bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sensitive SERS nanotags for use with a hand-held 1064 nm Raman spectrometer
Authors: Kearns Hayleigh , Ali Fatima , Bedics Matthew A. , Shand Neil C. , Faulds Karen , Detty Michael R. , Graham Duncan
Published: July 2017

This is the first report of the use of a hand-held 1064 nm Raman spectrometer combined with red-shifted surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) nanotags to provide an unprecedented performance in the short-wave infrared (SWIR) region. A library consisting of 17 chalcogenopyrylium nanotags produce extraordinary SERS responses with femtomolar detection limits being obtained using the portable instrument. This is well beyond previous SERS detection limits at this far red-shifted wavelength and opens up new options for SERS sensors in the SWIR region of the electromagnetic spectrum (between 950 and 1700 nm).
Evolution of organismal stoichiometry in a long-term experiment withEscherichia coli
Authors: Turner Caroline B. , Wade Brian D. , Meyer Justin R. , Sommerfeld Brooke A. , Lenski Richard E.
Published: July 2017

Organismal stoichiometry refers to the relative proportion of chemical elements in the biomass of organisms, and it can have important effects on ecological interactions from population to ecosystem scales. Although stoichiometry has been studied extensively from an ecological perspective, much less is known about the rates and directions of evolutionary changes in elemental composition. We measured carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus content of 12Escherichia colipopulations that evolved under controlled carbon-limited, serial-transfer conditions for 50 000 generations. The bacteria evolved higher relative nitrogen and phosphorus content, consistent with selection for increased use of the more abundant elements. Total carbon assimilated also increased, indicating more efficient use of the limiting element. We also measured stoichiometry in one population repeatedly through time. Stoichiometry changed more rapidly in early generations than later on, similar to the trajectory seen for competitive fitness. Altogether, our study shows that stoichiometry evolved over long time periods, and that it did so in a predictable direction, given the carbon-limited environment.
Gyro-elastic beams for the vibration reduction of long flexural systems
Authors: Carta G. , Jones I. S. , Movchan N. V. , Movchan A. B. , Nieves M. J.
Published: July 2017

The paper presents a model of a chiral multi-structure incorporating gyro-elastic beams. Floquet–Bloch waves in periodic chiral systems are investigated in detail, with the emphasis on localization and the formation of standing waves. It is found that gyricity leads to low-frequency standing modes and generation of stop-bands. A design of an earthquake protection system is offered here, as an interesting application of vibration isolation. Theoretical results are accompanied by numerical simulations in the time-harmonic regime.
Early evolution of radial glial cells in Bilateria
Authors: Helm Conrad , Karl Anett , Beckers Patrick , Kaul-Strehlow Sabrina , Ulbricht Elke , Kourtesis Ioannis , Kuhrt Heidrun , Hausen Harald , Bartolomaeus Thomas , Reichenbach Andreas , Bleidorn Christoph
Published: July 2017

Bilaterians usually possess a central nervous system, composed of neurons and supportive cells called glial cells. Whereas neuronal cells are highly comparable in all these animals, glial cells apparently differ, and in deuterostomes, radial glial cells are found. These particular secretory glial cells may represent the archetype of all (macro) glial cells and have not been reported from protostomes so far. This has caused controversial discussions of whether glial cells represent a homologous bilaterian characteristic or whether they (and thus, centralized nervous systems) evolved convergently in the two main clades of bilaterians. By using histology, transmission electron microscopy, immunolabelling and whole-mountin situhybridization, we show here that protostomes also possess radial glia-like cells, which are very likely to be homologous to those of deuterostomes. Moreover, our antibody staining indicates that the secretory character of radial glial cells is maintained throughout their various evolutionary adaptations. This implies an early evolution of radial glial cells in the last common ancestor of Protostomia and Deuterostomia. Furthermore, it suggests that an intraepidermal nervous system—composed of sensory cells, neurons and radial glial cells—was probably the plesiomorphic condition in the bilaterian ancestor.
Hydrothermal vent fields discovered in the southern Gulf of California clarify role of habitat in augmenting regional diversity
Authors: Goffredi Shana K. , Johnson Shannon , Tunnicliffe Verena , Caress David , Clague David , Escobar Elva , Lundsten Lonny , Paduan Jennifer B. , Rouse Greg , Salcedo Diana L. , Soto Luis A. , Spelz-Madero Ronald , Zierenberg Robert , Vrijenhoek Robert
Published: July 2017

Hydrothermal vent communities are distributed along mid-ocean spreading ridges as isolated patches. While distance is a key factor influencing connectivity among sites, habitat characteristics are also critical. The Pescadero Basin (PB) and Alarcón Rise (AR) vent fields, recently discovered in the southern Gulf of California, are bounded by previously known vent localities (e.g. Guaymas Basin and 21° N East Pacific Rise); yet, the newly discovered vents differ markedly in substrata and vent fluid attributes. Out of 116 macrofaunal species observed or collected, only three species are shared among all four vent fields, while 73 occur at only one locality. Foundation species at basalt-hosted sulfide chimneys on the AR differ from the functional equivalents inhabiting sediment-hosted carbonate chimneys in the PB, only 75 km away. The dominant species of symbiont-hosting tubeworms and clams, and peripheral suspension-feeding taxa, differ between the sites. Notably, the PB vents host a limited and specialized fauna in which 17 of 26 species are unknown at other regional vents and many are new species. Rare sightings and captured larvae of the ‘missing’ species revealed that dispersal limitation is not responsible for differences in community composition at the neighbouring vent localities. Instead, larval recruitment-limiting habitat suitability probably favours species differentially. As scenarios develop to design conservation strategies around mining of seafloor sulfide deposits, these results illustrate that models encompassing habitat characteristics are needed to predict metacommunity structure.
Distinct spinning patterns gain differentiated loading tolerance of silk thread anchorages in spiders with different ecology
Authors: Wolff Jonas O. , van der Meijden Arie , Herberstein Marie E.
Published: July 2017

Building behaviour in animals extends biological functions beyond bodies. Many studies have emphasized the role of behavioural programmes, physiology and extrinsic factors for the structure and function of buildings. Structure attachments associated with animal constructions offer yet unrealized research opportunities. Spiders build a variety of one- to three-dimensional structures from silk fibres. The evolution of economic web shapes as a key for ecological success in spiders has been related to the emergence of high performance silks and thread coating glues. However, the role of thread anchorages has been widely neglected in those models. Here, we show that orb-web (Araneidae) and hunting spiders (Sparassidae) use different silk application patterns that determine the structure and robustness of the joint in silk thread anchorages. Silk anchorages of orb-web spiders show a greater robustness against different loading situations, whereas the silk anchorages of hunting spiders have their highest pull-off resistance when loaded parallel to the substrate along the direction of dragline spinning. This suggests that the behavioural ‘printing' of silk into attachment discs along with spinneret morphology was a prerequisite for the evolution of extended silk use in a three-dimensional space. This highlights the ecological role of attachments in the evolution of animal architectures.
Grasshopper mice employ distinct vocal production mechanisms in different social contexts
Authors: Pasch Bret , Tokuda Isao T. , Riede Tobias
Published: July 2017

Functional changes in vocal organ morphology and motor control facilitate the evolution of acoustic signal diversity. Although many rodents produce vocalizations in a variety of social contexts, few studies have explored the underlying production mechanisms. Here, we describe mechanisms of audible and ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) produced by grasshopper mice (genusOnychomys). Grasshopper mice are predatory rodents of the desert that produce both loud, long-distance advertisement calls and USVs in close-distance mating contexts. Using live-animal recording in normal air and heliox, laryngeal and vocal tract morphological investigations, and biomechanical modelling, we found that grasshopper mice employ two distinct vocal production mechanisms. In heliox, changes in higher-harmonic amplitudes of long-distance calls indicate an airflow-induced tissue vibration mechanism, whereas changes in fundamental frequency of USVs support a whistle mechanism. Vocal membranes and a thin lamina propria aid in the production of long-distance calls by increasing glottal efficiency and permitting high frequencies, respectively. In addition, tuning of fundamental frequency to the second resonance of a bell-shaped vocal tract increases call amplitude. Our findings indicate that grasshopper mice can dynamically adjust motor control to suit the social context and have novel morphological adaptations that facilitate long-distance communication.
Innovative assembly strategy contributes to the understanding of evolution and conservation genetics of the critically endangeredSolenodon paradoxusfrom the island of Hispaniola
Authors: Grigorev Kirill , Kliver Sergey , Dobrynin Pavel , Komissarov Aleksey , Wolfsberger Walter , Krasheninnikova Ksenia , Afanador-Hernández Yashira M. , Paulino Liz A. , Carreras Rosanna , Rodríguez Luis E. , Núñez Adrell , Silva Filipe , Hernández-Martich J. David , Majeske Audrey J. , Antunes Agostinho , Roca Alfred L. , O’Brien Stephen J. , Martinez-Cruzado Juan Carlos , Oleksyk Taras K.
Published: July 2017

Solenodons are insectivores living on the Caribbean islands, with few surviving related taxa. The genus occupies one of the most ancient branches among the placental mammals. The history, unique biology and adaptations of these enigmatic venomous species, can be greatly advanced given the availability of genome data, but the whole genome assembly for solenodons has never been previously performed, partially due to the difficulty in obtaining samples from the field. Island isolation has likely resulted in extreme homozygosity within the Hispaniolan solenodon (Solenodon paradoxus), thus we tested the performance of several assembly strategies for performance with genetically impoverished species’ genomes. The string-graph based assembly strategy seems a better choice compared to the conventional de Brujn graph approach, due to the high levels of homozygosity, which is often a hallmark of endemic or endangered species. A consensus reference genome was assembled from sequences of five individuals from the southern subspecies (S. p. woodi). In addition, we obtained one additional sequence of the northern subspecies (S. p. paradoxus). The resulting genome assemblies were compared to each other, and annotated for genes, with a specific emphasis on the venomous genes, repeats, variable microsatellite loci and other genomic variants. Phylogenetic positioning and selection signatures were inferred based on 4,416 single copy orthologs from 10 other mammals. Patterns of SNP variation allowed us to infer population demography, which indicated a subspecies split within the Hispaniolan solenodon at least 300 Kya.
Atrazine and amphibians: Data re-analysis and a summary of the controversy
Authors: Rohr Jason R.
Published: July 2017

The herbicide atrazine is one of the most commonly used, well studied, and controversial pesticides on the planet. Much of the controversy involves the effects of atrazine on wildlife, particularly amphibians and their non-infectious and infectious diseases, including diseases caused by trematode infections. Here I re-analyze data from authors that were funded by Syngenta Crop Protection, Inc., the company that produces atrazine, and show that even these authors revealed that increasing concentrations of atrazine applied to outdoor mesocosms increases the population growth rate of snails that can transmit trematode parasites to amphibians. These researchers missed this finding in their data because they never calculated population growth rates for the snail populations before they reached a carrying capacity or crashed. These results demonstrate that both Syngenta-funded and non-Syngenta-funded researchers have provided evidence that ecologically relevant concentrations of atrazine are capable of increasing snail populations. Given the controversy surrounding the effects of atrazine on amphibians, I follow this re-analysis with a timeline of some of the most salient events in the history of the atrazine-amphibian controversy.
A functional connectome phenotyping dataset including cognitive state and personality measures
Authors: Mendes Natacha , Oligschläger Sabine , Lauckner Mark E. , Golchert Johannes , Huntenburg Julia M. , Falkiewicz Marcel , Ellamil Melissa , Krause Sarah , Baczkowski Blazej M. , Cozatl Roberto , Osoianu Anastasia , Kumral Deniz , Pool Jared , Golz Laura , Dreyer Maria , Haueis Philipp , Jost Rebecca , Kramarenko Yelyzaveta , Engen Haakon , Ohrnberger Katharina , Gorgolewski Krzysztof J. , Farrugia Nicolas , Babayan Anahit , Reiter Andrea , Schaare H. Lina , Reinelt Janis , Röbbig Josefin , Uhlig Marie , Erbey Miray , Gaebler Michael , Smallwood Jonathan , Villringer Arno , Margulies Daniel S.
Published: July 2017

The dataset enables exploration of higher-order cognitive faculties, self-generated mental experience, and personality features in relation to the intrinsic functional architecture of the brain. We provide multimodal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data and a broad set of state and trait phenotypic assessments: mind-wandering, personality traits, and cognitive abilities. Specifically, 194 healthy participants (between 20 and 75 years of age) filled out 31 questionnaires, performed 7 tasks, and reported 4 probes of in-scanner mind-wandering. The scanning session included four 15.5-min resting-state functional MRI runs using a multiband EPI sequence and a high-resolution structural scan using a 3D MP2RAGE sequence. This dataset constitutes one part of the MPI-Leipzig Mind-Brain-Body database.
Thermal mismatches explain how climate change and infectious disease drove widespread amphibian extinctions
Authors: Cohen Jeremy M. , Civitello David J. , Venesky Matthew D. , McMahon Taegan A. , Rohr Jason R.
Published: July 2017

Global temperatures and infectious disease outbreaks are simultaneously increasing, but linking climate change and infectious disease to modern extinctions remains difficult. Thethermal mismatch hypothesispredicts that hosts should be vulnerable to disease at temperatures where the performance gap between themselves and parasites is greatest. This framework could be used to identify species at risk from a combination of climate change and disease because it suggests that extinctions should occur when climatic conditions shift from historical baselines. We conducted laboratory experiments and analyses of recent extinctions in the amphibian genusAtelopusto show that species from the coldest environments experienced the greatest disease susceptibility and extinction risk when temperatures rapidly warmed, confirming predictions of thethermal mismatch hypothesis. Our work provides evidence that a modern mass extinction was likely driven by an interaction between climate change and infectious disease.
Isolation and characterization of BpL1, a broad acting lytic bacteriophage against Brucella
Authors: Gupta Vimlesh , Saxena Hari Mohan
Published: July 2017

We have isolated a new broad acting lytic brucellaphage (BpL1) from the sewage of a dairy farm. The phage lysed all the 12Brucella abortusfield isolates,B. abortusstrain 99 andBrucella melitensisbut did not lyse any of the heterologous species tested viz.Staphylococcus aureus, Pasteurella multocida, Escherichia coli,andSalmonella species. Streaking the plaques onBrucellalawn gave clear zones along the streak lines. The plaques were circular with a diameter of 0.5- 3.0 mm. At a concentration of 10−4the phage count was 4.5 × 106plaques per ml. It was a tailed phage with icosahedral head (62.2 nm in diameter and 73.71 nm in length), and the head to tail length was 229.21 nm. The phage belonged to the order Caudovirales and familySiphoviridae. It was inactivated within one hour at 55°C and within 4 hours at −20°C. Treatment at pH 2 for 4 hours and at pH 4 for 12 hours inactivated it. It was inactivated after 4 hours exposure to sunlight, and within 4 minutes by UV light. Chloroform and Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate inactivated it within 15 minutes. Lysozyme inactivated it within 1 hour whereas RNase treatment did not affect its activity.
Juxtacap Nucleotide Sequence Modulates eIF4E Binding and Translation
Authors: Keys Heather R. , Sabatini David M.
Published: July 2017

mRNA translation is an energetically costly activity required for almost all biological processes. The multiprotein complex eIF4F, which bridges the 5’ cap and the polyA tail through eIF4E and eIF4G, respectively, is necessary for efficient translation initiation of most mRNAs and is an important target of translational control. Previous work suggests that cap-proximal nucleotides can modulate eIF4E binding to mRNAs, but the effect of specific cap-proximal nucleotide sequences on eIF4E recruitment and the ultimate consequences for translation remain unknown. Using RNA Bind-n-Seq on a model 5’ UTR, we systematically identify eIF4E-intrinsic cap-proximal nucleotide binding preferences. mRNAs with highly-bound motifs are translated well in a cell-free system, whereas those with low-eIF4E-binding motifs are not. However, eIF4E juxtacap motif preferences do not dictate the ribosome occupancy of endogenous mRNAs in cells, suggesting that the effect of juxtacap sequence on eIF4E binding and translation is mRNA-context-dependent. Accordingly, a single downstream point mutation that disrupts a predicted base pair with a preferred juxtacap nucleotide increases translation. The juxtacap sequence is a previously unappreciated determinant of eIF4E recruitment to mRNAs, and we propose that differences in mRNA 5’ end accessibility defined by the juxtacap sequence are important for establishing translational efficiency.
l1kdeconv: an R package for peak calling analysis with LINCS L1000 data
Authors: Li Zhao , Li Jin , Yu Peng
Published: July 2017

Background

LINCS L1000 is a high-throughput technology that allows gene expression measurement in a large number of assays. However, to fit the measurements of ~ 1000 genes in the ~ 500 color channels of LINCS L1000, every two landmark genes are designed to share a single channel. Thus, a deconvolution step is required to infer the expression values of each gene. Any errors in this step can be propagated adversely to the downstream analyses.

Results

We presented a LINCS L1000 data peak calling R packagel1kdeconvbased on a new outlier detection method and an aggregate Gaussian mixture model (AGMM). Upon the remove of outliers and the borrowing information among similar samples,l1kdeconvshowed more stable and better performance than methods commonly used in LINCS L1000 data deconvolution.

Conclusions

Based on the benchmark using both simulated data and real data, thel1kdeconvpackage achieved more stable results than the commonly used LINCS L1000 data deconvolution methods.

Contact

pengyu.bio@gmail.com
The genetics of the human face: identification of large effect single gene variants
Authors: Crouch Daniel J M , Winney Bruce , Koppen Willem P , Christmas William J , Hutnik Katarzyna , Day Tammy , Meena Devendra , Boumertit Abdelhamid , Hysi Pirro , Nessa Ayrun , Spector Tim D , Kittler Josef , Bodmer Walter F
Published: July 2017

In order to discover specific variants with relatively large effects on the human face we have devised an approach to identifying facial features with high heritability. This is based on using twin data to estimate the additive genetic value of each point on a face, as provided by a 3D camera system. In addition, we have used the ethnic difference between East Asian and European faces as a further source of face genetic variation. We use principal components analysis to provide a fine definition of the surface features of human faces around the eyes and of the profile, and chose upper and lower 10% extremes of the most heritable PCs for looking for genetic associations. Using this strategy for the analysis of 3D images of 1832 unique volunteers from the well characterised People of the British Isles study [1, 2] and 1567 unique twin images from the TwinsUK cohort (www.twinsuk.ac.uk), together with genetic data for 500,000 SNPs, we have identified three specific genetic variants with notable effects on facial profiles and eyes.

Significance statement

The human face is extraordinarily variable and the extreme similarity of the faces of identical twins indicates that most of this variability is genetically determined. This level of genetic variability has probably arisen through natural selection, for example, for recognition of membership of a group or as a consequence of differential mate selection with respect to facial features. We have devised an approach to identifying specific genetic effects on particular facial features. This should enable the understanding, eventually at the molecular level, of the nature of this extraordinary genetic variability, which is such an important feature of our everyday human interactions.

Author Contributions

WFB conceived the project. BW and TD organised collection of PoBI data and KH, DJMC, DM, AB and WFB assisted in data collection. TDS, PH and AN collected TwinsUK data. WPK and WJC conducted image registration analysis under supervision of JK. DJMC analysed registered image data and genetic data under supervision of WFB. WFB and DJMC wrote the manuscript, with WJC and WPK contributing additional technical material. WFB and BW supervised the project.
Changing attitudes toward genetically modified foods in urban China
Authors: Zheng Zhihao , Gao Yang , Zhang Yijing , Henneberry Shida
Published: July 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze changes in consumers’ knowledge and acceptance of genetically modified (GM) foods over the past decade and identifies the determinants in the consumer attitudes toward GM foods in urban China.

Design/methodology/approach

The data used in this study were collected from 952 urban consumers in 2013 in 15 provinces. The ordinal logit model was chosen to identify the determinants in the consumers’ subjective knowledge and acceptance of GM foods.

Findings

Results show that the consumers’ awareness of GM foods, biotech knowledge, and subjective knowledge improved significantly, while the acceptance rate toward GM foods declined considerably from 2002 to 2013. Moreover, the consumers’ subjective knowledge of GM foods had a significantly negative impact on their acceptance rate of GM foods. Finally, the media coverage with the “event of Golden rice in 2012” as a proxy helped consumers in shaping their negative perceptions toward GM foods, suggesting that the media coverage was one of major factors in leading to the low acceptance rate of GM foods in urban China.

Originality/value

The findings of previous studies conducted in the early 2000s might not reflect current Chinese consumer attitudes because the public opinion toward GM foods in modern China has considerably changed. This study thus filled in the void by updating estimates on consumer attitudes toward GM foods and by underlining the factors that have led to the changes in consumer attitudes, using a mass survey covering Chinese urban consumers in 15 provinces in 2013.
Impact of government science and technology policies with a focus on biotechnology research on commercial agricultural innovation in China
Authors: Jin Yanhong , Hu Yahong , Pray Carl , Hu Ruifa
Published: July 2017

Purpose

The Chinese Government has used a number of policies to encourage commercial agribusiness firms to do more innovation. These include public sector agricultural research and development (R&D), public sector biotechnology research and innovation, subsidies for commercial research, encouraging foreign firms to invest in China as minority shareholders in joint ventures, and allowing commercial companies to raise money on the stock market. The purpose of this paper is to assess whether these policies were effective in stimulating innovations by commercial firms in China.

Design/methodology/approach

This study estimates the impact of public biotech research and other policies by employing an econometric model of patenting by commercial firms. It uses a unique data set collected from commercial agribusiness firms for the years 2001, 2004, 2005, and 2006. Addition data were collected from public research institutes and universities and patent data from the Derwent Innovations Index database. It employs four count data models for the empirical analysis.

Findings

This study finds a positive impact of public biotechnology (measured by the number of biotech patents of government research institutes and public universities) on commercial innovation measured by the number of patents granted to the commercial firms. As expected the firm’s research expenditure and having their own R&D center (as opposed to contracting R&D or no R&D investment at all) have a positive and statistically significant effect on the number of patents granted. The impacts of public R&D investment spending have no statistically significant effect on commercial innovation. Multi-national firms and publicly traded firms have fewer patents than their counterparts suggesting that policies to encourage multi-nationals and financing through stock markets had no impact on innovation.

Originality/value

This study is one of the first studies to untangle the relationship between government policies and innovation by commercial agricultural research output and public R&D investment and biotechnology. The main findings suggest that simply increasing research money to public research does not increase commercial innovations, but moving resources to the development patentable biotech does improve commercial research productivity. The results also suggest that policies to increase commercial research will also increase innovation. These could include strengthening the legal framework and institutional resources for public institutes to the protection and enforcement of intellectual properties.
Economic impacts of commercializing insect-resistant GM maize in China
Authors: Xie Wei , Ali Tariq , Cui Qi , Huang Jikun
Published: July 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the potential economic impacts of China’s insect-resistant GM maize and provide new evidence for decision making concerning its commercialization.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses data drawn from the production trials of insect-resistant GM maize and expert interviews to determine the impacts of commercializing GM maize at farm level under three scenarios with varying severity of insect pest attacks in maize production. Economic impacts are simulated using a modified Global Trade Analysis Project model.

Findings

In farm terms, insect-resistant GM maize increases crop yield and reduces both pesticide and labor inputs. In national terms, China can increase its GDP by USD8.6 billion and maize self-sufficiency by about 2 percent given normal insect pest attacks if China commercializes GM maize. Additional beneficiaries include consumers and the livestock industry. Non-maize crops can also benefit from land saving through GM maize commercialization. Chemical is a sector with the decrease in its output because demand for pesticides will fall.

Originality/value

Although China has announced a roadmap for commercializing GM crops for use as feed and in processing after nearly two decades of producing GM cotton, no clear timetable for producing GM maize as feed has been established due to several concerns, including the potential for economic gains from GM maize. This study is the first to assess the economic impacts of commercializing China’s GM maize. The findings should have significant policy implications for the development and commercialization of GM crops in general and GM maize in particular.
Consumer perceptions of online banking in Spain using netnography: a positioning story
Authors: Clemente-Ricolfe Jose-Serafin
Published: July 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to determine the current positioning of online banking in Spain.

Design/methodology/approach

Netnography, a new technique for obtaining information.

Findings

The collection and analysis of 261 valid messages from two online consumer portals enables us to observe the existence of two competitor groups and two types of attributes. On the one hand, consumers perceive online banking as competitors depending on their size; and on the other hand, negative (or positive) aspects are compensated (or accepted) as a result of greater (or lesser) profitability. This means that different forms of value creation are offered with online banking clients.

Originality/value

The methodology used represents an innovative way to determine the positioning of online banking and could be extended to other digital products.
From corner store to superstore: a historical analysis of Sainsbury’s co-evolution
Authors: Aluko Olu , Knight Helen
Published: July 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to explore the conceptualisation of co-evolution using a corporate history research approach. While the application of the co-evolutionary perspective to the organisational-environmental relationships has uncovered significant evidences, little is understood about how the co-evolutionary process occurs over time between organisations and their institutional environment.

Design/methodology/approach

A co-evolutionary corporate history approach in used, as the authors investigated Sainsbury’s historical trajectory, exploring the role specific family members played in the evolution of the firm and the co-evolution of Sainsbury’s with its environment. This research design framework encompasses longitudinal archival analysis which incorporates both external and internal engagement which fostered Sainsbury’s joint evolution.

Findings

The findings from this study clearly suggest that certain organisations can and do co-evolve with their environment. However, organisations need to build legitimate cases for co-evolution to occur. In addition, they need to acquire certain resources that can be used to stimulate changes within their institutional environment.

Originality/value

Through a corporate history archival analysis, this study presents a UK company’s evolutionary narrative. The authors contribute to the growing literature on co-evolution in management studies by presenting a detailed historical narrative and interpretation of Sainsbury’s evolution at different time periods.
From the industrial revolution to Trump
Authors: Gould Anthony M. , Bourk Michael J. , Joullié Jean-Etienne
Published: July 2017

Purpose

This paper takes a long-term view of how the US public and private sectors have been viewed in relation to each other. It notes that since the time of approximately the Nixon Administration, each sector has not been viewed favourably by the public. Over the past 40 years, the private sector has been perceived as being run by the unscrupulous and the public sector by incompetents. The essay argues that Donald Trump was able to exploit these circumstances to win the 2016 election.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper presents a polemic. It relies on archival research and data to create a new view of historical eras in US business history. The object of analysis is the idea of relative legitimacy, the public image of the State vis-a-vis business and business managers.

Findings

Although the paper addresses business history, a novel argument is presented about the 2016 US Presidential election. It is proposed that Trump took advantage of unique historical circumstances; therefore, his win had more to do with the moment than with him personally.

Research limitations/implications

The paper interprets the 2016 Presidential race as the end-point of a 250-year journey. It sets a new agenda, in that previous analyses have mostly viewed the ascendancy of Trump as pertaining to distinctively post-industrial twenty-first-century phenomena.

Social implications

In analysing the 2016 Presidential race, the emphasis is largely removed from issues of personality or partisan politics.

Originality/value

The paper takes a view of the 2016 election which has not hitherto been adopted. It proposes a new concept – relative legitimacy – as having a substantial explanatory value.
Management as an integrating activity
Authors: Damart Sébastien , Adam-Ledunois Sonia
Published: July 2017

Purpose

This research aims to compare the contributions of two authors and practitioners from the 1920s whose work was, to a certain extent, at odds with the dominant scientific management approach of the period.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper, a comparative textual analysis of texts written by Sheldon and Follett in the 1920s has been performed. This technique consists of a hierarchical descendant classification, which we use to uncover the thematic universes that Sheldon and Follett create in characterizing the fundamentals of management activity.

Findings

This comparative textual analysis shows that Follett and Sheldon developed two different ways of relying on a singular fundamental principle of management: integration.

Originality/value

A comparative analysis of Follett and Sheldon’s work has never been attempted. While textual analysis has been used in management research, to the authors’ knowledge, such analyses are rare in research seeking to understand management history.
Reducing the harmful effect of role ambiguity on turnover intentions
Authors: De Clercq Dirk , Belausteguigoitia Imanol
Published: July 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate how employees’ perceptions of role ambiguity might increase their turnover intentions and how this harmful effect might be buffered by employees’ access to relevant individual (innovation propensity), relational (goodwill trust), and organizational (procedural justice) resources. Uncertainty due to unclear role descriptions decreases in the presence of these resources, so employees are less likely to respond to this adverse work situation in the form of enhanced turnover intentions.

Design/methodology/approach

Quantitative data came from a survey of employees of a large organization in the distribution sector.

Findings

Role ambiguity enhances turnover intentions, but this effect diminishes at higher levels of innovation propensity, goodwill trust, and procedural justice.

Research limitations/implications

The findings reveal several contingencies that attenuate the positive effect of role ambiguity on the desire to leave the organization. However, this study relies on the same respondents to assess all the focal variables, and it lacks a direct measure of the mechanisms by which the contingent factors mitigate the relationship between role ambiguity and turnover intentions.

Practical implications

Organizations that fail to provide clear role information to employees can counter the resulting uncertainty with relevant personal, relational, and organizational resources.

Originality/value

This investigation shows how employees’ negative reactions to role ambiguity (turnover intentions) can be mitigated by three uncertainty-reducing resources: personal joy from developing new ideas, the extent to which relationships with colleagues is trustworthy, and perceptions that organizational procedures are fair.
Ex antei-deals, perceived external prestige and turnover intentions
Authors: Guerrero Sylvie , Challiol-Jeanblanc Hélène
Published: July 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to conceptualizeex anteidiosyncratic deals (or i-deals) as a way to foster individual perceptions of a positive employer image by offering customized additional instrumental benefits.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey is led among 182 engineers in demand on a local labor market to test whetherex antei-deals combine to a more global and external perception of a good employer, measured by perceived external prestige (PEP), to explain turnover intentions.

Findings

The results validate all research hypotheses, and show that the moderating effect ofex antei-deals in the PEP-turnover intention relationship is significant during the first years spent in the company.

Originality/value

This research contributes to the literature on employees’ attraction and retention by building bridges between the literatures on employer image and i-deals.
Word frequency and readability: Predicting the text‐level readability with a lexical‐level attribute
Authors: Chen Xiaobin , Meurers Detmar
Published: July 2017

Assessment of text readability is important for assigning texts at the appropriate level to readers at different proficiency levels. The present research approached readability assessment from the lexical perspective of word frequencies derived from corpora assumed to reflect typical language experience. Three studies were conducted to test how the word‐level feature of word frequency can be aggregated to characterise text‐level readability. The results show that an effective use of word frequency for text readability assessment should take a range of characteristics of the distribution of words frequencies into account. For characterizing text readability, taking into account the standard deviation in addition to the mean word frequencies already significantly increases results. The best results are obtained using the mean frequencies of the words in language frequency bands or in bands obtained by agglomerative clustering of the word frequencies in the documents – though a comparison of within‐corpus and cross‐corpus results shows the limited generalizability of using high numbers of fine‐grained frequency bands. Overall, the study advances our understanding of the relationship between word frequency and text readability and provides concrete options for more effectively making use of lexical frequency information in practice.
Primary pulmonary myxoid sarcoma located in interlobar fissure without parenchymal invasion
Authors: Kim Seok , Song Sang Yun , Yun Ju Sik , Choi Yoo Duk , Na Kook Joo
Published: July 2017

Primary pulmonary myxoid sarcoma (PPMS), classified as low to intermediate grade malignant myxoid endobronchial tumor, is rarely reported. Most reported cases occurred in lung parenchyme with an endobronchial component. Herein, we report a case of PPMS in a 29‐year‐old woman that developed in a major fissure of the left lung without parenchymal invasion. Histopathologically, the diagnosis was compatible to PPMS with EWSR1‐CREB1 translocation.
Solar insolation in springtime influences age of onset of bipolar I disorder
Authors: Bauer M. , Glenn T. , Alda M. , Aleksandrovich M. A. , Andreassen O. A. , Angelopoulos E. , Ardau R. , Ayhan Y. , Baethge C. , Bharathram S. R. , Bauer R. , Baune B. T. , Becerra‐Palars C. , Bellivier F. , Belmaker R. H. , Berk M. , Bersudsky Y. , Bicakci Ş. , Birabwa‐Oketcho H. , Bjella T. D. , Bossini L. , Cabrera J. , Cheung E. Y. W. , Del Zompo M. , Dodd S. , Donix M. , Etain B. , Fagiolini A. , Fountoulakis K. N. , Frye M. A. , Gonzalez‐Pinto A. , Gottlieb J. F. , Grof P. , Harima H. , Henry C. , Isometsä E. T. , Janno S. , Kapczinski F. , Kardell M. , Khaldi S. , Kliwicki S. , König B. , Kot T. L. , Krogh R. , Kunz M. , Lafer B. , Landén M. , Larsen E. R. , Lewitzka U. , Licht R. W. , Lopez‐Jaramillo C. , MacQueen G. , Manchia M. , Marsh W. , Martinez‐Cengotitabengoa M. , Melle I. , Meza‐Urzúa F. , Yee Ming M. , Monteith S. , Morken G. , Mosca E. , Munoz R. , Mythri S. V. , Nacef F. , Nadella R. K. , Nery F. G. , Nielsen R. E. , O'Donovan C. , Omrani A. , Osher Y. , Østermark Sørensen H. , Ouali U. , Pica Ruiz Y. , Pilhatsch M. , Pinna M. , da Ponte F. D. R. , Quiroz D. , Ramesar R. , Rasgon N. , Reddy M. S. , Reif A. , Ritter P. , Rybakowski J. K. , Sagduyu K. , Scippa Â. M. , Severus E. , Simhandl C. , Stein D. J. , Strejilevich S. , Subramaniam M. , Sulaiman A. H. , Suominen K. , Tagata H. , Tatebayashi Y. , Tondo L. , Torrent C. , Vaaler A. E. , Veeh J. , Vieta E. , Viswanath B. , Yoldi‐Negrete M. , Zetin M. , Zgueb Y. , Whybrow P. C.
Published: July 2017

Objective

To confirm prior findings that the larger the maximum monthly increase in solar insolation in springtime, the younger the age of onset of bipolar disorder.

Method

Data were collected from 5536 patients at 50 sites in 32 countries on six continents. Onset occurred at 456 locations in 57 countries. Variables included solar insolation, birth‐cohort, family history, polarity of first episode and country physician density.

Results

There was a significant, inverse association between the maximum monthly increase in solar insolation at the onset location, and the age of onset. This effect was reduced in those without a family history of mood disorders and with a first episode of mania rather than depression. The maximum monthly increase occurred in springtime. The youngest birth‐cohort had the youngest age of onset. All prior relationships were confirmed using both the entire sample, and only the youngest birth‐cohort (all estimated coefficients P < 0.001).

Conclusion

A large increase in springtime solar insolation may impact the onset of bipolar disorder, especially with a family history of mood disorders. Recent societal changes that affect light exposure (LED lighting, mobile devices backlit with LEDs) may influence adaptability to a springtime circadian challenge.
Can smallholder farmers adapt to climate variability, and how effective are policy interventions? Agent‐based simulation results for Ethiopia
Authors: Berger Thomas , Troost Christian , Wossen Tesfamicheal , Latynskiy Evgeny , Tesfaye Kindie , Gbegbelegbe Sika
Published: July 2017

Climate variability with unexpected droughts and floods causes serious production losses and worsens food security, especially in Sub‐Saharan Africa. This study applies stochastic bioeconomic modeling to analyze smallholder adaptation to climate and price variability in Ethiopia. It uses the agent‐based simulation package Mathematical Programming‐based Multi‐Agent Systems (MPMAS) to capture nonseparable production and consumption decisions at household level, considering livestock and eucalyptus sales for consumption smoothing, as well as farmer responses to policy interventions. We find the promotion of new maize and wheat varieties to be an effective adaptation option, on average, especially when accompanied by policy interventions such as credit and fertilizer subsidy. We also find that the effectiveness of available adaptation options is quite different across the heterogeneous smallholder population in Ethiopia. This implies that policy assessments based on average farm households may mislead policy makers to adhere to interventions that are beneficial on average albeit ineffective in addressing the particular needs of poor and food insecure farmers.
International research on vegetable improvement in East and Southern Africa: adoption, impact, and returns
Authors: Schreinemachers Pepijn , Sequeros Teresa , Lukumay Philipo Joseph
Published: July 2017

There is a lack of evidence for impact at scale of vegetable research and development, although the importance of vegetables for human nutrition and smallholder incomes is generally understood. We therefore study adoption and impact of improved tomato and African eggplant varieties developed through international agricultural research, released by national agricultural research and extension systems, and supplied to farmers by private seed companies in East and Southern Africa from 1990 to 2014. The study finds that in 2014, varieties developed by the World Vegetable Center accounted for 50% of tomato and 98% of African eggplant commercial seed production in East and Southern Africa. For Tanzania alone, investment in crop improvement generated economic gains of US$ 255 million for tomato and US$ 5 million for African eggplant up to 2014. The internal rate of return is 26% for tomato and 12% for African eggplant, though we project the latter to increase to 26% by 2024 as the variety was released only in 2007. These findings support the view that agricultural policy and investment reoriented towards contemporary nutritional challenges will give high returns to investment.
A Red Blood Cell Model to Estimate the Hemolysis Fingerprint of Cardiovascular Devices
Authors: Toninato Riccardo , Fadda Giuseppe , Susin Francesca Maria
Published: July 2017

One of the most relevant and open issues within cardiovascular prosthetic hemodynamic performance is a realistic quantification of the damage sustained by red blood cells (RBCs). Specifically, the optimal design of bileaflet mechanical heart valves (BMHVs) requires both low shear stresses along the leaflets and short particle resident times. This study approaches RBC damage estimation by developing a numerical model of RBCs and computing the damage sustained by a set of passive RBCs immersed within in vitro flows. The RBC is modeled as an ellipsoidal shell with size dependent on age. Mechanically, a viscous hyper‐elastic model was adopted to compute the stress‐deformation transmitted by the experimental flow field to the RBC layer. The rupture parameters were calibrated using experimental results on real RBCs submitted to Couette flow. Moreover, the integrated hemolysis index (HI) through a BMHV was computed for a set of RBCs injected in a flow field derived from an in vitro study and for multiple RBC passages. The main results are (1) a good capability of the RBC model to replicate in vitro experiments performed with real RBCs, finding realistic rupture parameters; (2) the spatial distribution for the HI, maximal along the leaflet boundary layer and for long resident times; (3) 90% of HI is produced by the less damaging trajectories, which are favored by local flow dynamics; (4) cumulated HI in 8 days is about 0.01% smaller than the clinical warning threshold, the latter being obtained only after a period of time comparable with the RBC lifetime.
Ultrastructure changes in buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) oocytes before and after maturation in vitro with sericin
Authors: Gustina Sri , Hasbi Hasbi , Karja Ni Wayan Kurniani , Setiadi Mohamad Agus , Supriatna Iman
Published: July 2017

The aim of this research was to identify the changes in the cytoplasmic ultrastructure of immature and matured oocytes in buffalo (Bubalus bubalis). Oocytes were matured in vitro in tissue culture medium−199 with and without sericin, and then analyzed by light and transmission electron microscopy. The experiment result showed that the nuclear maturation rate of buffalo oocytes was significantly higher in the presence of sericin (80.6%) than without sericin (68.1%) (P < 0.05). The immature oocytes were characterized by cortical granule clusters in the ooplasm and the absence of perivitelline space (PVS). In contrast, the oocytes matured either with or without sericin showed the formation of PVS, erected microvilli, the migration of cortical granules to the cytoplasmic periphery, and the clear appearance of the mitochondria and vesicle in the oolemma. Interestingly, matured oocytes with sericin have smaller cortical granules than do immature oocytes (P < 0.05). In conclusion, supplementation of 0.05% sericin in the maturation medium can enhance the maturation rate of buffalo oocytes. Several cytoplasmic ultrastructures were relocated and modulated during the in vitro maturation process of buffalo oocytes: PVS development, cortical granules migration to periphery, and mitochondria and vesicles in the cortical region. The ultrastructure was similar between the groups with and without sericin.