bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Shared HCV Transmission Networks Among HIV-1–Positive and HIV-1–Negative Men Having Sex With Men by Ultradeep Sequencing
Authors: Nguyen Thuy , Delaugerre Constance , Valantin Marc-Antoine , Amiel Corinne , Netzer Emmanuelle , L'yavanc Thomas , Ohayon Michel , Valin Nadia , Day Nesrine , Kreplak Georges , Pialoux Gilles , Calvez Vincent , Molina Jean-Michel , Marcelin Anne-Geneviève , Todesco Eve
Published: June 2019

Objective:

Several studies reported hepatitis C virus (HCV) transmission networks among men having sex with men (MSM) in Europe and the spread of HCV strains from HIV–HCV coinfected toward HCV monoinfected MSM. We aimed to investigate HCV transmission dynamics among HIV-positive and HIV-negative MSM by ultradeep sequencing (UDS).

Design and Methods:

NS5B fragment (388 bp) was sequenced from virus of 50 HIV-positive and 18 HIV-negative patients diagnosed with recent HCV infection. UDS data were analyzed by Geneious (version 10.3.2). Phylogenetic trees were constructed by FastTree (version 2.1) and submitted to ClusterPicker (version 1.2.3) for transmission chain detection at different thresholds of maximum genetic distance (MGD) (3% for Sanger, 3% and 4.5% for UDS).

Results:

Ten, 17, and 18 HCV transmission chains were identified by Sanger at 3%, UDS at 3% and at 4.5% of MGD, respectively. Of 68 subjects enrolled, 38 (55.9%), 38 (55.9%), and 43 (65.3%) individuals were involved in transmission networks found by Sanger at 3%, UDS at 3%, and at 4.5% of MGD, respectively. Mixed transmission chains including HIV-positive and HIV-negative subjects were detected for 8/10 chains by Sanger at 3%, for 9/17 by UDS at 3%, and for 10/18 by UDS at 4.5% of MGD. Overall, the number of HIV-negative individuals clustering with HIV-positive ones was 9/18 by Sanger, 9/18 by UDS at 3%, and 10/18 by UDS at 4.5% of MGD.

Conclusions:

HIV-positive and HIV-negative MSM shared HCV transmission networks, which emphasizes the need for HCV surveillance and prevention measures in these communities regardless of the HIV status.
Primary familial brain calcifications: genetic and clinical update
Authors: Westenberger Ana , Balck Alexander , Klein Christine
Published: June 2019

Purpose of review

In the last 7 years, changes in five genes [SLC20A2, PDGFRB, PDGFB, XPR1, and MYORG] have been implicated in the pathogenesis of primary familial brain calcification (PFBC), allowing for genetic delineation of this phenotypically complex neurodegenerative disorder. This review explores how the ensuing plethora of reported PFBC patients and their disease-causing variants improved our understanding of disease, pathogenesis, clinical manifestation, and penetrance.

Recent findings

In PFBC patients, pathogenic changes have been most frequently described in SLC20A2, accounting for approximately the same number of patients as the variants in the other four PFBC genes combined. There is no appreciable relationship between any combination of the following three variables: the type of disease-causing change, the pattern or extent of calcifications, and the presence or nature of clinical manifestation in PFBC patients. Nevertheless, elucidation of underlying genetic factors provided important recent insights into the pathogenic mechanisms of PFBC, which collectively point toward a compromised neurovascular unit.

The ongoing clinical and molecular research increases our understanding of PFBC facilitating diagnosis and identifying potential therapeutic targets for this multifaceted and likely underdiagnosed condition.
A nation-wide initiative for brain imaging and clinical phenotype data federation in Swiss university memory centres
Authors: Draganski Bogdan , Kherif Ferath , Damian Daniel , Demonet Jean-Francois
Published: June 2019

Purpose of review

The goal of our nation-wide initiative is to provide clinicians intuitive and robust tools for accurate diagnosis, therapy monitoring and prognosis of cognitive decline that is based on large-scale multidomain data.

Recent findings

We describe a federation framework that allows for statistical analysis of aggregated brain imaging and clinical phenotyping data across memory clinics in Switzerland. The adaptation and deployment of readily available data capturing and federation modules is paralleled by developments in ontology, quality and regulatory control of brain imaging data. Our initiative incentivizes data sharing through the common resource in a way that provides individual researcher with access to large-scale data that surpasses the data acquisition capacity of a single centre. Clinicians benefit from fine-grained epidemiological characterization of own data compared with the rest additional to intuitive tools allowing for computer-based diagnosis of dementia. Finally, our concept aims at closing the loop between group-level results based on aggregate data and individual diagnosis by providing disease models, that is, classifiers for neurocognitive disorders that will enable the computer-based diagnosis of individual patients.

The obtained results will inform recommendations on best clinical practice in all relevant fields focusing on standardization and interoperability of acquired data, privacy protection framework and ethical consideration in the context of evolutive pathology.
Disentangled behavioral representations
Authors: Dezfouli Amir , Ashtiani Hassan , Ghattas Omar , Nock Richard , Dayan Peter , Ong Cheng Soon
Published: June 2019

Individual characteristics in human decision-making are often quantified by fitting a parametric cognitive model to subjects’ behavior and then studying differences between them in the associated parameter space. However, these models often fit behavior more poorly than recurrent neural networks (RNNs), which are more flexible and make fewer assumptions about the underlying decision-making processes. Unfortunately, the parameter and latent activity spaces of RNNs are generally high-dimensional and uninterpretable, making it hard to use them to study individual differences. Here, we show how to benefit from the flexibility of RNNs while representing individual differences in a low-dimensional and interpretable space. To achieve this, we propose a novel end-to-end learning framework in which an encoder is trained to map the behavior of subjects into a low-dimensional latent space. These low-dimensional representations are used to generate the parameters of individual RNNs corresponding to the decision-making process of each subject. We introduce terms into the loss function that ensure that the latent dimensions are informative and disentangled, i.e., encouraged to have distinct effects on behavior. This allows them to align with separate facets of individual differences. We illustrate the performance of our framework on synthetic data as well as a dataset including the behavior of patients with psychiatric disorders.
Highly reliable, targeted photothermal cancer therapy combined with thermal dosimetry using indocyanine green lactosome
Authors: Nomura Shinsuke , Morimoto Yuji , Tsujimoto Hironori , Harada Manabu , Saitoh Daizoh , Hara Isao , Ozeki Eiichi , Satoh Ayano , Takayama Eiji , Hase Kazuo , Kishi Yoji , Ueno Hideki
Published: June 2019

Indocyanine green (ICG) is a near-infrared light-absorbing substance. Thus, when a tumor in which ICG has accumulated is irradiated with a near-infrared (NIR) laser, only the tumor can be heated by a photothermal reaction. We developed ICG lactosome, a novel drug delivery system (DDS) composed of polymeric micelles and ICG that shows selective accumulation in tumor based on an enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect. We showed that ICG lactosome accumulated in a tumor by using an intradermal tumor mouse model of a murine colon cancer cell line (Colon26) transfected with Nano lantern luminescent protein (NLC26). Two days after the administration of ICG lactosome, the tumor was irradiated with an 808-nm diode-laser while monitoring tumor temperature. The results showed that the treated tumors were cured when the peak of tumor temperature during NIR irradiation reached 43°C or higher. To verify these results, photothermal therapy (PTT) using ICG lactosome was carried out using a newly developed system that can control the temperature at the NIR irradiation site at a constant level. All of the tumors that had been kept at 43°C during irradiation were cured, while 2 of 5 tumors that had been kept at 42°C were not cured, and none of tumors that had been kept at a temperature below 41°C were cured. ICG lactosome-assisted PTT combined with thermal dosimetry is a highly reliable method for cancer treatment and may afford further clinical opportunities for PTT.
Choosing what we like vs liking what we choose: How choice-induced preference change might actually be instrumental to decision-making
Authors: Lee Douglas , Daunizeau Jean
Published: June 2019

For more than 60 years, it has been known that people report higher (lower) subjective values for items after having selected (rejected) them during a choice task. This phenomenon is coined “choice-induced preference change” or CIPC, and its established interpretation is that of “cognitive dissonance” theory. In brief, if people feel uneasy about their choice, they later convince themselves, albeit not always consciously, that the chosen (rejected) item was actually better (worse) than they had originally estimated. While this might make sense from a pragmatic psychological standpoint, it is challenging from a theoretical evolutionary perspective. This is because such a cognitive mechanism might yield irrational biases, whose adaptive fitness would be unclear. In this work, we assume that CIPC is mostly driven by the refinement of option value representations that occurs during (and not after) difficult choices. This makes CIPC the epiphenomenal outcome of a cognitive process that is instrumental to the decision. Critically, our hypothesis implies novel predictions about how observed CIPC should relate to two specific meta-cognitive processes, namely: choice confidence and subjective certainty regarding pre-choice value judgments. We test these predictions in a behavioral experiment where participants rate the subjective value of food items both before and after choosing between equally valued items; we augment this traditional design with reports of choice confidence and subjective certainty about value judgments. The results confirm our predictions and provide evidence against the standard post-choice cognitive dissonance reduction explanation. We then discuss the relevance of our work in the context of the existing debate regarding the putative cognitive mechanisms underlying cognitive dissonance reduction.
An ancestral apical brain region contributes to the central complex under the control offoxQ2in the beetleTribolium castaneum
Authors: He Bicheng , Buescher Marita , Farnworth Max Stephen , Strobl Frederic , Stelzer Ernst , Koniszewski Nikolaus Dieter Bernhard , Mühlen Dominik , Bucher Gregor
Published: June 2019

The genetic control of anterior brain development is highly conserved throughout animals. For instance, a conserved anterior gene regulatory network specifies the ancestral neuroendocrine center of animals and the apical organ of marine organisms. However, its contribution to the brain in non-marine animals has remained elusive. Here, we study the function of theTc-foxQ2forkhead transcription factor, a key regulator of the anterior gene regulatory network of insects. We characterized four distinct types ofTc-foxQ2positive neural progenitor cells based on differential co-expression withTc-six3/optix, Tc-six4, Tc-chx/vsx, Tc-nkx2.1/scro, Tc-ey, Tc-rxandTc-fez1. An enhancer trap line built by genome editing markedTc-foxQ2positive neurons, which projected through the primary brain commissure and later through a subset of commissural fascicles. Eventually, they contributed to the central complex. Strikingly, inTc-foxQ2RNAi knock-down embryos the primary brain commissure did not split and subsequent development of midline brain structures stalled. Our work establishesfoxQ2as a key regulator of brain midline structures, which distinguish the protocerebrum from segmental ganglia. Unexpectedly, our data suggest that the central complex evolved by integrating neural cells from an ancestral anterior neuroendocrine center.

Summary statement

An ancestral neuroendocrine center contributes to the evolution of the central complex.foxQ2is a gene required for the development of midline structures of the insect brain, which distinguish protocerebrum from segmental ganglia.
Evidence for Membrane Complex Assembly in Nanoelectrospray Generated Lipid Bilayers
Authors: Wilm Matthias
Published: June 2019

1.

Nanoelectrospray can be used to generate a layered structure consisting of bipolar lipids, detergent-solubilized membrane proteins, and glycerol that self-assembles upon detergent extraction into one extended layer of a protein containing membrane. This manuscript presents the first evidence that this method might allow membrane protein complexes to assemble in this process.
ESCRT machinery mediates selective microautophagy of endoplasmic reticulum
Authors: Schäfer Jasmin A. , Schessner Julia P. , Bircham Peter W. , Tsuji Takuma , Funaya Charlotta , Schaeff Katharina , Ruffini Giulia , Papagiannidis Dimitrios , Knop Michael , Fujimoto Toyoshi , Schuck Sebastian
Published: June 2019

ER-phagy, the selective autophagy of endoplasmic reticulum (ER), safeguards organelle homeostasis by eliminating misfolded proteins and regulating ER size. ER-phagy can occur by macroautophagic and microautophagic mechanisms. While dedicated machinery for macro-ER-phagy has been discovered, the molecules and mechanisms mediating micro-ER-phagy remain unknown. Here, we first show that micro-ER-phagy in yeast involves the conversion of stacked cisternal ER into multilamellar ER whorls during microautophagic uptake into lysosomes. Second, we identify the conserved Nem1-Spo7 phosphatase complex and ESCRT proteins as key components for micro-ER-phagy. Third, we demonstrate that macro- and micro-ER-phagy are parallel pathways with distinct molecular requirements. Finally, we provide evidence that ESCRT proteins directly function in scission of the lysosomal membrane to complete the microautophagic uptake of ER. These findings establish a framework for a mechanistic understanding of micro-ER-phagy and, thus, a comprehensive appreciation of the role of autophagy in ER homeostasis.
Combinatorial proteomics and transcriptomics identify AMPK in the control of the axonal regeneration programme of DRG sensory neurons after spinal injury
Authors: Kong Guiping , Zhou Luming , Serger Elisabeth , Palmisano Ilaria , De Virgiliis Francesco , Hutson Thomas H , Mclachlan Eilidh , Freiwald Anja , La Montanara Paolo , Shkura Kirill , Puttagunta Radhika , Di Giovanni Simone
Published: June 2019

Regeneration after injury occurs in axons that lie in the peripheral nervous system but it fails in the central nervous system limiting functional recovery. Despite recent progress, the signalling response to injury of peripheral versus central projecting axons that might underpin this differential regenerative ability is currently largely uncharacterized. To fill this knowledge gap, here we combined axoplasmic proteomics from peripheral sciatic or central projecting dorsal root axons from sciatic DRG neurons. Proteomics was combined with cell body RNAseq to compare axonal and soma responses between a spinal regeneration-incompetent versus sciatic regeneration-competent nerve injury. This allowed the identification of injury-dependent signalling pathways uniquely represented in peripheral versus central projecting sciatic DRG axons. RNAseq and proteomics analysis suggested AMPK as a putative regulator of axonal regenerative signalling pathways. AMPK immunoprecipitation followed by mass spectrometry from DRG suggested that the 26S proteasome and its regulatory subunit PSMC5 preferentially interact with AMPKα for proteasomal degradation following sciatic axotomy. Mechanistically, we found that the proteasome and CaMKIIα-dependent proteasomal subunit PSMC5 regulates AMPKα1 protein expression. Finally, conditional deletion of AMPKα1 promoted multiple regenerative signalling pathways and robust axonal growth across the injured spinal cord, suggesting inhibition of AMPK as a novel regenerative target following spinal injury.

HIGHLIGHTS

Axoplasmic proteomics from sciatic or centrally projecting branches of sciatic DRG identifies unique protein enrichment and signalling pathways, including prior and subsequent to a spinal regeneration-incompetent versus sciatic regeneration-competent axonal injury

Combined axoplasmic DRG proteomics and cell body RNAseq analysis suggest AMPK as a central regulator controlling axonal regeneration

The 26S proteasome and the 19S regulatory subunit PSMC5 interact with AMPKα following sciatic axotomy. PSMC5 regulates AMPKα1 protein levels

AMPKα1 conditional deletion enhances robust axonal growth following SCI
FALCONET: an R package to accelerate automatic visualisation of genome scale metabolic models
Authors: Lu Hongzhong , Zhu Zhengming , Kerkhoven Eduard J , Nielsen Jens
Published: June 2019

FALCONET (FAst visuaLisation of COmputational NETworks) enables the automatic for-mation and visualisation of metabolic maps from genome-scale models with R and CellDesigner, readily facilitating the visualisation of multi-layers omics datasets in the context of metabolic networks.

Motivation

Until now, numerous GEMs have been reconstructed and used as scaffolds to conduct integrative omics analysis and in silico strain design. Due to the large network size of GEMs, it is challenging to produce and visualize these networks as metabolic maps for further in-depth analyses.

Results

Here, we presented the R package - FALCONET, which facilitates drawing and visualizing metabolic maps in an automatic manner. This package will benefit the research community by allowing a wider use of GEMs in systems biology.

Availability and implementation

FALCONET is available on https://github.com/SysBioChalmers/FALCONET and released under the MIT License.

Contact

nielsenj@chalmers.se

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available online.
Ribosome queuing enables non-AUG translation to be resistant to multiple protein synthesis inhibitors
Authors: Kearse Michael G. , Goldman Daniel H. , Choi Jiou , Nwaezeapu Chike , Liang Dongming , Green Katelyn M. , Goldstrohm Aaron C. , Todd Peter K. , Green Rachel , Wilusz Jeremy E.
Published: June 2019

Aberrant translation initiation at non-AUG start codons is associated with multiple cancers and neurodegenerative diseases. Nevertheless, how non-AUG translation may be regulated differently from canonical translation is poorly understood. Here, we used start codon-specific reporters and ribosome profiling to characterize how translation from non-AUG start codons responds to protein synthesis inhibitors in human cells. These analyses surprisingly revealed that translation of multiple non-AUG-encoded reporters and the endogenous GUG-encoded DAP5 (eIF4G2/p97) mRNA is resistant to cycloheximide (CHX), a translation inhibitor that severely slows but does not completely abrogate elongation. Our data suggest that slowly elongating ribosomes can lead to queuing/stacking of scanning preinitiation complexes (PICs), preferentially enhancing recognition of weak non-AUG start codons. Consistent with this model, limiting PIC formation or scanning sensitizes non-AUG translation to CHX. We further found that non-AUG translation is resistant to other inhibitors that target ribosomes within the coding sequence but not those targeting newly initiated ribosomes. Together, these data indicate that ribosome queuing enables mRNAs with poor initiation context—namely, those with non-AUG start codons—to be resistant to pharmacological translation inhibitors at concentrations that robustly inhibit global translation.
Laser velocimetry for turbofan inlet distortion applications
Authors: Lowe K. Todd
Published: June 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to assess state-of-the-art techniques for quantifying flow distortion in the inlets of turbofan engines, particularly with respect to the prospects for future flight applications.

Design/methodology/approach

To adequately characterize the flow fields of complex aircraft inlet distortions, the author has incorporated laser velocimetry techniques, namely, stereoscopic particle image velocimetry (PIV) and Doppler velocimetry based on filtered Rayleigh scattering (FRS), into inlet distortion studies.

Findings

Overall, the results and experience indicate that the pathway for integration of FRS technologies into flight systems is clearer and more robust than that of PIV.

Practical implications

While always a concern, the topic of inlet distortion has grown in importance as contemporary airframe designers seek extremely compact and highly integrated inlets. This research offers a means for gaining new understanding of the in situ aerodynamic phenomena involved with complex inlet distortion.

Originality/value

This paper presents unique applications of turbofan inlet velocimetry methods while providing an original assessment of technological challenges involved with progressing advanced velocimetry techniques for flight measurements.
Identification of interdisciplinary research based upon co-cited journals
Authors: van Veller Marco
Published: June 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to the identification of journal articles that probably report on interdisciplinary research at Wageningen University & Research (WUR).

Design/methodology/approach

For identification of interdisciplinary research, an analysis is performed on journals from which articles have been cited in articles (co-)authored by WUR staff. The journals with cited articles are inventoried from the reference lists of the WUR articles. For each WUR article, a mean dissimilarity is calculated between the journal in which it has been published and the journals inventoried from the reference lists. Dissimilarities are derived from a large matrix with similarity values between journals, calculated from co-occurrence of these journals in the WUR articles’ reference lists.

Findings

For 21,191 WUR articles published between 2006 and 2015 in 2,535 journals mean dissimilarities have been calculated. The analysis shows that WUR articles with high mean dissimilarities often are published in multidisciplinary journals. Also, WUR articles with high mean dissimilarities are found in non-multidisciplinary (research field-specific) journals. For these articles (with high mean dissimilarities), this paper shows that citations are often made to more various research fields than for articles with lower mean dissimilarities.

Originality/value

Identification of articles reporting on interdisciplinary research may be important to WUR policy for strategic purposes or for the evaluation of researchers or groups. Also, this analysis enables to identify journals with high mean dissimilarities (due to WUR articles citing more various research fields). Identification of these journals with a more interdisciplinary scope can be important for collection management by the library.
Transnational board interlocks
Authors: González Carlos
Published: June 2019

Purpose

While previous studies have focused on the role of directors in the formation of transnational interlocks, this paper argues that firm strategy can also influence the development of these relationships. The purpose of this paper is to shed light on the practice of transnational interlocks by extending board interlocks theory from the national to the transnational context, and exploring aspects that are unique to the transnational level.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the experiences of four British firms, this paper develops a conceptual framework that integrates under-examined dimensions of this networking practice at the organizational level of analysis, specifically degree of internationalization (DOI) and psychic distance (PD).

Findings

The paper argues that firms will increasingly engage in transnational interlocks as internationalization intensifies, and that expansion into psychically distant countries may result in further engagement in these connections. Further, firms will tend to form transnational received interlocks at their early stages of internationalization, and transnational sent and neutral interlocks at later stages of this process. It identifies four categories of firms: locals, extenders, explorers and cosmopolitans.

Practical implications

Directors can contribute to their firms’ success by interlocking with firms located in key foreign markets. Firms should also welcome directors with transnational board appointments to secure knowledge and resources overseas.

Originality/value

The manuscript contributes to our understanding of transnational interlocks by examining the independent and joint influence of the firm’s DOI and PD on the formation of such relationships.
Corporate wellness: what, why not and whither?
Authors: Harvey Geraint
Published: June 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present corporate wellness (CW) as an approach to worker well-being and as distinct from workplace health promotion (WHP). Theoretical explanations of the contribution of CW and WHP to the economic and social legitimacy objectives of human resource management (HRM) serve to elucidate this distinction and also to highlight the problematic nature of CW. An alternative approach to worker well-being, firm performance and social legitimacy of the firm is discussed.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a review paper that analyses research into CW as a discrete approach to the management of people and compares this body of knowledge with ancillary studies of the impact of policies more commonly aligned with HRM in order to achieve the purpose of the paper.

Findings

The review is critical of CW as a means of achieving competitive advantage through people due to the probability of dysfunctional outcomes, namely exacerbating the health and well-being of the workforce, especially the mental health of workers.

Practical implications

Due to the sizeable investment in CW programmes, the paper advocates a focus on equity in pay, employment security and employee voice as an alterative means of enhancing the health of the workforce and the performance of the organisation.

Originality/value

This paper elaborates on recent critiques of worker well-being programmes (see e.g. Guest, 2017), offering a comprehensive and robust theoretical framework. The paper cites extensive evidence that improved pay, employment security and an effective voice in the workplace are more effective means of meeting the needs of the firm and improving worker well-being.
“Of age – off school”: sexual maturation, girls’ education and capabilities
Authors: Ogamba Ikedinachi K.
Published: June 2019

Purpose

Over the years, efforts to ensure equal participation of girls in school in Nigeria have been met with some setbacks, amidst significant progress in mobilising communities for gender equality and mainstreaming. The purpose of this paper is to explore a number of features associated with sexual maturation that affect girls’ non-enrolment, limited attendance, performance at school and gender inequality in primary and secondary education in Nigeria.

Design/methodology/approach

The analytical engagement with the capability approach draws out elements of inequalities and demonstrates that issues of sexual maturation do not just constitute personal health challenge for adolescent girls, but bring up wider issues of socio-cultural, community and institutional deprivation and injustice.

Findings

Though laudable initiatives have been in place to improve girls’ participation and attainment in education, there is a dire need for appropriate policy and actions to address the supply and demand barriers to meeting girls’ needs, including making schools more girl-friendly and safe, providing school-based health programmes, sex education and sanitation facilities, train teachers against gender-stereotype, flexible school schedules and enforce re-admission policy. But beyond school policy and environment, there is also the need to respond to opportunity costs of schooling and leverage collective capabilities.

Originality/value

This paper argues that cultural and socioeconomic factors surrounding sexual maturation are implicated in gender differentials in participation and performance of girls and gender inequality in education. It suggests the need for the application of collective capabilities for action towards addressing girls’ sexual maturation issues and education in the society.
Collaborative procurement and private-sector housebuilding and refurbishment works
Authors: Costin Glenn , Nakai Kidd Akari , Simon Timothy , Edwards David John
Published: June 2019

Purpose

Framed as a pilot study, the purpose of this paper is to study the perceived appropriateness of an existing collaborative procurement procedure (CPP) framework from the housebuilder’s perspective, seeking to improve its utility and stimulate further exploration.

Design/methodology/approach

Informed by an existing CPP framework and conducted by a UK-based development professional, four in-depth semi-structured interviews were undertaken with senior housebuilding practitioners from London and surrounding counties. A qualitative analysis was then conducted for this sociological study.

Findings

Perceived appropriateness of the framework was high; however, a number of procedural improvements were identified, along with limitations. Future studies are recommended including the influence upon project performance of groundworker integration at the design stage.

Research limitations/implications

Limited to four interviews from one regional area, the study provides an initial insight into the appropriateness of an existing CPP framework. Insights into why CP uptake is marginal within housebuilding were also gained. The research purpose was achieved but by offering a self-reflection upon practice (vis-à-vis wider generalisations), the findings provide a springboard for further studies.

Practical implications

The research identifies with current practice, industry perceptions and paths towards improving the utility of the CPP framework.

Social implications

This study offers insights into the perceptions of private housebuilding practitioners of their own practices and the factors they find challenging within the social constructs of their industry.

Originality/value

This research constitutes one of the first studies in the UK to examine the CPP framework from the perspective of the private housebuilder and is undertaken with the express purpose of furthering that framework’s utility.
Nudging with construal level theory to improve online password use and intended password choice
Authors: Kaleta Jeffrey P. , Lee Jong Seok , Yoo Sungjin
Published: June 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to focus on a potential tradeoff between security and usability in people’s use of online passwords – in general, complex passwords are secure and desirable but difficult to use (i.e. difficult to memorize) whereas simple passwords are easy to use, but are insecure and undesirable. Construal level theory (CLT) explains how high vs low construal level causes people to focus on “desirability” vs “feasibility” of an action, which in the research context can translate into the “security” vs “usability” of using passwords.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conducted a series of three laboratory experiments manipulating people’s construal level and investigating its impact on password use.

Findings

The authors found that people who were induced to think at a high construal level created or showed intention to choose stronger passwords relative to people who were induced to think at a low construal level. Furthermore, this effect was also significantly different from the control group who did not receive any experimental treatment. In addition, the authors found that perspective taking targeted at the desirability of creating a strong password further strengthened the effect of a high construal level on intended password choice.

Originality/value

This research makes several contributions to existing literature on password security. First, this research offers CLT as a theoretical lens to explain an individual’s thinking and behavior concerning online password use. Second, this research offers empirical evidence that a high construal level improves users’ password use, a desirable feature for improved security. Third, this research contributes to the literature on how to apply nudging to influence human behavior toward more desirable, stronger, password use. Finally, our research identifies PT as a factor enhancing the positive effect of a high construal level on online users’ password use.
Consumerization-conflict resolution and changing IT-user relationships
Authors: Koch Hope , Yan Jie (Kevin) , Curry Patrick
Published: June 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to understand how the digital workplace, in particular employees using consumer tools at work (users), impacts how internal IT departments function and their relationships with users they have historically supported.

Design/methodology/approach

An interpretive, longitudinal case study highlighting how one IT department coped with the conflicts using consumer tools at work creates a trend called IT consumerization.

Findings

Internal IT departments manage the conflicts IT consumerization poses through an ongoing process of conflict and conflict resolution. This impacts the IT department’s relationship with users along three dimensions: IT-control, user-self-sufficiency and IT-user partnerships.

Originality/value

While there is an ongoing debate about internal IT departments needing to change, the study shows how one IT department did change in response to IT consumerization. The authors develop a data-driven model grounded in theories that explains how IT departments cope with the conflicts IT consumerization poses.
Examining the drivers of employee brand understanding: a longitudinal study
Authors: Murillo Enrique , King Ceridwyn
Published: June 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to extend previous research by using a longitudinal design to examine the differential contribution of brand understanding (BU) drivers at various moments in the early tenure of service employees. Employee BU is a prerequisite of brand promise delivery among service employees. Previous studies, using cross-sectional samples, established that brand-oriented recruitment, training and leadership are significant BU drivers.

Design/methodology/approach

A three-wave survey was collected from a 105-member panel of recent hires at a restaurant chain that displayed a strong brand culture and adopted internal brand management (IBM) practices. Structural equation models with carryover effects were estimated to measure the impact of BU drivers on Day 1, as well as at four and seven months of tenure. In addition, a latent growth model of BU was estimated using random coefficients modeling.

Findings

Results show a significant positive effect of IBM practices on BU at each point in time; however, despite this, by the seven month milestone, BU is still not fully developed.

Research limitations/implications

As with most organizational longitudinal studies, there was sample attrition because of the high turnover that characterizes the restaurant industry. This attrition is not believed to be correlated with the variables measured in the study.

Practical implications

Managers seeking a differentiated customer experience should not assume new hires attain a good understanding of the service brand even after the first seven months of tenure. Hence, brand training and leadership should extend well beyond this time frame.

Originality/value

This study is the first, as per the authors’ understanding, to use a longitudinal design to model BU as a dynamic variable because it befits the learning trajectories of new employees.
What if the company’s “charity of the year” is an organisation that deals with severe to moderate mental disability?
Authors: Bennett Roger , Vijaygopal Rohini
Published: June 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to explore the use of an appeal, belonging and commitment social marketing intervention to rescue a failing corporate “charity of the year” exercise that involved a mental disability charity. It describes the improvements experienced consequent to the introduction of volunteer “charity ambassadors” (CAs) appointed to champion the charity’s cause.

Design/methodology/approach

The study revolved around company employees’ responses to an open-ended question concerning their attitudes towards people with mental disabilities. A semi-automated qualitative research technique (structural topic modelling [STM]) was used to analyse the replies both pre- and post-intervention. Regression analyses were undertaken to explain whether employees’ replies to the question fell in specific categories.

Findings

The intervention was successful. Employees’ attitudes regarding mentally impaired people shifted substantially away from fear and towards feelings of benevolence and compassion. Employees’ financial donations to the charity increased significantly consequent to the intervention. Levels of benevolence and compassion depended significantly on participants’ prior exposure to people with mental disabilities, gender and degree of involvement in activities associated with the intervention.

Research limitations/implications

Stakeholders other than employees were not sampled. Open-ended responses to a single question can oversimplify complex issues.

Practical implications

Outcomes to the research demonstrate how CAs can induce positive attitudes and behaviour towards an “unpopular cause”.

Originality/value

The results highlight some of the problems attached to corporate sponsorship of unpopular causes. A relatively recently developed open-ended qualitative research technique, STM, was used to examine employees’ attitudes. Classifications of findings emerged from the data and did not depend on a predetermined coding scheme.
IoT-based real time intelligent routing for emergent crowd evacuation
Authors: Mei Yanlan , Gui Ping , Luo Xianfeng , Liang Benbu , Fu Liuliu , Zheng Xianrong
Published: June 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to take advantage of Internet of Things (IoT) for intelligent route programming of crowd emergency evacuation in metro station. It is a novel approach to ensure the crowd safety and reduce the casualties in the emergency context. An evacuation route programming model is constructed to select a suitable evacuation route and support the emergency decision maker of metro station.

Design/methodology/approach

The IoT technology is employed to collect and screen information, and to construct an expert decision model to support the metro station manager to make decision. As a feasible way to solve the multiple criteria decision-making problem, an improved multi-attributive border approximation area comparison (MABAC) approach is introduced.

Findings

The case study indicates that the model provides valuable suggestions for evacuation route programming and offers practical support for the design of an evacuation route guidance system. Moreover, IoT plays an important role in the process of intelligent route programming of crowd emergency evacuation in metro station. A library has similar structure and crowd characteristics of a metro station, thus the intelligent route programming approach can be applied to the library crowd evacuation.

Originality/value

The highlights of this paper are listed as followings: the accuracy and accessibility of the metro station’s real-time information are improved by integrating IoT technology with the intelligent route programming of crowd emergency evacuation. An improved MABAC approach is introduced to the expert support model. It promotes the applicability and reliability of decision making for emergency evacuation route selection in metro station. It is a novel way to combine the decision-making methods with practice.
Chronicles of one woman’s journey towards well-being: connectedness
Authors: Mullen Jo
Published: June 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to share the experiences and reflections of one woman’s journey towards well-being.

Design/methodology/approach

A narrative approach has been taken to structure reflections based on lived experience.

Findings

Reflections are offered based on a personal journey towards well-being.

Originality/value

This paper adds to the accounts of the lived experience of the journey towards well-being, and, as such, contributes to the understanding of the process of rebuilding a life.
Survey identifying commonality across international Recovery Colleges
Authors: King Toni , Meddings Sara
Published: June 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide a preliminary outline of the international presence, commonality and differences between Recovery Colleges.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used a short e-mailed survey to create a map of Recovery Colleges internationally and review Recovery Colleges outside the UK. Questions gathered descriptive and qualitative data to gain an overview of the mode of delivery and aspects respondents felt were noteworthy.

Findings

This paper identifies Recovery Colleges in 22 countries in five continents (including the UK). Participants described wide variance in their context. Despite adaptations, the operational models and inherent principles of each were closely aligned to those developed in the UK.

Originality/value

This paper provides the first baseline of Recovery Colleges on an international scale. It provides evidence of a high degree of commonality despite variance in setting and highlights the internationally valued transformational power of this model.
The value of having a first-tier football club in the municipality (even) when tangible benefits are absent
Authors: Nielsen Christian Gjersing , Pedersen Line Bjørnskov , Storm Rasmus K.
Published: June 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine citizens’ willingness to pay (WTP), in relation to having a professional first-tier football club in a medium-sized Danish municipality, when tangible economic benefits such as economic growth and/or inbound migration produced by these are absent.

Design/methodology/approach

Using the contingent valuation method on survey respondents, the study examines factors affecting WTP using binary logistic regression and interval regression and further extrapolates the WTP from the sample to the municipal population.

Findings

Citizens significantly value having a first-tier football club in their municipality even when tangible benefits are absent, although a large proportion of respondents stated to be against the municipality being financially involved in professional team sports clubs (PTSC). WTP is largely driven by interest in sports and the local football club. It is argued that the findings cannot be generalized across contexts.

Research limitations/implications

There can be circumstances where public subsidy of PTSCs is beneficial to economic welfare. However, authorities should be careful in their evaluation of whether to subsidize PTSCs.

Originality/value

The study expands on existing research by informing respondents about the lack of tangible benefits produced by PTSCs, hereby focusing on WTP on an informed basis.
Effects of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors on motility of isolated fallopian tube
Authors: Milosavljević Miloš N. , Janković Snezana V. , Janković Slobodan M. , Djurić Janko , Protrka Zoran , Arsenijević Slobodan , Folić Marko , Stojadinović Dobrivoje , Dimitrijević Aleksandra
Published: June 2019

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) affect the smooth muscle cells acting on voltage‐dependent channels for Na+, K+ and Ca2+, but their action is tissue and species specific. The aim of our study was to investigate effects of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors on motility of the isolated fallopian tubes. Isolated preparations of isthmus and ampoule were taken from fallopian tubes of 20 women during hysterectomy due to uterine fibroids and then tested for reactivity on increasing concentrations of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Escitalopram (from 0.9 × 10−9 M/L to 1.4 × 10−6 M/L) produced concentration‐dependent increase of spontaneous contractions of the isolated ampulla (EC50 = 1.20 ± 1.06 × 10−8 M/L, r = 0.580, P < 0.05) (F = 2.980, df1 = 6, df2 = 28, P < 0.05). Paroxetine (from 1.2 × 10−9 M/L to 5.1 × 10−5 M/L) produced concentration‐dependent increase of spontaneous contractions of the isolated isthmus (EC50 = 7.01 ± 3.50 × 10−8 M/L, r = 0.500, P < 0.05) (F = 2.350, df1 = 9, df2 = 40, P < 0.05). The SSRIs differ among themselves in regard to their potential to affect motility of the fallopian tubes. Escitalopram and paroxetine have clear stimulating effect which may interfere with functioning of the fallopian tubes, and potentially impair fertility if taken by women in reproductive period of life. The other SSRIs tested in the study did not produce significant effect throughout the concentration range used in the experiments.
Association between birth weight and diabetes: Role of body mass index and lifestyle in later life
Authors: Hu Chunyan , Mu Yiming , Wan Qin , Qin Yingfen , Hu Ruying , Shi Lixin , Su Qing , Yu Xuefeng , Yan Li , Qin Guijun , Tang Xulei , Chen Gang , Gao Zhengnan , Wang Guixia , Shen Feixia , Luo Zuojie , Chen Li , Huo Yanan , Li Qiang , Ye Zhen , Zhang Yinfei , Liu Chao , Wang Youmin , Wu Shengli , Yang Tao , Deng Huacong , Chen Lulu , Zhao Jiajun , Lu Jieli , Lin Lin , Li Mian , Du Rui , Xu Min , Xu Yu , Wang Tiange , Zhao Zhiyun , Chen Yuhong , Li Donghui , Bi Yufang , Wang Weiqing , Ning Guang ,   for the REACTION Study Group
Published: June 2019

Background

This study investigated the association between birth weight and diabetes in a Chinese population, and the effects of body mass index (BMI) and lifestyle factors in later life on this association.

Methods

Data from 49 118 participants aged ≥40 years with recalled birth weight from the Risk Evaluation of cAncers in Chinese diabeTic Individuals: a lONgitudinal (REACTION) study, a nationwide population‐based cohort, were used. Diabetes diagnosis was based on oral glucose tolerance tests and HbA1c measurements. Logistic regression models were used to evaluate the association of birth weight and risk of diabetes in later life.

Results

Increased risk of diabetes was associated with lower or higher birth weight. Compared with individuals with a birth weight of 2500 to 3499 g, the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of diabetes for individuals with a birth weight of <2500, between 3500 and 3999, and ≥4000 g were 1.28 (1.11‐1.47), 1.11 (1.04‐1.19), and 1.20 (1.07‐1.34), respectively. Significant associations were prominent in participants with a current BMI ≥24 kg/m2, but not detected in those with a normal BMI (OR 1.20 [95% CI 0.96‐1.49], 1.11 [95% CI 0.98‐1.25], and 1.10 [95% CI 0.89‐1.37], respectively). Moreover, there was no increased risk of diabetes in individuals with a low birth weight but with healthy dietary habits (OR 0.94; 95% CI 0.68‐1.29) or ideal physical activity (OR 1.41; 95% CI 0.97‐2.04).

Conclusions

A U‐shaped association was observed between birth weight and the risk of diabetes. Healthy lifestyles (healthy dietary habits or ideal physical activity) may eliminate the negative effects of low birth weight in the development of diabetes, but not the effect of high birth weight.