bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
MITO-Tag Mice enable rapid isolation and multimodal profiling of mitochondria from specific cell types in vivo
Authors: Bayraktar Erol Can , Baudrier Lou , Özerdem Ceren , Lewis Caroline A. , Chan Sze Ham , Kunchok Tenzin , Abu-Remaileh Monther , Cangelosi Andrew L. , Sabatini David M. , Birsoy Kivanc , Chen Walter W.
Published: September 2018

Mitochondria are metabolic organelles that are essential for mammalian life, but the dynamics of mitochondrial metabolism within mammalian tissues in vivo remains incompletely understood. While whole-tissue metabolite profiling has been useful for studying metabolism in vivo, such an approach lacks resolution at the cellular and subcellular level. In vivo methods for interrogating organellar metabolites in specific cell-types within mammalian tissues have been limited. To address this, we built on prior work in which we exploited a mitochondrially-localized 3XHA epitope-tag (“MITO-Tag”) for the fast isolation of mitochondria from cultured cells to now generate “MITO-Tag Mice.” Affording spatiotemporal control over MITO-Tag expression, these transgenic animals enable the rapid, cell-type-specific immunoisolation of mitochondria from tissues, which we verified using a combination of proteomic and metabolomic approaches. Using MITO-Tag Mice and targeted and untargeted metabolite profiling, we identified changes during fasted and refed conditions in a diverse array of mitochondrial metabolites in hepatocytes and found metabolites that behaved differently at the mitochondrial versus whole-tissue level. MITO-Tag Mice should have utility for studying mitochondrial physiology and our strategy should be generally applicable for studying other mammalian organelles in specific cell-types in vivo.
Human confidence judgments reflect reliability-based hierarchical integration of contextual information
Authors: Schustek Philipp , Moreno-Bote Rubén
Published: September 2018

Because of uncertainty inherent in perception, our immediate observations must be supplemented with contextual information to resolve ambiguities. However, often context too is ambiguous, and thus it should be inferred itself to guide behavior. We developed a novel hierarchical task where participants should infer a higher-level, contextual variable to inform probabilistic inference about a hidden dependent variable at a lower level. By controlling the reliability of the past sensory evidence through sample size, we found that humans estimate the reliability of the context and combine it with current sensory uncertainty to inform their confidence reports. Indeed, behavior closely follows inference by probabilistic message passing between latent variables across hierarchical state representations. Despite the sophistication of our task, commonly reported inferential fallacies, such as sample size insensitivity, are not present, and neither do participants appear to rely on simple heuristics. Our results reveal ubiquitous probabilistic representations of uncertainty at different hierarchical levels and temporal scales of the environment.
Division of labour between different PP2A-B56 complexes during mitosis
Authors: Vallardi Giulia , Allan Lindsey A , Crozier Lisa , Saurin Adrian T
Published: September 2018

PP2A-B56 is a serine/threonine phosphatase complex that regulates several major mitotic processes, including sister chromatid cohesion, kinetochore-microtubule attachment and the spindle assembly checkpoint. We show here that these key functions are divided between B56 isoforms that localise differentially to either the centromere or kinetochore. The centromeric B56 isoforms rely on a specific interaction with Sgo2, whereas the kinetochore isoforms bind preferentially to BubR1 and other proteins containing an LxxIxE motif. In addition to these selective interactions, Sgo1 also contributes to both localisations by collaborating with BubR1 to maintain B56 isoforms at the kinetochore and helping to anchor the Sgo2/B56 complex at the centromere. A series of chimaeras were used to map the critical region in B56 to a small C-terminal loop that specifies which interactions are favoured and therefore defines where B56 isoforms localise during prometaphase. Together, this study describes how different PP2A-B56 complexes utilise isoform-specific interactions to control distinct processes during mitosis.
Potassium nutrition recover impacts on stomatal, mesophyll and biochemical limitations to photosynthesis in Carya cathayensis and Hickory illinoensis
Authors: Shen Chao , Huang Ruimin , Tang Yiquan , Wang Zhengjia
Published: September 2018

Potassium (K) influences the photosynthesis process in a number of ways; However, the mechanism of photosynthetic response to the long-term supply of potassium is not yet clear. Concurrent measurements of gas exchange and chlorophyll fluorescence were made to investigate the effect of potassium nutrition on photosynthetic efficiency and stomatal conductance (gs), mesophyll conductance (gm) in Pecan (Carya illinoensis K.Kock) and Hickory (Carya cathayensis Sarg.) seedlings in a greenhouse. The results show that the photosynthetic capacity of Pecan and Hickory plants was not limited when the leaves had potassium concentrations >1.4% and 1.42% of dry weight. Most of limitation under potassium deficiency were dominated by MCL for Pecan and Hickory. Both cultivars showed remarkable improvement in SL, MCL, J and Vc,max with additional K supplies. However, effect from potassium deficiency on photosynthesis in plant leaves was irreversible. All of SL, MCL, and BL nearly half down with recovery K supply in both species. These results emphasize the important role of potassium on regulation of photosynthesis by three limitations.
Long-read based assembly and annotation of a Drosophila simulans genome
Authors: Nouhaud Pierre
Published: September 2018

Long-read sequencing technologies enable high-quality, contiguous genome assemblies. Here we used SMRT sequencing to assemble the genome of a Drosophila simulans strain originating from Madagascar, the ancestral range of the species. We generated 8 Gb of raw data (~50× coverage) with a mean read length of 6,410 bp, a NR50 of 9,125 bp and the longest subread at 49 kb. We benchmarked six different assemblers and merged the best two assemblies from Canu and Falcon. Our final assembly was 127.41 Mb with a N50 of 5.38 Mb and 305 contigs. We anchored more than 4 Mb of novel sequence to the major chromosome arms, and significantly improved the assembly of peri-centromeric and telomeric regions. Finally, we performed full-length transcript sequencing and used this data in conjunction with short-read RNAseq data to annotate 13,422 genes in the genome, improving the annotation in regions with complex, nested gene structures.
Nanodomains and local structure in ternary alkaline-earth hexaborides
Authors: Koch Robert , Metz Peter C. , Jaime Oscar , Vargas-Consuelos C. Ingram , Borja-Urby Raúl , Ko J. Y. Peter , Cahill James T. , Edwards Doreen , Vasquez Victor R. , Graeve Olivia A. , Misture Scott T.
Published: September 2018

The local structures of ternary alkaline-earth hexaborides (MB6, M = Ca0.5Sr0.5, Ca0.5Ba0.5 and Sr0.5Ba0.5) have been analysed using X-ray pair distribution function (PDF) analysis, Raman spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results show significant local deviations from the average cubic structure within the boron sub-lattice and support the conclusion that rapid synthesis processes lead to the formation of coherent nanodomains over length scales of about 10 nm. Reverse Monte Carlo fitting of the PDFs allows for quantification of the displacement disorder within the boron sub-lattice as a function of sample composition. Detailed Raman spectroscopy studies and high-resolution TEM support the models derived from X-ray scattering. The average magnitude of the static displacement disorder varies by sample composition and positively correlates with the cation radius ratios across the three compositions. The new models form a foundation for future computational and experimental studies aimed at understanding and predicting properties of hexaborides.
Crystallographic shelves: space-group hierarchy explained
Authors: Nespolo Massimo , Aroyo Mois Ilia , Souvignier Bernd
Published: September 2018

Space groups are classified, according to different criteria, into types, classes, systems and families. Depending on the specific research topic, some of these concepts will be more relevant to the everyday crystallographer than others. Unfortunately, incorrect use of the classification terms often leads to misunderstandings. This article presents the rationale behind the different classification levels.
Influence of non-attendance on choices with varying complexity
Authors: Grebitus Carola , Roosen Jutta
Published: September 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this research is to test how varying the numbers of attributes and alternatives affects the use of heuristics and selective information processing in discrete choice experiments (DCEs). The effects of visual attribute and alternative non-attendance (NA) on respondent choices are analyzed.

Design/methodology/approach

Two laboratory experiments that combined eye tracking and DCEs were conducted with 109 and 117 participants in the USA. The DCEs varied in task complexity by the number of product attributes and alternatives.

Findings

Results suggest that participants ignore both single attributes and entire alternatives. Increasing the number of alternatives significantly increased attribute NA. Including NA in choice modeling influenced results more in more complex DCEs.

Research limitations/implications

The current experiments did not test for choice overload. Future studies could investigate more complex designs. The choice environment affects decision-making. Future research could compare laboratory and field experiments.

Practical implications

Private and public sectors often use DCEs to determine consumer preference. Results suggest that DCEs with two alternatives are superior to DCEs with four alternatives because NA was lower in the two-alternative design.

Originality/value

This empirical research examined effects of attribute and alternative NA on choice modeling using eye tracking and DCEs with varying degrees of task complexity. Results suggest that accounting for NA reduces the risk of over- or understating the impact of attributes on choice, in that one avoids claiming significance for attributes that might not truly be preferred, and vice versa.
Predicting readers’ domain knowledge based on eye-tracking measures
Authors: Lu Quan , Zhang Jiyue , Chen Jing , Li Ji
Published: September 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the effect of domain knowledge on eye-tracking measures and predict readers’ domain knowledge from these measures in a navigational table of contents (N-TOC) system.

Design/methodology/approach

A controlled experiment of three reading tasks was conducted in an N-TOC system for 24 postgraduates of Wuhan University. Data including fixation duration, fixation count and inter-scanning transitions were collected and calculated. Participants’ domain knowledge was measured by pre-experiment questionnaires. Logistic regression analysis was leveraged to build the prediction model and the model’s performance was evaluated based on baseline model.

Findings

The results showed that novices spent significantly more time in fixating on text area than experts, because of the difficulty of understanding the information of text area. Total fixation duration on text area (TFD_T) was a significantly negative predictor of domain knowledge. The prediction performance of logistic regression model using eye-tracking measures was better than baseline model, with the accuracy, precision and F(β = 1) scores to be 0.71, 0.86, 0.79.

Originality/value

Little research has been reported in literature on investigation of domain knowledge effect on eye-tracking measures during reading and prediction of domain knowledge based on eye-tracking measures. Most studies focus on multimedia learning. With respect to the prediction of domain knowledge, only some studies are found in the field of information search. This paper makes a good contribution to the literature on the effect of domain knowledge on eye-tracking measures during N-TOC reading and predicting domain knowledge.
Corporate governance, globalization and firm performance in emerging economies
Authors: Saini Neha , Singhania Monica
Published: September 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine relationship between corporate governance (CG) and firm performance for a set of 255 foreign-funded firms in the form of foreign direct investment (FDI) and private equity (PE). The authors employ a wide range of CG measures including board size, meetings, board gender and foreign ownership which are used as the proxy of globalisation and control variables like firm age, leverage, firm size and capital expenditure to arrive at a conclusion.

Design/methodology/approach

Panel data set of 255 (187 companies funded by foreign capital in the form of FDI, and 68 companies having foreign capital in the form PE) companies listed on Bombay Stock Exchange, for the period of eight years (2008–2015) are analysed by using static (fixed and random effects) and dynamic (generalised method of moments (GMM)) panel data specifications to examine the relationship among CG, globalisation and firm performance.

Findings

The empirical results of static model indicate the relationship between CG and performance of foreign firms, which are not very strong in India. This is due to the fact that most of the firms are not following the guidelines and regulations strictly in the initial period of sample years. Diversity in board is found as an important variable in accessing firm performance. And the authors also found that foreign firms are very particular about the implementation of CG norms. The results of GMM model highlight the interaction term of foreign ownership with governance indicators. CG is having a positive and significant impact over performance, inferring that higher foreign ownership (in the form of FDI and PE) in firm leading to positive effect on profitability.

Practical implications

The investor’s preference of financing a unit is guided by the performance of a firm. Investors are more inclined towards high-performing firms, and hence higher profitability leads to higher inflow of capital. The result indicates that higher accounting and market performance may be achieved by good governance practices, in turn, leading to reduced agency costs. Countries with high governance scores attract more of foreign capital. Similar to the best governed countries, the companies having good governance practices attract more foreign inflows in the form of capital.

Originality/value

While previous literature considered a single measurement framework in the form of a CG index, the authors tried to incorporate a range of CG indicators to study the effect of globalisation and CG on firm performance. The authors segregated foreign-owned funds into two parts, especially FDI and PE. This paper examined heterogeneity in the form of FDI-funded and PE-funded firms, as no prior literature is available which has evaluated different sets of foreign funds simultaneously on CG.
Comparison of performance measurement in different purchasing and supply management practices
Authors: Jääskeläinen Aki
Published: September 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to compare the characteristics of performance measurement in cross-functional and supplier-oriented purchasing and supply management (PSM) practices. It clarifies the purposes and content of performance measurement in three PSM practices.

Design/methodology/approach

A multiple case study approach is utilized in this study. Each of the cases is related to a contemporary performance measurement development project during the period 2015–2016. Interviews are conducted to obtain a pre-understanding of the research questions at hand. The case studies continue as an action research including measurement development workshops.

Findings

Identification of causalities between measurement objects and the measurement value benefits are contemporary issues of performance measurement development in the PSM context. The findings indicate that the measurement of outputs and outcomes instead of inputs and measurement supporting supplier relationship management is increasingly important in the service context. Measurement purpose affects the characteristics of PSM performance measurement. This study identifies that more informal control and non-standard measures are needed in interactive PSM practices such as cross-functional integration.

Research limitations/implications

The study provides practical examples of performance measurement in service purchasing, classifies the characteristics of performance measurement and highlights the need to extend the scope of measurement in the PSM context. The findings of the case studies reported support practitioners in developing performance measurement that satisfies contemporary managerial needs.

Originality/value

Earlier studies are often not explicit with the purpose of performance measurement. This study contributes to the existing literature by linking performance measurement characteristics to the understanding of PSM practices and providing a wider overview of the varying characteristics of performance measurement supporting strategic purchasing of services.
The moderating effect of structural barriers on TQM-performance relationship in Egyptian service organizations
Authors: Khalaf Magdy A. , Salem Tamer S. Mohamed
Published: September 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to empirically investigate how structural barriers affect the relationship between total quality management (TQM) practices implementation and organizational performance in service industries.

Design/methodology/approach

This research hypothesized the moderation effect of structural barriers on the relationship between TQM practices implementation and organizational performance. A questionnaire was adopted to collect data form 153 Egyptian service companies. Moderated regression analysis was used to test the study hypothesis.

Findings

The empirical analysis suggests that structural barriers partially moderate the relationship between TQM practices implementation and organizational performance. The analysis reveals that the effect of Quality Improvement, Process Improvement, External and Internal Relations and Employee Development – being as TQM dimensions – on performance is moderated by structural barriers. While the results provided insufficient evidence on the moderating effect of structural barriers on the relationship between both Performance Management – being as a TQM dimension – and performance.

Research limitations/implications

This research presents a new perspective for researches to understand the TQM–Performance relationship in the light of the contingency theory. However, the adopted sampling technique and the small sample size might limit the generalizability of the research findings.

Practical implications

This study provides useful insights for service organizations about the necessity of developing suitable structural platform for supporting their TQM efforts to boost their performance which, in turn, improves their competitiveness.

Originality/value

This research proposed and empirically validated how structural barriers play a significant role as moderators to the relationship between TQM implementation and organizational performance within service organizations context.
Fishing for whales: a segmentation model for social casinos
Authors: Barsky Jonathan
Published: September 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to introduce a new customer segmentation model for the social casino industry. The key contribution of this model is the introduction of original psychographic/taste data, including a player emotions scale.

Design/methodology/approach

The data for this research are based on player feedback from 22 countries, with evaluations of the top 100 social casino titles (apps). The new segmentation model splits the industry into distinct customer groups based on spending patterns, behavioral dimensions and attitudinal dimensions.

Findings

The results provide insight into game mechanics, social dynamics, player emotions, spend, price sensitivity, loyalty and other elements that impact monetization. Critical behaviors and preferences of social casino players that will help companies better understand and connect with their target customers are described.

Originality/value

This is the first study to develop a rigorous segmentation model of social casino games based on behavioral and psychographic data.
How store flyers design affect perceived variety of retailers’ assortment
Authors: Prediger Maciel , Huertas-Garcia Ruben , Gázquez-Abad Juan Carlos
Published: September 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between several aspects of store flyers design (presence of a institutional slogan, type of product (national brand (NB) or store brand (SB)) featured on the cover page, the size of the flyer, number of featured NBs, type of brand (NB vs SB) on promotion, and price difference between the most expensive (NB) and the cheapest SB) and the consumer’s perceived variety of the retailer’s assortment, as a dimension of its global image.

Design/methodology/approach

A mixed laboratory experiment that combined a between-subjects experimental design and inter-subject conjoint analysis was conducted. A fictitious flyer from a fictitious supermarket was created that included both real NBs and fictitious SBs. In total, 12 scenarios (i.e. flyers) were tested using a sample of 406 participants.

Findings

Analysis suggests that longer flyers have the greatest influence on consumers’ perceived variety of a retailer’s assortment; a greater number of NBs in a category influenced consumers’ perceptions positively, and featuring SBs on the cover enhanced perceived variety. If a retailer features SBs on a flyer’s cover, longer flyers are recommended, and shorter flyers are recommended if NBs are featured on the cover. A retailer should promote its own brand only if the most expensive NBs are featured with SBs.

Research limitations/implications

This study analyses a single aspect of consumers’ purchasing behaviors – variety of a retailer’s assortment. Future research should examine other variables related to consumers’ purchasing behaviors. This study uses an online context to test hypotheses, but many aspects of flyer design are physical. Future research should test current findings in offline contexts to compare results. Research should also explore moderation by consumer variables such as brand and store loyalty.

Practical implications

To researchers, the authors offer improved understanding of how a flyer’s design affects the first stage of purchasing. To practitioners, results offer better understanding of positive returns on investment of store flyers, and to retailers, results offer a guide to creating and organizing flyers.

Originality/value

This study is first to assess how a flyer’s design influences a dimension of store image. Unlike extant research that examines store flyers using econometric models at the aggregate level, this study uses a laboratory experiment that combines a between-subjects design with conjoint analysis.
Motivations and cognitive models associated with decentralized seed multiplication
Authors: Juma Okello Julius , Jogo Wellington , Kwikiriza Norman , Muoki Penina
Published: September 2018

Purpose

The sustainability of decentralized seed producers established to enhance farmers’ access to seed of newly introduced biofortified crops is a major challenge. Understanding what motivates the multipliers of clonally propagated crops to engage in seed multiplication is critical for enhancing access to improved seed varieties. The purpose of this paper is to examine the structure and content of mental models associated with the decision to engage in biofortified sweetpotato vine multiplication as a business.

Design/methodology/approach

The study focused on decentralized vine multipliers from Kenya and Ethiopia. These were stratified by orientation toward nutrition or commercial value addition. A total of 45 multipliers were interviewed. Means-end chain (MEC) analysis combined with laddering technique was used to generate mental constructs multipliers relate with the decision to engage in biofortified sweetpotato vine multiplication.

Findings

The structure and content of mental models of biofortified sweetpotato vine multipliers supporting nutrition-focused interventions and those supporting commercial value-addition sweetpotato interventions are different. Nutrition-focused multipliers are driven by the benefits of good health, while commercial value-addition interventions are driven by the benefit of making “more money.” The content and structure of mental models are also country/region specific.

Research limitations/implications

This study has demonstrated that decision to engage in community seed production business is driven not only by the desire to make profits but, equally importantly, by personal and societal (social) factors. It has also discussed the limitations of current analysis and future research areas.

Originality/value

This study is the first to apply MES analysis to assess how decision to invest in seed multiplication business is affected farmers’ personal values and other psychosocial factors.
Determinants of job satisfaction among Malaysian youth working in the oil palm plantation sector
Authors: Kamaruddin Roslina , Abdullah Norehan , Ayob Mohammad Amizi
Published: September 2018

Purpose

Oil palm is a labor-intensive crop where the labor issue is one of the most intransigent problems facing the industry. The negative perception toward this sector associated with the unattractive working environment which commonly refers to dark, dirty and dangerous has distress local youth to stay away from this occupation. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to explore the level of job satisfaction among oil palm plantation workers in Malaysia and analyze the factors that contribute to their satisfaction level.

Design/methodology/approach

The survey was conducted in 2014 through interviews from the selected samples of oil palm plantation workers who aged ranging from 16 to 40 years old, which was considered as youth category and staying within the location 5 km radius within the plantation area. The structural equation modeling is used to analyze the factors affecting job satisfaction among workers in the plantation sector.

Findings

The study found that the government and employer policies associated with plantation worker and economic profitability offered in this sector were the most significant factors that positively contribute to the joy of working among them. On the other hand, the negative relationship between working environment and perception of social job status with job satisfaction proven that these two factors were repulsion factors.

Research limitations/implications

Currently, with the local youth negative perception on the agriculture sector and Indonesia’s economy booming and wages on the rise, Malaysia is struggling to attract new expatriate workers and retain those already active in the sector. Oil palm plantation companies have to counter this by enhancing worker’s welfare to ensure their job satisfaction in plantation environment. This study is to convince the organization that worker’s job satisfaction is a crucial factor to enhance their performance. With the strategy recommended by this study, employees will be getting higher level of job satisfaction, thus increasing their performance and enjoying working in the plantation sector.

Originality/value

To the best of the author’s knowledge, there are yet to be studies that look at the agricultural employees’ job satisfaction particularly in the plantation sector. Most of the previous studies in the field of plantation sector highlight on the labor productivity, economic performance of palm oil plantation sector and environmental impact of oil palm plantation. Thus, this study provides a better understanding of the factors that contribute to job satisfaction among plantation workers.
The future of the Internet of Things: toward heterarchical ecosystems and service business models
Authors: Leminen Seppo , Rajahonka Mervi , Westerlund Mika , Wendelin Robert
Published: September 2018

Purpose

This study aims to understand their emergence and types of business models in the Internet of Things (IoT) ecosystems.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper builds upon a systematic literature review of IoT ecosystems and business models to construct a conceptual framework on IoT business models, and uses qualitative research methods to analyze seven industry cases.

Findings

The study identifies four types of IoT business models: value chain efficiency, industry collaboration, horizontal market and platform. Moreover, it discusses three evolutionary paths of new business model emergence: opening up the ecosystem for industry collaboration, replicating the solution in multiple services and return to closed ecosystem as technology matures.

Research limitations/implications

Identifying business models in rapidly evolving fields such as the IoT based on a small number of case studies may result in biased findings compared to large-scale surveys and globally distributed samples. However, it provides more thorough interpretations.

Practical implications

The study provides a framework for analyzing the types and emergence of IoT business models, and forwards the concept of “value design” as an ecosystem business model.

Originality/value

This paper identifies four archetypical IoT business models based on a novel framework that is independent of any specific industry, and argues that IoT business models follow an evolutionary path from closed to open, and reversely to closed ecosystems, and the value created in the networks of organizations and things will be shareable value rather than exchange value.
Discursive practice – lean thinking, nurses’ responsibilities and the cost to care
Authors: Harvey Clare Lynette , Baret Christophe , Rochefort Christian M. , Meyer Alannah , Ausserhofer Dietmar , Ciutene Ruta , Schubert Maria
Published: September 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the literature regarding work intensification that is being experienced by nurses, to examine the effects this is having on their capacity to complete care. The authors contend that nurses’ inability to provide all the care patients require, has negative implications on their professional responsibility.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors used institutional ethnography to review the discourse in the literature. This approach supports inquiry through the review of text in order to uncover activities that remain institutionally accepted but unquestioned and hidden.

Findings

What the authors found was that the quality and risk management forms an important part of lean thinking, with the organisational culture influencing outcomes; however, the professional cost to nurses has not been fully explored.

Research limitations/implications

The text uncovered inconsistency between what organisations accepted as successful cost savings, and what nurses were experiencing in their attempts to achieve the care in the face of reduced time and human resources. Nurses’ attempts at completing care were done at the risk of their own professional accountability.

Practical implications

Nurses are working in lean and stressful environments and are struggling to complete care within reduced resource allocations. This leads to care rationing, which negatively impacts on nurses’ professional practice, and quality of care provision.

Originality/value

This approach is a departure from the standard qualitative review because the focus is on the textual relationships between what is being advocated by organisations directing cost reduction and what is actioned by the nurses working at the coalface. The discordant standpoints between these two juxtapositions are identified.
Teaching students out of harm’s way
Authors: Moon Esther Charlotte
Published: September 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how changes in K-12 educational delivery methods in the USA impacts students as 1:1 device programs become a required tool for learning. This change produces gaps in knowledge and understanding of the digital environment and exposes minors to risk. Mandatory technology integration by school districts places the ethical responsibility on school districts to prepare students to use the digital environment to mitigate risk.

Design/methodology/approach

The author’s literature review focused on the impact of personal device integration in education on students. The author surveyed teachers in the district on what they perceived as risk to students accessing the digital environment and what they believe creates value in digital citizenship instructional content. The author also gathered information while serving on the school district technology steering committee and digital citizenship working group.

Findings

Mandatory 1:1 device programs used for learning provide unlimited access to the digital environment. This technology integration creates digital knowledge gaps in understanding among students and exposes them to risk or dangers such as loss of privacy, psychological harms and engaging in or being a victim of illegal online activities. School districts are responsible for providing a remedy to close this gap and mitigate risk by developing learning content resources for teachers.

Social implications

As 1:1 device programs continue to grow in school districts in the USA, it is essential for students to learn to apply protocols and understand norms of the digital world. Providing a digital citizenship curriculum in a format such as a Google Site will offer educators access to instructional content that teaches students to apply protocols, understand norms of the internet and social media and foster critical thinking to analyze power structures, biases and recognize manipulation online. Student must learn how to apply rules that challenge assumptions behind the digital content they see, and they must be able to identify and resolve digital practices and behaviors that are problematic, so they are prepared to participate in a digital society.

Originality/value

This perspective may be relevant to school districts contemplating personal device integration, providing insight into how 1:1 device use impacts students and develops an ethical position for creating digital citizenship resources for teachers.
Back to the future: historical nostalgia and the potentials for Islamic marketing research
Authors: El-Bassiouny Noha M. , Zahran Nada
Published: September 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to draw Islamic marketing researchers’ attention to the potentials that historical nostalgia has for Islamic marketing research.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is conceptual in its approach, drawing on extensive literature review on the origins of nostalgia in general and historical nostalgia in specific. The paper also draws on the Holy Qur’an and Islamic marketing research.

Findings

The paper shows that the Islamic philosophy for life and death establishes continuity between the history of the believers in the mundane life and their accountability and, hence, prosperity in the transcendent afterlife (the hereafter). This has connotations for Islamic marketing research. Future research directions are, therefore, stipulated.

Research limitations/implications

The research has implications for Islamic marketing research that draws on Islamic history and civilization.

Practical implications

The research has practical implications toward Islamic marketing researchers who draw on Islamic history, culture and civilization in designing marketing appeals.

Originality/value

The paper is the first to draw attention to the potential overlap between historical nostalgia, and therefore nostalgia proneness and Islamic marketing research domains.
Articles 51 and 54 of the Jordanian Arbitration Act
Authors: Alawamleh Kamal Jamal , Aldabbas Ali Mohamed , Qouteshat Omar Husain
Published: September 2018

Purpose

On two different occasions, the Jordanian Constitutional Court has ruled that Articles 51 and 54 of the Jordanian Arbitration Act no. 31 of the year 2001 are unconstitutional and null. In view of this, this paper aims to attempt to give the reader a brief preview of the Jordanian Arbitration Act, the Jordanian Constitution and the Jordanian Constitutional Court. It also highlights and critically analyzes the Jordanian Constitutional Court two decisions pertaining to the Arbitration Act and its special implications in this regard from the perspective of arbitration law and the distinct characteristics embedded in it.

Design/methodology/approach

To examine how effective is the approach followed by the Constitutional Court in ruling the unconstitutionality of the aforementioned Articles, this work makes use of the primary and secondary data available in this regard as the main method to complete such an examination. By critically analyzing and comparing the various data contained in these sources, this work identifies the problems associated with such decisions.

Findings

This work submits that while the Constitutional Court has rested its rulings largely on constitutional principles, concerns arising from the Arbitration Act perspective have not been dealt with adequately by the Court. Furthermore, it argues that while the principles of the constitution shall be respected, the distinct characteristics of the arbitration law warrant a more careful approach than actually followed by the Court.

Originality/value

Taking into consideration the importance of arbitration as an alternative mean for dispute resolution, the Jordanian legislator has addressed the application of arbitration as early as the year 1953. However, while the Constitutional Court’s questionable approach to the aforementioned articles would necessarily hinder the use of arbitration, no comprehensive scholarly work has either examined such approach or addressed its implications. Accordingly, this work derives its originality and value from being the first of its kind to examine and address such a matter.
Exploring employee well-being as underlying mechanism in organizational health: Indian R&D
Authors: Singh Anupama , Jha Sumi
Published: September 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop a comprehensive organizational health (OH) framework for business organizations. The framework will present the antecedent-OH relationship with employee well-being (EWB) as a mediator.

Design/methodology/approach

The present study conducted a cross-sectional study using case study approach in which concurrent triangulation design was followed, and the collection of qualitative as well as quantitative data was conducted concurrently. A total of 441 structured survey questionnaires and 21 semi-structured in-depth interviews were collected from 10 laboratories of an Indian R&D organization.

Findings

The findings showed that EWB acts as a mediator in an antecedent-OH relationship supporting the full mediation model.

Research limitations/implications

The findings are limited to only R&D organizations. This framework can help organizations in establishing a proper communication channel and reducing occupational stress among employees by empowering the employees. Empowerment practices foster conditions which help the employee feel good about their job which shall help in enhancing EWB thereby, promoting culture for OH.

Originality/value

It is an attempt to conceptualize the concept of OH in business sector similarly as in the case of OH in the education sector.
How to create a resilient workforce
Authors: Harrington Christine
Published: September 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to help HR professionals to create a resilience workforce and increase productivity.

Design/methodology/approach

Viewpoint article.

Findings

While becoming more resilient is a personal journey and the individual is responsible for focussing on their thoughts and feelings and examining their actions and responses during stressful periods, employers and HR professionals can also support the individual at an organisational level to help them become happier and perform better.

Originality/value

With over 40 years’ experience, Cardinal Clinic is dedicated to helping people struggling with mental health issues by providing treatment plans tailored to each patient’s needs to help them on their road to recovery. Cardinal Corporate was launched to help businesses support staff members dealing with mental health issues and implement strategies to ensure the overall well-being of their teams.
Metagenomic analyses highlight the symbiotic association between the glacier stonefly Andiperla willinki and its bacterial gut community
Authors: Murakami Takumi , Segawa Takahiro , Takeuchi Nozomu , Barcaza Sepúlveda Gonzalo , Labarca Pedro , Kohshima Shiro , Hongoh Yuichi
Published: September 2018

The glacier stonefly Andiperla willinki is the largest metazoan inhabiting the Patagonian glaciers. In this study, we analysed the gut microbiome of the aquatic nymphs by 16S rRNA gene amplicon and metagenomic sequencing. The bacterial gut community was consistently dominated by taxa typical of animal digestive tracts, such as Dysgonomonadaceae and Lachnospiraceae, as well as those generally indigenous to glacier environments, such as Polaromonas. Interestingly, the dominant Polaromonas phylotypes detected in the stonefly gut were almost never detected in the glacier surface habitat. Fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis revealed that the bacterial lineages typical of animal guts colonized the gut wall in a co‐aggregated form, while Polaromonas cells were not included in the aggregates. Draft genomes of several dominant bacterial lineages were reconstructed from metagenomic datasets and indicated that the predominant Dysgonomonadaceae bacterium is capable of degrading various polysaccharides derived from host‐ingested food, such as algae, and that other dominant bacterial lineages ferment saccharides liberated by the polysaccharide degradation. Our results suggest that the gut bacteria–host association in the glacier stonefly contributes to host nutrition as well as material cycles in the glacier environment.
Attributable Cost of Dementia: Demonstrating Pitfalls of Ignoring Multiple Health Care System Utilization
Authors: Lei Lianlian , Cooley Susan G. , Phibbs Ciaran S. , Kinosian Bruce , Allman Richard M. , Porsteinsson Anton P. , Intrator Orna
Published: September 2018

Objectives

To determine dementia prevalence and costs attributable to dementia using Veterans Health Administration (VHA) data with and without Medicare data.

Data Sources

VHA inpatient, outpatient, purchased care and other data and Medicare enrollment, claims, and assessments in fiscal year (FY) 2013.

Study Design

Analyses were conducted with VHA data alone and with combined VHA and Medicare data. Dementia was identified from a VHA sanctioned list of ICD‐9 diagnoses. Attributable cost of dementia was estimated using recycled predictions.

Data Collection

Veterans age 65 and older who used VHA and were enrolled in Traditional Medicare in FY 2013 (1.9 million).

Principal Findings

VHA records indicated the prevalence of dementia in FY 2013 was 4.8 percent while combined VHA and Medicare data indicated the prevalence was 7.4 percent. Attributable cost of dementia to VHA was, on average, $10,950 per veteran per year (pvpy) using VHA alone and $6,662 pvpy using combined VHA and Medicare data. Combined VHA and Medicare attributable cost of dementia was $11,285 pvpy. Utilization attributed to dementia using VHA data alone was lower for long‐term institutionalization and higher for supportive care services than indicated in combined VHA and Medicare data.

Conclusions

Better planning for clinical and cost‐efficient care requires VHA and Medicare to share data for veterans with dementia and likely more generally.
Analysis of microbial communities in natural halite springs reveals a domain‐dependent relationship of species diversity to osmotic stress
Authors: Ruhl Ilona A. , Grasby Stephen E. , Haupt Evan S. , Dunfield Peter F.
Published: September 2018

Microbial species diversity may peak at certain optimal environmental conditions and decrease toward more extreme conditions. Indeed, bell‐shaped relationships of species diversity against pH and temperature have been demonstrated, but diversity patterns across other environmental conditions are less well reported. In this study, we investigated the impact of salinity on the diversity of microorganisms from all three domains in a large set of natural springs with salinities ranging from freshwater to halite saturated. Habitat salinity was found to be linearly and inversely related to diversity of all three domains. The relationship was strongest in the bacteria, where salinity explained up to 44% of the variation in different diversity metrics (OTUs, Shannon index, and Phylogenetic Diversity). However, the relationship was weaker for Eukarya and Archaea. The known salt‐in strategist Archaea of the Halobacteriaceae even showed the opposite trend, with increasing diversity at higher salinity. We propose that high energetic requirements constrain species diversity at high salinity but that the diversity of taxa with energetically less expensive osmotolerance strategies is less affected. Declining diversity with increasing osmotic stress may be a general rule for microbes as well as plants and animals, but the strength of this relationship varies greatly across microbial taxa.
Recombinant Newcastle disease virus expressing human IFN‐λ1 (rL‐hIFN‐λ1)‐induced apoptosis of A549 cells is connected to endoplasmic reticulum stress pathways
Authors: Yan Yulan , Liu Sha , Li Mi , Zhao Yinghai , Shao Xiaomei , Hang Min , Bu Xuefeng
Published: September 2018

Background

IFN‐λs are a kind of cytokine with anti‐tumor, immunomodulatory, and anti‐proliferative activity. Recent studies have shown that the recombinant Newcastle disease virus expresses human IFN‐λ1 (rL‐hIFN‐λ1), which plays a role in gastric cancer cell apoptosis. Endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) induces autophagy and apoptosis in tumor cells. In this study, we explored the relationship between ERS and rL‐hIFN‐λ1‐induced apoptosis of lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells and its underlying mechanism.

Methods

First, we investigated the effect of rL‐hIFN‐λ1 on cellular proliferation, migration, and proteins associated with ERS, autophagy, and apoptosis of A549. Second, after administration of the ERS inhibitor, the associated proteins induced by rL‐hIFN‐λ1 were detected. Finally, a subcutaneous mouse model was used to examine the effect of rL‐hIFN‐λ1 on tumor growth and the ERS and apoptosis associated proteins in tumor tissues.

Results

The results showed that the proliferation and migration of A549 cells, and tumor tissue growth were significantly inhibited and the ERS, autophagy, and apoptosis associated proteins were upregulated in the experimental group. Additionally, both 4‐PBA and knockdown of PERK or CHOP reduced the levels of rL‐hIFN‐λ1‐induced autophagy and apoptosis‐associated proteins. BCL‐2 knockdown caused autophagy and apoptosis associated protein upregulation.

Conclusions

In summary, rL‐hIFN‐λ1 inhibited cell proliferation and activated ERS, autophagy, and apoptosis in A549 cells and tissues, and when ERS pathways were blocked, the inhibiting effect was even more pronounced. Therefore, the recombinant Newcastle disease virus rL‐hIFN‐λ1‐induced apoptosis of A549 cells is connected to ER stress and could be a promising therapeutic agent for lung adenocarcinoma.