic , Musina John , Zaccara Serena , Kioko Esther , Owino Junga J. , Oduma Jemimah A. , Ayiemba Washington , Harper David M. , Crosa Giuseppe
Published: February 2018

We provide a molecular study on peripheral populations of three closely related species of African forest‐dependent greenbuls: the generalist Eurillas latirostris and the specialists Phyllastrephus cabanisi and Arizelocichla nigriceps. These species co‐occur within their range limits in the Kenyan Afromontane forest, Cherangani Hills. This forest has experienced drastic deforestation, which began about 50 years ago, that is causing habitat fragmentation. The aims of this study, using the analyses of molecular tools, are twofold: (i) to provide evidence that functional traits (i.e., ecological attributes) may shape different genetic structure in peripheral populations and (ii) to identify the possible effects of forest fragmentation. Blood and plucked feathers were sampled from a total of 124 birds analysed using two molecular approaches: (i) sequencing of cytochrome b mtDNA and (ii) genotyping nuclear DNA at eight microsatellite loci. Molecular diversity indices, minimum spanning network and mismatch distribution analysis of mtDNA results indicated that the peripheral populations showed different demographic trends: a highly variable and bimodal pattern in forest specialist P. cabanisi, a less variable and unimodal pattern in forest generalist E. latirostris and in the montane specialist A. nigriceps. Although this is a pilot study on the Cherangani forest fragmentation, the nuclear results may not exclude the hypothesis of reduced connectivity in all forest‐dependent greenbuls.
Contemporary Oxygenator Design: Shear Stress‐Related Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide Transfer
Authors: Hendrix Rik H. J. , Ganushchak Yuri M. , Weerwind Patrick W.
Published: February 2018

Design of contemporary oxygenators requires better understanding of the influence of hydrodynamic patterns on gas exchange. A decrease in blood path width or an increase in intraoxygenator turbulence for instance, might increase gas transfer efficiency but it will increase shear stress as well. The aim of this clinical study was to examine the association between shear stress and oxygen and carbon dioxide transfer in different contemporary oxygenators during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). The effect of additional parameters related to gas transfer efficiency, that is, blood flow, gas flow, sweep gas oxygen fraction (FiO2), hemoglobin concentration, the amount of hemoglobin pumped through the oxygenator per minute—Qhb, and shunt fraction were contemplated as well. Data from 50 adult patients who underwent elective CPB for coronary artery bypass grafting or aortic valve replacement were retrospectively analyzed. Data included five different oxygenator types with an integrated arterial filter. Relationships were determined using Pearson bivariate correlation analysis and scatterplots with LOESS curves. In the Capiox FX25, Fusion, Inspire 8F, Paragon, and Quadrox‐i groups, mean blood flows were 4.8 ± 0.9, 5.3 ± 0.7, 4.9 ± 0.7, 5.0 ± 0.6, and 5.7 ± 0.6 L/min, respectively. The mean O2 transfer/m2 membrane surface area was 44 ± 14, 51 ± 9, 60 ± 10, 63 ± 14, and 77 ± 18, respectively, whereas the mean CO2 transfer/m2 was 26 ± 14, 60 ± 22, 73 ± 29, 74 ± 19, and 96 ± 20, respectively. Associations between oxygen transfer/m2 and shear stress differed per oxygenator, depending on oxygenator design and the level of shear stress (r = 0.249, r = 0.562, r = 0.402, r = 0.465, and r = 0.275 for Capiox FX25, Fusion, Inspire 8F, Paragon, and Quadrox‐i, respectively, P < 0.001 for all). Similar associations were noted between CO2 transfer/m2 and shear stress (r = 0.303, r = 0.439, r = 0.540, r = 0.392, and r = 0.538 for Capiox FX25, Fusion, Inspire 8F, Paragon, and Quadrox‐i, respectively, P < 0.001 for all). In addition, O2 transfer/m2 was strongly correlated with FiO2 (r = 0.633, P < 0.001), blood flow (r = 0.529, P < 0.001), and Qhb (r = 0.589, P < 0.001). CO2 transfer/m2 in contrast was predominately correlated to sweep gas flow (r = 0.567, P < 0.001). The design‐dependent relationship between shear stress and gas transfer revealed that every oxygenator has an optimal range of blood flow and thus shear stress at which gas transfer is most efficient. Gas transfer is further affected by factors influencing the O2 or CO2 concentration gradient between the blood and the gas compartment.
Peritoneal Dialysis Fluid‐Induced Fragmentation of Golgi Apparatus as a Biocompatibility Marker
Authors: Iwamoto Masanao , Okazaki Alice , Murata Sayaka , Hirukawa Masaki , Miyamoto Keiichi , Murata Tomohiro , Ishikawa Eiji , Yoshida Toshimichi , Horiuchi Takashi
Published: February 2018

In vitro biocompatibility assessments that consider physiologically appropriate conditions of cell exposure to peritoneal dialysis fluids (PDFs) are still awaited. In this study, we found that fragmentation of Golgi apparatus occurred in a pH‐dependent manner within 30‐min exposure to five distinct commercially available PDFs, which showed no marked difference in their effects on cell viability in the conventional MTT assay. Fluorescence microscopy analysis of labeling antibody against cis‐Golgi protein GM130 indicated that the stacked cisternal structure was maintained in the perinuclear area of both M199 culture medium and a neutral‐pH PDF groups. However, this specific structure became partially disassembled over time even in a neutral‐pH PDF, and fragmentation was markedly enhanced in cells exposed to neutralized‐pH PDFs in correspondence with their intracellular pH; moreover, in acidic PDFs, Golgi staining was diffuse and scattered in the entire cytoplasm and showed partial aggregation. The Golgi fragmentation markedly observed with the neutralized PDFs could be reversed by replacing either the media with a neutral‐pH medium or a mixture of PDF and PD effluent (PDF) in a gradient manner mimicking clinical conditions. Furthermore, although weaker than pH effect, notable effects of other PDF‐related factors were also observed after 30‐min exposure to pH‐adjusted PDFs. Lastly, the results of studies conducted using MAPK/SAPK inhibitors indicated that the mechanism underlying the Golgi fragmentation described here differs from that associated with the fragmentation that occurs at the G2/M checkpoint in the cell cycle. We conclude that Golgi fragmentation is suitable for rapid biocompatibility assessment of PDF not only because of its strong pH dependence but also because the fragmentation is recognizably affected by PDF constituents.
Faces presenting sadness enhance self‐control abilities in gifted adolescents
Authors: Urben Sébastien , Camos Valérie , Habersaat Stéphanie , Stéphan Philippe
Published: February 2018

Self‐regulation skills refer to processes allowing emotional and cognitive adaptation of the individual. Some gifted adolescents are known for their imbalance between high intellectual abilities and low emotional skills. Thus, this study aimed at examining the interplay between emotion and cognition in gifted and non‐gifted adolescents. A stop‐signal task, a response inhibition task including neutral, happy, or sad faces as signal triggering inhibition, was administered to 19 gifted and 20 typically developing male adolescents (12–18 years old). Gifted adolescents showed lower response inhibition abilities than non‐gifted adolescents in the neutral and happy face conditions. Sad faces in gifted adolescents were associated with higher response inhibition compared to happy condition. In typically developing adolescents, emotional information (happy or sad faces) was related to lower response inhibition compared to neutral face condition. This study highlights that gifted adolescents present different self‐regulation skills than their typically developing peers.

Statement of contribution

What is already known on this subject?

Some gifted adolescents present higher intellectual abilities alongside with lower socio‐emotional skills.

Self‐regulation skills refer to processes allowing emotional and cognitive adaptation.

Self‐regulation skills might help to understand gifted adolescents, but remain scarcely studied.

What does this study adds?

Task‐relevant emotional information impaired cognitive control in typically developing adolescents.

Gifted adolescents are able to use sad faces to enhance their cognitive control abilities.