bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Chromatin-sensitive cryptic promoters encode alternative protein isoforms in yeast
Authors: Wei Wu , Hennig Bianca P. , Wang Jingwen , Zhang Yujie , Piazza Ilaria , Sanchez Yerma Pareja , Chabbert Christophe D. , Adjalley Sophie H. , Steinmetz Lars M. , Pelechano Vicent
Published: August 2018

Cryptic transcription is widespread and generates a heterogeneous group of RNA molecules of unknown function. To improve our understanding of cryptic transcription, we investigated their transcription start site usage, chromatin organization and post-transcriptional consequences in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We show that transcription start sites (TSSs) of chromatin-sensitive internal cryptic transcripts retain comparable features of canonical TSSs in terms of DNA sequence, directionality and chromatin accessibility. We degine the 5’ and 3’ boundaries of cryptic transcripts and show that, contrary to RNA degradation-sensitive ones, they often overlap with the end of the gene thereby using the canonical polyadenylation site and associate to polyribosomes. We show that chromatin-sensitive cryptic transcripts can be recognized by ribosomes and may produce truncated polypeptides from downstream, in-frame start codons. Finally, we congirm the presence of the predicted polypeptides by reanalyzing N-terminal proteomic datasets. Our work suggests that a fraction of chromatin-sensitive internal cryptic promoters are in fact alternative truncated mRNA isoforms. The expression of these chromatin-sensitive isoforms is conserved from yeast to human expanding the functional consequences of cryptic transcription and proteome complexity.
Profound functional and molecular diversity of mitochondria revealed by cell type-specific profiling in vivo
Authors: Fecher Caroline , Trovò Laura , Müller Stephan A. , Snaidero Nicolas , Wettmarshausen Jennifer , Heink Sylvia , Ortiz Oskar , Wagner Ingrid , Kühn Ralf , Hartmann Jana , Karl Rosa Maria , Konnerth Arthur , Korn Thomas , Wurst Wolfgang , Merkler Doron , Lichtenthaler Stefan F. , Perocchi Fabiana , Misgeld Thomas
Published: August 2018

Mitochondria vary in morphology and function in different tissues, however little is known about their molecular diversity among cell types. To investigate mitochondrial diversity in vivo, we developed an efficient protocol to isolate cell type-specific mitochondria based on a new MitoTag mouse. We profiled the mitochondrial proteome of three major neural cell types in cerebellum and identified a substantial number of differential mitochondrial markers for these cell types in mice and humans. Based on predictions from these proteomes, we demonstrate that astrocytic mitochondria metabolize long-chain fatty acids more efficiently than neurons. Moreover, we identified Rmdn3 as a major determinant of ER-mitochondria proximity in Purkinje cells. Our novel approach enables exploring mitochondrial diversity on the functional and molecular level in many in vivo contexts.
Saccharomyces cerevisiae goes through distinct metabolic phases during its replicative lifespan
Authors: Leupold Simeon , Hubmann Georg , Litsios Athanasios , Meinema Anne C. , Papagiannakis Alexandros , Niebel Bastian , Janssens Georges , Siegel David , Heinemann Matthias
Published: August 2018

A comprehensive description of the phenotypic changes during cellular aging is key towards unraveling its causal forces. Using recently developed experimental tools, which previously had enabled us to map age related changes in proteome and transcriptome (Janssens et al., 2015), and model-based inference methods, here, we generated a comprehensive account of the metabolic changes during the entire replicative life of Saecharomyces cerevisiae. With age, we found decreasing metabolite levels, decreasing growth and substrate uptake rates accompanied by a switch from aerobic fermentation to a respiratory metabolism, with increased glycerol and acetate production. The identification of intracellular metabolic fluxes revealed an increase in redox cofactor turnover, likely to combat the increased production of reactive oxygen species. The identified metabolic changes possibly reflect a dynamic adaptation to the age-associated, non- homeostatic increase in volume. With metabolism being an important factor of the cellular phenotype, this work complements our recent mapping of the transcriptomic and proteomic changes towards a holistic description of the cellular processes during aging.
Oxytocin promotes coordinated out-group attack during intergroup conflict in humans
Authors: Zhang Hejing , Gross Joerg , De Dreu Carsten , Ma Yina
Published: August 2018

Intergroup conflict contributes to human discrimination and violence, but persists because individuals make costly contributions to their group's fighting capacity. Yet how group members effectively coordinate their contributions during intergroup conflict remains poorly understood. Here we examine the role of oxytocin for (the coordination of) contributions to group attack or defense in multi-round, real-time feedback intergroup contests. In a double-blind placebo-controlled study with N=480 males in Intergroup Attacker-Defender Contests, we found that oxytocin reduced contributions to attack and over time increased attacker's within-group coordination of contributions. However, rather than becoming peaceful, attackers given oxytocin better tracked their rival's historical defense and coordinated their contributions into well-timed and hence more profitable attacks. Our results reveal coordination of contributions as a critical component of successful attacks and subscribe to the possibility that oxytocin enables individuals to contribute to in-group efficiency and prosperity even when doing so implies outsiders are excluded or harmed.
Contaminant DNA in bacterial sequencing experiments is a major source of false genetic variability
Authors: Goig Galo A , Blanco Silvia , Garcia-Basteiro Alberto L. , Comas Iñaki
Published: August 2018

Contaminant DNA is a well-known confounding factor in molecular biology and in genomic repositories. Strikingly, analysis workflows for whole-genome sequencing (WGS) data usually neglect the errors introduced by potential contaminations. We performed a comprehensive evaluation of the extent and impact of contaminant DNA in WGS by analyzing more than 4,000 bacterial samples from 20 different studies. We found that contaminations are pervasive and can introduce large biases in variant analysis. We showed that these biases can translate in hundreds of false positive and negative SNPs, even for samples with slight contaminations. Studies investigating complex biological traits from sequencing data can be completely biased if contaminations are neglected during the bioinformatic analysis. We used both real and simulated data to evaluate and implement reliable, contamination-aware analysis pipelines. Our results urge for the implementation of such pipelines as sequencing technologies consolidate as a precision tool in the research and clinical context.
A massively parallel reporter assay reveals context-dependent activity of homeodomain binding sites in vivo
Authors: Hughes Andrew E.O. , Myers Connie A. , Corbo Joseph C.
Published: August 2018

Cone-rod homeobox (CRX) is a paired-like homeodomain transcription factor (TF) and a master regulator of photoreceptor development in vertebrates. The in vitro DNA binding preferences of CRX have been described in detail, but the degree to which in vitro binding affinity is correlated with in vivo enhancer activity is not known. In addition, paired-class homeodomain TFs can bind DNA cooperatively as both homodimers and heterodimers at inverted TAAT half-sites separated by 2 or 3 nucleotides. This dimeric configuration is thought to mediate target specificity, but whether monomeric and dimeric sites encode distinct levels of activity is not known. Here, we used a massively parallel reporter assay to determine how local sequence context shapes the regulatory activity of CRX binding sites in mouse photoreceptors. We assayed inactivating mutations in more than 1700 TF binding sites and found that dimeric CRX binding sites act as stronger enhancers than monomeric CRX binding sites. Furthermore, the activity of dimeric half-sites is cooperative, dependent on a strict 3-bp spacing, and tuned by the identity of the spacer nucleotides. Saturating single-nucleotide mutagenesis of 195 CRX binding sites showed that, on average, changes in TF binding site affinity are correlated with changes in regulatory activity, but this relationship is obscured when considering mutations across multiplecis-regulatory elements (CREs). Taken together, these results demonstrate that the activity of CRX binding sites is highly dependent on sequence context, providing insight into photoreceptor gene regulation and illustrating functional principles of homeodomain binding sites that may be conserved in other cell types.
Structural basis for light control of cell development revealed by crystal structures of a myxobacterial phytochrome
Authors: Woitowich Nicole C. , Halavaty Andrei S. , Waltz Patricia , Kupitz Christopher , Valera Joseph , Tracy Gregory , Gallagher Kevin D. , Claesson Elin , Nakane Takanori , Pandey Suraj , Nelson Garrett , Tanaka Rie , Nango Eriko , Mizohata Eiichi , Owada Shigeki , Tono Kensure , Joti Yasumasa , Nugent Angela C. , Patel Hardik , Mapara Ayesha , Hopkins James , Duong Phu , Bizhga Dorina , Kovaleva Svetlana E. , St. Peter Rachael , Hernandez Cynthia N. , Ozarowski Wesley B. , Roy-Chowdhuri Shatabdi , Yang Jay-How , Edlund Petra , Takala Heikki , Ihalainen Janne , Brayshaw Jennifer , Norwood Tyler , Poudyal Ishwor , Fromme Petra , Spence John C. H. , Moffat Keith , Westenhoff Sebastian , Schmidt Marius , Stojković Emina A.
Published: August 2018

Phytochromes are red-light photoreceptors that were first characterized in plants, with homologs in photosynthetic and non-photosynthetic bacteria known as bacteriophytochromes (BphPs). Upon absorption of light, BphPs interconvert between two states denoted Pr and Pfr with distinct absorption spectra in the red and far-red. They have recently been engineered as enzymatic photoswitches for fluorescent-marker applications in non-invasive tissue imaging of mammals. This article presents cryo- and room-temperature crystal structures of the unusual phytochrome from the non-photosynthetic myxobacterium Stigmatella aurantiaca (SaBphP1) and reveals its role in the fruiting-body formation of this photomorphogenic bacterium. SaBphP1 lacks a conserved histidine (His) in the chromophore-binding domain that stabilizes the Pr state in the classical BphPs. Instead it contains a threonine (Thr), a feature that is restricted to several myxobacterial phytochromes and is not evolutionarily understood. SaBphP1 structures of the chromophore binding domain (CBD) and the complete photosensory core module (PCM) in wild-type and Thr-to-His mutant forms reveal details of the molecular mechanism of the Pr/Pfr transition associated with the physiological response of this myxobacterium to red light. Specifically, key structural differences in the CBD and PCM between the wild-type and the Thr-to-His mutant involve essential chromophore contacts with proximal amino acids, and point to how the photosignal is transduced through the rest of the protein, impacting the essential enzymatic activity in the photomorphogenic response of this myxobacterium.
Construction and photoluminescence properties of a three-dimensional ZnII coordination network based on naphthalene-1,4-dicarboxylic acid and 1,6-bis(pyridin-3-yl)-1,3,5-hexatriene
Authors: Zhou Qian-Kun , Wang Lin , Xu Yun , Li Ni-Ya
Published: August 2018

In recent years, coordination polymers constructed from multidentate carboxylate and pyridyl ligands have attracted much attention because these ligands can adopt a rich variety of coordination modes and thus lead to the formation of crystalline products with intriguing structures and interesting properties. A new coordination polymer, namely poly[[μ2-1,6-bis(pyridin-3-yl)-1,3,5-hexatriene-κ2
N:N′](μ3-naphthalene-1,4-dicarboxylato-κ4
O
1,O
1′:O
4:O
4′)zinc(II)], [Zn(C12H6O4)(C16H14N2)]
n
, has been prepared by the self-assembly of Zn(NO3)2·6H2O, naphthalene-1,4-dicarboxylic acid (1,4-H2ndc) and 1,6-bis(pyridin-3-yl)-1,3,5-hexatriene (3,3′-bphte) under hydrothermal conditions. The title compound has been structurally characterized by IR spectroscopy, elemental analysis, powder X-ray diffraction and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Each ZnII ion is six-coordinated by four O atoms from three 1,4-ndc2− ligands and by two N atoms from two 3,3′-bphte ligands, forming a distorted octahedral ZnO4N2 coordination geometry. Pairs of ZnII ions are linked by 1,4-ndc2− ligands, leading to the formation of a two-dimensional square lattice (sql) layer extending in the ab plane. In the crystal, adjacent layers are further connected by 3,3′-bphte bridges, generating a three-dimensional architecture. From a topological viewpoint, if each dinuclear zinc unit is considered as a 6-connected node and the 1,4-ndc2− and 3,3′-bphte ligands are regarded as linkers, the structure can be simplified as a unique three-dimensional 6-connected framework with the point symbol 446108. The thermal stability and solid-state photoluminescence properties have also been investigated.
MSMEG_6292, a Mycobacterium smegmatis RNA polymerase secondary channel-binding protein: purification, crystallization and X-ray diffraction analysis
Authors: Joseph Abyson , Nagaraja Valakunja , Natesh Ramanathan
Published: August 2018

The transcriptional activity of RNA polymerase (RNAP) is controlled by a diverse set of regulatory factors. A subset of these regulators modulate the activity of RNAP through its secondary channel. Gre factors reactivate stalled elongation complexes by enhancing the intrinsic cleavage activity of RNAP. In the present study, the protein MSMEG_6292, a Gre-factor homologue from Mycobacterium smegmatis, was expressed heterologously in Escherichia coli and purified using standard chromatographic techniques. The hanging-drop vapour-diffusion crystallization method yielded diffraction-quality crystals. The crystals belonged to the trigonal space group P3121 (or its enantiomorph P3221), with unit-cell parameters a = b = 83.15, c = 107.07 Å, α = β = 90, γ = 120°. The crystals diffracted to better than 3.0 Å resolution. Molecular-replacement attempts did not yield any phasing models; hence, platinum derivatization was carried out with K2PtCl4 and derivative data were collected to 3.4 Å resolution.
Serendipitous crystallization and structure determination of bacterioferritin from Achromobacter
Authors: Dwivedy Abhisek , Jha Bhavya , Singh Khundrakpam Herojit , Ahmad Mohammed , Ashraf Anam , Kumar Deepak , Biswal Bichitra Kumar
Published: August 2018

Bacterioferritins (Bfrs) are ferritin-like molecules with a hollow spherical 24-mer complex design that are unique to bacterial and archaeal species. They play a critical role in storing iron(III) within the complex at concentrations much higher than the feasible solubility limits of iron(III), thus maintaining iron homeostasis within cells. Here, the crystal structure of bacterioferritin from Achromobacter (Ach Bfr) that crystallized serendipitously during a crystallization attempt of an unrelated mycobacterial protein is reported at 1.95 Å resolution. Notably, Fe atoms were bound to the structure along with a porphyrin ring sandwiched between the subunits of a dimer. Furthermore, the dinuclear ferroxidase center of Ach Bfr has only a single iron bound, in contrast to the two Fe atoms in other Bfrs. The structure of Ach Bfr clearly demonstrates the substitution of a glutamate residue, which is involved in the interaction with the second Fe atom, by a threonine and the consequent absence of another Fe atom there. The iron at the dinuclear center has a tetravalent coordination, while a second iron with a hexavalent coordination was found within the porphyrin ring, generating a heme moiety. Achromobacter spp. are known opportunistic pathogens; this structure enhances the current understanding of their iron metabolism and regulation, and importantly will be useful in the design of small-molecule inhibitors against this protein through a structure-guided approach.
Ab initio structure solution of a proteolytic fragment using ARCIMBOLDO
Authors: Abendroth Jan , Sankaran Banumathi , Myler Peter J. , Lorimer Donald D. , Edwards Thomas E.
Published: August 2018

Crystal structure determination requires solving the phase problem. This can be accomplished using ab initio direct methods for small molecules and macromolecules at resolutions higher than 1.2 Å, whereas macromolecular structure determination at lower resolution requires either molecular replacement using a homologous structure or experimental phases using a derivative such as covalent labeling (for example selenomethionine or mercury derivatization) or heavy-atom soaking (for example iodide ions). Here, a case is presented in which crystals were obtained from a 30.8 kDa protein sample and yielded a 1.6 Å resolution data set with a unit cell that could accommodate approximately 8 kDa of protein. Thus, it was unclear what had been crystallized. Molecular replacement with pieces of homologous proteins and attempts at iodide ion soaking failed to yield a solution. The crystals could not be reproduced. Sequence-independent molecular replacement using the structures available in the Protein Data Bank also failed to yield a solution. Ultimately, ab initio structure solution proved successful using the program ARCIMBOLDO, which identified two α-helical elements and yielded interpretable maps. The structure was the C-terminal dimerization domain of the intended target from Mycobacterium smegmatis. This structure is presented as a user-friendly test case in which an unknown protein fragment could be determined using ARCIMBOLDO.
Operational efficiency of plastic producing firms in Iran: a DEA approach
Authors: Ghondaghsaz Nassim , Kordnaeij Asadollah , Delkhah Jalil
Published: August 2018

Purpose

Firms are working in a complex environment in which the updated information increase the pace of precise decision making and reduce the risk of wrong decisions. Therefore, discovering firms’ performance is a major issue. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the efficiency of Iranian plastic producing companies by using data envelopment analysis (DEA). It also discovers various drivers that significantly affect the efficiency of enterprises.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors studied a sample of 17 manufacturing firms to examine the relative efficiency of companies. They, then, evaluated the effects of efficiency drivers and used two methods for these purposes: DEA and bootstrapped Tobit regression model.

Findings

The study has shown that two manufacturing firms out of selected 17 are efficient under the Charnes, Cooper, and Rhodes model. Also, nine out of 17 plastic producing companies are productive under the Banker, Charnes, and Cooper model. The results of Tobit regression shows that only two efficiency drivers out of four have a significant positive influence on the efficiency of plastic producing firms.

Research limitations/implications

Considering one industry and country limits the generalizability of the results provided. Besides, data availability has limited the analysis in some parts, particularly in bootstrapped Tobit regression.

Practical implications

The authors listed this section into benchmarking and strategical management; more importantly, the suggestions for improving the chemical industry and its future evolution are presented.

Originality/value

The paper is classified into two issues: the efficiency of plastic producing firms in Iran and evaluating the reason for inefficiency, apart from internal managerial procedures.
Performance modeling and benchmarking of green supply chain management
Authors: Sahu Atul Kumar , Narang Harendra Kumar , Rajput Mridul Singh , Sahu Nitin Kumar , Sahu Anoop Kumar
Published: August 2018

Purpose

Based on the existing literature in the field of green supply chain management (GSCM), the purpose of this paper is to find essential to conceptualize and develop an efficient appraisement platform for the purpose of benchmarking green alternative in supply chain network.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors explored multiple approaches, i.e. Višekriterijumsko kompromisno rangiranje (VIKOR), simple additive weighting (SAW) and grey relational analysis (GRA) by amalgamating fuzzy sets theory to select the most appropriate alternative for GSCM. The work is supported by triangular fuzzy number sets to choose the green alternative industry among available industries, while dealing with the uncertainty and vagueness in GSCM. A case study is exposed to identify strong and weak indices and to exhibit the feasibility of the proposed work.

Findings

It is requisite by the managers of many firms to identify the strong and weak indices relating their firms. Thus, the authors presented an approach for measuring and appraising the performance of the selected green alternative by determining the strong and weak indices. The presented work illustrates the performance measurement model that identifies comprehensive GSCM practices of the firms. The presented work incorporates green supply chain activities to support environmental sustainability throughout the supply chain.

Research limitations/implications

GSCM is necessary to the firms, as it considers impact onto the environment due to their supply chain activities. The authors build decision support system to facilitate the managers of various firms for modeling green practices in their decision making. The authors attempt to devise a conceptual framework linked with knowledge-based theory.

Originality/value

The authors conceptualized VIKOR, SAW and GRA methodology to rank and benchmark the green performance of distinguish alternative industries among available industries. Additionally, the performance measurement model for the selected significant green alternative is presented for determining the strong and weak indices.
Mimicking behaviour in bulk and block trading of institutional investors in the stock market
Authors: R. Ganesh , G. Naresh , S. Thiyagarajan
Published: August 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the mimicking behaviour of institutional investors in the stock market.

Design/methodology/approach

The study focusses on examining the herding behaviour among institutional investors in the stock market by considering the bulk and block trade on the constituent NIFTY 50 index during the period 2005–2015 using Lakonishok–Schleifer–Vishny (1992) model. The study also aims to find out whether their herding behaviour is intentional or unintentional in nature.

Findings

The findings of the study showed no sign of herding behaviour in the market; out of 50 constituent stocks of NIFTY 50, there was significant herding in 15 stocks, with buy herding in 11 stocks and sell herding in four stocks, and remaining 35 stocks were totally free from herding behaviour. In addition, the results proved that the herding behaviour observed on the stocks is of unintentional in nature.

Research limitations/implications

Present study is limited to the use of constituent stocks of the Benchmarking Index NIFTY 50.

Originality/value

This study is the first attempt to investigate the herding behaviour of institutional investors in the market using bulk and block trade and also to explore their intent in herding behaviour.
Food safety benchmarking between retail outlets in Greece
Authors: Souliotis Andreas , Giazitzi Katerina , Boskou George
Published: August 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop and implement methods for benchmarking the food safety and hygiene between retail outlets at the same time or at the same retail outlets at different times.

Design/methodology/approach

A tailor made questionnaire for the collection of food safety and hygiene remarks was designed to be applied in a large chain of retail outlets. The remarks were classified in the five categories of the Ishikawa model (materials, methods, personnel, equipment and environment). The retail outlets were located all over Greece and the audits were performed in a one-year term. Food safety experts were used as auditors after a six-month training period. The data collected were subject to analysis of the benchmarking scores and to cluster analysis to identify regions with similar food safety profiles.

Findings

Polar charts were used to illustrate the benchmarking scores for each of the five categories of evaluation per auditing period at the retail outlets. Another polar chart illustrates the benchmarking scores for each of the 12 regions of Greece. Cluster analysis demonstrates that some regions, like Ionian Islands and South Aegean, have similar profiles on food safety for the retail outlets.

Originality/value

The developed methodology can be used by retail companies with several outlets or by a group or an association of companies in order to identify problematic sectors and to set priorities while dealing with issues of food safety and hygiene. The work is limited to the Greek outlets but the methodology has potential application to every other country.
Modelling resilience of truckload transportation industry
Authors: Sharma Satyendra Kumar , George Sajeev Abraham
Published: August 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to study the supply chain resilience of Indian truckload transportation industry, in the event of potential disasters that affect the normalcy of their services. This study helped to identify factors affecting the two important dimensions of resilience, namely, resistive capacity and restorative capacity.

Design/methodology/approach

With the help of a comprehensive literature review, the different variables that capture both resistive and restorative capacities were identified. A framework for measurement of resilience was developed and an analytical model using Bayesian belief networks methodology was used to understand the linkages between the variables.

Findings

The results also suggest that at present resilience of the supply chains in Indian trucking firms is very low and there is a need for companies to invest in resources to build both in resistive and restorative capacities to enhance resilience.

Practical implications

The results of the model and the sensitivity analysis performed further helped to understand the major drivers that can enhance resilience of truckload firms.

Originality/value

The major contribution of this paper is to develop a quantitative model for resilience modeling in truckload transportation. This model can be updated when a new data arrives.
An integrated neutrosophic AHP and SWOT method for strategic planning methodology selection
Authors: Basset Mohamed Abdel , Mohamed Mai , Sangaiah Arun Kumar , Jain Vipul
Published: August 2018

Purpose

Strategic planning is an organization’s process of describing its strategy, or direction, and making decisions on allocating its resources to track this strategy. SWOT analysis is one of the most commonly used techniques for strategic planning. SWOT examines the strengths (S) and weaknesses (W) agents of the community together with opportunities (O) and threats (T), for selecting and implementing the best strategy which helps in achieving its goals. The purpose of this paper is to enhance the performance of SWOT analysis regarding the quantitative side of strategies, select the best strategy from different strategies and deal effectively with vague and incompatible information, which occurs usually in actual life.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used the neutrosophic analytic hierarchy process (AHP) incorporated with SWOT analysis.

Findings

By adding the neutrosophic AHP to SWOT analysis, the performance of SWOT analysis is enhanced through determining the quantitative values and dealing with vague and inconsistent information effectively leading to improved decisions.

Research limitations/implications

The developed integrated methodology is validated in a real-life case of Starbucks company. For the case study of Starbucks company, the proposed model helps in determining different strategic plans and, further, ranking these plans effectively, which will help the company to compete with its competitors and develop itself by obtaining a competitive advantage over its competitors in an uncertain business environment.

Practical implications

In the case study of Starbucks company, the proposed model helps to determine the different strategic plans, rank these plans which help the company compete with its competitors, develop itself and grow.

Originality/value

This research is the first to address SWOT analysis with neutrosophic AHP.
Impact of information technology and relational aspect on supply chain collaboration leading to financial performance
Authors: Afshan Nikhat , Chatterjee Srabasti , Chhetri Prerna
Published: August 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of use of information technology (IT) and relational aspect on supply chain collaboration (SCC) in the context of developing country, in this case India. The study has considered two important components of use of IT namely, information sharing and information quality and further investigated their impact on SCC. Two important components of relational aspect, namely, trust and commitment have been considered, as identified from literature review, trust has been considered as an antecedent to commitment and the impact of commitment on SCC has been investigated. The research also investigates the impact of SCC on financial performance of the firm.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on extensive review of SCC literature a research model has been proposed hypothesizing the relationships between information sharing, information quality, trust, commitment, SCC and financial performance. The proposed research model is tested using data from 166 manufacturing firms across India. Structural equation modeling was used to test the hypothesized relationships between constructs.

Findings

The results showed that there is significant positive impact of information sharing and information quality on SCC. Consistent with earlier literature, trust was found to have a significant positive impact on commitment and commitment was found to have significant positive impact on SCC. Further, the findings confirmed the positive relationship between SCC and financial performance of the firm.

Originality/value

This is the first study to the best of our knowledge which has investigated the impact of SSC on financial performance in Indian context. This study has taken into account both use of IT and relational aspect simultaneously and investigated their impact on SCC.
The mediating role of customer related performance outcomes on the relationship between customer integration and firm performance
Authors: Afshan Nikhat , Motwani Jaideep
Published: August 2018

Purpose

Even though supply chain integration (SCI) has been considered as a vital contributor to business performance, the research shows inconsistency in its finding. Accounting for these inconsistencies, researchers (Fabbe-Costes and Jahre, 2007; Van der Vaart and van Donk, 2008) have highlighted the need to relate the level of integration in a single relationship to the performance outcomes of that relationship. The purpose of this paper is to make an effort in this direction and investigate the impact of customer integration (an important dimension of SCI) on customer-related performance outcome (CRPO) and financial performance of the firm.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on an extensive literature review, a research model has been developed hypothesizing the relationships between customer integration, CRPO and financial performance. The research model is then tested using data collected from 214 Indian manufacturing companies. Structural equation modeling was used to test the hypothesized relationship between constructs of interest.

Findings

The result showed that there is no direct effect of customer integration on financial performance instead the relationship is fully mediated through CRPO.

Originality/value

This study conceptualizes and develops scale for the specific performance outcome resulting from a high level of integration between manufacturer and key customers and labels it as CRPOs. It further investigates the mediating role of this immediate performance outcome on the relationship between customer integration and firm performance.
A systematic mapping study on tourism business networks
Authors: Heidari Ali , Yazdani Hamid Reza , Saghafi Fatemeh , Jalilvand Mohammad Reza
Published: August 2018

Purpose

This study aims at characterizing and identifying the existing research on tourism business networks.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conducted a systematic mapping study to identify and analyze related literature. They identified 225 primary studies, dated from 1997-2016, and classified them with respect to research focus, types of research and contribution.

Findings

Seventy four studies were identified and mapped, synthesizing the available evidence on tourism business networks. “Business networks” with 27 articles is the dominant research focus and “Network configuration” with 22 articles is the next dominant one. Regarding the research type, “Solution proposal” is the most frequently used research type. “Interview” and “Case study”, respectively, were the most used research methods. However, “Agent-based modeling”, “Delphi study” and “Non-linear time series analysis” were used less often. “Philosophical paper” was the most common research type between 1997 and 2002, and after that “Solution proposal” was the dominant research paper type. Further, the number of publications has declined between 2012 and 2014.

Originality/value

This mapping study provides the first systematic exploration of the state-of-art on tourism business networks research. The existing body of knowledge is limited to a few high quality studies.
The lack of spiritual perspective of organizations: an exploratory study
Authors: Vasconcelos Anselmo Ferreira
Published: August 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to identify the key features of a non-spiritual organization (NSO) and to show what it is capable of delivering to society.

Design/methodology/approach

This study relies on grounded theory method, given that it allows the researcher to apply flexible guidelines to collect and analyze qualitative data to build theories on the grounds of the data themselves. Therefore, qualitative data are derived from quotations, observations and excerpts from documents. The backdrop of this investigation was the accident caused by a Brazilian miner in the Rio Doce basin after the collapse of the Fundão dam in Bento Rodrigues, Brazil.

Findings

Overall, data revealed a pattern in which five themes emerged naturally, namely, the antecedents, poor corporate values, lack of appropriate management tools, unjustified dynamics and dealing with the consequences. Further, the ethical imperatives of doing right, doing good and doing well may be only discursive elements for great corporations. At first sight, adhering to an NSO frame is a result of a strategic decision.

Research limitations/implications

Taking into account the method that was used, the results cannot be generalized and herein resides the major limitation of this study.

Practical implications

It is very concerning that an acknowledged and awarded company is involved in such an episode. Such evidence prompts us to suspect that many so-called good companies may be deliberately hiding their shadows from society.

Originality/value

To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first empirical work toward untangling the meaning, nuances and contours of an NSO. In doing so, it helps understand the impact of this sort of companies on society and environment.
The IPOET matrix: measuring resource integration
Authors: Sund Kristian Johan , Barnes Stuart , Mattsson Jan
Published: August 2018

Purpose

The recently developed resource orchestration theory studies the processes by which managers handle resources to create competitive advantages. According to this theory, it is the way that resources interact with each other that results in such advantages. Resource integration, i.e. the alignment, or fit between resources, is one important outcome of resource orchestration processes. This paper aims to develop a scale and outline approaches to measuring such resource integration.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a typology of five types of resources derived from value theory, the authors develop a scale for measuring the fit between resource types, i.e. the degree of resource integration. The authors illustrate the method using a case example of an IT company and demonstrate how a variety of statistical methods including hierarchical cluster analysis, structural equation modeling, social network analysis and methods from biostatistics can provide measures of resource integration.

Findings

The authors develop a scale and associated measures that can help scholars systematically measure and identify firms with a high or low level of resource integration capability. This makes it possible to investigate further these companies and reconstruct how they support dynamic capabilities, as well as commonalities across firms with high and low levels of this capability.

Originality/value

Existing studies on resource orchestration have failed to provide us with a reliable measurement instrument that can be used both in cross-sectional work, and in repeated or time-series studies, allowing us to assess the degree to which a wider range of resources in an organization are integrated. The authors develop and demonstrate such an instrument.
Workplace information literacy skills
Authors: Ali Muhammad Yousuf , Richardson Joanna
Published: August 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the level of information literacy (IL) skills competency among university library professionals in Karachi, Pakistan and to address areas of concern.

Design/methodology/approach

An online survey was designed, using Google Forms, to collect data from 77 academic librarians working in 25 universities in Karachi, Pakistan. The questions covered six generic attributes: library systems, information resources, searching techniques, research support, IL and generic/personal attributes.

Findings

The results indicate that the librarians who were surveyed had good IL skills in information searching and locating information resources. However, the average of all survey responses was 54.17 per cent, with 12 of the 24 competencies receiving scores of less than 50 per cent, thus indicating a generally overall low level of IL competency in the workplace.

Research limitations/implications

As the study was limited to universities in Karachi, it would be useful to apply the same methodology to other administrative units within the country. Further research is indicated on the potential impact of gender on aspects such as level of IL skills and motivation to enhance workplace competencies.

Practical implications

The authors have suggested a number of strategies, which would be applicable globally to any university library wishing to improve the IL skills competencies of its staff.

Originality/value

There have been no previous published, non-discipline-specific, research studies on the IL skills competencies of academic librarians in Pakistan.
The influence of crystallographic orientation on wear characteristics during single abrasive diamond grit scratching on sapphire
Authors: Wu Haiyong , Huang Hui , Xu Xipeng
Published: August 2018

Purpose

The wear of an abrasive single-crystal diamond (SCD) grit affects the machining quality of the sapphire wafer. This paper aims to investigate the influence of crystallographic orientation on the wear characteristics of SCD grit scratching on sapphire.

Design/methodology/approach

The wear characteristics of two SCD grits (SCD100 and SCD111) with different crystallographic orientations were systematically investigated. The wear mechanism involved in the scratching process was explored. The wear morphology, scratching forces and friction coefficient during the scratching process were measured and analyzed.

Findings

The experiment results show that the wear progress of the two SCD grits is obviously different. The wear resistance of SCD111 grit is greater than that of SCD100 grit in normal wear stage. However, the SCD100 grit could remove more sapphire material than SCD111 grit. The SCD grits mainly sustain extrusion stress and shear stress during scratching on sapphire. The crystallographic orientation of SCD grits plays a significant role in the wear progress during scratching on sapphire.

Originality/value

The results of the experimental studies could provide a theoretical foundation for improving the fabrication of abrasive diamond tools.
A comparative study of disaster management information systems
Authors: Rafi Muhammad Masood , Aziz Tariq , Lodi Sarosh Hashmat
Published: August 2018

Purpose

Disaster management information systems (DMISs) have been proposed in different parts of the world for effective response to a disaster. The purpose of this paper is to: compare design approaches of these DMISs; examine similarities in the design of databases and communication infrastructure; and draw conclusions. Based on the examination of the studies, future opportunities have been identified and discussed.

Design/methodology/approach

The studies in the available literature on the designs of automated DMISs have been reviewed in the presented paper to identify similarities in design premise, conceptual design and design considerations.

Findings

The examination of the available studies indicates that the research on DMIS has increased significantly in different countries of the world since 2004. Data of baseline information and available resources are required by most of the presented studies, as these data are necessary for effective response to a disaster. The communication infrastructures suggested include local area network, wide area network and satellite communication for better coordination between the responders and different relief agencies at different locations. The connectivity to these networks is possible through Ethernet, Wi-Fi, general packet radio service or satellite.

Research limitations/implications

Although the research on DMIS has increased significantly over the last one decade, the studies are still few in numbers. Similarly, only few of the proposed systems have been developed and tested during a real disaster.

Practical implications

The presented review of available studies provides a holistic view of the proposed DMISs which could be useful to the disaster management authorities.

Originality/value

The paper provides valuable information on the differences in the proposed DMISs. This can help in identifying the gaps for future improvements for increased effectiveness of a DMIS. The future opportunities have also been identified in the presented paper and are discussed.
Stroke communication partner training: a national survey of 122 clinicians on current practice patterns and perceived implementation barriers and facilitators
Authors: Chang Huey Fang , Power Emma , O'Halloran Robyn , Foster Abby
Published: August 2018

Background

Communication partners (CPs) find it challenging to communicate with people with communication disorders post‐stroke. Stroke communication partner training (CPT) can enhance CPs’ ability to support the communication and participation of people post‐stroke. While evidence for the efficacy of aphasia‐based CPT is strong, implementation in healthcare settings is unclear.

Aims

To investigate Australian speech pathologists’ current stroke CPT practices, factors influencing the implementation of CPT and how reported practice compares with the research evidence.

Methods & Procedures

Speech pathologists in Australia who had worked with people post‐stroke were invited to complete a 99‐item online survey. The survey was informed by a comprehensive review of the literature review, the Template for Intervention Description and Replication (TIDieR) intervention taxonomy, and the theoretical domains framework. data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and content analysis.

Outcomes & Results

A total of 122 clinicians were surveyed. Most participants reported providing CPT to treat a range of post‐stroke communication disorders. While 98.3% reported training familiar CPs, only 66.1% reported training unfamiliar CPs. Current stroke CPT practice is characterized by one to two < 1 h sessions of informal face‐to‐face education and skills training. Only 13.3% and 10.0% of participants used evidence‐based published programmes with unfamiliar and familiar CPs respectively. The main barriers included the perceived lack of behavioural regulation, skills, reinforcement, beliefs about consequences, positive social influences and resources. The main facilitators included clinicians’ intentions to provide CPT, perception of CPT as part of their role and perceived compatibility of CPT with clinical practice.

Conclusion & Implications

A significant evidence–practice gap exists. Research exploring the implementation of stroke CPT in healthcare settings, expanding evidence to support CPT for the range of post‐stroke communication disorders, developing freely accessible step‐by‐step CPT programmes that consider restrictions in current practice and providing explicit instructions of CPT best practice are warranted. A supportive workplace culture and freely accessible formal training opportunities are also needed.
Fee‐for‐Service Medicare‐Enrolled Elderly Veterans Are Increasingly Voting with Their Feet to Use More VA and Less Medicare, 2003–2014
Authors: Liu Chuan‐Fen , Batten Adam , Wong Edwin S. , Fihn Stephan D. , Hebert Paul L.
Published: August 2018

Objective

To examine the long‐term reliance on outpatient care at the population (i.e., system) level among fee‐for‐service Medicare‐enrolled elderly veterans in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care system and Medicare from 2003 to 2014.

Data Sources/Study Setting

We analyzed a 5 percent random sample, stratified by facility, age, gender, and race, of Medicare‐enrolled veterans enrolled in a VA primary care panel using VA administrative data and Medicare claims.

Study Design

We performed a repeated cross‐sectional analysis over 48 quarters. VA reliance was defined at the system level as the proportion of total visits (VA + Medicare) that occurred in VA. We examined four visit types and seven high‐volume medical subspecialties. We applied direct standardization adjusting for age, gender, and race using the 2010 population distribution of Medicare‐enrolled veterans.

Principal Findings

Over the 12‐year period, VA provided the vast majority of mental health care. Conversely, veterans received slightly more than half of their primary care and most of their specialty care, surgical care, and seven high‐volume medical subspecialties through Medicare. However, reliance on VA outpatient care steadily increased over time for all categories of care.

Conclusions

Despite the controversies about VA access to care, Medicare‐enrolled veterans, who have a choice of using VA or Medicare providers, appear to increase their use of VA care prior to the Choice Act.