bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A CHCHD10 variant causing ALS elicits an unfolded protein response through the IRE1/XBP1 pathway
Authors: Straub Isabella R. , Weraarpachai Woranontee , Shoubridge Eric A.
Published: May 2020

Mutations inCHCHD10, coding for a mitochondrial intermembrane space protein, are a rare cause of autosomal dominant amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Mutation-specific toxic gain of function or haploinsuffuciency models have been proposed to explain pathogenicity. To decipher the metabolic dysfunction associated with the haploinsufficient p.R15L variant we integrated transcriptomic, metabolomic and proteomic data sets in patient cells subjected to nutrient stress. Patient cells had a complex I deficiency resulting in an increased NADH/NAD+ratio, downregulation of the TCA cycle, and a reorganization of one carbon metabolism. This led to phosphorylation of AMPK, activation of an endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondrial unfolded protein response (UPR), and the production of GDF15 and FGF21, which are markers of mitochondrial disease. The endoplasmic reticulum UPR was mediated through the IRE1/XBP1 pathway, and was accompanied by reduced eIF2alpha phosphorylation, dephosphorylation of both JNK isoforms, and up regulation of several dual specific phosphatases. This study demonstrates that loss of CHCHD10 function elicits a striking energy deficit that activates cellular stress pathways, which may underlie the selective vulnerability of motor neurons.
Volitional Control of Individual Neurons in the Human Brain
Authors: Patel Kramay , Katz Chaim N. , Kalia Suneil K. , Popovic Milos R. , Valiante Taufik A.
Published: May 2020

Can the human brain, a complex interconnected structure of over 80 billion neurons learn to control itself at the most elemental scale – a single neuron. We directly linked the firing rate of a single (direct) neuron to the position of a box on a screen, which participants tried to control. Remarkably, all subjects upregulated the firing rate of the direct neuron in memory structures of their brain. Learning was accompanied by improved performance over trials, simultaneous decorrelation of the direct neuron to local neurons, and direct neuron to beta frequency oscillation phase-locking. Such previously unexplored neuroprosthetic skill learning within memory related brain structures, and associated beta frequency phase-locking implicates the ventral striatum. Our demonstration that humans can volitionally control neuronal activity in mnemonic structures, may provide new ways of probing the function and plasticity of human memory without exogenous stimulation.
sPepFinder expedites genome-wide identification of small proteins in bacteria
Authors: Li Lei , Chao Yanjie
Published: May 2020

Small proteins shorter than 50 amino acids have been long overlooked. A number of small proteins have been identified in several model bacteria using experimental approaches and assigned important functions in diverse cellular processes. The recent development of ribosome profiling technologies has allowed a genome-wide identification of small proteins and small ORFs (smORFs), but our incomplete understanding of small proteins hindersde novocomputational prediction of smORFs in non-model bacterial species. Here, we have identified several sequence features for smORFs by a systematic analysis of all the known small proteins inE. coli, among which the translation initiation rate is the strongest determinant. By integrating these features into a support vector machine learning model, we have developed a novel sPepFinder algorithm that can predict conserved smORFs in bacterial genomes with a high accuracy of 92.8%.De novoprediction inE. colihas revealed several novel smORFs with evidence of translation supported by ribosome profiling. Further application of sPepFinder in 549 bacterial species has led to the identification of > 100,000 novel smORFs, many of which are conserved at the amino acid and nucleotide levels under purifying selection. Overall, we have established sPepFinder as a valuable tool to identify novel smORFs in both model and non-model bacterial organisms, and provided a large resource of small proteins for functional characterizations.
Bulk and single-cell gene expression profiling of SARS-CoV-2 infected human cell lines identifies molecular targets for therapeutic intervention
Authors: Emanuel Wyler , Kirstin Mösbauer , Vedran Franke , Asija Diag , Theresa Gottula Lina , Roberto Arsie , Filippos Klironomos , David Koppstein , Salah Ayoub , Christopher Buccitelli , Anja Richter , Ivano Legnini , Andranik Ivanov , Tommaso Mari , Simone Del Giudice , Patrick Papies Jan , Alexander Müller Marcel , Daniela Niemeyer , Matthias Selbach , Altuna Akalin , Nikolaus Rajewsky , Christian Drosten , Markus Landthaler
Published: May 2020

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is an ongoing global health threat with more than two million infected people since its emergence in late 2019. Detailed knowledge of the molecular biology of the infection is indispensable for understanding of the viral replication, host responses, and disease progression. We provide gene expression profiles of SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 infections in three human cell lines (H1299, Caco-2 and Calu-3 cells), using bulk and single-cell transcriptomics. Small RNA profiling showed strong expression of the immunity and inflammation-associated microRNA miRNA-155 upon infection with both viruses. SARS-CoV-2 elicited approximately two-fold higher stimulation of the interferon response compared to SARS-CoV in the permissive human epithelial cell line Calu-3, and induction of cytokines such as CXCL10 or IL6. Single cell RNA sequencing data showed that canonical interferon stimulated genes such as IFIT2 or OAS2 were broadly induced, whereas interferon beta (IFNB1) and lambda (IFNL1-4) were expressed only in a subset of infected cells. In addition, temporal resolution of transcriptional responses suggested interferon regulatory factors (IRFs) activities precede that of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB). Lastly, we identified heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) as a protein relevant for the infection. Inhibition of the HSP90 charperone activity by Tanespimycin/17-N-allylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin (17-AAG) resulted in a reduction of viral replication, and of TNF and IL1B mRNA levels. In summary, our study established in vitro cell culture models to study SARS-CoV-2 infection and identified HSP90 protein as potential drug target for therapeutic intervention of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Large-scale pathway-specific polygenic risk, transcriptomic community networks and functional inferences in Parkinson disease
Authors: Bandres-Ciga S , Saez-Atienzar S , Kim JJ , Makarious MB , Faghri F , Diez-Fairen M , Iwaki H , Leonard H , Botia J , Ryten M , Hernandez D , Gibbs JR , Ding J , Gan-Or Z , Noyce A , Pihlstrom L , Torkamani A , Scholz SW , Traynor B , Ehrlich D , Scherzer CR , Bookman M , Cookson M , Blauwendraat C , Nalls MA , Singleton AB ,   on behalf of the International Parkinson Disease Genomics Consortium
Published: May 2020

Polygenic inheritance plays a central role in Parkinson disease (PD). A priority in elucidating PD etiology lies in defining the biological basis of genetic risk. Unraveling how risk leads to disruption will yield disease-modifying therapeutic targets that may be effective. Here, we utilized a high-throughput and hypothesis-free approach to determine biological pathways underlying PD using the largest currently available cohorts of genetic data and gene expression data from International Parkinson’s Disease Genetics Consortium (IPDGC) and the Accelerating Medicines Partnership - Parkinson’s disease initiative (AMP-PD), among other sources. We placed these insights into a cellular context. We applied large-scale pathway-specific polygenic risk score (PRS) analyses to assess the role of common variation on PD risk in a cohort of 457,110 individuals by focusing on a compilation of 2,199 publicly annotated gene sets representative of curated pathways, of which we nominate 46 pathways associated with PD risk. We assessed the impact of rare variation on PD risk in an independent cohort of whole-genome sequencing data, including 4,331 individuals. We explored enrichment linked to expression cell specificity patterns using single-cell gene expression data and demonstrated a significant risk pattern for adult dopaminergic neurons, serotonergic neurons, and radial glia. Subsequently, we created a novel way of buildingde novopathways by constructing a network expression community map using transcriptomic data derived from the blood of 1,612 PD patients, which revealed 54 connecting networks associated with PD. Our analyses highlight several promising pathways and genes for functional prioritization and provide a cellular context in which such work should be done.
Transcriptional kinetics and molecular functions of long non-coding RNAs
Authors: Johnsson Per , Ziegenhain Christoph , Hartmanis Leonard , Hendriks Gert-Jan , Hagemann-Jensen Michael , Reinius Björn , Sandberg Rickard
Published: May 2020

An increasing number of studies have demonstrated the regulatory importance of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), yet little is known about their transcriptional dynamics and it remains challenging to determine their regulatory functions. Here, we used allele-sensitive single-cell RNA-seq (scRNA-seq) to demonstrate that lncRNAs have lower burst frequencies with twice as long duration between bursts, compared to mRNAs. Additionally, we observed an increased cell-to-cell variability in lncRNA expression that was due to more sporadic bursting (lower frequency) with larger numbers of RNA molecules being produced. Exploiting heterogeneity in asynchronously growing cells, we identified and experimentally validated lncRNAs with cell-state specific functions involved in cell cycle progression and apoptosis. Finally, utilizing allele-resolved RNA expression, we identifiedcisfunctioning lncRNAs and observed that knockdown of these lncRNAs modulated either transcriptional burst frequency or size of the nearby protein-coding gene. Collectively, our results identify distinct transcriptional regulation of lncRNAs and we demonstrate a role for lncRNAs in the regulation of transcriptional bursting of mRNAs.
Verification of genetic engineering in yeasts with nanopore whole genome sequencing
Authors: Collins Joseph H. , Keating Kevin W. , Jones Trent R. , Balaji Shravani , Marsan Celeste B. , Çomo Marina , Newlon Zachary J. , Mitchell Tom , Bartley Bryan , Adler Aaron , Roehner Nicholas , Young Eric M.
Published: May 2020

Yeast genomes can be assembled from sequencing data, but genome integrations and episomal plasmids often fail to be resolved with accuracy, completeness, and contiguity. Resolution of these features is critical for many synthetic biology applications, including strain quality control and identifying engineering in unknown samples. Here, we report an integrated workflow, named Prymetime, that uses sequencing reads from inexpensive NGS platforms, assembly and error correction software, and a list of synthetic biology parts to achieve accurate whole genome sequences of yeasts with engineering annotated. To build the workflow, we first determined which sequencing methods and software packages returned an accurate, complete, and contiguous genome of an engineered S. cerevisiae strain with two similar plasmids and an integrated pathway. We then developed a sequence feature annotation step that labels synthetic biology parts from a standard list of yeast engineering sequences or from a custom sequence list. We validated the workflow by sequencing a collection of 15 engineered yeasts built from different parent S. cerevisiae and nonconventional yeast strains. We show that each integrated pathway and episomal plasmid can be correctly assembled and annotated, even in strains that have part repeats and multiple similar plasmids. Interestingly, Prymetime was able to identify deletions and unintended integrations that were subsequently confirmed by other methods. Furthermore, the whole genomes are accurate, complete, and contiguous. To illustrate this clearly, we used a publicly available S. cerevisiae CEN.PK113 reference genome and the accompanying reads to show that a Prymetime genome assembly is equivalent to the reference using several standard metrics. Finally, we used Prymetime to resequence the nonconventional yeasts Y. lipolytica Po1f and K. phaffii CBS 7435, producing an improved genome assembly for each strain. Thus, our workflow can achieve accurate, complete, and contiguous whole genome sequences of yeast strains before and after engineering. Therefore, Prymetime enables NGS-based strain quality control through assembly and identification of engineering features.
Think Like an Expert: Neural Alignment Predicts Understanding in Students Taking an Introduction to Computer Science Course
Authors: Meshulam Meir , Hasenfratz Liat , Hillman Hanna , Liu Yun-Fei , Nguyen Mai , Norman Kenneth A. , Hasson Uri
Published: May 2020

How do students understand and remember new information? Despite major advances in measuring human brain activity during and after educational experiences, it is unclear how learners internalize new content, especially in real-life and online settings. In this work, we introduce a neural measure for predicting and assessing learning outcomes. Our approach hinges on the idea that successful learning involves forming the “right” set of neural representations, which are captured in “canonical” activity patterns shared across individuals. Specifically, we hypothesized that understanding is mirrored in “neural alignment”: the degree to which an individual learner’s neural representations match those of experts, as well as those of other learners. We tested this hypothesis in a longitudinal functional MRI study that regularly scanned college students enrolled in an introduction to computer science course. We additionally scanned graduate student “experts” in computer science. We found that alignment among students successfully predicted overall performance in a final exam. Furthermore, within individual students, concepts that evoked better alignment with the experts and with their fellow students were better understood, revealing neural patterns associated with understanding specific concepts. These results provide support for a novel neural measure of concept understanding that can be used to assess and predict learning outcomes in real-life contexts.
Spontaneous activity changes in large-scale cortical networks in older adults couple to distinct hemodynamic morphology
Authors: Sitnikova Tatiana , Hughes Jeremy W. , Howard Casey M. , Stephens Kimberly A. , Woolrich Mark W. , Salat David H.
Published: May 2020

Neurovascular coupling is a dynamic core mechanism supporting brain energy demand. Therefore, even spontaneous changes in neural activity are expected to evoke a vascular hemodynamic response (HDR). Here, we developed a novel procedure for estimating transient states in intrinsic activity of neural networks based on source-localized electroencephalogram in combination with HDR estimation based on simultaneous rapid-acquisition functional magnetic resonance imaging. We demonstrate a readily apparent spatiotemporal correspondence between electrophysiological and HDR signals, describing for the first time how features of neurovascular coupling may differ among large-scale brain networks. In the default mode network, the HDR pattern in our older adult participants was associated with a surrogate marker of cerebrovascular deterioration and predicted alterations in temporal structure of fast intrinsic electrophysiological activity linked to memory decline. These results show the potential of our technique for making inferences about neural and vascular processes in higher-level cognitive networks in healthy and at-risk populations.
Social networks predict the life and death of honey bees
Authors: Wild Benjamin , Dormagen David M , Zachariae Adrian , Smith Michael L , Traynor Kirsten S , Brockmann Dirk , Couzin Iain D , Landgraf Tim
Published: May 2020

In complex societies, individuals’ roles are reflected by interactions with other conspecifics. Honey bees (Apis mellifera) generally change tasks as they age, but developmental trajectories of individuals can vary drastically due to physiological and environmental factors. We introduce a succinct descriptor of an individual’s social network that can be obtained without interfering with the colony. Thisnetwork ageaccurately predicts task allocation, survival, activity patterns, and future behavior. We analyze developmental trajectories of multiple cohorts of individuals in a natural setting and identify distinct developmental pathways and critical life changes. Our findings suggest a high stability in task allocation on an individual level. We show that our method is versatile and can extract different properties from social networks, opening up a broad range of future studies. Our approach highlights the relationship of social interactions and individual traits, and provides a scalable technique for understanding how complex social systems function.
Hypogonadotropic hypogonadism due to variants in RAB3GAP2: expanding the phenotypic and genotypic spectrum of Martsolf syndrome
Authors: Xu Wanxue , Plummer Lacey , Quinton Richard , Swords Francesca , Crowley William F. , Seminara Stephanie B. , Balasubramanian Ravikumar
Published: May 2020

Biallelic pathogenic variants in RAB3GAP2 cause Warburg Micro syndrome (WARBM) and Martsolf syndrome (MS), two rare, phenotypically overlapping disorders characterized by congenital cataracts, intellectual disability, and hypogonadism. Although the initial report documented hypergonadotropic hypogonadism (implying a gonadal defect), an adolescent girl with WARBM/MS was subsequently reported to have hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (implying a central defect in either the hypothalamus or anterior pituitary). However, in adult MS, hypogonadotropism has not been convincingly demonstrated. Additionally, the correlation between the pathogenic severity of variants in RAB3GAP2 and the phenotypic severity also remains unclear. Here we present a clinical report of a woman with congenital cataracts, apparent intellectual disability, and pubertal failure who underwent exome sequencing (ES) to determine a precise molecular diagnosis. Reproductive phenotypes reported previously in individuals with MS and the genotypic spectrum of previous RAB3GAP2 variants were also reviewed. The ES identified pathogenic compound heterozygous RAB3GAP2 variants (c.387-2A > G; p.(Arg428Glu)) combined with her phenotypic features, which enabled a unifying molecular diagnosis of MS. Reproductive evaluation confirmed a normosmic idiopathic hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. Review of the RAB3GAP2 allelic spectrum in WARBM/MS suggests that although variants resulting in complete abrogation of RAB3GAP2 protein function cause severe WARBM, variants associated with partially preserved RAB3GAP2 function cause milder MS. This report expands the genotypic and phenotypic spectrum of MS and demonstrates hypogonadotropic hypogonadism as a key pathophysiologic abnormality in MS. Genotype–phenotype associations of previously reported RAB3GAP2 variants indicate that variants that fully abolish RAB3GAP2 function result in WARBM, whereas MS is associated with variants of lesser severity with residual RAB3GAP2 function.
Structure-based screening of binding affinities via small-angle X-ray scattering
Authors: Chen Po-chia , Masiewicz Pawel , Perez Kathryn , Hennig Janosch
Published: May 2020

Protein–protein and protein–ligand interactions often involve conformational changes or structural rearrangements that can be quantified by solution small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). These scattering intensity measurements reveal structural details of the bound complex, the number of species involved and, additionally, the strength of interactions if carried out as a titration. Although a core part of structural biology workflows, SAXS-based titrations are not commonly used in drug discovery contexts. This is because prior knowledge of expected sample requirements, throughput and prediction accuracy is needed to develop reliable ligand screens. This study presents the use of the histidine-binding protein (26 kDa) and other periplasmic binding proteins to benchmark ligand screen performance. Sample concentrations and exposure times were varied across multiple screening trials at four beamlines to investigate the accuracy and precision of affinity prediction. The volatility ratio between titrated scattering curves and a common apo reference is found to most reliably capture the extent of structural and population changes. This obviates the need to explicitly model scattering intensities of bound complexes, which can be strongly ligand-dependent. Where the dissociation constant is within 102of the protein concentration and the total exposure times exceed 20 s, the titration protocol presented at 0.5 mg ml−1yields affinities comparable to isothermal titration calorimetry measurements. Estimated throughput ranges between 20 and 100 ligand titrations per day at current synchrotron beamlines, with the limiting step imposed by sample handling and cleaning procedures.
Dynamic sustainable success prediction model for infrastructure projects: a rough set based fuzzy inference system
Authors: Akbari Saeed , Pour Rahimian Farzad , Sheikhkhoshkar Moslem , Banihashemi Saeed , Khanzadi Mostafa
Published: May 2020

Purpose

Successful implementation of infrastructure projects has been a controversial issue in recent years, particularly in developing countries. This study aims to propose a decision support system (DSS) for the evaluation and prediction of project success while considering sustainability criteria.

Design/methodology/approach

To predict sustainable success factor, the study first developed its sustainable success factors and sustainable success criteria. These then formed a decision table. A rough set theory (RST) was then implemented for rules generation. The decision table was used as the input for the rough set, which returned a set of rules as the output. The generated rulesets were then filtered in fuzzy inference system (FIS), before serving as the basis for the DSS. The developed prediction tool was tested and validated by applying data from a real infrastructure project.

Findings

The results show that the developed rough set fuzzy method has strong ability in evaluation and prediction of the project success. Hence, the efficacy of the DSS is greatly related to the rule-based system, which applies RST to generate the rules and the result of the FIS was found to be valid via running a case study.

Originality/value

Use of DSS for predicting the sustainable success of the construction projects is gaining progressive interest. Integration of RST and FIS has also been advocated by the seminal literature in terms of developing robust rulesets for impeccable prediction. However, there is no preceding study adopting this integration for predicting project success from the sustainability perspective. The developed system in this study can serve as a tool to assist the decision-makers to dynamically evaluate and predict the success of their own projects based on different sustainability criteria throughout the project life cycle.
Service quality dimensions as predictors of customer satisfaction and loyalty in the banking industry: moderating effects of gender
Authors: Teeroovengadum Viraiyan
Published: May 2020

Purpose

The link between service quality and customer satisfaction has been well established; however, there are strong reasons to believe that gender moderates the effects of service quality dimensions on customer satisfaction. This study aims to uncover gender-based heterogeneity pertaining to the link between service quality dimensions and customer satisfaction in the context of banking services.

Design/methodology/approach

This study adopted a survey design. Data is collected from 282 customers of banks in Mauritius. Because of the prediction-oriented aim of the present study, the partial least squares-structural equation modeling technique is used to test a set of relevant hypotheses.

Findings

The results provide mixed findings and the moderating effect of gender is found to be statistically significant for one service quality dimension but not for the other two. The permutation and partial least squares-multigroup analysis tests both support the hypothesis that gender moderates the relationship between environment quality and customer satisfaction.

Research limitations/implications

Only customer satisfaction has been included as a mediator of service quality and customer loyalty link. Previous studies have identified other relevant constructs, such as image and the perceived value, as mediators. Future studies could consider including these constructs when testing gender’s moderating effects. Finally, given the significant moderating effect of gender, which suggests that the satisfaction of male customers depends to a larger extent on environmental quality, there is a need to further explore the specific expectations of male customers with this particular component of bank services.

Practical implications

The results show that male and female customers react differently to quality stimuli in the context of bank services has important managerial implications. It is highly recommended that banks develop differential strategies for both male and female customers.

Originality/value

The primary contribution of this study focuses on exploring the moderating effect of gender on the relationships between service quality dimensions and customer satisfaction among bank customers.
Validation of predicting transfer instruments in Spain
Authors: González-Ortiz-de-Zárate Aitana , Alonso García Miguel Aurelio , Quesada-Pallarès Carla , Berrocal Berrocal Francisca , McLean Gary N.
Published: May 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to validate two scales, the factors predicting transfer (FPT) and the effectiveness questionnaire (CdE), in the Spanish Public Administration (SPA).

Design/methodology/approach

The FPT was administered at the end of the training, and the CdE four months after training. Participants had attended one of the 62 trainings offered by the SPA. With 1,457 participants, exploratory factor analysis (EFA; n = 728) and confirmatory factory analysis (CFA) (n = 729), randomly assigned, were performed on the FPT, and CFA (n = 726) was applied to the CdE.

Findings

A 30-item and four-factor solution emerged for the FPT through the EFA, which was confirmed by a good model fit through the CFA. A seven-item single-factor solution was confirmed for the CdE. Measurement invariance for the mode of instruction and gender was accepted for both instruments.

Research limitations/implications

Further research should be done in a more heterogenous sample that includes private organizations, different sectors and sizes. In the human resource development (HRD) field, these results suggest, in line with previous research, the existence of underlying constructs of factors of transfer that migrate across cultures.

Practical implications

The potential use of the FPT is the diagnosis of factors of transfer, and for the CdE, evaluation of the transfer of interventions at the behavioral level. The instruments are suitable for research and practice that compares online and in-class training.

Originality/value

The study performs the first rigorous analysis of measurement instruments to evaluate factors that predict transfer in Spain.
Outdoor education: the Romantic origins at the University of St Mark and St John
Authors: Leather Mark , Fewings Gil , Porter Su
Published: May 2020

Purpose

This paper discusses the history of outdoor education at a university in the South West England, starting in 1840.

Design/methodology/approach

This research uses secondary sources of data; original unpublished work from the university archive is used alongside published works on the university founders and first principals, as well as sources on the developments of outdoor education in the UK.

Findings

Both founding principals were driven by their strong values of social justice and their own experiences of poverty and inequality, to establish a means for everyone to access high-quality education regardless of background or means. They saw education as key to providing a pathway out of poverty and towards opportunity and achievement for all. Kay-Shuttleworth, founder of St John's, wrote that “the best book is Nature, with an intelligent interpreter”, whilst Derwent Coleridge, St Mark's first principal, had a profound love of nature and reverence for his father's poetic circle. His father, the famous English Romantic poet Samuel Taylor–Coleridge, made the first recorded use of the verb “mountaineering”. Coleridge was using a new word for a new activity; the ascending of mountains for pleasure, rather than for economic or military purposes.

Originality/value

The Romantic influence on outdoor education, the early appreciation of nature and the outdoors for physical and psychological well-being and the drive for social justice have not been told in any case study before.
On the restricted form of energy-growth nexus: a global level VECM approach and the historical structural breaks
Authors: Marques Luís Miguel , Fuinhas José Alberto , Marques António Cardoso
Published: May 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to focus on global energy consumption using the economic growth nexus, the prevalent energy hypothesis at a global level and the impact of the main historical events assessed for the period from 1965 to 2015.

Design/methodology/approach

Given the confirmed presence of endogeneity and cointegration between energy consumption and economic growth, a vector error correction with structural dummies model was used. Furthermore, the impulse-response functions and variance decomposition were computed to evaluate the variables’ dynamics.

Findings

Bi-directional causality running from energy consumption to economic growth was found, both in the short and long-run, supporting the feedback hypothesis. It is proved that the 2008 crisis impacted on the global energy–growth nexus. Furthermore, there is evidence of the impact of the 1990s oil price shock on the nexus. Innovations in energy consumption have a positive impact on economic growth; however, this impact tends to be null in the long run.

Practical implications

The results suggest that at a global level, any energy policy should be carefully designed in order not to hamper economic growth. Countries should not remain indifferent to the policies that other countries might follow. Very few historical crises impacted on the global energy–growth nexus.

Originality/value

This paper offers a different approach to the study of the energy–growth nexus. The energy–growth nexus is analysed in the major macroeconomic aggregate. Global variables reveal their relevance as a benchmark in the energy–growth nexus. Furthermore, this paper arrives at some conclusions about how historical crises impact on global relationships.
Tracing the economics behind dynamic capabilities theory
Authors: Kapoor Madhavi , Aggarwal Vijita
Published: May 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to trace the evolution of dynamic capabilities theory in the primal theories of economics and strategic management. Then a comprehensive research framework is proposed to grapple with the dynamics of the contemporary global markets, incorporating the quintessential elements of the theory, i.e. absorptive capability, innovation capability and adoptive capability.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is conceptual in nature. It tries to review various economic systems of the world since 1770s till the present era. It also evaluates various theories of international business against dynamic capabilities theory and thus proposes various propositions for future empirical testing.

Findings

The study has delineated various theories tracing in them the roots of dynamic capabilities. Capitalism, communism and socialism is explained to reach the present state of world economy. Various theories such as the theory of creative destruction, transaction-cost approach, resource-based view and knowledge-based view of the firm have been elaborated to identify their features and shortcomings. Finally, the contemporary theory of dynamic capabilities has been elucidated to integrate the shortcomings of the previous theories. A research framework has also been proposed to overcome the recent criticism of the dynamic capabilities theory of having under-specified constructs.

Originality/value

Very few studies have elaborated various economic systems and theories to trace the evolution of dynamic capabilities theory. Thus, this study is original in nature and the proposed research model is also novel which induces further empirical evidence as proposed by the authors.
Managing supply chain uncertainty arising from geopolitical disruptions: evidence from the pharmaceutical industry and brexit
Authors: Roscoe Samuel , Skipworth Heather , Aktas Emel , Habib Farooq
Published: May 2020

Purpose

This paper examines how firms of different sizes formulate and implement strategies to achieve fit with an external environment disrupted by a geopolitical event. The context of the study is the pharmaceutical industry and how it managed the supply chain uncertainty created by the United Kingdom's decision to leave the European Union, or Brexit.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected longitudinally from the pro-Brexit vote on 23 June 2016, until the UK’s departure from the EU on 31 January 2020. Twenty-seven interviews were conducted in the pharmaceutical sector, including nineteen interviews with senior managers at eight case companies and eight interviews with experts working for trade associations and standards institutes. The interview findings were triangulated with Brexit policy and strategy documentation.

Findings

When formulating strategy, multi-national enterprises (MNEs) used worst case assumptions, while large firms, and small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) gathered knowledge as part of a “wait-and-see” strategy, allowing them to reduce perceptions of heightened supply chain uncertainty. Firms then implemented reactive and/or proactive strategies to mitigate supply chain risks.

Originality/value

The study elaborates on strategic contingency theory by identifying two important conditions for achieving strategic fit: first, companies deploy intangible resources, such as management time, to gather information and reduce perceptions of heightened supply chain uncertainty. Second, companies deploy tangible resources (supply chain redundancies, new supply chain assets) to lessen the negative outcomes of supply chain risks. Managers are provided with an empirical framework for mitigating supply chain uncertainty and risk originating from geopolitical disruptions.
Smart maintenance: instrument development, content validation and an empirical pilot
Authors: Bokrantz Jon , Skoogh Anders , Berlin Cecilia , Stahre Johan
Published: May 2020

Purpose

Scholars and practitioners within industrial maintenance management are focused on understanding antecedents, correlates and consequences of the concept of “Smart Maintenance,” which consists of the four dimensions, namely, data-driven decision-making, human capital resource, internal integration and external integration. In order to facilitate this understanding, valid and reliable empirical measures need to be developed. Therefore, this paper aims to develop a psychometric instrument that measures the four dimensions of Smart Maintenance.

Design/methodology/approach

The results from two sequential empirical studies are presented, which include generating items to represent the constructs, assessment of content validity, as well as an empirical pilot test. With input from 50 industrial experts, a pool of 80 items that represent the constructs are generated. Thereafter, using data from 42 industrial and academic raters, the content validity of all items is assessed quantitatively. Finally, using data from 59 manufacturing plants, the dimensionality and factor structure of the instrument are tested.

Findings

The authors demonstrate content validity and provide evidence of good model fit and psychometric properties for one-factor models with 8–11 items for each of the four constructs, as well as a combined 24-item four-factor model.

Originality/value

The authors provide recommendations for scholarly use of the instrument in further theory-testing research, as well as its practical use to assess, benchmark and longitudinally evaluate Smart Maintenance within the manufacturing industry.
‘Prison facilities were not built with a woman in mind’: an exploratory multi-stakeholder study on women’s situation in Malawi prisons
Authors: Gadama Luis , Thakwalakwa Chrissie , Mula Chimwemwe , Mhango Victor , Banda Chikosa , Kewley Stephanie , Hillis Alyson , Van Hout Marie-Claire
Published: May 2020

Purpose

Sub-Saharan African prisons have seen a substantial increase in women prisoners, including those incarcerated with children. There is very little strategic literature available on the health situation and needs of women prisoners and their circumstantial children in Malawi. The study aims to explore this issue.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative exploratory study using in-depth key informant interviews with senior correctional stakeholders (commissioner of prison farms, senior correctional management staff, senior health officials and senior officers in charge) (n = 5) and focus group discussions (FGD) with women in prison of age between 18 and 45 years (n = 23) and two FGD with correctional staff (n = 21) was conducted in two prisons in Malawi, Chichiri and Zomba. Narratives were transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis.

Findings

Three key themes emerged and are as follows: “hygiene and sanitary situation across multiple prison levels and subsequent health implications for women”; “nutritional provision and diets of women and children in prison”; and “women’s access to prison-based and external health services”. Divergence or agreement across perspectives around sanitation and disease prevention, adequacy of nutrition for pregnant or breast-feeding women, health status and access to prison-based health care are presented.

Practical implications

Garnering a contemporary understanding of women’s situation and their health-care needs in Malawian prisons can inform policy and correctional health practice change, the adaptation of technical guidance and improve standards for women and their children incarcerated in Malawi.

Originality/value

There is a strong need for continued research to garner insight into the experiences of women prisoners and their children, with a particular emphasis on health situation.
Coproduction and cocreation in public care services: a systematic review
Authors: Amorim Lopes Teresa Sofia , Alves Helena
Published: May 2020

Purpose

To analyze and discuss the research on the public healthcare services (PHCS) through the lenses of coproduction/creation by systematizing the antecedents, the process enablers and the outcomes of coproduction/creation in terms of organizational and individual/patients factors.

Design/methodology/approach

A systematic review was performed based on 46 papers found in ISI Web of Science and Scopus databases following the Prisma Protocol for the search.

Findings

The results show that antecedents of coproduction/creation are connected to organizational/institutional capabilities (e.g. codesign of services or trust development) or patient/individual factors (e.g. physical and mental capabilities). The process of coproduction/creation relates with enablers, such as interactive and dynamic relationships between public care service providers and users. Finally, outcomes have diverse nature, namely quality of life, compliance, behavioral intentions, among others.

Research limitations/implications

This study addresses the overlooked topic of coproduction/creation of value within PHCS. It contributes to public healthcare services literature wherein concepts of coproduction and cocreation of value are still on debate. It contributes to the transformative service research (TSR) by underlining that healthcare factors, processes and approaches may have a positive or negative (value codestructing) influence on the well-being. It yields crucial implications for PHCS.

Originality/value

It is the first attempt to systematize scientific knowledge on this topic, therefore conferring some novelty potential.
Application of centralised DEA in an automobile parts retail network in Taiwan
Authors: Yang Fu-Chiang
Published: May 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to address three managerial issues in a retail network under a centralised regime, including resource allocation, expansion and downsizing. In particular, this study investigates how to optimise resource allocation across retailers and how to decide the optimal size of a retail network for an empirical case, where 27 retailers belong to an automobile parts supplier in Taiwan.

Design/methodology/approach

The centralised data envelopment analysis (DEA) approach is used to optimise resource allocation among retailers and to seek the possibility of either an expansion and/or downsizing for a retail network.

Findings

The case company knows the best way to (re)allocate its available resources and (re)arrange the outcome goals for its own retailers. The 27 retailers are assigned specific targets for input and output adjustments to become Pareto or technically efficient units. Besides, an experiment is designed to measure how changing the number of retailers affects the group efficiency of the retail network. To keep the current aggregated output level of the retail network, the centralised supplier needs at least 24 retailers. However, the retail network with 37 retailers can achieve maximal group efficiency.

Originality/value

Centralised resource allocation is an inherent feature of most supplier-retailer relationships, where the supplier is usually a central planner with the power to allocate available resources among its own retailers. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to assess retail performance under a centralised regime.
Understanding consumer perceptions of quality based on package size: the moderating role of the evaluation context
Authors: Shirai Miyuri
Published: May 2020

Purpose

Empirical research on the influence of package size on consumers' quality perception has been scarce. Yan et al. (2014), an initial study focusing on this topic, showed that a small package generates higher perceived quality than a large package of the same brand. To cultivate a deeper understanding of such an effect, this paper aims to extend that study by examining the process by incorporating the evaluation context as a moderator.

Design/methodology/approach

Two experiments were carried out. In Study 1 (n = 380), the effect of package size on perceived quality was investigated by comparing a standalone context in which a single package size was presented and a context in which two different package sizes were shown. In Study 2 (n = 436), a standalone context was compared with another context in which participants viewed two different sizes but directed their attention to only one.

Findings

The findings indicate that the package size effect is not universal, and that it generally appears in a standalone context. In the contexts where two sizes were presented, it appears when consumers' attention is directed to only one size, whereas the effect does not manifest when consumers focus equal attention on both. The impact of the evaluation context is also stronger for small packages than for large packages.

Originality/value

This paper adds knowledge to packaging and cue-utilisation literature by clarifying a boundary condition of the impact of package size on consumers' quality perception.
Modelling near-real-time order arrival demand in e-commerce context: a machine learning predictive methodology
Authors: Leung K.H. , Mo Daniel Y. , Ho G.T.S. , Wu C.H. , Huang G.Q.
Published: May 2020

Purpose

Accurate prediction of order demand across omni-channel supply chains improves the management's decision-making ability at strategic, tactical and operational levels. The paper aims to develop a predictive methodology for forecasting near-real-time e-commerce order arrivals in distribution centres, allowing third-party logistics service providers to manage the hour-to-hour fast-changing arrival rates of e-commerce orders better.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper proposes a novel machine learning predictive methodology through the integration of the time series data characteristics into the development of an adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system. A four-stage implementation framework is developed for enabling practitioners to apply the proposed model.

Findings

A structured model evaluation framework is constructed for cross-validation of model performance. With the aid of an illustrative case study, forecasting evaluation reveals a high level of accuracy of the proposed machine learning approach in forecasting the arrivals of real e-commerce orders in three different retailers at three-hour intervals.

Research limitations/implications

Results from the case study suggest that real-time prediction of individual retailer's e-order arrival is crucial in order to maximize the value of e-order arrival prediction for daily operational decision-making.

Originality/value

Earlier researchers examined supply chain demand, forecasting problem in a broader scope, particularly in dealing with the bullwhip effect. Prediction of real-time, hourly based order arrivals has been lacking. The paper fills this research gap by presenting a novel data-driven predictive methodology.
Teaching sustainability: complexity and compromises
Authors: Anastasiadis Stephanos , Perkiss Stephanie , Dean Bonnie A. , Bayerlein Leopold , Gonzalez-Perez Maria Alejandra , Wersun Alec , Acosta Pilar , Jun Hannah , Gibbons Belinda
Published: May 2020

Purpose

Sustainability is one of the leading challenges of our age, and higher education plays a vital role in supporting the implementation of sustainability initiatives. There has been substantial progress in business schools introducing sustainability into courses with extant literature detailing case studies of sustainability education and student perceptions of their learning. The purpose of this paper is to address the gap in literature from educators' perspectives on their experiences of introducing sustainability teaching using specific teaching tools for sustainability.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper presents a case study on a sustainability teaching tool, WikiRate, that was embedded into business and management courses at seven higher education institutions from across the globe. Interviews were conducted after course delivery to gain insights into the practical challenges of designing and implementing a sustainability education activity.

Findings

The findings show that educators perceive sustainability as a complex issue, presenting a challenge to teaching in university systems whose normative curricula are rooted in instrumental problem-solving. Furthermore, educators described challenges to their own learning in order to implement sustainability into curricula including the need for compromises and adaptions.

Originality/value

This empirical study reports on educators' experiences embedding sustainability into their courses through an innovative teaching tool, WikiRate. This paper has implications for reframing how we can approach sustainability education and presents discussion ways to teach complexity without reduction or simplification.