bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Disrupting short-term memory in premotor cortex affects serial dependence in visuomotor integration
Authors: de Azevedo Neto Raymundo Machado , Bartels Andreas
Published: February 2021

Human behavior is biased by past experience. For example, when intercepting a moving target, the speed of previous targets will bias responses in future trials. Neural mechanisms underlying this so-called serial dependence are still under debate. Here, we tested the hypothesis that the previous trial leaves a neural trace in brain regions associated with encoding task-relevant information in visual and/or motor regions. We reasoned that injecting noise by means of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) over premotor and visual areas would degrade such memory traces and hence reduce serial dependence. To test this hypothesis, we applied bursts of TMS pulses to right visual motion processing region hV5/MT+ and to left dorsal premotor cortex during inter-trial intervals of a coincident timing task performed by twenty healthy human participants (15 female). Without TMS, participants presented a bias towards the speed of the previous trial when intercepting moving targets. TMS over dorsal premotor cortex decreased serial dependence in comparison to the control Vertex stimulation, whereas TMS applied over hV5/MT+ did not. In addition, TMS seems to have specifically affected the memory trace that leads to serial dependence, as we found no evidence that participants’ behavior worsened after applying TMS. These results provide causal evidence that an implicit short-term memory mechanism in premotor cortex keeps information from one trial to the next, and that this information is blended with current trial information so that it biases behavior in a visuomotor integration task with moving objects.

Significance Statement

Human perception and action are biased by the recent past. The origin of such serial bias is still not fully understood, but a few components seem to be fundamental for its emergence: the brain needs to keep previous trial information in short-term memory and blend it with incoming information. Here, we present evidence that a premotor area has a potential role in storing previous trial information in short-term memory in a visuomotor task, and that this information is responsible for biasing ongoing behavior. These results corroborate the perspective that areas associated with processing information of a stimulus or task also participate in maintaining that information in short-term memory even when this information is no longer relevant for current behavior.
Perceptual history acts in world-centred coordinates
Authors: Mikellidou Kyriaki , Cicchini Guido Marco , Burr David C.
Published: February 2021

Serial dependence effects have been observed using a variety of stimuli and tasks, revealing that the recent past can bias current percepts, leading to increased similarity between two. The aim of this study is to determine whether this temporal integration occurs in egocentric or allocentric coordinates. We ask participants to perform an orientation reproduction task using grating stimuli while the head is kept at a fixed position throughout the whole session or while alternating position from one trial to the next, from left (−20°) to right (+20°), putting the egocentric and allocentric cues in conflict. Under these conditions, allocentric cues prevail.
Carotenoid and tocopherol fortification of zucchini fruits using a viral RNA vector
Authors: Houhou Fakhreddine , Cordero Teresa , Aragonés Verónica , Martí Maricarmen , Cebolla-Cornejo Jaime , de Castro Ana Pérez , Rodríguez-Concepción Manuel , Picó Belén , Daròs José-Antonio
Published: February 2021

Carotenoids and tocopherols are health-promoting metabolites in livestock and human diets. Some important crops have been genetically modified to increase their content. Although the usefulness of transgenic plants to alleviate nutritional deficiencies is obvious, their social acceptance has been controversial. Here, we demonstrate an alternative biotechnological strategy for carotenoid and tocopherol fortification of edible fruits in which no transgenic DNA is involved. A viral RNA vector derived fromZucchini yellow mosaic virus(ZYMV) was modified to express a bacterial phytoene synthase (crtB), and inoculated in zucchini (Cucurbita pepoL.) leaves nurturing pollinated flowers. After the viral vector moved to the developing fruit and expressedcrtB, the rind and flesh of the fruits developed yellow-orange rather than green color. Metabolite analyses showed a substantial enrichment in health-promoting carotenoids, such as α- and β-carotene (pro-vitamin A), lutein and phytoene, in both rind and flesh. Considerably higher accumulation of α- and γ-tocopherol was also detected, particularly in fruit rind. Although this strategy is perhaps not free from controversy due to the use of genetically modified viral RNA, our work does demonstrate the possibility of metabolically fortifying edible fruits using an approach in which no transgenes are involved.
Resolving the Interactions between Class 3 Semaphorin Receptors in Live Cells
Authors: Christie Shaun M. , Hao Jing , Tracy Erin , Buck Matthias , Yu Jennifer S. , Smith Adam W.
Published: February 2021

The plexin/neuropilin/semaphorin family of proteins is involved with tissue patterning in the developing embryo. These proteins play roles in cell migration and adhesion, but are also important in disease, including cancer angiogenesis and metastasis. While some structures of the soluble domains of these proteins have been determined, the conformations of full-length receptor complexes are just beginning to be studied, especially within the context of the cell plasma membrane. Pulsed-interleaved excitation fluorescence cross-correlation spectroscopy (PIE-FCCS) allows direct insight to the formation of protein-protein interactions in the membrane of live cells. Here we investigated the homodimerization of neuropilin-1, Plexin A2, Plexin A4, and Plexin D1. Consistent with previous studies, we found that neuropilin-1, Plexin A2 and Plexin A4 are dimers in the absence of exogenous ligand. Plexin D1, on the other hand, was monomeric under similar conditions, which had not been previously reported. We also found that Plexin A2 and A4 assemble into a heteromeric complex. Stimulation with Semaphorin 3A or Semaphorin 3C ligand neither disrupts nor enhances the dimerization of the receptors when they are expressed alone, suggesting that activation involves a conformational change rather than a shift in the monomer-dimer equilibrium. However, upon stimulation with Semaphorin 3C, Plexin D1 and neuropilin-1 form a heteromeric complex, while Semaphorin 3A does not induce a stable complex with these receptors. This analysis of interactions by PIE-FCCS provides a complementary approach to the existing structural and biochemical data that will aid in the development of new therapeutic strategies to target these receptors during disease.
Chemical characterization; Antimicrobial and Larvicidal activity of essential oil fromCallistemon citrinus(Bottle brush) leaves
Authors: Chachad D. P. , Dias A. , Uniyal K. , Varma U. , Jadhav P. , Satvekar T. , Ghag – Sawant M. , Mondal M. , Doshi N.
Published: February 2021

Mosquito-borne diseases are prevalent in more than 100 countries across the world. They are the major vectors for transmission of Malaria, dengue, yellow fever, filariasis, schistosomiasis, Japanese encephalitis etc. Many of the formerly employed insecticides in mosquito control have harmful effects on human health and other non-target populations, their non-biodegradable nature, the higher rate of bio-magnification in our ecosystem and increasing insecticide resistance on global scale are raising serious concerns. . Therefore, search for natural, eco-friendly alternatives such as bio-insecticides is imperative. In this study, Larvicidal activity of the essential oil obtained from the leaves ofCallistemon citrinuswas tested on Dengue vector mosquitoAedes aegypti& Chikungunya vector mosquitoCulexsp. Also, the chemical composition of the essential oil was recorded using GC-MS analysis. The anti-microbial activity of the essential oil was checked against a few common bacteria and fungi.Callistemon citrinuscomes out to be one of such bio-insecticides with many therapeutic active constituents, showing appreciable anti-microbial activity and 80-100% larvicidal activity.
pSONIC: Ploidy-aware Syntenic Orthologous Networks Identified via Collinearity
Authors: Conover Justin L , Sharbrough Joel , Wendel Jonathan F
Published: February 2021

With the rapid rise in availability of high-quality genomes for closely related species, methods for orthology inference that incorporate synteny are increasingly useful. Polyploidy perturbs the 1:1 expected frequencies of orthologs between two species, complicating the identification of orthologs. Here we present a method of ortholog inference, Ploidy-aware Syntenic Orthologous Networks Identified via Collinearity (pSONIC). We demonstrate the utility of pSONIC using four species in the cotton tribe (Gossypieae), including one allopolyploid, and place between 75-90% of genes from each species into nearly 32,000 orthologous groups, 97% of which consist of at most singletons or tandemly duplicated genes -- 58.8% more than comparable methods that do not incorporate synteny. We show that 99% of singleton gene groups follow the expected tree topology, and that our ploidy-aware algorithm recovers 97.5% identical groups when compared to splitting the allopolyploid into its two respective subgenomes, treating each as separate “species”.
BAF subunit switching regulates chromatin accessibility to control cell cycle exit in the developing mammalian cortex
Authors: Braun Simon M.G. , Petrova Ralitsa , Tang Jiong , Krokhotin Andrey , Miller Erik L. , Tang Yitai , Panagiotakos Georgia , Crabtree Gerald R.
Published: February 2021

mSWI/SNF or BAF chromatin regulatory complexes are dosage-sensitive regulators of human neural development frequently mutated in autism spectrum disorders and intellectual disability. Cell cycle exit and differentiation of neural stem/progenitor cells is accompanied by BAF subunit switching to generate neuron-specific nBAF complexes. We manipulated the timing of BAF subunit exchange in vivo and found that early loss of the npBAF subunit BAF53a stalls the cell cycle to disrupt neurogenesis. Loss of BAF53a results in decreased chromatin accessibility at specific neural transcription factor binding sites, including the pioneer factors SOX2 and ASCL1, due to Polycomb accumulation. This results in repression of cell cycle genes, thereby blocking cell cycle progression and differentiation. Cell cycle block upon Baf53a deletion could be rescued by premature expression of the nBAF subunit BAF53b but not by other major drivers of proliferation or differentiation. WNT, EGF, bFGF, SOX2, c-MYC, or PAX6 all fail to maintain proliferation in the absence of BAF53a, highlighting a novel mechanism underlying neural progenitor cell cycle exit in the continued presence of extrinsic proliferative cues.
Circadian hepatocyte clocks keep synchrony in the absence of a master pacemaker in the suprachiasmatic nucleus or other extrahepatic clocks
Authors: Sinturel Flore , Gos Pascal , Petrenko Volodymyr , Hagedorn Claudia , Kreppel Florian , Storch Kai-Florian , Knutti Darko , Liani Andre , Weitz Charles , Emmenegger Yann , Franken Paul , Bonacina Luigi , Dibner Charna , Schibler Ueli
Published: February 2021

It has been assumed that the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) synchronizes peripheral circadian oscillators. However, this has never been convincingly shown, since biochemical time series experiments are not feasible in behaviorally arrhythmic animals. By using long-term bioluminescence recording in freely moving mice, we show that the SCN is indeed required for maintaining synchrony between organs. Surprisingly, however, circadian oscillations persist in the livers of mice devoid of an SCN or oscillators in cells other than hepatocytes. Hence, similar to SCN neurons, hepatocytes can maintain phase coherence in the absence of Zeitgeber signals produced by other organs or environmental cycles.
Analysis of memory modulation by conditioned stimuli
Authors: Lapointe Thomas , Wolter Michael , Leri Francesco
Published: February 2021

Conditioned stimuli (CS) have multiple psychological functions that can potentially contribute to their effect on memory formation. It is generally believed that CS-induced memory modulation is primarily due to conditioned emotional responses, however, well-learned CSs not only generate the appropriate behavioral and physiological reactions required to best respond to an upcoming unconditioned stimulus (US), but they also serve as signals that the US is about to occur. Therefore, it is possible that CSs can impact memory consolidation even when their ability to elicit conditioned emotional arousal is significantly reduced. To test this, male Sprague–Dawley rats trained on a signaled active avoidance task were divided into “Avoider” and “Non-Avoider” subgroups on the basis of percentage avoidance after 6 d of training. Subgroup differences in responding to the CS complex were maintained during a test carried out in the absence of the US. Moreover, the subgroups displayed significant differences in stress-induced analgesia (hot-plate test) immediately after this test, suggesting significant subgroup differences in conditioned emotionality. Importantly, using the spontaneous object recognition task, it was found that immediate post-sample exposure to the avoidance CS complex had a similar enhancing effect on object memory in the two subgroups. Therefore, to our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate that a significant conditioned emotional response is not necessary for the action of a predictive CS on modulation of memory consolidation.
Coordination sequences of crystals are of quasi-polynomial type
Authors: Nakamura Yusuke , Sakamoto Ryotaro , Mase Takafumi , Nakagawa Junichi
Published: February 2021

The coordination sequence of a graph measures how many vertices the graph has at each distance from a fixed vertex and is a generalization of the coordination number. Here it is proved that the coordination sequence of the graph obtained from a crystal is of quasi-polynomial type, as had been postulated by Grosse-Kunstleveet al.[Acta Cryst.(1996), A52, 879–889].
A sequential hybrid method to establish practical sizing systems based on anthropometric data
Authors: Tjolleng Amir , Jung Kihyo , Han Hyunsook , Han Hyunjung , Cho Jayoung
Published: February 2021

Purpose

Size fit and economic efficiency are two crucial aspects that need to be considered in designing a sizing system. However, there could exist a trade-off between those aspects in order to establish a practical sizing system. The purpose of this paper is to develop a sequential hybrid method of grid and optimization to generate a practical sizing system using anthropometric data.

Design/methodology/approach

The proposed sequential hybrid method consisted of two sequential steps, which employs grid method and optimization method. In the initial step, the grid method creates primary grids that accommodate a designated percentage (e.g. 90%) of users with best size fit. In the subsequent step, the optimization method generated additional grids to provide acceptable fit, with minimum fit penalty scores for users unaccommodated by the primary grids. Our method was applied to the development of a sizing system for men's military jackets. The proposed method performances were evaluated in terms of accommodation percentage, size fit and number of sizing categories.

Findings

Our proposed method resulted in 26 primary grids during the initial step, which cover 90% of users. Next, we generated six additional grids during the subsequent step that provide minimum fit penalty scores for the rest (10%) users.

Originality/value

The main contributions of this paper are as follows: consider accommodation percentage, size fit and number of sizing categories in the design of sizing system; combine the grid and optimization methods and evaluate a sizing system for men's military jackets. The proposed method is applicable to develop optimal sizing systems for multiple-size products.
Testing the pecking order theory of capital structure in an Islamic legal system: the case of Saudi Arabia
Authors: Guizani Moncef , Ajmi Ahdi Noomen
Published: February 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine whether the basic premises according to the pecking order theory (POT) provide an explanation for the capital structure mix of firms operating under Islamic principles.

Design/methodology/approach

Pooled ordinary least squares, fixed and random effects regressions were performed to test the POT applying data from a sample of 66 Islamic-compliant firms listed on Saudi Stock Market over the period 2006–2016.

Findings

The results show that sale-based instruments (Murabahah, Ijara) track the financial deficit quite closely followed by equity financing and as a last alternative to finance deficit, Islamic-compliant firms issue Sukuk. In the crisis period, these firms seem more reliant on equity, then on sale-based instruments and on Sukuk as last option. The study findings also indicate that the cumulative financing deficit does not wipe out the effects of conventional variables, although it is empirically significant. This provides no support for the POT attempts by Saudi Islamic-compliant firms

Research limitations/implications

This research contributes to the theory of capital structure in re-validating the findings of a previous theoretical and empirical study. It helps understand the capital structure of Islamic-compliant firms in comparison with conventional firms. It highlights some areas where further research on topics related to capital structure of Islamic-compliant firms is needed. The failure of the POT to explain Saudi firms’ financing choices strongly pushed researchers to test the market timing theory for the Saudi Stock Market. Further research studies could re-examine the trade-off theory in the absence of interest tax shield as in an Islamic economy.

Practical implications

From a managerial perspective, this research can serve firm executive managers in their financing decisions to add value to the companies. Furthermore, policymakers, bankers and standard-setting organizations should undertake more collective work to simplify the process of issuing Islamic financial instruments including Sukuk. Moreover, the Saudi Government has to encourage the private sector to be more innovative in developing products and services that are in line with Sharia principles. Finally, to attract investors, the Capital Market Authority has to encourage transaction, efficiency and liquidity of Islamic financial instruments.

Originality/value

The proposed study presents several originalities. First, it explores the implications of relevant Islamic principles on financing preferences of Saudi firms. Second, the present study enables us to investigate what the sudden abundance of liquidity, generated by the record levels of oil prices, implied for the firms’ financing behavior. Finally, it provides further evidence on the impact of financial crisis on the firms’ capital structure choice in a period of considerable slowdown in the world.
E-waste information security protection motivation: the role of optimism bias
Authors: Chen Hao , Turel Ofir , Yuan Yufei
Published: February 2021

Purpose

Electronic waste (e-waste) such as discarded computers and smartphones may contain large amounts of confidential data. Improper handling of remaining information in e-waste can, therefore, drive information security risk. This risk, however, is not always properly assessed and managed. The authors take the protection motivation theory (PMT) lens of analysis to understand intentions to protect one's discarded electronic assets.

Design/methodology/approach

By applying structural equation modeling, the authors empirically tested the proposed model with survey data from 348 e-waste handling users.

Findings

Results highlight that (1) protection intention is influenced by the perceived threat of discarding untreated e-waste (a threat appraisal) and self-efficacy to treat the discarded e-waste (a coping appraisal) and (2) optimism bias plays a dual-role in a direct and moderating way to reduce the perceived threat of untreated e-waste and its effect on protection intentions.

Originality/value

Results support the assertions and portray a unique theoretical account of the processes that underline people's motivation to protect their data when discarding e-waste. As such, this study explains a relatively understudied information security risk behavior in the e-waste context, points to the role of optimism bias in such decisions and highlights potential interventions that can help to alleviate this information security risk behavior.
Profiting from a tainted trade: private investigators’ views on the popular culture glamorisation of their trade
Authors: King Michael
Published: February 2021

Purpose

The public fascination for private investigators has led to an abundance of imagery in popular culture media. This study aims to examine the views of practising private investigators regarding their professional images of dirty work.

Design/methodology/approach

To fill the gap in the literature, this study used data collected from semi-structured interviews with 33 industry practitioners from 3 Australian states. The paper investigates private investigator’s perceptions about themselves/job roles and the public perceptions of private investigators in Australia. Interviews were recorded and transcripts created. A thematic analysis of the interview transcripts was undertaken.

Findings

Private investigators were drawn from a range of professions, including public policing and government regulation. The findings indicate that the reality differs from the images typically portrayed in popular culture. Interviewees discussed the contrasts between media images and reality, providing a more complex portrayal of private investigation and what private investigators find satisfying and challenging about their work.

Practical implications

This study is helpful for improving the understanding of private policing, the media views of policing, those who conduct work within an environment considered to be tainted and their views of self.

Originality/value

Using a qualitative research design, this paper offers insights into the challenges facing private investigators and how they reconcile being in a tainted occupation with providing a necessary service to the community.
A systematic review of principal time use research
Authors: Hochbein Craig , Mahone Abby , Vanderbeck Sara
Published: February 2021

Purpose

To advance the study of principal time use (PTU), the purpose of this study is to report findings from a systematic review of PTU research. In addition to identifying common findings, this study also examined the supporting evidence and methodologies of PTU studies. From this dual approach, this study specified the evidence that supports claims about PTU, as well as identified areas requiring future examination.

Design/methodology/approach

A systematic reference review process considered 5,746 potential PTU manuscripts. The inclusion criteria identified 55 studies published between 1920 and 2015. This review synthesized data pertaining to the methodologies and findings of PTU research.

Findings

Findings from studies conducted across decades indicated that principals worked extensive hours. Moreover, the workdays of principals consisted of brief and unrelated activities, most often focused on noninstructional tasks. Contrary to common hypotheses, studies indicated that PTU dedicated to administrative tasks exhibited positive correlations with educational outcomes. However, claims about PTU have been derived from samples overrepresented by large urban school districts and limited periods of observation.

Practical implications

Future studies should implement diversified sampling strategies and extended observation periods. For principal preparation programs, the results indicated an opportunity for increased instruction on time management skills.

Originality/value

This systematic review identifies the overlooked history of the research and specifies the evidence that supports common claims about PTU, which provides empirically derived guidance for future PTU studies.
Relational influence on entrepreneurial orientation: an exploratory study of small religious enterprises in Brazil
Authors: Corrêa Victor Silva , Carneiro-da-Cunha Julio Araújo , Nassif Vânia Maria Jorge , Giglio Ernesto Michelangelo
Published: February 2021

Purpose

Entrepreneurial orientation (EO) is highly emerging in the management literature. However, recent studies highlight the necessity to associate with reflections on this theme, usually approached from an economic perspective, propositions also derived from relational approaches. This paper aims to investigate associations between EO and social networks, specifically about the still little explored relational coupling/decoupling theme.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper provides an empirical and qualitative study of religious entrepreneurs. A total of 18 pastors responsible for creating and leading independent neo-Pentecostal churches located in Belo Horizonte/Brazil, selected using the snowball technique, participated in this qualitative, case-study research. Two analysis categories guided data collection: pastors’ EO (behaviors suggestive of their innovativeness, proactivity, competitive aggressiveness, risk-taking and autonomy) and churches’ social framework (the resources and attributes that pastors obtain from their institutional structure).

Findings

The study concludes that pastors combine attributes representing their EO and their social structure in developing their religious endeavors.

Research limitations/implications

Among the limitations are the restricted use of semi-structured interviews as a data collection source and the absence of data proving the churches’ performance.

Originality/value

The paper contributes by showing that entrepreneurs can influence the structure of their networks by using EO; proving that networks influence pastors’ EO; revealing recursivity between EO and networks; emphasizing a relational dimension of the EO construct and presenting new theoretical propositions that can be explored and tested in future investigations.
Self-employment and economic growth in developing countries: is more self-employment better?
Authors: Yerrabati Sridevi
Published: February 2021

Purpose

The study aims to examine the non-linear relationship between self-employment and economic growth (growth) in the context of developing countries.

Design/methodology/approach

Data from a sample of 83 developing countries covering a period 2002–2015 is used. The empirical analysis is based on the dynamic panel data estimation, and the results are estimated using the two-step system GMM technique. Non-linearity between self-employment and growth is validated using Sasabuchi (1980) and Lind and Mehlum (2010) (SLM) test.

Findings

The empirical analysis suggests a non-linear and a U-shaped relationship between self-employment and growth, confirmed by the SLM test. The threshold levels for total self-employment, female self-employment and male self-employment are 57.49%, 58.86 and 55.81%. The findings are also robust to alternate estimation technique and alternate measure of the dependent variable.

Practical implications

Policy implications of the findings include the need for policies that foster and channel self-employment properly as the higher level of self-employment is found to benefit growth.

Originality/value

This study is the first attempt to examine the empirical relationship between self-employment and growth. As such, it makes a novel contribution to the extant literature on the relationship between the two variables.
Stock markets' reaction to COVID-19: evidence from the six WHO regions
Authors: Al-Qudah Anas Ali , Houcine Asma
Published: February 2021

Purpose

This study investigates the effects of the COVID-19 outbreak on daily stock returns for the six major affected WHO Regions, namely: Africa, Americas, Eastern Mediterranean, Europe, South-East Asia and Western Pacific.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses an event study method and panel-data regression models to examine the effect of the daily increase in the number of COVID-19 confirmed cases on daily stock returns from 1 March to 1 August 2020 for the leading stock market in major affected countries in the WHO regions.

Findings

The results reveal an adverse impact of the daily increasing number of COVID-19 cases on stock returns and stock markets fell quickly in response to the pandemic. The findings also suggest that negative market reaction was strong during the early stage of the outbreak between the 26th and 35th days after the initial confirmed cases. We further find that stock markets in the Western Pacific region experienced more negative abnormal returns as compared to other regions. The results also confirm that feelings of fear among investors turned out to be a mediator and a transmission channel for the effect of COVID-19 outbreak on the stock markets.

Research limitations/implications

This study contributes to financial literature in two ways. First, we contribute to existing literature that has examined the effect of various catastrophes and crises on the stock markets Second, we contribute to the recent emerging literature that examines the impact of COVID-19 on financial markets.

Practical implications

The study may have implications for policymakers to deal with this outbreak without triggering uncertainty in stock markets and reassure investors' confidence. The study may also be of interest to investors, managers, financial analysts by revealing how the stock markets quickly respond to outbreaks.

Originality/value

This study is the first study to examine the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on the leading stock markets of the WHO regions.
The cyber-work performance of managers in education
Authors: Dandalt Ed
Published: February 2021

Purpose

This study addresses the perspective of N = 273 school principals as related to technology role in performing managerial roles.

Design/methodology/approach

In the context of this study, the concept of technology only refers to digital office tools such as microcomputers, email and administrative software. The concept of managerial roles is understood and used herein in relation to the definition provided by Mintzberg (2013) in his managerial typology. Moreover, a survey method was used to collect data from the aforementioned managerial employees. The managerial typology of Mintzberg was applied as a theoretical lens to collect and interpret survey data.

Findings

The findings suggest that surveyed school principals believe that technology use improves their ability to perform informational and decisional roles at work. Arguably, these managerial employees are satisfied with using technology as a labor tool for administrative and managerial work.

Research limitations/implications

This study is limited because its sample size does not allow the findings to be generalized to all Canadian school principals. Nevertheless, the findings are significant because they suggest that similar to the positive technology-related attitude of managerial employees in business organizations, those in school organizations also perceive technology as an organizational asset. For that reason, management scholars should not only limit their studies of the intersection between technology and managerial roles or work to business organizations. They also need to extend their research studies and fieldwork to school organizations.

Originality/value

The originality of this study lies in the fact that in management literature, the intersection between technology and the managerial roles of school principals is underresearched. As such, this study represents a step forward toward the need to study the technology-related behaviors of school principals to better understand how technology use enables their workflow system.
The role of salesperson emotional behavior in value proposition co-creation
Authors: Johnson Catherine , Kaski Timo , Karsten Yvonne , Alamäki Ari , Stack Suvi
Published: February 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to focus on how salespeople use emotions to build connections and facilitate value proposition co-creation (VPCC) in B2B complex services sales.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper uses video recordings of authentic B2B sales meetings in a two-part qualitative study.

Findings

This paper proposes a set of salesperson emotional behaviors that influence the co-creation of value propositions with customers. This paper uncovers five salesperson emotional behavior archetypes influencing VPCC.

Research limitations/implications

This study advances the value proposition literature by linking salespeople’s emotional behaviors with micro-level activities in the collaborative crafting of value propositions. The unique methodology may encourage researchers to apply video recordings in future studies.

Practical implications

The study provides managerial guidelines for improved selling competence and sales team organization.

Originality/value

This study’s findings represent a new insight into the actual manifestations of salesperson emotional behaviors that are commonly discussed but rarely observed directly.
Transformational leadership and success of international development projects (ID projects): moderating role of the project team size
Authors: Kabore Somnoma Edouard , Sane Seydou , Abo Pascaline
Published: February 2021

Purpose

The aim of this study is to evaluate to what extent the project team size influence the relation between transformational leadership and success of international development projects (IDPs). The paper draws on leader-member-exchange (LMX) theory and contextualizes transformational leadership style to temporary project environment particularly that of an official development assistance project in an African context.

Design/methodology/approach

The research is based on the processing of a primary database collected by questionnaire from 111 coordinators of IDPs in Benin. The structural equation method based on the PLS approach was used to test our hypotheses.

Findings

First, the preliminary results reveal that, in the context of IDP, projects managers are much more sensitive to the “management” and “visibility” dimensions than to the “impact” dimension of project success. Then, following the hypothesis test, the results show that transformational leadership has a direct positive influence on the success of IDP. Project team size does not play a moderating role in the relationship between transformational leadership and project success. Also, considering the effect of the specific dimensions of transformational leadership on IDP success, only the “idealized influence” dimension influences directly and positively on the latter.

Originality/value

Research calls for examining the role of team size vis-à-vis transformational leadership style and project success and calls in general for studying project manager's leadership styles. This study contributes to literature by answering such calls. In addition, the originality of this study lies in the evaluation of the influence of the specific dimensions because the exclusive use of leadership forms provides an imperfect and oversimplified picture of reality.
Seizing the benefits of age diversity: could empowering leadership be the answer?
Authors: Scheuer Cara-Lynn , Loughlin Catherine
Published: February 2021

Purpose

Acknowledging that only examining the main effects of diversity may be limiting, the authors explore integrating van Knippenberget al.'s (2004) categorization–elaboration model (CEM) of workgroup diversity as a linchpin in the relationship between empowering leadership and performance in age-diverse work groups. While prior research has focused almost exclusively on the impact of transformational leadership in diverse contexts, few studies have found the positive effects of transformational leadership to be diminished in certain age-diverse contexts. Consequently, the authors investigate whether empowering leadership may be a better approach in this context due to its emphasis on accommodating and participative behaviors.

Design/methodology/approach

Using survey data gathered from work group members across a wide array of industries (N = 214), the authors test for the moderating effects of empowering leadership on the relationship between age diversity and work group performance and its indirect relationship via information elaboration (while controlling for transformational leadership).

Findings

Empowering leadership positively moderated the direct relationship between age diversity and work group performance and the indirect relationship via information elaboration, whereas transformational leadership had the opposite effect. “Coaching” and “showing concern/interacting with the team” drove the positive effects of empowering leadership, and “personal recognition” and “intellectual stimulation” predicted the negative effects of transformational leadership.

Practical implications

This research offers insights into how managers can lead age-diverse work groups more effectively (i.e. by utilizing an empowering as opposed to a transformational leadership approach, with a particular emphasis on “coaching” and “showing concern/interacting with the team” behaviors).

Originality/value

The study identifies an “alternative” moderating contingency to the age diversity–performance relationship (empowering leadership).
Global meta‐analysis reveals incomplete recovery of soil conditions and invertebrate assemblages after ecological restoration in agricultural landscapes
Authors: Parkhurst Tina , Prober Suzanne M. , Hobbs Richard J. , Standish Rachel J.
Published: February 2021

Restoration of old fields in agricultural landscapes has become increasingly important for conservation of species and their habitats owing to habitat destruction and rapid environmental change. Studies examining the outcomes of old field restoration predominantly focus on plant, and sometimes, vertebrate communities. Fewer studies have systematically investigated the effects of restoration efforts on soil properties or ground‐dwelling invertebrates and there is limited synthesis of these data.

We conducted a global meta‐analysis of published studies to assess the effects of old field restoration on soil properties and soil invertebrate abundance and richness. We anticipated increased vegetation cover would improve soil properties towards reference condition and in turn, this would promote invertebrate abundance and richness. Studies were included if field sites had a history of cropping or livestock grazing.

We identified 42 studies (1994–2019) from 16 countries that met our criteria. More studies assessed passive restoration methods than active planting, and native species were more commonly planted than exotic species.

Results showed that restoration improved soil conditions with respect to total nitrogen, magnesium, soil carbon, bulk density and porosity when compared to controls; however, conditions similar to those in reference ecosystems were generally not achieved, even 50+ years after restoration had been initiated. Moderator analyses showed few significant tends, however, bulk density improved with age, and in passively restored versus reference ecosystems. Outcomes for soil carbon and bulk density were most predominant in the top soil when compared to the degraded ecosystem. We detected no consistent trends for the effect of restoration on soil invertebrate richness and abundance compared to the control or reference ecosystems.

Synthesis and applications. Our global meta‐analysis found strong evidence that old field restoration in agricultural landscapes had positive effects on soil condition but did not lead to full recovery when compared to a reference ecosystem. We detected few and idiosyncratic effects for invertebrates. Further research is needed to understand effects of restoration on soil invertebrate functional groups and to develop management interventions that accelerate the restoration of soil condition.
Using hidden Markov models to inform conservation and management strategies in ecosystems exhibiting alternative stable states
Authors: Vitense Kelsey , Hanson Mark A. , Herwig Brian R. , Zimmer Kyle D. , Fieberg John
Published: February 2021

Successful conservation of ecosystems exhibiting alternative stable states requires tools to accurately classify states and quantify state transition risk. Methods that utilize early warning signals are promising approaches for helping managers anticipate impending state transitions, but they require high‐resolution temporal or spatial data for individual sites, and they do not directly implicate causes or quantify their impacts on transition risk. There is need for a modelling approach that can assess state transition risk with lower resolution temporal data, identify drivers of state transitions and assess the impact of changes in these drivers on the persistence of ecosystem states.

We developed a novel, integrated modelling framework that (a) classifies states in a way that reflects the qualitative dynamics of catastrophic regime shifts, (b) estimates state transition probabilities and (c) uses annual survey data to identify top predictors of state transitions and quantify their effects on transition risk. We applied our model to short time series from 123 shallow lakes that exhibit clear‐ and turbid‐water alternative stable states.

We found that clear lakes were more likely to transition to the turbid state as total phosphorus levels increased or occurrence of submerged vegetation decreased. Additionally, increases in planktivorous or benthivorous fish biomass elevated transition risk. Too few turbid‐to‐clear transitions were observed to identify predictors of transitions in this direction.

Synthesis and applications. Our study will inform conservation and management strategies for ecosystems exhibiting alternative stable states by providing a new tool to accurately classify states, compare state transition risk among sites based on resilience and system perturbations, and identify key variables to target to prevent undesirable transitions. Although we focus on shallow lakes as a case study for our modelling approach, we emphasize that our framework is applicable to any ecosystem known to exhibit alternative stable states.
The long‐run relationship between ODA, growth and governance: An application of FMOLS and DOLS approaches
Authors: Yahyaoui Ismahene , Bouchoucha Najeh
Published: February 2021

Despite having received a significant amount of foreign aid for several decades, Africa is among the poorest regions in the world. This study examines the relationship between foreign aid, economic growth and governance in the African region during the period 1996–2014 by fully applying both DOLS and FMOLS techniques. In the first stage of this study, we examine the foreign aid effect on economic growth. In the second stage, we assess the intermediary role of institutions in the relationship between foreign aid and economic growth in the African countries. It was found that foreign aid has a negative effect on economic growth in African countries in both FMOLS and DOLS models. However, empirical results indicate that foreign aid improves economic growth in the presence of good institutional quality only in the DOLS model.
The Information Role of the Media in Earnings News
Authors: GUEST NICHOLAS M.
Published: February 2021

I reexamine whether media articles with substantive editorial content inform the market's reaction to firms' earnings news. Using variation in earnings announcement coverage because of restructuring at The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), my analyses suggest that WSJ earnings articles improve price discovery and increase trading volume at S&P 500 earnings announcements. Additionally, textual analysis suggests media articles that differ more from the firm's earnings release increase trading volume, and that the differences speed up (slow down) price discovery when they corroborate (contradict) the tone of the firm's news. Such high difference articles are slightly longer, are more readable and specific, include more references to the industry and economy, repeat less “stale” news published in previous WSJ articles, and quote more investor and expert sources. Overall, my paper contributes to research on the role of the media in earnings news by providing evidence that journalists' editorial content helps investors understand firms' earnings, instead of simply entertaining or increasing awareness.
High‐intensity ultrasound improves threadfin bream surimi gelation at low NaCl contents
Authors: Tang Ling , Yongsawatdigul Jirawat
Published: February 2021

Effects of high‐intensity ultrasound (HIU) treatments on gelation of threadfin bream (Nemipterus spp.) surimi at various NaCl contents (0.5, 1, and 2% NaCl) were investigated. Protein extractability at 0.5% NaCl was increased with the ultrasonic intensity (p < 0.05). At all tested NaCl contents, reactive sulfhydryl group (SH) content and surface hydrophobicity of the surimi pastes were increased after HIU treatments and were accompanied by a decrease in the Ca2+‐ATPase activity and total SH content, indicating a greater extent of unfolding and conformational changes induced by HIU at higher NaCl contents. Textural properties and color of the surimi gels at 0.5% NaCl were improved concomitant to an increase in ultrasonic intensity (p < 0.05), whereas HIU treatments resulted in inferior gels at 1 and 2% NaCl. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed that HIU resulted in a more orderly gel network at 0.5% NaCl. Fourier transform infrared (FT‐IR) spectroscopy indicated that the α‐helix content of the surimi gels was decreased as the ultrasonic intensity and NaCl content increased, confirming that structural changes induced by HIU were more profound at higher NaCl contents. The results suggested that HIU technology can be applied to improve only the 0.5% NaCl surimi gel.

Practical Application

High‐intensity ultrasound (HIU) improved surimi gel containing 0.5% NaCl due to an increase in protein extractability and protein conformational changes. It is likely to lay a theoretical foundation for utilization of HIU technology in production of surimi‐based products at low/reduced salt levels.
Geographical traceability and multielement analysis of edible and medicinal fungi: Taking Wolfiporia cocos (F.A. Wolf) Ryvarden and Gilb. as an example
Authors: Yue JiaQi , Li ZhiMin , Zuo ZhiTian , Liao YiJun , Huang HengYu , Wang YuanZhong
Published: February 2021

Different geographical environment has a certain influence on the accumulation of fungi elements and chemical components. However, our knowledge is limited to elucidate the fungi elements in response to heterogeneous environmental and the quality differences among different habitats. Here, multielement analysis, FTIR spectrum, and feature‐level fusion technique combined with chemometrics were used to study Wolfiporia cocos from different geographical areas, different sampling sites and different altitude sources. From the results, (1) there is significant difference in element content of samples from different sampling sites and no positive correlation with geographical ranges. (2) There is a correlation between elevation and elements, and relatively low elevation (<1,800 m) is conducive to the enrichment of elements. (3) From the perspective of elements, the W. cocos in Yuxi have relatively better quality. (4) FTIR and feature‐level models can well realize origin identification. The SVM models are better than the PLS‐DA models, and the feature‐level model is better than the single FTIR models. In summary, this study demonstrated that the developed method was reliable and could realize the genuineness evaluation and origin identification of W. cocos. The results have implications for the establishment of the technology system of geographical traceability and the development of high‐quality geographical indication products of W. cocos.