bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Properties and unbiased estimation ofF- andD-statistics in samples containing related and inbred individuals
Authors: Mughal Mehreen R. , DeGiorgio Michael
Published: November 2020

The PattersonF- andD-statistics are commonly-used measures for quantifying population relationships and for testing hypotheses about demographic history. These statistics make use of allele frequency information across populations to infer different aspects of population history, such as population structure and introgression events. Inclusion of related or inbred individuals can bias such statistics, which may often lead to the filtering of such individuals. Here we derive statistical properties of theF- andD-statistics, including their biases due to finite sample size or the inclusion of related or inbred individuals, their variances, and their corresponding mean squared errors. Moreover, for those statistics that are biased, we develop unbiased estimators and evaluate the variances of these new quantities. Comparisons of the new unbiased statistics to the originals demonstrates that our newly-derived statistics often have lower error across a wide population parameter space. Furthermore, we apply these unbiased estimators using several global human populations with the inclusion of related individuals to highlight their application on an empirical dataset. Finally, we implement these unbiased estimators in open-source software packagefunbiasedfor easy application by the scientific community.
Mapping the contents of consciousness during musical imagery
Authors: Regev Mor , Halpern Andrea R. , Owen Adrian M. , Patel Aniruddh D. , Zatorre Robert J.
Published: November 2020

Humans can internally represent auditory information without an external stimulus. When imagining music, how similar are unfolding neural representations to those during the original perceived experience? Can rhythmic motion influence the neural representation of music during imagery as during perception? Participants first memorized six one-minute-long instrumental musical pieces with high accuracy. Functional MRI data were collected during: 1) silent imagery of melodies to the beat of a visual metronome; 2) same but while tapping to the beat; and 3) passive listening. During imagery, inter-subject comparison showed that melody-specific temporal response patterns were reinstated in right associative auditory cortices. When tapping accompanied imagery, the melody-specific neural patterns were extended to associative cortices bilaterally. These results indicate that the specific contents of conscious experience are encoded similarly during imagery and perception in the dynamic activity of auditory cortices. Furthermore, rhythmic motion can enhance the reinstatement of neural patterns associated with the experience of complex sounds, in keeping with models of motor to sensory influences in auditory processing.
Unilateral acoustic degradation delays attentional separation of competing speech
Authors: Kraus Frauke , Tune Sarah , Ruhe Anna , Obleser Jonas , Wöstmann Malte
Published: November 2020

Hearing loss is often asymmetric, such that hearing thresholds differ substantially between the two ears. The extreme case of such asymmetric hearing is single-sided deafness. A unilateral cochlear implant (CI) on the more severely impaired ear is an effective treatment to restore hearing. The interactive effects of unilateral acoustic degradation and spatial attention to one sound source in multi-talker situations are at present unclear. Here, we simulated some features of listening with a unilateral CI in young, normal-hearing listeners (N= 22) who were presented with 8-band noise-vocoded speech to one ear and intact speech to the other ear. Neural responses were recorded in the electroencephalogram (EEG) to obtain the spectro-temporal response function (sTRF) to speech. Listeners made more mistakes when answering questions about vocoded (versus intact) attended speech. At the neural level, we asked how unilateral acoustic degradation would impact the attention-induced amplification of tracking target versus distracting speech. Interestingly, unilateral degradation did not per se reduce the attention-induced amplification but instead delayed it in time: Speech encoding accuracy, modelled on the basis of the sTRF, was significantly enhanced for attended versus ignored intact speech at earlier neural response latencies (<~250 ms). This attentional enhancement was not absent but delayed for vocoded speech. These findings suggest that attentional selection of unilateral, degraded speech is feasible, but induces delayed neural separation of competing speech, which might explain listening challenges experienced by unilateral CI users.
The role of alpha-helix on the structure-targeting drug design of amyloidogenic proteins
Authors: Tempra Carmelo , La Rosa Carmelo , Lolicato Fabio
Published: November 2020

The most accredited hypothesis links the toxicity of amyloid proteins to their harmful effects on membrane integrity through the formation of prefibrillar-transient oligomers able to disrupt cell membranes. However, damage mechanisms necessarily assume a first step in which the amyloidogenic protein transfers from the aqueous phase to the membrane hydrophobic core. This determinant step is still poorly understood. However, according to our lipid-chaperon hypothesis, free lipids in solution play a crucial role in facilitating this footfall. Free phospholipid concentration in the aqueous phase acts as a switch between ion channel-like pore and fibril formation, so that high free lipid concentration in solution promotes pore and repress fibril formation. Conversely, low free lipids in the solution favor fibril and repress pore formation. This behavior is due to the formation of stable lipid-protein complexes. Here, we hypothesize that the helix propensity is a fundamental requirement to fulfill the lipid-chaperon model. The alpha-helix region seems to be responsible for the binding with amphiphilic molecules fostering the proposed mechanism. Indeed, our results show the dependency of protein-lipid binding from the helical structure presence. When the helix content is substantially lower than the wild type, the contact probability decreases. Instead, if the helix is broadening, the contact probability increases. Our findings open a new perspective for in silico screening of secondary structure-targeting drugs of amyloidogenic proteins.
Legionella pneumophilaLegC7 effector protein drives aberrant ER:endosome fusion in yeast
Authors: Glueck Nathan K. , O’Brien Kevin M. , Starai Vincent J.
Published: November 2020

Legionella pneumophilais a facultative intracellular bacterial pathogen, causing the severe form of pneumonia known as Legionnaires’ disease.Legionellaactively alters host organelle trafficking through the activities of ‘effector’ proteins secreted via a TypeIVB secretion system, in order to construct the bacteria-laden Legionella-containing vacuole (LCV) and prevent lysosomal degradation. The LCV is derived from membrane derived from host ER, secretory vesicles, and phagosomes, although the precise molecular mechanisms that drive its synthesis remain poorly understood. In an effort to characterize thein vivoactivity of the LegC7/YlfA SNARE-like effector protein fromLegionellain the context of eukaryotic membrane trafficking in yeast, we find that LegC7 interacts with the Emp46p/Emp47p ER-to-Golgi glycoprotein cargo adapter complex, alters ER morphology, and induces aberrant ER:endosome fusion, as measured by visualization of ER cargo degradation, reconstitution of split-GFP proteins, and enhanced oxidation of the ER lumen. LegC7-dependent toxicity, disruption of ER morphology, and ER:endosome fusion events were dependent upon endosomal VPS class C tethering complexes and the endosomal t-SNARE, Pep12p. This work establishes a model in which LegC7 functions to recruit host ER material to the bacterial phagosome during infection by inducing membrane fusion, potentially through interaction with host membrane tethering complexes and/or cargo adapters.
Individual and combined effects of Cannabidiol (CBD) and Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) on striato-cortical connectivity in the human brain
Authors: Wall Matthew B. , Freeman Tom P. , Hindocha Chandni , Demetriou Lysia , Ertl Natalie , Freeman Abigail M. , Jones Augustus PM , Lawn Will , Pope Rebecca , Mokrysz Claire , Solomons Daniel , Statton Ben , Walker Hannah R. , Yamamori Yumeya , Yang Zixu , Yim Jocelyn L.L. , Nutt David J. , Howes Oliver D. , Curran H. Valerie , Bloomfield Michael
Published: November 2020

Cannabidiol (CBD) and Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) are two major constituents of cannabis with contrasting mechanisms of action. THC is the major psychoactive, addiction-promoting, and psychotomimetic compound, while CBD may have somewhat opposite effects. The brain effects of these drugs alone and in combination are poorly understood. In particular the striatum is implicated in the pathophysiology of several psychiatric disorders, but it is unclear how THC and CBD influence striato-cortical connectivity. Across two placebo-controlled, double-blind studies, we examine the effects of THC, CBD, and THC+CBD on the functional connectivity of striatal sub-divisions (associative, limbic, and sensorimotor) using resting-state functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) and seed-based functional connectivity analyses. Study 1 (N=17; inhaled 8mg THC, 8mg THC+10mg CBD, placebo) showed strong disruptive effects of both THC and THC+CBD conditions on connectivity in the associative and sensorimotor networks, but a specific effect of THC in the limbic striatum, which was alleviated in the THC+CBD condition such that it did not differ from placebo. In Study 2 (N=23, oral 600mg CBD, placebo) CBD increased connectivity in the associative network, but relatively minor decreases/disruptions were found in the limbic and sensorimotor. In conclusion, THC strongly disrupts striato-cortical networks, and this effect is selectively mitigated in the limbic striatum when co-administered with CBD. When administered alone, 600mg oral CBD has a more complex effect profile of relative increases and decreases in connectivity. The insula emerges as a key region affected by cannabinoid-induced changes in functional connectivity, with potential implications for understanding cannabis related disorders, and the development of cannabinoid therapeutics.
The Pump-Leak/Donnan ion homeostasis strategies of skeletal muscle fibers and neurons
Authors: Joos Béla , Morris Catherine E
Published: November 2020

Skeletal muscle fibers (SMFs) and neurons are low and high duty-cycle excitable cells constituting exceptionally large and extraordinarily small fractions of vertebrate bodies. The immense ClC-1-based chloride-permeability (PCl) of SMFs has thwarted understanding of their Pump-Leak/Donnan (P-L/D) ion homeostasis. After formally defining P-L/D set-points and feedbacks, we therefore devise a simple yet demonstrably realistic model for SMFs. Hyper-stimulated, it approximates rodent fibers’ ouabain-sensitive ATP-consumption. Size-matched neuron-model/SMF-model comparisons reveal steady-states occupying two ends of an energetics/resilience P-L/D continuum. Excitable neurons’ costly vulnerable process is Pump-Leak dominated. Electrically-reluctant SMFs’ robust low-cost process is Donnan dominated: collaboratively, Donnan effectors and [big PCl] stabilize Vrest, while SMFs’ exquisitely small PNa minimizes ATP-consumption, thus maximizing resilience. “Classic” excitable cell homeostasis ([small PCl][big INaleak]), de rigueur for electrically-agile neurons, is untenable for vertebrates’ (including humans’) major tissue. Vertebrate bodies evolved thanks to syncytially-efficient SMFs using a Donnan dominated ([big PCl][small INaleak]) ion homeostatic strategy.
Donnan dominated ion homeostasis and the longevity of ischemic Na+-loaded dystrophic skeletal muscle
Authors: Morris Catherine E , Wheeler Joshua J , Joos Béla
Published: November 2020

The inherited muscle-wasting disease, Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), renders skeletal muscle fibers (SMFs) Na+-overloaded, ischemic, membrane-damaged, cation-leaky, depolarized, and prone to myogenic firing. DMD fibers nevertheless survive up to 3 decades before succumbing to Ca2+-necrosis. The Ca2+-necrosis is explicable, the longevity is not. Modeling here shows that SMFs’ ion homeostasis strategy, a low-cost resilient Pump-Leak/Donnan feedback process we term “Donnan dominated”, underpins that longevity. Together, SMFs’ huge chloride-permeability and tiny sodium-permeability minimize excitability and pump costs, facilitating the outsized SMF pump-reserve that lets DMD fibers withstand deep ischemia and leaky channels. We illustrate how, as these impairments intensify, patients’ chronic Na+-overload (now non-invasively evident via Na23-MRI) would change. In simulations, prolonged excitation (→physiological Na+-overloading) and/or intense ischemia (→too little Na+-pumping) and accumulated bleb-damage (→too much Na+-leaking) eventually trigger Ca2+-overloading conditions. Our analysis implies an urgent need to identify SMFs’ pivotal small PNa, thereby opening new therapeutic remediation routes.
mTORC1 activity is supported by spatial association with focal adhesions
Authors: Rabanal-Ruiz Yoana , Byron Adam , Wirth Alexander , Madsen Ralitsa , Sedlackova Lucia , Hewitt Graeme , Nelson Glyn , Stingele Julian , Wills Jimi C. , Zhang Tong , Zeug André , Fässler Reinhard , Vanhaesebroeck Bart , Maddocks Oliver D.K. , Ponimaskin Evgeni , Carroll Bernadette , Korolchuk Viktor I.
Published: November 2020

The mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) integrates mitogenic and stress signals to control growth and metabolism. Activation of mTORC1 by amino acids and growth factors involves recruitment of the complex to the lysosomal membrane and is further supported by lysosome distribution to the cell periphery1–4. Here we show that translocation of lysosomes towards the cell periphery brings mTORC1 into proximity with focal adhesions (FAs). We demonstrate that FAs constitute discrete plasma membrane hubs mediating growth factor signaling and amino acid input into the cell. FAs, as well as the translocation of lysosome-bound mTORC1 to their vicinity, are necessary for both peripheral and intracellular mTORC1 activity. Conversely, lysosomal distribution to the cell periphery is dispensable for the activation of mTORC1 constitutively targeted to FAs. This study advances our understanding of spatial mTORC1 regulation by demonstrating that the localization of mTORC1 to FAs is both necessary and sufficient for its activation by growth-promoting stimuli.
A multi-modal machine learning approach towards predicting patient readmission
Authors: Mohanty Somya D. , Lekan Deborah , McCoy Thomas P. , Jenkins Marjorie , Manda Prashanti
Published: November 2020

Healthcare costs that can be attributed to unplanned readmissions are staggeringly high and negatively impact health and wellness of patients. In the United States, hospital systems and care providers have strong financial motivations to reduce readmissions in accordance with several government guidelines. One of the critical steps to reducing readmissions is to recognize the factors that lead to readmission and correspondingly identify at-risk patients based on these factors. The availability of large volumes of electronic health care records make it possible to develop and deploy automated machine learning models that can predict unplanned readmissions and pinpoint the most important factors of readmission risk. While hospital readmission is an undesirable outcome for any patient, it is more so for medically frail patients. Here, we develop and compare four machine learning models (Random Forest, XGBoost, CatBoost, and Logistic Regression) for predicting 30-day unplanned readmission for patients deemed frail (Age ≥ 50). Variables that indicate frailty, comorbidities, high risk medication use, demographic, hospital and insurance were incorporated in the models for prediction of unplanned 30-day readmission. Our findings indicate that CatBoost outperforms the other three models (AUC 0.80) and prior work in this area. We find that constructs of frailty, certain categories of high risk medications, and comorbidity are all strong predictors of readmission for elderly patients.
ATP signaling in the integrative neural center ofAplysia californica
Authors: Györi János , Kohn Andrea B. , Romanova Daria Y. , Moroz Leonid L.
Published: November 2020

ATP and its ionotropic P2X receptors are components of one of the most ancient signaling systems. However, little is known about the distribution and function of purinergic transmission in invertebrates. Here, we cloned, expressed, and pharmacologically characterized P2X receptors in the sea slugAplysia californica– the prominent model in cellular and system neuroscience. These functional P2X receptors were successfully expressed inXenopusoocytes and displayed activation by ATP (EC50=306 μM) with two-phased kinetics as well as Na+-dependence. The ATP analog, Bz-ATP, was a less effective agonist (~20%) than ATP, and PPADS was a more potent inhibitor of the P2X receptors than the suramin. We showed that P2X receptors are uniquely expressed withinAplysia’s cerebral bioenergetic center (also known as F-cluster). Using RNA-seq, we found that the F-cluster contains more than a dozen unique secretory peptides, including three insulins, interleukins, and potential toxins, as well as ecdysone-type receptors and a district subset of ion channels. This structure is one of the most prominent integrative centers in the entire CNS and remarkably different from the morphologically similar neurosecretory center (bag cluster) involved in egg-laying behavior. Using RNA-seq, we also characterized the expression of P2X receptors across more than a dozenAplysiaperipheral tissues and developmental stages. We showed that P2X receptors are predominantly expressed in chemosensory structures and during early cleavage stages. The localization and pharmacology of P2X receptors inAplysiahighlight the evolutionary conservation of bioenergetic sensors and chemosensory purinergic transmission across animals. This study also provides a foundation to decipher homeostatic mechanisms in development and neuroendocrine systems.

Graphical Abstract

We show that ATP and its ligand-gated P2X receptors are essential signaling components within both the chemosensory systems and the unique integrative neurosecretory center, present in the CNS of the sea slugAplysia– a prominent model in neuroscience. Expression and pharmacology of P2X receptors inAplysiaconfirms the preservation of evolutionary conserved bioenergetic sensors across animals and provide new tools to decipher homeostatic mechanisms in neuro-endocrine systems in general.
Oxytocin receptors in the nucleus accumbens shell are necessary for the onset of maternal behavior in post-parturient mice
Authors: Witchey Shannah , Caldwell Heather K.
Published: November 2020

Oxytocin (Oxt) signaling via its receptor, the Oxt receptor (Oxtr), is important to the onset of mammalian maternal care. Specifically, evidence suggests that Oxt signaling around the time of parturition underlies the critical shift in how pups are perceived, i.e. from aversive stimuli to rewarding stimuli. Previous work from our lab has found that both Oxtr knockout (−/−) mice and forebrain-specific Oxtr knockout (FB/FB) are more likely than controls to abandon their first litters. Based on these data, we hypothesized that this observed pup abandonment phenotype was due to a failure of the brain to “switch” to a more maternal state. In order to identify where in the brain Oxt signaling contributes to the onset of maternal care we performed three experiments. In Experiment 1, virgin Oxtr FB/FB females were assessed for genotypic differences in maternal behavior and c-Fos expression following maternal sensitization was quantified. In Experiment 2, c-Fos expression was quantified in Oxtr −/− and Oxtr FB/FB females following parturition. In Experiment 3, based on our findings from Experiment 2, the Oxtr in the nucleus accumbens shell (NAcc) was genetically deleted in female Oxtr floxed mice (Oxtr Flox/Flox) mice using a Cre recombinase expressing adeno-associated virus. In Experiment 1, sensitized virgin Oxtr FB/FB females had significantly lower retrieval latencies on the first day of testing and reduced c-Fos expression in the dorsal lateral septum compared to controls. In Experiment 2, increased c-Fos expression was observed in the NAcc shell of both Oxtr −/− and Oxtr FB/FB dams as compared to controls. In Experiment 3, virally mediated knockout of the Oxtr in the NAcc shell completely disrupted the onset of maternal care. Thus, by genetically deleting Oxtr expression in the NAcc the pup abandonment phenotype previously observed in Oxtr −/− and Oxtr FB/FB dams was recreated. Taken together, these data suggest that in post-parturient mice, Oxtr expression in the NAcc shell is critical to the onset of maternal behavior.
A single bacterial sulfatase is required for metabolism of colonic mucinO-glycans and intestinal colonization by a symbiotic human gut bacterium
Authors: Luis Ana S. , Jin Chunsheng , Pereira Gabriel Vasconcelos , Glowacki Robert W. P. , Gugel Sadie , Singh Shaleni , Byrne Dominic P. , Pudlo Nicholas , London James A , Baslé Arnaud , Reihill Mark , Oscarson Stefan , Eyers Patrick A. , Mirjam Czjzek , Michel Gurvan , Barbeyron Tristan , Yates Edwin A , Hansson Gunnar C. , Karlsson Niclas G. , Cartmell Alan , Martens Eric C.
Published: November 2020

Humans have co-evolved with a dense community of microbial symbionts that inhabit the lower intestine. In the colon, secreted mucus creates a physical barrier that separates these microbes from the intestinal epithelium. Some gut bacteria are able to utilize mucin glycoproteins, the main mucus component, as a nutrient source. However, it remains unclear which bacterial enzymes initiate the degradation of the highly complexO-glycans found in mucins. In the colon, these glycans are heavily sulfated, but the specific sulfatases that are active on colonic mucins have not been identified. Here, we show that sulfatases are essential to the utilization of colonic mucinO-glycans by the human gut symbiontBacteroides thetaiotaomicron. We have characterized the activity of 12 different sulfatases encoded by this species, showing that these enzymes collectively are active on all of the known sulfate linkages in colonicO-glycans. Crystal structures of 3 enzymes provide mechanistic insight into the molecular basis of substrate-specificity. Unexpectedly, we found that a single sulfatase is essential for utilization of sulfatedO-glycansin vitroand also plays a major rolein vivo. Our results provide insight into the mechanisms of mucin degradation by gut bacteria, an important process for both normal microbial gut colonization and diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Sulfatase activity is likely to be a keystone step in bacterial mucin degradation and inhibition of these enzymes may therefore represent a viable therapeutic path for treatment of IBD and other diseases.
Host-associated rhizobia fitness: Dependence on nitrogen, density, community complexity, and legume genotype
Authors: Burghardt Liana T. , Epstein Brendan , Hoge Michelle , Trujillo Diana , Tiffin Peter
Published: November 2020

The environmental context of the nitrogen-fixing mutualism between leguminous plants and rhizobial bacteria varies over space and time. Variation in resource availability, population density, and composition likely affect the ecology and evolution of rhizobia and their symbiotic interactions with hosts. We examined how host genotype, nitrogen addition, rhizobial density, and community complexity affected selection on 68 rhizobia strains in theEnsifer meliloti-Medicago truncatulamutualism. As expected, the host genotype had the most substantial effect on the size, number, and strain composition of root nodules (the symbiotic organ). The understudied environmental variable of rhizobial density had a more significant effect on strain frequency in nodules than the addition of low nitrogen levels. Higher inoculum density resulted in a nodule community that was less diverse and more beneficial but only in the context of the more selective host genotype. Higher density resulted in more diverse and less beneficial nodule communities with the less selective host. Density effects on strain composition deserve additional scrutiny as they can create eco-evolutionary feedback. Lastly, we found that relative strain rankings were stable across increasing community complexity (community complexity (2, 3, 8, or 68 strains). This unexpected result suggests that higher-order interactions between strains are rare in the context of host nodule formation and development. Taken together, our empirical work highlights the importance of developing new theoretical predictions that incorporate density dependence. Further, it has translational relevance for overcoming establishment barriers in bio-inoculants and motivating host breeding programs that maintain beneficial plant-microbe interactions across diverse agro-ecological contexts.

IMPORTANCE

Legume cash, forage, and cover crops establish beneficial associations with rhizobial bacteria who perform biological nitrogen fixation (BNF)—providing Nitrogen (N) fertilizer to plants without the economic and greenhouse gas emission costs of chemical N inputs. Here, for the first time, we examine the relative influence of three environmental factors that vary in agricultural fields on strain relative fitness in nodules when scores rhizobial strains compete. In addition to manipulating Nitrogen, we also use two biotic variables that have rarely been examined: the rhizobial community’s density and complexity. Taken together, our results suggest 1) breeding legume varieties that select beneficial strains despite environmental variation are possible, 2) changes in rhizobial population densities that occur routinely in agricultural fields could drive evolutionary changes in rhizobia populations, and 3) the lack of higher-order interactions between strains will allow the high-throughput assessments of rhizobia winners and losers during plant interactions.
Exploring predictors of working capital management efficiency and their influence on firm performance: an integrated DEA-SEM approach
Authors: Seth Himanshu , Chadha Saurabh , Sharma Satyendra Kumar , Ruparel Namita
Published: November 2020

Purpose

This study develops an integrated approach combining data envelopment analysis (DEA) and structural equation modeling (SEM) for estimating the working capital management (WCM) efficiency and evaluating the effects of diverse exogenous variables on the WCM efficiency and firms' performance.

Design/methodology/approach

DEA is applied for deriving WCM efficiency for 212 Indian manufacturing firms over a period from 2008 to 2019. Also, the effect of human capital (HC), structural capital (SC), cost of external financing (CEF), interest coverage (IC), leverage (LEV), net fixed asset ratio (NFA), asset turnover ratio (ATR) and productivity (PRD) on the WCM efficiency and firms' performance is examined using SEM.

Findings

The average mean efficiency scores ranging from 0.623 to 0.654 highlight the firms operating at around 60% of WCM efficiency only, which is a major concern for Indian manufacturing firms. Further, IC, LEV, NFA, ATR revealed direct effect on the WCM efficiency as well as indirect effect on firms' performance, whereas CEF had only a direct effect on WCM efficiency. HC, SC and PRD had no effects on WCM efficiency and firms' performance.

Practical implications

The findings offer vital insights in guiding policy decisions for Indian manufacturing firms.

Originality/value

This study is the first to identify the endogenous nature of the relationship of HC, SC, CEF, IC altogether with firms' performance, compounded by the WCM efficiency, by applying a comprehensive methodology of DEA and SEM and provides an efficiency performance model for better decision-making.
The simultaneous effect of green ability-motivation-opportunity and transformational leadership in environment management: the mediating role of green culture
Authors: Rizvi Yasmeen Shamsi , Garg Raksha
Published: November 2020

Purpose

Managers and management studies have for long assumed the separation of humans and nature that led to criticisms due to overexploitation of resources. This prompted organizations to adopt effective environmental management strategies. In this context, the specialized literature states that green human resource management (GHRM) and green transformational leadership (GTFL) coupled with Green Culture (GC) is considered a central aspect in improving the organization's environmental performance (EP). Based on this argument, this study has shown how GHRM strategies as studied under the heading – green ability, motivation and opportunity (GAMO) and GTFL can help in improving the EP of organizations. Studies have highlighted culture as an important mediator, we have therefore explored the mediating effect of green culture between GAMO and EP and between GTFL and EP.

Design/methodology/approach

Using ability, motivation, opportunity theory and resource-based view, we have developed a model with GAMO and GTFL as independent variables, GC as a mediator and EP as the dependent variable. Data was collected from 150 top and middle-level managers working in Indian oil and gas companies, which is 50% of the target sample size and has been analysed using structural equation modelling.

Findings

The research identifies that GAMO and GTFL, in fact, positively influence the EP of organizations. Moreover, GC was found to have a partial mediating effect between both GAMO and EP and GTFL and EP.

Research limitations/implications

Due to several constraints, this study is designed to be cross-sectional. Longitudinal study is encouraged in this area. Further, the study is based on oil and gas industry operating in India, going forward the study can be extended to other sectors, to increase the generalizability of the findings.

Practical implications

This study clearly shows that by investing in GHRM strategies, organizations will ultimately improve in green activities to improve see improvement in the firm's EP. The findings of this study that clarifies the importance of GTFL in building suitable culture give evidence to the leaders on why they should play a proactive role in leading employees towards environmental sustainability.

Originality/value

The originality of this study lies in studying the simultaneous effect of GTFL and GAMO for improving the EP. Also, studies on green management literature have mostly missed out on the important role of GC in improving EP which is addressed in this study. The data has been collected from oil and gas industry operating in India, which to the best of our knowledge is the first attempt. Overall this study has contributed to the literature on environmental sustainability by underpinning the empirical relationship between GC, GAMO, GTFL and EP which until now has been mostly limited to the conceptual level.
Alignment patterns for process-oriented appraisals and rewards: using HRM for BPM capability building
Authors: Shafagatova Aygun , Van Looy Amy
Published: November 2020

Purpose

While the business process management (BPM) literature highlights the significance of aligning employee appraisals and rewards practices with business processes, little is known about the realization. The purpose of this paper is to concretize the impact of process-oriented appraisals and rewards on business process performance and to provide empirical evidence on how organizations actually align their appraisals and rewards practices with BPM.

Design/methodology/approach

A mixed-method approach has been employed by combining survey results with case studies to offer first-hand evidence. Survey data have been used to quantify the real impact of process-oriented appraisals and rewards. Next, case studies with 10 organizations have allowed us to gain deeper insight into organizational practices for making appraisals and rewards more process-oriented.

Findings

The survey proves that process-oriented employee appraisals and rewards positively affect performance if different employee levels are involved. The case studies reveal similarities and differences in alignment efforts across organizations, based on pattern-matching and a multidimensional analysis, resulting in four alignment patterns.

Research limitations/implications

The findings extend knowledge about appraisals and rewards within a business process context by providing a quantification and pattern refinement, which specifically advance a BPM-facilitating culture.

Practical implications

Managers and executives benefit from the recommendations for a gradual BPM adoption to improve the success of their business processes and their people-related practices.

Originality/value

The authors offer one of the first in-depth, cross-disciplinary studies that intend to bridge between the disciplines of BPM and human resource management (HRM).
How workplace fun is experienced in the banking sector? A qualitative study
Authors: Mousa Mohamed
Published: November 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate how workplace fun is experienced in two public Egyptian banks by addressing the employees working there.

Design/methodology/approach

To investigate workplace fun in the selected banks, the author employed virtual ethnographic field research by spending two weeks (virtually and full-time) inside each of the two selected public banks. Besides this virtual ethnographic experience, the author employed semi-structured interviews and focus groups with the bank employees. Moreover, the author digitally examined documents such as posters, cartoons, brochures and a WhatsApp group. A total of 188 respondents were contacted and involved in eight semi-structured interviews and 36 focus groups. All interviews and focus groups were conducted in Arabic, the mother tongue of all respondents. The author subsequently used thematic analysis to determine the main ideas in the transcripts.

Findings

The findings confirmed that workplace fun has not been carefully understood, developed and sustained in the selected public Egyptian banks. To the best of the author's knowledge, this study is the first of its kind in the context of a developing nation to focus on workplace fun, and subsequently, it is the first to address the banking sector in one of the leading developing nations in Africa and the Middle-East. Furthermore, based on the analysis of the focus groups and interviews the author created a model of four obstacles: work environment realities, managerial practices, bank-related behaviour and meaning-related obstacles. Managing those four obstacles secures a relevant foundation on which banks can develop and maintain a systematic implementation of workplace fun and humour.

Originality/value

This paper contributes by filling a gap in HR management, in which empirical studies on workplace fun have been limited so far.
What does entrepreneurship education look like in Brazil? An analysis of undergraduate teaching plans
Authors: Cualheta Luciana Padovez , Abbad Gardenia da Silva
Published: November 2020

Purpose

This paper aimed to describe and analyze the contents and methodologies of entrepreneurship education in undergraduate courses in higher education institutions in Brazil.

Design/methodology/approach

The teaching plans of 113 undergraduate entrepreneurship courses were surveyed and reviewed. Data were subjected to descriptive and content analyses.

Findings

Courses are offered by public and private universities in Brazil in 56 undergraduate programs in several fields. Lectures are among the main teaching methodologies employed, being mentioned in 98% of the teaching plans analyzed. There is a broad use of active methodologies. About 75% of the contents covered in the courses refer to declarative knowledge of basic concepts and theories and enterprises creation and management skills. The survey showed that 50% of the teaching plans addressed content related to business modeling, and only 18% of these mentioned the use of business model canvas. In addition, contents such as prototyping, minimum viable product, design thinking and pitch are mentioned in less than 20% of the teaching plans analyzed.

Originality/value

The article contributes to the advancement of the entrepreneurship education theory as it presents a new way to classify the contents of entrepreneurship courses, in light of educational theories, using learning taxonomies. It identifies the main contents, resources, methodologies, evaluation methods and bibliographies used in undergraduate entrepreneurship courses in Brazil. Moreover, it is the very first article that analyzes this number of teaching plans in Brazil with these categories of analysis. In practical terms, the article contributes to improve the entrepreneurship courses offered.
Developing a framework for youth empowerment to prevent smoking behavior in a rural setting: study protocol for a participatory action research
Authors: Trisnowati Heni , Ismail Djauhar , Padmawati Retna Siwi , Utarini Adi
Published: November 2020

Purpose

There is limited research examining community-based youth empowerment that addresses smoking prevention in the rural Indonesian context. This paper describes participatory action research (PAR) applied to develop a framework for empowering youth aged 17–25 years toward smoking prevention. This research conducted in the Indonesian rural community setting was divided into four stages: diagnosing, planning action, taking action and evaluating action.

Design/methodology/approach

PAR was chosen as the approach to developing a framework for youth empowerment in smoking prevention programs. In this study, the PAR cycle started with a prestep stage through interviews with village heads, community leaders, youth organization organizers, observations of target resources and observations of participation in youth activities as well as forming teamwork with target participants. The diagnosis stage consists of three activities, that is, focus group discussions with youth groups of male and female, youth assessment of empowerment domains through the Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) with the Empowerment Assessment Rating Scale (EARS) and measuring individual and group involvement levels related to the smoking behavior prevention program by questionnaire. The EARS assessment results were presented in the action planning stage, followed by a discussion on youth empowerment plans and strategies. In the action stage, activities and programs are planned according to the planning discussion, that is: training in healthy life skills (outbound and training) and initiating youth health programs without smoking called “Remaja Berdaya Sehat Tanpa Rokok” (Empowered Youth Healthy Without Smoking) or the JayaStar Program. After these community participation activities, the evaluating action stage will assess the empowerment domain in the youth groups, conduct focus group discussions with parents, evaluate the impact of empowerment on individual and group changes with a questionnaire and facilitate self-reflection by the youth community called Madiska.

Findings

This protocol describes a doctoral research project on developing a youth empowerment framework in smoking prevention programs through PAR. The intended study will provide valuable information on the planning, implementation and evaluation of youth empowerment in the prevention of smoking behavior.

Originality/value

This research project is expected to contribute to the literature relating to PAR for rural settings and the use of empowerment strategies to prevent youth smoking behavior. The results can be replicated in the same settings, but the process of empowerment must still be adapted to the characteristics and local wisdom of the community.
Objective evaluation of fabric pilling based on image analysis and deep learning algorithm
Authors: Xiao Qi , Wang Rui , Sun Hongyu , Wang Limin
Published: November 2020

Purpose

The paper aims to build a new objective evaluation method of fabric pilling by combining an integrated image analysis technology with a deep learning algorithm.

Design/methodology/approach

Series of image analysis techniques were adopted. First, a Fourier transform transformed images into the frequency domain. The optimal resolution matrix of an exponential high-pass filter was determined by combining the energy algorithm. Second, the multidimensional discrete wavelet transform determined the optimal division level. Third, the iterative threshold method was used to enhance images to obtain a complete and clear pilling ball images. Finally, the deep learning algorithm was adopted to train data from pilling ball images, and the pilling levels were classified according to the learning features.

Findings

The paper provides a new insight about how to objectively evaluate fabric pilling grades. Results of the experiment indicate that the proposed objective evaluation method can obtain clear and complete pilling information and the classification accuracy rate of the deep learning algorithm is 94.2%, whose structures are rectified linear unit (ReLU) activation function, four hidden layers, cross-entropy learning rules and the regularization method.

Research limitations/implications

Because the methodology of the paper is based on woven fabric, the research study’s results may lack generalizability. Therefore, researchers are encouraged to test other kinds of fabric further, such as knitted and unwoven fabrics.

Originality/value

Combined with a series of image analysis technology, the integrated method can effectively extract clear and complete pilling information from pilled fabrics. Pilling grades can be classified by the deep learning algorithm with learning pilling information.
Suitable ranges of ease allowance for appearance of women's shirts of fit and straight styles
Authors: Sakata Yuika , Kim KyoungOk , Takatera Masayuki
Published: November 2020

Purpose

This study investigated changes in appearance due to variations in the amount of ease allowance at the bust, waist and hips with ready-made women's shirts in two different styles. The authors also examined the suitable range for ease allowance with those two styles using a sensory test for evaluating appearance.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors employed two women's shirts (samples I and II) in different styles (fit and straight). The authors modified the size of the bust, waist and hips with a changeable-size dress form using 1-cm intervals. The authors observed the shape changes. With the pictures at 2-cm intervals, the authors conducted a sensory test to evaluate appearance. 20 Japanese university students in their 20s made their assessments using seven items (wrinkles, fit, silhouette, beauty, fashionable impression, comfort and purchase intention) with a five-point scale. The proportion of subjects who scored 1 or more was 40% or greater when using ease allowance in the suitable range.

Findings

The appropriate ranges of ease allowance differed according to the style and evaluation items. Regarding appearance and purchase intention with sample I from the front, the suitable range of ease allowance was 1–7 cm for the bust, 2–6 cm for the hips and 13 cm for the waist. From the side, the range was 0–6 cm for the hips and 7 cm for the bust. With sample II from the front, the suitable range of ease allowance was about 4 cm for all parts. From the side, the range was 11 cm for the bust and 4 cm for the hips.

Originality/value

Using a dress form, the authors determined suitable ranges of ease allowance for two women's shirts in fit and straight styles with seven bust, six waist and six hip sizes. The authors found that the suitable range of ease allowance varied according to the style, direction and parts of the shirt. Our results can act as a guideline for designing and selecting ease allowance for women's shirts, taking into account comfort from appearance, purchase intention and beauty.
Development of gait assistive clothing-typed soft wearable robot for elderly adults
Authors: Koo Sumin Helen , Lee Young Bin , Kim Changhwan , Kim Gibaek , Lee Giuk , Koh Je-Sung
Published: November 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this research was to develop clothing-typed soft wearable robot embedded with textile-based actuators on ankles for elderly adults needing gait assistance.

Design/methodology/approach

Design guidelines were developed and they included function (type, targeting area, routing line and anchor points), design (size/fit, fabric/material, fastener, detail, color) and actuator (shape memory alloy type, size, deformation type, integration material, integration technique and evaluation method). Fabric-based actuator, integration methods to fabrics, routing lines and anchoring points were developed based on the guidelines and evaluated. Then, three long socks types and a pants type were designed and prototyped. Routing line position displacement measurement test was conducted with the prototypes. A survey was conducted to investigate satisfaction, likeness and use intention on the design/prototype to modify the designs.

Findings

Important design factors were identified, and design guidelines for clothing-typed soft wearable robots (SWRs) were developed. People satisfied the developed SWR designs and prototypes with mean scores over 4.60.

Originality/value

The results are expected to be helpful for designers and developers of SWRs in the development process, and they will ultimately be beneficial to members of the elderly population who have gait difficulties.
The emergence of well-being in crowdfunding: a study of entrepreneurs and backers of reward and donation campaigns
Authors: Efrat Kalanit , Gilboa Shaked , Wald Andreas
Published: November 2020

Purpose

The current study explores the emergence of well-being, a fundamental human goal, in the crowdfunding process by investigating entrepreneurs and backers' interactions within reward and donation campaigns.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is based on interviews with 64 entrepreneurs and 50 backers of rewards and donation campaigns.

Findings

The analysis revealed that the crowdfunding experience triggers all three aspects of well-being––hedonic, eudaimonic and social––for both entrepreneurs and backers. These aspects emerged in the course of the campaign's life stages.

Originality/value

The study establishes well-being as a core aspect of entrepreneur–backer interaction and shows how entrepreneurs' well-being feeds back into backers' well-being and vice versa. Furthermore, it illustrates how well-being, in its various aspects, develops during the different stages of the crowdfunding process to facilitate a full well-being experience and a sense of accomplishment for both types of participants.